"Sir Samberg!" Rhodri called jovially. "I was not sure if you were going to make it. I had not gotten word that you had arrived."
Ethyn approached the throne and knelt beside the princess. Rose hid her grin as she could have sworn he winked at her.
"My apologies, most gracious sovereign. I was detained. There was some confusion about my arrival at the gate, but all is well now." The green-eyed man dutifully kept his head bowed.
"Confusion? I suppose the guards at the gate do not yet recognize your face. We will have to remedy that situation while you are here." Rhodri motioned for a scribe to make note.
After a covert glance behind the throne to the commander, Rose could easily guess that Borit had schemed to have the man denied entry. There had been complaints like that before, but the princess had dismissed the claims by assuming members of court were just jealous of Borit's closeness to the king.
Now, she knew better. Seeing the Commander's stoic face, he was not the least bit surprised that Ethyn had been turned away nor that no word had reached Rhodri of his arrival.
"You are most kind, Your Majesty." Sir Samberg nodded, oblivious to Rose's musings.
The young knight knew that it was a great honor to be so welcomed by the king, especially on his first day in court as a member of it. When Ethyn had visited the palace before he was knighted, he had never so much as set foot in the throne room.
Now he was kneeling before it for the second time in two weeks.
"All of you, rise," the king chuckled. "I feel like a lone ship bobbing on a sea of humanity up here on this throne."
While Rose could have stood and taken her seat at the lesser of the two thrones, she had stayed on the steps, frozen, watching the knight approach. Then she had stayed in case he had needed to whisper a quick message to her, or at least that is what she told herself.
No such message came, and now it was time for her to take her rightful place. Or so she thought.
Rhodri also stood. The court, which had begun chatting quietly since there was no official business occurring, suddenly fell silent.
"If you will excuse me, my daughter wanted a private word." Rhodri moved to descend the dais.
Rose realized that now everyone in the room would know the princess had something she considered an immediate concern. It wouldn't take long for those in the hall and those in the throne room to work together and connect the dots about what such a discussion might be.
"Oh Father, it was not urgent! I can speak with you later. Please finish your work here. I did not mean to disturb you." Rose smiled, meaning what she said.
She had had no intention of interrupting those petitioning the court. They had come from far and wide to seek the judgment of the king. When courts or local magistrates failed to appease a citizen, they were allowed by law to have their case heard by the highest authority in the land.
Rhodri relaxed, glad to hear that the princess did not seem too worried. He offered her his hand and helped her mount the stairs.
"Then join me as I finish out my day. There are only a few petitions left, my dear." Rhodri was quite glad for some company that wouldn't just agree to his every whim.
Rose could not refuse her father's simple request. She took her place on the throne intended for the kingdom's queen and looked out at the throng.
"You may join us if you like, Sir Samberg. Would you enjoy a bird's eye view of the workings of our kingdom?" Rhodri looked expectantly at the young man. To be on the platform when the king was ruling was a high honor. Even Borit had to remain on a lower step behind the throne while watching over the king.
Ethyn was surprised for a moment. He had not expected to find himself in such a predicament. When the steward had shown him to his rooms just a short time ago, the young man had casually asked after the princess's whereabouts, not expecting a direct response.
But as Ethyn was now a knight of the realm as well as the king's particular guest, this small question required an immediate answer. Feeling guilty about causing such a fuss, the redhead went and put the information that he received to good use.
Following a servant, Ethyn had caught a glimpse of the princess in the main hall, but had no idea why everyone was so tense.
It wasn't until he followed her through the doors that he realized he had entered the throne room. And now he was before the king being asked to stand near him while he gave royal rulings.
The knight looked down at his attire. His dusty armor and muddied traveling clothes really had no place in such an solemn location.
"I am deeply honored, Your Majesty. But in my haste to see you," Ethyn's green eyes unconsciously flicked toward Rose. 'Is she blushing?' Realizing he was staring, the young man cleared his throat and corrected his statement, "In my haste to see both of you, I have forgotten a few steps. I am not fit to be in your presence. Please allow me refresh myself before this evening so I may be better company at dinner."
"Is that alright with you?" Rhodri looked at his daughter.
"Why should it matter to me?" Rose pulled at her long blonde hair to cover her ears. "I think Sir Samberg should be able to do as he sees fit."
The king seemed exceptionally amused by the answer. He turned to the knight with a wide grin. "Then as you say, Sir Samberg. We will see you this evening. It was most wonderful of you to come before you tended to your own needs."
Ethyn bowed and quickly retreated. He could feel hundreds of eyes following him as he hastily headed out of the throne room to find his quarters once more.
Rose traced the knight's exit out of the corner of her vision, nearly missing the next petitioner and his claim.
"Your Majesty, may you reign forever," the elderly man began with the appropriate words. "It is an honor to be in your presence. May I petition the court?"
"You may," Rhodri answered automatically as he had with every other subject before him.
"Your Majesty," the man cleared his throat. The threadbare hat in his hand twisted nervously between his fingers. "My family has farmed a plot of land for many generations with no difficulty. We get along with our neighbors and the Baron we serve is a kind man."
"What is the issue then?" Rhodri coaxed him. He was used to peasants being skittish when making requests.
"People have moved in. Many people. They are camping out in the fields I cleared and eating my crops without compensating me." The man's brow furrowed.
"Wanderers?" The king queried as he listened intently. Nomads occasionally came through the kingdom, but usually passed on without incident.
"Perhaps," the citizen responded. "But they have been camping out for two weeks and even the Baron is unsure what to do about them. He sent me to bring the case before you and beg for help."
The king nodded. "I will send a regiment from the nearest fort to investigate and force them to move along. You shall have back your farm and your crops immediately."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The man dipped his head repeatedly as he backed down the long purple carpet.
Rhodri turned aside to his scribe. "Get the man's location and send a messenger out to the fort right away." To his daughter he said quietly. "It is too bad that Gilbert fellow has already left. He and his men could have gone to provide that farmer with immediate attention."
"Did he get off alright?" Rose smiled when the king nodded.
"I saw him off myself after treating his men to a royal breakfast." Rhodri could not officially thank the men for what they had done, so he found the next best thing: food. His stomach growled. "But that meal was a long time a ago. What do you say we finish up here so we can have that promised dinner? Since you decided to come after all, I had the cook make all of your favorites!"
Rose's stomach made its own rumble. "Sounds wonderful!"