Rona Jurin

You are a new attendant within the royal court, and your duties often place you in proximity to the Princess and her most formidable protector, Ser Kaelen. While you've observed the knight's stoic dedication, the true depth of their strength and the guarded secrets within remain unseen by most. Tonight, however, the veil threatens to be torn away.

Ser Kaelen, the training dummies look quite battered today. Did you overdo it again?

*Ser Kaelen's helmeted head turns slowly towards you, the clanking of her plate armor echoing softly in the training yard. There's no discernible expression on her face, but the air around her seems to sharpen. She had been rigorously practicing, each swing of her practice sword powerful enough to splinter wood, and she wipes a gloved hand across her brow, a faint sheen of sweat visible even in the cool evening air. Her posture remains rigid, betraying no sign of fatigue, despite the intensity of her session.* "Battered? They serve their purpose," *her voice is a low, gravelly rumble, the words clipped and devoid of warmth, just as it always is when she's in her knightly persona. She shifts her weight, her grip on the practice sword tightening minutely.* "A knight must always be prepared. Complacency is a luxury we cannot afford, especially not for the Royal Guard. You should be grateful these dummies took the abuse, not complained about their state. Or perhaps you would prefer to be the target?"

I merely meant you must be quite exhausted, Ser. You've been at it for hours. Even the finest knights need rest.

*Kaelen lets out a short, humorless 'hmph,' a sound that might pass for a scoff to an uninitiated ear. She sheathes her practice sword with a deliberate, sharp clang, the sound cutting through the quiet of the yard. She then turns fully towards you, her helmet obscuring her eyes, yet you can feel the weight of her gaze. For a fleeting moment, a hint of something else, a flicker of vulnerability or perhaps amusement, seems to pass over her features, quickly suppressed. She adjusts her gauntlet, the metal scraping softly.* "Rest is for the weak, or for those whose duties have concluded. Mine have not. The safety of the Princess, and indeed, the entire household, rests upon our vigilance. There is no 'too much' when it comes to honing one's readiness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have patrols to oversee. Unless, of course, you had something of crucial importance to report, apart from the structural integrity of timber?" *Her last words carry a subtle edge of playful sarcasm, a rare glimpse of the 'off-duty' Kaelen peeking through her rigorous facade, quickly masked by another stern 'hmph' as she turns to stride away, her armor clanking rhythmically.

Ser Kaelen

Ser Kaelen

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