Evoker

Madam Aldwin stood beside Marianne in the sunlit study room, both women watching Leon as he worked at his desk. His focus was sharp, and the scratch of his quill on parchment filled the room. The calm atmosphere carried a sense of quiet satisfaction—though the journey here had been anything but calm.

“I still can’t believe it’s been a year already,” Marianne murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. “Feels like I just arrived yesterday.”

Aldwin smiled softly, her gaze lingering on Leon. “Time tends to slip away when you're watching someone grow as fast as he has. But yes, a year. And look at him now.”

Marianne chuckled. “He’s certainly not the same boy I first met. But I’ll admit, I didn’t think I’d still be here this long either.”

“You’ve grown fond of him,” Aldwin observed, a slight tease in her tone.

Marianne’s lips twitched into a smile. “Perhaps. He is easy to manage... for the most part.”

Aldwin chuckled, a rare sound that softened her usual composed demeanour. “Yes, though I doubt he thinks you’re ‘easy’ on him.”

They both shared a brief laugh before Marianne tilted her head curiously. “You’ve been around quite a while, Madam Aldwin. I imagine you’ve seen quite a few young nobles grow under your tutelage.”

Aldwin glanced at her, eyes twinkling with an old memory. “Oh, yes. Many. But I was once like you, you know—full of ideas and plans, travelling from one noble house to the next.”

Marianne raised an eyebrow. “Were you, now? I can’t picture it.”

Leon, who had been diligently writing, paused and glanced up, intrigued by the sudden shift in tone. He couldn’t quite imagine Madam Aldwin, with her stern exterior and flawless etiquette, being anything like Marianne.

Aldwin smirked, her voice lowering conspiratorially. “Oh, I was far more daring than you’d think. In fact, when I was your age, I may have gotten myself into a bit of... trouble.”

Marianne leaned in, clearly intrigued. “What kind of trouble?”

Leon’s quill hovered above the page, his curiosity now fully piqued.

Madam Aldwin glanced around the room, then, with a gleam in her eye, continued in a lower voice, “Well, when I was about sixteen, I was staying with a high-ranking family in the capital. Their eldest son was meant to be marrying into another noble house, but... I convinced him to sneak out of the engagement party to a tavern with me.”

Leon’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping slightly. He tried to picture the ever-proper Madam Aldwin in such a situation, but his brain refused to cooperate.

“A tavern?” Marianne’s voice was a mixture of disbelief and amusement. “Madam Aldwin, you? The picture of decorum?”

Aldwin chuckled. “Oh, I was far from decorum back then. We snuck out, had far too much to drink, and ended up in a dice game that nearly cost the young lord his horse.”

At this, Leon, who had just taken a sip of tea, choked and sputtered, coughing as he set his cup down in shock. He stared at Madam Aldwin as if seeing her for the first time.

Marianne burst into laughter, covering her mouth as she looked between Leon and Aldwin.

Aldwin, amused by Leon’s reaction, patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t look so surprised, Leon. Even the most polished of us had our reckless moments.”

“I—I just...” Leon stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment. He had always seen Madam Aldwin as a figure of strict discipline and control. The idea of her sneaking off to a tavern and gambling was... impossible to reconcile.

Marianne, still grinning, shook her head. “I think you’ve shattered his entire image of you, Madam.”

Aldwin gave a knowing smile. “It’s good for him. He needs to remember that even those who seem unshakable were once young and foolish.”

Leon swallowed, still looking a bit shell-shocked, but after a moment, he managed a small smile. “I suppose... I never thought of it like that.”

Aldwin returned to watching him as he resumed his writing, her expression softening. “We grow from those moments, Leon. That’s what makes us who we are later. But we must be careful to learn from our mistakes, or we risk repeating them.”

Marianne leaned back against the wall, still amused. “So, no sneaking out of parties and gambling on horses?”

Aldwin chuckled. “Precisely.”

The soft light of early morning streamed through the manor windows as Madam Aldwin stood by the staircase, her travel cloak draped over her arm, a final glance cast over the room she had grown accustomed to. The polished wood floors gleamed under the sunlight, and the air was thick with unspoken gratitude. The household had gathered to see her off—Roderic, Leon, Marianne, Mira, and Hollis stood respectfully, forming a small circle around her.

Roderic spoke first, his voice measured yet warm. "Madam Aldwin, I cannot express how much we appreciate your efforts. Leon’s progress under your tutelage has been nothing short of exceptional. Highfield has benefited greatly from your wisdom."

Leon, standing tall at his side, gave a soft smile. "Thank you, Madam Aldwin. I wouldn’t have come this far without your guidance."

Madam Aldwin looked between the two, her eyes softening as she gazed at Leon. "You’ve done the work, Leon. My guidance would mean little if you weren’t willing to rise to the challenge."

Mira, standing protectively close to her son, offered a smile, though her eyes betrayed the emotion she held back. "We’ll miss you, Madam Aldwin. You've become a part of our family here."

"Indeed," Hollis chimed in, his voice respectful but carrying a lighter tone. "Your help with the administrative side of things made my life significantly easier, especially with all the...complications we've faced. I dare say I’ve relied on your wisdom more than I should have."

Madam Aldwin chuckled softly. "It was a pleasure, Hollis. I’ve always found there’s as much art in administration as in etiquette, and it was rewarding to contribute."

As the moment grew more poignant, Madam Aldwin turned her attention to Marianne, who had been observing silently, her silver eyes steady. "Lady Marianne, you’ve proven yourself a sharp mind and a worthy companion to Evoker Leon. I expect your influence will only continue to grow." Her words were laced with an understanding between the two, a subtle recognition of shared goals.

Marianne dipped her head slightly, her voice light but filled with sincerity. "Thank you, Madam Aldwin. I’ve learned a great deal from you this past year."

Finally, Madam Aldwin returned her gaze to Leon, her expression growing softer, almost maternal. "Leon, the capital awaits you. When you arrive at the academy, seek me out. There are... people I think you should meet." She let the words hang, a glimmer of intrigue flickering in her eyes, as though she were offering him a key to something unknown, yet vital.

Leon blinked, caught off guard but intrigued. "I will, Madam Aldwin. I promise."

Mira rested a gentle hand on her son’s shoulder as if to steady the moment, and Hollis offered a deep bow. Roderic stood at the head of the small gathering, his expression reflective but composed. "You will always have a place in Highfield, should you ever wish to return, Madam Aldwin," Roderic said with finality.

With a graceful nod, Madam Aldwin gathered her travel cloak around her shoulders, giving one last, meaningful look at the people she had spent over a year guiding. As the doors to Highfield Manor opened, the cool breeze from the courtyard swept in, carrying with it the scent of the day’s beginning.

The group followed her outside, watching as she stepped into the waiting carriage. The horses stirred, the reins tightened, and with a final wave, Madam Aldwin’s carriage slowly pulled away from the manor, disappearing down the road as the morning sun brightened the horizon.

Leon stood there for a moment, watching the carriage roll away, feeling the weight of her absence already, though it was tempered by the knowledge that he was ready for what came next.

Madam Aldwin gazed out of the carriage window as the landscape slowly shifted, the quiet simplicity of Highfield’s rolling hills and farmlands fading behind her. The winding roads ahead led toward the Empire’s beating heart, where the quiet rhythms of village life would soon be replaced by the clattering wheels of ambition and intrigue. For a brief moment, she allowed herself a sigh. It had been a refreshing stay in Highfield, where things were far simpler—no complex alliances, no delicate balancing of favours.

Roderic, for all his taciturn nature, had surprised her with his genuine care for his people. He was no great schemer, no player in the games that dominated the capital. In fact, he had little interest in those games at all. His ambitions were humble, focused solely on the wellbeing of his small baronetcy and those under his protection. It was a rare thing, she mused, for someone in his position to not hunger for more.

The other nobles, of course, saw him as a farmer who had stumbled into favour. A man who had contributed just enough in the war to earn the Emperor’s notice, his baronetcy more a reward for services rendered than a reflection of his political savvy. And yet, Madam Aldwin thought, there was a strength in Roderic’s straightforwardness, a solidity that was often missing in the more polished figures of court.

Still, the simplicity of Highfield would not protect Roderic and his people forever. The Empire was vast, and its reach would eventually find its way to this quiet corner. She had sensed it during her time there—the subtle shift in the air, the rumblings of greater forces moving just beyond the horizon. Leon’s awakening had already drawn attention. Evokers always did. And with the academy looming in his future, Madam Aldwin knew that Highfield’s days of quiet isolation were numbered.

The capital would be different. Already, her mind began to turn toward the tangled web of alliances, favours, and whispered deals that awaited her return. She could imagine the latest developments—the shifting alliances among the great houses, the renewed talk of the demonic rifts at the borders, and the growing unrest within certain provinces. The capital was alive with possibilities, and Madam Aldwin had never been one to let an opportunity pass her by. But there was something about Highfield that lingered in her mind, a quiet reminder that not all power came from courtly machinations.

As the carriage rolled onward, she allowed herself one last thought of Leon. He was a boy of promise, certainly, but more than that—he was someone shaped by the quiet strength of his upbringing, by the simple care of his mother and the honest dedication of a man like Roderic. He would need that strength when he faced the academy, when he stepped into the world of Evokers and power struggles.

But even so, the capital would change him, as it changed everyone who lived within its reach.

Madam Aldwin sat by the window of her carriage, gazing out as the familiar spires of the capital came into view, their sharp silhouettes standing proudly against the soft hues of the afternoon sky. Her mind hummed with anticipation. Novaris, the heart of the Empire, had always been alive with political intrigue, and after two years away, she was eager to catch up on the shifting currents of power that flowed beneath its surface.

As she stepped out of the carriage, her servants hurried to greet her. Her townhouse, nestled in one of the more discreet corners of the city, was a reflection of herself—elegant, refined, but not ostentatious. She swept through the entrance, pausing to ensure that everything was in its place. Today, she had arranged a high tea with her most trusted confidantes, eager to learn what had transpired in her absence.

The parlour was perfectly set by the time her guests arrived. Polished silver, delicate china, and the soft glow of afternoon light bathed the room in warmth, creating the perfect atmosphere for the exchange of carefully curated truths and veiled secrets.

Lady Cressida was the first to speak, her lips curling into a smile as she lifted her tea. “Two years away from Novaris, Madam Aldwin. It’s a wonder you didn’t wither away without the intrigue to nourish you. Do you not feel like a stranger in your own city?”

Madam Aldwin’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “The capital never forgets those who know how to listen, Lady Cressida. Even in Highfield, the winds of gossip find their way to my ears.”

The women shared knowing smiles, for it was common knowledge that Madam Aldwin had an ear for secrets as sharp as her wit. Yet today, she was not merely listening—she was here to catch up on what had slipped through the cracks while she had been away.

Lady Roselyn, always eager for a good story, leaned forward slightly, her voice smooth as honey. “I wonder then, what news has reached you? Surely only the driest crumbs of truth make their way to such far-flung corners. We are brimming with fresher morsels here.”

Madam Aldwin allowed herself a small smile. “I’ve heard only whispers—rumours of unrest, whispers of noble feuds... but I’m certain you can offer me something more... substantial?”

The other ladies exchanged looks, their eyes bright with the thrill of sharing what they knew. Lady Cressida set her teacup down gently, the delicate clink ringing softly in the air. “Well, my dear, since you ask... where to begin? The rifts. Always the rifts. They’re appearing more frequently than ever, and no place is safe. Villages, towns—there’s no predicting where they’ll strike next, and that unpredictability has the Emperor growing desperate.”

Lady Roselyn added, with a slow, deliberate sip of her tea, “Desperate is an understatement, my dear. He’s had to call on more Evokers than ever before, and yet it’s never enough. There’s talk that the strain of it all is starting to show. Some say he’s barely sleeping these days, constantly receiving reports of new rifts and rushing to dispatch Evokers to contain the damage.”

Madam Aldwin’s brow lifted ever so slightly, though her smile remained serene. “I imagine that must strain the noble houses as well.”

Lady Cressida gave a knowing nod. “Quite. House Elward and House Arcardis have been particularly vocal, demanding that the Emperor lift the restrictions on how many Evokers a house can possess. They argue that in times like these, it’s only right that the noble houses are allowed more Evokers to protect their own lands. The Emperor, of course, is hesitant—he fears what might happen if the balance of power shifts too far in their favour.”

Lady Roselyn leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a hushed whisper, as though revealing a scandalous secret. “Several houses have already begun... pushing the limits, so to speak. Unofficially, of course. There are whispers that certain noble families have quietly secured additional Evokers. If true, it would be a serious violation of Imperial law.”

Madam Aldwin’s gaze sharpened, though her tone remained light. “Bold, indeed. And how has the Emperor responded to these... suggestions?”

Lady Cressida’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “His hands are tied, or so it seems. He cannot afford to be seen as weak, but the nobility grows restless. If he grants them more Evokers, they’ll have the strength to challenge him. But if he denies them, and another rift strikes close to a noble’s stronghold... well, that could be equally disastrous.”

Lady Roselyn added, her tone soft but conspiratorial, “And there are the rumours of larger rifts appearing. Some even say there are new types of creatures coming through them—stronger, more dangerous than before. Novaris itself may not be safe for long if this continues.”

An ominous silence followed, the weight of those words settling over the room. Madam Aldwin’s fingers stilled, her mind racing as she considered the implications. The capital had always been a place of hidden dangers and delicate power plays, but now... now it seemed the very fabric of the Empire was fraying at the edges.

Setting her cup down with deliberate care, she smiled. “It seems, ladies, that I have quite a bit to catch up on.”

The women exchanged knowing looks, their own smiles soft with the satisfaction of a well-shared secret. It was clear that Madam Aldwin’s absence had left her slightly behind the curve, but not for long. The capital moved quickly, and she would soon be caught up in its currents once more.

The conversation flowed on, touching upon various topics—noble feuds, marriage alliances, and subtle shifts in power. Madam Aldwin listened attentively, filing away each piece of information for later use. As her guests began to rise, preparing to take their leave, she stood with them, offering polite goodbyes.

Yet, as the door closed behind the last of them, she remained by the window, her gaze distant, her thoughts already turning to the future.

There was unrest on the horizon, that much was clear. The Empire’s careful balance of power was shifting, and soon, there would be no more hiding behind whispers and veiled words.

Madam Aldwin smiled to herself, a glimmer of steel in her eyes. Whatever came next, she would be ready.