Chapter 519 - Hereditary Ⅳ (1/2)
Within her bedroom, Rowan lets out a grumble as she finishes changing into some looser clothing. According to Sir Knight Prince, both she and Severus were wanted in the training room. She still felt rather weak, and with a bit of a headache after the breathing exercise less than an hour ago with Sir Knight Prince. Not that she was not excited at the prospect of training, just not today of all days.
Rather grumpy at this point, Rowan makes her way out of bedroom to see the confident expression on Severus's face. Seeing his twin's scowl, Severus arches his brow and says, ”Well aren't you in a pleasant mood this afternoon?”
Rowan merely sends a fierce scowl her twin's way causing Severus to smirk back. Oh, how the tables had turned! Usually it was the other way around!
The entire way down Severus had gleefully kept teasing Rowan whose expression just darkened. Before Rowan can snap, they arrive at the training room in the lower floors. They had found the room early on in their exploring but had never had an opportunity to enter the chamber as it had always been locked. No doubt to keep them from getting up into mischief, but still the two of them are a tad bit curious.
”Of course,” Rowan muttered as the curiosity in her eyes went and died. It was a simple bare training room. What else could it be? Some sort of ninja training ground?
However, both twin's eyes widen as Rowan and Severus take in the chilling figure of their grandfather. There was nothing warm nor fatherly about Reginald now. There is an almost barely suppressed bloodthirst felt in the very air. His black dueling clothing is well used, but well fitted, and protected. These were not play clothes, but clothes that had regularly once upon a time witnessed death.
Reginald's cold onyx eyes take the twins in causing Rowan and Severus to instantly straighten up. With a bare nod at his grandchildren, Reginald says, ”Now that the two of you finished most of you work, I believe it is time that the two of you learn a bit about dueling. The two of you are the descendants of Percussors, after all, and said inherited instincts should come naturally to the both of you. And I do not consider Professor Adric's lessons adequate to truly be considered dueling lessons beyond having taught you to cast spells consistently.”
Rowan eyes flash a bit at those words. She only knew too well how easily Death came to her. Far too easily for comfort.
Severus makes a wary face as he says, ”Are not Percussor's, assassin's, grandfather?”
”We have always been a great clan,” Reginald said with a bit of a frown. ”Our clan had existed for thousands of years long before the Roman legionaries. And yes, a portion of the original clan did follow them when they came to this new land and made it our home, while the rest of the clan remains to this day in the ancient lands of our forefathers.”
”And just why did the clan split at that time?” Severus pointedly inquired.
”There were identical twin male heirs,” Reginald matter-of-factly replied. ”It was tradition that only one could become the next clan head. However, the elders and the people were split at that time in electing the next leader. And if things continued as they were the restless members among their people would force the two brothers to go to war leading to one of their eventual death's.
But the two brothers loved each other, and instead decided to split the clan. Those that followed the eldest twin would remain in the land of their forefathers, while those that followed the younger twin would accept the legionnaires offer and follow them to a distant land across the vast ocean. And so, the two brothers parted never to meet in his life again.”
”And what of now?” Rowan curiously asked.
A wry expression appears on Reginald's face. ”After my fourth year at Hogwarts during the summer holidays, curious, I sought out the remnants of the clan descended from the eldest twin brother,” Reginald explained. ”Ever since I was a child, I have always loved learning the history of our forefathers and had read all of the ancient archives by the time I was a young man. In my naivety, I thought-.”