his waist. An impressive red cape hung from his left shoulder and continued to cascade down his back. The detailed golden lines and arches stitched into the cape were constructed to resemble the crest of Arden, the phoenix. A light breeze rustled through the fine silk, and for a moment the phoenix seemed alive, fluttering in the wind.
The seneschal gave Roland a nod before taking a step closer to the gathered students. His eyes matched the blue embroidery on his clothing. He smiled, not unhandsomely, and spoke for the first time.
“On behalf of King Rishi Radek, I, Koal Adelwijn, Seneschal of Arden, extend his majesty’s gratitude to the young men and women who have accepted the country’s recent call to arms.” His voice was smooth and articulate—the well-trained voice of a diplomat.
Koal clasped his hands together behind his back. “Furthermore, I applaud your bravery. The life of a sentinel is not for the weak-hearted and courage can be hard to find in the face of adversity. Rest assured Weapons Master Roland will do all he can to best prepare you to protect yourself and defend your country, if the need arises. I expect all of you to uphold the values of our beloved nation and to represent Arden with honor and integrity.” The seneschal’s eyes flitted past Gib and the young boy flinched.
“If you must draw your sword, do so only in the name of justice,” Koal continued. “Your job is to protect those who can’t defend themselves, not to oppress them. You serve all the people of Arden, not only those who are in power or well liked.” He made eye contact with Roland. “I leave you now in the hands of our finest defense expert. I have full confidence in Weapons Master Roland and if I hear of any impudence directed toward him, such behavior will be dealt with swiftly. Carry on, Master Roland.” With that, the seneschal turned on his heels and marched away without so much as a farewell.
Roland was quick to redirect the trainees’ attention. “All right, today we’re going to learn the basics of sparring, so find a partner and line up in front of the utility shed to retrieve practice swords. Boys with boys, and girls with girls.”
Diddy turned to look at Gib even as he was doing the same. “Do you want to work together?”
Gib smiled with relief. “Yes, please. That would be great.”
As the two boys navigated their way toward the shed, Didier smiled. “So what did you think of Seneschal Koal?”
Gib looked over his shoulder to be certain no one of importance was standing nearby. “The seneschal was intimidating,” he admitted in a hushed voice. “I guess I never envisioned myself standing so close to someone that high in rank. It was like being in the presence of royalty.”
Diddy’s eyes danced playfully but before he could utter a response, Roland’s rough voice cut through the air. “ Tarquin Aldino! Do you not have a partner?”
Gib glanced over in time to see Tarquin’s fair cheeks turn pink with color. It was clear he was embarrassed, as he seemed to be the only boy who hadn’t been able to find a sparring partner. Even his roommate Nage Nessuno had been able to find someone. Gib’s lip threatened to twitch.
Tarquin’s face and neck were a fantastical shade of crimson as he replied, “N–no, sir. I believe there are an odd number of us—”
Roland waved his hand in the air. He pointed at someone out of Gib’s view, farther down the line of trainees. “Kezra! Get over here. Looks like I found you a partner after all.”
Tarquin let out an imploring groan, his eyes widening. “But she’s a girl!”
Even before Gib could see her, he was certain he knew who it was. The girl from yesterday with the wild hair and diamond on her forehead stormed over to the highborn boy. Her dark face was contorted into a fearsome frown as she came upon him. Voice low and clear, her words travelled across the field. “All the more fitting for when I kick your whining ass,