A March of Kings by Morgan Rice Page B

and felt terrible.
    “Forgive me, sire,” Thor said, catching his breath. He could see Kendrick’s grief and felt bad for intruding. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you. I will leave.”
    As Thor turned to leave, his voice rang out.
    “No. Stay. I would like to speak with you.”
    Thor turned back and waited, quiet, feeling Kendrick’s pain. Kendrick waited a long time in the silence, examining the weaponry.
    “My father, he loved you very much,” Kendrick said. “He barely knew you, but I could see his love for you. It was real.”
    “Thank you, sire. I loved your father, too.”
    “The people in this kingdom, and in the royal court, they have never considered me to be his true son. Just because I was the son of another mother.”
    Kendrick turned to Thor, a determination in his eyes.
    “But I am his son. As much as any of the others. He was a father to me. My only father. My father by blood. Just because we don’t share the same mother, that doesn’t make me any less,” Kendrick reflected, reaching out and feeling the tip of a blade mounted on the wall, his eyes misty.
    “I didn’t know him long,” Thor said, “but from what I saw, I could see his love for you, and his approval for you. It seemed to me to be as real and as strong as it was for any of the others.”
    Kendrick nodded, and Thor could see the appreciation in his eyes.
    “He was a good man. He could be a hard man, and a tough man. But he was a good man, always fair. Our kingdom will not be the same without him.”
    “I wish you could be king,” Thor said. “You would be the best one to rule.”
    Kendrick looked at the blade.
    “Our kingdom has its law. And I must abide by it. I feel no envy for my brother, Gareth. The law dictates that he should rule, and he will. I do feel upset for my sister, who was passed over. That was not my father’s wish. But for myself, I feel no regret. I don’t know if Gareth will be a good King. But that is the law, and the law is not always fair. It is uncompromising: that is its nature.”
    Kendrick turned to Thor and examined him.
    “And why have you come here?” he asked.
    “Since Erec has left, I am told that I have been assigned to be your squire now. It is a great honor, sire. I can think of no finer knight.”
    “Ah, Erec,” Kendrick said, looking off, glassy-eyed. “The finest knight we have. He’s off for his Selection year, is he? Yes, I am pleased to have you as my squire, though I’m sure it will not last long. He’ll be back. He can never leave King’s Court for long.”
    Kendrick’s expression suddenly morphed to one of understanding.
    “So then you are coming to me to ask for permission to leave for The Hundred, are you?” he asked.
    “Yes, sire. If that is okay with you. If it is not, I understand, and I am here to serve your needs.”
    Kendrick shook his head.
    “Every young Legion member must go through The Hundred. It is a rite of passage. Selfishly, I would like you here, but I will not hold you back. Go. You’ll come back a stronger warrior and a far better squire.”
    Thor was overwhelmed with gratitude towards Kendrick. He was about to ask him more about what lay in store with The Hundred when suddenly, the door to the armory burst open.
    Thor and Kendrick turned to see Alton standing there, dressed in his royal finest, flanked by two guards of the royal court.
    “There he is!” Alton screamed, pointing a haughty finger at Thor. “He’s the one who struck me at the feast last night! A commoner, can you imagine? He struck a member of the royal family. He has violated our law. Arrest him!”
    The two guards began to walk towards Thor, when Kendrick stepped forward and extracted his sword from his scabbard. The sound of the metal resonated in the armory, and as Kendrick stood there, fierce, holding his sword drawn before him, the two guards stopped in their tracks.
    “Come any closer and you will pay the price,” Kendrick threatened.
    Thor could hear in his voice