“
...it was not Laetral who saved us today! It was he who inspired us to fight I grant you, yes. But, only because Princess Zephany allowed him to! She was the first into battle, and the last to return if I am not mistaken? It was she who returned to the fight when she did not have to, to rescue our soldiers and lead our archers so brilliantly. And it is thanks to the Princess’ leadership that we stand before you now, for we all would surely have fallen without her actions. We who stand in this square are already dead. We breathe now only because we were saved. We should have died out there on those fields today and we know it. Our lives belong to the one who saved us!’
Caro turned to Zephany and took out his sword. He fell down on bended knee and held it out in front of him. ‘Princess... I, Caro, son of Truith of the house of Sirrannus, Champion of Perosya, do hereby pledge to you my sword and allegiance. I am yours, and I hereby swear to serve you faithfully, unto death… Lead us in this fight? Command us, and it shall be done without question. From this day forward, I proclaim you to be the chosen leader of our army. The knights of the Estian Alliance are yours!
”
”
M.J. Webb (Warriors of the Heynai (Jake West, #2))