"Heimrich! Heimrich my dear! Oh my, where has that boy gone." A blonde haired regal woman donning a starch white veil, projected her voice down the maze of halls that made her husband's manor.
Behind her, followed her attendants and the nervous main servants.
"Your grace, the young master said to inform you about his...uh leisure activities at Annette lois."From behind the manors steward caught up and relaying the message with a trace of an aggrieved expression on his stone set face.
"Mnh hm hm, that child just can't sit still. Exercise like this is fitting for peasant soldiers and knights. Why can't he stay use his overflowing energy to entertain the Liebtraud girl! Is it to much for a mother to ask her child to socialize with his peers?" Relieved she smiled, before complaining about her son.
"At this rate let alone get married, I worry that other than the horrid rumors buzzing through the circle of aristocracy, he'll lose all our dutchy's contacts out of sheer neglect." An unhappy expression doned her face as she let the thought fester.
"What am I to do when his daft father is none the wiser?!!" With an exasperated expression she waved over the steward.
"Get the small carriage ready"
"Yes your grace,"replying stoically the steward left to arrange her swift departure.
—————————————————
A carriage stopped beyond the fringes of Annette lois. Before the coachman could get the carriage door, the Dutchess violently burst out of it.
Haagh haa...just...two...more...," a large teenager, scaling 5" 10' with short blonde hair panted as he continued his run going on fumes. Bangs tasseled infront of his brows dripped the sweat that covered every inch of his lithe steel body. Beneath his crossed brows rested cold gray eyes.
His sharp jaw oscillated with every ragged breath as he sampled for air.
"Ooh my goodness! Heimrich stop torturing yourself this instant!" Seeing the state of her son as she got closer the Dutchess screamed in alarm
"Heimrich can you hear me! Heimrich!"
"Mother calm down. I told you to tell the servants to retrieve me. Why must you suffer to come here and to do what we have servants for?" With an exhausted smile Heimrich responded to his mother.
"My child, you have guards to protect you, loyal men who would lay their life down for you. An army defends this land, though your father leads them to deter raiders and vanquish insurgencies they will be yours to command in the future. Stop worrying me!"
With a sterner expression, the Dutchess Chided him"Concentrate on your studies, thoroughly understand culture, economics, management and the law."
{Grabs towel}
"Mother I do this knowing my responsibility. Have my tutors not spoken of my understanding? Have I not been introduced and acquanted with our subjects and vassals?"
"Son–"
Interrupting with a soft voice Heimrich appealed, "Mother, please let me explain."
"You are but a child–" She shouted now
"Mother I am your child." Heimrich countered.
Exasperated the Dutchess gave in, "Fine...go on."
"Mother who is of the highest status and power in the kingdom? Our dutchy?" Heimrich started.
"No, it is the crown." The Dutchess answered narrowing her eyes .
"Is the crown more powerful than the Athec Empire in the far south or the the Sitar civilization in the southeast or the Azians rampaging all over the North? Forget even that is it the strongest power here in the North?" Heimrich narrated with a far-focused gaze
"What are you implying..."
Finally telling Heimrich explained, "That we might be strong and affluent in our own view but in the grand scheme of things our there are far to many that could dissolve our content reality and far more who would—no will see this kingdom burn in time"
"In the end I can't percieve just how many would want to destroy us, the pedestal from which the Imperial family rose and still sits."
"Mother the only way out of the catastrophe that would befall us is if we take on the skin of our enemies and become the destroyers, the kingslayers." Heimrich finished even with his mother glaring almost murderous daggers.
{Closes eyes and cringes}
"Child, open your eyes." Taking a deep breath Heimrich's mother said softly
"Gerold Edeltroud Heimrich! If you do not open your eyes immediately, you'll receive the flogging you so dearly need." With a steely tone, the Dutchess warned.
{Opens eyes and eases}
"My child leave such troubles for your father and I. Your worries should be the clothing you wear to welcome your father." With a small smile the Dutchess finished.
"Father's back?!" Excited, Heimrich's voice rose a few decibels.
"Yes, yes your father is returning within the hour hurry back to the castle and get dressed I'll meet you at the gates." With a skeptic stare, the Dutchess left for her carriage.
.....