A Tale From Lanoria: The Princess of Barough

Chapter 26: The Hero of Barough

The next three days were busy. Everyone was working overtime to make sure the castle was ready for Donovan's knighting. Even for the man in question. Donovan was making sure to help prepare the castle by using his magic. With his speed and stamina, he was able to get a hundred things done before most workers finished their current job. By the time it was done, everything was clean and decorated! 

People had come from Lanor and the surrounding villages and settlements to see Donovan's knighting. Even some had traveled from Asra to thank him for saving their city. It wasn't long before Barough's courtyard was completely packed with people. Oriana herself was in her room, being prepared. She had a makeup artist, a hairdresser, and a tailor to help with the fitting of her dress. 

"I swear your breasts get bigger every time I fit you, princess!" The tailor teased.

Oriana just blushed deeply at the tailor's teasing. Donovan was in another room getting fitted with his new armor. A beautiful set of steel plate armor. The iron was polished to shine like a mirror. The edges of the armor were decorated in fine gold. "You know I can do it myself," Donovan said to the blacksmith, Samuel, as he worked to make sure the armor was fitted properly.

Samuel sighed and replied, "Yes, Sir Donovan, I am aware. I will not let you take away the honor of being the first knight of Barough from me." Donovan just sighed and let the man do his thing. It wasn't much longer before Donovan's armor was ready.

As Oriana was finishing her preparations, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Oriana called out, as the finishing touches were being made to her outfit. At her words, the door opened and in walked Killian, holding an old sword.

"Ah, you are looking as beautiful as ever, my princess," Killian cooed as he looked at Oriana.

"Thank you, Killian. Though I imagine you're here for a different reason."

Chuckling Killian held up the sword in front of Oriana. The hilt was gilded in gold, with an exquisite shape. The scabbard of the sword was coated in silver with a gold inlay running through it. The gold inlay was shaped like the branches of a tree. Killian just smiled, showing it to her, waiting for Oriana to respond. "Was that the sword my father gave you at your knighting all those years ago?" Oriana asked Killian.

Nodding, Killian replied, "Yes, when your parents made me their first knight of Barough, this was the sword they used to knight me. I still have it to this day. It is a cherished keepsake. The oath I took that day was to protect the royal family until the day I die. I still hold true to that. Not because of an oath, but because you are my family. I know that Donovan will feel the same way someday, if he doesn't already."

"I have always considered you a part of my family, Killian, just as I do Donovan. I know he feels the same way that you do. You can trust me on that one. And Killian, thank you for finally accepting Donovan. I know there is a lot of tension between the two of you sometimes, but it means the world to me that you have accepted him."

Killian let out a deep sigh at Oriana's words. "Yes, I know. I just had to be sure he was the right person to stand by your side. The kind of man who is ready to devote himself to you completely, ready to lay down his life for the kingdom. A man ready to put you above himself and treat you as the most important woman in the Confictura."

As Killian went on, Oriana felt a blush burning her cheeks. It sounded more like Killian was talking about a husband than a knight. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much a knight had in common with a husband. It only made her blush more, imagining this was like their wedding. It was the closest they were going to get. They could never get married in the open due to the laws that Medeis had placed on the land.