The heavy brocade curtains were pulled close, turning the sunny room into a cave of shadows and twilight. The door was bolted and even the keyhole was stuffed with a piece of cloth, barring any curious gazes from peeking inside. But it was all necessary, for a secret ritual was taking place between the colorfully painted walls of this particular guest bedroom.

Bathed in bright lantern light, Pricilla sat on the floor dressed only in her chemise. Her shapely nose wrinkled as the smell of charred grass tickled it. She even thought that she was able to distinguish the faint metallic scent of blood coming from the torn rag pieces lying in the bowl before her. With a steady hand, Bessie sprinkled the flower ash on the cloth scraps. A faint black mist lingered over the bowl before settling down. Pulling out one of Pricilla’s silver pins, the maid pricked her finger and let a single scarlet drop roll down. Her lips began moving in a fast but quiet chant as she put down the needle and grabbed a cup of red wine and a simple spoon. Dripping the ruby liquid into the bowl and vigorously stirring all ingredients, the Binshi’s chant picked up and with it the fragrance of spring flowers seeped into the gloom.

Putting down the spoon, Bessie dipped her right index finger in the now blackish-red liquid.

“M-mistress… I need to apply the sigil… under your left breast.” The servant’s hesitant, stuttering voice irritated Pricilla but she complied.

Pulling the laces of her chemise, she let the garment slide down her shoulders, revealing her well-endowed chest. Now, with her little prince growing in her womb, her breasts had become even fuller - a sight that should have been enough to seduce any regular man. Alas, the Beast of Norden was too proud, aloof, and mostly impenetrable to her charms. This unexpected resistance maddened Pricilla, yet at the same time, her quest to subdue this wild savage was strangely entertaining. She could almost taste the triumph of having him helplessly fall in love with her like a little puppy. But even more invigorating was the thought of that mutt’s expression when she realized that she had lost both her title and her man. Honestly, the nerve of that lowlife to crave things above her standing was preposterous!

The touch of Bessie’s warm, sticky finger on her skin jolted Pricilla out of her daydreaming.

“Don’t jab blindly around!” she hissed, making the maid jerk back.

“I’m s-sorry, mistress. I’ll be more careful.”

“You’d better be!” Huffing, Pricilla looked down at the bowl of magical ink in the Binshi’s hands and frowned. “Are you sure this thing won’t… put any harm on my body?”

Her hand involuntarily slipped to her half-covered stomach. Did it already show a slight protrusion? Her sweet little prince was growing fast and healthy, a fact that would have otherwise made her jubilant, but that now brought her great distress and urgency. There was only a small window left to trap that man and fulfill Lionel’s plan, which forced her to use such repulsive, unholy means to reach their goal. It was all for her child and their future. A failure was not an option.

“No, mistress, the hex is completely safe.” Bessie’s mumble was barely audible over the panicked drums of her heart. “It just enhances your natural endowments in the eyes of the beholder and fans his feelings for you.”

“And… you are sure that your magic won’t be detected?”

“It’s a very weak hex, more of a prank than a truly malicious spell, so I believe it will be fine. But I’ve diluted the ink a bit to be safe. I’ll have to reapply it daily but this should reduce the chance of the sigil being detected. And if we could change the virgin blood as often as possible to confuse any attempts to trace the hex-”

“Alright, enough blabbering.” Pricilla cut the servant off and rolled her eyes. “I’m cold. Finish your work already!”

With a nod, Bessie dipped her finger in the ink again and began drawing a series of complex, intersecting swirls. Each stroke sent shivers down Pricilla’s spine as it left a scorching sensation on her skin. The Binshi slowly moved up, the last lines climbing the peak of her mistress’ pale breast and closing her nipple in a tight circle.

Letting out an involuntary moan, Pricilla shuddered and looked large-eyed at the intricate motif of the hex. It felt like fire on her skin and yet it was chilly to the touch and… so incredibly beautiful! The crisscrossing swirls resembled a bunch of blooming flowers with her nipple being the only one unopened bud.

“Is… Is it working?” For some reason, Pricilla’s voice came out as a whisper.

“It is. Would you like to test it?”

“First thing tomorrow morning.” Pricilla had to fight the urge to jump out immediately. “We have been through enough turmoil today. It would be best to lay low for now. And I’m hungry. Go to the kitchen and bring me some chicken and sweetmeats.”

***

The morning sun had just grazed the green roofs of Castle Ildemar when Pricilla slipped out of her room and, followed closely by Bessie, made her way to the Two Gods Chapel located near the Great Hall. Not that she was especially pious, but since the Beast of Norden seemed to mellow somewhat as long as she presented as a meek, helpless damsel, what better way to ensnare him further than to be the embodiment of a noble lady’s virtues? And one of those virtues was the reverence to the Father of Light.

When the two arrived at the chapel, she ordered her maid to stay out at the door. Who knew maybe that witch would turn into dust or burst into flames on holy ground, and Pricilla couldn’t afford for her secret to get revealed. As she was about to step over the threshold, her foot froze mid-air. What if… the hex she was carrying was also recognized by the holy powers? What if she was to be punished by the Father of Light for being impure and dabbling in magic?

While she hesitated and fought with her doubt and fear, a loud child’s voice rang under the vaulted ceilings.

“But papa! I don’t like it there! It’s so stuffy and dark!”

“Hush, chichik. We are done arguing. Don’t you want to talk to mama?”

“But mama is with Mir-Mama in the Spirit Realm, not in that stone church!”

“Anuk… dear… You know that mama was a Limerian. She is with her gods and they live in the stone chur-”

“NO! She is with Mir-Mama! If… If not… Our family won’t reunite in the Spirit Plane!”

“But Limerins and Binshi are different, chichik. We don’t-”

“No! No, no, no! Then Kai and I… where will we go when we die!? Papa, you meanie!”

The thunder of running feet came from around the corner and a little silver-haired girl jumped from behind the floral column marking the two corridors’ intersection. With a red face and tears blurring her vision, she stormed straight ahead, spearing into Pricilla’s side.

With a shout, Pricilla stumbled and managed to hang on to Bessie to keep her balance. The collision sent the child rolling on the ground where she sat up confused for a moment, looking up at the two women through the mess of her hair.

“Lady Shimshi!?” The girl happily chirped and motioned to grab Pricilla’s hem, but suddenly pulled back her hand as if burned. “You aren’t Lady Shimshi! You are an imposter!”

Screaming that, the child jumped up and darted off, followed by Pricilla’s shout:

“Come back, you midget!”

Fuming and confused, Pricilla tried to gather her thoughts and was about to send Bessie after the insufferable brat to teach her a lesson, when two new sets of rushing steps came from around the corner. A white-haired man and a boy with silver locks appeared in the corridor. The man was barely dragging his feet and panting heavily. As he staggered, the boy rushed to support him.

“Dada! Are you alright?”

“Don’t… mind me.” The man heaved and waved his hand. “Go… after her. Calm her. I… I’ll meet you at the stables.”

With a sharp nod, the boy rushed forth, completely ignoring Pricilla and her maid.

Left with the strange man, Pricilla ogled him, uncertain what to do. Whoever he was, those two uncivilized brats of his deserved their punishment! Especially that boorish girl. Kneeling on a log's edge for an hour or two should teach her some manners. But maybe, if she showed benevolence, she would look more endearing in the eyes of the Duke? On the other hand, he was known as a bloody Beast who loved carnage and pain, so maybe he’d be more delighted by a stricter punishment.

“Is the Honorable Lady alright?”

While Pricilla was racking her brain, the white-haired man had collected himself and now stood reverently before her. It finally dawned on her that he was a Binshi dressed in a simple servant’s attire. Disgust and anger clogged her throat and she could just snort.

“I apologize for my child’s rudeness. I will be sure to reprimand her. I beg the Lady for forgiveness and leniency under the eyes of the Limerian Fathers.”

‘You damn savage trying to act noble and polite!’ screamed Pricilla internally but was able to bite her tongue. As infuriating as it was, the wildling was right. The Two Fathers taught mercy and forgiveness. If she were to make a scene here, her facade as a fair damsel would be ruined.

“Alright. Go on your way,” she squeezed through her teeth.

“Thousand blessings, benevolent Lady!”

The man bowed deeply and dragged his feet towards the chapel’s entry. Just as he stepped over the threshold, Pricilla grabbed his sleeve.

“Wait! You can enter a temple!? You… won’t die?”

Turning to look back, the man smiled awkwardly.

“The Lady must be from the mainland. Contrary to the widespread belief, we are neither evil spirits nor demons or spawns of the Old Gods to be destroyed upon entering a Limerian temple.”

Saying that, he politely bowed again. Pricilla released her grip still dumbfounded, and watched him disappear in the darkness of the chapel.