Chapter one
Countess Maria Ward looked at the scene with amusement. At least that was the expression she schooled her rather well made up face into. A man being humbled in front of her, against his will, wasn't a thing that she actually enjoyed seeing. Some might disbelieve that, she knew, but it was the simple truth. Maria was far too young to waste her days watching a grown man grovel for his life.
Especially when he was both a thief, and a liar. Worse, he didn’t even realize that his existence was on the line.
Baron Klepter, from the northern section. Riven Klepter, as if that wasn't an unfortunate name right off the start. One of the leaders of her own county. Her husband's County, of course.
Being his wife afforded her some small power, but she didn't rule there. Just in the bedroom. Even at that, Marvin was no pushover. A little staid as to what he wanted from a woman that way, perhaps, but gentle and sweet. Gorgeous too. His dark skin and black hair was the envy of the noble circuit.
Honestly, he'd picked her to be his bride seven years before because her mother had, as she so delicately loved to point out at less than optimal moments, sucked his cock for years first. Laying the groundwork. It was, Maria knew, actually pretty close to the truth. Not because her husband was that easily led, but simply due to the fact that sitting Counts were a prize, and fourteen year old girls, no matter how lovely, had very few chances to be introduced to them.
So Carol, her mother, had gotten Maria in to meet with Marvin a few times, which ended in them getting married. It hadn't been that hard to set up, either. The man was truly a marvel, in his own right. Good looking, but keen of mind, too. Few saw that, but those people were, as often as not, taken by surprise later, when County Ward stole the march on them.
The Baron, on his knees begging at the moment, had done something that bordered on unforgivable however. It didn't cross into that state, perhaps, so they functionally couldn't do anything except take his word that he was sorry now.
He hadn't even dressed up for the groveling he was doing, coming in rich finery. It was a nice enough outfit, but when you were accused, rightfully, of using County property for personal gain, it was probably best not to point out how wealthy you already were.
That was what the man had done, too. Stolen from his own.
The magical devices that had been sent to them from Harmony were meant to feed people in their time of need. Not to produce things for sale, to drain every gold and copper from each little village in the land. Klepter had figured out that by keeping his allotment for himself, and selling the food the huge magical constructs made, rather than giving it freely, he could make a killing.
He did too. Both in coin, and in the deaths of hundreds of his own people, who were too poor to pay his blood price. A quiet rage filled Maria at the very thought of it. The vast storms had caused three full growing seasons worth of crops to be lost already, and there was nothing left, except for what the Wizard Timon Baker and his family provided for them.
The only thing that they'd asked of anyone was that they share the food evenly. So that everyone could be fed. It wasn't unreasonable. It was in fact, one of the greatest kindnesses that anyone had ever done for the world.
Of course the very worst part of the whole thing was that Maria and Riven had been good friends for a long time. Not that close personally, but there was a bit of truth in the idea that you tended to trust people that you had sex with. Even if they turned out not to be worthy of it.
He wasn't bad looking either. Twenty-eight years old, so within six years of herself that way. His face was a nice tan color, just a bit darker than hers was, and while he had brown hair, his blue eyes were rather dazzling.
At least when they were attached to a smile.
Right now they were looking at her closely, as if she were the one that would be needed to forgive him? He'd stolen from everyone. Each person of the County had a right to hold him in contempt. Except that the Baker family hadn't actually written any rules down for how the devices they'd lent were to be used. That meant that simply killing the Baron wouldn't work. That might be a bit of a shame, since Maria was fond enough of him in general, but they really couldn't afford to let the rest of their Barons and Baronesses think that kind of thing was a good plan. He had to be punished, and well enough that no one else would ever have reason to think that what he’d done was an allowed thing.
His eyes kept looking at her, as if she were going to get him out of the mess he’d made for himself?
It normally wouldn't be happening, but as she locked eyes with him, it was clear that he was trying to pass her a message. His right hand was crossing his body, with three fingers held out, the smallest folded under. It was the rebellion sign they used to show they needed to pass a message.