The Way of KnightChapter 24 – Journey to the Marquis' EstatePreparations at Eisenwald
The morning mist still clung over Eisenwald Marsh when the small courtyard of the baron's manor stirred with activity. The militia prepared provisions, stablehands harnessed horses, and servants checked the wheels of a modest carriage.
Fenrir stood beside his father, Baron Celdric Eisenwald, who wore a black cloak marked with the silver wolf crest of their house. His expression was stern, but lines of fatigue and unease marked his face.
Beside them was Elena, Fenrir's mother. Her face was gentle, yet her eyes held sharp intelligence. For years she had been the one who kept Eisenwald afloat, ensuring their household did not collapse under poverty.
"Fenrir," Elena said, her voice calm but firm, "before the Marquis, your sword is useless. Your tongue will be your weapon."
Fenrir bowed slightly. "I understand, Mother."
Celdric placed a heavy hand on his son's shoulder. "Do not let them see a child. You are my son—the blood of Eisenwald."
Fenrir nodded, though he knew full well that many nobles would still dismiss him because of his age. That was fine. Underestimation could be turned into a blade sharper than steel.
The Eisenwald family departed their modest stronghold with a small escort.
The carriage bore Elena and two maids. Celdric rode on horseback at its side, maintaining dignity as lord of the land. Fenrir followed on a young black steed of his own. Twenty of Eisenwald's best-trained militia formed their guard, armed with spears and bows.
Fenrir turned his gaze back once, staring at the marshes they left behind. Beneath the waters still rotted the corpses of mercenaries who had tried to conquer them. Once despised as a wasteland, the marsh had become proof of Eisenwald's resilience.
This is only the beginning, Fenrir thought. If I can make the marsh a graveyard for our enemies, I can turn Eisenwald into true power.
The carriage rattled along uneven roads. Riding close, Fenrir spoke with his parents.
"I still doubt this is wise," Celdric muttered. "Helbrecht is fair, yes, but those around him… snakes coil in every corner of noble courts."
Elena's gaze drifted to the window, thoughtful. "That is why we must tread carefully. Fenrir, you've already drawn too much attention. That can be blessing—or curse."
Fenrir's lips curved faintly. "I am ready. Klaus was only the first trial. Nobles are more dangerous than mercenaries—they stab with words, not blades."
Celdric gave his son a long, unreadable look, then sighed. "You speak like a man grown, though you are barely thirteen."
Elena's smile was faint, tinged with sadness. "Age does not always decide maturity. This world forces our children to grow too quickly."
Two days later, the road widened into a great causeway leading to Marquis Helbrecht's estate.
A colossal gate of dark stone loomed ahead, carved with the image of a winged lion—the crest of House Helbrecht. On the towers above, banners snapped in the wind.
Fenrir studied carefully:
Walls three men thick. Drill grounds vast enough to muster a thousand troops. The clang of steel and shouted orders echoed from within.
The militia stiffened, awed and intimidated.
"Steady," Fenrir whispered to them. "Even small wolves carry pride. Walk tall."
At the gate, a knight in silver armor approached. "By order of Marquis Helbrecht, we welcome the House of Eisenwald."
Celdric dismounted first, bowing. "Baron Celdric Eisenwald, with wife and son, humbly present ourselves."
Fenrir dismounted next. Crimson aura shimmered faintly around him like heat rising from embers. The knight faltered for a heartbeat at the sight of such pressure from a boy, before quickly composing himself.
Escorted past the gates, the Eisenwald party entered a wide courtyard. Rows of armored men drilled with precision, their strikes ringing in unison like a war-song.
Fenrir walked beside his father, head held high. Every step felt like entering the belly of a lion—this was no mere residence, but the center of power that could crush or elevate their house with a single decree.
Within the grand hall, chandeliers blazed with crystal light. A herald's voice rang out:
"Announcing the arrival of House Eisenwald!"
Fenrir inhaled deeply, his crimson aura stirring faintly as his resolve hardened.
Now, his second meeting with Marquis Helbrecht would truly begin.
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