[center][h3][color=E4D00A]Hugh – Basilmeron Castle[/color][/h3][/center]

On queue, some of the soldiers began to load up their things into the convoy.  Hugh watched them with pride, still not fully believing that the Basileus had seen fit to give him command over so important a mission.  The knight, remembering the details of his destination, produced a roll of paper and examined it for what must have been the hundredth time, attempting to commit it to memory.  Its kingly lettering described the riverlands to which the Reclaimers would be traveling.  According to veterans of recent battles in the area, soldiers in the field had purportedly witnessed small groups of men hanging around the fringes of the battlefield, atop hills and among trees, who flew no banner and fled if approached.  These 'phantom bands' led the Basileus to believe that a third party was out there, waiting in the wings and watching.

Hugh pocketed the paper.  No sense in worrying just yet when the first act hadn't begun.  He strode over to two of the most eye-catching spectacles in the courtyard: the Cavalier atop his horse, and the wyvern Druug.  “Looks like you two have it all figured out.  With friends like those, the long walk will be a breeze.  My comrades-in-arms tell me that if I persevere in my role, I'll be able to choose a horse of my own and ride it into battle as a Great Knight.  What is it like to ride a wyvern, friend?”

[center][h3][color=DC143C]Sanguin – Basilmeron Castle Courtyard[/color][/h3][/center]

Ronin shot Gaius a dirty look, as if to say, [i]'how the hell did you know?'[/i]  After a slightly mocking bow, he lumbered off, dragging his axe behind him.  After a moment of watching him go, Sanguin was surprised to see a small but brilliant burst of fire alight near the group's youngest member.  Though not quite close enough to make it all out, the myrmidon caught snippets of Nickolas's ensuing response.  From what he said, it seemed like the girl had power impressive even to fellow mages.  Sanguin furrowed her brow; she'd always been somewhat envious of mages.  To have special powers that set oneself apart from and even above others, to be able to fling magnificent lightning bolts and swaths of razor-sharp wind from a distance while swordsmen like Sanguin were helpless to retaliate...it inspired no small amount of respect, and no trace inkling of jealousy, from the wolf warrior.

With the convoy approaching, Sanguin found a good excuse to leave the freakishly tall Gaius behind.  One of the horses snorted as she passed by, and instinctively the woman bared her teeth in a snarling grimace in response, before placing her personal knapsack in the convoy.  She also took the opportunity to remove her shield, unbuckle her cuirass, and place both in the wagon for safekeeping.  If Hugh told the truth, a long walk awaited her in the coming hours, and even with wolflike endurance Sanguin did not relish the prospect of marching in full combat gear.  Backing up from the vehicle, she bumped right into Arkhant, and her mask clattered to the cobblestones.  “...Oops,” she frowned, “Uh, sorry...”