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Anathema, Enemies and Others.	By : Proofreader-1962 Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 1738 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights of the Exlated RPG setting, comics nor novels and make no money from writing this story. Though if well received here I may attempt to convince White Wolf to Publish for profit. In which case this would have to be deleted.

Chapter List
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3 One Collar Stays
I woke to see the Anathema looking down at me, “Don’t move. Don’t Speak, until I give you leave to do either,” he said. I wanted to attack him. I wanted to scream, but I could do neither.
“Don’t panic. Listen to what I’m saying. I’ve put an artifact slave collar on you and activated it. You cannot disobey any order I give you while your wear it. You are doubtless thinking about all the horror stories you’ve ever heard about what ‘Anathema’ do to Dragon-Bloods. Well, I want you to put those thoughts, those stories, aside. I’m not going to rape you. I’m not going to order you to murder innocents. I AM going to give you some standing orders that you will obey as long as you wear this collar,” he said as he tapped the small band of metal about my throat, “Listen closely and remember these orders:
First, when you speak to me you will always tell me the truth. You will not attempt to deceive me by supplying partial answers or withholding information.
Second, you will take no actions to harm myself, my servants, my soldiers, or my interests.
Third, you will not allow harm to come to myself, my servants, my soldiers or my interests by inaction when you could prevent that harm.
Fourth, you will take no actions to end your own life or allow yourself to be killed though inaction, unless you are obeying my direct order.
You may now speak to answer my questions. What is your name?”
“Kari.”
“Just ‘Kari?’ Don’t you have a Title, a House, or a Gens, name?
“Oh, Yes. Scale Kari of Orchards Vale.”
+++---+++
I frowned a bit at her answer. The only title she was laying claim to was her rank? “Very well, Scale Kari, the name I’ve used since I drew my second breath is Clear Dusk Sky, or Dusksky, as too many people prefer for my liking. I hold the rank of Captain for the company of siege engineers whom you assaulted earlier today. You may call me ‘Captain Sky,’ or ‘Sir.’ Understood?”
“Yes, Captain Sky," she replied.
“Good, you have probably noted the effect of the collar on your behavior already, is that not so?
“Yes, Captain Sky. I want to attack you and I cannot. That makes me want to scream with rage and I cannot. I wish to remain silent or mislead you with false answers and I cannot,” tears filled her eyes as she answered.
“Good, I’m about to ask you to do something. This is not an order. It is a request for you to do something I know you would object to doing, so pay attention. Kari, will you kiss me?” I leaned forward to be within easy range of her lips and waited several seconds, “you’re not kissing me, Kari. Why aren’t you kissing me?”
“Captain Sky, you did not order me to kiss you. You asked me to kiss you and I do not want to kiss you; so I did not kiss you.”
“There is one of the limits of the collar’s control. I want you to be aware of it during my next questions. Is that understood?”
“Yes Captain Sky. I understand that only orders are enforced.”
“Now, Kari, if I asked you to swear your parole to me: that you would not try to harm my servants, soldiers, interests nor myself. That you would not attempt escape nor harm yourself while you are my prisoner and that you would remain my prisoner until ransom was paid for your release. Could I trust you to keep your oath once the collar was removed?
“NO, the oath would be coerced and thus void, Captain Sky!”
“I’m not ordering you to give the oath, I’m asking for the oath and you already know that you need not accede to requests. Where is the coercion?”
“Captain Sky, the collar itself is coercion. The promise of removal for making a true oath carries with it the treat of it not being removed for failure to make an oath of parole or for making a false oath. I cannot regard any oath made while wearing it a true oath.”
“If I remove the collar before you gave your parole, would you give me your parole of your own free will and honor that oath?”
“No, for the reason that you are Anathema and I could honor no oath made to you.”
“Pity, I would rather have your free and willing cooperation, but, since you will not give it, you will have to keep the collar. Well then, on to new business, Kari, you have a transverse crack of your sternum, three cracked ribs on your right side and a minor concussion. I’m ordering you to take at least three days of bed rest. I expect you will be fully healed by then. Your sword is being wheeled down to the camp. You’ll be able to re-attune it after we determine you are fully recovered. Your Air-Aspected compatriot will live, but he will be taking longer to heal up than you will, so I expect it will be a week before he walking about. Melaine and another young woman she picks will be acting as your nurses until you are well and as your maids after that. For now, you will submit to their orders as though I gave them. Understood?”
“Yes, Captain Sky.”
“Before I leave, whom should we contact about paying your ransom?”
“There is no one who will pay a ransom for my release, Captain Sky,” she replied with a tone of frustration and sorrow.
“Your parents wouldn't . . .”
". . . have the money to ransom me, Captain Sky. I’m the only Dragon-Blood to exalt in my home town in centuries. My parents own an orchard and some farm land outside the town. When I drew my second breath they gave me half their savings and told me to seek out the Dragon-Blooded of Lookshy, or even the Realm. The city gave me a suit of armor and a chopping sword and gave me the same advice. Oxbow is the first job I had hired onto as a soldier!”
“You are so skilled with your Daiklaive. I presumed you were from a family of soldiers; a warrior bred, born, and raised.”
“No,” she replied, “I only bought Foecleaver and started practicing with her two months ago, Captain Sky.”
“Two Months!? Well, that does put a different face on the situation. How old are you, Kari?”
“I will be fourteen years old on the twelfth of Ascending Wood, Captain Sky,” she whispered. (Note: Creations days are twenty-five hours long and years consist of fifteen months of twenty-eight days plus a five day adjustment period between each year, called Calibration; thus each Creation Year is equal to approximately 1.212 of our years).
“You are much younger than I supposed. How long ago did you draw your second breath?”
“Sixty-three days ago,” her answer was barely audible.
“So, to be perfectly clear: you are thirteen years old, you exalted sixty-three days ago; and you taught yourself nearly unparalleled skill with the sword in a mere two months ,” I repeated the essential facts.
“Yes, Captain Sky,” she replied with more volume.
“We will speak more, later,” I said, as I stood and departed her tent.
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Anathema, Enemies and Others.