She was woken from probably the best night sleep she had ever had, by the maids bringing in the freshly printed tactical gear.
She didn't want to get out of bed, imagine sleeping in a bed, by yourself! Without a number of sisters kicking you in the back all night long! But the faces of the maids brook no argument and so she rolled out and dressed herself quickly.
It was a perfect fit, and made with materials she had never seen or felt before, material that would stretch and breathe with her. While heavy overall, each piece of it felt fully supported. Not to mention the materials were a good deal more comfortable than anything she had worn before.
The maids had to show her how to tie the laces of her boots, but once that was sorted, she walked around the room with comfortable ease. The boots were a little stiff, but she was assured that it wouldn't take long to break them in.
She had noticed that her gear wasn't completely printer made, emblems and symbols of house August had been adorned upon it. This was common practice amongst nobles and knights, while the printed gear could be adjusted for size, it was always the same gear, so houses customized it to differentiate themselves from each other.
Once fully dressed she was taken through the maze of torch-lit tunnels to Sir August, back to the large shelter where his Warlord resided.
He was standing next to an oak table, quietly munching on the roasted carcass of a small bird.
He waved them over and gestured to a number of objects on the table.
"Lillian, girl, these items, unlike the clothing, are bound to you." He spat out a small bone onto the silver plate in front of him. "If you are going to be an August, you need to act the part, and that includes weapons."
He pressed a small rectangular object of black metal into Lillian's hand, "Just, be careful, the first time you receive something like this… It can be a lot for the mind." There was a hint of care in his voice, shining through his tone of pomp and classism.
Lillian looked at him puzzled as she took the small weapon from his hand. She felt it immediately, it wasn't overwhelming by any means. The weapon was trying to convey information through her mind's eye, she gave it access and it proceeded to dump all the data about what it was and how to use it straight into her brain. The process felt tingly.
This was a weapon, a pistol, the data did explain exactly how it worked, but she found she didn't have the context to understand any of that. The weapon had also assigned itself to her, now she would be the only person who would ever be able to use this particular gun. She needs not ever worry about it being used against her in the future.
After examining the pistol she returned her cool gaze back to the knight. He looked at her with a semi shocked yet curious expression. Like he was expecting more.
"Thank you, sire." She said, hoping that would satisfy him.
"Nothing?... I mean you seem fine… are you sure you don't need to sit down."
Lillian was puzzled about the knight's strange reaction. "Would you like me to sit down, Sire?"
"No… I." The knight pulled himself together, an act he seemed to be doing a lot around this most bizarre peasant girl. "Follow me."
He took her outside and slotted an odd looking device over her ears which muffled sounds. He pointed towards some dirt mounds a distance away. "This is the range, do you see those metal targets out there?"
"Yes Sire."
Sir August detached his pistol from the holster on his chest rig, gripped it in both hands and opened fire. A series of TINGs sounded as most of the projectiles struck their targets.
"You have a go now girl. Do as I do."
Lillian took out her pistol and gripped it like she saw Sir August did. She put her fingers on the trigger and squeezed, there was a slight kick to the gun that she wasn't expecting and the projectile missed its target happily.
"The weapon can help you, use it." Sir August said while tapping his head.
She nodded and opened her mind's eye. There were data feeds everywhere here, from the powerful signals of the Warlord to the sharp and pointed streams that different drones were putting out. She focused down onto the pistol in her hands and accessed it.
It started spewing out targeting data. She picked out the target and the weapon fed back ranges and vectors. She moved her arms to match the weapon to the angle and position it wanted to be at, and squeezed the trigger.
TING. TING. TING. TING. TING.
Every shot was on point, the weapon felt like an extension of her own arms as she moved with mechanical precision.
Sir August wasn't even surprised anymore. Of course this girl would achieve 100% data flow with a weapon the first time she used it. Honestly this, and with the way she talked and acted, she seemed more machine than human.
He was now worried about his plans, he knew she would be powerful, but he was hoping that he would be able to force the emperor's hand by marrying her into his family. It wasn't just ambition. Although with her abilities, she could certainly help cement the place of house August amongst the kingdoms, maybe bring some of the smaller houses under his heel.
But the true reason he wanted to marry her into his family is because he cared. He knew more than most what happened to those taken to by the Bastard Son, and vowed he would never let any of the serfs in his charge be taken again.
But with everything the girl had showed so far, dark thoughts cycled through his mind.
"Excellent work girl. Let's take a break, wait here, I will collect my son so you two can meet."
Lillian slotted the pistol back onto her chest rig and thanked the knight. He walked away leaving her outside the hanger. She wandered back inside, there was a number of taccies around, looking after various machines. Even some common folk cleaning floors and providing food. All of them ignored her, having no reason to interfere.
That suited Lillian quite fine. People were hard to deal with, she had to concentrate so hard on their faces and try to act in a way that would not make them upset. It was easier not to bother.
She found a number of infantry drones on standby in the hangar and sat amongst them. For the first time in her life she felt like she was around beings that she understood. She felt the data feeds of the drones, clear, pointed, alert and completely without desire. The drones did not have wants, right now they did not have orders, they were like her. Intelligent and emotionless.
Lillian's mind snaked its way through their data streams, she couldn't communicate with them directly, as they were bound to Sir August's Warlord, much like her pistol was bound to her. But she did not mind, she had no desire to talk to them, just existing near them was enough for her.
When Sir August returned a little later with his son, he found Lillian sitting silently between a number of his infantry drones. She didn't move a muscle. He pulled aside one of the cleaning serfs and asked quietly, "How long has she been sitting here like this?"
"The whole time you've been gone, Sire."
His son looked more than a little disturbed by that information. Sir August was a little disturbed himself. He shooed the surf away and called out Lillian's name. Her eyes snapped open immediately, and then fixed him with that cold stare. He suppressed an urge to shudder.
"Lillian, this is my son, Mathew."
Lillian stood up and came to greet the son. He was a number of years younger than her and on he smaller size, he had an air of awkwardness to him.
Lillian herself was very late to marry, being twenty. There hadn't been a rush in her village, she had a fiance, one of the few people she allowed to see her without the ugly act she put on. Jared, he was sweet, a farmhand, handsome, dumb and kind. He wouldn't have gotten in her way so she was happy enough to go along with his parents plans.
This was the first time she had thought about Jared since the attack, she idly wondered if he was still alive. Well it's not like it mattered to her now.
The young Lord was nervous, in front of him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. With her long dark hair and cold blue eyes. But she felt alien, devoid of expression. His eyes wandered over her body briefly, not that he could see much under all her tactical gear. But she was tall and lean, her shoulders had a hint of definition to them.
"Pleased to m-make your a-acquaintance." He stumbled, his nerves frazzled by her penetrating glare.
"The pleasure is all mine, Sire." Her face as always, remained impassive.
He looked to his father, who was pinching the bridge of his nose. His father addressed the two of them. "Understandable, this is awkward, and fast. But you two should get to know each other quickly. The Bastard Son will arrive in the next few days. And we need to have you married before then."
Lillian sighed internally. Yet more trying to understand and placate people. She drew her pistol from the holster on her chest-rig, and addressed the son. "Do you like to shoot, Sire?"