The king's eyes

I see the castle in the distance.

We arrive home.

The carefree summer in the company of my friends is well and truly over. I’m going to resume my boring lessons with the members of the court...

But also, combat training is much more entertaining.

Joan has become an ace in this field.

He is just 20 years old now, a real war strategist, he organizes the defense of the kingdom, and he has lots of ideas for the development of the training of all volunteers to become peacekeepers.

He has developed an impressive resistance to combat, an asset of our demonic bloodline. It’s apparently the only one he has. And I have the impression that he compensates by working intensively on his fighting techniques every day.

I know he remains very marked by my father’s assault to save Iris. He was so heroic and impressive that we will never be able to forget this moment, he is very admiring of my father and would have liked to have the same faculties, the same powers.

It may still be possible, we don’t know if it can still develop or not, but my father thinks so.

For my part, I work on my ability to evaluate the people I meet. To guess their desires, their needs, and also their little hidden vice. I am hypersensitive to my environment, I now know how to determine the species of someone.

Iris helped me a little to sharpen this faculty.

My dad is helping me hide my aura, but right now I can’t really do it. I want to improve myself in this exercise.

Here, speaking of my father, he comes to welcome me, as always. I go to meet him.

I dismount to snuggle up in his big arms, and he says

"Welcome home honey."

"Thank you, dad."

"So, Vorah?" He asked.

"As usual, I was able to see everyone again, it was great. Where is Iris?"

"With your little brother, in the woods, I think he takes pleasure in driving her crazy." He said, laughing.

"Ah, it was time for me to come back. A real rascal that one, she has such patience, I admire her!" I said, laughing too.

"Yes, it’s sure. We don’t have the recipe for raising a human-wizard-elf-demon boy. We improvise.

With me, it rolls all alone that said. He sensed my demonic authority. As for Iris… Well, authority level there is still to do." He admitted.

"Yes, I totally see. I’m going to see Nana, then I’m going to reframe this little monster." I said, kissing him.

"Good. I still have work to do, but after that, I take Oro with me to see the horses." He said, leaving.

I find my grandmother, who is often in the gardens.

I tell her about my summer in Vorah, I suggest she come with me next time, even though I know she will say no.

She doesn’t want to travel as much anymore, it’s too tiring.

I know she is fine here. To have her son back healthy is all she was waiting for.

We all take care of her.

She actively participated in court proceedings, and the organization of events, and often went to town to meet citizens.

She has her little routine and I know she is happy. She sometimes talks about my grandfather, she is still troubled by her past with him.

She wished she could help him, and appease him. So I suggest that she go to her grave with her, and talk to him. She had a little trouble at first, but now she goes there every week, and prefers to go alone.

It’s her little therapy.

I see Iris and my little brother near the little house in the woods, she is explaining to him I don’t know what, and he is not paying attention at all.

"Satine!"

He jumps into my arms, this little blond is so cute, we are all disconcerted by his charm and his humor. Everyone adores him, I know he plays his influence all the time... No one can scold him when he does anything wrong.

"So my little bunny, did you learn things during my absence? I missed you!!!" I asked, hugging him.

"I missed you so much!" He said, continuing to hug me.

"We’re going to spend some time together, you and me, and you’re going to tell me everything. Then tonight I’ll read to you, okay?" I proposed.

"Yeah! the Knights! The Knights of Lights!!" He yelled, excited.

"Yes, yes, we know it by heart but if it makes you happy… So are you good with mum?" I asked him.

"… A little…" He admited.

"Ah! But then? Mom is very nice, she shows you lots of things so that you become very strong! But if you are not wise, she will be tired, so tired that she can no longer teach you how to become the strongest in the world!!

Mom needs your help not to be too tired, do you think you can help her? I know you can, I know I can count on you.

Dad is taking you to see the horses later, and we’ll tell dad how good you were, huh?" I said.

"Okay! Yes, horses!! I want to be a knight!" He answered, enthusiastically.

"Yes, well for that you have to learn, and you can’t learn when you’re not listening. You can play afterward when the lessons are over."

Oro nods even though I know he will be unleashed again as soon as I put him down. I just hope he spares his mother a little.

Iris looks at me, grateful, and says "Well… You’re really good with him. With me, he doesn’t listen to anything!"

"You are his mother, he will always be tougher and will allow himself everything with you, that’s normal. But we are here, ask us for a little help, you look exhausted." I said.

"… He scorched my sunflowers again…

He understood this summer how to amplify the sun’s rays. So it was good at first, we managed to grow unusual vegetables, which I didn’t even know!

But after that, it degenerated… It is better to always have an eye on him!" She said, upset.

"Hahahahaa what an artist this one." I added, laughing.

"Anyway, then Vorah? Hope you enjoyed it." She said, curious.

"Yes it was fun, there were a lot of parties.

... But people are a little too cold with me, even my friends sometimes don’t dare to be natural since they know who I am." I confessed.

"Oh,I see... I hope they’ll pass. Did you have a… special encounter?" She finally asked.

"Oh, that question.

No Iris, there is only one special person for me, no one can match him.

He is irreplaceable in my mind, that’s how it is.

I can not do anything about it. He’s everything I want in a partner.

There are suitors, they are even very good, they are kind and fundamentally benevolent, they admire me and really want me...

But none of them are him. That’s all."

She looks at me with this sympathetic look, she tries to reassure me by telling me that one day I will meet someone who may call everything into question. Yes…

I don’t ask myself questions, I don’t expect anything