UC:Fates Act5 Part1
“As usual you show you are a tactician not a strategist.”
“I do?”
“Yes.” Ells said suddenly thrusting as hard as he could into her.
“Gmmph.” Brenhar grunted in surprise.
“You tried to take advantage of the moment when you should taken advantage of the situation.” Ells said as he began again. Brenhar kissed him back as he rode her and debated his words until she lost herself in them.
“This is Brenna.” Brought Brenhar jarringly back to herself, surprisingly still in Brenna’s body.
“She looks like the Heir Primus.” Someone commented.
“Almost identical.” The first voice said and Brenhar recognized Captain Ells voice as her, Brenna’s, eyes focussed.
“Looks like fun.” Someone laughed darkly.
“She is.” Ells laughed as Brenhar was finally able to focus on him. She finds herself dressed almost as her real self, but kneeling in front of Ells where he sits beside a table.
“The resemblance is uncanny and I don’t feel the work of a sculptor.”
“She’s a natural near perfect body double, the light sculpting was very well done, as I said, she calls herself Brenna. Don’t you Brenna.” Ells laughs.
“Yes sir.” Brenhar answers confused as to how she came to be here.
“Now Brenna here looks school age, but she isn’t by several years. She actually came to me and tried to engage in a battle of wills just like we were still in school, didn’t have a clue, she was kept to secluded until she got away.”
“So she didn’t realize?” Someone asks incredulous.
“Not a clue one what happens in a real dance. Intended to win so she could gain control of me having sex, restricting me to her when and how she wanted it, so she could use me to get her an introduction to the Heir.”
“Lost did she?”
“Very lost. Should have seen her when she realized that her losing gave me the same control of her that she was after. " Ells laughed, “Why don’t you go ahead and go down on me while we talk here Brenna.”
“Yes sir.” Brenhar answered puzzled but playing along as though she were the spell bound Brenna.
“Good girl there Brenna.” Ells laughed again, “Like I said, she tried the dance on me. Did well, but lacked any real experience. Fortunately for her she was after just enough to induce me to give her an introduction.”
“So now she beds you on your terms?”
“Exactly.” Ells laughed some more as Brenhar felt Brenna’s hair grabbed, “She was only after limited control so I have only limited control of her now. I have her, she will join in bed as much as I want, and do anything I want sexually, with me that is, I can’t share.”
“But she can’t say no?”
“Nope, can barely even hesitate. Still herself, but is my property sexually.” Ells laughed yet more as he used his grip to move her head to force the rhythm he wanted.
“She can’t refuse to suck you off in front of your buddies but you can’t order her to do us?”
“Sorry.” Ells said as Brenhar felt him let go and she swallowed, “She went for personal, so now she is personal.”
“I am mostly just his chambermaid. I sought only to restrict him to me and control that, nothing more, so now I am restricted to him, and he controls that.” Brenhar said after swallowing, “So I can not be forced to be more, to do others, though I can not refuse this, even in public.”
“For how long?” Someone asked.
“I was greedy and wanted lots of time.” She answered as Captain Ells’s hand grasped then fondled a breast.
“So you will be his for quite a while then?”
“Yes.” Brenhar answered as she finally began to understand, “Unless I can entice the Consort to consider me a treat and perhaps intervene.”
“Come to an understanding with the Consort if you want, just clear it with the Heir Primus first, I’m sure he would enjoy some affection about now. The Heir Primus looks like a hot air ship.” Ells laughed and Brenhar finally understood the game.
“If I do the Consort on my own can I stay your Chambermaid just in your chambers?”
“Just in my Chambers?”
“Yes, I will stay in your bed, but if I do him when he wants, I stay in your room at the castle and on the staff as your personal Chambermaid.”
“You think laying the Consort while the Heir Primus is indisposed will keep you fed?”
“Yes. I researched my part very carefully. I know more about her than anyone outside the castle does and I’ll bet you a small stipend I can talk the Heir Primus into keeping me around. After all, It’ll be just like doing the real thing to him.”
“You think with your looks the Consort will stay in the habit of just doing her.”
“Yes. I’ll bet you a day humbled I can.”
“And if you do?”
“Then as long as my duties as your Chambermaid are done I get to get out and you don’t use me like this in public again.”
“That’s upping the scales, you want that, then if she turns you down you spend summer fort with me; humbled.”
“Umm.” Brenhar says gulping, she hadn’t realized quite how free people were with sexual favors or the true depth of games they played out here.
“Tell you what.” Ells says with a grin, “The Heir Primus has been sleeping six to nine bells a day lately. Just keep the Consort Primus entertained so he stays in a good mood and is easier to manage and I’ll see about having you added as staff.”
“Thank you.” Brenhar replied gratefully.
“You’ll also keep up your duties to me.” He ordered pushing his hands into her bodice top nearly exposing her as he played.
“I know. May I go now please.” She asked just looking at him as though both patient and disgusted.
“Yes.” Ells said holding out a small money purse after squeezing both nipples at the same time drawing a sharp gasp from her, “Take this. Go get yourself some personal items, you’ll need them since I have none in my rooms. You’ll be staying in the castle and keeping my rooms there even when I stay in town, unless I decide to take you home with me that is.”
“Yes sir.” Brenhar said with a smile, “I understand. I shall be what I am and play my part faithfully until this finally wears off.”
“Excellent. Be at the west gate at dusk. I’ll meet you there, then we can talk about how to introduce you to the Heir and Consort Primus. Be prepared to testify, while humbled, about your intentions and plans, if you aren’t, don’t be there.”
“Then I must be prepared for I shall be in your chambers at tenth bell as required by my terms with you sir.”
“Good, now go.” Ells ordered slapping her on the butt as she went by.
“I go.” Brenhar answered sounding almost like herself as she looked for her way out.
“Looks like her, talks like her, sounds like her.” Someone observed after watching Brenhar leave.
“But not.” Ells said seriously.
“No, definitely not. Brenhar would never accept a command to suck someone off, especially the Captain of her guard, and never in public”
“Where did you really find her?” Someone asks, seeing through that part of the deception as planned.
“In a travelling caravan, I was out, I had to get away for a while.” Ells answered using the story he and Lucas had concocted, “The Consort recently used a prisoner sentenced to death to demonstrate some sort of advanced techniques to the Heir Primus. It was a woman convicted of killing another woman who was pregnant.”
“I heard about that. Killed her in court, threatened to kill her husband as well, then brought her back.”
“The one.” Ells agreed with a real shudder, “Had her delivered to their rooms and he spent days showing the Heir Primus how he killed her and brought her back. Even used her as a practice dummy for the standby people to practice bringing people back with.”
“He made the poor woman live through all that? I mean I heard that the first thing she did was start screaming and babbling about what had happened when she lay on the court room floor not even bleeding.”
“For about a week, until the Heir Primus calmed enough to learn to replicate the trick.”
“Then what?” Someone asked softly.
“They left her dead and I had it cremated along with others from a hospital, then I had to take a break.” Ells told them before taking a deep breath, “I had to get away for a while.”
“Been wondering how a Thomson boy wound up Consort.”
“Had some thoughts like that myself, but the boy is the chosen of the Hearth Holders.”
“There’s a pair I would avoid.”
“Apparently they have taken to tutoring the Consort Primus.” Ells said flatly, “I mean I always thought he was soft, a place holder, a filler if you will.”
“Apparently he needs to use her bra for a Jockstrap just to hold up his nut sack if you ask me.”
“She would like that.” Someone else quipped.
“Something like that.” Ells agrees.
“We lost another exploration force.” An aide is telling Kind Donalson as the man walks up. “We even lost an observer this time. The ghosts cut our men down if they got away from the wiped soldiers she keeps ready to fight. One of the observers watching from a distance through a scope saw a wipe gutted and all he did was stop and scoop everything back in. Also, this Cleon ghost cut one man’s shield in two a fathom further from the trees than last week.”
“Camden again?” The man asks derisively laughing at King Donalson as he walks in, “I told you that was a lost cause.”
“How can one teen age girl control so many square leagues?” King Donalson demanded. “We kill her soldiers and they keep coming, then our men crumple. After that they rise and begin fighting us no matter how we shield them.”
“She is a Blood Queen, they do that.” He responded blandly, obviously bored with the subject.
“Then how do we retake Camden? We need that pass.”
“We don’t.”
“You told us Dest had nothing that could stop us.”
“They didn’t and they don’t.” He replied, “What happened as I have been trying to explain, is that your troops ran into a pair of tame teenage Blood Queens.”
“Tame?”
“Tame. Had either really known what they were doing things would gone truly badly.”
“Truly Bad?” The King asked shuddering, “I just heard that the Hearth Holders are in Dest, how about we target them and fix all this?”
“Then things really would go badly, very badly.” He laughed, “Militarily, Dest is finished. They can’t ignore the Michelsons or the Kallows so they can’t really concentrate on us, especially since they don’t know how much of their military they can trust now.”
“Go badly how?”
“The Hearthson.” The man replied flatly, “He would get involved.”
“So?”
“I would rather face the whole of the armies of Dest at once on my own than that boy.”
“Why?”
“He figured out that, then how, we were listening in on the Mirrors, then passed that warning on. The further I have researched him, the more concerned I have gotten. He is a fifth born from a mixed family. He was unremarkable until he dueled with the Hearth daughter back when she was just a Third Heir. After that, he has had one breakthrough after another. At least two of his pets are full blooded Blood Lords, functional Blood Queens in their own rights, and those are his pets. They service him in bed on command, yet they have the power you saw in Camden pass.”
“Mixed family?” King Donalson asked, not wanting to think about the rest.
“Two of his siblings are Magist. Two are Techist.” He answered, “Took Moons to identify him, then I lost teams to other teams already watching his family. Whether they were guard units or someone else’s observers I do not yet know.”
“Incredible.”
“I need a child.” The man says with a smile, “I need a child with a gift for drawing. Find one, find two, send it, them, into Camden and bring me back a portrait of this Yen.”
“How are we supposed to get them back. Entire units fail to return and you expect children to make it back on their own?”
“She won’t harm children.”
“Not willing to risk your own are you?”
“I don’t have any, none of us immortals do.” He replied and for just a moment a dim light came on in his mind, then it went away, filed and cataloged with other impossibilities, promptly forgotten as he went on.
“All is ready?” King Dest asked the men and women assembled in his throne room.
“We believe so.” One answered.
“Lady Nicole, are Sien and Cinna ready?”
“Yes sire.” She replied still amazed at the transformation the HearthSon had done with Jheannaa. No resemblance to King Dest remained, she was instead a near perfect copy of Sien who could use her like a second body nearly as well as she did her own.
“Captain Neall, are you prepared?”
“Yes sire, we are.”
“Are you satisfied with arrangements?”
“Yes sire we are.”
“Did all of you men get a fair chance at that traitorous bitch daughter of mine?” Queen Dest asked.
“Umm,”
“It’s ok Captain, I have reviewed the actions of my daughter and her punishment. I approve.”
“Then if I may Ma’am, I will simply say that all members of her detachment are both satisfied and happy with the outcome, we think the foreign operative is where she belongs.”
“In other words, you can’t bring yourselves to admit to me in open court, enjoying it as you both raped her repeatedly, and beat her roughly on orders. That was both fitting and what was needed to start the healing used to trigger her transformation into Cinna. The fact that it was ordered is simply what the lower troops would call icing on the cake.”
“There are thoughts Ma’am that one does not let oneself think too loudly for fear they might be overheard.”
“Do you like your new merchandise?”
“Ma’am?”
“I asked if you liked your new merchandise, you know, the women they customized for each of you, one a bedroom based sex toy and one as a household based Chambermaid.”
“The equipment you mention is indeed in proper working order ma’am.”
“I thought so. They are traitors after all and no matter how nicely any of you try to dress it up, this is a suicide mission. If you come back you get to keep them.”
“Ma’am?”
“I said you get to keep them. Think of it as incentive to come back.”
“Yes ma’am.” He replied with a grin to match hers.
Two days short of a fortnight out Sien woke in persona for the trip just before her cousin Cinna. As usual they were both curled around their owner Micah, the stable broker for this wagon train. Waking Cinna, Sien had her start waking Micah properly by going down on him gently while she herself began morning preparations to get underway. A check in with the night watch showed the all clear, in three more days they would make the border to Donalson and have the possibility of selling some of the mind blanked prisoners from that debacle in the Palace. Being mind blanked meant they could be sold to specialty houses which meant a higher profit margin which meant the possibility of buying herself out of everyday servitude. Perhaps only having to spend every other night servicing Micah instead of every night, a goal she would enjoy working toward. After all, as an owned she had to have goals, freedom not being among her upper thoughts or her goals right now, but something had to be.
“Land Mother Michelson.”
“Land Mother Thomson.”
“Land Mother Kelsini.”
“Land Mother Yasan.” They say greeting each other.
“Thank you all for coming.” Land Mother Michelson says dreading the next step.
“We asked you here to discuss matters of mutual interest.” House Mother Michelson said next.
“Is there a reason we are meeting in the apparent capitol of Ericson, when neither of the Hearth Holders are in residence?” Land Mother Kelsini asked.
“They want us to merge with, either one of them apiece, or with the Hearth Hold.” Land Mother Yasan says with a laugh.
“What is the excuse then?” Land Mother Kelsini asks.
“If you were to merge with Ericson you could if you chose withdraw from your borders with us.” Land Mother Thomson says.
“How do we know you won’t eventually go after Ericson?” Land Mother Yasan asks.
“Because the Hearthson is the father of our Brenhar’s child and their Muren’s.” Land Mother Michelson said simply.
“What?” Land Mothers Kelsini and Yasan ask as one.
“As he will be the father of the first children of the rest of our heirs.” Land Mother Thomson says simply.
“How?” They ask again.
“This is how you know we won’t attack.” Land Mother Michelson says smiling, “We would be attacking blood kin.”
“Ours and theirs.” Land Mother Thomson said in agreement.
“Can you at least tell us what the Hearth daughter’s plans are?”
“We would if we knew.”
“You’re afraid of her.” Land mother Kelsini accused.
“Not afraid.”
“If she isn’t after thrones, what is she after.”
“Peace.”
“Then there is something Thomson should know.” Yasan says.
“What is that?”
“About four hundred years ago. Back when you were just smaller than us, you took in a runaway by the name of Kimer.”
“He was a brave fighter and well rewarded, he founded the line of Kimer, they became one of our cadet houses.” Land Mother Thomson acknowledged.
“What you can’t know and we only know because we were hit hard in the sync wars and took in a lot of survivors, is that Kimer is a foreign way of saying Yemel.”
“What?” Everyone else gasps.
“The boy who ran away altered his name and never spoke of his past. We have watched with concern for generations as your strength has grown and you have absorbed smaller neighbors. We have always been gladdened that you have been a good neighbor, yet now we see three of the house of Yemel are bound Blood Queens. We grow concerned that the dangers the Blood Lords represent are loose in your Familydom when they are bound in your neighbor’s. Before there was balance, now?”
“I assure you, we had no idea what so ever about Kimer.” House Mother Thomson told them flatly.
“We have always believed the Yemel in Michelson were the last line.” House Mother Michelson added.
“Yet this thing that roams the lands comes half from Thomson, we have no sign she is part of them, we know not what she is.”
“She is not of the House of Yemel or of Kimer.” Land Mother Thomson states flatly.
“You know this?”
“Yes.”
“You know who her mother is then?”
“Yes and no.”
“Yes and no?”
“Excuse me Land Mothers.” Legent Wilhelm says brushing past guards startling everyone.
“Legent.” Land Mother Michelson says in greeting, losing in her desire to sound surprised.
“You will cease wondering as to the Hearth Daughter’s parentage. You have the word of the Legents that she is no possible blood of the Blood Lords.”
“Then who is she?” Land Mother Yasan asks.
“None of your concern.” Legent Wilhelm tells her flatly.
“Is something troubling you Legent?” Land Mother Thomson asks, surprised at his irritability.
“Your niece and her boyfriend are treading on thin ice; as do their agents in Michelson.”
“Legent?”
“The Consort skirts the edge of forbidden research, as do they.”
“I did not kiss Antonio Vatari of the Karabi.” Brenhar yelled standing up startling the rest of the patrons of club Finwall where the “Could you be a celebrity?” competition was happening this week.
“Really?” Brenna asked from the stage and the audience was silent for a heart as it realized the contest had just gotten bigger than the stage.
“Really.” Brenhar declared with triumph playing her part, the idea of arguing with herself publicly having found a place of laughter in her.
“Beautiful costume by the way, you carry it well. Perhaps you can settle a bet on whether he should be rated in fingers...or hands.” Brenna asked.
“What?” Brenhar asked with all the indignity she could muster around the laughter threatening to leak out.
“It’s just a simple bet. The real Brenhar would know whether his big boat was compensating for anything. I heard she was a precocious little minx who wanted in on the game early. What did your researchers decide on? How was the tonsillectomy attempted? Did she try to get one from him or did she try to use him for one?”
“I, umm.” Brenhar started in and stopped, though she had known this part was coming, having it here was harder than she had anticipated, especially holding her laughter in.
“Anything I shouldn’t know dear?” Lucas asked with all innocence and Brenna on stage stopped cold.
“I was young.” Brenhar said softly, acting and reality intermingling, lending weight to her thoughts.
“My lady, I’m sorry.” Brenna stammered on stage, “I had thought you someone with a wonderful costume.”
“You did a good job.” Brenhar told the golem Bren, “That dress is my style, but you missed a couple of details.”
“I did?”
“Yes. Your accent is good, but your word choice is off.” Brenhar tells her stepping closer to examine her as the crowd parts slightly and compares them both.
“My accent is nearly perfect and my word choices are off, but improving.” Brenna defends.
“Good catch on the emphasis. Why do this? There are plenty of good jobs and lots of men you could tempt with looks like that, I should know.”
“I am a chambermaid, I know my place. I also don’t have the education to do more.”
“Is that why you tried to tempt the Captain of my guard?”
“Yes.” Brenna admitted still looking at Brenhar.
“Better,” Brenahr told her as though curiosity were winning, “Try with more definition, be firmer.”
“Yes.” Brenna tried again, projecting this time as they began circling each other in turn.
“Better, much better. He has been in better humor lately, I take it you are why?”
“I hope so.”
“Been giving you the spankings I earned as a child and teenager but never received?” Brenhar asked with a laugh.
“Maybe.” Brenna answered hesitantly, the only sound in the place is them talking.
“Has he been treating you well?”
“Yes.”
“Been trying to tempt the Consort as well?”
“He won’t even look at me hardly. It’s like I don’t exist.”
“Lucas dear, never ignore a girl who wants your attention, and especially never a woman.” Brenhar chided turning to him with a laugh and a smile, “Don’t you think she is pretty?”
“That dear.” Lucas laughed back, “Is a no win situation. There is no safe answer.”
“You are obviously a little older than I am.” Brenhar said laughing as she turned back to Brenna. The audience sat silently watching the performance, trying to decide what kind of storm was coming. That the situation wasn’t about to blow up crossed no one’s mind, “Trying to use your good looks to become a spare for the consort when I’m indisposed like a land whale? Hoping for a child maybe?”
“No and it wouldn’t do any good.”
“Why not?” Brenhar asked suddenly serious.
“I had a family, I lost them. I was hurt, I survived, I healed, but I am sterile now, no man will ever see me as more than entertainment ever again.”
“Oh you poor thing.” Brenhar said stepping toward her and offering a hug that Brenna returned.
“I’m so sorry.” Brenna sobbed on Brenhar’s shoulder, “I thought you were just another contestant and I had lost.”
“Shhh.” Brenhar said quietly as quiet applause broke out around them.
“They think you play Brenhar very well indeed dear.” Lucas laughed.
“Come on then.” Brenhar said pulling Brenna along, “Just remember dear, she is Captain Ells’ Chambermaid not ours, not yours, you will treat her gently, she has been through enough. However, she never wears any of my colors and if I see a bauble on a finger I’ll remove it.”
“I can wait dear.” Lucas replies joining her leading Brenna out followed by the on duty guards that had been hanging back trying to blend in.
“No you won’t.” Brenhar laughed, “You’re horny making me horny and the doctors told me flat out to not even think about it.”
“Is that an order?” Lucas asks laughing as they exit the place.
“Was that really?” A man asks stunned a dozen hearts later.
“I had heard she had changed, but...” Someone else chimed in.
“I’ve heard of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“She just wants to know if his eye strays.” A man quips, one of Brenhar’s guard not on duty or in uniform.
“Easy way to keep him in the habit.” Another man quips, another of her guards.
“Did she just hire the Consort a concubine lookalike to keep him happy until she finally pops?” A man asks, another of her guards.
“Looks like.” Someone laughed.
“At least this way he won’t holler the wrong name by accident at a bad time.” Someone jokes and the laughter flows as the jokes become even more ribald. Eventually someone jokes that the Consort just got put on a leash since everything allowed is in house and he already knows what it looks like.
“I just want this part of the run over with.” Sien said to the rising sun. Two days ago they had crossed into Donalson with their cargo of former prisoners from Dest, all conveniently brain wiped and now just dutifully obedient little drones.
“A day and we can get a ride on the rail.” Micah said joining her by pressing in close behind her, reaching around from behind, cupping her breasts and squeezing.
“You know that annoys me.”
“Then stop me.”
“You know I can’t.”
“And why not?” Micah asked nastily, Sien’s least favorite part of the cover constructed for them was Micah’s cover, only made worse by the fact he didn’t know it was a cover right now and during this part of the day she did.
“Property is not allowed to dispute it’s owners desires.”
“And you are?”
“Yes. I am your property.” Sien answered as his hands dug at her breasts and she was permitted to do nothing in response.
“OK, I’ll be the first one to just ask it.” Land Mother Kelsini says to the reassembled group, “Is anyone else scared witless by this child you made Hearth Holder?”
“Yes.” Land Mother Yasan chimed in.
“What do you and Agent Desen have for us, Director Forb?” Land Mother Thomson asks.
“Where shall we begin Mothers?”
“How about we begin with how all of this got started.” Land Mother Michelson said with irritation.
“Very well. " Forb Replied, “According to the best Agent Desen and I can find out this entire mess with the Hearth Daughter began just before school started when then Third Heir Lisa Ericson was bored with the dance of wills.”
“She had figured out how it is used for evaluation over the summer and didn’t want to waste the time competing when she had better things to do.” Desen picked up, “She spent a week going through the standings looking for targets of a particular profile. She wanted the highest points for effort so she could do as little as possible in the game and still rank well.”
“She chose then commoner Charles, now Hearth Son, as her target for the third round winnowing where the field truly begins narrowing.” Forb resumed and they kept trading off. “Something in her attitude or her manner prompted the until then completely unremarkable and middle of the pack with brief moments of inspiration player to push and have one of those moments of inspiration during their round.”
“Somehow he got through to her without having to go through her shield which remained in place and at full apparent strength until later. Whatever he did though changed what both players had intended to accomplish. Are you sure you really want me to cover this?”
“It is, was, our Heir.” Land Mother Thomson said flatly. “We can not know what we have to deal with now unless we know where she and he came from. Continue and do so bluntly, this is much bigger than our, or even all of our Familydoms. We know the Legents are watching, the last time this many of them congregated it was bad, we know what happened, they ended the sync wars. They are simply Charles and Lisa for the purposes of this meeting.”
“Just call them all by name and stick to the facts.” Land Mother Michelson ordered.
“As you wish. Then you may be of a mind to not dismiss some of what we have to say.” Forb replied disturbed, “As you know, Lisa lost, was humiliated in one way, then humiliated herself in another, this is all reconstructed from eye witnesses speaking on condition of anonymity. When Charles left, Lisa was left nude, holding her own arms behind her back unable to let go and here is most surprising part of all, powerless. We have no evidence of her using her magical powers or anyone noticing her passage from then until she reemerged after breakfast.”
“I repeat so my colleague might be better believed, we have no evidence she used or possessed in whole or in part her powers or any form of Magic from then until the next day. The rumor mill says Lisa attacked Charles in his dorm room later that night from within a cloaking spell accompanied by her two maids, Sinda and Sandy, and that attack was also defeated.”
“Exactly what happened is impossible to determine. However, even those that felt Sinda and Sandy attack and Charles defend himself, never reported or even hinted they felt Lisa at all. In fact, given that she appeared at a time unrelated to the reappearance of Charles, Sinda and Sandy, everyone believed her to be elsewhere though we have no idea where else she might have been.”
“Sinda and Sandy in fact spent the next two nights in sexual servitude with two friends of Charles’ to pay them for retrieval of books from the archives. It appears the wards on the archives do not merely discourage Charles, but actually hurt him, so he never goes there. Before you ask, yes it was payment. The girls, though not humbled, went with his friends and obeyed them as though humbled, even to the point of actually being their Chambermaids for the night. This included performing sexually in front of other boys on command though they did not touch any others and did not allow themselves to be touched by the others.”
“This went on for two nights, the girls switching boys the second night. At the same time, all three girls began eating more than usual. Sinda and Sandy simply having extra at meal times. Lisa on the other hand was eating enough for two, except at dinner when she tended to eat nearly enough for three, day after day. It took nearly a week before people began to notice her figure improving, I am sorry to talk like this about an Heir like this, but I have no other way to be accurate.”
“Then let me, she wasn’t my Heir so I can be blunt. She went from mousey, cute and perky looking to having as one agent put it, more curves than an Architect’s drawing set. She gained two fingers in height over a moon. She gained nearly a stone, all muscle, all in the right places. Her features, always kind of plain, shifted, literally flowed based on images from mirrors she passed, to become the beauty we see now. Before you ask though, this was not the work of body sculptor. It requires no maintenance and did not change her feel or her presence at all. Everything outward changed with absolutely none of the signs of a sculptor, in a moon, not a season or a year, and at school with no apparent support spelling.”
“It was speculated that Charles had some sort of a hold on them, yet nothing explained the changes happening in them. Sinda and Sandy simply matured, became more of what they were. Lisa though, she became a fantasy version of herself. Every single beauty marker maxed out and she has the body of a performance athlete now, with no apparent effort spent maintaining it.”
“What my colleague is unable to say is that she became the most desirable piece of eye candy in the school, even outshining Brenhar by dent of still looking real. Which Brenhar never really did even as a child since she has always looked like a masterwork of a body sculptor. This, combined with the rumors Lisa spread about how much, as well as how well she honored her agreement in the breach, drew unwanted by him attention to the otherwise unremarkable at the time Charles.”
“The resulting duel, we are not discussing how that duel came about, that is outside both of our mandates, brought Charles much more to the fore. Where he had obviously struggled against Lisa only days before and as such Brenhar should have defeated him in hearts, instead we have a repeat of the pattern against Lisa. He held despite Brenhar blasting him hard enough to physically push him backwards half a fathom still in his chair, shields intact. He adapted to her attack, then that attack began to falter, every statement says it differently, but they all agree, Brenhar began losing her Magic and her powers during the fight.”
“Then once again his opponent was humiliated, exposing herself just as Lisa had done, then a draw was called and accepted, just as before. Once again we also see his opponent, Brenhar this time, left with lasting damage. This was also our second clue. Brenhar unlike Lisa did have Magic. However, that Magic was less than what she was accustomed to having. While she spent three days in the hospital, he spent eleven in a coma. When she was released...”
“She went back to her old ways as though nothing had changed.” Land Mother Michelson said flatly, the pain that statement caused and the cost of brutal honesty were obvious.
“Yes. That led to events we have no need to review for our purposes here today other than to note they set the stage for what comes next. I should also note that the apparent sculpt on Lisa continued unabated and apparently unaffected by Charles being in a coma. And that is our first clue since we were working backwards establishing a timeline. That clue was that coincidentally he woke from his coma after the fight on the same day Brenhar released herself from isolation, then did that ceremony that actually got us started originally and recovered her powers. At least she woke with them fully functional the morning after acting very weird during the ceremony that she either has no or claims to have no memory of.”
“Everything we report from this point forward is in part conjecture. Events are subject to distortion after this point due to the efforts of Lisa in image and event management. However even given that, this next part may seem extreme, yet we believe it to be accurate. So please forgive us for what amounts to nearly complete conjecture, but nothing else fits the facts. We also really wish you would allow interviews with Brenhar’s armsmen concerning events away from the school.”
“We won’t, they can’t do their jobs if any Heir has any reason to suspect they might be called upon to testify about anything short of treason.”
“This conjecture has multiple parts,” They continued, “none stand alone but they do serve support each other indirectly in some ways. It is our belief that the reason we can’t figure out what ceremony Brenhar used to restore her powers is because Charles was making it up as he went along.”
“What?” Land Mother’s Kelsini and Yasan gasped.
“Next.” Land Mother Michelson instructed flatly, and obviously unsurprised.
“Umm...” Agent Desen mumbled in shock, not from the instruction, but the total lack of denial and even more, the total lack of surprise on the Michelson’s mothers part.
“Based on that.” Director Forb went on, “We can conclude that Charles had at that time the ability to modify or simply remove a person’s Magic. As for how or even if this applies to the hold he had on Lisa, Sinda and Sandy, that is a complete unknown at this time.”
“Anyway, seven bells after being released from the Hospital wing, while distracted with Sinda, he was attacked by Brenhar in company with five seven years in support. The attack, which was expected to kill him instantly, instead killed Sinda. He responded and engaged them, also killing one instantly. From what we can piece together from witness accounts, his shields were very different than they were before this. They resembled Brenhar’s at the beginning of the battle slowly taking on attributes of his other attackers’ shields, as did his attacks and counter attacks.”
“Then a familiar pattern began to reassert itself. The bodies of his attackers began failing as did their Magics one by one until only Brenhar remained. At this time Lisa intervened, walking through the storm of colliding Magics as though it were a summer breeze. We now have reason to believe this is the result of her being heavily laced with his Seed Magic at the time. She prevented him from killing Brenhar or breaking her mind. She risked his rage turning on her at a time when she could not have defended herself against him.”
“She then forestalled the staff with the ring of Legent Wilhelm, we have no data on when or where she met him or any of them. Lisa then announced to the staff she was demonstrating to Charles, a third year, how to Humble of her own free will. We have been able to prove that prior to that time he had never humbled or been humbled, therefore he did not know how.”
“What happened next brings many more questions than answers. Sinda, dead in the initial attack, unmoving, unbreathing and unbleeding, was revived by Charles with Lisa and Sandy’s help. He wove his seed Magic already in her, into a replacement for failed nerves. He then somehow linked them so that she breathed with him and her heart beat with his. Healers and Doctors alike are at a loss to explain how he did it. The theories have been around for centuries, but no previous efforts have had enough success to warrant continuing experimentation.”
“This leads to number of disturbing though inescapable conclusions. Charles can take and return a person’s magic at will. He has the ability to alter a person’s mind such that they are totally obedient to him unhumbled, as though they were humbled, though they remain themselves. It also means he can take over or inhabit another person’s body virtually at will.”
“You can consider your second and third points as proven.” Land Mother Michelson said flatly while grimacing, “However, Lisa can do the last as well, and they both have a range in leagues doing it.”
“What?” Land Mothers Kelsini and Yasan gasp yet again.
“I should also warn you of something else. They and those they control can not be humbled except by them unless both prearranged and allowed at the time.” Land Mother Micheslon went on, “I have to be honest and straight forward here. Our Heir Primus is on parole for the attack. She wears a collar that controls her. It allows a certain amount of freedom, but punishes her when she fights or resists outside of how much or in what way she is allowed to act. Her keeper, the Consort in this case, assigns a role and she acts within it, thinking too far outside of or acting outside of it causes her to be punished to a degree. Humbling the Consort Primus engages the full punishment on her. It will, if he is not released soon enough, kill her.”
“How in Chaos name?” Land Mother Kelsini asks.
“There is more however.” Land Mother Thomson interjects, “As you know, their Heir Primus carries the Hearth Son’s child, however you should know that he did that on or at the at that time Third Heir’s request. Yes, he gave her a child at her age, on purpose. I also must affirm that he is also the father of the child our Second Heir carries, also given on purpose.”
“That’s impossible.” Land Mother Yasan gasps, “I mean we suspected her child was his, but do you mean to tell us he got them both pregnant on purpose and when he wanted to?”
“Yes.”
“What of the daughters of Yemel?”
“None are with child.”
“Then he can choose?”
“Yes.”
“Can another father be chosen?”
“We understand there is research being done on that as we speak.”
“Do I look like a land whale to you?” Brenhar using Brenna asks the clothier, a small man several hands shorter than her and several times as old with just a trace of white in his hair, in the exclusive boutique, tired of arguing her right to be there.
“You are not the Heir Primus.” He stated flatly, looking around nervously at the disruption the confrontation is causing in his tiny little shop. Like so many exclusive places, his store front is a small fraction of his actual space, the rest being devoted to changing rooms and places for sewing.
“I NEVER claimed to be the Heir Primus, remember.” She stated flatly, real anger growing.
“Yet you march in here as though you belong.”
“I was told to come here.” Brenhar hissed.
“Bren!” Lucas said projecting firmly enough for an auditorium while coming in the front door.
“Consort.” Brenhar replied enjoying the game as the shop began emptying.
“I would have been here sooner but I was told you were simply clothes shopping.” Lucas said projecting an obviously artificial calm, “I had no idea this place existed or that you would be so audacious as to come to place like this.”
“I go only where I am told.” Brenhar said defiantly while holding in the laughter at people literally scrambling to get out of the store.
“I suppose she told you to go here?” Lucas demanded snidely.
“No, not really. She told me get a proper dress and as I told your captain of the guard, I do my research, this is where she got her favorite summer and winter dresses. The ones you like so much, the ones with the zipper she needs so much help with.”
“Where did you...” Lucas starts in and has to stop. To the outside world the thumb and forefinger rubbing his temples looks like a plea for patience. On the inside though, he is doing everything he can to keep the laughter in check and his face straight as he turns to the proprietor, “You know what, never mind, I don’t care. I’m sorry, but what is your name please?”
“Mr. Blare.” He replied stiffly.
“Ok then Mr. Blare. Here’s the deal. This thing decided to play games with the Captain of the Heir Primus’ guard and got in over her head. Now she spends the night in his bed, every night. For whatever reason Brenhar has decided she likes Brenna here, an obviously false name.”
“It’s as real as I make it.” Brenhar declared, earning her a glare from Lucas.
“You know, I bet if I really looked into it I could identify you.” Lucas stated flatly, “I bet if I do then I am willing to bet there will be price on your head.”
“Who knows, maybe I already told all this the Heir Primus. Maybe she is buying me out of whatever it was I did out of pure sympathy. Maybe she is making me one of her retinue, maybe she likes me for me, did you ever think of that?” Brenhar asked softly as she made tears flow.
“Bren?” Lucas asked softly, hearing some hidden pain under the words.
“I’m just a thing Consort, just a thing and I know it.”
“You are a person, so what if you’ve made mistakes. Brenhar is very forgiving of mistakes, she understands about being young and wild.”
“I know.” Brenhar whispered, “I also know my place. I’ll never have children and that makes me a thing. She doesn’t see me as a thing, she sees me as a person and I can’t thank her enough.”
“She gets nothing in Brenhar’s colors.” Lucas says turning to Mr. Blare, “No decorations, no frills, nothing to mark her clothing as being more than just well made. Just to satisfy my own curiosity, let me know how close her measurements are, I know she had some work done, I’m just curious how close she got.”
“I can do that Consort.” Mr. Blare replied staring at Brenna.
“Now what do I do?” Brenhar asked as Brenna after Lucas had left.
“Now young lady you come into the back and we get you measured up.”
“Lead they way.”
“I don’t know how used you are to all this.”
“Just tell me what to do please.” Brenhar asked quietly as though she were out of her element.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way but I need you to strip then assume the first pose you see drawn on the wall. I could do simple measurements, but I am guessing you would also like to be able to move in your new clothes.”
“Yes, yes I would and yes sir.” Brenhar replied undressing and automatically folding her clothes like a chambermaid does putting things away.
“You are well trained.” Mr. Blare comments watching.
“I had to be.” Brenhar replied truthfully, using her punishment time as a back story, “If I failed in my duties I was punished. If I displeased my, umm, I was punished.”
“Your duties were not always those of just a Chambermaid I take it?”
“No.” Brenhar replied as unwanted echoes of a dorm room came to her unbidden.
“Does the Heir Primus know your history, your past?”
“I can assure you I have no secrets from the Heir Primus. I know her history nearly as well as she does so I felt compelled to share mine with her as well. One does not question second chances.”
“You are a very close match indeed.” Mr. Blare replied comparing the measurements he is taking Brenhar’s own.
“Where was missed?” Brenhar asked curious, “What doesn’t match?”
“Given what I see I have to ask. Did you do this or was it done to you?” He asked as he indicated to assume the next pose.
“What do you mean?” She asked complying.
“Listen, I know good work when I see it.” He said just staring at her, “I know really good work and yours is so good I can’t even find the real you under it. If I didn’t have a lifetime’s experience doing this for rich kids who get sculpted so much their own children look unrelated, I would never see it.”
“It happened.”
“Well, let me tell you. Whoever did this knew Brenhar and knew her well, too well for my comfort to tell the truth.”
“How so?” Brenhar asked slipping the faintest bit out of character.
“Were you a finger taller you would be a perfect duplicate of what the Heir Primus wanted for herself all these years. She has always had body issues. Yet despite looking like Sculptist’s playground, a thing out of fantasy, she has always had little things she would have changed if she could. You are those things, everyone of them and that means they have a leak.”
“So he did a good job?” She asked.
“I have never seen this kind of work. Only your teeth tell me you are a decade or so older than the Heir Primus, the rest is perfect, and I do mean perfect. Other than the teeth and the finger height difference, you are a perfect duplicate of her in her ideal form.”
“Thank you.” Brenhar replied thanking him sincerely, she had not had any idea Lucas had done such a good job.
“You’re welcome. You are a master work.”
“Thank you again, however I have a delicate question.”
“Try me.” He laughed, “I’ve got what I truly need, you can get dressed now.”
“Can this remain between us?”
“Yes, with a few caveats.”
“I assure you, I am not going to attempt to usurp Brenhar, it wouldn’t do me any good. My maker sterilized me so a seat would do me no good.”
“I am sorry.”
“Don’t be, it is settled.” Brenhar said flatly, “What I seek to know though is what would the Consort like, what are his tastes?”
“Why?”
“I am many things, a Chambermaid among them, yet now I have another job.”
“What kind?”
“A treat.”
“Excuse me?”
“As I said, a treat. She wants me on her staff, I am no threat to her at all. I have no hold on the Consort and never can have. She has bought my freedom to present me to him for all those things she can’t give him right now, or at any other inconvenient times in the future.”
“I am sorry, but that is...” He replies then stops at the letter she has retrieved from her satchel, carefully doing so without dressing.
“Read this.” She said holding out a letter that he took.
“Mr. Blare, the person presenting this letter is Brenna, not her real name of course. I know it and it no longer matters in the slightest. I am what the overly polite would call, indisposed. In truth, I am a beached whale and unable to attend to my womanly duties. I have hired Brenna, you will by now have noticed the quality of the work, in order to provide her with as normal of a life as I can. Since the person responsible held fantasies about me, I feel a responsibility to help her since she did suffer on my behalf in a way. The individual responsible for doing this to her is no longer an issue. She dealt with him personally and I have granted her sanctuary with me. She will spend the remainder of her days in my shadow. He had powerful friends and this is all I can do for her. Her clothes are never to bear my own color combinations. Her clothes are to be plain, no frills, nothing fancy. No jewelry, nothing that bespeaks of position or power. Make her the best plain gowns you can please. This matter is considered confidential and to be kept private. Thank you. Brenhar, Heir Primus of Michelson.”
“Since you are not really what you appear, what are you then?” He asked.
“I am a present. My service to the Consort, once presented, will provide my cover for me being with them. My service to him provides cover for me staying out of sight. I am permitted some small freedoms, but I shall live my days in her shadow, sharing his bed when she isn’t in the mood or is unable to.”
“You seem to accept all this quite well.”
“I have no choice. I am property, yet I am given elevated status as a Chambermaid for my looks. I changed my name when I discovered who I was made to look like after I gained freedom. Since then I have researched to play the part I look like. I have spent time pretending to be her for fantasies with men who dream of being with her but do not rate. The money and other resources are nice. I found the more I knew about her, the better fantasy I could provide. If I leave, I will no longer be protected and the Consort looks nice. I am also permitted to do small things in town and keep the money I make playing her as a birthday present or mock guest. So long as I never wear a bauble or a decoration, I am permitted.”
“Would you leave if you could?”
“No. I am content.”
“It will be a few days.”
“I shall return.” Brenhar promised trying to decide which coffee house get a drink from on her way home.
“You have how many?” The customs officer asked aghast staring at Micah and Sien.
“We have one hundred and twenty one. Eighty three women, thirty eight men.” Sien answered flatly.
“All wipes?”
“All wipes. We picked them up...” Micah grinned then paused a moment, “Wholesale.”
“Where? How? That is way too many.”
“We have all the paper work, it is quite the collection.”
“You were in Dest during the coup weren’t you?”
“No.” Micah answered grimacing, Sien had been right, “We were two days out.”
“We arrived and registered as required by law for Wipe handlers, found the pens overflowing.” Sien added, “It made us nervous. We occasionally see spikes in those convictions that give a bump in the number of mind wipes available, we have never seen full pens before, it was spooky.”
“And?” The officer prompted examining them and finding an incredible amount of Seed Magic linkage between them giving Micah nearly complete dominion over Sien, making her look more like product than help.
“We had our business done in two days.” Micah answered then hesitated, “When we went to leave we found out most of the others in our trade were being questioned by who or what ever it was that held the castle. You don’t want to know the rumors. Then they received word to clear space, they had incoming, a lot of incoming.”
“I kind of pushed a little and traded a night with Qwen, a pleasure piece we keep around for bribing customs people like you if they expect it. We got to empty the pens when word that came down that said not to expect any the old traders back so dispose of the stock. We picked up the lot for one farm week labor credit apiece. We only had a year’s worth, but they took our word for the rest and sent us on our way. We left as we saw the first procession winding its way down from the castle.”
“So none of these are political wipes?”
“None that we know of for sure.”
“But we do suspect one.” Sien said smiling, “Scuttlebutt and rumor says she was in the queen’s own chambers.”
“Which?” The officer demanded.
“Don’t know for sure mind you. Got perfect papers she’s from southern Frisch, but she’s awfully blank if you get my meaning. Not why we entered the Kallows mind you, after a trip back through Michelson to go around this little border dispute you have going on.
“I’m afraid I have orders for anyone who has been in Dest recently.”
“Let us guess.” Sien sniped, “Detain, question and determine if were spies.”
“More or less.”
“You think we wouldn’t have figured on that? Just find us a warehouse like we asked, bring us food like we asked and put guards around it while you do your job, like we asked. We’ll sit still and play nice doing a little business on the side while you check out the product and convince yourselves.”
“How many in your party again?”
“Three of us.” Micah said grinning, “I have another just like her, nine guards with two slaves apiece, along with one hundred twenty one wipes.”
“Guards all yours? Been with a while?”
“No, picked them up in the Kallows. One of our old ones tried to rip us off, a new hire saved us so we hired his friends and dumped the rest. They had a couple of Chambermaids and a couple of sextoys they had collected and shared, we upgraded them all to ensure loyalty. Picked up new for them on the docks at nwarlns on the Mexch sea coast by the mippy.”
“How many did you start with?”
“Wipes?”
“Of course.”
“About two hundred.”
“Two hundred nine.” Sien corrected, “Should have seen the caravan we ran across headed out into the Karabi bound for Mexch eventually. They must have had five hundred, recognized some of them from the caravan we left ahead of arriving at the pens in Dest. They were wipes alright, but not like any I’ve ever seen. They were beyond docile, and the women, they all had the biggest chests you ask for and the men were hung like donkeys. They were all in near perfect health too.”
“We tried to buy a few.” Micah said picking up the flow, “They refused, said they had orders on disposal. Apparently, there is a trade envoy from Venz in Pama. On the south side of the east bridges over the divide.” He said describing the bridges over the gap that had once been a canal between the upper and lower continents.
“Interesting.” The border guard replied, “I will have to investigate the wipe you understand.”
“Yes. I wanted to just lie about where we came from but Sien here convinced me not to.”
“She won’t be able to convince the authorities here to free her.”
“I’m not worried about that.” Sien replied with a knowing smile, “I just don’t want things to get any worse for me than they are. There are worse things than being a Chambermaid and book keeper.”
“Grab the wipe.” The officer ordered grinning and turned to yell at one of his men, “Corporal Darcus, get your ass over here. Take four squads, find an empty warehouse and arrange to feed them. They may be spies, or they may just simply have information we need, but for now they are our guests.”
“Yes sir.” Darcus replied indicating for Micah to follow while Sien grabbed the wipe.
“Need a hand with your bags?” The man asked startling Brenhar as she returned with Brenna’s dresses intending to enjoy an afternoon using Brenna to escape the annoying stomach of her own body.
“I’m good.” She answered keeping moving, not liking the sense of something being wrong.
“It’s a long way back to the palace.” Another man said startling her as she realized she was bracketed.
“I’m good, they expect me back soon so I really must keep moving.”
“Really?” The first man asked and as Brenhar turned to him she felt a jab on Brenna’s neck and her body became sluggish.
“Ignis.” Brenhar said as firmly as she could through Brenna then retreated back into herself as she saw the first man become flame.
“Lucas.” Brenhar shouted from her bed.
“Bren?” He asked coming in concerned by her shout and tone of panic.
“I think I was just kidnapped.”
“What?”
“Someone just kidnapped Brenna.”
“Where?” Lucas asked.
“Look for the fire in the garment district.”
“What?”
“I ignited one of them.”
“Look for the human torch?” Lucas quipped.
“She was in Dest you say?” The man asked King Donalson staring at the wipe.
“Yes.” The technician answered for the king, “She was on our payroll. Her name was Irena.”
“Was?”
“Yes. The person she was is no longer there.” The technician answered, “The doctors and the healers have both gone over her and there is nothing of what was. She is nothing but a wipe now.”
“How was it done? Which technique did they use?”
“That’s the problem, we don’t know. As for what was used, that’s obvious. The damage we have mapped in the brain corresponds to BloodSeed. How that works though, that is a complete mystery to us, we know mostly how Magic does it’s thing, we know how Seed Magic works, We know what Blood Magic does, but this is something new.”
“Then Technician I suggest you do as you were told to begin with.” The man said angrily, “And compare her brain to a newborn’s.”
“She’s grown, their brains are a different size and configuration, so comparison is meaningless.”
“Listen.” He said calming himself with a visible effort, “Scale the infant scan to match her brain, then map her brain using the scaled one from the infant map. Recheck her brainwaves using the infant map instead and look for patterns.”
“I thought you were a Magist? That’s an advanced comparative technique from the Techist playbook.”
“That my dear technician is called the scientific method. I introduced your schools to it over two centuries ago. You should recognize it by now.”
“Then you really do mean map her brain as though she were a new born?”
“Was I unclear?”
“No, just unbelievable.”
“Humor me.”
“Yes sir.”
“I find it interesting that they are all girls again.” Land Mother Kelsini said as the meeting got underway again after the current generation of Kimer arrived.
“They breed true.” Land Mother Yasan said flatly.
“You are not in trouble young ones.” Land Mother Thomson told them. Three girls, A fourth year honey blond two hands shy of a fathom, a sixth year brunette and an eighth year redhead, all sit in chairs to one side of the conference with no clue why they are present.
“More variety than the other.” Land Mother Kelsini observes.
“They have far more out breeding.” Land Mother Yasan answers.
“Clan Mother?” Land Mother Michelson says asking her opinion.
“They are.” Clan Mother Yemel answers.
“You are sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Clan Mother Kimer.”
“I have no idea how this is possible. We had no clue.” She replies obviously disturbed, “Yet Mother Yemel is correct, we are of one blood.”
“Kimer is Yemel, Yemel is Kimer.” Clan Mother Yemel confirms hesitantly.
“You know there are only a few paths from here, that we have only time for the shortest of them before events overrun us. Name your price.” Land Mother Thomson tells Land Mothers Kelsini and Yasan.
“As are the Yemel bound, so must the Kimer be.” Yasan replies gravely, “We suffered greatly under the blood lords, and now they are come back to us. Yet we also know why they are again, why they are not quite what they once were. Yet history remains to remind us that not all horrors from the past are beyond revisiting, this ensures these at least will not.”
“That is both true and untrue.” Michelson replies, “They are themselves, that is their identities are intact, yet they are not free. They followed our Heir Primus, when the petulant child in a rut powered rage was denied a prize, and they all paid the price. How blunt would you like me to be?”
“Blunt.” Yemel answers, “They held to the letter of their vow, yet they broke the spirit of it.”
“Then blunt it is.” Michelson answered, “Of the three of them, Nicole, Sien and Yen, all were collar bound at one point. Yes I do mean collar bound, their bodies, their minds and their very thoughts allowed to have only what they were allowed to be. To resist was to be both punished painfully and to be separated from their bodies though they still felt it all, and would later remember whatever punishment they received as though they had enjoyed it. To truly answer what you want to know though, requires I mention our own Heir, Brenhar. She is collar bound, the Consort Lucas is her keeper. Again, just like the collars of old. She is bound to obedience and yes it works. Lucas has in his duties as her keeper been required to not only test, but to use the collar. Yet this Charles did not stop there, he gave her his child, he did this on purpose and left Brenhar in the collar they placed on her. She still wears it, I would say bears, but Brenhar herself says wears and says it proudly.”
“Then he, this Lucas, he can?” Kelsini asks with a hiss.
“Yes. She becomes whatever role he assigns, does what he says, she literally has no choice at all about obeying, the collar bends or takes her very thoughts. I should also point out that the rumors of her acting as a Chambermaid at school are both false and true. She did not act as Lucas’s chambermaid, she was Lucas’s chambermaid, and before you ask, yes, Lucas taught her how to attend to all, and I emphasize all, the duties of a chambermaid. Being a quick learner and motivated by a punishment she called being burned at the stake while being hung, she learned her duties both quickly and well. So deeply did those lessons and habits get ingrained that even now she remakes her own bed nearly as quickly and easily as our own maids. Even now his words or will can take her mind, her thoughts, her memories or make her whatever he desires, and she remembers not only doing what happens, but actually being the part and thinking the thoughts.”
“That is...” Kelsini stammers.
“Brutal.” Yasan finishes.
“We received quite the surprise when, unaided, she altered one of my old maternity dresses for herself since she is getting so big so soon. Afterwards a few of the ladies always dallying around court made quite the fuss about an Heir, especially a Primus, doing such things for herself. After failing to demonstrate their own ability to take care of their own quarters for a week, while Brenhar who is with child while they are not did the same, they were dismissed from the capitol.”
“Serves them right.” Yasan laughed, “Think what they want, but you show proper respect to an Heir, especially an expectant mother at her age, and especially again when she can look after herself like you describe Brenhar being able to now.”
“She has grown and matured as a result of her punishment.” Michelson acknowledged, “However, what you really want to know about are the other three. Nicole, Yen and Sien were all collar bound just as Brenhar still is. However as a result of ongoing events their statuses have changed.”
“How so?”
“Nicole is now blood bound to Prince Tagoni of Dest and the King of Dest was given what the Hearth Son called a kill switch. Though she is compelled to obey Tagoni, she is not required too. However, she can not use Magic on or against Tagoni or King Dest. Also, she lives only so long as King Dest thinks of her as alive, if he decides she is dead, she is, her body turns off like a lantern blown out by the wind.”
“Incredible.”
“Yen is another matter completely. She resisted more strongly so they took not her mind, but her memories and experiences. They left her knowledge of things, but took all sense of self and bound her to Tagoni as a thing dedicated to sexual pleasure for punishment. Tagoni did not press her punishment as hard as he was instructed. He was at Camden pass when Donalson made their move, in hearts Tagoni went from a young man in lust, gifted with a fair maiden with a geas of obedience, to a defender of Dest. That transformation freed Yen. She, in the words of witnesses, went Blood Queen on them. She used Magic to force Tagoni to retreat from certain death at Camden. She had however learned whatever it was they wanted her to learn and remained behind to do what needed to be done. She recruited the remains of the defending garrison to her cause, then used the power of the BloodSeed to take over the minds of the first wave of roughly a thousand incoming men. She then divided the conquered among her recruits and not only held their side of the pass, they counter attacked and took the whole of the pass. She now controls the pass, which is about a league, and also a league into Donalson as well as a league of Dest. King Dest has declared Camden pass leased to the Hearth Holders for the rent of keeping it secure, and Yen still holds the pass. You can see through her now though she and her fifty or so men still cast shadows on the ground, but she is the only one you can see in the light anymore.”
“Then she is neither alive nor dead?”
“Correct. In bright sunlight you can see her clearly, in shadows she fades. Her men are the opposite, in sunlight they cast only a shadow on the ground, as it darkens they become more solid looking. That leaves Sien, she is Blood Bound as well and is currently on assignment. I should also warn you that they all three, well both since Yen can’t leave the valley, have and carry the secret of the BloodSeed.”
“All three?”
“Yes. Nicole was already at the castle where Tagoni was headed when the coup attempt was made and on her own decided to go talk to the King early. Though she did not attack anyone, she did defend herself and used the power of the BloodSeed to do it even knowing it would attract attention from the Legents that she could ill afford. In fact, Legent Wilhelm confronted her even before the castle was completely retaken by King Dest’s loyal forces. She would have been reduced but King Dest intervened and adopted her into his house. He called it a reward for services rendered and the bravery to face her own end, not only in the fighting, but knowing she would face the judgment of the Legents. He faced Legent Wilhelm down, defying him in front of witnesses on her behalf. King Dest was charged with the responsibility to see to it that she did not misuse the gifts she was forbidden but had anyway.”
“I am guessing she is now the Consort of Tagoni?”
“Yes, and he is now second Prince, as long as he accepts Nicole as his co-Heir.”
“So all three of them wield Blood Seed and live?”
“Two yes, as for Yen we have no clue.”
“Kelsini?” Yasan asks breaking in, an echo of an earlier question.
“Agreed.” Kelsini replies.
“What then is the price of empire?” Michelson asks.
“We are both about a third the size of either of you, yet between the four of us we represent well over two million people, over three in truth with our outliers. We will both designate Third Heirs or Heirs Tertius who will be given the children of the Hearth Son.”
“We will convince him.”
“And the rest of the daughters of Yemel, the Kimer, are to be bound as the others are. We have no real concern for the boys, or the girls out of the correct age range.”
“I...” Thomson says stunned.
“Never!” Kimer shouts.
“If this is the price of empire, then I Barbara of Kimer accept.”
“If this be the price all our survivals, then I Lauren of Kimer accept.”
“There is no choice Clan Mother.” The third girl says trembling, “I must accept as well. So long as my keeper can be Marc, my childhood and closest male friend, then I Sara of Kimer also accept.”