April 23, 1257

Klethi approached me as we were riding away from the weekend of feasting in Veluca. She said that I'd made quite a name for myself there, and that she suspected that, were I a man, a king would have offered me a fief by now. She said ladies shouldn't come to expect things like that, and that men will find any excuse to not reward us for our work.

I haven't told her about my conversation with King Graveth. I'm not sure what to do.

We're on our way to Jelkala to collect taxes for the king.

April 24, 1257

While collecting taxes, the people of Jelkala raised up in revolt. We beat them down with quarterstaves and finished the businesss at hand.

Afterward, Katrin approached me. "Aye, lassie, I just can't help thinking to myself," she said, "you've made quite a name for yourself, haven't you? Fighting and marching up and down the length of the land. Why, I suspect if you were a man, some king would have offered you a fief by now. Well, you may still get what you deserve—you'll just have to prove yourself a bit more."

Gods, not Klethi, too. We ride to find King Graveth. Should I offer my sword? I really wanted to hold off, be my own woman for a time more. But everyone dropping hints like this is perhaps more than I can bare.