Family Dinner

Later that evening Alexander sat at the dinner table. His mother, Sarah, a woman with long dark curly hair sat opposite to him. Her horns were the same as Alex.

She ate like she was expected to, with small bites, the right utensils for every meal and dignity.

The dinner table was a long dark brown one. Enough to host 12 people, but that was only on rare occasions.

Even though it was so big it felt a bit empty, like people were missing from it. Of course his father was sick but there was more to it.

Alexander took a bite and after he swallowed he asked his mother how his father was holding up.

She told him that he was doing better. Alexander visited him, he slept throughout the day and when he was awake he didn't speak a lot.

Hipternia it was called, better known as cold bed disease. It was native to the island, passed on from one person to another through sexual contact. The demons didn't exactly know who gave to him it but his fathers reckless lifestyle and many lovers must've have exposed him to it.

"I told him you know," Sarah started, "when he visited his whores I told him to be careful with who he got in bed with. But he didn't care. He must've gotten that disease from some slave human. I don't know where he got the appetite for those disgusting creatures." She rolled her eyes. "Oh well. Men will be men."

It was then when it hit Alexander, who were supposed filling those two seats, "Mom, where are Alexa and her mom?" His half sister and his fathers mistress.

In this world, when a lord like Alex's his father impregnates a woman it is acceptable for them to life with the main family, Alexander's father was even more accepting by letting them eat dinner with them too.

This was seen as a bit controversial, by some a bit disrespectful to Sarah. But who was going to stop the highlord of Sartinca.

Sarah grinned, "Oh, just now you notice." She snickered, "I've sent them to live in the guest house. With your father being sick I see no reason for them to stay here. They've embarrassed our family enough by eating with us."

Alex blinked, "No, that's not right, their family, they should live with us."

Sarah tilted her head questioningly, "Your the one who came with the idea."

The memory came back to Alexander, Dammit that's right! He wanted to slap himself on the forehead.

"I-i changed my mind."

Sarah backed hear head up a bit with a expression of confusion and disgust, "Why?"

"Well, because, you know…. They are family too. And now that were all going through so many changes I think it's best if we stick together."

"Are you kidding around Alex?" It was a honest question.

"No, I'm serious."

"No." For some reason Alexander felt intimidated. Sarah was very serious in her tone, like Alexander said something so absurd it was dangerous. Fear crept up his back like a spider.

"One of them is human, another is half of one. For them to even have stepped in to this house is crazy enough but for them to have eaten with us, slept under the same roof as us as equals. Crazy." She took a deep breath, "Let the commoners mix, we're better than that. Or atleast we're supposed to be."

There was a bit of bitterness in her tone, it was aimed at his father.

Alexander wanted to continue his case but his mother was to scary for him.

Sara Sufienne, she was from a powerful family in her own right, almost equal to that of his father. Raised to a woman of class and intolerance of the classless. Intelligence, cunning and unbending loyalty to her beliefs were drilled into her from a young age.

Alexander felt like he was not a match for her. He wondered about her her reaction if he told her that he wanted to end their slavery.

"Sal told me your considering to attend the Royal council meeting?" She took a bite of her food.

"Yeah… " He was cautious as he didn't really know what her reaction would be.

She smirked, "That's perfect, I was going to ask you to attend anyways." She squinted her eyes as she looked up, "what caused this sudden initiative? You always seemed uninterested in politics. Even yesterday you seemed distant when we told you about your new position."

If I knew this was real you would see my panick.

"I feel like the country is going to fall apart if we don't do anything. I wanna do something as the regent."

"Really? That's great. You don't know how right you are though."

Alexander coughed on some food when he heard that.

"Yeah I know," she continued, "A peasant rebellion could happen any day now, same for the slaves, and the Tonton… haven't you seen that Sal tripled our security."

Alex did see more than in his memories but he didn't pay much attention to it. "Think about it son, the Highlord and now regent are in this house. We are the very highest of high profile targets."

There was another wave of fear cast over Alexander, but outwardly he kept calm.

"Are you scared?" She looked him dead in the eyes, "Don't be, though they've been a nuisance for decades now, they won't pose a threat once we get our crap together."

Yes, they were safe in this house and if by any means he was outside of it he would be safely guarded.

"Tomorrow you'll have to watch out for one man when you get to that council. Sam Kismet. He's the head Council, and also the main reason why this country is on the collapse."

Both of their plates were empty now, they were picked up by human house slaves, all of them women. They held their heads down as they scurried in and out of the room.

"If he is such a problem I can fire him can't I?" Seemed like a easy enough fix.

"Absolutely not. Atleast not now. 10 years ago this would've been easier, before your father abandoned his post. Now Sam has gotten to powerful, to many lower lords owe him favors. Tensions are high already, who knows what he'll try when out of a job."

Alexander raised both his eyebrows, "You think he'd start a rebellion."

"There is nothing Sam wouldn't do, he was a commoner before all of this. Now he has taken your fathers job. True ambition will keep him going."

A civil war was something to be avoided, it would tear the country in two and might up with Alexander's death.

"You need friends, people who support when things go wrong." Sarah continued, "Luckily, I made a few for you."

She continued talking about how she knew a few nobles who agreed with her cause.

And that they would come to a meeting on Monday.

"Then what can I do in the meantime?" Alexander asked.

His mother had a devious smirk, "Learn, deepen your understanding of the nation and his people. Understand whom your friends and enemies are, learn to read people and give them what they want. In return they'll give you loyalty. We need to strip Sam of his influence as silently as we can until he notices how screwed he is. Then we strike and return power back to the Hellia family."

She stood up from her seat, "I'm going to bed now dear, you should too."

———

It was nighttime when Alexander decided to visit the guest house. When he was about to step outside he was stopped by two guards standing by the front door. Men in blue military style clothing, black boots, metal helmets and a rifle firm in their hands.

"My lord, we cannot let you go outside alone. Please let us contact House guard Sal so he can send company with you."

One guard scurried of while the other one stayed by the regent. The guest house was stil on the highlords estate, not even 200 meters down the road of their mansion. Yet it was to dangerous to consider letting the lord go outside.

Times were dangerous.

Later Sal, the guard from before and two other ones came back to them. Walking down the oak staircase with haste.

"My lord Alexander, I heard that your planning to go outside?"

"Yeah, I didn't know that it would be such hassle."

"It isn't my Lord, but please, for your own safety tell me if you want to go somewhere. That way I can keep you safe."

Sal sent two guards that would stay by Alexander.

Later, Alexander arrived by the guest house, he turned to his two guards. "I want to talk to them on my own. You two stay outside."

"Yes sir." The both of them said.

He took a moment, observing the house his half sister now occupied. His three story mansion, with 25 rooms a farm in the back and a extravagant frontyard, was opulent.

The guest house in comparison seemed a very ordinary single family house. Stil more than the average peasant could expect. He knocked three times

A little girl opened the door, she came up to Alexander's stomach. Her skin was brownish, and she had curly hair. One horn came out of the left side of her forehead. A sign that she was of half blood. Alexa.

She wore a nightgown and stared at Alexander and with wide eyes.

She seemed uncertain of what to say, her eyes scanning her brother curiously.

Alexander knew that she didn't expect him to be here, before his transmigration he always made sure that she knew she was not liked by him. Yet here he was.

"I told you to not just open the doors!" It was a woman's voice, firm footsteps came towards the door. "The people nowadays can't be trusted." Then she stood there at the end of the hallway, Alexa's mother. Dark in skin color, thick curly hair tied in a bun, she was also in a nightgown.

A human, and not a slave. Elevated by her proximity to the highlord. She was pretty young, not even older than 30, her face without wrinkles and sleek.

She stood frozen, "My lord." She whispered eventually. Alexander gave his warmest smile, even though he felt awkward, "can I come in?"

It was a moment of pause, the lady seemed reluctant to let the regent in. But from his position and her previous experiences with him, could she really say no.

She let him in the house, it was pretty simple looking. Downstairs were three sections, living room, the kitchen and a table were you could eat. There was also a smaller room were their slave would sleep. Alexander didn't exactly know but he was certain that upstairts housed the bedrooms.

Alexander sat down in one of the two living room couches and Alexa's mom sat opposite to him. In the middle of them was a small wooden table, on it a piece of paper and a drawing. It was a simple one of a house, a sun and two stick drawings.

It was obvious to Alexander that it was done by Alexa, confirmed by the fact that his little sister ran to the table with a pencil in hand before continuing her drawing.

Her mother…. God, if only this guy bothered to remember her name. Her mother watched him as if expecting some explanation, though it would be to rude to ask. In the background the slave bustled around in the kitchen looking anxious. Opening and closing drawers in rapid succession.

Alexander focused back on the mother, "I heard you have to live in the guest house now."

"Yeah, it was time for us to be independent."

"You mean my mother pushed you guys out."

She cocked her head up a bit in surprise, she took a moment to think, "Like I said, it was just time for us to leave."

She was afraid, who knows what Alexander was planning. From his previous interactions with her he could just be here to put salt on the wound, maybe bait a emotional response out of her and use that as motivation to do something to her.

But he just wanted to establish a friendship, make good on this boys previous sins.

"I am sorry." Alexander said eventually, he believed it would be a good way to open her up. Alexa glanced at her brother, her mother started shaking her head rapidly, "Nonono, you don't have to be sorry for anything my lord. We are honored that we even get to live in the guest house."

Alex raised his hand the mother stopped talking. He did it instinctively, the royal part of himself was hard to get out, "Ever since my father introduced you guys to the family 9 years ago I've been nothing but antagonistic. I'm sorry, I want us to be a family."

The mothers expression softened, "it's alright…" her tone almost a whisper, "I'm a human, and Alexa is half of one."

She backed up in her chair, Alexander wanted to read into that, was it comfort, or was she stil suspicious. He didn't really now, "Why did you feel the need to say this today?"

Alexander remained frozen, he could hardly say that he transmigrated into this body and now he felt guilty over actions he didn't even perform.

Maybe religion?

"Sigrid tells us to be kind to all of his creations. As the regent I have yet to make good on that. You might be human, but that doesn't excuse my behavior one bit."

After that they had a small conversation, it had seemed that Alexa's mother- Nona- was still a bit on guard, but it looked like she trusted the regent.

Alexander left after a while.

Upon arriving back home he told Sal that he also want people guarding his guest house.