Sammy dashed back to the Redoubt and up to her room. What a deplorable turn of events, having to rely on that stupid prince-noble Dista dude. She slammed the door to her room and locked it fast.

Leaning against the door, she frowned to herself. Her frowned intensified and she glowered into the empty room. She thought she should be more upset about the situation, but there was a part of her that was actually happy for some weird, unfathomable reason. She just could not understand it and it was irritating the living daylights out of her.

“Whatever,” she finally declared aloud. Hopping into the shower, she cleaned her clothes and then herself again. Drying her clothes with glyph magic, she dressed and stood at her door staring at it. She just knew that stupid Dista was waiting for her down in the main room. She let out a big sigh, feeling she was giving in little by little to the insidious curse-disease.

Going down to the dining room, sure enough the stupid prince was there. Fortunately, but not surprisingly really, Jenna was with him. But what caught her by surprise was all the eyes that turned to look her way as she entered the room. Sighing to herself, she straightened her back and held her head high as she marched across the room to Dista’s table and sat down.

Before she could say anything, Gypsa appeared as if by magic. “My Lady, would you like something to eat?”

Sammy grinned at her. “You’re pretty good, Gypsa. I’m actually starving. Could you bring me something good?”

“Of course.” The Common of the Redoubt glanced at the other two sitting at her lady’s table. “Your companions already ordered. I will bring everything in a moment.” The girl gave a little curtsy and left.

“Well color me impressed,” Prince Dista said with a grin.

Sammy gave him a wary look, not at all sure she liked his tone. “What?”

“You didn’t object when she called you ‘my lady.’”

Sammy glared at him. “You are such a jerk. She’s my friend. I don’t like it, but it’s to the point that complaining is pointless and I’m tired of saying it. From now on, if it happens and I feel like complaining, I’m just going to turn around and leave.”

“Ah, I see,” the prince said. After a moment he added, “That could be problematic.”

“Like I care,” Sammy groused.

“True,” Dista agreed and let out a laugh. “So, you have started lighting the Common flames. The five out in the Derimore community and now young Gypsa here. Not bad at all, and done on your own without instructions. You continuously amaze me.”

“I had instructions from Count Iona.” She grimaced, but then grinned. “He did something to me and implanted a bunch of information in my mind that keeps surfacing here and there, now and then. It’s both really helpful, and terribly annoying. I like figuring stuff out on my own.”

“Ah,” the prince said, leaning back in his chair. “I see. I really wish I had been able to meet the man. He seems quite capable.”

“You would have liked him.” Sammy fell silent staring at the center of the table for a long moment. She snorted a laugh. “You both like manipulating people, and me specifically. So irritating.” Sammy looked up, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes, and said sharply, “Anyway, stupid Dista, I know what you want to talk about, mostly, but what did you want to say specifically?”

The prince cleared his throat before answering. “Well, for starters, you took off before my father finished.”

“That’s okay,” Sammy said. “And you really don’t need to continue either.”

“Ha, funny. Those are all things you need to be thinking about.”

Sammy crossed her arms and pursed her lips.

“However, those were all things from an internal point of view. Things you need to deal with to improve the lives of those who now look to you as their noble.” Dista’s eyes narrowed and he sharply overrode Sammy’s counter before she could get it out. “You are their noble and they need you to play your part, but that is not what I need to talk to you about. As I said, my father did not finish what he needed to tell you. Aside from the responsibilities for ruling your lands, there are other things that you must consider.” The prince paused and took a drink of water, deliberately slow. “Sammy, are you ready to listen?”

The rebellious arch duchess glared over her crossed arms at the prince for a long moment. With a little umph, she snapped her arms out in front of her and dropped her hands into her lap. “I’m listening.”

Dista blinked, somewhat taken off guard. Suddenly he let out a grunt and said, “Seriously Sammy, you never cease to amaze me.”

The girl looked up and to the right at the ceiling. “Whatever.” Suddenly she put her forehead down on the table and muttered, “This is all too much. I know what everyone is saying is right, what your mother said about the stupidest kind of noble, but I don’t like it at all. It’s too much. I can’t do it.”

“Well, you are quite capable,” the prince said. “Given time you would find a way I’m sure. You have a good heart and would do what you could for your people. You helped me without any assurances I would or even could pay you, except the word of a stranger. From what I know of your past, many of the entanglements with the Myst and others came from you interfering with wrongs being done, though in a most uniquely weird manner.”

Sammy turned her head so she could see Dista, but kept it on the table.

“That said, it will go much better, I think, if you don’t try to do it alone. Surround yourself with people who will help you. Stop running away so much.”

Sammy turned her head to face the table top again. How dare that stupid jerk say the same things as Dad Iona. Stupid, idiotic noble royal thing. She sat up and glared at Dista so that he blinked and stopped talking for a moment. After a long pause she relented her glare. “Continue please. I doubt you’ve even gotten to the main topic here.”

Dista cocked his head to the side and regarded Sammy for a moment longer. She had noticeably changed, and for the better he thought. “Very well, but know that both I and my family are here for you. You are not alone, nor do you need to face this alone.”

Sammy just looked at him, though she had not re-crossed her arms.

The prince nodded and continued. “That said, do you remember what my mother said about your contract severing both contracts of nobles and royals that bordered your land?”

Sammy nodded. “She said their Flames would most likely have been extinguished and have to be relit or something.”

“Good, then we don’t have to go over that again. However, it has turned out that the matter is actually a little more severe than what my mother thought at that time.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Oh?” Sammy mentally willed herself not to cross her arms again. Even though it was so long ago, she still remembered her father rebuking her once, telling her she was not really listening to him when her arms were crossed like that.

“Yes. It appears that your land contract is more significant in nature than even my mother had thought, though it may also have to do with that purga-requiem of the Count’s. Most likely a combination of both I’m guessing.”

Sammy’s arms trembled. She really wanted to cross them.

“Whatever the reason, it seems that pretty much every contract flame on the whole continent and a few of the islands in proximity have been extinguished.”

Sammy’s eyes blinked, her heart skipping a beat. “Um, that’s not good, is it?”

“Well, good, bad or indifferent, that appears to be the way of it. In any case, no one has come forward saying their flame is still going, not even one, but we’ve been deluged with reports of the ones extinguished.”

Sammy’s eyes narrowed and she narrowed her eyes. “I assume there is a reason you’re telling me this.”

“Indeed,” Dista nodded while smirking. “If you didn’t assume that, I would have questioned your intelligence.”

“Jerk,” the teen girl growled. “Just get to the point.”

“Very well.” Dista took a deep breath and let it out in a long exhale before continuing. “To be blunt, it is difficult to relight a Flame. Significantly more difficult than establishing a land contract in the first place. However, that difficulty is almost completely eradicated if the one responsible for the dousing assists.” The prince leaned forward and made sure he had Sammy’s attention. “Since you are the one responsible, there are many, many nobles and royals, commons and daring who would very much like you to help them in their relighting rituals.”

Sammy blinked, taken off guard. “I don’t want to.”

“I am aware of that, however, and again I will be blunt, you need to change your attitude on this. If you refuse, you will in essence make every other noble, common, royal and daring across the entire continent your enemy. If you help some, but not others, you will gain some allies, but make the others your enemies without hope of redemption. They would probably be enemies down through many generations in fact, so even your children will have to deal with your decisions now.”

Sammy stared at the prince and then sighed. “This sucks, but I understand. What do I have to do?”

Dista nodded, immensely relieved. “Fortunately, it is possible to relight a Flame of someone already contracted from anywhere, so you will not have to actually travel across the whole face of the continent. We will send out a proclamation that anyone who would like assistance need only come here and petition you directly.”

“Not here,” Sammy said instantly. “If I understand you, and I’m sure I do, you’re saying I have to meet nearly every stinking stupid noble alive. I refuse to have them trampling through here.”

“Just those on this continent. It would bring in a lot of commerce and trade with it,” Dista said.

Sammy glared, but then nodded. “I concede that point, but will counter that neither here nor anywhere recovering from Fleming’s curse is able to support it. Things are fragile here and there and everywhere. They would start breaking.”

“Whoa,” Dista said. “Well countered. Your starting to think like . . . .” Dista stopped, actually biting his tongue. That had been close to being an unforgivable statement. “Like you are looking out for other people.”

Sammy stared at him. She had a suspicion, but just did not feel like pursuing that route to hell. “So not here,” she finally said.

Whew, that was close, Dista thought though his face showed no signs of his panic. “Then I would suggest in my father’s palace in the capital. You can check out your house there and we are definitely more capable of handling logistics and security. It will probably be quite chaotic and busy.”

Sammy shuddered. “I so do not look forward to this, but I guess I can’t avoid it at this point. Argh!” she suddenly screamed. “I hate this, I hate this.”

“Yes, yes,” Dista said in a placating voice.

“Jennaaaa,” Sammy wailed. “Dista is a jerk.”

“Hahaha,” Tane said as he appeared at their table. Without asking, he sat. “Jerome, I’ll bet not many tell you that to your face in a public dining hall.”

“Ah, I heard you were about, Sir Taneth Nira.”

The man nodded, and then glanced at Sammy before saying, “So you know this young lady, and she knows you.”

“It’s a long story,” Dista said in a dry voice.

“I see,” Tane acknowledged. “Some other time then. Sir Jenna, I see you are still with this one.”

“Yes Sir,” Jenna responded in a crisp way, almost as if speaking to a military commander.

Sammy’s curiosity twinged. “Jenna, just who is this guy? He’s like super strong and calls Stupid Dista by his first name.”

Tane seemed to laugh twice at the same time, ultimately snorting.

Jenna let out a sigh and then smiled at the girl. “He is Grande Knight-Marshall Taneth Nira. He has a daring contract to this entire continent. He serves where and who he wants, when he wants, and you’ll like this part, has the authority to punch pretty much anyone he wants for being stupid.”

Sammy’s eyes widened and her face flushed as she turned to Tane. “Can I hire you to stop Jenna from stopping me from punching Dista’s other eye?”

“No,” Tane said, still laughing. “You’re very funny, girl. You’re going to be a nice breeze in the current stagnant air of our lands.”

Sammy considered that and then shrugged. “Whatever,” Sammy groused, but then she did a double take. “Actually, can I hire you to punch me if I start succumbing to the noble curse-disease? Please?”

The man chuckled, “Sure. I’ll even do it for free.” He paused, considering the teenage girl. “Probably just swat your behind though. Ill form to actually punch a girl.”

“Swatting her behind is better?” Dista asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

“Generally speaking,” the daring said with a laugh. “At the very least, it hides the evidence better.” He peered at the prince. “A reason why you’re keeping the black eye? It looks old enough that you should have recovered from it fully already.”

Dista reached up and touched his check under his black eye. He glanced at Sammy. “I’m letting it heal the long way. Pretty sure that monster there would find a way to punch me even with Jenna’s prohibition if I did not wear it at least that long.”

Sammy grinned at him, but did not say anything in reply.

“I see,” Sir Tane said. He turned his attention back to Sammy. “So you are the new land contract of these lands. May I ask the extent?” He then raised a hand in a stop gesture, “Ah, but you need not reveal it if you don’t want. I am merely curious.”

Sammy really did like this man and did not have any aversion to telling him. “From deep in the sea to well past the mountains, high in the sky to deep underground. Ah, I have a map thing, but don’t know how to show it.”

“Hmm, generally you should not reveal that out in the open,” Sir Tane said, but then cupped his chin with thumb and index finger. “Well, I suppose there’s not really anything anyone can do with it, but it shows the depth of your contract, so some may try to take advantage of the knowledge. I suppose it’s the same as anything else. People will figure it out through exposure, so do as you will.”

“Actually, do you know how to show it? I don’t mind showing you. Jenna’s okay too.” She let out a big sigh while glancing at Dista, and said more under her breath than aloud, “And I suppose that thing’s okay too.”

Tane explained the process with input from Dista since the daring mapped their land contract in a different way from the common, nobility and royalty. He knew academically, but Dista simply had a more direct experience pool to draw from.

Sammy closed her eyes and reached into her heart. Her mind entered into a strange place. The place felt as normal as standing anywhere in the world, except she stood in a void of blackness with the globe of said world displaying her land contract hovering in front of her. A warm wind blew through her hair, caressed her face, that originated from the globe. It smelled of lavender, roses and the ionization of sun warmed showers. The smell was quite pleasant.

Sammy reached out and cupped the globe as they had instructed her and opened her eyes. The globe now hovered over her cupped hands in front of her. “Whew,” she said. “This is kind of cool.”

Tane gave a low, distracted laugh, his eyes on the map of Sammy’s Land Contract. He looked at it for about fifteen seconds, but then glanced into the girl’s eyes. “You can put it back.” He waited for her do so before speaking again. “Your contract with the land is truly impressive, Arch Duchess. I look forward to your future. I would suggest you only show that to those you trust, or want to develop a solid relationship with.” The man glanced at Dista. “You should warn the fools you want to survive not to frivolously challenge her.”

The prince nodded, his eyes distant. “I can see that. Well, I already suspected she would become a hurricane somewhere along the line.” He snorted a laugh. “Too bad she’s always looking through her eye, where things are deceptively calm.”

Sammy glowered at the prince, mostly because she suspected he saying something snarky, but she did not understand it. What was a hurricane anyway. And of course she used her eyes to see. And where the heck was this calm he spoke of? He was not making any sense at all.

Dista noted the glare, but chose to ignore it. He stood. “So we should get a good night’s sleep and then go to the capital. I will contact my parents and let them know I finally tracked you down and you have agreed to help. They will spread the word and begin preparing for the onslaught.”

“Ugh,” Sammy said, her shoulders slumping as she brought her face down into her hands.

Dista gave her a nod and left. Not long after that they all retired for the night.