Aikerim Kiymetl Adal
She lounged near her table, reading the missives she had received. Ignoring the two figures in the room. Her affairs had been in order and profits were flowing in much faster than last year. The reason had been obvious for a while now. The Daimon. And an unusual one at that.
She knew of Daimonas. They were too notable to be forgotten even if they would happen once in a thousand years. There were rumours that Chasya twins were two of them and she wouldn't easily dismiss these either. Especially after meeting Erf. All of them were born wise beyond their years and powerful beyond belief. All of them were eccentric and wilful.
And yet Daimonas were always a boon to their Manors despite their tyrannical tendencies. They brought respect of the other Manors with their status and skill in Flow while their seed was equally strong. Few Houses were brought to prominence by a Daimon only to grow their renown even further through their children. An occasional heavy-handedness was a small price to pay for the future prosperity of your Family.
Unfortunately for her, Erf was a murk. His body was weak and so was his seed, most likely. Aikerim was mildly curious, but so far neither of his sadaq had a belly to show. He couldn't welcome the Flow around him, yet his knowledge was unmistakable. The soap was only mildly popular initially, mostly due to the novelty and her name behind it, but the conditioners pushed both products into a high demand among the elite.
Demand was so high that she easily financed his furnaces and kilns, and still ended up richer than she was before. Both financially and politically. While the new counting system and the bookkeeping allowed her to plug many holes in her coffers, the existence of some she didn't even know previously.
She knew that this rush wouldn't last long and she would have to start shipping the product across Emanai and overseas to compensate for the drop in demand across the city. But that was fine - these were the products of luxury with low volume and high profits. It would be a trifling matter to add them to her current shipments. And the foray into glass manufacturing already yielded another product of opulence. Based on the description, the new mirrors were ten or twenty times cheaper to make than the polished discs of metal. While being just as many times better in quality.
Unmistakable and visible quality at that.
She didn't even dare to think how much would the 'ultramarine' Arksite sell for. Aikerim had to personally maintain the spell while the slaves dyed the kaftan in the darkness. Just to make sure no one would know of its colour until the Divine Ritual.
And there lied the challenge of her current situation. She had too much potential wealth on her hands. And this wasn't just about the safety of her alchemist. Or the knowledge he possessed. She didn't get where she was today by blindly rushing ahead - every step had been meticulously planned. And the habit had continued since then. Now, instead of just seeing the mountains of gold in her future, Aikerim saw greedy claws trying to grab a chunk for themselves or even take it all.
She was strong and powerful, but she wasn't the only one. That meant her Manor had to rapidly grow in strength or she would be forced to hide more and more of the inventions out of the public eye. And that meant more spending, gifts, and bribes. More opulent sacrifices too: Anaise wouldn't just come out in the Arksite kaftan during her Feast, she would also gift an entire bolt of similarly coloured wool as her first offering. All that to remain in the good graces.
A divestiture could be plausible too. Aikerim would have never even considered to sell or gift her ventures away, but Erf had made a compelling argument for it. She had no manpower to support all of them yet she loathed to have them stall and disappear. Each one of these products made her life a little bit more luxurious. They would also be immensely valuable commodities to strengthen her position within the Kiymetl while making her House stronger. A lump of gold was incomparable to the stable income for generations. And grateful sisters and aunts would be eager to defend her from other Houses. Or even appoint her as the next Matriarch.
She frowned while looking at the profits. It still stung her to give so much away. If only she had more daughters…
Something to consider for the future.
A shuffle in front of her table reminded Aikerim about the uncomfortable present issues.
"Do you know why I summoned you?" She spoke without lifting her eyes off her scroll.
"The murk lies," Amalric stubbornly replied.
Tarhunna softly sighed.
"About what?" She put her scroll away and looked down on her kneeling son. He was in that position for a while now - beans forged character. Her husband was beside. She didn't prohibit him from taking another sofa but he chose to stand.
"Wha—"
"You said he lies. About what?"
"Everything! He is full of them!" He kept digging deeper.
"He promised me riches. Does it mean he lied about it too?" With a snap of her fingers, the scroll smacked him in the face, "Tell me."
Amalric peeled the parchment off his face, "This is nothing. Give me a ship and I can easily earn as much in a year."
"In three tendays," She growled, making her son's diatribe sputter, "And show it to your father, since he is so curious."
"Aikerim?"
She sighed, "I know you well enough, Tar. You could have stopped him before I had to personally step in myself. Twice at that."
Her husband shook his horns as he glanced at the reports thrown at them, "He looks to be a grand asset indeed. Important enough to be kept safe. You have my word—"
"No," She stopped him, "your word is not enough anymore since I had to intervene on my own. Now you will have my word as Domina that he is to be kept safe. No one would touch him, unless by my order. No punishments or threats! Deal with me if you see something suspicious and I will deal with him. And if I learn of anything again I will consider it to be a threat to my Manor. And I will deal with it accordingly."
"But Mother!" Amalric pleaded, "he is dangerous! Don't you see that is exactly what he wants. He will poison your ears with his honeyed words."
"I will not have my son act like a poppet of a lamura!" She slammed her fists into the table, making the dust fall from the ceiling. Table held. Barely.
"Shahin simply showed me how much influence the murk has over you!"
"Silence! And you, do you share in his foolishness?" She glanced at her husband.
Tarhunna shrugged, "I trust your judgement, but with all that secrecy around him, one is bound to wonder."
"Yes, I find it vexing how he manages to attract the female sight," She felt a bit of pleasure watching them cringe from the way she worded it, "Especially from overseas."
Now that got a real reaction.
"She would never!" Amalric roared.
"Really? An esteemed daughter of Esca, without a Manor yet well-connected, chose to leave the comfortable sands of her homeland and travel across the sea to woo my youngest son? You are still at least a century too young to have elder daughters run after you like that."
"House of Trade is well-known and your Manor within it is raising in fame, a marriage between our families could benefit both sides." Tarhunna intervened, while her son gnashed his teeth in anger.
She would have to work on his restraint more at a later time.
She pulled in the rushing waters of the Flow and pushed it back as she observed the runes around her.
"Yes, especially right now. When my Manor had obtained an alchemist that can make glass," She said afterwards, "And that is why I sent a letter asking about the powders Esca used. To confirm if what he said was actual truth or just what he believed as one."
In the quiet of her sealed room, secluded from servants and with glowing magical seals on the walls, she quietly continued, "And now I have an envoy in my lap as I dance around the curious eyes of my peers. All because my son and my husband said a little bit too much during their trip."
The sofa groaned when the large frame of her husband landed on it. Amalric had the decency to stay quiet when serious talk began. He was rash and bold but he was still her son. And she made sure he wasn't stupid. Unfortunate foolishness of youth that all it was.
"And you chose not to sell him. Are you waiting for a better price?" Tarhunna asked rubbing his chin.
She shook her head, "Esca wouldn't be able to afford him. And I am unwilling to give him for a pittance."
"They would not be happy to find out that you know of their secret. Despite the distance, Esca aren't pushovers. They could easily apply pressure on your mother."
"Good. That is exactly why I kept it secret. I would've preferred her not knowing at all but the other outcome is still an acceptable one. By the time my mother would be forced to act, I will have them in the palm of my hand. In fact, I just need a few more days to make sure she could understand the fate of her House if they refuse to cooperate. Which is why Shahin Esca will be leaving tomorrow to visit our summer estate. Far enough that her tongue won't reach my son, and her knife - my alchemist."
"Do you really think she would risk herself for a mere murk artisan? She knows that that the laws of hospitality won't save her if she attacks you and yours. He might know a lot but Esca had been polishing their craft for centuries. Even if we move all of our assets into glass it would take us years to catch up to their scale, and even longer to their artistry. Enough time to bury us many times over." Her husband asked incredulously.
"She might," Aikerim slid over a wrapped object, "Because he doesn't just know their glass. He knows more."
"Tell me, my dear husband," She crooned as she pulled the cover away, "After spending so long in their lands. How many glass mirrors do they produce. And then ask yourself - how many centuries it would take for Esca to catch up to Kiymetl now."
The shocked silence was her answer.
Agrona Samat Ninanak
She lounged on her sofa, her face unreadable.
"I find you surprisingly unaffected," Agrona finally spoke to her idle visitor, "The venture is growing in cost with every day and yet you do not seem to be worried about it."
She leaned over, pointing the sharp tips of her horns at her 'ally', "I have no desire to dig the mud while you eat pears up above. If you are really interested in seeing this succeed then you have to show it. Remember, I am not the one who came here with gifts and offers, asking for the help of a Pillar Manor. I can step away at any point, and lose nothing."
"Except for the Craft District," The lamura readjusted the coils of her tail, "We both know that Kiymetl already owns the Trade District of Samat. Despite the fact that it should rightfully belong to you. And you know exactly why she is getting that aqueduct."
Agrona suppressed the growl inside her throat. She had no intentions to reveal her feelings too much, despite the truth in the lamura's words. Kiymetl had been a sore point for her House for centuries. While other Manors had earned their wealth with honest work, the foxes chose to steal it instead. They would fleece the sellers and gouge the buyers, stuffing their coffers with the gold of others. Even their position as a Pillar Manor had been a slap on everyone's faces.
Upstarts had bribed their way with rich offerings. Earning their place not by the blood they spilt nor the sweat they had `shed, but by gold and gems they threw on the altar.
At least their Matriarch had a modicum of decency herself. Nanaya Kiymetl Ayda had established her reign where the Twin Sisters were close. The slaves of her House pulled the boats from Shara to Nuur and back, linking the two rivers into one route and uniting the two halves of Emanai. And with them - allowing the sea to sea travel.
Aikerim Adal did none of that. Instead, she simply walked into greatness from a literal nobody, forty years ago. And now Agrona felt her slimy fingers digging even deeper. Purchasing large quantities of raw materials even before they hit the markets. And making waves with their new concoctions for the skin and the hair. Turning heads with the new quality and quantity of their textiles.
"The same aqueduct that I am now forced to make because of this venture," She retorted instead.
"I have warned you about the potential risk of sending someone from your own Manor," Shahin argued back, "But we can salvage this and even turn it into our own advantage."
"Tell me, then."
Lamura drank her honey-wine, "Despite your claims of my inaction, I just had a meeting with Aikerim Adal. My recent conversations with her son had been most unwelcome and she insisted that I would remain at guest quarters while I am inside her Manor from now on."
Agrona scoffed, "Do you really think that she will simply forget about me because you have made a nuisance of yourself?"
"Of course not. You know just as well as I do, that if I push too hard she would kick me out, despite any potential consequences it could bring to her Manor."
She smiled and swished her drink, "No. Aikerim Adal will be occupied with the recent actions of her son. He stepped on her precious golden feathered swan. And now she must be very careful not to have its feathers turn into normal ones. And she will gladly accept your help, especially if you need to hire extra hands to speed up the construction. As a token of goodwill, of course."
"And that would just make her stronger, faster."
"In a couple of days, all that construction would be meaningless."
The wersheep glanced sharply at her visitor, "And what makes you think she only has just one swan? Or haven't learnt his secrets by now? All this would be a waste if she retains the knowledge."
"I have done my due diligence, she has three or four at most at this moment. And she won't dare to have more for a while. That would weaken the position of her swan. Aikerim Adal is smart enough to keep him happy, at least for some time after the recent incident. Or he might even demand it himself."
She mulled over the words of the lamura for a while, "Kiymetl is very interested in acquiring more slaves from another Manor. So interested that she dared to threaten Shebet while stuffing their more-than-generous gifts under her belt. What are the chances that there are more swans hiding there?"
"None. What she is planning to buy are mere sailors for the golden ship inside her Manor. Family of the navigator that she has. Once again, to pamper her swan," Shahin immediately replied.
Agrona chuckled, "And make us throw our gold into a smoke. What a thief. Very well, there will be a bigger detachment of workers since I suddenly have some funds cleared up."
The yellow orbs within the black irises looked hard at the Samat Domina, "Make no mistake, the murk is full of tricks himself. And this could be our last chance at this. Get the best possible person, multiple even, and have them meet me at the Manor. I want them to act fast and hard."
"These are hard to find, especially quickly."
Lamura pulled out a scroll, "Get as many as you can. As long as they will succeed in their task. Take this, If Aikerim finds out of my involvement - send my ashes with it to Yusuf. And they will honour my words. Samat will be the first city with glass-makers of Esca."
"I would prefer it not to get that far," She shook her head but took the scroll nevertheless.
"So do I. That is why I will be out of Samat for a few days. Enjoying the countryside at the behest of Aikerim, while she handles her family matters."
Agrona smiled with a satisfied grin. Soon the Kiymetl upstart will learn some humility. While she could boast an achievement of her own. And then she will look at Tarhunna's face, black with bitter regret for choosing the fox over her.
Yeva
She plucked strings of the guitar as she tried to recreate songs from her childhood. The strings were harsh to touch and loud to the ear but the instrument was able to make the notes she grew up hearing. She also got a slight cramp in her left hand from doing so. Yet her fingers kept going.
"Tell me more about your mother," Irje softly spoke nearby.
She smiled hearing the concern in her voice. Music, that Erf had played last night, was beautiful but it also woke up the bittersweet memories of her past. And of her mother. She spoke a little bit about her, once she calmed down, but the embrace of her family was warm and strong. And sweet dreams quickly took her away.
The morning was hectic. All of the glass production was put on hold, yet Erf and Viter were ushered away by a group of guards. Apparently, the estate construction was starting up. The cougar wanted to go as well but he asked Irje to stay with her. Promising to call on her as soon as they will start discussing the layout.
Irje didn't argue much and Yeva was quietly grateful to both of them. She didn't feel like running around the new place this morning. And quiet and restful time in their comfortable bed was a luxury she and Irje couldn't say no to. Especially early in the morning when the air was still cold and the blankets were extra cosy.
Add to it the lack of any scheduled work and one would know what a true pleasure felt like.
"She was one of the musicians at the Manor," Yeva sighed in reply to the question, "Good enough to play when the guests would arrive. My early childhood was full of songs and plays that she would practise every night. To make sure that masters would stay happy with her music."
"She took care of me as much as she could. Taught me to play so that I would have a task once I grew older. Fed me. You know I don't remember her eating any time I ate, she would just sit and look at me. Smiling."
Yeva felt the arms encircle her and she let herself be cuddled, without letting go of the guitar, "And then she was gone. And I found myself on the fields, working for a Domina that I've never seen before. All that effort - wasted. The fingers that once bled on strings were now dirty with the mud."
"It wasn't wasted," Irje gently murmured, "You said yourself of her smiles and I promise you they were honest. You were her joy and in treating you as best as she could she escaped the burdens of her day."
"I know that now," She slumped in the embrace, "But the heart still aches. And I don't want for him to do the same. I want to be useful instead of selfish."
"Is that why you wish to play?"
"Yes. I have no desire to pick up the lyre once again, it still brings back bad memories. But this is different. It feels different and sings different. It doesn't remind me of my mother - it tells me of my future." A smile crept up onto her face, "And it smells of him."
"You have been helpful many times before, however."
"And now I have to worry about the Lady of the House, too. It is a foregone conclusion by now that she likes him and will want to keep him around. Which gives him more safety within this Manor and marginally to us as well. But you know well enough how excessive Erf can be with everything he does. And I am not sure how she will see us in the future. And I don't want to be seen as a leach or have him defend my status from her. Especially when her words would resonate inside my heart as true."
Irje didn't reply for a while and she began to play again. Songs that she knew. Melodies that she heard from Erf. Plucking individual strings or chords only to quietly listen to yet another sound. She sat on top of Irje, her back in a warm embrace. The heat of the wer scaring the fears of the past away.
Until the cold air swept under her body.
"Irje!" She shrieked holding the instrument as tight as she could, her legs flailing in the air, "What are you doing!"
"You aren't the only one, who wants to practise and be useful!" Irje laughed triumphantly.
"Put me down!" Yeva demanded only to hear more laughter from the cougar hellion.
She fought hard her own emerging grin. Irje will pay. Just as soon as she would return to the ground she will make her pay dearly.
It was tickle time.
Updated Anaise drawing + expressions. Once again art by Nastrpank
Spoiler
I glanced around at my guard detachment. Aside from Viter, I was encircled by four Kiymetl foxes. Wer, most likely. Hard to figure out since they hadn't uttered a word so far. Wouldn't even say their names.
Perhaps Aikerim found four mutes for my entourage.
I sighed and turned back to the bustling activity in front of me. A crowd of slaves with occasional reds and whites. Foxes and sheep. All of this was organized for my own sake, yet all I could feel in my heart was melancholy.
I had a very generous mistress. Both through the eyes of my past experiences as well as the judgement based on the deeper understanding of society. She could have been worse, much worse. She could have tortured me for information or took everything I've made for herself without worrying about my well-being. I wasn't sure how well she would have fared then as I would have definitely retaliated, but that was irrelevant.
What spoilt my mood in the current situation is the difference in Aikerim's response. When my family was nominated as the sacrifices, she had been sympathetic to my plight and even tried to ameliorate the situation somewhat. Which I was still grateful for.
But all that simply paled in comparison to this. It wasn't my family that was in danger, I was threatened directly.
And Domina moved with all her might.
My entire contingent of workers had been sent away for a few days. The kilns and furnaces went cold and dark for the first time in days. All glass manufacture was obviously on hold too. I still had few finished pieces as well as few sheets of glass, but that would be all I would have for a week or so. Even soap was affected, but there was a lot of finished product already so that wasn't an issue.
Irje and Yeva had gotten themselves a few restful days too. Which was great news, especially for Yeva since my music had stirred up memories on the dark part of her past. While she handled it rather well, a nice lounge and some gossip between the girls would definitely do her good. I tried to be there for her but there was a time and place for everything. I also didn't want her to depend on me for everything either. Irje was still the only 'friend' she had so far, if one can even bother to call a fellow member of the sadaq as mere 'friends'.
But the social activities of my wives can wait for later.
Right now I had the front seats to the first major usage of Flow. And despite the lack of any visual effects, the event still was eye-opening and jaw-dropping to my provincial murk self.
A dozen or so of grumpy and sickly-looking wermages literally stared walls into obedience. They didn't chant in obscure tongues, there was very little smoke, mostly from fires and rock dust, and all mirrors were safely stored in my lab. They simply glared at the stone as if they were constipated, and walls moved. The outer walls of the manor, the height of which, while dwarfed by the walls of the city itself, still loomed two stories high above the ground.
Emanai knew of masonry, they knew concrete and had the magic to shape and form rocks. They were well-versed in architecture and knew their way on grand structures like that. They knew how to distribute the load with arches but with the magical abilities at their disposal they simply opted out for a 'solid mass of stone' design.
A definite favourite of guards and wealthy people alike, no doubt.
And now this tall and thick rock snake was slowly opening up. The manor, like a hungry cell, consuming yet another neighbourhood into itself. I had no idea who lived in it before, but when Domina demands a price it is in one's interest to accept the purchase. This was an affluent part of the city anyway, whoever it was they probably had other residences.
And now they had to move because a single murk needed space for his experiments.
Go Erf…
Actually scratch that. Go Irje. I would have been okay with a single warehouse or two and a private residence with few rooms. Irje went in and haggled something obscene from Aikerim instead. I saw the plans for the expansion and most of the new areas would be technically under my dominion. Despite being called something general like Domina's Grounds.
The rest of their magic was quite utilitarian as well. Yet very limited in the breadth of use. Most of the general labour was still done with tools, hands, and backs of the slaves and workers alike, while wermages operated as a magical equivalent of heavy machinery. A single wersheep could turn a pile of rocks and a carefully obscured parchment with runes into a hulking golem. Yet these rocks were brought into that initial pile by murks.
Mages lifted and placed enormous cornerstones that would establish the perimeters of new walls, yet none of them had moved even a single handful of sand or dirt.
One could always argue that they saw themselves above the most mundane tasks, but it was definitely more than that. Magic was taxing and it didn't scale well apparently. Scale down that is. With normal activities, there was always a lower limit where one's ability to perform it is no longer limited by exhaustion from it. They were limited by hunger, sleep, or time available. Boredom, even.
Like a difference between running and walking.
Looking at the frustrated wermages I understood that Flow had a very low bar to be effortless. Or it recovered much slower which was really the same thing but from a different perspective. And not only the exhaustion showed itself more vividly, but it also presented itself in advance.
I idly wondered if people would have never used alcohol if one would have a headache and vomiting before or during a pub crawl. Or feel the ungodly burn between the asscheeks while ordering the spicy meal.
No wonder magic was used so infrequently by the very same people who worshipped it. They chose to use their status itself to keep themselves above the rest and use magic only when strictly necessary.
How efficient of them.
Not that I could blame them for it. Emanai needed them. Both in terms of power and to stratify the society, no matter how uncomfortable that thought was.
I knew enough of the childhood slave stories and the books I had read at Aikerim's insistence. This world did not belong to us. It didn't belong to wer or wermages either.
It belonged to the Things. The magical animals of this planet.
A wolf or even a bear were deadly, but they weren't as deadly to a wer. But they were mere 'murk' animals. They roamed the forests within the Emanai without significant retaliation and yet every border was well-manned and with walls as big as the one being created in front of my eyes.
Or so I've read.
Not to defend against incoming armies, which they weren't really good for. Not to contain the restless peasants within, as very few would dare to venture past, and never to settle outside. They kept the Flow Beasts out of Emanai. Allowing farmers to farm and live in relative security.
The presence of a magically enhanced population was crucial for such an enormous defensive effort. Walls could be built and maintained with greater ease. Manned with fewer defenders that required food but produced little themselves. And probably had a lesser casualty rate than hordes of murks.
At the same time, it created a society where the higher class not only had the obvious reason for their status but had enough individual power not to be afraid by the lower rungs of the society. A commoner, villager, or slave might grumble but their current conditions were definitely better than being gored to death by an invulnerable creature. While wermages were unlikely to be excessively brutal with their punishments in order to maintain suppression levels.
Both of which created a very organized society, banded together against a common foe. With less bloodshed and social tension among the classes. It wasn't without flaws obviously but it did make them into one of the biggest players in the region. There were no obvious holes I could easily point at and fix to everyone's benefit. Even my own ideas of 'improving' it were all about throwing knowledge and technology at it. Which would likely hurt at least some layers of the current society.
Improving such a complex system is never easy or safe. And going at it with a naive approach would result in revolts and civil wars that could easily result in Emanai being snuffed out entirely.
"Impressive isn't it. The power of my wife." A strong voice interrupted my thoughts on family, magic, and society.
"Master," I bowed to the looming figure above me, "Indeed, Domina's words carry an immense weight."
"Quite so. But they are hers alone, be mindful when you use her words against others."
"I thank you for your words of wisdom," I offered back diplomatically, no point getting yet another one after my neck, "Domina had told me the same when she saw me for the first time."
"And yet she had done so much," He slowly murmured as sounds all around us disappeared, "And I don't believe that your knowledge of alchemy is the reason. I wonder what the Ladies of the Kiymetl had found in you to offer this."
Hmm. A concerned parent? Or a jealous husband?
"Math," I spoke laconically.
"Math? So the Gestr was not given for you to lead my daughter to her lectures with Virnan?" Tarhunna asked curiously.
I shook my head. "My alchemy caught the eyes of Domina. But my skills in Mathematics made her interested enough to send me to the Wise Fox of Kiymetl himself. After a day and night of heated discussions, I came back to the Manor with this on my neck."
And I have tried my best to stay away from that accursed place as much as possible. Luckily Virnan had plenty of things to work on for a long time.
"Seeing it, Domina has tasked me to teach her daughter." I finished my tale.
He rubbed his chin in thought, "And then he accepts her as a student too. I can see why Aikerim would build it, despite how far-fetched your tale might sound like."
His head swivelled toward me once again, the horns highlighting every movement, "I have seen the folly of many, however. Blinded by the generosity of their betters. I wonder if you would do the same."
Words of Anaise came to my mind, the ones describing her father. And I smiled gently, my course set.
"There is another thing to wonder about," I offered back. Seeing his raised eyebrow I continued, "The estate was the reward for my deeds so far. If I would desire something greater than estate - what would I come up with, then?"
I saw the glint of understanding in his eyes almost instantly. An ambitious man will recognize ambition.
"You don't force the bird to sing. You give it fruits and a home out of the golden filigree. Although you are definitely the first one to get that far," His hand brushed my hair, "And good-looking too. My wife has the most discerning eye. Enjoy your new home and know that there are others who would be curious enough to hear you sing."
Ah. How could I forget. I might have been 'sold' for free as a package deal, but it was Sulla who sent me to Irje. As a companion candidate. And he definitely knew the preferences of our masters. And there wasn't that much difference between my original height and Yeva's when we first crossed the entrance of the manor. And both of us were almost as tall as Aikerim.
I watched silently as he left just as suddenly as he appeared. His task, complete. The intricate leather coverings muffling his hooves. I grew since then, leaving my wife behind and even passing my Domina but, apparently, Tarhunna still found me attractive. Yet he didn't issue any demands or strongly implied suggestions, merely informing me of the potential opportunity.
And Aikerim was likely the answer for that. Looks like my original gambit had shown its fruits.
Still, after the encounter with his son, I expected something else from him. And yet he didn't. It was almost as if…
If I was but a bird to them. Or at least to some of them. You won't get jealous if your wealthy wife that runs the entire household has a new bird in her menagerie. Nor would you get worried if your daughter likes it too. And if the praises get too loud you simply get curious yourself. He most likely didn't make the offer so politely because he cared about my feelings specifically, but because I belonged to Aikerim.
They were married but it definitely wasn't a marriage of equals. And trying to take something of hers for himself could easily turn ugly for everyone involved.
Yet I was fine with them thinking that. Whether this was caused by my status or my race, the disregard for my potential was definitely a boon for me personally. Because, unlike the hordes of other murks and slaves, I had plenty of said potential that desperately needed time to bear fruit.
Nor did I really care what a bull-legged wermage thought about me. Or maybe I did, just a tiny bit. No one is perfect.
I cast a quick glance at the construction zone and quickly left, my feet taking a well-familiar path. I had spent enough time ogling mages from afar, and I had no desire to get closer. I haven't seen anything new for a while now and the words of Anaise, cautioning me not to ask others about Flow, were still fresh inside my ears. That and the fact that one of their servants tried to kidnap me.
The kilns were cold but I still could 'sing' within my lab. And if I lose my family, they will hear the real songs of a Host navigator.
XXX
I made a detour to my house first but hearing the shrieks of outrage and peals of laughter from inside I decided not to intrude right now. My mood was too sombre and I didn't want to ruin theirs. And my hands were itching to work.
Shedding most of my guard contingent, me and Viter arrived at my lab. This area was still off-limits for most of the household and the werfoxes were clearly not assigned to shadow me for an entire day. Most likely they were just to show the extra muscle around Samat. Based on how quickly we were left alone - I didn't think they liked guarding me very much either.
Better if they were gone, then. Nothing worse than a reluctant guard.
I paused for a second before I put down the last mirror I had made. The 'silver' eyes gazing at me from the other side.
Mine.
Not mine.
The space was a harsh place for the unprotected flesh. We emerged in a once beautiful creche called Earth, protected from the harsh radiation by the magnetic field of the planet. And our bodies were not accustomed to the Greater Outside.
There were ways to protect one's flesh. Most ships grew ablative layers to absorb and shed impacts and powerful rays allowing the passengers inside to skip on the protective clothing.
Unless you needed unobstructed sight to navigate.
I probably had a well developed sub-dermal layer by now, allowing me to shrug off radiation with near impunity. Everywhere except for the eyes. Or I would be blinder than Yeva. Instead, the surface of my irises was now reflective, even more so than the mirrors I've just made. Granted it wasn't perfectly flat so it simply looked grey. But it protected me as much as possible without inhibiting my sight.
Yet another step. I idly wondered as I scratched my forehead if they would call me murk by the time my body would stop adjusting.
With a tired sigh, I covered the reflection and started to clean up the tables. Until I will get a new batch of float glass this project was done. And lab safety was paramount. I tried to think of anything else to work on or prepare for but nothing came to my mind. Albin promised a reply soon and I had found myself unable to predict what he would actually come up with if he does.
Samat group was guarded. According to Aikerim, the project I've completed would be enough to make Shahin a non-issue. Amalric was probably on a house arrest or worse, definitely not coming to see me anytime soon. Tarhunna was…attracted… but definitely not a time-critical issue for now. Perhaps I should plan that Albin would be unable to find anything. Maybe ask Anaise for a trip outside of Samat? Word it as a lecture too if all her attempts at geodesic Flow have been quite destructive so far. Less chance of destroying a building this way.
Or just forget myself inside the arms of my sadaq? I really wanted to, but my heart was ill at ease.
My ruminations were interrupted by an unusual shuffle behind me.
Yet not from the entrance.
Turning rapidly to intercept my assailant I'd come face to face with the familiar red of hair and eyes of green.
"What are you doing?" I asked with the feeling of slight amusement.
After covering the hole with a plank once again, Anaise pulled her kaftan tighter together and dusted off the dirt. Her tail swinging back and forth with some frustration and…excitement?
"I have found that you gifted my mother with yet another present," She puffed her cheeks at me, her arms crossed in front.
I turned my head trying to think, "Present?"
Anaise rolled her eyes and thrust her hand to me, "The mirror, you dunce. Now, are you saying that your future teacher does not deserve the same?"
I looked down on her open palm for a second and smiled, "I think you might not know the whole truth, my eager student. That was no present, or I would have framed it nicely and used the cleanest glass. That was a mere prototype."
A small gasp left her lips and her body went stiff. Before I could comment on her quite exaggerated behaviour, another noise barged in on us.
"Master!" The voice was accompanied by a frantic Viter barging through my door, "I've felt a spark inside…oh!"
He gulped, seeing my visitor, making me turn my head back. Anaise stood ramrod straight and stiff, her arm frozen mid-reach. Completely ignoring my guard. Her face, as red as her hair, and her tail was the fluffiest I've ever seen it so far. The look on her face was to die for and I was thankful that she faced my way and away from Viter. But why did she?
Oh.
My eyes slid down the neck of her kaftan, seeing the red of her skin. Looks like someone came in without a shift. No wonder she chose to crawl into my lab through the hole she had made before, instead of simply walking through the main entrance. My, my, someone was feeling very frisky today.
"Thank you, Viter, for your diligence," I nodded as this was an ordinary occurrence, and stepped closer to Anaise. Unseen to him, my hand slid between the sides of her kaftan.
In a most praiseworthy fashion, Anaise didn't make a peep as my palm cupped her core, already wet and hot to my touch. The recently shaved folds clinging to my skin like the softest of kisses.
"I have forgotten to inform you, that the Lady of the House was inside, but I appreciate your dedication." I kept talking while my middle finger started to curve into her.
With the corner of my eye, I saw her bite down on her lip as I pushed myself deeper and deeper. I was playing with the deadly fire here but I could feel her arousal spiking with my every action. I could also feel the tiny shakes of her body, her muscles spasming as they tried to keep her standing still despite my ministrations.
"I, uh, I will be outside then." He stammered, pushing himself out. Apparently, surprising the wermage was clearly not on his agenda for tonight. He didn't even notice the byplay either.
Anaise slumped onto me as soon as the door was shut. Her legs shaking around my hand.
"Erf," She growled, her face more flushed than angry, "Don't you dare do that again."
"Really?" I teased as my finger slid in and out once again, testing for wetness and finding plenty of it, "But I think you have enjoyed it greatly."
She growled at me but said nothing, her mound grinding into my palm.
"Just imagine," Keeping my hand in place, I walked behind her. Gently pushing her toward one of my tables, "That my guard can barge in again at any moment. Perhaps hearing a sound from you, or a call from me. Only to see you in my arms like this."
Her ears dipped with every word I whispered, but the last statement brought forth another wave of trembles from her body.
"Oh, you liked that?"
A soft whine was my answer.
"Have you ever wondered how you look right now?" I pressed on as I reached for the cloth in front of us. And pulled it down.
My previous words were true. What I had made before was a simple trial piece, just to see if all parts worked together. This was a proper mirror and not a palm-sized one.
Anaise made a muffled wail of arousal and shame as she quickly covered her eyes, unwilling to see the full-body reflection of herself.
"Now, don't be like that," I gently spoke, "Look how beautiful you are."
I let her peek through her fingers as my own slowly slid in and out of her body. Catching her eyes in the mirror every time I've placed another kiss on her neck.
"Erf,"
"Hmmm?"
"Stop stalling. Give it to me." she groaned.
"This?" I pulled my clothes up and slid my shaft between her legs from behind.
I got another growl from her as I simply used it to tease her even more. Sliding it across her folds, without pushing in.
"I am waiting for you, Anaise. I miss your beautiful face," I murmured in response.
With a sharp breath, her hands came down from her face. And I pulled her into a passionate kiss before she would get uncomfortable again.
"Look, how stunning you are," I murmured into her lips, "See for yourself why I made a mirror with your height in mind."
"You are still stalling." She feverishly accused me instead. "Shut up with your poetry and make me feel good."
I smiled, "as you wish, my lady." And yanked down her sash.
Before she could even gasp I pushed her down on the table and pulled the skirt of her kaftan up. All of that right in front of the mirror.
"Er-mh." Her squeak was silenced by my palm.
"Shhh," I spoke as I massaged her tight ass, slightly pulling it apart with every movement, basking at the sight of the glistening lips hidden within, "There is a guard outside. Ready to barge in if you make a loud noise."
My thumb slid in and spread her entrance apart as I carefully positioned myself for a thrust.
A wermage with her skirt hiked up and bent over the table, her quivering opening, craving to be filled. A sight that a very few murks had ever seen, and even fewer that lived to tell the tale. The mane of her tail, still huge from the recent scare, standing straight up giving me the unobstructed view, the ease of access, and the convenient handle to pull on.
She hissed as I gripped her tight at the root of her tail, subconsciously rising up on her tiptoes and bending her back. Allowing me to simply slide inside of her.
I didn't.
I pulled her tail, impaling her on me instead.
"Look at me, then," I grunted as I slammed her on my length again and again, "Watch how I penetrate you with my every thrust. And how eagerly you take me in."
She said nothing as she panted rapidly from the fast pace I set for her, but her tail wrapped around my arm in a silent demand for more.
I pulled at her kaftan that was still on her shoulders, repositioning her body just a little bit. So she could see her face, me, and us joined together.
And her now exposed, bouncy breast, her nipple swaying back and forth with every thrust.
"This is the look of sex," I murmured as I gently held her face, making sure she did see all of that.
"This is the pleasure that it gives," I said as I captured her naked breast into my palm and squeezed it lightly, watching her half-lidded eyes pop open once again.
She was close, very close. Anaise had been riding the edge probably even before she entered my lab and I didn't let her cool for a second after. But that was fine. I was close as well. This wasn't just a beautiful girl in front of me, wantonly spreading herself on my shaft. This was the Lady of the House. A princess of a sort. And I was ploughing her doggy-style, in front of a mirror no less. All that was missing was a small crown pushed askew.
"And this," I said instead, turning her face to the mirror once again, "is the face of a good orgasm."
She gasped as if she was about to sneeze and finally crashed down. I watched her eyes roll up as she opened her mouth in a silent scream. I sheathed myself for the final time, pushing myself as deep as her buttcheeks would let me, allowing her convulsing inner walls to coax me to my finish only to milk me with renewed vigour.
I couldn't help but groan myself as I felt my balls emptying into the satisfied girl in front of me. My shaft pulsing with every spurt.
"This was…more intense than in the bath," Anaise murmured, choosing to remain prone on the table.
"Because we didn't rush as much as we did last time."
"You mean it is better if you stretch it?"
"To a certain degree, but yes," I said as I gently raked my fingers on her back, making her shiver in pleasure. "But quickies like that are also nice. Especially if you have very little time as we did back then."
"Both are nice," She concluded. "Also, my mother sent me, she said Shahin has left the Manor and is unlikely to come back for a tenday at least."
"Wait, so you didn't come for the mirror?"
"Nuh huh. I am taking it. It is mine now."
I scratched my head, "You know, you should have probably told me about the envoy leaving from the beginning."
"Uh-huh, and miss out on the rest?" Anaise huffed, "Now stop talking and hug me, I am getting cold. And I am not putting the kaftan back on, while I am leaking you all over the place."
We had set off in an unusual procession, especially if anyone was aware of what was going on. Anaise recovered pretty quickly and was quite eager to see the new mirror nowhere else but in her rooms.
As such I was walking first, carrying the bulky and veiled object in my hands. She was walking slightly behind me, almost in deferential formation if not for her noble poise and loud, obvious to anyone, orders and directions. Viter was trailing quite a far distance back, on the orders of the Lady of the House no less. So that we could have a quiet conversation or something.
Obviously, none of that was because someone still had no shift under her kaftan, that I had to carefully obscure using my cargo.
I did steal glances at her whenever someone would walk by us. The sudden pause in our dialogue, a conscious hand at her neckline pulling the sides together, or the bushy tail that made sure to never leave the cut in the back uncovered. She was not in her comfort zone as this was definitely the first time she had tried to do it, and clearly hadn't thought of the consequences as much. Nevertheless, Anaise managed to soldier on, relying on my cover and distraction.
Just as I was looking back at her, I would notice the green of her eyes finding mine from time to time. Either to confirm my presence, to make sure I still have her present in my arms, or perhaps even to appreciate my own response.
Her lips would twitch upward every time that I couldn't keep my eyes on her face.
Damn minx. Irje was just like that too, even Yeva at certain times. It felt like I was surrounded by peacocks preening themselves as soon as I would pay attention.
Although, if I would look from the social aspect, females of Emanai, especially of the magical variety, were much more proactive in their everyday life. They were the business owners, traders, and rulers. They were the decision-makers of this land, and someone like Albin was an oddity of the highest calibre. Most likely only achieving his status and rank through sheer power of his magic and sharpness of his mind.
And yet he was tolerated in his status, not respected. An oddity or worse — an upstart. I could see why he would act as he did.
Unlike Virnan, who chose to seclude himself in his studies and support Kiymetl from within.
But, returning back to the women in question, they grew up in a society that expected them to reach and take whatever they needed, instead of waiting for opportunities. And that showed in their way of living and even treating their amorous ventures.
Once they were interested in me, their behaviour changed into 'capture' mode.
Anaise wasn't trying to please me with her stunts, she was actively learning what caused me to have favourable reactions and then she immediately acted on them. Fishing for my response. And subsequently preening when she succeeded in doing so.
We ditched Viter as we passed the inner chambers and Anaise breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the speed and easily sent away any servants that dared to approach us. Allowing us to reach our final destination without any issues.
Anaise's chambers weren't as I imagined them to be. These were her resting quarters. As such, all they catered for was her sleep and the early morning hours of the day. If not for the quality and style of the very few items present it could even be seen as spartan.
The walls were covered in soft and fuzzy carpets with intricate embroidery. So that is what Farshat looked like. I guess I could see the appeal of having something like that too - not only each one of them looked like a painting, each screamed of wealth yet muffled the noises both in and out of the room.
The rest of the room was equally comparable. A very ornate bed with soft bedding, intricate windows made out of the wooden lattice, and a well-made chair to sit on. Knowing their reluctance for sitting in chairs, I expected that it was only used when she had her hair done in the morning.
And that was it. There were no closets full of intricate clothing or chests with jewellery. These were likely stored elsewhere and brought in the morning by slaves. Nor were there any tables to write or ponder upon, just a tiny nightstand to put a bowl of fragrant water. The room was rich by being very specific in its role — her family was wealthy enough to afford multiple rooms for multiple activities. And accessibility to amenities meant nothing if said amenities were brought to her by the servants.
"It feels weird watching myself in this mirror," Anaise murmured as I finally placed it near the chair, just as she ordered me to.
"What do you mean?"
"I see myself in it, but there is no feeling of a Spark. It is quite vexing."
"Like seeing a murk?"
"What? No!" She turned to me, "It is not the absence of the Spark that does it, I have no feelings like that when I look at you. But seeing myself is somehow different."
"Uncanny," I nodded, "Your mind tells you what you should see, but your eyes do not. And it creates a dissonance inside of you."
"Perhaps, but we do not 'see' Sparks. We feel them. As long as they are close enough it is like a knowledge in your mind that another one is near."
"Just like Viter did," I smirked, making her blush, "So wers can feel it, right? I know they have Sparks, they are even called Wersparks for a reason. What makes them different from wermages?"
She hummed in thought and pushed me onto her bed. Before I could ask what she was doing or comment on the softness of the silks, Anaise cuddled in.
"Because the Sparks is all they have. While wermages can use theirs to affect the Flow around them. The things that you can see as magic. Just as we can feel the Sparks, so we can feel the ebbs in the current. That is how the runes were formed by the way. Originally they were used to teach the young or to preserve the rare spells that weren't used often. But it was quickly noticed that they helped to form the spells themselves. And they quickly became a common aid, especially for things that you needed quickly."
She stretched her hand away, creating a small ball of fire in her palm, "I will not lie, wer have some magic within them. It is what makes them strong. What they don't have is the ability to project it out of their body."
I listened quietly as my thoughts whirled around. Irje was probably not a full wermage, I have heard of her complaints that my explanations of runic shapes meant nothing to her. Which meant that she didn't feel them as wermages did. Yet she could 'expel' her magic outward. Which also pushed her away from being mere wer too. At least by the descriptions, I was given.
"Have there been any attempts at teaching wer to cast spells?" I asked instead.
"How would you teach the colour to the blind?" She answered my question with her own.
"What about the free wer of the Manor?" I kept digging as something was still nagging at me. Things didn't fit right somehow. "Aren't they somehow related to the wermage family? They look alike and have similar features."
"Sometimes the Gods smile on wer mothers so that they could give birth to wermages. It is a great honour and they are usually educated by the wermage family they were subordinate to. It would eventually result in a new wermage line appearing within the House. These young lines usually have a mix of children of both types and they would rely on the other families for education since they usually lack the funds to hire teachers themselves. Only when they start to have wermage-only children do they form a separate household."
Anaise sighed and continued, "Quite often many of them would have 'accidents' during childbirth, resulting in the death of a child. Even more established families do. Both as the natural way of life and to preserve the purity of their line, lest someone will think their power is waning."
"A rather harsh approach, but I can understand the reasons behind it." I nodded seriously.
The family was paramount. And all members would strive to push its glory to the higher ground. And a wer child in a wermage-only household would be a source of shame and weakness. Most likely have a cruel life if they were to remain alive.
That is if you valued the status of your family above the life of a newborn.
But all that paled with the revelation I have finally achieved. The wer and wermages weren't just related. They might see themselves as gifts of their gods to their weaker cousins, but this was a single race! They were selectively breeding themselves to achieve the progeny with all the 'Flow' or 'Magic' mutations or even brand new genes that would allow them to feel, sense, and manipulate Flow.
No wonder I couldn't pinpoint whether Irje was wer or a wermage. There was a gradient of power with multiple steps being easily detectable by the affected perception of the individual or their ability. Perhaps there were many 'wer' just like Irje, who could cast magic but were blind to what they were doing. Only to be labelled as wer because of that blindness.
Or maybe all wer could cast it since they had the Spark.
Which begat the next question. What about Sparks? Did murks have Earth origins and lacked these mutations or were there silent wermages among our kind. Blind and deaf to the power on their fingertips? Labelled at murks simply because they lacked the 'Spark' mutation that turned others into beacons for everyone?
"What about murks? Have they ever had wer or wermage children?" I asked.
I knew that murks often were used for the sexual needs of the upper classes. We had all the proper plumbing to satisfy our masters anyway. And I knew that children were born from such affairs. What I didn't know was their future. The faint memories of my past told me that some were left with the mothers while some were killed or taken away.
All those that were left with mothers were murks. If there was a mother still alive by then.
She shifted in my arms, "Wer children are common between the slaves and wermage males. Since the first have the Heat quite often and males are fertile year around. Mothers usually don't survive them. Some of the children are brought into the family, but they are rarely presented as slaveborn. That would make them slaves themselves, and most Families tend to frown upon their kind in chains. Especially within the same Manor."
So there was that.
Hordes of other questions remained, but some parts were finally fitting into places. There were no three races at all, there were just humans and mutated super-humans with variable sets of magical genes. Or if one would look at the world from their point of view there were wermages and their weaker cousins.
I still was pretty sure that they were from Earth or even the First Colonies. But how they found themselves on this planet, and how they developed magical abilities was still a mystery. Most likely to be lost to time millennia ago.
Maybe some human developed a magical mutation or even engineered the first genes only to teleport themselves here with an experimental spell gone wrong. Or they were the ancestors of my own ship? Perhaps I was carrying passengers back then. Host Navigators had no human crew.
The tiny hand disturbed my pondering.
"Do not worry, Erf. I will take care of you," Anaise confidently nodded, misunderstanding my prolonged silence, "I won't let anything like that happen to you. My mother might shower you with gifts, and even give you freedom. But I will take you in. And I will make sure that no other wermage would dare to take you. Whether with gold or with force."
"You can't Anaise," I gently pushed her hand away, "A murk taken by a wermage? First of all, your mother would be livid. Might even disown you for even suggesting something like that. And I have no desire to sour my relations with my owner. You don't need to worry — I will teach you no matter what. For that is my desire."
"Yes I can," She stubbornly replied ignoring my other arguments, "If anyone tries to stop me, my mother or anyone else, they will quickly learn how truly strong I have become. As a future Domina, I will make them consider my decisions."
"And you will alienate everyone in the process," I argued back, "Anaise, I am not going anywhere, don't burn bridges for something that you already have."
The green eyes narrowed, "Anyone would be jumping in joy at my proposition. Especially a murk. Why are you still trying to find excuses? Do you consider me beneath your notice? Or do you have plans to be taken by a 'real' Domina?"
"No wermage would willingly take me, Anaise," I quietly spoke anticipating the upcoming eruption, but unwilling to keep it hidden from her either, "For I already have sadaq."
For a moment she looked at me as if my head fell off. Her mouth open yet without another stream of rebukes.
"What?" Anaise asked hoarsely instead.
"I had sadaq before your mother told me to teach you all I could…"
"Who? It is that cougar wer isn't it? Don't listen to the tales of an opportunist! You can't have sadaq with just one person! And my mother wouldn't hear of it!" She angrily interrupted.
"There are two, and your mother had already stated that she heard of it."
"Why?!" The tiny arms yanked me and shook me back and forth, the grimace of pain on her face, pulling at my heart. "Why did you choose them and not me!"
"I didn't, back then I didn't even know you."
"Then leave them! They are nothing but leeches on your prestige! Why are you burdening yourself with them." She growled at me.
I shook my head, "I can't. They were there when I was alone. When I didn't have the Gestr, when the Domina didn't even know my name or my face. They were there for me when I craved for support. When I was just a new companion slave, desperately trying to avoid the fate of a bed warmer for one of your fathers."
"And maybe you should have been given to him anyway!" Anaise pushed me away and got up from the bed. She stood in the centre of the room, looking at the window and away from me in silence. A tiny frame with the eyes of fantastic beasts watching her from the rugs.
"Out," She choked out.
"Anaise…" I tried to say something, unsure what to say myself.
"I said. Get, Out, Of, My, Sight." Her words rang like a hammer to my ears, "I do not require your services anymore, you may be informed if I change my mind in the future."
Whatever I tried to say or do stalled as she changed her tone of speech. With a conflicted mind, I walked out as quietly as I could. There was little else I could do to fix the problem on the spot. I couldn't talk to Anaise for only the Lady of the House was here right now.
And even if I could, what would I say? What else I did expect from this whole endeavour? I could try to blame my girls as this was their idea, and probably should grill Irje specifically about the minimum amount required for sadaq. But, in the end, it was me who chose this path. And it will be me who will bear the consequences.
Irje and Yeva didn't seduce the young and very impressionable girl, wermage or not. Domina-to-be or not.
Erf did.
Even if I had the approval of her mother too. Three women plotted and planned and now a young lady was hurt and heartbroken. And all could have been avoided if Erf kept the head on his shoulders.
And now Erf needed to reap what he had sown.
Aikerim Kiymetl Adal
A loud bang of the door made her ears drop in pain as the parchments flew from her table.
"Mother, I require an audience." Her daughter bit out.
She lifted her eyes from the missive she had been writing onto the irate daughter of hers, "You do not look like you are in a state for a proper audience. Come back once you have made yourself proper."
A metal cup rose up and, with a groan, folded into itself. Crumbling into tiny flakes like dry leaf released from a clenched fist. Aikerim goggled at the sight. That was not the power of Anaise that she knew.
In fact, that was not the power that she would expect from even the strongest mages!
They might achieve similar results, but none would be as quick in doing so. How fortuitous!
"I insist." The young mage sweetly smiled. The smile didn't reach her eyes. The swept-back ears were just another confirmation.
Aikerim sighed and put the scroll away. While she was unlikely to humour her daughter's tantrums that easily, but that display of power allowed for some concessions. She was unreasonable, but she was strong now, and strong people were allowed to be unreasonable from time to time.
"I see that the lectures with my uncle have been most fruitful," Aikerim spoke in a calm manner, hiding her satisfaction at the display.
"The same lectures that I could only achieve with his help," It was obvious to both about whom she spoke, "And his ideas helped too. So tell me why have you shackled him with parasites?"
Ah, his sadaq.
"Because I needed something to keep him," She said instead, "I have met with countless people: murk, wer, or wermage alike. And I can tell a thing or two from a mere glance by now. Erf had no fear of me akin to other murk slaves, nor did he have greed for gold within his eyes. And his usefulness grew and grew with every day. Like a channelling spell that you need to control, yet have no idea when it will come undone."
She shifted and looked straight into her daughter's eyes, "So when he came asking for them, I took it. For the first time, he had shown some sense and with it the promise of stability. Of course, I would gladly accept his request if it meant that I didn't need to break my head thinking about how could I make sure that he would bring me more and more gifts and revelations. By showing me that he cared for them he allowed me to be able to manipulate him through them. As long as I keep them happy and content I have no fear of his flights of fancy."
"You could have given him to me instead!" Anaise butted in.
"Have you even thought about what you just said, foolish daughter!" Aikerim thundered.
"Yes! He is a daimon, isn't he? All that knowledge and these numbers and ideas of his. No mere murk could know of this! It would take some time but other Houses will quickly learn of this. Add to it my newfound strength and no one would dare to question my choice. And then he will be mine."
"He will be dead!" She yelled at her child.
And here she thought Anaise was less foolish than Amalric. The young fever was strong in both of them. Why couldn't they be like their oldest brother?
Aikerim sighed and continued, "If you even dare to speak about that I won't even have the time to punish you. My mother, the Matriarch, would simply dissolve my Manor for my inability to educate my children. And then she would be in charge of who will you take, and she would have even less patience for your insanity. Most likely would kill him too just in case."
In the dead silence of the room, she spoke again, "Which means that you could only take him later, after you have taken your first husband, at least, or have become a Domina yourself. If you continue to grow in your skill I would give you seventy years to achieve that. Much faster than I did, mind you. But by that time he would be infirm and old. Or have been sent to Gods in the smoke of a pyre."
"But…He is a daimon!" Anaise weakly protested, her eyes roaming as if she was trying to find something, and failing at it. Desperate.
"Yes. And he has a murk's body. And I've seen him gawk at what I could do without effort. His body could contain the wisdom of a daimon, but not the magic."
"Then why did you make him be my attendant? You could have made him teach my lectures and no more. Why did you make sure that I would get close to him while knowing that this wouldn't last? Why are you torturing me so?" her daughter begged her for an answer.
She sighed yet again and pulled her daughter close, trying to hide old feelings in her heart, "When I was a child, my mother had gifted me a slave. Not as a servant but as a friend. We played together, watched the skies and leaves in the river together. We shared our laughs and sorrows. The years went by and we were inseparable still. But I grew strong and Maya withered away. And when I came crying to my mother, she told me that it was a lesson all along. Do not grow attached to the murks. For they might be beautiful to the eyes and pleasing to the ears but are ultimately fleeting. To do so means that you would burn a piece of your heart with the passing of each one."
"This is why you never name a child until they breathe for two years. It hurts much less that way. And that is why I wanted him to catch your sight. It is better if you feel it now than to be grieving later.
"So what should I do, then?" Anaise sniffed.
"Observe him. Learn from him. Find enjoyment in his presence now, if you wish. A Daimon is a gift that should be cherished, even a murk one."
She gently combed the loose locks away.
"But know, that this too won't last for long."
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