Fostering Faust
Author: Randi Darren
Date: 2018-05-06T18:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Adult
Description: ((Minor Spoiler and Warning at the bottom of the blurb. Please read all the way through.)) Alex is dead. Dead, and apparently with a one way ticket to a place that only the worst of the worst go. All for a simple choice he made about a product his company owned. Damned for all time. Luckily for him, he’s about to be given a chance. Another choice to make. He can instead, return to the land of the living, though his soul would belong to another. Except the world he’s being sent to, isn’t the same one he came from. It’s not even a similar period in time, but from something long past in history.
Publisher: RandiWDarren

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Book listing

Chp.1

Chp.2

Chp.3

Chp.4

Chp.5

Chp.6

Chp.7

Chp.8

Chp.9

Chp.10

Chp.11

Chp.12

Chp.13

Chp.14

Chp.15

Chp.16

Chp.17

Chp.18

Chp.19

Chp.20

Chp.21

Chp.22

Chp.23

Chp.24

Chp.25

Chp.26

Chp.27

Chp.28

Chp.29

Chp.30

Chp.31

Chp.32

Chp.33

Chp.34

Chp.35

Chp.36

Epilogue

Authors Note

Fostering Faust

By Randi Darren

Copyright © 2018 Randi Darren

Cover design © 2018 Randi Darren

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means - except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews - without written permission from its publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © 2018 Randi Darren

All rights reserved.

Dedicated:

To my wife, Kristin, who encouraged me in all things.

To my son, Harrison, who now lets me sleep, but won’t ever let me leave my chair now.

To my family, who always told me I could write a book if I sat down and tried. I’ve now written quite a few.

Special Thanks to:

Miss N.

Eric Leaf

Michael Haglund

Caleb Shortcliffe

Thanks to my Beta Readers (in no order):

Kevin Mckinney

Piotr Tokarski

Chris Chan

Richard Garrett

Joshua Russell

Kyle Smith

Robert Hammack

I appreciate you reading through an unedited nightmare

Other books by Randi Darren-

Wild Wastes Trilogy:

Wild Wastes

Wild Wastes: Eastern Expansion

Wild Wastes: Southern Storm (To be released 2018)

Books by William D. Arand-

The Selfless Hero Trilogy:

Otherlife Dreams

Otherlife Nightmares

Otherlife Awakenings

Ominibus Edition(All Three)

Super Sales on Super Heroes Trilogy:

Super Sales on Super Heroes 1

Super Sales on Super Heroes 2

Super Sales on Super Heroes 3 (To be released 2018)

Dungeon Deposed Trilogy:

Dungeon Deposed

Dungeon Deposed 2 (To be released)

Dungeon Deposed 3 (To be released)

Chapter 1

Alexander looked around the room and found that everything was… gray.

The walls, the chairs, the table, the wooden roof, the stone floor.

Additionally, everything had a misty quality to it. Nothing felt tangible or real.

Hollow, even.

Holding up a hand in front of himself, he stared into it.

Lifting his other hand, he touched them to each other.

Or tried to, at least. His fingers slipped through his own flesh and came out the other side.

“Surprise, you’re dead,” said a female voice.

Alex spun around and tried to pin down where the voice was coming from.

“I’m not sure you’ll be able to find me by looking like that. I’m not dead, or even there,” said the voice.

“Maybe you should join me then. Talking to thin air isn’t helping me,” Alex said.

“What if I already have?” asked the voice, much louder and from the center of the room.

Turning to face the speaker, Alex found himself staring at not much more than a darkened shadow.

“Do forgive me, but I think it’s best if I keep myself in a… simpler form. It’s not like you’ll die of shock or anything, but you mortals do tend to have problems when I show up in my normal form. You have a tendency to not believe what I say,” said the gloomy, taunting figure.

Frowning, Alex stared hard at it.

“You said I was dead.”

“I did indeed.”

“Yes. It isn’t every day you can scratch the inside of your own hand,” Alex said, demonstrating his fingers going through his other hand. “So… how did I die?”

“Heart attack. Middle of the night. You pissed yourself, crapped your pants, and your maid found you two days later. Several lovely photos got out and were plastered all over the internet.

“No kids, no wife, no friends. You were buried the next day and no one who cared attended.”

“Grand,” Alex said, nonplussed. He’d always assumed that’d be his end. Didn’t make a bit of difference to him.

Moving to the table, he pulled out one of the chairs and tried to press his hand against the seat.

It felt solid.

“Please, do have a seat. This conversation would be much easier if I didn’t have to raise my voice. Quicker too. And time is important right now. I’m not sure how long my husband will be distracted, and I’d love to strike a bargain before he returns,” said the dark wraith.

“Your husband? A bargain?” Alex asked, sitting down in the chair.

“Indeed. I’m a married woman with a loving husband. I’d happily pull your guts out and use them to jump rope if he asked me to. I’d pull your liver out and devour it if that was what he wished,” the wraith said, her voice breaking and going up an octave, then down two.

Got it. Crazy.

Clearing her throat, she patted the table in front of her. “But yes, a bargain. You’re dead, and on your way to the deepest, darkest, nastiest corner of your universe's hell.”

“What?” Alex asked, alarmed. “Why? I never did anything seriously wrong. Never hurt a single person in my life.”

“You’re right. You didn’t. But there’s a problem for you when it comes to responsibility,” said the shade. “You see, you were a… what was it… chief operations officer?”

“Yes. Yes I was,” Alex said, his heart beating hard in his chest at the idea of going to hell.

How do I even feel a heartbeat? Aren’t I dead?

“Yes, you really are dead. You feel a heartbeat because your mind is telling you to feel it. Anyways, while you were working as COO you pushed through a certain technology that really wasn’t quite ready.

“One that allowed the minds of your users to work in a virtual environment, and at a speed much faster than normal thought could work at,” the shade said. “It was a technological breakthrough for the white-collar industry, allowing for much more work to be completed in half the time.”

“Yeah. It made the company. Made me.”

“Haha, that it did! And so here you are,” the wraith said, chortling.

“I don’t understand.”

“Part of the reason it was held up in development was because it tested poorly with some people. In cases of weak minds and extreme usage, the minds were digitized. Directly loaded into the computers they were tied to. Except that when it happened, the subjects went comatose. Never to waken.

“The bodies left behind were husks. Empty.”

Alex nodded. He remembered when they’d found the first test subject in such a state.

“You’ll remember you put lockout controls on the system in case people tried to tamper with it. Turning it into a high-tech, room-sized… paperweight. Then you pushed the project,” the wraith said. She made a gesture with a shadow hand, as if shoving something along.

“I… yes. We had them sign agreements, put warnings on it, and a lockout. They had to take the risk if they wanted to utilize the tech.”

“And yet, the lockout you put on it was very simple. So basic that anyone with a bit of time and a stray thought could circumvent it. Because you didn’t allow any time to develop it.

“You deemed it an acceptable risk that would be out of your hands with the agreement you slapped on the whole thing. A risk others could take if they chose,” the shadow continued. “Those people who digitized themselves, at least a million at the time of your death, were all considered murdered. Those ‘souls’ that showed up in the computer? That everyone thought were actual people? Just part of a computer program. A complex one, but a program. Your engineers will figure that out in a decade or so. Much, much too late for you, though.”

The shadow tilted its head to one side.

Alex had the feeling it was staring at him.

Gauging his reaction.

He felt nothing. He already knew where she was going with this. There was no surprise.

After being told even his heartbeat was false, Alex had managed to focus his entire being on controlling his “soul,” as he was now thinking of it.

Alex was a stone.

An uncaring one. His previous life mattered little to him. It’d been a conquest of wealth that in the end—he could say that since he was here—amounted to nothing.

“Yes. This entire problem we’ve been discussing was declared the reason for their deaths. That perhaps with a bit more effort on your part, they might have understood what they were doing.

“Which leaves you with the blame. Hence, going to hell with a one-way ticket. I hear they even pulled up some heavy hitters just for you. Some real nasty pieces of work they keep on hold for the truly ugly souls.”

“Let’s talk about this bargain,” Alex said, changing the subject.

“I like that. Quick to decide and not even a word of argument. Yes, my bargain then.

“It’s simple. I want to send you to another universe. Another world. Where you’ll be my agent. Your goal is to gather power for me. That’s it,” said the wraith.

“Mmm-hmm. Too simple. Give me some details or I’ll take the demons,” Alex said, staring into the dark shroud.

“Hahahaha. You mean that, too.

“Fine, fine. Alright then. The details are equally simple. I’m a goddess of darkness and deals. Simply put, you’ll have someone swear on my name for a deal, and I’ll gain power. If the deal is skewed in your favor, I’ll gain even more power.

“Please keep in mind that all deals must be voluntary, made without coercion. That’s it, really. My name on the world in question is Leah.”

“Ok, Leah. Again, what you’re describing is too simple. There must be more—”

The shroud stood up suddenly, looking up and to the side at something only she could see.

“Husband… dearest… my love,” the shade whispered, shivering. “He’s coming back. Coming back for me and my sisters. I hope I’m first.”

The shade’s head snapped towards him again.

“Choose. Now. Or I’ll toss you out faster than a used rubber. I’ll not waste a second with you that I could spend with him,” the shadow commanded.

“I accept. Now—”

In a flash, the shadow enveloped him and the world of gray was gone. Replaced with a world of hissing, screaming, stabbing, violent darkness.

Murder most foul.

“Oh, and I’m sending you with a crystal to measure your progress. When it’s as dark as night and no light can shine through it, you’ll have made enough deals to fulfill your obligation for the month,” came the wraith’s voice. “The world I’m sending you to is a real crap-sack world, too. They’ll eat you alive if you let them. It’s kill or be killed. Show no mercy and don’t fuck up.”

***

Alex opened his eyes, then shut them quickly as light blinded him.

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Oh? Waking up, are you?” said a man’s voice. “Good. Sooner you wake up, sooner we can figure how to get out of this death trap.”

“Death trap?” Alex repeated.

“Eh?”

Alex pried his eyes open again. The light didn’t hurt as badly this time, but it still made his eyes water.

He was lying on what looked to be a rotten wooden floor.

The worn boards had been improperly shaped. They bent and bowed, giving him a view of what could only be grass beneath.

Lifting his head up, he looked around.

Grasslands stretched as far as he could see.

He was in a cage, in a line of cages. They all seemed to have wheels, and were moving in a train-like fashion.

Managing to lever himself up to a sitting position, Alex felt like he wanted to puke. His head hurt quite a bit.

Reaching up, he felt around his skull. Behind his right ear, he found a rather large lump.

“They gave you quite a thumping, huh?”

Alex looked to the speaker.

He was an unassuming man. Dressed in ratty clothes with brown hair and blue eyes.

“I guess so. I can’t… remember,” Alex said.

He looked down at himself.

He’d just been with Leah and now he was here. She hadn’t told him how he’d be arriving, or even his status.

The clothes he had on looked identical to what the other man was wearing.

“Great. That’s great. They shoved you in here, told me not to touch you or they’d beat me to death, then ran off. You must be someone worth a copper or two, otherwise they’d have shoved you in with the rest.

“I’m just a merchant, but I’m worth a ransom,” said the man, indicating the other cages.

Alex looked to the nearest cage.

It was practically full to bursting with people.

Ok, so I’m someone of some import, though we’re not sure in what regard.

Could have really used some more details, Leah.

A commotion broke out far up ahead. It sounded like shouts and someone banging pots and pans together.

“Ho? This might be our chance,” said the man. “If only…”

A man Alex hadn’t noticed went sprinting by. He must have been hiding between the cages.

“There we go. I figured there was one watching just in case. You really are worth a sack of gold, it seems,” said the man. “Right. Here’s the plan. You boost me up, I knock the roof off, and then I open the gate.”

Alex wasn’t quite sure about that plan, but he didn’t have anything better to suggest.

“Fine.”

“Hands together then and give us a lift,” said the man.

Complying, Alex laced his fingers together and knelt down.

The other man put one foot into Alex’s hands and looked at him. “On three and up.”

Alex nodded his head.

“One, two, three!”

Alex lifted and shoved, pushing the man up.

Bits of what he assumed was roof material started to rain down on him as the man worked above.

“Ha, got it. Up we go.”

The man lifted out of Alex’s hand. Stepping back, he looked up to see how it was going.

Wedged in the opening, the man was already wiggling his way out. It was obvious he’d be out in a matter of seconds.

“Ah, thanks for that. Sorry to do this, but I don’t have any way to actually open that gate. Good luck and all that,” said the merchant.

Alex stared at the man’s backside, uncomprehending.

It wasn’t until the man had both feet on the edge of the cage that Alex realized he was being left behind.

Pure anger flooded him as he realized his mistake had been trusting someone else.

He’d learned that lesson long ago, in his other life. He might be done with that life and planning to never look back, but he’d remember those hard-learned lessons.

The chief amongst them.

Never trust anyone.

With a shout, Alex slammed bodily into the side of the cage, rocking it violently to one side.

Flailing his arms, the merchant shrieked and fell backward. Breaking through the roof, he crashed to the ground back inside the cage.

Gasping for breath, the merchant struggled to his hands and knees.

Perfect.

Alex took two steps, planted the third on the man’s shoulders, then leapt up towards the hole.

Missing his target, he crashed through the top, lost his balance and flipped out the other side. Landing in the grass with a thump.

Ha. That worked. Even if not as planned.

Getting up quickly—far quicker than he could remember getting up in his old life, with his aching back and hips—Alex looked back into the cage.

“Wait, wait,” the merchant pleaded. Pressing himself to the bars, he smiled at Alex.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that, it was only a joke. A bad joke on my part, but a joke. That’s all. Help me out here.”

“Sure, sure, of course,” Alex promised easily.

This’ll be a great chance to test how far Leah’s contracts go.

“I’ll need you to strike a deal with myself and my god, though. Make sure you don’t betray me.”

“You… want me to swear on a god’s name?” asked the man.

“That’s right. To swear on a god’s name that you’ll do everything I ask until I get you out of the cage. So we can get out fairly and cleanly. My part is to swear I’ll do everything I can to get you out of that cage,” Alex said.

“Ah…”

The sounds from the front of the cage train were getting louder.

“You don’t have to do this. It’d be your choice and your choice alone.

“Though to be fair, time is of the essence. More guards might come from the rear, or back from the front. At that point, I’ll not be able to help you.”

“Fine, yes. I’ll swear it. What’s your god’s name?”

“Leah,” Alex said, looking around in each direction. He wasn’t going to get caught if he could help it. “I’ll have you swear it on her name, on pain of losing your soul.”

“Leah and my soul!?” the merchant shrieked. Whimpering, he nodded his head regretfully.

Unless he wanted to take his chances with the bandits, the merchant didn’t have much of a choice.

“I swear on Leah that I’ll do everything you tell me to until we escape, on the condition that you will do everything to get me out of here,” said the merchant.

“I swear on Leah that I’ll get you out of the cage, one way or another,” Alex said, shaking the man’s hand.

Alex didn’t see anything, and it didn’t feel wrong.

Actually, now that he thought about it, he felt a sense of correctness.

“Great, great. So how are you going to get me out?”

For a moment, Alex considered the possibilities. There were a number of things he could do to get the man out.

In fact, he didn’t doubt he could probably use this man and get a considerable amount of effort from him.

Except that he’d already betrayed Alex once.

And betrayals don’t go unpunished.

Looking around the ground, Alex found a branch as wide and as long as his arm.

Picking it up, he wedged it between the bars and snapped it in half.

Inspecting both breaks, he found one with definite potential to be used as a crude spear.

“Here. Don’t reveal where I went or tell anyone about this, and use this to kill yourself. Probably stab yourself right here,” Alex said, indicating where he thought the arteries in the neck were. “Once you’re dead, they’ll probably toss your body out.

“I’ll be responsible for you getting thrown out of the cage, because you’ll be dead. This will complete my side of the bargain.”

The merchant screeched at him, trying to stab him with the stick.

“There was never any agreement to get you out alive. Don’t blame me for making a bad deal. If only you hadn’t tried to leave me behind, eh? Have fun debating between your soul and your life,” Alex muttered.

Jogging off to the side, Alex got low in a decently sized patch of grass and pretended to be a hole in the ground.

The merchant struggled with himself for several seconds, then tossed the stick to one side.

Giving up your soul then. Good luck with that.

An hour passed before the train of cells suddenly started moving forward again. No one came back to check on them.

Alex waited quietly in the brush. At the end of the line of cages was what looked to be a baggage cart. Guarded by a single man with a short sword.

He looked rather nervous. Considering no one had come back to talk about what had happened at the front, it wasn’t that surprising.

Alex would have been unnerved himself in that situation.

When the last cart rolled past, Alex got to his feet and slunk over behind it, only stopping to pick up a stone as big as a baseball.

As quietly as he could manage, he slithered up the back and over the top of the cart.

With the guard directing all his attention toward the front, he didn’t hear Alex.

In fact, Alex went completely unnoticed. Right up until he cracked the guard in the head with the stone.

Stopping to steal everything worth anything, and some better clothes, Alex loaded himself up. Even going so far as to fill a backpack full of valuables. He also made sure to take anything that looked like paperwork.

It might give him a clue as to anything about this place.

Worst case, toilet paper.

Setting off back the way he’d come with a backpack full of stuff, he started his new life without any idea what was going on.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Chapter 2

Alex grunted and tried again.

Struggling with a bar of metal in one hand and the back of a knife in the other, failure was his life.

He was fighting with himself as much as with the tool. He wasn’t even sure if he was doing it right.

“You’re not doing it right,” Leah said as she appeared on the opposite side of him.

Her sudden appearance startled him, causing him to drop what he thought was the flint straight into the tinder pile.

“Considering I’ve been trying at this for about an hour, I imagined I was,” Alex muttered.

After fishing the flint out of the pile, he gestured at it.

“Care to help me out then? Because at this rate you might as well kill me. I have no idea where I am, what’s going on, or even how to survive out here. I’m no woodsman.

“I’m a glorified desk jockey and phone hook,” Alex said angrily.

“You’re… not wrong. I did send you off rather abruptly, but I’ll not apologize for that. Nothing stands between me and my husband.”

“Oh? And where is he then? I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“He’s asleep. He spent some time with each of us and then passed out. Now, as to my being here, you’re right. I normally wouldn’t.

“But you already sent a soul my way in the first day. That felt like something worth rewarding for having been here less time than it took to take a crap.

“Oh, and be sure to dig the crystal out of your pack and put it somewhere safe. It’s already quite black, so you’re paid up for the month,” she said. “And because you did so well, I’ll provide you with some guidance.

“Head south. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, by the way.

“Reach the city of Brit. Announce yourself as Alexander Brit, and the rest will be solved for you. Don’t worry about not knowing anyone. I’ll fill in the blanks as needed.”

Alex sighed, nodding his head. At least he had a direction now.

“Great. Any chance you could—” He stopped when he realized she was already gone.

“…help me with the fire,” he finished.

Grumbling to no one, he gave up on it and got as comfortable as he could.

He just hoped it wasn’t going to get cold tonight.

“That’d be great. Freeze to death just as I start to figure out what the hell is going on.”

***

Up ahead, two guards were dressed in what looked like rigid leather armor. Alex really wasn’t quite sure since, well, he knew very little about arms and armaments.

They appeared to be outfitted in what he could only assume were the local colors and guards' expectation.

Behind them, a rather large wooden palisade stretched on and on for quite a while. Between two large wooden towers was an open gate.

Inside that gate lay what looked like a scene from any number of fantasy movies.

Houses, people, streets—it all looked like a documentary.

Well, so long as you add about ten pounds of dirt to everyone and everything.

It looks rather unhealthy.

With any luck, I can get this squared away, and maybe get some information. Maybe even a shower and a clean set of clothes.

Not completely impossible, given that my family name is the same as the city… I imagine I might be in the leading family.

Son of the… whatever… maybe? Nephew? Son-in-law? Cousin?

“Stop right there. Declare yourself,” a guard said when Alex got close enough.

Taking a breath, Alex looked to the guard who’d confronted him.

“I’m Alexan—”

“Count Brit! You’re safe!” said the second guard, bowing low to him immediately.

Apparently I’m a count. The count?

Sounds like they didn’t know where I was.

The guard who’d challenged him bowed immediately after the second.

We can use this. If we’re the count, and we control everyone, could we support a Leah-is-the-one-to-swear-on type of campaign? Let’s get everything set up on the assumption that yes, we can, and go from there.

And then—

Before Alex had time to react, a contingent of soldiers broke out of a tower door he hadn’t noticed. Freezing up like a deer in headlights, Alex didn’t move as they rushed towards him.

They came into formation around him and then closed in, pressing him tight between them.

The guards at Alex’s sides secured him physically, and suddenly he was being hustled into the city.

People were shoved out of the way. The soldiers moved at a pretty fast pace, more or less carrying Alex along at this point.

Houses that resembled hovels went by quickly.

Replaced by houses that were clearly elevated in station. The buildings kept growing, ever larger. As he was rushed along, Alex couldn’t help but wonder at the obvious disparity.

Having classes is a positive thing, I would say. It’s the gap between that causes problems.

The disparity.

As they raced him up along a boulevard, he finally had an idea where they were taking him. At the end of the boulevard was what he could only mentally label a castle wall.

It was a large, impressive thing made of stone. Towers dotted its length, very clearly manned.

No sooner than they'd rushed him up to the gate entrance, the guards fell away.

A new set of guards, dressed in chain mail and simple metal breastplates, replaced the first set. Alex was pressed tightly in the center and whisked away, ever deeper into the city.

Not fighting or even considering resisting, Alex did his best to avoid being a burden.

He was fairly certain they were doing this out of fear for his safety, but no one ever made it without having a healthy amount of caution.

In no time at all, Alex found himself in what was clearly a keep. A stone monstrosity that rose up in a secured location inside the wall.

Not bothering to keep up with what was going on, Alex only paid attention when the guards suddenly peeled away from him.

Standing in a richly appointed bedroom, he watched as maids and servants scurried out the door. The guards all bowed and exited as quickly as they’d rushed him in.

All was silent as Alex was suddenly alone in what he assumed was his bedroom.

A set of clothes was laid out on the bed, and fresh fruit and cheese on the table.

“Uh…” Alex said, briefly inspecting the room. “Hello?”

No one was there.

Frowning, Alex went over to the clothing that’d been laid out and lifted the tunic up. Turning slightly, he saw himself in the mirror for the first time.

A green-eyed and brown-haired Alex Brit stared back at him. Alex was apparently young in years. Perhaps mid-twenties to early thirties. Despite looking disheveled, he was clearly handsome and had a good physique, if without obvious muscle.

Before he could do anything else, the door swung open and several men came in.

“Count Brit!” said the older gentleman in the center, bowing as soon as he spoke.

Walter Ciril, chamberlain.

The information came from nowhere and just popped up in his thoughts.

What? Is this what she was talking about?

Leah had promised him information, after all.

“Count,” said the man dressed in full armor on Walter’s left. He bowed as deeply as Walter, if hesitating for only a second.

Maxwell Bench, city commander.

The man on Walter’s right bowed, saying nothing.

Frederick Wills, envoy to the king.

Alright… I’m guessing these three must be responsible for the city when I’m gone. Otherwise why would they rush to see me?

Temporary council of Brit. Enacted by the envoy to govern the city in the count’s absence. No other living members of the Brit family exist.

Ok, handy for the information to just provide itself. It’d be nice if it happened in advance, but… whatever.

“Greetings, Walter, Maxwell, Frederick. I apologize in advance, but I’m afraid… I took a blow to the head. Some of my memories, and even my thoughts, are a bit fuzzy,” Alex said, trying to get ahead of anything strange they might notice about him.

“Of course, Count,” Walter said as all three men stood up. “No man could undergo what you have and come out the same. I’m sure.”

The envoy gave him a predatory smile.

“We’re simply glad to have you back, Count,” said Frederick.

Uh huh. You were probably hoping to benefit from this. You may not have been responsible, but you’re still a problem, I bet.

“Sir, my sincerest apologies. This is entirely my fault,” Maxwell said, bowing again and then falling to a knee.

Kidnapping and capture of Alexander Brit was due to Alexander Brit’s illegal gambling activities.

Of course it was. Because only a person willing to bargain their soul to Leah would be part of a deal like this.

And clearly the previous Alex has done so, since I now live in his body. So… I’m not a good person, I imagine.

That’s fine. It makes this easier.

“Ah, no, Max,” Alex said, shortening the man’s name. “It wasn’t. This was my fault. And I’ve learned from my mistakes this time. It’ll not happen again, and I plan on making sure this is the last time you will ever be put in this position.”

Max lifted his head and stared hard at Alex.

Walter looked rather confused himself. He opened his mouth only to close it again.

“I mean it. I know this was my own fault, and that'll be the last of that,” Alex said, giving them a smile.

I can do this. It’s just like managing a company from the top. Not a big deal.

We just have to keep everything in line for the CEO and the board.

“I’d like to put several meetings together today,” Alex continued before anyone could respond. “And I’d like our accounts audited. I have a sudden need to know where everything is, and how much of it we have.

“After that, I’d like to have performance reviews for everyone in the keep itself. Then the inner-courtyard. And after that, everyone we’re paying for in the city.

“I imagine it’ll be a good time for a pay-scale evaluation to make sure we’re at market value.”

Good time for a loyalty check.

Loyalty to the count is insured by an allegiance oath that brings death and the loss of one’s soul if broken. The souls are sent to whomever the allegiance oath is sworn to.

All those sworn will wear pins that hold their oaths on their lapels or collars, in the crest of those they are sworn to.

Pins can be determined as genuine by simply touching them.

Huh. Reacts to my thoughts too, huh? Unnerving.

A bit too convenient for my own liking. Or my paranoia. Or both.

But… that makes it easier, I suppose, as far as loyalty goes. Don’t have to worry about internal politics.

Max stood up slowly, his armor rattling as he did so. Walter and Frederick both wore shocked faces.

Now that Alex looked, Max and Walter also both wore pins on their collars. The design on both was a square with a blue background. On that field of blue, a slash ran from one corner to another in black, and a raven sat across the middle.

The one on Frederick’s was different, a golden crown within a purple square.

Guessing the blue raven is me, and the crown is the king.

What else would matter to a medieval city?

Food and trade, probably. More than likely a silver and gold standard, right?

No paper currency.

“At the same time, we’ll need to evaluate our trade. Both incoming and outgoing. Doubly so for taxes and tariffs.

“And last, but probably not least, food. I’d really like to get a handle on where we are with production, consumption, and forecasted harvest numbers.

“Admittedly that’ll be weak, given that we don’t control the weather, but it’s worth doing if at least to have a gauge to work from.”

Max, Walter, and Frederick all stood motionless.

Unspeaking.

“Is there a problem with any of those requests?” Alex asked, looking from one to another.

Frederick cleared his throat and held out a pin.

“Here is your allegiance pin; I think it would be good for you to fasten it back to your collar. It was sent to us with your ransom letter,” the envoy said.

Alex nodded his head, took the pin from the man and held it up in his hand.

“As you like,” Alex said, then turned and fastened it to the collar of the shirt laid out for him. Once it was in place, he pulled off the clothes he was wearing and got into the ones laid out for him.

Alex had led a full life, and stripping down to his undershorts in front of three men didn’t disturb him in the least.

Having to do this for some of those cute female doctors every year was more embarrassing. Always ended up with the young ones who had no experience… Stupid low-budget health plan.

In no time at all, he was dressed in the new clothes, idly fingering the pin as he turned to the envoy.

They’re nervous by my change in personality.

That’s fine. We’ll blame this all on my ordeal, and say I’ve grown into my title.

Reaching up, he pressed his fingers to the pin on his collar.

“I, Alex Brit, remain a faithful retainer to the true and only king, but I’ll no longer be blind to my own duties. Anything else you’d have me take care of? Or can we move on to my requests?” Alex asked.

All three men waited, as if expecting something to happen to Alex.

“If you three aren’t up to the task, I don’t have any other choice but to start looking for—”

“No, no, sire. I can take care of everything you’ve asked,” Walter said, hurrying forward two steps and bowing deeply again.

“My liege,” Max said, bowing as well. “I’ll not fail.”

“Great. Now, Fred—can I call you Fred? I want to talk about the laws of the land versus the laws of the county, and where I can institute some new policies,” Alex said, walking over to a table.

He pulled out a chair and sat down. With a smile for Fred, he gestured to a nearby chair.

Now to find out how much leeway we truly have.

***

Alex stared out the window of his bedroom.

It’d been a month since he’d entered the city.

He’d been surprised by how quickly he'd adapted to a fairly medieval life.

Everyone chalked his change in personality, needs, and desires down to what had happened to him. And Alex would be the last person to dissuade them of that belief.

In the same period of time, he’d gotten a full rundown of everything ongoing in his lands.

The long and short of it was Alex had been the major contributing factor to the county losing money. His domain was rather successful with food and trade alone.

This success was mostly owed to his father, who had set down policies and procedures to encourage growth, development, and self-improvement.

Now, farmers owned their lands and invested heavily in their development. Merchants owned and ran companies that operated directly out of Brit.

The roads were patrolled at no expense to the people, and merchants were taxed at a level low enough to stimulate trade but high enough to fill the treasury.

After his talk with Fred, Alex had found crown law only worked for things needing the king's attention. Luckily for Alex, the king concerned himself with little outside of his personal pleasantries and treachery.

On top of that, Alex was the only ranked member of the peerage in all of Brit.

Which meant that almost everything having to do with the county of Brit was the domain of the count of Brit.

Alex had immediately moved to decrease the power and influence of the envoy, removing him from anything and everything that wasn’t commissioned or put in place by the king, and leveraging a buy-out of all the man’s interests and businesses.

As if sensing the dramatic change in the situation, Fred had immediately put in a request to return to the capital. Of course, Alex had agreed to that immediately.

And that had been the end of any concerns of internal politics.

Sighing, he wondered how to bring about a situation where he could leverage deals made to Leah. From the casual conversations he’d had with people, he'd learned they viewed Leah with extreme distrust and distaste.

Those who swore on her were deemed unclean and possibly evil.

Quite the difficulty there. It means any deals I make have to be done in such a way that secrecy can be guaranteed.

Glancing down to the multifaceted crystal in his hand, he couldn’t help but frown.

The whole thing fit in his palm. It had been dark as ink the day previous, and now it was as clear as glass. The monthly debt had come into effect.

Unfortunately, Alex wasn’t sure how he wanted to proceed with his deals.

“Is that it?” asked the peasant woman in his bed.

“Yeah, you’re done. Keep to the oath or lose your life and soul, Marta,” Alex said, reminding her of the agreement she'd sworn to.

“Of course. Your gold bought your secret as well as me,” Marta said.

Alex didn’t bother to turn around and look at her. She’d whored herself to him for two gold coins.

It was less than they probably spent on his breakfast, but he knew it was more than she could have hoped to earn.

Most women didn’t hold professions, and those who did received pay in food or barter rather than coin.

“I’d be willing to do this again another time,” Marta the whore said.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Keep to the story. Leave,” Alex said, flicking a hand over his shoulder.

He’d found her wanting to apply for a job as a maid earlier in the day.

Struck by a sudden idea, he’d propositioned her, offering her a chance to make more than she ever could as a maid.

He'd figured having a woman sell herself for coin and swear it on Leah might fill in a bit of the crystal.

But the crystal appeared as clear as it had earlier, without even a shadow of change.

Apparently having a whore sell herself does little to nothing. Is it because Marta has no value? Because she was willing to do it without a worry?

It was something to consider, for sure. Deals may have more intrinsic value than he’d originally banked on.

He’d have to see where he could take it. He wasn’t done experimenting with degradation.

After all, pride and morality were expensive, right?

At least I got laid.

Pity she was awful.

Chapter 3

“My lord,” Walter said, bowing from the doorway. “Your receiving hall has been prepared for this month’s justice.”

Huh?

Month’s Justice: A formal hearing conducted by the count of Brit. It is held at the start of the month and the middle of the month, depending on case load.

Interviewed offenders have committed offenses that exceed a set value in fines, or have committed crimes of heinous or extreme natures.

The gods do not intervene in the courts of men. Justice is a public spectacle, not fit for the heavens.

All verdicts are final regardless of evidence, witnesses, or general belief. The count is the final word in this court.

If the count does not wish to rule on a case, he can dismiss it to a lower court magistrate for a formal hearing.

Oh. Great. Just what I wanted to do today. This management garbage would be more suited to a pencil pusher. With a name like Felix.

I’m better off sticking to deals and directions to hit company goals.

Alex didn’t respond, only nodded his head.

He’d play it by ear and just roll with it.

Walter got him dressed, prepared, and ready for the ceremony.

It took an hour in the end before he was seated on his “throne” as Alex called it.

Due to royal prestige laws, it couldn’t be on a dais, nor could the height of the throne go above five feet. There was even a limit on how much it could cost.

Glaring at the armrest, the gems in which could probably fund the entire county for a year, Alex waited for the first case.

As he sat there, a sudden idea struck him.

She said deals had to be voluntary. She never said anything about the circumstances.

Could I offer deals to prisoners? Female prisoners? Make them offer up their pride and morality?

Let’s test it.

“You,” Alex said to the dark-dressed guard in charge of the prisoners here.

“My lord?” the helmeted man responded.

“Is the dungeon in good repair? Is there anything that needs to be done with it?”

“Ah, my lord, the keep’s dungeon is in very good repair, although the city's dungeon has a cell or two that could use some work.”

“Good. This may not be something you can answer, but are there private rooms that can be converted for political prisoners, or prisoners of station, in the keep?”

“Ah… there are. But they haven’t been used since your father's time.”

“Get them cleaned up and ready, immediately.

“In addition to that, clean up the dungeons and prepare them for new prisoners. I want them held to such a level I could reasonably put a member of the peerage in there if I had to.

“I want both the keep dungeons and the private rooms habitable by tomorrow morning. Let me know if you need manpower or money,” Alex said.

“I’ll take care of it, my lord,” the man said, straightening up.

“And what’s your name?”

“My name is Douglas, my lord.”

“Douglas, consider this an opportunity for promotion. Find a replacement for you here and now, and then go take care of this task.”

The man saluted hurriedly and rushed away.

That’ll do just nicely to start with.

An older man Alex vaguely recognized stepped forward. The room fell silent immediately.

Probably the court bailiff or announcer or something.

Beside him, a man was pushed forward at spear tip. He looked to be in a sorry state of affairs.

“The first case to be heard, an unsanctioned duel. At the end of the duel, one party killed the other, and now the charge of murder is to be determined.

“There are fifteen witnesses. The defendant has asked to be remanded to a magistrate due to the fact that he—”

“Granted. Next?” Alex said.

The defendant whooped loudly and dropped to his knees.

“Thank you, Lord Alex. Thank you!”

“Ah… I… alright,” said the older man. “The uh… next case is, uh…” The older man turned and gestured at what looked like a subordinate.

Bert. That’s his name. Alex smiled, suddenly remembering the announcer’s name.

“The second case to be heard today is that of Lady Griffon. She’s been accused of tax evasion, tax fraud, and theft,” Bert said.

Scandalized whispers tore through the crowd as all eyes turned towards a young woman escorted up to the front of the hall.

She was tall, possibly even six feet. Slim and willowy, she wore a dress that didn’t do much for her.

Alex had the impression she had a better figure than what she was showing. Dark blond hair and blue eyes with fine features… He was momentarily captivated.

She was definitely on the prettier side of what he’d seen since coming here. He knew her title wasn’t for show, but that she wasn’t quite nobility either. If she was here in Brit, she was from a branch of a low-ranked noble family somewhere else.

Just barely of the peerage. Barely.

“I would like to grant Lady Griffon the chance to have this case conducted privately between herself and myself. Please consider this a gesture of consideration, Lady Griffon, but you have no need to accept it if you would prefer to have this dealt with publicly.” Alex made the offer as neutrally as he could.

The room fell silent again. All eyes turned to Lady Griffon.

Some would think all Alex wanted was an excuse to use her sexually if he didn’t make sure he granted her the choice of holding the case in the open.

“Ah…” Lady Griffon said. One hand drifted up to her mouth, as if she were contemplating her options.

“Truly, you can decline the private case handling if you prefer to handle this in view of the public,” Alex said, reaffirming his statement.

“I choose to have this made private, my lord,” Lady Griffon said, curtsying nearly to the ground.

“Take her to the keep dungeon for now. We’ll speak again later today about your accommodations and case. I’ll be sure to notify your household of the change in your location,” Alex said, bowing his head to the lady.

Bert flicked a hand at a pair of guards, who quickly took custody of Lady Griffon and escorted her out of the hall.

“The next case is against one Riley, no given last name. The charges are: conspiracy, treason to the count, attempted escape from prison, and operating an illegal gambling facility,” Bert said. “She has already been found guilty of other crimes previous to this, and is under fines exceeding one-hundred gold coins and a death sentence.”

A young woman was pushed out from the remaining prisoners to stand next to Bert.

She was young, probably a month over eighteen if he had to put a guess to it.

Green eyes regarded him sullenly. The left side of her face carried a significant bruise and was partially swollen, one eye opened only to a slit.

Her pale skin made her dull red hair brighter, even though she was filthy looking and covered in dirt.

Despite all that, Alex thought she was attractive underneath it all.

Her body was quite eye catching to boot.

She had an overwhelming hourglass figure that threatened to exceed the limits of her ripped clothing. The cheap and torn tunic that fell to her knees did little to hide her flesh.

“Treason? Treason to me?” Alex asked, leaning forward.

“Lies,” she murmured, her eyes falling to the ground. It was an obvious deflection and it carried no passion.

To Alex, it had the sound of a lie.

A guard slammed her to the ground, forcing her to her knees. Grunting, she knelt on all fours in supplication. He could see straight down her tunic, getting a perfect view of her rather well-endowed chest.

Alex held up a hand to the guards.

“Lies, you say? We’ll discuss this further. Chances are you’ll dance at the end of a rope by this evening, but you’ll get your chance to argue your case with me.

“Though I see no way a nasty thing like yourself could pay off the hundred gold, let alone the charges.

“Send her to my dungeon, under the care of Douglas as well. If anyone harms her, I’ll see to them first, before I see to her,” Alex said, shaking his head.

Several guards picked her up and dragged her away, her feet scraping along behind her and her head hanging low.

Bert paused and then looked up to the count.

“That is all for today, my lord,” he said. “Though I do believe we’ll have more at the mid-month. There are a number of cases I’m setting up for you.”

“Good. I’ll be having someone come by to inspect the dungeons as a whole soon, and the guards as well. I’d like to make sure our prisoners are receiving fair treatment that doesn’t damage them.

“If I find out,” Alex said, leaning forward and raising his voice, “that my guards are abusing prisoners in any way, I’ll execute them without a trial. And believe me, I will find out. Even if I have to pull on every single oath you all swore to when you joined my service.

“And if you have abused prisoners previously, best you leave my city now, before I find you.”

Prisoners who haven’t been abused will be more likely to respond to my deals without fear of repercussions.

We have to make sure we meet the “by choice” requirement.

***

Alex inspected the cell with a critical eye.

It was clean, dry, sufficiently warm, and had a minimal amount of furniture. Including a privacy screen for use of the bed pan.

A metal tray sat on the table with some thin soup, a heel of bread, and a piece of fruit. Next to it was a large pitcher of water.

It was enough food for a single meal. If served three times a day, this would barely meet the calorie needs of a prisoner.

Each cell was its own unit. There was a shared door one could use to travel from cell to cell, but that was the only interconnection. Another door led to a hallway that ran the length of the dungeon.

There would be little to no chance for prisoners to speak with one another, let alone hear anything outside their cells with the doors shut and locked.

Douglas had certainly done more than had been expected of him.

Sitting in the wooden chair at the table, Lady Griffon was watching him. As if unsure what to expect, she wore a look made of equal parts trepidation and false confidence.

“Good,” Alex said, nodding his head once. He turned to Douglas and led him away, far enough that the lady wouldn’t hear them.

“Consider this dungeon yours to maintain, as well as the private apartments. Hire a guard force specific to this area. Tell them they’ll be sworn to a different oath, though, and they’ll make more in pay to match it. This goes for you as well.

“Are you willing to take the position? If so, double whatever your current rate of pay is. I’ll take your oath later, which will really just be you swearing to the previous oath and to keep all that happens here secret. On pain of your life, and soul.

“To Leah.”

Douglas paused, then nodded once, his helmeted head bobbing.

“Yes, my lord, I accept and will do so. I… Can I move my family into the keep?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s not a problem. Make the arrangements with Walter. Anything else?”

“Ah… n-no, my lord. Thank you, my lord.”

“Good. Go guard the door; let no one in. You and your guards are to knock on a cell door before entering. They cannot enter unless given permission by the occupant. This goes for everyone but you, and you may only enter if it’s an emergency, or I’ve told you to.

“After this, start working on your hiring. Oh, and how many can we fit down here?”

“Ten, my lord.”

Alex nodded, then turned and walked back to the front of Lady Griffon’s cell.

“My lord?” Lady Griffon asked, her voice firmer than her bravery.

“Lady Griffon. This is not a formal hearing and won’t be taken into account when it's time for judgment.

“This conversation is more in regard to your stay here with me,” Alex said, walking up to the steel bars.

“I see. I take it this is the part where you ravage me on the bed?” she asked.

“Hardly. This is the part where I ask you if you’d like to improve your conditions here while your case moves along.”

“I… ok. Yes, I would. I find a lady of my station deserves a bit better than a cell.”

“I would agree, but I can’t give that to you before we enter into a contract.”

“Ah, so you’d have me give my body to you instead for a better cell? Hmph.”

“Actually, no. Perhaps you should allow me to finish before you jump to conclusions.”

Lady Griffon frowned, her brows drawing down as she stared at him.

“I would like to begin discussions with you, but I’d need you to swear yourself to secrecy and silence regarding your time here and our talks. Invalidating this oath in any way would be forfeiture of your life and soul.”

Lady Griffon’s chin came down, staring up at him with a strange look. “I could swear that exactly as you stated it… but… who would you have me swear on?”

“Leah,” Alex said with a grin.

This is the turning point.

Griffon’s eyes shot open at that. “I see. In using her, it wouldn’t invalidate any other oaths… I accept, and swear the oath as you stated it.”

“I accept, and do the same,” Alex parroted.

He somehow felt the contract settle into place. Knew that it was bound.

“Good. Now. With that handled, the next bit is rather simple. That all future oaths and agreements made in our deals are made on top of the original binding to Leah,” Alex said.

“I don’t… quite… ah… in other words, that was a precursor, and acts as the foundation for all future pacts?”

“So to speak.”

“Then yes, I agree to that as well and do swear.”

“As do I,” Alex said and nodded his head. “Next, your time spent here is going to be rather simple. Your case will be heard and judged accordingly, on its merits and nothing else. I will weigh it fairly, and as close to the law as I am able.”

Lady Griffon nodded her head at that. He would do exactly as he said, as well. The whole point of this was to make it so she would receive fair treatment and not be pressured into anything.

That it was all of her own free will.

“During your time here, I will make you offers, or deals. Perhaps for certain items, changes in your living quarters, eating, or other things. An extra pillow, more blankets, a hand maid.

“Each time, I will ask a price in exchange. Perhaps a simple oath not to harm the guards, or maybe for you to address me as Master during your stay,” Alex said. He was watching her carefully, trying to gauge her response.

She seemed intent on his words as she listened.

“The price is of course negotiable, and you may decline at any time. Should you decline, nothing will happen. No harm will befall you. You will not lose anything. Nor will it impact your case or standing.

“It won’t even stop me from making you other offers in the future.

“Saying no to something will simply negate the current offer. That’s it.”

“As an example, then,” Lady Griffon said, choosing her words carefully, “you could offer me a private apartment, and perhaps in exchange you’d want…?”

“Your word you will not harm my guards or attempt to escape. As an example.”

“And if I wanted more than that as a meal?” she said, pointing at the tray on the table.

“As an example? I’m not sure. Maybe calling me Master. Maybe telling me your darkest secrets that I promise to never reveal to anyone. Price is negotiable.”

“And if I said no to that deal?”

“As I said, nothing would happen. I’d rescind that deal, and that deal alone. Perhaps I’d come back the next day with a similar deal, but a different price.”

Lady Griffon folded her hands in her lap and looked to the corner of her cell.

“Think on it. I need to see to my other guest. I’ll return later. For now, do eat your meal and perhaps take a nap. Rest. No harm will befall you. No one is allowed in your cell without your permission, barring the head of the guards with a valid reason, or me,” Alex said.

Not waiting for a response from her, he went to the door that led to the next cell.

Unfortunately, it was not completely shut. Apparently Douglas had accidentally left it open.

Need to talk to him about procedure. I imagine he was in a hurry.

Entering the next cell, Alex closed the door and made sure it was shut. Looking around the cell, he quirked a brow.

Riley was sitting in her chair, a thin blanket draped around her shoulders as she busily ate her meal.

“Riley, hello,” Alex said, walking up to the bars.

“I heard you in the other cell,” she said, looking up from her food. “I swear to the oath you made earlier on Leah’s name and all that stuff.”

Alex felt the deal settle into place, the exact same way it had for Lady Griffon.

“Now, I want to barter for warmer clothes first,” she said, watching him.

Alex thought on her request.

Riley wasn’t going anywhere. She was going to be a long-term prisoner here. Her fines alone were astronomical and she wouldn't have any way to pay them off.

Let alone the other charges leveled at her.

Responding to her request now would only be giving her the power to negotiate first. No… best we change the power structure here.

Her debts are her weak point. And I wouldn't lose anything by removing those debts, as it wasn't my money.

What is your dignity worth, Miss Riley?

“I accept your oath, and swear the same to you. But… I think not on warm clothes for the first deal,” Alex said. “Let’s be frank here, Riley.”

The woman had stopped eating, her eyes hard as she glared at him.

“You’re not… going anywhere. You’re mine. I could have you hanged on your debts alone, let alone the other charges. So… you’ll be starting from a different position than my other guest. She has the means to pay her fines, and probably negotiate her case in a reasonable manner. You… do not.”

Riley blinked rapidly at that, then licked her lips.

“Now,” Alex said, before she could start talking. “I’ll make you an offer. I won’t have you hanged for your debts, if you agree to call me Master.”

“What happened to being fair?” she asked.

“I am being fair. You can call me Master instead of any other appellation. Or not, and decline the deal.

“If not, then you’ll suffer the fate you were already going to suffer. The law has already ruled against you. I am merely completing sentencing.

“I have not affected your case in any way. You can clearly say no and proceed to your foreordained ending. As if I never intervened at all.”

“I…” Riley stopped, her lips quivering, causing Alex to wonder how much pride she had. “I agree, then. I accept your deal and will call you Master, Master.”

“Done,” Alex said.

He felt the deal strike, and that it weighed in his favor. Apparently Riley did indeed have some pride, even if it was paltry, and he’d just forced her to sell part of it.

“Now, let’s talk about the sentences for those previous charges you incurred. I believe the penalty you were carrying was death. I think we’ll hang you tonight.”

“What? You just said you weren’t going to hang me!”

“No, I said I’d not hang you for your debts. Not the crimes. Those are two separate things.”

Riley’s face went from bright red to ghostly white, then to red again.

“Don’t worry, I’d like to make you another deal,” Alex said, smiling at her.

“I’ll expunge your death sentence. In exchange, you’ll disrobe whenever I visit your cell,” Alex said.

“I’m not going to sleep with you, I’d rather die!” Riley shouted at him.

“I’m not asking you to sleep with me. Only to take off your clothes when I come to call on you. I’ll even put a limit on it for you. If I visit you more than twice a day, you don’t have to strip after the second time.

“You can always say no and face your sentence. I’m not forcing you to do this.”

Riley’s jaw flexed as she ground her teeth.

“Will you at least warm up my cell? If I die from getting sick standing here naked, it’s pointless.”

Alex thought on that, then nodded his head.

He didn’t want her to choose death, and her request wasn’t a power play but more of an extension for being naked.

“I’ll add a hearth outside your cell on my next visit. I’ll be sure to have wood always stocked so I or a guard can raise the temperature when needed. Otherwise, there’ll only be a few coals in the bottom.

“Do we have an accord?”

Riley sighed and hung her head.

“I agree to your deal and swear it on Leah’s name,” she mumbled.

“I agree, and swear on Leah’s name to the deal,” Alex replied.

He immediately felt the deal settle into place.

He smiled with the realization that this plan would work. That he could keep himself alive at the expense of another's pride.

And it isn’t like I’m harming them.

Alex tapped on the bars suddenly.

“I’m waiting,” he said.

Part of this is having power over her. To bend her slowly to going deeper and deeper with my demands.

So… we must demonstrate that power at times.

Riley stood up, letting the blanket fall from her shoulders.

Reaching down, she took hold of the hem of her tunic and pulled it over her head.

She stood naked before him. Getting a good eyeful, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

Damn, she really is put together rather well.

“Lovely. I’ll be back later with another deal, Riley. Oh, and no one can enter your cell without your permission, except for myself and the head of the dungeon guards, but he’d need a very valid reason to do so,” Alex said.

“Yes, Master,” Riley said.

Chapter 4

“Good work, Douglas,” Alex said, looking over the thirty guardsmen Douglas had brought into the keep.

They were clearly veterans, one and all. Either having served in the guard or the military. He couldn’t tell which service at a glance, but they all had the look of people who knew their business.

“Douglas gave you all the details?” he asked loudly.

Everyone nodded their heads up and down.

“Great. First, I see you’re all sworn to me in loyalty. That’ll remain,” Alex said. “Your next oath is to secrecy. That everything that happens here in your new job and anything you find out regarding me will not be revealed to anyone. On pain of death, and the loss of your soul.

“I call upon your loyalty oath now to leave, if you feel you cannot swear to that.”

To a man, they all remained still. All feeling that they could and would keep the oath he’d just described.

“Wonderful. Then approach me, swear to it on Leah’s name, and pick up your first week of pay from the paykeeper behind me,” Alex said, waiting. “You’ll be paid in advance every week for the next week, rather than a week behind.”

One by one, each and every guard made their allegiance and swore to the oath. Including Douglas.

When it was all done, Alex checked in with Walter and then went back down into the dungeon.

Only to find his new guardsmen already performing their duties. Five of them stood outside the door, armed and armored in full gear.

Nodding at them, Alex stepped through the door when they opened it for him.

Pausing just on the inside of the entry, he fished out Leah’s crystal and glanced at it.

Murky shadows fluttered throughout.

It’s working already. This is working beautifully.

Grinning, he pocketed the crystal, opened the door to Lady Griffon’s cell and entered it.

Lady Griffon looked up from her table, the tray of food untouched except for the piece of fruit and a half-filled glass of water.

“Ah, Count Brit. I’m glad you returned,” Lady Griffon said.

“Oh?” he asked, walking up to her bars.

“Indeed.”

“Hoping I’ve come with a deal for you?”

“Of course, but I’ll not be so foolish as to reveal what I want,” Lady Griffon said with a smile for him.

It seemed she’d turned some corner in her psyche and was now in the mood to play this game.

Alex was, too.

Especially since I get to make the rules.

“Delightful. At least this will be entertaining. Let’s start with something basic,” Alex said. Pointing to her tray, he grinned. “Not to your liking, Lady Griffon?”

She glanced at the tray and sighed.

“Not in the least. It's less than what I feed my servants. And please, call me Sylvia.”

“Right. Sylvia. Shall we start with better food?”

“I think that’s where I’d start if I were you. I’ll make this easy as well. I want for a meal. Whatever it is you’re eating would be preferable,” Sylvia said, folding her hands in her lap.

That neatly prevents me from cheating her on what the definition of meal is, putting it squarely on whatever I eat.

Then again, I could always choose my meal as horse-shit.

Alex couldn’t help but smile in appreciation of her choice.

“I can agree to that. Now, the price. My meals aren’t exactly cheap, you realize.”

Sylvia smiled at him, waiting, betraying nothing.

“We’ll start with the simple stuff. Your oath that you won’t try to escape, or harm me, yourself, or anyone in my employ while your case is in review.”

Sylvia blinked, her smile becoming false for a second.

She was expecting a heavier price. Good. Keep her off balance.

“I agree and do swear,” she said.

The deal settled into place.

“Wonderful,” Alex said.

Sylvia smiled at him, seemingly waiting.

She expects another deal? Well, we can’t have that, now can we? Need to keep her off balance, after all.

“Have a good afternoon, Sylvia.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?”

“Indeed. I only feel like offering the one deal today. I’ll come back tomorrow with another. Maybe.”

Smiling at her, Alex walked away from her cell.

Without looking back, he opened the door to Riley’s cell, entered, and closed the door behind him.

Immediately, he could feel a difference in the air temperature. The hearth had definitely increased the ambient room temp by a few degrees, even with just coals.

“Ah? My lor-Master?” Riley asked.

She was seated on the bed, fiddling with her toes.

A beat later she got up from her bed. Before he could respond to her question, she pulled her tunic up over her head and set it down on the bed.

She stood naked, her hands held in front of herself. They fluttered in front of her privates and then drew away. She seemingly wanted to cover herself but was unsure if it would violate the deal.

“Hello, Riley. I wanted to check in on you and see how you’re doing. Are you warmer now?” Alex asked.

Reaching down, he picked up a small log and contemplated dropping it into the hearth.

“Much, Master,” Riley said, her eyes slowly traveling up towards his own.

When their eyes finally did meet, he waited for a few seconds to see if she’d look away.

She didn’t.

Still has some spine left. Good. If she’d broken already, she’d be worthless to trade with, I imagine.

Having kept his eyes on her face until this moment, he deliberately scanned her from head to toe, his eyes lingering on her well-endowed chest, hips, and nethers.

Her hands flexed, as if she wanted to immediately cover herself, before she mastered the urge and put her hands behind her back.

Filthy as hell, though. Might as well call her Dirt.

“How would you like a chance to clean yourself off? A new set of clothes and a new set of linens, since you’ve already stained those,” Alex said, gesturing at the bed.

“I… yes, I’d like that, Master. Quite a bit. Though I worry for the price…” Riley said.

“Mm. For the bath, I want to watch you bathe. For the replacement clothes, I pick out what you wear and get to dictate when you wear it. As for the new linens… a new pet name just for you,” Alex said, nodding his head. “And that pet name is… One.”

Need to keep working at breaking down her self-worth and her sense of self.

“One?” Riley asked.

“One.”

The first of many, we hope, but no longer a name.

“Watch me bathe, pick out what I wear, and you’ll call me One,” Riley said, repeating each clause.

“That’s right.”

“Before I agree… when do you plan on starting with the charges against me?” Riley asked, then belatedly remembered her oath. “Master.”

“Tomorrow. Your first meeting will be in the morning, shortly after breakfast. We’ll be discussing each charge, the circumstances, and a plan on how to proceed.”

“Ok… and if I say no?”

“Nothing happens.”

“Then… I’ll pass on the bath, but accept the new clothes and linens, Master,” Riley said. “I swear on our oath for the clean bedding and clothes, as you listed the arrangement.”

The deal was struck.

She’s going to use the water pitcher to scrub herself up behind the privacy curtain, isn’t she?

Whatever.

“As you wish. You may use the old bed linens to scrub yourself and sop up the water that spills from the pitcher, One. Do try to manage your cell appropriately. No one else will clean it for you.

“I’ll have the items for our deal taken care of tonight, by dinner. Just pile up the discards in the corner. I’ll have them removed tomorrow morning,” Alex said.

Riley’s eyes were glued to him. Clearly wondering what would happen having said no to him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, One,” Alex said, waving a hand at her.

Part of me wonders if it’s good or bad to walk through the other cells to get back out… but that might just play into the psychology of it.

There’s always the hall if I change my mind.

I wonder if Sylvia will speak or call out to me as I pass.

“Goodnight, Master,” Riley said, immediately snatching at her tunic and holding it in both hands.

Entering Sylvia’s cell, he glanced over to her.

She was watching him without disguising it, her eyes curious what he was doing. But she said nothing.

Not acknowledging her beyond that first look, Alex left the dungeon.

He’d be back tomorrow morning after he made the arrangements for Riley.

***

Douglas and two guards followed Alex into the dungeons.

“My lord, I don’t think this is wise,” Douglas said.

“Don’t worry about it. Just put the trays down on her table, leave the box next to the door to Riley’s cell, and close the main door while I entertain my guests,” Alex said for perhaps the third time.

Sylvia was already up and moving by the time he cleared the doorway and entered her cell.

“Ah? My lord, what…” She paused when she noticed the second dome-covered tray.

“I thought you wouldn’t mind having a breakfast companion, Lady Griffon. We can discuss a few things before I start my day,” Alex said with a smile.

“Of course not, my lord. Please, join me; I would be pleased to have company,” Sylvia said, gesturing a manicured hand at a table.

Except Alex noticed one of her nails was chipped.

In fact, when he directed his attention toward her, he noticed her hair was slightly matted and tousled, with a somewhat oily sheen.
Her clothes were wrinkled, and she looked as if she’d slept rough.

Keeping her in this cell is doing wonders for her psyche, I bet. Let’s avoid moving her as long as we can.

Douglas and his people filed out quickly, the door shutting behind them.

“And what are we having for breakfast?” Sylvia asked, tapping a nail against the silvered dome over her plate.

“Sausage, eggs, bacon, more than likely an apple, and a hash,” Alex said, pulling the dome off his plate and then doing the same for her. “Or so my chef told me. Seems he was right.

“You tuck in; I’d like to propose my deal for the day.”

Sylvia frowned at that, her lip on the verge of a pout.

She wanted to dictate what the deal would be? Hah.

“I’d like to offer you the ability to take a bath every day. Maybe even use the tub to wash your clothes, if you see fit.

“To clarify a few details before you ask—a hot bath, privately, right here in the cell. The water would be given each time for nothing, at the same time each day. The tub would be put behind yon privacy screen and remain here,” Alex said.

“That’s… generous of you. And what would your price be for such benevolence?” Sylvia asked, eating her meal as quickly as she could while preserving her image as best as she was able.

“It’s certainly significant. I’m afraid I’ve fallen prey to my baser instincts this time around.

“For this to be a worthwhile deal to me, I’d like to be able to see you after every bath, if I so choose. The beautiful Sylvia, fresh and clean, hair wet, in nothing but her underwear, for at least twenty minutes each time. The time would not accrue if I don't use it,” Alex said, meeting her eyes directly.

He didn’t for one second believe she’d agree, but it would help set the stage for future deals. He also didn’t have the same type of leverage over her that he did with Riley.

Sylvia could technically end up paying massive fines and escape all prison time for her charges, once all was tabulated.

For her part, Sylvia managed to somehow keep eating, despite her eyes widening like a deer that wanted to bolt.

“As a reminder, you can always decline. Nothing would change, go wrong for you, or be altered in any way for doing so. I’d simply rescind the offer.”

“Nothing but my underwear? For twenty minutes? Just you?” Sylvia asked.

“That’d be the arrangement. I’m a terrible man, and would love to see more of your skin. I do hope you forgive me, but how often will I have the opportunity to wrangle something like this?” Alex said, smiling at her.

“The water would be hot? Very hot?”

“Hot enough to boil a lobster, if that’s what you prefer.”

“Then I agree to the deal,” Sylvia said.

It was surprising. He hadn’t expected that.

“You thought I’d say no,” she said, catching his reaction.

“I did.”

“Maybe I want to be seen? How often do I get the opportunity to explore… strange things… in a safe environment, where you yourself are as sworn to secrecy as I am?” Sylvia said, finishing her food off and setting the dome back down on the plate.

The apple remained in her hand, seeming to be saved for later.

Pity for you, my soul is already lost. I can break any agreement so long as I don’t swear my life.

“Done then. I look forward to seeing you this evening. Would you like to bathe before or after your hearing?”

“After.”

Nodding his head once, Alex picked up his apple and stood up.

“Feel free to finish my plate off, if you like. I’ll have a guard come clean this all up in a second.”

“Going to go check on the other guest?” she asked, her nails scraping along the skin of her apple.

Alex only smiled at her and didn’t respond.

Instead, he exited her cell and shut the barred door. The lock clicked into place, imprisoning Sylvia once again.

Picking up the large box that’d been set next to the door, he left Sylvia’s cell and entered Riley’s.

She was sprawled out nude in her bed, the sheets tangled around her legs.

Glancing into the hearth, he found the coals were cool to the touch. It’d have to be restarted by whoever brought her breakfast.

Still, the cell was comfortably warm from the fire the previous night.

Definitely keeps the heat in.

Walking quietly up to the bars, Alex viewed Riley in her full glory.

She really was put together in a fantastic way. He imagined she probably had a number of men at her disposal back in the city.

It definitely lends credence to all the charges upon her. Power is power in many forms.

Clean and scrubbed, her skin was clear and without blemishes. Her hair still looked rather dull and lifeless, but one could only do so much with a pitcher of water.

The bruising and swelling on her face was going away, and he realized she was prettier than he'd first thought.

Staring at her like this did nothing for his building desires.

Really need to get laid soon. Especially if I end up getting some time to watch Sylvia.

Maybe Marta the whore…? No, she was filthy. We can do better.

Breaking his thoughts free, he turned with his back to Riley and noisily began opening the box he’d brought with him.

“Unnnn? Wha…? My lor-Master?” Riley asked, her voice going from sleepy to frantic in seconds.

“Brought your new clothes. I appreciate you sleeping nude to conform to our deal.”

“I… ah… yes, Master.”

Pulling out the outfit, Alex felt pleased with himself. He walked to the bars and held it out to her.

She was sitting on the edge of her bed, naked and looking a bit angry.

“Come on, One. Put this on. Your breakfast won’t come in until I leave anyways, so delaying only delays your meal.”

Riley got up and came over to him.

Making sure to wait for her eyes to meet his, he immediately gave her a head-to-toe inspection.

“You clean up very well, One.”

She grunted, taking the clothes from his arms.

Gotta keep pushing her.

“I didn’t hear your response.”

“I said… thank you.”

“Thank you what?”

“Thank you, Master.”

“You’re welcome, One.”

Moving to the bed, she started to lay out the clothes.

Alex already knew what they were.

He’d picked them out specifically for his own tastes. With her body shape in mind, no less.

A white blouse that would be tight around her midsection and chest, but loose at the top. It deliberately exposed her neck, shoulders, cleavage, and a generous portion of her chest.

A black silk choker with a silver name tag dangling from it, with One engraved on it.

And a short black dress that barely reached her knees but hugged her hips and rear end.

There was no underwear for any of it.

The other item in the box was a simple peasant's tunic that would come down to her shins.

“What…?” Riley asked, picking through the box.

“You’ll wear the choker at all times. The top and bottoms you’ll wear if I’ve already visited you twice that day. The peasant's tunic is for until I’ve made my two visits,” Alex explained.

“This isn’t… these aren’t clothes…”

“They most certainly are, One. And they’re what you’ll be wearing by your own agreement.

“Now, what do you say?”

Riley’s shoulders fell, her posture looking rather defeated.

“Thank you, Master,” she said, turning her face away from him.

“You’re very welcome, One. I also already have a new deal for you while you get dressed.”

“I think I’ve had enough deals, Master.”

“Hush, hush. This really isn’t much of a change. The only difference is now you have to wear something fun if I visit you more than twice.

“Now, do you want to hear the new deal, or not?”

“Fine. Tell me.”

“I’ll provide you with the means to wash and care for your hair. Soaps, scissors, even some brushes,” Alex said. “Providing you also swear to never harm or attempt to harm myself, yourself, or any of my people.”

Riley frowned and touched her wild, knotted, and dirty red hair.

“And your price?”

“I get to dictate how you wear your hair, and will have a professional cut it for you as well. I promise it won’t go any shorter than a pixie cut if I actually decide to have it cut,” Alex said.

For a moment before he said it, he wondered how “pixie cut” would translate. But since she didn’t seem confused, he imagined it translated just fine.

“And I can wash my hair every day?”

“Indeed. You can even use the hot water to sponge bathe yourself if you like, instead of that cold pitcher of water,” Alex said, offering a bit more to the deal.

Riley picked up the black choker with her name tag on it and belted it around her throat.

Then she let her head hang down.

“I agree to the deal on our ongoing oath,” Riley murmured, “Master.”

That takes care of her name, her clothes, and her hair. Next will be her food and beliefs. We’ll need to give her some easier deals for a time. Build some trust back up.

“Great. The deal is struck then.

“Now, let me see you with your collar on, One.”

Riley turned to face him and lifted her chin up. Her eyes were calm, but they also conveyed a sense of defeat.

The choker looked great on her, the silver tag resting on her collar bone.

“Very good, One. Very lovely,” Alex said appreciatively, making sure she knew he enjoyed the view.

Chapter 5

“Now, I wanted to make you yet another deal,” Alex said.

Riley shook her head while looking down and to the side, but didn’t dismiss him.

“I’d like to offer you better food,” Alex said, pulling out the apple from the box. He’d tucked it away when handing over the clothes. “I’ll feed you what the guards eat, and the price is to let me eat lunch with you if I so choose. I’ll bring my own lunch, of course, and I’ll probably even share part of it with you.”

Riley’s head came back up, her brows pressing together.

“That's all?”

“That's all. I’d like to eat with you. Learn more about you. Know you.”

“I agree, then… will that start with breakfast?” she asked, hope evident in her voice.

Alex felt the deal slide in place, as if it had always been there. He was getting used to the feeling, and wondered if he’d simply tune it out soon.

“I’m afraid they—” Alex paused, thinking. It wouldn’t cost him anything to toss out her old breakfast. It might even earn him some appreciation from her. “Actually, sure. Why not. I’ll speak to Douglas on my way out and take care of it for you personally. They’ll be relighting your hearth as well,” Alex said.

He reached through the bars and held out the apple to her.

“Forgive me, I do not believe I’ll be able to join you for lunch today. I’ll be working with my other guest around that time, I imagine.

“That said, I’m afraid I must leave you alone until later. Oh, and One?”

“Yes, Master?” Riley sounded extremely cautious. She took the apple from his hand and immediately bit into it without a concern.

“You really are quite beautiful. Gorgeous, even.”

Riley flushed a deep scarlet, her gaze locked to his as she chewed at her apple. He kept his eyes on her face and gave her a smile.

Saying nothing more, Alex left, taking the now empty box with him.

He hadn’t gotten halfway across Sylvia’s cell before there was a brief knock on the door, and then it opened.

Douglas stepped inside with an envelope clutched in his hand.

“Douglas?” Alex asked, mildly annoyed that the man was breaking the rules already.

“I’m sorry, my lord. I have a letter from the king. It has his seal and it appears authentic.”

Alex immediately dropped any annoyance he had and held his hand out for the envelope.

Taking it from Douglas, he flipped it over and inspected the seal.

It really did look like the king’s.

Cracking the seal with his thumb, he slipped his fingers into the envelope and pulled out a folded letter.

Opening it, he began to read:

My loyal Count Alex,

Please come see me immediately with utmost haste. I have a matter most urgent to your station to discuss.

King Harold III

Alex snorted and flipped the letter over to check the back of it.

Blank.

“It would seem our dear king wishes to see me, and has specified little to no reason,” Alex said, shaking his head. “I imagine this would be our dear envoy I chased out.”

“Ah, that’d be a good guess, my lord. And because of that, you need to go see the king?”

“Indeed. For what, I don’t know. A shame though. Go alert Walter and Max about all of this. I’m sure one or both will have a fit about it,” Alex said.

When the cell door shut behind Douglas, Alex turned to look at Sylvia. She’d been listening intently and seemed unsure of herself at the moment.

“I imagine you’re wondering what I’m going to do with you while I’m away,” Alex said. Walking up to the bars, he leaned up against them. “I was thinking I’d just have you relax and take it easy in your cell. No harm can befall you here, and the worst thing that’ll happen is your clothes will probably start showing some wear.”

Sylvia opened her mouth once, then closed it.

She doesn’t want to stay here while I’m away, but there’s no way for her to suggest it without putting herself in an unfavorable position.

Another lovely opportunity to earn some trust.

She nodded her head sedately, sitting at her table as if nothing were the matter.

“Say… Sylvia. How would you like to go home while I’m traveling?”

“That would be… most agreeable,” she said, a smirk on her face.

Can’t fool her. She knows I know, hah.

“Let’s skip to the end. What do you want?” she asked.

“No fun at all, Sylvia. No fun at all. The price… well, let’s clarify this,” Alex said, tapping a bar with a knuckle. “To start with… you go home while I’m away, and must return within one day of my return. I’ll send a messenger to you personally the day I arrive, of course. That way there isn’t any funny business.

“You swear an oath on your life and soul that you’ll return, and we return to your charges.”

“That… would actually be agreeable so far,” Sylvia said.

“Next, you are forbidden to destroy any evidence of your guilt, or have anyone do so on your behalf. If you do come across any evidence of your guilt, you’ll bring it back with you for me,” Alex said.

“That’s… a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?”

“Not really. It just means you have to stay away from everything that landed you in this cell. Effectively making it so you can enjoy your freedom, but not deter justice.”

Sighing, Sylvia leaned back in her chair, smiling at him. “Fine. I agree and do so swear.

“It’s not very fair when you have me at your mercy like that. At least play a little with me.”

“Oh? I think you’ll come to enjoy being at my mercy. I’m sure we can make it fun and pleasurable for each other.

“Let me go check on my other guest, and then I’ll arrange for your departure.”

Moving back to Riley’s cell, he opened the door and stepped in.

Before he could even address her, she had already pulled her tunic back over her head. The black choker was all she was wearing.

“Master?” she asked. Her voice was curious, with maybe just a hint of annoyance.

“Ah, forgive me, One. I’m afraid I’ve been summoned by the king. I’ll be gone for a week or two. I’m going to ask the guard to add extra fruit to your meals while I’m gone, and to provide you with a daily bath, too.

“A hairstylist will come in to start working with your hair, as well as a second set of clothes to match the first. Just in case they get dirty and you need to wash them.”

“I… ah… alright. Thank you, Master. Are… are you ok? Is the king mad at you? Because of me? That you didn’t hang someone who was accused of treason?” asked Riley.

“On the contrary. Nothing is the matter, and I’ll be back before you know it. We’ll catch up then, ok One?”

“Yes, Master. Thank you.”

That solved, Alex needed to go put all this into action and get on the road.

I wonder what the king wants.

***

“This is certainly too fast. Most certainly too fast,” Walter complained as the coach bumped along the king’s road.

Each and every crack, pothole, and uneven paving stone practically rattled the teeth out of their heads.

But they were making amazing time.

Alex didn’t want to spend a minute on the road he didn’t have to.

They’d already been on the move for one day. One day of traveling, sleeping some distance from the road, and having none of the comforts of home was enough for him.

If he had his way, they’d be arriving the day after tomorrow and ensconced in the family manse in the capital.

“Oh, let it be, Walter,” Alex said. “The sooner we get there, the better. You did send a fast courier to have the house prepared, yes?”

“Yes, my lord. I did. All will be ready for our arrival. Though I pity the horses.”

“Hmph. A small price to pay. They’ll recover. No permanent harm. Just giving them a shakedown run.”

“And the men, my lord?”

Alex glanced out the window to see one of the elite guards Walter had brought along. He was wearing chain mail and what looked like thick leather armor underneath that.

They were his personal house guard. Trained hard and given priority when it came to equipment and gear.

Walter’s paranoia had kicked into gear since Alex’s abduction. Having them along was only the most recent expression of that fear.

There was a sudden sharp thud, followed by the coach leaning heavily to one side.

Shouts and orders came from all directions. So much so that Alex couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

It all sounded like noise. Noise that had the distinct feel of violence to it.

The coach lurched in the other direction and then started to slow down abruptly.

Alex felt like it was slowing far too quickly. Especially if the horses had been let to run and the driver injured.

Something… happened, I guess?

Straining his ears, Alex could hear metal on metal, low grunts and shouts, and even some called insults.

Then everything went silent, except for some low moans and what sounded like snoring.

Alex truly didn’t want to poke his head out the window to find out what had happened. Waiting inside wasn’t going to do him any favors or fix the situation, though.

“I’ll look, my lord,” Walter said, immediately popping his head out the window.

Blasted loyal fool.

“Ah. Good work, good work,” Walter said. To whom, Alex had no idea.

Though he would guess by the fact that Walter hadn’t pulled his head back in or died, whatever had happened was already over.

“Walter?” Alex asked.

“Ah, sorry my lord. Is it all clear?” Walter asked someone else outside.

“Yes, sir. We have no wounded, no dead. We killed four, two will probably never talk again, and we captured three who can talk,” said a voice outside the carriage. “By the look of them, they’re not what we’d call seasonal bandits. I’d say this is their profession of choice.”

Seasonal bandits? Is that even a thing? Or is it more of a curiosity of this world, I wonder.

Seasonal banditry.

Men and women who take up weapons during a fallow, drought, or poor-yielding season.

Often, this creates more farmland available to be sold again when the previous tenants expire or leave their land.

“Ah,” Alex said. “Open the door then, Walter. Let’s see if this was accidental or planned.

“We were just summoned, after all.”

“What? The king…? No, never. He wouldn’t… he couldn’t… could he?” Walter asked. Opening the door to the carriage, he stepped out onto the king’s road.

“I truly don’t know. But I’d rather find out than never ask.”

Alex jumped down and found himself staring up into a rough face with a number of small scars and a nose that'd been broken more than thrice.

“Rudolph,” Alex said, nodding at the man. He was a lieutenant in the house guard and by reputation a stalwart man. “Bring over the survivors who can talk.”

Looking to the side, he found the source of the snoring sound. A woman with a split skull lay face up in the roadway, her chest still until she took a gasping, snoring breath.

Quickly pulling his gaze away from the dying body, Alex looked to Rudolph.

“Put… put any who can’t talk to the sword. Banditry on the king’s road is a death sentence,” Alex said.

“Yes, my lord,” Rudolph said, then gestured to his men, who were spread out around them.

A man walked out from the side of Alex’s view carrying a large, one-handed steel mace.

Ah… no bladed weapons on the king’s road or in the capital. That’s going to make my order a bit—

A disgusting crunch came from his left, and Alex made sure to keep his eyes forward.

A youth probably barely old enough to drink, a man, and a young woman were each pushed to their knees in front of Alex.

They all had wounds on their bodies but seemed to be coherent, though in various states of fear or panic.

Except the woman, who seemed angry more than anything.

“You,” Alex said, pointing at the man-child. “Why the hell are you out here?”

“I… my uncle brought me,” said the scared teenager.

“And where’s he?”

“Dead. Over there,” the youth said, nodding his head toward a direction Alex refused to look.

“But why?”

“Farm went barren. Uncle said he knew a group that were always looking for new blood… we were just waiting for anyone to come along. Haven’t seen anyone for days come down the road.”

So they weren’t here for me. Just a lucky coincidence for them. Poor kid, I’ll have Rudolph take care of him before we pack it up.

Sighing, Alex looked to the older man.

“You?”

“Fuck you,” said the man, spitting at Alex.

Thankfully he missed, but Alex was nonplussed all the same.

“Uh huh, Rudolph?” Alex asked, looking over to the man.

“Sir?”

“See if you can find out where their hideout is so we can… recover… their ill-gotten gains. If he cooperates, dispatch him efficiently and without pain.

“If he doesn’t… get creative. Then dump the body to the side of the road.”

“With pleasure, sir.”

A guard leaned over the older man, jammed the handle of his mace up against the man’s throat and dragged him off to one side.

“And what about me, huh?” the woman said, glaring at him. “Tell them to do the same to me? Instead of getting creative, tell them to rape me to death?

“I’ve never been a victim and I won’t be one now. I’ll piss on anyone who even gets between my legs, and shit on them to boot.”

Raising his eyebrows at the violence in her tone and words, Alex gave her a quick once-over.

Short-cropped black hair, no longer than an inch or two, and light brown eyes.

She wasn’t pretty like Riley, or beautiful like Sylvia, but she wasn’t unattractive either.

Her features weren’t delicate or fine, but she had a certain appeal to Alex nonetheless, and her figure was toned and lithe with a bit more than a handful in the chest.

A thin, white scar ran from her cheekbone down to her jaw. Otherwise, her face was smeared with dirt and a thin trickle of blood came down from her temple.

He’d call her cute if he had to put a name to it.

“You’re certainly feisty,” Alex said neutrally.

“Keep your distance, my lord,” one of the guards said. “She doesn’t look it, but she was actually difficult to put down.”

“Oh?” Alex asked, curious.

“Yes, sir. I’m not sure I could best her in a straight fight. I’m betting she has a price on her head with that kind of ability. We should take it with us.”

Making a snap decision, he decided it might be worth trying to subvert her to his whims.

That and her head seemed perfectly useful atop her shoulders rather than in a sack.

He imagined she would respond with rage up front to anything she perceived as an indignity, before she even knew if it was or wasn't.

A neutral tone would be the best route for now.

Giving her nothing to build on would put her off balance.

Squatting down in front of her, Alex put himself eye-level with her.

“Curious. You’re interesting… actually, I haven’t caught your name yet?” Alex asked.

The woman’s brows pressed together, her mouth a thin line. She glared at him for all she was worth.

“Walter, do me a favor? Step aside for a bit? Rudolph, come a bit closer so he doesn’t pitch a fit.”

“My lord, I—”

“Walter? Do it.”

He heard the shuffling of steps behind him, then the clunking of boot-shod feet coming to stand beside him.

“Rudolph, you’re under an oath of secrecy as well as loyalty, yes?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Wonderful.”

Alex tilted his head to one side, looking at the woman.

Threats wouldn’t work here. Nor would appealing to anything.

What about praise and a treat? In simple terms with nothing attached.

We can work on her as we go.

“How about we just start with a name? My name is Alex Brit. Count of Brit,” Alex said, watching her.

She blinked once, then shook her head.

“Carla,” she said finally, her tone and volume having come down considerably. Her head slowly went to the left, then back in the other direction.

“Alright. Carla, you’re rather impressive. I think having you at my side would probably help me survive a bit longer.

“What would you say to a job offer?”

“I’d say you’re fucking cracked.”

“Oh, most certainly. But I haven’t even told you the best part of the offer.”

“Mmm.” Carla watched him.

Oh? That looks like interest. She isn’t angry.

I doubt I need to remind her the alternative is having her head bashed in, but… have to follow the rules.

“The best part is your employment would start with an oath to me. Of secrecy, loyalty, and that all future pacts between us would build off that one.

“An oath that if broken would forfeit your life and soul.

“You can of course say no; I’ll not force you into this.”

“Hah, you’ll just kill me instead,” she said, some heat rising in her voice.

“That’s the unfortunate reality, yes. I can promise you that if you say no, you’ll not be used in a poor fashion. I’ll simply have your head cut from your shoulders, your dignity intact.

“And that’s your choice, which is yours to make, without coercion,” Alex said as neutrally as he could manage.

“You can say no, or you can agree. The oath would be given on the name of Leah,” Alex said, keeping his tone cool. Emotionless.

Carla wrinkled her nose, but didn’t seem put off.

“I agree, and swear your oath on Leah,” Carla said.

“I also do so swear. Now, the actual bargain I’d like to strike with you.

“You keep your life, but you turn it over to me. You will be in my service, but you’ll serve at my side at all times.”

“Want yourself a bandit whore, huh?” Carla growled.

“Not at all.

“You’ll never be able to quit, change positions, or leave. But you’d have your life, and you'd be my personal guard.”

Carla didn’t respond. Instead she turned her head one way, then the other.

I wonder if that helps her think? Second time she’s done that.

“In addition, you’d have to swear yourself to celibacy unless I provide you with permission. Can’t have someone trying to use you against me,” Alex said smoothly. As if it were nothing at all.

Hopefully, having never experienced a loyalty oath, she wouldn’t understand that this concern was already moot.

“And that’s it?” she asked, her tone cautious.

Wary.

“Yes. That’d be it. Moving from a life of banditry to a life of guard duty. You’ll make sure no harm comes to me at any time.

“You’ll do what I order you to do, providing it falls within the boundary of good guardsman-ship, and I’ll give you what I believe you should have.”

Carla licked her lips, her anger long cooled, replaced with what looked to Alex like a shred of hope.

“Then… I agree, and do swear it.”

“I accept, and swear in return. Collect some extra gear from the house guard, or the dead, and get into the carriage. We’re on our way to the capital.”

“Uh…” Carla said eloquently.

“Hm?”

Alex stood up, stretching his back as he did so.

Carla got to her feet as well, throwing a cautious glance at the guards around her.

Damn, she’s taller than me?

Alex looked up at the ex-bandit who had him beat by an inch or two.

“How much do I get paid?” Carla asked.

Alex grinned widely at her.

Good question. It’s a shame you didn’t ask that before you agreed. You’re already well in the trap… Two.

“Absolutely nothing. Why, do you need pocket money?” Alex asked, keeping his face blank.

“What?!” Carla asked, her face immediately going red.

“What need do you have for money? I’ll provide you with what I want you to have.”

“I… I didn’t… no!” Carla growled out, her hands settling on his shoulders.

“Yes, Carla?”

“I need… coin.”

“I see. And for what, exactly?”

“You don’t need to know!”

“Alright… and how much coin do you need?”

“Nnngh. Ten gold… a year,” Carla said, her fingers tightening in his clothes but causing him no harm.

She physically couldn’t.

“That’s it? I can easily pay you that amount. Would you like this year’s salary up front? Now?”

“Yes! Yes, before we reach the capital.”

“Great. We can do that. I do have a price in exchange. Since this wasn’t part of the deal, it’d be an added bit to it.”

“What?!”

“I’m sorry, Carla. You can’t expect me to give such a salary without getting something in return. It’s far and above what a new house guard makes, and certainly not in advance.

“No, my price is simple.

“Your name will become… Two. You will respond to that name, take it as your own, and expect to be called that,” Alex said with a neutral and blank look on his face. “That’s what I want from you. So, is it Two, or Carla?”

Carla’s eye twitched, her lips peeling back in a snarl.

“You can always say no. There’s no reason to say yes if you don’t want to. This is completely voluntary,” Alex said.

“Gods damn you!” she screamed in his face.

Something must be driving her. I wonder what it i—

“Fine, yes. I agree. Fine. Damn you. I’ll agree to that oath. Give me the damn coin. I’ll need to take a day to take care of my things when we reach the capital.”

Perfect. This is almost too easy.

“First, I accept the deal for your gold.

“As to your day off… sure, Two. Not a problem. I can definitely let you do that.

“Let’s discuss the price for a day off,” Alex said, and finally smiled at her. “I’m sure we can come to some type of agreement.

“First, ah, how flexible are you?”

Carla’s eyes widened and her face nearly went purple as rage overcame her.

Chapter 6

The carriage rolled slowly through the large gates of the capital.

It wasn’t so much that one passed them on entering them—more like they actually enveloped anything that went through.

Stonework that looked close to fifteen feet deep surrounded the carriage as they entered the capital proper.

Outside these inner walls remained the peasantry, the lowest classes of citizens and a major source for drudgery and manual labor.

All were encompassed within a wall that wouldn’t stand up to a traditional army but would certainly keep out bandits and raiders.

The inner-walled district was where all the affluent members of the city lived, traded, and did business.

Where the peerage lived.

Even Alex’s family had a home here. Apparently, it hailed from an age in which the Brit family had a ducal title instead of only a count’s.

I wonder how long ago that was. And why we lost it.

Alex took in a slow breath and then sighed explosively.

This trip wasting his time felt as if someone had tipped over a puzzle he’d been working on. Throwing everything he wanted to do into disarray.

Hate it when people mess with my plans.

Though we did get a good deal on the way, didn’t we?

Thinking about Carla, Alex turned his head to look at her.

Somewhere, somehow, she’d managed to cajole, bribe, or threaten her way into a full set of house guard equipment that looked new. Rather than a replacement set or a second set.

She’d even managed to clean herself up.

The dirt, grit, and smudges were gone. The unkempt hair had been trimmed up a bit and seemed almost groomed in comparison to when he’d first met her.

“What?” she grumbled, catching him watching her.

“Nothing, really. Was just thinking about how well you clean up,” Alex said, slipping into the neutral-Carla tone he’d developed.

Carla's brows immediately drew together, her mouth curling into a frown.

He waited, letting her digest his words. When her first reaction was always anger, it paid to let her parse it out.

Only then would she come to another emotion.

Several seconds passed before her face cleared and she snorted.

“Whatever. No use trying to woo someone you’re also trying to talk into selling her body for a deal,” Carla said.

Alex glanced at the window, making sure no one was nearby.

Walter had gone ahead to get the manse ready, leaving him alone with Carla for the last day of the ride.

“We both know you can say no, Two. You have no obligation to say yes to sleeping with me. In fact, I’ll kindly remind you, we’ve agreed to the deal, but until you actually take the day off, my part of the deal won't become valid.

“You can back out of it if you like,” Alex said.

He wanted to give her every opportunity to say no. To back out. To change her mind.

The more he did so, the simpler it was for his conscience.

This wasn’t the same world he'd come from.

Sex had been, and always would be, an object of sale and trade. But it’d gotten further and further from public life.

And even if, as they said, prostitution was the oldest profession, he had a problem wrapping his mind around it.

In this case, he was just trying to get the best bang for his buck, so to speak, while getting his own mind to accept it.

“Mmmph,” Carla said, crossing her arms in front of herself. “I’ll think on it.”

She turned her head away, not willing to look at him.

“I… that is…” she said, staring out the window. “I appreciate you not forcing anything. When we were alone in the carriage, you probably could have, since we'd already made the deal.

“I didn’t exactly put terms on it.”

Alex shrugged and looked out his own window.

“I have no desire or intention to force you, Two. Do I want to sleep with you? Sure. Will I make a bargain to get what I want? Of course.

“Am I going to hold it against you for saying no or not agreeing to a deal? No. That’s not how this works. Everything has to be agreed to, made without pressure outside of the terms of the deal.”

Carla grunted at that, but didn’t respond.

I guess that’s the end of the conversation, then.

Such a cunning linguist.

Catching the attention of some sort of god or goddess of luck, the carriage turned off the main road and rolled past a pair of iron gates.

The crest on the gates was that of Brit.

Thank you, Leah. I don’t think that could have gotten any more awkward.

“Strangest noble I’ve ever met,” Carla muttered, just loudly enough for him to hear.

“And why’s that, Two?”

“You don’t travel with a concubine or a whore. You treat your men kindly. You ordered the deaths of bandits but gave me an out that didn’t involve me being passed around as a toy.”

“And is that all normal behavior?”

“Shit yeah. Was something I expected to happen eventually, since I killed my first merchant.”

“Sounds like a great career path,” Alex said. “One can only imagine the benefits.”

The wheels ground to a stop and without waiting, Alex opened the door and popped out immediately.

Only to be shoved to one side as Carla jumped out after him and crammed him up against the wall of the carriage.

With her forearm pressed up against his shoulders, she leaned into him, her eyes scant inches from his.

“Blasted idiot, are you just wanting to get killed?” she said, turning her glare up to ten. “You just assume all is well, so you jump out?”

“Uh… well, yes? I mean… ah.” Alex looked around and had to force himself to not be defensive.

To consider her words.

I did jump out without even thinking about the situation. She’s not wrong.

If this had been a project or a directive, I’d have called the execution rushed, without proper scoping.

“You’re right, Two,” Alex said, holding his hands up in apology. “I can’t say anything other than that, because you’re just right.”

All around him, his guards watched the exchange. They’d accepted her readily enough, though seemed oddly unwilling to engage her in anything other than cursory discussion.

Carla watched him for a second more, then looked to another guard.

“We’re clear out here,” said the man. “Rudolph went inside to confirm things with Walter.”

Carla released Alex and looked around herself.

At the same time, Walter hurried out of the manse followed by a group of men and women.

They all looked the part of middle-class citizens who’d taken work as house servants.

“Ah, my lord. Welcome, welcome. The manse is well prepared for you,” Walter said.

“Good work. Send a runner to the king immediately to let him know we’ve arrived in the city, and humbly ask for an audience at his leisure,” Alex said.

Walter nodded his head and turned to speak to the servants.

“If you still want that deal,” Alex murmured softly, leaning in close to Carla. “Best you use your day off today or tomorrow, Two. I imagine after that we’ll need to deal with the king, and then hopefully be off.”

Carla glanced at him, one side of her mouth turning into a frown.

“Our… deal… still stands? You’ll give me my year's salary, let me have the day off for… for what we agreed?”

“Based on what we discussed, yes. Unless there was something else to add or subtract from the deal?”

“Ah… could…” she paused, her nose wrinkling as she considered whatever she was going to ask.

“Mm? Best ask now before Walter finishes up whatever he’s doing.”

“Can I have two years' salary in advance?”

“Hm. I can agree to that, so long as we amend the deal to include that you’ll also do no harm to yourself, attempt to get yourself killed, or willingly allow yourself to be harmed or killed, without it being in defense of my life.

“Can you agree to that, Two?”

A flash of anger flickered over her eyes and then vanished.

Ah. She’d never even considered killing herself.

A pity. Wasted a perfect opportunity, and she gets something for nothing.

“Deal, on Leah’s name,” Carla said, apparently not wanting him to change his mind.

Sighing, Alex nodded his head. “Deal. Come, let’s go get your money, Two. And by the by, do you have a bounty on your head? I’ll need to get that taken care of if you do.”

***

Alex walked into the throne room of his king with more composure than a count of his age and stature should command.

Or so he liked to think.

After facing down a board of directors, a single despot on a throne didn’t seem like that big of a problem.

The worst this man could do was kill him.

And Alex had already died once and been sent to hell.

He had no doubt Leah would find a use for him somewhere else, even if he failed here.

Useful tools are never wasted. They’re always repurposed.

Walking up to the dais, Alex kept his eyes on the lord of the realm, his pace sedate and measured.

The king was a young man in his early twenties.

He looked to be holding a position given him that he wasn’t ready for.

Gray eyes, brown hair, nondescript. There was nothing that stood out about him, other than the fact that he was the king.

A man described by his position rather than his stature.

To Alex, he looked more like a new vice president who had only just realized his position had a lot more going on than originally assumed.

Reaching the point where the dais began, Alex fell to one knee and bowed his head.

“I, Alex Brit, Count of Brit, present myself to King Harold the third,” Alex said.

The statement was part of the elaborate ceremony of the peerage here in the capital. Especially so for those who didn’t remain here yearlong.

“We receive you in good graces, Count Brit. Rise,” said the king. “We asked you here specifically to discuss a subject that troubles us.”

Saying nothing, Alex stood up and waited quietly.

There was no reason for him to say anything unless he had something to add or was asked a question.

He’d met a number of people in his life that had tried to use the uncomfortable weapon of silence against him.

Pity for him, silence works just as well for me.

The king stared at him.

Alex stared back.

Seconds ticked by before the king realized he wasn’t going to get anything from him.

“Are you well, Count Brit?”

“Quite well, Highness.”

“We understand you had a recent brush with death.”

“I wouldn’t quite call it that, Highness, but I will admit my outlook on life has changed since my ordeal.”

“Ah… well. That’s good, then. For we have a request and a desire to lay on you due to those circumstances you just underwent.

“We would have you find a wife. Immediately. Your line may no longer be as high in status as it once was, but it is still a known and well-documented noble family.

“Your lack of an heir is perturbing to us now.”

Alex took a slow breath as he processed that.

That alone doesn’t feel like a reason to call me forth. The question is—what exactly does he want?

“I understand, Highness. I’ll take action on that immediately and will find a wife within one year after I return home,” Alex said.

It was a polite acceptance without defense, even providing a timeline.

Unless the king had something specific he wanted, there was no way for him to refuse without looking like he had ulterior motives.

“We’re afraid that doesn’t work for us,” King Harold said, leaning to one side in his throne, clearly uncomfortable.

Alex didn’t respond, deciding instead to stand quietly.

It was clear to him the king did indeed have something else he wanted to do.

There was no reason to give him any more information or ammo he didn’t have to.

“We’ve gone ahead and arranged a number of balls and marriage contract meetings, and have called in all sorts of favors to amass a large number of willing women of marrying age. We’d like to have this taken care of swiftly.”

“Ah, His Highness is overly kind,” Alex said carefully.

“Not at all, we just wish the best for you. For the next several months we intend to offer you up to the peerage as our most eligible bachelor.

“At the end of this all, we do hope you can find someone agreeable. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to choose one for you myself.” The king chuckled to himself, as if he’d made a joke about the last part.

Alex had no such delusions about that.

The king had made the statement as a passive threat. Not to mention testing the waters to gauge Alex’s reaction as well as his court's, more than likely.

Keeping his eyes trained forward, Alex smiled as the court chuckled and tittered at the king’s words.

I suppose that’s his play, then. Marry me off to someone he controls or has control over, and then try to wield them as a weapon to change the ownership of the county of Brit.

Maybe.

I’m betting it on our revenue… or he wants to use my wife and her father as a prybar on a duke?

Very well.

A-wife-hunting we will go.

Bowing his head to the king, Alex cleared his throat.

“I thank His Highness for his assistance in the matter. I personally invite all willing bachelorettes across the empire to the balls, and will endeavor to hold several of my own requiring only letters of citizenship and modest donations to cover costs as invitations,” Alex said congenially.

With any luck, that’ll open this up to people the king didn’t personally prepare.

Let’s hope he doesn’t take this as a move against him, and is more just a young man wanting to truly play the field.

Even if I’m older than him.

The king smiled widely at that and nodded his head.

“Well said, Count. Well said. We welcome this as a wonderful occasion for us. We’ll use this as an opportunity to perhaps secure a second wife for ourselves. With so many young women running around, maybe we can steal one away from you,” the king said.

Ah, is that him threatening to take away the best candidate?

“Ah, Your Highness. Your humor is unrelenting. I’m sure you’d have a much wider pool of candidates to choose from than those who would settle for a lowly count such as myself.”

What else ya got, kid? If you really want to stoop so low as to scoop up my offerings, you’re welcome to take that hit to your prestige.

The king’s smile was cold and brittle at this point.

No doubt he knew he’d been maneuvered, but there was little else he could do without looking the part of the villain.

“We look forward to the first ball, which will be held tomorrow. Rest and relaxation would be the best course, but that’s only our suggestion,” the king said, dismissing him.

In other words, either you knew I left from Brit and had this ready to go, or it was a general ball that you’re converting to your own purposes.

Alex knelt down on one knee, bowed his head, and quickly retreated from the throne room.

Walter caught up to him as he came down the palace steps.

“My lord?” asked the older man.

“The king has ordered that I’m to wed. And rather quickly, I might add,” Alex said glibly.

“How quickly is that?”

“Three months, give or take a few weeks. He's also arranged a series of balls, meetings to discuss marriage, and other assorted surprises I’m sure I don’t know about yet.”

“I see.”

“Oh, and if we don’t find a wife by the time it’s all over—”Alex paused to clamber into the coach and take a seat. “Then he’ll find a wife for me.”

“I can’t imagine that going over very well for your health.”

“No, me neither. I publicly invited and welcomed any eligible bachelorette from the empire to participate. With any luck I can get some interested parties outside of his sphere of influence.”

“Ah, a good move, my lord. I’ll make sure to send out invitations just to make sure it spreads itself around.

“I think I’ll even be so bold as to invite merchant families with enough wealth that no one would mind if one married a count.”

Alex snorted at that.

“Did he mention anything about being limited to one wife, or him wanting you to have more than one?”

“Ah, no. He didn’t mention anything. Why?”

“Just trying to make sure we follow his decree. We should stick with one wife for now and assume that as the baseline.”

“Right,” Alex said.

Leaning back into the coach as it got moving, he couldn’t help but worry over the situation.

It all seemed a little strange.

All he’d done was squeeze the envoy out of the city.

And politely, too. Without the envoy losing much other than hard assets, and being paid for them.

Unless the envoy was something more and I missed it? Possible, I suppose.

I personally haven’t been involved for long.

“I suppose we’ll be here a while. Probably should send a runner back to Brit to let them know,” Alex muttered. “Pity. My pet projects are going to take longer than I thought.”

Chapter 7

Banging open, the door cracked into the wall, making Alex jump in his chair.

Carla strode in, an annoyed look on her face. Which honestly wasn’t that different from normal.

“Do be a dear and shut the door, Two,” Alex said, looking back down at his writing desk and the letters atop it. “Preferably without slamming it.”

Carla said nothing, staring at him. Then she moved back over to the door and shut it carefully.

“Thank you, Two.”

Alex didn’t bother looking back up, but continued to read the current letter.

The number of requests for invitations had skyrocketed the evening of his audience with the king.

It seemed his announcement and the follow-up invitations from Walter had achieved the desired effect.

“Well?” Carla asked gruffly.

“Well, what? I’m not a mind reader.”

Alex picked up an invitation, scribbled in the name of a woman and added a hasty signature. He pressed the invitation to the letter and set it to one side.

“I took my day off,” she said, as if that somehow explained everything.

“Oh? Did you get done what you wanted to get done? You never did tell me what it was about.

“Huh. That’s an uncommon name. Amelia,” Alex said, peering at the invitation. “Whatever.”

Filling in the information accordingly, he signed the next invitation, put it to the letter, and set it aside.

“I did. Yes. And no, I didn’t tell you.”

“Ok? Good then.”

Alex finished off the last letter in the pile, then turned to the finished group of invitations.

Pushing them together into a more compact stack, he picked them up and carried them to another table.

Which was already full of such stacks.

Dropping them next to the others, Alex went back to his chair and heavily sank into it.

Looking up, he stared at Carla.

“So… what’s up?” he asked, getting the impression there was more she wanted to say or talk about.

As long as she doesn’t say “nothing” or “everything is fine,” we’re alright.

“I took my day off.”

“Yeah, established that. Unless I’m trapped in a time loop and we haven’t talked about that yet.

“Is this the part where I ask if you got done what you wanted to get done?” he asked with a smirk.

Carla shook her head and looked up at the ceiling.

“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?” she asked, looking back at him.

“I legitimately have no idea what you’re talking about, and I honestly don’t have the time to play this game. Spit it out, or get out.”

“When are you going to fuck me then!?” she screamed at him, leaning forward.

Alex sat there in his chair, dumbstruck.

Logically, he knew that was part of their agreement, but he hadn’t expected her to think it was due the minute she came back.

“Ah…? I’m sorry, I didn’t think—”

“What then? Hold it over my head as another threat? Make deals on it so you can dangle me along?” Carla asked, her anger ramping up rapidly.

It won't do her any good to leave it as it is.

Besides, I could use the stress relief.

She had every opportunity to avoid this. She willingly chose this and made the trade.

And she wouldn’t bring it up if she wasn’t willing to pay.

No one forced her, so… why shouldn’t I take my side of the deal?

Holding up his hands, Alex turned his emotions to a neutral place.

“Alright. Let’s get this going then,” he said calmly. “Lock the door and strip, Two.”

Carla froze up, her body going rigid, then briefly nodded her head. Turning around, she locked the door and then moved towards where he sat.

Quickly, with only a little hesitation, she started to undress right next to his desk.

Leaning back, Alex decided to enjoy it.

She was the only pet project he had on hand, so he needed to make sure to get the most out of his deals with her.

If he didn’t want Leah to pull his soul out, that was.

In his moment of distraction, Carla had managed to finish undressing, letting her pants slide down to the ground.

As she stood nude in front of him, he let his eyes roam over her.

Fit, lean, muscular—she was every bit the bandit fighter he’d expected.

Her bust and hips weren’t as feminine as Riley's or Sylvia's, but she wasn’t flat and narrow either.

Curiously, her nether region looked bare, shaved.

I wonder if she does that normally, or if she did it for this? Interesting.

Sliding out from behind his desk, Alex moved the chair to one side, making room.

“Go ahead and put your palms on the desk, and bend over for me,” Alex said, his hands idly unhitching his belt.

Carla’s eyes were flat and her mouth turned up in a frown, but she didn’t seem afraid or nervous.

Marching past him, she placed her hands flat on the desk and then bent forward over it.

Alex pulled his belt free and let it drop, along with his pants and underwear, to the ground.

Stepping out of his house slippers, he kicked the pile to the side and walked up behind Carla.

Her rear was much like the rest of her, firm and muscular. Gingerly, he let his fingers trail across her lower back and down her side.

Carla flinched away, drawing in a sharp hiss of breath.

“Oh? Are you ticklish or just that excited?” Alex murmured, smiling.

“Be silent and hurry up.”

“Well, I won’t be doing either of those.”

Taking hold of his fully erect member in his right hand, he eased up behind her.

He laid his left hand to her hip, her body flexing away from his touch before settling back into place. She hadn’t moved away as far this time.

All along her back, he could see her skin rolling with goosebumps.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Pressing the tip of his manhood to her entry, he paused, expecting a reaction.

As if the touch were electric to her, Carla shifted forward several inches.

“Now, now, go ahead and come back this way,” Alex commanded.

“Damn it,” Carla muttered.

“You could have chosen any number of other options, Two. You chose this.

“Now bring that lovely ass of yours back this way.”

Carla shivered once and eased back towards him.

“Other options, my ass.”

“You could have said no. You could have arranged a courier. You could have waited until we were in the area. In fact, you probably could have sent them a letter and had them come this way.

“You chose what you chose. Or as you said, you chose your ass.”

Carla’s head dipped down, but she didn’t respond. She didn’t seem surprised or shocked at his words.

Which means she considered all that and discarded those choices?

Carla’s hips were back to where they'd been before.

Alex leaned forward an inch and gently dug his tip into her opening. He trailed it up and down through her slit. Several passes and then he aimed downward.

Pushing forward, he got the head wedged into the hood of her clit, stretching it a little bit.

Looking up, he watched as Carla shuddered, her shoulders quivering.

Pulling up on his shaft, he slid the head up into her opening and paused.

“Now, Two, I need you to move backward and put me inside. This was your choice after all, so I’ll have you make the first move,” Alex said.

Setting his right hand on her other hip, he idly gave her sides a soft squeeze.

“You’re awful,” Carla mumbled.

“Maybe so. Now… if you would, Two?”

Nothing happened.

“Two?”

“Fine, fine already. Stop talking,” Carla said, her voice speeding up.

With a shaking breath, Carla started moving towards him.

Alex stood there, staring down her well-toned back as he felt her wet warmth slowly envelop him.

He glanced down and watched as his length vanished into her.

At the same time, he noted that she wasn’t dry, nor overly wet. Her insides seemed moist and somewhat willing.

He had expected her to be completely dry.

He wondered if somewhere in her head, this appealed to her on some level.

“That’s incredibly nice,” Alex said when Carla had pressed her rear end into his lap, his length buried completely inside her to the hilt. “Now, go ahead and move forward, then come back again. I think you can lead for a while.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

“No, I’m fucking you,” Alex said and patted her hip. “Get a move on, Two, unless you want someone to interrupt us and make it so we get to start over.”

Carla grunted and started to move forward, then back towards him again.

Slowly, she worked him in and out of herself. Moving her hips and body as he’d told her. His girth filling her with each pass.

Sweat started to pop up and make her back glisten.

As subtly as he could, Alex pulled and pushed at her, building up her speed incrementally.

Before long she had a steady rhythm, his shaft gliding through her up to the hilt and back out again.

A minute or two passed with her doing all the work. She looked to be lost in her methodical thrusting.

“Good work, Two. Really good work, I can take it from here. Just go ahead and lay your head down on the desk,” Alex said, reaching up to press his right hand to the middle of her shoulder blades.

His voice broke into whatever place she’d gotten herself to, and her body trembled.

Slowly, under the gentle insistence of his hand, she lowered her chest and head to the desk.

“Good girl. Good girl, Two. Good girl,” Alex said soothingly, petting her back and shoulders. “You’re doing wonderfully. I appreciate your leading, and you felt great. Amazing, even.”

Reaching up, he carefully shifted her hair to one side so he could see the side of her face.

One light-brown eye watched him, her face neutral otherwise.

Taking a firm grip on her hips with both hands, Alex quickly found the speed she’d been at earlier, pulling at her bodily.

Carla didn’t resist in any way, but he couldn’t quite determine if she was helping either.

The wet swish of him repeatedly entering her grew louder as he built up more speed, the soft pat of his lap clapping with her bottom audible.

Before he could stop himself, he sank his fingers into her hips, pressed deep into her, and came. His climax sudden and wild.

Pushing her up against the desk and down at the same time, he thrust into her over and over as his member flared inside her.

Carla shuddered, turning her face into the desk where he couldn’t see her.

Pumping into her several more times, Alex finished up, filling her with his seed.

Reaching down, he stroked her back gently.

“Great job, Two. You’re a very good girl.”

With a satisfied sigh, he pulled himself out of her depths. Taking a few steps backward, he sat down in his chair.

Looking to Carla, he couldn’t help but smirk.

Seed seeped and dripped out of her immediately. He watched as it started to dribble down her inner thighs.

Damn, filled her right up.

“Did you have to do it inside me?” Carla groused, closing her legs and standing up. “Couldn’t have just aimed it elsewhere? It’s bad enough to be your whore, worse if you knock me up.”

Carla turned around and covered her chest and privates with her hands, shuffling over to her clothes.

Ah, thats actually a concern now, isn’t it? Is there a Plan B in this world? Or birth control, for that matter? They invent a condom yet?

Birth control is not viable through the use of this world's version of condoms, as they are all permeable.

The only valid form of control at this time is Mother’s Bane, which can be purchased from any apothecary, though the price is not manageable by the lower classes.

This is effective as both preventative care and post-copulation.

Huh. Thank you, random information from a strange source that I really should question if I ever get the opportunity.

“Tell you what. Since you willingly chose this, I’ll be the one to take the cost of Mother’s Bane. I’ll have a servant pick it up with the pretext of getting ready for the ball.”

Carla didn’t say anything, but watched him over her shoulder. Then she looked away from him. She was trying to get dressed as quickly as she could on the other side of his desk.

Leaning back into his chair, Alex felt better. Pulling open a desk drawer, he peered in to see the state of his soul crystal.

It was pitch black.

Apparently at some point, his deals with Carla had filled up his quota.

Perfect.

“For what it’s worth, Two. That was really good. Definitely what I needed,”Alex said, settling back into his chair and closing the drawer.

“Fuck you.”

“I mean, I’m kinda tired, but we could go again later if you want. It was very worthwhile and I’d be up for it.”

Apparently, that had been one smart-ass comment too many, because Carla stopped what she was doing and glowered at him.

***

Alex kept himself from sighing and managed to work up a smile.

The pretty young airheads in front of him giggled and tittered, all vying for his attention.

They were tiring.

Insipid.

Stupid to the point of being damaging, and each clearly working her charm for all it was worth to be his wife.

All in all, he wasn’t interested.

Blessedly, the dinner gong sounded.

Alex jumped up out of his seat and practically ran into Carla as he sped off for the dining hall.

Behind him, he could hear dark chuckling.

“Are you running away?” Carla asked, catching up to him.

“Damn right I am,” Alex said.

“They’re just idiots.”

“That’s the problem.”

Turning the corner, he entered the hall and saw a long table in the center.

Wanting to limit who could be near him, he took the corner of a table. It meant having to sit next to one less person.

They were the first into the hall and no one else was nearby.

“Coward,” Carla hissed, taking up position behind him.

“Shut up, or I’ll think up some way to get you bent over the desk again.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Still a coward.”

“Uh huh,” Alex said. Changing the subject, he glanced back at her. “I haven’t seen any problems. Have you?”

“One. But she’s kept her distance so far.”

“One? I didn’t notice anyone t—”

“You wouldn’t. That’s the point. Now shut your gob.”

Alex closed his mouth with a click, looking around himself.

Women were taking their seats, a new group politely pushing their way into the chairs directly around him.

He wasn’t the only bachelor at this ball; he just happened to be the designated target.

On his right, at the head of the table, a blonde with more in her chest than in her head smiled at him as she took her seat.

Across the way sat an equally vacant redhead.

To his left, a black-haired woman in a green dress sat down demurely and ignored him.

Interesting tactic. Can’t deny I’m curious.

Alex eyed the woman, wondering what she was about.

Everyone else up to this point had been so flagrantly desperate that he couldn’t help but be disinterested.

“That’s the one,” Carla whispered in his right ear, practically pushing her lips into it. “She’s not like the rest.”

Unable to keep himself from shivering, he poked Carla in the chest and pushed at her.

She left without another word, taking up her station again.

Well, that makes sense. The one who isn’t playing the same game is the one to watch out for.

I wonder what Carla noticed, though. She doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, other than that she's ignoring me.

A servant swept through and put a bowl of soup down in front of him, along with a glass of wine.

“And what, pray tell, is this?” Alex asked no one, picking up the soup spoon.

Taking a hesitant sip, he found it was over seasoned for him, and seemed to have some type of tomato base.

Setting the spoon down beside the bowl, he decided he’d rather not try his hand at it.

He had nightmares of being up late at night from eating something that didn’t agree with him in a world that probably didn’t wash its hands enough.

The blonde and the redhead tried to engage him in conversation, to which he merely smiled and nodded his head.

Offering up nothing.

This ball had happened too quickly for anyone who might not be under the king’s thumb to appear.

Everyone here was more than likely in his circle, in his extended circle, or a hireling.

Alex had no desire to participate.

Something warm slid up between his legs and firmly grasped his junk through his pants.

Managing somehow to school his response, Alex glanced down to see a woman’s hand in his lap under the tablecloth.

Following it to the left, he found the woman in green. She caught his eyes and then looked away.

Certainly the direct approach.

Turning his seat partially and spreading his knees apart, he squared up to the woman in green.

Her skin wasn’t quite pale, but definitely on the lighter side. Though a fine amount of coloring here and there hinted at something else in her genetic background.

She had black hair and from the single glance he saw, hazel-colored eyes. Her figure wasn’t overflowing like some other women's around the table, but she was definitely endowed enough to hold a man's attention.

“Hello, miss. My name’s Alex. Alex Brit.”

The dark-haired woman threw him a look, realized he’d turned towards her completely, and slowly faced him.

“Hi, Alex,” she said, giving him a bright smile. “I’m Valeria, Valeria Marsh.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Alex said. Slowly, he crossed his ankles, one over the other, giving her the best possible angle to do whatever she wanted under the table.

If she dared.

“The pleasure is all mine, Count Brit,” she said, giving him a squeeze through his pants.

I suppose if it wasn’t me, and I was the sad sack of shit who used to be Alex Brit, this would be all that would be needed for a roll in the bed.

Someone did their homework.

This is a bit too forward for a noble lady. Even an idiotic one.

“You don’t seem interested in your appetizer?” she asked, indicating his soup with her free hand.

“Didn’t tempt me. I’m afraid I needed something with a bit more green to it, less red,” Alex said. “I’m sure I could sink my teeth into something like that.”

“Oh?” asked Valeria, her cheeks coloring lightly. She ran a finger along the half-erect length in his pants.

“As if you’re one to talk, though; you didn’t even dirty your spoon in the soup.”

“I’m afraid I wasn’t terribly interested in it either. I found something more to my liking elsewhere. Something with some more meat to it.

“Thicker.”

“Ah, I think I can definitely feed you something big enough to choke on. If you’d still be interested later on this evening, that is.”

“I have no doubt I’d be interested. Though that seems like an awfully long time from now, doesn’t it? Things do change.”

Alex glanced over at Carla, who had been watching over him, and the situation, without a word.

“Carla, clear a path for myself and Valeria; we’re leaving,” Alex said.

The armed and armored ex-bandit hesitated for a moment. He guessed it was because he'd used her name.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped down to his as the name registered.

“Yes, m’lord,” Carla said. Spinning on her heel, she marched towards the door, people moving out of her way as she went.

Reaching into his lap, he grasped Valeria's hand and pulled her to her feet as he stood up, dragging her out of the hall.

Well, time to find out what she really wants.

I wonder if I have a dungeon in the mansion?

Chapter 8

“Drat, one second. I need my coat,” Valeria said, brushing her hand against Alex’s forearm.

Alex gave her a tight smile and stood next to his coach, watching her dart back inside.

“Two, as soon as we have her alone in my room, I want you to get something around her neck.

“Preferably something that’ll keep her from doing anything, and without harming her,” Alex said.

“Are you sure about this? What if she really just wants you to mount her like a cat in heat?”

“Yeah, the moment we’re alone. Do it.”

“And what exactly did you have in mind for me to use, by the way? I mostly just kill people.”

“Something firm. Pretty solid. A broom. Spear. Rolling pin, I dunno. Something you can get up under her throat to cut the blood-flow from her brain while I disarm her.”

“Fine. I’m going to put on my brigandine first. Just in case she goes to stab me.”

Alex didn’t respond. It’d be awkward if they were talking when Valeria finally returned.

When it was taking longer than it should, Alex turned and got into the carriage.

“Whatever, let’s get out of here, Two. I’m not waiting.”

No sooner had the door to the carriage shut behind him that he heard someone calling out.

Several heartbeats later, the door opened and Valeria got in.

She was dressed as she had been previously, but with a pale green coat wrapped around her shoulders.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, taking a seat next to him in the coach. “A friend spotted me and was trying to find out what was going on. I had to get rid of them first.”

“Nothing problematic, I hope?” Alex asked.

“Not in the least. Now… where were we?”

Her hand slipped down between his legs again. Her fingers immediately pressed into his shaft and started to massage him.

The ride back to the mansion was blessedly swift. Though not fast enough by half. By the time they rolled up to the house, Alex swore he was drowning in his need.

Getting out of the coach, he nearly stumbled.

She’d affected him far more than he’d ever like to admit. And she seemed determined to get him as riled up as possible.

Leading her quickly by the hand into the manse, she said not a word. It wasn’t until he’d gotten her in the middle of his bedroom that he heard anything out of her.

“My, it’s certainly far more charming than I’d expected,” Valeria said. “With how often people spoke of your escapades in Brit, I half expected mirrors.”

Her eyes quickly scanned the room before settling on the bed. She dropped her coat on the ground as she made her way over to it.

“Ah, just what I was hoping to find,” she murmured, sitting on the edge of it.

“What a coincidence, I found what I was looking for too,” Alex said, coming around the other side and gesturing to Valeria and the bed. “And just where I’d hoped to find it.”

Valeria turned to follow him with her head.

Slowly moving to the head of the bed, he smiled at her. Trying to stall for time and keep her interested, he slid atop the bed and, after a moment, patted the spot directly in front of him.

Every movement he'd taken so far was to put her back to the door and drag it all out.

Giving him a predatory smile, she shifted forward to the middle of the bed.

Carla had returned in her brigandine by this point. Somehow managing to do it in a record time.

In fact, she’d already started to creep up behind the woman without making a noise. The ex-bandit was indeed stealthy when she chose to be.

Then she shot forward with a steel battle mace that passed in front of Valeria’s face and then came up under her chin.

Valeria’s eyes flashed in alarm, and then something else as Carla pulled her up off the bed and onto her tip-toes.

Her cheeks turned a faint pink, her hands coming up to pull at the cold steel pressing against her throat.

Alex could hear her choking, her feet scrabbling at the floor.

“Good work, Two. Try not to hurt her. Just in case. Don’t let her move, though.”

“Not-a-problem. This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this,” Carla said.

Every time Valeria moved in any way, Carla pulled up on the mace, bringing a quick end to anything other than standing still.

Getting up off the bed, Alex quickly went and checked Valeria’s jacket. There wasn’t anything in it.

Coming back in front of Valeria, he eyed her dress.

For her part, Valeria watched him. Her eyes were hard and her fingers tight on the mace. He doubted she'd be able to do anything if Carla decided for her to go nighty-night, but she seemed poised to try.

The dress was practically form fitting, and definitely hugged Valeria rather tightly, but Alex figured she probably had enough room to hide something in her ample bust.

As he looked her over, he noticed her nipples had grown hard. Poking out through her dress as she watched him eying her.

Either she’s cold, or she’s really into this situation and thinks it’s sex play.

“There’s really only a couple places to hide something. Keep her steady,” Alex said.

Carla grunted and pulled on her mace, taking Valeria up to the point where only the tips of her feet were on the ground. “You hear that? Hands up here with me or I pull hard enough to break your jaw till you pass out. Then I have to spend the night digging your grave. So do me a favor and let him do what he wants.”

Valeria grunted out something and Alex tuned it out, her eyes still watching him.

Reaching up to her shoulders, he unfastened her dress and slid it down to her waist.

Her large breasts poured out of the top, her nipples very clearly erect in the lamp light.

Inspecting the cups of the dress, he didn’t find anything.

Carefully, he slid his fingers under each breast and still found nothing.

Only leaves a few places. God, I hope there’s something there.

Otherwise, this night went to a strange place and Carla really will be digging a grave, probably.

Pulling at the dress, Alex guided it past Valeria’s hips and down to the ground.

There was nothing strapped to her thighs, nor any underwear.

Reaching up between Valeria’s knees, Alex gently felt around, looking for anything hidden in there.

He heard a soft, guttural moan from Valeria at his touch, her knees spreading apart despite her inability to stand upright.

Is she a sexual masochist? She’s into me using her like this?

Last chance. Let’s hope we're in a very strange world and we find something.

Alex pushed his hand up between her thighs and into her privates.

They were warm and quite moist. His touch seemingly prompted a shiver and another moan from Valeria.

Carefully, he slipped two fingers up into her slit without warning.

Valeria froze, caught by surprise. He imagined she hadn’t expected him to actually push in.

Her legs came together around his wrist quickly and her body started to squirm to one side.

Carla cut that off immediately by pulling upward, practically dragging the smaller woman into the air.

Pulling her back to the front, Carla steadied the other woman.

Alex started to wiggle his fingers into her again.

Then he felt something.

It was extremely firm and had no business being in a woman’s nethers.

Pressing his fingers to it from inside her, he got a hold of it and pulled.

Held between his two fingers was a very thin push dagger, no longer than two inches in length. The edges of the blade were covered by a thin sheath of wood tied in place with thread.

Holy shit. Is this what she was doing while we were waiting? She thought she’d be searched and so she put it here?

That’s insane and impressive at the same time.

Valeria was squirming now, her fingers flexing around the mace and her feet trying to find any purchase at all.

Each and every movement was restricted by the much more muscular Carla, preventing Valeria from doing much.

“Guess I got my answer. She wasn’t that into me,” Alex said ruefully.

“Alright, Two. Let’s see what she knows. I’m going to find Rudolph and see about converting a dungeon. You got her for the moment?”

“Oh sure,” Carla growled out, wrangling Valeria around with the mace. “Don’t mind me. I’m just having a dance with her, I guess.”

Alex managed to track Rudolph down rather quickly and explained everything to him.

The man caught on and set to work.

It only took him the better part of half an hour to not only create a dungeon, but one that’d do perfectly for Alex's needs.

He’d converted an entire wing of a wine cellar that saw little use. Now it would be able to hold and house six prisoners without a concern.

He’d even converted the doors to have smaller inset doors at the tops and bottoms, respectively for watching prisoner and trading things back and forth.

Far more flexible than I thought, that Rudolph.

Carla shoved Valeria into the impromptu cell and followed her in, her mace held loosely but ready in her hand.

“Go ahead and try somethin’ little girl. I’ll knock your head open faster than you think it could be,” Carla threatened.

Valeria stumbled up against the back stone wall and pressed a hand to her neck.

She stood in a peasant smock and little else. Her green dress and jacket had been set aside.

A red discoloration had appeared across her throat where Carla had been holding her.

Keeping a hand to her neck, she looked from Carla to Alex.

“Suppose this is the part where you rape me, let your guards have a go, then kill me after you get what you want?” she said, a bitter smile crossing her face.

“Amazingly, no. Though you’re the second person to suggest that,” Alex said, sitting down on the clean, simple cot that’d been brought into the room.

All in all, it was a near-identical setup to the one back in Brit.

Though a bit cooler and far more dungeon-y than the other.

“And who was the first?” Valeria asked.

Alex smiled and pointed at Carla. “She was. Apparently, she was a bandit of some renown. She works for me now; don’t you, Two?”

“Hush or I’ll break your head open first.”

“Uh huh. Anyways, enough about Two; what about you? Tell me about yourself.”

“What’s there to know?” Valeria asked warily, moving towards the corner of the room furthest from Alex and Carla.

“Your name, for one. Is it actually Valeria?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. And are you actually a noble?”

“I was.”

“Ah. Family fall on hard times then?”

“Does that matter?”

“A little. Your manners, vocabulary, and the way you carry yourself speak to an educated background. Though your forwardness at the table was certainly at odds to that.”

“Yes… I was given an education, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“And how did you end up playing the would-be pillow assassin?”

Valeria didn’t answer that. She got down into a ball into the corner, laying her forearms across her knees and balling up.

“Alright. We’ll skip that for now. How about who you’re working for?”

Again, Valeria said nothing.

“Could you at least tell me what your plans were? I can only assume you meant to kill me, based on what I found. Only you can answer that, though.”

Valeria laid her head against the stone wall and watched him, unspeaking.

“I see. Alright, well. We can try again tomorrow. You’ll not be leaving this cell, obviously. I’m also invoking my right as a count to have you tried for your crimes on my person, by my person,” Alex said, standing up. “I’ll be holding you in custody until such a time as we return to Brit and I can formally prosecute you.”

“What?” Valeria asked, her eyes narrowing, her head coming up off the wall.

“I’m going to try you. Hold a fair court, and then probably hang you. Will be a month or two at least, though.

“If you suddenly decide you want to talk to me, feel free to let the guard know. I’ll come ‘round and we can chat.

“Oh, another topic we could chat about is your accommodations. I have an interesting view on such things.”

Alex waved at her, and then left.

Carla followed him out, closing the solid wooden banded door behind her and locking it.

Alex motioned for the guard and Carla to follow him to the end of the cell block, where Rudolph was waiting.

Addressing the guard, Alex pointed a finger at the man and looked at Rudolph

“I’m trusting my prisoners to you. I’ll need one guard during the day, and another guard at night.

“I’ll have their oaths, and yours Rudolph, on the following. You will not speak to the prisoners. You will not touch the prisoners. You will not let the prisoners touch you, and you will not open the door under any circumstances whatsoever.

“If you need to look into the cell, you open the watch door. That’s it. The only thing that goes in to her is when you give her food and water. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord. What about the waste?” asked the guard.

“That comes out through the bottom door at the end of the day. A servant will collect it. The door never opens.

“Now swear that.”

“I swear it on my oath, my lord,” said the first guard.

“I do so swear,” Rudolph said.

Satisfied, Alex nodded and left the dungeon.

He needed sleep and to vent some demons. Valeria had keyed him up way too much.

Part of him regretted that he hadn’t gotten a crack at her.

She really had been right in his strike zone.

***

“My lord,” Walter said, getting Alex’s attention. “I was able to put together a ball of sorts for ourselves. I’ve only invited those I feel would be worthwhile to you, our county, or our political cause.

“It’s more a series of interviews and meetings than a ball, but you’re the only bachelor, and everyone else will be entertained, wined, and dined while they wait their turn.”

Alex sighed and only nodded his head.

Interviews? For marriage? Such a strange thing.

It’d been a few days since he’d captured Valeria. No one had said or done anything about her from an ownership point of view. It meant she’d been cut loose and disavowed.

Effectively, she was his prisoner under a death sentence. No one was coming for her.

I could use that against her. I should visit her.

“Is that not to your liking?” Walter asked, his tone much softer.

“It’s very much to my liking. I just don’t like that we’re being forced into this.

“Good work, Walter. Put the list on my desk. I’m going to go for a walk,” Alex said.

Walter gave him a sad smile and bobbed his head once.

Leaving his study, he set off for the dungeon. Carla fell in behind him without a word.

She hadn’t seemed as tense lately, at times almost managing to be friendly with him.

“Gonna fuck her?” Carla asked.

“No. But I’m finally going to offer her a few deals.”

“Will fucking her be part of it?”

“Maybe. Why, are you jealous? Would you like me to make you a deal that involves you bending over my desk again? Do you long for the feel of—”

“Close that foul moth of yours before you attract flies with it.”

Alex put on his neutral face for Carla and kept on moving.

She’s adapting fairly well. Harder to maintain the power with her. The control is difficult. Probably due to her being present so often around me.

Need to start thinking of a few offers to throw her.

Like maybe hiring another personal bodyguard so she gets days off? Or gets more than a couple hours of sleep every day.

We’ll do that.

The guard at the door to the dungeon opened it without a word for Alex.

Stepping inside, he found another guard standing in the corner.

“My lord,” said the guard.

“She say or do anything?”

“No, my lord. Quiet as a church mouse.”

Alex nodded his head. He hadn’t expected anything different.

Moving over to Valeria’s door, he looked to the guard.

“Open it up. Two, you go in first and make sure she’s nice and calm.”

Carla wrinkled her nose but pulled her mace clear from its ring on her hip. She unfastened the small shield she kept on the other hip and belted it around her forearm.

The guard unlocked and opened the door for Carla, who stepped in with her shield up and mace ready.

“Sit down in the bed,” Carla commanded. “Good, now stay there.”

Alex took that as his cue and entered the cell, pulling the door shut behind him.

Valeria looked none the worse for wear, though considerably dirtier, with her hair a wild and tangled mess.

“Come to finally rape me then?” Valeria asked, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging her legs.

“No. Besides, you look filthy. If I wanted to hump dirt I could go outside.

“No, I’ve come for something else today. I want to make you a deal,” Alex said, coming closer to her.

Valeria shook her head and rested her chin on her knees.

“I know. You probably can’t speak about your previous employer. And that’s alright. Whoever it was gave you up to your fate. No one has contacted me about your release. Even though I had Rudolph put word out that we’d captured someone on the property.

“I mean, if you think about it, we gave your employer a very easy opportunity to claim you. Pay a fine, maybe, and collect you.

“They did not.”

Valeria’s mouth became a flat line, her eyes glittering dangerously as she glared up at him.

“That more or less makes you mine to do with as I please. I’m, as of yet, undecided on what to do with you.

“So, while I make my choice, I figured it might be fun to make a deal or two with you.”

Valeria’s brow twitched before she schooled her face to neutrality.

She was a trained assassin that relied on her acting and ability to get in close. One that probably studied politics and people.

He could use her.

He just had to figure out how to break her, first.

“What kind of deal?” she asked after a pause.

And there’s our starting point.

Alex smiled, and began to explain the oath of secrecy, the rules of the game, and all the ways things could go.

Chapter 9

“And I can say no? No repercussions?” Valeria asked again.

She seemed quite hung up on that point.

Alex nodded his head, barely keeping a handle on his calm. “None.”

Valeria chewed on that for a while, again. They’d been down here with her for quite some time now.

Carla sighed, her patience wearing thing.

“It’s alright, Two,” Alex said soothingly. He moved over to stand beside her and lightly patted her back.

In a much lower tone, he whispered for her ear alone.

“You’re doing very well, Two. Very good. I appreciate all that you do. Let’s talk about a reward after this, alright? Maybe a day off. A special meal. Something special just for you. Ok?”

Carla glanced at him, her eyes angry.

“I promise. I mean it. You’re doing good, Two,” Alex said, gently rubbing the spot between her her shoulders. “You’ve done so well that you’re owed something nice.”

“Yeah?” she asked after a beat.

“Yeah. So, calm down. Let me deal with her, and we’ll go get you something. On me. Ok? No deal or anything like that.”

“Ok… thank you,” Carla murmured, the anger in her eyes dying out.

Turning to Valeria, he smiled.

“Do forgive Two. She’s doing her job and is very good at it,” Alex said, not stopping in his petting of the ex-bandit.

“Yes… she’s a good attack dog,” Valeria said with a sneer.

“Now, that’s uncalled for,” Alex said before Carla could respond. “I think I’ll punish you for that behavior, though I’m not sure how yet.

“First, do you wish to deal? Time is up.”

A smirk spread across Carla’s face at Alex’s remark about punishing Valeria.

“Yes. I’ll deal. Though I’m sure you’ll just want me to bend over and grab my ankles for every ‘deal,’ as they are.”

“Hardly. First… how’s your food?”

Valeria tilted her head to one side, regarding him.

“Barely enough. If I were doing any sort of training, I’d be wasting away,” she grumbled.

“How about I start by providing you a meal equivalent to what we could get at an inn? And before you get lost in semantics, I’ll specify my point,” Alex said. “A meal that could be purchased at a reasonable middle-class inn here in the capital, with nothing hidden or missing.”

The assassin said nothing.

“Would you be interested in that?” Alex pressed.

“Yes… but… what price would you ask?”

He’d thought on her personality for a while. Or at least what he’d observed of her personality, since he didn’t know much.

He’d have to win her over through his deals, twist her into looking forward to his arrivals.

With Riley, it would be kindness and compliments. She was more a question of time than intent.

With Sylvia, if he could manage to trap her, it would be by playing to her desire for a game. A challenge.

Only to outplay her into a permanent position.

Carla he would need to simply batter into submission until she didn’t fight anymore. Through patience and without anger, with a hint of kindness.

But Valeria… was different. And Alex wanted to test his theory about her.

“I’d get to spank you several times on your ass, as hard as I like, with my hand, for every meal you consume. Though you’d dictate the frequency of your meals.

“If you wanted five meals in one day, you’d get five meals. But I’d get to turn your ass red with fifteen swats when I like, as I like. With my hand, of course.”

Alex hadn’t stopped petting Carla the entire time, stroking her neck and shoulders in a calming fashion.

He did focus in on Valeria as he spoke, though. This was his gateway into her mind if she accepted it.

She might hem, haw, or bicker, but if she accepted it, then he knew he had her pegged.

You’re a masochist, my little Valeria. You enjoy pain, because otherwise you’re empty.

It lets you feel. Feel something, anything. You’re a void of emptiness, aren’t you?

Nothing is completely real unless you’re in pain. It reaffirms you.

You need a firm, cruel hand to guide you.

Valeria blinked, then put on an act of looking annoyed.

Alex knew what to look for. He saw the momentary widening of her eyes. Her breath catching for the barest of seconds. Her fingers clenching into her arms.

He doubted anyone else would have interpreted it as complete interest, though.

“Three? That seems… abusive. Especially if I don’t get a say in how hard…” Valeria said.

“You have two options. Agree and swear it on your oath, or say no and I leave. No harm, no foul.”

“Fine, I agree. And I’d like a meal immediately,” Valeria said, letting her legs hang over the edge of her bed. “I’m starving.”

“I hoped you’d agree. I have a meal just so ready.

“Now… how about you turn around and bend over for me? I’ll take my three and leave you to your meal.”

Valeria blushed a deep, dark red—similar to embarrassment but he’d bet on it being excitement—and slowly stood up. She turned around, placed her hands on the bed, and bent over for him.

Reaching behind with one hand, she pulled the tunic up until her rear end was completely exposed.

In doing so, she exposed her nether region to him completely, her slim nature making it quite visible.

It was delicate looking, and her skin was starting to unmistakably flush red.

Valeria wasn’t looking at him, though, but facing the wall. He imagined she was doing her best to hide whatever emotion was on her face.

And there’s our gateway. I look forward to turning you and having you work for me, my little pain jockey.

***

Alex smiled at the pretty woman across from him.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t think I could do that,” she said.

“Understandable. I do appreciate you coming, though. Please, enjoy yourself out there, meet some people, or if you like, feel free to head home.

“Whatever you’re comfortable with, of course,” Alex said.

She ducked her head and left the well-furnished interviewing room without another word.

Carla sighed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“They’re all so prissy. It’s not like you’re asking them to fuck every guard in your employ.”

“They’re noble women, Two. Finding someone willing to bend herself to my whims and yet remain intelligent enough to be useful, while also being politically convenient, is a bit tough.

“We’ll see what happens, though. Lots more women to talk to. I’m sure we’ll find one I can deal with, work with.”

Carla sighed, then lifted her mace up out of the loop and let it fall back down.

“Whatever. So long as you’re banging them and not trying to bed me.”

“All you have to do is ask and I’d be happy to bend you over a desk, Two. You don’t need to play coy about it. You were pretty great.”

“You wish, Master. You wish.”

“Uh huh. Speaking of wishes, I’d like to offer you a deal. I’ve been thinking that maybe we need to hire someone else to partner with you. Give you a chance to take breaks, use the bathroom, sleep more than a few hours here and there. A day off.”

“Nnnngh. Would be nice. So far it hasn’t been too hard protecting you, but… that can’t last. You’re too much of an ass.”

“Yep. I wasn’t sure on what to assign as a price, though. I mean, would it be worth sleeping with me once a week to get two days a week off?”

“What?” Carla growled, her hot glare landing on him.

“Two days off a week to spend a night with me? It wasn’t that bad, was it? I thought you were great. I’m eager to have another go at you,” Alex said, smiling up at her.

The month had ended the other day, and his crystal was as clear as glass.

Last time it’d turned black from Carla. He imagined this deal might just turn it solid black again.

“You’re an asshole. Why are you so intent on turning me into your private whore? Can’t you offer me something more reasonable?”

“I don’t want to turn you into my private whore; I want to have sex with you.

“Let’s be honest. There are few women I can sleep with who wouldn’t put designs on me. I could go seek out a professional, but that comes with its own risks.

“Then there’s you. The lovely and charming ex-bandit personal bodyguard.

“Why not press to have you in my bed more often?”

Carla looked like she was considering bashing his head in with her mace.

He knew she was tired, though. Knew she was already starting to fray at the ends.

She needed time off and some down time, or she was going to break. If she did, she had no way of knowing what he’d do to her.

Half of her anger was more than likely at the fear of not knowing the outcome.

Offering her an out for something she’d already paid with once might be palatable.

“I want you to wipe out my debt to you. And start paying me regularly for my salary. That and the two days off.”

“And you’ll have sex with me once a week?”

“Still going to buy me Mother’s Bane?”

Alex weighed the deal in his head. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a perversion of her morals.

He’d also made no mention of hiring another person, only giving her time off.

“Fine. I’ll swear to that. Two days off, you spend a night in my bed each week, I wipe out your debt and start your salary, and keep buying you Mother’s Bane.”

“Done, I’ll swear to that.”

“I agree, and swear as well.”

The original oath on Leah’s name was enacted and settled.

“So, when do we hire another guard?” Carla asked, smiling at him.

“About that—I never said anything about hiring another guard. Only about giving you two days off. We can talk about another guard later, and what you’d be willing to pay with.

“Did you know your mouth is rather pretty, Two?” Alex said innocently.

“Ah, our next interviewee is coming,” he said, dismissing her before she could react.

Carla let out a strangled grunt, leaning towards him menacingly.

She was a cold-blooded killer of innocents. A woman who took lives for coin and thought nothing of it.

He’d have to batter her down relentlessly if he wanted to own her completely. She’d seek out any weakness he gave her and press it.

If she’d simply taken his original offer and not pressed for the gold and Mother’s Bane, he’d have been kinder.

Gotta crush any type of independence.

A young woman with an impressive bust walked into the room. Her hourglass figure obvious, it was easy to see she would only get prettier, since she looked as if she’d just hit eighteen.

She was dressed rather simply in soft brown and had a sweet smile on her face.

Brown curls tumbled down over her shoulders. And her clear brown eyes looked… partially empty, fastened to him. She scurried over to him, bouncing the entire way.

Another idiot. Great.

“Oh, you’re rather handsome,” the woman said, leaning across the table and touching his face with delicate fingers. “I had no idea.”

Her smile became a wide grin as she sat down in the chair across from him.

“Ah… Anna?” Alex asked, glancing down at his paperwork. “Anna Ules? Branch family to a count?”

“That’s me!” Anna said excitedly.

“Before we begin, I’d like you to swear an oath of secrecy.”

Anna nodded her head.

Whatever. Let’s just dive in. She’ll leave quick and I can move on.

“On Leah’s name, on pain of your life and soul, that you’ll protect my secrets,” Alex said.

“Ok. I swear on Leah’s name to keep your secrets or lose my life and soul.

“Now what? Are we engaged?” Anna asked.

Alex opened his mouth and closed it once.

“Uh… it doesn’t have a dowry listed here—”

“That’s easy. Daddy is paying ten-thousand gold to whoever my husband is. He didn’t want it on the paper though because he said paper has a habit of leaving trails.

“It’d be held in trust for my own expenses, but I could share with you. You have a nice smile.”

What in the high hells…

“Errr… I’ll make this easy, Anna. I’m not a good person, and I do bad things.”

“So does Daddy. What do you do?”

“I made the woman next to me sleep with me to get a day off.”

“Oh? That’s nice that you gave her a day off.”

“I came inside of her when I was done with her.”

“Did you help her clean up after? I hear men are messy with their stuff. I’ve never been with a man in any way, so I wouldn’t know. I usually have escorts with me. Though they said I could come in here by myself.

“Which was odd, but I’m happy about it.”

Pausing for a beat, he wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to respond to her question.

“I have two women locked in my dungeon that I’m planning to turn into sex slaves and make work for me.”

“That’s nice of you to give them jobs. Daddy was saying unemployment is going up and it’s affecting business.”

Alex was completely dumbfounded.

“If I told you to stab the woman next to me, what would you do?”

“Stab her. Then see if I could help her, I think. She looks pretty, and you didn’t say to kill her after all. Especially since you’re using her for your sexual needs.”

“Alright… ah… Anna… I think. I think I’ve heard enough.”

“Great! When can we get married? It’ll be nice to get away from Daddy. He’s too domineering,” Anna said, pouting.

“I’ll… have my people contact you for a follow up… meeting.”

“Great! Bye dear!” Anna said, standing up.

She quickly leaned over the table and kissed him on the cheek. Bouncing out of the room in the same way she arrived, Anna left him there.

“Uh… I think I’d marry her myself if she’s always that upbeat about everything,” Carla said. “She said I was pretty.”

“Well. She definitely… had that going for her. And yeah, you’re attractive, Two.

“Ok, I guess… we wait for the next one?”

Before he could worry about how long that’d take, the door opened again and a woman walked in.

The first thing he noticed was how tall she was. Her build was athletic, and an aura of power came from her.

Short blond hair framed a delicate, oval-shaped face with cold blue eyes.

She gave him a predatory smile and sauntered up to him.

“Hello. I’m Eugenia McDermot. Daughter to the Baron McDermot,” she said, taking the seat across from him without being invited to do so.

“Ah. A pleasure to meet you, Lady McDermot. I’m—”

“Alex Brit, Count of Brit. Sponsored by the king, unbound and unattached.

“No children, bastard or otherwise,” she paused, as if ticking things off a list. “And your county is trending towards becoming extremely wealthy due to a series of recent changes in tax, import, and export law. Some of which I admit I had not expected to work.”

Blinking, Alex laid the quill down into the holder and looked at her. Truly looked at her.

She was dressed immaculately, everything about her put in place.

On top of that, she’d clearly taken the time to figure him out to a T, even going so far as to study his recent changes.

Which makes her desperate or dangerous.

“I see you’ve done your homework. Extensively,” Alex said after letting the silence grow for a few more seconds.

“Indeed. Even going so far as to know your bodyguard there is a recent addition, and actually had a fairly high bounty on her head. Which you paid off anonymously through a third party.

“You’re a bit of an enigma. I enjoy solving them.”

And that would be a red flag we can’t have. I can’t imagine her swearing her soul away on secrecy.

Though…

“I’ll simply list my own qualities for you so we can move to the next phase. I have no dowry, as my father has bankrupted our lands. And though we’re of a lower title than a count, I do believe our barony is worthy amongst its peers.

“I need not comment on my looks, as you’ve seen them, and I do believe I’ve demonstrated my intelligence already as well. Or at least, my ability to use my intelligence to prepare myself for a situation.

“Beyond that… I can read, write, sing, dance, use arithmetic, and know three languages. I do believe I’d be an asset to any man.”

Ok… that’s… yeah. Desperation and danger all in one.

Leaning back, Alex gave her a wide and appreciative smile.

“You’re right. You are. I’ll be honest though; you might be more than I can handle.

“What if I asked you to swear yourself to secrecy? On pain of death and suffering? Losing your soul? That you might have to keep secrets dark enough that you’d be sickened, with your morals being sold?” Alex asked.

Eugenia’s pretty mouth thinned as her mind turned inward.

“Think on that. I’m going to definitely put you down to have another meeting with, though, if only to enjoy your company.

“Would that be alright?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. That’d be acceptable. Thank you for your time, Count Brit,” Eugenia said. She got up and glided out of the room without another word.

“Shit,” Carla said after the door closed. “A real beauty in mind and body there, but I think she’d carve out our secrets faster than a drunk finishing a bottle.”

“I think you’re right. I’ll keep her close though. Worst case, I pick her up and stick a secrecy oath in as part of the marriage vows. She can take it or leave it. She needs money for her father.

“All depends on how far she’ll broker herself.”

Carla opened her mouth, then shut it as the door creaked open.

A young woman of average height peeked in.

Dark-brown hair, bordering on black, spilled across one shoulder when she turned her head to find Alex sitting at the desk.

She’s… Asian?

Canted eyes, dark almost to the point of being simply black, watched him for a second before she stepped into the room.

“Ahhh… I am…” she began, then stopped abruptly with a jump as the door shut beside her.

She was dressed in a red dress that covered her up modestly but didn’t hide that she had some figure.

Not as much as Anna or Riley, but she wasn’t flat or lacking.

Alex grinned and then held a hand out towards the seat across from him.

“Why don’t you take a seat? I’m Alex. Alex Brit.”

She gave him a small smile and came to take the seat he’d indicated.

“I’m Holly. Holly Lin,” she said, her hands dipping down beneath the desk towards her lap.

“I wonder if you cou—”

“I’m here because I choose to be,” she said interrupting him. “Not because I need to be, but…” She paused to look at Carla, then back to him. “I… I have things that I must do for my family, and one of those is marry into a higher-ranking family.

“I am not the firstborn daughter, nor the second or third. I must be married off to secure position, rather than alliances.

“We are a very small barony in the east. We have potential, but we also have needs.”

Huh. Doesn’t seem desperate, but she wants to make a match that fits her.

Or so I think.

“Well, aren’t you direct?” Alex said, leaning back in his chair.

“I do not think it would be good to deceive you this early. No good would come of trying to commit to a poor contract with lies.”

“That’s certainly fair. Let’s turn this around then. Why should I take you, Holly? You say you don’t need to be here… but there are certainly a number of women who do.

“Why you, and not them?”

Holly thought on that, her nose scrunching up and her brow furrowing.

“Because I will do what is asked of me as your wife. I know my place, and position. I would barter myself for you to support my family.”

Oh? This might work out to my benefit, then. I could use her as a source of contract power at the same time, couldn’t I? Get her to slowly swear to things as time goes on?

Or everything in one go.

Let’s… test it.

Alex gave her a feral smile and leaned forward.

“Are you sure about that?” he asked.

Chapter 10

“Yes. I am sure,” Holly said, her pale shoulders straightening.

“Well, let’s test that then a bit. I’m not a great person. I do what I must.

“That means you’ll end up privy to a number of secrets as my wife. Would you swear an oath to secrecy as if you were nothing more than one of my people?”

“I would,” Holly said immediately, nodding her head.

“Then please do so. On Leah’s name, no less. On pain of death and losing your soul. For the secrecy of anything I tell you in this room today, and anything that happens in this room today.

“In return, I’ll swear an oath that nothing untoward will happen to you in this room today.”

Holly blinked, her eyes unfocusing as she stared through his head.

“Then I do so swear. On Leah’s name for the secrecy of what’s said in this room, and done in this room. On pain of death, and the loss of my soul.”

Alright. She’s willing to wade a little bit out into the water… let’s see how deep she’ll go.

“First… I have a dungeon that I’m slowly filling with women. Women I’m turning into personal sex slaves, pawns, or… well, tools. I plan on having them serve me till they die, and I plan on expanding their number significantly.

“What do you think about that?”

Holly’s mouth opened, her tongue touching the front of her teeth.

“I think that sounds like a lot of work, and you could use a helper. Or someone to manage the house while you take care of your business.”

“That’s certainly a good answer. So, if I cornered my local nobility into giving up their daughters in trades, and turned them into whatever I wanted, you’d have no qualms?”

“No, so long as you continued to support my family and my needs.”

Alex nodded to that. It was definitely an answer he appreciated as well.

He’d need to dig into the details on what support she needed later.

“If I had you put in a cell with them to find out what they wanted… What made them tick. Their needs.

“You’d do so? Betray them to me, so I could turn them inside out into bed pillows for my own needs?”

“Yes, if that’s what you needed of me.”

“As an example of what I mean, Two here,” Alex said, hooking a thumb at Carla. “Is my bodyguard and personal bed warmer. Once a week it’s in my domain to plow her into a bed and fill her up. For now.

“Thoughts?”

Holly’s eyes flicked to Carla and then back.

“I would hope you’ve purchased her Mother’s Bane, as I would prefer not to worry about bastards of my husband running around.”

Alex smiled at her wolfishly, deciding to close the trap and see how far she’d go for this.

“Yes, I’m supplying her with all the Mother’s Bane she can eat.

“Let’s take this a step further though. If I decided I wanted to splay my dear Two apart wherever we were,” Alex said, patting Carla on the rear end, then giving it a firm squeeze. “And fill her up to the brim with my seed, then make you chow down on her until you fish it all out with your tongue, what’d be your response?”

Holly sighed as her face took on a pained expression. Then she gave him a bitter smile.

“I suppose I’d be eating out your servant until I was done.”

Desperate indeed. Let’s push it further.

“What if I told you that’s how you’d be able to get to the next interview? And there’d still be no guarantee I’d marry you.”

Holly seemed to stop breathing, her eyes floating from Alex to Carla and back again.

“Would this count as your one time this week?” Carla asked, getting his attention. She was clearly looking for her own angle in this exchange.

“Hm? Yeah. It’d count,” Alex confirmed.

“Tch. Do you have to cum in me again? I leaked for days last time.”

“That I do. Part of the fun. Filling you up to bursting is something I really enjoyed.”

Holly cleared her throat, getting his and Carla’s attention. She held up a single finger.

“You wouldn’t mount me during this exchange? My maidenhead would be intact? You wouldn’t touch me in any way, Alex? I see no reason to give you that if you’ll not be my husband.”

“Ah, yeah. You’d keep your maidenhead, I’d not touch you in a sexual way,” Alex confirmed.

Holly nodded her head slowly. She was very clearly torn on this, but he imagined he himself was the only significant possibility to help her family.

“Then I suppose you better hurry up and get to it. The interviews don’t have time limits, but it’d be circumspect if we took too long,” Holly said, her tone sounding resigned.

Alex knew his crystal wasn’t full. And this might just be a deal that could push him along.

“Alright. Let’s make this official then.

“I’m going to mount Two and fill her up with my seed. You, Holly, need to get it out and eat it up. I’m not going to touch you during the exchange, but I’m sure as hell going to watch.

“For this deal, I’d move you to the next interview round and earnestly consider you as my wife.

“On Leah’s name,” Alex said, closing the oath for himself.

Holly took a deep, shuddering breath.

“I agree to the terms, as you’ve listed them, on Leah’s name,” she said. “Heavens help me.”

“Great. Go lock the door, Holly,” Alex said, standing up. Pulling the tongue of his belt out, he started to work his pants off. “Drop your trousers and hop up on the table, Two. Time for you to earn your keep.”

“My keep isn’t earned on my back. You hired me to keep your narrow ass safe,” Carla said. She unhooked her weaponry and shield and set it down on the ground.

Grumbling, she started to work on her belt.

“Today, that nice ass of yours is earning your keep. So put it on the table, get on your back, and spread those legs for me.

“I was looking forward to this,” Alex said. He didn’t want to antagonize her, but in the same breath, he had to keep her shame about the situation up to a degree.

Otherwise she’d be no value in the trades.

“What?” Carla asked, the annoyance and anger clear in her voice. Her pants hit the ground with a clank of her belt buckle.

All she had left on was her leather armor and the padding under that.

“I was looking forward to this. Having you. I wasn’t teasing when I said you felt great.”

Alex stood in front of the table and patted it.

“Come along, Two,” he said, smiling at Carla.

“The door is locked,” Holly said, rejoining them.

Carla complained under her breath as she got up on the table. Shimmying around, she got to the point where her bottom was at the edge.

“First a desk, now a table,” she said.

Alex shrugged his shoulders and stepped up between her legs. Reaching, up he started to unstrap her leather armor.

“Maybe you’ll get a bed next time. Or maybe I’ll give it to you in the coach with the new wife watching.

“Dunno yet,” Alex said.

Carla fended his hands off gently.

“Stop it. Just hurry up. We have work to do today after this.”

“Fine, next time I’ll get you properly undressed,” Alex said. “I’d love to devour you with my eyes again.”

Pressing a hand to her shoulder, he pushed her down to the table.

Carla folded her legs, pointing her knees to the ceiling, and spread her legs, settling onto the table.

Taking a peek down, Alex didn’t miss that her entrance was wet and glistening.

You’re getting warped, aren’t you, Two? Getting forced into the shape I want. Excited about being used in front of another woman and having her eat you out.

We’ll need to fix up your clothes and hair soon. Get your collar and tag.

Not far off, though.

Taking a hold of his girth in his left hand, he reached up with his other hand and gently caressed Carla’s hip.

She didn’t flinch away at his touch this time, either.

Content that she wasn’t against this, he pressed the tip into her and took a better stance.

Laying his left hand on her other hip, he took hold of her.

Leaning forward, he sank himself into her depths.

Without any resistance at all.

Carla closed her eyes, her lips pressing together.

She looks like she’s actually rather into it, and doing her best to hide it. Or to stop herself from enjoying it.

We can use that.

Reaching the hilt, he ground himself against her hood and lips. He felt her insides twitch, even as her fingers curled into her palms.

Pressing his hands tight to her sides, Alex started to pull himself back and then forward into her again.

Pushing himself up into her hips, Alex slid in and out of Carla smoothly. His hands holding tightly to her.

He upped his speed and force with each consecutive entry. All the while, he watched Carla intently. Trying to gauge her reaction.

Her cheeks were flushed now, and her breathing had changed on a subtle level.

Finding a good rhythm and burying himself into Carla with each forceful thrust, he looked up to Holly.

She was watching the space between himself and Carla intently.

Then her eyes flicked up to Alex.

He gave her a predatory grin, then deliberately slid his eyes down her body and back up.

Holly stood up straighter, her face turning a deep, dark red.

Looking back to Carla, Alex sped up. Pounding himself into Carla’s legs and deep inside her.

He wanted to see Holly pushed up between Carla’s thighs.

Imperceptibly, to the point that he doubted his hearing, he could hear tiny grunts and moans coming from Carla. Punctuating each of his thrusts.

“Get ready, Holly,” Alex said. “Go ahead and crawl under us so you can take over when I’m done with this beauty here.”

Carla’s eyes slid open. They were a little out of it, he thought, but she was mostly there. She was watching him.

From what he could see, she was enjoying this now.

Grinning at her obvious pleasure—despite her claims otherwise—Alex pumped hard and fast into her, his shaft spasming as he started to peak.

Grunting, and pushing himself up against her to drive himself as deep as he could, Alex ground down on Carla’s hips.

With each spurt, he pushed into her roughly. Unwilling to pull away until he was completely done, he held tight to Carla.

Letting out a slow breath, he finally felt his climax end. Nothing else spilled out of him.

A touch out of breath, Alex bent over Carla and pressed his forehead to her armored chest.

“I know you don’t do anything to help it along, but by the gods and goddesses you feel good, Two,” Alex said.

Carla mumbled something incomprehensibly before he felt a hand pat him on the back of the head.

“Get up so she can dig in. I’ve never been eaten out by a noblewoman,” Carla said, her fingernails grazing the back of his skull.

At mention of her, Alex felt Holly shift beneath him, her head touching his balls before she jerked away from him.

Standing up, he pulled himself out of Carla, making sure to smear his tip against her clit and lips.

“Be sure to lick that up,” he commanded before dropping into the chair next to them.

Holly took a deep breath, then opened her mouth and leaned in.

Her tongue slid out and she began to lap up Alex’s seed that he’d deliberately wiped all over Carla’s slit.

Alex picked up Holly’s interview sheet and began to idly fill it out as he watched.

Carla shuddered as Holly finished up with the outside of her.

Leaning in further, Holly wormed her tongue up and into Carla.

“Good. Be sure to get it all out and swallow it down, Holly,” Alex said. “In fact, if you can manage to get a big clump of it, and show me it, then swallow… I’ll give you all the questions for the next interview. On Leah’s name, I swear that.”

Alex ticked the box to move her to the bride selection and listed her as a finalist.

He wouldn’t tell her that, of course. He might be able to get more from her in the second interview, let alone the final one.

Holly grunted at that, presumably accepting or declining the offer; with her face pressed tight to Carla’s privates, it was unintelligible.

Carla’s head turned to one side, her eyes falling on Alex as Holly worked her internally.

Clearly repressing a shudder, the ex-bandit was obviously enjoying herself. Or at least, Alex believed so.

He gave her a wide smile, watching her being devoured.

And was surprised when she gave him a tiny smile in return.

“Mah lahd,” Holly said, turning to face him and getting his attention.

Her face was sticky, stained with seed and Carla’s fluids.

Opening her mouth, she showed Alex a mouthful of his seed, her tongue swirling it around to demonstrate it. Then she closed her mouth, visibly swallowed, and went back between Carla’s thighs.

Damn. Isn’t she fun? Getting worked up again.

“Wait, what do I get out of letting her eat me out?” Carla asked.

“Nothing, other than having a noblewoman go down on you. You didn’t broker a deal for anything,” Alex said.

Carla groaned. Whether in anger or pleasure, he couldn’t tell.

***

Alex set six sheets to the left side of the table, making sure to put Holly, Anna, and Eugenia on the top.

Leaning back in his chair, he stared up at the white-washed ceilings of the Brit mansion.

He’d narrowed his choice down to two of those three ladies even before Holly had finished up with Carla.

At first, he’d put Anna on the discard pile. But with how readily she’d accepted everything, and the sheer size of her dowry, he couldn’t deny his own greed.

That and she was one of the hottest ladies he’d seen so far, with a body to match.

“You put Eugenia in?” Carla said over his shoulder.

“Yep. She’d be pretty useful. We’ll see how she does in the next interview.

“I might see if I can get her to do something to make it to the final interview,” Alex said, shrugging. “Feel like being eaten out again?”

“Maybe. You realize you’re poisoning the relationship at the start doing that though?” Carla asked.

Looking to her, he hesitated in his response.

Telling her how he was handling others might give her ideas on how he’d been handling her.

“They’re all in need of me. Some desperate, some not. The three I picked are more on the desperate side of things.

“There were women with more connections, better alliance possibilities, or simply better talent. Hell, or just prettier than Eugenia.

“You saw them. The problem is they all would want to be treated equally. I have no desire for a partner; I need minions,” Alex said with a shrug.

“Which is why I’m here, rather than rotting as a corpse somewhere,” Carla said with a strange look on her face.

“Accurate, yeah. You have a skill set I need, and you were in a position I could leverage.”

“So… it wasn’t to turn me into your personal fuck-doll.”

“Originally, no. That’s just a benefit that came secondary, with you being cute and built well.”

Carla mumbled to herself and pressed her fists to her eyes.

She was dressed in her “off duty” gear. Which was padded armor and a short sword, rather than her full kit.

This was what she felt was suitable for wearing in the mansion.

“You’re such a prick,” she said through her hands.

“Sorry, Two. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to be the count of Brit, and to rule it decisively.

“My kidnapping opened my eyes.”

“You’re never going to release me, are you?” she said. It wasn’t really a question.

“No, Two. You’re bound to me until you die. If it makes you feel better, I don’t plan on spending your life frivolously. You’re quite valuable to me.

“And speaking of value, I’d like to offer you a deal. Simple things, for something I know you want.”

“Uuuuugh… more deals? You already bed me, you work me to death, and you used me on another woman. What else can you do to me?”

“A number of things. But I can also give you quite a bit, too,” Alex said, folding his hands in his lap. “I never asked about what you needed to do in town with all that money, but I’m going to assume family or friends. An example of something I could do is set up part of your salary to be turned over to someone here for you.”

Carla dropped her hands and glared at him severely.

“Did you spy on me when I went on my day off?”

“No. Just a guess. That’s all. Would you like that, though?”

Surprisingly, Carla pouted and nodded her head. “Yes… but you’ll want something extreme for it.”

“Not at all. I’ll make this one simple. I want you to wear a collar with a silver and gold tag on it that simply reads, ‘Two.’ That’s it, and I’ll do exactly what I said. You would just have to dictate how much to give out.”

“You want me to wear… wear a dog collar?” she said uncomprehendingly.

“Yes, Two. I want you to wear a collar around your pretty throat. A nice one. With my ownership tag on it, and your name.

“Come now, it’s a very simple trade. It costs you almost nothing, and you get something you know you need. You’ll look good in it.”

“Fine, yes. You insufferable jerk. Yes, Alex, I agree,” Carla groused, folding her arms across her chest. “I swear on my oath to your terms.”

“Well and good. I also swear to those terms. Next, I’d like to offer you your own room here in the mansion, your own room in our capital, and the possibility of your own house down the road,” Alex said, moving quickly to his next offer.

Carla’s eyebrows shot up to the top of her head. She was an expressive woman.

“That’s… unexpected. I thought I’d have to sleep like a dog at the foot of your bed for the rest of my life.”

“Hardly.”

“And what do you want for that…?”

“I want you to let me style your hair in the way I deem fitting, and for you to address me as Master, unless otherwise specified.”

“My hair…?” she asked, a hand going up to her very short hair.

“Yeah. Your hair, and calling me Master. For a room here in the mansion of your own, a room in the castle back at Brit of your own, and maybe a house at some point down the road, of your own.”

“I… why my hair?” Carla asked, still fingering said non-existant locks.

“Because you’d look much prettier with longer hair.”

Carla’s face flushed quickly, turning her face to one side.

“I agree to your terms, and swear to the oath,” she said.

“I accept, and agree to the terms as stated. I’ll have your room put together tomorrow, Two.”

“Thank you… Master,” Carla said, not meeting his eyes.

Chapter 11

Alex wandered into the large banquet hall with private rooms attached.

It was the perfect location for the ball they were hosting for him. And this time around, they’d invited a number of other bachelors to draw in even more women.

After all, if you were already interviewing for one man, why not several?

Alex had no doubt he was the top-selling ticket here, but who knew—maybe someone would show up he didn’t expect.

On top of that, tonight would bring a new set of women to go on their first interviews. That and the three who’d made it to their second.

They’d even managed to make this a masquerade ball, a last-minute change Walter had come up with. They’d been doing an audit on the local warehouses they owned when they’d discovered several crates full of unused masks.

Something to be said for being anonymous.

Remind me to thank Walter for this idea. I might be able to get more information from the new girls before they interview with me.

I wonder if I could talk to Eugenia, Holly, or Anna with this on? Keep myself unknown?

Ha, doubt it.

He and Carla were dressed much like everyone else. Carla’s mace had been modified a bit to look more akin to a cane.

At a glance, one would never think it was a steel weapon of death.

Carla pulled at the tunic she was wearing, more than likely frowning beneath her frog mask.

“Little tight,” she said.

“That’s what you get for being decently filled out. You’re the one that wanted to wear a man’s tunic, remember?” Alex said, leaning up against the table next to her.

Men and women were moving around, talking, chatting, flirting.

Alex had no desire to do any of that right now, and was mostly concerned with watching everyone else.

“Still that tongue of yours, Master,” Carla murmured, pulling down on her tunic.

“What, can’t take a compliment?” Alex asked. He reached up to adjust his mask, a badger, and sighed. “Is it almost time yet? This is pointless.”

“Eh… five minutes more, I think. Want to go in early?” Carla asked, her head turning towards a large clock set on the back wall of the hall.

“Could we? I could also think of something fun to do with you in five minutes.”

“That’s not happening. And why the hell can’t we go in early? They’ll know who you are after the interview anyways. It’s not like you’ll be secret after that.

“Besides, the first three are the second-pass interviews. They already know you.”

“That’s… a good point. Alright, yeah. Grab whatever you want from the table and let’s go.”

“I don’t want anything from here,” Carla said, annoyance in her voice.

I wonder what she’s mad about.

“Problem?” he asked, turning towards the meeting room he’d been assigned.

“Huh? Oh… uh… I’m not… well—the food we eat is really… fatty.”

And she’s not working out the same way she used to. Heh. She’s worried about putting on weight?

“I see. Well, I know there’s a training room in the mansion, if that’d help,” Alex said, making sure to make no mention of weight gain.

“Haven’t had any days off yet. No time. But I will as soon as my day off gets here. I already planned out what I want to do.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I haven’t noticed a change in you. I don’t even believe there is one. Same sleek and sexy Two I met on the road,” Alex said, opening the door for her. “Dangerous, slightly evil, and just what I want.”

He waited as she entered before him. Once she’d looked around, she turned her head to face him. Her eyes looked more than a little annoyed through the eyeholes in the mask.

“Don’t tempt me, Master. I’ve killed many more for much less.”

“I know you have. It’s why I hired you. Your looks were secondary.”

The room was simple and given to a very common decoration. It was truly meant for meetings, and that was it.

Alex sat down in the chair positioned behind the desk, the only other chair in front of it.

“Does the door lock?” Alex asked, pulling his satchel off his shoulder and setting it down. He leaned down and pulled out his fresh stack of interview sheets.

“It does,” Carla said from the door. “Gonna try to bury yourself in one?”

“If I can. We’ll see. Otherwise you’re the only possibility.”

Setting the sheets up in an orderly pile, he pulled the top one over and started reading through it.

“Where in the world did you figure this out?” Carla said, staring over his shoulder. “Never seen the like.”

“Huh, this? It’s fairly normal for stuff like this.”

“What’s it say?” she asked, gesturing vaguely at the paper.

Can she read? I wonder. If she can’t… I might be able to broker that later with her.

“Just basic information. Like, this is her name. Eugenia,” Alex said, pointing to her name. “I could teach you sometime, if you like.”

“For a deal,” Carla said.

“For a deal. Though I think I could be generous on that one. You being able to read would be beneficial to me.”

The door opened, and a woman wearing a blue fox mask walked in. She closed the door behind her, peeling the mask off.

It was Eugenia, of course. She gave him a smile and walked over to the table.

“Count Brit, it’s a pleasure to see you. I was surprised that you invited me back to another interview. I wasn’t sure you liked me.”

“I liked you just fine, Eugenia,” Alex said, not pulling his mask off. With her, mystery went further than knowing. “I think the bigger problem was you might not be willing to swear such an oath of secrecy.”

“I… I wasn’t. Not at first, at least. I am now though. I think it’d be worth it,” she said.

“Oh? Alright. Let’s start with that, then. You swear to keep my secrets safe, to not betray me to anyone, and to not reveal any of my private life to anyone else. On pain of death and the loss of your soul, on Leah’s name,” Alex said.

He’d checked his crystal this morning before coming. He’d gauged it as being about eighty percent full. Holly had counted for quite a bit.

For someone so tied up in figuring this out, it might count for a bit with Eugenia.

“I… yes. I do so swear, on Leah’s name,” Eugenia said after a deep breath. “Now what is it you want to keep secret?”

Laughing to himself, Alex realized why she’d come.

He was interesting, a puzzle. The moment she had him figured out, she’d bail.

“Now, where’s the fun in telling you? You’ll just have to marry me to find out. Suffice it to say, it’s nothing that would impact or impair my ability to be your husband and care for you and yours.”

“Really? No budging on that one?” she asked, leaning forward over the desk and giving him a good view of her cleavage.

“I guess I could. But I think you’d have to crawl under my desk and show me how devoted you are to learning those secrets early. I’d hate to share my mysteries with a woman who wasn’t involved in learning them.”

Eugenia blinked at that, the request snapping through her brain like a lightning bolt.

“Did… you just tell me to… perform fellatio on you?” Eugenia asked, her voice going up an octave.

“I did. That’d be the price to learn my secrets at this juncture.”

“Fellatio?” Carla asked.

“I told her to blow me,” Alex said, turning to Carla.

“Huh? Oh. Oh. Huh. Never heard that word before.”

“I never…” Eugenia said, looking rather angered at the affront she’d apparently been subject to.

“Your call. We can continue with the interview, or you can get to work,” Alex said. He’d wanted to know where she fell, and if she balked that hard now, he doubted he could use her later.

Her pride and stubborn nature might be too much.

“Or I could leave,” she said as she stood up. “I will consider your words, and I’ll let you know if I would like to be considered for the final interview. Though I sincerely doubt it.”

“Alright, there’s the door,” Alex said, pointing. “Be sure to send in the next one.”

Eugenia walked through it without another word, putting her mask back into position as she went.

He wasn’t concerned. He’d already mostly decided on Holly. She seemed malleable to his desires.

Someone would have to really stand out in their first interview to win him over.

Looking to his master list, the next interviewee should actually be Holly. Which meant he could be done with this whole process in the next hour if she won him over.

The door opened and closed again, with a petite woman in a burgundy dress and a cat mask standing in front of the door.

“My lord,” said Holly from behind the mask.

“Hello Holly, thank you for coming. Please, come join me and have a seat,” Alex said. Pulling off his mask, he set it to one side and gave her a genuine smile. “It’s good to see you.”

Holly paused in front of the desk, then reached up and slowly pulled off her mask.

She was as uniquely different as he remembered. In fact, she might be growing on him, because he found her rather pretty today.

Adjusting her dress, she sat down gently in the chair and laid her mask down next to his.

“It’s good to see you again, Count Brit,” she said, her eyes coming up to meet his and remaining.

“Did you bring what I asked you for? Or at least memorized it so we can discuss it?” he asked, pulling out a blank sheet of paper.

“Yes. Though I worry over why you wish to know this information. It’s my family’s business.”

“If I marry you, it’d be my business. Though I can swear you an easy oath with no return from you,” Alex said. He wanted her at ease, to a degree.

“I promise to keep everything you tell me in this room regarding your family in complete confidentiality. I also swear to not use the information to jeopardize, harm, gain, or in any way leverage it against your family and its business. On Leah’s name.”

Though I make no promise not to use it against you, my dear Holly.

“Ah… thank you, Count Brit. I appreciate that. Then yes, I can share it.”

“From our last discussion, I gather there are some serious problems going on?”

Holly hesitated before giving him a broken smile.

“Was I that desperate?”

“A little. But that’s ok. Let’s go with the easy route. What would you expect from me as your husband with regard to your family? Rather than telling me everything, let’s focus on the part that falls into my sphere on a Venn diagram.”

“Whose diagram?” she asked.

“Nevermind. Just… what would you want from me, if I were your husband?”

“That is… ah… financial assistance would be a primary one.”

“Ok, that’s not unexpected considering you have no dowry. Could I ask the specifics?”

“My family invested in new technology for our fields,” Holly said, her hands in her lap. Her eyes left his and went on an adventure around the room. “The increase was significant, but the sale of the excess was not enough to cover the debt.

“The interest is slowly killing my father. We’re able to make payments now, but it is clear that we will be unable to ever resolve the debt.

“We’re not paying it off faster than the interest is collecting.”

Alex nodded at that. He’d seen it before a number of times in smaller businesses he’d acquired.

Overpromised and under-delivered on an investment.

“And what’s the current payable amount?” Alex said, scratching some quick notes down onto the paper.

“I don’t know… father won’t tell me.”

That’s not chump change, then.

“And the principal of the investment?”

“The what?”

“What was the original amount borrowed?”

“Eighty thousand. I believe we paid off forty thousand, but we’re not making the payments in full anymore. Father defaulted and had to sign a new contract, and the interest went higher, but now there’s no minimum to pay.

“We’re falling behind further each time now. We make the current payment, but it isn’t high enough to exceed the amount of interest picked up from the next cycle.

“Each payment due is more than the last. I know that if we go above a certain amount, the contract will change again.”

“Right. And the interest?”

“That… my father… ah…” Holly trailed off, her eyes locked to the table.

“Holly?”

“Thirty percent on the total owed. Is what Father said.”

That’s hefty. Alright. If we wed her, we’ll need to make a massive outlay to drop it down to a reasonable amount. Something they can make payments on.

We’ll need the exacts afterward to make it work.

That’s going to wipe out a decent chunk of our reserve.

Suppose that’s better than having His Highness dictate my marriage.

Price of freedom and all that.

“—y lord Alex. I know it’s excessive, but I believe… no, I know… I’m worth it,” Holly said. He’d missed the first part, but guessing from what he did catch, it really didn’t matter.

“And how are you worth it?” Alex asked, looking up to her.

Should we push?

“I… I already… demonstrated what I’m willing to do for you. I’d be your loyal wife in all ways.

“But… but I won’t do anything further until you wed me. I believe I demonstrated my willingness already,” Holly said, meeting his gaze firmly with her own.

Huh. Alright. That’s good, though. If she has a bit of spine, that’ll serve my purposes later.

“Anything else you’d need from me for your family?”

“Ah, I think father would want to send my niece to learn from you. She is only a year younger than I. My oldest brother’s daughter. She would be in line for succession of our titles.”

“Agreeable. Anything else? Best tell me now, because if it isn’t in the contract, it won’t happen.”

“Uhm… no, nothing else for my family.”

“And for yourself? Anything?”

Holly shook her head.

“No, my lord Brit. No limits on me. I would be bartering myself for my family. Just… please don’t give me to anyone else.”

“That I can agree to, but I may have you service other women I’m attempting to subvert to my own desires. I can promise it will not happen frequently, and I would be willing to settle on a firm monthly number if that appeased you.”

“I think that’d be… acceptable, yes,” Holly said, giving him a small smile.

“Wonderful. That’s all I had, Holly. Please send in the next candidate.”

“Yes. Of course. Thank you, my lord Brit,” Holly said, bowing her head and scooping up her mask.

Before the door could even close behind Holly, Anna bounced in.

It was obviously her from the impressive display of flesh and the expensive-looking dress.

She was wearing an owl mask, which she promptly pulled off as she skipped over to him. Her face wore a warm and wide smile as she bounced.

“Husband!” she gushed, leaning over and planting a kiss on his lips. “It’s so good to see you. Do you think we’ll be done after this?”

She promptly sat down at the desk, then looked to Carla and waved a small, finely manicured hand at her.

“Hello! Did he fill you up again? Did he at least clean you up this time?”

“Ah… kind of,” Carla said, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Clearly unsure what to say.

“That’s good! I’ll make sure he takes better care of you once I’m your mistress,” Anna said, nodding her head. Then she turned back to Alex and unleashed that blazing smile on him.

“Hello Anna,” Alex said, unable to keep himself from smiling back at her. “How are you?”

“I’m good! Thank you for asking. I’m excited to be married. Mother said it was the best thing in her life.

“Daddy said he was glad you accepted me, though was confused that I didn’t have a contract yet. He thinks I misunderstood, but I think he just doesn’t understand our connection.”

“To be fair, Anna, I haven’t said I’d marry you,” Alex said amicably. She was hard to be mean to, but he didn’t want to mislead her.

Which was a new feeling for him.

“I know, but it’s only a matter of time. You need someone to talk to, if only to work your thoughts out. I’m a great listener, and I don’t judge,” Anna said, folding her hands in front of herself.

“And if I told you I had one of the other interviewees eat Two out,” Alex said, indicating Carla. “Just to get to the next stage of the interview?”

Carla ignored him, her face looking towards the door.

“Which means she’s now one of your conquests, and not your wife. There’s nothing to conquer with me, because I’ll give all of myself and my love to you, because I want to. I’ll be your wife.

“Though I must say, your obsession with deals, most pointedly so with Leah, does make me wonder. Especially with the way you word them.

“Daddy does something similar when he’s trying to get the best deal from clients, and he changes his personality accordingly. It’s almost as if you were—”

“Anna!” Alex hissed. He’d been holding up his hands this entire time, trying in vain to shush Anna.

Glancing up, he found Carla still focused on the door.

“Yes, husband?” Anna asked, smiling at him. Her eyes were innocent, her demeanor unchanged.

“I think perhaps talking about my secrets might be a betrayal of my trust, no?”

“But it’s only you and me, silly. Unless she doesn’t know everything?” Anna asked, glancing at Carla.

“She does not.”

Saw right fucking through me.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone to confide in. To—

A screech from the main hall cut through his thoughts. It was a shriek of pain, really.

Then it was followed by shouts and screams.

Putting on his mask, Alex stood up from his seat.

“Put your mask on, Anna, quick.”

Anna got her mask on and stood up, immediately moving behind him.

Carla was already peeking through a gap at the door.

“Armed men with masks over their heads. They… I don’t know what they’re doing, but they’re rounding everyone up. If I were on that crew, it’d be rob, rape, kidnap, ransom, and murder. In that order.

“We should escape, or move into the group of others. We really shouldn’t be identified if we can avoid it,” Carla said, looking back to him for direction.

Alex shook his head.

No, this wasn’t a normal bandit group. Attacking a hall like this, in the city, means that people got bribed.

Someone paid for this.

Carla’s right, though. Need to escape, or get into the group and be anonymous.

“Husband, I think it’d be best to go stay with the group. We can pretend to be a merchant husband and wife. They’ll believe me,” Anna said, grabbing his arm and pressing her breasts into it. “Everyone always does.”

“Seems like a decent plan,” Alex said, not really having a better idea.

Escaping wasn’t going to happen. He imagined the exits were all guarded. And if the guards weren’t coming, they might actually be helping route traffic.

The lengths coin travels.

Let’s hope Rudolph saw this go down and is already arranging a rescue.

Rather than lying dead in an alley.

Chapter 12

Alex, Carla, and Anna quickly melded into the group. Carla drifted behind him, and a glance back revealed her standing directly on his heels.

Probably trying to watch my back.

Thanks, Two. Need to make sure your collar is especially pretty.

Apparently their timing had been pretty on point with deciding to join the crowd. Groups of men with swords and hoods stormed into each interview room, quickly pulling all the occupants out.

Then there was some shouting from the middle of the hall. Everyone was looking in one direction, but no matter how he tried, Alex couldn’t understand anything.

The chatter and panicked talk of so many people was simply overwhelming.

“Goodness, is it a robbery? I don’t think I’ve been robbed in a year or so,” Anna said idly, patting his arm. Snuggling in closer to his left side.

“This… is a common occurrence for you?” Alex asked, somewhat surprised.

“Daddy employs a lot of guards. It usually turns out badly for the robbers. But they still try.

“I was kidnapped once. The kept a bag over my head. I think Daddy paid them, then tracked them all down and had them killed.”

Her father is… not someone to bother.

Someone bumped in close to his right side and practically curled into him.

Glancing down, he saw Holly’s mask staring up at him.

Ah. I imagine she’s as concerned as I am.

Subtly as he could, he reached out and took her left hand in his right, then gave it a squeeze.

She immediately latched onto his hand and just about broke it in her grip.

Before he realized why or what was happening, everyone had seemed to filter out into rows.

“—e sack!” shouted a voice from the side, heading their way.

“Oh it is a robbery, how exciting,” Anna said, bouncing a little in place. “I wonder if Daddy’s guards will show up soon.”

I certainly hope so. But I think this might even be beyond his budget.

Two men were coming down the line of people towards them. One accepted items from the guests while the other simply held the sack open.

The items handed over were money, jewelry, and anything of value that could be taken quickly.

Surprisingly, the man was inspecting each ring he was given. Actually taking the time to look at the crests themselves.

Damn. Are they looking for me?

While I regret losing a signet ring, I can always have another made and report the other as lost.

Walter will be annoyed though.

Any item you can’t get rid of, though, is a chain to weigh you down. And if I can’t dump a ring that would tie me to my persona… well.

I don’t have anything else on me that’d identify me, thankfully.

As subtly as he could, he lifted his hand with Holly’s in it and pulled his signet ring off with his other.

Holding it in his left hand, he moved his boot out a few inches. Holding the ring in a way he hoped would allow it to roll away from him on a bounce, he let go.

Tumbling through the air, it hit almost perfectly in the way he wanted.

Bouncing off the stiff leather of his boot, it made a soft pop and practically jumped away from him.

It clacked as it hit the wood floor and rolled rapidly away from him. He watched it vanish between the feet of the people several rows in front of him.

Holly had noticed, of course, but said nothing. Unsurprising, since he’d had to move her hand.

Anna was still blissfully unaware, cuddling away at his arm.

When the men collecting their spoils got closer, Alex released Holly’s hand, just in case.

Both men turned to Anna, their hoods shifting, to which she gave them a smile and a shrug.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have anything on me today. My husband and I were simply attending to meet a second wife for him.

“Not a thing on me,” she said with another shrug of her shoulders.

Both men’s heads dipped down—probably looking down her dress, Alex figured—before moving on to Alex.

“Cough it up then, sir,” the first man said. Giving him the appellation with a sneer.

“As my wife stated, nothing on us but our clothes,” Alex said. Holding up his right hand and the lack of a signet ring, he wiggled it helplessly at the man. “We left it all with the coachman.”

The man in the lead looked to Alex’s hand, as if to make sure there was no ring there, and then finally moved on.

Holly had nothing to offer up either, though the two seemed genuinely less interested in her.

In fact, they were less interested in all the women.

They really are here for me.

Holly’s hand slipped into his again and gripped tightly to him.

“Is she the second wife for me?” Anna asked from his other side. “The one who’s a conquest? She seems nice and I think she likes you. She’ll be a good selection for us.”

Alex just couldn’t keep pace with Anna anymore. Turning his head to her, he stared at her mask, wondering if she was a genius or an idiot.

“What’s her name?” she asked, her mask tilting to one side.

“Holly.”

“Holly…?” she said, her mask still tilted.

“Holly Lin.”

“Lin… Lin… I think Daddy does business with them. Or he used to. He said their coin dried up and he ended the contract, I think.”

She nodded her head once, then shrugged and looked ahead again.

Huh. Might be able to use that to my advantage if—

Wait, we’re not marrying Anna. We’re marrying Holly. Can’t use that to my advantage because having one would negate the other.

Looking straight ahead, Alex tried to get his mind back on track. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

Getting out of this.

The men with the sacks and loot were still working their way down the line in the other direction. Eventually passing behind Alex and going through the next row as well.

After a time, they returned to what Alex could only assume was where the rest of their band was.

He could hear muttering and two people arguing, but not much else.

“Could they hurry this up a bit?” Anna asked. “I’d really rather spend time with you and our second wife. This is just… annoying.”

Is she real?

There was a commotion in the center.

“Enough!” a man shouted over everything else.

“All men, step forward and come over here! And yes, we’ll be going around to make sure everyone does this! You don’t want to be the one guy hiding, ok?”

“Don’t make us kill you!” someone shouted.

Yep. There ya go. Their intent is pretty clear at this point, I’d say.

Sighing, Alex extricated his hand from Holly’s and his arm from Anna, then stepped forward.

Taking a moment, he looked over his shoulder as he went.

Anna had scooped up Holly’s arm in her own and was now crushing her breasts to it the same way she’d done to him.

And Carla was tailing him.

Looking ahead, Alex slipped through the rows and made his way to where the voice had been yelling.

Joining the group of men milling around near the center, Alex noticed the band of armed and hooded robbers.

Each wore a sword at his side and carried a crossbow. Alex didn’t like the odds of attempting to resist them physically with them armed as such.

That they have swords is already strange enough. Bladed weapons aren’t allowed in the king’s territory, punishment by death.

This isn’t normal at all.

Pressing into the mob a bit, Alex tried to lose himself in it.

Carla joined him, moving right in front of him. Practically standing on his feet, her broad shoulders more than likely hid him from view.

Need to really buy you a great collar and some lovely clothes. An armored uniform as well. Doing your job incredibly well, Two.

Carla still had her mace, holding it like the cane it was disguised as.

There was a scuffle somewhere in the crowd of women on the other side, followed by a hollow thud.

Alex peeked out around Carla to see what was going on.

The two bag-men were dragging an unmoving guest between them. They unceremoniously dumped him onto the ground in front of the group of men.

“Alright! You lot, off with the masks, and make a line. And you, ladies. If you want out of this easy with your… selves… intact and no issues, I need you to point out Count Brit,” said a man, walking out between the two groups.

That’d be the group leader, then.

“It isn’t every day we have a count we can hold for ransom,” the man said, as if needing to clarify his reason for wanting Alex.

Uh huh. Lapdog to the king. You just want to put me in a cell until my due date expires.

Looks like I need to speed up my timeline after this and just get married.

Stepping around Carla, he took up the position directly to her left.

I wonder what Carla will say when they see her face and realize she’s not a man?

With a sigh, he pulled off his mask and put on a different one. A merchant of Ulles and husband to the lovely and simple Anna.

She’d already given him an easy enough background to work with. He just needed to roll with it.

There were only three bride candidates who knew him here. Anna he was certain wouldn’t say anything. Holly he was reasonably sure of as well.

The only problem was Eugenia.

Though he didn’t think she’d be stupid enough to bet her oath to Leah wasn’t real or firm enough to take her life and soul.

Looking to his sides, Alex waited as all the men lined up in either direction.

“Alright ladies. Who here can spot Alex Brit? Count of Brit?” the ringleader said, pacing back and forth.

Then he stopped over the unmoving man and flipped him over, pulling the mask off his face.

Wincing, he drew back.

The man’s head was clearly cracked open. He’d not be waking up ever again.

Maybe I can use that to my advantage later? Somehow stage it that the dead man is Alex?

That’d probably ruffle them up. Accidentally killing the target. Wouldn’t it?

An entire minute ticked by and the situation hadn’t changed. The men stared at the masked women, and the masked women stared back at the men.

I sure to high hell hope no one recognizes me. That’d be all I need.

“Fine. I’m going to pick a number of young ladies out of the crowd and we’re going to have a party with them real quick right here in the center. Then you can all figure out if you know the count or not.”

“I know him!” shouted a female voice.

A recognizable voice.

Eugenia’s voice.

The woman stepped out of the crowd and marched up towards the man who was clearly the leader.

“I know Alex,” Eugenia said. “He’s a pig of a man who propositioned me.”

Turning her head, she started to scan the line of men. And stopped when she saw Alex.

Looking back to the brigand, she started to lift her arm, then frowned.

Her head dipped down, as if she were suddenly winded. Her arm pointed halfway between the floor and Alex.

“That’s… him… there,” she said through clenched teeth.

Apparently, she was very determined to point him out.

Except, she fell over backward. Her head cracked into the ground, and the resounding pop was audible to everyone.

She lay still and unmoving. Her arm still pointing to the dead man she’d been pointing at the entire time.

“Ah shit, we killed him?” shouted a hooded man.

“What do you mean we? You did!” shouted a second.

“I didn’t do shit, you’re the one that whacked him with your pommel!”

“Oh my god, that really is Count Brit,” Alex shouted, pointing at the dead man. “You killed a count!”

Now everyone was riled up, the shouts and cries from both sides of the room threatening to turn into an uproar.

A member of the peerage getting killed was news indeed. It would normally be met with a grinding of bones on the part of the king and his guards.

Even if it was a member who had fallen out of the peerage, the royal family always met a death of one with hundreds.

“Gods damn you!” shouted one of the robbers, who stabbed a second.

A third bandit stabbed the first, and a fourth jumped on the second one.

Then all hell broke loose.

A number of men rushed towards the bandits, apparently seeing their chance as the bandits began to fall on one another.

Carla grabbed him by the hand and charged forward into the group of women, scooping up their masks as she went.

She stuffed his into his hand and pulled hers down over her face.

He wasn’t sure where she was going, but he wasn’t about to doubt her. Her dedication to him had been unquestionable so far.

As they whipped through the lines of women, he suddenly found Holly and Anna in front of them.

Carla corralled them like a sheep dog and guided them back towards the interview rooms.

In all the confusion and people rushing back and forth, Alex wasn’t really sure what was going on anymore.

Almost as if they were breaking free of a fog, they slipped through the women and popped out into the open.

A man with a sword stood a foot away, seemingly unsure what to do with himself.

Not wasting any time, Carla released Alex’s hand and jogged up to the man with the sword. She didn’t hesitate, immediately clubbing him in the temple with her mace.

As the man stumbled to one side, she slammed her weapon down into the top of his head.

With a wet thunk, his eyes bulged out of his skull and he hit the ground.

Carla wound back her arm and smashed the back of the man’s head in with a third blow.

Grabbing the sword, the crossbow, and the quiver of quarrels, she pointed to the closest interview room.

Alex got the hint and herded Anna and Holly there.

Holly opened the door and everyone rushed in. The three of them didn’t stop till they got to the back wall of the room, where Alex turned to ask Carla what the plan was.

She was busily shoving a cabinet in front of the door, followed by a desk, then a chair she physically hurled atop the rest.

“Don’t be a bunch of ninnies. Push every goddamn thing in front of that door,” she growled at them.

Alex, Holly, and Anna immediately got to work. Moving every single item in the room over to the door.

“Fuck them and their plans,” Carla muttered, staring at the barricade. “They can sit out there until Rudolph or the guard shows up. Stupid asses.

“If this had been my outfit, none of this shit would have happened.”

“No, because they’re dead. Remember? And you’re not her anymore, you’re my Two,” Alex said, pitching his voice low for her ear alone. “And you’re damned impressive, Two. Damned impressive. You did wonderfully.”

He reached over and patted her shoulder, making sure to lightly caress her back as he did so.

“Mm… thanks,” Carla mumbled, obviously unsure how to take that.

“So… what’s our plan?” Alex asked.

“No plan. We sit and wait, just like I said. Though I think you should finish up your marriage hunt tonight.”

“Yeah… I would tend to agree.”

Carla turned and looked to the two women. “Get some sleep. You might need to take a watch at some point. No telling how long we’ll be here.

“And you, take this.”

Holding out the sword to Alex, she waited.

“You’re likely to be forgiven for holding a bladed weapon in your defense; I wouldn’t be. Just stab it through the door at anyone who tries to come through. Nothing terribly hard about that.”

Alex nodded his head and stepped up to the barricade. He figured he could probably get a good stab in from here.

“What are you going to do?” he asked, looking back to Carla.

“Sleep right here next to you. Need a nap. Adrenaline is wearing off.”

Saying nothing more, Carla lay down practically at his feet and almost immediately began snoring.

Looking back to the door, Alex had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wondered if he’d ever really get used to this world.

Probably not. But then again, where else could I literally indenture people with oaths sworn on gods?

***

“That was different,” said an echoing voice from his side.

Alex jumped and swung the sword around, pointing it at the voice.

Sitting on the desk they’d moved into the barricade… was the wraith.

“Jumpy?” it hissed.

“Uh… a bit? I thought… you weren’t coming back. You said you weren’t,” Alex said.

“I lied, I guess. I do that,” said Leah flippantly. “Don’t worry, they’re out cold. I added a little something to them to make sure of it.

“I just wanted to stop by for a chat real quick.”

“Kinda… the wrong time for that, isn’t it? I mean, it doesn’t sound like this is over out there. I swore I heard people shouting and fighting.”

“You did. It’s the king’s guard. Apparently someone got out and spread the word that the count of Brit had been slain. City is in a bit of an uproar, and everyone is questioning the guard’s abilities.

“Kinda funny. Well, I think it’s funny,” Leah said. “Now the king has a black eye over something he started. And yeah, you were right. They were here to keep you in place till the marriage hunt was over.”

“Ah… are you… supposed to be able to tell me all this? This seems like something gods wouldn’t be able to do in these situations.”

“Normally not. But you did such a good thing. You got me this,” Leah said, and then held up her hands.

A blue, wraithlike Eugenia popped into being in the shadow’s cupped palms.

It was on its knees, looking to be brokenly sobbing.

“This… is worth at least four months of contracts. It’s a shame you’ll only get half a month out of it since the crystal was half full. But hey, them’s the breaks,” Leah said.

Then she clapped her hands together, and the wraith vanished in a splut.

“Her soul is quite… tasty. I’ve already used her a bit just to get an idea of where she sits on the whole morality scale. I plan on giving her to my husband.

“He never does anything with the captured souls I offer him, but he doesn’t turn them down. He knows I do it out of love,” she said, her voice taking on a strange tone.

“I see. Alright… so… I just need to wait it out here?” Alex asked, unsure of himself.

“I think so. We’ll see. I can’t imagine them breaking in here before the guard retakes the hall, at least.”

So she’s not omniscient.

“No, I’m not,” Leah said, nodding her head at him.

But you can still read my mind.

“I sure can.”

Great.

“Oh, and because that soul will probably make my husband pay attention to me, I’ll probably be gone for a while, but who knows.

“I personally hope it’s a long while. He does tend to get mad at me when I do stuff like this, and… punishes me.

“So I’ll be occupied. I owe you a favor for this. You have till tomorrow to decide on what you want.”

“Got it. I’ll think on that,” Alex said. Then he shook his head. “Wait, how did you get her soul? It looked like she had a heart attack or something, and cracked her head open. Was that you?”

“Mm, yes. She was in the act of betraying you. I could see her thoughts, and the course of action. I just… took her soul at the right time. I can’t exactly intervene to help you, you know. But I can take my contracts as I please,” Leah said.

Then her head whipped to one side.

“Lovey!” she cried, her voice uncharacteristically ecstatic and bright. It felt like reality itself had split at her single word.

Then she vanished as if she had never been there.

Alex hung his head with a sigh and stared at his boots.

“This is all so fucked up.”

Chapter 13

Eventually, someone came to check the interview rooms.

Alex was feeling feisty and paranoid. He didn’t trust the people claiming to be the royal guard—even if it was them—and refused to remove the barricade.

He’d told them directly who he was and that the barricade would only be pulled down if his own personal guard showed up.

They’d been resistant so far to his demands. It was a pity for them that Alex simply refused to budge.

He imagined the panic and confusion would only get worse outside. That a crowd outside the hall would probably form. And knowing Rudolph, he would probably raise holy hell for everyone involved.

That wasn’t even including if Walter showed up.

No, Alex could afford to wait. They were safe. They were secure.

“My lord?” Rudolph called from the door, breaking through his thoughts.

“Ah, Rudolph? Thank goodness. Do you have everyone with you?” Alex called to the door.

“I don’t, sir; they forbade it. They’re saying that you won’t come out until you speak with me,” Rudolph said, his voice taking on a strange quality.

“I’m not going anywhere with them. If they can’t even guard a hall at a well-known ball for a count, I’ll not trust them with my life.

“They can all go back to the king. I’ll wait here until they’re gone and you’ve secured the hall.”

The silence on the other side of the door was deafening.

“Sir, that is… you would rather your house guard take you to the king?”

“No. I’d rather my house guard take me home! Oh, I also have Anna Ulles and Holly Lin with me. I imagine their fathers or relatives might be out there trying to find them.

“It might behoove you to let them know we have them secured.”

Again, a pause.

He’s talking to a guard captain, I bet. Probably just now realizing I’m not kidding around.

“I’ll be right back with our guard, sir. The royal guard will be leaving now and turning it over to our people. Do I have your permission to invite Master Ulles inside?”

“Of course, of course,” said Alex.

Then yes, he is out there and causing a problem. Good. Though it’s concerning there is nothing for Holly.

Looking back towards Holly, he met her eyes.

“Are you alone in the city right now?” he asked directly.

“Only servants… Father will be back tomorrow. He… needed a contract updated for my possible marriage to you,” Holly said.

Ah. Though I do wonder at that phrasing. Did she attempt to court any others?

“I apologize if this ruins your chances at any other balls tonight. I do realize I wasn’t the only one on the books,” Alex said, curious to see if she’d admit to seeing other interviews.

“I wasn’t attending any other balls. Father was updating the contract because marriage to a count would require a different wording in the terms.

“Father wouldn’t want the possibility of his titles passing to our children, if we had them.”

Oh. I guess… yeah, that makes sense.

In Anna’s case, it doesn’t matter; she doesn’t have titles.

Nodding his head, Alex settled in to wait.

Carla laid her head back down and closed her eyes, while Anna and Holly resumed whatever conversation they’d been having.

***

Master Ulles hadn’t accompanied them to his mansion the previous night.

To be honest, Alex hadn’t thought about it at the time. He’d gone to his room and passed out, leaving Anna and Holly to Walter to take care of.

It wasn’t until the next morning, when Walter handed him a letter from the master merchant, that he realized Alex had possibly been incredibly rude.

He hadn’t even checked to see if the man had followed them. Not to mention he wasn’t quite sure what to say to the man. His daughter was… unique… to say the least.

Dodged that one, I guess.

Setting the letter down, Alex leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling above him.

“Sounds like Daddy,” Anna said, getting his attention. Snapping his head down, he found her sitting in a chair across from him at the dining table.

“He’s willing to make sure I’m alright, but he has other business to take care of,” Anna continued, reading the letter between them.

“Just like that?” Alex asked. He wasn’t actually complaining. There’d been a few times in his previous life when he’d done exactly the same thing.

“Mm, yes! Daddy’s just like that. It’s a good thing. Did you sleep well? Walter said it wouldn’t be right for either of us to sleep near your room until we’re lawfully wed,” Anna said. “Personally I don’t care, because it’s only unsigned paper in the way at this point.”

Only then did he realize she was in the same dress as the previous day.

And that Holly had joined them as well, but was busy with something at a side table.

“Ah, yes. That’d be inappropriate,” Alex agreed. “Walter is a stickler for rules, but ones I agree with and very much appreciate in this case.

“Your father… won’t be upset that you didn’t go home, Anna? Or you, Holly?”

Alex hoped to draw the other woman into the conversation. Anna had a tendency to draw him into her own pace and run him over.

“Daddy won’t mind. I already told him we’d have our marriage contracted today,” Anna said happily.

Holly paused and then turned her head to the side, her eyes catching his own.

“Father would not be happy, but he also wouldn’t be upset since you were the only man I was interviewing with at this time. He would have viewed it as a chance to get to know one another more so,” she said.

“Had you been interviewing others?” Anna asked, her head turning towards Holly as well.

“Originally… though they were all merchants. None were willing to meet with us outside of a formal acceptance of intention. I think most are aware of our financial status.”

Holly came over to the table with a silver tea set in her hands.

Setting down a tea setting for Alex, then Anna, and finally herself, Holly sat down next to the other woman.

“I think I’ve met with every man in the entire capital,” Anna said, her mouth turning down in a frown. “None of them were very nice, and I didn’t feel like any of them would be right for me. Then I met you, Alex!”

One could certainly never forget meeting you, Anna. That’s to put it mildly for my own part.

“This is lovely, thank you,” Anna said, turning her head to Holly after taking a sip.

“Thank you,” Holly said, smiling shyly at Anna.

I wonder what they were talking about last night. Or hell, even after we got back. They’ve been together since the whole thing started.

“Where’s your personal bed servant?” Anna said, looking around.

“What?” Alex asked. “Oh, you mean Two. I think it’s her day off today. I don’t keep track of her when she goes out.”

“So you did give her a permanent day off? That’s good. Does she still sleep with you for it?” Anna asked, her tone innocent and plain.

“Ah… yes… but she gets two days off,” Alex said, not quite sure what to make of where this conversation was going.

“Good. Do you plan on turning the other slaves into bodyguards as well?” Anna said, adding another sugar cube to her tea and giving the liquid a swirl with her spoon.

“I… no. They don’t—” Alex paused, looking to Holly, who was watching him with no expression.

Finally, he looked back to Anna.

Did they talk about it already? She’s not surprised or concerned.

“They don’t have the right skill sets. For it. As bodyguards, that is.”

“That makes sense. Daddy is always saying you can’t use a hammer as your tool every time. Sometimes you need a knife,” she said, nodding her head with a smile. “I take it they’ll be serving in your bed then? I wonder if we should work out a rotation early on so there’s no confusion later.

“Oh, I already informed Master Walter that your bedroom would be your own, and Holly and I would share one for now. It’d be best that way, so you won’t have to worry about taking your slaves to our bed and worrying we’ll be there.”

Anna gave him a bright smile and took another polite sip of her tea.

Serving in my bed? Wait, you what to Walter?

“That is—” Alex said, wondering how to broach the subject. Then he stopped.

She said… share a bedroom. That’d mean they’re expecting to both marry me?

I mean, that wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Anna would be ideal for finances and… well… as she herself said… an equal partner, to a degree.

Holly would be a tool, no matter which way I look at it.

There was a sharp knock at the door to the dining room.

“Enter,” Alex called, looking that way.

Rudolph immediately stepped in, carrying what looked like a handful of dispatches.

“My lord, these all arrived with the same courier. I’ll wait outside for your replies,” Rudolph said.

A second man hurried in and set down an inkwell, letter opener, pot of pounce sand, quill, a small writing tray, and some paper in front of Alex.

Must be the king.

Anna looked at the papers, then turned to Holly with a smile. “I’ll go first.”

Holly ducked her head to Anna, then took her tea setting with her and left the room without a word.

“Should I be concerned?” Alex asked after having watched Holly leave.

Picking up the letter opener, he slit open the envelope on top.

After pulling the paper out, he read it over quickly.

“This is a marriage contract,” Alex said, reading over the terms and qualifications.

“Yes. It’s mine. Just go ahead and sign at the bottom. I already signed it and had it documented at the royal clerk’s office,” Anna said, leaning forward over the desk.

She was practically spilling out of her dress as she indicated the location to sign and the seal.

“Holly’s won’t be here until later, with her father. You’ll need to write up a contract between the two of you before that.” She gave him a wide smile when he looked up to her eyes.

Instead of her cleavage, where he’d been looking without realizing.

“I also got a lot of information out of her we can use against her. She’s such a silly thing. Told me everything.

“We’ll have her family wrapped up and bound in no time at all, if you want them that is,” Anna said, still smiling at him. “Though I won’t let you hurt her or give her to anyone else. She’ll be your second, and a tool, but I do like her and will keep her for myself, if nothing else.”

Apparently what’d happened was Anna had pumped the living hell out of Holly for information.

For Alex to use against her.

With that easy smile and simple demeanor of Anna’s, Holly probably hadn’t even worried about it.

It means Anna already figured out what I had planned for Holly. Even to the point of looking for information to hold against her and bend her into the tool I want her to be. Even if it were completely against her morals and desires.

She also already figured out the game I’m playing. She could easily be useful to me with almost no need for explanation.

For an idiot, she’s a genius.

Looking down at the contract, Alex confirmed what it was.

The terms were straightforward and easy to read. The entire thing was set up as an equal marriage between a member of the peerage and a commoner.

The only big caveat was her dowry was indeed ten-thousand gold coins, and Anna’s alone.

Anna retained very few rights in this agreement other than that, and was putting herself practically in his sole possession.

Even less than Holly would ask for. But… that means it’s just a straightforward marriage, isn’t it?

He realized Anna was offering him exactly what she’d said at the start. A wife, confidant, and partner.

That she’d accept everything he dished out at her, and work to better it for themselves.

He picked up the ink-bottle, unscrewed the top, took the quill in hand, dipped it in, and signed his name on the line.

He then spread a bit of the pounce sand over his signature and set the contract down.

Only to have Anna practically smash her face into his with a wet and heavy kiss.

Pulling back from him, she patted his cheek.

“Thank you, husband. I knew we were meant to be from the moment I saw you.

“Oh, I meant to ask. Are you Leah’s champion or are we just working for her?” she asked.

“Err… working for her.”

“Any contract details I need to know?” It was obvious she was in full merchant’s-daughter mode now.

“I… have to make sure I meet a quota every month. Otherwise, that’s it.”

“That’s easy enough. What’s the quota?”

Alex paused at that. The crystal was in his room and he didn’t want to go fetch it.

“I have to make deals that favor us. The greater the deal, the better favoring, the quicker the quota is met. I have a crystal that will turn completely black when it’s met for the month.”

“And is the quota met right now?”

“Yes. We’re clear for the month.”

“Good, good. Then let’s hold off on finalizing Holly’s contract, but sign the marriage agreement. Or at the least, date the contract so it goes into effect next month if you can’t wait. That way we can bank on that one rather than waste resources.

“Right?” Anna asked, her fingers interlaced with each other.

Would that work?

A dated contract would go into effect under a god’s oath on the date listed and be upheld from that point.

“That’s a good point… wife,” Alex said, actually feeling rather lucky to have signed Anna into his life.

Smiling, he leaned toward her.

She gave him a happy and bright smile, leaning forward as well. “Now, how about you tell me all about Holly, and what we can use against her,” he said, then kissed her in earnest.

***

Alex knelt down and bowed his head in supplication.

“Rise, Count Brit. We were worried when we heard of the affairs that took place in our city,” the king said.

Standing up, Alex didn’t respond immediately.

He didn’t plan on revealing anything at all to the king. Not a damn thing if he could help it.

In his book, Alex was fairly certain the king had orchestrated the whole thing. That the bandits were more than likely royal guard dressed up or brigands pressed into service.

If a count was taken for ransom, it would be a serious breach of the king’s security. But if an unharmed count was found and saved by the royal guard who’d lost him? No problem. All would be well.

Instead, the king was now left with a security incident, an entire city talking about a count that died—but didn’t—and his entire plan scrapped.

You have better things to do, don’t you? Like running a kingdom?

“We’re well pleased that not only have you come out the other side of this trying ordeal for the better of it, but with a wife to match.

“From what we’ve been told by our clerk, you’ve taken Master Ulles’s daughter Anna to wife, and a baron’s daughter, Holly Lin, as well to wed?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty. I enjoyed speaking with both of them immeasurably. I found that since you ordered me to wed, I would not only perform my duty, but to the greatest extent possible.”

And in marrying a commoner, and a noble, your requirements are met on both sides, no matter which way you could have argued.

Are we done with this charade yet? Can I go home?

I do have projects to work on.

“Yes. We’re well pleased with this. We’d ask you to remain and possibly hold your wedding ceremony here, but we understand you’ve already requested to go home?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I fear that without me, my county could at any time be at the whims of fate.

“And while I admit that seems melodramatic, it is my sincere worry that I could possibly fail His Highness in my duty as his retainer by not being there,” Alex said, bowing his head to the king and remaining bowed.

I’ve given you all possible respect while offering no offense, giving you no reason to pursue this.

Just let me go back home, and you can worry about your dukes.

They’re your problems, not me.

Alex had noted the empty throne next to the king.

Once again, the queen refused to be part and parcel to anything.

Or the queen herself, maybe, is your problem.

The silence drew on for a while. He’d cornered the king fairly well with his respect and giving face to him, so there wasn’t much his majesty could do without looking as if he had indeed been plotting on the side.

“We release you then, Count Brit, back to your county. We regret we won’t be able to see your marriage ceremony, but do wish you the best with it and hope that you enjoy your new married life.”

“I’m sure we will, Your Highness,” Alex said, not raising his head but falling to a knee instead. After a few seconds of respectful prostration, Alex stood and left the throne room.

Not wanting to waste any further time here, his plan was to leave as quickly as possible.

So much so that everyone was already packed and waiting at the mansion.

It would only take a few minutes to pass the word along to the house staff to shutter most of the manse up, and they’d be gone.

No sooner than he exited the palace had Carla taken her place at his side.

Ever since the incident, he’d noticed Rudolph and his people had started treating Carla like one of their own, if not more so.

She gave him a look with a quirked brow.

“Home again, home again, jiggity jig,” Alex said with a smirk.

Carla snorted at that. “You owe me a day off; today doesn’t count.”

“Sure, it does.”

“No, Master. Mistress Anna already ruled in my favor on this matter,” Carla said with a sour grin. “Though she did tell me that if I came to her in the future without consulting you first, she’d make sure you used me improperly and that I wouldn’t be cleaned up.”

Hah. Good.

That’s… good. She’ll end up costing me a bit because she’ll argue for fairness… but she won’t let anyone get a better deal on us or be subversive.

With every interaction, he was feeling better about Anna.

Chapter 14

Alex took in a deep breath, then let it out in a whoosh.

He knew it seemed silly since he hadn’t called this place home long, but he genuinely felt better to be back in Brit.

The courtyard of his keep in Brit, to be exact.

They’d made great time and had arrived just after sunrise.

Where the only power higher than himself was miles away, and only wanted their share of his pie.

A CEO who wants me to kick him his bone, and a bunch of peers doing the same thing. I can do this all day.

Carla stood beside him, her head swiveling around as she took in the sight.

“Not bad,” she said, her eyes moving along the walls. “I think I might actually get a chance to rest here.”

“Mm. Definitely a lot less of a security concern here,” Alex couldn’t help but agree.

Rudolph and another man set down a large, wooden, locked trunk down beside him.

“Sir, I’ll check in with Max and return to my duties,” Rudolph said, bowing his head to Alex.

“Good work, Rudolph,” Alex said to the man. “I’ll be sure to express my admiration to Max.”

Rudolph and the other man left, Carla nodding at them as they did.

“I take it they trust you now?” Alex sat down on the trunk and gave it a pat next to him.

“Yeah. I think at first, they just thought I was warming your bed and little else.

“Now it’s…” Carla paused, a frown slowly developing. “Now it’s like they see me as a guard.”

After a second more, she sighed and sat down next to him on the trunk.

“What are your plans for the day? I’ll settle in otherwise and take my day off tomorrow.”

“Ah. I’ll be visiting my dungeon. Checking in on my projects,” Alex said. He paused to watch Anna and Holly wander from one end of the courtyard to the other. “Walter will inevitably track me down later on for a session of the month’s justice. I’m sure there’s a backlog.”

Carla grunted and then scratched at her stomach with one hand.

“I’ll get my room arranged, then. Make myself home, I suppose. Unless you have an order for me?”

“No. I’m sure everything will work itself out. As far as sleeping arrangements go, Anna and Holly already claimed the chamber attached to my own.

“We might need to have Walter convert a nearby room into another attached one for you. Unless you plan on sleeping in my room every night?”

Carla snorted at that and stood up.

“Not if I can help it. Until then… Master.”

Nodding his head to that, Alex couldn’t disagree.

It’d be best if she slept separately. He planned on having a great many deals made, a number of which would require an empty bedroom.

“Speaking of,” Alex muttered. Getting up, he unlocked the trunk and opened it.

Valeria lay curled on her side, her face matted with sweat.

“How ya doing in there?” Alex asked.

She looked uncomfortable. He imagined her knees, back, and shoulders were aching from the confined space.

He had let her out each time they had stopped on the way to take care of her needs and catch a breather, but otherwise, she’d been confined to the box.

Sleeping had been the one exemption to this, but he imagined that had been just as uncomfortable.

She’d been bound at the wrists and feet, trussed up like a hog, and dumped into the carriage by herself.

The shackle around her wrists clanked as she lifted her head to look up at him.

“Hot… thirsty… are we… are we there?” she asked, her head slowly coming higher to peek out of the trunk.

“Yes. We are. I’ll have you transferred to your cell in a moment, and then we can have a chat about your future. It might be a good time to consider your position, what you want, and what you’re willing to give,” Alex said seriously.

Valeria looked around the courtyard for a few seconds, then looked to him. She nodded her head, then laid it back down in the trunk.

Closing the trunk gently, Alex relocked it and sat back down on it.

He’d need to have two of his dungeon guards bring it in when he got the chance.

Anna and Holly vanished into a keep door, trailing along behind one of Walter’s people.

No time like the present, I suppose.

Looking around, he saw another one of Walter’s people and waved him over.

“Sir?” said the young man, coming to stand in front of Alex.

“Send a missive to Sylvia Griffon that I’ve returned and await her company,” Alex said, honoring his side of the bargain.

“Also, could you have Douglas come see me? I need to have this trunk moved.”

***

Moving through the hallway that ran along the line of cells, he didn’t announce his presence to Riley. She’d not see Valeria going by, nor Alex’s return.

“Put it up against the wall for now, and leave it there. I might have a use for it in here later. After that, consider this a standard prisoner cell, with one change.

“If she asks for a meal, we’ll need to provide her with whatever a standard meal is for a local, decent-quality inn,” Alex said to Douglas. “And if she does, you’ll need to keep track of it. A simple tally system will do.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Great. Anything I need to know? Did One do alright? Any concerns, problems, or questions while I was gone?”

“Ah, no, sir. She did ask often where you were. We followed your orders and provided her with baths, and made sure to add extra fruit and vegetables to each meal. Both to be given with your compliments. We checked in every time to make sure she had all she needed, and instructed her it was by your orders.”

“Good, good. Alright. Thank you, Douglas. I’m going to break this new one in. I may or may not have order changes for you after this.

“Oh, and before I forget, Lady Griffon will be returning. Please reinstate her accommodations to what they were previously.”

“Of course, sir. Glad to have you back,” Douglas said, bowing his head. Then he left, going through the same hallway they’d used to get in.

Alex unlocked the trunk, then left the cell. He pulled the iron gate shut as he exited and locked it.

“Come on out, Valeria. You’re home,” Alex called.

Creaking on its hinges, the lid to the trunk opened cautiously.

Alex watched as Valeria’s head came up, her hazel-colored eyes flitting from one side of her cell to the other.

“You’re alone. And no one will harm you. If you come on over this way and put your wrists through the bars, I’ll unlock the shackles,” Alex said.

Taking several steps back, he put himself at a distance from the bars.

Valeria looked to him, then slowly got to her feet.

Her hair was a wild disarray of what could only be called a rat’s nest, and her tunic was rumpled and sweat stained.

Stepping out of the trunk, she stretched one way and then the other.

“That was… unpleasant,” Valeria said, her tone neutral.

“I’m sure it was. We can always use it later as punishment… or a reward,” Alex said with a smile.

Now that he had her where he wanted her, he could start curbing her personality to fit his desires.

Part of that would be indulging her needs and wants. Which could very well include being locked in the trunk, for all he knew.

Given her personality, it was a possibility.

She walked over to him and stuck her arms through the bars.

“Come closer. Get yourself pressed up to the bars and stretch out as far as you can. I’ll not be giving you the possibility of catching me.

“Sorry,” Alex said.

Complying, Valeria squeezed up against the bars and held her arms in front of herself.

Smoothly as he could, Alex unlocked the shackle and pulled it away from her before she could take it into the cell with her.

“Well. The rules here are pretty simple,” Alex said as she drew back into her cell. “You’ll be fed regularly, given all the amenities you’ll need to survive, and be left alone.

“No harm will befall you, no one will hurt you, and no one will contact you,” Alex said. He paused for a second, contemplating if he wanted to offer her anything.

“And the… the deals will be like the last one? You’ll offer me things and I can say no?” Valeria asked, inspecting her bed.

“That’s right. The deal for your meals will continue, of course. The last unpaid tally we had before we left was… four meals, so twelve swats?”

Valeria nodded her head but otherwise didn’t respond.

“Good. Now, before I go. I’d like to make you a deal, if you’re willing?”

“Of course,” Valeria said, vanishing behind the privacy screen to probably inspect her “bathroom” as it were.

“I’m willing to offer you the chance to have a hairbrush and a couple changes of clothes. A mirror as well,” Alex said.

“I’d definitely like all of those,” she called over the screen. “But what’s the price?”

“You have to swear an oath to not harm myself, yourself, or anyone in my household. You also have to swear to not make any attempt at escape. Fairly simple things, really.

“It’ll also make our deals moving forward much easier to conduct.”

“Ah… those do seem… prudent. Yes, I’ll swear to all of that. On my soul and life, to Leah’s name, on our previous bargain.”

And there it is.

“Wonderful. I accept and swear to the oath as well. I’ll have everything brought in for you shortly. Now, I need to be going, unless there’s anything you need?”

“No.”

Alex left her cell and headed back to the dungeon guard post.

He turned over the shackle to them and made arrangements for Valeria’s new needs, then entered the corridor that ran through each cell.

Walking through Sylvia’s cell, he glanced in to see a guard giving it a once over and seemingly making sure it was as it should be.

Alex nodded to the man and entered Riley’s cell as quietly as possible.

With any luck he’d catch her sleeping, though the morning had passed a while ago. It was much closer to lunch now.

Riley’s head jerked up from her seat at her table.

She was sitting in her uniform, doing nothing at all.

Before she could start stripping, Alex smiled and held up a hand.

“Good morning, One. No need to strip this time. You weren’t expecting me, and I see you’re wearing your lovely uniform,” Alex said, coming up to the bars.

“Master! It’s good to see you. I… I hope everything went well?” she asked, bouncing up from the table and moving over to him at the bars.

Her enthusiasm to see him was definitely a good turn of events.

Though it felt slightly ahead of schedule. He’d left her alone on a positive note and set up a number of gifts for her in his name in his absence.

But even then, she seemed… genuinely happy to see him.

That or she’d seen such little kindness in her life that even the small bits he’d given her were more than she’d ever had.

“As well as can be expected when dealing with our toad of a king,” Alex admitted with a smile and a sigh. “In the end I was forced to take a wife. Otherwise, everything is as it was.”

She could use a compliment right now, I bet.

When we left, we had just converted her over to her new persona. She’s had some time to live in it. Seems like it’s fitting her well. Let’s encourage it.

“Now hold on there,” Alex said in a curious tone. Leaning back, he gave her a once-over. “You certainly look much better, all and all.

“The bruises are all gone, you look like you have a much better coloring to you, and you definitely fill out that uniform nicely, One.”

Riley blushed deeply, looked to the ground, and clasped her hands in front of herself.

“I… I think I’ve been eating more regularly than I did living in the city,” she said. One of her hands came up to toy with an errant curl of red hair. “The person you said would come cut my hair did. They just trimmed it up. Said they hadn’t heard from you what you wanted it to be yet.”

“Well, you look good. Beautiful even.

“And your collar really fits your neck quite well. Would you lift your chin and show me your tag?” Alex asked. He made sure to phrase it as a request, not an order.

Riley lifted her head up immediately and met his eyes, her left hand cupping her tag and holding it out to him.

“Ah, you’ve kept it clean, good girl. How are you otherwise, One?”

“I’m good, Master. I’m good. Though I like eating as often as I get to, I think I’m… I’m very tired of eating the same thing every day,” she said, still holding her tag up to him.

Alex smiled at her and gestured at the tag with a finger, indicating she could drop it.

“I see. What else?”

“I’ve… I’ve had my moonblood a day ago. I’m afraid I dirtied the sheets on accident, Master. The guards took care of it and were very polite about it.”

But?

Alex waited, smiling encouragingly at her and leaning up against the bars.

“I’d like to have a bath, but the guard said it wouldn’t be available anymore when you returned. That you had given it to me since you couldn’t be here.

“I think I could do the previous deal you offered me… now, for it.”

Poor thing. Doesn’t she realize that it means little if she wants it?

“I’ll consider it. Not sure what a bath tub will run now that I’m back.

“For the change in meals though… are you looking for just different food, or better food?”

Riley looked shocked at his question. As if she hadn’t even considered the possibility of better food.

“Better food, Master?”

Alex grinned, in what felt to him a wolflike way.

“I’ll upgrade your meals to what’s served in a local inn, and change the variety, but the price will be…”

Riley was staring at him, her eyes a bit wider than they were previously.

Alex did his best to watch her as he started to offer the deal. He wanted her craving the deals to get more for herself.

To look forward to them.

Even when he asked her to demean herself.

“That you take training as a personal maid. I’ll have you working with a keep servant to begin learning the roles and duties of a personal maid to me. Exclusively. You’ll even receive pay equal to the job.

“In addition, you’ll be swearing to be celibate. To not touch another man or woman in any way that could even be thought of as romantic or sexual, without my permission.

“You won’t be leaving your cell just yet either, but I do need to find a use for you.”

This time, a carrot. Next time, the stick.

“I swear, Master. I accept the deal, and swear on the oath,” Riley said immediately.

“Good. Thank you, One. I’ll think on the bath. I’ll probably drop by later on, alright?”

“Yes, Master. Of course, Master. Should I make myself nude for you next time?”

“Ah, no. As much as I enjoy the view, it isn’t needed. You look too good in your uniform. It’d be a waste. Wear your uniform going forward; we’ll take each day as they come. Until next time, One.”

Alex gave her a tight smile, then headed for the door to Sylvia’s cell.

“Until then, Master,” Riley called after him.

Without responding, Alex ducked into Sylvia’s cell, then froze as the door shut behind him.

Standing in the middle of the cell was the wraith he knew as Leah.

“Hello, Alex,” she said.

“Ah, Leah. It’s good to see you,” Alex said, pinning his screeching thoughts into submission before they could give anything away.

She chortled to herself, as if even recognizing his attempt for what it was.

“Your favor. I do believe it’s time to collect on it,” Leah said.

“Ok. Ah, I was wondering what the possibility would be of having a… second crystal. One that I could offload other deals to for future months’ debt.”

“You’re thinking of Eugenia, I take it?”

“Yes, and no. I have no… reason… to make more deals this month. At all. In fact, my deals in your name will dry up faster than the desert until the new month.

“There’s just nothing to compel me to do anything. There’s no reason to offer more deals when I get nothing from it.

“No motivation.”

The wraith paused, her head tilting to one side.

“Yes, I can see how your mind views that. Works it. Your wife triggered this thought in you. With Holly’s contract,” Leah said.

“That’s right. She did. Providing me with another crystal so I could preload my debt would make me work a month in advance.”

“And yet no further than that, after that. One crystal wouldn’t change your thinking… no.”

Leah stood there, unmoving. Then she suddenly snapped her fingers in a very humanlike gesture.

“I have it. I’ll give you a crystal column. As big as a grandfather clock. Whatever excess deals you commit to will fill it. If you were to turn it completely black, it’d be the equivalent of twelve months’ worth of deals.

“What do you say to that?”

Alex almost resisted the urge to think about that. Almost.

With that much leeway to work with, I’d be able to store a massive amount in advance.

Though I wonder, if I filled it completely, would she take something in trade for it and give me a new one?

“Oh, that’s a good idea. Yes, I would, but we’d have to dicker on the price, of course,” she said.

“Could you stop reading my mind? It’d be nice to have a thought to myself, and then convey it to you if I actually wanted to do it.”

“Sorry, bad habit. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try.”

Grumbling, Alex ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, ok. I’ll take that as my favor then.”

Leah held out a hand to him.

Without thinking about it, he shook her hand.

“We have an accord then. Also, because I want you to live a long, happy life and earn me a number of souls and deals, I’ve taken care of another problem you had.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“The STD you had eating away at you. Marta the whore gave it to you. You already passed it on to Carla, who gave it to Holly,” Leah said deadpan. “I’ve already seen where you’re guiding your deals, and do approve. With that in mind, I’ve changed you a bit. Only a tweak, mind you. But still, I changed you. You’ll never catch an STD of any sort ever again. In fact, anyone you sleep with will be cured of their own. That’s how strong your body’s defense will be.

“Consider it my blessing.”

Alex wasn’t quite sure how to take that, but he was glad to hear it’d been taken care of.

He hadn’t even considered the problem, although he clearly should have.

“Feel free to go cure the world with your dick if you want, but I’d advise against it,” Leah said with a shrug, then vanished.

Chapter 15

“Alex?” came a softly whispered voice.

Grumbling, he turned his head in the other direction and shifted deeply into his blankets.

“Alex… we should probably start the day,” came the whispering voice again.

“No,” he complained.

“The sun will be up shortly. You said you were expecting guests today?” Anna said, pressing her lips to the inside of his ear.

“Unnngh. I’m the count; why do I have to get up before the sun?”

“Because you’re the count,” Anna immediately replied.

Sighing, he opened his eyes to the gloom of his bedroom and turned his head.

Anna was curled up against his side, naked and smiling at him.

Last night had been awkward, painful, and altogether a strange experience.

Anna wasn’t one to hold back her thoughts and feelings, and apparently losing her virginity was not something she’d expected to be as painful as it’d been for her.

At least she seems as chipper as ever. Even if it was a bit of a fiasco.

“Good morning, my husband,” Anna said, her fingers patting his bare chest. “I look forward to trying again tonight. Mummy said the second time is better. Daddy didn’t want to talk about it.”

I imagine not. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to talk to my daughter about her losing her virginity and if it’d be painful or not the second time.

My apologies, Master Ulles. Thank you for dealing with her for so long.

“Yes, we should be receiving a guest today,” he said, ignoring her comment entirely. “Her name is Sylvia Griffon. She’s landed peerage at best. A step away from commoner status. I imagine she’s been doing some dirty dealings in the background to try and increase her stature.”

Anna nodded slowly, her eyes round and wide as if he were telling her a horror story.

“She was caught, and here we are. I’ll be trying her privately.”

“Are you going to turn her into a conquest?”

“I think so. We’ll see. I could use her.”

“Mm,” Anna said, then puffed her cheeks out at him. “I’ll sneak in when you’re away and talk to her. People tell me lots of things. I know I’m not… not smart, but I’m not stupid.”

Her voice took on a lower tone as she spoke. The first real deviation he’d ever seen in her.

I wonder about that… and how self-aware she is.

“I think you’re just perfect the way you are… wife,” Alex said, poking her between the eyes with his index finger. “And yes, please try to get what you can out of her. I think it’d be helpful. Now, you said we should start the day.

“Any plans?”

Anna gave him a bright smile, her demeanor switching right back to how it always was.

“I’m going to take Holly and meet everyone we can in the keep, to learn our new home. If possible, I want to head into town and buy some things as well.”

“Got it. Well, be sure to take Walter or one of his people with you so he can draw from my own account. I mean, what you’re buying are things we’d be sharing, right? Only spend your dowry on things that are specific to yourself.”

Anna’s face looked as if she couldn’t smile any wider. She chirped and pressed her face into his chest, as if hiding from him.

Unable to help himself, he smiled at her and patted her shoulders.

Looking up from his new wife, he saw a large, multi-faceted crystal in the corner. A massive pillar of a thing that stretched from floor to ceiling.

It was tucked into a corner and mostly out of the way.

What the…?

A soul crystal.

Constructed and fashioned by Leah, this pillar is meant to collect excess power and deals generated by Alex Brit.

The maximum capacity of the vessel is twelve units of generated power.

It is visible only to Alex Brit and Anna Brit.

The entire thing was as clear as glass. He wondered how much it’d take to fill it.

That and what would happen if a maid tried to clean that area.

“Anna, do you see that big crystal thing in the corner?”

Lifting her head from his chest, Anna shifted to one side. She took a moment to view the room, and Alex took a moment to view her naked body. Anna finally saw the crystal after she scanned the whole room.

“That thing? Yes, I see it. What is it? It wasn’t there last night.”

“Remember when you advised me to hold on to contracts until the next month? Your comment gave me an idea and I pitched it to Leah.

“She agreed, and then apparently provided me with that. It’s supposed to hold up to twelve months’ worth of power.”

Anna nodded her head, then molded herself back into Alex’s side.

“Thank you, Leah,” Anna said, pressing her face back into his chest. “For everything.”

***

Alex smiled and bowed his head to Sylvia as she entered the dungeon “lobby” area.

“I’m glad you returned, Sylvia,” Alex said.

It was still early morning. Just after breakfast. Holly and Anna had set out immediately, Rudolph becoming their personal guard captain.

“Of course,” Sylvia said with a grimace. Reaching into the bag at her side, she sighed, pulled out a large packet of papers, and handed it over to him. “Per our agreement. One of my people foolishly brought this to me practically as I arrived.

“I do hope your mercy is generous for one such as myself.”

Taking the paperwork in hand, Alex looked at the top page.

Then he snorted.

It was all black-book-type stuff, as it were, he guessed. When the top page was a list of payouts, to whom, and why, he could only imagine the entire thing was that way.

And since she’d acted the way she had, these were probably all illegal payouts.

“I’m sure we can come to an agreement, Sylvia. Come, let’s take this to your room,” Alex said, gesturing to the dungeon door.

“Ah… could we…?” Sylvia paused, looking around at the guards around her.

She wants to make a deal already? Huh.

Stick to the power play.

“I’ll be happy to sit, catch up, and talk about where we go from here. Let’s return to your room for now. Have you eaten?”

Sylvia shook her head, her face pinched and her mouth a frown.

“Douglas, bring breakfast for the lady? Come, come. Let’s be on our way,” Alex said, moving to the door and opening it for her.

Sylvia walked in with her chin up, her face clearing quickly.

Regardless of anything else, she was still of the peerage, and seemed to believe her station was unassailable, even if guilty of crime.

They entered her cell, went to her table, and both sat down.

Setting the packet down on the table to one side, Alex laid his hand on it.

“I take it this will be more than enough to… find you guilty beyond a doubt?” Alex asked.

Sylvia sighed and looked up to the ceiling, as if for guidance.

“And then some. I had the servant flogged to death and the body dumped. For all the good it did me,” she said, shaking her head. “To be perfectly honest, there’s more than enough in there to have me stripped of my lands, wealth, and what little title my family holds.”

“Ah… and if you had to guess, how long would it take for me to sort through this and track it all down?”

Alex didn’t like the idea of doing that. He could play the game and go through with it, but this seemed like a whole lot of ferreting out people and secrets.

“Years… if not longer,” Sylvia admitted. “That’s enough to get you started though, and then it’d just come down to how long it took you to unravel it.

“And due to the oath I swore, I cannot stop any of it. You really pinned me in with that one, Alex. I had no idea it would be as bad as it is.”

Nodding his head, Alex could only agree. He personally never would have sworn it. It would have been too hard to not get involved.

“I think this is a much longer conversation than I want to have at this time. Let’s assume for the time being that you’ll be my guest for a… long while,” Alex said.

A solid knock on the door got his attention. Turning to Sylvia, he smiled and held out a hand.

She smiled sadly and shook her head.

“Enter,” she called out, turning toward the door.

A guard with a breakfast tray slipped inside. Carla came in right behind him.

Smiling at his personal guard, he wondered how long she’d slept in her private room.

He’d only tried marginally to wake her, then had simply gone about his day instead.

“Sir, I have your morning letters. They arrived by courier,” said the guard, setting down the tray in front of Sylvia. Turning to Alex, he held out several sealed letters.

“Thank you,” Alex and Sylvia said at the same time.

Carla moved to the corner of the cell, her right hand resting on a short sword at her hip.

“Sylvia, this is Two. Two, this is Sylvia. Two is my personal guardian. Sylvia is our guest for the interminable future,” Alex said by way of introduction. He flipped through the sealed letters one by one.

Carla grunted at that, staring at the woman.

Sylvia seemed perturbed when Carla didn’t leave with the guard.

“My lord… is she…?” Sylvia asked, indicating Carla.

“She’s literally my personal guardian. I trust her with my life, and have done so already,” Alex said, setting the letters down in his lap.

The king, and a duke I haven’t met. Great.

“Now, before I leave you to your meal, it seemed as if you wanted to discuss something,” Alex said, smiling at her.

“I was…” Sylvia paused to look at Carla.

“Ah, discussing anything in front of her won’t be a betrayal. Suffice it to say Two is sworn to my service,” Alex assured her.

Sylvia nodded at that, her fingernails—now brightly polished and well manicured again—tapping at her tray.

“I realize this won’t be over anytime soon. I was hoping to get better accommodations. Perhaps the ability to meet with others, and even enjoy the sun on occasion?”

“That could certainly be worked out. Let’s start with the first piece, then. A better room.

“I do have a number of personal rooms set aside in the keep proper for guests such as yourself. Would that be acceptable?”

Sylvia pursed her lips and then nodded, her eyes moving to his own. “Yes.”

“Great. Now, seeing others. Are you talking about household members, servants, or just friends?”

“All of the above… I worry for my house while I’m here. Until you take it from me, it’s still mine,” Sylvia said.

“A fair point. And lastly, the sun. I take it you mean go on walks inside the keep?

“Perhaps a trip down to the city every now and then?”

Sylvia nodded her head again. Her eyes looked wary, her mouth flat, her hands now clenched in her lap.

She realizes those are all rather high-cost items.

How do we go about this…

“Certainly. The room first, since that’s the easiest. I can provide the room; it comes with a tub, a lovely bed, and all the normal things you’d probably find in my own room.

“With that said, the price for such a thing would not be cheap,” Alex said, contemplating the situation. Reaching over, he tapped the mass of papers she’d brought him. “I want you to tell me everything in this, or that you know of, that has the potential to harm me or my county.

“By harm I mean to cause financial loss of a measurable quality, death or dismemberment, or threat to my rule. Even if it exposes yourself or shows your guilt in part to the matter. In return, I offer the room and exoneration for anything you point out.”

Sylvia rocked back in her seat at that, her mouth opening and then closing.

“In other words… you’d have me become an informant.”

“Not in so many words, but yes. Though I’ll add another piece to my side of the deal, if it helps. I’ll never betray you as the provider of the information, in any way, shape, or form. I’ll devise a way to come across the information naturally, without your involvement.”

Sylvia looked to the rough wooden bench they were sitting on. She scratched at it with a nail. “What would a ‘measurable quality’ be? That’s rather vague.”

“More than a thousand gold pieces I think is a fair line to draw.”

Sighing, Sylvia stood up and clapped her hands together.

“Then I agree and do so swear. Please… please take me to my new room. I don’t want to spend another minute in here.”

“Of course, Sylvia,” Alex said with a smile, and stood up as well. “Of course. I accept your oath and swear in return. We’ll discuss your desire to go on walks another day.

“For receiving guests, how about we simply keep to our previous agreement? You have to actively work to better me, my image, and my county, when you can, as you’re able.”

Sylvia gave him a strange smile at that, then sighed and nodded her head.

“I can agree to that and swear it to my oath.”

“Grand, let’s go see your room.”

***

Closing the door behind him, Alex looked down the hall.

Douglas’s people had taken up guard duties in this wing of the keep after Sylvia had been moved up an hour ago.

It was now as secure as the dungeon.

Sylvia had settled in quickly; after Alex had shown her the room, she’d seemed quite pleased with it.

“Not gonna try to bed her?” Carla asked, standing at his side.

“Eh… not yet. Down the road, yes. I don’t think she’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. I get the impression she’s practically a crime lord in her circle. We’ll pump her for everything she’s worth first.”

“Then you’ll pump her,” Carla said, grinning.

“Suppose so. Why do you delight in that, by the way? You seem to take pleasure in me using other women the way I use you,” Alex said, then turned to walk down the hall to his own room.

“Because they’re nobles. Watching them squirm then get put into your bed warms my heart. Scum, the lot of them.”

Alex quirked a brow at that, glancing over at her.

“I take it my peers aren’t your favorite?”

“I’ve killed a number. They scream and offer all sorts of promises. We let one go once on a promise,” she said, then growled. “Worst thing we ever did. The gods don’t give us commoners the time of day. Oaths don’t exist for us unless a ‘noble’ gets it moving.”

“Indeed. Curious about that. Regardless, don’t fret. It brought you here into my service,” Alex said, reaching over to lay a hand on Carla’s back. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Did you sleep well, by the way?”

“Yes, Master. I did. The bed was very comfortable. I’m… sorry… about sleeping in,” she said, her face turning red. Either with anger or shame, he couldn’t tell.

“Don’t worry about it. You did extremely well for me in the capital; some allowances can be made,” he said, patting her on the back but not removing his hand.

Slowly, he drew her closer to his side as they walked. His hand running along her and guiding her nearer.

“Stop it,” she grumbled, but didn’t pull away.

“Stop what?”

“That. Your hand.”

“You stop it. You could move away. You’re not under oath to let me touch you right now.”

“Ass.”

“You want me to touch your ass?”

“No! Gods, you’re awful,” Carla said, then swatted his hand away.

Smiling to himself, Alex pulled the letter from the king out of his doublet. Tapping it against his palm, he walked into his personal room as the guard held the door open for him.

Looking around as he entered, he found it empty.

“Go check and see if my wives are in, Two.” Alex asked, moving over to his desk.

“They’re not,” she said, not bothering to look. “I saw Rudolph and company in the center of the keep. I think Mistress Anna is sorting through her loot.”

Alex rolled his eyes, not caring.

After slitting the envelope open, he pulled out the letter and read it over quickly.

Shit.

“Apparently,” Alex said, setting the letter down, “the king has decided that as my family no longer holds a ducal title, as a count I should not report directly to him. My vassalage has been transferred to Duke Tanulf.”

On a hunch, he pulled out the other letters he’d gotten. He’d already forgotten the name on one of them, but he’d now bet it was Duke Tanulf.

He set Holly’s father’s letter to one side and looked to the other.

Duke Tanulf.

Pushing the letter opener through the top, he opened it and pulled out the paper inside.

Sighing, he dropped that atop the letter from the king.

“Duke Tanulf is coming to visit in the next day, give or take a few hours. Sooner if he’s coming from the capital.

“To receive my vassalage in person, no less,” Alex lamented. Then he chuckled to himself. “Care to bet he has an unwed daughter about my age?”

Carla wrinkled her nose and then shook her head.

“The games you nobles play are stupid,” she said.

“I couldn’t agree more. But it is what it is. I suppose it could be worse. The duke can’t rescind my count status, nor can he take it from me. I’ll owe him the same taxes that were due to the king. Not much will change, except who tells me what to do, I suppose.”

Carla shrugged her shoulders at that.

“Well, so be it. Walter will probably be here in thirty minutes or so; I can tell him all about it then.

“In the meantime, I believe I offered to teach you your letters. Would you care to begin now?” Alex asked, looking at Carla.

“Really?”

“Yeah. We have some time. We can at least start with the basics.”

“Then yeah. Let’s do that.”

Chapter 16

They’d only had about twenty minutes of warning for the duke’s arrival.

Alex had gotten nervous about the possibility of missing the man’s arrival and had posted a number of sentries to watch the road from the capital.

And all it did was reinforce my distaste for the nobility and validate my paranoia.

Sighing to himself, Alex did his best to smile as the duke’s party came rolling in along the king’s road from the capital.

He wasn’t sure if the duke was a fool, but by coming in this way, he was more or less showing Alex that yes, he’d been involved in the king’s plot.

Especially if he happened to have an unwed daughter or niece with him.

Two was on Alex’s left, Anna and Holly on his right.

Behind him stood Walter, Rudolph, and Maxwell. Otherwise, the courtyard of the keep was empty.

The ducal coach rode in, his guards peeling out in every direction just inside the gate but not crossing into the courtyard proper.

A coachman hanging off the side dropped to the dirt and opened the door, bowing low.

“Duke Tanulf, of the Tanulf family,” said the man.

Here we go.

Bowing low, Alex did his best to keep the same smile on his face.

Regardless of anything else, he was greeting his new liege lord. The better the man liked him, the easier Alex’s life would be.

“Ah, Count Brit,” said a voice heavy with age.

Standing up, Alex laid eyes on the duke for the first time.

He was indeed elderly. He looked rather decrepit and seemed to be made of skin and bones.

“It’s good to see you. I take it the king’s letter reached you in good health?” asked the duke, bowing his head fractionally to the count.

“Yes, Duke, it did indeed. His Majesty made it clear I was to become your vassal,” Alex said directly. “May I int—”

“Good, good. I’ll receive your oath of fealty and then be on my way. Much to do, and very little time,” said the duke, interrupting Alex.

Somehow, Alex managed to keep his smile.

Going down to one knee, Alex placed his right hand on his collar pin.

Wish I had studied the oath a bit more so I don’t—

I promise on my oath that I will in the future be faithful to my liege lord, never cause him harm, and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit.

Alex was quick enough that he managed to recite the whole thing as it sounded off in his head.

The duke nodded his head.

“I accept, and here are your orders.”

The duke reached into his doublet, pulled out a thick envelope and handed it over to Alex.

“Good day,” the duke said, turning to clamber back into his coach.

Getting to his feet, Alex looked at the envelope and then back at the carriage.

Peeking out from the inside of it was what he’d feared and expected—a young woman around his age.

Before he could get an idea of what she truly looked like, the door to the carriage shut and the procession was off and rolling again.

“What a twat,” Carla muttered, shaking her head.

“I think he has a penis,” Anna said seriously.

Alex guffawed at that and patted Anna’s hand where it rested on his forearm. “I think he’s both a twat and a penis.

“I imagine his treatment of me was how he shows his displeasure. Pity for him, his rebuke only makes me angry and does nothing to my noble pride.”

Opening the envelope, Alex pulled out the thick wad of papers.

The one on top seemed the most ominous, its flowing script clearly written for effect.

Not the dictated and copied words of a scribe.

Reading it quickly, he held his breath. Then he read it again a second time.

Unable to help it, he let out an explosive breath, then handed the whole thing over to Walter.

“It would appear the duke is going to war with a neighbor. My liege levies have been called up. I imagine the rest of the paperwork is the liege lord contract the king handed to him.

“Well, this is a mess. I only returned and now in two weeks I’m being called to go to war,” Alex muttered.

“That’s ok, husband. I think two weeks is enough time to put children in Holly and I. Daddy always said it only takes once, and I should never dally with a man who wasn’t my husband,” Anna said with a smart nod of her head.

Thank you, Master Ulles. Remind me to send you a special birthday present.

***

Walter and Maxwell were hunched over a desk, going through the contract word for word.

“I imagine it’s fairly solid, since it came from the king,” Alex said. “How about we give up on looking for a way out and simply deal with what we’re going to have do. We’re wasting time at this point.”

“But, my lord—”

“Leave it, Walter. What’s our responsibility, levy-wise?”

“Two hundred men-at-arms, three hundred conscripts, and one hundred archers,” Walter said, as if reading off a shopping list.

“That would strip almost all our defenses and leave us with precious little to hold our county,” Maxwell added.

“Then we don’t do that. The men-at-arms and the archers would be the hardest part, I imagine. The conscripts are mostly peasants paid in coin, almost entirely day-laborers. No?” Alex asked.

“That’s… accurate, my lord. But we simply don’t have the resources to recruit and train that many—”

“No, no. I’m not thinking of trying to backfill those positions we’d vacate. I’m thinking of simply hiring a vendor,” Alex said, leaning his head back against his chair.

“A… vendor?” Maxwell asked.

“A vendor. A mercenary company who has that force number on hand, which we could simply hire. If we’re being honest with ourselves, the cost of training up and outfitting replacements for those who die in this war might very well be the same cost as hiring mercenaries.

“Or so I’d love to think. Maxwell, does that sound about right?”

“Well. It would depend on the company, but… yes. There are a number of outfits that would fit pricewise and numerically. Truth be told, you might be right about the cost to outfit and train replacements, too. Morale would also be heavily impacted,” Maxwell said, working the thought through his own process.

“Let’s plan for that, then. Maxwell, send your fastest riders to the company we want to hire—I concede to your best estimation for the situation on whom—and let’s get this taken care of.

“Walter, outlay the amount of coin it would take to run a year’s campaign in advance and let’s see where we line up financially,” Alex said, his thumbs tapping each other in his lap. “Beyond that, let’s see if we can offset the cost of the company by offering them permanent employment in the guard afterward. I imagine at the end of this, there might not be much left of them.”

Maxwell and Walter didn’t say anything, causing Alex to drop his chin and look at the two of them.

They were both staring at him.

“Something the matter?” Alex asked.

“No, sire. It’s just… that’s… rather well thought out,” Maxwell said.

“Oh, thank you. If there’s nothing else, I’m going to go visit my guests,” Alex said and stood up.

“Seems like I don’t get any time to work on my projects,” grumbled Alex as he headed down towards his dungeon.

People passed by him as he went. Nodding to him or moving out of his way.

He’d love to believe it was in deference, but he imagined it was due to the fully armed and armored Carla padding after him.

“Probably should hire another guard,” Carla said as they moved.

“You’re… right, of course. I had wanted to use that as a means to get you into my bed more often. That’s a pity,” Alex said, shaking his head.

“I’m sure you’ll figure out something else to use against me,” Carla said. “Eventually.”

“Eventually. My poor, cold bed,” Alex said dramatically. “Anyways, let’s see if we can’t get two recruits to come with us on this adventure. I can keep working on my projects that way.”

Carla made a rude noise and prodded him in the back with what felt like the top of her mace.

“Take one of your wives with us. That’d keep your bed warm.”

“I don’t think that’d be a good idea. I get the impression they’re not cut out for such conditions. I’ll leave them here to manage things. Between the two of them and Walter, it should be fine.”

Alex passed by the dungeon guard checkpoint and went right in. Passing through Sylvia’s now empty cell, he didn’t stop. He entered One’s cell and looked around.

One practically launched off her bed and came up to the bars, smiling at him.

“Master, I was worried. You didn’t return when you said you would,” Riley said, her hands curling around the bars.

“Sorry about that. Things came up and I lost myself.”

“I thought maybe… maybe your wife didn’t like you coming down here?” Riley said, watching him.

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m afraid I’ll be going to war under the banner of the duke of Tanulf. I wanted to run a deal by you to see what you’d do,” Alex said, leaning up against the bars next to her.

“I’m listening, Master,” Riley said, her face moving to rest between the bars, staring up at him.

“I want to let you have the chance to leave this cell for a time. To serve as my personal maid-servant. You’ll have to attend to all my needs that a maid-servant would, and do so efficiently without command.

“You’d have to swear to attempt no escape, and remain with me regardless of what happens,” Alex said, tapping one of the cold bars with a finger.

“This is… odd… master. This seems more like you’re offering me the price, before I get the reward,” Riley said.

“I suppose it is at that. What would you want in exchange for doing what I described?”

“Would I have to sleep with you?”

“Not initially, but I might make an offer later that you can always say no to,” Alex admitted. “But you’d have to sleep either in my bed or directly beside it. In a war camp, it wouldn’t be wise to wander around alone as a woman.”

Riley looked down to the ground, apparently deep in thought.

“Could you… pay me? And send the money to my mother and younger sister?” Riley asked finally, her eyes coming back up to his.

“I certainly could. I’ll make sure you receive pay equal to what a maid-servant in that situation would earn.”

Riley nodded her head. “Then I agree, and swear it on our oath.”

“Grand. If you’ll remember, I had planned to give you maid training; that’ll be accelerated now. I imagine you’ll be living and breathing your duties for the next two weeks until we leave,” Alex said. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out the key for her cell and unlocked it. “Come on then, One. Time for you to get squared away.”

As Riley attempted to leave the cell, Carla took a step forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“I am Two. You will listen to every instruction I give you regarding Master’s security. Do you understand, One?”

Riley looked up into Carla’s face, then nodded her head. “I do.”

Alex waved a hand at them, then indicated the door.

“Go ahead and take her to the maids, Two. Get her cleaned up, fed, and working. She has a lot to learn and little time to do it in. I’ll be with our last guest,” Alex said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder towards Valeria.

Carla frowned at him but didn’t say anything. Instead, she grabbed Riley by the elbow and marched her quickly out of the dungeon.

Carla looked like she intended to take care of this chore as quickly as possible.

Alex turned and entered Valeria’s cell, moving directly to the bars and peering in.

Valeria wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Valeria?” Alex asked.

“A moment,” came a subdued voice from behind the privacy screen.

Alex shrugged his shoulders and waited.

A minute later, Valeria crawled around the edge of the screen and lay down on the stones.

She was red faced and panting. Her hair looked like a straw-matted mess, and her tunic was beyond rumpled.

“Are you well?” Alex asked, concerned.

“Sick. Had waxed poison pills in my stomach that I was holding onto. Just in case I needed… needed to die. After your oath to cause no harm to myself, I had to get rid of them,” Valeria said, explaining. “One was apparently leaking.”

“You were… eating your own feces over and over? The waxed pills?”

“Yes.”

“Huh. You’re rather dedicated to your previous employer.”

“Under oath.”

“Ah, that does explain a few things. It also attests to your upbringing, doesn’t it? You were once part of the nobility?”

“Yes.”

“Hm. Though I was wondering on that,” Alex said. With the key still in hand, he unlocked her cell door and went inside.

Valeria peered up at him from the ground, her eyes fearful.

“Be still; I’ll do you no harm.”

Alex got the pillow from her bed, dragged a chair over, and sat down next to her.

“Up with your head now,” Alex said, then wedged the pillow under it when she did so. “Now, let’s start with the easy part of this.

“What do you need to help pass the poison?”

“Water. Lots. Otherwise, nothing. It’ll pass. It’s not long lasting, and I didn’t get much of it,” Valeria said.

“Good to know. I’ll have a barrel of water brought in.

“Next… why did your employer throw you away?”

Valeria glared up at him from the pillow.

“No such thing happened. I—”

“It did. Forgive me, but… you’re not built for hand-to-hand fighting. You’re clearly either eye-candy, a diversion, or an instructor. What were you doing before this last job? No details or specifics needed. Or even to betray your employer. Just your general job title.”

“Teacher,” she said finally.

“And had you ever done any field work before that?”

“No.”

“So, either you were picked specifically for me, or you were no longer needed and tossed aside. Let’s work through this a bit further.

“You had a dagger in your… in you. I assume that was how you were going to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“How were you going to escape?”

Valeria didn’t respond.

“Were you ordered to use a blade as the means?”

“Yes.”

“And yet you were a teacher. Who knew how to carry poisons in such a fashion, seduce a target, and distract to the point of being able to operate effectively. And with the mental conditioning to eat your own shit.”

Alex leaned forward in his chair and smoothed her hair back from her brow, then lightly began to massage her scalp.

“You were ordered to put a blade in me, without the possibility of escape, when you had other opportunities to work with.

“And no one attempted to retrieve you after I made it obvious I’d caught someone.

“No… you were disposed of, Valeria.”

Valeria closed her eyes. She said nothing.

“Well. I find myself in need of someone like you. I’ll not ask you to betray your previous lord in any way, but I’d like you to consider working for me directly instead.”

Valeria snorted at that.

“You’d trust someone like me?”

“No. I’d bind and chain you down in oaths, like most of my peers. Though we’d have clear paid and received for each deal. Just as we’ve done so far.

“Would you be willing to discuss terms with me? You can say no.”

“What happens if I actually do say no?”

“Nothing. I leave you here, go on campaign, and you remain in this cell until I return.”

Valeria finally opened her eyes and met his gaze.

“Let’s talk terms then,” she said.

“I want you to go on campaign with me, and operate as a teacher. Help me protect myself and teach me everything you know, but from a defensive point of view.

“Do this and I’ll expunge your death sentence, commuting it to a life sentence.”

“Need more.”

Alex thought for a bit, then shrugged.

“Part of teaching me would of course be an oath to make no attempt to escape. All the previous oaths would remain active, so you couldn’t betray me or my secrets, or attempt to harm me.

“With that in mind, I could change your cell to a private room in the keep. A room much like my own, to be clear.”

Valeria’s brow scrunched up at that.

“Need pay,” she said finally.

“Everyone seems to want pay lately,” Alex grinned. “And what are you worth?”

“Five gold every three months.”

“Mm. So twenty gold a year. I could agree to that, but I want more from you in exchange.”

Valeria’s knees came up, her hands pressing to her stomach.

“What?”

“You’ll wear what I want you to wear, you’ll let me be in charge of your hair and how you style it, and you’ll take the name of ‘Three’ and respond to it. I’ll be sure to add a lovely collar with your name on it.

“Oh, and call me Master, of course.”

Valeria chewed at her lower lip.

“I can promise to hurt you a bit whenever you want as an extra. A spanking here or there, a hair pulling now and again. Whatever you fancy,” Alex said, grinning at her. “Maybe bring the trunk along if you’d like to sleep in it at night in my tent? At the foot of my bed, maybe? Shackle your wrists and ankles. Gag you, put you in my trunk and keep you handy as a special treat for when I want to look at you?

“Though you would have to swear to celibacy. To no contact of a sexual or romantic nature with anyone at any level, unless I give permission.”

Time to test what you really want, my little pain jockey. I’ve only teased a touch up to this point. Time to see if you can admit to those dark desires of yours.

Valeria blinked at that. Her gaze panicked, then curious, then completely neutral in a schooled response.

“Is that a no?” Alex asked, scratching at her hair line delicately with a fingernail.

“I’ll do it. I accept the terms you’ve given and swear to the oath between us.”

“Grand. You have two weeks to get your kit shifted out. Then we’ll be off. For now, how about I put you back in your bed, Three, and you get some rest?”

Valeria closed her eyes and nodded her head once. “Yes, Master. Please.”

Chapter 17

Maxwell led a middle-aged man into Alex’s study. He was broad shouldered and rather tall to boot. Every bit the military man, from his haircut down to his polished-but-worn boots.

His clothes were cut in a uniform-like fashion, though didn’t sport any colors.

“My lord, this is David Herel, commander of the mercenary company Bulwark,” Maxwell said.

David bowed from the waist.

Alex stood up and nodded his head to David.

“A pleasure, Master Herel. I appreciate your coming. I take it you found the contract to your liking as it was presented?” Alex asked, skipping straight to business.

“Yes, my lord. I did. The prospect of settling down in Brit with what you suggested is… very tempting,” David said, standing up from his bow.

“I see this as being an operation where it’s very likely you’ll take significant losses. I won’t hide that fact from you, but I will make sure you’re paid well for it,” Alex said simply. “Now, Maxwell selected you personally. And I trust him. So tell me about your company.”

“I command four hundred men-at-arms, two hundred archers, and one hundred heavy infantry.

“We’re broken down into military groupings and we have an eighty percent veteran status. By and large, we’re outfitted to a slightly better degree than conventional military,” David said. “I personally specialize in battle tactics and line fighting.”

You say nothing of strategy. Is that a lack on your part or a cultural pr—

Strategic priorities and battle plans are typically formed by the commanders of armies or levies.

One must be of the nobility to lead an army.

Ah… in other words, me. Splendid. That means this is before commoners could become command officers.

We can do this. We used to be pretty good at strategy games.

Then again, that was forty or fifty years ago.

“I understand. Go ahead and deploy to the field and get some rest. We’ll be heading out in two days. Duke Tanulf has made it his intention that all his levy commanders are to meet with him on the border. Then we’ll march across into Duke Gaelis’s territory.

“I wondered. Duke Tanulf has been moving his people around quite a bit. Was going to be Gaelis or Malin,” David said.

Alex shrugged his shoulders at that.

He didn’t really know, nor did he care. This whole thing was more than likely going to spend a number of lives for the sake of what probably amounted to an anthill.

A petty insult, perhaps. Someone taking offense to a passing comment.

“Anything else?” Alex asked the two men.

Max and David looked at each other, then to Alex.

“No, sire,” Max said.

“Great. Get going then. I need to finish up here; there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it in,” Alex said, shaking his head at the pile of papers on his desk.

No sooner had Maxwell and David left than Walter came scurrying in.

“My lord,” said Walter. “I really must say again that I don’t agree with this. My place is at your side.”

“It is. Though in this case, you’re best served remaining here and making sure Anna and Holly keep everything in hand,” Alex said, sitting down in his chair at his desk. “You’ll need to send whoever would take over for you if you were to suddenly pass on from this world. Time for them to get some behind-the-wheel experience, as it were.”

“Sir… I really do obj—”

“I know, and I appreciate it. But it’s going to be this way. Now, make arrangements for your second-in-command. They’ll be traveling with me when I leave.

“Is there anything else we should discuss or work through?” Alex asked, changing the subject.

“Ah, who is in charge, my lord? Anna or Holly?” asked Walter.

“Neither. Run anything at a financial level by Anna. I get the impression she absorbed more from her father than he would have liked. Anything peerage goes to Holly.

“You take care of the rest.”

“I understand. May I ask what else you’re planning for the day, my lord?”

“Ah. How is my new maid-servant coming along?” Alex asked, working his way through several documents.

“My understanding is she’s doing very well. She’s performing her job duties at a level that would not require any oversight.

“Though her name is… unconventional.”

“Yes, it is, but neither is it unique,” Alex said. “And how are Two and Three? I haven’t seen them today.”

“Two, sir, is in the city. I believe she’s been working to recruit more bodyguards for your service.”

Huh. I didn’t tell her not to, but I didn’t tell her to hire someone else. Suppose that falls right in that middle area.

That just means we can take a greater toll from her when she finds someone she wants me to hire.

So be it.

“Good. And Three?”

“That is… I saw her only once. She was in the kitchens. I have not seen her since then,” Walter said.

“Mm. That’s fine.”

“Sire… they are all… that is to say… One was—”

“Yes, she was. They all were. And they’ll serve me as loyally as any other retainer would. So you’ll give them the respect their position deserves—no more, no less,” Alex said. Setting the quill to one side, he looked up and caught Walter’s gaze and held it. “Anything else?”

“No, my lord. Nothing else,” Walter said. Excusing himself, he left the room quickly and closed the door behind himself.

Alex shook his head, looking back to his papers.

He still needed to talk to Sylvia and figure out what he was going to do with her while he was away.

Again.

“He doesn’t like us,” Valeria said from the far side of the room.

Tilting his head back, he looked around to find her.

It wasn’t until she lifted a hand that he spotted her.

She was slouched low next to his cabinet, dressed all in darker clothes.

Made of strips and bits of cloth, she had no shape and seemed to blend into the shadow.

Even her face and hair were bound up.

“Of course he doesn’t. You all showed up out of nowhere, and he has no idea what your relation is to me. On top of which, you’re women.

“For all he knows, you’re all foreign agents who got close to me to make attempts on my life,” Alex said, then grinned at her. “Perish the thought or to think of it, right?”

Valeria stood up and walked over to him, pulling the fabric down from her face and head.

“I’m trying to hone my field skills before we leave. I know you said you wanted me to teach you, but I think it might be best if I actively work defensively as well,” Valeria said, explaining herself.

“Ok? No need to creep around in the shadows. Just play the part of my doxy and stay at my side. Most nobles travel with a few, after all,” Alex said, shrugging his shoulders.

“I could do that… certainly wouldn’t be hard to pretend since I’ll be in your presence every night.

“Any of us, really.”

“What—you, One, and Two? Yeah.” Alex stood up and then patted his desk. “I haven’t checked lately, by the way. What’s your count right now for getting your ass spanked?”

She gave him a slow smile, setting her hands on her hips.

“I’m not sure anymore. I stopped counting after a hundred. I figured I might as well run up my tab before we went into the field. I might not be able to get any more soon.”

Quirking a brow at that, Alex couldn’t help but grin at her.

At least she’s being honest with herself.

“Well, we’ll see if we can’t take care of that while we’re out on campaign. And did you want to bring your trunk, by the way?”

“Yes, please, Master,” Valeria said, nodding her head quickly at that. Her eyes dropped to the floor as her cheeks turned bright red. “And a couple shackles, too.”

She mumbled something he couldn’t quite make out.

“What was that?” he asked, unsure what she’d asked for.

“And a leather riding crop.”

***

“Sylvia,” Alex said, sitting down in a chair next to the noblewoman.

“Alex,” she said, smiling at him.

“If you’re going to offer to send me back to the city while you’re gone, I think I’ll decline,” Sylvia said, setting down the book she’d been reading when he’d entered.

“Oh? That’s surprising. I thought you were tired of playing prisoner for me.”

“Hardly. Everyone already viewed me as a scandalous and amoral woman, due to the charges laid on me.

“Since our deals, and being able to see people, they simply view me as the count’s noblewoman concubine. The one he can’t marry but doesn’t want to get rid of.

“It’s not that glamorous, but it’s better than the stigma I felt in Brit during your last absence.

“If anything, I get quite a bit more deference now.”

Alex thought about what she’d said.

Logically, it made sense. If she suddenly spoke him up to everyone she knew, lived in his keep, and seemed perfectly content, it would lead to the concubine theory.

“I see. Alright. Then I’ll not make that offer. Did you want to talk about your walks then? I imagine you might end up getting tired of being in the keep all the time.”

“That’d be wonderful. I am growing weary of only seeing the sun through my window. I’d also like to be able to have my nails, hair, and clothes attended to.

“I’m afraid I’m growing… well, I’m not looking my best right now. It limits who I’m able to see.”

Alex took a moment to really look at her, now that she’d mentioned it.

Her nails were long, chipped, and a bit ragged. Her hair was a bit tangled, but not terribly so.

Her clothes were also looking extremely worn, since she was only allowed the one set.

“Alright… I’ll give you free reign to be anywhere in the city of Brit,” Alex said, picking the book up and looking at the cover. He’d given her several to help pass the time since her room was devoid of entertainment. “In exchange, I want you celibate. You cannot engage in any sexual conduct, at any level. And let’s make this clear—that goes for other women as well.

“It includes kissing others, even holding their hands. I want you as pure as driven snow from here on out. Unless I give you permission of some sort.”

Setting the book back down, he smiled at her.

Sylvia stared at him. Then she suddenly made a small noise and bobbed her head.

“That makes sense. If I’m going to be your concubine, I’d have to be dedicated to you and you alone anyways.

“You have my oath then, and I swear it. I’ll be untouched by all from here on.”

“As to your clothes, nails, and hair… most of that you can solve on your walks. Let’s cut to the heart of the matter on this one. Being able to own anything that isn’t already in this room,” Alex said. “This is a prison cell, to be sure. And you’re not going to be leaving anytime soon. Truth of the matter is you’ll likely die of old age before you’re released from my possession.”

Alex said it as gently as he could. He wasn’t sure if Sylvia had taken her thoughts that far down the line. Admittedly he’d expected her to, but that didn’t make it so.

“I’m aware, my lord,” Sylvia said, her smile turning sour.

“Mm. I’ll allow you to have seven sets of clothes and make use of the keep laundry. Nothing else will be allowed to be brought into your room. My price is rather simple. I get to pick out all your clothes, and even your hairstyle.

“I think I’d like you to fit my tastes, since you’re my concubine.”

Sylvia’s brows drew together, her ragged fingernails tapping against the table.

“Would the outfits be in fashion? The hairstyle as well?”

“Certainly. You can even present all the items you’d like me to view for you, and we can pick them out together. I may not select the ones you like, but I’ll hear your opinion.”

“Then… I agree, and do so swear.” Sylvia sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m well aware of what you’re doing, you know.”

“Are you?”

“Yes. You’re slowly turning me into what you want. I realized it only after I came back, though.

“Your bodyguard made the situation abundantly clear to me by her name and demeanor. I imagine what she went through was similar to what I’m going through now.”

“Quite right. I am indeed molding you.

“So, what are you going to do about it now that you know?”

“Barter myself slowly,” Sylvia said with a rueful smile. “And hope I somehow manage to outwit you and escape. Or that you die in battle.

“Before I’m little more than an actual bed warmer.”

“Good luck with that,” Alex said with a grin, and then stood up.

“If I may ask… what number did you plan on assigning me… if the time comes, that is,” Sylvia queried.

“Numbers are assigned merely as the next in order. If you were to be… numbered today… it’d be Four.”

***

Sitting alone in his bedroom, Alex couldn’t sleep.

Anna and Holly had kept him company every night this week, except tonight.

Apparently they’d both had their periods start up, and now were playing nurse to each other in their shared bedroom.

Staring out his small window, he could see the guards go through a rotation down below.

Must be close to midnight.

The door behind him creaked open. It was silent enough that he almost didn’t hear it.

Looking over his shoulder, he could see Carla slipping through the doorway.

She swayed for a second where she stood, then moved deeper into the room itself.

She’s drunk. Hah.

Bumping up against what he thought was a dresser, Carla stumbled to the side and fell heavily to her knees.

Holding back a snicker, he walked over to her, then reached under her armpits and lifted her up.

“Master?” she mumbled.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t; I was already awake.”

“I’m not that drunk… just… tipsy. Didn’t see the damn dresser.”

“Uh huh.”

Carla took a step forward, her hands resting on his shoulders.

“Master, I wanted to talk to you about hiring another bodyguard. It’s good that you’re awake,” Carla said, staring at him.

“That’s fine, but I think it’d be better to talk about this in the morning. Don’t you?”

“No, because I needed to drink to do this for the first time. This worked out well.

“You’re hiring another bodyguard, and I already found the right woman for the job,” Carla said. “Going to pay you for it now. Will do this once a week. I swear on my oath.”

Dropping down to her knees, Carla hooked her fingers into his nightwear and yanked it down.

Before he could react, or tell her no, or even agree, Carla had inhaled him with a single slurping noise. She had him entirely in her mouth, her chin to his nuts and her nose to his stomach.

Reaching over, Alex grabbed onto the dresser to get some balance with his left hand, his right hand falling atop Carla’s head.

Pulling back, she let him slide out between her lips and then pushed forward again, straight to the hilt of his rapidly hardening member.

“I get final say on who we hire, but I agree,” Alex said, his hand sliding down behind her head as she started to pick up speed.

Carla mumbled something around his shaft, but didn’t stop. Her hands came up behind him and grabbed his ass, pulling at him even as she thrust her head forward.

Now hard as a rock, Alex was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Carla was obviously more drunk then she let on. Except Alex didn’t give a damn anymore. Drunk or not, it felt great.

Carla was pushing him down her throat each time and had fallen into a nice, swift rhythm. She was working him pretty well for someone who seemed like she’d be caught dead before giving head.

As she mashed her nose to his stomach, he felt her tongue slide out and furiously lick at the top of his sack, his tip buried in her throat.

“Damn, Two,” Alex said, unable to not watch her as she did it. “That’s great.”

Carla mumbled something again, then fell back into her rhythm. Her left hand floated around to his front and grabbed his jewels tightly. Squeezing and kneading them with her fingertips, she started to suck harder on him. Her lips tightened as she pulled back from him every time.

“Fuck, I’m going to pop here, Two. You ready for it?” Alex asked. He wasn’t sure what’d happen if he just unloaded into her mouth, as drunk as she was.

Grunting, Carla released him entirely, his length sliding out of her mouth.

“Too drunk, I think I’d puke. Fill me up tonight. I’ll swallow it next time,” Carla said. With both hands, she pushed her pants down to her ankles and fell backward onto the ground, her knees spreading wide for him.

“Put it inside me tonight. Next time I’ll take it in the mouth, promise,” she said, patting her thighs.

Not needing a second invite, Alex just about fell down atop her and slid right into her very wet channel.

Pumping furiously into her, he wanted to find his climax hard and fast.

Carla’s whole body shifted under him with the intensity of desire and need. She accepted him completely, her hands trailing up and down his sides, her ankles floating partially in the air as she kept her knees up.

A minute in and he’d hit his peak, his hands digging into her sides.

Carla moaned and rolled her hips underneath him as he thrust deep into her, filling her with his seed.

Moving her head from side to side, Carla’s hands pressed into his lower back. Her body shuddered each time he sank his length into her.

Unable to control himself and being driven on by her obvious enjoyment, Alex pummeled himself into her, trying to put everything as deep as he could.

Then with a shivering breath, everything was over and Alex was empty.

Carla’s hand shot up and grabbed him by the back of the head, and then she kissed him furiously.

As quick as she had kissed him, she released him.

Her arms flopped to her sides, her body slumping to the ground, and she started snoring deeply.

“Two?” Alex asked.

Damn, she was way drunker than I thought.

Pulling himself out of her, he tried to figure out what would be the best course of action.

Can’t leave her on the ground. Might as well get her in the bed, then.

Getting his arms under her, he somehow managed to lever her up off the ground and into his bed.

Taking a moment to undress her of everything but her undershirt, he arranged her limp form as best as he could and covered her up.

Then he crawled into bed with her and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 18

“Husband,” said a soft voice in Alex’s ear. “It’s time to wake. Today is the day you head out to war.”

Opening his eyes, he found Anna hovering directly over him. She was kneeling next to the bed, bringing her much closer to him in height. Her right hand rested on his jaw while her left toyed with his hair.

Standing a step behind her with her hands clasped in front of her, Holly looked as lifeless and doll-like as ever. She seemed to be made of stone.

“Good morning, dear,” Anna said, then kissed him lightly. “Daddy always said one should wake a few hours before traveling. There’s always last-minute things that will be forgotten otherwise.

“It’s just a smidgen past dawn right now.”

“Good morning, lord husband,” Holly said, bowing her head to him.

Holly had settled into her role rather quickly. She was quick to do anything he asked of her and seemed very predisposed to making sure she took care of anything he needed before he asked.

Not that he could blame her. The payment he’d sent off to the Lins had squashed their debt down to a manageable level.

Something they could afford without strain while even putting a little bit away in savings.

Holly had started crying when she saw the armed couriers Alex had hired set off for the Lin estates.

Yet he felt nothing for Holly, and there was no doubt she felt nothing for him.

Anna had been more correct than she’d realized. Holly was little more than a conquest. Less so than even his numbered projects.

Holly had given him everything in the barter and had nothing else to offer him.

She was conquered, well and truly.

Grumbling, Alex didn’t want to get out of bed. It was warm in his bed.

Comfortable.

He wanted to sleep a little longer, despite Anna being right. Perhaps it was because she was right that he felt that way.

“I’m glad you took Two to bed. I worried about it being empty,” Anna said, then stood up. “No lord should ever have an empty bed. I’ll work on that.”

He’d forgotten about Carla. Turning his head around to face the other way, he found Carla sleeping only inches from him. Her left hand lay just above his privates on his lower abdomen, her right hand under his neck.

Sleeping away, as if there were nothing wrong in the world at all.

“Yeah. She’s going to wake up with a terrible hangover, I’m afraid. Let’s… take this elsewhere. Give her a chance to wake up without being watched,” Alex said. Carefully, he set Carla’s hands aside and clambered out of bed.

Only to have Anna press herself to him and hug him tightly.

“You must come back, husband. Even if not in one piece, you must come back. I don’t want to be a widow already. If ever,” Anna said, pressing her face to his chest.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alex said, running his fingertips through Anna’s hair.

Lifting her head up, Anna kissed him, then pressed her mouth to his ear.

“Walter said he has a number of cases for you to judge. I asked him to pull any case possible as well, so it’ll be much more than normal.

“I’m going to hold the justice in your name. I’ll try to get only pretty women with long sentences put into the dungeon,” Anna whispered. “Douglas is already aware.”

Grinning, Alex hugged Anna tightly.

I’m betting she can’t make deals on my behalf, but she can at least prep them for me.

Helpful little thing. She really is acting as supportive as she can.

Holding to his wife, he kissed her ear.

“You’re a wonder, wife. Fill the dungeon to the brim for me. See what Douglas thinks of expanding it another level down as well.

“You’re amazing.”

Anna nodded her head once, staring up at him with her simple and dangerous smile.

***

Carla, Riley, and Valeria rode in the carriage with him. Carla on his right, Riley and Valeria across from him.

Maxwell, David, and Walter’s man were all in another carriage in front of theirs.

All around them were Maxwell’s people.

Marching in front and behind them was Bulwark. Alex had cajoled everyone into leaving earlier than everyone else thought they would. His reasoning was simple. He didn’t want to run the soldiers ragged before they’d even seen combat.

There was no point in exhausting his people before then. It’d cause only problems and fatalities.

They may be only mercenaries, but they were his mercenaries. More so since they’d put away their company banners and uniforms and were now all in the colors and flags of Brit.

“We’ll be settled today, won’t we Master?” Riley asked, her voice bright and chipper.

Ever since she’d been allowed to leave the dungeon cell, she’d been a model personal maid. Her optimism and positive nature had shone through.

Though she’d gotten extremely clingy.

“I’d suppose so,” Alex said. The trip had been rather boring for the most part. He regretted that he wasn’t able to read as they rode.

It had always made him fairly sick to try to read while traveling in a car, and that was a much smoother ride.

“Good. I’m tired of bouncing around in this box,” Carla muttered.

“It isn’t so bad,” Valeria countered, her sharp smile aimed at the ex-bandit. “I could think of many worse things. Like being a murdering bandit queen with friends who rape and murder anyone they come across on the road.”

An animosity existed between those two that Alex didn’t quite understand. He was already planning on interceding when it became too much, but so far they’d kept it civil around him.

“Or like being a sneaky cunt who likes to be mistreated and gets off on the idea of being used,” Carla said without any heat.

Riley pouted at each woman.

“Stop it, both of you,” she said. “We’re here to serve Master, not bicker.”

Valeria shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll not hide the fact that Master rewarded me for catching that sneak-thief,” she said. “There’s no reason to be upset that all you’re good at is sleeping with him.”

It had been a minor thing, but something he’d wanted to use as an example for the three of them. Rewards would be dispensed for exemplary services.

Catching a thief who had been stealing supplies was the example he’d needed.

Valeria had caught him in the dead of night and turned him over to Maxwell immediately.

How she’d caught him, she didn’t say. Apparently, she’d been practicing her field-craft again when it had gone down.

And as far as he knew, she hadn’t spoiled her cover either. Everyone viewed Valeria as his personal camp-woman he had taken to war with him.

As a reward for maintaining cover and catching the thief, she’d asked to be shackled, gagged, and put into his bed.

She hadn’t wanted to have sex, just to be left in his bed like that.

Miscalculated a bit with her. If I had known she would fully embrace her masochism, I wouldn’t have encouraged it to begin with.

Now I have to go backwards with my deals if I want anything out of her.

Or… or I use her to capture people I could use instead… huh.

Grinning at the idea, he turned to Valeria.

“Actually, that reminds me. I need a private chat with you later, Three,” Alex said.

Valeria nodded her head slowly, uncertain.

“I think we’re here,” Carla said, deliberately changing the subject.

“Why’s that, Two?” Riley asked, trying to peek out the window.

“Because I can see the duke’s guard heading this way. Along with the duke,” Carla said. “Everyone is making way for them.”

“Grand. Alright—One, Three, stay with the coach. If we don’t come back soon, set up camp for us.

“Two, you’re with me. Go ahead and open the door, and let’s go meet our liege,” Alex said.

“Thank the gods,” Carla said, opening the door without another word. Stepping out of the coach, she quickly fell out of sight.

Alex smiled at Riley and Valeria, then stepped out as well.

Carla was already pushing her way through the ranks, Alex falling in right behind her. His guard fell into place around him, even a standard bearer sporting the House Brit coat of arms.

Coming out the far side of the marching ranks, Alex found the duke waiting for him.

“Good tidings, Count Brit. You’re several days earlier than expected,” said the duke. He was dressed warmly, despite the weather being fair.

Getting on in years and can’t keep your body heat anymore?

“Good tidings, Duke Tanulf. I must apologize. I found myself eager and couldn’t remain in Brit any longer.”

“Fine, fine. Did you bring your wives with you or are you traveling by yourself?” asked the older man.

Odd question. I wonder if I should worry about him trying to have my wives killed.

“I am indeed traveling without my wives. They’re both minding the county while I’m out and about,” Alex said with an easy smile.

“Ah. I’m sure that’s uncomfortable. I know I simply never got a good meal until I hired a personal chef.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t thought ahead that far. I’m personal-chef-less. Though I look forward to learning from this. It’s my first time on campaign, Duke.”

“Then I invite you to dinner, Count. You can meet my daughter. She’s traveling with me for some experience in campaigns.”

Thats odd. Bringing your daughter along to a war.

Duke Ranulf’s son was slain last year during a border skirmish with Duke Gaelis.

The line of succession now falls to his oldest daughter and last living child.

Ah. That makes more sense. And also why I was being targeted to marry. A matrilineal marriage to me would have given our children two titles to work with.

That or I’d be dead as soon as the first child was born.

“I accept the invitation and will be there,” Alex said bowing his head.

“Perfect. We’ll sup at the sixth bell. I can’t imagine any more of my vassals arriving today, so it’ll just be you, my daughter, and I. No need to bring any guards; I’ll have my own people on hand,” the duke said. Turning his horse, Lord Tanulf left, dismissing Alex without a word.

“I don’t like him,” Carla said under her breath.

“And yet, I cannot decline without putting us at risk. It’ll be fine; it’s just dinner. Worst case scenario, they ask some uncomfortable questions,” Alex said. Then he smiled and turned to Carla. “And isn’t today the first of the new week?”

Carla shook her head with a growl.

“Fine. That’s the deal I made; I’ll be waiting for you,” she said. “Come to bed early at least?”

“I’ll try. As soon as the dinner ends, I’ll join you.” Alex paused, unsure if he wanted to ask her the question that was at the forefront of his mind. “You won’t be drunk this time, will you?”

“No. On duty tonight. Can’t.”

“Good.”

At least he could look forward to having a sober Carla go down on him this evening.

The bodyguards she’d tried to hire hadn’t shown up yet, and she was supposed to meet them here in the field no later than tomorrow.

Carla’s deal however, remained in place.

She’d forced it on him, without any input from him, and he wasn’t about to let her out of it.

Getting head was worth her bad attitude.

***

Dressed in finery, Alex showed up right as the sixth bell chimed. He’d made sure to time it precisely. If he was neither early nor late, there was nothing that could be said.

Keeping everything as tight as he could and as close to the vest as he was able, Alex would be able to keep the duke out of his life.

“Count Brit, the duke is expecting you,” said the guard outside the pavilion. “Please proceed inside. Dinner will be served promptly.”

I would hope so.

Alex entered and found himself in front of a house servant.

“After me, sir,” said the man in Tanulf livery.

Feeling a bit ridiculous following a house servant deeper into what essentially was a giant tent, Alex said nothing.

Two turns later and he was standing in front of a small dining table with six seats.

Two were already accounted for by the duke and his daughter, with a third set and empty.

The duke looked up and gave Alex a once-over, then nodded his head.

“Precisely on time. Thank you for joining us,” the duke said. He was dressed much more simply than Alex, but he was also the host. That sort of thing was forgiven more often than not.

“This is my daughter, Regina,” the duke said, indicating the young woman.

She wasn’t as pretty as Anna or Riley, or as pleasing to the eye with her figure, but she hadn’t missed the genetic lottery either.

Prettier than Carla and Holly, and probably even Valeria.

Her hair was brown, a medium length, and her eyes brown as well. With a fair complexion, she would certainly fetch suitors.

Alex just happened to already have a couple women who were far and above the norm around him. It made most other women pale in a comparison.

Thinking back to the duke, Alex couldn’t deny that once upon a time, Tanulf had probably been a handsome man.

“Lady Regina, a pleasure,” Alex said, ducking his head to the woman.

“Count Brit,” she said with a smile.

Taking his seat, Alex looked to the duke for direction.

“We were just talking about the reason we’re here,” said the duke. “I haven’t shared it around much, but I might as well start with you. You’re the least likely to know the details, so you might need more information.”

“That would be greatly appreciated. Indeed, I’m afraid I don’t know the specifics.”

“We do have a valid casus belli for this. My goal is to imprison the duke of Gaelis. I’ll not take his life, but I will keep him in a dank cell until he dies.”

Casus what?

Casus Belli, a justification for war that meets the requirements of the peerage and honor.

Valid casus belli for declarations of war must be approved by one’s liege lord.

Forbidding a vassal to go to war who has a valid casus belli creates a casus belli for the vassal to go to war with their liege lord, and invalidates their oath for a period of one year.

Well, that’s dangerous. In a world where an oath is loyalty, invalidating that oath creates some scary concerns.

In fact, I could think of a number of ways I could use it to my advantage.

“—uld have spared my son. He chose not to. I have proof of it and gave it to our king, who honorably approved my wish.

“I’ll have Gaelis rot in life, and then in death. Without him, his vassals will run rampant through his entire duchy,” Tanulf said with some heat.

“Truth be told, I feel the cold hand of death on me at all times these days,” the duke said, his volume dropping off rapidly. “Soon Regina will succeed me as the duchess. This will probably be my last action as the duke.”

Alex smiled politely and nodded his head.

“I can certainly understand. I would ask what you would have me do to support you, my duke?”

Tanulf gave him a wretched smile, his head bobbing slightly.

“You’ll be holding the left flank, Count Brit.”

From his memories came the concept that in historical battles, the right flank was where one put their elite troops. To try and turn the enemy’s flank as quickly as possible.

In return, one put their worst troops on the left flank, and hoped they could hold long enough to turn the flank of the enemy first.

In other words, the duke planned on sacrificing Brit to the last man if it came down to it. Or see him be routed and run, at which point he’d work to revoke his title or some other suitable punishment.

“I understand. Any particular orders, or just hold the flank, sir?” Alex asked, unperturbed.

Having hired Bulwark, he’d already set up an existing strategy for himself to utilize. He’d rely on his people heavily.

Professionals who lived the life of war and had a high number of veterans.

Alex was going to be able to handle this. Maybe if he got lucky, his opponent would under-estimate him. Maybe even give Alex a chance to earn some glory.

“Just hold the flank long enough for us to turn theirs. That’s all,” Tanulf said evenly. “Though if it comes down to it, I’d say dishonor before death is the better option. I’m sure we’d be able to work something out that would restore your honor.”

That leaves me open to interpret my orders fairly cleanly, so long as I hold the flank.

In fact, I could justify that as being nothing more than an end result, couldn’t I?

“I understand. I’ll be sure to hold the flank,” Alex said.

“Count Brit, I’m curious about a few things,” Regina said, getting his attention.

“About what, dear lady?”

“Your county has recently undergone some very… interesting changes. I’ve even had the good fortune to know what your taxes are, as Father shared them with me after we received your vassalage from the king.

“The county of Brit is rather well off,” she said.

“We’re definitely doing very well. I make sure our taxes are well documented so that there’s no cause for concern. Though forgive me, Lady Tanulf, I did not hear a question in there.”

“Too true. My apologies for not being direct enough. My question is how did you do it? I didn’t see any massive sweeping changes put forth to the king. He would have told us.”

Alex smiled, unable to help himself. His answer to those who didn’t know was rather simple.

And as misleading as he could make it.

“I stopped wasting all of Brit’s income on myself, and grew up,” Alex said. “After that, it wasn’t hard to achieve.”

The duke said nothing, watching him, and Regina gave him a large—and, Alex thought, very predatory—smile.

Chapter 19

Alex had barely gotten ten steps beyond the pavilion before his people fell in around him. Carla on his right, Max on his left, David one step beyond that.

“We’re to hold the left flank,” Alex said immediately.

Everyone around him seemed to take that without a concern. Internally, Alex imagined they were annoyed and worried though.

They’d undoubtedly be going up against the best the enemy had.

“Max, David, spread some money around and see if we can’t dig up where the duke wants to hold this battle,” Alex said once they were out of earshot of anyone else.

“Two, if you catch someone sneaking around my tent, bash their head in first and ask questions after. David, Max, it’s up to you to let your people know not to come around in a sneaky way. They need to be obvious and direct if they don’t want their skulls smashed in.

“I’m going to tell your partner the same thing,” Alex said, deliberately not naming Three. “In fact, triple the guard on our supplies. Give the men an extra ration of ale later on to keep them happy.”

“You suspect trouble?” Max asked.

“Not really. But I wouldn’t discount it. I’d rather pay the men extra beer than lament my losses,” Alex said with a shrug.

“Once we figure out where the battle will start, I want to know the entire layout of the battlefield. Terrain, elevation—every detail and anything that stands out. I’m sure Duke Gaelis is well aware of the fact that we’re here and probably even knows where we’ll fight. So whoever you send, be sure they’re on guard.”

“Elevation?” Max asked dubiously.

“Yeah. Elevation. Hills, depressions, sunken roads, anything that would change the height of the battlefield,” Alex said.

Memories of long-forgotten games flitted through his mind.

My dad always beat me so bad. Let’s hope I remember enough to not make a complete ass out of myself.

Wish I had paid more attention to those war documentaries he watched, too.

“Gonna reward me if I kill one?” Carla asked.

“Definitely. You brain one and I’ll pay you a week’s salary as a bonus. Catch one alive and I’ll give you a month’s.”

Carla grunted at that, her blood-lust palpable.

Leave it to the bandit to get worked up about killing someone for pay.

“Anything else you all need?” Alex asked.

“No, sire.”

“No, sir.”

“No, Master.”

“Great. I’m going to turn in for the night. You all get to your jobs and be ready to roll out as soon as we get an idea of where this battle is taking place. I have a plan.”

Max and David fell away from him as soon as they made it into their camp.

Carla stayed at his side.

Smiling to himself, he remembered what he was in for tonight.

“Stop smirking,” Carla grumbled.

“I can’t help it. Tonight just got so much better.”

“Fucking bitch isn’t even here yet and I’m taking one for her,” Carla muttered.

“In the mouth, no less,” Alex added in helpfully.

“You really are too much of a smart-ass, Master.”

“Don’t forget you said you’d swallow.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I’ll also try not to forget to be careful with my teeth, Master.”

***

Max delicately smoothed the map out with his hands.

It had a weathered look, as if someone had stuffed it into a saddlebag.

Small markers had been penned throughout the whole thing. There were a number of different levels of penmanship, as well. As if it had passed hands.

One spot even looked as if it had been done at a full gallop.

“Did they have problems?” Alex asked.

“Some. You weren’t wrong about Duke Gaelis being aware. The countryside is swarming with scouts. We didn’t lose anyone, but it was a close thing.

“Made confirming the location easy though,” David said, pointing to the left side of the map. “It’s a fairly flat plane here. As far as we’re aware, Duke Tanulf plans on taking this position.”

Max indicated the spot on the map for David, since he was a little out of reach from his side of the table.

“On our side is some rocky terrain and a small gulley. An old road a bit closer to where the battle will probably be, but that’s it.

“As far as we can figure, Tanulf plans to hold the center right there in the middle of that flat as a board plane.

“For all the vainglorious reasoning I’m sure he has,” David said with a sneer in his voice.

“Not our problem. What’s out on the left flank? Anything we can use to our advantage?”

Max scratched at his chin, as if considering the question.

David huffed and then indicated a section of the map that had a series of numbers and what looked like a hole from a pen stabbed into it.

“This seems like it’s a rocky hill. Not too high, but certainly not at the same level as everywhere around. The problem is it curves backward instead of falling out in a straight line,” David said.

“So, it kinda hooks like this?” Alex asked, picking up the quill and carefully drawing in what it looked like the scouts had been trying to.

Max watched silently and David nodded his head.

“That’s about right, sire.”

“Alright, so let’s get some men up there and start working the position. Preferably under cover of night and without making it obvious.”

“Sir… you want us to… dig in?” Max asked.

“Yep. Dig in. Move those rocks if you can to provide a wall, or put them lower on the hill as a way to break up their formations. Just enough to give us a foot or two over our opponents.”

“Sir, if we keep the line, we’ll end up moving down the hill,” Max interjected.

“Why the fuck would we hold the line? Put us in a hook, curling with the hill,” Alex said, indicating the very same hook he’d just drawn. “It’s not as if they won’t try to flank us and roll us up anyways. Right?”

David frowned at that, crossing his arms in front of himself in a defensive way.

“You’re not wrong but… it isn’t very…”

“Very what, fair? Sportsmanlike? Pah. This is war. I plan to kill as many of them as I can and get as few of us killed as possible. Make sure we get a platform put up at the very least for the archers to fire downhill from,” Alex said, tapping the center of the area.

“What do you want us to do if someone tells us to move?” Max asked.

“Ignore them. Or kill the messenger, I don’t care. Don’t move though,” Alex said with a shrug of his shoulders. Both men stared at him as if he’d grown a second head.

“This’ll be the spot where we hold our ground and have them break upon us. They’ll be expecting to roll right through us. We know their tactics in that case. Let’s use it to our advantage.”

Carla grunted at that.

“Good. That makes it easy. What else? You said you had a plan. This… is good, but not like you to stop there,” she said.

“Am I that obvious?” Alex asked, grinning at her.

She didn’t respond; instead she just stared at him.

Still hasn’t forgiven me for making sure she swallowed by opening her mouth to show me.

“I want to purchase two score horses. I assume we have at least forty men who can ride?” Alex asked, looking to David.

“Easily.”

“Good. I want forty men to be trained up as mounted infantry. They’re going to have a different job during this first battle.

“The enemy isn’t going to expect anything from us. Other than to die miserably. Even with our emplacements, they’ll think they can waltz right over us.

“I want those mounted infantry to move out the day before and to go very far afield. Far enough that no screening force or picket would find them,” Alex said, gesturing to the far left side of the map.

“And?” David asked, unable to wait for Alex to continue, it seemed.

“When the battle is fully joined, I want those forty to ransack the enemy headquarters and camp. I want them to take all the coin they can, to burn everything they can’t take, and to capture any nobility or generals they find.

“I’ll pay twenty gold a head for a nobleman or noblewoman, and thirty for a general. Any coinage they find and bring back, they can keep twenty percent of it shared amongst themselves. Any uniforms they can steal would be great as well,” Alex said making a vague gesture at where the enemy would probably set up camp.

“You want to attack… their general directly?” Max asked.

“Uh huh. And whatever backers they have over there. And when you get them back here, make sure it’s in secret, if possible.

“Prisoners aren’t shared with a liege lord, as there is always the case for a ransom, but I’d rather not tip our hand if we don’t have to.”

“This is… very unconventional,” David said softly.

“I’m no patriot. I’m not even a general. I’m no son of a duke. I’m a damn count dragged into a war I had nothing to do with.

“If it means we’ll catch them off guard, then I’ll do it. And if you bring me a number of prisoners and money, all the better.

“Oh, and I really do mean torch everything you can’t take. If you can find their food stores, set them aflame.

“Standing fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of mankind. Any defense can be overrun given time and manpower. We’ll use that to our advantage. They’ll pile everything up in one spot.”

“Anything… anything else, my lord?” Max asked, sounding very unsure of himself.

“If the enemy soldiers surrender, take them into custody unharmed. Make a show of it. If they don’t fear surrendering, more of them will be willing to do so.

“But other than that… no. I’ll have more once we get into position, I suppose. Dismissed unless you have any other questions.”

Max and David looked to each other and then left, leaving the map on Alex’s table.

Sighing after the men had left, Alex crossed his arms in front of himself and leaned up against the table. Looking to Carla, he shrugged.

“Whatever. So, your bodyguard hire finally arriving today?” he asked.

“Yes. She’s waiting outside. She brought someone else as well. If I’m lucky, you’ll hire both,” Carla said.

“Alright. Before I invite them in, anything I should know? Or any concerns with the plan?”

“Huh? Why are you asking me?”

“Because you have a brain inside that muscled head of yours, don’t you?”

“Ass. No, nothing about your stupid plan. As to the women… I dunno. I think one is hirable, the one I met. Don’t know the other one.”

“Ok, and what’s your expectation of them for me? Am I supposed to lock them into a privacy oath like you? Would they even accept one? If they wouldn’t, this’ll be a short interview.”

Carla chuckled darkly at that.

“Oh, the one I want will swear. I bet the other one will too, if they’re from the same background.”

That means they’re already in trouble, and I’m the only way out.

“Murderers, bandits, or thugs?” Alex asked.

“Uh… all of that?”

“Fine, go get ’em.”

Carla gave him a weird look, then left the tent.

Alex made himself comfortable and sat next to his desk. Making sure to put some furniture between himself and the newcomers.

“Three?” Alex asked to no one.

“Here, Master,” came the disembodied response.

“Good,” Alex said, feeling better. “Just in case, don’t wait for permission on my part to do whatever you feel is best.”

“Yes, Master.”

Falling silent, Alex idly toyed with the edge of the map as he waited.

Carla stepped in through the tent flap and moved over to stand beside Alex without a word. Her mace had been unslung and she held it loosely in her hand.

So even she isn’t completely comfortable. She seems to be favoring her mace rather than her blade lately.

Two women walked in.

One was a wiry thing that looked like she’d been built out of muscle and nerves. She wasn’t flat in the chest department, but she’d definitely be in the “handful is enough” category.

Her head was shaved into a short, black mohawk. She wore light leather armor with two short swords belted at her hips, a buckler slung over the pommel of one.

Sharp blue eyes cut through him as she marched up, a cruel smirk pulling at the side of her mouth.

Alex put her somewhere between Carla and Valeria on the attractiveness scale, then looked to the second woman.

She was already slumping forward, the shadow that was Valeria pressed up to her side and dragging her down to the floor.

The woman with the mohawk looked to the woman who had come in with her and the shadow, then shrugged and turned her face back to Carla.

“Guess she didn’t make the cut,” said the woman in a drawl. “Not my problem. I got paid as a reference.”

Valeria grunted and slammed a very thin blade home from above into the woman’s temple. And most certainly into her brain.

Gasping and panting, Valeria crawled off the twitching corpse and shook herself out.

“Already had a blade in hand,” Valeria said. Kicking at the woman’s hand, the weapon in question clattered to the ground.

Reaching down, Valeria tried to pull her blade out of the woman’s skull. “She was going to dive at you, I bet.”

Valeria yanked on the hilt and couldn’t get it free.

Sighing, she put her boot to the brain-dead body’s jaw and pulled on the handle for all she was worth.

With a splut, the blade came free. A spattering of blood came pumping out of the head wound and Valeria crashed to the floor.

She bounced twice and skidded an entire foot across the ground.

“Could ya throw a towel or something over her head? She’s going to pump out till she cools,” Carla said.

Mohawk looked at the body, then ripped the tunic off the woman’s torso with a monstrous jerk of her muscled shoulders.

In doing so, she managed to expose the dead woman’s chest to everyone looking.

With a negligent flick of her hand, Mohawk dumped the tunic over the bare-chested woman’s head.

“Better?” she asked.

“It’ll do. Whole place is going to reek of blood now,” Alex complained.

Mohawk shrugged.

“You the guy paying?” she asked.

“That I am. Your name?” Alex asked, looking to her again.

“Nannie,” she said.

“Nannie?” Alex asked, making sure he heard her.

“Yup. Why?”

“Nothing, just making sure. Did Two tell you about my need for secrecy?” Alex asked.

“Kinda. She said she couldn’t talk about it, and if I wanted to sign on, I wouldn’t be able to talk about it either. Which made sense, if you look at it from a certain way,” she said.

“Great. I’ll make it simple. Swear on Leah’s name to protect my secrecy, to not betray me in any way, and that you’ll act in good faith for me.

“For both your soul and life. After that, we can begin,” Alex said, spreading his hands in front of himself.

“Kay. I swear all that junk on my soul and life. We gonna talk about pay now?” Nannie asked.

Valeria got to her feet and slunk away towards the back of the room.

“Good work, Three. Figure out how I can repay you later,” Alex said as she passed.

She nodded her head but didn’t respond.

“I get a number?” Nannie asked, not giving him a chance to respond to her first question.

“Do you want a number?” Alex asked.

“Dunno. Probably not.”

Alex blinked at that and then moved on.

“Pay would be five gold a year.”

“Seven.”

“Six, and I’ll pay off whatever the bounty is on your ass,” Alex said, leaning to one side of his chair and resting his chin in his hand.

“Huh. How long is the job?”

“Permanent. I’d essentially employ you till you die of old age or on duty.”

“And I get to kill people? Like this one?” Nannie said, pointing at the still-bleeding body.

“In the line of duty, yes. For pleasure, no.”

Nannie ran her tongue over her teeth and looked to one side.

“Kay. I can do that,” she said, looking back to him. “Bounty is kinda high. You sure you can pay it?”

“How high are we talking?”

“Three hundred gold,” Nannie said indifferently.

“Oh. That’s not too bad, really. Two’s was higher.

“You’re to work for me as a bodyguard. Job duties are simple. Keep me alive, keep yourself alive, and that’s about it. Basically make sure no harm befalls me. From you, or others.

“You’ll get two days off a week when Two is working, and you’ll have two days where you work alone while she has days off,” Alex explained. “Any questions?”

“Nah. Seems simple. I get a guard kit like her?” Nannie said, pointing at Carla.

“Sure, if you can scrounge one up. I didn’t give Two those,” Alex said evenly.

“Now that we’ve agreed on the terms of the job, I think it’s time we talked about more interesting things,” Alex said with a smile at her.

“I ain’t sleeping with you,” Nannie said, her face immediately turning towards distaste.

“No, but for three hundred gold, you won’t be sleeping with anyone else either. I’ll have you celibate. To the point that you’re not even holding another man or woman’s hand. Or even yourself, for that matter. Clean and pure as undriven snow going forward. Unless I give you permission, that is.

“But I digress and get ahead of myself. As someone in my employ, I’m going to have deals to offer you from time to time,” Alex said, starting into his spiel. “It’s rather simple. I offer you something and ask a price. You can say no, and no harm will befall you in any shape, way, or form.

“Nor will any previous deal be impacted, or any future deals.”

“Uhh… so… you could… offer me fifty gold to split me in half on your bed and I could say yes or no?” Nannie asked, her brow furrowing.

“Yep.”

“And you wouldn’t be mad if I told you to fuck yourself?”

“Nope.”

“Huh. Ok.”

“And that’s my price for paying your bounty. You becoming a nun, so to speak.”

“Fine. I can do that. The guards have been getting too close to me lately. Wasn’t going to be able to run much longer. At least in the city.

“Would have turned into a ground-pounder in a jail cell with as many sweaty meat sacks they could get in a day, then hanged after they finished playing with me,” Nannie said with distaste.

“I would hope not. I’ve gone on a crusade to flush those types out of Brit.”

“Wasn’t talking about Brit.”

Alex was thankful for that. He really had gone a bit wild on his own guards.

“So, do we have a deal?”

“Sure, yeah. Swear it on my soul and life or whatever on my oath. So, when do we eat? Kinda hungry. Craving steak if you got it,” Nannie said.

“I’ll have my maid feed you this time for free; your meals otherwise will be up to you,” Alex said with a smile.

He already knew what the next deal for Nannie was going to be.

Then she stooped down next to the dead woman and started going through her pockets.

“Already shit herself. Ugh,” Nannie said.

Alex mentally sighed. They weren’t going to get any information off a dead person. And he doubted she’d have anything on herself that would identify her or who she worked for.

“Not even a single coin,” Nannie grumbled and punched the dead woman’s side. “Bum.”

Chapter 20

Alex looked out at the plane beneath his defenses. Valeria stood next to him. Carla, Nannie, and Riley stood nearby, looking out across the same view. They were just out of earshot, he figured.

As soon as he’d been able, Alex had volunteered his people as a screening force and raced towards his desired location. So he could secure this exact spot.

The people he’d sent ahead had done an admirable job of erecting exactly what he’d asked for.

To the point that Max and David had suggested awarding them all extra portions of ale.

Ale was apparently almost as fiercely prized as coin, while at war. Who was Alex to judge?

Tanulf had arrived the night previous and settled into the position he’d wanted. For all intents and purposes, it seemed as if today would be the first touch of combat.

With any luck, the last as well.

There’d been a minor situation with the count on Alex’s right flank being perturbed at the lack of space for him to get into formation.

As a result of which Alex had happily pulled his conscripts in as a second line and let the man have that lower section of the hill.

“Master?” Valeria asked.

“Sorry, Three. Lost myself there. I wanted to talk to you a while back, you’ll remember,” Alex said, turning to face the woman.

“Yes.”

“I hadn’t forgotten, just hadn’t had the time. Now seems oddly appropriate.”

Valeria didn’t respond. She was wearing a form-fitting dress and seemed partially ill at ease. As if unused to being on the front line of battle, playing to her role of camp-woman.

When it came to her role as his doxy, she played it well. He admired her ability to get into character and stay there.

“You’ve been doing well as both actress and… I have no term for it, actually… thief-taker? Assassin’s assassin?” Alex asked, looking to Valeria for help.

Valeria shrugged her shoulders. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Well, you’ve been doing well. But I don’t think this role fits you. Nor do I think you particularly enjoy it. Is that fair?”

Valeria’s nose wrinkled, and her hands folded into one another in front of herself.

“Not entirely, no, Master. Fieldwork isn’t my forte. Never was, never will be,” she admitted.

“Then I have an offer. One tailored specifically for you. I want you to hire an apprentice for yourself. Someone you can train to take up your fieldwork. You’ll remain at my side, of course, but no longer working both roles.”

Valeria nodded her head at that, her eyes drifting to the side.

“It’d help. Make it easier. Though I think it would be better with three. One for going out, one for remaining in, and one in reserve,” Valeria said, her eyes flicking back up to him.

“Hm. Two more than I wanted, but… I suppose we could come to a price for those extra two. Especially since it would be problematic if you were to find yourself having to choose between me and your old master.

“Would you barter with me?” Alex said, grinning at her.

Blinking twice, Valeria finally nodded her head.

“I’ll have you hire three to train up exactly as you said. They’ll swear the same oaths of fealty and privacy you have. Their pay will be negotiable, and I’ll let you settle that with them since they’ll be reporting to you.

“Just make sure you keep their prices reasonable.

“As for you, what I want is rather simple. I want you in my bed one night a week.”

“That seems… not quite fair. You want me to train people, only to pay you with myself?” Valeria asked, her cheeks coloring faintly.

Alex grinned at her.

“I promise to make sure we first cater to your needs when you spend the night with me. In whatever way you see fit.

“Did I mention I found quite a rather nice riding crop? It was a little pricey, but I think it’ll have a good snap to it.

“I splurged and also got you a lovely little bite guard that looks like it’ll have a nice mouth feel.”

Valeria tilted her head to one side, watching him curiously.

“You… are a very strange person, Master,” she said finally. “Really whatever I want first?”

“Well, so long as it only involves you, me, and maybe another Numbered, then yes. Though I do reserve the right to refuse if it’s simply too much.

“For example, cutting off bits of you is outside my comfort zone, but I’d be alright laying a blade to your skin if that’s what you wanted.”

Valeria turned her head the other way, as if seeing him from a different perspective would tell her something else.

“Fine… I accept your deal as you stated it. Three to train, and… my preference… on activity before I get in your bed as your doxy. I do so swear.”

“Agreed, accepted, and sworn,” Alex said with a grin. “Now, how about yo—”

A distant horn interrupted him.

Looking over, Alex saw the enemy army stomping their way forward.

“There it is then,” Alex murmured.

Carla, Nannie, and Riley all came over to peer out. Then Carla grabbed him by one arm and dragged him off.

“Time to sit yourself down. You gave the strategy to be followed; let the professionals handle the battle,” Carla said.

“Yes, Master. Come to the tent with me. Relax,” Riley said charmingly, taking his arm in hers and wrapping herself around it.

“Fine, fine. Nannie, you stay with me. Two, Three, you can consider this involuntary time off for an hour or two,” Alex said, letting Riley lead him off.

***

Alex had lasted all of five minutes sitting in his tent before going back out to watch from an elevated position of safety with the archers.

Though he couldn’t see much, he could see enough.

The enemy army did truly seem to be the elites on their side of the conflict.

From the brief glimpses he saw of them when they reached the summit, they appeared quite well armed and armored.

Right before they went tumbling down the hill from spear thrusts and sword strokes from his troops.

As far as Alex could tell, the enemy had badly underestimated his troops. They’d expected to just swarm up the hill and overrun them, as if they weren’t even there.

At some point Max had taken control of a troop of the heavy foot soldiers in reserve and rushed around the far side of the defensive hook.

It was a solid move, and Alex approved of it as he watched it happen. He’d even told Max to look for an opportunity like this to flank their far edge and begin rolling them up in front of the battle line.

The rumble and growl of fighting had long since been tuned out, and Alex heard it not at all.

“Master, is it going well?” Riley asked, her fingers hooked into his sleeve.

“As well as it could be, I suppose. Really doesn’t matter much to us anymore. We prepared a nearly unassailable position that just isn’t something they can take in a straight fight,” Alex said.

“They’d have to overwhelm our people, which… honestly won’t happen. Maybe if they were conscripts or undertrained, then sure.”

David nodded his head in agreement yet said nothing.

“This seems… not very worthwhile,” Riley said, her eyes turning down to the ground.

Such a tenderhearted thing.

“War usually is. It’s the worst-case scenario when politics fails,” Alex agreed.

“My lord, I’d like to switch some men out with the conscripts. It’d give them a chance to blood themselves, and give some of the men a break,” David said.

“That’s fine, and a good idea. Maybe some of those very same peasants might find soldiering the life for them,” Alex said with a smirk.

David left without another word.

“Master, can’t we go back to the tent?” Riley pleaded.

“I don’t think I should, One. My place may not be on the field itself, but it’s better if I’m at least visible,” Alex said, giving her a smile. “It’ll be alright. This has already been going on for a while. Unless the enemy really are fools, they’ll have to pull off sooner rather than later. They’re simply losing too many men.”

From the far side of his line, a sudden commotion got Alex’s attention. Frowning from where he stood, he peered off towards the disturbance.

“Nannie, could you—” Alex started.

“On it,” said the woman, not bothering to hear the full order. She set off at a jog, a short sword slipping free of her sheath and practically appearing in her hand.

“I wonder what it could be,” Alex mused.

“Maybe it’s Max?” Riley asked.

“Maybe. I imagine he’s still pressing hard on their flank though. The enemy isn’t to be taken lightly, and I imagine they’ve been flanked before in their careers.”

A number of men on horses came up over the crest of the hill, slipping through the conscripted peasants who had been put there as a defensive reserve.

“Ah, it’s my special garbage collector team,” Alex said with a grin. “Let’s go see what they managed to pry free from our esteemed enemies.”

Alex waved at the lead horseman and then pointed towards his command tent. Nannie came back looking mildly annoyed, her sword sheathed.

There was no reason to advertise what the spoils were quite yet.

All the horsemen followed along, arranging themselves in a loose formation.

Alex stood in front of them with a smile, looking to someone to step forward and tell him the results.

Eventually, two men with full helmets on made their way towards Alex. They were lugging a large, two-handled chest between themselves.

Reaching Alex, they dropped it with a resounding thud.

One opened the lid while the other stood there with his hands on his hips.

Inside was a glittering mess of gold and silver.

“Hah, what the hell did you do? Rob a chest from their pay-wagon?” Alex asked, looking to the two men with a grin.

“Better, we took a pay-wagon itself,” said the man on the left as he unbuckled his helmet. “Six more chests like this inside it.”

Hooking his helmet to his belt, the young man gave Alex a grin.

There was a strange resemblance to David that Alex couldn’t quite place. All the features were the same, but younger.

Brother perhaps?

“If I remember right, I offered a twenty-percent finder’s fee on items like this,” Alex said, closing the chest. “Let’s say… pick a chest for yourselves, then we’ll count up another and give you one-fourth of that for you and your men, fair?”

As if his smile couldn’t get any wider, the man nodded his head.

Behind him, the horsemen were getting down off their mounts.

“That’s not all though,” said the man. Looking back to his group, he waved at them. “I do believe you had a price on unharmed gentry and generals as well.”

Squirming sacks with feet sticking out of them were carried into Alex’s tent.

“Consider me beyond impressed. I didn’t catch your name?” Alex asked.

Men like this needed to be employed as quickly as possible.

“Daniel, sir. Daniel Herel.”

“Stick around, Daniel. I’ll have a use for you later. I’ll tally up your prisoners and add their worth to the chest we’ll be divvying up.

“Remember, secrecy is the name of the game here,” Alex said. With a nod, he turned and entered the tent, eager to find out whom he’d caught.

Six writhing sacks lay on the ground. Four wore what looked like well-cobbled shoes, and two were in boots.

“Good afternoon,” Alex said. Turning to the side, he motioned at Riley and Nannie to get the tent flap. “My name is Alex Brit, Count Brit. You’ve all been taken as prisoners of war under my domain and control.

“Don’t bother trying to say anything just yet. I’ll be interviewing you all privately. If you’re a high-value prize, you’ll receive fair treatment. If you’re not…” Alex left the statement open, letting their own fears fill in the blank.

Realistically, he’d just turn them over to Duke Tanulf if they didn’t serve his purpose. But there was no reason to tell them that.

“I look forward to speaking with you one and all,” Alex said. “We can—”

“Sir!” Daniel said, speaking through the closed tent flap.

“Yes, Daniel?”

“Sir, they’re retreating from the field.”

“That’s good news. Any reason why?”

“I think they noticed their entire camp was on fire.”

“Oh. Yes, I imagine that’d be a cause for concern. Good. Have David rotate the men out, get the wounded evacuated, a meal in everyone, and enough water to drown a fish. This might not be over.”

“Ah, yes, sire.”

Alex turned back to the sacks. Sacks that now seemed considerably less active.

“Well. That’s interesting. I suppose the good duke will call me in for a staff meeting shortly. We’ll have to make this quick. If you’re of the peerage, go ahead and curl up into the fetal position for me,” Alex said.

Two sacks immediately did so.

“Nannie, could you set those two aside for me? Preferably back near my bed area? I’ll need to interview them first before the meeting, I imagine.

“Ok, next, who’s in the military?”

Two more sacks curled up.

“Put those on the other side of the tent. Far side, that is. Its big enough to house a family of six anyways. Might as well use the entirety of it.

“Either you or Two need to watch over them, Nannie. I’m sure One can keep an eye on them if you want to go track Two down real quick.”

“You and your damn numbers,” Nannie growled.

“The other two… leave them there for now. You’re in charge of those, One.

“Oh, and if you find Three while you’re out there, send her my way.”

Alex waved his hand at them as he spoke. Then he trailed after Nannie as she dragged the two sacks back towards his bed.

“Guh, fuckin’ meatsacks,” Nannie said, then pushed at one of them with her boot, sliding them towards his bed. “Gonna go find that dumb cunt so I’m not alone in this. You got it for now?”

“Indeed. Do be nice to Two; she might take your head off and I’d have to hire a new murdering psychopath,” Alex said, sitting down in a chair nearby.

“She can try,” Nannie said, then left.

“Well then,” Alex said, and reached down to the closest sack. “Let’s get you open and have a chat.”

The sack fell completely immobile as Alex began unwinding the cord around the feet.

Pulling the sack open, he reached in and grabbed a leg.

A bare leg.

With Alex pulling while he stepped on the sack with one foot, the captured party started to move.

The bottom part of the person slid out, which was a pair of legs in a dress that had slid all the way up to her hips.

“Ah, sorry about that,” Alex said. Getting out of his seat, he pulled the sack up and over the woman the rest of the way, rather than yanking her out.

Bound, gagged, and clearly angry, a young woman a few years younger than himself glared up at him.

Light brown hair, bordering on a dark blond, framed her face in a lovely and natural-looking way.

She had fine features and an elegant look to her. She was pretty in her way, though certainly not beautiful.

Her figure was on the better side though, with a nice curve to her body.

Her green eyes had enough heat in them to make him catch fire. That disposition didn’t improve as he obviously inspected her.

“Let’s start with being civil to one another. I’m Alex Brit, you’re safe, and I’d love to have a conversation with you. Shouting would be inconducive to that, and we’ll be forced to go down a different road if you do that,” Alex said.

Reaching down, he carefully slid the gag out of her mouth and down to her neck.

“And you are?” Alex asked, sitting back down fully in his chair.

Huffing angrily at him, she shifted around on the ground.

“Baroness Mary Margaret Tilly,” she said, lifting her chin slightly.

“Ah. I see. Who’s the other one,” Alex said, pointing to the other sack.

“My niece,” said the baroness.

“Great. Who’s in charge of Duke Gaelis’s right flank?”

“My uncle, Count Frenis.”

Carla came over and looked to the woman on the ground, then Alex.

“Two, could you pack up that sack over there and hand it off to Riley? She’s nobility, but… minor,” Alex said, looking up at his bandit bodyguard. “I’ll deal with her after the baroness here.”

Carla looked to the woman, then the sack, and then back to Alex. She grunted, then grabbed the booted foot of the niece and dragged the squirming sack off.

Alex looked back to Mary and gave her a smile. They were now alone and separated enough that he could start his spiel.

“Well. I’d say your uncle is falling back to salvage what he can of your camp. Let alone figure out his next move,” Alex said, spreading his hands out in front of himself. “I can’t speak for the rest of the battle, but this fight did not go in your favor.”

Mary had been trying unsuccessfully to pull her dress down to a more dignified position and cover her underwear and legs.

“And what does that have to do with me?” she asked.

“Not much, I suppose, other than that you’re my prisoner. We can discuss terms for your ransom, or terms for your captivity.

“Do you think your husband would be more interested in paying before or after the war ends?” Alex asked.

Mary gave him a strange look, then slumped into the ground, giving up on her dress.

“He’ll not pay a penny for me. Not when I can’t give him a damn heir. He might pay you for my niece though,” she said with a bitter smile.

Oh? Is that the play here? No attention at home, disgraced, unvalued. She has no worth in her own eyes for a failure of her body that’s beyond her control.

It’s a simple thing, then. Offer her attention, care, affection. We can have her turned around rather quickly.

The first time might be awkward, but I bet it wouldn’t be after that.

“I suppose we’ll just have to find another form of payment then,” Alex said with a smile. Leaning forward, he took hold of her dress and carefully pulled it down until it covered her modestly. “I’m sure we could come to some kind of arrangement for your release, dependent on… well… you.”

Mary’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

“I take it this is where I’m expected to not resist while you take me by force?” Mary asked, her voice subdued.

“Not in the least. On the contrary, in fact. It’s where we barter for your release like gentlefolk,” Alex said. “I take it you’d like to be released?”

“Yes,” Mary said.

“Great. Then we already have a desired outcome. Now we just have to dicker on the price. Do you need a horse as well?”

“That’d be preferable,” Mary said, sounding unsure.

“A horse, and going free. Is that the extent of your ask?”

“I… yes. Though I’d like my niece as well.”

“Let’s focus on you first for now.”

“Alright,” she said uneasily.

“Wonderful. Now, my price. First, an oath of secrecy to me and mine. That you’ll not reveal anything you discovered here, nor will you act on anything you know after having been here.

“It wouldn’t be wise to return you with information, after all, now would it?”

“I could swear to that.”

“On your life and soul. To Leah,” Alex clarified.

Mary opened her mouth once, then closed it, as if thinking better about what she wanted to say.

“Then… I swear on Leah to safeguard your privacy, and everything I might learn while in your camp. Both on my life and soul,” she said finally.

“Great. I accept your oath. Now, I’d love to let you free. As if nothing were the matter, in fact.

“But I just can’t do that. Not for nothing, at least.”

“Ok…” said the baroness.

“To set you loose… with a horse… I’d like to have dinner with you. Get to know you a bit more, learn about you as a person. Spend some time together. Entertain you as a woman of your stature and grace deserves. Then take you to bed when it’s all said and done and give you the attention a woman of your beauty is due.

“In the morning, I’ll release you, fit as a fiddle, all your possessions as they are, plus a horse.”

Mary didn’t say anything; she merely watched him.

“It’s a fairly simple transaction, and I promise to treat you like a gentleman would throughout, as a lady such as yourself should be entitled to,” Alex said with a smile at her.

“I don’t think you understand how badly my people need me. My husband and my uncle aren’t…” She paused, as if realizing what she was saying.

“If anything, I’d be more inclined to keep you here, for what it’s worth,” Alex admitted. “But… color me interested. At least a bit. I’d like to know you. Your thoughts. Your abilities. You, really. To know Mary.

“And then know you in a far more carnal way, tonight.”

“Just like that, then…? You’d let me loose tomorrow morning for that price?”

“That’d be the deal. Or you could say no, and nothing untoward would happen to you. You’d be treated as a noble prisoner of war and be given all the proper courtesies of your station. And you have my word and oath on that.”

Mary finally broke eye contact and looked to her feet.

“No one would know?” she asked, not looking up. “About our deal?”

“Only you, me, and maybe a few of my personal assistants. Who are all sworn to secrecy and loyalty. On Leah for their souls and their lives.”

Mary shook her head slowly.

“Then I guess… we have a deal.”

Chapter 21

Alex watched as Baroness Tilly rode down the side of their fortification and towards the far flank of both armies.

“She any good?” Nannie asked, scratching at her chest.

Shrugging his shoulders, Alex couldn’t say much about it.

Mary hadn’t been experienced, enthusiastic, or even much more than lukewarm, but what she had been was intrinsically worth quite a lot in his deals.

Unable to help himself, Alex pulled the black crystal from his pocket and glanced into it again.

Not a bit of light reflected through it.

Her deal cost her significantly and gained her very little. I’m betting her uncle and husband won’t be that happy to see her.

It’s what he’d been betting on when he’d heard her husband didn’t value her.

Trying to get back to a man who didn’t care about you, and giving yourself away in the process, had to be an action of beggaring oneself to the very core.

Or so Alex had figured, and could now confirm.

And if we did it right and fed her more attention than she’s ever received before… we might be able to get her back on the hook for more.

After all, we treated her as if she were our beloved wife, whom we missed terribly.

That we were happy to see and to hold.

She wasn’t into it, but she wasn’t against our attentions either in the end.

“She was well worth it… is what I would say,” Alex said.

“Seemed a bit dead-fish to me. Lay-there-unmoving kind of thing,” Nannie said. “Your tastes are messed up. I mean, you bed the nasty cunt over there, don’t you?”

Looking to where Nannie was pointing, he saw Carla talking with Riley and Valeria.

“That I do, and I look forward to it every time,” Alex said, then looked back just in time to see Mary disappear around a curve in a low hill.

She was officially on her way, and he’d followed his word and kept his promise.

Now he could enact the second part of his plan in good faith.

“Daniel?” Alex asked, turning to one side.

“Sire,” said the man stepping forward.

“Did you manage to steal any uniforms?”

“We did. Only a handful though.”

“Enough to outfit five or so?”

“Could be. Sounds about right.”

“Did our guests ever get a look at your face?”

“No, sir. I wore my helmet the entire time.”

“Grand. I want you to find four people you trust to take on a mission. I’ll pay you each fifteen gold if you complete it as well,” Alex said.

Motivation is always key to drive a priority.

“I can do that, sire,” Daniel.

“Good. Your task is simple. When battle starts today, I want you to have a number of your people dressed in enemy uniforms chased by a number of people in our uniforms.

“Right up to the enemy picket line,” Alex said, laying out the plan he wanted carried out. “Rush through, tell anyone who asks you have an important message for Baroness Tilly. For her ears only.

“When you finally get to her, tell her that her niece escaped and is hiding nearby. She won’t leave her position without seeing the baroness though, as she trusts no one but her.”

Daniel frowned in incomprehension.

“When you get her out into the field… bring her back here. In a sack if you have to, but preferably not.”

Alex grinned at the man as understanding dawned on his face.

“I understand, sire. I’ll get it done,” Daniel said with a sharp salute.

Nodding his head, Alex turned back to the enemy force across the way.

Then we’ll offer her the same deal as last time. She’ll take it again, I imagine, and we’ll get her paid up twice for the same thing.

And if I’m lucky… she’ll be willing this time, since we treated her like a loved and cared for wife.

Alex couldn’t help but grin.

“You’re a shit,” Nannie said with a dark chuckle. “Let her go just to capture her again?”

“Don’t worry, Nannie. Soon enough you’ll be responding to Five,” Alex said. “You’ll understand then.”

“What? Fuck you.”

“Eventually. I suppose. In the fullness—”

A man with an overly important air caught Alex’s attention.

“And what peacock have they sent me now?” Alex muttered.

Seeming to preen himself at the attention, the man came over to Alex and held out a messenger tube to him.

“Your orders, Count Alex. See that you follow them,” said the man. Then he left without giving Alex a chance to say a word.

“I take that back; you’re just an ass. That guy was a shit,” Nannie said.

“Fair, still going to get you eventually… Five,” Alex popped open the tube and reached in to pull out his orders.

Internally, he’d finally figured out how to maneuver Nannie into position to become a Number.

Treat her as if she already was one, and never offer her a deal. Until she practically begged for one.

As if she were beneath inclusion or notice for a deal.

Her mentality was worse than Carla’s or Valeria’s. What he’d done for them wouldn’t work here.

Chaining his thoughts to the moment, he read his orders.

“Well, fuck me,” Alex said, rolling the letter back up and shoving it into the tube.

“No thanks,” Nannie said.

“That’s alright. I haven’t gotten you your tag or uniform yet, Five. I’ll work on that next,” Alex said. Then he looked around. “Ah, Max!”

The man looked up at the call.

Nannie was growling something under her breath, her hands flexing as she stared dangerously at Alex.

“Orders. Real stupid, real simple. Charge,” Alex said, then flicked the tube at the man when he got closer, ignoring Nannie completely.

“Seems our own right flank didn’t do so well. Now we all get to go ‘up over the top’ as it were,” Alex said. “Fool’s errand. It’ll be as bad as they gave us. Let’s see what we can do about it. Is there anything out there in that field of death that could give us cover that I can’t see from here?”

“Uh,” Max said, still reading the orders.

“Sire, there’s a small shrub forest off the side of their right flank. Doesn’t look like much from here. We could probably hide a hundred men in it, but that’s about it,” David said as he walked up.

“We’ll use that. Get the conscripts settled up and strengthen their second line with veterans from the heavy foot. We’ll march them out to the front and let the enemy think we’re coming.

“We’ll stop well short of the goal. Do they have any archers, by the way?”

“They did, but apparently my brother burned their entire cache of arrows. I imagine they may have gotten some ammo from others, but… unlikely,” David said with a grin. “Too costly.”

“Perfect. Then yes, we’ll stop short of the goal and near the shrub forest. Have the archers behind our line and just start pelting them with every arrow they can fire.”

“They’ll send their best down to fight us after that bloody nose we gave ’em yesterday,” Max said, looking up from the paper now.

“Perfect. Let them hit us. Then drive those hundred troopers into their flank. Let’s see how much we can carve out of them.

“I admit we’ll lose some conscripts, but… that’s the nature of war. Let’s at least armor them appropriately and give them a fighting chance. Use the equipment from the dead enemies,” Alex said, waving a hand backward towards their supply camp. “Lots of those available.”

David and Max nodded their heads energetically.

“And after that?” they asked.

“After that? We retreat. No need to give chase. Not in those flatlands. We’ll have obeyed our orders, cost our enemy, and done our job.

“I suppose we could just keep firing arrows into their camp instead. They won’t come back out, I’d bet. I imagine they’re tired of getting their asshole kicked in with our boot.”

“I sure would be,” David said.

***

Alex was watching from the defensive line. In the end, they’d sent seventy-five percent of their forces on this mission.

The remaining twenty-five held the fortifications and protected the wounded and supplies. Just in case.

Looking off to his right, Alex realized most of his compatriots did not share the same paranoia.

Every camp was empty.

“Master, you don’t fight like the others,” Riley said, squirming up to his side.

“I suppose I don’t at that.”

“You… trick them. You don’t fight them head on. I think they would call it dishonorable,” she continued.

“Couldn’t care less. History is written by the victor. I plan to be that victor,” Alex said with a shrug, looking back out to his smudge of conscripts on the far side.

“Hard to believe there’s a shrub forest out there. Just looks like a bit of bush.”

“The hills roll. It’s a strange place,” Carla said.

“And you’d know this because?”

“Good hideout. The hills roll,” Carla said, turning to face him with a smile.

Snorting at that, Alex grinned. “You and Five are awful.”

“Five?” Riley asked, her fingers tightening on his sleeve.

“I’m not Five, you bastard,” Nannie said from the other side of him.

“Course not, Five. Oh, I ordered your collar and tag. It’s a pure silver tag, just like the rest. I did get you a black leather collar though; I thought it would suit you. Since I started feeding you so well, your complexion and skin have really gotten quite pretty.”

“Not gonna wear it. Make you eat it, fucker,” said the murderess sharply.

“Of course you are, Five. Of course. Anyways. Is Three keeping our guests entertained?”

“She tied them all up to one another and threw a tarp over them,” Carla said.

“Whatever works,” Alex said, dismissing the subject. He didn’t really care how Valeria kept them occupied.

He could just barely make out the scene down there. Across the whole of the line, Duke Tanulf’s people were charging headlong into the enemy.

Except for Alex’s people. They were standing far enough away that they couldn’t be reached in a rapid charge.

It wasn’t clear, but he got the impression his archers were just unloading relentlessly on their targets.

For the last hour in fact, this had been the state of affairs.

“Think our people will run out of arrows before the idiots decide to attack us?” Carla asked.

“Maybe. If that’s the case, fine. I’ll take Tanulf being angry at me if he likes.

“Though I think he’ll have other problems,” Alex said, pointing at an entire line of friendly troops breaking away from the melee.

“Goodness,” Riley said softly. “Master… does that mean our troops should pull back?”

“Maybe… depends on if the enemy pushes. If they just sit there, we should be fine… but that’s not likely.”

“There they go. The dumb fuckers,” Nannie said.

Looking back to his people, Alex saw the enemy had started off at a trot towards his conscript line.

Then the two lines locked together. Thankfully it seemed the enemy only had enough troops to meet Alex’s line, and nothing more to wrap around.

That or they were expecting more tricks back at their remaining supplies.

Smiling, Alex wondered how bad it was over there.

He imagined they were having a hard time of it, doubting themselves at every opportunity.

Then David and Max came flying out of nowhere, it seemed. Crashing into the flank and rear of the enemy.

Within a handful of breaths, the enemy was surrounded to a man. Wrapped up from front to back.

“And now it’s the butcher’s work,” Nannie said, a strange lilt creeping into her voice.

“Unfortunately,” Alex said. “Need to work on that, Five. Your bloodlust is a bit on the high side. Think you want to channel that elsewhere? I have a perfect suggestion.”

“I will pull out your guts, stuff ’em, and eat ’em,” Nannie said, looming over him.

Alex reached up and idly patted her cheek. “I’ll stuff you later and you can eat me after. For now, let’s see what happens.

“If you’re an especially good girl, Five, I might let you watch over any prisoners we take. I’ll even let you mercy kill any that are beyond saving.”

Nannie looked like she was going to pop from rage, her breaths coming in great, heaving gasps.

There was a strange lull in the fighting, and then the entire mob of people shifted.

Then, amazingly, the conscripts and the enemy all started back toward Alex.

The heavy foot, light foot, and archers remained in the field.

“Seems we will indeed have prisoners. Shame we can’t strip their dead out there in the field. Their gear might be worth hauling back,” Alex said.

David and Max then surprised him. They moved a trot parallel to the enemy line, but towards their supply camp.

Almost immediately, the entire line shifted to match his people’s movement. So much so that the end of their line fractured, giving whoever was on the right side of Alex an easy flank to try and turn.

David and Max continued to push deeper up the side of the enemy, almost forcing the enemy’s line to bend back upon its own rear now.

Finally, his men paused and started working at something else.

“Whatever are you adaptive men up to?” Alex said, watching.

“They seem to like your form of fighting, Master,” Riley said, ever clinging onto his arm.

“Any good soldier would prefer to trick the enemy than fight them.”

Tactics just haven’t changed from en masse and charge, it seems.

Pinpoints of light were suddenly visible among his men.

In the next second, flaming arrows had been launched deep into the enemy’s rear. Even reaching as far as into the next liege levy.

“Oh, that’s fun,” Alex said appreciatively. “I’m sure that’ll panic quite a few people if they manage to hit something flammable.”

A portion of the enemy line broke off and charged Alex’s line. From this distance, it looked like snow landing on a hot rock.

The people just melted away as they crashed into his troops. Falling to the ground.

“Hm. I doubt the duke will be happy with us, but we might be the only group to have turned our enemy. And they’re elites, no less,” Alex said.

“I never figured you as one to understand war,” Carla said.

“I don’t. Not really, at least. A plan? Sure. Battle, no.”

A long, high note came from far off to his right. It was the signal to pull back and regroup.

Breaking off easily and quickly, Max and David started back towards the safety of their fortified position.

“Suppose I should go put on my best ‘ass chewing’ clothes. I’m sure the duke will be displeased with me on some level.”

Max and David continued on their way back to their positions.

Completely unhindered.

It was clear to anyone that the dear Count Frenis wanted nothing more to do with them today.

“Master, I think that’s Daniel,” Riley said, pulling at his arm that was wedged between hers.

Glancing over, Alex watched as Daniel carried a frantically writhing sack into his tent.

Then came back out and headed in his direction.

“Ah, it seems my evening’s entertainment was acquired. Delightful. Looks like you’re off the hook tonight, Five.”

“I’ll fucking end you and rub one out on your corpse!” Nannie shouted, her lips nearly pressed to the side of his head.

Turning his head, he quirked a brow at her.

“Try not to shout in my ear; that did cause me harm. Would hate to see you lose your soul over something so simple.

“You know, your eyes are rather pretty. Now back up, or are you waiting for a kiss?” Alex asked her.

Nannie shot upright, her nostrils flaring.

“I’ve killed and eaten men for less,” she said.

“Welcome to eat part of me, like I said. No killing though, Five.”

“Sir,” said a voice behind him. “The duke would like to see you. Immediately.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the same peacock from earlier.

No change of clothes then.

***

The talk the duke had with him was more or less what he’d expected, though with one surprise.

The duke’s other vassals didn’t seem to agree with him. More than one seemed poised to say something, but didn’t.

Apparently even the duke had noticed the change, and had suddenly broken off his tirade.

Which was rather fortuitous when the next man to stand read out how their forces stood, and what they knew of the enemy.

And in that summary, Alex was given his reprieve.

Count Frenis had less than a hundred men left. The elite right of the enemy had been broken.

Adding to that, he’d been shifted off the line, with another group to take his place.

“After that, the duke ended the meeting rather quickly,” Alex said, finishing up the story to Riley.

“Master’s achievements are visible to all,” she said, moving in close to him and wrapping up his arm again.

“Well, at least my ‘not failure,’ hm? Now, you do have to release me, One. I need to go speak with my guest,” Alex said, indicating the tent.

Riley nodded, letting go of him.

“You can come in, just like last time. Ok?”

She nodded her head again. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Good.”

Moving past Carla and Nannie, who were at the front of the tent, Alex stepped inside.

Mary was sitting at a table, her arms angrily folded in front of her chest.

“You said you’d let me go,” she said, her body practically shaking with rage.

“I did let you go,” Alex said, walking over and sitting down at the table with her. “Even gave you a horse. You can’t blame me that you managed to get caught again.”

“Using my niece against me… where is she? Are you abusing her as well?”

“Not at all. She’s been provided everything she needs to survive. Not a soul has harmed her. I haven’t even talked to her,” Alex said. Then he smiled at her.

Mary didn’t deign to reply, but her shoulders had gone immobile and stiff.

“Shall we speak of another deal? I’d enjoy speaking with you more at length, you know.” Alex said, setting his elbow on the table and leaning on it.

“You’re… the devil,” Mary said between her teeth.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Let’s just say I was infatuated with having you. That I desired to spend more time with you and wanted your company. That I was willing to do what I had to do, even send men to their deaths, to see you. Now, are you willing to deal?”

Mary looked off to the side, her chin sinking down slowly. Her cheeks holding a faint blush to them.

“And what for now?” she asked. “I have little to offer anymore that you haven’t already had. My worth is… I have no worth.”

“I disagree. I think you have a great worth.

“As to what you have to offer, I’d give you the same deal as last time,” Alex said. “Let me enjoy a nice meal with you. Spend time with you. Learn more about you. Talk with you. Give you the attention you deserve, entertain you in a way fitting your loveliness, and take some of your personal time for myself, as if it were precious. A fine wine to be treasured and enjoyed.

“Then take you to bed and treat you like the wonderful woman you are. Just like last time.

“Come the morning, I’ll put you on a horse and send you on your way.”

“And my niece?”

“Remains with me, but I’ll swear to treat her positively, instead of neutrally, if it helps. With a hint of kindness instead of neutral emptiness, and to ensure her wellbeing daily. Exactly as I’ve been doing up to this point, just with a touch more effort, and how I’ll continue to do even if you decline my deal. Treating her as minor nobility.

“You can, of course, always say no. Nothing untoward will happen to you or your niece even if you say no, and you’ll both receive all the courtesies of your station.”

Mary shook her head, her chin dipping down to her chest.

“I agree,” she murmured.

Chapter 22

Alex let his eyes stray from person to person around the room.

Each and every one of them in here was a member of the peerage. Knights, barons, counts, and even a duke.

This was Duke Tanulf’s ever self-important evening meeting to discuss the morrow’s plans.

And how he’ll bungle everything we earn at every step of the way.

“—expect everyone here to be in their camps! Killing their damn horses if they’re the last creatures standing!

“Anyone not pushing for all they’re worth will be deemed dishonorable and face punishment.

“This goes double for you, Count Brit!” the duke roared, turning on Alex.

Looking up at the duke, Alex waited without a word.

“You’ll have every soldier in your command on the field and pushing into that enemy line. Do you understand?”

“Certainly, my lord. I’ll break their elite troops. Again,” Alex said.

The silence after his words was deafening.

Everyone in the room seemed to be looking from Alex to Tanulf and back again.

For his part, Alex sat there, unmoving, unflinching.

Uncaring.

The duke on the other hand looked as if he were about to suffer an aneurysm. Or so Alex thought based on the color of his forehead and the veins protruding from it.

“Yes,” Tanulf said, spit practically leaping from his mouth with the word. “Do that.”

Turning his back to Alex, he walked towards the map of the battlefield and stared into it.

As if the answers to his problems lay there.

Which they did, of course. He just didn’t seem to have the wherewithal to grasp them.

Tactics and strategy seem sadly lacking here. It’s all just… mass and charge. Honor and retarded notions of chivalry.

Barely managing to suppress a sigh, Alex waited.

“By our accounts, the baron of Tilly is dead. Killed by your men during the action. His wife has been sent to the far rear and her uncle has taken complete control,” Tanulf said, pointing at Alex’s section.

“Understood. Is there anything we should expect from their troop composition that would be different? Or is it mostly the same as—”

“Does it matter? Just get in there and fight them,” the duke hissed, glaring at Alex across the table.

Somehow, Alex didn’t respond. Instead, he stared back at the duke. Waiting.

After some time had passed and the duke realized Alex obviously wasn’t going to respond, he moved on to his next point. Alex already forgotten.

In truth, Alex had already leapt subjects in his mind and was trying to figure out what to do next.

Especially since he’s forcing me to take all my troops in. Nothing to leave behind to guard our supplies, wounded, and camp support.

Foolish.

At least, Alex thought morbidly, one way or the other, this’ll probably be the end of this shit-show.

***

“Three,” Alex said, ducking into his tent.

“Yes, Master?” she asked. She was perched on the end of his bed, Mary’s niece sitting at a table nearby.

She looked quite similar to her aunt. So much so that one would wonder if they weren’t much more closely related.

He’d put her somewhere at fourteen. Give or take a year.

“I need to know if you can deliver a letter. First though, One?”

“Here, Master,” Riley said, stepping out from where she’d been standing along the wall.

“Could you please take our guest somewhere else? I’m afraid I need to have a bit of a discussion with Three.”

“Of course. Come, let’s go for a walk and let your food digest,” Riley said, holding her hand out to the young woman.

Riley and the girl left, leaving him with Valeria. Nannie and Carla both stood at the entryway.

“A letter?” Valeria asked curiously.

“Indeed. I need to know first—can you get into Count Frenis’s support camp without being compromised?

“If you can’t get in and out of that location without being caught or harmed, it isn’t worth it. So first up, can you do that?”

Valeria thought for a second, then nodded her head. “I believe I can, at that. I take it you want me to deliver something to our little baroness?”

“Am I that easy to read?”

“No, it’s just the only person you’d deliver a letter to. Idiot, Master,” Valeria said, grinning at him.

Alex thought on that, then shrugged. “Fair. Anyways.”

Moving to his desk, he pulled out his quill and ink-pot, and a piece of parchment.

He wrote a quick note, then blotted it with sand, folded it, and held it out to Valeria.

“You can read it if you want. It’s straightforward enough,” Alex said.

Flicking it open with a wrist snap, Valeria glanced down at it.

“Would you care to make another deal with me tomorrow? Same terms,” Valeria said aloud, then looked back to him. “I take it we’re attacking tomorrow.”

“Unfortunately, and as stupidly as possible. Again. Not much to be done for it.”

“And you think she might get captured and… well… not recognized as a noblewoman until far too late?” Valeria asked, keeping her phrasing polite.

“More or less. Can you do it?”

“Of course. What do I get for this?”

“Mm. Not sure. Think on it and we’ll figure out something later.”

Alex still had a trump card on her. He hadn’t promised her to let her retain her position once the campaign ended.

Same card he had on Riley.

This was definitely not the time to offer that up, either.

Valeria shook her head with a smile.

“No. Terms now, unless you’re ordering me to do this. At which point…” She left it open, tapping the letter against her chin.

“Fine. We’ll discuss terms now, but you won’t be sharing this newfound strategy of yours with the others, and that is an order.

“Is there something you want right now?”

Valeria frowned, looking up to the tent ceiling.

“I could use a couple of planned days off, actually. I end up working almost every day right now. I imagine that might change in the future with my apprentices, but still.”

“Granted. Consider it vacation time. Five days a year, every year. Anything else?” Alex turned to his table and started to draft up orders for David and Max.

Giving them instructions on the expectations the duke had. In addition, he included that he wanted them to use his personal tactics of evasion, subterfuge, and indirect attacks.

“No. That’s fine. Thank you, Master. I’ll set out after night falls. I should be back tomorrow. Hopefully before the brawl gets under way.

“Do give my regards to Two when she services you on her knees tonight,” Valeria said. An evil light glowed in her eyes as she walked away.

Alex blinked, looked up from his desk, and then grinned.

“Oh, right. Tonight. That’s great,” Alex said, turning around to the tent flap. “Hey, Two, come on over here. We should have a quick chat.”

***

Nannie suddenly let out a chuckle.

“Fuck you, you blood-drenched psycho,” Carla said immediately over Alex’s head at the other woman.

“Ptff, you do enough of that with him. Don’t need me there,” Nannie shot back.

“I swear to the gods I’ll make it so you spend every night in his bed if you don’t knock it off,” Carla growled.

“How are you going to manage that if you’re sucking him off? Ha, the look on your face. Ahhh,” Nannie said, chuckling once again.

“Five. Stop,” Alex said, no room for disagreement in his tone.

“Oh? Or wha—”

“Five,” Alex said again, turning to face her head on. “Stop.”

Nannie’s face bunched up as if she were going to yell at him. Then she apparently thought better of it. Facing out to the planes, she didn’t respond.

They’d all remained behind in the encampment. The duke had clearly said all soldiers.

His Numbered weren’t soldiers, and neither was he.

“Thank you, Five. Maybe it’d help to know Two is paying this price so you’re actually here. I had disagreed at first.

“Two, don’t let Five bait you. Anyways. We should probably be focusing on this battle rather than bickering over when Five will start earning her pay in my bed. Shouldn’t we?”

Nannie glanced to him, then to Carla, and finally looked away. Not saying anything.

Carla growled, then shook herself as if she were a dog shaking water loose.

“Yes, Master. Though from the looks of it, they’re doing exactly what you told them.”

Alex couldn’t disagree. David and Max were feinting in one direction only to hit from another. One part of the force would move away just as the other darted in.

They were operating in tandem and working Frenis’s army over rather well.

The moment they tried to chase them out into the field and away from their limited cover, both forces melted away. Leaving the enemy out in the field to take arrows from the rest of the company.

“I’m sure the duke is having a fit. He’d love to have me labeled as dishonored, I imagine. While we’re not engaging, we’re not running away either.”

“Yes, Master. It looks like the conscripts are holding their own as well.”

“Does seem that way, Two. But after having been put into combat a few times, they’re probably experienced enough to not get themselves immediately killed.”

A light touch pressed to the middle of his back, causing Alex to look over his shoulder.

Valeria stood there with a smile.

“Delivered successfully. No problems. She seemed… annoyed… and amused, if I might say.”

“Did she shake her head as if she were angry?” Alex asked, grinning.

“That she did. I take it that’s a normal response for her?”

“So it seemed to me. Good work.”

Riley looked to Valeria, then grabbed Alex’s arm and wrapped it up between her own.

She’s a bit too co-dependent. Might need to break her with the stick instead of the carrot next.

Otherwise she’ll… have no value for deals.

Alex had an odd feeling about that and didn’t know what to make of it.

It wasn’t the strange guilt he’d felt over what he’d done to Mary, and inadvertently killing her husband.

“Master, company,” Valeria said, her voice tight.

Looking around himself, Alex finally saw what she meant. A large group of men were heading his way from the interior of the line.

All of them had weapons drawn.

Carla grabbed him by the back of the head and hustled him off before he could even act.

Riley clung to him, getting dragged along for the ride.

“What the hell?” Alex asked.

“Shut up. They’re not here to talk, you idiot. You don’t talk to people with weapons in hand. If they have weapons out to talk, you get into a position you can talk from safely.”

“Stupid idiots,” Nannie muttered from his other side.

Alex didn’t say anything further, realizing that Carla and Nannie were herding him straight into one of the walled-in sections of the defenses they’d built.

It served as an impromptu headquarters for David and Max and was mostly a long hallway with attached rooms. The whole thing was enclosed and had been built more like a palisade wall.

Carla gave him a rough shove and sent him into the hallway.

Stumbling forward, Alex fought against going down to the ground and got his balance back.

Spinning back to the entry, he saw Carla and Nannie wedged side by side, facing outward.

Valeria placed herself between the two of them, a short sword in her right hand.

“Master, what do we do?” Riley asked, hovering near his side.

“I… have no idea. I guess we try to help. Look around for anything long we can try to use from the rear.”

Alex started looking in each room for anything that matched his request. Riley did the same on the other side.

Alex heard conversation coming from outside. It seemed whoever it was might be trying to talk Carla and Nannie into letting them just have him.

Good luck with that. Ah! That’ll do.

Moving to the corner of the main room, Alex picked up two flags.

One for the county of Brit, the other the kingdom.

Ripping the flags free of both poles, he looked at the tops of them.

They were blunted, unfortunately.

But they’d work to possibly cause an opening in the enemy’s defenses.

“Here, One, take one,” Alex said, handing one of the poles off to Riley as he went.

When he managed to get back to the door, he found the fighting had already started.

Carla dodged under a blade swipe, barely moving her body only to come up under the swing with her mace in a thrust.

It cracked into the man’s jaw, clearly shattering it, and spun his head around to the side. Ejecting him from the doorway and out into the sunlight.

Nannie was on the offense at the same time, battering at a man who was down on one knee over and over with her blade.

There was no subtlety or finesse in her attacks. They were just sheer strength as they landed on a sword the man held clutched between his hands above his head.

Three crushing blows in and his arms fell, only for her blade to slide in where his neck met his chest. It went all the way down to the hilt before she ripped it back out. Kicking the man in the chest and sending him out the door.

Someone rushed in to take his place, only to catch Valeria’s short sword low in his guts. Twisting around the blade, the man fell to his knees, looking straight at Valeria.

Then he fell to his side, partially blocking the doorway entry.

Valeria dropped her sword, her hands pressing to the sides of her face.

“I can’t, I can’t!” she said as she streaked past Alex towards the back of the building.

“Huh? Where are you g—Three!?” Alex gave up on it even before he finished asking.

Bracing himself, he thrust out with his flag pole between Carla and Nannie.

The blunt wooden tip smashed into a kneecap, forcing the man’s leg to buckle.

Carla’s mace came down immediately, bludgeoning the man in the temple twice. He collapsed practically on top of the gutted man.

The doorway was getting crammed full of the dead and dying.

Nannie took a wide stance and roared, her arms pumping back and forth as she waited for the next person.

In response, three people rushed in. Two of them went for Carla while the third lifted a shield and moved in on Nannie.

“One, focus on Two’s,” Alex said. Shifting his aim to Carla’s side as he said it, he jabbed forward.

After missing his target entirely as the man twisted to one side, Alex was nearly yanked out of position when the man grabbed the pole and pulled.

Letting go of it, Alex darted forward to get Valeria’s sword, then moved back next to Riley.

Who stabbed forward with her pole weakly.

It managed to somehow clip the second man’s elbow, knocking his swipe wide and above Carla.

Clacking into the wood, the sword stuck there.

A flashing mace head was the last thing the man saw as his face crumpled with the impact of it.

Before Carla could get it back around though, the second man had come around with a wicked slice of his sword.

Lifting her mace in front of her, Carla deflected the blade’s path.

But not completely.

It careened sideways and up, the flat of the blade cracking into Carla’s skull.

With a pang, she crumpled to the ground unmoving.

The blade itself broke on her head, leaving the man with nothing more than a handle.

Not wasting time, nor wanting to give the man a chance to finish Carla off, Alex lunged forward with his weapon.

Sliding through the man’s stomach far too easily, Alex let the blade go unintentionally.

Scrambling backward, he couldn’t help but fear what he’d just done.

He’d let go of the one weapon he’d had on hand.

Nannie was there next. With the same shield the man earlier had been carrying, she bashed it into the skewered man’s head.

Once, twice, thrice, until the man’s head opened up and started to empty out onto the ground as he fell over.

Nannie cocked her arm back and hurled the shield out the door, then followed it with another roar.

He saw her catch another man and hurl him to the ground. Then she clambered atop him and started to beat his skull in with her bare hands.

No one else attacked her.

Is that the last? It must be. Ok. Go!

Moving forward on his hands and knees, Alex grabbed Carla by the boots and started pulling her back deeper into the building.

It wasn’t until he got her down the hall that he stopped.

Moving up to her head, he immediately saw the contact point.

Her temple was swelling up rapidly, with a thin trickle of blood coming down from it.

As carefully as he could, he touched the area with his fingers.

Everything felt right. Solid.

He was no doctor though.

Then Carla’s eyes fluttered open, looked to him, then closed again.

Turning her head to the side, she threw up on the ground.

I think… I think she’ll be ok? Ok. Good. Yes.

Good.

Turning, he found Valeria wedged up against the wall. Her hands pressed to her ears and staring away.

“Valeria!” Alex shouted at her.

He immediately got her attention, and she turned to face him.

“Master?” she asked, letting her hands fall.

“I think we’re alright. What happened there?”

Valeria shook her head, looking like she wanted to put her hands back over her ears.

Wait. She was sent to kill me. Maybe…

“You couldn’t attack them because they were all men?” Alex asked, testing a theory.

“Huh? No! Of course not,” Valeria said, her irritability cutting through her panic.

“You couldn’t attack them because they served your previous master?” he asked.

Valeria’s face went slack, and she slowly started to lift her hands again.

“It’s ok, stop. I understand. I won’t order you to answer,” Alex said, looking back down to Carla. She was somewhat wakeful, though not entirely.

She was also clearly in pain.

Reaching down, he gently smoothed her hair back from her face.

Taking the flag for the kingdom off the ground, he gently began to dab at her nose and mouth. Trying to wipe away the bits of her last meal and bile.

Nannie came back in, her arms and chest covered in blood splatter.

For the first time in days, she seemed… satiated.

Riley hovered nearby, her hands between herself and Alex.

Alright… everyone’s alive… we survived… but now to figure out who that was.

Time to question Valeria… without questioning her.

Chapter 23

Carla’s eyes fluttered open again, her arms twitching.

“Hey there. Be still. Everything is fine. We’re all alright. Relax, alright?” Alex said, trying to get her to look at him.

Her eyes focused briefly on him. Then she relaxed, her body sinking back into the ground.

She gave a tiny nod of her head, then closed her eyes.

“Don’t go to sleep. Stay awake,” Alex said, poking her in the sternum. “Think of the fact that you had to finish me off right when Five walked in on us. Keep awake.”

Carla’s cheeks flushed and her lips peeled back.

Good.

“Now, Three,” Alex said, turning to face Valeria. “If I were to ask you—now, this is hypothetical—who your old master was, you wouldn’t be able to answer. Right?”

Valeria nodded her head.

“It’d be a violation of an oath you made.”

She nodded again.

“Alright. Now, if I asked you if your oath belonged to so and so, you couldn’t answer. Is that correct?”

Once more she nodded, watching him.

“If I instead asked you if you could provide an answer, rather than requiring the actual answer to ‘Your oath belonged to so and so?’ you could theoretically answer, yes?”

Valeria didn’t respond immediately. He could see the gears in her head turning as she worked out what he’d said.

“Yes. I could, to a degree,” she said after a long pause. To his eyes, she seemed to lose some of that agitated worry she’d been holding on to.

“Great. So, if I asked you if you could answer if I asked you if you worked for the duke, could you answer?”

“Yes,” Valeria said, looking up and to the side. As if expecting some type of intervention.

Alex smiled at her.

“Fun with logic. Now, let’s just go down the list, and I’ll keep asking you the same question. Ok?” Alex asked.

“Sure, Master,” Valeria said, smiling back at him. She sat down on her bottom, dusting her pants off with quick brushes.

“Master?” Riley asked from one side.

Breaking his attention from Valeria with some effort, he looked back.

Nannie had fallen to her knees and was taking great gasping breaths.

“Adrenaline rush wear off, Five?” he asked.

She nodded her head up and down, saying nothing.

“Normal for you to fall into a rage like that?”

Her head went up and down again.

“Right. Stand up if you can. Put your hands on your head. You’re probably not doing yourself any favors like that. Get some water and sugar, too, if you can.”

Turning back to Valeria, he clicked his tongue.

“Now, where were we?” he asked, starting to go through a mental list of every single vassal he could remember.

***

Alex held tight to the reins.

He disliked riding. Disliked horses almost as much.

His body knew how to ride at least, even if he didn’t.

Nannie pressed up to his back and held tightly to him as they rode towards the duke’s command point.

“Are you sure you’re alright with this, Five?” Alex asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said.

“Alright. Any questions, by the way?”

“You challenge him. I crush his skull in. Then you feed me a steak and let me rub one out,” Nannie said.

“Most of that, yes. Right up until the rubbing. Pure as untouched snow, remember?”

“But you want me to pull his skull apart.”

“Yes.”

“You’re so fucking strange.”

Alex didn’t argue with that. He had his reasons.

Coming up to the guards surrounding the command point, Alex waited for Nannie to dismount. Then did the same, tossing the reins at a guard.

“Hold on to that for about thirty minutes, or you’ll be buying me a new one,” Alex said to the guard.

No one stopped him; apparently everyone knew who he was. And he wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

Turning around the corner of the pavilion that’d been set up in the middle of the field, he saw the duke.

Surrounded by all the vassals as they ate and lounged around.

Heading straight for the duke, Alex wasted no time.

Since no one would dare approach them, every head in the area slowly turned toward him as he came on.

Duke Tanulf raised an eyebrow, looking at him. Then both brows went up when he looked at Nannie.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alex realized why.

She was still liberally coated in blood. As if she’d been bathing in it.

Fear factor, I guess.

Looking back to the duke, Alex fell to a knee and bowed his head.

“My lord duke. I come to you to bear witness to my testimony,” Alex said.

Before the duke could respond, Alex raised his head and laid his fingers on the lapel pin that held his oath.

Whatever the duke had planned to say died when he saw Alex’s hand.

“I… see. I recognize you as my vassal and your right to speak,” the duke said.

“I bear witness to having just fought off a group of twenty assassins. Men that were hired by Count Ridge to take my life in the hopes that he might find a way to gain my title.

“On my oath and my life, this is what I know to be true,” Alex said.

There were a few choked gasps, and someone even chuckled in the crowd of vassals.

“Furthermore, if his goal is my title, then I offer it to him. By trial of combat with champions,” Alex said, raising his voice. “If the count is man enough to name a champion and contest me. Else I submit that he is a coward and knows the truth of my statement as fact.”

Thank goddess for Valeria and her knowledge of dueling customs. I’m sure I could have tried to make that random information spring on me, but no guarantee of it.

Though it does make me wonder what her family was like.

The duke lifted his sight from Alex and looked into the crowd.

“Count Ridge, I believe you have a formal challenge to respond to,” the duke said.

Alex couldn’t be sure the duke wasn’t behind this, but considering he had his own plans for Alex, Alex imagined that he wasn’t.

Hard to be forced into marriage with his daughter if I’m dead, after all.

“I see no reason why I need to—”

“Then forfeit your honor, and we’ll go to the king for justice,” Alex said, not bothering to let the man finish. “We’ll go this very day.”

Going for the king’s justice was a quick way to get grilled on everything and anything.

But his oath allowed him to do so if it was required to mete out the law.

No one ever really wanted to go before the king to have their secrets cleaved from their skulls by their own oaths.

“Fine,” said—presumably—Count Ridge. “Tomorrow morning—”

“Now, Count Ridge. I’ll have satisfaction now. I believe your champion is off to the side right over there. I spotted him in your colors earlier. Or at least, that’s who you publicly named.

“Or did you plan to flee tomorrow morning? Like the coward you are?”

“That’s enough!” shouted the same voice. “We’ll settle this now then. Name your champion.”

When he stood, Alex finally was able to see the man.

He had a darker skin tone than most vassals. Tanned to the point of looking almost like leather.

His eyes were cold, blue, and hard, his brown hair cut extremely short.

With a face in an eternal scowl, Alex couldn’t have picked him for anything other than “most likely to be the bad guy.”

He was waving his own fighter over at the same time.

“I name Five as my champion,” Alex said, indicating Nannie.

Nannie sighed audibly.

“I accept my master’s designation as champion,” she said, accepting the formal declaration.

“As the challenged, I claim my right to choose weapons,” Ridge said once his champion had gotten closer.

“Alright, and what do you pick?”

“Fists,” said Ridge, his champion standing not far from him, looking pleased with himself.

Alex wasn’t quite sure he understood what had been said.

“Did you say fists, Count Ridge?” Alex and the duke asked simultaneously.

“I did. Is your woman too soft for that?” Count Ridge asked.

Not replying to Ridge, Alex turned to Nannie instead.

“Don’t stop till your knuckles are buried in his throat,” he said to her.

Her eyes had a strange glint to them, her hands flexing open and closed. Nodding her head, her nostrils flared as she took in a deep breath.

“Right. Agreed,” Alex called back to Ridge. “Let’s start immediately, unless the duke would ask otherwise?”

Duke Tanulf looked from one count to the other, then shook his head. “Count Ridge?” he asked.

“No concerns,” said the count. “We’re ready.”

“Begin then,” the duke said.

Nannie let loose a war cry that made Alex’s skin prickle.

She set off at a sprint, running right over the table all the vassals were eating off of, and leapt to the far side. Heading straight towards the Ridge’s champion, who seemed uncertain.

He still had a shocked look on his face when Nannie pounced at him.

Her broad build and full-speed sprint flattened him to the ground.

She didn’t wait to bring her fists down into the man’s face. Without an ounce of finesse, grace, or strategy, Nannie wailed on the man as he attempted to block from below.

Screaming brokenly, Nannie shoved one of the man’s arms to one side and brought her other fist around in a long hook.

It caught him on the jaw and whipped his head to the side.

After that, the “fight” as it were devolved into Nannie pounding the man’s face.

No one stopped her. Or even tried to.

Her hands started to come up bloody after a time, either from the champion’s face or possibly breaking her hands, Alex wasn’t sure.

Moving over quickly, he wrapped his arms up under her shoulders from behind and pressed his mouth to her ear.

“Five, stop, stop. You won. He’s not going to fight anymore and you could damage your hands. I need those hands,” Alex said as soothingly as he could.

Nannie’s shoulders flexed and Alex swore he was about to get tossed like a child on a bull.

Then she suddenly shuddered, her head dipping down.

“It’s ok. You did good. Very good. Come on. Let’s go have a seat. I’ll get you a drink.

“Good job, Five. Very good job. Exactly what you were supposed to do.”

Letting go of her, he started quickly and lightly running his hands back and forth over her shoulders and neck.

“I did?” she asked.

“Yes, you did wonderfully. Come on. Let me take care of you. I can’t have you damaging yourself, Five. I need you. Come. Come away,” Alex said.

With one hand, he took her wrist, his other hand still lightly stroking her back.

“Ok,” she said dully.

Standing up, she let him guide her back to where they’d started. Alex only let go of her once to snatch a skin of something as he passed.

Getting her off to one side that was partially shaded, he sat her down and handed her the skin.

“Take a drink, relax. Ok? You did good,” Alex said, getting down in front of her. With gentle fingers, he turned her head until she was looking at him.

“I did good,” she said.

“You did very good. I’ll even reward you, just like I promised. Ok?”

“Reward.”

“Yes. Reward. Good job. Take a sip and wait here, ok?”

“I’ll wait here.”

Alex nodded and smiled at her. Getting up, he slowly backed away from her slowly.

Getting several steps away, he turned and went back to the duke. When he looked to the crowd, he couldn’t see Count Ridge.

“I believe that’s my win, duke,” Alex said, looking back to the older man.

“That it is. Your champion is… unique. Though I fear Ridge chose the wrong weapon, it would seem,” the duke said with a corpse-like smile. “I’m afraid to report, it would appear he has fled. Even before the result was decided.”

“Then award me his estate and title and give me a writ, my duke. I shall take what is rightfully mine.”

“I think this has gone on far enough,” the duke said, looking back across the field to where his private war was ongoing. “Count Ridge will suffer his dishonor for losing.”

And remain the count. Which went unsaid.

Would this qualify as casus belli for both you—you old fart—and Count Ridge?

A duel of honor that is not enforced and upheld would bring about a valid casus belli against both the losing party and the one who did not uphold the victor.

This validation would remain active for one year exactly.

“That’s your ruling then?” Alex asked, hoping to get clarity on the situation. “You’ll not uphold my victory?”

The duke must have caught something in Alex’s voice. The older man tilted his head to one side, peering up at Alex.

“No. I’ll not uphold it,” he said after several seconds had passed.

“I understand. I’ll be going,” Alex said. Bowing to the duke, he left without being dismissed.

Stopping briefly in front of Nannie to lever her up to her feet, he didn’t deviate from his course back to his horse.

Alex mounted up into the saddle and then turned around to look at Nannie.

There’s no way she’s going to be able to hold on, is there?

Frowning while deep in thought, Alex scratched at his jaw.

She’ll hate it, but whatever.

Getting back down, he started pulling and pushing at her to get closer to the horse.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” Nannie mumbled, but made no move to push him away.

“Then get on the horse,” Alex said, shoving at her hip. “As if you were going to ride it.”

“Can’t ride a horse,” she said.

“Put your left foot in the stirrup, then fling your right leg over.”

Nannie slowly did as instructed, putting her foot in.

Throwing her leg over became a problem, though. She’d only gotten herself halfway on and seemed stuck.

Bracing his courage, Alex grabbed a handful of her ass and thigh, then shoved her leg over the other side.

Before the horse could bolt or Nannie fall out, Alex mounted as best as he could behind her.

Wrapping his arms around her middle, he grabbed the reins and got the horse turned around.

A click and a press of his heels and they were moving.

Slowly.

Alex didn’t even want to entertain the idea of moving quickly with two mostly unsecured riders.

Nannie’s head lolled backward till it rested against his shoulder.

She apparently had fallen asleep.

Not that he blamed her. She’d been in two fights nearly back to back, and she’d gone off the deep end in both.

He imagined her rages were useful, but probably… draining.

***

Riley bounced up to his horse with a smile. Valeria came as well, though she seemed more cautious.

“Master! I assume all went well?” Riley asked in her chipper tone.

“That it did. Here, could you two help me out here? Five is dead asleep. Let’s get her put in her bed in the tent.” Then Alex’s mind jumped track when he realized Carla wasn’t around. “Carla’s resting, right? Did you get a medic to look at her? Did—” Alex asked, his questions running over each other.

“Master? Stop,” Valeria said firmly, interrupting him. “Two is resting. A medic saw her. It’s a goose egg she’ll feel for a while, but nothing permanent. Or so he thinks. Shove the big ape this way. We’ll not be able to pull her down.”

Alex didn’t argue, and gently tipped Nannie towards the other two women.

Riley and Valeria caught her and pulled her free from the saddle. The two women then wrapped up the third in their arms and started hauling her along into the tent.

“Master, you have a visitor,” Riley said, looking back at him over Nannie’s arm.

A visitor? I don’t… oh… oh!

Chuckling to himself, Alex dismounted where he was and let the reins hang.

He didn’t care at the moment, and he was sure someone would eventually find and take care of the horse.

Moving into the tent, he went to his personal section of it. Which included his writing desk and bed.

Mary was seated at his desk. Reading through his letters, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to be doing so.

Not angered in the least, since she was eternally bound to secrecy on anything she learned here, Alex sat down in the chair next to her.

“I’m glad to see you, Baroness. I wasn’t sure if you’d accept my invitation,” Alex said, sinking into the seat.

She looked up from whatever she was reading and gave him a tight smile.

“I’m afraid my time as Baroness may well be over. Or at least, I suspect so. We’ll see what Uncle does in the coming months. I imagine he’ll likely have me stripped of my title as my husband is no more.

“I… don’t know if it’s evil of me… but I don’t regret his death. If anything, I feel… free,” she said, her smile growing wider on the last word.

“And in your freedom, you decided to come see me.”

“I did at that. Now, the last two nights you’ve fed me quite well and delighted me with your attention. Even our conversations were interesting and thought provoking.

“Are you sure you can keep me occupied and entertained for a third?”

“Oh, I think I can manage. We’ll figure out something, I’m sure. You’re well worth the time and effort, Mary. Well worth it.”

Mary grinned at him and shook her head slowly.

“Then I agree to the deal and look forward to seeing where it goes.”

Alex experienced a moment self-gratification, followed immediately by a small sense of loss and guilt.

In giving herself to him readily, without concern or worry, she negated everything Leah would gain from it.

It warmed his heart considerably, and chilled him at the same time.

He was a man living under the threat of death and eternal suffering. The moment he stopped gathering deals, that was it.

“As do I, Mary. Now, how about we have dinner and talk some more about you, what you want out of life from here on, and what your concerns are. Share them with me.

“And we’ll go from there… and I’ll take care of you.”

Chapter 24

Alex sat at the desk in his tent.

Alone.

Mary had left long before sunrise.

Before he’d woken up, even. He imagined she’d slept lightly and crept out rather than get caught in the bed of the man who had brought ruin to her husband and uncle.

Not that he blamed her.

They’d had quite a bit of fun last night, though. Her enthusiasm had shown up.

In spades. Audibly. Probably for many to hear.

She’d insisted on several positions to try for her own pleasure, and they’d spent a good part of the night simply having one another.

Turning his mind back to the letter in hand, Alex focused.

He was almost done reading through the after-action report David and Max had provided him.

They’d held the line as he’d asked them to. It’d been a false offensive.

David and Max had closed within meters of the enemy, though they’d not fully engaged.

Hit-and-run tactics. Glancing blows off the line with light foot and spears.

Javelins and arrows had been used until nothing was left.

Eventually and expectedly, the enemy had finally broken from their line, from their defensive formations, and charged.

The center of Max and David’s lines had dropped back, the wings coming up to entrap and flank the entire opposing force.

All in all, the lines of Brit had held and broken the enemy.

Unfortunately, that had been the only point of victory yesterday.

Almost every other vassal had failed in their attacks and suffered massive expenditures of life.

Alex probably had the most remaining of his original levy now. Having only lost one-sixth of his forces in total.

It was impressive, and depressing.

Sighing, Alex dropped the report and leaned back in his chair.

“You look like it’s bad news, Master,” Valeria said, materializing next to his desk.

“It is, Three. It really is. This reads like a proclamation of the damned. There is no doubt in my mind that our enemy will be attacking today. And when they’re done, I fear it’ll be all over,” Alex said.

“I’m sorry, Master,” Valeria said.

“It’s alright. At least we figured out who your previous employer was. Even beat him outright. I imagine we’ll have to put paid to on that sooner rather than later.

“Claim his county as mine,” Alex said with a lopsided grin.

Valeria’s hands clenched into themselves, then opened again. Alex’s eyes went from her hands to her face.

Abused you, did he? I wonder if that’s where your preference came from.

And speaking of, I haven’t lain with her yet. That might be… an entertaining distraction.

Only realizing it after the fact, he’d been moving his eyes down Valeria’s body. She was wearing one of her doxy dresses that showed off her assets rather splendidly.

“Master…” Valeria said, getting his attention.

Guiltily, his eyes jumped from her hips to her face.

“Master, would you… punish me? I think we could both benefit from a… breather. A distraction,” Valeria said.

“I think that’s a great idea. Where’s One, Two, and Five?”

“All asleep. I had David and Max assign some guards for the tent entry. It’s not even dawn yet. We’d be alone,” Valeria said.

“Well, I believe the deal was you got to dictate what you wanted to happen before I turned you into a body pillow,” Alex said, leaning back into his chair.

Valeria blushed deeply, her eyes sliding away from him and to the side.

“It’s… a little embarrassing. You saw right through what I wanted and bound me easily. Polite society would frown on what I enjoy.”

“Good thing I’m not polite. So spit out what you want, or I’ll just lock your wrists in a shackle, hike your dress up, grab a handful of hair, and ride you into the bed till you break.

“Then leave you there like a conquered prize for the other Numbered girls to discover later on with my seed dripping from you.”

Valeria’s eyes snapped back to him, her breath coming out in a shuddering gasp.

“That, I want that,” Valeria said, her left hand pressing to her lower abdomen. “That and more.”

“Fine. Go fetch me two shackles and a long leather thong. Hurry back,” Alex said as he got up from the desk.

Valeria darted off to his bedside trunk and flipped it open.

What exactly are you up to?

Watching curiously, Alex started to unfasten his tunic and trousers.

Valeria came out of his personal possessions with two shackles and a leather binding.

“I… I put it all in your chest since… since I hoped you would be willing to…” Valeria’s voice trailed off, her eyes once again moving down and away from him.

I imagine she’s never been able to indulge herself. I’ll have to invert her deals. Grant her abuse in exchange for what I want from her.

That’s fine, though.

Dropping his pants, Alex pulled his tunic up over his head and flipped it over his desk chair.

Valeria still hadn’t looked back at him. She was trembling ever so slightly. Slowly, she lifted her hands to him, proffering the items he’d requested.

Taking the items from her hands, he reached up and lightly tilted her chin towards him.

Her hazel eyes finally came to meet his.

“Now. This part is for fun, and also part of the deal. You’ll need to be able to tell me if it’s too much. The simplest way is for you to have a keyword. Something you can say to bring everything to a dead stop,” Alex said.

He hadn’t been into this type of play in his previous life. Nor was he blind to the world, though. Having a safe-word seemed like a smart thing to do.

“I’d suggest red, personally,” Alex said. With his free hand, he locked one shackle into the other, giving it a greater reach.

Valeria nodded quickly, blinking at him.

“Say the safe word for me, so I know you understand,” Alex said, wanting to make sure she really understood.

“Red,” Valeria said softly.

“Grand. We’re going to start now, and I’m going to take on my role seriously. Do you understand?”

She nodded again.

Breaking eye contact with her, he glanced down at the leather thong and quickly turned each end of it into a slip knot. He wasn’t sure if it’d work completely, but it was the best he could do.

Guess those sailing lessons weren’t entirely lost on me.

“Are you ready?” he asked, looking back to her.

Once more, she gave him a nod.

Alex spun her around roughly, grabbing both her wrists as he did so.

With a strangled gasp, Valeria nearly fell over. Snapping the shackles into place around her wrists, he pulled up on them.

Her arms were tweaked up, her shoulders forced down with the leverage.

Marching her to the bed, he pushed her down face first into the mattress with a gentle shove.

Before she could react, he fell atop her. His left knee pinned her down to the bed against her shoulders.

He grabbed her ankles with his hands. Quick as he could, he fit her feet through the slip knots and jerked them tight.

Valeria was making noises into the bed, and he ignored it completely.

Trying to spare her dress, as it was actually rather lovely on her, he pulled it up past her hips. All the way up to her midsection, exposing her entirely from the waist down.

Valeria’s hands closed and opened on themselves, flexing in their shackles. Grasping at nothing.

Pulling his knee off her shoulders, he grabbed her shackles with his right hand. With his left hand he gave her a shove, pushing her to the center of the bed.

“Master, what—” Valeria gasped out.

Alex wrapped his left hand in her hair and pulled slightly, arching her neck up, pulling her face out of the mattress so he could see her.

“Yes, Three?” he asked. Getting behind her, he pushed her knees apart with his own and pulled on the shackles until her rear end rose to the level he wanted.

Putting his knees into the backs of hers, he had her pinned down and propped up in the way he wanted.

She was supported by her shoulders and knees now. He pressed the tip of himself against her slick and wet entrance.

“Master… I—” she said in a strange voice.

Giving her hair a slow, gentle tug, he waited.

“Speak, Three.”

“Master, I’ll do whatever you want. You—”

“Then receive me. That’s what I want,” Alex said. He waited several seconds to give her the chance to say the safe word, or anything else.

Carefully, he pulled her hair, rolling her neck one way and then the other.

She groaned as he pulled with increasing tension on her hair, her hips quivering.

Then he pushed forward, entering her from behind. Keeping a firm hold on her shackles and hair, Alex filled her with his girth.

Valeria spasmed as he entered her. Writhing from shoulders to hips, she practically vibrated under him.

“Squirm all you like, Three. You’re mine,” Alex said, giving her hair a light tug.

“Master,” Valeria said, the tone of her voice entirely changed. “I’m yours.”

While he did enjoy the power of it, it didn’t quite appeal to him. It was what she wanted, however, and that did appeal to him.

Making sure his hold on her was firm, Alex began to rock back and forth.

Valeria continued to quiver under him. And whenever she started to move more than that, he pulled on her hair and shackles, forcing her back into the exact position he wanted her in.

Riding her firmly, Alex kept his speed and strength low, enjoying the diversion Valeria made herself out to be.

She was panting now. It’d only taken a minute to put her in such a state, her body slick with sweat.

“Master, Master… Mmmmmaster,” Valeria moaned.

Watching her face as he started to ride her harder, he could see the pleasure stamped on it.

His lap started to crack into her now, driving into her up to the hilt and pulling back out.

“Master?” called Riley from the diving canvas that separated his bedroom from the rest of the tent.

Alex paused as he filled Valeria with a downward stroke, grinding his hilt into her. Then he tilted Valeria’s head to one side so she could see him.

“Do you want her to watch you get taken?” he asked her.

“Master, I…” she panted, her eyes opening and looking at him.

“Do you want her to watch? She’s sworn to me. She’s a soft-hearted thing. I’ll make sure she treats this as private.

“Do you want her to watch you get used?”

Valeria held her breath, then nodded her head once. “Yes. Please, Master. I do.”

“One, come in here,” Alex called, pushing Valeria’s face into the mattress.

Then he started moving again, pushing himself into her depths. Though this time much more slowly. Taking Valeria at a leisurely pace, he made sure to move from hilt to tip each and every time.

Riley took two steps inside and froze.

“One, come over here. Stand right there next to the bed. So you can get a good look at my new toy,” Alex said, pushing down hard on Three when he said toy.

Valeria moaned into the bed as he did so, her body pliant and unresisting under him.

Riley immediately came over, her eyes locked to his body.

“One, I want you to watch this. Watch,” Alex said, then pulled Valeria’s head to the side, forcing her to see Riley and be seen. “Watch Three get taken and filled up like an empty bottle. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master,” Riley said, nodding her head, her eyes jumping to Valeria’s.

“Treat this as a secret. Tell no one, not even the others. Now, watch her get used,” Alex said. “Three, make sure you watch One watching you.”

Valeria’s eyes opened and she stared up at the other woman.

“Good. Now, where were we?” Alex said. Then he went back to his previous speed, plowing Valeria into the bed with every hard thrust.

Valeria moaned as he pummeled her, her hands hanging limply in the shackles as he mounted her roughly.

Then it was time to finish. He wanted to finish. Wanted to fill her and leave her in his bed like a trophy.

Alex plastered his lap to Valeria’s bottom, grinding into her as he came.

Groaning, he pumped his seed deep into her, pulling back on the shackles at the same time to get her as close as possible.

“Master… Master, put it deep in me,” Valeria mumbled.

“Deep as I can, Three,” Alex said, pulling on her shackles again as he pushed up against her. Her hair tangled in his fingers.

Her body was straining, her fingers clenching as he bent her bodily to his desire.

“Master,” Valeria groaned out in a pant, still staring at Riley as she stared back at her.

He could feel it as he spasmed thrice more, depositing his seed into her womb, and then he was finally spent.

Groaning, Alex let go of her shackles and hair.

“Alright. One, Three, you can stop watching each other,” Alex said. Falling back onto his rear end, Alex leaned his head back and let out a breath.

“Master, why did you make me watch?” Riley asked.

“Don’t worry about that. Better question is, did you like watching her?”

“Master, that is… I—” Riley’s voice choked off, unable to answer.

“Never mind, don’t worry about it,” Alex said with a chuckle.

“You doing alright over there, Three?”

“Wonderful, Master. Wonderful.”

“Good,” Alex said, then lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

***

Riley was clutching his arm tightly, practically pressing it into her chest and down her middle.

She’d become frantically clingy since this morning with Valeria. To the point that it felt almost comical in a way.

He wasn’t sure if Riley would join him in bed, or if this was simply puppy love.

Valeria seemed satisfied with herself, lingering at his side and looking quite the camp woman for his benefit.

Unfortunately, that was the extent of the good part of the afternoon.

Carla was laid up in the carriage, conscious but unable to do much. Nannie stood behind him a step to the right. She was better, but clearly still tired.

“Fucking shit show. They’re going to get overrun,” Nannie said.

Looking back to his bodyguard, he followed her line of sight off to the right.

The forces over there did look to be holding on, but only just.

Nannie wasn’t wrong that they probably couldn’t hold out much longer.

“Dave? Max? Dan?” Alex said aloud.

“Sir?” came the response from all three men.

“Get ready to signal the retreat. I need the veteran light foot to hold as the heavy get loaded. Is everything in place otherwise?”

“Sir,” Max said. “Everything is prepared by your order. It should be an orderly, effective, and rapid retreat.

“Good. Any thoughts?” Alex asked, looking at the three men.

Max looked to Dave, who had concern written clearly on his face.

“Sire, I’m not opposed to this… but are you sure? The duke could call on your oath and claim you cowardly,” Dave said.

“The duke can fuck off and die while gargling on a cock,” Alex said. “Anything else?”

“Sire,” Dan said after a moment. “The mounted infantry can dismount and hold them back if we need to.”

“Shouldn’t be needed. The wagons and carts, even loaded as they are, will still be faster than foot soldiers who don’t want to chase. They’ll be far more spent than we are after trying to take this place,” Alex said, dismissing the offer. “Go get everyone prepared. I think our exit is rapidly approaching. Torch it on the order.”

The three men saluted and left.

“Five, go get the carriage ready, please?”

“Mm, ‘kay,” said the berserker, stomping off.

“She’s been… nice,” Riley said softly.

“She has,” Alex agreed. “Alright, go with her, One. Get anything last minute done and then keep Two company in the coach.”

“Master…” Riley whined.

“Go, One.”

“Yes, Master.”

Letting go of his arm slowly, Riley left, her collar and tag tinkling softly as she went.

“She put a bell on her tag,” Three said, moving in closer to him. “She’s quite the opposite of myself. She wants you to pet her. Groom her. Reinforce her positively.”

Alex grinned and wrapped an arm around Valeria’s hips, then gave her hair a tug. “Good thing I have you to balance me then, Three.

“So, any last-minute concerns up here?”

“No. Waiting for our flank to fall apart is the right choice, Master. It’ll make it very hard for the duke to say anything,” she said, her hands resting on his back and front at the same time. “Though I think I’ll have to recruit those apprentices as soon as we get back home.

“And we’ll need better bedding next time. My knees ache badly from where you had me pinned.”

“Mm, about that. Your contract expires as soon as the campaign ends, you realize,” Alex said.

Valeria sighed explosively. “I know. I was hoping you’d… forget that, Master.”

“Nope. We’ll need to settle up a new deal. You’re good, but I do need to get my worth out of you,” Alex said with a shrug.

“I suppose I’ll be spending more time in your bed for it?”

“I was thinking you could do a night on your knees, just like Two. Easier to get you all on the same type of plan. That way everyone has an equal load to bear. Then I get to pick and choose,” Alex said with a grin.

“I suppose that makes sense. Should I make sure my apprentices are at least attractive? Just in case you want to bind them up in the same way?”

“Not a terrible idea. It’d help divert my attention away from you. Your call though. Just make sure they swear to my secrecy and privacy. If you get to keep your job, that is.”

“Ugh. What’s the price then? Serving you on my knees one night every week?”

“Sounds fair.”

“I agree and do so swear then. You’re awful, Master.”

“I am, and I accept your oath. Look at it this way, though. You’re becoming my bed warmer, sure. But I do utilize you, take care of you, and make sure you’re used effectively in your job. No?”

“A real saint of a slave owner,” Valeria said, with an acidic tone but also a warm smile.

On the right, the troops fell onto themselves, broke, and started to run.

The end of Alex’s line started to curl up on itself to defend the breach.

“Max, light it up, time to go!” Alex called. Turning on his heel, he pulled Valeria along with him and headed out for the carriage.

Valeria took several steps ahead of him and then kept her pace. Clearly moving as a bodyguard.

Within seconds, they were in the coach with everyone else and rolling away towards the previous meet-up point.

He was fairly certain this would be the fallback point.

“I made sure the prisoners were set free several hours ago and given horses, just as you asked,” Riley said, her arm slipping into his and drawing it into her lap and cleavage.

“I’m sure. I’ll just tell the duke we couldn’t hold anymore once our flank was exposed. We torched our own defenses to buy time, then scrambled off and reorganized, ready to re-engage when ordered to. The prisoners could have been mistaken for others, and I’d hate to have that on my conscience.”

Alex shrugged.

It wasn’t the best plan, and it was likely to get him a scolding, but he didn’t care.

He wasn’t going to jeopardize his troops for the sake of an idiot.

Chapter 25

The wagons had been stripped down to their base materials rapidly. Broken down and put back together, they were reformed as defensive structures arrayed in a vast semi-circle. It was the only way up the hill from this side and had been constructed as somewhat of a wall with a gate.

It was all built in the direction they’d just fled from. Laid upon where they’d all met previously, Alex watched as another batch of friendly soldiers came towards them.

“Looks like Count Den’s people,” Max said. “At least he has his people retreating in good order, though they do appear hurried.”

“Dan,” Alex said.

“Sire!”

“Get your mounted infantry in the saddle. Work as a loose cavalry unless you need to dismount. They’re all looking over their shoulder in a strange way,” Alex said, pointing at the distant soldiers who were hurrying onward.

“I’ll get the archers loaded and ready,” Dave said, not waiting for the order.

Max turned down the head-height palisade wall and bellowed a command.

The gates creaked and opened up, the wagon wheels working as a ratchet system. Once it was open, a bugler’s call followed for rapid advancement.

The count apparently understood, and his people who had been moving at a fast walk picked up speed to a jog.

Dan and his people bolted through the gate, the makeshift cavalry unit breaking into two and sweeping out.

“Master, perhaps this isn’t the time or place but,” Riley said, once again latched to his arm. “You seem… very different than people believed you to be.”

“I suppose I am at that. Let’s just say I had an awakening,” Alex said with a grin. “How’s Two?”

Nannie grunted and then sighed. “She’s fine. She’ll be up and about in no time. Stupid dumb fool. I had to threaten to club her. She was trying to get up.”

“I’ll order her to lay in her bed for a week if she tries again; threaten her with that if you need to, Five.”

“Yes… sire,” Nannie said, clearly uncomfortable.

Alex looked at the big woman for a second before facing Riley.

Leaning in close to her, he whispered into her ear.

“One, would you please make sure my tent is in perfect order? I didn’t get a chance to give it a once-over. And as my personal maid, I’ve come to rely on you for my own comforts.”

Riley gave him a beautiful smile and bobbed her head.

“Immediately, Master!” she chirped. Letting go of his arm, she walked away demurely, heading straight for his tent, her collar tinkling prettily the whole way.

Apparently Valeria had gotten the hint and left with Riley, her fingers trailing along Alex’s shoulders as she passed him.

“Come with me, Five,” Alex said, pointing to one side where no one else was.

“Mm.” Nannie shuffled along behind him, her eyes wandering around.

“Talk to me, Five. What’s wrong?” Alex asked, trying to get her to make eye contact with him.

“Wrong?” she asked, her eyes finally coming to rest on him.

“Yeah, what’s wrong? I feel like I could go straight to fondling you and you’d just stare at me. Something is going on in that head of yours. What is it, Five?”

Apparently Nannie wasn’t used to being called out like that. To the point that her response was uncharacteristic.

She dropped her gaze to the ground.

Alex reached out and gently lifted her chin with a finger. It felt oddly similar to the way he’d forced Valeria to meet his eyes.

“Five… talk to me.”

She blinked a few times, her head slowly shaking back and forth.

“Are you ill? Unwell? Did something happen?”

“No… I just… I don’t know.”

Alex frowned, thinking hard on Nannie and the recent turn of events.

The only thing that had changed was he valued her in an obvious way. He’d named her champion, depended on her, and relied on her.

On top of that, it was clear that since then, the other Numbers had started showing her the same respect they held for each other.

Is it that she’s unsure how to behave in a group that accepts her for what she is? A killer who gets off on violence?

“Five… you really did well by me. Great, even. I respect what you’ve done for me. I’ll not forget it.

“I must continue to rely on you, for all that you are. I need Nannie, my Five. I don’t need you to be anyone else but that,” Alex said, trying to hopefully cut to the heart of what was bothering her.

“Yeah?” she asked, her cheeks flushing.

“Mmhmm. I need you to be you. My fearsome savage, bloodthirsty, murdering, violence-loving Five. Ok?”

“You want that?” Nannie asked, her voice breaking on the last word.

“Of course. That’s who my champion is, isn’t it?”

Nannie nodded her head.

“Now, clear your head of whatever nonsense is in there until you’re ready to talk about it. If you don’t, I’ll have you warming my bed tonight. I just sent One to get it all prepped, just for you. I even told her to buy some delousing powder since you’re such a filthy monster,” Alex said, grinning at her.

Nannie’s head twitched, and then she gave him a feral grin.

“Couldn’t handle me,” she said, standing up straighter.

“You say that, but all I’d really have to do is pet you nicely and tell you to lay down. I bet you’re even softer than One under all that tasty evil of yours,” Alex said, prodding her right between her breasts with a finger. “Some cuddling, a bit of caressing, a few kisses here and there. I bet you’d melt with some genuine attention.”

“Wouldn’t you like to find out?”

“I would. Soon enough Five, you’ll be nothing more than a bed decoration, asking for belly rubs and loving kisses,” Alex said.

“I’ll fucking kill you and feed your dick to wild animals,” she said, her rage starting to build.

“Is that your way of saying you’ll kneel placidly in front of me, take it in the mouth, and ask for more with those pretty eyes of yours, Five”

“I swear to the high heavens and lowest hells I’ll pull your head off and grind one out on your skull,” she growled, all sense of humor now lost.

“Actually, go lay down in my bed Five. You can wait for me eagerly to return to take you tonight,” Alex said, pointing back at the tent.

Nannie darted forward, pressing her forehead to his, her eyes nothing but hate.

“I’ll see you dead, then I’ll murder all your pets,” she promised.

“Want a real threat? Stay here for another two seconds and I’ll give you a kiss,” Alex said.

Nannie shot upright after a second of confusion, her arms folding across her chest. Her lips were raised in a snarl, any sense of what she was saying lost between her teeth.

“Good. Glad to see you back to normal, though it was kinda cute when you were confused. I probably should have fondled you when I had the chance,” Alex said, then deliberately patted her on the rear end twice.

Without waiting for her response, Alex looked back out to the approach.

Nannie’s roar was impressive, and he could actually feel her breathing down his neck.

“Just don’t leave a mark if you’re going to start necking me. It can be a bit embarrassing to explain,” Alex said, his eyes searching the field.

“Insufferable asshole!” Nannie shouted at the top of her lungs.

Dan had kept his troops close to Count Den. There was clearly some conversation going on between the two.

Then he saw them flee up over the distant rise. Heading straight for him.

It was a flood of allied troops. All running pell-mell in a mob towards the defenses.

“That can’t be good,” Alex said glumly.

“Huh?” Nannie said, her rapid breathing against his neck coming to a stop.

“I think our forces weren’t just routed, but are still being chased. The question becomes, are they far enough ahead of the enemy that they can all get through the gate in time…

“Or do I close it on them?” Alex said.

“Close it, fuck ’em. Not ours,” Nannie said, her voice an irritated growl.

“That may be so, but I do have to at least look like a count, now don’t I?” Alex muttered. “I guess we’ll find out when they get closer. Let’s hope this is just me being overly concerned.”

They couldn’t do much other than stare and wait. Watching as troops from a number of different levies swarmed toward them.

“It looks like… everyone. It isn’t really from one vassal or another,” Alex muttered.

“That’d mean everything fell apart, yeah?” Nannie asked.

Alex nodded and started over to the gate. Count Den was just now passing through.

“Count Den, what’s the word?” Alex asked the other count.

A man in his middle years turned to face Alex, his wispy brown hair and brown eyes looking equally defeated.

“The duke is captured; the entire force is routed. The enemy has the field. All for his damn pride,” the count shouted, spiking his own helmet into the ground. “Our entire duchy is going to end up beggaring itself just to pay off the ransom, I’m sure.”

“Hm. Sounds like it’s time to pull out then. Any reason those fools are running like hell is behind them?” Alex said, pointing out to the field.

“Fear,” Count Den said, then shook his head angrily. “Fear and stupidity. I’m heading home. This is pointless and done. As the third in command, and what I believe to be the highest-ranking vassal not captured, I disband this force.”

Count Den kicked his helmet to the side and stormed off with his men.

“We can go home?” Nannie asked.

“That we can, Five. Though I think this isn’t the end of the situation. I think it’s just going to get worse.”

***

Officially, Duke Tanulf stood and fought to the last man in his command tent.

Unofficially, he killed himself in his cell and shit himself.

His daughter was now the duchess, and Alex’s casus belli transferred to her instead. She could always uphold Alex’s victory over Count Ridge, which would clean that mess up quickly.

But Alex didn’t think she would.

She’d honestly have more pressing things to worry about. Like securing her titles before others could move on her.

Her father had left her in a very precarious position, to say the least.

Depleted forces from a butcher’s bill a mile long. Lost equipment and material. Several counts that’d have to be ransomed back from Gaelis.

No, Regina won’t be looking to assist me. She won’t even be looking to me at all.

I can use this to my advantage.

Riley was seated at a table in his study. Looking downhearted and dispirited.

“Do I have to go back to my cell, Master? Can’t I remain as your personal maid?” she asked for perhaps the twentieth time.

Anna clucked her tongue and lifted a finger in the air, looking at Riley. She was standing next to Alex as he sat at his desk.

“Does a personal maid address her master as such?” asked his wife.

“No, Mistress,” Riley said, shaking her head.

“Now, I know my husband,” Anna said, laying a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “He’ll need something from you to give you such a thing. My understanding is he has already bent over backward to keep you alive, let alone looking so healthy and fit.”

Riley nodded her head a little at that.

“And you were guilty, weren’t you,” Anna said. It wasn’t even a question to her.

Riley nodded her head again after a second.

“Hmph. Husband is a man with needs. If you want to remain his personal maid, you’ll need to truly be his personal maid. I believe he has an understanding with… uhm… Two?” Anna asked, looking to Alex.

“And Three,” Alex admitted.

“Oh? Good! We’ll work on the big one next. Five, was it?” Anna said, leaning into his side. Then she looked back to Riley. “Husband will need you to submit your body once a week, and your mouth once a week, to his needs.

“I believe if you offered that, you’d get your wish as a personal maid.”

“But… I have my maidenhead… I’m… I was to…” Riley said, slowly shaking her head.

“Think on it. I’ll give you till the end of today to decide. Now go, attend your duties until midnight, then report to your cell. I had it cleaned and even added a bit of color for you,” Anna said.

Riley got up, bowed to them, and left quickly.

Alex grinned up at Anna.

“You’re a ruthless snake.”

“I only do what I know my husband wishes. Daddy likes what you did with the economy here and said to leave it alone for now and to watch it carefully.

“Uhm… oh! I filled your dungeon with pretty women with crimes large enough for you to be in judgment of them.

“Though I did make sure they were… uhm… clean. I didn’t want you to dirty yourself with anything too reprehensible,” Anna said, smiling at him in her simple way. “At least we can give them something to do rather than hang and get the most benefit out of them for you. Though we ran out of room and I had to start putting two of them into each cell. Douglas didn’t like that.”

Anna was different.

Wonderfully so.

Different in the kind of way only a woman without a clear understanding of reality could be… to bind, imprison, and fill a dungeon full of “pretty women” for her husband to use.

“You’re the best thing in my life,” Alex said, wrapping an arm around Anna’s hips.

“Yes, I am. Have you decided to get rid of Holly yet?” Anna asked, jumping subjects as was her norm.

“Huh?”

“You already conquered her, husband. She has little value to your deals. She’d lick the ground from here to the gate if you told her to. She might as well be a puppy,” Anna said with a sad frown. “I like her, but she doesn’t do you any good. We should do something nice for her when you divorce her.”

When I divorce her?

“Sylvia is a nice girl, by the way. She didn’t think she told me much, but she told me enough. She’s rather simple for you to finish up with. You just need to wait.

“It seems like all her plans went awry the moment you caught her. She’s been working to fix it but… now that she’s more or less your concubine, no one is coming near her who could actually help solve her problem.”

Anna was speaking rapidly now, her mind buzzing along as if it were one long, continuous thought.

“Oh! And the crystal pillar has some black at the bottom of it. You must have made some good deals. Tell me about it over dinner tonight?” Anna said, draping herself around his shoulders. “I can’t wait to hear about who you conquered. Was it a noblewoman?”

“It was. She—”

“I knew it. Only a noblewoman would have that much pride.

“Did you clean her when you finished in her? Two complains about that every time you do it in her. And she doesn’t look good. Were you too rough with her? Don’t break your women.

“Though to be honest, it does kinda leak everywhere after you’re done,” Anna said, looking down to her hips as if she could see into herself.

Then her eyes snapped back up to him and she gave him that wide smile of hers.

“I missed you, husband,” she said, her arms tightening around him. “Wine me, dine me, and make love to me? Make me feel like your wife?”

Alex grinned, overwhelmed by her.

As he always was.

“Of course, wife. Lead the way, and I’ll follow those hips of yours anywhere.”

Anna snuck in close and gave him a quick kiss, then pressed her face to his neck, making delighted chirping noises.

Either so smart she’s insane, or so dense she’s perfect.

Don’t care which. She’s just what I needed.

Alex sighed and laid his cheek to her head, feeling the weights of his life fall to the ground with a crack.

He was home.

Chapter 26

Walter seemed harried. Pressed, one could say.

“Calm down. You’ll give yourself a heart attack,” Alex said, watching the older man across the table.

“Well. I never expected you to return with wealth and troops both. Perhaps one and not the other, but not both,” Walter said, looking at the paper in front of him.

“This is… a significant amount of money. This is accurate?” Walter asked, looking up.

“According to Dan, but I trust him. He seems a good soldier to me.”

“And… we stole… borrowed… all of this from Count Frenis?”

“That’s who owned the supply depot they torched.”

“Torched?”

“Burnt it right to the ground.”

Walter wiped his face with his hand, blinking several times.

“I must say… lately… you’ve not been yourself at all. Your humor has changed completely, you alter our entire economy for the better, you even curb your own impulses, and then single-handedly lose a war but come back as if you were victorious,” Walter said. “I am truly at a loss.”

Hm. He’s not wrong. I did… end up just becoming me, didn’t I? Well, me with a lot less morals.

It’s easy to force people under the knife when you live under it yourself.

No anti-trust laws. No regulation.

No police.

“I suppose so, Walter. Just consider it a rebirth after my kidnapping. It forever changed me.

“Now, do you have any actual concerns or worries we should work out?”

“No. Not really. Though your wife…” Walter started.

“I have two.”

“The… simple… one.”

“Ok. What about her?”

“She’s been… absconding with women from the courts. I can’t find out what happens to them after. They just… vanish.”

“Ah. Worry not, she’s working on a project for me. I promise it was done with my approval, and everything is according to my law. Anything else?”

“No… my lord. Nothing at present.”

Alex nodded, then stood up. Walking over, he clapped the older man on the shoulder lightly.

“It’ll be well, Walter. This is a new chapter for us. Maybe I’ll get that ducal title back. You should probably start looking into which vassals are de jure to the duke of Brit. They’d be the first to go after.”

If we do go after any.

Exiting his study, Alex headed off to Carla’s private room. He wanted to check in on her and make sure she was there.

And resting.

“Worried for your pet?” Nannie grumbled, walking beside him.

“Just as worried as I would be for you, Five.”

“Not your pet.”

“Yet. Eventually. I’m glad you’re letting your hair grow out a bit. Looks better. Though I think you shouldn’t let it get too long either.”

Nannie reached up with a hand and ran her fingers over her prickly skull.

“Gonna shave it.”

“You could do that. I think it’d be a loss, though.”

“A loss?”

“I bet with a short hairstyle you’d be rather pretty, Five. Think on it.”

Growling under her breath, Nannie said nothing.

“Unless you want to crawl into my bed and wait for me, you should probably stay in the entryway,” Alex said, opening the door to his private living area.

“Is that all you ever think about, fucker?”

“Often, yes. Hard not to. I mean, look at you.

“So, in the bed or right here,” Alex said, waving at a point just inside. Not waiting for the reply, he went off to find Carla.

“Surprise you one day, be in your bed with a gods-damned blade,” Nannie called at his back.

Stopping in front of Carla’s door, Alex knocked twice.

“Yes?” came a voice from inside. It sounded like Carla, at least, but he wasn’t sure.

“May I come in?”

“Master?” Carla asked, Alex finally identifying her voice. Her tone sounded rather awkward, though.

“Indeed. I’m alone. May I?”

“Ah… yes. Come in.”

Opening the door, Alex stepped inside and closed it behind himself.

Her room was larger than one would expect it to be. It was also furnished and tastefully decorated better than he remembered.

Looking around, Alex was surprised.

“Mistress Anna did it…” Carla said.

Her voice guided his eyes to the bed. A rather modest affair, but it looked quite comfortable with expensive bedding.

“She said since I shared a bed with you at times, my room needed to be fit to receive you,” Carla said, as if she needed to explain herself.

“I won’t argue with Anna. If anything, I’d agree with her, though more for the sake that you’ve earned it rather than anything else.”

Alex walked over to the side of the bed and leaned in, peering at her temple.

“It certainly looks better.”

“So I’m told,” Carla said, eying him.

“How are you feeling?”

“Well enough. Nannie came in earlier to give me shit. Dumb bloodthirsty bitch,” Carla muttered, her mouth turning into a frown.

“I get the impression she doesn’t know how to show her emotions. Much like a certain murdering bandit I know,” Alex said, leaning back from Carla’s head wound.

“Ass.”

“I’d try to grab it for you, but I think you’d have to lean to one side or the other for me to get to it.”

Carla started to snarl at him, then abruptly smiled and laughed softly.

“You’re such a spoiled twat.”

Alex shrugged. “I’m told that often enough. Or something along those lines.

“Do you need anything?”

“Ah… no. But… company would be nice. It’s… a bit lonely locked off in a room.”

Thinking on that, he couldn’t help but agree. He’d probably go stir crazy himself.

“How about I move you to my bed—not insinuating anything by that, mind you—and have One keep you company? She’s a nice girl. Anna would drop by from time to time as well, I imagine.”

“You wouldn’t try anything?” Carla asked, her disbelief clear.

“Not a thing.”

“Even if I fell asleep in your bed tonight?”

“Even then, though I might peek. A bit.

“Ok, I’d stare and try to look at you from every angle. But no touching, promise.”

“Swear it on Leah.”

“I swear on Leah that I’ll make no move against you tonight, regardless of where you rest your head.”

Carla let out a breath and then flipped the sheets back, revealing that she was completely nude.

“Great. I couldn’t get my stupid ass into my clothes. Got dizzy and just lay down instead. Help me get dressed into a night shirt and then into your bed.”

Fuck me.

***

Looking into the cell, Alex was rather confused.

Anna had said each cell contained two, when he’d spoken to her about it.

What she failed to mention was that each cell had been divided into two on top of that.

“I think… we need to expand the dungeon further,” Doug said, sounding rather sheepish.

“I would tend to agree,” Alex said, then sighed. “It’s my fault. Countess Brit is a good woman who does exactly as she’s told, or allowed, without concern.”

Valeria didn’t say anything. Apparently remembering her own time in a similar cell here.

“Are they at least… comfortable?”

“Oh yes, sire. Well fed, left alone, and we make sure there’s no funny business one way or the other. A handful made trouble, but we locked them into that attached warehouse. Into the coffins there, to be clear.”

“Coffins, Doug?”

“Yes, sire.”

“Why do we have coffins?”

“Mistress Anna bought them and put them there.”

“Ok, but why?”

“I… sire… I don’t honestly know.”

Sighing, Alex scratched at his head.

“So you put them in coffins and locked them in?”

“Yes.”

“And did they behave after that?”

“Most did. There’s one still locked in.”

“Let’s see that one first, I suppose. Get… get a team of people to dig another level to the dungeon for now. I’ll speak to the countess.”

Alex shook his head and gestured to Doug to lead on. Following his dungeon guard captain gave him some time to think on how to handle the situation.

But even then, Alex was unprepared.

The warehouse was full of coffins, stacked several high, as far back as he could see.

“I… yes. I see,” Alex said expansively.

It had been meant as a storage area for items that could be used in deals. Which were still there, thankfully. At least as much as he could see of them.

“Coffins,” Doug said. “And this is the one with our guest in it. She’s shackled as well. She kept trying to claw at people when we opened it up.”

Doug indicated one coffin that had been pulled down from the racks and set in the center.

Rapping on the lid twice, Doug then pulled out his key set and went to work opening it.

When it popped open, a woman sat up immediately, her hands reaching out despite being shackled to the inside.

“I’ll kill you all!” she shouted.

“No, you’ll stop or I’ll just have you impaled and put out in my front lawn like a decoration for the crows,” Alex said, stepping up to her.

She had dark black hair that was wildly uncombed across her face. Dark eyes peered out at him from between strands of her hair.

He had no idea what she looked like.

“And who are you, prissy pants?” she asked.

“Count Brit. And you?”

She didn’t respond, just stared at him.

“Look, it’s rather simple. And I don’t have time for your games,” Alex said. “You either swear on a god-backed oath to me to be civil, protect my secrets, and not betray me, or you go back in the coffin and then back to whatever fate you were going to meet before the countess pulled you out.

“That’s it.”

The mess of black hair didn’t move for several seconds.

“And if I agree?”

“Then you go back in the coffin until I can get a cell ready for you, since you can’t seem to play nice. Unless you can swear to play nice, too?”

“Coffin.”

“Right. Swear to Leah that you’ll be civil to me and my people, that you’ll keep my secrets and privacy, not betray me at any level, and harm no one in my employ, including yourself.”

“Yes, yes, I swear all that.”

“On your life and soul.”

“On my life and my… uh… soul?”

There was a strange buzz in his ear, followed by a soft crackling sound. Then nothing.

The black-haired mess lay back down in the coffin, seemingly content. A small smile playing across her lips.

“Do you want the shackle off?” Alex asked, indicating her hands.

“Yes.”

“Alright. You take care of her, Doug. I’m going to go see One. Three, go find your prospects,” Alex said, leaving the three of them there in the coffin warehouse.

On entering One’s cell, Alex found her sitting right where he expected her.

Riley had sat herself on the edge of her bed and waited there. Unmoving, he imagined.

“Master?” she said, jumping to her feet and moving straight to the bars.

“Hello, One,” Alex said, coming to stand next to her. “How are you?”

“I’m very well, Master. Should I strip for you?”

“No. Not anymore. Your uniform and collar really do look good on you. It’d be a shame to dirty them right now. Remember?”

“Yes, Master. Of course, Master.”

“Have you decided? I’m afraid my time is limited, and I really can’t stay here long. There’s lots to do. I’m partially concerned that the duke of Gaelis will be bringing his troops around. There’s nothing preventing him from doing so, other than… well, nothing.”

Riley looked alarmed at that, her hands tightening on the bars between them.

“Master, I’m… I’m unsure. I secretly hoped… that you would release me?” Riley asked, looking up at him.

“I do believe I told you that would never happen, One. That you’re mine, until you collapse and die.”

Riley nodded her head and pressed her forehead to the bars.

“I’m guilty of the crimes. I did do those things. But it was for my family. I’ve been sending them all the pay I receive.”

“All of it?”

“Yes, Master. All.”

“Do you want to talk about it at all?”

“No. I don’t.”

“Ah, alright. Your story is yours. I’m afraid that doesn’t change the situation, though. By all rights, you should already be dead. Instead, you face life imprisonment.

“I’ll make this offer to you, and then we’ll move on, regardless of you saying yes or no,” Alex said. “Are you willing to barter?”

“Yes, Master,” Riley said, not lifting her head.

“It’ll be exactly as the countess said, though with a few tweaks.

“Previously, you received pay equal to a personal maid’s. What if I gave you pay equivalent to that of a personal maid serving a count. I imagine it’d be a few gold more.”

Riley’s face turned to the side, as if considering his words.

“Can… can I get more?”

“More what, exactly?”

“Money.”

“We could consider that. But I’d want more from you in exchange.”

Every night in my bed or on your knees. At my beck and call. Till your heart gives out or you die.

“I know…” Riley said. She gave him a small smile, gazing up at him in abject defeat.

Suddenly, Alex couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t force her to give up everything she was to him.

Not this poor soul who doted on him and did all he asked of her. But who still had a tiny bit of pride in herself at some level.

He could crush her ruthlessly if he chose, and she’d probably accept it.

And he couldn’t do it.

“I’ll need you to arrange an entire detail of personal maids for me. All who are willing to swear themselves to life and death in my service, their very souls to my secrecy. To me, personally.

“You’ll be able to pick them out from anyone the countess detains, but I’d get final say. I’ll double your pay for being their supervisor.”

Riley’s head jerked up, her face now wedged between the bars as she stared up at him.

“Double? To be the boss of a group of personal maids?” she asked.

“Yes. Though the earlier part of the deal still remains. One night in my bed a week, and one night on your knees a week.”

“Of course, Master. I swear to all of that. Immediately. Please let me out and if possible, can I get an advance on this year’s pay?”

Why is that the first thing they all ask for?

“That’s fine, but I’ll want—fine. That’s fine. Go see Walter,” Alex said, pulling his key out of his pocket and unlocking the cell.

Riley shoved the door open and smashed into him with a rib-crushing hug.

“Thank you, Master. I’m worth it, I promise.”

“Of course, One,” Alex said, patting her atop the head lightly.

Then she was off like a rocket, exiting the cell and gone. He could hear her practically running down the hallway.

“Getting soft on me?” asked a scratchy voice.

Right on cue.

“Usually,” said the shadow he knew as Leah. She stood in the center of the cell, unmoving.

“Is there a reason you appear like that? Is it theatrics or… I mean, we both know you’re a woman. That you’re married. It was neat when we first met in that room in nowhere… but now?” Alex asked.

Moving into the cell, he sat down at the table and looked up to the owner of his soul.

“Huh. That’s fair,” said the shadow, and snapped her fingers.

A woman popped into being.

She was dressed in black leathers, with red peeking out from the interior.

He could easily call her pretty, with features that were clean. Straight.

Almost put together with purpose.

She had tawny-colored hair that was trimmed short. Almost a hairstyle he could recognize from his previous life, but couldn’t quite name.

Dark emerald eyes seemed to inspect him as he inspected her.

“Don’t get any ideas. I’m a married woman and I’d carve out your eyes if I thought you were even considering it. You’ve been a lot more flirty with your women as of late as well,” she said in a far more normal tone.

“Perish the thought. I’ll simply say your husband is a lucky man. Is that acceptable?” Alex said, trying to appeal to her strange devotion to the man.

“I… yes. That’s acceptable. Good. I like that. Yes. I’ll tell him that,” she said with a snicker, her face going from serious to childlike delight in an instant.

“As to going soft on you,” Alex said with a sigh, putting his chin in his hand and beginning to toy with his lower lip. “Maybe. I just… couldn’t do it. She’s a good little thing. She gives quite a bit to me without receiving much.”

“And after Mary, you’ve had doubts,” said Leah.

“A few. Though in the end, it’s their choice. It was harder with One. Riley. I know her. Much more intimately, even though I bedded the baroness several times.”

Leah nodded her head, then scratched at her neck.

“That’s fair. You haven’t let me down, and you’ve been storing up a great amount of power for me. I’ll not complain about you giving someone mercy on occasion. So long as you’re working to fill my pillar.”

“Of course, of course,” Alex said, still unsure of himself.

“Cheer up. You’re doing well. And this might sound a bit… well, wishy-washy, but so far you haven’t ruined anyone.

“All those women you’ve collected so far had a set fate. You intervened and have given them longer lives than they were due,” Leah said, coming to stand over him.

Lifting his head, he peered up at her.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Mmhmm. My husband would approve of the result, if not the means. He’s a bit of a softy lately. Though he did have a flash of anger the other day.”

“Oh? And what does a god with you as a wife get angry about?”

“He was interested in something, and it got away from him. Right out from under his nose. It dove down into the depths and he couldn’t chase after.

“Now he just watches,” Leah said, her mouth pursed in thought. Then she pointed at him with a smile. “Ah, ah, you’re distracting me by talking about lovey. Good tactic.”

Alex gave her a lopsided grin.

“What’s next then?” he asked.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, really. You keep earning deals. Fill up the pillar. You manage to do that and I’ll get you a new one, plus a large favor for you.”

“Seems like a pretty straightforward direction, I guess. Any possibility I can get Anna to take oaths on my behalf? At least for secrecy and non-betrayal and the like? It’d make things easier.”

“Hm. I think… oh, that’s fine. She’s your wife, after all. Lovey is still rather upset with me over that soul you gave me last time. Apparently it was rather pure and full of goodie-goodie things. He was ever so annoyed with me. Punished me lots.

“He put a collar on me and walk—”

She paused and then looked off into the distance.

“Gotta go!”

Leah vanished as if she were never there.

Chapter 27

Alex tapped lightly on the door leading into Sylvia’s room. Leaning up against it, he folded his arms across his chest and waited.

“Yes?” came the voice from within.

“I’ve come to pay my respects,” Alex said, somehow managing to keep any mockery from his tone.

“Is it… my lord?” Sylvia asked.

“Indeed. I was wond—”

The door jerked open and Alex practically fell inside her room.

Stumbling forward, he managed to right himself before he hit the ground.

“Are you alright?” Sylvia asked, holding the door open and peering at him.

“Errr, yes. I was… forget that. Yes, I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting you to open the door so quickly,” Alex said.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Sylvia asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling at him. “I’m your concubine, aren’t I? I’m supposed to be ever waiting for your appearance. I’m quite sure the maids have all been gossiping that I wasn’t your first visitation.

“Instead you went back into the dungeon.”

“Hah, I doubt that very much. If any of them did talk about any of that, Leah would have a fresh soul and I’m sure she’d be chattering my ear off.”

“Wait, the maids are sworn to secrec—Leah talks to you?” Sylvia asked, her voice going up in volume with the last word.

She quickly shut the door after checking the hallway.

Shit. Whatever. She’s already aware of the game anyways, and if Anna is right, all I have to do is sit on her long enough.

“Sometimes. If I’m good enough,” Alex said, looking around Sylvia’s living space.

Nothing had changed except for an added armoire.

“I take it you got all those clothes you wanted?” he asked, pointing at the new addition.

“I did indeed. Though I really must insist that we discuss me owning things while I’m here. It’s bad enough that I manage my household at this distance, but if I have no guests for the day, or visitors, I go a bit mad.

“Unless you want to find a corpse, you will entreat with me,” Sylvia said, lifting her chin up and folding her arms low across her stomach.

“That’s fine,” Alex said, taking a seat in one of her chairs. “I think that’s as good a place to start as any for today.”

Sylvia looked like she wanted to argue.

Or pout.

“Were you expecting me to not wish to?” Alex asked, getting comfortable.

“Partially. Last time you wouldn’t even consider it,” Sylvia admitted. Then she pointed a finger at him.

“You do this to keep me off balance!” she hissed at him.

“I do indeed. My goal is to have you spread-eagle naked on a bed every night till your hips give out.

“Getting you as off balance as possible is a good way to make that happen. I don’t see a problem in my strategy. Do you?”

Alex set his hands in his lap and locked his eyes to hers as he spoke.

Sylvia’s face became scarlet, her finger still hanging in midair, pointing at him.

Straightening her shoulders, she let her hand fall to her side.

“I suppose not. I’d do the same. Your little wife must have noticed something in what I said or did. I didn’t reveal anything though,” Sylvia said, looking annoyed. “For you to change tactics and admit it like this.”

“If you must know, she likes you. Though her opinion was that all I need to do is to sit on you and wait. Apparently everything you were doing previously is still spiraling further and further out of control.

“We can keep playing this until I get what I want, or you could try to broker a better deal now. Up to you,” Alex said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Sylvia started to chew at her lower lip, her fingers tightening on her forearms as she stood there.

“How about you take a seat, hm? Obviously, I have no ill intentions and would never harm you. No need to stand so far away.

“Have I mentioned you look well cared for and quite pretty today?” Alex said without a trace of deceit.

She really had cleaned up extraordinarily well. The appearance of a very well-put-together young noblewoman who might be courting for a husband.

Sylvia let out a quick breath through her nose, then went and sat down next to him. Crossing one ankle over the other.

“Thank you,” she said, still clearly quite angry. “I thought it would help if I made sure to look nice. That maybe you’d go easy on me for what I wanted.”

“Not a bad plan. Though you’ve seen my wife. I’m a bit spoiled as of late,” Alex said with a grin. “Though you are beautiful, Sylvia.”

Sylvia wrinkled her nose at that. “For a simple woman, it’s not quite fair with what she’s been given to work with.”

“Well?” Alex asked.

“I’ll… wait. I don’t think my situation as dire as you and your wife seem to think. I can get out of this,” Sylvia said, her determination firming up as she spoke.

“As you like. In the end, it’s all the same to me. More a matter of when than if.”

Sylvia shook her head once, as if dismissing his words.

“Now, about me owning things? Or at least having possessions while I am to remain here?”

“Can we qualify that a bit? Is there any limit to the possessions?”

“Anything a noble lady would have need of to pass the time, make herself ready, or to simply have. Nothing your own wife wouldn’t have, I imagine.”

“That’s a fair clarification,” Alex said, nodding his head. There wasn’t much room for misunderstanding there. “I suppose the point of discussion, then, is price.”

“I will not negotiate for anything involving… your bed. That’s simply out of the picture,” Sylvia said with a bit of iron.

“That’s fine,” Alex said dismissively, thinking on the situation.

There were always the normal deals. Such as having her take the name, name tag, collar, and calling him Master. It’d be mostly only a step away from the final deal.

“That reminds me, I need to go through your wardrobe and pick out what you’re allowed to wear, don’t I?” Alex said, looking to the armoire.

“Hmph. I’d hoped my current style would be acceptable. I do believe I look rather good in it. You yourself complimented me, no?”

“I’ll leave most of it alone, though I’m sure I can find something for you to wear just for me.”

Alex looked back to Sylvia with a grin.

“Of course you’d do that,” she said, a small smile on her face. “At least make it flattering?”

“On my honor. You’ll look quite fetching. Ravishing, even.

“Now. Price. It’s rather simple. We’ll move this up a step in my game,” Alex said, leaning toward her.

“I have a hair dresser coming tomorrow to style your hair in the fashion I see fit. In addition, I’ll have that collar we talked about ready for you, as well as your name tag.

“You’ll adopt the name Four. You’ll respond to it. Live it. Be it. And of course, you’ll simply address me as Master going forward.”

“And so goes Sylvia,” said the woman with a soft sigh. “And I can always say no, as you say, and nothing would happen?”

“Correct. It’s all your choice.”

“The collar, tag, and what you pick out for me will match? Can you at least make sure the collar matches the rest of my clothes?”

“I’ll buy you several collars, just to make sure. Maybe even let you pick out one for yourself.”

Sylvia pressed a hand to her brow, then nodded her head once.

“Fine. I do so swear and agree on our previous oath to the deal you’ve listed.”

“Wonderful, Four. I’m glad to hear it. I accept your oath and agree to the price. Now, let’s go take a look at your clothes. Then we can shop for a collar together. I’ll let you call me Master in public and everything.

“We can really show them all that you’re a lovely and devoted concubine.”

Sylvia groaned and closed her eyes.

“I really am your concubine in all but deed.”

“It’s alright, you’re not the first. Nor even the last. I’ll treat you very well.

“Now, clothes?”

***

Valeria, Carla, Riley, and Nannie were all waiting for him in his room.

For a single moment, Alex felt like it’d be better to turn around and leave.

That maybe he could get away and whatever it was they wanted, he could avoid.

“Master!” Riley said loudly, bouncing up out of her chair and scurrying over to him.

Alex smiled at her, giving up on that plan.

“One, Two, Three, Five. Good to see you. Should you really be up and about, Two?” Alex asked.

Carla shrugged her shoulders. She was dressed in a nightshirt and seemed comfortable at least on the sofa. “I’m ok. This isn’t too much.”

“I’d smash her into the bed if I thought she couldn’t handle it,” Nannie said. “She’s a big girl, though. She can handle it.”

Carla flicked a look to Nannie, then back to Alex. He wasn’t quite sure had what passed there, but it was a different relationship than he remembered them having.

Riley fell upon him, enveloping his arm in hers and dragging him over to where the others were.

“We were discussing who we want to hire. I have all my girls lined up and ready. Mistress Anna approved them all in the end, including those who would be serving her.

“Though she did make me send a few back and pick others at first. She said they weren’t pretty enough for you, just in case. I just need you to approve them all and swear them into your service,” Riley said. She released his arm from her embrace long enough to push him down into the love seat.

Then she promptly squished in beside him, latching onto his arm again.

“One, you should probably give Master a little bit of room, no?” Valeria asked, quirking a brow at the other woman. “If Mistress Anna shows up, you’ll have to move anyways.”

Riley glowered at Valeria but didn’t release him.

“As you like,” Valeria said, then turned to Alex. “I myself have found several recruits I wish to run by you. I think they’ll serve appropriately.”

“The nasty cunt and I have someone we want you to look at as well,” Nannie said. She was standing behind the sofa, pointing at Carla. “We think she’ll be useful as a third. Between the two of us we can cover a lot, but… uh… as we found out when stupid got her head bashed in, a third would be useful.”

“I swear to the gods, you stupid hulking brute with a gash between your legs, I’ll pull your tongue out through your asshole,” Carla growled, glaring up at Nannie.

The ex-murderess stared at the ex-merciless-bandit, then abruptly shrugged her shoulders with a smile. “Nasty cunt.”

“Scrawny twat,” Carla said back with a grin.

Then they returned to staring at Alex silently.

Alex pressed a hand to his face.

“Stop. Fine. Everyone can bring their people by me and we’ll talk it out. I don’t really want to deal with this, though. Just… come to me with your deal and what you’ll pay them. I’m no middle manager. I don’t care about this.

“The only one I’m concerned about is the third bodyguard.”

“We can do that, Master,” Riley said, pressing as close as she probably could against his side. Her breasts practically smashed into his shoulder.

I think… it was an error to let them get this close.

Possibly.

The response was so shocking, Alex didn’t know what to think at first.

Wait… what? Leah?

Sometimes, not always. I’m just bored.

Alex felt like he was going to explode his molars with the force he was grinding his teeth.

Go away. Tell your husband you want him to color you with his favorite body paint and walk you around town naked.

Not a bad idea. I’ll go ask. He was doing something dumb anyways.

“Ok. First up on Alex’s needs list,” he said, taking a deep breath.

“It’s Three’s turn,” Carla immediately said.

Riley nodded her head at his side.

“Gee thanks,” Valeria muttered. “Even if it is my turn, no need to throw me to the wolf.”

“Ok, not what I was going to say. At all,” Alex grumbled.

“I can take her place,” Riley said. If she could get any closer at this point, he’d practically be wearing her. “I haven’t performed my duty for you yet.”

“Stop. Listen,” Alex said through gritted teeth. “First. I need someone to get a hold of Walter. I don’t think we have enough Mother’s Bane. We might as well either get a steady supply, or plan some. One or the other.”

“I can do that,” Riley said. “Walter likes me.”

“Great. Second. I need a map updated with whatever information we have on Count Ridge. I’m not… sure I want to let him regroup.”

“What?” Carla asked. “I know Nannie beat down his champion impressively, but that doesn’t mean anything. Does it?”

“The duel was for titles. He should have forfeited his county to me. The more time I give him to reinforce himself, the harder it’ll be to take his land,” Alex explained. “The old duke didn’t uphold the agreement.”

“We’re going to… attack him?” Valeria asked.

“That’s number three on the list. I need to meet with our new duchess as soon as she’s back, and then probably the king. I’ll need a courier with a fast dispatch. I may end up just squatting in her ducal home waiting for her.”

“I’ll take care of that, Master,” Valeria said. “It’ll give me a chance to try out one of my new recruits anyways.”

“Last, but not least. Could someone find Holly for me and send her this way? I haven’t seen her, and I know she came back from her father’s today. Right?”

“Yes, Master,” Carla said, nodding her head. “She should be back. I wouldn’t mind going for an easy walk. I can take care of that.”

“Dress appropriately first,” Alex said, indicating her mostly uncovered self.

“Jealous?” she asked, a smile blossoming on her face.

“Insanely. You’ll cover up from head to toe if I think for a moment you’ll try to use that against me.

“Alright, you have your tasks. Thanks everyone.”

Riley leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then bounced away.

Valeria gave him a small wave of her fingers with a smile and followed the other woman out the door.

Carla got up slowly and went back to her room.

“Uh… what do I do? Everyone else has a task. I don’t. So… anything?” Nannie asked.

“You? Well, you could strip for me. I’ve been wondering how much you’ve got under that tunic of yours. I’m betting it’s squishing them pretty tightly and you’re sporting more than you’re letting on.

“Or you could go crawl into my bed. I’m sure I could come over and start in on some personal attention for you,” Alex snapped his fingers and held out a palm, indicating the space in front of himself. “Or if you’re feeling particularly service oriented, come over here and kneel down.”

Nannie’s face went dark red. Then she lifted a hand and pointed at him.

“One day, you will get what you ask for, and you’ll see, you can’t handle it,” Nannie said.

“I’m ever waiting for that day. Is it today, perchance? I’m up for the challenge. Think we could finish before Holly shows up? Or is it more fun to wait for her to show up.”

For whatever reason, he couldn’t help it. He wanted to flirt and hit on Nannie constantly. She reacted so poorly that it just… reinforced his desire to do so.

“I really will kill you.”

“You’ve said that a number of times now. So, which option are you going to take?”

“Leave,” Nannie said, then abruptly left.

As the door slammed shut, Alex shrugged. “Well, that was fun.”

Thirty minutes later, Holly entered the study followed by Carla.

Thankfully, she realized Alex wanted to be alone with Holly and bowed out to her private room.

“Husband?” Holly asked, bowing her head to him and coming to sit across from him.

“Are you happy?” Alex asked, watching the young woman closely.

“I…” She paused, her eyes looking anywhere but at him. “I am… content.”

“But not happy.”

“I’m my husband’s wife. I am given all that I need, and my family is cared for. I am very content,” Holly said, as if that explained everything.

“What if I offered you a divorce, and asked for nothing in return from you or your family?” Alex said, deciding to cut straight to it.

Anna had been right, of course.

Holly was not much more than a puppet. If he ordered her to sleep with every maid in his keep, it was likely she’d be working on that from sunup to sundown.

Holly frowned, her face a mask of worry.

“You’ve done nothing wrong. I just find that… maybe we don’t mesh that well. I wouldn’t ask you to continue down this path any further. Bearing a child isn’t something you can undo, after all.

“Would you want that? A divorce? An amicable one?”

Holly let out a shuddering breath, then held up her hands as if in defeat.

“I worry for answering you honestly, and what you would do to me afterward. But I have never seen you act cruelly. Ruthlessly in your deals and how you work, but never cruel.

“What would be the reason for the divorce? The peerage frowns on that, to a degree.”

“You could claim it was on your part, and that you heard tale of me sleeping around during the campaign. It’s reasonable, and true,” Alex said easily.

“It’s not ideal, but it’d give you a valid excuse.”

“Most noblemen have mistresses; it isn’t unheard of. At all.”

“No, but it’s reasonable for a lower-house noblewoman to back out with that type of excuse. I don’t think you’ll suffer much for it. If anything, it might give your family a bit more on the status side of things.

“Though you might need some time to find a second husband willing to take all that on.”

Holly nodded her head slowly.

“I would accept. It is not that you’re a poor husband; it’s simply that… you’re not who I would choose for myself, Alex,” Holly said, finally meeting his eyes.

“I understand completely. I’ve already had the paperwork drawn up on the off-chance you agreed.

“Well, Anna did, actually. She was already miles ahead of me on this one. All you have to do is sign, and you’re a free lady,” Alex said, pointing to the paperwork on the desk.

Holly looked from him to the desk, and then back to him.

“I’ll sign,” she said finally.

Alex felt a small pang inside.

There was a worry there now.

A kernel of doubt.

Once I get everything from them, do I have to send them away? If that’s the case, what will I be left with in the end but a never-ending need to fill a crystal?

Chapter 28

In the end, Alex hadn’t waited for a return missive from the duchess.

He’d simply sent the note, then left a day later. There’d be no point in waiting, and even less in expecting her to be able to respond quickly.

No, this was quicker, easier, and with less worry.

Or so he told himself, right up until Carla had forced herself onto a horse to join him.

After throwing up for the second time after an hour, she actually seemed like she was doing better as they rode fast down the roads.

Keeping his party to something small and swift, they made excellent time. Much to the concern of everyone other than him when he got the room and immediately fell asleep like the dead.

“Master, are we sure this is the best idea? I don’t think it is the best course of action,” Valeria said, eying him from across the room. “As far as we know, the duchess only arrived day before yesterday. Along with your messenger.”

“That’s why we waited a day before we announced our presence. And here we are. I don’t think she would have agreed to see us if she was angry,” Alex said, indicating the waiting area they were in.

Carla and Valeria had been taking turns telling him how bad an idea this all was.

Most especially since he’d amended their plan when they’d arrived. The three of them would travel on to see the king if the duchess didn’t honor the duel he’d had with the count of Ridge.

“Is there reason you’re bent on doing this now?” Carla asked.

“Yes, Two. There is. I don’t want to give Ridge time to recuperate. I’ll take a chunk from him or all of him. Now. Waiting just gives an enemy time to get back on his feet.

“I’ve seen you club a corpse in the back of a head, ya know, Two. You’re don’t differ in opinion.”

Carla frowned, then shrugged her shoulders. “True enough.”

“You’re not supposed to agree with him,” Valeria said, peering up at the other woman standing beside her.

“He’s not wrong. I don’t want them getting back up. As if you’d do anything different,” Carla accused.

Valeria opened her mouth, then shut it. Then she shrugged as well. “Fair. This just seems like a foolish idea, though.”

“It isn’t,” Alex said decisively. “They’re all hurt. We’re not. If anything, we’ve nearly doubled our military capacity. Using it to our advantage right now is the proper leverage.

“Waiting any longer will only tip them off to the change, and they’ll increase their own troops.”

Carla and Valeria both said nothing after that. And the silence settled over them.

“It’s your turn tonight,” Carla said, smashing the silence as quickly and abruptly as she could.

“What?” Valeria squawked.

“It’s still your turn from last time; you never ended up doing anything. Anna kicked us all out,” Carla said.

Valeria pressed a hand to her brow. “Why do you all insist on tossing each other at him?”

“Because it isn’t our turn.”

Valeria looked at him and pointed her finger. “This is because you keep hiring commoners. The next Number better be a lady, or so help me I’ll make your life hell somehow.

“No offense, Two. I think you’re rather lovely for a commoner.”

Carla didn’t even bat an eye. “None taken. I’ve killed more of your kind than I’m sure is my due. You’re pretty easygoing for nobility.”

“The duchess will see you, Count Alex. She’s requested your guards remain here,” said a liveried man at the door.

Oh, thank Leah.

Alex got up and left without even addressing the man, simply signaling him to lead the way with a hand.

The corridors and hallways passed quickly, leaving Alex in a situation that Carla would later flog him for if she found out. He had no idea how far they’d gone or where his guards were.

“Sir,” said the man, opening a door.

Alex went through and found himself in a rather cozy receiving room.

“Count Brit. I’m afraid you’ve come faster than I expected,” called Regina from a small table filled with a light lunch setting. “Or even faster than I daresay would be polite.”

“I do have my reasons, Duchess,” Alex said, bowing at the waist to her. She’d done nothing wrong to him in any way so far and deserved a modicum of respect.

Right up until she did what he expected her to. Deny him his victory.

“I suspect,” she said, pointing at the chair across from herself as she fussed with a teacup, “this has something to do with that duel father spoke of.”

“That it does, Duchess,” Alex said, taking the indicated seat. “I wanted to seek your either approval to commit to war against the count of Ridge, or your upholding of my victory over him and granting me his title.”

The duchess froze, her cup halfway between the table and herself. After a single beat, she finished the motion, taking a delicate sip.

Alex touched nothing on the table. He had no intention of being side-stepped, and wouldn’t even allow an inch on this.

“I see,” Duchess Tanulf said, folding her hands in her lap. “You put us in an awkward position.”

“Not as I see it, Duchess. It was an appropriate duel, witnessed by the entire vassalage of the duke and approved by himself. The conditions, the means, and even the act itself.

“If there has ever been such a sanctioned action previous to this one, I’d love to see it.”

“So I was told,” the duchess muttered, shaking her head. “No, I’m not speaking of the duel. I’m speaking of upholding it.

“Count Ridge is a… bitter pill… so to speak. As the duchess, I’d love nothing more than to simply uphold your win, but at the same time, he has a strong hold in a faction within our holdings that I cannot ignore. The moment I agreed to uphold the victory, they would rally against myself and you.

“My father was… not a tactical man. As evidenced by his demise. I’ll be rebuilding my army for the foreseeable future. I’m afraid that I will not recover as quickly my vassals will, either.”

“Then simply approve of my victory and ask the count to hand his title over. Doing that much would be enough for me, Duchess. I can pursue the matter beyond that.”

Regina immediately shook her head, not even considering the idea, he thought.

“No. Our duchy is now at the mercy of Gaelis. It’s only because of that stop-gap fortress you threw together that they aren’t ransacking our lands now.

“We must consolidate, rebuild.”

As you like, then.

Alex nodded his head once to her.

“As you will,” he said, neither agreeing or disagreeing.

“As you’re here,” Regina continued, clearly looking to change the subject. “I heard that you’re no longer married to the nobility? Your marriage was granted a divorce?”

“Indeed. I’m afraid I dallied as men at war are wont to do. She forgave me, but couldn’t look at me the same way. I offered her an exit, and she took it.”

“Awfully serendipitous. Her family squirms out from under their debt, you avoid the king’s attempt to corner you, and she gets a free pass after a throw or two in your bed.

“One would almost imagine it was all planned,” Regina said, smiling at him.

“If I’d planned it, I wouldn’t be married at all.”

“One would argue a marriage with a commoner is by no means an actual marriage. But that’s beside the point. My condolences at your failed union. I do hope your next goes more smoothly,” Regina said.

Well. We more or less saw that coming. Though it’s a surprise how quickly she seems to want to move on it. Will need to curb that somehow in the future.

“Thank you, Duchess. I’m sure I’ll manage.”

***

Valeria and Carla were packing up for their morning departure. After Alex finished his meeting with the duchess, there wasn’t much point in remaining.

Alex sat on the edge of the sofa in the room they were renting.

It was a nice inn, certainly fit for traveling members of the peerage—but it was still a room at an inn.

“Are you sure about seeing that dumb ass of a king we serve?” Carla asked, cinching up her saddle bags tightly.

“I do have to seek permission from the next in line for the claim to be valid. I think… so long as I present it to him in a way that conveys I’ll go to the emperor next, he’ll agree.

“I doubt anyone would want a count in their kingdom going to the emperor over a matter such as winning a duel.”

“I should think not; that’d be like a burgher coming to you to talk about a problem with a neighbor,” Valeria said, shaking her head. “That’d do no one well at all in the entire situation.”

“And yet it’s what I must do. I cannot let this pass. This is a perfect opportunity,” Alex said.

Especially if I manage to capture any of his family members. Then I can swing hard for the fences and hope I get that crystal pillar filled faster than a tax collector’s sack.

Or bed.

Carla stood up and put her hands on her hips. Inspecting her belongings.

“I don’t think I was quite ready for this trip, but I’m glad I went. Cleared my head,” she said. “Was a good way to right everything inside.”

“Is that what you call tossing up your innards all over the road while riding?” Valeria asked, fiddling with something in her own pack.

“Speaking of throwing up,” Carla said, turning to look at Valeria with an evil grin. “Do be sure to service our Master appropriately. If I don’t miss my guess, I think it’s your knees you’ll be working out tonight.”

Valeria closed her eyes, then dropped her head with a grunt.

“Suppose I deserved that,” she muttered.

Alex simply nodded his head with a smile. Agreeing wholeheartedly with the entire direction of the conversation.

“See? Master agrees,” Carla said, pointing at Alex as he nodded. Valeria looked to him with an annoyed pout.

“Here, I’ll even help you out,” Carla said suddenly. She snatched a belt out of her pack and held it loosely.

Before Valeria could react, the bigger woman closed in on her, shoved her to the ground face first, and stomped a foot down on her shoulders.

“Gimme those birdlike hands,” Carla growled, snatching at Valeria’s fingers.

Valeria squirmed, trying unsuccessfully to fight off the ex-bandit.

A minute later and Carla had tied up Valeria’s hands behind her back.

“There. Been a bit since I had to do that,” Carla said, inspecting her work. “That’ll hold for at least an hour.”

Moving around to the front of her, Carla pulled Valeria’s dress down until she was completely exposed from her navel to her chin. The fabric gathered at her elbows and waist.

“That should do it. Anything else I can do for you, Master?” Carla asked, looking up towards Alex.

“No, that was rather skillfully done. Just bring her over here,” Alex said, motioning to the two women.

“Master,” Valeria panted out between breaths, her hair mussed and her eyes with a skittering look to them. “Maybe… I could…”

Carla grabbed the woman by the shoulder and her wrists, marched her over to Alex, and dropped her there in front of him.

“I’ll finish up with her gear and then hit the sack. Let me know if I need to rough her up again,” Carla said, then went over to Valeria’s pack.

Alex leaned down to one side to peer up into Valeria’s face.

“Same safe word as last time? Or just standing up, maybe?” Alex asked.

Valeria didn’t immediately respond. Then she nodded her head a bit.

“Be a dear, Three, and repeat the word for me?”

“Red,” she said softly.

“Good.”

Alex stood up right in front of Valeria, unfastened his pants, and unbuckled his belt.

Letting his trousers hit the ground, he sat back down on the sofa and settled in comfortably.

He reached out and sank his fingers into the hair behind Valeria’s head, guiding her downward.

He maneuvered her head until her cheek was resting on his inner thigh, his slowly hardening member hanging before her face.

“So,” Alex started, his free hand carding through her hair. “You’re going to do your best. And if your best isn’t enough, I’m going to do it for you.

“And when you’ve finally gotten your prize, I expect to see you enjoy it to the last drop.

“And if you throw up, we’ll start over again in an hour. After you’ve cleaned up your own sick.

“Any questions?”

Valeria didn’t respond, her eyes locked to his now fully erect member.

“Grand,” he said. His left hand curled into the hair atop her head, and he grabbed himself with his right.

Before she could respond, he simply pushed it into her mouth up to the halfway point.

“Get to work, Three,” Alex said, letting go of her hair and leaning back.

Valeria sat there for only a second before she shuffled herself around, getting properly positioned between his knees. All the while not letting him fall from her mouth, nor looking up at him.

Alex let out a soft sigh at the feel of her tongue and soft lips, and truly relaxed into the sofa. He let his eyes roll across her bare shoulders and chest. Admiring her figure and form from where he sat.

Slowly, Valeria moved her head down, her lips tightening up around his girth.

He could feel her tongue sliding up around the sides of his length as she went.

“That’s definitely a good start, Three,” Alex said, laying his right hand down atop her head but not guiding or forcing her in any way.

Glancing up as Valeria started to pull her head back, he caught Carla watching from the other side of the room.

Before she could turn away, he held up his left hand to her in a stop signal. Then he pointed to a chair nearby.

You get to watch. Maybe you’re the voyeur amongst the group.

You or One.

Valeria slurped loudly on his tip, causing Alex to look back at her. Only to catch her sneak a glance up at him as she started to move back down his shaft.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Carla sit down where he’d indicated, her eyes fastened to him.

Languidly, Valeria started to bob her head up and down from hilt to head.

She gave him her full attention, her tongue scrubbing at him as her mouth pulled at him.

He couldn’t help himself when he started to pull at her head a bit, trying to speed her up.

Her eyes moved from his crotch up to his face at the insistent pulling of his hand, but she didn’t speed up.

Ah, you want it rough. That’s fine.

That fits your needs.

Grabbing a handful of her hair, he began to force her head up and down.

Valeria groaned but didn’t fight in the least, her neck and shoulders providing no resistance against his control.

Using one hand, he made her work faster. He made sure to pull her all the way down, her nose pressing to his abdomen and his tip getting lodged in her throat.

Valeria coughed once around him after he pulled her head back, but she again made no move against him or to try to stand up.

Alex found himself enjoying not just the feeling, but watching her, using her.

He was fascinated as drool and precum dripped from her chin down along her throat and onto her chest. Straight down her cleavage.

Reaching out with his other hand, he took a handful of hair on both sides of her head and began to push her faster each time.

Her breathing became erratic as he worked her, soft grunts coming from her as he pushed himself down her throat.

Groaning, Alex realized he was at that point.

Standing up quickly, he kept hold of Valeria while thrusting into her face at the same time.

“Want it?” he asked, staring down at her upturned face.

She nodded her head a bit, or at least he thought she did. Then she moaned deeply in a way that tickled his spine.

Pulling himself partway back to give her a chance to do as he’d instructed, he felt himself hit the point of no return and came.

His fingers tightened in her hair, and he could feel her pulling at him. Even moving her head back and forth a bit on her own as she sucked on him.

With each pull of her lips, he could feel another spasm as his seed filled her mouth.

Letting out a slow, shuddering breath as his climax started to fall to the downswing, he looked over to Carla.

She was watching intently, her hands clasped tightly in each another.

Her eyes went from Valeria to him as she realized he was looking at her.

Shuddering, Alex finished, though Valeria kept working at him. Her lips and tongue pulling and suckling as if she thought she could get more from him.

“Three, go ahead and turn your head to show Two your prize. Then claim it so she can watch,” Alex said, pulling himself out of her mouth before she made him hunch over from the extra attention.

He was just too damn sensitive afterward and she didn’t seem to know to stop.

Flopping down onto the sofa, he watched as Valeria blushed a deep scarlet, her head slowly turning to one side.

When she saw Carla sitting there, he imagined her poor little pain jockey’s heart probably had a fit.

I’ll need to take care of her sexually in an hour or so. Or she’ll never forgive me.

Alex grinned as Valeria opened her mouth at Carla, then visibly swallowed.

It’s certainly more fun here in this life. And about thirty times more scary as well.

With a satisfied sigh, Alex closed his eyes and sank into the sofa.

Chapter 29

Alex was sitting in a private waiting room.

Again.

They’d set out almost immediately the following morning, moving at a breakneck speed. To the point that Alex wondered if he’d need to sell the horses and buy new ones rather than try to ride them back to Brit. He didn’t think they’d recover by the time they were ready to roll out again.

This time, however, they’d prohibited Valeria and Carla from even joining him here in the waiting area.

He’d been left alone with his thoughts waiting for a private meeting with the king.

It’d been surprising when the king had agreed to grant him an audience that wasn’t in front of the court.

Which means either the king wants something from me, wants to speak plainly, or is afraid of something I’d do that could make him look bad.

But I have no idea which of the three is more concerning.

“Count Brit? His Highness is ready for you,” called a woman’s voice. Looking up, he saw her standing in the archway that led into the king’s private domain.

Alex got up and nodded his head. “My thanks. Please lead on.”

The woman turned and left the waiting area, and Alex fell in behind her.

“His Majesty just finished dealing with a most unfortunate case,” said the woman. “I’m sure he’ll welcome speaking with a member of the peerage.”

“Oh?” Alex asked curiously.

“Yes. He just condemned a rather odious little man to death. A child molester no less,” said the woman, speaking as if it were a happy occurrence. Her words in sharp contrast to her speech.

“I… I see?” Alex responded, not quite sure how to respond.

“Yes. It was all rather ghastly. A fat toad of a man by the name of Jim Papash. Apparently he had troubles in bed with his wife, and took it out on the local children.”

Now Alex was somewhat alarmed.

Maybe now isn’t the best time to try and passively threaten the king.

Then he shook his head once.

Now or never.

Just as that thought crystallized, Alex found himself entering a garden-type area. The king was sitting on a bench, seeming the part of a man hiding. He was surrounded by his personal guard, who all seemed on edge.

“Count Brit,” the king said as Alex entered. “Please, have a seat. I welcome you here. Skip the pomp and circumstance. No one to watch the two of us right now.”

Nodding his head, Alex took the bench across from the king.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Alex said, unsure how to start the conversation.

“Out with it then,” the king said, somewhat irritably. “I assume this has to do with transferring your vassalage to Tanulf.”

“Actually, no, it doesn’t, Your Majesty,” Alex said.

“Oh? Hm. What… was it you wished to speak of then?” the king asked, his demeanor shifting immediately.

“I entered a trial of combat with Count Ridge. The wager was our titles. The combatants were to be our champions, using fists.

“The late Duke Tanulf presided over it, approved it, and saw it fit to allow it to happen that very day,” Alex said, keeping the story to the facts.

“My champion defeated Ridge’s. Outright. Ridge fled the scene rather than honoring his end of the bargain, and Duke Tanulf did not uphold my victory.”

The king leaned away from Alex, his hands resting on his knees now. His eyes looked calculating, as if he were weighing the entire situation out as it was told.

“I come to you now after seeking out Duchess Tanulf. She did not uphold my victory either, and I wish to ask you for permission to claim casus belli on both the duchess and the count.

“Though I only plan on acting on the count for now, and merely seek to have your ruling on the duchess’s actions in a private way.”

The king frowned, his mouth slowly tilting to one side.

Then abruptly he shook his head and looked at Alex.

“I have never had someone tell me so plainly their wish. I was expecting a lengthy story, but you’ve cut out all the wasted bits and left me with just the steak.” The king sighed. “I regret Tanulf’s death, but it was of his own doing. As to his daughter not upholding your victory, I’m unsurprised.”

Alex nodded at that, waiting.

“I get the impression that you plan to make this an issue for Count Ridge no matter what?”

“He’s the one who tried to have me killed, several times,” Alex said. Then he paused and pressed his fingers to the pin at his collar. “On my oath, I know this to be true. He tried to have me slain. Which was the trigger for the trial at arms, which he lost.”

The king’s eyes closed and he pressed his hands to his temples.

“Well, I can certainly understand why you’ve set out on this course. I half imagine that if I decide to not uphold your claims, you’ll move even above me.”

Alex didn’t respond either way. He didn’t want to if he didn’t have to.

“You came here straight from the duchess?” the king asked.

“Yesterday.”

“And your horses are nearly blown. Yes, you really would go over me if I didn’t uphold this.

“Would you be satisfied for the time if I only upheld your claim to the count publicly?”

“I would, though I would feel better if His Majesty could see fit to uphold my claim privately for the duchess.

“For now. She and I could come to terms later on that would allow for a peaceful resolution. I’d prefer to have her as a friend than an enemy, and I have no designs on her title,” Alex added in quickly at the end.

“Fine. We’ll draw up a public writ supporting your ability to go to war with Count Ridge for his title,” the king said, waving a hand at nothing behind him. “Was that truly it though, Count Brit?”

“Yes, sire. I only sought vindication for my victory.”

“So be it, then. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll end this audience now. I’m not used to such frank conversation.”

“As you wish, Highness,” Alex said, and bowed at the waist to the king. “I thank you for your time.”

The king waved him on, paying him no more attention than that.

Now we just wait for the writ.

And we move on it.

***

Anna looked up from the table she was sitting at when Alex opened the door.

Her face split wide into her simple smile when she saw him.

“Husband!” she said, getting up quickly. She practically skipped to him.

Alex couldn’t help but grin at the sight of a grown woman throwing sensibility out the window and bouncing her way to him like that.

Then she was there hugging tightly to him, her face pressed into his chest.

“How did it go?” she asked, her voice muffled against him.

“The duchess did nothing for us.”

“Daddy said she wouldn’t in his most recent letter. She wants you to bed her, he thinks. She’s pretty but I don’t like her, and I’d hate to have her as a wife,” Anna said, thumping his chest lightly with a balled fist. “I’d never let you clean her up when you were done.”

“Oh? Is that your way of having your revenge? Not letting me clean her up?”

“Yes,” she said, then lifted her head up to look at him. “That or I’d feed her Mother’s Bane every day without her knowing.”

“Well, aren’t you spiteful.” Alex grinned at her. “I love it.”

Anna pouted at him. “The marriage wouldn’t be bad for us, but I’d probably end up fighting her at every turn for seniority. You’d have to promise to treat me as the senior wife or I’d…. I’d… I’d not hug you anymore,” Anna said, nodding her head once.

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we? As far as the duchess is concerned, I have no plan to marry her, so worry not. I’d rather not get involved in her politics.”

Smiling at him again, Anna pushed her face back into his chest.

“Daddy said you’d have to probably leave to go fight again.”

How does your father keep so close to all this information? I haven’t even met him, yet he somehow manages to know everything that’s going on. On top of that, he slips in and out without me ever meeting him.

“He’s right, of course. I want to put Ridge in the ground. Before he can try again to do the same to me.”

“Ok. Holly left,” Anna said, her voice dropping in volume. “She said she’d write me, though.”

“It’s alright. She wanted out and you were right,” Alex said, stroking her back tenderly.

“I know. But now I have to work on finding you a wife of the peerage before someone tries to force it on you. I might hold a ball or two; is that ok?”

“Sure, but I forbid you to spend any of your own money.

“And speaking of money… why did you buy so many coffins?”

“They were on sale,” Anna said, as if that explained everything.

Alex closed his eyes and said nothing.

Several hours later, after getting Anna to promise not to purchase anything simply because it was on sale, Alex met with Dave, Max, Rudolph, and Dan in his study.

“Gentleman. We’ll be attacking Count Ridge head on. I have a writ of support from the king”

All four men nodded their heads.

“Are we ready for this though? We’ll only have one chance to attack with the element of surprise. Before he has a chance to prepare or get his supplies together.

“How do we stand?”

The other men turned to Max, who seemed to be considering his boots as they did so.

“My lord, I rotated the company through the standing army and broke all the groups up. We now have an even level of veterans throughout, but they’re not trained as units yet.

“The conscripts who signed on permanently, which was almost all of them, were equally dispersed throughout.”

Max chuckled and held up his hands in front of himself.

“Apparently your efforts to keep them alive, get them trained, and pay them for their service struck a chord. All that free equipment didn’t hurt either, nor did you prohibit them from looting the enemy dead. All in all, quite a few came back rather much more well to do.”

Looting the dead, huh? I didn’t even think of that.

“The coinage we looted from them puts us well ahead of any type of pay concern, and the gear we took from the dead—the stuff we didn’t give to the conscripts—helped to greatly offset our training costs,” Max said.

Alex nodded his head at all that, not quite sure if he was supposed to respond yet.

“I suppose what I’m saying is we could go on the attack with a reasonable expectation of success. Did I miss anything?” Max said, lifting his head and looking to his lieutenants.

“The mounted infantry has been working on becoming a cavalry,” Dan said. “As well as… less than honorable… activities. Consider me an inspired man by your orders, sire.”

“Honor is a grand thing for the dead, and a poor substitute for winning to the living,” Alex said. “Good. Ah… forgive me for the question Dave, but… I’d like to hire another company and integrate them the same way we did you.

“Any recommendations?”

“Sire… you want to expand the army… again?” Max asked.

“We have the finances for it, and an army can easily convert other resources into assets. Like, I don’t know, taking over an entire county. Afterward, we’ll need that many men again to hold the new territories.

“I’d rather purchase our troops once rather than having to hire new guards afterward.”

Dave and Dan were nodding their heads at that, but Max looked only partially sold on the idea.

“While we’re out in the field, I expect you all to raid military installations for supplies, but don’t touch the citizenry. Not at all,” Alex said, putting steel into his voice. “They’ll be our subjects after. We must win them over before the first sword strike falls. Is that clear?”

“Of course, sire,” Max said. The other men nodded their heads in agreement.

“Dave? Recommendation?” Alex prodded.

“I… that is—”

“Make sure they can work with you, as you’ll be their senior in this,” Alex said, wondering if he was concerned about who would be best, versus who the best unit was.

Dave grinned at that. “I understand. Then I’d choose Powell’s cavaliers. They’re mostly cavalry and heavy foot. They do have an entire unit of engineers though.

“They’d be best for siege work and raiding. Which it sounds like we’ll be doing in equal measure. And I can work with Andrew. Have before.”

“Great, get him a message as quick as can be. Have a backup pick in case he’s already engaged elsewhere.

“Let’s work through some planning now, unless you have something else you’d like to draw my attention to?”

There was no dissension to that, so Alex pulled a map from beside him that he’d prepared in advance.

“The county of Ridge is named for a literal ridge that runs through the middle of it,” Alex said, smoothing the map out in front of everyone.

“Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, we share a small border with Ridge. My understanding is it’s actually a rather wide highway my family built back when we were still dukes,” Alex said, pointing to the section of the map. “That ridge splits them in half for us and puts the upper portion facing the wild lands to the south.”

“Most combat there has always been in the south. It’ll be much harder to take and will probably be his last hold out,” Max said, peering at the map.

“Right. That’s why we’ll be hitting it first. Their outposts are all along the edge of the wild land borders. They don’t have anything facing us, at least in the south.

“If we do this right, we can probably already be falling on the castle town of… I can’t remember the name… whatever it is, before they know we’re even in the county.

“And since we share such a small border with them, and a vassal of Gaelis is holding the other side, I doubt Ridge’ll be able to mount a counter attack into Brit.

“Just in case, I already dispatched an anonymous courier to Gaelis’s vassal warning them that Ridge might try to threaten their border.”

Alex shrugged as he thought about it.

“If it works out for us, great; if not, no loss. I’d like to keep your newly minted mounted cavalry in country, Dan. As a screening force and to watch for any movement from Ridge. As well as to keep a supply train corridor open for us.”

“I’d love to see him try to take the road and hold it,” Dan said. “We’ll just use hit-and-run tactics again. Harry them. Fire their supplies. Whittle them down till they bleed from everywhere.

“A monument to the stupidity of mankind, right?”

Alex snickered at that. “Right. And with that in mind, I plan on having Powell’s cavalry moving around the countryside to keep Ridge from having an easy time sieging us.

“If anything, I’d love it if he did. We could siege them as they siege us. That being said, plan to have six to twelve months of supplies taken into that city with the name I forgot before we get cornered. Plan to feed any civilians who get caught up with us as well. Ration everything.”

“Sire,” Dave said, looking rather uncomfortable.

“Yes? Speak plainly; tell me if I’m missing something or doing something stupid. Strategy I understand, tactics I don’t.”

If anything, that comment just made Dave look even more frustrated.

“Do you think it that likely Ridge will do just what you said?”

“He doesn’t exactly seem to have the most flexible mind, so… yes. Though we’ll not bet everything on that. Hence Powell and his cavalry in the field, and Dan with his people waiting just in case.

“Oh, and let’s get another group of conscripts brought up to pad out our numbers. Maybe we’ll get more recruits out of it again. Same contracts as last time.

“Unless there’s something else, I’d suggest we all go about our business.”

Alex looked to each man, then clapped his hands together.

“Great. Thank you, gentlemen.”

Getting up, each soldier filed out the door, none of them speaking or looking completely at ease.

Valeria leaned forward beside him and rested an arm on his shoulder.

“They don’t know what to make of you having us here, Master,” she said, watching him from his side.

“And why’s that, Three?” Alex asked, glancing back over his shoulder. Riley, Carla, and Nannie were all there.

“We’re women who they probably view as little more than your personal bed servants,” Valeria said. “We even have numbers instead of names. We’re not military advisers and we contribute nothing to these meetings at all.”

“Well, they can get used to it. Now, I believe you all wanted me to look over your recruits tonight?” Alex asked.

“Ah, yes. I’ll go first since I only have two for now,” Valeria said, leaving his side to go to the door. “I haven’t found my third.”

“We’ll go next,” Nannie said, smacking her wrist into Carla’s side.

“Obviously,” Carla said in return. “One hired enough women from the dungeon that it actually looked only ‘full’ instead of bursting. It’ll take a while to get through them.”

Alex didn’t say anything but rolled up the map instead.

“Master, these are the two I recruited. I think they’ll serve quite well,” Valeria said, getting his attention.

Looking up, Alex almost did a double take.

“Coffin?” Alex asked, looking at the dark, wild-haired, cold-eyed woman standing there. The last he’d seen her, he’d put her back into a coffin in the dungeon.

“Yes,” said the woman, her voice oddly tense. Her eyes shifted in every direction but to his, her head jittering a bit from side to side as she did so. “I’m the knife.”

Alex looked to Valeria for any type of clarification.

“She’s your new assassin. I don’t think she’ll be hard to train at all,” Valeria said, tapping the woman on the shoulder. Then she tapped the second woman.

She was rather mundane looking in general. One might call her cute, if she tried hard enough, but she looked more like she’d blend in with a crowd.

“And this is going to be my shadow. She’ll be working in the background for the most part. They’re just here to swear their oaths to you directly.”

“I’m the knife,” said the dark-haired woman again. “I’ll make them die.”

Looking to Valeria again, he raised his eyebrows.

Valeria grinned at him and shrugged her shoulders. “The best tools are sometimes the broken ones.”

As if you could talk.

Chapter 30

Anna was smiling at him. And Alex knew it was for show. It looked very similar to her normally wide and simple smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Anna,” Alex said. He reached up and tapped her gently in the middle of her forehead with a fingertip. “It’ll be alright. I’ll return to you. I promise it.”

“Of course you will; that’s not even worth mentioning,” she said, her smile remaining exactly as it was.

“You don’t have to be strong on my part. I know this isn’t easy, and you haven’t exactly had an ideal married life with me so far. I can promise you that after this, I’ll settle down for a bit and try to stay home.

“Spend a lot more time with you.”

Anna’s smile faltered, then shattered.

“You will?” she asked, her voice becoming soft and brittle.

“Yes, wife. I will. Be your normal self. Do not put on this silly brave false face for me,” Alex said, encouraging her. His fingertips lightly slipped through her silken hair, curling it behind her ear.

Anna’s face become a massive frown and her big eyes immediately welled up in tears.

“I love you. I miss you. Don’t leave me,” Anna said, cuddling in closer to him. “I don’t like it. Daddy said Mommy was brave to put up with him traveling all the time. I’m not.

“I’m not brave. Stay home with me.”

“Oh, my silly thing. Did you feel like this the first time too?” Alex said, enfolding his arms around her shoulders.

“Uh huh. I started crying as soon as you were gone and hid in our bed all day,” Anna sobbed, her nose turning bright red as she started to cry more heavily.

“Want to come with me?” he asked suddenly, grinning at her.

“I can’t,” she said, but the corners of her mouth turned up in a tiny smile. “I have stuff I need to do. Daddy told me things to watch out for while you were gone to protect our home. And to make money. I want to be a good wife and make you money.”

She said it, then nodded her head once. “I’m not a trophy!” she said sternly.

“I never suspected you were,” Alex said, still combing her hair gently.

“No?” she asked, her eyes watching him for any sign of deceit. Or so he thought.

“Beautiful like a trophy wife, but not a trophy wife. A trophy wife wouldn’t have filled my dungeon with so many toys for me.

“And thank you for that, by the way; it was very helpful. Keep it to one woman per cell though going forward,” he said. Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“Now, I need to go, dear. I’d like you to release Sylvia while I’m gone as well. Here’s the letter freeing her and pausing all charges against her.”

“Conquered her?” Anna asked, her mind moving in that strange way it did. “Seemed like you did. I think the only reason she wasn’t in your bed was you didn’t force it. I think she would have given in.”

“Which is half the problem. If they’re simply willing to do it, making them do it holds no value,” Alex said, holding the folded paper out to her. “Set her free for me. Tell her to behave, and to not get in trouble again. That her oaths remain intact to me, except for her need to be pure. She can do as she likes.”

And I don’t have to see her leave when I get rid of her. Please do this for me, please, please, please.

“Ok, dear,” Anna said, taking the paper. She pouted at him, her cheeks puffing out a bit.

“When you get back, can we make some deals together for the dungeon girls? I want to participate. It seems fun and challenging.

“And then you need to stay long enough to put a child in me.”

“Sure hon, we can definitely work on the deals. Leah did promise you could make some on my behalf, after all.”

“And the baby?” Anna asked, her chin tucking to her chest, glaring at him.

“I’ll be happy to try every hour until you’re satisfied,” he said with a grin.

Anna’s cheeks turned a deep red, her fingers tightening into his clothes.

“I’m not satisfied… You can’t leave… yet,” she said huskily.

***

“This’d be the point of no return,” Max said, pulling his horse in to Alex’s side. “Andrew is supposed to meet us here with his people tonight. We’ll be moving out tomorrow morning.”

“He’ll be ready?” Alex asked.

“Yes, sire. I warned him of your plan to move immediately. He’s actually resting his troops nearby in your lands. He just wanted to keep out of sight he wouldn’t tip off our friends.”

“Delightful,” Alex said, looking around. This would be the bit of border between himself and Count Ridge.

Looking at it closely, it really did have the look of an old, abandoned highway. One that’d simply been grown over and left to fail.

I wonder… how long it took to become this way. It doesn’t quite match the way it was described to me at all.

“It was a highway. When your family had its ducal titles. In fact, that barony over yonder is a de jure vassal,” Max said, reaffirming what Alex already knew.

Looking up, Alex followed the bend of Max’s arm towards the distance.

Set a ways out, a small keep was perched in such a way that it faced the north and east, and the south and west of it seemed more where a town would lie.

“It was an outpost that protected the lands between. A military outpost, once.

“That’d be where I sent that letter you wanted to go.”

“Ah. And what’s the family name? I imagine we’ll be knocking on their door at some point and asking them to rejoin us as our vassal,” Alex said with a lopsided grin.

“Tilly,” Max said after a moment of thought.

Turning in his saddle, Alex looked at the man to make sure he heard it right.

“Tilly?”

“Ah, yes. Unfortunately they’re relatives to those we fought with directly,” Max confirmed.

Mary?

“Three,” Alex said loudly.

Dressed as his camp woman, Valeria eased her horse up to his other side.

“Yes, Master?” she purred at him, living the role completely.

“Is it the same woman?” Alex asked, leaning in close to her and keeping his volume low.

“Yes. She’ll not be a problem though. I imagine she’s being pressured by her uncle now that her husband is slain,” Valeria whispered, her left hand pressing to his shoulder.

Riley popped into view on her own horse, trying to wedge herself up between Alex and Max.

Her jealousy was getting the best of her again.

Valeria’s eyes flicked to Riley, then back to Alex, and then abruptly she leaned in and kissed him quickly.

Alex sat upright in his saddle, pulling back from Valeria.

She did that just to piss off Riley. Brat.

They’re worse than Nannie and Carla.

Glancing to his other side, he saw Riley pouting at him, her hands tight on her reins.

She hadn’t gotten good in the saddle very quickly, and they’d given her a slow and gentle mare.

“Err, shall I send up a runner to see if anyone is home?” Max asked. He wasn’t an idiot, and had somehow read between the lines.

“No, we’ll just head up. Max, Dave, One, Two, Three, Five, with me. Dan, I leave the army in your hands for now. If Andrew shows up, send him my way,” Alex said, pulling his horse toward the keep.

Let’s give Dan some time to shine. He’s lived under his brother long enough.

“Uhh, yes sire. Of course, sire,” Dan said even as Alex was already riding towards the keep.

Max was fumbling with something in his pack for a minute as they went.

Eventually, he managed to pull out a white flag from his bags and tied it to his lance.

Ah, that makes sense. I wonder if she’ll try to have me locked up.

This is actually a terrible idea, isn’t it?

That thought tormented Alex right up until the gates opened and he saw Mary and her niece, along with a handful of assistants and maids.

Without guards, and seemingly not unhappy to see him.

“Count Brit,” Mary said, her arms folded across her chest. “I’m surprised to see you.”

She looked the same as he remembered her. Maybe a touch more tired looking, but the same.

Her niece had aged a few years and looked much more like her aunt now.

War and conflict does that.

“And why is that? Once I realized where your lands were, I set out immediately,” Alex said, dismounting. “I wished to see you, Baroness.”

Mary’s mouth twitched at that, and she let her arms fall to her sides.

“Would you dine with us? I welcome you to my home for the evening,” the baroness said.

“I accept, delightfully so. Would you quarter us for the night as well? We’ll be gone in the morning, and I have news for you as well,” Alex said, bowing at the waist to the baroness in deference.

Mary clicked her tongue, then froze in place.

“Ah… I received a letter, now that you mention it. It was most curious,” Mary said. “Come, we’ll retire to a private room and speak for a time before dinner. My niece will take care of your compatriots.”

Alex fell beside Mary and walked with her. Neither party spoke, both apparently content to walk in silence.

It wasn’t until the door shut behind them, putting Alex in a room alone with the baroness, that he felt any sense of awkwardness.

“First, let me thank you for releasing my niece in the way you did. It was quite generous of you. You could have simply taken her with you and there would have been little we could have done to retrieve her.

“Secondly, what are you here for exactly, Alex?” Mary asked, moving towards a table in the middle of the room.

“To wage war on Count Ridge. I plan on taking his land for my own. That and to see you,” Alex answered immediately.

Honestly.

He had nothing to hide from her. She was sworn to his secrets.

Taking a seat at the table as his host did, Alex folded his hands together in his lap.

“I see,” Mary said, a smile forming. Then she sighed, crossing her legs and rearranging her dress. “That’ll just make my life even more difficult, regarding both issues. Ridge was one of the few who was willing to trade with my small holding.

“Or would that be partially why you’re here? To broker a new deal with me, as it were?”

“I wouldn’t mind attempting to talk myself into your bed, Mary, but I have no intention of causing you distress either. You’re not my enemy.

“I’m sure we can come up with a very reasonable trade deal for both of us.”

Mary had apparently been holding her breath, which she now let out in a slow exhalation. She wasn’t half as collected as she was pretending to be.

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said.

“Which—trying to get into your bed, or the trade?” Alex said, unable to help himself.

Mary looked at him and shook her head with a smile.

“You’re terrible. Haven’t you had enough of this dumpy little barren widow?”

“I’m fairly certain if I had, I wouldn’t be trying to get into your bed. Now would I?”

Mary rolled her eyes, her smile widening.

“Is that all you came here for? To bed me?” she asked, her foot moving up and down slowly in a controlled response.

“Partially. You’re quite deserving of a good bedding, you know. You’re a lovely woman.

“Though it was also partially to see how you were doing. Make sure you knew what was going on. That you could possibly expect to see Ridge make a move up this way.”

“You’re just too direct for me, Alex. You’re not supposed to admit such things,” Mary said, her fingers locked tightly into one another. “As for how I’m doing… not so well.”

“Talk to me. I not only wish to hear your voice, but to bear your worries if I can,” Alex said, leaning forward toward her.

Mary opened her mouth and then paused for a heartbeat.

“Why not?” she said, giving him a bitter smile. “It’s not as if you don’t hold terrible truths about me already.

“My uncle is working to have me removed as Baroness. He wants to put my niece into the position and wed her immediately. Apparently, I’m no use to him as a barren widow. I’ll be set aside and retired to a home out in the country, I imagine.”

She looked to the side, staring at nothing.

“My poor niece will go through everything I did, though with no one around willing to help her. I doubt my uncle will be as kind with her as he was with me in the early days. I imagine she’ll be pregnant in a year, or a mistress will be, and damn the consequences.”

Alex considered that.

It wasn’t a bad political play on the count’s part. Realistically, it was rather valid.

And yet, this is a possibility for me to make a move.

As a de jure vassal, none could fault her for changing her allegiance to me. Especially if I have her sealed up on more than fifty percent of her borders.

“Swear yourself to me, Mary. I’ll reaffirm you as Baroness and leave your succession to you to handle,” Alex said suddenly.

Mary’s head whipped around toward him, her brows pinched together.

“Are you mad?” she asked in an angry whisper.

“Not at all. You’re my de jure vassal. You could easily switch your allegiance over to me in a heartbeat without repercussion. And once I’ve taken the title of the count of Ridge, you’ll be nearly surrounded by me.

“If you wait till that happens, maybe I’ll turn you into a concubine for a while before I reaffirm you as the baroness,” Alex said, smiling at her.

Mary’s eyes were full of her thoughts. Clear as day to him, she was weighing out her options.

“It’s not as if you have an alternative. Unless you want to be moved out to a home in the middle of nowhere? If you do, I promise I’ll treat your niece as politely as I would if it were you. Consider it a gift for what we shared the last time we spent the night together.

“Though I can’t promise I won’t raid your manor house and carry you back to turn you into a concubine anyways. That and to make sure you’re treated well.”

Mary snorted at that in a very unladylike manor.

“You’re a cad. You really would bind me as a concubine, just to make a point of it. That and try to sweet talk your way into my niece’s bed as she’d become the baroness,” Mary said. Then she threw up her hands in defeat. Pressing her fingertips to the pin at the collar of her dress, she gave him a flat stare.

“As the de jure vassal of the Brit family, I hereby accept the request to transfer my vassalage to him during this time of war,” Mary said. Dropping her hand in her lap, she quirked a brow at him. “You’d better be able to save me, or so help me, I’ll haunt you.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t be able to try and sneak into your bed or make you my personal concubine if you weren’t among the living, now could I?”

“Since I’m among the living, and clearly unwed and barren, why would my lord need to sneak into my bedroom?” Mary said, standing up.

“Is that an invi—”

“If you have to ask, then no,” Mary said, staring down at him.

“Lead on, Baroness. Lead on.”

***

The next morning, Alex met Andrew for the first time in the courtyard of the keep.

He was a bigger man. Broad and wide. With a smile on him that he seemed to wear constantly. Mischievous, even.

His muted blue eyes didn’t help that impression either.

“Sir,” Andrew said. “Powell’s cavaliers, ready for orders.”

“Great, get everything sorted out with Max and Dave. They have what you need to know, Drew.”

“Drew?” the man mouthed, unsure.

“He does that,” Max muttered, holding out his forearm in a shake to the other soldier. “Names get shortened considerably. Come this way. We’re just going over the order for today.”

Mary had slowly wandered over to Alex as he’d been talking to Andrew.

She looked rather calm and collected.

Coy, even.

As if they hadn’t spent the entire night together trying to break her bed.

Or each other’s hips.

“Count,” Mary said, stepping up to him.

“Baroness,” Alex said, inclining his head deeply to her.

“I’ll have your colors up as soon as you finish up with Ridge. In the meantime, I’ll be going through the proper process for the king, since this will transfer me at a ducal level as well. I’ll send your letter to the duchess on for you as well, along with your writ of approval to war with Ridge,” she said. “I admit I’m surprised the duchess approved your war on the count.”

“She didn’t; I went through the king. The writ is from him alone,” Alex grinned. “I have a valid claim against her as well, if I want to push. I don’t, but she’ll be accommodating for a while, I think.”

Mary’s eyebrows rose at that, and then she grinned at him.

“You’re much more than the playboy everyone says you are,” she said. “Do be a dear and don’t get yourself killed. I’m not sure what you see in this barren dumpy widow, but I do appreciate the attention. Even if you are a married man. I’ll be sure to send your steward a letter with the news, back in Brit.”

With a curtsy, Mary left him there, heading back towards her own people.

Her inability to have a child really hurts her self-confidence. If she’d been given just a modicum of the attention people give houseplants, I wouldn’t have been able to twist her to my designs.

Alex turned and headed over to his Numbers.

“She looks rather well tousled,” Valeria murmured.

“She even has a limp now,” Nannie said with a chortle. “I think he broke her.”

Carla nodded her head, grinning. “And I thought he was rough with us. Apparently it goes to an entirely different level if it lasts longer than one round.”

Riley nodded her head, blushing furiously.

“You’re all welcome to try me. I’ll even give you a decent deal, if that’s what you want,” Alex said, grinning at them. “Group rates and everything. I bet between the three of us, Two, Five, we could break a room.”

Carla shook her head at that, grinning.

“Five would break it all on her own as you chased her around the room. I think she has a maiden’s heart in secret and frets over you finally cornering and bedding her,” Carla said.

Nannie snorted at that, her teeth starting to pull back in a snarl.

“As for you and I… maybe. I think we’ve already tried to break a desk and a table, with me as the hammer.

“I wouldn’t be averse to trying to break a bed going forward, though. Probably considerably more comfortable. Please?”

“Huh… yeah, that’s fair. I’ll try to make the next time a bed,” Alex said, a little guiltily.

Carla put up with a lot of his crap, and her complaints were almost always entirely superficial.

“Thanks,” Carla said. She gestured at his horse with her chin. “Now mount up, unless your hips are too sore from seeing if you could turn the baroness inside out. We need to get moving.”

Chapter 31

Max saluted and trudged off.

Alex and the entire army had camped just around the edge of the ridge.

It was a blind spot to the defenders, and it’d give Max and his men time to get ready and then charge.

It’d be a very long charge, however.

Powell’s cavalry was ready to take the lead. Their job was to hit the ground fast and sprint straight toward the keep.

“I’m not so sure about this, Master,” Valeria said. She was dismounted with Riley at her side.

A temporary base camp had been established here for all the non-combatants and the supply group.

“It’ll be fine,” Alex said, holding tightly to his reins. “Besides, I need to be able to see what’s going on. This isn’t a stand-up fight I can see from across a plain.

“And don’t worry about that. Worry more about Coffin. You think she can handle the gates?”

“Yes,” Valeria said with a sigh. “The larger concern is how many she’ll kill before she feels like she’s accomplished her goal.

“She was already mostly trained before I picked her up.”

Alex clicked his tongue. “Off we go then. Max, Drew, make the call.”

Max barked an order, and his entire regiment set off at a trot. Dave’s own group followed Max’s out, the vast majority of Alex’s foot soldiers now deployed.

Drew pulled his heels back and clucked. His horse started to gallop off, the rest of the cavalry falling in behind their captain.

“Dan, go ahead and start your ranging. See if you can’t harry anyone who tries to reinforce the keep,” Alex said.

“Aye sir,” Dan said, wheeling his horse around. His light cavalry would be used as a screening force and to keep the opponent guessing.

Carla, Nannie, Rudolph, and Alex’s personal guards remained around him.

Waiting quietly, Alex tried to give enough time for his people to take the focus. It wouldn’t do any good for him to catch an unexpected arrow just for being too eager.

Ten minutes of silence stretched out before Alex signaled his command group forward.

“Be safe, Master,” Riley called out at his back.

“It’s her turn tonight,” Nannie said, pulling her horse in close to Alex’s side.

“You the keeper of his bed or something?” Carla said. “Or are you that eager to get your own name in there, Five?”

“Knock it off,” Alex grumbled. “This isn’t the time or place.”

“Yes, Master,” they said in unison.

They left the safety of the shadows and headed out at an angle, practically running parallel to the keep.

Alex wanted to get much closer to the wild lands. He’d have a much better opportunity to see the whole thing from there.

Turning his head to the north as he rode, Alex watched as the keep’s soldiers panicked and ran about.

They were rushing to and fro on top of the battlements, a number of them clearly yelling at one another.

“Looks like that crazy bitch did it,” Nannie said. “That or they’re pretty fucking stupid.”

“She did it alright,” Alex said. “I just hope she didn’t overdo it. We’ll need to get that gate closed later.”

Drew’s heavy cavalry stormed onto the scene and barreled into the keep itself.

“This’ll be where we pick up casualties,” Alex said. “They’ll be shooting down at him and his men from above.”

Alex felt like he could just barely hear the sounds of combat.

Time passed, and it felt like forever to Alex.

By the time he’d gotten to a spot he felt would serve as a valuable vantage point, he could just barely see the lead elements of Max’s people.

Then they were hustling through the gates, swarming into the keep like a flood.

Dave’s soldiers fanned out through the town that had grown around the keep, overwhelming the small local garrison as if it didn’t exist.

“They were really unprepared,” Carla said. “Is the threat from the wilds that minor?”

“No… it’s actually fairly serious,” Rudolph said. “I think… I think the count stripped his resources for the duke’s war. This might be much better, and worse, than we thought.”

“Both?” Carla asked.

“Better in that we’ll be able to conquer it quickly,” Rudolph said.

“Worse in that our entire duchy is at the mercy of Gaelis,” Alex finished. “Let us hope the duke decides to leave us be for a time.”

“You think he’ll attack?” Nannie asked.

“I think he’d be a fool not to. This isn’t the end; it just comes down to what the duchess is willing to give to get Gaelis to leave.”

Suddenly the flag started to drop. The colors of Ridge vanishing below the walls.

Then the Brit family crest was raised.

“And there’s that,” Alex said. Turning his head to the east, he looked at the large garrison house near the border to the wilds.

“Time for Dave and Drew to go hit the garrison. With any luck, they’ll surrender. Without any luck, we’ll starve them out,” Alex said with a sigh. “Alright. We should head toward the keep and go see the Ridge family manor house.”

“Manor house?” Carla asked.

“They moved their family home out of the keep. Apparently safety and security outweighed living in a drafty stone house.

“Fools. Max sent some men to hold it for me so anyone home couldn’t escape,” Alex said.

“You think anyone was there?” Nannie asked.

“With any luck, Ridge himself. But that’s unlikely. I’ll settle for his family for now. Maybe we can barter them back to him.”

Alex snapped the reins, getting his horse moving.

Dave and Drew were halfway to the garrison by the time Alex passed the keep.

“Let me go first, sire,” Rudolph said, muscling his horse ahead of Alex’s as they neared a large walled mansion.

“Fat lot of good the wall did,” Nannie muttered. “I bet our people just scaled it.”

“Probably. Then again, I don’t think being nobility guarantees any sort of intelligence,” Alex said, pulling his horse up short of the entrance.

Rudolph and another man passed through the gate set in the wall and vanished inside.

Feeling every bit of “hurry up and wait,” Alex drummed his fingers against his thigh.

“Sire,” called someone from behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, he watched as a messenger passed through his guards.

The runner hurried over to Alex and held up a letter.

“From Max, sire,” said the courier.

Taking the paper, Alex scanned over it quickly.

“What’s it say?” Carla asked.

Handing it to Carla after he’d finished, Alex let out a relieved sigh.

“You know your basic letters, Carla. I know your reading level and I think you can get through that, though a bit slowly. How about you start working your way through it? We’ll read it together later,” Alex said, turning to Nannie.

“She can read?” Nannie said, her face turning into a scowl.

“She can now. I’ve been teaching her. Usually after we retire to the bed. Now, do you want the news Five, or are you more worried about Carla’s education?”

Nannie frowned, then nodded her head.

“Grand. Minor casualties in the keep, none of the stores were destroyed, and the gate is intact. Apparently Coffin killed all the gate guards and stacked their corpses in front of the door overnight.”

“Uh… does that mean she slept there?” Nannie asked.

“I imagine so. With the decomposing bodies of her kills.”

Nannie shuddered at that. “I’ve killed my share of people, sure. Men, women, whatever. But never stayed next to a corpse. Let alone slept in a room with one.”

Alex shrugged. Coffin seemed insane, but she was indeed a very useful tool.

“What’s this word?” Carla asked, leaning over to him.

Her shoulder pressed into his as she held up the paper, pointing to a word.

“Ah, deranged. It means unhinged,” Alex said, looking down.

“Oh. Yes, she is,” Carla said, going back to reading.

“Will you teach me?” Nannie asked.

“What, reading?”

“Yes… I’d like to try.”

“Sure, I could do that. But it comes with a price,” Alex said.

Nannie’s face darkened.

She was interrupted by Rudolph before she could get rolling, however.

“Sire, the building is secure. We captured several members of the Ridge family, but not the count,” said his guard.

“Anyone useful?”

“Ah, his sister, his mother, and his nephew.”

“Any of them an inheritor for his claims?”

“The nephew, my lord.”

“Drop the nephew into the darkest, deepest cell in the keep; put the mother in a suite. Put his sister in my room with restraints, but be gentle with her.

“Sack and board up the manor otherwise. Send all the coinage you find to my pay-wagons, and let the men take whatever else they can carry that they want,” Alex ordered, turning his horse back around toward the keep.

“Surprised you didn’t kill him,” Nannie said.

“What, the nephew? I probably will. For now, he’s a bargaining chip.

“Back to the keep then, for now. We’ll send Max, Dan, and their troops to go wipe out the other garrison in Northern Ridge,” Alex said. “Dave and Drew should be able to hold everything down here.”

“And what are we going to do?” Carla asked.

“Meet with the locals. Probably several bailiffs, sheriffs, and headmen, or whatever the hell constitutes for leadership of the peasantry,” Alex said. “Then I’ll meet with his sister and see if I can’t secure a deal out of her. If she swears to me over him, that’ll make my conquest all the easier.”

“Would you have to marry her?” Nannie asked. “Nobility marriages are confusing.”

“I don’t think so. We’ll see how it goes. I wouldn’t want to agree to anything like that without Anna signing off on it.”

***

Alex sat down at the table and looked around quickly.

It was a well-dressed suite and clearly unused. The smell of dust hung in the air.

Now that it was getting much closer to evening, he imagined it’d been taken care of in the time he’d spent wandering around the keep.

Servants must have cleaned it out quickly.

Looking to the woman across from himself, he immediately saw the resemblance to her brother.

The same cold blue eyes, and a similar shade of brown hair cut to shoulder length.

She wasn’t very attractive and didn’t have much of a figure.

“Hello, I’m Alex Brit. Count of Brit,” Alex said.

“Amy, Amy Ridge,” she said in response.

“Wonderful. So, we’ll make this rather simple. I—”

“You’re going to rape me, or rape me and kill me if I resist? Be quick about it,” she said.

Why does everyone assume that’s the first thing I’m going to do? Is it that prevalent in this world?

“No thanks. You’re not really my type. Though I will make you a deal. Would you be willing to entreat with me?” Alex asked.

Amy frowned at him, her fingers scratching lightly at the table.

“What exactly did you have in mind?” she asked, her tone cautious.

“I would have you swear an oath of secrecy, privacy, and that you won’t betray my secrets to others. On your life and soul,” Alex said.

“I’m afraid I can’t,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “You would use that against me later on.”

“As you like. Rudolph, put her in a cell, make sure she’s unharmed. Send in the highest ranking official next,” Alex said, dismissing Amy from his mind immediately.

“What? You can’t—” Amy complained. Rudolph spared her nothing, pulling her out of the chair.

“I don’t see the meaning of this. You don’t—”

Rudolph kept her moving, right out the door, railing against the indignity the entire way.

“What a twat,” Carla muttered from the right side of the table.

“Even I’m better looking than her,” Nannie said. “No right to be that stuck up when you look like a sack of potatoes.”

“You know, that’s a good question, Five. Are you made out of potatoes? Lift your shirt up and I’ll start feeling around and we can figure it out together.”

Nannie made a face at him, showing her teeth.

“Rotten meat and spite, I imagine,” Carla said.

“Be nice, Two. Or you can take care of me tonight instead of One.”

Carla looked to the bed in the corner, then back to him. “That’s fine. Can we use the bed this time? And can we work on that letter from earlier, too?”

Alex thought on that, then shrugged. “Sure. Tell One she lost her place tonight.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Carla said, looking back to the door.

“Just like that, huh, bed warmer?” Nannie asked.

“Just like that,” Carla said, not bothering to respond otherwise. “Call me the professional bed warmer.”

Nannie looked confused and said nothing.

The door opened and a man in his later years shambled in. He was leaning on a cane, his white hair slicked and smoothed back.

“Master Brit,” he said, walking closer.

“Good morning. Please, have a seat,” Alex said, gesturing to the chair across from himself.

The older man grunted and made his way over. Sitting down gingerly, he laid his cane atop the table.

“I asked for you because I wanted to make my intentions clear, and early. I plan on taking over the entirety of Ridge. I’ll hold it as my own domain and rule it in the same way I do Brit.

“I’ll treat it no less, and no better,” Alex said, holding his hands apart in front of him.

“Oh?” asked the older man. “Not quite what I was expecting you to say.”

“And what was that? Color me curious.”

“Serve me or die. That you’ll kill us if we disobey. Something like that.”

“Well, treason will of course be met with an execution, but it would be warranted treason, not baseless claims or crimes.

“I’ve prepared a list of changes that will occur once I solidify my hold over Ridge. I wished to share them with you in advance, so you could begin socializing the ideas.”

“Socializing?” Nannie said, looking confused.

“Ah, I want him to start talking to people about the changes before they become law. That way when it does happen, it’s not a surprise. The quickest way to get people to accept change is to tell them about it long before it happens,” Alex explained.

“Oh. Oh, I get it. Ok,” Nannie said, nodding her head.

The older man watched the exchange with a hawk-like glare.

“Name’s Bennet,” he said.

“Pleasure’s all mine, Bennet. Now, in addition to my new rules, I wanted to ask you about the current pay for the keep. How much money do we have, and how long would it last?”

“All of it,” Bennet said immediately. “And a very long time.”

“All of it?” Alex asked. “Could you clarify that statement?”

“The count kept all his personal monies and county monies here. We had six times the number of troops a few months ago than we did today.”

Alex guffawed at that, then started laughing loudly.

“Well, damn. This war is already over then. He won’t even be able to pay his personal guardsmen,” Alex said, leaning back in his chair.

“Alright. I need you to work out how much coinage we need here to cover six months’ worth of normal everyday expenditures,” Alex said.

Leaning to one side, he opened a carrying case and flipped through several papers.

Finding what he was looking for, he fished it out.

“Add this to that number and then add an additional five percent of the total back to it. That should cover everything, I think.

“The rest we’ll send back to Brit. No sense leaving it here where there’re so few troops.”

Bennet looked over the sheet.

“You sure? This is a lot of coin,” he asked.

“Of course. There’s no point in taking something for myself if I can’t keep it. Now, unless there’s anything else, I think I need to have a word with my commanders,” Alex said, dismissing the man.

“Nope, not a word, sire. I’ll get to work on this immediately,” said Bennet, getting up.

The older man left quietly, leaning on his cane and reading the document as he went.

“Master, you look rather pleased with yourself,” Carla said, watching Alex as the door closed behind Bennet.

“I am. This is pretty much the end of the road for Ridge. If he can’t pay for his soldiers, only the most loyal will remain with him.

“He can’t even buy food. The only way this’ll change is if he gets backing from someone else,” Alex said. “It more or less puts us squarely in charge of Ridge. It’s much better than I thought. Though it does make me worry for our own financial situation.

“This could just have easily been us.”

“I doubt that, Master. I imagine you would never let the seat of your power be staffed with so few people. That report said there were only a hundred or so soldiers here,” Carla argued.

Alex couldn’t quite argue with that. He’d gone so far as to hire entire mercenary companies to leave his standing army home for that very reason.

“Well, I imagine that concludes my meetings for the day. You can leave, Five. Two and I have some work to do, I suppose.”

“Wonderful. Could we have dinner as well?” Carla asked.

“Of course,” Alex said, shrugging his shoulders.

Nannie looked from Carla to him, a frown clear on her face.

“Alright, Master,” I’ll be outside the door for now,” Nannie said, leaving them there.

Carla smiled and sat down in the chair, unbuckling her sword and mace at her hips.

Sighing with relief as she got her weapons free, she seemed quite pleased with herself. She set the weapons down on the table and looked at him.

“Anything you want to eat specifically, Master? Personally, I’m feeling hungry, so I don’t mind whatever you choose.

“As for a plan… how do you feel about eating first, working through that letter and then… wherever the night takes us?” she asked.

Chapter 32

“Sire, a fast courier just stormed in. The horse looks like it’s actually blown,” Dave said from beyond the door to Alex’s private room.

It’d been a week and a day since they’d settled into Ridge. Until the ex-count Ridge was dead, behind bars, or had relinquished his title, Alex would be stuck here in Ridge.

“Right,” Alex said loudly and rolled out of his bed.

Riley mumbled something, rolling over to her other side and pulling at the covers.

Grinning to himself, Alex patted Riley once on the hip and got up.

“Did they say who they were?” Alex called at the door, going to an armoire and pulling out some clothes for the day.

“Sire, they’re already here,” Dave called. “May I open the door?”

Taking several quick steps to the canopied bed, Alex closed the curtain on the bed and pulled on a pair of pants.

“Yes, go ahead.”

The door swung inward and a man in the colors of Tilly strode in, holding out a letter.

“Emergency letter from the baroness, my lord,” the man said.

Taking it in hand, Alex checked the seal. It was unbroken, and very much Mary’s.

Cracking the wax apart with his thumb, he opened the letter.

“Damn,” Alex said as he read through it. “Dave, get everyone spun up. I need Drew and Dan in the field with their cavalry as quick as can be. In fact, we’re clearing out the keep. Everyone needs to be out, except for a skeleton force that can keep it held together from an assault.”

Setting the letter down, Alex went back to the armoire.

“Count Ridge has sworn himself over to Duke Gaelis and has his backing. Something like two-thousand soldiers are on their way here,” Alex said so Dave could understand the urgency.

“Sire, I’m on my way,” Dave said, the sound of his boots retreating audible.

“And you, master courier,” Alex said, coming out with a tunic and coat. “For your troubles, here’s several gold. Please return to your mistress and give her my profound thanks, and tell her I’ll visit her in person soon.”

The man took the coin gratefully and then vanished.

When the door closed, Riley stuck her head out from between the curtains, checked to see who was there, and then came out. She was nude, moving to her uniform that was set just beyond the bed.

“Sorry, One. I had planned on having breakfast with you,” Alex apologized, slamming his feet into his boots.

“Not a problem, Master. I’ll get the Numbers together and let them know what’s going on. Is that the note?” she asked, pointing at the letter.

“Yeah, take it. Two and Three can read it for more details; I’m going to track down Max. I want to be gone from here within the hour. I’ll not sit here idly wondering where our enemy is,” Alex said.

“Sire?” Max said through the door.

Riley gathered up her uniform, the letter, and her boots, then slipped back into his bed.

“Oh, and One? You look amazing,” Alex said, just as she vanished behind the curtain.

A bashful-looking Riley poked her head out through the curtain, one pale shoulder visible. She gave him a small smile, then waved her fingers at him.

“Until next time, Master,” she said, then ducked back into the bed.

Moving to the door, Alex flung it open and marched out.

“Good timing, Max. Duke Gaelis is funding Ridge in exchange for his vassalage.”

“Bastard.”

“To be fair, we did maneuver the count into a position where he couldn’t really oppose us.

“Other than surrendering, this is actually a pretty smart choice on his part. His reputation will suffer for it, but the alternative is having no reputation,” Alex said.

“Any ideas on troop counts?”

“Something like a thousand five hundred. Sounds like he took out a fairly hefty loan.”

“That’s nearly triple our own count. How are we supposed to fight them?” Max asked. “We’re out-manned, out-weaponed, out-equipped—what else have we got?”

Alex grinned at that, a stray memory thrown aside for an old TV show.

“Guile,” Alex said. “I need you to get our forces broken into three and spread out on the western side of Ridge. Make it so the enemy has no choice but to break their own forces to take us on. Preferably in such a way that they’ll be unable to see one another.

“Do it so each of our groups can reinforce the others if they need to. Do you understand?”

“I do, sire,” Max said.

“Great, get going.”

***

The keep emptied of all non-essential personnel. Alex had stuck with Max during the egress, letting him and Dave handle all the orders he’d given.

Rapidly, Drew, Max, and Dave each took a section of soldiers and settled in the fields to the west. Building up defensive earthworks and simple wooden constructs that would break up the enemy on their approach.

It was built in a curve, making it near impossible for the enemy to truly move around them. It also put the ends of the enemy forces fairly distant from one another.

Beyond that, the next several days had been spent waiting. Michael Ridge was apparently a cautious man, and was making his way through the eastern side of Ridge very slowly.

All he was accomplishing, though, was letting the engineers in Powell’s cavaliers really settle in. Ballistae were being put together, as well as professional defensive installations with raised walkways to attack down from.

Trying to take Alex’s position would be a butcher’s bill to the utmost degree.

When the enemy finally did arrive, they looked road stained and weary. It hadn’t been a fast march for them to make it here, but it had still been a march spread over several days.

The entire while, Dan had been hard at work. Harassing them.

Setting fire to their camps, attacking picket lines simply to kill a few, and lingering behind to attack the supply line if possible.

Alex had no doubt Michael Ridge was more than likely suffering morale issues and the wrath of his soldiers.

Watching the enemy, Alex suddenly grinned.

“What is it? You look like you do when you’ve got Three tied up,” Nannie said, trying to see what he did.

Valeria chuckled nearby but didn’t respond.

“They’re splitting into four groups. They have to, if they actually want to cover our entire line. This is perfect.”

“I don’t understand, Master,” Carla said. “Why is this perfect? No matter what we do, we’re outnumbered. Even in splitting into four groups, we’ll not be able to equal them.”

“That’s because you’re not thinking of it right,” Alex said. Turning around, Alex looked for his general.

“Max?” he finally called.

Dave and Drew popped out of a tent and made their way over to him.

“Max is indisposed. What can we do, sire?” Dave asked.

“We’re going to be making a move tonight. Get the men fed, settled in, and resting. Sleeping if they can.

“Quick as can be. Make it look like we’re just being lazy. I doubt our friend over there is going to attack today anyway,” Alex said, looking from one to the other. “Tonight, I need everyone pulled together. Every soldier we have. We’re going to attack their leftmost group tonight. It’ll be a lightning attack. Swarm in, kill as many as possible, trash everything we can, get out.

“We’ll take an hour rest after that, then do the same to the rightmost of their troops.”

Both men looked stunned at the orders.

“My lord?” Drew asked.

“It’s simple. Our entire force will outnumber their groups, almost two to one. Every troop we kill tonight is one we don’t have to face tomorrow. We do this right and they might only outnumber us two to one by tomorrow.”

Nodding their heads, the professionals saluted and trundled off, each man remaining silent.

“That doesn’t seem like it’d work,” Nannie said.

“It will, Five. They’re tired from marching, they see our defenses and already despair. Their will to fight only goes as far as the coin they’re given. I’m betting they’re all mercenaries,” Alex said, looking back toward the no man’s land between the two forces. “And after tonight, Dan and Drew will start whittling down their numbers while we start using that siege weaponry on their camps.”

“Siege weaponry? On camps, Master?” Riley said, close to his side but not clutching his arm.

“It probably won’t kill many, but it’ll keep them hopping, now won’t it? After that, we’ll start in with our true nighttime antics.”

And since they gifted us so much time, they won’t even be able to return the favor.

Not wanting to think about how hard it was going to be to fall asleep, Alex went about his business as normally as he could.

So it surprised him how easily he did fall asleep later that night.

Even despite knowing what his soldiers would be doing.

Of course, that was mostly due to the fact that Valeria had invited herself into his bed. She’d given him the simple statement that it was her turn, and kept him well distracted until he’d been ready to collapse.

“Sire?” came a voice outside his command pavilion.

Alex’s eyes snapped open and he got out of bed quickly. He’d redressed after his workout with Valeria, wanting to be ready at the drop of a hat.

Moving straight to the entrance, he stepped out into the gloomy pre-dawn.

Standing there with his helmet tucked under his arm was his general. He looked tired and worn, but bursting with positive energy.

“Max, good to see you. How’d it go?” Alex asked, hoping for the best.

“Exactly as you said it would. The first camp was a right slaughter. We pulled out once it seemed like the nearest enemy camp had figured out what was going on,” Max said. “The second attack went much better, if that’s possible. We nearly killed them to a man, looted ’em, torched the supplies we couldn’t take, and ran off the survivors.”

“Excellently done,” Alex said, reaching out and clapping Max on the arm. “That’ll have them licking their wounds today. I’d be surprised if they don’t bother with us.”

“They won’t. They’re already recombining into one large force. I think they’re going to try for the keep instead,” Max said.

Alex chortled at that, feeling like Leah was gifting him with this change in affairs.

Then he sobered rapidly.

“Get the scouts out and moving in every direction. I like what he’s doing, but I also don’t like it,” Alex said. “I want Dan and Drew’s people taking pokes at them the entire time as they head east as well.

“Nothing direct. Oblique-angle strikes, shaving corners of their formation off, throwing javelins into the ranks. I repeat, nothing direct. Is that clear?”

“Clear, sire,” Max said.

“Good, go. And try to get some rest if you can as well.”

Max saluted and then left.

After moving back into his pavilion and finding Nannie and Carla awake waiting for him, Alex went to his command table.

Looking at the map for Ridge, he tried to visualize where everything was.

“It doesn’t quite feel right,” he said finally. “They wouldn’t move back to the keep unless they wanted us to follow and harass them. They’d expect it, even.”

Walking his fingers along the obvious route the ex-count Michael Ridge would take, he paused as it passed nearby a wooded area.

“Is Three up yet?” Alex asked, looking up to Carla and Nannie.

“Probably not. You had her up for a while. She’s pretty loud,” Nannie grumbled.

Alex harrumphed at that and looked back to the map.

“I’m here,” said a voice in the corner, startling everyone.

Seated in the corner, pressed into the shadow, was Coffin.

“Ah, hello there,” Alex said. “I need you to run a mission for me. Come here.”

Coffin got up and came over, her fingers fluttering as if they were playing a guitar. She had a strange way of moving as well that seemed to make him feel ill at ease.

“See this wooded area?” Alex asked, pointing to the spot on the map.

Coffin nodded, her wild hair shaking about her head.

“Go there, investigate, come back. I’m betting they have soldiers there waiting for us. If you can catch an officer without risking yourself, interrogate one and kill ’em.

“If it’s too much risk, check the area and come back,” Alex said, tapping the map again. “Got it?”

“Yes, I’m the knife. I go,” Coffin said, and then slunk away.

“You really think they’ll be there?” Carla asked.

“Maybe. Not risking it though. They outnumber us at least two to one. They only need one sure strike against us. I’ll not give it to them.”

***

“Many men,” Coffin said, appearing at the edge of Alex’s command group. Right in front of him.

She held out an ear in one hand.

“They’re under orders to wait there for you to come, then to attack. Many archers,” she said, wiggling the ear a little. “I took his life after he told me what he knew. I’m the knife.”

Dropping the ear where she stood, she crouched down low, hunkering into herself.

Valeria went over to the woman and escorted her off before anyone could think about it.

“So it really is an ambush. Where’d our scouts last put the enemy army at?” Alex asked, looking to the table in front of himself.

“Here, sire,” Dave said, pointing to a spot between the keep and themselves. “Several hours out from the keep. Even if they made it there today, they wouldn’t begin a siege till tomorrow.”

Alex stared at the map. If Michael managed to actually siege the keep, it’d be rather difficult to pry him loose later. Doable, just difficult.

And more than likely only after starving out the entire place.

Having archers waiting in the woods only made it seem more obvious to him that Michael wanted to crush Alex’s army completely. He was trying to force Alex into doing what he wanted. Rather than reacting to Alex.

“Alright. They’re going to actually siege. Let’s set up around their siege and keep working them over. We’ll do what we can to chip away at their numbers, but this might end up coming down to having to engage them in the field at some point. Let’s have the engineer corps set up a fallback position just outside. Here in these hills,” Alex said, pointing to a spot southwest of the keep.

“What about the archers?” Dan asked.

Alex took in a deep breath, then smiled bitterly.

“How heavily wooded is the area they’re in?”

“It’s not so thick as to be impassible, but it’s definitely going to slow us down if we chase into it. It backs up to a cliff you can’t do much with. It drops off into the wild lands to the south.”

“Oh? What’s the weather been like down there this year?”

“Dry. Why?” Dan asked.

“Set the whole thing on fire,” Alex said, flinging a careless finger around the wooded area on the map. “Burn it all down. We’ll replant afterward if we have to. Take some of the portable ballistae and use them to fire canisters of flaming pitch. Have your light cavalry spread out around the points they can escape and cut them down if they do.”

All around the table, shocked faces stared at him.

“No prisoners,” Alex said, making sure everyone understood that point. “Burn ’em out, cut ’em down. Once the whole place is cinders, check to see if you can salvage anything. I’m sure they have a camp in there. Otherwise, go back to your previous orders.”

“Aye… aye, sire. I’ll do that,” Dan said, his voice sounding tense.

Alex shrugged his shoulders and then thought of something.

“Bring me Ridge’s sister and nephew. I’ll be in my pavilion.”

Alex left them there.

Several minutes later, Carl and Nannie escorted Amy Ridge in. She looked much worse for wear than he remembered. She was dirty, her clothes were fraying, and she looked tired.

She was, however, unharmed and healthy.

Just very uncomfortable.

“Amy, welcome. Your brother has arrived in country,” Alex said, pointing at the seat across from him.

“Finally going to rape me? Or cut a finger off and send it back to him?” she asked, glowering at him.

“You look like something used to clean out a sewer. I have no use for you at all in my bed. As for sending a finger back, no, I was planning on sending you back to him whole,” Alex said, folding his hands in his lap.

“What, in a box then?” Amy said, sneering at him.

“No, alive and well, actually. But I’ll need an oath from you for secrecy, privacy, and to not betray what you know of the situation here. Also, I’ll be asking your cousin the same, if you decline. If he accepts, I really don’t have much use for you anymore here. I might send you back to Brit and put you in the dungeon there,” Alex said.

Amy blinked several times, her eyes unfocused as she stared through him.

“You said to swear? On which god?” Amy asked, her gaze returning to him.

“Leah,” Alex said immediately.

“Leah. Leah?” Amy asked.

“Indeed. Life and soul. To the privacy, secrecy, and to not betray me.”

“I do so swear on Leah, to those terms,” Amy said.

“Grand. Next. I would have you swear an oath to take a message to your brother for me. I’ll grant you your freedom for taking said message as well. On your previous oath, of course.

“The price for freeing you is that should I win this war against your brother, you’ll swear yourself to my service afterward.”

Amy looked mildly disgusted at the terms, but then nodded her head.

“Fine, I’ll do it. I swear to your terms on our existing oath. What’s the message?” Amy asked, looking wary.

“It’s a simple message. Leave,” Alex said, smiling at Amy. He is of course welcome to respond, and I’ll grant his messenger safe passage.

“Alright, off with you, Amy. I’ll give you a horse, but you’ll still have a long road ahead of you.”

Alex hoped he could prod Michael into action. The longer he settled in for a siege, the less likely he’d break away from it.

Chapter 33

Alex tried to soothe his horse. It shifted uneasily, seeming to want to be anywhere but here.

Not that Alex could blame it. The tension was sky high around him.

Unfortunately, he needed to be here.

He was the one who had come up with the plan, which meant he needed to be the one to carry the consequences when he ordered it into action.

That order would be to burn the forest to the ground, along with everyone who remained inside it, and to cut down those who fled.

They couldn’t afford prisoners right now, as they had nowhere to keep them. It’d cost him soldiers to do so, and he couldn’t afford that.

“I mean, it’d be nice to wear something thicker, but it’d slow me down,” Carla said.

“Huh. What ‘bout chainmail? That’s pretty sturdy and flexible. More so than that gods-awful plate stuff,” Nannie replied.

“Yeah… there’s quite a bit of chain in the armory. Need to have it adjusted to fit. Want to take a look when we get back?”

“Yeah, yeah. Need some better swords too. These have been sharpened one too many times and they just don’t hold an edge like they used to.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Valeria said. “I could use a good set of knives. For Coffin and my other agent, too.”

There was a pause in the conversation. Long enough that Alex turned his head to look.

All three women were staring at Riley.

“Probably need to train her to at least fight with a knife,” Nannie said finally.

Carla nodded her head. “You want to learn to use a knife, One?”

“You’d teach me?” she asked, looking between the other three women.

Alex turned back toward the ballista off to one side. The engineers were busy loading a cannister of oil into a custom-made bolt.

A slow-burning rope fuse had been tied around the rear of the bolt. All down the line, and curling up around the other side of the forest, were portable ballistae. All of them currently being loaded with their specialty ammo.

“Sire, someone bearing the colors of Tanulf is approaching from the west! Rapidly, too,” called one of his people.

Frowning, Alex turned toward the indicated direction.

Sure enough, there was a decent-sized party of people on horses heading his way.

“Let them pass when they arrive after you confirm who it is. I’m not aware of being in trouble in any way, so it’s fine. Everyone other than my Numbers can leave.” Alex then looked to Valeria, who was watching him after everyone but his Numbers had left.

“Can I ask you an odd question, Three?” Alex inquired.

“Of course, Master,” Valeria said with a warm smile.

“In any of your work experience, have you ever had a situation where your Master wanted you to kill someone, but couldn’t give you the order?”

Valeria’s smile faltered, her eyebrows sliding upward.

“I don’t think so… That’d be… a hard thing to arrange. The act of—”

“I was just curious,” Alex said, interrupting her deliberately. “Thank you, Three.”

Carla and Nannie looked thoughtful. Riley had complete confusion written across her face.

And Valeria looked as if she were trying to put together a puzzle only she could see.

Blowing out a breath, Alex looked back to the forest.

“We’ll be ready shortly sir,” said an engineer who wandered over after it was clear Alex wasn’t talking to his Numbers anymore “Getting reports now that a number of our teams are ready. I’ll let you know as soon as everyone is set.”

“Thank you,” Alex said absently, staring through the trees.

How many am I going to burn alive, and how many people will I deprive of a living?

That wood isn’t just a stand of trees. There’s no telling how many people hunt in it, cut down trees for homes, or collect firewood.

All for the sake of a title.

Count Brit of Ridge.

Alex lost track of time as he sat there thinking to himself.

“Count Brit,” said a pleasant voice.

Startled, Alex turned his head quickly, watching as the duchess herself approached him.

She was dressed in riding leathers, though they still managed to flatter her appearance.

“Ah, Duchess. A pleasure to see you,” Alex said, bowing his head in observance to her rank.

“Are you so sure of that?” she asked, closing the gap until her horse practically pressed up to the side of his own.

“Indeed I am. I have no reason to be concerned for your arrival. You were notified of my intention the moment I decided to take action,” Alex said.

“That’s very true. To be honest, I was surprised. Angry, even,” Regina said. Alex could feel her eyes on him, as if daring him to ignore her gaze. “Then I realized I underestimated you. And that my father underestimated you as well.

“Neither of us thought for a second that you would actually take it to the king if we refused you.”

“Ah. I’m pleased to surprise you then,” Alex said, finally turning his head to meet her eyes.

She smirked, quirking one brow. “The way I heard it, you actually threatened our king with going to the emperor. That’s rather… not very you, Alex.”

“As I’ve said to many people, my time as a prisoner changed much about me. I’ll not be idle. I’ll not sit still and let things slide by. Through my very fingers,” Alex said, shaking his head. “No longer.”

“So I’ve seen. I must thank you, by the way. That impromptu defensive fortification you left behind curbed Gaelis from pushing into our lands.

“Then you provoked Ridge into forswearing his allegiance. It broke the entire faction he was a part of.

“And on my way in, I noticed the barony of Tilly seems to be wearing the colors of Brit,” Regina said. There were no questions, or even room for curiosity, in any of her statements.

“Baroness Mary has sworn herself to my service, and I accepted her. The declaration wasn’t made until I secured Ridge.”

“Yes, the timing worked out rather well. By the time her letter arrived at the courts, Ridge had already broken his oath.

“Gaelis offered him only money, and granted him no troops, advisers, or resources. Hence why I cannot and will not interfere,” Regina said, her eyes finally releasing him and shifting toward the nearby ballista. “Now it looks as if Tilly is throwing in their lot with us due to Ridge’s actions, and they look quite badly all in all. I do expect you to win, by the way. And when you do, I’ll uphold your victory over Ridge.”

Too late for that, Regina. You didn’t support me when I had a claim and a champion’s victory. I’ll not be relinquishing my writ from the king on you anytime soon.

“Whatever are you doing?” Regina asked, indicating the ballista.

“Removing an obstacle,” Alex said simply.

“Ah… sire… we’re ready, actually,” said the engineer. Alex couldn’t fault the man for not wanting to interrupt the conversation between his count and his duchess.

“Right…” Alex said with a sigh. “Send the signal. Let’s get this over with.”

“Get what over with?” Regina asked.

Alex didn’t respond; instead, he stared at the woods, waiting.

“What…?” Regina asked, only to stop when the engineer lit the rope.

Then he fired the ballista. After that, every ballista down the line began to fire.

Smoky trails appeared in the sky as the heavy bolts flew through the air.

As they struck trees, ground, and branches, their ammo exploded.

Oil scattered in every direction, and almost immediately went up in flame.

In the span of several beats of his heart, the ground around the impact area became a wild fire.

“It really was a dry season, wasn’t it?” Alex murmured.

“What have you done?” Regina asked, aghast.

“I’ve set up a situation where I eliminate an entire regiment of archers who were positioned to kill me as I passed by to defend the keep.

“This is war, Duchess. Not a silly skirmish or a battle for prestige. I will have Michael Ridge’s head.

“Unfortunately, it’ll likely be atop a pyramid of the heads of his own troops,” Alex said, watching the blaze as it rapidly went out of control.

Regina didn’t say anything. Though her silence spoke volumes.

“Good day, Count Brit. I expect you to pay me a visit at my court once you finish up with Ridge,” Regina said.

“Of course, Duchess,” Alex said, not looking away from the raging inferno that was now taking place.

Or turning his head away from the screams that he could just now hear, drifting on the warm, smoky wind.

The duchess left then, and Alex remained.

He refused to turn from the scene. Even when men began streaming out of the woods to try and escape the flames, Alex didn’t turn away.

Not until no one else came out, and the flames had long since swept through the majority of the forest.

Pulling on his reins, Alex steered his mount away from the smoldering ruins.

Thankfully, no one made any attempt to talk to him. Everyone seemed to realize he wasn’t in a good mood.

***

Alex pulled a boot off and dropped it to the ground with a dull thud.

“Boots don’t last when you treat them like that.”

Looking up, Alex found Leah sitting on his work desk, idly kicking her legs back and forth through the air.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, pulling off the other boot and repeating the process.

“Seven hundred and thirty-two. Forty-two deer, too,” Leah said. “Bunch of little critters.”

“Seven hundred what?”

“Men. That’s how many you killed in the woods. Only a handful survived,” Leah said, nodding her head energetically. “I got some power for each one you killed, since you’re my servant, but not much.”

“Grand. So you’re saying I should become a monster and see if I can’t beat my previous high score,” Alex said, leaning forward and pressing his elbows to his knees, resting his face in his hands.

“You’d never get anywhere near it. It’s still growing, even now!” Leah said. Reaching up, she scratched at the side of her head and then brightened. “Ah, I remembered why I came here.”

“Not just for the company? Not bored right now?”

“Nope. Though I don’t watch you very often. I have to be pretty bored for that to happen.

“The reason I came is you’re not fulfilling your bargain with me very well.”

“Hah? Last I saw, the crystal was full and even some of the pillar,” Alex argued immediately.

“Yes, yes, you have enough to last you for about two months right now. But at the rate you’re going, you won’t make it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“How to explain… let’s see. You sent Sylvia and Holly away.”

“I did, yes.”

“Because they wouldn’t offer you much in a trade if they actually agreed, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Getting Riley into your bed, and Valeria, counted for almost nothing. They acted the part of not wanting to, because they thought that’s what you wanted, but they had already decided to do so long before you made the deal.”

Alex blinked, shocked at that bit of news.

“They wanted it. Which means those deals? Worth almost nothing. Only getting Mary to prostitute herself to you was worth anything of note. She’s the one reason you have a full crystal right now, in fact.”

“I see. And Five?”

“If you got her to agree to everything soon, she’d be worth a quarter of a crystal. You keep making her wait, and giving her time to think it over, she’ll be worth less and less. You’ve already turned her around mentally to where you wanted her. It’s just a matter of time now before she asks.”

Alex closed his eyes and scrubbed at his face with his hands.

“Don’t worry—all those women in your dungeon? Lots of power there. Just go on a bed-banging spree and take ’em all. That or get them to do worse things. They have to not want to do it, remember? Has to be in your favor.”

“Yeah, I remember. I just… I didn’t think about it,” Alex said through his fingers.

“Nannie doesn’t even have a deal for her food, equipment, or lodging. You just let her run loose.”

“I mean. I do, but—”

“Alex,” Leah said, interrupting him.

Opening his eyes, Alex looked to the goddess.

“I am not a nice woman. I’m a goddess of murder. Of dark deals. The things that make others curse. I am She,” Leah said, her eyes turning pitch black and a shadowy aura starting to crawl out from her.

Alex’s mind railed at him and his heart quailed at the rapid change.

“I like you. Quite a bit. I like your wife. But I’ll still pull your soul out of your chest the minute our deal fails.

“Because I like you, though, I’m telling you all of this.”

The darkness in her eyes vanished, the shadow rapidly being pulled back into her body.

“If I didn’t like you, I’d just let you fail,” she said with a smile. “But we all have our rules we must follow.

“Now, my personal suggestion, if you’d hear it?”

Alex nodded his head quickly, his heart still hammering in his chest in fear.

“Keep your Numbers close; use them to buoy yourself. Get them into their deals and keep them around till they fall. They’ll keep your heart afloat even as you wade through a river of soul-wrenching deals and back-alley trades.

“Use the dungeon and your prisoners to fuel your soul, though. This is a merciless world. Everything you’ve done so far is distasteful to the masses. But it isn’t forcing anyone. Everyone has had a choice. Most nobility would have simply raped them all, then had them killed.

“Keep to what you’ve been doing, knowing that I approve. Just because I’m a mistress of the dark doesn’t mean I don’t have a heart or mercy,” Leah said. Then vanished.

Alex let his head hang, screwing his eyes shut.

Holy fucking hell she’s terrifying.

And… not wrong. You’ve been working to warm them up to your deals long before making them. Only Sylvia, Riley, and Carla got deals that went against what they wanted.

And now Carla just offers to sleep with me whenever she likes.

Shaking his head, Alex wasn’t sure what to think of it all.

Other than to follow Leah’s advice.

“Master?” Riley asked. Her voice was soft, gentle. And near.

A light touch brushed through his hair, making Alex lift his head up.

Riley stood there in front of him, dressed only in a see-through night dress that barely reached her thighs.

She’d pulled her hair back with small pins, her body bare of any other clothing, except for her collar.

“I thought… maybe… maybe you wouldn’t mind some company?” she asked, her fingers toying with the hem of the fabric.

Alex smiled at her and then leaned back, looking at her more carefully.

“I wouldn’t. What’d you have in mind?” he asked.

Riley smiled at him, then slowly got down to her knees. She unbuckled his belt leisurely and then unfastened his pants.

Unhesitatingly, she worked his pants down from his legs until she pulled them free entirely.

Setting them to one side, she then ran her hands up along his inner thighs.

“I don’t think you’ve asked me to do this yet, so I thought it might be fun?” Riley asked.

Without waiting for an answer, she dipped her head down and fished his half-erect self out from between his legs with her lips.

Audibly slurping, Riley moved her head forward and took his length into her mouth.

Turning her head from side to side, she sucked on him roughly. At the same time, her tongue writhed along the underside of his shaft.

Riley then looked up at him, and Alex couldn’t do anything but watch her.

She moaned softly, her fingers digging into his thighs as she began to slowly, methodically, bob her head up and down.

Easing back further onto his bed, Alex settled onto his elbows, staring down Riley’s nightie.

Smiling around his girth, Riley batted her eyes at him. Then she made a point of noisily sucking him back into her mouth.

Now fully erect, he actually felt his tip touch her throat before she eased him back up and out.

Doing nothing to impede or assist, Alex watched as Riley began to work her head quicker with each pass of her mouth. Her lips pressed tight to his flesh as she greedily devoured him over and over.

Pulling her head back, she released his tip with a soft pop as the suction broke. Reaching up with her right hand, she began to lightly stroke him, her tongue sneaking out to lap at his tip.

“Master, would you like to mount me and stain my insides? Or do you want to dirty my pretty mouth?” she asked innocently, her words clearly intentional.

Her lips curled around his head, sucking on him gently as her tongue speared into the tip over and over.

“Shit… ah… what… what do you want, One?” Alex asked, not able to think quite clearly.

Riley smiled beautifully, releasing him entirely.

“Fill me up, Master. Make me yours all over again,” Riley said. She gave him another lick, then let go of his shaft.

Not waiting, Riley lay down in his bed, adjusted her nightie, and spread her legs wide apart for him.

“Come, Master. Show me that I’m One,” Riley said, holding her hands out to him.

Alex grinned at her. Rolling over, he settled down atop her gently, his knees coming up under her thighs.

Not wanting to wait, he pushed himself into her, straight to the hilt.

Riley’s arms tightened up around his shoulders and pulled his head down to her throat.

Her lips latched to his ear and she moaned into it directly, her knees raising up as high as she could take them.

“Yes, Master. Give me everything,” she murmured.

Alex pressed his wrists to her hips and then started to pump himself in and out of her.

He had only need of her. Desire to take her completely.

He went from entering her to pummeling her backside with his crotch, as if trying to push all the way through her.

Riley started to call out softly against his ear with each thrust. Her collar tinkled and jingled as he tried to split her in half.

Unable to resist himself, Alex sank his teeth into her pale throat, just above her collar.

“Yes, Master. Mark me up as yours in every way,” Riley said, her teeth biting at his ear in return.

Before he could act on the impulse to turn her neck into a purple bite mark, he hit his climax and pressed hard into Riley. As if he wanted to bury her in the bed as he buried his seed in her.

Riley moaned deeply into his ear, her hands rubbing at his back encouragingly.

“Yes, Master. That’s it,” she said, kissing his jaw and neck lightly.

Alex kept thrusting into her as he climaxed. His hands curled into her hips and pushed her down as he thrust upward into her several more times.

Then Alex felt everything come to a stop as he finished. There wasn’t anything left in him, and he sank into Riley.

“That’s it, Master. Let One take care of you,” Riley said, her fingers stroking and petting his back.

Somehow his head ended up nestled on her shoulder, his face against her neck.

Riley’s fingers carded through his hair and smoothed it with his part.

“Rest,” she said, nuzzling his ear.

Alex fell asleep a minute later.

Chapter 34

Alex slowly came to. It took him a moment to remember where he was.

Turning his head to one side, he found Riley snuggled up close to him, but not sleeping on him.

She’d somehow wrangled him off herself into the bed properly, and curled up beside him.

Looking back to the interior ceiling of his canopied bed, Alex thought about what Leah had told him last night.

He needed to process deals, or she’d process him. It was that simple.

We can do that, though. It’s just a matter of not getting… involved… long term with those I make deals with.

If I can separate from them after the fact, and keep them at a distance, this can work.

Even Leah said to keep the Numbers close by for my sanity.

And Anna will support me; she understands. Perhaps even better than I do. She already started to maneuver things for me. She filled my dungeon with women who would satisfy what I need.

Riley let out a loud snore.

Then she farted in her sleep.

Alex blinked in surprise. After a moment, he started to laugh. He tried to stop. Desperately so, but he couldn’t contain it.

It was so normal.

Down to earth, in comparison to his thoughts of bartering and soul-dealing his way through a dungeon of women.

Leah was right. Keep his Numbers close.

Riley’s eyes slowly opened, and she smiled at him shyly.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, sounding quite sleepy.

“Nothing at all. I’m sorry for waking you. I order you to go back to bed, One. And sleep soundly. I’m going to go make a deal or two and get into the swing of things. I promise to wake you before I leave anywhere, alright?”

Riley nodded her head a little, then rubbed at her nose. “You sure, Master?”

“I’m sure. Sleep,” Alex said, rolling out of the bed.

“Mmhmm.” Riley closed her eyes and clearly fell right back asleep.

Smiling to himself, Alex flicked the covers over her more firmly and stepped out of the canopy.

Taking a moment to look around, he saw it was clearly still a few hours before dawn.

He could get some work done if he was quick.

Moving to the section of the pavilion Nannie and Carla slept in, he crept inside.

Easing up alongside Nannie’s bed, he reached in to pat her shoulder.

Only to have her flinch, and a hand shoot out to wrap around his throat and pull him in close to the bed.

He was suddenly face to face with her, her eyes wide and not awake at all.

“Five, it’s me. It’s ok. I wanted to talk to you privately,” Alex whispered, trying to keep his voice as soft as possible.

Her fingers didn’t tighten around his neck, and he could actually see the point where her brain switched from groggy to awake.

Slowly, her hand released him as she blinked rapidly.

“What…?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

“Come see me in the study. Be quiet and don’t wake anyone up,” Alex whispered. Standing up, he snuck back out of the room as quietly as he could.

Not waiting for Nannie, Alex took a seat on the couch. Rubbing his hands against his knees, trying not to think about what he was about to do.

Nannie entered his study. For the first time in his memory, she wasn’t in her armor, wasn’t holding a weapon, and didn’t have one belted at her waist.

She was dressed in a long tunic that reached her knees, and nothing else.

“What is it?” she asked, coming over and sitting down in a chair facing him. “Did something happen?”

“No. I wanted to talk to you about… well, you.”

Nannie’s face clouded up, her mouth tightening.

“That’s it, then?” she asked. “All tired of pretending now?”

“Pretending?” Alex asked. He didn’t quite understand what she meant.

“Pretending. Pretending that you’re comfortable around me. That you want me here. That you don’t look at me and wonder if I’ll kill you in the night,” Nannie said, her voice slowly rising.

“Uh… Five?” Alex said, interrupting her when she took a deep breath.

Nannie paused, her mouth open, her body tense. Her hands were at her sides, tightly clenched.

She was also giving him a rather clear view of her rather firm and muscular thighs.

“What?” she asked, her voice tight.

“First off, you have some impressive legs,” Alex said, pointing at the indicated body parts.

Nannie’s knees slammed together and she pulled down on her tunic.

“Second, wow, you fill out that tunic way more than I thought you would. Do you bind your chest or something? You’re a bit bigger than Two, aren’t you? Probably a lot closer to Three than I realized.”

Nannie’s face was bright red now. Either in rage or embarrassment, Alex couldn’t tell.

Her growl was audible.

“Third, I need to arrange a deal with you. To permanently tie you to me. I’ll have you swear to all the same things the others have. One night in my bed a week, one night on your knees a week, to call me Master, to wear a collar—a nice one, with your name tag on it. Already have it ready for you; it’s quite lovely.

“And your name is Five. To respond to and be called, Five.

“You’ll be granted everything they’re entitled to. You’ll all be equal to each other,” Alex said, holding his hands apart. “I’ll need you to swear all that on your life and your soul, on your existing oath. If not, I’ll have to treat you as if you weren’t a Number.”

Nannie looked a bit like a landed fish. Her mouth opening and closing several times.

“You… want me to be the same as the others,” she said finally.

“That’s right. No different than One, Two, or Three.”

“You want me in your bed. Would force me into your bed. Force me to… to service you,” Nannie said.

“Indeed. You can of course refuse. As the deal always goes.

“Well, what’ll it be, Five? I’ll have your collar, uniform, and tag ready today if you agree. Then you’ll be truly bound to me till the day you die.”

Nannie kept one hand pressed to her chest, her other hand still holding her tunic.

She looked angry. Angry and confused.

Leah had warned him she was close to simply agreeing because she wanted it.

He wasn’t expecting to get much from her accepting the deal; this was just to get everyone on the same playing field.

“I accept,” Nannie said after a long pause, “Master.”

***

“What’s it look like, Max?” Alex asked, unable to see much of the keep through the village in front of them.

“Much the same,” Max said with a loud sigh. “They’re not budging from their siege. No matter how much we pepper them with arrows and javelins. Hell, we’ve been throwing rocks since we ran out of everything else.

“Ballistas don’t have much ammunition left, either. They just refuse to engage us.”

Alex sighed and ran a hand across his face.

“Dan and Drew have been making charges against their flanks. They’re just piling up bodies now so we can’t run them down,” Max said, his tone clear with exasperation. “And it isn’t as if they’ll survive the siege either; they’re running low on food.”

“They are?” Alex asked.

“Drew smashed a support column that was trying to get through. Food. All food.”

Max threw an arm back towards their own support cache, far to the rear and guarded. “We just… piled it up with our stuff. He’ll end up capturing the keep, only to run out of food.

“They’ll run us down until they drain the resources or they get reinforcements.”

Alex couldn’t help but agree with that assessment. In either situation, the outcome wasn’t going to be good.

And to top all that off, if I’m stuck here, I won’t be making deals. If I don’t make deals and get Leah power, I might as well just open up my own throat.

Damn me for a fool. She was right. Without Mary, I would have been strapped for power to fill the crystal, let alone the pillar.

“Sire, enemy troops have moved into the village,” a soldier reported, coming up to them at a run.

“The village?” Max asked.

“Yes sir, it looks like they’re foraging.”

Alex shook his head once, then threw his hands up.

“Send in some men-at-arms. Discourage the enemy and kill as many as you can. In fact, have some light foot loop around to cut off their retreat. Let’s take out as many as we can,” Alex said.

“Sire,” Max said, saluted, then moved away.

Grumbling, Alex ran a hand through his hair.

“Problem, Master?” Nannie asked, looming over his shoulder.

“Nothing you don’t already know, Five. Just our dear friend over there being stubborn and stupid. He’s going to go down as hard as possible and take everything he can with him.

“If he manages to somehow get reinforcements, we’ll be forced to withdraw until I can buy more troops.”

Then Alex shook his head.

“No, I’ll be honest with myself. If that happened, we’d retreat and give up on it for now. The cost would be too much to support. This is already starting to drain our finances, and it will be a while before the economy of Ridge stabilizes.”

“Sounds like we should just run in and smash them now, then. Up against the wall,” Nannie said.

Alex nodded at that, then froze.

It wasn’t a bad answer. It was a horrible tactic, and it’d get a lot of people killed, but realistically, it was a valid answer. One that could work.

“Good thought, Five. Very good thought,” Alex murmured.

Acting on the possibility, he moved over to Dave, who was speaking with Dan.

“Dave,” Alex said, getting the other man’s attention.

“Sire?”

“I need you to put a plan together on how we can assault them against that wall. Maybe set their position on fire and then charge in after it dies down,” Alex said. “I don’t have any solid ideas, but I need to be able to crack their defense if we have to. We can’t let them take the keep, or we’ll be trapped here for far too long. If we want to win without the risk of him getting reinforced, this’d be it.”

Dave frowned at him, but slowly nodded his head. “Alright, I’ll get to work on it. But from what I can see, we’ll have to commit to that probably by tomorrow. They assembled a massive number of ladders. Max is trying to confirm numbers, but… my gut tells me they’ll hit the walls tomorrow.

“Might be our best chance to attack as they’re trying to scale them.”

Alex grunted at the news.

“Right. Ok. Sounds like a plan. Put it together and get it ready. Thank you, Dave,” Alex said, turning and leaving the man to work his plan.

“Sire?” Dan said, catching up with him.

“Mm?”

“I have a problem, and I think you’ll need to intervene.”

“What is it?”

“We ended up clearing some of the nearby buildings. Mostly for storage and caches.”

“Uh huh.”

“One of them was the prison. We’ve got about seven prisoners in there. They were all scheduled for execution, but the sheriff and the bailiff were both killed by the enemy when they passed through.

“They left everyone in their cells, though,” Dan said.

“Huh. Alright. And you need me to weigh out their justice?”

“Yes, sire. At least to enforce their execution and have it carried out.”

Alex rubbed at his neck, feeling the scruff growing in.

Need to shave. Starting to get stubbly.

Wait. They’re already destined to die, right? We can use this. I think.

“Take me to them and clear the prison of everyone else. I’ll take my Numbers, and that’s it,” Alex said, making a decision.

Dan nodded his head and then gestured down a road off to the side.

“This way then, sire,” he said.

Alex glanced over his shoulder. Carla and Nannie were there. Valeria and Riley weren’t.

Probably working on something else. I’ll be fine with these two.

Firming up on his choice, Alex fell in behind Dan and walked at his pace.

“Anything else I need to know about them?”

“Nothing else to tell, really. They were all sentenced just before everything happened. The paperwork was all right there on the desk. They were all to be hanged in a week and thrown in a ditch.”

“Lovely. And what’d they do to deserve such a fate?”

“Rape and murder for most of them. Or so the charges listed on the papers claim. Nothing lost if they get hanged,” Dan said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Grinning, Alex turned and looked back at Nannie, who was staring at him.

“I dunno, I find that everyone has a purpose,” Alex said.

Nannie gave him a crooked grin, then gestured at him to pay attention to the road.

“—ure about that one, sire, I’ll have to take your word for it.”

Dan shoved a door open in a squat, low, square building.

“Inside, my lord. Down the steps, and they’re all in there. I’ll watch the door for you and make sure you’re alone. No one should be in there, but you could probably let your guards go first.

“Here’s the key,” Dan said, holding out a heavy metallic key to him.

Alex stepped to one side without even needing to be told.

Carla took his security seriously and would brain him if he tried to do something stupid.

Or just dress him down in public.

Again.

Pulling her mace from the sheath, Carla moved forward into the building. Nannie followed her in, stopping to point a finger at Alex’s chest.

“Stay here, Master. Or I’ll break your dick off later,” she threatened.

“Yes, dear.”

Nannie poked him in the chest and then went inside.

Dan looked at him curiously, to which Alex shrugged.

“It’s easier if you don’t piss off the women you share a bed with,” Alex explained.

Making an “oh” face, Dan nodded.

“Clear!” Carla shouted from inside.

Nodding to Dan, Alex went into the building, then straight down the stairs to the cells below.

There was very little light down there.

To the point that Alex wasn’t even sure there was anyone in the cells themselves.

Moving to the first one, he peered inside.

And saw a dirty, scruffy man inside.

He was perfect for Alex’s needs.

Looking around, he found a number of men all in the same state.

“Alright,” Alex said loudly, getting their attention.

“I’ve come to make you an offer. One I think you’ll find suitable,” Alex said. He paused to walk down the aisle and make sure everyone was listening.

“I’m going to free you. All of you, but you need to do something for me.”

“What’s that, fight for you? Fuck that,” said one man.

“Nothing so simple. Nothing so easy. In fact, my price is simple, but first… let’s establish what’s going on here.”

Alex stopped in the middle of the room.

“You’ve all been sentenced to death. Your execution is to be carried out. I have the power to rescind it. It’s within my rights.

“But first, I need an oath from you all. Of secrecy, privacy, and that you’ll not betray anything we discuss to anyone else.

“It’ll be on Leah’s name, as well. For your lives and your souls.

“If you can’t swear even to that, you might as well just remain silent throughout. I’ll have you hanged at the appointed time, then toss you into a latrine ditch.”

Everyone started talking at the same time, working to swear to what he’d just told them to, he assumed.

“I accept your oaths exactly as I stated them to be,” Alex said. He felt seven oaths settle into place.

That’s done, then.

“How many are there, Two?” Alex asked quietly.

“Seven.”

“Next,” Alex said, raising his voice again. “I’ll have you all swear your souls to Leah as the price for your freedom. Then on top of that, you’ll swear to never murder or rape again. Do that, and I’ll set you free right now.

“Minus your souls.”

They all started to either argue with him or swear the oath immediately. Alex couldn’t tell which way any one person was going, but he knew he had a few fish on the hook.

And with any luck, that’ll appease Leah and fill some of the pillar. Maybe enough to play out this clusterfuck of a war.

Never again. Never again will I leave home without that pillar overflowing with energy.

“You,” Alex said, pointing to the man in the closest cell. “Swear your soul to Leah. Then swear on pain of death that you’ll neither murder or rape going forward. Or stay here and receive your punishment as it was intended.”

The man nodded eagerly.

“I swear my soul to Leah, swear it all. Swear I’ll not do murder or rape. Honest. I swear it. Let me out?” asked the man.

Alex smiled darkly.

And how much of ourselves did we sign away with our own bargain? In the end, I’ll just end up being sent to Leah’s hell, won’t I? It’s not as if I changed anything.

But… at least for now… I’m alive.

Stepping to the cell door, Alex opened it and flung it wide.

Giving the prisoner inside a very similar reprieve to the one Alex himself operated on.

Short as it may be.

Chapter 35

Shaking his head, Alex couldn’t see any other solution. The enemy was well set and had put together a decent line of barriers that gave them what they needed.

The enemy simply refused to budge. No amount of goading, attacks, or trickery was going to get them to give up.

Voluntarily, at least.

On top of that, apparently the enemy’s supplies dwindling faster only served to spurr them on. Ladders upon ladders were being fashioned. Alex couldn’t even imagine where they were getting the wood for it anymore.

His soldiers in the keep were firing into the enemy ranks constantly, dropping rocks, boiling water and oil, anything.

While they managed to kill enemies, it failed to get them to do anything other than work faster.

The attacks didn’t stop the enemy at all. They were entrenched below the walls and wouldn’t be kicked free.

Like a leech stuck on tight. So deep we’re going to need a cigarette or a match to get it out.

Alex had only one option, and he didn’t want to employ it.

Go in and break them off the wall. By massing his soldiers and mounting an assault.

It’d be the worst possible outcome for his people, as they were still outnumbered almost two to one. There was no way they’d be able to walk out the other side without taking significant losses.

Losses he really couldn’t afford right now.

“Sire, I don’t… I can’t see this going any other way at this point,” Dave said quietly. He was only saying what everyone was else thinking, so Alex couldn’t fault the man.

Looking to his commanders, Alex watched as Dan, Drew, and Max all nodded their heads glumly.

Looking back towards the walls, Alex wished he had another answer.

“Alright. I suppose that’s what we do. They’ll probably start putting those ladders up in an hour or two. They haven’t made another one in a while, and they look more like they’re trying to quietly form into climbing squads,” Alex said.

Looking from one side of the assault to the other, Alex was at least thankful they were only focusing their climb on one half of the keep. At the other half, they were just keeping the soldiers fenced in.

He just doesn’t have enough troops or time. One could argue spreading himself out would weaken the defenders, but it would also isolate his own soldiers once they made it to the top.

Damned if you do… damned if you don’t.

Making his choice, Alex pointed to the far-right flank of the enemy mass. Where their troop distribution narrowed rapidly to a minimal number.

“Let’s strike the flank, and only the flank. Limit our entry. Either they’ll break from the siege to engage, at which point we can draw back, or they ignore us and we get a better troop-to-troop ratio.

“If we can clear to the wall, we can start attacking from two fronts. The other half of our force can start sweeping around in the other direction and clean up the skeleton forces they have there to keep our people hemmed in.”

It was as good a plan as he could come up with.

“Questions?” Alex asked.

His commanders shook their heads.

“Go, then. Standard deployments and tactics. Cavalry on hit and run, ranged on firing into their masses, mixed foot companies.

“Keep the conscripts and a little bit of heavy foot to stiffen them up as a reserve to flank if we need them. They’ll be useless in a slug fest anyways and just get killed.”

With a singular salute, his commanders left on their business.

“For what it is, Master, I can’t think of how else to do it,” Carla said.

“Or me. Nasty there is right,” Nannie said. “This is just a shit show, Master.”

“I can’t exactly disagree,” Alex said. “But it’s the one we made in the end. So this is the price we get to pay. Unfortunately, our front lines will get to take the biggest bite of this shit sandwich.”

“That’s how it usually goes,” Valeria said. “Though in this ca—”

Alex, and everyone around him, all looked to the sudden roaring fire that surged up into the sky from a building in the village.

“What in the hells?” Alex asked.

The fire jumped to another building and looked like it was rapidly spreading.

Before anyone even gave the order, Alex watched his soldiers immediately start doing what they could.

Quite a few went immediately inside to start pulling out citizens. Another chunk worked to do what they could to put out the fire. Making bucket brigades to the local wells spread throughout the streets.

“I don’t…” Alex shook his head, not even sure what’d just happened.

Buildings didn’t go up in flame like that without accelerant.

“Sire!” Dan came riding up to him, his mount throwing up dirt as he came to a sudden stop.

“Some of the enemy soldiers just put fire to the town; we’re working to beat it back. We’re not sure how bad it’ll be though. They somehow managed to soak a number of buildings in something that burns with just a spark,” Dan explained.

Alex placed a hand to his head, trying to think through the situation.

“And we’re using soldiers to put it out,” Alex said.

“Uh, yes, sire. There isn’t… that is…” Dan said. Then he winced, looking to one side. “I see. Yes. We are.”

“And if we pull out now, the citizens will hate us and blame us. And if we don’t, we lose the manpower we desperately need for the walls.”

“Sire!” came a shout. Dave came running up to Alex, panting.

“Yes, I know. The fire,” Alex said bitterly.

“No, sire. The ladders are going up!” Dave said.

Looking up, Alex saw the ladders were indeed being pushed up to the wall now. His soldiers in the keep were knocking them down, hacking at them, or trying to set them on fire as quick as they went up.

“Damn,” Alex said.

He had to think quickly and come up with something workable. The less tenable position was losing the fight for the keep.

“Send up everyone from the camps. Blacksmiths, teamsters, leather workers, prostitutes, I don’t care. Send them up to take the place of our men fighting the fire.

“At the same time, carry out with the attack. We need to go now, or we lose the window,” Alex said. “Split it in two. Dan, you work the replacements on the bucket brigade, Dave, the wall.”

Alex flicked his reins and got his horse moving. He needed to get ahead of this and closer to the wall. In a bit, the fire and smoke would probably obscure his ability to see.

Ranging out west, he raced down the street.

“Master, what are you doing?” Carla called, keeping abreast of him.

With a quick look over his shoulder, Alex saw Nannie and Valeria. Riley wisely hadn’t tried to follow.

“Need to be able to see what’s going on. If we don’t get out past this, it’s all going to be smoke soon enough. East of here is the best place to be right now,” Alex said.

Guiding his horse along the dirt roads, he stopped only when he was able to turn north past the last fence.

Out ahead of him, he could see his soldiers already tangling with enemy forces.

For a brief moment, he watched his soldiers professionally draw back, seeing if they could somehow coax the enemy out from their own defenses.

But nothing happened, and they charged back into the fray. And the carnage began in earnest.

It was an ugly, bloody thing. A demon’s affair.

The enemy had nowhere to go. Surrender wasn’t an option either. Nor did they have the time to wait out Alex’s forces.

This was the end-all be-all of a last stand.

His soldiers pushed, fought, and dug out the defenses as they went. Creating holes that quickly filled, only to be ripped open again.

“I don’t like this, Master,” Nannie said, her voice angry.

Looking to her, he found her head swiveling to look in every direction.

“If they had assassins, they would have already used them,” Alex said, looking back to the fight.

“They did,” Valeria immediately replied. “Coffin got ’em all a while ago. She’s rather adept.

“The only problem with her is her inability to stop once the killing starts. No prisoners.”

“See? There ya go, Five. Keep that pretty head of yours moving, but I’d argue this is relatively safe. Or at least as safe as a battlefield can be,” Alex said.

“Damn muscle head,” Carla muttered under her breath.

Alex grinned.

Those two will never see eye to eye, and yet they’re the closest to what they were before being Numbered than anyone else.

His soldiers were dying.

Falling in combat.

He could see them literally slipping away to the ground, only for more of his soldiers to step into the gap and take up the fight.

As far as Alex could tell, he wasn’t getting it as good as he was giving it. At least he thought it was so.

To his eyes—and maybe he was just deluding himself—he swore they were killing two or three for every one.

But that proposition was still a losing one.

Even if he won, he’d somehow have to hire another entire company of soldiers just to get Ridge up to a decent garrison level.

And with Duke Gaelis and Duchess Tanulf eying him, he wouldn’t put it past either of them to act on him.

Winning with too many losses was a pyrrhic victory at its finest.

He could see Drew’s cavalry slip in on a charge and break right back out.

They couldn’t get as close as Alex wanted them to. There were too many barriers in the way now.

So many of their advantages had been limited simply because he’d let the enemy build up there at the foot of the wall.

Clenching his fist, Alex felt powerless. All he could do was watch.

“Stop right there,” Carla said loudly.

Alex glanced to the side just in time to see Nannie drop from her horse. She walked up to a man approaching in peasant garb.

Drawing her sword, she leapt forward, smashing the length of it into the man’s guts.

Carla got down off her horse and pulled her long sword free, pointing it at a second man who was heading their way.

“Stop, or die like the first,” Carla called out.

The man ignored Carla, seemingly trying to go around her.

He suddenly lurched back as a throwing knife blossomed in his throat.

Valeria eased her horse closer to Alex’s, a blade identical to the one in the man’s throat held between her fingers.

Nannie yanked her blade out of the first person and stabbed them again as they lay on the ground groaning.

Alex didn’t care. His people knew what to do.

Turning back to the fight, he watched intently. He could see more of his soldiers streaming in from the village. Apparently freed from firefighting to join the battle.

His soldiers split into two groups now, one starting to roll out towards the skeleton-crewed sections of the wall.

The other trying to push further into the mob of enemy soldiers from two sides.

“They must have reached the wall,” Alex muttered.

“Indeed they did, sire,” Dan said, coming up beside him. “And we’ve freed up all the soldiers we can. Everything is moving exactly as you asked it to be.”

“And we’re losing men by the score,” Alex said, shaking his head.

“That we are sire, but they’re paid soldiers for the most. They know their business,” Dan said.

“Doesn’t make it any better. We need them. If you think this is the end of it, you haven’t thought hard enough about the situation,” Alex said.

A shout suddenly cut off from his left, and Alex looked over quickly.

Carla was standing over the body of the second person, having just decapitated the man.

“Who were they?” Alex asked.

“Don’t know. Don’t care,” Nannie said, going through the pockets of the one she hadn’t killed. “Nothin’ on them. Got some blades you wouldn’t think on a peasant.”

“Good work, Two, Five. Thank you,” Alex said, smiling at the two of them.

The pair of murdering low-lives smiled at him in return. It was clear they still weren’t quite sure what to do with positive reinforcement.

Turning to Three, he nodded his head to her. “And a masterfully placed throw. You’ll have to show me later where you keep the knives.”

Valeria gave him a small smile, the blade that had been in her hand already long since gone.

“It’d be my pleasure,” she purred at him.

Letting his head swing back to the fight, Alex immediately saw something different.

The enemy was swarming up the ladders and being kicked back down. There were clearly a few places on the top of the wall that were actually engaged in melee combat.

But now what looked like an entire section of the enemy forces had broken away. They were speeding towards his forces to stop the flank attack.

“Dan, get in there and send in the reserves to flank those soldiers. We need to keep them pressed on two sides or we’ll lose even more,” Alex said, pointing to the shifting battle.

“Yes, sire,” Dan said, snapping his reins and riding back into the village.

“And send my couriers this way!” Alex called.

Unable to keep himself still in the saddle, he started to pull on the reins this way and that. Making his horse walk to and fro, as if it were the one that was nervous.

“Damn. I don’t have any other choice,” Alex said, then pulled his horse sharply to ride after Dan.

And then stopped immediately as two couriers on horses came barreling his way.

“Good,” Alex said, pointing at the first to arrive. “Get to Drew and tell him to dismount his cavalry and smash that nub of soldiers from the far angle.

“Make sure he knows to pull back if the rest of their line moves to engage him. Got it?”

The messenger nodded and then scrambled off, his horse having only stopped for a few seconds.

Pulling his horse back the other way, Alex stood up in his stirrups, straining to see everything he could of the fight.

Then he looked up to the wall and felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

The enemy had gained a foot hold in one section of the wall. They didn’t have many troops up there, but it was slowly increasing.

“You, get me more couriers, then go tell Max to hit that point in the line with a surgical strike,” Alex said, pointing at the ladder that was working the soldiers upward.

The man galloped off without a word, leaving Alex with nothing to do other than fume and fret.

Then he saw it.

Some of the enemy was turning on itself in an effort to push back deeper into the ranks. They were starting to break.

It was by no means a victory, and this wasn’t going to end any time soon.

But Alex immediately felt like the problem of the siege was slowly easing in his favor.

If the enemy didn’t want to fight, then they wouldn’t.

The question now was whether they could put enough hurt on them to quit before they took the wall.

Max popped into view, leading a squad of what looked like heavy troopers. They were singular in their purpose and dove straight to the ladder where people were scrambling up to the top of the wall.

Then Drew’s dismounted soldiers approached, using their lances like spears to prod at the enemy line.

Everything was moving in the right direction. He was fairly confident he’d pull a victory out, but it wasn’t going to be a good victory.

It’d be bloody. Bloody and short lived when his enemies found out about his losses.

At least it’s a victory.

The sound of horse hooves coming from the wrong direction made Alex’s blood suddenly run cold.

He was filled with absolute, stark, mind-nullifying fear.

Turning his head in the direction of the sound, he saw a small army of what looked like five hundred troops in colors he couldn’t recognize.

They were racing for the point where Drew’s people had just engaged.

As a unit, they were well armed, armored, and looked as if they were spoiling for a fight. Weapons were drawn, and they appeared fresh and clean.

“Damn…” Alex muttered, watching them closing in. “I don’t even know how they slipped through our scouts and screens, but they did it.”

He’d need to order the retreat immediately.

If he could get his people out now, he might be able to regroup and manage something down the road.

So long as he managed to preserve some of his troops, he could still act and try to make this work.

Shifting his weight around, Alex set his horse back into the village.

Only to be forced to a stop as a soldier in chain mail pulled up short in front of him. He was dressed in Alex’s colors and seemed to be in a hurry.

They both also almost unhorsed themselves in the process.

The rider clearly didn’t have much experience with a horse. He looked far too uncomfortable and seemed more likely to get pitched from the saddle than anything.

Now that he looked the man over, he saw the armor didn’t fit quite right around the shoulders and middle. The helmet looked positively huge on small shoulders to boot.

Tentatively letting go of the reins, the soldier reached up to start pushing at the helmet.

“Husband!” shouted the soldier as it popped off, revealing Anna underneath. Her hair was plastered around her head, braided and messed up at the same time.

“Hi dear!” she said enthusiastically. She tried to lean forward toward him and almost ended up taking a header into the grass when the horse moved against her wishes.

“Oh, oh, oh, stop it, horsie. I just want to… stop,” Anna complained, grabbing at the reins as the horse began to walk in a slow circle. “This way, this way.”

“Anna?” Alex asked, more than a little confused.

“Hi dear, just… wait a second,” Anna said, pulling in the wrong direction on the reins.

The horse apparently understood though, and ended up turning back to Alex.

“Here, grab me or I’ll just keep spinning, I think,” Anna said, holding out her arms to him.

Smiling, and being forced to her pace as he ever was, Alex reached over to pull her out of her saddle and sit her down in front of himself.

There wasn’t quite enough room, so she mostly seemed to be sitting in his lap.

Smiling up at him, she squirmed around, her hands resting on his shoulders.

“Hi dear! That nice baroness you’re sleeping with sent me a letter about what was going on. Then she sent another when that nasty Ridge man showed up. She said she was going to take her house forces and march.

“I told her no, that I’d get more troops and we could ride together.

“I like her, by the way. She seems very nice. We’ve only had a chance or two to really talk. She was very direct.

“I think we should consider making her a second wife to me,” Anna said, stroking his shoulders with her gloved fingers. “I did what I said I would for you. I decided to defend my husband and our lands. I bought a mercenary company with a part of my dowry and came straight here, only stopping to pick up the baroness.”

Alex looked up to the battle. The unknown soldiers had crashed headlong into the enemy’s line. Right next to Drew’s people, providing them with much-needed support.

Ridge’s men looked beyond hard-pressed now.

Looking back to Anna, he found her watching him, a determined look on her face.

“I know I’m not the smartest, but I’m not a trophy wife!” she declared fiercely. “I will defend my husband and our titles.

“Now kiss me. I saved you. Reward me. Lavish me with attention. Lots.”

“Oh, I’ll do that. And I’m going to also put your dowry back to the amount it should be. My silly savior,” Alex said, and then kissed her deeply.

Chapter 36

After getting Anna back on her own horse, Alex had watched the battle with much more calm than before.

The simple fact that another force was there to add pressure had alleviated much of the burden on his existing troops.

As if sensing the end of the fight, the enemy began throwing down their weapons and surrendering.

First by ones, then tens, and then everyone who remained. They stood with their arms raised, hands empty of weapons.

They were lucky the rear had surrendered as well, or Alex’s people would have chopped through them to get to the back.

“Is that it?” Anna asked, clapping her hands together excitedly.

“Yeah, I’d assume so. Now it’s a matter of them digging Ridge out of that mass of people, if he’s alive, and bringing him over,” Alex said. “We should retire to my command post, dress, and bring Ridge’s nephew.”

“Oh. Alright. I’d like that. This armor squishes my boobs and it hurts. I think the padding underneath is rubbing my skin raw, too,” Anna said, patting at her chest.

“I would imagine so, Mistress Anna,” Carla said. “Your size isn’t normal for a soldier.”

“It hurts my nipples,” Anna said, pawing at her own chest. “Is that why you wear leather, Three?”

“Ah… not quite, Mistress Anna,” Valeria said. She’d put herself behind and between Alex and Anna. “I think in your case, no matter what armor you wear, it won’t fit.”

“Poo,” Anna said, pulling at the chain mail.

“Uh… Mistress Anna,” Nannie said, easing closer to the smaller woman.

“Yes?” she said brightly, looking up with a smile.

Nannie whispered something into Anna’s ear, then pulled back.

“Oh! That’s a great idea. I like it. I’m sure he will, too. When we get back home you can help me with it,” Anna said, reaching over and patting Nannie on the wrist gently.

“Ahhh… Mistress Anna… I’m not exactly someone you should be in town with,” Nannie said uneasily.

“Why? If it’s because Alex is sleeping with you, that’s fine,” Anna said, making a shooing motion.

“Err, no. I’m a convicted murderer and I had a bounty on my head that Master paid off. It wouldn’t do for you to—”

“Oh? That’s interesting. You’ll have to tell me about it when we’re in town. Did you kill anyone I might have heard of?

“Maybe I can take you with me to the prison and we can find more women for Alex,” Anna said, clapping her hands together.

“That is… Mist—”

“We should probably get you on a healthy regimen of Mother’s Bane, too. Some new undergarments, as well. Alex always seems to fill me up to the point that it just drips constantly for days. I had to buy a number of extras.

“Just ask Two; it’s frustrating,” Anna said. Then she turned to peer at Three.

Before Anna could ask, Valeria gave Anna a small nod.

“Hm. You too then, Three. You’ll need to come with us. Oh, what about One?” Anna asked.

“Her, too,” Nannie murmured.

Anna smiled brightly.

“Good, good. That makes it much easier. We’ll all have a nice day out. We’ll have lunch together, shop a little, and buy some nice things. I do need a new brush or two as well,” Anna said, then pressed a finger to her chin. “But if I take both of you, hubby will need a new bodyguard. We’ll need to do that, too. A third bodyguard. Someone pretty, though. Good, good. I’m excited already.

“I really do need to buy more furniture, as well. Silverware. Dining ware. You all will be eating dinner with us, so it only makes sense.”

Alex smiled and left his Numbers to Anna, turning his horse toward his command pavilion.

Once Anna got going about what she needed to buy, it rarely ended quickly.

Getting a few feet away, he looked to the side to discover Valeria had somehow slipped away.

“Goodness. Mistress Anna runs people over,” Valeria said, her eyes a bit wide.

“Yes. Yes, she does. And I love her for it,” Alex said.

“She’s a good mistress,” Valeria said with a smile.

***

Alex sat quietly, waiting.

Anna had joined him, sitting next to him. His Numbers were spread out behind them, protective and anxious.

Several guards trooped in with three people held out in front of them.

Recognizing all three, Alex smiled at them. He waited for the guards to leave before he continued.

“Michael Ridge, Michael the Second, and Amy,” Alex said, addressing each one in turn. “So good to see you.”

Carla came around Alex with her mace in hand. Walking behind the prisoners, she forced them to their knees, one by one.

“Fuck yourself and die,” Michael Senior said.

Anna turned to Alex and frowned. “I don’t like him.”

“And this must be the simpering idiot you married. I must say she has impressive tits and a great face, but not much else,” Michael Senior said.

Acting immediately and without orders, Carla brought her mace down on Michael Senior’s right forearm.

With a gut-wrenching crack, his arm snapped in two and then flopped around.

Michael started shrieking at the top of his lungs, his left hand trying to stabilize his right arm.

Anna smiled at Carla.

“Thank you, dear,” Anna said sincerely, undisturbed by Michael’s wails.

“Of course, Mistress Anna,” Carla said, unable to keep herself from smiling back at her.

Alex looked to the younger Michael.

From what he’d heard, this was actually Michael’s son, but had been born on the wrong side of the sheets. He’d been forced on a younger sibling who’d died unexpectedly, and then raised by Michael.

“While your uncle is recovering, I was wondering if you had anything to say for yourself?” Alex asked.

Carla’s mace gently tapped the young man on the side of the head.

“You’re a sick, evil man,” said the younger Michael. “You’ve ruined our lands.”

“I suppose. Though I can’t exactly argue the point either. Is that all?”

Nothing more was said, and Alex finally turned to Amy.

“Are you willing to follow your terms of the bargain, or would you prefer to suffer with your family?” Alex asked her.

Amy looked embarrassed and humiliated. Her eyes turned down and to the side as both her relatives’ heads whipped in her direction.

“I’ll serve, exactly as I swore,” Amy said.

“Wonderful. You may leave for now then. We’ll speak after this and establish your duties as the baroness of Northern Ridge,” Alex said, dismissing her.

Amy got to her feet and looked to Alex.

“Thank you, my liege,” Amy said, bowing low to him. Then she turned and passed by Carla, leaving.

“She’s smart. But I don’t think I want her in the family,” Anna said after she left. “I deny her any right to your bed in advance.”

“Noted,” Alex said, giving her a quick smile, and tried to keep everything on track.

Anna would take over his attention if he wasn’t careful.

“Now, the two of you. Should I assume you’ll be unwilling to work with me at all?”

“Do you even need to ask, you bastard?” Michael Senior asked.

Carla immediately slammed her mace into the upper part of his broken arm. The disgusting crunch of bones was audible again.

“Learn your place,” Carla hissed. “Do not insult the master or mistress.”

“You can’t do this! I’m a member of the peerage. I invoke my right to be tried by the king!” Michael Senior squealed.

“As you like, that’s what we’ll do. I’ll honor that in deference to the king,” Alex said amiably. “Let’s have these two transferred to the prison we cleaned out.”

Turning to Anna, he smiled at her and reached out to touch her hand.

“Would you remain here, my love? I need to take care of this. I’ll leave Five with you and take Two and Three with me.”

“Of course, husband,” Anna said, leaning over the side of her chair and kissing him soundly. “Hurry back though. I want to talk about my mercenary company. I thought of a great name for them.”

Alex chuckled and nodded his head.

It didn’t take too long for Carla, Valeria, and himself to make it to the dungeon.

Escorting the two nobles into the furthest cell at the back of the prison, Alex stood next to the open gate.

Looking around as if he were inspecting it for the first time, Alex stopped when his eyes fell on a water barrel nearby.

A length of rope hung out from the side of it, more than enough to hang oneself with.

He’d even gone to the trouble of making sure it’d been tied in a hangman’s noose.

All for the sake of what he hoped would happen here.

“Goodness, remind me to take this rope with us when we leave. It’d be rather unfortunate to leave it here,” Alex said, reaching out to touch the rope. “So careless of me to have put it here like that.”

Looking to the two men, Alex decided to try one more time.

“And you’re sure the two of you are unwilling to work with me? There’s no possibility of us coming to some sort of terms?” Alex asked.

“Die,” Michael Senior said.

Michael the younger nodded his head enthusiastically.

Sighing, Alex turned around and faced Carla and Valeria.

“Goodness, Two, you look rather stiff. How about you turn around and let me rub your back for a moment,” Alex said, pointing towards the far wall.

Carla looked confused, her face screwed up in a frown.

“Uhm… alright… Master, if that’s what you want,” she said uncertainly. She turned around, putting her back to him.

“Indeed, it is what I want.”

Laying his hands on her back, he started to rub at her neck and base of her skull.

Carla tensed up, and then her shoulders sagged at his ministrations. Her head lolling forward.

Looking to Valeria, he smiled at her.

“Three. I’m going to give you a task now,” he said formally.

Valeria straightened up, nodding her head.

“I need you to set up a watch rotation for our guests. It’d be a real shame if we found them dead later on, having committed suicide rather than face up to their crimes,” Alex said, making enough eye contact with her that it was probably uncomfortable.

Before she could respond, Alex continued.

“I know you’re very busy though. So if you can’t manage to get a rotation in here for several hours, I’m sure it’d be alright for them to be unchecked for a bit. But not too long, mind you.

“Before we go though, I’m going to look at Two’s back here and rub it for a little while. She deserves it.

“I have no doubt she’ll enjoy it throughout.

“Would you mind checking over our guests to make sure they’re alright before we close up the prison so they’re safe and secure?”

Please be the smart woman I know you are and understand I want you to strangle them and make it look like they hanged themselves.

Valeria looked from him to the nobles, then back to him.

“Of course, Master. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of before we leave,” she said.

“Thank you, Three. I’ll remember your efforts and reward you for them. Now, I’m going to rub Two’s neck. She looks so stiff, I’m sure she can’t look anywhere but straight ahead.”

Looking at the back of Carla’s head, he held his hands against the sides of her neck and made sure she wouldn’t turn around.

“You really do feel stiff, Two. Remind me to work this out with you later.”

“I’m stiff because you did work me out, you ass,” Carla said with a chuckle.

“Ah, that’s a fair point. It was pretty amazing though.”

“Thank you, I do try. Well, now at least.”

Valeria drifted out of his view to the side. Heading into the cell.

“What… what are you doing?” Michael Senior said.

“She’s checking on you, that’s all, Michael. You really shouldn’t be concerned. Three is an excellent servant to me,” Alex said loudly.

There was a loud slap, followed by a whine that sounded a lot like the younger Michael.

Immediately afterward came a grunt, and then what sounded like gurgling noises.

Carla’s back tightened up for a second, then relaxed as she apparently realized what was happening.

Alex smiled grimly, making sure to rub Carla’s neck and keep her staring straight ahead. Slowly he let his hands move down her shoulders and spine, since he figured she knew now what was going on.

“Sounds like Three is having to work hard to make sure they don’t have anything on them, doesn’t it?” Alex said.

“Yes… Master, it does.”

A minute passed with nothing but silence. Slowly, he identified what sounded like very soft sobbing.

It paused briefly when he heard a gentle shushing noise.

After a moment came the almost too-soft-to-hear sound of gurgling. And maybe what sounded like feet scraping on the ground.

But Alex was sure he’d heard it wrong.

And once more, silence.

Then Valeria appeared beside him. Her cheeks were flushed, but she smiled at him.

“All done, Master. They don’t have anything on them; I’ve checked them completely. I’ll be sure to have a guard come check on them shortly to make sure they’re alright,” she said.

“Wonderful. Good job, Three,” Alex said. He reached out with his left arm, wrapped it around her shoulders, and brought her in for a tight hug.

“You’re a wonder, Three. I’m going to reward you heavily.”

Valeria nodded her head, then rested it on Alex’s shoulder.

Slipping his arm around Carla’s front, he pulled her in to himself as well, hugging her from behind.

Keep my Numbers close, indeed.

***

“—found them dead in their cell, my lord,” Alex said, bowing his head to the king.

“Hm. That’s most unfortunate. Most unfortunate indeed. And you’d swear this on your oath? That you had nothing to do with this?” the king asked.

Alex lifted his head up, meeting the eyes of the king directly.

Reaching up, Alex touched his hand to the pin at his collar.

“I swear I ordered no harm to come to them. In fact, I ordered for them to be checked for safety out of concern for them,” he swore. Which was all accurate and true. “It really is a tragic thing for them to have taken their lives. I personally would have preferred to see them suffer for their crimes.

“I’ve punished the servant who failed in their duty quite painfully.”

The king eyed him for another second, then nodded his head definitively.

“Glad to hear it. For now, we excuse you to tend to your duchess. I imagine she has some words for you as well,” the king said, dismissing Alex.

Bowing deeply, Alex turned and fled the audience chamber. All around him, the members of the peerage watched.

Stared at him.

Everyone suspected he’d had the Ridges killed, yet Amy Ridge was alive and operating as a baroness for him now.

He’d also just sworn to his innocence on his oath pin.

It was hard to believe he had something to do with it at that point. Yet they still suspected it.

Everyone knew there were ways around the oaths, but most of the time, they tended to backfire.

Alex walked determinedly through the doors and down a hallway.

Moments after he’d cleared the more public areas, Duchess Tanulf stopped him.

“There you are, Count,” she said, sweeping up to him in a lovely blue dress.

“Ah, yes. I was actually on my way to see you,” Alex said. He meant it, too. She’d sent him a note to seek her out after the audience, and the king had gone so far as to remind him of it.

Doing anything else would have been extremely suspicious.

“I’d like to congratulate you on your victory, first,” Regina said, bowing her head to him.

“Thank you, Duchess. I appreciate you in publicly upholding my claim after the fact.”

“Of course, of course,” she said, her eyes inspecting him from head to toe. “Early reports indicate that Ridge is already turning its economy around, even producing grain at a favorable level.”

It wasn’t a question. It also meant she had a source of information in his new acquisition.

“It is indeed. I was quite surprised by the early signs of the county stabilizing.

“Apparently having a horde of mercenaries with a significant amount of money in a county can have quite an impact on the local economy, even one just coming out of a war.”

Regina smiled politely, then reached out and laid a hand on his upper arm.

“I’ll be visiting you in a month or so. We have much to discuss. Do expect me, and plan accordingly. I also took the liberty of meeting your wife.

“She’s a lovely thing, and… interesting.”

Alex smiled in return, not moving away from her nor encouraging her in any way.

“I’ll expect you and look forward to your visit, then. I’ll be sure Anna prepares accordingly.”

Regina lightly rubbed her fingers up and down his arm before taking a firm hold and giving it a squeeze.

“Good. Expect to receive me,” she said, then released him and left.

Alex made no response, keeping his emotions bottled up inside.

I suppose I should have expected her to make her desire clear already. It’s not as if I wouldn’t make the same move.

And I’ve only increased my value to her, I imagine. I’m a piece on a chessboard that’s been moved up in importance.

One that just got itself in a position to support her—or crush her, if I switched allegiances.

Grand.

Epilogue

Anna was snoring heavily from the bed. Her naked form was splayed out on the sheets, not having bothered to get dressed after their third go of it for the evening.

She seemed determined to catch a child as quickly as possible. In her mind, that meant having sex as often as humanly able, whenever it seemed Alex had recovered.

Alex had no desire to dissuade her of that belief anytime soon.

Leaning up against a wall, he read over the letter Mary had sent Anna while he’d been in Ridge.

This seemed to be the first letter she’d written to Anna.

It’d been rather direct, truth be told. Forthright, even.

A confession, really.

She’d written it in such a way as if to ask for forgiveness for her sins of allowing herself to be bedded by him. Even though she knew he was married to a woman she had no issues with. Then moving on to the fact that she chose to bed him later on, and thought Alex was a good and noble man. To please forgive him and cherish him.

“Little does she know, Anna took all this as a positive sign and now wants to incorporate her into our marriage,” Alex said to himself, folding the letter.

“Mary isn’t a bad choice, to be honest,” Leah said, popping into being. She was sitting on his desk, watching him. “It’d certainly help to prevent that little duchess from turning you into a merry-go-round horse.

“Do you think she’ll buy you a saddle for how often she’ll end up riding you?”

Alex looked up at the goddess and then smirked at her.

“Maybe. Though I think if she did that, Anna really would feed her Mother’s Bane every chance she got.”

“She would, I know it. In fact, she already spoke to several apothecaries as to the right amount to give someone to prevent pregnancy.

“Even going so far as to find out how much it would take to make a woman permanently barren,” Leah said. Then she grinned at him. “Your wife is quite the little hellcat.”

Alex returned the grin at that revelation.

“That she is. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“My appreciation. The way you forced those convicts into turning over their souls was spectacular. Really gave me a jump.

“Then all those deals you made with your dungeon girls today? Amazing. I’ve never had so much power so suddenly.”

Glancing to the pillar, Alex couldn’t help but agree. It was almost completely full.

After tomorrow, acting on some of the deals he’d made with the dungeon girls, it’d probably be full.

“Going to give me another pillar to fill so I don’t waste anything?”

“No, don’t worry about that. The moment it fills, I’ll have another one transferred in. Along with one month pre-filled as a courtesy. Wouldn’t want you penalized for fulfilling your goals, as my husband would say.”

“Mm. Thanks. Other than that, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Boredom.”

“Ah… I see.”

“Well, that’s not entirely true. I wanted to give you a bit of a warning.”

Alex felt his heart stutter. Standing up straight, he paid her his full attention.

“I’m all ears, my goddess.”

Leah gave him a tight smile.

“You’re going to need to watch the southern wilds. Expect trouble from that direction. It won’t be immediate, and if you’re wary enough, you’ll see it coming.

“If not… well… I’ll be looking for a new broker on this world, and I’ll be sending you to another one,” she said.

“I understand. Anything else you can tell me about it?”

“No. I can’t see the future, but from what I can see now, it’s going to become an issue eventually.

“Otherwise, just keep up the good work. You’re doing fantastically.”

“Thank you. Any… chance I could talk you into letting Anna make true deals on my behalf? Maybe at a reduced-power trade? A deal she makes for me only provides me with ninety-percent instead of a hundred, and the ten-percent goes straight to you rather than at the end of the month?”

Leah’s eyebrows went up at that. Then she tilted her head to the side, looking up at nothing.

Then her head snapped back to him.

“Done. I accept. You remind me of my husband sometimes, with the way you offer counter-deals that are hard to refuse.”

“Sounds like someone I’d like,” Alex said.

Leah wrinkled her nose and then shook her head.

“Probably not. He can be a bit of a goody-goody at times. I have to travel here when he’s not looking or paying attention. I think he’d try to take this away if he knew what I was doing.”

“Take… this away? Take the world away?”

Leah’s mouth opened for a second, then closed.

“Ah, forget I said that. Anyways. Your wife is waking up; you should go give it to her again. She’s not pregnant yet.”

Leah picked up a book that was beside hers on the desk. Hefting it a few times, she cocked her arm back and flung it as hard as she could, it looked like.

With a crack, the book smashed into the ground.

Anna sat bolt upright in bed, one arm drawing across her chest as she peered around blearily.

“Husband?” she asked, her voice groggy.

“I’m here, wife. Leah was visiting a moment ago. She agreed to our request for you. You can make deals on my behalf.”

Anna smiled sleepily.

“Yaaaay. That’ll make it easier to keep you safe if you’re not home.

“Mm, now that I’m awake… come over here.

“No sense in wasting the chance. We need to try as often as possible,” Anna said, letting her arm slide down from her chest, revealing herself to him. She then held her arms out to him, her fingers wiggling. “I’m your savior, remember? Come give lots of attention to your savior wife.”

“Lots and lots,” Alex said, moving over to her.

Thank you, dear reader!

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Blaise Corvin- A close and dear friend of mine. He’s been there for me since I was nothing but a rookie with a single book to my name. He told me from the start that it was clear I had talent and had to keep writing. His background in European martial arts creates accurate and detail driven action segments as well as his world building.
https://www.amazon.com/Blaise-Corvin/e/B01LYK8VG5

John Van Stry- John was an author I read, and re-read, and re-read again, before I was an author. In a world of books written for everything except harems, I found that not only did I truly enjoy his writing, but his concepts as well.
In discovering he was an indie author, I realized that there was nothing separating me from being just like him. I attribute him as an influence in my own work.

He now has two pen names, and both are great.

https://www.amazon.com/John-Van-Stry/e/B004U7JY8I
Jan Stryvant-
https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Stryvant/e/B06ZY7L62L

Daniel Schinhofen- Daniel was another one of those early adopters of my work who encouraged and pushed me along. He’s almost as introverted as I am, so we get along famously. He recently released a new book, and by all accounts including mine, is a well written author with interesting storylines.

https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Schinhofen/e/B01LXQWPZA