Tales of Knighthood

[Lloyd Durages]

"Whoa, so he really took him down just like that? Awesome!"

"Aye. It was an amazing sight to witness."

".. So many stories. So many crazy things they did. I want to do something like that, too. I want to be a knight!"

"Hah. A knight? Yer' still wet behind the ears, boy. I don't know if you can handle something like that."

"Just watch. I'll be a real knight, I promise. I'll protect everyone and defend the kingdom from any threat!"

---

[Lloyd Durages]

This is the first entry of my journal. I've never really written something extensively before, but maybe I can use it to look back on my journey and see how far I've come. It helps me calm down too, what with the war coming along soon. I just wish I started sooner!
It's been a few days since the red wedding.

.. It's still on my mind, but I've tried not to think too much about it. The way that man died was gruesome, but at least the worst is over. Lord Grimmore and Lady Asta's marriage will make sure to keep our two kingdoms at peace with one another, and we'll need their help for the war that's coming. The gala was nice, but I didn't really enjoy it for myself. I heard the Queen saying something regarding it possibly being the last time we'll ever get to dance again, so we should enjoy ourselves, but I couldn't. I had some things on my mind, and I'm angry that I didn't do a certain thing, and it just upset me. I saw a lot of the other members dancing - even Uhli, the rhonyish boy. I was kind of jealous since Faira offered me to go with her, but I turned her down because I wanted to [          ]. Now I just felt like an idiot since I didn't even do it. Mister Berrios and Ophelia were having lots of fun, and that made me happy at least, but I needed to get out of the room. It was too packed, too suffocating, and it wasn't making me happy. Ilsa came out, too.. looks like I wasn't the only person that it wasn't really for. It's a shame too considering I was looking forward to it so heavily as well. I'm such a coward..

Other than that, I moved into my new home officially the other day. It took me a lot of work getting everything together, but it's finally done. I just wish ma could see it. It's a fair walk away from most of the other homes in Messaris, and it has a great view of the ocean. Sometimes I stare out at the sea and just let my mind wander. I saw Princess Alice this morning. She blamed me for Gallus' attempts at taking her to the gala back then, but it was just a misunderstanding. I don't think it mattered considering she didn't even attend for some reason. She's always been the most strange out of the royal family to me. She's not exactly a social butterfly, but at the same time, she doesn't seem to have the mannerisms you'd expect of a high noble like herself. If I didn't know any better, I'd have almost thought she was just a regular person.

.. I probably shouldn't say that.

[Lloyd Durages]

They killed her.

I thought they were supposed to be in hiding. That they were afraid of being uncovered, and they were on the run. But they weren't. They're like cockroaches. They only come out of hiding when they know nobody else is around and it's safe to do what they set out to. That's what they did to Nina. They came out of hiding like a bunch of cockroaches, afraid to show themselves before all of us, and they killed her; an innocent girl that only did well for everybody. She never sought to do harm to anybody. She fed, clothed and helped others, and the bastards beat her, choked her and used her as some kind of guinea pig for their sick, twisted power.

Now I know what I'm fighting against.

We didn't grow up with it. Lord Grimmore once said that our forefathers had acted too slow to properly dispatch the threat before it had festered, and it wasn't long before they ran wild and tormented our lands. We managed to drive them back and claim victory, but they weren't gone for good. I realize that now.

I won't make the same mistake they did, this I swear.

I'll cut down every last one of their dark powers and bring them to justice. My hand won't be stayed. Righteous fury will temper my blade, and I will slay them in the name of all that which is good. For my people, for my country. I will live for this cause.

.. I must get stronger.

Better gear, but I was told that once I am knighted, the armor that we of the Order wear is some of the best, so I will bear that burden. The drugs that I've had Florale concoct for me are a pain to swallow, but I have to do it. They're good for me, and they'll help me. I know they will.

I talked to Sir Robin earlier today. I'm not a user of cosmic magic, but I'm running out of options. I need to master the [ S      O F        T ]. That is my next step. If I can do that, then it'll surely prove to be a fearsome ability in combat, but it's going to be hard. In reality, he can only help me based on theory and knowledge of it, but I'm going to do it. I have to do it, otherwise, I won't be able to protect anybody.

I said I'd tell Prince Alexander something on the day he is crowned as the new King, but once again, with the war coming, I may not ever get the chance to do that given how long it might take. I'm not afraid anymore, so I'll do it. He deserves to at least hear it. He always puts on a cool exterior, and everything he says has the makings of a king in it, but I don't know how much pressure he has to deal with. I don't know if he's secretly afraid. I know he wants to be the best he can be for all of us, so telling him may at least relieve the stresses of anything he might be going through. I don't know if I'll make it out of this war alive, so I need to let him know how I feel.