Chapter 67: The Test
Before that meeting, Irene hadn’t been able to properly greet her father because she had been deeper towards the forest with some of the other apprentices and Sir Gunnar as they made sure there were no early signs of goblins.
She felt particularly burdened that part of the reason that the monster culling wasn’t finished to completion was because of her injury, but each time they went out and there was no sign of goblins yet for the season, she felt relieved that she hadn’t messed something up for the order in only the first year she had been there.
Irene approached her father in the dining hall once everyone had settled into their midday meal.
His face lit up at the sight of her, having never seen her wearing armor until then. It reminded him of when he was a child and memories flowed in as he watched her. He scooted over so that there was room at the table between him and one of the other knights.
She placed her food down and got comfortable, certainly leaning closer to her father who wasn’t wearing any armor but welcomed her all the same.
"Iro." Arthur spoke her false name affectionately even though he wished he could call her something else. "You survived your first winter in the Duke’s Tower."
Despite how morbid the words may seem, a smile spread across the girl’s lips and she grinned up at her father proudly. It certainly had been an achievement.
"It wasn’t that hard because there weren’t any monsters," she insisted. "But I did shoot a dire wolf with an arrow and Sir Sven allowed me to keep her fur. It’s the warmest fur I have so far."
The knight smiled even though there was a tinge of worry within him. Never did it get easier to know his daughter was facing such violence even when he wasn’t beside her. The life he always pictured was the two of them drawing their swords together and protecting their home rather than the entire duchy.