“Sara, why are you covered in spiders?”
“They're my babies, Cecelia. You're a grandmother two hundred times over now.”
I smile at her, she looks aghast.
“So what's happening anyways, why is the Bronfkin army here?”
“No no, explain the spiders first.”
I sigh, “Before my sister left, we had my body birth five hydra eggs, then two hundred spider eggs to feed them with. If the baby spiders don't feast on me they try to eat each other.”
“Sara… there are clearly only fifty spiders on you at most.”
I smile as my babies continue to nip inside me. I titter, it tickles.
“Sara, where are the rest of the spiders?”
Cecelia took such a serious tone. I titter some more. One of my babies crawled under the skin of my neck.
“Now, now, one o four, we all agreed to stay in the abdomen.”
She crawled back. Cecelia pales as her life eyes turn on.
“Why are they inside you, Sara?”
I titter, “I told you, to feast. I need a good supply to keep my hydras fed. Turns out my manifestation is quite hardy. I only have to heal myself a little beyond my health regen.”
I feel my life core strain release. I frown.
“My sister has assumed our true form. There is little reason she would do so unless forced too.”
“Lord Xavious's [Head Attendant] arrived with news of Delores and your sister's capture by the Bronfkin army.”
I shudder at that. They must have noticed my sister using life magic. I start to titter more. Cecelia winces even as she pulls me into a hug. My babies retreat into me.
“Shhhh shhh, they are hostages, Delores is leverage on her father. The [Head Attendant] reported that the soldier thought your sister was a [Slave].”
That does not calm me. But I concentrate.
“Will they be able to remove the manacle?”
“I'm sure your sister will explain why she wears it.”
I'm not so sure. Etahehehe.
-----
? ? Pimar Forge Master, Armorer
A snap. I watch the manacle fall. I control the titters that want to escape me. My body convulses at my effort.
“It's alright now, you're free. I can tell this is bothering you, it's alright.”
The foolish smith tries to console me. A pop a new illusion out.
“Can I return to my mistress now?”
“You need not go back, miss, you're free.”
“She is the daughter of my employer, I believe I already inform every person I've seen of this. Now return me to her before I decide a bloody carnival is in order.”
The Pimar smith was shocked by this but the soldier escorted me to the tent. Too big to enter, I simply sit in front of the entrance. Wishing for my blood skin to be back. This body has at least twenty containers of blood inside it. Can I hold out till rescue or release? Do I want to wait? My body convulses from the titters I am holding in. Protect the mistress. It's all that holds me back.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 8 unallocated stat points
“The [Countess] has secured your keys, my Lady. Have you felt anything from your sister?”
Qorth grimaces as she watches me feed my growing babies. I wipe my mouth.
“Sorry, they won't take it from my hand. I haven't felt her take blood in two days. Our true body has reserves but I know the killing would have already started if it was me.”
“Could she not ask Delores Xavious for blood?”
“I would never ask my mistress for her blood. My sister probably wouldn't…probrably.”
“Yet, you asked for mine.”
I looked down, “Our standing was reversed and I was desperate.”
“How long until she becomes desperate.”
“I'm not sure she plans to wait that long.”
-----
The general is in front of me.
“They tell me that you only pass the food to your master, never eating any yourself.”
An illusion answers, “Simply wasn't to my standards. Also she is my mistress, I am no [Slave]. Can I have my water skin back?”
“Why was it filled with blood?”
“I find it delicious.”
His guards rear back. He stands his ground. I wonder if they feel my emotions. I noticed some have been staying away. Fear of spiders, or of a predator. My body convulses holding in my laughter. The general quirks a fuzzy brow. My illusion answers.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
“Apologies, doing my best not to laugh. Hate for your soldier to give me what I want.”
“Which is?”
My body convulses more. Why does he keep asking funny things? Delores emerges from the tent.
“General Kaitiner, I implore you to allow my [Attendant] to return to her previous form. She has a nervous laugh that she is keeping at bay due to her current form. She is doing her best not to be an issue but surely you feel this isn't right.”
Don't call my Shirley, I begin to titter, my body convulses more as I stop it. The soldiers next to the general draw their weapons and move towards me. My desire for blood incites their aggression. The general's aura pushes out.
“Halt, I gave no order.”
The soldiers do. An aura of command perhaps. Wonder how it would fare against mine. My body convulses more.
“You would ask that we allow her to use magic in our camp.”
“What do you think I am using to speak with?”
Another titter slipped out, I convulse more. The general looks sourly at me. He turns to a soldier.
“Get Sir Eckhart.”
They hurry away. Soon a rather large and tall troll man arrived.
“Eckhart reporting sir.”
“Good, you've seen our resident [Slave] yes, she has a form that utilizes life magic. Is there a way she could utilize it to perhaps harm the troops or escape.”
The troll thinks on that, “[Slave], what is the magic you are using to change your form?”
I just glare at the troll.
“Sara, please.”
The mistress asks, fine. The convulses stop, my anger rises. My illusion answers.
“[Body Morphic Magic 2], I grow tired of everyone slandering my mistress.”
“I am not sure how maintaining a small cosmetic change could possibly allow her to escape, my lord.”
“The form she assumes is of a partially infused Pimar girl.”
“That is absurd, that great of a change would have her collapsed in an hour, she lacks any core.”
The general flicks an eye at me. I return to my attendant form, the previous clothes drape over me, allowing me to exchange them without giving a show. The troll peers at me.
“I do not understand. Her arcane reserves haven't changed but she is maintaining herself. [Slave] how are you doing this.”
Must not kill, must not revel in his blood, can't protect the mistress fighting the camp. I titter. At least I can titter. Annoyed at my refusal, the troll speaks again. I push his magic to her side of our soul.
-----
“I have an advanced life core inside my soul core.”
It comes out monotone.
“Sara?”
“I have an advanced life core inside my soul core.”
“Why do you keep saying that, Sara?”
“I am answering everything you are compelling me with.”
“Who is compelling you, dear.”
“I have been answering you this whole time.”
“My name is Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”
A pause of ten minutes, I breathe finding Mags looking me over while Cecelia is hugging me. Mags speaks first.
“Have they finished trying to compel your sister?”
“She isn't pushing them to me anymore. Sorry, best I got. We theorized that we could save mana by having the other answer for us. Didn't think she could do it unilaterally or over such a distance. I can't hear her voice but I get to take her interrogations.”
I get back to melting mithril.
-----
The guard who comes to deliver our food steps past the cover trinket, it is set only to block sounds.
“We have met many times before sir, your name?”
I titter as Delores asks for me.
“Leonard.”
I smile, “Leonard come and open your mouth. Good, swallow this whole now. Your screams are delightful.”
He is mine now. The roots that connect me to my mistress instead give me complete control of Leonard.
“Fill this cup with your blood. Good. Now put these seeds in your pocket and carry this cover trinket. Tonight I want you to feed my seeds to as many sleeping soldiers as you can without being caught, prioritize not being discovered, dear.”
With a piece of my soul he walks out with my cover trinket. I don't drink from the cup till he leaves. Not trusting myself to not ask for more. It is gone in seconds. I take a moment to feel the bliss. Not enough. But it should at least tide me over.
Could you do that to me if you wanted too.
Mistress, I am your attendant, that would not be proper. Also I know the thought only excites your love of danger more.
…You know your mistress well.
Or I made her love it. I titter. That night more seeds sprouted.
-----
I shiver.
Qorth looks up, “Something wrong, my lady.”
“I felt my sister split our soul again and just now got a taste of bliss. I think she is making a move.”
“Only a taste, does she have someone willing.”
Depends on your definition of willing. I sigh. A small titter escapes me.
“If she uses her seeds, she likely aims to control the camp. Or at least enough of it to escape. The blood was likely to help tide herself over.”
“What happens after she escapes?”
“We have to hope I am the cruel one.”
Qorth looks annoyed at that. I begin shaping the metal.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 8 unallocated stat points
“Is the transport ready?”
“I still think it's dangerous to send her with so few men.”
“I noted your concern Sir Eckhart, that is why the [Slave] is staying here while the hostage is taken to the capital. Get Sir Robert to be the escort.”
A guard listens in on a conversation of his superior. He is just a guard, with a seed in his heart. The seed lets me hear it all. Five soldiers go and ask to spar with Sir Robert. Four hold him down while a fifth feeds him a seed. He doesn't remember it happening. A runner comes and tells him to report to the general.
“Sir Robert, you are to select ten soldier and take Delores Xavious to Thaninthal. She has a [Slave] with her. The [Slave] has the ability to control desires by talking. I am loath to order it but she will need to be restrained. Leave her here.”
A carriage rolls up to our tent. Sir Robert enters with four guards. Screams would have been heard if not for a cover trinket. Sir Robert escorts his charge to the carriage with his three guards. He leaves the door open for me to climb in with my cover trinket. We leave the camp. The fourth guard was bound and physically made to look like me. Come midday Robert opens the carriage and my mistress and I exit. We wave them off. They continue traveling towards the Bronfkin kingdom. They left me with my blood skin filled with their tithes.
“So what now?”
“Well you get to hold the cover trinket while riding my back, mistress. You are expected at the capital are you not?”
She smiles at me as I titter. My true form easily carries her, my silk providing her a saddle to ride on. My sister would have been mortified. I can only titter. I gallop through the forest towards Barbain and Beatrice. It is evening and I can see the glow of the camp fires. Not cooking ones. But of tents set ablazed. Anytime a soldier I control is discovered, the seed in their heart explodes. I receive neither exp nor souls for this. I smile. I am not so cruel as to burden my sister with this. More titters.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 8 unallocated stat points
“How can we be so deep in the forest without seeing any monsters?”
I titter as I roast the rabbit for the mistress. Already drained of blood.
“I can deploy the same aura as the dungeon. It keeps living things away.”
“And the unliving.”
“Been avoiding them. Bone smells pretty similar.”
“Ah, if only I had such sensory.”
I titter. It will be funny when she regrets being able to smell so much. She screeches when I change her nose and mouth to be like mine. More titters. It was not an appearance change.
“You could have warned me, o system why does everything smell of musk and urine.”
“Mostly because everything is marked territorially with musk and urine.”
The young mistress holds her nose. She tries to breathe through her mouth and instantly regrets it.
“Why did you put nostrils on the roof of my mouth? System I smelt even more now.”
I enjoy this so much. I can't wait for her to try the rabbit.
-----
Most of the soul I feel my sister farmed out have returned. There are some heading in a direction to the east. Sister feels like she is heading to Barbain and Beatrice. I can only assume she made her escape. The seed in the mistress is with her.
“Cecelia, I think my sister is heading to the capital.”
She looks alarmed, “They are sending her to Thanintal?”
“No I meant Maknor, I believe she escaped with my mistress.”
“That's good news. Were there any exp message.”
She was really asking if there were any souls taken.
“Just a horned rabbit.”
She smiles and gives me a hug. The Sara spider pinata is starting to get full. They have been growing fast. A pity I can't make more small ones. Maybe when my sister returns. I pound on the mithril more.
