While she never overstepped the strict lines between master and servant, there was no doubt she had carried deep resentment toward him. To Dominic, Eline must have been like a mother figure.
Gabrant had tried, with full intent, to forget Dominic. He had tried to avoid being involved. Yet despite himself, his eyes would still follow the boy.
When Dominic became a knight, he felt pride. Watching his matches from the special viewing seats at the martial arts tournament, Gabrant found his fists clenched with tension and his palms sweating. Seeing his son crowned champion filled him with boastful joy.
When Dominic trained tirelessly and devoted himself to his duties as a knight, Gabrant felt a quiet happiness, as if his son was striving to follow in his father's footsteps.
