Her Wager

As the class watched Gabrial struggle through the exercises and constantly receive corrections from Sir Verret, I could see that Sir Verret was getting annoyed. Finally the hope in his eyes dimmed as his gaze swept the crowd and landed on me.

Gods curses I just volunteered myself. I'm going to hold this against that boy now.

"Princess Arkesh, please step forward and demonstrate alongside our young Gabrial how each exercise should be completed. As I call out the exercise you will complete fifty of each. When we are done you will assist me in watching over the rest of the class along with my other assistant. The rest of you will continue to do them until you can complete ten of each without corrections.

"We will switch even if you can't do it, but I will remember who fails each exercise, so try your hardest. By the end of the year I expect everyone to be able to complete twenty of each exercise without guidance."

Fifty is a pretty low number. If I hadn't done my exercises this morning this would probably have been easy to get through. As it is I might be a little sore tonight. I'll probably start reducing the exercises I do on the mornings where I know I'll be in Sir Verret's course.

"Oh, and no circles. Don't think I won't be able to spot your feeble attempt at hiding the use of circles in this crowd. Even if you can get away with using circles secretly you risk injuring yourself without receiving the proper training to do so while maintaining your concentration.

"Does everyone understand me?"

Loud shouts ring out in response.

"Yes Sir Verret!"

I'm impressed by his ability to quickly bring discipline to a group like this.

Since I've been called up to demonstrate I made my way through the people around me, to their astonished whispers. I think my favorite was someone who said 'she'll fail in the first exercise and humiliate herself.'

I quickly got in to position and prepared myself for his instruction without regard to their opinion though.

As he called out each exercise he had me complete them slowly enough to show proper form, having me adjust my position to be more easily visible to my captive audience. It wasn't too difficult but because I had to go slower than usual I was sweating quite heavily by the end. My limbs were also starting to feel a bit sore as well.

Supervising the other students was a mess though. Now I understand the frustration Sir Verret felt as he attempted to correct Gabrial earlier, and at first some people wouldn't even listen to me.

I had an easy solution for them as I just called over Sir Verret. He was harder on the people I had to point out and soon no one ignored my instructions.

At the end Sir Verret dismissed the class with some parting words of 'encouragement.'

"Princess Arkesh has been completing my exercises without complaint for the last three years. She started where all of you have just started and was better than each and every one of you from the beginning. If you doubt my words you may train with her in the morning. Princess Arkesh, what time and where do you begin your exercises?"

I guess he's going to keep putting me on the spot in his class. Maybe he's hoping to prove that he won't show me favoritism just because I come from the Arkesh Duchy. I doubt anyone will show up anyway so it won't hurt me to say it. If someone does then Rebecca will have a training partner.

"Promptly two hours before the first bell at the training grounds between the High Noble dorms and the Lower Noble dorms. If any commoner wishes to join me on the field I will move my exercises to the field at the commoners' dorms."

I heard a few gasps and yet more whispers following my statement. One of the noble boys close to me spoke loud enough for everyone including Sir Verret to hear.

"I doubt she actually shows up at that time and is just lying to look good. I'll call her bluff and be there at that time."

There were a few murmurs of agreement. I guess I will have some people to babysit.

_________________________

The following morning there were ten individuals who showed up at the practice field around the time I mentioned. Two of them were there on time, though barely, the rest filed in from ten minutes to an hour later.

Not wanting to delay mine and Rebecca's training I addressed the two that came first.

"Today we will start with a five kilometer run to warm up and then finish with a lower body workout. Sir Verret has messaged me about the rest of his goals for the class so I will let you know now; you will need to complete the five kilometer in under twenty five minutes or better by the end of the year. Today I will only ask that you aim for thirty minutes.

"You may choose to use circles now but you will not be able to use circles during Sir Verret's class so you will only be hurting yourself.

"I will come back and collect everyone who has not finished in time so we can continue with our exercises."

The boy who made a comment about me bluffing spoke up to ask a question. At least he had the strength of character to keep his promise and show up on time.

"Does that mean you think you can finish this faster than all of us?"

"I will finish before anyone here who isn't using circles."

His face flushed red and it seems he's taking my words as an insult. I never intended them that way but I guess my lack of expression could be interpreted in any way someone wanted. Maybe he'll work harder at first, but the harder he pushes himself at the beginning the harder it will be for him later. I won't be the one to tell him that though.

Rebecca was looking at me as if I was a demon when I set the clock at the finish line and took off at a reasonable speed. She still followed after.

Both of the boys who started with me stayed ahead for about the first kilometer; when they reached that point they slowed down without looking back. I passed them shortly after they slowed down and they picked up the pace to try to stay ahead of me. This back and forth lasted for about another kilometer until the gap between us became too much for them to overcome at the intermittent pace they had set for themselves.

When I had finished the third kilometer the boy who had made the snide remarks passed me at a decent clip. I could see that he had cast circles under his feet to surpass my pace. He apparently couldn't keep his pride from getting the better of him and thought I wouldn't notice.

I ended the five kilometer race in under twenty five minutes easily while the boy who finished first was still breathing heavily. I paid him no mind and turned around to retrieve anyone who was left on the track. A few more people had arrived while we were running and some of them were trying to run themselves.

After gathering everyone up I told them about the warmup and gave them a choice to do a few laps. Immediately I followed up with the exercises I needed to do, each time calling out what I was doing before beginning. Most of the people here would give up part way through the exercise while others struggled to make it to the end. I reinforced the importance of form over numbers, telling everyone that injuries would be common if they didn't focus on that first.

After everyone left for the day I figured there wouldn't be many who would come back.

The boy from before approached me as everyone was leaving.

"I finished before you, so now what?"

His attitude was smug and he did seem to think I hadn't noticed his circles.

"If you can finish the five kilometer run in Sir Verret's class next week with the same time as you got here then I will reward you with a small land in the duchy."

He looked upset, blustering at my words.

"I can do it easily, and I'll make you look even more pathetic in front of Sir Verret. I'm sure you're cheating anyway, so how about another wager?"

"Sure, if what you want is within reason."

"If you can't beat me in his class without using circles then I'll have my family arrange for you to become my concubine."

I could feel the corner of my lip twitch at that remark. Concubines weren't something casually spoken about in the kingdom anymore. Most noble houses had followed the laws laid out three generations ago by the king at that time which forbade concubines. There were a few who still allowed it in secret but no one spoke about it openly. Even when I had heard the maids speaking about my father taking one it was in hushed whispers.

"Are you sure that's the stance you wish to take? The Duchy of Arkesh will not take kindly to an insult that goes against the laws of the kingdom."

"They will never have to know, I will submit my request as an official marriage proposal. You will be my wife on paper but other women will have authority over you."

I could see Rebecca standing behind the boy with her face red in anger.

"If you think you can win next week then I promise to allow you to propose marriage to my family."

"You will accept the marriage proposal."

He's pushing his luck.

"I am not the Duke and my words will not carry any weight. I have a way to get around his possible refusal but it comes with a condition."

I could see the greed in his eyes at the possibility of succeeding.

"Sure, whatever condition the Princess wishes for."

"We will take a Sacred Oath under the God of Oaths and I will be the one to write it."

Now he looked a little concerned. A Sacred Oath cannot be broken without incurring severe penalties. One can specify the penalties before signing the oath but if the God of Oaths feels they aren't satisfactory you could suffer a worse punishment.

I decided to give him one more push to see if he'll fall for it.

"I will allow you to add a small provision to the victor so long as both sides are equal."

I can't seem too eager to get him to sign the oath. If he thinks I know I have the advantage he won't take the bait. But if it appears as if I'm worried I will have nothing to gain and everything to lose then he might let his greed get the better of him.

This seemed to finally tilt the scales in his mind in favor of the gamble.

"Fine, we'll meet this weekend and head to the church. You should at least know the name of your future husband, I am the Young Master of the Dreman Barony, Braiden Dreman."

I don't have much to gain here but he has everything to lose. This is a foolish gamble he's taking without knowing much about me.

_________________________

I told Sir Verret of the Oath and then I worked hard to prepare it in advance. I did a lot of research into historical oaths and found a few people I know who've written some. As much as I believe in my abilities I need to make certain that the oath is solid enough to not allow for any loopholes.

Sir Verret was of course upset but still found people who could provide me with information.

After finishing up and making it wordy enough to bury some of the more sinister things in paragraphs and jargon, I was satisfied with it. The basics of what was obvious as well as what was hidden were simple.

We will compete fairly in one five kilometer run next week, with no one allowed to use circles to affect the outcome before or during the race.

If Braiden Dreman wins then I, Princess Arkesh, will be required to marry (as a concubine) into the Barony of Dreman. He will also receive a crystal mine from the Duchy's lands as a dowry.

The crystal mine was requested from Braiden as a condition.

If I win then he, Braiden Dreman, will surrender the lands directly bequeathed to him under his right of inheritance by the Baron of Dreman. He will also agree to announce publicly his intent to use this oath as a tool to force marriage between the two families.

I had managed to hide the term concubine in a paragraph describing the meaning of 'marriage' that was filled with legal jargon. There were several references to marriage 'as defined in paragraph X, subsection Y, sentence fourteen' but only one use of the word 'concubine' throughout the entire document. If he loses and announces the oath publicly it will force him to acknowledge that he intended to break the law by forcing me to be his concubine.

What I believed was the iron-clad wording of the document made it so that if the Baron of Dreman did not disown his son, he would be ruined. All I had to do was hope that he was foolish enough to not read the entire document. Even if he does read the entire thing, his greed could still convince him that if he won he wouldn't have to announce anything. That was the last trap that I had weaved into the oath.

If he's smart enough to figure all of that out, then I will refuse to go forward with the bet.

The weekend arrived and I set out with the oath I had written to meet Young Master Dreman at the church.

_________________________

He greeted us at the door of the church looking smug and eager to begin. There was an older attendant standing next to him who bowed deeply upon my arrival.

"You don't have to pay respect to her Jacob, she'll be my bride soon enough."

Sir Verret rushed forward and put his blade against Braiden's neck before he realized what was happening.

"Until the vows are finished and she moves into your Barony she is the Princess of Arkesh and you will respect her as such. Any word of disrespect can be taken as an insult to the Duchy and the Crown. I will treat it as such and take care of you as a knight of my master."

The fear in Braiden's expression was easily visible and Sir Verret quickly released him. He can't respond to this provocation as he knows he's in the wrong but I could see his anger fighting with his reason.

Good, the more riled up he gets the easier it will be to fool him. Not that I think I'll need to work hard to do it.

We headed into the chamber of the God of Oaths and requested a priest to oversee the signing of our contract. The priest would not be allowed to read it because they are considered private between the parties involved unless otherwise stated. Hence why I added the clause about him announcing the oath.

His attendant asked for permission to read the oath, however. If I refused it might seem like I'm trying to hide something, but I have a way to get around that too.

"I will not have anyone else read the oath and will sign it without an external review. If you are afraid that you are incapable of finding anything within the document that will cheat you I will understand."

The old attendant looked like he knew what I was doing but before he could even open his mouth Braiden ordered him out of the room. Judging from the attendant's expression he was used to being reprimanded by his master and didn't want to speak up.

And then Braiden acted exactly as I expected him too. He started reading the document carefully but as he got further and further down I could see that he was getting annoyed. I'll help him a little bit.

"All of the clauses covering the winnings and the punishments are in twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. If you want to read any addendums they are referenced in those clauses."

He immediately skipped to those sections, gave them a cursory read, and then called over the priest to bless the signing of the document.

When the circles surrounded us and the document I could feel something like chains binding my being to the contract itself. It glowed, broke apart into particles of golden light, and then split between the two of us. The chains that I felt binding me became warm and then settled deeply into the core of my magic.

The oath was done and his fate was sealed.