Rise of the Unfavored Princess

Ch. 17: A Knight and a Lady

My body is burning with fever when I wake up in the morning after thinking intensely about the next steps I’m going to take. Marie fusses over me the entire morning, placing a cool towel on my forehead and bringing me a glass of hot chocolate. It is warm outside, but I’m shivering under the covers. This useless body with lousy immunity probably picked up something from the little amount of time I spent in the dungeon.

Black eyes, empty yet yearning, taunt mine whenever I close my eyes to sleep. It’s the guilt. I don’t know who that young maid was who aided me in Sunset Palace, but I haven’t seen her once since then. I described her carefully to Marie as well, but my nursemaid was similarly at a loss. The thought that something terrible might have happened to her at the hands of Sir Berrick wreaks at my conscience and I pick back up my old life habit of biting my nails.

There is a silver lining. My sudden bout of illness will definitely get people’s tongues wagging if it is known outside the Rose Palace. I’m also able to postpone my first day of etiquette classes with my new governess. But the thrill of cutting class fades quickly as Marie all but ties me down to my bed until my temperature has dropped and my nose isn’t running as much.

She insisted on calling for the royal physician, but my memory is still fresh of the way the last doctor had been so disrespectful to me and I don’t want to relive that when I’m actually not feeling well. My first tentative steps outside the palace are stifling, as I’m covered in a warm cloak that is causing me to overheat as well as a few maids, including Marie, to ensure I don’t fall into harm’s way.

It seems that the peaceful afternoons of sitting under the apple tree by myself will forever be in the past. I look to the future instead, intent on conquering the royal guard, the Holy Church, and other important aristocrats. But the prospect is daunting? How will I do it?

“Good morning, your highness,” says an even voice behind me. It is Finn, but he is calm and relaxed, far from the Finn who had spoken up for me in the dungeon. But I have not forgotten. I smile at the guard brightly, the grin more aimed at myself rather than him. My golden ticket into conquering the royal guard has just appeared in front of me, after all.

“Finn!” I yell cheerfully. “Finn, Finn, Finn!” I bounce around the man like an energizer bunny seeing him in new eyes. I’d always found him to be an articulate irritation and likened him to a cunning fox, but now I’ve promised myself to be much nicer to Finn starting today.

“Your highness, I’m glad to see you are in a pleasant mood,” Finn said smiling.

.....

“Walk with me, Sir Finn! Please?” I hop over right in front of him and grab his hand, looking deep into him with my superpower: overwhelming cuteness. It works. He lets out a chuckle and we start walking in the same direction through the exquisite rose garden. Marie is just laughing from behind at my adorableness and I throw back another smile to my generous caretaker. Then I even go so far as to grab onto Finn’s hand and begin to chat up the man about random topics I assume 5-year-olds would be curious about as well as a few others I actually want to know.

“Do you see something different about me?” I ask. Finn decides to humor me.

“No, your highness, you look as lovely as ever,” Finn says.

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“I’m taller, Finn. A little bit taller! Do you think I’ll one day be as tall as you?”

“Maybe not quite as tall, but close if you’re lucky.”

“No fair, I want to be as tall as you, Sir Finn!” I whine. Finn just laughs.

He is much friendlier than he was during our first encounter and I’m betting it’s because he’s feeling sympathetic about the fiasco that occurred. I feel like I’m playing dirty, but this is the best time to start investing in crucial relationships. I need to learn whether I can count on Finn the Fox as an ally.

“I heard,” I say slowly, beginning my transition from a silly conversation to a subtle interrogation, “that people end up looking like their parents. Do you look like your mommy or your daddy?”

“I resemble my father, your highness,” Finn answered diligently.

“And who is he? Is he as handsome as you?” I ask in an attempt to learn his lineage. On my papers under the floorboard, I had carefully detailed to the best of my memory, which families supported the empress, which were neutral, and which ones were ripe for the picking.

Finn puffs his chest up like a peacock. “He’s the Duke of Avernall. And nope, I’m much better looking. He gave me this blonde hair and my height.”

I nod approvingly although inside I’m doing a happy dance. That is one of the families Clara befriends after she’s reincarnated! I can recall that much, since Finn’s sister, Victoria, was the designated side-kick of many stories. Since Clara’s first “mission” with Victoria in the book is to avenge my death and ultimately meet with crown prince while investigating, I’m sure I can count on them as allies.

“Did he teach you how to become a swordsman?”

Finn shook his head mirthfully. “He taught me how to hold a sword but that’s about it, your highness. The knights under my family taught me the basics and then I joined the royal guard for the honor of protecting the royal family.”

I make a show of covering my mouth in awe, my eyes feeling like they are going to pop out of my socket.

“So cool! I want to be a knight too, Sir Finn. Then I can protect myself.” My bottom lip wobbles a bit as if I’m traumatized by the events of a few days ago, which I slightly am if I’m being honest, and I look at the floor. This is one of my best works, one I practiced secretly in front of the mirror the few minutes Marie left my side while I was sick. His willpower should be dissolving in 3...2...1...

Finn’s green eyes burn with a fire I wouldn’t have noticed if I were actually a child. But I’m familiar with gazes that conceal untold pain and anger. I’ve seen them through the crack of my mother’s bedroom door in my past life, her body wracking with sobs as she stared at a photo of my father, the only picture of him in the whole house.

The desired effect is achieved. Finn pauses in the middle of the brick pathway and lowers himself to the ground. One knee is bent before and the image is all too reminiscent of the ancient tradition of a knight swearing his sword to a lady.

“Your highness,” he pledges as he looks into my eyes. “I promise to be your sword and shield as long as you will allow me to accompany you.”

I freeze in the spot and start checking my left and right for the secret cameras of a prank show. The moment just feels surreal. I’d only been joking with myself about him pledging his sword to me and now here he is, looking dead serious as he kneels before me.

I’m not the only one who’s panties were shocked off by the scene. Marie very audibly gasps along with the maids closest to us. There are a few standing further back but hurried whispers transfer the bug-eyed expression to them.

Eventually, I realize that I’m standing like a fool in front of the suddenly charming Finn.

“M-Me?”, I say, pointing to myself with wide eyes.

Finn nods seriously.

How would a kid react? Judging from the way the maids are not so subtly freaking out, this must be a huge gesture in this world. However, I’m but a child, I wouldn’t understand it’s significance. I’m immensely touched even though I don’t understand the full meaning behind his words, yet I can’t properly express this to him. Nevermind, I’ll just have to thank him properly in a few years.

“That is... I... Thank you!” My smart-aleck mouth struggles for words before I blurt out the most important ones and pull Finn in for a hug. I must have misjudged this knight the first time we met if he is so willing to throw down the gauntlet with me when the odds are so stacked against this white-haired, bastard princess.

His body jolts in surprise as I throw my whole weight onto him, but he hesitantly pats me on the back in acknowledgment. I can feel a tear or two pull in my eye. How long has it been since I’ve felt like I’m in this fight alone?

“Thank you so much,” I whisper again in a lower tone. For the time being, I will abandon my investigation and just enjoy the moment.

A throat clears suddenly though, dragging me out of the few seconds of elation. As unruly as the maids under my employ are, none would dare do such an obvious act of insubordination. Was it a passing noble? Or worse, the empress?

I turn my head to the side to see a stern woman a decade or so past her prime staring at the happy scene with a scrunched expression on her face as if she were sucking a lemon.

“How utterly inappropriate,” she says, spitting out the last word. Finn and I suddenly jump away as if the other party was on fire and I find myself already annoyed by this mystery woman who has barged into my palace. I’m literally a child, why is she making a mountain out of a molehill?

I hear the scurry of steps as I’m busy glaring at the interloper, who is similarly looking back at me with a haughty air as if she’s too good to be here.

“Your highness, this is your etiquette teacher, Mrs. Laroche,” Marie whispers sheepishly in my ears. I barely suppress the urge to roll my eyes. What a great first impression I’ve just made.