"A-ah..."

Dame Lizaelea's cheeks colored to match her hair almost immediately, the hundi almost freezing for a second before swiftly averting her eyes.

"O-of course not!" she stammered, "D-d-doing it here, in s-such a place, a-at a tournament..."

She fidgeted, shifting from one foot to another, her gaze now slowly drifting downwards towards the ground, clasping her hands together as she found herself unable to meet the gaze of either of the other knights.

"I-it's not as if a duel at a tournament is unromatic, b-but it's not the setting I would like for such a thing..." she managed, her previously-enthusiastic voice having faded considerably in volume, "I-I d-didn't know you would bring up such matters so abruptly..."

Perhaps matters of romance were a difficult subject for the Lady Lizaelea.

[@Psyker Landshark][@Eisenhorn]

[hr]

"Nothing so grim," replied the old swordsman, a now-friendly smile on his weathered features. "Merely a chance for discussion among those of my homeland and yours. Of trade, of diplomatic endeavors, and other such matters. And for far more direct communication between those of us who wield the blade."

He paused for a moment as Sir Fleuri spoke, as if turning the knight's words over in his head for a few moments.

"So you know of that one, then?" he responded, his voice remaining polite, "She is of a nature unlike most others. A heart singularly focused on capturing the pinnacle of the sword, no matter what hindrances may encumber her. I cannot say many can pursue the very same path that she has."

[@HereComesTheSnow][@Crimson Paladin]

[hr]

The horn that rang out over the field snapped Fanilly's mind sharply to reality.

Ah---

Had she been daydreaming? Had she really been daydreaming the entire time? Certainly, it was incredible to be taking part in the Valours tournament, but surely it was entirely unbecoming for the Knight-Captain of the Iron Rose Knights to begin daydreaming in the middle of the field!

Maybe no one had noticed.

She took a deep breath in order to help compose herself. That horn signaled the opening of the tournament, in which steel would meet steel and warriors from across the lands would be tested against one another. Perhaps even some from far more distant places, here for matters of diplomacy or even simply due to wanderings over a great distance, would be present.

There was absolutely no way she could do anything less then put on the image of a fitting Knight-Captain. Do do anything less would be a failure in her role, wouldn't it?

Fanilly turned and began heading for the tournament ground. Originally, she had intended to visit the more festive side of the Valours tournament first, but she had managed to waste her time daydreaming.

She couldn't help but kick herself internally from frustration.