[color=ed1c24][h2]Fleuri Jodeau[/h2]
[/color]
Fleuri turned over another of the fallen cultists.  [i]This one's dead too.[/i]  He had hoped that there'd be at least one left alive for the knights to interrogate, but it seemed that none were left breathing.  Fortunately, and more importantly, none of the knights or innocents died either.  Fleuri would need a replacement horse, but for now, he would make do with one of the fallen bandits' mounts.

[i]What could their plan have been?  Too few to overwhelm us, too weak to outmatch us, too aggressive to lure us into a trap, and too dumb to spring a trap on us.  Were they even attacking us by their own free will?  No, I'd best not overthink this,[/i] he thought to himself.  He knew better than to underestimate any foe, but he also knew that over-analysis could lead to indecisive hesitation.  For now, they would press onward cautiously and complete this delicate mission.

---

Fleuri arose from his bed in Candaeln, feeling restless despite the long and taxing day before, the ambush still weighing on his mind.  Unable to go back to sleep, and with the captain and much of the order still seemingly asleep, he donned his boots, gambeson, and mantle, grabbed his dagger, and headed out to the courtyard to get some practice in with his secondary weapon.

As he stepped outside, it seemed he was not the only person out at this hour.  One of the other knights was already in the courtyard, deftly swinging her sword.  Her name was Klaus, if he recalled correctly.  She was a younger knight, but still a veteran of the order of a few years.  [i]A peculiar lass, that one.[/i]

"Good morning, sister-in-arms," Fleuri said, approaching her.  "I see I'm not the only one feeling restless."