I bit back my protest, nodded curtly, and Whistle went on: “So. Well, we just did. Those of us who felt we wanted to wear the purple and white just said so. It was a pretty even split. It was time to take in some new blood anyway; most of Verity’s guard was getting a bit long in the tooth. And soft, from too much time in the Keep. So we re-formed, giving rank to some who should have made it long ago, if there’d been any openings to fill, and taking in some recruits to fill in where needed. It all worked out perfectly. These newcomers will give us something to hone our skills on while we teach them. The Queen will have her own guard, when she wants one. Or needs one.”
“I see.” I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling. “And what was the favor you wanted of me?”
“Explain it to Verity. Tell the Queen she has a guard.” She said the words simply and quietly.
“This walks close to disloyalty,” I said just as simply. “Soldiers of Verity’s own guard, setting aside his colors to take on his queen’s …”
“Some might see it that way. Some might speak it that way.” Her eyes met mine squarely, and the smile was gone from her face. “But you know it is not. It’s a needed thing. Your … Chivalry would have seen it, would have had a guard for her before she even arrived here. But King-in-Waiting Verity … well, this is no disloyalty to him. We’ve served him well, because we love him. Still do. This is those who’ve always watched his back, falling back and re-forming to watch his back even better. That’s all. He’s got a good Queen, is what we think. We don’t want to see him lose her. That was all. We don’t think any the less of our King-in-waiting. You know that.”