Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

In the meantime, Valdric and Seraphina were not the only ones engaged in a circumspect conversation. Within another chamber of Castle Valehart, Goldric and Maverick could likewise be seen conversing long after the banquet had concluded.

Unlike the Patriarch’s lavish bedchamber with its almost ostentatious grandeur, the suite assigned to Goldric possessed a far more restrained elegance. Every furnishing had been selected with refined discernment rather than extravagant excess.

Polished white marble walls veined with faint streaks of silver reflected the mellow glow of enchanted sconces, while intricately carved mahogany furniture, sumptuous velvet draperies, an expansive four-poster bed adorned with embroidered silk, and towering windows overlooking the moonlit estate collectively exuded an atmosphere of dignified aristocratic sophistication.

Maverick stood quietly before one of the towering windows. Parting the curtains ever so slightly, he gazed out upon the moonlit estate spread beneath him.

Even at such a late hour, Castle Valehart had not truly surrendered itself to sleep.

Knights continued their patrols atop the towering ramparts with unwavering discipline, their polished armour gleaming beneath the silvery moonlight.

Maidservants crossed the illuminated courtyards carrying crystal lanterns that cast pools of amber light upon the marble pathways, while distant conversations occasionally drifted through the cool night breeze before dissolving into silence once more.

Despite the serenity of the night, the castle remained very much alive.

Everything unfolded with impeccable order, every servant and every knight carrying out their duties with almost mechanical precision.

It was magnificent; it was orderly; and to Maverick... It was utterly foreign.

Behind him, Goldric removed the ceremonial mantle resting upon his shoulders before draping it neatly across an ornately carved mahogany valet stand.

Afterwards, he folded back the cuffs of his embroidered noble robe before lowering himself onto the upholstered chair beside the bed.

Only then did he break the silence that had gradually settled over the room.

”So... what do you think?”

His voice carried both measured curiosity and paternal solicitude.

Maverick did not answer immediately.

Instead, his golden eyes lingered upon the sprawling estate beyond the window as though attempting to decipher the countless stories hidden behind its marble walls.

Several long breaths later, he finally turned around.

”It hasn’t changed.” He replied contemplatively.

Goldric tilted his head ever so slightly, studying his son’s expression with perceptive curiosity.

”Really?”

Maverick merely shrugged before walking toward the bed. The thick mattress yielded gently beneath his weight, sinking just enough to cradle him as he settled upon its edge, the luxurious silk covers wrinkling faintly beneath him.

”Really.” He rested both forearms upon his knees. ”I mean everything here looks different from the Frozen North.”

His gaze wandered briefly across the chamber before returning to his father.

”But somehow, it still feels exactly as it did years ago.”

Goldric raised an eyebrow, genuine inquisitiveness surfacing within his eyes.

”Oh? And what exactly does it feel like?”

Maverick drew in a slow breath.

”I don’t know, Dad.” His eyes drifted once more toward the moonlit window. ”For some reason, it feels like a place where everyone smiles while calculating something inwardly.”

A faint, humourless smile tugged at the corner of his lips. ”To me, it feels more like a den of hypocrites.”

Maverick’s unvarnished response drew a quiet chuckle from Goldric.

”I suppose that is one way of describing noble society.”

He leaned back comfortably before speaking further.

”It truly is as you’ve said. However... I believe that, in time, you may come to hold a more equanimous opinion.”

Maverick looked at him before shaking his head.

”Seriously, Father, I don’t think that’s possible. I’ve only been here for less than a day, yet somehow... I’m already exhausted.”

Goldric regarded his son with faint amusement dancing within his golden eyes.

”You survived the relentless desolation of the Frozen North; you survived the ambush orchestrated by Shadow Shard, and yet... A single welcome banquet has managed to wear you out?”

Maverick released a helpless sigh before answering matter-of-factly.

”At least the assassins tried to kill me openly. Aetherium, even the beasts of the Frozen North attacked with unbridled ferocity. But people...”

He paused briefly.

”People smile while concealing their true intentions. They flatter you, they praise you, and they speak courteously; all while weighing your worth or plotting their next move.”

He looked directly at his father.

”Honestly... I think they’re even worse than the Beasts.”

Hearing his son’s candid appraisal, Goldric laughed outright.

”Seriously, I was beginning to wonder how long it would take before you started complaining.”

His laughter gradually subsided before his expression softened.

”But remember this, Maverick. Not everyone within these walls is like that. I know you view House Valehart with deep-seated resentment because of everything you’ve endured; and perhaps you have every reason to. But if you allow that resentment to dictate every judgment you make, then you’ll never truly adapt to this place.”

His voice became noticeably firmer.

”Remember why we’ve returned. Our purpose here is far greater than old grievances. So, regardless of what happens, remain patient. And above all... Learn to observe before you act.”

Maverick lowered his head slightly, his reply coming out as little more than a resignation.

”I know, Dad. But honestly, I don’t think it’ll be that easy.”

Goldric frowned faintly.

”And why is that?”

”It isn’t because of the House itself. Instead, it’s because of certain people. For example... Cedric.”

Goldric blinked, his brows knitting together in bewildered concern. ”Your cousin? What did he do?”

Maverick shook his head.

”It isn’t about what he did, it’s about what he tried to do. You remember when Uncle asked him to show me around the estate?”

Goldric nodded.

”Well, throughout the entire tour, I kept getting the feeling that he wasn’t simply introducing me to the castle.”

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he continued.

”It felt more as though he was evaluating me. Every question he asked; every topic he brought up and even the pauses between conversations... They all felt deliberate. Now I know that, by itself, it isn’t particularly incriminating, after all, anyone would naturally be curious about a cousin they hadn’t seen in years. But... I just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was another purpose behind it.”

Goldric remained silent, allowing his son to continue.

”Actually...” Maverick leaned back slightly.

”It wasn’t only Cedric who was assessing his counterpart because I was observing him as well. Not because I had any particular interest in him but because I wanted to understand the sort of person who stands as the heir to House Valehart.”

His golden eyes became thoughtful.

”So I paid attention. The way he spoke, the questions he chose to ask, the topics he carefully avoided and the expressions that crossed his face whenever I answered.”

A faint smile surfaced upon Maverick’s lips.

”But... I lost interest rather quickly.”

Goldric raised an eyebrow.

”Oh? And why did you?”

”Because he wasn’t nearly as subtle as he believed himself to be.”

Maverick answered calmly.

”The more we spoke, the more obvious it became clear that he was attempting to elicit information from me. He would steer the conversation toward the Frozen North, then toward my awakening and then toward my cultivation. It was never direct; but every conversation somehow circled back to those subjects. I simply answered enough to remain polite while making sure I revealed nothing of value.”

He released a quiet breath.

”That alone wouldn’t have bothered me. In fact... I expected something like that. Actually, what concerns me isn’t that Cedric was trying to understand me. It’s why he felt the need to understand me so thoroughly after barely meeting me.”

His gaze drifted once more toward the moonlit estate beyond the window.

”And for some reason... That feeling has refused to leave me ever since.”

Silence gradually settled over the chamber once again, broken only by the distant murmur of castle patrols beyond the windows and the soft crackling of the fireplace nearby.

Goldric did not interrupt. Instead, he simply watched his son quietly, the thoughtful gleam within his eyes deepening as Maverick’s words lingered in the stillness of the night.