Her life ended with fire and began with ashes.
After a heartbreaking loss; Clara trains to become a knight with the General's help. After years of fierce training, she finally gets the title she so rightfully earned.
Being a knight instantly brough...
"Please, sire." Edwin readjusted his grip on his goddaughter before putting her down. "We need her skills in the army, and you of all people know that I play no favorites in this field."
"I know, Edwin." The king sighed. "But I cannot knight her, at least not publicly."
"She'd be happy with that." He perked up. "She does not care for the glory of the fight; she only cares for protecting those she loves."
"A true knight then." He smiled. "I may need her for a special job, but her skills must be kept secret."
"What kind of job?" Edwin's voice mixed with Clara's, who had silently made her way to the pair, now covered in many bandages.
"Clara!" Lila exclaimed, runningwith open arms to her sister. The older girl smiled, and lifted her up in atight hug despite her wounds protesting against the act. "You're a knight!"
Her eyes widen in shock, looking between her godfather and the king. "Is that true?"
The king nodded, a smirk on his lips. "You've proved yourself quite well."
"Thank you, your majesty." She grinned. "This means the world to me."
"However, no one must know about this."
"How come?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"I fear my son is being targeted by an assassin." The king's tone was grim, lost in his dark thoughts of what the outcome may be.
"Is...is that how his manservant fell ill? Was he poisoned?"
"Yes," The king narrowed his eyes. "how did you know?"
"I had to take up the Prince's breakfast in his place."
"So you've met already."
"Unfortunately..." Clara muttered to herself, making her little sister giggle as she tried to fight a smile. "We have, your majesty. However I'm not sure he would approve of my company."
"If he wants to stay alive, he will." He stated. "No one must know of your skills; that way the assassin would not see you as a threat, and you'd catch him off guard."
"Of course, your majesty." She nodded, already dreading having to stay with the prince at all times.
"And since you're a marvelous cook," she blushed slightly at his words. "I need you to make sure all the food he eats is provided by you only."
"Understood." she mentally rolled her eyes, recalling how the prince didn't even bother thanking her this morning.
"And please, for the love of god, Clara," Edwin started, a teasing smile forming on his lips, knowing of her distaste of the prince, due to how she's seen him treat some servants. "don't kill him yourself."
"I'll try." She grinned back, before clearing her throat and curtsying. "Apologies, sire."
"No need, child." He laughed. "It's hard for me not to kill him sometimes too. Maybe he could benefit from being around you, perhaps you could break his ego. God knows I tried and failed."
"It'd be an honor." She smiled.
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Clara moved around the kitchen, swaying her hips to the tune playing in her head, gathering all the ingredients to make lunch for the prince, which she'd have to take up to him again.
Most of her wounds had stopped bleeding, only a slightly deep gash on her arm being wrapped up at the moment. She wore a long sleeve dress, to cover her scars from prying eyes. If she were to protect the prince by showing that she is no threat, it would be best if she wore dresses, just like every other woman in the kingdom.
She did not look forward to it.
Lost in her own world as she often is when she works, Clara does not notice the man entering the kitchen until she heard various gasps from the girls her age. Thinking it was a gasp of fear, her head snapped up as she closed her fists, ready to protect the maidens from the supposed threat. Once she looked up and realized who caused the gasps, she rolled her eyes and went back to stirring the food so it wouldn't burn.
"Which one of you is Clara?" He asked, crossing his arms. Everyone turned to look at the girl in question, who seemed unbothered by their eyes on her. Hazel's jaw fell to the floor as she looked between the two.
"That would be me, my lord." She said, not looking up at him until she finished the task at hand. "May I assist you in anything?"
The prince studied her face for a moment, seeing as she wasn't blushing like the rest of the maidens their age, and she spoke with such calm confidence, that it irritated him.
"You." He scoffed. "You're my new maidservant?"
Biting her tongue to not say something inappropriate, Clara locked her steel gaze on his before she spoke.
"It appears so."
"Well at least you're wearing something proper this time." She clenched her jaw, wanting nothing but to slap that smirk off his pretty face. "Still have that spoon in your hair I assume?"
"As I said this morning, what I wear is none of your concern." Her voice did not falter. "And no, I used that spoon to make your food."
"Are you talking back to me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I am only replying to what you say, that is how a conversation works, my lord." She said with amusement. Hazel let out a laugh but quickly covered her mouth before clearing her throat and going back to work, her face blazing red. Clara smiled at her best friend, before she turned to look at the prince with a stone cold expression as he spoke once again.
"Out of all the people in the kingdom, my father chose you...Why?" He flailed his hand. "I'm sure any of these lovely women would be honored to serve me."
The girls giggled at his words, as his eyes trailed over them, a smug smile dancing on his lips.
"Oh I'm sure they'd love to look after a grown man like a child." she muttered, earning a soft warning slap on the arm by Molly, who tried to hide her smile.
After a moment, the prince finally left the kitchen, but of course not without ordering Clara to hurry up with the food and get to do some of his other works.
"You little-" She pointed at his disappearing figure with the spatula in her hand, being cut off by her best friend.
"What was that?" She exclaimed.
"That was the prince being an arrogant and rude person." Clara fumed.
"You didn't tell me you're his maidservant!"
"I couldn't!" She whisper yelled, looking around to see if anyone was eavesdropping before she leaned to whisper in Hazel's ear. "I've been knighted, and the king asked me to do a very important job."
"Clara, that's amazing!"
"Shhh," She put her hand on Hazel's mouth, but smiled nonetheless. "No one can know, but thank you. Anyways, as I was saying; someone is trying to assassinate the prince, which is why the king made me his maidservant, so I can be near him at all times."
"Oh wow...Are you ready for this?"
"I am beyond excited!" She grinned, before it turned into a scowl. "I just can't believe I have to spend so much time with that guy."
"I can't believe you just referred to Prince victor as 'that guy'!" The girls laugh together, finishing their work as Clara prepares for a rather long mission ahead.
