I Will Be the Greatest Knight

By the grace of God, the first realization of consciousness wasn't met with a splitting headache or a queasy feeling in his stomach. Based on the state in which he had gone to sleep with the room spinning, that had been a very real worry.

As the Commander came to, momentarily forgetting where he was, he almost thought he had woken up on his own until he felt an urgent push against his shoulder and opened his eyes to wide, green eyes staring at him. A petrified expression on a beautiful face.

"What is it?" Commander Henry asked the knight. "Are you feeling okay?"

His instant thought was that Irene perhaps had gotten sick in his bed or in his room. It was an outcome he had already considered and something he was unlikely to get upset at since he was the one who placed her there. Everyone had to learn their limits when it came to alcohol.

Irene felt a pang inside of her chest. Regrets were rushing forth. She had presented herself to him in such an unfavorable light that she was horrified to already have to face him so quickly after.

And now, she was likely going to disappoint or disgust him because one of the maids had thought they shared a bed.

Perhaps if it was Felix or one of the Knights of Hydrogia it would have been humorous, but this strange crush she had on the man wasn't helping her nerves. She couldn't bring herself to laugh it off because it was too close to her ridiculous heart or assumptive mind.

He needed someone equal to himself like a princess, not a scraggly knight.

However, her silence was weighing heavily on the Commander and he sat up fully, trying not to push her but feeling urgent based on her expression.

She finally confessed in a rushed tone, "A maid found me in your room this morning. I don't want them to assume that something happened."

Even though she wasn't a typical noble, she knew how important a person's personal associations could be—especially someone as esteemed and important as a Duke.

However, the knight flinched when her Commander let out a light laugh and sunk back onto the couch he had been snoozing on before.

"Let them talk," the man uttered. "They already have plenty to say about my personal life."

Irene didn't know what to say. She was expecting to be given a stern talking to. Perhaps he would insult her and she really couldn't blame him considering the way she had been insulting him the night before.

Soon enough, the Commander's gaze was on hers once more as he sat up.

"Unless, of course, you care," the Commander realized. "I will set the maids straight if you would like me to. I don't want them to put you in a tough situation."

However, Irene had no reputation. She was as good as a little boy to all of these people. No one ever had gotten her in trouble merely because of the fact that she was a woman and someone else was a man. It was territory she had never expected to wander into.

"I-I don't know," Irene admitted.

Her eyes were elsewhere. She was at a complete and total loss. This situation was not in the realm of her expected possibilities.

"Is there something else bothering you?" the Commander continued, his voice so gentle.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. The feelings were almost too much paired with the queasy feeling in her stomach from all the alcohol. The way things felt heavy, she had to imagine she was still a bit drunk.

She needed to push all of this deep down and store it away until she could get over it herself. What the man deserved was the best side of herself considering she was supposed to be the third in command.

"I'm so sorry for last night," Irene said, completely mortified as she glanced at him but couldn't keep his gaze. "My father taught me to respect my Commander so much more than the way I behaved last night. You shouldn't have had to take care of me like that."

He seemed to have his own perspective on things.

"Well, I learned from a commander that he takes care of his knights with the utmost care when they're in such a vulnerable state," the Commander explained. "Whether it was you or any of the other knights, I would have given my bed to any of you."

Outwardly, Irene offered a tight-lipped smile, but internally she was quite miserable. She knew that he saw her exactly the same as the others, but it didn't make it easier for her heart to accept that the first man she had ever had any interest in only saw her as a man.

Right, this was the life she chose…

"Of course," she responded. "Sorry for barging into your study like this. I was only worried. I think I will rest in my room for a bit longer."

The Commander seemed satisfied and offered her a slight smile.

"Please do," he requested. "Today will be for resting. Tomorrow I'll remind my knights what it's like to attend morning practices."

Irene nodded at that before making herself scarce.

She really did want to sleep. She knew that more rest would help her work off the rest of the alcohol that was still very much within her. Unfortunately, it didn't come with the overconfidence it gave her the night before or perhaps she would feel a lot less bad.

He told her everything he was supposed to, yet she still felt so bad.

The knight was pleased when she went into her room and found that the clay pitcher on her stove was full of water. Rather than washing herself with it as she might, she took a long drink of the warm liquid, hoping it would take away the bad feelings she had and the queasiness.

As she flopped into her bed, she quietly agonized over how she was meant to avoid the Commander now that they were supposed to have grown closer.

Very much unlike herself and sleeping off an entire day, Irene realized it was going to be impossible when she went to the practice yard bright and early the following morning and the Commander greeted her by clasping her shoulder with one of his gloved hands.

"Are you feeling better this morning, my lady?" he asked with a charming smile.