The barn is not nearly so terrible a place as I’d expected it to be, the outside appearance set aside, there is a quality of life here that might be appropriate for a proper noble staff. Closer to a guards’ barracks than the room of a lady’s maid, but nonetheless quite high quality.

The breeze does not cut through the walls, and I do not think that it would leak in the rain or creak in the wind. The bedding is fine, the beds made, and a general neatness describes the room quite nicely. Those living here are even lining up as well-trained staff, so much so that they make my own fresh staff seem incompetent by comparison.

Yet, the collars that bind most of them unsettle me more than I once thought possible. I pull at the neck of my dress just imagining a collar binding me in the same way. Should I make too serious a misstep, or should he simply change his mind, Aldramodore could do worse still to me.

“James, come,” Pansy says, waving the large man towards us. He has the legs and head of a goat, but the chest and arms of a man, scaled up by half again what a man should be. He wears naught but a well-bound cloth struggling to contain his sex, the rest left on show. He bows deeply to us both, and it takes just a second to see that he has no collar.

Pansy smiles at me, noticing what I’m looking at.

“A well-trained beast shouldn’t need a collar,” she explains, having the man raise his head he doesn’t make a sound through it all. “Some of their kind simply can’t shape proper human words, but that is no reason to think that they are mindless. It takes a more serious effort, but they can still be taught.

“I’d suggest one that can speak simple words for someone inexperienced in raising these beasts, as you are,” she says.

“I’m sorry?”

“It would be terribly uncouth of me to stand here gloating and showing off my best possessions, while you are still without. That would be a terrible thing to do to a friend. No, those like us should look out for one another.”

“We still hardly know each other,” I say lightly, burying my true thoughts.

“Then let this be a sign of friendship,” she says, hooking her arm through my own. She says nothing about the coldness in my flesh. “You are going to great lengths to see me freed from my parents’ overbearing natures, it would simply be rude for me to not properly acknowledge it, aside from covering the costs with gold.”

“Seeking freedom?” I ask, smirking slightly at the irony of saying that while standing here in this barn full of slaves.

My sharpened sight and senses pick up a detail that everyone else here seems to have overlooked. One particular slave standing near to us reacts to my words with a hiss so quiet that no one else would hear it.

“Has this one taken your interest?” Pansy asks, waving to the woman, a grown woman, older than me by maybe a dozen years or so, though only her face shows it. Her stature is almost that of a child, she has the head and torso of a human but where legs ought to be there is nothing but a long serpentine tail.

She’s not overly attractive, but she’s not so unpalatable that I’d have an issue with her working on my staff. Of course, assuming that she’d be willing to do so.

“Berry is from the eastern mountains themselves, her tribe is known for attacking travellers on the roads. She was caught two years ago, and while she was terrible to start with, she’s quickly become well-behaved. I’ve considered removing her collar recently.”

I notice that there is another of her kind down the line, a young man or perhaps a boy, it’s difficult to be sure, but from the different colouring and size, I don’t think that they are closely related.

“It would be boring of me to decide so quickly,” I say. “And I would not do you the rudeness of rushing this. You are practically buzzing with energy, please show me what it is you are so passionate about.”

While she eagerly goes about the barn showing each of her ‘toys’ in turn, and telling me their history, I follow along and say all the right things to keep her going. For once I needn’t be on the lookout for any deceptions from her. If it weren’t for the topic at hand, I could almost find her a rather endearing person.

A flush of lightning passes through me as I just imagine her expression the moment she realizes that I’ve betrayed her, stripping her of her possessions. No, I can do worse, claiming her toys and using them to torment her would be so much more beautiful.

Throughout it all, I notice only one other time that ‘Berry’ reacts to anything we say, the rest are all perfectly placid as if waiting to be spoken to directly, but she has hints of something more.

As we round back to her and I look into her eyes, I flash my vampiric powers to see her reaction, and she shudders properly. Then she trembles as Pansy frowns at her very slightly, promising punishment.

‘Berry’, I assume that it is not her name, has a spark of fight in her but it is quickly buried.

From my own experiences, I’ve come to a conclusion about freedom. No one else can ever fully take your freedom from you, they can limit you in a million ways, and they can do all that they can to strip you of all the options that they can, but what truly sets the final nail in the coffin, is when you surrender it for yourself.

Even should Aldramodore steal my own will from me, I suspect that I could still call upon Sharri’s divine magic to let me escape. The others here have surrendered their freedom, but she has not. Given enough time she may become broken down, and pushed to the point of surrendering, but she is not there yet.

I can do little for the others, for her I may just be able to give her a chance to spread her wings and fly once again.

“I think that this ‘Berry’ would suit me very well,” I say, meeting Pansy’s eyes. “I would be more than appreciative for this kindness, if I am not asking too much?”

“No, no, not at all,” Pansy says, the frown disappearing in moments. “I will have the collar adjusted for you before you leave.”

“Yes, and I’ll send you a map with the lands marked out, it is an awful trouble deciding all on my own who deserves which lands, but to give just everyone their own choice would be calling upon chaos. If it is only for friends…”

She smiles, her eagerness never allowed to reach the point that it would be seen as greed.

“I’ll be keeping in contact, it is ever so good to have friends,” she pulls me along, waving ‘Berry’ to follow us. “Tell me, do you have any thoughts on who might be elevated to the title of Duke? If you have no intent on the title, then it would help us all greatly if there was someone who could lead this effort when you hand over the reins.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

I step into the carriage, having ‘Berry’ follow after me so that she might sit opposite me, her tail curled up over and over to fit on her side. The collar has, for a day, lost its location markers so that we might move her safely. It will be removed by that time, so it is not of great worry to us.

“What is your name?” I ask, sitting across from me. “You understand our language a little at least?”

“Berry,” she answers, her lifeless voice is but an act, even if it is a good one.

“Your true name,” I say, “Or failing that, give me a name that you’d prefer me to use… though perhaps it is best to explain my intentions first.

“As long as you promise not to act outside of my will, then I intend to free you,” I explain, and she barely reacts. “We are intending to travel through the eastern mountains in the coming months so it might serve us both well to cooperate until you may return home, though I will not demand it. What I do ask is that you are truthful with me.

“I have plans that I cannot let be ruined by recklessness,” I say. “Do not act submissive. I do not appreciate it, and if you do continue as such then I will be forced to assume that you are a danger to my plans. Speak freely, or I will need to keep you as a slave until you do.”

She wears the same empty expression but her eyes are flicking back and forth quickly as if trying to read into my intentions.

“Why?” She finally asks her intonation not quite right.

“I am at risk of falling into the same situation as you,” I say. “A man has a collar around my neck, even now, and at his whim, he could steal everything that I am. Not to mention that proper, noble slavery is meant as an institution to raise mindless beasts into people. Are you a mindless beast?”

“No.”

“Good,” I nod quickly. “Then, moving on, I’m certain that you hold a grudge against your previous master? Any person would or should. That is fine, but… how strong are you? If you are bound by a collar then you are not particularly strong, no?”

She keeps her expression even, as she’s been trained to do. It will take her some time to grow out of it, but then it could also be seen as an advantage within certain circles.

“I am weak,” she finally admits, bowing her head.

“Then, perhaps you may leave your vengeance to me,” I say. “I am soon to leave this city, and while I’d not initially intended to do this, it may serve us all better to hunt all the worst of the nobility before we go.”

The blood fortifying my vampiric nature is only another good reason to hunt, but it would just be so wrong to leave so much food left uneaten. Proper nobles complete their meals.

If I am to thrive, I may need to consider sharing my curse with those suited to it. ‘Berry’ certainly fits on the list, but I could see her going on an indiscriminate slaughter and that would not be acceptable. Those I turn will be under my authority and they will be my responsibility, but I never intend to pull their chains, so I must be very careful in finding candidates who will live by values that do not contradict my own.

“Call me Ollie,” the serpentine woman says, lifting her chin. “Prove your words.”

“I intend to,” I say. “If you wish, perhaps… what are your feelings on murdering corrupt nobles? Are you particularly able at keeping yourself unseen?”

“Yes,” she answers simply, jerking her head in a rushed nod before looking around as if it were some trick question to trap her.

I have wanted an accomplice for some time, and I’m sure that seeing Ollie look at me in disgust would cause me no real issue so the risks are relatively low. Depending on her emotional state, she may affect the atmosphere of a proper hunt, but it is difficult to be sure until we’ve tried.

“We will need to save your previous master for later, but it shouldn’t take more than a month,” I explain, crossing my arms and considering the long list of victims I have planned. Each at the top intends to stoke a terrible and pointless war, so I feel little need to distinguish individual guilt.

“First, we will return home to have Kai remove that collar, then we will be started. Time is short and we must be about,” I say, my fangs itching as I let my mind wander to the hunt about to occur. Tomorrow will be kept for meetings with various merchants, so I must enjoy myself while I can. Perhaps if we’re quick, I could take out two families before morning breaks.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

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