Give What You Can
Chapter 3
Two Messages
Ria appeared out of thin air, stumbled into her father's chamber, and nearly fell face first into his desk.
Issah looked up from his seat, eyeing her quietly while assessing the situation curiously. His eldest daughter was disheveled, incensed, and, by her scent, horny. Her ragged breathing, tattered dress, and the blood smeared papers crunched tightly in her grip was in less than comprehensible condition was a good sign her meeting with his son had not gone well.
He took a sip of his brandy, letting her recover herself.
He could tell a scream, a wrathful wail of anguish was on the tip of her lips. Her face was flushed, eyes strained to the point of nearly bulging, her teeth bared, and claws were clenched to trembling. She recovered slowly, painfully, and with eventual grace as she was able to unclench her hand and drop the docket on Issah's desk.
"L-Lord Father," Ria lowered her head, still trembling in place with her outfit in tattered pieces.
Issah steepled his fingers, looking at her over the top of his long manicured nails. He didn't speak. When he did act, it was to reach over the top of his desk and pluck the crumbled papers in front of him to examine. He took his time smoothing out the creases and placing paper weights on the ends to keep it from collapsing on itself.
Flipping them over one after another, he stopped to read what Tsukune had penned as an addition to the contract:
"At any point should the vampire clans, its associates, its influences or distant members aligned through fake means create scenarios that would make Tsukune Aono and those associated with him by family, blood, and friendship to breach the contract will therefore forfeit the contract and will be nullified upon the first instance. In other words, any scheme to infiltrate, lure, or sabotage the trust of the treaty will make Tsukune and those under his protection either directly or indirectly will be off limits from here to eternity. No other addition or extension will follow unless released by Tsukune and the Lord Father Issah Shuzen in mediation. By our blood, Aono Tsukune and the representative of the Shuzen clan, Sekitan Ria, this document is sealed."
Issah leaned back in his luxurious chair, considering the document and Ria in deadly silence.
Extending his right hand, he tapped on the top of his red stained desk with his nail. It echoed in the vast chamber. An elderly butler came in, dressed sharp and elegant, to approached to Issah's right.
"Copy this and send it to all the vampire leaders. It will be made into effect and treated as royal writ. Any and all complaints or conflicts will be directed to Ria unless escalation is needed. She has my utmost trust and her word and will is an extension of my own." Issah moved the complete file towards the butler.
Picking the papers up by pinching the end as if holding up a smelly sock, the butler gave a mild sniff of annoyance. He lowered his head as he exited the room by Issah's leave.
Ria's head was still lowered. Her skin was a weird mix of ashen white and blotchy red. Her long black hair was disheveled and unkempt. Issah studied her for a minute longer before speaking to her in his regal baritone.
"Lift your head."
She did. Her lips were pressed tight together and her rage was still coming off her in waves.
"It's rare to see anyone get the best of you. I'm sensing Tsukune didn't do this."
"No, Lord Father."
"Then who?"
"Tojo Ruby, his servant. She's a witch that he met over in Witch's Knoll back when he was in Youkai Academy."
Issah pondered on this for a moment, then replied with a bit of amusement. "The place you were going to destroy when we thought Tsukune was dead."
"Yes, Lord Father."
"So she beat you in fair combat?"
"No, Lord Father. I was upholding the terms of the contract as per my punishment."
"You injured her after he signed it?"
"Yes. She threatened you. I wouldn't let that stand."
He smirked, nodding in appreciation. "Thank you. However," He stood up and rounded his desk. Leaning back on the front of the thick wooden top, he folded his arms and lowered his head to look at her in the eye. "You said he signed the document before you acted out, right?"
"Yes, My Lord Father."
"It wasn't sealed at the time."
"No, Lord Father."
"Then why did you feel you needed to accept the punishment if it wasn't a completed document?"
Ria returned Issah's gaze firmly. "I had to make them believe that it was. They were sure the document couldn't be altered at that point, so me going along with a punishment should have hammered it in."
"Then why didn't it?" Issah's eyes narrowed.
Ria looked away to roll it around in her head. "Ruby is not familiar with our legal processes. Tsukune has only dealt with it through verbal agreements and that one time during his marriage certificate with Moka..."
The realization became clear to both of them as soon as she said it.
"She's still there with him at the mansion," Ria said, perturbed and further annoyed at the interference from her sibling.
"She's still doing what she can to help him," Issah nodded in approval. "I'm a little impressed."
"Father," Ria growled, "there is no way you're supporting her interference after everything she has done."
"I support loyalty, my daughter. Just as you are loyal to me, she is loyal to her once mate. Akasha and I have had our squabbles that have turned sour, but those moments are sweetened when a gesture of integrity come to play is the spice of living."
"She thwarted a chance to bring Tsukune into the fold before the hundred year mark."
"We have a whole corporation, lawyers, and thieves, assassins, and politicians at our beck and call to do our bidding, Ria," Issah reminded her, gesturing to the paintings on the wall of different named figures of influence. "He has a loyal ex-mate and a few friends. Does the idea of fighting a worthy rival not please you more than a weak one?"
Ria chewed her lip. The point seemed to have hit home with her and she agreed that it did.
"Go get cleaned up," Issah pushed a stray lock of black hair from Ria's face. "We've got work to do."
"Yes, my Lord Father," Ria bowed and headed off to leave.
"Ria."
"Yes, Lord Father?"
"Ruby Tojo was my son's servant's name, correct?"
"Yes, Lord Father."
"What threat did she give you to end up like this?"
"She said she would bring down the heavens and ride the waves of hell to anyone who would harm Tsukune and her friends. Starting with you."
Issah's teeth flashed from his broad smile. "So how was the torture session she gave you, my daughter?"
"She's a professional, Lord Father. Well trained and an expert in most of the techniques we use here. There were no limits that she wasn't afraid to implement."
"Why do I get the sense that there's more to this than you're telling me?"
"Because there is."
"Then speak."
"Lord Father," Ria exhaled a calming breath. "Everything she did to me, she did to herself twice fold."
Issah's eyebrows rose, amused.
"That is impressive," Issah slowly clapped to Ruby's tenacity. "And your...arousal, my daughter. How did that come into play?"
Ria ground her teeth but answered directly. "Tsukune got a hold of me afterwards, biting me and using my blood to seal the contract. He began to seduce me but refused to complete the act when Ruby sent me here."
"Hmm," Issah nodded, continuing to clap. "Two messages were sent by this event, my daughter. Do you know what they are?"
"I believe I do, Lord Father."
"What is it?"
"One, we underestimated Tsukune and his friends, including Moka. They improvised and are quick to adapt."
"Hmm," Issah nodded, gesturing with his hand for her to continue.
"Two, we would do well just leave them alone and focus on our future endeavors to expand Fairy Tale and the needs of the vampire council."
Issah walked her over to the door, opening it for her. "You missed one thing, and I want to make sure you are aware of it, my daughter."
"Yes, Lord Father?"
"Where did his witch send you?"
"To your office in Akashiya Castle."
"Yes, he did." Issah lifted a finger to emphasize his point. "Who is to say the next time it isn't an army, a bomb, or any other destructive thing with an intent to destroy us all?"
Issah let Ria marinate on that before he excused her out the door.
