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Chapter 23: A Mother’s Voice
The first page trembled slightly in Cael's grip. He'd imagined her voice a hundred times since childhood, conjured it in memories and half-forgotten dreams. Now it came to him not as a voice but in ink, her handwriting neat, the letters curling in a way he remembered from the notes that were still available in the tower's library.He swallowed once and read."To my son, Cael. If you are reading this, then the time I feared has come. I am gone, and you have found the box I left. It was never meant to keep you from me, only to wait until you were ready. If you opened it too soon, you would not understand what I have to tell you. If you are reading this now… then I trust the blood has begun to stir in you."Cael's hand rose unconsciously to his chest, feeling the warmth of the locket like he was actually with his mother in the moment. He hunched over the box, reading every word like it might vanish."The Ashveil bloodline is not ordinary, Cael. You have already felt it, haven't you? The
Chapter 22: Legacy From the Past
The keep was quiet like night, most of the household had gone to rest, though faint torchlight still flickered in the long corridor.Cael found himself called not to the hall or the yard, but to the herb storeroom. Matilde had sent a squire to fetch him with the excuse of checking supplies for the journey to Rethmar.When he entered, the chamber was dim, the air heavy with the sharp scent of dried sage and crushed lavender. Matilde was already there, sleeves rolled up as though she were sorting jars. Her face was lined more deeply than he remembered, her hair bound in a kerchief, her shawl hanging loose.“When you were younger, I used to drag you in here for sorting chores,” Matilde said, checking the door before she went on.Cael let out a short laugh. Of course he remembered. Back then he hadn’t many allies, nor much company at all. Except for Matilde, who was always there.“Those days are past now," Her voice carried a weight that left little room for comfort. "What I have to tell
Chapter 21: Repercussions and Preparations
The first knock came at dawn. It was hard and deliberate, not the rhythm of a servant.Cael was already awake, hunched at a side table near the hall. A clerk’s copy of the grain tallies lay open, the ink blurred at the edges from being read too many times. He rubbed at his temples, his mind tired from a sleepless night. He read and reread them, as if proof of what he had done could hold the Southern Guild at bay.The chamberlain entered with measured steps, holding a sealed missive. The wax bore the sigil of the Southern Guild: a red coin balanced on scales.Edric took it without a word. The hall stilled around him. Servants stopped mid-way through their work, the retainers leaned closer. He broke the seal, scanned the lines, then passed it back for the chamberlain to read aloud.“A formal notice of dispute,” the chamberlain read. "Pending investigation into misappropriated surplus stock. Unlawful tampering with guild inspection rights. Allegations of coercion.”Murmurs broke loose. A
Chapter 20: Grain Secured, Shadows Cast
They left the hamlet at dusk with the storehouse sealed, the Varissen crest cooling on wax across every sack. The old mill path led them back to the main road under a pale moon.Hoofbeats sounded ahead. There were four riders. Two wore the guild's copper sun on their cloaks, a tallyman was between them and a hired spear riding last.The lead rider lifted a hand. "Halt. We're bound for the south hamlet to assess spoilage and purchase grain under the guild tariff."Cael reined in beside Tarren, calm. "You're late. The stock is already under noble claim."The tallyman frowned. "Under whose authority?"Cael nodded to Tarren, who produced a folded slip bearing Varissen wax. “House Varissen,” Cael said evenly. "The seal has been applied, the witnesses have signed, and the reeve’s mark taken. Under guild law, a noble claim stands unless you can prove theft or tampering."The hired spear eased forward. "We can open and inspect.""Not without breaking our seal," Cael said. "That's a court matt
Chapter 19: First Steps and Tournament Stakes
The pouch in his sleeve weighed more than the coin inside. It felt more like acknowledgement, a sort of test, and a warning all in one.Don't disgrace yourself in the tournament.His father's voice was still clear in his head.In the Southern Duchy, tournaments were no idle sport. Every two years, the Duke of Leth hosted the Tournament of Rethmar — part spectacle, part proving ground. To the crowd it was entertainment, but to the noble houses it was reputation, money, and power decided in the open.Victors earned prestige, favors, and sometimes direct offers from wealthier houses. Defeat brought mockery, and repeated defeat carved deep wounds in a house's reputation.For House Varissen, once spoken of for its fighting strength, the tournament was more than a spectacle, it was a chance to prove they were still dangerous.The last time they had competed, they'd been eliminated on the first day. A second embarrassment would brand them as weak beyond recovery, while a strong showing could
Chapter 18: Lessons at the Hearth
Cael hesitated outside the door. The faint smell of smoke drifted under the wood, mingling with something else — wine, most probably. From within came faint scratching of a quill and the soft rustle of parchment. He straightened his sleeve and then knocked."Enter," Edric called, his voice low and unhurried.The desk was covered in neatly stacked ledgers, ink pots, and seals. Behind it, his father glanced up briefly before returning to the page in front of him."So," he murmured, almost to himself, "the old man finally got you worked up enough to come knocking." Edric's tone was mild, almost bemused.Cael blinked at that. He stepped inside and let the door latch click shut behind him. He hadn't expected his father to sound… almost amused. He swallowed the first reply that came to mind."I thought it was time I spoke with you," Cael said.Edric's eyes flicked up again, eyes narrowing slightly. Not angry but more like sizing him up. His mouth curved faintly, and he leaned back in his ch
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