Fun

Two weeks had passed.

Johnny slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of rich red curtains gently dancing with the breeze that entered through the windows, surrounded by intricately carved furniture.

The surroundings revealed a sumptuous room inside the castle, his new residence since being welcomed by the lord's knights. Now, he resided in the imposing halls of the castle, his new home.

The walls of the room were adorned with finely embroidered tapestries depicting scenes of battles and victories. Elegant furniture, intricately carved with details, filled the space. A large golden mirror reflected the opulent surroundings.

The transition to this luxurious environment felt like an unexpected dream, an apparent reward for the tragedy of his uncle Noah's death.

However, reality was much more complex.

While Johnny now enjoyed the comforts of the castle, the shadow of lost freedom loomed over him. The heavy doors and imposing walls of the castle, which some saw as security, had become a gilded cage that restricted his movements.

The feeling of confinement weighed on Johnny as he could no longer roam the streets as before, partake in his mischief and nocturnal escapades.

The luxurious life inside the castle was an unexpected twist, a reward that seemed too high a price compared to the freedom he had lost.

Johnny muttered to himself, with a noticeable tone of discontent, "Another boring day where I can't push my limits!" As his words echoed in the majestic room, he remained lying on a king-size bed, surrounded by adorned pillows and luxurious sheets.

Lying on the castle's king-size bed, he felt the weight of regret pressing on his chest. His thoughts turned to the past, to the moment he made the irreversible decision to kill his uncle Noah.

Interrupting Johnny's reflections, the medieval door was abruptly opened, revealing two children.

With an air of disdain, the children entered the room, disrupting the morning tranquility. "Look at the commoner still sleeping!" mocked one of them, while the other added with sarcasm, "You should be ashamed of your kind."

Johnny stared at the pair of siblings, whose ages were counted in winters in this medieval world.

The older, perhaps close to 10 Earth years, and the younger, about 7 apparent years, had eyes of an intense blue, as if reflecting the vastness of a clear sky. Their dark brown hair stood out with a more distinct shade between the two.

The siblings' expressions exhibited an air of superiority, as if nobility was a burden carried from birth. Despite their tender age, the posture and arrogance of the siblings suggested they were already familiar with the role they would play in the social hierarchy.

Johnny, staring at the siblings with a look of disgust, felt the teasing of the young nobles as an affront to his dignity. "Bullying a younger kid? You should be ashamed, cursed scum of society!" thought Johnny.

"However," thought Johnny, "I can use these spoiled nobles for some experiments." A spark of mischief shone in his eyes as he considered the possibility.

The older brother, Reginald, noticing Johnny's serious expression, approached with curiosity and asked, "Why so serious?" His blue eyes sparkled with a mixture of innocence and childish curiosity. "We came to invite you to play."

The younger brother, Credic, with evident childish enthusiasm, approached the room's door and shouted, "Let's go to the lord's courtyard to play!" The suggestion carried with it the promise of lighter and carefree moments.

Johnny, deciding to seize the opportunity, nodded in agreement. He rose from the king-size bed, ready to follow the brothers to the lord's courtyard, where games and play awaited.

As they approached the courtyard, Johnny noticed someone watching them.

It was Lord Kaloch, distant enough for the children not to notice his presence but still attentive to the unfolding scene.

A spark of cunningness shone in Johnny's eyes, who, realizing the lord's attention, thought to himself, "It's a good time to test this old man's values."

When the boys reached the courtyard, they found several dozen eggs arranged on a table.

The brothers exchanged meaningful glances and, with enthusiasm, announced, "Now it's time for the game! We'll be the kingdom's knights, and you'll be the outlaw. You need to flee from us while we hunt you!"

Johnny noted the irony of the situation. He, who once lived as an outlaw in the shadows, now found himself playing that role among the castle's noble children.

The brothers, with childish enthusiasm, shouted to Johnny, "Now it's time to run, like a good peasant thief!" The instruction echoed in the courtyard, triggering the game proposed by the "knights" of the realm.

A slight tingling in Johnny's hand, sparked by his daggers, tempted him to make his daggers appear in the air, directing them toward the children, responding to the game more intensely. However, Johnny, aware of the context and remembering it was just a child's play, resisted the temptation.