Hey! I'm really excited to be posting this chapter today! This is the first of two chapters that are based off of season nine's episode, 'Newborn King.' Also, as a cameo in this chapter, the horse that is named was given the name of my aunt's horse when she was little. I hope you've been enjoying this, and that I'll see you tomorrow!

Oh, and just as a reminder, Operacje is 'operations' in Polish (country based off of NCIS LA, lead by Hetty) and Investigatii is 'investigation' in Romanian (country based off of the FBI, lead by Fornell).

-owl

As much as Ziva knew that having quite a bit of time set aside for petitioners was good for both the people and the monarchy, she still found it tedious. So often the people were bringing small time complaints. To be fair, when things were quite small, there wasn't much Tony or Ziva had to even do, seeing as they were matters of personal value. All they really did was make a decision.

Ziva liked the times when people came to the castle in search of help facing bandits or a border skirmish. Something she could ride out on horseback and deal with by her preferred skills of sword fighting and shooting arrows.

Either way, for the next few hours, at least until the noon meal, she was doomed to sit next to Tony (which truly wasn't a bad thing) and listen to the grievances of their people. Currently Tony was speaking to a teenage girl, whose mother was trying to force her to become a nun.

"And you have no wish to become a nun, it is purely the want of your mother?" Tony asked, summing up the conversation.

The girl nodded. "She says that if I do not listen to her, she and Father will cast me out of the house."

"That goes against the laws of DiNozzo," Tony said. "Go home and remind her that the law states that one chooses their own path, and it can not be something that they are forced into. Should she not listen to reason, bring her here and we will deal with it."

The girl beamed and curtsied before running from the room. As soon as she was out of the door, a younger man entered the room and approached the thrones carefully. When he was a few yards from them, he bowed.

"Please rise," Tony commanded. "What grievance do you bring before your king and queen today?"

"Your Majesty, I am Simon of the village Eareg, yesterday my village sent a young woman to plead with you to send aid to us. Over the night one of the elders of the village found a body. Again we plead for your help."

"I will ride out with you to investigate, along with a contingent of knights," Ziva stated, standing from her throne.

"Your Majesty, thank you," Simon said, bowing again.

"I need to get a few things together. Wait for me in the courtyard, I will be there in a half hour." Then Ziva turned towards Tony. "I expect to be back by tomorrow at noon at the latest."

Tony nodded. "Alright, I'll have Timothy ready a few knights to go with you. Be safe."

"I will."

Half an hour later, Ziva got her black stallion from the stables and met Simon in the courtyard. In her saddlebags was her armor and a bedroll. In a sheath on her belt hung her sword, and her bow was strung across her shoulder.

Simon was astride an older horse, wearing a thick fur coat. Gathered around him were three of the knights under Timothy's command, already mounted on their war horses. They were all wearing yellow cloaks over fur coats. The front of which had the leaping fox of the DiNozzo crest.

Ziva herself was in trousers and tunic rather than the dress she had been wearing a half hour prior. She had furry boots and a fur-lined cloak. A woolen scarf was wrapped around her face. Thin gloves kept her hands out of the cold.

"Are we ready to go?" she asked, drawing the attention of the four men. When they nodded, she swung herself up onto her stallion and led the charge from the castle courtyard. Behind her was the sound of hooves drumming against the ground, thundering through the castle town and into the countryside.

After nearly an hour of hard riding, Ziva noticed that Simon's horse was beginning to struggle with the pace they were keeping. Silently she slowed her horse, and the knights followed suit.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Simon said. "Old Mitzie can't keep such speed for too long, she's a farm horse, not a traveling horse."

Ziva nodded. "We will not be leaving anyone behind."

When the group of five rode into the village, the sun was halfway to the horizon. A small group of farmers carrying hoes and pitchforks greeted them, distrustful looks on their faces. At least until Simon emerged from the back of the group.

"What's gotten into you guys? Can't you see the royal crest on their cloaks. I said I was going to go get the help of the king and queen, and I did."

Either from Simon's words or the sight of a familiar face, the group of farmers lowered their tools and allowed the queen and her knights access to the village.

"You can leave your horses in Conwell's stables, he's got the most room," one of the tallest men said in a gruff voice. "Simon, you're free to see your wife and kid once you've made introductions."

Simon nodded. "Alright then. This is Queen Ziva and three of her knights, Arthur, Reynard, and Favian."

There was a look of shock that passed through the ranks of the farmers. One by one they bowed to Ziva. A chorus of 'Your Majesty' rippled through them.

"I am here to help with the bandits, there is no need to call me by my full title whilst I am here." Ziva said in a commanding tone as she dismounted from her horse.

The three knights also dismounted and the contingent from the castle followed a young boy to a stable where they left their horses. The boy didn't stop talking as he helped them get their horses settled in.

"Wow! Thank you so much for coming!" he gushed. "It's not often that we get people as important as you here! My name is Edgar, and I'm ten. The man who told you where to put your horses is my father, John."

"Of course we would come to help," Ziva said. "As your queen it is my duty to keep my people safe."

After Ziva and her knights had stabled their horses, they were shown to the small inn where they were going to be staying for the night. It truly was small, consisting of only three rooms above the tavern on the first story, one of which was already in use. The establishment had no stable of its own, seeing as most travelers that came through were on foot.

Ziva got a room for herself, consisting of a single bed and a trunk. A tiny window completed the room, which was nearly the same size as the dungeon cell that she and Tony had gotten stuck in back in Meadth. The three knights ended up sharing a room with two single beds. They drew straws and Favian had ended up on the floor.

Once their stuff was left in their rooms, John led them to where the body had been lying since that morning. The body was lying with its back against a tree. There were four arrows piercing the body's chest.

"Have you moved the body since he was found?" Ziva asked.

"No, no one wanted to touch it. He isn't from here. He came into the village just yesterday." John offered.

Ziva nodded and leaned forward to dig through the pocket that was tied around the waist of the body. Inside she found a folded up sheet of paper. It wasn't just any paper, either. It was high quality paper like one would use as an earl or a duke.

Unfolding it, Ziva read: 'I will meet you in Eareg. Get us a room in the inn there, I will arrive soon after by covered carriage. Send back a falcon when you are ready for me.'

"Does this mean anything to you? Ziva asked, holding up the note to John.

John shifted his feet on the ground in an embarrassed manner. "I'm loath to say, Your Majesty, but most of us here in Eareg haven't a clue how to read or write."

Favian instead took the letter from Ziva and read it aloud. When he was done, John shook his head.

"I can't say that it has any meaning to me. We did see a falcon leave town this morning though."

Ziva sighed. "Did you see where the falcon went?"

John nodded. "Yeah, it flew southwest," he said, pointing in the direction he was referencing. "It flew for a good long while before it was out of our sight."

"Why were you so invested in the falcon?" Arthur asked.

"We don't often get any sort of messenger birds in these parts. Wanted to see where it was going."

"Tomorrow we will get our horses and ride out to see if we can find where it was going," Ziva said, turning away from the body and beginning to walk towards the main village. Her knights followed her, as did John.

When they returned to the inn and tavern, they ran into Edgar, waiting for his father. "Did ya see the body? Was it gross?"

John sighed. "Edgar, leave the queen alone. Now come along, it's time for supper and your mother is likely wondering where we are."

Edgar pouted but still bowed to Ziva as he followed his father from the tavern.