A search for families

During the rest of the day and into the next your wives introduce Harmony to every food, delight and experience they can think of and each time they do she loses energy and soon enough she slips back into a deep, healthy slumber. Much as you would love to spend all day watching their progress you make some excuses and head down to your private study to set some other plans in motion.

Entering the room you hear a gasp followed by a happy giggle. Sendrey hops up from a chair, clutching her bum. You have to smile - it's plain to anyone how well she and Patrick are getting along. "Good morning," says Patrick, collecting some pages of notes, "I think this should tie in nicely with some old folk stories from the east."

You give the pages a quick read and nod. While Sandra is still the expert at this kind of thing Patrick has upped his game over the time he's been here. There are just enough changes in this 'older' folk tale to make the right person believe that two of the odd characters from it might actually have been catfolk. It helps that one of them is portrayed as a horny bastard who loves to sneak in and out of second story windows, often to meet up with one lover or another.

"It's good," you say. "We've got a decent stockpile now. When the right people start asking the right questions we can give them - rather, we can make sure they happen to come across - some interesting documents."

"Did you see this bit Sandra came up with?" asks Sendrey, pulling out a little amulet.

"Yes, that was a nice trick. Just the right suggestion around the rim. She sketched it, but she needed my help to get a silversmith to make it. Then I had to weather it properly."

Her ears flatten a little. "Oh, sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's a nice piece. Just the right kind of trinket to get someone thinking. If you have any ideas along those lines, trinkets, household decorations, urns or such things then don't hesitate to bring them up. All we have to do is make sure the person making them is a bit of a recluse or rather old, or better yet both. Then after they're dead no one is going to be able to prove they made it."

Sendrey brightens up and you take this as another reminder of just how much she's trained herself to always act the servant, to always anticipate her master and ingratiate herself by doing what's needed before she's asked. Sandra had a touch of this too - it's probably common to most longer term slaves. If you're lucky Sendrey will shrug it off, spread her wings and develop more and more into her own person and into a powerful ally. To encourage that you decide it's best if she has a little time away from Patrick.

A light thump behind you tells you that Sandra has managed to excuse herself and has followed you down here. "Hey, what'd I miss?"

"Nothing vital," you reply. "Patrick has the 'Caspian's Mile' reworked into something tantalizing."

"Mmmm, good. I'd like to take a look later," says Sandra, hugging you from behind.

"Now," you say, clearing your throat, "we've got a few new issues to deal with. We're going to have to go over the transformation journals. Every girl we can find who has a sister, aunt, niece or something like that is of interest. We've had a few additions to my family, so it will look strange if none of the other girls meet some long lost relatives. Also, I'm going to have to see about finding someone who knows the layout of Earl Rallven's estate. He has a reckoning coming."

"Yeah, no kidding!" says Sandra, bristling. "If you could find a way to bring Yvonne, Renee, Kyelle and a few other catgirls in... If they knew what he'd done to Helena..."

Patrick notices the dark look on your face and says, "Yeah, I'm sure one way or another the Earl is done for."

"Couldn't we just pick some girls and make sure they look right?" asks Sendrey.

"Yes, but if I do that too much it starts to leave a trail for other mages to notice. At least potentially. If we can I'd rather get the real thing. Besides, there are enough girls to choose from, so it shouldn't be too hard to find a few we can collect from nearby. Then the featherweight express can ride again."

That gets a confused look from Sendrey, so Patrick explains his trip to collect the mercenaries, nuns and nobles while Sandra fetches the journals you've collected about the women you've transformed into catgirls. In almost all cases you've also recorded the answers they gave to various questions before they lost their memories.

Sendrey asks, "Does Patrick have to go?"

"Yes. It would be too notable if we hired some slavers to collect them all. I'll have to provide some even more subtle magical items this time, but luckily I do maintain a supply of such things. I'm sure every mage has a cabinet of 'quiet' items somewhere, just in case." You look over at Sendrey and smile, "Besides, I've got a project for you to handle while Patrick is gone. You see, Emilie is going to be very lonely. I'm sure Caroline and Katherine wouldn't mind some visits from a friendly catgirl, but Emilie will be all on her own."

Patrick laughs. "Oh, I see. You want to see how they get along?"

"Yes. Also, I think that if Emilie and Sendrey spend time together and develop a friendship then later on, after Emilie goes upstairs, their reunion will be even more natural."

Patrick's thick tail swishes back and forth excitedly. "Yeah, that might work. What do you think?" he asks Sendrey.

"I am good at making friends," she says. "But what about all the other things that need doing?"

"Not a problem. Patrick leaves during the day and comes home at night. I'll act like a prick, say I need him for something and say you're going to get his bed temporarily."

"She'll be pissed," says Patrick, "but probably pissed at you." He puts an arm around Sendrey and says, "My lovely girl is perfect for the job. All you have to do is wrap my 'niece' around your finger."

Sendrey giggles when Patrick tickles her. "If that's what you want. But don't blame me if I steal her away."

Patrick grabs the base of her tail and Sendrey wriggles around as he tickles her. "Good luck with that. Emilie is pretty straight laced. I'm sure she'll be a lot more open once she's a catgirl, but for now being her friend is what we need."

"It's a shame you've got to go on a trip," Sendrey says, cuddling up to him.

"It has to be easier than the last one. No crazy mercenaries or dangerous noblewomen this time. Nuns are cool though. And when I get back I'm going to make up for lost time."