rgv

  dehumanization, svery, light curing, objectification

  [colpse]

  Sve MarketThe merchant quarter's square was arranged for the auction. A stage had been erected, high enough to allow the crowd to see the goods on dispy, and wide enough to stand five people at a time. The rest of the square had been cleared of stalls, so that it could accommodate the anticipated crowd. Seating by the stage was reserved for preeminent guests like higher nobles and merchants wealthy and affluent enough to mingle with their social betters. The next section was for the less prominent merchants, petty nobles including less affluent City Lords, and the rare well-to-do commoner or a Guild Tradesman. That left the rest of the open space of the square for the commoners to come gawk at the spectacle.

  Sve auctions were a rare occurrence in the Empire, since it was a sentence reserved only as an alternative to death, or for non-Humans. That alone drew a crowd, especially when Elves were up for auction. Elves were exotic enough that commoners would come just to see them. Today, there would be both a Minotaur and a Monster on the block, and they were mythical to most of the civilized people of the Southnds. People would pay for such a spectacle, which made circuses and traveling menageries quite profitable. An auction being a free show, the square was crowded an hour before the event was set to begin, and people were already jostling for better positions.

  Biyu and May made their way to the seating, where servants from the merchant companies participating in the auction met them, and presented Biyu's broach to gain access. They went to the section reserved for merchants and petty nobles, even though Biyu was eligible to sit in the section for preeminent guests. They wanted to keep their distance from Lord Sebastian if he attended. Well-to-do merchants had already begun to fill in the seats from front to back. Giving the two women in combat gear sour looks, the merchants and petty nobles made way for them as they found a seat.

  Most of the seating was peppered with other personal guards, in case a riot broke out. They were rare in this city, and guards were posted throughout the square marked with flying banners. Nevertheless, emotions were high with excitement and irritation at the press of bodies. The city guards formed a corridor, and the esteemed guests made way their to the seating area, merchant and noble alike giving waves to the crowd as they passed.

  Biyu was gd Iris was busy arranging their residence, and learning the names of all the servants Lady Tabitha had lent to them. Listening to her earlier, Biyu expected her to have the entire household in hand by the time they got back. Crice, as their steward and out from under the thumb of the nobles of her family, was a competent and clear spoken woman. She also made it clear that she was their hostess, not their servant.

  Watching Crice and Iris hug in a free moment was touching, although Biyu was confused on the nature of their retionship. Also, looking at Crice and Lady Vanessa, she was beginning to worry if Iris's pressuring her to marry Anya might be a ploy to gain an ally in Biyu's household so they could conspire against her 'for her own good'. That fear was founded on the fact that Crice and Iris had already begun deciding on what she should wear, with the only concession being she could wear trousers. For some reason, they both strongly approved of that.

  The crowd quieted as a man in rich robes and jewelry climbed up onto the stage and raised his hands to the sky. First he opened with praise to a god of mercantilism that Biyu had never heard of, another one of the hundreds of minor gods that filled the niches in this world. He dedicated the auction to the god, and bid them to come bear witness. There was a subtle feel of the Divine touching the world, and a cheer of praise went up from the people, as all did their best to give obeisance in the press of bodies. Those afforded seats all bowed in respect.

  Turning from the Heavens, he greeted the prestigious noble guests by name, calling out to the crowd their gratitude for the visit and giving each a deep bow. Most of the nobles stood and waved to the crowd when named, although a few threw out a contemptuous hand to indicate that the auctioneer get on with it. Biyu took note when Lord Sebastian's name was mentioned, and watched as he contemptuously waved off the thanks of the auctioneer.

  The auctioneer next greeted the merchants with a teasing barb that got ughter, humorously shaken fists, and catcalls. Last of all he greeted the commoners with a rude gesture and a shout that they should all go back to work. He was answered with good-natured rude noises and cheers. To close the opening ceremony, he announced his name as though it was the least important of them all, and the auction began.

  They opened with criminal sves. Cheap exploitable bor was rare in the Empire, where even peasants had a few rights, so nobles and guilds were eager for fresh bodies to handle dangerous jobs. Being a criminal sve was considered a mercy compared to death, granting those so condemned the chance to repent their vices before death by accident or months of hard bor. Some philosophers argued harshly against the practice, stating that a clean death was a greater mercy than the way they were treated. What the sves thought about the matter never entered the schorly works Biyu remembered reading.

  After a few former brigands were sold, a pair of Human women were presented, each one pretty after a fashion. Tattoos on their cheeks marked them as sves. Their crimes, the crowd was told, were conspiracy against the family they married into, and having illegitimate children. To compound their shame, neither had the dignity to take their own lives. One was sold to a merchant, and the other to a noble in prestige seating.

  "Next we have a Traitor," the auctioneer announced. She came onto the stage, and Biyu sat up straight looking her over. Her limbs were long and thin. Long blonde hair, stiff and brittle, ran down to her mid back. Scars covered her visible skin. One of her eyes was missing. Her ears were ludicrously long lobes bobbing back over her shoulders, bending under their own weight. She was clothed in a rucksack tunic belted with frayed rope. A colr of iron encircled her neck. They were too far away to see more than a dimple of color that was the sve mark on her cheek. With Elves, the sve mark not only indicated a sve but also represented the nature of their blessing, if they had one.

  May and Biyu both raised a hand to bid, but Biyu ceded to the taller and much more noticeable May.

  Besides them, only a single noble from the prestige section bid on the woman. Lord Sebastian turned to give May a scowl. He had coiffed dark bck hair, angry brown eyes, and a square jaw. He wore familiar white and bck colors. She was gd Iris was not with them, having already attracted his attention.

  "Two ingots silver," Lord Sebastian stated ftly, his eyes telling May not to counter bid.

  "One ingot steel."

  The man rose up to his feet, so he could look at May directly. "That's far more than what the Elf is worth. Look at her. She's obviously damaged goods. Why would you overpay for that?" the man asked reasonably. The auctioneer was nodding along agreeable, while shooting May looks that clearly said 'you should listen to him'. He managed to sound like a reasonable man, something Iris had not conveyed to them.

  "My Master believes otherwise. Counter bid, Lord Sebastian?" replied May politely. She looked at the noble bndly, showing little interest in him despite her politeness. For Biyu, all he had was his family's rank. He held no title or office of his own, and he was stricken from the line of succession. According to the Lonelyknoll family, there was a small estate in the middle of nowhere the Archduke could tuck him into so he would no longer cause trouble. Much like her own father, except he had at least earned the right to his own hold.

  "Do you have that much?" he challenged. "That is quite a bit of wealth, and I see you're not here with the people with money. Did you perhaps get the seating confused?"

  May turned to the auctioneer. "Would you like to confirm our funds?"

  The wealthy merchant rubbed sweat off his brow, unhappy to be called out. He motioned for one of his helpers to go vet them. The servant came over, and then paused on seeing Biyu with her emblem on her chest. She pulled one of the high steel ingots she had been rewarded by the Empire for her part in defeating the Ogre Maker.

  He broke the wax, inspected the metal beneath carefully, then raised a hand to beckon an actual merchant. The scowling merchant stopped his scowl the moment he saw her broach. He gave a bow, then took the ingot. He stared at it for a moment, then once more at Biyu.

  "My Lady, please come with me," he said. Biyu gnced at May, who shrugged. They both stood up, and followed the man to the prestige seating. The benches here were full, but nowhere near as packed as the other section. The man had her sit near the front. "Name?" he asked.

  "Biyu Kimmel Lostkes Elderwoods," Biyu said. She was unhappy to be the sudden center of attention, but she supposed it was required.

  The merchant bowed, and gave her back the ingot. "Please, accept our apology for the poor reception. We will correct it immediately."

  He ran up to the stage, and whispered to the auctioneer. The man rolled his eyes, muttered something about 'bumpkin nobles'. Forcing on a big smile, he announced, "It seems we have another notable among us hidden in the back! I present Lady Biyu Kimmel Lostkes Elderwoods!"

  Standing, Biyu turned to wave among a mixture of waves and a few boos and 'stop holding things up!' from among the commoner's taking advantage of the anonymity of the crowd.

  The man overseeing the auction turned to Lord Sebastian. "My Lord?"

  "If she wants to waste the steel, let her," he said dryly.

  "That's one ingot steel from Lady Biyu," said the auctioneer.

  "Please settle with one of our merchants at the end of the auction, Lady Biyu," he said to Biyu. Obviously, he wanted to keep her from making further disruptions.

  A few more of the People of Elfé were sold after that, mostly women, and Lord Sebastian seemed confused when May failed counter any of his bids. Eventually, the other Elf Shishi had described was introduced. The woman was in much better shape than the first one. Her hair was bck, shoulder-length, and wavy. Unlike the other Elf they had purchased, she was well-fed, curvy, and short for a woman. Biyu would still have to look up at her, but only a little. Looking at her face, Biyu noted that it was completely calm even as the auctioneer shifted her clothing to better dispy her 'charms' without exposing too much.

  May lifted a hand to bid. Lord Sebastian did as well. Biyu ignored his hard look. That was a look she was used to from three years in a vilge of Elves. The man's eyes narrowed as the women waited for his counter bid, eyes on the stage.

  "One steel," the man growled out.

  "Two," May said.

  "This one, she's worth one," Lord Sebastian said.

  "Two."

  He stared at her. "What do you want her for?" he finally asked. The auctioneer refused to move matters along, while the watching crowd watched the spectacle of two nobles from prestigious families publicly quarreling.

  "Will you share as well?" asked May. She had stopped paying attention, merely parroting back what Biyu told her to say. It made her disinterest in Lord Sebastian particurly poignant, as she did not acknowledge him except with words.

  He snorted. "She'd be perfect for my soldiers," he said. "They have worked hard, and deserve a little fun."

  May pointed at the woman, and said, "I like her thighs. She would make an excellent pillow." Laughter came with Biyu's decration. May, suddenly realizing what she had said, looked down at Biyu with a little bit of annoyance. Quickly, she added, "My Master does."

  Lord Sebastian was completely fbbergasted. After a long pause as the crowd quieted from its ughter, he asked, "Two steel seems a bit much for a pillow?"

  "I assess her quality as a pillow at four ingots steel. I—Lady Biyu!— hopes for a discount." The man gave them a dark look, angry at the defiance, then waved to the man on stage to signal no counter bid.

  The man on stage wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked nervously from Biyu to the Archduke's son, then back. "That's two steel. Any other bidders." It was not a question, just words from the script. Of course, no one else dared. More space appeared around Biyu as those she sat near inched away from her. May returned to being bored and disinterested, staring up at birds flying in the sky, and the man grunted as she dismissed him.

  A few more sales came and went. There was a nervous energy whenever Lord Sebastian raised a hand to bid, looking to see if May would respond. For some reason, he seemed to anger as she paid little attention to the remaining auction. Then came the prize of the auction, and everyone forgot the tension from moments ago.

  A huge beast that walked on two legs stood on the stage. Over three yards tall, and thrice the mass of a strong man, he stood tall on the creaking stage. His head was simir to a bull's with blunted horns. His chest and arms were heavily muscled beneath his short haired chocote hide. A loin cloth covered his genitals. Biyu reflexively compared the Minotaur to Wen, and saw that he was a much more spectacur specimen. His eyes were intelligent, and his gaze judged as it swept across the crowd.

  She remembered reading as a child that Minotaur were dull, because they never built cities. They lived in sod buildings with thatched roofs, and did little beyond tending their vast fields, and their annual Games. Those eyes revealed the lie in that assumption, even though meeting Belly and Wen had dispelled it for her. That the people here were so willfully ignorant as to miss that made her wonder about Human arrogance. Truly, they were made by Gils. Beside her, she noted May was looking over the Minotaur with her own interest. A peek into May's mind was all she took, then she shut out the woman's ruminations on the viability of certain acts.

  The bidding began with five ingots steel, but it rapidly went up from there. Those with investments requiring heavy bor—mining or lumber—were scrambling for the huge man. At least one merchant was bidding for no other reason than to have a prize 'beast' to pull his wagon. Another seemed interested in keeping him in a menagerie and charging coins just to look at him.

  "I wish I could afford him," said Biyu, which got her another arched look from May.

  The Minotaur went for fifteen ingots of steel. Technically, Biyu could afford that, but it would not have been wise. Besides, a man that size had to be hard to feed. Little wonder Minotaur spent so much time farming if one thought about it that way.

  The Monster came st of all. While Minotaur were a mythical rarity in the south, Monsters tended to be unique throughout the known world. This one was no exception. Biyu had expected the Monster to be a Kin, but it turned out to be a rge parrot, the feathers clipped to keep it from flying. Like the Minotaur, it had intelligent eyes. It could speak, and it answered questions the auctioneer posed. Most were humorous, like a comedy routine, and the Monster did not seem to mind pying along. It went for twelve steel, concluding the auction.

  Biyu settled with the merchants running the auction. As she left with her new acquisitions in tow, they were joined by city guards led by Sir Jeremy, the guard who had taken them to the Lesser Pace the day before. The tall gangly Elf looked on with resignation, expecting trouble. The demure bck haired Elf remained passive.

  "Greetings, Sir Jeremy. How can I help you?" Biyu asked.

  "Defender Elderwoods, we are here to escort you to your estate. Lady Tabitha heard you went to the auction, and she thought it prudent to offer you additional protection."

  Biyu gnced at her new sves. "Will I be permitted to bring them?"

  "Of course. They are both colred. Shall we get g—"

  "A moment, please," said Lord Sebastian. "I think you and I need to have a conversation, Lady Biyu. If you are indeed a noblewoman." He took in the city guard. "Ah, perhaps I'm interfering. Are you here to apprehend this woman for impersonating a noble?"

  Sir Jeremy gave a deep bow. "Not at all, Lord Sebastian. We are here to escort Defender Elderwoods back to her guest estate."

  "… guest estate? May I inquire as to who you are the guest of?" he asked Biyu.

  "Lady Tabitha has generously granted a guest estate in the pace complex to my companion, Lady Chelsea Stoneshield, and I," Biyu said.

  "Lady Tabitha? Not Viscount Lonelyknoll?" Lord Sebastian asked pointedly.

  "Lady Tabitha," agreed Sir Jeremy, stepping in with a polite bow.

  "I see. Still, I must have a word with you," he said, his tone not brooking any argument.

  "Here, in public?" Biyu asked, looking around. "If what you have to speak on is of a private nature, perhaps we should arrange a meeting ter?"

  "No, I think here is fine. You see, Lady Biyu… no, forgive me, Defender Elderwoods, you have defied me. Perhaps you don't know who I am? I am Sebastian Marble, the son of Archduke Marble, the ruler of the Kingdom of Marble. Were these the old days, I would be Prince Sebastian. And you are but a Fortress Lord from the rural Midnds. Do you take my meaning?"

  "This is an auction, Lord Sebastian. It is unbecoming to dress down a lesser noble, just because they bid against you. I had the wealth, and need, to purchase those that I did."

  "And what need was it?" he asked. The word 'need' dripped with contempt.

  "A debt owed a god, Lord Sebastian."

  "So you say. Can you prove it?"

  "My retainer, May, was Awakened under the direction of this god, Lord Sebastian. My own patron, the Sacred Beast the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent."

  The man's disdain for her grew. "Is that why you wear such an ugly knife on your belt?"

  "That is part of it," Biyu said.

  "Still, you have challenged me, and in such a public pce. My dignity won't suffer such abuse. So tell me, how will you make up for it?"

  "If you are looking to save face, I will apologize and give you an ingot of steel for the insult. Two, if you feel yourself twice insulted." That was calling him petty in a backhanded manner. While she had never had much interaction with others, this was something her tutors had taught her. It was considered a necessity, no matter which court you attended.

  Lord Sebastian stared at her audacity. He shook his head. "How can you stand to have such an ignorant master?" he asked May conversationally, still staring at Biyu. "How would you like to serve someone with a bit more sense?"

  May gave a deep bow. "Lord Sebastian, I regret that I'm not worthy. Still, it is because of my Master that I have any status at all. One cannot be ungrateful to their benefactors."

  The man looked exasperated at having his generous offer rebuffed. Grimacing openly, he continued. "Fine. Get on your knees and grovel, and I will accept your apology."

  Biyu did exactly as he demanded, going onto her knees and bowing low. "Lord Sebastian Marble, I apologize for any insult given. Please, have an ingot of steel for my disgraceful behavior. Let it be said that I have sullied myself for causing you such public trouble."

  People looking on were aghast, and there was gossip already circuting even as they watched this scene. Sir Jeffery had his guards keep people back, but there was little he could do. May looked on with indifference.

  The man frowned deeply, taken off guard by her willingness to debase herself. "I suppose you learned something," he allowed, forced by her acquiescence to stymie his own ire. The soldiers with him looked frustrated that they would not be called to beat her down, despite the nearby Knight. Perhaps they expected he would not interfere, given who Lord Sebastian. At least, Biyu thought they were soldiers, but they could have been Knights themselves. She would check with [Wizard Eye] when they left. For the moment, Biyu was more interested in preventing escation in a crowded pza, even if the guards would try to contain the damage.

  Biyu, bowing a second time, offered the ingot in her palms like an offering to Lord Sebastian again. Snorting, he scowled at the Elves, May, and Biyu again. He snatched the ingot, since she refused to stop offering it, turned on his heel, and left. His soldiers hurried after him. One of the soldiers shot her a sneer as he turned away. Checking, Biyu was relieved to see that they were soldiers, not Knights. She was also confused to find that Lord Sebastian was weak, with a minor blessing as weak as the first ones she made.

  Sir Jeremy looked at Biyu askance, but he led his charges and the guards to the pace complex. After arriving, May and Biyu gave Sir Stuart a debriefing about the altercation. Biyu expined at length that her primary concern was to prevent escation in a market square full of commoners, merchants, and nobles. Sir Stuart was still frowning hard at her admission to bowing to the man, but he thanked her for the report before she returned to her house. She retired to the bedroom she intended to share with Iris, only to discover that Iris had set herself up in the adjoining servant's room.

  Now that they were in private, Iris returned to giving Biyu the cold shoulder.

  "We need to talk," Biyu said. She sighed as Iris sat with her arms crossed and face turned away. Her concubine replied with a sniff. The Elves were quietly kneeling along the edge of the room, doing their best to be inconspicuous, although the tall blonde fidgeted too much, and was very bad at surreptitiously watching them fight.

  "Priorities," Biyu sighed. She turned to the sves. "All of us need a decent meal. They need some clothes. May's should fit the tall one, and yours for… Elves, tell me your names."

  The dark haired woman replied promptly, "My name is Clio, Master."

  The tall blonde said, "The sve master called me La. You may call me whatever you wish, Master." The words were deferential, but Biyu caught the touch of contempt in her tone.

  "You will not tell me your true name?"

  "She is dead. I will not sully the name of my noble ancestor."

  "So, she's like me," Iris said. The Elf gave Iris a curious look before remembering herself and returning to the deference she had been 'taught'. Iris gave a thin smile as she caught the indiscretion. Shifting to catch the Elves' eyes, Biyu pointed to her ear and then indicated the walls of the residence. The blonde Elf gave a slight nod of her head.

  "Do you have a name you would like to have?" asked Biyu, returning to the subject. "Or a name you believe fits you?"

  The nameless woman shook her head.

  "Master, why are you untouched by revulsion for them?" asked Iris. She frowned, and approached the one who named herself Clio. "Or the tall one at least. Clio, are you really an Elf?"

  Clio lifted her head to show the mark on her cheek. It detailed a rat under a bell jar. She said nothing else.

  "No, you're not an Elf," Iris said slowly. She poked the woman in the cheek, to verify further.

  Clio answered the accusation. "My father was a Human. I believe my maternal grandfather was also a Human. While I still have the blessing of the Silent Rat, I do not 'feel' like an Elf. My father had me marked, so I would not be confused for my betters."

  Iris flinched, and Biyu was stony.

  "I see," was all Iris could say.

  "How did you end up in today's auction?" Biyu asked.

  Clio lowered her head so she addressed the floor. "I was raised as my half-sister's companion. We took lessons and pyed together. I believed that I was being raised to be her dy's maid. However, when she was engaged into a count's family I was sold to the Temple of Gils." Both Biyu and Iris winced. "I was trained as a Temple girl, but I was unpopur. After a while, I was sold to a merchant who brought me here."

  Biyu did not know what expression she had, but Iris was looking at her with wary surprise. The other Elf was also bemused. Taking in a breath, Biyu did her best to smooth her expression.

  Biyu answered Iris's earlier question. "When I started to worship my Master, the Sacred Beast, the feeling of disgust for Elves went away." Both Elves looked at her with curiosity at that, even the thus far imperturbable Clio.

  Iris gave a nod. "Does May also worship your Master?"

  "No."

  "Master, you worship a Sacred Beast?" The sve formerly known as La asked. Incredulous as the question was, as uncouth as it was for her to speak without being bidden to, she had at least managed to be respectful.

  "Should I worship your master as well, Lady Biyu?" Iris asked. Her brow was creased.

  "No. That is forbidden to you. I will divorce you if you try." Iris blinked at that. Biyu sighed. "I am sorry, Iris, but that will have to wait. The Elves will likely know before you, but that is because, unlike you, I do not care if they hate me."

  Biyu returned her attention to the Elves. "Yes. My Master is a Sacred Beast. We will talk about that more ter. For now, what to do with you?"

  The sves waited with downcast eyes.

  "When I was imagining what to do with you, I was thinking of perhaps making you two into maids and secret bodyguards." She looked at the unnamed Elf. "You are a bit too imposing for that. Or should I say, it would be too obvious?

  "I considered Awakening both of you and granting you my techniques. Perhaps I would even introduce you to my Master, and arrange for you to live under her care depending on whether the Oracle keeps you. That seems to be… inappropriate. I can tell you are a warrior, La. What weapons do you know?"

  "I am forbidden to carry weapons," she said while fingering her colr, "but I knew the sword and shield, the spear at which I excelled, and I know the sling. I can also make proper sling bullets." She stared at her master for a long moment. "I am also Awakened, though my techniques are suppressed."

  Biyu asked Iris and the unnamed Elf, "Can we change the rules she works under?"

  Iris said, "Yes, but it's expensive and she's an Elf. It won't happen. Same with trying to free her." The Elf agreed with a nod.

  "Your name for now is Chattel. Your role will be Iris's personal sve. I will have your old injuries healed when the rest of my party comes." She turned to Clio. "What can you do?"

  The woman dipped her head. "As I said, I was a young dy's companion. I learned etiquette, dance, how to py the flute and zither, and sing. My education included other womanly arts, such as embroidery, painting, reading, and writing. While I have a noble's education, I am poor at math."

  "She's basically a courtesan," Iris said.

  Clio shifted slightly. "The merchants expected a brothel would buy me. No one expected a connoisseur of thighs to be at the auction today." She decred this with not a hint of humor to her tone. Iris gave Biyu a dirty look.

  "There is more to it than that, but I offered the least troublesome reason that I could think of," Biyu said.

  Iris did not look impressed. "So, you were looking at her thighs? And it was a reason you were looking forward to buying her?"

  "Can you do makeup and hair?" Biyu asked Clio, deciding on a tactical disengagement from Iris's jab. That only made Iris angrier. Her cheeks were less pretty colored with anger instead of embarrassment. Clio affirmed that she could do cosmetics.

  "Then she can be a dy's maid. Either that, or an entertainer?"

  "Both," Iris said.

  At the same time, Clio said, "Whatever Midy desires."

  "Iris? Please fetch some of your clothes for Clio. May is picking something out for Chattel. We will get them livery ter."

  Once Iris had gone to her servant's room to find something for Clio, Biyu looked at Chattel and Clio with [Wizard Eye]. The reason few besides Wizards used the technique was that while it allowed one to see mana, that was all it did. Wizards spent years learning about charms, rituals, formations, and the way they interacted with mana. Then there were the magical structures they created. Without years of training and experience, all one saw was the color, shape, and flow of mana. Biyu appreciated being able to see it, as it also let her see blessings and judge the depth of mana pools. It also allowed her to find hidden formations, but so far that was just a novelty.

  With [Wizard Eye], she could see that both women had a blessing. Chattel's mana blessing was green, and a shade off May's gale aspect. She was also, as she had said, Awakened, although her pool was empty, and her body had no mana infusion. Both her pool and her blessing shared a shade, as far as she could tell. Clio's was a rippling of white and bck, mesmerizing and yet hard to look at. She had not been Awakened. "Can you use your blessings?"

  Chattel nodded. "It is suppressed, but I have a lineage. I am a fourth generation child of the Gale Rabbit. My blessing comes from him. It enhanced my abilities with my techniques, until my pool was drained."

  "Your aspect is gale?"

  "Yes, Master."

  "The same as Lily May. The tall woman you saw with me earlier. Perhaps she was Awakened by your tribe."

  "I don't see how, Master. We are not fond of Humans."

  "You don't know the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent?" At a shake of her head, Biyu let it go.

  "Clio, you said you were a descended from the line of the Silent Rat?" Clio nodded an affirmative.

  "You both are from a line born between Sacred Beast and Elf?" When they both nodded, she asked, "Do you know any reptile or serpent Kin?"

  Clio shook her head, although it looked she did not know what Kin were. Chattel was suspicious, but shook her head as well. Biyu let out a disappointed sigh.

  Chattel waited for Biyu to continue. Clio simply was. Biyu took a moment to inspect their colrs, humming to herself.

  "Master, why did you buy me?" Chattel asked.

  "An Oracle my retainer wants a favor from told me to. I was told to do whatever I like with you, which makes it a strange price for a favor." Biyu took a moment to decide what to say next. "I know what I want to do, but I also know it is not possible. One thing I will make clear. Chattel is a pceholder. I command you to find a name you like."

  "I will try, Master," Chattel replied noncommittally.

  Iris and May came in with bundles of clothes for the Elves. While the clothing was sorted, compared, and selected, the Elves were directed to the bath under May's watchful eyes.

  For Chattel, Iris chose loose trousers that ended mid-shin, a cream tunic with long sleeves and a brown robe. Clio was put into a long tunic and robes from Iris's collection. Shorter and broader than Iris, the clothes fit poorly and emphasized her figure in a way that made her look like she was attracting customers for a brothel. Iris traded the robe for a shapeless gown, which helped de-emphasize Clio's figure, while giving Biyu another dirty look.

  Cleaned and dressed, they were given a meal in a room set aside for them. May, Iris, Biyu, and Sir Stuart ate together on the veranda in the inner courtyard. The children had the morning off, since everyone was busy.

  Later in the afternoon, Viscount Lonelyknoll's wife came to visit. She eyed the Elves critically. The revulsion Humans felt for the People of Elfé was evident in her pinched expression, but she only gave them a passing once over. She asked, "So you drew Lord Sebastian's attention by bidding on them."

  Biyu nodded. "They are the ones the Oracle requested I acquire. I had little choice but to come into conflict with him." Biyu frowned. "He knows I am a guest of Lady Tabitha. I will remain here, to try and avoid him. I am concerned he is seeing conspiracies where there are none."

  Lady Vanessa sighed. "That sounds like him. And, unfortunately… well, never mind that. Inviting you to the memorial for our daughter is likely to give the man further ideas. To think he's assumed we would actively attack him. Really gives you a sense for the kind of man the bastard son of a whore is."

  "Should I leave Iris behind when I go to the memorial?"

  Iris shook her head. "No, I think it's important that I go. Even if it is risky… I want to go."

  Lady Vanessa sighed, gncing at Iris with amused resignation. "I almost believe conflict with him was your Oracle's intention. I imagine he would make wild leaps of deduction were he to see your Iris." She considered Biyu. "You need to take care, Lady Biyu. There is only so much he can do to us before his father rebukes him, but you? It is beyond us to protect you, and you are beyond the influence of your own court… would anyone there even support you? Take care not to offend the Archduke."

  "I have no political allies, at present. Were that it was only just a fight. He is Awakened, but much weaker than I am. Weaker than May. If he takes things too far, then I can certainly put him in his pce. But, only if he does not have Knights at his disposal."

  Lady Vanessa snorted a ugh. "Him, Knights? His father doesn't trust him with a single farm. No, he has no Knights.

  "Still, he himself is dangerous. His attribute is explosions. A mixture of fire and air concocted by the Miner Guild. Don't make the mistake of thinking a deep mana pool is all there is to it. I daresay he has little practical experience, but don't underestimate him."

  Biyu contempted while Iris sipped her tea. May was standing guard, and Chattel and Clio were kneeling on the ground with their heads down ready to serve.

  "It is better not to confront him. To protect Iris from Lord Sebastian, Iris, you should go as Clio. The children should our run errands for us. Or, the pace servants if you permit it Lady Vanessa. Shutting myself away here is unpleasant, but if I must then I will. When I do leave, for my meetings at the Ministry, May will come with me. Sir Stuart, are you willing to defend Iris and the Elves?"

  "I can," Sir Stuart said, though his face was glum.

  Lady Vanessa looked mildly offended. "Truly? Sir Jeremy has requested to head a guard detail for you and Iris. Really, it's almost offensive for you to not seek our help at least a little while you're our guest and dealing with our problems, Lady Biyu."

  Biyu bowed. "I apologize, and thank you for your generosity."

  A crashing sound jerked them all to alertness. "Where is she?" came a distant demand. Feet thundered as soldiers rushed to the disturbance from all corners of the pace complex. Apparently, Lord Sebastian had come to make trouble just as she was pnning to avoid it.

  Lady Vanessa stood up, but Biyu gently stopped her with a raised hand. "Please, stay here. May and I will defend you." She gnced down at the Elves. "Chattel, you are to do everything in your power to keep Clio and yourself safe. Flee if you must. Hide if you can. Grovel if that is all that is left."

  Chattel looked at her searchingly, but nodded. Clio curtsied.

  There was the bang of a gong at the estate gate, a signal someone sought entrance. They were opened to admit in a squad of pace guards. "We are here to escort Lady Vanessa and Defender Elderwoods to Viscount Lonelyknoll."

  "Can you pce a guard on my companions?" Biyu asked.

  "Of course, Defender Elderwoods." The guard bowed. Lady Vanessa and Biyu left with an escort. Behind them, Iris frowned at being left behind. She changed her looks to a dirty blonde woman with brown eyes and a farmer's tan, before going to change clothes.

  In front of the Lesser Pace, Viscount Lonelyknoll stood proudly alongside his son staring down the man who dared make demands while bringing his soldiers within the pace complex. Knights fnked them, their spears ready, while pace guards stood ready to shield them. Biyu counted a dozen soldiers on Lord Sebastian's side. Too many for an honor guard.

  When Biyu arrived at the Lesser Pace, she gave first Viscount Lonelyknoll, then Lord Sebastian, a bow. "Greetings, Viscount Lonelyknoll, Lord Sebastian."

  "You." Six ingots steel cttered on the ground. "The Elf women, now, and I will forget the insult of you conspiring with this ingrate," he said imperiously. The level-headed decorum he had dispyed earlier was gone, leaving a sneering young man.

  Biyu looked at the steel, but made no move to pick it up. Instead, she crushed the blessing upon him and repced it with a curse of her own, so she would always know where he was. "You insult me by demanding my property. There is no pce within the Empire where you have the right to demand such. As a member of an Archduke family, you are not accorded the right or the privilege to seize a peasant's cow, let alone my property. As Lord of the Fortress of Elderwoods, I take offense."

  "Yes, yes, you are a Defender of some backwater… what do you people call them? Holds?" the man said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

  "So, tell me. Were you sent by this miserable family to fuck with me? First, they try to steal the woman they promised me. My woman. Now they are spreading lies that I caused her death! Why would I want that lovely woman dead? Well, before all this that is." He pointed at the Viscount. "Matters here are very simple. Tell me the truth, give me my Elves, and I will… absolve you of your crimes."

  Biyu's stance shifted from polite and formal to something a little more aggressive. "I forgave your insults to me, for you did not know my identity. There are plenty here who can verify it, Lady Tabitha not the least of them, should you still harbor doubts. However, I take umbrage with your disrespect of the dead, and your rudeness to those who mourn them."

  "She's not dead. Do you think my men would be so incompetent as to harm my property, even by accident? She is somewhere, alive and well. And, I will find her."

  Lady Vanessa spoke, her eyes full of tears as she turned away. "My daughter was so fearful of being captured by such an odious man that she took her own life to save herself! And you… and you…" She began openly weeping. Lord Herbert came to comfort her, his own eyes tearful and full of rage for the pain the man subjected them to. At least, Biyu thought that was what he was trying to show. What she saw was an angry man digging his nails into his palm to force tears.

  Lord Sebastian watched the tears, and a crack in his confidence showing. Unwilling to accept he was wrong, he recovered and said, "Then where is the body?"

  Viscount Lonelyknoll turned to Biyu. "Will you expin?" he asked, his shoulders slumping a little as a tear came to his eye. Unlike his son, Lord Emanuel's sadness was genuine.

  Biyu bowed to him. "After hearing that she had taken her own life while fleeing a man she refused, I decided to destroy her body and spread the ashes. I was afraid he would go to abhorrent lengths if he recovered it. We spread her ashes along the roadside." She bowed to Viscount Lonelyknoll again. "Once more, I apologize for my rash actions. I am ashamed to admit I came to such a poor conclusion, for I did not know it was the son of Archduke Marble who pursued her. Assuredly, he would not stoop to necromancy to keep her."

  Lord Sebastian gred at her. It was a fanciful but valid concern to worry about necromancy. After all, the dead had a habit of rising even without help. Violent deaths were more likely to result in vengeful spirits, but the owner of the body was not always the one that rose up as a ghoul or worse. Not that it mattered who possessed the decaying corpse. That was one of the reasons that armies at war would clear the dead each evening under truce. Vioting such a truce could have your allies turn against you, and even the gods had been known to curse people for such breeches.

  It was obvious by his expression that he would not accept her expnation. "No, you're lying. Make your peace now, admit to your ruse, or I will find evidence of your deception. Once I do, you best believe I will demand satisfaction." He looked over the room slowly, his anger still burning in his eyes.

  "And for your insults to the family in mourning?"

  He gred at her for her audacity. Through gritted teeth he said, "I apologize for my brash accusations, for now." He even gave a barely perceptible bow.

  Lord Sebastian swung around and stalked out, his soldiers following.

  Before he got two steps, Biyu called out, "Lord Sebastian, you forgot your money." He growled, and sent a soldier to collect the money as he continued on his way.

  After they had left, May asked Biyu, "Master, is he one of them?"

  Biyu shook her head. "No. I feel no demand for his death. Even if it was, killing an Archduke's scion, even a disinherited son, will force the Archduke to censure us. We may already be walking the line insulting the man as I did." Her frown grew. "Also, there is something else. A feeling. Like he has not crossed a line yet, but I cannot see the line. Nor do I know what he would have to do to cross it."

  "I see, Master. Pity."

  Lady Vanessa was still weeping in her son's arms as he comforted her. Lord Emanuel looked weak as well. "Thank you, Lady Biyu. You do know, our daughter is dead?" Biyu nodded. She did.

  Biyu and May went to check on their companions. Iris slouched in a seat with her feet kicked up, pying the country bumpkin servant without her master around. Biyu still caught a touch of anxiety in her eyes as they entered. At May's cheerful smile and head shake, she rexed. The children had arrived while they were away, and already eating.

  With the excitement over and dinner eaten, they split up to rex. Crice instructed Clio and Chattel on their duties while Biyu watched over them. Chattel listened, but her eyes probed Biyu the entire time. The children had left, and for once they only made a token effort to convince them to stay.

  May gnced about, and realized she had a free moment. She pced a block between herself and Biyu, keeping Biyu from her mind. Suddenly, she felt so much less. Even her body felt weaker. She wondered if that meant most of her power stemmed from Biyu's blessing. That was a little sad, but she shook it off. She bid Iris to come with her.

  "You two have been fighting," May said.

  Iris nodded. "I'm having trouble staying mad with her, but yes."

  "'Cause she's not your hero?" May asked.

  Iris pouted. "I wouldn't put it that way."

  "You heard she rescued me, right? I ever tell you the whole story?"

  "Lady Biyu told us the other day."

  "Yeah, but that's her story. Not mine. So, give it a listen, yeah? It starts with me, my brother Jacob, and our friend John escorting a single merchant. Small load, just some supplies for a vilge. Barely worth it for anyone other than the vilgers. We gave him a discount, because we'd never been that way before. Southern Lost Lakes, near Ft Woods. Somewhere new to see, yeah?

  "Suddenly, stones come hurling out of the woods! My brother and his best friend, a man I thought I'd marry, were down immediately. I think John was dead after the first salvo. My brother, Jacob, was in a bad way. I was still up and moving, 'cause I got lucky. Their stones hit the shield on my back, yeah? So I pull my sword to fight the enemy like you do.

  "They rushed us. All they got are clubs, but that's enough. Seven of'm. I manage to make a good show of myself, but they finished John quick, if he were alive. Got Jacob, too. The shriek he made when he died. Gods. I…" Her expression went far away.

  "I'll tell you something I don't, usually. My brother was my whole life. Ever since I was little, I just followed him around. He wanted to py soldiers. So we, John and me, did. He wanted to learn the sword. I learned it too. I was better… sorry, I'm getting off track here. Let's just say it was a blow when he died.

  "They got the merchant, too. Did a real number on'm. So there I was. I had a sword, I was wounded, and there were seven of'm. Managed to do a little damage, I swear I did, before they dragged me down. There they were, beating me to the Hells.

  "That's when Biyu shows up. She's got a bow," Iris gasped at the name of the weapon, "and a bronze sword. With just that, and being Transcendent, she takes'm out. She was good, too. Real heroic like. I was in awe.

  "So, why did she do it? 'Cause she saw I was in trouble. Didn't hesitate. You could just tell who was a guard and who was a bandit.

  "Not like you. Two groups of soldiers wearing colors fighting, and no idea what was going on? All the prophecy did was tell'er whose side to be on when you appeared. That's it. She didn't save you because the prophecy told her to. She did it 'cause the prophecy let her know which side to save. That you were another May, in need of rescue."

  Iris had listened without interruption. She blushed a bit as the story got to the end. When May finished, Iris looked at her wryly. "It's a little disappointing that she's not just my hero."

  May gave a shrug. "I think a hero who tries to do right is better than a person who tries to coddle you." She made a face. "Like Lady Chelsea."

  "You've mentioned her, but neither of you seem to like her."

  "She'll be here in another week and a half or so. She thinks Biyu should just sit around being a noble woman. Marry a man, and have kids. Be a 'proper' noble wife. Like she ain't doin' the same damn thing herself pying Knight-Errant, now. Yeah, she's from a Knight family. Still sounds like a hypocrite."

  Iris smiled at May. "Thank you May. That did help."

  "I'm hug okay."

  Iris stared for a long moment. May could almost read the emotions on her face. First, the thought that it was undignified. Then the little downturn of the lips as she remembered that part of her life was over. The contemption of what her persona, the preening concubine, would do. Finally, casting off all consideration and doing what she wanted to do. Give May a hug.