They began to make their way toward the infirmary. Michael and Ollie drew a fair amount of stares. Michael in his now patchwork armor, and Ollie in his garb that made him look like he was meant to be painted on the side of a van.“So, you clearly made it to Old Hume okay, but joining the knighthood? How did that happen?” Michael asked Lance.“The journey here was difficult. I’ve never travelled alone before, and the roads have been getting more dangerous as the rift problem grows. Luckily it wasn’t as severe then as it is now. Once I made it to a small town on the border I made a formal introduction to the local lord using the family name of my grandmother rather than my father. The lord there sheltered me for the night and gave me directions to the capital where my cousins live. On the way I found myself stumbling into a number of problems that I couldn’t ignore. Bandits preying on the vulnerable, rifts not yet tackled by patrols. I found myself frequently distracted by them and unable to make my way as directly as I would have preferred.”“Christ, mate. You may as well have stayed with us,” interjected Ollie.Lance laughed. “I found myself thinking the same a few times, but eventually I was able to reach the capital and make an introduction to my family there. It was tense for me, as I wasn’t sure that they would accept me, but Dame Bina remembered my grandmother and welcomed me. Shortly after I tried to join the army as a soldier, but when they saw my training they referred me to the knighthood. I expected to squire for some time, but apparently some of the actions I’d taken on my way to the capital had become a bit more widely known. Between that and my experience sealing rifts I was knighted almost immediately and put to work.”“You take any time to rest in the meantime?” asked Michael with a bit of concern in his voice.“I spent a good amount of time with my cousins and Dame Bina’s neighbors. Delia, the Lady of the Manor (...)