Elia sat beside Lear, smiling at the two little ones. She was happy for them, truly, even if her heart did ache for what they had. She wished she had been given a chance like they did, to find someone for herself. But of the girls at the brothels were not her friends and it was only then couple of younger ones that she seemed to get along with. Another part of the Madame's scheming. She wanted to keep Elia isolated from the others so she only had the Madame to turn too, in which she was normally shoved into another man's, or occasionally woman's, arms. She had no chance. It was as if the gods were punishing her for something she had no control over.
Elia listened to Lear's speech, though there wasn't much that interested her. She had no care of the plans for the city, only that she was irritated in being forced along with the prince's vacation. She wanted to get it over with, whatever was to become of them. She didn't want to wait any longer than necessary. She cared not about the food either. She learned to eat what was given to her. She never knew when it was going to be taken away from her. She enjoyed the luxury when she could. She had had a problem with her weight in her teen days. Over the course of a couple years, she was starved when the madame noticed any weight gain in her, until she grew into her womanly body and filled out in all the right places. It was only then that she let up on Elia.
She had no doubt that she would be able to catch the prince at night. She never did sleep very well, especially if she was to be deprived of wine. She was too wound up and used to late nights. She could stay up until the sun rose and function well enough. An act she had trained herself to do. She doubted being in camp would help at all, if anything, it would make it worse. At least at the brothel, she had somewhat control and knew what to expect. She was out in the open here. She didn't want to imagine how easy it would be for a guard to come in and hold her down and take advantage of her.
No, she probably would not get much sleep at all.
Lear finished his meal, asking Calvin the occasional question about things he liked. The boy had a lot of interests but hadn't had a lot of opportunities, and Lear offered him several chances to do things over the coming week. At some point, Lily woke up and sleepily tapped Calvin's shoulder. He smiled and excused himself, before shuffling back to their tent with her leaning on him the whole way. Lear smiled over at Elia.
"Sweet kids. That one is a dreamer." He looked around. Most of the teens had gone to rest, or were off with the guards, talking. He stood and left the tent, coming back a moment later with a bottle and two cups. "Would you like something to drink? Didn't wanna tempt the boy." He offered her a cup, even as he poured himself one.
"Something on your mind, Elia? Or is your concern too lofty for any but the Prince's ears?"
Elia watched as the kids left, smiling as she watched them. "It's unfortunate where they ended up but I'm glad they met each other. I only hope they can work through everything they've been together to have a healthy relationship."
She nodded in response to the drink, taking a sip once the cup was full. She tapped her fingers against the glass, studying Lear. "I don't mean to offend, but it is something I'd prefer for your prince's ears only. At least for now." Because he was Lear's prince. He might be heir in name but she would never accept him as king, as she does not the present king. They were not meant to rule here. Venia was not theirs. But through deceit and cowardliness, they had taken the throne.
"You've been in his employment for a while, yes? What's he like? Do you enjoy working for him? Will he make a good king in your opinion?"
Lear nodded. "I think Calvin is determined to make it work as long as Lily is, and she seems quite settled on him at the moment."
He grinned at her. "Ah yes, your sweet nothings ought to be kept just for him." He finished his drink and set the cup aside. "As long as you're sure there's no way I can help solve your issue." He paused a moment, before continuing.
"I have been with the Prince for 8 years now, yes." His grin changed to a more genuine smile. "What is Prince Romulus Vespasian like?" Lear laughed, not at her or at the question, but just the absurdity of trying to answer a question like that. "That's a question you'll have to answer for yourself, friend. As to whether I enjoy working for him, the answer is yes, but I don't think of it as working for him. Mostly because he doesn't either." He tapped his cup on the table, looking down while he thought for a moment. "The Prince has a particular way he handles things, and with his men… he is as a brother to many of us." He looked up at her. "And as for whether or not he will be a good king, well…" He smiled wider, obviously happy at the thought. "I can only say, I would not wish to serve under any other monarch."
Elia hummed into her cup as she took a large gulp. She felt the moment that it began to calm her nerves and anxiety. She let out a long breath, sinking into her seat more on the bench. She watched Lear, narrowing her eyes at him as he avoided some of her questions. She would find answers to them soon enough, no matter how she went about it. "With the way you talk, I can only imagine you as a courtier, not a warrior by the prince's side. I think no matter what happens, you'll survive the game. Whether your dear prince will is the question."
She drained her cup and instantly grabbed the bottle to fill another cup. She knew her limits. She wouldn't drink more than another glass. Had she been in her youth, she would have attempted to drain the whole bottle but she had matured since then. She sipped this cup slowly this time. She was relaxing but hadn't dropped her guard.
"Compared to the previous monarch, how do you think he compares? If he wishes to rule with absolute submission by the people, he will have to be smart. Venians don't like bowing to outsiders."
Lear just continued smiling. He was an easy man to get along with.
He grinned at her assessment. "Only a courtier, hmm? Well, you would know." He paused, his grin taking on just a bit more of an edge.
He relaxed again after only a moment. "And as far as survival, it's to the Prince's credit I've made it as long as I have. He's saved my life on multiple occasions." He fidgeted with his cup, not bothering to refill it. "And the Prince has been surviving the court game since birth, I have no doubts of his ability to navigate it comfortably."
He noted her refill her cup, and corked the bottle. "We don't have as much of this in camp as you might think." He stood and went to put it back wherever it had come from.
When he returned, he sat across from her, facilitating the conversation a little easier. "Compared to which previous monarch, our current king, his father? Or the previous Venian king?" There was something in his eyes as he said it, some unpleasant feeling there, which was unusual for the diplomatic Lear.
"And as for absolute submission, he's well on his way. The people have responded to him incredibly well over the last 12 years. They've had a chance to watch him grow up, in many ways." He smiled. "Venians may not much like bowing to outsiders, but it certainly hasn't stopped them from doing so anyway."
Elia was curious on how the prince saved him but decided not to question it. Sometimes, things were better left unsaid and they did hardly know each other. She wasn't going to ask him to spill all of his past to her. Honestly, it sounded quite boring to know every detail.
She offered a small smile. "I promise I only have a two-glass limit. Getting drunk was never in my best interests as a whore. I won't let a man take advantage of me again." She had learned many hard lessons in her youth, some none should ever have to learn. She took a sip out of her cup, grateful for the change in subject. She didn't like talking about her failures or shortcomings. She would much rather talk about anything else.
"The Venian royals your king slaughtered in their sleep, of course." She didn't hide her disdain. Any true Venian born felt the same as her. They may bend the knee to survive, but they would never forget what had been done to them. "Our kingdom was in a time of prosperity and peace before your king came around and now look us. The poor are poorer and the rich are richer. And notice how not a single Venian is in a position of power. You're close to the prince. I would advise him to remedy that is he ever hopes to remain in power."
She took another sip of her cup, glancing around before back at Lear. "You and your prince may not wish to listen to me because I am a whore and a liar. But you should listen to this. There will always be unrest as long as Vespasian blood is on the throne. If you want to see your prince be crowned king, I suggest you find a remedy. Allow the old nobility to regain their status, maybe even marry one of their daughters>
Why would she help?
That was the question. This man, his people, his prince were her enemy. She held no love for them. But she had no other living relatives. She was the last of the Callistar line and she had no desire to be queen. She was never meant to rule in the first place. Not because she was a woman. The Callistar family had no quarrel against sex. She was the last born of seven children. She should have been the end at the line of succession. She was never taught how to rule or politics. It wasn't until she entered the brothel that it even became an interest to her.
But she was tired of seeing her people hurting. Perhaps if she had some kind of influence on Lear and the prince, she could make a change. She was tired of seeing her people being treated like scum. They didn't deserve that just because someone decided they wanted to be a king.
Lear listened to her, nodding along. He waited till she was done, and thought for a moment, before speaking very gently.
"You've been in that brothel a long time, haven't you…" It wasn't really a question so much as a statement.
She had no clue what the outside world looked like anymore. When King Augustus had conquered Venia and taken the throne, there had been widespread unrest. The people had rioted, and fought, and tanked their own economy in an effort to screw the new monarchy. The Haradrim hadn't been the ones to impoverish the Venians. It made no sense for the new monarch to crush his people under his boot, his prosperity was directly tied to theirs. And rather than put down the rioters and restore order by force, the king had let it die out on its own. It had, over the next few years, as the people found they had put themselves in a position of having to survive. Survival over protest. The most prosperous areas of the kingdom now, were the areas the Prince had been to, like Lakeside. His investment in the Venians had endeared him to many of them. He couldn't blame her for being wrong about that, because she'd been stuck in a brothel for most of the 12 years, and had just had her first interaction with Romulus.
She was also wrong about the positions of power. There were many Venians in village positions, in positions within their county, their city, even within the Palace. But of course, he couldn't blame her, because there was no way she could know that, without visiting everywhere.
And as far as unrest because of Vespasian blood on the throne… well. Lear wasn't going to tell her any of the reasons why that was a silly sentiment, but… there was always unrest when anyone was on the any throne. But again, if she was who she said she was, and had been in the brothel as long as she'd claimed… there was no way for her to know that.
"I've been in there for twelve years," Elia said.
She would let him put together the pieces, that she was somehow tied the old Venian blood. She wouldn't confirm nor deny. Nor was she inclined to share her family name. It didn't matter anymore. She was Elia now, a common whore until recently. Though that still remained to be seen. She had no idea what was to become of her. She was only good for one thing and that was in bed. "I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies, despite they were the reason I ended up there."
She drained her cup, wanting to escape this conversation. If she wasn't careful and steered the conversation elsewhere, she might reveal something. She hadn't had the chance to speak about herself about her past in a very long time. No one was interested in what put a girl in a brothel or their life before it. They were only interested that she was in one and that they wanted to be between her legs.
"If there's nothing else to talk about, I think I'm going to go enjoy myself by the fire. I don't sleep well at night. I'm usually busy working." She pushed back from the bench and stood up.
Lear nodded, his face sympathetic. "… It is indeed an awful fate."
He watched her as she got up. "I mean, I'm sure there's plenty to talk about. You always seem to have something to say." He stood after her. "But, if you're ready to be done, I'll bid you goodnight." He didn't comment on the working comment, not wanting to dredge more up for her. He gave a small smile and left the meeting tent, heading for the Prince's tent.
~~~~
It was long into the night when the Prince came stalking back into camp. He made straight for his tent, and burst through the flap, furious. "Lear! When does that next squad get here?"
Lear looked up from the makeshift desk he was working at. "Tomorrow morning, around breakfast, why?"
Romulus was enraged. "I have need of them." He lowered his voice, not wanting to wake the entire camp, but he could definitely be heard from the fire Elia was still sitting by.
Lear stood. If Romulus was ready to march on the city, that couldn't be good. "What did you find?"
The Prince was quiet for a moment, pacing. "The entire city runs on trafficking. It's an absolute cess pit. Mind altering drugs trafficked in to be used on innocent girls and boys, who are then trafficked out, to be traded for favors and benefits, which fuels the whole thing." He snarled. "I was offered literal children, Lear. They make Lily look like a sophisticated adult!"
Lear nodded slowly. "We're going to need to add more tents, aren't we?"
Romulus growled. "At the very least! More likely I'll need to send a message back to the palace to get someone out here to help us relocate these children. Begin putting APB's out on them, find out if they have parents, families, responsible adults in their life. Find them new homes if not." He kept his back turned to the door, thinking.
Elia sat on a long in front of the fire. It was uncomfortable to sit on, the fire was almost too hot, burning her skin, yet she didn't move. Sleep wouldn't come to her. She was restless, unsure what to do. She knew she needed to speak to the prince, but seeing him storm him, perhaps it wasn't the best idea. She could always try to charm a guard for a little rustle in bed. A good workout could always help her sleep.
She was about to get up and find Alak when she heard the prince through his tent. It wasn't as if he was surrounded by walls. It was fabric. Thick fabric but sound could escape easily. She moved closer to hear correctly.
She felt her heart tighten and her bones stiffen. It wasn't the first time she had heard of such drugs or seen its uses. She remembered traders came to Madame Rosette attempting to sell her some, using some poor girl to show the effects. The Madame refused, stating our patrons like us willing. Well, most of them anyway. The Madame didn't tolerate patrons forcing themselves on others, one of the few things she did right as a madame.
She couldn't imagine what those poor children were going through, what they were forced to suffer. At least the Madame didn't expect her girls to perform until their bleeding and the boys were about the same age of thirteen. It was still sickening to see men request the younger ones, but at least it was better than a child before their first decade.
Lear was quiet a moment. "Romulus, you-"
"If you say I can't save everyone, I'll toss you straight out that tent flap." Romulus interjected. "You of all people know that not only can I do better than most, but it is my whole point in being here." He turned to look at his friend. "The vacationing prince, visiting bars and brothels and getting drunk and laid and betting on fights and renting out whole arenas and doing other silly, extravagant things." He stepped closer to Lear. "But you know, Lear. You know what I'm doing."
Lear nodded, his voice softening. "Yes, I do, Romulus. And I know why, no matter what your father thinks."
Romulus scoffed. "Ah, yes, the King, with his scheming and his planning. Well, I'm doing some scheming of my own, and this is how it comes out." He went to his desk, a portable, collapsible one that fit easily into his saddlebags. He jabbed a map. "There's a clearing on the other side of the city, an old logging area. We build a gallows, and begin executing crooked politicians and business owners."
Lear started to protest. "But-"
"No, Lear." Romulus wasn't budging. "We clean out Calegon. I was hoping to do it quietly, like mentioning you've got something in your teeth. Instead, we're going to do it openly, like cleaning out a festering wound." He snarled. "The Venians causing problems will be hanged, no pomp, no fanfare. The Haradrim, on the other hand, will be branded, whipped, and then beheaded. They ought to know better, so they die worse."
Lear nodded slowly. "If you're sure, Romulus. That will upset the entire ecosystem of this county though…"
Romulus nodded, consulting the map. "I know it. We station more guards here than normal, quell the gangs and cartels in place, and put good people in charge. If it takes us a year to rebuild, then it takes us a year."
Lear watched him. "It's never taken a year before."
Romulus looked at him, pausing for a moment. "… You're right, my friend. But… This is bad."
Elia couldn't staunch her curiosity. She looked around to make sure no one was watching her before getting up and approaching the tent. Call her nosy, she won't deny it, but she refuses to be left in the dark any longer, even if that meant she had to snoop. She got close to the tent, almost pressing her ear to the fabric. She didn't want to give herself away but she also didn't want to miss a single thing they said.
It was confusing, his words. What was the king up to the prince wasn't fond of? If she remembered correctly, the prince was only a few years older than her. It was likely he hadn't been a part of the mascara of her family but it also didn't mean he didn't support it. She had very little knowledge of that. The few courtiers that visited her preferred to complain about his brutality or their work.
She hadn't ever met the prince but she had visited his kingdom not just a few weeks before she turned five years of age. She couldn't remember what they were doing there, only that she played with his son and daughters who were of similar ages as she. It was so long ago she was surprised she even remembered that fact.
She sucked in a quiet gasp as they spoke of execution. Elia had witnessed deaths, executions even. The occasional burning of a so-called witch, a murderer. But nothing to this extent, nothing close. They were to be made examples of, these people. And while the guilty wholly deserved death, what of the innocents caught in the crossfire? What of those that had no choice should a loved one be threatened? What if someone was wrongly accused?
There were too many variables in which someone who did not deserve it would end up on a pike.
Romulus had started to say something else, but Lear put a finger to his lips.
The Lieutenant could see a silhouette in the tent wall. A shadow cast by the fire being behind whoever it was.
Romulus turned, and immediately recognized the lovely figure. He moved quickly, out of the tent flap in two steps and staring at Elia.
"Something you need?"
His voice was much more gentle, and he was working very hard to keep the intensity of his feelings under control. Calegon had riled him, but there was no need for that to come out on her, just because she'd been eavesdropping.
Lear shook his head. By this time, he'd recognized the silhouette as well. He had hoped even if Elia could hear them, that she wouldn't choose now to bring her complaints to Romulus.
Elia flushed a bright pink as she was caught. She drew her lip into her mouth. She thought she had been more stealthier than she thought she had been. She clasped her hands behind her back, the movement pushing her chest out. It wasn't then intention but there was only so much she could avoid doing to emphasize her body.
"I heard raised voices. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright and if there was anything I could do to help. You'd be surprised what a man would do for a woman." She wasn't sure they would let her stick around, much less let her help. She was tired of being laughed at and pushed aside. She was tired of being kept out of the loop of her own life.
Even without looking at Lear, she knew now was not the time to talk to the prince about her concerns. He had other things to worry about currently and she would speak him when they were resolved. And if something else came up, she would force her way in and put her foot down. Her grievances were important too. She had questions she needed answers too and she was determined to get them. But now was not the time.
Romulus watched her for a long moment. He considered a few things, and came to a decision.
"We're about to have a lot of very frightened, possibly sick children in our care. The guards will most definitely intimidate them, and you are a much softer welcoming committee. That is how I would ask for your help." He looked her in the eyes, sincerely. "I would not ask you to use yourself to get things from men. You're no longer a whore, and I will not put you back in that position. Besides, you'd be surprised what a man would do for a much stronger man." There was a wry sense of humor there.
Lear piped up. "Elia, you may as well talk to him now. He's here and you're here, and you're not likely to get the chance again for a bit. Things are about to get very busy." Her timing was terrible, but… better now than never.
Romulus raised his eyebrows, before stepping back and inviting her in. "Something you need to talk to me about?"
Lear stood and stepped out, knowing she'd said she wanted this private. "I'm going to check our provisions, see what we can handle without resupply." He glanced at her gently as he walked past.
A smile grew on Elia's face as she realized she wasn't kicked out or sent away. Despite her feelings for the prince, those children did not deserve what was being done to them. She wanted to help them. She would do whatever was necessary.
"Of course. Some of your men could probably take smiling lessons. Their frowning is a bit of a turn-off," she quirked, trying to lighten the situation.
Elia sent a glare Lear's way. She did not need his help talking to the prince nor was she here to distract him. Children were more important than her issues. She could put aside her hatred for the royal family and work alongside him for those poor kids. She could go back to hating them after they were saved.
She stepped into the tent, giving Lear a vulgar gesture behind her back, as to avoid being lectured by the prince for flipping off his friend. "I did-I do but it can wait if you have more pressing things to worry about."
Romulus snickered. "Some of my men are scarier when they smile, let me tell you." He held the flap open for her as she entered.
He noted Lear giving a smirk, and figured she'd gestured at him. It seemed about her style.
He stepped back in and moved to his bed. "I do, but maybe this will take my mind off of it for a moment."
The tent was much different than a person might expect from the Crown Prince. It was lit by a few lanterns placed around the room. It was bigger than the other sleepers, but that was because it doubled as a headquarters. There were two cots, one the same as the one in Elia's room, and the other much bigger. The bigger one wasn't better padded or softer, just obviously built to support someone of the Prince's size. The other was Lear's. Their nightstands were the same cut logs, their brass pots to warm the room the same. There were also two desks. One was Lear's, a set of boards nailed across two logs. The other was the Prince's a portable, collapsible piece of furniture that looked like it could fit anywhere. There were two cut logs for seats at the desks. And that was the whole tent. No luxuries, no useless items.
Romulus grabbed a blanket from his bed and folded it, before setting it on the log seat Lear had been sitting on. He offered it to Elia. "What's on your mind?"
Elia looked around the tent, noticing how bare it was. Nothing like a prince should have. The man before her truly was more a warrior than a prince. He needed some color in his life, maybe some art. It needed a feminine touch to the place.
She took the seat that was offered to her, giving a smile of thanks for the blanket for added cushion. She crossed her ankles and placed her clasped hands in her lap. She looked down at the ground, around at the walls, the sad excuse for furniture, before finally settling her eyes on the prince before her. "I need to know what's going to happen to us. No bullshit answers or beating around the bush. I need a direct answer. Because I will take them all and we will go somewhere, anywhere else if you cannot provide a better life for them. One where they're not split up. The life that we've had, there are trauma bonds that have formed and it wouldn't be in your best interest to break that apart."
Her focus was the girls and boys waiting in camp for answers. She would ask about herself later. She couldn't follow the same life they had. She was older than most of them. She couldn't be adopted into a family and she had no desire to get an education. She had no hope that she would end up anywhere other than the streets once again but she would make sure the rest were taken care of and not into someone's harem.
Romulus looked at her for a long moment. He sat behind the desk, somehow fitting it like a glove. "What makes you think anything other than exactly what I've already said would happen?" His voice was even. She was suggesting he was lying to them, and he wasn't. Convincing her would be a job. "And what makes you think I would just let you take them? Where would you possibly go, and how could you possibly provide for them better than I can?" He wasn't being unkind, just clear and rational. Even if his what she'd shown was true, and she had been some form of noble before, she was a poor girl now, and he could do more for them than she could. "Even if I were to let you take them, what makes you think they would go with you, over the chance to not live in poverty anymore?"
The Prince had been making these trips for years, saving people just like this from all over the country. He had done this before, and knew what he was doing. And whether he had Elia's trust or not was immaterial to him, but…
Venomous, indeed.
"I suppose those questions are moot if I answer yours." He tapped the top of the desk. "There are 6 teens and you. Lily and Calvin seem happy together, so they'll be placed in a noble's home, a Venian noble if they prefer. They will be educated and given opportunities, and when they are of age, they will probably marry each other, if they wish. Should they break up, we'll deal with that when it comes. Calvin has already expressed interest in a military position, so he'll likely wind up riding with me, on trips like this." He looked her in the eyes. "They will not be forced to do anything, though. All of that is optional. At their discretion." He leaned forward. "And theirs alone. Neither you nor I will make their decisions for them." Romulus wanted to be clear on that. He wasn't forcing things, and neither would he allow Elia to.
"The other 4 are Kallah, Matrio, Rinow and Calni. They'll all be placed in noble's homes, Venian if they wish, and educated, if they wish. I don't know what the three girls want to do, they were too busy flirting on our evenings to tell me, but Matrio wants to be a teacher. He has expressed interest in teaching Venian history, and we would educate him towards that purpose. I expect the girls will have more defined goals as they get older." He sat back. "But none of them, or you for that matter, will be sold or bought or traded or whored out again. I'm not a trafficker." He bit down on the word, his evening of walking amongst them making him a bit more sensitive to the implication at the moment than he normally would be.
Romulus paused a moment. "As for you… what would you like to do?" He watched her, his gaze gentle. "I have an offer for you, but I have a feeling you would refuse it, so… what do you want out of this, Elia?"
Elia searched his face, watched his body language, looking for any sign of a lie. She didn't care if she didn't have the means to care for the others. She would sell herself to anyone that would have her to take care of them and give them a good life. It was the best she could offer. But she would not let them fall back into the life they had been so-called rescued from. They deserved better than that life. Elia would ensure that for them, even if it meant she had to get on her knees and beg for it.
She found no lie in his eyes, in his body. There was a chance he was just really good at hiding his emotions but she didn't think so. So far, he had worn his emotions on his sleeve. Which wasn't necessarily a good thing for his position. But if the courtiers were terrified as he said they were, then perhaps he would survive.
"I want access to them all if they would like to see me. And weekly updates on them all. Directly from them. I don't want the families trying to fabricate lies to me about their health." She looked at him, all humor drained out of her face. She went right to business. "And no one need know where we came from. People look down on us, they whisper things and curse our names. Make whatever lie you need to but no one needs to know. It is up to them if they would like to reveal anything about their path."
For someone who pretended to only care about herself, she was overly concerned about what would happen to the others. She didn't trust people. She knew the worst man was capable of. She wouldn't subject those under her protection to someone who would hurt them.
She had yet to speak on herself.
This is it. He's going to ask to keep you as a bedmate or send you away.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself for her sentence. "Pray tell, what do you have in mind for me."
Truth be told, she had no idea what she wanted. She never dreamed of getting out of that brothel. She was sure she was going to die there. She had no name, no title, no money. There wasn't anything she could do.
Romulus nodded quickly at her demands. "If they are ok with those, done. I see no reason to keep you all separated." He raised an eyebrow when she mentioned their identities. "First of all, their families will know exactly who they are. They already do. I have vetted the families they'll be placed with rigorously. No family who sneers at those in need has been looked at a second time to potentially adopt. So you can relax there." His eyebrow lowered as his voice gentled. "And secondly, I've already stated that they are free to tell as much or as little as they like. They know that, and I know that, and the people around me know that. They won't be branded with this label forever, unless they choose to make it part of their story." She clearly thought of him as a child, with no awareness of the fact that generally, being a whore wasn't an honorable profession, and that he probably shouldn't tell people.
He found himself repeating things. Venomous, indeed indeed.
He watched her for a moment after she'd asked what he had in mind. This was where he gambled a little.
"Elia… you come from some sort of noble background. You know it, and I know it. There's no point in hiding, Lear had you pegged the day you met." Truthfully, the Prince had as well, but she seemed to like Lear more than him, so he felt she was less likely to be angry. "I would like to return you to that." He looked her in the eyes. "You are one of a few of the children of nobles my father killed, whom I have found. They are all back in the homes their parents owned, ruling the lands their parents ruled." He leaned forward, his face as earnest and sincere as he could get it. The lantern lights played off his chiseled features, the scars looking like dark marks in the gleam.
"If you'll tell me who you really are, I'll return you to that home and those lands, even if I need to oust someone else."
He paused a moment to let that sink in.
"And if you would rather not say, there are plenty of lands with people living on them, farming them or developing them. They have empty castles that need a lord or a lady. You would be given one of those, and have the money and title that come with it."
A small smile crossed his face. "That is what I have in mind for you. If you'll accept it from me."
Elia stiffened in her seat. "No."
If she revealed her identity she would be killed. It wouldn't matter what his morals were, she was a threat to his succession. Whistle she was alive, he had no claim to the throne. It was better for everyone if no one knew she existed. No one else needed to die for another uprising. She didn't want people to rally behind her to place a crown on her head. She had no desire to lead, whether it be a kingdom or a house. She would not lead.
To place her back in her family home, he would have to first remove himself, his family, and his staff. No, she would not do it.
"For my safety, never ask that of me again."
She hoped her words didn't reveal any more truth to who she was. She hoped that if he thought of her in danger if anyone knew her identity, maybe he would back off. There could be plenty of reasons why she couldn't reveal her name. Someone was after, she ran away, someone wanted her dead. Technically, all of it true, but just not revealing the truth behind it all.
"I have no desire to rule over anything. I don't mind caring for my children," obviously not her biological children, "I want the best for them. But that does not mean I want to rule over land and people and servants. It's not of any use to me. I'd prefer the brothel to that."
She stared at him. "I propose a counteroffer." She paused for a moment, contemplating even asking this. "Take me to court with you." Did she want to kill herself? "I'll be your advisor, your spy, or whatever else you have need of me. I'll be your eyes and ears. No one is going to risk letting anything slip in your presence but me? No one would think twice."
Romulus watched her odd reaction. It puzzled him a bit, but if she didn't want the lands and life she'd been a child in… not his call.
Her counteroffer was downright confusing.
He frowned, leaning back in on his seat.
"To be clear, you want to come to court, where you would be conspicuous, and try to be inconspicuous enough to be useful?" He shook his head. "You would do more good being there as a noble. If you're a peasant in court, but not a servant, then you're an anomaly. You speak of your safety, then ask for something that would definitely put a target on your back. With a title, you could have guards to keep you safe. You would have my personal protection on your name. You would have a reason to be at court constantly."
The Prince thought for a moment. "I would welcome you as an advisor, actually. But I cannot offer you that without the lands and title. It would be an obvious mark on you." His voice softened. "I can appoint you a steward, who will run your home and your lands for you. You wouldn't have to properly rule. But you would no longer be in poverty, and you would be in a position to help others." A small smile crossed his face at a thought. "You would even be able to help some of your current friends, Lily and Calvin, for instance. As a Lady, with lands and money and some level of power, you could adopt them, put them through school, help them get their start in the world. You could do that over and over, with children and teens from trouble of all kinds."
He stood, stepping around the desk. "You're an intelligent woman, Elia. Venomous, at times, but intelligent, and your heart is intact." He walked over to her, and knelt, so he was down on her level. "Let me put that mind and that heart to use helping others."
Elia turned her head away from him at his words, looking at the sad excuse for a room. She let herself fall into the picture he painted. Living in a big home with servants to take care of menial tasks, sitting around with Lily and Clavin as she helped them with their homework. It was a pretty picture but it was one she knew she could never have. She wasn't a mother. She wasn't meant to be a mother. And even if she took all of his other offers, what was the point of adopting them only to be at court for most of her days. She wouldn't let them feel abandoned. No, they could go to another family that could love them at their fullest. Something she didn't feel herself capable of.
She turned her head, her breath caught in her chest as the prince kneeled before her. Even now, he was taller than her, even if just slightly. Gods, what did his mother feed him as a child for him to grow this big.
"And what name will you give me?" She asked. "Because you will not have mine. No one can have it. What lie will you spin to ensure my new position? And is there any guarantee that you can protect me from anyone that is hostile towards me and my position? Not everyone wants to bow to a woman, much less if they find out I'm whore. I'll be discredited and thrown out, or dragged through the streets and humiliated. Your word isn't enough for me that I will be safe." Her eyes glanced at him, his body. "Give me your blood oath that I will be protected."
Blood oaths were binding by magic. To break one meant death. For her to even suggest such a thing in a world where magic was killed for was a death wish upon itself. But she had no other way to guarantee her safety.
