Fable - Ask The Baron of Stonewatch

[Christian Vide]

He matched her grin with his own, reasoning he would enjoy this about as much as she did if he could. At least it fit his role.
"What a tempting suggestion..."
He raised his sword and pointed it at the shaking bandits... but he hesitates and looks around.
Nearly the entire village was gathered around and watching them. Even though they hadn't killed any of the bandits he was reminded that they had to be very careful, for the people's sake.
He shook his head, "... But no... Their fates will be decided by the people they've wronged. I will merely carry out whatever sentence they deem necessary."

He kept the sword aimed at the bandits.
"Keia, lower the flames. The guards will take these criminals into custody. Later today we will have a trial and a sentencing."
His eyes met with Keia's for a moment. He was still new to his duties as a Baron so he hoped this was something expected of him, not that she would know as far as he could tell, but this way felt like justice to him and he hoped she would agree... Although she was also far more bloodthirsty than he was...
Still, giving the people the choice seemed to be the best way to gain their trust. They were most likely to have the men executed, if that was the case they will have to find fodder for their experiments elsewhere. Or the people may choose to take after their Baron and mimic his chivalry.

Either way... He wanted the people to believe that he was a good man.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He kept the sword aimed at the bandits.
"Keia, lower the flames. The guards will take these criminals into custody. Later today we will have a trial and a sentencing."

She looked surprised. But she obeyed. "Yes my lord."

She lowered the flame, but she wasn't done, the remaining three swords morphed into chains, and they bound the remaining three bandits, so that they might do no further harm. And the guards moved in, grabbing the bandits by their arms and bringing them to the castle.

The other guards remained with the people. And at their lord's bidding, guided them into the castle as well, the people would remain in the back of the main hearing chamber, where Christian would sit in judgement, or rather execute the judgement passed by the people.

Keia approached him and asked quietly. "Do you wish me to trap their souls before the court or before the execution. I won't do it publicly, but I would ask for your command."

 

[Christian Vide]

Things wrapped up quickly, the will to fight had left the bandits and now they were being dragged off to face punishment... No... Not punishment... Justice...
Christian dropped the borrowed sword and regarded their battle ground for a moment. This was over in a matter of moments.
He thought about the messages this sent to the people... That he was a skilled fighter, that he was efficient, that Keia was a talented magic user, that they could hold their own and stand up to imposing odds, that Christian was fair and willing to listen to the voice of the people.
If there was a negative light he couldn't see it... Perhaps ruthlessness? his willingness to allow and rely on magic could possibly seen negatively, but he realized he honestly didn't know much of the temperament of the people, their thoughts and beliefs on certain things. If he was to be their Baron he wanted to be too good to be true, and that meant being the absolute best sort of ruler anyone could imagine.

Keia approached him, "Do you wish me to trap their souls before the court or before the execution? I won't do it publicly, but I would ask for your command."
Christian was thoughtful for a moment as he regarded their options before responding.
"Only if their not to be allowed to live. Perhaps they can be marked so that their souls will be delivered to us upon their deaths."
He sighed and turned to her, once more he allowed his mask to fall and his face went dead.
"Keia, I am learning to be a Baron but I am unsure of what to do from here. It's possible that after today if we explain everything to the villagers they will accept our plan of reconditioning them... If we cast it in the best light possible there's a chance we may not have to live a secret life hidden from them and we can be open about who we are if only in part... But if we're wrong there may not be a second chance..."

He took her firmly by the shoulders.
"The only reason I agreed to become a Baron was to keep you safe from that Duke and his hound. This plan has a high reward that will increase your safety here and amongst the people... But the high risk is that all that I've built so far to keep us safe could be torn away..."
He drew her close and his eyes bore through her... He could smell the effect of the devices under her skirt.
"Are you willing to take that risk with me? I don't want to gamble with your life without your permission."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

Things wrapped up quickly, the will to fight had left the bandits and now they were being dragged off to face punishment... No... Not punishment... Justice...
Christian dropped the borrowed sword and regarded their battle ground for a moment. This was over in a matter of moments.
He thought about the messages this sent to the people... That he was a skilled fighter, that he was efficient, that Keia was a talented magic user, that they could hold their own and stand up to imposing odds, that Christian was fair and willing to listen to the voice of the people.
If there was a negative light he couldn't see it... Perhaps ruthlessness? his willingness to allow and rely on magic could possibly seen negatively, but he realized he honestly didn't know much of the temperament of the people, their thoughts and beliefs on certain things. If he was to be their Baron he wanted to be too good to be true, and that meant being the absolute best sort of ruler anyone could imagine.

Keia approached him, "Do you wish me to trap their souls before the court or before the execution? I won't do it publicly, but I would ask for your command."
Christian was thoughtful for a moment as he regarded their options before responding.
"Only if their not to be allowed to live. Perhaps they can be marked so that their souls will be delivered to us upon their deaths."
He sighed and turned to her, once more he allowed his mask to fall and his face went dead.
"Keia, I am learning to be a Baron but I am unsure of what to do from here. It's possible that after today if we explain everything to the villagers they will accept our plan of reconditioning them... If we cast it in the best light possible there's a chance we may not have to live a secret life hidden from them and we can be open about who we are if only in part... But if we're wrong there may not be a second chance..."

He took her firmly by the shoulders.
"The only reason I agreed to become a Baron was to keep you safe from that Duke and his hound. This plan has a high reward that will increase your safety here and amongst the people... But the high risk is that all that I've built so far to keep us safe could be torn away..."
He drew her close and his eyes bore through her... He could smell the effect of the devices under her skirt.
"Are you willing to take that risk with me? I don't want to gamble with your life without your permission."

She smiled at his concern. Even though emotions weren't really something he could feel to any noticeable extent, it still seemed like he cared about her, which always brought a smile to her face.

His grip on her shoulders was gentle, but iron. And it portrayed perfectly how their relationship worked. And she looked him in the eye. "I would trust you with everything I am. If you want to take the risk, then I am willing. Though I would advise not to do something so immense so soon. Ease them into it and get a feel for how they would react to what."

She wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him, "If we ease them into it, and we slowly show them that we do what we can for their safety and health, and that what we are and how we are isn't so evil as it might seem, then they are far more likely to accept it. But that is just a thought, advice. I trust you, and I will abide by your decisions.

 

[Christian Vide]

"I would trust you with everything I am. If you want to take the risk, then I am willing. Though I would advise not to do something so immense so soon. Ease them into it and get a feel for how they would react to what."

He nodded, she was right... Too many variables to take action just yet, they hardly knew these people besides their troubles, springing something like this in them is the last thing they need at this point.

"If we ease them into it, and we slowly show them that we do what we can for their safety and health, and that what we are and how we are isn't so evil as it might seem, then they are far more likely to accept it. But that is just a thought, advice. I trust you, and I will abide by your decisions.

He put his arms around her shoulders and returned the hug.
"You're right, Keia. They aren't ready yet. We will simply hope that they allow the bandits to live and plan accordingly."
He replaced his mask of emotion and was once more Bruce Fydorian, Baron of Stonewatch.
He smiled at Keia and released her from his embrace, offering her his arm.
"Shall we return to the keep and see what the situation is?"

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He put his arms around her shoulders and returned the hug.
"You're right, Keia. They aren't ready yet. We will simply hope that they allow the bandits to live and plan accordingly."
He replaced his mask of emotion and was once more Bruce Fydorian, Baron of Stonewatch.

She smiled, he put the mask back on, she understood that he did this, and that he was doing it for everyone else's sake as much as his own. It hurt sometimes, to know that he didn't actually feel anything for her, but it wasn't his fault, and he tried. So she felt it to be her duty to find a way to give him back his emotions, his feelings, to make him fully human again. And that was her ongoing quest, she hadn't told him about it, she wanted to make sure it could be done so that she wasn't wasting his time with consideration and ideas.

He smiled at Keia and released her from his embrace, offering her his arm.
"Shall we return to the keep and see what the situation is?"

She hooked her arm through his elbow, "we shall, my lord."

So they entered the keep. Christian, or Bruce, was given a pathway through the crowd, and the seven total lieutenants were up in the front, and on their knees in front of the Dias upon which was the Baron's seat.

Keia took her place beside and slightly behind him to his left, when normally she'd sit on her knees, now she was standing up, mostly because kneeling didn't seem appropriate at the moment.

When asked, over half of the people would demand they be executed, about a fourth would ask they be imprisoned.

 

[Christian Vide]

Arm in arm they went back to the keep and presided over the trial.
Bruce called for any who have been personally wronged by these bandits and listened to their cases against either one, a few, or all seven of these lieutenants.
He began the proceedings, "This is the first criminal court trial of the newly established town of Stonewatch. As of yet we've no written document of law, therefore those of you wronged by these bandits will come forward and present your case. Punishment will fit the crime and as your lord I will carry out your sentence on these people."
Cases of rape, theft, murder, harassment, vandalism, and more were brought against these bandits, complete with witness testimony, and proof. But given the varying degrees of crime committed by these bandits he saw it inappropriate to sentence them to the same fate.

Four of them with the worst and most heinous crime streak were sentenced to death by the will of the people. The remaining three, which included the woman, were sentenced to life in prison.
The execution was not to be delayed, lest word might have made it back to their boss and he may attempt a rescue, but they had a little time to mark them during their short stay in the dungeon while the villagers set up a gallows. Bruce left that up to Keia and told her to report to his chambers once she was finished marking the condemned men.

He would be working at his desk sorting through paperwork. The boring tasks weren't so boring when you could pretend to be someone who enjoyed the boring tasks. It was like a mental switch in his head that allowed him to become the disguise he chose.
He wouldn't look up when she entered but would beckon her to his side.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

So they sentenced three to life in prison, and four to death. The four were brought to the dungeons to await their execution, while the gallows were prepared. She went to them, with their three spared comrades watched, and brought out four quartz crystals. Her eyes lit up, and she forcibly bound their souls to the crystals, without actually capturing the soul. But once their bodies were dead, their souls would come to her. The three others met her smug gaze, and she smiled at them before departing for her master’s study.

She stood next to him, and said, “their souls are bound, and will be easily collected once they are dead. Shall I begin my work with the spared criminals?”

 

[Christian Vide]

Keia gave her report and he nodded, "Begin your experiments on the spared ones as soon as possible. Any number that we can add to our ranks will be a great help to us, just remember not to kill them in the process."
He finished signing the form he was working on then turned to face her in his seat.
"Do what work you can tonight but I don't expect to have them ready by the time we go out to destroy the bandits. I've already issued the order to the commander, we ride out at dawn and I want you by my side every step of the way."

He stood up and put his hands on her hips.
"For now, which would be the better reward for your admirable performance? Leaving those toys in you, or taking them out? I wonder how you would respond to riding a horse with those still in you. Or would you ask something else of me?"
He was smiling mischievously at her with a cruel glint in his eye just like a malicious slave owner.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

Keia gave her report and he nodded, "Begin your experiments on the spared ones as soon as possible. Any number that we can add to our ranks will be a great help to us, just remember not to kill them in the process."
He finished signing the form he was working on then turned to face her in his seat.
"Do what work you can tonight but I don't expect to have them ready by the time we go out to destroy the bandits. I've already issued the order to the commander, we ride out at dawn and I want you by my side every step of the way."

She nodded her understanding, “yes master. I will begin my experiments immediately. I cannot guarantee that my experiments don’t hold risk for being fatal, but I will do my best. I look forward to riding out with you, and seeing these criminals brought to heel.”

He stood up and put his hands on her hips.
"For now, which would be the better reward for your admirable performance? Leaving those toys in you, or taking them out? I wonder how you would respond to riding a horse with those still in you. Or would you ask something else of me?"
He was smiling mischievously at her with a cruel glint in his eye just like a malicious slave owner.

She had been about to turn Andy leave when her hips were grabbed, and she was kept in place. She whimpered and said, “any reward you deem sufficient will be plenty to bring me satisfaction. Feel free to torment or tend me as you will, either will be fine.”

The idea of straddling a horse with those things in her was a tempting one.

 

[Christian Vide]

"Very well."
He reached down under her skirt/loincloth and pulled out the toys. He led her to the bed and sat her down while he gently massaged her red and loosened parts.
"You fought well even with those toys in you. Your concentration is admirable, you are a constant source of surprises, Keia."
He leaned over her and kissed her lips while he draped her skirts back over her delicates.

"Now, go and perform your experiments. I want a detailed report by the end of the day about what you did and how you did it, even the things that didn't work and their results. I'll be presiding over the execution in a few hours, otherwise I would join you."
He stood up again and stepped back. He was still trying to understand why he did what he did around her. If it weren't for her nobody would ever suspect that he wasn't a normal man... Then again, if it weren't for her he wouldn't be a Baron, perhaps that was something he should punish her for... For her safety he was forced to accept a role he didn't want in order to get rid of an enemy that wasn't his own. Which brought him back to why he didn't simply think of himself in that moment...

Previously he had reasoned that it was because she was now his property that he was obligated to protect her... But if a dagger was an inconvenience to him he cast it aside, personal property was never a priority over his life. Instead of being imprisoned by the eyes of a village he would have simply given her up to her fate so he could continue to be anonymous.
So why didn't he do that? Did he feel something without even realizing it? He always imagined that if he did feel something it would be so alien that it would be obvious... But what happened?

This was a formative moment... For in the light of his cluelessness he did feel something...

... Frustration...

 

[Keia Merrenia]

"Very well."
He reached down under her skirt/loincloth and pulled out the toys. He led her to the bed and sat her down while he gently massaged her red and loosened parts.
"You fought well even with those toys in you. Your concentration is admirable, you are a constant source of surprises, Keia."
He leaned over her and kissed her lips while he draped her skirts back over her delicates.

She felt the insertions leave her, and she relaxed a bit, not too obviously but his keen sight would doubtlessly pick up on it. "Thank you Master. Though I won't say it wasn't difficult. I nearly faltered a couple of times."

She tried to be 100% honest with him, she wasn't stupid enough to think that she could hide anything from him, so she decided to come out and say it plainly. If he punished her for it, so be it.

She kissed him back wholeheartedly.

"Now, go and perform your experiments. I want a detailed report by the end of the day about what you did and how you did it, even the things that didn't work and their results. I'll be presiding over the execution in a few hours, otherwise I would join you."

She stood up and bowed, "yes master, I'll get right on it. The report will be complete as soon as the first session has ended."

And with that she left to retrieve one of the three lieutenants. He was still bound by ethereal chains, and couldn't fight against her magic in such a position. So he found himself in a small stone room. In front of him was a quartz crystal, and the necromancer. She began her work, testing his soul's connection to his body, and seeing how it might be altered so turns soul didn't need to reside in the body itself.

She hadn't understood why he had protected her either. Yes it was her payment for his protection and he had already protected her for a while, so he could easily have called the contract fulfilled and left her to her fate. But he didn't. And she never understood the logic behind it. But she wasn't frustrated, but rather relieved to see that her owner had ignored basic logic for her sake, which meant that there may get be hope for him.

 

[Christian Vide]

"Thank you Master. Though I won't say it wasn't difficult. I nearly faltered a couple of times."

He shook his head, "It's alright, your strength of will to hide how much it effected you is just as impressive."

She went to carry out his orders and he got back to work.
He had a lot on his mind aside from this feeling of frustration that he didn't know what to do with. Mostly what frustrated him was that he didn't know why he acted so illogically and why he was even frustrated in the first place.
But he would have to think about it later, right now he had to prepare for an execution. The four condemned men were already marked so their souls will still be put to good use, though it was regrettable that their bodies would be wasted.

He went to the courtyard where the gallows was set up, a seat was prepared for him and he took his place while the villagers gathered around, waiting somberly for the arrival of the marked men.
They didn't have to wait long, the guards led them out and situated the nooses around their necks.
On Bruce's order the floor was dropped out from underneath their feet and their necks stretched.

There was no cheering, no congratulating, no merrymaking, Bruce had placed this burden of sentencing just as squarely on the shoulders of the villagers as it was on his. Although he gave the order, they were the one's who executed these men.
A little happier but lacking the satisfaction they thought they would have the villagers slowly left the keep and returned to their homes while the guards took care of the bodies.

Christian did his duty and afterwards immediately returned to his chambers to await Keia's report, something far more interesting than execution in his opinion.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

She began her experiments and tests, well, just tests for now, the experiments would have to wait until the end. She tested the bond between the soul and the body, and she prodded it for ways it might be removed without killing him. After an hour or so of testing and observing on the second floor of her tower, she decided to try.

The sun was starting to approach the western horizon, and her magic kicked in. The man’s screams might be heard throughout the keep if she hadn’t soundproofed the room. She wasn’t quite successful, she couldn’t disconnect his soul from him completely, what she did manage to do was trap it partially in a nearby crystal, while not taking the whole of it. So far, it was not quite what they wanted, but it was good.

She had kept notes, a lot of them. And as the sun neared the horizon, she left the room, the man still strapped to the floor, to visit her master with her report. She informed him on what progress was made.

“I think it can be done. I wasn’t able to remove his soul completely but I was able to trap it, at least partially and temporarily, in a quartz crystal. It can be done but I have a feeling that it will require extensive work.”

 

[Christian Vide]

She arrived with her report and he listened thoughtfully. In theory the concept was to simply reprogram the soul in order to strip them of freewill, so this was a good start, separating at least part of the soul from the body puts it in a place where they could manipulate it.
"The question is; is trapping part of the soul and altering it enough to make them totally obedient? How much do we need to alter them in order to bend them to our will?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully considering, "I'm not an expert... Yet... But I think this is good progress towards our goal."

He stood up and wandered to the window.
"In the morning we're riding out to the bandit camp, they've made no effort to hide themselves since they chose to grossly underestimate us. How do you think we should deal with them? We'll have our guardsmen at our backs this time, but I'm loathed to waste anymore test subjects on the gallows."
He glanced back at her, "Any suggestions? My mind has been under a large burden as of late."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He stood up and wandered to the window.
"In the morning we're riding out to the bandit camp, they've made no effort to hide themselves since they chose to grossly underestimate us. How do you think we should deal with them? We'll have our guardsmen at our backs this time, but I'm loathed to waste anymore test subjects on the gallows."
He glanced back at her, "Any suggestions? My mind has been under a large burden as of late."

“I would suggest that we offer them the opportunity to surrender. And in order to make it more appealing offer them a deal, if they surrender then their sentences will be lighter. In other words, they will become part of your soulbound soldiers. To those of them who refuse, ya aren’t the first to be selected for the actual testing and experimenting. Does this sound reasonable?”

 

[Christian Vide]

He offered his hand to her and beckoned her closer, "A fine suggestion. It presents us as fare and merciful even to those who don't deserve it."
He was smiling before, but now he dropped his mask again, "While you're here, perhaps there is something else you could help me with. I've been frustrated over a mystery that I haven't been able to solve and I wonder if you have any revelations..."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He offered his hand to her and beckoned her closer, "A fine suggestion. It presents us as fare and merciful even to those who don't deserve it."

She took his hand when it was offered. “And it shows the people that we’re willing to show forgiveness.”

He was smiling before, but now he dropped his mask again, "While you're here, perhaps there is something else you could help me with. I've been frustrated over a mystery that I haven't been able to solve and I wonder if you have any revelations..."

She responded with, “what is this mystery? I can certainly try to think it through. I cannot guarantee that I will have the answer.”

 

[Christian Vide]

"What are you to me? A slave? Then why didn't I leave you in the hands of that duke so that I could continue on my way without being forced into the role of Baron? What spell do you have over me that makes me try to protect you?"
Another emotion, born from the frustration he felt...

... Anger...

He summoned her chain and pulled her forcefully towards him and caught her by the throat with his other hand.
"Before you showed up things were simple, I had a quiet life and nobody suspected who I was. You hired me, and that was fine, I guarded you until you paid me with yourself and completed our contract... If I wasn't wounded from protecting you I could have defeated that knight and his hound and we would be free, but you were my property at that point and a burden in that situation... Why didn't I leave you?"

 

[Keia Merrenia]

"What are you to me? A slave? Then why didn't I leave you in the hands of that duke so that I could continue on my way without being forced into the role of Baron? What spell do you have over me that makes me try to protect you?"
Another emotion, born from the frustration he felt...

... Anger...

He summoned her chain and pulled her forcefully towards him and caught her by the throat with his other hand.
"Before you showed up things were simple, I had a quiet life and nobody suspected who I was. You hired me, and that was fine, I guarded you until you paid me with yourself and completed our contract... If I wasn't wounded from protecting you I could have defeated that knight and his hound and we would be free, but you were my property at that point and a burden in that situation... Why didn't I leave you?"

His words worried her. The he asked what spell she had cast on him, and she immediately grew afraid. Did he really think that? That she had cast a spell to make him protect her? No, she had done no such thing! But she couldn't voice this before her chain was summoned, and she was pulled to him, and he was genuinely angry, which frightened her. She had hoped he'd feel emotions again, but not anger. He gripped her throat, and she was thankful that the road was there to keep him from crushing her windpipe, and she looked at him with fear, fear that he had grown to hate her.

"I don't know master. I don't know. Maybe you thought you had yet to fulfill your end of the bargain, or maybe you considered it to be an indefinite condition. But I swear, I never cast any spell on you. I'm sorry I caused you so much hurt, I'm sorry."

 

[Christian Vide]

He considered her words.
She made a good case, it was possible he didn't consider their contract completed since she wasn't out of danger by the time her payment was delivered, he hadn't thought of that. Under that reasoning he would still have been obligated to protect her and sacrifice his own desires and wellbeing for her safety even up to the point of agreeing to accept the barony from the Duke.

But she said something else... Apologized for hurting him...

Hurt?

Was he hurt?

She hasn't injured him, nor has she raised her hand against him since they met... But then... Where did his frustration and anger come from?
Had she really hurt him? Did he actually despise being made into a Baron on her account?
That would mean he actually wanted something in life other than survival... And this wasn't the way he wanted to go with his life.

He blinked, he realized that he actually felt things for a while now... That simple life in that simple village, the simple satisfaction of fixing a thatched roof, cutting firewood, working and crafting things with his hands, these things brought him... joy?

He blinked again and seemed to see Keia for the first time, his face registered shock for a brief moment and he quickly released her from his grip, "N-no... I'm sorry, Keia... That was uncalled for... I don't know what happened to me."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He blinked again and seemed to see Keia for the first time, his face registered shock for a brief moment and he quickly released her from his grip, "N-no... I'm sorry, Keia... That was uncalled for... I don't know what happened to me."

She was dropped, and she sank to her knees panting, relieved that he decided not to take his anger out on her. Then he apologized, and she looked up at him, “it’s fine, Master. And I’m sorry that this is so sudden. I don’t know what happened either, but do you know what this means?”

She stood up with a look of hope in her eyes, she it her hands on his cheeks, “you’re starting to feel again. Not falsely, not a mask but genuine, human emotions. I had started to wonder if I had simply been naive, but no, you’re getting better. Now, you can stop surviving, now you can start living, it will take time, and it will definitely require orienting yourself a lot but it can happen.”

She hugged him, “if that’s what you want that is.”

 

[Christian Vide]

Stop surviving...

Start living...

There's a difference? He hadn't seen one before until she said it but it made sense... But then again... Whether he lived or survived, what did it matter really? So long as he didn't cease to exist...

He was calm now, and the emotions passed once again.
"I'm not sure if I should thank you or punish you. If emotion makes me commit irrational actions, makes me do things I do not desire, makes me lose control, then I'm not so sure I want it."
She hugged him and he gently disentangled himself from her grasp.
"For a normal person, losing control usually means a temper tantrum, perhaps words said in anger, a punch thrown in the heat of the moment... I'm a killer, Keia... The consequences of men such as myself losing control means somebody dies... Somebody not meant to die."
She had touched his face earlier so he returned the gesture and held her cheeks in his hands as his eyes held her gaze.
"Be very cautious about how you pursue that side of me, Keia... Or has your time with me led you to believe that I won't kill you if you step out of line as my slave?"

He released her and turned away, "You're dismissed, Lady Merrenia. At dawn have a number of an appropriate creation for hunting shadow us to the bandit camp. Make sure nobody escapes... Any anyone who tries to escape will have succeeded as far as our men know... They will join our experiment."

He had much to contemplate that evening, so he fell asleep late.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He was calm now, and the emotions passed once again.
"I'm not sure if I should thank you or punish you. If emotion makes me commit irrational actions, makes me do things I do not desire, makes me lose control, then I'm not so sure I want it."
She hugged him and he gently disentangled himself from her grasp.
"For a normal person, losing control usually means a temper tantrum, perhaps words said in anger, a punch thrown in the heat of the moment... I'm a killer, Keia... The consequences of men such as myself losing control means somebody dies... Somebody not meant to die."
She had touched his face earlier so he returned the gesture and held her cheeks in his hands as his eyes held her gaze.
"Be very cautious about how you pursue that side of me, Keia... Or has your time with me led you to believe that I won't kill you if you step out of line as my slave?"

She met his gaze, not defiantly, her subservience still there, but more in the way that one's dog would look at them, trying to figure out how best they might make their owner happy. She said to him, "Has my time with you not convinced you that I won't step out of line? Master, you saying these things, your concern that you will kill someone not meant to in rage, the fact that this concerns you is what makes me confident that you will not. I know you, Master, you aren't one to snap completely, just now you stopped yourself, and that means you can do it again. I will be cautious, since that is your decree, but I advise that you do not shy away from this, it may not be something you can control completely, what you can control is what you do with the emotions that come to you."

He released her and turned away, "You're dismissed, Lady Merrenia. At dawn have a number of an appropriate creation for hunting shadow us to the bandit camp. Make sure nobody escapes... Any anyone who tries to escape will have succeeded as far as our men know... They will join our experiment."

He had much to contemplate that evening, so he fell asleep late.

She was a little disappointed that he didn't want her to stay, but in lieu of what had just occurred, she couldn't be hurt. She bowed and said, "sleep well master."

Then she went to the door, and before she left she stopped and turned around. "I love you, Christian, I really do. And I hope that I can help you through this."

Then she left, and prepared her centipedes, they would stalk the forest. She had sent a few of the guards a while back to recover the remains of the trolls they had slain, and since trolls were somewhat common in the swampier regions of the fief, troll remains weren't all that hard to find. But that wasn't all, horse carcasses had been brought, and she had given them artificial wings before reanimating them. They weren't ready quite yet, but since there were a total of eight bandit forts, one for each lieutenant and one for the captain, she had a feeling that they'd be ready to use by the time they were halfway through the bandits.

Her creations had their instructions, and they were set loose into the forests, they would dig a prison pit, and throw anyone captured inside.

 

[Christian Vide]

Her last comment caught him off guard. After renewing his threat to kill her the last thing he expected was for her to confess her love. But now she had left and he was alone with his thoughts. What did she mean by "love"? He's seen lots of definitions over the years... Familial, lust, friendship, unconditional, conditional, romantic, arrogant, selfish, selfless... Twisted... There was any number of ways that single word could be interpreted and he was almost unwilling to try to guess with her. He knew she couldn't get enough of the pain he could inflict on her, she was a full blown masochist, she derived erotic satisfaction from him destroying her senses and beating her within an inch of her life so her version of love could be just as twisted as her version of pleasure.

He fell asleep with thoughts of Keia and thoughts of emotion... And how a man unpracticed in suppressing such strong feelings could have the potential to be a very dangerous man indeed.

At dawn Bruce met the possy of guardsmen. They were leaving behind a skeleton crew, just a few guardsmen to hold the town should anything go wrong... But Bruce knew of the other "skeleton" crew that truly guarded the town of Stonewatch.
As per his orders Keia would have already sent out her hunters to pick off the stragglers that would result from their attacks.

The men stood beside their horses and a stable hand held a horse for Bruce and a horse for Keia.

Bruce was dressed in simple leather armor with his dark coat over it. He had a sword at his hip but as always had his knives hidden on his body as his main form of attack.
Wordlessly he took the reins of his horse and regarded the group of twenty men.
Not much, but they would do.