It had been three weeks ever since Hellan dragged the naked man into their manor. Three weeks the man laid motionlessly on a soft velvet bed. Three weeks of Hellan lying to her sisters that the man was a slave she bought out of pity, even though he lay on the guest suite. Three weeks of the maids taking turns to feel the man's abs in the name of bathing him. The naked man would get about three baths daily and so many changes of clothes courtesy of the maids own volition. He was a slave by name but lived a king's life with countless maids on his beck and call. Hellan had called in physicians and herbalists in a hope to get the man, whom she didn't even know the name to, to wake up. For three weeks Hellan paced in the man's room hoping he wont wake up and lay waste to everyone in the kingdom.
After three weeks of watching the man peacefully sleep, he finally stirred and woke up from his slumber. Hellan was in the study room when one of the maids rushed and told her the news. She had instructed the maids to notify her the first thing if and when the man woke up. She run to the suite where the man was. She held up her dress and rushed through the halls her heels clanking evenly sending echoes across the manor. Her black hair fluttered wildly. She almost slipped when taking a corner. It was very impressive how she maintained such a high speed with her high heels. She abruptly opened the door almost knocking a young maid down.
'Everyone out!' It was nothing short of a command. The maids quickly got up took their wares and left the half-naked man and their beautiful lady alone in the room. They had heard that the man was the ladies slave but in their washing him, they had never seen any slave markings. They were doubtful but knew better than to say anything. If their lady said, he was a slave then tat was the truth to them. After the door was shut and the silence started its reign in the room, the man looked up to Hellan's unsure face.
'What happened?' His baritone was a melody to Hellan's ears. This was the first he had spoken in three weeks. There was a blank look in his face. He was neither annoyed nor was he joyous. 'Where am I?' He started looking around then his eyes landed on Hellan again. Hellan stood quietly staring at the man, more specifically at his eyes. His eyes were the most beautiful set she had ever seen. This was coming from a dealer of jewellery, who couldn't help but compare his purple eyes to a set of jewels. His eyes were a deep purple one could easily confuse it for black.
'Sir?' She decided to take a more respectful tone as she addressed the man. 'How are you feeling?' She was treading on thin ice. A small mistake and she and everyone in the kingdom might plunge to certain demise. Now that he man was clean and well groomed, He looked every bit a higher being. He was beautiful, imitating every man's and woman's dream of beauty. His silver grey hair was trimmed to get just below his ear level. It was still long for a man but this was the maid's favourite hairstyle. Yes, the maids actually voted on how to groom the man. His beard was now a short growth from his check and well-shaped along his jawline. His toned muscles stretched his firm skin that seemed to glow. He was darker than my caramel skin colour yet he shined brighter than bronze.
'I asked…what is this?' He switched his question halfway and lifted his wrist where the black bracelet was and gave it a gentle tug. His face changed and for the first time since he woke up, his face wore an expression. Anger. Hellan swallowed. She was scared and she could no longer hide it. He looked at Hellan then at his wrist and then exhaled.
'Why did you summon me?' his voice and face no longer had anger in them. Hellan was afraid of this more than his anger. The way the man changed between anger and normalcy was scary than seeing him angry. But now that Hellan was thinking about the man's question, she realised she didn't really have an answer.
'I…I don't…I don't know why' She stuttered. She didn't dare look the man in the eye.
'Danmit. So…' the man face palmed and sighed loudly.
'I myself can't believe it worked' Hellan tried salvaging the moment but made things worse. The man stood up from the bed and walked to the window. He stood in a regal posture, his hands behind his naked back. He didn't have a shirt on only a white pair of trousers. The hairstyle the maid had spent weeks fighting over was destroyed in a moment when his hair regrew all the way to his back.
'I am not angry' He started softly after watching the manor gardens through the window.' I am even grateful' He looked at Hellan through the corner of his eye then refocused on the window. 'I would like it if you stop with the games. I would be willing to play, but…' He turned and looked at Hellan his gaze narrowing.
'No…no you couldn't have' He bit his fingernail. 'If you didn't have a reason to summon me, then why do I have this?' He showed the black bracelet. Hellan swallowed and took a step back. Her leg was showing though the split in her dress that run from her thigh to the bottom. Her heels made a soft sound on the floor.
'I didn't specify anything' She stared fearfully. 'I only asked for servitude' She was sweating on her forehead. Her spine had long since run cold.
'How long?' His voice was getting icy. He maintained his regal pressure as he took a step towards Hellan. She subconsciously took a step back. When the man took a step to her, she would take a step back. 'Tell me how long!!' His voice had long since lost any form of normalcy. He was now nothing short of angry, but he still kept a grip on his aura. There was not even a leak.
'A million years' Hellan whispered to herself. Her voice was so low one couldn't even tell she had spoken, but the man heard her just fine and he spit blood and almost fainted.
'A MILLION YEARS!!!!?' He had lost his regal presence. 'ARE YOU A DEMON!!? YOU WONT EVEN LEAVE THAT LONG!!!'He was now next to Hellan screaming his lungs out. Everyone in the mansion could have heard it if the rooms weren't built to host confidential conversations.
'But my descendants will have your protection' Hellan made another trash attempt at salvaging the moment. The man coughed blood again.
'You are dumb' he muttered. 'What did I expect from a mortal stupid enough to try a summoning.' He wiped the blood on his lips. 'I now understand why they fought hard to destroy all summon scrolls' He turned to Hellan. 'Please tell me there was another condition?' Hellan shook her head innocently. 'Fuck' the man cursed as he took a regal posture again.
'Your Hellan Cresworth, second born of the Cresworth family, you have little to no mana in your…body. Soon to be queen of a kingdom with enemies left, right and centre, ohh look at this, you're a daughter of rose, yet your markings are still that of a toddler.' The man spoke as if he was reading from a book. 'Tell me Lanny, can I call you that? How exactly did you plan to stay alive? From what I can see here…' He rubbed his chin. 'You are going to die soon' The revelation turned Hellan's legs to jelly.
'You should know this right?' He narrowed his eyes. 'And yet you still have the audacity to shackle me for a million years' There was no emotion in his voice. He only had a look of annoyance.
'As I said you are my descendants guarantee' Helan said defiantly. The man smirked then looked out the window.
'Descendants? Sadly, it doesn't work that way' He sighed and spoke in a voice full of authority. 'From now, if you want to live long enough to have descendants, you listen to me' He looked at her again from the corner of his eye. 'Understand?' He didn't wait for her reply. 'Good. Leave' His tone didn't leave any room for negotiation. Hellan simply got up and walked out. She was a lady of the house yet she got kicked out of a room by someone she brought into the house as a slave. Who really was the master and servant in this relationship? Not that they were in a hurry to figure it out. After all, they had a million years to figure it out.