The days passed peacefully at the Veyron estate. Since Aldren’s return, the atmosphere had changed slightly. His presence brought something old back into the manor, as though a piece of its history had returned with him. The Black Raven knights also seemed pleased to have him back. Even those who had only known him by reputation immediately showed him the respect owed to their former commander. Kael, however, had discovered one particularly unexpected thing about Aldren. He talked. A lot. Far too much, according to him. — You should have seen his face when he was little, Aldren was saying from the sitting room. Kael, sitting near the window, slowly looked up from his book. — Aldren. — Yes, my little Kael? — No. Noah stifled a laugh behind his cup. Lysandra, sitting beside him, was clearly trying not to smile. Ethan hadn't even bothered hiding his amusement. — Please, Aldren. Continue. — Ethan. — What? — You're supposed to be my brother. — Exactly. That's why I want to hear this story. Aldren placed a hand over his stomach, already amused by the memory. — He must have been about six. Your father had gone to train with the knights, and your mother had asked me to keep an eye on him for a few hours. Kael slowly closed his book. — I have a feeling I'm not going to like this story. — He disappeared. Noah raised his head. — Disappeared? — Completely. — Where? Aldren pointed at Kael. — In the gardens. Kael sighed. — I simply knew the gardens very well. — You were hiding behind a hedge for almost an hour. — I was thinking. — You were six. — And? This time, Lysandra openly laughed. Kael gave her a slightly offended look, but she didn't seem impressed in the slightest. — Sorry, she said. But… six years old, hiding behind a hedge? — I wasn't hiding. Aldren nodded gravely. — Of course. You were simply… strategically invisible. Noah put his cup down. — That sounds a lot like the Kael we know today. — Thank you, Noah. — It was a compliment. — I don't think it was. The laughter that followed was simple and natural. Kael remained silent for a few seconds, observing the people around him. There was something strange about this scene. Not strange in a bad way. Simply… different. Only a few weeks ago, he would have had trouble imagining himself sitting in a living room listening to a childhood story while Ethan made fun of him, Noah laughed openly, and Lysandra tried to hide her smile. Even Adrian, sitting a little farther away with a book, had looked up several times. He didn't say much. But he was watching. And Kael was beginning to understand that he no longer needed to remain constantly on guard around certain people. --- Later that afternoon, Kael joined Aldren in the training courtyard. Several Black Raven knights were already practicing. The sound of weapons echoed against the stone walls. Aldren watched their movements for several minutes before Kael came to stand beside him. — They're doing well. — They'd better be. Aldren crossed his arms. — You are their Supreme Commander, after all. Kael looked at the knights. — I know. — You shouldn't only know how to wield your authority. You need to understand the people who carry it with you. Kael turned his head slightly. Aldren continued: — Your father understood that. Silence followed. Kael didn't answer immediately. — You worked with him often? — Very often. Aldren looked across the courtyard. — Your father was excellent in combat. But that wasn't his greatest quality. — Then what was? A small smile appeared on the old man's face. — He knew how to listen. Kael raised an eyebrow. — My father? — Yes. — I find that hard to imagine. Aldren laughed. — Your father talked a lot when he was younger. — Seriously? — Your father could spend an hour explaining a strategy that could have been explained in five minutes. Kael gave a small smile. — That doesn't sound like me. — No. You do the opposite. — I talk too little? — Far too little. Kael looked at the knights again. — Perhaps. Aldren placed a hand on his shoulder. — You don't need to become your father. Kael remained silent. — Or your mother, Aldren added. Nor do you need to become the perfect patriarch everyone expects you to be. Kael looked at him. — Then what am I supposed to become? Aldren smiled. — Yourself. The answer was simple. Perhaps too simple. But Kael kept it in mind. --- By evening, the estate had become particularly quiet. The corridors were lit by magical lamps whose soft light reflected against the old paintings. Kael was walking alone when he heard a voice behind him. — Going to the greenhouse again? He turned. Darius was leaning against a wall, arms crossed. — Maybe. — You go there often. — So? — Nothing. Darius smiled. — I was just checking that you hadn't decided to move your bed there. Kael gave him a look. — It would be practical. — I knew you'd say that. They continued walking side by side. As they moved farther away, the conversations coming from the other rooms gradually faded. Darius eventually asked: — You okay? Kael thought for a moment. — Yes. — Really? — Yes. Darius nodded. He didn't ask anything else. That was precisely what Kael appreciated about him. They reached the gardens. The evening breeze gently moved the trees. In the distance, the greenhouse could be seen through the foliage. Kael stopped for a moment. — Darius? — Hmm? — Do you think my parents would be happy to see the estate today? Darius looked at the manor behind them. Then at Kael. — I think they'd mostly be surprised. — Why? — Because you've managed to make this place feel even more alive. Kael lowered his eyes slightly. — I barely did anything. — Exactly. Darius gave him a small pat on the shoulder. — You let people live here. Kael smiled faintly. They remained silent for a few seconds. Then Darius added: — And Aldren is probably going to tell another twenty embarrassing stories before the vacation is over. Kael sighed. — I could send him back on a mission. — You wouldn't dare. — I'm the Supreme Commander. — And he has known you since you were six. Kael thought about it. — That's a problem. Darius burst out laughing. For the first time in a long while, Kael laughed too. --- Several kilometers away, in an old wing of the estate that was barely used anymore, an ancient clock stopped. No one noticed. The room was shrouded in darkness. Several portraits of members of House Veyron from generations past hung along the walls. Some names were still perfectly readable. Others had almost disappeared. At the far end of the room stood an ancient door. It was massive, made of dark wood reinforced with metal bands. No one used it. No one even seemed to remember what lay beyond it. Yet a thin line of light appeared for a few seconds between the floor and the bottom of the door. Then it vanished. The clock started ticking again. In the gardens, Kael had noticed nothing. He was still talking with Darius. And for now, the estate remained peaceful. But after centuries of silence, some things had perhaps never truly stopped waiting.

A House That Remembers