That night, Leticia met with Laurenn in his chambers. She wanted to know how his meeting with Rachel had gone. Laurenn's response, however, was disheartening.
"I think I ruined everything!" he lamented with a sigh. "I have no knack for these things. I should have borrowed some books from the Spring Kingdom."
"You're a great catch, Laurenn. I'm sure she liked you," Leticia consoled him.
"Thank you, Leticia," Laurenn replied, a little more cheerful. Seeking to change the subject, he added, "By the way, I met with the knight you mentioned, Aleph."
"Did Aleph come to work for you?" Leticia asked, curious.
"Not exactly. But, to my surprise, he accepted my old invitation to train at the castle," Laurenn revealed with a satisfied smile.
The next morning, King Hayden, accompanied by a group of imposing knights, summoned Leticia. The time for the choice had arrived. It was the moment for Leticia to select her official knight.
"Leticia, these are some of the most valiant warriors in the kingdom," Hayden announced, gesturing to the men accompanying him. "I recommend you choose Sir Ritz. He is one of my most trusted men."
Leticia, maintaining her composure despite the pressure, responded with diplomacy:
"I will consider your suggestion, Your Majesty. However, I would like the opportunity to carefully evaluate each candidate before making a decision."
"I grant you a deadline, Leticia," Hayden declared, in a tone that brooked no argument. "If you do not make your choice within the stipulated time, I will make it for you myself."
"Even if he chooses, I cannot disobey my mother's instructions. I must find a knight who is loyal only to me," Leticia thought, reaffirming her decision.
Hayden, despite his impatience, agreed to the request. He then added:
"However, to ensure your safety on the journey to the Autumn Kingdom, you will not be accompanied only by your personal knight. A full escort will be assigned to protect you."
The urgency to find a trustworthy knight grew with each passing day. Leticia decided, then, to thoroughly investigate Aleph's abilities. She began by gathering information from the kingdom's citizens.
At the confectionery, she heard the young employees praise Aleph's insight and wisdom in resolving conflicts. But Leticia needed more. She needed to know about his skills as a warrior.
In a nearby tavern, some men were talking animatedly. Leticia approached stealthily, just close enough to catch the conversation.
"That Aleph is a stallion!" one of the men commented with a sly grin. "He goes out with a different woman every day."
"I doubt he's all that," another retorted. "A friend of mine said he didn't try anything with her. She even offered, and he refused! I wouldn't have turned her down."
The table erupted in laughter.
The town gossip proved useless. Leticia decided, then, to follow Aleph discreetly. She observed him during his work shift, impressed by his ability to mediate conflicts and calm heated tempers without resorting to brute force. She also noticed that at the end of his day, he was always approached by some woman. The nature of these conversations, however, remained an enigma. Aleph was undoubtedly popular among the ladies and maintained good relations with the men of the city.
Intrigued, Leticia questioned one of the young women who used to talk with Aleph. She explained that, depending on the location suggested by the girls, he would accompany them, but that he was generally just seeking information about the kingdom's customs. Being a newcomer, he wished to integrate quickly. And he ended up winning people's affection with his genuine curiosity and his interest in their stories, without any romantic intent.
Aleph's popularity, however, was not what Leticia was looking for. She needed to assess his combat skills. And for that, she would have to resort to more drastic measures.
Leticia, as princess of the Winter Kingdom, had received royal combat training, but it was interrupted by the death of her mother, Queen Elyza. To keep her skills sharp, she trained sporadically with some city knights—she avoided the castle knights, who treated her with condescension and did not take her seriously in training duels. She decided, then, to go to the knights' training ground, an isolated grove on the outskirts of the city.
"It's time to test Aleph's skills," she thought with determination.