A great deal of annoyance became evident on Oriel's face as she was pretty much shoved to the wagon along with the others...some ceremony. The minute it was over, they were rushed out as if all the problems were in a tight timeslot to be repaired straight away. And then reality hit her...she hadn't anything to defend or protect herself with, barring the dagger and sword that Arno had given her. In a panic, she was trying her best to slip away, only to just be shoved along. She wished for an instant that her status would have been enough to take a fucking minute to get her equipment, but apparently these palace hands were under the assumption that everyone was fully armed at all times...Oh gods, all the other Knights were. What kind of situation was she getting involved with now?

Regardless, griping about it would do nothing. Keeping her chin up and dignity intact, Oriel was thinking of how guilty she felt just...up and leaving her caretaker for over a year now without so much as a goodbye. As much as she wanted to avenge her father and all that, debts must always be repaid, especially to those who are patient enough to wait. Just as she was about to take another step onto the wagon, a thunderous calamity could be heard a bit back down the road. [i][b]"LET ME THROUGH! BLAST IT, CAN NO ONE SPARE AN OLD MAN AN INCH OF ROAD TO TREAD!?"[/b][/i] a familiar, yet far more frustrated sounding voice resounded as an elderly man, clearly in his eldest of years was carrying a large trunk behind him, making impressive headway to the wagon. 

[color=FF4848][b]"Hendrick!?"[/b][/color] Oriel said aloud in surprise, the elderly librarian panting as he got closer. [i][b]"Phew...made it just in time...Oriel...I know that you have to answer the summons...but you...whoo...l-let me catch my breath..."[/b][/i] the elderly man said, dabbing his sweat covered face with his shirt collar. [i][b]"You need to be able to defend yourself the way your father taught you!"[/b][/i] he said, before just about thrusting the heavy trunk into Oriel's arms, the young woman maintaining her balance despite the weight. [color=FF4848][b]"This is...father's equipment?"[/b][/color] she asked, receiving a nod and a reply of: [i][b]"The same you polished and maintained for all this time."[/b][/i]

Taken aback by the act of kindness that she deemed almost Saintly, Oriel gingerly set the trunk down before giving her friend a hug, the old man returning it in kind. [color=FF4848][b]"I...thank you. For everything. For letting me at least try to lead a normal life."[/b][/color] she said before sticking a hand into her pockets and producing the pouch of coins he'd given her for grocery shopping that day. [color=FF4848][b]"Sure you'll manage without me? Claudia from down the street might be fit to help,"[/b][/color] Oriel suggested, only to be met with the elder's statement of: [i][b]"Bah! Strong arms, but no thought. Girl hasn't rented a good book from me in years. Anyway...you take care now. Go with peace, Oriel. May you and your new friends be legends in the making. Good ones, I'd assume."[/b][/i] he said before giving a smile and a nod to the Knights, giving Oriel one last hug before being on his way, clutching his lower back. [b][i]"Oof...last time I run with a trunk of armor...Sword's on the bottom!"[/i][/b] he grumbled, then shouted before making his way on out of the commotion and clamor of the crowds. 

Oriel took a deep breath before resigning herself to this prophesied knighthood, lifting her trunk to step into the wagon, figuring it'd be best to take a seat beside Arno, and quickly finding a wolf to enter the wagon. Well...that was certainly something to be alarmed about. At least it would have been, had Oriel not had experience hunting such things from her younger days. Without a pack, a wolf wasn't much, and the softest spot of the neck could be reached easily enough to cut through without worry of its pack-mates. However, it seemed as tame as a hunting dog as it bounded towards its master, eliciting a small smile from Oriel. Loyalty was...something she admired, especially from what was usually viewed as an untamable wild beast. 

Relaxing, Oriel moved her hands to pull her hood down, no longer feeling the need to hide anything from the others as it was. Her name was enough reason not to, she'd imagined. [color=FF4848][b]"It troubles me not, Leonidas. It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Oriel Schulz...and I do hope that our journey will be fruitful. Though I've heard all your names from the announcement, I feel we've still much to learn of one another before we can come to trust in each other. And, Ayla, if you would like to, I can teach you some of the customs of the area. I'm interested in where you hail from, personally."[/b][/color] she said, accustomed to being good at delivering pleasantries, greetings, and offers of mutual benefit as a previously housed noblewoman. And...she was trying really hard not to break down and ask where exactly all the others were getting their strange animal companions.[color=FF4848] [b]"I hope to not bore you with tales of myself, however. We've time enough...at least I assume. Where are we going?"[/b][/color]