Transcendence?

***Norfolk, Fellmar***

“What do you think of calling our dance-duel a draw?” I ask my husband after confirming that Tendril really intends to leave. But i get no answer.

Ascathon keeps staring at the spit on the ground like frozen while Tendril walks away. I poke his cheek with one finger but I get no reaction.

Did this gesture of ultimate despise by his father short out his brain. Why is he so affected by it? I thought his father tortured him.

I want to know what's going on in his head. Somehow his expression seems really conflicted?

Suddenly he raises his arm towards his father and one of the many female servants throughout the ball room trips spectacularly. She was walking close to Tendril and her plate with food and drinks flies forward in an unnatural arc.

*Splatter!*

Tendril just stands there with his back towards us while the servant starts to prostrate herself in front of him. Some people around him start to chuckle while looking at his unfortunate state. Then he turns towards us and shoots a hateful glare while I am able to witness the mash of food and drinks all over his clothes.

Ascathon starts to grin while Tendril leaves the hall.

“You are such a child.” I smile while looking at him.

“I don't think that you are any better.” Ascathon keeps watching until Tendril has left the room.

“Soo.... anyone else whom we could ask about Mislow?” I look around while searching for someone else to talk to.

“I think that Kane and his girlfriend could be around here somewhere. You should be able to find them. I will go for a little walk and ask for an appointment with the Jarl.” He smirks at me. “Try to bear the loneliness while I am gone.”

“If you think that it's necessary to make an appointment? But I guess the Jarl is a busy person. Better to make one sooner than later.” I kiss him on his cheek to startle him which works perfectly fine.

Ascathon walks away while wiping at his cheek like some dog just licked over his face. I walk my own way while searching for some Mislow nobles who could be pried for information.

The whole area for the ball is actually really huge! I didn't realize it earlier but the huge room which we entered first is just something like a starting stage. It has the size of about fifty metres in length and width. But there are even more rooms like this!

After walking a short distance I find out that another exit leads into another room and from there yet again into another one. They should have drawn a map for this event! Well. I will just walk through all of them fast to get an overview.

So I start walking fast and with purposeful steps.

It looks like each hall has a purpose. The first one we entered was mostly reserved for dancing. Then I found one in which food was served in huge quantities. Another one was filled with people who tried their best to entertain the guests in various ways. There were various items on display too to look at. Everything had the purpose of entertainment.

The fourth hall I enter seems to be mostly occupied by people who are talking to each other. So I decide to stay there. It's easier to talk to someone who is obviously looking for interactions than to disturb someone who is occupied with something else.

I walk up to a pair of women who look like nobles from Mislow. “Hi, are you two from Mislow?”

One of the women turns towards me with questioning eyes. “Yes?”

“Could it be that you have some informations about the house of Jasmine? I had some friends there and our contact broke off completely when the borders were closed.” I smile at them while trying to keep a straight face.

“Jasmine? I am not sure but weren't they located close to the Jamaian border? I think many noble families who lived there suffered quite a bit. I heard some bloodlines even completely perished.” The older of the two women starts a useless rant without any actual information.

“I see. Do you happen to know someone who could have some detailed information?” Maybe there is some high big cheese around who has concrete knowledge?

“You could try to talk to Marquise Grez, he is an official ambassador. He should be in that group over there.” The younger lady points towards a group of old men at a table in the corner of the room.

“Then I will try it over there, thank you.” I leave both of them behind and head for the table which was pointed out.

As I approach them in an obvious manner, two of the five men on the table set their attention onto me. “Please, excuse my intrusion. But I am searching for information about the house of Jasmine. I was told that Marquise Grez could help me?”

One of them has a pipe in his hand and is busy with puffing small rings of smoke into the air. He takes the pipe out of his mouth and answers with a deep voice. “I am Grez. Why to you seek information about that house?”

“I am the daughter of Arduin Jasmine and Idala Jasmine. When the raids started I was abducted by a Jamaian raiding party and couldn't go back nor get information because the border was closed.”

The old geezer arches an eyebrow and his jaw drops. “Wait a second!” He places the tips of his left hand's fingers at his temple and concentrates. A communication spell? After a few seconds he removes his hand again. “Just wait here with us. Your parents should turn up in a few minutes.”

They are here? “They are alive? Both?”

“Yes. Both of them are alive. They came here to search for information about you and your sister. Unfortunately your estate got completely destroyed. Actually Mislow is currently trying with all its might to get to know the whereabouts of all abducted individuals.” Grez draws another breath from his pipe. “What about your sister?”

“She is fine. Why are you trying find them that hard?” It can't be that the government got nice and helpful all of a sudden?

“For hundreds of years the bloodline for mind-magic was an exclusive trait of the nobles of Mislow. And now the Jamaian barbarians are trying to attain it by abduction and murder. How can the king watch this happening while doing nothing? Every abducted person with even the slightest possibility to pass on this trait to the next generation has to be accounted for.” Grez shakes his head.

It's still strange. “But isn't it unlikely that the Jamaian Union can create a stable population of mind-magicians with just a few abducted individuals?”

“You underestimate them. We are searching for over a thousand people who disappeared during the initial raids. I am not talking just about members of acknowledged bloodlines. They abducted everyone who had even an ounce of magic ability. Even if they can create just a single generation of mind magicians who are loyal to them it would be a huge win in their war effort.” Grez shakes his head again.

“Celestial!”

I am hugged from behind and I immediately recognize my mother's voice. Then I am forcedly turned around and hugged again. “Hi, mom.” I pat my mother's back while I smile at my dad who also turned up.

“We are so glad that you are safe.” He hugs both of us while smiling. My mother is crying tears of joy.

“I am sorry dad. I guess I got caught.” I can't think of anything else besides apologizing. “But Liandra is fine. Though she stayed at home, so you can't see her immediately.”

“Home?” My mother finally stops ruining my dress with her tears. Aahh... whatever. At least they are safe.

“Ah. Yeah. She is in Sarn-Valley. I have a huge mansion there.” I smile broadly at them. Both are looking at me with dumbfounded expressions.

“Maybe we should try to have this conversation elsewhere. There will be much to talk about and we shouldn't disturb the ambassador any further. He was so nice to take us with him onto this ball to search for information.” My father smiles and nods at Grez who smiles back at us.

“Don't worry. I am more than happy that we didn't just find informations on their whereabouts.” Grez waves with his hand and starts to suck on his pipe again while taking out a fat notebook with names. He ticks two names from the list.

My father leads us a little farther away before hugging me himself. “I am glad that you are fine. But how did you end up in Norfolk after being abducted by Jamaian!”

Oh... well how should I explain all this? This could actually become a little hairy. There isn't really a good way to inform them of everything that happened. “Haah... that's a long story. But to make it short. The Jamaian slave traders sold me and Liandra as slaves. We were bought by Ascathon, a noble from Norfolk. He kind of saved us.”

“You were enslaved!?” Mother's expression immediately turns gruesome. “Where is that bastard! What did he do to Liandra.”

Urgh. That came across completely wrong! “Nono. No slave any more. See? No slave-rings.” I smile at my mother showing my hands to her.

“They put slave-rings on you two?” Fathers expression turns dark too.

“Yes. But now they are off. We are free people again. I was doing fine.” No reason to go on a rampage.

“We have to thank this noble then. If he saved Liandra and you out of good will, then he has to be thanked.” Mother grabs my hand and smiles at me.

Um. That's not the entire truth either.

“What's his name?” My father smiles at me.

“Um. His full name is Ascathon Asceron.”

Both of my parent's expressions suddenly become fearsome. “The Arenzien!” “The Arenzien!”

“Ah. So you know his previous family name.” Aaah. It will be a pain to change their opinions!

“Of course! We know of all members of that accursed family!” Father snaps.

“But he left that family and the country. And he actually doesn't like any of his relatives except his little sister.” I try to smooth the waves.

“That makes him a traitor too! My poor daughter! Did he defile you!? You can tell everything to me.” My mother hugs me again.

“He... didn't... exactly... defile... me.” Oh my god! Why did my mind just blank out!? How can I turn this conversation into a positive direction!

“He did! I will murder that....”

“Husband!” So. Now it's out. Better to drop the whole bomb at them and clean the mess later.

“Hus...” “...band?”

“~Yes.~ I married him. So please refrain from doing anything to your own son in law. He is a noble from Norfolk by the way, so you would create some diplomatic issues too by doing so.” I smile at them while my mother fights to keep standing with my support.

“Why?” My mother asks with a whiny voice.

“Didn't you guys always say that I should marry someone with power to save our house and ensure our safety? Well. I decided that marrying someone with power and gaining a citizenship would be better than staying a person with no legal rights.” I nod at my perfect explanation.

“We still have to see him to judge for ourselves!” My father folds his arms in front of his chest. His face tells me that he already made up his mind about the hermit.

“You don't have anything to fear. I wear the pants in our relationship!” I stand proud in front of my father while proclaiming this line.

“We will see... where is he?” My mother sighs and starts to walk towards the exit.

“I parted with him at the entrance. He wanted to get an appointment with the Jarl to further the development of our principality! It shouldn't take that long to make an appointment. So maybe he is already searching for me.” I smile at them. I may as well try to sell some of Ascathon's good points. Like having money and power. And being smart and having a high morality.

“He has a principality!?” Dad's expression drops a little. Maybe he just lost a little confidence?

“The whole of Sarn-Valley with about a hundred thousand inhabitants!” Hah! Maybe that will change their opinion of my choice.

I lead them slowly back the way I came while looking carefully around. It's still possible that we could miss each other but I hope that Ascathon would also take a direct route. So we should meet each other.

While I walk I decide to pile on with Ascathon's pros. The better my parent's impression of him, the less worries they should have. “And he is actually a very nice and emotional person.” He always has nightmares when I don't sleep with him.

“And he is reasonable too. If you have some good arguments you can always convince him to help you.” A little blackmail here and there and he will even marry you.

“And while he is really strong, he can be gentle too.” Yes. When he saved me he gently ended the life of that idiot who tried to buy me and Liandra.

“His skill in the bed is ~godlike~!” Ah! Damn! I got carried away. Their expressions turned fearsome again.

“And........”

“KYAAAAA!”

I was just about to enter the next hall when a scream destroys the atmosphere and a few people come running into our direction with pale faces and horrified expressions. It should be the hall which was filled with entertainers and various exhibits.

A few steps take me to the entrance and I peek inside the room.

What I find is a murder scene. No. It's closer to a massacre because there are multiple victims. I see seven bodies in total and there are stains of blood everywhere! I slowly walk forward while I observe the scene. There are actually a few nobles left within the room. They look around with dazed expressions but they don't look scared. Seems like the violence was restricted to a certain group of people.

All corpses seem to be Jamaian nobles. There is one who seems to have been wounded and actually managed to crawl a few metres towards the exit before a sword nailed him to the floor, right through his heart. The trail of blood makes his struggle evident.

Another two seem to have killed each other with their bare hands. It looks like they actually tried to peel the flesh off of each other while being in an all or nothing struggle for life and death! They are still entangled on the floor like two maniacs. A puddle of blood is forming around them.

One is sitting on the ground while leaning towards the wall. The wall has a human shaped dent!

On the far side of the room I see a hideously burned and charred corpse which looks like it was trying to reach a small pool with a warning of dangerous fishes above it. I guess it wouldn't have mattered if he had reached the water or not.

Someone is hanging heels over head from the slowly spinning chandelier at the ceiling. Various cuts and bruises are covering his body. How he got up there is a mystery to me.

Then I see a pair of feet looking out of a big barrel which was used earlier by an entertainer to demonstrate his escapology.

*Smack* *Smack* *Smack* *Smack*

A silent, rhythmic and a little wet sound draws my attention towards a spot which was previously hidden by a table which is tilted sideways.

Someone is sitting on top of an eighth Jamaian corpse which is lying on its belly with all limbs spread out. He is working very hard to hit the head of the unresisting person into the ground again and again. The mangled head looks a little dented which probably is at fault for the wet sound that is created by the action.

I feel my parents following me while I walk slowly closer.

The person who is committing the desecration of the corpse has a knife sticking out of his right shoulder blade and deep red blood is soaking the traditional Norfolk clothing around the wound.

As I step closer I draw his attention and he turns around.

“Hi, ~sugar cat~. Did you have a nice evening?”

Ascathon smiles at me with a laceration on his forehead above his left eye. The wound is bleeding pretty heavily and obstructing his view.

“H...~Honey bear~? What are you doing?”

Ascathon has a really relaxed expression. I never saw him like that before. It's actually a little frightening. He doesn't seem to feel his wounds at all.

“Just using the opportunity to relieve some stress. Oh, maybe I should introduce you. That's the brother of a certain Jamaian idiot whom I had a little argument with at a certain slave auction. He tried to avenge his deceased family member.”

Ascathon smacks the head of the body into the ground a final time and a crunching sound can be heard as the skull finally yields.

.