A knock on the door interrupted the moment of relief. Without waiting the door opened and Halcroft stepped inside. I glared at him, anger burning up within me. Behind him was one of his guards. This guard was taller than the bear of man, Halcroft, and it appeared he could take a cannon to the chest and just shrug it off. I knew him immediately as one of Halcroft’s most trusted lieutenants, Callon Kilgrave. I glanced over to my mother, Taele, and Penelope to see similar expressions to my own on their faces. Mother and Penelope stepped in front of Taele protectively.
“My, such a cold greeting from the women in my family.” He said, his words coming out in his usual honeyed tone. “I returned to your room to send you to the healer only to find you spirited away.” He now directed his words at Taele. “Though it does seem you have received treatment from our dear alchemist.” His eyes scanned the room still met with only our hostile gazes.
“What do you want?” I spat out at him.
“I came to talk, to clear the air.” Halcroft returned my hostility with smiles. Goddesses was this man a manipulative bastard. He was all sweet tones and apologies until he spotted something he actually wanted.
Mother glanced at me before relaxing a bit. “She should rest. I think we all need to take some time.” She attempted to be diplomatic.
“Then I will escort her back to her room.” He motioned to Callon and he began to step toward Taele.
“Please, leave her here. We will care for her.” Mother pleaded. The usual regal tone she took with Halcroft had entirely evaporated.
Halcroft raised his hand and the giant man stopped. I briefly wondered if Callon was actually a giant of some kind. Halcroft ran his hand along his jaw. His eyes went from me to the group of women across the room. “Grandfather, please…” Penelope begged him with tears in her eyes.
He paused a moment longer than huffed. “I can’t very well ignore a heartfelt plea from my granddaughter.” He flicked his fingers backward and Callon turned and left the room. “You may remain here in this apartment until you are fully healed. Considering the earlier… unpleasantness none of you will be expected at dinner.” His eyes went to me once more. “I will however need to speak with the young princess.” He took one step back, putting his back to the other women and motioning for me to join him.
Well that wasn’t ominous at all. “Of course, my lord.” I said dropping my hostile gaze and speaking eloquently as I have been trained near endlessly to. I walked out of the room and he followed closing the door behind me.
My mind began to churn as we walked silently and briskly through the hallways and up a spiral staircase. Why would Halcroft want to speak to me specifically? He had followed my education with much attention. I had proven to be a genius without peer learning about fields a child my age had no business understanding. That was partially an aspect of my previous memories and the fact that I appeared to be about as intelligent as my previous life. Back on Earth I did begin college 3 years early emancipating as quickly as our court system would allow.
On Earth I wasn’t anything terribly special, the gap between ‘smart enough to jump ahead a bit’ and ‘revolutionary in their field’ was as wide a chasm as could exist. This world had maybe a hundreth the total sentient species population of Earth. Additionally very few commoners were literate let alone educated. Finally sciences were just… not even remotely advanced. The study of biology was nearly nonexistent, mathematics, physics, chemistry predated the dark ages. Magic had offered far too much a crutch causing the sciences to wallow.
Halcroft knew that I wasn’t just some random 12 year old in that sense. I was just too curious about this world to want to keep it a secret. Of course I wasn’t foolish enough to let anything slip that might out me as having much more knowledge than would be possible. One of my greatest worries of remaining in this gilded cage was that Halcroft gained access to my very dangerous memories.
I knew he was becoming more and more interested in me as something of worth to his family. So that left the question: why was he talking to me now? Although my 12th birthday was approaching I already had standing orders on how to manage gaining my first class. Knowing his sleazy personality he would ‘apologize’ for his son’s behavior. But if that was all he would have done that back at our apartment. He wanted something more.
Then it occurred to me. He wanted something more from me. He wanted to probe my allegiance. See if there was some way to make me more cooperative by offering something. He could order me of course, but we both knew orders only went so far. There was always some wiggle room in them.
I had considered exactly this scenario, except in that I was the one approaching him. Offering him feigned loyalty for more freedom. Having him come to me was truly fortuitous, it gave me the best position possible for this gambit. The problem was he definitely had an Insight type skill like Penelope did, with probably at least 100 more levels in it. He would be able to tell if I was lying. As we approached our destination I thought through my previously considered scenarios of this discussion. I had to lie by telling the truth.
We arrived at a room I hadn’t entered in my decade-long stay here. Halcroft’s guard opened the door to his entertaining room. We walked into what appeared to be an old fashioned smoking room. Two large chairs sat in front of the fireplace, with tables and chairs lining one wall. Several bookshelves lined the wall, and nearby the chairs was a liquor display. A huge black wolf head, easily 3 times the size of an Earth wolf loomed over the fireplace. Two large bear skin rugs lay on the floor. When I say large I mean these bears would have been 18 feet tall in life. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the terror of encountering a creature that made a grizzly bear look like a puppy.
Overall his room was clearly designed for entertaining many guests as they worked. “Please wait outside Rudgar, and ensure no one enters until I am done speaking to the princess.” He said dismissing his guard. The man bowed his head then left, closing the doors behind him.
“If you would.” Halcroft motioned to the chairs near the fireplace. I did as he asked, smoothing my simple dress before sitting down in one of the chairs. I felt like a toddler again in the much-too-large chair. However I did my best to maintain the regal bearing I had been taught.
I didn’t often adopt my princess persona except around Halcroft and Isaac. I liked it well enough and it surprisingly came natural to me, but being informal just felt better. I had certainly been trained well enough to slip into it naturally just as my mother did.
I didn’t know how much longer being a proper pretty royal lady would be useful though. If we escaped this place I doubted I would ever truly be accepted as a Ysarian princess, not after spending the majority of my life in Hakan with an enemy of all elves. Nor would I have any of the trappings of nobility to go along with my etiquette. Likewise if we failed I doubted I would be treated as a princess here any longer either.
Halcroft began to pour himself a drink of a light brown liquid. I assumed it was something similar to whiskey, but I couldn’t be entirely certain. He glanced at me a moment before shaking his head and sitting down on the chair next to mine. He took a sip of his drink extending the somewhat awkward silence. “I wanted to discuss two things with you. Your upcoming new class and your future in my family. But before that I would like to apologize for my son’s behavior. He is an utter failure as a man and a noble. The only good thing he has done is to help produce my grandchildren.”
“Why am I here for that and not my mother and lady Taele?” I asked.
He gave me a knowing glance. “I doubt Princess Shalia would listen to anything I had to say currently. I am the one that allowed her lover to be beaten. Thus I have… failed both the lovers I have known her to have.”
I gave him a confused look. I had assumed it was Isaac. Was he taking responsibility because he was his son or because we are very obviously stuck here against our will?
“To be clear, I believe anything untoward that happens to anyone under my care is ultimately my fault. That goes doubly for anyone under the effects of a command crest. I know what you think of me, but I am not some uncouth heathen.” He took another long sip of his drink.
Well that was both surprising and absolutely fucking meaningless. If he truly cared he would just free us. “Says the warden to his prisoner.” I intentionally prodded him.
He let out a low chuckle. “Of that I have no counter, other than to say I am at least a kind warden. You can’t rightfully say that you have wanted for anything your entire life.”
“A father and freedom.” I retorted immediately. I would never get Halcroft on the back foot, but I needed to at least try to reduce his arguments to nothing without actually angering him.
A dark grin passed his face before he returned to his jovial mask. “I meant useful things.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Ah there’s the fucking bastard, always right under the surface of his noble act. He just conveniently forgets that I knew there are other elven slaves out there somewhere. There had been at least 50 of them in the group being collared by his army. At least half of those had been children, some as young as I was. I very much doubted they were being treated like princesses, or even like people. But bringing that up would be a step too far, so I put it aside for now.
Halcroft's expression becomes somewhat reflective as he is considering something. “What would you do with freedom, princess?”
I covered my mouth in a lady-like laugh. “Not take a light healer class for one.” I half joked. What a perfect in he had given me.
“Oh? But you would still take a healer class?” Halcroft seemed actually interested.
I considered exactly what to say next. It would be another month at least before Taele was ready to travel, which meant my birthday would come and go. Did I risk giving him some actually useful information in order to buy time?
“Yes, as a second class anyways. Healing is an art worthy of my dedication.” I said keeping my inflection regal with just a little haughtiness. I needed to sell the vision of me he wanted. That being a noble girl too smart and just a bit too greedy for her own good. That was someone he could mold to be much more than just a slave healer. “I just believe that utilizing a combat class is both unneeded and unwise. Despite being a prisoner I am not terribly keen on being defenseless.”
Halcroft’s gaze became terrifying in an altogether new way for me. He was dissecting me with his eyes, judging my words, scrutinizing. I understood why people feared and even willingly served this man. He had a powerful presence, a sharp mind, and was utterly ruthless. “Color me intrigued.” He said after a long moment. “Something tells me there is something of substance to your words.” Oh, Halcroft, trying to butter me up thinking I’m the haughty 12 year old princess I appear to be. It was the reaction I wanted, but the fact that he was entertaining a 12 year old at all was something of note.
This was it, the gambit that would potentially buy us even more than a month to prepare. I may even be able to gain additional access to the manor. The more I can learn about the labyrinth of secret tunnels below us the more likely we could escape successfully. This was either a massive mistake or a stroke of genius. However from the moment I realized why he wished to speak I had already accepted this gambit.
“I believe society has unfairly maligned fire healers.” He raised one eyebrow in an obvious invitation for me to continue. “If you are truly in this venture for as long as I expect you are I can potentially offer you a much more powerful healer than a light healer. I believe with sufficient knowledge we can create the foundation for a new area of study and that study will allow fire healing to become the most potent form of healing. Although it will lack combat effectiveness. Though I doubt you would ever risk me by sending me to a battlefield with only healing combat classes.”
“So you are suggesting that you begin with a fire aligned healing class rather than a light healing class?” Halcroft asked.
I shook my head. “No, leveling a fire healing class while proving a new concept will likely take years. I would start with a combat class that I can level quickly then take a fire healer class as my second. That way should my fire healing theory fail I can still get a light healer class as my second combat class, then reset my fire healer class when it classes up at level 100. I assume we both have no interest in potentially hamstringing my future progress should I prove incorrect.” I said the last part as if it were entirely unlikely.
“We, is it?” Halcroft let out a booming laugh. “Why is it that I feel like I am negotiating with an adult?”
I forced a sly smile, hoping desperately it came across as I would have liked it to. Instead of answering his question I moved on. “I have considered my imprisonment for many years. This has become my home, Lady Taele and Penelope my family. If it weren’t for your orders and… lord Isaac, I believe I could accept the life you are offering me.” I technically lied through my teeth but used just enough truth to hopefully not set off his skills.
I of course had no intention of ever working willingly for this absolutely disgusting excuse for a human being. However if I could get some concessions and buy us time it was well worth swallowing my pride.
“And what can a child offer me other than what I am already taking?” Halcroft had a smug look on his face, clearly enjoying my feigned submission.
“Compliance and cooperation. I have to follow your orders of course, however unless you ordered me every second of every day you would never get the best I could offer. Command crests are powerful but after experiencing their orders I can tell you they are not absolute. I can and have found ways to worm myself around some of the weaker worded ones you have made in the past. Thus I am offering you my voluntary service.” I finished with all the regal bearing I could muster. I didn’t add that I intended that voluntary service to end rather sooner than he would expect.
“You have not answered my question, not really.” He said critically. “Do not misunderstand. I would be quite pleased if you truly devoted yourself to my family. I could even marry you to my grandson or adopt you directly into my family eventually. But you still haven’t said what you, a child, can give me.”
Aw fuck I nearly gagged at the idea of marrying Dylan. Ugh just the idea of letting that little Isaac clone touch me made me want to kill both of them. I swallowed down the bile climbing up my throat. “I have reason to believe I might have a very powerful combat class coming my way. When I was a baby I received a very powerful achievement from the system. It is called Titan’s Fall. It grants an ongoing 10% boost to all my physical stats. I was rewarded it for being the one in the heat of battle to kill one of your men. I killed a man more than one hundred times my level, it is the reason my baby and juvenile classes were instantly at their limit. With that I could well eventually become an incredibly powerful fighter.”
Halcroft leaned forward. “Interesting… you have shown considerable promise with the blade…” His hand ran along the scar over his eye, a tick I noticed when he was actually considering something. “So you would willingly become one of my warriors, kill those I told you to?”
“As long as your battle was just. I would not for instance help with a genocide.” I kept trying to sell this. “And if you allowed me to pursue this path I would also start developing a potentially limitless branch of healing. I truly believe it is possible. Should I fail I willingly reset my main class at level 100 to whatever you’d like no command needed. At worst you lose a decade, at best you gain a powerful and devoted granddaughter-in-law.” I bowed my head to hide my anger at the idea of being given to Dylan. Being adopted into the family was far less revolting since it would really only be recognized in Hakan. However this was the language Halcroft spoke, and I would need to speak it as well.
“And what would I have to pay to have this?” Halcroft asked.
I schooled my expression then leaned back. I had him, I hadn’t expected this route, but I had absolutely prepared for it. “Isaac will never touch or speak to myself, my mother, Lady Taele, or Penelope ever again, outside public events or under your direct supervision of course. Taele and my mother will be allowed to continue their relationship as they please as long as it remains unseen outside this manor. You will rescind all orders to all three of us except the ones stopping us from communicating with Ysara and attempting to escape. We will be allowed to decide our own classes, stats, and skills. You will never activate our command crests to force us to do anything ever again. Finally a laboratory and a mage or healer with an empty professional class slot I can test my theory with. I will ultimately need two fire healers to ensure my experiment is repeatable.” The last part wasn’t really needed since I never planned to use them, but I would need them if I intended to follow through with this proposal.
If he took this deal I’ll have bought us months. We will be able to choose the time to make our escape rather than having to do so before my birthday.
“You are something truly special.” He said with a malicious grin. “I want what you are offering, and I find your terms acceptable. However, you will answer one question for me truthfully.” He paused. “This is an order.” He began. “Answer my next question as truthfully and completely as you believe I would want it answered.”
Fuck, this was it. I knew he had me as the crest on my hip began to burn with power. I felt panic begin to rise. I did my best to school my expression, hoping my worry didn’t come across. This was the worst case scenario and the reason I never pursued this option.
No! I mentally slapped myself. I couldn’t let myself give in to despair. There was still a chance! I took one breath in and out centering myself and prepared. I just had to hope he worded his question poorly.
“Why are you suddenly willing to work for me?” He asked. It wasn’t the best question he could ask, but it certainly wasn’t the worst either.
I felt the energy within the command crest flare as I considered how to answer this question. I had every intention of answering it so the pain didn’t immediately begin thankfully. If I was in the process of obeying the command I could delay doing it for at least some time. Just one of the little tricks I learned to wriggle around commands.
“I believe that my theory of fire healing is correct, but I also want my combat classes to be my own. I want my first class to use the sword and my first professional class to be fire healer so I can test my theories. I believe making this deal with you is the only way to achieve that goal.” I paused for a moment, I hadn’t entirely answered his question in the way he would want yet, but that bought me some time to think. “I find you distasteful, but I must begrudgingly admit you adhere yourself to your own ideals of nobility. Therefore I believe I can trust you to uphold your part of the deal. With this I will buy myself and my family, both of blood and those I consider as such among the Halcrofts, a chance at the future we truly desire. Ultimately it comes down to the fact that I believe I will gain as much freedom as possible for myself and my loved ones with this deal.”
I waited with baited breath to see if the crest activated and began to cause me pain. Instead I got the tiny warm fuzzy feeling granted by obedience. I had done it, obfuscating the obvious truth in my words just enough to fool the crest. I had given him all the answers he desired. The only question was would he accept it?
Halcroft’s face was blank for a long moment. Then the corner of his mouth curled up just a little. “Excellent, we have a deal. I will rescind all orders tomorrow once everything has calmed down and you have a chance to talk with your…” He got a strange look on his face. “Well at this point I suppose it would be appropriate to call them your mothers I suppose.”
I considered his words. I mean I had thought Taele was a bit too close to a mother to me multiple times. Maybe he was right, I’ll have to think on that more later. “I will do exactly that.” I stood and began to leave but he stopped me with a hand.
“I believe, adopting you to be in my best interest, I will announce the adoption on your 12th birthday.” He said. “If you do not live up to your word I will marry you to my grandson, otherwise I will allow you to have input on who you are to marry.”
Well I could live with that. It's not like I would be going by the Halcroft name once I left this prison. “Yes, my lord.” I said and bowed my head.
“I am expecting great things from you Princess Alea.” He said sternly, making the implied threat quite obvious. I was now being groomed to be the potential wife of his successor since Isaac had so utterly failed him. Should I fail to live up to that our deal would immediately end. Fuck I hated this man.
“I have never had any intentions of doing anything else.” I said then curtsied and left.