"Yes, Your Majesty," Jacob replied.
"If I am correct, that would be the fourth one already this year," she
said.
Jacob swallowed hard to keep his voice from running away. "Yes,
Your Majesty."
She looked at him sternly. "They seem to be increasing in frequency
and intensity."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I also understand you fought the four attackers single-handedly."
"Only for a short time, Your Majesty. Lord High Chamberlain and
others of the Royal Guard were quick to join me."
There was a short pause as the queen seemed to be contemplating
the event. Though it was brief, Jacob could feel his head pounding more
with every second that passed. He wished that if she were going to remove
him from his assignment that she would just do it. The pressure of not
knowing was worse than any demotion could possibly be.
When she finally did speak, her voice was calm and contemplative.
"Captain Richins, how old are you?"
This was not the question Jacob expected, but he knew where this
was headed. She thought he was too inexperienced to be Captain of the
Guard. His voice quivered as he answered. "I am 22, Your Majesty -
almost 23."
"How long have you been the Captain of my Guard?"
"One year, Your Majesty."
"And you were in the guard for how long before that?"
"Two years, Your Majesty."
"And before that?"
"The University and Royal Guard Academy."
The queen still relayed no emotion, but her line of reasoning was
easy to follow. She was feeling he moved up too fast. Perhaps she was
feeling he had received the assignment because of his father, more than for
the hard work and training he had put into it.
The queen continued. "How long were you at the University and
Academy?"
"Three years, Your Majesty."
The queen looked right at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Quite
impressive. You moved up quickly, and sixteen is very young to qualify for
the Academy."
Jacob could stand it no longer. He knew where this was headed, and
he had to get it over with. He felt desperate to present his side of the issues
at hand. He did the unthinkable and spoke without being spoken to.
"If Your Majesty is concerned about your safety, you needn't be.
My men and I are extremely proficient at our work. I can guarantee there
will be no harm..."
The queen raised her hand to silence him. Even though she still
showed no emotion, he knew he shouldn't have spouted off like that, and he
realized it would just make his case that much more bleak.
The queen smiled at him, the first emotion she had shown. Her
smile was unexpected and confusing. When she spoke, her voice was soft
and kind.
"I am not concerned in the least about the security here. I have
complete trust in you and your men, as I did in your father before you. It's
just that there is something that has kept me up at nights. Something has
bothered me greatly, and I want you to take it on as a special assignment."
Jacob felt his breath come back. A surge of excitement
encompassed his heart. He was sure the queen was tired of the attacks on
the palace, and was going to send him to penetrate into the heart of the
enemy's forces. He had to admit that he had considered this option as well,
but he felt it unwise to assign one of his men. And he could not assign
himself - only the queen could do that.
Jacob stood tall and proud. He brought his right arm up across his
chest in a salute of honor to his sovereign. "Anything Your Majesty would
desire is my command. I assure you that I am one of the best sword fighters
of Your Majesty's Royal Guard."
"Of that I have no doubt," the queen replied. "But this assignment
requires more than a sharp sword. It will require a keen mind, a good heart,
and a patient spirit. I have watched you, and I am sure you are the one for
the job. You are brave, kind, wise, and you carry yourself well."
The queen smiled again, and her smile made her eyes twinkle. It
perplexed him, for it was not a smile commensurate with the seriousness of
the situation. Could it be that this was still just a way to get rid of him?
Instead of the grimness he had expected, her voice had sounded as if it was
amused as she spoke. Jacob was also taken aback by her compliments.
Unsure what else to do he simply replied, "Thank you, Your
Majesty."
The queen nodded graciously, and smiled that same, disarming smile
as she continued. "Captain Richins, do you know my daughter?"
This unexpected question caught Jacob so much by surprise that he
almost choked on his answer. "Why, yes, Your Majesty, everyone knows
Princess Marie."
"Did you know that today is her seventeenth birthday?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I do believe everyone in the palace knows."
"And do you realize that one year from today, according to our
traditions, she will be considered a woman, mature and ready to take her
place in society? Do you feel she is ready?"
Jacob felt helpless. If he answered that he felt she was ready,
everyone would know he was lying. Everyone knew very well that Marie
was anything but ready to act the part of a princess. He knew what people
whispered in the dark corners of the palace about the unruly, belligerent
young woman. She walked around with a chip on her shoulder, and she
dared anyone to get in her way. She dressed like a boy and could often be
found climbing trees. She was always ready to attack anyone who drew her
ire. She hung around the stables constantly and would very often get in the
road of him and his men. No one dared cross her because her mother was
the queen, yet, more than once, he had found himself biting his lip to keep
from telling her how he felt.
On the other hand, if he answered the queen with the truth,
informing her that her daughter was a spoiled, tomboyish brat, it probably
wouldn't go over very well. He looked to Lord High Chamberlain for help,
but Lord High Chamberlain pointedly ignored him. He stammered his
answer, his mind was confused and searching for what to say.
"
Well, I..."
He was relieved that the queen interrupted his babbling. She leaned
forward and looked him fiercely in the eye as she spoke. "Do you realize
that on that day there will be a grand ball where all of the young lords,
dukes, and other high society young men will come to meet the young
princess? She will be expected to dance with them, to make intelligent
conversation with them, and above all, to carry herself like a princess."
Jacob gulped and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He was bewildered as to where this conversation could be heading.
He had come in here sure they were going to be discussing security matters,
and he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what the princess's readiness
for her Princess Ball could have to do with that.
No one said anything for a short time as the queen sized him up. It
was as if she was looking through him, and he was very uncomfortable. He
sensed by her bemusement that she enjoyed his discomfort. Finally, she
spoke.
"I want you to be her tutor, her escort, and her teacher." Then, as if
as an afterthought, she added, "Oh, and her bodyguard."
Jacob felt the air go out of him, and the blood rushed so fast to his
lungs that his head started to spin. He choked slightly. Nothing she could
have said would have shocked him more. Nothing he could have done
could have prepared him for the stunned feeling that came over him. It
traumatized his whole system, and he reeled from it for a moment. When
he finally regained his composure and spoke, his voice almost squeaked and
sounded to him as if it weren't his own. "Your Majesty, a tutor? I'm a
soldier."
The queen continued to smile the same maddening smile. "Yes, that
is true, so while you are at it, teach her to defend herself. You never know
when that might come in handy."
Jacob, desperately trying to retain any dignity of his job as Captain
of the Guard, knew he had to attempt to to talk his way out of the
assignment.
"Begging Your Majesty's pardon, but what can I teach a princess?"
"Everything. You can teach her things you learned at the university.
I understand you love the music of the great composers, that you read the
works of the great philosophers, that you are a great thinker and a talented
young man. Train her in the arts. Teach her to dance. They did teach you
to dance at the academy?"
Jacob nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. We were trained in all of the
social graces. But, surely, she has already been taught to dance."
The queen sighed heavily as she answered. "There have been many
attempts, but she has scorned them all, as I'm sure you can well imagine."
Jacob could just see himself working with the surly princess. He
could imagine her getting angry with him, striking at him, telling the queen
how horrible he was. Even worse, he could envision the reaction of his men
in the Royal Guard when they learned of his assignment.
As he thought about the others in the Royal Guard hearing of this,
Jacob gained some determination to avoid this assignment if at all possible.
He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, then spoke again. "But don't you
feel it would be better to have a woman tutor the princess?"
The queen's expression remained almost unchanged, unless possibly
more stern. "All of the tutors so far have been women, and they have failed
miserably. I want her to have some influence from the opposite gender.
You see, her father died when she was yet a young girl. My daughter will
soon be queen, and I feel there are things she needs to learn - things that I
can't teach her."
"But I don't know how to tutor," Jacob blurted out.
The queen wrinkled her brow. "Don't you teach your men?'
"Well, yes, how to fight and defend the palace and such things."
"I'm sure it couldn't be that much different with other subjects."
Jacob knew he was out of line questioning the queen's decision, but
a desperation was settling on his heart, a desperation like he had never
experienced before. It pushed him beyond the bounds of propriety. His
emotions were overwhelming and at the surface as he did speak.
"But surely there are more qualified people to teach her than
myself."
The queen lost any hint of a smile as she spoke sternly. "Captain
Richins, describe your father to me."
Jacob felt a softness in his heart as he considered his father. He
loved no one more than he loved his father. He spoke quietly as he
answered. "He is a kind, honest man. Loyal to Your Majesty and the
country, above all. Loved by all who know him."
The queen nodded. "Good. That is how I know him as well. Just
teach her the things your father taught you."
"But, Your Majesty, I..."
The queen cut him off with sharpness. "That will be all, Captain
Richins. You start this morning; the dawn is already breaking."
Jacob knew that the discussion was over. With one more glance at
the queen, and another at Lord High Chamberlain, he bowed and turned to
leave. His heart was heavy with trepidation. He had only gone a few steps
when the queen spoke again. He turned back to her. Her voice was again
soft and kind, yet still firm.
"Oh, and one more thing. You have my permission to use whatever
training methods you feel necessary. You have my full trust. You may find
her difficult, and she may threaten you and your position, but have no fear.
Your assignment is not in her hands, but in mine alone."
Jacob again bowed and departed. As his footsteps on the marble
floor faded away, all became quiet in the throne room. The stillness was
thick about the queen and Lord High Chamberlain. Finally, the queen spoke
again, still facing forward, and not even turning to look at him.
"You are very quiet, Matthew. Do you question my actions?"
Lord High Chamberlain stood nobly beside her, speaking carefully
and deliberately. "I have never questioned Your Majesty's actions, though,
I must say, I wonder at your course of reasoning."
She turned to look at him. "You are very diplomatic, Matthew."
Lord High Chamberlain didn't even smile, but his eyes sparkled
mischievously at her comment. "Your Majesty has always made wise
decisions. Women drive me crazy. I look at something logically; I analyze,
then make a decision, and you just follow your heart and make a decision
that defies all logic. The maddening part is that your decisions usually end
up being the right ones."
The queen laughed. "I suppose that is what makes a woman."
Suddenly, she became quiet and serious again as she continued. "But there
is one place I have not always made the right decisions, and that is in raising
my daughter."