"What happened?" Roche asked, stained with mud and Atrex blood as she barrelled into the hall outside the throne room. Ivie was slumped on the ground in front of the large set of doors. She stared up at the carvings in the wooden doors, facing two guards who stood on either side of the doors.

Raised voices seeped through the wood and brick, one of them unmistakable the princess'.

"They're deciding my fate." Ivie replied morosely, rubbing her skinned palms together. Roche sat beside her.

"Don't worry. I don't think I've heard Tigris this worked up about something in a while. You'll be honoured as a knight, just as you wanted."

Ivie's eyes didn't stray from the door. "At what cost?"

Roche couldn't understand why the soon-to-be knight wasn't jumping for joy. "What do you mean?"

Ivie turned to her then. "The king wants me imprisoned. If Princess Tigris bestows me knighthood, it will be against her father's wishes and against his rules. I've seen and heard how much she respects him and his court. This decision would come between them."

But the rules are wrong! Roche wanted to protest, but the knights standing in front of them would notice the treasonous statement. Ivie's eyes searched Roche's face. Something in her eyes made the should-be knight nod.

"I don't want to put a strain on the princess' relationship with her father. It's not..." Ivie licked her dried lips, "honourable. That is not the way to achieve a dream."

Roche hesitated. "But... being a knight is your dream. You deserve it."

"Perhaps." Ivie's eyes bored into Roche's intensely, "But perhaps I do not."

"You do! You killed the Atrex!"

"The Atrex," Ivie repeated, her lips curling with a thoughtful smile, "A creature of inkblood. Undefeatable by blade alone. That's what the prince murmured in his cell."

A hint of alarm crept through Roche.

"You killed it," Roche repeated, emphasizing the words, "So clearly that's not true."

Ivie nodded, but something in her eyes was far away. She rose to her feet. "This is not how I will become a knight."

There was steel in her slow movements. Roche nodded slowly, seeing the resolve in her new friend's eyes. "You're an honourable woman, Ivie. I hope the king sees that."

Ivie flashed her a shy smile at that, and then sprang past the surprised guards, shoving open the doors. She ducked past them, barrelling into the throne room. Tigris and the king turned towards her, pausing their intense argument.

"What is the meaning of this? Guards!" the king bellowed as the guards gathered their wits and grabbed Ivie by the arms. She struggled against them.

"Let me speak!" she gritted out.

The king glanced at Tigris, and something in his eyes softened. He held up his hands, drawing the guards' attention. "Leave her be."

Immediately, the guards fell back. Ivie dropped into a respectful curtsy before the royals, her chest heaving. She lifted her gaze to the king.

"I only wished to say goodbye, your highness." Ivie said solemnly, her voice echoing loudly in the room. Tigris' brow furrowed.

"Goodbye?"

Ivie nodded. "I'll be leaving the city tonight. I've always wished to travel through the kingdom and work on my fighting forms. This will be a good opportunity." she explained, her eyes glowing intently in the candlelight.

Tigris strode towards her, concerned. "You don't have to do that. You've proven yourself worthy in the eyes of the court and the knights. You would be an asset to the knights."

"I know," Roche watched Ivie lift her eyes to the king, some unspoken conversation flowing between the maid and monarch. Whatever it was made Romulus' lips thin with nearly imperceptible doubt and regret. He looked away, and Ivie smiled softly. "But I must prove it to myself. There is still much for me to learn before I feel worthy to fight at your side, my lady."

Tigris didn't seem to know what to say. Slowly, Ivie rose to her feet, even though the king hadn't bid her to.

He didn't reprimand her. Shock rolled through Roche.

Ivie's eyes twinkled knowingly as she nodded her head to the king and princess. Her chin tilted up, almost defiantly.

"Thank you, my lady, for letting me fight today." Ivie murmured, her words steady and firm, "It has been an honour."

Tigris hesitated, but she must have seen the resolve in Ivie's eyes because she crossed the remaining distance between them and clasped their arms. A knight's symbol of respect. Tigris held Ivie's gaze as they shook on it.

Ivie nodded and turned, striding out of the throne room with sure feet.

Tigris watched her go. Just as Ivie crossed the threshold of the doors, Tigris turned to her father.

"That," Tigris murmured to her father, "Is a true knight."

And for once, the king didn't argue.

-------

Verita was practically glowing with pride as Roche walked through the library doors. She raced towards Roche, her wrinkled face split with a wide smile.

"You did it, then." Verita noted.

Roche chuckled. "I suppose so, since the princess isn't dead."

Verita laughed with her for a moment, leading her back to their chambers. "Tell me what happened."

Roche regaled the librarian with the tale as she changed into some clean clothes. Verita made her some Irulian food (or at least it was supposed to be) which they both ate as they conversed. Verita's eyes twinkled.

"I'm proud of you," the librarian said bluntly, raising her goblet in toast, "You've used your inkblood admirably."

Roche's cheeks ached as she grinned. A knock at their chamber doors silenced their mirth. Verita immediately rose, checking the cameras. Her eyes widened and she hurried out of the chambers. Roche followed her, dinner abandoned.

"Good evening, Verita." Tigris' voice was swallowed by the silence of the library, "May I speak with Roche?"

"Of course, princess." Verita murmured, dipping into a curtsy. Roche crept out into the hallway. Tigris eased the door shut.

"Follow me." Tigris ordered, her voice clipped. Roche chewed her lip, but she had no choice but to obey.

"How are you faring?" Roche asked quietly, unsure what else to ask. Tigris startled, like she wasn't expecting Roche to speak. She recovered her composure almost instantly.

"Well enough. Leinos wants me to rest for a week before I can train again, so there's that." Tigris replied tiredly. Roche recognized the halls they marched through as they came to a stop in front of the princess' chambers.

Tigris turned to her then. Her sparkling green eyes were red with fatigue, their sparkle dulled. "You can say it."

"What?"

"You can 'I told you so'." Tigris sighed, "You were right all along. Ivie's a formidable fighter."

Roche grinned cheekily because antagonising the princess was just too much fun to pass up. "I don't need permission to tell you that, my lady."

"I suppose not." Tigris agreed, a half smile curling her lips, "You're one of the most insolent maids ever."

"Maid?" Roche repeated. Tigris nodded, her eyes twinkling, and Roche couldn't stop her mirth from bubbling. "I'm your maid again?"

Tigris nodded again, smiling slightly. "I believe that your earlier insults were not unfounded. I... owe you an apology."

"Can you say that again? Let me get Kai's recording device."

Tigris swatted the back of Roche's head. "There's also another reason. You're the only maid that's available for service right now and I'm afraid my chambers are in need of an emergency cleaning."

The princess shoved open the doors. Roche choked with a laugh.

Prince Aodh was strung up like a pinata, wrapped head to toe in Tigris' nightgowns and shifts. His face bloomed a mortified shade of red, his eyes slitted and murderous. Kai kneeled at his feet, his eyes wide as he desperately worked to unknot the bindings. The manservant glanced up, his face splitting with relief when he saw Roche and Tigris standing there.

"My lady!" Kai bowed deeply before returning to the task of freeing the prince, "I found him like this, I don't know who could have done this!"

"Who, indeed." Tigris repeated. Roche glanced at her in surprise, catching the amused undertone in the princess' voice. Aodh's eyes somehow managed to narrow further.

Roche leaned closer to the princess. "He's not living this down any time soon, is he?"

"Not if I have anything to do with it." Tigris chuckled, "Now go get him down from there."

It was a good night.

-------

The sun was rising when Roche finally trudged back towards the library. As she did so, she heard the grate of the dungeon doors opening. Finn strode out, looking haggard and pale. His eyes latched onto Roche's. He waved off the guards and immediately marched straight towards her.

"She's alive, Finn. Tigris is okay." Roche immediately informed him.

But Finn didn't laugh. He didn't even smile. He stopped a hairsbreadth of space away from her, his eyes vacant and hollow.

"Is she now?" his voice was flat. Roche furrowed her brows.

"She is. The Atrex is dead. The vision... it wasn't true. She's okay." she placed a hand on his shoulder soothingly. He stared at it like a foreign object. A chill ran up Roche's spine. "Finn?" she asked quietly.

He drew his eyes back up to hers, lifeless and dull.

"This is only the beginning of her end," he whispered.

"No it's not." Roche hissed, yanking her hands back. "She's alive, Finn. The vision was wrong."

"Perhaps," Finn whispered, harrowed. "I hope so."

"Finn!" Kai sprinted down the hall, grabbing Finn's arm. "Let's get you back to your chambers."

Finn didn't nod. He didn't say a word.

Roche watched him go, feeling a sense of foreboding cast over the castle like a looming storm.

A/N: I was thinking of leaving off book 1 here. but I wanted to know what y'all think. Does this feel like a semifulfilling end to the first part of this story or do you want one more adventure?