Bitter Smile

From within the shifting crowd, a young man stood still, watching. He was of average height, his face mostly hidden beneath the shadow of his hood, but his eyes were sharp and keen as they followed the five figures moving with purpose through the street.

The crowd parted instinctively around Eccar, Mark, Selene, Kaela, and Thorne, as if sensing the weight they carried.

The man is none other than Jan, the ranger by trade and instinct, noticed the details others missed. The way their shoulders tensed, the worn edges of their cloaks, the faint but unmistakable marks of battle on their gear.

Their faces were set, stern and determined, their gazes locked straight ahead, toward the palace.

"They've come from far… and they fought hard to get here," Jan thought, narrowing his eyes.