8: The framing

Everyone clapped as Cyprian mounted the great black steed with the help of Everard his older cousin.

The horse gave an energetic neigh and trotted on the spot, seemingly pleased with the new rider.

The nobles found this small action charming and comments praising Cyprian poured out of their mouths.

The boy in question seemed unaffected by their words and simply leaned forward and stroked the horse's muscular neck and jaw soliciting a happy snort from the animal. This might be Cyprian's first horse but he seemed quite comfortable with riding.

I ate slowly making sure not to take my eyes off the pair, especially Everard as he lead the horse forward bringing it to a gentle trot.

Cyprian was smiling, genuinely smiling like a boy his age should. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him when I thought about his accomplishment. The exam was exhausting even for fully grown people, I could only imagine the long hours of studying and work that were put into his achievement… It made me smile to see him looking so free.

"What a show off…" Roman muttered as he shovelled a spoon full of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Roman was looking at Cyprian rather enviously. I guessed that Roman was often told to look at Cyprian as an example.

"It's his reward for doing something great." I reminded him softly. "If you do something good like that, you'll probably also get a reward."

Roman paused for a moment. My words must have struck a cord. However his face suddenly fell and he went back to devouring his plate of food.

"I'm not good at studying. There's no way I'll get a reward from book learning." He said and aggressively chewed on his mouthful.

"You can be rewarded for something else though. Studying isn't the only way."

He turned to look at me, his interest piqued. I decided that it was a good sign to continue, "You can gets rewards for all sorts of things. For music or art. If you're good at magic or swordsmanship you can also get rewards."

He was silent but I could tell that he had taken my words to heart by the way he stared off into the distance deep in thought.

The nasty gossiping adults seated a bit away from us spoke up again.

"This situation must be quite uncomfortable for Everard…" An older wrinkly woman said as she eyed the pair of boys. She held a monocle up to her droopy eyes and peered through it.

A man seated next to her dressed in a dark purple velvet suit nodded. "Of course... Everard is older than Cyprian and is also academically inclined, but is much less talented than his younger cousin." He alleged confidently.

"Now that Cyprian is a huge success, how can Everard ever shine? He most likely won't achieve his own naming ceremony."

"Destined for the branch families, you think?"

"Oh yes." The man nodded. "There's no hope for him now. Cyprian shall remain the horse rider and Everard is destined to simply lead the other's horse."

"But don't you think Everard's mother is the real tragedy?" The old woman pursed her prune lips together as she squinted through the monocle at the woman in question.

"Lady Eleanor? Indeed. Cyprian's success must be rather difficult for her…"

I finally learnt her name. Lady Eleanor was Everard's mother and Lady Verona's sister. Making her Cyprian's aunt.

A lady who had been listening to their conversation leaned in with wide gossip-hungry eyes. "Pray tell why you say so."

The man chuckled darkly and licked his lips before leaning into the circle and lowering his volume. "For those of us who were around back then, the situation between the two sisters was the most delicious gossip in the upper echelon."

He glanced over at Lady Verona who was seated next to her husband Lord Ahren.

"It was decided at their births that the two sisters would marry into the Kantheus Duchy. But In fact, at first, it was Lady Eleanor who was meant to wed Ahren Kantheus."

Their eyes of the listeners bulged out of their heads at this news.

"No? Can't it be so?"

"Oh it was as I said." The man reassured them . "Lady Eleanor was meant for Lord Ahren, since they were the elder siblings. While Lady Verona was meant for Lord Leonis, since they were the younger two."

"But how did they end up switching marriage partners?" someone asked.

The velvet clad gentleman continued. "Because Eleanor heard rumours of Lord Ahren's fierce character she refused him and demanded she be engaged to his much milder mannered younger brother, Leonis Kantheus instead."

Their eyes widened and glowed with intrigue as they listened to the story. I also couldn't help be interested if I was being honest.

"That's how the younger sister Lady Verona ended up as Ahren's wife and Lady Eleanor with Leonis." The man chuckled as he glanced between the two women.

"I suppose Eleanor regrets her decision now. The husband she chose, Leonis, didn't succeed in achieving his naming ceremony and became part of a branch family. Meanwhile Ahren Kantheus became a huge success and secured many valuable territories for the empire."

"Despite her pleasant smiles she must be filled with regret. Perhaps a little envy…"

"Indeed." The man chuckled. "And now their children are of a different calibre too. Verona's son inherited the Kantheus hair and eyes, while Everard only has a little resemblance to Kantheus. And now Cyprian has accomplished a great feat that Everard probably won't ever match. It goes to show how one decision can make or break you…"

If what they were saying was true I understood the hostile look Lady Eleanor gave Cyprian at the ceremony.

A commotion stirred up from the middle of the table as some of the guests gasped and pointed toward the horse.

The once calm stallion was groaning and neighing. It stopped in it's spot refusing to walk forward.

Everard tried to coax the stallion with whispers and tongue clicks but it simply refused and shook its head in distress.

"Be careful." Lady Verona called out getting increasingly anxious about her son.

Cyprian also tried to calm it down by stroking it's neck but the horse was getting more and more anxious. Suddenly it snorted and bucked its hind into the air, throwing Cyprian off him. The boy landed on the ground shoulder first.

Lady Verona cried out seeing her son thrown to the ground with such force. When he didn't get up, the servants and Lord Ahren rushed to Cyprian's side while Everard acted dutifully and shielded Cyprian from the horse.

Lady Eleanor wailed for her son to be careful because he was trying to steer the distressed horse away from the group that was seeing to Cyprian. The seated nobles were up in arms and gasping like a bunch of clueless fish. All the commotion disturbed the youngest children at the table who began to cry. The banquet was a complete mess.

"Silence!" A gust of wind struck through the banquet as Duke Amaris stamped his staff on the ground.

Everybody stilled, even the babies stopped crying. Suddenly self conscious the noblemen and women slowly took their seats and straightened up their appearances.

"Go bring the doctor and some healing mages." The duke ordered. The old butler hurried off toward the mansion.

"Take that horse back to the stables for now. We'll kill it tomorrow. We can't have a beast that would hurt it's own master on the property." His austere nature always surprised me even though I had seen his cold heartedness in action many times.

Servants managed to calm the horse down and lead it back to the stables where it would await its death.

"My precious boy," Eleanor rushed over to her son. "Are you hurt? Are you in pain?" She pecked at him like a hen, checking his face and hands for any injuries.

"I'm fine mother. I'm just sad that I wasn't able to look after Cyprian properly. It's my fault. I should have taken him off the horse immediately when it started to act up…" Everard said. His eyes glistened with swelling tears and he looked down towards the ground ruefully.

Seeing the boy's state of self blame the Duke spoke up for him. "You are not to blame, Everard. I saw how you shielded Cyprian from the horse with your own body. That was bravery."

Duke Amaris looked back towards Cyprian as he was being tended to by the doctor and healing mage.

"If you hadn't blocked horse's path and the beast had trampled on Cyprian, then things could be much worse." He said and I could see the deep concern he held for his grandson in his eyes.

"I didn't realise that you were such a good natured and courageous young man. As a reward for what you did today, I'll allow you to be educated in the main family alongside Cyprian. I'm sure that you will turn out to be a wonderful Kantheus man if you are nurtured properly." The Duke said.

Eleanor and Everard's faces lit up at the Duke's announcement.

Alina had mentioned it before, but the education afforded to children living in the main family was at the level the princes and princesses of the empire received. It was an education that almost ensured a child's brilliance because of the courses and notable teachers. Everard would likely have his naming ceremony one day now that the Duke had gifted him such an opportunity.

"Duke, thank you for looking so kindly upon my gentle boy." Eleanor said humbly as grateful tears spilled down her face. She stroked her son's blond head and smiled down at him proudly.

"Thank the Duke." She chided him with a smile.

Everard smiled sheepishly and turned to the Duke. "Thank you Duke Kantheus, I will cherish this opportunity."

The duke nodded once with a glimmer of a smile on his face and turned his attention back to Cyprian.

"How are you Cyprian?" The Duke asked, he reverted back to his usual coldness.

"I'm fine, grandfather. It was just a little fall." He said through gritted teeth from the pain.

He was brave and proud. Already far too mature for his age. The duke nodded, satisfied with his answer. I wondered if the duke would have chastised the boy if Cyprian had admitted his pain.

The duke hen turned to the doctor seeing to the boy. The doctor stood up and told the actual injuries.

"The shoulder is fully dislocated and the collar bone is broken along with his thumb and index finger. He has significant bruising as well. After the healing mages heal him, I would still recommend a period of bed rest."

Those injuries were nothing to be brave about. If it was me, I would be rolling around in the dirt wailing and cursing until my voice went hoarse. But Cyprian bit his tongue and held in his pain. It was hard to believe that he was only nine years old.

"He's so hurt but he's not crying…" Roman whispered in awe from beside me. "He's really manly."

The duke nodded, now understanding the severity of the injuries.

"Such a magnificent horse was a gift from Ahren for Cyprian's worthy accomplishment." He said. "My grandson is very young but he shines so brightly already. But I must not let that light blind me to the fact that he is still a child, I cannot expect a child to do what is impossible for a child to do."

Lady Verona looked at the Duke anxiously as if she knew something bad was coming.

"Cyprian is still too young. The weight of his title might be too much for him to handle-".

"Father." Lord Ahren interrupted the Duke trying to stop him from making any rash decisions. "Yes, my son is still young but he has proved his prowess. Please don't do anything to discourage his hard work."

Ahren seemed to make the Duke recant the words he was thinking. Eleanor, sensing the shift in the change of mood spoke up.

"My poor nephew is the youngest to ever be named a Kantheus. Five years younger than Romola Kantheus who was previously the youngest in history to have her naming ceremony." Eleanor said. Her forehead scrunched up in worry and doubt.

"The whole family has been worried about Cyprian's young age and whether is was right to have him bear the responsibility of such an honour when he is so young. Perhaps is would be more appropriate to wait until he is at least old enough to handle a horse…"

Behind the facade of being a caring aunt, was the wickedness that wanted to drag down Cyprian so her own son could shine.

The decision the duke was pondering was whether he should retract the naming ceremony and wait a few years until Cyprian was older.

"Grandfather." Cyprian called out breathlessly. "The incident today was just an accident. The horse was spooked by something and bucked in distress. I've long been practicing horse riding and know how to handle them…" He pleaded with his grandfather.

If his title was retracted now his astonishing achievement would go to waste, so would all his hard work. I pitied him but the duke wasn't convinced.

"We all know how ambitious you are, Cyprian. But some things can wait." Eleanor asserted as she patted her son's shoulder.

"If Everard hadn't been here to help you then who knows what could have happened. He proved that certain honours should be reserved for those mature enough to handle them."

She was a good speaker. Judging by the Duke's slight nods as she spoke, he agreed with her.

The banquet of nobles seemed to be swayed by Eleanor's words and began to whisper about how they always thought that Cyprian was too young and inexperienced to have his naming ceremony already.

Lord Ahren's usually stoic face was filled with sympathy for his son who was about to have his great honour revoked all because a horse threw him off its back.

"Wouldn't you agree, sister?" Lady Eleanor asked Lady Verona.

Lady Verona paused as she struggled to find the words. If she tried to advocate for her soon keeping his honour then the other would accuse her of being overly ambitious and not caring sufficiently for her son's health.

She sighed. "As long as Cyprian is in good health, I am relieved."

Ahren knelt down beside his crestfallen son who was on the verge of tears because the title he had earned through hard work was about to be taken away from him. There wasn't anything he could do to console his child besides ruffle his hair affectionately.

It was strange to see the man who seemed so cruel and vicious in his previous life be so gentle with his child.

No one here had figured out that this whole event had been a trap set up by those two who benefiting the most from this situation. They would be in the dark forever about this situation if I didn't speak up now.

But then again, speaking up meant putting myself in danger. Speaking up meant bringing unwanted attention to myself.

I turned back and glanced at Alina who was fixated on the scene in front of us. Alina was desperately trying to get me to raise my rank, and wanted me to be perfect. That's why she told me to mind my manners. She told me to be polite and not to make a scene.

I had promised her, but now I had to break it. Being perfect seemed like a worthy quest but after listening to the advice of a greedy little red haired boy, I realised that perfection did not exist. This was a new life but I was still me.

And I couldn't sit by and watch as someone innocent was framed.

"Alina!" I called out to her loudly the way a child would. Loud enough so that the entire banquet turned their attention to me.

"Alina, did the horse get angry all of a sudden because that blond boy pricked it with a needle?" I asked and tilted my head, feigning childlike inquisitiveness.