Preston is sat at the large oval table in the centre of the room, waiting as the gaggle of squires bring out the various foodstuffs and drinks to place around to allow people to grab at. Most of the Templar Brotherhood in Arx is present, except for those on duty at the shrines, so it is a nice burbling atmosphere.

Esoka comes, all jolly stomping and flashed grins to the Templars in attendance. "Sir Preston!" she booms merrily, finding a seat for herself not far down from him. "And the lot of you. Gods keep. I've been looking forward to this spread all week. I skipped breakfast, so I could enjoy it properly."


There is a soft clip of booted heel that is lost beneath the din as the small gathering moves and shifts that heralds Terese's entrance. Although simply dressed, she present impeccably in a cream linen blouse, riding breeches and boots. Her dark tresses, highlighted with dark auburn hues glint in the soft light even as her azure gaze slides over a missive within one gloved hand. She folds it quietly and tucks it away even as her gaze lifts. A smile graces her lips at a few of the passing squires and other brothers and sisters in arms before alighting upon Preston in the midst of it all before slipping to Esoka with a grin. "Ahh, Sir Preston, Dame Esoka," she calls out even as she approaches before pausing to give a short dip.

"Dame Esoka. Well. We will aim to please, I hope that there will be sufficient variety to please all palets. We are from all corners of the Compact, after all. So we have a range of dishes. Some even provided by Brother Driskell." Preston smiles at the prodigal knight before then also smiling across at Terese as sh eappears as well "Princess Terese. It is a pleasure. We have not seen much of one another since the rear guard at Stormwall. You did well to hold our mounted knights together."

Esoka directs that bright grin at Terese. "Princess. Good day. Aye, we've not spoken so much as I'd like. I hope to make my rounds among all the disciples, now that I'm wearing the mantle of Champion of Gloria. This is a time of many challenges, but also when the need for the Faith and defenders of the gods are felt most keenly." She makes an "Ooooh" sound at mention of Brother Driskell. She is familiar wit him as a cook, apparently. It entices.


With others settling in at the table, Terese lets a gloved hand come to rest upon the back of an empty chair that faces the pair. She inhales the scents of the feast while letting her gaze roam over the presentation. "I'm not sure I've ever been treated to Brother Driskell's offerings before," she remarks even as she slides around the chair to furl into her seat. "The pleasure and honor is mine and it is good to see you once more. I seem to spend over half my time traveling nowadays so it's been hard to find the time to catch up properly. The trip out to Sactum was beautiful but didn't give me much chance to speak with you considering the retinue and everything that needed to be done." She smiles at Esoka's reaction, "A good to you as well and congratulations are in order!"

"He tries to build bridges." Preston suggests to Terese "The mirrormasks like to be....well. Conversation starters I guess." The Knight Marshall then takes a deep breath and stands "Brothers, sisters. Honoured guests. We celebrate today a great man in our history. Carnifex Alor Valardin. Founder of the Orthodoxy. I know in our ranks that the majority follow those ways, but still others follow the pragmatism and even the lycene ways. I do not want you to think your voices are ignored now. This celebration is not because the Orthodoxy makes us different. But because the Orthodoxy, as the Pragmatism and the Liberalism, give us a way to exist and know our limits of disagreement. Without that framework, so questioning and disagreement could fall to heresy and disunity, as the Carnifex himself saw when he created the Silent Reflections. But. We are those who speak for the traditions of the faith. We are the Templars who guard it." Preston takes a breath "We are the sword and the shield. And we defend the Faith and the Faithful against all that might come. That is our role, that is the role men like Alor left for us. A mantle we willingly take up. In this duty we have failed once - when Darius Thrax struck down the Grayson king and usurped the throne. The faith lost its voice, its leadership killed, imprisoned or forced to obey. But. The Templars came and saved it. And we now know brothers, it was a Templar hand wielding Templar blade that killed that false king. It was Templar and Valardin who found the Crown of the Compact in the gutter and lifted it with the point of a sword back onto the heads of just men and women. We defend the Faith. We preserve the light. And tonight, in the memory of Alor and all who came before, we feast as Brothers and Sisters, for tomorrow we may be called." Preston then settles back into his seat and looks apologetically at Terese and Esoka "Sorry, sometimes you have to give speeches."

Esoka snorts at Preston's apology, standing and banging on the table in an attempt to excite the fellowship. Then, she applauds, clapping her big, sword-calloused hands together. "Well said, Sir Prseton. And well-remembered. So much knowledger of our past has been lost that we must guard like treasures our history and see it preserved. I am an Arvani Traditionalist myself, but I drink and feast with a grateful and glad heart to Alor Valardin this day. The foundation of what we are is our strength, even in an ever-changing world."


As the Knight Marshall rises to speak, much of the din dies down and the rustling of bodies is heard to turn in his direction along with faces young and old, from all walks of life that have joined together in this great feast. A few murmurs are heard in the background and one part of the speech or another though they are respectful and perhaps simply informal comments amongst one another. As Esoka rises to applaud a number of others rise to join and a few enthusiastic shouts are given and calls to the Faith.

Terese listens just as earnestly as the rest with a lift of her chin to watch Preston until his words have concluded. Laughter spills from her lips as the Dame rises to clamor against the table and for a moment so does the Dragon. She echoes the sentiments all around, "Indeed, very well said," before settling back in and lowering her voice, "Though admittedly I don't envy having to give a speech and Dame Esoka make a very good point. I find that everyday I still have yet more to learn though I never was the best pupil in certain subjects." She grins as she leans back and rests one hand upon the sword at her hip that bears the templar's sigil before reaching for a few things from plates nearby to pile onto her own.

"Much of what we knew was lost, Dame Esoka is quite right. But. We learn more each month, Princess Terese. The help of people like yourself is vital to us in doing that. Our enemies gain from us being ignorant, and they work hard to keep us that way. So slowly but surely, we build ourselves back up. And the Templars have to. Because no-one else will. No-one else understands the importance of tradition in the way we do, the value of the Templars either." Preston gives a firm nod to Terese, but soon breaks back into a warm smile "The Valardin though have long stood alongside. Many crusades bear their name. Alor himself was Valardin. And Fawkuhl more recently. And of course yourself. I had hoped to get more Telmar to join the Faith Militant but, well. That's a whole barrel of issues."

Esoka sits back down, once she's done banging on things. Getting herself a mug of water and starting to fill a plate. There's a curious grunt at mention of the Telmars. "Perhaps Sir Corban may be able to help with that, now that he's a sworn knight himself. The King's Own is a different sort of service, of course, but one with a weight and influence of its own." Her smile crooks at Terese. "I'm no scholar either, Princess. I've taken the opportunity provided by the discipleships to improve myself on matters of theology, though. There's much there is one applies to it."


"Sadly many don't," Terese agrees as her azure gaze slides around the room towards the earnest faces that do gather, having hoped to see more familiar ones from outside. "But I do what I can," she muses before Preston continues on and dips her head with a quiver of curls. "If you need any assistance I am always at the ready. These are difficult times in their own way." She plucks up a small wedge of cheese and nips at it as her gaze turns towards Esoka as the woman speaks. She gives a thoughtful nod, "I would ask further upon recruitment but perhaps a matter best to approach in private."

"Esoka knows well what we have been up to of late, though equally I can tell you. But yes. Probably best for a less crowded time. We do not wish to tempt fate." Preston reaches for some meat for his plate, poking it with a small dagger "And recruitment of the Valardin, well. Always happy to discuss about that too. I have a lot of time for them. As I told Prince Edain, if I hold the Valardin to a higher standard, it is because they are that important to the Faith Militant. Though, interesting." Preston gestures to Esoka "The King's Own. Silver Swords. I always wondered if they split from Solace, the Silver Order. Solace does enjoy protecting travellers. I could see the King's Own developing from knights who were dedicated to guarding the king on the road."

Esoka nods, in agreement with Preston and Terese both. "Aye, we'll have plenty of time to talk on things. And good space to do it in the Chapterhouse. I've much enjoyed having use of the Compound recently, I must say. It's been a comfort to be able to come here, especially while Calaudrin's away, and just spend my down-time with those of the Sword of the Faith." She makes a thoughtful snorting sound, as to the Silver Order and Silver Swords. "It is funny, isn't it, how so many names overlap. I'd be willing to call it coincidence, but perhaps there is something there, locked away in our lost histories, that'd be important to understanding both Orders. And the broader knighthood for that matter."


"I am woefully backlogged a bit, I will be sure to catch up with either of you when the occasion presents itself," she offers before lifting a glass and shifting to lean upon one hip as a knee crosses over the other. To Preston's explanation she lifts her free hand to wave it off, "As well you should." A warm smile flickers towards Esoka then at the mention of the compound grounds. Her glass tilts towards the woman's snort and call of coincidence before taking a long sip. "Curious how history often works in that fashion however. Subtle changes over time that are lost from one generation to the next."

"Almost as though the history were...alive, or controlled like a pet, hrm? Funny how things can be." Preston smiles at the pair "And, I am glad the Compound fits in with you both. You are welcome to use it as we rennovate other parts. You nveer know, we might find the answer as to how some of these terms drifted across."

Terese is overheard praising Preston for: For keeping the Faith alive

Preston is overheard praising Terese for: For turning up to celebrate Carnifex Alor Valardin

Preston is overheard praising Esoka for: Turning up to celebrate Alor Valardin, even if she isn't Orthodox

"I look forward to seeing what it looks like when the renovations are done. And in learning ever more about the history of the Faith, and Gloria." With that, Esoka digs in. Hungrily. She has been waiting for this all day, and the life of a prodigal knight is one that burns many calorise she needs to replenish.

Esoka is overheard praising Preston for: The point of the Sword of the Faith.

Terese is overheard praising Esoka for: A true disciple of Gloria and the Faith