[center][h3]~ Crown Of Thaln ~[/h3][/center]

After spreading the word, Jarde kicked back to relax for the rest of the day. Getting in some training here and there. He had postponed his capital exploration for tomorrow. [u]The Captain[/u] and others would be off to the ball that day so it was basically a free day for the Iron Rose Knights.

The next day arrived and he was in for a rude awakening. A fellow knight had informed him that he was one of the chosen knights to attend the ball that evening with [u]Captain Fanilly[/u]. Jarde's jaw dropped, to the floor if it could. Why? Why was he chosen? He was no one special. He literally just got there with the Iron Rose Knights and has only fought in a single battle. Did [u]Fanilly[/u] even know him? Doubtful. So how? How did he, among all the knights, get chosen to attend the ball?

[u]Tyaethe[/u].

There was no concrete evidence but judging from how his interaction with [u]Lady Tyaethe[/u] yesterday, she could have told [u]Fanilly[/u] to pick him as part of her cohort in the ball. Again, there was no evidence but Jarde felt it was highly probably that that was what happened.

But what's done was done, Jarde was going whether he liked it or not. It was already the day of the ball, there was no time to go out and buy something for the ball. Not that he had money to actually buy something fitting for a ball. [u]Fanilly[/u] and the messenger said to come in their best armor, so technically that meant any armor would do. Jarde thus went to a fellow knight he knew and begged to borrow his armor just for the evening. Fortunately, it was borrowed easily, only costing a small favor from Jarde in the future.

Evening rolled by and Jarde went with [u]Captain Fanilly[/u] and the rest of the chosen knights. The suit of armor he wore was not comfortable and did not look up to par with the rest of the knights, being just an average and unpainted set of plates, but at least it was better than just his normal wear which was basically a peasant's garments.

They soon arrived at the Royal Castle, also known as 'The Crown Of Thaln' or 'Spikes Of Aimlenn'. Jarde has never seen the castle, at least not this close. The huge structure was such a grand sight, a sight that his folks back home will no doubt question him about. As they went in, Jarde admired its towers and walls. Its interior gardens filled with trees and flowers and ponds. The royal family had gardens inside! How was that even possible?

[u]The Captain[/u] led the knights inside the castle and into its wide interior hall. Their presence was announced by a herald which Jarde found a bit embarrassing but he gawked in awe at the sights. The hall was beautifully well-lit and filled with guests just like outside. Tables lined the walls with plates upon plates of food Jarde has never seen before. He was not sure if he was allowed to eat it, but looking at them was enough to satisfy him.

Despite enjoying what he saw, Jarde felt out of place in the party. He was not highborn like practically everybody here, in their noble wear and apparel. The other knights, meanwhile, may not be born nobility but they were veterans, they had earned their place here. Meanwhile, Jarde had not. He had just started out as a knight and his entire background was just being a farmer trained by a mysterious figure from the east.

But mulling about isolation was not his thing and so Jarde wandered the hall admiring everything within, looking at the details so he could accurately describe them for his folks back home. A servant had come up to him offering wine in a glass, but Jarde turned her down. His mum warned him about all those 'demon drinks'.