A Bird Among Serpants

1.5

The door opens as the emperor steps in, myself both annoyed and terrified at his presence. I don't know how long he took due to the no clocks in the room problem, but I can tell it was long enough for my body to be lightly quivering due to it.

I hear him take a breath, "Sorry, I totally just left you like that didn't I?"

I follow him with my eyes as he walks to the dresser and pulls out a fresh pair of clothes, walking over to the bed and cutting my restraints before stepping back a few feet. Surprising no one, I immediately get dressed. They fit better than last time, I wonder of he had them tailored once he saw how terribly big they were on me.

"You're getting a new room with a balcony, a healer, the maid you've been seeing, a guard, daily meals, some forms of entertainment, and a plant. You're room has been set up already, follow me and I'll lead you to it."

"That's more than you said you would give me, and you gave it after I kicked you in the balls, why?"

"Because I've pushed you to the point of being suicidal. I figured people to talk to, fresh air, the sun, and things to do would all make your mindset better."

"Yeah I'm not an idiot, what I'm asking is why you care."

"You had me doing what you wanted in 3 days without me even realizing it." He smiles, "That's what I call quality entertainment. Now follow, If you don't I'll have one of my guards drag you."
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I sit in my new room, the pain in my back being bearable at this point but the new pain in my bruising neck replacing it. It's bigger than I expected, having a king sized bed, a bathroom which you don't have to have someone fetch the water for, a nice variety of plants, and a decent view from the balcony. As I expected, the ground closest to my balcony is being surveyed by guards and the fall is no where near lethal height. I'm not going to get out the easy way anytime soon it seems.

"You seem down, my lord." Pearl walks in the room, a guard and a half elf girl following her skittishly, "Once again you are the talk of all the maids. Being given this room only a few days after coming here. They're all saying that you must be extremely intelligent."

"I'm not sure whether to be angry at you or learn more about how you learned to recognize manipulation so quickly."

"Hopefully neither as the king would be angry if I told you the second and I just saved your life."

"I tried to manipulate the emperor into an aided suicide, you saving my life is not something I'm happy with in that context. Now he will be suspicious of any action I attempt to provolk him into and I am probably going to be stuck in this slightly bigger room for years more."

"Are you sure you should be saying that? It's not just us around anymore?"

"I really don't care, I don't think anything could worsen my situation more than you already have." I glance up at the others that are now in the room, both of them looking terrified of me, "Speaking of not being alone anymore, who are these two? Do they speak?"

"I-I am Percy, a castle night, a-and-"

I hear his voice and squint my eyes in concern, "How old are you?"

"F-fourteen.."

I glance at the child then at pearl in utter disbelief, "fourteen? How younge do they recruit armymen in Quena? He's basically and infant."

"A 14 year old soldier is quite common here actually."

"That's absurd. I refuse to look at him as anything other than a child. You're barely old enough to lift the damn weapon and they give it to you to fight and defend? I'm not joking Percy, go back home to your damn mother-"

"But sir, I don't want to work for my mother."

"Why, what has she done?"

"She hasn't done anything, I just want to serve my country."

"So you're choosing violence over a fucking office job? You stupid, stupid, child. Go. Home."

"My lord, please." Pearl speaks sweetly, the elf and herself giggling as Percy crosses his arms and blushes slightly from embarrassment, "It really is quite common here, though I'm glad I know this pet peeve early on. I will replace Percy-"

"I believe not, if anything it's good that the child is here. Whilst he's here, he's not engaging in any of the violence at that age. In fact, no leaving this room for anything besides sleep unless it's to go back home and hug your mother, you infant."

Percy looks at the half elf and Pearl as if panicked, "He can't do that, can he?"

"Actually, he can. The emperor gave him us to do as he sees fit with, any order he makes we have to obey."

"Wait, ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

I smirk at his sudden outburst, "Quiet child, sit in that chair and think about what actions led you to this point. Who is the other one who somehow seems to speak even less."

"My name is Tyria, my lord. I'm your healer, and can start now if you'd like. Your neck is rather distracting for me."

I look at Tyria for a moment then smile and speak in elvish, her eyes widening with excitement as I do, "What's the most powerful magical barrier that you've broken through?"

She answers in elvish, it being a little sloppy but not terrible. I'd bet it's been awhile since she's used her other language,"Lord Tyrian, he's an elf."

"Then I'm afraid you won't be able to break through mine without me taking it down consentually. Forgive me for having trust issues, but I do not think it would be a good idea for me to remove it. Thank you for your offer though, Tyria."

"It's no worries. Tell me if you ever change your mind though, my lord." She smiles and nods, Pearl glancing at me with a sense of gratefulness. If what she said is true, which it probably is, there's a good chance that she's been through hell just like me. Might as well try to make her day better if I can't make my own, "How do I order food?"

Percy breaths a breath of relief at me switching back to English as Pearl smiles once again, "I pre-ordered food. Figured you'd be hungry since this is your first meal since getting here."

"This is your first meal since getting here?" Percy speaks from the chair while looking around the room, "Hasn't it been like 5 days? I remember one of my friends accidentally throwing a shield at the emperor's head during training and he just laughed it off. He can't have been that cruel to you."

I take a breath, realizing that his favoring towards humans is even more severe than I originally thought, "I want to ask how someone about your age managed to throw a 10 pound chunk of metal at the king's head 'by accident', but I don't think you'd be able to tell me."

We all laugh quietly, Tyria and Pearl both realizing that Percy is brutally unaware of the king's reputation at about the same time, "Anyway, I would like some quiet for a bit. Could you all leave?"

They all get ready to leave, Pearl exiting quickly but Tyria hesitating, "May I stay for dinner, my lord? I am your healer, and I am not able to do my job then I am basically useless. If you could get to know me better, maybe you could trust me?"

I take a breath, looking at her shaking hands and seeing right through her facade, "What will happen when you go back to your quarters?"

She glances at Percy who still hasn't left yet before looking down at the ground for a moment, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It's really fine-"

"No, no, Tyria, stay. You don't have to say it." I go to the small table in the corner across from, motioning for Tyria to sit down aswell, "Let's sit down. I would love to get to know you further."

"I'd like to stay too then." Percy speaks quietly, seeming surprising eager to stay here even after I told him he would be trapped in this room most of the day from here on out, "I want to get to know you guys better aswell. We'll be spending some time together after all."