by Randi Darren
As Riley attempted to leave the cell, Carla took a step forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“I am Two. You will listen to every instruction I give you regarding Master’s security. Do you understand, One?”
Riley looked up into Carla’s face, then nodded her head. “I do.”
Alex waved a hand at them, then indicated the door.
“Go ahead and take her to the maids, Two. Get her cleaned up, fed, and working. She has a lot to learn and little time to do it in. I’ll be with our last guest,” Alex said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder towards Valeria.
Carla frowned at him but didn’t say anything. Instead, she grabbed Riley by the elbow and marched her quickly out of the dungeon.
Carla looked like she intended to take care of this chore as quickly as possible.
Alex turned and entered Valeria’s cell, moving directly to the bars and peering in.
Valeria wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
“Valeria?” Alex asked.
“A moment,” came a subdued voice from behind the privacy screen.
Alex shrugged his shoulders and waited.
A minute later, Valeria crawled around the edge of the screen and lay down on the stones.
She was red faced and panting. Her hair looked like a straw-matted mess, and her tunic was beyond rumpled.
“Are you well?” Alex asked, concerned.
“Sick. Had waxed poison pills in my stomach that I was holding onto. Just in case I needed… needed to die. After your oath to cause no harm to myself, I had to get rid of them,” Valeria said, explaining. “One was apparently leaking.”
“You were… eating your own feces over and over? The waxed pills?”
“Yes.”
“Huh. You’re rather dedicated to your previous employer.”
“Under oath.”
“Ah, that does explain a few things. It also attests to your upbringing, doesn’t it? You were once part of the nobility?”
“Yes.”
“Hm. Though I was wondering on that,” Alex said. With the key still in hand, he unlocked her cell door and went inside.
Valeria peered up at him from the ground, her eyes fearful.
“Be still; I’ll do you no harm.”
Alex got the pillow from her bed, dragged a chair over, and sat down next to her.
“Up with your head now,” Alex said, then wedged the pillow under it when she did so. “Now, let’s start with the easy part of this.
“What do you need to help pass the poison?”
“Water. Lots. Otherwise, nothing. It’ll pass. It’s not long lasting, and I didn’t get much of it,” Valeria said.
“Good to know. I’ll have a barrel of water brought in.
“Next… why did your employer throw you away?”
Valeria glared up at him from the pillow.
“No such thing happened. I—”
“It did. Forgive me, but… you’re not built for hand-to-hand fighting. You’re clearly either eye-candy, a diversion, or an instructor. What were you doing before this last job? No details or specifics needed. Or even to betray your employer. Just your general job title.”
“Teacher,” she said finally.
“And had you ever done any field work before that?”
“No.”
“So, either you were picked specifically for me, or you were no longer needed and tossed aside. Let’s work through this a bit further.
“You had a dagger in your… in you. I assume that was how you were going to kill me?”
“Yes.”
“How were you going to escape?”
Valeria didn’t respond.
“Were you ordered to use a blade as the means?”
“Yes.”
“And yet you were a teacher. Who knew how to carry poisons in such a fashion, seduce a target, and distract to the point of being able to operate effectively. And with the mental conditioning to eat your own shit.”
Alex leaned forward in his chair and smoothed her hair back from her brow, then lightly began to massage her scalp.
“You were ordered to put a blade in me, without the possibility of escape, when you had other opportunities to work with.
“And no one attempted to retrieve you after I made it obvious I’d caught someone.
“No… you were disposed of, Valeria.”
Valeria closed her eyes. She said nothing.
“Well. I find myself in need of someone like you. I’ll not ask you to betray your previous lord in any way, but I’d like you to consider working for me directly instead.”
Valeria snorted at that.
“You’d trust someone like me?”
“No. I’d bind and chain you down in oaths, like most of my peers. Though we’d have clear paid and received for each deal. Just as we’ve done so far.
“Would you be willing to discuss terms with me? You can say no.”
“What happens if I actually do say no?”
“Nothing. I leave you here, go on campaign, and you remain in this cell until I return.”
Valeria finally opened her eyes and met his gaze.
“Let’s talk terms then,” she said.
“I want you to go on campaign with me, and operate as a teacher. Help me protect myself and teach me everything you know, but from a defensive point of view.
“Do this and I’ll expunge your death sentence, commuting it to a life sentence.”
“Need more.”
Alex thought for a bit, then shrugged.
“Part of teaching me would of course be an oath to make no attempt to escape. All the previous oaths would remain active, so you couldn’t betray me or my secrets, or attempt to harm me.
“With that in mind, I could change your cell to a private room in the keep. A room much like my own, to be clear.”
Valeria’s brow scrunched up at that.
“Need pay,” she said finally.
“Everyone seems to want pay lately,” Alex grinned. “And what are you worth?”
“Five gold every three months.”
“Mm. So twenty gold a year. I could agree to that, but I want more from you in exchange.”
Valeria’s knees came up, her hands pressing to her stomach.
“What?”
“You’ll wear what I want you to wear, you’ll let me be in charge of your hair and how you style it, and you’ll take the name of ‘Three’ and respond to it. I’ll be sure to add a lovely collar with your name on it.
“Oh, and call me Master, of course.”
Valeria chewed at her lower lip.
“I can promise to hurt you a bit whenever you want as an extra. A spanking here or there, a hair pulling now and again. Whatever you fancy,” Alex said, grinning at her. “Maybe bring the trunk along if you’d like to sleep in it at night in my tent? At the foot of my bed, maybe? Shackle your wrists and ankles. Gag you, put you in my trunk and keep you handy as a special treat for when I want to look at you?
“Though you would have to swear to celibacy. To no contact of a sexual or romantic nature with anyone at any level, unless I give permission.”
Time to test what you really want, my little pain jockey. I’ve only teased a touch up to this point. Time to see if you can admit to those dark desires of yours.
Valeria blinked at that. Her gaze panicked, then curious, then completely neutral in a schooled response.
“Is that a no?” Alex asked, scratching at her hair line delicately with a fingernail.
“I’ll do it. I accept the terms you’ve given and swear to the oath between us.”
“Grand. You have two weeks to get your kit shifted out. Then we’ll be off. For now, how about I put you back in your bed, Three, and you get some rest?”
Valeria closed her eyes and nodded her head once. “Yes, Master. Please.”
Chapter 17
Maxwell led a middle-aged man into Alex’s study. He was broad shouldered and rather tall to boot. Every bit the military man, from his haircu
t down to his polished-but-worn boots.
His clothes were cut in a uniform-like fashion, though didn’t sport any colors.
“My lord, this is David Herel, commander of the mercenary company Bulwark,” Maxwell said.
David bowed from the waist.
Alex stood up and nodded his head to David.
“A pleasure, Master Herel. I appreciate your coming. I take it you found the contract to your liking as it was presented?” Alex asked, skipping straight to business.
“Yes, my lord. I did. The prospect of settling down in Brit with what you suggested is… very tempting,” David said, standing up from his bow.
“I see this as being an operation where it’s very likely you’ll take significant losses. I won’t hide that fact from you, but I will make sure you’re paid well for it,” Alex said simply. “Now, Maxwell selected you personally. And I trust him. So tell me about your company.”
“I command four hundred men-at-arms, two hundred archers, and one hundred heavy infantry.
“We’re broken down into military groupings and we have an eighty percent veteran status. By and large, we’re outfitted to a slightly better degree than conventional military,” David said. “I personally specialize in battle tactics and line fighting.”
You say nothing of strategy. Is that a lack on your part or a cultural pr—
Strategic priorities and battle plans are typically formed by the commanders of armies or levies.
One must be of the nobility to lead an army.
Ah… in other words, me. Splendid. That means this is before commoners could become command officers.
We can do this. We used to be pretty good at strategy games.
Then again, that was forty or fifty years ago.
“I understand. Go ahead and deploy to the field and get some rest. We’ll be heading out in two days. Duke Tanulf has made it his intention that all his levy commanders are to meet with him on the border. Then we’ll march across into Duke Gaelis’s territory.
“I wondered. Duke Tanulf has been moving his people around quite a bit. Was going to be Gaelis or Malin,” David said.
Alex shrugged his shoulders at that.
He didn’t really know, nor did he care. This whole thing was more than likely going to spend a number of lives for the sake of what probably amounted to an anthill.
A petty insult, perhaps. Someone taking offense to a passing comment.
“Anything else?” Alex asked the two men.
Max and David looked at each other, then to Alex.
“No, sire,” Max said.
“Great. Get going then. I need to finish up here; there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it in,” Alex said, shaking his head at the pile of papers on his desk.
No sooner had Maxwell and David left than Walter came scurrying in.
“My lord,” said Walter. “I really must say again that I don’t agree with this. My place is at your side.”
“It is. Though in this case, you’re best served remaining here and making sure Anna and Holly keep everything in hand,” Alex said, sitting down in his chair at his desk. “You’ll need to send whoever would take over for you if you were to suddenly pass on from this world. Time for them to get some behind-the-wheel experience, as it were.”
“Sir… I really do obj—”
“I know, and I appreciate it. But it’s going to be this way. Now, make arrangements for your second-in-command. They’ll be traveling with me when I leave.
“Is there anything else we should discuss or work through?” Alex asked, changing the subject.
“Ah, who is in charge, my lord? Anna or Holly?” asked Walter.
“Neither. Run anything at a financial level by Anna. I get the impression she absorbed more from her father than he would have liked. Anything peerage goes to Holly.
“You take care of the rest.”
“I understand. May I ask what else you’re planning for the day, my lord?”
“Ah. How is my new maid-servant coming along?” Alex asked, working his way through several documents.
“My understanding is she’s doing very well. She’s performing her job duties at a level that would not require any oversight.
“Though her name is… unconventional.”
“Yes, it is, but neither is it unique,” Alex said. “And how are Two and Three? I haven’t seen them today.”
“Two, sir, is in the city. I believe she’s been working to recruit more bodyguards for your service.”
Huh. I didn’t tell her not to, but I didn’t tell her to hire someone else. Suppose that falls right in that middle area.
That just means we can take a greater toll from her when she finds someone she wants me to hire.
So be it.
“Good. And Three?”
“That is… I saw her only once. She was in the kitchens. I have not seen her since then,” Walter said.
“Mm. That’s fine.”
“Sire… they are all… that is to say… One was—”
“Yes, she was. They all were. And they’ll serve me as loyally as any other retainer would. So you’ll give them the respect their position deserves—no more, no less,” Alex said. Setting the quill to one side, he looked up and caught Walter’s gaze and held it. “Anything else?”
“No, my lord. Nothing else,” Walter said. Excusing himself, he left the room quickly and closed the door behind himself.
Alex shook his head, looking back to his papers.
He still needed to talk to Sylvia and figure out what he was going to do with her while he was away.
Again.
“He doesn’t like us,” Valeria said from the far side of the room.
Tilting his head back, he looked around to find her.
It wasn’t until she lifted a hand that he spotted her.
She was slouched low next to his cabinet, dressed all in darker clothes.
Made of strips and bits of cloth, she had no shape and seemed to blend into the shadow.
Even her face and hair were bound up.
“Of course he doesn’t. You all showed up out of nowhere, and he has no idea what your relation is to me. On top of which, you’re women.
“For all he knows, you’re all foreign agents who got close to me to make attempts on my life,” Alex said, then grinned at her. “Perish the thought or to think of it, right?”
Valeria stood up and walked over to him, pulling the fabric down from her face and head.
“I’m trying to hone my field skills before we leave. I know you said you wanted me to teach you, but I think it might be best if I actively work defensively as well,” Valeria said, explaining herself.
“Ok? No need to creep around in the shadows. Just play the part of my doxy and stay at my side. Most nobles travel with a few, after all,” Alex said, shrugging his shoulders.
“I could do that… certainly wouldn’t be hard to pretend since I’ll be in your presence every night.
“Any of us, really.”
“What—you, One, and Two? Yeah.” Alex stood up and then patted his desk. “I haven’t checked lately, by the way. What’s your count right now for getting your ass spanked?”
She gave him a slow smile, setting her hands on her hips.
“I’m not sure anymore. I stopped counting after a hundred. I figured I might as well run up my tab before we went into the field. I might not be able to get any more soon.”
Quirking a brow at that, Alex couldn’t help but grin at her.
At least she’s being honest with herself.
“Well, we’ll see if we can’t take care of that while we’re out on campaign. And did you want to bring your trunk, by the way?”
“Yes, please, Master,” Valeria said, nodding her head quickly at that. Her eyes dropped to the floor as her cheeks turned bright red. “And a couple shackles, too.”
She mumbled something he couldn’t quite make out.
“What was that?” he asked, unsure what she’d asked for.
“And a leather riding crop.”
***
“Sylvia,” Alex said, sitting down in a chair next to the noblewoman.
“Alex,” she said, smiling at him.
“If you’re going to offer to send me back to the city while you’re gone, I think I’ll decline,” Sylvia said, setting down the book she’d been reading when he’d entered.
“Oh? That’s surprising. I thought you were tired of playing prisoner for me.”
“Hardly. Everyone already viewed me as a scandalous and amoral woman, due to the charges laid on me.
“Since our deals, and being able to see people, they simply view me as the count’s noblewoman concubine. The one he can’t marry but doesn’t want to get rid of.
“It’s not that glamorous, but it’s better than the stigma I felt in Brit during your last absence.
“If anything, I get quite a bit more deference now.”
Alex thought about what she’d said.
Logically, it made sense. If she suddenly spoke him up to everyone she knew, lived in his keep, and seemed perfectly content, it would lead to the concubine theory.
“I see. Alright. Then I’ll not make that offer. Did you want to talk about your walks then? I imagine you might end up getting tired of being in the keep all the time.”
“That’d be wonderful. I am growing weary of only seeing the sun through my window. I’d also like to be able to have my nails, hair, and clothes attended to.
“I’m afraid I’m growing… well, I’m not looking my best right now. It limits who I’m able to see.”
Alex took a moment to really look at her, now that she’d mentioned it.
Her nails were long, chipped, and a bit ragged. Her hair was a bit tangled, but not terribly so.
Her clothes were also looking extremely worn, since she was only allowed the one set.
“Alright… I’ll give you free reign to be anywhere in the city of Brit,” Alex said, picking the book up and looking at the cover. He’d given her several to help pass the time since her room was devoid of entertainment. “In exchange, I want you celibate. You cannot engage in any sexual conduct, at any level. And let’s make this clear—that goes for other women as well.
“It includes kissing others, even holding their hands. I want you as pure as driven snow from here on out. Unless I give you permission of some sort.”
