A new dawn rose over the steep cliffs of Norden. The slopes of the tall mountains surrounding the cracks of the fjords were still covered in snow, despite it being spring. Their white cover glimmered like a thousand diamonds. Down in the valley, the first signs of green were starting to protrude from the ground – frail and still tiny but so full of life. The fjords themselves were meandering and boring their ways deep into the lands, dotted from time to time with small islands.

A stone-throw away from the beautiful town of Yalda, the sea bent in a big hook, creating a small cape and a deep bay in the fjord. Nestled between the high shores, facing the bay and the tall snowy mountains behind it, stood the real hidden marvel of Yalda – castle Ildemar. Its sturdy white walls braved the craggy slopes. Its tall hexagonal towers with pointy battlements and green roofs stood straight and unyielding. A white stone bridge was connecting the castle to a small island in the center of the bay – a wondrous garden with bushy evergreen trees and a wide terrace to enjoy the beautiful nature all around. Every person, setting eyes on the castle for the first time, would think that it was surely built by some elves from the old fairy-tales.

Unfortunately, for all its beauty, castle Ildemar was subjected to some very restless moods today.

“NO! I won’t do it!”

A nine- or ten-year-old girl with shining silver hair was shouting at the top of her lungs and running through the castle halls. Behind her, two white-haired people with completely identical faces in long, fur-trimmed coats and baggy trousers were trying to catch her. On second glance, one could determine that, despite the strange attire, the two pursuers were also female.

“Come back, lady Shana!” shouted one of the women. “If you don’t go there the lord will be angry.”

“No way!”

“You are wasting your breath, Rasha,” the second woman calmly commented. “You know her, she can be as stubborn as a mountain goat.”

“By the Morning Star, Rish, we have to stop this soon. You or I?”

“It’s your turn, sister. I caught her yesterday for dinner.”

Without further discussion, the one called Rasha sped up, as if her running speed till now had been a leisurely walk. In a few seconds, the escaping girl was caught. The woman flung the flailing child over her shoulder and went back the way she came under the constant bombardment of tiny fists.

“Put me down Rasha! I am telling you, put me down. I won’t go back there! I order you, Rasha, let me go!”

“Sorry, lady Shana, but the duke’s orders come first,” came the indifferent reply.

The two women and their screaming baggage entered a large sunny room. In the middle stretched a long table, fully prepared for the breakfast of three. Two figures were already seated there. Rasha put the child down and stepped back to stand beside the entrance with Rish.

“So, my dear daughter, I see you have not learned anything from yesterday.”

Right now, Noah was furious. He threw a scary look at the little girl before him, only to receive an equally grim look back. Dear saints, how did she turn out so stubborn?! Her late parents were nothing like that! ‘Yanosh, Orhana, give me strength not to strangle your… our daughter!’, he thought silently. Noah pinched the base of his nose and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Of course, he had expected that the news of Lorelei being his wife would be a bit… unexpected and confusing for Shana. Yesterday evening upon their arrival in Ildemar, he had introduced Lorelei to her and explained the situation. Then all heavens had come crashing down. He was prepared for some tears, a bit of sulking. But that?! Shana had refused to greet Lorelei, pretended to not see her during dinner, and was punished to go to her room without finishing her meal. So much for his long-anticipated homecoming. And now the drama was repeating itself again. No, it was intensifying.

“Shana, aren’t you going to greet your father and mother?” Noah tried to sound as calm as possible.

“Good morning, father,” came the grumpy reply.

A small vein popped on Noah’s forehead and started to pulsate.

“And what about your mother?”

“I don’t have a mother. That woman is not my mother!” The girl’s gaze threw daggers at Lorelei, who sat silently at the table. “My mother is dead!”

“True. But lady Lorelei is my wife and duchess Norden. Even if you don’t call her mother, you owe her the proper respect.”

“No.”

“Shana!” Noah was going to lose it any minute now. “Calm down and act properly. Greet lady Lorelei and eat your breakfast.”

“No! I won’t greet her and I won’t sit on the table with her, and I would never, ever call her mother! I hate her!” screamed Shana looking him straight in the eyes.

Bam!

Noah’s fist fell on the table making it shake. The little girl flinched in front of his anger, but her gaze was still defiant.

“So, that’s how we are going to play.” There was a growl like note in Noah’s tone. He sounded like an angry beast. “Very well. Rish, Rasha, take the young lady to her room. No breakfast for her. And if she refuses to apologize, no lunch either. Let’s see how long she can remain stubborn.”

The two women came forth and took the girl away. Shana was not resisting until she reached the door. Then she spun around and shouted.

“I hate you both!”

After that, she ran away, followed by the two seemingly unperturbed binshi.

The silence in the room was deafening. Even so, Lorelei’s whisper was so faint that it was almost inaudible.

“I am sorry, my lord.”

“And when exactly did you do anything requiring an apology, wife!?” Noah was still so angry that his words came harsher than intended. “I am the one who is sorry. I have spoiled Shana too much. Her behavior is unacceptable.”

“She is still a child, my lord. And I can somewhat understand her. All of a sudden there is an intruder in her home.”

“Don’t forget, lady Lorelei. For better or for worse, we are currently wed.” Her husband’s eyes were unyielding. “Showing disrespect towards my wife is showing disrespect towards me. Shana will have to learn that. Do not worry, she will calm down pretty soon.”

Noah was wrong. Shana didn’t come for lunch or for dinner. It lasted till the following evening when the hunger finally overcame her stubbornness. Shana apologized without looking anyone in the eyes, ate her food quietly, and went back to her room without saying a word. Since that day, she hardly ever spoke to anyone except her binshi escorts.

This made Lorelei feel extremely guilty. From the hidden looks Noah was throwing at his daughter, she could understand how hurt and worried he is at the same time, and how much he loves this little girl. And now Lorelei was the cause of the rift between them. Her life in castle Ildemar had begun with a quarrel and this didn’t spell anything good for the future.

As if to apologize and compensate for Shana’s tantrums, Noah was treating Lorelei with even more respect than before, calling her ‘honorable wife’ or ‘esteemed duchess’, which often made her secretly blush. He had allowed her to roam freely through the entire castle and its grounds, without any restrictions. She could go from the attic to the laundry rooms in the basement and kitchens; from the stables to the falconer tower; she could visit the armory, the storage houses, the minstrel’s gallery, the trophy room, the treasury, the great hall; she could enter any bedroom, even the lord’s personal chambers if she wanted. This was new to her. In Sefis her father forbade her from entering any of the family rooms and made her use the servant’s entry and hallways, not to mention the treasury, which was off-limits even to her sister. The only time she had been allowed in the great hall was for the New Year celebrations, and even then, she would be seated at the very back. On normal days, she was supposed to eat with the servants, instead with the rest of the Ortens in the dining parlor. They also forbade her from entering the rose garden, since it was Pricilla’s favorite place for strolls. The only place Lorelei could actually visit without restrictions was, funny enough, the count’s library. Since none of the Ortens were into reading, the small, book-filled room, or rather closet, had been her sanctuary. After her master had taught her to read, she would spend hours turning the old yellow pages, breathing in their sweet and dusty aroma. Those books had been her only friends in that cold disgusting place. But now everything was different.

Lorelei needed almost two days to tour the whole castle. It was an incredible place. Accompanied by Saya, she marveled at the big sunny rooms, the painted walls, the intricate stone and wood decorations, and the wonders gathered in the spacious halls. Ildemar was almost like a fairy-tale castle! At one point, Saya proudly showed her the mineral baths in one of the basements. Lorelei was stunned. From the lion head sculptures on the walls jets of burning hot water were flowing into several marble basins, filling the room with clouds of white steam. According to Saya, Ildemar was built on top of natural hot springs. The builders had used this and had laid a complex system of pipes, that not only fed the lord’s personal bath but also provided hot water to the servants’ quarters. What is more, the piping was planned so, that it heated a large portion of the castle itself, driving away the cold from the long northern winters. It seemed that the entire castle was planned to stand against the vicious snowstorms of Norden. All buildings behind the castle walls were interconnected with long galleries to protect the servants and owners from the harsh winds and deep snow, resulting in many big and small courtyards being enclosed by their walls.

And as if that was not enough, Saya also brought her to a small inner courtyard in the main building, that had a strange transparent dome. This was incredible! Lorelei could have never considered it possible that someone could create a large dome out of glass but the small round facets, glittering in the daylight were the solid proof. There, surrounded by narrow channels with hot water, bloomed a lush green paradise – the Misty Garden. There were flowers and trees that Lorelei had never seen before. One had strange wooly bark and huge feather-like leaves. Another was donned with little white star-like flowers that were giving off an intoxicating aroma. There were also some thick vines with bluish flowers and long yellow tubes. Lorelei had gasped at the site. This was skyflower! She knew from her teacher’s books that it grew in the tropical regions in the south-east and its leaves could be used to make medicine against snake-bite. How could it possibly survive so far up north!? The answer stunned her even more. According to Saya, due to the hot water channels and the construction of the dome, these plants could survive the harsh climate during winter and early spring. The duke, whose mother was originally from the south, had brought a piece of her homeland to the snowy fields of Norden. Learning this, Lorelei was deep in thought. Noah didn’t strike her as the most sentimental person, but she was slowly starting to reconsider her first impression. Going through so much trouble just for a couple of plants was somehow incomprehensible.

Seeing the delighted sparkle in Lorelei’s eyes, Saya happily chatted and told her about the other miracle of Ildemar – the Star-gazer Garden. The two women made their way through the castle and then across the white stone bridge, connecting it with the small green island in the middle of the bay. The moment they stepped on the dim gravel-path Lorelei’s lungs were filled with the thick smell of pine resin. The trees and shrubs here were totally different from the ones in the Misty Garden – rough, twisted, and resilient. They were all evergreen plants from the north, every one of them possessing harsh beauty. Knowing Lorelei’s interest in medicine, Saya was stopping here and there and pointing out some plants used traditionally by the people of Norden – leatherleaf for inflammation, bearberry against headache and for wound healing, mountain cranberries for colds and coughs. Unknowingly, they had crossed the whole length of the small island, reaching the site where it faced the bay and the distant mountains. There, at the very edge of the island, stood a small stone gazebo, only partially covered by an intricate marble dome. Lorelei went carefully to the low railing and dared a look. It was beautiful! Right now, the surface of the fjord was calm and flat like a mirror with the surrounding peaks reflected on its surface. Some thirty meters below small waves gently washed the steep cliff with a low splash. Lorelei closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh salty air, mixed with the scent of pines.

Suddenly a scream came from behind her.

“What is she doing here!?”

Lorelei turned around and saw Shana standing there with a fuming-red face and tightly clenched little fists flailing all around. One of her two attendants was trying to hold her not especially gently by the collar, and the other was staring at Saya and her with an apologetic look.

“This is my garden!” The little girl continued to scream at the top of her lungs. “She has no right to be here!”

“Actually, she is the lady of the castle,” very calmly said one of the twins, probably Rasha. “This means that she can go wherever she wants.”

“No, she has to leave! I don’t want her here!!!”

When one thought there is no way it can get louder, Sana’s voice reached even higher peaks and her tantrum was threatening to get out of hand. Lorelei knew from her experience with Pricilla, that, if not managed, the girl will be lying foaming on the ground any second now. There was only one way if good spanking was out of the question.

“Then, as lady Shana requests, I shall leave. And do not worry, I shall never set foot in this garden again.”

Lorelei’s voice was extremely quiet, but somehow it managed to attract everyone’s attention. Having expected a bitter fight, Shana only gaped at her, panting heavily. Lorelei nodded at the three and prepared to take her leave. Just then the girl’s cracking voice sounded again, filled with so much venom that it made everyone instinctively shiver.

“Then I request for you to disappear. Just go far, far away, and never come back!”

“I serve the duke, lady Shana.” Lorelei threw a glance over her shoulder. “He is the only one who can order me away. So, I advise you to speak to your father personally about that. Now, excuse me, ladies.”

Without saying anything else, Lorelei strode away, with Saya scurrying behind her. She didn’t look back, she didn’t hurry her step, she just went away gracefully with head held high and a strange smile on her lips. Behind her calm façade, however, she was internally screaming. Did she deserve that? No! Definitely not! She never even wanted to be here in the first place! She never wanted to marry the Beast of the North! She never wanted to leave her teacher and come to a cold, unknown place. She never wanted to be a step-mother! But she had to endure for one year. Be it unwritten, she still had a contract with her husband to play the role of duchess Norden. And she was going to keep her end of the deal. Slowly, she calmed down and started to pay more attention to her surroundings. Somehow, she had come back to the Misty Garden. She found a small bench and slumped on it, without caring how un-ladylike it was or whether someone was watching her.

“My lady! My lady!” Saya’s voice reached her ears.

“Yes, Saya, what is it?”

“Thank the Morning Star! You are finally responding!”

Lorelei only looked at her puzzled.

“I have been calling you for quite some time now, my lady.” Saya’s round face was full of worry. “But you didn’t answer me. And your face is so pale with that strange smile on it… it frightened me, my lady!”

“Do not worry. I am perfectly fine.”

“Are you sure, my lady? Should I bring you something? Some refreshments maybe? Or do you want me to do something to cheer you up, my lady?”

“No, I don’t…” Lorelei hesitated for a moment. “Actually, there is something you could do for me.”

“Just say it, my lady.”

“Stop calling me ‘my lady’.”

“P-pardon?” Saya stammered.

“In Sefis, before I married the duke, I was called ‘bastard’ or ‘mutt’.” Lorelei’s eyes looked distant and devoid of any emotion. “After I married the duke, I have been called ‘wife’, ‘duchess’, ‘my lady’, ‘your highness’ every single day. I fear that I’ll soon forget my own name. So, Saya, can you please call me by my name? Can you call me Lorelei?”

“B-but, my lady, it would be disrespectful…”

“There is nothing disrespectful if one friend calls another by their name.” Lorelei hesitated. “Or would it be too shameful to call a bastard your friend?”

“No, of course not!” Saya hurriedly knelt before her and grabbed her hands. “I mean, it would be my pleasure to be your friend, my lady… no, Lorelei.”

“Thank you, Saya.” Lorelei squeezed her fingers lightly and realized that her eyes were wet. “From now on, you are one of my very few friends.”

Saya sniffled a bit too, but then suddenly burst out into laughter.

“I am sorry, my la… Lorelei.” She wiped away her eyes. “It’s just… I remember something that Gerash once told me.”

Lorelei gave her a curious look, and Saya continued with a low giggle.

“Well, Gerash told me that, at the time he came to serve under the duke, he said almost exactly the same words to him.” Saya coughed a bit, then her brow furrowed imitating a stern expression. To Lorelei’s surprise, she could recognize in it the way Noah usually frowned and had to bite her lips to stop herself from laughing. But Saya’s imitation was not over just yet. An unusually low voice escaped from her throat. “‘If you are my friend, call me Noah, otherwise – scram. Everyone calls me ‘lord’ or ‘highness’, so I am just about to forget that a sorry bastard like me even has a name of his own.’ You two actually are surprisingly similar!”

Lorelei just didn’t know how to respond to this, so she allowed herself a small giggle. Saya continued smiling and pulled her from the bench.

“I know what will cheer you up. You still haven’t seen the library. It is a true marvel! Let’s go. Just be warned… if we meet Stone-face William, do not panic. He is actually a nice person when one gets to know him, but he… well, you will see for yourself, I suppose.”

***

Sitting behind his desk, Noah rubbed the base of his nose and waved with his hand, dismissing Rasha. The door closed behind the binshi. The room was quiet, but Rasha’s words still rang in his head. This was getting out of control! He had never thought that Shana would go that far. Why did she behave like this? Lorelei’s presence didn’t change a thing. He didn’t love his daughter less, only because he was married now. Besides, it was all just a formality. In one year, Lorelei would leave. Noah sighed and felt his chest tighten for some reason. He was getting tired, no doubt. Was a bit of peace and harmony after six months on the battlefield too much to ask for? And actually, why didn’t Lorelei retaliate? He had told her to refrain from hitting Shana, but he had never said anything about not reprimanding or punishing her. She didn’t have to go with the child’s every whim. How could his wife be so spineless and let a nine-year-old order her around?! What happened to the will and determination she showed during their sea-voyage? Honestly, he really could not understand this wife of his at all!

Beside him, Duncan coughed, drawing back his attention to the present.

“Right, sorry my friend, where were we? Yes, Will’s report about the past half-year. We need to have a better look into it, there are some worrisome things...”

“You know, I believe lady Shana deserves a good spanking.” The old knight’s voice was as thunderous as always as he remarked all of a sudden.

“I will pretend that I haven’t heard that, Duncan! And now let us continue...”

However, they were not meant to finish their conversation.

The door of the room sprang open and a thin tall man stormed in, limping heavily since one of his legs was shorter than the other. He was in his late twenties or early thirties at most, his freckly face – like chiseled and usually devoid of any emotion. That is what had earned sir William de Mar the nickname Stone-face William. But right about now, his big round eyes were about to pop out, giving him a look very similar to his overly emotional younger brother.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Noah!?” he almost screamed and limped closer to the desk.

“Didn’t tell you what, Will?” Noah and Duncan looked at each other perplexed. What devil had gotten into their friend? The answer came without delay.

“You didn’t tell me who exactly you’ve married!”

“What do you mean?” Noah wrinkled his brow. “Of course, I have told you. I even introduced you to Lorelei the day we arrived at the castle. Did your memory play some trick on you?”

“You said that she is the bastard between count Orten and a maid.”

“And that’s who she is, Will. I can assure you.”

“I don’t mean it like that, Noah! Do you really not know who she is?” The young man ran his fingers through his thick curly hair.

“Well, please enlighten us then.”

“I-I met her a few moments ago in the library.” William started gesturing wildly, his speech getting faster and faster. “She asked me about some books on medicine. I was naturally surprised. I mean, you’ve told me those unbelievable tales about what supposedly happened on the ship and stuff, but still… A lady and medical books? No way, I thought. But… but then she said… she said that she is the student of Ser Levi!!!”

Duncan and Noah looked at their panting friend with empty expressions.

“Aaand?” asked the old knight starting to lose patience.

“By the saints, don’t you know who Ser Levi is!?”

“Well, obviously not.” Noah too was starting to get impatient. He had more important things to do than chat about his wife’s medicine teacher.

“Ser Levi is one of the grand-uncles of the current king of Sareeba. He is the seventeenth prince, blood brother to the late queen-regnant Afanasi! He was the royal physician to the court for over thirty years! He founded the medical academy in Shareeba. A third of the books on medicine in our imperial capital come either from him or from his students. Then some twenty years ago he just left Shareeba. Everyone would think he was dead if it wasn’t for the three books on tropical medicine and the flora of the southern marzbanats that were published. And then, ten years ago, he completely disappeared. Everyone thought that he had died during his journeys. And right now, it turns out that he had a student. His first and only personal student! And that’s your wife, the current duchess Norden!!!”

William stopped to gather some air. In the meantime, both Duncan and Noah thought they were struck by lightning.

“You are kidding me, Will,” Duncan managed to finally spit out some words. “It must be a coincidence. Similar names or something.”

“No.” William shook his head vigorously. “I thought so myself at first. But then I asked the lady if I could see some of the books that she brought with her and she graciously agreed, and… They are all Ser Levi’s original manuscripts. Not first copies. Originals. With the side-notes and ink splatters and everything!”

He then turned towards Noah and fixated him with his eyes.

“Your highness, duke Norden, Noah, my friend. I don’t care what agreement you had with lady Lorelei about a one-year marriage or whatnot. Listen carefully. Even just her medical knowledge alone turns her into an invaluable treasure. Not to say her potential connections to the court of Shareeba. So, I don’t care how you do it, Noah – pay her, lock her up, take her in your bed. You. Have. To. Keep. Her. Here!”

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These are some of the knights of Illdemar. So, guess who is who ;) .