Nimo stopped short. She knew that there wasn't an option, he wasn't really asking her. She had to answer carefully, she knelt down again.
"Your Majesty I do not deserve this position. I am not capable enough." She wasn't going to be a bodyguard hiding away while her colleagues were in battle fighting for the safety of her country. Nimo's dream has always been to be a capable solider defending Panirut, not a royal bodyguard.
King Sessa stared at her impressed, he knew another person would have gladly taken this opportunity for the purpose of keeping themselves safe.
"Before I called you here I had already made my research and I am to say whether you are capable or not. Swift...isn't that what they call you? You have very fast reflex which would be very good for my son's protection. And I'm telling you that it is not different from being on the battle field because you are just like my son's second life." The king gave a deep sigh. "Well you are very good, if you were a man you would have been in a very important position. Yes you are that good. Do you know why you a still a mere soldier?" He asked looking intently at her face to gauge her expression.
"I am satisfied to serve Panirut." She answered with her face passive. Interesting, the king thought. He knew she was a gem the moment she was brought to him for her punishment for infitrating the Redhulk army five years ago.
"Okay." The king went back to his seat. "Let's make a deal, if you protect my son to my satisfaction I'll grant an edict for you to start up an all female army." Nimo looked up in surprise.
"Go home and think about it, tell me your answer tomorrow."
"Yes Your Majesty." She kowtowed again and left.
After her departure, a figure with a hunched back crept out from the shadows.
"Your Majesty, are you not giving the Selburn familly too much powder? Camin Selburn is a Grand duke, his brother Rondor is the general of the mighty Redhulk army and now, Nimo Selburn is going to head another army." Leemack the king's eunuch analized.
"Power comes with a price, they are not going to have it smoothly. People will fight for it."
"You are wise Your Majesty."
A forlorn expression fleeted through the king's face.
"Do you think Sessa will hate me for doing all these?" He asked.
"He won't."
Cough racked through the king's body, Leemack brought him his medicine. King Sessa took all the liquid in with a single gulp.
"I'm aging but you are still as healthy as ever." He said to Leemack in a croaked voice. "I hope I die before you so you could serve my son just like you served my grandfather down to me."
"Do not say such ominous words Your Majesty." Leemark was more like a father to King Sessa than an eunuch, he started serving his grandfather around age twelve. The king hoped he could stay alive to serve his son too for awhile.
Nimo knew that it was a cowardly thing to do yet she booked a room in an inn, five years ago she had ran away from home in order to secretly follow uncle Rondor to Shaftian, the borders of Panirut. She knew her father must be aware of her arrival but she was still ashamed to meet him. She couldn't be like her stepsister, Ummi who would happily dress up to attend parties even at the age of ten.
A bath was prepared for her and she soaked herself in the tub deep in thought.
She knew she could not turn down the king's request, he had already been merciful enough by giving her time to think about it. Nimo wasn't a fool, she knew that the king granting her permission to head an army was like a check on her father, the grandduke of Panirut because it would bring opposition her way and which would give her father no chance to rebel if he wanted to.
She sighed, her father has always been faithful to the king but it seems kings will always be paranoid.
•°•
The next morning Nimo donned on the clothes she wore the previous day, she had left Shaftian hurriedly so she didn't pack any clothes, besides her clothes weren't new or fashionable. Fashion wasn't required in the army.
After having breakfast, she went to face the king yet again. She was summoned into his inner chamber, this time he sat in front of his window sipping tea.
"Your Majesty."
"You can stand up." He replied. She stood up.
"Come and sit with me and enjoy this wonderful tea." She sat opposite him and poured herself some tea.
"Tea taken in the morning has the freshest flavour of all." He quoted.
"Gatlin." She replied. She remembered when she was younger her stepmother used to force her to study, her stepmother had taught her the written words of an anonymous writer who went by the name Gatlin.
Then she had thought, what was she going to use all these writer's words for? Who knew that years later those despised words would be important. The king nodded in obvious satisfaction at her reply.
"A wise and observant person indeed." King Sessa rubbed his hands together in pleasure. "Well have you thought clearly about it?"
"Yes Your Majesty." She saluted. "Your command is my will."
"You are a wise girl and you must know the consequences of heading an army as a female gender. You will face a lot of opposition." The king told her.
"Power comes with a price." The king guffawed in indulgence. He hasn't had such a wonderful tea companion in awhile.
Sessa received a letter from his father that his bodyguard would be arriving soon, he had some maids prepare a room for him.
He knew his father was not being paranoid and more mayhaps accidents could happen in the future but he just couldn't accept having another person by his side. He has always had Franagan who understood him without him having to speak, as a prince he had every right to keep him by his side always but as a friend he couldn't hinder his progress.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Come in."
The butler came in. "Your Highness, the guest has arrived."
"Send him in." Sessa replied.
A moment later the butler came in with a young woman behind him.
"Your Highness." The butler proposed gesturing at Nimo.
"Who is she?" He asked puzzled.
"The guest from His Majesty."