Chapter 210 – Rules are Gone

"It has nothing to do with you running free or being a slave or anything! I don't want to see you hurt. I don't want you getting raped or- or tortured," the Princess cries out. "I'm sorry! Ok? I'm sorry I fucked everything up and ruined it all. You can ignore all my commands but the ones keeping you here. Even if I got rid of those commands, you would fall down on the side of the road when you got too far away from me or our home. Happy? Call me names. Curse me. Hate me. Whatever. Have fun. But no raping your wives or the maids."

"So I have commands?" I say.

"Two commands. No running off, and you have to get permission from the wives or maids to have sex with them," Elora says. "Ignore all other commands I have given you and others have given you."

"Are you sure about this, Elora?" Shimmer asks. "If you are, make it so only you can give her commands. We don't want something someone says to accidentally trigger as a command."

"Fine. Alzi, only I can give you commands, and the two I listed are the only ones I can give you unless I say it is an emergency," Elora says.

"Thank fuck, you bitches," I laugh out. "Fuck all of you."

"My Lady," Aurora calls out. "Please remember your lessons."

"I am the closest I've been to free in a decade. Shut up, Aurora," I say, tossing the stupid napkin. "Can't I have one fucking lunch where I don't have to give a shit about anything?"

"Dear," Shimmer says. "Please be kind to the maids. They did not choose anything about this situation. This mess is entirely your wife's fault."

"I don't care," I say. "For one day, I won't give a shit. Then tomorrow, I will decide if I'll continue to follow Isda's stupid command to give you all a fucking chance or if I just coast this out till I can find something that gets me free and away from you all."

I can feel all the chains being lifted, all the stupid things that were thrown at me in just a short month, the small things bleeding away until just those last two weights hang around my ankles.

"Isda gave you that command?" Geta asks. "When and why?"

"First night, when I was in the bath. I don't know if she meant to or not. But she did it," I say. So close to my real life. Just the cold steel still around my neck.

Maybe I'm not any closer.

"I see. Well, that is now your choice," Geta says, turning to her plate.

Did they think I wanted to give them a chance? They thought I was truly open to loving them. No wonder they fucked it up so bad.

It did make the rest of lunch peaceful. It was probably awkward for them, but oh so nice for me.

Once I finished my lunch, I had to figure out what to do.

"My Lady, you should work on reading. That is something you will need in your life," Aurora says.

"I guess," I say. "Just for a bit. I want to see my kids."

"Of course, my Lady. We just need to keep you fresh for this week so you do not lose your great progress," Aurora says.

Great progress, my ass. I barely know the letters and some of the basic pairings after all this time.

"My Lady."

"Did I mumble?" I ask.

"No, you just looked sad, my Lady," Aurora says. "You have been working on learning for just a few days, really. This takes time and effort, and you are doing well. Otherwise, there would be no need to keep you fresh."

"Will you teach my mother?" I ask.

"If you wish, my Lady," Aurora says.

They gave me a room right next to the nursery, likely to help with feeding. Every woman in the house is complaining about their breasts being sore, and I am happy to help them.

I wonder if I can make my wives help as well? Can I trick my skill into thinking that I'm making them lactate for Elora's child this early? I would be getting them ready and testing how productive they are so we can provide the child with plenty of milk. With war and all that, we would need a good rotation to keep her fed.

Yes yes. My child is also royal, so preparing for her is also important.

"Alzi," Geta calls out. "One moment, please."

"Make it fast. I need to get this over with so I can spend time with my kids."

"Of course," Geta says. "Elora is... She doesn't mean to be rude or deflect your help. She knows what she has gone through is not even a fraction of your pain and doesn't want to burden you with fixing someone who should hardly be broken. We all love that you are reaching out. If it would help you to talk with Elora about what she is feeling, let us know, and I can talk with her about it. I know this is the wrong way to handle this, but Elora is now very aware of her failings with you. She just doesn't want to make it worse by burdening you with something so trivial. And if you need to talk to us, we are always here. You hate us, I know. But we are here to help you. I care about you. Love is something I can't say yet, but I see no reason why I won't be saying it soon. You are a sweet girl. I promise you will get all you deserve, and this family will help you get it."

"She doesn't need to worry about burdening me," I say. "It would be nice to hear her honest feelings."

"I will work on getting her to understand, then. Enjoy your lessons and kids," Geta says, managing to give me a soft hug with her stupidly big frame.

The door closes, and the paper comes out. Is it bad that I wish to be back on the boat?

"My Lady, we will just review the letters and the roots we have gone over so far. Tomorrow, we can make some progress. Before bed, would you like me to read the letter from Kelly? I can test if it could work as a little bedtime story for the kids as well," Aurora says. Looking over the letters, I feel like I will be able to get them all, at least.

"You promise not to edit anything?" I ask.

"I will do my best. I do not mean to be rude, but some of the lower class struggle with spelling, so I may make some mistakes. It will not impact the meaning, but it may shift the tone of the letter somewhat. That would be all, my Lady."

"That works."

"Very well," Aurora claps. "Time to review. Soon, you will be able to read children's books to the kids. Not this week, but the next time you visit them, for sure."

...

I only had some trouble with the roots, which was good. Aurora even had me open the letter, and she walked me through some of the words, pointing out the roots and how they related to the meaning of the words.

With just words, I wasn't able to tell if this was really Kelly, but I hope so. Just maybe, I can handle these women if they really bring in Kelly and let me meet with my Mommy before the war.

In the nursery, only four babies were present. And the Princess. No maids, except Aurora, who followed me in.

"Hello, dear," the ragged woman says, holding one of my kids. "Geta talked to me about what I did earlier. Sorry. I clearly am struggling. The memories pop up, and I freeze. Before, I could just focus on getting you home and making sure you were safe again. Even during it, I could keep my mind focused on protecting you. But now my mind just wanders too much, I guess. Really, it was just the torture. Having sex with you was painful, but I know that it likely hurt you more than me. Sorry, I shouldn't talk about this in front of the kids."

"Want to feed them?" I ask.

"Hmm? How? I won't produce milk for nine months," the Princess says. "All I can do is hold and play with them."

"I think I need to make sure you are fit to feed the child I gave you," I say, walking up to the weak, muscular woman. "I have no need for a Princess who can't feed a kid."

"I. What did you do?" Elora asks.

"That works?" I say. "Skills are so strange. I made you lactate. My skill lets me make a woman produce milk to feed a royal child. I guess my fake idea is good enough."

"Alzi. Honey. Dear. Please do not use this on any women besides your wives and not in front of anyone outside the family. Please, I beg of you," the Princess says. "Your father was a royal, and that would make you likely a royal, too. Do not let that information spread. The dragons are led by a crazy queen right now. Do not risk her finding out about a bastard royal. Mother will turn you over in a heartbeat to keep them from attacking us."

"So you have a royal dragon as a slave?"

"I have a royal dragon that is almost certainly a champion as a slave wife, dear."

"How long have you known?"

"Champion, I suspected from the beginning. I did not think you were a royal until you told me about your father, and then this confirmed it," Elora says.

"What do you think I will do when this collar falls off?" I ask, checking on the other kids. They are just sleeping, letting our conversation pass them by.

"Run," Elora whispers.

"So why stall?"

"I'll make you love me. I can prove my love and make you love me," Elora says. "You saw what I did to defend you. Comforting you when you were scared. Not wanting you for breeding but your true power. Your kindness. I failed to completely protect you, but my connections got you back and will protect you in your revenge. Sorry, wrong time. Sorry. I will leave you with your kids. It was wrong for me to take this time from you. Sorry for ever bothering you." Slowly, she offers me the kid she's holding. The second the baby leaves Elora's arms, she bolts out of the room.

"Let me help feed your children, my Lady. It is only right," Aurora whispers. "My royal dragon. Let me serve your house."

"I don't have a house. But you can help my kids," I say.