Over the next few years, Luke continued to study.
Growing more intelligent by the day and his sister soon joined him in his studies, though she wasn't as dedicated as he was.
Cedric, within a year of Luke's suggestion, began implementing the changes to the agriculture structure that Oakendale had.
Oakendale's fields were sown with new varieties of crops—barley that could withstand frost, root vegetables that grew deep into the earth, protected from the harsh elements, new irrigation methods, new ways of fertilizing, and rotating crops.
The results were slow but promising.
The crops fared better, and for a brief time, it seemed that Luke's ideas were helping the village.
But while the improved harvests eased some of the burden, they did not solve the deeper issue.
The kingdom's economy was faltering, and many of the smaller villages were suffering even more.
Oakendale was but a single dot in the larger picture of Eldoria's declining fortunes.
Poverty continued to spread, creeping through the kingdom like a shadow.
Cedric, despite his stern nature, had begun to recognize his son's potential more and more.
He had given Luke the chance to contribute, and though the boy had helped where he could, Cedric knew that the true challenges lay ahead, in matters far beyond crops and harvests.
Cedric could sense a dark storm rapidly approaching and it threatened to destroy everything.
He decided, for the wellbeing of his son, when he finally turned 8, to start his sword training.
Cedric ensured that his son was trained in the ways of a warrior, it was almost like fate was weaving this back into Luke's life.
Strength was as important as intellect in the world of nobility, and Cedric would not allow his son to become soft or useless on the battlefield.
Luke found that his mornings were often spent in the training yard with his father.
It was here, beneath the canopy of oak trees that had given Oakendale its name, that Luke learned the art of the sword.
...
Cracks of wood are heard out in the training yard one cool morning.
"Again," Cedric commanded, his voice sharp as steel.
Luke, sweating and breathing hard, raised his practice sword and faced his father once more.
Cedric, taller and broader, was an imposing figure, his sword movements precise and powerful.
Luke was smaller, quicker, but his strength was still developing.
He swung his sword toward Cedric, aiming for a strike to his father's side, but Cedric easily parried the blow and stepped forward, knocking Luke's sword aside with a firm strike.
Luke then sinks into a fighting stance with his fists balled.
He wouldn't give up the fight even though he didn't have his weapon in hand.
Cedric grunts but then nods his head.
"Well done. Even though your weapon was knocked away, you were still ready to fight. You never know, you might've swung that fight in your favor."
He motions for Luke to pick up his sword.
"Your form is improving," Cedric said, stepping back to give Luke space to recover.
"But you must be quicker. Anticipate your opponent's movements."
Luke wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding in acknowledgment.
What Cedric won't say is how he's had to step up Luke's training.
It had only been 3 months and he's getting much stronger and faster.
Cedric could see the growing potential in his son and he was going to push him to the brink.
Luke took a deep breath and adjusted his stance.
His mind was sharp, even in the heat of battle.
He studied his father's movements, analyzing the rhythm of each strike.
Cedric was methodical, but Luke knew that his own advantage lay in unpredictability.
When Cedric swung his sword again, Luke sidestepped, dodging the blow rather than meeting it head-on.
Before Cedric could recover, Luke darted in, landing a quick tap on his father's arm with the practice sword.
It wasn't a powerful strike, but it was precise.
Cedric raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of approval in his eyes.
"Good. You're learning."
Luke smiled, feeling a surge of pride at his father's words.
The training was grueling, but it was paying off.
He was becoming faster, stronger, and more skilled with each session.
"Remember, Luke," Cedric said, lowering his sword.
"Strength is not enough. A true warrior must be cunning. Use your mind as well as your body."
"I will, Father," Luke replied, determination burning in his chest.
"You may go for the day," Cedric says.
He begins to walk back to the manor to begin his lordly duties.
...
Luke wonders around the grounds and sees Arielle sitting near a small stream that ran through the grounds.
Arielle had her knees pulled up to her chest, hugging them as she stared out at the landscape with a thoughtful expression.
"Hey sis," Luke says as he sits down beside her.
She doesn't respond to him and just keeps staring into the distance.
Arielle seemed unusually quiet today.
Normally, she'd be chatting endlessly about her day or spinning in circles trying to catch a butterfly, or even doing some of her studies but instead, she simply watched the water flow, her chin resting on her knees.
Luke reaches down and picks up a smooth stone and tosses it into the stream.
"Something on your mind?"
Arielle glanced at him, her lips pressed into a thin line, before finally speaking.
"Do you think things will always be like this?"
"Like what?" Luke asked, sitting back on the grassy bank, propping himself up on his hands.
"Us. Here. You, me, Mother and Father. Everything feels... like it's going to change soon."
She sighed, something deep was going on inside.
Luke blinked, a little surprised by her words.
He knew she wasn't always the bubbly, carefree little sister she appeared to be, but there was something in her tone that made him pause.
She had noticed more than he'd realized.
"I don't know," Luke admitted.
"Things do change. But not always in bad ways."
He studied her for a moment before adding, "Why do you think something's going to change?"
Arielle shifted, lowering her legs and resting her hands in the grass beside her.
"I hear Father talking sometimes. Not to me, but to Mother, and to you. He says things are getting harder in the kingdom, and that we might have to leave to go to the capital soon. He doesn't say it directly, but... I can tell something's wrong."
Luke frowned, staring down at the stone he was absentmindedly rolling between his fingers.
His father was often careful with what he said in front of the children, and he hasn't even told him much about the kingdom, but Arielle always had a way of picking up on the mood in the house, of sensing when there were unspoken worries.
"You're right," Luke said after a moment.
"Things aren't easy right now. The kingdom is struggling, and I think Father is worried about what might happen, but that's only from what he's told me."
Arielle looked at him, her blue eyes wide and filled with questions.
"What do you think is going to happen?"
Luke hesitated, weighing his words.
He wasn't much older than Arielle, but he already felt the pressure to understand, to be aware of the larger problems plaguing Eldoria.
His father often spoke to him about the troubles facing Oakendale, but he rarely spoke of the poverty that was spreading across the kingdom or any other issues.
He may not know the whole story, but Luke knew that something bigger was looming on the horizon.
"I'm not sure," he said finally, his voice softer now.
"But whatever happens, we'll face it together. You, me, Mother, and Father. We'll figure it out."
Arielle was silent for a long moment, then she turned back to the water.
"Do you think Father worries about us too much?"
Luke tilted his head slightly, caught off guard by her question.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," she said, picking at the grass between her fingers, "he's always so serious. He always wants us to be ready, to study hard and our duties as nobles. I know he loves us, but... sometimes I feel like he's waiting for something bad to happen."
Luke thought about that.
Cedric was strict, focused on his children's education and training.
He had high expectations for both Luke and Arielle, even though Arielle was still young.
But Luke also knew that their father's seriousness came from a place of love and responsibility.
He wanted to protect them, to prepare them for a future that was far more uncertain than either of them could understand fully.
"He does worry," Luke said finally.
"But it's because he cares. He wants us to be ready, in case things do change."
Arielle looked up at him, her expression thoughtful.
"I just don't want to lose what we have now."
"You won't," Luke said firmly, his eyes locking with hers. "No matter what happens, we'll still be us. This will still be our home, and we'll still be a family."
Arielle gave him a small smile, but there was still a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Do you think we'll ever go to the capital?" she asked, changing the subject slightly.
"I want to see it. But also... it feels like if we do, nothing will be the same after."
Luke smiled at her, but it was tinged with a bit of sadness.
He had often thought about the capital too, imagining the grandeur of the royal court and the towering castles.
But like Arielle, he couldn't shake the feeling that a visit there would mark a turning point—a moment where childhood ended, and the weight of their responsibilities as part of House Greythorne would fully settle on their shoulders.
"I think we will, someday," he said.
Arielle nodded, seeming to accept his answer.
She reached down and grabbed a flat stone, mimicking Luke's earlier movements as she flicked it toward the stream.
She then sat down and they sat in companionable silence after that, the sound of the stream filling the air between them.
For now, they could pretend that the world wasn't shifting beneath their feet, that they were just two siblings enjoying a peaceful evening by the water.
But in the back of Luke's mind, he knew that this peace wouldn't last forever, it was like something was gnawing at his heart, telling him, preparing him for change.
And change was coming, whether they were ready for it or not.