CHAPTER I: SEEKING ANSWERS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The northern sun quickly drained the light from the sky above Ishgard as dusk followed suit. Lord Viarre carried an anxious expression as he hurried into his chambers. Inside, the two Dragoons Falorgeant and Clarielle were waiting patiently for his arrival. Lord Viarre already knew what brought the Dragoons into his walls for they always had an interest for one thing - his knights.
Falorgeant leaned onto the brick wall with arms crossed as he watched Clarielle converse with one of the house's maids. The Dragoons, dawned in their acclaimed Drachen armor, turned their attention towards Lord Viarre once the old elezen finally entered the room and walked towards his desk. The retired knight had his back turned to the Dragoons and began to shuffle papers and scrolls alike, before he spoke with a voice that echoed throughout the chamber.
"I already know why you're both here," said Lord Viarre as he continued to organize his desk. "If you're looking for my knights, they have already left."
Falorgeant raised his head and looked at Lord Viarre deliberately. "It's about the hunt, Lord Viarre. What we discovered was disturbing."
"Go on, I'm listening."
"As you know, a party of knights were sent to dispatch a group of heretics and your knights tagged along as well. The thing is, the knight captain and his men did not know that the Vale Brothers were coming to join them. That, however, proved to be false. The heretics have been killed along with the captain and his party. The Vale Brothers were no where to be seen."
Lord Viarre turned immediately, staring at Falorgeant.
"What are you getting at? You think Marcus and his brother killed the knights?"
Falorgeant stepped forward and shook his head slightly. "That is what why we are here. There are people who want to know what happened and we seek the Vale Brothers for answers."
Lord Viarre grinded onto his teeth and his voice began to slightly raise.
"Has this house not lost enough?! I already lost my son and two of my best knights and now you two dare insult this house's remaining honor by assuming that my only knights left have killed that of the Holy See?!"
Clarielle frowned. "Our apologies, Lord, if our questions seem to be coming off as such but we’ve come to find answers. Do you happen to know where Marcus and Xydane are?"
Lord Viarre exhaled, quickly regaining his composure and closing his eyes. For a moment, the retired knight stood silently before sitting down on a chair made of oak. "My apologizes, Dragoons. When Ishgard is restless, so am I. Today has taken it's toll on my body but... it's no reason for my anger. Marcus is still out and about. Perhaps you can find him around the Saint Valeroyant Forum. He spends most of his time there."
"And Xydane?" asked Clarielle.
"Xydane had been sent off to escort a noble into the borders of The Black Shroud. Marcus knows the details."
