My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) by Laura Lond, Alla Alekseyeva

no choice but to order him out of the country."
    "A hard decision, I'm sure," I muttered.
    "This could mean war with Dalvanna." The king sighed and looked at me. "If so, I am willing to face it."

    ∗ ∗ ∗



Chapter 8
    With Kellemar banished, I didn't have to worry about him causing trouble and trying to unmask me again. King Osmund, concerned with the possibility of war with Dalvanna, asked me to help get his warriors in shape. Boy, did they need it! When I first began working with them, only a few could stand an hour long training session. I did not ask for anything extraordinary, yet they complained that the sessions were too intense. To shame them, Jarvi and I paired up and fenced for three hours straight, quite vigorously, too. The whole palace gathered to watch, which was not something I planned or appreciated, but by the end, I achieved the desired result: the warriors vowed to do anything it takes to become that good.
    Jarvi and I spent our days at the training ground, from morning to evening. I separated the warriors based on their age, height, weight, and skill, and gave each group their own set of exercises. My "army," if I may call it that, did not want to be left out and joined the training as well. I figured it wouldn't hurt, although it increased my workload considerably. Most of these men had little or no experience with the sword, so I had to teach them the basics. They were strong though and they were catching up fast.
    King Osmund came to check on us every day, often staying for a while to watch, and he was very pleased with the progress. Prince Philip, needless to say, used every opportunity to sneak to the training ground as well. He'd spend all day with us if he could, and I didn't mind, but His Highness had classes and numerous other responsibilities to attend to. The princess, on the other hand, was not so busy, and I often saw her and Madame Clementina watching us from a balcony. Jarvi told me that Princess Litinia had quickly recovered from the broken engagement since her attachment to Kellemar was only based on respect and obligation. With the former gone, it was not hard to lose him.
    "What about him?" I asked. "Did he love her?"
    "No. It was supposed to be an arranged marriage. But it stings him nevertheless."
    "I bet it does. Well then, for her sake, I am glad it's over."
    I fenced a lot, too, and by the end of the day I'd barely have enough strength left to ride home. Jarvi, who knew nothing about being tired, would get the fire in the hearth going, make supper and then entertain me with reading while I rested. Life wasn't that bad, I must say.
    It was on one such evening, quite late, after our reading time was over, that Jarvi came in and announced that someone wished to see me. Visitors kept flocking to my castle, but I rarely had to deal with them myself, I had men assigned for it.
    "Send them to Captain Zordan, as usual," I said. "Why are you bothering me, Jarvi? You know how tired I am."
    "This visitor is different from the rest," the sparkling replied. "It is not the Lakeland Knight he wants to see. He is asking for Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle ."
    That instantly got my attention. Someone who knew me??
    "What does he look like?"
    "A tall man, black hair tied back. He is wrapped in a dark gray cloak, but it happened to part at the collar, and I noticed a skull embroidered on the shirt."
    I recognized the description. It was Shabriak, a colleague of mine. His obsession with skulls and bones was often a subject of jokes at the annual villain's conference. How did he find me and why?...
    "Do you know him?"
    "Yes, I think I do. Ask him in."
    "I don't like him, Lord Arkus."
    "Neither do I. But I have to find out what he wants."
    Shabriak entered, tall, gaunt, sharp-featured. He looked at me, and his lips formed a dry smile.
    "Arkus, my friend, it is indeed you. I never believed the monster story. I always said that Lord Arkus was too smart and too strong to go down like that."
    We