Chương 622: Day Six Hundred And Twenty

Dear Diary, It's funny. When I first wound up Queen of Norfolk, it was purely one of those random 'results of choices made to get to a different goal' kind of things. Went to Norfolk to get us a way to transport supplies to liberate Calverton. Became a Jarl because that got me what I needed. Started collecting Jarldoms because after Hilde I couldn't leave folks living in that kind of situation.

Wound up going after Gregor for the exact same reason, and when I realized that having the power to say 'no more slaves, no more rape-as-a-party-game' and have it stick also meant I was Queen of fuckin' Norfolk, I think part of me kinda blanked out on that. Like, yeah, I used the authority of being Queen to gather up all those toxic Jarls and toxic Jarl wannabes and point them at the Undead in Calverton.

Of course I also told the former Thralls that if they wanted to, they could all move to Calverton where nobody expected them to do the shit work, and Mary Calvert went along with my idea of any Thrall that did their part getting a new home there. I guess I maybe did some good, but all of it was focused on helping the downtrodden people I saw in front of me. I never really had any kind of plan for systemic improvement.

I know that even in the Alliance as a whole I can't really say that, but there I started out by putting the smartest person I knew in charge, which in my Goof brain translated to the best chance of systemic improvement. In some way I'm emotionally invested in the Alliance in a way I'm not in Norfolk. I absolutely wanted to ditch the job as soon as feasible. Thing is, after damn near a year of being 'Queen of Norfolk', I still wasn't really emotionally invested.

Not until a certain Smith who will remain nameless did the most slapdash 'coronation' I've ever heard of. Shit, it was even more seat of the pants than my wedding to Saffron, and that shit was as quick and painless as we could make it, because I'm allergic to big formal occasions, and I could not have given less of a shit about weddings at the time, but holy shit did I want Saffron as my wife. Still do. No sign of that ever changing. Marie is the wifiest wife ever to wife, but Saffron is my other half.

My partner, now and forever. Heh, I started talking about Conrad's little 'coronation' and how now I'm all invested in Norfolk, at least a little, and wind up talking about Saffron. Always Saffron. Thing is, I am kind of invested now, at least I feel invested, and that's what emotional investment is, right? Feelings? But when I think about what's best for Norfolk, when I put any effort into those feelings, I realize. What's best for Norfolk? Is not me.

Despite my nominal Vanir and Jotnar heritage by blood and adoption, all of my actual connections to the place are tenuous at best. With Phileo I worked for it, I shed the blood, sweat, tears, and snot of hard physical labor in terrible conditions. Even more so for the Alliance. But with Norfolk I just killed some motherfuckers who desperately needed to be killed. I really don't belong on the throne in Norfolk any more than I belong in charge of Grandmother's Village.

Kinda shitty thing, to realize I might actually want to be Queen of Norfolk just in time to realize that being a Good Queen means giving the position to somebody who's gonna do a shit ton better job of it than me. Better than realizing years down the line that I've been a shitty Queen and ought to apologize to everybody.

I mean, I've been a complete absentee Queen since the Liberation of Calverton, and the only way to be a worse Queen than an absentee Queen is to be there making awful decisions, which I'm pretty sure I would have if I'd stuck around. So, maybe I owe my sociopathic smith son a thank you rather than a kick in the ass. So after Conrad's little coronation ceremony, I scooped up the case for the crown and Siobhan's gift, gave him a quick motherly kiss on the cheek, and hopped back home.

Hung around in the kitchen with Marie planning out Siobhan's birthday party menu. When Saffron got home from work, I pulled her in for a hug and whispered, "everything's ready for tomorrow! Look at me, all planning for the future and shit!" She just raised an eyebrow.

"The future is tomorrow?"

"Sure as shit beats planning for yesterday, doesn't it?" I might have been getting a little bit pouty. She smiled at me.

"Yes, love. Planning for tomorrow is far better than planning for yesterday. Good girl." I cannot tell you how much those two syllables peg my personal happiness meter. Probably a good indicator that I'd rather hear those two from her than any given set of seven she came up with. Of course right then she managed to read my fuckin' mind, pull me down until our noses touched and, staring into my eyes, whispered, "Good Girl Tabitha Diaz."

When my brain could form coherent thoughts again, I whispered back, "you just like making my eyes cross." She hopped up into my arms, and I slipped an arm under her ass so she could cling to me comfortably. She leaned in and said, "Oh, no, love. I enjoy many other parts of our interactions. But yes, I do love being able to reward you carnally at a moment's notice." She nuzzled me while I walked out to the dining room, then said, "so, tell me. What plans and preparations have you done for tomorrow's festivities?"

Right then Siobhan arrived, skipped over to give us both a hug and get scooped into my other arm. Mentally thanking the women who'd made our furniture for making dining room chairs as sturdy as the ones in the Academy, but with enough actual padding to not be actively painful to sit on, I plonked myself down in my seat and held them both in place.

"Guess you two will have to feed me tonight."

"Oh, no, whatever shall we do, Saffron?"

"Ride her hard and put her away sopping?" Saffron answered, then blinked and shook her head.

"No, wait. That's later. I suppose we'll just have to take turns filling her mouth."

"Are you sure that's not later too?" whispered Siobhan. Saffron laughed.

"Probably. Now, you were about to tell me your plans for the morrow, Tabitha?" I nodded.

"Well, there's the party. Marie and I just decided on the menu. I'm even gonna hop up north and bring back some ice from one of the lakes so she can make some frozen treats." Also, I have a present.

"A present?" asked Siobhan.

"For who?" I just looked at her until she blushed.

"You... you didn't need to do that. I didn't get you anything." I snorted.

"Not my birthday." She just stared, open mouthed, while I turned back to Saffron.

"I picked up the new crown for the coronation, and I've thought through what I'm gonna do and say." Saffron looked at me, surprise clear on her face.

"Did you take notes?"

"Would I remember to take them or read them?"

"Good point." She just stared at me, like she expected something more, but... that's all I had. Plans for Siobhan's birthday party, plans for the coronation. Saffron sighed, then shook her head.

"What about New Years?"

"Uh... what about it? I mean, I don't remember there being any kind of countdown or anything. Wait, if there was, it would be," I checked the sun.

"In like twenty minutes, right?" She looked a little, I dunno, not disappointed, but she shook her head and said, "I keep forgetting you grew up elsewhere. Different traditions. Different New Year's Traditions." She gave me a very smoky meaningful glance, and I thought back to what we'd done the year previously. I'd just done my New Amsterdam Healing thing, so I was next to useless for anything.

I cudgeled my brain for any 'traditions', and the image of my Kitten vigorously self-servicing while singing a seven syllable symphony surfaced from the depths of my memory.

"Oh. Oh, shit. Yeah, I, uh, wow. Now I kinda wanna spend this evening on the divan with all three of you doing that." At that point her eyes rolled, and I said, "what am I missing?" She chuckled, pure velvet affection in auditory form, and said, "apparently that you are now the chief Goddess of the Temple of Love, my beautiful Goof."

"Oh, I guess I ought to put in an appearance?" She just kinda looked at me.

"Oh. Um. More than an appearance?"

"I've never been to a Revel at the Temple of Love," murmured Siobhan.

"Especially not a New Years Revel."

"You wanna go?" She nodded.

"Okay then, we go. It is your birthday in fifteen minutes, after all." I turned to Saffron.

"So, the four of us?" She smiled.

"I'm really not sure if Marie wants to." I turned to the Maenad in question, who'd just brought us our dinner entrée, which might, maybe in Japan, pass for bear pizza. Maybe.

"You wanna come Revel with us at the Temple of Love, Mittens?" She paused, thinking about it, then replied, "No." I chuckled.

"What, are you saving yourself up for next Friday or something?" She just stared at me.

"Wait, really?" She blepped.

"Oh, holy shit, that's a hell of an expectation to live up to." I turned to Saffron.

"Help?" She laughed, the sound pure amused joy.

"You realize I'll be marrying her too, Goof?"

"Right. So two vee one. Tell me you have a plan?" She snuggled into me and fed me a bite of not-pizza.

"Of course. I'm going to do whatever my wife asks of me."

"Which one?"

"Yes." Marie ended the discussion with a smile and, "Good."

"So... just the three of us?" Saffron leaned back, thought about it for a moment, then said, "No. No, I have other plans."

"Uh... can I know?" She giggled.

"I hope you're still up to Co-Locating while... involved, love." I smiled.

"A little out of practice, but fuck it, we ball."

"Well then." She turned to Siobhan and pulled her into a kiss that looked as hot as anything I'd ever seen the two of them do, and yes I am including Ice Pop's defloration. When she pulled away, leaving Siobhan flushed and wobbly, she said, "have fun, Darling." Then she turned to me.

"Go on, Karen will be expecting you." I nodded, then Co-Located to the Bed-Throne-Altar in the Temple of Love, bringing Siobhan along to sit on my lap, Saffron still in my lap at the Homestead dining room. A moment after our arrival, the cheering started. Not the kind of loud militant thing I was used to, either. This was more... holy shit it was exactly what I expected to hear at a concert when the headliners walked on stage. Siobhan blushed more and buried her face in my neck.

"Goddess. I was almost worried you wouldn't make it." Karen smiled down at me from where she stood next to the altar, Thomas, Richard, Harold, and a kinda chunky woman I'd never seen before all standing around near her. All five of them were very clothing optional, and as I looked around I realized that the youngest person in evidence was easily my age, and if none of them were actively doing the deed, it was mostly because they'd been watching the show up at the altar. Maybe waiting for the good part.

Which I suddenly realized meant me.

"Hey, I'm not gonna leave you hanging." I turned to Siobhan.

"So... you up for this?"

"I'm not sure."

"It's okay. I'd kinda be ashamed to be seen with me too." Her head snapped up, "No! I..." She trailed off as she saw my big smile.

"You got me, Goof."

"Not yet, but I'd really like to, Darling." As she blushed again, I said, "hey, I just want to do some totally chaste lovemaking with my Concubine in front of the whole congregation."

"I... but... what would you have of me?"

"Kinda want you to give Marie's scissor trick a try." She shook her head, but in clear disbelief, not negation.

"You want me to take the lead?" I nodded, and she took a deep breath.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try. But only if you tell me why."

"They're all gonna be looking at me anyway. I'm the center of attention all the fuckin' time. Pretty often even when it's fuckin' time. But... this is your day. Your birthday. I want everyone to see exactly how beautiful, how special, how cool and awesome my Ice Pop is." She'd gotten more flushed as I spoke, but she quietly said, "I'll try."

"Only one question left then."

"What's that?"

"Do you want your present now, or tomorrow?"

"Is it an article of clothing?" Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. I rocked my head back and forth.

"Sort of?"

"Tomorrow, then." She twitched, banishing both of our outfits entirely. I lifted her hands to my shoulders, then as the sun touched the western horizon, projected my voice across the Temple.

"Okay, everybody! Let's get this party started!" She barely needed any encouragement to shove me backwards to land flat on the bed. Back at the Homestead, Saffron and I finished dinner, then wandered up to the Bath.

"Are you really very sweaty, love?" I thought about that for a second, then grinned at her.

"Getting kinda, elsewhere, but not so much here." Her Grin made an appearance.

"Are you so terribly sore that you need a soak?" I may not be the brightest woman in the world, but I am sleeping with her, and with all the rubbing she must be rubbing off, because I actually caught her clue.

"Kinda hoping to be tomorrow by this time? Or maybe even by morning?"

"Oh," she fake smiled so bad even I realized.

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you then." I lifted her, stepped to the Bedroom, and banished our clothes.

"You, my wonderful little Kitten, absolutely never disappoint me." Her Grin reappeared, and she slithered out of my arms to her feet, then pushed me back onto the divan, evading my hands when I tried to pull her with me.

"Did you like our celebration last year?" She asked as she languidly stepped away from me.

"Uh. Does 'oh, fuck yes, that's why I wanted more tonight' answer the question?" She hopped up onto the bed without turning around, then scooched backward until her knees dangled over the edge.

"Well then. I guess I might not disappoint you after all." My brain melting down a little under the dual assault by both my littler ladies, my hands wandered a little as I said, "yeah, no, not disappointed."

"I kind of hoped you'd like this even more." I heard myself snicker without intending to.

"Because my hands are working?" She shook her head, a single jerk as she arched her back, her hands gliding across her body, and then she started the evening's seven syllable symphony with, "because this bed has mirrors." Back at the Temple, Siobhan collapsed onto me.

"I'm spent, beloved Goddess." I grabbed her head and forced her gaze to my eyes as her accidental seven syllable statement finished me.

"That's... uh... at least three?"

"Really?" She was so cute when she blushed. I nodded.

"You underestimate yourself." Then I laughed at echoes of endorphins from elsewhere.

"Wait, isn't that my line?"

"I just wish I could keep going." I ran my hands down her back, massaging wherever I found tension.

"Are you sleepy?" She shook her head.

"Still wanna do more, just out of breath?" She nodded, smiling as she lowered her head to my chest.

"You know I'm still gonna be putting you front and center, right?"

"But I..."

"Would it hurt you, upset you if I did?" She shook her head.

"Well then." I sat up.

"I very much want to." I put my hands around her waist, lifted her, and turned her around to sit on my lap, both our knees hooked on the edge of the bed. I scooted forward a little until my feet rested on the stone under the altar. I slipped my knees between hers, then slipped them apart.

"Very... exposed," she breathed.

"Stop?" Her hair whipped across my face as she shook her head, making her opinion vehemently clear.

"Does this scare you?" She nodded. I lifted her up, and she dropped her hands to slide along my arms, then dangle so her fingertips brushed my thighs. A bit of shapeshifting later, and I pressed against her.

"Scared enough?" Another nod, this one nearly as vehement as her headshaking earlier.

"Good." My Darling really likes being dropped. Learned behavior. She seems to like it as much as I like Saffron's seven syllable symphony, so... I wound up going to Norfolk with zero sleep and zero fucks left to give. No, seriously, I'd given them all to Siobhan, and she and Saffron lay snuggled on the Bed, blissfully beautiful. I added The Dress and her boots to my crown, since that's what I'd won Norfolk's throne wearing.

A moment later, as I looked in the mirror behind the Divan, everything shifted, and I stood there in Gladiator Mode. I looked over my shoulder to see both of my littler ladies smiling at me.

"Really?"

"Please?" said Siobhan.

"It's how you won the crown, love. Let them see you, shameless, for you've nothing to be ashamed of." I barked out a laugh.

"Barely even a scar from my lung piercing at this point."

"Go, before you're late," said Siobhan.

"A Queen is never late," Saffron replied.

"But you really should be going, love. But, before you go?" I tilted my head, waiting.

"You really look fantastic." With that seven syllable sendoff I stepped down to Norfolk, right into the throne room, where Olga lay snoring. I mean, it was before sunrise, but she'd said 'New Year', and she was gonna get crowned with the first dawn of the new year.

"WAKE UP!" She jerked upright, and one of me stepped to Calverton, to the new little fishing village across from it. I lay a hand on Skasn and stepped him back to the hillside where Olga hung out during the day. He looked around muzzily.

"What's up, Majesty?"

"Only for another couple minutes. I thought you'd want to see your girl get her crown?" His eyes wrinkled up as he smiled.

"Thank you." Inside, I'd have picked up a pan and started banging it if I could, but I had none, so I just kicked open the longhouse doors and kept shouting.

"Wake up! Wake up! Everybody up and outside! Now! Now! Now!" I guess the Jarls who'd seen me in action remembered, because the grumbles that started with my shouting ended when they realized who'd been shouting at them. The thunder of several hundred big dudes throwing themselves upright and making for the doors echoed through the longhouse. I turned to Olga, who worked her mouth as she glared at me.

"Really, Diaz?" I laughed at the reminder of what I'd heard so often in my life, especially what with it being used by somebody in my typical position; oversleeping on the most important day of my life.

"Really. Get your ass out to that spot you like so much. Get everyone you want to see you out there too." She frowned, then sighed.

"The only one I'd like out there is still up near Calverton."

"He's waiting." She blinked.

"Hey, I'm not a complete idiot. All the time." She laughed and stood. I thought, Karen? Tallulah? Yes, Goddess? they chorused, although Karen was a little sleepy. Can you two get Marylin Calvert, Ophelia Orange, Leonard Lancaster, and William Driver down to Norfolk poste haste, please? Karen, you don't need to stay once they're here. Of course, thought Tallulah. Karen just kind of mentally nodded. Minutes later, with dawn maybe ten minutes away, everyone had assembled on that hillside overlooking the bay.

I turned to face the people of Norfolk and the grumpy dignitaries, which also included Orla Calvert and Angel, then turned back to Olga.

"Olga Skasnsdotter. Kneel." She took a knee, and if some of the crowd gasped and grumbled, most of them held their breath. I reached out a hand and touched one of Olga's feet, still bare where she'd not bothered to put shoes on. I Mimicked her Size, growing until I was exactly as big as she was, then turned to face the crowd.

"People of Norfolk. For the past nine months, I've been your Queen. I don't want to make anybody feel some kind of way, but I never really wanted the job. I've changed some of your traditions, and most of you complained, but did what I asked. If Big Jarl Johnson is typical, I think you might appreciate those changes more in time, but honestly, I'm not here to be anybody's friend." I smiled as I half turned to Olga.

"Not saying that some of you aren't friends. But that's not why I'm here." I paused, checking out the crowd. Nobody was happy, but nobody was leaving, either. Or throwing shit.

"I conquered you. I made changes. Then I led you to war." That got a reaction. They all, even the sleepy grumpy ones, cheered.

"Yeah, you guys kicked ass. All of you. Jarls. Karls. Those of you who used to be Thralls." That got a bit of a grumble, but I shouted, "they are fighters of Norfolk too, and they did you proud." I went quiet.

"I... You did me all proud. You followed your orders, stomped out the Undead, and where in the past you would have loaded your ships with loot and come home, I know how many of you stayed. Stayed to help Calverton rebuild. Stayed to teach the former Thralls staying there maybe a few of the skills they'd need to find a place in Calverton. Stayed to guard Calverton until it could guard itself. I know there are folks who would want to be here today who are still there, still doing all that." I grinned at them.

"I even know some of them are staying there because they wanted to celebrate New Years with new friends in Calverton." That got a cheer from them all, as well as a lot of laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know why all of you were sleepy this morning." I leaned over like I was sharing a secret.

"Tell you the truth, I haven't slept yet. Been to bed. Hadn't left it, really. But haven't slept a wink." Another big round of laughter.

"Somebody told me that she wants her first day as Queen to be the first day of the year. Somebody who was there with you all in Calverton. Stomping the Undead to paste. Saving any of you who got stuck in too deep. Since then, she's been doing a better job of being Queen as Princess than I ever did, really. So while I'm so proud of everything you guys did for me while I've been your Queen?" I reached up and slid the crown off my head.

"I think it's time I step aside and let you guys have a Queen worthy of the title. Worthy of Norfolk. Worthy of you all." I turned to face Olga, who'd knelt there the whole time. Sliding the crown onto Olga's head, I silently thanked Conrad again, this time for giving me the words I needed.

"Rise, Olga, Queen of Norfolk, first of your name. May you reign wisely and long." I stopped Mimicking her Size, shrinking as she stood.

"My people!" she called out, and a veritable wave of cheers washed over us. Over her, because her people were cheering for her, for one of their own.

"I'm not one for speeches. So let's eat!" That got an even bigger cheer, as well as a rush for the longhouse. She knelt back down to where I stood with the other dignitaries.

"You're all welcome to join us, but I'm afraid it's nothing really special. Just morning after food for the folks up way too late at New Years parties."

"I'll give anybody who needs it a ride home." When Olga frowned down at me, I said, "hey, I'm not leaving. You ought to know better than most that I can be in as many places as I need to." She very ostentatiously rubbed at her butt cheek, hiding a grin.

"I do. Very well, Champion." She nodded to the others.

"As she says, she'll take anyone who cannot stay home." Tallulah stayed, as did Mary and Orla. Bill went home, but Angel stayed. Leonard Lancaster asked for a ride to Lancaster House, I guess maybe to see his baby mama, since Larry told me she still lives there. Ophelia of all people stayed for breakfast and the apparently impromptu coronation feast. I stayed until just before lunch, when I said my goodbyes and hopped back to the Bedroom.

"Up! Up! Time to get up!" I scooped Siobhan and Saffron up, then stepped them to the Dining Room as I slipped comfortable civvies on both of them; loose jeans and tee shirts, because I couldn't remember dressing Siobhan like that, and Saffron... Oh, fucking fuck on toast, Saffron in a tee shirt. I think I could have stripped naked and Siobhan wouldn't have noticed. Saffron, who often wound up being the most feline of my ladies, just soaked in her attention like it was her due. Which, y'know, magnificent.

A few moments after we arrived, all our kids, all their friends, and most of the women of the Homestead jumped out from behind the tables.

"SURPRISE!" So cute when Siobhan realized that everyone had caught her staring at Saffron's chest. Not that anybody really blamed her or cared. Then Marie brought the food in, and she, Saffron and I took turns feeding our Ice Pop all her Marie made favorites. When everybody in the room was pleasantly full, Marie brought out the cake.

Big enough to give everybody a nice sized slice, and every bit of it white, except the streaks and smears of blush colored pink, which Siobhan matched a moment later when she realized why.

"Happy Birthday, Darling," I said, then leaned in and kissed her cheek as Saffron did the same from the other side.

"Want your present now?" She lay a hand on her belly, where she'd surreptitiously unbuttoned her jeans.

"Are you sure it'll fit?"

"Oh, absolutely."

"Then yes, please." I retrieved the oiled pine box and set it on the table in front of her.

"Go on. Open it." She lifted the lid, the hinge holding it open when she dropped her hands away and gasped.

"Really?" She looked at me, smiling.

"I mean... you said you wanted one?" She tugged at the neck of her shirt.

"Please?"

"You want me to put it on you?"

"Yes, please."

"Not Saffron?" She looked momentarily guilty, until Saffron reached out, lifted Siobhan's hair out of the way, and held it up while she planted a line of feather light kisses around her neck.

"Right about there, I think. Don't you, Goof?"

"Absolutely, Kitten. Ready, Darling?"

"Yes, please!" she squeaked. I lifted the leather choker from the case, slipped the catch apart, and slid it around her neck. Before I could even reach around, the catch slipped into place with sound that did not make me think it would come off willingly. Not that she'd let anyone try, by the look on her face. Or by the way I felt her heart race through her jugular.

"Like it?" She reached up and ran her fingers across it, her eyes going wide as my eyelids fluttered at the touch.

"Oh, yes. Yes, very much...." She looked at Saffron.

"May I?"

"Of course," Saffron said, letting go of her hair and half turning to face me. Her eyes popped wide as Siobhan grabbed her and kissed her. While Saffron sat there recovering, she grabbed me, said, "I love it. I love you. Both of you," then did the same to me. I think both of us were still a little surprised and amused when, her fingers tangled in our hair, she pulled away from me, then pushed our lips together. Laughing kisses best kisses.

When she finally let us apart, Saffron raised an eyebrow and drawled out, "Goof, did you break our Darling's sense of restraint?" As badly as I broke her ability to think coherently during my Penance? I shrugged.

"I mean, I tried." Saffron ran her tongue along Siobhan's collar, and as if that weren't enough to make me melty, whispered, "Good Girl." Yeah, nothing else really happened there and then, because the kids were, like, right there. Most of them declaring us 'silly', although I noticed Maze maybe smiling a little, then glancing pointedly from the three of us to Marie. I just nodded to her, and I'm not sure what she took away from it, but she smiled and looked a very satisfied kind of happy.

Late in the afternoon, with the kids all outside playing to burn off some of the sugary cake energy, I took a moment to look in on my other ladies. Tallulah looked out at her Court in Rich Man's Port, where they were celebrating New Years with some kind of really formalized dancing in really fancy, really not very concealing 'masks'. Karen...

Karen sat on the bed-throne-altar thing, looking out over the room, where it looked like a combination of die hard Revelers and late additions who'd been working for the rest of the holiday who were finally getting a chance to get their Revel on. She seemed a little wistful, like she understood why her booty call buddies had gone home, but still wished she had someone a little less random to Revel with. I got an idea. Probably a bad one. So I jostled Saffron where she sat next to me, snuggled up.

That got Siobhan's attention from the other side of her, and Marie's from the other side of Siobhan.

"Hey ladies? You know I'm tryna, y'know, go public, right?" Saffron nodded, Siobhan looked the tiniest bit alarmed, but only in a vague sort of way, and Marie was her unflappable self.

"Go on," Saffron said.

"Karen's jonesing for some company at the Temple of Love." Saffron just smiled, tilted her head, and asked, "did you want us to join you?" I shrugged.

"If you want to." Marie's Grin crept across her face as the other two considered, until she ended their consideration by saying, "Watch." Siobhan's eyes shot open, then she said, "yes! Yes, please!" She turned to Saffron.

"Can we?" Saffron smiled at me.

"Of course, Darling. Although..." I froze while reaching for them.

"I might take my fellow Priestess' place when you wear her out." I rolled my eyes, nudged my Blend up a little bit, and stepped us to some empty seats in the Temple of Love's sanctuary. Leaving them to settle in, I walked up the steps until I stood in front of Karen, then lowered my Blend to normal.

"Priestess?" She sat straighter.

"My Goddess?"

"Mind if I take the last ride of the night?" I nodded to the altar. She hopped up, nodding.

"Of course, my Goddess!" As I sank onto the edge of the bed in pretty much the same position I'd sat with Siobhan before, she said, "where is your Concubine this evening?" I smiled at her.

"I'm sorry, Priestess."

"Why?"

"You're going to have to clean yourself up tonight," I banished her stripperific wedding gown, replaced it with Glowing Midnight, then banished the dress and inconvenient panties.

"And I don't intend to leave you much energy at all to do that cleaning up with." She stiffened, glanced around, but started to raise a hand to reach for me. Dutifully. Which wasn't what I wanted just then, even if I understood her reasons. Y'know, 'mostly straight', 'into hairy guys', the whole thing where she could definitely have fun with me if she needed to, but it wouldn't be her first choice. I banished my own clothes and went full boy mode, smiling up at her.

Her sharp intake of breath and sudden loss of the bad kind of tension told me I'd scored an initial hit, even as she said, "Goddess, you don't need to..."

"Yeah, I know. But I think I think this is maybe way overdue." I dropped my Blend and lifted one black furred hand up to take hers. I watched her grin stretch in wireframe as my shadow engulfed her. Way back when duBois told me the story of Mimic, I never thought my first public outing as Mimic would be met with a smile, or by gasps of anticipation rather than fear. Felt good. Real good. Almost as good as my ladies did.