Chapter 6:

  Eli didn’t make it to the keep until well into the afternoon. He had missed lunch, and his governess had not been impressed when he’d insisted on eating during his afternoon lessons. His explanation that he was a growing boy, that his morning had been filled with hard work, and that he wouldn’t be able to focus on his lessons if he was hungry did little to convince her. Lucky for him, he was the young scion, and thus he needed neither her permission nor her approval to satiate his hunger.

  He knew his decision might come back to bite him at some later date, but that was for future him to figure out. That guy had so much on his plate that he probably wouldn’t notice one teeny-tiny petty grudge.

  His parents never came to check in on him, but that didn’t mean much considering they were both busy managing a territory and a trade empire, as well as finding time to gain power and progress in their own areas of expertise.

  With the sliver of freedom he had left that afternoon he had managed to work a little more on his future plans. By the time dinner came around, he had somewhat of a more structured gameplan for how he’d organize the fledgling beginnings of his grand resistance. Studying his own reflection in the mirror, he looked at the small figure of the boy who would be carrying out those plans. Considering their grandiosity, the idea that he would be carrying out any of his aspirations would have been laughable were the situation any less serious, and the consequences of failure any less dire.

  He was no hero. He was no mastermind, tactician, great general, or even particularly special. At least he hadn’t been in his last go at life. Sure, he had been talented, - monstrously so perhaps – but he’d also been immensely lucky. Yes, he was brilliant, but that brilliance had been recognized and nurtured. His parents were much stronger than their status would indicate. His family’s lands were incredibly prosperous, and their dealings were lucrative in the extreme. They could afford to support and cultivate his talents. He also wasn’t the only anomalous genius born into power and privilege. Many of his greatest, well rivals would be giving the relationships more emphasis than they really deserved. Many of his closest peers from his first life belonged to objectively stronger houses with equally great affinities, and significantly more resources than he may ever have access to, even now.

  Effort, luck, and knowledge alone would not see him through the tribulations ahead. The Families had all of those things, plus the backing of the beings from beyond the sky. He simply could not compete with that. What he did have was time and knowledge. Certainly not nearly as much of either as he would prefer, but it was what he had. Time, and a willingness to do things he never would have done the first time around, even when the wars began, had he not seen the bitter end and stepped beyond it.

  But he couldn’t do it alone. He needed allies. Whether they were allies he pursued like Aria, stumbled into like the orphanage director, or inherited like his parents, he recognized that at least at this juncture, he couldn’t execute all of his plans alone. That meant doing things like missing lessons to spend time with Aria.

  His parent would be displeased, he knew, but he couldn’t cut corners on building a relationship with her. However, outside of perhaps his reservoirs, he knew his parents would be his greatest assets, and strongest allies. So while he was willing to incur their temporary displeasure, he wasn’t willing to let it fester.

  Eli studied himself in the mirror as he prepared for dinner. His eyes dissected his features, still softened by youth. He watched as a chambermaid brushed back his wavy hair, fixed the collar of his shirt over his dinner jacket, and straightened the hems of his pants over the tops of his polished, black leather shoes. He thanked her, looked himself in the eyes and shook his head. Step one, smooth over this morning, step two, make sure Aria can come over. Step three, reassess based on the outcome of steps one and two. With his goals in mind he stepped out of his chambers.

  Eli slowed as he approached the dining hall doors, re-straightened his cuffs, and walked inside with as much composure as a child could muster. It was a fair amount all things considered.

  Gabriel looked up from his seat at the table and gave a small nod to indicate that he could proceed. Beside him, Sela’s calm presence anchored the room. Together, his parents sat at the head of the table; Eli moved to his place on the right side, as was customary.

  “Elias, how good of you to make it,” Sela said mildly. “Were you aware you had lessons this morning.”

  Eli lowered himself into his chair carefully. “I apologise for my tardiness in arriving back home, mother. I’ll make up the lessons. Does double the work tomorrow sound fair.” His words were practiced, and careful, carrying none of the warm familiarity from breakfast, or the simple straightforward ease of the morning excursion. Formal dinner meant formal dinner, even if only family was present to observe the formalities.

  “Double the effort. Are you accounting for the squandered time and expertise? I’m quite the expensive tutor, Eli.” She shot back.

  “Of course. I’d never try to undersell your-“

  “Undersell?”

  “-underrepresent just how valuable your time is. If you would be willing to help me make up for the lesson tomorrow, I’d be happy to show my sincerity in independent study afterwards.” He bargained.

  “A triple lesson,” Sela said, raising a single well sculpted eyebrow. “That’s a significant commitment.”

  “A show of sincerity.” He agreed. “I know you’re busy. Just allow me to use the study, then you can test me on the subject.”

  His past self had given him centuries of knowledge he was happy to pass off as independent study. Doing extra review would be easy enough, and there were things this time round that he figured he could focus on to give himself more of an advantage. There were subjects he’d yet to truly explore that his mother could probably actually help with. His asking for her help would probably also help him hide his true expertise in his preferred fields.

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  In many ways, studying alone would be better for him than doing it according to his mother’s curriculum. Perhaps if he showed enough initiative, he’d be able to pivot their lessons into fields of mage craft he’d benefit from exploring this time around.

  Though both of his parents looked to be no older than their early thirties, he knew that both of them were nearing their centennial birthdays. The magic in the bodies of the awakened elongated mage and reservoir lives significantly depending on how well developed their magic was, and how potent their gift was. Eli knew from experience that both of his parents would live at least a century more. He’d even met some of the old monsters from the Families that were closer to a millennium than a century in age.

  Up until the very end, Eli’s mother had been one of the best mages and scholars he’d ever had the pleasure of learning from, and later working with. He may have eventually surpassed her had the world not plunged into ceaseless wars, but it did. Now Eli had decided he would take this chance to expand his knowledge with both hands, and both feet if he needed to. It was Sela Rodrigo herself that had taught him to seize every advantage by whatever means necessary. He had a feeling he’d need every one he could get.

  Sela tilted her head, thoughtful about his proposition. Gabriel set down his knife and fork, the blade resting against a thick cut of well seasoned beast meat. “Don’t forget evening training.”

  Eli hadn’t forgotten. He’d missed morning training to visit the quarry with his father, and while he didn’t regret making that choice, he did regret not getting a chance to go to the training field earlier. He was both excited, and trepidatious. It would be his the first chance he got to really push and test his young body. Finding his current limits, and working to increase his foundation had been one for the first things he decided he would work on now that he was back.

  “I’ll do both,” Eli promised.

  Dinner progressed in comfortable, if formal silence for a while. Eli let the mood settle before he caught his mother’s eye just as the second course was cleared away.

  “Mother,” he began, leaning forward, his expression earnest and open.

  “Eli?” She responded, her lips twitching up into a smile she hid behind her goblet.

  “I met someone today.”

  “Did you now. This wouldn’t happen to be the butcher’s daughter I’ve been hearing so much about?” She responded. Ah, gossip. Eli had to wonder if it would work in his favour or against him in this instance.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “The butcher’s daughter. Her name is Aria.”

  “She’s the reason you missed your lessons and didn’t come home with your father.” It was a statement, though what she meant by it, he didn’t know. For all his training and experience, his mother had always been the one person Eli couldn’t reliably read. He figured it was probably some esoteric magic wieldable exclusively by mothers against their offspring. This theory held some merit considering how prolific of an issue it seemed to be for other victims he’d spoken to – mage and mundane alike.

  The conversation briefly paused as the serving staff brought out the desert course. It was mountain berry mousse served with a blend of herbal tea that Eli had never really enjoyed, though refusing it now would not serve to help him get what he wanted here. Instead, he ignored the drink, and his mother’s probing statement to posit a question of his own.

  “I was wondering if my new friend could come over for breakfast tomorrow?”

  “Friend?” Asked his father. He was spoken over by Sela, his inquiry going unanswered while she replied to Eli.

  “Were you now.” Sela’s lips twitched. “And your lessons?”

  “They’re after breakfast, and I was thinking, maybe she could join?” Eli said. This time even Gabriel’s lips twitched.

  Eli pressed his brows together. He’d forgotten what it felt like to be underestimated, doubted, and to have little agency in something as simple as who he could choose to spend time with. The idea was simple in principle. Bring Aria to breakfast. Have her attend lessons with him. He could appease his mother and begin getting Aria caught up while simultaneously deepening their relationship. It was brilliant, he just needed his family’s cooperation. He refused to let his frustration show, his expression stayed earnest and open.

  “What do you think, my dear?” Sela turned to her husband, who put down his teacup and saucer to answer.

  “She is the butcher’s daughter.” He stated, and the briefest, synchronized, flicker of disgust passed over both his and his wife’s faces.

  “That man, huh?”

  So, they knew of him. That wasn’t too big of a surprise. Especially not after today. In fact, he’d be surprised if both parents didn’t have a dossier detailing Aria’s life three generations back hand delivered to them by one of the shadow-guard, by now.

  “Aria’s lovely.” Eli defended, shocking himself and his parents, who were doing that ‘silent communication’ thing they sometimes did that Eli found both immensely frustrating, and occasionally endearing.

  Heat rose to Eli’s cheeks, wondering just what had made him say that. Part of it was definitely slightly calculating. If his parent’s prevented him from seeing Aria, his early plans would be exponentially more difficult, however there were better ways to go about it. No, this had been the juvenile impulse of a little boy. He’d felt like he had needed to defend his friend, and had done so just like any other child might.

  Were he in public, he would never have allowed such a lack of decorum. But here, with family, he’d slipped up. His ‘childlike’ persona needed to stay just that, a persona. That meant he’d need to better account for how his body and environment were affecting his decision making. For now, though, he’d spoken up so he might as well spin this narrative to his benefit. If he couldn’t take back his outburst, he’d simply need to make it work for him.

  “She works so hard, father. Too hard. And she’s so small even for our age. She’s tiny, but she is really strong too. And, and…” he made a show of searching for the right words. Eventually his tone shifted into one of wonder and melancholy. “She just felt special. Going around town with her was so interesting. She didn’t even know who I was.” He smiled then, his gaze distant, his words honest. “It was nice, being her… friend.” Then he turned back to his parents. “I’d like to stay her friend.”

  Gabriel’s gaze was fixed on his son. “High praise for a stranger,” he said.

  Sela smiled, eyes soft. “Yes. It’s rare to hear you speak so highly of an individual.”

  Eli ducked his head slightly.

  “I made a promise,” was all he said in response.

  “I’ll tell you what,” Sela set her teacup on the table, straightening the saucer with gentle nudges of her fingers as she thought. “If you perform your evening training to your father’s satisfaction, then we can consider having her over.”

  Gabriel’s eyes flicked from his wife to Eli, his expression unreadable. “That seems fair. Prepare for training. I’ll see you in the yard.”

  Eli’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “Yes, Father.”

  His mother’s eyes warmed. Gabriel’s lips pursed, unreadable as ever, though something flickered in his gaze.

  “I won’t disappoint,” he promised his parents. And truly the real training challenge wouldn’t be performing well, but performing well enough without arousing suspicions. He supposed he’d have to push his limits in private. That evening would be all about control.