[@Lumiere]
[color=a187be]"I am expecting that I was expected?"[/color] Aark asked the guards.
The blond one spoke up. "Yes, we explicitly expected your expectation. Shall I expressly expound some explanation, or expell all exposition to expedite your exploration?"

The guard laughed and shook Aark's hand. "My name is Sir Zedekiah Patronus, or, to express it expeditiously, Zed. The Council Chamber is through this door." He jabbed his thumb at the open door beside him. "Expect much exposition. Good luck to you, sir."

[@Darkwatck01] Another knight in a metal deer helmet wordlessly stuck a letter in his face.
Zed leaned away and nodded. "Mhm, that's the one. This way, sir. Have a good day."

[@unicorgi] A lady knight came in and asked for the Council Chamber.
"Right this way. You're welcome."

[@AtomicNut] Upon seeing the Second Prince, the two guards struck a formal pose and saluted as he passed. "Welcome, Your Highness!"

[@Pie Flavor] Alexander soon found that really only the traveling merchants had any useful information to share; almost everyone else fed on rumors and hyperbole. Those in the know agreed that the dragon attack was significant enough to warrant stockpiling weapons and armor to sell. People were seeing nobles from all over the country teleport in, including many famous public figures. The consensus was that whatever was going down, it was going to be big.

Some names were dropped. Lee Roberts, Count of Brixton, was coming as an eyewitness. General Hedstrong, who once swore he wouldn't leave the northern front unless the world was ending, left the northern front to join the meeting. Duke Richard Carnagee of Durhan, Duke Edgar Mitchell of Gungar, and other national leaders were coming. So too were the heroes: there was Sir Rhayven Auric of the Darkmorne clan, Heir-Countess Ysabelle Runeglass of province Runglas, and a few foreign knights like Aark of Ispar and the mysterious Nebel Mesanychta.

And so, when Alexander Gallagher approached the two guards at Southaven Palace, Zed could not immediately place the older man. After a few embarrassing moments studying him, the guard exclaimed, "Gallagher! Of course, Sir Alexander Gallagher! My deepest apologies, sir knight. I meant no disrespect. The Council Chamber is right this way, sir."

[@Rhiven Knight] Finally, Rhayven Darkmorne arrived. Zed briefly explained where the medical ward was, and Rhayven left for the medical ward just as quickly as he came.

He beckoned for a nurse to find Doctor Hawthorne, and she came back with a tall, bearded fellow in a gray longcoat. Rhayven appraised the man and, satisfied, addressed him. "Doctor Hawthorne?"

The man shook his head and gave a sad smile. "I'm the secretary, so the nurses always come get me whenever there's official business. Doctor Hawthorne is this way." He escorted Rhayven into the ward and whispered to a diminutive young woman. Standing at only 5'4" with a slender build and soft features, it would have been easy to mistake her for one of the nursing staff, but her distinctive brass-buttoned lab coat pegged her as a certified Court Healer.
[center][hider=Doctor Rose Hawthorne][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/ca/9a/3aca9a45f88a517fe118a1bffb13ab85.jpg[/img][/hider][/center]
Rose Hawthorne.

"Yes?" Her innocent emerald eyes turned up to gaze at him.

"Your presence is requested in council," the knight said, unfurling a scroll.

She leaned in to peer closer at it.

Rhayven rolled it back up and stuffed it in a case before she could finish reading it. "If you would follow me please, Doctor Hawthorne," he commanded. He turned and made for the door.

Panicking, Rose glanced at her secretary. "Huh?"

The secretary pointed at Rhayven. "Go."

"Now?"

"Now."

Rose scampered after him, dropping a paper trail all the way to the door. "Wait! Hold up! I haven't finished- I haven't finished all my reports-"

He did not wait. He marched at a brisk pace toward the council chamber, with the doctor running behind him as fast as her perilous stack of papers would let her. Once they arrived, they retreated to a remote corner of the room and both leaned against the wall.

Rose hugged the stack to her chest and shut her eyes while she caught her breath. "Goodness! I only just met you. Aren't we moving a little fast?" Her lips puckered into a smirk before she kicked him in the heel. She finished signing off on a dozen more reports, stuffed them into her notebook, and stretched out her hand to shake. "I propose we do this properly. Doctor Rose Hawthorne at your service. Your name, Sir Knight?"