Chapter 159: Show Off for the Nobles (Castle Bonus - )
Sir Gunnar had been going easy on the apprentices for two days but by the third he decided he needed to get them out of hibernation and back looking sharp. Not only would they be practicing guard duties at the banquet, but Earl Auden had requested a showing of the knights’ strength. He would use it as an opportunity to pin his knights against all other orders.
Since his knighthood undoubtedly had ridiculous amounts of funding going to it, there was at least some sort of advantage in that.
The Knights of Tenetium were determined to prove that they didn’t need deep pockets to remain the strongest knighthood. In Gunnar’s opinion, only the Knights of Hydrogia led by Commander Lothian in the south could hold a candle to what they had in the north.
As Irene exited the doors leading to the courtyard first thing in the morning, she was expecting to be struck by a freezing chill she had known each winter for her entire life. However, what she was met with was far from that.
All of the snow had been cleared away from the practice yard as if it was never there in the first place. There were fires lit in the corners of the courtyard that made the warmth grow. It seemed blocking the wind was enough to make them believe the weather wasn’t freezing.
She practically expected to see green grasses and bushes lining the place considering how relatively warm it felt.
The Royal Knights were out that day as well, running through drills and showing off their glistening armor. She still wondered if they were strong or simply beautiful. Whatever it was must have been enough considering the Princess and Crown Prince managed to get out of the bandit attack unscathed.
As the apprentices lined up in front of the knights, they were able to see that a few early arriving nobles had started lining the walkways on the second story above the courtyard. Those who were interested in watching the knights had pulled furs over their bodies so that they wouldn’t be bothered by the cold from much farther up.
Irene saw a flash of her father’s red hair as he walked along the wall. A sad smile appeared on her face as she silently wished he was out there practicing with them.