A/N: The contents of this chapter may not be suitable for all audiences. Please read at your own discretion. (mild gore)
Friedrich snorted, then laughed boisterously for several seconds. "Ha! Hahahaha!" He then shook his head, giving the King a sly look that seemed to carry some meaning that Alesha couldn't decipher. "Well, let's get on with it then. Steal my Gluttony!"
Alesha was confused. Why was Han -- no, Friedrich -- being so flippant about this? Wouldn't it be more natural to protest having one's skill stolen, or to attempt a negotiation first? Why was the young man agreeing so quickly? Was there something more going on here, something she couldn't see?
"Alesha, if you would," the King prompted gently.
"Right," Alesha responded. Well, it wasn't her place to question Friedrich's decision. Perhaps he was just really good at adapting to unexpected situations.
She approached the chair to which the young man was tied and, when Friedrich didn't move his neck to assist the bloodsucking, she awkwardly went around to behind his chair. This time, she'd drink from behind. Mentally speaking, this felt weird; was she really about to bite another man's neck? Sure, it was for a very specific and very non-romantic purpose, but images from movies she'd seen that romanticized kissing one anothers' necks happened to surface at that moment. Embarrassment crept up within her and colored her cheeks red.
Before anyone could notice her bashfulness, she quickly turned her thoughts towards the hunger she'd suppressed after sucking some of Leland's blood. If she could just bring that back, it would erase any sense of awkwardness she felt now.
This approach proved a little too effective. Almost as soon as the idea to bring it back occurred to her, the hunger roared within her again, and she found herself latched onto his left trapezius muscles, sucking his blood greedily. She barely even noticed when the first Plunder notification came up and didn't realize what she had done until the second appeared underneath it. Eyes widening, she released her grip on Friedrich and stumbled backward, hitting the wall behind her roughly and banging her head.
Dizzy from bloodlust and the blow to her head, she staggered forward, barely able to think. Her vision swam.
*****
Plunder conditions met! Skills available to plunder: Divine Cooking Lvl 5, Divine Baking Lvl 4, Gluttony Lvl 1, Chef's Eyes Lvl 5, Chef's Tongue Lvl 5, Chef's Nose Lvl 5, Kitchen Maintenance Lvl 7, Heavenly Gardening Lvl 2
Skill description available after selection
*****
What are these annoying golden things flying in front of my face? Alesha thought, brain muddy and confused. She waved her hands through them in an attempt to get them to go away. Eyes look good, and oh,Gluttony sounds familiar, I think. Ooh they're gone now. Yay!
Sturdy, leather-gloved hands gripped her shoulders and she could dimly hear a voice asking her a question. What were they saying? Something smelled good! She closed her eyes and sniffed, licking her lips. It smelled so delicious! She could tell someone was speaking to her, but it came through garbled, as if they were attempting to talk underwater. Why were they doing that? Didn't they know that speaking through water was futile? She giggled deliriously.
Seriously, though, what was that fantastic smell? It was so close she could almost taste it. She opened her eyes and saw a delicious-looking cut of meat in front of her, strangely wrapped up in some fabric and linked metal chains. Why would someone cover up food like that? It was so weird. Well, whatever. It didn't matter to her, she could just move those annoying coverings out of the way.
She tried to move her arms to do so but found that something was restraining their movement. Hmm? What was this? Frustrated, she jerked, trying to get free, and dimly heard shouts as she succeeded. Right, it was nighttime. She was much stronger at night.
Now free of her restraints, she lunged forward at the weirdly-covered food, prying the cloth and metal coverings aside and biting down hard, tearing a chunk free and sucking on it, then spitting it out. Delicious-looking juice was now irregularly gushing from the gap in the meat. She put her lips to the gap's edges, sucking greedily for quite a while, ignoring the garbled, underwater shouts and annoying hands that tried to distract her from her meal. No annoying, golden windows appeared this time.
A somewhat clearer voice cut through the garbled mess of shouts, speaking rhythmically as if rapping. Why was there a rapper here? That didn't fit the fantasy scene at all.
Still, the voice drew her attention completely, distracting her from the wrapped-up, nearly-drained cut of meat she knelt on. What was this hypnotic voice telling her to do? She couldn't comprehend the words for some reason, but she felt like she instinctively understood what they asked of her. They were reminding her of the late hour, the exhaustion in her bones, the stiffness of her muscles and the long day of training she had endured. That's right, it had been such a tiring day. Alright, then. She would listen to the voice's suggestion.
Smiling blearily, she slumped forward, falling asleep almost instantly.
--
The King sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. With the other, he waved for his guards to take the unconscious Hero away to the prearranged location. He hadn't anticipated she'd go berserk like that. "Well? Did her skill activate, at least?" He asked of the tied-up Hero in front of him.
Looking at something the King couldn't see, Friedrich clicked his tongue unhappily. "Shit, yeah, but she also took Chef's Eyes! Ya gotta compensate me for this, King, that skill was useful as hell. This wasn't part of the deal!"
The King lowered his hand from his face and sternly met Friedrich's gaze. After a miniature staring contest, the King relented. "Fine, this was an unforeseen development in which you were victimized. What do you want from me?"
Friedrich shifted in his seat, smirking, though a little pale. "Hmmmm what should I extort from ya, King? Women? Ooh, I know, how boutcha let us marry your daughter, hmm? I've heard she's a pretty lil' thing, and Han could use a good girl to give him confidence!"
The King balled his fists and made an angry expression. Then, he calmed himself. "Is that truly what you wish of me?"
Friedrich's expression turned to one that somehow seemed both devious and innocent at once. Perhaps it was the sparkle in his eyes? He nodded with a smile.
"Very well then. In compensation for this unfortunate development, you may have the hand of my daughter Maeve. She just turned sixteen last week; if you wish, you may be married within a fortnight."
Their negotiation continued for a while, after which a guard undid Friedrich's bindings. "Thank you for your cooperation, Hero, you have done me a great service," the King added as Friedrich was led back to his room.
A heaviness settled over the King's heart as he returned to the prison's office. He knew his plan was necessary, but that didn't make him feel any better about it. That girl, that Hero Alesha, didn't appear to have any malicious intent at all. She had not intended to lose control and he knew it. Compared to the ever-violent, barely-controlled Keenan, she didn't deserve what was going to happen to her in the slightest.
Still, for the good of the Kingdom and the safety of his people, his resolve could not waver now. He had to see it through to the end.