As I watched the last guest leave the Palace, it was already past noon. I stood before the exit driveway, watching as the [Emperor] rode away with his Knights, promising to come back in a month to watch me attack Theria, the land of werewolves and fairies. I suspected something was amiss.

Why would the [Emperor] come himself watch me invade a small territory with an army?

What cards did he hold in his hand? What game were we playing?

I could not fathom his intentions but those were irrelevant. If he wanted to trigger Silverstreak’s curse, so be it. What mattered to me was to keep my people safe. As I ordered the guards around with my new authority as a full-fledged [Imperial Prince], I returned inside.

I avoided taking one of the Ladies as my companion for the night by taking one I had no obligation to sleep with. Lady Chaldney knew who she owed her life and her mother’s to and I believed she would be loyal. She would be useful in New Raswaria as a court official. I just needed to mold her to my needs. Another concern was shelved for later.

I had things to do, payback to deliver. My brother Leodec would see what a real [Assassin] was capable of. Tonight, not a minute sooner. The original Palace staff should return today, and none of their Geas was violated, meaning none of them was captured and tortured to reveal information. Or attempted to surrender it voluntarily. None of their rings sent a distress signal so it was safe to assume they weren’t attacked either. I doubted someone would know both what the signet rings did and how to disable them.

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Lady Chaldney was still in the sitting room next to the ballroom. Two female guards stood at the door. They saluted as I approached.

“Your Highness!” They barked as they snapped to attention.

“At ease, ladies. How is my guest? Would one of you please check if Lady Chaldney is presentable?”

One of them nodded and entered the room. She would return less than a minute later. “She needs a few minutes to freshen up, sire.”

“That’s okay,” I smiled to ease their tension. “I just need to have a brief conversation with her.”

Two minutes later, someone knocked on the door from inside. The same guard cracked the door open to check. I heard Lady Chaldney whispering to the guard.

“She can see you now, sire.”

“Good. You two, follow behind me inside.”

They opened the door for me as I entered. Lady Chaldney had hurried back to the couch but she stood up as I entered, giving me a polite curtsy.

“Your Highness Percival. I am at your service,” she said, then cast a confused glance at the guards, probably trying to figure out what I would do that required them. Given the fact she probably expected to provide me sexual services, it struck her as odd.

But then again, in the Empire, it wouldn’t be odd if I had the guards hold her for me or even join us in a foursome. Or anything in between or beyond, actually.

“You may sit, Lady Chaldney,” I pointed her back to where she was, then took an armchair across the coffee table. “I will give you two choices,” I said as I produced a coin pouch and jiggled its contents as I put it on the table. “This pouch contains assorted coins, including fifty gold coins and one kingmetal coin. You may take the pouch and leave this Palace. I won’t send anyone after you or hold any grudges. You may rejoin your mother or live your life however you want. I won’t exile you as I did to the former marchioness. You’ll be free to go, just like that.” I looked at the other guard that hadn’t talked yet, “Please hand the pouch to the Lady.”

The young woman, around the same age as me or one or two years older at most studied me, trying to discern if what I said was the truth or if this was any kind of test or trick. She received the pouch from the guard and placed it on her lap. She opened her mouth to speak but I beat her to the punch.

“One more thing, Lady Chaldney. I’ll let you borrow a carriage and an escort. I believe you wish to give your father a proper burial, so you may take his body with you when you leave. I see in your eyes the question you want to ask, so excuse me if I assumed wrong. No, there’s no trick and this is not a test. What I told you is the truth. You may take the money and leave. We’ll be done and I won’t do anything to harm you or your family. You may be concerned about the children I ordered to be brought here. You may take your surviving relatives with you if you want.”

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“Your Highness is too generous,” she said even as she fought to keep her emotions under control. “Nobody in the Empire would fault you for killing us all, even my young cousins. I’m afraid that if you let me go, people will think you are weak.”

I took my jacket off and laid it on the table, pushing the fabric to show the hole on the back right above the heart. “Weak? Only a fool would believe me weak. Do you think those [Assassins] were amateurs?” I challenged. I tried to keep my tone soft but firm.

“I stand corrected, Your Highness. I’m sorry I doubted your--”

“No. No groveling, please. It’s tiresome. I spared you because you are a smart person, Lady Chaldney. I spared your mother because I wished to leave a good impression on you. I kept you here because I think you may be useful to me. I need smart people who will be utterly loyal to me, Lady Chaldney. But I don’t need sycophants who follow me blindly. Anyone who stands with me will stand with full knowledge of why they do so. I have no need for benighted stooges.”

“Your Highness, I--”

I cut her off again as I disliked her submissive tone. “Also, I won’t solicit any services of a sensual nature from you. I must confess I used you to dissuade the other Ladies from pressing with that bothersome tradition.”

She looked away and bit her thumb, clearly disappointed, “Nobody will believe me.” I remained silent this time. She took a deep breath, then fiddled with the coin pouch. “My choices are, either leave with these coins or serve you. Is that correct?”

“Yes, I’m offering you a job. The money is yours anyway. I believe a person should be free, Lady Chaldney. I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t extend you this freedom. Your choices aren’t limited to just leaving or staying. There’s a whole gamut of choices. I say this in jest but you could also take the guard’s blade and attack me. Don’t worry. Just a joke with terrible bad taste to illustrate it. You could also kill yourself but that would disappoint me. It would be a waste.”

She chuckled ruefully, “And attacking you wouldn’t?” She questioned not me but her own sanity.

“Honestly? I doubt you could draw a single drop of blood from me, much less kill me,” I pointed at the jacket. “As the [Assassins] your father brought here learned too late. Let’s test it, shall we?”

Percival was supposed to be an overconfident prick. I was too candid. I made eye contact with the first guardswoman as I extended my arm away from the couch, “draw your sword and strike my arm with all your might. Use all your offensive Perks. That’s an order.”

She wasn’t one of mine but part of the Imperial Guard. She might not have the Cadian [1] discipline but she was well-trained. Gritting her teeth, she begrudgingly drew her sword. I started to hum.

“Excuse me, Your Highness.”

She brought her sword down with all her might on my arm. The blade struck and bounced back, leaving only a faint white line as if she’d scratched it with a fingernail. A moment late the line vanished.

> Imperial Guardswoman slashed you for 72 HP of damage (Base 74 [8d10+20] (-50) x3.12 Strength x4.02 Skill x2 Power Attack x3 Mighty Blow x3 Critical x0.013 modifiers).

“Thank you. I know the three of you will keep this little demonstration a secret, as you know, you struck a [Prince],” I said to the embarrassed and shocked guard, then back to Lady Chaldney. “I stand corrected. You three working in tandem wouldn’t draw a single drop of blood from me. Not even if you aimed for my vital spots. So yes. Attacking me would be foolish but still an act of bravery. I wouldn’t be disappointed if you tried to avenge your father.”

She lowered her head and shook it. When she lifted it again, I saw the same determination from last night. “My father chose to cast his fate and luck with your brother even as he peddled me to you. His gamble backfired and now he doomed our House. A Marquis!” She tittered in derision. After dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, she grasped the pouch. “Will you let me leave even after showing me all that?”

“Definitely. I’ll put your father’s body in a casket and load it on a carriage. If you want to become your nephews’ guardian, you just need to let the Palace staff know where to send them.”

She bit her lip and studied me, trying to figure me out. I could tell she still didn’t believe in me. Lady Chaldney stood up. “I’ll go meet my mother then. Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. I will never forget it.”

I stood up and signaled to the two guards. “You are now assigned as Lady Chaldney personal escort. Stay with her and do your best to keep her safe for a year and a day, then come back here. I’ll give you two years of wages in advance.” The two saluted me in acceptance, although I knew they didn’t like the new assignment. I stood up and nodded at her. “Lady Chaldney, I expect you to provide room and board to these two guards while they remain in your service. Should you wish to dismiss them before the year is over for any reason, you are free to do so. You must be hungry, I’ll order a meal for you. Guards, you have your orders. Now, if you excuse me.”

I left the room, going to the stables to arrange transportation for her. I gave her the choice, I had to respect it. It was better this way than to force her to serve her father’s killer. A shame. Lady Chaldney was a diamond in the rough, someone I could shape and polish into a high court officer. New Raswaria would need talent like hers.

I didn’t see her leave in the carriage. She would go meet her mother at an inn outside the capital proper. I spent the rest of the day with the five other inhabitants of the private wing. The girls dressed up and made me dance with them until their feet hurt. Last night would be the first and only event without them by my side.

At night, I made sure the palace and the private wing were secure before I left. I had an appointment with my older brother, to “thank” him for the [Assassins].

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[1] An Imperial Guard sub-faction in the WH 40k universe.