[h2]Candaeln[/h2]

The night their collective teachers had decided that the knights were sufficiently trained in whatever talent they had been honing--from Cyrus's enthusiastic endorsement to Silenna's begrudging acceptance that [i]maybe[/i] Rolan wouldn't blow his head up--there was a party at Candaeln. The guest list was mostly as expected, although the grouchy alchemist showing up before ultimately throwing herself at Florian as the knight went on probably came as a surprise.

And Gisela didn't attend, but there was no way for that to be particularly unexpected.

Prince Erion attending, along with some of his guards? [i]That[/i] definitely caused a stir, even amongst the legendary knights--it wasn't like the prince to [i]attend[/i] these things rather than throw them. But he seemed interested in speaking to them a little, starting with their captain.

[hr]

[h2]Eastwards Road[/h2]

In the morning, it was time to make their way through the city and out of the eastern gate. As promised, the Talderian prince had assembled his retinue--row after row of gleaming silvered armour, deep red half-capes edged in gold thrown over their left arms. The uniformity of their equipment was quite a contrast to themselves; their armour identical, every soldier outfitted with a straight sword, a dagger, and even a shield.

They were also outnumbered, even [i]after[/i] half of them had bowed and moved off far to one side, where they wouldn't possibly get in the way.

And behind them, seated on an out of place carved throne, waited the prince. Their goal--as he had been quite happy to clarify in detail--was not to [i]defeat[/i] his knights, and least of all himself. No, they merely had to get within striking distance of Erion. [i]That[/i] was their first challenge.