Rivers of moonlight shimmered through the balcony railings to cast pillars of shadows into the lavish chamber. The dynamic of light and dark painted a melancholy tapestry across the ornate furniture. The room echoed with a certain still and heavy sombreness. Rich tapestries plastered the walls and gilded decorations blessed every corner of the quarters.
In the centre of this grand yet desolate expanse, an old man sat in a high-backed chair, his figure slumped with the weight of countless years and burdens. His once-vibrant eyes, now dulled by time and weariness, stared absently at the flickering light of the hearth. Each breath he took was a labour, a testament to the exhaustion that had settled deep within his bones.
Beside him, his butler stood restlessly, fitted in a meticulously tailored black tailcoat, pristine white gloves and a neat tall hat. The butler’s presence, though respectful and unobtrusive, could not lift the heavy pall that enveloped the room. He adjusted the pillows behind the old man's back, straightened the folds of the thick velvet robe that draped over his frail frame, and refilled the delicate porcelain cup with a steaming herbal brew.
The grandeur of the chamber, with its opulent decor and luxurious details, stood in stark contrast to the frailty of the old man who inhabited it. The air was thick with unspoken words and the weight of memories.
Outside, the moon continued its slow journey across the night sky, its cold light bathing the scene in a pale, ethereal glow. Inside, the sombre atmosphere persisted, a tangible presence that neither the flickering fire nor the devoted care of the butler could dispel. The noble man, though surrounded by luxury, was enveloped in a profound solitude, his spirit as weary as his aged body.
“My dear master Harvey, it is well past midnight,” the butler’s voice carried undertones of loyalty, care and concern as he spoke. “You must retire to your bedside now. Rest is crucial for your well-being. What are these thoughts that have been troubling you for countless restless nights?”
"How long has it been since I first became Grand Duke, Poalah? How many years?" his voice was shaky, trembling under the very weight of his age and illness.
"My lord, eleven years. And a great eleven years indeed."
The Grand Duke, Ravine Harvey, sighed wearily as he rubbed his wrinkled forehead. "Cut the false flattery Poalah, you have been my servant for long enough to know that I despise the glib of one's tongue"
Poalah bowed in an embarrassed apology. "I apologise, my lord. I have made yet another mistake."
The noble man smiled tiredly. "I wish you were not so uptight Poalah. But again, your family members were known to be like so.”
“My family members are distant in the past. I am the last of the Rosenharts. King Ja Senyah ensured that I was the last of them. Rosenharts will no longer be grand dukes again, but I can serve you.”
His master looked distant at first but then he looked at him listlessly. "Does it not anger you? That for the last eleven years, despite my pledges, I have worked tirelessly for the king?" He laughed bitterly, before it turned to a hysterical cough.
"My lord! Please, you are ill. You must not overexert yourself!" he placed his hand on the Grand Dukes back, rubbing it gently to relieve his cough.
"It is laughable, Poalah. The Kingdom awaited a change after the death of that foolish unfit King, Rah Senyah. So when rumours foretold the coming of his brother Ja Senyah, the people of our kingdom were overjoyed. Except he was worse. Remind me Poalah, what were the first of his ‘moral obligations’ upon attaining the crown?"
“Annihilation of rebellious families.” Poalah spoke between grit teeth, despite his calm and collected visage. “Seven of the countries most influential families, disintegrated in a matter of days.”
Grand duke Harvey sighed, and leaned back, his spine creaking in complaint. “I heard that he had gathered the royal army to punish all of those who were left unsatisfied with his brother’s dominion. Any family member related to the seven families were murdered upon sight. Only Mienn was affected. Jordan, Jezebel, Stiev and Lekha saw the example of Mienn and were tamed instantly.”
“And you saved me, my lord. Despite the risks of being caught by the King.”
"You were just a child of seventeen," the Grand Duke reminisced with a soft smile as he pictured a younger Poalah in his mind. It was during the era now known as 'The Royal Massacre,' when he was still a mere Marquis. The Grand Duke, the Duke, and all five Earl families perished, leaving only the two untouched Marquis families, apart from the Viscounts and Barons. This led to the King summoning Ravine and the other Marquis, Pelfek Sworden, to the Royal Cabinet in Jordan.
Ja Senyah, a black-haired man with bespectacled pink snake-like eyes, was unlike his elder brother; he had a thinner frame and stood taller than most. Ja Senyah conferred the title of grand duke on Ravine, and that of duke on Pelfek. In the middle of the meeting, Poalah burst in through a window after scaling the outside wall. Ravine shivered as he recalled the king’s terrifying smirk at that moment. Immediately recognizing the youngest son of the former Grand Duke’s family, Ravine Harvey pinned Poalah to the ground, saying, "A-apologies, my liege. My servant must have thought I was in danger. I shall discipline him once I arrive home." He had broken into a cold sweat under the pressure of lying to the king.
"Lady luck has blessed you, foolish child. After the recent bloodshed, I am sated. You will receive punishment from your master, and be grateful for it." Despite Poalah’s internal protests, he silently nodded after his adrenaline waned. Since that day eleven years ago, Poalah had served Ravine dutifully as his butler. He was rough at first, but he eventually conformed to the role.
“You were foolish, Poalah.”
“Indeed master. I owe you my life. I do not blame you for serving the new King. His power cannot be underestimated. And you are forced to do his bidding. If only he-”
Ravine interrupted him with a sigh. “He is petrifying. His presence alone makes my body break out in sweats. Although, this old body can only handle so much. Soon, I will pass away, and my child will have to become the new grand duke. He does not know of anything, Poalah. He does not know why I am serving the King so dutifully, nor why I am so ill. When he was a little younger, he would come to me and ask me where his mom had gone. I wish that my sweet child could be kept away from these duties.”
“I am sorry, my lord. This is all because of I.”
“I repeated to you many a times to not blame yourself. The fault lies with me,” he said as he slowly unrobed his upper body and let his clothes fall to the chair. A dark red pulsing wound painted his chest. “The king found out that I was plotting against him, and he made sure that I would remember it forever.”
“But you were plotting against him because of me and now holds your wife hostage.”
“It was for the kingdom. Since his claim to the throne, we have witnessed our country be a slave to agriculture and farming. Death has spread across the country like a plague, and our lands have become a divide of the highly impoverished and the fattened nobles. Other countries are the same. Only Jordan, where he lives, reaps all the rewards.”
Poalah grimaced as he watched Ravines injury pulse as he spoke. “But all it brought you was pain, my lord.”
“It is an injury, most strange. It is almost like a heartbeat… like it is alive. It has brought out the white hairs on my head ever so quick. It has aged me so much that I look like an old man. And I am only forty years of age! Yet I look to be seventy,” he laughed light-heartedly. “I can tell. This injury… is going to kill me in the coming year.”
Poalah grimaced as he heard the grand duke set his death warrant in stone. “My lord-”
“Enough, Poalah. I have heard this many a times. I am dying, and I know of it,” he said while dressing himself again. “Call my son for me now, Felix.”
“Sir- you just called me by my real n-”
“Ah, you are right,” Ravine whispered. They had to hide Poalah’s real name, in case eyes from the King had ever heard. Once, he had escaped with a life-altering injury, but should the King uncover Poalah’s identity, the Harvey family would face utter annihilation. “Please call my son.”
“As you wish, my lord.” The butler exited the room, his footsteps leaving a cacophonous rhythm. Grand Duke Ravine Harvey sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“There is no longer a point to fight against the king. He harbours a mysterious power and his men outnumber us by far too much,” he muttered to himself. “Ja Senyah. Such a fearful king. He kills families as he wishes and he cares not for social norms. A man who uses his countries for his own greed. Lust, technology, intelligence, food. He has everything he wants.”
The grand duke drowned in both his thoughts and hopelessness until he was interrupted by a knock on his door.
“Father, you called?” A boy appeared at the door with a curious look on his face. Dark brown hair and a pair of emerald-green eyes with blue pupils. Raphael.
“I did call for you, Julian. How have you been? I rarely talk to you, nowadays.”
Raphael, or perhaps Julian, frowned deeply. “Father, you know I do not like that name.”
“And you have never disclosed the reason to me,” Ravine said, pressing between his eyebrows in stress. “Ever since you left our home seven years ago, you have changed. You changed your mother’s brown hair to black and your blue eyes to green.”
“The reason is not so important father. And I returned within a year of leaving, did I not? I am twenty-two, I can take care of myself and make my own decisions.”
The grand duke sat in silence for a few moments, either in shock or awe of his son’s behaviour. Raphael furrowed his brows and pursed his lips as he realised his tone with his father. “I’m sorry father, I did not mean it in that way. I mean…” he thought carefully this time, ensuring that he did not speak in a harsh tone as earlier. “Everything I do. It is for our family. I promise you.”
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Ravine shook his head in disagreement. “That is not it, my child. I am not hurt nor angered by what you said. I just came to realise. You are no longer a child. So I must tell you, Julian Harvey.”
“Tell me, father. I am listening.” Raphael’s heart beat quicker as his father spoke. He could feel that his father was to say something that he already knew. But speaking it into existence was different. It would give it life, and make it true.
“I am dying, Julian. I have only about a year to live.”
Raphael stood ahead of his father in shivering silence. The tension in the air was almost palpable as both father and son, stared at each other. For the first time, Raphael really looked at his father. A shrivelling old man, his blue eyes dulled from years of service. He was simply a husk of his former self. And yet those very eyes, carried a kind undertone. His lips formed a weak smile despite how he trembled to keep it. To most, grand duke Ravine Harvey was nothing but an injured old man, only a few minutes away from becoming senile. But Raphael’s eyes witnessed his glorious idol behind the man that stood before him. Before he knew it, hot tears had strolled down his face and on to the hard wooden floor. He desperately tried to wipe them off his face, but he spread them instead, and fresh hot tears kept replacing the older ones.
“F-father, I-”
The grand duke smiled and rose from his high-backed chair. “Son. Julian. Raphael. I would love you till mother Givraiya died. But I will die before I can even witness you growing old. So I must pass my duties to you.”
“Father! You cannot walk. Stay seated.”
He limped over to his quivering son, and hugged him. “You must be the next torch-bearer, and you must begin now.”
Suddenly Poalah rushed in through the door, his footsteps creating loud echoes in the room. “MASTER! You must rest at once.” He took the frail man into his arms, and gently lowered him to his bed.
“Poalah… my son. Take Julian to multiple places. I want him taken to the E.C.M.B.. To the bureau of Mienn. For now, take him there. After that I want Julian to see the four major farms of Mienn. And then the five major priesthood churches. And be wary when you take him there.”
Poalah nodded dutifully. “Rest now, my lord.”
Raphael rushed over to his father’s bedside as he rested. “Don’t worry father. You will live to see many more years. I will make sure of it.”
“It is not possible. The family physici-”
“Father,” Raphael said with sad smile, while putting his fingers on his lips. “If you want to pass the torch on to me, you have to trust me.”
There was no response after that. His father had already succumbed to slumber, snores echoing through the chamber.
Both butler and son left the room quietly after the grand duke retired to sleep.
Raphael and Poalah exchanged a solemn glance before quietly exiting the room, leaving behind an awkward silence that hung in the air. Raphael and Poalah walked side by side, their footsteps echoing softly against the wooden floors. Neither spoke; their thoughts weighed heavy with the gravity of the grand duke's condition. Raphael broke the silence first.
“Poalah, how does it feel?” Raphael asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Working on something behind my father’s back, despite how much he trusts you?”
Poalah sighed, clearly annoyed. “I could ask you the same question, young master. Despite being his son.”
Raphael smirked. “He would be furious if he knew.”
“Then we must ensure he never finds out,” Poalah replied firmly. “Ultimately, this is for his recovery.”
“Then to the basement we go. Thankfully, of father’s seventy maids and butlers, you are the one that everyone obeys. So I needn’t worry about one of them following us into the basement.”
“Of course, not young master. They have been warned.”
The corridor outside was lined with polished wooden panels, each one intricately carved with delicate patterns and inlaid with gold filigree. Soft, plush carpets muffled their footsteps, their deep burgundy hues contrasting beautifully with the dark mahogany floors.
Hanging on the walls were magnificent tapestries, each telling a story of ancient heroes and mythical beasts, their rich colors and fine details a testament to masterful craftsmanship. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, their light refracting through countless prisms to cast dancing rainbows upon the walls and floor.
As they descended the grand staircase, the handrails, made of smooth, polished oak, felt cool under the boy’s hand. The steps were wide and solid, covered with a lush, crimson runner that softened their descent. Portraits of long-gone ancestors gazed down from ornate frames, their eyes following the pair as they moved deeper into the mansion.
Reaching the lower levels, the opulence became more subdued but no less impressive. The tapestries here depicted more somber, historical events, their colors darker and more muted. The air grew cooler, and the scent of aged wood and faint traces of the earth below began to mingle. Finally, they arrived at the basement door, a heavy, reinforced oak barrier and Raphael paused for a moment.
“What do they think of me, Poalah? Or of my father?” Raphael asked abruptly as they paused in front of the heavy oak door leading to the basement.
Poalah raised an eyebrow, his hand hovering over the door handle. “As my young master, do you wish to know the truth, or what I would like to say?”
“Tell me the truth, Poalah. And call me Raphael, like you do outside. I don’t like being called young master, even if there are servants around.”
“I cannot do that, young lord,” Poalah said with a wry smile. “There are maids and butlers around who would follow my example, and you deserve utmost respect.”
“Fine then, but tell me. How do they think of us?” Raphael insisted, tapping his foot impatiently on the cool stone floor.
Poalah sighed, leaning against the sturdy wooden door. “A frail and kind man, who is not fit to rule the country.”
“THAT’S JUST NOT TRUE,” Raphael shouted, startling a nearby maid who nearly dropped her tray. “He- he’s just being controlled by that bastard king. That’s all.”
“I know, my lord,” Poalah said soothingly. “We all know how the lord is.”
Raphael grunted in dissatisfaction, crossing his arms. “And how about me? What do they say about me?”
“They don’t know much about you. But they judge from your constant disappearance. They say that the son of the grand duke is someone who plays with girls and drinks.” Poalah delivered this with a deadpan expression, barely concealing his amusement.
Raphael blushed fiercely, his indignation almost making him trip over his own feet. “N-no. T-those bastards. I do no such thing.”
“And they think that you hide girls in that basement you frequent-”
“E-enough,” Raphael said, raising his hand to cut Poalah off. “I get it.”
“I can tell you more, my lord. They say much more than that,” Poalah said, unable to keep a straight face any longer.
“N-no, that’s quite enough.” Raphael’s voice was a mix of embarrassment and resignation, his cheeks still flushed.
With a chuckle, Poalah finally turned the handle and opened the door, the momentary tension dissolving into the cool air of the basement.
As Raphael and Poalah pushed open the heavy oak door to the basement, they were met with the sight of Dr. Ranielle Yamez, bound to the chair in the dimly lit room. He was accompanied by another black-haired boy a little younger than Raphael. But the boy was chained to the wall instead.
“R-Raphael was it,” Ranielle coughed as he tried to gain his composure. “I’m not entirely sure why, but you kidnapped me. The grand duke would not take this lightly.”
Raphael stepped towards him menacingly. “The grand duke is my father.”
Ranielle cursed himself as the boy walked closer. He was a simple school teacher just a few days ago, but he allowed himself to get caught by a young boy and his butler. “That explains how you knew the hierarchy of Bordenheim. Then the king. King Ja Senyah knows my father.”
“Ah of course. The king Ja Senyah knows your father who passed away on Vaiher’s Peak two decades ago.”
“Now, I remember I told you the story along with all the other children at the academy, but you sound like you know the story well.”
Raphael circled the chair at a distance while he talked. “Of course I do! I did go to Vaiher’s Peak after all!”
Ranielle broke into cold sweats when he realised what was happening and what had dragged him into the current situation. “Oh yeah? I suppose you had fun there? With the special Vaiher’s Ale?”
“No. See, I was searching for something. And a man told me where to find it. Norman’s Beach! And something else. The name of the man I was to search for was Paino Yamez. He knew about something that I wanted.”
“W-what a coincidence. He has the same second name as me…” Ranielle was sweating profusely now, his forehead glistening in the dim glow.
“What would you know! He was dead by the time I got there! But then I found out something else. Ranielle Yamez, the disciple of the man named Paino Yamez, had travelled south to live an ordinary life.”
The teacher rolled his eyes. “That was going well until you showed up.”
“I’ve been told that before. I’m a fun person. Usually break the peace and boringness of it all.”
“You’re just a damn child. You should not know anything of all this.”
Raphael continued, unbothered by Ranielle’s remarks. “You said, Ja Senyah would protect you? See, I think there’s something wrong with what you said. After all, Ja Senyah despises those who know how to use magic. Like your master, like you. Like those Velvetornes.”
Ranielle smirked suddenly, despite the beads of sweat rolling down his face. “Well then, you would let me go right? Knowing what magic can do?”
“See, here’s the thing,” he suddenly stopped circling him and slammed his hands down on the bound-teacher’s chair. “If you could do something to me, you would have stopped me from kidnapping you.”
“That was my work, young master,” Poalah interjected.
“ARGH, POALAH!” he complained. “I looked cool for a few moments.”
Ranielle raised his eyebrows, then shook his head in disbelief. “You think this is some kind of game child? Dabbling in magic doesn’t only mean that you’re gaining some kind of power. It also means that you are pit against the entire kingdom. Do you know what that means child?”
“I am the son of grand duke Ravine Harvey. I can handle these people.”
“And you must also know how weak your family is right now. Your father is old and tired. Your mother has not been seen by the public for years. You’re taken to be some kind of a lout. And the kingdom knows that your father is simply a puppet of the king. So let me ask you again, child,” he turned his head to look at his captor. “Do you know what it means to dabble in magic?”
Suddenly, Raphael struck Ranielle across the face with his closed fist. “I think you got the wrong idea,” he said slowly and sinisterly while grabbing his hair and pulling his head back. “See that child behind you? He’s another person who I’ve been interrogating. For years actually. He’s been in my captivity for nine years. I am quite addicted to his presence. Do you think he’s in a good condition?”
Ranielle glanced at the bruised boy in indignation. “You bastard, he can’t be older than twenty years.”
“Nineteen to be exact. And I’m only three years older than him.”
“And what exactly would you have me do?” Ranielle asked sceptically. He had an idea in his mind, but he hoped that he was wrong.
“Teach me magic,” Raphael said, while letting go of the teacher’s hair.
“No,” his reply was quick and firm, leaving no room for negotiations.
“You realise that you are in captivity, right? With your life in my hands?”
“And I cannot teach magic to someone who is still foolish and young. I’m sure even your butler thinks you’re crazy.”
“Poalah,” Raphael called. “Tell me, what do you think?”
“You have every right to be in this situation right now, young master.”
Raphael shrugged his shoulders smugly. “What did you say?”
“Hold on. If you don’t know how to use magic, how did you teleport? That is insanely complicated magic.”
“Poalah, show him.” Obediently, Poalah rummaged through the pockets of his tailcoat and brought out blue shards. “Teleportation crystals. I thought you knew magic?”
Ranielle stared at the crystals with wide-open eyes and his mouth ajar. “W-what is that?”
“Or maybe you don’t know magic. Poalah bought it from the black market. There was a package on auction. And this man tipped us that there would be something important inside it, if we bid high.”
“M-magic crystals. They imbued complicated magic like that into a crystal? Despite the lack of mana in the air?”
“I don’t understand a single thing you’re saying. But if you know magic, why don’t you teac-”
“No, no, no. Who tipped you? What was the name of the man who told you about these crystals.”
Raphael eyed him suspiciously for a few moments. “His name was Eryndor. You would not know of him.”
“And do you still know of this man? Where is he? Where can you find him? Tell me where he is,” Ranielle desperately begged.
“I need to remind you, you’re not in the situation where you can ask me for just anything.”
“And yet you need my help,” he bartered.
Raphael closed his eyes tightly as he thought about the offer for a while. “No. That man is just as fearful as the stories I heard of the king. I cannot find him for you. Think of something else I can do for you, in return for your help. Regardless, you are not escaping this basement any time soon. So you have all the time in the world.”
Poalah whispered something in Raphael’s ear and he groaned in displeasure. “It seems that we will have to return to this in a few days. I have to go to ECMB, tomorrow.” Raphael head out, leaving the bewildered Ranielle with the unnamed boy.
“W-wait. What is this boys name? What are you keeping him here for?”
Raphael smirked as he reached the door. “Let us call him Noah. He will answer to you if you say that name.” Ranielle clenches his fists tightly as the door slammed to a close.
“GODDAMN MY LIFE!” His voice fell on deaf ears and echoed around the room until it too came to a silent stop.