Chapter 20 - The Enchantment - Aela

Continuing Markus’s errands around town, he next took them to the glassworks. Unsurprisingly, one of the foremen recognized him on sight.

The foreman was a tall but thin reedy middle-aged man with short clipped dark hair. “Is it to be another custom order?” He asked a little curtly, “Or are you here to complain that exactly what I warned you would happen, happened."

“No no,” Markus chuckled and waved his hands placatingly, “Just here for some,..uhm,..what did you call them?” He scratched his head irritably, “The little round things I nearly slipped on last time."

“Marbles?” The foreman offered.

Markus beamed, “That's it! Do you have any left over from that other order? I'd like to buy some."

The foreman frowned briefly before scratching at his chin, “Unfortunately, no. But I could make more, easy enough. How many did you want?"

“Just a dozen or so about this big,” Markus demonstrated the size with his thumb and forefinger, “A bit of variation in size is fine too."

“Pfft, small order like that is hardly worth the trouble,” the foreman complained.

Markus smiled knowingly, “Two shillings for a dozen,” he offered, “There, can you now afford not to?"

The foreman frowned, sighed and then grumbled loudly yet incoherently as he walked into the workshop and got to work.

“I suppose you are probably wondering what this is all about?” Markus asked with a small smile.

“Something involving the gloves?” Aela guessed. It was a safe bet. He had grown very distracted after remembering her gloves earlier.

Markus smiled a little wider, clearly impressed, “That’s right. I think I should be able to enchant a small pendant to cancel out the knives, similar to the gloves. Normally when I enchant things, it extends onto the body of the thing itself. So if I enchanted my shirt, it would have no effect on my pants, just as an example. But when you introduce a jewel or gemstone to the process, it changes.” He pointed to her brooch, “Without the citrines in the brooch, only the metal itself would grow warmer, just like those stones I used to use. Do you understand?"

Aela nodded, but was still curious, “Why do I need the pendant if I already have the gloves?” She felt a little embarrassed for asking and was worried he might scoff at her ignorance.

“Well, the gloves would be fine as long as that was the only part of you the knives made contact with,” Markus agreed, “But what if a monster, or some murderous thug or xenophobic adventurer got ahold of it? You can't just rely on them striking at your hands. Even if I enchanted all of your armour to ward against it, all it would take is one lucky hit to incapacitate you."

Aela had not realized the protection was so limited and was more appreciative of what at the time had seemed like Markus’s overreaction in the dungeon.

“But the jewels and gemstones can take it a step further, or at least I am pretty sure they can. Think of the pendant and yourself in a similar sense as the brooch and your shirt. If I am right, a counter enchantment on the pendant should stop the draining enchantment from working. “ Markus grew a little nervous as he continued, “But what concerns me is that no one has tried the principle before..."

“Principle?” Aela asked. It was difficult to keep up with what he was saying because he was speaking too quickly.

Markus shifted uncomfortably, “Think about it. If you could make someone’s skin as strong as steel with a process similar to this, wouldn’t you?"

It surprised Aela that she knew what he was talking about and why he didn't understand how terrible an idea it was. “You would die,” Aela replied bluntly.

Markus stared at her in bewilderment.

“You would die. They tried it in the war,” Aela cringed as she recalled Svala’s accounts of the events. “Soldiers would seem unstoppable at first, then they would become confused and shortly after, fall over dead. Mother said it was because of organs failing. A bad way to die.” She thought it best to spare Markus the gruesome details. They would probably only give him nightmares anyway.

Markus shivered, “Glad I asked,” he croaked before clearing his throat. “Definitely won't be doing that." Markus shifted uncomfortably, “Well this isn't anything like that thankfully. Although they might need to be removed before destroying the dungeon heart. I am not sure about that part.” Markus scratched absently at his arm, “No, it should be fine really...” He became lost in intense thought again, his brow tightly knit together in concentration as he paced back and forth.

Aela waited patiently for Markus to finish his train of thought and provide an explanation. She knew it was entirely possible that he may decide not to share his thoughts on the subject with her. Which would be fine. Aela was not an artificer anyway, so most of what he told her on the subject was difficult to keep track of and understand sometimes. She just appreciated that Markus made the effort to include her thus far.

It was not until the glassblower foreman returned with a small pouch containing Markus's order that Aela felt it prudent to bring him back to his senses.

“Wha-Oh, thank you,” Markus sheepishly withdrew two shillings and exchanged them for the pouch and its contents. “Sorry I was somewhere else,” he apologized, as much to Aela as to the foreman.

The foreman just grunted and returned to his own business.

“It is fine,” Aela replied, smiling a little at Markus’s embarrassment. It wasn’t as if he did it on purpose. Besides, she liked to think it showed how much he trusted her in order to allow himself to be so vulnerable. Markus had said as much before. Although it was not perhaps exactly what he had meant at the time.

“Want to grab something to eat on the way home?” Markus asked.

Although she was not particularly hungry, Aela nodded, “Alright.” A cheeky thought came to mind “Are we going to have sausages again?"

Markus's face suddenly became so red she could feel the heat coming off of it. He nearly tripped as he made his reply, “We don’t have to!” Markus cleared his throat and made a point of looking away, “It’s just, last time, I mean, you really seemed to like them."

Aela raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly.

“That’s not what I meant!” Markus huffed.

“Of course,” Aela hissed in what she hoped was a sultry tone. She knew what happened last time probably wasn’t the reason for the return visit. But that didn’t mean Aela couldn’t remind him of it. Markus had proven quite susceptible last time, so why not try again?

After they made their way over to the same inn and Markus had ordered their food, Aela patiently waited for Markus to lower his guard before making a repeat performance. While he fell for it initially and was definitely embarrassed, Markus laughed good-naturedly about it.

“You got me again,” Markus shook his head in feigned disappointment. “Maybe I am a noble after all? I am certainly lecherous enough."

“Markus, your regal bearing is obvious,” Aela agreed and then mimicked his slack-jawed expression with her tongue hanging out and panting. She wondered if perhaps she had taken it too far when Markus suddenly grew serious.

“There is no way I looked like that,” Markus said coldly.

Aela gulped hard and was going to try and explain it was just a bad joke, but she couldn't find the right words.

“I am pretty sure I was drooling far more than that!” Markus said, his stern expression evaporating into a wide grin.

It took Aela a moment to realize he had tricked her. She was tempted to be upset with Markus, but only for a moment before the worst of her embarrassment passed. After all, he had only redirected Aela’s own mockery back on her.

Sharing in the joke, they both laughed together as they continued eating.

While they had been absent when Markus and Aela had begun eating, the same pair of filthy youths that had watched them last time had soon materialized in the nearby alleyway. Sitting on the wrong side of the table to have seen them, Markus nonetheless seemed to have satiated his appetite and was politely waiting for Aela to finish.

Even though the sausages were not flavoured as she preferred them, Aela was still hesitant to leave so many. However, she strongly suspected Markus's opinion of her would only improve if he noticed her deliberately leaving so many for their hungry audience.

“Should we head home?” Aela asked, doing her best to suppress her irrational appetite.

Markus cocked his head to one side, “Are you sure? You can keep eating if you like, I don't mind waiting."

Looking pointedly over Markus's shoulder, Aela shook her head, “No, I think I am full."

Curious, Markus glanced over his shoulder and quickly noticed the hungry pair skulking in the alley. “Alright,” he agreed and stood up to leave.

Even though he had waited until he thought she wasn't looking, Aela saw Markus remove a shilling from his coin purse and leave it on the platter before turning to go. She felt a little bad now for trying to impress him with her deliberate show of generosity.

“Do you think one of your brothers would be willing to test the counter enchantment?” Markus asked absently as they walked down the street. He was watching the young man and woman helping themselves to their leftovers and smiled as they discovered the shilling he had left for them.

Aela shrugged, she honestly didn't know, “Ulf or Bjorn might, with the right incentive. But mother or Beowulf could probably make them do it. They aren't strong enough to challenge them."

“I don't want to force anyone to test it,” Markus replied, his expression making it clear he found the thought distasteful, “It could be very dangerous."

Aela shrugged again. “Chimaeras live in constant danger,” she said almost reflexively. It was something Svala had drilled into them as children. So long as they were alive, they would be in danger.

Markus frowned and shook his head, “I won't force anyone to try it,” he said again. Even though Markus stumbled over the unfamiliar words, it was clear he found the idea distasteful.

“If you want to give them an incentive, you could offer one of them the priority for the next dungeon heart,” Aela suggested.

Markus nodded, but didn’t seem convinced, “Isn’t Svala deciding who gets the dungeon hearts? That was the impression I had when we were talking earlier."

Aela wasn’t sure what to say to that. She had assumed as much, but also knew that her mother would respect Markus's wishes if the rest of her children would still have the chance at dungeon hearts. That did not mean that Svala would immediately surrender the ability to choose, just that she would be open to negotiation.

However, Aela honestly doubted Markus would feel up to such an ordeal. So she just shrugged.

“Besides, depending on what I learn from this next dungeon heart, it may not remain such a desirable incentive,” Markus commented absently.

Aela frowned, “What do you mean?" Was he not going to clear dungeons anymore?

Markus scratched absently at his chin, “When we were in that last dungeon, I was watching what happened when you destroyed the dungeon heart. There was a cascade of dungeon mana that swept outwards like a wave. It had saturated your own mana, or covered it? I am not sure, I think I was too far away to tell clearly,” he shook his head and was concentrating as he tried to recall something. A minute or two passed before Markus spoke again, “But from what I saw, the colour of your mana had changed. Before you broke the dungeon heart, your mana was a lighter shade of amber. But after breaking it, your mana was a darker crimson. By the time we had returned home, it had changed again and into a dark amber,“ he looked at Aela as if expecting her to confirm what he had seen.

But Aela hadn’t seen anything like what he was describing. “I didn’t see anything when I broke it,” she said apologetically, “But I guess I felt it."

Markus didn’t seem disappointed, instead, nodding and carefully considering what she had said. “In part, I think the sudden exposure to that much of the dungeon mana is probably important. With how that exposure works, I am left wondering how it makes adventurers and chimaeras stronger. Chimaeras absorbing the dungeon’s mana makes sense since they are compatible with the mana already. But then how do adventurers absorb the same mana and grow stronger? And why doesn’t it feel like when... Why doesn’t it hurt?"

Aela had never really thought about it like that before. She had always just taken it for granted that destroying your first dungeon heart would restore your fertility and each one thereafter would make you stronger. Was being able to see mana able to tell Markus so much?

“But this is the interesting part. Chimaeras, adventurers and dungeon hearts all regenerate or replenish mana over time. Although chimaeras seem to require a minimum, perhaps as a primer?” Markus lost his train of thought for a moment before coming to his senses again and shaking his head, “No, anyway. What if you could siphon and store mana from monsters, a chimaera or dungeon heart and release it in one large burst. Could you replicate the effects of a destroyed dungeon heart?"

Aela was stunned as she realized what Markus was suggesting. It was obviously not something chimaeras could do themselves. But for an Artificer...was something like this possible? Was Markus saying he could do this?

When Aela didn’t reply, Markus shrugged his shoulders dismissively, “It’s just a theory. I don’t even know if I can store dungeon mana yet. For all I know, converting it to mana compatible with my own might be the limit."

“No, it would be amazing if you could do it!” Aela tried to keep her excitement in check. This was beyond anything her people had dared dream of. Markus clearly did not understand just how badly they needed this.

Markus shrugged again “IF,I can,” he reminded her pointedly.

Aela nodded and tried to appreciate his efforts to curb her expectations, “Have you told my mother?"

Markus shook his head, “No. This is just something I have been thinking about. I don’t really have many ways of proving or disproving what is possible or if it would even be enough until I know more about the dungeon hearts."

“Should we have waited for you to take a closer look at that last heart?” Aela asked guiltily. Her selfishness in having taken two dungeon hearts when most of her siblings hadn’t had the opportunity for one of their own had been gnawing at her since their arrival. If Markus was able to replicate the effects after studying a dungeon heart up close, it would mean that she had actually stolen it from all of them.

Markus shook his head again, “No. I only had the idea after witnessing the destruction of the dungeon heart. So dwelling on what could have been is pointless.”

That made Aela feel a little better. But she could not shake it entirely.

“It’s fine,” Markus said somewhat optimistically, “Another dungeon will spawn soon enough. I already told Svala I want to get a good look at the heart this time before it is destroyed. So it should be fine."

Aela nodded. Markus had a point. Even though the population of the town was relatively small, it would probably be less than a week or two at the most before the next dungeon spawned in the local area.

“If the pendants work, are you intending to bring the knives into the dungeon again?“ She asked. They had proven quite useful and Aela couldn’t help but wonder how different the first dungeon would have been if they had them on hand.

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Markus nodded, “Not the knives, but definitely other weapons with the enchantment,” he agreed enthusiastically. Markus had probably had a similar line of thinking. “I am not going to undersell it. I would feel a great deal safer with it than without."

Aela couldn't agree more. Markus had proven himself clever and resourceful, but his fighting skill was still woefully lacking. Those knives had done more than even the playing field. They had made Markus all but untouchable.

After making their way home again, they both headed upstairs to the workshop area where Markus set the smaller golem to etching one of the tiny crystal spheres from the glassblower using the point of a small sewing needle.

After a couple of minutes, the small golem set down the sewing needle it had been using as an etching tool. “Diligent: Task is complete Creator.” It held up the tiny sphere which now looked like it was covered in chicken scratches.

Taking the crystal sphere from the golem, Markus's eyes briefly turned black and silver before returning to normal again. “Theoretically, that should do it,” he said, seeming a little sceptical of his own work. “I’ll go get the knives and then we can ask your brothers if they want to help out with testing it." Markus went into his room and retrieved the knives from inside his locked desk drawer and then they went downstairs.

Bjorn and Ulf had been wrestling on the ground floor when Aela and Markus had returned home and were still at it. Or rather, they were until Aela and Markus came downstairs again. Both her brothers were staring at them with their inscrutable gaze. Showing no signs of returning to their play fighting, it was clear they knew something was up.

“What do you want?” Bjorn asked, his voice cold and calculating.

Markus raised a hand in greeting and took a moment to compose what he was going to say, “I was wondering if either of you would like to help me test an enchantment?"

“Why not have her do it?” Ulf asked coldly and nodded at Aela.

Markus shrugged a little, “Because it is dangerous and if it hurt Aela both of you would need to wait for another dungeon if she needs it to recover."

Bjorn and Ulf glanced briefly at one another and came to an immediate understanding. “What do we have to do?” Bjorn asked.

Markus smiled, “It is not complicated. I just need one of you to hold this,” he held up the tiny crystal sphere, “And then touch this knife,” Markus patted one of the knives on his belt.

Bjorn and Ulf glanced at one another again.

“That is all?” Ulf asked.

“For now, yeah.” Markus agreed.

“Ulf will do it,” Bjorn declared confidently.

Markus wasn’t used to dealing with the twins. So he didn’t understand that when one of them volunteered the other, it was as if they had volunteered themself. So Markus was obviously confused as he waited for Ulf to accept or decline.

“It’s alright. This is how they decide things,” Aela explained.

“Oh, alright,” Markus flashed her a grateful smile before holding the sphere out for Ulf. “You just need to hold it in your palm firmly enough to avoid dropping it."

Ulf took it and closed his fist. He looked at Markus expectantly, waiting for the next step.

“Okay. Next, after I re-enchant this knife, I will hand it to you handle first. I want you to take the knife and hold it for one minute, then hand it back. After a minute has passed, I will look through this,” Markus held up one of his small crystal tablets, “To make sure that the bead is working. If you feel pain or anything strange, just drop the knife right away. Don't think twice. Just drop it."

The twins glanced at one another and looked markedly more curious. They had no way of knowing what the knives were capable of, so of course, Markus's caution would seem excessive enough to pique their curiosity.

Drawing the knife from his belt and holding it in front of his face for a moment, Markus’s eyes blackened.

Aela felt the effect immediately. It was like a keening whine that put her on edge, only there was no sound. Had it been like this the day they had gone to the dungeon? She couldn’t remember.

Bjorn looked agitated as well and was looking anxiously at his twin. But Ulf looked fine, if a little confused by his brother’s agitation.

Markus flipped the knife around and held it out for Ulf to take.

Ulf reached out for the knife and hesitated as Bjorn flinched. Aela understood how Bjorn felt, the knife was dangerous and the thought of Ulf touching it voluntarily made her feel ill.

All the same, Ulf snatched the knife by the handle.

Markus let go and quietly began counting.

Ulf looked perplexed and held the knife up so he could look at the strange symbols scratched into the metal. But he had no way of knowing what they meant and lowered it again.

The unsettling presence suddenly disappeared and Markus’s eyes returned to normal. “Did you feel anything,” he asked while looking Ulf over through his tablet.

Ulf shook his head, “No?” He looked to Bjorn who now looked quite relieved.

“What was that?” Bjorn asked.

“A dungeon mana draining enchantment. It steals mana from the monster it touches and converts it into stored mana to power my enchantments. Since Ulf was not paralyzed and does not seem to have lost any mana, It looks like the counter enchantment works. Could I have it back now please?” Markus stumbled over a few words but seemed to be getting the hang of it. He held out his hand to take the crystal sphere back.

Ulf reluctantly returned it.

“It’s okay.” Markus smiled warmly “I am making more so everyone can have one. I am assuming no one will have a particular problem with wearing a pendant around their neck or woven trophy in their hair?"

The twins glanced at one another and shrugged.

Returning back upstairs, Aela watched as the small golem methodically worked through more of the little spheres. The level of detail it could achieve with its small hands was remarkable. Comparing two examples of its work side by side, Aela could not find any differences or defects between them. Each was at least passingly identical to the next and she couldn't help but be impressed.

Once the golem had finished with the spheres, it moved on to the pendant settings. Still using the same sewing needle, it took longer to etch each symbol. However, there was only one symbol to mark per setting, so it didn't take nearly so long.

Lastly, the golem carefully placed a bead in each empty setting then gently bent the prongs to secure them in place.

“Diligent: All tasks are completed Creator,” the golem announced in its distorted voice. “Inquisitive: Do you require further assistance?"

“No, that's all for now. You can go play with Arlee if she likes.” Markus said, dismissing the golem. He looked somewhat troubled now like something hasn't gone quite right.

“What’s wrong?” Aela asked. Although she wasn't sure how much help she would be, Aela still wanted Markus to know he could confide in her.

With a sheepish grin on his face and looking a little embarrassed, Markus was having trouble looking her in the eye. After coughing to clear his throat. Markus picked up the citrine pendant and held it out to her, “This is for you Aela. I wanted yours to be special because you are special,” he gulped hard, “Uhm, special to me, that is,” Markus smiled nervously.

Smiling wide, Aela raised her chin, lifted her hair away from her neck and half turned away from him. “Could you put it on for me?” She asked demurely. Aela had to suppress the urge to start manically giggling as Markus’s cheeks flushed and he took on the expression of a sledge-stunned steer.

Markus gulped hard and tried unclasping the pendant. He really seemed quite flustered and was struggling with the simple catch.

Aela thought it was rather cute and endearing. After all, he would not be nearly so flustered if he was not interested in her.

Finally managing to separate the clasp, Markus awkwardly took position behind her and leaned in to pass the pendant around her neck.

Without entirely meaning to, Aela’s tail had begun to wave in excitement. But because Markus was right behind her, Aela’s tail was pushing heavily against his thighs and threatening to knock him both over.

In an effort to try and keep his balance, Markus had to open his legs to widen his stance. He was still fidgeting with the clasp when Aela’s tail swept over his right thigh and between his legs. “Th-there I think I-eee!” Markus yelped and staggered backwards.

Aela looked over her shoulder to see Markus panting with one hand held protectively over his crotch and the other held out to ward her way. She considered that perhaps she had taken it too far, but immediately dismissed the idea as impossible. “Thank you,” Aela purred appreciatively, rolling her chest to shift the pendant to and fro in what she hoped was a seductive manner.

Markus gulped hard and then coughed to clear his throat, “Yeah, Uhm, anytime." Scratching a little manically at his neck, Markus asked. “Uh, so, your family hierarchy...What are the rules regarding gifts? It would probably be a good idea to hand them out sooner rather than later,” he waved vaguely in the direction of the unstrung pendants on the workshop table.

Aela smiled and tapped at her lip as if thinking, but she was only trying to draw the moment out longer. It would be fine if he handed each of the others the setting and bead in no particular order. It was considered incredibly rude to decline a gift. Even though they might bicker over whose pendant bead was larger, it wouldn't particularly matter.

But thinking of gifts, Aela had an idea. “It would probably be best if you gave them all to mother,” Aela said, struggling to keep the guile from her voice and expression. “She will distribute them for you,” she smiled and was glad Markus seemed determinedly preoccupied in gathering the other pendants.

Markus quietly excused himself and left.

Although the gesture would almost certainly be lost on Markus, the same would not be true for her mother or Magnus. Aela hugged herself tightly and couldn't help but squeal in hysterical excitement. In giving her mother such a valuable gift, according to their traditions, Markus would be formalizing their bond and declaring his intent to take Aela as his life-mate.

Aela was only vaguely aware of her tail lashing violently behind her and she didn't care. She was just too excited! Aela could picture the look on Svala and Magnus’s faces and couldn't help but smile. They had no choice but to accept the gifts! They probably wouldn't tell Markus the significance of what he had done, but she would!

Then, a sliver of doubt voiced its concerns. What if Markus doesn't appreciate being tricked into the bond?. Aela’s stomach churned anxiously in response. What if he gets so angry that he leaves and never comes back? Suddenly it didn't seem like such a good idea after all. Wasn’t one of the reasons he disliked the nobility because of their lies and manipulation? Oh no, this was very bad.

He had already agreed to courting, why was she risking it all? Aela quickly moved to catch up with Markus. He was already standing at the bottom of the stairs to the attic, which Svala and Magnus had claimed to better accommodate their children on the third floor.

“Markus! Wait!” Aela whispered shrilly, hoping the muted volume of her voice would not be heard by her mother or Magnus.

Markus very nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise. Breathing hard, he looked relieved when he saw her. “Nearly had a heart attack...” He groaned quietly.

Aela quickly moved in close and steered Markus away from the stairs. “You haven't given the beads to mother yet, right?” She asked quietly.

The tips of Markus’s ears turned red. Shaking his head and avoiding meeting her eyes he whispered ”I think your parents are, erm, busy...” His words were accompanied by a muted thud from somewhere above them. Markus coughed as if to clear his throat again, “I was going to try again later."

Aela sighed in relief. For once, she was glad for Magnus’s willful and persistent lusting over her mother. Pushing the many examples of such lovemaking she had the misfortune of walking in on out of her mind. Aela mustered her nerve to come clean. “Markus, erm...” It was harder than she thought. What if he never wanted to see her again? Aela didn't think she could handle that.

“What is it?” Markus asked. No doubt thankful for the distraction, she had his full undivided attention.

“I, erm, that is, Uhm...” Aela gulped hard. She just couldn't bring herself to say it. “The gifts,” she managed but quickly lost her nerve. Aela couldn't do it. She felt like curling up in a ball and crying herself to sleep. This was it, soon everything would begin falling apart. The one good thing in her life would be gone forever.

“Hey,” Markus' expression softened, “You're shivering. What’s wrong? Is the brooch out o-"

“I LIED,” The words slipped out before she could stop them and as she realized what she had said, Aela quickly covered her mouth with both hands.

Markus looked confused, “You lied? About what?"

Feeling like her whole world was collapsing around her, Aela hung her head in defeat. “I tricked you...” she tried to hold it in, but it was like a dam had burst and it all just came flooding out of her “I wanted you to give the beads to mother as a bonding gift. She would have no way of refusing, because she needs the dungeon hearts for the others, so she would have to accept. Then you would be mine and no one could take you away-” Aela had begun to hyperventilate, tears stinging her eyes “I-I-I-am-so-sor-rryyyy. Ple-ea-ease-do-on’t-lea-eave-meee,” she wailed.

Markus was quiet and she dared not look at him for fear of seeing the anger and revulsion he was no doubt prominently displaying at that very moment.

Aela felt like a gut-torn doe hiding in a thicket and waiting for the hunter to run her down and deliver the final blow. This was it. Any moment now, Markus would curse her out and then cast Aela out of his life forever. What she had done was unforgivable.

“Hey, hey hey,” Markus cooed softly, “Easy,” he pulled Aela in close and embraced her, rubbing her back reassuringly.

Aela had not been prepared for this and after the shock had passed, she completely broke down. Aela wasn't sure how long she had been crying, only that she now felt numb and defeated. She was the worst. Markus had gently led Aela back to her room and closed the door behind them so they could have some privacy.

“Aela-” Markus said softly.

She waited for the hammer blow to fall and tensed instinctively.

“-are you alright to explain what is upsetting you?” He asked.

Of all the things Aela had been prepared for him to say, she had not expected this at all. “What?” Aela croaked, almost certain she had misheard him. Aela was in such a state that her mind had to be playing tricks on her.

Markus rubbed her back briefly before pulling away and trying to look her in the eyes. He couldn't quite manage it because Aela was too ashamed to let him. “I can't help you if you won't let me,” he said quietly, a faint undertone of hurt in his voice.

Bracing herself for the worst, Aela glanced up at Markus before quickly casting her gaze downward again in shame.

Markus had indeed looked upset. But he wasn't angry like she had expected. He was concerned, worrying over her and what he could do to help.

Aela felt fresh tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. Markus probably hadn't even understood what she had admitted to. So all he knew was that she was upset and was trying to comfort her. Aela broke down into tears again.

Markus didn't press her for answers again. He just held her, alternating between rubbing and patting her back to try and comfort her.

She wasn't sure how long he had held her, only that she vaguely recalled falling asleep in his arms. Waking with a start, Aela was surprised to find Markus was still holding her. They were lying down in her bed and she was half draped over him, her arms hugging tightly around his chest.

Judging by his fluttering heartbeat, Aela could tell Markus was awake and despite both of them still being fully clothed, she could feel her heart matching the rhythm beat for beat.

“Aela, are you awake?” Markus asked and jostled her gently.

Aela nodded, but couldn't bring herself to say anything just yet. Being so close to him, she felt intoxicated by the warmth of his body.

Markus tried to move but was firmly pinned down. “Are you feeling better?"

Aela nodded again, the heat from the added friction making it even more difficult to string her thoughts together. She was vaguely aware that her tail wrapped firmly around Markus’s legs. Every so often, her tail would constrict and send a jolt up the length of her spine.

“Uhm, right. Do you feel up to telling me what made you so upset?” Markus asked nervously, his heart beating hard in his chest. “You don't have to if you don't want to-ouf,” he wheezed.

Aela hadn't realized how tightly her arms were wrapped around his chest until she felt Markus stop breathing. Quickly releasing her grip, Aela accidentally scratched his back with her claws as she tried to pull away. She felt him wince and could smell fresh blood. Aela flinched and waited for Markus to recoil from her.

Despite hissing under his breath, Markus had no further reaction besides wriggling backwards a little to raise himself into a half-sitting position propped up on her pillows. With his chest now unrestricted, Markus gratefully took several deep breaths.

Embarrassed that she had hurt him, Aela felt herself growing even hotter. If it was difficult to think before, it was nearly impossible now. To make matters worse, she couldn't stop herself from tasting the air by darting her tongue out every few seconds. The intoxicating aroma of his blood and sweat was making her salivate and it was already dampening a growing patch of Markus shirt.

Hearing the door to her room open and then quickly close again, Aela nearly leapt out of her bed in surprise. It was only nearly because her tail was anchored around Markus’s legs. So instead, she half fell out of bed and landed face first while bodily dragging Markus behind her.

Afraid to find Svala, Magnus or one of her siblings scowling disapprovingly at her, Aela scrambled to her feet. The motion now fully dragged Markus off the bed and crashed him to the floor behind her as she unwrapped her tail.

What Aela had not expected to find was Markus’s adopted daughter Arlee cowering against the door with her hands over her eyes.

“I didn't see you making babies!” Arlee squeaked, noticeably peeking through a large gap she had left between her fingers. “I was just hiding! Honest!"

By the time Aela had managed to get to grips with what had happened, the young girl had managed to open the door again and bolted. “Doesn't count!” Arlee shouted defiantly a few moments later, no doubt found by the golem as part of their game.

“Ouch,” Markus groaned as he staggered to his feet. He was rubbing his right wrist and grimacing painfully.

Worried Markus had sprained it when he fell, Aela immediately shifted all of her attention onto him and did her best to put the girl’s sudden intrusion out of mind. “Let me see,” Aela demanded and took a firm grip on Markus’s forearm to keep him still. She couldn't see any swelling, which was a good sign. Gingerly probing his wrist with her fingers, Aela concluded that he had probably only bruised it.

Releasing his arm, Aela felt a renewed sense of awkwardness as the little girl’s words echoed in her thoughts. Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, Aela shifted uncomfortably as she imagined how close they had been to one another.

“Uhm, maybe I should go after her,” Markus offered, obviously somewhat embarrassed. He made as if to leave but stopped as she took hold of the hem of his shirt.

“Wait,” Aela said and hoped her nerves would hold. “I-I need to explain,"

Markus looked a little surprised but waited patiently to hear what she had to say.

“Where I am from. In the clan I mean. If you give mother the beads, Uhm, she will think that you, erm...” Aela’s thoughts were scattering fast. It was like clutching at straws in a storm.

“The bride's price,” Markus said quietly and nodded to himself. “I had forgotten about that,” he admitted. He appeared to be giving it some serious thought, his expression relaxing somewhat as it often did when lost in thought.

Aela felt a fresh wave of embarrassment. Certain that Markus now understood what she had done, she couldn't look him in the eye and was dejectedly focused on her feet instead.

“It should be fine,” Markus said.

The sudden announcement took Aela by surprise, as much because of its content as Markus’s decisive and positive tone. “Wha-what?” She stammered.

Markus shrugged and his cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment. “It should be fine,” he repeated, “Betrothals are a pretty common thing. Families make and break them all the time. We are already courting anyway so-” Markus aggressively scratched the back of his neck and now it seemed like he was the one having trouble looking her in the eyes, “-so it’s not th-that big a s-step.” Markus gulped hard and coughed, “Y’know?"

Aela briefly pondered whether Markus had realized he had slipped into speaking southern again, but decided she didn't care. More importantly, had Markus agreed to be bonded to her? He had! She was all but certain she had heard him say that!

“Did you want to come with me?” Markus asked somewhat timidly.

It was understandable that he would feel intimidated. Not that he would know it, but Svala was notoriously difficult to deal with in such matters. Aela could only imagine how difficult it would have been for Skadi’s parents to negotiate her match with Beowulf.

In fact, she did not have to imagine it at all. Aela had witnessed dozens of hopeful parents attempt to secure matches with her siblings. Svala’s personal strength as well as her bloodline was famous for birthing powerful chimaeras. It was also a responsibility she took very seriously. Svala had run would-be candidates ragged, only to then beat them within an inch of their life and only then declare them unworthy.

“I will,” Aela agreed. She doubted her mother would be so ruthless with Markus, but her lingering doubts remained anyway. Aela tried to reassure Markus with a smile but felt so nervous that she was sure it was having the opposite effect.

“Maybe I should change my shirt first,” Markus suggested, looking over his shoulder at the blotchy bloodstains and torn fabric.

“Right,” Aela agreed, more than willing to delay the inevitable confrontation with her mother and Magnus.

Markus left her room and returned a little later in a shirt with far fewer stains and holes. “Well, uh, we should probably get on with it,” he said nervously.

Aela couldn't trust herself to speak, so she just nodded in agreement.

Together, they walked over to the bottom of the stairs to the attic and waited a moment to make sure they would not be interrupting anything. Then they slowly made their way upstairs.

The attic was mostly empty. There had been a few empty wooden crates throughout the house when they moved in, so they had stored them in the attic to keep them out of the way. There was a pair of bedrolls and an accompanying bear pelt laid out on the floor and was doubtless serving as Svala and Magnus bedding.

Judging by the odours coming off of the pelt, it was probably serving the duty of their ‘bedding’, when Markus had intended to present his gift earlier. Magnus was still lounging on the pelt, indulging in one of his typical midday naps. Thankfully, he appeared to be somewhat clothed and was at least wearing his breechcloth. He had little shame and it could not be taken for granted that he would cover himself before committing to a self-indulgent nap.

Svala was sitting on one of the empty crates by the window and watching the street below. She had glanced their way when they had come into view but quickly returned to watching the street afterwards.

Unlike Magnus, Svala was dressed in her tunic and pants, although both had clearly seen some wear and were somewhat dirty. “What is it?” She asked quietly, no doubt in an attempt not to wake Magnus.

“I have a gift, for you and the others,” Markus pulled out the small bag of cordless pendants from his pocket. “You see, I made a new enchantment to make mana by draining dungeon monsters. But chimaeras are like the dungeon monsters too, so I had to figure out another enchantment to counter that one.” Markus was slowly approaching Svala as he spoke and withdrew one of the beads to show her what he was talking about. “So, to try and keep all of you safe, I made these. As long as you have them close to you, it should stop the first enchantment. I figured you could wear them as pendants or weave them into your hair or something,” Markus explained enthusiastically.

Aela could tell Svala had merely been patronizing Markus at first. Unwilling to jeopardize their arrangement by being rude and had just been politely listening until he would go away. But when Markus mentioned the prospect of draining monsters for their mana and the potential danger both she and her brood would otherwise be in, Markus then received her utmost attention.

“Dangerous? You are certain?” Svala asked, her eyes narrowed attentively.

Markus shifted a little uncomfortably, “I tested it on some monsters in a dungeon not too long ago. So yeah, I know that it works and it is definitely dangerous to them. I thought it would be reasonable to assume it would be dangerous for chimaeras too, so I made an enchantment to nullify it, just in case. Just the presence of the enchantment seems to put monsters and chimaeras on edge, so it seems like a fair assumption that the draining effect would be similar as well."

Svala stared at Markus for a while, as if she was scrutinizing his every breath. “Show me,” Svala demanded coolly.

Markus fidgetted and glanced at Magnus, “Are you sure? We could do it later-"

“Now,” Svala demanded.

“Alright,” Markus agreed, shifting uncomfortably. He deposited both the bag and the singular bead on the crate then stepped back and drew the knife from his belt. Just as a precautionary measure, he moved so he was closer to the wall and farther from both Svala and Magnus.

As Markus’s eyes blackened, the shift in her mother's behaviour was almost immediately different. Her ears had flattened against her head and her long canines were bared as she snarled in anger. Unlike Bjorn, Svala’s reaction was far more intense.

Aela subconsciously positioned herself between them. She was terrified of what her mother would do to Markus. Just as she had moved, Aela saw Magnus stiffen from the corner of her eye and could hear the deep rumbling in his chest and throat.

Thankfully, Markus seemed to have overcome his surprise and removed the enchantment again.

Svala visibly relaxed but was still very much on guard. Similarly, Magnus was peering at them from the floor, his claws slowly retracting from view.

After a short while, Svala broke the silence, “I think I understand,” she said coldly and picked up the bead to look at it more closely. “These trinkets stop the effect of the enchantment?” She asked somewhat dubiously.

A little angry that her mother was doubting Markus, Aela pulled the pendant free from beneath her shirt so Svala could see it clearly. “Just now, it didn't affect me at all!” Aela insisted adamantly.

Apparently, her mother had not expected her to come to Markus' defence and was somewhat surprised or otherwise off balance. After meeting and matching Aela’s intense glare for over a minute, Svala exhaled and relaxed and turned back to Markus. “I apologize, Markus. My weariness from travel has left my temper particularly short. Of course, I will accept this gift and I thank you for your concern for our health and wellbeing."

“Of course,” Markus smiled and ran his hand through his hair absently, “Just trying to help. We should, erm, probably leave you two to rest,” he said while taking Aela’s hand and leading her toward the stairs.

Svala nodded and held the bead up to catch the light from the window.

Just as they were almost down the stairs, Svala called out to them, “We will have a long talk tomorrow morning daughter. So you had best get some rest as well."

If it weren't for Markus holding her arm, Aela would have toppled down the stairs. The tone of Svala's voice promised she would not enjoy the experience at all. With that in mind, Aela wondered if perhaps giving her mother the beads to level the playing field was such a good idea after all.