Mila took a deep breath, worked up her nerve, and stepped over to Rohan. "My lord," she said quietly, "these people deserve punishment, but death by slow dismemberment might be going too far. What if you demote them to serf status instead? If they behave well going forward, they could earn their freedom back."
Rohan listened to Mila's suggestion and let his gaze drift across the rioters kneeling on the floor.
He hadn't planned on killing them anyway. These were able-bodied workers, that was worth something.
"Fine." He paused for a moment. "Starting today, all of you will fish the Argentmere Lake. You bring me a hundred silver fish every single day. Fall short, and I'll have you killed."
Nobody had expected Rohan to come out of this so sharp and cold.
Silver fish were the only specialty product Argentmere Territory had to offer. They didn't boost magic power or anything like that, but they were delicious, a favorite among the nobles in the surrounding area.
The catch was that silver fish were clever and hard to catch. A hundred per person per day was pretty much the absolute limit.
"That said…" Rohan's tone shifted. "I'm not completely unreasonable. I only want a hundred. Whatever you pull in beyond that is yours to do with as you please."
That second half of the sentence reignited something in the rioters' eyes. The despair that had settled over them started to lift.
A single silver fish went for about five silver coins on the market, enough to keep a whole family fed for a month.
"My lord, do you mean that?" one of the older rioters asked, gathering his courage.
Rohan gave him a cold look. "When I say something, I mean it. But the hundred fish come first. Every day. No exceptions."
The rioters all agreed, clinging to this small ray of hope.
With that settled, Rohan pulled out five hundred gold coins and handed them over to Ares. "That's for the soldiers' new gear. Get it done as fast as you can. When war comes, we're all in this together, you and me both."
Ares took the heavy coin pouch with both hands. The clink of gold inside made something sharpen in his chest. He dropped to one knee. "My lord, you have my word. I won't let you down."
"Get going." Rohan waved him off.
He glanced up at the percentage floating above Mila's head. He'd just taken her advice, that had to have moved the needle.
[Mila — Obedience 43% — Submissive]
So it had worked. He'd set up a little stage for her, and she'd stepped right onto it.
"Mila, I really appreciate what you did back there." Rohan reached over and patted her on the head. "You've got such a good heart."
"My lord, you're being too kind." Mila bowed her head slightly, her voice soft. "I just felt like those people didn't deserve that kind of punishment. And the territory needs hands right now, this way works out better for everyone."
In any relationship where one person holds power over the other, the one on top needs to run hot and cold like a rollercoaster.
Warm one moment, distant the next.
The key was reading the other person and adjusting accordingly.
When the person being conditioned showed obedience, you rewarded them right away.
Rohan knew this well. He looked at Mila's gentle, compliant expression and decided to give her a little something extra, push that obedience rating a bit higher.
"Take the day off." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few gold coins. "Go walk around town. Buy something good to eat. Do whatever you feel like."
Mila stared at him, completely thrown.
This lord was like a totally different person. He'd never once cared about what she wanted or how she felt.
And now he was giving her a day off and handing her spending money out of nowhere. It made her feel, for just a moment, like she was actually cherished.
She started to turn it down, but Rohan just pushed the coins into her pocket, gave her fuzzy ears a light pinch, and said, "Go have fun. Enjoy yourself. That's an order."
Mila's cheeks went pink. The string of affectionate little gestures left her heart racing and her thoughts all tangled up.
But she also caught the unmistakable certainty in his voice, a quiet authority she had never heard from him before.
"Yes, my lord." She tucked the coins close, and walked out of the castle with slightly unsteady steps.
Rohan watched her go, already turning over the next part of his plan.
The moment Mila hit the market, the noise and energy of the place wrapped around her.
Stalls stretched out in every direction, jewelry in every color, piles of fresh vegetables and fruit, and food carts sending out warm, mouth-watering smells.
The fox-girl's stomach won the argument immediately, and she made a beeline for a candied dried-fruit stand.
The stall was loaded with all kinds of glazed treats, their sugared surfaces catching the sunlight and glittering like tiny gems, the sweet smell drifting out into the air around them.
Her ears perked straight up. She leaned in and looked over every variety one by one.
"Miss, try our candied strawberry, sweet, a little tart, absolutely delicious!" the vendor called out cheerfully.
Mila took the small sample slice he offered and bit into it. The flavor spread across her tongue all at once, the natural tartness of the strawberry blending perfectly with the sugar glaze.
She let out a quiet, satisfied little sigh without even meaning to.
"I'll take two bags." She smiled. She was already thinking she'd save one for Rohan. Without even realizing it, she wanted to share every good thing she found with him.
She wandered over to a sachet shop next, and remembering how her lord had wrinkled his nose at her before, she picked up two, one for herself, one to give to him.
She hadn't spent much at all, maybe ten silver coins total. She made a note to return the rest to Rohan when she got back.
Mila headed back to the castle in high spirits, the little gifts for Rohan tucked carefully in her hands, her steps light as she made her way toward his study.
She pictured his expression when he saw them, maybe a little surprised, maybe pleased. The corners of her mouth turned up on their own.
But when she finally went to offer them, all she got was a cold shoulder.
She came to his door and knocked lightly. From inside came Rohan's voice, flat and slightly distant: "Come in."
Mila pushed the door open. Rohan was at his desk, head down, working through a document with a serious expression. He didn't look up.
"My lord, I'm back." Mila said softly, trying to catch his attention.
Rohan gave a brief "mm" and kept reading.
She didn't dare interrupt him. She just set the gifts on the edge of the desk. "My lord… I picked up a few things for you while I was out."
Rohan picked up the candied strawberry. With Mila watching hopefully, he tried a piece.
Then she saw him frown, just slightly, like the taste hadn't quite landed right.
"Not bad," he said, glancing up at her briefly. "Thoughtful of you."
That flat, barely-there compliment didn't bring the warmth Mila had been hoping for. Not even close.
Does he not like strawberry? Does he not like sweets? I just… I only wanted to give him something nice.
The fox-girl sank deep into her own head, second-guessing herself all over again.