There is a tense moment as you must walk past several mounted guardsmen to reach your assigned horses, but none of them make a move. You each mount, you with the practice of a noble woman and Lelika with her natural grace. "Thank you ma'am," the blonde captain smiles with relief before leading the unit away down the road. You follow, Lelika managing to ride the horse, although not without a frequent  scowl as she lands painfully on the saddle, unable to fully co-ordinate her movements with those of the beast.<br/><br/>After about twenty minutes you reach a black iron fence of smooth poles reaching up almost as high as you are mounted on the horse and ending in subtle points. Ten minutes later you reach a gate that is opened and soon after that you mount a hill of bright green grass to reveal a pretty house of grey stone and a red tiled roof with large arched windows on all three floors. The guards lead you into the stables, Lelika dismounting with a mild curse that causes several of them to smile condescendingly, where upon the half-elf curses far more harshly and they suddenly stop.<br/><br/>A serving girl leads you though the house of Sir Rathos, who seem to try his hand at the same three things all nobles of the area do: on display you see hunting equipment, homemade bottles of wine and portraits of horses with bronze tablets declaring them to have been bred by the master of the manor. Up some stairs and down more corridors, which now also offer an impressive view through the arched windows, and you are shown into a small library come dining room. The smell of smoking leaves has leeched its way into the dark wood of the furniture, the subdued blue of the carpet, and the discolored pages of books. Without windows it is lit by a small fire and it is pleasantly warm. In each corner a guard stands to attention and at the table sits a plump young man with a fine black beard and oiled hair. "Welcome my maidens," he beams as you enter the room, looking up from a half full plate. "Please sit down," he indicates the five other chairs at the table, which is set with golden goblets of red wine as well as bronze plates of pale cheese, sliced fruit both red and yellow and some dry brown bread.