You know I may not like the fact that I'm trapped in this castle, but It does come with its perks.
Being feed on command, maids to tend to my every need, a personal library and study, and if I need something for my training all I have to do is ask my parents.
"Dad can you please buy me a Three Eyed Raven" I said walking into his study interrupting what he's doing. You know being a kid has some privileges like always being the center of attention wherever you go. The shock and awe was very riveting.
[Isn't that all the time?]
At this point I hadn't realized, but there was someone else in the room. Someone I didn't want to see was bringing my father books from the library.
"Oh hello Hilda, father no need to pay attention to this selfish son I'll be going now", and just as I turned around to walk out the room, I felt the icy cold grip of death on my shoulders.
Wow she's fast and her grip was so tight!
"Why hello Young Prince, why don't we go over proper etiquette again in your study together. I'm sure there will be plenty for us to improve on", said Hilda with her trademark making babies cry Smile.
"We don't need to. Im sure I have it all down packed", I said in the smallest of voices.
You see ever since it was found out that I could speak at one and I was hiding it, showing remarkable intelligence, my parents and maids realized that not only was I intellectual but that I could make logical decisions. Which means Hilda knows that half my baby acts from before were fake. That's when this castle turned into hell. Hilda at first petitioned the king to have my etiquette classes early. Crazily enough he almost agreed to have a one year old learn etiquette.
Luckily I have mom on my side. She fought back the warring army of etiquette marching under demon king Hilda and protected me.
[You were also flailing so much in her arms that she couldn't refuse you]
I'm not sure what the Goddess said when I was zoned out.
Anyway our heroine Queen Frigga could not stop a group of kidnapping thieves stealing into——-
[Your father still agreed you should learn honorifics in your language course. Jeez drop the bit already]
Which is why when I walked in just now, calling my father by Dad instead of your Majesty, miss hall monitor over here turned rabid.
I normally only call him dad in private which he actually enjoys. This is a look before you leap situation.
"Don't worry young Prince, a quick review of your honorifics will do you wonders. Let's hurry along to your study". She said leaning over my head while pointing to the room next door.
"Wait!" A voice behind us sounded.
We both stopped, turned around, and bowed. Well more like she bowed and then I followed.
The king got up out of his chair and walked over to me and got on one knee. He lifted me up out of my bow and stared me in the eyes.
"Why do you want a three eyed raven as your first contracted beast?".
Well I'm not shocked considering my dads intelligence and blessing but Hilda was shaking next to me. I'm guessing she's surprised I've already learned how to do that.
By the way Hilda isn't an old crown but a middle aged woman with a family of her own so shaking like that while bowed is very impressive.
"You can lift yourself up now Hilda", said my king noticing her obvious agitation.
"Yes my king." She said quickly backing away and acting like a fly on the wall.
Looking back at me with a smile, he said to me, "So why don't you tell your father why I would pay for a creepy raven with his hard earned Pennigars,".
Pennigars are the currency here and they were basically minted Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coins. I'm not sure if Pennigars were the official coin of the Norse culture, but they do sound like Pennies.
"I want to be able to see beyond the castle your majesty". I said with an authentic smile.
"A young explorer we have here don't we. That would explain why your always running from the maids and the guards," He said while scratching his head.
To explain, a Three Eyed Raven is one of the rarer bird types in the Lost Woods. It's rare because it's two interesting abilities make them uncatchable.
The first is called memory mist which make all who see it forget that blip in there memory. Basically if the bird flies through the mist, no one would remember it was there.
The second ability being telepathy. It could read and transfer thoughts. I order to catch one, on most block their mind out and catch them unaware.
"Your Majesty——
Father put his hand up. "How about you just call me dad for now okay. We're in private. Hilda will know not to say anything" he said.
I'm cheering on the inside right now and someone is still fidgeting in the corner.
"Dad, I know I can't ask to leave the castle yet, but I want to be able to see the outside. I've read so much, but seeing is believing." I said in a pleading tone.
My father looked calmly at me and said, "one extra day of training and I'll get you the bird. Along with that, we can go outside together as a family every month". He smiled.
"Deal!" I said in a very excited.
————-
A few days later I was sitting In my study when a knock sounded at my door.
Alfred used a vine to open the door for me.
"Hello father!" I said in a good mood.
The conversation the other day made me realize I liked my dad a lot more that I thought. He may be a big bear of a man but he was my dad.
"Good afternoon son. I've brought you something", he said while walking toward the table.
He put something akin to a bird cage on top of the desk.
There's nothing inside it, but I quickly use Life sense to see that there's a bird in the cage. It can shut out my memory of it but it won't be able to shut out the connections mana is making with it which is what I'm looking at.
"Quickly dad take a step back." I said while making a personal connection to it with the mana network.
The bird was clearly still a moment ago but felt something strange and started moving around. This also dropped the disguise and it looked at me with its three beady eyes.
The next moment I wrote the contract.
Writing the contract doesn't happen with paper but with souls. I am communicating with our thoughts.
Currently it can see me using my thoughts to write a contract. To it, I might as well have been screaming the words of the contract in its ear.
Basically I stated it would die if it did anything to harm me or disobey me.
I made the contract fairly strict due to the bird not being caught by me personally.
Then some type of voice sounded in both our minds.
"DO YOU ACCEPT".
"Yes", I replied.
"Caww", the bird sounded.
Then a bright light flash and a mark appeared on my left forearm of a Raven like a tattoo.
I'm finding it interesting how all these tattoos form. I have the other three sigils on my back left shoulder and now the Raven. I'm gonna have a whole sleeve at some point.
Regardless, this mark has some utility. If I focus on that mark with my mana connection I can talk to the Raven wherever it is.
Clap clap clap
"Congrats son on your first contracted beast", said my dad smiling.
He continued, "Now you'll have to figure out how to feed it and take care of it. Do not worry, I've instructed all the maids to not allow you to take from the food stores to help you learn responsibility".
... I take back what I said about liking this guy.