“Just because it’s my job to represent my old man and chop people up in public when needed doesn’t mean I got to be some mean, grouchy, brooding bitch, y’know? Everyone has their own private lives, which might well differ a lot from how they showed themselves in public. I’m no different.” - Sieglinde Carlotta Eugenia Eisenhand. Seventh Royal Princess Down Under, Champion and Executioner for the Royal Family.

“Didn’t expect one of your princesses would be a void mage,” Cal said with some curiosity. Void affinity was often considered somewhat of a taboo these days, mostly due to the practical reasons and risks to the children with such affinity. As such, children with void affinity tends to be accidental, or from cases where the parents had not known each other’s affinities, or just simply had not cared.

“Oh aye, the brat had gotten her ma pregnant with her before checking back then,” replied Orloff all too nonchalantly, considering he was talking about the current King and one of his concubines. “As for later on, he’s got the pull and the money to make sure Sieg there had the best healers on station when she underwent her awakening. Same with her siblings.”

“They had more kids after her?”

“Yep. The recently born Twentieth Prince is also one of her full siblings. So is the Tenth prince and the Eleventh Princess,” said Orloff. “Our King figured he can afford hiring or ordering around the royal healers for his kids anyway, so he saw no reason not to have more of them.”

“That’s a luxury not everybody could spare, sadly,” replied Cal. in general, over two-thirds of children with void affinity perished during their awakening, because when they first got to use their magic, children generally didn't have the control to carefully handle them. A potentially fatal issue with void magic.

“Not only that,” chimed in Kino from the side. “Being able to induce awakening in children under more controlled conditions is doable, if not easy. You basically needed an archmage soulweaver to do that, which I’ll assume a King can get easily enough.”

“Pretty much. Though it helps that Sieg there ain’t the strongest of mages either. Her mother barely qualified as one, and neither of her siblings did. That helped since the healers were uncertain they’d be able to save her had her awakening been more powerful,” noted Orloff. By then the closing performances were playing in the arena. Jamron the Bloodletter had long expired as he bled out on the sands, and some of the audience had started to file away from their seats.

Around then, Cal heard some polite knocks on the door to Orloff’s personal box. After he shouted for whoever was out there to come in, the door opened, only to reveal the very same Seventh Princess they saw in the arena in the flesh, though she had changed to a more relaxed, loose outfit.

“Uncle Orloff! Thought I’d pay a visit since I saw you watching earlier. Ma also asked when you’d get her order delivered,” said the Princess happily as she greeted Orloff. This had not surprised Cal much, as she had heard that Orloff was close to the Royal family, and that they were some of his most loyal customers. He was ennobled by the current King, to boot. “Oh, and sorry for barging in. Didn’t know you had guests.”

“Eh, this bunch won’t mind, I’m sure,” Replied Orloff as he waved his hand in a friendly manner. “We were just talking about your fight in fact.”

“Cal, Sieglinde,” introduced the old dwarf with a gesture of his hand. “Sieg, this is Dame Celeysria Ambervale, the Blood Demon of Al-Shan.”

“Oh! I have heard quite a lot about your feats,” said the half-elven princess as she offered one of her big, yet somehow graceful hands to Cal for a handshake. Cal stood up and accepted the gesture, and noted from the calluses on her hand that the Princess was clearly one who put a lot of work into her training. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dame Ambervale.”

“The pleasure is mine, Princess Eisenhand,” replied Cal politely.

“Oh please, cut it out with the princess this princess that. Just call me Sieg,” said the Princess with a chuckle. “There’s a dozen of us Royal Princesses anyway. I ain’t anyone special.”

“Very well then… Sieg. You can just call me Cal then,” replied Cal with a smile. The Princess seemed amiable and friendly enough. A closer look showed that she was much like Hans-Grell in features, where her form combines that height and long limbs elves are known for, as well as the broad bulkiness of the dwarves. The overall effect made her look almost like a large, tall human with oversized limbs, though her pointy ears and silky, braided beard made her heritage clear for all to see at a glance.

“All right then, Cal,” answered the Princess with a smile.

“Glad to see you two get along,” Orloff said from the side. “As for your ma’s order, Sieg, It’s almost done. I’ll bring it over myself in two or three days when it’s finished.”

“Oh, that’s great news! Ma will be so happy about it. She got a party next weekend and wanted to show off the brew she ordered,” said the Princess cheerfully. “Oh, Uncle Orloff, if Cal’s free at the time, could you bring her over as well? It’s been a while since Ma has had elven visitors.”

“That’d depend on her, lass,” replied Orloff as he turned to face Cal. “Are you going to be free around then?”

“We’re still staying in town for the rest of the week,” replied Cal, who found the Princess’s enthusiasm and jovial demeanor rather contagious. “I don’t see why not.”

“It’s settled then. We’ll wait for you in the palace in a few days,” replied the Princess ecstatically. “I’ll round up my younger siblings as well. My younger sister was quite enamored by stories of your feats.”

“Oh?”

“Angrboda’s still a youngster, but she’s always been interested in military stuff, and said she wanted to be a general,” answered Sieglinde. “Girl’s quite enthralled by tales of war heroes, and yours is the most recent tale around.”