Codex entry 14 Lore (Caspian Ilagra)

The sun had barely crested the horizon when Lord Caspian Ilagra's transport had arrived. With a perfunctory glance, his emerald eyes scanned the dilapidated structure, his aquiline nose wrinkling in distaste at the squalid conditions before him.

Straightening his impeccably tailored jacket, Caspian strode up to the weathered door, his angular features set in a perpetual scowl. A sharp rap of his gloved knuckles against the worn wood-stained amanium door summoned the occupants, and Caspian steeled himself for the groveling pleas he knew were to come.

The door slid open after ratcheting clicks, revealing a haggard-looking woman, her once vibrant features now hollowed by illness and hardship. "M-my lord," she stammered, her eyes downcast as she dropped into a shaky curtsy. "To what do we owe this... honor?"

Caspian's lips curled into a sneer, his gaze sweeping past the woman to the scrawny boy hovering nervously at her side. "I'm here to conduct a routine inspection, madam," he announced, his deep baritone dripping with disdain. "The Ministry of Preservation requires regular updates on the status of all households."

The woman's face fell, and she reached out a trembling hand to grasp the boy's shoulder. "My son, he... he's much too young to work, my lord. I've been ill, and my daughter, Avery, is the only one bringing in any income." Her voice quivered, and Caspian could see the desperation in her eyes.

"Hmm, I see." Caspian's gaze narrowed, and he turned his attention to the boy, who cowered under the weight of his intense stare. "Tell me, is that your excuse for not contributing to the household?" he demanded, his tone laced with derision.

The boy opened his mouth, but no words came out, his eyes wide with fear. The woman hurried to intervene, dropping to her knees before Caspian, her hands clasped in a pleading gesture.

"Please, my lord, have mercy," she begged, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're doing the best we can, I swear it. My son, he's... he's still so young, and with me being ill, it's been a struggle. But Avery, she works tirelessly, and we're barely scraping by as it is. If you were to deduct more from our ration, I fear we wouldn't be able to survive."

Caspian's expression remained impassive as he observed the woman's desperate display, his heart as cold and unyielding as the metal of his signet ring. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a small, leather-bound notebook, his long fingers flipping through the pages with practiced efficiency.

"According to my records, your household is already operating at a deficit," he announced, his tone flat and emotionless. "The absence of your son's contribution only serves to exacerbate the problem."

The woman's eyes widened in horror, and she shook her head frantically. "No, please, my lord, you must understand. We're doing all we can, I swear it. If you were to take away more of our ration, we..." Her voice trailed off, a sob catching in her throat.

Caspian's gaze remained unwavering, his emerald eyes betraying no hint of sympathy. "The rules of the Ministry are clear, madam," he declared, his words like a death sentence. "Failure to meet your assigned quota will result in further punitive measures."

The woman's face crumpled, and she lurched forward, clutching at Caspian's pant leg. "Please, my lord, have mercy," she pleaded, her voice hoarse with desperation. "I'll do anything, _anything_ , to make this right. Just don't take away what little we have left."

Caspian's jaw tightened, and he pulled his leg away, his expression one of utter disdain. "Your pleas fall on deaf ears, woman," he spat, his voice laced with contempt. "The Ministry has no use for excuses or sob stories. You will meet your quota, or face the consequences."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Caspian turned his attention to the small, trembling form of the boy, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "As for you, young man," he purred, his voice dripping with malice, "I see no reason why you should not be contributing to your family's well-being. Effective immediately, you are deemed fit for work, and your ration will be adjusted accordingly."

The boy's eyes widened in horror, and he shrank back, his small frame shaking with fear. The woman let out a anguished cry, her hands clutching at Caspian's sleeve.

"No, please, my lord, you can't do this!" she pleaded, her voice cracking with desperation. "He's just a child, he can't work, he can't. Please, I beg you, have mercy!"

Caspian's expression remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the terrified boy. "The needs of the Ministry come before the needs of the individual," he intoned, his words laced with a detached finality. "Your son's contribution is required, whether he is willing or not."

The woman's face crumpled, and she sank to her knees, her body wracked with sobs. Caspian's lips curved into a cruel smile, his emerald eyes glinting with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

As he turned to leave, the sound of a door slamming open behind him drew his attention. A young woman, her features etched with a mixture of fear and defiance, came rushing out, her eyes wild with panic.

"Mother, what's happened?" she cried, her gaze darting between the weeping woman and the impassive figure of Caspian. "What has he done?"

Caspian's brow arched, and he regarded the newcomer with a faint air of amusement. "Ah, you must be the daughter, Avery," he purred, his voice dripping with condescension. "Your family's ration has been adjusted to reflect the contribution of your younger brother."

Avery's face drained of color, and she rushed to her mother's side, gathering the distraught woman in her arms. "No, you can't do this!" she cried, her voice laced with desperation. "He's just a child, he can't work, he can't."

Caspian's lips curled into a cruel smile, and he leaned in, his emerald eyes boring into Avery's. "The rules of the Ministry are quite clear, my dear," he murmured, his tone laced with a twisted sense of satisfaction. "Failure to meet your assigned quota will result in... consequences."

With a final, dismissive nod, Caspian turned on his heel and strode back to his transport, his footsteps echoing like a death knell in the silence that hung heavy in the air. As the carriage lurched into motion, Caspian allowed himself a small, satisfied smile, his mind already turning to the next household he would terrorize.

Avery's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Caspian turn to leave, a surge of desperate determination coursing through her veins. She couldn't let him walk away, not when the fate of her family hung in the balance.

"Wait!" she cried, her voice cracking with emotion as she rushed forward, her hand reaching out to grasp the sleeve of Caspian's immaculate jacket. "Please, my lord, you can't do this. I'll... I'll do anything, I swear it."

Caspian paused, his brow arching in mild surprise as he turned to face the young woman, his emerald eyes narrowing with a hint of amusement. "Is that so, Miss Livenston?" he purred, his tone laced with a condescending curiosity.

Avery swallowed hard, her grip tightening on his sleeve as she steeled her nerves. "Yes, my lord," she declared, her voice quivering only slightly. "I'll work twice as much, I'll take on extra shifts, whatever it takes. But _please_ , don't make him work. He's just a child, he can't handle it, he can't."

Caspian's lips curled into a sneer, and he pulled his arm away, his gaze sweeping over Avery's desperate countenance with a hint of disdain. "The Ministry's rules are quite clear, girl," he sneered, his tone dripping with cold indifference. "All able-bodied members of a household are required to contribute."

Avery felt her heart sink, but she refused to back down, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "Then amend the records, my lord," she pleaded, her voice trembling with a desperate edge. "Make it so that My brother is exempt, and I'll work twice as hard to make up the difference. Please, I'm begging you."

Caspian's brow furrowed, and for a moment, Avery thought she saw a flicker of something akin to uncertainty in his gaze. But just as quickly, his features hardened, and he shook his head, his lips twisting into a contemptuous sneer.

"The rules are not to be amended , Miss Livenston," he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "The needs of the Ministry come before the needs of the individual. Your brother will contribute, whether you like it or not."

Avery felt her heart sink, and she opened her mouth to plead further, but Caspian raised a hand, silencing her with a dismissive gesture.

"However," he continued, his tone laced with a hint of begrudging concession, "I will... consider your offer to work twice as hard. If you can prove that you are capable of meeting the Ministry's requirements on your own, then perhaps I can be persuaded to... overlook your brother's deficiency."

Avery felt a glimmer of hope flicker to life within her, and she nodded frantically, her eyes shining with a newfound determination. "Thank you, my lord," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I swear, I'll work myself to the bone if I have to. Just please, don't take anything else from us."

Caspian's expression remained impassive, but Avery could see the faint hint of irritation in the tightening of his jaw. With a curt nod, he turned on his heel, his footsteps echoing like a death knell as he made his way back to his carriage.

As he climbed inside, Caspian felt a surge of frustration boil within him. This was not how these interactions were supposed to go – the poor were meant to grovel and beg, not make demands of him. He had been caught off guard by the girl's fierce determination, and it irked him to no end.

With a sharp rap of his cane against the transport door, Caspian signaled the driver to depart, his emerald eyes narrowing in a cold, calculating gaze. He would keep a close eye on the Livenston household, and if the girl failed to uphold her end of the bargain, he would not hesitate to bring the full weight of the Ministry's wrath down upon them.

As the carriage rumbled away, Caspian allowed himself a small, humorless chuckle.