Chapter 4 Backstory: Fate's got a plan

We stopped in an Inn for nobles in the inner city

where I stood in black and blue silk Robes the crest of House Mearvin embroidered on my chest.

I stood not as Conros, the Proud Grandson of

a village cheif, but as Conros Mearvin the Bastard of Duke Mallcom about to meet an Arch-Bishop and a Lord-Mayor people that I never meet in my normal life.

I felt unnatural with an ornately decorated sword on my hip. I turned to leave my room, and automatically, I was surrounded by my personal escourt to the carriage.

After a short journey to the Manor. I looked out the window to see the Lord-Mayor's Manor, a heavily decorated building and architectural marvel, a combination of Marble and the local Darkwood

a contrast that even me someone with little knowledge of architecture could appreciate.

The carriage pulled up to the entrance.

Taking a deep breath, Sir Williams opened the carriage door, taking a step down on to the steps leading to the mansion. I walked up to the mantle where two finely dressed men one in priestly robes another in deep grey and red silk clothing with a heavy gold necklace.

Giving a smile and offering a handshake to the Lord-Mayor.

"Nice to meet your acquaintance, your Lordship."

"You as well, young lord," the Lord-Mayor stated

I broke away and turned to the Arch-Bishop

"Nice to meet your acquaintance as well your Hoilness"

"Nice to see Young Lords such as yourself still respect traditions,"

Arch-Bishop said with a tone similar to my grandfather.

"Thank you kindly, Arch-Bishop, ah, I forgot to introduce you to my Father's Knight, Sir Williams."

I said, waving my hand in Sir Williams' direction,

The Lord-Mayor's face lit up at the mention of Sir Williams

"Sir Williams, you should have told me you were to be the Young Lords Guard,"

The Lord-Mayor faced me and said

"Forgive me, but Sir Williams is an old friend I have not seen in quite some time."

Waving it off

"I understand, Lord-Mayor. If you require some time to catch up, friends are important,"

The Lord-Mayor's face split into an even a wider smile nodding his.

"It is Okay Archabald I will escort the Young Lord to the feast Hall catch up with your Friend"

Walking with the Arch-Bishop, his calming aura washed over me "Well we are in the Manor. You may call me Simon,"

"Likewise, you may call me Conros, Simon."

the Arch-Bishop's Ever present smile grew bobbing his head, and light conversation inseued eventually we entered the dining hall. we sat across aside the head of the table.

"Thank you for waiting. I hope you don't mind if Sir

Williams Joins us?"

"That is okay Archabald, is it okay for you, Conros?"

"Yes, no problem, Simon."

we sat down at the head of the table and started talking.

"Lord-Mayor..."

"Please call me Archabald."

"If you do the same Archabald"

"Will do Conros"

"How did you and Sir Williams meet Archabald?"

"During the Yallish rebellion, we served in your Father's army,"

"Yes, a brutal war that one"

"Yes, yes indeed it was Conros."

Afterward, after the end of the meal, Archabald pushed his plate away and rested his elbows on the table, and clasped his hands together

"It is time to discuss why we invited you here, Conros." Archabald stated

"Why did you invite me here?"

"Well, as you know, your brother is chosen, and normally, he would inherit. However, he is a cruel and dimissve man of little merit." Archabald responded.

"and we confess that when we were surprised to hear that The Duke's bastard for lack of better term was the grandson of a Power house and we had to see for ourselves," Simon said

"If he was someone, we should offer our help to"

Archabald stated.

"Help for what exactly?"

*2 Weeks Later*

(Yes, I'm evil)

We finally arrived after 7 weeks of travel. The carriage pulled up to a halt to the draw bridge of an imposing castle of Giant Black stone Ramparts

Ballistas mounted on the walls it served as the primary residence of the Mearvin Family standing at the threshold greeted by the head maid

"Milord, please follow me to your room."

Looking back at Sir Williams, I smiled

"Sir Williams, thank you for escorting. Call me Conros next time we meet,"

He smiled "Yes Young Master."

I'm leaving with a sigh, After settling down into a grandiose room bigger than many a house in the village, I took my grandfather's spear to the western wing Training Grounds

Welding the spear I began, my training spinning and practicing with the training dummies

eventually, a group of soldiers came into the ground laughing and telling crude jokes

They eventually stopped near me, one of them with a Captains pin stepped up

"Who might you be?"

stopping my training

"I am Conros Second Son Of Duke Mallcom."

one of the soldiers clearly has too much to drink

stated with a drunken confidence

"The Duke has no second Son you..."

he was cut off by his Captain

"I heard that a son born out of wedlock had come to the castle, sincerest apologizes, milord," bowing his head

"At ease, Captain, your men were not at fault. I'm surprised you heard of my arrival."

A deep sigh escaped his lips, raising his head

His eyes fell on my grandfather's Spear

"High Quality Spear, you have their Young Lord, and by the looks of the Dummies, you know how to Weld it"

"Thank you for your compliments. Wish to spar Captain?" I asked excitement evident in my tone

"If you wish Milord"

"Show no mercy If I lose. That's on me and no one else."

"Understood, Milord."

Readying our blades me Welding a training spear and him a dull Short sword

He sprinted towards me, redirecting his his blade with the tip of my spear, forcing him to dodge out of the way of my attack. I moved backward to keep him at a distance, pointing my spear.

I thrusted he swung his blade to redirect my spear

predicting his action by watching the way his shoulders moved, I stopped my thrust and swung it at his hand, forcefully removing his sword from his hand, pointing the spear tip at his neck.

"Good Job Milord"

After that, me and the soilders spared all day until, eventually, we dropped from exhaustion.

"What was that again 15 to 0"

"With all respect, Lord, please be quite," one of the soldiers said, chuckling weakly.

"I'll consider it," I responded with a false pompous voice.

we continued to make jokes until a maid rushed out.

"Milord, Milord Ah... Found you look at you all dirty and grimy come along. we'll get you washed up before dinner. "

Sigh, I got up and followed the bustling maid up the stairs.

After a very awkward wash, where maids washed me not that I was complaining, but still very awkward. Then I got dressed where I put my foot down and did it alone. Finally, ready, I'm in similar clothes that I had worn to the dinner with Archabald and Simon. I stepped out of my room, where I followed a maid to the dining hall.

I was seated right next to who I assumed was my sister. I waited for my 'Father' to arrive, to which eventually entered following rules of Etiquette.

~~First Line Break Yeah!!!~~

I stood up and waited for him to be seated. Seeing that everyone else was doing the same and not too long after he sat down an awkward dinner of which no conversation took place.

After the main dishes were

cleared and dessert was brought out that my father's gaze turned to me

"Conros, was it?"

"Yes, Duke Mallcom."

"You may call me father,"

"Yes... Father"

"Come with me to my office, please, Conros."

We both sat up and turned to follow my... Father, I had expected a bit more what should I call it a bit more small talk Like I don't know how where you son I haven't seen His whole life I had spent the whole time to walk through the castle to my father's office ranting about it that I failed to notice the looks of surprise of the maids and butlers as we neared his office.

Eventually, we arrived after a windy staircase at a small polished oak door. He pulled out a small golden key and opened the door, motioning me to enter. I stepped through the threshold, after which I heard the door closing. I turned around only to be ingulfed in a hug by my father, and he broke away, holding me at an arms length he observed as if trying to ingrain my face in his face his smile broke into an Aura unfamiliar to me

"My Son How I wish I could have been their but from the accounts of Sir Williams and the soldiers you have grown into a strong and might I say good-looking boy but most of all a person of character." A look of pride on his face

He walked around and sat down at a nice polished desk with papers and scrolls with ink and quills scattered across its surface. I sat down as he instructed.

"My son." he said before taking a deep breath. "Well, I am glad to see you. We need to talk "