an example for other chadens, as he would be only the second chaden to create an Order. Knox was the first.
Dawn had not seen Knox since the incident with the sick paladins four days earlier. To say she was disappointed in his reaction to her initially staying was an understatement. She had thought Knox respected her more than that. Although, she supposed it was her own fault. She had made such a big deal over being seen as a woman, as Dawn, and not as her title, that it made sense he would disregard her abilities. I can’t have it both ways, I guess, she thought to herself.
Willow snorted rudely and loudly in Dawn’s head. ‘You most certainly can have it both ways. And you should. Do not accept anything less.’
‘I haven’t. Ever,’ Dawn reminded her. ‘It’s why I’m still single at over six hundred years old.’
‘To be fair, I think Knox was just trying to protect you. I mean, he certainly looks very sorry. Look at him, he looks like a sad puppy,’ Piper said.
Dawn looked over to the corner where Knox was talking with Simon, Patrick, and Vance. The three paladins had once been a part of the Magne Order when Dex had been known as Charlemagne. Today, they would be re-forming that bond as the Order of Absolution – and Dex would once more be their liege. Dawn was so happy for all of them, and clearly, Knox was too as he looked to be encouraging the three men and offering support. But Piper was right, there was a shroud of sadness and regret around Knox. Dawn hated seeing his usually pretty aura so dim and she resolved to speak with him before the day was over.
“Dawn?” Dex prompted, looking down at her with an indulgent look on his face.
“I’m sorry,” she said, realising Dex had probably been trying to answer her question for the past five minutes. “I was speaking with my Order.” It was half true, she told herself.
“That’s what I figured. It’s all right. But in answer to your question; yes, I’m excited. Scared too. I failed those men once before. I don’t want to do it again,” Dex revealed.
Dawn turned to him, giving him her full attention. “Dex, you didn’t fail them. You got sick.”
Dex shook his head, “I abandoned them. The circumstances don’t matter. I let them down.”
The words were remarkably similar to the ones Dawn had used when discussing the chades with Knox. It struck her then, as it had when she saw Knox with the ill paladin, just how hard it was to come back from such a dark place. Knox and Dex and all the other chadens were heroes in her eyes.
‘I’m sure Knox would like to hear that,’ Micah, of all people, pointed out.
‘Perhaps,’ Dawn allowed, setting aside such thoughts for the moment as Blu called the meeting to order.
Dawn seated herself at the horseshoe shaped table in the front of the room. It was a good set-up and ensured all members could see everyone clearly. It was also on the same level as the rest of the room – unlike the last table which had been set high above the citizens. Dawn looked around, noting that there were more female paladins than male paladins in the room – a testament to days gone by when male wardens believed women were the weaker sex. It meant there was a skew in the ratio of female vs male paladins needing to find an Order. Trying to get a gauge on potential bonds, Dawn took a look at some auras. Searching the room, she was angry and saddened to find so many unhappy paladins. The vast majority of them being women.
Pursing her lips, she looked at her fellow IDC members. “Looks like we won’t be forming as many Orders as we initially believed.”
Hyde raised his eyebrows, looking confused. “What do you mean?”
“Half of these paladins don’t want to be here,” she revealed. The other seven members of the IDC looked at her then, giving her their full attention. “Truly,” Dawn added.
Max squinted into the crowd, her eyes doing that swirly thing Dawn thought was really cool before she sighed and shook her head. “Dawn’s right. A lot of these paladins are still recovering from the losses of their former lieges or have a great distrust for the whole process. And some of them are even here against their will.”
“Against their will?” Mordecai asked, looking pissed by the notion.