Will of the Battlefield

Under the ancient elm tree, the gathering proceeded with an atmosphere that did not reflect the chaos further away.

A cool breeze drifted through the academy grounds, carrying with it the distant noise of arguments still raging within the great hall. Here, however, the atmosphere had settled into something more peaceful and warm.

Thane was devouring his sixth meat pie, unconcerned by chaos, peacefulness, or warmth in the slightest.

He had food, and that was everything that mattered to the hungry.

Eudora was watching both her father and brother as though she expected either to declare war on a neighboring kingdom at any moment.

Conor and Rimon sat stiff-backed, still struggling to accept that they were sharing a meal with a count and two academy principals.

Sky, at least, had recovered enough composure for her arm to start grabbing food.

Max was the least concerned. He remained as elegant as ever, seated quietly beside Thane.

Athenok Valerius wiped his fingers with a cloth before turning toward Thomas Ironforge.

"Well then, Thomas," he spoke in a friendly tone, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "It would appear the matter has resolved itself."

Thomas grunted around a mouthful of roasted venison.

"What matter?" he asked with a confused gaze.

Athenok, with open palms, said, "The one where you threatened to break apart the kingdom." He raised his eyebrows.

"I merely offered a suggestion." Thomas shook his head.

Zoases Aurion barked a laugh. "A suggestion?"

The principal of Golden Crown Academy shook his head. "Your suggestions have a habit of causing civil unrest."

Thomas shrugged his mountainous shoulders. "That sounds like a city problem." His words did not hold the slightest concern.

"That," Zoases said, pointing a finger at him, "is precisely why His Majesty keeps you in Borderstone. You are more rigid than your father."

Thane’s ears caught that, and his eyes darted away from the food. "Geezer, you knew Grandpa?" he asked.

Zoases nodded. "He was my friend."

Eudora snorted. "Unlike Grandpa, Father is banned from attending court unless summoned."

Thomas looked offended. "I am not banned."

"You threatened to kill the interior minister a while ago during a royal banquet."

Thomas retorted through his stuffed mouth. "That tasteless person dared to insult mountain ale." His fist tightened.

"You threw glass at him."

"Unfortunately he wasn’t hurt."

"Unfortunately?"

"It was just a glass. If it could hurt him... it means His Majesty wasted the ministry on him." Thomas shrugged.

Athenok sighed deeply. "This thing is running in the Ironforge blood."

Thomas grinned. "Not our fault."

"No," Athenok said. "That’s a fault of bloodline inheritance."

Thomas wasn’t offended. Instead, he laughed, and with his own laughter spread around the blanket.

Even Rimon managed a nervous smile.

At last, Zoases leaned forward. "Regardless," he said, "Blue Leaf Academy shall honor Thane’s request."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Athenok nodded. "Conor Fury, Sky Ressler, and Rimon Gill shall be admitted." He softly announced to everyone present.

Thomas nodded, his face held deep satisfaction.

Sky nearly choked on her food.

Rimon simply froze.

"Is that good enough?" Athenok looked at Thomas, who smiled.

"Very good."

Zoases sighed. "Now, in return, you must withdraw your statement regarding Borderstone’s independence."

Thomas waved a dismissive hand. "There is no need."

"No need?" Athenok questioned the statement.

Thomas chuckled. "I never intended to leave Bentram."

Eudora closed her eyes. "I knew it."

Zoases blinked. "You were bluffing?"

Thomas looked genuinely surprised. "Of course I was bluffing. That mannerless guy needed a couple of slaps on his face as well."

Conor, who was now having a drink, was caught in a fit of cough.

"Cough, cough, cough... You..." He wiped his face. "...threatened to found a kingdom!"

Thane merely lightly smacked his back twice. "The cough goes away," he assured.

Thomas nodded. "An effective bluff."

Athenok rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Do you have any idea how many people you terrified?"

"Quite a few, judging by their faces." The count looked rather pleased with himself.

Eudora muttered, "Mother truly should have come instead."

Thomas pretended not to hear.

Athenok shook his head in surrender before turning toward Thane. "That leaves one final matter."

Thane looked up from an entire roasted chicken. "Hm?"

"You mentioned four companions."

Thane nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."

"Sky. Rimon." Athenok counted on his fingers. "Conor. Who is the fourth?"

Thane pointed immediately. "Max."

Every eye turned. Max, who had been quietly drinking tea, blinked.

For the first time all afternoon, he appeared slightly uncomfortable.

Athenok studied him. "So. You are the fourth."

Max inclined his head politely. "Yes, Principal."

Athenok inquired, "You have not introduced yourself."

The handsome youth set down his cup. He rose smoothly. His posture was perfect and his manners impeccable.

He offered the sort of bow only noble children received after years of tutoring. "My name is Maximilian Goldcaster."

Zoases slowly lowered his cup. Athenok’s eyes widened. Even Thomas stopped eating.

The two principals exchanged a glance.

"Maximilian..." Zoases repeated carefully. "Goldcaster?"

Max nodded. "Yes."

The old principal leaned forward. "Maximilian Goldcaster, second overall in the Strategic Assessment?"

Max smiled faintly. "I was fortunate."

Conor turned toward him so quickly that his neck audibly cracked. "Second?"

Sky’s jaw dropped.

Rimon looked as though he’d been struck.

Eudora stared. Thomas was surprised too.

Even Thane had his jaw dropped. "Second?" the smaller giant repeated.

Max looked embarrassed. "It was only the strategic category."

"Only?" Sky exclaimed.

"Only?" Conor echoed.

The strategic examination was infamous on more than one level and aspect.

The test involved military simulations, logistics, economics, diplomacy, siege warfare, political analysis, and battlefield command.

Many candidates left the examination halls weeping.

Max had taken every mental trial in a single day. It also had guest aspirants from foreign nations like Etno Kamsi and Donovan Young.

Yet he still managed to secure second place against all odds.

Thane blinked several times. Then a huge grin spread across his face. "You’re really smart."

Max gave him a side-eye. "That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you for an entire week."

"I knew, but not that you would get second."

Conor groaned. "Gods save us."

Thomas folded his arms. "So my son managed to find himself a smart companion."

Eudora nodded solemnly. "Compensation from nature."

Thane frowned. "What does that mean?"

"No idea," Eudora said.

Zoases had recovered enough to ask another question. "Goldcaster."

His voice had become much more careful. "Are you related to Goldcaster Merchandise?"

Max nodded. "I am." He spoke without divulging details that were unnecessary for the time being.

Everyone in Bentram knew Goldcaster Merchandise.

The merchant conglomerate possessed fleets, caravans, warehouses, mines, banks, and enough wealth to influence the kingdom.

Its reach extended far and wide across the entire continent.

Zoases quietly inquired, "Antonio Goldcaster?"

"My father."

Conor inhaled sharply.

Sky almost fainted.

Thomas whistled. "The Merchant King himself."

Max offered a weary smile. "I am merely his seventeenth son." He gave a slight hint.

"Seventeenth?" Rimon squeaked.

Thomas let out a laugh. "Your father certainly keeps busy." He slapped his own knee.

Max looked mortified. "My lord..."

"Uncle," Thomas reminded him.

"And your mother?" Athenok asked.

"Lady Isabella Prada," Max answered readily.

This time Zoases actually said something incomprehensible softly, which probably sounded like a curse.

The Prada family was a well-known one across the kingdom, especially among the nobility.

The head of Prada was a marquess, and most in the family were government officials. Thomas’s laughter got louder. He laughed so hard that his eyes began to tear. "Thane." He called his son amid the fit.

The giant looked up. "Yes?"

He gave him a thumbs-up. "You truly are your mother’s son." He looked amused.

"Why?" asked Thane, confusion written all over his face.

"You somehow befriended a merchant prince, a future strategist, and one of the influential heirs in the kingdom without realizing it."

Thane looked confused. "What? That’s just Max." He looked at Max. "Look, he is still too skinny. We gotta put some meat on his shoulders first," he said dismissively.

"Well," Max shrugged, "I’m not someone important right now anyway."

Athenok Valerius leaned back.

For perhaps the first time in decades, he felt genuine joy. He still had his eyes going back and forth at Zoases. His deal with him concerned Thane... Having Max as well was just the work of fate.

Still, he had already secured Thane Ironforge. Now he would gain Conor Fury.

Sky Ressler and Rimon Gill were average. And Maximilian Goldcaster, one of the brightest minds of their generation.

Blue Leaf Academy had not merely recruited students.

It had acquired a legend in the making.

Beside him, Zoases Aurion stared at the gathering and experienced something exceedingly rare.

He was regretting it. Deep, painful regret.

He had thought he was losing only Thane.

Instead, he had surrendered an entire constellation.

And Athenok knew it.

The old principal lifted his cup toward Zoases with a smile that bordered on smugness.

Zoases glared.

Athenok’s smile only widened.

For the first time that day, Zoases understood that Golden Crown Academy had truly lost.

Not on the battlefield. But here, beneath a tree, over lunch.