“Master Edwin usually socializes with the other noble kids who visit him. He’s progressing in his studies at an adequate pace.”

The count nodded. Edwin was a good boy but he was not fit to become an heir. He flared up at the slightest provocation and squandered most of his time playing with his friends. The boy will mature soon, Eustace reassured himself.

“Master Lucien…well,” Edgar continued, “boys will be boys.” The count’s mood soured. Lucien was rather dim-witted. His head was filled with stories of noble prestige and adventurers fighting off dangerous monsters to rescue princesses in distress. He didn’t know when that began, but he suspected that both of his boys had been influenced by the stories narrated by the countess.

That woman was too prideful. I’ll have to do something about that. The count decided to have a conversation with his wife.

“What about…” The count’s voice faltered. It was difficult to talk about Alaric. There was a lot of baggage associated with the child.

Edgar coughed and cleared his throat. “The youngest, master Alaric…is peculiar. He rises early in the morning, far earlier than Edwin and Lucien. He trains every day. Not play fighting like the other boys his age, but genuine training — push-ups, sword swings, endurance runs.” The hint of admiration was unmistakable in his voice.

The count arched an eyebrow but didn’t interrupt. The head butler continued. “He spends hours in the library. Not to read stories, but to study history and maps. The servants are whispering, my lord. They say he eats his vegetables.”

Eustace’s eyes widened briefly before he burst into laughter. “Who would’ve thought…” He slid open a concealed compartment in his desk, took out an ornate golden locket, and flipped it open. Inside, a portrait of a beautiful girl with deep black hair and green eyes—Seraphina—the true love of his life and Alaric’s mother.

A single tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it with the back of his hand and returned the locket to its hidden compartment.

“That’s not all, my lord. Alaric is talented. I’ve personally witnessed him training in the fields. He has progressed at an astonishing rate ever since he recovered from his illness a few months ago.” As if a thought occurred to him, Edgar continued. “I might be imagining it, but sometimes I feel like the child can somehow sense my presence when I’m shadowing him.”

“Is that so…he is my child, after all.” Eustace’s gaze grew distant. “It seems his mother’s royal blood runs strong in him. It’s a shame I cannot declare him my official heir. Not until the church…” Eustace shook his head and buried that thought. Speaking of such matters, even in his private chambers, was risky. Even the walls had ears, and one could never be too cautious.

He straightened his back. “Keep watching him,” he commanded in a firm voice. “Report to me if he displays signs of…ambition.”

“As you wish, my lord.” The head butler bowed. “I will take my leave now. It seems the knight commander has arrived.” Edgar disappeared. A few seconds later, somebody knocked on the door.

“Enter.”

Sir Baldwin du Rocher, Commander of the Knights of House Vermond, strode into the study and bowed, “You summoned me, my lord.”

“At ease, Baldwin. Here, take this…” Eustace handed the missive to Baldwin who accepted it politely. After reading through the missive, he raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“The spies are finally proving their worth. Lord Valeran has stepped out of his bounds this time. Plotting to assassinate the miners is too far, even for him.”

“I agree. If you depart with a few knights within the hour, you can rendezvous with the other team within a few hours. I’ll send them a message.” The count said icily. “Valeran's men will have a nasty surprise waiting for them.”

“As you command, my lord.” Sir Baldwin bowed and left the study.

Eustace eased himself into the high-back chair. He had a lot on his mind. Valeran was a minor problem. He could handle it. After all, Valeran wouldn’t dare to launch a direct assault on his territory, only stir up minor inconveniences. He was more worried about Alaric. Few people knew the truth—Aldric was not a mere bastard.

Eustace and Seraphina had been legally married, albeit according to the customs of another kingdom.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The issue was that although she had royal blood in her veins, Seraphina was also a descendant of a powerful witch clan. The two had fallen in love and married later. It happened when Eustace was dispatched on a diplomatic mission by an Imperial Order. He had spent four years there. The kingdom was outside imperial jurisdiction and without the Church’s presence to interfere.

Unfortunately, it also meant that he couldn’t exactly escort his wife to his fief without risking her life and inciting massive trouble. After a lot of arguments, Seraphina resolved to stay in her homeland. The time he shared with Seraphina was some of the most cherished in his entire life. He witnessed the birth of his child and loved every moment of it.

However, the kingdom had its own dilemma. The witches were a fractured clan and they didn’t like outsiders. After his birth, there was already an attempt on Alaric’s life. He was not safe in his own birthplace. With no other choice - unable to acknowledge his legitimacy and unable to abandon him - Eustace returned to his mansion with a 3-year-old Alaric in his arms.

He was the bastard that he fathered while on a diplomatic mission. Nobody questioned his history or bloodline ties.

Nobody dared except the countess. When the countess, Isolde de Vermond, realized she wouldn’t get an answer no matter how intensely she probed the matter, she stopped asking. However, the seething anger lingered in the depths of her heart.

Eustace was not worried about that. Alaric was beginning to demonstrate his talent. Sooner or later, he would have to officially acknowledge him if he wanted to ensure Alaric grew to his full potential. However, it was a delicate line trying to balance how much favor he should grant the bastard vs his legitimate heirs.

Sooner or later, somebody would notice and scrutinize his actions. And, if it were the Church, it would unleash a can of worms Eustace was not eager to confront.

***

It was winter and his time training outside in the field had shortened considerably. The cold weather, snow-covered ground, and icy wind — all made it difficult for his small, untrained body to withstand the harsh conditions without falling ill. However, Alaric was not all that concerned. He honed what he could inside his bedroom which was large enough for push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.

He executed his pull-ups by climbing onto a chair and leaping to grip a ledge. Alas, he couldn’t continue with his rope climbing and sprinting exercises. Those would have to wait until spring returned. For this reason, he devoted extra time to meditating and striving to purify his root chakra.

The process was fairly simple for now. All he had to do was concentrate on the base of his spine until a warmth blossomed and then channel it upwards towards his crown. Of course, he had to continue his physical training, eat well, and maintain a proper sleep schedule as well.

There was an indoor area where the guards continued practicing their sword drills. However, it was not large enough to accommodate all the guards at once. Frankly, Alaric felt stifled inside. So, he visited the indoor training hall when most of the guards were preoccupied with other things.

Rowan and Alaric had formed an agreement. Both of them formed a good bond over the past few months, and now, they practiced their sword drills together. Alaric was amazed at the skill of that child. He learned later that Rowan was 10 years old. Already, he was beginning to grasp the intricacies of swordsmanship.

After their first lesson together, Rowan instructed Alaric in all the basic offensive techniques such as slash, thrust, draw cut, pommel strike, and more.

His favorite was the wrist strike where you had to target the wrist of your opponent to disarm them. It was a showcase of skill and agility at the same time. In all of their mock practice duels, Alaric had yet to defeat his friend a single time.

It was understandable with Rowan being trained much earlier. He couldn’t defeat Rowan yet but Alaric surmised he was grasping the intricacies of the sword quickly. The main limitation was not his skill but his physical body.

Well, that will change soon. I can practically feel my root chakra is almost purified.

Alaric was immersed in meditation when Elara called to him. He opened his eyes and noticed a complicated expression on her face. He smiled. Must be weird seeing me meditate for so long.

When Elara saw him meditate for the first time, she was confused beyond reason. According to her, a child of his age was supposed to roam around the mansion, play with toys, read storybooks, and socialize with their friends. They were not supposed to sit still and not to anything for long, boring periods.

Alaric barely managed to convince her that it was for his good. Meditating helped to calm his anxiety. Besides, he couldn’t boast about having too many friends. He didn’t have the luxury to ‘play’ with friends like his half-brothers. That seemed to shut her up.

“You are doing it again,” Elara said. “I don’t know how you can sit on your bed and do nothing for hours.”

Alaric chuckled. “I play with my imaginary friends in my imaginary world.” Elara gave him a look of disbelief but held her tongue. By now, she realized that Alaric had become a little strange ever since he recovered from his illness.

She just released a sigh and continued, “Well, you have to say goodbye to your friends for now. The Lord has ordered your presence in his study.”

Alaric straightened up. Hmm…that is interesting. I wonder why the count is requesting my presence. “Do you know why Father wants to see me?”

Elara shrugged. “Who knows what the lord is thinking? You must hurry…the lord doesn’t like to wait.” Before departing from his bedroom, she glanced back at him one last time and said, “Don’t be afraid Alaric. He loves you too.”

Alaric let out a chuckle. Today is going to be interesting. Let’s see what the count wants from his bastard.

Alaric knew the way to his father’s study. It was always guarded by two guards and he never dared to sneak inside. He rubbed his palms and pulled the hood around his head. I hope it is warm inside the count’s study.