The walk to the training grounds was somehow made much more awkward by Eric. Shawn had been trying, and failing, to hold a conversation with Blair for the entirety of their twenty minute walk. Blair tried, she really did, but with Eric there she had no idea how to treat Shawn beyond giving him polite, yet curt, answers. 

When they had finally arrived both Shawn and Eric dismissed themselves to get their affairs in order before Duke Bell arrived. Blair was left to try and find Alina and James on her own. The first place she tried to check was the second armory, Cleo had often found the two of them there goofing off together. Unfortunately, she didn’t find them there. More unfortunately, she did find a few others; namely Sir Geof Blome, Sir Blake Amber, and Sir Neil Ganes. Three of her fellow knights who she knew did not like her.

“The Commander told us you saved His Grace, Duke Bell,” a gravelly voice called out as Blair turned to leave. The man scoffed and then snidely remarked to the others, “she’s not even hurt, I bet it was another favor, just like her position.”

Another voice laughed, “Sir Blome, you can hardly call taking credit for something you didn’t do a favor.”

Blair frowned. She knew this was tamer than what Cleo had to deal with, but it was still upsetting to hear. 

“I have to get back to Dame Riley,” Blair said in an attempt to excuse herself.

Sir Ganes, who had moved behind her while the other two made their snide jokes, blocked off the doorway. “Dame Riley is on patrol, why don’t you just admit that you’re going back to Commander Wirst to hide behind him?”

“We all know you only got into the order because Commander Wirst wants to make you his,” Sir Amber added.

Blair wanted to protest. She wanted to tell them that she, no, that Cleo had never hid behind Shawn. That to her memory, Cleo had knocked each of them on their asses on several occasions, that Cleo got into the order through her exceptional skills. But she hadn’t really done those things, that was Cleo. So Blair did as she always had in her life and ducked under Sir Ganes arm to leave the situation behind, ignoring their sexist comments about what she was going to do with Shawn once she went back to him and laughter those comments beget. 

When she rounded the corner she nearly barrelled over Eric. 

“Sir Jaune!” She exclaimed, “I’m so sorry, I–”

Eric cut her off, holding up a hand between them, “it’s fine. I’m more surprised you didn’t beat them up again.”

Blair huffed, a weary laugh behind it, “three on one seems like a bad idea. It’s not like I always need to correct people through violence.”

Eric raised an eyebrow, “never stopped you before,” he stated as he crossed his arms. “Well, it’s not like they were totally wrong anyways,” he muttered under his breath.

If Blair had her old hearing, she would have missed it, but it seemed that Cordelia’s ears liked to work overtime.

“What do you mean they weren't wrong?” She asked.

Eric bristled, “you don’t know?”

“I hate when people ask that, if I knew then why would I bother asking?”

Eric sighed before looking around, “come this way,” he said as he pulled Blair away from the second armory by the wrist to a more secluded spot. “You really don’t know?” He asked incredulously as he released her. 

Blair fought the urge to roll her eyes as she rubbed her wrist, he had really grabbed it hard. “I don’t,” she pursed her lips, “I don’t know what Commander Wirst told you about my memory, but I’m fine now, so that’s not why I don’t know.” 

Eric huffed and ran a hand down his face, hand left over his mouth as he contemplated telling Blair what she was so blissfully unaware of. The action made Blair nervous.

“Look,” he started, “I know you’re skilled,” he paused.

“It’s fine, you won’t hurt my pride,” Blair offered. It wasn’t like she had any pride to begin with. Whatever pride Eric thought she had all belonged to Cleo.

“Commoners aren’t allowed to be knights. Not even wealthy ones or ex-nobles.”

“Well, that’s stupid,” Blair said immediately. “I’m a knight so clearly exceptions can be made.”

Eric shook his head. “You aren’t a knight.”

Blair didn’t know what to say. Of course she was. She had their uniform, she was a member of the Wirst knights, appointed by the commander himself. She was given a sword with the Wirst emblem on its hilt. She had been paid as a knight.

“I am though?” She said, bewildered. 

“Knights are anointed.”

“I was? I was hired–”

Eric cut her off, “you were hired as a mercenary member of the order. You were never anointed.” Blair stared at him, confused, before he asked, “you really didn’t know? Laurence didn’t tell you?”

“Laurence? Why would Laurence tell me?”

“Because Commander Wirst wouldn’t? Your brother was offered the same position as you but turned it down,” He said before he tacked on, “as he should have. As you should have.”

Blair could almost hear Cleo raging from the unfairness of it all. The little voice contained in Cleo’s memories insisted that she deserved to be a knight. That she had worked harder than any other knight in the order and was far more deserving of the title. It was Cleo’s voice that gave emotion to Blair, but Blair ignored it. More than feeling Cleo’s anger at the injustice, more than her own of the same at the thought that commoners weren’t offered the opportunity to be knights, more than her upset about being lied to by Shawn and Laurence, Blair was glad that she wasn’t beholden to being a knight anymore.

“Okay.”

“‘Okay,’ what?” Eric asked.

“After I receive my favor from His Grace, Duke Bell, I will quit.”

Eric’s face paled, “wait–”

“I’m not a knight, I’ll just quit.”

“Will you tell Commander Wirst why?” Eric asked nervously.

Blair could tell he was really asking her if she would tell Shawn what he had told her, but she just smiled, “no, I won’t. I’ll tell him I want to try traveling or something.”

Eric sighed, clearly relieved, “well, I’m certainly glad you’ll be leaving. There won’t be any more conflicts with the knights anymore and I won’t have to put up with Commander Wirst’s constant worry about you anymore either.”

Blair laughed wistfully, “I’m sorry for being a thorn in your side for so long. God, if I had known I’m sure I would’ve left sooner.”

Eric didn’t laugh, he looked at Blair pensively, “why do you keep saying that?”

Blair paused, “saying what?”

Eric shifted uncomfortably, “that God stuff. It’s ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? It’s just… I don’t know, a saying? I don’t mean anything by it, I’m sorry if it offended you, I know some people don’t like when people use God’s name in vain like that.”

Then, Eric looked disgusted, “you really think people believe in stuff like that? This isn’t Leal, we aren’t deluded.”

“Oh.”

“Whatever, just drop the God stuff when you see Duke Bell, or anyone else actually. Unless you want people to think you’re nuts.” Eric said with a shrug before turning away from Blair. “Commander Wirst will come get you when the Duke gets here, just wait in the first training yard.”