I Will Be the Greatest Knight
Chapter 79: Summoned

Chapter 79: Summoned

Irene returned to her barrack, racking her brain for any sign of anything else that had changed that she was unaware of. Could even the decisions made around her life during the time make others behave differently than expected?

Her grandmother passed away in the house she shared with her family because Irene was someone who took care of her in her final moments. This stubbornness to stay where she raised her family was a new aspect that she had never seen before.

There was a real urge to run away from her duties and try to find answers for herself but she didn’t want to disappoint any of the knights. Sir Gunnar seemed to be on edge as he walked away after finding her burning a letter in a fireplace.

All the thoughts amounted to Irene simply sitting in her bed and staring at her desk where the paper and quill her father gave her sat, unused.

She felt extremely alone, having no one she could be honest with about what her thoughts were leading her to. How could she tell her father that the dream she talked about was more like an entire life in her head? It affected her every thought and every decision. Seldom was there a time when she was fully in the moment and not weighing who she felt in the present to who she saw in the future.

Not sure how much time had passed, Irene finally went to the table in her room and crafted a response to her father that didn’t quite reach just how awful she felt, but she didn’t want him to worry about her while he was also worrying about the woman who brought him to the world.

"Dad,

Please don’t worry about me. I have everything I could possibly need here. By the time you see me again, I will have mastered my bow even better and then you and I will be able to spar.

Tell grandmother that I am thinking of her every day and can’t wait to see her again. Perhaps Sir Gunnar will allow me to go to the north central region sometime soon. I will only go once you retrieve me again.

all mit ast

Irene"

She wrote the last words along with her name affectionately in Sünstoian, hoping that it reached her father in his heart. Perhaps if her grandmother read over the letter she would also be pleased to see the girl having not forgotten her roots entirely. After all, she was feeling closer to them than ever, having the striking realization that one of the only people who were full-blooded Sünsto was creeping closer to the end of her life.

She knew as a Sünsto child she was supposed to be comforted by death and know that her grandmother would go to paradise and wait for her, but her attachments to the world would never cease. She had only just started to truly enjoy living.

Before she got undressed and tucked herself into bed, she opened her curtains so that hopefully the light of morning would rouse her to go to morning practice. If not, she would likely hear a knock from one of the other apprentices as they wondered where she was. It would be the first time she was too exhausted to wake up when she was supposed to, after all.

Thankfully, when the morning sun reached her just enough to wake her up, she was on her feet quickly and dressed as fast as possible. She was sure to tuck her letter into a handmade envelope so that no one would be able to open it and see its contents. It would also keep it from getting damaged while a large hawk carried it all the way to the central area.

Without further ado, she was out to the practice yard and ready to warm up with the others.

She was extremely relieved to see Sir Gunnar and the others give her no special attention despite disappearing instead of going to the armory and the way that she saw the knight take to what she was doing so strangely.

By the end of their practice, she was sweating, tired, and eager to eat breakfast. However, where she sat collapsed on the ground, resisting the urge to fall onto her back and stare at the sky for a while, she heard dirt crunch and she looked up to see Sir Gunnar staring down at her in contemplation.

"Iro, Leif, Felix," he called to the apprentices. "In light of recent events, I have more work for the three of you before you’ll be able to eat breakfast."

Dread welled up inside of the girl and the hunger she was feeling was betrayed.

"Yes, sir," she responded.

Sir Gunnar responded in his own way by offering a gloved hand and helping the apprentice to her feet. The others were already standing.

A few of the other apprentices looked at the three troublemakers a bit arrogantly. They silently bragged that they were allowed to attend breakfast while those rule breakers were being further punished for past transgressions.

Irene, Leif, and Felix exchanged looks as Sir Gunnar gestured for them to follow him. They didn’t know what was in store for them but they hoped it had nothing to do with Duchess Arlin who was still somewhere in Central Hydrogia, doing whatever the woman did whenever she left the duchy behind to go south.

To their surprise, they were led to the Duke’s study where the very man himself sat at his chair with a cane between his legs and his hands over the top as he seemed to contemplate something.

"You did quite well this morning during practices, apprentices," the old Duke complimented, his voice a bit weak. "I am excited for the knighthood to be in such talented hands in the future."

Irene was subtle in her glance towards the windows and she saw that the man could indeed see the practice yard from where he sat in his office.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Irene was the first to respond and the others followed her lead.

"I have brought them in upon your request, Commander," Gunnar continued forward, knowing he only had the Duke’s attention before he disappeared into his room as he always did.

"Yes," the Duke responded and seemed to straighten up at this. "After your success in escorting my wife to the southern mountains, I have been sent a letter from His Majesty requesting our finest knights and apprentices to escort the Crown Prince and Princess in their trip to the north to attend the Winter Solstice Banquet in Earl Auden’s home."