Chapter 6 - Andri Chaire
Training finally came to an end for the day.
The knights washed away the sweat of the afternoon, stowed their weapons and armor, and spent the brief stretch of freedom before supper however they pleased.
Antonius was on his way back to the barracks when something caught his attention.
He stopped.
Behind the officers' quarters, a line of servant boys had formed.
Apparently it was payday.
An officer stood before them with a ledger in hand, calling out names one by one and tossing small coin pouches into the air.
"Next! Name!"
A pouch flew.
"Here, sir!"
A boy caught it, bowed, and stepped aside.
"Next! Name!"
Another.
Then another.
The line grew shorter.
Eventually, only one child remained.
The one with ash-brown scales.
A malicious grin spread across the officer's face.
"Next! Name!"
The child straightened his back.
"I am afraid I do not have one, sir."
A few snickers escaped from the line.
The officer's shoulders shook with laughter.
"No name, no wages."
More laughter followed.
The child said nothing.
He simply lowered his head and stood there.
Watching from a distance, Antonius changed direction and strode toward the gathering.
"Move."
The single word was enough.
The crown prince had arrived.
The servants scattered from his path at once.
The officer hurriedly rose to his feet.
"Y-Your Highness—"
Antonius ignored him completely.
He stopped directly in front of the child.
Then—
Crack.
Antonius's palm struck the child's cheek.
The child's head snapped to the side.
Silence fell.
Every voice died at once.
Antonius spoke coldly.
"You have been concealing your name."
The child blinked repeatedly, one hand pressed against his reddening cheek.
"So much for 'I have no name.'"
Antonius snorted.
"Did you truly think you could deceive me?"
Then he announced, loud enough for everyone present to hear.
"Andri Chaire."
The child froze.
Utterly motionless.
Antonius looked down at him.
"You dared deceive the proud Nikēphoroi Knightly Company."
His voice rose.
"Your name is hidden no longer."
He fixed the child with a stern glare.
"I will not tolerate hearing you call yourself nameless ever again."
Without asking permission, Antonius snatched the reed pen from the officer's hand.
He opened the ledger.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, added a new entry.
Andri Chaire.
The officer stared.
The servants stared.
Nobody dared speak.
When he finished, Antonius struck the page with his finger.
"Then acknowledge it, Andri Chaire!"
The child remained frozen for several seconds.
Then, at last, he managed to speak.
"...Y-Yes, Your Highness."
No one present understood what had just happened.
Not a single person.
Only Antonius seemed satisfied.
He gave a single nod.
Then turned on his heel and walked away as though he had merely finished some trivial task.
Behind him, the yard remained wrapped in stunned silence.
