Prologue:

Stormy clouds gather blocking out the sun with a sheet of grey as if amplifying the tension which fills Merlin castle as labour ensues. Priests and midwives are called to aid in the birth of the fourth Merlin child. In the bedroom the priests keep the proud wife of Duke Merlin stable as she lays in helpless agony on the bed as they await the bishop's arrival.

In the corner of the lamp-lit red carpeted room Duke Merlin looks on with cold inpatients as he drums his hand on the desk.

Bang! The door fly's open as the bishop runs to the bed avoiding the duke's wrathful glare.

He checks Melissa Merlin's condition with simple spells and starts to give orders to the experienced mid wives and priests, whom in all honestly could've done perfectly well without his input.

Screams echoed through the chamber as the contractions started.

"Administer the blind man's ecstasy" yelled the bishop in an attempt to curb the pain.

As the drug took its effect Melissa screamed less and less as the pain numbed.

This allowed her to steady her breathing slightly as she gritted through the remaining pain.

Hours stretched by as the birth finally came to completion. Melissa hyperventilated as she wept both in happiness that her child was born well and with the relief the pain was finally over.

She reached out to hold her child as she slumped back in her bed gazing at her third son with relief that it was finally over.

The bishop turned around to the brooding Duke in the corner whom had a handsome stoic features and cold unforgiving eyes which made those who oppose him sweat buckets.

Although annoyed he waved dismissively at the overweight bishop dismissing him and the others. As they left the room he stood up revealing his tall slender figure draped in the finest wizarding duelling robes which one couldn't buy.

Walking over to his wife oozing the intimidating authority he is so famous for looking down on the child he said "Dear are you alright."

Although his words fit a loving tone his was quite cold due to the lack of love born from their purely political marrage.

"Not really but I shall recover." responded Melissa adopting the same cold tone.

"Good, pass him here I shall conduct the test."

Staring up at him Melissa held the child out toward her husband her arms quivering due to her current weak state.

Firmly grabbing the child from it's mother and cradling it in one arm whilst the other is used for conducting the gestures necessary to conjure a simple but useful spell.

"Appraisal" he muttered as he stared down at the child. Information flooded in about the child's body and magical potential and the Dukes disposition turned cold. As if sensing the change the currently unnamed baby started crying.

"What is it?" whispered Melissa, slightly fearing her husband's temperament.

"What we feared has finally happened"

The room getting colder as the mana responds to his subconscious feeling.

"He's taken after your father. Weak ability as a mage."

The already pale faced Melissa and felt faint from the news.

"We must discuss this with the ministers to decide a course of action." she managed to reply despite her shaky condition.

"I agree" responded the Duke as he placed the now calmed and sleeping baby in its new cot at the corner of the room.

...

A thick silence covers the room as the occupants stare at each other puzzling over how to deal with their new problem.

"I think we hide him from the public as he'd ruin our reputation as a family" exclaimed a stout man with a thick brown beard which stretched to his chest.

"We can't do that, rumours will spread that the child was stillborn which would make us look weak which would be worse" replied a plump man whose eyes shone with a greedy light.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I suggest we raise him normally but keep him out socially until everyone forgets about him then we marry him off to some lesser noble or just kick him out."

"That wouldn't work our enemies would notice and capitalise on it to reduce our image or capture him and use his claim to merlin lands as third son to justify invasion." responded a large man with a short rough beard.

"Ohhh. And what would our reputed knight captain suggest" replied the first minister condescendingly.

"I suggest we train him to utilise his grandfather's talents with the blade and train him to become a knight. That way at least he would be contributing to the house and would keep him from embarrassing house Merlin." spoke the stoic knight captain ignoring the previous insult as he was used to it.

"BLASTFAMY! No child of house Merlin has EVER been a lowly knight" chided Count Meaner Merlin with disgust clearly displayed on his contorted face.

"Calm down Lord Cousin Meaner, we should consider this as the child's grandfather is a Master level Knight whom if wasn't burdened with his work as head of his house would most likely be one of the very few Great-masters or even a legendary Grand-master." replied the shrewd First minister Marcel Merlin.

"So what's your point?" snapped Meaner impatiently.

"*sigh*, it means that if we train the boy well and harshly enough he should become at least a master knight maybe even higher... Though I wouldn't get your hopes up." explained Marcel exasperated at his brother's lack of common sense.

Silence once again filled the blood red room as the people sitting along the table looked towards the end at Duke Merlin.

Noticing the debate had died down Duke Merlin stoically looked up at all his council his calm face causing ministers to hold their breath as they await his decisive judgement.

"Are you certain he will make it to the master level?" he calmly enquired which even made the ever-confident first minister slightly nervous.

"Only if the knight captain is able enough to train him to that level as going by his grandfather's talent he should have the talent." replied the first minister with practiced calmness, as he passed the baton to the knight captain.

"What are your thoughts on the matter then?" inquired Duke Merlin his eyes boring into the knight captains.

"I think that if we hire some B class adventurers I could guarantee his success Lord." replied the knight captain.

"Alright I'll give you free reign and allow you to hire some adventurers for advice. However, if he doesn't make it to master level yours isn't the only head I'll claim." sinisterly spoke the Duke

"Uunderstood Lord." responded the captain somewhat meekly after the Dukes sinister warning.

"Train him how you wish as long as he's not killed I don't care what you do." responds the Duke doubting the captains' capabilities.

"Yes Lord." Responded the captain once again reminded of his low status in the castle not even being an official member of House Merlin.

"You are now dismissed, get on with your task" says the Duke waving his captain out.

The captain stands up from his place at the table bows to the head and leaves respectfully, as the rest of the ministers move on to the next topic "Next we will be discussing wh..."

As he leaves the council room the knight captain swears to himself 'I will train the most powerful anti-mage knight the world has ever seen.'