The two princesses and I stood in the Great Hall. A small orchestra filled the large room with light music to soften the harsh noises of the chattering of the nobles who had gathered. We stood by the buffet table as I finished stuffing my face. I had skipped lunch due to my dress-up session and had been famished. I now stood with an apple in my hand happily munching away.

We were repeatedly approached by noble folk looking to greet the two princesses and potentially curry favor with them for some future endeavor. Some of them came and spoke to me as well, probably curious as to whom the third wheel was. I gave them a generic answer that didn’t give much information and looked disinterested as they talked. None of them stuck around for long.

‘It seems to me that Sam is familiar with navigating conversations with nobles.’

‘Naturally, Rox. A soldier is dependent on the government for supplies and other resources. I may not be accustomed to your world’s etiquette, but it seems that high minded people don’t change much from world to world.’

‘Are you always thinking about combat?’

‘That is what Clem told me was the reason for becoming her Confederate, so I might as well keep that focus in mind in my interactions here.’

‘Clementine…what did you tell her to get her to agree to this?’

‘Hush. She is going to help us with our military, much like you have helped with scouting resources.’

‘Clementine…’

‘Oh look, Lizabeth and the kids are here!’

A thin woman in her upper twenties came walking over with two children in tow. She had on a regal powder blue dress that played well with her milky white skin and had raven hair elegantly up in a bun. A tasteful tiara sat on top of her head. She had a warm, soft smile on her face as she greeted the other patrons, but it turned up sharply to a more genuine smile when she spotted the two women beside me.

‘Sisters! It’s been too long!’

The three shared a long hug as her two children stood to the side staring at me. They looked as though they were twins, probably around eight or nine years old. Both had striking blue eyes and platinum hair. One was a girl with a powder blue dress to match her mother’s, while the other was a boy who wore what looked like a formal military uniform complete with a small saber at his side. The little girl was the first to speak.

‘So you’re Auntie Clementine’s new friend? You look like a bird.’

‘I am. My name is Sam. It is a pleasure to meet you, young princess.’

The little boy snorted at the mention of my name like it was the funniest joke he had heard in a while.

‘Sam! Your name can’t be Sam. That is a boy’s name!’

‘A name is just a name, little prince. It can be attributed to anything you would like. And, what should I call you two?’

‘Matthias von Ancelot!’

‘Dana.’

The young girl curtsied politely while the boy placed his right hand over his heart and stood tall. It must have been an imitation of some sort of military salute with the pride he put into it. I grinned as I said each one's name and pointed at them.

‘Matty and Cupcake. See, names can be changed on a whim. It’s the person who holds them that matters.’

‘Whaaa! Matty sounds like a little kid!’

‘I like Cupcake…’

I held out my hand and gestured to the tiny sword on his waist.

‘That’s a nice sword you have there. Fit for a soldier. May I inspect it?’

Matty perked up again as he held on to the hilt. Then his demeanor sulked a bit.

‘It’s not a real blade. Papa won’t let me have a real one. He says I can’t have one until I show that I am responsible.’

‘It’s fine. A blade is an extension of a soldier. Even an unsharpened one in the hands of a swordsman can be deadly. Can I see it?’

He removed the sword from its sheath and placed it in my hands. I made a play of inspected the blade top to bottom and then held it to judge its weight and balance.

‘This is a good blade. Whoever gave this to you cares about you and your growth as a swordsman. It’s got a good balance and is made of strong metal. You can learn a lot just by practicing with this. Here, both of you hold your hands out.’

I picked up an apple from the table as the two held their arms out as I had gestured to them. I moved them around a bit to get them in the right position. I then channeled a little Mana into the edge, threw the apple up, and used the previously dull blade to cut the apple in half in the air. The two piece landed in each of the hands of the children. I wiped off the blade with a napkin and presented it hilt first back to the little prince. His eyes beamed as he took it back. Cupcake took a deep bite into her slice. I then relized I was being watched by the other princesses.

‘It seems as though Sam is good with children as well, Clementine.’

‘Isn’t she full of surprises?’

We conversed with the first princess for a while. She was married to a general in the military and lived in the castle a few doors down from where Clementine’s room was. Her husband was designated the next heir in line for the throne, as the queen had not produced a male to take up his mantle. He was away on some business and was not in attendance tonight.

As we talked I began to take notice of a bunch of knights around that were wearing gold plate mail with helmets that covered their faces. They seemed different from the silver-plated knights that scattered the entrances and halls.

‘Hey Rox, what is with all the gold guys scattered all around the room?’

‘The gold knights are from the kingdom to the north across the ocean. Their prince is in attendance today. I’m actually surprised he is not over here. He has been attempting to court me for some time.’

At that moment, the music stopped and the guard at the gate trumpeted the arrival of the King and Queen. The whole room fell silent as the two massive doors were opened and revealed the rulers of the country.

The King stood broadly in a military uniform pinned with countless medals and ribbons. He looked about six feet tall and had short raven hair and a straight cut beard and mustache. Slight patches of grey could be seen forming above his ears. His form was cut from a soldier’s cloth and he didn’t look as though kingship had dulled his senses. An impressive saber hung by his side.

The Queen was an older and more regal version of Clementine. The main distinction being her hair was brown instead of black. She wore a white dress encrusted with multicolored jewels that reflected light in a rainbow as she walked. She held close to the King’s arm as he gently escorted her to the front of the room.

The three princesses began to walk to the front. I stood there for a minute, but Clem stopped and indicated that I should follow. I followed them up to the front and stood beside the King and Queen. I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach as people looked on at me and whispered. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought it was strange that I was upfront with the royal family. The room fell to a hush as the King raised his hand.

‘Before we continue with the night’s pleasantries, I have one announcement to make. Samantha Rye, please step forward.’

I took a step forward and moved to the spot he indicated.

'It has long been held in our country that each royal family member may, once in their life, choose to add a Confederate to the family records. Those Confederated members have gone on to become a boon to the country and offer their skills, experiences, and knowledge. They have always become great friends and patriots to this country.'

‘Today, Princess Clementine has decided…quite hastily I might add, to add to our family this young lady. Samantha is an Other Worlder. Originally, she was summoned to become a Fairybond. But due to circumstances, she has not, and is now left without a family or a place to call home.’

An audible gasp was heard from the crowd. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was declared homeless or an Other Worlder.

‘So with this, Princess Clementine, in a show of great charity, has decided to extended her hand and have the royal family take in this child through the Confederation. Her unique knowledge as an Other Worlder can be put to use to improve our country and its people. May she help guide the people to greater glory!’

The crowd of nobles raided their glasses and all shouted ‘Aye!’ at the same time. The King looked at me again and gestured for me to come before him. I walked over as the room fell to silence. My clopping feet echoed more then I liked. I kneeled before him with my back to the crowd.

‘Samantha Rye, do you swear to take upon you the burden of this country and its people? Do you swear to become their shield and their sword, their beacon and guide in these dark times? Do you swear loyalty to the royal family and the values that we hold and correct our faults as we error?’

‘I swear.’

‘Then arise, Princess Samantha Rye von Ancelot, the fourth princess of the royal family! Let the festivities begin!’

‘What?’

The crowd let out a hearty cheer and applause and Clem and the other princesses rushed to give me a hug.

‘Congratulations, Princess!’

I grabbed Clem's cheeks and pinched them hard. 

‘Clem, you’ve got some explaining to do.’

'Ow ow ow!'

The group of girls parted as the King and Queen walked forward and joined us. The Queen gave me a soft hug and the King gave me a pat on the shoulder as he feigned wiping a tear from his eye.

‘I know it will be difficult, but I would love it if you could one day call me father. I look forward to getting to know you better soon. Clementine has always been a fast mover, but I trust her judgment in character.’

The Queen smiled warmly and put her hand to my cheek. I could tell she was appraising me on some deep level.

‘You’re as beautiful as I have been told. And you have such strong willful eyes. A fine addition to the royal family.’

I smiled at the warmth that was being poured over me. A family that was so ready to welcome me into their ranks, even when they knew so little about me. Would I be able to meet their expectations? How would they feel when I finally left? How would I feel?

It was then that I noticed the golden knights starting to fan out around the room. Their pattern wasn’t random, it was deliberate. They were getting into position for something. I looked to the king and realized that he had tensed as well, noticing their movements too. The rest of the family felt the sudden mood change and grew concerned.

‘Sam, what’s wrong?’

‘One sec, Clem. Sir, where is your guard?’

‘Just outside the room. Four are positioned inside the crowd as servants.’

‘Rox, protect your mom and the kids. Clem, stick with Liz. Sir, if you have a distress signal planned, now is the time to give it.’

Clem grabbed my arm and pulled me to face her. She was trying to hide her fear. The rest of the crowd didn’t even seem to notice the rising tension in the room.

‘Sam, you’re scaring me. What is going on?’

‘The golden knights. Their eyes…they’re glowing green. Mutants.’

‘Mutants, what are mutants? Green like Aura? But humans can’t have Aura!’

I reached down instinctively to grab my blade. As I grasped at empty air, I realized that the locket was with my other outfit, wherever that went when this dress appeared. The King pulled up a thin whistle from his neck and blew into it. The high pitch wail caused the room to go silent. Then, screams rang out as the massive entrance to the Great Hall exploded inward and collapsed to the floor.