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Kid? I'm not a kid! But compared to some of his other siblings, he was. Halo chuckled at Zuuta's mention of "dumb oaf." But then, the dog's master started sniffing the air, much like a dog.

Ah, ,... ummm... And then the scent of the cake hit him as he heard the woman's question. Poor Amest, and she makes good cake too. Poor me!!

The woman was introducing herself and the hound, and Halo shifted his mind off his sister toward the woman. He was not going to like his introduction.

Halo nodded and with a stern face said, "My name is Halo of Mandor's Holy Knights." He knelt down and picked up Zuuta's hand to give it a soft kiss. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Zuuta, and Haber there. My sister had baked some cake. It's a tad crushed now, but if you or Haber would like any, I'd be happy to oblige."

Halo's actions were completely opposite of his thoughts.I hate being formal!!! Why does he have to be this way?!!

Dame Elenda of Mandor
....O ferrer, O friend; my bearer, my bond.

Dame Elenda made her way gradually toward the special stables reserved for royals, military officers, and high-ranking knights. Unlike the enormous, sprawling, heavily staffed stables used by everyone else staying inside the great castle, these buildings were set aside, closer to the citadel, and were naturally both better tended and more heavily guarded. Dame Elenda's mounts were located in stalls toward the middle of the fourth row.

Inside, the smell of beasts dominated the senses for the first few moments. Next noticeable was the general atmosphere of hay, the spice-like scent of the land stryders' feed, and the aromas of crushed pine needles and cedar shavings strewn about. Finally, every now and then, there was one or two more fragrant scents of various flowers--though their effect, being placed in vases and displayed in different spots here and there, mainly in sunlight, was more evident and appealing to the eyes than to the nose.

The high trussed ceiling contained lofts for storing feed, in addition to landings that protruded out from the wall--for fliers to take off straight from the stable if the need was pressing. Light slanted in beneath the overhanging roof. The cries and calls of beasts, the chattering of stable workers and knights, and the general milling that filtered in from outside, all came together in a cheerful, town-like cacophony.

The stable here was organized by person rather than by type of mount. Some had more mounts than others. The royalty, for example, had several of each type of mount per person. Some officers were only allowed three or four mounts in total. Some knights, like Dame Elenda, contented themselves with a mere two: a runner and a flier.

Elenda unhooked the latch and went inside her separate area, where she was instantly greeted by her two beloved creatures--a great dapple gray mare, and a male gryphon. The mare, Hona, was gentle spirited but possessed a great mental fortitude. Bred for stamina, the seven-year-old war horse could carry Elenda easily over long distances even at speed or with little rest. Aron, the gryphon, had golden feathers and a black coat of fur. Gryphons were bounders and gliders, expert at getting the most out of the air currents. They could scale a cliff as quickly as they could sprint across land, and their instincts to dive and to soar were a perfect complement for the more adventurous riders.

Like most knights, Elenda preferred to care for her mounts herself rather than let the servants take care of things. A knight needed to maintain a strong bond with the creatures that carried him or her into battle. Elenda never missed a chance to spend quality time with them. Today they had already been fed, and having sensed Elenda's excitement, were anxious to depart with her on another errand. Elenda greeted her mounts long and lovingly. She let them both out of their stalls and into Elenda's common area, where she proceeded to pet and groom them.

Aron had a light saddle, but nevertheless Elenda always loaded it full and stacked it with needed items. The more weight Aron bore in flight, and the more often, the stronger he would be and the higher he could go when Elenda needed to ride him. Hona's saddle, on the other hand, was heavy and well laden with weapons and equipment. By the time everything was done, a full hour had passed. With that, Elenda herself was ready to depart. Now she needed to see to the rest of the knights, heroes, and adventurers which had accepted the king's errand. After removing the Chain of Command, she placed it inside one of Hona's saddlebags. In place of the Chain, she drew a sable cloak about her shoulders and clasped it with the large golden brooch bearing the seal of Mandor. Her preparations complete, Dame Elenda strapped her famous halberd to her back and collected her spear, walking with it in her right hand while holding Hona's reins in the other. Aron followed on his own, needing no command, and together they made their way across stone landings and down grand staircases to the enormous courtyard in the Castle of Mandor.



The Castle of Mandor was a huge place, set at the top of a high mountain. It was not only Mandor's strongest fortress and garrison, it was so large that it also housed the capital and the royal palace. Despite the high elevation, the castle grounds remained more or less temperate, thanks to a team of mages. Thanks to their arcane weavings, it was never cold enough for any snow to take hold. In addition, the sun radiated heat throughout each day, providing ample warmth from dawn to dusk. At the time that the Errand of Dragons Rising was delivered, the season was just passing from Spring into Summer. At noon of the same day, Dame Elenda the Strong could be seen crossing the grand courtyard toward a complex of stables so large that is reputation was known in every civilized land. Much traffic came in and out of this place, the center of the Kingdom of Mandor, despite its impossible location. A place to store and tend the huge number of mounts had been a pressing need from the beginning. Rather than pepper the capital with different stables of varying quality and integrity, a royal edict had long ago been given to construct a single, grand stable that would service the entire Castle. So 'twas done, and so was made a place to inspire bardic song.

The stable complex, located on the left hand as one enters the great Castle gate, comprised eight large buildings. The first, nearest to the gate, housed all common horses, of which there were many. Next there were separate buildings for war horses, pegasi, and gryphons. Near these buildings was the registration house which managed all the workings of the stable complex. Closer to the courtyard was a building for beasts of burden, and another building for message carriers. Finally, hard by the wall, with a special fenced path that curved toward the road to the gate, was a building for land stryders.

Land stryders were fast and strong, favored by special messengers and scouts. They had stamina beyond any horse, and speed to match, but they were difficult to control unless the rider spent inordinate amounts of time developing a special bond. Land stryders came in different colors, from purple to indigo to forest green. Most rare and most prized were the larger red stryders more often used by the wealthier nobility.

Gryphons were the high-mountain predators of Mandor. Their wont was to bound up the steep mountains to gain altitude, then launch into the air, and diving toward the valleys below would swoop down and snatch all manner of prey, from scurrying coneys to fleet-footed harts to climbing goats. Though not particularly large, gryphons were strong, and the momentum from their dives would sweep them up on straining wings back to their lofty peaks. Gryphons had a disadvantage in aerial combat, for they relied on air currents and were not capable of complex maneuvers--unless it involved tumbling or diving. Gryphons were tougher than other fliers, however, and their ability to scale steep terrain at impressive speed was an invaluable asset.

Pegasi were the masters of the sky. Hollow-boned and delicate, they were extremely light, and so too must their riders be. A pegasus could move in the air as skilled and as graceful as any hunting hawk or speeding swallow. They came from the table-lands to the far south, where they could run upon the ground without weight, gaining such speed as to test the limits of description. Pegasi were magnificent creatures, trusting and loyal, and sensitive to a person's moral character. Their riders were usually healers, or else svelte females with bows. For these reasons, pegasus riders were reputed as pure, gentle, and noble of heart.

The backbone of society and the king of battle was the horse. Whether for work or for riding, horses were as central a part of life as knives or cloaks: nearly every person possessed at least one. Reliable and steadfast, horses develop strong bonds with their masters, and will rush to aid them sooner than any other type of mount. A man's horse was his life, his living, and his best friend.



Everyone bowed who noticed the brooch Dame Elenda wore. The steel ring on the base of her spear clanked on the cobbled ground as she approached the stable complex. The sun was high in the sky over head, bathing the Castle in its blessed warmth. Dame Elenda went straight to the registration building, to let the headmasters know how the new Errand was developing. When anyone on the Errand came for their mounts, the headmasters would direct them to Dame Elenda, their commander for this journey.

Already warriors were reporting to Dame Elenda and making ready to depart. Elenda talked with as many as came near, getting to know as well as she could whom she would be working with. It was quickly becoming quite a troop, which was why the king had opened the Errand to all the people in the first place. Several times, sure enough, Elenda had heard it called the Errand of Dragons Rising. She thought it a fitting name.

"Yeah, see you around!" Halo waved as Zuuta and her hound left. They could very well be in the same party. Halo kind of liked Zuuta's attitude, but he was sure that his brother wouldn't have the same opinion. But who doesn't like cake? Come on!

Halo sighed and figured that he should be on his way too. So, he wandered about and eventually crashed into one of the headmasters at the stable. Literally. Halo was shorter compared to one of the headmasters. Why couldn't I grow taller? The stableman informed the elf to report to Dame Elenda for the errand.

Well, finally. Hope we leave soon! Halo thought as he headed toward Dame Elenda, pushing through some crowds of people in the process. He finally saw her and greeted her. "Halo, Holy Knight, reporting."

((This post is edited from the original to include more detail.))

The taste of roasted ham was still lingering on Haber's tongue as he followed his master Zuuta back to the stable complex. His thick nails clacking loudly against the cobblestones; the scent of horses and other various steeds faintly wafted though his nose. The smell got him excited, making him fidgety and impatient. He kept trotting back and forth, whining and barking occasionally. They were going to work, he could tell, he loved the kind of work he's been able to do since his master and him started living in this fortress of stone.

"Will you hush up?" Zuuta barked at him irritably, slinging a durable leather rucksack over her shoulder. She was about to go into the stables when some young - and very scared-looking - stablehand stepped in her way.

"Excuse me, but um, a-are you on the Errand of Dragon's Rising?" He asked nervously, fiddling around with the bridle he was holding.

"Who wants to know, squirt?" She retorted in annoyance. Her horse Kohlsin wasn't going to groom and tack himself.

"Anyone that h-has signed up for that Errand mu-must report to Dame Elenda." His voice faltered a bit as he gave his reply. Like most of the help around the castle, he felt a slight fear for miss Leone and her unusual appearance, which also made her very easy to recognize.

She sighed heavily, before turning on her heel with a short "Whatever" and heading off in a different direction, Haber on her heels.

Before long, Zuuta spotted that elf kid from before, His name was like Hola or Halo or something, and some others gathered around a brunette woman who she assumed to be the Dame Elenda. She had heard of her, but she wasn't sure if she had ever actually met her face-to-face on an earlier occasion. She moved up to the front of the amassed crowd with a little help from Haber, for his size startled a few of the younger people into moving out of the way.

"Hey," She stated gruffly. "You're Dame Elenda right? I was told to come check in with you about the Errand." Haber tried to step forward and sniff at the woman's hand, but she quelled the urge with a light pat to his side. "I'm Zuuta Leone, a Knight specialized in animal behavior, taming, and training; and this is Haber, my Wolfhound, who will be accompanying me."

A servant had handed Cain a piece of parchment. Inside were a couple of details about the Errand of Dragon Rising, like when they planned to depart, a couple of names who were coming and some more details Cain didn't get to read as someone was knocking on his door. He was back in a tavern room with two of his comrades who had joined him in Aveforth. It was Miriel at the door, she sat down on the lap of one of the companions, he had escorted her from Aveforth.
”King Aron will send a diplomat who shall accompain you two back to Aveforth. The diplomat will talk to your council and then we will see.” Cain had a gentle smile on his face and looked at Miriel. ”You behaved very well in there, your people will be proud of you. Unfortunately, if Aveforth joins Mandor you will not be able to rule, but I will make sure you get the peace you deserve.”
The girl smiled, Cain knew very well she was older than she appeared, but she did a good job appearing as a child. While he looked into her eyes that were emitting a kind of joy that Cain hadn't seen in a long time, he stood up, folded the parchment into his chest-piece and went to the table where his two swords were.
“Thank you so much Arnsadorien.” the young princess smiled. “but I sense you're not coming with us.” a sort of worry surfaced in her eyes, but Cain ignored it.
”You're right, I am not.” He picked up his two-hander and fastened it on his back. ”I've saved Azurea to a point it can take care of itself, and I hope I did the same for Aveforth.” Cain now picked his blade, pulled it out the sheath and began to stare at the clean blade. ”Now I feel all of Mandor needs my help more than any of those two countries. There's a great Errand that I will be going on, together with many others in order to save all of Mandor from a threat greater than most of us can imagine.” The elf stared at Cain in wonder as he turned around and fixed the sword and sheath on his hip. ”I don't know if I'll return, but if I do you shall be the first person I visit.” he said joyfully and headed for the door.
“But sir...” the other human in the room began. “does General Norman know?” he asked, slightly surprised by Cains decision.
”Yes, he does. Don't worry Siron, you'll find home without me, right?” Siron nodded, he was the chief of the small academy in Arley and was a close friend of Duke Henry.

Cain reached the staples and pushed past the group which he quickly identified as the participants for the Errand of Dragon Rising, for he recognized Dame Elenda of Mandor. Her appearance decorated quite a portion of the ceiling in the throne room. But his current priority was Vaux, his griffon. One of the headmasters spotted him though and was rushing towards him, but Cain stopped him. ”Dame Elenda, I know, now let me see my griffon.” He now remembered some of the more annoying details about errands which he had forgotten. Thankfully the headmaster personally lead him to Vaux and then left.
”Now my boy...” Cain began as he closed his arms around the griffons neck and hugged him. ”I've found something to do for us, but it will be dangerous. I will be your comrade to the best of my ability.” Cain smiled and stepped back from the griffon, he could have sworn the creature nodded at him.

On his way back outside Cain scanned the group for a moment before he then stepped into the crowd, slowly but surely pushing forward to the centre of attention. Once again, he could hear the elves muttering as he passed by, he was proud that most elves knew his name and who he was, but the public awareness was something he could do without. ”Dame Elenda?” Cain asked as he was close enough to the heroine to be heard. ”The King has asked me to join you on your journey.” He had the black cape wrapped around his shoulders now and the ends of it were hanging in front, it shaped like a curtain around his appearance as he bowed just a little and the silver brooch shone in the light of the sun.

[[ill just set her up this way if anyone has issues please tell me, and if anyone knows a better way to insert myself please tell me that two]]

Sariel watched the goings on of the stable closely waiting for the departure of the group. She had just arrived on foot with her hood up and her hand on her sheath. She had said nothing when she had entered but had contented herself with leaning against the wall waiting. The invitation had been open to everyone and when she had come across it she had felt it something that she was meant for. She believed in possibilities, not in attaining fame but in the idea that one could take a bottom feeding past of survival and make it into something better. She knew she was meant to be here because of the quickened pace of her heart beat that the subtle but sharp intakes of breath she found herself making with each passing moment. The subtle excitement was hidden though behind a mask of extreme calm. It was her green eyes that gave it away each time she looked from one face to the other. No she was not a Knight but she knew she could be much more then the thief she once was, although removing g all her roguish traits would be hard to do and many would come in handy if needed.

Sariel removed her hood after awhile interested in the exchange going on before her. The smell of horses and other such animalls filled her nose reminding her of the dirty streets for a moment. She realized that she had yet to introduce herself. but then again she was not one for small talk and there would be plenty of time on the journey ahead. She was an observer, she watched others to get to know them, to understand the little things that made them tick. She had nodded her head when they were informed of their time of departure. Truthfully she had just wanted to be gone. The anticipation was eating her up from the inside out. It was the knight with the griffin that would distract her from her internal thoughts. A moment of peace to focus on something other then that which would be coming. She smiled at the sight and pushed a runaway strand of hair from her face.

"Ah what a gorgeous animal" She said silently not aware that the comment had been spoken out loud. She moved from her spot against the wall closer to those gathered. She could not help but feel as though she were somewhat out of place. But then again in her youth she had spent many years avoiding the law. It would be something she would need to get used to. Another thing to help her grow into herself. She again pushed the unruly hair from her face.

Cain laughed at Elendas remarks about his fightings skills and his skill with the sword. He joined her hand for the clasp and looked her straight in the eye, as it was tradition among adventurers and warriors alike. “Tell me, what news is there of Azurea? I guess that all must be well in hand, if you are ready to embark upon an Errand such as this? “ her question made him smirk only a little. ”It seems I have overstretched the Kings patience once more Dame Elenda, but Azurea has been benefiting greatly by my influence and the rediscovered friendship between elves and humans in my barony.” his smile was filled with pride and his chest would have swollen if there hadn't been that plate armour concealing and protecting it.
Vaux, the griffon was greatly annoyed while Cain was chatting, people were indeed staring at him, touching him unintentionally and the griffon nearly ran over the young man that had just approached Elenda. ”My apologies!” Cain proclaimed as he pulled his mount back by the harness. ”Vaux isn't a very social creature, he doesn't like being touched by to many people.” the knight laughed, and so did a couple of eavesdroppers around him. ”Are you alright there?” Cain looked at the young man, he was almost as tall as Cain, and was certainly dressed...different.... But there were others dressed just as different, to his surprise River, as he had introduced himself, was built quite robust and looked as if he had years of training behind him and yet he had this...this slacking appearance that made the thought of him as a warrior alone preposterous.
”It seems to me you are very busy at the moment, perhaps I shall return at a later hour?” the Baron suggested as he turned his attention back to Elenda, making sure his grip on the griffons harness was stronger than before.