The five riding paladins stopped their horses before Hedara An'Yis their heads raised high as they look at the elf.
"I assume you are Hedara An'Yis, headmaster of justice. Guardian of the last five ducal heads and the longest serving council member." The paladin at the front says wearing the insignia of a sword before a rising sun surrounded by 4 golden brooches. He takes off his helmet as he looks over to the party, his gaze landing on Cristal and staying there. The man has gray strands of hair mixed with his own short blond. "It's been a while lady Issital. I hope things have fared well in the meantime." The speaker's tone shifts from a cordial tone when speaking to Hedara to a more sheepish tone when addressing Cristal. The same tone one would have when facing something uncomfortable.
"Where are the others?" Hedara asks before anyone could speak. Her authoritative gaze currently scanning the paladins, pressuring the paladins to reply.
"How dare this point-eared slave." One of the paladins mutters under his breath. The other next to him hit him with her shoulder, the eyes of the headmaster of justice now on both of them.
"Dale." The paladin in the front says in a commanding tone as he throws his helmet to the cursing paladin. "Make sure my helmet is cleaned properly. Don't even think about returning until every speck of dust is gone." the leading paladin commands, before turning back to face Hedara. "Remember "Purity and Cleanliness by will or by light." I'm giving you a choice."
"I will clean the helmet, lieutenant." The young paladin named paladin responds as he quickly rides off, the eyes of Hedara still upon his leaving figure.
"I apologize for this inc..."
"Answer me, paladin." The head of justice commands, a heavy intonation on what he defines himself or at least pretends to be.
"Head of justice, if I may intervene. These are higher-ranking paladins than what normally would be allowed on such a mission. To find them here…. Is strange." Cristal quickly adds her own suspicions. Unclear if this was to dissuade Hedara's visible disappointment or to investigate a matter she finds strange. Hedara visibly frowns even more as she also notes the golden brooches on the leading paladin's armor. Another unpredicted twist in this already tiring task.
"You are both correct in your suspicions. Your brother, lady Issital, ordered fewer but more capable warriors for this task. This was done to not rise any suspicions on the front. Besides, I volunteered for this mission." The words of the leading paladin seem to have successfully lowered the alertness of Hedara, who simply looks to the paladin at her side. Cristal on the other hand seems more conflicted by the matter, the blue eyes no longer looking at the leading paladin.
"You shouldn't." She responds still not looking at the leading paladin.
"No, you're wrong. I should have done a lot more and a lot sooner even. However, this is for later." The leading paladin says before he descends off his steed. He looks toward the still slightly weeping sky, the armor now shining with divine light. "May I assume the one higher up in the sky to be one of yours?" He asks as he spots a humanoid figure flying with featherless pure black wings. His senses whisper words of worry as a slight creep touches his back. The feeling of something near formless gave him a slight caress accompanied by a sense of dread.
"You may." Hedara responds simply.
"Then allow me to introduce myself, I'm Kalid Ligh. Torchbearer of the current second flame leading the front. Besides that, I'm proud to declare myself the son of Alyssen Ligh, the first of her name and mentor of the Issital children." The leading paladin says still looking at the sky, a known ritual for prayers trying to convey their message to Asariel.
Hedara had grown accustomed to human traditions yet seeing a paladin do so felt strange. Was this how they acted before a battle? Was this what they do before they decided to fight her kin to the death? She cannot help but ask, even if that was a life she abandoned long ago.
For Cristal, on the other hand, it was something assuring. For paladins, looking into the sky was looking toward the goddess herself. Thus, when doing so no lies may be uttered. Unless you wish to taint your tongue with impurity. An impurity, so great it can only be cleansed by the holy light itself.
"Purity and cleanliness." The two primary values a paladin should have. Purity they would either reach by will or by being "cleansed" by others. They are less reinforced these days however the words are still actively used by the paladins themselves. Sometimes to intimidate, sometimes to pledge something. Cristal shows a small smile as her former mentor saw it fit to look at Asariel whilst speaking of himself and his relationship with her.
"A torchbearer? A man of your age?" Hedara could not help but wonder. "Torchbearers" were specifically called so to refer to a potential successor of the "flame" they follow. They served as right-hand man's to their "flames" and could fill other positions if needed. Normally they are no more than 30 before they find another position that fits their need. "This all seems stranger. Stranger than anticipated." The copper-skinned elf says not hiding her suspicion. The soldiers behind her put their hands on their blades as they feel the heavy atmosphere of this conversation starts to carry.
"As said before, I had the honor to mentor the two Issilat children. I see no greater honor than serving one as his torchbearer."
"Why did you ride here?"
"We followed the crows bound by subjugation spells. We had heard from the grand duke that such creatures would serve as our eyes. I believe your spymaster saw it fit to guide us as we arrived sooner than planned." Kalid Ligh replies obediently, not even hesitating when responding. The scene resembles that of a prisoner willfully spilling every detail. Hedara looks at one of the crows, trying to see how plausible this situation truly is.
'How fitting that subjugation-orientated mages have never even tried to replicate speech through their creatures. Something useful would be too much to ask.' The authoritative elf curses the spymaster in her head. Well aware that what Kalid Ligh spoke of was most likely the truth. 'I was foolish. The mage is too keen, that has never been the case before.'
"Well then, let us discuss the plan of action, then." Hedara ends the interrogation by opting instead to move forward with the plan.