"Sir?" Irene questioned dumbly, not sure what else there was to say.
She sat down in the chair she had once been in before the two knights entered the study. The girl then went silent as she racked her brain over the past couple of years. Had she done something that tipped off the knight that she was a girl? Were there others who had caught on and were saying things behind her back?
He said that he was the only knight who knew, but what about the apprentices?
At the admittance from the other knight, Sir Arthur was immediately on edge. Now that he was no longer an active part of the knighthood, he especially didn’t want any of the others sniffing around his growing daughter. He trusted the men as knights, but he didn’t trust growing boys who were likely in the most confusing stages of their lives.
"How can you be so sure?" Arthur asked, his voice booming. "If you know, there must be others."
Irene was more careful than anyone else so he genuinely didn’t know how the knight would have come across the secret.
"I would have only hot air behind my eyes to not know that your child was the very same one who answered the door demanding I tell her where her father was all those years ago when you were stuck in the mines," Gunnar explained before misunderstandings could ensue. "I saw both of your children that day when I went to deliver the news. A boy and a girl."
His words pulled Irene out of her head. If that was the reason, then she was afforded a bit of relief.
However, other worries took up the space. This text is hosted at novｅlfire.net
"Sir, you’re implying you will still allow me to work towards knighthood even after this?" she asked in disbelief.
It was clear that was his intention because he asked her to be his apprentice, but she didn’t know how someone could tell her it was alright. She assumed he had been underestimating her all along.
"Of course," Gunnar persisted. "Do you recall the conversation in the library where I said we ought to have more apprentices like you? I was certainly referring to more girls in the knighthood. You have shown strength that some of the boys don’t possess. Even if your size is slight, your bravery and heart far exceed many."
The compliments made her embarrassed but she managed to keep going.
"Father, what do you think?" she wondered. "Me hiding myself was your idea in the first place after my mother suggested it."
"I’m in disbelief," Arthur uttered. "All the times I spoke to Gunnar candidly and he referred to you as a boy seamlessly." He turned to the knight. "I suppose I should be grateful that you’re the one who has also been burdened with this secret."
"I simply hope for more transparency going forward," Gunnar admitted. He turned to acknowledge the apprentice again. "I realized that the reason you returned home was because you have few you can trust yourself with in a place teaming with boys. It forced your hand in traveling a long journey on your own that could have been very dangerous if anything went wrong." The knight sighed. "All this to say that I will watch over you the way your father has. Since he has stepped away from the knighthood, I ask that you rely on me that much. I can tell already that you will be one of the best knights to pass through."
She had been very emotional and the knight’s words made her want to cry. However, she decided strength was the answer even though for the past few days she had felt so weak.
"All I want is to be a knight and I feel this is the only way," she finally admitted. "Thank you for keeping my secret for so long, Sir Gunnar. I owe you quite a bit."
"You owe me nothing other than filling the large boots your father left behind," he admitted. "Felix may be close to knighthood, but the way that you never allow yourself to burn out, I imagine I won’t have long with you as an apprentice anyway."
Her dreams were full of going on long subjugations with Felix, Leif, and herself. Perhaps Sir Gunnar, Sir Phillip, and Sir Sven would go along as well. They would be equals.
"I will do it," she promised. "You can count on me."
"Good," Sir Gunnar responded. "I would expect nothing less from a Litharion."
Irene felt relieved and she let out a sigh.
Seeing his daughter so relaxed, Arthur felt a weight removed from his shoulders as well.
"Thank you, Gunnar," Arthur said. "Truly. It did occur to me how alone she would be but I didn’t think there was another way."
Irene chose that moment to reveal something else.
"Actually, Sir Gunnar, there is another who knows the truth in the Duke’s Tower," she admitted. "Agnes knows my secret. Although you probably already figured that out when she was the one to tell you I had an emergency. Felix keeps accusing us of bad things because we spend time with one another."
Irene huffed. His accusations still didn’t sit right with her.
"Ah, then that explains the mood he’s been in as of late," Gunnar realized. "Perhaps he has affectionate feelings for the maid. I’m not quite sure how you would clear that one up without having to reveal yourself..."
Irene realized she was on the verge of revealing Felix’s secrets so she decided to shut herself up in the situation regarding Felix and Agnes.
"I’ll figure out a way," Irene assured him. "I suppose I will have to have Agnes help me with that."
"An issue for another time," Gunnar relented. "However, I’m not entirely sure when we will get out of here."
"Why not?" Irene asked.
"I don’t know if you realized, but there is quite the storm coming our way," he explained. "As long as we get out of here a couple of weeks before the Royal Family is set to arrive, it should be alright."
"I suppose I wasn’t paying much attention," Irene admitted. "Were you, dad?"
Arthur stroked his reddish beard with his left hand and there was a glint of something in his eye. He smirked and Irene narrowed her eyes.
"Perhaps I was hoping I could use it to my advantage and you would stay for a few more days."