Cold morning air settled around the capital's eastern gate while royal knights prepared for departure.
Horses stamped against the cobbles while leather straps creaked beneath armored fingers. The supply wagon carried the mixed smell of oiled timber and fresh hay.
Gatehouse servants carried bundled spears between the ranks while sleepy merchants watched from shuttered stalls, careful not to obstruct a royal deployment.
Beyond the open arch, the eastern road disappeared through pale fields still silvered by morning frost.
Several knights gathered beside the wagon's rear wheel, keeping their voices low while they checked one another's gear.
"I still do not understand why we are bringing a rookie," one knight muttered as he tightened a gauntlet strap. "Passing the Ranker exam does not make anybody ready for a seven-Shard Gate."
