Everything's Coming Together

Vandrad had decided to take up an extra hobby. And it absolutely wasn’t with the intention of keeping himself out of his head.

It had been almost two months since his week long vacation with Mercury and his family and since then, he had returned to a sense of normalcy. It was actually kind of incredible how normal he felt back in Magnolia than at home, if only because his routine had been down to the letter and structured without the intervention of his family. He had truly enjoyed his time home and, wanting to keep to his word, had told the Duchess that he would return after another three months for another set amount of time. The Silver Wolf mage had made him aware of just how much his family missed him when he wasn’t there and he intended on proving to them that they weren’t simply forgotten when he went back.

But being  back where he was in the middle of a mission was where he thrived. Discovering more about his father and the mysterious Mythal was certainly at the top of his list. While Mercury had done a lot of the research on the Ragnos name -- as well as plenty of other subjects -- the Prince had opted to figure out how to properly conduct his own means of searching. He had always relied on himself to learn things and had ignored other aspects that he didn’t deem viable or useful. Technology was helpful to a certain regard but he’d never put a primary focus on it. It wasn’t until Fairy Tail had acquired a new training room that was as state of the art as they came that he started to learn a bit more.

Now, after returning, he made it his mission to educate himself to a deeper level. It was an easy insert into his routine after all -- after his training was finished and he had showered and prepared for the day, he spent the next hour and a half reading magical engineering and technological development books. His studies needed to be shifted on the morning that Mercury came by, as she was usually one to hang around and chat for some time before returning to her own duties. Truthfully he didn’t mind -- spending more time with her gave him ample opportunity to learn more about her. And that, in turn, further developed their bond that had remained as strong as it had become from Bellum. It just didn’t have the same soft spoken intimacy that had clearly been some kind of vacational fluke.

Vandrad had even made himself a little workbench in his home, so he could begin a more hands-on means of training. He had thought about taking apart Mercury’s gifted device but opted not to. That was the first gift even -- after they’d come back to Fiore, she’d provided him with something akin to an iLac but made just for him. He hadn’t used it outside of communicating with her and frankly, he didn’t really do that all too much digitally. He saw her enough as it was. But rather than break down those devices, he had gone out and purchased a rather cheap electronic device that was mixed in with magic. That way if he screwed up, he wouldn’t be damaging something she had given to him. Not that they had sentimental value to him or anything -- he just didn’t want to be rude.

He was right in the middle of piecing together some of the components when his makeshift iLac buzzed. He lifted the goggles from his face, brow furrowing, as he put down the tools in his hands and reached over to check it. It was a message from Mercury -- a very generic, awfully suspicious message. She said they should talk and asked him to meet her at Silver Wolf. He stared at the screen, perplexed at what exactly the message was supposed to mean. They should talk? They talked every time she was here; why was this so much more important. It sounded important, else she would have given him a brief summation to, at the very least, make him aware of what to expect. Honestly, it kind of sounded like she was hinting that…

He froze. That couldn’t be it, right? His mind quickly ran through his memories, back to the second night that he and Mercury had been in Bellum. They had gone to the pool for the sake of him teaching her how to swim and one thing had led to the other. And like a damn fool, he had gotten caught up in the moment and not taken proper precautions ahead of time. Was this her saying they needed to talk because she had recently discovered she was pregnant? Oh, all the color drained from his face as the possibility dawned on him. He’d never even considered the fact that he could possibly… How could he have been so stupid?

Vandrad very quickly dressed, hurriedly putting everything back in its place practically on autopilot. He left the building so fast that he pretty much flew from his door out the main set of doors. Through the air he soared at such an alarming rate, he probably barely registered on people’s radars, flying as fast as a bullet. He reached the Phoenix Mountains in no time, arching his body downwards so he could land. His boots landed with a crunch as they pressed down on the snow, honestly surprised to see the wintry wonderland as the snowstorm raged around him. He’d heard that the guild was protected by the elements but to experience it up close was something else entirely. He stood there for a moment, pulling out the device once more to read the message. Follow the wolves… that was an odd direction.

Seemingly sensing him reading about them, a few canines wandered through the trees, eyeing him curiously. His gaze met their’s, even as he slid the device back in his pocket. After a moment, they started walking into the storm, apparently intent in leading him. Without an alternative, the Prince followed after them. He wasn’t sure how long they were walking, as the storm deceived his perception of the flow of time but soon enough, he spotted a building in the distance. The wolves came to a stop a fair distance away from the building, turning to look at him as if to acknowledge that the rest of the journey was his. He gave them a curt nod and continued on.

He stepped through an invisible barrier, removing himself from the harsh elements to one of wonder and calmness. He glanced back towards the raging snow briefly before he set his attention back on the building, moving through the snow before he was standing right before the door. Brushing off some of the snow from his shoulders and giving a quick shake of his head, he reached out and pushed the barrier inward, stepping into the large lobby of the guild hall. Crafted out of intricate and well carved wood, Vandrad took a moment to admire the log motif as he walked up to the front desk, finally settling his gaze on one of the guild members.

"I was told to come here by Mercury,” he said simply, his voice even despite his concern. Now that he was here and perhaps moments away from talking to her, his worry over the prospect of a possible child was boiling deep in his core. Already he was trying to think of how he was going to explain this to his family...

Vandrad wasn’t sure what was happening. He’d arrived as quickly as possible, reading between the lines of her message and interpreting that they should talk sooner rather than later. Inside, he was a wreck of mixed emotions that he couldn’t pin down or quell. What the hell was he going to do if she was pregnant? It was bad enough when he had been born out of wedlock but another child would make his family look ridiculous. Granted, he was more than sure that his mother wouldn’t care -- in fact, most of his direct family would probably be quite pleased. Vandrad suddenly had a child on the way; oh he could already hear the excitement in their voices. But having a child without being married, especially with Mercury…

Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it? It wasn’t like it was some random harlot that he’d slept with on a whim. No, the Silver Wolf mage had met his family, gotten along with all of them. And he couldn’t deny that she was an effective partner and a good friend, teasing and pranks aside.  If there was anyone in the world that he would prefer to help raise his child, it would be her after all. She was reliable, trustworthy and capable of handling anything that came her way. Just as his mind was starting to calm down, even slightly warm up to the idea, he shook it away and the anxiousness took over once more.

Somehow he both missed when she came down the stairs and only saw her within the room. He was off in his own little mind palace and just happened to be staring up at the stairs when she descended. It wasn’t until her voice echoed down at him that he was snapped from his trance, blinking away the stream of continuous thought to meet her gaze. "What?” he said, having missed the first part of her greeting. But she was already moving on, saying that she had some stuff she needed to talk to him about. Yet rather than getting right to the meat of it, she insisted upon giving him a tour as it was his first time there. "A tour…?” he mumbled, now more confused than stressed.

How was that the most important thing right now? He thought about insisting that they talk about whatever news she had, wanting to rid himself of the pit in his stomach sooner rather than later. But if there was one thing he understood well, it was that trying to force it would make her hold out longer -- if only to watch him squirm. No, she was the one with the news so he had to play by her rules right now. He swallowed hard and did his best to quell the concerns, if only so he could take the tour seriously. Despite the trepidation, he was genuinely interested in seeing what the Silver Wolf guildhall was like. She started him in the kitchen area, that was set about for the guild members as well as guests for the famous spas. Apparently Silver Wolf was quite the tourist attraction, with plenty of accommodations for people that were visiting. The idea of a guild doubling as an attraction was unique, to say the least.

She pointed out some of the more interesting aspects of the guild, explaining where the guild started and the guest rooms were set. They stopped for a moment for her to point at a staircase and explained that an impressive library lay beyond the steps, kept away from nonmembers. It was filled with all the information and knowledge that had been found and treasured by members of the guild for years upon years. There were also laboratories where the more hands-on Silver Wolf scientists could experiment with their findings and relics.

With the rest of the tour out of the way, they continued into the famous spas that he’d heard so much about. As they entered, even Vandrad couldn’t deny the feeling of relaxation and tranquility that clung to the air. Several large communal pools were set into the ground for use, a good portion of them filled with guests and members. More naturally wakes appeared as they continued, this time separated it seemed by one’s sex. Perhaps pools that were meant for more nudity than the others? He didn’t really understand the need for separation but then again, his view on things such as nudity was a bit more lenient than others.

They kept walking to the private section of the spas, passing by a counter that had several staff members working at it. They gave Mercury a brief, friendly wave as they passed on by, Vandrad’s eyes snapping back and forth as he tried to understand exactly what was happening. Mercury led him down another hallway and then into one of the rear rooms, separated from the rest of the spas. As the door shut behind him, he found himself inside a locker room of sorts, with a passage that led to a private bath. She complimented the library but it was obvious through her words that the true attraction to her was the hot springs. Grinning, she opened a locker and continued to talk, speaking of how she believed he hadn’t gotten a chance to relax so she had decided to lure him there and ‘force’ him to partake in the spas while they talked. All he could do was stare at her, even as her clothes started to come off.

What kind of game was she playing at? From the tone of her message, it seemed she had something serious to talk about. His own worries aside, he felt that she would, at the very least, take the time to assure him it wasn’t anything to be concerned about. Then again, the ease at which she spoke to him about it all was… comforting? It made him wonder if perhaps he hadn’t jumped the gun in his assumptions. Then he couldn’t help the embarrassment that rushed through his veins as he realized what a damn fool he must have looked like, rushing up here. He probably looked like some love-lorn puppy, desperate for her attention. Well stomping out now would look even more ridiculous -- if she was offering him a chance to use the spas, he may as well take it.

He removed his clothing swiftly and placed them in another locker, grabbing a towel to wrap around his hips before following her out into the spa area. Like the other pools they had passed by, the natural layout of the room continued to boast the serenity that came from naturally occuring springs. The Silver Wolf guild had taken the time to install a small station for water and towels but beyond that, everything was au naturale. Mercury set down a magazine on the side of the pool and waded into the waters, clearly relieved to once again be within the steaming hot liquid. With a sigh, he followed her in, sliding easily into the water and walking over to another small cranny that boasted a natural seat. Mercury was getting all kinds of comfortable, eyes closed and letting the vapors and bubbling water ease her body into a state of total bliss.

And for Vandrad, it wasn’t a total waste. He couldn’t deny that the water was quite soothing, especially for one that had gone through a workout earlier that day. He shifted a few times until he was able to be completely comfortable, the water resting on the line of  his pectorals. He could definitely see why this would be an added benefit for being a member. "So you decided to lure me away from Magnolia, away from my schedule, so I could try and get some relaxation?” he asked. He followed it up with a quick but amused snort, shaking his head and sporting a small smirk. "Aren’t you just the worst kind of partner.”

Vandrad had just about settled on the idea that perhaps he wasn’t going to get anything out of Mercury for a bit. She seemed quite settled in her spot in the spa, lazily leaning against the stoneworks and relishing in the feeling that surrounded her. He had glanced over at her and remarked about her status as a partner and she, in turn, had shot him a grin back, quite proud of herself. Was it all just a front to get him out of Fairy Tail and here to relax? It wasn’t beyond the scope of possibility -- but it was also a lot more… empathic than she usually operated. True, they had grown a bit closer during their time in Bellum and since their return, that bond had remained just as firm, though it lacked the strange compassion that had overcome them. Still, their usual way of talking to one another had returned and that meant she was back to being a pain in his ass, albeit an entertaining one.

So rather than sit there and complain, he decided to take her up on the offer. If he was being led to enjoy the spring, then he might as well get use out of it while he was there. He settled in, resting his head against the back of the cranny and let his body relax. Of course right then she spoke up once more, stating that there was no sense in waiting -- as if the entire build up to this moment hadn’t been waiting altogether. She reached over and grabbed the magazine she had strangely taken with her, flipping through the pages before stopping near the middle. She began to read, quoting someone’s words directly from a paragraph. Most of it was clearly an answer to an interview question but the part that was the most interesting -- the one she clearly wanted him to hear -- was the name at the end. Gren Ragnos; Vandrad’s father. With a smirk, Mercury paid him praise on the revelation that he had a brother.

She held out the magazine toward him, which he took curiously. It was an article that apparently focused its questions towards the standing Wizard Saints, small ‘getting to know you’ queries for all the fans they apparently had. They even asked the Warlords -- which were the dark mage equivalent to the Wizard Saints. Hard to imagine reporters being able to put forth those questions safely but who was he to judge. He glanced over to the second page and was met with the face of Mythal Ragnos, looking more than a little displeased at having his picture taken. He read over the words again, his eyes halting on his father’s name once more. Then another name caught his attention as his vision drifted slightly, falling upon one Serilda Sinclair. Even from her photo he could tell she was a noble, looking as regal as anyone possibly could.

He lifted his attention to Mercury as she spoke once more, explaining that this edition had been back from November. Mythal had only been a Wizard Saint at that point it seemed and both the Darkness King and the Field Marshall of the Rune Knights were in the articles fairly regularly. Serilda apparently had her own section within the magazine where she offered advice to questions that readers passed along to her. The Silver Wolf mage explained that while Mythal was in a few other articles, this was the one that he had mentioned Gren -- thus drawing her attention to it. So it seemed that one of his conclusions was correct; Mythal was his brother. He looked at the picture again, honestly a bit confused. His mother had said that he was the spitting image of Gren when he was younger but Mythal looked… different. There didn’t seem to be any familial similarity there at all, save for perhaps the indignation at having one’s photo taken.

Mercury had brought forth some drones to fetch bottles of water for the two of them. He took the offered beverage, peeling off the cap and taking a deep gulp of the cool liquid. Mercury continued after her own sip, explaining that she had researched Mythal pretty well, though it seemed information only really popped up as far back as a year or two. He had been mentioned in the past along with Gren but nothing of substance. The only thing that she was able to find -- and signified why he felt Mythal looked different -- was adoption papers, proving that the Rune Knight Director was taken in by Gren rather than created. Stranger than that was the fact that Mythal didn’t have a birth certificate or, if he did, he was hidden well enough that she hadn’t found it.

"Surprising that he took on a son then -- Gren was still in the prime of his life and his career,” Vandrad said idly. "My mother never informed him that she got pregnant so as far as he knew -- or knows -- I don’t exist. Perhaps he was more of a family man than I originally thought.” It made sense; Gren had seemed more than ready to start a life with Themesycia after their liaison all those years ago. Perhaps an opportunity had arisen for him to adopt Mythal and he took it? He rubbed his chin in thought as he considered the possibilities.

Mercury spoke up once more, mentioning that there had been drama when it came to his appointment as a God of Ishgar. He had once been a general within the Rune Knights and during an event, a senator had been killed by a dark mage before they turned their attention on the civilians. The Magic Council seemingly put the full blame on Mythal and fired him from the Knights and stripped him of his place in the Wizard Saints. But the people had rallied behind him, urging them to reconsider -- or so the story went. He was placed as second-in-command to the Rune Knights and appointed to a God of Ishgar, two very impressive promotions after essentially losing all acclaim in an instant. Even Vandrad could smell the political bullshit  behind the move and Mercury agreed with him. "Indeed. Sounds like he was treated as a scapegoat and for his efforts, they decided to give him a larger reputation. Though one does wonder what their intentions are then…” Vandrad understood very little about the Magic Council, mostly because they mattered very little to him in the first place. The Arch Mages of Bellum paid them very little heed after all.

"So Mythal is my sibling through adoption,” he mused out loud, placing the magazine off to the side. That, at the very least, cleared up some of his questions. But with that in order, it seemed there was only one option left on that route. "Sounds like I’ll need to be paying a visit to Era sooner rather than later,” he remarked, looking over at her. "If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate your support. You’re the one that’s helped dig up the details and as my partner, it would be good to have you there.”

He let that offer hang in the air as he sighed softly. Then his face unwound in silent confusion before breaking into a soft laugh. "Of course that’s the reason you wanted to talk. I can’t believe I…” He couldn’t even bring himself to say it outloud now; it sounded utterly ridiculous.

Vandrad didn’t know a whole lot about politics, aside from what he’d learned during lessons and from his mother. While it was most likely his destiny to take over as Duke once his mother passed on, the whole idea of sitting around and commanding and having that kind of authority wasn’t that appealing. Ironically he was more like his uncle and aunt -- he’d much rather be out and about in the world than having to stay back in Bellum and simply have others act on his behalf. But even he knew when something seemed suspicious and the way the Magic Council had handled Mythal’s situation was, at best, strange.

Mercury shared similar thoughts, musing over the move as something to hold onto their control of the crowds and press. To be honest, she had a point though -- a single dark mage managing to infiltrate the Rune Knight headquarters and kill several people looked bad on the whole establishment as a whole. So shortly after they had suffered such a dire blow from a dark guild only months prior as well. But the Magic Council also probably recognized that releasing Mythal from his place was arguably more dangerous. They probably also hoped that by promoting him twice, he would feel indebted to them. Mercury was on the right track in thinking that the moves were certainly not in line with altruistic thinking.

As much as he enjoyed discussing the intricacies of Fioren politics -- which he didn’t -- he was far more focused on his own situation. With Mythal confirmed as his brother, that meant the next move was to make a proper introduction. Now that his mother had confirmed that she wasn’t ladling clues in front of him in hopes of getting him to come back home, all of the hints and information he had gathered thus far with Mercury’s help were rendered useful. But he wasn’t going to get any answers by simply standing around and skulking around in the shadows anymore. A more direct approach was required and for that, he invited her to join him. She earnestly seemed surprised by the request, stating that while she certainly would like to go, she figured it was something that should be handled more privately. She was trying to tell him that it seemed to be more of a family matter than anything else. And perhaps she was right but, "You’re the one that helped me gain any traction on the subject. And despite your best efforts to drive me insane, you’ve only provided me opportunities to learn more. It seems right that you’re there with me,” he explained evenly.

The truth was, he was nervous about the meeting, though he’d never show it. And having her there beside him would mean he had some kind of support to fall back on. Despite having thrust herself into his personal life practically from the start, she had managed to make herself fairly important in his life. He already knew every member of his family adored her and there was no denying that, while their words had been soft and way too intimate, he had meant everything he’d said to her in Bellum. He just didn’t want to repeat them again, afraid of what saying them could bring out in her… or worse, him. Bellum had been Bellum but this was Fiore again. There was no reason in circling backwards. All they could do is move forwards.

He lost himself a little in his own thoughts, amazed at how this meeting had turned out. If he had known that the subject was something so relaxed, he wouldn’t have felt any need to come rushing over at all. He mused about that outloud, perhaps a bit too curiously as she looked at him, asking him what he had meant. Well shit… he couldn’t possibly tell her what he’d actually thought. Luckily she followed it up by asking him if he had thought she was contacting him as a booty call? It took him a solid second to remember that booty call was slang for a casual session of sex. "What?!” he said, his voice raising in surprise. "Don’t be absurd, woman. I would never have thought -- How dare you think that I would rush over for such a mundane, idiotic…”

But what else could he say? It’s not like he had a better reason packed away in his head. Yet he absolutely refused to lie and put on the farce that was trying to convince her that he had been excited at the prospect of sex again. That was ridiculous! He wouldn’t come like a madman over here just for the sake of getting laid. What did she think he was, some kind of horn dog? "Believe it or not, I am not a slave to my body and whatever culpabilities it has to excitement or pleasure are none of my -- or your -- concern. Obviously I figured you must have come up with something about Mythal or Gren but I just wasn’t expecting… this,” he said, picking up the magazine briefly to reference it before dropping it back down. "That is all and there is no reason to linger on the subject any longer.”

Her agreement to go with him was easy enough to achieve, seemingly because he knew she wanted to go in the first place. That kind of interaction was juicy and for someone as curious as Mercury was, it was probably a fine feast for her. But she wasn’t going to simply agree for the sake of sating her intrigue -- at least, this time she wasn’t. She’d gotten to know Vandrad well enough and understood that personal matters were something he didn’t necessarily like to share. Yet she had on several occasions become part of them, even if her means of joining into the interest had been forced on her part. There was little doubt that her meeting his family had come much sooner than he had intended but there was still the fact that he had intended on her meeting his family. It was just going to be after he had made proper preparations for how they would relentlessly flirt with one another.

But on this matter, having her there would be far more beneficial than not. She knew how to back him up when she needed to and if he was going in blind against his adoptive brother, he wanted a partner he could trust. She agreed to accompany him and even promised to be on her best behavior. He gave her a look of playful derision, clearly believing that their versions of ‘best behavior’ were certainly and vastly different. But that didn’t overwhelm the sincerity of her agreement and he gave her a soft, gracious nod. It was a nice, honest moment that was almost completely and utterly devastated about her insinuation of him racing up here to have sex.

And he had been shaken by the statement, if only because it was still within the same realm of his first assumption. He deflected about as well as a child batting at an angered bee, swiping at her assumption with half-thought out defenses that were more assumptive than steadied. After taking a moment not to protest like a fictional character lying, he settled down and informed her of the fact that, unlike others, he didn’t let his body’s desires run his entire world. Whatever it wanted didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things and his need for release was not a subject neither he nor she needed to touch upon. He half-heartedly stated that he had simply assumed she had come up with some kind of useful news and wanted to hear it immediately.

She poked fun at him, which wasn’t beyond the norm at this point. She insisted that he relax, considering he was in a place that literally was made for remaining calm. She informed him that she knew just as well as he did that he would never go ballistic over the prospect of having sex. And in the back of his head, he did know that she was aware of that. Normally, especially at this point in their relationship, he would be able to see the humor and laugh it off. Better yet, he’d find some way to turn it around and tease her. But his own frustrations and concerns had settled him back into defensive mode and the old Vandrad had come roaring out in protest. He grumbled softly, even as he dipped himself deeper into the water, looking about as grumpy as possible. But this time it wasn’t at her words but at his own shameful way of acting. Every time he thought he’d made some kind of progress if growing, simple things seemed to knock his feet out from under him. It was frustrating and annoying.

That’s where his mindset was when she spoke up once more, her tone still greatly amused but also falling back into honest sincerity. She wanted to know what caused him to come racing there to find her, having noticed that he looked off-kilter upon his arrival. She asked him if he thought she had intended to give him less than fortitudinous news. He looked over at her, his gaze meeting hers and seeing her honest, heartful curiosity. Times like these where when he truly hated her eyes -- there was something about the way the light caught the hue that made them sparkle like true to earth emeralds. It made his heart pound just a tiny bit faster and harder than normal. Was it that? Or was it perhaps that his assumption had been in an odd place between being bad news and good news?

"No, I just…” he started and then stopped, making very little progress in explaining. It felt wrong to keep it from her, considering there was still the possibility that it could come to pass. But it was also wildly embarrassing to even think, let alone say aloud. He swallowed hard, his adam’s apple heaving and dropping like an anchor as he worked up the courage to speak. "I was… concerned in the way that you phrased your message. You said ‘we should talk’, which had this important, weighty undertone to it.” How the hell was he supposed to phrase this? "There are times in fiction when… one party has big news to tell the other and they… say something along the lines of… ‘we need to talk’. Because it’s paramount and life changing for both parties involved. And it usually revolves around…” That seemed cold and calculated. Why the hell would he say that to his partner, his friend, the possible mother to his child? "Back in Bellum, we uh… we had that moment in the pool. That… intimate moment.” He sounded like a goddamn idiot trying to beat around the bush. He was struggling, flailing wildly in water that he had never learned to swim in.

Fuck it. If he was going to drown, he was going to do it honestly. "We had sex and we didn’t use protection and I was concerned that the reason that you were contacting me was because we hadn’t used protection and that we had had sex and it had resulted in you possibly, maybe getting pregnant.” It all came out in one continuous stream of consciousness. But boy, did he feel the weight off his shoulders once he had said it aloud… only to then be pressed down by the shame of his words. Fighting off the blush rushing to his cheeks, he continued, "I wasn’t sure what to think and I’ve heard about situations that unfolded just like that. My mind went straight to that against my better judgement.” It was the only thing he could say to explain why a calculated, composed man such as himself had come racing all the way to Phoenix Mountains from Magnolia in record time.

This entire situation should have been far more embarrassing than it truly was -- and  that was saying something, considering how awkward he was trying to address it. For him, the idea that someone of his placement in life having a child outside of marriage would normally be a stake through the heart of any possible growth within the kingdom of Bellum. If he were a truly practicing noble of his home kingdom, he would find some way to hide it under the rug or start coming up with a scheme to explain the sudden heir. His mother had experienced this same ordeal and had handled it to the best of her ability, with some great help from her father and siblings. There was certainly a way to find an excuse for why the Prince had accidentally knocked up a random woman from Fiore.

But frankly, Vandrad had only brief and fleeting moments of that way of thinking in terms of class, if only because of his upbringing. But with Mercury, he rarely if ever acted or spoke in that mindset, having always given her respect as a person rather as a staple of some antiquated class system. No, his concern was far more about the personal, morale implications having a child out of wedlock with anyone. It wasn’t something he would ever want to force on a woman without their permission or authority nor would he want it to  happen to him unless he was sure he desired it. Vandrad wasn’t sure if he ever wanted kids or not -- mostly because he wasn’t sure he would ever want a wife. The idea had warmed up recently, if only because Mercury had shown him that there were women out there that could catch his fancy and hold his attention for more than a moment.

And what would it do for their partnership? They’d already complicated their situation enough while in Bellum and while he didn’t regret any of it, he did understand that a lot of what they had done wasn’t exactly kosher when it came to friendship. He simply convinced himself that it was swirling emotions and the stress of the day needing to be released with someone trustworthy. And it had strengthened their bond, the two of them acting and thinking practically on top of one another and without prompting. But a baby suddenly being thrown into the mix could make things even more confusing than they already were.

Yet there was a small part of him, the quiet part he rarely let breathe, that didn’t hate the idea. After all, Mercury had proven to be a valuable ally and clearly possessed quick intelligence and ability to adapt to any situation. If there was anyone he trusted enough to help him sire heirs, she was certainly one that he could consider without feeling sick to his stomach. It was a complicated thought, one full of layers that he dared not look too deeply into for fear of what he might discover. But all of that didn’t even matter if he didn’t have the balls to tell her why he had originally come here and so he managed to stutter his way through most of the thought before unleashing it in a full stream of consciousness. As he attempted to explain it away, he could literally see the realization hitting her face.

She was quick to reassure him that wasn’t the case, apologizing for giving him the shock of his life. She told him not to worry because he couldn’t get her pregnant, which earned him an equal look of surprise from the Prince. She quickly reversed and clarified that he was physically capable -- thus was she -- before her voice drifted off in thought, trying to find the best means to explain what she meant. After a moment of silent deliberation, she told him that she possessed an ability to control certain aspects of her biology. Apparently she had mechanical impact on what processes her body went through, seemingly able to regulate from full speed to a complete stop. She gave the example of her hair as one of those features she could impact, having had made it grow long while they were in Bellum. She also explained that she could slow her metabolism so that it’s required sustenance could be minimal -- such as when they were in Desierto and she hadn’t felt the need to consume water during the many hours they were there. Lastly it gave her control over whether she was able to get pregnant from intercourse.

Well that was convenient… and extremely odd. He must have looked perplexed as she continued, revealing that it was an ability she rarely spoke of, if only because the need rarely came around. Vandrad was one of only two people that she had slept with more than once and that had been more odd than anything else. Doubling down on some of the revelations she had made to him in Bellum, she said she rarely saw people again after their first meeting. And the only reason she hadn’t opened up to him about it sooner was because, frankly, she never imagined that they would hook up again. That was a fair point -- even he never imagined he would be intimate with her again, he could hardly blame her for assuming the same thing.

She said that she understood his worry, as it made perfect sense considering the circumstances. With another woman, there was a good chance that his concern would have been viable and legitimate but he wouldn’t have to worry about that with her. She had full control over that and if she had changed her mind, she wouldn’t put that responsibility on him. There was something in her voice that sounded familiar, falling within the same spectrum of some of the things she had said in Bellum. He couldn’t quite put a finger on it but it felt… empty. Not that the idea of having a child was empty but that the very idea of being able to do so successfully was hopeless almost. He’d noticed that with a lot of things that kept coming her way, especially while they had been visiting his family, had surprised her in a truly genuine fashion. She spoke about never believing she could have them not out of some kind of class differential but as if they hadn’t even been worthy as dreams they were so far above her.

He didn’t know how to approach it. But yet again his instincts took over, removing his thoughts from the situation and forcing him to speak from somewhere deep inside. "I mean…” he started, his gaze flicking to her briefly before looking down at the water. "I wouldn’t say that… having a child with you would be… the worst thing to happen.” What the hell was happening? Where was this coming from? "If you ever changed your mind, if you ever wanted someone to… you know… provide you the necessities to become pregnant organically, I wouldn’t be opposed to… helping you out. You’re my partner, my ally and I would want you to be happy. And it’s not like we don’t know if we’d be compatible in bed.”

He cleared his throat loudly, trying to downplay the extremely surprising revelation he had just unfurled. "That is, only if you changed your mind and you wanted someone who was still virile and had strong genes.” His eyes were as wide as plates, staring at the water. Even he was shocked by his own words.

Why in the hell had the conversation turned like that? Vandrad couldn’t even blame Mercury -- it had been completely him. He had finally released his reasons for coming  there, opening up about the stress that he had been experiencing since he had received her message. It had been uplifting to take the weight off his shoulders and just be fully truthful with her about it. And she had been there to quell that concern, ensuring him that she was not pregnant and that it was beyond his control to do so anyways. She really didn’t have to open up about why, though he couldn’t deny that he may have asked anyways. He knew aspects of her life were secretive and many of those secrets were ones that she couldn’t help but keep. But the Prince had gotten bolder as of late, willing to ask her about things he thought of and if she shut him down, he knew it was something she wasn’t allowed to tell. He’d taken a sincere interest in getting to know her and showed it.

Maybe that’s why he felt… something when she gave her explanation. Perhaps that’s why his body had acted and spoken against the judgement of his mind, offering her a one in a million chance that neither of them could even bank on. At first even he was wondering if this was some attempt to try and get her to sleep with him again -- an action her certainly wasn’t actively seeking but given the last time, wasn’t all too against either. It was surprising to realize that he meant it on an emotional level -- that he was truly willing to help her should she ever reverse her decision and want to start a family. Unprompted, he had spoken out of turn and given her an offer many men wouldn’t have simply out of the goodness of his heart.

It was a good thing that he wasn’t looking directly at her; the blank, perplexed stare she was giving him would have downright broken him into pieces if he met it straight on. Where the hell were they supposed to go from there? ‘Thanks buddy’, ‘no problem pal’ wasn’t going to cut the major revelation. There had to be something else he could talk about -- literally anything at this point would do. But before he could, she spoke up, needing some kind of noise to cancel out the deafening silence between them. That stated that it was gracious, which almost sounded like a soft put down. Truthfully, Vandrad would have been relieved at that; at least then he could shake the emotion off and probably make some kind of amusing non sequitur to get them out of the jam. He started to clear his throat once more before she spoke up again, offering her appreciation for his offer, her voice soft like it had been in Bellum. She admitted it was the most generous thing that someone had put to her, including all of the lavish gifts that she had been given by his family. There was a but and finally he found the strength to look up at her, even as her gaze stared daggers at the water. Gently she admitted that her lifestyle wasn’t meant for children.

He really hated being curious and he truly despised being able to pick up on her cues at this point. Her words were calm and caring but there was a finality to it that came from invisible scars. Once more his mind circled back to the things she couldn’t speak of, the secrets she had to keep from him and from any other inquiring minds. He had presumed at this point that she was on some sort of mission that required the utmost confidentiality. He supposed that made sense -- if she was working on a dangerous job, a child was perhaps the worst possible outcome of her time. Tying that together with the fact that she was certainly not from around here made things click together. At least that made all the facts a little clearer; it seemed that, no matter what, she had no intention of changing her stance and as such, wouldn’t be seeking children.

That made him feel… odd. It was her choice and he wasn’t going to argue against what she wanted to do; he wasn’t that kind of person. But it was the same kind of sensation that had struck him when she had said that the married life wasn’t her kind of thing. It was a solemn emotion that ran through his body, but he was quick to quell it painfully, stepping it down and burying it where he couldn’t experience it fully. Better to hide it than feel it, right?

Well with that awkwardness out of the way, they were once again left in a strange silence. Luckily she had the prior subject to fall back on, immediately bringing up his brother once more. Meeting her gaze, she stunned him in a different direction by asking if he knew that Mythal had been in Fairy Tail as well. "I… had no idea,” he said, flabbergasted by the statement. She nodded and went into an explanation, stating that he had joined a couple of years prior. Almost all the information she had started then, when he had been noticed and labeled a ‘Rising Star’. That, apparently, was some kind of ranking from the Magic Council about wizards to look out for -- he’d done a little research on that the first time he heard it. Sounded like his adoptive sibling was just as interested in public appearances as he was.

He snorted softly though not unamusingly. Mercury continued, mentioning that he may be able to find more information in the Fairy Tail guild records. It wasn’t until he mentioned the name of Mythal’s former mentor that his brows rose even more. Nessa had been the one that had mentored him? Not only that but they had become friends in the midst of it all. He wasn’t too surprised -- Nessa was one of the few people that he authentically couldn’t find a bad thing about. "I know her. Smart and strong woman. I’ve got a lot of respect for her,” he mused, rubbing his chin. "But if I approach her about it, there’s a good chance I may need to explain myself better. I’m not quite prepared to do that -- if at all. I can’t imagine it’ll look good if I’m revealed to be of Bellum nobility and I’ve been keeping my identity a secret.” He sighed. "I’ll try to see if I can dig up some information but it seems that no matter what, the time to go to Era has come.”

There was a sense of finality with his statement, even as he sunk lower into the water in thought. She had given him a lot to think about; ironically, not just about his familial issues either.

The topic change allowed Vandrad to breath again, giving his mind the leeway to function properly without strange, pesky emotions boiling up out of nowhere. That opened the avenue for an entirely new shock -- the realization that Mythal had once, and properly prior to him, been a part of Fairy Tail. Two years ago he had wandered in out of nowhere, with no information about his whereabouts, and opted to join the independent guild. From then on out, it had been fairly easy to track him or that’s what Mercury seemed to suggest. And it seemed he made quite the name for himself while working for Fairy Tail as well, having proven himself worthy enough to be considered a Rising Star. From a nobody to a local celebrity in such a short time was incredible, almost as much as his apparent distaste for the limelight.

The next question was how to approach it. If Nessa had served as Mythal’s mentor, it stood to reason that she probably had some decent information about him, especially since they continued to carry a friendship. But if he spoke up about it, then he would have to explain how he knew the Rune Knight and why he was searching for him. That created complications, as Vandrad was not ready to let the guild know that he was a prince from Bellum. The implications of such a revelation could cause issues he wasn’t particularly keen to deal with at the moment. There was the possibility that he could try to get access to some of the files from within Fairy Tail without raising any alarms but that was risky as well. No, the most obvious path was just biting the bullet and going to the Rune Knights to meet his brother for the first time.

Mercury seemed to be in agreement and wondered how soon he’d want to head out. She’d done very little research but it seemed the meeting with the Rune Knights wasn’t complicated. All they had to do was contact them and make an appointment. She even offered to hack in and put an appointment on the books without any notice to the Knights themselves. But that was all dependent on how he wanted to approach them. On the one hand, it would be just as easy to go there as a prince of Bellum, as Serilda had her own noble status and it would make sense for one noble to visit another. On the other hand, putting his name down as such would be leaving concrete proof of who he was and there was no telling who would see it and then him and release that information. "It’s probably best to go as a Fairy Tail wizard. If Mythal was formerly part of the guild, it’ll make him more willing to meet. A random appearance from a prince from Bellum might be disarming or even worrying. I can get into my real heritage once we’re there. And let’s go through legal channels for now -- save the more felonious acts for those that deserve it,” he said, shooting her a quick look and a smirk.

As if that was the cue to change subjects, Mercury resettled herself in the water and spoke about his doctor friend, Patricia Reeves. He had brought her up on the second night in Bellum, asking Mercury to aid him in discovering what she was hiding. As such, the Silver Wolf mage had opted to do some research on Patty, to see what she could dig up. Apparently the doctor had been quite the rising star herself, earning reclaim early in her career and garnering attention for her steps in magical engineering. But apparently at some point, something happened that removed her from the limelight quickly and dishonorably. He listened intently, watching her studiously as she relayed her findings to him. Patricia had been on the track to become one of the greatest experts in her field when everything fell out beneath her. The curious part was that there was no direct mention of what had caused her to lose her fame. She was mentioned a few times but they almost generally focused on her business more than anything else.

Mercury confirmed that the reason for Patty’s downfall was unknown at the moment, even by her own research. She’d dug up everything she could and yet found no answer available -- which was odd, considering the Lacnet never forgot anything. So someone had gone out of their way to hide the evidence, brushing it into a virtual case and locking it down tight. Something that even Mercury couldn’t access? Now that was curious. He frowned but only in curiosity rather than frustration. It seemed that their attempts to find clues weren't going to be as easy as previously thought.

Luckily, the two of them liked a challenge. Mercury continued, opening up a new avenue of thought. She wanted to have all the ammo she could acquire before meeting Patty, before they ‘double teamed’ her as Mercury said. "I had no idea you were that invested in double teaming,” he said, a wry smirk on his lips as he looked at her. Yet another instance of her influence rubbing off on him… but that was besides the point. Furthermore, Mercury wanted to get an idea of how Patricia was around Vandrad before they met as well. That way she’d have behavioural data to study and fall back on during any face to face interactions. It was then that a grin spread on her face, akin to something malicious and wicked. Mischief had sparked a notion in her head -- it was just a matter of seeing if it was against or in favor of himself.

In a way, it was both. She started off strong, stating that she wanted him to take Patty out on a date. The look she got from him must have been surprising, as she quickly added not what one would officially call a date. She explained further, saying that it would be best if he didn’t even mention that it was a date, simply act in the throes as if it were one. As he had mentioned that he felt she was using her femininity to try and garner favor, it seemed that being too overly focused on that could give him away. He still needed to act like he was the same gruff bastard he always was. The key was he had to trick her into thinking that her act was working, if only slightly -- enough that she was convinced of the deception but not suspicious of it being too effective. Mercury would bug him with her technology and while he was out on the date, the Silver Wolf mage would sneak into Patty’s office and search it for information.

It was more than a decent plan -- it was an effective, if somewhat cruel plan. But those were the kind that he enjoyed her coming up with. "It sounds like I’m going to only my second date in my life,” he said with a chuckle, his own vexatious grin on his face. "It’s a sound plan -- the right amount of intrigue, deception and convert operation to get a soldier like me raring to go.” Quite literally; luckily there was a towel disguising the obviousness of that. Though at this point, he had no qualms about informing her when his engine had been quite well greased. After all, they’d already had sex twice -- what was a little naughty conversation going to do that hadn’t already been done? He could already hear his mother chortling in his head. Mercury was hopeful that this would provide the information they need so that when she finally met the woman face to face, the sudden revelation of what she knew would blow the scientist out of the water. "You know, it’s talk like that that makes me understand why I ravaged you in the desert,” he added with a wicked smirk. Already he was starting to feel much more at ease.

"Well, I’m not particularly in a rush to take part in my first threesome, thank you. Patricia may be beautiful but she is cunning and treacherous as well and I make it a point not to sleep with my enemies.” While that last bit could be considered a lie, having had slept with Mercury in the midst of also trying to kill her, she hadn’t exactly been his enemy, per se. A pain in his ass and worthy of being crushed under his foot at the time, yes, but she had also proven herself worthy as an ally as well. It was just the sheer disrespect she had shown him that had forced Vandrad’s rage to blinding levels. But he wasn’t about to insult Patty by claiming she was ugly when she certainly was not. She was actually quite stunning -- too bad her personality was lacking.

But overall, Vandrad liked Mercury’s plan. It allowed them leeway and ability to manipulate the doctor completely. It did put Vandrad in the awkward position of having to play an interested party during a date but he supposed he could try and pull that off. He would just need to smooth out some of his more… sharper personality traits, so that he didn’t snap or say anything too aggressive. But he also couldn’t completely one eighty himself or else it would be suspicious. If anything, it was going to be a worthy challenge -- it had been quite some time since he had been properly challenged in a way that was beyond his normal expertise. He had brought on his own obstacles by trying to teach himself magical engineering but this was on an entirely different level. He couldn’t help the excitement over the prospect of the provocation.

He had moved rightfully onto teasing her, the fact that he had mentioned his original date lost to him. The Silver Wolf mage returned  his flirtation, curious to if he was planning on ravaging her once more. She wouldn’t have complained, even if she doubted the spas were meant for such… intimate, aggressive meetings. He snorted, still smirking her way. "Calm yourself, woman. I merely was observing the understanding to the why. I wouldn’t want to disrespect Silver Wolf and use their offered gifts for degenerative intentions.” Still, a part of him inside couldn’t deny that the idea was a bit of a thrilling one. Ever since their second time together, the Prince had found the idea of sleeping with Mercury again a more… enticing possibility. After all, it was a good way to relieve tension and they certainly knew how to work well, be it vertical, horizontal and out of combat. There was also the fact that there was no fear of accidentally getting her pregnant as well…

He tabled the idea, knowing that going down that path was a dangerous one. Luckily for him, she decided to change the subject and inquired about his other date. His brow furrowed in confusion, wondering where she had heard about it. Then he remembered that he had, in fact, mentioned it offhandedly. "It was barely a date but I suppose one that is still worth noting,” he said, shrugging as he thought back. "There was some kind of special event for Valentine’s Day and I had been conscripted into taking part. I had to take part in the whole nine yards -- suit, jacket and tie, it was a bit like being back in Bellum. My date, as it were, was a woman by the name of Beira. Nice woman, quick wit, sharp tongue -- reminded me a bit of you but she had a proper royal upbringing, that being the only difference. Well, that and she was quite modest and conserative; believe it or not, I was almost too liberal for her.” Then again, that was Mercury’s fault that he wasn’t as stoic as usual.

"We met up at Rose Garden, took part in some ridiculous outfit changing event and then went to observe a nuptial ceremony. Unfortunately before we got there, she stumbled onto a dance floor and made a mockery of herself. I had to step in and keep her from looking completely foolish. But it was so shameful for her that she simply disappeared, leaving me there with more questions than answers.” She hadn’t revealed much about herself during the date but luckily for Vandrad… "Right before I went back to Bellum, I ran into her again. We were both after the same artifact on a mountain -- her for her own curiosity reasons and me as a request from the guild. She stayed at my camp and I got to know her a little bit better. Apart from being a ‘Winter Goddess’ as she puts it, she is apparently also not from Earthland. An alien to the world, it seems, from a time far in the past. She was quite casual about the information, though I admit I don’t think it would have floored me anyways. I’ve long assumed that species beyond our world existed, coming from worlds and dimensions that we have yet to explore.”

He realized he was rambling and gave a quick shake of his head. "Once morning came, we set out for the ruins, on the agreement that once we had handled whatever challenge awaited us, we would battle over the relic and whoever won got to take it. But for some reason, I opted to let her take it. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at the time -- it simply felt wrong to fight her for it. I now think that having an ally meant more to me than a paltry piece of jewelry. Besides, I suppose being on the good side of a goddess could be beneficial in the long run.”

All Mercury got as an answer for her comment was a look from Vandrad, though it was quite amused. After all, she wasn’t wrong -- he had slept with her and she was quite adept with both of the traits he had listed and more. But such a path was dangerous -- going onto her traits would probably awaken the slumbering emotions that lay beneath and then their little jest about having sex in the spa may not be such a joke any longer. While the idea wasn’t a bad one -- one might even call it an enticing possibility -- he wasn’t ready to face that or whatever came after. It seemed they had made a habit of having painfully open conversations after they spent intimate moments together and he was worried of what one more such discussion could entail.

Vandrad had never stopped to think of Beira as his so-called ‘perfect match’, as Mercury so flippantly rounded her up as. In a way, he supposed he could understand what she meant by it but it came with an odd sensation. The Silver Wolf mage had listened to the details he’d given about the Winter Goddess and surmised that she was quite compatible for the Prince, the only added feature being her royal etiquette that separated Mercury from Beira. He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised by the revelation -- they’d discussed previously that only a woman that could challenge him would ever catch his eye. But the fact that Mercury was only one step away from being perfect for him, at least in her world, was a bit… eye opening. Those same rush of emotions he had sought to ignore now came wiggling back out, trying to break through the healing layer of denial that he had built up over the past few weeks.

Somehow, he fought it back and as he got into the thick of his story, he managed to stomp it down and keep it settled. The only time that Mercury spoke up near the end of his story was to question the fact that Beira had titled herself as a goddess, which he understood was still a bit of a strange thing to behold for Mercury. She’d gotten an explanation that had put it in perspective so that she understood things a bit better. Vandrad, taking time to think about it, had realized that gods really were just a separate species that happened to believe themselves better than others. Whether it was because they had immortality or the ability to summon vast amounts of power, somewhere along the line they had deemed themselves superior and ran with it ever since.

She teased him, giving him barely credit for what he perceived as a date. She was far more impressed that anyone had managed to convince him to take part in such an extravagant event, musing on the fact that she hadn’t gotten to witness it. But she realized that around the same time, she was dealing with Gangting in Lavanitir -- a story she had elaborated on during their time in Bellum. "Fairy Tail was lacking in members that were willing to take part so I was asked. I was reluctant but I didn’t have much choice. The only reason I had agreed in the end was because I felt it would help me get my mind off a certain pesky woman that had been causing me trouble.” He flashed her a smirk, as he was clearly talking about her.

Whatever the case, Mercury believed he would handle the faux date just fine. All he had to do was keep Patricia off guard and everything would go off without a hitch and by the sound of it, he wouldn’t even need to entertain her for that long. Most of the work would certainly be on Mercury’s part -- as she would be sneaking into the woman’s offices. "I imagine you’ll let me know when you’ve gotten out so I can end the charade and we can move on with our lives,” he said, his mind already planning out how this ‘date’ was going to go down. Patricia had proven to a notable warrior during their time in the illusion trap and her wits were about her firmly. No doubt the night wouldn’t go just as planned but no plan ever went through without a hitch or two. With that all settled, he gave her a soft nod. "We’ll have to work out a time and date. After that, it’ll just be about the plan. First Mythal then this… I’d rather get the more challenging task out of the way first.”

"Now how about something stronger than water? I feel like I’ve earned it after the heart attack you gave me.”

---

Sabine’s eyes shot open in a panic… and found only darkness before her.

Her arms and legs were shackled, the chains running out into the shadows around her.  She was suspending above the ground, though somehow the ache from hanging against the metal wasn’t there. A bright light shone down from above her, highlighting her form and the stone ground beneath her but not much else. There was also a black strip of cloth wrapped tight around her jaw, with some kind of fabric ball within the confines of her mouth to keep her muzzled. She moaned softly as she pulled at the chains, her instinct to flee kicking into overdrive. But nothing gave.

Now, now… there is no reason to panic, Princess Sabine. You shan’t be harmed. The chains are… a formality. A voice spoke directly into her head, just like before. But this tone was of a deeper pitch, manly -- with an accent she couldn’t quite place. It was elegant, almost like the source was from Pergrande. Her eyes scanned the darkness for some sign of the speaker and found an ominous shadow, clinging to the edge of her circle of light.

She couldn’t speak. At least, not out loud. Could this person hear her thoughts as well? Who are you?! What do you want from me?!

A chuckle echoed in the room, the first outward noise she had heard. Now that’s more like it. You pick up on things quickly, don’t you? Allow me to introduce myself. The man clapped and the light expanded several inches in all directions, giving her more space to see. The figure stepped into the light, a smug grin on his face as his black pupils met hers. He was a man of regular height, perhaps 5’9 or 5’10. His hair was wildly spiky, jutting out in several different directions to fine points. A silver earring with an emerald globe hung from his left ear. He wore a gray karate gi, over a tight black jumpsuit that covered his limbs. A red sash was tied tightly around his waist, wrapping up the gi top against the man’s chest.

My name is Anglachel and I serve on the order known as the Dread Masters. I imagine you’ve heard nothing of us? Sabine could only manage a soft shake of her head to signify she hadn’t. Just as I expected. You see, our group is quite secretive. We move among the shadows for our prey mustn't catch wind that we still exist.

Sabine swallowed hard. Is… is your prey… princesses?

Another laugh, this time louder and with far more entertainment. Oh my dear, no. Though I suppose certain members do consider themselves princesses and princes among their pantheon. No, Princess Sabine, we hunt gods and demons. The vile creatures that haunt the world with their oppressive might and try to keep us humans down. If anything, we wish to further elevate you and your family to realms previously believed to be nigh unreachable. But let us not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? No, the reason my agent brought you here was to discuss a certain happenstance that occurred to you. Your meeting with the family du Wolff.

Her eyes widened and Anglachel’s grin spread wider. Caught your attention, have I? You see, what you are unaware of -- what most people are unaware of -- is that the du Wolffs are gods themselves. They aren’t quite of the same ilk as far grander beings but they still possess that celestial spark. Unfortunately, their power base is quite strong; enough so that we’ve been unable to make a move against them. But it just so happens that your intended beau is the key to bringing them and other beings down.

Yet another tidbit that got Sabine’s attention. Vandrad?

Such a smart girl you are. Yes, Vandrad du Wolff. Or as he should be called, Vandrad Ragnos. You see, he has an important part to play in the destruction of all the gods and demons of this world. And we need him to step into his role sooner rather than later. That’s where you come in, my dear Princess Sabine. While you may have lost this battle in the war for his affections, it is merely one battle in the grand campaign. If you are ever to win his heart, you must become stronger than you are. You must become more. This is something we can provide, should you desire it. And once you have gained his favor, you will become more than just a princess. When there aren’t any gods to sit upon the thrones of heaven, we humans must take their place… and our allies shall rule beside us. Plus, there’s always the added benefit of being able to punish those cruel du Wolff monsters for the disrespect they showed you.

Despite her situation, despite the fact that these people had chained her up and kidnapped her, the man’s words were like a fresh blast of lime sorbet to the wounds Sabine had suffered. Here she had thought that her miseries couldn’t get any worse and now these people, these Dread Masters, were offering her the chance to rise beyond a mere princess. The name Hotoi would strike fear and envy in any that heard it! Her eyes glimmered with excitement, having fully bought into Anglachel’s pitch. What do I have to do?

The Dread Master’s lips curled further, flashing his teeth in a wicked smile. Let’s get you out of those chains first.