Run: 2026-03-11-01KKFCAPQJ72ETXB4PM0SE4R2E

<nc-section data-title="The Knight's Greeting" data-color="red"> I dismounted Thunder just as the heavy stable doors groaned open. A knight, his surcoat displaying the rampant lion of the kingdom, strode towards me, his polished greaves ringing on the cobblestones. "So, you're the boy they've sent," Sir Roland said, his voice a gravelly echo in the cavernous space. He offered not a smile, but a stern, appraising look. "The stables are warm, but the world outside grows cold. Your training begins now, and it will be harder than you imagine. The whispers from the north speak of a shadow stirring, and we have no time for soft hands or faint hearts." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="The Knight's Greeting" data-color="green"> The scent of hay and warm earth enveloped me as I led Thunder into the stables. There, brushing a magnificent grey destrier, stood a knight. His mail was clean, his movements deliberate. "A good arrival, squire," he said, glancing over his shoulder. His eyes were the color of moss, calm and assessing. "I am Sir Roland. Your master, Sir Alistair, is overseeing the evening watch. He asked me to ensure you were settled." He gestured with a straw broom towards an empty stall. "A castle's strength is in its foundations—its stables, its walls, its men. We'll see what you're made of. Start with brushing Thunder down. A cared-for horse is a loyal friend." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="The Knight's Greeting" data-color="blue"> As I untacked Thunder in the deepening twilight of the stables, a figure emerged from the shadows of a stall, silent as a wraith. He wore the uniform of a knight, but the blue of his surcoat seemed to drink the fading light. "Frederick," he stated, not asked. His voice was low, like stones grinding underwater. "I am Sir Roland." He stepped closer, and I saw a thin, white scar tracing the line of his jaw. "They say you have the look of one destined for something… more." His gaze was intense, searching my face as if reading a map. "This is a good stables. Quiet. But do not mistake this quiet for peace. Feel it?" He paused, his eyes flicking to the high, narrow windows. "The silence before the storm. Your training will need to be swift. Come. We have much to discuss before the moon is full." </nc-section>