Ding SI 10
Night came to Halkeginia. I was anticipating/dreading what was to come. Cattleya would not accept me sleeping on a cot or the floor. To be completely honest I wasn't comfortable sleeping in the same bed as anyone else. My last girlfriend couldn't even sleep with me. I slept on the floor because I felt crowded and tense. At least this bed was bigger than my old one.
My sleepwear was usually nonexistent. I had pajamas in my size thanks to Siesta. Cattleya was getting changed for bed which gave me a couple minutes to change. I cast 'Lock' on the door just in case. Let's try to avoid the usual 'girl walks in on guy changing' trope. I know my fiancee (and that was going to be an adjustment) wouldn't hit me. Oh no. It would be worse. She would be flustered and uncomfortable and I would feel like a heel. I unlocked the door when I was finished.
"You can come in…" Cattleya called through the door. She was going to wait for me, huh? That took a load off my mind. I quickly scanned the floor for signs of Chibis just in case. Okay, none in sight. If I made Chibi helpers they would have cameras. I had to assume these Chibis would too.
"I'm coming in...erk," I entered the room and froze in shock.
"Is something the matter? I am probably not as lovely as some of the people you've met..." Cattleya glanced away in embarrassment. My brain slowly defrosted as I took in her appearance. She wore a pink sleeveless dressing gown with a modest amount of cleavage. The gown was made of silk and clung to her form enticingly. Her hair was loose and fell down in waves.
"Say something you fool!" Chibi Maleficent hissed in my ear before disappearing. The sudden shock rebooted my brain.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life," I told her honestly.
"Really?" She glanced up through her eyelashes.
"Really," I nodded firmly.
"You are kind to say so," she flashed me a happy smile.
The only issue I had now was sleeping in the same bed as a goddess. "Polypurpose Panacea!" Chibi Nepgya hissed in my other ear before disappearing. I had shoulder angels. Polypurpose Panacea would have let me suppress the hangover for an hour. It can also be used to give me an uninterrupted hour of sleep. Once asleep I tend to stay asleep for the rest of the night. Did it bother me that my kids were keeping an eye on me even now? Not really. They just saved my life tonight.
A new problem developed. Who would get into bed first? Rather than stand there waffling all night, I took charge and sat down on the bed. She climbed in on her side. Just like that my nerve fled. I brought my legs up and under the covers. Cattleya and I sat side by side, but neither of us were laying down. Seconds, or even minutes, passed in silence. All of a sudden Cattleya started laughing. I arched an eyebrow at my betrothed in bemusement.
"What are we even doing? We're so nervous!" Cattleya giggled.
"I'll admit the idea of sleeping next to a beautiful woman does that to me," I smiled wryly. She rolled her eyes before fixing me with a wry look of her own.
"You are certainly no ogre, sir. To be honest I wasn't sure what this would be like. I read 'The Nobleman's Chambermaid' and they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. I admit I was expecting it to be something like that and it made me nervous. Not that I object mind you, but I'm not ready for anything like that. I was trying to decide how to broach the subject, but you looked more nervous than I," Cattleya let out a sigh of relief.
"I think we can wait until we know each other better first," I chuckled as the knot of tension loosened. The silence between us turned from stifling to comfortable. We were still going to sleep in the same bed, but it lost the weight. I held my arms open for a hug. Cattleya smiled and hugged me.
The lights dimmed, probably a Chibi, leaving us alone together in the dark. We talked a little, mostly about what was going on with Louise. What can I say? We both had a vested interest in her welfare. If this engagement was going to work we needed to have common ground. The conversation turned to my children.
"I'm a little overwhelmed at how easily they accepted me," Cattleya admitted. Her head lay on my chest. I was determined to get over my issue with sharing a bed.
"I can understand that. They just met you after all. Whether they like it or not, they're a lot like me. I can see my nicer side in Nepgya and my snarkier one in Maleficent. If I could like you after one meeting, why wouldn't they?" I smiled down at her.
"Mmm…" Cattleya smiled faintly.
Surprisingly sleep came without help, magic or otherwise. The next morning started with some excitement. I awoke to the face of a tiger staring into mine. Ah yes. Cattleya's tiger, forgotten in favor of my preoccupation, huffed in my face. He gripped the edge of the blanket with his teeth and tugged it up further to cover Cattleya's shoulders. The sleepy woman snuggled under the covers with a content sigh. He turned to look at her before looking back at me. The big cat chuffed with feline amusement before wandering out of the bedroom. When I tried to get out of bed he merely flashed me a look. Slowly I brought my feet back into bed. Satisfied that I wasn't going anywhere, the tiger laid down on the floor.
I'm being ordered around by a tiger. This is my life now.
"Grandpa!" Chibi Nepgear zoomed into the room with a mini rocket pack. The sudden cry jerked Cattleya awake and caused us both to sit up.
"What is it?" I asked quickly.
"The Princess is requesting your presence to award you the title. She wants it done today!" The little one landed on Cattleya's shoulder.
"That's great news!" Cattleya enthused.
"Could have done without the scare, but thanks for telling me," I smiled faintly.
"No problem! You need to get ready. I gotta go! Watching people get dressed isn't right," the Chibi blushed before zooming out through the window.
"She's right. You need to get ready," Cattleya said.
"Want to come with us? I know that Louise would be asked to come," I said.
"Actually I would like to get to know Nepgya and Maleficent better," she decided.
"That's a great idea," I smiled.
If I didn't butterfly away everything; this would be where Henrietta asked Louise and myself for a favor. I remembered the favor, in canon, was to investigate the reports of abuses by nobles on the common folk. I got dressed quickly and used Prestidigitation on myself and Cattleya. She looked intrigued over what the spell could do.
"You could ask Nepgya or Maleficent to make you something to cast Prestidigitation," I suggested while we walked down to breakfast.
"I think I might. It's too bad you have to go so soon. I was looking forward to seeing more of you and Louise," Cattleya sighed.
"We'll be back before you know it," I promised. The annoying thing was that I might be breaking that promise. Henrietta's request took a few days in the anime and light novel. Thank you reality for reminding me my plans aren't made in a vacuum.
Louise looked grumpy at being summoned so abruptly. Either that or she was tired of dealing with Kirche. The Germanian was trying to get a rise out of her. I couldn't tell if the redhead was trying to be friendly, flirty, or what. Her minder, Tabitha, was hiding behind the Tale of Ivaldi. I just realized I would have to explain my betrothal to other people. All of the harem tropes I knew stressed that trying to avoid them didn't work. The best I could do was be up front and stay strong.
"Is this your sister? My she is quite good looking. Oh, but don't worry Louise, I'm sure they'll grow in eventually. Just look at your sister," Kirche teased. Louise paused.
"You are absolutely right. I just have to be patient. My mother was small as well," Louise nodded gratefully. Kirche looked flummoxed at her nonchalant response.
"Owned," Tabitha said from behind her book. She was being infected by modern Earth slang. Where was she learning that? I caught sight of Nepgya through the window. The gynoid was giving Sylphid a piggyback ride.
Question withdrawn.
"Kirche, Tabitha, this is my betrothed, Cattleya," I introduced them.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Cattleya smiled kindly.
"Betrothed…?" Kirche gawked at the news before opening her mouth to say something. Please don't go with a knee jerk reaction, Kirche. I did not want to snap at you.
"Don't," Tabitha said warningly. The redhead subsided sullenly. Thank you Tabitha for defusing a bomb.
The sisters missed the byplay as they were too busy hugging each other and chatting.
"Dad? Take this," Nepgya said. I noticed that she was pushing a serving cart. She was holding out a leather satchel with a cross body strap. It had a top flap and four pockets.
"What is it?" I asked. The leatherwork was nicely done with gold hardware. It already looked broken in but still handsome.
"The main part can hold up to eighty pounds while the pockets can hold forty apiece. We loaded two of the pockets with Chibis, twenty apiece, while this one has emergency tools. This pocket here is completely empty. Maleficent put the clothes you arrived with in the main part," Nepgya said. Tools and Chibis? I had a well stocked version of a D&D Handy Haversack!
"Just thought you would like something useful. We're still working on portable force field generators disguised as Rings of Protection," Nepgya smiles.
"Make sure to send a few to Princess Henrietta for dispersal to her agents," I said.
"Way ahead of you. We have everyone you interact with on the list. Especially Mom," Nepgya smiled over at Cattleya.
"She'll be safe here with you while Louise and I go to the capital," I gave Nepgya a hug. The purple haired gynoid returned it with interest. Thankfully it wasn't too hard.
"Oh and take this! Maleficent packed you and Louise a lunch," Nepgya handed over a hamper of food. I half expected it to be Bigger on the Inside like the Haversack. It was just a regular hamper.
"We have to go, Rob! Stop standing around!" Louise ordered. She rushed past me to the courtyard. I couldn't help chuckling over her antics. It was cute how my mistress was so loyal to the Princess. Then again, if what I saw the morning after her visit with the Princess was true, it might be more than just loyalty.
The carriage driver looked a bit irked over being made to wait for us. No wonder he was annoyed. The carriage had the personal seal of the Tristanian Royal Family on the sides. He was expected to drive us to the city without delay. I honestly doubted that Henrietta would have him punished. This was dropped on us at the last minute so delays would be inevitable.
"Do you know why the Princess would be in such a hurry?" I asked Louise as the carriage set out.
"I have no idea. The Princess said she would tell us when the title came through. She didn't say we would have to go the same day," Louise said.
"Lovely. It must be important otherwise she wouldn't push like this," I said. Henrietta was very easy going. She did everything in her power to avoid inconveniencing people. It would be a mistake to call her a push over, but she had a soft spot for Louise.
"How did it go with Cattleya last night?" Louise asked.
"It was great. We talked, cuddled together in bed, and even had a tiger tuck us in," I chuckled. Even if the tiger waited until morning. It made sense for a nocturnal creature.
"He must like you. I remember the time he decided one of the groomsman was being disrespectful. The poor man somehow had tiger dung in his shoes," Louise giggled.
"That does make me feel better," I chuckled.
The carriage took us right into the courtyard of the castle. Getting the VIP treatment meant no waiting to be escorted inside. Our guide walked with an officious stride as if his duty was the most important thing in the world. I couldn't help the amused smile that crossed my face. He was a kid, probably just out of training, and taking everything so seriously. Louise walked with her back straight and head held high. I made sure my jacket was straight and there were no unseen wrinkles in my clothes. Knowledge of courtly demeanor would hopefully keep me from making too many mistakes.
I wasn't going to accidentally kiss Henrietta like Saito did.
The inside of the throne room was impressive. High vaulted ceilings and white colonnades made the room feel even larger. The grand sight wasn't lost on me. It was remarkably well constructed, but when you had access to real magic, anything was possible. I was curious to know just how much magic actually went into the construction. Unfortunately asking about architectural matters would have to wait. Seated before us on the dais was Princess Henrietta with Chevalier Agnes de Milan stood at her side.
"Louise Françoise de Valliere and Robert Drakona. Welcome," Henrietta spoke regally from the throne. Her eyes lingered on Louise.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," Louise curtsied low to the future Queen. She returned the look through her bangs.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," I bowed low before straightening. I wasn't imagining things. The two of them were speaking with their eyes. Judging by the blank mask Agnes wore she hadn't missed the implications either.
I was directed to kneel directly at Henrietta's feet. She took a ceremonial sword from one of her retainers.
"I have called you here today to bestow a great honor. Robert Drakona. I hereby name you Chevalier Robert de Drakona. Knight of the Kingdom," Henrietta spoke stridently as she tapped each shoulder and the top of my head in turn.
"It is my pleasure to serve, Your Majesty," I said. She held her hand out, granting me permission to kiss her hand. Actually kissing the hand was a faux pas. Instead you took the lady by the fingers and lightly kiss the air above. Now that the niceties were out of the way I was permitted to stand.
"Please leave us," Henrietta told the various functionaries. The guards would remain as per protocol…
"Leave," Agnes narrowed her eyes at the guards.
Right. Screw protocol. Of course.
As the doors of the throne room shut, an imperceptible tension left Henrietta's shoulders. The future monarch proceeded to crush Louise to her bosom. My mistress returned the embrace just as fondly. I sidled over to Agnes. The blonde Chevalier let out a weary sigh.
"The two were sending each other letters for some time now. I suppose that's no longer good enough," Agnes said with a tired look. My brain screeched to a freezing halt. Wait. What?
"Wait. What?" I asked. Agnes looked startled.
"She didn't tell you?" She asked.
"I was trying to respect her privacy. I saw her the morning after, but I didn't think it was ongoing…" I trailed off. Stupid! Of course it was ongoing! Unless alcohol is involved few people jump in the sack with someone on a whim.
"Lady Valliere has been feeling more confident. I suppose that would account for this," Agnes said. I wasn't a butterfly. I was fuckin' Mothra Leo. This was an enormous deviation from canon.
"As much as I wish to just enjoy a pleasant visit, I had a more pressing need," Henrietta apologized.
"Whatever is the matter?" Louise asked.
"I have received some troubling news as of late. One of my tax agents has been abusing his authority. No one is coming forward to implicate them. I have no idea who the actual culprit is," the Princess shook her head slowly.
"Do you want us to find them?" Louise offered. She was still the same Louise where it mattered.
"I was hoping you would. It will require you to go undercover. No one can know you are an agent of the crown until the culprit is caught red handed," Henrietta said.
"How will we do that?" Louise asked.
"Well…"
Henrietta's plan was for us to act as commoners. She gave us a small stipend to get started and buy whatever we needed to sell the act. We spent some of the money to buy Louise an outfit that was functional. My mistress was upset that there wasn't enough for anything more extravagant than a nice dress. She was also upset over all the walking we were doing. I left her at the fountain to see if I could find the Charming Fairy Inn. Maybe we could just walk in and ask for work? It didn't hurt to try.
I noticed a young woman dressed in scanty clothes standing outside of a restaurant. The sign above said "Charming Fairy Inn." It only took me two hours to find the place. Unfortunately it appeared that Mademoiselle Scarron wasn't in at the moment. I thanked her before heading back to where I left Louise.
"Ooh…" Louise moaned as she approached the fountain from the other side.
Crap crap crap…
"What's wrong, Louise?" I asked.
"I was trying to increase our money, but the man lied to me. His establishment only took my money…" She whined. Of course. I forgot about Louise and the gambling hall.
"Do you have anything left?" I asked.
"No…" Louise exhaled. "What about you?" She asked.
Should I or shouldn't I? I wasn't happy with Louise losing the money. I was even less happy that someone took advantage of her naivety. It was time to stop being so nice and do something wild. A smirk crossed my face, "I have some money left. Don't worry. I'll get revenge on them for taking advantage of you, Louise."
She tilted her head to the side in confusion.
The gambling hall was brightly lit and inviting. They were salespeople after all. In this case they were selling people on the idea of parting with their money. As soon as we entered I released ten Chibis of Maleficent. The dark Reyvateils minis immediately disappeared under all available surfaces. Their mission was to help me cheat inconspicuously.
"Ah! If it isn't the young miss. Did you bring more money this time?" A smarmy man sidled up to us with a smirk.
"I am here to watch my friend win back my money," Louise turned up her nose.
"I hope he's better than you were. No one has ever seen a worse gambler," he chuckled. Louise flushed angrily.
"Are you finished insulting a customer or shall I just go elsewhere?" I made a show of bouncing my purse. The jingle of coins caught his attention.
"Pardon my rudeness, sir. Please come in...Ah! Where are you going?" He asked.
"I see the game I want to play," I smirked. There was a perfectly normal Poker table.
Poker was more tactics than luck. You could win with a terrible hand by psyching out the opposition. I had an advantage in that the Chibis would be feeding me information on my opponents. However I had to avoid showing my knowledge too openly. Louise lost fifteen gold. I had to earn back at least that to break even.
Three hours later I was 'politely' escorted out of the hall with a 'friendly' suggestion to not come back. They didn't catch me. The bastards were just poor sports. I gave Louise back the fifteen gold she lost and held onto the total winnings to the tune of seven hundred and seventy three gold.
"Uh oh...It's getting dark," Louise noticed.
"We need to find a place to stay tonight. I have an idea," I suggested.
Louise stared at the Charming Fairy Inn with a deadpan look on her face.
"You are betrothed to my sister and this is your brilliant idea?" She demanded irately.
"Your sister is definitely the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I'm not going to screw that up. What I'm suggesting is we see if they will let us work here. Remember Siesta? Nobles tend to ignore the help. The same is true for customers in a tavern. After a few beers they'll tell their life story to anyone," I said.
"Keep your eyes in your head at all times. You are not to stare like some slathering dog at these...these women," Louise gestured angrily.
"Louise? I would suggest you talk to them. Get to know their stories before you make judgements," I managed to say with only a slight edge to my voice.
"Fine," she turned on her heel and stormed inside. Great. She's pissed off at me and I need her to be smooth.
Inside the tavern I managed to catch up to her. She regained some of her composure, but still appeared to be on edge. The same woman from earlier flounced over to us.
"If you are here for Mademoiselle Scarron she is here now," the woman smiled.
"You were already here?" Louise asked.
"We needed work and a place to stay. I thought it might be best…" I chuckled apologetically.
"Right. I suppose you are right," she said tensely.
"Is something wrong?" The woman asked with concern.
"It's...not something we like to talk about…" I deliberately left it vague.
"Ah! My apologies...I'm sorry. It's not of my business. Please come this way. I'm sure Mi Mademoiselle would love to meet you…" she gestured for us to follow her.
"What do we say?" Louise asked quietly.
"Nothing. Just let them come up with their own ideas. Don't confirm or deny anything," I whispered back.
"I suppose that...that...huh?" Louise suddenly whined in confusion. I turned in the direction she was looking and nodded. Sure enough there was Mademoiselle Scarron. A fahbulous woman with a muscular physique and mustache.
"Are these the ones? Look at just how cute this one is!" Scarron fussed over Louise prompting my mistress to whine again. She turned in my direction and smiled, "Ah and you must be here gallant protector, no? Such a handsome fellow!"
"It does me good to have a beautiful lady compliment me," I smiled. Louise's eyes grew even rounder in surprise.
"Oh, you flatterer…" Scarron waved her hand with a coy look.
Louise's brain completely checked out while Scarron and I handled the details. Poor girl. She thought this was bad? She ain't seen nothing yet.
