In the study room of the Dawnfire Castle. A day after the battle. Jonos Bold.
Jonos, weighed down by the comfortable weight of his blue armor, heard several footsteps outside the Duke’s study. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword even though he knew who the coming guests were.
’Things always go wrong when you least expect them to.’
The lesson his father had instilled in him from an early age. It was a tiring way of life; he had figured it out at the age of 32 now. But it also saved his life countless times and, more importantly, the lives of those he was sworn to protect.
Lord Caspian Godfray, lavish in his shiny armor, entered the solar in tow with Lord Velentine in his silky noble attire and Lady Birhi Ramishtek clad in silver-green armor.
"Henric, is it true? You are seriously thinking of sending the boy to ward in Keldros?" Lord Velentine asked the instant he saw the Duke.
Jonos’ features hardened. Such a tone with one’s liege lord was punishable by tongue-cutting. But he knew it was not meant in that way. Godfray, Velentine, and a few others were childhood companions of Duke Henric, which allowed them to have some liberties in their conduct.
"Perhaps you will be more comfortable having this conversation with doors closed and cool heads, my lords?" Albert Twintoes said calmly.
The Duke and his master of Coins were having another lengthy conversation about the finances when the lords had intruded in the study so brashly. Albert, being one of the most loyal officials of the Duke, knew better than to correct the habits of the close companions of his liege lord.
Additional chairs were brought to the lord’s study, doors were closed, and drinks were poured before the conversation resumed.
"The consequences of this decision will not be in Cindros’s favor, Henric." Lord Godfray stated.
"Piss on that," Lord Velentine disdained, "The boy saved the lives of all of us. He needs to be rewarded, not sent to the lion’s den as an offering."
Jonos, being one of the saved ones, was compelled to add, "I have never seen a boy of twelve show more courage than young Faust, my lord. Augustine will need such an invaluable warrior when the time comes."
Duke Henric Dawnfire spared Jonos a glance, then looked away, his gaze wandering past the distant river and tall mountains.
Seeing her chance, Lady Birhi spoke, "Being his instructor, it is my duty to see his education through, my lord. I humbly ask for your permission to let me accompany young Faust."
"Is that so?" The Duke replied, "And what is the opinion of your father on the matter?"
Lady Birhi lowered her gaze, remaining silent. Jonos had to commend her loyalty for going so far for the young boy. Though she should have known better than to expect the Duke to accept any request regarding her that went against her father’s wishes.
House Ramishtek once belonged to the Empire after all. No matter how loyal, Lady Birhi was too valuable an asset to send far away.
"He is exceptional. His talents should be polished and given room to grow, not stifled in the cradle." Lord Velentine said.
The Duke finally showed some annoyance on his face. "Do you think I don’t know that? You know my son better than I do?"
None said anything for a while, but then Lord Godfray sighed and asked,
"Then why, Henric? Considering the rumors about the boy, the vultures there will stop at nothing to get a leash on him. The best we can hope is that the King will send him to fight in some border skirmish against Calystria or to clear the misty forest of soul beasts in never-ending battle."
Albert cleared his throat, expelling the tension out of the conversation. "Perhaps, my lord, our companions here can offer better advice than I, if they have all the facts."
Jonos narrowed his eyes. Something about the bastard boy that even he didn’t know about? Jonos stayed in the castle and around his lord’s family every single day; there was scarcely anything he wasn’t privy to.
The Duke exhaled. Suddenly, Jonos was very aware of the long years his lord had seen since becoming a Duke three decades ago. Something shifted in his eyes as he regarded his noble companions with a calculating gaze.
"Before the Queen Dawager left, concluding the uncertain nature of my son’s spirit... she revealed something unexpected. Something the Ancestral spirit of Dawnfire told her."
°°°
Faust’s private room. Midnight. Faust.
Faust blinked several times, making sure he wasn’t imagining things.
’No.. I did not get brain damage.’
He lay down on his large, comfy bed, bandaged all over his body. There was a meter-big black flame floating right before him. He did not feel any heat from it, but whenever he touched it, a sense of deep pain and hunger took place in his heart.
Emotions that did not belong to him.
His stepmother and siblings stayed with him late into the night, but none could see the dark fire. Finally, he was alone since he woke up in the afternoon and could focus on the strange thing happening to him.
Well, guards were right outside his door, and Koren was just a few rooms beside his, but still. He was alone.
As he thought about the fire, it started changing shape in all kinds of strange ways. It took him a minute to realize the black flame was responding to his thoughts. When he tried to shape it into a cube, a misshapen rectangle was indeed formed of black fire.
After several hours of messing around, Faust managed to turn the fire into a perfect cube, and not just that, he even changed its properties to solid, liquid, and even gaseous.
The black color was more prominent when he forced it to change its natural flame state into something else.
’I bet others can see it if it’s not in flame state.’
He had no proof, just pure instinct. Tired of the mental exercise, he pushed the black flame aside and fell asleep.
’Fuck everything. For the first time in six months, I can sleep as long as I want. I will take full advantage of that!’