"Markos is back!" A little girl with smooth reddish-brown russet skin dressed in rose dyed wool skirts and a white ermine cloak bounded into the snowy manor's court yard with a dark brown shepherd puppy on her heels. Her chestnut curls bounced as she slid to a stop in front of Markos's wheat colored Mountain Horse. Its flaxen mane contrasted with the dark haired squire, speckled with dark splotches from his hunt. "Markos! You're all muddy!"
Markos tugged his dark scarf down, his face flushed pink despite his attempts to protect his pale skin from the biting wind. He smiled warmly at the concerned and wide amber eyed child before he eased down from the saddle. "Miss Imelda, does this mean you don't want a hug from your big brother?" The little girl was growing quickly and was almost hip high. He spotted the short sheath tied to a belt around her waist and the fresh snowflakes in her hair.
Imelda shook her head furiously, "No! Don't be mean! I was worried you'd get hurt. Daddy won't let me go out with you yet." She took a bold step as Markos knelt down to hug her. The puppy circled them, happily wagging its tail.
"Nah, we made it back without too much trouble," he offered as Imelda gave him an affectionate squeeze. He gently patted the top of her head as he righted himself. He glanced around noting that she was without her nanny. "Just you and Danny then? Did you sneak out to practice in this?"
Imelda beamed up at him as she turned to show him the short sword at her waist. "Yeah! I want to be a strong knight general like Daddy one day! I have to swing it until I feel like my arms will fall off to get stronger."
He grinned as he glanced behind him, hearing the crunch of a wagon wheels against the snow. "Well, it sounds like the rest of the hunters will be hear soon. Let's get Linus ready for dinner. Where is everyone else?" He reached up and guided the horse towards the stables with Imelda and Danny running alongside him.
"Jo was sewing something secret! She didn't want you to know that she's making you a handkerchief for Kalinda's Festival," Imelda chirped, holding a finger against her lips. "Ssh, it's a secret."
Markos chuckled as they entered the wood and stone structure. It was still early but the heartstone lamps illuminated the dark corners with a welcoming warmth. It smelled of horse and hay. The stable hands were diligent in keeping the area well maintained but it seemed that most of the others had stepped out. "Is everyone eating? Seems a bit early for dinner."
Imelda shook her head. "No. Daddy has a special guest and everyone wants to show off."
Markos led Linus into his stall and started removing his tack. "What sort of fancy person has the General's company?"
"He was as tall as Daddy and his eyes were different colors. There was a pretty lady in red and orange next to him with these glowing blue eyes!" She knelt down to pet the excited puppy. "I don't know what has everyone so excited."
Markos stared at her. "My lady, that man is the king... the lady is an Ember... one of the holy sisters of Saule." He ran his hand through his hair uncertain. "They only come out from their temples on special occasions. It must be a special day for your family to have those two here."
"An Ember? So she's like fire?"
"In a sense. If you remember your lessons from Nan, an Ember is a holy woman that carries the fire of Saule, the sun goddess, in her body. She uses that fire to protect people from the demons. Were there Templars with them?" Markos paused for a moment as he considered that Imelda had no idea what an Ember was and didn't know what a templar looked like. "They'd be in armor with a sword symbol with a hilt in 3 downward pointing lines nestled in a open diamond on the front."
After a moment, Imelda chimed. "Oh! I saw a man with hair the same color as Linus's wearing a symbol like that." She rose and gently shook the dirt from her skirts. "He didn't seem much older than you, maybe he's a squire?"
Markos wasn't sure. If the templar was his age that'd mean he was fresh from this past spring's first proving. Did templar initiates go on solo missions like escorting Embers by themselves? "Not sure. I have to report to the General. Can you guide me there, Lady Imelda?"
"Yes. You have to tell Daddy what you caught?" She grabbed Markos's gloved hand and tugged him forward.
"I do. He'll want to know about it especially if the King is here. He'll present the King with the pelt as an honored guest." He followed Imelda. It'd be more proper to walk with her hand on his arm but she was still young. He thought better of it and guided her hand to his arm, adjusting his pace to match her. "The General would be pleased to see the young miss escorting me properly to report to him."
She blushed with a shy nod. After a few moments of silence, she spoke quickly. "Is the magic what makes her so pretty?"
Markos immediately thought of the elf again. 'Is it that simple?' He felt his cheeks grow hot and he shook his head. "No. It adds to their presence but it is not the only reason why she might be pretty."
"...do you think she could bless me so I can be pretty like her?"
Markos stopped and shook his head. Imelda looked at him dejectedly. He quickly spoke. "It's not like, my Lady. You are quite pretty as you are. You don't need magic. You haven't seen 10 springs. You will continue to grow in beauty and grace as you get older," he offered her a charming smile. Her expression brightened.
"You think so?"
"I know it. Lady Imelda de Arand will be the most beautiful knight general Drassin has ever seen. "