"Princess, why did nobody ent on my stupid tattoo?" I ask.

  "Alzi, the day after you got it, most of the nobles learned about it. Your body is well known among the nobles. Rumors have been spreading for a while that you get any woman you regnant with as many children as you want. Tonight, you proved it," the Princess says. "The devil tattoos aren't on; the fact Lady Osanna gave you one, and Sarania improved it was a on talking point at parties."

  "Sick bitches," I mutter, starting my walk again. "Let me go." The Princess's thick arms force me into a hug.

  "Yes, and I'm sorry for that. Aurora asked me to let you join Lady Oriphusa for a bit to learrade," she whispers into my ear. "You let her know tomorrow. I'm happy to let you join her and how fast you're learning. Aurora also showed you the hallways with traps, correct? They also have tunnels leading out of the grounds. If we are utack, leave if you . Don't wait for anyone, just leave. That is a and, so you leave the grounds if needed. Last thing I promise dear then I'll let you go. If I die, you'll be free. The colr will fall, and you'll be free." She sneaks a kiss on my cheek before letting me go.

  "Then why would I ever heal you?" I ask.

  "That is a risk for me, yes," the Princess says. "But I think you should know about it anyway. I need you to help my people. If I am not here, then there is no reason for you to be here. If you promised me that you would stay in the marriage, I would take it off yht now."

  I walk faster this time, hoping to find my room empty. Or maybe Aurora if she is being nice again.

  Inside my room, I find Aurora being a good maid. Waiting by the bed for me.

  "Strip," I and.

  "My Lady," Aurora says. "Why?"

  "I need a teddy bear," I say. "Nothing sexual. I'm tired of that tonight. I'm tired of a lot of things right now."

  "Ok, my Lady," Aurora sighs, her uniform disappearing. Did Shy get rid of all the knots for them?

  "Are you jealous?" I ask, tag the maid into the bed and rolling the covers over us. "Why were you mean?"

  "You were so soft with the other maids," Aurora whispers. "Their skin is smooth and young, and then there was the party. So yes, silly old me was jealous despite the eight kids you gave me."

  "Thank you for being in my bed," I say. "Now I want to sleep."

  "Goodnight, my Lady," Aurora says as I y eyes and fall asleep.

  ...

  I wake up to Aurora squirming to free herself from my grip like normal. I pull her in tight and give her a gentle kiss on the head.

  "Thank you for the love, my Lady," Aurora says, still trying to shuffle out of my grasp. "But we o get going for your lessons. Did Princess Elora share with you that she is letting you join Lady Oriphusa to learrade?"

  "Yes," I say, letting the jealous woman free from my grasp. She still o get out of the rolled bs, but a bit of mana frees us quickly.

  With nothing stopping Aurora, the m sun quickly ihe room. But a different view is outside. White flecks move about, piling up at the edge of my baly.

  "The lesson won't be outside, right?" I ask.

  "No, the snow won't make it to the ground for most of the gardens, but it will still be too cold to be outside for long," Aurora says, turning and andih her eyes to get out of bed. "Thank you, my Lady."

  I got out of bed and waited for Shy to e in or Aurora to pop out my dress.

  "Shall we go pick out the dress?" Aurora asks me, turning to the closet. "We maids have been pig out your clothing too much. Shy should be in shortly to let the dresses aodate your new bust size."

  I don't know how I'm supposed to pick from the mess in my closet. I 't see anything about the dresses besides the color.

  "They are sorted by color, then style," Aurora says. "So we start with a style you wish for or a color."

  "White is fine," I say. "I don't really care much about any of this. It goes faster when you choose."

  "How about something more servative today, then," Aurora says. "Long white dress. Would you like any decorations or patterns?"

  "Pin is fine," I say. I had more than enough decoratioerday. I'll o rethink dressing like a whore. Maybe I should ge with a sexy feel to it instead? I wonder if they do fashion shows. Perhaps the maids do one? No, that is getting too used to this house. Just be the whore they bought and run off ohis colr falls.

  "Here we go," Aurora says. "This will cover from your shoulders down, besides your lovely tail and wings. How does that sound, my Lady?"

  "Ok," I say, moving into the normal position.

  "Perfect timing, Shy. We just picked out a dress," Aurora says.

  "Good, I'll get to work on it for you, my Lady," Shy says. The mother-daughter duo got tetting me dressed.

  Onplete, they lead me dowairs and into one of the drawing rooms. Emerald green was the color for this ohis time, it is empty except for a coud the table the maids used yesterday.

  Is she ing back with more monsters?

  But the monsters 't fit through the door.

  "Hello Lady Alzi," Oriphusa says. "Please take a seat. Today is all about what to do when you run out of mana. I have a few guests for this as well."

  Behind her are two ... things. They look human, but something is off with their movement—like a puppet, I suppose.

  "You likely won't get far in this lesson," Oriphusa says. "These types of things take years of practice; even the most taleake all the time. There are no shortcuts when you have no mana. But I want you to at least be able to stiteone up and plug up a wound till you get some mana. A lot g with this, so I've brought these two out for practice. They aren't alive, but they have water that will act like blood, and I tell if they would be alive or if they died over a set period. Ready to start?"

  "Yes, Lady Oriphusa," I say. I guess without mana you use dummies for things. Or at least you better not be able to use dummies fic training. I still have that smell moving through my nose if I think about that day.

  ...

  "I told you it would take longer, Lady Alzi," Oriphusa says. "You did just as well as I did my first day so don't be disced. You have more mana than I so you his a lot less thahe st time I ran out of mana was a css ago, so you'll do fine unless a war breaks out. But for those, you should have helpers that hahe non-mana healing. Princess Elora told me you are allowed to join me for a while in my practice. So tomorrow I'll be here again to tihis work the week I'll see you at my pce. Those will be long days. So be ready for it."

  "Thank you," I say. I don't know why Aurora let me wear white today. My dress is soaked through, and I know Oriphusa was taking peeks at my tits and cock. Blood, water, whatever it was, just shoots everywhere. Pinch here, squeeze this. the wound first, the shut. All great ways of getting their blood on you. I must have killed those dummies a dozen times in what four, five hours?

  Everyoer hope I never run out of mana.

  Oriphusa takes her dead puppets and leaves me with Aurora in the nearly empty room. A maid es in after Oriphusa leaves.

  "Hello, Lady Alzi," the maid says. "I am here to your clothing. It will just be a sed, so don't fear the mana." She waves her hand, and the moisture leaves the dress from the top all the way to my short heels. "Is there anything else I help you with, my Lady?"

  "Um, no, I don't think so. Aurora?" I say. I didn't know she was ing around, so how would I have anything else for her?

  "That will be all Aknas. Thank you for the help," Aurora says. "Now, my Lady, lunch."

  "How is Calli? I haven't seen her in a while," I say instead. I'm sure Aurora wants me to have lunch with the Princess and Isda. I think the others have all left for some mission thing.

  "She is well, my Lady," Aurora sighs. "Would you like to have lunch with her?"

  "Sure, you and her would be nice," I say. The Princess is trying to fuse me, so it's best to stay away from her. Then I py this off as trying to fix Aurora's jealousy issue, though she has been o me today.

  "I will check if she is free for lunch," Aurora says.

  "Just have Annoris take over for her. I don't see her doing much," I say.

  "She is the one ing the majority of the rooms on the fourth floor, my Lady," Aurora says. "It keeps her plenty busy."

  "Whatever. To my room?" I ask. I guess I be happy knowing she'll be doing that work while pregnant. I'll still think of her as zy. Why be my maid if your work has nothing to do with me?

  "If you want. ick a room on the first floor if you want. Join your wives for dinner, maybe?" Aurora proposes. "It is just Princess Elora and Lady Isda. They would love to have more at the table."

  "What am I doing after lunch?" I ask.

  "Reading. I know a number of people have sent out letters for you, and there will be returers to read. Would you like me to read them or do that yourself, my Lady?" Aurora asks.

  A great fug trap.

  "Me," I groan out. "But I don't want to see the Princess for a while."

  Aurets a stupid smile and leads the way to a different room. It's a round room with windows on the back half, letting me see the snow fall outside. A round table is sitting in the middle, so at least half the people enjoy the view. With only three eating, we should all be able to look out.

  Calli walks in with the normal food cart, and the two maids start to set the table. I sit down and wait for them to finish.

  "Calli, how are you feeling?" I ask.

  "I am doing well, Lady Alzi," the cute dog says. "Thank you for asking. I am a bit worried about when the siess will start."

  "Yes, Mommy would talk about that some. I may be able to help you some with it if you ," I say. "I wouldn't mind cheg up on you. I am almost to my css; I just have to plete this level."

  "gratutions, Lady Alzi," Calli says. "I've got a long way to go on my current css. I hope you get a good css."

  "I better get a good css," I say. " I check if you end up with triplets? Or did you check?"

  "I may have triplets?" Calli says, freezing with the soups in her hand.

  "Yes, I gave you two, and there was an ing down," I say. My mana reag out to the thin maid. Her fluffy tail wagging again. "Just two. Probably for the best."

  "I think so, Lady Alzi," Calli says, putting the soups down and joining me on my right. Aurora taking my left. "They are likely dragons, and I don't think I take three dragons at once. Everyone says the realm beings like to mess with your mana while they grow."