Chapter 10 | Nash Volk

   16 years ago.

   It wasn't a secret, but not many people knew about it either. 

   Duke Geno had first stumbled on this fact when his friend, Anastas, came to him with a sick child in his arms.

   "Another one, Anastas?"

   The whole of Haerford Castle rushed to ready a room for their usual guest. 

   A little boy dashed past servants, with all of them calling after him. "Young master!"

   "She's here!" he would answer.

   The servants he passed laughed in reply.

   "Young master," a hand stopped the boy from entering his father's study, "the First Commander is inside as well. Please remember to be mindful."

   Aleksi nodded in understanding. Voices on the other side of the door came off as murmurs until the door cracked open, leaving enough space for the boy to slip quietly in.

   "When was it when you brought Evie? Just last year, no?"

   Anastas slumped in confirmation.

   The Duke gave him a sympathetic smile. "This one is early. Nash malen'kiy volk, huh. Already so eager. I do remember Sona having difficulty with her pregnancy with this one."

   "Yes, that’s correct. An early birth.” 

   The duchess rose to her feet to bring the baby a knitted blanket with an embroidered hybridized wold and dragon.

   "How is Sona now?" She held a hand to her tummy. "It would be so blessed to have our children be born on the same day."

   "She's doing a lot better, Dzidra. Not anything like when she was pregnant with Asena."

   A young Aleksi poked Asena's cheeks. "Nash malen'kiy volk." 

   Asena glowed a little at the touch of Aleksi, but he was not phased by this. He'd seen it happen before.

   "Evren has taken to assisting her mother at home, hasn't she? I wonder if Asena will be like that too."

   "Will she even survive the fever?" Anastas sighed heavily. "She is only but two, Geno!"

   "We have one of the best Seeds in the empire. Surely, as he did before, he can do for Asena. Be sure of it, Anastas."

   "To think," Dzidra patted the empty seat beside her for her son, "both your children, a Seed. It's amazing to just have one."

   "A phenomenon," Geno agreed.

   "It's in her blood," Anastas told them. "The blood of a Saintess flows in Sona and now to my children."

   The Duke delightedly clapped his hands. "Vivre did leave us in such exciting situations!"

   "Geno!" 

   Dzidra tried not to find the situation as fun as her husband. Though, it was true. It was a treat to watch one grow into their abilities let alone two.

   "Will they have to be taken to Lucius Temple like her highness, Eirian?"

   "Princess Ji-Won was a... collateral."

   "Co-Corlaterle?"

   "Collateral, my boy. It means, payment, like when the money I give to our staff."

   "Will Evren be... corlateral? Money? Will nash volk also go away?"

   "Not if we stay quiet." Dzidra brought a finger to her lips. "It's a secret, Alek. You understand secrets."

   Aleksi nodded.

   "Like yesterday, when you went out to town and told me not to tell Dad."

   Geno raised a brow to his wife.

   "Yes..." Dzidra's voice came out breathy, "Just like then."

   "When–?" came the voice of her worried husband.

   "Oh dear, I'm safe as you see."

   She laughed heartily; the Duke had to let the matter go seeing his wife enjoy a bit of adventure months before she's due.

   The door to the study opened after a resounding knock. A middle-aged man bowed to greet the family. 

   "Klaus, has he come yet?"

   "He is preparing, your grace.”

   "And how is your wife, Klaus? And your son too." Dzidra smiled, changing the topic.

   "She is doing well, your grace. Panu is growing well. I'm sure he'll succeed me perfectly."

   "Will Panu come to play?"

   "Later, Aleksi. Later,” his mother assured.

   "Can I hold Asena while we wait for Grandfather?"

   "I don't see why not," Geno turned to his friend for approval.

   "How can you all be so calm?"

   "You are the parent, Anastas," Dzidra said softly. "I'm sure we would be in your place had it been Aleksi or our little one here."

   As soon as Aleksi held Asena in his arms, neatly supported by a corner on the couch, a rather old man entered the room with clacking sounds following him. He had pointed ears, not entirely covered by his long locks, and wore a robe that billowed behind him.

   "Where is nash volk?" He lightly stomped his feet about the place in search of the baby. "Ahh, there she be! Well, quiet isn't she? So quiet."

   "She stopped crying right around the time of the fever."

   "How odd," the old man observed out loud.

   "Yes, isn't it? When my Alek was born, he was usually quiet as a mouse. Only when he was sick does he make loud noises."

   Aleksi blushed.

   "I'm older now. Six and a half."

   Asena did not look as though she was in pain as if she couldn't feel the height of her fever.

   "Does she not feel pain?"

   Aleksi took this as a direction and pinched the baby on the arm. The baby stared back without a reaction. Again, Aleksi pinched her, this time on the cheek, wondering if maybe her clothes had made the pinch less effective. But the baby only stared back.

   "Aren't you going to cry? Like this." 

   On queue, Asena cried as he did.

   "She cried!" Aleksi excitedly informed the grown-ups, feeling quite accomplished.

   "Is it a marking of a Seed?" Geno pondered.

   "Not likely," said the grandfather. "Evren was not like this and neither was Sona. How old again was she? One? It is not so unusual for a baby not to cry though it would be another matter entirely if she cannot feel the pain at all."

   "Then, nash volk is even more special?"

   "The fever will go down on its own soon enough, Anastas. Let the young lord absorb her excess mana for the meantime."

   "Well, why don't we bring her to her room then, Aleksi?"

   Reluctant to let the baby go, Aleksi handed Asena to his nanny. Together, they made their way through the long halls of the castle. The adults remained.

   The fever didn't let up for months. Anastas was strained to leave his daughter at the hands of his friends as he tended to his daughter and pregnant wife back at home. It wouldn't be until both families welcomed in the new additions to their family did the fever finally disappear.

   While the march had taken the entire morning before Aleksi decided to set camp early to discuss their next move, Asena had recovered, to no surprise to Bridgette.

   Those with power were gathered together to decide the fate of Belmasse en Caux Port. Each was given voting powers to offset the biased perspective of the young lord. The discussion had taken quite some time with the light first at its brightest until shadows increasingly cast upon the forest. 

   "We must send Asena. It is the rational option."

   Aleksi sighed and looked at Asena. He could tell that she was eager to do something, to quench her thirst for curiosity and boredom even if she couldn't recognize them as her emotions. Parting would make him anxious. It wouldn't do much to her. Additionally, the task at hand, as his commanders and elders have already told him countlessly, required a certain amount of indifference. Asena was the rational option. Even Dyadya was not as anxious as he.

   He took a deep breath. "Ladno."

   Already, he could see, Asena was happier than she was a moment ago.

   "We'll send her and my chosen few knights,” he continued to say.

   Asena sat back. "I don't need other knights."

   "With your arm, really, Asena?" Rusen talked back.

   "Yes, I cannot agree more. She will need others to assist her," her father agreed readily.

   "I have a recommendation," Manny said.

   "As do I," Panu informed the room.

   "Alright, then," Aleksi stood up, "that's who we'll send to Belmasse."

chapter footnotes:

1. Nash volk means “our wolf”. It's a play on Asena's name which is derived from the Turkic tribe of the same name.

2. Nash malen'kiy volk is "our little wolf".

3. Fun fact: The Dukedom of Damyanov is made up of cultures derived from Eastern Europe with influence from Africa. Elder Monik is such a character where his design is based on Northern African fashion whereas Asena is drawn with Turkish traditional armor. In contrast, I did make the ducal family heavily based on Russian fashion from casual wear to their armor, while having Bulgarian names.