Theresa

  “Veronica, I’m tired of sitting. I’m going to visit David,” I proclaimed, closing the book my tutor insisted I study during the trip. Marketing. Dull as dry parchment. Almost as bad as division, though David had somehow made that enjoyable. He’d helped me understand more in a week than my tutor had in months. Maybe he could do the same for this evil subject, marketing. Young princesses should have a rounded education. You’ll never attract the right people if you don’t. That’s what I have been hearing for years. The right person is just down the hall.

  I grabbed the book from where I’d tossed it on the bed and went for the door.

  “Princess, it may not be wise to see him alone,” Veronica said, darting to block my path.

  “I’m not going alone. You’re coming with me.” I nudged past her and strode down the corridor, the book tucked under my arm.

  When we reached the aft cabin, the golem stationed there shifted aside, its massive form moving with eerie grace. I glanced back to see Veronica staring up at it, wide-eyed. The construct didn’t react, returning to its stillness as soon as we passed. Before I could even reach for the handle, the door opened.

  Melissa stood there, serene as ever. “Good evening, Princess. Please, come in.”

  I nodded and stepped through, hearing the door seal behind us and the faint thud of the golem resuming its post.

  And then I stopped because what I saw was not what I expected.

  Aria, David’s newest wife, the beautiful Royal Earth Mage, sat on the center table wearing just a robe, her skin glowing faintly in the lamplight. David was seated before her, sketchbook open, tracing the lines of the brown markings that spiraled up her leg. Seraphina leaned against his shoulder, half asleep, her head resting on him as if this were the most ordinary scene in the world.

  My cheeks went hot. Aria didn’t even seem embarrassed; she just existed comfortably in her skin, in this space, in his world. Everything here felt… natural. Intimate. Whole. Like a room I’d been standing outside of my entire life.

  Across the room, Marlena and Allira sat together over a strange board, David’s “chess” game, if I remembered correctly. The whole family gathered here as if it were no big deal.

  “Have a seat, Theresa. What troubles you tonight?” David asked, still focused on Aria’s markings.

  “I… wondered if you could help me understand something,” I said, taking the nearest plush chair, trying very hard not to look at Aria. “My tutor gave me these assignments for the trip, and well, I’m confused. Why is your wife naked?”

  “That’s starting to tickle,” Aria said, laughing softly as David’s finger followed one of the glowing lines across her knee toward her thigh.

  “This is the main branch on your leg,” he said absently, jotting a note. I watched him trace the line with the lightest of touches, wishing he would touch me like that.

  “I’m reading Aria’s markings,” he explained without looking up. “They’re different than Marlena’s. What topic did you want help with?”

  “Huh? Oh… accounting. Principles of supply and demand,” I managed, still blushing. Watching his hand follow the glowing lines, slow and sure, I felt heat coil low in my belly, not just from desire, but from the aching thought that I might never be that known, that chosen.

  “You can read our markings?” Veronica blurted behind me, far too loud. I winced. She really needs to learn to whisper around him.

  Seraphina stirred beside David, blinking sleepily. “Oh, hello, Theresa. I didn’t know you were here…”

  “I’m sorry to wake you,” I said quickly. Even half-asleep, Seraphina carried herself as if she belonged here, as if she had already earned her spot in his story. I wasn’t sure what mine was yet, or if I even had one.

  “It’s all right,” she murmured, covering another yawn. “I should be in bed anyway, not drooling on my husband while he works.”

  “Works?” Veronica asked, still staring at David’s sketchbook.

  “Yeah,” Seraphina said, smiling faintly. “He reads the marks and takes notes. That’s about all I understand. He’s already made a few things from them, one was a ‘sizzle stick,’ I think? I need to find him a proper fire mage willing to sit for him before we get back to Vaelthorn, also before the baby…”

  “A married fire mage,” Aria added firmly.

  “Yes, a married one,” Marlena and Allira said together.

  David just chuckled, still writing.

  “Baby?” I blurted, forgetting my manners.

  “Oh, that’s right,” Seraphina said, touching her stomach. “We haven’t told anyone outside the family yet. I’m pregnant. The little one’s due at the end of summer.”

  I couldn’t help it, I jumped up and hugged her. “That’s wonderful news!”

  “Excuse me, Earl,” Veronica interrupted, still fixated on David’s notes. “What do you mean, you can read Aria’s markings?”

  “Oh, these?” David replied, pausing briefly to look at Veronica. It wasn’t a quick glance, but one to truly take her in. It seemed like there was a puzzle, but he shook his head and started flipping through the sketchbook. “They describe magical pathways. I can interpret them somehow, don’t ask me why. Like your own. From what I can see on your hand, they’re interesting…”

  “There’s no record of anyone doing such a thing. How can you?” Veronica pressed, while trying to hide her own markings.

  “I’m not sure,” he said, closing the book. “Maybe it’s something about being an Engineer. I think that’s enough for tonight, sweetie,” he added to Aria. “Next time, I’ll study the ones on your back and… your beautiful breasts and maybe other places…” I noticed David give Aria a wink as he said that to her.

  Aria’s cheeks flushed a soft rose as she stepped closer to David. For a heartbeat, she hesitated, not shy but deliberate, then leaned over him. Her robe slipped slightly at the shoulder as she cupped his face and kissed him. It wasn’t playful; it looked more teasing. I felt my breath catch.

  David looked momentarily startled before melting into it, his hand finding her waist. Aria deepened the kiss just enough to make it clear this was not one of her quiet, polite gestures. This was heat. This was certainty. When she finally pulled back, there was a spark in her eyes I had never seen before.

  She straightened slowly, fingers brushing his chest as she adjusted her robe with careful composure. Then she turned and walked past me.

  Her hips swayed, neither exaggerated nor coy, just confident. Purposeful. I watched her go, a strange warmth blooming in my chest. I had seen Aria as steady, thoughtful, and measured. But this… this was something new. And I wasn’t sure whether I was shocked by it… or impressed.

  “Veronica,” Seraphina said lightly, “David’s the first Engineer to have wives who are mages. Maybe that’s why no one’s seen this before.”

  Veronica nodded uncertainly. “Fascinating…”

  “So,” David said, turning to me with that easy smile that made my heart jump, “what did you need help with?”

  I handed him my book. “The section with the bookmark doesn’t make sense.”

  He flipped to the page. After a pause, he started. “Okay. Let’s imagine a business that makes boxes. We make ten boxes a day. If we only sell eight, what happens to the extra two?”

  “Sell them the next day?” I guessed.

  “Okay, let’s accept that. Now, if this is a recurring event you undersell, by the fifth day, you’d have ten extra boxes. So do we take a day off and use the surplus, or lower the price to sell more?”

  I tried to concentrate on his words, but gods help me, he made even math sound captivating. I tried to focus on his words, but his voice wrapped around me like velvet. Every question he asked made me wonder what he might discover if he ever turned that same attention fully on me. Gods above.

  “Master,” Allyson’s voice came from behind him, “Prince Theodore and Ajax request a meeting.”

  “Yes, I’m available, if you don’t mind, Theresa?” David said.

  I bit back a sigh. Of course, my brother would choose to interrupt at this moment. Will they still bother me after the marriage? I just gave in and shook my head.

  “Princess Theresa, if I may leave now,” Veronica said softly, leaning in, “I’ll return to our room to prepare it for you.”

  “Fine,” I said, waving her off. I wasn’t leaving yet.

  I stayed where I was, watching Veronica disappear out the door just as Theodore and Ajax entered. I turned back to David, and there he was, watching Veronica leave the room as well. Why is he interested in her?

  “Brother!” Theodore’s voice practically shook the cabin doors as he burst in. “Brother, we have a bet with those adventurers that I’m the strongest on this ship of yours!”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He strode straight toward David, Ajax right behind him.

  “You very well might be,” David said, setting aside the accounting book I’d given him.

  “Twenty-five,” Theodore said proudly. My jaw dropped. I knew he was strong, but that strong?

  “You got me,” David said with a grin. “I’m only twenty. One of these days, I’ll catch up.”

  Something in his tone caught my attention, light, teasing, but not quite true. He was holding back.

  “When you do, we’ll have a proper wrestling match!” Theodore said, all bright-eyed and laughing as he turned toward the door. “Come on, Ajax, let’s put those adventurers in their place!”

  I hadn’t seen my brother that happy in months. It warmed me to see him like that again.

  When the door shut, Seraphina spoke softly. “Why did you lie to him?” It shocked me to see Seraphina saying that.

  “I didn’t want to hurt his pride,” David said, settling back in his chair. “He seemed too happy to ruin it for him today.”

  I wasn’t sure what they meant, but before I could ask, David turned to me with that same gentle focus he gave everyone.

  “I should show Theresa,” he said. “She’s almost family now, what’s left, just the formalities?” He paused for a bit before continuing. “I want to show you my status, if that’s all right?” There was something that I wanted to share with him. Would it put him off?

  I hesitated, the question forming in my throat before I could stop it. “David… what would it take for you to reject me?” The room went still.

  He blinked. “Reject you?”

  “Yes.” My hands trembled slightly in my lap. “In marriages like ours involving royalty… if the union doesn’t happen, it’s usually because the bride is rejected. Something the groom or his family couldn’t accept. You’re willing to show your trust in me, but is there anything that would make you rethink it?” I could feel the heat behind my eyes, the tears threatening.

  David leaned forward slightly, his expression kind but puzzled. “Theresa… what could make us rethink this? I’m an Engineer, apparently, the ‘destroyer of kingdoms.’ And these are my cutthroat wives.” His tone softened with humor, and his wives all smiled faintly.

  He was teasing to ease my fear. It worked… a little.

  Still, I had to show him. “I’ll show you. And then you can decide.”

  I stood and reached for the buttons of my dress.

  “Should we get Veronica?” Seraphina asked, eyes flicking to the door.

  “Please, no. Only my maid and one other person know about this,” I said quickly, trying not to change my mind on what I am doing. “She’s still at the castle. My father assigned Veronica to accompany me on this trip. I think it was more of the General’s idea than my father’s.”

  The last button came free. The dress slid from my shoulders and pooled silently at my feet. I stood in only my white undergarments, my heart pounding.

  David didn’t flinch. His gaze wasn’t hungry, only calm, steady, the same way he looked at everything he meant to understand.

  “Allyson,” he said quietly, “would you have a blanket ready for Theresa?” His voice was gentle, grounding.

  I took a deep breath, then slipped the dress from my shoulders. It pooled softly at my feet, leaving me standing in only my undergarments. Even that felt like too much. Too exposed. Their eyes were on me, not judging, not hungry, but searching. Trying to understand what I was about to show them.

  “I spoke to High Mage Veralt about this,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “He swore it would remain between us. He said it’s… extremely rare. He found mention of it only once, in a sealed section of the library.”

  My fingers trembled as I reached for the front ties of my undergarment. I loosened them just enough, just enough to reveal my secret.

  The fabric parted slightly at the center of my chest, revealing the faint silver ring embedded between my breasts. It shimmered softly, as though aware it was being observed. Thin, luminous lines branched outward from it, delicate and intricate, spreading across my skin like the roots of a living tree, curving gently along the tops of my breasts and disappearing toward my sides.

  The room grew still. No one spoke. I felt my core pulse. And in that moment, I felt more exposed than if I had stood completely bare. “He told me not to tell anyone. That people might try to take me, or worse.” Tears slipped free despite myself.

  David rose, closing the space between us. He tilted my chin up, and before I could speak, he kissed me, slow and deliberate.

  It wasn’t a fleeting kiss. It was a passionate kiss that made me feel everything around me stop.

  When he pulled away, I whispered, “Why?”

  “Can I touch you?” he asked softly.

  I nodded, wiping my eyes. “Yes. You can’t have me yet… but yes, you can touch.”

  He gently touched the mark, his fingers tracing its edge. “Silver. Interesting. If silver is rare… what about gold?” Shivers ran down my spine as he touched me. His touch wasn’t cold, but warm. It was the tenderness of that touch that took my breath away. He opened his sketchbook and started scribbling on a blank page, drawing a circle and some strange words as he touched my skin. This was the first time I saw his eyes light up with a bright blue as he examined the markings on my skin. I could get used to this. Not just the warmth of his fingers, but the way he looked at me like I wasn’t something strange. Like I was a question worth answering.

  “Gold?” I shook my head. “That’s just a legend, all attributes in one person. Veralt thought mine might be tied to my healer class. He would fall apart if someone showed up with that…”

  Marlena paused then, stepping closer. Without saying a word, she shed her robe, revealing her breasts, a golden ring, and her markings that faintly glowed at the same spot on her chest as mine. Gold scrolls and designs spiraled around her breasts and exposed shoulders.

  “See?” she said softly, returning to the game with Allira. “When you join us, you’ll be just like the rest of us.” So I wasn’t the only one. Relief and disbelief warred inside me. I’d spent so long believing this part of me had to be hidden, controlled, feared. But here, it was just… another thread in the tapestry.

  “Sweetheart,” Seraphina said lazily, “how long are you going to fondle the princess’s breasts? They seem to be perfect, but if you want a pair to hold, mine are sore and need attention.”

  I couldn’t help laughing through my tears as David stepped back, smiling sheepishly.

  “Oh, yes, of course,” he said, kissing me once more before returning to Seraphina’s side.

  As I redressed, pulling my dress back over my head, David’s tone shifted back to curiosity. “You mentioned a book, Theresa, about this condition?”

  “Yes,” I said, fastening my sleeves. “Veralt said it’s in the restricted section of the capital library.”

  “Well then,” David said, speaking thoughtfully to Seraphina again, “I suppose we’ll need to pay that library a visit.”

  “You know, I don’t like libraries,” Seraphina added.

  “You’re not… going to reject me for this?” I asked, voice small.

  He turned back to me and just smiled. “That? My dear princess, it might be a big deal out there. But here, with us, you’re just like the rest of us.” The words sank in, warm and sure.

  “Now,” he said, turning the blue status panel toward me with a flick of his hand, “since you asked about trust, here’s one of my many secrets.”

  The glowing script unfolded before me. I read the numbers once, twice. My breath caught.

  [David Allen Robertson]

  Race: Human 4 (evolved)

  Status: Married

  ? Seraphina Robertson

  ? Allira Robertson

  ? Marlena Robertson

  ? Aria Robertson

  Betrothed

  ? Theresa Theron

  Title: Earl of Brakenreach

  Master of Tower 6

  Demon Slayer (Cataclysm)

  Master of Tower 1

  God’s Blessing

  Age: 20

  Class: Engineer Lvl 32

  Strength: 50

  Intelligence: 30

  Wisdom: 37

  Agility: 40

  Charisma: 38

  HP: 875/875

  MP: 532/532

  SP: 225/225

  Skills:

  ? Blacksmithing - Lv. 33

  ? Sword Fighting - Lv. 30

  ? Unarmed Combat - Lv. 15 (Aikido)

  ? Structural Insight - Lv. 3

  ? Mana Efficiency – Lv. 2

  ? Forge Mastery – Lv. 1

  ? Engineering Constructs – Lv. 1

  ? Arcane Integration – Level 5

  ? Enhanced Diagnostics – Lv. 1

  Passive Traits

  ? Analyze - Lv. 10

  ? Perception - Lv. 5

  ? Fire Resistance - Lv. 5

  ? Language Arts - Lv. 2

  ? Pain Tolerance - Lv. 1

  ? Precision Forge

  ? Autonomous Calibration

  ? Enhanced Learning Curve

  ? Artisan’s Resolve

  ? Blade Sense

  ? Cognitive Multithreading

  “You’re… twice as strong as Theodore,” I whispered.

  He closed the panel and patted Seraphina’s hand, unconcerned.

  “You’re not bothered by all of this?” I asked Seraphina.

  She smiled faintly. “No. I married the man, not the numbers.”

  David opened my book again, flipping to the marked page. “All right, then,” he said, as if nothing extraordinary had happened. “I can explain more of that panel of mine later. And, we will dig into that ring of yours when we get back to the capital. Now, where did we leave off, ah, yes, boxes…”

  ————————

  Veronica

  I left the aft cabin just as Prince Theodore and Ajax were pushing their way in. That man is always too loud. How is he ever going to be King?

  The corridor was quieter without his booming voice echoing through it. I headed toward the lounge. General Kitch would be there, reading and waiting for the landing in the morning. There’s not much else to do on this ship except eat, sleep, and speculate.

  When I stepped into the lounge, the noise crashed over me like a wave. The adventurers crowded around a long table, with coins piled high in the middle as they laughed and shouted over their bets. Tankards clinked, and silver exchanged hands. A few officers from my own squad were right there among them, shoving their coins into the heap with just as much enthusiasm.

  And there, off to the side, sat the General. With a book in hand and a calm eye on the chaos, that’s Kitch, steady as stone, watching everything while pretending not to.

  I crossed to him and sat in the seat beside his, glancing briefly out the wide lounge windows. The night sky stretched endlessly beyond the glass, stars glittering over a sea of dark clouds. It might have been beautiful if I weren’t always half on guard.

  “General,” I said quietly, “there are two matters to report.”

  He didn’t look up from his book. “Two? Go on, Lieutenant.”

  “First, Lady Seraphina is pregnant. She’s expecting around the end of summer.”

  He gave a short nod. “Congratulations to the Earl. If all goes as planned, the end of summer will be a busy time for him. What’s the second?”

  I hesitated. “That one’s harder to explain. I discovered that the Earl possesses the ability to… read our markings.”

  That made him look up.

  “I’m not sure how extensive it is,” I continued quickly. “Lady Seraphina explained that he studied Lady Marlena’s markings and used what he learned to create a few…” I searched for the proper term “…magical items.”

  Kitch set his book down completely now, turning to face me. “I heard from him that he can make magical items and can read our markings. Do you have positive confirmation?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve seen him in the process of reading Lady Aria’s markings, but didn’t know the connection until now.”

  The General exhaled through his nose, half a laugh. “That man… He said he could, but I thought he was joking when he told us. Reading mage markings and creating new devices from them?” He shook his head, amused. “He never stops surprising me.”

  “There’s more,” I said. “Lady Seraphina mentioned he’s looking for a Fire Mage, married, specifically, to allow him to study their markings next.”

  Kitch leaned back, thinking. “A Fire Mage. And married, hm? What would he trade if I found one?”

  “I don’t know, sir. His wives said they planned to find one themselves when we return to the capital, before heading back to Vaelthorn. Lady Seraphina noted that they would like to do this before the baby arrives.”

  He rubbed his chin. “Captain Pionis… or perhaps Lieutenant Eintiyn. Both are married, both Fire Mages. We might have candidates.” He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. “Tell me, Lieutenant, what exactly did you witness him doing?”

  I swallowed. “He was tracing Lady Aria’s markings along her legs while taking notes. He used one hand to write, the other to follow the lines across her skin, carefully, almost reverently. It wasn’t improper, sir. More like… how a healer touches a wound. Lady Seraphina was there talking to him while he was engaged in his notes.”

  Kitch nodded slowly, absorbing the description. “So, he observes and records, and the subject has to be female and married.” A faint smile tugged at his mouth. “We could work with that. We’ll approach Lady Seraphina about trade options on the return trip.”

  Then, glancing sideways at me, he added, “Unless you’re volunteering, Lieutenant?”

  I stiffened. “No, sir. I’m not married.”

  “Ah. Of course.” He looked back at his book, but I could swear there was a hint of humor in his voice.

  The truth was, part of me did wonder what it might feel like, his hand following those glowing lines, his voice soft but commanding. Her markings glowed wherever he touched her. The thought alone sent a slight shiver through me.

  The noise from the far table erupted again, filled with laughter and cheers. Prince Theodore had returned, loud as ever.

  “I have to get the Princess’s room ready for her,” I said, rising.

  “Good night, Lieutenant.”

  “Good night, sir.”

  As I turned to leave, I glanced back once more. The General was already reading again, unbothered. But his mind, I knew, was calculating a dozen possibilities, each one circling the same man.