Snowflakes spun and floated across the cobblestone streets as if dancing to a silent tune. The air was cold and crisp, almost ferocious as it nipped at the noses of towns folk traversing the roads. The mood was festive and children and adults alike laughed and reveled, the entire town in celebration of the Spring festival. Fervelen was in the far north, nestled between a grouping of mountains and snow was not uncommon even late into spring. Despite that the town thrived, being located on one of the largest vitrium iron veins it made a significant amount of wealth, becoming the home of many prominent houses. The entire city from the streets to the many homes and workshops was lined in a web of vitrium iron beams. The metal was incredible at conducting the heat generated by the massive generator that was built into one of the mountains. The generator made the life in Fervelen tolerable at its worst and even comfortable at its best. Alienor sat on the roof, observing the merriment in the streets below, vigilant like a hawk for any trouble that may spring up. She was one of the youngest Tempest knights to graduate from the Fervelen military academy, lauded for her skill with magnetic gems. She was never one for parties and large gatherings, one of the reasons for her fast track through the academy. As far as she was concerned, the less distractions in her life, the better. Alienor brushed her short black hair out of her eyes, turned, and ran across the rooftop. Reaching the edge she did not break her stride and leapt, pushing away from one of the metal rails with the energy coursing through her. The magnetic forces propelled her away like a cannonball towards the next rooftop. Her knights armor glistened in the sun as she soared through the sky like a steel eagle. As she approached the neighboring roof she reached out and latched on to the next beam, pushing and pulling she adjusted landing onto the roof like a cat. There was no slowing down, she ran and jumped from rooftop to rooftop, making her way to the castle at the heart of the city. She would much rather stay outside on patrol but her presence was requested by her father and she wasn't one to say no to him. Besides there were many other knights out on patrol and there wasn't very much that could stand up to a couple of Tempest knights. The castle loomed over the city, nearly a mountain in its own right, vitrium iron bands ran through the entire structure as if a skeleton, the heat never letting the snow cover its majesty. The castle was the easiest thing in this city for Alienor to traverse, not just because of her skill set but because she knew it like the back of her hand. Her father was the High Marshal and had brought her to the castle from a young age; there wasn't a single nook that Alienor didn’t know about. She bounded up the side of the castle jumping from turret to turret until she got to the upper hall window, which put her just next to the main dining hall. She could slip in before her father got there and he would be none the wiser that she took a detour into town. She climbed through the window, doing her best to stay quiet. Last thing she needed was one of the maids telling on her after she made it all the way here. Landing on her feet she fixed her hair and uniform, turned toward the Grand Hall door and nearly bumped into a massive figure observing her.
“And here I thought that Temple knights didn't skulk about. Out on an important mission, Ali?” Dorian quipped while cocking an eyebrow, Alienor's antics were always amusing to him. He struck an imposing visage, a titan of a man he was head and shoulders above everyone else. A massive frame that looked like it could rival a bear and arms as thick as logs. His personality however was a complete antithesis to his intimidating looks and he was quite beloved in the castle because of it.
“Mhm, yeah no, I’m just patrolling the halls. Looking for hooligans and all that.” Alienor cleared her throat looking around for other possible onlookers. “I thought I told you to call me Alienor while I was in my knight armor uncle, I’m a full graduate you know.”
“Right, of course my apologies Miss Stirling. I wouldn’t want to offend a knight on an important mission.” Dorian said while holding back a slight chuckle. He waved his hand toward a massive double door adorned with ornamental engravings surrounding a brilliant sun, the sigil of House Solaire and the current king. “Come, the rest of the house heads are already here. Lets not keep your father waiting any more, lest he find out about your detour.”
The massive doors creaked as they swung open, revealing a massive open room lined with tables. Dozens of brilliant stained glass windows were set into the walls of the hall depicting the scenes of battles from tales long ago and each of the previous kings that walked these halls. Alienor and Dorian made their way to a crowd in the center of the room, some wearing their knights regalia, some in striking garb.
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“Cyrus, I’m surprised you made it out of bed today after our spar yesterday.” Dorian's voice boomed across the walls of the room as he approached the group. An older man turned to him, grays peeking through his once pitch black hair. He wore full plate armor, silver, not a speck of dust on it. The breast of the armor had an engraving of a raven carrying a lightning bolt, the crest of House Stirling.
“If that was sparring for you Dorian, I weep for anyone you meet out on the field of battle.” Cyrus laughed as he greeted his friend hand in hand, the wrinkles creasing his otherwise soft face. Even in his later years he was quite appealing and bore a striking similarity to Alienor. “I see you found the troublemaker. It’s beyond me how she achieved the title of Tempest knight with her troubling behavior.” His gaze shifted towards Alienor, his facial features becoming hard and cold.
“Father.” Alienor bowed slightly avoiding eye contact, suddenly feeling small under her fathers sight.
“Oh come now Cyrus, who amongst us did not cause trouble in our younger days.” Dorian quipped as he turned Cyrus towards the group. Alienor sighed in relief as her father walked away and sat at a table nearby. She observed the group as they discussed the mundane day to day occurrences, occasionally laughing at each other's badly timed jokes. She may have become a Tempest knight, but she has yet to prove herself to them. She was still an outsider, here only at the behest of her father. Minutes passed as Alienor sat, unsure why she was even called today, wondering if she was missing anything exciting out in the town. Just then the doors banged as they swung open, two knights escorting a man wearing a black tunic embroidered with gold leaves surrounding a gold sun. On his golden hair sat a modest crown made of vitrium iron with a single ruby set in it. Alienor shot up and in unison with the others in the room slammed her fist over her chest, as if stabbing herself in the heart. An old salute meant to represent the willingness to lay your life down for your liege.
“Have you found him yet, Cyrus?” Callum strode past the group, heavy bags under his eyes and plopped on the nearest seat.
“We have a lead sire. Someone matching his description was spotted in a small town of Hanover. If I may sire, I would like to send my daughter to investigate this lead while we comb the surrounding areas.” Syrus motioned over to Alienor, as all the house heads turned their attention to her.
“Yes, yes. I trust you to do what's best Cyrus, just don't take too long.” Callum sighed as he looked down towards the floor in contemplation. “I am still at a loss as to what's gotten into the boy.”
“I’m sure his nerves just got to him, sire. His beaconing is near, it’s a lot of responsibility to take on.” Wilfred Sonore chimed in. The head of House Sonore he looked anything but. Plump with a wisp of hair on his head. He was nice enough, but he was no leader.
Alienor stood in silence taking in the information, a moment's delay before it hit her. The prince was missing? Was it a kidnapping? It couldn't have been with the way everyone was acting. What reason could he have for running away? He would run around the castle when they played together as children but he never ventured far away from it. He always came off as bookish to her, not adventurous. Heck he never even attended the Knights Academy, how could he possibly handle himself out there. A cough from her father broke Alienor away from her thoughts. She looked at him inquisitively waiting for a question, until she noticed his stern face and the rest of the group looking at her. Her father sighed and repeated the question.
“Do you have any business to wrap up here? I need to brief you before you set out.”
Alienor thought for a moment and could not find anything of importance. Nothing of importance would matter anyway, she was finally getting to go out far beyond the city limits. Her first mission as a Tempest knight.
“No father, I’m ready whe-.” Her words were cut short by a massive boom that rolled through the castle. The vibrations knocked the cups full of wine over, staining the floors below. Alienor planted firmly into the ground trying to not lose her balance and looked over to her father. They bolted outside of the room and towards a window overlooking the city. A massive column of pitch black smoke billowed towards the sky, obstructing the sun. There were screams of panic as the populace ran for safety, tripping over each other and piling into buildings. Alienor looked towards the billowing smoke and saw the generator, one massive hole in the side of it. A shadow flickered in her peripheral vision and as she followed it Alienor realized her father had already left. She looked out the window again, this time down to the courtyard and saw a small figure falling. Her father in full free fall, hand on his sword, his black cloak billowing in the air. Alenor took a breath, and jumped after her father.