All source material belongs to their respective owners.
Special thanks to Midnight Lost and Zweig for their contributions, and my Patron Fighting Joe.
Chapter Eight: Eternal Devotion, the story of Luca.
Within the kitchen area of Naruto's private tent, Luca could be seen working hard as she prepared for tonight's dinner. The young Half-Elf was sipping at some broth as she tasted the flavor, her eyes narrowed in deep concentration as she slowly savored the taste. "This time... this time for sure, I'll get it right." She muttered quietly to herself as she seemed to zip around the kitchen with an almost fanatic and determined zeal.
She began cutting apart slices of pork to go with tonight's dish and her hands moved in a flurry as she worked. The sound of metal on wood was rhythmic and soothing, like the beat of a drum or the thrumming of a heart. It was all rather calming. She then stopped for a moment as she stared at the blade in her hand, her own eyes being reflected back at her as a strong sense of nostalgia overcame her as her mind drifted towards the day she met the man who would be her master.
Flashback.
"Here's a rare and exquisite collector's item. A Dark Elf! While she may be part human, she is still very much a Dark Elf." The Head Slaver announced towards a group of potential buyers. All of them were wearing masks to hide their faces and identities. Luca sneered in disgust at them as she hugged her knees to her chest, which is all she could really do since her cage was far too small to move around in as she was also forced to sit in her own filth.
She used to be one of many street urchins, scratching a living out by stealing what she needed to survive and hid her ears by growing out her hair or using a hood… until she was eventually caught. When it was discovered that she was a Dark Elf, she was immediately crammed into a cage and sent off to the slave markets. Now here she was. It wasn't a matter of 'If' somebody bought her but 'when'.
"Heh. What a pretty little thing she is. I would enjoy having her in my bed. I am certain my dogs would also enjoy using her as their bitch." A fat human, possibly a nobleman, stated as he held onto the leash of a trio of hunting dogs who were barking, snapping, and snarling at her as their owner chuckled and added "Now now boys, save that energy for later when you're plowing into her... or tearing her to pieces."
"How uncouth and wasteful. Such a rare find should be treated with a little more... care." Another human stated, a thin man who was rubbing his hands together while licking his lips, making his intentions quite clear. The other humans all began chattering amongst themselves, speaking in explicit detail of their intentions towards the poor girl, almost as if they wanted her to know of what they had planned for her so that she may stew in her torment. It was likely they wanted to see her beg, plead or cry... but she wasn't going to let them have that satisfaction.
Just what in the actual hell was wrong with these people anyway? Why did they treat her kind like this? Why were they so cruel to her kind? What did the Dark Elves ever do to the humans to deserve being treated like this? Was there even a specific reason? Was it because she was different from them? Did the color of her skin or her ears somehow make her lesser? Or was it simply because they could? Because they could treat her this way without any repercussions or consequences?
She glared at them as she thought to herself 'Humans... they're so... so horrible. I think the world would be a better place if all the humans would just disappear. I hate them. I hate them. I HATE THEM! IHATETHEMHATETHEMHATETHEM!' She screamed in her own mind as her hatred and loathing for the species grew with each passing second as the humans bid on her, staring at her like some prized animal.
"Selling for twenty thousand gold. Going once. Going twice...!" The head slaver called out as the nobleman who wanted to use her as a plaything for his dogs, was about to win the auction, until a new voice called out "Wait just a second!"
"Hm?" The head slaver blinked in confusion as he and the other humans turned to face the newcomer. It was a blonde haired boy wearing a Hannya mask who approached Luca's cage, looking her over with a scrutinizing gaze. Many of the other potential buyers began whispering amongst themselves, wondering who the boy could be. Perhaps the son of a noble family? The heir to a big Merchant's guild? Regardless, it seemed like he was just some brat looking for a potential pet.
Luca glared at the Hannya masked boy with clear contempt, but the boy ignored her as he approached the Head Slaver who was in charge of the auction and said "I don't have hard coin to buy her with, but I think I have something better to trade for her. An enchanted item."
The Head Slaver's eyes widened at that, as did the others. "An enchanted item you say?" He asked curiously as the blonde boy nodded. He then reached into his jacket and pulled out a small gold ring that had some form of runes engraved upon it.
"What does this ring do?" The Head Slaver asked curiously, taking the ring into his hand and holding it up to the light.
"It is a ring of duplication. Simply put it on, touch an object you wish to duplicate, say the magic word 'Divitiae' and then state how many copies you wish to create. The catch is that it doesn't work on living things such as animals or people... but you can use it on gold, gemstones, rare metals and such things. To my knowledge, this ring was created by an Elven Enchanter some centuries ago." The boy explained, which caused the others to begin whispering to each other once more.
'What?! A ring that can copy any kind of object?! That would be extremely valuable if he's telling the truth! Even if it is only limited to inanimate objects, it would still be worth a fortune! I must have it! I MUST HAVE IT!' The Head Slaver thought greedily as he stared at the ring. He then turned towards the boy and asked "Would you mind if I test this ring out before selling you the girl? I have to ensure its authenticity."
"Sure, what say we take this to your office and bring the girl with us? Those other buyers are giving me nasty looks." The boy requested, which the Head Slaver quickly agreed with as he plucked a key from his pocket and unlocked the young Half-Elf's cage as he dragged her out by her hair as he escorted the boy to his private office. Once inside the office, the Head Slaver slammed the door behind them and locked it behind them and then roughly tossed Luca to the floor.
"Alright, time to see what this baby can do." The Head Slaver grinned excitedly, practically salivating at the thought of the wealth that would soon be his. The Head Slaver as he slipped the ring on his finger, which seemed to magically expand in order to accommodate his size, which was a good sign. In the background Luca was curled up into a ball, quietly seething as she glared up at the boy who was going to buy her, however she noticed that the Hannya masked boy was quietly watching the slaver.
The old man chuckled to himself as he plucked a single gold coin from his private safe and was grinning with a mad gleam in his eye. "Hehehehe... I hope this works. If so, then this would make me the richest man in all the realms! AHAHAHAHAHA!" The Head Slaver laughed loudly as the blonde haired boy just calmly watched the old man.
"Now... how many coins should I make? I know! How about a million?!" The Head Slaver declared with a mad cackle as he rubbed the ring against the coin. The runes glowed brightly as the Head Slaver grinned and shouted "DIVITIAE! MILLION!"
Luca and the boy watched in complete surprise as the golden coin in the old man's hands suddenly duplicated and became a literal pile of gold coins. The gold coins covered the floor and spilled over the edges, creating a large hill of coins within the office. The old man stared at the coins, his eyes widening in surprise and disbelief at what he was seeing.
"I... I can't believe it... it really works." He muttered, his body quivering as he slowly looked down at the ring on his finger, the gleam of madness growing within his eyes as he grinned widely, his teeth showing. His glee however was short lived as he suddenly clutched at his chest, his energy feeling drained as his already aged body now seemed to be growing even older by the second.
"One thing I forgot to mention... Remember that I said that ring was created by an Elven enchanter? Well, he added a small twist to that ring in case anyone stole it. For every object that is duplicated, a person loses one day of their life span. So, say, you create twenty gold coins that means twenty days off your life. For an elf? That doesn't mean anything given that they are ageless beings. For a human? That can add up very quickly. You're already old so... well, I don't think you're long for this world now." The boy explained, which made the old man's eyes widen in realization.
The old slaver then fell back and slumped to the floor as the ring drained away his life until he became a skeleton, barely held together by his own skin. The ring slipped off his finger, seemingly of its own accord as it rolled towards the blonde boy's foot who casually plucked it from off of the floor and pocketed it. He then went over to the dead man's body and unhooked the set of keys from the slaver's belt and casually twirled them around his finger. "Allow me to properly introduce myself... the name's Naruto Uzumaki-Discordia." He spoke as he removed his mask, revealing his face and whisker adorned cheeks.
He then walked over to her and crouched down to better meet her gaze as he gave her a friendly smile, even as she hissed and glared at him almost like a cat. "Don't you dare touch me. You even think of touching me and I'll bite out your throat!" She snarled at him, she was fully prepared to fight tooth and nail for her freedom now that she was finally out of that damn cage.
"Before you get the idea of bolting out that door to freedom, I must remind you that there are still armed guards around that will clap you in irons and toss you back into your cage as soon as they see you. On the off-chance that you managed to escape, you would eventually be found again by some other humans and sold into slavery yet again the moment you set foot in a town or village. You could have a go out in the wilderness, but unless you know how to hunt, forage, or build a proper shelter, you won't last long if you go that route either." Naruto informed her, causing the girl's eyes to widen in fear and despair as she realized that there was no way for her to get away from the humans. She was trapped.
"You humans... you humans are the worst. Is it not enough for you to strip away our pride and freedom? You have to... you also have to steal away our hopes and dreams?" Luca whimpered softly, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes as she began sobbing, her rage beginning to boil over as she lunged towards the desk and grabbed the first object she could find, a letter opener and threw herself at the blonde. "Die! DIE DIE DIE! YOU AND ALL THE OTHER HUMANS BURN IN HELL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO US! YOU'RE ALL MONSTERS! MONSTERS!" She screamed in her rage and despair.
He calmly grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her attack as he stared at her with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "I know how you feel. I truly do." He spoke softly, causing the girl to pause as she stared at him. Her anger ebbing away and morphing into confusion.
"What did you say? How can you possibly know how I feel?! You're a human! How can you possibly understand how I feel?! How could a human possibly understand the pain and suffering my people have gone through?!" Luca growled at him.
"Because... I too know what it's like to suffer from the cruelty of humanity. I know how it feels to be trapped without a clear future in sight. I know how it feels to be treated with contempt by others because of the circumstances of my birth. I know how it feels to be looked down on, spit on, laughed at, ridiculed, and bullied for people's selfish reasons or lack thereof. I know how it feels to be viewed as nothing but a resource at best and vermin at worst. Trust me when I say... I know how you feel. All that pain, all that anger, all that sadness and loneliness, I know them all too well." Naruto answered her, his expression one of deep understanding.
Luca was surprised at his words, her eyes widening in surprise. "How can you possibly understand? How can you possibly understand that sort of pain?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She stared into his eyes and saw nothing but the bare faced truth... his blue eyes mirrored her amber eyes. They both had eyes filled with anger, loneliness, and hate. Unlike hers though, his were full of kindness.
"Your eyes... there is a certain kindness about them... why?" Luca asked, unable to wrap her mind around it.
"Because I found people that lifted me up, helped make me into something better, and saved me from myself. You have a choice now, come with me or take your chances on your own. The choice is yours." Naruto told her as he released his hold on her wrist and stepped back from her, allowing her the choice to decide what she wished to do.
Luca blinked in confusion and surprise, having expected the boy to have done something to her while she was vulnerable. She wanted to curse at him, she wanted to attack him, she hated all humans... but this one, was the very first human that showed her any form of compassion. She didn't know what to make of this boy. Was he a rare human with a conscience or a trap designed to trick her into lowering her guard so that he could take advantage of her?
'Why is he being so kind to me? It makes no sense. I've never met a human before that was nice to me, let alone another person. He could have simply left me here and no one would have known... but instead, he offered me a choice. Why? What reason would he have for saving me?' Luca wondered, staring at him as she thought over her options. She was scared, terrified even, but the prospect of staying here and being a slave was far more terrifying than following this young human boy.
She clicked her tongue and spoke "Fine... I don't have much in the way of options. I'll play along... for now, but if you try anything funny, I'll cut off your genitals."
Naruto chuckled and nodded his head. "I would expect nothing less. Now then, bear with me for a bit, at least until we're in the clear." He spoke as he retrieved a set of shackles from the nearby wall and clapped them on her wrist. "I'm sorry, but this is just to maintain appearances." He apologized as he replaced his Hannya mask. The black haired Half-Elf gave a disgusted scoff, but knew that it would be best to play along for now.
There was a soft rattle, alerting the two to another presence in the office, prompting the Uzumaki to investigate and peer behind a set of large and expensive looking vases where he found a young girl with purple hair cowering in fear, the shackles on her legs and ankles rattling as she trembled in fear. It would seem that the now deceased slaver had kept a Tiefling as his own personal slave. The whiskered boy grinned as he held up the keys he confiscated from the dead slaver and dropped them in the girl's lap as he spoke "Make good use of those."
The purple haired girl stared at the key in surprise, and then looked up at the blonde haired human wearing the Hannya mask. She could only watch as he left the office and dragged the half-elf behind him, leaving her in the dead man's office with the keys in her lap. The girl then snatched the keys up and began to unlock her shackles. Meanwhile Luca followed behind Naruto and kept her head low, pretending to be a beaten slave as Naruto led her out of the slave market, acting like he was the new master.
He passed by the other slavers and customers without a second glance and made his way towards the exit, his pace neither slow or fast as he appeared casual. Eventually, they made their way out of the slave market and walked into the crowded streets, the two of them were nearly shoulder to shoulder and the bustling crowds as the blonde haired boy continued on, leading the black haired half-elf along with him. Even as she followed close behind him, Luca embraced the warm sunlight washing over her... finally seeing the skies once more after so long in a cage.
She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the sun's rays, letting her troubles melt away as the wind blew through her hair and she took a deep breath, exhaling in contentment. She smiled and opened her eyes, her gaze drifting up to the sky and seeing the birds flying around, a sign of freedom and the chance to escape her bonds. She could try to leave right now and disappear into the crowds... but something in her gut told her to stay with him. He had been the only human who ever showed an inkling of respect and kindness to her... also, she didn't like the idea of owing a debt to a human. Just for now, she would stay with him and repay that debt.
"By the way, I don't think I got your name." He asked as he looked over her shoulder towards him, after a few moments, she gave him a little smile and responded "Luca. My name is Luca."
End Flashback.
Luca sighed as she ceased her musings and returned to cooking, brushing some of her hair to the side as she stirred some noodles. She heard the sounds of footsteps approaching and saw the form of the Princess Prim appear with a smile on her face as she sniffed at the air. "Ah, smells good. What is that you are cooking?" She asked curiously, peeking over Luca's shoulder.
"Please do not distract me. This dish MUST be PERFECT." The ravenette spoke, her words carrying an unusual amount of weight as she turned her attention back to her task. This made the pinkette raise an eyebrow, wondering why the young Half-Elf was concentrating so hard on this particular dish.
"Why? Is it a complex recipe that needs careful preparation?" She asked curiously, her head tilted slightly to the side.
"No, nothing that complicated. In fact, it is actually quite simple." The ravenette spoke calmly as she focused on the task at hand, her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth in concentration before she then added "If you must know... this dish means a lot to Naruto-sama."
"Is that so? Is this some sort of favorite meal of his? Or a special occasion of sorts?" The pinkette inquired, her interest piqued as she wanted to know why Luca was focusing so much effort into a simple meal.
"Yes, and no. I guess you could say it is his favorite dish, but the true reason is something else entirely." The Half-Elf explained, causing the princess to tilt her head slightly and wonder why this dish was so important to the blonde.
"Then may I ask, what is the true reason? If it's not his favorite, then what is it?" She asked curiously, her violet-blue eyes watching the young Half-Elf curiously, eager to learn what made this meal so special. Luca chuckled a bit, finding Prim's purity and innocence to be rather endearing. While she may be a human, she was a sort of human that she could tolerate. After all, she held no malice or ill intentions in her heart, nor did she ever look down on her for being a Dark Elf. Not to mention there was the fact that she put her life on the line for her cousin. Anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for love couldn't be a bad person.
"I suppose there is no harm in telling you. It is a dish that holds great meaning for him. It is a dish that is meant to bring him comfort and solace. A bowl of Miso Ramen to be exact. You see, Naruto-sama has told me that there is a place in his homeland where there is a shop called 'Ichiraku's' that serves a certain type of cuisine called Ramen. This particular style of food is one that he is quite fond of and is one of the few things he misses about his homelands. I have tried and tried to recreate this dish from what vague memories he possesses. This will be attempt number 3,097." Luca explained, causing Prim's eyes to widen in surprise at the number.
"You've been trying that long? That many times?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes. Ever since he took me in. I am determined to recreate the dish for him, but no matter how hard I try... it is still not up to par. I have yet to achieve perfection, but I will keep trying until I can create the perfect Ramen bowl for him. The very same one that those Ichiraku's served him! He told me those humans treated him with kindness. That they were one of the few establishments that would serve him food, that sometimes they would give him a free meal if he didn't have enough money. If I can get this recipe right, if I can remake the Ichiraku Ramen he loves so much... then... then...!" Luca began, her hands balling into fists as her face was flushed and her heart was racing. Her chest was tightening up, causing her breath to become ragged and heavy as her heart raced and her chest was tight with emotions.
"Then...?" Prim questioned, tilting her head and blinking curiously. She had no idea what was going through the girl's mind, nor why she was reacting so strongly.
"Then I can show my worth to him! His happiness means everything to me! I want him to smile and laugh! To live in bliss! I will do anything to achieve this goal! Even if I have to die a hundred times, I will do whatever it takes to please him! I would prove to him that I am also worthy of being his wife! I want him to take me! To claim me! To breed me! To fill me with his seed and give me his children! I want him to give me his love, affection, and attention! I want to have a family with him!" Luca roared passionately, her amber eyes glowing with her emotions and her face flushing redder and redder by the second. Her entire body was hot and trembling, her heart beating fast and hard as her chest heaved.
Prim could only stare at the half-elf in confusion, her face dusted red at the girl's sudden passionate declaration. She had no idea where all of this was coming from, but it was obvious that the ravenette had some serious feelings for her master. "Why do you feel so strongly for him?" Prim asked curiously, blushing slightly as she rubbed her thighs together.
Luca didn't answer as she resumed her cooking, but her mind couldn't help but drift to those first days of service.
Flashback.
Luca stared in awe as she stared up at the throne of none other than Olga Discordia, the infamous Dark Queen of the Legion. A pure blooded Dark Elf who has been waging war against Eos for nigh on centuries. The queen smiled a bit and spoke in a regal tone "Well, well. My child left to investigate the workings of the slave markets, and he comes back with one of our kin in tow. How exquisite. Luca, he called you." She commented, her eyes taking in the form of the dark haired half-elf.
The girl in question raised an eyebrow and asked "Child? What child? It was a human boy that brought me back. Even a blind man could see that he didn't have an ounce of Elf Blood in him. High or Dark." At her words, the queen gave a mirthful chuckle as she rested her chin on an open palm, while another Dark Elf with blonde hair was hiding an amused grin behind a gloved hand.
"My son. Naruto. He may not be of my blood or bear the blood of the Dark Elves but he is still mine." The dark haired queen stated, causing Luca's eyes to widen and her jaw to drop.
"You mean that human... is your SON?!" Luca exclaimed, unable to believe what she was hearing. The Dark Elf Queen herself... had adopted a human boy as her child?! That didn't make sense! The infamous Olga Discordia was supposed to hate humans, just the same as she did! She couldn't possibly have raised a human child, much less one with such kindness in his heart!
"Indeed. It's a long story. Perhaps someday you will hear the whole tale. For now though, we must get you acclimated to your new duties." The Queen spoke as she rose from her throne and walked down the steps towards the younger Dark Elf.
"Duties? What duties?" Luca questioned, unsure what was going on. It then clicked in her mind what the queen spoke of as she responded "Oh, you mean I gotta repay my debt to him? Yeah. Sure. I'll do what he needs till my debt is paid and then..." She was cut off mid-sentence as there was a flash of lightning and sound of thunder. Luca felt her hair being parted followed by the smell of it burning, she looked over her shoulder and saw a scorch mark just behind her as she touched her fingertips to her singed hair.
She then slowly turned towards the Dark Queen, who now had an angry look on her face. "Have you no honor or pride?! Do you not call yourself a Dark Elf? Are you not aware of the debt you truly owe? Just as I saved my dear aide Chloe from the bonds of slavery, so too has my son delivered you from your own bonds. He saved you from further torture, from being raped, from being used as a breeding sow and who knows what other depravities would have been forced on you.
There is by only one means that you can adequately repay him... you owe him a life debt. He saved you from a fate worse than death. You owe him not just a debt, but your very life itself and all that you are. As of today, you will serve at his beck and call. You will cook for him, clean for him, bathe him, assist him in his duties, guard him with your life, and should he demand it you will carry his children for him. From here on, he is your lord and master. Do I make myself clear?" Olga asked, her tone and words brokering no room for argument.
The girl gulped, feeling like her very soul had been judged and weighed. Her amber eyes were wide and her body trembled, unable to believe what she was hearing. Was she expected to give herself to the human boy? Was she expected to be his servant for the rest of her life?! No... not just his servant... his slave. Was this part of his plan? To force her into his debt?
"N... no. I... I won't serve him! I'm not a slave anymore! I refuse! I will not submit to a human! I'd rather die!" Luca snarled with her hackles raised, baring her teeth in defiance.
"That can be arranged. My son could easily have left you to your fate and let those slavers do with you as they pleased. Instead, he had the decency and compassion to show mercy to a stranger and save them from a terrible fate. If you can't even return the favor and show a small amount of gratitude... then perhaps he was mistaken in saving you." The Elf Queen spoke, her words carrying an air of finality as her golden eyes narrowed.
"But...!" Luca began, but was interrupted by the sound of the queen's voice.
"If you're not going to repay the debt that you owe him then I have no choice but to smite you. As painful as it is to me to strike down one of my own kind, the debt must be settled. I cannot let a worthless wretch like you sully the honor of our people. A life for a life. You were saved, now your life is his. Serve him, or die. Your choice." The Dark Queen declared, her face void of emotion and her eyes cold and hard as she held out a hand and prepared to deliver the final blow.
"WAIT! PLEASE! I'll do it! I'll... I'll serve him! Please don't kill me!" Luca pleaded, falling to her knees and prostrating herself before the queen. The black haired queen smiled in approval and withdrew her hand.
"A wise decision. Very well, from here on, you shall serve him until Death itself comes to take you. You shall refer to him as Lord Naruto or Naruto-sama. He will treat you with kindness and respect, and you will serve him as if he were a king, for he is to be the general of my mighty army." The Dark Queen explained, a satisfied smile on her face.
Olga then turned towards her own loyal aide and spoke "Chloe, give Luca a change of clothes and see to it that she is bathed." The blonde Half-elf nodded as she gave the young ravenette a light shove and escorted her towards a bathing chamber for cleaning. Now that she thought about it, Luca couldn't remember a time when she had a proper bath. She recalled dipping her body into a river to clean herself as an urchin, but during her time in the slave pens, she wasn't allowed to bathe at all in any form. It was amazing that she hadn't caught some weird disease. Then again, did Elves even get sick?
The young half-elf was stripped down and her body was washed, she was then dressed in an outfit similar to Chloe's. "Come, I will show you to the young master's chambers. The sooner you begin your duties, the better." The Blonde aide spoke as she directed her fellow Half-Elf to Naruto's chambers.
Luca was feeling rather refreshed as her skin was soft and smooth, her hair was brushed, her body was washed and her teeth were brushed. Chloe had taken her time to thoroughly scrub and clean every inch of her body. While she hated the idea of being a servant to a human even if she owed a Life Debt, she would admit that it felt nice to be cleaned properly. "Oi, Chloe right? You're a Half-Elf like me... why did the Queen adopt that Naruto kid? Why do you even tolerate him? He's human isn't he? What's the game?" She asked curiously, wondering what made that boy special.
The blonde Half-Elf chuckled her ruby red eyes twinkling with amusement and spoke "Trust me, you and I share the same enmity and hate towards humans. I too also suffered immensely as a slave. However Naruto-sama is... no... I will not tell you. You will need to see for yourself with your own eyes."
Chloe opened a set of double doors and ushered Luca inside, the latter's eyes widened as she saw the Uzumaki was working on some sort of large and complex looking machine, the likes of which she had never seen before nor could she even begin to guess what purpose it served. She saw the whiskered boy himself wiping his hands with a rag, trying to remove what appeared to be grease and oil from them as he gazed upon his work. "Your servant is here Naruto-sama. Make good use of her." Chloe spoke with a slight smirk on her face, which didn't go unnoticed by the raven haired elf.
"Thanks Chloe. You may go now. I'll have this piece of the machine sent down to the basement later." He spoke, prompting the blonde aide to respectfully bow before departing. His words made Luca raise an eyebrow when he said 'This piece'. Does that mean that this huge-ass machine was but part of an even larger and more complex contraption? Just what in the world was he trying to build?
"My apologies for this. The whole 'Life Debt' thing wasn't my idea, however mother was adamant. Something about 'preserving the honor of the Dark Elves and their legacy'. If it's any consolation, I don't intend to force you to do anything beyond your capabilities or against your will. You will be my attendant and companion, not a slave or concubine." He spoke as he approached her, making her eyes narrow a bit.
"Tch. Like I'm supposed to believe that. Humans can't be trusted. You're all the same. I don't care how 'kind' or 'nice' you pretend to be, eventually the monster within will show itself." She spoke bitterly, now realizing she had simply exchanged one set of shackles in exchange for another. She wasn't free after all.
"Guess I can't blame you for that. I'm not particularly fond of humans myself." He spoke in a half-serious and half-joking tone, his words making Luca raise an eyebrow. Just what did he mean by that? Was that meant to be a serious statement? A human that hated other humans? It didn't make any sense, though... when he earlier spoke about understanding her pain... she knew right then and there somehow that his words were true. He wasn't lying when he said he understood.
"Mah. Don't worry about it. You mind making some tea, please?" He asked, his words shocking the Half-Elf as he was asking politely rather than commanding or ordering her. She could only blink at him, still trying to wrap her mind around the concept that a human was actually asking politely rather than demanding or barking orders.
"Hmph. Fine." Luca muttered as she made her way to a nearby kitchen area, preparing to make a kettle of tea for him. A little bit later she returned with a kettle of tea and a cup as she placed them down on a nearby desk then crossed her arms. "Well? Drink up. You wanted tea, I made it. There. You happy?" She asked, not expecting the smile that came to his face.
"Much obliged." He replied as he poured himself a cup then took a sip, after doing so he looked down at his cup and gave a disappointed sigh. "Wow... no offense meant, but this is really bad." He stated, his words causing her eyes to widen and her hands to tremble a bit.
"Well what do you expect?! I've never made tea before! I just imitated what I remembered from watching other people make it." She snapped angrily, not appreciating his criticism.
"That's fair, and honestly you have no training or experience in making tea. This is a first try, so you've got potential." He admitted, his words shocking her. She was expecting him to criticize her further or berate her, but he did neither.
"At any rate, you mind grabbing a book for me? It's a red leather journal marked 'Research notes'. I'd get it myself, but am at a critical juncture here and..." He explained and then a creaking sound came from the machine he was working on, prompting him to rush back and dove headfirst into some sort of chute, the sounds of tinkering and metal banging on metal could be heard. Luca had no idea what the hell was going on or what just happened.
"Book's on the desk! I REALLY need it, please!" He shouted urgently, his voice echoing from the machine. She could only blink her eyes as she walked over to his desk... where a number of books were strewn about and many of them were red.
"Umm... I don't know which one it is! I can't read!" Luca admitted, prompting the boy to stop tinkering with the machine and popped his head out and looked at her in shock.
"You can't read?!" He asked incredulously, making her grit her teeth.
"No. Not all of us had the privilege of learning how to read or write! You have no idea what it's like to..." She shouted at him, only for him to cut her off as he shouted "IT'S GONNA BLOW!" He then leapt out from the machine and tackled her to the ground, using his own body to shield her from harm as there was a sudden explosion that erupted from the contraption.
After the dust had settled, Luca's eyes slowly fluttered open as the Uzumaki got up from off of her and was now rubbing the back of his head "Damn. Need to improve the stability to avoid future explosions. Ah well. I was kinda expecting this." He muttered to himself as he then extended a hand to the ravenette to help her up.
Luca hesitantly took his hand and got up from off the ground, her amber eyes now gazing towards the smoking remains of his contraption. "What... just happened? What is that thing?" She asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
"Hmm? Oh, just a project I've been working on. A bit of magic and technology mixed together, unfortunately, magic isn't an exact science so stuff like this happens every so often. Still, if I can get it right then it'll be a major success. That said... we should see about teaching you to read and write." He explained, his words making her eyes widen in shock.
"Wait, what?! You want to teach me how to read? How to write?" She asked in disbelief, she was an elf and he was a human. A human offering to teach her the arts of reading and writing? This had to be some sort of sick joke, or perhaps the boy was just crazy.
"Why not? It'd help you in the long run." He spoke as if it were the most simple thing in all the world.
"But... what about your machine? Don't you need to work on that? It looks important." She pointed out, finding it difficult to imagine why he would take the time to teach her if he had other things to worry about.
"It's not going anywhere anytime soon. Besides, it'll take me a while to salvage what parts I can and figure out what went wrong. In the meantime, you can learn a bit about reading, writing and arithmetic." He offered with a sincere smile on his face, it was clear that he didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"You... really are something else aren't you? Alright, I'll play along. Just... don't expect me to like you. You're still human. I don't trust you. You may act kind and nice, but... the real monster will eventually come out. Even if you are adopted by the Queen, I don't see what she sees in you." She stated firmly, her eyes hard and her words were laced with a venomous tone.
If he was offended by her words, he certainly didn't show it. "Well, before we begin learning, we should eat. Have a seat and I'll make some food. Hope you like Ramen." He spoke, his words earning a look of horror and disgust from her.
"Raw men? Raw MEN?! You're a cannibal?!" She asked in revulsion and fear, thinking that he was a deranged psychopath
.
Naruto just laughed and said quickly "No! I didn't say raw men! I said RAH-MEN! Sorry, I forget it isn't a native dish to Eos. It's a noodle dish. Here, I'll show you." He explained as he began cooking up a quick meal, which didn't take long at all. Luca found herself intrigued by the aroma that filled the air. It wasn't like anything she had ever smelled before, and soon two bowls were set before her, the ravenette eyed the dish before her skeptically.
"It's fine. It won't hurt you, I promise. It has pork in it." He reassured her, his words still made her a bit wary, but the scent and appearance was very enticing. Hesitantly she lifted the bowl to her mouth and took a tentative sip. Her eyes widened in surprise and pleasure as she felt the soup wash over her tongue, the flavor was like nothing she had ever experienced before. The pork was also a welcomed addition, her mouth watered and her taste buds were stimulated. She then began to greedily slurp the broth and noodles, not noticing that Naruto had a small grin on his face.
"Hey, take it easy. You're going to give yourself a stomach ache." He warned her, causing her to stop and put down the bowl as a sheepish blush came to her face.
"S...sorry. Guess I got a bit carried away. It's... surprisingly good... I never thought humans made food this good. I only ever survived on what scraps I could steal or whatever was given to me while I was in that cage." She admitted, prompting him to nod his head in understanding.
"Not surprised. This is what is called Miso Ramen. There are plenty of other kinds though. It's a type of food that means a lot to me." He explained, his words causing her to look at him in confusion.
"Why's that? Did the queen make it for you? Or does it remind you of someone?" She asked, wondering what the significance was.
"It reminds me of a father and daughter pair that treated me with kindness. It is perhaps one of the few things I miss about my old homeland. I've been trying to recreate the recipe myself, but haven't had much success. Would be nice if I could get a taste of that ramen again." He replied with a chuckle. Wait, did that mean he wasn't originally from Eos?
Luca observed him as she continued to eat her meal, even as she tasted it, she could tell a lot of love and care went into its creation. After a few minutes, the bowl was clean, her stomach was full and the taste was still on her tongue.
"I guess I can admit that humans are capable of making food that tastes good." She relented, a smile coming to the Uzumaki's face.
"Great! Now, shall we begin learning how to read and write? We'll also have to teach you how to fight and protect yourself. Mother doesn't want you to become a simple housekeeper, she wants you to be a full-fledged attendant, not that I disagree with her since I'd feel better if you're able to defend yourself when it comes down to the wire. Also, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask." He explained, his words taking her by surprise. He was teaching her how to read and write... how to fight? Why was he willing to go through all this trouble? He was definitely a strange specimen of a human.
"Alright... I'm ready to learn. Just... don't expect me to become buddy-buddy with you or anything." She replied, her words making him nod his head.
"I won't. Though it would be nice if we became friends." He stated, his words causing her to blink her eyes in surprise. She had never had a friend before. All her life she had been treated like a piece of property or trash. No one had ever bothered to treat her like a person or shown her compassion or empathy. He was certainly unlike anyone she had ever encountered. She smirked a bit, her heart feeling a little flutter. Perhaps... it wouldn't be so bad serving this one. Now that she thought about it... if that Ramen bowl meant so much to him, perhaps she could attempt to recreate it on his behalf?
If she did so, then perhaps she could repay some of the kindness he had shown her.
End flashback.
"Everything okay there Luca? You seem lost in thought there." The voice of her master spoke as he and the two princesses sat at the dinner table, with the young Half-elf briefly forgetting where she was and what she was doing, his words snapping out of her musings. She found herself holding a tray of four large bowls of Miso Ramen as she had been preparing the meal while reminiscing.
"Everything is fine. Please enjoy the meal." She stated as she served her master, followed by the princesses and then herself. Luca then quickly set about getting beverages, ranging from lemonade, water, and wine. Once the young Half-Elf took her own seat, she stared at her master in anticipation, waiting for him to try her Ramen once more, hoping that she had finally gotten the recipe right.
His eyes widened in surprise as the taste, flavors, and texture washed over his tongue and the nostalgic memory came rushing back. It had been a year since she had started trying to recreate his favorite dish, and while she hadn't gotten it exactly right, she was now only a few minor tweaks away from replicating the original recipe.
"Mmm. This tastes amazing, Luca. I can say with confidence that you've almost succeeded in recreating the Ichiraku Ramen recipe. You made way more progress than I ever did." He admitted, making her beam with pride at the compliment, especially since he had never lied or flattered her to make her feel better. The Uzumaki was always brutally honest and didn't sugar coat things. For a while, she wanted nothing more than to be free of Humans... now there was something she wanted even more, the love of her she still hadn't reached perfection, it was heartening to know that her master still enjoyed her cooking.
"Once this meal is done, we shall have our duel. No more delays!" Alicia spoke as she slurped up some of her own noodles.
"Wait... duel?! You dare?! I knew you couldn't be trusted! Human filth! I will cut you down for my master's honor! Heathen! Traitor! Harpy!" Luca snarled as her hands gripped her chopsticks tightly, a fire in her eyes and a look of determination and resolve etched on her face making everyone sweat-drop... they had forgotten that Luca wasn't present when Alicia issued her challenge to the Hannya. It would seem that peace would need to be restored before that duel were to take place.
Meanwhile. Geofu, the White Citadel.
Celestine carefully approached the meeting point, a statue of the Goddess that she was the reincarnation of that stood within a local park. The sort of place that was public enough for a meeting to make her feel safe, but private enough that prying ears and eyes would not overhear them, soon she would meet with this 'R' person. She had to know what they had to tell her, especially if it had to do with any potential corruption that had seeped within the Church.
She looked around, searching for any signs of others, but didn't see anyone present. She then followed the instructions given to her by the note and raised her left hand and turned around three times to identify herself as instructed. After a few moments, she heard the sounds of movement coming from behind the statue from a blind spot. A surly looking man emerged, his cheeks flushed with the influence of alcohol as evidenced by the bottle in his hand. Was this man supposed to be 'R'?
"Excuse me, are you 'R'?" She asked him, catching his attention as he looked towards her. A lecherous grin crossing his face as he took in her features, even with her hood and cloak on, it was easy to see that she was a highly attractive woman. The looks he was giving her made her skin crawl as she uncomfortably took a step back without realizing it.
"What're you doing out here all alone pretty lady? Not safe to be out here at night. You could get mugged, or worse." He spoke, though his tone was anything but well-meaning as he approached. Celestine came to the conclusion that this was not 'R' if he had to ask why she was here. Just some random drunkard she supposed.
"My apologies for disturbing you. I'm expecting someone, or rather, someone is expecting me." She replied politely, her words causing him to grin a bit.
"No one here but us pretty lady. What say we have some fun, eh?" He spoke, his intentions as clear as day, which caused her to quickly take a few more steps back.
The High Elf swallowed nervously as she spoke "Sorry, but I'm not that sort of person. Please leave me alone." She requested, her words not phasing him at all.
"Oh come now. You don't need to play coy. You're a beautiful woman and I'm a decent-looking man. Nothing wrong with having a bit of fun, right? Besides, it's not like you have a choice." He spoke, a lustful glint in his eye and a dark look on his face. His actions causing her to gasp in horror.
"Don't come near me! I'll scream! Stay away!" She warned him, her voice filled with fear as she took a few more steps back. She then began to turn around to run, but she felt a firm hand grasp her wrist and pull her towards him.
"No, you don't!" He growled, his intentions were obvious as he pressed himself against her. Celestine's eyes were wide and filled with horror as he was about to assault her, until a new voice cut in "That's enough of that."
Both the man and the High Elf turned their heads and saw that a group of people had them surrounded, children and teenagers mostly with two adults as well. All of them armed with knives, small hand-held crossbows, and various improvised weapons. At the center of the group was a young Tiefling who was stitching a doll in her hands in a casual manner. "You heard the nice lady, step away." The Tiefling warned as she gave the man a stern look.
"You're just a kid! Who do you think you are?" He asked as he released Celestine's wrist and was glaring at the girl. Instead of answering him, she snapped her fingers causing one of the other children to pull the trigger on their crossbow, sending a bolt directly into the stomach of Celestine's would-be rapist. The other kids then charged and began wildly stabbing at the man in his chest and stomach while pulling him down to the ground, freeing the High Elf from his grasp.
The rapist let out a silent scream as he began to choke and gurgle on his own blood before he became still, his eyes rolling into his head. His blood was splattered across the ground, the children, and his clothes. Celestine's eyes were wide with a horrified shock. "Told him to step away. I don't like repeating myself." The Tiefling muttered as she continued to perform her sewing on her doll. She then made a gesture, prompting the adults in her company to grab the rapist's body by his ankles and drag him away, undoubtedly for disposal.
"Greetings to you, Celestine-sama. My name is Radomira. I am 'R'." The purple haired Tiefling spoke as she looked up towards the High Elf. Her words and the display of brutality made her wonder if her meeting this girl was truly a wise idea. She appeared to be a teenager, but she definitely had a killer instinct about her.
The High Elf swallowed a bit then gave a bow of thanks "Thank you for saving me. My apologies and I mean no offense, but... a Tiefling? How rare. Your kind aren't commonly seen in Eos." She commented, a statement which earned a scoff from Radomira.
"Not too many Elves in Eos either, High or Dark." Radomira casually retorted. Ouch. Still, that was a valid point since Elves were all but extinct within Eos. The young purplette then snapped he fingers, prompting another kid to quickly rush forward and offer a book towards the High Elf. It looked like some sort of journal or ledger.
"What is this?" Celestine asked as she accepted the book into her hands.
"Evidence. To get things moving. Everyone you see here before you, myself included are victims of the slave trade. Runaways, Orphans, the odd deserter of the army or someone who made the mistake of falling into debt with the slave markets. Some time ago, I was kept as the pet of Slave Master... until the Hannya came." Radomira explained as she held up her doll, revealing it to be modeled in the fashion of a certain Hannya masked Blonde.
"He freed me. Gave me the keys to my shackles. I used them to free myself and my fellow slaves. We staged an uprising, however there are many such markets hidden in the shadows of Eos. However, the markets are a byproduct of a much greater threat and darker part of Eos. We do not know the full scope of this conspiracy or who is behind it... but we know it is real and that you may soon become a target as well.
My former master was slain by his own greed, using an enchanted ring to add to his already vast fortune, not knowing the ring would sap away his life. We took the gold and are using it to begin a revolution of our own against all involved in the Slave markets. Now check the inside of the ledger, I think you'll find the contents interesting." Radomira spoke pointing towards the book.
Celestine swallowed dryly and opened it, finding it to be from a massive Church sponsored Orphanage that she recognized. She perused the contents and found that certain human children were marked with green crucifixes, others were marked with big red X's. Other Children, the non-human ones were all marked as 'adopted'.
"Seems innocent at first glance, yeah? The Non-Human Children marked as 'Adopted' we tracked down and discovered that they were being sent to the Slave Markets. The ones that are marked with an 'X' we don't know what happened to them and have yet to find them. Finally, the ones marked with the crucifixes were taken directly under the care of various Bishops throughout the Church, though we don't know why. If we, say, have someone on the inside to help us figure out what's happening, it could make things easier." Radomira explained, her words making the High Elf's heart sink.
"You mean to say... the Church is involved in the slavery and trafficking of children?" Celestine asked, her heart beginning to ache. She felt a little nauseous as her mind raced, but the pieces were starting to come together. The missing children. The ones marked with the X's. What happened to them? Why were the ones marked with crucifixes separated from the rest? What was special about them?
"Take that evidence, find out what you can. We'll be in touch. Remember though... we're always watching." Radomira spoke, her words prompting the other kids to begin fading into the darkness. Soon the only ones left were her and Celestine. "It is a shame we couldn't have met under better circumstances. But this is a serious issue and must be addressed. So, goodnight." The purplette said as she bowed her head and took a step back.
Celestine was quick to give a bow of thanks and gratitude towards the Tiefling and the others. Once they were gone and out of sight, Celestine began to quickly rush back to her private chambers. She had to tell Claudia about this and get to the bottom of this whole thing. Clearly... this conspiracy went way beyond stealing coin from Civilians. This was bigger. Far bigger than she had ever realized.
Elsewhere. The Second Fortress, Ur.
"Alarm! Alarm! Alarm!" A guard shouted as he wildly rang a bell, alerting everyone within earshot. He was drenched from head to toe and was visibly trembling. It wasn't long before the form of Leona quickly emerged with her giant sword drawn as she asked "What is it? What's... Oh goddess." She spoke quietly as she gazed out on the fields and saw a massive Legion Army was at their very doorstep. She did a brief count and estimated their numbers to be around 10,000 strong.
Their torches shined in the night and she could see that they were making preparations for a siege and were already positioning trebuchets and catapults. "Wha... HOW?! How could an army that big just sneak up on us?! Even in the dead of night we should have seen them coming!" She spoke aloud as she scanned the battlefield. She didn't know how, but this was bad.
"We don't know! Nobody does! One minute everything was all clear then they all just showed up like magic! It shouldn't be possible!" The guard stated as he kept ringing the alarm. Leona squinted her eyes as she observed the enemy movements, it didn't seem like they were going to attack yet. This was likely an advance force or vanguard. Assuming their leader, this Forgemaster wasn't present, it was likely they wouldn't attack until he arrived.
"Gather all available units! Get them armed and ready! I want this place fortified and prepared for the inevitable onslaught! I want no mistakes! We'll hold the line until reinforcements gets here, so keep your head on a swivel and stay sharp! Do not attack unless fired upon first! We have to hold out as long as possible." Leona ordered, her words prompting a salute from the guards and other soldiers who heard her orders.
Soon, the entire fortress was filled with movement and activity as they began the process of preparing themselves. Meanwhile, Leona couldn't help but wonder how such a massive army could have snuck up on them. It just wasn't physically possible for such a massive force to arrive unseen and unheard. Could the enemy leader have possibly used magic? Possible, but unlikely, since she doubted that any magic user, not even Olga Discordia at her peak could transport an entire army by means of magic, the amount of energy needed would be far too great. It just didn't make sense!
Nevertheless... it was clear that the battle for the Second Fortress would soon be upon them. They could only hope that help would arrive in time.
End chapter Eight.