Carver pulled back on the reins as August brought him up to the path towards the castle. Haste was all well and good, but it would not do to go galloping up such a winding and steep road - certainly not with the cliffs nearby. 

As his horse picked his way up the path, the knight cast his gaze out at the surrounding area. The ocean was wide and blue. The forest was deep and serene. The castle was magnificent, and clearly ancient, and somehow... familiar?

[i]Black wings beat the wind into his face. Teeth like swords, breath like a furnace, eyes wild with hatred. It perches atop the tower and roars a challenge to any man who would slay it. But there are no men...[/i]

The knight shook his head clear of the vision. A flight of fancy, nothing more - perhaps a tale he'd heard of some similar castle, half-remembered. If he'd learned anything in the past few months, it was that there were no such monsters; this was a world of mortal men, and mighty deeds.

Peering ahead, he got sight of a shape coming down the path towards him. A woman, almost shimmering by some trick of the light. She moved with more grace than the knight would have believed possible. She was lovely.

"Hello, my lady!" he called out to her. "I am Ser Carver, knight errant in search of a noble quest. It is my honor to make the acquaintance of one so lovely as yourself, though I must ask - is it safe for you to be wandering alone at this hour?"