Adrian Grimaldi was a knight. But he received only a knighthood - he never practiced knighthood itself. After the initiation, his health deteriorated sharply, and therefore Adi Grimaldi never acquired a squire, or even made a knightly journey. After the initiation, he only remained at the Grimaldi estate without a break.
Adrina was in the same position. Unlike Adrian, Adrina, who never left the Grimaldi estate, remained in quiet silence, like his shadow. But this is also a thing of the past.
The inscription on Adi's tombstone was carved by the best craftsman in the county. The magnolia decorations that framed the grave were made by a famous artisan specially invited from the capital. The Countess shed tears the whole time the tombstone was being created and demanded the best work from the craftsmen.
Adrian Grimaldi lived eighteen years and was buried under the name of Adrina. There was no trace of Adrian anywhere.
Adi often visited Adi's grave.
When spring came, she took Adi’s favorite drink and went on a picnic, and in the summer she brought summer fruits. In the fall I threw books on the grave, and in the winter...
Every winter and every time on the threshold of spring, when Adrian died, it was as if an abnormal temperature had set in - it was snowing. Brushing away the snow that covered the tombstone with a fluffy layer, Adi silently looked at her name.
Five years have passed since Adi's death.
During this time, Adrina grew even taller and took up the sword instead of her brother. When she began to seriously learn to wield the sword - the one she always held in her hands, in case she had to replace Hadrian - her skill quickly surpassed his skills, and soon she was on par with most of the knights of the county.
Adi's grave was kept in perfect order.
If it were not Adrian, but the real Adrina, who was buried here, there would be no talk about the contents - the mercilessly overgrown thickets would have hidden the tombstone, and the place would have been impossible to find. However, would there even be a tombstone?
Unfastening the sheath from her belt, Adi collapsed on the ground next to the grave and exhaled deeply. Near the place where Adrian rested. Near. And she turned her head to the side. It seemed that you could see Adrian's appearance. But unlike the growing Adrina, Adrian still remained an eighteen-year-old boy.
No, what lay next to him was not an eighteen-year-old youth, but already decayed, decomposed flesh. Covered like a blanket with her hair.
Adi looked up at the sky again. The snow-white sky seemed about to fall with snow. And soon one snowflake actually appeared in the air. Adi closed her eyes at the cold touch on her cheek.
The snow that seemed to be falling slowly suddenly became a blizzard. A cold fell on Adi, as icy as Adrian’s already decayed body. It was clear that if I lay there like that, frostbite would be inevitable, but I didn’t have the strength to get up.
At that moment, someone's presence was heard nearby. Even with her eyes closed, Adi felt a shadow looming over her.
- Adrian.
The man said. Adi opened her eyes. Because of the backlight, she couldn’t really see the face, but she immediately knew from the voice who it was.
- Lef.
- The Count is looking for you.
Adi didn’t answer, she just looked at him. Lef, apparently deciding that he was understood, turned around and walked away. Adi rose and sat down. There were footprints of a man in the snow.
Rising, Adi shook off the snow and again fastened the sword to her belt.
The slightest delay and Spencer Grimaldi would be unhappy, that was obvious.
Adi quickened her pace and untied the reins of the horse tied to the tree. Seeing her, the horse shook its head, making a snorting sound. Adi stroked the old white horse between her eyebrows and the bridge of her nose, then climbed into the saddle.
A mansion was visible nearby. In the fog he looked eerily bleak. The horse broke into a gallop. The icy wind whipped across the cheeks and into the eyes, almost knocking out tears from the cold.
No one greeted Adi, who returned soaking wet. She lived under the guise and name of Adrian, but in this mansion Adi and Adi were different.
Without even receiving a warm towel, Adi, as she was, went up to Spencer Grimaldi’s office and bowed her head, meeting his displeased gaze. Spencer Grimaldi abruptly threw the papers at her. Adi looked at the sheet that had fallen to her chest and picked up the document with the inscription “Order of Appointment.”
- Go to Palesa Palace.
Spencer Grimaldi said.
-...
Adi didn't answer. She wanted to ask for what purpose or in what capacity she should go there, but Spencer Grimaldi did not allow her to ask questions.
- I transferred you to the knightly order of the Palace of Pales. They agreed, so from now on this is your place.
Satisfied with Adi’s silence, Spencer looked concerned and continued:
- There.
He slowly lowered his gaze.
- You will remain until I contact you.
"It's clear?" — the count said in a quiet, insinuating voice and put his hand on Adi’s shoulder. Then he squeezed it, pressing painfully with his fingers. It wasn't a proposal.
The Count always wanted the same thing.
- Yes, I understand.
Only obedience.
* * *The capital of the Kingdom of Dalkatir was Ionad, but eighty years ago the center of power was Palesa. The great-grandfather of the current king was spoken of as the most powerful of all rulers, and it was he who insisted on moving the capital, eventually building a palace in a new place and moving the court there.
The planned city of Ionad was said to be clearly laid out, with streets convenient for carriages.
Old Palesa, for all its beauty, grandeur and traditions, was surrounded by slums where all sorts of rabble crowded; and its proximity to the sea made it a port through which a variety of people passed, and fights between rough sailors and strangers were frequent.
Could the king not bear this magnificent and dirty city?
In Pales, pride in the former capital and resentment of abandonment coexisted.
Adi Grimaldi stopped in front of the building.
The huge structure was crowned by two pointed towers, and there was not a single window in it. The small holes didn't let in enough light. Initially, these were loopholes for observing the enemy and archery.
It was an old fortress wall. Feels like home.
When she froze in front of the gate, the guards looked at her in bewilderment. Judging by the impressive height of the figure in the loose cloak, it was a man, and the fact that he was looking at the wall like that hardly meant good intentions.
The guard approached, placing his hand on his sword. Adi Grimaldi also touched the hilt at her waist. Even more wary of this gesture, the guard asked: “What do you need?”
Adi took out the metal sign and documents hanging from her belt and brought them to the guard’s face.
- Adi Grimaldi.
The guard blinked in confusion. Not knowing the name Grimaldi was difficult, even if you didn't know anything else.
“As of today, I received an order for transfer.
Having said this, Adi pulled back the hood that covered her face and ran her hand through her hair. Seeing the revealed face, the guard swallowed.
- Can I come in?
The guard took Adi Grimaldi's identification card and assignment order and alternately looked at one and then the other. Adi looked at him with a perplexed expression on her face, wondering why he was staring so much, because there was no image of a face on the ID, but, noticing some strangeness in the guard’s gaze, she frowned.
They said that residents of the old capital like to show off theirs and discrimination is in the order of things, but I didn’t think that I would encounter this immediately upon arrival, Adi thought, lifting her chin and looking down at the man. The guard returned her appointment order and identification.
-...Come on in.
Adi took her ID, casting a sidelong glance at the man.
- Good job.
She did not meet a friendly face.
Neither the guard, nor this city. And so do the knights of the Palace of Pales.
Even after several years.
- Adi Grimaldi!
Invariably something similar happened again.
- Stay there!
At Adi’s call, she turned around. The young men, overcome with rage, breathing heavily, stared at Adi.
Looking around at those who had already surrounded her in a tight ring, Adi looked around at those around her with a calm face. Three with their hands on the hilts of their swords were knights, and one was a page about to be knighted.
The northern part of the Palesa Palace, in the middle of the courtyard of the building where the knights and pages lived, the incident that happened here attracted the glances of everyone around, full of interest. But none of them was going to help Adi.
Adi herself did not count on their help. I just didn’t want to become a spectacle. But nothing can be done. Adi Grimaldi always attracted trouble, and being around such an Adi, problems inevitably arose.
And in general, Adi Grimaldi was, how can I say this...
- This is disobedience to a senior in rank.
In a place full of men, she was a ripe target.
“I don’t care about your disobedience, you bastard!”
At first, perhaps it was his pretty face and slender figure.
- Yes?
But ultimately, what came to this situation was all due to the character of Adi Grimaldi.
- Yes!
There was a yellowed bruise under the screaming page's eye. The greenish tint around the edges showed that time had passed and the bruise was already healing. When did the man attack her? A week ago? Or, it seems, a little less.
- Let's take off our insignia and go one-on-one, Adi!
Adi, deep in thought, grinned at the man’s words.
Slowly approaching the man, Adi soon sped up. Looking as if he was about to attack, he tried to grab his sword, but Adi was faster. Adi's foot crashed into the page's face. The man fell, and the knights standing nearby caught him.
- Take off your insignia yourself, motherfucker.
With these words, the rest of the knights rushed at Adi. The sounds of intertwining bodies, collisions and blows were heard. Shouts were heard all around, inciting a fight.
Adi Grimaldi laughed as if she was having fun.
Dodging flying swords and fighting back with sheaths, Adi sped up her kicks, hearing someone rushing to separate them.
The people grabbed the sheath and, grabbing her by the arms, tried to pull her away. Adi resisted, rushed forward with all her might and stepped on the defeated man. Blood spattered onto Adi Grimaldi's cheek. But the corners of her lips were curved in an arc, as if this situation gave her great pleasure - she even hummed something.
- Damn rabid creature.
Adi Grimaldi, Mad Dog of the Palace of Palesa.