“Stand.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Do you swear from this day… to uphold the royal knight’s code?”
“I swear, my Lord.”
“Do you swear from this day… to serve with grace and dignity?”
“I swear, my Lord.”
“Do you swear from this day… your unwavering faith and loyalty to the kingdom?”
“With my life, my Lord.”
“As king, I hereby knight you.”
…
“My Knight.”
“I have returned, my Lord.”
“It is good to see you are safe. What became of the barbarians?”
“We saw them off, my Lord.”
“At what cost?”
“We lost half a dozen cannons, one of our gunpowder storehouses, and the integrity of the northern wall.”
“And the men?”
“No men were lost, my Lord.”
“Why, that is excellent! I am jubilant.”
“It was perhaps foolish of them to lay siege without any siege towers, even if they had the numbers.”
…
“There you are, my tactician.”
“You summoned me, your Majesty?”
“Indeed, sir. Though the ceremony was yesterday, I wanted to share my compliments with you, personally.”
“I… am honoured, your Majesty.”
“The kingdom is quickly changing. There will be more hardships to face and battles to win.”
“From this day forward, you shall be my right hand man. My most trusted companion.”