With how open the royal palace’s courtyard and first floor are to the town, you’d think it was public property rather than a private estate. Those in charge never wanted to feel closed off from the people they’d sworn to protect; any walls, physical or otherwise, should be kept minimal between them. Every once in a while, you’d catch the king out in the courtyard, chatting with the townspeople and welcoming the knights back after a hard day’s work. The sound of their armor, with all its intricacies and accents, could easily be heard across the kingdom of Goddard. There was one knight in particular that the king would always hold onto for a bit more conversation; when they weren’t ruling their respective people, they were seen side by side almost every other day.

Nate adjusts his collar to keep it from digging into his neck as he waits in the palace lobby. Citizens mill around and admire the marble pillars that stretch dozens of feet into the air, forming a semicircle around a skylight that projects a swirling pattern of shadows onto the floor below. If he weren’t so nervous, he’d join them.

He always liked this suit; the torso fits against his figure nicely, while the back flares out and floats loosely down to the backs of his thighs. He figured that a shoulder cape would be too much, considering this is his first time in Goddard. The collar of his white shirt sits high and forces him to stand upright. 

The two pins against his breast are both symbolic. Two swords, crossed in an X to represent his time with the royal guard, and a deer, the emblem of his hometown. He’s been a royal diplomat for almost two years now, but somehow, visiting this kingdom has escaped him. He takes it as a good thing; the king is smart enough not to get involved in conflict that requires middlemen like him.

“Nathaniel Anastasio,” a voice says. A woman just a few years younger than Nate rounds the corner, boot heels clicking against the black marble. Her hair is pulled back into a tight, blonde bun, save for a few thin strands that frame her face. The bottom of her outfit flares out like a dress, while the top fits like a blazer against her body. She may not be tall, but she certainly intimidates with the way she carries herself. Still, the smile on her face welcomes Nate. They shake hands.

“You must be Duchess Sasha Colburn,” he says, “the one I spoke to last week?”

“Colby is fine. I don’t care for nobility.” She chuckles before beckoning him down the hall to a thin, spiral staircase. The knights in front of it nod with a brotherly, knowing gaze.

“You were in the infantry, is that right?”

Nate runs his palm over the carved wood that lines the stairs. The nerves start to let up. “I was. Discharged with honors, which surprised me-- I thought I was rather clumsy.”

“I was a knight for a few years, as well. Some of the best moments of my life. Now I just run around town and talk to people, like you. It has its perks, but I do miss the fight sometimes. 

He nods in agreement. “What had you retired for, if you don’t mind me asking?” As soon as the words fall out of his mouth, he notices Colby’s hands. From beneath the gloves, he sees the burn scars and the remnants of violence etched into her fingers. They don’t look fresh, but he’s confident the memories certainly are. “Oh. I am so sorry, Duchess, I didn’t--”

She interrupts him with a laugh. “It’s water under the bridge. Took me a long time to heal, but I did what I had to do. That’s part of the job description, right? Taking initiative when no one else will?”

They emerge on the third floor, where royalty and nobility alike wander between rooms and down the long halls. Some are dressed to the nines in their decorative uniforms, others merely wear shirts or plain-color dresses. On this floor, a couple children run between the corridors and laugh as they try to catch one another. They turn left and make a beeline for a wide, open door that leads out to a terrace that overlooks the entire town-- another place where the king is frequently spotted. These are the royal quarters. Are we on the right floor? 

“I understand you’re here to meet with the king about some conflict going on between our cities?” Colby asks.

“I was told I’d be meeting with the woman who leads the infantry,” Nate answers. “Adya Prisham?”

She huffs out a chuckle. “She is the king.”

The glass double doors open and Nate is met with a beautiful view and a young, long-haired woman admiring it. Her lehenga is embellished with beautiful golden patterns and soft, navy fabrics that float up whenever a breeze passes by. A separate, silky piece sits neatly over her shoulder, wraps around her back, and drapes over her other arm. She embodies her title perfectly, despite the obvious discrepancies.

“Your Highness?” Colby asks, as if the title were a mockery.

“Oh, stop,” Adya says. “I get enough of that from the townspeople. Don’t you start, too.”

Colby steps aside and gestures to her guest. “Nathaniel Anastasio, the diplomat from Aleigh.”

She shakes his hand with the delicacy of a ruler, but the firmness of a general. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” she says. Nate nods as he tries to hold it together. If he knew he’d be meeting the king on his first visit to town, three weeks of preparation would’ve been in order rather than three days. He is horrendously underprepared.

“Forgive me for asking,” he says, “but do you rule and lead the infantry?”

“Technically, yes. Most people hear “the king of Goddard” and expect some man with a suit and a crown who stares out his window all day. That lets me join the knights without being under scrutiny. But when I’m not around…”

Another woman, armor shining in the light of the sunset, approaches. A firm hand rests on her handle of the sword that’s sheathed at her hip. “General Franklin gives the orders.”

“Reese is just fine,” she says, lifting her hand to shake Nate’s. Her armor jingles with every movement, and every moment elicits a look of adoration from Adya. They clearly have more in common than just their knightship.

“So you three are all in the infantry?”

“On some days. Lately, I’ve been spending more time than I’d like here. Too much diplomacy, not enough action.”

“I suppose my concerns are for all three of you, then.” From his coat pocket, Nate produces a map and rolls it out on the table behind Adya. The lower half is occupied by the hills that divide the kingdom of Goddard, the province of Atria, and the humble town of Aleigh. “These hills are neutral territory, but Atria’s soldiers patrol them. Recently, they’ve been going missing and no one can explain why. The citizens of Atria are starting to get on edge and I’m trying to put out this fire before it even starts burning. I’d prefer to avoid any accusations that this is a deliberate act of sabotage.”

“You think like a diplomat, but speak like a soldier,” Adya mentions. Her smile implores Nate to take it as a compliment. “Reese, you’ll travel into town tomorrow and speak with their leaders. Send two of your best men to patrol with Atria’s soldiers tonight so we have a firsthand look into what’s going on.”

“Yes, milady.” Reese disappears into the palace while her colleagues continue to study the map. Marked with X’s are the two spots where the missing soldiers were last spotted. Colby clicks her tongue in disappointment.

“Atria values their soldiers the way that clergymen value God,” she says. “If they don’t get an explanation for this soon…”

“They’ll start pointing fingers,” Adya finishes. “And Aleigh isn’t a big enough town to be of any threat to them. All signs will point directly to us.”

“Respectfully, I think that’s exactly why they’ll put my people under scrutiny,” Nate says. “We’re a farming town, shipping goods up and down the coast for decades. Yet, the knights of Aleigh are some of the most highly trained individuals in the region. It’s been years since we engaged in any conflict, so the training is mostly out of tradition— but it still garners suspicion.”

Adya takes a deep breath, looking out across Goddard as the sun dips below the hills. “Lord Anastasio, it would be unwise of me to disregard that my citizens might be responsible for this.”

He furrows his brow. “Are you suggesting... that my people are the ones who kidnapped these soldiers?”

“I would not put it past any one kingdom to seek more power. That’s the nature of the crown.”

The suspicion stings a little, but she’s right— when you give someone authority, they tend to want more. And with a small farming town like Aleigh surrounded by massive kingdoms, authority is in short supply. It’s an election year for Atria’s parliament and there is no better time to force someone’s hand than during a transition of power.

Adya’s gentle hand sets itself on Nate’s shoulder. “I know you’re a good man,” she says, “and I know that you are a knight. Not a knight of Aleigh, not a knight for your bloodline— a knight of justice. You serve the people first and the crown second. So do I.”

“Technically, you are the crown,” Colby mentions. Adya stifles a chuckle before sending her away to round up the knights.

“Go with Reese tomorrow morning to Atria,” she orders. “The sooner we clear the air, the better.”

“And you?” Nate asks. “I’m sure they’d like to hear from you as well, considering your people will be equally under suspicion.”

The hues of dusk paint the rooftops in honey yellows and deep oranges. Windows open and people take to the streets with the weather finally cooling down. A few point and wave up to the terrace; Adya waves back.

“I’ll visit within the week. I have some sources here in Goddard that I’d like to consult first.”