Chapter 7: Chapter 7

'Waking up in the morning before daylight is absolutely the worst thing ever. I was so comfortable too. Ari had been wrapped around me all night like a second cover. Her tail was really freaking soft and fluffy, and she had it wrapped around me as well.'  I thought as I was climbing out of bed after the inn keeper knocked on the door.

"Ari, time to get up.' I said while pulling on a shirt. I then walked to the front door to thank the inn keeper lady for the wake up call.

"Hmmm..." Ari mumbled while crawling out of bed.

I opened up the door and the inn lady was standing there waiting. Suddenly as she was looking at me she started looking a little taken back. 

"My queen, I think we need to have a talk." She said as she stepped in the room and closed the door. She looked between Ari and me, then said the last thing I ever expected.  "I'm sure you didn't do it on purpose, but...I'm afraid you two have imprinted on each other. Now usually cat-kin young would be taught this at an older age but we need to have this talk now."

I sat there stunned for several long minutes before shouting. "We did what?"

"Just sit down and I will explain." She started talking as me and Ari sat down. "You two have essentially agreed to be partners for life. It's a permanent bond that can't be undone. Usually two consenting adults that love each other will imprint onto each other and then live happily ever after. But with you two I don't think you even meant to imprint on each other your both too young for that."

"So what is the purpose of imprinting? And what does it entail?" I ask.

"Well, it's considered a mark of love. It let's you know the thoughts and feelings of your partner. Also there's the fact that you can now have children, even though your both girls. It's supposedly a magic thing so don't ask me anymore on that because I don't know either. As for the rest of the effects,  I'm not sure what they are because I was always told that I would find out when I found my partner."

"So let me ask, how did this happen? I didn't give my approval for this and I'm not romantically attracted to Ari."

"I have no idea. Maybe she can tell us?" She said while looking at Ari.

Ari just shrugs her shoulders at us.

"Estonia, do you know how this happened?"

"Who's Estonia?" Asked the inn keeper.

"My magic tutor."

'Yes master, I am responsible for this. I took the liberty of bonding you to Ari, so I could make both you and her stronger. I did not realize the importance of the ritual, and I am terribly sorry.'

"Well I guess that answers the how and why." I said. While the inn keeper looked concerned.

"While I would normally say for you to just find a way to live with it, but the problem remains that she is a slave." Said the inn lady.

'Master, I can remove the slave collar now if you wish, although I must warn you, it will take all of your mana and you will be on bed rest for two days recovering.'

"Well I guess that solves that problem. Although we will have to wait until after my guild test. Speaking of which we need to hurry or we will be late."

"My queen, I shall take my leave now. If you need anything I will be in the lobby." She said as she walked out of the room and closed the door.

"Ok Ari, let's get ready and go before we're late." I said while pulling clothes out of my inventory.

Walking out into the middle of the testing arena surrounded by people that came to watch and bet on the fight, I was getting a lot of strange looks from everyone. Sure it was obvious why everyone was wondering who I was and why I was here. They didn't recognize that I was the one going up to fight. Anyone who didn't know what the new girl looked like would just think I was a random person walking through. Of course being dressed like a noble lady is rare for adventurers, especially when they plan to go into battle. I was of course wearing my knee length pink dress.

I walked up towards the middle of the arena. The guild master was waiting for me with another person beside him. A barbarian woman that looked to be in her early thirties wearing armor and sporting a long sword on her side.

"Zac, when you said you wanted me to fight a potential guild member and take it as a real battle, I was not expecting a child to be my opponent." Said the woman.

"You didn't ask. And you still owed me that favor. Do fight like your life depends on it. I have a lot of money riding on you." Said the guild master.

"So that's what this is about." Said the woman as she turned to face me and said. "So tell me, why the dress?"

"I had to wear something appropriate for my big reveal." I said.

"And just what would that be?"

"I can't say just yet. That would ruin the fight. Now guild master, should we go over the terms of our bet again?"

"No need" Said the guild master.

"I would care to hear the terms if you please. I would like to know why I was pulled into this." Said the woman.

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"The terms we agreed on were as follows. If I win this duel I receive sixty gold coins. If I lose I do not become an adventurer, and lose thirty gold coins."

"Zac, when this is over, I'm going to beat you into a pulp myself for making a bet like this, then rigging the match. I'm an A rank for gods sake."

"Fine, but let's get this over with already." Said the guild master.

"Alright I guess I'll introduce myself and then we can start the match. My name is Anna and I'm an A rank adventurer." The barbarian looking woman said.

"I guess I'll introduce myself as well. I am Lily, currently queen of the cat-kin and fox-kin." I said proudly and loud enough for the entire audience to hear. After I said that the audience went completely silent.

"So your the queen of two beast-kin races? I've never heard of a beast-kin queen before, let alone someone being the queen of two beast-kin races." Said Anna.

"Apparently I'm the first in over three thousand years to gain a second queen title." I said casually while pulling my sword out of my inventory.

"Well that is interesting, but we're not here to talk about that are we." She said while pulling her sword out of its scabbard.

"Alright you two get ready and I will start the match." Said the guild master while retreating to a safe distance.

The guild master took out a whistle and blew into it starting the match. Anna jumped at me leaving a crater where she was, while I just stood still and intercepted her swings. After the fifth swing of Anna's sword I took a step back and twisted to the side, Anna's next swing threw her off balance and I swung my sword for the first time. Anna's sword went to block mine, but it was like I cut through butter and stopped at her neck ending the fight almost effortlessly.

"Ms Anna, I think I have won this match, wouldn't you agree?" I asked with a smile, while keeping my sword at her neck.

"I think I agree on that point Ms Lily." She said while backing away from my sword slowly.

I put my sword back into my inventory and turned to the guild master.

"Guild master, I think that was my win. Wouldn't you agree?" I asked with a smug smile on my face.

"The use of magic items are restricted during testing, so this match is void." He said.

"Zac, I also used a magic item. And furthermore, that girl is a mage-warrior." Anna said while giving the guild master a heated look.

The guild master and most of the audience looked shocked at Anna's statement.

Anna walked up to me and whispered in my ear. "I am very curious about you. I will come looking for you after you finish with the guild."

I turned and whispered back to her. "I'm staying at the cat ear inn. Meet me there later today."

Anna nodded and walked away.

"Alright guild master I am ready to receive my guild card and winnings." I said while looking at him with a smile.

"Right this way then and we will get you registered. And remember, you are starting as an F rank." He said while looking dejected and walking towards the guild building.

"That's fine." I said.

After getting back to the inn with my new guild card. Me and Ari went to work on that slave collar.

"Are you ready Ari?"

"I'm not sure master, your not going to leave me are you?" Ari said with a soft voice that kept getting softer.

I just walked up to her and hugged her and patted her on the head.

"Your too cute." I said.

"Ok let's get that thing off of you already. I'm sick of looking at it." I said while pulling my staff out of my inventory.

I placed the staff on the collar and felt my mana drain almost completely. I watched as the slave collar fell off of her. I felt relieved of that. The next thing I knew I was falling towards a blackness in my vision.