Night had settled fully over House Asheville.
The estate that had roared with the sounds of steel and shouting during the day now lay wrapped in a deep and ancient quiet. Moonlight stretched across the long stone corridors of the knight barracks like pale silk, slipping through narrow windows and painting silver patterns upon the cold floors.
Outside, the wind moved gently through the banners of House Asheville — the newly raised phoenix crest fluttering softly in the darkness.
The training grounds had fallen silent.
Every knight had returned to their quarters.
Armor rested on racks.
Weapons leaned against walls.
The echoes of clashing blades had faded into memory.
Yet not every mind within the barracks had found peace.
Sir Halren walked slowly down the corridor toward his chamber.
His heavy boots thudded against the stone floor, each step measured and calm.
The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried the quiet weight of experience. His armor bore scratches from years of service — not polished decorations but marks of battles that had carved themselves into his life.
He reached his door.
Pushed it open.
The chamber beyond was modest.
A wooden bed.
A narrow table.
A rack where his sword rested.
Halren stepped inside and began loosening the clasps of his armor.
The metal plates clinked softly as he removed them piece by piece, setting them down on a nearby stand.
The tension of the day slowly left his body.
But just as he reached for the strap of his shoulder guard—
A shadow appeared at the doorway behind him.
Halren paused.
Without turning, he already knew who it was.
He let out a quiet sigh before finally glancing back.
Standing in the doorway was Sir Aldric.
The younger knight leaned against the frame with crossed arms, his expression tight with unresolved frustration.
Halren studied him for a moment before speaking.
"…Do you want something?"
Aldric pushed himself away from the doorway and stepped inside.
His voice was firm.
"Answers."
Halren turned back to his armor rack.
"I already told you everything."
Aldric shook his head.
"Not about my other questions."
Halren removed the last plate of his chest armor and hung it carefully on the rack before finally turning toward the younger knight.
Their eyes met.
A long silence passed.
Then Halren gestured toward a pair of wooden chairs near the small table.
"…Sit."
Aldric hesitated for a moment before walking forward and dropping into one of the chairs.
Halren disappeared briefly into the corner of the room.
Moments later he returned carrying two glasses of dark beer.
He placed them on the table.
The foam trembled slightly with the movement.
Halren sat down across from Aldric.
Sliding one glass toward him.
"Now."
Halren leaned back in his chair.
"Tell me what's weighing on your mind."
Aldric picked up the glass.
He took a slow sip.
The bitter taste lingered on his tongue.
Then he set the glass down and looked straight at Halren.
"Why did you say those things earlier?"
Halren raised an eyebrow.
"About what?"
Aldric's jaw tightened.
"About that man."
Halren stared at him for a few seconds.
Then chuckled softly.
"You're still thinking about that?"
"Of course I am."
Aldric leaned forward.
His fingers tightened around the glass.
"I've served this house for years."
His voice carried frustration now.
"I wanted to become the personal knight of the house head."
"I tried during Lord Mavric's time too."
His lips curled bitterly.
"But he dismissed me."
Aldric slammed the glass onto the table.
"And now… when I finally had another chance…"
"…some outsider dismissed me just because of instinct."
The beer rippled inside the glass.
Halren calmly lifted his own drink and took a slow sip.
Then he looked at Aldric.
"You still don't understand."
Aldric frowned.
"What don't I understand?"
"I just know that I had a chance to fulfill my dream."
His voice lowered.
"And because of some nobody… I lost it."
Halren studied the younger knight carefully.
Then asked quietly—
"Why do you want to be the personal knight of the house head so badly?"
Aldric fell silent for a moment.
The anger in his face softened slightly.
"My father…"
His voice grew quieter.
"…was one of the personal knights of Lady Reina's grandfather."
He stared into his drink.
"And later he served her father."
Halren listened silently.
Aldric continued.
"He died protecting Lord Asheville."
His fingers tightened slightly.
"I barely remember his face."
"I was five when he died."
"But I heard the stories."
Stories of bravery.
Of loyalty.
Of sacrifice.
Aldric's voice hardened.
"I decided then that I would become like him."
"That I would serve this house the same way."
"And Lady Reina wasn't even born yet."
The room grew quiet again.
Halren nodded slowly.
Then said gently—
"Aldric… don't let your personal feelings cloud your judgment."
The younger knight frowned.
"I'm not saying that because I doubt you."
Halren's voice remained calm.
"But because…"
He paused.
"…I cannot disagree with that man."
Aldric's head snapped up.
"Why?"
Halren's gaze grew distant.
"Because he was right."
Aldric's brow furrowed.
"About what?"
Halren leaned forward slightly.
"…about the nature of men."
Aldric stared at him in disbelief.
"You actually believe that?"
"Even though you're a man yourself?"
Halren cut him off quietly.
"Yes."
Aldric fell silent.
Halren's eyes darkened slightly.
"Because I have lived through it."
Aldric blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Halren closed his eyes.
His voice became lower.
"Heavier."
"…before I joined House Asheville…"
"…I served another noble house."
Aldric leaned forward.
"The house head was a woman."
Halren continued.
"She was the matriarch of her house."
"And I…"
His lips tightened slightly.
"…was her most trusted knight."
"She trusted me even while she slept."
Aldric swallowed.
"…then what happened?"
Halren opened his eyes slowly.
"A tragedy."
Aldric felt his chest tighten.
"What tragedy?"
Halren looked into the dim candlelight flickering beside them.
"It happened after a noble gathering."
"My lady attended."
"I waited outside near the carriage."
He paused.
Then continued.
"When she came out…"
"…she was drunk."
His jaw tightened.
"More than she should have been."
"And two nobles were leading her toward their carriage."
Aldric's expression hardened.
"I understood immediately."
"They had over-drunk her intentionally."
"I stopped them."
"Confronted them."
"But I did not escalate the situation."
"Because my lady's safety came first."
Aldric nodded slowly.
"What happened next?"
Halren exhaled slowly.
"I carried her to our carriage."
His voice grew quieter.
"That was my first mistake."
Aldric's brow furrowed.
"You made more?"
Halren nodded.
"When we reached the estate…"
"I carried her inside."
"No maids answered my call."
"So I brought her to her room."
"Another mistake."
Aldric was completely focused now.
Halren continued.
"She grabbed my collar."
His voice lowered.
"She whispered…"
Stay with me, Halren.
The memory flickered in his eyes.
"I sat beside her."
"That was my fifth mistake."
He looked down at his hands.
"And then…"
"My instincts took over."
Silence filled the room.
Aldric barely breathed.
Halren's voice was almost a whisper.
"I thought she loved me."
"I thought she wanted me."
"So I…"
He clenched his fist.
"…gave in."
The candle flame flickered.
"Next morning…"
"She woke up beside me."
"And she looked at me…"
"…with disgust."
Halren's eyes darkened.
"She asked me…"
Why did you do that to me?
Aldric whispered.
"…what did you say?"
"I told her she asked me to stay."
Halren shook his head slowly.
"She had no memory of it."
"What she said while drunk…"
"…was not what she meant while conscious."
The room fell silent.
Halren looked at Aldric.
"She loved me."
"But not like that."
"She trusted me."
"And I…"
His voice grew heavy.
"…betrayed that trust."
Aldric swallowed.
"What happened after?"
Halren stared at the floor.
"Rumors spread."
"The matriarch slept with a knight."
"The house declared it disgrace."
"They forced her to leave."
Aldric whispered—
"And you?"
"I was expelled too."
Aldric stared at him.
"So that's when you joined House Asheville?"
Halren shook his head.
"No."
"I searched for her."
"For months."
"And finally…"
"I found her."
"She was working at a cloth shop."
Aldric leaned forward.
"Did she forgive you?"
Halren smiled faintly.
"Not immediately."
He described the years that followed.
Working together.
Slowly rebuilding trust.
Eight years passing.
Finally—
She forgave him.
They married.
They had children.
Yet even now…
Halren looked at Aldric.
"…I still wonder."
"If I had resisted that night…"
"…would she have lived a happier life?"
The room fell silent.
Aldric stared at the table.
Completely stunned.
Halren finished his drink slowly.
Then said quietly—
"That is why…"
"…I believe that man."
"Because when a woman is vulnerable…"
"…a man's instinct can become dangerous."
Aldric had no words.
The weight of the story settled heavily in the quiet room.
And for the first time that night—
He began to understand.
He understood.
Why a man like Kel would never risk placing another man beside Lady Reina in her most vulnerable moments.
And why Sir Halren—
A knight who had lived that truth—
Could never disagree with him.