Aislyn Shields
No one ever expects their first to be anything amazing or something you'll look back on with pride; it generally involves someone unimportant, the action is lackluster, and the result is both disappointingly early and unsatisfying to any degree. Most won't even talk about their first unless they're drunk and feel like joining in on the self-deprecatory ridicule of each other. The obvious reason for this lack of quality is, obviously, the lack of experience the person has. It supposedly gets better after a few times, you have more experience and are generally given more opportunities once you complete that awkward first time. That's what they say anyway, but Aislyn wouldn't be able to find out if it was true for quite a long time; journeys across the kingdom don't tend to end quickly.
Though, it must be said, that after a few horror stories about what other Interfectors had to do for their first assignment, escorting a bunch of children around doesn't seem too bad. The Rhoda girl seemed pleasant enough, even though being around her put the older girl on edge, and Anguish, from that house who seemed to have a tradition for passing down a horrible name, was at least quiet. Caine, someone who likes pissing away the comfy life thousands would gladly kill for, was another story, and Leo suffered from being his associate. After assembling all the people she had been able to find who had acquired, through legitimate means or thievery, one of the sacred swords, they made their way through the Iron Desert. She had received the five fine horses from her commander in Peacemark and was to take both them and their swords to the Tower of Istrikahn, a mission of apparently divine importance, but not one that required a more seasoned Interfector, or ten of them for that matter.
The workings of both the Gods and the upper echelons of the Interfectors would likely always be a mystery to Aislyn, because she was very aware of what was strapped to her back. A weapon that incredible, that destructive, and four others just as powerful were being carried by children across the desert, alone, without any proper security beyond the only recently accepted Aislyn. Forget about demons and the Gods, what were they supposed to do in the event that bandits showed up, or rebels, or any other force more organized than these five? Yes, the Interfectors are skilled warriors and excellent guards, but there is a limit to their skills and it likely falls short of an opposing army.
Regardless of her worries over what her commander's were thinking assigning her to this mission alone, she was now leading these people to do their gods' work against something that means to kill them along with everyone else. So, with that pressure weighted on her shoulders, the sudden sound from behind her and the loud calls that followed; apparently, the young lord had forgotten how to ride a horse and fall off. While some unbroken horses might throw off a rider, the ones that they were given were certainly well-trained and, therefore, the blame could solely be placed upon something the rider did. To prevent something like this from happening again and slowing them down further, Aislyn turned her horse as Caine and Rodah remounted theirs.
"It's good that you are unharmed, but we need to hurry and cross the desert before anything happens. Please refrain from doing anything that will delay us further." Turning back around and continuing with the pace she had set prior to whatever accident had just occurred, a slight smile appeared on her face; it wasn't often that she was able to tell others what to do.