Lord Baldwin's group of more than twelve, including his retainers, was leisurely on horseback, heading straight for Staflake Duchy. They seem to have caught a big batch today: five elk that have been butchered and preserved in an ice bucket, one that has just been slaughtered still intact is being brought back; there are also wild boars, buffaloes, hares, wild birds, etc. piled up so that they can be stored during a harsh three-month winter where food will become a major problem.

Lord Baldwin's horse took the lead. He always rode a steed with ebony fur, which he called Hexton. Baldwin is the younger brother of Lord Ferdynand - Frankie's father. While Lord Ferdynand was still alive, Baldwin followed his brother as his adviser, and later served as Frankie's right-hand man in charge of the internal affairs. Baldwin is a talented man, he possesses the strength that any Swift family has. But besides fame, there is also notoriety. Baldwin was seen as an insatiable human being. He was never married, but his bastards significantly. Talbot was the only illegitimate child Baldwin received. The remaining children either died, or lived a normal life with the woman who slept. No one knows who Talbot's mother is and why she adopted Talbot is still a big question mark.

Talbot Swift quickly spurred his horse to run up to par with Baldwin. Unlike his father's black horse Hexton, Talbot has always loved his mare Palmy. Palmy was a mare with brownish-yellow fur, much smaller in stature than Hexton, but capable of running quickly and with endurance. Although Talbot himself is a bastard, he is popular with Staflake, especially with Dami. Talbot is twenty-eight years old this year, with a bright, brilliant face. He is tall and muscular with a warm voice. But what other people like most about him is his sunny smile and blue eyes like a pearl in the sea. Baldwin's eye color is brown, so of course he inherited this beauty from his mother. Almost every girl in Staflake liked him, young fell in love, older liked him, only Beatrice wasn't as crazy as everyone else. In Beatrice's eyes, Uncle Talbot is a strong man, extremely gentle and friendly, but that's all. Beatrice wasn't too excited about the fact that he was so open with the maids here, which was not enough for her. Beatrice was more worried about Dami's part. She always had a hunch that she would take them away from the uncle-grandchild relationship.

"I think I'll be able to supply two more months after winter ends," Talbot spurred his horse along with Baldwin, his eyes fixed on him but Baldwin only stared ahead.

“This winter is going to be long…”, Baldwin kept his eyes straight, “You never know when the last snow will fall.”

The father and son continued to be silent. On the way, the whole group only heard the sound of horses' hooves on the gravel, the sound of horses neighing, the sound of the wind blowing, occasionally hearing a few human voices, but only the coughs of a few people who were suffering from a cold. After a while, Talbot tiptoed:

“I was thinking… I would ask Frankie to join his army.”

"What?"

“I think I can help him with the training…”

"Where do you think you're going?" Baldwin said with disdain.

"I just think I'm good enough for it," Talbot replied.

"You can stay with me and work," Baldwin completely ignored his son's words.

"But…"

"Don't forget your position!" shouted Baldwin, causing Talbot's horse to jump to a halt. Baldwin's Hexton just kept far behind Talbot. The whole group of people also passed him without saying a word. Talbot's expression was a bit embarrassed at first but then returned to a normal expression, as if it were a routine thing. Talbot had never been valued by Baldwin, for whatever reason he understood as well as the full moon. Talbot then put on the reins and urged Palmy to run after the group. They continued on towards Staflake.