The Sky Kingdom Ch. 13

"I know what a Concubine collar is, son, and that is most definitely not one!"

"Father, let's speak in Private, she can wait outside," I replied as calmly as I could while frantically worrying about Scarlett.

"You have no idea what that is do you?" my father stated before he turned to address Scarlett, "Slave come here," he ordered.

Scarlett hesitated searching me out with a terrified look on her face.

"That was an order, when I tell you to come here you do so immediately," he continued coldly as a burst of air made Scarlett stumble forwards.

My worry overcame my own fear as I jumped between my father and Scarlett.

"Please don't hurt her father, she hasn't done anything wrong!" I implored desperately.

"That is yet to be ascertained, now be silent," he continued unphased as he stood menacingly looking past me at Scarlett, "I won't ask again, Slave, come here and present!" my father said in a tone that brooked no argument.

My next plea was immediately cut off by my father with an intimidating look, "Don't make me take your inability to follow simple instructions out on your little slave."

I felt my anger growing but it was countered by Scarlett's calming touch through the bond as she swept past running her hand along my side before flowing lithely into a kneeling position with her head bowed in a supplicatory position.

"She really is quite stunning, although her breasts are a bit on the small side for my liking," my father began while leering down at Scarlett, "and to think she is still meant to be quelled, what a waste that would be."

Scarlett flinched as he drew her hair back and I sprang forwards only to be halted by a wall of air. I tried drawing on my fire core to push through but I could only draw a pittance compared to my father's font driven power. My heart lurched as he grabbed a handful of her hair pulling her head to one side as she let out a squeak of pain. Having exposed her neck, he then ran his finger along the metal fused to her skin before spinning her to inspect her wrists as she stared back at him defiantly.

"As far as I was aware there were only a few of these in the whole kingdom," my father began looking up at me as if it were normal that he had a slave in his grip.

"What do you mean?" I asked gritting my teeth.

"If these are what I think they are then this set is extremely rare. There are only meant to be three and they are all in use," he said as he finally released Scarlett's hair and walked over to me as if Scarlett wasn't even there.

I was happy to keep his attention away from her, "So if it is not a Concubine collar, what is it?"

"Well, it looks older than those I've seen but I'd wager that these are Sorceress Manacles." He replied as I felt shock run down the bond from Scarlett as she gasped out loud.

I looked up sheepishly without any understanding of what that meant as my father turned his attention to Scarlett.

"Do you mean after the fortune I've spent on tutors your uneducated slaved knows more about Sorceress Manacles than you?" he asked with a wry smile, "Join us then slave," he ordered Scarlett while he gestured to a set of four armchairs facing each other to the side of the main table. I took a seat next to my father as Scarlett tentatively stood and moved over to my side reaching for another chair until her eyes met the severe stare of my father and she instead lowered herself to kneel at my side with her shoulder against my leg, head lowered, and arms held behind her.

He then turned his gaze down and leant forwards to address her directly, "Tell me everything you know Slave?"

Scarlett looked up clearly surprised at being spoken to and by his proximity, "Your Grace, I don't know all that much but I was taught that they were an important part of the Magus Wars. I think they were the precursor to the Soul Stone collars used to create Fonts."

"You are better educated than I expected, they were used to protect the Kingdom from Sorceresses, or at least until the Font collars were invented," he explained before he reached out and suddenly pulled her forward by the d-ring of her collar and asked in a dangerous tone, "Which is why I'd like to understand why you have a set bound to you?"

"Your Grace, I don't understand? I'm not gifted, if they were real, they would surely only work on an actual Sorceress?" she asked desperately with a fearful look as she strained against his grip.

"That is exactly what I am wondering, I'm struggling to believe that your being with my son is a mere coincidence," he replied coldly as I felt him extend an aura of intimidation over Scarlett who wilted under it.

"You can't seriously believe that she is a Sorceress Father," I said while placing my hand against the wrist holding Scarlett as I urgently wanted to protect her, "they test for gifted magic and slaves are no exception."

"Your Grace, I was tested a couple of years ago when I turned eighteen, it was negative," Scarlett burst out in a panic as I managed to keep my father's aura from affecting me too much.

"How old are you?" he asked forcefully finally releasing her as she fell back onto her haunches at my feet.

"Twenty, Your Grace," Scarlett replied as she tried to get back into position.

"Father, can you not just check if she is gifted yourself?"

He scoffed at my question, "You should know that only a Sorcerer with a Diviner core can ascertain if someone is gifted before they come into their power. If she is telling the truth then she is too young to have come into her magic," he replied with a patronising tone.

"But can the manacles be used on someone who isn't gifted?" I asked.

My father paused to think over the question before answering, "In theory they could be but to the best of my knowledge they have only ever been used on Sorceresses." He answered as his fervor faded with his response.

My father then stood glaring down at a still bewildered looking Scarlett, "Leave the room and wait for us to call you back in," he ordered as Scarlet scurried out after giving me another panicked look.

"Where in the world did you get the manacles from?" he asked me seriously as the door closed.

"They were a gift, but do you genuinely think she could be gifted?" I asked still shocked.

"Either you are ridiculously lucky and have found yourself a Sorceress or you've wasted one of the rarest artifacts in the kingdom on a pleasure slave," he continued, "I doubt they would work without her being gifted but I honestly don't know for certain. Now tell me, who gifted them to you?"

I was hesitant to say but I'd rarely ever seen my father being this serious, "I think it was Mother who sent them to me," I answered.

My father harumphed as he sat back down, "this does have all the hallmarks of her meddling. How she was able to find another set is beyond me. They should have been used for your bride to be."

"You know about these manacles?" I asked anxious for more information.

My father then lifted his arm pulling his shirt cuff over his wrist to reveal a white and gold bracelet that looked similar to my own.

"I have one of my own linked directly to your mother," he responded calmly.

"WHAT? Are you saying that mother is your slave?" I asked in shock.

"You try telling her that," my father said more light-heartedly before his more serious look returned, "the Royal Family has used Sorceress Manacles for many years. They have been used to prevent gifted family members needing to become Font's but the last spare set was used when your mother and I were married. That is until I saw your slave."

"But why, what is different about them?"

"They use multiple soul stones to link Sorcerer to Sorceress and don't seek to dam the magic of the Sorceress but rather link it through the Sorcerers cores. He can still allow her access to her magic or allow her to feed it into his core," he continued to explain.

"So, if she is gifted, she'll still have access to her magic?" I asked intrigued.

"Only if you allow it, one of the reasons they switched to Font collars is that the Sorceress could withhold magic. I could never use them properly, but the manacles give you the tools to dominate her body but not her magic. If she is gifted, you'll need to find a way to force her to your will. We'll have her tested when we arrive and I have a few trainers in the Capital I'd recommend to completely break her if you don't want to do it yourself," he added nonchalantly at the end as I felt fear for Scarlett once more.

"Is there any way to break the bond?" I asked the question that had been troubling me.

"Only through death, but there is a danger to the survivor as well. Those manacles are too valuable to be wasted if she isn't gifted and it might be much safer for you in those circumstance." He explained as I felt dread rolling through me at his implications.

"Now, I have a certain Seneschal of mine who I need to speak with. Wait here while I fetch him," my father said curtly as he raised his eyebrow to me and left the room

I waited a minute after he left before rushing to the door searching for Scarlett. I found her knelt just outside the door while a few servants moved backwards and forwards working away diligently. She looked up with her still panic-stricken face to see me as I used my hand to gesture for her to join me.

She stumbled in a slightly dazed state over to me as I shut the door and I crushed her into a hug which she reciprocated.

"Master, what's going to happen to me?" she asked still agitated in my arms, "I felt your dread, he's going to kill me, isn't he?"

"Whatever happens I am going to keep you safe. We are bound and nothing can separate us," I said trying to pass warmth down the bond while masking my own fear for her.

"But Master, you don't know how valuable these manacles are! You could break them down to create multiple soul stone collars, what's to stop him, I'm still a black marked slave!" she continued buried in my chest.

"For one, I'm never going to let him, but secondly breaking the bond puts me at risk as well. He might have a cruel streak, but I think he does actually care about me...in so much as me being his only Son and Heir." I added trying to calm her but internally worrying about what he'd do to her if she isn't gifted.

"What do you mean Master?" she asked while separating us and looking up at me with concern having begun to calm from my words.

"Scarlett," I said as I cupped her face, "he believes you could be gifted and if that is the case breaking the bond could be lethal for both of us. The new problem that raises is that he is beginning to wonder where you came from. We can't let anyone find out who your family are, nor that your father is one of the most powerful Sorcerer's in the Kingdom."

"What if I am gifted?" she asked quietly after a pause, "these manacles shouldn't have bound me otherwise," she continued as she held up her wrists to me.

"You seem to know a lot about what they are?"

"My father taught me quite a few things about both Sorcery and history, I know they were used to subjugate powerful Sorceresses during the Magus Wars. They forced them to fight against their own kind!" she replied solemnly.

"You know about the Magus Wars?"

"You won't find it in any common history books but before the war Sorcerers and Sorceresses used to be considered equals. It was a power struggle between the two sides after the discovery of the possible applications for Soul Stone crystals. Sorcerers can sometimes have multiple cores but their strength in each is rarely a match for a Sorceress single core. They used to work in tandem to keep the world safe."

"But isn't Sorceress magic dangerous?" I asked.

"Master, you should know that history is written by the victors. Modern Sorcerer's true power comes from binding gifted women to each of their cores. I always dreamt of what being a Sorceress of old would be like, but no girl will ever get to find out anymore." Scarlett finished in a disappointed tone.

"But maybe you can find out. My father told me I would need to use the manacles to break you to my will to make sure you share your magic with me."

A nervous look flicked across Scarlett's face, "Will you need to hurt me? Don't they already grant you control of my magic?"

"I could never hurt you like that," I said cautiously, "and he told me that you'd still be able to access your magic if it awakens in you."

"I'm not sure I understand Master," she replied questioningly.

"Apparently the Sorceress manacles are different from Font's, they allow me to dominate you but not your magic. If you are gifted the bond allows me to grant or withhold access!"

She looked up with a combination of intrigue and hope as the door behind burst open and I pulled her behind me. Jasper quickly followed my father into the room as I felt Scarlett drop to the floor beside me.

"As I was explaining, your personal Yacht will be waiting to take you to your Winter home on Akana Island and I've arranged for all of Henry's personal belongings to be taken directly to the Sorcerer's academy." Jasper was explaining to my father while trying to keep up with him.

He looked up and finally noticed us, as a look of concern spread over his face.

"Henry, how nice to see you. I'm glad you've decided to keep the little acquisition I picked up for you in Tairhien?" Jasper said jovially giving Scarlett a wink.

"He hasn't just kept her, he bound her with the Sorceress Manacles you gave him." My father said bluntly with a raised voice.

Jasper blanched, "Your grace, I only gave him the Concubine Collar your wife sent as a gift for starting at the academy."

"A concubine collar is Red and Black! Did she even tell you what they were?" he asked angrily gesturing at Scarlett as Jasper noticed the white and gold of the collar and his eyes widened.

"Her note only said to give the set directly to Henry. I'm sorry, I had no idea!" Jasper said looking genuinely bewildered.

My father seeing the truth of his words seemed to calm down.

"Well, he can't be seen with her in public bearing Sorceress Manacles. You know damn well how much his uncle already worries and if he thinks he has more than one powerful Sorceress who knows what he'll do." My father began to discuss with Jasper ignoring Scarlett and me.

"Your Grace, can't you just create a glamour to hide it, just like with the Princess?" Jasper replied as I grew frustrated at being left out.

"Hold on, who is the King worried about?" I butted in.

"YOU!" they both replied in unison.

I felt myself flush, "What do you mean? I'm good with a sword but it's not like I'm a threat with my magic."

"It's why your mother and I kept you distanced from the capital for so long. You are the first Prince of the Royal line to be born with healing magic as your primary core in centuries. The King is the only other powerful male healer in the family but it is not his primary core so he sees you as a direct threat to his position," my father explained as serious as I've ever seen him.

"Princess Eleanor made an agreement with her brother that you could train at the academy but would only be allowed a Font for your lesser cores," Jasper continued as I began to feel anxiety building up inside.

"The problem with a Sorceress Manacles bond is that it can apply to any of your cores. It goes against the agreement, and he is unstable enough to see that as a legitimate reason to get rid of you," my father continued as my thoughts raced endlessly at the consequences of what they were saying as I could barely think straight.

"But healing is good magic, how can I be a threat?"

"When you use your Fire magic are you not also able to put that fire out?" my father asked me.

"I'm still learning but yes," I replied.

"Well, what about with healing? If you can heal at a distance, do you not think you could do the reverse?" he continued.

The implications of what he was saying began to hit home like a sledgehammer as panic froze me in place.

"STOP IT, PLEASE!" Scarlett suddenly burst out as she rose and stood before me, "Please, you are overwhelming him! I can feel his panic!"

The room went deathly silent at as my father and Jasper stood like statues in shock at her surprise interruption. She then turned and took my hand leading me over to a spare armchair nearby.

"Master, sit down, you need to calm down," she said while positioning me in the seat before dropping between my legs. She then reached up to touch my face while locking my attention with her eyes as I felt her care and concern filter through me.

"Thank you," I whispered to her as I felt my senses begin to return.

Jasper was the first to react and came to sit on a chair nearby.

"Sorry my boy. We might have handled that a tad better." He said as my father joined giving Scarlett a piercing look.

"Speak to me again with that insolence and I will have you whipped to within an inch of your life," he stated cruelly to Scarlett who seemed to have already lost her newfound confidence as she wilted once more under his gaze.

"Forgive me, Your Grace. I don't know what came over me." She replied feebly.

"You two share a strong bond, that's why," my father stated unexpectedly.

"That is just the Galatrean crystal in the collar linking us together, we can sense each other's feelings," I replied glad that I knew something and could steer his attention away from Scarlett.

"Except there is no Galatrean crystal in that collar. Soul stone is from the same group of crystals and behaves in a similar way, but it will only react with magic. The fact that you two share such a strong bond answers our question about whether she is gifted or not," my father replied somberly as I felt Scarlett stiffen against me, "and makes this whole situation a hell of a lot more complicated."

"Just where did you find this girl?" my father then asked Jasper.

He looked sheepish, "Your Grace, I was out searching for you in Tairhien and came across her in the Two Rivers facility in the city. You asked me to find a way to get young Henry here to take a slave and when I read her file, I knew she was a perfect fit for him. Apparently, there was even more to her than we'd realised." He said chuckling at the end.

"This all does seem far too convenient. Plus, the fact that there was not just one but two wild sorceresses on this ship," my father then continued, "or maybe the fates are just aligning for you son."

"Two Sorceresses?" I asked with a slight squeak.

"Well, you have your gifted pleasure slave here and I felt an outburst of wild magic on the 1st class decks which we've been trying to track ever since. Jasper here has just been sorting out with the Captain how best to check the passengers as they leave ship once we reach the Sky Port."

"What will you do if you capture her?" I asked nervous about Emily as Scarlett held on tightly to my leg.

"We'd have to follow protocol, take her to one of the King's facilities and claim the bounty. It's a small fortune these days, might even have gone some way to cover the cost of purchasing you your first Font," my father replied, "I wanted it to be a surprise but given your mother has already tried to one up me you might as well have it now."

He then stood and left the room as I sat in silence opposite Jasper.

"Henry, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know," Jasper whispered to me.

"Is that true about Scarlett, did you just find her?" I quietly replied curious as Scarlett perked up beside me.

"Of course, although I'm beginning to think that someone else is pulling the strings around here. I think you need to go see your mother once we've arrived in the capital, she was the one I was already doing business for in Tairhien," he continued to whisper but was cut off as my father returned carrying an ornate metal box handing it to me.