2: The Heir of Ravenshade

The North Stirs

The northern winds howled outside, rattling against the frost-covered windows of Ravenshade Manor. The grand estate, standing like a fortress amidst endless snow, loomed under the gray winter sky. The cold was relentless, sinking into the bones of all who called the North their home.

Yet inside, the air was anything but cold.

Hushed murmurs filled the halls. Servants moved swiftly, excitement bubbling beneath their breathless whispers. Some barely concealed their joy, while others exchanged wary glances.

The Duke's heir had been born.

To the people of the North, this was no small event.

Duke Aldric Ravenshade—ruler of the icy lands, the warlord who commanded the North with an iron will—had remained without an heir for years. Never had he acknowledged a bastard. Never had he shown interest in producing a successor.

Until now.

And so, the North held its breath.

Some in anticipation.

Some in doubt.

And some… in quiet unease.

---

The Duke's Arrival

A heavy silence settled over the duchess's chamber.

Seraphina Ravenshade reclined against silken pillows, exhaustion clinging to her delicate features. Her golden hair, damp with sweat, clung to her skin. Yet despite her fatigue, her crimson eyes glowed with warmth as she gazed at the newborn nestled in her arms.

Tiny. Fragile. Silent.

Her son had barely cried since his birth.

The door creaked open.

A figure entered, his presence swallowing the room whole.

Silver-white hair. Black eyes.

Aldric Ravenshade.

He said nothing at first. His sharp, dark gaze flickered toward the child in her arms, lingering, unreadable. The silence stretched between them, heavy and unspoken.

Seraphina's lips curled into a soft smile. "You're late."

Aldric's gaze shifted to meet hers. "I came as soon as I could."

She chuckled lightly. "You always say that." Her fingers brushed over the baby's silver locks. "He has your hair."

Aldric stepped closer. His gaze, piercing and cold to most, softened—just slightly—as he studied the newborn's face. Black eyes met crimson.

"…And your eyes," he murmured.

A flicker of something crossed his expression. Too brief to name.

Seraphina tilted her head. "Do you want to hold him?"

Aldric hesitated.

It was barely noticeable, but she caught it.

Not reluctance. Not fear.

Unfamiliarity.

But after a beat, he reached forward. Large, calloused hands—hands that had slain countless enemies—carefully cradled the child.

The newborn did not cry.

He merely blinked up at his father, deep red eyes meeting Aldric's gaze with an unsettling intensity.

Observing. Watching.

Aldric frowned slightly. "…He's quiet."

Seraphina exhaled a tired laugh. "Yes. Too quiet."

Silence fell again.

She reached forward, her fingers brushing over her husband's. "He's strong. I can feel it."

Aldric's grip shifted slightly, holding the newborn closer.

For just a fraction of a second, his expression softened.

---

Averis's POV – A Mind Too Aware

The world felt strange.

Overwhelming. Too much. Too real.

Warmth. The weight of thick fur blankets. The steady rise and fall of his mother's breathing. The solid heartbeat of the man who held him.

The air smelled of lavender and frost—soft and cold, all at once.

'This… isn't a dream.'

He was alive.

Reincarnated.

His mind swirled, fragmented thoughts piecing themselves together. The setting. The voices. The names. He knew them.

Because he had read this story before.

'Selene Draconis.'

The name echoed in his mind.

The protagonist of a novel. The imperial princess fated to die at fifteen, only to regress and rise as the strongest.

And him?

A stepping stone.

A minor villain.

The first noble she would kill.

A slow, creeping dread coiled in his chest.

He was destined to die.

'No.'

His tiny fingers twitched. Weak. Pathetically weak. But his mind—his mind was still his own.

If this was his second life, then he would not accept such a fate.

Not again.

---

The Household Reacts

Outside the chamber, the ducal estate was already in motion.

Nobles, knights, and high-ranking retainers whispered amongst themselves. A son had been born.

An heir to Ravenshade.

The knights stood straighter. Loyalty burned in their veins, the idea of a new generation of Ravenshade warriors filling them with anticipation.

The servants gushed about the child's beauty.

"The duke's hair! The duchess's eyes! He'll be a stunning young lord!"

But amongst the nobles?

Not all were pleased.

Aldric Ravenshade had no other heirs.

With Averis's birth, his position as the sole successor was undeniable.

And that… was a problem for some.

In the shadows of Ravenshade Manor, whispers began.

---

End of Chapter 2