Bloodhaven
Bane Dukedom Main Residence
North Gregoria
March 10th
Aurelia stood by the window.
The curtains were drawn halfway, allowing soft daylight to spill into the room and settle across polished floors and dark furnishings. From here, the vast grounds of the Bane estate stretched endlessly, training fields, inner courtyards, distant towers layered with protective formations.
Everything was calm.
Ordered.
Controlled.
Her reflection lingered faintly in the glass.
She adjusted the cuff of her sleeve with quiet precision.
Her outfit was simple, but deliberate, a fitted black dress that fell just below her knees, tailored perfectly to her frame. The material was smooth and structured, neither heavy nor light, with subtle silver threading lining the edges of the sleeves and collar. It didn't draw attention, but it didn't need to.
Aurelia never needed to.
Her long white hair rested neatly down her back, straight and well-kept, while her green eyes remained fixed on the distance outside.
Then
Knock. Knock.
Measured.
Clean.
She didn't turn immediately.
"Enter."
The door opened, and a servant stepped in, head bowed.
"My Lady, the Duke has requested your presence in his office."
Aurelia's gaze shifted slightly, her reflection meeting her own eyes for a brief second.
"…Requested?"
"Yes, my Lady."
A small pause.
"…Understood."
The servant bowed and exited quietly.
Silence returned.
Aurelia exhaled once, slow and controlled, before turning toward the door.
"…Father doesn't call without reason."
She stepped out.
——————
The corridors of the Bane residence were wide and immaculate, lined with polished stone that reflected both light and movement. Sunlight filtered in through tall arched windows placed at intervals along the walls, breaking the monotony of the darker materials and casting long, elegant patterns across the floor.
Despite the brightness, the space still carried weight.
Not just oppressive.
But also aware.
Servants moved along the edges, quiet and efficient. None obstructed her path. None spoke only offering a quick now as they went about their duties.
Aurelia walked with steady steps, her posture straight, her pace neither hurried nor slow.
Then
"Little Lia."
She stopped.
The voice came from ahead.
Familiar.
Aurelia turned.
"…Uncle Alistair."
The old butler stood a short distance away.
He hadn't changed. Impeccable uniform, posture perfectly straight, white gloves marked with the Bane insignia. But his eyes, sharp as ever, carried something softer when they rested on her.
"You're back," he said, his voice calm but carrying a quiet weight of observation, as though confirming something he had already concluded.
"I am," Aurelia replied, closing the distance between them without hesitation.
For a brief moment, he said nothing, his gaze moving over her in a way that was far more thorough than it appeared. It wasn't scrutiny, it was assessment layered with familiarity.
"You took longer than expected," he noted.
"There were complications," she answered evenly.
"Dangerous ones?"
Aurelia exhaled softly, the sound almost imperceptible. "Manageable."
Alistair's eyes lingered on her for another second before he reached out, adjusting the slight misalignment in her sleeve with practiced ease. The gesture was small, almost insignificant to an outsider, but carried years of habit behind it.
"You're not injured," he said.
It wasn't a question.
"…Nothing serious," she replied.
His hand paused for the briefest moment before withdrawing, his expression returning to its usual composed neutrality. "…Good."
They began walking together, naturally falling into step, Aurelia slightly ahead while Alistair remained just behind her shoulder.
"The mission?" he asked after a moment.
"Completed."
"No interference?"
"Some," she admitted. "It didn't change the outcome."
Alistair inclined his head slightly, accepting the answer without needing further detail. He never asked for more than what was necessary.
"…Efficient as always."
Aurelia glanced at him faintly. "You expected otherwise?"
"Never. I wouldn't dare."
Silence settled between them again, but it wasn't empty. It carried familiarity, the kind that didn't require constant words to fill it.
After a few steps, Aurelia spoke again, her tone shifting just slightly. "…You should stop calling me that."
Alistair didn't look at her. "…Calling you what?"
"…Little Lia. I'm all grown now." She said said calmly. A warm smile on her face.
A faint pause followed, just long enough to be deliberate.
"It still fits," he said calmly.
"It doesn't," she replied, her gaze remaining forward.
"It does."
Aurelia's expression didn't change, but there was the slightest tightening at the edge of her eyes. "…It doesn't."
Another brief silence passed before Alistair spoke again, tone unchanged. "…Very well."
Aurelia nodded. Celebrating her little victory till his next words froze her in place.
"…Little Lia."
She exhaled quietly, the faintest trace of irritation slipping through her otherwise controlled demeanor. "…You're doing it on purpose."
"Of course." He added. Warm smile still etched across his face.
And just like that, the tension eased. subtle, but real.
They continued forward, the estate stretching ahead of them as the inner corridors drew closer.
"The estate's quieter," Aurelia said after a moment.
"It tends to be when you're all away," Alistair replied.
"That's temporary."
"Yes," he agreed. Then, after a brief pause, "…though not entirely."
Aurelia's eyes shifted slightly. "…What do you mean?"
Alistair's gaze remained forward. "…The young masters still hasn't returned and young master Ishmael's state is currently unknown."
Aurelia's expression remained composed, but her focus sharpened just a fraction. "…They're still wandering."
"Yes….Most likely."
Silence followed, heavier this time, but still controlled.
"…Or avoiding responsibility."
"That too."
A faint pause lingered between them before Aurelia spoke again, quieter this time. "…He'll return when he feels like it."
Alistair inclined his head slightly. "Most definitely."
By then, they had reached the inner corridor leading to the Duke's office. The shift in atmosphere was immediate, subtle, but unmistakable. The air felt heavier, more still, as though even movement was being observed.
Alistair slowed to a stop.
"I'll leave you here, Little Lia."
Aurelia nodded once. "…Alright"
There was a brief pause before he added, quieter than before, "…Good work out there."
Aurelia glanced at him, just slightly. "…Thank you. Uncle Alistair."
He bowed, more familiar than formal. Then he walked away.
——————
The Duke's office stood at the end of the inner corridor.
Unlike the rest of the estate, this section was quieter. Fewer servants. Less movement. The air felt… still.
Not because it lacked life.
But because nothing unnecessary existed here.
Aurelia stopped before the doors.
Tall.
Reinforced.
Etched faintly with inscriptions that shimmered under the light.
She raised her hand and knocked once.
"Enter."
The voice came from within.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Absolute.
The doors opened.
——————
The office was spacious and well-lit.
A massive window stretched across the wall behind the desk, overlooking the entirety of the estate grounds. Sunlight poured through it freely, illuminating the room in natural light and casting long shadows that shifted gently with the passing clouds.
The atmosphere wasn't dark.
But it was heavy.
At the center of it sat the Duke of Bane.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, one arm resting against the armrest, the other tapping lightly against the surface of the obsidian desk. His white hair fell loosely around his shoulders, and his crimson eyes were already fixed on her.
Watching.
"Father."
Aurelia inclined her head slightly.
The Duke observed her for a moment, silent.
"…You came back, stronger ."
A faint pause.
"…Good."
Aurelia stepped forward slightly.
"You summoned me."
It wasn't a question.
"Mm."
He leaned back a bit more.
"I'll be leaving." He said calmly.
Aurelia stilled, just slightly.
Then she spoke.
"…Leaving?"
"For the Capital."
Aurelia's eyes narrowed faintly.
'This means only one thing, the Emperor.'
"Did the Emperor—?"
"Yes."
Silence followed.
The Duke continued.
"I'll be away for some time."
Her fingers shifted slightly at her side.
"…How long?"
The Duke shrugged lightly.
"Long enough."
Not precise.
Not meant to be.
Aurelia's gaze sharpened.
"…And while you're gone?"
The Duke's fingers tapped once.
"There will be matters that need handling."
A pause.
"I'll be assigning a task…."
"…..to both of you."
Aurelia's eyes immediately narrowed into pinpricks.
'Both of us?'
The weight of his words settled in the room.
Then—
The Duke's gaze shifted towards the window behind him.
"…You've been there long enough."
Aurelia's eyes sharpened instantly.
The space near the window—
Distorted.
Subtly.
Like heat bending air.
Then—
It folded.
And from that distortion, a figure came into view as if emerging from a space that hadn't been there before. Leaning casually against the wall.
Ezekiel Nova Bane. The prodigal first son of the Bane family.
Tall.
Relaxed.
Unbothered.
His signature blonde hair that Aurelia has always known him for had shifted to a pure white, falling loosely around his face in messy streams that gave him a more careless appearance. His crimson eyes always filled with mischief now a mismatched pair of blue and purple carrying a sharp glint, as though nothing in the room truly demanded his full attention.
He wore a black shirt, slightly open at the collar, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal his forearms, paired with dark trousers. Nothing formal. Nothing rigid.
And yet—
His presence screamed he belonged there completely.
A carefree smile emerged on his flawless face as he scanned the room, then he spoke addressing the Duke.
"…Long time no see old man, I must say you haven't changed a bit, ruining my entrance like that," he said casually. Feigning annoyance.
The Duke didn't react.
"Stop hiding poorly."
"Yeah yeah"
Ezekiel smirked faintly, his gaze shifting towards Aurelia.
"…Been a while Lia, missed me?." He said with a hint of a tease but looking closely you could see he missed her.
Aurelia blinked once, then smiled.
"…You're back ."
"…Ezekiel."
The room settled again.
Not complete. Not yet, but enough for now.
The Duke leaned forward slightly, his presence filling the space once more.
"…Good."
His eyes moved across both of them.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"Now that you're both here…"
A faint pause.
"…Let's talk about your mission.