Knights are royalty

I thought about it for a second and said, "Because it isn't for me. And Shiro said I would know who to give it to."
Sanya shrugged and nodded his head in acquiescence. "Reason enough." He sighed. "We could use Fidelacchius's power in this conflict. I wish Shiro were with us now."
"Good man," I agreed quietly. "He was a king, you know."
"I thought he just liked the King's music."
"No, no," I said. "Shiro himself. He was a direct descendent of the last king of Okinawa. Several generations back, but his family was royalty."
Sanya shrugged his broad shoulders. "There have been many kings over the centuries, my friend, and many years for their bloodlines to spread through the populace. My own family can trace its roots back to Salahuddin."
I felt my eyebrows rise. "Salahuddin. You mean Saladin? King of Syria and Egypt during the Crusades?"
Sanya nodded. "The same." He paused in midstrop and looked up at me, his eyes widening.
"I know you're agnostic," I said. "But do you believe in coincidence?"
"Not nearly so much as I once did," Sanya replied.
"That can't be a coincidence. Both of you descended from royalty." I chewed on my lip. "Could that have something to do with who can take up one of the swords?"
"I am a soldier and an amateur philosopher," Sanya said. "You are the wizard. Could such a thing be significant?"
I waggled a hand in midair. "Yes and no. I mean, there are a lot of factors that tie magic to matters of inheritance-genetic or otherwise. A lot of the old rites were intimately bound up with political rulers."
"The king and his land are one," Sanya intoned solemnly.
"Well, yeah."
Sanya nodded. "Michael showed me that movie."
"Merlin was the only good thing about that movie. That and Captain Picard kicking ass in plate mail with a big ax." I waved my hand. "The point is that in many cultures, the king or sultan or whatever held a position of duty and authority that was as much spiritual as physical. Certain energies could have been connected to that, giving the old kings a form of metaphysical significance."
"Perhaps something similar to the power of the Swords?" Sanya asked.

Small Favor Chapter 15, Page 129-130


But at least the kid knew it. She might not like it very much, but she'd applied herself diligently to finding other ways to help fight the good fight. I was proud of her.
"And don't forget your homework," I said.
She frowned. "I still don't understand why you want to know about our family tree."
"Humor me, grasshopper. I'll buy you a snow cone."
She glanced out the window at the world of white outside. "Goody." She looked back at me and gave me a small, worried smile. "Be careful."

Small Favor Chapter 40, page 328


They hugged tightly. Molly and I started walking out.
"Oh," Molly said, her voice very tired. "I did that homework."
I felt pretty tired, too. "Yeah?"
She nodded and smiled wearily up at me. "Charlemagne."

Small Favor Chapter 46, Page 404