After I had a good lunch, a gentle knock echoed through the room.

“Come In”, I said.

“My Lord, His Grace Duke has summoned you to his personal room”, Benedict said with his somber attire striking as ever.

A maid approached, ready to assist in freshening up me. I adorned the outfit - a tailored coat with intricate lace detailing and deep emerald hue; a shirt adorned with ruffled cuffs and a high collar; hair style being in loose waves – befitting the status of noble. I headed to duke’s personal room. Upon my arrival, I gave a subtle nod to the knight stationed outside the door, acknowledging his presence before he went in to announce my arrival.

As I entered, I felt like arrived in luxurious villa. It was reflecting status and refined taste, adorned in rich wooden tapestries and luxurious furnishings. Its walls adorned in fine artwork depicting the scenes of battle and nobility. A large ornately decorated desk sits nearby piles of documents ready for his approval.

In his personal room he was sitting alone, his demeanor composed yet commanding, his gaze fell upon me as I looked through his room. “How is your health, son?”, He enquired after a moment, his tone carrying a hint of concern.

“It is good”, I replied with an affirmative nod at his question.

“As per the report from priest, duel has done a quite damage to your head; Remembering certain events may be affected”, he said.

“Yes, it is true that I am not able to remember names, things and others too”, I said plainly with honesty.

“Will it be alright for you to depart for the journey to Reedhaven?”, he asked with a hint of concern in his tone.

“It will be alright, His Grace”, I replied with a smile.

“If it is not for this stupid ritual of kingdom, I would like to keep my son at my side”, He said angrily with a hint of resent in his tone.

“His Grace, worry not, I will be alright. I will develop the territory you have generously granted me”, I said showing a hint of respect towards duke.

“Do you need anything else?”, He asked.

“Yes actually, I need a mason who will be able to teach masonry to others”, I answered with a smile.

“Then, I will write a recommendation letter to the best mason present in our duchy. It will be your job to convince him, will it be alright?”, He asked with a smile with a hint of testing his subject.

“Yes, that will be good. I think I can convince this guy”, I replied affirmatively.

“You have got spirit at least”, He said. After a moment, he handed over the letter to me in which the recommendation letter is to someone named John Locke. I kept letter aside. I also come to know I will have to leave today in evening. Having a few hours remaining at hand to meet with this mason and be able to convince one daunting task. With a slight bow, I left the room and headed towards a maid to call butler, if he may know something about this guy.

“He is original craftsman responsible for building the great palace.”, he bombarded me with statement. I thought that a guy would be good if he is being recommended by the duke, this seems out of reach to us. Why would a famous mason want to come to backwater? Well, let us try at least.

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Benedict knew mason’s place so we are currently heading there. In a few moments, we will head to the barony.

When we arrived at the place. It was standing stoutly among many shops, its stone walls housing array of tools neatly hung over the wall, in right side there lies apprentices neatly carving and shaping rough stones while practicers of crafts were moulding, shaping and crafting their crafts in left side. At center, a sturdy looking old dwarf with low height instructing apprentices about the know-how of craft. Ben went to the dwarf and showed the letter. The dwarf read the letter and closed his eyes for a moment, then his gaze fell over me for a blink. He approached me and nodding towards his assistant to prepare for a room.

“Lord Wilbur, how are you?”, dwarf asked.

“Sir John Locke, I am fine like wine, how about you”, I replied in a tone that seems genuine.

“Fine as ever, So Lord Wilbur finally heading towards barony, right”, he asked with a hint of concern in his tone.

Yes, Sir John, if you don’t mind, I would like to get to the business directly”, I asked with a hint of urgency in my tone so he would understand the situation.

“Okay Lord”.

“As you know that I am heading towards barony in a few moments. I would like if you are able to accompany me in this journey. As per overview of the situation I got from Sir William Junior, it seems that there will not many talented masons there. I would be glad if you choose to accompany us”, I requested as sincere as possible.

“Lord Wilbur, I am nothing but an old man who is able to give a few instructions here and there. What use will you have of me? Presently I am not even able to use my hands as I was able to use earlier”, He said plainly with a hint of honesty in his eyes. It seems that this guy had served the duke - father of this body - quite well in order to feel reverence like this in his old age.

“Just like the instructions you are giving earlier to those apprentices; You only need to do the same in barony. No hard work will be given to you except for planning and designing of building.”, I said.

“Will I be given the autonomy over the work?” He asked.

“Yes”

“Lord Wilbur, if you don’t mind, can I join you after two months as I have to train these apprentices who have started learning masonry just 4 days ago”, He said with a hint of concern.

“I don’t mind. In fact, it is good news. I will be waiting for your arrival then”, I said with a smile. It seems old man also is in good mood. Certainly, he needs to train the apprentices who had joined a few days ago and also the successor for the masonry workshop.

-----^^^^^^^^^^^^^ POV of William Junior ^^^^^^^^^^^^^-----

“Have you lost your mind, son?”, his father angrily with a hint of palpable rage in his father’s eyes gazing over me who made the foolish decision to follow a whim of noble.

“Father, favor needs to be repaid in full you know that is our family’s motto, right”, I said in a tone that does not sound offensive to father as he knows full well that with proper reasoning, I will be able to convince father.

For me, the decision was made with proper pros and cons before the final nod. In the past, when I was accused by a certain noble and proceedings were against the odd. It was Wilbur Reedhaven, now my master, who pleaded to the duke to grant the pardon. It was the favor that is worth giving life for me. For many years, it had been in my mind to somehow repay the debt that is overdue to him. As the person who granted the favor, has something imaginable. It was like there is nothing that he has a need of, that I can satisfy. When the chance came to serve the very person, I gladly took it without thinking for a moment as next chance will never know when it may come.

“Son, if you just waited enough, you will have entire administration of duchy in your hand”, his father pleaded with a hint of concern in his eyes for his son. Father knew that I am, his son is, adamant like my grandfather. Once the decision has been made, it needs to be accepted.

“Father, I will have administration of territory far greater than our duchy in the future”, I said with a hint of certainty in my eyes as I believe that territory of Lord Wilbur will certainly grow in size. His father comes to accept the fate of his child.

-----^^^^^^^^^^^^^ End of POV of William Junior ^^^^^^^^^^^^^-----

A burden of training another successor will certainty a great but not greater than the fate of his child. At last due to the dire concern for his son, he said, “If in future for any reason, you do not feel like working there or want to leave that backwater, please come immediately to me”. His son assured his father.

“It seems that father has accepted the situation”, William Jr thought.

With a hug that was tightly clenched, the tear about to fall in his eyes, he said goodbye to his son.