“Anna…” Devin spoke from behind me.

I glanced back at him, “Yeah?”

“You're serious about that? You can make a contract where you can bring someone back?” He asked.

“It's technically true. But in practice? I really don’t know. I can’t say anything for certain, not that it will work, or that it will be anything but a demon’s existence, plus you’d only be able to really live life inside a dungeon. Our dungeon.” I said hand on my breast.

Devin considered that and nodded.

I glanced back to Gerl, “So? What do you think?”

“You promise you'll not make me do anything I refuse?” Gerl asked once more.

I nodded, “If it isn’t obvious already, I dislike forcing people to work with me. If I’d wanted to do things that way… Well, I don’t want to do things that way.” I said deciding that trying to explain all the nonsense was just wasted effort.

“Alright… I’ll do it.” Gerl said.

“Which… it?” I asked again.

“Oh… sorry… I guess since I’d rather not die… I’ll take… the option where you make me a demon.” He replied.

“You sure? You were pretty positive I was a heretic earlier.” I couldn’t help but point out.

He nodded, “I guess… in the end, I don’t want to die. Maybe I’m just a coward.”

“It’s alright.” I replied placing a hand on his.

“I’ll start now.” I said taking a breath. “Naan do I need to worry about mana or anything else with this?”

“No, it's an ability of the dungeon rather than magically infused words. I must remind you that contracts are with the dungeon, and not you specifically.” Naan noted.

“I know, but we… we are the same person now.” I pointed out.

“True…” Naan reluctantly agreed.

I spent a moment working with Naan to both recall and make sure that the words were right.

I pressed forward with one more breath. I spoke in my best and clearest tone, at least that I could muster, “I forge our contract, you pledge your soul to me. In return, I pledge to retain and restore you as best able. Do you accept this contract?”I said feeling a strange almost static in the air around us.

Gerl sat there for a moment considering it. Then he nodded, “I… I accept.”

I smiled and spoke, “From this moment forward, you and I are bound in contract. Welcome to the service of the dungeon.”

The strange feeling in the air seemed to tighten around us, and I could feel my mana flowing out and between us. It wasn’t like I could see it so it was certainly just a feeling, a strange sense around us, but a moment later I could feel something click, and like flipping a switch I felt as though he fit into me somehow. It was an utterly strange sensation.

Gerl shivered, “That… it truly is real isn’t it?”

Still, I felt like I should see it, like it was there, just outside of reach. So I squinted trying to see it.

"Anna." Naan interjected.

"Hmm?" I replied back.

"Stop that." Naan insisted.

I realized almost immediately that I was pulling on Naan's vision without really even thinking about it.

"Oh... sorry." I replied dropping that whole idea.

I gave Gerl a small smile and used a bit of nail shape-shifting magic to untie his wrists.

While Gerl was rubbing his wrists, Devin spoke up, “Anna. Do you want me to stay with you? To make one of these contracts?”

“Do you want to? I trust you won’t turn on me. But if you want to stay with me, I guess that we could…” I offered.

He nodded, “I… I guess I’m just a sucker in the end.”

“Don’t say that.” I said looking at him.

He shrugged, “Just get it over with.”

I pouted at his tone and flippancy. It's not like I needed him to do this. But I wouldn't lie, the idea of his soul staying with me sort of made me a bit warm and fuzzy on the inside. “Naan is there no other contract that I could give him ceremonially?” I asked.

“Ceremonially?”

“It just seems wrong that Devin will be… well our subject.”

“Why?”

“It just does?” I offered weakly.

“If we use the country metaphor we discussed previously, you are the queen. So what would that make him?” Naan asked.

I considered. On one hand, I could say king, but could you have more than one of those? I doubted it. Maybe Devin was special and being king would suit him in the longer term. I wouldn’t deny he likely cared about me more than the rest. The goblins had their own fondness for me, but I wouldn’t ever see them as kings.

Maybe I was casting him downwards by denying him that place. But still, that didn’t change the fact that I was about to have sex with him and another man, and Devin really didn’t want that, he was just going along with me because he knew this was what I did.

“A duke?” I asked back feeling stupid about the whole thing.

“That would be a subject.” Naan pointed out.

“True…” I frowned.

“What's with that look?” Devin asked noticing my delay and shift in expression.

“If I’m your queen, then what does that make you?” I asked him deciding to pass the buck.

He raised an eyebrow at me, “Are you being serious right now?”

“Of course.’ I pouted back at him.

“Knowing you… I guess I’m a… concubine? A male concubine?” He asked with clear distaste.

“Devin! You mean more to me than that.”

“Then what? I’m not your husband, we've talked about this and I clearly don’t disagree, I don’t see it happening.” he said with force.

“Then I’m gonna make something up!” I announced with energy.

He gestured for me to just go ahead.

“Devin, I want you to… to… be…. My knight.”

“Your knight?” He echoed.

I nodded, “Be my royal knight.”

“Well, I guess royal knight is a better title than male concubine…” He mused, “But one of these clearly sounds like more work.”

“All the perks and extra work.” I laughed.

“This is going to be a prestigious position then?” Devin asked almost mockingly.

“Only for those, I trust with my life.” I stated.

Devin smiled at me, “Alright.” Clearly, he was humoring me, but at least he seemed a little happy.

“Naan? Anything we can do here?”

“I don't understand you, or your request.”

As expected, no help there. I stood up and gestured for Devin to do the same.

He did so and both standing there I began, “Sure this isn’t all that special. But… Devin, your sword?”

He raised an eyebrow at me, “You plan on stabbing someone?”

“No.” I said, "Why, don't you trust me?"

He shrugged before pulling his blade free and handing it to me. All the while just watching me with obvious curiosity.

“Devin… Umm, what’s your full name?” I decided to ask.

He raised an eyebrow and replied, “What’s your full name?”

“Anna Cappello” I replied as though it was natural. At that, I figured I got his meaning. But I wanted to do this properly so I pressed, “But seriously, what is your full name?”

Devin sighed, “Devin Earner… if you must know.”

I nodded and worked out the words in my head before proceeding with my charade. “Kneel, Deven Earner.” I said.

He seemed a bit perplexed by my request but lowered himself down on one knee glancing up at me with an expression that said, “What now?”

I smiled down at him, “I forge our contract, you pledge your soul to me. In return, I pledge to retain and restore you as best able. Upon accepting you forfeit your former name of Devin Earner, and will become Devin Cappello. You will serve me as a royal knight to the best of your ability, together we will stand side by side, I want your guidance as much as your sword. Do you accept this contract?” I asked.

The air seemed to thrum once more as energy seemed to drift out from me and drift between us, testing each of us in turn.

Devin’s expression softened as he looked up at me. “I will.”

With such a simple agreement the energy stilled expectant of my final words.

I felt a little bad about this all being so one-sided, but I was making this shit up as I went as it was. Still, I raised his sword and was careful to set the flat on his left shoulder. Then I moved it to his right shoulder if only for the ceremony of it. “From this moment forward, you and I are bound in contract. Welcome to the service of the dungeon.” I pulled the sword in and away from him, “Rise, Devin Cappello, my royal knight.”

The mana in the air had contracted and sealed our new connection before I even finished.

Devin closed his eyes and slowly stood. He looked over me, his eyes weighing what I'd just said, and done.

I offered him his blade back and Devin returned it to his sheath at his side. After a moment he reached out cupping my face with his hand. He guided me up, and I raised myself as high as I could onto the tips of my toes, still he had to lean down, and our lips met.

After a moment we parted and smiling he said, “Thanks. But I want you to know that you are so very strange.”

I chuckled, "What? I’m a jealous queen you know. One that causes my fair bit of trouble.” I pointed out.

Devin snorted, “The fact that you're suddenly calling yourself a queen is all the proof I need of how weird you are.”

“Oh… right that was all in my head wasn’t it…” I mused.

“Should I even ask?” Devin asked.

“Probably not.” I shrugged glancing over to Gerl.

“Thanks for being our only witness to that I guess?” I offered.

“I should probably go...” Gerl said half looking like he wanted to scamper away.

“What?” I asked confused.

“You… you clearly care for each other.” He pointed out. “I’m… I’m just some guy your goblins caught.” he pointed out.

“Well, that’s fine too.” I mused.

“But…” Gerl offered.

“You think she's going to change her mind after all that?” Devin asked.

“Change… her mind?” He asked.

Devin sighed, “Have you not been paying attention? She is the one that wants both of us. If you happen to want the same that's just happenstance.”

I couldn't help but wonder why Devin was being helpful, I mean if he didn't do anything Gerl would probably just turn me down.

Gerl just blushed again.

"I just want you to understand that this is how she is. At this rate, she's just going to push you into whatever she wants, and I'll feel bad leaving you to drown." Devin continued.

“Rude!” I proclaimed even as I placed my hand on Devin’s covered chest. “I'm not drowning anyone! But this should make for a nice way to at least celebrate you both forming contracts with me.”

“I can’t help but feel like something about this situation is backward…” Devin replied evenly.

I shrugged, and glanced over at Gerl, “Alright subjects. Your queen desires to ogle you.”

Devin just gave me a level look that demanded I do something about it.

Which was fine by me, it was a lot more fun this way. I reached down and snaked my hands under his shirt and with a bit of effort raised it up, and forced it up to his head. He helped after that and finally tossed the shirt to the floor next to where the soft blue light source lay.

I nodded appreciatively at his well-formed muscles, “Nice.” Then turned to Gerl, “What about you?”

“Really?” Gerl asked, clearly still confused this was happening.

“If you really don’t want to then you can just watch.” I offered. I knew Gerl was shy but maybe it was more than that.

I could practically hear Devin’s smirk behind me. Not that I blamed him, he wanted me all for himself, and I couldn’t fault him for that.

“Uh…” Gerl replied.

“Well? Make up your mind already.” I insisted tapping my foot.

“Okay…” He said with a small smile.

I grinned, “Then stop asking stupid questions.” I insisted pointing at him where he was still sitting on the floor. “Shirt, off!” I ordered.