Sir Johnathan was brought to the court the next day. His off hand placed in a splint that would still allow his non broken fingers to clutch a buckler for his uses. He now had one on his arm and his plain rapier upon his hip. He smiled at the king as he kneeled before him. Servants rushed forward and slowly removed his cape of the Mercurial Rose and draped a new one across his shoulders. The symbol of the kingdown was upon it. A buck golden and resplendent reared back his hooves crashing down on soldiers as a crown floated above its head.
Both Sir Johnathan and Lady Cassandra were still new to being seen as adults. Their ages having crested what was seen as acceptable. That day his cape was changed Sir Johnathan swore upon his life and the lives of all he cared for that he would protect Lady Cassandra with all his might for as long as he drew breath in the world. The king allowed Sir Johnathan to place a single kiss upon the back of Lady Cassandra’s hand as a symbol of his loyalty to the cause.
Many suspected that a hidden blush was upon Lady Cassandra’s face but Johnathan knew his symbol of devotion did not stir her heart. A look of deep sadness shined in her eyes that worried Sir Johnathan as they walked through the castle, him forever now at her heel he spoke quietly and with worry in his voice.
“My Lady, I know this is my first day in your service but please feel free to come to me with any of your worries. I am not only your protector but I can be your counsel as many noble’s seek the wisdom of the knights on their own.”
Lady Cassandra looked at him with a smile that did not reach her eyes. It was a false mask worn to protect something much deeper. “If I find the need to ask my protector what he considers good advice I will come to you. I thank you so much for your worry but I am just concerned for the plight of my people. During the tournament I saw many of the young children of the realm had seemed too thin to be healthy and I now worry about it. I wonder what I could do to help ease the burden of the kingdom and better the lives of my people. If you think of anything that I might be able to do within the laws of the kingdom I would be glad to hear it.”
Sir Johnathan nodded and followed behind his charge in the grand hallways of the castle. The pillars of stone climbed ever higher into the vaulted ceiling. The windows were grand things crafted by the finest of glassmakers that worked tirelessly to repair and replace any pane that needed it. It was said that they had them ready at all times and made sure to craft exact replicas throughout the year to maintain the castle’s thousands of windows throughout the halls and rooms.
They entered a humble library, barely larger than the one Sir Johnathan was used to at the monastery of the Mercurial Rose. The smell of leather bound books and treated parchment were pungent in the air and the smell of ancient ink exposing the knowledge it contained permeated his nose. Sir Johnathan wondered what kind of secret’s this kingdom might have hidden deep in their journals and books written by those that studied nature and the gods decrees. Lady Cassandra sat at a window, a book open to a page with a single strip of fine cloth dropped from its spine marking the page.
“May I tell you something Sir Johnathan?” Asked Cassandra.
“You may tell me anything and if it does not pertain to your safety I will keep it to my grave Lady Cassandra.” His voice was solemn as he stood out of her line of sight so as not to distract her from her studies.
“I struggle to read sometimes. It’s as if the words on the page dance to an unseen tune. I hear though that you are quite the poet and storywriter. Would you like to sit with me and help read to me the stories of my ancestors? This here is the journal of King Herald the III. He was renowned for how he approached the management of the food of his land and I am hoping to glean some information from him that might help in the trying times of my kingdom and people. Maybe some hidden secret of crop rotation or storage that keeps rot away.”
Sir Johnathan knelt before her and bowed his head, “I would be honored to assist you Lady Cassandra. I have heard knights speak of what you do. Of letters dancing upon pages, though I thank the gods that I have no such affliction. Some say it is the work of Yurral, the trickster god. Playing with the minds of those that need knowledge in order to sow chaos through the world. If I can do anything to slow the trickster I will.”
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Lady Cassandra slid the book around to face the chair opposite her and motioned for Johnathan to sit and begin. “I’ve been trying to read it for some time and have only managed to reach maybe a third of the knowledge I need. Mayhaps you will help transcribe what I need to spread to the guilds so that the food of our kingdom is kept safe?”
“I would be overjoyed to help you in any way, My Lady.”
So their quiet days began. Sir Johnathan would spend hours every day reading to the Princess Cassandra on the notes made by King Herald the III and soon they found knowledge that had been lost. A crop that had not been sown in quite some time after a particular king found it distasteful and foul to his tongue.
“To think Johnathan, that one king’s whim would almost spell the disaster of his kingdom several generations later. It is quite fascinating and I think it is the work of Yurral, once again trying to sow chaos into the world. Let us go to the merchants with a decree that the seeds of this plant will be bought and brought here to our lands. A bumper crop of these will be sown every year to come as it grows fast and true in our soil. If the people and the kind won’t eat it then the pigs will and their droppings will sow fertility into our lands.” Her eyes were alight with joy that they had found something to help her people and it made Sir Johnathan’s heart pound just a little harder. It had been three months of reading to her and watching her attentively soak in all the knowledge he could. Her thirsting mind trapping every spare bit of information that he might have missed.
“I will write up your decree Lady Cassandra, I will be honored to be with you when you offer it to your father and help fix the problems of this country.”
Her smile was dazzling and it finally reached her eyes, “This is but the first step into making our kingdom greater than it has ever been. Imagine the hidden knowledge and wisdom that seemed unimportant when teaching the new Kings what is to be done with the lands? I can see it now, generations of knowledge distilled and used to make the next one even better. We will plant trees that we will not rest under but those of our children’s children shall!”
Sir Johnathan never knew a smile could be as genuine as hers. As filled with joy and vibrancy that flowers would bloom just to see it. He swallowed against his dry throat and nodded. “If I can help even just a little more it would be the honor of a lifetime.”
The next year passed as they began to get closer, though her feelings were shrouded and kept as safe as some saw the way Sir Johnathan watched her. His fascination with his charge was endearing to most but it was not endearing to the king. One day he pulled Sir Johnathan into a private meeting.
“I appreciate what you have been doing for my daughter. Though I ask now that you step back and let scholars do the work you have been. Let them read to my daughter, let them take her notes and give them to the kingdom in her quest to better our realm. If you do not I may have to find another knight to watch over her. I do not like the whispering of the court.” The king’s tone was final and brooked no discussion between the two so Sir Johnathan nodded.
The next day in the library Cassandra was motioning for him to join her on the other side of the table to continue and he raised up his hand in protest. “I am sorry my Lady. Let us call a scholar to help you from now on. Your father wants me to focus on protecting you instead of reading to you.”
She looked confused and a little hurt, “Can you not do both?”
“Though I believe I could, the king has final word in my duties towards you. I am sorry, I have greatly enjoyed this last year in helping you but I must now focus on protecting you more. Please forgive me and the king.”
Her eyes grew deathly cold and Sir Johnathan felt that anything he would say would only make things worse in her eyes. Why her sudden change of feelings would distress him so much her knew. Deep down he loved her in a way that she did not love him back. A love he would never know, for it was not his station to be anything more than a protector of his charge Lady Cassandra.
Within the month though, Lady Cassandra’s frustrations became apparent. She found it much more difficult to listen to the monotonous tones of the scholars and instead dragged Sir Johnathan before the king. “Father, I do not find this arrangement to my benefit. The scholars do a poor job of finding the information I am searching for and I ask that you let Sir Johnathan return to the duties of reading to me that I gave him. He has helped me better the nation with our new rotation of crops and storage techniques that had been forgotten. Do what is right for the kingdom father.”
The king’s face grew hot red with anger as he looked upon his daughter, “Sir Johnathan. I ask that you step out of the room while I speak with my daughter.”
Knowing he was wanted for more than just his blade made Johnathan’s heart sing to the heavens. He had trained to be a poet and story writer. This was a way to soothe the ache in his heart that had been growing since he had taken on being her knight in waiting. Though deep down he worried for his order and those that he had left behind. The men that had trained him in the art of blade and quill.
Lady Cassandra was not pleased when she stepped out of the office. She looked at the world coldly but her smile was there nonetheless. “My father has agreed to let you continue your work in reading to me if I accept that a lady of the court be with us at all times. I don’t know what has gotten into him but if this must be what is done for my people then it will be done. Come Johnathan, to the library once more.”
Jonathan smiled softly, a deeper worry about his one sided love being known brewing in his chest. “I am honored, Lady Cassandra. May the gods guide us in the knowledge we seek so that we can better improve the lands for the next king.”