Janus Side (Past)

  My name is Janus, the first Son of Marquess Wilhelm Yuwen.

  My Mother and Father sadly don't get along with each other. At the time I didn't know why. Later I found out that, shortly after I was born, he stopped visiting my mother's bedchambers. He instead started to have a couple of affairs.

  From this escapade, I have gained multiple Half Brothers and Sisters.

  My Mother has long given up on my father. I remember her screaming at him daily in the past, and today, it is a miracle to see them under the same Roof.

  Unsurprisingly, I don't have a high opinion of my Father. He is one of the worst husbands I know.

  But besides his flaws, I must admit, he is strong. But his strength isn't just his body but also his Strategic mind. The perfect combination for a Noble who rules a border, Region. Besides his many flaws, all his Men look up to him and try to be like him.

  Even I, who dislikes him for how he treats my mother, can see the genius in his Strategy and swordsmanship.

  When he raised his sons, he showed care and dedication. He taught each of his sons the sword, Bow, Spear, and shield.

  He taught us everything there is to know about Horses, how to ride, how to take care of them, and what horses to choose for the job. He taught us about Strategy and how to inspire our men.

  He raised all his Sons into Tacticians and Soldiers, or at least he tried to, since not all of us really wanted to fight.

  After the biggest fight my father and Mother had to date, a dedicated teacher taught them everything, including History, Etiquette and Dancing.

  In my father's words, those were all "sadly needed" as a Nobel, which my father begrudgingly admitted.

  My Mother, Marchioness Olivia Yuwen, put most of her energy into her stepdaughters. Even though my mother should have hated the children who were born from my father's escapades, she never judged them for it and even raised them with the same care she had raised me.

  My Father's first Mistress disapproved of that. But my father and the other two Mistresses did not care and said that it is “technically” the job of a noble Wife to raise her Husband's children.

  At the Start I was often jealous whenever my mother cared for my half siblings. However, Over the years, I began to see my half-siblings as part of our core Family.

  Janus Side (Present)

  The latest Skirmish had just ended, and the Oldest of his Half-brothers, Joe, had just taken the Twins, William, and Jack, to scout the recent battlefield. There had been a bloody ambush, and 17 were Injured. In the actual Fight, they had lost just 16, and 21 were injured, but four men lost their lives throughout the Night.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Our Priest had died a week earlier from old Age, and the replacement hadn't arrived yet. And as if the Enemy knew that the Priest was dead, they began to launch several small guerilla attacks to whittle our numbers down. Of course, we can deal with the attacks by adjusting our Tactics and increasing the surveillance. But the Men who were dying right now with little to no help were a bitter Pill to swallow. He could only hope that the new Priest would arrive in Time to save the rest of them.

  Even his father, whom I had never seen crying, even when one of my half-brothers, Henry, died in his first week at life, cried bitter Tears when Priest Rolan died. He was my Father's closest advisor and was like a father figure. As a priest, Rolan had much to say about my father's behavior, but he never turned his back on him and always had an ear open for him.

  With these Thoughts in my Head, I was suddenly interrupted by the noise of a gate opening. Like many others, I rushed to the main courtyard, hoping to see the new Priest, but it was just my brothers. When I was about to asked them why they had returned so early, I noticed that Joe, the oldest, had a young woman on the back of his horse. The sight before me left me speechless, as the Woman's appearance was breathtaking.

  Her Hair was White, almost the same color as her skin, and her eyes were red. She was Completely Naked, Bound by several Ropes. Her Blood-red Eyes were filled with hatred, fear and shame. She looked at everyone in the Plaza as if they were her enemies because they kept staring.

  No one tried to help her.

  Their Stupor was only broken when Joe dismounted his horse and lifted the cursing Woman of the Horses' Back. She was cursing in a Language none of us had ever heard.

  I was the first to move. I hastily removed my cloak and draped it over the Woman, trying to stand tall. Despite all the laughing, Pointing Fingers, flirts, and Insults thrown at her, she stood there, doing her best not to cry.

  "Are you crazy!? Joe, that is no way to treat a Lady!" I exclaimed and looked judgingly at the other men present.

  "A Lady? She is my Prisoner. I found her stumbling around where those Ibasans last attacked us." said my brother smugly.

  "Even if she is Your Prisoner, No one should be treated like this! Do you have no shame?"

  Joe looked at me with a Haughty smile, and his eyes showed no remorse or understanding. He said, "She was naked when we found her. Why do you care? Should we help the Enemy?"

  I don't know when it started, but Joe's character became increasingly twisted with Time. He was full of insecurity and would not accept the help of others. He always blamed others and became increasingly competitive with me over the years. He was always Challenging me. The reason may be that he had the biggest claim to the Marquess Title after me. But trying it even when he was entirely wrong only highlighted how much he had changed.

  But despite this, the Men around us began to murmur. So, I explained to him loud enough that everyone could hear it.

  "The Law specifically states that all Prisoners must be treated with respect. Especially when there is no proof of a Crime."

  Joe Scoffed and retorted, "She isn't one of ours. What kind of civilians from our country would wander around in the Crater? She must be an Ibasan Spy!"

  When he raised his voice, the Woman flinched. She was afraid.

  "A female Ibasen Spy, running around naked, alone, in the Crater that lets herself get caught without any Injury or fight? The last Spies we caught all killed themselves before we could catch them," I explained to my brother.

  His Head turned red as his Gambeson, "You dare to...", but before our conversation could devolve into a screaming match, I Interrupted him by turning around with her and said, "I'm taking her to Rika for some Proper Clothes and then to one of the Interrogation Rooms.".

  "W-Wait Janus! She is my Prisoner, Janus!" Joe Tried to Interject. In the crowd I could hear some of his Goons grumbling approvingly for his Case.

  "You have other duties to attend to. Father is waiting for your report in his Office. He will love to hear how and why you cut your expedition short."

  With these last words, I left the Main courtyard and began to guide The Woman to the Quartermaster. My Brother was Left standing on the Plaza as if someone had dropped a bucket of Ice Water over his Head. If there was one thing his father hated, it was Soldiers not completing their Orders. In the Face of his Father's wrath, he could not even care for the loss of Interrogating the Prisoner or his Despicable Brother. He needed an explanation or would likely clean the Latrines for a while.