“Now, repeat after me,” Willem said, looking upon his new prospective knight. "I, Arend, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Free Market against all enemies, socialist and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the almighty Dollar; that I will obey the orders of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and the whims of Wall Street, according to the sacred principl...
2025-03-21 07:02:28 +0000 UTC View PostThe inside of the gargantuan church of life could be likened to that of a greenhouse, standing in stark contrast to that of the decadent cathedral in Gent. There, the beauty of the architecture seemed a deeper priority than the sanctity of the plant life within. Here, the roles were reversed. The plants seemed the primary focus, to the point where there was no proper walkway or paving or basic ...
2025-03-20 06:59:28 +0000 UTC View PostAfter arriving at Baptiste’s estate in the capital, Eleanor had led him up to the study. She stood in the room, but was removed from the conversation, watching off to the side. Baptiste stood behind his desk, and Willem sat in a chair in front of it.
“How well do you know your history? Specifically, that of Lazzaro the Twin-Soul,” Baptiste asked Willem.
“I internalize the le...
2025-03-19 07:01:09 +0000 UTC View Post“I heard about what happened with Hans,” Arend said as he and Willem prepared for a sparring bout. “I admit I had my own troubles with the man, but… no warrior deserves something like that.”
“Why not?” Willem asked. “Out of most occupations, I think it’s one of the most likely to both take someone’s hand and lose your own.”
“It’s an injury that ends the car...
2025-03-18 06:57:41 +0000 UTC View PostA young priestess sat by Hans’ bedside, giving him his diagnosis. “A prosthetic is going to be difficult, sir. The aura… impedes it directly. Using even the sturdiest of materials, you’d need to change it out every so often. You couldn’t really have a high-function prosthetic at all, because the finer components would be eroded by the lingering aura. The only way would be for the aura...
2025-03-17 06:54:41 +0000 UTC View PostWillem looked down at Hans, who laid up in one of the beds in the Verdant Spring Guesthouse. His hand had stopped bleeding, but that swirling red aura still danced around it. Hans had taken some natural pain medicine, and now looked to have fallen into a deep sleep. Viviene, with her good eye somewhat puffy, gently stroked his head. Lennard and Godfried watched on with arms crossed.
“Th...
2025-03-14 06:50:57 +0000 UTC View Post“As members of the Brugh family, the fact is that you stand as one of the last bastions of resistance we have against the forces of Avaria,” King Arnoud said, looking out at the three assembled sons of House Brugh. “The Avarians live in a land of frigid cold, centering their society around a volcano. There are far fewer of them than there are us… but they’ve mastered the art of monste...
2025-03-13 06:14:46 +0000 UTC View PostUnder ordinary circumstances, Willem probably wouldn’t have given this Eleanor woman the time of day. But the fact was, if he was going to make something happen with the Dubois family, he needed someone on the inside. He didn’t know much about this woman, but Baptiste had spoken quite highly of her. She didn’t seem to have that diehard loyalty he’d expect from someone trusted, but he in...
2025-03-12 07:01:37 +0000 UTC View Post“I won’t be coming with you today,” Viviene informed Willem as he woke up. “I have to help your brothers out with something.”
“Aren’t they nearing thirty?” Willem asked off-handedly, focused on something else. “Let them be.”
“You’re nearing ninety, yet I’ve been walking around with you as you smuggle soap into forbidden places and duel Arend the past ten da...
2025-03-11 07:02:58 +0000 UTC View Post“He has changed somewhat,” Godfried said as he and Viviene watched.
In the distance, Willem bashed Arend’s shield of aura with the pommel of his sword while the man was brought low by the sheer ferocity.
“Gotten better, I think,” Viviene said.
“Obviously. A little cleaner,” Godfried said. “He used to use his aura to blind me when we sparred until I learned how ...
2025-03-10 06:57:04 +0000 UTC View PostWillem, after giving the princess her due deference, sat across from Clara in this comfortable little pavilion. The princess looked him in the eye. Since he’d come here, she hadn’t said a word—she was just watching him, her hands folded politely in front of her.
“Her Highness has been instructed by her father not to speak to any of the contenders,” said one of the two ladies-in-...
2025-03-07 06:43:34 +0000 UTC View PostWillem’s first visit to the royal palace wasn’t quite what he expected. But then, that was because he didn’t enter through the main portal.
Together with Viviene, they went to what’s called the servant’s entrance. Though tightly guarded, it was incredibly humble and low-key. Willem walked through one of those portals, which had been installed into a doorframe. Then, withou...
2025-03-06 06:53:28 +0000 UTC View PostViviene watched her son—sons—with a great deal of trepidation. They had occupied one of the smaller sub-arenas in the Ravenveld colosseum. So long as someone could demonstrate the fact that they were capable of using aura, the owners were more than happy to let their space be used—the king encouraged as much. Spectators came by to see sparring bouts and grudge matches between aura users a...
2025-03-05 06:55:13 +0000 UTC View PostWillem looked at Arend (formerly Arend Rook), the other side of the conspiracy to kill him that’d taken place many months ago by this point. He’d only seen the man briefly—he’d pointed to Willem and tried to say something before the government-sponsored cavalry arrived in the form of Galahad. After that, he’d seen him for a bit after Viviene had beaten the piss out of him.
Still...
2025-03-04 06:45:43 +0000 UTC View Post“You know, maybe this King Arnoud the Blood Traitor guy isn’t so bad,” Willem said, looking out of the window of the enchanted carriage.
Viviene studied her son. Her fifth son, as it turned out. It had been quite a monumental feat to come to terms with it, but… some trauma of the universe had sundered her son’s body in twain, spiritually speaking. The most embarrassing part of i...
2025-03-03 06:41:20 +0000 UTC View PostAbout a week had passed since Willem had gotten permission to establish a free-trade zone outside of the city limits. They were planning to build a production facility right alongside the river, harnessing the power of the water to power many of Karel’s innovations.
But for one of the rare occasions in Willem’s new life, this day wouldn’t have much business going on at all.
He...
2025-02-28 07:06:18 +0000 UTC View Post“So, the man expects me to vie for the hand of Princess What’s-her-name?” Willem said, leaning his head against his hand. He was still in the upstairs rooms of the Society of Assured Prosperity, reeling after this news. Dirk and Suzanne had both left. “I can’t believe this.”
“Her name is Clara Isabella Eugenia Maria Antonia van Ravenveld,” Tielman corrected. “Or… just ...
2025-02-27 07:03:58 +0000 UTC View Post“So… the reason that I’ve called all of you together today is because you’re the people that expressed the most concern about my ability to act as the treasurer for the Society of Assured Prosperity,” Willem said, looking out across all of those present.
“Well, uhh… Willem, we wouldn’t want you to think that we…” one leaned in.
“Nah, don’t worry,” Willem he...
2025-02-26 07:00:45 +0000 UTC View PostSuzanne sat beside Willem’s bed, reading her book of research as she waited for the man to go asleep. Well, she tried to read, but in reality her mind was occupied.
Everyone had consistent messaging. No one particularly liked Willem van Brugh, her brother. She couldn’t say everyone liked Willem Jansen, but perspectives were generally more positive. She wasn’t especially sur...
2025-02-25 06:53:35 +0000 UTC View PostAs of 2/23, I edited some of the prior chapters. Nothing major, just added foreshadowing for Willem's government bailout in the monthly meeting, replaced the scene in chapter 39 to Suzanne's confrontation of Willem about his body-snatching, and smoothed out some things.
***
“Dirk…” Willem placed his hands in front of him as they enjoyed their breakfast. “I’m afraid I have some b...
Suzanne stood over Willem, staring down into his blue eyes. He sat on a couch in the palace of the count of Gent, and she stood over him with a collection of her things in her bag. She organized them briefly, idly, as she spoke to Willem. “I was surprised that you come to me of your own initiative.”
“Gave my word, didn’t I?” Willem asked her. “You should know that I don’t li...
2025-02-21 06:54:37 +0000 UTC View PostWillem, Gustav, and Dirk sat in the lobby of the Society of Assured Prosperity. Off to the side, there was a completed contract to join with the society. Gustav had elected to do so of his own volition, but it was also symbolic of their deeper collaboration.
“The biggest untapped market for our business is the capital,” Gustav said, speaking with Willem as though they hadn’t been en...
2025-02-20 06:48:02 +0000 UTC View PostThere were very few people that could claim to put their kingdom, their duchy, their county, or their barony before their own needs. Everyone was mortal, and everyone succumbed to some manner of personal indulgence. All manner of proud lords and ruthless kings would help out their children when the child didn’t deserve to be helped.
That wasn’t necessarily true for King Arnoud van Rav...
2025-02-19 06:34:58 +0000 UTC View Post“I really do have to go now. I have to go to a funeral,” Willem said, looking at the clock ticking in the corner of his office. He stood up from his chair. “On that front, maybe we can hold one for your brother. Probably sounds weird, but these things help with closure.”
Suzanne looked at Willem Jansen closely. “You need… I need you to consent to some tests and procedures,” ...
2025-02-18 06:43:59 +0000 UTC View PostSuzanne had been interrogating Willem’s servant, a man by the name of Dirk, for some time. She was certain that he knew something, but he was closed-lipped and loyal. Still, his dithering on certain questions led her to know that her suspicions were just as accurate from the impression of others as it was for the rest of her family.
There came a pounding from the stairs, and both her an...
2025-02-17 06:57:42 +0000 UTC View Post“I hope that you have a good explanation for what happened yesterday,” Anne Claire demanded of Willem, not long after his talk with Dirk. She had cornered him in the streets just outside the Society of Assured Prosperity.
“I have a lot of people to talk to today,” Willem said. “A lot of people were affected by what happened last night. I don’t want them to have doubts in the S...
2025-02-14 06:06:01 +0000 UTC View PostWillem walked into the cathedral very late into the night. When he did, green eyes turned to meet him.
“Didn’t think that you’d have the nerve to come,” Petronella said, walking forth back into the light. “Much less alone.”
“Funny. I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to stay around this long,” Willem said. “Unless you want problems, you should keep certain thin...
2025-02-13 06:41:48 +0000 UTC View PostWillem looked out across the carnage. If he didn’t understand the gravity of the situation, he might say something like, ‘this is going to be a disaster for my Society of Assured Prosperity.’ But despite all of his insensitivity, even he wouldn’t make light of the fact that seven knights had died in Arend Rook’s rampage.
“What’ll you do with him?” He asked Galahad, who was...
2025-02-12 06:10:06 +0000 UTC View PostDorothea handled a bottle of poison hidden in her sleeve quite delicately. This was something that had been given to her long, long ago, ever since she first made contact with Avaria. It was intended to be taken in case one’s cover was exposed, and judgment was soon to rain down upon them. In the other hand was another vial of a different purpose.
But I don’t want to die, Dor...
2025-02-11 06:29:22 +0000 UTC View PostGalahad walked up the cold iron stairs of the outer Iron Stomach. When he arrived at the top, there was a woman looking into the holding area down below. She was fairly tall, with black hair and icy blue eyes. After having seen both Viviene and Tielman, Galahad could safely say this woman had inherited the best traits of both.
“Is that him, Suzanne?” Galahad walked to the observation ...
2025-02-10 06:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post