EL BK5 | Chapter 29 - Having Two Pets is a Pain. (Patreon)

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I exhaled, letting the anxiety leave my chest and dissipate into the dark room as I stared upward. Another sleepless night had left me too awake and too tired at the same time. It’s hard to sleep when the mistakes of the past chase you in your dreams. Siding with my father, betraying my brother, choosing Molly… All deep shames I could never outrun, and with no bottle to throw at them, I lay awake most nights. 

Through the window the dawn touched the horizon, bringing the first crescent of light to the day. Cool air drifted into the room, it was supposed to help me sleep, it did not. The sheets rustled as I pushed them aside to sit up and I reached for my robe in one lazy motion. My mind might not have needed the rest, but my body did. Every movement felt heavy, labored. 

Soft carpet underfoot indented under my lumbering weight as I stood. There was much to be done before the servants arrived. Tightening the cord around my waist, I waded to the bathing room. The area was partitioned off by curtains and the amenities beyond were minimal but functional. A faucet and a bath on one side, while the other facilities were tastefully hidden with plush upholstery on the lid so that it looked like nothing more than a seat to uphold the illusion that nobility did not, in fact, have bodily needs.

It being early, I ordered warm water and stripped to bathe. The pulley system in place for request tiles to be sent was similar enough to Leúchtend and Dunkel so that it didn’t take an awful amount of intelligence. Simply select a plaque from the basket in the windowsill and attach it to the cord dangling in the corner, give one short pull and a few moments later, water would begin to fill the tub. No magic involved. 

I marinated in the bathtub as the sun rose. Drifts of steam wafted off the surface of the scented water and petals floated around me. I rested back as far as I could without submerging my face, letting my hair fan out as I closed my eyes. If anything could cleanse me of my own stupidity, it would be the heat of the water.

Saving Halle was a foolish thing to do, and the repercussions had been unfortunate. Not that I would let Halle or Charles know, but I had been scolded for the decision. Ælferic requested me to his office immediately after my outburst. His study was an earthy room made of deep browns and blacks. Shelving protruded from the walls and housed all manner of oddity; colorful insects preserved in glass or skewered onto boards, old spoons lined up in holders, and skeletons of small animals with gemstones replacing their eyes. I kept my distance from them, lingering near the bookshelf instead until his arrival. 

“Do you like my collection?” he asked, closing the doors in his wake as he entered.

“It’s extensive…” I murmured not wanting to offend. I preferred the disorganized clutter of my brother's crystals and trinkets to the eerie dead feel of this room.

Ælferic hovered around a small display of bones, a tiny ribcage spread to look like wings and draped in golden jewelry, “It has taken quite some years to procure.”

I gave a nod, not wanting to continue the topic, nor wishing to move onto the next.

“If your new Pet had been disposed of, I would have kept her hair. It’s rare to find such a nice brown and it would have made a fine doll.”

“Perhaps…”

“Why did you choose to claim her?” he asked without looking over, his attention gliding over his collection with glee. 

“I have mentioned before that loyalty is encouraged by kindness,” I answered, keeping my nervous fidgeting to myself. 

“Ahh yes, your brother and I had quite the discussion. Markos’s wife seems to be the prime example, although the exotic your brother has is also interesting.”

“Claire is a unique creature, she chose Markos of her own will, and seems rather enthusiastic to breed with him,” I agreed.

"A shame then that Nathaniel’s exotic is not female. Perhaps they could have bred.”

I chose not to dignify the remark with an answer.

“Do you share the same inclination?” he continued, shifting his eyes to me. “It would be disappointing to have two heirs unwilling to reproduce.

“Perhaps then, you should consider our sister's children as heirs,” I retorted, indignant for the insult of my brother. “If such news would ‘disappoint you’.” 

Ælferic turned to me, “Do you believe saving the female Pet will increase your chances of breeding with her?”

Irritation stirred annoyance for the genuine nature of the question, like he thought that would be the new method for training a pet. I could imagine it in his mind ‘place them in danger and rescue them to create loyalty’. More sourly, it would probably work on humans. 

“No. I saved her because discarding her after nineteen years is impractical. Nathaniel and I believe there is a fundamental fault in training. These humans are precious. It takes a quarter of a century to train one, and they are increasingly harder to acquire. Why should we be wasting the resource?” 

“They must still be able to pass the training.”

“She will pass. Besides that, Claire has little combat training–”

“Oh? Am I mistaken in believing she almost lost Markos’s child because of it?”

“She was able to overcome the challenges, and protected her child.”

“And if she had passed the training, perhaps the situation would never have occurred,” he stated firmly, “The training is not only to ensure their loyalty, it has a practical foundation. Yet, Nathaniel wishes to abolish it?”

“He does not wish–”

The man held up his hand, cutting me off for a second time, “Your own pet betrayed you, did you not treat her with the same ‘kindness’ you now preach?”

My mouth snapped shut with a click as my teeth met.

“As I thought,” he shrugged, “If your new Pet fails again, she will be destroyed. It’s a matter of practicality and safety. You may not interfere again.”

…I let the bathwater cover my face as I remembered his threat. Ælferic didn’t need to say it to instill his disapproval, and unfortunately, that would mean going against him should Halle fail again. I couldn’t let the girl be executed… Was this how Nathaniel felt with Eric each time I ordered him to destroy the boy? His spine must be made of titanium to have withstood all my threats. Or perhaps, I was simply not as scary as our grandfather.

Bubbles floated toward the surface of the water as I breathed out. The truth was I had ‘saved’ Halle for no reason other than my own weakness. Molly had proven that no amount of caring can bring loyalty if the other doesn’t care about it, and even if Halle were willing to carry a child for me, I couldn’t give her one… 

When I could hold my breath no longer, I resurfaced. It took all my effort and almost more willpower than I had left. Still, I pushed down the unwelcome thoughts and feelings, hoping they would drown without me, and left the tub to begin drying. My undergarments waited for me as I rubbed the cream Markos had given me into the upper portion of my shoulders, and pulled on my undershirt. Servants could dress me completely, but I preferred that they did not. There are scars I never wish for anyone to see gifted to me by my aunt. 

My time with her is something I rarely if ever talk about, even with Nathaniel. I keep to myself the sound of my small footsteps running across the parapets, and down stone pathways. I ignore the nausea that the scent of Crape Myrtles brings, and lock away the traces of shame I feel for all that I saw while there. After all, our aunt wasn’t as bad as our father… What right did I have to complain when Nathaniel survived worse?

“Master Achaicus…” Halle’s soft voice startled me, and I jumped.

“What?” I snapped back without meaning to, before clearing my throat to speak again, “My apologies, what is it that you need?”

The girl hesitated, her shadow hovering on the other side of the curtain partition. “I have something to tell you… About Mr. Walsh…” she murmured.

I pulled on the rest of my clothes quicker, and hurried to meet her, “What is it?” I asked urgently as I pushed aside the curtain.

Halle shifted from one foot to the other, keeping her gaze low, “He… He went into the restricted area of the library…” 

My stomach flipped. “Charles is my property, acting on my behalf, he is allowed access wherever he chooses. Has someone detained him?” 

Sudden heat flooded her cheeks, “O-Oh… No I, it’s just…”

I blinked back at her dumbfounded as the panic faded, “As long as he isn’t detained…” I mumbled awkwardly.

“He’s not detained… he is sleeping, forgive me…” she knelt apologetically.

It’s part of her training that she should never lie to her master, and always report any information that I might need to know, but this was uncomfortable for its unnecessary nature. “All is well,” I assured, “You can trust Charles, he is a good man.”

“He is untrained…”

“He is loyal.” 

The girl hovered a moment more before turning to hurry away. She almost walked into Charles on his way into the room as she left, and bowed to him as well out of reflex, mumbling an apology. 

“She’s in a rush,” Charles commented, confused.

“Yes,” I sighed, “Please make sure you tell her when you have permission for otherwise restricted activities. You’ll make her worry unnecessary."

His face drained of color with guilt, “Ahhh, my bad, I think I ruffled her feathers the other day.”

“You did,” I agreed, these two were like baby sitting children.

If I had the time for it, I might have sat them down together to discuss the symbiotic nature of their coexistence as my Pets, however a runner arrived at our door before I had the opportunity. The Fae serving boy, a teen, came with a tray bearing a scroll with my grandfather’s summons and I left immediately.

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