Kieran smiled to himself. He kept wiping the blade until it gleamed like new. The sapphire blue in his eyes caught the last light of the sun. He felt tired but happy. Five years in this world, and every day with Auralis made it feel more like home.
He stood up from the bench and lifted Auralis carefully with both hands. The sword felt warm and solid against his small chest. Kieran started walking back toward the manor. The grass was soft under his bare feet.
The evening air smelled sweet with flowers from the garden. He held the blade close so no one would hear them talking.
Auralis spoke first. Its voice rumbled low in his mind.
"Listen close, whelp. The Resonant Blade Aura is not just swinging hard. It is about matching your breath to mine. When you swing, let the aura hum along the edge. It makes the blade sing. Stronger cuts. Faster moves. But you have to feel it deep."
Kieran nodded even though the sword could not see him. He thought back to the training yard.
'I get it. Kind of. The tingle in my hands, right?'
"Exactly," Auralis said. "But you still rush it. Slow down next time or you will never build the full resonance."
Kieran rolled his eyes a little and grinned.
'Hey, I did feel it today. You're just grumpy because I'm getting good too fast.'
The sword made a huffing sound that almost sounded like a laugh.
"Grumpy? Me? You are the one who swings like a baby duck flapping its wings. Do it right or do not bother."
Kieran laughed out loud, quick and bright.
'Baby duck? Come on, old man. I am five now. I am not that bad.'
"Old man?" Auralis shot back, voice full of fake outrage.
"I am a hundred years of pure steel, you little rascal. Keep talking like that and I will make the next lesson twice as long."
They kept going back and forth the whole way. Kieran teased. Auralis grumbled. But it felt warm and fun, like two friends who knew exactly how to poke each other without really getting mad.
By the time they reached the side door of the manor, both of them were quiet again. Kieran felt lighter inside. The walk had been perfect.
Inside, the dining hall glowed with soft candlelight. The long wooden table was already set. Two maids moved around it with quick, happy steps. One had her black hair in a braid and hummed while she placed plates.
The other smiled at Kieran as she set down a big bowl. Steam rose from roasted venison, dark and juicy with herbs that smelled like pepper and sweet berries. Next to it sat fresh bread, still warm from the oven, crust golden and soft inside.
Bowls of bright green vegetables steamed beside it, drizzled with a light sauce that glowed faintly from the magic the maids had used to keep everything perfect.
Kieran climbed into his chair. His mother, Duchess Elara Vale, sat at the head of the table. Her black hair was pinned up neatly, and her sapphire blue eyes lit up the second she saw him. She looked tired from her day but happy.
"There's my sweet boy," she said, voice warm and full of love.
"Come sit closer. You look like you had a good day in the yard."
Kieran scooted his chair nearer and gave her his biggest smile. He made his eyes go wide and cute the way he knew she loved.
"Mommy, it was the best. I practiced really hard today. And the food smells so yummy. Can I have extra bread?"
Elara laughed softly, the sound light and real. She reached over and ruffled his messy black hair.
"Of course you can, my little star. You always know how to make me smile."
The maids finished setting everything and stepped back with proud little nods. One of them gave Kieran a quick wink before they left the room. He dug in right away.
The venison tasted rich and savory, the meat so tender it almost melted on his tongue. The herbs gave it a tiny sweet kick that made him chew slower just to enjoy it. The bread was warm and fluffy, with a crisp crust that crunched perfectly.
Even the vegetables tasted bright and fresh, like they held a bit of that green magic from earlier.
While they ate, Elara asked about his day. Kieran kept acting cute on purpose. He tilted his head and said, "The grass felt nice on my feet, Mommy. I pretended I was a big strong knight just like in the stories." She smiled so wide her eyes crinkled.
They talked about little things. How the garden flowers were blooming. How the maids had sung while they cleaned. Kieran felt safe and warm sitting there with her.
Then Elara set her fork down. Her hand rested gently on her belly. Her face softened even more.
"Kieran, I have some wonderful news. You are going to have a little sister soon. I found out today. She's growing strong already."
Kieran froze with a piece of bread halfway to his mouth. His sapphire eyes went wide for real this time. A sister. The word felt big and new. He did not know much about his father, Duke Harlan Vale.
It had been six years since he died, and no one ever told him the full story. Just that it happened before Kieran was born. He wondered sometimes, but right now all he felt was a rush of happy surprise.
"Really, Mommy?" he asked, voice soft and excited. "A little sister? Will she have eyes like us?"
Elara nodded, her own eyes shining with happy tears.
"Yes, my love. She will. Your father would have been so proud to see this family grow."
Kieran reached over and hugged her arm tight. He did not push about the father part. He still did not know how it happened, and tonight was not the time. He just stayed close and let the good news settle in his chest.
After dinner, Kieran said goodnight with another big hug and a kiss on her cheek. He picked up Auralis again and headed to his room. The hallway lanterns cast soft gold light on the stone floors. His room was at the end of the hall, quiet and cozy. It had a big bed with a blue canopy that draped down like a tent.
The wooden floor was covered with a thick rug patterned with tiny swords and stars. A window looked out over the garden, curtains tied back so moonlight could spill in. On one wall hung a small shelf with story books and a few wooden practice swords.
In the corner stood the stone pedestal where Auralis usually rested. Candles flickered on the nightstand, and the air smelled faintly of the lavender the maids used in the linens.
Kieran closed the door behind him. He set Auralis on the pedestal and climbed onto his bed. He sat cross-legged in the middle of the blankets. The room felt safe and private.
'Auralis,' he thought quietly.
'Can I use both magic and aura at the same time? I have seen the maids do magic every day. And we practice aura together. Is it possible?'
The sword was quiet for a long moment. Then it answered, voice serious.
"Impossible, whelp. No one does both. Magic needs a circle of power inside you. Aura needs a core. They fight each other. One pulls from the air, the other from your own strength. They clash and break most people who try."
Kieran thought about that. He did not argue. But something inside him wanted to test it anyway. He closed his eyes and breathed slow, the way they practiced in the yard.
First he worked on the circle for magic. He pictured a perfect ring of soft blue light forming in his lower belly. He breathed in deep and felt the warm magic that floated in the air all the time.
The maids used it without thinking. He pulled a thin thread of that warmth into himself. It swirled gently. He shaped it carefully, round and steady. The ring started to spin, slow at first, then a little faster. It glowed quiet and steady inside him. A magic circle, small but real.
Next he focused on the core for aura. He remembered the tingle from training. The resonant hum. He gathered that feeling from his hands and chest. He pressed it together in the center of his body, right near the spinning circle.
He made it tight and hard, like rolling a snowball smaller and smaller until it became a solid seed of power. It pulsed once. Twice. A tiny aura core, warm and strong, sitting right beside the circle. They did not fight. They just sat there together, quiet and balanced.
Kieran opened his eyes. He felt both inside him now. The circle and the core. Small, but they were there.
Auralis went completely still. Then its voice burst out, shocked and loud in his head.
"You... you little devil! How in the realms did you pull that off? No one should be able to do that. Not at five years old. Not ever."