Katarina's days were filled with suffering. Her only relief to be found was when it was her turn to help prepare food for everyone in the knights' communal kitchen, clean the dorms and the grounds around the dorms, and the times she was allowed to take a break so she could do her sword drills to maintain her muscle memory and stay in shape.
Beyond those happy, simple times, she suffered.
Despite expectations, Maria hadn't set up a special classroom for Katarina to suffer in. Instead, a school desk had been set up in the open courtyard the other knights used for practice when they were not on duty, facing a wall on which had been painted to act as a blackboard. On the board, in Maria's clear, simple handwriting, was a list of topics (such as how you were supposed to comport yourself in public, how you were supposed to behave at a party, how you were supposed to interact with other nobles), their accompanying chapters in Mother's Book of Doom, and a reminder there would be written test.
The chair was out in the sun, which Katarina didn't mind, since she'd been ordered to wear a hat to prevent heatstroke and Maria's estate had a nice breeze going through it. Still, with how much Katarina was sweating, people could be excused for thinking it was because of the heat.
In truth, she struggled over the text before her. It was so boring! And complicated! And boring! And she got the feeling it was all very impolite! True, it spoke about was behavior was considered rude a lot, but she got the sense it was telling you this so you could do it.
Argh! Why couldn't noble society be simple? You say 'sorry' when you do something wrong, you say 'thank you' if someone gives you something or does something nice for you, you say 'please' when you're asking for something. And yeah, noble society had that too. But it also had, like, too many forks! This was why she got one fork when she ate from the buffet and stuck with it!
She could hear the knights of the royal guard as they practiced or talked or did maintenance on their weapons and armor. Maria had told her to ignore them and study, and Katarina got the feeling the knights had been asked not to bother her. Katarina had only The Book of Doom in front of her, the blackboard, and all day to study.
She'd dodged the bad ends, right? Why did this feel like a truly terrible 'the idiot protagonist is just a decapitated head the loli is playing with' ending? Nevertheless, Katarina persisted! She kept reading the chapters– why were the letters so tiny when the book was so big?!– then read them again when she realized she'd gotten to the bottom of the page and had forgotten everything that came before it, including what she'd just read.
The first test came, and Katarina cried in relief when she saw that it was multiple choice instead of essay. Then cried again as she realized each question came with 20 choices, each similar enough that she couldn't just guess by eliminating the most different option. Still, she labored, wracking her brain over the possible answers, even standing up and miming the options, trying everything she could dredge out what she'd read to figure out what the answer could be. Her really smart friends weren't here to show her their notes and point out what was likely on the test. So she had to do it all herself.
She got 3 out of fifty, and Katarina knew for a fact two of those were wild guesses. The third she managed to answer because it was a question about what order a dinner course was served.
Maria looked gravely at her exam as Katarina lay panting on her desk, checking the question in front of her before presenting the result. "A terrible showing, squire Claes. Resume studying the material. You will have the exact same test, with the exact same questions and answers next week. I expect you to beat this core." Maria's face was scary, looking exactly like mother when she lectured Katarina. Then it softened slightly, as Mother's sometimes did. "You may have until dinner free. May I suggest visiting Miss Shelley and assuring her you yet live?"
"Yes, Dame Campbell," Katarina panted. Her brains felt like someone had fallen off a tree and squashed it with their enormous butt. Still, the test was over! Now she could forget everything and–
Panic filled her! No, no, she couldn't, she couldn't forget! She had the same test against next week, she had to remember, had to remember…!
She tried repeating the exam questions but they were slipping away, and the possible answers with them. Wait, the questioned she'd answered right, it was about… argh, why was she thinking about forks!? No, wait, right-answer-chan, come back…!
Maria was already walking away, the test paper tucked under her arm, and so didn't see Katarina start to cry.
Maria nodded amiably at Sophia as they sat across from one another in Sophia's private office. She didn't use it much, as she was often away, but the scaleless young woman did have an office in the manor, which she usually used for storing books. Maria made sure it was regularly aired and cleaned. From the smell it sometimes had, she suspected it was being used for midnight trysts and secret fornication.
"Lady Maria, I think we should switch duties for a while," Sophia said. "After all, while you were off rescuing your mother– who I'm very glad you were able to rescue and is recovering, please give her my regards and well wishes– I was doing both my commission-collection duties and making sure the manufactories were running. It occurs to me that, for example, another such emergency come up on both our parts, like you get called to save the kingdom from some Ancient Dragon awakening after millennia of sleep or something, or the next Night Fall book comes out in the middle of the week, that we both should be familiar with what the other does."
"A sound idea, Lady Sophia," Maria said, nodding placidly in agreement. "I admit, I've been feeling I should also learn how to acquire commissions myself. While you have done an excellent job, you are correct that in the event of some emergency, or merely one of us desiring rest, the other should be fully capable of handling all aspects of this venture."
"I'm glad you agree with me, Lady Maria," Sophia said. "How about we start tomorrow? I'll even start you of on something easy. I made an appointment with a friend of mother's, she just wants a small display for an intimate dinner she's throwing for some friends. You just go in, describe what we can do, refer to this price list I made, sign her up, and come away with a signed commission and a letter to her banker for the money."
"Why thank you Lady Sophia," Maria said. "That's so thoughtful of you."
"I also made this list for the rest of the week, they're soft sells too, mostly people who knew people we knew at the Academy," Sophia said. "And I figure you can find people to approach on your own after that, you should have enough experience by then."
"Indeed," Maria agreed. "Thank you Lady Sophia."
"Don't mention it!" Sophia said brightly. "By the way, I think we should get Lady Selena a bit more involved in the management of things for the gerhmans. I know she's busy now with helping Prince Ian with his everythings, but she should probably be more involved."
"I suspect she'll be very busy when we finally start shipping the weapons to the capital, but you're right," Maria agreed. "At the very least, she should be more aware of the current state of production."
"How do you feel about her becoming an investor in the nightflowers?" Sophia asked. "Not only will it give us new capital for facilities, it will also give her a more public, presentable reason for visiting, since the gehrmans aren't meant to be public knowledge yet. Plus it will allow us to increase powder productions when we start getting orders for it for weapons."
"I have no objection to Lady Berg becoming an investor in that as well," Maria said. "In truth, she should be, as without powder the weapons are largely useless. Tell her I agree, pursuant of the same conditions as her becoming an investor in the weapon venture."
"No Susanna Randall?" Sophia said. "You know, I would have thought you'd try to talk her out of that. It's probably a bad idea for a future princess to have such a strong grudge against another. It might become like Queen Yuri and Duchess Iris, and everyone knows how that turned out."
"Susanna Randall is a complete and total creep, remember," Maria reminded her.
"Oh, right. I forgot," Sophia said, nodding. "Well, you do you. Anyway, I'll go on my rounds today and you can get the reports I need to know ready so we can switch jobs tomorrow."
"They shall be prepared, Lady Sophia," Maria said.
"So, apropos of nothing, how's Lady Katarina doing?" Sophia said brightly. "Can I see her?"
"She is still undergoing the early stages of her training, so no," Maria said. "However, she has apparently made an excellent impression on the other knights whose dormitory she shares."
Sophia looked alarmed.
"Have no fear," Maria said. "They are not in contact enough to become admirers of squire Katarina's just yet. In fact, her difficulty in her training is such that I believe they regard her as a rather pitiful puppy or little sister. So you need not fear for her virtue just yet. She has not yet spoken to them enough to charm them."
"Ah," Sophia said, looking slightly embarrassed.
Maria smiled. "I did not agree to take her in as a squire without some preparation for dealing with squire Katarina's usual circumstances, you know. What sort of fool do you take me for?"
"One completely blind to romance?" Sophia said with blunt honesty.
"Hmm…" Maria intoned challengingly. "Of the two of us, which one is engaged to marry the one they love?"
Sophia winced, her spirit letting out a 'thunk' sound at the greatarrow that just slammed into it. "All right, I concede, take my souls. Backstab me, why don't you…"
The next morning, as Maria was getting the carriage readied for her to take on Sophia's duties and vice versa, she was graced with a visitor.
"Good morning, Dame Romani," Maria greeted the young woman who stepped down from the Claes-marked carriage. "I see Lord Keith is not with you. He is well, I hope?"
"Oh yes, he is, Dame Campbell," Katarina's cousin said. Maria noted she had her usual round shield handing from her waist like a sidearm. "He was just too busy with paperwork this morning to spar with me, and suggested I come visit you for a brief bout."
Maria's hand twitched, aching for a sword, but she restrained herself. "Unfortunately, Dame Romani, I will not be able to accommodate you. You see, I have appointments I need to travel to today."
"Ah, I see," Dame Romani said. "but then, who will be conducting my cousin's squireship in your absence?"
It was a perfectly innocent question, but Maria wasn't fooled. After all, this was a full-blooded relative of her grace the Duchess Claes, and so likely imbued with all the woman's social acumen and cunning, hidden behind the deceptive Adeth smile (a part of her pointed out they might be closer to Katarina's innocent, childish smile, but that was unlikely. Katarina was clearly a unique outlier).
"I have arranged readings for my squire," Maria said. "It shall be sufficient to fully occupy her mind, I am sure."
Though that's not hard to do, both of them thought.
"I see," Dame Romani said. "That sounds so different from my squireship."
Maria smiled. "It's Katarina Claes. One must make allowances for her… Katarina-ness."
Dame Romani made a face that seemed reluctant agreement.
"Is there anything else, Dame Romani?" Maria said. "You are of course welcome to stay and rest from your trip. If you are still here on my arrival, I will of course by willing to spar."
"Why you, Dame Campbell?" Dame Romani said, finally saying the words that even Maria had been wondering about. "Why did she ask you? I'm a knight as well, and it's hardly uncommon for someone to squire with their relatives. Even King Artorias, back before he claimed the crown, once squired under his cousin Dame Kay."
Maria paused thoughtfully. "In truth, I do not know, Dame Romani. I myself do not know why I was even knighted." Dame Romani gave her a disbelieving look. "I said as much to his Majesty upon the event. He did not explain, but merely charged me to be worthy of the honor of being a knight."
"So you were never squired?" Dame Romani said. "Um, you realize that kind of knighting is just a formality to raise you to the nobility, right?"
"I am aware, Dame Romani," Maria said. "But the king charged me to be worthy. And so I strive. And as my friend asked me, and I accepted, the honor and burden of teaching her how to be a knight… I strive to be worthy of that too. She is so innocent, our squire. Surrounded on all sides…"
"I see…" Dame Romani said quietly.
For a moment, the two stood in silence, lost in their own thoughts, so seemingly so.
"May I ask a personal question, Dame Romani?" Maria said.
"Ah, well, as I've already asked you something myself, feel free, Dame Campbell," Dame Romani said.
"How do you feel about Katarina Claes?" Maria asked solemnly. "You came from your distant lands with her, and in my experience, those who grow close to Katarina Claes are seldom apathetic to her. So why come all this way?"
"…" Dame Romani said, then opened her mouth to continue, and Maria could see the plausible story assembling to fill her mouth. Then she paused, and the construct fell away. "I want to protect her. When she came to our home, she was so happy and cheerful, but sometimes she'd say things… things so terrible without seeming to realize it. Even Aunt Mi– er, her grace my aunt Duchess Claes was sometimes shocked by what she revealed. I got the feeling that things here… were more dangerous than Katarina realized, and I wished to protect her from that. Like you said, she's so innocent…"
"Ah. What did she say, exactly?" Maria said.
"I don't think it would be fair to say, lest I misunderstood the situation and the parties in question are actually innocent," Dame Romani said.
Maria nodded. "Fair enough. And I completely agree with you. After all, she's been kidnapped at least once already."
"What?" Dame Romani exclaimed, and suddenly Maria was looking at a night and a peer, with steely, determined eyes. "Who? When?"
"A faction in opposition to the Third Prince," Maria said. "I'm afraid the details are complicated, and some of them are sealed by the crown."
Dame Romani's eyes hardened. "Ah," she said, with cold, sharp tones. "I see. If I may ask, how was the situation resolved?"
"I rescued her, and brought the guilty to justice," Maria said simply. No need to aggrandize herself.
Dame Romani's eyes widened. "Oh," she said, a small sound. "I see."
Maria shrugged.
Abruptly, Dame Romani bowed low. "I apologize for any slight I might have given you for questioning you, Dame Campbell," Dame Romani said. "If you did rescue my cousin… then I am in your debt."
"Think nothing of it," Maria said. "I gave my word to her grace the Duchess that the blood of anyone who brought harm to Lady Katarina would be fed to my blade. I was only doing as I had vowed, and what was right."
Jerkily, Dame Romani straightened. "Ah… I see. I guess I've made a fool of myself again…"
"You were concerned for your cousin," Maria said. "Believe me when I say I completely understand. That girl can often be… concerning."
"I guess she doesn't need me to protect her after all…" Dame Romani said sheepishly.
Maria tilted her head. "Does that change anything, Lady Knight?"
For a moment, Dame Romani blinked. Then she tilted her head.
"No…" she said. "No, it doesn't."
One hand reached down to caress the shield at her side.
Maria considered her… then nodded. "As I said, I have errands to run, Dame Romani. But I would like to speak with you more on the subject of Katarina Claes. Would you be willing to join my fiancé and myself for dinner? We can speak upon such matters then."
"Your…. fiancé, Dame Campbell?" Dame Romani said, seemingly puzzled by the inclusion.
"I can assure you that my fiancé is one of the few people whom Katarina Claes does not need to be protected against," Maria said, then conscientiously added, "Anymore."
"Anymore?!" Dame Romani said, alarmed.
"There was a brief incident during the Academy," Maria said. "But it was cleared up, and now my fiancé is on very good terms with Katarina Claes. And I believe his perspective will be helpful in briefing you as to the… protections… that she needs."
Dame Romani frowned thoughtfully. "Then… I accept your invitation, Dame Campbell."
"Will tonight do?" Maria asked.
"I… tonight will do, Dame Campbell," Dame Romani said.
"Then I will see you tonight, Dame Romani," Maria said.
Dame Romani gave her a wary nod, as if still wondering what she had agreed, but allowed herself to be led inside for refreshments before she returned home.
The day was looking good. Maria found herself looking forward to dinner.
A/N: So, my Pat-reon is up now at P.A.T.R.E.O.N.C.O.M -/-SCM2814. If you want to support this fic, that would be great, but no pressure. But if you do, you'll also get advanced access to my new original fiction series about a wizard on the frontier, her dungeon, and the idiots around her...