Same as every year, the season of winter was on its last breaths and the season of spring was about to arrive. As the winter was about to end, the cold winds from the mountain range stopped its assault and slowly but steadily the atmosphere was warming up.
This change in atmosphere could be noticed by the looking at the melting snow, which in the winter was similar to heavy stones falling upon earth but now that it has begun to melt it will turn into the river, providing life to the mainland beyond the mountains.
The city of Zariys was situated in the mountains of North. Mountains of the north were similar to a crown, situated at the head of the empire and adorning the Empire of Kriandel, protecting the kingdom from both, the cold winds of the north and cold-hearted warriors of northern tribes.
The city of Zariys was surrounded by mountains from all sides. It protected city well from the cold winds and heavy snow but however it also blocked all the travel routes to the city. As a result, the city would experience a situation where the people would find themselves completely cut off from the rest of the world.
So when the season of spring arrived, it would bring back the liveliness of a prosperous city. All the merchants and traders would begin their journey towards this city which was situated at the border of the kingdom of Kriandel.
The city was situated in the middle of the mountain range spanning over hundreds of miles.
For the travelers and merchants traveling between the empire of Kriandel and the Empire of Brian, it was the only place where they could rest, not worrying about the bandits and refueling their supplies.
For the townsfolks, the arrival of the spring meant the arrival of the money and prosperity. For the children, it meant that the merchants will arrive with their large caravans, consisting of many interesting things and good food. for the elderly, it meant that they would be able to receive news about events happening in the capital and some would receive letters from their relatives living far away. This time was worth celebrating so a festival was held every year at this time.
An elegant stage was set up. Not too flashy yet at the same time not lacking in luster. Beautiful fabric and flowers consisted of the majority of the decorations and showed the immense talent of the individual responsible for it.
A sweet melody flowed from the stage, drifting towards the audience, only to slowly melt away with the wind. Accompanying the sweet melody was a beautiful woman, likely to be in her early twenties, dancing as the music flowed. Her beautiful figure and graceful dancing were enough to enchant anyone.
Everyone applauded after the dance, including the master and servant pair sitting in the front seat. Especially the servant, even though his clapping looked as normal as it could be but from the eyes of the master it was different, he was not an ignorant one.
He turned to look at the face of the young servant, simple yet handsome. Not even crossed the age of 30 but have experienced everything from living in the mountains to living in the capital, from hunting white beers in the north mountains to hunting treacherous assassins in the dark nights. No matter what difficulty, never leaving the master’s side.
He looked at the servant, then looked at the leaving figure of the beautiful dancer. For some time, he lost himself in deep thoughts but soon the urging of a little boy in his bosom diverted his attention. He looked at the little boy, no more than one-year-old and smiled, seeing his father smiling the boy also couldn’t help but giggle and let out some unrecognizable noises.
Seeing the boy smiling, he decided to enjoy the festival for time being with his son.
Soon the festival came to an end and the participants waited in a queue for their rewards. They looked at the back of the master and servant pair with respectful gazes. Their gazes followed them till they entered their carriage.
But just as horses were ready to pull the carriage, the man with the child peeked out of the carriage and signaled a person in the blue clothes. Seeing the man signaling he hurriedly went toward the carriage stood there, waiting for the instructions. The man whispered something in the ears of that blue clothed man. The blue clothed man tightly clamped his lips and hurriedly nodded, not daring to look into the eyes of the man.
The man retreated his head back into the carriage and soon the horses were whipped and the carriage started moving towards its destination.
Seeing his master back into the carriage, the servant looked at the man.
“Master, is there any matter?”
The man just looked at the servant, then he looked at the little boy in the hands of the servant and smiled.
“Soon, there will be one more person to take care of little Vayr.”
The servant immediately becomes happy, his eyes seems to shine like black stars in the white sky.
“Really?”
The servant couldn’t believe the words, he needed to confirm. But as the matter processed in his mind his mood slightly become gloomy then again become happy then again became gloomy. This switch in mood was well expected by the man.
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He knew that his loneliness after the death of his wife was unbearable for the servant as well. Assuming that he would take a wife he became happy, then thinking that how can master forget his in just a year he became gloomy, but thinking more he realized that his master might just be hiring a maid, but then again realizing that his master might be lonely for the lifetime, once again, he became gloomy.
His master was only 27-year-old this year, but the woman he loved for life, died after giving birth to his first child. He has been with his master since he was born. His father served the previous lord and trained him to serve the current lord.
Traveling with his master, they met the mistress, who was worthy of becoming his master’s wife, but the matter was not that simple. They had to shed blood and stand upon the sea of corpses to let the mistress marry his master. The status of the mistress was very troublesome.
Even though in the end the managed to be able to be together, the destiny played with them. Young mistress died during childbirth. Ever since then, master and servant have been raising the child with care but no matter what a child seeks mother, the care, and love provided by a woman cannot be compared with the care a man could provide. Men do not possess the softness of a woman’s heart.
He tried convincing master to marry another woman or to have a maid but he would not listen. No matter what it was the child of his beloved, years of love was not that easily forgotten. Moreover, there wasn’t any woman competent enough to marry his master.
The servant, despite being only 25-year-old, was able to look down upon the world. Other than his master no man alive was able to gain his respect much less a woman. Despite that, the young mistress was able to move him.
Now that there would be someone who would give young master the love of a mother, he would not object, no matter who it was. If his master has said something, then there was no need for him to worry.
Soon they arrived at the castle. The guards opened the gate and let the carriage enter the castle. The Little boy looked tired, the servant noticed that and with quick steps he traveled through the castle and arrived at the main resting area. He quickly put down the young master and went to the working area of his master.
While going towards the master’s office he noticed a guard with quick steps. The guard, noticing the servant, stopped and bowed, then continued with his steps.
The servant went inside and saw the master signing the documents. without saying anything he started organizing the documents. After all was done, the master stretched out his hands and looked at the servant. His expression while looking at the servant was different.
The servant noticed it and asked.
“What’s the matter, master?”
Master looked at the servant and responded.
“nothing, you should guard my room tonight.”
The servant frowned, but said nothing and acknowledged it with a nod.
Night arrived, the master sat in his room on a chair. It seemed like he was gazing at the stars through the window but his eyes were closed. In a deep meditative position, he absorbed the starlight coming through the window.
After a while, the of heavy gates of castle moved and a carriage passed through. The servant outside, invisible in the shadows, perked up his ears.
After a short while a beautiful woman, accompanied by the guard, who previously exited from the office could be seen.
The woman was extremely beautiful, she only paled in comparison to his mistress. She was the dancer, who enchanted everybody in the festival. Seeing the woman here, the expression of the servant paled.
Same was with the woman, her face was ashen as well. Seeing the woman here at this time of night and remembering all the events happened today, he realized something and his heart felt pain. It was extremely painful. The only time he felt like this was when his mistress died.
The guard and the woman were not able to see the servant. The guard slowly knocked at the door. After a moment the door was opened from inside and seeing the lord, both of them bowed.
The lord dismissed the guard and invited the beautiful woman inside the room. There were waves after waves of pained emotions inside her heart. She looked at the room, searching for someone but unable to see anyone other than the lord.
She could only see the lord looking at her with a curious expression.
She gritted her teeth and with a bowed head she said.
“This servant will follow orders.”
The city of Zariys faced harshest of the condition in the entire continent. The hunting tribes from north mountains, the freezing ice of the mountains, the assault of the wild animals and many other problems. In the past, the living were few but dead were many. As a small town no one cared, other than a distinguished noble, who during the travel arrived here and seeing the condition, he lamented and decided to change the situation. Ever since then, every single lord thrived hard to better the situation. Unprecedented in the history, every lord sacrificed his life for the people. It was said that the kindness of that noble would not diminish even after 1000 generations.
Every single being, living in the city knew the reason the existed today. If there was no lord, there wouldn’t be any city of Zariys.
She knew that fact as well. For the citizens, the statement of the lord was their command. For the elder, who has seen much more than others, it was equivalent to the decree of god.
She was born in this city and traveled to the capital when she was 15-year-old. Before that, she worked at the castle and served the old mistress. After the death of the mistress, the previous lord sent her to the capital. She longed the to learn and the old mistress knew it well. So when she was on death bed she wrote her a letter which allowed her to move into the capital with her family. This was the reward the old mistress bestowed upon her.
Entering the capital, she soaked the knowledge. From war tactics to dancing and singing, she learned everything which came in her way. Soon noticed by the nobles, she was appointed in the royal palace and quickly become favorite of a royal concubine and started appearing with her.
Seeing the beauty and talent, many coveted her. The royal concubine, knowing that one day her limits would arrive and she would not be able to protect her she sent her away.
“The capital is a dangerous place, only wolfs and vixens could survive here.” She said.
Since then she arrived at her birth place and seeing the latter from royal palace she was appointed as an official in the city.
“You said you liked the white flowers in the mountains.”
The voice of the lord pulled her out of the daze. She looked at the smiling lord and said in her heart, lord still remember that.
But that didn’t elevate her mood, tonight it was not certain what would happen with her.