Draka held the wax stick over the candle flame just long enough for it to look slimy. He pressed it on the bottom of the letter before checking that—this time—he had the signet right side up. He pressed it into the wax puddle and held it there until he was certain the seal had been placed. This should be enough, he imagined. A call for the Order of the Holy Sepulcher to come to Talkro in force as their new cohort. To form their legions and prepare for the assault on the Abbey.

  No matter how quiet to unsuspecting onlookers, the Abbey was spilling with corruption, with evil. He knew that the consecrations were being desecrated daily and being reconsecrated under Father Hagen’s supervision. He had hoped that the Cathedrals would have sent him a sizable force by now. He needed one for what was inside. There was a reliquary. And, he suspected when he first encountered the harpies, a mouth into hell was forming within it. This, unlike any other sort of request, is not up to the Cathedral cohorts for discussion. He is the highest ranking member of his Order with Philip dead. They will heed his command.

  He read over the letter. If the College of Cardinals in Sodiulakim bury it, there will be more than words between them. The letter says as much. It is a Paladinate affair. The Order is being called to open a new front. The other Orders are, as he designates in the letter, to fill where they are relieved. Perhaps he’ll get a chance to actually speak with Cardinal Thomas because of this. Cardinal Thomas certainly will want an explanation. He should deliver it himself. Might as well, he felt even less welcome here than he did before. Let Maud have a bit of time to calm down, time for his apology to have weight and not seem superficial or off-putting. If he had known how upset it would make her…

  A knock at the door made Draka shake his head.

  He’ll leave after the festival. Any time before that and he’ll never hear the end of it. Gives him enough time to reach Sodiulakim and then return to Nancy for the treaty between France and Bourdeaux, if he goes by riverboat and stays light on the road. He’ll take Karl, Adrian, and Hugo. Adrian and Hugo will stay for the University. Time Hugo got himself an education as well.

  Another knock. Draka huffed and opened it. He huffed again when he saw Karl was standing there, moving from one foot to the other as if he needed to find a bush. He motioned with his hands for Karl to say what he wanted.

  “Your Majesty,” Karl stammered nearly to a stutter. “If I may have a few words.”

  Draka drew in a breath and stepped aside so Karl could walk in. He shut the door as Karl moved only a few paces in and spun on his heels to face him. Karl went to one knee, bowing his head.

  Draka looked upward. Really? Today of all days?

  “Your Majesty, I have served you faithfully and loyally and will continue to do so,” Karl looked up to him, a fist on his chest. “I wish nothing for myself but one thing, one precious thing.”

  Draka blinked at him. Karl stood, still keeping his eyes lowered from Draka’s.

  “I have come to ask for Maud’s hand in ma…”

  The look of surprise wasn’t from the fact that Karl was stupid enough to ask. It wasn’t from the fact that Karl fell into a heap the moment Draka’s fist hit him in that clean shaved square jaw of his. It wasn’t because Karl was certainly not going to wake up at least for a few minutes after. It was because, much to Draka’s gleeful surprise, it didn’t hurt his shoulder at all. Actually, it felt rather good.

  While he regarded the man on his floor, he hoped that he would get back up just so he could see if it would hurt if he did it a second time. Draka rolled his shoulder and pressed at it with his other hand. Not even a tearing feeling. Progress.

  He shoved Karl’s legs out of the path of his chair and sat back at his table. The next matter to attend to—he pulled a parchment from the tall stack Pierre and Valmond had been adding to for weeks—range disputes in the southern villages. Complaints between herders on grazing areas. Next was appointments of titles. He needed to appoint governing positions in Alcer, Strasbourg, Raon, Avricourt, Nancy—which had several unplaced titles by itself—and there were several lists of claimants for each. One name had Valmond’s fancy cursive scrolled beside it on a pinned note. Beauvais.

  Karl’s leg twitched. Draka looked down at him, raising his fist with hope that was dashed when he heard a snore. He huffed in disappointment, returning to the parchment. His eyes scanned for that name. Beauvais.

  ‘Aurelie’s maiden name,’ Valmond had written. ‘Ancestor, Dillon Beauvais, was last claimant of Lordship over Abreschviller before it was sacked by landowner Ser Renauld Taggerty of Blamont, who took the title for himself and ransacked the city, effectively erasing their claim to it. Alcer was established on its ruins as the seat of Taggerty power in the region and Beauvais name is regularly found in army roles, never higher than a sergeant regardless of accolades or endearment.’

  If the Clevlans turn out to be a line of Kings, Draka can hand the kingdom over and walk away with a wink and a smile. Karl twitched again.

  Draka took one of the unmarked parchments and wrote on it in large letters. Then he pulled the door open and pulled Karl through it onto the porch by his leg.

  He grabbed the parchment, dripped some of the wax on it, sealed it with his signet. He blew on it as he walked it to the door and Karl on the porch beyond it. He rolled the parchment and opened Karl’s mouth to tuck it neatly in place for when the man finally came to.

  “Not very Paladin like,” Aurie crossed her arms at him from the road.

  “Oof,” Enya was next to her, leaning to look at Karl’s face. “How hard did you hit him?”

  Draka grinned proudly.

  “Why did you hit him?” Enya now had her arms crossed at him.

  “Hello, my King,” Nina waved at him. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.”

  Draka nodded his thanks for her being so concerned for him and not Karl, unlike everyone else.

  “What did you write on it?" Aurie snatched the parchment out of his hand. She held up to Enya, who read it aloud into her ear. She threw her head back, laughing until she collapsed into his arms, away from Enya, who was still hunched to read it.

  Nina stiffened and nodded something to herself before continuing on toward the ferry down the hill.

  Enya shook her head at him, rolling her eyes. “That's brutal,” Enya grabbed the parchment. “Painful even for me.” She snickered. “And you sealed it. Oh, poor guy.”

  Aurie took the parchment back and rolled it up. She put it in Karl’s hand, folding his fingers over it. Then she straightened. The look in her eyes at him, the way she had to catch herself, made Draka wonder. When he looked down toward Nina, the way she looked at him…He held up a finger for Enya.

  “That is absolutely savage. God help the next man who makes that girl’s heart move,” Enya was shaking her head while she waited on Draka to return. He handed her the parchment with his orders. She looked down at it and frowned.

  “What is it?” Aurie asked.

  “Your Majesty, I have already called for the Order of the Holy Sepulcher to consolidate their ranks and march on Talkro,” Enya handed it back to him. “It was sent out this morning to Sodiulakim, St. Peter’s, Aviv, and Al’Constantine. I figured that was what you would want. I also have called for volunteers to fill eight permanent cohorts for the Abbey.”

  Draka straightened, surprised and impressed. He nodded.

  “At some point, though,” Enya nodded toward Nina. “You need to actually talk with her. She’s got other news that you need to go over. If there’s any question as to what sort of storm we got ourselves into, she might be the one with the best idea out of all of us. Just…” Enya winced toward Aurie and whispered, “You have much more on your plate than you know.”

  Draka crinkled a brow at her.

  “I’ll explain later,” Enya nodded. “Either way, your Order has been called home already. I have it handled.”

  “Nice when you have strong women at your side to run your kingdom for you, isn’t it?” Aurie winked at him, earning a raised brow in reply. Then, with a nod toward Karl, “She’s going to be livid. I’ll try to think of some way to keep her from seeing him like this.”

  Draka thought about it, looking Karl over. This probably isn’t going to help the whole issue between them at all. He probably should have just waved him off and let Maud decide. That would have been…more what a guardian would do instead of a father.

  He shook his head and began maneuvering Karl’s limp body to drape over his shoulder. There might be a way to salvage this. Something he can do to make this…easier. Maybe on both of them.

  “Wait, you’re not second guessing are you?” Aurie stumbled sideways as Draka hefted Karl over his shoulders and edged him back through the door. “Draka!”

  “And, I will see you in the morning,” Enya said, making her way down the road to catch up with Nina.

  Aurie followed Draka through the door and shut it behind her. “You’re not seriously reconsidering, are you?”

  Draka eyed his bed, still holding Karl over his shoulder. No, that won’t do. He flopped Karl onto the floor and straightened with a stretch of his back. Aurie stepped over him to get in Draka’s way with hands on her hips.

  Great, Draka huffed, now she’s mad at me.

  He reached for the parchment and quill, then hesitated. She still couldn't read.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Aurie put her hand over the parchment, shaking her head, “Draka, we talked about this. I mean, I did say not to kill him, but this works. I’m not mad. Maud will get over it and years from now when she has a good husband, she’ll thank us.”

  Draka wanted to grab her hand but he winced at what that might mean. For either of them. What would she think the moment he grabbed her hand? Would it insult her? Would it make her want to hold his hand back? Would she misunderstand what he means? He needed her to understand this time. If only they were in the dream and he could just talk. He jerked the parchment from under her hand. It made her stiffen.

  ‘Maud is not my daughter. She can choose. Karl knows I don’t approve now,’ Draka wished she could read, wished he could say it, wished there was a way, somehow for them to have a private conversation in real life! His fist crumpled the paper into his fingers while he searched for another way.

  Aurie’s brows pressed together as she winced at the frustration tightening his grip on the blank parchment. “I…just show me. Explain it.”

  Draka wagged the crumpled paper and threw it into the hearth. He wanted to do worse. Aurie’s hands were on his arm. Her pale blue eyes stared deep into his, pleading.

  “What is it?”

  Draka took a long breath. He pointed to indicate Maud. Aurie nodded. He pointed to the parchment pile, hoping she understood it was about the adoption. Then a thumb down.

  “Alright, I don’t understand. Maybe I should get Enya to read for me,” Aurie was holding both of his arms now, standing in front of him close enough that he could smell the woodchips in her hair.

  He shook his head, defeated. Aurie wasn’t only looking at his face, into his eyes, she was studying him, searching every weathered bit of his face, every grayed whisker, every line in his skin. She slid her hands down his arms, across his wrists, and then pulled them away. Draka took a step back from her.

  “She said no,” Aurie said, sounding just as defeated. “She doesn’t want to become your daughter. Which means,” Aurie looked down at Karl, “You might have really made a mess of things.”

  Draka nodded and let himself fall onto the bed.

  “Alright,” Aurie put a finger to her lip, regarding Karl again. “Well, he certainly knows you don’t approve.”

  Draka gave her a thumbs up. His grin was hinged on irony.

  “I didn’t think she would be so against it, since you two had gotten so close,” Aurie sat beside him. “I really thought she would want to be your legal daughter. Just a Clevlan-Luminis. I thought it sounded pretty.” She turned those pale blues on him again, “I’m sorry.”

  Draka shrugged. Not really something I should ever have asked, now that I think about it. He would have said.

  “What do you plan to do now?” Aurie blinked at him. “I’ve been confessing a lot and I don’t think that murder is something we can come back from as Paladins.”

  Draka chuckled. Aurie brushed some of his hair from his face with a wide smile, “At least I got you to smile a little. I’m worried about you.”

  That warmed him. He didn’t want to look too far into that either. Things need to be left where they are, he’s learning. An old lesson, but sometimes they have to be relearned.

  “Don’t dodge,” Aurie pressed his chin to look at her. “You’re not alone in whatever is happening with you. If you let me in, I can help.”

  Draka grinned warmly at that. He pointed at Adrian’s mat. Aurie nodded. Then, after thinking a moment, pointed toward Maud. Aurie crinkled her brow. It crinkled deeper when Draka took her hand lightly in his and lifted it. He heard her suck in a long breath as he ran his fingers over the ring she never took off. When her eyes met his again, he pointed to Adrian’s mat.

  “Philip was his father.” Draka nodded. “He was your friend.” Draka’s eyes felt heavy as he nodded again. He let go of her hand and put it over his heart. “You were close.”

  Draka grinned.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t see much of anything past you being in danger and,” Aurie sank, shifting herself a little away from him on the bed. “I wish I had understood. So, you found out you lost a friend and she said no to becoming your daughter. And all while your friends are being hunted down. While you’re being hunted. Good Lord, Draka, you never get a break, do you?”

  That made Draka laugh a little.

  “I guess one thing at a time,” Aurie waved dismissively at Karl. “He will wake up eventually. What do you plan to do then?”

  Draka shook his head. He pointed to Maud and moved his thumb up and down, then shrugged.

  Aurie sank further with a long sigh. “Lord be good that she makes the right choice, then.” She stood with a brush of her hand across his arm. “I’m going to let Enya know that we’re splitting your duties to give you time to mourn with Adrian. I didn’t know you and Lord Philip were close. If I had, we would already be doing it.”

  Draka waved a hand for her not to.

  Aurie only laughed, “I wasn’t asking your permission. I’m merely informing you. Take time, Draka. The Lord said that you needed to take time to heal,” she lifted his chin with a finger and thumb, “You’re not a very good listener. Maybe that’s why he sent you to me. I don’t care if you’re a King or not. You’ll always be that barefoot, eight toed barbarian who talked my husband into calling himself a jackass, to me. When he wakes up, maybe tell him why you don’t approve. I’ll tell him why I don’t in my own time if I have to.”

  When Draka turned his eyes to look at Karl, she shook his chin to make him look up to her again. She was leaning closer than ever, “You’re not alone anymore. Remember? Just because she doesn’t want to be your daughter doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you just as much as she always has. It just means she still loves her Pa and, to be honest, I’m really proud of that, too.”

  Draka nodded. So was he. Still hurt. Why did it hurt if it also was something that made him feel so glad?

  “And, in case you’re wondering, I know about you and Nina. I also do not approve and once I tell Maud, neither will she.”

  What, now?

  Karl finally stirred with a hand to his face and a shaky rise onto his side. Draka had turned the chair beside him around so that its back was to the table. He pat it as he lifted a cup of tea to his lips with his other hand. Karl blinked at him for a moment before slowly easing himself from the floor into it.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you, your Majesty,” Karl said with only half of his mouth. His chin had swollen where Draka hit him. There was no hiding that.

  Draka reached behind him and handed him the parchment he had written on. The other one simply said, in broad letters, "No." He had decided that wasn’t enough.

  Karl took it and read, ‘I don’t want you to marry Maud. I have my reasons. If you want them, be prepared to be weighed and measured by your character and all that I know about you and assume in judgment of what I see as important for her future above all things. Her mother also does not approve of you for her own reasons, many of which are matching, but many of which are of her own accord and are not mine to disclose. Maud is free to decide for herself, if you so desire to ask for her hand against our wishes. But know that her future will always be held higher than yours.’

  Karl read it over again. Turned it over to see if there was more. He turned to Draka. “Wha—what are the reasons?”

  Draka didn’t turn to him. He only slid another paper to him and then slid him a cup of ale. He’ll need it when he finishes reading this one.

  ‘Your interest in Maud has always been lustful more than otherwise. Instead of being respectful of her, of her mother, of my guardianship, of her wardship under a King, you have threatened her innocence with your lust of her body in secret. This proves many things of your character: you are untrustworthy, deceitful, ruled by your loins, your heart is easily swayed by your lust and your eyes, and you have no care for her growth, wellbeing, or the propriety of her standing with those who care about her. If you did, you would have been proper in courting her, refrained from secrecy, and practiced self-control, even if it meant going against her lustful desires.’

  Karl sank where he sat. “Now I understand why you hit me so hard. I never meant for you to see it thusly,” he winced at the parchment in his hand. “I truly love her.”

  Draka shrugged, setting his cup aside. He shook his head. He flicked the parchment for Karl to turn it over.

  ‘Your services as knight within my guard are no longer required and your knighthood is no longer a privilege to which you have claim as you were given the responsibility of protecting the Clevlans and violated that trust by using is it as a means to gain access to and fraternize with Maudeline in secretive and improper ways. You are free to remain in Talkro, if you so wish, but only after your discharge is properly finalized by the Captain of Fort Talkro and sealed by Paladin Commander Khanyisile Dandarvaanchig. Or you can fulfill your remaining service by reintegrating with the city guard of Strasbourg after reduction of rank for your misconduct unbecoming of a knight and cavalry officer, after which, though redirected, your career may continue.’

  Karl’s mouth gaped. “Your Majesty,” he began, but Draka held up a hand for him to keep silent.

  He pointed at the bottom of the page, where he wrote, ‘If you wish to marry Maud, you will do so as a common man and never carry a sword again. Your dishonorable discharge will ensure that. Otherwise, you will be relocated to ease her pain in your decision upon reflection of your own values. Choose now or I will choose for you.’

  Karl finally took the cup of ale, staring at something in the distance, wide eyes in a haze. He took a long drink and nodded. “I was afraid of asking,” he rubbed at his chin. “I never took her innocence. Upon my honor,” he turned to look into Draka’s eyes but was met by a cocked brow of disbelief, “I never did. Nor would have. If she says no, may I undo the discharge and transfer?”

  Draka held his gaze, piercing deep into Karl’s eyes as he shook his head.

  Karl shied away and pursed his brows at the half empty cup of ale in his hands. “I spent my entire life training to be a knight. And all this is to be removed no matter what I do? Because I kissed her a few times?”

  Draka’s eyes narrowed. Careful, boy, he hoped his expression told him.

  Karl got to his feet, “I don’t deserve this! I have done nothing that the Princess didn’t want. Perhaps she should be chastised as well! You strip me of all that I earned, even before you were given your titles and your lands, I was working tirelessly for my sword,” he hammered a fist into his armored chest, “this armor! For lands I was promised and have yet to receive while you are handed everything for nothing, not even the asking!”

  Draka’s stare blazed at him, his lips pulling into a sneer.

  “And you’re taking it away no matter what I do, because of her?” Karl growled down at him. “You didn’t give me this, not my knighthood, not my rank. I earned these under Lord Taggerty, I fought and bled for these under his command, not yours. Perhaps she should have been taught propriety and self-control by you, not I, who only gave her what she desired for our love!”

  Draka nearly reached for his sword with a leap from his chair, but he stopped himself before he even shifted in his seat. His eyes went to the sword on Karl’s belt and the hand that was gripping it. Then he turned them upward to Karl, challenging him to draw it.

  Karl hesitated. He let his hand fall from the sword handle and bowed his head. “By your leave, your Majesty, I will report for disciplinary action and transfer as ordered.”

  Draka motioned to the door. Karl stomped out.