The horses stopped in the middle of the courtyard, and many servants and guards turned to stare at the return of their knights, and the...well the naked visitor. Olivia gazed around the place, waving awkwardly at some of the servants. There was a stable to the right of her, and what looked to be a large guardhouse to her left. Next to the stable was a forge, and surrounding it were weapons and a few pieces of armor. In front of her was, of course, Dragonspire Keep. A large set of stairs led up to the doors, and pillars spiraled up into the roof of the entry hall. The guard had disappeared inside long ago, running off the moment the gates had opened.
Behind her, she felt Draig dismount the horse. His iron-clad boots let out a prominent thud as his feet hit the ground. Olivia looked down at him expectantly. How was she going to get down off this horse without giving everyone in the courtyard a nice look at her bareness? He gave her a perplexed expression, simply offering out his hand. She looked down at it, and gestured to herself, silently telling him of her worries. His mouth formed an o, and he turned to face everyone. He cleared his throat.
"Due to Lady Olivia's current situation in dress, I will have to ask everyone to turn away while she dismounts my horse." He announced, and without hesitation everyone averted their gaze, and Draig returned his. "You will have to excuse me, I need to look to help you down. I promise to keep my gaze as averted as possible to save your dignity." Olivia nodded, and accepted his hand. He kept his eyes forward as she gently swung her leg over the horse. He turned back towards her, and, standing in front of her, grabbed her waist and helped her down. Once she was safely on the ground, Draig allowed everyone to turn back around.
"Thank you...uhm Sir Draig." Olivia said.
"Don't mention it." He said, "I'm sorry, it seems Gaian and myself forgot to formerly introduce ourselves."
"That's okay," Olivia said, waving her free hand dismissively, "I've known your names."
"Really?" Gaian asked, appearing next to the two.
"Yes, I heard you two speaking before I called out for help." Olivia explained. They looked a little surprised.
"You didn't call out the moment you heard us?" Gaian questioned. He was obviously suspicious. She straightened her back and threw out her chin, huffing.
"Of course not!" She said indignantly, "You could've been the ones who brought me there, trying to lure me out. Or just...well ruffians as you put it, Draig." Draig smiled.
"That was smart of you." He said, and she returned his smile. The doors of the Keep opened and Olivia and the two Knights with her turned towards them. The guard was returning, and behind him a man dressed in a long, belted tunic that reached about his knees. Along the hem, it was embroidered with golden tassel, and a pin of a dragon where his collarbone would be. His hair was black and mostly short, though it reached down to his chin in length. Olivia knew immediately he was the King's Steward. Behind the Steward trailed a girl in a simple brown and white dress, and an apron along her waist. She was holding a bag. The guard cleared his throat as he reached the end of the stairs.
"Announcing the arrival of his Majesty's Steward, Lord Diego Brightstar." The guard bellowed. The servants bowed, and Draig and Gaian gave a curt nod in respect. She felt a little off not having bowed, so she did her best to give a small curtsy. Draig nodded approvingly, and she let out a soft sigh. Lord Diego stepped down from the last stair, and approached the three.
"Lady Olivia, was it?" Lord Diego asked.
"Yes, it is nice to meet you, Lord Diego." She replied, smiling politely. Lord Diego nodded, returning the smile briefly.
"What family is it you hail from?" He asked, "And what happened to you for you to have lost your clothes? Nothing....undignified, I hope?" Olivia didn't know how to respond at the onslaught of accusatory questioning.
"She awoke like this, my Lord." Draig stepped in, "It appears someone has done away with any memory she has of herself and...well how she got there and how she lost her clothes. She does, however, remember her name at least." Lord Diego looked to her, giving her an expression that prompted, "Well? Out with it!"
"Oh, of course." Olivia said, "My name is Olivia Patterson." Lord Diego's eyes widened, and he nodded in shock. She gave him a perplexed expression.
"His Highness will want to see you, without a doubt." He said. Olivia was still confused, but felt relieved that she wasn't turned away.
"Oh, great! So I may have an audience with his Majesty?" She asked.
"Yes, but not in the current state you are." Lord Diego said, pointing towards the cape she was holding around herself, "I have arranged that a maid from the kitchens offer up her best dress to prevent you from presenting yourself in such an uncourteous manner to his Highness." Olivia nodded, turning to look at what she assumed to be the maid from the kitchens. This girl was less extravagant, her skin was pale and a tad dirty, and her hair was a plain brown and tied into a messy bun. Still, she had her own beauty, and if not for her hair color and dress, Olivia was sure she could have been mistaken for nobility. Lord Diego clapped his hands together, and she stepped forward, holding out the bag she was carrying to Olivia. Olivia took it from her, and smiled.
"Thank you...?" She said, waiting for the girl to give her name. She didn't respond at first, but then let out an oh and said,
"Elena Penn, m'lady." She kept her head bowed. Olivia smiled at her again, even if she wasn't looking at her.
"Well, thank you Miss Penn, for the dress. I'm sure it is lovely." Olivia said, "Uhm, Lord Diego, where will I dress?"
"Ah, yes." Lord Diego said, "I'm sure Sir Draig and Sir Gaian would be kind enough to offer one of their private rooms in the barracks for you to dress. It would be unruly of me to allow you into the Keep without some sort of attire on."
"Of course," Olivia said, nodding, "If one of you would allow me the room?" She turned to the two Knights.
"Not a problem, Gaian has business with the guards." Draig said, "If you will excuse him, my lord?" Lord Diego waved his hand in dismiss, and Gaian bowed before turning to walk towards the gate. "This way, Lady Olivia. We will be brief, Lord Diego, I know you have business to attend to." Lord Diego nodded, and Olivia followed Draig to the barracks. She would've felt embarrassed entering inside with so little around so many men, but most politely turned their heads. As well as that, she had faced practically the entire kingdom in her current situation. Draig turned down a hall, and opened the door at the very end. He stepped aside and allowed her to pass. She turned back towards him and smiled awkwardly.
"I will be in the main entry of the barracks, just come there when you are done and ready to leave." Draig said, and after Olivia nodded in confirmation of her understanding, he closed the door. She looked around the room as she took off the cape draped around her, and tossed it onto his bed. There was a desk to her right in front of a window looking beyond the walls at what she assumed was the lake surrounding the city. To the left of the desk was a chest drawer, and to the right of it, a bookshelf. To the left of her, was a table and chair, an unlit candle sat in the middle of it. In front of her was Draig's bed, a queen size she assumed, and two bedside drawers on either side. It was a straw bed, and laid on top of it were two animal pelts. Above his bed was a mounted wolf head.
Olivia reached into the bag and pulled out the dress. It was obviously not as lavish as the dresses of the Ladies from the Noble District town center, but it was nice. It was a plain emerald color, the ends of the sleeves embroidered in silver tassel. The collar of the dress drooped into a v, but appeared it would go no further then the very top of her chest, just past her collarbone. Olivia undid the ties in the back, and pulled the dress on, doing up as many of the leather bindings as she could before deciding to allow Draig to help her when she returned. The dress was a bit loose around her waist, but it still fit nicely. The sleeves reached to about the middle of her forearms, and she had to tie them in place with more leather bindings. After Olivia was satisfied with what she had done, she exited Draig's room and entered the main entry way. Clearing her throat, she called for Draig.
"If you would help me with the last few bindings on my dress?" She asked after he had turned towards her. He nodded, and when she turned around he did up the last few and patted her shoulder. She thanked him, and they exited the barracks, returning to Lord Diego. He looked her up and down and nodded.
"It will do." He said, "I am sure his Grace will provide something more..appropriate for your class." Olivia bit the inside of her cheek, glancing down at Elena, who was blushing in embarrassment. It was a nice dress.
"Of course. Thank you." Olivia responded, and Lord Diego nodded dismissively, gesturing for them to follow him. Olivia walked next to Elena and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It's a lovely dress, thank you for lending it to me." Elena smiled a little.
"Think nothing of it, m'lady." She said. Olivia smiled, and at the odd stares from Lord Diego, she said goodbye and caught up to him. The doors opened into the Keep, and into a large entry way. A red carpet led the way to another set of stairs and doorway. Olivia assumed that to be the throne room. As they grew closer, Olivia could make out doorways on either side of the stairs leading into halls that she assumed lead to sleeping quarters and probably the entrance to the towers she had seen outside. Along the entry way were great pillars, and against the walls statues of men and women in fighting and defensive stances. The only one Olivia recognized was Kim, and she glanced up at Draig. He looked down at her and smiled, then returned his gaze to the doors of the throne room. Lord Diego stopped walking as they arrived at the doors, and turned towards her.
"I will enter first, and tell his Highness of your arrival. Then, upon my announcement, you will enter." He instructed, and Olivia nodded. She felt nervous as Lord Diego disappeared behind the throne room doors. Draig patted her shoulder, and she looked up at him. He opened his mouth to speak, but the doors swung open and Lord Diego's voice bellowed from inside,
"Announcing the arrival of Lady Olivia to his Majesty King Daniel Brinston III."