A Gut Impulse

Aubrey’s eyes fluttered open, slightly confused, with a rather large headache, and her throat was a bit sore. Why do I feel so awful? She tried to sit up but noticed an arm wrapped around her waist rather tightly, and it wasn’t budging, at least with so little effort on her part. That’s right, I’m in Mark’s bed. ASTRID… Aubrey lay her head back down on the pillow, not wanting to disturb Mark, and feeling some small comfort in being held. I wish there was something we could do to help ASTRID. No one deserves that. God, my head is killing me. I guess I did cry and scream a lot yesterday. Aubrey rolled over so she faced Mark and nuzzled into his shoulder, wanting a bit more physical closeness. This did wake Mark from his slumber.

“Good Morning, Aubrey.” Aubrey looked into Mark’s eyes, such a rich chocolatey brown.

“Morning, Sleepyhead.” And she kissed him, and he embraced her tighter, pulling her into him. Aubrey kept pushing, indicating that she wanted him on his back, and then climbed on top of him as they continued to make out. Mark was running fingers through her hair; she had to admit that it was a pleasing sensation, just like his other hand running up and down her back. Then another stab behind her eyes. GOD that hurts. She winced in pain, finally breaking off the kissing.

+2 VP Kiss Master on the Lips

“Aubrey, what’s wrong?”

“I have this killer headache. I guess from the crying and screaming.”

“We also skipped dinner and didn’t have a lot of fluids yesterday.” They heard a knock at the door. Figuring it was Freya, he replied, “Come in.”

Freya walked in with a cart containing sweet-smelling, wonderful coffees, and croissant sandwiches with egg, cheese, and sausage. It was Heavenly. “Good Morning, Master Mark, Good Lady Aubrey.”

“Good Morning, Freya. Is there any favor I may return to the goddess of beauty for bestowing us with this wonderful meal in our time of need?”

Freya’s face was at war with itself as it tried to convey both annoyance with his flirting with her and being pleased with the compliment. “Sir, I do not think it proper for you to flirt with your staff, especially when you have such a fetching woman right next to you.”

“Freya, I’ll make sure he’ll never flirt with you again if I get food like this every morning. Assuming that is actually what you want, because while I’m not thrilled about sharing him. I know that flirting with other women is going to happen. Though I guess you aren’t in his Harem.” Yet… I mean, come on, a female butler to serve him forever. No way she isn’t going to end up sleeping with him eventually. Even if she doesn’t officially get added. A grumpy expression covered her face.

“Aubrey? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just the headache,” She lied. “The food is helping, though. Thanks a lot, Freya.”

“Think nothing of it, My Lady. After yesterday’s events, I figured you both could use a pick-me-up. With you skipping dinner and Talia and Laura neither wanting to cook this morning, I figured you could use a good meal. If you are still hungry, I can have some more prepared.”

“No, I’m good,” Mark replied, “What about you, Aubrey?” She shook her head as she was chewing. “Freya, about your sister…”

“Master Mark, Sir. I… would rather not talk about that overly much, but I understand you have questions. Before asking, please carefully consider your questions because while I will answer almost any question about the topic. That does not mean that I want to. So please take some time, I’m not going anywhere.”

Mark did take a moment to collect his thoughts and realized he had so many questions. “Freya.”

“Sir. I did mean more than a moment, please, at least take the day.”

“I will, but I have one question, and I promise it is just the one that I would like to know now.” Freya somehow doubted that would end up being the case, but nodded for him to continue. “Do you have hope that there is something that can be done for your sister, for Astrid?”

“I don’t know that hope is the right word, for I have no expectation that it will come to pass, not truly. There are small things that we or Cassandra have done that have helped improve her condition, mostly in the way we treat her. But I don’t expect her to get better than this. Do I desire it? Absolutely. Do I pray for it? Everyday. So do my sisters. Do I think it’s possible? I don’t know. I do want to believe it is possible, but in all these years, Cassandra hasn’t found a way, and I know she would help if she could. There just isn’t anymore she can do to help.” She sighed.

“I know Mark had said one question, but I didn’t.” Interrupting as Mark was about to speak. “I’m sorry, Freya, if you really don’t want to answer any more, I’ll stop, but I think they are important.”

“My Lady Aubrey, do not apologize, for I know your questions come from a desire to help. Ask your questions.”

“Thank you, Freya. First, I want you to know I am going to try and figure out a way to save her, for as long as I’m on this show, and afterwards, well. I’ll do my best to help you help her. Now my question is, what are you willing to accept to help her? I need to know.”

Freya was a little shocked by Aubrey’s bluntness, “My sisters have discussed that at great length. We would not doom another to a similar fate even if they offered willingly. But we would accept a lot. We agreed that if something came up that was questionable, we would put it to a vote. We actually have a list we already discussed, I can get you it later. To be honest, it is too vague of a question without knowing the offered aid. But a lot.”

“Okay, my second and last question. Would that include one or more of you, possibly ASTRID, joining Mark’s Harem? Competing in the show?”

“AUBREY!” Mark exclaimed and was taken aback. “How could you ask that?”

“Sir, it is fine. The answer is yes. Assuming there is a real chance, even if small, that it would be possible, then yes. If it were another man, I might not say that. But I have read Cassandra’s file on you, Mark. I told you before that while I’m not interested in anything now, the reality of our situation is such that extended intimacy outside of your Harem is unlikely to be workable for me. My sisters will have much more free time than I, but as competing in the show is rather dangerous, I would want some rather compelling evidence that the plan is workable, before truly entertaining the idea.”

“Freya, I.”

“Sir, I apologize that was inappropriate of me as your butler. I also realize that my preciseness in my speech has given a false impression. I am not thinking that I will someday want to be with you, or any member of your Harem. Just that having a significant other isn't feasible except for you or one of your women. I simply won’t have the time to allow for such a thing to work. Please excuse me.” She took the empty plates and began to leave. Not happy with where the conversation had headed.

“Freya.” She turned to face Mark, not meeting his eyes. “If I can help Astrid, I intend to.”

“Thank you, Sir. Have a good time on your date with Merida tonight.” And she quickly left the room, so Mark wouldn’t notice how red her face was getting.

“Okay, Aubrey, explain. What were you thinking, asking her that? I’m not adding any of them to my Harem.”

“Really?” She asked with a hint of contempt in her voice and scowled at Mark. “You couldn’t put up with another woman in your Harem if it meant helping ASTRID, really helping her, I mean. We all already have to share. What would be the problem with adding one more to fix this?”

“Aubrey…”

“No, listen here, if you have a chance to help ASTRID, you will do it. Unless it really, truly harms someone severely. I agree, I wouldn’t see someone eliminated. I’m not completely certain about punishment TFs, but frankly, if Cassandra could offer you the choice to give us some extra transformations to fix this, I would be PISSED if you didn’t take that deal. So if we find a way to help her, and that requires you to add her or Freya to the harem. You will nut up and help that poor woman.”

“Look, Mark, you need to understand something. Did the nine of us ask for this? No. But you know what I haven’t heard spending time with everyone else? Any of them being upset about being with you. Sure, some, including me, aren’t happy we have to SHARE you. We aren’t happy we are being **** into this. Some of us don’t like all our TFs. But we aren’t actually unhappy with the idea of being with you. I know the other reality versions aren’t us, but they are very close. Cassandra said small differences made us not get together, but that all those versions had a happy relationship. Not simply a relationship, but a happy relationship. The nine of us are very different people with different wants, but you, being fundamentally you, could still make us happy. Being with you isn’t that bad of a fate, and I’m willing to bet that Freya and her sisters would end up happy with you, too.”

“I'll think about it, okay?”

“Nope, not okay. Try again. The words that you are to say are ‘Yes, Aubrey, I will help ASTRID, even if that means sleeping with her or her sisters.’ See not hard. Now you try.” She said in a stern voice, not taking anything but a yes as an answer.

Mark glared at her, receiving one back. “Mark, I’m serious about this. I want you to promise me you will take Freya up on her offer.”

“FINE,” Mark growled, not happy to be badgered into this.

“Fine, What? I want to hear it, Mark.”

“Fine, IF, and this is a big if, we see a reasonable chance to save ASTRID, I promise I’ll accept Freya’s choice on the matter. Happy?”

“No. I don’t like fighting with you. But I’m satisfied that you’ll keep your promise. I think I need some space. I’m going to get changed and go.” Aubrey got up and went to get changed.

“Aubrey, wait!” She turned around and glared.

“Mark, leave it be. We need time to cool off.”

“Not that, the mirror is magical. I had intended to tell everyone yesterday, but well… all of you weren’t in a state to be given important info in the morning, and then everything happened.”

“Oh. What does it do?”

“It sort of shows a future? But you won’t really remember it. I know that Allie, Sam, and I all used it by accident. Cassandra said it was supposed to help move you toward a future you want. But that there is no actual compulsion, rather it’s like a temptation, I would say. They are supposedly the most likely futures right now.”

“That sounds really useful.” Aubrey glanced towards the mirror and moved over in front of it before Mark could stop her.

Mark got up to make sure she was okay, but wasn’t going to actually prevent her from using the mirror.

The mirror swirled, taking much longer to settle on something for Aubrey than the other girls. In the first image, Aubrey was in a loud living room, sitting on the couch just out of sight; she could hear the sounds of many children playing with one another. In each arm, she was holding a baby that she was breastfeeding. Moreover, she was visibly showing another pregnancy well on its way. She looked exhausted, not happy with her life, but she knew her purpose. She was Mark’s prized lamb, and she would give him a whole flock of children.”

“Aubrey, you okay?” Mark asked as she somewhat recoiled from the experience.

“I don’t know. It was weird. I’m going to change in the bathroom and go.”

She quickly grabbed a dress and went to change. When she came out, she looked a lot less exhausted than earlier. “Bye Mark, I’m sorry our date went, well, how it went, but I did enjoy everything before going shopping. I hope our next date can be more normal.” Then she hurried out of the room, not waiting for a response, the sounds of her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

In the Playhouse Kennel, just a little bit earlier.

Laura lay in bed next to Talia, looking at the clock on the wall. Waiting until it was 8 am. That was when she said Freya was scheduled to bring Mark and Aubrey breakfast. When she wanted Laura to betray Aubrey. She just couldn’t understand what Cassandra’s game was. Why would she want this to happen? It was obvious that Aubrey was there to prime Mark for when she was supposed to induce an impulse on him. But why that impulse? What does it accomplish? Well, that was obvious what it immediately accomplished, but somehow Laura doubted that was the goal. Also, how does this count as a sexual act? As the clock struck 8 am, she hesitated. Her head and her heart were telling Cassandra to get fucked, to refuse to do this as she asked. Her gut, now that was telling her she should trust, that there was something she wasn’t seeing fully, but somehow this all related to ASTRID. But she didn’t understand how. Laura went with her gut and began to cast the spell. Cassandra had said she only had to use half of her mana, but more would be better in the long run. So she completely drained her mana and focused. Make Aubrey want Mark to accept Freya as part of his Harem.