Zephyr

As Zephyr concludes his speech, a few among the guard begin to clap. Soon it builds into a rolling chorus of applause, nearly fifty men all clapping or shouting their approval. A few stay silent, or applaud with perfunctory effort, but they are in the vast minority. There are old men who wince, not eager to return to the practice fields; there are men with well-polished armor and ornamental tassels who anguish over the loss of their little side deals; but all in all, the guards are united in one spirit. You will find little resistance you cannot overcome here.