Kassandra ensured that I understood her teasing was all in good spirits after Jameson left a few hours later. By that point, it was dark out so we stayed in and I showed Kassandra around my new home and we made our plans for another excursion out into the world so she could see more of it.
Since the cost was the same for me regardless of whether my mischief-macaroni stayed for an hour or a full day, Kassandra spent the night with me and declared my mattress to be ‘passable’ but she expected something far more comfortable for her in the future. However, the insulation properties of the cave did get her approval, at least enough of one that she slept piled around and on top of me, so I called it a win overall.
I was summoned back to Cortha shortly after she returned to get the fitting needed for my own fancy clothes. With Rieka’s party in only a few days’ time, the girls were all in on planning and organizing their parts of it.
The three of my lovers that hadn’t been brought to Earth yet were understandably jealous of Kassandra and determined to get their own peek at my world, but with the planning and fittings taking place they couldn’t spend more than a few hours away, so didn’t think it was worth the SP cost. I didn’t necessarily agree, but my girls insisted that I not waste such a precious resource.
Days slipped past rapidly, and I went through the motions of escorting the girls about town for different errands or trained with them in the castle grounds. The guards started to relax more around me as I proved that, while I very much was a threat, I wasn’t a threat to those under their care.
Something that did change was Rieka’s sisters’ opinions of me, at least the negative ones. I caught Margaret watching me on more than one occasion, but she didn’t approach after our little training match that had embarrassed her. I was fine with that, since I didn’t really want to deal with her just yet either. Her other sisters were busy but polite when I happened to run into them, so they got passes.
The one new face that I did get along with without any problems was her little brother, Thomas. The ‘trade-prince’ was quite a bit of fun to be around and he accompanied us into town on several occasions to handle his own bits of business or introduce one of my girls to an associate of his for the planning of the event. Despite being so young, he had a remarkably mature mind, so I didn’t feel weird hanging out with someone so much younger.
Thomas was actually the one who helped me secure the items I needed to complete Rieka’s gift. While I knew Kassandra would have helped me without hesitation, I also knew that my dwarf lamia didn’t have the same level of contacts in the capital as Thomas did.
I made sure to enjoy time with each of my girls in their own favorite ways during this time too, taking Shayla out to find places to paint or just enjoy the scenery, accompanying Jane to the libraries or bookstores, shopping with Kassandra and Rieka, and even making time to train with Valda so that we could continue to build our connection. Even if the lizard-folk woman never asked for more than our bonded contract, it would still serve us well to train together so we knew how to work best with each other, especially since Valda and I were the only front-liners in the group.
Spiced throughout the days, the girls taught me how to dance. I was just thankful for my System-given reflexes and mental flexibility that let me pick it up quickly, because before we knew it, the gala was upon us.
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I’d been to parties in the past, but admittedly nothing that could be considered anywhere within smelling distance of ‘high-society,’ so I was infinitely grateful for Kassandra and Rieka’s advice on how to handle myself for the evening.
Since it was a party to celebrate the birthday of one of the princesses, it was naturally a Very Fancy Affair, which I’d known going into it. Knowing it and realizing that I was basically walking onto the set of something akin to Pride and Prejudice were apparently two different things, though.
“Relax, Liam. You are doing fine,” Rieka whispered into my ear, laughter dancing on her tongue as she walked beside me, one arm looped in mine and her tail swishing under her dress.
For once, my princess had eschewed her riding pants for something far fancier. Her gown was sleeveless, though her slim arms were still decorated with bands of lace and cuffs of silver to show the wealth of her station for once.
Her thick hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, thin threads of platinum set with glimmering topaz were worked into her hair, giving her hair a look that crackled with energy, an homage to her lightning magic. The bodice of her dark gray, silk dress was high in the front, coming up over her breasts to a band around the base of her neck to hold the dress up, while it swooped low in the back, low enough that only an inch or so of material joined above the base of her tail. The material of the dress clung to her figure like it was painted on, hanging in loose waves from her wide hips to swish around her ankles with a quiet shush of the soft fabric. A jeweled belt of white leather hung around her waist, supporting the well-worn but polished spell rod in a matching holster on her left hip.
While her mother, Queen Gemma, often dressed similarly, the accents that Gemma wore always leaned into the various colors of blue to accentuate her ice magic and gave herself the look of being wrapped in a blizzard. Rieka, on the other hand, was dressed like a thunderhead, heavy with rain and the promise of lightning.
Her icy-blue eyes glimmered with amusement when she caught me staring at her once more, the pointed tips of her wolfish ears wiggling in amusement. Those silky triangles had been carefully groomed and shimmering silver ear-cuffs embraced them, simple and elegant additions that embraced the fact that Rieka didn’t pierce her ears.
That’s something that has stood out since I came here, I thought while we waited in the side-room for the signal that it was time for the guest of honor to enter. Almost no one here pierces their ears… then again, most folk have animal ears and I bet they are far more sensitive than human ears.
While we waited, I brushed my outfit down once more, earning me a roll of the eyes from my princess.
“You look great, Liam. Now leave the tunic alone before you muss it. Velvet loves to cause problems.”
Rieka suited actions to her words, smoothing down a section on my shoulder I’d missed in the black velvet tunic I was wearing. All it took was a single brush the wrong way and the way the soft material reflected the light would shift, something I was keen to avoid as I wanted to make sure I didn’t bring down Rieka’s look.
While my date was resplendent in dark gray silk, the girls had gone for a midnight black velvet tunic with polished ebony toggles and silver embroidery. My pants were a brown so dark it might as well have been black, but they showed just enough contrast to not leave me a black blob. The pants were comfortable at least, not riding up like I’d initially worried. But they also clung to my ass as tightly as Kassandra did when she was wound up. The girls appreciated it, and I was just thankful for the low hem of the tunic that ensured my junk wasn’t silhouetted by the tight fit of the pants.
“You are going to be fine, Liam,” Rieka reassured me and I nodded once in agreement.
Unimpressed with my silent agreement, Rieka stood on tiptoes and stole a quick kiss. That feather-soft brush of her lips on mine made me stiffen in more ways than one, but it definitely brought a smile to my lips, making Rieka grin when she saw it.
“There we go, my big strong guardian should be confident, after all,” Rieka murmured, using her thumb to rub away the smudge of lip paint she’d left behind on me. “Just remember, Liam,” Rieka said, her eyes hooding as she spoke. “When all this is said and done, I’m going to need help peeling out of this dress, so I expect you to be there.”
I must have made a face because Rieka giggled faintly, but the lusty look in her eyes did not fade away in the slightest. In fact, it grew even wider as I adjusted myself pointedly.
“Silly man,” Rieka murmured a moment later. “It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve peeled me out of my clothes and ravished me.”
“It’d be the first time in the palace,” I countered. “And definitely the first time with a dress like that.”
Rieka hummed thoughtfully, a very faint blush gracing her cheeks and adding another pop of color to her ensemble.
“Maybe…” Rieka murmured, biting her bottom lip. “Maybe we’ll leave the dress on?”
“If that’s what my princess wants,” I answered with a grin and leaned forward.
The gesture made a weight shift in my tunic that I’d forgotten when I’d seen Rieka in her outfit, and I fished it out with a laugh.
“You took my breath away so badly when I came in that I forgot about your gift,” I said, holding out the foot-long flat wooden box in both hands. “Happy birthday, Rieka.”
“Liam,” Rieka said, sighing in exasperation but smiling nonetheless. “You didn’t have to get me a gift.”
“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to,” I replied. “And it looks like I guessed perfectly for it to go with your outfit tonight.”
Flipping the slim box open, I exposed the item inside and Rieka gasped when she saw it.
Inside the box was an inch-wide strip of interlocking metal. Three large sapphires the same sky-blue as Rieka’s eyes were set equidistant along the length, the shimmering stones the size of my thumbnail. In between, the silvery metal was worked into a motif of interlocking lightning bolts, the branching shapes describing a sparkling net as they held the shimmering gemstones in place. A simple clasp at the back was disguised as an interlocking set of hands.
“It’s beautiful,” Rieka murmured as she reached out to caress one of the carefully faceted stones with a fingertip. “How did you get it… You made this, didn’t you?”
“Spent my spare time working on it since we first got word, but you can thank your brother for sourcing the stones for me,” I answered with a smile, carefully lifting the band out of the box before snapping it shut and tucking it into my tunic again.
Rieka stepped closer, holding up her wrist with a smile and I shook my head.
“It’s a choker, love,” I said, and Rieka’s eyes widened while her breath quickened. But my lovely princess lifted her chin to expose her slender neck for me without hesitation.
Slipping the choker around her throat, I used just a spark of my Manipulate Element power to adjust the intricate knotwork of stylized lightning bolts so that it fit perfectly around her regal throat.
The moment the clasp closed and the choker settled around Rieka’s neck, she inhaled sharply, her pupils dilating.
“Liam, what…” she asked, one hand coming up to touch the side of the necklace.
“Platinum with sapphire,” I explained with a smile. “Just regular metal on the outside, but the backing behind the sapphires is made of mana-platinum. A coin worth of what we pulled out of the Shadow Mountain facility, part of my share.”
“You shouldn’t have,” Rieka protested. “Those coins were antiques and priceless—”
“—And you are worth more than any of them,” I interrupted, running my thumb over her cheek gently. “And now you have another thing that can help protect you if I’m not around. Something you could wear to any fancy event, even if your spell rod wasn’t allowed.”
Rieka didn’t speak after that, just closing her eyes and nuzzling into my palm with a contented sigh.
We stood like that for several minutes until a rapid knock on the door made Rieka jump and pull back moments before the majordomo, a thick-featured wolf kin in blue, opened the door.
“Princess Rieka, it is time for you and your escort to enter,” the man said stiffly.
“Thank you,” Rieka replied formally before turning back to me and linking her arm in mine. “Come, Liam. Let us join the party.”
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The grand ballroom that Gemma had prepared for the gala was sparkling with crystal and polished marble. The normally staid and sturdy body of the castle was clad in all its finery in these rooms, with large crystal chandeliers set with glowing light stones illuminating the room. Fine tapestries hung from the walls depicting everything from landscapes to the Coldeye family tree, interspersed with paintings and other works of art.
Set around the perimeter of the room were elaborately carved wooden tables stained a dark, wine-red. Silver cutlery was set while a massive banquet table took up one wall set with a myriad of small finger foods and pastries. Tarts, rolls, cakes, and little hand pies sat amongst spun sugar flowers that looked almost too beautiful to eat.
Servants in crisp livery threaded between tables with platters of drinks like a horde of housekeeping hummingbirds while hundreds of guests talked or ate. In the corner on a small dais, a five-piece band played calm music for the moment, though they went quiet as the majordomo announced us.
“Princess Rieka Coldeye and escort.”
We’d finally settled on keeping things as close to the vest as possible with details of who and what I was. Those that knew already would know, and word could spread naturally, but there was no reason to make that information easy to gain. And anyone who pushed and inquired directly would out themselves as problems easily enough.
Rather than the applause that I’d expected, a wave of bows and curtseys raced through the room as hundreds of courtiers and nobles all acknowledged Rieka’s entrance gracefully while we strode through the doors past the majordomo and into the room.
Within ten seconds of entering the room, I felt over a dozen hostile glares directed my way from what I guessed were the ‘eligible bachelors’ that had likely been expecting the opportunity to open courting with Rieka during the party. My presence would make that far more difficult, and I was happy to be her shield in this.
Conversation picked back up when Rieka did not address the room other than to smile and wave while I led her into the room.
“You’ll annoy your mother,” I murmured out of the corner of my mouth to her while searching the crowd for our group.
“Let her be annoyed,” Rieka murmured back, squeezing my arm with the hand lying on it. “I came to the blasted party she arranged and that is all she can reasonably ask of me. I refuse to make this more than it is.”
“Fair. Oh, there they are,” I replied perking up when I spotted the familiar sight of the long, fluffy fronds of Shayla’s antennae wafting above the heads of a group tucked into one corner.
Rieka adjusted her trajectory seamlessly, allowing me to guide us through the crowd. Despite her earlier protests, my princess politely greeted those in our path, accepting and returning compliments with the ease of long practice.
As we got closer to our group, I picked up the familiar voices of my girls talking, and the annoyance in Kassandra’s tone got me moving just that much faster. Rieka must have heard it too, because she cut off her short conversation even quicker to excuse us past the thick-waisted noble that had stopped us in greeting.
“—don’t see why it matters how she received the invitation. This is not your party, so you have no say in who is allowed to attend!” Kassandra was saying as we broke through the crowd to find my lovely dwarf lamia glaring up at a haughty man with thick brown hair and a flaming red silk tunic belted tight over a rather prodigious belly.
The man didn’t have obvious animal ears poking out of his head, so I was startled at first, but glancing down to check for a tail revealed his species quickly. A large, flat, leathery tail like a rudder hung behind him, swaying up and down as he grumbled behind a large crystal glass full of amber liquid.
Huh, beaver kin? I thought, pushing the surprise away quickly. Never thought I’d see something like that here, but then again… I am a dimension-hopping man of mystery per Jameson, so I should try and get more used to such things.
While I didn’t catch what the man was saying with his back turned to us, Kassandra clearly did and continued to glare up at the man with her hands on her hips.
“Baron Hethfuss! I am frankly appalled at your lack of decorum in this! Lady Valo is a friend of Princess Rieka’s, and it is not your place to question such things! I do not care that you have suspicions about the southern kingdoms and their policies, that does not give you the right to harass an upstanding citizen of the queendom simply because she shares a race with them!”
“Very true,” Rieka said sharply, pulling me past the portly man and around the glaring Kassandra. “Good to see you all, my friends! Shayla, you look absolutely stunning in that dress! Sunset colors really suit you.”
“Thank you, Rieka,” Shayla murmured, her shoulders straightening and a smile replacing the look of worry on her features.
The automatic and casual address of the princess at a formal function brought stares from those who had been standing nearby—eavesdropping and none-too-subtly, if I am being honest. But before anyone could take offense, Rieka responded with a smile and released my arm to draw Shayla into a hug.
“It should be no surprise that you know this already, Shayla! Your mastery of color comes through in your artwork seamlessly. You hardly need me to tell you, considering I walked past three of your paintings on my way to the ballroom!”
That statement shut up anyone who had been opening their mouths to reprimand Shayla for her informality, and the baron flushed an ugly purple at being slapped down so publicly. Thankfully, the portly man didn’t make a further fuss of things and melted back into the crowd, giving me a chance to fully appreciate my girls as they showered compliments on Rieka for everything from her outfit to her hair to the choker she wore proudly.
Shayla was dressed in a long and flowing dress that started as a brilliant sunny yellow around her prodigious bust, flowing through the spectrum down into a thick, dark red at the hem just below her knees. Her long chocolate hair was piled in an elaborate updo behind her head, leaving her slim neck bare. She smiled radiantly, her wings fluttering with joy at Rieka’s words while her antennae wiggled contentedly over her head.
Beside Shayla, Jane bounced happily in an emerald off-the-shoulder dress that accented her slim figure wonderfully while still remaining tasteful. The mousy scholar’s tail wove back and forth like a happy serpent, a thick band of silver silk tied around the tip just behind the poof of fluffy fur that tipped it.
Kassandra was still glaring after the departed baron, her arms crossed under her large chest, pressing both it and the ruby pendant that was draped over those soft mountains higher as she huffed in annoyance. While the others all wore dresses, Kassandra had opted for a puffy-sleeved red silk top and a heavily embossed leather corset stitched with gold thread. The red and brown went well with her scale pattern but were just different enough in shade that they stood out well. The lustrous mass of her red curls had been tamed into a waterfall of ringlets that cloaked the sassy dwarf lamia’s upper body. Her long serpentine tail was tucked safely under the table and out of the way for passerby, a smart move in my books given how many people drifted about without looking where they were going.
“Vigilant, good.”
The simple statement in my right ear made me turn, but the voice was familiar so I had a smile on my lips when I came about.
Valda was dressed much like I was, in a long tunic and pants. But while my tunic was black, hers was a deep orange, contrasting well with her green scales without clashing in the slightest. The elaborate hilt of her sword shone at her hip, a deadly promise to anyone who happened to be dumb enough to underestimate her muscled shoulders or the thick black claws on her fingertips. The leather claw-protectors she wore had silver tips to them, making the functional garments more decorative and also serving as a reminder of what they hid.
“Always,” I answered with a nod. “I’m surprised you didn’t send the blowhard packing earlier.”
“Kass looked bored,” Valda answered with a smile and lifted her glass with one hand. “And I had stepped away to get a drink. In fact, I think that might have been why the good baron decided to stir up trouble, as he didn’t approach until I was away from the table.”
“I could believe that,” I said with a laugh.
“Which part?” Valda asked with a quirked eyebrow.
“Both.” I grinned. “Letting Kassandra unload on an unfortunate idiot is a great way to get some entertainment, and I could also see said entertainment thinking it was safe to approach with the obvious protector away.”
“One of these days, people will learn not to underestimate our friends,” Valda chuckled.
“But today is not that day,” Jane piped up, bouncing forward and holding her arms out to me in demand of a hug. “You two took forever to get here. I was starting to wonder if Rieka talked you into taking her away just to dodge the party.”
“I considered it,” Rieka snickered, deftly taking a glass of dark wine from the tray of a passing servant. “But my mother wouldn’t let me hear the end of it.”
“I wouldn’t let you hear the end of it!” Kassandra protested sharply. “We went to all the trouble of getting dresses and teaching Liam to dance, it would be just wrong if you ducked out now!”
“It’s my party, I should be able to do what I want,” Rieka countered with a faux haughty sniff.
“Be honest,” I insisted with a smirk.
Rieka rolled her eyes before admitting it.
“It’s my mother’s party, I just happen to be the featured attraction. Happy?”
“With you here? Always,” I answered without hesitation as I stood from administering Jane’s hug.
Rieka blushed even darker at that before threading her arm in mine possessively.
“He’s got you there,” Shayla said softly, her antennae waggling happily while she smoothed her dress over her stomach.
“Naw, that’s for later,” I said in a stage whisper, leaning forward so that it didn’t go beyond our group.
The girls all giggled and Rieka blushed furiously, but didn’t deny it in the slightest. I felt the weight of more glares land on my back, but I gave them as much regard as Rieka did.
Which is to say, none at all.
The party continued into the evening, with servants refreshing the food and drink regularly. Dancing started after the first hour, with Rieka dragging me onto the floor often.
My girls took turns, dancing with each other and with me as well. I noted that, to the annoyance of the circling noblemen, my girls only danced in our little group. It earned them more than a few looks, but whenever they were approached by another young nobleman, the girls would politely excuse themselves saying that their feet hurt or that they needed a moment of rest instead.
Though the wide smirk that Kassandra wore when she claimed ‘my feet hurt, I will pass’ while her serpentine tail wiggled under the table was pure mischief.
The only exception to the rule was when Rieka’s little brother drifted by. The perky merchant-prince danced with each of the girls, whirling them ably over the floor before handing them off to me for a follow-up dance. His cheeky smile told me that he was doing it intentionally, and the smug way he walked off afterward told me that he’d done it specifically to snub those who had been declined earlier in the evening.
Gifts were piled on a small table set in the corner that our group had claimed, the servants moving it into place when it became obvious Rieka was ignoring the dais that had been set aside for her in favor of the quiet corner. Though my princess made sure to not just hide away from others, ensuring that her mother wouldn’t be upset with her for ignoring the guests.
Speaking of Rieka’s mother, Queen Gemma joined the party after the second hour, gliding in with her husband on her arm and a broad smile as she watched the young nobles enjoying themselves.
I caught the queen’s eye over the crowd and she gave me a pointed look before smiling in my direction in thanks. That told me that she was happy with the results of her plan.
My girls enjoyed the sweets, with Jane bearing the bulk of the work of sampling everything that the castle chefs could offer. It amused me to no end that she confided in me later, slightly drunk, that she preferred the sweets that I’d brought to most of what the castle had. I chalked that up to the wonders of processed sugar, and went back to ensuring that my girls drank enough water that the wine didn’t inhibit their judgment.
We danced, talked, and enjoyed ourselves. Rieka introduced me to dozens of people, varying the introductions in small ways that I knew would send rumors spiraling through the castle like smoke from a campfire.
I wore the title of friend, mentor, champion, teacher, aid, companion, and others. Though the one that caused the most stir was when I was introduced as ‘Master Liam,’ a title that I knew was reserved for craftsmen of exceptional skill in a given field, especially as Rieka proudly displayed my gift and handiwork on her neck when she said it.
I got no end of glares, grimaces, sharp looks, and scowls throughout the night, making it obvious how upset the other men at the party were to see me enjoying the attention of the princess and her friends. But those looks came to a head as the party was beginning to wind down and people were leaving.
My princess, having had just a bit too much wine despite my best efforts, laid her head on my shoulder with a contented sigh while hugging my arm to her chest.
“Liam… I’m tired. Take me back to my rooms?” Rieka breathed in my ear, her ears twitching while her fluffy tail wove back and forth behind her.
“Of course,” I replied without hesitation. My mind flew back to her earlier insinuations of what she planned to cap the evening with, and the half-erection that I’d been sporting as my girls teased me subtly returned to full prominence immediately.
“Yes, Liam,” Kassandra said with a wicked smile. “Take her… back to her rooms.”
The obvious wink and smirk from my troublemaking lover wasn’t missed by anyone at our table, and probably some others nearby if the eavesdroppers were still listening. But at this point, I’d stopped caring about others’ opinions and so had my girls.
“It was wonderful for you all to attend, and I will admit that I had a lot of fun,” Rieka said as I brushed off my tunic and secured her arm in mine. “But I really am worn out from all the dancing.”
“To be fair, I think all of us are,” Shayla said with a soft smile, her antennae standing up straight above her for a moment before relaxing again. “I think I’ll head to bed here soon too, once I finish this last slice of pie.”
She gestured to the thick hunk of berry pie that had been sitting in front of her for the last hour, slowly being nibbled to death.
Similar sentiments rang out around the table as the other girls all agreed. So I guided the tipsy princess across the room and back out the door with a smile, content that a good night had been had, despite earlier misgivings.
Rieka was silent as we walked, leaning into me and holding my arm tightly between her breasts. The soft pressure of her chest felt like the most wonderful of pillows wrapped around my bicep, and I had to subtly adjust myself once we were out of the ballroom and without observers.
When we finally got back to Rieka’s rooms, I looked down at my princess to check and see how alert she was. But just as my eyes met hers, she released her tipsy grip on my arm and threw her arms around my neck, hauling me down into a passionate kiss right outside her door.
Despite the long skirt of her dress, I felt Rieka hook her leg around my hip and pull me firmly against her. The burning heat of her center pressed directly over my crotch as Rieka pulled her lips from mine and whispered in my ear, her breath hot against my skin.
“I’ve been patient all night, Liam. I’ve decided I want you to take me, first in this dress, then wearing only your gift. Claim me, lover.”
I answered with a possessive growl that made Rieka gasp in hunger, before pulling her against me and pushing through the door into her room.
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