Person of interest

I wasn't sure how long the sun had been set when I started back to the house. I was tired in a new way, but I wanted to make someone pay for what had happened that day. Bella met me as I entered the house. She didn't say anything but she grabbed my arm and led me to food before she would let me go up stairs. She ate a small amount while I ate. "How is she?" My brothers hovered around the corners unsure if they should do anything. I could feel more then one worrying about Bella's safety with me right now.

"Isa is sleeping. I think your abilities saved her life, husband, but there is no way for us to know how bad the damage is." Bella took a shuddering breath before she spoke her fear to me. "My sister might be barren now."

I licked my lips and thought before speaking, "If I can, I will ask our lord what that might mean for her." Bella smiled at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Now about the two new slaves that came back."

"You don't have to worry about them." I cut her off just a bit too quick. I felt like I was losing control when it came to them. The only thing keeping them alive was it seemed more fun, or maybe more fair somehow to drag out their death.

"I am not." My eyes must have gone hard as she was a little defensive. "I was thinking 10 might be useful and there are a few men among the slaves that might not think that what you want is an imposition. Though you should know, I didn't think it funny that you made me touching her a good thing."

"When you see the effects of what I am going to do to her you might think otherwise. Was she foolish enough to leave the room then?"

"Yes, but she is still in the house. Travis and Mato tied her up before she got past the door. Then took her to a training room and barred the door. I think they are forcing her to move until the collar activates."

I stood and started to go up stairs, "Good, tell them to let her out when her collar turns red. I am going to get some sleep. I have a long day of letting off steam planned for tomorrow. You and Isa can join me if you want, but I won't be the me you know for awhile." I found I meant it, they could join me. I was hoping they wouldn't at the same time as making the offer though.

"I don't believe you will ever not be the you I see and know, even when you are hurting the enemies of your family. Even if you play the part of a bored predator you are still our predator, husband. I don't believe you can be anything else." She had followed me all the way up to my room. She gave me a much less casted kiss before opening my door and letting me go. Guess I just couldn't respond to her right now.

I fell into bed and was asleep before I knew it.

The next week, I spent torchering the two slaves in the room not far from mine. I wasn't sure how I felt about it but it didn't seem to stop me from sleeping well at night. Bella and Isa spent much of the time with me, but not all, I knew I went overboard but it didn't lessen my frustration and anger. Two more female slaves showed up the second day of the week. I didn't leave them out of the fun. I knew they were sent because they were related to the death of my daughter. I never bothered to ask them how they were related. I think Isa and Bella talked to the two and knew, they never told me and I was angry and sad enough not to ask. Bella was the only woman I slept with as Isa recovered. Isa worked hard on convincing me she was ok, but even with my powers I wasn't as sure as I felt I should be.

At the end of the week, our lord summoned me to the tower. The messenger led me up to the same room I had been in once before. I was shaking when I stepped off the lift. I wasn't afraid of death but I was afraid of the pain that had been in this place last time. I didn't let it stop me. I didn't let myself think about what might happen if our lord wanted something I didn't know.

I could feel his black flames brushing up against my green ones and I was sure that told him of my terror under as much control as I could put it but still eating up my ability to think. Our lord tilted his head and sighed, "You seem to find new ways to cause problems." He paused and sighed again, "Three matriarchs conspired to have your wives killed, the fighters and daughter that you caught were not the only ones looking that day. In all I have proof that 20 women of childbearing age were involved: 10 elders, 15 priests, 5 of which aren't even in the city, and 12 men. I cannot remove that many women from the responsibility they have and keep the population growing. Not that I seem to be doing a great job at that, right now anyway."

His words reminded me of Isa's fear and I tried not to let it flicker in my own mind but I didn't have that kind of control. I felt our lord tilt his head as he watched me, "If you still think you can help with my problem, you are going to have to find the courage to talk to me, what is your fear?"

I took a steadying breath just a touch surprised that he was able to notice the specific fear in the flood of fear I was stomping on in the back of my mind. "My wife that was attacked fears she might have been rendered barren, I don't know enough to know for sure."

"Yes, your lack of skill is starting to prove a problem." Our lord paused and shifted on the chair he occupied. "You are a believer that love makes humans stronger?"

"Yes, my lord."

"You still puzzle me, the 10 elders and 15 priests, will get to know what it feels like to be left for dead in the ring while their heart still beats. They at the very least should know the price for actively acting against me. The matriarchs lines will be casted out of their houses, no matter what their standing with the law is at the moment. Their mother took their standing as a mother is responsible for her children. If they are lucky and work hard, maybe they can start over. Maybe they can find mercy with the farmers who they have shown so little care for. The sons of those lines will become free agents, they can seek remittance into the houses they are at or find another way to pay the blood price for their life. That leaves the 12 men who were knowingly and actively involved and the 20 women." Our lord paused again and seemed to make up his mind, "The women I will collar for you. You will pick 7 that will have sex with no one but you, I don't care if you think of them as wives or not, any children these women have will count towards meeting the law for your wives. Which does mean if you do your part your wives could still have enough children to become matriarchs in their own right."

"My mother has nothing to fear from my wives. They don't want the responsibility she lives with every day. Yet, can I ask you for only 3?"

I felt the flames twitch in surprise but I wasn't sure until our lord responded, "That is a more reasonable response then I expected out of you." Had he been planning on haggling with me? This didn't feel right for some reason. I swallowed and tried to stop shaking as our lord continued talking, "Why three?"

"My wives might be more likely to find three they feel they could live with then 7 of the women that killed my daughter."

I felt a flash of amusement as the flames shifted back on the chair. "That is more what I expected. I will settle on at least three who are only your mates, I will leave it up to your wives to work out what they want out of the 20 so long as that group averages 7 births a year. If any die I want to know why."

"Thank you, my lord. It will be as you wish."

The flames started moving around the room, and I closed my eyes trying to pull myself in tighter. Closing my eyes didn't help me not shake. The flames paused again, I couldn't help but wonder if it was because of my reaction. "Hum, the 12 men. Any thoughts on what you would like to see done with them?"

I focused on the question, that helped a bit "If I had what I wanted, I would meet them all in the ring, but that is probably short sighted."

"That would be, but I will give the dirt to your mother to do with as she sees fit. Maybe some of them can clear the debt of killing a woman, I would be surprised." That was a mixed blessing. My house got more fighters for the ledger price of free but now we had even more people to feed and I doubted I could bring myself to trust any of those 12 in the field with tools near any of my brothers, maybe I would get lucky and they would die quickly. "It would also give you a chance to experiment with your magic more. Which brings me to something else I wanted to talk to you about."

Our lord paused and I guess he expected me to ask but I just waited and he sighed again.

"Your ignorance is becoming a problem, so it will have to be corrected, I need a policing force, if your magic breeds true even 10% of the time it would make a useful force. You will start meeting with me every week in the black stone arena."

"If that is what your wish, my lord." The words came out even but I was sure our lord felt my panic spike at the idea. His magic had a habit of hurting me without him really meaning to, I could not get my mind to decide if that was better or worse then if he had meant to hurt me.

"The special will tell you when I am ready, you have work to do." His flames didn't give away his thoughts or feelings on my reaction. They moved so fast I wasn't even always sure I was seeing emotion from them. Maybe he felt things quickly and then they were gone?

"Yes, my lord." I bowed deeper then turned and almost ran back to the lift. Damn my heart, hopefully not meeting here will dampen the response. The lift had still been waiting and the doors closed as soon as I stepped aboard. The priest said nothing to me on the way down. So I let my mind wander to what might be ahead.