Chapter 5: The Wide World
The first two weeks of Leon’s life dissolved into a blur of identical and quiet days.
Every morning followed the exact same slow pattern. He would wake in the morning, drink his mother’s warm milk and listen to the rhythmic creak of the wooden rocking chair where his father would sit, most part of the day.
His brother Roland would stop by before the morning training session, standing silent by the crib seeing over Leon for a while whereas Iris would sneak in during the training sessions to play with Leon and sometimes come during afternoons to drop a freshly carved wood toy or a smooth pebble into his blankets.
Marcus would return at dusk. His heavy, warm essence chasing away the cold of the evening defense wards.
For fourteen days, the nursery was a safe, repetitive loop of warmth and family voices.
Then, on the fifteenth morning, the routine broke. Today felt different for him. After the coldness of morning began to fade, Vera lifted him from the crib to carry him down the long corridors of the estate.
For an infant whose days had been bounded entirely by a room only surrounded by some people, the wider house was new experience of light, sound and more movement. He did not possess the language to name the things he saw but his wide, dark eyes tracked every single shift in his environment.
As Vera walked down the wide corridors, the rhythm of the estate washed over them.
Groups of uniform clad maids paused in their chores as the mistress passed, their heads bowing respectfully.
As Vera stopped to check on them, the younger maids couldn’t help but lean forward to see theirs new master. Their faces softening as they looked at Leon.
"Oh, look at his eyes, My Lady," a young maid named Hanna whispered, keeping her hands tucked into her apron. "He has Lord Marcus’s brow but he’s so quiet. Not a single sound or cry."
She leaned a little closer as she made a soft clicking sound with her tongue to get his attention. Leon tracked her movement. His tiny face completely still as his thumb twitched beneath his blanket.
"He’s a calm soul, Hanna," Vera said with a faint smile, adjusting the blanket to keep him warm from the corridor’s breeze. "He prefers to watch rather than scream." The maids let out quiet murmurs before returning to their work.
While they were walking through the corridors, a man was walking towards them. The House Hayes Head Butler, Thomas and also the personal butler of the Viscount.
He was lean and tall with sharp wrinkled facial features giving a air of someone that spoke of decades of service. He wore gray stripped trousers and a collared shirt with high neck coat and bore the crest of House Hayes pinned on his chest.
"Are you taking the young master for sightseeing, my lady?" Thomas asked while smiling and carefully observing the youngest master of the House Hayes.
"Thomas please," Vera said, waving her hand dismissively. "You served my husband when he was no bigger than Iris. There is no need for such formalities unless guests are present or some crowd."
Thomas chuckled softly, his rigid posture relaxing. "Old habits die hardly, Lady Vera. But it gladdens my heart to see the young master looking so healthy. Only fourteen days in this world, yet his breath is already steady." His eyes softened as he looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms.
"The Viscount and I will be departing tomorrow for our week long routine inspection of the viscountcy. I wanted to ensure everything was in order here before we leave you."
"Yes, everything is in order. Marcus told me about that. I had forgotten about routine inspection because of Leon." she said as she sighed. "And when you return, Thomas, begin training a nanny for him and assign her after a month’s time."
Thomas bowed deeply, his smile turning respectful. "Consider it done, lady Vera. I already have a few exceptional candidates in mind. I shall ensure she is well versed in etiquette and have a good foundation."
Stepping back, the old butler gestured toward the open path ahead. "I shall not keep you from your stroll any longer. Stay safe, my lady." With a final polite node, Thomas kept going towards Viscount’s office to prepare for the departure.
Vera looked down at her son’s peaceful face, as he scanned the surroundings and watched the butler go with a curious face.
Vera moved out of the residential wing and began walking towards the grand courtyard, where the true scale of the estate revealed itself. The massive pillars supporting the high roofs were carved with deep and practical structures that spoke of durability rather than luxury.
The courtyard of House Hayes was large and open space. There was a separate training section for knights and squires. As they stepped fully into the open courtyard, the air pressure shifted. The House Hayes knights practicing their movements and sparring made the surrounding a bit heavy.
The courtyard energy didn’t press down painfully like it did at night. Instead it hummed with a deep and steady resonance. Deep within his chest, he felt the pressure in the air.
It was a deeply familiar feeling. The moment that invisible essence brushed against Leon’s skin, a sudden warmth ran through his tiny frame. He didn’t flinch or cry from the pressure. Instead, the strange energy just felt comforting against his skin.
The feeling was soothing. Without any understanding of what the magic actually was, his small body simply relaxed under the gentle warmth.
"Ah, the little master is taking the air today."
A deep voice came from the edge of the training grounds. Vera stopped as she glanced at the man who was coming towards her. He was clad in heavy armor as he walked towards Vera while unbuckling his practice gloves.
He was Knight Commander Garret, the Captain of Marcus’s personal Knights. He was a veteran who had spent fifteen years forging his path alongside the Viscount. His body radiated a dense and heavy weight.
Other guards also stood behind him, their posture straight and disciplined. They had just finished theirs training and were going for their patrolling. Their eyes immediately drifted down towards the small bundle in Vera’s arms.
"Captain," Vera greeted, stopping near the bench. "Marcus said you were inspecting the lower gates this morning."
"We finished early, My Lady," Garret said, wiping sweat from his weathered brow. He stepped closer, his heavy armor clanking loudly.
The sheer physical and spiritual weight of the Garret’s presence made the air around them feel thick but Leon didn’t flinch. Instead, his uncoordinated eyes as he tracked the bright reflection of the sun hitting the captain’s chest plate.
Garret leaned his massive upper body down, his rugged face coming into Leon’s field of vision. He offered finger and gently nudged the baby’s tiny fist.
"Look at that, boys," Garret said to the guards behind him wearing a wide grin breaking through his rough beard.
"Most infants start crying the moment they feel a warrior’s essence. The pressure usually scares them right out of their wits. But this one... he’s just looking at my armor like he wants to try it on."
"He has his father’s nerve, Captain," one of the younger guards chuckled, leaning in to make a silly face at the baby. "Grow up quick, little master. We need more men who don’t blink when the wind blows a little too fast."
"Don’t fill his head with soldier’s talk before he can hold up his own neck," Garret said, though he was still grinning thinking of the near future. "Give the boy a few years before you’re measuring him for armor."
The younger guard raised his hands in mock surrender and the small group of them laughed, low and easy. The sound of men who had worked hard that morning and were glad to be done with it.
Leon open his palm, his fingers clumsily brushing against the rough edge of Garret’s weapon strap. The metal was cold, but the dense self made essence hummed through it. It felt steady and solid.
The baby let out a tiny, soft yawn. His eyelids growing heavy from the warmth of the sun and the air of the courtyard.
Garret pulled his hand back with a quiet, respectful ease. He stepped away so the lady could carry the sleeping boy back to his room.
Leon closed his eyes as his tiny fist locked onto the edge of his blanket. He was entirely at peace as he began to sleep. Behind them, the courtyard returned to its usual sounds, boots against stone, the far off ring of a training blade.
But none of it reached Leon anymore.
He had already gone somewhere quieter, carried along in his mother’s arms. He didn’t care for the loud world as he adjusted himself back down into the small, warm space behind his closed eyes.