"You're coming home already Dritan?" asked the golden haired, red eyed boy on the hallway, walking along the jet black haired boy with golden eyes, walking in fast pace on rush with a male servant holding a small travel bag.
"There's an important matter I need to confirm at home, your imperial highness, I'll see you back in the capital for the trade and the celebratory banquet." Dritan spoke with a stiff tone, not saying any more than that as he curtsied and the blond boy, who is about 2 years younger than Dritan, hum with an upset tone.
"Alright, I'll see you in a month then." the Crown Prince said dismissively and turn his back to return to his dormitory along the imperial knights tailing him on the way.
Dritan could only sigh and hop in a plain looking carriage with Paul, his personal servant who's close his age and one of the scholars supported by the grand duchy who volunteered to accompany the heir apparent, the interior of the carriage is far more luxurious and comfortable, it's to avoid any unnecessary attention and attacks, some decoy carriages are surrounding and following his ride, a total of 5, with Dritan's exclusive knight, Sir Colin, a long haired red head, knight leading the trip with his black horse.
"We receive a permit from the Grand Duke to use the gateway at the forest of Evia, it will shorten our travel time to half, my Lord." Paul informed with his usual bubbly self, who's sitting across his master, as Dritan hummed and anxiously tapping his own arms while it's crossed.
"I'm sure my lady will get use to you being around the house again, if she can get along well with the his grace then you have nothing to worry about my lord." Paul said reassuringly, as if reading the mind of the boy across him.
Dritan feel a bit at ease at what Paul said.
'If the kid can get along with father then I'm sure everything will be alright.'
The last time he saw his little sister, she was only 2 years old before he, a 7 years old, was sent to the academy to study, she was so tiny and fragile when he bit his farewell, she would always get sick and resting in her room, she's very timid and doesn't speak or make any noise at all.
It took a week of traveling and stopping by on various travelers inns to spend a night and repeat, till the final gateway was pass and the sight of Wisteria trees fully bloomed and creating a tunnel like way on the side road and the full moon is up and lighting up the way.
It's already late at night and the whole grand duchy is asleep.
The boys reach their destination, the gate watchers only open the golden gate, letting the carriages in.
Once the ride stops, the heir apparent step out with his servant and the rest of the knights from different carriages, to be greeted by the Grand Duke himself with the butler and the head maid.
"Good evening my lord, the dinner is serve just in time, his grace is on the way back from an imperial meeting." Gilbert greeted warmly as Dritan hum walking inside the house and handing his coat to Paul who disappeared immediately to go to his master's room to ready his luggage.
"And the baby?" Dritan ask which made the head maid Doris, look so taken aback yet compose herself right away.
"Oh, my lord, my lady is fast asleep already and accompanied by Wendy." Doris answered quickly and cautiously, while the heir apparent nod and look around to observe and notice how the receiving hall is obviously too neat with the wine red carpets looking newly placed along the white curtains that has gold embroideries on it.
"A banquet?" Dritan guess as the butler hum.
"His grace would like to celebrate my lord's academic excellence after he receive the news that you rank the highest from this year's assessment." Gilbert didn't lie, the news was sent to the Grand Duke while on the way back from expedition, just so happen that his grace rush the event after the lady started to speak for the first time, it's something to celebrate and can debunk the bad rumors related to the little lady who never goes out of the grand ducal palace, she has never appear to the public so people could only imagine all sorts of things.
"Are the food for the knights ready?' the boy ask as Gilbert smiled warmly and bowed "Yes my lord, the knights from the travel are now at their designated quarters and the feast are prepared on their cafeteria." Gilbert answered as the considerate lord nod.
"Send Paul to his quarters to rest." Dritan ordered and Gilbert assign a maid to dismiss Paul for today to rest.
After the meal is done, Dritan went straight upstairs to go to the left wing of the castle, remembering clearly where his room are.
He stared at the black door at the very end of the hall, a light illuminating under it a bit, remembering it's the baby's room that has a better view of the garden that their mother build before she pass, remembering how excited her mother was to build an exclusive garden for the baby when they found out it's a girl she's carrying.
He vividly remembers a baby dressed up and wore a various knitted caps that his mother made.
'Studying will help you grow faster, wielding sword is not a problem to you, you're already a genius and can protect mother and your sister from bad people outside, but you need to learn more at the academy so you can help your father in the future, the crown prince will be there at the academy too so you wouldn't be lonely, Dri.'
'Do I have to? But I don't want to go mom, I want to meet Althea, you said she'll play with me soon.'
'I know darling, don't worry, we can ask for a compromise to allow you to study at home until you're ready and once Althea is here.' the mother cuddling her bump lovingly while hugging the little boy next to her.
"Dritan." the boy flinch bringing him back to reality, he turn to see his father who just obviously came back as he bowed down to the Grand Duke.
"I'm back as you requested, father." the boy spoke while the man in military uniform suddenly pat the boy's hair which taken him aback and got flustered.
"Go rest, we'll have a banquet tomorrow for you. You must be tired." the father spoke while the boy hummed looking up to the man in front of him.
The father go and headed to the Grand Duke's bedroom on the other side of the hall while Dritan go and get inside his room, seeing the servants done with preparing his bath.
He was assisted and soon go to his bed to rest, letting the exhaustion took over him.