As Tibaut lay weakly in his bed, his mind drifted back to his past. These memories and those from his past life were better than any dream that his mind could create (Except if it's erotic but after seeing the women in the fort his subconscious was in no mood for anything like that).

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The two brothers stood before their parents, with the smaller one oblivious to what was going on. The maid was also nearby to see if the older brother's words were true.

"(Why did Pyrus bring me inside? Don't tell me he's trying to get me scolded for what I did out there? Screw you, you're the one who started it.) Pyrus started it." He said, unaware of the real reason he was brought here.

His mother put a hand on her cheek in faux shock. "Is that true?" She said sarcastically to her son.

"It is. He. Destroyed. My. Cool. Bug. So I destroyed his." The little Tibaut asserted while jumping up and down like a rabbit. ("Shit I'm letting my mood swing too easily. Dammit, why is being a kid so hard!?")

Cillia gave Pyrus a nasty glare but for the sake of his mental wellbeing, he tried to ignore it.

"Let's move past that stuff, it isn't anything important." He said as he tried to brush past proof of his pettiness. "I'm telling you, he can use magic!"

Tibaut wasn't sure why his brother put so much emphasis on this. "(Is that surprising or something) Is that bad?" Tibaut asked his parents.

"No, you're brother's probably just jealous. Why don't you show us it, Tibaut." His mother responded.

Pyrus rolled his eyes at that comment and Tibaut walked over to his mother. He held his hands and produced a small flame.

His father, who hadn't said this entire time, looked the most shocked out of everyone.

"Already?" He quietly muttered.

"Oh, that's good Tibaut. You really are the son of your father. (Tsk, not only do they both look like him, but they both inherited his magic. Honestly, why did his genetics have to be so strong in them? I honestly wouldn't have minded one of them having black hair like me.)"

She got up from her chair and crouched to his eye level.

"Is that the only thing you do, Tibaut?" She asked.

("Tsk, are you calling my flame weak!?")

He tried to put more fire into the flame in front of him and it only grew to the size of a golf ball.

Tomoe patted him on the head. "I guess I know who to call if I need a candle lit."

He turned away from her and started pouting. ("Tsk, screw you, I'm just a kid.")

She looked surprised by this and picked him up.

"What's got you so mad?" She asked.

"Are you really that oblivious?" Her husband asked.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

("Why did have to hit his ego, he's barely starting to form one.") Pyrus thought after hearing her comment.

It seemed the other two men who controlled flames found the offence in her comment.

"Huh, why are you two looking at me like that?"

Tomoe received no answer.

"Still, this is a surprise, he's learnt his magic almost as fast as me." The father commented.

"Is that a boast, dear? I do hope you realise there's no one here to impress." She said as she poked at Tibaut's pouting face, with a smirk on hers.

"Don't get mad before I eve- never mind."

She brought Tibaut closer to her face and looked into his eyes.

"Say Tibaut, can you use lighti-"

"Cillia, can you hold on to Tibaut for a moment? Me and these two have something to discuss."

While this did sound suspicious to Tibaut, he was bored out of his mind and welcomed being able to leave.

Tomoe stared at her husband with her mood soured and handed Tibaut over to Cillia. The maid bowed before exiting the room.

"Magnus, couldn't you have let me, at least ask the boy, before you got him out of here?" Tomoe asked.

"If he did show the ability to use your magic, I already know nothing I can say would have stopped you from teaching him it."

She scoffed and returned back to her seat.

"Why does it matter? Would he even be allowed to succeed you if he used a different magic?" she asked.

"Tomoe, you already know the story, is not wanting my sons to fight such a bad thing?"

"Of course it isn't, I just want him to-"

She turned her eyes to the other brother that had been left in the room.

"Jeez, Pyrus, if you're dad's letting you talk with us, you could at least chime in." She said as she slouched in her chair.

("I'm glad my friends don't know my parents act like this. Who knows what they'd think if the bulwark of our country and his wife were seen bickering like this.") He thought. But he still had cold feet about voicing what he had to say.

His father sat in his chair, with red hair formed in the mane of a lion waiting on what his son had to say.

"But dad…"

"Speak up, Pyrus, as the future of this house and protector of this nation, I think you should be in discussions like this."

"Is it so bad if Tibaut starts learning this magic?"

His father wore a stern expression and his mother sighed seemingly tired with the topic.

"Sorry, Pyrus but that's something your father won't relent and honestly, I don't blame him," Tomoe said.

"It is as she says. That boy will not learn fire magic as long as he lives under this roof." Magnus added.

"But why!?" Pyrus raised his voice. "What gives you the right to take that away from him? Are you convinced that you'll raise us imp-"

His father raised his hand and Pyrus stopped. "I've determined this is the best way to proceed if I don't want any chance of my sons spelling each other's doom. Pyrus, can you say with one hundred per cent certainty that your brother won't betray you?"

"What the hell kinda question is that?" He shouted at him.

"Pyrus, don't be dense." His mother added. "You hear about families, betraying each other all the time when it comes to nobility. These are people where family means nothing. No offence dear." She quickly added at the end.

"No, I agree. By limiting his knowledge of fire magic in the meantime, there will be no worries about you two butting heads in the future. Trust me Pyrus, we love both you and your brother but we'd both like for him to go on a path separate from yours."

"But don't you see the talent he has?" Pyrus asked in a dejected tone. He looked defeated but had hope in his eyes.

"Let me ask you this, Pyrus. How would you feel if your brother caught up to you and became my successor?"

Pyrus stumbled on his words and thought about it for a moment.

"The fact you're even thinking is reason enough for me not to train Tibaut."

Pyrus fell silent.

"Don't look so defeated, Pyrus. There are other paths your brother can take and the fact you're this adamant about it gives me hope you'll keep supporting your little brother."

"Now, now, dear, time to discuss what the boy might have gotten from me."

"... I feel that can wait," Magnus responded, obviously not looking forward to this. He seemed almost nervous. "(She's always been a bit harsh with her words whenever she wants something) Besides the boy is still-"

He looked around the room and all he could see was the recently opened door. ("Dammit!!"). He felt his wife's stare pierce through him. ("I only barely managed to have her accept that only one of our children will learn my magic.")

Although she held a smile on her face, he knew what was awaiting him as soon as she opened her mouth in earnest.