Henry felt like a pathetic excuse for a man.
He was at a point where monsters and bloodshed were all part of the job of a knight. He was no longer squeamish and the sound of his sword going through the putrid flesh of the beasts he saw often didn't bother him anymore.
It caused him to wonder why facing the princess was such a frightening experience for him.
There was no life or death when it came to her. Perhaps it would be better if slipping up with her would lead him to his death then he wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions of his actions.
He sat there, unable to touch his food while he gained the courage to take up the princess on her offer to dance.
Just as he seemed to find his confidence, she had already found someone else to be by her side. He imagined she forgot asking him to dance with her the previous day.
The world started making sense again. The princess looked so much better next to a noble.
