Dianne – POV

  It was a past I had tried to bury, a past both Jakob and I had fled from. Yet for the sake of our children, we would face it again.

  “My name is Dianne Mayweather, daughter of Count Neville Mayweather. Your father’s full name is Jakob Abensberg, son of Countess Mary Abensberg. Our noble families were wiped out; our lands confiscated. You see, our families supported one of the imperial princes in his claim to the throne. Our faction was defeated, our benefactor slain. Then the other factions descended upon us, stripping away our lands, hunting down our kin. We escaped with our lives, but as far as I know, we are the last of our families.”

  Silence followed. The children stared at me; their faces caught between shock and disbelief. I had sworn never to return to that life, never to walk again in the shadowed halls of nobility. But now, for them...for Nathan, who was becoming the center of our family, I would return. I would endure scheming, politics, and the dangers. I would do everything to protect my children, especially Nathan, the most gifted of us all.

  Nathan - POV

  We stood frozen, unable to speak. I had suspected my parents were more than they claimed, but hearing it confirmed that they were nobles from fallen houses, left me speechless. The scale of their downfall was staggering. Two noble houses, nearly annihilated in the brutal struggle for the throne. It revealed the true savagery of Shaxaian’s civil war. No wonder the empire collapsed. The destruction must have been unimaginable.

  I was the first to break the silence. “Thank you for telling us, Mother.” I stepped forward and embraced her.

  “Thank you, my son,” she whispered, her voice trembling with both relief and sorrow.

  Jack frowned. “Was it really that bad? Bad enough to run away?”

  Jakob’s expression hardened. “Yes, son. It was worse than you could imagine. Someday we will tell you everything, but not now. Those memories are not meant for children’s ears.”

  Serena tilted her head. “Father, did you also have your letter of patent?”

  Jakob shook his head. “No. My elder brother carried it. We were separated during the chaos. I pray he and his family still live. Your mother, however, was the eldest of her line, so her family’s patents were entrusted to her for safekeeping.”

  I looked at them both. “Mother, Father… you ran from that life. Are you truly willing to return to it?”

  Jakob’s eyes burned with conviction. “For your safety, yes. And truthfully, I cannot see myself living as a peasant forever. We have suffered enough in these lands.”

  I turned to Mother. “And you?”

  She met my gaze steadily. “I am at peace with our decision, Nathan. If we must live again as nobles, then so be it. But remember, children, nobility is not all glamour. It is a world of scheming, of masks and daggers hidden behind smiles. We will prepare you for it: etiquette, politics, the art of survival.”

  Christine’s voice trembled. “Can I… still be part of the family?”

  Dianne smiled warmly. “Of course, honey. You are one of us now.”

  Serena smirked. “Especially if you marry Nathan.”

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  I rolled my eyes as laughter rippled through the group.

  Jack straightened, his eyes alight. “Father, can I be a knight?”

  Jakob’s smile softened. “Yes, Jack. You will be a knight of our house. But we must also choose a name and a banner.”

  Serena asked, “Why not use Mother’s or Father’s family name and sigil?”

  Jakob shook his head. “I am not the eldest son. That right belongs to my brother. Your mother does carry that right, however…” He trailed off.

  Dianne nodded. “Yes, I am the eldest, and I could carry my family’s name. But I want Jakob to have the honor of establishing his own house. Both of our families suffered greatly. I am not even certain I am the last of mine.”

  I spoke up. “Why not combine both names? Establish a new house, a union of both bloodlines. That way, we children inherit claims to both.”

  The idea stunned them.

  Jakob’s eyes widened. “I never thought of that… but yes. A new house, born of both Mayweather and Abensberg. A union represented by our children. That would give us legitimate claims to lands and titles under both houses.”

  Dianne whispered the name aloud. “House Mayweather-Abensberg?”

  Jakob nodded slowly. “It sounds… strong.”

  My siblings, Shive, and Christine all agreed.

  “That settles it,” Dianne declared. “We are now House Mayweather-Abensberg. I will design our sigil and motto, but I will need your input.”

  “I’ll help, Mama!” Serena said eagerly.

  Jakob smiled. “I will focus on recruitment. Jack, Nathan, you will help me.”

  “Of course, Papa,” we said together.

  That day, a new house was born. But birth was only the beginning. We needed to build a household guard, claim land, and secure recognition of our title. It would be difficult, but not impossible.

  We decided to recruit our hired adventurers as our first retainers. Father spoke with Anda, their leader, while I joined Mother and the girls to work on the sigil.

  The design was intricate. Mother explained each detail carefully. The sigil of House Mayweather, a rose wrapped in thorns, stood beside the sigil of House Abensberg, a rook with crossed swords. Both were set upon a shield clasped by a two-headed eagle.

  “The eagle,” Mother explained, “is the Blood Eagle, a creature of Shaxaian myth. It symbolizes rebirth. Our union is a rebirth of two fallen houses.”

  She looked at me. “What should be our motto?”

  I thought back to my past life, to the Marines. “How about… ‘Death before Dishonor.’”

  Mother’s eyes widened. “That is good. A creed our descendants can hold close to their hearts. It will guide our actions for generations.” She inscribed the words beneath the coat of arms.

  Honor. I had seen it twisted, broken, and rebuilt in my previous life. Honor could be achieved through many paths...even underhanded ones. I had no qualms about that.

  As the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across our camp, I reflected on what had transpired. We were no longer peasants, no longer wanderers. We were nobles reborn, heirs of shattered legacies. Yet with that came danger. Nobility was not a crown of gold but a mantle of responsibility; a target painted on our backs.

  Mother and Father had revealed their past not to boast, but to prepare us. We would face scheming lords, rival houses, and the ever-present threat of betrayal. But we would face it together, as House Mayweather-Abensberg.

  Christine sat quietly beside me, her hand brushing mine. “Nathan… do you think we can really do this?”

  I looked at her, then at my siblings, at my parents, at the sigil gleaming in the firelight. “Yes,” I said firmly. “We can. Because we are no longer just survivors. We are builders. And we will carve our place in this world. It will not be easy, the land of my parents is in chaos right now, but you know what they say about chaos?” I said,

  “What do they say about chaos?” she asked.

  “It is a ladder” I said.

  She just nodded whether she understood or not I didn’t ask. The fact is I copied that from Littlefinger from my favorite show back on earth, before they eventually fucked up the ending. To be honest, Littlefinger was right. Chaos is indeed a ladder, for men and women to climb, to ascend. I just hope no one comes along to break that ladder.

  The fire crackled. The wind carried the scent of smoke and steel. And at that moment, I knew: our journey had changed forever.