Chapter 35: Draven has a conversation with Fenrick about his daughter Taliah.

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Draven has a conversation with Fenrick about his daughter Taliah.

Once inside the mansion, Draven asked.

"Where is Taliah?"

"Bathing."

Draven raised an eyebrow and Fenrick smiled.

"That’s why she didn’t come to greet you."

"I thought she would be here."

"She wanted to be."

That didn’t surprise Draven.

They crossed a large hall where several employees were working, and farther ahead a woman approached.

She had dark blonde hair and a calm expression, at which Fenrick made a gesture.

"Draven, this is my wife."

The woman smiled.

"Merwyn Valdegrim."

Draven inclined his head slightly.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine."

Merwyn observed him for a few seconds.

"I’ve heard quite a bit about you."

Draven looked at Fenrick.

"That worries me."

Merwyn let out a small laugh.

"Mostly from Taliah."

"That worries me even more."

Fenrick laughed.

"You’ll get used to it."

Merwyn said goodbye after exchanging a few words and continued toward another area of the mansion.

Fenrick kept walking with Draven.

"I wanted to talk to you before Taliah appears."

’There it is.’

Draven kept a calm expression.

"I understand."

Fenrick stopped.

"Thank you."

Draven took a moment to answer.

"Why?"

"For protecting my daughter."

Draven looked at him.

"Sir..."

"Taliah told me what happened."

’Not everything.’

That much was obvious.

"You kept fighting even after losing an arm."

Draven remained silent.

"And you managed to get both of them out of there."

"The soldiers did that."

"Because you used the emergency signal."

Draven averted his gaze and Fenrick continued.

"Taliah speaks very highly of you."

Draven felt discomfort, since the reality had been different.

Taliah had taken an attack meant for him, so she had been the one who nearly died protecting him.

Draven had accepted becoming Elfin’s vessel because he couldn’t find another way to save her, so he didn’t feel he deserved that gratitude.

"Taliah also protected me."

Fenrick nodded.

"I know."

"More than she should have."

Fenrick observed him for a few seconds.

"That sounds like something my daughter would say."

They continued walking.

They stepped out into an inner garden where there were flowers, trees, and several stone paths.

Fenrick walked slowly.

"The Valdegrim family has held a particular position within Aster for centuries."

Draven listened.

"I suppose you know part of our history."

"Quite a bit, Sir Fenrick."

"I’m not surprised."

Fenrick pointed to one of the mansion’s wings.

"Come."

They returned inside and entered a long corridor where the walls were covered with paintings.

Draven recognized some faces, since they were old members of the family, such as generals, nobles, and people who had held important political positions.

Fenrick pointed to one of the portraits.

"This is Aldric Valdegrim."

Draven observed the man in the painting.

"The hero."

"One of them."

Fenrick crossed his arms.

"Five hundred years ago, Elfin came close to destroying a large part of what we now know as Aster."

Draven remained silent.

He knew the history, but hearing it at that moment was different.

"A group of heroes managed to defeat him."

Fenrick looked at the portrait.

"Aldric was among them."

"From what I understand, after that, Aster became a power."

Fenrick nodded.

"The victory completely changed our position relative to the other kingdoms."

Elfin’s defeat had turned Aster into a symbol of military and political resistance.

Humans had used that victory for generations to justify their position, and Draven also knew it had caused part of the racial pride that existed among several noble families.

Fenrick continued.

"The Valdegrims received lands, privileges, and responsibilities."

"And if I’m not mistaken, they maintain a close relationship with the crown."

"Exactly."

They kept advancing.

"We have political influence."

Fenrick made no attempt to feign modesty.

"We also maintain an important relationship with the army and with the academy."

Draven looked at him.

"Because of Aldric."

"In part."

Fenrick pointed to other portraits.

"For generations, members of our family have served as commanders, officials, researchers, and professors."

"So the influence doesn’t come only from the surname."

Fenrick smiled.

"I’m glad you understand that."

They arrived at another painting, which showed several people, and Draven recognized the scene, since they were the heroes who had defeated Elfin.

Fenrick pointed to a woman.

"She was a seer."

Draven paid closer attention.

"Was she part of the group?"

"That’s right."

Fenrick remained silent for a moment.

"After the battle she made a prophecy."

Draven already knew something about that, but not all the details.

"What did she say?"

"That the destruction would return."

Draven felt an immediate tension as Fenrick continued.

"And that a Valdegrim would once again face the god of destruction."

Draven didn’t respond; he looked at the painted woman and then at the Valdegrim hero.

’Taliah.’

He didn’t need to ask, and Fenrick spoke.

"For centuries the family treated that prophecy as a distant possibility."

"But then Taliah was born."

Fenrick looked at him.

"That’s right."

Draven felt discomfort.

"Do they believe it’s her?"

"Many do."

Fenrick kept walking.

"Her talent appeared far too early."

"That much I do know."

Fenrick smiled slightly.

"Surely because you trained with her."

"I lost far more times than I’d like."

"She told me that too."

Draven shook his head.

’She told him too much.’

They arrived at an open room with several tables where a servant began preparing tea, so Fenrick took a seat and Draven did the same.

"The expectations placed on Taliah have always been high."

"I’d say far too high."

Fenrick looked at him.

"You’re right."

Draven hadn’t expected that response while Fenrick received a cup.

"Being a descendant of a hero would already be enough."

Draven took his own while Fenrick drank a little.

"There are people within Aster who practically expect my daughter to become the family’s next great symbol."

Draven looked at the tea.

"That doesn’t seem fair."

"It isn’t."

Fenrick answered without hesitation.

"But I also can’t ignore it."

Draven remained silent and Fenrick continued.

"That’s also why we have so much influence within the academy."

"Preparation."

"Among other things."

The academy wasn’t simply an educational institution; it trained future mages, swordsmen, researchers, commanders, and officials.

The Valdegrim family had invested resources and people there for generations.

In addition, several of its members had studied or taught in its facilities.

"That doesn’t mean Taliah receives everything for free."

Fenrick said.

"I know."

"She would hate that."

Draven smiled.

"I’m very aware of that as well."

Fenrick set the cup down and for a few seconds observed Draven for too long, which Draven noticed.

"Is something wrong?"

Fenrick narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You seem somewhat worried."

Draven kept his calm expression.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I’m just tired from the journey."

Fenrick continued observing him, at which Draven took the cup.

He couldn’t allow the conversation to go too far, but he didn’t know what Fenrick might notice.

Probably nothing related to Elfin, but even so, he didn’t want to find out.

Fenrick was about to respond when a voice appeared from the entrance.

"Have you already started interrogating him?"

Draven turned and Taliah was there with her hair still slightly damp.

She was wearing comfortable clothes and no longer seemed as weak as she had in Fernus.

"Taliah."

She smiled.

"You finally arrived."

Fenrick leaned back in the chair.

"I wasn’t interrogating him."

"That’s what you always say."

"We were talking."

Taliah looked at Draven.

"Did he bother you?"

"A little."

Fenrick opened his eyes and Draven smiled.

"Or rather, quite a bit."

Taliah laughed.

"Come."

Draven raised an eyebrow.

"Where to?"

"I’m going to show you your room."

Fenrick intervened.

"A servant can do that."

"No."

Taliah answered immediately.

"I’ll do it."

Fenrick observed his daughter and then looked at Draven.

"Good luck."

Draven stood up.

"Thank you."

Taliah was already walking, so Draven followed her, but before leaving he briefly looked again at the portrait of the heroes.

The prophecy still occupied his mind.

’A Valdegrim will once again face the god of destruction.’

Draven looked at Taliah’s back as she advanced down the corridor and then brought a hand to his chest.

’This just got a lot more complicated.’

"Are you coming?"

Draven raised his gaze, seeing that Taliah was waiting for him.

"Yes, I’m coming."

He approached and both continued walking toward the room where Draven would stay during his time in Astral.