Voxis stared at Ezra.
"Hmm, you really are p.r.o.ne to s.p.a.cing out," Voxis said.
"Really I am?" asked Ezra.
"You were doing it for a good ten seconds."
"Oh,"
"Anyway, it"s a real shame that I lost to a year old who didn"t even use magic," Voxis ears turned red.
"What you didn"t lose, it was a draw remember? And, you were going easy on me." Ezra replied.
"Even then, that"s already an amazing feat to beat an Earl without using spells, you truly will turn powerful in the future. Oh I just wanted to remind you I am an earl in t.i.tle only, I will officially be the lord of my fiefdom when I turn 18, a viscount will challenge me for the t.i.tle" Voxis was tense when he said this, he wasn"t confident in the upcoming challenge.
"You know, you should get over your hesitance to cast spells, If you keep on doing that you will hinder future growth, your spells maybe powerful but if you don"t hone the control over them you will never be a Primarch in the future,"Voxis added
"I"ll keep that in mind."
"Can I ask a favour Ezra?"
"What is it? It depends on what you ask."
"I just want you to put a good word with your father, I seek some guidance, I hope he could give me a few pointers in my training."
"Hmm, I"ll see what I can do." Ezra smiled.
"Really? That"s great Ezra, thank you!" He beamed.
"Well, I"ve got to go back to the castle now, Looks like you need to spend a few more hours, here. Sorry about that."
"Don"t worry, it"s pretty much gone now," Voxis stopped wincing altogether.
Ezra walked out of the infirmary and was met by his guards.
"Sire, are you okay?" asked Caspian.
"Yep, I was just knocked out from that shockwave."
"We heard the specifics from Maester Grimfire, Lord Voxis is actually an Earl?"
"Sort of yeah."
Everyone present was stunned, for a seven-year-old to knock out an earl was truly a shocking feat.
"Guys, he was going easy on me, I estimate that if he didn"t hold back so much I would have been obliterated in an instant," Ezra spoke.
"That is still amazing sire," added Rycharde.
"No wonder he was familiar he looked like the late Lord Rosenkrantz," Evered said. "Earl Rosenkrantz father died along Lord Blackfyre"s,"
"Huh, what happened before?" asked Ezra
"Well, it is not my place to say, you should go ask your Lord Father"
"Hmm, I"ll keep that in mind," Ezra said. "Anyway apparently Princess Hestia is Visiting tomorrow, I need help,"
Everyone roared with laughter.
"It"s not a joke guys! I don"t know what to do. We need her so that Bren will be in the good graces of His Imperial Majesty," Ezra smirked.
"It"s just funny, milord, normally we ask you for how we can solve problems and not the other way around," answered Hearth as they walked toward the stables.
"Haha, you are treating it like this is a business deal, " Rycharde commented with a grin. "Just relax and be yourself, and stop s.p.a.cing out,"
"Hahaha, you just contradicted yourself, Rycharde, How can Lord Ezra be himself without him blanking out on people or going on weird rants and explanations." Evered chuckled.
"You"re right," replied Rycharde merrily.
Caspian opened the door to the stables as they went to each of their horses. Castle Blackfyre was near but they used mounts to keep appearances. Each of them climbed over their steed.
Ezra had a quizzical look, "Do you guys really think that I am that much of an oddball?"
"We dare not answer that, "answered Evered. Everybody snickered.
"Just relax milord, you are tensing up," Caspian tried to soothe Ezra as their mounts strutted. They went into formation, the senior guards at the back while the junior ones in front.
"Easy for you to say, Caspian, you are not the one she threw her drink at, it wasn"t a simple throw as well, she threw both the contents and the cup aiming at my face if I wasn"t quick the cup would have hit me squarely."
The guards laughed yet again.
"Hmm, just try to pay as much attention to her as much as possible," commented Rycharde. "Women want attention, especially if they like you." He scratched his head.
"Oh? Tell me more."
"Well, when I and Leah were dating she would often, try to grab my attention from the simplest of things,"
"Well now you are married has it changed since then?" Ezra inquired.
"Hmm," Rycharde rubbed his chin."Not exactly, she still wants my attention but she just changed the means of getting it, she"s less direct now, haha."
"Lord Ezra, try not to treat it as a dilemma or a duty, genuinely try to get to know her," Evered said. "Maybe you"ll actually like her. Besides she is seven years old and will most definitely change in the future, not every seven-year-old is like you, Lord Ezra."
Another wave of laughter ensued.
"Hey, hey, could you quit laughing at me? I really need advice." Ezra"s face was sullen looking at the palace that was his home. Ezra thought about how lords were on Earth, a lording visiting anywhere in his domain would garner a procession of guards.
In Bren it was not so, he didn"t know how about other domains that operated in Rex Imperium but compared with Earth his escort was pretty small, he didn"t know whether this was only because of his family"s insistence of abstaining from extravagance or it was the culture here in Bren.
Looking back at the past five years, thieving and scamming was rare in Bren, he never even saw his father command a beheading, the worst punishment inflicted was lashes. Poverty in the city was minimal and Reitz sought to it that no one starved during winter. He also made wood shelters for people, they were cramped but they did the job of keeping everyone with a roof over their head when they needed it.
That was the reason why the coffers of Castle Blackfyre were low compared to other cities, with Bren"s populous happy, they could focus more on their tasks and in the end production was better in Bren the other cities. This gave them enough money to keep the cycle and pay their taxes.
The abundance and content of the population of Bren went to show how much of a capable leader and manager his father was, who rarely delegated high position tasks.
"Why not give her a tour of Bren tomorrow, personally led by you? Make sure to focus on her though. And then bring her to your lab so that she can understand you better" Rycharde suggested.
"Great Idea Rycharde, Thanks" Ezra smiled. "You guys are coming anyway so you will have to help me,"
"Of course Lord Ezra," Evered answered. "Oh then have her back at the castle to have a splendid dinner."
"Now, now Evered, they are still children you know, one should not be thinking about romance," Rycharde said.
"Well, they are betrothed you know?"
"Yes but they are too young and should just get to know each other in the meantime," Rycharde answered.
The banter between Evered and Rycharde continued until they reached the castle grounds. Ezra paid no attention and looked at the distance, planning the event tomorrow.