Rudious looked toward the wheelchair.
A thin, frail child sat there.
His hair — in the light of the evening sun — looked like someone had brushed the faintest shade of violet over white, barely there, like a whisper of color.
The child's eyes were still quiet. But seeing Drake, he tried to smile.
A strange, broken smile.
As if he had forgotten how.
---
Rudious smiled back.
"Hey there. Hey Drake."
He leaned forward — and reached out toward the child.
Then Drake pushed the wheelchair back.
"Father — wait."
Exactly like an older brother.
"He's not fully recovered yet. It'll hurt him."
Then the child spoke — with that same broken smile —
"Yeah... Veil... hurt..."
Like a small child learning to speak for the very first time.
Rudious blinked.
"Oh — Veil?"
"Yes." Drake said. "That's the name I gave him."
A quiet smile crossed Rudious's face.
"It's a good name."
But seeing Drake's happiness — he left it at that.
---
"So Veil — how are you feeling?"
Rudious asked, looking at the child.
"Good... Veil... good."
Veil answered — stumbling over the words.
"And who is this?"
He pointed a finger toward Drake.
"Bro... Dre-s... bro."
Drake lit up — as if he couldn't be prouder of himself.
Rudious looked at him quietly.
And stood.
---
Then Drake tugged at Rudious's sleeve.
"Father... Father."
"Yes — what is it, Drake?"
Drake said with a soft, warm laugh —
"Veil's hair isn't like Mom's."
Rudious went completely still.
As if someone had suddenly placed a weight directly on his chest.
His smile disappeared.
His eyes told a different story entirely.
Then — with that same smile carefully put back in place — Rudious said —
"Yes, son. You're right."
---
Then Veil spoke up —
"Mom... like... Veil."
All three of them laughed at once.
Rudious. Drake. Veil.
---
Then Clad's voice came from the doorway —
"Young Master."
He spotted them — and came running down immediately.
In his hands was a warm robe.
"Alright — you three enjoy yourselves."
Rudious stepped forward.
---
Clad arrived slightly out of breath —
"Greet... Greetings... My Lord."
"Greetings." Rudious said. "You should be training and exercising with Leo and Jack, you know."
"No — I don't need that."
"Is that so." Rudious said with a quiet smile.
Then —
"How is the child doing?"
"Oh — Veil? He's improving a little. But..."
"But what?"
A silence settled between them.
"He's living again — as a new child. Learning everything from the beginning."
"I see." Rudious said. "But why is he still in the wheelchair? Hasn't his body recovered?"
Clad answered —
"It's not that. But his mind is developing again. So for certain reasons he can't walk yet. He can stand — but."
"I see." Rudious said. "And his name... ahem — who gave it to him?"
He asked, slightly hesitant.
"Oh — Veil? Young Master gave it to him while telling him stories about the hero."
Then Clad paused — as if something just came back to him.
"Oh — forgive me My Lord. I forgot that that name..."
"It's fine." Rudious said. "And where are you taking that?"
There was a strange smile on his face — but genuine. Real.
"Ah — this is for Veil. From Young Master. Because the cold season is coming."
"Ohh — Young Master."
Rudious laughed softly and gave Clad a light pat.
"Clad — have the servants arrange for some clothes to be made for him as well. From the tailors. Understood?"
"As you wish, My Lord."
Clad left.
---
But the smile stayed on Rudious's face.
"You seem quite happy, My Lord."
A voice came from behind.
"Oh — Jorald." Rudious turned. "And what happened to you?"
"Nothing — just doing a little training with the children."
Jorald's clothes were dusted with dirt — but not a single scratch on him.
"But you — what's got you in such a mood?"
"I saw Drake laugh. Genuinely laugh. For the first time in years."
Rudious's eyes grew wet.
"And do you know what name he gave that child?"
"What?" Jorald asked with a smile.
"Veil."
A moment of silence.
Then Jorald burst out laughing —
"Would you look at that — father and son have the same taste in names. Ho ho ho."
Then he cleared his throat.
"Right then — I'll go say hello to them."
"Go ahead." Rudious said. "And clean your clothes."
"Yes, My Lord."
---
Jorald left.
Rudious walked out of the garden.
Went to his room.
Sat down in his chair.
And looked at the picture hanging on the wall across from him.
"Listen... after you left — today is the first time Drake has smiled like that."
A pause.
"Yes yes — I know. I broke my promise."
"But I have no regrets about it. Not anymore."
---
He leaned back in his chair.
Reached back and pulled the curtain aside from the window behind him.
The warm evening light — amber and red — spilled into the room.
The sound of birds.
The sound of training.
Soft. Distant.
He leaned back slowly — and let his eyes drift.
"Veil... hmm... Veil."
"How long has it been since I heard that name."
---
Then the light shifted.
The amber evening softened — and became the bright light of afternoon.
The birdsong and the training sounds became something else — wind. Strong gusts rolling through open air.
---
A training ground.
Two boys stood facing each other.
Around twelve years old.
Wooden swords in hand.
Their clothes were nothing short of something a noble household would dress its children in.
One of them — with grey hair, just like Rudious — spoke first —
"So this is your talent, Veil? Cool!"
The boy standing across from him had hair that was completely white.
He shouted back —
"Where is it cool — it doesn't work in battle! It's not like yours — stone body guy!"
He paused.
"And my name is NOT Veil — you madman!"
The grey haired boy shot back —
"And how many times have I told YOU — it's not a stone body talent. It's Steel Body. Steel Body."
---
Then the bell at their estate gate rang.
A signal that someone had arrived.
---
Rudious's eyes opened.
A smile on his face.
But his eyes were wet.
"What a wonderful dream."
---
**[Chapter 13 End]**
*A name. A smile. A dream of what could be. Add the story to your library and don't miss what comes next. See you in Chapter 14.*
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