Victor's nose hurt badly. He did not understand why his own son lashed at him like that, especially in that situation. And he feared the worst. His lord himself found him lying close to the mutilated witness and he was bringing him for questioning.

The long hallways of the citadel brought about a foreboding tone and Victor felt the tense atmosphere. His lord's mood did not help the situation either. Leon La Bor traded no words with Victor, which was unusual in and of itself. The man always was a nice lord, the kind that told Victor to call him just Leon when in private. He was calm and kind. The opposite of how he felt that day.

Leon held his arm fiercely, as if expecting Victor to run, and his demeanor was anything but calm. The man was sweating profusely, his jaw was clenched and his eyes were wider than normal.

Victor could hear the man gulp nervously when they arrived at the giant double doors.

He exhaled deeply, trying to regain his composure, but before he could knock at the door a voice came from inside.

"You can enter." the voice of the queen herself flowed from behind the door.

Leon opened them and entered the room with a bow, as did Victor. They both stopped at the steps to the throne and waited on their knees.

The queen had no guards next to her, but everyone knew it would be folly to try to hurt her. She was the strongest of rulers currently alive after all.

"You can stand." she said, her posture serene, her hands relaxed on her knees. "I have heard that there was a new occurrence regarding the situation of Cormac La Bor and that you are the sole witness, Victor Stonefist."

"Yes, your majesty. I was looking for my son and stumbled into it by accident."

"And for what did your son keep company to a convict?" she asked, not a hint of condemnation in her voice.

"I-I do not know, your majesty."

"We understand. Now, describe the situation to the best of your ability."

"I heard sounds coming from one of the streets, and I feared that my son may be in trouble. I quickly ran to the source of the sound and saw my son, but then…" Victor steeled his resolve and used his acting experience. "then I remember nothing. I was awoken by lord La Bor and brought here. Unfortunately, that is all I know."

"Hmm. That is rather unfortunate. If your memory refreshes, I urge you to come with the newfound information forward…for now, you are free to leave." Victor bowed deeply once more, before scurrying off in a timely manner.

"May I take my leave as well, your majesty?" asked Leon, still on his knees and looking at the floor.

"Not yet. We have too much to discuss." she watched as Victor left the room.

"Close." she ordered and the doors did as they were commanded.

"Your son survived, Leon." she said standing up from the throne. "Not only that, but he took an heir to a vassal family with him and put our assassin out of commission. It is not about just about the visions anymore. He is becoming an actual problem Leon." she started walking down the steps.

"You know I love your family Leon. I am the godmother of one of your daughters after all. But the situation has gotten out of hand and I cannot help questioning your loyalty."

"My loyalty for you would never waver, your majesty." Leon answered quickly.

"My sister might believe your sweet words, but I do not." she walked over to him and gently lifted his face, so their eyes would meet. "I do so love your family Leon. But I have many obligations as the queen of this kingdom and as the protector of this world. My soothsayers say that your son may pose an even greater threat in the future and I cannot let him be. You understand. But I have a task for you, a chance to prove if your priorities lie where they should. You are expected to assemble a force strong and capture him, after which you will bring him to me. Or I would be forced to replace your station with a different family and god knows I cannot let a ruler as strong as yourself roam freely across the kingdoms. Do we understand each-other?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"Good. Now, prove to me your loyalty." she lifted his head and connected her lips against his.

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Cormac did not feel comfortable. The bed was soft, the duvet was warm and smelled of flowers. The windows were open and sounds of night life and the gentle whooshing of fresh wind made for the perfect noise to fall asleep to.

Yet his mind was a little…preoccupied at the moment.

So much happened in so little time and frankly, the betrayal of his only friend with the following oath of servitude from a person he harmed so much…it send his mind spiraling again.

Not only that, but the presence of Erwin made him nervous by itself. The man was nothing but an enigma. He always showed up out of nowhere, at the precise moment when he was needed, or when he just needed to do something. Cormac tried to ask him a multitude of questions, but he said that he would not answer, at least until Cormac could command him to. Which was a thing he used for absolutely everything it seems. He liked calling himself a servant and Cormac a liege, but he was in control and he relished in it. But Cormac's instincts told him to trust the guy and he did at least give him his name. Even though that is useless by itself, it is a show of trust, at least a little.

The fact that he could feel snippets of what Carl thought was just a cherry on the cake. He could feel clearly what Obscurno was feeling, he could sense it as if he himself was there. Carl was more…blurry. The bond between them showed Cormac only glimpses of the thoughts and feelings he might have had and it was confusing.

For one, he felt no animosity from Carl, but he really did not feel much anyway. Only light frustrations or curiosity, mainly associated with their new host.

And Gavin…well, Cormac could not really let himself think about Gavin. It took him to the thoughts he managed to fight off recently and he feared that a second bout might not be a fruitful endeavor.

He kept on looking at the ceiling lost in thoughts long enough, to get thirsty again. He sat up and…

He noticed that he could spot the silhouette of a person in the corner of the room.

Cormac did not react, instead he slowly got out from under the covers. He wiped his right eye, trying to act like he was none the wiser.

He notified Obscurno through their bond, but the bird continued sleeping peacefully. It was just Cormac.

When he got close enough, He quickly ducked and went in with a punch, but the person caught his hand with ease.

"Wait! Please wait!" the voice of a girl sounded from the corner.

Cormac took a few steps back, with the person following from the shadow, still holding his fist.

It really was just a girl. She had long brown hair, even longer than Erwin himself, that brushed against the planks of the floor. She was short, even shorter than Cormac, had a slender frame, though she was gifted in the ways that mattered. Her face was sharp and delicate, with piercing yellow eyes a pair eerily similar to that of Erwins. It was not a hard thing to guess who she may be.

"Are you Erwin's…"

"Daughter? Yes. Sorry. I-I…sorry," she started muttering over herself, her eyes darting everywhere but at Cormac. "It's just that, I haven't met anyone from the outside yet."

"And what are you doing here now?"

"I live here." she answered, confused.

"I mean, what are you doing here, in my room, at night?"

"Oh! Sorry! Father did not let me meet you in the day and I grew curious. I thought you wouldn't notice me, like the other one."

"You could have just knocked you know? Spying on people is wrong."

"Yes and I know. Really sorry about that." she said as she slummed her shoulders.

"Could you?" Cormac looked down at his hand, which she still held.

She quickly let go throwing her hands to the side.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with new found interest, forgetting her embarrassment in record time.

"Erwin didn't say?"

"My father seldom tells me anything."

"Well we-"

"Are supposed to not know each other yet." said Erwin behind them.

The girl quickly made herself look even smaller and took a couple quick steps back.

"but since you made an acquaintance already. You might as well do it properly. Cormac this is Nery, my daughter. Nery this is Cormac, my soon-to-be new lord. Now, go to bed young lady."

"But, can't I just-"

"Bed."

The girl sulked, then vanished from the room, in much the same way Erwin was wont to do.

"I apologize that she disturbed your sleep. I will reprimand her not to do it again."

"It's ok. I could not sleep today anyway. Actually, there was something I need to ask you."

"Again? I fear that my answers would stay the same."

"That is what I need to ask you. Why do I need to command you, for you to tell me anything?"

Erwin watched Cormac for a moment, then he nodded slowly. "Alright. I will answer this one question, you deserve that much. It is the same reason why I did not let you read Melissa's La Bor diary, when you first wanted to. Answers are something person needs only after they are ready for them. And you my liege, are not ready just yet." Then Erwin walked over to the door. "I wish you good night. Ta-ta!" he said as he left. And to Cormac's surprise, he just used the door this time.