Kilian held the quivering hand of his mother, making sure she was able to enter the carriage well.
She was shaking and nervous, but Kilian could tell the smile on her face was one of relief and genuine happiness.
"You will be ok."
Kilian spoke the words cause he meant it, but the tears from his mother's blue eyes shocked him. He didn't say more, but simply extended a handkerchief and held her hand as the carriage started to move.
They were traveling back to the capital, and they had to do several stops on the way again.
The many knights escorting them had tried to talk to the now Madam of the house, as she was the only female relative in the Valen house, and would have a similar status as an archduchess unless Kilian's grandfather remarried.
Ameria had been timid at first but wholeheartedly accepted the bows and greetings from the many enthusiastic men around her.
Kilian was slightly annoyed with the attention she was receiving. Men really were dogs sometimes.
He cleared his throat when walking up behind his mother, taking her hand in his again, leading her back to the carriage, and away from the many admiring eyes.
He did not notice that the eyes were now all upon him.
The pride of the knights was their young Master, the young Duke, that had saved them from metal creatures and now retrieved their archduchess from the clutches of a greedy man, who did not deserve her.
Kilian did not hear the chatter among the knights, as they left.
Their break was over, and they continued on the road.
There were signs of struggle at several locations they passed.
Kilian had not noticed when he had been sick during the first trip, but now he saw the areas with scorched flora or even dead-looking trees, covered in some kind of mucus.
They sometimes met knights on patrol but had yet to see any creatures.
Until now people had suspected the war only touched the border areas, but the affected areas were further in. After all, they had met unknown creatures in the North.
There were still questions on how the harpies had gotten there unnoticed.
'Is it the traitor Rayden was suspecting?'
Kilian sat in thought.
"This is horrible."
His mother's soft tone startled him. He had not heard her speak much.
He smiled at her.
"It will be ok, you know the Archduke is the strongest in the country."
Ameria looked relieved after hearing the words, and her body seemed less tense.
'She must have endured a lot.'
Kilian made sure to take care of his mother on the full trip back.
During the breaks, he would glare at the green-robed man who had tried to approach the lady several times when Kilian was not near, but if not him then a knight or the Archduke would step in to get him away.
They finally entered the entrance to the capital after several days, and they headed to the Valen residence.
The butler stood ready at the door as always.
A magical messenger had been sent ahead, so this time, with him, stood the entirety of the residence staff.
Kilian stepped out of the carriage and raised his hand.
A slender fair hand reached out to hold his, and Ameria Valen stepped down from the carriage.
Everyone but Kilian and Cratos bowed in an instant, all with smiles on their faces.
Kilian suspected the butler had tears in the corner of his eyes.
Ameria Valen was given a room close to Kilian's and he visited the same evening.
"Mother, you can do whatever you want now."
He placed down the box the king had given him, letting her see the pearl-looking stud earrings.
Kilian thought they looked shabby, compared to what the Valen house could give her in the future, but this was one of the few things he owned, that would fit her.
"They are beautiful!."
Kilian thought it was an overstatement, but was happy when his mother reached down to pick up the earrings placing them in her ears.
She was stunning, with her blonde hair and blue eyes like Kilian, both having a slender frame.
If he had been a female he would probably have looked just like her.
He silently thanked her for not passing on any of the ugly genes of his father, the Count.
Ameria locked on the second earring, and a faint glow emanated from them.
A light green light shot up in front of Ameria in the form of a magical circle. It was a floating circle with unknown text, and in the next instant, the magic circle had retracted into the earrings.
Ameria gasped, and Kilian was alerted.
Nothing happened after, and Kilian studied the earrings, which seemed the same dull yellow ones as before. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"They are enchanted!"
Ameria exclaimed with a smile.
"I do not know with what kind of enchantment, but the green magic should have something to do with either healing or protective magic."
Kilian nodded, but he had only read a few things about healing and protective magic.
However his mother had once been a student at the Academy and knew far more than him, so he trusted her words.
"So that geezer did not send me something useless then."
He said it aloud but just smiled when his mother gave him a questionable look.
'I see he valued my gifts more than I thought.'
Kilian excused himself and left the room, for his own.
A golden bird was laying on the pillow in his bed.
His eyes lit up.
"Rayden…"
Rayden must have been found, and be ok if the bird was there.
Kilian walked over and sat down on the bed, gently petting the magical feathers with a small smile.
"Where have you been?"
The little bord chirped and nudged at the hand.
It then materialized a small piece of paper, and Kilian read the few words on it.
'Kilian
I am ok now. I am to be sent out again. Stay well.'
Kilian read the words several times.
'Where is he?'
He stroked the bird, which then suddenly disappeared.
"Wait!"
Kilian bit his lip. He had been too preoccupied with his own affairs. He had initially been wanting to find and confirm Rayden was ok but had never found him.
If he had come back and was to be sent out…
'The royal decree… He must have to go back out to fulfill the requirement from the king.'
Kilian gritted his teeth. 'Do I want to see him?' He asked himself.
A part of him really did want to see Rayden, though he did not know why. He just wanted to confirm the man was ok.