Mismatch
an excerpt

Lunch was always a lonely affair. Paladins usually dined in the mess hall, with their Squadron members. But Sara had no Squadron affiliation, answering only to Vyron himself. Although she was proud of other paladins expressing their envy at the attention she received from the Superintendent, she paid the price of having few chances to interact with other junior paladins. And as much as she enjoyed Vyron’s comforting company, she felt as isolated as she did on the very first day.
Alone as usual, she sat on the highest vantage point of the Keep, unhappily munching on the beef sandwich she had prepared. She often came here, up on the highest lookout in the fortress, to look down on the wind-swept plains, her old home before she began her life in the towering fort of the Keep. In the distance, she could make out remnants of the villages that had been destroyed by rampaging Apophians. The wind would often blow in her face, sweeping back her golden hair, reminding her of the life she once lived as a peasant girl, daughter of a farmer and a milkwoman.
She took a bite out of an apple she had brought along. I once lived in one of those villages…
“Sara!” came a rough voice, shocking Sara into dropping her apple and letting out a sharp cry. “Stand easy, soldier. It’s lunchtime for us Marshals too!” Sara slowly turned around, wishing she could just disappear into thin air. Alas, Re-Horakhty did not smile on her this day. Two men were facing her, and the sun was shining brightly, so it was almost painful to look upwards. “The name’s Drewlin. This man is Elenus, the Second Marshal.” The stocky general grinned as he pointed to a taller man beside him. Elenus was a powerfully built man, lean and strong, wearing noble garments over what she could tell was light padded armour. He had silver hair and purple eyes, and they shone strikingly as he smiled. “Greetings, junior warrior. Do not be intimidated. We are paladins just like you, only on a further stage in our journey. We will be assisting the Superintendent in your training.”
“It’s an honour to meet you, good sirs,” forced out Sara, noticing Drewlin eyeing her half-eaten sandwich beadily. “Why am I graced with your presence today?” She cringed. “I’m sorry. You’ve already told me.”
“Yer meal pouch looks hearty,” declared Drewlin, his attention completely distracted with the food. “What do yer have?”
A casual relationship between a casual rookie and casual Marshals. I guess could get somewhat used to this. “A half-eaten apple and sandwich, some dry biscuits, and a pigskin sack of water,” she replied, smiling slightly. “Would you like some?”
“Training with Vyron must take a lot out of you,” said Elenus. “I am pleased you are eating well.”
“It’s nothing to him,” shrugged Sara, munching down the remains of her apple. “He’s probably done this heaps of times with other better paladins.”
“Yer wrong,” chuckled Drewlin. She looked at him, raising her eyebrow. “He doesn’t do this much with anyone else. He thinks yer talent can be tapped into. He thinks he owes yer too, because he made yer a promise.”
That’s right. He granted me one request, and he’s been following through.
“To be honest, I think he has no regrets in making that promise to you. I’ve never seen him so alive in these two years I have served at the Keep,” smiled Elenus. Drewlin nodded in agreement as he stroked his red, dirty beard, his helmet gleaming in the afternoon sun.
Sara could not think of any repartee as she flushed slightly.
Why hadn’t she noticed that before?