Loden, Kaiden, and Brokenfang make their way slowly around the palace, keeping to themselves as they walk. The halls seem oddly deserted, with no servants or other people in sight.

  The group takes immediate notice of the lack of people around as they venture around the palace grounds. Loden stops in his walk several times and considers the path to the bathhouse, weighing the options before taking another corridor.

  Loden stops suddenly at a hallway that goes left and right in front of him. He realizes that he has gotten the group lost since he's unsure of the path leading to the bath house. "I'm not entirely sure this is the right way," he admits, looking around the empty corridor.

  Brokenfang shakes his head, frustration in his tone, "How do you not know where you're going?" His annoyance mounts as his wolf ears flatten back.

  Loden places a hand on his neck, sounding slightly sheepish, "I've never been to the baths before," he confesses. "I was hoping we'd run into a servant and ask them for directions," he says, his confidence fading slightly.

  Kaiden observes the escalating argument between Loden and Brokenfang, shaking his head in frustration. He decides to take matters into his own hands and turns his attention down each corridor, carefully scanning the surroundings.

  Kaiden moves to the right corridor hallway, inspecting for life either by sight or sound but he can’t identify anything. Shaking his head, he moves to left corridor, his attention fixed on any clues that might indicate the presence of people. At first, he doesn't hear anything, but then something catches his attention - a familiar scent..

  Kaiden turns, abruptly interrupting the ongoing argument between Loden and Brokenfang. "We should go this way," he declares, already moving down the hallway without awaiting a response.

  Before Loden or Brokenfang can respond or react, Kaiden is halfway down the hallway. Caught off guard by his sudden decision, Loden and Brokenfang quickly follow after him, curious and a bit surprised by Kaiden's decision.

  Loden calls out to Kaiden, who's steadily moving down the corridor, "Kaiden, slow down!" Both warriors hasten their steps to catch up, struggling to keep up with his quick pace and the sudden take off. Brokenfang though halfway down the hall begins to falls behind Loden, slowing his footsteps as he picks up on voices ahead of them. His heightened senses alert him to the presence of at least two individuals both female.

  Kaiden pauses briefly before resuming his quick pace, his ears honing in on the sound of distant voices in front of him. One voice stands out as familiar quiet and sweet, while the other not so much.

  Kaiden rounds the corner of the hallway and catches sight of a familiar figure leaning against the railing overlooking the courtyard outside. His blue eyes widen as he recognizes the slender, tall young woman with long brunette hair tied up behind her. Her choice of attire today - light blue robes - catches his eye.

  Kaiden calls out her name, a smile lighting up his face as he rushes towards her. "Margaretta!" he exclaims, thrilled to see her again after a week or more of being apart.

  Suddenly, an older woman steps in front of Kaiden, her brown hair streaked with strands of graying hair. Her piercing dark black eyes narrow at him, a protective edge evident in her expression.

  The older woman's tone is firm and somewhat rude as she places her hand out toward Kaiden in a stop motion, "Stop! Step away from Lady Hargreave." She turns to the young woman at her side and speaks in a soft urgent voice, “Come along, Miss, it's time we be on our way." With a sense of urgency, she attempts to guide Margaretta away from Kaiden, gently steering her in the opposite direction from him.

  Margaretta resists the older woman’s gentle guiding hands, a smile spreading across her face as her voice rings out, excited: "Charlene, wait!" The older woman hesitates, clearly caught off guard by the young woman's words and resistance.

  Margaretta turns gracefully in a slow motion, stepping around the older woman and coming to stand by Kaiden's side, her blank white eyes meeting his gaze for a moment before shifting back to Charlene, her servant.

  "Charlene," Margaretta says, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Do you not recognize who you're addressing?" She bows respectfully to Kaiden, declaring, "It is an honor to see you again, Priestess."

  Charlene hesitates, her gaze flickering between Margaretta and Kaiden. Charlene raises an eyebrow, finally realizing the error in her actions moments ago. She bows her head slightly, a mix of concern and surprise in her expression. "Yes my lady," she replies, her voice a touch softer now. She turns to Kaiden and bows as well, speaking formally. "My apologies, Your Grace. I did not recognize you, and I was unaware that you knew each other."

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  Loden approaches Kaiden with the two ladies, his eyes widening as he recognizes Margaretta. He bows slightly in acknowledgement. "Lady Hargrave," he says respectfully. "It's a pleasure to cross paths with you once again."

  Margaretta nods, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Loden," she responds warmly. "It's a pleasure to see you today as well."

  Kaiden notices Charlene's sudden reaction, her face twisting in surprise as she looks past him. He turns to follow her gaze and sees Brokenfang slowly approaching, keeping several steps behind Loden. Brokenfang's ears are pressed down, a tension uneasiness evident in his stance and expression.

  Charlene anxiously urges, "My lady, we should be on our way," her voice trembling slightly. She extends a hand to reach out to Margaretta, but her young charge gracefully steps out of Charlene's reach.

  Margaretta gracefully sidesteps Kaiden, avoiding Charlene's reach, and moves to stand by Loden’s side. With her blank white eyes, she glances behind him at Brokenfang, her head tilting slightly as if studying him.

  Brokenfang meets Margaretta's gaze with a mix of apprehension and uncertainty, his wolf ears pressed down farther. He appears uneasy with the two females in front of him, especially as they remain close to his companions.

  Kaiden recalls their initial meeting, a memory surfacing in his mind. "Margaretta," he asks, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You can see Brokenfang's aura as well, right?"

  Margaretta nods in agreement, her long, tied-up brunette hair swaying with the motion. "Yes," she acknowledges, "it's a bit different from yours, my uncle's, and Loden's."

  Charlene moves to step forward but quickly catches herself, shaking her head and shifting her attention elsewhere. She turns toward the courtyard, effectively ignoring the men and her young charge.

  Margaretta offers a reassuring smile, extending her hand as she speaks. "You need not be afraid or nervous to approach me, warrior," she says. "It's quite an honor to meet you. And I must admit, I have already heard things about you from the servants here at the palace. But please, don't give too much thought to their words. After all, they are merely words."

  Brokenfang hesitates for a moment longer but then gradually approaches the group closer, his expression cautious. His wolf ears slowly rise as he takes Margaretta's soft hand in his own, his grip soft.

  Kaiden can't help but feel a surge of excitement, his words quick and eager. "We were just heading to the bathhouse," he says, "care to join us?"

  Kaiden can sense the collective surprise from Brokenfang, Loden, and Charlene, all turning to look at him with wide eyes. Loden and Brokenfang appear embarrassed, while Charlene's expression turns to anger. Kaiden is caught off guard and shrugs innocently, "What? What I say."

  With a soft, melodic chuckle, Margaretta releases Brokenfang's hand and steps away from him. She stands beside Charlene, her tone gentle as she explains, "It's not quite proper for the priestess to bathe with the opposite gender," she clarifies. She giggles softly as she continues, "The others are simply shocked that you had the audacity to ask."

  Kaiden's cheeks flush with embarrassment as he waves his hands frantically in front of him, desperately trying to explain himself. "That's not what I meant," he insists, his hand moving to his head in frustration. "I was just trying to be polite, that's all," he emphasizes, his voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness.

  Charlene gently intercedes, shaking her head while speaking to Margaretta. "My lady," she begins, "I think it's best we take our leave. The festival is approaching soon, and you have a meeting with the Empress scheduled. We should make our way."

  Margaretta's expression turns sad, her eyes shifting to the ground momentarily. Yet, she gathers her composure and lifts her head, addressing Kaiden and the warriors gently, "I'm afraid I must bid you farewell for now. It was delightful seeing you again, but there are some important things I must attend to."

  Kaiden, Brokenfang, and Loden all bow respectfully as they say, "My lady." Margaretta dips her head gracefully, allowing Charlene to guide her down the hall and around a corner, disappearing from their sight.

  Kaiden's heart feels a tug of disappointment, wishing he had more time to chat with Margaretta. Then, he feels a nudge from Loden, who's smirking mischievously. Kaiden rolls his eyes at his friend's playful antics.

  Kaiden's gaze drifts toward the verdant expanse of the courtyard as Loden pipes up, "You know, we could've just asked her where the bathhouse is...or even her lady-in-waiting."

  Kaiden turns to face Loden, his eyes widening as he responds, "Seriously, you couldn't have mentioned that earlier? I totally forgot about asking for directions to the bathhouse!"

  Brokenfang, who had remained silent for much of the encounter, finally speaks up. "I can hear the bathhouse now and smell the water," he says. "I can lead us there."

  Kaiden and Loden exchange a glance, their expressions initially bewildered by Brokenfang's claim. However, they quickly shrug it off, opting not to argue or make a fuss at the moment. Instead, they decide to follow Brokenfang's lead, trusting in his senses to guide them to the bathhouse.

  Loden chuckles, raising his hand and playfully ruffling Kaiden's hair. Loden then turns to Brokenfang, a smirk on his face. "Alright, Brokenfang," he says, "lead the way."

  Brokenfang guides them down the hallway, following the same path that Margaretta and Charlene had taken. But instead of the path ending at the corner, he continues down the walkway. Loden and Kaiden dutifully trail behind him.

  Kaiden's mind drifts, thinking about what Margaretta had mentioned regarding Brokenfang's aura. She had said that it was different was Loden’s, Wuflric’s and mine. But what was different about it he wondered. He also realizes that he'd momentarily forgotten about the upcoming festival, his thoughts momentarily swirling with curiosity and anticipation.

  The thought of attending the festival filled him with excitement, having never been to one before. The closest experiences he'd had were visits to fairs and amusement parks. Kaiden couldn't help but feel eager to go if the opportunity arose before the warriors and him had to set out on their quest to find the next warrior in the Forsaken Forest.