《Felling of the crown.》 the founding of the duo of light and dark The streets of Londonium were bustling as always in the day. Yet, at night the magic lamps along the street made the alleyways and back streets extra dark, gifting those unsavory members of its populous travel unseen by the constabulary. For Darak Lordarn it was the best way to get closer to his target, his fine clothes did draw the eyes of some, the well-made suit and dress shoes were a fortune to those that lingered around him, his black wood cane that hides a blade did nothing but punctuate his movements with light clicks where it landing on the stones of this alley, but his familiar on his shoulder made all of them think thrice before approaching him, the magic glow in that cat¡¯s eyes unsettling anyone but the most well-trained magic user. This alleyway was one he had traveled before, its twists, and turns were familiar to him, yet not for some nostalgic warmth of longing but instead it stoked his desire to see his mission done, his goal a difficult one, one that would do far more then anyone would dare to try, but that was the talk of the undriven, and he was driven, he had spent years overseas learning all he could so as to gather power. As he came around the last corner his eyes landed on his objective, taking enough step until he was at the edge of the shadows, the gleaming manor of Baron Wiandran, almost as large as the manors of the Dukes, yet most resplendent as the Baron¡¯s magic had made it so, the fence made intentionally to be magic circles that the ordinary citizens can see, and know of his power and might so that they would know their place, the three floors resting on top of a half basement where the maids and butlers lived, the guards that stood inside the gate, hired and equipped to protect the house from everything from the citizens and magic assault, a fortress to its self, one of many throughout the city, yet this one, this one manor for a court mage, this one home to a noble bloodline made Darak¡¯s blood boil most, for it was the home of his bastard baring father and his vile wife. Darak never wanted to be born, his one wish throughout his early life was to live with his mother in peace and serenity, a life that would have been his if the Baron¡¯s wife hadn¡¯t given birth to a son and a seven-year countdown started. But now fifteen years after his mother¡¯s banishment, thirteen years after her death at the hands of his men, twelve years after his flight from the city, and onto a ship for Farnkia. He has returned to reap what that woman has sown, and he will do it in brutal fashion, as befitting a house of a baron. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the target, the lights within were dimmed save the locations of guards moving within, the stillness of the late hour letting him feel a bit at ease as he did not need to hide his wrath behind a mask of a well-mannered mage. But a sudden tug on his pant leg drew his eyes away, and curled up in a heap beside him was a starved and disheveled woman, her eyes showed little in the way of recognition of her actions, but something else drew his eyes as he saw the bundle she was holding on to carefully, even now, as she crawled closer to him she held that bundle with care, her eyes trying to see who he was, and her voice weak and nearly gone. ¡°Please, Milord, save my baby, I know I shouldn¡¯t have, but that is my sin to carry, have mercy.¡± She requested, her strength barely enough to pull herself up, her frail form too weak to hold on. Darak took a knee and pulled the hood that covered the bundle, and he saw the eyes of a baby less than a year old, close to death¡¯s icy grip. His eyes were gone like its mother, but he saw them, eyes like his vibrant green. Darak leaned down a bit and scooped the woman up, carrying her like a bride, as he looked over to the house of the baron. ¡°Yet another bastard you abandoned, Fear not Lady Jazabel, I will return soon.¡± Darak said with venom at the manor. Then looked to his shoulder, ¡°Zaiz, teleportation to our home, I would not like to be seen taking her.¡± He ordered his familiar. The jet-black cat with glowing red eyes stepped onto the woman, pulled a small pouch out of Darak¡¯s pocket, and placed it in Darak¡¯s right hand, then curled up around the child. Darak focused his magic energy into the pouch while summoning a mental image of his new sitting room, taking deep and careful breaths as he did. Then when all was set for the spell he opened his eyes and spoke the words to activate the spell. ¡° Ekat su ot ym s¡¯emoh gnittis moor.¡± then the strange man who walked the back street without fear, his devil-eyed cat, and the dying woman and baby vanished in a whirl of silvered dust. The sitting room of the townhome Darak had bought was furnished in a manner to allow it to be his arrival zone while also acting as a space to entertain his guests, the large couch on one side facing inwards, flanked by tables with magic lamps on them, the two recliners facing it, made of the same soft padded silk, and the tea table in the middle, all of which rested on a carpet gifted to him by his master of summonings from the Arabia corridor, Darak walked carefully and lay the woman to rest on the couch, then stood over her while pulling a second pouch out of his pocket, and prepared a new spell. ¡°Master, Are you sure you wish to use this spell on her?¡± The mental words of Zaiz rang in his head, as the cat leaped up and onto the high table behind the couch, his eyes focused on the man. ¡°That is a lot of costly material, why waste it on her, we can find someone else to help.¡± Darak stopped his preparations and reached down and focused on the woman, sending his mana in waves into her, to feel her whole being and even her soul, he found something interesting, so he started his preparations again as he spoke, ¡°Yes, she has a mana point, it is small but undeveloped, she will be of use, and I can show her how much I have used tomorrow, that way she will owe me her¡¯s and her baby¡¯s lives. Now be silent, I need to focus.¡± Darak formed a mental image of the woman and baby, healthy and whole, while also making minor changes to them, changing the child¡¯s eyes from green to blue like his mother, and modifying her form to be more robust and elegant, Finally opening his eyes and dropping his illusions that hide when he used his power, the swirling mana flowing from his eyes, ¡°Lady Freya, I beseech your almighty power, this woman and baby need your life-giving kiss so that they would be whole, heed my call and renew them and make them anew.¡± A magic circle formed over the woman and showered her and her baby in a mana rain that restored her body to health, her hair growing clean and untarnished, her skin smoothed and vibrant, while her body came back to how she may have looked but a few days ago. Her baby was whole again and moving a bit in his mother¡¯s arms, as it was about to cry out and disturb his mother, Darak leaned down and poured a soothing and tranquil mana into the baby, lulling it to rest. Finally, he stood up and gave a flourish in the air calling for two blankets, willing one to rest on the woman, while he took the other and sat down in one of the recliners. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Darak looked over the woman, thinking over his plan, he could breach the defenses of the baron¡¯s house, however doing so would only complicate things, he wanted the baroness to suffer as she had made him and his mother suffer, officially he was pronounced dead in an alleyway years ago, an unfortunate end of an illegitimate child of the baron, but the truth was that the Baron had killed his mother, and tried to kill him too, saved by his rage that forced his mana into saving him, carrying him into the path of a ship that had set sail, taking him to the mainlands of Europa, and to the nation of Frankia. Darak had no dreams or vivid memories to run through as he slept but was awoke by his familiar ¡°Master she is waking up,¡± Zaiz notified him, and he opened his eyes to the cat resting while watching the woman stir a bit. She slowly opened her eyes, looking up at the cat, and shrinking back away from the red-eyed black cat that was watching her, fearful of the clearly magical being. But her body shuddered as a voice rang out from her right, ¡°Zaiz, you are scaring our guest, now come here.¡± She slowly watched as the cat got up and leaped over her to the tea table, then up into the lap of a finely built man dressed in a three-part black suit of sharp blue accents, sitting in a recliner, his eyes emitting a soft blue glow of mana, his smile was warm but hid some other desires behind it. His hair was cut a bit short and framed his face, his sharp chin and full cheeks made him look youthful yet the few points where scars could be seen made it clear that his training in magic was hard. ¡°Good morning, I hope you slept well.¡± he raised his hand and snapped his fingers, calling for a tray of tea that hovered in from the back of the room, the pot emitting steam a few seconds later. ¡°Tea?¡± he said with a gesture. She shook her head, and sat up while holding her baby ¡°Are you a mage? You have a familiar.¡± she asked warily, a fear of him being something other than a mage meant she would be in deep danger. Darak shook his head but stopped the mana-pooling technique he was using, revealing his green eyes, ¡°My name is Darak Lordarn and I am an Arcanist, I have not been back to this city for many years. This is my bound familiar Zaiz, short for Zaiz-zaila-quaiz-phox. Last night you grabbed onto my trousers and asked for my help, and I did, but you should know that magic is not easy or cheap, so I allowed you to stay here for the night so that we could discuss payment.¡± She shuddered a bit, and looked down at her baby, closing her eyes tight and shedding a teardrop, ¡°I will give you my soul as long as you vow to take care of my child, he is not much but he is precious to me.¡± She said in a fearful voice as she cradled her baby. ¡°That is all I have to offer.¡± Darak smiled, ¡°I will take it, As of today, you will be my wife and you will seek to aid me in all my endeavors whether they are good or ill. In return for this payment, I will care for you and your child, while teaching you everything I know.¡± He said back with confidence. ¡°What?¡± She said a bit flustered, her hand holding a bit tighter on her baby, and she scooted a bit away from him ¡°Wife?¡± Darak smiled warmly, ¡°Yes, for my plans I need to be a married man, and I find your determination to save your child admirable, in fact, I would say you have thoroughly gripped onto my heart, as black as it is.¡± he said as he ran his hand over Zaiz¡¯s fur. ¡°That and I found out that you can do magic too, so training my wife in defensive magic would be considered fine within the city.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t use magic, my father was a peddler, and my mother was a seamstress, I am a commoner.¡± she said back quickly a clear effort to refute his claim that she was more than she was taught to believe. ¡°No, you have a mana point like mine, however, yours is weak and heavily underdeveloped,¡± Darak said back with a dismissive hand wave, ¡°With training and knowledge you can be an Arcanist too.¡± ¡°What is an Arcanist?¡± she asked as she looked over at him and then down to the cat. ¡°You have a familiar so you can use Mage magic, but you called the tea over like a Seer.¡± ¡°An Arcanist is a practitioner of magic, they have no set field of study, and their mana is flexible and not set so they can use every form of magic, be it healing, summoning, spirit seeking, or contracting familiars.¡± he said with a happy tone, ¡°They need years to truly master their craft but even a three-year arcanist can hold their own against ten-year mages. I have a dream that is grand but I need to have you at my side to succeed,¡± He stood up and walked around the tea table and to her side, pulling a multi-gemmed ring from his pocket, and came to a knee while presenting it to her ¡°So, I ask again will you be my wife.¡± ¡°But surely you have better prospects than me, like a nobleman¡¯s daughter or a lady-in-waiting somewhere in the city.¡± She said back still reluctant to agree to the marriage that was born of his own desire and designs. ¡°Yes, I guess you may be right in the long run, however, my plan would be delayed by months if not years until I could see if the woman I am courting has the mana points I need.¡± Darak said back, his tone a bit infuriated but not angered, ¡°However, fate has been kind to us both, you called for aid and found it in me, and I needed someone with your kind of mana to achieve my plans. But if you insist that I stop this request for payment then I guess I¡¯ll have no choice but to throw you out, as painful as it is.¡± The woman stared at him for a few seconds, then glanced down at her baby, ¡°I can¡¯t do this, it is too much for me to accept, I know nothing of you or what you may do to me if I fail you. But it is clear I have little choice if I want my child to live happily.¡± she said while stroking her baby¡¯s face carefully, ¡°Will you truly take care of my and my child?¡± Darak bit on his index finger and traced a magic script into the air, forming lines of glowing magic over his head, ¡°I, Darak Lordarn, hereby make a vow upon my soul to the great realms, to treat the woman before me and her child with neither malice nor discontent, to uphold them as I would do myself, and see to their safety and comfort for the rest of my days.¡± he said aloud and the script flashed and turned in to a piece of parchment, that he caught and held out to her with the ring. ¡°I am a man of my word, As long as you help me in my goals, I will care for you and your child.¡± The woman stared at him, her eyes welling up with tears as whatever fears she had for her and her child¡¯s safety was shattered by him and the magic vow he had made to her, then held out her hand while nodding, ¡°Yes, I will marry you for as long as you will have me.¡± Darak slid the ring on and poured a bit of mana into it, making it resize to her finger and activate the layers of protective charms and spells he had placed within, then looked up to her with a smile. ¡°Then may I know my wife¡¯s and child¡¯s names.¡± She smiled back, ¡°My name is Meaio, and my son has no name.¡± she said then pulled back a bit ¡°He is the bastard son of the heir to the Barony of the Grand Magus, please protect him.¡± Darak smiled, and spoke, ¡°I see then we should give him a name, do you have a suggestion?¡± She thought it over and smiled, ¡°Arcaio, his name will be Arcaio Lordarn, son of Darak and Meaio Lordarn.¡± Darak smiled back at her while reaching over and tenderly tracing a pattern on the boy¡¯s forehead, ¡°Arcaio, as of now you are my son in all that I do, I bless you with life, love, and happiness, I ward you from fear and gift you the brilliance of mind with all the powers I have within me.¡± he said and a small glow enveloped the boy before dissipating. He then looked up to Meaio, ¡°Come, we need to get some food for you and me, and get you some clothes befitting your new status as my wife.¡± he stood up and extended a hand to her. She smiled and took his hand, letting herself and Baby be lifted up and to her feet, finding him a head taller, but he guided her to the corridor, pulling a long cloak free and throwing it over her. ¡°What are your goals, I would like to know what design you need my help with.¡± she asked as he adjusted the covering over her. Darak smiled, ¡°I plan to overthrow the kingdom and make this nation one of magic that is free and accessible to all, not just nobles.¡± He said back then leaned down and kissed her hand. ¡°But I will never make you blood your hands, for that will be my work.¡± Chapter 2 Cake and Dresses Meaio was a bit put off by this man who was leading her by her hand, he was a mystery, all she knew was that he was a magic user, his name, and his, in her opinion insane goal, yet for some reason she agreed, she willingly accepted his marriage proposal, and choose a name for her son in front of him. Could it be the vow he made or the way he used his magic to protect her son, or was it the gentle demeanor he tendered to her? She shook her head and thought about last night, she remembered that she was lying down in an alleyway near the baron¡¯s manor, she was waiting for the baron to come out again, and she was too hungry and weak, It was night when she felt an aura that felt like the baron¡¯s, an aura she had felt when she was thrown out or when the baron was angered, and she was sure she asked the baron to take her son back, yet she woke up in this man¡¯s house, and his aura was none existent which was weird to her, as she could feel the magic around magic users. She looked down at her ring and could feel the magic that waved off of it and over her body, a soothing warmth that made her feel assured. ¡°Please keep that ring on at all times,¡± Darak said over his shoulder, ¡°Especially when I have friends over, it is for your protection, and as long as you wear it no magic will harm you.¡± he then pulled her up towards a dress shop. The interior was well-lit with skylights and magic lamps, the walls were lined with dresses fit for the wealthy and influential, and the dresses, hats, and accessories were made of vibrant colors of cloth, materials, and other things made into many different styles. Darak turned to face her and held out his hands, ¡°Give me Arcaio, and go shop to your heart''s content.¡± he said with a smile, and a warm tone ¡°Consider it a wedding gift for you, I want you to love any clothes you wear.¡± ¡°But these dresses are too much, I am not¡­¡± she started to protest but was stopped by his finger on her lips and he slipped his other hand under the cloak and took her son carefully into his arms. ¡°You are the wife of an Arcanist, one that has recognitions of his work and capability by the King of Frankia, the Sultan of Jerysalim, and the Holy Emperor of Waino. You are entitled to be dressed in the best clothes, and for now, I want you to find things you will wish to wear around me. So please go and shop, money is not an object.¡± His tone was still warm and soft, but his words made her feel like this was not a conversation for them to hold but a request of her. So she walked about the store finding a few dresses that were like those that she had helped the baroness wear sometimes, The thought of wearing such fine clothes like a lady of a prominent house was like a dream to her, and she had to look to him, a true wish to know that he was serious about his offer to buy all of this for her beyond her acceptance of reality, but as he smiled and nodded her heart skipped a beat, he was sincere about all he had said just now, and she started her search in earnest. Their time was not fast but used well, and she even changed into a fine blue dress that matched the color of his suit, her hair was also brushed and set by a few of the workers, and as she approached the counter, he turned to face her, she saw as his eyes first took her visage in total then focused on some areas, his wondering eyes finally settled on her face, and he reached up and stroked her cheek, ¡°You look radiant my dear.¡± he said with a tone that only barely hides his desire, yet he turned to the shopkeeper, and smiled after clearing his throat with a cough, ¡°Please have the rest of the dresses delivered to my estate, here is the address, now how much for all of this.¡± he handed her a slip of paper. The lady who ran the shop looked over the address he had written down, ¡°It will come out to sixteen gold and seven silver.¡± she said in a bit of a bitter tone. Meaio had to gasp at the price, it was more than three years of her wages in the employment of the baron, and she immediately grabbed at Darak¡¯s sleeve, but he turned to her and smiled, ¡°Can you hold on to our son for a second?¡± he said while holding Arcaio out for her, his smile faltered her protest before she could form the words, but she took her son back into her arms. Darak smiled, pulled out a coin purse, removed the amount, and placed it on the counter while counting it out. Finally turning to the shopkeeper, ¡°If you or any of your workers require magic, please come to that address and I will be happy to help.¡± he said then tugged on his suit changing the main color to match hers while shifting the accents to a fine green, then he turned to Meaio, ¡°shall we find a place to have a breakfast?¡± he gestured for the door. She could only nod and took the lead out of the shop, but stopped at the door as a bit of a downpour came on during her shopping, Darak stepped out and waved his hand through the air over them and pulled her out into the rain, yet not a drop landed on her, and her shoes found no water under beneath. The area around them shows the water running around them like a ball of glass and came into being about them and she looked at Darak, ¡°You have magic to stop the rain?¡± she asked nervously. He smiled, ¡°Yes, I do, and I will teach you as well how to use it, but for now let¡¯s go get some breakfast.¡± he said in a calm and reassuring tone. ¡°It is a simple spell that you can use in a month or two.¡± he took her hand again and led the way, guiding them through the rain to a cozy restaurant off one of the main roads. The dining area was well made and finely furnished, the large windows allowed the dimmed light of the rainy morning to get in, while the space had the scent of pipe smoke, yet it never really reached her, the smells of cooked eggs, ham, bacon, and cheeses did though. As they sat down Darak raised his hand and gave a wave summoning a small crib beside her, to her and everyone¡¯s surprise, but she looked up at him and smiled, before speaking ¡°Thank you, it would have been difficult eating with him in my arms.¡± Darak smiled back, ¡°Of course my dear, I may be a magic user, but I am not heartless, not yet anyway. For now, my sole wish is to enjoy this breakfast with you.¡± he said as the waiter got to them and handed them menus. ¡°Good morning, I am Joshua, and I will be your waiter for the morning, do you need anything for the moment, water, tea, coffee?¡± the waiter asked. ¡°Two elder gray teas please, with honey, and a piece of the strawberry cake for my lovely wife.¡± Darak said with a warm smile to her. Meaio looked up a bit confused and shocked that he had ordered something she was thinking about. ¡°Yes, that should be fine for now.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± the waiter said and walked away. Meaio looked up at him, ¡°How did you know I wanted the cake?¡± she asked carefully, a bit of fear of his answer. She knew mages could read thoughts with the right contracts, but did he have such a familiar? ¡°I made an educated guess, that and I read your lips while you were reading the menu.¡± Darak said back with a smile and a warm tone of amusement. ¡°I am sorry, I learned to read from the head maid, and she was a bad teacher.¡± Meaio said back a bit sheepishly, hiding her face a bit more with the menu, ¡°She insisted I read out loud so that she could make sure I got the words right.¡± ¡°Well, that is not surprising, my teacher made me do the same. But I plan to teach Arcaio myself so for now we need just a maid to watch him while we are busy.¡± he said back with a comforting smile. ¡°You plan to hire a maid to care for him, do you plan for us not to be home often?¡± Meaio asked carefully. ¡°We may be called on to go and meet with nobles and wealthy merchants that need of my skills, as my wife and assistant you will need to accompany me.¡± he said then looked away and to the waiter that had returned with their teas and a wedge of cake for her. ¡°When we do, we will need someone trustworthy is needed, and while I could call on a familiar to do the task, I feel it would be better for now not to.¡± Meaio poured a spoon of the honey into her tea and stirred, ¡°Are your familiars not trustworthy?¡± she asked before cutting a piece of the cake off with her fork and eating it. ¡°Well, for most they are, but the only one that can be useable for childcare is not something a young child or baby should be exposed to, not until he can understand the nature of that familiar.¡± Darak said as he took a sip of his tea after he added a spoonful of honey and stirred it. Meaio thought over his answer and looked at him with a bit of concern, ¡°You make it sound like you have a succubus in your retinue.¡± she said out loud as she thought about it but got a nervous smile from him. ¡°No, you jest, surely.¡± ¡°Her name is Dialilla, and like all succubus, she can turn into an incubus at will, then she prefers to be called Dianel,¡± He said calmly, then took a second sip of his tea, ¡°However, she is on a three-year punishment for trying again to influence my actions. So, you will not meet her anytime soon.¡± ¡°Does she try to influence you often?¡± Meaio asked nervously before taking a second bite of her cake. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Unfortunately, she resents me for the contract she has with me, and she tries to convince me to nullify the contract whenever I summon her.¡± Darak said back with a sigh. ¡°Why?¡± Meaio asked as she took a sip of her tea. ¡°Well, she was thinking I would allow her to roam free in our world as long as she didn¡¯t interfere in my work, but I never planned to use her like that, I need her for her skills, and as such I need her to stay close. Add to that that a succubus¡¯s master is unaffected by her magic means she can¡¯t force me to release her.¡± Darak said before taking a third sip of his tea and glanced down at the menu. ¡°So, how many familiars do you have?¡± Meaio asked with curiosity in her tone but a calm expression on her face. Darak stopped and leaned back as he thought about it before he spoke, ¡°I have six, You have already met Zaiz, he is the most useful for day-to-day life, then you have Dialilla, and then you get Phoinas who is a minotaur, Wiazz the divine couatl, Alizal the Silvered wing, and finally, Alucard the bloodied horror, but I would never let him out unless it is life or death for the both of us and Arcaio.¡± ¡°Why is he so bad?¡± Meaio asked as she took a sip of her tea. ¡°Because he was once a human and as such, he has no remorse for his victims, that and I have trouble keeping him in check.¡± Darak said back calmly and looked over the menu again then looked up at her and the now empty cake plate, ¡°You ready for the meal?¡± Meaio nodded and looked over the menu again just to make sure her desired meal was there, while Darak waved the waiter over. ¡°Yes, I would like the breakfast plate with bacon, and sourdough bread for toast.¡± Darak said before finishing his tea. ¡°Excellent choice sir, and for the lady?¡± the waiter asked. Meaio looked over her choice once more, then answered ¡°Yes, can I get the Gracian breakfast with berries for the yogurt?¡± ¡°A brilliant choice, I¡¯ll get those both out as soon as i can.¡± The waiter said and hurried away. ¡°So, you have summoning magic, and familiars, along with healing, Would I be able to use all of those magics too if I learned?¡± Meaio asked while taking the last sip of her tea. Darak looked up and over her, ¡°I believe so, you have a mana point that is suitable for an arcanist, more over you possess a mana eye too, so with training and work you could be more powerful than me.¡± he said calmly. ¡°Mana eye?¡± Meaio asked and leaned back as their food was brought. ¡°I am sure of it, you felt the magic I put in the ring right, and you can feel the auras of magic users that can¡¯t control or are allowing their mana out.¡± Darak said and looked down at his plate, ¡°As an example,¡± The air around them suddenly felt warm and soothing, while making the area where they were having their breakfast suddenly feel like nothing bad would enter before it faded, ¡°That was my mana through the filter of my happiness.¡± ¡°So that is what I feel sometimes,¡± Meaio said then shuddered, ¡°Wait, then when I feel overwhelmed, like death is creeping in?¡± ¡°Malice, if you feel that aura from any magic user it will be bad, your ring will protect you from most damage, but a magic user that is motivated to the point you feel their malice means you run and find me as soon as you can.¡± Darak said with a hard tone but smiled after, ¡°If you feel that from me, I am sorry, I can get too into my own head sometimes.¡± ¡°So, I did ask you for help last night¡­¡± Meaio said a bit stunned. ¡°Yes, you did but I was surprised that you did so, normally people run away from me when I let that side out, but you grabbed on to me and asked me to take your child in, though I suspect that you thought I was someone else.¡± Darak said before eating a forkful of food, and swallowed before continuing, ¡°that being said, I have to admit that you are far more beautiful then I would have imagined last night, and I am overjoyed that you accepted to be my wife. I swear to do you no ill or harm for as long as you will have me.¡± Meaio studied the man again, he was and is a mystery, one that made no sense, he wields magic like a noble, yet his attitude and demeanor are more of a commoner, he has traveled the world, yet he calls this land home, and while he does, he plans to overthrow a millennia-long monarchy for it supposed corruption and defilement of magic. He had taken her in and made her his wife, while vowing to protect her and her son, treating her like a lady, and seeing to her care, all the while teaching her of his skills, and now he states that if she wishes she can leave their marriage at her discretion. And for some reason, she smiled and laughed a bit, then spoke, ¡°I honestly do not think I really had a choice earlier.¡± ¡°Yes, I was rather harsh this morning, but I would not do away with you without thought, my goals would still benefit from you learning to use your magic.¡± Darak said with a smile, ¡°I have much to teach you before I would be happy and assured you could protect yourself and your son.¡± ¡°Does Arcaio have a mana point?¡± She said as she finished her yogurt. ¡°Yes, and like yours it is weak but not ready to be developed.¡± Darak said back as he slid his plate a bit forward while smiling. ¡°Maybe when he is six, I could start teaching him, otherwise it could harm him in the long run.¡± Meaio thought about that and spoke, ¡°The Baron¡¯s sons started to learn about magic at the age of three, so why are we starting at six?¡± ¡°Because the mana point from the age of three to six is in a state of uncertainty, during that time it will mold and contort to work with the magic the child is taught,¡± Darak said as he got a gold coin out and handed to the waiter, ¡°so if you teach a child how to do Mage Magic at three his mana point will become usable only for mage magic, and they will have no choice but to be a mage. However, if you wait until the sixth birthday then the child¡¯s mana point will never settle and can be useable for all forms of magic, that is why you can be an arcanist and so can I and so will Arcaio.¡± Meaio thought it over, she had seen the baron use magic with the power of his familiars, and how the duke would use his Seer arts to do perverted things like lift the dresses of maids when he visited. But for this man to be able to use all of them was a bit of a shocker, more over the idea of her being able to do the same, and for her son to be that powerful too. She couldn¡¯t help but smile at this dark savior she had found and found herself vowing to help him for the sake of Arcaio. ¡°Right then I and Arcaio will be in your care then.¡± she said with a loving tone, as she got Arcaio out of the crib, which turned into a vapor at the wave of his hand. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go home?¡± Darak turned to her but shook his head, ¡°Do you need to feed him? If not, we have one last stop to make.¡± he said back. Meaio looked down at the baby boy in her arms, ¡°He is still asleep, so I think we have time, but not long.¡± she said confidently. ¡°Right then can I ask for you to step as close as possible,¡± he said as he pulled a small pouch out of his pocket. ¡°We will go to a friend''s shop that way it will be over with quickly.¡± Meaio wasn¡¯t sure what to make of him but stepped closer only to have him pull her in by the waist while holding the pouch tight in one hand, the soft flow of air as he exhaled caressing her skin as his eyes shifted to a pale blue mana flow, before he spoke. ¡°Ekat su ot s¡¯radnavilo pohs fo stnegaer¡± She watched as a whirl of light tore the area around them to a different place altogether, she glanced about as the musty smell of books, herbs, and other items that she guessed were used in spellwork filled the air around her. They were standing in a carpeted and circular room with a single doorway out, with walls lined by shelves that held tomes and books of different colors, along with bowls and jars of different things, and a few statuettes of monsters and angels. the shuffling of movement coming close drew her eyes to the door and Darak shifted a bit in front of her and whispered over his shoulder to her, ¡°Do not make any noises or faces when you see him.¡± As the sound grew greater, she could see the shadows of a monster of innumerable feelers and tendrils, the bulky form of a giant, and the heavy and squishy footfall of whatever was approaching. Finally, a simple-looking man peeked around the corner, a look of concern in his eyes, he was a bit rounded but looked harmless to her, yet as Darak didn¡¯t shift his posture, she maintained hers. ¡°Darak Lordarn, Arcanist of the Life Valley, Master of the Hundredfold spell, undisputed king of the forbidden occult. What can Olivandar do for you today?¡± The man said with a bow. ¡°I need you to give me my Proof of Safety unless you want your shop to burn.¡± Darak said back with a harsh tone. ¡°Right away sir, I assume it is for the lady and babe behind you, a waste you know, the soul of a child,¡± the man''s face started to bubble and shift as he gained height, ¡°Is extraordinarily powerful, and I have many clients that will pay handsomely for it.¡± he said as his voice shifted to a rumbling bubble like a few voices spoke at once. Darak raised his arm faster than Meaio could see, and a sudden explosion emanated from near the man¡¯s disfigured face. ¡°They are my Kin, and I will not ask again, you are aware you can¡¯t beat me, and you can¡¯t break the protection I have given them, now hand over the proof or I will let Alizal loose on your shop.¡± Darak roared, as he aimed his hand at the man¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, right away,¡± The man said as he shrunk down again and waved his hand making a parchment appear in his hand then he threw it to Darak. Darak waved his hand and unraveled the parchment and it glided to Meaio, ¡°All it needs is a kiss, please do so and for Arcaio, have him kiss it too, just press it to his lips.¡± he said without taking his eyes off the man, who looked both infuriated and aggravated. Meaio kissed the parchment and her name appeared below Darak¡¯s, then she pressed the parchment to Arcaio¡¯s lips, and his name appeared too. Once done she looked up and the man sighed, while Darak reached over and looked over the proof. ¡°What is that, and who is he?¡± she asked as he relaxed once he read over the document. ¡°His real name must never be spoken aloud, moreover he is a being from the edge of the magic realms, he doesn¡¯t do much more than collect but he sells anything for a price.¡± Darak said with a hand on her shoulder, ¡°he is, however, unable to harm those in his proofs, hence why I had you add yourself and Arcaio to the proof I have with him, that way we can shop without fear.¡± ¡°You make it sound like he is something that even the empire can¡¯t fight.¡± She said as she pulled Arcaio in a bit tighter. ¡°The empire would lose if they tried, I beat him thanks to my training.¡± Darak said back then looked to the man, ¡°I need the components to a blessing of Freya, and three teleportations, also the materials for the true vision spell and the Barrier shatter spell.¡± Olivandar waved his hand as different things flew off the shelves and entered a bag until finally it closed, and the man looked to Darak, ¡°It will be pricey, and you know I don¡¯t care for gold, so I will ask for something else, I want the boy.¡± Meaio gasped and moved behind Darak, but was happy to hear his answer, ¡°Forget that. How about I give you Dialilla for a week, I know you like her, and she has been looking for some fun.¡± Darak said back. ¡°Hmm, no, she will just stay and complain the whole time, even if I did try to have her.¡± Olivandar said back and started to pace. ¡°Ok, how about the soul of a powerful Baroness, I should have her in a phylactery within a few months. If that works, then say so.¡± Darak said after a second. ¡°Agreed!¡± Olivandar said and waved his hand. The world around them tore again but they found themselves in the sitting room Meaio had woken up in, she turned to Darak, ¡°The Baroness you offered, it is Baroness Wiandran, isn¡¯t it?¡± Darak turns to her and smiles, ¡°Would you really like to know, or shall I lie to you?¡± His question sounded like a trap within a trap, a harsh decision to be made. On the table was the terrible truth, while on the other was blissful ignorance. Meaio looked down at her son, they were talking about his grandmother¡¯s soul like a bargaining chip from a gambler¡¯s den, and they did so casually, so she knew what she wanted and looked up to Darak, an authoritative glare in her eye, ¡°I want honesty between us, even at the cost of pain.¡± she said in a hard and cold tone. ¡°You are the mother of my nephew, and I am the bastard son of Baron Wiandran whom he tried to kill thirteen years ago, I have been traveling the world learning how to wield any and every magic that the gods have given us to take my rightful place as the Baron. But that was my goal three years ago, now I want to topple the empire.¡± Darak said back with a cold tone, and an equal glare in his eye, ¡°And I will happily sell the Baroness¡¯s soul for my mission, so do you still want to work with me, or do I have to change my plans again.¡± Meaio felt the air shift, it was not dreadful but still uncomfortable, but she didn¡¯t shrink away from his eyes. ¡°I never liked that woman and now that you have told me about my magic, I have more reason to believe that my employment was for that reason only, so no, I will not leave as long as you will protect my son.¡± she said after a second. Darak relaxed and smiled warmly at her, affection in his expression ¡°Thank you for choosing me again, I will see your son made the baron, and you, the Empress at my side.¡± ¡°I will hold you to that, Darak.¡± She said and looked down at her son as he stirred away and cried out. ¡°Is there somewhere I can feed him in private?¡± ¡°Up the stairs first door on your left, it will be his nursery, the furniture was summoned by Zaiz while we were out, you should find everything you need.¡± he said and gestured to the stairs. guests and soup. Darak watched as she left, he still wasn¡¯t sure if he could trust her, it had only been a day, but he would be a liar if he didn¡¯t admit her beauty to himself, and he could see why his half-brother had her, but that was not important now, what mattered was getting things ready, so he picked up the bag of material, "Zaiz, please watch over Meaio and her son, and guide her to me when she is ready." He said as the cat sat down in the doorway. "Yes master, did Olivander give you much trouble?" The cat mentally spoke back. "Initially yes, but the sting of the mana shot from me reminded him of who I am. Also please split and overwatch the door and notify me if there is a guest." Darak said as he looked at the cat, watching as Zaiz got up and split into two perfectly cloned cats, one walking over to the window and lying down on the windowsill, while the other made his way to the stairs. Darak smiled and got up before turning to the back of the home, to a room off in the back past the kitchen, a room that was technically the broom closet, now made into an extra planer pocket and study, lined with shelves of books and reagents, with a single table and stool in the middle. As he reached the stool his mind was already wishing for an end to the long and tedious process of forging new component pouches, not that he could help it, and with a wave of his hands he called the extra things he needed from the shelves, while his mind wandered to other things. ¡®Meaio is not a rarity these days but she is uncommon, her mana point is small but I could feel the power it is choking back was massive, and she has a mana eye, could it be that she thought I was my father, I know that I dropped my vail for a second, and she latched on as soon as I did. She is beautiful, and her voice does soothe me, but I will not force her, I would prefer she came to me willingly, I''ll have to check over her room later, make sure all the wards and charms are still in place, I would hate to see her hurt¡­¡¯ Darak stopped his work, and thought about his last thought, while he mused aloud "Would it really be that bad for me to see her hurt?" He retreated inwards again. ¡®Yes, yes it would. She is a caring mother, like mine and I can''t stand to see that. She has a right to live the life of the wife of a magic user of renown, and I will make that happen for her, she will learn, be loved, and be cared for without conditions. I will see her dressed in royal regalia, and sit beside me in the throne room, and I will make this nation better, even if I have to tear out every form of corruption, root and stem.¡¯ "Master, you have guests." Zaiz notified him through the telepathic link they shared. "Thank you, I''ll be right there." Darak called out telepathically as he stood and pocketed the three pouches he had made, and headed to the door. As he approached the door he heard the knocking on it again, "one moment please." Darak called out before looking through the peephole and saw two women dressed like young noble ladies of a lesser house or an upper-class mercantile family, they were escorted by two maids that were acting as their chaperones, and looked somewhat displeased by their current location "Can I help you ladies?" He called through the door. "Are you a user of magic, we were hoping to make a request, we have been to most of the others close to us and we noticed your place this morning, Could we please speak with you?" One lady said in a bit of a high voice. "We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but we really could use your help." Said the other quickly, trying to soothe over any minor slights. Darak opened the door and gave them a bow, "I am Arcanist Darak Lordarn, Master of the Hundredfold spell and traveler of the mystical planes, please come in." And gestured to the sitting room, while actively seeking out magic about the four, found only weak mage arts coming from the accessories that the ladies had. He followed shortly after and sat down in a recliner while the ladies took to the couch, and the maids flanked them from the other side of the high table behind it. Darak waved his hand to call for a new tea set to be brought in with three cups while the one from this morning hovered back towards the kitchen. The pot came to a boil a few seconds after the tray was set down. Darak waved his hand again, moving the different components of the set to make three cups, and looked up "Sugar, honey, or neither?" He asked as the cups were being filled. "One sugar for me, thank you." The nobleman¡¯s daughter said. "A bit of honey for me, thank you." The merchant''s daughter said a second after. Darak willed a spoon of sugar into one cup while pouring out a fine amount of honey into the second, then lifted his hand and slowly pushed, making each respective cup reach its person with grace. Finally calling for his own cup, he spoke again, "I would like to preface this discussion with a simple statement, I am an Arcanist, and as such I am not limited with my magic, if it is in my power to do, I will do so for compensation." His tone was soft and well-mannered as to invite them into speaking, "With that out of the way, how can I help you?" The nobleman¡¯s daughter shifted a bit and finally spoke, "We have been courted for the greater part of two years, and despite having had many visits from our suitors, we have not been proposed to yet, we fear that our courtships are but a ruse to do little more than maintain a connection with our fathers, we would like to know the truth.¡± her tone a bit down trot, and made Darak frown a bit at the information. A two-year courtship is indeed a long time to hold and visit someone you have no real care for, but their fathers may be powerful or influential, which meant this was likely more of a means to an end for the suitors while for these ladies it is a heart-rending ordeal to be approached by someone for no reason but her family. Darak looked to the other lady, and got a nod from her, as he sipped his tea, and sighed, ¡°I could help, but first I must ask somethings?¡± he spoke and noticed that even the maids now focused more, ¡°I need to know what you would do if the suitors were indeed using you and cared not for your hearts?¡± The two ladies shifted a bit and the merchant¡¯s daughter spoke, ¡°I would end our courtship and take more care with the next suitor, I will not be a pawn in the politics of the nobility or business.¡± Her tone was confident, and her friend shared the reason with a nod. ¡°And if they genuinely cared for your hearts, what would you do then?¡± Darak asked before taking a second sip of his tea. ¡°We would encourage them to move forward with our partnership.¡± the noble lady said quickly. Darak nodded then smiled, ¡°Now would you really like to know or could you live in ignorance for your love of the suitors?¡± he said flatly, and noticed them stop and think over his question, a clear effort to find an answer. ¡°You are saying that you can give us the marriages we wish for while never gifting a truth to our suitors¡¯ motives.¡± the merchant¡¯s daughter said as she looked up at him. Darak nodded then spoke, ¡°It is in my power to give, in fact, it is all in my power, but I can only do what you wish.¡± They sat in silence that was only broken briefly by the placement of the cups on their saucers until finally the noble lady looked up to her friend and gave a determined look, one her friend agreed to with a sigh, before she turned her head to face Darak, ¡°We would like the truth, be it good or ill, I would like to know the truth of my suitor.¡± Darak put his cup down on the tray and looked up while resting his hand with interlaced fingers on his knee, ¡°As you wish, now on to the matter of payment, know that I have no need for coin, however, given the conversation, I would like to be introduced to your fathers as payment for solving your woes.¡± he said in a clear tone that this was not a negotiation. The noble¡¯s maid shifted a bit to move but was stopped by her mistress''s hand, ¡°Is there a way for us to pay you some other way, my father is a busy man.¡± she said calmly, ¡°surely asking for so much as a payment is a opening tactic.¡± Darak shook his head, ¡°I am afraid you misunderstand, I plan to gift you the truth and knowledge, even ill knowledge is powerful, more over you will likely seek out my assistance after this too. An introduction will be a one-time payment for my aid for the next ten years within reason.¡± ¡°You are confident in your skills then, to make such a request before proving your magic capabilities.¡± the merchant¡¯s daughter said calmly as she finished her cup and placed it on the table. ¡°Do you really believe you will succeed?¡± Darak smiled at her, ¡°I am an Arcanist, and a master of the hundredfold spell, decorated by three foreign kings, and have a mastery of my mana, I can guarantee that my magic will work out as intended.¡± The two ladies leaned back and thought it over before exchanging a glance then looked at him. ¡°That is agreeable, but you will not have an introduction until I have the truth from my suitor.¡± said the noble lady. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Yes, my father will not see you unless the truth is brought out from my suitor¡¯s lips, anything less is not acceptable.¡± the merchant¡¯s daughter added a second later. Darak smiled and looked to the doorway where Zaiz was waiting, ¡°Zaiz, please fetch for me two truthseeker charms from my Arcanium.¡± he said and watched the cat leave, but looked to the stairs as the clone of Zaiz descended followed by Meaio. ¡°My dear, we have guests.¡± he said and got up and walked to the doorway, ¡°Ladies, this is my wife, Meaio Lordarn.¡± he said with an extended hand to her. The noble lady stood, ¡°A pleasure to meet you, I am Luciella Willicar, daughter of Viscount Jacob Willicar.¡± She said with a small bow. the merchant¡¯s daughter stood up and bowed a bit too. ¡°I am Julianna Wessex, of the Wessex Traders¡± Meaio Smiled at them, ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am sorry I could not greet you when you arrived, I was tending to our son, Arcaio, Please sit back down.¡± she said and gestured to the couch, while she and Darak sat down in the recliners ¡°I overheard a bit of the conversation, and I can assure you that my husband is a skilled magic user.¡± ¡°You flatter me, my dear.¡± Darak said warmly then looked to the Zaiz clone at the doorway, ¡°Please watch over our son and tell me if anything happens.¡± making them watch as the cat moved back upstairs, only to have the same cat come around the corner and leap up and into his lap, holding to charms by their strings in its mouth. ¡°Thank you zaiz you are wonderful.¡± Darak looked over the charms, checking for any damage, then waved his hand and let the charms come to a rest before each lady, ¡°These are truth-seeker charms from the lands of Waino, far to the east, when next your suitors come to call on you hold them tight and focus on them as you ask your suitors anything, your suitor will be unable to lie to you even if they would wish too. You will have your answers, be they weal or woe.¡± he said with a gesture at the small envelopes with Japanese on them, closed at the top by a fine silk cord. The two ladies and maid looked down on the odd items he had presented, and Luciella looked up to him, ¡°will it work?¡± Darak smiled, ¡°yes, you can even use it on me if you would like.¡± he said back. Julianna took hers, held it in both hands and looked up at him ¡°What do you think of your wife?¡± Darak felt the mana wave wash over him and he allowed it to carry him ¡°I find her beauty intoxicating, her grace is that of an angel I long to hold, and her voice is a sweet melody I will never bore of. if I had but one wish it would be to give her anything and everything she wished for.¡± he said in a tone that was warm and affectionate, the air around him shifted to a warm and soothing aura that lulled them all as his buried thoughts of Meaio came forth in the joy and love he hides. Meaio smiled and took his hand, ¡°I know my dear,¡± she said then turned to the ladies, ¡°As you can see it works wonders as he normally would not speak like that before company.¡± The air shifted away as the magic that affected his mind faded, ¡°Yes, I do not like to sing of her when in front of others, lest I embarrass her.¡± He said and squeezed Meaio¡¯s hand a bit, ¡°If this is all you require then I believe our dealings are done.¡± ¡°Please allow me to escort you to the door.¡± Meaio said as she stood, with the ladies. ¡°Thank you Arcanist Lordarn.¡± Luciella said before turning to walk away. ¡°Yes, thank you for your help.¡± Julianna added a second after then turned and left, followed by the maids. ¡°It is a pleasure to be of assistance, please get home safe.¡± Darak said with a bow as they left, then sat back down and let out a sigh, but looked up to Meaio as she stopped in the doorway. ¡°Did you really mean to say those things, surely you could have resisted the effect of the magic.¡± she said, her voice sounding uncertain of the truth of his words or lack of resistance. Darak nodded and sat up, ¡°I could have, I could have been unaffected and lied to close the deal, but my aura would have been wrong, also Lady Willicar had a ring that told her if I had lied, so it would have been worse, at the end I choose to let the magic carry me and I spoke truthfully.¡± He said and looked up at her, noticing the light blush on her cheeks, ¡°I do find it hard to look at you without my heart racing, but we are still strangers and I will not force you to do anything.¡± Meaio nodded and looked away, ¡°I¡¯ll start making lunch, call me if you need something.¡± She said then stopped before leaving the line of sight through the doorway, ¡°and thank you for the praise, it was flattering.¡± her voice sounded reassured as she left. Darak leaned into his chair, and looked to Zaiz, ¡°Watch over the door, and call if we have more guests, I have more work to do and split again and watch over Meaio, if she needs me let me know.¡± he said and walked back towards the Arcanium, giving Meaio a smile as he walks through the kitchen, getting back to his work while his mind wondered again. ¡®Did I really just tell her how I feel and think of her, maybe I should have resisted, but then the deal would have been a sham, no, I need connections and she is my wife, I shouldn¡¯t hide my thoughts and feelings from her. For now, focus on the future, once they use the charms on their suitors they will show them to their fathers, who will be shocked that there is a user of the shinto magic of Waino here in the city, and they will call on my skills soon, then it is a matter of working to solve more issues in a way that is not common here, I just need to show that I can use not only mage, druidic, and priest arts but also use any other to my advantage, even huckstar if I must, not that I would want to sell the souls of others. Yes in a few weeks, for sure by then I will have a summons.¡¯ His work was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, looking over he saw Meaio¡¯s face, ¡°Food is ready, will you join me in the kitchen?¡± she asked with a bit of concern that was warm Darak looked over to the clock on his table and noticed that a better part of an hour had passed, and smiled to her ¡°Yes, I will.¡± She smiled back and walked away while he followed a bit behind, his eyes wandering over her, but he shook his head to clear his mind of the thoughts he felt bubble up. Their walk to the kitchen table was quick and he found a pot of soup resting on the table with the lid on, and some fresh sliced bread on two plates and a cutting board, coming to a seat at the head of the table, he watched as she served him a bowl of the rich smelling soup. The wafting scent of the barley, vegetables, and chicken wet his palate before he even had a taste, but waited for her to sit down too, ¡°It smells delicious Meaio, thank you, I am sure I would have been lost in my work if you hadn¡¯t come for me.¡± he said with a warm smile and tone. She smiled back with a hint of nervousness, ¡°Thank you, I am not sure if it will be to your liking, so please let me know if I can improve it somehow.¡± she said back, before ripping a bit of bread and starting to eat. Darak took a spoonful and found it delectable, the softness of the barley combined with the rich flavor of the onions and chicken made it perfect, and he couldn¡¯t help but take a second spoonful before sitting upright and smiling wide. ¡°It is perfect like you, please make it again whenever you like.¡± He said and took a bite of the bread. Meaio looked up and smiled, ¡°Thank you, though I wish I had some more spices.¡± she said a bit of dismay in her voice. ¡°I will see to getting some, just write a list for me.¡± Darak said back as he took a new spoonful. She looked up with a bit of shock ¡°Really? Spices are expensive are they not?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, but I have too much in the way of coinage, I will have to show you my vault later, for now, let us enjoy this wonderful meal.¡± he said with a warm smile. Their meal was calm and warm to him as they ate, Meaio let out a sigh as she finished her bowl, ¡°Can you tell me something?¡± she asked while resting her chin in her hand. ¡°If it is something I know then yes.¡± Darak said back. ¡°Why do I have a magic power, more over how is it that a commoner like me has one, I was taught that magic power can only be found in nobles. So why me?¡± She asked and stared at him. Darak looked back at her, staring into her eyes while he thought about it, the prolonged contact making his heart race, then looked away as she started to blush and shift away. ¡°Well, first off, anyone can be born with magic power or the correct term Mana point. One of my master¡¯s believed that it was a game of chance who would have it, while a different one said that it is fated at birth, and my master from the Lower New Lands said it is the will of the gods. However, after extensive checks and research, I believe that about ten percent of humans have a mana point, and while I found a correlation between bloodlines and those who have it, I can say with near-perfect certainty that that way of thinking is wrong. As for why you have one is a mystery, maybe you are the descendent of a lost house maybe the gods deemed your soul fit to have one. At the end of it all, it matters little, you will with time and training be able to use magic like I do.¡± he said carefully, then finished his bowl, savoring the last bit of it. ¡°So, I have it because I have it, but what is it exactly?¡± She asked a second later. Darak looked up and recalled how it was explained to him, then spoke, ¡°A mana point works like a bridge between your physical form and your soul, it allows for the flowing of the energy our souls hold to be used by us, normally that bridge is not open as the energy is needed to let us live, but for a magic user they can use that energy to make things happen, the usage of the energy leaves us feeling drained, but that can be recovered from with rest and relaxation.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say mine is weak and underdeveloped, wouldn¡¯t that be bad for me to use magic?¡± She asked. Darak shook his head, ¡°Your mana point right now is like a small trench you dug in the dirt with your finger, then you pour a bit of water through it, the amount that will come out is too little for it to be useable. However, with training, meditation, and study, you can make that mana point bigger and sturdy enough to hold the same amount of mana as the river themes.¡± he said calmly while still looking off of her eye line. ¡°And how big is your mana point?¡± She questioned. ¡°I can let you feel it if you want.¡± He said back as he extended his hand to her. She took it as he placed her hand over his heart, then closed his eyes and focused his mana towards her hand, the soft touch of her palm was nice even through the layers of fabric he wore, but he let the mana flow from him into her hand and got a shallow gasp from her as the energy made contact. He held her there as he kept at it, willing more mana to cycle through her hand before coming back to him. ¡°It is warmer than I thought it would be, I was expecting it to be cold and uncomfortable, yet it feels nice, like holding my hand close to a fireplace in winter.¡± she said, making him open his eyes to her smiling face, the soothing nature of his mana right now made her blush a bit. He pulled her hand away, ¡°Yeah so that is my mana point, it would be about the size of a fist, but I have spent three years reaching that level while I had no real instructor, I believe you will get to that in half the time if not faster.¡± he said while looked a bit away and a bout of shyness rang over him for the nature of their contact just now. ¡°I see, and what will happen then?¡± she asked, a bit of shyness in her voice too. ¡°We will open your mana channels, that way you can start learning magic.¡± He answers, before looking back. ¡°Actually we will be opening them while we work to develop your mana point.¡± ¡°And those are what?¡± Meaio asked while looking away from him. ¡°Think of them as canals that carry mana from the mana point all the way out to your fingers and toes, like your mana point, yours are too small to be used, so we will expand them, the way to do so is a bit uncomfortable, but I will make sure you will be okay.¡± he said back scratching at the scar on his neck. ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± she asked as she noticed the scar that ran up the left side of his neck and webbed out as it did, fearful of the task. ¡°Only if you are trying to do it alone, but I will be there to help you along, and I will make sure you don¡¯t get hurt.¡± He said slowly and sighed as the memory of his near-death at his efforts still in his head. ¡°And after we do that I can start using spells?¡± She asked carefully, a light uncertainty at the idea still present in her speech. ¡°Yes, do you have a spell you would like to learn first, or would like me to pick one for you?¡± He said with a faked joy, as the memory of his time from then still played in his head. ¡°I want a spell that will make you smile.¡± She said with a warmth drawing his eyes up to her smiling face. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you look sad, it reminds me of my past, and I want to forget that.¡± Darak laughed a bit but covered his mouth quickly, ¡°Sorry, I did not think you would answer that way.¡± he said then shook his head to banish the memories, ¡°How about the first spell I learned, it''s not fancy or amazing, but I was so ecstatic when I did it. I think if I got to see you achieving the same would make me smile.¡± he smiled a bit. She watched him for a second, then smiled ¡°Great, then I want you to truly smile, so that way I can know when you are really happy, and not faking it like you have been.¡± she said before getting up and taking the pot off the table. Darak watched her as she cleared the table, her light brown hair still tied back by the workers of the dress shop, the way her body moved the dress he had gotten her, the way it hugged at her waist and pressed her chest up and forward, the skirt showing her hips move and sway as she walked, the light coloring of her skin that reminded him of soft snow in the early night. Her blue eyes landed on him every now and then, each time making her blush a bit, and every time his heart lost its beat for a second. His mind called to him to sweep her off her feet and carry her upstairs, to indulge in her completely, to hear her voice cry out with pleasure, to allow them both to be lost in the fog of ecstasy. Now was not the time for it so he shut his eyes and leaned back while rubbing the bridge of his nose, sighing out in an effort to regain control of his mind. Bedrooms and old friends Meaio watched him as she cleared the table, he was a well-built man and his hands were soft, save the points where calloused from hard work had formed from his training in magic, he was a world traveler, he had masters from around the world and held a knowledge that put her former employer to shame. But he was a man, the look in his eyes was normally cold and calculating, yet now they showed a hunger of a primal nature, the air about him felt intoxicating to her mind, and the way his eye wandered over her form felt like he was looking to her for her body, the thought of letting him in made her blush under his gaze, he was kind to her but was powerful, he swore to make her happy, yet this feeling in her chest was not just happiness of his attention, but also a longing for him that made her sway her hip every time she walked away, a desire in her core to see how he would react. But he finally closed his eyes and leaned back, sighing hard. ¡®He is not like his brother at all, he had been watching me for a few minutes now yet he held back.¡¯ she thought and walked around to the back of his chair, reaching down and onto his shoulders, the broad shoulders befitting a knight or soldier, those shoulders that held a weight on them, and she started to knead at them with the balls of her hands, the action making him shudder. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked out. ¡°You seemed tense, I want to help as your wife.¡± Meaio said back feeling the corded muscles even through the fabric, he had trained not only his mind, but his body and she felt it, the knots that needed to be untangled. ¡°I have a question.¡± He let out a soft sigh as she hit one knot well, then inhaled before he spoke, ¡°What is it?¡± Meaio could feel the tension in his shoulders. ¡°Just now, you had a look in your eyes, it felt like you wanted to have me, yet you didn¡¯t, why?¡± she asked, and felt him shudder a bit under her hands. ¡°Is it wrong of me to wait for you to come to me?¡± He asked back, as he rested his hands on the table. Meaio thought it over. ¡®Am I upset that he didn¡¯t, It feels more like a surprise, I never really had much choice as a maid, but I am his wife, but as his wife, I would be happy if he did, wouldn¡¯t I?¡¯ she looked down to him, he hadn¡¯t moved except his hands that were slightly curled, and answered him ¡°No it''s not, yet it seems like you intentionally stopped yourself, like you have the desire to do so, yet waited, why?¡± ¡°I guess I understand that we are still strangers, and I would not do anything if you aren¡¯t ready.¡± he said back slowly while breathing intently. Meaio leaned a bit down ¡°Have you been with women on your travels?¡± she asked, a wish to learn more of him and the subject of his earlier gaze on her gifting the subject. He seemed lost for an answer for a second then posed a counter question, ¡°Would you be jealous if I had?¡± his tone sounded vailed like he didn¡¯t want to give a true answer to her. Meaio thought it over, he was a skilled and talented magic user, he had traveled the world, and he did so to gather power and knowledge, but he was a man, and men have a need, one that was not easily quelled, would she be envious of a woman he had been with before they met, did she have a right to be. Meaio shook her head and answered, ¡°No I wouldn¡¯t, you are sworn to me as my husband, and while I am not sure if you will be faithful to me alone, I can¡¯t hold the past against you.¡± He sighed with a bit of relief and spoke to answer her initial question, ¡°Yes, I have been with only two, one was my master for druidic arts, while the other was a barmaid near a hotel I was in a few years ago. However, I am not a father to anyone but Arcaio, as for now, I will be faithful to you alone when you allow me in, until then I will wait patiently.¡± his tone was rich with reassurance for her, his declaration of faith made her heart thunder in her ears for a second. ¡®This man, was he really that capable of holding himself back, he must have a way to soothe himself¡¯ She thought it over and gripped onto his shoulders as an idea crossed her mind and asked it aloud, ¡°Have you been with your succubus?¡± Darak snorted a laugh, ¡°Goddess forbid, she is my familiar and one that I keep for her magical powers alone, I wouldn¡¯t risk my soul for that, as alluring as she can be.¡± he said back then reached up to her hand and pulled it forward, tenderly kissing the back of her hand, ¡°Besides, I prefer mortals to immortals, and I have one that is an angel in my eyes as a wife, I would not trade that for anything.¡± Meaio lost her composure for a second and gasped at his words, the sensation of his lips on her skin a bit invigorating, but she pulled her hand back and left quickly rushing up the stairs and finding a bedroom, the large bed was soft as she landed in it and let loose a scream into the mattress. ¡®What is wrong with him, there is no way he believes that, even the two ladies from the morning were more beautiful than me, he is not serious, it''s an act to keep me happy, surely. He is a powerful and talented magic user, he needs me for his plan, he needs me to do my job as his wife and assistant to accomplish his goals.¡¯ she thought then turned her head and stared at the back of the hand he had kissed, ¡®he wasn''t serious, he did that to fluster me into stopping, yes that must be it, he was already filled with lust, and wanted me to stop so that he could bottle those drives up, he doesn¡¯t love me like that.¡¯ She rolled over and looked up, ¡®Or can he, he said he has a black heart but I don¡¯t think that is true, he has the capacity for love, it is there when he looks at my son, affection in his eyes like he is looking at a treasure he has, that look, a look he gives me sometimes, a look he has shown me.¡¯ she heard the footsteps and leaned up and saw as he walked in. ¡°Oh, this is my room, yours is next door,¡± he said a bit sheepishly, averting his gaze from her. Meaio glanced around and saw some discarded suits on a chair by a desk, the papers and books on the desktop still opened to different sections, and the closet that was ajar showing clean suits and clothes within. She turned back to him, her blood rushing to her cheeks, and she got up. ¡°Sorry about that, can you show me to my room?¡± Darak smiled and waved for her to follow, as he led her to the middle room on the floor, opening it to a grand bedroom with a four-post king bed with curtains, and a wonderful sitting space with comfortable chairs and a gleaming table for tea, a vanity with five glass mirrors that were clean and clear, a comfortable chair, that the baroness would be envious of, sitting next to it. She watched as he walked in and opened a room to a magnificent walk-in closet, that she will have only partly filled once her new dresses and clothes arrived. She turned to him, her wonderment and joy at her room too much for her to contain, ¡°Is this really my room?¡± she asked with a tone that spoke to her unwillingness to accept this as a truth. Darak just smiled at her before he spoke, ¡°Yes, it is all yours, I want you to be comfortable as you are my wife.¡± He then gestured to a door, ¡°That door will lead you to the nursery,¡± he then pointed to a door on the other side of the room, ¡°That one leads to my room if you need something at night.¡± he then turned to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Meaio called out faster than she realized, making him turn around expectantly, ¡°Thank you for this, I never had such a bedroom.¡± He smiled again, ¡°No need to thank me, as I have said money is not an object for me, and spending this much so that you can be comfortable and happy is my first priority, I want you and Arcaio to enjoy your lives.¡± he said in a tone that sounds like a self-wish he had, then turned and walked back out and to his room. Meaio was left speechless, ¡®How is he like this, he has everything a man in this nation needs to live in the lap of nobility without a care, yet¡­¡¯ she felt her heart skip a beat, and felt her chest burn up a bit, ¡®yet he gives me so much and still asks for just loyalty, he has no demands of me but my happiness.¡¯ she sat down on the bed, ¡®this can¡¯t be happening, surely it is a dream, a grand one I will wake from soon.¡¯ she thought as she fell backward into the fluffy blanket, ¡®but if it is not then I will know tomorrow. For now, enjoy this dream.¡¯ She closed her eyes and found rest. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Her mind woke her as the sound of Arcaio''s cry rang out, her body worked on instinct and she rushed over to find him awake, yet as his eyes landed on her his crying faded, and he let loose a giggle as she lifted him up and out of his crib, ¡°you just missed me right?¡± she cooed then looked to the window, noticing the late hour, she turned to the door and stepped out, overhearing the sounds of voices as she reached the top of the stairs. The sound carried over from the kitchen. ¡°Come now Darak, you can¡¯t be this mean to us, Go wake her, we are friends, right?¡± said a deeply accented voice from the Middle East. ¡°Not happening Aziar, knowing you, you already tried scrying on her as soon as I spoke of her.¡± Darak¡¯s voice said back with a cold indignation. ¡°So what is she like love, surely she is nothing next to me¡± Said a female voice that sounded like it belonged in a pub on the outer edge of the city. ¡°Please Yair, comparing you to anyone is like comparing a boar to someone. But I am interested too, what is she like.¡± said a man with a frenken accent. ¡°Do you guys think he is hiding her away because he is embarrassed.¡± Said a different woman with an accent that Meaio couldn¡¯t place, ¡°Maybe they had yet to spend their first night together.¡± The suggestion got all of them but Darak to laugh, and Meaio noted two more voices. ¡°Fine, if you give this much of a shit, tonight would be our first night, jackasses, and no, I don¡¯t think we will, we are still strangers, and I am not that rude and arrogant to make her do anything.¡± Darak¡¯s voice called out but with a tone of understanding, making Meaio sit down on the top step. ¡°As for her, I don¡¯t really understand why, but when I look at her my heart thunders faster, my mana feels like it wants to rage, and even my vail slips without my knowledge, it''s like I am walking in an illusion that makes me want to stand next to her even when I know I have other things to tend to. And yet I can¡¯t help but smile when she speaks to me, and my resolve is shattered every time she smiles, she has me under her spell that she has cast without knowing it, and I for one do not care to break free.¡± A short whistle rang and a new voice from an irlander spoke, ¡°It soun like ya be smitten, laddie.¡± ¡°You got to be joking, the dark prince of magic is in love, bullshit.¡± said a voice that was accented the way those from Hispania are. ¡°No, I see it in his eyes, look, there is a crack in his blackened heart, this is good.¡± Said the Middle Eastern voice. ¡°Now go wake her, we all have a right to meet this woman.¡± ¡°I told you, I will not, now drink your mead and go, she is not ready to meet all of you yet.¡± Darak said quickly. ¡°Hold on a minute, Darak where is your ring?¡± Said the voice whose accent Meaio still wasn¡¯t sure of. ¡°The one your mother gave you and you modified to have some of the grandest spells of protection on, where is it?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, did you give it to the wife?¡± Said the Hispanian. Meaio looked down at her ring, the waves of magic that soothed her even now and kept her from doing anything but listening, was this his mother''s ring she wondered. ¡°Ye, where you gone an put it laddie, it be a relic at this point, ya know.¡± Said the Irlander. ¡°I gave it to her as a wedding ring, I feel it was right as she can¡¯t cast her own wards yet.¡± Darak said back before the sound of a bottle uncorking rang up to her. ¡°Now finish up and go, I would like to have a quiet dinner with her, and you are all being shits right now.¡± ¡°So you did give it to her, Is that why I couldn¡¯t scry on her half an hour ago.¡± Said the Middle Eastern voice, his tone sounded like he had been wronged somehow. ¡°I guess trying to charm her when I meet her is out of the question too.¡± ¡°Aziar, this is why we can¡¯t hang out and drink anywhere else but Darak¡¯s, you keep trying to add to your harem.¡± said the man with a frenken accent. ¡°Yeah, if you want more women come to my palace, I have too many daughters I can¡¯t marry off.¡± said the woman whose accent was still a mystery. ¡°No thanks, I have seen your daughters they all got the ugliness of your consorts.¡± the Middle Eastern said back. Darak spoke up a bit, ¡°Look, in a few weeks after she learns some mana control then I will introduce you all, but for now, I¡¯ll be honest, the only one I trust in this room is Zaiz. now go and leave me alone, I am almost done cooking and I really hate having you here.¡± She heard the grumbling of the six individuals and saw the soft glows of magic that were accompanied by the sound of rushing wind. And then she heard a long drawn-out sigh from Darak, ¡°Zaiz can you go and see to waking Meaio up gently.¡± he said. Meaio stood up and walked down the steps getting the cat to stop in the doorway of the kitchen as she turned and walked in, finding Darak out of his suit and vest, with an apron on, holding a larger tray with cuts of meats and roasted vegetables, his look of surprised at her entry. ¡°Oh, you are awake. How did you sleep?¡± Meaio looked over to the table in the kitchen, the four empty bottles and six glasses sitting atop it. ¡°Good, Arcaio woke me a few minutes ago, been sitting at the top of the stairs a bit.¡± she turned to face him, ¡°Is this ring you gave really your mother¡¯s?¡± she asked. Darak nodded but stayed silent. ¡°And everything you told them, about how you feel when you see me, was that true?¡± Meaio asked after a second. Darak nodded but stayed silent yet again. ¡°So, you really feel a love towards me, even after you know I had a child with your brother, and that I am a commoner, and have no skill in magic, you still love me?¡± she said as she trembled at the thought of how he would answer, her voice shaken a bit by fear after she pointed out who she was. Darak turned and placed the tray down on the counter before taking the mittens off and walking up. Meaio looked away as she felt tears welling up at his silence, but gasped as he cupped her cheek while pulling her to him by the waist, placing a soft kiss on her lips, then pulling away before he spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know why or how, all I know is that I love you, and I would do anything for you, and will give you the world if you ask it of me.¡± Meaio watched his face, there was no veneer, no carefully made mask to his thoughts, no restraints to his display, ¡®he is being honest, this is what he really feels.¡¯ she thought as she studied him and spoke a reply, ¡°I can¡¯t claim the same of myself, but for my son¡¯s sake I will stay as your wife and hope that your affection and care of us will win my heart¡± Darak smiled and let go of her, ¡°We will be eating in the dining room.¡± He said as he turned and put the mittens back on before taking up the tray and leading the way. The dining room had a long table that could seat twenty persons easily, the large fireplace facing the door was lit and crackling, and one end was lit by candles with a fine set of plates and cutlery that shined in the light. She followed him as he walked over and placed the tray down then pulled out the seat at the head of the table, before waving his hand summoning a crib for Arcaio, then pushed the chair back in for her, finally taking the apron off and sitting down next to her, smiling as he did. ¡®Why is he doing this still, surely my answer had cut him.¡¯ she thought and watched as he portioned some food to her plate, before taking his own, ¡®Why can he be so ready to care for me, I have to know¡¯ she swallowed before she spoke out to him. ¡°Why can you claim to love me after a day?¡± Darak stopped and leaned back, his eyes staring at his plate, and he forced a smile out as he thought about it, ¡°My mother, I guess, she had fought tooth and nail for me too, she was kind and affectionate, she tried her hardest to protect me and feed me, so when I saw you pleading for Arcaio I knew that you would be the same, you look at him with the same face, a visage of a loving mother, and I find that beautiful. You are everything I could have wished to have if my life had not turned out the way it did, so now I can¡¯t help but want to hold and protect you and him from suffering the same fate.¡± he looked over and shed a teardrop as he reached over and took Arcaio¡¯s hand, ¡°I was not as young as him, but my mother still did everything to help me, so now I want to help him, I want him to grow up never wanting for things like I did, I don¡¯t want him to think he was hated. But to do that I also know you need the same, you have been held down too, suffered for no reason but your birth, so is it wrong of me to want to love you?¡± Meaio stopped and looked at him ¡®Is this it, is this really all there is to his love, a desire to not see mine and my son suffer, to have such power and use it for something like this, it is foolish, yet¡­¡¯ she felt her heart thunder and her hands trembled a bit, ¡®yet I feel like it is wrong to deny him, to push him away, to want to hold him back, who is he to will me to such feelings.¡¯ she watched as he played a bit with Arcaio, his face showed a fear but love of her son. ¡®He has shown me and Arcaio more care and warmth in a day than his brother has in a lifetime. He is a man that I feel a longing for, that is there beyond the attraction of lust, is this really why? His reason for everything he has done today?¡¯ She shook her head, ¡°No, it is not wrong but too fast, I haven¡¯t known you long enough to understand you, and you are someone who has many secrets, but I can see that you care about my son and that is enough for me for now.¡± Darak looked up and smiled, ¡°Please enjoy the meal, it took me a bit to make it, as you may have heard I had some friends over.¡± he said as he leaned back up and took a bit of food with his fork. Meaio took a bite, the roasted beef he had made was cooked to perfection, and was well-spiced in the best ways, The vegetables were also done perfectly, and she let out a hum at the joy of the flavor and tenderness of the food. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could cook.¡± Darak nodded and swallowed before he spoke, ¡°Yes, master Yuie demanded it of me, possibly one of the worst three years of my life, she did not take anything less than perfection as a job done.¡± ¡°Was she here tonight?¡± Meaio asked as she ate. Darak nodded, ¡°She was the one who spotted that my ring was not on my finger.¡± Meaio thought it over and realized it was the woman whose accent was far stranger to her than the others. ¡°Where is she from?¡± she asked. ¡°She lives in The Great Khan¡¯s Domain, she is the Khan¡¯s personal sorceress.¡± Darak said back. ¡°I think I would like to meet her. She seems to be perceptive, and I need to thank her for making sure you knew how to cook.¡± Meaio said calmly, ¡°Can you ask her to come back soon?¡± ¡°I believe she will be occupied for the next month or so, but if she comes again I will come and let you know.¡± Darak said back. ¡°But I warn you now, she is ¡­ handsy, and will likely try to look under your dress, or even demand you strip for her. Not that I would allow that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Meaio asked and looked at him a bit surprised by the information. ¡°She has an unhealthy interest in my offspring, and she will claim it is to make sure you can bear my children.¡± Darak said back and smiled softly, ¡°But I like you the way you are and she can rot in hell for all I care.¡± They shared a laugh at the idea of those events unfolding and shared most of their meal in silence until Meaio remembered something she had overheard, ¡°Why did your friend from Hispania, call you the Dark Prince of Magic?¡± she asked but noticed he had frozen, a look of dread in his eyes as he thought it over. Stories and feelings. Darak swallowed hard, ¡®Why did you ask about this, this is not a light question, no, wait calm down, see what she wants to know first then move on¡¯ he thought and blinked then looked at her, ¡°Why would you like to know exactly?¡± he asked. Meaio glanced down and thought about it then looked at him, ¡°I want to know why they called you that.¡± she said warmly, her tone felt more curious than prying. ¡®So, she wants to know why I have that title¡¯ Darak thought then sighed and spoke. ¡°I got that title after I had to take a trip into hell to retrieve the sultan¡¯s favorite concubine. During my trip alongside Azair and Jason, I was met by an archduke called Lucifer and he called me as such, apparently, he found my skills and mana control to be on par with himself and crowned me as the Dark Prince of Magic.¡± ¡°You went into the rings of hell to get the sultan¡¯s concubine?¡± She asked perplexed by the confession, ¡°But then how did you leave, I thought a soul that is sent there can¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Yes, I did go for a concubine, and the sultan rewarded me more than I could ever spend,¡± he said back with a hand wave ¡°As for the trip into and out of, it is a simple matter, the gates of hell keep souls that are meant to be there in, but time within is fluid so we just convinced them we were early and hadn¡¯t yet truly died. The demons at the gate believed us when we used magic to tamper with the time they could perceive on this plane, and they thought we were indeed a week early.¡± She laughed a bit, ¡°You fooled demons by making the clock change the time it read?¡± she asked with amusement in her tone that burst into laughter as he nodded. ¡®She is beautiful when she laughs¡¯ he thought as he joined her, ¡®Her smile right now is divine, and even for a bit I want this time to stop.¡¯ Their mirth slowed and tapered out and he spoke, ¡°It was the worst mission I ever took, even after my visit to the heavens was easier than that.¡± ¡°Why did you go to the heavens?¡± She asks between chuckles. ¡°The Holy Emperor of Waino wanted to ask his father a question about who his mother really was, had me carry a letter to him and everything, on this plane it was a matter of seconds, but up there it took me a year to cross the seven realms and find the old man.¡± Darak said back with a bit of a laugh. ¡°I have had to do amazing things to gain my power, and I do not regret any of it.¡± ¡°You did all of that over thirteen years overseas?¡± She asked pointedly. Darak nodded, ¡°It was not easy, spent my first five just learning magic from whoever would teach me, that''s how I met Azair and Jason, Azair, despite his lecherous nature, is a master summoner and has gained infamy in The Arabia Corridor for using his magic to abduct and seduce noble ladies that are unwarded. Jason comes from Irland, and is a master of Seer magic, though he only learned so that he could get drunk without leaving his favorite chair. They were in Frankia trying to run a con on youngsters who wanted to use magic, when they realized that I could indeed use magic they took me in in earnest and taught me as much as I could understand. And finally handing me off after three years to my druidic arts master, who dragged me to The Arabia Corridor so she could meet new spirits, and spent two years learning by proxy, then I went east and to the Lands of Inan, where I learned to meditate and expand my mana point and channels, though I did so alone as no one there wished to teach me.¡± He subconsciously scratched the scar on his neck. ¡°After about a year and a half there I crossed the mountains with Yair, Voloiar, and Carlos, and reached into the Greater Khan¡¯s Domain. During our trip I learned about Mage arts from Voloiar, he was the Frankian that was here. I learned Priest arts from Yair, and no, we don¡¯t understand how she can use them. I learned Oracle Arts from Carlos from Hispania, they were quite surprised that I could use all those forms on top of my existing skills in the prior three. Then after a half year of trying to find a new teacher, I met Yuie, she taught me how to use sorcerer arts, though she only started teaching me after a year of cooking lessons. It took me two years to fully understand her craft and I moved on to the lands of Waino, there I joined the palace and learned from Master Ryu, he was a grumpy asshole, but he did teach me well, I finally heard rumors of a nation farther east, and used magic to fly there after my trip into heaven. Finding a teacher for a magic school called Huckstar, a dangerous form of magic that uses the soul in its entirety to forge deals with demons. And then I went to help Azair get his record cleared and be allowed back to his home by going to hell. Spent the last years up in Narway learning rune magic from Master Hilda and resting there while studying alone the arts under my belt and gaining mastery over them. Traveled to Frankia about two years ago, to help the king with a curse placed on his daughter, and got titled as a viscount, which I promptly dumped on Voloiar much to his annoyance, as a Frankian can¡¯t give up a title, then about a year ago I and my friends had to work together to stop Alucard, I in a moment of utter insanity created the hundredfold spell to turn him into a familiar under my control, which has been heralded across the mystic realms as a proof of my mastery over magic.¡± he said and looked to her, the starstruck look in her eyes did pamper his ego a bit, but he smiled, ¡°Sorry got a bit carried away with my story.¡± Meaio shook her head and composed herself, ¡°No, it was a short but wonderful tale, I think I see why you told me to keep this ring on, and why you are not yet ready to introduce your friends to me¡± She said as she turned the ring on her hand over and over, ¡°To think you had gone so far and achieve so much in thirteen years, it would be exhausting to do, I am even amazed by your drive.¡± Darak placed his hand on her shoulder, ¡°I do not do things without thought, and I hold to my request for your hand in this marriage, but I know that as my wife you could be targeted so I gave you the strongest item I have for protection, and blessed your son too, so that he would be protected.¡± He spoke in a soft tone that carried warmth and affection. Their moment of silence shifted as she looked up into his eyes, her lean closer to him made his heart beat a bit harder, the scent of her washing off her skin clouded his mind, and as he reached his hand up to her neck ready to pull her in a bit faster, Arcaio started to cry, shattering the moment of tension that had been built, and they shared a chuckle before she spoke, ¡°You really are an amazing man, and I feel that tomorrow I will feel even luckier to have been saved by you, Please excuse me¡± She pulled away and stood while taking her son, cooing as she left. Darak leaned back into his chair, sighing as he did, ¡®Thank you, my son, I was losing that battle.¡¯ he thought to himself, and looked over the table and stood up gathering the dishes on the tray and blew the candles out before carried the tray out and to the kitchen. He locked his eyes with hers as she reached the stairs, a small glimmer of affection in her eyes sent a wave through him, a warm wish to hold her, but he smiled, ¡°Good night, Meaio.¡± She smiled back ¡°Good Night, Darak.¡± she said back and walked up the stairs. Darak watched her ascend for a few seconds, then turned to the kitchen, placing the tray down and rolling up his sleeves, and started on the dishes, but then a mental words of Zaiz came to him ¡°Master, you are doing the dishes?¡± ¡°Yes, I am, is it wrong to do so?¡± Darak asked back. ¡°No, but why not use seer arts to clean the dishes?¡± Zaiz asked back to him. ¡°Yes, I could, but seer arts are stronger if you know how to perform the action yourself.¡± Darak said back as he finished with the plates, ¡°I consider this a training, the same way Seer magicians train in the use of swords.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°So, you are doing this so you can use seer arts later.¡± Zaiz said. ¡°Yes, and working with my hands helps me clear my head.¡± Darak said back. ¡°Is it Meaio?¡± Zaiz said as he leaped up to the counter coming to a seat next to him. Darak let out a sigh, ¡°Is it that obvious.¡± he stated and got a nod from the cat familiar, ¡°Yeah, i am in trouble, every time I see her my plans and desires shift to no longer looking to undo the nation but to just stand as a wall in front of her and Arcaio, to protect them from anything and everything that could do them harm, it is infuriating to my mind but not because I think it''s wrong, just that my wish seems irrelevant like my goals for the past thirteen years are just the goals of a child that is still angry with their parents.¡± Darak placed the cutlery in the rack after checking them over once more, ¡° I don¡¯t understand how she has that effect on me, even after traveling the mystic realms, I don¡¯t understand it, and yet she does, and when she does I don¡¯t feel wronged or cheated, It feels like that her gaze upon me is warranted, like some siren song for rest, like I don¡¯t need to hold on to my hate any longer,¡± He pulled the glasses up and checked them over before setting them in the rack, ¡°But I need to stay focused on my mission, this nation is the only one that practices the level of consolidation of magic that Mistra does not allow, and she has tasked me for that mission. I do want Meaio to stay at my side but the longer I am around her it feels like my mission seems less important.¡± he said calmly like he was speaking with a child, trying to make sense of the thoughts he had. ¡°I see, and if you choose to abandon the mission?¡± Zaiz asked as he lay down. ¡°Mistra¡¯s hand stays for as long as I am on this mission, I spent three years in the heavens pleading for her to give me a chance along with power, to let me undo this nation for the sake of its common people if I abandoned the mission she will strike this nation down as she did to the Azteks, she will destroy anyone that calls this nation home, a mana fire that even I can¡¯t ward against,¡± Darak said back while he finished cleaning the tray and setting it to dry on the rack, ¡°I initially convinced her because I wanted my revenge, I wanted to see the nobles bend the knee to a bastard son that they despised, to lord over them as the emperor, to topple there bases of power and rebuild this nation to one where anyone with a mana point can achieve great things, yet now after a day with Meaio, I can¡¯t help but want to succeed for her and Arcaio¡¯s sake, the two don¡¯t have to be mutually exclusive, but it feels wrong to me when I think of blending them togather.¡± Darak said as he dried his hands, then rolled down his sleeves. ¡®Maybe if I go and talk with Mistra I can convince her of a change to my plans, but she may stop lending me her power. That would complicate things.¡¯ he thought then turned around and stopped at the door of the Arcanium, his hand hovering over the handle, ¡®Do I have more to make? I have recovered everything I have used and made the pouches for the next spells I would need.¡¯ he pulled back, and turned to go upstairs to his room, ¡®Tonight I will sleep, I need to rest and clear my mind, tomorrow I will get more work done and ready.¡¯ As he ascended the stairs he came to a stop as he heard Meaio singing a lullaby, the words were soft and sweet but familiar to him, promises of Acraio¡¯s future and safety, and he listened closely, as the common lullaby was sung, it was not something new or special, it was just a lullaby, yet her voice and the tone she sang it with made his heart sore, as the weight he had from the day cracked and fell away, unable to stand in the darkness he stepped slowly closer and peeked in. She was sitting in a rocking chair, with Arcaio in her arms, holding him as she fed him, a shawl covering most of her chest but giving her a clear sight of her boy, her eyes watching over the small baby with love and care, a smile for her son on her lips as she sang, her hair hiding her a bit away from him, but her voice soothes his heart, and his mind raced. ¡®I would do anything to protect them, that is for sure.¡¯ he thought to himself and leaned a bit away as she continued to sing, this next lullaby was one he knew, he had heard it from his own mother, a call for his silence in exchange for a growing list of gifts, a lullaby that now calmed him to, he shifts a bit ready to leave. ¡°You can come in if you want.¡± Meaio¡¯s voice called out to him, and he shuddered. ¡®Had she seen me look at her¡­¡¯ Darak thought but turned back to the door and took a half step in, looking up to her, but found not but her smile for him, her expression showed a bit of embarrassment, but there was also acceptance. ¡°I did not mean to disrupt your singing, I apologize.¡± he said as the embarrassment of being caught watching her at this time showed. She shook her head, but looked back up at him, ¡°I heard you coming up the stairs, I don¡¯t mind you listening, but if you do, don¡¯t hide in the dark, you are my husband.¡± She waved him closer. ¡°He is almost done, and he is already falling asleep, do you want to say good night?¡± Darak felt the nerves along his spine race out of him, and he took a hesitant step in, walking slowly so as to not make more noise than needed, until he was standing next to her. The sight of her mostly exposed breast drew his eyes for a second, but he focused and leaned down slowly and kissed the side of Arcaio¡¯s head, pulling back a bit to whisper into his ear, ¡°Good night Arcaio, sleep well and dream of wonders.¡± he said in a soft and gentle tone, but shuddered as a set of soft lips press against the scar on his neck and didn¡¯t move. She finally pulled a bit away from her kiss, ¡°Good night my King, sleep well, and thank you again for taking me and my son in.¡± she whispered before he pulled away. ¡®That was... on my¡­ king¡­?¡± Darak¡¯s mind stopped functioning, he felt his heart thunder loud enough to drown the world away, and his blood pulsing through him, his eyes locked on to her face, the blush in her cheeks, the sight of her lips that were soft and tender on his scarred skin, the way her hair framed her right now, and the look of affection and tenderness in her eyes. ¡°I¡­, umm¡­, Good night to you too.¡± He stammered out and quickly walked out and to his room. Leaning against the door in an effort to keep it closed, his hand gently traced over where she had kissed him, the thought of her affection towards him just now was something he had not readied himself for. ¡®Did she really just do that? Was it something else, maybe she did it in retaliation to my kiss of her hand this afternoon. Yeah, that''s it, she was getting back at me for embarrassing her,¡± he thought and nodded along with the logic he had summoned but stopped, ¡®No, wait then why did she call me her king, or let me get so close when she was exposed like that¡­¡¯ his breathing quickened, and his heart started pounding again, he could feel his blood rushing as a logical conclusion came to him, ¡®she¡­ might¡­ actually¡­like me?¡¯ the idea of her accepting him as he is aroused a part of him he had not bothered to think about, a part of his that was more than lust. He leaned forward and walked to his chair collapsing into it before he sighed. ¡°Now you have done it Darak, you have really fallen for her.¡± He said out into the air over him and closed his eyes calling the look she had just now to his mind, ¡°Why did she have to be the one to have what I need for my mission.¡± He took a few seconds to calm himself down then got back up, slowly opening the door and walking to her room, but going a bit farther to the nursery peeking in and finding her singing again, he cleared his throat, ¡°I need to check over the wards and spells in your room, it will not take long.¡± he said with a forced calm in his voice. She smiled at him and nodded, without breaking her lullaby, then turned back to watch Arcaio. Darak watched for a second then moved to her room, walked at the foot of her bed, closed his eyes, and allowed his mana to reach out and around the room, feeling it bounce back towards him as he willed different minor and major spells against the walls and doors, the return of his mana told him everything was fine and she was indeed safe within her room, and as he was about to complete the check he felt a pair of hands press on his back forcing his eyes open and he started to turn but stopped as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± She said her voice sounded shy, ¡°I just wanted to feel your magic at work, but I am not decent, so don¡¯t look.¡± Darak swallowed then let out a slow exhale, ¡°I am actually done, the wards are still strong and the protective spells are working as intended.¡± he lowered his hands to his sides, ¡°You flustered me earlier, I was not expecting you to kiss me, let alone there.¡± he said a bit sheepishly, he wanted to tell her more but felt it would be inappropriate to do so now. ¡°Oh, I have managed to fluster the master of the hundredfold spell¡­¡± She said back as she slid her hands over to his abdomen, pulling him in a bit. ¡°Does that happen often?¡± Darak¡¯s mind railed a bit at her actions now but wanted to make sure and allowed a simple detection spell out yet found no magic influencing her actions. ¡°It does not, I pride myself on my control over my emotions, and I rarely ever get flustered,¡± he reached up and covered her hands in his, ¡°But you are different, around you I feel like I can relax, and stop hiding how I feel.¡± he said slowly to keep calm as he feels her chest press against his back. ¡°You are nothing like your family, you are controlled, you resist your urges, and you are kind and thoughtful. When you told me your goal this morning I thought it was a jest, something to unnerve me, yet you have been nothing but honest with me when I asked you questions.¡± she shifted her hands and started undoing the buttons of his shirt, ¡°I want to show you my appreciation of your vow to me and my son, I want to be of more use to you then just as an assistant, I want you to come to me when you have a need, I can feel it now its faint but your aura, it feels intoxicating.¡± her voice as she spoke was inviting, a soft and sweet tone that promised that whatever would happen next would be enjoyable to him. ¡°So, come and use me, as your partner and wife, I have seen how you stare when you think I am not looking, a longing gaze that I know is driven by your thoughts and desire for my body.¡± Darak shuddered as he felt her kiss the top of his spine, the feeling of her soft hand that had found its way under his shirt, the warm caress of her breath as she spoke to him. But he sucked in a hard and deep breath, then stopped her hands. ¡°I am sorry, but no,¡± He felt her pull a bit away, ¡°It is not that I don¡¯t want to, or that I find it wrong for us to do so, but I want you to come to me only when you are truly ready for this. Until then I will be fine, I don¡¯t want you to force yourself to do anything, I may be a man, but I am not a weak man who is driven by those desires, I will keep protecting you even if you never come to me, I vowed to protect you without any requirement for you.¡± She pushed back in and hugged him tight, ¡°And what would you do if I said that I am ready now?¡± She asked into his back. Darak sighed, and spoke back, ¡°I would ask you if you truly loved me, or if this is just lust.¡± an unease. Meaio shuddered, ''was he really asking this of me, to think he would challenge my desire to let him have me be turned to the question of love, that fleeting fantasy in the world of nobles,'' she pulled her hands away, and to his back, and spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, you are still an oddity and I can¡¯t say for sure how I feel about you.¡± she leaned away from him while stepping away pulling her dress closed as she did, ¡°I am sorry, I thought you were tense because you wanted this.¡± Darak turned around, his face still a bit red, but he reached up to her face, and cupped her cheek, ¡°Do not apologize, you have done nothing wrong.¡± he said with a soft tone, his hand on her cheek soft and tender, the look within his eyes shows a slowly slumbering longing, but he smiled warmly, ¡°I will wait for as long as you need.¡± She watched him pull away and leave her room, his stride not fast as though to escape but not slow to bid his time, a pace that showed that he knew what he had rejected for her honor, his movement showed the well-made man that he was, the now open shirt showing more scars across his chest and abdomen, like a web of lighter tone, but the muscles under the skin showed more to her, and her heart skipped a beat as time seemed to freeze for a second. He was a man of carefully made muscles, tone to a godly refinement, his dark blonde hair shone in a wave against the moonlight through the window, the sharp jawline of a nobleman, yet his fuller face showed the healthy diet he maintained, the green eyes of his heritage show a resolve that made her feel like with him by her side her safety would never be in question, his even arms that were hidden by his sleeve that had held her with ease twice today, the power of his strides while his posture maintained an air of nobility, a proper gentleman if she had ever seen one, and he was walking away. ¡®How can you be so refined yet never act like those you are from,¡¯ she thought as he left her room, closing the door as he did, her eye watching the door ¡®You will not come back in will you, It is not your way,¡¯ she held her gaze on the door for a second longer then he would be standing there, ¡®I don¡¯t understand why you are as you are, but I am happy you are so.¡¯ she turned back to the bed and got undressed and put on a nightgown, climbing into the large bed that felt a bit empty to her. ¡®He is the perfect noble, kind and thoughtful, driven yet caring, powerful yet restrained.¡¯ she felt her heartbeat in her ears, ¡®why does he leave me so confused, why does he show his desire to me but withdraw when I try to accept it, why does he act like we are nothing but partners in his goal yet then acts as though he is uncertain of his plans.¡¯ she sighed and went to sleep. Her dreams started with old memories of her childhood, her young life with her parents in the countryside before the Baron came to look over his domain, and she felt an aura off of him, it was cold and uneasy, she spoke out to him, asking him to smile but when he did, he spoke to her parents telling them she was going to be honored by being employed by him. Then the dream shifted to a few months ago, the baroness was having her beaten, demanding the truth of who the father of her child was, and her pleading for an end to the pain. The pain of the dream woke her in a sweat breathing hard, the pain of those days still in her heart, she let loose a few tears but held back from giving the pain a voice, crying in silence for a few seconds but looking to the door to Darak¡¯s room. She found her feet faster than she realized, opening the door, she saw him turning a bit in his sleep, his own rest not going on comfortably too. As she walked in she spotted the red glow of Zaiz¡¯s eyes on her but they faded after a second, her hand reached down, his exposed chest showed the scars over his skin, the toned form twisted and turned as he slept, his mutterings for an end to something, calls for rest and comfort, her touch on his skin was warm on her palm, the contact slowed his moving, and she crawled up and into the bed with him, the cold of the air beaten back by his body heat, his breathing slowly lulling her to rest, the warm embrace of one arm on her back felt assuring for her safety. She looked up to his face, the turbulence that had racked him moments ago faded to a peaceful rest, and she reached up and felt his lips, They were soft under her finger, his brows furrowed a second and she pulled away, and leaned up hovering over him, the light movement under his eyelids show he was still asleep, the aura of rest and slumber radiated off him in soothing waves that played on her mind. ¡°Forgive me in the morning.¡± she whispered and leaned down to steal a kiss, the act soft and tender, the feel of his mana rushing into her at the contact felt inviting, but she pulled back and laid down again letting herself be cradled in his arms, and rest found her soon after. Her dreams were new and strange, not the memories of her past, no pain or disappointment, but dreams of a future, one where Arcaio and her are having a picnic beside the river, the warm summer sun, and Darak beside her as Acraio played with a kite, their time together warm and filled with love. But her dream is disturbed as she feels the movement and departure of warmth that had enveloped her. Opening her eyes, the morning sun blinded her for a second, but a hand cupped her face as the sounds of the moment came to her, ¡°Stay here, I will get Arcaio.¡± Darak¡¯s voice called as the bed shifted at the departure of his form, and she sat up, pulling the blanket a bit to cover herself, and she watched the door as her eyes adjusted to light. Darak came back in with the baby in his arms, the pajama trousers he wore to rest were loose, but his form was still clear as he moved, the tone frames of his arms cradling her son with care, as he approached, the cries of the child light and soft at the touch ¡°He might be hungry.¡± Darak said as he held him out to her but was looking away very intently. Making her glance down and notice the loose and partly see-through nightgown she was wearing. But she smiled at the bashful manner he showed as she took her son, and got out of the bed, stepping around him, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you looked.¡± she said her tone intentionally inviting to him, but he kept from looking to her, ¡°you are my husband, you know.¡± she left him and made her way to the nursery. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked away, and turned suddenly, catching his eyes as he blushed, before he turned away. ¡®He is still a man¡¯ she thought before turning back and walking to the rocking chair, carefully slipping a part of the gown off and holding her son, his latching on her nipple was a bit uncomfortable, but he fed, and she felt the light coldness in the air. ¡°Darak, can you get me a blanket?¡± she called out and heard him move about then enter with her blanket, looking to her for instruction, his eyes actively looking anywhere but at her, ¡°Just drape it over me, it is cold.¡± she added and found him carefully cradling her in the blanket. As he leaned back up, he scratched the back of his neck, ¡°I was a bit surprised to find you in my bed this morning.¡± he said a bit sheepishly as he seemed less distracted by her. Meaio laughed a bit, but looked up at him, ¡°I had a bad dream and chose to enter your bed for comfort, is it wrong of me to do so in the arms of my husband?¡± she said back with a fine amount of sass in her voice. Darak looked away, ¡°No, I guess it is not, I did tend to him a few times over the night.¡± he said. ¡°Anything I should know about?¡± she asked. ¡°No, just changed his diaper twice, and fed him some mana so you could sleep, didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± he said back and turned to walk back out. ¡°You fed him mana?¡± she asked a bit confused. ¡°It''s not hard, I used mana as a catalyst to pour nutrients and other things anyone needs to live, adjusted it for a growing baby.¡± Darak said back, ¡°It''s not as good as what you can give him, but it can work as a weaker alternative. Learned how to do that from Master Yuie, she really hated dealing with children.¡± ¡°I see, I didn¡¯t realize you left the bed.¡± Meaio said back as she realized that her sleep was uninterrupted, ¡°Did you use magic to keep me asleep?¡± She looked up and noticed how he withdrew and nodded, ¡°Which ones?¡± Darak waved his hand in the air and took a step to the side, leaving behind a copy of himself, ¡°Shadow Double, and Angel¡¯s Rest spells,¡± he said while gesturing at the copy, ¡°One makes a copy of the caster with all their qualities that only the caster can¡¯t interact with, the second keeps a person in the state of being they are in when the spell is cast. The double kept you from being moved as I got up, the second kept you from hearing the cries or my walking in and out.¡± he waved his hand and made the copy disappear, ¡°I am sorry, I just wanted you to rest.¡± ¡®Such a thoughtful man,¡¯ she thought as she smiled at him, ¡°Thank you for taking care of him.¡± she said to him, ¡°I¡¯ll make some breakfast after he is done, could you please look for a maid today?¡± Darak smiled back ¡°Of course, I will go and find one this afternoon, as for breakfast let me handle it.¡± he said back then left the room. She looked down at her son, rocking a bit as she did, ¡°What do you think? Can we trust him?¡± she asked her son, his small body and form too weak to do much then cry, sleep, eat, and other things. ¡°I think we can, and when you are big and tall, he will make you strong too.¡± she leaned down and kissed Arcaio¡¯s head, ¡°And you will be our prince when he has completed his mission.¡± She leaned up and looked at the door, ¡®he is a difficult man to understand, but that is not bad, he can¡¯t break his vow to ensure our happiness, and that is something tangible.¡¯ she thought before carefully switching which side Arcaio was feeding on. ¡®He will protect us even at the risk to himself, he will fight for us, and he will be king.¡¯ She smiled at the thought of all those who had degraded her bowing to her. ¡®And I will be his queen, and we will rule a mighty and just empire.¡¯ She felt Arcaio unlatch and raised him slowly rubbing his back as she stood up, bouncing on her feet to help him settle a bit, then laid him down in his crib, carefully stroking his belly until he fell asleep, and watched him for a few seconds longer before going to change into a dress. And thoughts of things she had forgotten came up ¡®I wonder how my parents are doing, I would love to see them.¡¯ She laced up the front of her dress and unruffled the skirt, before turning and going to the door, finding Zaiz waiting by the stairs. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The cat watched her closely. She kneeled down and smiled, ¡°Zaiz can you let Darak know if my son wakes up?¡± she asked sweetly. Zaiz watched her for a few seconds then let out a meow before walking to the door and passing through the wood and into the room. Meaio stood up and followed the scent of cooking foods, finding Darak mostly dressed in everything but his vest and suit, cooking on the stove and carefully seasoning the food, his lack of attention to her entry gave her a chance to slip into a chair, and watched him. The scent of some foreign foods does reach her, but he keeps on cooking, snapping a finger and making a tray with a roasted fillet of fish hover over, as he goes about cooking something else while cracking four eggs into a skillet, his energy to cook showed as he pulled the sunny side eggs out and placed them on two plates, and snapped his fingers again sending the plates to the table, before he turns around with a plate of sliced vegetables nearly tripping as he sees her, but catches himself. ¡°Umm, how long have you been there?¡± He asked with a smile as he walked over and put the large plate down. ¡°From the fish,¡± She said back with a smile, ¡°never had fish for breakfast before so a bit surprised.¡± ¡°Yeah, our conversation last night at dinner got me wanting food from Waino, so I used a teleport spell to get some things before coming back, my friend Hiro and his wife were a bit upset but were happy to help.¡± he said with a smile, ¡°So the fish is a tuna fillet cooked in soy, the white grain is rice, it''s a common staple in the east, I also made some cooked, smoked, and fresh vegetables, then you have sunny side eggs because it is breakfast.¡± She looked over the food, the plate of vegetables and tray of tuna looked like it was cooked perfectly again, while the soft steam from the rice and eggs was inviting to her, and she took a careful bite of the rice, the softness of the grains was wonderful, and she looked up as he took a bite of rice with some of the egg whites, and smiled as he tasted his work. He then looked around and waved his hand extending the table a bit then making a tea set hover over from the kitchen, boiling the tea in the pot before it poured out two cups that came to rest beside each of them. ¡°You know most mages or even seers don¡¯t use magic as often as you do.¡± she said as she looked at her cup of tea, looking up at him, ¡°Why is this green?¡± ¡°It is called green tea, it is popular in the East as a morning drink.¡± he said with a smile and took a sip, ¡°It is the sweetened kind, I hope you like it. As for the magic usage, I find it great, but then again, I have the mana to use, most mages and seers in this nation are taught to save their magic for duals or challenges to their power or authority.¡± ¡®Yeah, I have seen that happen a few times¡¯ she thought as she nodded along, then took a sip of her tea, it was sweet and rich, and its passage made her feel lighter and more awake, but she put the cup back down, ¡°so, I was thinking about it and I realized that I can now go see my parents, I am hoping you can take me.¡± she said as she watched him, and noted the slight hesitation. But whatever thoughts he had were shaken away before he spoke, and asked in a measured tone ¡°When was the last time you heard from them?¡± ¡°The last letter I got was about a month ago. They were doing okay, but my father is ill, and my mother has been having a hard time even after my wage got to them.¡± She said back, ¡°My sister is there too, but she is set to marry the smith¡¯s son by year''s end.¡± She watched as he sat back, his mind racing over her request, then he looked up and the hard gaze of the calculating son of a baron shattered and he smiled with a warm and affectionate expression, ¡°Right, let¡¯s go today, I¡¯ll even see to heal your father, and we can meet with your sister and congratulate her on the marriage, and I want to also gift them with a dowry for you.¡± Meaio looked at him closely, his expression she could see was sweet, but his eyes showed fear, like this excursion would be bad for some reason, and her mind demanded answers, ¡°Why do you look scared to go?¡± He shook his head, ¡°I am not scared, I am sure I am overthinking this, but I would like to meet your parents and sister.¡± he said back, but his eyes still showed her a hesitation to go. ¡°I am sure they are fine, let us go after breakfast, we can get back before nightfall, and have dinner here.¡± she said as she looked back down to her food, and ate while her mind thought over his answer, ¡®Could this have something to do with his past, his question about when I had spoken with them seemed odd, but that is not uncommon for families like mine, I am in the city whereas they live in my home village. I am sure his caution is because of his plans for sure.¡¯ ¡°We should take Arcaio with us so that your parents can meet him, where are your parents actually?¡± He said snapping her out of the haze of thoughts she was in. ¡°High Easter, they live close to the edge by the main road.¡± She said back. ¡°Right then I will take us to the edge, and we can glide in as we get closer, please bundle up a bit, flying is a cold experience unless you go slow.¡± he said slowly as he ate a bit more of his food, a bit of speed behind his actions show he was nervous. ¡°Right, I will.¡± Meaio said back, and watched as he finished his plate. He looked up at her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the dishes, just be ready to leave, I will be in my Arcanium, I have some things to prepare.¡± he said then got up and walked away quickly. ¡®Why is he so nervous,¡± she thought as she kept eating, ¡®It is like he is scared that if we take too long, they won¡¯t be there.¡¯ She ate the last of her food and got up walking quickly upstairs, ¡®but what if whatever has him like this is true, what could have him so rushed.¡¯ She found a coat she bought and threw it on before finding a thick blanket to bundle Arcaio in, before going back downstairs, finding him at the door. He had put a coat on that had a latticework of magic formulas she didn¡¯t know of across the whole of it, with a tall black wood staff with an ever shifting gemstone set in the top, his look up to her was still a bit nervous, but he extended his hand to her, and she took it as they stepped out into the street, they drew a few eyes as Zaiz leapt up on to his shoulder opposite her, then he raised his staff and spoke. ¡°Njord, god of the north winds, gift us flight, carry us on mighty winds that are yours alone to hold and allow us passage to our destination.¡± She saw that the gemstone glowed a bit then he pulled her up by the waist as they left the ground behind, the flight was fast, and the wind rushed past them as they made their way northeast to her village, the scenery under them running as they soared onwards, and she felt the lightness of their movement, and laughed a bit at the amazement of traveling so quickly, faster than a horse at full speed, the rush of air and movement as he shifted them over trees and under bridges until finally they slowed and he lowered them down to the road that led into town. She breathed a bit as the ground greeted her again, then she turned to him smiling wide, ¡°That was amazing, I can¡¯t believe you did that, and with a spell I never heard of before, I had seen the baron use that magic, but his incantation was long and boring.¡± she said with a boundless amount of enthusiasm. Darak smiled back, ¡°Yes, rune magic is a bit different,¡± he said and pulled out a small rune carved stone that was glowing a bit then stopped and crumbled away to dust. ¡°I have prepared for a trip here and back, I also have the materials to teleport us away, and to treat your father.¡± he pulled her a bit towards the buildings he could see, ¡°Now to see your parents.¡± Meaio looked around and recalled the layout a bit, the feelings of nostalgia and familiarity were nice as they made their way through the roads. They had to walk a bit as they had landed on the wrong edge of the village, but she noticed that most of the villagers seemed to ignore them as they moved, though her village was always a bit closed off to outsiders. However, as they came around the last corner of a house she gasped, and took a faltered step, before she spoke, ¡°What¡­¡± She covered her mouth and walked a bit forward then broke to a run as she reached the burned and ruined remains of her parent''s home. The roof beam had been split and rested while pointing inward, while everything else that was flammable had been reduced to black soot that covered the stone walls, the kitchen she had sat and eaten with them was nothing but a fireplace now, she rushed to the bedroom she once shared with her sister, and found nothing, turning to the bedroom of her parents, letting loose a pained wail, as her legs gave way and fell to her knees. In the closed walls was nothing but the charred remains of three cradling each other, their lags had scorched shackles with locks pinning them to the back wall, the thought of their death haunting her, her agony demanded she let the world know, and she let loose a howl in demand of the heavens, the clouds over them cracking to rain, but she didn¡¯t care now, the soft footfalls beside her told her of Darak¡¯s presence, the butt of the staff resting next to her as her tears fell on Arcaio¡¯s blanket, she heard him shift and a hand rested on her back. She choked back some tears and asked in a torn voice, ¡°You knew this would happen, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I did.¡± He said back but didn¡¯t add, as his hand rubbed her back, the rain already turning the ground around them to mud. She cracked a bit more at his word, but she forced a question out between breaths, ¡°Who did this, show me.¡± ¡°Are you sure? it will not heal this wound.¡± He asked back, his tone was soft and concerned. She nodded and felt his hand leave her back, then the butt of his staff landed twice, and the image of the house changed, she could see the floor come back to the packed dirt and wood it was in her youth, and she looked up as her sister mother and father were chained up by men at sword point, then the form of the baroness stepped into the room, before turning and leaving, and a man of her son threw a lit torch in, the fire growing quickly as her family couldn¡¯t smother the flames because of the placement of their binding, the sight was too much, and the spell faded. ¡®Why, why did she kill them, why would Arcaio¡¯s own father light the flame, why did they do this?¡¯ she couldn¡¯t contain it as she let loose a mournful cry for her family, a pain at the fate they were handed, and Darak kneeled beside her and pulled her in, covering her in the coat he wore, the contact forcing her mind to seek answers, and she asked in a choked voice, ¡°Why did this happen?¡± Darak let out a sigh, but spoke a second after, ¡°Because the baroness is a purest, she sees any family that had a hand in an illegitimate child as guilty, she likely did this a few weeks ago, just before you were thrown out, she did the same to my mother¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Did she have me thrown out to have me die then?¡± Meaio asked as the thought crossed her mind. ¡°Yes, she had no intention of letting you back in, but your village was farther than my mother¡¯s, so you didn¡¯t seek them out whereas she did.¡± his words felt cold around them, ¡°I was praying that your family had not suffered this fate, and hope to get them far away from the baroness, but I knew too late.¡± he said as he carefully stroked her shoulders. ¡®I will not let this stand, it was my sin, I was the one to commit the misdeed, I will not allow this, I will have blood¡¯ Meaio thought and grit her teeth while her tears still fell, ¡®I will see that bastard pay for this, he could have been a man, said no to his horrid mother, I will make him beg, I will make him suffer.¡¯ Meaio swallowed hard and forced her mind to stop, to accept this fate for now before she spoke in a cold and wrathful voice ¡°I have a request, and I know that you already plan to do something but I want this one thing,¡± she looked up to him, as she let her fury at this event rage in her expression, but got a nod from him to continue, ¡°I want to be the one to kill your brother, you can get the baroness but that man, after all the false promises and faked declaration, I want to be the one to end him, please let me have that.¡± Farewells and a maid Darak watched her for a second, the look in her eyes was like his but a few years ago, a demand to right a wrong, ¡®I can¡¯t change your mind on this, can I, meaio,¡¯ he thought but nodded, ¡°I will deliver him as soon as you are strong enough to cut him down your self.¡± She looked back down to her parents, ¡°Can we bury them, I don¡¯t feel right leaving them like this.¡± she said, her voice still a bit raspy from her crying. Darak couldn¡¯t see her eyes, but he raised his free hand and willed lightning to crack the chains off then raised them with an open palm to the sky. ¡°Show me to the cemetery.¡± he said as he stood and held his staff out for her to use which she did before taking the lead, their walk through the village drew the eyes of the villagers, but none said a thing. Darak moved his staff and tore a tree free of the ground as he willed three coffins to form from it, the magic making three coffins fit for a noble, then whispered a simple incantation to reanimate her family and free them to fit within before removing the magic and letting them rest again, he waved his hand as they approached the church, forcing the bell to toil for her family, and she led him to a spot beside some others. ¡°That is my grandparents, and their parents, only right they be laid here.¡± she said and gestured to the gravestones to the right. Darak took a step forward and raised his staff excavating three plots, then lowered the coffins in, before turning to her, ¡°Do you want to say anything before I bury them?¡± he asked in a soft tone. She looked down at the coffins, ¡°I am sorry, if I had been more careful and wise you may have avoided this fate, but I will reap what those noble had sown, and I will present you with their heads when I do. Forgive me father, mother, and sister, I was not smart enough to protect you.¡± she said then turned to him and nodded. Darak wasn¡¯t sure if he could stop her, but this would help, and he lowered the soil back into the plots, before He raised both hands, ¡°Please stand behind me, I am going to thank your family for bringing you into this world.¡± he said as he willed a magic circle into the air over him and felt her grip on the back of his coat and gasped. Darak imagined the sight he wanted and poured his mana into the spell, the formula changing and shifting, growing more complex with every passing second until the circle pushed and broke the rain clouds as it required more and more space to keep growing until the sky above them was the glowing lines of his mana, a rich and unnerving multicolored display of power, and then it folded, over and over again, coming back down and became a small magic circle the size of a novice spell before he reached down and pushed the spell into the soil under them. He felt the earth shift and shake a bit before three gravestones pushed themselves out of the ground and stood like monuments to her family, each had a perfect statue of her family, their faces smiling, and stance like those they were most comfortable in, the words under them seem like nothing special, but he saw the magic he willed into the script he stood up and gestured, ¡°Go and ask the gravestones anything.¡± he said warmly. He watched as she stepped closer and whispered a question and the words shifted to thanking her for burying them and apologizing for not being there to speak, the words getting her to cry again. Darak stood over her and said nothing, ¡®I can¡¯t say a thing, she needs to grieve and I am not the one she needs, she needs family and friends.¡¯ he turned to the priest who came out of the church, walking over in a huff, but Darak didn¡¯t care until the man turned to reached for Meaio, and he pulled the man away with a sorcerer hand and over to him holding him a bit in the air, as he silenced the world from them. ¡°What, unhand me, you have no right to bury them here.¡± he said but shuddered as he turned to face Darak. ¡°By whose order?¡± Darak whispered to the priest. ¡°By the order of the noble lady of these lands.¡± The priest said back and tried to free himself with a pathetic display of magic power. ¡°The noble lady of this land is grieving and if you know anything you should realize that if you disturb her now then your church will become your mausoleum, now leave.¡± Darak said and threw the man with a wave of his hand, before turning to face him. ¡°I will not hesitate to end your life as her family had suffered. You may either speak blessings and comforts to her or stay away.¡± The Priest stood, ¡°i will see those graves up rooted end the gravestones shattered, you will not endanger god¡¯s domain by this brazen act of defilement.¡± he said back. Darak dropped the silence vail he had thrown up, then allowed his fury to thunder out of him in waves, as he focused the mana flow technique he knows, before taking a step towards the priest, his last spell before speaking out amplified his voice so it would boom over the whole town, ¡°You dare to defy the will of the Dark Prince of Magic,¡± the air around him whipped ¡°to test your resolve against the Master of the Hundredfold Spell,¡± the sky grew dark as clouds gathered ¡°to challenge the man who has walked both the heavens and hells,¡± he willed lightning to come down and coat his form ¡°you would provoke the man that had subdued Alucard the Bloodied Horrer,¡± he shifted the mana flow to a deep and bloody red, ¡°Hear me now and once, if these graves are damaged or destroyed, or those buried beneath them are moved, then I shall return and I will erase this village as one would wipe away spilled milk, this is your only warning.¡± The priest and a few that had followed fell backward. Darak didn¡¯t stop and took a second step, ¡°And the world will know not who you were or why there are but ruins and a graveyard, and I will drag your souls to the hells for you have insulted the family of my loved one for whom I hold back, so I ask again, you dare?¡± The crowd of cowering villagers and the priest shook their heads and ran away as soon as Darak stopped willing his magic to form, and a hand pressed on his back, turning a bit to look. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you did that, but i know your words just now were true, I think it is time we go home.¡± Meaio said as he turned to face her, her face a bit shy, and her eyes red from crying. Darak smiled at her, but looked to the gravestones, raising his free hand, ¡°Come spirits and guard these stones and warn me of pain done to them.¡± he chanted and felt the spell take hold as the leaves around whipped up and over the statues, before looking down to her, ¡°Yes, let us go home, my dear.¡± he said and pulled out a pouch hugging her with his staff hand he held the pouch tight, ¡° Ekat su ot ruo s¡¯emoh gnittis moor.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The world ripped and tore to the sitting room of their home, and he let her go slowly, looking down at her, ¡°I know it wouldn¡¯t do much coming from me but I am sorry for your loss.¡± Darak said softly, a wish for her return to form edged in his tone. She looked back up, ¡°No, it means more from you, I know that if you had known you would have stopped it, but it is too late now. Can I ask you to watch over Arcaio, I want to be alone.¡± she said back slowly as she glanced about the room. ¡°Only if you agree to take Zaiz with you so that if you need something he can tell me.¡± Darak said back and took Arcaio as she nodded, while Zaiz stepped over and took to her shoulder. ¡®I can¡¯t heal those wounds my love, but I will come whenever you need me, so please do not be rash.¡¯ he thought as she walked up the stairs, finally looking down at Arcaio, smiling at the boy as he woke up, ¡°Sorry, I am not your mother, but I care about you too, so come, dad has something to do¡± he said and willed the coat off and left the staff at the door, stepping out into the street, turning towards an employment office near and walking. His walk through the street was nice but still a bit hollow to him without Meaio at his side, but his stride did not falter, finding his way to his objective he found a clerk within a bit unpleasant at first but after paying to get some help the process was sped up, even more so after it was made clear that he was a practitioner of magic, until finally, he got the address of a maid that is willing to be a in-house maid, leaving with a fast pace to distance himself from the people that worked there he found himself in a tavern, which he stepped into carefully. Finding the bartender currently telling a few patrons to leave if they have no money left, Darak took a chance and spoke up. ¡°Excuse me, I am looking for a Merie, Do you know her?¡± The Bartender looked at him and then yelled a loud, ¡°Merie! It¡¯s your lucky day!¡± before he turned back to him, but Darak was calming Arcaio down from the loud call. ¡°Apologies, she works the upper floor and I can¡¯t make it up the stairs right now.¡± the burly man said. Darak smiled at him after Arcaio settled back down, ¡°It is alright, ailments come and go in time or with the help of a priest.¡± He said and turned to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs off by the far side of the bar. The late-teens girl who peeked around the corner looked over to Darak and then to the Bartender, ¡°Yeah Dad, did you call?¡± she asked with a bit of confusion. ¡°This gentleman is looking for you.¡± the bartender said and poked a thumb at Darak, getting the girl to walk over and smile wide. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, I am Merie. How can I help you?¡± she asked in a sweet tone. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you too, I am Darak Lordarn, Arcanist and master of the mystic arts.¡± Darak said with a bit of a bow. ¡°This is my son Arcaio.¡± he added as she looked down at the bundle in his arms, ¡°to the reason for seeking you out, My wife and I are looking for a live-in maid to take care of some of the housework and the baby when we are away. The job comes with a room, three meals a day, a wage of two silver a day, and if you have the ability to, training in the use of magic.¡± Merie looked at her dad, who seemed enthusiastic about the offer before she looked back up at him. ¡°Could I possibly be paid upfront now for a week of wages?¡± she asked, her tone curious while her expression mainly was still, a clear desire to hide her motives. Darak cocked his brow before he spoke, ¡°I would like a reason for such a request, that is a substantial amount of money.¡± She looked a bit away and thought over his counter to her condition then back up, ¡°My father and mother are sick, they will heal in time but they can¡¯t run the whole tavern by themselves while they are like this, I would like the money to pay for treatment.¡± she said back with determination. Darak smiled wide, ¡°It seemed I had forgotten the benefits that you get in my employ,¡± he chuckled and stepped past her to the bartender, ¡°Good sir, can you tell me of your ailment?¡± he asked before either of them could figure out what was happening. ¡°Ummm, nothing much just can¡¯t bend my knees much anymore.¡± The bartender said. Darak smiled and turned to Merie, who had trailed along behind him, ¡°Can you hold my son, I need both hands for this.¡± he said while holding him out, which she luckily did as she took the baby in her arms. Darak reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet of animal teeth and animal parts, holding it with both hands he focused his mana to will the druidic arts to the foreground, then tranced some script in the air in front of him ¡°Oh earth mother hear my call and send your sons and daughters, there is one that needs to be absolved of his ailments, his pain is nothing before your healing wind and rejuvenating waters, oh earth mother come and mend this man.¡± He chanted and the bartender glowed a bright flash of green and blues before the light faded. Darak smiled at the man, ¡°Could you show me to your wife, I still need to treat her.¡± The bartender shifted a bit and got ready to feel pain, but was surprised then started jumping a bit behind the bar, running out and grabbing Darak¡¯s hand while shaking it hard and fast, ¡°Thank you, sir, bless you, sir, you have done me a great favor, I will repay it, I swear I will.¡± he rambled off. Darak freed his hand then clasped the man¡¯s shoulders, ¡°No need to pay me, your daughter will be my maid, and as such the care of her family via the use of magic is a benefit she has access to, this is nothing but me upholding my end of her employment, now where is your wife.¡± ¡°Father, stay down here, I¡¯ll take him.¡± Merie said and walked towards the stairs. The treatment of the mother was quick and easy and as they came back downstairs Merie turned to face Darak and held Arcaio out to him, which he did, and looked him over. ¡°So, if I work for you will I get time off?¡± Merie asked. Darak looked up and smiled, ¡°You can have time off as long as my wife and I have no visits to make, if the week has nothing planned and we are not likely to be summoned then you can have any day of the week you wish.¡± He said back. ¡°And what are my other benefits?¡± She asked after a second of thought. Darak smiled a bit more intently and answered her ¡°The first is treatment as you saw, this treatment will not cost anything unless the treatment requires materials that have a value of five gold or more. The second is Blessings, I can perform a blessing for any family member you wish. Lastly, you will be equipped with magic tools to protect you from harm and warn you of danger, this tool will be returned at the end of your employment whenever that happens.¡± Merie seemed to think over the job offer, then finally nodded and extended her hand, ¡°then i accept, I trust you not to be a bad employer.¡± ¡°And I trust you not to fool me and run away.¡± He said as he shook her hand, carefully letting a mana wave out, and going a bit wide eye, ¡°It seems that you also possess a capacity for magic, so I will also be training you alongside my wife. Now here is the address, please arrive as soon a you are ready.¡± he added before pulling out a slip of paper and handing it to her. Merie looked it over and nodded, ¡°Right I shall arrive this afternoon.¡± she said back with a smile. Darak bowed a bit and walked out, taking a few steps before a mental message rang out to him ¡°master there are some men trying to force their way into the house, however, they are failing for now, please return soon.¡± Darak didn¡¯t care to rush through the streets and pulled out the last pouch he had on hand, willing the magic into being. ¡°Ekat su ot ruo s¡¯emoh gnittis moor.¡± he chanted and watched the world rip and tear to his sitting room. Fears and loyalty Meaio stood a few feet from the banging door, the calls on the other side demanding she open the door, but she couldn¡¯t help but tremble, ¡®Why are they here, what do they want¡¯ her thoughts played out as her fear and panic at what may happen if she does as ordered. She had looked through the peephole and saw three men dressed in the tunics and trousers of the Baron¡¯s men, the small pins on their chests that identified them as part of the house guard, but she knew one of them and it made her fear soar higher than the shouts and banging on the door. The man leading the pack is Robert Trainer, he is a tall man built for war without magic and trained to a razor¡¯s edge, but the cause of Meaio''s panic comes from memories of his ruthless beating of her. The sudden and hard bang followed by his voice made her fall backward, her eye locked to the door, the slight shifting of it with every bang, the calls now taking to shouts, and the sounds of harder bangs after a call to kick it down. Each slam sent shockwaves of fear, ¡®Is this it, will They get in and take my life,¡¯ she crawled a bit back as tears welled up, ¡®I am sorry Arcaio, please forgive me¡¯ She saw the door bent inward a bit, ¡®I please be safe with Darak, he is a good man¡¯ she thought, and raised her hands at one louder bang, ¡®please save me Darak¡¯ With the sudden rush of wind, her blurred vision didn¡¯t recognize the tall man, but he kneeled beside her and spoke to her in a calming voice that somehow reached over the sounds from the door, ¡°Sorry for that my dear, can you hold our son, I will handle the men outside.¡± Darak¡¯s voice was apologetic, as a bundle of her crying son was pressed to her, and she nodded and took her son. She felt him run his hands over her hair and over her eyes before he stood and walked to the door, ¡°Please make them leave.¡± She got out and saw him look back and nodded, while the air about them grew cold, and a feeling of dread washed over her and towards the door. she watched as he called out for them to stop and then opened the door, The three men at the door seemed stunned at the sight of him, but Darrak immediately shouted at them, ¡°What can I do to the rude thugs at my door, you have frightened my wife and son, had my familiar not informed me of your behavior I would have not come, so speak or be banished to the hells!¡± his voice was clear and hard like a king of a grand domain, the sight of the mana oozing from his eyes lock them in silence for a few seconds. ¡°The Baron has sent us to investigate a magic trace near his manor, the tail led us here you will allow us entry so that we may search your home.¡± Robert said back with a hint of annoyance as he tightened his hands into fists. ¡°I and my abode are protected by the queen¡¯s law, and I do not see a reason for your entry, this trace is not cause for a search of my domain,¡± Darak said back with a cool tone he held then pointed at Robert¡¯s chest, ¡°more over your pins tell me you are not the baron¡¯s men but the baroness¡¯s men, giving me less reason to allow you entry.¡± Robert sucked his teeth, ¡°That does not excuse the use of magic near the baron¡¯s manor, and we have a cause to look, one that is of importance to the Baron¡¯s family.¡± he said back. Darak took a step forward blocking more of the doorway, ¡°And I was there investigating a source of malignant magic, and after erasing it I left, so what are you looking for exactly?¡± He said with a bit of a roar to cower them back a bit. Robert inhaled hard then spoke, ¡°We have a reason to believe that a runaway maid may have been taken by you, we are looking for her, now move and let us in, the search will not take long, and we¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, a runaway maid is not my style, Moreover, ¡° Darak said and gestured to Meaio, ¡°The only ones here are my wife, son, and I. Do we look like the one you are looking for?¡± Meaio gasped as the three looked at her, but their expression shifted and relaxed, then Robert turned to Darak, ¡°I see, it seems that you indeed have nothing to do with her. We apologize for our rudeness.¡± he said with a fair bit of agitation. ¡°I see, however, I have to insist on asking, now that it seems that you understand your place, why is this maid so important to the baroness?¡± Darak asked back. Robert shook his head and spoke, ¡°I can¡¯t speak of the reason.¡± ¡°I see then the baron nor his men or anyone under his employ are permitted to approach my abode, if I see you come close to my wife or son, I will take it as a declaration of war, as I am protected by not just the Queen but also the Sultan of Jerysalim, the Holy Emperor of Waino, and the King of Frankia, my home is my own domain gifted to me by the Queen at the request of her fellow monarchs, is considered independent to me and me alone, and I will punish any who dare to challenge me.¡± Darak roared, then settled down, ¡°Now I ask again why is this maid of such importance to the baroness?¡± Meaio thought over his words, ¡®he is the king of his home, this is a nation where he is a king already, to think he would call them out and demand an answer¡¯ She looked to Robert and felt as though he came to the same thoughts, ¡®he can¡¯t leave now, it would paint the baron as incompetent if Darak reports this, he has no choice but to answer and hope that Darak lets this go.¡¯ Robert swallowed hard, then straightened out a bit, ¡°She has given birth to a child that is the son of the heir to the barony, we have been tasked with retrieving him.¡± he said slowly. Darak let out a laugh, then waved his hand, ¡°I see, I thought you were here to do something untoward to my wife, Meaio and I are now married and I have adopted her son as my own, the Baron and only the Baron may come and visit his grandson,¡± Darak said and gestured again to Meaio, this time the men seemed to recognize her, ¡°She is under my protection and will forever be out of reach of the Baroness,¡± Darak took a step forward and leaned a bit towards them ¡°Also tell the baron and baroness that I am back and happy to meet with them, and if they are smart they will meet and greet me as a master of the mystic arts as I am, and not as the son of a maid.¡± He said then threw the door, slamming it closed, before turning to her, and smiling wide, ¡°That should take care of them, unless they are really dumb.¡± ¡®Why would he go that far, why announce his return to the baroness and antagonize her,¡¯ she thought as she watched him come closer and kneel down, placing a finger on Arcaio¡¯s head and watching as her son calmed down and fell asleep. ¡®He is still a mystery, but this needs an answer.¡¯ She swallowed and looked up, ¡°Why did you tell them about where I was and who you are?¡± Darak took her by the arms and lifted her up, then smiled at her, ¡°Because now they have a reason to fear us, and when we shatter all illusions they ward themselves in of their safety, the despair they will show will be all the greater.¡± he said in a tone that sounded sweet but was terrifying, ¡°but I will make sure you get my brother.¡± ¡®He wants to get them to panic and be scared, he wants a greater challenge, but this is so soon.¡¯ she thought and looked up, ¡°Did your rescue of me speed up your plans?¡± she asked and saw as he nodded, ¡°I am sorr¡­¡± she started but he stopped her with a finger. ¡°Do not apologize, I did it because I was mad at the woman¡¯s nerve to send men to my abode, on to other matters,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°I found a maid called Merie, she will be arriving in the afternoon, her parents run a tavern not too far away, she has agreed to work here, moreover she has a mana point suitable for a seer, so I plan to train her a bit too.¡± She nodded and stepped back, ¡®he has fulfilled his vows still, and has pinned the danger that was shadowing me to himself,¡¯ She looked up at him, the warm smile and jovial expression made it clear he was not regretting his actions just now. ¡®He is a man of his word, and still found a maid as I have asked, how is it that I had this luck.¡¯ She reached forward and pulled him in by his suit, pressing her head to his chest, ¡®Even after this morning he cares about me and does things out of impulse for me, he got angry and malicious for me, all because I asked him to,¡¯ she snuffled back her tears and shook her head a bit, ¡°Thank you Darak, that was hard for me, that man you spoke with, he had beaten me badly a few months ago,¡± she felt him tremble against her, ¡°I was too scared to do anything, so thank you for getting rid of them.¡± She felt him swallow, and breathed out a long exhale, ¡°Do you want him to suffer too?¡± he asked slowly. ¡®I do¡± she thought and nodded before she could hold back. ¡°I will see it done soon, but for now, let us have some tea and discuss your training.¡± he said back and pulled her along to the sitting room. As she reached the chair, she had taken the day before, he snapped his finger summoning a crib for Arcaio, and waved his hand calling a fresh tray of tea, with the pot steaming already. ¡®He is still able to use magic so easily even after his spell at the graveyard¡¯ She smiled and poured out the cups, pulling her hair back and looking at him, ¡°Honey, right?¡± Getting a nod, she poured out a fine amount of honey for him and then handed him the cup, before getting her own ready, finally sitting down and looking over at him and his smile as he patiently waited for her to rest too. ¡°Do you think the baron will come?¡± she asked after they shared the first sip. He looked to the window and out over the street, ¡°Not anytime soon, maybe after the baroness tries to come on her own a few times, maybe my brother will try too, but the baron himself will not come for a month or two, by year¡¯s end for sure.¡± he said back and reached down taking a small cookie. ¡°Why would the baroness come first?¡± Meaio asked as the thought came to her, then took a sip. Darak placed the bitten cookie down on his saucer, then took a sip as he thought it over, then finally spoke after swallowing, ¡°She will want to verify who I am to challenge her authority, you see, her marriage to the baron was one of politics, and her power stands as long as her son is the only son of the baron, I am technically the eldest son, so I am next in line for the title, but my aims are higher. She will not care, it is the reason she can¡¯t have you around, because if you push for your son to be recognized as the son of the heir, the baron may have to have you marry her son to avoid a scandal, which in turn will mean the Baroness will lose all of her power when the current baron dies.¡± he said slowly. ¡°So, she wants to remain as a baroness for as long as she can have that power, is that why she always had a way to keep her son home from balls and events, I think the only one he ever attends is the queen¡¯s birthday, and he only does so at his mother¡¯s side.¡± Meaio said aloud as she thought it over, then took a sip and looked at him ¡°So, if you have a connection to the queen will we be invited?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I guess so, but the Sultan will be inviting us first, then the Emperor, and the King of Frankia, then the Queen.¡± Darak said back calmly then looked at her. ¡®What, we are going to meet all of them¡­¡¯ Meaio thought and felt a raised embarrassment at the idea of being in front of so many forms of royalty, but daraks hand rubbing her cheeks got her to look up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, none of them expect much, with the exception of the queen, they will overlook any breach of protocol, they all owe me a fair bit.¡± He said with a smile, then pulled back and sipped more of his tea. Meaio looked at him for a few seconds, ¡®that''s right you had helped them beyond the skills of anyone would do, you went to heaven and hell for two and saved the princess of Frankia after she was cursed.¡¯ she took a sip of her tea, then looked up, ¡°So, about my training, how will it begin?¡± ¡°We will start with meditation, then tonight before you go to sleep, we will expand your mana channels.¡± he said carefully, then took a second cookie. ¡°Why before I go to sleep?¡± She asked him. Darak cleared his mouth with a sip of tea and then looked at her, ¡°Because, when we expand them, it will be tiring for you, it will be easier for you if you can rest quickly after, the process will be a bit slower this way, but it will be safer, and the end results will be far greater than my own channels.¡± ¡°Does that mean I should be dressed to sleep?¡± Meaio asked pointedly and watched as he blushed a bit at her tease. ¡°It would be wise to. I will need easier access to your skin as the fabric will interfere with the mana.¡± He said while looking away, ¡°But access to your back will work fine.¡± he added quickly. ¡®He is easy to make embarrassed, to think he is as powerful as he is yet this nervous around me¡¯ Meaio smiled a bit, ¡°Then my back it shall be, as for this meditation will I need to be undressed or something?¡± Darak smiled back at her, ¡°No, you can do it anywhere whenever you like, it is a simple meditation, but you have to stay awake and aware of your mana as you do.¡± he said with a controlled tone. Meaio was about to speak when a knock came at the door, looking over she heard a voice calling out, ¡°Excuse me, I am Merie, Darak Lordarn hired me.¡± Darak waved his hand, opening the door with magic, and said, ¡°To the sitting room, just past the door, please close it after you.¡± Meaio watched as a girl about nineteen walked in with two old and worn suitcases, closed the door, and walked to the sitting room, looking about for a second then locking eyes with her and bowing, ¡°Hello, I am Merie, your husband hired me to be a maid within your lovely home. If there is anything you see I need to improve on, please inform me right away.¡± she said in a clear and concise tone and tempo. Meaio watched the girl closely, thinking about the girl, ¡®she had been trained a bit, based on her presentation just now, and her choice of words showed she was not one to flatter needlessly,¡¯ but smiled and gestured to the couch, ¡°Please have a seat, I have a few questions.¡± Meaio said calmly and watched as the girl sat down but maintained her posture over resting back. ¡°I have a few simple questions if you please answer them.¡± Merie nodded and shifted a bit, a clear effort to straighten out and be respectful. ¡°First, what skills do you possess already?¡± Meaio asked and watched the girl¡¯s eyes look down as she thought over her answer. Merie finally looked back up after a few seconds, ¡°I have been working in my parent¡¯s tavern for a while now, but I did attend a maid school, I am confident in cleaning, laundry, and childcare, however, I need some more practice in cooking before I would claim I can handle that task.¡± she said with a fair bit of determination while smiling. Meaio smiled and nodded, ¡®so a maid school, i wonder¡­¡¯ she thought then looked back at Merie, ¡°Which maid school did you go to?¡± she asked. Merie looked up at her and smiled before speaking with a bit of pride, ¡°Saint Joanna¡¯s school for maids, Miss Lordarn.¡± ¡®That is not a grand school but the maids there are trained well, but I want to do my best to protect this family.¡¯ she thought then smiled at the answer she gave before asking her next question, ¡°I want to know something more important to me, how much would your loyalty cost?¡± ¡°Meaio, thats¡­¡± Darak started but was cut off by Meaio as she glared his way. Meaio looked back to Merie who was in deep thought, her hands starting to fidget a bit, until she made her mind up and looked back to her, ¡°My loyalty can¡¯t be bought as master Lordarn has already offered everything I would ever ask for.¡± she said sternly while watching Meaio. Meaio eyed the girl for a few seconds, ¡®Her voice sounds right, and her expression is determined, her posture is the same, and she hasn¡¯t broken eye contact.¡¯ She let out a sigh, ¡°I am sorry for that question, my husband and I have unfortunately rubbed a noble the wrong way, I wanted to make sure that our son would be safe, but you spoke honestly now so I will trust you.¡± she said then looked back up and to Darak, who had nodded along with her explanation, ¡°Now on to the last thing I want to cover, your tasks, they are not much, we just need someone to watch over Arcaio when my husband and I are busy, that may happen a few times throughout the day, will you be able to handle that?¡± Merie beamed a smile, ¡°Yes, I would be happy to keep an eye on him for as long as you are willing to employ me.¡± she said quickly. ¡°Good, when you are not watching over Arcaio, please clean any room if you see it in need, My husband has a habit of using magic to do that, for the most part, but do not hesitate to take over.¡± Meaio said slowly, ¡°Lastly, if you require something from outside the house please notify us before you depart. Is all of that clear?¡± Merie nodded, ¡°yes, I will see to doing as you have tasked.¡± she said with a respectful tone. ¡°Any questions you have?¡± Meaio asked and noticed the slight surprise in Merie¡¯s expression before the girl thought it over, but noticed the nervous glance she gave her and Darak. ¡°You have a question about our relationship?¡± Merie nodded, and Meaio gave her a wave to go on, ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand something, your questions just now didn¡¯t feel like a noble lady looking for a maid but a head maid testing my resolve, so I have a feeling that your relationship is one born of a master/maid interaction, not that I am judging you, just want to know why?¡± she asked in a clear and concise tone and tempo to keep the conversation respectful. The effort from Merie was a bit ruined as Darak stifled a laugh, but got a glare from Meaio, before she looked back to Merie, ¡°Our relationship is born of need and circumstance, Arcanist Lordarn is not the father of Arcaio but his uncle, and I was a maid in his father¡¯s employ until recently, my now husband took pity on me and my son and took us in, in return I have agreed to marry him to ensure my son¡¯s safety.¡± She explained in a clear tone, then looked up to Merie, ¡°However that should not belittle the vows he has made to me and I will not turn a blind eye to this information leaving this house. Do I make myself clear?¡± Merie quickly nodded. ¡°Come on dear, you are being too hard, after the job details, I offered and the benefits, I am sure that Merie here may beg to stay even after we don¡¯t need her any longer.¡± Darak said from her side. ¡°What was the offer you gave exactly?¡± Meaio asked back, still a bit confused by the earlier declaration of loyalty and now this statement. ¡°Well, it was two silvers a day, three meals a day, room, training in magic, curing of ailments to her family within reason, Blessing to family members at her call, magic tools for her protection, and two days off when we are not busy or have meetings.¡± Darak said back. Meaio turned to face him ¡®are you insane, that is like paying for a¡­¡¯ she let out a sigh, ¡°Darak, even the head maid at your father¡¯s estate doesn¡¯t get paid that well with that many benefits.¡± she said in an exasperated tone, but Darak looked confused ¡°a maid at the level of Merie would be paid five coppers a day and get one meal and shared room, with no benefits.¡± she looked to Merie and smiled, ¡°I apologize, though I am a bit reluctant to agree to those conditions, I know my husband gave that offer to make sure you would not worry for your safety. I will not overturn it, however, I will add one condition for you, you will visit your parents every night for dinner, if they tell you anything out of the ordinary you tell us right away.¡± Merie looked a bit confused, and asked, ¡°May I ask why you are adding that condition?¡± Meaio smiled, ¡°As I have mentioned earlier, there is a noblewoman who may use anything to undermine us, including your parents, for their safety we would like to know about anything as soon as it happens, or before if it can be helped, this woman loathes myself and Darak, and she will not stop even if it hurts people that are loosely associated with us.¡± she said then turned to Darak, ¡°Can you make a charm or amulet to protect her family?¡± Darak nodded and thought about it before speaking ¡°I think we should accompany her and have dinner with her parents, that way I can cast my spells on their tavern too, as for the charms or amulets I think I can pull something together before we leave, but I may have to skip lunch if I do.¡± ¡°Please this is too much already, I can¡¯t ask you to do more than you already have, my family will never be able to repay you.¡± Merie calls out of turn, her fear of the unfolding situation clear in her expression. Meaio leaned back in her chair and called back to her in a cold and slightly annoyed tone ¡°On the contrary, you are now in the employ of Arcanist Darak Lordarn, acclaimed by the King of Frankia, the Sultan of Jerysalim, and the Holy Emperor of Waino. Traveler of the Hells and Heavens, master and maker of the Hundredfold Spell, and titled by the Archdevil Lucifer as the Dark Prince of Magic. If he wishes to protect your family as he does me and my son, you shall not counter it, he is a man of greater talent than most nobles of this land, yet acts with the kindness befitting of a king.¡± Meaio watched as Merie heard everything and saw the slight shudder in her posture, the expression shifted a bit from fear to mild dread, her eyes glancing at Darak like prolonged eye contact would put her under a spell. Meaio sighed, ¡°So, I ask you to consider all his actions over the time you meet him and tell me what you think of my husband.¡± she said and thought as Merie reacted ¡®There you go, think it over,¡¯ she watched as Merie looked down and thinking over her experience, ¡®what kindness did he show you beyond the offer of this job¡¯ then Merie looks up. ¡°He is a kind man, and even after everything I heard, I feel as though denying him would be both wrong and if I tried to repay him he would not accept it even if I beg,¡± she said slowly and then bowed, ¡°I will not stop you if you are going to protect my family, thank you so much.¡± ¡°See Darak, she is smart and quick.¡± Meaio said with an open palm. Darak said back, ¡°My dear, we want her to want to stay, please go easy on her.¡± ¡®You are too soft to commoners,¡¯ Meaio sighed, ¡°Merie, with everything that has been said, would you still like to be employed under us?¡± Merie glanced around a bit as she thought over the idea, but looked at them and nodded, standing up and bowing before she spoke ¡°I would like to work for as long as you will have me.¡± ¡°We accept!¡± Meaio said back quickly, ¡°Now sit back down please.¡± getting the newly hired maid to sit again. ¡°Darak, you mentioned she can use seer magic right?¡± Darak nodded and put his cup down after his second drink. ¡°Yes, Merie¡¯s mana point is perfect for it, not that she could use anything else, I am thinking of teaching her the basics, then after Arcaio can take care of himself mostly, and at her permission send her to study under Jason, he will piss and moan about it but he is a good teacher.¡± he said as he leaned back. ¡°Umm, sir, do you truly plan to teach me magic?¡± Merie asked with a bit of hesitation. ¡°Of course he is,¡± Meaio replayed quickly, ¡°He believes that magic is the right of anyone that has the ability to, not just the nobles, he will teach you and anyone he finds that has the necessary magic power within them, right?¡± she turned to look at Darak. ¡°Yes, but I plan to open an official school were parents can bring their kids and enroll them at the age of six,¡± Darak said while scratching at his chin ¡°with time I may even invite you, Merie, to be a teacher for seer arts, if you study hard that is.¡± Meaio looked over to him, ¡®that will be problumatic, the nobles will be outraged by his school and they will push back and harass the students¡¯ she thought then shook her head, ¡°right, that should do it for now, Darak shall we start our training,¡± she looked down to Arcaio, ¡°it seems Arcaio is asleep, so lets give merie a tour then start the training we each need.¡± Darak nodded and stood up, ¡°right we will start with the room for merie then cover the upper floor, and move on to this floor and end in the basement.¡± He said, as they got up and got ready to walk about a bit.