Vilfred

Vausterland – Late Summer

Memories of deep brown eyes and long brown hair occupied his mind, blocking out all the chaos surrounding him as he walked through the busy market streets.

Hilda...

The last time he saw her she had turned away from him and fled, hurling herself right into the heart of certain death, to save her parents who were most probably dead as well. There was no way she had survived the massacre, a lone woman against hundreds of deadly Kassarathi demons. And yet...

Despite all the facts and logic confirming her unquestionable demise, Vilfred still had hope that she was not dead. He had that vague feeling that she was still alive somewhere, safe and sound and striving like he had always known her. He just couldn't imagine her dead and cold and silent. No, that was not Hilda. Hilda was strong and persistent. She couldn't have let herself get killed, no matter how many Kassarathi demons stood in her way. She was a survivor. And she was still alive. Or so he hoped.

Perhaps there could be a way for him to find out after all, especially with the rumors of the Kassarathi purge and Hans reclaiming Nordenvania. Now that the Kassarathi danger was over, Hilda was most certainly safe. If she had been in hiding, then she would have probably returned to the castle and revealed herself. And if she had been held captive by the Kassarathi, then she was most certainly rescued by now. But if she had been killed...

No, she was not killed. And she had not been captured either. She had only been hiding and keeping herself safe all that time, Vilfred kept telling himself. And he was going to return to Nordenvania and find her.

But could he really do that? There was no way he could simply go back to Nordenvania and rejoin Hans. After all, it was Vilfred who had sold Hans to Serenus in the first place, and he was not exactly expecting a warm welcome from his mad brother.

And yet, he could not stay here either. With the Kassarathi no longer a threat to the Vausterians, and the Northmen claiming back their lands, Vilfred would become of no more use to William. If anything, the Vausterians would only start to question his loyalties and he would probably be asked to leave. Perhaps that was why Aryan had requested to meet him today, in this very busy market, to inform him that his services were no longer needed. No wonder Aryan had not even bothered to choose a more discreet place to meet, since they would not be exchanging any critical information.

The crowds grew larger and the air thicker as Vilfred moved further towards the center of the marketplace. He looked briefly behind his shoulder to make sure that Brad and Gustav still followed him closely. Reassured by the sight of his two grim guards covering his back, he turned ahead and silently cursed Aryan for his terrible choice of time and place. Only to find Aryan walking towards him in the distance.

The man was the epitome of coldness, with his cold grey hair that matched his grey cloak and his silver armor. His face was as hard as stone, with thin rigid lips and a stern frown. Four winged guardsmen followed him, fully armored in black steel. They pushed between the commoners as they passed through the narrow street, and the crowds were forced to open a path for the five intimidating figures.

"Quite an interesting place to meet, Lord Aryan," Vilfred attempted a smile as he met a sour looking Aryan.

"Ah, spare me the sarcasm," Aryan scoffed. "Come along."

They had only started walking a small distance, when they found a wingless girl standing in their way and extending her open palm. Aryan stopped and looked down at her with expressionless eyes. Vilfred looked around him uncomfortably as a number of people started eyeing them with curiosity.

"Silver?" the girl asked.

Vilfred was impressed by how daring the girl was, asking someone like Aryan for silver without the slightest hesitance. Perhaps she did not know who he was, or else she would have never come near him, given his reputation for despising humans. And even though Vilfred did not really care for the human girl any more than Aryan would, he still feared Aryan's reaction.

Vilfred had expected Aryan to shout at her, perhaps even hit her or shove her away. And if the old man was in no mood for unleashing his anger upon the poor girl, he would have at best just ignored her. But never had Vilfred expected Aryan to do what he did next.

He stood baffled as he watched Aryan's dark face soften and his hard lips turn up into a smile. His gloved hands reached for his pouch and produced two pieces of silver, which he carefully landed into the girl's hand. The girl hopped with glee as she snatched the two silver coins and went running away.

A few more beggars showed up out of nowhere, their dirty hands extended towards Aryan. The usually short tempered lord was now unusually patient, wearing a fixed smile as he tossed a few more silvers into the children's hands.

"God bless you my lord!" someone said.

As more wingless commoners approached them, Aryan's guards interfered and blocked the crowding beggars from his way. Surrounded by the protection of his guards, Aryan walked forward, still wearing his smile. Vilfred followed him speechlessly, with Brad and Gustav close behind.

"I never imagined you have a heart for wingless children," Vilfred said, and Aryan laughed out in response. They had walked into a dark deserted alley, where there was literally no soul, and they could now speak as freely as they wished without fear of being heard.

"A small façade of generosity, that's all," Aryan said. "The more people speak in my favor, the closer I get to the King, and the more influence I gain in council. Good timing I must say, especially after his human pet had fucked up recently."

"Tristan?"

"The fool had closed down the gold mines of Gytia! Oh and how furious King William was when he heard of it. Thankfully I have managed to talk some sense into William, and he's willing to take drastic measures with his fool of a human pet. It won't be long before he's out of the way."

"That is really... good news." Vilfred smiled hesitantly. "I suppose then, you would no longer have need of me?"

"What?" Aryan turned to Vilfred with a genuinely confused frown.

"I mean, with the Kassarathi gone, and Tristan about to go down as well..."

"What fucking nonsense!" Aryan scoffed. "Your real purpose is just about to begin!"

Vilfred only blinked back at Aryan. The old man shook his head in frustration.

"William plans to march further north," Aryan started speaking in a low voice. "He's set his eyes on the castle of Longhill. I am planning to get you a position there. My initial goal was to make you Lord of Longhill, but of course William would never agree to that. He's already chosen a Vausterian official for that position, who is thankfully not another wingless human." Aryan rolled his eyes. "Anyway, since you won't be the castle Lord, I will at least make sure you become the new Lord's prime advisor. I can manage to persuade William to give you the position, using your experience and familiarity with the North as grounds for my argument. And who knows, if you manage to prove your worth and loyalty, you might eventually become the Lord of Nordenvania by the time we get there."

"That sounds like a good plan," Vilfred turned to Aryan with a contained smile, doing all he could not to dance with joy.

Right before he met Aryan, he was expecting he would be asked to leave Vausterland, and he had no idea where he would go. But now, given a position as prime advisor at a Northern castle, and a future promise of Lordship over his own long lost home, he wanted nothing more than to stay and prove his loyalty to King William.

After all, Vilfred knew deep down that he could never claim back Nordenvania on his own, and hence he would never be able to find Hilda. But now, with the Vausterian support offered to him on a silver platter, all his dreams and hopes surged once more.

He was going to take back his Kingdom. And he was going to find his lost love.

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Vilfred's back! Have you missed him? :D

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