Edward
Lord Robert Cromwell
Zahrada Keep

Robert leaned back in his seat a bit. "No, talking about the fall doesn't bother me very much. I'm rather comfortable that everything I did was necessary, none of it keeps me up at night." He said. "There isn't a lot to know, if you want to know the truth. Bandits and their like are bullies, but cowards. If you fight back and kill a few, they will turn away. Like coyotes, they only want dead prey."

"So, I gave the adult men a short training and I donned my armor and after a few died at the entrance of Sonder, the rest of them fled and moved on to the next village. Anyone who came to attack us again, were turnned away. Not everyone was so lucky to have a old knight to help them."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

She listened, her lips lingering on her wine glass as he spoke. Heath had never spoken about what happened on battlefields. Eric didn't really either, they both had no real reason to bring it up and she wasn't usually keen on asking. But this felt like a bit of an interview process. 

"Do you feel you'll still be able to assist in training of new knights? I expect you to help set a training program for those looking to take up the sword."
Edward
Lord Robert Cromwell
Zahrada Keep

He gave a curt nod, "I can set up a program, and I plan to take a active role in it. I'll need to find some instructors to assist me, which training them will take some time. Training people to fight is one of the things I enjoy."

"I intend to employ a strict training regimen. Controlling everything they do, see, hear, and eat from the moment they arrive to the moment they become knights."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

He didn't seem intimidated by the role she was asking of him and she nodded, setting her glass down. The redhead stood, her chair scraping against the stone floors as she did so, and she moved to push the window open fully. 

"That's good to hear. I'd like some uniform among the knights. Some of the ones trained in other courts are.." She paused, looking for the right word. Rebellious wasn't right, they had no ill intentions, just opinionated. "Well, too casual on duty, I suppose is the best way to phrase it." 

There were an embarrassing nunber of times someone had found their way into her home unnoticed or unattended, and she wanted that to end. 

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Lord Cromwell. I'm sure you and your men are tired from the journey on such short notice." She turned, her silver gaze settling on him. "Shall I have rooms prepared or will you be returning home?"
Edward
Lord Robert Cromwell
Zahrada Keep

Lord Cromwell rose when his queen stood, "It is rather late, if it isn't too much trouble, a night to rest would be very nice, your grace." 

Robert prepared to leave, "I'm sure your stewards can do the rest once you command them, I will await your word."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

She nodded, and gestured towards the door. She moved with him towards it, and Emma stood outside, awaiting the confirmation to deliver the letter to Sonder about the acceptance. 

"Deliver the letter, and have the staff ready some rooms for Lord Cromwell and his men. They shall be given every comfort they desire." Emma nodded, and turned, moving to lead Lord Cromwell to rejoin his men. As they were leaving, Anyanka started to head back, only to be stopped by a man clearing his throat behind her. 

"Pardon, your majesty. There is another visitor seeing your audience." He explained, and when her brow raised he held out the letter. It was the one she'd penned to Lord Louis, and she inhaled deeply. All she wanted was for the night to end so she could sleep, but it seemed Astoria wasn't going to allow that. 

"Very well, I'll meet him in the parlor downstairs. See to it the fire wasn't lit this morning, and if it was, send him to the hall across, it's already miserably warm in the palace." She wasn't trying to complain, but between the wine and heat she already felt flushed. He nodded, and headed downstairs to assure the accommodations were proper before she followed after to meet with Lord Louis.
Daniel
Lord Louis IV de Orleáns
Zahrada Keep, Zahrada

Louis was waiting outside paitently, wondering why he wasn't being attended. After thinking about it for some time, and it had been almost half a day since he entered the palace and asked for an audience, he came up with a conclusion. *Her majesty must be attending to someone else. I had seen some of Lord Cromwell's men outside, and it must be him who was talking to the queen. But tthere is the possibility she is just busy. Being the ruler of two sizeable realms is a very demanding task.* He was waiting around, fondling with his fingers and looking around him, taking large notice of the state of the castle. While Astoria suffered from the chaos after the end of the Ramsalot dynasty, he never thought it scarred that hard. The walls were rough and full of cracks, and looked like they hadn't had a proper maintenance in over a decade. While the walls were in terrible shape, and he was feeling uneasy about it, he decided to cover up the feeling, as the queen might be in a bad mood.

Finally when the servant arrived with the appointment, he jumped out of his chair and went to meet the servant. He told Louis that the Queen had been busy for the day, but her guest had retreated to his quarters for the night, and her Majesty was free. He cheered up immediately, and thanked the servant, and then asked where was he supposed to meet her. The servant responded simply. "The room on the left, mi'lord". He thanked the servant once again, and went for the room, opening the door. He approached the queen and did a highly complicated curtsey meant for when meeting royalty, which ended in him taking the knee and giving a deep bow.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada Astoria

The attendant had set them up in the parlor she'd requested. It wasn't nearly as warm as the study upstairs, and for that she was thankful. She'd had enough time to slip into the room unnoticed before her guest was announced. She'd still had her back turned, her fingers on the latch that held the window closed, as the door opened. Anya inhaled deeply, her chest rising with the breath as she turned, and watched as the thin white haired man bowed before her. He moved to his knee, and she cocked her head to the side in amusement. There were few who took to her 'Queen' title over her 'Duchess' title, and nearly all of those people were citizens of South Feyshore. The Astorians had always known her as Duchess, even in their time before Astoria, and their footing always felt more equal.

"Thank you for your patience, Lord Louis." She told him, and motioned for him to rise. "Your letter spoke of wanting to move into the diplomatic realm, if I remember correctly?" It was a prompt, to get him to speak freely on why he had written to her in the first place.