The conversation in the Main Hall of Blood Denegis, between the six oldest members of the Blood, stretched for another two hours before concluding. Many subjects were discussed there.
About when will the Patriarch address the Wardens, when will he announce to the public the death of the High Monarch, the imminent danger that will soon befall them all, and many others.
But during this, Blanc stood silent almost the entire time, as he was left out.
He only asked questions that were of interest to him on various subjects discussed as he tended to his wound, using some of the silk on the table to wrap around it.
But, soon after the meeting concluded, he left the main hall, bidding a good night to his family.
Before he retreated to his room, though, he made a quick stop in Lune's room to check on her and to retrieve the wooden box that the old butcher had gifted him. A gift he had left in there before they went to dinner.
Lune was sleeping peacefully, her breath steady. He took some hair that had fallen over her face and put it behind her ear.
But not wanting to disturb her further, or worse, wake her up, he took the box and left straight for his room.
His room might have seemed plain by the standards of the Noble Bloods, but for Blanc, it was more than enough.
Spacious, with a double bed tucked into one corner and a door that opened onto a broad balcony, it offered him a quiet refuge. Out there, a small table and three chairs marked his favorite spot for meditation, where he often gazed out over the gardens below and the endless fields beyond.
At night, the distant lights of the city-fortress of Duldera painted the sky in shades of amber, and far off, the mighty Golden Forest stood, not merely as a forest to his Blood, but the very foundation upon which his ancestors had built their legacy.
When the Senvia Empire was formed, a system was developed by the Noble Bloods and the High Monarch of those times. A system upon which the seats of power retained their power for generations.
The densely populated environments of Raw Vita, such as lakes and rivers, forests and mountains, jungles and deserts, were to be controlled by Noble Bloods, ensuring the Blood had a consistent amount of Raw Vita to harvest for themselves, ensuring the Noble Bloods a genetic superior advantage over the common folk.
This system also introduced a law that forbade the commoners from entering such highly desired areas.
The penalty for breaking this law ranges from a hefty fine for entering, all the way up to the death sentence if the person who broke the law was found with Raw Vita harvested or pouching beasts for their Raw Vita.
That was why the Golden Forest was so valuable to Blanc and his Blood. And that was why he also found it very beautiful to look at.
The walls of his room were not decorated with pictures, nor with any achievements or artifacts. They were a simple gray color, decorated with the bow he always used to take on his hunts.
But by no means was this room of his empty.
A shelf sat on the opposite side of his bed. A shelf full of books of all kinds that Blanc had read during his eighteen years.
Many subjects fascinated the young man. He devoured the Histories of the Great Wars, volumes penned by witnesses who had seen the rise and fall of empires across millennia. Yet his curiosity didn't end with tales of conquest and valor.
Botany, too, held a special place in his heart. Often, during his hunts, he would imagine himself not as a noble or warrior, but as a nameless wanderer, living quietly among the trees, surviving on his wit and his skill.
And many more boring subjects, from customs of nobility, philosophy, and poetry, to basic stories, about Raw Vita and the Creatures of True Vita that walked the world, that are used to put Noble babies to sleep.
As he entered the room, he set the wooden box near the book-filled shelf before taking a seat on the corner of his bed for a moment, not thinking of anything in particular, just watching the floor with empty eyes.
But, this too ended soon, as he never liked to sit in that state for too long, making him feel like he had enough time to spend on doing nothing, a thing he did not have at that moment..
So, he got up, took down the clothes he wore, letting all his Marks breathe for a few moments as he took fresh, comfortable clothes from a small cabinet near his bed in his hands, and with the day finally catching up with him, he departed to bathe.
The bathroom was nothing too special, a simple recessed bath built into the floor. Each wing of the mansion had one. And they were only used when they were needed.
But all the members of the Noble Bloods had to bathe at least once a day to ensure health and proper hygiene.
Or to show off to the commoners, Blanc thought.
Nonetheless, a maid was waiting. So as soon as Blanc entered, his Marks now hidden beneath a silk bathing robe, she set to work using artifacts found in every Imperial household, quickly preparing the bath.
Ten minutes later, after the maid took her leave, and after he washed the day's hunt and the death-bringing punch he received from his father off of him, he got up, got dressed, and returned to his room.
Once inside, he wasted no time, throwing himself straight onto the bed, snuffing out the candles flickering near the nightstand, and letting darkness swallow the room.
Or at least, that was what Blanc hoped would bring him sleep.
But an hour later, an hour spent tossing, turning, and testing every position he'd ever found comfort in, rest remained far from his reach.
His mind refused to quiet. Worries collided with questions, questions tangled into endless debates, and the debates only birthed new worries. His thoughts became a storm with no eye in sight.
Then, knock, knock.
A gentle sound broke through his turmoil.
"Blanc, are you asleep?"
He knew that voice instantly.
"Mom?" he asked, sitting up, his tone softer now. "No… come on in."