Chapter 14: ~Together?~ (1/2)

***Norfolk, Sarn-Valley***

I slowly open my eyes and find myself looking at the ceiling. Was the last night a bad dream? A big group of assassins ambushed the mansion and some managed it past the guards. They injured me while I was heading for my room. But I managed to fight them off. And then... and then... she slapped me!

“Oh, you are awake! Tch! I wasn't completely ready yet! I spent so much time to think about my first commands for you. But I still wanted a little more time to find the perfect formulations.”

By turning my head I find Celestial on a chair beside my bed. She is smiling at me with a broad grin. It wasn't a dream? I begin to touch my body here and there but there is no pain. No injuries!

“I had Stefan heal you up. You weren't conscious.” Celestial looks at a sheet of paper in her hand. “Let's see.... where should we start.”

At that moment I realize the golden bracelet on my wrist and a shudder runs down my spine. What the heck happened while I was asleep!?

“~Take off my slave-ring!~” Celestial points at me with a winning smile.

The same moment she spoke those words I feel the slave-ring starting to meddle with my mind! But I gracefully avoid the attempt of the stupid artefact and manage to divert the command into taking a glass of water from the small night-table beside my bed and offer it to Celes.

She takes the glass of water with a baffled expression and stares at it for several seconds.

I smile at her. Don't think that a lifetime with one of those cursed artefacts didn't force me to find ways to deal with them.

“I suggest you try again! Take off my slave-ring! Huh? Why couldn't I put any power into my voice?” I try again while emphasizing every word. “Take Off My Slave-Ring!”

Now she gives me a strange grin. “I already anticipated that and tried to give you some orders to protect myself. I did it while you were sleeping, so I wasn't sure if it would work. It seems like it worked to order you that you can't order me to take off your slave-ring.”

“~Love me for eternity!!!~” Again she points at me with a triumphant expression.

Wah! That airhead really tried to do something hilarious! “Fool! Impossible commands don't work of course! ~Love me for eternity!~ OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T WORK!”

“Damn!” She skims through her list. “~Get me and Liandra a proper citizenship and enough money to live on our own!~”

Again! “-I understand. A hundred copper coins to shop in the city.-” I smirk at her. “You know? Everything that requires a prolonged physical action from me is easy to divert.”

“Argh!” Celestial throws her list to the ground and stomps onto it. “~Then tell me your true feelings about the first time you confessed to me!~”

“-I love you.-” I hold my damned mouth in an attempt to stop the words from leaking out. But the slave-ring works too fast to intercept such easily and fast answered requests! What the fuck is going on in her head!?

Celestial actually turns a little red?

But I can play this game too! “~What do you think of me?~” With this I will uncover your true nature!

“-A pitiful hermit who lost his way and abandoned society because he was hurt far too often. If we had met under different circumstances I may have helped him.-” Now she is the one who tries to shut up herself.

Uh!? I didn't expect an answer like that.

Then she glares at me. “~Why did you save us?~”

“-I couldn't bear to see you as the slave of some barbarian.-” What the heck did just come out of my mouth!? Did she break the bracelets somehow? Again! “Don't pry into my unconscious thoughts! ~Stop to treat me like an enemy!~” Hah! That one worked!

“~What do you think of me now!~” Celestial shoots another question at me.

“-The most beautiful woman I have ever seen.-” My mouth acts on it's own!

What!? Damn! My command was too general! And why did I answer that way!? “Stop this airhead! Who knows what will happen if you continue with such ridiculous requests! This is dangerous! What if things escalate?”

“Then take off my slave ring! Or I will say something really ridiculous!” She threatens me!

“I still don't trust you.” I shake my head.

“~Let's always be together!~” She gives me a triumphant smile.

“-~Let's always be together!~-” Damn! Damn! Why did I repeat that like a robot! I hate slave-rings!

Again the words came over my lips before I knew it! “Stop it! Those artefacts are dangerous! Who knows what could happen to us!”