[h2]Kitchens[/h2]

"Of course you can deal--" 

"When it's your turn." Parvan finished, already shuffling and dealing out a hand. "Where would the fun be if only one person was able to deal?"

Rather, where was the ability to turn it into a game of who can cheat harder if you gave one person such an obvious advantage in the manipulation stakes. At least that meant there would be [i]some[/i] chance for other people to influence how things were dealt out.

[hr]

[h2]Talderia[/h2]

"I'm sure he does, and it can't hurt to ask," Florian acknowledged, leading the way straight to the castle... and right past its guards, who at least took the intrusion with impassive grace. Either they had permission to enter, or it simply wasn't worth the trouble to stop the knight from taking them through the outer gates and into what was [i]probably[/i] a practical courtyard at some point, but now made Candaeln's gardens look like a patch of weeds. There were probably as many gardeners here as they had [i]cooks[/i].

"I'll go see if he's available." 

It seemed that Florian [i]was[/i] allowed in, then. Or maybe everyone was just allowed as far as these gardens? Nonetheless, the knight left, and it was another awkward few minutes where Randon had apparently decided that now [i]Fionn[/i] needed careful inspection before he returned, leading someone that could only be Prince Erion. Not because his physical appearance was inherently distinctive or his portrait well known, although his looks had a boyish charm to them, but because it could hardly be anybody else wearing a cape of dragonscale, the red-gold scales having a shimmering, jewel-like quality to them.

The clasp bearing the Talderian crest itself was also a clue.

"Florian tells me that you're new to this place? More knights of his order?"