WINIFRED
"The prince said you were particularly reticent but I didn't know you refused to touch people as well. Am I the problem?"
"You're not human, are you?"
I knew non-human existed in this world. They were usually powerful but rare to find among humans. This one had a particularly dark aura and when he smiled, it sent shivers down my spine.
"What are you talking about?" he smiled, leaning back on his chair.
"Stop smiling. It's horrifying."
"I thought you were blind, my lady."
"I thought so as well."
"Then, can you see this?"
From behind him, his shadow started to move up until it was hanging above his head. Once it was on the ceiling, it dropped down like ink, falling and disappearing into his body. I felt goosebumps line my skin.
"So you really can see it. Interesting. Very interesting."
"What are you?!"
"The question is, my lady, what are you? You see, there are only a select few who can see my real body and all of those people either have a strong affinity for darkness or have surpassed the limits of mortality. It's hard to tell which of these two groups you belong in, my lady."
"What are you trying to say? And answer my question, I asked you first."
"You do behave like a child after all," he chuckled. He leaned forward and stared me directly in the eyes.
"You must understand, my lady, that I cannot tell you who I am. You're to be the Saintess, according to the prince. I can't have you ratting me out to the church. But it is fascinating that the Church do not know about your peculiar situation. Are you sure you're a Saintess of Oriel?"
He could see right through me. He talked as if he knew what he was doing and I could see that the darkness was particularly strong with him. He could move his own shadow! Or at least, it looked like a shadow.
Two options were laid before me.
I could tell him what I was. And he could help me. Or, I could keep it to myself. There was no need to tell the Church. I didn't trust them.
"You look conflicted, my lady."
"Thar is not a particularly easy question to answer. Just like you, my situation is complicated. I'm not sure I should trust someone masquerading as a Royal Tutor."
"Would you trust me if I said I was not here to hurt you?"
"Hurting me is easy for you, especially since we're alone and you clearly have the means. You're not taking me hostage so the Church doesn't mean much to you as well. There's something worth more than my life that you want and you want it from the prince."
"...amazing. Really amazing. You deduced that so easily. You'd be worth teaching, I can tell."
"You're not going to quit?"
"Why should I? It's been centuries since I found someone as fascinating as you."
"Centuries?"
"Oops! We can forget about that blunder."
He's not very bright, is he? Well, that has been clear enough. I have already made up my mind.
"I have no affinity for Light. I do not know why I was chosen as Oriel's Saintess but I know it could kill me. I don't exactly have a choice in this situation and being blind makes it infinitely harder to escape. Light and darkness don't mix after all."
"But you're not blind. You can see me just fine."
"I can't see anyone or anything else."
"Your eyes are special. I wish you could see them. They're such a beautiful shade of Grey."
Those words were too familiar. The protagonist raised Winifred's veil and said those same words. This man was nothing like the protagonist.
"Since you shared your secret, I'm supposed to share mine now. I'm am similar to you. I'm a Saint, a saint of Yon, the god of war and death."
"How come I've never heard of you? And isn't the Saint of a god like that supposed to be...less calm?"
"One, I don't know how no one has heard of me. But if it's what I think happened, then it makes more sense. And two, war and death are much calmer than you think. No one wins a war hotheaded. Winning Strategies are made with a calm head. And death, no matter how gruesome, always happens calmly."
"So you're not the type to kill arbitrarily?"
"Let's just say the people I wish to kill are worth conserving my strength."
"So basically, you want revenge."
"...yes. It seems I have to watch my words and myself around you. You are a scary opponent, my lady."
"I have one last question. What is your real name?"
"My name...is Nathan."
NATHAN
I closed the door behind me and faced the curious prince. He had been pacing around the door the entire duration of our first meeting, obviously curious of what we spoke about. He couldn't hear anything we said inside because of the barrier spell I put outside the door.
"How did it go?"
"I think your highness was not being honest about your description of my lady."
"What does that mean?" he frowned.
"It means the lady exceeded my expectations. I'm looking forward to the classes I will have with my lady."
"She didn't protest?"
"I don't believe she did, your highness."
He narrowed his eyes at me, studying my expression. He's cautious, this one. The bloodline was particularly strong with him, stronger than any other I've felt in the vicinity. But he isn't ripe yet. I would have to bid my time. I can be patient. I've been patient for several centuries.
"Well, I'm glad she likes you. I was beginning to worry about finding another tutor. People like you are rare to find."
Oh, my dear prince, you have no idea.
"Please follow me. I'll ask the butler to prepare a room for you and a learning room like you asked. A priest from the church would visit the mansion once every week to check on her so don't be alarmed about that. And...if she requests for Darryl, please don't hesitate to send her to him. She can get very...sensitive if she doesn't have him next to her. It's quite a worrying situation."
"She's blind, your highness. Not having someone you trust next to you while being helpless is equivalent to prancing naked on the streets whilst being hunted by enemy soldiers."
"That is a morbid comparison but I suppose you're right. I will be taking my leave after I hand you over to the butler."
The Prince had a good head on his shoulders. It was obvious he was hiding the girl, placing her in a nondescript mansion. Even the guards here didn't wear official uniforms and the mansion didn't have his insignia anywhere. He didn't bring us in a royal carriage and judging from how cautious he was, he didn't want anyone else finding out about her.
This only makes it more interesting. He wanted something from her and it looked like she was using him for protection. She knew way more than she said she did and he obviously had a goal, a big one. Perhaps it was the throne.
"Darryl! Darryl, come here!"
"Yes, your highness!"
A prepubescent boy ran up to us. He was tall and skinny but he seemed to be growing rapidly. He looked plain, with his common brown hair and brown eyes. There was a scar on his face, from his left eye down to his cheek. He had no magic aura but from the looks of his body, he was building up to be a knight.
"Darryl, this is Winifred's new tutor, Lord Sebastian Silver. Lord Silver, this is Darryl."
"Hello sir," he greeted nervously. He was a plain lad but her dependence must've come from the fact that he sounded demure.
"Hello, Darryl. I look forward to working with you from now on as well."
"Yes, sir!"
The prince chuckled. He squatted till he was at the boy's eye level and ruffled his hair.
"I'll be leaving now. Take care of Winifred till I come back, okay?"
"Yes, your highness!"
This body of mine was quite convenient. I found it with the help of Samuel, a dying noble boy with a sufficient magic and an affinity for dark magic. He was secretly dabbling with dark arts he didn't know how to control and it corrupted his soul. In exchange for clearing that corruption, I took his body. It was a temporary contract but it was sufficient. I would regain my body soon enough.
The butler led me to my room and I got settled in. I could always return to the Silver mansion and I would be doing so soon. The books the boy possessed were very interesting and rare to find. They would come in handy, especially for the education of the little one. I couldn't wait to see her reaction to it.