Chapter 29 – A Royal Audience and a Dangerous Bargain
The great hall of the royal palace was filled with an air of tension. Silk banners waved gently above the polished marble floor, and nobles lined the edges, murmuring to one another about the "infamous general" and the "rageful girl with the blade."
Andrew stood at the center of it all, flanked by Mario on his right and Caroline—now dressed in formal academy armor—on his left. Behind them stood Emma, Liz, and Sofia, arms folded, eyes sharp, looking more like royal executioners than academy students.
The King sat high on his throne, beside him Queen Lysandra, and just below, his two daughters: Aria, who stared daggers into Caroline, and the older, more reserved Princess Elira, who watched everything with mild amusement.
A herald stepped forward.
"Presenting General Andrew, Hero of the Western Front, Commander of the 23rd, 24th, and 25th Battalions of the Royal Vanguard!"
Applause rose, but Andrew raised one hand.
"Please. I'm just the guy who forgot to die."
The nobles chuckled. The King did not.
"You stand here," the King began, voice heavy, "with the favor of the people… and the irritation of my court."
Andrew bowed slightly. "At least I'm consistent."
Mario whispered, "We're dead."
"Silence in the hall," the herald snapped.
The King's eyes narrowed. "I offered you my daughter's hand, and you rejected her in front of my men. Explain yourself."
Andrew took a breath.
"With all respect, Your Majesty… I was recovering from war, surrounded by strangers, and unaware that simply existing meant I was being… evaluated as royal husband material. I didn't want to offend. I just wasn't ready."
Queen Lysandra leaned toward her husband. "At least he's honest."
"Dangerously so," muttered the King.
Princess Elira raised a hand. "May I speak, Father?"
"You may."
She stood and addressed Andrew. "Tell me this, General. If you had the choice again, knowing the expectations of this court, would you choose differently?"
Andrew hesitated. The room held its breath.
"I'd choose not to lie," he said at last. "But I wouldn't pretend to love someone just to please politics."
Caroline's eyes widened slightly, lips parting in surprise. Aria scoffed loudly.
The King stood, walking down the steps toward Andrew.
"You are brave. But pride and sincerity are not always gifts—they can be blades. You've insulted my daughter, endangered peace between noble houses, and made my court look foolish."
Andrew bowed his head. "Then allow me to offer a solution."
"Oh?"
Andrew glanced at Caroline, then at the princesses. "Let me return to the academy. Let the rumors say I was deemed too damaged from war to rule. Spare your court its pride… and your daughter her honor."
Princess Aria's eyes gleamed. "So you admit defeat?"
"No," Andrew said, looking directly at her. "I admit that a future forged by guilt and obligation would be far crueler than a clean goodbye."
Gasps echoed in the hall.
The King stared at Andrew… then let out a long sigh.
"You are a fool, General. But a well-spoken one."
He turned to his guards. "Escort him and his companions out. Let them return to the academy."
Andrew blinked. "Just like that?"
"Yes," the King said with a smirk. "But never forget—you are now famous, young man. No mask or blood-soaked uniform can hide you."
Caroline leaned in as they walked out. "You're lucky that went well."
"I was improvising."
Mario nodded. "And sweating."
"Both count as diplomacy," Andrew muttered.
As they exited the palace gates, Caroline smiled faintly. "That was… noble of you."
"I figured," Andrew said, stretching, "if I'm going to disappoint someone, I'd rather it not be you."
Mario whistled. "Careful, man. That sounded dangerously close to something emotional."
Caroline smiled—truly smiled—for the first time in days. "Let's get back to the academy… before someone else tries to marry you."