I Will Be the Greatest Knight

The moment the letter was rolled back up into the tight scroll it was delivered to them, Irene gently pulled it from Felix's grasp.

"I will put it in the Duke's study once we've returned," she explained.

It certainly was not that she quite liked being mentioned in a letter from her Commander. After all, she had gone through trouble to try and forget all the conversations they had before he left. Having a crush on her superior wasn't going to work in the long run.

"You're set on leaving now?" Felix asked. "You seemed to have enjoyed your daily ritual of browsing the shops in town."

Irene raised her eyebrows at him and crossed her arms as she deftly slipped the letter into the pouch at her waist so that it was no longer anyone's focus.

"There are Sunstoian artifacts all around," she insisted. "You just have to look carefully. I'm trying to bring them back to my father so they are at least in the proper hands."

"Then you better do one last sweep quickly," Felix responded. "I would like for us to leave tomorrow. We have an entire day to prepare ourselves."

"It's for the best," Siverly interjected. "I believe the Idonian mages are growing tired of knights. They used to open their shops much earlier but now they wait until there are no more apprentices or knights running spars or practices."

The knights present in the dining hall looked somewhat smugly at that. It wasn't that they were happy the mages were unhappy but they were in the same frame of mind as Commander Henry where they were barrelling through the mages defenses and seeing who was strong enough to become their friend at the end of it all.

It seemed that mostly the youngsters who occasionally escaped various buildings or houses were the ones who favored the knights and liked to show them magic tricks. A few even were brave enough to attempt a spar or lift the knights' swords. They were learning so much about one another.

"There haven't been any more monsters even without the dragon," Irene added, finally relenting. "I suppose our purpose here really has come to an end. Shall we go inform Alix?"

"On a first name basis?" Trenton asked in disbelief, his tone with a teasing edge to it.

The red-headed knight knew someone who wouldn't be too happy with that. After all, he witnessed Henry try but fail to get on a more comfortable basis with Irene, but as far as he was aware, he only ever heard her refer to him as "Commander" or the far less favorite "His Grace."

However, a sophisticated voice was heard at the edge of the dining hall and all eyes snapped in that direction.

"You won't have to go far to inform me," Alix insisted, slowly entering with Katerina and Sir Maximus on either side of him.

Even though he had a walking stick in his hands and two very cautious mages on either side of him—Sir Maximus turning out to be part mage because of his mage mother—Alix was giving a decent show of strength for only his second walk since waking up. He was going further and further each time. The mages kept warning him against it and showering him with their worries, but he was insistent that it was the only way for him to regain his strength.

Despite his perseverance, there was sweat gathering along his pristine, blonde hairline.

Irene stood up quickly.

"Please, come sit and eat something," she requested. "We were all discussing the plans for the near future and wanted you to be informed." Only when he had slowly made his way forward and sat heavily on the bench did Irene continue. "Commander Henry has sent us a letter stating that Commander Lothian has approved of the Knights of Hydrogia going with us to Chemois for the first bit of your trip back to Hydrogia."

The unsaid fact was that the path was much easier than the steep mountains they would have to go over if they were going directly to Hydrogia. This way Alix would have more time to heal and the path was relatively flat and friendly enough that a wagon could go over it without trouble.

"And when would you like to leave?" the second in command from the south asked the knights from the north.

"If you're feeling up to it, tomorrow morning," Felix explained.

"I'm unwilling to slow down progress home when autumn and winter are ever looming," Alix admitted. "I'm sure winter is even closer in the north. We will leave tomorrow then. I will have to have a carriage prepared, unfortunately for me there is no other choice."

"Don't worry yourself over it," Irene assured him. "I will see to it that the apprentices get it together. We have a couple of experienced wagoners within our ranks who will be able to give you a smooth ride forth."

"Then it's decided," Alix stated. "I look forward to our travels tomorrow. I believe it is time for me to return to Katerina's and get myself together. Not that I have much considering I was of the living dead for most of my visit to Idona."

Irene was sure she grimaced, but she tried to train her expression quickly. She didn't like to think about what was. The Alix in front of her was what she wanted to focus on. He was regaining his strength so quickly.

With that, they all went off in separate ways, informing the knights who weren't there in the first place of the plans to leave. Irene, in particular, went off to the apprentices and informed them of the important task they were going to be assigned for the trip.

Unfortunately, despite a last, thorough search through Idona, there were no other signs of Sunstoain items, but it only made her more determined to search through other new places to see if she could find more.

The knights gathered at the northern edge of the township and bid goodbye to Katerina and Josef who were the only two who cared to see them off.