'So father huh? I wonder why I am not with my father's family then. I mean my aunt and her kids definitely live with their in-laws so it ain't a matrilineal family structure. Does it have something to do with status? Hmm… whatever guess I'll find out eventually.'
Noctis reasoned against asking these questions out loud. An uncanny awareness could be passed off as a sign of advanced intellect (by proxy) but knowledge of worldly complexity would certainly be too out of place. And it wasn't like it mattered as of now anyway.
And thus Noctis once again focused on his studies, to the relief of Marina.
***
In a few hours Noctis found himself in a moderately large sized room(according to the estate's standard). This, a dining hall, was a little different from his room.
It lacked the beautiful but somewhat tacky gilded leaves and colour plaster on the walls of the room. The walls were instead panelled with thick dark oak, with some marks of smoke and age on its polished surface. It had a stone hearth, although it wasn't lit, instead the large windows towards the eastern garden let in gentle breeze along with the briny, salty smell of the seas. It emitted a feeling of an enduring piece of art that captured the essence of a lasting legacy.
The dining table had a similar vibe to it. It could host 15-20 people easily, which was currently occupied by mere 6 people, the material was dark and thick and gave signs of a rich history that pervaded this room.
The dining hall was a unique blend of authority and comfort. It bespoke of great valour along with the coziness of a home. Perhaps it was due to this that, even though it wasn't necessary to partake in the family dinner everyday, barring some major tradition, little Noctis everyday walked the whole long eastern wing to visit it.
Somewhere perhaps, he found some warmth in the presence of what felt like a true family. As the current Noctis thought of this, he felt a pang of sadness for his pre-conscious self.
How did he know it was his pre-conscious self and not someone else? Infact he didn't. It was just that taking any other hypothesis was too daunting for his current self. He did not wish to go into an existential crisis so soon in this uncertain time and space.
"Is something wrong little Knot?" Interrupting his thoughts came his uncle's voice sitting on the other side of the table.
He didn't realise he had stopped eating while thinking of such and such.
"Uh- oh nothing. All good uncle Leofrik." He replied hastily, going back to munching on his dinner.
"Sure?"
"Yes indeed."
"He must be tired from all the waking he had to do."
Came a rare talk from the family head of Borgias.
He continued when he felt all the family members eyes on him,
"Since his room has been rendered unusable due to the incident, why don't we shift his room in the eastern ward alongside Thiago. He wouldn't have to walk all the way to dinner."
'Unusable? I slept there just fine this afternoon.'
Although it was presented as an opinion requiring further vote, it was obviously rhetorical considering from whom it came from.
"Oh that's a great idea. Ysabel would have a playmate for evening walks." Chipped his aunt Adelinde, wife of his uncle Leofrik.
Ysabel was her daughter, and his cousin sister, a few months younger than him. Thiago was their eldest son. They did have another baby a few months ago but he forgot their name.
"Well.. he is to start his weapon arts training along with Thiago so it might be a little difficult." Added uncle Leofrik to keep the conversation going.
"Daddy, can I also join brother Thiago?" came a soft inquisitive voice of little Ysabel.
"You might in a few months time honey." Replied Leofrik.
Ysabel pouted a little at the answer but didn't say anything back. Which prompted all eyes to fall on Noctis jarring him outright.
'wh-what, do I say something? What should I say?'
"It's final them?" helped the old man Jofré to the relief of Noctis.
"Yes certainly." confirmed his uncle.
"Noctis?"
"Oh yes certainly." replied Noctis, sounding less certain that he intended although he had little choice.
"As such then. Someone will show you your room after dinner."
'You have it ready?'
"I am grateful, my lord." he replied, reverting to his etiquette class that had been drilled in his memories.
"Save the courtesies." Said old man as he nodded, not at all looking to save the coutsies.
'Well, gotta get used to it.'
The rest of the dinner went quietly and eventually everyone made their way towards their next destination. The old man and uncle to the old man's studies, to smoke a cigar or something who knows and others to their private quarters.
***
Jofré and Leofrik were discussing the various matters about the estate and their administration as they usually do whenever Leofrik was available after dinner. Today however they had another unique development to discuss.
"A letter from the Eldaliëan kingdom? What is it about." enquired Leofrik.
"What could those vain, money-minded folks have to say to us martial class folks? It's about him."
"So soon? Do they have inner-"
"Even if they did, it would take more than half a day to reach and another half to be back. They must've known since the moment it happened."
Leofrik pondered a bit with a serious expression on his face as he heard this.
He replied after a few moments, "what does it say?"
"They want full custody."
"Preposterous! Shameless even." Leofrik exclaimed at such demand.
"What insanity allows for such a proposal when they had ignored all calls to notice when these matters were to be handled." He was having none of it.
"Indeed. Although they have proposed a negotiation to the relief of it, such is the manner of the ideas that go against the very ideals of our institution of kinship. One which we adhere to, unlike them who say one thing on the face and another on the back."
Jofré mirrored the statements, although his face showed little reaction, still calm as ever.