61 Hardboiled Royals (1/2)

”The female troop?” Captain Judda repeated, sounding like he didn't know what on earth that was.

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Almost at the same time, the other man asked answered, ”The Lord General Uwe, I believe. Currently stationed in the north as acting commander in my place.”

”Can you supplant his authority here?”

”Right now, even you can, Princess,” he said. ”But you already knew that.”

Hilde showed a tight smile. ”I must ask YOU to do it, Lord.”

After a brief, considering pause, he nodded. ”Probably the wiser choice.”

At his understanding, she felt some of the heaviness in her chest lighten. It wasn't that she didn't want to be associated with the female soldiers – quite the opposite, in fact – but this Lord General Uwe was not known to her, and there was a chance she'd cross him in more ways than one with what she meant to do with his soldiers.

She had a very good reason to assume he would not take things kindly. By placing Lord Alfwin in between, she sought to protect not only the soldiers from the possible backlash but also herself.

It made her slightly guilty, but if she ever does become an officer, she didn't want to be relegated to having command only over other women. If she could have her way, there would be no segregation of genders in the ranks at all. While things were the way they were, though, she wanted to start the way she meant to go on.

”Princess,” Captain Judda said crisply. ”What is it you intend to do with them?”

Exuding calmness and self-assurance, she answered, ”I want our honored Lysean guests to also be escorted back covertly to the Royal Palace, and I ask that the female soldiers be given the order to do it.”

Only the Lord General seemed unsurprised by Hilde's intentions.

Sieglind let out a low whistle and muttered, ”Yeah, that could work.” But then, it was a lot easier for her to see things the way Hilde did – in this matter, they were living nearly the same reality.

After turning his face her way in his surprise, Leal's eyelids drooped slightly, giving the appearance of consideration. Other than that, despite it being his and his people's own safety that was at risk, he didn't say or do anything else.

Ah, but he did continue facing her, and though she was extremely careful not to get caught up in his gaze again – which, thankfully, he seemed to have toned down several notches – she wished he would instead continue to look another way.

Almost as Hilde had predicted, the Captain took a hard stance on the matter.

”With respect, Princess, I find that suggestion inadvisable in the extreme.”

She cocked her head to one side. ”Why?”

Though it might have been her imagination, she could have sworn she heard a barely audible chuckle escape a certain young man's throat. She risked a glance but found Leal still wearing that impassive face of his while now training the weight of his gaze on the Captain.

Meanwhile, she felt Sieglind beside her shifting her stance, crossing her arms over her chest while also looking expectantly at the man as if to say, 'Go on, try to answer that.'