The Saint Who Healed Everyone and the Knight She Couldn't novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: The Queen

Queen Adelheid of Eldmark came into the great hall of Fort Gallowmere on her own two feet, without a cane.

She was sixty-one, in a plain black dress, with her grey hair braided into a crown and a single iron ring on her hand.

Twelve riders of the Queen's Guard walked behind her, and not one of them smiled.

Marshal Stahl met her at the dais, bowing so low that his gold braid swung.

"Majesty! You honour us. If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared..."

"You were told, Marshal." Her voice was dry and quiet. "A letter reached me by a sergeant's rider on the fifth night. I came at once."

Stahl's smile stuck.

Yui stood at the side of the hall, between Greta and the grey-haired sergeant, with her notebook in her hand.

Her knees were not entirely steady.

She had never been in a room where the air itself felt like a weight.

"Where is the Commander of the Royal Shield?" the Queen asked.

"In the east cell, Majesty," Stahl said. "For insubordination. I would have reported it."

"Bring her."

"Majesty, she is dangerous..."

"Bring her."

It took four minutes.

Brunhild came in between two of the Queen's guards, not the Marshal's, in her creased white shirt, unarmed.

She had not been given back her breastplate.

She crossed the long floor with her head up and knelt to the Queen on one knee, the old stiff way of the Shield.

"Rise," Adelheid said. "Dame Brunhild, I am told you have been locked in a cellar by my own Marshal. I am told you have been carrying something that my Court Mage failed to mention to me."

Brunhild rose.

"Majesty."

"Say it. Plainly. I am too old to enjoy the court way of saying things."

So Brunhild told her.

She told it in a level voice, with her hands folded behind her.

← Chapter 15 · All chapters · Chapter 17 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend