The dining room at Udrick Castle.
The long polished wooden table stretched out in front of me like a bridge between worlds. On one side, familiar face. On the other, an abyss of formality.
I sat in the second seat from the right - the place reserved for whoever, in my father's absence, held the most power in the house. It was mine, even if no one said so out loud.
Next to me were three of my father's wives. Middle-aged women, elegant and silent. The kind who knew how to smile with their eyes closed and hide their intentions under layers of silk and perfume.
The cutlery clinked gently, composing the soundtrack to breakfast. Everyone stood up straight, eating impeccably, as if my father were there, watching from some invisible corner.
Vera and Nora were further along, sitting among the other children. Maurice and Fiona, my closest siblings, were in their usual places. Beyond them, a dozen boys and girls with clean faces and contained gazes - children of former allies, refugees taken in by my father.
They all wore red-black suits with noble cuts. Their appearance was almost theatrical: beautiful, polished... as if they were part of a painting that shouldn't be touched.
I cut my steak into small pieces, chewing slowly. I took a sip of the thick soup in front of me and took advantage of the silence at the table to observe.
Behind me, Alfred stood, as attentive as ever. Although he was a butler, most in the room knew - he was as skilled a warrior as any general in the kingdom.
With a slight smile on my lips, I turned slightly towards Vera and Nora.
"I'm going out with my brothers after breakfast." I announced casually, as if saying something trivial.
Vera looked up for a moment. Nora stopped her spoon midway. Maurice raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Alfred, however, took a step forward, his expression changing slightly—like someone who feels a cold current run down their spine.
"It's not safe out there at the moment, young master." he said, his voice firm but respectful. "It would be better if they stayed in the castle."
I turned slowly to face him. There was genuine concern in his eyes - but also a shadow of distrust.
"It's precisely because it's not safe... that they need to learn to deal with what's out there." I replied, still in a calm tone. "I don't intend to keep them in a bubble all their lives."
I let my words hang in the air as I brought another piece of meat to my mouth. Alfred hesitated. But he didn't insist.
Perhaps he knew that, at that moment, arguing would be pointless. Or maybe... he was beginning to see that, even when I was young, I already made my own choices.
"It's okay, we're not going far. I want to show them the cavalry training camp... and also how to hunt." My voice came out calm but firm. I wanted to make it clear that there was no room for argument. I needed their trust.
I paused for a second, assessing Alfred's expression as he watched me closely.
"If you're worried, you can send some guards with us." I added, keeping my tone light, almost unpretentious.
He stared at me for a moment too long, as if he was looking for something hidden behind my face. In the end, he just nodded.
"That's fine. Just don't take too long to get back." he finally replied, his voice dry.
I felt the weight of the stares. The three women, my father's wives, immediately tensed up. They were silent, but their faces said it all. It was clear that they believed I had dark intentions. It wasn't hard to guess what was going on in their heads. Taking Maurice and Fiona into the forest, just when the baron wasn't in the castle? It was like offering a perfect opportunity for "something to happen" to both of them. And if either of them fell... the paths to succession would narrow. I could hear the whisper of fear in them, even though no one said anything. The silence that took over the table after that was colder than the morning itself outside.
When I'd finished eating, I got up without saying a word. I went straight to the main door of the castle. Two guards accompanied me, like trained shadows. The leather of my belt was tight, holding the dagger at my waist, and the bow on my back weighed softly against the light armor I wore. Fifty arrows, all with white feathers. I knew the number by heart. I had counted them myself while preparing them the night before.
As I waited, I mentally reviewed what I would say. I wanted to win those two over. Maurice and Fiona. My brothers. My rivals. If I wanted a chance of ever really uniting this family... I had to start with them.
A few minutes later, they both appeared in hunting clothes. Fiona maintained her elegant posture, even in her simplest clothes. Maurice, on the other hand, looked radiant. Almost restless with excitement. Each of them brought two guards, as agreed.
"Let's go hunting!" said Maurice, already smiling, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Yes, I'm looking for some smaller animals to practice my aim." I replied, returning the smile. Deep down, my attention was focused on something else. I could feel their energy, the strength of their presence. They weren't fragile. Not fragile at all. They were young, but veterans in a way. There was a firmness in their gaze that denoted this. So... why were their mothers so afraid of them?
The morning air was still damp, and the mist covering the ground made it seem as if we were floating as we walked. Outside the castle, we passed through an open field, close to the forest. On the horizon, we could already hear the muffled sound of galloping horses. The cavalry was training as usual, following the rhythm of discipline that the baron had imposed years ago.
I led Maurice and Fiona along the path that bordered the field. Their eyes lit up at the sight of the mounted soldiers. It was impossible not to be impressed.
The main road went beyond the camp, surrounded by forest on both sides. Further on, the mountains rose up like natural walls, shrouded in clouds.
The cavalry squadron passed by without noticing us.
"Can I ride one?" Maurice asked, his eyes wide.
"Do you want to learn? We can do it tomorrow." I replied, smiling at him. The surprise on his face took me aback. He hadn't expected me to say yes. He turned a little red, then just nodded, a little awkwardly.