Royal Guard Book 1: The Servant

Chapter 17 - Paige - Called to the Principal's Office

I stood nervously outside of the big doors. Aostin definitely wouldn't have said anything, Hutch either. And Thomas wouldn't jeopardize my job like that. Maybe Mihri? She was definitely suspicious, and she gave me the evil eye when I saw her the day after the masque, but she didn't have proof. Though, I'm not quite sure that would stop her.

Just as I was about to knock, I heard shouting from the other side. I hesitated, and leaned in a bit closer to hear the muffled voices.

"-two weeks ago! And all you have to spare is six guards? I could get more than that with a 'Help Wanted' poster downtown!"

"His Royalty is less concerned about your man power than the competence of the men in your staff. Regendwood hasn't seen any problems like this. That is why I am here to weed out those who have slipped under your attention."

I stepped back from the door. Maybe now is not the best time to come in...

Suddenly the door swung open and a large heavily armored knight was standing in front of me. He looked down at me with a cold expression through the small sliver in his helmet. I didn't recognize him at all, he wasn't dressed in Arce's gold and blues. Instead he wore a dark red tunic under blinding white steel. "Sir. You have a visitor." The knight's voice rumbled through his armor.

"Excellent. Excellent. Send her in." Another male voice came from behind the looming guard. He was the one who was arguing with the Headmaster.

I quickly stepped around the knight and into the Headmaster's office. She was standing to the right of her desk, arms crossed, crown in place, and glaring down at a man sitting in her chair.

"So you must be the green-eyed servant girl I have heard so much about." The man said. He had blonde hair, stained brown with the amount of dirty grease used to slick it back. He squinted at me through a monocle, causing half of his face to constantly be contorted up in order to keep it in place. It turned his smile into a twisted snarl. With one long finger covered in rings he pointed to the chair in front of the desk.

I sat down quietly and looked up at him anxiously. "Sir?"

"Oh, the other peasants were chatting about how much of an asset you have been to the academy all these years." He shuffled a large folder of paperwork on the desk, turning it into an orderly stack. I could hear the knight's armor clang from behind me as he marched around my chair and joined another matching soldier behind the greasy man so they were flanking him. The Headmaster tightened her crossed arms a bit more. "Child, do you know who I am?"

My eyes flickered to Queen Rose for a second. Her glare softened and she kindly interjected. "Paige, this is the Lord Commordor. He is the assistant to the High King." My eyes widened at that. I did my best to sit up straight in the big engulfing chair, but kept my eyes looking down at my hands folded in my lap.

"I am more than just a glorified secretary, believe you me." The Commordor corrected, face squinting into a leer. "I am His Royalty's Second in Command. His Right Hand Man." The Headmaster rolled her eyes at that. "I am here, at your adorable little school, because you all have been having a bit of trouble this year, as I have heard it. You have had eleven students unenroll since this second attack. Correct me if I'm wrong, Headmaster Synth."

The Headmaster just set her jaw. The Commordor didn't even turn to look at her, he just continued on, "The fifty-three heritors that are left are still a large responsibility, on everyone here, even the littlest page.

"Now don't be frightened, I am here to help clean up some clerical errors so we can efficiently assess the staff. As you apparently are one of the most experienced here, I thought I would start with you." He plucked a quill from its stand on the Headmaster's desk, dipped it in her ink jar, and readied it above his paper. "Now, I have already gone through some of your records with the school, and they have been lacking in details. I would like to collect the most updated information I can."