Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

The ride to the Nova estate was tense. 

Both Louise and Antoinette looked conflicted and scared almost. They hadn't uttered a word since the greeting Charles. 

Ben looked just as confused as Alexander did, eventually reaching a hand to Antoinette's knee. As he touched her, she flinched and hurriedly turned to face him with wide eyes.

"Everything alright?" Ben asked worriedly, tightly gripping her knee to show his presence.

Antoinette sighed as she crossed her arms. "It's fine." She said, turning her gaze towards the window, watching as they grew closer to the Nova estate. 

"Are you sure?" 

Antoinette turned to Ben and forced a smile, "Well, I have been craving something," she then chuckled softly as she looked Ben up and down with a seductive glint in her eyes. "You can help me get it after meeting with Lady Béatrice."

Ben's cheeks reddened slightly as he looked down to Antoinette's chest and crotch. 

"Ugh, can you two not?" Louise said as she placed a hand under her chin.

Ben slowly pulled his hand away from Antoinette's knee. "S-sorry lady Louise." Ben stammered as he reached for his dirty and broken collar, to fix it.

Alexander chuckled as he turned to Ben. 

I guess I'll mess with him too, to help lighten the mood.

Alexander raised a hand to pull on his coat sleeve, getting his attention. Ben turned to look down at Alexander with a curious expression. "Yes my lord?"

"You know, I hope you and Antoinette Get married and have a lot of children."

Ben chuckled nervously as his cheeks reddened even further. "M-my lord, that's not…"

"Of course, we're gonna have a bunch of kids." Antoinette chimed in, her grin wide, "Ben's just too good-looking."

"Oh, goddess," Ben whispered under his breath as he lowered his head. 

Antoinette smiled as she studied the blushing Ben. "It's not fun being on the other side is it?" She teased.

Ben shook his head. "It's embarrassing, I'll say that much."

Everyone chuckled except for Louise, who looked out the window with a lost gaze.

— — —

It wasn't long before the carriage stopped before the fort that surrounded the hill. At the gate were two pathfinders who waved for Charles to enter. 

Entering the walls, Alexander got a better look at the buildings that filled the interior of the walls. 

Stone paths snaked throughout the area, with wooden buildings sitting on either side of it. Alongside that were dozens upon dozens of pathfinders navigating the complex.

Some marched in formation, others milling about and conversing casually. It reminded Alexander of a military base, only three times bigger and containing a massive estate on an even larger hill.

Speaking of that hill, Charles had been riding up it for some time now. The path was straightforward and a bit steep, with large trimmed trees on either side of it. 

Pathfinders marched up and down the hill with their rifles rested on their shoulders and their heads held high. 

They looked something akin to the royal guard.

"Woah," Alexander whispered under his breath as he grew closer to the window. 

"Yes, this is definitely something." Ben chimed in as he looked out the window. "I've never seen this many pathfinders in my life."

As the journey continued, the Nova mansion, or more precisely palace, became to come into full view. 

It was a large building that curved into something of a crescent. It had four floors with a smaller fifth floor. The outer walls were white and covered in rows of windows. 

Dozens of pillars lined the outside of the walls, supported balconies and other structures that overhung the bottom floor. 

The roof was covered in faded green tiles and was lined with small animal-like statues. Before the grand palace was a courtyard that held a large fountain in its center with a statue of a man standing with a flag and sword. 

Scattered about the courtyard were patrolling pathfinders, maids, and gardeners. There were also parked carriages and what even appeared to be cars!

Holy smokes!

Alexander's face was practically smashed against the glass as he stared at the grandeur of the palace. 

Louise looked at Alexander with an annoyed expression. "Can you not behave yourself, for a moment?" She asked angrily, her red eyes narrowed as her fist tightened.

Alexander quickly pulled away from the window and settled into his seat. "Sorry." He said with a sheepish smile as he fumbled with his thumbs. 

Louise rolled her eyes as she turned her ire away from Alexander. Her expression filled with an unsettling aura. It was like she was dreading something, the fear she felt was almost palpable.

Yet she did her best not to show it, or at least give into it. 

The carriage finally rolled to a halt near the row of other carriages and cars. 

Antoinette took a deep breath as she adjusted her cap. "Let's get this shit show started." She muttered under her breath as she stepped out of the carriage. 

She was followed by Louise, who she helped guide out, and then Ben, who subsequently helped Alexander out of the carriage.

As Alexander stepped out he couldn't help but look down to the stone courtyard beneath him.

"Have you never seen the bloody ground before?" Louise snapped at Alexander as he marveled at the smoothness of the white stone beneath him. 

Alexander quickly looked up with a sheepish smile. "S-sorry." He stammered as he hid behind Ben. 

Antoinette sighed as she shook her head slowly. "Louise relax, I'm sure she'll… be moderate." She said softly, almost as if she didn't believe herself.

Louise frowned as she gritted her teeth. "Let's just go." She ushered, leading Antoinette by the hand as they approached the palace. 

Alexander looked up to Ben as Ben looked down at him. They both seemed confused as to what just happened, their expressions reading, what was that about?

"After you two," Charles said from behind them. 

"O-oh, right," Ben said as he grabbed Alexander's hand. He lead Alexander towards the palace, catching up with Antoinette.

As they approached, they noticed a woman standing at the main entrance with her hands held together and her eyes narrowed. 

She was dressed in a long silver dress, that started at the base of her shoulders and stopped just before the ground. 

The dress held various details and designs that were made with a white fabric. 

She had bright, vibrant eyes that glowed yellow. Her ears were long and pointed, but unlike most people Alexander met under the hakshi race, her ears were long enough to begin drooping slightly. 

Hmm, I wonder if that is their version of protruding ears some humans have. I gotta admit, it looks good, and makes her look mature…

Her hair was long and luscious flowing in curves all the way to her hips. 

She was flat-chested, but based on her hips she wasn't lacking a caboose.

As Alexander studied the woman, the group continued to grow closer, until eventually she reached a hand out for them to stop. 

Antoinette stopped along with the rest of the group.

The woman narrowed her eyes as she lowered her hand. "So." She began, "My husband and daughter, are they dead?" She asked, her tone filled with inquiry and frustration

She didn't even hesitate…

Antoinette lowered her head as she placed a hand over her chest. "Yes, my lady." She answered, "Lady Camilla and lord Napoleon has perished after a blitz attack from the Western empire."

The woman raised an eyebrow. 

Her expression didn't reflect any emotion after just confirming her husband and child had died. She almost looked, uninterested in it all. 

"Unfortunate." She replied, before turning her gaze to Louise. She had a look of disdain and irritation. 

Louise looked to cower slightly under the 

Then with a sigh, she turned her attention towards Alexander and Ben.

With a curious expression, she studied the two of them briefly before speaking up. "And these two, who are they?"

"Sir Ben and lord Alexander of the Daname house my lady," Antoinette answered. "As you know, lady Louise had been staying with them while Lady Camilla visited the front." She then sighed. "When news of the attack came, I offered refuge to them."

"And the rest of the Daname family?" 

"Presumably dead," Antoinette answered. "Lord Lance has been confirmed MIA, but has mostly died along with Lord Napoleon and Lady Camilla, Lord Lance's wives have been presumably caught under fire by the advancing enemy forces, and his children were in the capital attending their respective academies during the attack."

The woman frowned as she crossed her arms. "Hm, a real tragedy." She said, her tone slightly sympathetic, like she pitted them. "I suppose I'm supposed to care for them then?"

"Only if you wish Lady Béatrice."

The woman- Béatrice sighed. "I suppose I can deal with the two of them later, for now, take them to a guest room." She ordered Antoinette.

"Yes, my lady."

Béatrice then turned her attention to Louise. "In the meantime, you and I will have a talk."

Louise flinched at her mother's cold words but nodded along silently. 

The tension in the air was intense, Béatrice radiated an aura so overwhelming that even Alexander found himself trembling in fear. 

As Louise moved forward and followed her mother into the estate, Antoinette turned her attention to Ben and Alexander. Her expression was unreadable and her posture rigid, "if you two will follow me." She said sternly, little emotion in her tone.

Ben and Alexander followed Antoinette into the grand halls of the estate. The interior was as grand and elegant as the exterior. The floors were marble with ornate chandeliers on the ceiling, the walls were lined with windows and adorned with paintings. 

Butlers and maids walked the halls, busying themselves with maintaining the palace and keeping it magnificent.

Alexander couldn't help but find himself in awe of the palace, yet there was an underlying coldness that gnawed at him. 

Eventually, Antoinette stopped before a room among a series of other rooms that stretched down a long corridor. 

She opened the door of the room that would serve as their temporary quarters. The room was modest, especially compared to the rest of the palace, but it was still comfortable and elegant in its own way.

As Alexander and Ben stepped inside, Antoinette sighed. "You'll stay here until Lady Béatrice calls for you." She said, following the duo into the room, "In the meantime, do you need anything?"

Alexander began to climb onto the bed as Ben turned to face Antoinette. "Uhm," he began, placing a hand on his chin. "Well, there is something." He said with a grin.

Antoinette chuckled as she looked towards the empty corridor, seeing that it was empty she turned back to Ben. "Here." She said with a grin as she approached Ben, kissing him on the cheek.

Ben's smirk widened. "That's it?" He asked challengingly.

Antoinette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's all you've earned buddy." She said with a soft laugh as she gently punched his shoulder. "Anyway, I should get going."

Ben nodded. "See you."

"See you," Antoinette said with a wink as she exited the room, closing the door behind herself.