Beauty X Beast ~ Four!

By noon, Danielle was seated in a tent erected in the center of the town square, tasked with assisting Lefroupe with the inprocessing of the new Greenhorns and conscripts. The air was thick with tension between the two groups, as there was already a clear divide growing. 

Those who had taken the leap and volunteered—whether out of patriotism, a thirst for adventure, or simply to avoid the shame of being unfavorably compared to Danielle—now stood tall and proudly. Their chins were lifted proudly, all so they could look down their noses at those who had been forced into service with a clear bent toward contempt. 

On the other hand, the conscripts were shuffling back and forth, their eyes darting around as they sought a way to escape. The smattering of soldiers standing at each exit to the town square precluded any actual attempts, but it was a near thing on multiple occasions. 

The contrast between the two groups felt like an irritation just beneath Danielle's skin, but she clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to snap at the Greenhorns as they jeered at the less fortunate conscripts: people they had grown up with and known their whole lives. Finally, she had to stand and close the tent flap so she could block out the deeply aggravating sight. 

“As bad as it is for them, I need to figure out a way to save my own skin first.” Then, she took a deep breath and smoothed the durable canvas fabric of her dress and swept into her seat once more. Attempting to maintain a pleasant demeanor, she loudly called out, “Next! Pierre Jacob Bakersson. Can I say, I'm impressed that you would sign on willingly, knowing how your father would react? He’s not exactly known for being overly gentle when he’s angry or wants something. Just this morning, I saw him accosting a few farmhands for their eggs on my way to the Class Shrine.”

“He didn't get any, neither,” the hefty lad stated as he strolled up to the table she’d been provided. “‘Sides, he might’ve been angry, but now all he is, is proud. Relieved, actually. I could’ve been like one of them, still having to do all of the scut work but not actually gettin’ any benefits out of it. Uhh… sorry about the whole pinchin’ you thing. I hope you don't hold that against me, now that you’re gonna marry the baron.”

“Ah… right. You don’t need to worry about that anymore. Also, good for you, Pierre.” Danielle’s soothing words put the young man greatly at ease, the tension immediately melting out of him. The Enchantress bobbed her head and shuffled through the various documents needing to be filled out and placed with his initial sign-on packet. 

She quickly gathered each paper, had them signed by Pierre, then gathered them once more and tapped the stack on the table a single time—and it shuffled into perfect alignment. Then, she dismissed the baker’s son and handed the documents over to Lefroupe, who watched on with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“See that? What you just did with arranging everything beautifully? Why is that not a scribe ability?” Lefroupe had proven to be a hidden gem, constantly making jokes and attempting to put her at ease with the situation. “What wonderful work you are already doing for us, madame Danielle! Truly, as you get more familiar with your tasks in the future, I hope you will lean on me and bring any fears or concerns that you have. I am very excited to have this opportunity to get to know you better.”

Danielle considered the words he’d spoken, searching for hidden meanings and wondering why he had said something similarly complimentary practically every time she completed even the simplest of tasks. As they finished their paperwork and sent the next new recruit away with a smile on his face, she turned to the scribe and directly inquired, “Why are you being so nice to me, Lefroupe? What benefit do you get?”

“My lady?” Lefroupe’s face scrunched up slightly as he smiled uncomfortably. “Surely, you understand that you will one day be… well, you’ll be in charge of me.”

“By the system, what are you talking about?”

“I know you don’t know him very well, yet, but… you know? Baron Gasteel is the epitome of what a hunter should be.” Lefroupe’s smile faded slightly, and he noticeably gulped. “Once he’s found his mark, he will tirelessly chase it down until he has his trophy. I truly mean no disrespect to you when I say this, as I know you have your own feelings on the matter, but you will be his wife one day.”

“Over my dead body.” She barely managed to murmur the words instead of shouting them, not wanting to get on the bad side of this potential ally so early.

“More likely… it’s far more likely to be over many other people's dead bodies.” Lefroupe whispered nearly as softly, leaning in to keep the conversation as private as possible. “You’re far too valuable and exactly what he’s always dreamed of having. Someone who can make him even more handsome than he was before?” 

Lefroupe shook his head in wonder, though his eyes stayed fixed on Danielle's face. “You have to understand, you’re the ideal trophy for him. Yet, even as I feel for the hesitation you have for your situation, I still envy you. You will have a life that no one in this town could have ever dreamed of. Gasteel has the eye of the king, and he will one day rise in the peerage once more. You’re… well, a peasant for the moment. You’d do well to accept this new reality and make peace with your future.”

Shaking her head and refusing to say another word, Danielle turned her eyes to the next set of documents and wearily called out for the next volunteer. The hours dragged on, the bombardment of compliments for every minor action she took only draining her as they continued to flood in from the man who seemed to be the baron’s personal cheer squad. As dinner time approached, she was exhausted from the emotional toll that had been inflicted on her over the course of the day. 

Happily, Lefroupe sensed her fatigue and finally called for a break. “Dinner will be brought in shortly; why don't you chat with me for a while and take your mind off all this unpleasantness?”

The Enchantress could hear dozens of people outside of the tent still waiting to be processed, and she had heard enough commands from the soldiers around them to know they had been forced to remain standing the entire day. “What about them? Wouldn't it be better to just continue on while we eat?”

“Everyone who remains is a conscript.” Lefroupe let out a soft huff through his nose, wincing and looking sadly toward the opening. “Trust me when I say that it will be good for them to get used to the idea that life no longer moves at their pace. It's a lesson they'll need if they're going to survive the next few weeks.”

Not sure what else to say about the situation, Danielle reluctantly nodded, though his outlook didn't sit well with her. Looking around the tent for anything she could use to change the topic of conversation, her eyes came to rest on a large book casually laying on the cobblestone floor of the tent near Lefroupe’s feet. “Oh? Do you read?”

“What, this? No, I read fun books.” The scribe rolled his eyes and picked up the thick book. “This absolute doorstop is a copy of the laws of the land, given to Baron Gasteel upon his ascension into the nobility of Verdelune. He gave it to me to reference when he needs information, after expressing his frustration with the lack of pictures.”

“I've never seen a full version of the laws of the land before. I can't believe it’s only one book!” Danielle stared at the tome with bright eyes, focused on the gilded edges of the pages as the scribe moved it back and forth slightly. “If I promise to be careful with it, can I read it when we have breaks?”

“Hmm? You can read? That’s adora—I mean, certainly! I’m not worried about you damaging it—you’d never be able to repay the cost of this book.” Lefroupe looked between her and the book thoughtfully, a sly grin appearing on his face. “You know… actually… destroying this would cement your engagement with Gasteel. Win-win for me. Take it. Burn it, if you’d like.”

Even with the clear warning, Danielle barely hesitated before gingerly reaching over and accepting the immense book. She nodded at the scribe as she opened the volume with care, feeling the weight of knowledge in her hands and a settling of a concerning responsibility on her shoulders. Upon taking a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves, the scent of aged parchment filled her senses. Despite the potential for dire consequences, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement at gaining access to such a rare and important treasure. 

Best of all: Danielle knew that, somewhere in this book, she would find a way to escape. 

She cracked it open immediately. As she read through the dense text, her mind raced to make comparisons between her situation and the laws of the land. Each time she touched upon a new section, amendment, or precedent, she tried to find a way to apply it… but the material was dense. Before she had gotten more than three pages in, dinner was served. 

Danielle distractedly munched on a steaming slice of oversized quiche without tasting it, taking care not to get food crumbs or grease on the pages as she continued to absorb the information. Even if she hadn't been so well distracted, it was unlikely she would’ve been able to taste anything but ashes. The thought of being tied to him, becoming his ‘trophy wife’, went against everything the Enchantress wanted out of life—not to mention making her feel physically ill.

Eventually, she had to reluctantly close the cover of the body of law as sad-faced conscripts were ushered into the tent. Danielle had to process them and worked hard to help them regain some of the dignity that had been stripped away from them over the course of the day. 

Almost none of the people stepping into the tent had the ability to read or write. In fact, most of them were only familiar with the system text etched on their arms, only understandable because the system ensured that everyone—no matter how noble or lowly—would understand their class and skills. Recognizing their anxiety and confusion, Danielle moved to help each of them with as much patience as she could, carefully guiding each of them through the process, helping them write out their information, and explaining the terms of their conscription in simple, reassuring language. 

Beyond doing the bare minimum and getting everyone to sign, Danielle went out of her way to offer them a sliver of hope. To Lefroupe’s great annoyance, she pointed out a clause in the conscription contract which informed everyone that, after a decade of service, they had the right to return to their lives and make their own choices once more. Or, if they chose to stay in the military, they would immediately be lifted to the position of a squad leader in charge of at least fifteen other conscripts. This way, she made sure they understood that, although the term of service was long, it was finite.

By explaining the contract, Danielle felt she had done everything she could to ensure they wouldn't be trapped—at least not forever—in a life they didn't want.

Now that Danielle had read over some of the initial laws governing Verdelune, the flash of light emanating from the signed document had taken on a new meaning: every signature on a contract was no different from signing a verbal oath to the kingdom. 

Each document integrated them directly into Verdelune’s ward structure, which would document all of their individual contributions to the kingdom, whether it be through combat or in support of the nation. For those who had signed on willingly, this was a path to leadership, knighthood, or even a noble title, if the kingdom expanded farther and took new lands. 

For the conscripts, this was simply a way to ensure they were working and fighting on behalf of Verdelune. Still, the more she thought on this topic, the more Danielle realized she may have discovered a path forward. Murmuring to herself, she reached out and ran her fingers along the spine of the law book. “I was added to the ward structure, then removed immediately afterward. What does that mean, legally speaking?”

Lefroupe glanced up from his own documents, blinking rapidly as he tried to stay awake. “Madame, apologies, I did not hear you correctly. Did you say something to me?”

“What? No… I was just thinking out loud,” Danielle replied with a slight blush, the color in her cheeks hiding the deeper machinations spinning in her mind. 

The scribe shrugged, then glanced out the open tent flap, only for his eyes to go wide. “Look at the hour! I've kept you far too late. I know someone such as yourself doesn't need their beauty sleep, but you should still go and get some rest.”

Smoothly getting to her feet for the first time in hours, Danielle nodded at the weasel-faced man and scooped up the large legal manual. “I'll see you in the morning, I suppose?”

“Absolutely. That's Gasteel Company for you. No one works like Gasteel, has early mornings and late nights like Gasteel.” Lefroupe’s words reduced to humming as Danielle calmly walked out of the tent, doing her very best to appear innocent. 

Walking to the edge of town, then just a little bit past, she finally returned to her father's home and workshop. She opened the door, barely managing to get inside before her father swooped in and pulled her into a tight hug.

“I heard the news, Danielle. I'm so sorry to hear you didn't get the class you were hoping for.” Henri stepped back to arm’s length, inspecting his daughter for a long moment, his eyes lingering on the Gasteel Company pin she had been ordered to wear on the front of her dress. “Tell me what happened. It looks like today has been even more eventful than we’d been expecting. How bad is it?”

Whether it was from the long day or her own musings, Danielle needed a moment to pull herself back to the present and respond. “It's the worst. I'm an Enchantress. I'll never be able to trust the people around me, always locked into wondering if they’re simply there to gain something from me instead of-”

“My sweet Danielle, I mean your newfound military service,” Henri gently interrupted her, flicking the large pendant with evident annoyance. “I've seen this sort of thing far too many times for my liking in the past, and I know exactly what it means. Not to mention, I’ve had no fewer than three visitors today—three more than I've had in the last six months, I might add—telling me all kinds of wild stories. Everything from you signing up for the military, to you being conscripted, to getting married to a noble. So what's the truth of the matter?”

“The truth is… complicated.” Danielle hefted the weighty book. “I think I managed to do something significant; I just need to spend some time figuring out exactly how important it was—and how I can use it to get out of this mess.”

That wasn't enough of an explanation for her father, so she was treated to a truncated round of questioning as he gently pried out the events of the day. When he had a full account, he could only nod his head wearily and wave toward her room. 

“Sounds like you lived a whole week in the span of a few hours. You must be tired, so feel free to get some rest. I'm sure you’re going to your room to humor me, but if you're just going to stay up and read, feel free to do so out here where the light is better.”

“You know me too well.” A small smile appeared on Danielle's lips as she gave her father a kiss on the cheek and thumped the book onto the table, settling into her usual spot and throwing the cover open.