Fɛɛđïɲģ Ɓɛªşţs

(this thread is for Sybel Tanaka, Bastian Grym, and Sidalee Maloué)

Uzmat and Sybel Tanaka, along with four other Knights rode horses to the gates of the Fort to greet their guests. The week it took Marshal Grym to ride to Roville Sybel and Uzmat saw to the preparation of their guests stay: food, they erected a camp within the walls for those Grym brought while setting those closer to Grym with places within the Fort, and Sybel saw to the preparations of displaying their military might.

Uzmat and Sybel rode side by side, "You've done great in getting our soldiers ready for this, if I could reward you a higher position Sybel I would greatly do so," she truly was a great asset to his empire, he would have married her had he not already had a dedicated wife...but accidents happen all the time, there was time.

"Our future would not be solid without you Sybel, just know you serve your kingdom and Marshal valiantly," Uzmat complimented her, a rare thing for others even for his children.

Her horse was restless, but she held the reigns tightly in her hands, not allowing the animal to run faster than she wanted it to. The military training fields were right outside the city, so Grym and whoever he brought along would have seen their troop train. Then they would have entered the city, and now they were nearing the gate of the Fort.

She had given the bannerets and the knights the order to make sure everything looked and polished and impressive as possible. Uzmat wanted his troops to shine.

Sybel looked at the man when he spoke. "Thank you, my lord", she said, her face expressionless as always, but she did feel flattered. Perhaps she was a bit cocky, though, because she would not have settled for anything less than doing so great that Uzmat would compliment her on it. She was confident, and didn't need approval from others, but of course approval from your Marshal was something entirely different. "I will continue to do so."

She offered him a rare smile, very briefly, before lowering the corners of her mouth and looking ahead again. They had come to a stop at the gate and were waiting for the other Marshal to arrive.

Grym rode at the front of the company as they approached the city. He noticed the soldiers training and glanced briefly at Sidalee with a thoughtful and cautious expression before moving along. Sidalee was riding nearest him and then his three oldest children on their own steeds with two other guards accompanying them. Behind them was a banneret and their troop of 30 that they had brought along, riding along in formation and all on horseback. No carriages were brought and no one was on foot.

The troop would linger behind, allowing Grym, his family, and his guards to approach without them though once invited inside they would occupy the camp that Uzmat had provided for them.

They stopped within earshot of their hosts and Grym spoke. "Lord Marshal Ricman, we are grateful for invitation and look forward to our stay here."

Sidalee kept her posture relaxed but alert as they approached the city, her eyes scanning their surroundings with the practiced ease of someone accustomed to reading a battlefield. Even though this was no battlefield, not yet anyway, the habits never left her. Green eyes watched carefully, her red hair loosely tied back and cascaded down her back. She rode close to Grym, her senses attuned to the subtle shifts in his demeanor, noticing the thoughtful glance he cast her way.

She met his gaze for a brief second, offering a reassuring nod before looking back toward the soldiers training in the distance. It didn’t escape her that the sight had sparked something in him—a reminder of the delicate politics at play or perhaps the weight of bringing his children along into this environment. Either way, Sidalee understood the gravity of this trip, and her focus remained sharp.

As they halted near their hosts, Sidalee let her gaze drift momentarily toward Grym's children. They were composed, as well-behaved as one might expect for the offspring of a Marshal, though she could see the flicker of curiosity in their eyes. She admired the way Grym handled them, how he balanced the role of Marshal and father with the same calm authority.

When Grym addressed Lord Marshal Ricman, Sidalee remained silent but ever watchful, her hand resting lightly on the reins, ready for any signal or shift. She was well aware of her role here—Grym’s personal guard, a protective shadow in the background, but also a keen observer of every interaction. It was all part of the game. Every glance, every gesture, had the potential to reveal something about their hosts, and Sidalee was not one to miss a thing.

Her eyes flicked briefly to the soldiers once more, wondering if any of them had ever faced anything more than drills or mock battles. Sidalee’s mind was always on the possibility of danger, even in moments of apparent peace. But for now, she remained still, a steady presence at Grym’s side, ready for whatever came next.