Novel Full Chapter 722: Wavemates Guards
Chapter 722: Wavemates Guards
“Alright. First we go see the Guardsmen. Then I will bring the Commander to see the Princess. She is quite fond of his gift, and she won’t murder us in front of guests.”
The midwife laughed as she followed them down the stairs to where a large group of men in gold robes under polished black armour were standing rigidly at attention, while the Royal Guard watched them with cautious eyes.
“Guards at attention,” the Commander declared unnecessarily.
“At ease. Welcome to Wistover. I am informed that this is the most recent graduating class of Royal Guards, and their Commander? Unfortunately, I don’t know your name.” Dominic greeted them.
“Don’t have my name?”
“I believe that you forgot to include it or anything about yourself on the wedding gift that you delivered,” Dominic elaborated.
The Commander turned, and one of the young soldiers looked mortified.
“Well, then I can make a proper introduction now. I am Commandant Benedict Kinewen, the youngest son of the Baron of West Kinewen River, though I was born in the Beast Realm after Inquisitor Asmodain relocated the primary branch of the Academy.
My father is the chief combat skills instructor, and I was to be his successor before I was promoted to Royal Guard Commandant.
It might be a bit late to ask this, now that I’ve already come to your world, but you haven’t chosen a Guard retinue, have you?”
Dominic laughed, “Well met, Commandant Benedict. No, I haven’t chosen a Royal Guard of my own. The ones you see here are the Royal Guardsmen assigned by the King to Princess Alexis.
Who is incredibly fond of the wedding gift that you sent her, by the way. Perhaps you would like to meet her while the two units get to know each other?”
“That sounds wonderful. I’m sure that they will get along splendidly. The Cygnian Royal Order were considered legendary by the elder generation when I was growing up. Compared to our Battlemage Order, I’m certain that they are an entirely different fighting force.”
That was not something that Dominic had expected. The Wavemates Royal Guards were mages who took the path of a Knight? That was relatively unconventional, as it seemed like the two would interfere with each other.
They typically had different focuses. One on strength and agility, one on magical power and mental focus.
Dominic led the group up the stairs, and gestured for one of the veiled maids to go warn Alexis that they were coming so that she was ready before they knocked at the door. Catching her by surprise when she was already in a bad mood was a bad idea.
They waited halfway down the hall until the maid knocked from inside, and then approached and waited for the guards to open the door.
“Husband.” Alexis greeted him icily, well aware that he was here to convince her to go on early bed rest.
“Alexis, love. You’re looking positively radiant.”
“Not even going to pretend that you’re here for something else?”
“Nope. But I have someone to introduce to you. This is Guard Commandant Benedict Kinewen, son of the Baron of West Kinewen River, born in the Beast Realm and dispatched here by Lord Asmodain of the Kinewen Academy.
He is the one that sent you that lovely ring, and forgot to sign his name to the delivery.”
Commandant Benedict sighed. “Your Highness, my apologies for the misunderstanding. It appears that my assistant neglected to send the cover page for the delivery.
I am overjoyed that you received it intact and appreciated the design.
It was commissioned for the occasion, but I wasn’t sure what fashion in the region dictated, so it might not have been suitable for daily wear.”
Alexis held up her hand, which was proudly displaying the ring, and the Commandant smiled.
“You are forgiven for the oversight. But might I ask what brings your detachment here? Is there some threat that I was unaware of?”
Benedict shook his head. “No, Your Highness. It’s just that the first class graduated after Wistover was reclaimed, and the Headmaster determined that they should be assigned to guard the last Royal in this world.
So, I was promoted from instructor to Commandant, and here we are.”
“So, it is simply Asmodain looking out for us from wherever it is that he’s calling home now?” Alexis asked skeptically.
“I can see how it would make very little sense to someone without any frame of reference, but it’s part of our charter. Loyalty to the Wavemates bloodline is instilled into all of us from birth. But more importantly, we’ve got Trolls with us.
Do you have any idea how insanely loyal Trolls are to their oaths?
It hasn’t even been a full generation since most of us left for the other world. My father served most of his life as a Baron west of the Capital. Nearly two hundred years.
That sort of history doesn’t end in a mere decade.”
Alexis looked nearly as startled as Dominic felt. It was just a relief that Benedict was facing her, not him.
“Your father was a Baron for two hundred years?”
Benedict nodded. “Close to it, anyhow. He took over from his father at twenty-five, and his father retired to the other world to join Lord Asmodain as an administrator at the Academy, much to the former King’s annoyance.
Then, from that point until thirty years ago, he served as the Baron of West Kinewen River, until the territory was subsumed by the city, and his title became ceremonial.
Without a territory to look after anymore, he found himself aimless, and chose to take on a life as an adventurer in the Beast Realm.
He’s quite accomplished, though I doubt that his titles would mean anything here.”
Alexis nodded. “And how does someone live that long? It’s quite a stretch for even a dragonkin to live two hundred years and still be siring children.”
Benedict laughed. “Oh, Dragonkin never really give up on that, right until they die of old age. But no, my father is an Elf, my mother is a Dragonkin from Lord Asmodain’s extended family line.”