The manor doors banged open at dawn loud enough to wake the dead and, worse, to wake Talia.
"COUNTRY MOUSE."
Aegis opened one eye. Scarlett stood in the bedroom doorway in full armor, sword across her back, redder than the sunrise. Kanna was behind her, armored too, holding her own helmet under one arm with the patience of a woman who had been awake and dressed for hours and had given up on Scarlett doing anything quietly.
[It is dawn. Why is it dawn? Why is she shouting at dawn?]
"Get up, get up, get up. Your premier knights landed us the job of the season and you're gonna sleep through the briefing."
"...Scarlett. The sun is barely up."
"Best time there is. Roads are empty, beast's still sleepy, we'll be eating lunch by the time it knows we're coming." She was already halfway across the room. "We got a manticore, Country Mouse. A real one."
"A what now?"
