"But do I have to wear the monkey suit?"

 

Charity continued to fuss over Ryan's outfit. She had gone through a great deal of trouble to pick out something that would make him look his best, "I have no idea what a monkey is or why it would have a suit, but yes..." She made a final adjustment on his necktie and stepped back to look at him.

 

"You have to wear the monkey suit."

 

Ryan stood there in a dark blue outfit with silver trim and sapphire cufflinks. His hair had been forcefully straightened to make it look more presentable and a large, matching tie pin tied it all together. Ryan reached behind himself to fluff his coat tails, "Never understood what these were for." He looked at Charity, "Does it have anything to do with farting?" He snapped his fingers, "I bet it has something to do with farting."

 

Charity smiled with great patience, stepped up to Ryan, and pinched his ear, "Will You STOP that?" Ryan went up on his tip-toes, "Ow ow ow ow ow okay! Okay!" He might have easily avoided the admonishment, but tolerated it all the same. She let go and folded her hands in front of her chest as if she was about to pray, "Please... please try your best to just walk up, accept your reward, and go back to your spot without causing TOO much trouble?"

 

Ryan held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Fine! Fine. I will try not to ruin this... even though I hate the idea of being rewarded. Just give me a laboratory and all the raw materials I can stand and let me churn out the innovations." Charity nodded and looked away, "The king heard your request and I believe you will receive it." She walked away to check herself in the mirror. Ryan nodded, "Well, good. I'm glad that-" He paused, "Wait a sec... where?" Charity didn't respond, "No. No no no NO! Oh the gods in heaven above NO!" Charity looked back at Ryan, "Problem?"

 

Ryan looked downcast, "He's making me go back to that school, isn't he?" Ryan dropped his hand, "I'm frickin' 38! I know what I look like, but I've already been to school. Several! I can't be wasting my time-" Charity interrupted Ryan, "You and I both know you don't need any instruction about magic use or practical business skills, but you do have the manners of a troll that ate too many ju-ju berries. You NEED to learn how to be a Noble-" Ryan interrupted, "How about I become a commoner? All the commoners I know are awesome." He pointed at Charity, "Look at you. Who wouldn't want to be like you?"

 

Charity blushed then lightly tapped Ryan on the nose, "Flattery will get you nowhere because it has already been decided." She paused and reached out to futz with his hair and made sure it all went the same direction, "How about you go there for ME?" and gave him a stare with wide, sparkling, hopeful eyes. Ryan recoiled and held up his hands to ward off her gaze, "AH! No! Cuteness! My One Weakness!" She kept her eyes fixated on him and waited. Finally, Ryan relented, "FINE! Fine... for you, I'll go back to that crummy school and finish out my tour of duty."

 

Charity relaxed and rolled her eyes, "Oh you... it's not like you are being drafted into the army." She turned to head out.

 

Ryan muttered under his breath, "Yeah. Being drafted would be preferred."

 

---

 

Ryan was impressed by how fast the throne room had been repaired. Kyle apparently did a great deal of the work himself. This was the power of the strongest earth mage in the kingdom, apparently. Now that the place was in working order, it was packed with nobles. Not as many came as could have, because attendance was not mandatory, and the announcement went out two days before, but quite a number of movers and shakers had arrived, mostly because the rumors were nuts and they wanted a front row seat.

 

That was on purpose, of course. The events with Ryan attacking a prince, the ensuing chaos caused by Ryan making a mockery of the palace defenses, and finally the attack on the king, any way you look at it, it looked bad. So the queen made use of her whisper network and unleashed rumors to confuse the issue. Currently people were told that Ryan's rampage and actions were all about uncovering the plot to assassinate the king. It wasn't a laps in security, but a well orchestrated ruse. Ryan was unsure how anyone would buy that, but the fact he was here to be rewarded for saving the king's life would make that particular rumor all the more believable.

 

Not that Ryan wanted this particular reward.

 

Ryan stood there, off to the side, ramrod straight, standing at attention. You can take the man out of the military, but you cannot take the military out of the man. All of this left a bad taste in his mouth. You shouldn't reward a man for saving someone's life. You thank them, you shake hands, you move on. He was told this was a matter of politics. Politics was something he avoided the plague, but the King was in some sort of jam. Even if Ryan had no clue what that jam was, he’d play his part. Ryan was so caught up in his own thoughts he almost missed it when they called his name the second time. He looked up, saw everyone looking at him and mouthed the word, 'Oh'.

 

Ryan thru his head back, squared his shoulders, then marched out to the center of the room with swaying, straight arms. He did a perfect ninety degree turn and marched up to the foot of the dais that stretched out beneath the king’s throne. As a little flourish, he clicked his heels together twice as he came to attention, staring straight ahead.

 

Everyone looked a little puzzled for this sort of behavior was not common to their military. No one looked more puzzled than the king. He cleared his throat to regain everyone’s attention before addressing Ryan, "You can relax." Immediately Ryan moved to parade rest, clasping his hands behind his back as he shouted, "Sah, yes, Sah!" The king looked like he was going to comment, then seemed to change his mind and decided to just roll with it, "Reed Ratliff of the Redcliff Ratliffs, son of Leopold Ratliff. You have done a great service to the kingdom and for me personally. We are here to reward you at this time."

 

Ryan spoke with a voice that was well practiced at projecting, "Sah, I was only doing my duty as a loyal citizen of this kingdom! Reward for what any red blooded man would do is not expected nor required! It is my honor to serve, Sah!" The nobles in attendance  murmured. On one hand, they agreed that a halfling bastard shouldn't be rewarded. There was some begrudging approval that at least the mongrel knew his place. On the other hand, speaking like that was disrespectful. He should just shut up and accept the gifts of his betters.

 

The king smirked, "Yes. We talked at great length about your opinion on this matter and like it or not, you will be rewarded." He gestured to a page standing off to the side who walked forward while holding something in his arms that was wrapped in red velvet. The page approached Ryan while unwrapping a familiar axe.

 

The king gestured towards the weapon, "You found it. You show an aptitude for using it. I suspect that you would have had a much easier time dealing with that assassin if I had not taken it from you. So the war axe of Brune the Berserker is yours." The page presented the axe to Ryan who came to attention, took the axe, spun it around in a flourish before dropping it hilt first to the floor and holding the top with his left hand.

 

The King raised an eyebrow before he continued, "Furthermore you will be given the honorary rank of Baron, non-hereditary. I understand that you currently hold the rank of baron until such time as you graduate and are no longer a member of your father's house. Your new title will follow you past graduation and..." The King paused, "Since this rank is honorary, it will come with no obligations, and thus no oath."

 

The crowd of nobles started to murmur. A number of exclamations of surprise could be heard. Ryan slightly tilted his head to hear better what was being said in the audience. Ryan had figured that this was a big deal, but never expected it to cause such an uproar. When Ryan refused to swear an oath, stating that he wasn't sure he could uphold it, he thought that meant the king just wouldn't give him a title. The king did it anyways and now it seemed like the nobility was openly condemning the king. More than a few wondering if he had gone insane, ~I just didn't want to get caught up in your politics, old man. I never expected you to take a hit for me.~

 

The king rapped his scepter once on the arm of his throne. The sound silenced the crowd immediately. The king leaned forward, "True, this is unorthodox, but it seems to be the only way to reward you and comply with your wishes at the same time." The king smiled, "On top of this, the crown will be funding the remainder of your time at school as well as a stipend for your... personal use." The king leaned back, "You may go."

 

Ryan picked up his axe, shouldering it like a rifle, as he turned to leave, but he only got half way. His conscience was eating at him, ~Goddamn you, old man. You had to put me on the spot like this.~ He seemed frozen as he was torn between two choices. His eyes flickered to the gathered nobles, seeing women with smirks hidden behind ornate fans and men looking contemptuously at the king for his perceived weakness. He lightly fingered the hilt of the axe and pondered. As the delay stretched on, the king looked increasingly puzzled. The chancellor next to the king spoke, voicing the king’s unasked question, "Baron Reed Ratliff, is there a problem?"

 

~You know what? Fuck these guys.~

Ryan turned to face the king and spun the axe around with a flourish before driving it head first to the floor while dropping to one knee. He spoke clearly an oath that came both from a half remembered song, and his heart as well.

 

I am the terror of the unrighteous!

I am the enemy of both Rebel and Despot!

I put the spirit of the king before his words.

I put the lives of the king's people before my honor.

I seek not fame nor status, but crisis and resolution.

I seek not fortune nor title, but the broken and their salvation.

I am not the king's sword.

I am not the king's shield.

I am the king's HOPE and I will carry it to the darkest corners of his lands!

This I swear as your blackest knight.

 

The king sat upon his throne, motionless. Ryan's words were those of no oath ever heard by anyone in this room before. The crowd was completely silent at this abrupt departure from the usual pomp and circumstance.

You could have heard a pin drop.

Abruptly the king stood up, going so far as to shrug off that pretentious cloak he always had to wear. He walked down the dais with an impassioned stride to stand above the knight aspirant. With crisp and deliberate motions, Ryan raised up his axe and held it sideways, head bowed in supplication as he presented it to the King. Swiftly the king took the axe and placed the blade gently upon Ryan's left shoulder, then upon the other, "Your oath... accepted." The king then held the axe sideways and presented it to Ryan, "From this time forward you will be known as Sir Reed Demonslayer, black knight of the realm!"

 

The crowd exploded as Ryan lifted his eyes to look at the king and slowly stood up to take the axe. The king held on as he spoke in a voice that cut through the din, "Protect my lands and most importantly..." His tone carried a warmth to it as he finished with sincerity.

"Protect my people."

Ryan nodded, his expression as serious as a heart attack. He took the axe, thumped it against his chest twice, shouldered it, then spun on his heel.

Ryan marched straight out of the hall, right down the middle of the cacophony of chattering nobles.