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| ===Chapter 4 - Promise to Keep, Promise Upheld ===
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| [Alternative chapter names welcomed]
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| [Unfinished, for early appraisal =)]
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| The conference was Kaede's first experience in been seen but not heard. She spent the whole time standing still and silent, feeling entirely like an extraneous decoration. All she could do was to imitate the royal guards and junior aide-de-camps in the room. But while calm appearances were easy, mental serenity was far harder to achieve.
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| It certainly didn't help when she recognized that even Pascal's military rank made him too junior for this meeting. It was likely why General von Falkenhausen insisted on calling him 'Landgrave', since an entitled feudal lord stood more appropriate to debate strategy with generals than a mere captain.
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| ...Sort of. Weichsel's feudalism was more administrative than military. While each lord governed a region and were required to maintain sufficient forces, command of these troops were ultimately delegated by the army's General Staff. Officers swore allegiance to the King directly, and the nobility had no direct military power unless they served as commanders. Combined with extensive crown laws on governance and taxation, it centralized power within Weichsel for a uniformed state.
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| In the end, it was Pascal's audacity, not his standing, that allowed him to contribute to the discussions.
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| After the King's departure, the generals called forth their staff to organize the coming campaign. Officers rushed back and forth through the side-door as they relayed orders to the neighboring command room. Many of them also took the opportunity to sneak glances at the presence of the renowned Oriflamme.
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| Kaede's observation was cut short as she found herself under the scrutiny of royal eyes once more. Her chest squeezed with breathless anxiety as the Princess approached in slow steps. But as her sight met the soft wisteria gaze, Kaede felt neither contempt nor superiority, both of which she grew familiar with in the halls of Kigsfeld Academy. Instead, there was only a brief hint of uncertainty.
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| ''Maybe she's as confused about this situation as I am.''
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| Princess Sylviane was the first to break contact as she turned to the young man besides Kaede. Her lips formed a gentle smile as she spoke with friendly warmth:
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| "You must be Reynald Lucian von Witzinger."
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| Still helplessly reliant upon the familiar bond's translation magic, it took several times before Kaede grew certain that Sylviane had a completely different accent from crisp and sharp words of Weichsel. The Princess' pronunciation was rougher and used more emphasized stress, but the pitch flowed smoother as though up and down the crests of rolling hills.
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| Imperial was a hybrid language the pre-Holy Imperium once created to standardize its northern linguistics. But while the Kingdom of Weichsel's predecessor embraced it as a sign of loyalty to their tributary overlord, the autonomous Rhin-Lotharingie regions merely practiced it as the language of administration and trade. After achieving its independence two centuries ago, the Empire of Rhin-Lotharingie retained Imperial as only one of three state languages recognized within its realms. Therefore while the two nations shared a common language, it was nevertheless a divergent affinity.
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| "I am honored Your Highness knows me by name."
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| Reynald bowed and kissed the back of the Princess' offered hand with such grace that it almost startled Kaede. His demeanor had flipped to the complete opposite of his usual unruliness.
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| "Pascal wrote of you in the report he forwarded to me and my father," she explained. "You have my gratitude for helping save the life of my betrothed."
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| "I would do no less for a comrade and dear friend, Your Highness."
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| ''Okay now you're just outright lying,'' Kaede thought to herself as she tried to keep a straight face on at Reynald's proud grin.
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| "It's alright, you don't have to pretend to say nice things..."
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| Sylviane's smile widened as she almost chuckled.
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| "--I have known Pascal since childhood. I know perfectly well that he can be a complete pain at times, especially to those he doesn't understand."
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| It was Reynald who failed to cover up his astonishment this time as his own presumptions lay shattered.
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| "I will not ask for you to be nice to him," the Princess went on in her gentle voice. "But if you could continue to aid him against hostile threats, especially in light of the current situation, then I shall be personally grateful."
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| ''...Though a few bruises when he deserves are is perfectly fine,'' Kaede was tempted to add.
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| Anxieties notwithstanding, Kaede couldn't help appreciate her growing impression of the Princess. Royal politician or not, there was candid sincerity in the way Sylviane expressed her thoughts. If nothing else, she seemed a reasonable person who could think through another's perspective -- which was far more than Kaede could say for Pascal, or most nobles in general.
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| The fact their opinions of Pascal drew parallels certainly helped.
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| "I shall do what I can, Your Highness," Reynald smoothly laid his right palm flat across the chest and gave another respectful bow.
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| "Thank you. Now, if you would excuse us," Sylviane replied with a courteous nod before turning her glance, its warmth quickly fading back to neutrality.
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| "Kaede, please follow me."
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| "Yes, Your Highness."
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| She had prepared those words for so long they felt like the automated response of a message box.
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| ...
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| It took several minutes for Sylviane -- or more accurately, one of her knights -- to find accommodations appropriate for a personal chat. Even though they were inside the royal 'palace' section of the citadel, most of the nearby chambers were occupied by military staff. With deployment maps and organization charts covering entire roomfuls of tables and walls, Kaede had no doubt that this was the nerve center of the Weichsel military -- its general headquarters, situated right next to the throne room.
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| "''Whereas some states possess an army, the Prussian army possess a state.''"
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| Kaede smiled faintly as the words of her favorite philosopher Voltaire came to mind. Although she didn't appreciated wandering thoughts often, moments like these worked wonders to calm her nerves back down. But before returning from her brief tangent, Kaede reminded herself that Weichsel actually had a good reason for its militant nature: the country was, after all, the northern border of the Trinitian faith.
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| Beckoned by the lady knight who attended the Princess, Kaede followed Sylviane into a moderately-sized sitting room. Three of the royal bodyguards stopped outside to take sentry, but the lady knight followed them in. She then closed the door and stood watch with her back against it, blocking the only way in and out.
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| Trying not to fidget in her small heels, Kaede watched as Sylviane walked over to a velvet-cushioned seat. The plum-haired Princess then sat down carefully, periwinkle gloves smoothing out her violet skirt as she went.
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| Silent moments of eye contact soon followed. Yet as uncomfortable as the air grew, Kaede did not shy away from Sylviane's wisteria gaze. In a situation where she had nothing to be guilty about, weakness would only mislead the other's judgment to worse ends. All she could do was wait patiently for her turn to speak -- a courtesy appropriate for their rank differences, as Pascal reminded her this morning.
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| After what seemed an eternity, Sylviane finally bestowed upon Kaede the grace of a gentle smile.
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| "Don't worry," the Princess spoke at last. "I won't bite even if you are his kept woman."
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| Kaede's attempt to smile back was wry at best:
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| "I'm not. I'm his familiar."
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| "Which... is far worse, if you'll pardon the expression," Sylviane replied in calm words. "I realize that it's no fault of your own, and I ''am'' grateful that you saved his life; I gathered from his report that you were quite central to the bait-and-trap scheme. But..."
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| The Princess closed her eyes and sighed, almost in exasperation, before reestablishing contact.
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| "--Courtesans and prostitutes I can deal with. It is simply a matter of fact that few men of greatness and ambition are ever completely faithful to only one woman. Even my father, as family-oriented as Gaetane traditions go, had a second lover when he was younger. He's not proud of it, and while I don't understand what drives men to unfaithfulness, the simple fact is that powerful men often do -- a cardinal sin of their kind."
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| Kaede returned a bare nod. It didn't even take a historian to realize just how common affairs were among the nobility and the modern political elite. Media-aware scandals were just a tiny tip of the iceberg.
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| The far more interesting detail was Sylviane's willingness to share this with her, since royalty did not normally air their dirty laundry to outsiders...
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| "But such 'concubines' are also temporary, or at the very least, informal," Sylviane continued as her voice gradually hardened to almost a lecture. "I'm willing to tolerate Pascal having one as long as he continues to hold ''me'' in the highest regard and is discrete about his affair -- which means keeping her tucked away, in some remote residence, unseen and unheard."
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| Her expression then grew solemn:
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| "Unfortunately, you're none of those."
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| "I am also not intimate with him, whereas a concubine would be," Kaede held her ground.
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| She then blanched a little when Sylviane's eyebrows shifted up just a hair to betray her revelation...
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| ''Seriously... why do all nobles, even the sensible ones, all think commoners are so anxious to throw themselves at them.''
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| Ultimately, it didn't matter as Sylviane continued on:
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| "Yes, but you ''are'' a girl officially attached to him -- by bonds even more permanent than the sanctity of marriage, I might add, as not even the Pope can divorce you. As a mage's familiar, it is part of your ''function'' to be present and active, as you have already proven through foiling the assassination against Pascal."
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| "In other words," Kaede interjected, "you would have the same problem with a sister, if Pascal had one."
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| Only then did Kaede realize that she just complete tore up Pascal's request of "''do not speak until spoken to, and only keep to answer her.''".
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| "Apologies, Your Highness," she hurriedly added, finally breaking eye contact to glance down. "That was inappropriate of me."
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| The air grew silent once more; the atmosphere became almost oppressive.
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| Kaede couldn't help wonder what the penalties for disrespecting royalty were. As a crown princess, Sylviane would inherit far more dungeons than Pascal ever could. They might even come with their own secret police department, with medieval sensibilities capable of making Stalin's NKVD and gulags seem like a beach resort by comparison.
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| But as she snuck a glance back up, all of her imagined pressure evaporated at once.
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| Sylviane was still staring at her, but now with an odd, almost bittersweet smile.
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| "I can see why Pascal likes you already," she sighed. "Did you really come from another world?"
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| "Yes, Your Highness. A far more technological realm that's sent men to the moon, but with no magic at all," Kaede clarified. "I would say more socially advanced as well, but discussions with Cecylia proved that may just be bias from my perspective."
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| "...How could one travel through space without magic...?"
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| The Princess puzzled for a brief second. But her eyes soon refocused on Kaede:
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| "Never mind. It's a good thing you've talked at length with Cecylia though. I do trust her judgment very much."
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| With a preoccupied frown, Kaede halted her other thoughts as she sorted through the implications in rising importance:
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| #1: Mages could, apparently, space-travel. Even if their numbers might be less than a handful. Fascinating.
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| #2: This Princess was not easily side-tracked -- a sign of mental fortitude and self-control, as expected for someone Pascal deeply respects.
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| #3: Sylviane and Cecylia didn't just know one another; they were on excellent terms. Since they were both Pascal's childhood friends, it was likely they met way back then and kept in touch with each other. Since Cecylia aimed for the intelligence branch, the Princess had the best eyes and ears for monitoring Pascal during his academy days.
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| A brief shiver went through Kaede as she remembered her near-paralysis when the scarlet-crossed dhampir eyes came up close and personal... She wasn't she wanted a reference like that.
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| "I admit that you're probably right, Kaede," Sylviane returned to the main topic. "Except that men don't summon sisters, however much some of them may want to."
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| Kaede nodded back. After her recent years in Japan, she became ''very'' familiar with that concept -- one that she found more amusing than anything else.
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| "But there is also a natural limit between siblings, however close they might become," the Princess went on.
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| Then, with stern eyes fitting for a tigress marking her own grounds:
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| "Could you promise me that you will not develop romantic relations with my husband-to-be then?"
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| "Of course!" Kaede rushed to answer. ''I am, or was, a guy after all!''
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| She completely ignored the queasy feeling as she said it.
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| "In fact, Your Highness, there is something you should know about me. I don't know if Pascal told you, but..."
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| Kaede's determination to alleviate Sylviane's worries was interrupted when two knocks rang loudly against the mahogany door.
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| "It is me," came Pascal's proud voice.
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| Sylviane nodded to her knight-in-waiting, who swiftly opened the door with the grace of an experienced servant.
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| "Thank you Mari," Pascal casually nodded to the lady knight as he strode in. From a lord who hardly even acknowledged most servants, this was a clear indication that she was not just some common escort.
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| "Sorry I'm late, Sylv," Pascal dropped back to informality as the door closed behind him.
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| Smiling sweetly, Princess Sylviane slowly stood up from her chair. She walked over to Pascal, and threw her arm out into a wide swing...
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| It wasn't as forceful as Ariadne's ragdoll-tossing strike, but it was still a solid smack that left a bright imprint on the young nobleman's cheek.
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| "Ow," Pascal stated before he turned his head back. "I guess I deserved that. Although I thought we were working through this, not resolving it through violence?"
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| "We ''are'' working through it," Sylviane was still smiling, although her violet eyes were glaring at him now. "But it doesn't mean you get off without punishment."
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| "In my defense, I just wanted a companion," Pascal added with a shrug.
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| "Should have tried the other gender," the Princess tossed back as her eyes gave Kaede another up-and-down sweep. They weren't exactly grumpy or unhappy, more like... conflicted.
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| "I do not think the Church would approve," Pascal grumbled into the air.
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| Sylviane's gaze immediately froze. Then, as her eyes widened and her cheeks blushed, she spun around to cast an outraged glare at Pascal:
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| "You know what I meant! And they don't approve of this any more than the other."
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| Kaede wondered if religious conservatism actually turned girls off from fantasizing forbidden romance, or if Sylviane only rejected it because the prospect of her ''fiancée'' being gay was... so not cool. Back in another world, she had once concluded that 'boys love', or at least 'bromance', must be a universal fantasy among the other gender.
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| ...Except now, as a female in every physical sense, Kaede found this thought to be... more than a little surreal.
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| "I honestly believed you would like her," Pascal mumbled out again, paying triple to the concept that anything a man could say in such a situation only made it worse.
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| "And how far down did that rank in your original motivations for summoning a cute girl as your familiar?" Sylviane asked pointedly.
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| Kaede blinked a few times. Wives simply did not refer to mistresses as 'cute'. Perhaps that meant she was now past the first hurdle of being seen as a direct threat.
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| "Does that mean you do like her?" Pascal asked with rising hopes.
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| "SHE is not the problem. YOU are!" Sylviane declared as she jabbed her index finger into his chest. "A familiar does not choose the summoner, but I have no doubt that you ''did'' specify the result, ''Runelord''!"
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| "I cannot deny that one," the lord himself admitted. "But, if it is any consolation, she did use to be male. I ''really'' was not looking for anything of sexual interest, honestly."
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| After freezing for another brief moment, Sylviane spun around on her heels. Her waist-long, dark-plum hair scattered across a wide arc as she stared straight at Kaede with shock-enlarged eyes.
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| "I... was about to say that, Your Highness, before he entered," Kaede's wispy voice murmured as her cheeks colored.
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| She felt like an exotic animal being scrutinized over. Even the knight Mari was now staring at her from the door, all pretense of disinterest abandoned.
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| The rapidly growing curiosity, perhaps even fascination, in the Princess' eyes did not help. Within moments, Sylviane closed the distance and reached out to Kaede's cheeks and shoulders, gently feeling them through silky periwinkle gloves as though confirming the reality of what she saw. Her hands then trailed down, brushing past the familiar girl's small chest before settling on a firm hold at the waist.
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| "I would never have guessed..." Sylviane spoke through an almost trance-like voice, before stepping to Kaede's side and gliding one hand through the canary-white long hair. "It's like you were meant to be a girl. How does it feel?"
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| "Uh... smaller?"
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| Kaede honestly wasn't sure what kind response the Princess sought from her. After adapting to countless changes over the past few weeks, her entire experience was simply too overwhelming to describe -- certainly not through words alone.
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| "I guess I'm starting to get used to everything," Kaede shrugged as her eyes glanced down in dejection. "Not that I have another choice -- not even Pascal has any idea how to fix this."
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| "Not sure if it needs..." Sylviane muttered before she caught herself. "I guess it must have been a shock, suddenly finding yourself like this."
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| Kaede nodded back as images of that fateful first night flashed through her mind:
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| "Waking up in some stranger's bed and finding myself stripped and dressed in bridal lingerie was... not exactly pleasant."
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| "<u>Did you have to...</u>"
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| Pascal's mental voice cut off as his fiancée slowly rotated back towards him. His entire body stiffened as though her glare had laid him against the chopping block.
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| "<u>Well, it's true,</u>" Kaede commented back, simply relieved to have the Princess' examining eyes off her again. "<u>Besides, payback is fair.</u>"
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| "Uh, I would like to point out that you have done that too," Pascal stated. "Well, lingerie, at least. Your collection is obsessive..."
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| "I do NOT have an obsession!"
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| Pascal didn't say a word after being interrupted. He simply stared at his future wife with a knowing look, arced eyebrows included.
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| "A-anyways, I'm a girl. I'm allowed to play with dolls."
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| Kaede shivered as she felt a chill sweep across her from Sylviane's words.
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| "--You're a man. Get off my turf."
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| The Princess was adamant, but her betrothed immediately cried unfair:
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| "So it is acceptable for ladies to take sword and shield but we are not allowed to enjoy cuteness!? What kind of gender hypocrisy is this!"
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| "The practical kind, since we can fight just as well as you do," she countered. "In case you forgot, the last five times you challenged me..."
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| "I have not forgotten a thing and you can stop rubbing salt in every chance you get," Pascal cut her off with a torrent of words, his drawling arrogance completely abandoned by this point. "Can we get back on topic please?"
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| ''He must be really desperate if he'd rather talk about...''
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| "Sure, let us revisit how you summoned a girl, took advantage of her unconsciousness, stripped her bare naked, and had your way with her, when you're already engaged..."
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| Sylviane leaned forward, forcing herself deep into his personal space to continue her offensive without giving him a moment of respite. Yet even Pascal's steadfast determination to hold his ground soon began to buckle under the repeated assaults:
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| "--I have a portable projector if you would like us to re-examine your memories. I'm sure your eagerness of the moment will be perfectly noted by your ravishing hands as they anxiously stroked every length of that porcelain skin, carefully examining a girl's most intimate parts. Or when..."
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| Kaede felt her cheeks spontaneously ignite as Sylviane's exaggerated descriptions began conjuring vivid, uncensored images in her head. Before she knew it, her thin arms had wrapped themselves around her in a tight, protective embrace.
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| She felt dirty from just the visualization. Worse yet, she had no way of knowing if Pascal hadn't done exactly ''that''...
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| With his back arced away from his fiancée, Pascal was also blushing a fiery red. He soon threw up both hands in defeat:
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| "I surrender! Unconditionally! I already know everything is my fault! I am sorry! Just state your demands already! And please stop making me sound like such an irredeemably lecherous pervert!"
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| Sylviane finally returned to standing upright. Even her breath was heated, although its shortness was mostly due to the machine-gun fire of accusations.
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| "Well... you did say that you honestly thought I would like her, right?"
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| After taking a few steps back and pivoting towards her fiancée's familiar, Sylviane sent Kaede a warm smile -- the delight of a victor as she admired her prize.
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| Kaede had a bad feeling about where this was going...
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| "I will allow you to stay around him. But in exchange, I want you to obey my authority. That means if I want to borrow you this afternoon, or request that you keep your distance from him for a week, you will do it..."
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| Sylviane then rotated back to Pascal:
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| "--And you will not object or interfere in any way. Is that acceptable?"
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| Pascal's first response was a deep frown.
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| "I do have obligations to take care of her after summoning her into our world."
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| "And I'm not unreasonable," Sylviane replied. Then, almost jokingly: "besides, if I were mean enough to desire harm upon her, I hardly require your permission to manage it."
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| ''Of course. She has plenty of guards and agents at her beckon and call...''
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| Kaede sighed. It felt like they were negotiating a transfer of her 'ownership'.
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| Although, 'transfer of power' was common in politics, personal or national. It could be a servant, a subordinate, an organization, or an entire vassal realm. At least she was important enough that a royal couple actually cared to argue.
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| "Fine," Pascal begrudgingly agreed. "But I retain my right to object in the interests of her well-being."
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| "Wouldn't have it any other way," Sylviane replied with a genuinely sweet smile. "You being responsible in personal relationships is a rare and good thing."
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| Royal eyes then bore down upon Kaede in expectation of a response. Although a hint of light within them was already admiring a newly-acquired possession.
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| "Of course..." Kaede answered, not that she had any other realistic choice. Then, as nonchalantly as she could: "should I be addressing Your Highness as 'Mistress' then?"
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| She honestly wasn't sure this time.
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| Sylviane went back to staring at Pascal again, her brows raised halfway between surprise and curiosity:
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| "You asked her to call you 'Mast--'?"
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| "NO-!!!" His shout came on instinct before she even finished.
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| The Princess' grin was almost gleeful as her sight returned to Kaede:
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| "'Your Highness' is still the formal way to address me. But among us and my other servants? 'Milady' will suffice adequately."
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| "Yes Milady," Kaede answered as she gave a slow curtsy, seeking as much grace as she could manage. "I'm in your care."
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| "Don't worry, I'm a far more reasonable person than Sir ''Runelord'' here," Sylviane beamed with reassurance. "I'm certain we shall come to know each other real well. ''However'', I will hold you to the promise you made me earlier."
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| That ill sense of uncertainty in Kaede's chest only grew worse as she nodded back.
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| <nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>
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