Fostering Faust

by Randi Darren

“He was interested in something, and it got away from him. Right out from under his nose. It dove down into the depths and he couldn’t chase after.

  “Now he just watches,” Leah said, her mouth pursed in thought. Then she pointed at him with a smile. “Ah, ah, you’re distracting me by talking about lovey. Good tactic.”

  Alex gave her a lopsided grin.

  “What’s next then?” he asked.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary, really. You keep earning deals. Fill up the pillar. You manage to do that and I’ll get you a new one, plus a large favor for you.”

  “Seems like a pretty straightforward direction, I guess. Any possibility I can get Anna to take oaths on my behalf? At least for secrecy and non-betrayal and the like? It’d make things easier.”

  “Hm. I think… oh, that’s fine. She’s your wife, after all. Lovey is still rather upset with me over that soul you gave me last time. Apparently it was rather pure and full of goodie-goodie things. He was ever so annoyed with me. Punished me lots.

  “He put a collar on me and walk—”

  She paused and then looked off into the distance.

  “Gotta go!”

  Leah vanished as if she were never there.

  Chapter 27

  Alex tapped lightly on the door leading into Sylvia’s room. Leaning up against it, he folded his arms across his chest and waited.

  “Yes?” came the voice from within.

  “I’ve come to pay my respects,” Alex said, somehow managing to keep any mockery from his tone.

  “Is it… my lord?” Sylvia asked.

  “Indeed. I was wond—”

  The door jerked open and Alex practically fell inside her room.

  Stumbling forward, he managed to right himself before he hit the ground.

  “Are you alright?” Sylvia asked, holding the door open and peering at him.

  “Errr, yes. I was… forget that. Yes, I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting you to open the door so quickly,” Alex said.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Sylvia asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling at him. “I’m your concubine, aren’t I? I’m supposed to be ever waiting for your appearance. I’m quite sure the maids have all been gossiping that I wasn’t your first visitation.

  “Instead you went back into the dungeon.”

  “Hah, I doubt that very much. If any of them did talk about any of that, Leah would have a fresh soul and I’m sure she’d be chattering my ear off.”

  “Wait, the maids are sworn to secrec—Leah talks to you?” Sylvia asked, her voice going up in volume with the last word.

  She quickly shut the door after checking the hallway.

  Shit. Whatever. She’s already aware of the game anyways, and if Anna is right, all I have to do is sit on her long enough.

  “Sometimes. If I’m good enough,” Alex said, looking around Sylvia’s living space.

  Nothing had changed except for an added armoire.

  “I take it you got all those clothes you wanted?” he asked, pointing at the new addition.

  “I did indeed. Though I really must insist that we discuss me owning things while I’m here. It’s bad enough that I manage my household at this distance, but if I have no guests for the day, or visitors, I go a bit mad.

  “Unless you want to find a corpse, you will entreat with me,” Sylvia said, lifting her chin up and folding her arms low across her stomach.

  “That’s fine,” Alex said, taking a seat in one of her chairs. “I think that’s as good a place to start as any for today.”

  Sylvia looked like she wanted to argue.

  Or pout.

  “Were you expecting me to not wish to?” Alex asked, getting comfortable.

  “Partially. Last time you wouldn’t even consider it,” Sylvia admitted. Then she pointed a finger at him.

  “You do this to keep me off balance!” she hissed at him.

  “I do indeed. My goal is to have you spread-eagle naked on a bed every night till your hips give out.

  “Getting you as off balance as possible is a good way to make that happen. I don’t see a problem in my strategy. Do you?”

  Alex set his hands in his lap and locked his eyes to hers as he spoke.

  Sylvia’s face became scarlet, her finger still hanging in midair, pointing at him.

  Straightening her shoulders, she let her hand fall to her side.

  “I suppose not. I’d do the same. Your little wife must have noticed something in what I said or did. I didn’t reveal anything though,” Sylvia said, looking annoyed. “For you to change tactics and admit it like this.”

  “If you must know, she likes you. Though her opinion was that all I need to do is to sit on you and wait. Apparently everything you were doing previously is still spiraling further and further out of control.

  “We can keep playing this until I get what I want, or you could try to broker a better deal now. Up to you,” Alex said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

  Sylvia started to chew at her lower lip, her fingers tightening on her forearms as she stood there.

  “How about you take a seat, hm? Obviously, I have no ill intentions and would never harm you. No need to stand so far away.

  “Have I mentioned you look well cared for and quite pretty today?” Alex said without a trace of deceit.

  She really had cleaned up extraordinarily well. The appearance of a very well-put-together young noblewoman who might be courting for a husband.

  Sylvia let out a quick breath through her nose, then went and sat down next to him. Crossing one ankle over the other.

  “Thank you,” she said, still clearly quite angry. “I thought it would help if I made sure to look nice. That maybe you’d go easy on me for what I wanted.”

  “Not a bad plan. Though you’ve seen my wife. I’m a bit spoiled as of late,” Alex said with a grin. “Though you are beautiful, Sylvia.”

  Sylvia wrinkled her nose at that. “For a simple woman, it’s not quite fair with what she’s been given to work with.”

  “Well?” Alex asked.

  “I’ll… wait. I don’t think my situation as dire as you and your wife seem to think. I can get out of this,” Sylvia said, her determination firming up as she spoke.

  “As you like. In the end, it’s all the same to me. More a matter of when than if.”

  Sylvia shook her head once, as if dismissing his words.

  “Now, about me owning things? Or at least having possessions while I am to remain here?”

  “Can we qualify that a bit? Is there any limit to the possessions?”

  “Anything a noble lady would have need of to pass the time, make herself ready, or to simply have. Nothing your own wife wouldn’t have, I imagine.”

  “That’s a fair clarification,” Alex said, nodding his head. There wasn’t much room for misunderstanding there. “I suppose the point of discussion, then, is price.”

  “I will not negotiate for anything involving… your bed. That’s simply out of the picture,” Sylvia said with a bit of iron.

  “That’s fine,” Alex said dismissively, thinking on the situation.

  There were always the normal deals. Such as having her take the name, name tag, collar, and calling him Master. It’d be mostly only a step away from the final deal.

  “That reminds me, I need to go through your wardrobe and pick out what you’re allowed to wear, don’t I?” Alex said, looking to the armoire.

  “Hmph. I’d hoped my current style would be acceptable. I do believe I look rather good in it. You yourself complimented me, no?”

  “I’ll leave most of it alone, though I’m sure I can find something for you to wear just for me.”

  Alex looked back to Sylvia with a grin.

  “Of course you’d do that,” she said, a small smile on her face. “At least make it flattering?”

  “On my honor. You’ll look quite fetching. Ravishing, even.

  “Now. Price. It’s rather simple. We’ll move this up a step in my game,” Alex said,
leaning toward her.

  “I have a hair dresser coming tomorrow to style your hair in the fashion I see fit. In addition, I’ll have that collar we talked about ready for you, as well as your name tag.

  “You’ll adopt the name Four. You’ll respond to it. Live it. Be it. And of course, you’ll simply address me as Master going forward.”

  “And so goes Sylvia,” said the woman with a soft sigh. “And I can always say no, as you say, and nothing would happen?”

  “Correct. It’s all your choice.”

  “The collar, tag, and what you pick out for me will match? Can you at least make sure the collar matches the rest of my clothes?”

  “I’ll buy you several collars, just to make sure. Maybe even let you pick out one for yourself.”

  Sylvia pressed a hand to her brow, then nodded her head once.

  “Fine. I do so swear and agree on our previous oath to the deal you’ve listed.”

  “Wonderful, Four. I’m glad to hear it. I accept your oath and agree to the price. Now, let’s go take a look at your clothes. Then we can shop for a collar together. I’ll let you call me Master in public and everything.

  “We can really show them all that you’re a lovely and devoted concubine.”

  Sylvia groaned and closed her eyes.

  “I really am your concubine in all but deed.”

  “It’s alright, you’re not the first. Nor even the last. I’ll treat you very well.

  “Now, clothes?”

  ***

  Valeria, Carla, Riley, and Nannie were all waiting for him in his room.

  For a single moment, Alex felt like it’d be better to turn around and leave.

  That maybe he could get away and whatever it was they wanted, he could avoid.

  “Master!” Riley said loudly, bouncing up out of her chair and scurrying over to him.

  Alex smiled at her, giving up on that plan.

  “One, Two, Three, Five. Good to see you. Should you really be up and about, Two?” Alex asked.

  Carla shrugged her shoulders. She was dressed in a nightshirt and seemed comfortable at least on the sofa. “I’m ok. This isn’t too much.”

  “I’d smash her into the bed if I thought she couldn’t handle it,” Nannie said. “She’s a big girl, though. She can handle it.”

  Carla flicked a look to Nannie, then back to Alex. He wasn’t quite sure had what passed there, but it was a different relationship than he remembered them having.

  Riley fell upon him, enveloping his arm in hers and dragging him over to where the others were.

  “We were discussing who we want to hire. I have all my girls lined up and ready. Mistress Anna approved them all in the end, including those who would be serving her.

  “Though she did make me send a few back and pick others at first. She said they weren’t pretty enough for you, just in case. I just need you to approve them all and swear them into your service,” Riley said. She released his arm from her embrace long enough to push him down into the love seat.

  Then she promptly squished in beside him, latching onto his arm again.

  “One, you should probably give Master a little bit of room, no?” Valeria asked, quirking a brow at the other woman. “If Mistress Anna shows up, you’ll have to move anyways.”

  Riley glowered at Valeria but didn’t release him.

  “As you like,” Valeria said, then turned to Alex. “I myself have found several recruits I wish to run by you. I think they’ll serve appropriately.”

  “The nasty cunt and I have someone we want you to look at as well,” Nannie said. She was standing behind the sofa, pointing at Carla. “We think she’ll be useful as a third. Between the two of us we can cover a lot, but… uh… as we found out when stupid got her head bashed in, a third would be useful.”

  “I swear to the gods, you stupid hulking brute with a gash between your legs, I’ll pull your tongue out through your asshole,” Carla growled, glaring up at Nannie.

  The ex-murderess stared at the ex-merciless-bandit, then abruptly shrugged her shoulders with a smile. “Nasty cunt.”

  “Scrawny twat,” Carla said back with a grin.

  Then they returned to staring at Alex silently.

  Alex pressed a hand to his face.

  “Stop. Fine. Everyone can bring their people by me and we’ll talk it out. I don’t really want to deal with this, though. Just… come to me with your deal and what you’ll pay them. I’m no middle manager. I don’t care about this.

  “The only one I’m concerned about is the third bodyguard.”

  “We can do that, Master,” Riley said, pressing as close as she probably could against his side. Her breasts practically smashed into his shoulder.

  I think… it was an error to let them get this close.

  Possibly.

  The response was so shocking, Alex didn’t know what to think at first.

  Wait… what? Leah?

  Sometimes, not always. I’m just bored.

  Alex felt like he was going to explode his molars with the force he was grinding his teeth.

  Go away. Tell your husband you want him to color you with his favorite body paint and walk you around town naked.

  Not a bad idea. I’ll go ask. He was doing something dumb anyways.

  “Ok. First up on Alex’s needs list,” he said, taking a deep breath.

  “It’s Three’s turn,” Carla immediately said.

  Riley nodded her head at his side.

  “Gee thanks,” Valeria muttered. “Even if it is my turn, no need to throw me to the wolf.”

  “Ok, not what I was going to say. At all,” Alex grumbled.

  “I can take her place,” Riley said. If she could get any closer at this point, he’d practically be wearing her. “I haven’t performed my duty for you yet.”

  “Stop. Listen,” Alex said through gritted teeth. “First. I need someone to get a hold of Walter. I don’t think we have enough Mother’s Bane. We might as well either get a steady supply, or plan some. One or the other.”

  “I can do that,” Riley said. “Walter likes me.”

  “Great. Second. I need a map updated with whatever information we have on Count Ridge. I’m not… sure I want to let him regroup.”

  “What?” Carla asked. “I know Nannie beat down his champion impressively, but that doesn’t mean anything. Does it?”

  “The duel was for titles. He should have forfeited his county to me. The more time I give him to reinforce himself, the harder it’ll be to take his land,” Alex explained. “The old duke didn’t uphold the agreement.”

  “We’re going to… attack him?” Valeria asked.

  “That’s number three on the list. I need to meet with our new duchess as soon as she’s back, and then probably the king. I’ll need a courier with a fast dispatch. I may end up just squatting in her ducal home waiting for her.”

  “I’ll take care of that, Master,” Valeria said. “It’ll give me a chance to try out one of my new recruits anyways.”

  “Last, but not least. Could someone find Holly for me and send her this way? I haven’t seen her, and I know she came back from her father’s today. Right?”

  “Yes, Master,” Carla said, nodding her head. “She should be back. I wouldn’t mind going for an easy walk. I can take care of that.”

  “Dress appropriately first,” Alex said, indicating her mostly uncovered self.

  “Jealous?” she asked, a smile blossoming on her face.

  “Insanely. You’ll cover up from head to toe if I think for a moment you’ll try to use that against me.

  “Alright, you have your tasks. Thanks everyone.”

  Riley leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then bounced away.

  Valeria gave him a small wave of her fingers with a smile and followed the other woman out the door.

  Carla got up slowly and went back to her room.

  “Uh… what do I do? Everyone else has a task. I don’t. So… anything?” Nannie asked.

  “You
? Well, you could strip for me. I’ve been wondering how much you’ve got under that tunic of yours. I’m betting it’s squishing them pretty tightly and you’re sporting more than you’re letting on.

  “Or you could go crawl into my bed. I’m sure I could come over and start in on some personal attention for you,” Alex snapped his fingers and held out a palm, indicating the space in front of himself. “Or if you’re feeling particularly service oriented, come over here and kneel down.”

  Nannie’s face went dark red. Then she lifted a hand and pointed at him.

  “One day, you will get what you ask for, and you’ll see, you can’t handle it,” Nannie said.

  “I’m ever waiting for that day. Is it today, perchance? I’m up for the challenge. Think we could finish before Holly shows up? Or is it more fun to wait for her to show up.”

  For whatever reason, he couldn’t help it. He wanted to flirt and hit on Nannie constantly. She reacted so poorly that it just… reinforced his desire to do so.

  “I really will kill you.”

  “You’ve said that a number of times now. So, which option are you going to take?”

  “Leave,” Nannie said, then abruptly left.

  As the door slammed shut, Alex shrugged. “Well, that was fun.”

  Thirty minutes later, Holly entered the study followed by Carla.

  Thankfully, she realized Alex wanted to be alone with Holly and bowed out to her private room.

  “Husband?” Holly asked, bowing her head to him and coming to sit across from him.

  “Are you happy?” Alex asked, watching the young woman closely.

  “I…” She paused, her eyes looking anywhere but at him. “I am… content.”

  “But not happy.”

  “I’m my husband’s wife. I am given all that I need, and my family is cared for. I am very content,” Holly said, as if that explained everything.

  “What if I offered you a divorce, and asked for nothing in return from you or your family?” Alex said, deciding to cut straight to it.

  Anna had been right, of course.

  Holly was not much more than a puppet. If he ordered her to sleep with every maid in his keep, it was likely she’d be working on that from sunup to sundown.

  Holly frowned, her face a mask of worry.