"You Ness tend to get busy after waking up. I suppose it was only fair to assume that being the daughter of Serus and Voila, you'd be an even bigger handful." He chuckled to himself, "I just never imagined how much." He added, "Westly came to me complaining about you before Sigmund took him out," He chuckled. He seemed amused by the turn of events. Villain sat there with her hands folded neatly, "If he had paid his debts, there wouldn't have been an issue." Villain replied sharply, the Emperor laughed, "That's what I said." He said pleased. He then handed the cup off to the maid, who sat it down. He leaned back on the loveseat he sat on and smiled.

 

His grin was broad, and his eyes sparkled with delight, "That was the first time my Michael has ever shown any interest in court." He spoke lightly, and he changed the subject from Westly to his son, ultimately showing how little he cared about the fate of the Westly family. "Any child would be interested in me if they could see my true nature like him your highness." Villain replied calmly, the Emperor raised a brow, "I hear that your engagement with the Hamilton Dukedom was called off." Villain watched Thomas lean down putting together a cup of tea for her.

It seemed the butler needed something to busy his hands with, he always got upset hearing the name Hamilton these days. But to be honest, Villain hardly thought about them. "Yes, it's true." Villain replied frankly, "Shortly after my parent's funeral," She added with a bland tone. While she would love to take down the Hamilton family there was a difference between mountain lions and jaguars, the big cat was displayed on the Hamilton Dukedom crest.  

The Emperor eyed her, "How big exactly are you hoping to make the Ness territory?" he questioned, Villain perked up hearing this, "What are you proposing your highness?" She asked narrowing her eyes, the emperor used a pair of tongs to grab a pastry placing it on a small plate before eating. "I'm not proposing anything." He said vaguely, "I've just heard that there are a couple of lords and barons that were supported by the Westly family that are suddenly without support." The Emperor explained, "It would almost be too easy to invite them into the house of Ness or..." The Emperor stabbed the strawberry on his cake, it bled red onto the white frosting. "Get rid of them." His eyes met Villain's.

The young countess adjusted her seating taking a breath, "Your highness I can not attack without just cause." She said, " I could only do as much as I have because of subjugation laws." The emperor smiled chewing on his food. When he swallowed he motioned to the maid who walked over with a stack of documents on a tray. He took them and handed them to Villain.

Her eyes scanned the top of the pile, "Transfer of debt?" She asked, "The Westly family was lending money out to these lords and barons. I believe Fredrick was hoping to start his own faction. More nobles with his... Particular tastes." The emperor explained, Villain looked up, "They're pedophiles?" She asked directly, Thomas cleared his throat. She glanced at the butler, "It's best to call a duck when it is one." She retorted to the subtle scolding.

The Emperor chuckled bitterly, "Yes." He replied frankly, "Disturbingly so they've started looking for children that look like mine." He explained, Villain's eyes snapped back to the Emperor horrified. As horrifying as the concept of pedophilic nobles were, to know they were... She felt sick.

Mary was so innocent...

"I can't attack them directly." The emperor explained, "If I do so they'll scatter like rats and I won't be able to find them so easily again." He sat the finished plate down dapping his face. "Who knows what they'll do to children in the meantime?" He seemed just as disgusted, it was a well-known fact in the empire the emperor and empress were disgusted by such concepts. In Villain's opinion, any sane person would be, but power has a way of making easy justifications for disgusting actions. 

"So your plan is to use the countess as bait?!" Thomas spoke up for the first time in their conversation, a breach of etiquette for sure but the butler didn't seem to care. "Thomas." The Emperor replied firmly, "Don't you dare use that tone, Arthur." Thomas hissed through clenched teeth. "Serus would be horrified that you want to use his daughter to capture pedophiles!" Thomas shouted, "Don't use that tone with his highness!" The imperial maid spoke up scolding Thomas. "Shut up." He snapped at the maid.

"That little girl is all I have now. I will not let you endanger her!" Thomas shouted looking furious, Villain sat there stunned, she looked over at the Emperor who seemed unoffended as if he expected this pushback from Thomas. "She's going to be a target anyway!" Arthur replied loudly, Thomas went to yell something else but fell silent just for a moment, "What?" He asked quietly.

"Villie is going to be a target anyway Thomas. Everyone in the empire thinks you are the one making decisions for the house of Ness. They think she's vulnerable especially after Sigmund stepped in and fought Westly." He explained, "A vulnerable child who wants adult figures is exactly what they look for and with the recent windfall and expansion she's got a bigger target now." The emperor explained, "At least this way I can provide support." Arthur adverted his eyes. 

"How big is this ring?" Villain spoke, "Very big." The Emperor spoke, "I'm sure you're aware that slavers capture children often. After all, you took two young children into your house recently." He spoke quietly, Villain stared at him and then looked at Thomas who seemed pale, he leaned against the couch horrified and looking sick. "Sit down Thomas," Villain ordered, the butler complied looking like he'd faint at any moment. Once the older man sat down Villain took his hand and held it.

"If I do this I have conditions and demands." She announced, Arthur perked up at this, "What are they?" He asked slowly, "I want nonhuman persons to have national citizenship after immigrating here." She spoke instantly, "Done." The emperor replied looking unsurprised, word must have spread about Villain's decision to bestow lordship to goblins. "I also want the decision of your grandfather Frederik during the imperial convention of 1717 to be overturned." The Emperor's eyes widened upon hearing this, "You want homosexual marriage to be legal?" He asked startled.

"The fact that two adults can not consent to a legal contract regardless of sex or gender is so idiotic that a child would know it's wrong." Villain spoke plainly, The emperor frowned, "That's harder but I'll try." He rubbed his chin, "You Ness like to do things in threes what's the third one?" He questioned, "Outlaw slavery." The imperial made who had been cleaning a glass dropped it upon hearing this.

"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed startled instantly beginning to clean it up. The Emperor hardly seemed phased by the glass and was more startled by Villain. "Slavery is a difficult topic, little countess." He said slowly, "I hardly see what's so difficult about knowing that owning people is wrong." Villain replied sharply, "Honestly you'd think the church would be against it." She grumbled, Arthur snorted, "You don't attend mass too often do you?" He asked a bit cynically. 

"I make my donations that should be good enough." Villain responded, Arthur sighed, "Countess you've asked a lot." He remarked, running his hands through his hair, "Your highness has done the same." The little countess replied,  "I'll do my best, I ask that you do the same." The emperor sighed, "Of course your highness." Villain replied.

After an agreement was established, Villain and Thomas were excused from the drawing room, a maid escorted them to their rooms for the night. Both Thomas and Villie were quiet, "The countess's room is here and her guardian's room is here." The maid explained motioning to the rooms across from each other. "Should you need anything feel free to pull on the rope beside your beds." She told them giving them a slight bow before leaving.

Villain and Thomas headed to her room first, there was soft tapping of Villie's shoes and cane on the tile. Thomas shut the door behind them locking it. He rested his hand on the door with a long sigh, Villie looked around the room, it was decorated in the finest materials. A light yellow was the main color that filled the room. 

She stood there holding her cane, she looked over at Thomas who turned to face her. "Countess are you sure we should do this for the emperor-?" Thomas started to ask, but hot tears ran down Villie's face. "Villie?" He asked softly, Villie felt her lips quiver. "Thomas my leg hurts." She said softly, "My head hurts... The flowers keep poking at my scalp. This dress is itchy..." She complained, Thomas's eyes softened and he walked across the room lifting her up.

Villie hugged him sniffling, "I'm trying not to complain, but it hurts." She murmured, "No... No... Complain all you want Villie." Thomas hugged her tightly. Villie let out a low sob, Thomas walked over sitting on one of the couches in the large room. Villie cried and sobbed as he took off her prosthetic leg and took down her hair. 

After a while Villie managed to calm down, Thomas's fingers brushing through her hair helped as he held her in his lap. "There we are Villie." He said softly, "Do you feel better now?" He asked, Villie sniffled and nodded. "That's good," He said softly, he kissed her forehead. His eyes filled with paternal affection, Villie rested her head against him, she felt safe here. She knew she was safe here. The soft thudding of Thomas's heart next to her ear lulled her into sleep. As she drifted off she heard Thomas's heartbeat gently thudding.

Thud... Thud thud... Thud... Thud thud... Thud...

Villain was in a forest now, she walked carefully the marshy ground made it difficult for her to have a good footing. She saw a campfire and she approached it, it felt so warm and real. She sat down on the log taking a long breath. She sat her cane across her legs and looked around. Leon came out of the forest carrying logs, he seemed tired but younger. Snow fell from the sky as he put more logs onto the fire. 

Leon then sat down on the log next to her, Villain knew he couldn't see her. But she decided to pretend he could, she looked over at him studying his face. He was definitely younger than the old man in the tower she saw. But he seemed tired, "You haven't been sleeping well have you?" She asked. Leon who had been warming his hands on the fire paused and looked around. "You should take better care of yourself." She continued.

Villain thought for a moment he could see her but he looked past her. Villain sat there quietly for a moment, Leon couldn't see her or hear her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, she sat there quietly watching the fire with him. "I wish I could be strong like you." She said softly, she felt embarrassed for crying earlier with Thomas. She always felt embarrassed, but Thomas didn't seem to mind.

From what she had seen in her dreams and what she could remember of the book, Leon never cried. Even when faced with something horrible or scary. Villie couldn't help but admire him, he was so strong and he could protect people. He didn't have to hide or use underhanded tactics to survive. He faced problems head-on with no fear.

But there she was, acting like a spoiled brat crying about how her leg hurt or the accessories in her hair hurt. If she was strong like Leon... Thomas wouldn't be so worried all the time and she'd be able to take care of the territories without problems. Everyone would like her and respect her.

Tears trickled down Villie's face, she felt overwhelmed and upset constantly. The emperor wanted her to take down a bunch of adults who frightened her. She cried quietly letting all her frustration out, the fire became blurry in her vision and she sat up wiping her eyes. She was sure she'd wake up soon, but her stomach dropped when she heard Leon say.

"Is... Is it raining?" He asked, she looked over, her eyes swollen from crying. He sounded confused looking at his hand where a few tear drops had fallen. He then looked at his shoulder even more confused, it had been soaked where Villie had cried. She felt her face burn with embarrassment, how these dreams worked she didn't understand. But the proof of her crying... It was embarrassing. 

Leon touched his shoulder confused with his hand, he looked up from his shoulder and his eyes widened. "Countess?!"

Villie woke up sitting up in the bed of her room in the palace. Panting quietly she looked around, sitting there for a moment she slowly winced remembering her dream. Quickly grabbing her pillow, and let out a yell into it. She thought he couldn't see her! Why could he suddenly see her?! She lowered the pillow knowing her face was bright red. She let out a long breath, she looked out her window. It was twilight now.

Reaching over she pulled on the rope next to her bed, it would be time for dinner soon.