Chapter 48: Part of being a Parent

The Garden was massive, like many other things in the Estate. The ground was covered by a soft and uniform carpet of grass that flattened under pressure but sprang back up once the pressure was gone in a show of resilience. Multiple types of flowers were planted and released their scents in a wonderful mixture that would have you immersed and completely convinced that nature was wonderful.

Caius had memories of spending time here five years ago. It used to be his mother’s favorite part of the Estate. She tended most of the flowers here herself.

The garden looked about the same as it did all those years ago but, there was one thing Caius quickly noted was different; The rack of practice weapons placed off to the side.

Standing close to the rack was Lucian Von Helsing. He was dressed in a uniform that was only a tad bit less formal than what he usually had on and he had a practice sword in hand, looking it over.

"Master Caius, My Lord," Orland said with a bow.

"Thank you, Orland," Lucian said, "That will be all."

Orland bowed once more and then gave Caius a small encouraging smile.

"Good luck." He said and walked briskly away from the Garden and back to the Estate’s mansions.

Caius watched Orland leave and gulped. He felt he knew what this sudden summon was about and decided he should get ahead of it with an apology.

"Father, about being late..." he started.

Lucian laughed a little and turned to him. He looked about the same as ever with crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes due to the smile on his face. He still had on his magical glasses. The one change was with his hair which he had tied in a ponytail.

"Were you safe?" He asked when his laugh ended a few seconds later.

"What?" Caius asked surprised by the light tone of the question.

"Were you safe, son?" Lucian asked.

"Yes. Yes, I was," Caius said.

"Then it’s fine. Just try to let Gareth and the others know when you’ll be a few hours late. They sent multiple messages to Orland to prepare us for the worst news. And also to see if I could get them the required permission to storm the grounds to search for you."

"You weren’t worried?" Caius asked, noting the calmness in his father’s voice.

"Well, of course I was. Any longer and I would have made the call. But, to be candid with you, I’m always worried. It’s part of being a parent. Another part is trusting your child’s safety to the institutions you send them to. Lochxen is many things but it’s not unsafe.

Also, you’ve been doing so well. I’ve received no complaints about your conduct so far despite your... unique situation. I think I can afford you a few hours to spend with your friends without going crazy with worry."

Lucian’s eyes narrowed now.

"That IS where you were, right? There’s nothing I should know about?"

With the intensity of that gaze, Caius would have gulped if he didn’t know that would only allude that he was hiding something. He managed to maintain a poker face as he said with nonchalance.

"Nothing to worry about. I lost track of time. I’ll do better."

Lucian’s intense eyes didn’t let up.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

’Not everything,’ Caius said in his head.

"I know," was what he actually said and his father’s expression went back to normal so he was smiling again.

"Good. Try for less impromptu lateness next time. At least a heads up beforehand if something comes up that keeps you."

"I’ll keep that in mind," Caius assured with a nod and then he realized that if his lateness was not why he was called to the Garden, then it had to be something else.

He was about to ask ’what?’ in his head when his eyes fell on the practice weapon rack and the practice sword still in his father’s hands.

"Oh."

Lucian didn’t seem to hear him as he said in a musing tone.

"So Caius, how has Mage-Knight training been?"

’So that’s what this is about,’ Caius said in his head.

"It’s been fine," he answered, "We’ve only had the one class."

Lucian’s eyes were back on him but there was a strange smile on his face.

"I know, Son."

"You know what?" Caius asked, confused.

"I know about that class," Lucian said and Caius’ eyes widened in surprise.

"You do?" He asked.

Lucian nodded,

"I do," he said, "You lost to a Kragsten girl."

"The gossip has spread that much?" He asked with the corner of his lips twitching at the ridiculousness that Lucian had caught wind of ’Staff Room’ talks.

He didn’t know why but he was suddenly imagining his father in the middle of a hunt only to have someone whisper in his ear that his son had lost in a Mage-Knight spar. Even though he knew that was unlikely to be the way his father found out, the ridiculousness of the thought still made him smile.

And then his expression became more controlled as he studied the look on Lucian’s face.

For the first time since that spar, he actually felt self-conscious about the result.

"So you’re disappointed," he said. It wasn’t a question. He was just making an observation based on what he was expecting his father’s reaction to be.

"What? Gods no. Would I have preferred you not to lose? Of course. But I understand why you did. Besides, I deserve a lot of the blame. Can’t remember anytime I showed you more than the damn basics.

I was waiting."

"Waiting for what?" Caius asked.

Lucian laughed like it was silly in hindsight and then said,

"I was waiting for you to have the first class. Maybe decide it’s what you actually want to do and then we can get to the learning."

He shook his head then before he added,

"I should have taught you something and not sent you unprepared."

Caius shrugged,

"Well, it’s not your fault. How were you suppose to know I was going to get my ass kicked on the first day," he said in a light tone trying to inject levity into the conversation.

Lucian smiled.

"The girl you lost to. Delia Kragsten. I heard that’s her name."

"It is," Caius confirmed.

"I’ve heard of her. Her family is NOT pleased that she wants to be a Mage-Knight.

A bunch of traditionalist idiots who don’t understand that being a Mage-Knight comes with its own set of complexities. I’m glad she’s not letting them dim the otherwise bright future she has."

"Right," Caius said but there was little to no enthusiasm in his voice.

He’d be the first to admit Delia had talent but that didn’t mean it was what he liked to hear right now when his loss to her was the topic of discussion.

Lucian caught his tone and chuckled but instead of saying something, he looked at Caius through the lens of his magical gold-rimmed glasses before he announced.

"You’ve gotten stronger. Your muscles are denser."

"They are," Caius admitted.

"Was this before or after the spar?" Lucian asked.

"After," Caius said, "It’s a recent development."

"Huh-uh," Lucian said and Caius was sure he was wondering what had caused such quick changes. The two had only seen each other at dinner a few times so far because of how busy Lucian was but the development still took him by surprise enough for him to wonder...

Eventually, he appeared to decide that the only thing that mattered was that Caius was stronger. At least for now.

"Good," he said, "Your body can now just barely handle one-sixteenth of the Von Helsing Training regimen."

Because he was saying it with a big smile, it’s easy to assume he was joking. But he wasn’t. The Von Helsing regimen was that serious and, despite Caius’ better body, he would only be able to handle a portion of it. But that wasn’t even what caught Caius’s attention.

"We’re going to train?" He asked.

"Of course!" Lucian said boisterously,

"I need to whip you into shape. I’m not disappointed that you lost but I’d like to avoid that in the future.

You ARE a Von Helsing, after all."