The queen's presence had been required at Klagain and so she had set out with her carriage and an entourage for both practical necessity and protection. It was not uncommon for citizens to see the royal caravan either at a distance or in their town monthly. The ruler of the fledgling nation knew that she needed to have a strong presence to assure her people that she was involved, to apply her magical abilities to situations not easily solved by the mundane, and to see with her own eyes the troubles that befell her people. In this particular case it was yet another skirmish at the border that summoned her intervention. None of Itraniel's neighbors seemed to respect the boundaries of their kingdoms and would test the viability of an invasion through aggression. Klagain had been victim to the violence of a band of 'renegade' soldiers that were almost certainly endorsed by their king. While they had been slain in the conflict that did not guarantee a second more potent wave would not be forthcoming.

Leanja was not yet of age to attend the meetings. With a handmaiden that also functioned as a nanny for the young witch she had been allowed to explore in the hopes it kept her entertained. The girl had protested, because she wanted to help, but her powers had not manifested sufficiently that the queen was willing to jeopardize her daughter's safety. As a mother she also wanted to preserve some of her childish innocence. There would be enough responsibilities saddled on her shoulders when she was a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. For now she ought to be allowed to play and delight in simple pleasures.

"Sir, are you all right?" she called out to the plated figure from the road.

The handmaiden, a woman of twenty-six years named Tali, skipped up behind Leanja to see what she was looking at. Aghast at the scene, if for no other reason than the derelict knight was still armed with a rusty sword, she tried to hold back the princess. Leanja did not share her fears. Before she could be dissuaded she had bounded forward and swatted away several of the flies without so much as a wrinkle of the nose at the pervasive odor. Eternally curious, braver than she ought to be, and with a strong sense of duty, Tali should have anticipated she wouldn't have stayed away from the stranger.

"Princess Leanja, it's dangerous!" she called out.

The princess in question was a few months past her tenth birthday and had just had a growth spurt that made her grow a few inches. She wore dark trousers, boots, a linen blouse, and a wide leather belt, none of which had the earmarks of royalty except for how exceptionally well they were made. Long dark hair, a brown so deep it nearly appeared black, had been plaited from her temples while the rest hung loosely to her waist. Were it not for Tali announcing her status she might look more like a pretty merchant's daughter than that of the queen though that was partially on purpose: it was easier to keep an energetic child safe if she was not an obvious target.

"I'm fine, Tali," Leanja called back dismissively. "Can I get you something, sir?" she asked as she knelt down in the soft earth next to the giant of a man. Insects buzzed around her skin but curiously refused to land on the exposed flesh of her hands, neck, or face, as if there was a natural invisible deterrent. "Do you need some water?"