“You may be a great knight in Agravale,” the girl said to him, with a shy smile.

“How so, sister?”

“Ah, sir, are you blind? Know you not that a woman loves not a beaten man?”

“So.”

“You trampled down Percival. The Duchess would have you serve her in his stead.”

“That is not possible.”

The girl stared at him, and for the moment lost her mask of innocence.

“Are you not ambitious?” she asked.

“I am young, good sister.”

“And a mighty man, though young.”