A pale sun rose over the palace, its light scattered by the heavy clouds. In the training yard, the air was torn apart by the screech of wooden swords and the steady thuds against metal armor.
Kaizlan stood among the sons of noble families, waiting for his turn, his eyes shifting between the instructor—who swung his broad blade with practiced ease—and the youths who struggled to imitate him.
When his turn came, he gripped the wooden sword with sweaty hands. He raised it with hesitant steps, then lunged forward.
The instructor's blade struck with force, knocking the sword from Kaizlan's grasp and sending it clattering to the ground. Laughter broke out among some of the boys, while his face flushed with shame.
The instructor's voice was dry and stern:
"Courage does not mean charging forward with your eyes shut. Keep them open, steady your stance. If this were a real sword, you'd already be a corpse."
Kaizlan bent down, retrieved his weapon, and tried again. This time, he planted his feet more firmly. His attack was far from perfect, but at least he managed to withstand the first blow.
⸻
When training ended, he sat at the edge of the yard, catching his breath.
He looked down at his trembling hands and muttered inwardly:
"They laughed at me… as if waiting for me to fall. But… should I yield to that?"
Lifting his gaze to the overcast sky, he recalled the whispers he had overheard from the servants the night before: "A black rose was placed beside him."
A strange pang stirred in his chest.
"Even beyond the walls, someone leaves their mark… a single rose, and it unsettled them all. How can such a small symbol inspire such fear?"
⸻
One of the Mortani sons passed by—a boy with cold features and a haughty gaze. He paused briefly and said:
"Ambition is admirable… but ambition without strength is nothing but an illusion."
Then he walked on without waiting for a reply, leaving behind a silence heavier than his words.
⸻
That evening, Kaizlan sat by his window, writing in his small journal:
"The more I open my eyes… the more I see that the world is wider than the training yard. Everywhere, strength asserts itself, and symbols appear whose meanings I do not yet understand."