Elwin will carefully divvy up his belongings between his personal backpack, and the saddlebags on his horse. He'll also spend a little time taking Oroman through the paces; practicing Dash, Dodge, and Disengage.

Other than that (and a short dinner,) he'll be off to bed and will be ready to go in the morning.

Del will mail the letter to the Monkey Butt Shines, and join the procession to the castle. On the way he'll finish the required practice with his new bow. He'll actually dress for dinner, first time in his life (not counting wearing vestments to certain festivals) and hobnob with the fancy people. If it is appropriate he'll play a little - big risk....

Fiddle with new bow 12

and find out what our plans are and get to bed

Raven spends some time practicing with her new sword, and having dinner, then will head to her room.  She will order a bath be drawn for her, or find out where the local bathing area is.  She plans on taking a long soaking bath, prior to turning in.

MIndartis wanders around, having never been in a place like this and curious about what was here.

Quentin burns the midnight oil until he falls asleep at his table. He barely notices when the vines of the castle lift him into his bed.

Elwin finds the stableyard an excellent place for training with his horse. The grooms and stable hands are free with their tips and advice, and there are even a few knights willing to offer their expertise.

Nobody pays a lot of attention to Del's music, though a few seem appreciative. The castle musicians gladly talk shop with the traveling bard.

Mindartis wanders the castle. It would have been magnificent in any case, large and strong, with great tapestries, its stone beautifully carved by the finest Elvish stonecarvers into patterns of leaves, trees and flowers.  The fey magic gives it all life and wonder, the vines stretching through most of the rooms, odd alcoves holding statues or doors to balconies, and a scattering of autumn leaves everywhere. In the more busy areas of the castle, nobles chat and discuss politics and economics, while out in the courtyard, young knights are being trained and sparring. They invite Mindartis to join them for some sparring.

Raven is directed to the baths, a room that feels like a natural cave decorated with stalactites and draperies of limestone. The water is hot and smells slightly sulferous. She doesn't have the place to herself today--there are a trio of young noblewomen bathing here. They greet you politely, and ask about your travels, and after some giggling and whispering, ask if you know the handsome noble highwayman Mithven the Red-Handed very well, and ask what he's like, and if he is single.

"Oh he is quite the rogue."  Raven says with a laugh.  "Oh, and yes, he is very much single..."

Mindartis nods and joins them. "So, what kind of sparring are you doing today?"

 They are engaging in a little sword-fighting.  Frankly, you think you could take any one of them easily...

Mindartis, always a fan of helping people who need help learning to fight looks for the one who looks to be struggling more than the others to help him

Mindartis is able to help several of the younger warriors before heading to bed with their thanks in his ears.

-------------

In the morning, you go to the courtyard as the three expeditions are assembled. Though everyone seems eager for an early start, the preparations drag on as everything is checked and double-checked, and people gather to make their farewells and see their royal princes and princess off on their missions. The Princess's trunks are being loaded aboard a great, gilded carriage with the royal arms painted on the door, Captain Kibble and Zanzibar sitting beside the coach driver, while four mounted guards wait to attend them.  Prince Kalrondo sits astride a mighty warhorse, white with a black mane and ticked with small black spots, which is stamping impatiently. The prince looks ready to start stamping, too. A woman in golden armor is mounted at his side, and six guards stand by in attendance. Another coach is being prepared and loaded for Prince Lintelér. The prince oversees as several scribes carry boxes of parchments to the carriage.

There is a festival atmosphere in the air, and everyone seems happy and excited...with the possible exception of the glowering Prince Kalrondo.

"Oh, stop moping, Kal!" Princess Anarórë finally calls out. "You're finally off to fight your disgusting gnolls, aren't you? Buck up."

"Pray tell me," says Karondo haughtily. "When, in any ballad or tale, have you heard of a mighty hero of legend setting off on his epic quest accompanied by his MOTHER?!"

The woman in gold armor (Queen Nenlelun, apparently) scoffs. "Don't pout, this is all your mission and you are in command. I'm only standing by to intervene if you do something insane, like charging single-handedly into the midst of a gnoll army, or challenging a lich to a single combat, or 'accidentally' crossing over into Kalaine if you don't find enough trouble in your own country to get into."

"Ana," says Kalrondo. "Trade me Kibble."

"Kibble is as bad as you are," says the queen. "The idea is to keep you OUT of trouble."

"Oh, like Ana never gets into trouble."

"She gets into different sorts of trouble than you do."

Kalrondo scowls in your direction. "How come Lindo gets the hired mercenaries?"

"Simple," says Princess Anarórë. "It's because Lindo never gets into trouble."

"Lindo NEVER gets into trouble." Kalrond repeats mischievously.

"Lindo NEVER gets into trouble." adds the Princess.

"Lindo NEVER EVER gets into trouble." says Kalrondo.

They go on for a few more repetitions before Prince Lintelér looks up from his parchments, vaguely realizing he is being talked about, and says, "Eh?" His younger siblings laugh.

A guard brings in a pair of slightly familiar farm children and a small cart. "Runaways from one of the western freeholds," the guard informs you. "Since you're going that way, Prince Lintelér has kindly agreed that they will accompany your entourage until they can be returned to their parents."

"We're not runaways!" says the girl indignantly.

Her younger brother says, "We're merchants and adventurers, and we left home to make our fortune, and we did it, too!" He waves a heavy purse of coins.

After attempting to tie the cart to the back of the carriage (and nearly getting kicked by the prince's fine sorrel riding horse tethered there) a grumpy gstablehand dumps out the contents of the cart and hoists it to the roof of the carriage, over the protests of the farm kids. From the litter of straw, they gather up blankets and belongings, and one very small bottle. "Hey, we still have a bottle of syrup left," says the little boy.

An elf approaches--he looks strangely aged, wrinkled, stooped and white-haired, attended by a younger elf with short-cropped red hair, both in white druid's robes. Prince Lintelér bows.  "It is kind of you to see us off, High Druid Vithan."

"A safe journey to you, child," says the old druid before moving on. He stops briefly to gaze at Del with twinkling blue eyes and says, "I hear that you are less than half an elf.  Between the two of us, we could make a pair of half-elves, or one elf and one human, or one double-elf-double-human and one nobody-at-all. How curious."

The younger druid hurries him by, muttering, "Yes, Master Talos, but we must hurry to give the invocations or the High Priestess will beat us to it."

The High Priestess of Corellon is already standing by the king looking eager to address the milling crowd.

A stablehand hurriedly asks you, "Is there anything you would like to load on the carriage for the journey? Or anything you think the prince ought to bring along? Better arrange it before the nobles and holies and the King start making speeches."

Not wanting to step in front of the others, Elwin simply shook his head quietly at the question. He was fairly confident that, among all the myriad of equipment and goods they'd loaded, they had everything the prince would need. But he also couldn't think of anything particularly important anyway; they were just investigating some missing sprites, after all.

Quentin chuckles at all the siblings antics as he says, "Make sure the Prince has whatever he is most comfortable using to defend himself. Sword, wand, bow, whatever that may be. Despite what the Princess and Prince Kalrondo believe I'm sure there is plenty trouble to be had on the road." He then smiles and turns to Prince Kalrondo as he says, "I'd be carful there Prince Kalrondo, if you're not a good leader who stops things and strategize I'm pretty sure the epic ballad will turn into how your mother saved your life. We already have one, which is why we didn't want to step on yours, but you need to be careful not to ruin it yourself with impatience." 

Mindartis nods in agreement to Quentin's suggestion. "It's true that we should be able to handle anything that we come across, but it's always better to be prepared."

in re the supplies Have we gear to cook with and food beyond rations? Healing potions?

Del laughs with the High Druid As a team the five of us are eleven twentieths, Holiness; with the Prince we are an evener five eighths! and holds his reliquary for the invocation

Raven stands to one side just taking it all in.  When asked about equipment she raises an eyebrow.  "Could use a good thousand gold or so in a strong lockbox..." She chuckles when the page gives her a ashen look.  "Just joking...." She turns to the others.  "Well, looks like we should be on the road soon."

Kalrondo gives a wry grin and a salute in response to Quentin's remarks.

Prince Lintelér's coachman, a little old halfling with a fringe of grey beard, says, "Don't worry, I've brought plenty of victuals.  More than we shall  need, I expect. We'll be staying at the Monkey Shines the first night. His Highness wants to smooth things over with the Naicas."

The stablehand who asked about last-minute supplies bows to the prince, whispering, and Lintelér says, "Oh, yes, I suppose I ought to bring it." The boy hurries away.

Soon the High Priestess of Corellon steps forward and gives a long invocation, asking Corellon's blessing on the royal family, the journey, the missions, the horses, the guards, and about everything else in sight. The red-haired druid looks increasingly annoyed, as if he's keeping score of what may be left to bless. When the priestess finishes, he leans forward to whisper in the High Druid's ear, but the little old three-quarter-elf ignores him. Stepping forward and waving with both hands, the High Druid says only, "Have a safe trip, my children!" Then he gives a slightly longer farewell...in horse. The attention of every horse in the courtyard is riveted on him, and they all seem inspired and excited, snorting and pawing the earth. Prince Kalrondo's stallion even rears up, whinnying, as the High Druid finishes.

Finally, the Princess and the two Princes kneel before the king as he makes a speech about how proud his is of them, and that he knows their journeys will be successful, and charges them with the directive to always behave in a way to bring honor to the kingdom.

As he finishes this benediction, the stablehand comes running back to stow a scabbarded longsword on a belt, a shield, and a few healing potions in the carriage. He hastily hands two healing potions to each of you as well.

Then the Prince returns and enters the carriage. To the cheering of the assembled crowd, the three royal children set out on their journey, leaving the castle courtyard. The princess's carriage and Prince Kalrondo's squad head off to the south, while you follow Prince Lintelér's carriage to the west, back along the main highway.

About a mile from the castle, the carriage stops, and the prince exits. "We should discuss our plans for the journey," Prince Lintelér says. "Lord Quentin, I assume you are in command?"

Quentin chuckles before saying, “I am afraid that would be a bold assumption. We all try and do what we can but I would not say anyone of us are in charge. We tend to plan together and go with whatever sounds the best. Though we can’t do much without seeing the incident first. Also Prince Lintelér I have a request. If we are to be traveling companions may we call you Lindo.” 

"Do you have plans you wish us to know about?"  Raven asks as she dismounts and walks her mount forward.

"Oh, I see," says the prince. "Er...I think we should perhaps keep this on a formal level at least for the present."

"The iternarary as planned: we will stop briefly at the stable in the Free City, because these farm waifs apparently have a draft horse to collect. From there we go to the Simul academy for a brief social visit, to see that there are no more ruffled feelings over the Lemmet affair, and the spend the night at the Monkey Shines for the same reason. The second day, we will deliver these children to their home before leaving the highway to proceed into the wilderness toward the sprite village."

"I have brought along copies of census reports and recorded fey migration patterns to study along the road, in order to better ascertain where these missing sprites may have gone. In the meantime, I would appreciate if you might take these children up on your horses for the journey, as they are extremely...lively company for the confines of a small carriage." He looks with trepidation at the farm kids, who are taking this break as an opportunity to run around yelling, chasing each other through the carriage.

"It might also be wise to devise some sort of signals to communicate when you see potential trouble on the road. Not that I expect any. Lomalos is quite a peaceful country."

Del looks at Q with a cocked head like a confused puppy, before grinning Yeah, Squinty here is all about the informality, Highness. But truthfully, the more we know about what to expect from each other, the less any one needs to be in charge, we all act together naturally