>>5233018“Farewell. My, uh, my Love.” You say unsteadily. Alys laughs.
“We don't need to be different Will, I think we are fine as we are.” She looks troubled for a moment. “.. but if you want to call me dear now and then I wouldn't mind.” You halt in the doorway, taken aback, but your cowardice wins out, and you leave without a further word. Dear. Dear Alys.
You have some trouble clearing your head as you head to the audience hall. The seneschal had told you that the first order of business would be decided there, but so preoccupied with Alys you had barely registered him and now you cannot recall the poor man's name. He greets you as you enter.
“Ah, Captain-General! Excellent timing, The knights are taking their leave, but you seem to have impressed a number of them. Sixteen new recruits! How exciting! A tremendous start!” The man's overly pleasing demeanor is troubling to you. No one acts like this without expectation of recompense. Still, Alkaign left Barathon with him for years and he clearly did not bring it to ruin. Some credit must be afforded, and you are not so powerful to refuse the assistance of possible allies.
“Remind me of your name, good Seneschal?” If he's offended, he is far too well trained, or too ambitious, to show it.
“I am Garn, my Lord. Humble servant to the master of Barathon.”
“Very good Garn. Bring the aspirants forward, I will hear their oaths.”
He does. It's not an arduous process. But the last of the men to be sworn to the Order draws your attention. Friedrich kneels before you, and swears the same oath as the others. He is now, by law, your man as long as you lead the Beholders. But this man detests you! He's made no secret of it. Member of Alkaign's house he may be, he has no love for you despite your close relationship with the Imperial family. What is he up to? Despite all of this, you have no cause to reject him, so you allow him to swear himself to you and the Order despite your misgivings. The unsworn knights will leave for the Capitol on the morrow. But first you have work to do. The new aspirants are sworn in, Alys is on the mend, and sometime in the future you have a wedding to plan. Mother will gloat and Eleyse will laugh. But there is a job you were sent to do.
