Arthur has fallen asleep in his office

Arthur lay head down in a book that sat on his desk with his arms hanging to his side, snoring the day away. He had begun writing down things about his new Knight squads but around midnight couldn't be bothered to write anymore as he passed out. Luckily he had left his door open so someone could wake him up if needed.

Galahad stood right outside the door in a full set of armor with the exception of the helmet and knocked on the already open door "Lord Arthur do you have a moment?"

Arthur's head immediately popped up, revealing an ink stain on his cheek above some drool he promptly wiped away. "Yes?" He said through a yawn. "Oh Ser Galahad, how's it going big guy? What is it you need? How's Tess doing as a commander, as voluptuous as ever I presume?" He chuckled at his last statement.

Galahad had to duck a bit not to hit his head on the door as he walked in "I have the details on the new trainees two of them looks promising Platinum Rank if they are trained" Galahad gave Arthur the documents he had in his right hand "And Lady Tessalyn is an excellent commander as always" Galahad decided not to answer the last part as he honestly did not know how he should answer but he could not hide his cheeks became a little red by the question

"Thank you" Arthur said grabbing the papers, peering over them at the blushing cheeks of Galahad "Judging from your red face I'll take it she hasn't gotten any uglier at least hehe." He continued to speed read the new recruits info. "Yes Platinums, perhaps Diamonds in the rough." He cracked up at his own play on words. "Have you met these recruits personally? You know how I like to get a feel for my Knights attitudes."

"Ohm yes Lady Tessalyn maintained at good form" Galahad tried everything he could not to say anything he would regret later he shook his head a bit and cleared his throat "Only a hand full of them and those I met" Galahad stopped a moment to consider his words "If you want my honest opinion Lord Arthur then the recruits I met should never be allow into the Rune Knights"

"Then they won't be." Arthur smiled. "We are from the old generation of Rune Knights you and I, so I trust your opinion and eye for talent." He said. "We got spoiled with Kamaris, I thought maybe this entire generation of up and comers may be like him but that it seems from the crop you met that may not be the case." He leaned back in his chair. "Maybe you need to find yourself a lady and produce some little Rune Knights for the order to live on eh?" He joked, knowing Galahad was very devoted to his duty as a Knight.

It was as if a huge burden was removed from Galahad's shoulders when Arthur said they won't "Thank you I can not say for the other groups if they are Rune Knights candidates but I am glad you still trust me that much Lord Arthur" Galahad could not help but smile a little when Arthur spoke of Kamaris "Yes Le Fay is really something for himself his skills surpassing even mine and at such a young age I am still stronger than him when it comes to pure strength but in a few years he may even surpass Commanders and maybe even you" Galahad held his hand over the Rune Knights mark on the center of his the armor "When the time comes perhaps but I'm not going let my family end with me and the Rune Knights will always be there even without us old Knights"

"He does have all the talent in the world to be my successor, but lets not tell him that just yet. Want to keep him humble." Arthur said. "They have been around for 1000 of years before and no doubt will be 1000 after us." He said throwing the reports on the trainees into a tall pile in the corner of his office that were full of others that would forever stay as trainees. "You have no doubt heard of this tournament coming up?"

"I will not say a word to him" Galahad nodded "Yes but I don't like it a tournament is all well and good and it is a perfect chance to the test ones strength and willpower but I don't like how Fallen Kings is being allowed to participate" Galahad stopped himself a moment since he was not sure if he should mention it to Arthur but decided to say it "And then there is the rumors that you have been taking off the Council"

"I like a good scrap but I don't know why Matthew didn't just arrest Soumei on the spot and wait for his lackeys to come and get him here, where we Rune Knights could've captured them." He shrugged his shoulders. "But he has allowed it and has taken me off the Council so that I could compete and make sure our victory is assured. However...." he leaned back again "I may get put back on the Council and field a team without me in it. Let you, Kamaris, Tess, Alex, etc. take care of it. Though I'm still deciding, what do you think?"

"Soumei and his thugs should be captured on sight and answer for their crimes but I have also read the rules for the tournament that no Guild Master can participate and as a Knight I can not help but feel it is foul play to let you participate as leader of the Rune Knights" Galahad sighed slightly "I know that they will do all they can to cheat to win but if we win by finding loopholes in the rules we are no better than them"

A huge smile was painted on Arthur's face. "My thoughts exactly Ser Galahad." His smile faded to a mere grin as he continued. "There is no honor in my competing, now that I know my Knights feel the same, as Kamaris has voiced the same opinion as you, I will not compete."

"You do not know how happy it makes me to hear Lord Arthur" As Galahad said it and looked at how Arthur smiled he was reminded why he had sworn loyalty to the man in front of him there was not a more noble and honorable Knight in the world then Arthur "No matter what the tournament is your Knights will be victorious we will not lose to Soumei's thugs I swear it on my life"

"I admire the dedication but this tournament is not the battlefield on which to lose your life." Arthur replied. "If push comes to shove and any of the Knights are in danger I'd rather have Soumei be free for a bit then lose them. Besides its only a matter of time till he does something illegal again and we are duty bound to hunt him down. I don't believe they just want to be a neutral guild. There must be something bigger planned." He rubbed his chin in thought. "Regardless though we will need security around the tournament and the Council since most will attend the festivities no doubt. Do you have enough suitable trainees in your squad to provide the neccesary security?"

Galahad had to think a little before he nodded "I have about 30 to 50 trainees Lady Tessalyn ordered me to train they will not stand a chance in a battle against Soumei if he did something but they are skilled enough to protect the Council members and spectators until one of us can take action and I have about 10 more how can hold their own in a battle it will take me two days to get 60 ready for duty"

"That's plenty, especially since I will be among the spectators, the response will be swift if anything does happen." Arthur wrote down the numbers Galahad gave him on a little note just so he would remember when he had to report to Matthew. "Alright good, perhaps during your training bouts you should have them fight you to prepare, that way you are in form for the Tourney. In fact we have been doing such a good job that everyone may be a little rusty."

"I'm afraid it would not help even if they all attacked me at the same time none of us would not get much training out of it I am too strong that they could learn from it and they are too weak for me" Galahad looked down on his hand Arthur was absolutely right he was too rusty currently "I had hoped to get Le Fay to help me get in form but I have not seen or heard from him since I heard about the tournament"

"Want to take on little Kam huh? That's funny cause he was asking me how his Aegis' magics shields held up to your wall." Arthur opened a drawer and pulled out a letter. "I sent him to squash the problem we were having along the coast with the pirate mages that were stealing Lachrima shipments. Just recieved post two days ago they had finished. He is meeting with a wizard saint, Shadou you may know him, to get his blood drawn to get an Eterano level count for me. Then he will be here, and happy to spar with you I'm sure." Arthur clapped his hands together "That will be perfect, both of you shape up for the tournament and I get to see you fight, its been awhile."

Galahad clenched his hand so hard together that his iron glove shattered just by the implication that his Wall could be weaker the Kamaris's shields "So Le Fay believes he can stand up to my Wall there is only a man who has broken my Wall and that is you" Galahad smiled and laughed relax his hand so iron dust rained down from his hand the dust was all that was left of the inside of his glove "It will be interesting to see how far he is from surpassing you" Galahad smile disappeared a bit again as he looked at Arthur "Shadou The Dark Disciple why an Eterano level count for him?"

"Hmm?" Arthur asked having to think about Galahad's question before he realized his error. "Oh I said it wrong, Shadou is drawing Kamaris' blood for an Eterano count, just to see how he stacks up against the others. Shadou is a scientist of sorts, and since he is under the Council's employ and thus my employ I figured I'd put it to use." He tapped his fingers on the desk. "New technology and such, do you want to go get yours drawn?" Arthur asked both seriously but at the same time joking.

Galahad nodded slightly that made much more sense "It is a good idea if Shadou can give us a edge I will happily give my blood" Galahad pulled out a small knife from his belt and held it against his now exposed hand "How much does he need generally?"

"Whoa whoa" Arthur said almost falling out his chair waving his hands. "No need to get blood all over my office big guy, we have nurses with needles I'll just send word to Kamaris that he will need to stop by here to pick up your blood. Then he can take your sample to Shadou when he does his." Arthur sat back sighing in relief "It's better that way. You won't be recovering from a hand wound and Kamaris won't be woozy from blood loss in your sparring session." He whipped out a pen and started writing. "And you can flirt with one of the nurses, seeing about starting those new Rune Knights" He chuckled.

Galahad put his knife back in his belt and nodded that was probably a better idea he had not quite thought it through when he took his knife "Then I will wait for Le Fay in the forest before the mountains there is no need for him to go all the way over here if I can meet him halfway and we will not destroy something if we do the  sparring session there" Galahad still had one thing on his mind before he left "There has been one thing that have annoyed me since Soumei appeared in the Council Building how did he know just where you all would be and how did he get past all of the protective spells seamlessly" Galahad looked serious and at the same time worried at Arthur "Arthur be careful there may be a traitor among the Council" Galahad only refrained from address Arthur with his title when he spoke to him more as a friend than as a Knight

"Yes always best to avoid property damage, that way the budget stays in the surplus." Arthur agreed. He listened to Galahad's concerns. "He came crashing through the roof of our library, and probably crashing through the protective spells, although that I don't know for certain. He only wanted to talk to Matthew and it is well known our leader spends his days in the Library, I think me and Ally were just there by happen stance." He leaned forward on his elbows on his desk. "But it is always best to remember, there is a traitor among the Council. An entity this big does not get that way without a few shady people getting in, so I always operate as if my Knights are the only ones I can trust."