Chapter 311: Their First Interaction
Rainclouds threatened rain, and snow remained on the highest peaks, but it didn’t sour Irene’s mood when she saw the second in command riding towards the Duke’s Tower at the same time they were.
"All of us finally together," she called to Felix first thing as she lifted the visor that covered her eyes. "How has everyone been taking it?"
Both groups stopped and merged into one another until it was a group of almost all the knights together for the first time in ages, not due to an emergency. There were words of well wishes between the few with Felix and the ones with Irene.
Even though the day wasn’t all that bright or sunny, Irene’s heart was struck with warmth.
While Felix did seem a bit exhausted, he smiled at the first thing Irene had said to him in months.
"Our first reunion in months, and all you’re asking about are other knights?" he joked.
"Both letters I’ve received from you since my return haven’t exactly had a desire to talk for the sake of it," she reminded him. "How is... everything?"
She couldn’t help her curiosity, glancing from Felix to the tower. There was a hesitance in her voice as if she was going to open a fresh wound. Had the Duke been awful so far? Was his inexperience obvious?
"You will have to see for yourself," Felix answered vaguely, though the smirk on his face only made her more curious. "For now, let us focus on resting for a day, then we will show the Commander what our knighthood is made of."
The second in command placed his helmet over his head once more, and he squeezed his knees, leading the knights around the front of the Duke’s Tower and around the western side that led them to their old stable.
Strangely enough, it was the maids and a few servants who first greeted them. There were new faces Irene didn’t recognize, and it caused her to wonder if there were unexpected changes she would have to get used to. They were working with minimal staff overlooking the small castle. Did their Commander require a lot of help despite having come from a modest background?