When Aggie awoke the next morning to the dull thudding in her temples and behind her eyes, she groaned and sank beneath the weight of the covers, wishing desperately that the annoying sunlight that was pouring in through the window would dull.

As the acidic sweet taster in her mouth reminded her of the copious amounts of wine she had consumed, memories slowly began to trickle back to her…

“I was raised as a common pig.”

Aggie’s eyes flew open.

Could she remember the rest of his story?

Despite the pain rising in her head, Aggie found that she could slowly wade through the stew-y memory and pull out the story Tork had shared with her.

Yet, there was another nagging occurrence in the back of her mind…

Something that made her nervous? On edge?

Aggie closed her eyes only for a moment until, with the same sensation of missing a step, she remembered Arlen.

She had asked him to stay.

“Fuck.”

Aggie slowly, and awkwardly, began to turn over, not wanting to reach a tentative foot out to prod her Servicer.

When she had fully rotated however, she found that she was in fact completely alone in her chamber. The faint aroma of Arlen’s clean scent lingered in the dent of the pillow, confirming that it had not all been a dream, and a pitcher of water with a goblet was placed on the small chest of drawers.

Aggie covered her burning face with her hands.

“Fuuuck!”

*

When Aggie stepped into the hallway with its many windows, she felt as though her head were about to explode from the brightness, and her stomach churned unpleasantly.

“Good morning Beatha!” The sharp call of Declan from behind her made Aggie practically jump out of her skin.

The Magee fighter strode slowly up beside her, and raised an eyebrow at her pale face with the heavy bags under her eyes.

“You look about how I expected you would for someone who drank a bottle and a half of wine to herself.”

Aggie felt her cheeks flushed red, and she grunted before turning and continuing down the hallway, grateful that she had at least been able to resume wearing trousers upon finding them returned neatly folded in her dresser drawer.

“I’m sure it isn’t unheard of in history, but don’t you find it a bit too scandalous to be sleeping with your Servicer? You know he can’t really say ‘no’ to you right?” His tone remained light and casual as though discussing his plans for the day, without an ounce of accusation- making his words seem all the more poignant.

Aggie’s heart thudded in her chest, and she turned around slowly, trying to find the proper words to respond to Declan’s unabashed question

“We didn’t… do that.”

“That?”

“That.”

“That?”

“Are you a fucking parrot?” Aggie fired back her hands clenching.

Declan bent down from his great height so that he was eye-to-eye with Aggie.

“Are you talking about fucking?”

Aggie winced and recoiled at the word. Of everyone at the Keep who took measures not to agitate Aggie and to step around her recent traumas, Declan never seemed to care about steering clear. He didn’t seek her out, but he didn’t seem as though he could be bothered with being dainty footed either.

“Yes. I asked him to stay in the room with me while I slept.”

“Ah. I see.” Declan turned, and began to walk away from her, his hands clasped behind his back.

“This morning is not my most painful one, but if you don’t speak your mind quickly that might change.” Aggie called slowly stepping after him, trying to ignore the shaking in her hands she garnered was from the alcohol.

“Very well Beatha, I don’t trust you right now.” Declan didn’t even bother turning around or slowing his pace.

“Yet you vowed to aid in avenging me?”

“You were wronged, but my grievance lies with the perpetrator’s. My personal opinion of you doesn’t really play a part.”

Aggie rolled her eyes then rubbed her forehead tiredly.

“I suppose as long as you don’t betray me I don’t really care what your opinion is.”

“You’re sounding more like a soldier.” Declan chuckled to himself good naturedly, then began descending the servant’s staircase to the kitchens.

“There’s a meeting in the banquet hall regarding the war. I recommend you join us.” He called over his shoulder, his bright cat eyes glinted at her in the shadowed stairwell, and Aggie once again remembered what an intimidating presence the man had when he wanted.

Aggie entered the kitchens and grabbed an apple before she made her way to the banquet hall where all remains of the previous night had been cleared, and instead there were cups of tea and jugs of water with everyone standing around the table peering down at a map.

When Aggie entered, no one acknowledged her until she walked to the edge of the table.

Aggie bit into the apple and quickly glanced around the many faces present until she found Arlen standing beside the Minkies Queen peering intently at one particular ‘X’ on the map.

“You know the caves better than anyone, how is it you didn’t know about this one?” Tork asked from beside Aggie to the Queen.

“We did, but there hasn’t been access from within the mountain for centuries. It was closed off a long time ago, and it isn’t worth trekking up the trail for the one small shelter.” The Queen didn’t sound annoyed, but more so lost in thought.

“So we know he has ever lasting life as long as he is bonded to the first Beatha, and his capacity for affecting minds at this time is unrivaled.” Bonnie tapped one of her pointed nails against the parchment as she sought out Jed’s eyes.

“Are you any match for him?”

“It is hard to say without encountering him directly. What concerns me is that I don’t know if Life Magick has fed his abilities and increased them at all. It is an ancient Magick no one knows much about. The last recorded one was the King’s mother, and Lady Agnes’ great-grandfather- allegedly. Though his abilities seemed weak at best.”

Aggie’s eyebrows shot up. Hearing about her family history as though she weren’t present was incredibly disconcerting, but respected that there were more important matters at hand. She had never heard that her great grandfather had had any kind of power, or…

“The King’s mother has Life Magick?” Aggie piped up unable to stop herself.

“You didn’t know? You are a distant cousin of the King.” Jed replied obviously surprised, his shimmering eyes finding hers.

“But… I know for a fact that none from my bloodline ended up in the Northern courts-”

“Beatha… what subject in your lessons did you ever pay attention to?!” The Queen snapped astonished.

Aggie’s face burned red in embarrassment.

“He was the King’s bastard son, that’s all I knew. The Southern Kingdom doesn’t think too highly of the North so they didn’t like to explain much.”

“The King’s mother came from a small village known as Meeds. His father, King Conrad Hayes, encountered Mary O’Malley one day after the royal carriage broke down on the road nearby after a visit to the Southern Kingdom, and a chance encounter with her… well the Life Magick doesn’t need much to ensure an offspring. No one would acknowledge Aidan O’Malley- that is until he became the sole surviving heir and beloved war hero.” Arlen explained the story smoothly as though reading word-for-word from an open text.

Aggie blinked several times at the history lesson. She had had no idea that there was such a rich backstory to her family.

“Why does he have his mother’s last name though?” Aggie questioned after a moment of processing.

“Ah. The deal was; he got to keep his mother’s last name- poor woman was murdered during the war, but he would keep his father’s flag. Now, could we please get back to figuring out how to contain this war?” Tork snapped gruffly.

“I have one last question.”

Tork grunted angrily.

“Why couldn’t she come back to life like I could?”

“As we said, Life Magick isn’t something we know a lot about, but it depends how powerful a person is. It could also have been that she didn’t choose to come back.” Jed explained calmly.

“Now, back to the task at hand, Arlen how do we break a Servicer bond? Especially between 2 people whom are not Servicer’s.” Jed segued the conversation smoothly, and all eyes turned to Arlen.

“I genuinely have no idea. Bonds to people are a magical gift only bestowed upon Servicer’s. No other kind of Magick has that ability. I suppose a Mind Magicker could make someone feel as though they should be indebted to them and that person would use their powers to help, but it wouldn’t be nearly as potent as the bond.”

“So how is a bond broken?” Declan jumped in.

“Someone dies, or someone… changes.”

The room went silent, Aggie didn’t understand the weight of it, neither did Declan, Bonnie or Tork apparently. The Minkies and Arlen were the only ones whom appeared deeply unsettled.

“I think our cart has come away from the horses.” Declan piped up raising his hand.

The Queen gazed uneasily at Arlen, who seemed extremely uncomfortable suddenly.

“For a bond to be broken from a Servicer and their Master or Mistress it… warps the mind of the Master or Mistress. It is why the Ruling family is so reluctant to ever grant requests to remove bonds. The bond is specific to someone, so in order for it to detach, that someone has to not be himself or herself anymore. The weaker the bond, the easier it is. The stronger the bond… the more damage that needs to be done.”

“What about when a bonded pair enters Tara?”

Every eye snapped to Aggie. She only stared at Arlen before continuing.

“No bonds can exist in Tara. No creature can be enslaved to another.” Aggie recanted what Chay had told her what felt like years ago.

“That could work… though we would need to work with-”

“Over my corpse!” Tork shouted angrily. “I will not work with the Fey! Never! Not a chance! We cannot trust them an inch!”

“We have very few options Tork. We need to break the bond.” The Queen pointed out calmly.

“What if that doesn’t work? What if we drag the Thief of Souls and the Lady’s ancient Grandpapa there and nothing happens? Instead we expose a powerful being that can control minds to the Fey. What if he has grown in power and can control them?! Then this bloody war is facing off against the Fey!”

“Tork, friend, I think you may be spiraling.” Declan gently touched Tork’s shoulder, but the Beast Awares only shoved the hand off.

“The main issue is that we have very little information about him, and no connection for Keynan to gain insight.” The Queen pointed out.

“I don’t like going into a battle so uninformed.”

“Didn’t the Thief of Souls keep a journal?” Tork jumped in hastily.

“That’s right! However, tracking that down would be-” Jed began slowly.

“Sean O’Farrell has it.” Tork explained grimly. “After the war, he was given it for safe keeping, given how well he knew the Thief of Souls- he was the best chance of hiding it against any of the man’s former supporters. He has one of the best armed Keeps in the entire North Kingdom.”

Everyone turned their eyes to Duchaster County on the map, where a small yellow and blue flag marked the Keep of Aggie’s former betrothed. The darkened atmosphere was incredibly weighty, as the Queen leaned on her knuckles, the top of her red hair showing to everyone as she bent her face over the map.

After several minutes of silence, the Queen spoke.

“You know… it could be… that the Gods are smiling on us.” She slowly lifted her head, her eyes dancing with excitement, which somehow made Keynan and Jed both look all the more fearful.

“I happened to hear that a certain someone’s funeral was coming up…” Every eye turned to Aggie.

“I also heard… that the King of the Southern Kingdom along with a number of other members of the Southern court are traveling. The King is furious with his son for starting a war this way, and they are traveling under the white flag in order to change the terms of the war. I think they are trying to gain the population’s trust after everyone heard about the imprisoned Lady. They probably will try to pick a fight over something else at the funeral.”

Tork appeared concerned and tightlipped, while everyone else began grinning and staring at a bewildered Aggie.

“I’m not sure I’m following.” Aggie set down her apple core, and crossed her arms in front of herself.

“It would appear an opportunity for justice, and the theft of the journal, work harmoniously.” Keynan almost sang the sentence.

“I am still not-”

“If Tork brings me in as his bounty contract has asked… then everyone is going to be all over the gossip of my capture and be less guarded.” Arlen began, a smile slowly starting on his own face as his eyes locked with the Queen’s.

“The Minkies can search with Aggie’s help around Sean’s room and belongings, and when I need to escape, the Prince is found… in whatever state Lady Beatha prefers.”

“How the hell do you think you are going to escape from those guards once they have you locked up?” Aggie challenged as she began gripping her shirtsleeves.

“Well I won’t really be tied up, and I am quite certain that an attack on a royal will alleviate some of the guards around me. Then it is more a matter of me moving quickly and having an escape plan.”

“Then the North and South will have another reason to war at one another-” Aggie started angrily. “They will suspect that someone in O’Farrell’s Keep attacked, and someone will be wrongfully accused!”

“You know whom I have never really liked?” Declan started with a boyish grin.

“Duke O’Sullivan of the Southern Kingdom.”

Tork’s growl was truly terrifying at the sound of the name.

“You’re suggesting we frame him for murder?!” Aggie exclaimed too shocked to say anything else.

“Are you aware that he was the one whom had Ora locked up for years after she left Tara? He imprisoned many Beast Fey, Fey, and experimented-”

“Fine, let the dickbag hang.” Aggie relented easily waving her hand carelessly.

“You aren’t hard to persuade when it comes to murder and violence.” Declan pointed out cheerily.

“One day Magee fighter, I am going to sack you.” Aggie snipped furiously.

“I’d rather you not, the Missus and I have had enough trouble trying to have a babe.”

“Lady Beatha if you could not distract the important matters at hand, we could get more done.” The Queen chided loudly.

“Me distract important matters?! You all are talking about breaking into Sean O’Farrell’s Keep, stealing a journal that he might carry on his person, and getting Arlen out, when I know for a fact that there will be a number of Servicer’s present, while everyone is attending my funeral!”

“Consider yourself lucky Beatha, not many people get to attend their own funeral!” Declan chimed in helpfully.

“Why are you being such an ass today?” Aggie demanded angrily.

“He has a point Aggie, it also means you might get to wear a dress again. A black one might be best suited.” Bonnie smiled at Aggie brilliantly.

“Only if I’m attending as the corpse.” The Lady barked.

“Well that is what people are expecting you to be-”

The Minkies Queen leaned in to her mate as the Lady Beatha sparred with those around the table.

“I don’t remember war councils being so jovial.”

“Your plan is somewhat haphazard my dear one.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“You’ve had better.”

“I know. But we need that journal if we are going to go into this informed. I also would prefer to keep a close eye on Lady Beatha. You heard that Arlen stayed in her room last evening?”

“I did, but it seems to me it was not of a carnal nature.” Keynan replied easily, his blue eyes trained on Arlen whom was watching his Lady’s aggravated replies with a bemused smile on his face.

“…For now that is.”

“For now?! Did you foresee something between them?”

“No. However I know a beginning when I see one. No visions necessary.”

The Queen gaped at Arlen then at Aggie who’s face was growing redder each moment as she continued arguing with the Magee fighters.

“He cannot feel love. It would be wrong in every sense of the word.”

“I do not think that will always be the nature of their relationship.”

“Why can’t they just stay friends?” The Queen muttered to herself annoyed.

“Gods woman, why does that matter if they both are willing?” Keynan challenged with a laugh.

“Oyy! You lovebirds, we’re coming back ‘round to sane discussion again!” Declan called over to them as Aggie’s mouth seemed clamped shut for the time being, though her flaring nostrils made it known that it was taking great effort.

“The window of opportunity is small for this. The sooner we obtain the journal, the sooner we can end the Thief of Souls. We will need to leave immediately to make the funeral in a week, and will have much to prepare in that time.” The Queen explained her voice calm and clear.

Everyone nodded, and slowly turned to leave.

Aggie glared at Declan’s back as he retreated from the hall with his arm around Tork- consoling him about something to do with the Fey.

“He doesn’t mean any harm,” Bonnie’s voice came from Aggie’s right side as the woman faced her earnestly. “To be honest I think he’s excited at the prospect of war. We Magee do not always fair well in peaceful times.”

Aggie gave Bonnie a sidelong glance, and turned to face the woman squarely.

Bonnie smiled with a closed mouth down at Aggie.

The young Lady had changed so much since she had stayed at her Inn.

“Your husband doesn’t seem to like me.”

“He likes some of the strangest people in this word, and I happen think you are one of them to be honest.”

“He said he doesn’t trust me right now.”

Bonnie opened then closed her mouth as though she had stopped herself from saying something. After a patient moment, she spoke slowly.

“My husband thinks you are not… to be trusted when it comes to behaving rationally.” She tried carefully.

Aggie frowned, but before she could say something, the Queen appeared beside Bonnie.

“We need to move quickly Beatha. Do not make your Servicer pack for you.” The Queen then turned before Aggie could say anything more, and left the room quickly with Keynan at her side.

Bonnie sighed.

“I envy that woman.” Aggie turned surprised to Bonnie whom was still staring after the Queen.

“She’s expecting her 4th child I hear.”

The shock had to be plain as day on her face, because without looking Bonnie laughed.

“Declan can be an ass with how cavalier he is about our troubles, but it is true we cannot conceive.”

“I…erm. Well… wouldn’t that be a problem for a Magee warrior?” Aggie questioned uncomfortably.

“Not during times of peace. It is rare for sure, but… Declan and I aren’t really good at following the norm.”

“Isn’t that also… bad for the Queen? To go to war while she is expecting?”

“Well, I believe that is part of her reasoning in wanting to be hasty in resolving these issues. Though they only found out this morning, so they have until next summer.”

“This morning? How-”

“Body Magickers can sometimes feel the moment they conceive. I’m guessing last night was a good evening for everyone, hm?”

Aggie rounded on Bonnie whose eyes were twinkling with mischief.

The Lady quickly realized that Bonnie and Declan were well suited to one another.

“As I told your husband this morning, Arlen and I-”

“Beatha. Go. Pack!” The Queen’s voice echoed from the kitchens.

The Lady let her head drop back as she closed her eyes, and tried to suppress the rage that had wanted to burst out in a surge of violence all morning.

Everyone seemed determined to try and anger her.

“Guess I need to get moving.” Slowly, Aggie released her arms and dragged her feet back towards the hallway.

Arlen had already vanished from the room, and Aggie was personally very happy about that. Talking about the war had pushed the events from the previous night out of her mind only temporarily, and she found that whenever flashed of the memory came to her she cringed.

After making her way back upstairs to her room, the Lady opened her door to find Arlen folding clothing items into a leather and cloth sack on her bed.

“What are you doing?” Aggie demanded crossing her arms over her chest.

“Helping you pack Mistress.”

“I see you found a loophole to calling me ‘Lady’.” Aggie muttered.

“Don’t bother, I will pack for myself.” She announced taking only a few short steps into the room. “You should pack yourself.”

“I will take less time.” Arlen said idly as he continued meticulously folding a white tunic.

He didn’t falter in any of his precise movements, and Aggie found her hands gripping her sleeves as tensions in her rose.

“Was there something you wanted to say Mistress?”

“Is it a game to you to try and call me the most annoying titles ever?”

“Not at all. I enjoy the challenge though.”

“I’m sorry about last night.” Aggie blurted before she could stop herself.

Arlen’s eyes snapped up to her face.

“So you do remember.” He said slowly as he then laid down the trousers he had been folding into the pack.

“Yes… and I’m sorry. I know I probably made you uncomfortable, and it isn’t right of me to abuse our bond-”

“Aggie do you remember the day we were bonded?”

Aggie stopped and furrowed her brow.

“Vaguely.”

“I added to our vows that I promised ‘to share my truthful thoughts and opinions when it matters most’. When I expressed my discomfort during your bath the other day, that was an instance of my honest feelings and thoughts. I did not stop you last evening because I did not take it to be an inappropriate request. I saw it as you reaching out to me, and I will always accept you whenever you are trying to reach out to me.”

Aggie’s face burned. The memory of her bath brought her immeasurable guilt, and his directness was embarrassing her thoroughly.

“I don’t want you here again while I’m sleeping.” She managed after several awkward moments of silence.

“I surmised as much.”

Aggie began desperately trying to find ways to change the subject, when she noticed a small familiar leather pouch on her bed.

“Where did you get that?” She whispered her heart dropping to her stomach as the events of the day of the Captain’s death flashed through her mind.

“It was on the deck when I picked you up. I gathered it was important to you so I brought it back with you.”

Aggie suddenly realized she hadn’t told Arlen what she had learned about his parentage, and she suddenly felt her stomach somersault.

“Arlen I… I have things to tell you.”

Arlen smiled politely, and with a touch of apology.

“I will discuss anything you wish, however I do believe the Queen may be angry if we don’t hasten our packing. Is it alright with you if we wait until this evening?”

“Erm… sure.”

Aggie awkwardly rubbed her forehead.

Informing Arlen that his father was not in fact a deviated Servicer that had served the Thief of Souls, but instead was a pure human that was a corrupted sea Captain that committed some of the worst crimes against living beings, was not a discussion Aggie particularly looked forward to.

She stole a glance at Arlen as he packed the leather pouch last on top of the clothes, and immediately began to doubt her findings. He was not as tall as the Captain, and bore no other resemblance to him…

But the biggest piece of doubt in Aggie’s mind, stemmed from one question:

How could someone as good as Arlen, be the son of a monster?