Ferdinand 1st year Royal Academy
Even several days after the tea party Justus was still giddy with excitement. He had already written up a document of everything he had overheard. Feuds, alliances, and every scrap of gossip. He had information on everyone who was present as well as many who weren't. It seemed several middling duchies were considering opening alliances with Dunkelfelger after they had witnessed the archduke candidate's treatment of me. I grimaced as I realized this must have all been apart of Minerva's plan. Scheming woman.
"But the Werkestock archduke candidate really had it out for Lady Minerva. I did some digging to try and find the cause, but I don't have anything to report further on the matter." That reminded me of the strange incident at the tea party.
"What exactly happened between the two of them. I could not see Lady Minerva's face because she had turned to face the Werkestock girl."
Justus shuddered. As he had been standing a little off to the side, he would have managed to see both sides of the conversation. "I don't know myself. At first, I thought the Dunkelfelger girl had crushed the Werkestock candidate. But there was no mana, her eyes didn't change color. In fact, she seemed very calm. It was like Lady Minerva's personality overwhelmed the other girl." He paused thoughtful. "It was interesting, but I'm not sure I would want to be on the receiving end of that."
"Nothing happened when she removed the magic tool?"
Justus shook his head. "Not that I could decern."
Interesting. I had been thinking about the magic circles I had seen on the glass. One I was fairly certain was used to block mana in some form, but I couldn't understand the specifics of it. The other circle I noticed was a connection of some kind. But again, I could not figure out why. Why would you connect a piece of glass to something else, especially since you couldn't actually transport anything with that particular circle? It seemed so useless. I sighed to myself, it was too bad I would not be able to study it up close, I'm sure there is more to that tool than my few glances had been able to pick up.
I shoved those thoughts aside and returned to focusing on my experiments with Schlaftraum's Gift. After much experimenting had had managed to make three different variations. The first was a pellet version that could be fed to fey beasts. If it worked liked I hoped, it could perhaps be used in ditter to sedate large fey beasts. This could lead to having a treasure that had more health and was harder to kill, as well as giving knights more time to prepare ambushes for other duchies. It would give Ehrenfest an edge. The other two were liquid forms. One was in a small pouch with a cord attached to the opening. This was a topical version so it could be used freely in combat, though there were plenty of risks if one was not careful and got it on themselves. Finally, a small clear bottle with a milky blue content that could be drunk or added to a person's food or drink. I had made it much more concentrated than the previous two in hopes of creating something that would keep a person soundly asleep for an entire night or day.
"My Lord, do you wish to test these today? There are plenty of different fey beasts in the forests and we can use cheap fey stones as bait to test the stronger potion."
I considered his suggestion. As I had already finished my classes, but most people were still in the middle of theirs. Which meant I was unlikely to be bothered if we went into the forest. I doubted that vexing woman had finished her classes yet.
"I think we will. Tell Eckhart and Lasfam."
"What about Heidemarie?"
I grimaced. She would indeed want to come along to see how my experiments faired, but being that she was a woman, traveling in the woods with so many men would cause rumors if someone saw. How annoying. "Have her go to the library and find any other information on Schlaftraum's Gift with emphasis on use in brewing potions. Anything in fourth year and up should have what we need. And double check the second floor for any experiments that might have included it." That should give her a way to contribute without risking her reputation unnecessarily. Justus agreed to inform the others. Once he left, I collected the different types of sedatives dividing each into three sets. One I carefully stored in my hidden room, and the second I stored in my belt pouch. While the last I set aside for Justus to experiment with.
Shortly after Justus returned to my room with both Eckhart and Lasfam. All three had changed into clothes better suited for gathering in the forest. Though they carried very different tools. Eckhart a sword and knife belted to his waist. While Justus had a gathering knife as well as several pouches. Lastly Lasfam carried parchment, a writing board with an ink well, and quill.
"Heidemarie rushed off to the library before I could even finish. I am certain by the time we have returned she will have scoured the library for every mention of Schlaftraum's Gift."
I grimaced at that. Her enthusiasm was appreciated, but I wouldn't need everything. I sighed and glanced around the room doing a final check. I had all the potions, gathering gloves, and my knife. Then I saw the dagger that Justus had precured for me laying on the desk. I grabbed that and belted it beside my knife. Its weight was a reassuring presence until I got my Schtappe. "Looks like we have everything." I passed Justus the bag of his portion of the sedatives, which he took with his glee hidden aside from the bounce to his step.
We slipped out off my room, down the stairs and through the common room. As we passed through, I noticed a few students were studying at the tables. They shot me furtive glances at me. One was definitely Sylvester's watcher that he had set to keep an eye on me while he was in class, but the other two were harder to guess. Both were from mednoble families that were currently neutral. I knew well enough that did not mean anything. None of them seemed to be brave enough to try and follow us. Too bad, we could have used them as test subjects.
The morning sun was just barely warm enough that our breath did not come out in clouds, but the chill still bit down when wind blew through the trees. It was too bad I would not be able to make fey stone armor until third year, it would be useful to be able to adjust the temperature of my body to better suit the conditions I was in. Maybe I could find some information on how to make it without needing a Schtappe.
"Lord Ferdinand." Eckhart pulled my attention away from thoughts. He pointed to a large shape the was shambling through the trees. I immediately recognized the large round body and thick hide as that of a Schnefeld. I grabbed out one of the cheap fey stones that Justus had filled and carefully poured some of the potion meant to be ingested on top it. Then I lobbed it towards the head of the fey beast. The Schnefeld snuffled around in the grass until it found the fey stone and ate it.
All of us waited breathlessly to see what would happen. After a minute the large creature shook its head. It took a staggering step forward then slumped forward planting its face directly into the dirt. We waited a few more minutes just to be safe before Justus and Eckhart approached. They quickly removed the beast's hide and other parts that made for valuable materials, storing them in Justus' many pouches. With all the hide being stuffed into a sack that Eckhart threw over his shoulder. Not once did the beast even twitch. Once everything was gathered Eckhart slayed the beast turning the rest of its corpse to black mush and a medium sized red fey stone.
We continued on testing it various types on other fey beasts that we came across. Each encounter Lasfam would take detailed notes on everything. The last fey beast we came across was a Zantze. It was a bit bigger than usual and was circling a bush that was rustling. Clearly it was stalking something smaller, but could not reach its prey thanks to the wicked looking thorns. Again, I threw a fey stone toward the creature, but this time I pressed a little bit of mana to my wrist so the stone would cover the larger distance between us. The stone rolled near the Zantze, which paused its stalking long enough to sniff the fey stone and then promptly gobble it up. The Zantze immediately grew becoming a Fetze. Surprised by its sudden growth the Fetze took a wobbly step back shaking its head. Then like all the pervious fey beasts it slumped down as the potion took effect.
"Looks like another successful test." Since we had confirmed that it could be used on all of the common treasure stealing ditter beasts, now we just needed to figure out the exact length of time each beast would need to be drugged before sedating them again. I would also have to figure out how to accommodate the differences in weight.
Justus and Eckhart went to salvage what they could from the Fetze while I went over to the bush that was still shaking. Tangled up in the briar vines was a small fluffy creature with blue black fur and gold eyes. A Shumil. It thrashed and struggled harder once it noticed me staring at. I plucked the creature from its death trap and tucked it against my chest to prevent it from struggling so hard it hurt itself further. Its little heart broke into a full-on gallop. At this rate its heart would stop from the strain of being so frightened. Without much thought I pulled one of the pellets from my pouch and offered it to the creature. Its nose twitched before it snatched the pellet from my fingers and devoured it.
The change was almost instant. Its fluttering heart beat slowed to a slowed to the steady pace of sleep. It completely stopped its struggles. Instead, it buried its face in between my chest and arm and made a sleepy 'pooey'. What a foolish little creature, I thought. But I felt a strange warmth at the sight of it. I stroke its soft fur gently. Never had I had something that had been so afraid of me turn and become so settled like this. Maybe the pellet had a strange effect on Shumils. Regardless, I found myself unable to put the creature down or even reach for the knife at my belt. A small useless part of me longed to keep this little creature. I shut that thought down almost as soon as I thought it. She would delight in killing something so helpless especially if she thought it would hurt me. Yet even though I knew this logically I could not make myself put the Shumil down. Drugged as it was it would be easy prey for any other fey beast.
"My Lord?"
I turned back to my attendants. "Hmm?"
"We could give it to Lord Sylvester. He has been saying he wants one for a while. It would also allow us to observe how long the pellets last."
His logic was sound so I agreed readily. Justus offered to carry it and I felt an initial resistance to the idea. Only to scold myself for being foolish and promptly handing the Shumil over to Justus. It did not so much as twitch its nose as I handed it over. Then we debated looking for more fey beasts or if we should go back for an early lunch. In the end we decided to continue onward. But as we moved deeper into the trees, we found no fey beasts or even regular animals.
"It's too quiet here." Not only were there no animals to be seen, but even the regular birds were quiet. Something must have scared them off. Then there was a sound just at the edge of my hearing.
Thwack.
Justus tilted his head to listen better. "It sounds like… I'm not sure, but I know I've heard it somewhere." We all stopped and listened carefully until the sound came again only this time with variation.
Thwack, tap, tap.
"What is that?" Eckhart murmured. The sounds came again and lasted even longer and with even more variation. "It sounds strangely familiar." When he said that it clicked exactly what we were hearing.
"Practice swords. Someone is drilling out here."
"Why? There are perfectly good places for that in the apprentice knights' training grounds."
"If you didn't want others observing your technique this would be the perfect place to practice." Justus was instantly intrigued. A smile spreading across his lips. "Should we take a peek since they went to such trouble to hide what their activities?"
I agreed even as a small voice in the back of my mind asked if this was a good idea.
Carefully we moved toward the sound. Eckhart took the lead keeping an eye out for traps, ambush spots, or lookouts. Then was Lasfam. As the weakest member we wanted to keep him towards the center. I followed after so that Justus could watch our back. His keen eyes would likely notice anyone trying to sneak behind us. Slowly the sounds became clearer, and they were soon interspersed with voices. I nearly groaned when I realized one of the voices was female. Please Gods do not let it be who I think it is.
Needless to say, the Gods were not listening to me. In the clearing ahead of us were six people, four of whom I recognized. The first was Lady Minerva holding a long plain wooden pole. The second was her twin Lady Magdalena who held a wooden practice sword. The two sisters circled each other as they dueled. Well, I amended Lady Magdalena would attack and Minerva would block while giving general advice. Standing around the two were Lady Minerva's apprentice knight that I had already met as well as the golden-haired attendant. The other two must have been Lady Magdalena's guard and attendant.
We watched as Magdalena charged her sister swing her wooden practice sword down in an attack that would have resulted in a concussion if it had landed. As it was Minerva blocked it with almost bored ease.
"Sister, you aren't father or brother. Stop trying to fight like them. Use your own way of fighting, you'll find you have a lot more success that way."
Lady Magdalena growled her frustration. She was not inherently bad I admitted. Her form was good, she did not put too much into her strike and lose her balance when her sister blocked or deflected. She was just up against a far superior fighter.
"Good show, huh?" The voice came from directly above me. My head snapped back and I looked up into the trees. At first, I didn't see who had spoken. Not until he moved and dropped right next to me, did I see where he had been hiding in the leaves. I recognized the long leaf green hair and bright orange eyes. Peter, Lady Minerva's scholar. Eckhart had spun drawing his sword and leveling it at the other boy. Peter raised his hands to show they were empty his face a smooth as glass.
"I mean your lord no harm. Come, my lady will not mind if you all watch from closer." Though he made no move to lead the way as the point of a blade was leveled with his throat. Eckhart looked at me for direction. I nodded letting him know it was safe to sheath his weapon. Peter smiled pleasantly and moved around us. It was unnerving how quietly he moved over all the fallen leaves and dry twigs.
"Peter, you've returned." Minerva looked at us with her usual blatant amusement. She had even turned her back to her sister. "And you brought guests. Little Flower, we have to stop meeting like this. People will talk." She was mocking me, vexing annoying woman. Though the words I wanted to use were far harsher.
Lady Magdalena took the opportunity to thrust towards her sister's unprotected back. "Should I take it to mean you two have crossed paths in the woods before?" There was a sharpness to Magdalena's voice even as she smiled. Minerva side stepped the blow with shocking ease. Her hands moved in a way my eyes couldn't follow and suddenly Lady Magdalena's sword was in her sister's hand.
"Much better sister." She leveled both the staff and sword at Magdalena. "But now you have no weapons. Yield."
"Never."
Minerva sighed in exasperation. "As you wish." She thrust the practice sword into the dirt beside her and rained a flurry of blows down on her sister. Lady Magdalena was fairly decent at dodging in spite of the staff's longer reach, but even she could not last forever without a weapon for long. She made the mistake of glancing at her sword just after her sister had finished a sweeping attack. Forgetting that with a staff both ends are dangerous. Minerva twirled the back end in a counter swing, sweeping her sister's legs out from underneath her. Then she struck the dirt right nest to Lady Magdalena's face.
"Dead." She bent down and offered a hand to help her sister up. "Much better though. Brother will be in for quite the surprise next time he is feeling difficult."
She grunted dissatisfied. "Not good enough to beat you."
Minerva chuckled. "Work on your own way. I have a feeling you will be far better suited to a cleverer way of fighting than my brazen way. Besides, you will rarely face people in true one on one combat. Assassins aren't going to duel. Though that doesn't mean you are going to slack on this. Just use your mind. Pick your battles carefully and make damn sure they suit you."
"So you say." Then she fixed her sister with a hard look. "Don't think this means I forgot that you have been meeting boys in the woods."
Minerva smiled sheepishly. She had clearly hoped to distract her twin. Suddenly I found myself admiring Lady Magdalena much more. It seemed she had her own Sylvester to deal with and she dealt with Minerva expertly.
"What brings you four all the way out here? I hope my sister has caused you no trouble since the tea party." She shot her sister a look over her shoulder.
Minerva scoffed. "Perhaps we should go another round if you are going to be so rude to me."
"Thankfully we have had no trouble." I smiled brightly at the pair.
"See. I haven't done anything to him." Minerva sounded almost sulky.
This got a snort from Justus. Her silver eyes instantly went to him her amusement from earlier already back in place. "If it isn't Justus. I feel like I saw you just a couple days ago." My blood instantly froze. Had she recognized Justus in Gudrun? No that wasn't possible. Even I struggled to see him in his disguise. Those silver eyes turned on me.
"How about you try your luck against me, Little Flower. It will be an interesting challenge to face someone new."
"No." I replied flatly.
She chuckled. "I'd make it worth your while." Peter came up beside her holding what looked like a folded red blanket. When he opened it, I realized it a large swath of Winfalke leather. Justus was practically drooling beside me. And admitted it was sorely tempting offer. "Just for participating in the duel."
Her guard squawked in disbelief. "My lady! That was expensive just for him to participate. You could just command him to."
"I consider it an investment, Heisshitze. Besides I'd rather a willing opponent rather than someone who will just throw the match." She turned to him. "Would you like to wager something else in its place?"
There was an awkward pause. "No, my lady."
"And if I win?" I asked.
She made a face that was supposed to be a grin, but there was something off about it. "Well, technically if you win, you win the right to be my husband. But if you would rather not be stuck with me you can ask for something else."
I grimaced at the thought of being stuck with Minerva as my wife. What miserable idea. "If I win, I want your glaive." It was something she probably valued. Hopefully she would back down.
She shrugged indifferent. Then turned to Peter. He nodded and walked behind a nearby tree and pulled out the weapon in question. There was no ornamentation that a lot of nobles liked to add to true weapons. But there were faint magic circles carved into the pole of the weapon. The blade's edge was keen and a well taken care of. There were also subtle signs of the weapon already having been used for battle. Small scuffs and scratches that hadn't been buffed out. The guard looked like it had been designed so it could have something added to it in the future.
Minerva tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Then if I win, I want you and your guard knight to join us at the knights' training grounds once a week for one bell of training until third year." Again, I had to think her request was strange. How did this benefit her? She was not only helping me and Eckhart, but she risked tipping how her knights were trained in the process. I glanced at Lady Magdalena who seemed to be watching her sister with a thoughtful and very suspicious expression.
"Fine." I growled. At least now I had the perfect opportunity to test the topical potion I had made.
Lady Magdalena handed over her practice sword before taking several steps back toward her guard. I tested the weight of the practice sword and found it to be no different than the ones Karstedt had used when showing me the basics of sword fighting.
"Ready?" Peter asked us.
"Whenever the Little Flower is, I am." Her stance was light and her hands had a firm grip towards the center of her staff. She spun the weapon lazily.
"Ready." I grit out.
"Begin."
As soon as the word was out of his mouth, she flicked her staff toward my left shoulder. I brought up practice sword in a smooth practiced movement and deflected it with as little force as possible. Let her think I was weaker than I appeared. But she drove her attacks on and on. Each time I parried or blocked I had to immediately prepare for the other end of the weapon. Which would always come flicking back around with wicked speed. Soon I wasn't able to hold back. I had to fight with earnest.
Then I saw a brief opening in her guard and thrust the point of the practice sword towards her sternum. Only to find in a stunning show of both dexterity and strength she leaned far enough back that; with her feet still planted firmly on the ground, her back was perfectly parallel to the ground. The next thing I knew her foot had arched up propelling the rest of her body spinning up, around, and over my blade. I just barely managed to avoid her boot striking my temple. I took a couple steps back, and used the time that she spent landing and turning back to me to retrieve the potion. The string was wrapped around my palm as I threw it towards her face. In that moment she thrust her staff forward perfectly hitting the leather pouch and drastically changing its trajectory. The leather split and the potion soaked me.
Gods curse that woman was the last thing I remember thinking before darkness swamped me. Judging by the light that I woke to, only a few minutes had passed since accidently dosing myself. I was still in the clearing. Eckhart and Justus were both crowding close to.
"How do you feel my lord?"
"Fine." I hissed. If anything, I was simply embarrassed. But at least my pride would heal. I looked around and found both the Dunkelfelger candidates had left with their guards and attendant. Only Peter remained talking softly to Lasfam while petting the still sleeping Shumil. I noticed he still held the Winfalke leather as well as a board.
"I am relieved to see you are okay, Lord Ferdinand. My Lady and her sister were quite worried that she accidently struck you."
I kept my expression flat, expecting him to mock me.
"I have the Winfalke leather as promised. As well as the invitation that will let you pass by our guards for training. As an apology for your inconvenience, I helped your scholar remove your Shumil's poisonous front claws. He should have them now."
Justus flashed a bottle with both the claws and the poison. There was surprisingly little blood.
"That was unnecessary."
"Perhaps, but I feel I must make up for my lady's behavior." I remembered that Peter would become Minerva's husband if she continued to be undefeated. Poor man.