He approached them and their conversation stopped. Both turned to look at him

Adrian felt like he was interrupting something important. A discussion not meant for his ears. He decided to make his conversation with Beatrix quick. They could always meet up at another time. Either way, Adrian had other things he needed to accomplish today.

“Beatrix,” he said. “I know that you are heavily invested in the Sisters of the Silver Fist.”

She blinked. “What about them?”

“I was interested in their combat applications and your research in Mark ability—”

“Really?” Beatrix’s eyes lit up. A smile crept on her face.

Had he made a mistake?

Beatrix went on to ramble on for ten minutes on Mark theory and her studies. All major breakthroughs they’ve made and a plethora of other things she had dealt with. From how much she disliked knight commander Cartek for halting any advance in her offensive plannings to her studies on ancient and vague parchments on the development of the Mark system.

Adrian and Magnus both sat their stunned.

Her smile was gigantic. She had to force herself to stop. “Forgive me. This matter is close to my heart.”

Adrian only politically smiled. He parsed through his memory and couldn’t find a single time he recalled his sister with such willingness to open up. And the childlike exuberance. That was very much unlike Beatrix. Cold, accomplish. She was the powerful older sister.

“I interrupted your discussion,” Adrian basically threw the book at them to escape Beatrix’s passion. “I’ll leave the two of you, then.”

He turned away without waiting. There was no chance he would give them the opportunity to hold him here. Magnus and Beatrix returned to their previous discussion. They were not doing a good job at being quiet about it.

“…forces beyond your understanding…”

Adrian stepped out of the room doing his best to ignore any words said between the two. There were always forces acting in every walk of life. He needed to stay focused on what he could affect. Trust bigger and stronger people to deal with forces to much for him to tackle. Adrian was not arrogant enough to believe he was the wisest nor the strongest.

His servants lined up behind him with the same level of military discipline. Perfectly in sync. They marched back down the—

The [Shadow] mark shifted. Its attention gathered in the opposite direction he was walking. Somewhere far passed his father’s abode. His mark energy rolled and shook silently. Adrian stared down the hall as though answers would appear on the vases, stones, or hung painting.

Eastern Wing?

That was Alaric’s wing.

Is he alright?

Beatrix stepped out of their father’s room. The rolling mass of [Shadows] in his stomach eased and settled down. Quiet. Like a dream he could barely remember. One moment there and the next gone.

“Adrian?” Beatrix and her servants walk up to him. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” he shook his head. “I think I’m getting a migraine.”

“A migraine? What’s that?”

Adrian froze. “N-nothing important.”

Had he blown his cover? How do they not know what a migraine was? He cursed himself as he tried to find any moment any of them were naturally sick. He could not find a single instance. They were super humans in all metrics, made to never get ill and live for thousands of years. Growing stronger the older they get.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Beatrix shrugged, her smile from the room still present. “Then it doesn’t matter. What does is your interest in the Sisters of the Silver Fist. And our empowerment.”

“I’ll be honest, sister.”

Beatrix’s face slowly morphed into confusion. Smile wavering.

“I don’t have much interest in the Sisters of the Silver fist.”

“Elaborate.” She turned back into the Beatrix he knew so well. Cold, stern. Distant.

Adrian mentally winced at her reaction. He hoped he hadn’t just irrevocably damaged their relationship. “My curiosity stems from personal plans that involve my order,” He looked back at Talaitha. She was beaming, dagger clutched tight. “And that includes the ladies as well.”

The maids giggled behind him.

Beatrix let out a relieved sigh. She turned to smile at her attendants, nodding to them. They must have had a conversation prior to this interaction.

“I was worried you’d only shown interest for a political boost. Your rise has greatly bothered Alaric.”

“You’ve noticed,” Adrian said. “It was not my intention—”

“Naïve as always, brother. Your intentions don’t matter when the results speak for themselves. A full regiment at the age of twenty odd years? Alaric had been at least eighty. The genius was out,” she paused thinking on her next words. “Well… out ‘genius’ed? Regardless, many don’t think it was earned through merit.”

“Is that what you think?”

Beatrix shrugged. “The interest you’ve shown in my work is enough for me. Maybe you can bring us a new perspective?”

“Let’s get together some time before I leave, then?” Adrian said, moving out the way for Beatrix and her servants to pass by them. “It would be good to spend time with you again.”

“Wonderful!” Beatrix’s smile was massive. He could barely see her eyes as she walked by him.

He waited until she made her turn towards the right. Towards her wing. His own was to the left. Once he was sure she had disappeared, he began his own march back towards his. Silently. The only sound accompanying them were the taps of their in-sync march.

Adrian had completely forgotten his [Shadows] reaction. His mind was busy with the seemingly endless tasks he needed to accomplish. He didn’t focus until they stood just a turn away. The entire walk had been uneventful, so much so he couldn’t remember making the many turns it took to get here. It reminded him of driving and only noticing he had reached his destination rather than the how of it.

The Hrafnung waited for him at his room’s door. It was a similar design to his fathers. Most of his room was until he had decided against it. Magnus would not be living in this room. To replicate his father’s room would make this not his, but someone else’s. Never fully Adrian’s.

His knights milled around. Their discussions were loud, he could hear them from the end of the hall. Bits and pieces were clear enough in the mess of multiple conversations. Mostly about their latest battle, military tactics they could have used, and how the outcomes would have been different had it been decided they were going to face the orcs in the open field.

This was their habit. To always improve themselves even when resting.

It was also part of their routine to wait for him after large meetings. Adrian would give them a brief retelling of their missions and goals. What they needed to accomplish. And he dreaded every moment that was about to happen.

His knights reacted to his arrival. Quiet and standing to attention. He walked by them and his room’s doors. Adrian felt heat rise to his brain recalling what his orders had been. The thought of explaining to them they were no longer fighting orcs for the foreseeable future. Knights whose sole purpose was to kill orcs.

Adrian entered a door down the hall. Their ‘gathering hall’.

Everyone filtered in including his maids and servants. They sat on chairs designated for them along the walls. Small side conversations rose as they waited for everyone to be seated. A gathering of maids surrounded Talaitha. She was showing off her new dagger.

He would do the same had he been gifted an equally impressive dagger.

The knights sat around a tight circle table. It was designed to bring them close, not affording them much space. More personal that way had been the thought. But with increasing numbers, he would need to commission for another one.

Adrian cleared his throat. The hall descended into silence. Everyone waited for his words and commands. Was this what his father saw at every meeting. With a single sound, tanks that could solo entire armies back on earth waited with bated breath.

He felt a pit in his stomach.

Better tell them some good news first. Then drop the bad news quickly.

“We are being made a full regiment.”

The room erupted in cheers and hooting. The knights clasped hands and hugged, laughing and joking. Even Halvard expressed a large smile. Bjorn, Finn, and Ulf poked at Erik; they knew what it meant for them in general. Bjorn would be surprised he would be chosen as a lieutenant as well.

Erik stood up. “Young Lord. This is a well-deserved accomplishment.”

Adrian did not smile. The knights noticed, their own celebrations dimming into nothing. The maids and servants knew what was coming next, they weren’t part of the previous applauding.

“We are no longer fighting orcs.”

The room was dead silent. Halvard stood up, his eyes burned with fury. Erik fell back into his seat, like he had seen a ghost. The rest of his knights sat in there, mouths agape. Adrian could feel his heartbeat in his ears.

Now was the hard part.