Run: 2026-10-08-01M4DAAGHE0J2XX0KY1SH0XB97

<nc-section data-title="Chapter 1: A Knight at the Stables (Version 1)" data-color="red"> Thunder slowed to a trot as we passed beneath the iron portcullis, and the courtyard opened before us in a clatter of hooves and voices. Before I could find the stables, a broad-shouldered man in dented steel strode across the cobblestones toward me, his cloak trailing behind him like a banner. His beard was streaked with grey, but his stride was as firm as any young knight's. "You must be Frederick," he said, looking up at me with a grin. "I am Sir Roland. You rode in faster than the messenger said you would, which tells me either you are eager or your horse is impatient. Judging by the foam on that stallion's neck, I suspect the horse is to blame." I felt my cheeks warm as I slid from the saddle. Thunder snorted and tossed his head, and Sir Roland laughed, reaching out to rest a calloused hand on the stallion's neck. The animal calmed almost at once. "Good beast," Roland murmured. "Come, the grooms will see to him. Your training begins at dawn, but tonight you will eat, rest, and learn where the well is, because the castle's first lesson is always that a squire who cannot find water will not survive long enough to become a knight." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="Chapter 1: The Welcome of Sir Roland (Version 2)" data-color="green"> Thunder had barely come to a halt when a voice called out from the shadows of the stable doorway. "Easy there, lad! Don't let him drag you into the straw before you've had a chance to unsaddle him." A tall knight emerged into the fading light, pulling off a leather gauntlet as he came. His face was weathered by years of sun and wind, and a faded scar ran from his left ear to the corner of his jaw. He studied me with sharp, thoughtful eyes before offering a hand. "Sir Roland," he said. "I'm the one they've left in charge of squires until the Lord Marshal returns from the border. You're Frederick, I take it?" I clasped his hand, surprised by the strength of his grip. "Yes, sir. I hope I'm not late." "Late? No. Early, if anything, and that's rarer than you'd think." He nodded toward Thunder, who was already nosing hopefully at a water trough. "Your horse is a fine animal, but he's clearly been ridden hard. Take a moment to tend him yourself before the grooms take over. A squire who knows his mount's needs is worth three who only know how to swing a sword." He turned to lead me deeper into the stable yard, his voice softening. "You'll find this place demands a great deal of you, Frederick. But it also gives back, if you're willing to work for it." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="Chapter 1: Beneath the Stable Lanterns (Version 3)" data-color="blue"> The stable lanterns had just been lit when I heard footsteps on the packed earth behind me. I turned to see a knight leaning against a fence post, arms folded, as if he had been waiting there for hours. His armour was plain and well-worn, and he wore no crest, but there was a quiet confidence about him that made me stand straighter. "Frederick, I assume," he said, pushing himself upright. "I'm Sir Roland. I was told to expect a boy who would arrive covered in dust and too proud to admit he was tired." I opened my mouth to protest, then thought better of it. "I am tired, sir," I admitted. "But I'm not too proud to say it." Roland's eyes crinkled at the corners. "Good. Honesty is the first virtue a squire learns, and the last one most men keep." He gestured toward the stable doors, where a stableboy was already leading Thunder inside. "Your horse will be cared for. You, on the other hand, will be shown to your quarters, given a meal, and then told what your duties are. Tomorrow, you'll discover how much of your pride I can knock out of you before breakfast." He started walking, and after a moment I hurried to follow, Thunder's whinny echoing behind us as the castle bells began to ring the evening hour. </nc-section>