Thanks to the increasingly efficient civil administration Edgar had established, and the mature military training system overseen by Brendan, Roland, and the others, Karl, as lord, had been freed from much of the most burdensome daily routine.
He now focused more on setting the direction, making major decisions, conducting inspections, and reviewing troops. This gave him more time than before to return to the castle, to Charlotte and Klein.
He did his best to finish his official duties before dusk, then rode back to the castle on the mountain.
At the dinner table, although Lady Isabella was still aloof, she at least no longer spoke to him with cold sarcasm. Charlotte, too, gradually began talking more. She would ask about the progress on the city walls, the militia's training, or tell him what new "skill" Klein had learned that day—for instance, trying to grab his own feet, or babbling a "conversation" with himself in the mirror.
After dinner came their private family time, with Klein as the unquestioned center of it all.
Karl clumsily but earnestly learned how to change his son's diapers, though he often made a complete mess of it; how to interact with him; and how to carefully support him as he tried to stand.
Charlotte watched from the side. Sometimes she offered instructions, and sometimes she could not help laughing at his awkwardness.
Sometimes, after Klein had fallen asleep, they would take a walk together in the little garden behind the castle.
Early spring nights still carried a trace of chill, and the stars were sparse. They did not talk much, but the silence was no longer quite so suffocating.
They would speak of the plains of Herwenham, of old memories in Fran City, carefully avoiding certain sensitive subjects. More often, they talked about Klein's little