The Spring Summoner and the Winter Duke

A Lady’s Charisma

The duke observed Adelaide as she gazed out the carriage window, her face lit with a fascination that puzzled him. Dark forests, vast expanses of untouched snow, and the muted tones of the northern landscape—what allure could these hold for a woman surrounded by the vibrance of spring and the vitality of life? Yet, there she was, leaning slightly forward, her expression one of pure curiosity.

As the carriage wound its way through the rugged terrain, the looming peaks of the Spine of the Frost came into view. Towering and jagged, they formed an imposing natural barrier between Aurenfell and the Aedrean Rift beyond. The border wall, though not yet visible, lay just beyond the horizon, hidden by the dense thicket of snow-laden trees. Despite the distance, Adelaide’s senses prickled; the faint, insidious hum of demonic corruption brushed against her consciousness like an uninvited whisper.

“How long has the border wall stood, Your Grace?” she asked, turning her attention to Aric. Her voice was light.

Aric hummed, his tone thoughtful. “Quite a few centuries. It is nearly as old as the duchy itself. Initially, it was built to shield Aurenfell from northern invaders—tribes who once coveted the fertile valleys to the south. Later, it became a bastion against the Aedrean threat.” His expression darkened slightly, his voice dropping. “Though the wall fell in the first wave of the Rift’s opening, my father reclaimed it. Since then, we’ve fortified it with magic stones mined from the mountains. It stands stronger now than ever before.”

Adelaide nodded, her fingers brushing absently against the window’s frosted glass. “Your father must have been a formidable man to lead such a reclamation.”

“He was,” Aric replied simply, his tone even, though his gaze lingered briefly on the distant peaks.

Adelaide tilted her head, sensing the weight of history in his words but not pressing further. Instead, she smiled and glanced back at the passing scenery. “I cannot wait to see it for myself.”

Aric regarded her for a moment, her excitement once again catching him off guard. "The wall is hardly a sight to inspire such enthusiasm, My Lady. It is a cold, unyielding thing, made of stone and iron, not of beauty or life.”

“And yet, it holds history, courage, and duty within its stones. That is beauty enough,” Adelaide replied without missing a beat, her eyes twinkling.

For a fleeting moment, Aric had no reply, merely watching as she returned her attention to the snowy wilderness beyond the window. She was a strange woman, he thought. One who saw warmth in the coldest of places.

As the carriage rolled to a stop before the imposing gates of Snowguard Fort, Adelaide pressed her hands and forehead against the frosted glass, her breath fogging the window as she took in the towering structure. Its thick, weathered stone walls rose defiantly against the endless white of the northern expanse. Aric noticed her expression, her face alight with curiosity and excitement. A faint twitch tugged at his lips, startling him with its unfamiliarity. He quickly masked it with a frown, stepping out of the carriage before the door was fully opened.

Adelaide wasted no time calling for Dame Lorrain. "Dame Lorrain, if you please!" she chimed, extending her hand toward her knight rather than her betrothed.

The knight moved swiftly to assist her, and Adelaide alighted from the carriage with all the grace and eagerness of a child at a festival.

Aric bit his lip as he observed her, the faintest furrow on his brow. His thoughts were interrupted by her delighted exclamation, echoing against the fortress walls:

"It's so big!"

One of the accompanying knights chuckled softly before quickly straightening under Aric’s sharp glance.

Dame Lorrain took the lead, explaining as she guided her lady. "This, Your Grace, is Snowguard Fort, the largest and most strategic of Aurenfell's fortresses. It stands sentinel over the western stretch of the border wall."

The knight gestured toward the towering ramparts and watchtowers. "It serves not only as a stronghold but as a place of refuge for those displaced by Aedrean attacks. Snowguard’s defences are unmatched—it has never fallen, even during the fiercest assaults."

Adelaide clasped her gloved hands in admiration. "Very nice, very nice indeed! Let’s go in—" Her words halted mid-sentence when her eyes caught a gathering of soldiers near the gate.

The duke followed her gaze, nodding at the soldiers, who immediately straightened and bowed their heads in unison. "Your Grace," they greeted, voices rough with respect, "Your Ladyship."

Adelaide beamed at them, offering a cheerful wave. "Hello! How are you all faring out here?"

The men seemed momentarily stunned by her warmth but quickly softened under her gaze, their initial stiffness dissolving. A few murmured polite replies, but their expressions betrayed their appreciation for the new lady's approachable nature.

As Adelaide turned back to the duke, a knight detached himself from the group and approached. He was a weathered man, his once-dark hair now streaked with grey and tied neatly back. His face bore the scars of battle, his posture upright despite his age.

"Captain Edrich," Aric said, his tone carrying an unusual note of warmth. The duke turned to introduce him. "Lady Adelaide, this is Captain Edrich of the Snowguard Knights. Captain Edrich fought alongside my father during the reclamation of the border wall."

Captain Edrich knelt immediately before Adelaide, his voice steady yet reverent. "Your Ladyship, I must apologize for not having prepared a proper welcome. News of your arrival came as a surprise."

Adelaide's laugh rang like a bell through the chilly air. "Nonsense, Captain. The fault lies entirely with me. I insisted on this impromptu visit—I was too eager to see more of my new home."

Her words, laced with sincerity and charm, drew faint smiles from the surrounding knights. Captain Edrich rose, his weathered face softening at her gracious demeanour. "Then allow me to extend the welcome now, Your Grace. Snowguard Fort is yours to command as much as the duke’s."

Adelaide placed her hand over her heart and gave a small curtsy. "I shall strive to be worthy of such trust, Captain."

The soldiers exchanged glances of approval, already forming a favourable impression of their new lady.

The Captain started the tour, the fort's massive gates led them into an expansive open foyer, bustling with the movements of soldiers going about their duties. Captain Edrich guided Adelaide and Avric deeper inside, through stone corridors that echoed with the occasional clink of metal and murmurs of conversation. Soon, they entered a cavernous room that Adelaide quickly realized was the great hall. Long wooden tables stretched across the space, flanked by benches occupied by soldiers—both men and women—who were eating and talking animatedly. The warm, earthy scent of bread and roasted meat mingled with the chill that lingered from the snowy winds outside.

As they entered, Captain Edrich cleared his throat, his voice booming across the room. "Attention! Presenting His Grace, the Duke of Aurenfell, and Her Grace, the Lady Adelaide."

The lively chatter came to an abrupt halt as all heads turned toward the newcomers. A visible wave of surprise rippled through the soldiers as they rose hastily, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

"The Duke is getting married?" one voice murmured, louder than intended.

"Is she our new Duchess?" another called out, craning their neck to get a better view of Adelaide.

“Where are you from, Your Ladyship?” came a more daring question, followed by a chorus of hushed whispers.

Adelaide chuckled at the unexpected barrage of questions. It was clear that news of her betrothal hadn’t yet travelled to these far reaches of Aurenfell. She couldn’t help but find their candid reactions endearing, a stark contrast to the reserved politeness she was accustomed to in the capital.

"Silence," Avric growled. The room instantly fell quiet, the cheerful mood replaced by a palpable tension. Soldiers shifted nervously, some averting their gazes under the weight of their Duke’s cold demeanour.

Adelaide pouted, stepping forward. “No, no! Don’t scare them, Your Grace.” Her tone was playful, but there was a hint of genuine reproach as she turned her bright eyes on him.

“They were overwhelming you,” Avric huffed, his expression hard, though there was the faintest flicker of discomfort in his tone.

“I am quite fine,” she replied, her voice softening into a mock whine. “Really, there was no need.”

Even Captain Edrich looked uneasy as he dipped his head. "Apologies, Your Grace. Their conduct was unsightly."

Adelaide waved her hands dismissively, smiling broadly. “Not at all. I didn’t mind one bit. They’re just curious, and I’d much rather that than cold indifference.”

The soldiers exchanged glances, their hearts collectively warmed by her words. Many silently wondered how such a lively and charming woman had been matched with the frigid, often intimidating Duke. Wasn’t such a pairing too cruel? And yet, in their own way, they found themselves impressed. Aric observed quietly, noting how effortlessly Adelaide seemed to win them over. Yet, not everyone in the hall seemed to share this enthusiasm. Some soldiers, sceptical of outsiders, regarded her with wary expressions.

Adelaide noticed, but rather than be perturbed, she addressed them with a gracious curtsey. “I am Adelaide Veridis,” she said, her voice carrying a clear and confident tone.

The scepticism faltered when one knight stiffened, his eyes narrowing in shock. “Veridis?” he repeated, his voice strained as though the name carried a heavy weight. “Would you say that again, my lady?”

Adelaide tilted her head, puzzled but obliging. “Adelaide Veridis,” she said, her voice as sweet as before.

The knight’s expression shifted from doubt to disbelief. “You… you’re a Great Elementalist?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied with a light giggle, as though it were the most casual thing in the world. “That’s me.” The room erupted into a cacophony of shocked exclamations, soldiers murmuring and whispering among themselves. Adelaide, unable to hold back her amusement, giggled again, her laughter light and disarming. “You all seem surprised. Did you not expect me to be so… ordinary?”

Her words, accompanied by her playful smile, endeared her further to the soldiers.

“A Great Elementalist, here?”

“She’s one of them? Truly?”

“By the gods, we’re under her protection now…”

Adelaide giggled at their astonishment, finding their reactions endlessly amusing. To her, this was all part of the introduction, though she noticed the Duke pinching the bridge of his nose in mild frustration.

“Do settle yourselves,” she said with a light laugh.