Ronan frowned at Alianor. [b]"I... ah... didn't expect you to have someone already in mind. You know, if someone ever acts towards you in a way your not comfortable with, you should let one of my lieutenants know. Huxley, Gort, Kessah or Beckham - they'll keep the lads in line, and I trust them all to treat you right. I suppose you don't know who Beckham is, do you? He's the one... over there."[/b]

Ronan pointed across the camp to a man. He was tall, well-built, and exceptionally handsome - his features were sharp, his eyes a deep brown and his hair black, cut short and slicked away from his face. He was standing perfectly still, watching over the camp from the walkway at the top of the wall with a silent, unbroken dedication. Even from this distance it was very easy to tell that the man was not even quivering in the wind. His muscles were tensed, statuesque, ready. Ronan looked at him for a moment, then sighed slightly. [b]"Don't surprise him though. He used to be one of those monks... what are they called... Vigilants, I think. He can be a little jumpy. He's a nice lad though, funnier than he thinks he is and smarter than maybe everyone apart from Gort."[/b]

[b]"And don't worry about not passing the test. If your opponent wins, Gort will patch up any bruises on you and you can try again whenever you care to. The initiation isn't a life-or-death matter... but it helps get rivalries out of the mind early, and means that if you're new and you have a problem with someone you can deal with it."[/b] Ronan smiled at her. He wondered who would suit her best... the girl would need drastic training, or some dirty techniques, to be able to put down one of his men. Gort would be able to snap his fingers and have it done, but the experience would likely leave her perceptions of reality just a little [i]too[/i] shattered for her to be useful. Kessah might take the training a little too seriously... [b]"If you want my advice... I say go talk to the statue over there. He'll treat you right. He's also trained a fair few of the lads... and... well, he needs some more experience talking to women."[/b]

Ronan chuckled slightly, patting Alianor on the shoulder roughly again and striding off, deliberately leaving her to be confused.