Reticent Resignation

With the hunters completely routed, I issued quick instructions to my girls. "Yolfi, Sephillia. Finish the guards who fled. Leave none alive. Azralynn, learn what you can about their portal magic from that platform."

They responded at once, emboldened by my display of power. If there and been any doubt why served a Great Dragon when they'd first seen me, it was gone. Only Sephillia offered anything close to protest, and her only complaint was that she'd rather play with the soldiers than kill them.

As Yolfi passed by me in pursuit of the soldiers, she deposited the Cendorian princess before me, pausing just long enough to regard the still-cowering kitsune questioningly. I waved her away, and she left without comment.

Pointing one claw at the kitsune, I spoke a single command. "Stay where you are." I saw her nod enthusiastically from behind her tail and put her out of my mind for the moment.

The expression on the blonde was much more serious now. She raised her eyes to mine and I saw a glimmer of genuine strength in her for the first time. Resolve. "Swear you will let them live, Dragon..." She struggled visibly for a moment, and then added, almost too softly for my own ears to hear. "...please."

She was cute. I suppressed a smile. "Swear yourself to me, and so too will I swear it."

The girl was raised in noble courts; there was no possibility that she misinterpreted my offer. The strength of language she used in her oath of fealty to me would bind me to her in kind. It wasn't magic, technically, but there was a form of power in such oaths with beings as powerful as I was.

Slowly, Ilithyia lowered herself to her knees. She seemed uncomfortable. I couldn't be sure if that was because she found the idea of swearing to me distasteful of if she simply hated to get her clothes dirty. With both knees firmly on the ground, she settled into a low kneeling position, tucking her hands into her lap and bending forward until her face was inches from the stone beneath her knees. Her long hair fell to the ground on either side of her face.

"Great Dragon, my lord..." she began, voice shaking. "You already hold power over me, and this oath may be little more than a formality, but this day, on Cendorian soil, I pledge my fealty to you and forsake all other bonds and charges, whether they be blood or parchment. I vow to provide you everything within my power. Your goals and purposes are my own, your enemies my enemies, and my family now your family. From this day until my last day, I will be faithful and obedient."

When she'd finished, she didn't immediately rise. She wouldn't, until I returned her oath. I could sense her slight tremble as she wept quietly at my feet, and saw the tiny droplets of water fall from her downturned face to wet the ground.

"Child," I said, feeling more empathy for the young woman than I'd have expected. "I accept your vow. For your service, your family will be safeguarded and protected, to outlive the fall of their nation and be granted safe harbor under my rule. Each member of your family will be presented the choice, as you have been given, to swear to me. Any who do will enjoy my favor from that day until the last day."

Ilithyia raised her face to meet my eyes. She was not happy, but she'd earned a measure of my respect by thinking bigger than herself, and by choosing to kneel and swear to me.

"You misled me." She said simply.

She hadn't guaranteed their protection after all, just the chance to submit and earn their own. But was a fair deal, from my position.

"You can't expect me to swear to protect rebellious or hateful subjects. Your family will be given a fair opportunity to swear themselves to me as you have done, and if they do, they will enjoy my full protection. The deal is struck, and I will not suffer any complaints or slander from you."

The girl nodded gravely and climbed to her feet. "Yes, my Lord Dragon." Her thin garment was doing nothing to shelter her from the coastal climb; she kept her arms close to her body to conserve her body temperature.

"Come to me."

The princess hesitated a moment, but knew there was no reason for me to harm her, so she complied, walking to my side. It didn't take her long to realize my body radiated warmth, and soon she had pressed herself to my side with a sigh of delight.

Finally, I turned my focus back to the kitsune. She had lowered her tail enough that I could see her entire face but otherwise had not moved a muscle from her curled position on the ground. Smart girl.

"You may now plead for me to spare your life," I said simply.