A loud clack rang from the empty barn as two wooden training swords connected. Even though he was some distance away, Siegfried could hear it clearly as he hobbled towards the structure. He moved with the aid of a wooden crutch as his right leg was still encased in a combination of splints and bandages. His left arm, which was slung across his chest, was in a similar predicament. A short and untidy blond beard was now growing on his face. A single tired blue eye looked out into the world as the now-empty socket to its left and the forehead above it were covered in bandages.

Siegfried peered into the barn to see two individuals sparring with wooden training swords. They were both wearing padded leather helmets that covered the lower two-thirds of their faces. As he entered the barn, the larger of the two quickly got the upper hand. They delivered a series of heavy strikes against their opponent in quick succession. The smaller of the two combatants was just barely able to parry each strike. It seemed to Siegfried as though their body buckled in response to every parried attack. Eventually the torrent of attacks was too much. The training sword was knocked out of their hands and launched into the air before landing in a pile of hay. The now-disarmed fighter dropped to their knees and began to breathe heavily. The victor tapped the tip of their sword against their opponent’s chest. The victor then took off his helmet to reveal a head of blond hair.

“Your stance was off again,” Ekkehardt remarked. His opponent took off their mask to reveal a pale, freckled face and topped with an orange buzz-cut. For a moment Siegfried’s eye lit up as he looked at the familiar face underneath the helmet.

“Your huh… Alexandra” The words tumbling out of his mouth as he realized his error, “...You cut your hair?” He asked. Alexandra, now sweaty and barely able to breath, put together a response.

“Yeah…” she replied in between breaths. Ekkehardt sheathed the wooden sword and extended a hand to Alexandra. She took it and got back on her feet. Ekkehardt then looked back to his brother and allowed a small smile to form on his lips. He then walked up to his brother.

“Is everything okay?” Ekkehardt asked. Siegfried nodded.

“Rasmussen decided that I’m healthy enough to be let out of his care. Well, that and he’s been very busy lately. Agrippina’s people are looking at him with a lot of scrutiny and he’s been forced to take in a lot of poorer customers lately in order to make ends meet. It wouldn’t have been safe for me to stay, even if they still think I’m dead,” He answered.

“I see. What happens now?”

“For now, I’m Hans Schmidt, Isidor’s fourth son. I’ve recently returned from Sviaria-Soumland, where I fought against pagan tribes in the far north of the kingdoms on behalf of King Carl the Seventh. I was injured in an accident while riding home,” Siegfried explained. Ekkehardt nodded.

“Well… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Schmidt,” Ekkehardt joked.

Sir Isidor Schmidt was a knight who owned a small estate near Königsstadt on which he grew wheat and raised cattle. He was deeply indebted to Rasmussen after he saved one of his ill sons from the brink of death some time prior. It also helped that he and his family were deeply fond of Alexander as he was responsible for the construction and maintenance of a number of roads and bridges that the estate greatly benefited from. They had been brought into the conspiracy against Agrippina and fully informed of the events that had transpired within the imperial palace.

As for Agrippina, the group could not observe her exact actions, but it was clear that she had decided to keep things under wraps for the time being. Her and her collaborators had taken control of the palace and canceled all of Alexander’s upcoming public appearances. They had wisely crafted a cover story that explained Alexander’ absence from public life. They claimed that a group of violent occultists had sent death threats to Prince Alexander and the imperial family. They also arranged the murder of several commoners within the city and took great care to make it appear as though they had been killed for the purpose of conducting some sort of dark ritual.

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The fabricated occultist insurgency had another impact that greatly benefited Agrippina: Emperor Alexander, the father of Agrippina, Alexandra, and the prince, had decided to extend his stay in the imperial winter palace in Peschtia, figuring that a return to Königsstadt would be an unnecessary risk. It didn’t hurt that he also still had much work to do in Peschtia. This move effectively granted Agrippina a free hand to do as she pleased in Königsstadt.

“How have you and the princess been holding up?” Siegfried asked.

“It’s been as good as it can be, all things considered. Vilmos was able to smuggle us out of the city without any issues and ‘your father’ has been very kind to us. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that I’m now a wanted man. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard to sleep knowing that I could wake up to a room full of Agrippina’s men, but there’s nothing I can do about it at the moment,” Ekkehardt explained.

“And what about Alexandra? How is her training going?” Siegfried asked. Ekkehardt sighed.

“You’ve seen for yourself. What else is there to say?” Ekkehardt replied.

“Yeah, that wasn’t her best moment, but you weren’t holding much back. I’m not going to argue against the validity of this sort of… high intensity immersive training, but don’t you think she would be better off learning the basics first? Don’t you think that having her spar against you or even someone who has half your expertise is putting the cart before the horse?” Siegfried asked.

“You’re right, but unfortunately we don’t have the time to do that, Siegfried. If it was up to me, I would teach her the same way Dad and Uncle Willi taught us, but that’s not an option right now,” Ekkehardt argued. Siegfried thought about it for a moment.

“I hate to admit it, but you might be right. Do you know when you are leaving?” Siegfried asked.

“I think we should leave next week at the earliest, though Alex wants to leave sooner. We have to get ahead of whatever Agrippina’s planning, but Alex isn’t ready yet,” Ekkehardt answered before turning back to Alexandra, who was still digging her sword out of a pile of hay.

“I think I should go with you.” Siegfried said to his brother. Ekkehardt looked at him in confusion.

“Siegfried, you can’t be serious. You’re in no condition to fight right now,” Ekkehardt responded.

“I’ll heal up real soon. Save for my eye, I’ll probably be back to full strength by the time you get to Nordfell.”

“You and I both know that that’s not what Rasmussen said. Besides, you’re in no shape to travel right now. It’s a miracle you got here in one piece in the first place,” Ekkehardt argued.

“I can tough it out, Ekkehardt. You know that. If I could survive everything dad and Uncle Willi threw at us, then I can survive a little trip to Nordfell,” Siegfried retorted.

“Dad and Uncle Willi never broke two of your limbs, stabbed you in the head twice and then told you to walk it off. They taught us where our limits were and how far we could push them. I understand you want to help us, but with the shape you’re in, you’re more likely to get us all killed. That’s not what our job is,” Ekkehardt responded. Suddenly something inside Siegfried snapped. His expression changed instantly. It was as though his face was turned into that of a rabid dog’s.

“What the fuck do you know about our job you stupid fucking cunt! I’ve been busting my ass protecting his highness while you were playing librarian in that tower like a bitch! You don’t know shit about my limits you fuck…” Siegfried erupted. He was only cut off when he felt a sharp pain in his forehead and began to lose balance. Ekkehardt caught him before he could hit the ground. Alexandra, who had now found her sword, was watching everything unfold with great concern. After a brief silence, Siegfried began to speak.

“I’m sorry… There is something wrong with me, Ekkehardt. I haven’t been well since I was stabbed… I’m so sorry…” he said as a tear began to form in his eye. Siegfried had regained his balance, but his brother still held him tightly.