The lesson began in earnest, with Aedric and Selene sparring against wooden dummies while Boras corrected their stances and techniques. Elias watched from the sidelines, trying to keep a low profile.
Aedric, for all his complaints, was undeniably skilled. His strikes were precise, his movements fluid, and his determination evident. Selene, on the other hand, was enthusiastic but still rough around the edges. She swung her sword with energy but lacked the control and discipline that Aedric displayed.
"You're swinging too wide, Lady Selene," Boras said, stepping behind her to adjust her grip. "Your opponent will exploit that opening."
Selene nodded seriously, adjusting her stance. Aedric, meanwhile, smirked.
"Maybe you should stick to embroidery, Selene," he teased.
Selene glared at him. "Maybe you should stick to sulking, Aedric."
Elias stifled a laugh, earning a sharp look from Aedric. "Whose side are you on?" the prince demanded.
"I'm on no one's side, Your Highness," Elias replied diplomatically.
The lesson continued for another hour, with Aedric and Selene alternating between sparring and practicing drills. By the end of it, both were sweating and visibly exhausted, though neither would admit it.
"Good work today," Boras said, clapping his hands. "Dismissed."
As they made their way back to the palace, Aedric and Selene bickered good-naturedly about who had performed better. Elias followed behind them, smiling faintly.
Despite the prince's tantrums and Selene's stubbornness, he couldn't deny that their dynamic was... endearing.
______
Later that evening, as Elias tidied Aedric's chambers, the prince slumped into a chair with a dramatic sigh.
"Selene's so annoying," Aedric grumbled.
Elias chuckled. "She seems quite determined to prove herself."
"She doesn't need to," Aedric said, frowning. "It's not her place to fight. That's what knights are for."
Elias paused, setting down a folded tunic. "You mean... like me?"
Aedric scoffed. "You're not a knight."
"Lady Selene thinks I am," Elias said lightly.
Aedric shot him a glare. "Don't listen to her. She doesn't know anything. And she doesn't think you are a Knight. She thinks she is your knight and you are the princess."
Elias smiled, deciding not to press the issue.
As he finished his chores and prepared to leave, Aedric's voice stopped him.
"Elias."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
Aedric hesitated, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You... did well today. With Boras."
Elias blinked in surprise. "I didn't do anything."
"You didn't embarrass me," Aedric said, his tone softer than usual. "That's... good."
Elias's smile widened, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Highness."
As he left the room, he couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment. Serving the temperamental prince was never easy, but moments like these made it worthwhile.
______
Elias found himself spending more time accompanying Prince Aedric to lessons, though the experience was proving more stressful than he had anticipated.
It wasn't the lessons themselves that caused him trouble but rather his burgeoning ability to see and interact with ghosts.
The spectral figures often appeared at the most inopportune moments, pulling his focus away from Aedric's tutors or distracting him during lessons.
On one particularly disastrous day, Elias found himself staring blankly at a ghost of a woman dressed in outdated court attire. She floated silently at the edge of the room, her vacant eyes fixed on him.
"Elias!"
The sharp voice of the tutor snapped him back to reality. He jolted upright, his face heating in embarrassment.
"Yes, sir?" he stammered.
"You're not paying attention," the tutor said sternly, narrowing his eyes. "If you cannot stay focused, then you have no place in this classroom. Out!"
Elias's shoulders slumped. He glanced at Prince Aedric, hoping for some reprieve, but the prince merely waved him away with a dismissive gesture, clearly annoyed by the disruption.
With a resigned sigh, Elias left the room, feeling the weight of judgmental stares from the other nobles in the class.
______
Now suddenly free of obligations for the day, Elias wandered the imperial palace aimlessly, unsure of how to spend his unexpected downtime. As he strolled through the halls, his mind wandered back to the ghost he had seen. Why was she there? What did she want? He was no closer to understanding the nature of these spirits, and the more he saw them, the more unsettled he became.
Lost in thought, he found himself in the palace gardens, a serene area filled with vibrant flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. The peaceful atmosphere was a welcome change from the rigid structure of the palace's interior.
As he walked through the garden, Elias's attention was drawn to a figure sitting on a bench beneath a large oak tree. It was Fenrir, the enigmatic priest-medic who had tended to Elias after the market incident.
Elias froze.
Fenrir was alone, his gaze fixed on a small book in his hands. Despite his relaxed posture, there was an air of intensity about him that made Elias hesitant to approach.
I should leave before he notices me, Elias thought, taking a step back.
But it was too late. As if sensing Elias's presence, Fenrir's head lifted, and his piercing gaze locked onto Elias from across the garden.
Elias felt his heart skip a beat. Fenrir's eyes, sharp and calculating, seemed to see right through him. Before Elias could retreat, Fenrir stood and closed the distance between them with a few long strides.
"You," Fenrir said, his voice calm but commanding. "Come here."
Elias hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to run, but his feet refused to move. Before he knew it, Fenrir had grabbed his arm with surprising gentleness and guided him to the bench where he had been sitting.
"Sit," Fenrir instructed, gesturing to the bench.
Elias obeyed, his nerves on edge.
"What are you doing here?" Fenrir asked, his tone curious but not unkind.
"I... I was just wandering," Elias admitted, keeping his eyes downcast. "I didn't mean to disturb you."
"You didn't," Fenrir said, leaning back slightly. His gaze never left Elias, and the intensity of it made Elias squirm.
For a moment, there was silence between them, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
"You've been avoiding me," Fenrir said suddenly, his voice low.
Elias's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "I—what? No, I haven't!"
Fenrir raised an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. "You have. Every time I'm nearby, you find an excuse to leave."
Elias opened his mouth to protest but quickly realized he had no argument. Fenrir was right. He had been avoiding him.
"I didn't mean to offend," Elias said quickly, his hands twisting in his lap.
"I'm not offended," Fenrir said, his expression unreadable. "But I am curious. Why are you afraid of me?"
Elias hesitated. How could he explain the strange, uneasy feeling Fenrir gave him without sounding disrespectful?
"It's not fear," Elias said carefully. "It's just... I don't understand you."
Fenrir chuckled softly, the sound low and almost amused. "Few people do. But I find it interesting that you're honest enough to admit it."
Elias blinked, surprised by the response. He had expected annoyance or even anger, but Fenrir seemed genuinely intrigued.
"Tell me," Fenrir continued, leaning forward slightly. "What is it about me that confuses you?"
Elias swallowed hard. "You... you don't seem like an ordinary priest or a medic. There's something... different about you."
For a moment, Fenrir said nothing. Then he smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"You're observant," he said. "Most people wouldn't notice that."
Elias felt a chill run down his spine at Fenrir's words. He wanted to ask what Fenrir meant but found himself unable to speak.
"You should be careful, Elias," Fenrir said, his tone suddenly serious. "This palace is full of secrets, and not all of them are safe for someone like you."
Elias's breath hitched. "What do you mean?"
Fenrir didn't answer. Instead, he stood and offered Elias a hand to help him up.
"Consider it a friendly warning," Fenrir said, his enigmatic smile returning. "Now, go back to your prince before he comes looking for you."
Elias hesitated but eventually took Fenrir's hand and stood.
As he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that Fenrir knew far more about him than he let on. And for the first time since arriving at the palace, Elias felt a genuine sense of unease about the people around him—and the secrets they were hiding.
Elias had just taken a few steps away from the bench when he noticed it—a faint shimmer in the air, like a ripple across the surface of water. He froze, his eyes narrowing as a figure emerged from the distortion. It was another ghost.
The ghost appeared to be a man in his early thirties, clad in the robes of an old imperial servant. His expression was one of sorrow, and he walked slowly, his translucent form drifting through the garden paths as though retracing steps he'd walked a hundred times before.
Elias stared, unable to look away. His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt the now-familiar chill that accompanied these spectral encounters.
"Not again," Elias muttered under his breath, gripping his arm as if it would anchor him to reality.
___
Happy new year.