<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/Y3n5ibZ.png)</div>As the ruins of Castle Rend came into view, Larissa's jaw dropped. The thicket of forest seemed to balk, giving the ruined keep a wide, respectful berth. Even in its current state, the former Ruxvan fortress culled out a pocket of order around itself. Larissa could imagine how Castle Rend appeared at the height of Ruxvan power, glimpses of an golden era gone by. It may have just been the knowledge that this was her family's birthright, that if history fell a different way that it would rightfully still be theirs, but Larissa felt an instant affinity with the castle. And a forlorn sense of pride swelling within her breast.<br/><br/>She brought Levin to a galloping halt, circling him back toward the edge of the treeline as she surveyed the grounds. They were on the north side of the castle. With the wall collapsed, Larissa would be able to see figures from behind the arrow slits. No apparent entrances.<br/><br/>Larissa let out a sigh to center herself. She unclasped her cloak, the blue fabric faded into a pristine, solid canvas of white in her hands. She drew one of her swords, sheath and all from her belt and tied the cloak to it.<br/><br/>"Let's find the front door, shall we?"<br/><br/>She spurred Levin into a gallop once more, holding her improvised white flag up as they ran the edge of the clearing toward the west and then south side of Castle Rend. She'd wave the white flag - if the orcs were as discipline and measure as they had proven under Dorokor's leadership, surely they'd understand the field language for parley.<br/><br/>When she found the front gate, Larissa would ride toward it.