"My name is Marco Flores."
The words hung thick in the air like humidity on a wet summer day. The gathered lords and ladies were given pause at the mention of Marco Flores, but they could not recall why. It wasn't until some random lord spoke up.
"Marco Flores, is that not the coward from the battle of Monument Tower?"
"Ah yes, you're right! The only student of the Dyon Academy to never become a Hero."
"Marco the Coward!"
As the proclamations of recognition came flooding in, Marco's resolve almost instantly left him. What was he doing? Did he really need to make a scene?
Marco looked to Reina for assurance but found none. Instead there was an angry look. Actually, anger was too light to describe what was on her face. Were her father the king not right in front of her, Marco felt she would have probably beheaded him right there.
As for the king, he looked at Marco more with curiosity.
"So," he began. "You, known throughout the kingdom for cowardice, wishes to become a Hero? And not just any Hero, but my youngest daughter's very first Hero? I must admit, I cannot laugh at you or disdain you like so many others here. More than anything, I would like to know why. What made you think we would accept you as a savior of our land when you famously ran from one mere sorcerer? And Reina, why would you waste everyone's time by bringing him here under some false name, as if you could fool the entire palace?"
When the king turned on Reina, she immediately avoided his gaze. As he finished speaking, she looked to be thinking up a response. After too long a silence, she still had nothing to say.
"Your highness," Marco cautiously began. The king gave him attention, but said nothing. Marco took that as permission to continue. "In Princess Reina's defense, look at the response your court gave when my name was brought up. Instantly, Marco the Coward is met with ridicule and scorn. Of course she would try to hide who I was! But not out of a desire to deceive you. Only to help me. The princess is willing to give me the second chance I've waited for ever since Monument Tower. She believes in me when no one else will. That is why I will fight, against any threat, in her name. Be it a mere sorcerer or the fiercest beast in the land, point me to it and I will conquer it in Princess Reina's name!"
There was a stunned silence that followed. Even Marco did not know where the fire within him had come from. Yes he wanted to do whatever it took to salvage the situation, but the flowery heroic proclamations seemed to spring from a place within him that he didn't know existed.
As for Reina, she jumped in before anyone else could.
"Marco, you speak too bluntly, as always. But father, you see it don't you? What I see in him?"
"What?" the Second Prince cut in. "Desperation?"
That earned a few chuckles from the crowd. But Reina didn't miss a beat. "Actually yes! Marco wants so badly to be a Hero that he subjects himself to public ridicule just to stand here before you. And I can assure you, he put a great deal of effort into persuading me to become his Patron. Indeed, his fellows became Heroes after performing a great deed at Monument Tower. But Marco instead became a complete failure. Yet he has the courage to keep trying, even after all these years. Is that not tenacity befitting a Hero, father?"
The king stroked his beard. "Hmph."
Marco could hear whispers from the gathered lords and ladies. Based on the tones, some seemed to dismissing Reina's words, and others were actually turning them over. Even Julia, the first Princess, seemed to be looking at him with some interest. Suddenly, a booming laughter erupted, echoing throughout the room. It was the king!
"Never could I have imagined...Reina, you certainly made an interesting choice for your first Hero! But then that has always been you, my daughter. Always marching to the beat of your own drum. If you truly believe in Marco, then no one here will convince you otherwise. I admit, I look forward to seeing what he does myself."
"Then...I will be named as a Hero?" Marco asked.
"No."
Marco's jaw quite literally dropped. "What?"
"Not yet," replied the king. "There is still the matter of your trial."
"The trial…" Marco had forgotten the trial. It took more than simply having a royal backing you to become a Hero. After all, a really capricious royal could just go naming Heroes left and right if that were the case. That would dilute the honor of the title. As such, prospective Heroes were given a task to complete. If they came back successful, then they would be officially conferred the title of Hero.
The battle at Monument Tower was retroactively considered the trial for Marco's former friends. It would have been Marco's too, had the whole coward thing not happened.
"What shall be your trial?" the king mused.
Reina's eyes seemed to light up at the question. Clearly she was struck by inspiration. "If I may father, there were some men who attacked me last night. That's how I met Marco, he saved me from them. Unfortunately, they escaped. Perhaps he could help me track them down and bring them to justice."
"Attacked? Why was I not informed?" The king bellowed this to everyone around the room, his guards and advisors included. Each one simply looked to another as if to pass the blame.
"I was trying to keep it a secret, father," Reina said. "We can't let everyone know that a princess was almost successfully kidnapped. That's why I thought this would be a great job for one person, Marco, to investigate discreetly."
"I see…" the king nodded slowly. "Well–"
Before he could say more, the Second Prince interjected. "Father, the kidnapping of a princess is a serious crime! And my sister, your daughter, no less. I insist on investigating the matter myself."
"Oh?"
"My life was boring you moments ago, and now you want to rush to my aid?" Reina said.
"That was just some innocent teasing. Despite our contention for the throne, you are still my sister. I won't simply stand by while you are assaulted," the Second Prince said with the most dramatic incredulity. Marco didn't know the guy and even he could tell it was fake.
"You will be putting your Heroes to work on this, I presume?" the king asked.
"Of course, father. All of my Heroes currently in the palace will be dispatched for the investigation," the Second Prince said.
"Finally, some solidarity among my children! Excellent, the mission is yours. Find and punish the culprits swiftly."
Somehow, the king didn't see what Marco saw. Perhaps he was truly taken in by the illusion of peace between his children. Even if Marco did sense an ulterior motive in the Second Prince's words, however, he still didn't know what that motive was. As such, he could only gently insert himself in the conversation.
"What of me, your highness? Am I to work with the Second Prince's Heroes?"
"Ha!" the Second Prince immediately scoffed at the notion. "You are still famous for being a failure, you know. My sister may be taken in by your "tenacity" but I wouldn't trust you to take care of a kitten. My Heroes are more than capable of handling this matter."
"Besides," the king added with a stern look to the Second Prince. "You and Reina must face your trial alone, with only each other and your best weapon at your side."
"Wait, I have to go with him?" Reina asked, shocked.
"Of course. That is the tradition. Testing the Hero's abilities, as well as the bond between Hero and Patron. But what task to give you…?"
Again, it was the Second Prince that chimed in with a timely thought. "A suggestion, father. Since I have taken Reina's idea from her, I shall give her one of my quests. It just so happens that I have the perfect thing. A beast is killing travelers on the road to the Gramt Empire."
"A beast?" the king remarked with a dismissive wave of his hand. "The soldiers at the Gramt outpost can take care of that."
"Actually father, it was the soldiers themselves who requested we send Heroes. It seems this beast is of a unique nature. It attacks without ever being seen, even in broad daylight. All its victims hear is a strange clicking sound, and by then it is too late. Even fully armed military convoys have been torn apart by this beast."
"Entire groups of soldiers failed to even see the beast?" Reina asked.
"So they say. I have forgotten the details. I took the job some time ago, but none of my Heroes have the time to travel all the way to Gramt. But it seems a suitable trial quest, does it not?"
"Indeed!" the king heartily agreed.
"That's too little information," Reina said with a shake of her head. "How have there been no sightings of this beast? And why does it attack? Does it take anything or just kill? There are too many unknowns."
"Figuring that out is part of a Hero's, and dare I say future Queen's, job!" the king proclaimed. "Now go, and bring me the head of the beast of Gramt!"
*****
"Curse him!" shouted Reina when they were safely out of earshot of the throne room. "Curse that brother of mine!"
They turned a corner and found themselves back in the hallway where Marco and Reina's rooms were. From the huge open windows, Marco could see that the sun was at its highest point in the sky. It was now noon, their audience with the king had taken up the entire morning.
"I don't see the issue," replied Marco. "Whether tracking down your kidnappers or an elusive beast, the danger seems about the same."
"He sent those kidnappers!" Reina said. "My brother, the Second Prince, ordered those men to abduct me. And while we become some monster's dinner, he's going to 'investigate' and conveniently turn up nothing!"
"How do you know all this?"
"It's plain to see. Just like it's plain to see how much of a greedy twit you are."
"About that," Marco began. "I should apologize for blurting out-"
"Save it." Reina said dryly. "I don't want your apologies."
"I-I thought we were okay. Didn't you just give a speech about how you believe in me?"
"Pretty words to please the court," she said with a wave. "Believe it or not, I have bigger concerns than some commoner who's blackmailing me so he can play Hero."
The words cut deeper than any blade. Marco did feel bad for Reina and her perilous situation. And yet, when he thought about her recent actions, she hadn't exactly been forthcoming with him. What trusting ally tries to make you fake your own name? Clearly he was just a pawn to her, so why was she suddenly acting slighted?
"I'll prove I'm a Hero when I slay this beast."
Reina didn't even look at him. She only said one thing before storming into her room and slamming the door.
"For both of our sakes, you better."