Page 109 of A Brat's Tale
I slump back down in my seat. He doesn’t say anything, and I have to wait. And wait and wait and wait. Until finally, “We are still engaged to be married.”
“What?” Brilliant. Bloody fucking brilliant.
“I did not tell my brother because he will flip out. It’s a legality glitch that will go away when you become Elf, since it’s like being reborn.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Does that mean the marriage between Corrik and I would have been absolved when I became Elf anyway?”
“No. It doesn’t work like that. If we wanted to, we could still keep the engagement, but the opportunity to absolve prior commitments of a specific nature is on the table. Marriages and engagements being two examples.”
“How could Corrik not know about this?”
“Do you have every in and out of Markaytian law memorized?”
“No.”
“Well, there you go. I didn’t know either until we tried to annul it. Therefore, you are still my responsibility. I am coming and that’s final.”
I would argue some more, but not only will he follow through with turning me over his knee, when Alrik sees you as his responsibility, he’s bound by his code of morals to look after you. He’s one of my new keepers whether I like it or not.
It’s not unwelcome. I don’t know that I understand it myself, but the Gods help me, I like the idea of having Alrik’s protection.
“I will tell Zelphar he needs to leave a special force of guards around the lower edges of town, will that appease?” I nod. He smirks. “It will have the bonus of giving Zelphar more work.”
“More work?”
“I know you’d like to get him back for his treatment of you.”
“You know about that?”
“I told you, you are my responsibility. I have received a report on you each day and checked myself on other days. Corrik will have done the same. You can’t hide things like that from us, but I commend you trying.” He’s so fucking smug.
“Why have neither of you intervened?”
“Because you are not in mortal danger and you can take a beating. Not to mention you would have thrown a fit.”
“I was totally adult about taking a break when Corrik asked me to, just tonight in fact.” I’m indignant. How dare he? “Besides, no one’s ever worried about the fits I throw.”
I get a quarter smile out of him. “So, you admit to throwing fits then?”
Gods do I want to punch him. “Oh, forget it. May I be excused, now, or am I to suffer your company for the rest of the evening?”
“You’re the one interrupting me. You may go after you come here a moment.”
He suddenly seems bigger as I approach, and stronger as his meaty hand makes sharp contact with my arse several times. “Ow!” My arse is still sore from when Corrik spanked it.
“That’ll teach you. Stay where you’re supposed to.”
It hurts, but I know it’s nothing compared to what he could do, he’s gone easy on me. “You never want company, while you do this? I’m good at this kind of stuff.” I used to pass Bayaden’s standards.
“If you want to come down here after curfew, I’m not opposed, but you’ll have a member of the guard bring you down. Understood?”
“Understood, sir.”
“Then you are dismissed.”
I pause a moment. I want to ask him why he was so angry over my commitment to Strobavik. He’s the one who set me up with Strobavik in the first place. He doesn’t make any sense. But my stomach growls, and that’s a good enough excuse for me to chicken out of asking.
I leave and stop at the kitchen for a meat pie. The staff is sparse, which is good since they don’t like seeing me around here much. It makes them nervous even though they needn’t be. I’m on my third one when Corrik appears. “I told you to come back quickly. It’s been over an hour.”
