Knight for the Prince

Chapter 26 - Arwin Claims His Knight

The news of Arwin's engagement spread like wildfire and to Marilyn's surprise every kingdom on the continent learns about it in less than a week. Congratulations flow in from every corner of the continent. Ashton admits that he is the culprit that spread the news so fast under the king's orders.

Something becomes very fishy when the king orders her on a mission with Keera. They are sent to accompany Ralston on the new recruitment season and Arwin dodges her. The queen has her measurements taken for several dresses and her official paladin armor. He isn't there to bid her goodbye when they left either.

It is as if they did not want her in the castle. Her father assures her that nothing is wrong and says the mission was his idea. He wants the woman of Ristheart to see that if they want to join they are more than welcome.

He asks her to find this year's new paladin recruits. It is a tradition that the new paladin always assists with the recruits. Her father's explanation was genuine, but she couldn't help smelling a rat.

She finds out from Ralston that Arnoldus is in a hurry to finish this year's recruitments before his birthday celebrations. He didn't want Ristheart's sweetheart knight to miss it.

She leaves with the recruitment squad consisting of two paladin knights, squad captain, commander, a squad of soldiers, and a supply caravan. She sees Lord Ashton on the day she leaves with what looks more like wedding invitations than birthday invitations.

When he sees her he hastily covers the suspicious invitations and ducks down the nearest alley. She asks Keera about it, but she says she did not suspect anything wrong. They leave with Marilyn feeling deeply concerned.

The recruitments distract Marilyn, but her suspicion flares up again when they arrive at Eastcroft. There they find several royal convoys all heading for Zealot city.

She feels that the nobles are far too friendly with her and are too concerned about her well-being. The noble ladies try to invite her to overnight in one of the royal caravans, but Leticia rescues Marilyn from the nobles. That is when she learns that all the nobles are invited to the king's birthday and Arwin has organized some sort of surprise for her, but none of the nobles are allowed to tell her what it is.

Marilyn is extremely disappointed when Arwin didn't welcome her back. He is busy in town sorting out a few last details for his father's birthday ball. The recruitment trials keep her busy all day and it is very late when she and Keera are finally done. The following morning she find herself in the company of Millston and the training details for the paladin recruits had to be taken care of.

This year there are two more paladin recruits a young man by the name of Landon and a woman named Celia. Celia is given Marilyn's old squire sword and she is also placed as Keera's squire, while Landon became Aranorn's new squire.

Marilyn is very confused when she is yet again kept busy with military duties throughout the day. From protecting a ten-year-old prince Vincent from Shaundra, while going on a ride on his horse to assisting Leticia on official business at the wizard's tower. That evening the queen's seamstress came to her with a white ballroom gown that looks a little too suspiciously like a wedding gown rather than a ballroom gown.

Keera is bullied by the queen to have her measurements taken that morning and told that she is to respect the king's wishes to at least attend the king's birthday ball. It is mandatory that she should at least attend one ball a year in a ballroom gown as a paladin. She agreed very reluctantly by complaining that she is a soldier. Celia agrees far more easily and openly makes both women wonder what her paladin guide will be with increasing curiosity.

Their dresses are done the following day. Two days after her return the three woman is preparing for the king's birthday ball. Marilyn is not allowed to see herself in Queen Evelyn's mirror. while the queen's servants prepare her, but her preparation took the entire day, which frustrates Marilyn to no end.