Year: 602

Titus didn't join the Silver Hand out of any paladinly ideals, no, he did it because he knew it was what his father would have wanted. Paladins were supposed to be the bringers of justice, and if he were a paladin, he could bring justice to the orcs – the monsters that had destroyed his home and killed his father. Justice, in the form of death.

"Hey, you new here?" a friendly voice called out. Rivendare turned to see who was talking to him. He snorted quietly when he saw it was some commoner boy, a scrawny thirteen-year-old with girlish eyelashes framing purple eyes.

"I can take care of myself."

"Oh, come on! Why is everyone like this? You're all gonna be paladins, and we've all gotta be like a family – that's what the Order of the Silver Hand-"

"I'm not going to talk to a commoner like you," Titus said.

Zeliek sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew the new guy would open up eventually. He wasn't keen to chase after people who didn't want to talk to him, anymore. It may have worked on Blaumeux, but he'd learned since then that it was kind of annoying, so he'd stopped. He went back to reading scripture.

Melanie herself was refining her swordsmanship skills, attacking a training dummy. Her elegant motions caught the eye of the newcomer. Now, this was a person he could talk to! Clearly she was also of noble blood, and about his age, too!

The bell at the top of the chapel tower rang then, signaling noon. Zeliek hopped off his fence and put a tasseled rope in his book. Blaumeux leaned her wooden sword against the dummy and turned to go into the building. "What are you gawking at?" she asked, glaring at Rivendare as she walked by him.

"Uh…" Titus didn't even reply. He shrugged the whole incident off and also went to get his lunch. Once he had it, however, he didn't know where to sit down and eat it. Zeliek and Melanie were sitting together, talking and laughing, and the other two young paladins were doing the same. Rivendare looked at the ground with a slight frown for a moment, then settled for sitting on a fence by himself.

XXX

Rivendare parried a blow and then lunged, knocking Zeliek's feet out from under him. The younger paladin landed flat on his back. He sat up, blinked a few times, then started laughing. Titus, much to his own surprise, grinned and also began to laugh. Rivendare helped the younger paladin to his feet. Zeliek had been correct – in the span of a couple weeks, Titus had warmed up to the others – except Blaumeux, who didn't want to have anything to do with him, or the others for that matter. She'd befriended Zeliek, but never talked to anyone else.

"How come she never talks to me?" he asked, without meaning to. Before Zeliek could ask who he meant, he pointed to the girl.

"Melanie?" Zeliek clarified, looking over at Blaumeux. He frowned slightly. "She doesn't talk to anyone, except me. I'm surprised she does, actually. She's always been a little… I don't know, antisocial. I asked her why, once, but she doesn't want to talk about it."

Later, as the young paladins were eating their lunch, Zeliek hopped up onto the fence next to Rivendare, to discuss what they'd been learning and which method they felt was superior so far. Melanie looked around in confusion, wondering where her friend was. She finally saw him, talking with Titus, and just watched them, frowning a bit. Zeliek waved at her and gestured for her to come over. Reluctantly, she did.

"Hi, Melanie," the boy in the white tunic greeted her.

"Hello, Zeliek," Blaumeux replied, trying to pretend she didn't see Rivendare.

"You guys haven't met before, have you?" Zeliek said, despite knowing the answer, and skipped straight to the introductions, "This is Titus. I know you don't like talking to new people, but I think you two could be great friends if you bothered to try."

"Doubt it," Melanie muttered under her breath. She spoke up, "Hello Titus. Melanie Blaumeux; pleasure to meet you." It was little more than dry formality.

"Uh… The pleasure is mine, good lady." Not a lot more was said between them.