Chapter 7: Chapter 6 – Godwin

It's cold... and my body is hurting all over. This is a familiar awakening. Slowly opening my eyes, the first thing I see is a very disgruntled white bear of a man.
"You finally awake girl? Never seen a person sleep that long."
"... How long was I out?" I answer him while looking around.
Alright, this is definitely not the same as before. The pain is probably from going to sleep immediately after being stuck in that cage for days.
"Six days, they thought you were dead with how cold you were, but your heart was still beating once a minute. What spell is that? I've never heard of induced hibernation before." A different, but familiar voice responded instead.

"Six days?!" Did I hear that right?!
Looking to my left again, I see Jasper is also in this cell. They're both sitting on a nice looking couch... what the? Glancing around a bit, I see we're in a pretty nice room, and I'm laying down on the only ultra soft bed. I'm guessing we were captured but...
"Uh, why am I in a fancy jail with two nobles?"
"An excellent question." Jasper responded while narrowing his eyes at me. "Originally we thought it was because you were Stewards' apprentice, but that doesn't hold up. If that were the case, you wouldn't be in a cell to begin with. I'm personally still rather suspicious of that accusation from Captain Callum. Also, master is convinced you're not just some regular village girl, he's rarely wrong on his assessments of others."
"Rarely? BAH! I am never wrong. Tell us girl, why do you think you're here?"
They're both staring at me waiting for an answer that will never come. How the hell would I know why I'm here? Also, there is something else that's really strange here...
"I have no idea, not that you'll believe that. Instead I want to know why I'm in this pretty outfit, and I feel... clean?"
"They took you away and cleaned you up a few hours ago, but that wasn't the first time. When I first woke up here, you were already clean and in a different dress. Now mind telling me about that spell you used?" Jasper was staring at me expectantly, but that's yet another question I can't answer. Even I don't know how or why I slept that long.

"She isn't going to answer you, as she shouldn't. What mage would give away their personally created spells for nothing? Surely you weren't expecting it for free because of her status?"
Jasper looked back towards the old man, aghast. "No Master! I was somewhat fascinated by the situation, that is all. A young commoner girl using unique magic? You understand what I'm trying to say, right?"
"INDEED!! Now I'm even more interested in recruiting her! But it's looking like that won't be allowed. Girl, if I'm to believe you when you say you don't know why you're here, then there can be only one reason for them to wash and dress you." Super grandpa's face looks like he's breaking horrible news to me, but this might actually be a good thing if I play this right. If I'm brought into a room alone with someone of high stature... ugh, there I go again. I really want to experience that feeling again, and its getting stronger with each passing day.
"...Looks like she doesn't care? Are you really fine with that Eris?" Jasper said.
Oh wow, I didn't know nobles ever said the names of people below them.
"I..." I trailed off, looking at the ether-sealing bracelets on his wrists.
How much should I tell them? Should I tell them anything?
"...Let me ask you one thing first. What are they going to do with you two?" I glanced at both of them.
"My house will pay a large fee to have me released. There have been a few nobles who had to pay their way out of being kidnapped in this region, but that was over half a year ago. We tried finding their location since then, but we found nothing and nobody else went missing, so we assumed they had moved locations. Clearly, that judgement was wrong." Jasper responded.

"The same fate awaits me, except the guild will pay for my safe return. Also, the men here know who I am and have no interest in harming me." Grandpa added in.
"Sorry, one more question, what is your name?" I pointed at the old man. "I've been referring to you as Super Grandpa in my head."
"HA! I've had many titles, but that one I don't mind at all! Just keep calling me that."
"Godwin Lancaster, that is his name. He is part of the top 3 individuals who run the monster hunter guild." Jasper said with a prideful look on his face. He clearly admires Bear, but I've only heard of the monster hunting guild in passing.
"May I call you "Bear" instead? Not only are you built like a bear, but you look like one too, I think it's perfect! Also, looking at how strong your soul is, I can understand why you're at the top of the monster hunting guild. I'm sorry to say I don't know much about the guild personally." I replied.
"B-Bear?! Listen up Eris, this man is one of the strongest human beings on this moon! You WILL show him the respect he deserves!" Jasper retorted furiously at me, while Godwin had begun laughing again.
"Come now Jasper, you know I don't care about such things! Bear is fine little one, call me what you will. However, please forgive Jasper. He hasn't been my pupil in many years, but he means well. He really does." Godwin said to me with a bright smile on his face.
"I know sir, and under normal circumstances I may have actually been quite annoyed, but it's obvious that he truly respects you. Plus, despite his anger, he still called me by my name. Not too many nobles out there who would call a commoner by her name, especially one he was mad at."
After I finished speaking, Godwin suddenly took on a very serious face.
"...Young Eris, do you need my help?"
"Huh??"
"Master?!" Jasper looked utterly shocked.
Whoa hang on, is he offering to pay my way out of here? That... is that good for me?

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"Don't look so shocked my pupil. I was already interested in her before, you know that. But after talking to her, and especially after that last statement, I must make her take part in my next set of training. Do you understand, Eris? I take on several proteges every 4 years, and I want you to join the current group. I will pay your way out of here." Godwin's face was resolute. He really means it...
"I... one second please."
"Of course, take all the time you need."
On paper this sounds like an amazing offer... there is just one major problem. That time with Steward wasn't a one-time event, I can feel it. The longer I go without eating, the hungrier I get. Other people start to look... delicious. Especially trained mages like these two.
Fortunately it's not just people, I learned that on the way here. This only happened two times on the entire trip, but I could feel extremely powerful souls through the trees... so very close to the caravan, following us for miles before giving up. I was getting the same craving for them that I had with Steward, turns out the Wendigo was too weak for me moments after eating someone like Steward. Apparently the claws weren't the only change, I can now feel something from people and monsters, and I've been assuming it's the soul. So not only have I lost myself before, but I'm slowly evolving into something else too. I really need help, and fast. Honestly, it's a miracle Steward didn't kill me. I planned quite well, and then the idiot showed up dead drunk so luck played into it too, but still... that was very risky.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to accept his offer, I'll just have to figure it out as I go. Here is praying I don't end up eating one of his pupils. So far I'm really liking this man, so let's try not to munch on his other students.
As I'm thinking that, the door to the cell opens up. I didn't even hear it unlock... it's thing is unlocked already? Two men enter, and I can feel 2 more outside. The four of them have relatively strong souls for humans.
"Well would you look at that, she's awake! How in the hell did you sleep that long Eris? It feels like a waste to hand you over to that man... That was a spell of some sort right? We weren't even gonna put the ether bracelets on you, since we know that 'Stewards apprentice' crap is a load of bull. We've all met his apprentice, and it aint you. But after your little hibernation trick, we were all shocked! 'A commoner girl of no origins with a unique spell, I'll be damned' said the boss. You did that because you thought the gas was something more sinister right? Very smart, I'm very impressed!" The six-foot bald one with a deep voice, tattoos all over, and the biggest muscles I've ever seen, went on like that for about a minute before his partner cut in.
"Give her a break Drogo, the boss wants to see her, remember?" Now this man looks like the quintessential rogue. Wiry small body with a bunch of daggers on his belt. Why does he have so many, does he throw them?
"Wait a moment you two, tell your boss I'd like to speak with him about miss Eris here first." Godwin cut in, holding up a hand.
"No can do, master. Lord Siv is already here and we need something to appease him after what he's claiming happened."
"SIV?! Why am I not surprised that abominable man is involved in this operation." Jasper is already back to his 'I'm outraged' face.
"Noble caravans don't just change course like that Hiei. For him to be here already when he should be arriving at the Kitsune's inner villages right about now... he must have cut straight across due west from his realm. What's got him so spooked?"
"... You're better off not knowing master. We all still appreciate you and the guild, but there is no way you'd ever approve of our life out here. We know what Lord Siv is like, and we also know he's exactly the reason we ended up in this sort of position to begin with. But the world isn't so kind to allow us to deal with only people we like, you know that better than anyone, Jasper." Hiei ended his speech motioning towards Jasper.
"................"
"Regardless, I need this girl. She is going to be taking part in my training." Godwin declared.
"WHAT?! That's amazing Eris!!" Drogo yelled while shaking me back and forth.
"Ahh damnit all... I had a feeling that's what you were going to say, master. The boss would allow it in a heartbeat, but Siv... he was promised this girl, and he's in the worst mood I've ever seen him in." Hiei replied reluctantly.
'Promised this girl'... now I know why the captain threw me to the wolves. I remember them talking about this Lord Siv after I burned his tent down.
"Lord Siv is still resting master, leave it to me! I'll go talk to the boss and give you some time to talk with him first." Drogo confidently cut in.
"Hah! Now that's Drogo for you! I leave it in your capable hands." Godwin nodded with a big smile on his face.
Immediately, Drogo ran out of the room and down the hall.
That man's appearance and his behavior don't match up at all...
Hiei sighed. "In the end it won't matter master, I'm sorry to break this to you. When Lord Siv hears that you two are here, it's gonna be a fight just to ransom you. That man is obviously going to want both of you dead." Having said his piece, Hie turned around and left the cell, closing the door behind him. The sounds of 3 pairs of feet walking away could be heard down the halls. Not locked again...
"Why aren't they locking the door?" I turned and asked the two still on the couch.
"Hmm? Oh, that's because there is no reason to? Only people not wearing these bracelets can remove them. And us two would have no reason to flee or fight, it'd just be certain death. If you run, your ether is still sealed so they must be certain they can catch you." Godwin replied to me but he looks lost in thought.
"I know you're thinking of some plan to get me out of this, but one last question please... Do you know where Lord Siv would be located?"
"...What are you planning? I know nobles don't mingle much with the commoners, so you probably aren't aware that every noble is put through magic training from the age of 7 to 21, and that's not even including the time they may have spent in their mental palace with time dilation. Under normal circumstances with access to your ether, you would die. With those bracelets on it won't even be a battle." Jasper interjected before Godwin could reply.
"Do you, or do you not know?"
"We do not know, little Eris. This room and the bathroom in the other room are all we've seen of this place." Godwin said, this time looking right at me.
"Alright, I'll just have to check every room till I find him. Do not tell them I went to look for Siv, but instead was trying to escape or something like that."
I got up off the bed and headed straight for the door, quickly turning the handle and pulling it open. Seriously, how kind of them to leave this unlocked. Closing the door behind me, I look around and see a path forward, and one to my right. Both directions have forks at the end and doors just like the one I left. These corridors are way too small, it's impossible to go invisible and not bump into someone, that is a problem.

Bear may have been able to get me out of this, so there is no denying why I'm really doing this, and its actually shocking how fast I've changed. Normally killing a noble trying to buy someone against their will would be the perfect revenge target for me. But now... all I can think about is how there is a powerful caster in this building that has declared himself an enemy of mine. I can't blame this on some 'other me' this time, I know its me whose knees are shaking from my excitement at the idea of eating him and experiencing that feeling again.

For now, I hope one of these rooms is empty. I'm going to need some privacy...

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