Perseus XXVII.

Hohenfels – Chapter 18

Hohenfels Hall was doing a great job at exhibiting the Hohenfels mindset, Katharina found. It felt alien, even more so than the brutal simplicity of Eisengrund Hall. The moat and ramparts were just as anachronistic as the main castle itself, but that only served to enhance the sense of imposition it conveyed. She studied it for a few moments, taking in the atmosphere. It was obvious: The dorm’s designer was a masterful wielder of statements.

As soon as she crossed the dr...

Hohenfels – Chapter 17

“This is quite the mess, isn’t it?” Matthias von Falkenstein reclined in his soft armchair, his usual joviality gone. “I do not understand why Ludwig is acting so rashly. He always had a nasty temper, but Maximilian usually keeps him on a short leash.” Contemplation. Worry.

Arne and his distant relative had retreated to the Falkenstein prince’s extravagant lounge to discuss yesterday’s events in private. The gold-rimmed paintings and frivolously expensive satin cu...

Hohenfels – Chapter 16

Arne tried to get a read on the newcomer’s aura, which turned out to be rather difficult. Despite the short distance of barely eight paces, it seemed a little fuzzy to Arne’s senses. ‘Feels like a particularly powerful warding amulet.’

“Good evening. I’m afraid this niche is occupied.” Arne made no effort to be accommodating, realizing that the bloodstained table and the barely visible half-dried puddle on the floor might put Katharina and him in a rather precario...

Hohenfels – Chapter 15

Arne braced himself against the torrent of ambition and calculus bursting from Katharina’s aura. The sheer intensity of her emotions made it easy to identify the subcurrents, and what he felt pleased him greatly.

She held, at least for the moment, no ill will towards him. He had been more than a little worried after she saw through both of his attempts at unbalancing her, but she did not seem to hold a grudge. Instead, she was clearly trying to figure out how she could get the most of...

Hohenfels – Chapter 14

The library was quiet, with both young nobles desperately trying to compose themselves. They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, neither of them particularly willing to speak.

The sun was setting outside, and the many-colored light falling in through the window grew dimmer and dimmer.

Katharina considered her options. While very far from optimal, the situation was still salvageable. She was mortified to have been seen in such a state, but the prince– no,...

Hohenfels – Chapter 13

Katharina’s mind was nothing but chaotic noise.

After Prince Arnold openly threatened Prince Ludwig and subsequently stormed out, the cluster of nobles had naturally dissolved, leaving her and Princess Klara on the balcony. The princess promptly excused herself and left the hall, her furious expression carving a wide path through the guests.

When Katharina returned to the ballroom, she found herself faced with an ever-growing onslaught of curious aristocrats.

“Lady Katha...

Hohenfels – Chapter 12

“I wonder if Eisengrund Hall is still standing,” Friedrich wondered with a spiteful grin on his face.

“Don’t be too happy about this. I’ll have to deal with the fallout as well,” Arne sighed. While the stupid rumors painted Princess Klara in a decidedly more negative light, he would still have to live with the various social consequences and undoubtedly endure dozens of curious inquiries.

‘I wish I could contact Mother,’ he despaired inwardly. A lette...

Hohenfels – Chapter 11

“I want to fight her,” Friedrich claimed. Anticipation. Curiosity.

“No.”

“Please?”

“No!”

“Why?!”

“If Lady Katharina was interested in combat, she’d be here,” Arne sighed, gesturing around. The two of them were currently waiting for the combat instructors, having stepped away from the cluster of students so they could talk freely.

“Well, she came to the training grounds yesterday!”

“Only to mess with you.”

Hohenfels – Chapter 10

Katharina was no stranger to heathen traditions. In fact, she was rather well-educated on them, given her expertise in Celtic and Germanic culture.

Still, it was one thing to read about those things in a book, and another thing altogether to witness a teacher repeatedly commit blasphemy of the highest order. Professor Nowak was not even trying to sugarcoat it anymore.

“When Karl the Great waged his, ahem, Holy War against the tribes east of the river ...

Hohenfels – Chapter 9

“–and as proven later in the battle of Orbach, hammer-and-anvil remains a highly reliable and, dare I say, highly effective tactic. The higher the quality of the commander’s strategy, the higher the degree of success. A trivial matter, really, given the excellence of our commanders compared to foreign… forces.”

Arne suppressed a sigh. This was exactly why he wasn’t looking forward to lectures on military tactics.

The subject itself was not the problem – hamm...

Hohenfels – Chapter 8

After forcing herself to listen to the unnecessarily long-winded speech delivered by the unenthusiastic principal, Katharina felt drained. The awareness of her colossal mistake loomed over every thought and she could feel her knees begin to shake.

Nonetheless, she had no choice but to engage in friendly conversation with the thankfully low number of young high-born aristocrats who approached her. She did not even try to work on any relationships, recognizing that her mind was not in the...

Hohenfels – Chapter 7

Despite his best efforts, Arne could not avoid the nightmare that was the entrance ceremony, and it was shaping up to be significantly more unpleasant than he had considered.

When he arrived at the great hall in his dress uniform, he was ushered into a waiting room by an attendant after a quick rundown of how the beginning of the ceremony was to play out. Students belonging to high houses would be called upon in ascending order of importance, meaning he would be rather late to the whole...

Hohenfels – Chapter 6

Katharina regretted not introducing herself at the beginning of their interaction. Though flaunting her status as the daughter of an Imperial Count just to claim a cozy corner of the library would have been a diplomatic blunder, the current situation was even worse.

She stared at her book, trying to read but failing to concentrate on its contents. The young lord sitting across from her was, infuriatingly, not suffering from the same problem. When the two of them had first turned from th...

Hohenfels – Chapter 5

Princess Klara’s aura shook with reluctance, shame, and suppressed anger as she stared at the cousins.

“What do you want?” Arne asked, matching her tone in forgoing protocol.

“I… Ugh,” she groaned. “I owe you for yesterday.”

‘Come again?!’ Arne had expected threats, demands, vows of eternal vengeance… And so had Friedrich, whose aura exuded irritation and confusion in equal measure.

“That duel was a close call,” she continued thr...

Hohenfels – Chapter 4

“–and so, I would be extraordinarily grateful if you would delay your report on this matter until Friedrich had a chance for a rematch.”

Arne stood in the Castellan’s office, bowing to Lord Hartmut who looked at him pensively.

“A rematch, hmm?” the old man asked gently, stroking his carefully trimmed beard. “You’re a natural at this, aren’t you?”

That made Arne hesitate. “What do you mean, Lord Hartmut?”

“Nothing much. Only that–”

Hi...

Hohenfels – Chapter 3

As Friedrich stormed down into the arena to grab a semi-blunt practice weapon, Arne leaned back in his seat. ‘This is perhaps the worst possible way to start our stay at the academy,’ he silently despaired. They had immediately gotten roped into a very violent and very public conflict with a ducal house. Depending on the outcome of this battle, Friedrich’s – and by extension, his – reputation at the academy might start off heavily tarnished. ‘Mother would cry tea...