'She's not in any shape to ride on her own.'
Those were words that haunted Arthur the moment they were in his view.
His worst nightmare imaginable had happened. He received word that his daughter had been gravely injured, and it was best for her to leave the battlefield.
Not only that, but he referred to Irene openly as a her. When did they discover her secret? It was a letter from Sir Gunnar, so even though he knew her secret, it was unlikely he would normally disclose something so sensitive, considering all the other hands that touched the letter likely before he received it.
Not only that, but it was the town mage who delivered the letter. Their local healer was often a target of rushed letters. He felt a bit sorry for that, but at least the receiving end of the letter didn't use any mana. Only the sender would be depleted after sending it.
