“Rafael and Gabrial you can leave.”

I feel like I’m about to get told off and I don’t even know why, where has this atmosphere came from I look towards Raphael to see that he has just finished a bow and is heading out of the room.

“Follow me.”

His words know me out of my stupor and I follow behind him like a zombie, my body on complete autopilot. I’m led outside where there is more light due to the sun casting an orange hue over the garden we are walking through. Our house isn’t a castle but a manor with walls and four watchtowers, each tower sporting the banner of earl Moon, a black backdrop with a red crescent moon inside.

As I follow behind Father I’m able to appreciate how refined his movements are down to every step there is no wasted energy, no distraction leading to a step that would change his movements by even a cm, everything is perfect. Is that how I would have to act If I wanted to become a lord.

It was then it hit me I was following my lord right now, not my Father, eyes full of kindness but an atmosphere that exudes strength so you won’t question his decision, it's why I followed almost aimlessly and why I felt both scared and safe at the same time. This is the air that a lord should have.

As we made it to the nearest tower I followed as my Lord led the way, up the stairs and onto the watchtower overviewing the city.

“my Lord.”

“You are Dismissed head to the barraks and come back in one hour understood”

“Yes, my Lord”

After saying that the guard made himself gone and I was left with just my Lord and city Moon. Looking over the city as the sun set was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen since being born here.

The sun cast a deep orange glow over the field where I could still see people working, along with the light breeze, the fields looked like it could have been a famous painting back on earth, I was starting to wish I still had my camera to capture this scene.

Closer to the city the hue was more of a yellow lighting up the walls surrounding the city I could see our outer wall and it was a massive structure compaired to the fancy wall that a passed through to leave the noble district. I could even make out what seemed to be catapults and ballistas on the wall, the wall itself was made out of what seemed to be a black stone causing the walls to be quite ominous.

Looking through the streets I could see the difference between the nobels and the commoner districts, as in the nobels district was nearly empty with a couple merchents still on the streets and the only troube seemed to be some adventures in one of the inns but even then they we’re closly watched over by about 10 knights so there was no chance for any touble. While in the commoner district it was hard to spot any knights and any you did see patrolled in squads of 6 meaning they we’re few and inbetween, the streets we’re lively and the lights of the district lit up the city I could even make out Bren’s bar from here as they had a spot on the main street.

“Joseph what do you see from here?”

At first I was too entraped by the sight to respond but eventually I was able to look away and face my Lord, he still looked dignified with a straight posture and a hand on the railing looking over the city, if he didn’t say my name I might have thought he wasn’t talking to me even if I’m the only other person here.

“I see our city, in all its beauty and all of its uglyness”

I feel like I might have overstepped my boundry but I feel like I should at least try and gaige a reaction out of my Father, just too see what the values of this culture might be even if its only limited to my family.

Fathers hand on the railings suddenly tightens and if I was still looking at the seanery I might have missed it but Father looks to me and reaches out and pulls me close to stand in front of him looking at the same view.

“You are not wrong but your view on the world is still very narrow since you’ve never stepped foot out of this city, when you’ve been to Osoerde or Boeruine and had a look at the citys in those countries you will come to understand how fortunate you are to have been born here.”

I stay silent in contemplation over his words as I was truly being to narrow in my view, even in my past life I was born in the UK and thought bad of the citys there to only truly see how bad some other people had it in other countries.

“Hahahahah you dont even have to go that far, just make a trip to any of the border cities to see how bad life can truly be.”

We both stand in silence. I look at my Fathers hand on the railing to see that it is scarred, they are only little but if his hands are this scarred what about the rest of his body? I have never thought that my father had fought in a war but it makes sense since even we are to be expected to enlist at 12.

“I have a responsibility for all these people in this city, for the good of the people as a whole. I will treat the merchants who pass through better than them, because the merchants will bring trade and more trade means more money and eventually that will trickle back to them. I will treat all my knights like my own children because they are my defence. That's why I give the talented knights nobility and move them into the noble district, to motivate the other knights to aspire the same treatment. If there is no difference between the common and noble districts what will motivate them to climb higher. These are some of the harsh realities I have imposed upon this city and no matter what happens as long as I’m still Lord of this city I have no regrets, yes no regrets.”

I look to my Lord and see a fire burning in his red eyes and find myself lost in them, I have never had a resolve like that in anything I’ve done, where does he find his resolve? Jealousy, for the first time since being reborn I am jealous and although petty I want to prod at his resolve.

“What about the bandits, are they another part of your motivation for the commoners.”

He actually turns to look at me and I see anger in those eyes of his I feel like I might have overstepped my bounds just a bit. But he sighs and goes to look to the city again and I follow his gaze.

“ There will always be bandits son, they will rise and fall. It is an endless cycle. When a border city falls or a battle has been fought refugees and deserters will retreat inland and mainly the deserters as they are criminals will fall into banditry, the increase in skirmishes has led to a build up in bandits.”

His body which had been tense and refined has loosened up and I felt the presence of the Lord disappear and my Father return.

“Usually after a battle there will always be bandits, I will wait to let them come together so I can take care of them in one swoop, but this time I made a mistake and underestimated the level of these bandits. There are soldiers from boths sides in these bandit camps and the leaders of these bands are both B rank, combined with the other fodder our garrison can’t afford to attack one of these camps let alone both of them. I have requested help from the Duke but he is stalling.”

“Why is he stalling, isn’t it his people who are getting harmed by this?”

“Yes but you don’t get to be a Duke without having multiple adgenders, and I think the Duke is either waiting for my son to enlist to see if we are worth the investment or for me to deal with it myself to see my worth. It's times like this where I pray its to former as I don’t know what I’ll do otherwise.”

“Have you thought of using the bandits against each other?” I ask the only question I can think of. It hurts to see this strong man looking this weak.

“hehehe A little general are we, well the thought did cross my mind as there has to be a reason why there is two factions but those are adult problems. Anyway I see you are looking at Bren’s bar has little Dara caught your eye?”

And here he is, the teasing Father that I know well, this is definitely much better than how he was before. “ What are you talking about, no way and how do you even know she is called Dara?”

“hahaha that is the Lord's duty to know all of his citizens especially the talented ones, they always catch my eye, now its getting late and you need to go to bed.”

As he says that its almost as if he cast some magic on me, I feel sleep taking me as Father picks me up and takes me to bed.