Lucas walks back to us looking like everything is peachy. "Good work."
"Meaning?" Daniel eyes him.
"Emblems will be in the mail?" Lucas shrugs.
"But... We..." Callie throws up her hands. "Why would that be a graduation test?"
"The key was you take him into custody or make him unable to battle without my involvement."
"The aura?" I ask.
Lucas shrugs. "That's a spell for the capital actually. Just like the binding spell he had going."
"He had a binding spell on him?" Daniel's eyes widen.
Lucas nods. "Knights are the only ones who can initiate a battle. Even guards can be marked with binding if they drew weapons first."
I watch the ground. We struggled against someone who had a binding spell on him. That would've at minimum halved his speed. Yet... I couldn't battle well enough. Daniel was only a distraction. Callie's support let him keep the assassin on him. I was useless until I flew up and used the rituals. "Why?"
"Why what?" Lucas looks at me. "Your Highness?"
I shiver. That is part of the reason they pushed me forward. "Were you using the fact everyone pays attention to me to find him?"
"Yes. Everyone focused on you. You knew something was off when they didn't accept your attentions, right?"
I shiver. Not until it was too late. I should've drawn my blade first thing. I should've realized what the aura meant: weapons were drawn. I had no idea. It never happened to me before. Only knights are allowed to initiate an attack in the capital. That makes sense.
Lucas doesn't mind my lack of answer. "We knew there was another assassin nearing us. They are keying in on the crown prince, but aren't aiming for him. It's getting troublesome. I'm glad they weren't wearing guard gear this time."
"So... They are..." I pause. "So my blood matters."
"We're thinking it's actually the queen. They're sending in weaklings to see what her guard is like." Lucas rubs his chin. "Assumptions though. You are technically related to many after all. Even we're distant cousins." He asks for my sword. I watch as he sets off the golden sheen on Daniel again. I freeze realizing things. Lucas is a close relative. "We have the same great grandfather."
I nod trying to wrap my head around that. "I... I half expect most of the nobles to pull off the rituals."
"If we know them. I don't know all of them. We have our own artifact for that one though. And it works." Lucas shrugs giving me my sword back. "If you see a similar artifact in a house, assume the ritual will work."
"My family doesn't have one." Callie says. "Daniel?"
"I wasn't told of any, but I know Ryan has one. It's on display. I don't know if they taught Ryan. Or if it'll work for him."
"See." Lucas nods me to stand up. "Okay. Austin is going to meet us in the arena in a moment. His Majesty needs to join us if we are marking Thomas."
"But-" I stop grinding my teeth instead of making a comment.
"I know how you feel, but you'll be more useful to us as a white stripe. You cannot gain another stripe until you've hit four months."
"What mission am I needed for?" I ask as we start our way to the arena. I knew what the aura meant because it's always active here. The capital has guards in place. To stop real damage from happening. Most places won't have that.
Lucas taps his lips instead of offering a real answer.
It's nerve wracking standing in the center of the arena with several red knights. The ceremony cannot begin until my father arrives. So I only get to watch as many people join the stands. They fill easily enough. People start standing around. Watching us. Minorly chatting over what's happening.
I freeze when I hear my father's entrance. He's joining as the king right now not at as five striped red knight.
Then seconds after that moment, Mom copies. Both of them here? To see this?
I'm... I'm becoming a knight.
Austin stands before us. The long chatter is one of privilege. A welcome to us joining fully as knights. We have a long way to go, but we've proven our might. Then Lucas explains the battle as positive highlights more than brutal honesty. Which I'm glad for. I was injured because I lacked skills.
I gulp when my father stands before the crowd. There was a cheer for him, but everyone has silenced because he asked for it.
"My son..." He turns to me. His notice has me feeling... Terrified. But he turns back to the crowd instead of making a comment to me. "Not even a month into trainee status leaves him gaining his emblem and first white stripe. There will be further training for the crown prince, but there is no reason to suggest he does not deserve this."
The king takes the golden emblem off his chest and pins it to me. He asks for the white stripe and places it on me as well. His attention is... A lot. His eyes catch mine once done. "You proved I was wrong."
"I... Why am I being pushed forward?"
"Best to just wait for the answers to appear." Father pats my shoulder before turning to Daniel.
I touch the emblem. This isn't a brand new made for me emblem. This is the one my father has been wearing. I'll even bet there are magical spells within the emblem. I won't know what I was given until later. Just as I didn't realize the sword he offered before contained magic.
I'm being protected. That's why I have the curses. That's why I must always have guard. That's why freedom is the farthest thing I can ever gain.
Protection... I stare at the crowd. They're here to celebrate my achievement. Youngest knight ever. Fastest to earn knight status ever. There is definitely a reason.
The answer will be given soon. If that wasn't the case... This test would have waited.
Now...
Now, I'm a knight.