Nix cried.
She once pranced naked before strangers. Never for profit, but because sometimes circumstances in her long life led to that outcome. It wasn't her fault, so she felt nothing negative about it. That memory existed, for now, as an interesting footnote in the blurry book of her history.
But, when Walter ignored her, "No," reached out his hand and cast Scan III, a level she didn't know existed, Nix felt her defenses peeled away. He could learn things about her even she didn't realize. It hurt, for a reason she couldn't put her finger on. Why did it feel like her own fault? Because she trusted him? Why did it feel like a betrayal in the first place?
One of Walter's blue orbs floated by. When it moved too close, it pulled to her like a magnet. After it bumped into her, harmlessly without exploding, she slapped it in anger. It spiraled on erratic air eddies.
He must have programmed a bunch of them to find me without attacking.
"Nix, are you up there?" Walter called up from a lower platform.
"Of course, I am. You already know that. Now go away, and let me lick my wounds."
"I'm sorry."
Nix swallowed a dry lump in her throat. 'I'm sorry.' She tried to remember, or imagine, the last time a human apologized to a lowly elf. 'I'm sorry.' Even Prince Wilhelm never said those words. She knew why; he was a prince. Showing weakness was politically fatal. 'I'm sorry.' Yet, the Black Mage of Eovamund, a hero, prostrated himself for her forgiveness, a lowly wayfarer elf.
She hopped down from her concealing branch after wiping her eyes. "It was a silly thing to be upset about." Dread filled her stomach when she looked at his face. He wasn't only guilty for what he did but also for what he was about to do.
Elin stood behind him. Her eyes covered escape routes, and it was clear she wouldn't let Nix escape.
Lord Walter explained himself in clinical terms. The words made Nix's pointed ears go numb. He asked her permission, and she nodded, unable to say no. She didn't have a right to say no. How could she say no after what he just said?
She cried again.
Lady Elin stepped forward and gripped her arm. On instinct, Nix pulled away, but the difference in strength was beyond compare. If Lady Elin wished, then she could drag Nix, and no struggling could stop her. But, thankfully, they waited until Nix composed herself. The two guided the dumbstruck wayfarer elf to a private location, with no witnesses.
When they finished with her, she stared blankly at the wall with tear-stained cheeks. He knew everything now.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"Make sure to explain this to Prince Wilhelm," Lady Elin instructed. How can she be so calm after what just happened? "Do you want me to escort you?" Nix shook her head.
You've done enough to make me cry.
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Prime Minister Asibridel's body felt heavy, like a quelched iron dropped into a bucket of water. Inexplicably, all of her plans reversed against her. She didn't expect widescale change to elf society, but she plotted a loosening of the first wives' grip. Now, the opposite took place.
The Alune Theocracy claimed the Sanctuary framed them for the attack on the prime minister. They threatened war. Bartgoria, conspicuously neutral, offered to sell armament to buyers or to buy goods. They were not interested in spider silk, this time.
The first wives composed a list of names of various offenders of Sanctuary law to sell for war funds. This wasn't the first time they did this.
Additionally, the parliament voted to remove her from office. They intended to seize ownership of her slave status, to punish Lord Walter for trespassing, and use her body to pay off either Bartgoria or the Alune Theocracy. Many severely underestimated Walter's level of ability after last night's demonstration. Many believed, some delusionally, the military reports were exaggerated since he only used a fraction of his power.
Her sale to Pope Althonbright, someone who lusted for her endlessly, could appease them and slow their encroachment into the northern peninsula. Or, if they sold her to Don Undmuth in Bartgoria, they could earn enough money to pay for defenses. At any rate, Asibridel doubted Walter, no, Lord Walter, would care. Her fate was fixed. The emissaries waited for her visit, or rather the next prime minister's visit to collect her.
It was fixed from the beginning. Few rarely accepted the prime minister position unless they were ignorant of Sanctuary politics. Despite being the longest-running member to hold the office, it amounted to little more than a century of being a pariah. The politics, the sacrifices, the seductions, the compromises of her personhood were about to be thrown away by the very people she agonized for.
Moments before they formally concluded the decision, Lord Walter walked into the meeting chamber.
"Where's my lazy slave at?"
Lady Elin followed behind him, and the grip on her sword handle was tight.
"Lord Walter," Prime Minister Asibridel mumbled, "I regret to inform you--"
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"None of that," he put on mock airs and acted offended, waving his hands at the air like a swarm of flies bothered him. Once again, he couldn't be predicted, "I demanded a proposal on the eggs! Where is it?"
Was he just pretending to be intelligent all along? This situation is becoming nightmarish.
"Lord Walter," the prime minister's voice dragged out the tone, "The situation has changed--"
"Meet me in private!" he bellowed, "We're going to talk about this, and believe you me, you're going to regret it!"
He sounds as convincing as a glutton claiming they won't eat the last bit of food. Nevertheless, he is still a powerful wizard. We are trapped by whatever little childish game he wants to play and dance to his arrhythmic melody, no matter how jarring. Although I would enjoy watching these so-called dutiful wives attempt to soothe him and suffer, I still love my people.
This is the will of Hera. She's the one that cursed the births of elf men. Why? Would a goddess not understand this is the outcome? Perhaps Nix was right about this truth.
One last performance of duty, I suppose, before I enter hell. At any rate, do what you will with me, Lord Walter. It matters not.
Lady Elin waved a hand to escort Prime Minister Asibridel to the private meeting chambers. The room no longer felt like her own. It felt like a cage, with Lord Walter and Lady Elin blocking the door.
Walter explained himself. Asibridel listened, and as the explanation continued, she sunk in a chair, unable to keep her legs steady.
When she walked out, she ordered the guards to take the first wives into custody. With Lady Elin standing beside her, the guards turned on the wives.
"I'm declaring martial law! Dismiss the emissaries, so says the prime minister of the Sanctuary, and the slave of the Black Mage of Eovamund!"
Walter closed his eyes and shook his head, "You could have left that last part out..."
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"I want you to explain to me why."
Ms. Robin stared at her feet. She wanted to wilt away, like petals on a flower, under the prime minister's stare.
"I had to. I love you."
Prime Minister Asibridel nodded her chin to the guard, they dragged the sobbing woman away.
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"I didn't think it was her," Walter said.
"She's the treasurer, and she's the only one with access to what few magical items we posses. At first, Walter, I thought your silence regarding your spell failure was laziness or stupidity. I misjudged you. You kept silent about the reason it failed to prevent from tipping your hand. You targeted humans, and not elves, so naturally, your magic missed. The elves ran before we could see them. Even I didn't realize it."
"I didn't think elves could use magical items?" Elin asked, "In exchange for having great physical strength, you have no mana, so you can't pay the 'max tax' to activate them?"
"Magical scrolls," the prime minister said, "Are self-powering because powdered lunacite is included in their production. That pays the one-use cost. The use of a fireball scroll was vital to Ms. Robin's plan to frame the theocrats. Expensive and stupid."
Prince Wilhelm nodded, "And all she wanted was, what, to own you?"
"It seems that way," Prime Minister Asibridel sighed, "It's not unheard of. There are many lonely women in the Sanctuary, and they turn to alternative husbands. Some discover it's a core part of themselves. In her case, sadly, it consumed her. It seems she had no plan after causing a problem and trying to steal me away, not realizing I can't return her feelings. She was blinded by obsession."
After a moment of silence, the prime minister continued, "Even with these revelations, the situation would not have changed if Walter did not discover Nix's true nature. Or, should I say, new nature?"
Nix waited, off to the side, still smiling and crying. "Sorry I'm such a mess. The news is still difficult to process, and I don't want to entertain false hope, but--"
"So," Walter tapped the toe of his boot, then said, "When are you two getting married?"
Prince Wilhelm stuttered out a nonsensical set of unconnected words, and Nix wrapped her hand through his arm.
"I can't wait to see Queen Vixandra's face!" Nix beamed, "Well, we have to keep it a secret still, but, please..."
"It's not a sure thing," Walter said, "Be prepared for it to not work out, alright?"
Nix nodded with fresh tears and smiled.
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Asibridel leaned into her chair and stared at the ceiling.
A child, a half-elf child, to bridge human and elf nations. Would it be possible? Walter only seemed partly secure about his explanation, but the fundamental theory could not be discredited. As Nix said, however, don't entertain false hope.
Twenty-three pairs of chromosomes existed for humans and twenty-five pairs for elves. One set to determine the sex for humans; three sets to determine the sex for elves, completely incompatible. This resulted in the skewing of the population to women over men. Until Walter realized the two extra pairs elves passed on were the manifestation of magic, the same as humans pass on spells through inheritability.
He believed they contained instructions to sublimate an elf's mana into physical power, the same way Lady Elin earned great strength. This drain resulted in a permanent zero for their mana reported and blocked spellcasting. He warned her there was a lot of risk in undoing the curse. She might grow weak, and she might die. Nix didn't care. She wanted to continue. If she did, however, she could not have a full-bloodied elf child unless a male elf underwent the same process. There was little likelihood Nix would move on after Prince Wilhelm, at any rate.
Elf men giving up their curse seemed doubtful. They would need to find one willing to give up their physical might and their social position. Still, when, or if, the half-elves arrived, then social pressure could convince some to try, and one day, the population of men and women might match.
Asibridel asked him how he could know all this.
"I once possessed Aratron's Grimoire, but he took it back in exchange for saving Elin's life. Every once in a while I recognize magic I forgot after it was taken. I've been trying to rewrite it, piece by piece, but--"
The prime minister stared at him before bursting out into uncontrolled laughter. She continued until her sides hurt, and she doubled over, hugging her ribs.
"What the heck is so funny?!"
When she could speak again, Asibridel said, clinging to the edge of her chair, "Aratron is the divorced husband of Hera. To think, how all these coincidences lined up. One might think it an act of Aratron, himself."
"Yeah, that's really funny. So, let's release you from slavery, so I can move on."
"I refuse."
"Pardon? There's no reason anymore!"
"I absolutely refuse. Please continue to be my master, Lord Walter. If you want my body, you can have it, even."
"Not a chance."
"Shame," Prime Minister Asibridel sighed, "The idea of having a half-elf child myself was tantalizing. Humor aside, please continue to own me. Without your leverage, I doubt I can maintain the momentum in the social works I wish to implement."
"Great," Walter grumbled, "Elin is going to hate this."
Prime Minister Asibridel sunk into her chair. Accumulated exhaustion finally showed itself.
"Lord Walter, what will you do about the Alune Theocracy? I know I'm imposing, as your slave, but, in a way, you have adopted the Sanctuary through me. Will you act against them?"