[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zQXUPoA.png[/img]
[sub][@VitaVitaAR][@VahkiDane][@The Otter][/sub][/center]
[b]“The stories of the Knights of the Iron Rose do stretch quite far back,”[/b] Serenity responded. [b]“Though in matters of legend and lore, it’s for the better that our task was to put an end to the dregs of the Red Flag, rather than an airborne scourge or a death-profaning sorcerer.”[/b]

She flashed a smile, one filled with a valiant desire for greatness, a pure focus on those far-off horizons that any heroic knight would aspire towards. [b]“In ten years’ time, mayhaps, you could expect grander tales spun by Thaln’s bards. For now, however…”[/b]

It wasn’t hard to notice the shifting of bodies, the light that sparked off steel. Renar was doing it after all, wasn’t he? Serenity’s eyes flickered towards Fionn, catching his gaze. Princess Maletha was still young, still faint-of-heart. It would do little good for either the Crown Knights nor the Iron Rose Knights if a Royal suffered as a result of these meaningless theatrics, but Serenity herself wasn’t in a position to do anything about it.

[b]“…I hope this display of [i]chivalry[/i] will assuage your interests. The Knight with the darker hair, Sir Renar, was one of the few who took it onto himself to single-handedly hold off a group of Jeremiah’s best while the Knight-Captain faced him.”[/b]

And as for the Crown Knight, well, she could tell already.

Though skillful in his own right, the blond swordsman approached the duel from the same mindset that Serenity would have…if she were three years younger. Explosive aggression, honed with an honesty that made for a valorous figure, but which was otherwise a detriment. It took three breaths for him to be disarmed. And honestly, it didn’t make for a good show at all. Hardly a breathtaking exchange, and the response from the noble audience was much the same.

[i]Was the Crown Knight truly so weak? Why did the Iron Rose Knight fight in such a brutish manner? Did that even count as an exhibition? The Flower of the North put on a better show; where was he?[/i]

Serenity waited for a few seconds, then turned towards Princess Elisandre once more, her smile half-way apologetic, half-way bemused, but always intended.

[b]“Unfortunately, it appears that in your presence, Princess Elisandre, Sir Renar was overeager to impress.”[/b]