"Coin saved our countries from another war. May the Gods of Commerce bless this fateful day!"
Silvebrand's matron when signing the peace treaty with Grannarius and Vermilion.
Richard Silverbrand watched as his mom commanded a veritable army of people delivering goods from the north. His dad was walking him over the workshop as the ritual from the family demanded.
"It's scary a girl my age could do all of this" And Richard meant it, the way he heard some of the Knights talk in their taverns at night on the fight they were part in the north showed him an image of someone who was by all accounts a mad woman! Dragons, Spirits, and Gods! and being made ruler of an entire duchy at the age of 19?! what is this madness! Alas, his mother did not care an ounce for it as she was making so much profit the matron of the clan came to their humble abode to personally congratulate her.
"Change is often scary my son, but we must always follow it lest we get left behind and forgotten, our very names gone from the tapestry of the kingdom." his dad said ever the wannabe Wiseman. A trait his mother loved dearly whenever they had diner together. "You should steel yourself son. For it is thanks to this veritable pot of eternal god that you got an entrance permit to the Academy's priority program"
In other words, his mom sold him out to breed with the Northen madwoman who had made her rich... Richard sighed as the naked ambition could be felt like a Knight Ki's from his mom. And the damn woman was a mage!
"A great honor for someone not from the main clan I know father" Richard spoke quietly.
"Worry not son, for I already spoke with your mother. You won't be pawned off as a piece of meat to Lucrezia, It took a fight and a lot of screaming but you can trust me on this one" His father gave him a pat on the back and said "Now my son, cast off that gloom and doom look from your face! A Silverbrand must be cheerful, charming, and ever on the hunt for a deal. Not mopping about like one of those magic users from woods... anywho I must help your mother, the workers already know your face so feel free to explore the place"
Richard watched his father walk away as he searched for a quiet spot to read, his mom had gotten him the first print of a storybook the duchess had written... as to add more to the insanity fire the young woman was both great with music and words! and yet he couldn't help himself! This book, this Lord of the Rings she wrote was nothing short of a masterpiece!
And her songs too! Granted Richard prefers the more romance inclined songs from the many bards he saw in the city and taverns but even he couldn't help but feel the hair raise as her songs of war and valor were sung. The urge to go forth with sword and shield to the fields of battle and die for Vermilion. Powerful, Bold, and Deep they were favorites of the more Knight-themed taverns and pubs.
Richard had finished the book again by the time his mother came to fetch him. They spoke a few empty words to each other and he was off her hooks, the young man decided to hit his favorite pub, The Editor's Choice. Favored mostly by lower nobility and Knights it was a good place to relax after the day.
The bard was playing another of "Lucrezia's Songs of Glory" as he pushed open the doors and moved to his table, the regulars greeting him as he walked. Some new faces in the crowd watched in puzzlement, the barkeep hailed him as she got to his table "Kept the books there as you asked dear. And here's the ale plus the pie which I gotta say its nothing short of divine, thanks again for those spices from the Shogunate" she gave him a wink and walked off as Richard tore into the food, Good gods it was worth having to put up with his uncles for the spice shipment!
"Always favor the chef" He whispered as he drank the ale. Relaxed and rested Richard watched as the regulars went on with their rituals. The bard tipped her hat to him after the song was over. Getting that "guitar" for her was a chore and a half but what could he say? he had a weak spot for the musical types and helping them in their journey was something of a hobby for him.
As the music kicked off again Richard closed his eyes and let the final of his worries melt over. He had a plan for this whole debacle with the Academy and Lucrezia and it was a simple one, for his forays in the annals of history told him that the easier the plan, the least likely was it to fail.
First, become invisible in the eyes of the Academy's inner society by not drawing attention to himself in the first two-week period where everyone was out to make a name for themselves. That way the sheer number of people there would act as a bulwark against popularity.
Second, Avoid Lucrezia and whatever she does. Gods willing the Duchess will have no time for a non-noble like him and go after the prince or someone of high renown. Yep, this was his plan and Richard would stick to it.
Later Richard would learn that tempting fate is not something one does for fun or as a hobby.
Third Prince Arthur Dragonblood Shatter-Spear had just finished sparring with his Royal Knight liaison when a message came to greet him. His mother would be hosting a private memorial for his departed brother.
Arthur watched as the Knight eyed him with obvious lust in her eyes. Much like the Kitsune the Rabbit Magi-Folk had a natural tendency to follow the Goddess of Lust and Love, a troubling thing if he was easily tempted but thanks to his many gifts such thoughts were shot down on the spot. It made him be ever the target of teasing by his elder sister for lacking a girlfriend even when being the prince of a kingdom.
He made his way to the private chapel after cleaning himself with magic, on the way there he saw the shades that haunted the palace leave one by one. Old friends those shades were and their stories at first terrified Arthur only to later sadden him greatly, to learn his brother was a horrible man and all the things he had done to these people was blood curling.
The fact his mother defended him was just the cherry on top of this miserable pie. Worse his sister called him crazy when he even dare to suggest the palace was haunted and that Galius was a cold-hearted villain.
And in the snows of the north that beast met his end, put down by a figure that was quickly becoming a legend among nobles and knights alike. Lucrezia Sommer Wulfgrem, Master of Song and War. Poet, Writer, Inventor of Wonders few in the history of the Kingdom could claim equal! And Kinslayer, despot, Knightsbane and Madwoman. It was like two people were living inside the same body Arthur felt.
"Furiae of the North" was a fitting moniker Arthur thought as he sat down and watched as his mother waxed on and on about that horrible man who should've been put through sword and spell many moons ago. That his father managed to turn this absolute black spot on the story of the Royal Line into a shining example of justice was nothing short of genius political might.
At least one of the adults wasn't turning a blind eye anymore.
Arthur watched as the shades all hovered above him. Each whispering thanks to a woman they never met as they departed to the afterlife, and also to him for using his gifts to listen to their woes, for necromancy and mind magic were his craft, and with but a few spells these shades who were condemned to walk the mortal coil without peace were given a sliver of hope.
Arthur had to do the whole nine yards for the usage of his inborn gifts. Earning him a Greater Blessing of the Undying. For the God disliked being called his true name and with such power came the ability to peer into the very souls of people around him. It had taken him years to tune it out but every once in a while someone would come up and smash his self-made defenses and he would be pulled into an arcane visualization of their soul.
He would always end up with a nasty headache and nightmares for a week thanks to it. As that was the domain of the Gods and High-Level Necromancers. Flashes of their innermost desires and memories would be burned in Arthur's head and that also took a week to wash it away, thankfully it was something rare to happen and he could enjoy the perks of being able to read someone's body language better thanks to it.
Arthur was already in his room when he received another letter from his father. Kaine and Margareth were being held hostage by Lucrezia after the battle that happened in the north, huh Arthur thought that both were already on the level that anything short of a stealth attack wouldn't be able to take them down, much less non-lethally and holding them, prisoners. Once again the Northern Duchess surprised him.
"To think a few months back I thought my entrance to the Academy would be without much alarm heh" Arthur stared at the moon as he spoke "I wonder how those snobs will react now. Someone that does not care about their many social rules and norms and is a Duchess on top of all that? Next year will be fun indeed"
so he can see inside someone's soul huh. i wonder what will happen when he meets Lucrezia.
It's gonna be a fun time kek
It was like two people were living inside the same body Arthur felt.
Who's gonna tell him lol
Thanks for the chapter. Beatiful as always.
Thanks for reading brah!