[h2]Lilianna Belwiss[/h2]

As Livius continued explaining, the knight's expression grew more and more clouded, fists clenched as she impatiently waited for an opportunity to extricate herself from the conversation: one that, fortunately, presented itself sooner rather than later. "Please, wait a moment before continuing."

Lilianna made an about turn, crossing to the tables at a measured pace and saying something to one of the knights seated there, a message that rippled through the hall as the fencer returned to the Sunfield. The tightness in her fists was gone, though not the frown. "I have asked those stationed here to prepare to move out. If there is trouble as you say, then we cannot afford to wait on the captain's return to protect our borders. Nor can we reject assistance, though formally joining must be put off until this matter is resolved."

There was a reason for half the knights' staying behind even when there was a fort under imminent attack, and it wasn't because of laziness. This way, unless too many resisted the idea, it would be easy for them to respond to suitable threats even in the absence of a clear chain of command... and ritual murder on Thaeln's border was a better cause for immediate reaction than most.