Silver cutlery that clashed against plates stopped; the only sound audible was the breathing of the servants. The dining hall fell silent as both Carilose and Vhakarath did not speak.
Red rays of light painted Carilose's face red, and his expression seemed grim as his gaze was fixed on Vhakarath. Almost as if he was holding back from speaking.
Vhakarath noticed this quickly, and her eyes explored his face for a moment like she was searching for something.
She adjusted her voice before speaking, "Is anything wrong, father?"
Carilose opened his mouth partially. It took him a minute before forming words. "I want a favour from you."
Vhakarath paused for a moment. She processed his words in her mind. Then gave him a small grin, "What can your dominion possibly want?"
Carilose returned a smile. It was faint, barely enough to be noticeable as a smile.
Vhakarath spoke again, noticing his smile. "I will do everything within my power to fulfil your favour, tell me, father."
The Duke looked her straight in the eye, and the faint smile disappeared from his face. "I want my lastborn son to train under your champion, Exalted Khrane. "
Vhakarath smiled again, this time as her father-in-law finished his sentence. "I would've sent Khrane to your keep if you sent a vulture."
Carilose smiled again. But unlike the last one, this one seemed genuine and proper. "Thank you, my daughter. I will arrange for his stay."
Vhakarath did not like it; she intercepted after the duke was done speaking. "You insult me, father. Your son is my late husband's brother. I will house him in my own keep, in the bastion."
Carilose nodded, and he finally began cutting the meat on his plate. His eyes were now fully fixed on the plate.
Vhakarath's eyes were still fixed on her father by law, even though her head was down. She kept glancing at his face from time to time, as if searching for more.
After half an hour, both of them finished eating. An hour after that, Carilose left. Vhakarath stood near the gates as his silver chariot flew in the air, being dragged by two winged reptiles.
Vhakarath did not waste time after she sent him off. She quickly paced back to her tower. The lift groaned as it took her up and stopped. Vhakarath entered her keep, and she ignored her two servants who bowed.
With a low thud, she opened the door to her personal room.
Her personal room was large, it was painted in velvet and had blue roses made out of stone carved into the walls. A gigantic bed stood in the centre, its frame bearing cadavers carved into it.
There was a wooden chair with a table made out of dark red wood on the bed's right side. As soon as she entered her room, the expression of welcome disappeared from her face. In its place, a deadpan stillness appeared.
"Maele!" She called, her voice loud but calm.
A fiend dressed in muted red walked in, her face bearing a welcoming smile. She bent gently and addressed her mistress, "My lady, what is my duty?"
Vhakarath did not fully turn back; instead, she looked over her shoulder and said. "I need Khrane in my chambers, now."
Maele left the chambers after bending. Her footsteps echoed in the hall.
Vhakarath sat in the chair and waited for her champion to appear. In a habit, she snapped her fingers continuously.
Soon, her chamber doors opened as a tall, bulky, and crimson figure draped in a brown leather coat stepped in. His hair was matted and long, his horns curved upwards. Most importantly, his eyes locked with Vhakarath's. His face carried no emotion.
Vhakarath did not react; she waited.
Khrane bent his head gently and spoke, his rough voice echoing in the room. "My lady."
Vharakath still sat on her chair, her voice turned soft as she looked at him. "Duke Carilose Vernare wants his son to be trained under you."
Khrane didn't react; his face still bore the same look, and he waited for her to finish.
Vhakarath continued, "Look for any anomalies in that boy."
Khrane nodded again, "My lady." And started walking toward the door, his footsteps as loud as his figure.
Before he could leave, Vhakarath spoke again, "This could be the leverage we were looking for."
Khrane nodded as he looked at his mistress one last time before leaving the room.
Vhakarath leaned into her chair as Khrane left.
…
The city of Pitt was basking in the sunlight of two suns, and the streets were lively with snarls, growls, and curses. A black chariot was being dragged by two beasts. The beasts had hooves like a horse, but their faces bore no lips. Instead, sharp teeth appeared on their faces like a smile.
The beast's hooves clopped as they moved forward. In the far distance stood the bronze bastion of the pitt. Few pikes were mounted on its walls; they bore a few Cambions and slaves tied.
A bald fiend with horn cut at stumps, peeked out from the chariot. He could see two fiends fighting for a pouch of coins, a vendor selling raw meat, and strangers passing. Nothing out of the ordinary was caught by his eyes, and he closed the curtains and leaned back into his seat.
Inside the chariot, apart from the bald fiend. A young fiend sat across him, his black hair brushed back and horns only a few inches tall from his forehead. His gaze was fixed on the book in his lap. Under one of his eyes, a small scar resided.
His eyes read the page in front of him. "The very first of our great race were not sophisticated like us. They were mindless beasts craving blood without cunning, intelligence, and drive…" It read.
The boy's focus was completely fixed on the book till the bald fiend in front of him called his name, "Cronox."
The young fiend looked up, his cheeks and chin bore tiny hair. "Yes, Varyne?"
Varyne looked at Cronox and whispered, "Do you remember your father's words?"
Cronox looked back at the book like he did not care, "Yes."
Varyne was not satisfied with the answer, and he snatched Cronox's book.
"Tsk", Cronox looked up in annoyance.
Varyne looked at him and said, "Spell the words."
Cronox breathed in and out, and the annoyance on his face slowly dissolved into a calm expression.
Before speaking, he looked up for a second, "Don't go to Dragon's fall or any other fighting pit." After he finished, he looked at Varyne. Waiting for his answer.
Varyne nodded in approval.
Cronox looked up again, this time he said, "Don't consume raw meat."
Varyne nodded again.
Cronox sighed inwardly and looked up once again. "Always be calm. Regardless of your surroundings. Don't feed into your anger."
Varyne nodded in satisfaction.
Cronox looked up again, but the words did not return to his mind. He sat in silence as he kept searching for the last sentence spoken by his father.
Varyne nodded his head sideways. He was not satisfied.
Cronox kept thinking, but to no avail.
Finally, Varyne spoke. "Don't stay in your room for hours and don't get whores to your room."
He slammed the book gently on the seat in disapproval and tightened his eyebrows.
Cronox leaned back into his seat, as he knew that look. It meant a long lecture.
Varyne growled this time, but his growls were controlled and sounded more like annoyance. "If you paid attention to my words, or your father's words. You would have remembered."
Cronox crossed his arms, but his face stayed calm.
Varyne did not stop, "Instead, you focus your attention on this stupid book. We are doing this for you, your father said all those things for your life and you just-"
Before he could finish, Cronox screamed. His voice filled the chariot, overpowering Varyne's voice. "Stop!"
Varyne stopped immediately. Before him, Cronox sat in silence. But his pupils now looked wider, and his horns glowed bright. Tiny tears appeared on his shirt.
Varyne calmly rose up from his seat and sat beside Cronox, and put his arm around his shoulder.
The bald fiend then rubbed his shoulder to calm him down, "I apologise, young master." He picked up the book and placed it on Cronox's lap. "Here."
Cronox initially did not look at Varyne, but after a moment, he sighed and opened the book. "I know, and I am grateful to you and my father."
Varyne turned his head away from his master and glanced outside. The chariot grew closer to the bastion.