The next few days were as peaceful as it could get. People at the Caspius manor did their daily routine; the knights training, with the occasional voyage to areas near, as their service was requested to aid those that were being attacked by enraged beasts. Crisa, Yri and Issa prepare food and clean the manor with the help of some of the knights when they aren't busy. And Aeneas training with Donos and the persuasive Tiriara.
Days went on like a leaf falling from a tree with no wind to sway its journey.
Year 1425 A.R. (After Resurgence), on the thirtieth day of the Month of Taurus (May). Aeneas woke up earlier than everyone. The sun was still asleep when he opened his eyes, took a wooden sword, and went to the backyard of their main residence. The boy began swinging the sword once he arrived. A mixture of excitement and nervousness stirred his loud beating heart. With every swing, he murmured that he wouldn't lose at his first match no matter the opponent.
"You're up early," a deep familiar voice said coming from someone going out of the main residence.
Aeneas turned, "I woke up and couldn't sleep anymore, uncle," he replied. Then continued swinging his sword, forming the image of Alistair as his opponent.
Donos was holding two cups that had a cloud of steam rising from them. He was drinking from one that had coffee inside. On his shoulder rests a clean white towel made of cotton.
"Aeneas," Donos called, "You also need rest. Come here and drink this," he said.
The boy obeyed Donos's request. He went to him to see what was in the cup.
"It's milk…" Aeneas muttered as he reached for the cup Donos offered.
"You need that so you can grow taller."
Aeneas blew the steam and took a sip from the cup, "You know I always drink coffee," he said.
Donos smiled, "That's why I served you that," he said. The renowned knight took the towel from his shoulder and placed it on Aeneas's, "Wipe your sweat and go inside, it's cold."
As the boy began his steps towards the main residence, Donos spoke, "You do not need to worry. I saw great progress from you in the days of your training."
Aeneas looked at him, his face smeared with worries, "What if I lose in my first match again?" His mouth couldn't form a fake smile even though he tried.
Donos sighed, "A confident mind is the first key to victory," he said.
"But."
"If you lose, then train and try again on the next one. Do it again, and again. There is more shame in not trying because you doubt yourself than failing after you did."
The words of the renowned knight almost cleared the fog of doubt in Aeneas's head. But, a small persistent piece of it remained and withstood the wind of wisdom from Donos's speech.
"Uncle… What would I do if even after years of trying, participating in these tournaments, in the end, I still couldn't become a knight?"
Donos chuckled, trying to change the mood, "You will become one," he said.
Aeneas stared at him, "You think so?"
"If you don't become one, it must only mean that fate has a much grander journey waiting for you," he paused, "If you still do not have enough faith in yourself, then heed my words, I have complete faith in you."
The boy showed a genuine smile, "Thank you, uncle," he said.
Donos laughed, "Now go drink that and have a few more hours of sleep."
***
Tournaments in the town of Pergis always start around ten or eleven in the morning. Aeneas and the others left Heos at nine and arrived at the town with more than half an hour to spare.
This time, Arsen decided to watch his matches. Donos was also with him as well as Tiriara and the knight guarding her. Sir Konon, a commander among the knights.
Walking on the streets of Pergis, Aeneas and the others have seen the same group of people with wooden boards that have their plea to stop the use of magic written on them. This time, even the two curious kids didn't bother and just took a single glance.
"So Aenie, who's your opponent?" Tiriara asked.
Aeneas was walking beside her. He shrugged his shoulder, "I still do not know," he said.
"How could you not know?" the girl replied.
After a sigh, "Do you even know the rules?" Aeneas said.
Tiriara shook her head. Her innocent smile added to the level of the boy's disappointment. He decided to explain it to her.
"All participants won't know their opponents till the day of the match." He continued that after the registration for the tournament closed, the facilitators would draw the names in ballots to make it fair for everyone. The match brackets would be posted in the Coliseum.
After making clicking noises with her tongue, "How is that fair if it's based on luck?" Tiriara said.
Confused, Aeneas was taken aback. One of his eyebrows rose, "Isn't it what makes it fair?" he said.
While the two were chatting, the three adults and Eluard were walking along with them, listening and having a conversation of their own. Every person who took sight of their group would realize that the man with red hair and a confident stride was none other than Arsen Caspius. They would greet him, calling his name with either the prefix of 'sir' or 'lord', then bow at him. Arsen would look at them with a smile which also brings out theirs, then he would also return the gesture of bowing.
It didn't take long for the group to reach the Coliseum. As they walked through the road towards the entrance, they greeted the statues that depicted the image of the proud Lion with the Panteran bow.
Once inside, Aeneas and the others wanted to go straight to the area where the names of the participants were posted together with their places on the bracket. As they walked towards the area, someone from behind spoke.
"Why, if it isn't Sir Arsen."
When they turned, they saw a tall man wearing a brown tunic embroidered with intricate patterns made of golden threads. He has long blond hair tied in a ponytail, his eyes are blue and has pale skin. The scabbard of his sword was made of bronze, similar to that of Arsen's.
Arsen greeted the man with the Panteran bow, "Sir Mnesus," he said.
Mnesus returned the gesture. But his grin was evident as he stared at the white shirt and black trousers that Arsen wore. He looked at the others and greeted them with the same gesture, per tradition, Aeneas and the others did the same.
Behind Mnesus is a boy, "This is my younger brother, Khersis," he said as his introduction.
Khersis was at the same age as Aeneas. Like his brother, his short hair was blond, and his eyes though a bit lighter, were the shade of blue. He wasn't as tall as his brother but, compared to Aeneas who has the average height for a boy his age, Khersis was a giant.
"I have come with him to attend his first tournament," he said with a smug. Mnesus looked at the kids in Arsen's group with the same expression, judging whether any of them could pose a challenge to his younger brother. Khersis also stared at them with a smirk, and his older brother told them that he was a kid of little words.
"Who asked?" Tiriara whispered. She covered her mouth when she realized that she had said the thoughts in her head, and in an audible way as well.
"Young lady!" Konon whispered in a loud voice.
Mnesus was quite annoyed with the girl's remarks. But Konon apologized and stated that the girl has the habit of speaking what's on her mind without thinking it through.
As Mnesus stared at Aeneas and Tiriara, Arsen realized that he had forgotten to introduce his brother to him. He placed his arms around Aeneas's head, "This is my younger brother, Aeneas," he said.
Mnesus stared at him. Aeneas's features greatly differ from Arsen's, such as his hair and eye color, but he could see the resemblance between the two.
"I see," he replied.
Then, Mnesus glanced at the others once again, and he realized that the knight next to Arsen was the renowned knight, Donos. He bowed again and told Donos that it was an honor meeting a knight bearing a black scabbard.
"So, the young Caspius will participate," Mnesus paused and looked at Tiriara, "How about the young lady? Is she your younger sister, Sir Arsen?"
Aeneas didn't like the way Mnesus and his brother looked at Arsen, so he decided to introduce Tiriara himself.
"She's Tiriara Chronis," he said.
Mnesus was a bit lost for words, "Ch—Chronis?"
Before Mnesus could ask properly, "Yes, the daughter of Arsida's guardian, Nireus Chronis," Aeneas said. This time with a smug on his face.
For a knight of the rank commander of a hundred men, Mnesus was embarrassed and nervous as he learned the identity of the girl. He showed a lower bow and was relieved that he hadn't insulted her.
When Aeneas turned to Tiriara, she had her arms crossed and said, "That's right, I'm a Chronis!" she nodded and began raising her eyebrows within an interval as she stared at Aeneas. Her smile was almost from ear to ear.
Aeneas could imagine what was on the girl's head. He already regretted introducing her in such a way and feared that the girl would bring out the event in their future conversations.
"Are you participating as well, young lady?" Mnesus said.
Konon replied that Tiriara was still twelve years old. To which Mnesus responded with a smile and said, "That's a shame."
They continued their conversation while they proceeded to go and see the bracket for the day's matches.
Mnesus redirected his attention to Aeneas, "So, you also bear the Proud Lion's Zeal like your brother?" he asked.
Aeneas shook his head.
"Ah, the Venerable…" Mnesus paused, he saw that the venerable Twin's Zeal wasn't on Aeneas's face.
Arsen knew that it was hard for Aeneas to say it himself. So, he was the one who said that Aeneas was Zeal-less.
"Ah. A shame that he's a boman," Mnesus said. The tone of his voice irked Aeneas.
At the board, everyone saw both the opponents of Aeneas and Khersis.
Before going on their way, Mnesus said his farewell to Arsen and the other knights, then, he looked at Aeneas, "Please, at least give my brother a good match," he said. While Khersis stared at Aeneas as if he was looking at his prey.