(( Meanwhile, back at the Palace... ))
The sound of steel on stone echoed down the Hustings Strip. Clear, separated footsteps with both purpose and authority. A few heads of passing citizens turned to regard the Knight as she passed by, but the alchemists paid her no mind, so used to that sound as they were.
She stopped outside the door to her Captain's office, saluting the guard with a nod. "Ser Crofte. You are expected. One moment please," he said as he disappeared inside. His comrade on the opposite side merely looked on, taking no apparent notice of the woman. A moment later the guard returned. "Captain Jenlyns will see you now." he said, stepping aside with the door held open.
Coatleque hesitantly stepped forward into the office. She had been here only twice before - for her induction as a knight in training, and again for her first official orders after completing her trial and swearing her oath before the Sultana herself. To be summoned here was to receive either a blessing or curse, and her mind was racing over her past few patrols looking for some hidden fault of her own that was about to receive just retribution.
As the door latched shut behind her, she snapped back to reality and quickly stepped to the side, at attention. Head held high and hands clasped behind her back, her eyes quickly scanned the room as her guard's instinct took over. Though it was only mid-day, the drapes were drawn and lanterns were lit. It was not hard to determine why, once her eyes adjusted. To the left stood Grandmaster Papashan. More surprisingly, the Flame General himself stood to the right. Both remained quiet as if in serious thought.
"Miss Crofte." Jenlyns began. "Ser!" she replied with a click of her heels. "I offer you a seat, though I know you won't take it." He continued. Of course she did not sit, but stood at attention awaiting instruction. "Very well. I have called you here to discuss something of a rather sensitive nature..."
The Captain, seated at his desk, rose at this time and turned toward the window behind. He parted the drapes and looked out to the plaza below. "I'm sure you have heard of some recent allegations levied against certain of our members. You need not answer, I am no fool to expect that word has not travelled fast. It is no question that such rumors have done much harm to our reputation, a question of our loyalty, but even worse - the influence of the Sultana within her own realm."
The Knight swallowed hard, but remained quiet, looking forward still. He pulled his hand back and the drapes once again closed. Turning to face her he continued, "We must needs counteract the growing negative influence of the Monetarists, and the best way to do that is to assure the public that the Sultana is still in charge of her reign. While the Flame General does what he can, the fact is that the Flames themselves are still seen as a hand of the Syndicate. It is we who are the very hand of the Sultana."
The man paused in his speech just long enough for the silence to turn awkward. She decided she had best speak up, "What would you have me do, Ser!", she said with some feigned eagerness to let him know she was still paying attention.
"Miss Crofte," he continued, "Your name is beginning to carry inside some circles. You are still yet new to us, but your loyalty and dedication are being noticed by the public. We must capitalize on this before that name moves too far up the aristocracy."
"S-Ser?" she responded with a tilt of her head, unsure how to take this news.
"You are doing good work for the Sultansworn." he continued on, paying her no mind. "Work that must needs continue in order to win back the peoples' favor from the Monetarists. What I want... what we need for you to do is to continue. Continue your duties. Patrol the streets. Guard the public squares. In short, we need you to continue to represent the strong authority of the Sultana outside the Hustings Strip."
"Ser, yes Ser!", she snapped in reply as her head was once again held high.
"In addition, Miss Crofte, I must address certain rumors of your own affairs that I presume are long in the past."
Her face suddenly paled at this, mind once again racing, hoping he was not talking of what she thought he was.
"A Sultansworn must needs be above all reproach, personally, professionally. I care not of what past events you may have been forced to take part in. You have shown where your loyalties ultimately lay in your own actions. If you can promise me that you will continue to walk this path to better yourself and those around you, then I will assure you I shall not let rumors of your past be used against your station in the Elite Guard."
"Y-yes Ser! Of course, Ser!"
"Your re-assurance is enough for those present then. Finally, I must needs fill a vacancy in command. Miss Crofte, in witness of those present I hereby promote you to Sergeant. You shall be my eyes and ears in the public spectrum now. You may also be called upon to take new prospectives under you wing. I must say, this is MOST unorthodox. Times being what they are, and with our decline in numbers, swift action is sometimes called for. Do not feel slighted by this sudden elevation. I would not do this if you had not earned it."
"T-thank you, Ser!", she snapped with new-found confidence.
"I expect you to wear the armor of your station with pride. But now for your orders. You have no doubt heard rumors of your former comrades recently implicated in... less than noble acts. You are not to engage them. Do not seek them out, do not pursue their actions. You are to be our beacon in these dark times. Our enemy will surely make you a target and seek to subvert you, and they will no doubt be used as tools against you. Understand that these orders are for your protection, and ours."
"I understand, Ser!"
"Thank you, Ser Crofte. You are dismissed." he said as he retook his seat. Quietly leaning forward he lifted a document from his desk and began perusing over it. Quietly, the Knight turned and opened the door, the mid-day sun blinding her temporarily as she stepped back out of the office and closed the door behind. Neither guard paid her any mind, once again, as she walked off. The sound of steel on stone echoed down the Hustings Strip.
The sound of steel on stone echoed down the Hustings Strip. Clear, separated footsteps with both purpose and authority. A few heads of passing citizens turned to regard the Knight as she passed by, but the alchemists paid her no mind, so used to that sound as they were.
She stopped outside the door to her Captain's office, saluting the guard with a nod. "Ser Crofte. You are expected. One moment please," he said as he disappeared inside. His comrade on the opposite side merely looked on, taking no apparent notice of the woman. A moment later the guard returned. "Captain Jenlyns will see you now." he said, stepping aside with the door held open.
Coatleque hesitantly stepped forward into the office. She had been here only twice before - for her induction as a knight in training, and again for her first official orders after completing her trial and swearing her oath before the Sultana herself. To be summoned here was to receive either a blessing or curse, and her mind was racing over her past few patrols looking for some hidden fault of her own that was about to receive just retribution.
As the door latched shut behind her, she snapped back to reality and quickly stepped to the side, at attention. Head held high and hands clasped behind her back, her eyes quickly scanned the room as her guard's instinct took over. Though it was only mid-day, the drapes were drawn and lanterns were lit. It was not hard to determine why, once her eyes adjusted. To the left stood Grandmaster Papashan. More surprisingly, the Flame General himself stood to the right. Both remained quiet as if in serious thought.
"Miss Crofte." Jenlyns began. "Ser!" she replied with a click of her heels. "I offer you a seat, though I know you won't take it." He continued. Of course she did not sit, but stood at attention awaiting instruction. "Very well. I have called you here to discuss something of a rather sensitive nature..."
The Captain, seated at his desk, rose at this time and turned toward the window behind. He parted the drapes and looked out to the plaza below. "I'm sure you have heard of some recent allegations levied against certain of our members. You need not answer, I am no fool to expect that word has not travelled fast. It is no question that such rumors have done much harm to our reputation, a question of our loyalty, but even worse - the influence of the Sultana within her own realm."
The Knight swallowed hard, but remained quiet, looking forward still. He pulled his hand back and the drapes once again closed. Turning to face her he continued, "We must needs counteract the growing negative influence of the Monetarists, and the best way to do that is to assure the public that the Sultana is still in charge of her reign. While the Flame General does what he can, the fact is that the Flames themselves are still seen as a hand of the Syndicate. It is we who are the very hand of the Sultana."
The man paused in his speech just long enough for the silence to turn awkward. She decided she had best speak up, "What would you have me do, Ser!", she said with some feigned eagerness to let him know she was still paying attention.
"Miss Crofte," he continued, "Your name is beginning to carry inside some circles. You are still yet new to us, but your loyalty and dedication are being noticed by the public. We must capitalize on this before that name moves too far up the aristocracy."
"S-Ser?" she responded with a tilt of her head, unsure how to take this news.
"You are doing good work for the Sultansworn." he continued on, paying her no mind. "Work that must needs continue in order to win back the peoples' favor from the Monetarists. What I want... what we need for you to do is to continue. Continue your duties. Patrol the streets. Guard the public squares. In short, we need you to continue to represent the strong authority of the Sultana outside the Hustings Strip."
"Ser, yes Ser!", she snapped in reply as her head was once again held high.
"In addition, Miss Crofte, I must address certain rumors of your own affairs that I presume are long in the past."
Her face suddenly paled at this, mind once again racing, hoping he was not talking of what she thought he was.
"A Sultansworn must needs be above all reproach, personally, professionally. I care not of what past events you may have been forced to take part in. You have shown where your loyalties ultimately lay in your own actions. If you can promise me that you will continue to walk this path to better yourself and those around you, then I will assure you I shall not let rumors of your past be used against your station in the Elite Guard."
"Y-yes Ser! Of course, Ser!"
"Your re-assurance is enough for those present then. Finally, I must needs fill a vacancy in command. Miss Crofte, in witness of those present I hereby promote you to Sergeant. You shall be my eyes and ears in the public spectrum now. You may also be called upon to take new prospectives under you wing. I must say, this is MOST unorthodox. Times being what they are, and with our decline in numbers, swift action is sometimes called for. Do not feel slighted by this sudden elevation. I would not do this if you had not earned it."
"T-thank you, Ser!", she snapped with new-found confidence.
"I expect you to wear the armor of your station with pride. But now for your orders. You have no doubt heard rumors of your former comrades recently implicated in... less than noble acts. You are not to engage them. Do not seek them out, do not pursue their actions. You are to be our beacon in these dark times. Our enemy will surely make you a target and seek to subvert you, and they will no doubt be used as tools against you. Understand that these orders are for your protection, and ours."
"I understand, Ser!"
"Thank you, Ser Crofte. You are dismissed." he said as he retook his seat. Quietly leaning forward he lifted a document from his desk and began perusing over it. Quietly, the Knight turned and opened the door, the mid-day sun blinding her temporarily as she stepped back out of the office and closed the door behind. Neither guard paid her any mind, once again, as she walked off. The sound of steel on stone echoed down the Hustings Strip.