They both head out of the Temple of Zarall and make their way to the school entrance but are stopped by Prince Xavier. He looks Pearl over and gives them a threatening glare. “What is that thing doing out? It should be in the location with all the other common trash.” He looks at the sword that they hold in their hand and recognizes it as a von Stein heirloom. “You gave that to a piece of trash? What is wrong with you? Do you think that thing is attractive or something?”
His eyes gloss over and he responds. “Yes, I find them as the most beautiful being around.” Snapping back into reality Silver gets frustrated. “Don’t abuse that!”
“Silver?” Pearl questions tugging on his sleeve hoping to find a way to de-escalate the situation.
“What about my sister, Celest? You know how upset she will be if her plaything has someone else.” Xavier grins. “You know that she was going to make you marry her.”
“That is one of the few things that I can say no to. If you guys were to order me to do that you know that the Gods would nullify our contract.” He grabs Pearl’s hand and starts to leave.
“Stop vermin.”
He freezes as he fades out.
“What is that thing offering you that Celest can’t? That thing isn’t even a noble and you know that your family is next in line for the throne. Do you really want to soil your bloodline like that?”
“Princess Celestina can’t give me love. She can’t even give me an heir.” He comes back to his senses. “I just don’t want her. Pearl was raised by nobles so for all I care, they are a noble. May I please leave now? They won’t even be staying on campus. Just leave us alone.”
“How dare you ask me if you can leave! Stay still!” Silver freezes as Xavier swings at him hitting his nose. “You are nothing but a tool don’t act out of line.”
“Of course, forgive me, Prince.”
“Good, leave, I don’t want you two in my sight.” Xavier takes off fuming towards the suit where the royals stay while attending.
They are all going to die someday. Just wait until he can nullify this contract. He thinks to himself. He starts to walk off without Pearl and looks back. “Come.”
“Yes sir.” Pearl rushes to his side not really in control of their own body. To be fair, it was frozen out of fear from what just went down so if Silver didn’t give an order then they would have stayed still. They knew that Xavier was an ass but they didn’t realize to the extent that he was. From what it sounds like Silver is trapped in a contract. They wonder how long he has been in it. Years? Months? One thing is for sure they seem to abuse the fact that they get to order him around.
Once they make it to the carriage Silver hops in and helps Pearl up inside. They come back to their senses and their eyes dart around. “Where am I?”
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“You’re in my carriage on the way to my estate. There is something that we need to do in the gardens before we go in and have some dinner.” Silver takes a hold of their hand and gives it a gentle reassuring squeeze.
They make their way to the back of the von Stein garden and find an altar that is designed to put a sword in. Something draws pearl to it as they stare. They take the crystal sword out and insert it into the pedestal. Silver knowing that this would happen because Xaneal and Zarall drew him to this altar to do the same with his sword smiled. “Touch your wand to it. It will bond the sword to you and shape it to your style of fighting.”
Pearl looks over to Silver and their wand appears in their hand. They hold it out and touch the handle with their wand and energy starts to flow through it and the sword glows a multitude of colors. The single-handed long sword took shape into a rapier. It flies out of the altar and into their dominant left hand. They are amazed because even though it still looks like solid crystal, the shape of the sword had completely changed.
“Think of me when holding the sword and I will assist you with your intent.” An elegant voice speaks into their head. Unsure of who it is they look around and then at Silver. “Did you hear that?”
“It was probably your primary god talking to you. I heard Zarall when mine turned into a broad sword.” Silver wraps his arms around them as they are in awe of their new weapon. They never thought that they would have something like this. “Do you want me to lead you to your room and call it a night, or would you like to eat first?”
“I would like to eat first. I haven’t eaten since breakfast. I was in the temple of Zarall for quite some time.” They weren’t going to say that it was because he ordered them to say although that was unspoken.
“I’m sorry Pearl. I forgot that you weren’t able to leave to even get something to eat. That was my fault. Come, I’ll get a servant to make us some food.”
After dinner, Silver leads Pearl to a room. It was a bigger bedroom than what they were used to. There is a bed that looks like it could fit two people and a couple of couches with what looks like some kind of table between them. Over the bed, there is a canopy that covers the sides and an area above. Over at the side of the room, there is a huge sliding glass door that leads out to a balcony with a small garden on it with an outside table and chair. “Am I really allowed to stay here? Isn’t this a little too much for someone like me?”
Pulling them in and resting his head on top of theirs he thinks about how to respond. Does he tell them that this room is typically reserved for the duchess or does he just tell her that he thinks that they deserve everything? “Nonsense. You deserve it. You are a blessing of the empire.”
“I don’t feel like a blessing.” They aren’t sure if it is the fact that the ritual is wearing off early or if it is something that they genuinely believe. They know that their depression can make them feel little and unlovable. They just know that they feel like they are scum for being blessed by all the gods which one would typically be ecstatic about, especially since they have a contract that says that it would be kept a secret.
“Why is that Pearl? Is something wrong?”
“I don’t know. My illness makes me get this way sometimes. I have to wait two more weeks for the next ritual. I hope that I can last that long.”
“Do you want me to call a priest of Amaliel? They could give you a blessing to help you hold out until then.”
“No, that is expensive and I don’t want to be a bother. I’ll be alright.”
He turns them around and lifts their chin up to look at him. “You are not a bother Pearl. Let me help you. I’ll call one over on Sunday. Try and hold out a couple of days. Okay?” He kisses their forehead. “If you feel yourself get worse let me know and I’ll have the servants provide for you in this room.” He smiles at them and pats their head. “I need to do some work now but pull that string and it will ring a bell to the servants' quarters and they will help you. If you want me just ask them to go and fetch me. I’ll come right away. I’ll see you tomorrow.”