"You haven't heard of the Witch-Queen!?" exclaimed Tenessa excitedly, earning a silent eyeroll from Violette as she did, "I thought everyone knew!"

Angenese gave a somewhat apologetic laugh to the knights.

"Ah, Tenessa is something of a history buff, especially the more esoteric parts, do forgive her," she commented, clearing her throat, "A last holdout of the rebellion from five years ago, then? How frightening, to think a man like that was still wandering the land... and yet, the brave Iron Rose Knights crushed him!"

It was only natural that young nobles raised on tales of the Iron Rose Knights and the heroes who predated the order entirely would be enamored with such a story, especially when the goriest details were omitted.

Violette's disinterest stood out, however, as she simply sipped her drink quietly with another sigh. While she didn't comment, it was clear she didn't find the tale of the slaying of the bandits quite as enthralling as her friends did.

Tenessa, however, was rather eager to tell her part of things.

"The Witch-Queen was, and possibly still is, the greatest of all Witches!" she declared brightly, "She was the first of them all, a divine spirit who came to our world and instructed her followers in all sorts of strange things even the most learned magi were unaware of! Her followers grew, and she began to forge insidious machinations to accrue more power and threatened the lands!"

Her eyes were practically sparkling as she spoke, leaning towards the knights eagerly.

"It was about a thousand years ago when Ithillin's current Silver Knight at the time, Mauren Dantielle, lead a force of knights and magi to do battle with the Original Coven, and ultimately it was by his blade that the Witch-Queen fell! Nine of the original witches still live, [i]and[/i]-"

The young girl leaned forward in a conspiratorial fashion.

"-It's said that the Witch-Queen herself fell but did not perish, and now appears as a mysterious waif in lonely places!"

[@HereComesTheSnow][@VahkiDane]