Cordelia opened the door to Mark's room in the palace, a bugle being held in the crook of her arm. The tactician was lying in bed, snoring into his pillow. "He's so precious when he's asleep." The knight sighed to herself, before putting her lips to the mouthpiece of the horn. Breathing deep, she let out a loud wail from the bugle that caused Mark to all but jump from his bed. Clutching to the quilt to his chest, Mark stared wide eyed up towards Cordelia, who was walking towards the closed curtains in the room.
"Gods, woman! What was that for?! I was sleeping just fi-AHH!" The man's words were cut short by the light of the sun, breaking through the window Cordelia was exposing by parting the curtains. "Wh-what time is it?" He blurted out, using his hand to shield his eyes.
"It's past first light, and that's what's important." Cordelia walked back around him to stand in the doorway. "Come on, you're wasting the day away." Without another word, she turned on her heel and went out the door leaving Mark on the floor, still clutching the bed's covers. Happy with her success, she walked back down the stairs to the makeshift diming hall, where a few people were working on their breakfast plates. Since Gangral's defeat, everyone had been working hard to rebuild Yllisse. Most of the Sheppards were residing in the Ylisstol castle for now, while they were working to restore it and the surrounding city after Gangral's attack had left it prime for bandits and thieves. True, no one had to be up at certain times, but the Pegasus knight thought that Mark was becoming complacent with no direct threat. He was the second-in-command of the army by default, and had to be an example for the rest of the army. That didn't include sleeping in till after the sun was fully risen.
A few minutes later Mark entered the hall himself, grunting good mornings at people as he past, before finding Cordelia with his eyes. With a slight expression of contempt on his face and the desire for sleep still in his eyes, he walked over and sat across from her. "You know, some sailors say it's bad luck to wake a sleeping man."
"I've noticed recently that you tend to wake up later than even Virion, and that's impressive." Cordelia noticed the servants she had called on before she woke Mark up, and got their attention. They came with full trays, one with a teapot and two ups, the other with plates stacked high with food. "We need to get you waking up earlier, and I'm gonna help." The food was put in front of both of them, and the tea poured. Cordelia put two cubes of sugar in her cup and stirred. "It's for the best."
"The best?" Mark sat there still trying to get the sleep out of his eyes. The servants put his plate in front of him and poured him his tea, then backed away with a bow. "Look, Cordelia, I know you have the best intentions. But I don't think that one man can-"
"Well you're not just one man. You're one of the most important men in the country, even the whole continent." Cordelia lectured him, in between spoons of oatmeal. "You have a certain responsibility now." Mark signed, taking a sip of tea. Eventually, he nodded.
"Alright. I'll do what you say. But this morning is gonna come back to you one day, Cordelia. You understand that?" The knight smiled, and reclined in her chair.
"I'm sure I am. Now," she pulled out a notebook from her satchel and flipped the pages to about halfway through the book "you better finish your food quickly. You have to be in the barracks in 20 minutes to train and give motivation to the troops there."
"W-wait, what? Do you have my day planned?" Mark snatched the book from the woman across from him's hands and stared down the page. "You do…barracks, the healer's house, and a run?...all before lunch?" He flipped the page and his eyes widened farther. "You have tomorrow planned too! And the day after! And all of next week…" His head hit the table, shaking the teacup and his empty plate. "What did I just agree to?"