Cardonis grumbled to himself as he rode at Eira's side on a grey steed of his own. There was little he disliked more than having to ride horses, and it didn't help that they seemed to dislike him too. Of course he always flew when he had the chance. With his powerful wings it was fairly easy to keep up with a horse's pace. However, the weather was too rough to allow him to fly without difficulty. And so, he was restricted to riding on this beast.<br/><br/>Despite his discomfort, the young dragon was as alert as ever. He was the captain of Eira's royal guard after all, and he had not earned this honored position by being lazy. The job of protecting his queen was something that Cardonis took very seriously, and any that dared even look at her the wrong way was in danger of being in trouble.<br/><br/>When they had finally arrived at the ruins of Argus, the captain allowed himself a moment to take in the sights of the beautiful scenery before him. He thought that maybe if he had the time, he would have to fly about the castle's tall spires to get a better view. However, his present duty was more important.<br/>The moment they had halted the horses, Cardonis leapt off his mount. Clumsily at that. Tails as long as his didn't really help when riding a horse.<br/><span style="color: #0000FF">"I still don't know how you manage it."</span>He said with a chuckle as Eira dismounted Eirlys as gracefully as ever.<span style="color: #0000FF">"You make it look so easy."</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #0000FF">"Good luck in there."</span>Cardonis said as they reached the hall where the meeting was being held.<span style="color: #0000FF">"Remember, if you so much as get a bad feeling, I'll be right outside listening for any trouble."</span><br/>Eira simply acknowledged his statement with a nod before heading to her seat.<br/>It troubled him to no end that not even one guard was allowed inside the room as the meeting was going on. It was a disaster waiting to happen. The dragon knew that most of the royals present were able to defend themselves well enough on their own, but that didn't mean that it was safe. Even though he hated to think it, some of them could potentially be a threat. There were a few though he wasn't concerned about, mostly because he read up on their reputation beforehand. A lot of them in fact appeared to be very honorable people. He just hoped that those appearances were right.<br/><br/>-----------------------------------<br/><br/>Though outwardly he appeared calm and collected, the prince of Tora was inwardly anxious. Of all the times his father could of sent him to represent the kingdom, now had to be the time? This was the first time Tore had ever gone off to be the voice of his kingdom. And of course, that time happened to be a council meeting to discuss the possibility of war. Of course he was nervous.<br/>Nevertheless, Tore did his best to hide his inner turmoil. Many leaders of the other nations throughout the land were now arriving, and the meeting was sure to start soon.<br/>As the others milled about and either spoke to one another, or sat at their seats, Tore just stood by his spot. He thought it impolite to sit before the most important leader. While he waited, a few others cast looks at him, and a few even came to introduce themselves. Of course he knew who they were already. His father had practically locked him in a room until he learned who the different monarchs were. However, instead of pointing this out, Tore simply smiled, bowed, and carried out whatever pleasantries he was obligated to do.<br/>When Eira had finally sat at her spot, Tore was incredibly relieved. If he had to explain his father's absence one more time he would explode.<br/>Also, his legs were killing him from standing so long. After giving her a low bow, Tore finally sat in his place. Sitting never seemed to feel better.