LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 85: C085 - Yule Riddles
"Why are you kneeling?" I asked with furrowed brows.
A lithe, blonde, young woman was in front of me, her head dipped low. As if afraid of meeting my gaze. She hadn't looked at my face ever since Patrick brought her here.
"It is our first meeting, milord," Amanda replied without lifting her head.
"Cease this. Cease any of this, Miss Evert. I am not your lord and I have no desire to rule over you or anybody else. I thought Patrick already told you that you are free to do as you please."
Amanda stood up slowly, her expression uncertain. She still didn't look at me as she just stood there, tense and unsure.
"Why?"
"You will have to be a little more specific," I countered as I rolled my eyes.
Patrick had brought the young squib over to me because he argued I could not let her wait to meet me for much longer as I unpacked some of my belongings in the mansion's study after a good night's sleep. After all, they had all been here for months while I was in school after Patrick killed the handlers and burnt down the brothels.
"Why free us? Clothe us and heal us?"
With a forceful tone and somewhat indifferent expression, I answered after short deliberation, "Because I could."
She just stayed quiet and finally looked at me searchingly until I elaborated, "There is no deeper meaning. Gruff stole from me and I have the means to help you with barely any effort from my part. Patrick would have been idle otherwise and an idle Patrick is a recipe for disaster. You should know what I mean."
Amanda dumbly nodded, not expecting my informal thoughts. She probably thought I was going to be someone with a messiah complex or some sort of young master with a perpetual sneer on my face that lorded his superiority at any given moment. A Malfoy, possibly.
"Patrick tells me you and several others have been training according to the brotherhood's teachings?" I asked as she squirmed under my prolonged, silent scrutiny.
She looked flexible and highly capable already. I could see it in her movements. Potions and determination were truly cheats in this world.
"Yes, milo- How may I address you?"
"Ah, yes. Patrick still didn't give you my name," I realized with an awkward chuckle after I finally allowed myself to show some emotion. "Talion Macnair. Please, call me Talion."
"You're Lord Gamp?" Amanda asked incredulously the moment I finished telling her my name.
"Yeah, I suppose I am," I confirmed with a nod. She must have not paid attention to the tens of pictures that were printed with the many articles concerning my recent exploits and the re-telling of the slander I was smeared with. Or she was merely a little distracted.
"Lord Gamp," she started but I waved my hand and said, "Talion."
"Sir Talion," she reluctantly continued, "It is with the help of the potions you paid for that seven of us reached a satisfactory level of athleticism. Three more are still trying to catch up."
"Satisfactory," I muttered under my breath. Between the two of us, that could mean vastly different things. I could see assassins scaling sky-high, old temples in seconds during my dreams. The book on body conditioning I left behind in Goldsborough didn't imply that this was possible and to be expected of an assassin of the brotherhood. The word could therefore mean that they could do a full-body pull-up one-armed once. Something that is impressive to laymen, but not to me.
Looking outside the window where the grand desk I sat at was placed, I looked at my courtyard and realized I should show them my prowess to give them a benchmark they should strive toward.
"Tell everyone interested in continuing their assassin teachings to meet us in front of the mansion at four in the afternoon. I will show you the limits of the brotherhood's teaching and then we will have a proper Christmas dinner right after. A little get-together so that we all finally meet. If they want, invite those uninterested in becoming an assassin for this meal, too, of course. Since I am here now, I will not remain in the shadows anymore."
-----
"It's like he's running on even ground," Amanda commented under her breath a few minutes past four.
"Amanda, are you sure he is a Lord? We have met plenty of them. None would ever even think of becoming capable of this," Catherine, the veela among the freed prostitutes, pointed out with furrowed brows.
"He is Lord Gamp, I am sure of it," Amanda confirmed before looking back at the dozens of squibs, witches, and wizards. Seventeen women, one kid, and seven men stood there watching my display with varying degrees of incomprehension. "And he is much different from what we all expected."
"We can see that," one of the male muggleborn answered with a reverent expression on his face.
Soft murmurs rang through the group - the only one who didn't participate was Bernice Derrick with her daughter clinging to her side. She stood at the very back of the group, noticeably apart from the rest. Her disbelief had started the moment she saw my face.
As I landed in front of the group after using several foot holds mid-air by using the 'Arresto Momentum' charm on small items after jumping from the roof, I quietly observed the group.
My eyes found Bernice's and she looked both worried and guilty.
Smiling at her reassuringly before I turned to the rest of the group, I addressed them saying, "Hello to you all. In case Amanda hasn't yet shared it with you, my name is Talion Macnair. The elf who freed you, Patrick, did so under my orders. But as my elf should have made abundantly clear, I didn't do that expecting anything in return. Your freedom was a matter of convenience and opportunity. You and your future belong to you alone."
Coughing into my hand because I couldn't shake off my own awkwardness, I continued, "My elves should have prepared a feast for us in my new mansion. Thank you Robert and, uh, Robert for building me said mansion."
"Call me Bob," one of the half-blood wizards quickly offered with a flattered grin. The other wizard who built my mansion shot 'Bob' a small glare before also offering, "Yeah. Me too, call me Bob."
"Great, two Bobs. That should make this more convenient," I quipped with a small wink for the two with a good natured chuckle. "Let's head inside. Even enchanted clothing can do so much to keep us warm."
Two huge fireplaces kept us warm and the mood merry as we ate our fill inside with a haphazard array of foods from all over the world cooked by Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi - the three elves I gained from Hogwarts this school year. They didn't just create a single menu but cooked all my favorite dishes - I didn't complain of course.
Just as the first 'older' members of the group started drinking wine, one of them - Catherine the Veela, asked, "Will you make this place open to the public eventually?"
Everybody stopped their conversations and looked at me. Some in worry, others with expectations written on their faces.
"I might. I don't see why I shouldn't; other than us working on this place's security first. I know most of you are likely apprehensive, but we'll find a solution."
Some at the table turned thoughtful, a few had apprehensive looks on their faces but nobody really called me out for my tentative decision. We enjoyed some more quiet conversations as I got to know the group in earnest despite them living in my village for months already.
As the first tired guests excused themselves, Bernice stayed behind with her daughter already sleeping in her lap on one of the sofas in the sitting room. I had seen her try to ask me for a private conversation a few times already, but she never got the courage to call me out in front of everybody else.
After allowing the aspiring seamstresses of the group to take my measurements and watching them walk out with determination, I sat down next to Bernice Derrick and quietly erected a privacy ward around us as we both looked at the remaining Goldsborough residents animatedly play a game of Settlers of Avalon - a game published by the Weasley twins with my help earlier this year.
"I am sorry for what happened to you after graduation," I quietly stated as I gave the small girl sleeping in her mother's embrace a short look to make sure she was truly asleep.
The girl was very timid and flinched at every slightly loud noise when we ate, even regular sounds during a meal like the clattering of forks and spoons scared her to some degree. At least she didn't outwardly fear any of the freed residents in Goldsborough from what I gathered. It gave me hope that she might still grow up to have a somewhat normal childhood.
Bernice's fake smile slipped from her face for a short moment before she shook her head with a tired expression. Her lips quivered as she quietly muttered, "Thank you."
I was still the one to have killed her fiance, so it was hard for me to accept the gratitude. I didn't quite know what to say, until I decided to just change the topic and say, "How goes your potioneering?"
Finally seeing her regain some of the confidence of a noble Slytherin, Bernice quickly answered, "The laboratory that Patrick built in the public library is more than adequate. I have high confidence that I could gain my Potion Mistress accreditation at the Ministry in a year's time. That would allow me to sell my potions openly or even just run an ingredient shop in the Alley… of course, there's still the matter of my identity to consider."
Her self-assured demeanor noticeably broke near the end and I shook my head as I pointed out, "If you are willing, I will consider sponsoring you as Lord Gamp. The matter of your broken engagement and subsequent disappearance from the public eye will remain a small point of gossip at worst in a few years."
Understanding the implication, Bernice affirmed, "If you would do me this favor, I will swear my oaths willingly."
I was pleased to hear no apprehension or even just reluctance, so I turned to Bernice with a genuine smile as I stated, "Oaths of secrecy will suffice. I mean what I said when I said there is no need for your undying loyalty."
The recent Slytherin graduate lifted a brow but kept her surprise muted otherwise. She had probably been sure that I would outwardly claim to not need their subservience but would instead fold all of them one at a time privately.
"How's your wand?" I asked after a few moments of silence.
"It suffices," Bernice replied thoughtfully. "Thank you for allowing me to wield it."
"During the summer break, I will take anyone willing with me to Rome in the first week. There, I plan to meet with the Taglieri family. In case you are unfamiliar, they are a family about as old as the Ollivanders and share the same profession. They were better connected politically and employed better mercenaries, which led to the Ollivander family relocating to the British Isles during the time of the Roman Empire," I explained with a thoughtful expression. I saw her nod, so I continued, "Minister Veneziano wants me to consider switching to an Italian wand, but I have my reservations. He might still like me bringing a bunch of British customers to placate him."
Bernice understood that I wanted to use the need of the witches and wizards in the group for new wands perfectly matched to them to further my own goals and nodded in understanding. Since I still needed to pay the Taglieri clan for the dozen wands, she couldn't even call me an opportunist. It merely showed that I knew how to navigate such a delicate situation to my full advantage. And I did it while still being charitable.
"Is that why you had Amanda and Patrick create these muggle passports for us?"
I nodded in confirmation and explained, "Despite my status, I don't care to explain why I want to travel to Italy with a dozen magicals under my employ via Portkey. We will take a muggle plane for the trip to save me the headache."
Bernice accepted the explanation, though she was likely still apprehensive about the form of travel being muggle in nature. I didn't care to reassure her, though.
In my mind, I was already plenty accommodating.
-----
Deep into the night, I continued torturing the resident Rat Lord with furrowed brows. A short Legilimency probe showed me that whatever I was doing to its mind was working, but I had to consider that the soul shard was merely trying to lure me into a trap.
Still, I wasn't too worried. Voldemort shouldn't anticipate the form of 'mind reaping' I planned to use on it and naturally shouldn't be able to guard against it either.
"Patrick," I called out in the basement.
"Master," the elf answered as he appeared next to me.
I looked at him before asking, "Did everything work out with Urd and Hedge Lord Voldemort?"
Patrick looked at me weirdly for a moment, probably for the weird names I chose to give the critters housing the soul shards of the dark lord, before he answered, "Yes. Urd and Patrick brought the 'Hedge Lord' to the ruins of Glasgow. Little Urd told Patrick that the food she brought to the animal died just like it did for the rat."
I nodded as I accepted the answer but still contemplated the implication of such a specific thing to start happening with both independent soul shards.
"I will reap the Rat Lord's mind this week before getting rid of it. If nothing unexpected happens, you may bring the hedgehog here once I'm done," I decided with a last look to the curled-up, drooling rat that still occasionally twitched a little.
"Tomorrow is time for the Yule celebrations, a time for merriment. Are you sure that you want to do such a task on such an occasion, master?"
"What would stop me?"
Patrick quietly shook his head before mumbling, "As you wish."
-----
There were no surprises among the senders for me the next morning as I opened my Christmas presents at the breakfast table. Even Draco and my other enemies didn't bother sending me cursed objects again, but I still looked at two presents with narrowed eyes. Because while those who sent me gifts didn't catch me by surprise, there were two gifts that were out of the ordinary.
Natalie Rosier sent me a picture of herself. A picture of her winking at me with a very pretty outfit on. With the picture came a letter addressed to me with a riddle. The answer to the riddle was an invitation to what I had to assume was a date.
I was naturally very tempted, Natalie was gorgeous, talented, and approachable. My swimming lesson for her and Luna during the first weeks of the school year had shown me how enviable her physique was. The hormonal boy in me was rearing to say yes.
But at the same time, I was weirded out as I looked at the other gift I didn't quite know what to do with. Isodora Selwyn sent me an honest to goodness love letter. It was perfumed and everything. And that was before I weirdly held up her other gift. A picture of her wearing a very similar outfit compared to Natalie that came with a handkerchief 'carrying her fragrance'. Both red heads looked absolutely enchanting, but why would they choose Christmas for this, I had to wonder.
Turning Isodora's love letter around, I noticed a hastily scribbled note.
"'Seeing as Isobel failed to ensnare you, Natalie and I thought we had granted her ample time this school year to make a move. The more we get to know you and your ambition, the more the two of us think of you as a proper match compared to the other dullards attending the school with us. We still have plenty of years left at Hogwarts, but there's hardly any boy worthy of our interest. Seeing as neither of us wanted to concede our claim, we decided to 'propose' a relationship to you at the same time. I understand if it makes you feel uncomfortable, so feel free to address us and our proposition freely or not at all. Though, we would like an answer, of course. A girl's heart might be fickle or thorny, but it's still easy to break.'"
I looked at the note in confusion as I reread her love letter on the other side and concluded my thoughts with a disbelieving, "What the hell am I looking at here?"
Holding up both pictures and trying to decipher a reason, I eventually called out, "Patrick."
My elf appeared and I ordered, "If she has the time, please bring Miss Evert over."
"Yes, master."
A few minutes later, Amanda appeared in my study and was about to fall to one knee but my quick glance stopped her in her tracks.
"You're a woman, no?" I asked with my disbelief still coloring my voice.
"I… yes. I am indeed," Amanda confirmed with a weirded out frown.
"What do you make of this?" I inquired as I handed her Natalie's riddle.
Amanda took a while to examine the parchment and its content before she looked at me with a wry smile to ask, "This lady is clearly trying to get you on a date, Sir Talion. The day after the New Year at noon outside the Leaky Cauldron."
I clenched my jaw a little before sighing. Those people Patrick freed had all decided yesterday that calling me just Talion was not enough. Since I didn't want to be called Lord, or Master, or anything else by these poor souls, they all decided to call me a respectful 'Sir'. My refusal was met with a more resounding, collective refusal from the group.
"Yes, it appears so," I agreed as I handed over Isodora's letter. I had come to the same answer for the riddle.
Several minutes of silence later where Amanda tried to figure out what I was getting at, I described my previous relationship with the two Slytherin girls.
"You're worried about their intentions?" Amanda asked before slowly nodding in answer to her own question. "Having not talked to either of them ever and knowing only your point of view, I am reluctant to give you a definitive opinion. But I do see your point. It is a little out of the blue."
I sighed in relief, my paranoia was justified. But before I could congratulate myself, the blonde thoughtfully added, "However, I am not sure you should deny their advances if you fancy one of them. You're young, enjoy yourself."
I sighed again, this time in annoyance as I looked at the still blank walls of my study.
Amanda took that time to look at the two pictures the girl had sent over as she pointed out with a sweet smile, "They are very pretty. I don't know any boy who would be reluctant to be favored by these two."
I shook my head instead of replying and opened a drawer at my desk. Taking out a wrapped box, I tossed it to the young squib and urged her to open it with my eyes.
"This… is this a hidden blade?"
I nodded and explained, "One of my first creations last summer. It's not as refined as the one I was granted by the brotherhood, but it works and you have need for it as the leader of the group. Patrick praises you constantly and I see his point. The group listens to you and respects you. Think of this as a show of gratitude from me."
"Thank you, sir," Amanda choked out with a very emotional and touching expression. "I will treasure this forever."
"Don't. It works fine, but I can do better. Just wait until I have the time to work in the smithy again," I ordered and stood up. "Here, let me show you how to equip and use it without losing a finger."