Balin and Bernhard were celebrated as hero’s in the village who’s bear problem they’ve solved. No one has expected that just two men would be able to kill a duo of runnerbears, much less a wild trio. To prove that they have slain the beasts, they have cut of the heads of all three bears and brought them with them as trophies. Balin felt uncomfortable being the center of attention but luckily for him Bernhard reveled in it. They stayed in the village for two more days before Bernhard decided that it was time to make their way to the family reunion. The carriage ride was long, but rarely boring. Since the two, despite their difference in status in their relationship, have become good friends. They talked, played games or, when the carriage stood still, trained. They were half a day away from the estate of Bernhard ordered Balin to change into their presentable clothes. From that moment on they would have to deal with the intricacies of royalty and had to dress the part. Bernhard’s dress was an almost black, dark blue, decorated with various expensive looking accessories. Somewhere medals other royal emblems and some meaningless pieces of jewelry. Balin on the other hand got a monotone brown vest and a white shirt beneath it. But before putting on the expensive clothes Balin had to shave the sides of his head, to make the slave crest more easily visible. Bernhard helped him to make sure that the unnatural scars on Balins head wouldn’t be visible.

They reached the area where the party would be held. Bernhard explained earlier that they would meet in one of his fathers’ main residences and that the estate would reflect the kind of status that Bernhards father had. And it did. The whole estate was not just one house. It might as well have been called a village. The estate was a castle surrounded by a ginormous wall, which even isolated part of the nearby lake. Balin was barely able to see the ends of the wall on either side. At the main gate of the estate the carriage was stopped. A guard asked for their invitation and verification of identity. Casually handed the man the invitation and showed him his necklace with his emblem printed on it. The guard welcomed Bernhard and directed him towards where he would stay. Bernhard explained that the whole estate was split into multiple parts. In the middle was the castle from where you could reach the other parts. The first part contained the luxury houses, where high ranking guests of Bernhards father stayed. Those houses were set up in three lines, each of a different level of luxury for the different statuses of the guests. In the most forward line are the houses for royal guests like kings and other royal houses. The second line was reserved for members of nobility and members of the church. This included the most children of the baron that weren’t from his first wife, except for Bernhard. His legendary status as a hero gave him the right to live in the front row of this estate. In the third line stayed wealthy commoners, like big merchants and doctors. The next part of the estate was a small village where the commoners, that worked around the estate stayed. Its also where the army barracks where. Since the estate was planned to be self-sustainable in case of a siege or a plague outbreak the next two areas were dedicated to the production of food, one part of produce and one for livestock. Then there was also the area connected to the lake, which bordered at both the farms and the entertainment area, which was the last area in the estate. It contained multiple areas designed to entertain the wealthy and powerful. It contained horse tracks, training fields and they even planted an entire forest, in which they organized hunts for foxes or whatever critter was unlucky enough to end up as entertainment for the baron and his posse. Despite being tired from travel Bernhard and Balin couldn’t retreat into their house but had to fulfil their social duties first. So, when the carriage finally stopped at its destination, they had to wait for a messenger to go and get the Baron. They had to wait for almost an hour. Until the out of breath messenger returned.

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“The Baron is currently in the study, but he wishes to meet you in the red saloon. Sir. Do you know the way, or shall I guide you there?”

“I know where the red saloon is. Thank you. Balin, move!”

Bernhard tipped the young man generously and after twenty minutes through the labyrinth that was the castle complex, they arrived in the red saloon. It was large room, decorated with various trophies of exotic animals and most of the furniture and walls were pained in variations of red and brown, after which the room got its name. Alone in that room was elderly Baron Aubrey the elder. Balin put his gloved right hand onto his chest and respectfully bowed to the father of his master.

“Father. I have arrived.”

“Ahh Bernhard. It’s nice to see that you could come to my birthday. How are you? I heard what happened to Amalia. I am so sorry that I couldn’t come to her funeral or to you in your time of need. But I myself laid in bed with sickness, so I couldn’t travel to you.”

“I am still in grieve. There isn’t a day where I am not missing her. But it’s been over half a year. I have started to heal and in a better place than I was back then. Say, Father! Has my son already arrived? I have ordered that he should be brought here as well, and I hadn’t have had time to go and check for myself if he is in my house here.”

“He has arrived two days ago. And if I dare say so myself, your son must be one of the liveliest of children out there. He barely screams and crawls around like a child trice his age. Something that he must have had inherited from you. If you want to meet him after our little talk, I will make sure that no one will bother you for the rest of the day, until the time for dinner has come. By the way, who is your companions over there? I don’t think that you ever employed a butler before to stay with you at all times.”

“This is Balin. My relationship to him is complicated. Officially he is my combat slave. But he is a mixture of bodyguard and hunting companion to me.”

“Really, interesting. You never showed interest in owing slaves before. Boy, introduce yourself! Tell me how you meet my son!”

Balin took his hand of his chest and stood upright.

“My name is Balin. I don’t know if I can properly explain how we met and how I came into his servitude.”

Balin broke eye contact with the baron and turned over to his master.

“What shall I answer?”

“Tell him the truth! I don’t want to hide our relationship or people to undervalue your worth.”

Balin turned back to the old baron answered.

“Based on a misunderstanding, that helped to cause the destruction of my home, I tried to kill your son. After subduing me and explaining his perspective he offered me salvation and his friendship. Ever since I’ve haven’t left his side, unless specifically told to do so.”

“You’ve tried to kill Bernhard. And after you failed, he didn’t just let you live but employed you as his slave. Bernhard, don’t try to take me as a fool, what really happened.”

“While being a simplified version of the events that happened, this is exactly how it happened. Maybe I and Balin will give you more details later over a drink, when you have time. For now, it’s enough for you to know that he is one of the most powerful warriors and most loyal companions I’ve ever had. But now if you excuse us. It’s been a long journey and I wish to retreat into my quarters and to meet my child.”

Balin bowed again and followed his master to the house prepared for them. The house prepared for them was luxurious as to be expected. It had three levels, expensive carpets hung in every room, hiding the high-quality wood that made up most of the house. There were rooms for all kind of every day luxury a member of royalty expected. From a kitchen, where snacks could be grabbed over to a small library, containing a handful books from Bernhards prefeed authors and even a room containing a table made only to play cards on. Bernhard didn’t care about those luxuries and instead went straight into the room where the small Siegfried was playing with some colorful bags filled with sand. He immediately sat down and cuddled his son before joining him with the toys.

“Tracy!”

Ordered Bernhard his maid.

“Show Balin his room!”