"Why me?"

The boy asked the young girl.

Queen smiled gently towards the boy.

"Because it has to be you. If it isn't you, who am I to choose?"

"But that doesn't make any sense! I'm sure your highness has plenty to choose from! I mean you're the queen of this country."

"But If I were to choose from the nobles... They would definately not listen to me."

The boy looked at the girl puzzled by her sad expression.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors."

"About your highness being from the slums?"

"That's right. Those rumors are true. I am a young girl, which is why many of the advisors of the court despise me. If given the chance they would gladly dethrone me. But because of God's rules they can't. To make matters worse my heritage is not one of the nobles, but of the slums."

"Can't your highness just get rid of them?"

"I can't. If I were to get rid of them I would be left with no one to rely on for help with running the country. That's why I want a knight who will help me. One that can protect me but also aid me in my progress as I purge the advisors."

The boy's expression twists into one of complication.

"How does having a knight help your highness exactly?"

"A knight when given a name by me will always be loyal to me, especially one of the Royal Guard. That's why I want you to be my knight. You are righteous and are one of the same heritage as me, so it wouldn't be hard for both of us to connect."

Queen smiled bashfully.

"I-I'm not that special..."

The boy turned his head in embarrassment.

"That's not true! You are very special! Most people from the slums aren't like you. It takes a lot of courage to stand up against anyone bigger than you in size and yet you... You were able to accomplish that. You have courage and a righteous spirit to boost. That's why... I want you... I want you to be my knight!"

The boy blushes shyly.

"Please, won't you help me?"

Queen takes the boy's hand into her own as she gazes into his eyes.

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"I-I..." The boy hesitates unsure of how to answer.

"It's not a bad deal for you either, is it? I mean I can provide you with a place to stay and a place where you can eat. Please?"

Queen holds his hand tighter.

The boy thinks to himself. In his heart, he knows that if he were to take this opportunity to become Queen's knight he could live a better life. However, at the same time, he is hesitant as it would become a world unfamiliar to him. To a young boy born in the slums survival was the most important aspect of his everyday life, but to live in the world of the nobles... 

What kind of world was it to live amongst the nobles? It was surely not an easy task similar to how it is in the slums and the benefits weren't bad. But what would change were he to step into the world of the nobles?

His gaze met Queen's as he turned his head.

A gaze filled with expectation and hope.

What about her?

Had Queen not endured the trial of living amongst the nobles even if it was only for a month since her coronation as rule of the country. She endured while doing her work as queen. If he was to back down here would it not be shameful of him to do so? 

What am I doing?

He gritted his teeth as his eyes answered Queen's gaze.

"I'll do it."

"Really?!"

"Ye-yeah..."

The boy shifts his gaze away at the close proximity of Queen's inching face.

"Yay!"

Queen jumps up and down excitedly unable to hold in her happiness.

It was a very un-queenly performance. Luckily no one was around except these two to see what was happening in the chamber.

"So what do we do now, your highness?"

"Well, we have to do the ceremony!"

"Ceremony?"

"That's right the ceremony!"

Queen pulls the boys hand.

"Whoa! Excuse me, your highness! But what are you doing?!"

"The ceremony! I have to do it in order to bestow you a name!"

"A name?"

"Yup! If I don't do the ceremony you won't be able to enter the Royal Guard. So lend me your hand!"

"Um... Okay."

Queen takes the boy's hand and begins chanting under her breath.

"With my name as "Queen" I bestow upon this person a name of the Royal Guard."

The boy suddenly feels a rushing hot sensation. The sensation runs up his arms and carves deep into his body a feeling unknown to him. A throbbing sound knocks in the back of his head. The pain in his shoulder disappears while the sound inside his head rings louder. He grips his head in pain as he shakes free of Queen's grasp.

Seeker of names.

Follow thy's destiny.

Answer to the call of the Queen.

For your name is King.

The voice subsides and the boy is left with a mark on his hand.

"Are you okay?"

Queen looks upon the boy worriedly.

"I-I'm fine."

The boy stands up and notices that his injured shoulder had been healed. His body also felt strangely refreshed.

"So what name did you recieve?"

"King."

"King? So your names King! Doesn't that almost make us a pair!"

"..."

Queen laughed innocently.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Then, I'll call you King from now on! Is that okay?"

"If it makes your highness happy..."

"Okay! And you have to stop talking so formally to me! From now on we're comrades!"

"I don't think I'll be able to do that..."

"Why not?!"

"Because won't the advisors find it uncivilized? It will make your reputation worse than it is..."

"That's true... Then when it's just the two of us!"

"...Alright, then."

Queen smiles happily.

A name... So this is what it feels like to be named...

King smiled secretly to himself. He had finally obtained a name to which he could identify himself with. A precious word that could replace his identity as just a "boy from the slums" to something extraordinary.

Thank you, Queen.

He thanked her from the bottom of his heart, but he wouldn't tell her that.

"Come with me King! I'll teach you everything about the court. Once that's done we can begin our plans."

The atmosphere changed as Queen's smile beckoned an ominous remark.