For several moments, Fanilly was silent, listening to Tyaethe's explanation of the praise she had leveled on her. Was... she really worthy such praise...? Was all that true...? However, when the armored figure called her [i]cute[/i], however, the smallish blonde found her cheeks coloring in embarrassment. The Immortal Paladin had just called her cute?! What... how... Certainly that was nothing she had ever expected to hear at any point in her life, undeniably so. Quietly, the girl averted her eyes towards the ground and shifted awkwardly, opening and closing her mouth slightly as she did.

Finally, Fanilly managed to get something out that was at all coherent.

"I... I see..." she said, finally, turning away as she did, embarrassment rising. Really, it was hardly anything she had expected to hear, and there was no denying that.

It wasn't much longer that the call for breakfast rang out, cutting off most conversations.

The eggs chauntressy was delicious.

[hr]

It had been a week since the attempt on Princess Eliabelle's life. An interrogation of the remaining conspirator had offered relatively little information, save that Damon Cal had been sent to join them by another outside source. The Nem sisters were currently housed in relative comfort, though a decision on Tili's fate had yet to be made, save that execution was absolutely not in her future.

The Iron Roses had received little rest. Many of their number had been deployed to keep watch on the castle and to ensure there was not another assassination attempt. They could not be certain that anyone else would not appear and attempt to take the Princesses' life. And so, Fanilly had sent many of her knights to be put on guard, greatly bolstering the palace guard with their numbers and skills. Only, this morning, they had received a strange cry for help.

The messenger told them he had been sent from Fort Daelantine. Or, rather, the message they received told them that. The messenger had, according to the city guard, dropped dead shortly after his arrival. His note was hastily scrawled, a desperate plea to immediately send the Iron Roses to assist.

Other details were scarce.

Fanilly could not in good conscious recall the knights guarding the Princess. And so, she put together a small force of knights who had proven themselves in the past or in recent combat, and set out for for Fort Daelantine. It was much of the day before the outline of the fort's towers appeared in the distance. From here, it seemed there had been little to no disturbance. Around them the plains were wide and flat, the fort the most notable landmark.

"We're almost there," Fanilly called to her knights, from atop her horse. "We can't be sure what's happened, so we must be careful."