Run: 2026-07-25-01KYD7TGBGNF4R887J06RQM49W

<nc-section data-title="A Stern Welcome" data-color="red"> I dismounted near the stables, my legs aching from the long ride. Before I could even pat Thunder's neck, a towering figure in burnished steel blocked my path. Sir Roland, the knight of these lands, looked me up and down with cold grey eyes. "So you're the new squire," he said, his voice like gravel. "We start at dawn. If you're late, you'll muck the stalls for a week." He turned on his heel and strode away, leaving me to wonder what I had gotten myself into. </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="A Warm Greeting" data-color="green"> As I led Thunder toward the stables, a broad-shouldered man in polished armor emerged from between the stalls, wiping his hands on a rag. "Frederick, I presume?" he said with a warm smile. "I'm Sir Roland. Come, let me help you with your horse—he looks half as tired as you do." He took Thunder's reins with gentle, practiced hands and began telling me about the castle, the training yard, and the best place in the kitchens to find a late supper. For the first time since leaving home, I felt at ease. </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="A Test at the Gates" data-color="blue"> The stable yard was empty when I arrived—or so I thought. A wooden training sword flew through the air and landed at my feet. "Pick it up, boy," came a voice from the shadows of the hayloft. Sir Roland dropped down, landing lightly despite his armor. "Before you sleep under this roof, show me what you know." Heart pounding, I gripped the sword and raised my guard as the knight circled me, his eyes sharp with appraisal. </nc-section>