Visiting the Contractor

"Sir Balin!" A middle-aged knight yelled with respect as he ran across the trodden grass of the palace's training field.

"What's the news?" Balin asked with some worry. The past few days had made him stressed beyond belief. He had gone to the field to lose that stress with a couple of swings of his sword. It had only been a few hours ago since the palace, well, the prince, had told him to prioritize the capture of Arbor's dungeon but... 

"The rift city is said to be facing an assault from the Dynasty!" The knight brought news of war, which was not supposed to be his priority. But as the representative of the knight commanders how was he not to worry!?

Putting aside that this was the country he had devoted his life to, his friends were also out there fighting tooth and nail against an enemy much more formidable than themselves.