Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Promise I will regret Forgetting.

“Wake Up… Wake Up” Today was a great day my birthday to frank, I was woken up by my little sister, Sophia and she greeted me with flowers. Orange tiger lilies to be  precise                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“I am already awake. Hua… What’s wrong with you? Why are you in such a rush?” While I was still sleepy she dragged me out of the bed and forced me to stand up. And then from the Table, she picked up the bouquet of Tiger Lily and presented it to me.

“Happy Birthday !!” with a bright smile she said. I couldn’t explain how cheerful her smile was. Her smile was brighter than the sun rays itself.

“Now give me my return gift,” she said instantaneously. The Second thing she does after waking me up at 4:30 in the morning is to ask for a return gift. Why am I not surprised.

“Eh? Well, what do you want” I carefully thought about it, there is nothing much that I can present to her, she already has almost all the materialistic things in this world.        

“I want to play with you. Just today, I won’t bother you after that” with moist eyes she requested me to play with her. Such a request couldn’t be refused, even if someone had a stone for a heart, He couldn’t refuse her, much less me who is a benevolent person. And So today I decided to take a break from my daily training regime and decided play with my little sister.

While the two of us merrily walked out of my room, my maid called out to me, who happened to be some fiftyish old lady.  

“Greetings Master Aegis, you have my best wishes for your birthday”

“Good Morning Martha, which one of my beautiful mothers had called me?”

“Duchess Lucia” she replied with a smile. Duchess Lucia is Sophia’s mother, the other wife of my father, a strong Knight, and a lovely mother to have. While she spoiled me a lot, she was slightly harsh to Sophia, not that she would ignore her or beat her or something, she was just strict with her. But all in all the two loved each other.

“I will meet her shortly”

“They are waiting for you in the central hall” saying that she left.

After a short while after completing my morning duties I headed to the Central Hall, a lavish hall where balls and banquets usually take place. Although I don’t like this place very much, I very much love the two lovely ladies who are here.

Two beautiful ladies were seated there, in almost identical dresses with only slight variations in color one would think they are sisters, but technically they are love rivals, the two wives of my father, Duchess Lucia and Duchess Alicia, my blood mother. Although I myself come from an aristocratic family I am completely unaware how father gave them both the title Duchess.

As for my Blood Mother Duchess Alicia, well she was a merchant’s daughter, who later made his way up to the position of a Margrave. And she has her father’s intellect, she handles the economics and relations of the Duchy. While Sophia’s mother basically trains Soldiers and sometimes me, My mother trains Sophia.

“HHHappy Birthdayyyy” Mother Lucia hugged me tightly, making it slightly harder for me to breathe, but I enjoyed her embrace. So I stayed silent and then I was attacked by Mother Alicia, well the same result. I was almost choked to death. It is all father’s fault

 “Mother he will choke like that”. It was only until when Sophia entered and complained that I was given some relief.

“Oh My little Sophia is jealous. Come here” Well Sophia was caught after me.

“Mother we were … me and Sophia were thinking of going to the Northern Grassland I would be happy if the two of you could come with us” As I said that, immediately her face turned grim and with a stiff smile she said as she gently touched my head.

“If only I could come with you, your father said that we are having a banquet today I will have to make preparations there are too many people to attend to. I am sorry. Lucia, maybe you can ….”

“I am sorry kids, if I come with you Alicia would overexert herself, I need to take care of her”

“Lucia” Mother Alicia muttered softly.

“Alicia” Mother Lucia muttered even more softly.

“Before they kiss each other, we should leave brother” Sophia whispered to me and the two of us left. Although I am not sure if the two of them have ever done that, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were to happen. All the luxurious life that we are living is all because of the two of them, in father’s absence they have been handling everything and it is no one but them who have been each other comforting emotionally and physically. So I and Sophia decided to go to leave for the Northern Grassland, to sightseeing. This was a place on the foothills of the mountain range Rugged Highlands. It was covered with all kind of flowers, though the purple-coloured thistles and the amethyst-coloured heathers made the most of it one could also find plenty of havens in smaller clusters. If that wasn’t enough a bit further from the beautiful garden, there was a beautiful river whose water that was sweeter than honey syrup. Well not literally. And if even that wasn’t enough, one could find a cloaked banana. A weird tree with translucent leaves and a pale yellow trunk but quite the tasty fruits and amazingly beautiful flowers. Although it’s problem is it’s usually surrounded by thistles which are quite prickly. Overall this place was such a picturesque scenery that in certain texts it was referred to as God’s Painting. There are many legends about this place some say that God himself made it to please his wife. Others say it was made by a powerful mage. We think that it was made by our ancestors to please his wife who happened to be a powerful mage. Although the whole of Thunderburn kingdom is mysterious the Mountain Itself Is said to have been the birthplace of that mystery. Our Ancestors chose a nice and beautiful spot to create the Palace.

As the sun had barely risen by now, the townsfolk were only scarcely present there, even so, I could see carriages coming and going which was unusual for today. Perhaps that is related to the Banquet that will be going on today in our house.

“What are you looking at so intently. What’s outside?” She said as she poked my arm.

“Nothing!  The wind today is cold, isn’t it? Perhaps it would rain today” For a moment I thought would it be better for us to not go near a river basin in such a whether if the river were to flood it would create a huge problem. Although Ethereal Run has never flooded before, we should still be cautious.

“Hmmm … if it rains then we would have to return early. I don’t want it to rain today” And I don’t know how she did that, but the clouds all of a sudden started to disappear and it was sunny as if it were a desert.

“Did you see that? Maybe I am the child of the goddess of the sun” she proclaimed as she held her nose high in the air. As soon as she said that suddenly the clouds return. And her expression was worth were taking a note of.

“What? Why are you smiling that” she sneered at me?

“I don’t know”

“Tell me”

“No”

“You are such a bully”

“Oh Really !!”

“Yes” saying that she turned her head to the other side of the carriage, unfortunately for her, all the view contained for her were the Palace walls.  

A few minutes passed after which she complained “Give me your side of the window” saying that she poked her head toward my side of the window.

“How old are you Sophia?”

“You should know this. I will be turning 9 this week, waaait … don’t pull a Duchess Lucia on me.”

“Even so why are you acting as if you are 5 years old. You are nearly as old as me.”

“I thought you liked spoiling me … But you *sniff*” She said as she sniffled, even though I know she wasn’t sad at all. I smiled at her.

“You bully; I won’t talk to you now. You might think that I will start talking with you, But I won’t talk with you now. Do you have anything to say before I stop talking with you? *15 seconds later* Alright now I won’t TALK TO YOU’” saying that she went back to her place.

Although she was saying that, she would start speaking within a matter of minutes or so I thought. But a WHOLE MINUTE has passed and she still hasn’t spoken with me.

“Oi ! Sophia won’t you talk with me”

A MASSIVE 30 SECONDS LATER

“Come on it’s my birthday today. Won’t you forgive me”

She didn’t respond to my request. She didn’t even look back at me.

“Alright then I will … then I will ticklee you” but to my surprise, she didn’t even respond to that, although she was holding her breath and I could see her lips twitch in the end she didn’t laugh.

Alright then, I would do this, “From my bag, I drew out the most effective weapon against her. A saccharin candy” Although she looked at me, and it seems her hands were moving in my direction. She controlled herself after watching the smile that was coming on my face.

“I just wanted to tease you a little, but you are acting like this … what’s the point of going on a trip together if you are going to act like that. Mr. Swanson turns the carriage backward we are returning to the house.”

The sooner as I said, she responded with a loud NO, with her eyes almost teary. Those were the eyes of a sore loser; Mr Swanson didn’t turn either he knew because at this point he was too familiar with our antics.

“Give me back my candy.” She said as she pounced at me. And stuffed her mouth with four of those at once. If Mother Lucia was here, she would have definitely scolded him Within the next couple of minutes, we reached our desired destination, The Ethereal Run.

As soon as we reached there, she sprinted out of the carriage and started frolicking. She would swing her arms in and swirl around. While I walked in with a sketchbook and some colors For a moment I sat down and began to draw a sketch of her. Well It was unreasonable for someone to come here without paintbrushes. No matter how many times I might have come, the scenery is good as ever, if anything it’s more beautiful than the last time. While she was plucking flowers and running around I was giving my sketch the final few touches, until she came back and took a peek at it. I instinctively hid it.

“Hey show it to me” she complained as she thumped the ground with her left leg and pouted a little.

“No. You took a peek at it without my permission. I was going to give it to you earlier but now I am not giving it to you” I was naturally teasing her. But she got angry and pinched my shoulder. Causing the Drawing to fall down. Fortunately, it wasn’t muddled by the dust. Although she got a little scared.

“I am sorry. Did it …did it get dirty?”

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“I will give it to you once it is finished” I replied in a rather serious tone, not that I was angry at her but I wanted to tease her in addition to that her sulking face was just too cute. 

“Sorry,” she said in a rather dim voice, which was unlike her. Well, I didn’t reply to her and continued completing my drawing while she looked from behind. As she looked at me drawing the remaining scenery from behind. Once it was completed I gave it to her and lightly brushed her head. Her charming smile was back again, then she looked at the drawing closed one of her eyes and tilted the painting as she made weird faces.

“This girl doesn’t look like me at all. Your drawing skills are trash.” Saying that she ran away.

“If you don’t like it. Then give it back.” I knew she wanted for me to follow her and so I did that. While I could catch her in an instant I obviously didn’t. Eventually we lost the drawing to wind she obviously was sad for a second but another second she said while not maintaining direct eye contact with me

“Make me another one” every time she makes that expression I want to spoil her even more. Good lord to think that she would one day leave our house and marry someone. That man should be better than me and father.

“Don’t you go and fall in love with some random bozo. The man should be better than me and father combined.”

“I am 8, where did my marriage came from? And Why are you worrying about that, father will handle that, on top of that I am not marrying anyone. I will grow up to be a sword princess just you wait”

“Sword Princess? Pfft – you are already 8 and you can’t even wield a sword how will you become a sword princess. Don’t think things will magically change and someday you will wake up to be a sword princess. I wielded a spear at the age of 5 and I am yet to become a Knight.”

“Yeah yeah I get it, stop lecturing me now. I came here to play not to listen to your lecture. Even with all that training you still can’t catch me now can you.” saying that she ran away in a random direction.

“Sophia doesn’t go there. You will fall into the river” I said as I ran in order to catch her. Eventually, she got tired, so the both of us lay down on the ground and looked at the sky. The dark clouds were no longer there. But the sky still wasn’t clear. We could make weird shapes out of those clouds. It wasn’t long before I fell asleep. Suddenly she stood up, stored some water in her palms, and poured it over my eyes. I was really having a good nap for real and she just had to do this. Annoyed by her action I held her leg: and turned her upside down, now she was swinging herself in the air.

“Let me go … let me go” she gut-punched me several times but her fists were as weak as her dream of becoming a sword princess. Eventually when I was right on top of the river. I asked her.

“Should I drop you in the river huh?”

“Do it if you have the guts to do so” crossing her hands she provoked me to do so. She thought I couldn’t do so and so I released her. The shock on her face when I released her was worth everything in this world.  

Then slowly her head came out of the river and on top of her head were some weeds she released water from her mouth like a seal and looked at me with scorn. I didn’t know what happened but suddenly she raised her hand and it felt as if she was being dragged by someone inside the water. Turns out she was lying to me. Immediately she got out of the water, while I kept searching for her inside the water she was laughing loudly on the bank of the river. When I got out of the river she was still laughing. And as soon as she saw my face she began laughing louder.

“Hahaha – You really fall for that. It’s a fresh water river. Were you not the one who told me there is no dangerous water monster up here.”

“Such impudence towards your big brother, I should teach you some manners.” Saying that I held both of her hands with my single hand, while I pinched her cheeks aggressively with my other hand.

“It hurts … It hurts …stop it you bastard just stop it” As soon as she said bastard I left her. A devilish smile surfaced on my face.

“Did you just say that? I will tell Mother Lucia about it”

“No … please don’t do that, I will do anything. Just don’t tell her about this” her face clearly depicted the panic she imagined just thinking of that situation.

“Such unrefined behaviour doesn’t suit the daughter of The Farlier House, do you even have any idea how my reputation, the reputation of Farlier House will plummet after people learn that you speak in such an un-ladylike manner. In 5 years you will get married, what will the Bourbon House will speak of us. Hundreds of Thousands years of nobility and these are their manners. You know how good of a reputation I have with them, all of it plummet down just because of your behaviour” I tried to replicate the voice of Mother Lucia, as I teased her.

“Stop it just stop it.” She held her head in frustration with a long pause she yelled at me and said “What do you want?”

“What can you even offer to me, I already have everything,” I said as turned around.

“Except a heart and a brain.”

“You want me to tell all this to her or what?”

“You are going to tell her anyway” she sulked. Well, I had my fun so I no longer needed to tease her. I gently placed my hand on her head.

“Don’t worry I won’t” as I said that she wiped her crocodile’s tears.

“Ha I knew you wouldn’t do something like that”

“Yes, but I can do this” saying that I messed up her hair .

“You. you ruined it, it took me 2 hours to make this and you” saying this she ran towards me and I ran away from her. Suddenly one of the Knights came in. As I stopped all of a sudden, she ended up bumping into me, and then fell down on her butt.

“You alright,” I asked her as I offered her my help to stand up, but she refused it and arched her hands.

“Yes Swanson, did you want to say something? I don’t believe that it’s late now” It was barely even noon at this time, the banquet wouldn’t be starting anytime soon. I don’t know what the reason is.

“Forgive me, but the Lord himself has instructed me to guide the two of you back before the sun reaches the top.”

“The Lord himself instructed you! I didn’t knew he came back . When did he came back?” if he was already their mother would have told us about it. I believe he came later may be he send someone with him.

“Forgive me for my rudeness, but as a meagre Knight I am not aware of such intricate details.” Swanson said respectfully, well it was understandable, although being a Knight is a big deal, my father was said to be as influential as the King himself. With that said, I entered the carriage although I offered my hand to Sophia in order to enter the carriage I was rejected again.

“It was a lot of fun; I wish we could have stayed here for some more time” I could see sadness visibly on her face. Although she is not wielding a sword that is because she has to study various kinds of art forms, dance, music, painting, and the like. So it was a break from our daily routines for both of us.

“Why are we even having a banquet on your Birthday You are turning 9 not 15” she said in a rather annoyed manner

Unfortunately, we were called back, that was because we were holding a banquet. I had no idea why a banquet was being held, I was turning nine not fifteen. Perhaps my father is planning something, but I don’t like those banquets. I am really tired of these banquets, socializing with ignorant noble bastards, tight-fitting clothes not suitable for movement at all, and worst of all food without salt

“Sophia … sorry I didn’t know something like that was planned at all. On my next birthday, I promise I will play with you all day” with that said she hugged my arm lightly and her disheartened face turned cheerful.

“Do you want more candies?” Although she was very playful with me, she wasn’t physically affectionate like this. I suspect that she might demand something from me.

“No” she replied softly. I was surprised that she, Sophia, Sophia the sweat tooth rejected candies.

“Then do you want the window seat?”

“Right now I only want to sleep on my brother’s lap” saying this she placed her head on my lap. And naturally, I had to comply with her request. While I did that I could see the peace on her face. It was as if she was enjoying every second of this moment. I don’t know but every time I am in a situation such as this I get scared. I get scared because this is too good to be true. My life is just too perfect. I am afraid that someday I might lose them. I didn’t know when that happened but I stopped patting her head. And it was only when she harrumphed that I came back to my sense.

“MMMnnn …” and with that, I continued patting her head. In a few moments, she fell asleep.

As we returned to the city we could see that the streets were being cleaned, the plain grey walls were being painted by artists and after a certain point I could notice that the changes were more apparent, perhaps I should wake her up. But I am also aware of how she is, she would show tantrums as soon as she wakes up. Slightly bit ahead of us I could see the gates were decorated by garlands, food and clothes were being distributed outside the palace by the head steward. The way inside, from the main gate to that of the hall was decorated with flowers, pink magnolia, and purple Cat tail along with some Chrysanthemum.  

About the time I wake her up I thought to myself.

“Sophia wake up… Sophia wake up” At this point, I could notice she was awake, but she was being a little lethargic.

“Mother Lucia I was going to come myself, you didn’t need to-” As soon as I said that, Sophia woke up in a state of panic, her hairs were in a complete state of mess, she knew she would get scolded now.

“Mother it’s my brother’s fault that my hair is ruined- Wait where … where is the mother? You … You …You are such a Big Bad Bully” That said she wasn’t angry like the earlier time.

“Wow … your birthday is being celebrated like the Father was promoted from the status of grand duke to the emperor itself.” One she noticed how beautifully the Palace was decorated she uttered that. 

“I don’t think it’s just about my birthday, there must be something else. I heard father finally returned from war.”

“Yeah he returned Last Night,” she said as she stepped out of the carriage.

“Last Night, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I thought he would have seen you first, I mean at least earlier than me. Since you know he loves you more”

“No, That’s not true, you are getting jealous over nothing.” Sigh! that was true, although my father loved both of us, he loved me much more than my sister. Not like she hated me because of that, but she had every right to complain about it.

Fortunately, before any argument could have started Vanessa showed up. “Lady Sophia here you are. And what have you done to your hair? Come with me” saying that Sophia was dragged away by Vanessa who happened to be her attendant. To be precise she is mother Lucia’s childhood friend, but she was the daughter of a maid. Since she didn’t want to part with her friend, Lady Lucia brought Vanessa with her as her dowry. Even so, father hadn’t laid a hand on her, she is quite pretty though.