ROLEPLAY HQ - king-and-the-knightress

@Cecil

"My father was not the kindest of men, believe me, I know such first-hand.." The newly-crowned king addressed the crowd gathered belong the walls of his castle, beaten down by the cold, harsh environment of Khaicia, and kept down by a cruel king whose main focus was his own wealth, even at the expense of his people. Their lives were hard enough already, and his greed and arbitrary sense of justice didn't do anyone any favors on top of that.. But now that his father had passed, some disease taking his lungs, the mantle was passed to Raynor far before he was ready for it. He was only 22, and spent the majority of his time in the libraries, searching for secrets beyond the material.. But life has other plans, it seemed, and fate brought the dagger down on a cruel, cruel man.. "It is my promise to you all that I will not repeat the mistakes of that man. I will do what I can to bring prosperity to Khaicia. I know more of the land than he did, and I have less interest in the material than him as well.." Raynor was never one for public speaking, the long, drawn-out speeches that he had been forced to sit through being such a bore in his younger years.. But it didn't matter now, he was the King and he must address his people on the day of his coronation. "Long life to Khaicia! Prosperity to all!" He raised his arm to the air, which brought a.. mixed response from the crowd. His father had really broken the trust the people had with the ruling class, something that he'd have to spend a long, long time trying to mend.. Maybe his entire rule, however long or short that may be..

3:25 PM

With a quiet sigh after he turned away from the crowd, Raynor made his way through the courtyard, watching his knights train. With how terrible of a man his father was.. Perhaps it'd be a good idea to have some.. precautions at the ready. With how Khaicia had resources that the neighbouring countries were very interested in, as shown by the history of minor skirmishes at their mountain borders, there would absolutely be a target on his back since he was a new ruler, and had no heir. A slight turn in his path led him to the Captain, and a few words exchanged between them led to a small group of young, promising knights being brought into the throne room at Raynor's request. The newly-crowned king wanted a few personal bodyguards, and he wanted to pick them himself. @Talhia💕

Hundreds of acres away was the pristine Azlen Academy of Chivalry and Combat— the academy for the future protectors of Khaicia. On the battlegrounds, the highest ranked students would be taking turns sparring with one enough for their final assessments. A smaller stature fighter with a helmet over their face would be sparring with another student almost twice their height. The general of guard would blow a whistle and the fight would begin. The students watching would be shouting the name of their favored fighter as the taller knight came forward on the attack. The smaller stature fighter would quickly parry and advance in footing, aiming for the opponents lower area. Both fighters were skilled to say the least, but what the taller fighter brought with brawn, the smaller one brought their skill and agility. After what felt like an hour or so, the smaller statures fighter would have drawn blood from their opponent, winning the match.

“Way to go, Avice!” “Hahaha!! Hey Frankfurt! You got two left feet or something?” “Called it. Hey dunce, you owe me twenty. I had money on the jumping shrimp.”

The other students would continue to cheer and boo as the champion fighter removed their helmet…. Revealing long locs of blonde hair.

“Winner, Quainthold. Frankfurt, you’re out.”

4:19 PM

“DAMMIT!” the taller gentleman would shout, throwing his helmet off to the side

“Hey!” Avice would shout after him. They were meant to bow in respect after fighting— but Avice was all too used to being disrespected. She was pissed that Vince was not referring as he would have embarrassed Frankfurt before forcing him to bow in respect. No, finals were reviewed by Holt today, who was a complete and utter ass. She was surprised that he wasn’t trying any dirty calls to disqualify Avice early on. She made sure to leave no room for speculation. Instead, Avice would bow to the crowd of students in humbleness

Avice’s friends— Bertran, Casper, Earlvi would cheer the loudest, giving thumbs up and whistles

Embarrassed now, Avice would start walking off the battleground when a guard would walk over to General Holt and whispered something into his ear in earnest. The field fell silent as the students watched in anticipation. After the guard finished, Holt’s posture would stiffen before addressing the class. “Soldiers! You are to be clean an present in the main corridor by Sun West.”

The class would be confused as Holt left immediately after

“What was that all about?” Avice would ask as she reached her friends, grabbing some quick water

“Who knows?” Bertran would respond. “Maybe we did something wrong again and they’re making us clean the corridor from top to bottom.” “Maybe it’s something good. Like Fresh Catch Friday!” *Casper would say hopefully.

“What? Too uppitty for gruel now?” she would tease, nudging his shoulder

“Are you all seriously that daft?” Earlvi would pipe in “The new king has just been crowned. The King must be recruiting new knights!”

“What, now?” she would ask in disbelief “They seriously fired the old Guards?”

“They were loyal bastards to the old king. If I was the prince, I would’ve kicked them to the curb.” Bertran would grumble

The crowd would file down back to the main building, eagerness grabbing everyone by hold….

4:37 PM

@Cecil

His selection from knights in the capitol was.. disappointing, to say the least. They were all older than what he was looking for, and lacked the spark of fierce loyalty he wanted. Many of them were still loyal to his father and his advisors, instead of Raynor's. That made them something that he'd need to keep an eye on. Though, he did select one of them. An older fellow, someone he knew since he was a young child. That was someone he knew he could trust to show the new recruits their way around.. But that left Raynor in a conundrum. He wanted more than one guard, but the only knight academy within any reasonable distance was at Azlen.. And that was several days' travel away. A bunch of new knights in training wouldn't want to abandon their training just to come to the capitol for very little reason, even if the king was trying to recruit them.. With a quiet sigh, the young king looked into his standing mirror, wearing a set of high-quality traveling clothes. He'd need to go to the Academy himself to get a good look at the recruits, and personally pick a handful out. The king couldn't quite be sure if any of his advisors could be trusted at this point, not for something as crucial as this. So, with little warning to the outside world, he'd go traveling. His closest advisor insisted on it, as any spies or enemies within the castle wouldn't have as much of a head start on him. He'd travel light, with only his selected personal guard with him, as they'd stand out less that way.

2:28 PM

Plus, going out that way would allow him to see the condition of his kingdom firsthand, and figure out exactly what he needed to start working on immediately. Reports only gave him so much to work with, after all, and he wasn't going to be the kind of king that hid behind walls and reports, invisible to his people. He wanted to be out there, do what he could for his people.. Even if he didn't quite feel ready for it. So, with his guard accompanying him, Raynor set off down the road out of the capitol. And to be blunt, he wasn't used to traveling much. Especially on the mountainous paths that led from the capitol to Azlen. It made sense why many of the trade caravans tended to take the long way 'round, but he wanted to waste as little time as possible.. Especially since him being away from the capitol was dangerous. Who knew what was out here, or if they were being followed? Raynor was never especially paranoid, but the fact was that he had enemies, not by his own action, but solely because of his position in life, as son of a cruel king in a country with coveted resources. Glancing over his shoulder was natural, and the possibility that he'd be king eventually and could need to defend himself spurred some of his studies. The king was far from defenseless, after all. The first couple nights were the roughest, due to the fact that there wasn't any towns in the immediate vicinity, so him and his guard had to take shelter in a cave, but the knight was a passable survivalist, so it wasn't too rough. Just really, really fucking cold.. It was on the fourth day that they arrived in Azlen, much to the surprise of the commonfolk there. The king appearing without any warning? Unheard of! He made his way toward the Academy, greeting any who passed as cheerfully as he could. He'd get a good night's rest there, and then meet the recruits in the morning.. @Talhia💕

The next morning, all the students would have been lined up in the main corridor. Soliders were whispering like old gossips, each one speculating the new King’s arrival to Azlen Academy.

*Avice would enter the corridor alongside her comrades, positioning herself in the third row. She immediately regretted this decision as many of the other soliders towered her and therefore blocked her view, but like hell she was asking some prick to trade. Those were the dumb mistakes she had made when first arriving to the Academy— never show your weakness. @Cecil

The king scanned the crowd from where he stood, his face carrying a calm expression that could easily come off as cold, but very quickly shifted into a small smile as he watched the recruits filter in. "Looks like we've got a bunch of fine recruits this time around." He commented to the head commander from the academy before standing up tall and addressing the gathered students. "As I'm sure many of you know, I am Lord Raynor Tybalt, your newest King. While my father was a selfish, heartless man, especially toward the common man, I have no intention of following in his footsteps. Despite this, I know my position as his successor puts me in a difficult position. The relationship between most of Khaicia and the crown is tense, to put it lightly, and we are surrounded by enemies that would take our land and resources if they were given a chance." As he spoke, Raynor moved his hands in wide, sweeping motions to emphasize his points. "Which leads me to the thing I'm sure you're dying to learn- Why I have decided to come to your academy today. I am looking for young, talented knights loyal to our country to serve as my personal guard. You don't necessarily need to be the strongest, the fastest, or even the smartest, though all of those traits would help to have. What I care about most is what's in here." He tapped the center of his chest. "I want you all to care about your country, and your fellow men and women. Don't think that this will be an easy way into a life of luxury in the capitol. You'll be held to a certain standard of behavior. After all, I'm not looking for a replacement for my father. I've spoken to your commander, and there's a series of tests that he has arranged for you all so I can see your skills firsthand." With that, he nodded to the commander and stepped back.

9:23 PM

The tests consisted of a mix of combat skills, including duels and mock group battles, as well as knowledge and observation challenges, before a personal examination by the King himself. What exactly that meant was vague and could easily be speculated on, but they had an hour to prepare themselves for the duels. @Talhia💕

Avice would be shocked to see the king in person. It seemed illogical since at a knight at the Academy, she supposed that she had been working up to the moment anyways. Either way, it didn’t make the experience any less surreal She would listen intently as she could feel Bertran and Casper tighten with excitement on either sides of her shoulders. This was serious. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. Then she would remember— they had different chances of being chosen. She was the first and only woman to attend the academy much less be an actual knight. She would bite her lip in deep thought. She needed to find a way to better her chances….

@Cecil

The King would watch the crowd, taking note of those who were nervous, excited, or didn't seem like they cared.. There were many promising prospects here, it would seem. But only time would tell if any of them fit what he was looking for. As the other recruits went to prepare for the duels, Raynor turned to talk to the guard he brought with him, who was pointing out specific would-be knights that he thought would be a good choice for them. While he appreciated the guard's advice, it ultimately came down to him to decide. Perhaps a combination of what his guard recommended and his own selection would be good. Turning, he looked over the crowd again and his eyes caught on a specific recruit. Well, that was something unusual.. A female knight? That was unheard of in this country, where most women ran shops or were housewives, while men did things like farm or were soldiers. He'd keep an eye on her in particular, because he was curious as to why she was here. For now though, it was time to wait. @Talhia💕

“What do you think they’re whispering about? Did they just look to Archer? Or was that David?” Casper would narrate in Avice’s ear

She would swat the air near her ear. “I swear, you whisper like a serpent! You’re making my ear hur—.” Her attention had looked to the King, and in that moment their eyes met. Her breath hitched, putting her hand down immediately. She couldn’t register the King’s expression before he looked away to someone else Avice cursed underneath her breath. She felt she had ruined her first impression

@Cecil

General Laurent would come to the front now, bowing before the new King before addressing his men… and Avice “I will be calling out our highest ranked soldiers to come forward. Sir Jacob Hartford.” A large, ginger man would step forward, a nnowing smirk of pride for his high ranking “Sir Kailic Offmen” A tall, lean muscly man with a beard would step forward. The names continued until Avice realized something

Avice would squint at the next name called forward “August Frogth? He’s ranked lower than me for two weeks now.” Lo and behold, more names of lower ranking men were called forward. The slots were filling up And Avice wouldn’t be one of them

“Bertran Vermouth.” The General would call forward. Bertran would freeze, looking to Avice sympathetically before ultimately stepping forward

Avice but her inner cheeks in anger, though she did not blame Bertran at all. It was simply the same bullshit that had been occurring since day one

1:40 PM

“They can’t be serious! I’m in the same classes with half the men called forward and yet not I?”

“Easy, Avice.” Casper would whisper

1:40 PM

“Everyone else may be dismissed to the side lines.”

1:42 PM

Casper would start to leave with everyone else— when he realized Avice was not following after him “Avice!” *he would hiss at her. “We’re dismissed”

Avice would remain center, her presence becoming more noticeable as the crowd dwindled. The other soldiers chosen would look at each other in confusion “Hey, Goldilocks. General said beat it.” one solider would taunt, his friends chuckling at the remark

1:44 PM

Avice would remain, stepping forward with her arms behind her back and head held high. As she remained, the comments became nastier.

"May I remind you all that you are in the presence of your King?" His voice rose suddenly over the comments. Raynor was stood behind the general, hands behind his back as he watched the soldiers taunted and insulted their comrade. "Is this really the way you plan on acting? I'm looking for soldiers who can work together, not act like school children." With a disappointed look at the ones who were insulting the young woman, he shook his head simply. Pointing to each one in turn, he spoke. "I don't want any of you. If you are so quick to taunt and look down on your fellow recruits, it shows that you care more about your status than your performance. That's absolutely not what I'm looking for in a group of personal guards. After all, if status is what you're looking for, what would stop you from betraying your land in exchange for grand status elsewhere?" He spoke with conviction and disappointment. "Skill on the battlefield only means so much, boys." Then, he turned to the general. "I trust you weren't planning on only showing me your toughest men. As I said earlier, I'm looking for talent. Not just raw brawn, but brains and loyalty as well. I'm looking for personal guards, not soldiers for a battlefield." The message was clear. Raynor saw what was going on with the selections and how the men reacted to the female knight, and he was utterly disappointed in them. Turning back to the group, he spoke with a frown. "I hope you all understand what I hope to gain today, and will act accordingly."

*The General would seem flustered how the situation seemed to have boiled over so quickly. “F-forgive them, my King. It is the highest honor to serve you. I simply think the men chosen were offended by the blatant disregard of following orders from our special trainee.”

Avice would have been fighting the feeling of humiliation— but would have been taken aback at the King’s response. It was as if she had finally seen another sane being in this establishment. While she was thankful, she figured it was more because he did not want to see a woman shouted more than curious about her ability She would have to make it more known She would step forward, before the King and fall to a low bow. “Forgive my subordination, your Highness….” She would take a deep breath as she dared to speak on, head still bowed. “You deserve the best security the Academy has to offer, not just what looks good in person. I believe if given the chance, I can knock a third of the men selected out of the running to be one of you knights.” (edited)

The general would suddenly turn furious at her “You are no better than those men, trying to gain a slot for yourself by disregarding the chosen ones hard work to get here!!”

“I do not speak truths that I cannot prove.” she would retort “I have all intention of backing up my claims.”

@Cecil

He respected the effort this woman was giving. It was clear that she was eager to prove herself, and she wasn't afraid. Turning his attention back to the General, he frowned. "Showing offense at something can be handled with grace, and by showing that their instinct was to react with insults proves to me that they're not a fit for what I am looking for. Send them to the sidelines, and select replacements." The command was simple and direct. "And be sure to include this one." His hand motioned to Avice. Raynor was curious as to her abilities. If she could truly back up her claims, then she could be a valuable candidate. Should she fail to prove herself, though.. He could see a rough few weeks ahead of her at the hands of the general and her comrades. With that, Raynor stepped back again to watch what the General would do, as well as how the men would react to their quick disqualification. @Talhia💕

Avice’s heart would skip a beat when the King addressed her. She was getting her shot. She quickly bowed in thanks before quickly retying her long blonde hair to be more out of her face. She could not afford any mistakes

The men disqualified however seemed to be fighter an inner battle of whether or not to show their fury. Most decided to bite their tongues, swallow their pride, and return to the sidelines. Others acted less eloquently, sending glares Avice’s way

2:26 PM

The General would quickly select more men, Casper making the cut this time and creating the bracket. Of course, Avice was in the lowest seat. She didn’t care though. She needed to put her money where her mouth was. But now she knew she would be going against the number one seat “…Oh buggar.” she would swear under her breath as ginger man from before stepped forward. “Now you’ve done it, Avice…”

Of course, Avice was in the lowest seat. She didn’t care though. She needed to put her money where her mouth was. But now she knew she would be going against the number one seat “…Oh buggar.” she would swear under her breath as ginger man from before stepped forward. “Now you’ve done it, Avice…”

“Miss Quaintfold versus Sir Hartford.” he would announce, eyes like daggers at Avice. He was going to make this as difficult as possible for her

Not backing down, Avice would grab her helmet and her sword, securing her helmet over her head

He watched the General interact with his students with a calm expression. It was clear he had something against the young woman, for whatever reason, and he'd have to have someone look into it. In fact, he leaned over to his bodyguard and sent him off to do just that. Other than that, he knew that this would be an interesting duel to watch. Hopefully it'd be a good opportunity for her to prove herself.

Avice would take a deep breath as she stood opposite to Hartford. The man was easily twice her height and weight. She couldn’t beat him in force. She needed to be strategic.

“Soldiers, at you ready!” the general would shout before the bell clanked Not wasting any time, Hartford came forward with a sword as think as Avice’s torso

She quickly dived out of the way, somersaulting back to her feet, sword in hand. Think, think! She came forward and aimed at her lower areas, but he was there. He was the first chair for a reason afterall. Avice would pary an advance and back up before striking again, this time Hartford butted her with the back of his sword. She heard her nose break and the crowd grimace

Avice would spit blood dripping from her mouth as she stepped back. She would shake her head to stop her world from spinning. Focus! That isn’t the first time you’ve had your nose broken She would step forward again, this time not trying the strike him down, but waiting for his move in and counterattacking. She would find the weakpoint of the blade, kicking it to fall from his hand. Those swords always seemed so daunting, but to the keen eye there is always a weakpoint. She would return the favor of spinning around, elbowing him straight in the jaw. If he was going to play dirty, so was she.

Hartford slightly took away from Avice’s contentment by simply spitting out a tooth as if a nuisance and coming at her yet again

While the duel was going on, he pulled out a small book from his bag and flipped through it for a few moments, putting the ribbon bookmark on a specific page and turning his attention back to the competing knights. They'd absolutely need that after the duel was over, given how aggressive both of them were being.

Avice would quickly parry Hartford’s advances, but each other his swings was simply too much power for her. She quickly looked for a weak point— anything she would use when she realized that though he was faster, she was faster. As she needed was to get him off kilter She immediately began manuevering, each time he came down she would slice him— superficial cuts only. She saw his stamina faltering. It was working.

3:22 PM

Once he was exhausted, she saw it. She would quickly use the flat of her sword to buckle his knees and bring the sword down towards his neck— freezing in air at the last second

3:24 PM

Sweat and blood would be dripping down her face as she was panting “Yield!” she’d shout as demanding as possible. Hartford would turn over, the sword tip meeting his nose. He stared up at her in disbelief and embarrassment. There was no applause for her. Only silence

@Cecil

Once the duel concluded, Raynor walked forward and opened the book, laying his hand on Avice's shoulder and speaking some strange, mystical words as his eyes glowed faintly. She could feel all of her wounds closing, which brought some minor discomfort, especially when whatever the King was doing began to repair her nose. After she was fully healed, Raynor did the same thing for Hartford. "Thank you both for your performance." Taking a step away, he looked toward Hartford. "Do not dismay, Sir Hartford. A loss here does not disqualify you from joining my personal guard," There was a slight pause, "As long as you take your losses gracefully." Then, he turned to Avice. "An excellent performance, Miss Quaintfold." Backing off to stand beside the General again, the king's arms went behind his back against. "Let us continue, shall we?" @Talhia💕

Avice would be shocked. Did she really just do that, she would blink at the king’s touch. She would look to Hartford, who would get up and bow. She would bow back in respect. She never hated Hartford. He always minded his own business Exhausted, she would sit off to the side, watching the rest of the battles

Hours would pass and Avice was up again. She would fair in her next few battles, winning one and losing two. She was 2 for 2. She was hanging on by a thread and she knew it. Her last battle meant everything

He took note of who took their losses with grace, who performed well in the duels, and other smaller things. After every single duel, he healed both participants to help keep them at their fighting best. His guard returned after all this time, having spent just about the entire time asking questions. It seemed that most people disliked Quaintfold simply because she was a woman, especially the General. Disappointing, to be sure, but it was a problem that a lot of places had in this country. A small list of possible candidates was forming in Raynor's mind, including Avice and a few of the highly skilled students who were respectful people. Now that the last duels were coming up, Raynor's full attention was back on the group.

Avice would take a deep breath. She was facing a man with a shaved head. This was it. Her defining moment

Avice would take a deep breath before entering her final battle. She was shocked to discover that it was a certain person within the academy who had been gunning for her since day one. The moment he saw he would be fighting Avice, his face lit up NPC “I get Princess.” Sir Renault grinned, grabbing his sword

4:01 PM

Avice would not flinched or even utter a comeback. She was fully intending on her response to be her victory on the mat

“Bow to your opponent.” the General would shout. Avice and Renault would bow to one another, though there was a obvious fight for either of them to not bow lower than the other.

After bowing, Avice and Renault would turn, taking two paces away, turn towards each other one more and raising their swords

“Begin!” The General would shout and the two immediately broke into battle. They seem to have been evenly matched in skill. It was simply a matter of question: who wanted this more?

All that could be heard was the sound of metal clashing one another. They both got chances at swiping each other, but the defender quickly avoided or parried the move. No one in the room dared to speak.

4:10 PM

Finally Avice would start to wear Renault down. He was starting to show pockets of exhaustion. She just needed to— And that was when the game became brutal. Avice was so focused on finding Renault’s weak points that she began to slack of defending her own. A few moves happened in a blur and both Avice and Renault had drawn blood. They both shook their heads, forcing themselves to refocus. Come on, Avice!

4:12 PM

She couldn’t lose. She needed this. She needed to prove the world wrong, all those assholes in training. All those horrific nights in the orphanage. It couldn’t be all for nothing. And it was those thoughts that threw Avice for a loop, the blade of Renault’s slicing just under her eye

“HALT!” The General would shout. From the outsiders perspective, it had actually looked like she may have been sliced in the eye. The blood that sprayed outward fed into the facade. “Due to overtime, the winner is the one with the most crucial hits. Sir Renault.” the General would award him

Avice would blink in shock, the smell of metal filling her nose and the sensation of warm liquid dripping down her face. She had lost. She was out.

@Cecil

The young King watched as these two potential guards fought fiercely to secure their place in his personal guard. It looked like the young lady had gotten a pretty nasty wound, at least from a distance.. But he could see the fire that still burned in both of them. Whichever one he chose, or perhaps the both of them, would depend on what exactly they did now that the battle was called. Two steps forward, and Raynor was waiting, and watching, to see how Avice would take her defeat and Sir Renault would take his victory. His eyes narrowed slightly, especially at Renault. This would be the make or break moment for them. @Talhia💕

Avice would be panting, out breath from the battle. Though the other soldiers in the room exuded much higher egos, Avice was far from not having any pride. She would swallow her pain and force herself into a bow. She would accept the results of the battle. She only had herself to blame. *In turn she would also now low to the general and last but not least, the King. She would not rise until her respects were known, finally walking off to the side once the General had dismissed the opponents. The previously disqualified men would look pleased with the outcome, smirking to one another and letting their support for Sir Renault known with a few cheers— none loud enough to upset the King again.

@Cecil

Raynor approached both Renault and Avice, healing their wounds with his incantation before stepping away. Having observed each and every one of the battles, the King had made several mental notes about each candidate. Who were overly cocky, who were unremarkable, who were humble. Who he believed would be a good choice, who his commander thought were good choices. So on and so forth. At this point, he stepped away from the group to give them time to take a break and rest up, get some food, before they would have to move on to the more practical trials. The kind that involved identifying things out of place, avoiding ambushes, and other similar threats that would appear against the King. While having combat prowess was important as a bodyguard, having a good head on your shoulders was just as, if not more, important. So Raynor took the time to discuss what he wanted to see with the General, what scenarios to put the candidates in, before settling in to wait for the next trials to begin. @Talhia💕

“What are your thoughts, my King? You’ll need to personally dismiss a third of the contestants amongst the in winning battles. Those with no wins will automatically be dismissed.” The general would speak to Raynor. “I am well prepared to vouch for some of our most promising men.” He would conclude

@Cecil

"There's some promising people here, General. Many of your recruits here are skilled warriors, I can tell. And while their behavior could be more befitting of the knights of old, I can't complain about what I saw in the duels. Though, to be honest, one recruit in particular has sparked my interest. The young woman. It's rare to see a female knight, and I wonder what has happened to make her peers despise her so." He turned to meet the general's gaze. "Surely it's not because they believe that being a knight is a man's path. Many heroes in many lands have been women, something they should have learned in their history courses." Turning to his companion, he nodded and had a list produced that disqualified a third of the candidates, including those whose behavior he found abhorrent, and handed it to the general. "There you are." @Talhia💕

Thrown by the king’s interest in Avice, he would watch Raynor disqualify some of the General’s favorite picks. He would sigh as the King gave him back the list. “My Lord, while it is an impressive feet on the girl’s behalf, her history is not the cleanest and she has shown a defiance of authority.”

@Cecil

"A person's history doesn't matter as much to me as it does to other nobles." He replied simply. "I'm looking for capable guards who I can trust to guard my life, not brutes or ruffians who can't even respect their peers. Seeking to improve one's station in life is admirable, you must admit." To be honest, he had his suspicions as to why she had a tendency to defy the authority here, especially after he watched the slight change in the general's expression when he read the list. If some of those people were his favorites, and they acted that terribly towards the other candidates, then that brought questions to the king's mind. "In what situations does she tend to defy authority? What usually leads up to that?" @Talhia💕

“Does that truly matter? A knight should always be composed, never letting their feelings and ego override them. She is known for wanting higher praise without paying her dues to the academy. There are those much more capable and she simply won’t see it that—.” He would stop, observing the King’s face “…..Very well. It is your choice, my lord.” he would bow lowly before addressing the group “Those remaining shall be evaluated further. Dismissed for thirty.” he would conclude, walking off

Avice’s head would be spinning with overwhelming joy. She was in. She was still in the running. Determined now, she would tune out her surroundings, spending the 30 minute break stretching and preparing. A scar from where the king healed her cut would remain on her face

@Cecil

"I am not looking for mindless drones. Being able to push past emotions in the midst of battle is an important skill, but being emotionless makes you dull to the outside world. That makes for a poor guard." When the general left, Raynor watched the candidates filter out and he turned to his companion, mumbling something to him. He had a plan, and he needed him to get it set up quickly. Thirty minutes later, a moderate group of mixed individuals, including peasants, soldiers, and even some of the minor nobility were in the room, with Raynor standing above them. "Welcome back. You're likely curious about these people here behind me. Their purpose is simple- To hide an assassin in their ranks. Your task is simple. Find the assassin and apprehend them without hurting anyone. You've proven your skill in battle, now prove your observation skills." With that, he took a seat and began to speak to his companion and some of the others around him. While his attention seemed to be elsewhere, it was focused on the candidates and mixed group, thanks to a handful of familiars. @Talhia💕

Avice’s interest was definitely peak. This is where she knew she could shine. While the rest of the guards were strong, they were hardly stealth. Avice, being a theif on the streets, knew exactly the places one could conceal a weapon. She would immediately flashback to some of the crooks she made note to avoid and some she actually had dealt with. No time for that, Avice. Focus on the task at hand! *Avice would scan the crowd, keeping her head low as some of the guards tried to call together a group to strategize— more of them trying to assert who was the leader. Avice knew her contribution would be ignored anyways so she trucked on solo. Avice’s eyes would fixate on the pattern of the walkers. Was one person lurking in a spot or returning to the same spot. Aimless wandering trying to not look suspicious. There were a few that did so, but she thought better of that. Most likely just bad actors. That sort of assassin felt too amateur for this situation. She looked for a bit more before she spotted something odd. Something… or someone. @Cecil

It was clear that some of the people in the group were simply happy to be in the Knight Academy, a place that most commoners didn't get a change to ever see the inside of. The soldiers and nobility seemed less interested in that, a lot of the soldiers watching the area themselves, trying to see if they could spot the assassin. Or, at least, that's how they seemed to act. One couldn't be sure who was in on the whole thing. Several of the soldiers had weapons of some sort, usually shortswords that remained at their waists. A handful of the commoners carried knives hidden from view, but didn't seem to be heading in Raynor's direction. The vast majority of the nobility didn't carry weaponry, as they had guards for a reason, though some of the ones who'd clearly fought in wars carried swords. Many of these people were simply having conversations with Raynor directly. However, there were a few people that seemed to be.. meandering their way toward the nobles sitting at the far end of the room. A couple of commoners, one or two soldiers, and someone who was clearly a retainer for one of the nobles, based on how they were dressed. @Talhia💕

Locking all the candidates in her sight, she would make her way to that side of the room. It seemed that a few of the others had also noticed the pattern, though Avice was ahead of them. She needed to guess right and apprehend the villain first, before the others beat her to it. She would go to dircle the commoners, but two of her opponents would have already apprehended them. No surprise there. Of course they’d go for the commoners first. Well that option was out of the picture, which was fine by her once they returned empty handed and removed from the challenge. Avice would see something odd glint under the nobleman’s cloak. It wasn’t pristine silver. It was slightly dulled. Like a weapon of a lower status. Bingo. The odd thing out of the wealthy picture. Avice: “Excuse me, sir.” she would step in front of the gentleman. She would casually place her hand on the hilt of the sword “Could you please step aside for me. I’m on orders of the guard.” @Cecil

The nobleman seemed offended at being stopped. "What? What do you want with me, young lady?" He asked, nose slightly upturned as he spoke, and it was clear that the man thought himself superior than most people in the room. With his cloak around him, it was hard to make out exactly what he was wearing or carrying, but upon further inspection, there was an odd shape in his belt, off to his left and slightly behind. The King noticed Avice stop someone, and the corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he listened to one of the other nobles talk about whatever thing they were going on about- Frankly, his attention was more focused on the competition than anything else, for obvious reasons. He was here to get guards, not make small talk. @Talhia💕

Avice would think quickly “The guard merrily wishes to ensure you safety. There are rumors of a thief targeting upper class citizens so we ask you to come to the side to ensure all your items as protected.” she decided acting as if on their side and appealing to their social status would be a better move “The streets can be quite dangerous… wouldn’t you agree?” @Cecil

The nobleman would nod slowly. That made sense, yes.. And he saw no reason to distrust the young woman. After all, she was a part of the guard, no? Clearly she just wanted to make sure that his possessions were safe. "After you, miss." He motioned for her to walk, though he eyed her sword for a moment. His arms slid into his cloak and it seemed like he was reaching for something. Though his arms came out of the cloak empty, the shape that was slightly protruding from it before was gone. @Talhia💕

Avice would catch the change, but knew she could not search him. She then realized as long as she kept the noble in her company, there was no way for them to successfully attack the king. “As asked by his royal highness, there seems to be high activity of thievery to the point that he has asked nobles to be escorted off the premises. We can’t have you in a crowd of thieving commoners, can we? I will personally take it upon myself to escort you back to your property. I assure you, this is happening with multiple nobles.” If this were a real incident, that would also help mail down the assailant’s residence to later report. Avice would escort the noble to the side before looking at the referee. She had made her choice and she was sure of it.

@Cecil

Slowly, the king rose and approached. "What seems to the problem, Quaintfold?" He asked, hands behind his back as he watched the nobleman's face with a subtle, knowing gaze. He was confident in his decision, and knew the noble was nervous about the whole situation, rightfully so since this whole situation put several nobles' reputations on the line if they were marked as the 'assassin'. After all, who wanted to be known as the man who tried to kill the king? Despite that, everyone knew that it was an act, the King's idea directly. Nobody's reputation would be ruined. @Talhia💕

“Your majesty.” she would bow lowly before rising “I have reason to believe that out of all of the participants in this game, this nobleman is indeed the assassin. He possessed a cheaper, duller metal that no noble at his rank would have reason to carry to an event such as this, especially with all things considered. If the noble would be so kind as to reveal under his cloak, specifically the right upper side of his torso.”

@Cecil

After a moment of consideration from the King, he nodded slowly. "Solid reasoning, Quaintfold." He then turned to the noble. "If you please." After a few moments, the noble revealed a dull knife concealed within his cloak, clearly not sharp enough to do any real damage. "Congratulations, Avice Quaintfold. You've succeeded." The King nodded to her. And with that, he walked back and dismissed all the extra people, leaving only the potential new guards. Then, from among them, he picked a total of four guards, picking who he thought would be the bravest, who would fit all of the things he was looking for, including Avice. "Each of you please come forward and kneel before your King." @Talhia💕

Avice’s brain had gone blank the moment she had realized she was right. She would never tell anyone that 80% of her reasoning was an absolute guess. Now letting reality sink in, Avice would be overwhelmed, letting the feeling of victory wash over her. She felt tears forming much forced everything within her to not let them drop. She would hear exactly four cheers for her— no doubtably Earlvi, and Casper. Bertran, though not being picked, would rush to hug Avice before leaving with the rest. Avice would fall to her knees in front of the king, which was perfect timing as she could not steady her legs anymore. Her blonde strands would fall out of her messy braid and in her face.

@Cecil

The king was presented with a ceremonial sword, something that was passed down from father to son, and was used every time a new knight was declared. To each of his chosen knights, he repeated these words, following their names: "Are you prepared to devote your life to loyal service to your king, protecting me from all manner of threats to life and limb, even at the expense of your own life?" Upon their acceptance, he would touch the sword to each of their shoulders, and then commanded them to rise. With his knights chosen, Raynor prepared to leave, having the General prepare each of the new knights with a full set of equipment, along with a horse, for the journey back.

@Talhia💕

Avice would feel the king step before her. Are you prepared to devote your life to loyal service to your king? “I do.” Avice would say and would feel the sword lightly tap both of her shoulders. When she was asked to rise, Avice would finally look up into the king’s eyes. He was handsome, she thought. A weird thing to think, but he was a prince afterall. She assumed that must be the case for more royalty. More than anything though, she felt as if he saw her. He stood up for her when no one had, and for that she was prepared to die for him. After being knighted, Avice would look at her fellow knights: Sir Renault— that was a no brainer. The man was jacked and lethal. Then there was Alvarmi. She was surprised hadn’t jeered at her like the others. She assumed that once he saw that wouldn’t be tolerated, he had no use to perpetuate the hazing into losing his opportunity. She had a feeling he didn’t truly hate her. More that he simply followed the social crowd. Lastly was Kai, another strong candidate that she did not mind. They had barely ever interacted. Avice felt relieved seeing that there would be no internal struggles within the new group. The four new knights would be escorted to their horses to leave with the king immediately. Avice felt relieved that she always wore her belongings on her and didn’t have to worry about packing. She mounted her steed, Morgenstern, and was off to her new life at the palace….

@Cecil

When each of them looked him in the eye after rising, he met each gaze with kindness. After all, these were the people who were going to keep him safe against any of the enemies his father had made before his passing, both within and outside of the country. Instead of riding in a carriage back, Raynor elected to ride alongside his guards, despite the cold weather. He had minor magic that would help keep them all warm, and he felt it best to get to know who his guards were as people, as well as lay down the most important rule out of all of the ones that needed spoken: "You are all a team now. I don't care about your petty rivalries back in the academy, leave them behind. Your purpose now is to protect my life, and I will easily replace you if you fight amongst yourselves. If I can't trust you to keep me alive because you can't trust eachother, then you'll be replaced." The King said authoritatively. It was a serious statement, since his life could be at risk if they were at eachother's throats. Now that he had established that, he moved to ride alongside each of his guards so he could talk with them individually. Learn about them, find out who they were as people. That included Avice, who he pulled up next to. "The Academy didn't seem to have much on you. Tell me about yourself, please. I'd like to know more about you." @Talhia💕

Avice would be taken aback for a moment. In all honesty, she was expecting for the trials to be the last time he’d truly acknowledge her again. “Uh… well, I’m fairness, no one seems to have much on me. I was recruited from an orphanage. They barely had any information on me either. My heritage is vastly unknown.” she would conclude, expecting the conversation to be short. She didn’t want to bore the king with her story, especially since a good portion of it was her being a town thief. @Cecil

"That's precisely why I want to learn more about you." He remarked with a friendly smile. It seemed like, as long as you didn't piss him off, the King was an easy-going and friendly person, something she would've been able to see when he was talking to the other new knights. Raynor wanted to know these people. "People's histories fascinate me. Several of the early heroes of Khaicia were from unsuspecting roots. After all, not many wanted to come to such an inhospitable place to establish a home until the first of the Tybalts left his home in the west to start an iron mine in the mountains here. People followed his banner the more he expanded and fought against the bandits in the region, and soon enough we had a kingdom formed." Not many knew the true history of the Tybalts, since their reign went back so long, but he spent years studying in the archives. He likely knew more than the past six generations about his family's history. "So please, enlighten me." @Talhia💕

“Wow… I can’t imagine how full of pride tracing back a legacy must make you. My roots are quite stunted.” she would try to think of any information to share about herself “I was brought to the orphanage at two. Mother died in childbirth and my father was in the process of dying from the plague. Obviously, I needed to be evacuated from his presence as soon as possible. Unfortunately no one thought to keep a file on me. My family name…” she would shrug “And then… well.. my childhood was tough and my adolescence Im not the proudest of. I… I did what I needed to in order to survive, and sometimes that led me to breaking laws. I was finally apprehended by a few soldiers. They had thought me a criminal, but once they spotted a young 14 year old girl, they said they had a different path for me if so chose it. I was enlisted into the Academy at 15 and had been there ever since.” *she would finish her tale. She would look to the king once she was done, now a bit embarrassed by sharing her life story. She wondered if it was enough.

@Cecil

He nodded along with her story, remaining quiet until she was finished out of respect. "Sounds like you've had it rough your entire life. But, you stuck with it and look where it's gotten you now, on your way to the capitol under direct service of the King. History remembers those that struggle to improve their station in life, as my family has shown. Keep it up, and maybe you'll rise to make a name for yourself and any descendants you may have." He respected all of his selected knights, after all they had impressed him, but he was intrigued by Quaintfold. Her past was an enigma to anyone but herself and whoever she decided to share it with, and there had been conflict in the academy as a result of her being there. Often, that kind of conflict came from a fear of someone being stronger than you. Even if she hadn't proven to be the strongest in physical combat, there was something in her that made the others feel threatened. @Talhia💕

“Thank you, My lord.” she would smile. “….And thank you. For giving me my chance. I would never had expected this for myself.” she would add, showing sincerity in her words. Avice would look back to the path ahead. She had never been to the capital. This was all very surreal for her. Feeling need to make conversation, she would ask a very dumb question. “Have you ever been to Quaintfold?” *Why in heavens name would the King of Khacia ever venture to Quaintfold?

@Cecil

"You're welcome, Miss Quaintfold." Raynor wanted to give everyone the chance they needed to fully experience their lives, instead of allowing those around them to beat them into the ground, as noblemen commonly do. The King shook his head. "My childhood did not include a lot of traveling, outside of hunts with my father. My attention was focused more on studying to improve my magical talents or learn more about this kingdom's history. I have every intention of changing that, though." He wanted to see his kingdom with his own two eyes, not just on a piece of parchment. That was one of the many reasons he sought guards so early, so that he could travel in safety. The capitol slowly grew closer, the high stone walls surrounded by smaller groups of homes and businesses on the outside- Where those who could not afford to live within the walls lived their lives. Big cities like this always attracted people, no matter their status or capabilities. @Talhia💕 (edited)

*Avice’s eyes would light up as they reached the capital. It was her first time being there. She never had the funds to cover to long strenuous journey— not to mention the price of living once you actually got there. She would gaze at the silvers and golds, the many shops, the food stands— it was incredible. “Whoa… the gods’ kingdom. Definitely lives up to the name.” It was believed that the capital was chosen by one of the gods themselves and that the first day the kingdom rose, the sky rained silver and gold. Avice had never believed it until now.

Once reaching the gates of the castle, the drawbridge would open as the many advisors and stable workers greeted the crew “Welcome back, your majesty.” A strongly built British man with a surprisingly warm smile. He would take the King’s horse after Raynor dismounted her. He would look at the group. It was only for a millisecond but at the sight of Avice, he would furrow his brow. It was like he had discovered a tulip in a group of roses— no real disdain but definitely curious as to how she had gotten here. His attention, however would stay on the entire group from that point on. “Welcome knights. How lucky it is to be you today. You must feel incredibly honored. Welcome to your new home.”

*Avice would look around. She had never cared about appearances, but looking at the people around her she suddenly felt poorly groomed. Though what was the point of looking neat when you may have to get in a tussle at any moment?

@Cecil

He chuckled to himself as he watched the various reactions on each of his new knights' faces. Some were amazed, like Avice, since they'd never been here. Others who had seemed more like they were returning home after years away. "Welcome to the capitol, knights. When you are off duty, feel free to explore the city at your leisure. There will be many moments for you to accompany me into the city as well, so do not think that you'll be stuck to the castle while on duty. Dismounting from his horse, he allowed the man to take her from him, nodding to him. "Thank you. Please, make sure that my new knights know their way around the grounds. I must go meet with my advisors to inform them of the situation, and then I would like dinner prepared." With that, the King entered the castle to clean himself up and then meet with his advisors. It was dreadfully boring to meet with them every day, but it was necessary for him to know what happened during his time away, as well as keep them happy in order to keep his country at peace. After that, while waiting for dinner to be prepared, he returned to his room to study his spells. @Talhia💕

After the king had bid them farewell, the group of knights were led around the castle by one of the grounds keepers. Avice couldn’t help but scoff a few times at the ridiculous amount of wealth she was surrounded by. It was practically comical. A servant would walk by carrying a tray of chocolates. Avice had even tasted chocolate before. And the blue dye color in the nobles’s garments were a potent as the night sky. We couldn’t imagine in amount of plant needed to get such a color. The orientation ended at the knight’s quarters— a well decorated yet humble common space along with multiple individual rooms. Avice felt a sigh of relief. She had been the only student at the academy to have her own room (for obvious reasons). That didn’t stop others complaining, calling her a Princess for needing extra accommodations. Now everyone had their own space, making her as equal as anyone.

6:20 PM

Finally in her new room, Avice would plop down on the bed. She let everything sink in. The excitement, the exhaustion, the overall surrealness of the situation. It was then that there was a knock at the door

“Miss Quaintfold?” A voice would greet her before entering. It was a young maid, most likely no older than 18. She smiled, carrying a stack of clothing with her. “These are your uniform, Miss. We weren’t expecting a feminine form so the fit might be a bit odd.” she would bashfully apologize.

Avice would sit up from the bed. “That’s alright, more than fine. I’m sure I can figure it out.” She would walk over to the young maid, taking the clothes. She had expected the girl to leave afterward, but instead she looked like she was about to burst with so many questions. Avice would furrow her brow, looking around awkwardly. “Uh-uhm… thank you. Miss….?”

“Evangeline, Miss.” she would chime in. “I must say I really am so glad you are here! I thought it to be merely rumor but you really are… well, you! You must be quite impressive to be chosen.”

Avice would suddenly feel extremely embarrassed “Ah, come on.” She would rub the back of her neck. “That’s very kind of you. So Im guessing my news is already circulating.”

“Well at first you were mistakened for a young boy. N-no offense! A very pretty young boy! Like a cherub!” Evangeline would start backtracking

Suddenly Avice wasn’t feeling like hot shit anymore. “Son of a— well we didn’t get time to spruce up a little.” She’d grumble under her breath.

“I’ll leave you to change, Miss. Welcome again.” She would smile brightly before leaving.

Avice would smirk as she left. Perhaps she could be a good friend here. Avice would then inspect the clothing— very traditional and stunning….and waaaaay too big. She made it work as best she could before meeting the others down at the throneroom once more.

@Cecil

The throne room was spacious, with plenty of room for large amounts of people, particularly for ceremonies or holding court. Sitting on the sturdy wooden throne on the dais above them all was Raynor, looking down at them with a calm, friendly smile. "I hope you all have familiarized yourselves with the grounds to the best of your abilities. You'll have plenty of time in the following days to explore more." He paused, looking over their expressions. "Now, you all are a unit, and you'll work together. You'll dine together, train together, and if you feel so inclined, bathe together." What they did in their private time didn't concern him, as long as it didn't bring harm to anyone. "You will eat half an hour before me and the other nobles, and then you will position yourselves at every entrance, exit, and in various places in the dining room. Your job should be obvious, stop any attempts on my life that may occur. Do you all understand?" @Talhia💕

Avice and the other knights would awkwardly eye each other at the bathing comment. That was one bonding task that she was ready to sit out for. “Yes, your highness.” they would all say in almost unison as they bowed. Avice’s armor would comically rattle as she lowered her gaze, the structure obviously meant for a wider built. Avice would look up, observing her team. She really did hope for a stronger bond than the ones made at the Academy.

The same brutish man from before would enter, his jolly smile lighting up the room. “I’ll have these knights whipped into shape for you. Make sure we have no slackers here. The name’s Fuantais.” He would say, greeting the group. Fuantais would lean towards the king in a hushed voice. “I must ask. What’s with Goldilocks in the armor that’s just not right?”

@Cecil

He was moderately amused at the awkwardness the group shared; It was good that they felt those emotions together, so that they grew closer as a team. Though, the rattling of Avice's armor caught his eye. He'd have to talk to the smiths to get her something more made for her size. "I place my full trust in you, Fuantais." Raynor smiled and nodded, though frowned slightly as the man leaned over to him. "Her name is Quaintfold. I imagine that the armory didn't have anything fit for a feminine form, mind seeing to that for me, Fuantais?" @Talhia💕

“Ofcourse, your highness. Can’t have anyone tripping over their metal wear.” He would chuckle. “Quaintfold! At attention!” He would command in her boisterous voice.

Avice would snap to attention, her armor yet again performing a its own percussion solo. Fuantais would snort— not in a cruel or belittling way. He seemed more charmed. Honestly Avice didn’t know what was worse, being treated as shit or as cute.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fixing all of that. I’m sure you were chosen for good reason. I may be this jolly man off the training grounds, but don’t expect me to go easy on you once we start our work, aye lass?”

“Wouldn’t want it any other way, sir.” She would smirk. Her demeanor became more confident as she began to see Fuantais as a trustworthy teacher.

@Cecil

The king chuckled as he watched the two of them interact. It was good that Avice was getting some manner of authority she could look up to, compared to the Academy. "Now, dinner should be ready soon. After you all eat, Quaintfold, go with Fuantais to get yourself fitted for some new armor." @Talhia💕

“Ofcourse, you highness. Thank you.” she would say, bowing before following Fuantais along with the others. As they left, Avice would turn to look at the prince once more. Now seeing the king’s face in person more closely, something about him felt almost….familiar.

“Oh what a pretty young face you have! It’s good to see that the harsh living circumstances of the Academy left your soft features intact.” The smith’s wife would chime as she measured Avice for her armor. The Smith was going ti do it himself but he felt that having another woman measure her would be a bit more appropriate. She was a cute, plump woman with curly ginger hair. Obviously very proud of their family business.

“Actually my nose was broken a while back. It finally healed but it is a bit crooked.” She would admit awkwardly, trying to downplay the compliment. Besides, she didn’t like being called soft. That’s the last thing she needs the court describing her as.

“Well, we’ll have your bindings and armor as soon as possible. Thank you, Sir Fuantais.” She would smile, nodding to the man in the corner. “But of course, Lady Ramona. Your husband has the best hands in the world for this.” Fuantais would chuckle. After leaving the blacksmiths, Avice and the other guards would arrive in the dining hall for dinner.

@Cecil

The king was seated at the far end of the table, with no plate in front of him. The rest of the spots were laid out with a collection of cheeses, breads, cooked meats, and some manner of soup. If this was what the guards were being fed, what were the nobles being fed? "Please, have a seat, all of you." Raynor motioned to the seats all around the table. "If you want drinks, there's pitchers around the table, feel free to pass them around. Water, of course." He really did hope they enjoyed the food, as he was sure it was far better than what they had at the Academy. His cooks were excellent, and made wonderful things with the modest ingredients they could acquire in this cold, rocky environment that wasn't very conducive to agriculture. Most of the crops came from the southern villages in the valley, but that took time and they didn't have the manpower to transport a large amount of produce at once. @Talhia💕

Avice would immediate dig into her food. She learned from a young age to never let food sit… of course, that Ws orphanage mentality. She always remembered after looking up and seeing everyone looking concerned.

“You know chickens can’t fly when they’re roasted over a fire, right?” one of the guys would joke. The others would chuckle, chiming in

Avice would wave the drumstick like a baton “Suit yourselves. This happens to be the best meal we’ve had in probably years. I’m enjoying it the right way.”

“Just don’t eat too much and throw it all up later. This stuff’s rich. I think my stomach my go into shock!” the table would laugh, Avice actually relaxing now. These guys seemed….cool. The King sure knew how to pick ‘em.

3:08 PM

In the middle of the feast, a guard would walk to the table, extending a letter to Avice. “This came in for the King. Please hand him this letter. This is as far as my station will take me.” The guard would state flatly.

“Wha— me?” she would say, confused. Avice would start to stand up, wiping her face on her sleeve before taking the letter

“So our duties begin…” The knight named Sir Renault would smirk at Avice “Go ahead. Kick us off.”

“Right…r-right, I’ll just—.” Avice would scuttle from the table, hesitantly walking up the stairs towards the king. She felt nobility eyes staring at her. She must’ve been an odd sight. “My Lord.. a letter was delivered.” she would have already pressed it for signs of harmful items as well as sniffed it— which she’s sure had made her look even odder

@Cecil

(Oh crap. It’s Hartford, not Renault. Renault was the asshole

)

3:41 PM

(Actually neither. She beat Hartford round one and lost to Renault in round two)

"Ah, thank you, Miss Quaintfold." Raynor nodded, snapping his fingers and saying a couple of strange words. The envelope tore itself open in his hands, and he reached into the envelope to pull out the letter itself, beginning to read it silently to himself. @Talhia💕

The letter would contain terrible news. The efforts to block invaders at the border seemed to have fallen through. The enemy has infiltrated the kingdom while injuring a large amount of soldiers and civilians @Cecil

The king's expression darkened. Of course such a thing would happen so early into his rule. He'd need to meet with his war council soon in order to discuss the matter, get an accurate count of casualties, and determine the best course of action to prevent large swathes of land from being taken from them. Their position required all the land they could make use of, since their mountainous surroundings didn't leave very much. "..Looks like you'll have a lot to work for. Invaders have broken through on the southern border, so it's possible that we'll face some manner of threat very soon." @Talhia💕

“What?” Avice would repeat, shocked. “By the gods… Shall I tell the others of this news?”

"..Inform your fellow knights. I will discuss the matter with my nobles personally." Raynor replied, his mind very obviously running through several potential problems related to this invasion. Their borders were some of their strongest strategic points, since they were the entrances to the various mountain passes.. He'd need to set up ambushes to pick off numbers while preparing large forces in the moutains. His people had the advantage due to fortifications along the passes, but it'd take a long time to muster a large amount of troops.. Damn it. @Talhia💕

"..Inform your fellow knights. I will discuss the matter with my nobles personally." Raynor replied, his mind very obviously run...

@Lord Raynor Tybalt - jump Avice gave the king a low bow “Of course, my lord.” Before Avice scurried off, she would give Raynor a final look. She could quite literally see the gears turning in his head. She thought of something to comfort him. “If I may be so bold… You did choose your knights wisely. Every one of us is ready to lay down our lives for the Kingdom.” @Cecil

OH PFFT WAIT

5:21 PM

Who is that?

hi?

Avice gave the king a low bow “Of course, my lord.” Before Avice scurried off, she would give Raynor a final look. She could quite literally see the gears turning in his head. She thought of something to comfort him. “If I may be so bold… You did choose your knights wisely. Every one of us is ready to lay down our lives for the Kingdom.” It was a small comment. Most likely fell flat. But atleast it was something

@Cecil

"I appreciate the sentiment, Avice. My concern is not on my own life, but on the lives of my people. A handful of personal bodyguards will not be enough to strike against a large force that broke through the mountain pass." The comment was simple, but he understood the meaning behind what she said. Then, he sent word with a servant to gather his war council. @Talhia💕

Avice would nod. Of course they weren’t enough. She was a bit embarrassed by her outburst but brushed it off as she returned to the banquet table to report the news

scrolls up to remember the names of the fellow knights

Avice

Replying so I don’t lose this

“What? Alvmari would say, his mouthful mashed potatoes falling right out his agape mouth “Well. That was fast” Another replied grimly. The knights were soon using hushed voices to avoid eavesdroppers

The conversations continued to their chambers, to which Avice had to separate from the rest. She felt a bit humiliated being split off into a separate room. She was a knight for gods’ sake. Who cared about her maidenhood anymore? But this was court. She reminded herself that this was a different ballgame. One’s reputation is just as priceless as their life. Avice would curl into her small bed and awaited the next morning’s rise… @Cecil

The next morning, Avice rose before dawn. She would dress in her new uniform but knew her duties wouldn’t commence until a few hours later. Feeling cooped up, Avice remembered the terrace greenhouse from the tour. While she tried to avoid feminine things out of fear of being perceived as less then by her fellow male counterparts, Avice did really love flowers. It reminded her of the meadow she used to often visit as a child to forget the worries in the orphanage. Since then, nature had become her safe haven Avice would tour the garden, stopping at familiar plants. She decided her would stay up on the terrace until sunrise to mark her first day as a true knight

@Cecil

As Avice moved through the garden, she would note how well-kept it was. The flowers were incredibly healthy, almost unnaturally so, and there were many varieties that simply.. shouldn't be growing in a harsh climate like Khaicia. Clearly, whoever tended to this place cared deeply for the plants. Quietly, on the other end of the garden, the door slipped open and Raynor slipped through, slowly walking the paths with closed eyes, humming quietly to himself. Ever since he was young, the gardens were his personal respite from the difficulties of being the heir to a hated king. Now, they served to clear his mind before he had to defend his homeland from invasion. @Talhia💕

As Avice moved through the garden, she would note how well-kept it was. The flowers were incredibly healthy, almost unnaturally ...

@Lord Raynor Tybalt (@Cecil) - jump Avice, curious about the unusually lively flora, would find herself at the end of a hall, almost running into the relaxed King at the intersection “Your majesty!” She would say, alarmed to see him in such a causal setting so early in the morning. She fell into a low bow, apologizing for running into him. She would not lift her head until her presence was forgiven.

"Hey, it's okay. Rise, Avice." The king spoke quietly, trying to soothe her concerns. "..It's far too early for formalities, anyway." Turning away from her, he ran his fingers gently over one of the blooming flowers. "I see you're interested in my garden. I've spent so many hours tending to the flowers here myself.. Father despised that I did- He said we had servants for that kind of thing." He didn't care, though. This was his sanctuary, and he personally tended to it. Raynor liked to believe it taught him about diligence more than any war council or hours spent in court. @Talhia💕

Avice would be surprised by Raynor easily calling her by her name. She had figured court life would disapprove of such familiarity. Regardless, she didn’t correct him. Besides, she had no real family name. She only ever knew Avice. Rising from her bow, Avice’s new uniform could be greatly admired now that it fit her properly. She felt slightly embarrassed, however, of how the pants accentuated her figure in a way improper for a young lady. The academy would often craft a piece of short fabric to cover down to her knees atleast, which she often got caught in. “This is your work?” she would ask, impressed “I’ve always been a fan of nature in all its aspects. These are so well kept, it’s remarkable that you have the times to keep them up.”

@Cecil

The king was different from a lot of other royals- He was more relaxed, laid-back. Now that wasn't to say he was a slacker, his sharp focus on the invasion proved that he wasn't. To him, though, being born in a certain station didn't make him any better than anyone else, especially given who his father was. He met her gaze for a moment before noticing her embarrassment, and so he looked away to make her more comfortable, before speaking up again. "..Yes, this was my escape from the hours of training and tutoring and watching my father hold court. All of that felt so dreadful because he wanted me to rule with the same iron fist he did, when that just isn't what I want.." Shaking his head, he noticed that one of the nearby flowers was starting to droop slightly, so he mumbled a spell and held his hand out over it, a faint aura of light enveloping it for but a moment before it stood tall and bloomed once again. "..It also served as good practice for my magic." @Talhia💕

Avice’s embarrassment woul vanish at the sight of magic. She wasn’t able to fully appreciate the craft during the trials. Mostly because she had been beaten up pretty badly. But now I’m this casual setting, Avice’s fascination would grow “That’s quite a gift. What does it feel like to use magic?”

@Cecil

He raised a brow at her interest in his abilities. "..How to describe it.. It's like feeling the forces of nature flowing through my entire body, that power drawn from the mana in the air.. The words I speak for the spell give that power form, and my hands direct it to where it goes. Honestly, it leaves the tips of my fingers quite tingly at times." His smile twitched downward. "..My father wanted me to wield the sword, 'as a proper nobleman should'. But it was never for me, I could tell that immediately. And of course he didn't think magic was proper, so he never allowed me to get a tutor. Everything I know is self-taught." @Talhia💕

Avice would smile “Then that’s truly the mark of a good leader: believing in one’s dedication to a goal no matter the obstacle. They used to have us stitch fabrics in the orphanage to sell. Hated it. I’d end up sneaking out and practicing swordsmanship with the blacksmith’s son. It was for fun at the time but I think a part of me knew that I was made to be something more than a seamstress. It’s funny how callings just take hold of you like that.” Avice’s eyes would drift away with the memories as she smiled before snapping out of it

@Cecil

The king chuckled, shaking his head. "That sounds like the kinds of things that would get drilled into me during my schooling. A lord needs to face down any kind of obstacles and push forward for the good of the kingdom. This invasion, for example. My father would say that this is another obstacle for me to overcome to prove my rule over Khaicia." He never was a particularly war-focused man, since he preferred the study of magic and tending to his garden, but that by no means meant that he hadn't learned strategy. Without the mountain pass, it would be difficult to contain a vast military force, but the mountainous region of the kingdom would grant his people a great advantage- A lot of towns would be hard to attack due to their raised elevation, and had plenty of planned escape routes through tunnels in the mountains himself. After a few moments, Raynor shook his head again quickly. "..Ah, I believe I got distracted there. I understand what you mean, though. I could tell from a young age that the sword wasn't for me, while you could tell it was for you." @Talhia💕

@Talhia💕

Avice would smile back. An awkward silence would fall between the two of them before Avice dared to speak again “Your majesty—.”

Suddenly a frantic advisor would run in. “My King! We have allies from Kaltfire visiting us unexpectedly! They wish to discuss strate—“ He would halt at the sight of the two of them alone in the garden “M-my apologies, I-I did not know you had company—!” he would then frown at the Avice’s uniform, confused before he remembered and let out a sigh of relief

It would now be Avice’s turn to frown. Kaltfire? She didn’t even know they had connection with this kingdom. Suddenly, she realized what sensitive information this was and how lucky for the advisor that it was indeed just Avice with the King

@Cecil

The king turned with his hands behind his back, listening to the advisor's panicked report. "Take a moment to breathe. Please, send them to the council chamber. I will meet with them in but a moment." Once the advisor ran off, Raynor turned to look at the garden once again, a sigh escaping him. "..I don't understand why he made such a big deal about one of my guards accompanying me. Is he still looking down on you, or getting things confused, simply because you're a woman?" Shaking his head, he turned to walk inside. One day, this prejudice against women in his kingdom would fade. It'd take time, but it would fade. Stepping into the council chamber, Raynor sat at his seat at the head of the table, looking between his guests. "..Good morning. A forward messanger would have been appreciated, so I could have had more prepared.. But I welcome you nonetheless. I've been informed that you wish to discuss strategy?" @Talhia💕