Chapter 25: The Royal Retainer

Rose was so excited and nervous the following day that she couldn’t even eat breakfast. After bathing herself, she dressed and did the zipping motion to tighten the dress on her body. As she walked through town wearing high heels, many people turned or stopped to look at her. She kept her attention forward, walking toward the manor without stopping so as to not allow conversation. Every now and then, she simply said, “I got them at the seamstress’ shop.”

There was the same crowd and line of people at the manor as the previous week, but this time, Rose presented her appointment and was led further inside. The large house was the nicest she had seen in Scarlaria. The wooden floors were decorated with soft carpet while paintings and candles hung mounted on the walls. It made the place feel cozy despite its size. When Rose entered the next room, there were a few other people already waiting. A long table in the middle of the room contained various pastries and drinks.

One by one, the other guests were called upon, and another new person was brought in to take their place. In under an hour, Rose went from the newest person in the room to the longest-tenured. Just as she began contemplating a pastry to fill her empty stomach, Rose’s name was called. She followed the escort from the room, down a short hallway, and soon arrived at their destination. This room was more akin to a large study than a big throne room Rose was expecting. Sitting in the room were three men and two women. The man sitting in the middle, who appeared to be the head of the house, began to speak once Rose was seated.

“Welcome to House Scarlet. I do hope that you’ve found our hospitality acceptable,” he said. “However, as you can see, many people wish to have an audience with us, so I must ask that you state your business clearly and concisely. Before you begin, let me introduce my family. To the far right is my sister, Charlotte. To my immediate right is my wife, Sharla. To my immediate left is my eldest son and heir, Ash, and to his left is my youngest son, Silver. My name is Bryarth. Now, Rose, please tell us why you’re here.”

“Yes, sir, I will try,” Rose said, and then she began giving them the summarized version of her coming to Scarlaria and the journey it took to get here.

For a few moments, it seemed to Rose that no one believed her story about coming from another world. Bryarth left his seat and walked toward Rose, telling her to stand as well. She noticed him take a second look at the high heels on her feet, but he didn’t say anything about them. He circled around Rose, eyeing her body up and down to the point that Rose wasn’t sure if he was just checking her out or legitimately examining her.

“Well, your aura certainly doesn’t appear to be native to Scarlaria,” he said. “That doesn’t mean your story is true, though, and I’m afraid we don’t have the luxury of researching it further. Since you’ve traveled so far to see us, I will at least provide a carriage to transport you back to the eastern part of the continent if you wish to return there.”

Rose looked at Bryarth and then at the other four people still seated. No one said anything. All of the excitement and hope turned to ice inside of her. “Thank you,” she said softly as she turned to leave the room. All she wanted to do now was go somewhere private before she broke down and cried.

“I don’t find it so easy to allow this crimson-haired beauty to leave without a second thought,” another man said. Rose turned to see Ash, Bryarth’s eldest son, now standing. “If the lady, Rose, accepts, I will name her my retainer.”

“You want to accept this foreign, untrained girl into your service?” Bryarth asked. And then, without an answer, probably because he saw the expression on Ash’s face, he said, “A retainer isn’t some horse that can be sold or traded away at a whim. If you take this girl into your service, you will have to live with your decision.”

Rose was escorted to yet another room. This one didn’t have any refreshments at first, but some were soon brought in for her. She ate and drank to her fill, finally settling the growing hunger in her stomach. After that, she walked out on the balcony, which overlooked a part of the city. She could see people walking below, which reminded her of being back home. The people here had more manners, though.

Late in the evening, Ash came to the room accompanied by a much older man who looked like a sort of lawyer. Rose had a full stomach from eating all day, and she was tired until the excitement reignited inside of her once more. Before Rose could even ask about what a retainer was, Ash said that he was there to explain it all.

“A retainer is like an assistant but more than that. They help their liege in affairs, both big and small, which range from bringing me a drink to speaking on my behalf in my absence. You’ll swear to do anything I need of you, and in return, you get to live here as part of the Scarlet family. Being part of our family will give you authority everywhere you go. Of course, this will also mean I can do further research on your predicament. If you’re truly from this Earth place, I will find a way to send you back.”

The idea of being part of a rich family again wasn’t all it was cracked up to be for Rose. Despite the troubles she faced on the way here, she enjoyed being a normal person. This was it, though, her last and only chance to further her goal of getting home again. If she turned this down, it likely meant becoming a permanent resident of Scarlaria. This was something she would’ve preferred to think about more, but to avoid losing the opportunity altogether, she turned to Ash and said, “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Very good,” Ash said in a delighted tone, smiling. “The Scarlet family scribe here will make it official.”

The older man stepped forward and conjured an official-looking table out of thin air that plopped right down in the room between them. “Your dossier, if you will, Ms. Rose,” he said in an aged voice. “Your oath to House Scarlet and specifically to Lord Ash will be embued upon your dossier. In return for your service, you will become an official representative of this prestigious family. The oath is simple in that you pledge your body and mind to the service of Lord Ash and swear to attend to and complete his commands to the best of your ability. Intentionally acting against the interest of House Scarlet will cause you great pain and eventually death. House Scarlet swears to honor and protect you from harm for as long as you’re in their service. Lord Ash further swears to thoroughly investigate the issue of returning you home and will allow you to do so when the time comes. Do you both swear by these terms?”