Unyielding Grace

Chapter 1

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

A few days later, their mother resurfaced, all smiles, but Nicholas had distanced himself watching the two people he loved the most from afar, concluding that if he was out of the way, his mother could focus on giving Nathan all her love. Nathan needed more love, Nathan was sick and fragile, Nathan was hated by father. He improved in all his classes, excelling brilliantly, stunning his teachers, and a week later, their father bought Nathan a dog. Nathan was so over the moon. His father might not want him close but he loved him and that gift was a prove of his love, he was sure of that now. Nicholas then asked the maids to move his room elsewhere and fled from his mother like she had a deadly disease. He was sure that if she got any closer to him, he would lose his composure and his father with punish her.

Nathan hated that and held a grudge against him. He could feel their relationship slowly drifty apart. He stayed silent while Nathan was complaining to his mother, who felt conflicted. Nicholas did not come to listen to his mother's evening bible study, and when he did, it was behind closed doors. How he wished that his mother will touch his hair like she did with Nathan, and kiss his forehead, and tell him stories.

Barely three weeks had passed and Nicholas was sent to the military school. His brother did not even bother coming to say his goodbyes and that hurt Nicholas beyond anything finally understanding that their closeness was gone, but he could not show it. Not in front of his devilish father. His mother was heartbroken and wept for as long as he could see her as the distance between the carriage and the count's domain grew.

The journey between his home and school was long and tedious, three days total, feeling more like a punishment than an actual "adventure" as his father stated. They had to take several stops and rests at inns. Eat weird foods and fight with cold. All in all, he arrived the school literally half-dead and was ready to pass out at any given moment. He was left alone on the front porch and he dragged his feet up to through the entry and immediately came face to face with a brawny man.

"Put all your belongings here" He ordered coldly and Nicholas was quick to obey. "That's a first, he did not ask questions. At least you can obey orders. Follow the sergeant behind you, he would lead you to your quarters" He said and threw his belongings in chest and locked it, keeping the key with him.

He followed the sergeant who stood silently behind him all that time. They walked through sets of corridors taking various turns until they finally reached a sort of dormitory. All the boys who were in there immediately looked at him. He felt very nervous due to their scrutinizing gaze as though they were trying to peel his skin off to get to his soul.

"Mason free that bed, it is not yours" The sergeant said and blond hair boy, obviously older than him sat up, groaning from a top bed, jumping down. "It's your bed, your uniform should be on it, right Mason?"

"I did n'touch his uniform. Tis too small. I did n'know this school was training babies" The boys snickered and the sergeant left, standing outside. Nicholas climbed on the bed up and picked his clothes before descending.

He looked around the room and saw nowhere he could change. He looked at the other boys curiously.

"I apologize but I see nowhere I can change" The other boys looked at him for a while and burst out laughing.

"I told y'all he was a noble!" Mason laughed joined but choruses of laughter. The sergeant entered and glared at the boys. Instant silent.

"What is so funny?"

"His highness wants a place t'change" Mason chuckled and the sergeant sighed.

"It was expected. Strip and wear your clothes, we don't have all evening"