Yeah, he mocks himself, yeah, she definitely wanted to come fuck you again; she just couldn’t find the time. Her middle-of-the-night schedule was too full.
But the first CDs he took out with the cash he’s skimming off Haskell with his little hotel deception are maturing, so he’s still not arguing when the old man wants him to go to Ravka again. He clears his throat before he calls.
“We look forward to seeing you, Mr. Brekker,” she says, and he argues back and forth with himself in all his idle moments. There was some extra warmth in her voice. There was not. There was. There was not.
Monster March 2026 Day 6- Humanoid Animal- Dragonborn
Sold Into Freedom Part 2
So, this is actually a part two of a Monstertober thing I did. Here's Part 1. Which is basically if Empresses In The Palace met Magnificent Century but with dragonborn. Enjoy.
Huge thanks to @borealwrites for making @monstermarchevent for 2026. You rock.
Monster March 2026
Day 6- Humanoid Animal
Sold Into Freedom Part 2
Sahliah was overwhelmed.
Upon entering the Imperial Palace, and Concubine Lingquefe's palace specifically, all of the ‘gifts’ and ‘endowment’ she received, made Sahliah flush. She never understood the proverb ‘an embarrassment of riches’ before. Now she understood it.
At first, she had received everything that Concubine Lingquefe had prepared for the Hayal girls, to help make their stay ‘more pleasant’. So in retrospect, she had gotten ‘a double dowry’ while Mahti and Lingquefe had pooled their resources to make sure that the best fabrics they could get their hands on, would be used to make Sahliah's personal imperial gowns that would fit her properly, on top of what Madam Matim had done for her already since- after they signed the widowing divorce and Remi had returned with a ‘downpayment’ for Sahliah, her brother and her father. Matim and Lingquefe had gotten permission from her father to get Sahliah a proper wardrobe to wear while she was there in the Crown City. He agreed and Sahliah wept as she hugged her father goodbye at the gate before she had to take Linquefe’s hand to cross the threshold, looking at her father and her brother as she did so, but also, seeing Remi beyond them as her heart felt like it was ripping itself to shreds. In just 24 hours, she had been brought to new all time lows and Remi was there for both. But, somehow, Remi’s presence and his words and actions made it bearable. While it felt like her world was falling apart, he somehow held it all together and helped her adapt much quicker than she would have without him.
However by that evening, Sahliah had received letters from Concubine Mahti and her son, Imperial Prince Remzi, both of whom apologized profusely and practically begged for any way to make this situation better. But Prince Remzi gave her the most sound advice, advice he had received in battle when the tide of the battle would turn quickly and how the understanding you thought you had, could and did change quickly, and how to accept such drastic changes and adapt and then overcome the changes and recalibrate yourself and your efforts to suit the changing landscape and situation.
He quoted ‘The Art of War’ many times, while quoting other sages and other notable works as well so that his advice on what she could do and how she could do it was reasonable and sound. However, what she did not expect from him, but found most precious, was the comfort he gave as well in his letters. And knowing that he too had been victimized by schemes and plots and intrigues, and viciousness, and cruelty in the palace, that helped tremendously because he was speaking from experience. The sympathy and empathy was extremely precious. To know they shared more in common than she at first, realized. It helped her to not feel so alone or isolated. He also gave her advice to use her time within the Imperial Palace wisely, to learn as much as she could and to read, read voraciously. Because she had gained access to the Imperial Library, which was a gift and invitation to knowledge that exceeded any school. And even included a list of works she should read first to really round out her own intellect, so that when the other ladies of the imperium would speak, she wouldn’t get lost in their innuendo and their ‘plays of words’. Because while ‘there were many flowers blooming’ and she may not be put on the spot to exhibit any talents, her wit and her intellect would always be tested, by everyone around her outside of Lingquefe's palace and she needed to weaponize any and all knowledge and protect herself and her family, her brother and her father, as well as protect the future she wanted, whatever that would be as the specified volumes were among the things he had sent her personally from the Imperial Library as well as a book of collections of poetry as well.
Apparently, Concubine Mahti had taken a collection for her, since ‘Noble Lady Sahliah’s honor and integrity had been maligned, it was then up to the Imperial Palace to make up for such a malignment' and had sent her ‘available servants’ to help make her garments and a wardrobe for the weeks she would be there for.
However, Sahliah did get a pass and permission to leave the Imperial Palace after the morning auditions. Which, she got a ‘private viewing’ for, versus the ‘herds of cattle’ the other young ladies were grouped into. Thankfully, Lingquefe could keep her in the back row, since she was taller than the other ladies and larger and she could tell the other youngest princes avoided even looking in her direction, although making a few mocking comments at her back didn’t help. But if Prince Remzi could swallow it down, so could she.
And then, once that was done, then it was the noble ladies being introduced by their noble mothers, where Sahliah was met with the sight of her birth mother with her two new ‘perfect’ daughters. All three of them murmured the most malicious mockings Sahliah had ever heard. Sahliah didn’t know her mother’s resentment had turned to hatred so completely as she fought not to sob before she used her pass and fled the palace and practically ran into Matim’s arms at the tea house, thankfully, Matim was there to catch her, to pull her to the back and hug and hold her and listen to what Sahliah told her, about what the woman who birthed her said, what her adopted daughters said, what the youngest princes and his other wives and concubines had said at her back, not caring if she could hear it or not.
Sahliah didn’t know when or how but one moment, she was sobbing into Matim’s shoulder, and the next, she was being cradled to Remi’s chest and arms and lap and she had never felt safer, or more comforted before she finally seemed to get it all out and was slowly beginning to reclaim her composure. But she did notice- the tip of his tail, held hers. And it had felt the same today as it had before. Like he was her anchor in this new storm her life took up.
Mentally, and especially psychologically, Prince Remzi had been her anchor, but physically and emotionally, Remi was in this moment.
“Thank you. Sorry for…”
“Don’t apologize, you’ve had your heart ripped out of your chest and put through a meat grinder. You have every reason and every right to cry and to mourn the way you need to.” He murmured in a smooth, low rumble that relaxed her further.
“Thank you for being my anchor.” She thanked him softly as exhaustion started to overtake her before he managed to get her into a carriage and sent her back to Lingquefe’s palace, because her falling asleep in his arms would damage her reputation more than her mother ever could hope to.
Sahliah had dreams, snippets, flashes of things but the feelings were overwhelming. Like falling before being caught and held securely. Of being completely, perfectly safe. Like, someone took all the pain and hurt and weight she felt she carried- off of her, and simply let her be. And accepted her as much as she accepted another person. It felt... it felt like a home she had never known before but longed for.
She woke up for dinner and used her evening to read, read just as voraciously as Prince Remzi encouraged her to, because like hell, she was going to leave such taunts unanswered. Lingquefe helped her find subtle digs, things that would and could sound like compliments, or simply statements, but that were a blade, wrapped in velvet that would cut her mother and those Hayal sisters to the core and would steal those giggles from their throats.
She fell asleep reading. And arming herself to the teeth with knowledge, that would hopefully prove to be like armor before she wrote to Prince Remzi and thanked him for giving her psychological armor, and asked for what other works she should read, and asked for any and all advice on how to survive this onslaught with his other brothers.
The next morning, with breakfast, came three stacks of works. Some of them not even fully binded yet. And now, it felt like she was getting more than just personal armor, she was getting a fully stocked armament. Instead of those comments feeling like burning arrows, it felt like the tips of the arrows were surrounded by balls of rubber, they bounced, they impacted, they stung, but didn’t hurt nearly as bad. And her sly comments back, over her shoulder as she walked away had them inhaling sharply but unable to call after her or question what she meant by such statements. It was then, that Imperial Concubine Jia awarded her the Order of Morning Glory, watching the way Sahliah seemed to swim upstream, seemingly unaffected by the other’s subtle jabs and stabs, like she was above such things. And she was capable of having and wielding that Order of Morning Glory. Because it could not go to someone timid, or shy. Nor could it go to the overly brazen, and outspoken. The Order of Morning glory needed to be wielded to someone who was quiet in strength, armed to the teeth, yet keeping that mouth closed, only 'smiling' and using such armorments when pushed or bullied. It needed to go to someone who had the mental fortitude of a mountain, a presence that needed to be acknowledged, and respected. But whose threat of storms and conditions, could be lethal to those who did not give said mountain it's due respect. Prince Remzi was such a person, and it was clear, that he was making Sahliah the same, because his favoring her, even without ever meeting her face to face, had been noted and reported to others who were keen to observe the auditions and the changes in dynamics with interest.
It got better as a routine emerged. The mornings were breakfast, while reading as much as possible while recieving thorough instructions about how to navigate this 'arena', and getting ready for the morning auditions in which she was never chosen by any of the youngest batch of princes. She was being looked over, the Order of Morning Glory never needed to be said, or used, therefore, stayed 'hidden' to most. After, at about mid morning, she left to go to the tea shop with Matim, getting more unique advice and instruction that was more 'worldly' than the advice given in the Imperial Palace, that she could use in every day life, in or out of the palace. But it was always followed by lunch with Remi, who continued to validate Sahliah's feelings and comfort the 'ruffling of scales' others tried to inflict. then back into the palace for more reading and studying while exchanging letters back and forth to Prince Remzi and his mother, who couldn't meet her face to face since she too reported having to host 'guests' the same way Lingquefe was hosting Sahliah. It also helped tremendously when Sahliah gave her permission to Prince Remzi and his mother to reach out to Remi and Mahti to keep 'up to date' with each days events. So that, 'all four' of them plus Lingquefe, could 'all be on the same page' and where one would leave off, the others would pick up, so that all of this help and 'armorment' was seamless.
Then, once the youngest princes had gotten their picks, then it was time for Prince Remzi’s Imperial Princely Clutch to have their turns of going through the selections, knowing that their younger batch of brothers would go for visually 'dazzling' ladies, who, in their experience usually always amounted to 'flash in a pan'. Dazzle and light up once, but rarely again. They were all older, all with 'supposedly full harems'. But, they were not above acquiring more beauties, but whose physical beauty could be nominal, but whose inner 'beauty', usually cunning outmatched their outward appearance.
The 'playing field' suddenly, drastically changed for her. Instead of being off the side and behind all others, dismissed without even a glance. Now, she was called to be front and center. By now, Prince Remzi's 'interest' and 'help' had reached even their ears and they were very eager to see what it was about her that would get Remzi's interest and interfereance and support. Upon first seeing her, they immediately saw why, they leered at her openly, seeing her fertility in an overabundance in her form and they were wanting to make the best use of it themselves. Because by now, they understood the slim and lithe forms, who had minimal fat stores, while visually appealing in a sense, affected them biologically. It hindered their own fertilllity. Sahliah, just by looking at her, knew that instead of laying a single egg or two at the most, no, she could and would probably lay full clutches of very healthy, very physically powerful and dynamic offspring.
And what made her especially appealing to each of them, was to find that while she was built like a fertillity goddess, she now had the mind and mental fortitude sharper than any weapon. She was the epitome of 'a blade wrapped in silk'. Her keen intellect was obvious to them because in their interrogations, disguised as 'formal preliminary interactions', it was clear that she had not built herself to be appealing to them. She had built herself, solely for herself, and had help in doing so and could and did stand on her own, not needing to be 'protected in a highly walled garden'. All the others were practically willowing grasses or flowers with thin, delicate or even hollow stems, moved easily by the breeze as it would blow in any and all directions. Even those in their own harems were more like rose bushes, beautiful blooms, with enchanting scents, but who had 'thorns' that would injure anyone trying to 'pluck them from the bush'.
Sahliah, was practically a great ironwood pine in comparison. Her boughs were flexible enough to move and bend with the strongest gusts of wind so that she would not break. But her core was stronger and just as solid and steadfast as the trunk of that ironwood pine that had, and could weather any storm thrown at it. She was practically a forest of one who could offer great heights to those brave enough to scale her impressive height in order to see the surroundng landscape with complete accuracy. It was like she was unbothered, unswayed and most of all, unimpressed by her current surroundings. And instead of her needing or wanting to be transplated into the imperial garden, like all the others. It was abundantly clear that the only way she would ever be in such a garden, even the imperial one, is if the garden walls themselves would be taken down and rebuilt around her instead. She was evergreen, instead of only 'blooming' from time to time. She was solid and steadfast, clearly a pillar of strength in just about any and every aspect.
Sahliah was never more grateful for that Order of Morning Glory because it had somehow put her on an even playing field as the Imperial Princes. Because while they could choose her, it could never be an order she was obligated to obey, it was only an offer she had the right and power to choose to either accept or refuse, she would need to choose them back. She used it in a way that left them curious as to why and how she had it. And it resulted in all of them offering and inviting her to join their own harems, even offering her very high and prominant positions within their own harms. However, she did not either accept or refuse their individual offers. Instead, she had given her word that she would go through every day of the selection and meet all of the Imperial Princes. And that only when she had met all of them, would she make a decision then. She did not however indicate whether that decision would be to wed any of them at all, nor did she indicate that she would choose to refuse being in any and all imperial harems.
She would need to bide her time.
Because the longer this selection process continued, the closer she emotionally drew to Remi, which came with a physical aspect, that for now, they were both doing their best to remain platonically friendly while being close, but not romantically intimate in any way, there was a physical ease she felt in his presence that she found just as attractive as Remi's physical form was to her. But on the other hand, she was also being mentally and psychologically drawn to Prince Remzi. He just, 'got her'. It was like, mentally and psychologically, they were on the same page and had total and complete clarity and understanding between them and the intimacy and the ease and the sense of safety they both gave each other, allowed for them to bear more of their true selves, bear their hearts and souls to a degree that was a closeness and an intimacy that was just as attractive and felt just as strongly as what she felt for Remi. It was like Remzi was winning her mind, Remi was winning her heart, both of them were trying to win her soul, and she was incredibly conflicted, becoming more so by the day, as she started to develop surprisingly deep feelings for both of them. And it wouldn't be a battle between the Imperial Princes, the true choice for her, was between Prince Remzi when she would finally get to meet him at his own audition at the very end of this ordeal, and Remi, who was noble and regal in character rather than name and social standing.
Sahliah felt that to choose one over the other, would be an impossibility. And she began to feel like, she would be at a loss and regret her choice, missing out on the life she could share with either of them.
Cream Unicorn Cookie perked up as he watched the other approaching him, his eyes blink once more before bowing politely and speaking with a soft tone.
"Ahh, my apologies to bother you kind sir as I'm trying to find my way back home.
My name is Cream Unicorn Cookie, I look after the childhood dreams as well as bring happiness to those around me as it's always nice to bring out smiles! It's very nice to meet you...umm?"
Pearl sat up yawning and stretching, and opened her eyes, expecting to be at the foot of her bed in the farmhouse. Instead, she was sat outdoors, facing a quaint desert village. She got to her feet in shock and looked around, spotting a large beige egg-shaped building behind her, inside of which was a nether portal and several chests of basic survival supplies. An inhabited world, then. She wondered what had happened to bring her here. It didn't feel like a dream, but she could never be sure... Wandering through the empty street of the village, she heard the sound of a rocket firing overhead, and looked up in time to see someone in shining metal armour flying by. She called out in greeting, but the figure was already almost at the horizon, so she dashed after them.
Some time later, she approached a strange white and grey building, still sprinting but getting a bit tired and hungry from running so far. (She had none of her items and had neglected to take anything from the community supply area where she'd spawned.) She leaned against the cool, flat wall, stopping for just a moment to catch her breath before walking through the open doorway.
Impulse had just finished restocking the shop at the Yes Wings Club when he saw Pearl enter, wearing a strange green and golden dress. There was something else off about her, but he wasn't feeling 100% after a few nights with no sleep anyway, so he wasn't one to judge.
"Hey Pearl!" he called with a friendly wave. "How are you doing?"
"Sorry, who are you?" she asked in response.
"Huh?" Impulse's exhausted brain was running a little slower than usual. "Haha, what are you saying, Pearl? It's me, Impulse!"
"Okay, you're Impulse... And how do you know me? I've only just arrived in this world, and I definitely don't recognise you at all..."
"What...?" The gears turned, gradually, and he arrived at the logical conclusion. "Have you lost your memory or something? You met us months ago, when we all arrived here on Hermitcraft-8..."
Pearl was now even more confused. "What? No, I've definitely not been here at all before! I'm from a different world!"
"Oh boy, this is bad... Really bad!" Impulse walked towards her, concern clear in his eyes. "You really don't remember anything from our time together?"
"I don't know you," she said, and he knew that she wasn't joking.
The moment was interrupted by a soft grumbling sound from her stomach, and she giggled. "I do know that I'm hungry, though!"
"Oh, here, have some golden carrots!" Impulse offered, and she gladly accepted. They were quite a bit sweeter than she was used to, but she didn't say anything.
Impulse sighed tiredly. There was only one thing he could think of that might help.
"We need to get you to Boatem," he said.
"What's Boatem?" she asked, and his heart sank a little more. Hopefully Grian might know what to do.
