Daniel is joined by his entire group of companions outside of the Citadel in an open portion of the field; Hekate, Ryuogriar, Reignleif, Geirahoel, Aoloan, Treia, Gwenesphia, Shek, Skloe, Vaergraes, Thymeria, Illianna, Xyreko, and even Ryukana, the goddess. He worked with Xyreko’s golems to set up a nice outdoor pavilion to afford them some shelter from the sun, but still provide the fresh air of the outdoors as he sets up the various new weapons he intends to test. Each one has a slightly different design, based on the mechanism of the element that is used. The fire weapon looks like a wide pipe with a rifle grip, while the water weapon has a sort of hour-glass shape, but stretched long-ways. The ice weapon has a screw-like shape, and the air cannon looks like a trumpet with a strange cap over the end. Daniel and Hekate stage the weapons on a firing bench with a concrete barrier around and behind it. He already had Xyreko’s golems test fire the weapons in a sealed environment to make sure the weapons themselves were safe to use, and now is the test to see how they work with a person.
That said, the one he keeps in its case for now is the one he calls a ‘rail gun’ which uses the lightning crystal.
Vaergraes hovers a little ways behind Daniel and Hekate as they work, remarking gently, “I’m a little surprised, Daniel. I expected you to keep your designs secret.”
“I trust everyone here well enough. You all know my desire is to protect us, and if possible, the world from danger.”
She nods in agreement. “True.”
“Want to try it out?” asks Daniel as he gestures at the fire weapon.
Vaergraes is surprised, but Hekate pounces in between them. “Nuh-uh! I’m first! I’m Empress and Daniel’s wife. I get to go first.”
The others chuckle, and Daniel ruffles her hair, which earns him a glare. “Yes, but everyone else can try them if they want after, right?”
She huffs. “Of course. Our allies and family should be able to protect themselves.”
“Then, go ahead. Remember how to hold the rifle?”
Hekate nods, her big ears perked upright. Daniel doesn’t forget to withdraw safety glasses and earmuffs he made to fit Hekate, even as she bounces excitedly to the bench. She takes position, and she begins aiming the fire weapon as Daniel puts her safety gear on her. He then warns, “Everyone, I don’t think this will be as loud as the rifle, but please remain behind the barrier during firing.”
The members of the group nod together. The dragons are seated with their eggs on comfortable lounge chairs, while Gwenesphia and Treia stand at the corners of the concrete barrier. Shek, Skloe, and Aoloan serve cookies and milk to everyone, less interested in the weapons other than to be part of the group.
Ryukana approaches Daniel, and Hekate watches her suspiciously. “My Lady Goddess,” states Daniel as he bows briefly.
She smirks. “That’s not necessary, Daniel.” She then looks at the various weapons. “You modeled these after the cannon that knocked Reignleif out of the sky?”
Daniel nods. “It relies on the diamond magic crystals, and it dumps a lot of magic power all at once. But, it should prove to be able to stop virtually anything on a relatively small scale. I don’t know what else is out there, but if it can grow stronger by hurting Hekate,...”
Ryukana nods, and Hekate remains quiet. They both know the outcome.
“I could advance the mass production of weapons of this world instead, but given what the Devourer was, I want to make sure we’re prepared.”
Ryukana nods. “I don’t object to the creation of these weapons. Having said that, do be sure not to abuse your position.”
Daniel bows. “I don’t care about power. I only want the people I care about to be safe.”
She smiles, returning to the group to sit next to Ryuogriar, who bows her head politely. Though she behaves like a normal person -if regal and noble-, Ryukana is still a goddess, who can alter the very fabric of the world if she needs to. Daniel doesn’t really care, but he shows her respect. It’s the others -those who know who she is- that show her even more reverence.
Daniel peeks around the barrier, saying as he puts his own safety equipment on. “Ready?”
Everyone nods, checking the others around them. No one objects.
He nods and turns back around, leaning over Hekate and putting his hand on her shoulder. She grins up at him, and he explains loudly to compensate for her earmuffs, “Keep the stock braced sturdy, and don’t lift the hooks over the bench edge. Let the weapon do what it wants.”
She nods. “I remember your pistol,” replies Hekate loudly.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
Xyreko, who is merely represented by a golem, stands on Hekate’s other side. “The third target from the left should provide the best target for fire, Lady Hekate.”
“Thank you!” shouts Hekate, not used to wearing earmuffs. She adjusts her shoulders a little, aiming the weapon, but careful to keep the hooks at the end of the barrel anchored in case the recoil is too much for her. She aims carefully, trying to demonstrate a high level of proficiency with her first shot.
“Firing!” She pulls the trigger, and a puff of fire bursts from the barrel, causing Daniel and Hekate to both flinch. It’s definitely more dramatic looking than they expected, but sure enough, it sends a fireball through the air, which glows a purple-blue color, as it’s not burning a fuel in the way normal fire does, and is sustained by magic primarily.
It hits near the target, bursting a blast of fire like an action movie, and Hekate laughs with giddy guffaws. When some of the fire reaches the target, it bursts in a flare of its own, obviously made to go up quickly.
Daniel asks, “How was it?” It was certainly quieter than his rifle, and it seemed like the recoil was a fair bit lower, even though it projected the fireball quite far.
Hekate nods, grinning up at him. “It was so easy! Did you see!? I hit it!”
Daniel chuckles and pets her head, this time it makes her happy, and her tail sweeps back and forth. “Good work Hekate. Of course, the fireball exploding helped.”
“Then this one is perfect for me! I don’t have to be a good shot! Heeheehee!”
Daniel smirks at her.
He lets Hekate, Gwenesphia, Treia, and Illianna take turns firing the other weapons, which go similarly, but with their specific elements. Because it’s firing a ball of magic flavored with an element of nature, it delivers the elemental magic in a sort of explosion once it reaches its max range. The design of the barrel of the weapon mainly helps focus the element into the magic blend.
Geirahoel approaches Daniel when the others are talking excitedly about the weapons they just used with Shek, Skloe, and Aoloan as well.
“Daniel…?”
“Yes?” asks Daniel gently.
“What if… others use these weapons?”
He nods softly in understanding. “That’s always a risk. But, I want us to be strongest if we can to ensure we can defend ourselves. I don’t think any of these will be instantly lethal to dragons, with the exception of the one in the case. But, I won’t rest until Xyreko and I find a way to protect against it, as well.”
She takes his hand gently, leaning against him for a moment. “Daniel…” She whispers. “C-... Can I make a request?”
“Of course.”
“Th-... The contract…” She trails off.
Daniel gently grips her hand firmly to reassure her, and she looks up at him. “I’ll ask Xyreko to undo it for you three. You should be able to defend yourselves.”
She leans her head against his shoulder, hiding her face. “I… I want you… to trust us… And… I don’t want to hurt you…”
“I know you won’t, and I do trust you. The contract was quick and dirty that worked for the time with minimal consequences. But, you want to be able to defend as well, right?”
She nods against his arm. “I know… you left circumstances for protecting our children, but… I… What if…?”
“‘What if’ indeed. We’ll do it right after this.” He leans close to her ear, whispering softly, “But, if you have the impulse to do something aggressive, please come to me first if you can.”
She looks at him and nods, and he kisses her temple, extracting himself gently to test the rail gun.
Daniel says warmly, “Alright, last but not least, this one won’t fire magic like the others… I hope. It’s what my world called a ‘rail gun’. It’s one of the strongest small arms for soldiers that I know how to make, at least in a rough fashion. So, it’s imperative that everyone stay behind both the concrete and magic barrier, just in case. Alright?”
Everyone but Hekate nods. She follows Daniel, and when he turns to object, she glares up at him. He hesitates, and then with a sigh, simply continues back to the firing bench.
Hekate plops down in his lap. “You’re a wise man, Darling.”
“I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to, but thankfully, you can defend yourself in ways that I can’t.” She nods proudly in response.
They both put their protective gear on, and Hekate gets comfortable in his lap while Daniel pulls the weapon out. He flips two separate safety switches, and then he withdraws the iron slug from the case. He loads it into the weapon, and then locks the weapon closed.
He takes aim, and Hekate leans forward to allow him to lean as well. She gives a thumbs up, and Daniel gives her a thumbs up in return.
He aims at the giant iron golem backed by a boulder that Xyreko gave him permission to use as a target.
Daniel pulls the trigger, and it almost seems like smoke alone bursts from the barrel, but the air distorts as thunder claps, and Hekate jumps in Daniel’s lap. The slug was little more than a piece of iron about the size of a pencil eraser.
Almost as quickly as Daniel pulled the trigger, a hole the size of a beach ball explodes through the golem, then the rock behind it, and cratering the ground behind it as flares of sparks and molten metal and stone explode outwards after the fact from the sheer force of impact. The iron golem is thrown backwards, but it seems to happen long after the bullet passed through, in the grand scheme of the shot. The stone is still crumbling partially.
Daniel puts the safeties back on, which isolate the mana crystals from the mechanism, as well as the electric crystal from the rails.
Xyreko, who knows of the goal of making armor, shields, or magic barriers to protect against any of Daniel’s weapons, jokes, “I see I have my work cut out for me.”
“Daniel!” shouts Hekate, forgetting about her earmuffs. “Are you sure there were only humans on Earth!?”
He chuckles. “Humans and the things we invented to destroy each other.”
She gapes at the destruction from such a small bullet.
“You want to try?” asks Daniel.
Hekate shakes her head, her big ears hidden by the giant ear muffs.
Daniel pats her shoulder with a chuckle. She lets him up, still studying the weapon as Daniel lays it on the bench. He peeks his head around the corner, asking, “Anyone else want to try the rail gun?”
Treia is the only one to volunteer, though she becomes embarrassed when she realizes it.
***
After the brief excursion to test out the magic weapons, Xyreko’s golems serve lunch under the pavilion.
Just as Hekate is getting comfortable in Daniel’s lap, Xyreko approaches. “Daniel, there’s… a peculiarity.”
“A peculiarity?”
“Do you have to wait until Daniel and I are together, Xyreko?” asks Hekate with barely veiled irritation.
“Please direct your concerns to our visitors, your Greatness,” retorts Xyreko with a hint of amused dryness in her voice. “Also, it’s a difficult request either way, when you’re almost always with him.”
Hekate shrugs in concession to that point. “Did they say who they are, Xyreko?”
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“They have asked to remain anonymous and for permission to stay in town if an audience will need to be scheduled.”
“Their goal?”
“The speaker offered to purchase Daniel from her Greatness’s captivity.”
“Captivity?” asks Daniel surprised. Whoever it is knows who he is, but must not have passed through Fort Peony or spoken to the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy. The last batch of the failed siege soldiers are being contracted after lunch, and they’ll be sent back to Fort Twilight in a day. It’s likely not common knowledge that he’s ‘the Emperor of the Citadel’, but it also shouldn’t be common knowledge that he’s even alive.
Daniel sighs. Hekate asks gently, “What will you do?”
“I’m going to tear the bandage off. The truth will always find its way into the light eventually. Maybe letting it spread faster will curtail further attempts to retrieve me.”
She nods in understanding.
“Shall we join you, Mukori?” asks Ryuogriar with a facetious smirk.
“If you want. The worst you could do is embarrass me.”
Ryuogriar gasps. “I would never!”
“So, you won’t claim to be my prisoners? Or my concubines or wives?” Just as she was about to object, she goes silent, and a faint blush touches her skillfully-composed and stoic face. She finally looks away, and Aoloan comes to her rescue. “Isn’t it true, dearest Daniel?”
He looks at her, and she smiles. “I wouldn’t know. I never had a girlfriend in my previous life. I often find it hard to believe my situation now.” He adds more seriously and sincerely, “You all may define yourselves how you want, since I don’t really care about my reputation. Hekate is the Empress and ruler. I’ll support her and all of you any way I can, but I’m no emperor. I don’t know the first thing about actually ruling anything.” Daniel looks up at Xyreko. “Xyreko, if you don’t mind, we’ll meet with them after lunch. Please relay it to our guests and allow them to wait in the audience chamber if they want.”
She bows. “As you wish, my Emperor.”
He smirks at her, and she vanishes before he can retort.
For now, the group enjoys lunch together, with Hekate and Ryuogriar leading a discussion on how they should behave in the audience. Daniel can only roll his eyes and enjoy his meal.
Afterwards, they file in procession into the audience chamber, with Hekate taking her throne and Daniel standing beside her. The dragons take seats on Hekate’s other side, and then Gwenesphia, Treia, Aoloan, Shek, and Skloe, while Vaergraes and Thymeria sit next to Daniel. Ryukana is observing from the ground floor, but is staying out of sight. It’s a little crowded-seeming, but it’s what they settled on to entertain themselves, so Daniel has no objections. For the moment, he’s wearing his helmet, but he’ll rather quickly reveal who he is this time.
Hekate states boisterously, “I am the great Empress Hekate Fell Lawson of the Fievegal. I have heard from my Minister what you want, and I have one condition before we negotiate. I vow to you safe travels back to your kingdom, so long as you are not hostile, and you introduce your envoy.”
Daniel has a pretty good idea who the envoy is, since he carries himself with the impeccable posture of a knight, and next to him is a much smaller person in a hooded robe.
However, it is a young, feminine voice that speaks. “Forgive me, your Grace. I am not here as an official envoy of my kingdom, so I don’t want to abuse my rank.” The small figure next to the knight Daniel thought was the envoy sits up on her knees, lowering her hood. He is stunned by who it is. She’s younger than Hekate, and very cute. And, she’s the second princess of the Kingdom of Mornistae, Princess Erimaya.
“My name is Erimaya, and I am willing to offer a great sum, of which I am capable of arranging without anyone else’s permission, for the return of Daniel, a human that is rumored to have been captured here at the Citadel, your Grace. The best intel I have is that he is your prisoner, and I beg you to negotiate for his release.”
“And, why should I do that?” asks Hekate haughtily. “Do you even know if he’s alive?”
“I know that everyone in my kingdom is certain enough that he’s still alive to send forces to retrieve him, and I sincerely apologize for that. My voice was ignored as I pleaded for diplomacy.”
“Let’s say this ‘Daniel’ is still alive. Why would you go to such lengths for him? From what I’ve heard, he is a lecherous being who strips princesses naked…”
“HE SAVED MY LIFE!” shrieks the young teen, and her face turns bright red. Just as quickly, she lowers her head. “Please forgive my outburst, your Grace! I have suffered these lies long enough. Daniel saved my life. I owe him everything, not least of which is an apology that I couldn’t protect him. I know he has wronged you, your Grace. I am willing to concede to certain demands if you will but let me have him back, alive.”
Hekate leans forward with an amused smirk, touching the fingers of both hands together like a little villainess. “Interesting.” Daniel notices Treia and Gwenesphia glance at Daniel uneasily. They’ve seen the show themselves, so they know it’s all fake, but they still seem to worry about him.
Daniel smirks, though it’s hidden by his helmet. Hekate has too much fun playing the villain. He’s thankful she’s actually kind, if a little selfish about the strangest things.
“How much is an otherworlder human worth?” asks Hekate. “Particularly, one who can make weapons to slay my allies.” Hekate gestures to her right, where Ryuogriar, Reignleif, and Geirahoel are sitting, cradling their eggs with contented smiles, and in Geirahoel’s case, her belly is already starting to bulge a second time.
Shek, a goblin who is still learning basic etiquette, let alone noble etiquette, states suddenly, “Shek no understand. Why Mistress ask? Mistress sell?”
Hekate looks at her with a ‘we talked about this’ expression. She maintains her facade well, though. “I’m seeing what this young lady thinks Daniel is worth. If I decide to sell him, then that’s what happens.”
There’s a silent pause as Ryuogriar glances at Shek through her peripheral vision, and Shek looks directly at the humanized dragon woman. The goblin finally squeaks, whirls forward and sits rigid in her chair. Daniel sighs. He hopes Ryuogriar didn’t say anything harsh.
Erimaya doesn’t try to capitalize on the confusion or discord, nor pry for information. She simply presents a diamond about the size of a salt shaker, dyed a beautiful blue, and further glowing with a blue light. It’s not just a diamond charged with water magic, it’s a blue diamond, specially crafted and likely as rare naturally in this world as it would be on Earth, especially given how large it is.
“I open the negotiation with this diamond charged with water magic, your Grace.”
Hekate looks at Ryuogriar, who is staring at it like she just witnessed the birth of a star. She finally pries her gaze away to look at Hekate, nodding once with a shocked expression.
Hekate remains proud. “I see.” Hekate hops off of her throne and descends the stairs to the audience floor with Daniel following close behind, and everyone else watches. The princess and her guards shrink a little, though the knight immediately next to the princess keeps his arm up in front of the princess to try to react quickly enough to protect her.
Hekate stops right in front of the Princess, putting her fists on her hips. “You are very right. Daniel has gravely wronged me. But, I can see why he did it. You are very pretty for the girl who stole a kiss that rightfully belongs to me.”
Erimaya is speechless as she digests the words for a moment, and then she looks up at Hekate in shock. Hekate is smirking. But, she suddenly turns to Daniel, who is still wearing his helmet, and she glares at him. “Darling, she’s even younger than me! You big meanie.”
Daniel scoffs, but he removes his helmet, since it’s been long enough. “I doubt you want to drown to catch up to her highness.”
Erimaya stumbles up to her feet, her gaze fixated on Daniel’s face. She stammers, “D-Daniel?”
“Princess.” Daniel kneels before her, and she clutches her hands in front of her chest, shocked.
“Y-You’re alive! A-... And… You’re a… knight?”
Daniel chuckles. “Nothing that formal, your highness. We’re all mostly just friends…”
“*Cough* Lovers *cough*!” calls out Ryuogriar from her perch, and Daniel shoots her a smirk, but he finishes his thought.
“...who came into control of the Citadel. For formality, Hekate is the Empress.”
“And, Daniel is my Emperor,” adds Hekate proudly, leaning against him for a hug.
Erimaya glances back and forth between them, speechless. Daniel knows how it looks. The Citadel is probably one of the largest castles in the world, if not the largest, and it’s obviously built for dragons -to anyone who doesn’t know that it was actually built for feldroks-. To ‘happen across’ such a gigantic castle, repel a modest -if insufficient- military force with relative ease, and form an alliance with dragons when he himself has no magic sounds like a complete work of fiction.
Erimaya’s eyes begin to water, and suddenly, she hugs Daniel, sobbing as Hekate backs away a step to allow it. The knight whispers, “Princess…!”
Ignoring the armored protector, she whimpers and chokes out, “D-Daniel! I’m sorry for everything! I couldn’t stop them! I couldn’t undo it! I tried, I swear! And…”
Daniel gently hugs her, replying gently, “Shhh, Princess, it’s alright. Everything’s alright. I’m sorry you were worried all this time. There wasn’t any correspondence at all, so I figured I was forgotten, so I walked my own path.”
“NO! That’s not true!” He’s still kneeling, which makes him a little shorter than her, and she backs away, still holding his shoulders as she looks into his eyes with tears still trickling down her cheeks as she sniffles. “You saved my life… I owe you everything, and they treated you like that… I… Please forgive me and the Kingdom of Mornistae. Please don’t seek revenge.”
“That was never a thought in my mind, your Highness. In fact, there’s a saying that was around for a long time in my world. ‘The best revenge is to live your best life.’ Whether I want revenge or not, I’m living a life that makes me happy, here, with all of them. So, there’s no need to worry. We won’t attack Mornistae. We’ll only defend.”
She twitches, realizing that she has heard about the attempts to retrieve him by force. “Y-You don’t… hold a grudge? But, why not tell the soldiers that came for you?”
“I tried to convince them I was dead so they’d stop looking. You have to understand, your Highness. I brought weapons into this world that shouldn’t exist yet. God willing, they never come to existence, but I would be shocked if they never come to be. That said, it’s far too early for them, but I needed them to survive.”
“You saved my life at your own expense, and you didn’t use these weapons on me or my family… Daniel, you don’t have to explain.”
“He didn’t just save a little girl from drowning,” adds Ryuogriar as she approaches gracefully, followed by the other two dragons, all three carrying their eggs. “He defeated the Devourer, a creature that was growing like a plague and devouring this entire continent.”
Erimaya looks at her, glancing briefly at the horns, tail, and finally, the egg, but she says nothing, likely to avoid offending anyone. “The Devourer, you say? I… I’ve never…” She suddenly glances at the three dragons, then Daniel, and finally at Hekate. She backs away from Daniel, bowing to Hekate. “Your Grace! Please forgive me. My emotions got the better of me.”
Hekate snickers deviously. “Heeheeheeheeeee. Fear not, dear Princess. I am far from angry. In fact, I have a different offer for you. As you can see, I am a gracious Empress and wife.” “Not a wife…” interjects Daniel, but she ignores him. “In order to keep my Darling truly invested in protecting this world, this castle, and me and my family, I have permitted him to build a harem.”
Ryuogriar retorts playfully, “I don’t recall asking for your permission, your ‘Greatness’.”
Hekate points at the dragon woman with a feistiness in her tone. “But I’ve allowed it all the same! And, I put up with your insolence!”
“Insolence? I have lived dozens of times longer than you have been alive.” She looks up, clearly instigating Hekate when she adds, “I often fantasize about what might’ve been had Daniel conquered the Citadel and we dragons without you.” She cups her cheek with a suddenly dreamy expression. “Ahhh, yes. We would be wed already…”
Hekate pounces, but Daniel catches her, and she lets him be her hold-back guy. “Let me at her, Daniel! I’m gonna chew her face off! I’m gonna file my teeth on her horns! Don’t stop me!” She swings her arms at Ryuogriar, who doesn’t budge, while also kicking her feet while Daniel suspends her partially.
Then, Daniel sets her down and releases her, and she stares at him blankly. “What are you doing?”
“I’m letting you at her.”
Hekate gapes like a fish for a moment. “You’re not supposed to listen!”
Ryuogriar teases, “Oh? Do you actually mean me no harm, your Greatness?” She pets her egg, completely unconcerned with the threat Hekate poses.
Hekate glances at Daniel, and then at Ryuogriar, and then at Erimaya. She crosses her arms, facing Erimaya. “It’s impolite to fight in front of guests, Ryuo.”
Ryuogriar chuckles, while Geirahoel scoffs and rolls her eyes.
Hekate murmurs, “Where was I…? Oh! Right! So, my offer to you, Princess Erimaya, second Princess of the Kingdom of Mornistae, is if you want, you can be one of Daniel’s mistresses.”
The knight huffs, “What!? You can’t be…” Hekate glares at him, and he instantly flinches. She radiates magical power, but she can disguise it when she’s behaving normally. Just shifting her mood can make her far more intimidating than her small size would normally cause, just as she felt with the Feral Feldrok.
Hekate resumes smiling, looking at Erimaya again. “Your knight’s right, of course. You’re a big important princess, Daniel is a traitor to your kingdom even though he did everything he could to make them stronger.” The young feldrok empress shrugs in a somewhat sarcastic fashion. “He's a commoner emperor and I'm a former slave empress. I like the approach dragons take. If we're all happy together, then that's the best."
Erimaya listens, but she doesn’t speak right away. Because of what happened and the investigation that followed, her betrothal was withdrawn. And, she refused to participate in any matchmaking after what they did.
Daniel kneels to be closer to her level again. "Princess, before Hekate says anything else, let me just clarify. There is no debt. There are no hard feelings. We'll see you home safely today, since I can't imagine you were allowed to come all this way. Am I right?"
She fidgets, mumbling something as quietly as she can.
He chuckles. "Let me correct myself. I know you are here without permission or blessings from your parents, let alone Rikuto and Heralesse."
She looks away from him.
"Princess, I believe Hekate believes what she's saying, and honestly, I'm a believer, too. I am happy. Didn't think this would be my thing, but we have fun together, we eat together…"
"Save the world together," adds Ryuogriar.
"Read together," adds Reignleif softly.
"Defend our home together," chimes in Geirahoel.
"Play together," states Hekate happily. Daniel’s thankful no one is directing hostility at Erimaya, but he's trying gently not to sell the lifestyle to a princess who is still important to her family lineage, especially while she's so young.
To curtail them from continuing, Daniel redirects. "Princess, we all came together because we had very little or nothing to lose, and now we have each other. You still have quite a bit to lose, not least of which is your rank, possibly your family if they were to cut ties, and any friends you have in the east. Don’t think too hard. You’re going home. And, while I don’t feel the need for one, I accept your apology. Thank you for making the trip out here. If you could, please pass these sentiments to everyone else.”
Hekate adds, “The Fievegal has no enemies right now. We’re only trying to settle in and defend ourselves. The troops we captured will be returned to the east later this week.”
Erimaya nods as she listens to Hekate, and then looks at everyone around her. It’s beginning to sink in that Daniel really is surrounded by a strange group, but none of whom are hostile. She knew the risk coming this far. And, she knows the people in this room alone could destroy a kingdom, if not the entire alliance.
She looks up at Daniel with a pleading expression. “Daniel -no-, Emperor Daniel…”
“Please don’t be so formal with me.”
She takes a breath and smiles. “Very well, but only if you refer to me by name as well.”
Daniel hesitates for a moment, but he nods. “If that’s what you want, Erimaya.”
She grins, glancing at Hekate to make sure she’s not crossing any lines. Hekate is content, simply standing proudly.
Erimaya adds brightly as she points at Daniel. “Daniel, you promised to take responsibility for what you did. So, you have to stay friends with me. And, if no one else will have me, you have to accept me when I’m of marrying age.”
Daniel chuckles in exasperation, and Hekate cackles in amusement. However, she turns fiery when she points at Erimaya. “I’ll allow you to be a mistress. But, don’t forget, I’m his first and favorite wife.”
Erimaya smiles at Hekate. “I will accept you as first, your Grace. But, with respect, Daniel will choose his favorite.”
“Erimaya, have you ever played the Hekate game?” asks Daniel.
The rest of his companions, including Hekate, laugh as Erimaya glances around innocently. She blushes, squeaking, “W-What’s the Hekate game?”
Hekate puts her arm around Erimaya’s shoulders like a long-time friend. “Allow me to explain, my dear Princess Erimaya…”
***