The clack of wooden practice swords rang out in the courtyard. Daemon and his sister, Luna were at it again. Daemon was a tall, slender fellow with wavy, light brown hair that had only begun to touch his shoulders. Luna had slightly darker hair and her build was slightly thicker than Daemon's. They were both quiet children, Luna being shy and Daemon simply not having much to say unless he had to talk his way out of something he didn't want to do, but on the field of battle each matched the other's intensity. Luna slashes downward, but Daemon smartly side steps it and counters with a thrust. Luna lunges backwards and hits the sword away, knocking it out of Daemon's hand.

"I win, Brother," she says with a grin, throwing her sword into a barrel. As she begins to turn around, Daemon tackles her.

"You don't win until I yield, Sister!" Daemon exclaims playfully. Luna growls and wrestles Daemon, eventually pinning him down.

"Ha! Do you yield now, Brother?"

"No," Daemon states. Using all of his strength, he overcomes Luna and quickly slips out of her grasp.

"No fair! You're skinnier than me, I can't do that!" Luna huffs, sitting down on a tree stump.

"Fatty," Daemon teases. He chuckles and pokes Luna playfully. He then quickly runs out of the courtyard and down the hallway, knowing what the response will be from his sister.

"I am not fat, I'm just stronger than you!" She exclaims, chasing him down the hallway. Daemon quickly opens a door and dashes inside, closing it just as fast.

"Oh. My apologies. Good morning Raven!" Daemon says, slightly out of breath.

"By the Gods, this house is too feral for me!" Raven replies, slightly annoyed. "I can't seem to go a single day without getting interrupted by something." Raven was shorter and than Luna and Daemon. She had large eyes that would remind you of a cat's and her facial features were sharp. She had a certain beauty to her, but it was not an obvious one.

"I do apologize Raven, but I am in quite the situation... Again" Daemon explained with a wide grin on his face as some one starts to bang on the door loudly. "Let her in Daemon, please?" Raven asks.

"As you wish my lady," Daemon jokes, opening the door suddenly, causing Luna to sprawl to the floor. "Draw?"

"Draw," Luna agrees with a huff. As she climbs to her feet, one of the maids enters the room.

"Oh do please hurry up, breakfast started at dawn!" She exclaims, helping Luna up and dusting her off. "And Lady Raven, you may sleep as late as you like in your own estate, but you go by our schedule while you are here!" With that note, she hustled out of the crowded room.

"Don't mind her, shes been very tense since the war started, and everyone accusing everyone else of being a magic user," Daemon sighs "Come on, we should go down before she has to send for us again."

"Whats so bad about being a magic user?" Raven wondered.

"Nothing, but too many people fear them, and widespread fear leads to hysteria, which puts magic users in danger. I don't fear them. If they are gracious to me, I shall be gracious to them." Daemon stated as he walked out of the room with Luna. "I'll see you in the dining hall."

Raven quickly gets dressed in a maroon robe that barely skimmed the ground as she hurried to the apothecary's shack within the manor. The apothecary was a blind man by the name of Cyan, who was only beginning to show the signs of age. His blue grey hair was peppered here and there, but he was no older than forty. He always carried around a walking stick, one he had engraved with many runes and symbols. Raven quietly steps inside and examines the herbs. "They look sorted to me," Raven said, examining the contents of the jars and small bowls.

"They aren't. I can smell them," Cyan grunted softly, " Make sure you use more than just your sense of sight. Not all things are discovered using sight alone. I need to consult Lord Adder. I'll be back in a moment. I expect these herbs to be neat and organized when I return, Do you understand?"

"Yes Cyan," Raven replied dutifully, and with that he departed for the lord's chambers. As Raven carefully sorted through the herbs, Daemon and Luna were only beginning to enjoy their late breakfast.

"I cant wait to begin training with the Knights of the Serrated Shield, can't you? Do you think you'll join the order after you go through training?" Luna asked before taking a bite out of a biscuit.

"I truly don't know, I guess I'll join the order if it suites me, but they seem too strict for my preferences" Daemon replied as Cyan slowly filed into the dining hall. Despite his blindness, he knew the manor layout by memory and carried his walking stick with him just so none of the maids would assist in guiding him. He looked at Daemon with sown up eyelids, the rumor was that he had once worked for the king and saw something he shouldn't have, so they gouged out his eyes, had the eyelids sewn up, and banished him to wander until he came to the manor's doorstep. Daemon was hypnotized by the eyeless stare for a mere moment before Cyan's voice brought him back to consciousness

"Have you seen your father? I need to speak with him," he rasped quietly.