“‘Gratz Anvar, or should I say Lord Anvar now?”
I roll my eyes at Gershwin.
“I never called you Lord, Gersh. I don't see why you should be trying to annoy me with it.”
He laughs, “Perhaps I just wish to get you into the habit.”
A lovely laugh sounds out at our antics. I turn to give my best roguish grin to Yancea. She gives me a coquettish smile.
-----
The fool has such a goofy grin. He is so young. Only twenty-eight soul days. Then again reaching tier two at such an age is heartening. Perhaps I can entertain a dalliance. It will be a fine memory for this Lark.
-----
“Have you decided on what you are going to reach for next?”
Yan drapes herself over my shoulder, her arms reaching around my chest. I give a quick peck to her arm before answering.
“I feel, perhaps life magic or maybe light.” It will be life magic. Elves are notorious for their miscarriages. I want to help her anyway I can.
She pouts, “If you go grabbing an advance so soon your vision is going to struggle.”
What is a bit of blurry vision for the love of my life. It will be worth it.
-----
No no no no. I can't be pregnant. I…it's alright. What are the chances it will come to term?
“Darling is everything alright?”
I find Anvar busy with his papers. He scans me with his green thin rectangles he has for mana eyes, before I can dissuade him. His smile grows as I wince. He doesn't notice as his focus is on my womb.
“Truly?”
I put on a brave smile and nod.
“It might be rather forward of me but would you stay with me? I'll try my best to continue tiering.”
My brave smile becomes a tender one. I love this man. If I ever bring him a child to term he will kill me. But I still love him. A tragic end to my Lark. But I will spend it with him till then.
“Of course, dear.”
“Do you have any thoughts towards names?”
My heart breaks a bit more.
-----
It was a rather turbulent pregnancy. It didn't help much that my lovely Elven bride was still as reckless as ever. Anytime I chide her on being careful she gets a wild look on her face and tries harder to injure herself. I can only credit my lightning core for keeping her out of danger.
She exhausted herself in the birthing, she is asleep. Our daughter Tamin, lay next to her. I had suggested something with cea at the end which got a rather harsh rebuke. I didn't understand why, I always felt Yancea was a lovely name.
Tamin begins to wail. The wet nurse picks her up. Yancea stirs. She reaches for her baby. When the wet nurse hands our Tamin to her, she has such a sad smile. The wet nurse comes to me when she notices my confusion.
“It can happen at times Lord, the missus needs time to adjust—”
She stopped when she heard the crack. I push her aside only to witness true horror. My poor Tamin…why?
-----
“Sorry Love. No Elf is allowed to let a hybrid live…not even their mothers. I'll join sweet Tamin now.”
I begin to infuse my water core. To flood my chest cavity. It's a pretty consistent way to end it. I take one last look at the man I betrayed. His hand is raised. Seems he aims to end me himself. I stopped channeling and let him. It is only fair. The lightning courses through me and I black out.
-----
“Keep her sedated.”
I point to the various tinctures we had gathered in preparation for the birth.
“Start with this one, if she starts to come to move on to this one.”
I head down into our cellar. Where was it? There. I pick up the mana mancle, growing sicker at the thought. She was possessed, I must know why. I must know before I decide if I am digging two graves tonight. Damn it, why. I take a moment. A second one.
“Lord Anvar?”
I look up at our wet nurse. She is pale, understandably.
“Sorry, I'll be right up.”
-----
“I failed ya as a guild master, I didn't know you were trying?”
“Master Qwinanae, why did this happen?” I ask the gnome Adventurer guild master.
“Ya humans are so young, seventeen hundred years ago the long ears went insane and started slaughterin’ any Hybrid they saw. First it was just Elven kind. Then as the years progressed it was any who identified as Hybrid. Didn’ matta if they be Elven or naught. Best most could gather, it was a race wide geas. They can’ not kill ‘em. Failin’ that they retreat and call in more Elves. It don’ stop till the Hybrid is dead.”
A geas. Mental magic killed my daughter… I look at the false soul ring on my hand. It can change race but a child couldn't set it. I will need custom trinkets. But Yancea will still know. She will kill every one of our children. I sigh. A geas for a geas then. I will need a mental core. And a trainer.
“My condolences ‘Honor above All’, I know this means you can't have more children with her, but you can always adopt. She cannot infuse them but you can.”
Ignore his absurd suggestion and focus my mana on my lightning core. Its strains, I keep pushing. The pain is excruciating but it is nothing to what needs to be done. It shatters and my soul quails.
-----
I open my eyes, the light in the room forces them close. I still live, but why? My head hurts.
“Love?”
I see him, why did he let me live?
“I've learned much that I wish I had known sooner. I now know why you were so distressed. I have a thought if you are willing to entertain it.”
“Anything, dear.” There is nothing I can give this man that can absolve what I have done.
“I will go train, to become strong enough to change you, to make you human. If we are both human your geas won't matter yes? Wait for me, please.”
I give him a sad smile, the moment I am a hybrid I'll end up killing myself. But I will not rob him of his hope. I have done enough to this poor man.
-----
Ten years. I shattered my lightning core every year. To make room for the one I needed. They say a core comes back weaker every time. It doesn't matter.
“Will you be returning to your wife then?”
“Yes, Lord Maxwell. Thank you for your tutelage. I will always remember you and yours fondly.”
The middle-aged merchant gives me a nod. He only just bought his title. A merchant has scant time to progress otherwise. But his mental magic and training is all I could afford. I wave at his two daughters and son. Soon Yancea.
-----
The letters we had exchanged were my only salvation. I reread them multiple times. I look out the window of our cottage.
He will be returning today. Or tomorrow. I hope it is today. Just as I think I will peruse year one letters I see a silhouette on the road. He shouts my name, knowing I will hear him. Tears bubble as I smile. I go to get ready.
I meet him at the door, he grabs me by the waist and twirls me. He is almost to tier three. It's a miracle. He beams a smile at me.
“I missed you so, love.”
“And I you.” I give him a sad smile.
“You never took them off.”
The mana manacles. My despair is too great to remove them.
“No love, not till you made me your human wife.”
Now it's him giving me a sad smile. It turns into a brave one.
“We should get started then. Come to the bedroom, it would be best for you to lay down for this.”
I nod and we slowly walk to our room. He was eager. I was slow, trying to spend as much time as I could with him. Knowing my life will end today. But he is hopeful even though I know it is doomed. You can't change an elf soul. Our walk ends too soon.
I lay in the bed as he brought a chair next to me. Sitting he holds my hands.
“I understand there are powerful geas on you dear. I will need to compel you so that you are mentally dazed while I work. It is best you open yourself as much as you can. Leave your soul bare to me, love. Please.”
I give him a calm smile and nod. I reach up and cup his face, “I love you dear, go ahead.”
He closes his eyes for a moment and leans into my hand. He then rights himself and squeezes it, kisses it. Then he places a hand on my forehead.
“Lancea, make these words true to yourself without ever thinking about them.”
My mind goes blank.
-----
“You are now a human woman. You wear your trinket earrings everyday knowing you are a human. You never bother looking for tapestries, you never use identify on people, never on your children. Your future children are human, fully. You will avoid gaining life magic and life mana sight. When you feel doubt in you about being human or your children you will immediately come to me with your concerns. You will not discuss this with anyone else. Why would you, you are human.”
My mental core exhausts itself. My reserves are gone too. I am breathing heavily but I am not done. I place my hands over her stomach. From what I have learned, you can not change elf ovaries. But her uterus. If I can make it human. It will sell the fiction better. I channel my life core.
When I am done I slip a ring on her finger. It will make her convert her mana into life mana. I take off her shackles and turn on the ring. I direct her life mana to the changes I made. It may never truly release, rendering her mana forever compromised. But it should hold.
She comes to and feels her body, “You truly did it, Anvar you truly did the impossible.” She hugs me and cries into my shoulder. I hug her back and cry as well.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
-----
“I dub thee, Baron Anvar.”
The queen taps his shoulder with his ceremonial sword. Specially made for the occasion. I was the one who used swords. He was in the back casting lightning spells. I am proud of him. Forty soul days and tier three. I should hurry up and catch up to him, it wouldn't do to grow older than him after he sacrificed so much to make me human. I rub my swollen belly. He says it will be a boy. Perhaps Kent.
-----
No one said there would be so much paper work after ennoblement. I feel being an attendant was easier. I sit back in my chair. Life is good. Kent is almost twenty now, his sister Yannie is only five. I best get back to it. The sooner I am done the sooner I can dote on her.
A letter from Maxwell. He passed his title onto Bianca, a lovely girl. Woman, now I suppose. A bit of a tragedy in her life but she has found happiness again. Seems she wishes to take up administrative duties instead of mercantile ones. Hilgard's admin is getting rather long in his tooth. I could convince him it's time to retire. I begin writing the letter.
The door opens, “My lord, your daughter and her attendant were accosted in the market. I was able to subdue the Elf. He is in the cells below.”
Damn. I get up and follow my personal knight down to this Elf. I find him bound and quite bruised. The bindings themselves are slick in his blood. The damnable geas.
“How did you know?”
The elf stares at me.
“Answer my questions. How did you know?”
“The girl has a tapestry but no ear trinkets. She wears two rings, one to hide her race and one to hide her ears.”
I wince, “Was it the ears you noticed first?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Life mana sight, I healed her scraped knee.”
Damn. I turn to my knight.
“Full Intimidation aura, snap his neck. Leave the body near the dungeon. Hopefully the body will be discovered after a tiger gets to it.”
“Of course, my Lord.”
I turn to leave. My teeth grind when I hear the bone snap. I need to send a letter.
-----
We have traveled so far to a remote location. It's only been a week since that terrible Elf.
“Do we truly need to do this, love?”
He looks pained. “It's for her own protection. If we can raise her level swiftly I can start working on her life resist skill.”
I feel some itch on my soul at his words.
“But she is human, why does she need to be able to resist life mana sight?”
He looks pained. He pulls me into his embrace. “Trust me.”
-----
The stress has been getting to me. I had slipped up. We arrived at the encampment. I used to collect bounties off of these scums. Now I am why they continue to exist. I take a breath. For my family.
I walk to the swarthy gentleman. He gives off confidence. But he wasn't who I had contacted. Have I gone to the wrong place?
“You're not who I spoke to before.”
“Unfortantly boss had a bad run in with a former lover, we've been scrambling ever since to right the ship, so to say.” It is a common enough story. A common enough lie. But at least it's the right place.
I look back at my wife who is scared. I see our daughter. I remember our first daughter.
“I need enough for three levels, starting from level three.”
I should be able to get her past her break points with that. I don't wish to sacrifice more than necessary.
“If you would have your daughter stand against that wall, we can get started.”
-----
“Dear she is only five she didn't know.”
Yannie had leveled before she had reached her break point. My husband was furious.
“Sorry argghh, sorry. You're right, I should have made sure she understood before we started.”
“Still five dear, perhaps next time a few spare levels…just in case.”
He looks at me. A touch of madness in his eyes. I simply rub my belly. He understands and rushes to me.
“Truly?”
I nod, we all must make sacrifices. I can only hope the next larks of those we end early will be better.
-----
I've had to contact Randan at least two times so far. This is our third meeting. Our third child we had to prepare. To protect.
“You are to have a dozen ready in two months.”
The man winces. His mental mage Frank rolls his eyes. To be honest I waited too long. I loath this but it is necessary. I should have been stronger. Need to be.
“Procuring that many in such a short time would be dangerous, any village with that many ready to improve would most surely alert the local adventurer guild.”
A problem, but they have survived this long without being caught, “Getting their attention would be an issue, is there nothing to be done?”
The muscle, Vance speaks up. “You can't get a dozen without alertin’ anyone unless they're desperate enough to sell ‘em to ya.”
Now there's a thought. Kent has been busy making the game of knights and peasants to impress some Lady. A valid excuse to push a village to desperation. Winter is coming. Food scarcity then.
“If I were to manufacture such desperation, can it be done?”
Randan blinks at that, “Buying them cuts into our margins, will you be making up the difference my Lord?”
I sigh, it always comes down to money.
-----
I walk into my husband's study. He is furiously writing out letters.
“What's wrong, love?”
“It's probably nothing.” He starts writing again, stops and sighs. “I just met a tiny little girl who just said a bunch of slavers' names and then our sons. I can't stop thinking she somehow knows.”
“Is this going to be a problem?”
“She is Bianca Maxwell's daughter. I am sending letters out to our allies to see if the Maxwells have been starting any rumors.”
“Are they not our allies?”
His mood plummets. He looks up with the same steel in his eyes when he has to make terrible choices. I've had to have seen it too often recently. I come over and wrap my arms around him. To give him comfort.
“Tell me about this girl.”
“Sara, Maxwell blue hair with Blacknell blacks running through them. They said she was ten but she looks eight. Her waist is cripplingly small. I can't fathom why they would start her so young on a corset. Children are still such fools at that age.”
Our head attendant comes in. “A Randan is in the foyer, sir.”
-----
The fool has come to me. Blackmail? Probably. I do not need this right now.
“Your Lordship. I come here to beg a boon. I found my camp devastated and I aim to rebuild.”
I give him my most skeptical eyes. He continues.
“Only ten large gold will be necessary. I can get back to work with that much. Seeing as you have been my most prolific customer, I am certain you wish for me to get back to work.”
Blackmail it is then.
“Randan, answer my questions.”
You think all his time with his own mind mage would have prepared him for this. Guess Frank was a better mage than I thought. That or the fool welcomed the compels so regularly he forgot he could resist them.
“Were there any children still at the camp when you had left.”
“A girl.”
“Her name?”
“Sara…possibly Maxwell.”
I close my eyes for a moment. I need to make sure.
“Was she there when I was there?”
“Yes.”
I am truly damned. So I must betray my teacher. Bianca will have to live with more tragedy. For my family.
“What assurances have you made that I won't kill you.”
The man is not stupid.
“I have a lover's revenge charm, should it activate my men will turn over documents to the guard.”
Not that smart either. I get up and walk to him. I place a hand to his forehead.
“You are to return to your men and tell them to fuck off. Burn any paper they have. Then head to Yetna and … make soup. Everyday you make soup. If you fail at using all the soup, you will feel the need to make twice as much the next day. Every time you eat soup you forget a day of your life. Soup is delicious. Everytime you eat it you want to make soup the next day.”
I put ten large gold in his pocket and he left. I return to my chair and slump down. My wife embraces me. I shudder against her warmth.
-----
“Where is your daughter?”
Bianca answers me in monotone. I wince. She wears the mana manacles my wife wore so many years ago.
“Cecelia is in Hilgard, Barbain is on a caravan heading to Maknor.”
She did not say Sara…
“Tell me everything you know of Sara Maxwell.”
“She is my granddaughter, adopted by Cecelia. She had wandered to Hilgard. She was rejected by the barrier. By the time the guards got her back to the guard house, she was already dead. Cecelia restarted her heart after sensing her soul was still in her body. The girl after being revived became attached to Cecelia. She does not know she had died. Upon expending all her mana her heart stopped again...”
-----
I strap his brigdine on.
“Are you sure you don't wish me to join you? My sword arm is not that rusty.”
He leans down and kisses me cheek, “It is just a few rebels dear. I fear your wrath would deprive me of taxpayers.”
Drat, I desperately need to tier before I become a crone while he is still hale.
“Would you at least consider a dungeon run with me. I would like to progress, love.”
He smiles, “When I return then, we will make it a date. Graftier wolves will know our fury.”
His smile is the goofy one he won my heart with, just a bit fuzzier now. I gave him my own smile.
-----
A soul cries outs again wishing to change what she witnesses. The memories do not care. She continues to bear witness.
-----
I look over the latest prisoners. Nothing fatal. Magdeline can't fault me for leaving them scorched. I stop at one sandy hair fellow. A lieutenant of the free Hotna army. These fools convinced themselves enough to gain titles. He is the highest-ranked we secured so far.
“Name.”
“Alec of Hotna.”
Given his age and level…likely one of the returning soldiers. He looks at me with a rather venomous glare.
“You have a rather hateful look on you. I understand, you must have lost family because of me.”
He thrash against his bonds.
“You dare say that after killing my brother next to me. Fucking Anvars and Maxwells have taken everything from me.”
I wince. My lightning control is not what it should be. My soul has not forgiven me for shattering so many cores. A stun shot here and a lethal blast there, I could no longer control my lethality, or do I no longer care? Maxwell?
“I understand your hatred of me, but why Maxwells?”
He just glares at me.
“Tell me.”
-----
“Ah luv, tell me what I can do for ya.”
I look at the cut throat. Then to the board with requests, not much there...good. Only a large silver for the capture of the girl who tortures my husband? That won't do. He is being soft.
“I wish to place a kill request for a child of Maxwell.”
The man rolls his eyes.
“No one going to take on the mind fuckers for a pittance.”
“Will ten large gold entice them?”
He shrugs, “Full deposit, describe this child to me.”
-----
“I just figured we should secure a new knight dear. We both are nearing tier four. I am sure our majesty will elevate me once I do.”
“But in a dungeon, I can not believe they are being so reckless as holding the tournament inside a dungeon.”
I smile, no matter how many levels I get, she still worries.
“I just assume old nobility is seeking new novelty, I will be back in two weeks.”
“Would you not take me with you?”
“What of James?”
“Take him too, you worry too much.”
I wince…I can't be afraid. He has a strong life resist skill. No casual glance will allow anyone to know. I give her my patented roguish smile.
“I'm sure the boy would love to be inside his first dungeon.”
She pouts at that.
-----
“Mommy mommy, I saw a ghost jump into father.”
I roll my eyes. This boy and his stories. We have only just arrived at the inn and he already has a new one.
“No ghost is going to be inside a fountain barrier, dear.”
“No no I saw it, it was when that loud noise happened when father exited the carriage. Everyone was looking away when the ghost jumped into him.”
Such a silly boy. All this imagination. He has been making up stories of knights he is going to see. My husband enters the room.
“Ah, it's good to stretch the legs. I spoke to the [Viscount]. We got a ball to attend to in three days. Seems the tournament will be held outside afterall. Some sort of disagreement with the dungeon or what not.”
“How does one disagree with a dungeon?” It's farcical.
“They say this one can communicate.” He walks to our son, “They say at times she is a young Pimar girl, at others a giant spider monster.” James looks at his father with wonder.
He tackles the boy and tickles him. I smile as the uncontrollable laughter filters into the room. No wonder the boy is so full of stories
-----
I move on from greeting the local lord. Leading my wife around the garden. She stops me. In a whisper she speaks.
“The men over there just said Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”
It's been a year since I had bothered thinking about this. Magdeline? She had a small infused girl with her. Was my quarry under my nose the entire time? She places a hand on my balled fist. I let go.
“Lead me to them, please.”
I need to know more.
“[Viscount] Sdrae, my wife thought she heard you say the most peculiar thing. Does the bloody priestess truly have a daughter?”
-----
Two…two of them? Both named Sara. Even James would not make up something so absurd. I will need to find the local chapter of the assination guild. How much will it cost to slay a dungeon? This is just growing worse.
I watch as my love continues to probe the Sdrae. The etiquette of Atlas was being observed. Which just makes the questioning even more tiresome.
The girl Delores keeps sneaking glances over here. As if she is listening in. She'd have to have elf ears for that. Hearing something like that across a noisy room … I start to panic. She was standing where I was. Where I heard these grousing men…am I?
“Husband, could I have a moment of privacy with you?”
He feels my distress, “Of course dear, my apologies sirs.”
-----
“[Countess] Magdeline, I had thought you avoided these sorts of events.”
She turns to me, a smile, a lying smile. I must control myself.
“Ah well, I aim to secure a knight for my daughter.”
Daughters if what the Sdrae said is true.
“Oh, how is young Sara? Still mute.”
She gets my point. She gives me a sour look.
“Let’s drop the pretense, Anvar.” Her voice is cold.
I answer her with my own coldness. “You should return to your lands before they become my lands.”
She laughs at me. The bitch laughs at me.
-----
I caught my husband. He is gasping for air.
“Love, what is wrong?”
He can not speak. He is taking as big a mouthful of air as he can. It doesn't matter. I lift him up and carry him to our inn. James follows after in a panic. He just continues to gasp as if there is not enough air in the world for his lungs.
When he finally settles he turns to me pale.
“We should head back early, we have a war to prepare for.”
He thinks of that after nearly panicking me.
“You need rest, dear.”
He takes my hand and kisses it.
“I can rest just as well in a carriage. I ask that you hurry us home, dear.”
His eyes have those terrible steel in them again. To war with Magdeline is madness but he aims to raze her lands all the same.
“Of course, love. I will see us returned home.”
“Awwww but the finals with the Vampire is this evening.” James mewls.
I go and console the boy.
-----
Three days. She wouldn't let me pull the carriage on the first day. But she relented the second. We had forwent having a puller. Our levels allowed us to move far faster than what we were willing to pay.
James is still sulking over missing the finals. I will have to think of something to make it up to the boy. After so many days roughing it, it will be nice to sleep in one's bed. I take off my shirt. Remove my trinkets. I look over to see my wife brushing her hair. In the mirror I see a— I jump forward and turn my body.
Blue hair with black streaks. Cat ears and writhing mass of tails behind her. Her eyes glow a dark red.
“Sara Maxwell Magdeline, stop.”
“Love!”
I ignore Lancea. Sara stops. I do not know how she is here. I look for the other one. Nowhere. I need to make this quick, so I can find the other. I begin to charge a lightning spell. Point blank to the temple. She won't suffer. My hand reaches for her.
She grabs my wrist and pulls me into a shattering blow into my stomach. I gasp for air as she bites down onto my neck. I try to understand what is going on when my mind goes blank.
-----
How is she here? I dash to my chest even as my love doubles over. I see the flash of far too many sharp teeth bite down on my husband. I get the chest open, I need to find my sword. There. I turn with it in hand. Eyes are opening up on her body. I barely register it as my soul screams.
I'm still an Elf. Systems, I'm still an Elf. He has been compelling me to think otherwise. She will torture me for this. How many larks this time before I am allowed out again?
“CEA, it's not my fault. It's not my fault, Cea.” I scream.
I must find James, Max and Yannie. Kent too. I feel a kick to my stomach. I doubled over. I look up at the one who stands over me. So many eyes looking at me. I can't tear my eyes away from them. The girl looks at me with such hatred. She bends down and bites my neck.