Destined to Become Queen

[After an inexplicable hiatus in posting...]

With the recently earned money from the tournament and tax collecting, I have decided to continue my ride through Swadia in search of more hands. I met no new warriors in Dhirim, but I did meet a farmer from the nearby village of Ushkuru who begged us to help rid his village of bandits. Finally, a fight! The battle was swift, we emerged victorious. The peasants offered to pay us in food, but I declined, stating that they needed it more than we did. Not true, perhaps, but I felt as if I'd gained some honor. I could use some honor about now.

After the fight, Ymira came to me. She said that she'd learned a great many things already from just that first battle. Flattering. She also said that she thought a woman of my renown should have a fief by now.

Not this again. It's only the women of my party who say such things, really... should I believe them? Then again, King Graveth is no woman (I'm sure of this, as he has a beard) and he said much the same thing.

Sigh.

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.