The Merit of Steel

The Holy Knight compound was a quiet, refined place. Wide-windowed marble halls, rooms adorned with rich mahogany furniture and almost no sense of homeliness. It was all business. Wren Llewellyn was quite familiar with the place, having been raised there for the majority of her life. Her footsteps were quiet, bare feet crossing the cold floor with no sound. Today was different than most days she had spent here previously. She wasn't here to see Azriel, the woman who raised her. She was here for business. To attempt to join the ranks of the exalted knights.

Her breath was light as well, steady and smooth as she walked down the hall, reaching a closed door. Behind it was Abaddon, the man she was instructed to meet. He was famous at the academy. The Holy Knight that turned down every attempted squire. She had heard that he had viciously high standards, though, Azriel seemed to think that Wren would meet them. Wren had no qualms with becoming a Holy Knight, in fact, it would make Azriel incredibly proud. It was the situation that bothered her. She already faced enough challenges because of who she was, she didn't want to earn the rank of squire because of who she was related to.

Wren put her doubts to rest, shutting down the jumped rush of self-doubt by digging her fingernails into her palms. She was not a fucking baby. She didn't need to be coddled or handed the position. Either she would earn this positive because of her own skill or she would walk out another disappointed candidate. She wouldn't allow her pride to be ruined by a rescue from Azriel. She knocked on the door, two quick hard raps to alert the man inside.