“Conflict and strife are indeed abundant upon this land,†Roen said as she stirred the contents of her bowl, absently eyeing various pieces of meat. “The Shroud has been under the rule, and sometimes even the threat, of the elementals there. La Noscea ran rampant with pirates throughout their history, and Thanalan still fights corruption within itself every sun. And you see for yourself what the Ishgardians face here.†The movement of her wooden spoon paused for a moment, the paladin’s gaze growing distant. “I used to believe that there were more who were disciplined, giving, and fair, that they far outweighed their opposite, and maintained the peace.
“What I have learned since is that the scales tip back and forth often, where the few unruly and selfish administer violence or pressure upon those that cannot fend for themselves. Then it is left to those that want up uphold the fairness to resist and maintain order.†A frown was beginning to darken her features. “And sometimes, those means are not peaceful. Sometimes violence has to be met with more violence. And sometimes, the selfish still rules the land and all must abide by their law.â€
The paladin lowered her head, her forelocks falling about her face as she began to spoon more bites of the mutton into her mouth. She no longer wanted to speak of nor ponder on the lessons imparted to her in the past year. And yet, the way Khadai seemed bewildered of the contentions upon this land, she had to wonder if his people were completely at peace with one another. Did they truly achieve some kind of a harmonious understanding amongst themselves?
Or was it more of a forced cooperation like her homeland who conquered other nations, and conscripted its people into the Imperial service? Roen found herself dismissing that thought as soon as it came. As much as he upheld the importance of function and efficiency, she could not imagine Khadai condoning more warfare to subjugate others. And yet, even she could not deny that throughout her childhood, she had mostly known only peace under the Emperor’s rule. Was it not the view of the Garlean Empire that their goal was conquer Eorzea to end its various threats and thereby bring peace and order to its people?
The paladin stole a glance at Khadai from the corner of her eyes as he looked contemplatively into his empty bowl. He had called them “The Black Onesâ€, the people of her homeland. He had fought and killed many Garlean soldiers. Would he find her Imperial origins just as repulsive as most did in Eorzea? Roen’s first instinct was to not bring it up. She had learned in the last many years that she had spent here, that even while working to protect its people, many would cast an instant judgement upon others simply based on their origins.
But then again, perhaps Khadai would understand such animosity.
She was forced to set that thought aside when she heard another commotion at the edge of the camp as a small group of knights approached. Their chainmail armor bore scorch marks and blood stains, and a few were being supported by their comrades for they could not bear their own weight. A couple of mounts followed, bearing more wounded upon their saddles. Convictory Knights trotted out to meet and aid them, and Roen herself stood when she saw Ser Tabourot stride out as well, calling for a report.
“Ser Tabourot!†One of the lead knights saluted immediately, sliding his helm atop his head, his voice crisp despite his limping gait. “We were set upon by our mark near the Black Iron Bridge! This one is lightning quick, ser. It struck fast and flew back up into the clouds before we were able to retaliate. Ser Porter and the rest of the men who were not injured are still out by the bridge, but I was tasked to bring the wounded here.†He nodded in thanks when the camp chirurgeon approached, and Roen followed closely behind, intent on assessing the wounds.
“Is Ser Porter calling for reinforcements?†Ser Tabourot asked, his eyes narrowed.
The knight answered with a nod. “He also alerted Ser Sarrasin’s men.†He shook his head, sounding somewhat breathless. Their trek apparently had been hurried through the Highlands to return to The Convictory. “Only a few of us were injured, the dragon swooping down from the skies with fire spewing from its maws. It snatched up Ser Fearon on its dive. We have… yet to come across him.†He bowed his head momentarily and Roen realized that the knight was hoping to find a body. “I believe it knew we were out on a hunt. We weren’t given the chance to try and bring the creature down. My hope is that Ser Vaillancourt is able to--â€
“Dragon!†came the emphatic warning from Kenwrec, one of the knights that Roen was familiar with in her previous trips to the encampment. The Hyur knight was usually tasked as a lookout to search the skies with a long scope to his eye. But never had she heard him call out that word before. It chilled her to the bone.
All eyes, including those of the paladin shot upwards to the thick grey clouds. Could an approach of such a creature be so silent and inconspicuous? she wondered. At first she saw nothing, even the Highlands winds having quieted to an eerie silence. Her eyes darted quickly from cloud to cloud. It would make them even more of an effective predator. Then she caught a glimpse.
A brief shadow shot through the billow of grey; it bore a great span of wings, and a long slim body. It was visible then not, maneuvering through the overcast like a water serpent swimming under the water lilies, as if to use it as its cover. And it was faster than she had ever imagined.
“Make haste! Bring the injured into the camp!†Ser Tabourot stepped aside as he waved the rest of the men through the rows of lances and stakes. Already the knights within the Convictory were rushing forward with their bows and lances in hand. Roen started to back up along with the men, for she knew the bluff and the lances would give them some protection from the swooping aerial attacks. Her hand reached back to her shield hung upon her back.
“Look out!!†Kenwrec called out again, but this time his exclamation was followed by a startled scream.
Roen turned just in time to see something plummet through the air, as it came crashing down upon one row of wooden stakes. The height it was dropped from, and the weight of the object itself sent the set of stakes crashing forward. The sharp wooden beams were broken and thrown in different directions and sending broken splinters flying into the snow. Roen raised her gauntlet in front of her eyes shield it from any debris, but when she lowered her arm, she saw amidst the wreckage the body of a dead knight.
It had sent the bowmen skittering to the side to dodge the impact against the fortifications, and that is when a spray of fire descended from the sky. Roen dove to the side, her arms and knees skidding into the snow as a massive blur of grey shadow shot past them. Screams rose from those that were caught within with incendiary assault, mostly the wounded that were being brought to the encampment.
She heard more shouts echoing around her as she looked up again, already the creature taking to the higher atmosphere. She heard twangs and whistles of arrows being loosed into the sky, but she could not see any hitting their mark.
It cannot swoop too close to the Convictory, but the wounded have been caught outside of it by that drop. Roen’s heart pounded as she scrambled back to her feet, darting to the nearest knight that was struggling on the ground. Did it follow them here?
The paladin was curling the knight’s arm around her neck to stand him up when she felt the sudden gust of chill descending from above, battering anyone within the vicinity with wind swept snow. Roen instinctively turned her head away to shield her eyes, but she spun back around at the sound of a forceful buffet of wings beating the air.
Her eyes slowly rose to gaze upon a magnificently fearsome creature descending before them. Ancient grey scales covered it from head to tail, and its massive wingspan was almost the entire length of the encampment. After two more beats of its powerful wings, the grey-white dragon came to a dexterous landing on the icy ground. Its nimble movements almost resembled a cat in its grace that belied its size, and its sharp talons dug into the icy earth. Its spiked tail coiled like a snake and the great antler-like horns that curled up and back from its head accentuated the angry deep set eyes.
Those eyes made Roen pause for a fraction of a second. They glowed with deep red, the color of blood and fury.
Then she realized its maws were opening wide. And from within its black depths came fire.
“What I have learned since is that the scales tip back and forth often, where the few unruly and selfish administer violence or pressure upon those that cannot fend for themselves. Then it is left to those that want up uphold the fairness to resist and maintain order.†A frown was beginning to darken her features. “And sometimes, those means are not peaceful. Sometimes violence has to be met with more violence. And sometimes, the selfish still rules the land and all must abide by their law.â€
The paladin lowered her head, her forelocks falling about her face as she began to spoon more bites of the mutton into her mouth. She no longer wanted to speak of nor ponder on the lessons imparted to her in the past year. And yet, the way Khadai seemed bewildered of the contentions upon this land, she had to wonder if his people were completely at peace with one another. Did they truly achieve some kind of a harmonious understanding amongst themselves?
Or was it more of a forced cooperation like her homeland who conquered other nations, and conscripted its people into the Imperial service? Roen found herself dismissing that thought as soon as it came. As much as he upheld the importance of function and efficiency, she could not imagine Khadai condoning more warfare to subjugate others. And yet, even she could not deny that throughout her childhood, she had mostly known only peace under the Emperor’s rule. Was it not the view of the Garlean Empire that their goal was conquer Eorzea to end its various threats and thereby bring peace and order to its people?
The paladin stole a glance at Khadai from the corner of her eyes as he looked contemplatively into his empty bowl. He had called them “The Black Onesâ€, the people of her homeland. He had fought and killed many Garlean soldiers. Would he find her Imperial origins just as repulsive as most did in Eorzea? Roen’s first instinct was to not bring it up. She had learned in the last many years that she had spent here, that even while working to protect its people, many would cast an instant judgement upon others simply based on their origins.
But then again, perhaps Khadai would understand such animosity.
She was forced to set that thought aside when she heard another commotion at the edge of the camp as a small group of knights approached. Their chainmail armor bore scorch marks and blood stains, and a few were being supported by their comrades for they could not bear their own weight. A couple of mounts followed, bearing more wounded upon their saddles. Convictory Knights trotted out to meet and aid them, and Roen herself stood when she saw Ser Tabourot stride out as well, calling for a report.
“Ser Tabourot!†One of the lead knights saluted immediately, sliding his helm atop his head, his voice crisp despite his limping gait. “We were set upon by our mark near the Black Iron Bridge! This one is lightning quick, ser. It struck fast and flew back up into the clouds before we were able to retaliate. Ser Porter and the rest of the men who were not injured are still out by the bridge, but I was tasked to bring the wounded here.†He nodded in thanks when the camp chirurgeon approached, and Roen followed closely behind, intent on assessing the wounds.
“Is Ser Porter calling for reinforcements?†Ser Tabourot asked, his eyes narrowed.
The knight answered with a nod. “He also alerted Ser Sarrasin’s men.†He shook his head, sounding somewhat breathless. Their trek apparently had been hurried through the Highlands to return to The Convictory. “Only a few of us were injured, the dragon swooping down from the skies with fire spewing from its maws. It snatched up Ser Fearon on its dive. We have… yet to come across him.†He bowed his head momentarily and Roen realized that the knight was hoping to find a body. “I believe it knew we were out on a hunt. We weren’t given the chance to try and bring the creature down. My hope is that Ser Vaillancourt is able to--â€
“Dragon!†came the emphatic warning from Kenwrec, one of the knights that Roen was familiar with in her previous trips to the encampment. The Hyur knight was usually tasked as a lookout to search the skies with a long scope to his eye. But never had she heard him call out that word before. It chilled her to the bone.
All eyes, including those of the paladin shot upwards to the thick grey clouds. Could an approach of such a creature be so silent and inconspicuous? she wondered. At first she saw nothing, even the Highlands winds having quieted to an eerie silence. Her eyes darted quickly from cloud to cloud. It would make them even more of an effective predator. Then she caught a glimpse.
A brief shadow shot through the billow of grey; it bore a great span of wings, and a long slim body. It was visible then not, maneuvering through the overcast like a water serpent swimming under the water lilies, as if to use it as its cover. And it was faster than she had ever imagined.
“Make haste! Bring the injured into the camp!†Ser Tabourot stepped aside as he waved the rest of the men through the rows of lances and stakes. Already the knights within the Convictory were rushing forward with their bows and lances in hand. Roen started to back up along with the men, for she knew the bluff and the lances would give them some protection from the swooping aerial attacks. Her hand reached back to her shield hung upon her back.
“Look out!!†Kenwrec called out again, but this time his exclamation was followed by a startled scream.
Roen turned just in time to see something plummet through the air, as it came crashing down upon one row of wooden stakes. The height it was dropped from, and the weight of the object itself sent the set of stakes crashing forward. The sharp wooden beams were broken and thrown in different directions and sending broken splinters flying into the snow. Roen raised her gauntlet in front of her eyes shield it from any debris, but when she lowered her arm, she saw amidst the wreckage the body of a dead knight.
It had sent the bowmen skittering to the side to dodge the impact against the fortifications, and that is when a spray of fire descended from the sky. Roen dove to the side, her arms and knees skidding into the snow as a massive blur of grey shadow shot past them. Screams rose from those that were caught within with incendiary assault, mostly the wounded that were being brought to the encampment.
She heard more shouts echoing around her as she looked up again, already the creature taking to the higher atmosphere. She heard twangs and whistles of arrows being loosed into the sky, but she could not see any hitting their mark.
It cannot swoop too close to the Convictory, but the wounded have been caught outside of it by that drop. Roen’s heart pounded as she scrambled back to her feet, darting to the nearest knight that was struggling on the ground. Did it follow them here?
The paladin was curling the knight’s arm around her neck to stand him up when she felt the sudden gust of chill descending from above, battering anyone within the vicinity with wind swept snow. Roen instinctively turned her head away to shield her eyes, but she spun back around at the sound of a forceful buffet of wings beating the air.
Her eyes slowly rose to gaze upon a magnificently fearsome creature descending before them. Ancient grey scales covered it from head to tail, and its massive wingspan was almost the entire length of the encampment. After two more beats of its powerful wings, the grey-white dragon came to a dexterous landing on the icy ground. Its nimble movements almost resembled a cat in its grace that belied its size, and its sharp talons dug into the icy earth. Its spiked tail coiled like a snake and the great antler-like horns that curled up and back from its head accentuated the angry deep set eyes.
Those eyes made Roen pause for a fraction of a second. They glowed with deep red, the color of blood and fury.
Then she realized its maws were opening wide. And from within its black depths came fire.
