Knight Of Another Realm

Chapter 10 The Returning Hero

Jonathan was in the middle of explaining his situation to Valora's own King and Queen when the doors to the throne room suddenly flew open behind him. Holding onto one strap of his leather backpack over his shoulder, he turned around to see Princess Angelina staring at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape. She continued to stand there motionlessly, as if she were frozen, until the sound of her fathers voice snapped her out of her trance.

"Angelina, you've returned at the perfect time. Your mother and I thought we were going to have to send a servant to fetch you so you'd be aware that a former guest of ours has returned to stay at the castle," he announced joyfully, his smile matching that of his wife's who sat beside him on her throne.

"He's staying here?" Angelina asked dumbfounded, her gaze returning back to Jonathan.

"I'm afraid that what you had wished not to happen to me for helping you, Your Highness, has come to pass. I've been banished from Kastron and stripped of knighthood," he explained, although he wasn't very upset with his situation. He had always felt like he didn't really belong in Kastron and had little purpose there aside from being a mentor to Aidan. Yes, he would miss his friends dearly, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he had felt a pull leading him somewhere else ever since he met Angelina.

"King Frederick banished you? I...I'm so sorry, Jonathan. You did not deserve to be forced away from your home like that, nor lose your title as a knight when you are as honorable as one ought to be," Angelina declared strongly. Her voice carried so much assurance, as if she'd refuse to believe anything else less as the truth.

Jonathan felt his heart swelled with joy. Although he didn't need to be praised for what he did, hearing her say those words gave him a sense of fulfillment. So with a smile on his face, he moved towards her to perform the same gesture of respect he did before when he bid farewell to her only a day ago. He almost chuckled when her reaction had been the same as well.

"While I am happy to hear you think such things, you do not need to feel sorry for what has befallen on me. For a long time now, I have felt like there was somewhere I needed to be outside of Kastron, but my responsibility as a knight had kept me from acting on that feeling. Now that I'm no longer bound by my oath of loyalty to King Frederick, I can start my life anew and seek out what new purpose the Lord has for me."

"But what about your family? Or young squire? Does he not still need you?" Angelina asked concernedly.

"I have no living family in Kastron, Your Highness, at least not biological. As for Aidan, he and I knew there was a chance we'd end up parting ways some day. I have taught him many things in the four years we have known each other, but I believe it is time for him to take what he has learned and use them to find his own way in this world," Jonathan assured.

Their discourse was broken when the King stood up from his throne and outstretched his arms towards them, a grin of pure pleasantness on his face. "Well, it is a great honor to have you remain here, Jonathan."

"Indeed," the Queen agreed. "After you left, Sir Jonathan, I realized that I never got to give you my thanks for bringing Angelina home. At last, I have the opportunity now."

"It was my honor, Your Majesty," Jonathan said respectfully.

"We are all more than grateful," the King added before turning his attention to his daughter. "Now, Angelina, did you not have something you wanted to tell me and your mother?"

Angelina hesitated. "Oh, um... I think that's a subject we best talk about later, father. I don't wish to bore our guest with my personal struggles."