Beregard spent much of the past few days separated from the other wards. He just wasn't used to interacting with so many people his age, especially not people of such high rank. Beregard hadn't spent much time around the lady wards, but he had at least gotten familiar with the males. Bear found Morgan and Toran relatively normal for lordly kids; that is to say, he didn't quite like them. Morgan was too arrogant for Bear's taste, and Toran was too... flashy. Bear did like Willem, from what he saw. Willem seemed to appreciate the fact that there was more to the world than the inside of a castle.

Belinda herself did not talk much with the wards. The age difference alone made her uninterested in the kids. Plus, she got angry watching them run around, so ignorant of the real world. 

Bear walked into the breakfast hall, talking quietly with Belinda. Although Alianne's question was not directed at him, he answered anyway. Bear was noticeably more confident around other people if Belinda was with him. Alone, he probably would have sat far away from the others and eaten in silence, but together they sat in the center of the hall.

"I won't be participating in the jousting, myself. I just don't see the point in it. We're never going to need those skills on a real battlefield."

"He's also terrible at it," Belinda said. "Our grandmother could knock him off his horse. I think she did, actually, back when she still could see. Not until after her hearing went, though."

"Anyways, I hope there's an archery competition myself. That's the only thing I'd have a shot at," Bear stated.