Schenk’s face looked like someone had just told him pigs could fly.

“My lord, please explain yourself. I have a hard time believing what I just heard.” Schenk exclaimed.

Alexander raised his hand.

“First, we will resolve the matter of these two lovebirds.” He looked at Faust.

“Telling me the truth was the right thing to do. Schenk. What’s the problem with this boy? If he ends things with the other girl as planned… what would speak against him?” Alexander asked his Baron.

Schenk opened his mouth, looked at his daughter, then at Faust, and closed his mouth again.

“His status,” Schenk mumbled, and Alexander nodded.

“I understand. Faust, turn to me and kneel.” He stood before the young man.

“How old are you Faust?” he asked and took his sword out of his hilt.

"16 Milord," he replied honestly, but confused.

“Then you are my youngest to date. Just like I was when I was younger…” He said dreamily.

Faust gulped when he saw the sword while Leona stared at him with eyes wide open.

‘What is happening?’ Faust didn’t understand anything at all, but it startled him that even Schenk appeared shocked.

“Faust, look at me.” Alexander gained his attention again. He raised his sword and the adrenaline pumped through Faust’s veins.

‘What is he doing with the sword?’ Faust asked and the only thing that kept him in place was this natural trust in the Earl that initially led him to tell his story.

He felt the sword on his left, then on his right shoulder and then Alexander sheathed it again.

“Stand up Faust!” he commanded and the puzzled expression on Faust’s face would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the situation.

He put a hand on each of Faust’s shoulders with a bright smile.

“You are now a knight of the Argorus household.”

“WHAT??” Schenk and Leona exclaimed simultaneously, looking at Faust who stood rooted in place, before falling on a knee again.

Faust was baffled. He knew what a knight was. A warrior sworn to a lord.

‘Me? A noble?’ he thought, aghast. Despite being the lowest of the low, a knight was still a noble.

He couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Schenk cleared his throat after regaining his composure.

“Milord. This…” Schenk was unsure what to say.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Don’t say anything Androcles. I know it's against tradition to knight someone not from noble descent… but it is a tradition I have broken with.” Alexander said and Faust was still baffled. He looked at Leona and saw the astonishment, relief, and happiness on her face. It made his heart jump to see her like this.

Alexander turned to Schenk.

“Will this do? Do you give your consent?” he asked the Baron who bowed his head slightly.

“Of course my lord.” Schenk had always liked Faust. With his current knowledge and how his liege had acted he could not say no. He had even talked about this matter with his wife previously. He accepted their relationship.

Alexander coughed awkwardly.

“Leona… Faust… are you both sure you want this?” he asked them, and both nodded.

‘Does this mean what I think it means?’ Faust didn’t dare to believe his ears.

Alexander nodded in Schenk's direction.

“Androcles… please arrange a betrothal for the two of them.” He said and Schenk’s head shot up. He had a complicated smile on his face but nodded.

“I will arrange it.”

Leona and Faust couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

‘Marriage?’ Faust thought and the mere thought of being able to be with Leona made his heart jump. Leona didn’t feel any different. She wanted to be with this man.

Alexander inwardly smiled.

‘He is a specimen. By tying him to Schenk and thus indirectly to me and by knighting him I have practically secured his loyalty for the events that will unfold next.’ He had been raking his brain the past days about the best course of Action and came to Schenk to discuss it.

Schenk’s mind was racing.

‘By knighting Faust, he has elevated him to nobility… but what is his reason to do so? Is it because of what Faust experienced? The boy turned into something very special… I… I am so happy for my daughter and the boy.’ He had always liked Faust. This decision wasn’t something he would have rashly made, but he could not say no as Alexander proposed it.

‘Alexander must have a grand plan. He used my daughter to bind Faust to our cause. He must really value him. Of course, this is also in their interest.’ Schenk rationalized his thoughts.

“Faust. Leona. This is mainly a political marriage. Faust has become a potentially incredibly important person and this marriage will bind your loyalty to me and thus to Alexander. It is good you love each other, but I want you both to know this. I want to be honest with the two of you.” Schenk explained.

Leona and Faust chuckled.

“Milord. You will always have my loyalty for saving me back then.” Faust lowered his head slightly. Schenk smiled and gently punched Faust’s chest.

“Welcome to the Schenk Family.” He smiled.

‘Faust Schenk…’ Leona tested the name and blushed at its implications.

‘Marrying Faust… this is too good to be true.’ She beamed at Faust with her large blue eyes as she looked up at him. To him, her face was the most beautiful in the world. His mind was blank when he looked at her sweet face, smiling at him.

She hugged him and planted a kiss on his lips.

Alexander in the meantime had walked a few steps away and sighed.

“It must be good to be able to marry the one you love.”

It sounded bitter, sad, and disappointed. He turned to them with a sad smile.

“I too once wanted to wed a commoner. But my father forced her out of the city and paid her off to remain out of my life…” he explained, and his facial expression didn’t change in the slightest, but Leona felt, that beneath this mask, a lot of pain remained from those days.

Alexander put a hand on both of their shoulders.

“Then I was married to the sister of the heir to the Dukedom of Lepidus, one of the three southern Dukedoms, to secure an alliance.” He sighed.

“What I really want to tell you, is to cherish the time you have with one another.” He patted their shoulders briefly and looked into the distance again, with his hands behind his back.

Leona felt her heart clench when she heard Alexander’s pain. She couldn’t imagine herself in his shoes.

‘I am so grateful.’ She thought and looked at Faust who held her gently. Schenk stood next to them with a slight smile when he saw their interaction.

‘I would have been a horrible father to not let her be with him.’ He smiled at himself.

“You will be betrothed tomorrow, but you will only marry once you reach the age of 18.” Alexander explained.

Faust couldn’t complain. He could be with Leona. That was all that mattered to him. As to taking that final step… it could wait.

“Now let me explain you, why I place such a high importance on you.” Alexander turned around; his face turned serious.

“Have you heard of Antioch before?”