Chapter 20: A Noble’s Request
****
As Clarkent’s seventeenth birthday approached, he began to get nervous. He finally expressed as much to Gawain.
“You’re nervous about your seventeenth birthday?” his friend said. Clarkent could hear the frown in his voice. “Why?”
“I’ll be going home,” Clarkent replied softly. He and Gawain were standing in stalls right next to each other, both of them grooming horses.
“What do you mean?” Gawain asked.
Clarkent turned so that he could look over at his friend and shook his head with an affectionate smile. “You can remember all those grand stories, but you can’t remember something as important as this?” But then his smile died. “At seventeen, someone who’s been Assigned isn’t required any longer. At least--unless they’re Requested. So . . . they have to leave.”
“Do . . . do you hope you’re Requested?” Gawain asked in a small voice.
Clarkent swallowed and looked back at Agides. “I’m . . . torn about it,” he admitted. “I . . . I like it here. I have friends.” He threw a smile at Gawain. “And I know what I’m supposed to do here.” He felt comfortable with the horses--they had become companions of sorts for him. He would miss them. Furthermore, if he went to be with his parents, then he would have to consider giving up his stint as the Black Knight. His parents lived in a very small village far from the castle where very little ever happened, so keeping the secret identity wouldn’t be feasible. And besides, he couldn’t maintain Phantom without Peri nearby, even if he *was* able to find somewhere to hide him.
And if he left, he would have to say goodbye to Gawain and Dwayne and Billy and the others . . . . He would probably never see them again. He would be losing people that had become a major part of his life.
And . . . in the back of his mind . . . he kept thinking about the princess.
It hurt to think she might not even miss him if he left. But was that true? Would . . . would she really not miss him? Was he just a stableboy to her? Or could she see him as . . . as something more?
And why did he keep thinking about her?
“I’ve been dreaming of leaving for so long,” he told Gawain, “but now I’m not so sure. I--I do want to see my parents more and . . . and help them. But if I got Requested . . . maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. I could send some of the money to help my parents out, and I could still stay here, you know?”
****
Loisette stared at Clarkent, her chest tightening for reasons she wasn’t sure of. He would be leaving soon? She had--she had forgotten. How could she have forgotten about such an important aspect of the Assigning?
“I wish you could stay,” she whispered. She despised the Assigning at that moment. It had given her a best friend, only to take him away. If Clarkent had simply been hired as a servant, then he would have been paid already and would have had no reason to leave--he could have been able to help his parents all along. Even she had noticed how worn his parents seemed--and she had felt a tiny stab of guilt about it. “Who am I going to act out adventures with?”
The stableboy smiled at her. “You’re a great person, Gawain. I’m sure there will be someone for you to act out adventures with.”
Loisette looked down at her hands. She had Catherine, but . . . it just wasn’t the same. Catherine wasn’t Clarkent. Loisette and Catherine had fun together--but it was a different kind of fun. Catherine treated her like a friend--but like a friend that was a princess.
Unable to put what her heart was feeling into words, she simply told Clarkent, “I guess you’re right.”
She didn’t know why her eyes were getting so blurry.
****
“So, who’s your favorite?”
“Huh?” Loisette turned to Catherine in confusion. They were at a party being hosted by Alexander. Famous knights and important Nobles were spread throughout the hall, eating and socializing. The great room was filled with the smells of food and the noise of merriment.
Loisette and Catherine had just ceased talking to a knight, and Loisette had let her gaze wander across the room. Her preoccupation meant she had no idea what Catherine had been asking.
“Who is your *favorite knight*, Your Highness?” Catherine asked her, speaking in a tone that sounded as if she thought Loisette dense. “I like Sir Klaud myself.”
Loisette brought her eyes up to look at the knight mentioned. She *had* admired Sir Klaud’s appearance on occasion. With his melodious accent and chiseled looks, Sir Klaud was pleasing to both the ear and the eye. It was kind of strange how Loisette had only recently begun to notice it.
The object of their thoughts glanced up at them and shot them a shining smile. Loisette and Catherine both blushed.
“He’s just as charming in private as he is in public,” Catherine said slyly.
Loisette raised an eyebrow. “You’ve spent time alone with him?”
Rather than answer the question, Catherine said, “What’s surprising about that? You’re always slipping off to visit boys.”
“I’m not always--” Loisette began to protest, only to falter as she realized what Catherine had said *was* true . . . in a way. Her thoughts flicked to Clarkent, and she felt a stab of pain at the thought of his oncoming departure.
Catherine must have seen the look on her face, for she said gently, “What’s wrong?”
Loisette considered denying that something was wrong, but then she steeled herself, deciding to tell the truth. This was her best friend. She could trust her not to say anything to anyone. “I’m going to miss Clarkent--the . . . the stableboy who always helps us,” she said quietly. “He’ll be turning seventeen soon. I--I wish he didn’t have to leave.”
Catherine stared at her with an expression that said she knew more than Loisette was saying. “He wouldn’t have to leave if he got Requested,” the lady-in-waiting remarked casually. “If you talked to the Regent, he would probably Request that the stableboy stay. After all, the stableboy is really good with horses. It would be a shame to lose him.”
Loisette’s eyes widened. Catherine was right. It was a great idea. Why hadn’t Loisette thought of it herself?
“And he’s cute,” commented the lady-in-waiting with a grin. “Though I don’t know if he’s quite as handsome as Sir Klaud.”
Loisette’s cheeks were warm. “Y-yeah,” she said with a cough. “Sir Klaud *is* very handsome.” But it wasn’t Sir Klaud who was filling her mind’s eye.
****
When Loisette went to see Alexander the next day, she was nervous. She didn’t want it seem as if she had an improper interest in Clarkent. She simply wanted her friend to continue on at the stable as he always had--she enjoyed their time together, and she didn’t want it to end. But what if Alexander refused to Request the stableboy? What would she do then?
The Regent smiled warmly when he noticed her. He always seemed to enjoy talking to her, though she rarely sought him out herself. There was something about him that seemed slightly creepy, though she wasn’t quite sure what.
“Princess Loisette,” he greeted, bowing as she curtseyed. “To what do I owe the honor of your presence?”
****
Alexander was pleased that the princess was coming to see him. And when she began shyly, “I have something I wish to ask of you,” his pleasure began to grow. But his happiness dissipated as he heard what she desired:
“I was wanting to know if you would Request that the stableboy Clarkent remain at the castle.”
His eyes narrowed before he quickly forced them to resume their normal appearance. His suspicions were immediately aroused--why did she want the boy to stay? “May I ask what your interest is in the stableboy?” he asked with agonizing calmness.
****
Alexander’s question caused Loisette’s heart to jump in fright, but she forced herself to speak normally: “My--my mother’s horse likes him, and he is best at controlling her.” It was a slight lie--the Stable Master was likely better at controlling Penelope Grace--but she didn’t feel too bad for uttering the falsehood, as Penelope Grace *did* let Clarkent guide her more than any of the other stableboys. “My horse, High Flyer, also appears to like him.” And here she delved deeper into untruths: “I am very particular about the handling of my horse. Some of the stableboys are not as skilled with horses as he is. I wish for my horse to remain in good hands.”
Alexander stared at her, and Loisette felt like squirming. She hated to act as if she were denigrating the other stableboys, but now that she was here, she felt as if she were under the Regent’s scrutiny, and she didn’t want to seem as if her interest stretched any further than the welfare of the horses.
****
Alexander gazed at the princess as he thought carefully of her request. He was not a fool--even as he realized there was danger in this, so did he also realize that obliging the princess in this instance would increase her estimation of him. And if he were going to woo her to be his queen, he knew she would need to think highly of him. There was a slight stubbornness in her that he had come across a few times, and it was important for him to build up her image of him.
Besides, if the stableboy did prove himself a threat, Alexander could always have him killed. No one would ever miss a lowly stableboy.
He dipped his head. “I shall Request the boy to stay. What was his name again?”
“Clarkent,” she repeated. “But please--do not tell him that I asked for him to stay. I merely wish him to remain for . . . for the care of my horse.”
Alexander nodded sharply. “I shall be sure to leave your name out of it.” That was what he had intended to do anyway. He did not want the *peasant* to believe the princess had any interest in him.
As he watched the princess leave, he vowed to keep a closer eye on the stableboy called Clarkent.
****
The day before his seventeenth birthday, Clarkent was requested to appear before the Regent. Upon receiving the summons, Clarkent felt his stomach twist. There were only two reasons he could think of for being asked to see the Regent--either he had been found out as the Black Knight, or he was going to be Requested to stay at the stable. If it was the former, then he was as good as dead. If it was the latter . . . then he wasn’t sure what his answer would be.
He entered the throne room slowly, gulping as he took in the Regent in all his elegant finery. He forced his feet to move forward, and at last he was standing right in front of the man. He took a careful bow--one of his better ones, thankfully--and waited until the Regent gestured for him to rise. The last time they had met, the Regent had looked on him none too kindly.
“Your Majesty,” Clarkent said quietly, his mouth dry.
“I understand you are good with horses,” the Regent commented.
Clarkent felt an inner sense of relief. This wasn’t about the Black Knight. “Y-yes, Your Majesty,” he said fumblingly, keeping his eyes averted.
“It is hard to find good *stableboys* these days, so I would like to Request that you stay at the royal stables.”
Clarkent nearly lifted his head. There was an insult veiled within the Regent’s sentence. He obviously considered himself above stableboys, and Clarkent knew it was with good reason. Clarkent lacked the Noble blood that the Regent had.
Clarkent allowed himself a few seconds to think. He wanted to be by his parents’ side, helping them--but he ached to be with Loisette.
He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of being away from her tore at his heart. To never be able to see her again was more than he could bear.
And so, with a mental apology to his parents, he said in a low voice, “I would be honored to stay.”
****
As Alexander watched the stableboy leave, he narrowed his eyes. He would definitely keep a careful watch on the peasant. While the princess would surely never marry a stableboy, it couldn’t hurt to be careful.
****
When Clarkent returned to the stable, he found Gawain waiting for him and petting Penelope Grace. Frowning a bit at the horse’s lack of retaliation, Clarkent walked toward his friend.
Gawain heard his approach and turned. He brightened upon seeing Clarkent. “Hello!” he greeted.
“Hello,” Clarkent mumbled. “I--I thought you should know--I’ve been Requested to stay.”
Gawain stared at him, his face cautious. “And . . . ?”
“And I decided to accept.”
Gawain leapt forward and embraced Clarkent, who stumbled back a few steps. “I’m so glad to hear that!” Gawain exclaimed.
Clarkent smiled at his friend’s happiness. At least he wasn’t losing this good friend--at least, not until Gawain turned seventeen. That thought darkened his mood. He hated how the Assigning controlled everyone’s lives.
And he hated how he felt like he had betrayed his parents--even if they had told him he could stay. But at least his earnings would bring a little relief to them. He was glad that he would still be helping them, though it would be in a different way than he had intended years before.
And he could still continue to be the Black Knight. He would be helping others. That was important.
