Ionanthe's Date (Part 2)

The garden was beautiful and well-designed even in the light of the setting sun. It served as a smooth transition into the playful, untamed meadow, which itself led into the looming forest. Caelan and Ionanthe could appreciate all this as they appeared in the garden, and then their eyes fell upon the picnic table.

Like everything else in the manor, it was well thought out. The picnic table was covered with a large white tablecloth, and the two place settings were simple, but well designed. The centerpiece of the table was a large hamper, and beside it sat a bottle of what appeared to be wine. Next to the hamper, there was a small silver bell. The table itself was surrounded by small floating orbs that gave off a soft light, enough that they could see their meals and each other, but not so bright that they could not see the evening sky.

Sassafras stood guard over the spread. When she saw that they’d arrived, she gave them a small smile and a shallow greeting curtsy.

“Welcome to your date, Caelan, Ionanthe. If you need anything while you are out here, all you need to do is ring the bell, and I will attend to you. When you both are finished, ring the bell, and I will make sure everything is returned to its proper place. You may choose to walk back to the manor, or avail a scroll that will take you back to the Master’s bedroom.”

With that, she curtsied again to Caelan and walked away before disappearing into thin air. Neither Caelan nor Ionanthe were too surprised when they saw that.

“So…would you like to eat?” said Caelan.

“Of course,” replied Ionanthe.

Caelan opened the hamper, and pulled out several covered dishes, two small bottles, and then finally the teleportation scroll that would instantly take him and Ionanthe back to the manor. He marveled at how so much could fit in a seemingly small hamper.

“I did not think that Harem Hotel enchanted picnic hampers to hold more than they appeared,” he said, thinking out loud.

“That’s what shocks you? Not the transformations and being whisked off to a strange demiplane?”

Caelan winced and opened his mouth to retort, until he saw the smile on Ionanthe’s face and realized she was joking. “It’s all overwhelming.”

“Do you think the food will help it be less overwhelming? Or we could just sit and talk and watch the sunset. Or sit in silence, it’s up to you.”

There was no judgment in Ionanthe’s voice, only calm and concern.

“I think…the food would be helpful. And besides, you planned this. I don’t want it to go to waste.”

Ionanthe nodded. She and Caelan set to work, first uncovering the dishes to reveal thick-sliced roast boar that was glazed with honey and spices, a jar of mustard, crusty bread rolls, two small hearts sculpted from butter, a salad of butter lettuce, radishes and snap peas, a dish of sliced strawberries and bananas, and two slices of chocolate tart. The two small bottles were revealed to be Potions of Freshening. For the moment, they were set aside.

Then, Caelan read the label on the large bottle next to the hamper, and saw that it was indeed wine. He deftly opened it and poured two glasses, one for himself and one for Ionanthe. After they served themselves portions of the food, they finally sat down to eat. Despite their circumstances, the food was delicious, and the garden was beautiful in the sunset. Caelan and Ionanthe could hear the soft noises of dusk creatures around them, but none approached them, the food, or even the floating lights. They ate in silence, Caelan unsure what to say in this situation, and Ionanthe being both hungry and cautious.

When they finished their meals, Ionanthe was the one to break the silence. It shocked Caelan up from staring at anywhere but her.

“What do you want to do now? I thought we could go flying, with you riding on my back while I’m in dragon form.”

Caelan blinked quickly at her question. “I don’t think so, not tonight anyway.”

“Why not? Are you afraid of heights?” replied Ionanthe. There was no judgment in her voice, only curiosity.

“I’m not afraid of them, but I don’t care for them. And besides, we just ate. But if you really want, I wouldn’t mind riding you sometime.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Caelan’s face flushed red enough to match his eyes. Ionanthe, meanwhile, laughed warmly and heartily.

“I didn’t mean it in that way!”

“I know you didn’t. It’s still funny,” replied Ionanthe.

Caelan let out a small, nervous, laugh in response. But it quickly faded back into the same awkwardness he had worn the entire night. Ionanthe, meanwhile, was worried. The nervous wreck before her could not be more different from the confident leader she’d known.

“You don’t have to suffer in silence, Caelan. You can talk to me about whatever’s going through your head.”

Caelan let out a cold, humorless chuckle. “I don’t know where to begin. I’ve been told that I’m the master of this…Harem Hotel, and that all of your lives are in my hands and I’m as good as divine as long as we’re all here. And the only way to save you all is to fuck you.”

The word ‘fuck’ sounded odd, even unnerving, coming from Caelan. Ionanthe opened her mouth to reply, but Caelan was not yet finished. “And you…Ionanthe, you’re not afraid at all. You acted like you knew what was going on ever since you came here. How in the hells are you so calm about this?”

As he spoke, his voice raised until he was almost shouting. He then caught himself, and looked away, shame radiating off him. “I’m sorry. It’s not…you didn’t deserve that.”

“I accept your apology,” replied Ionanthe. “And to answer your question, yes, I knew a bit about Harem Hotel before we were all summoned here. And that’s why I’m trying to hold it all together.”

“How did you learn then? And what do you mean, ‘hold it all together?’”

“It’s a long story,” replied Ionanthe. She then looked up at the sky, and saw the faintest tinge of lighter blue sky in the west as the stars and moon rose. “But we have time.”

She drained her half-full glass of wine, and poured herself another, taking another sip before she spoke again. “About three hundred years ago, I lived with another storm dragon, Faradis. He was…a mentor of sorts for me, as I grew used to life as an adult dragon. He was a big fan of Harem Hotel, especially the darker seasons--he liked seeing how the Masters would **** their power, and encouraged them to go as far as the show's limits allowed. Payback Edition was one of his favorites. I learned quite a bit about the show by osmosis. More than I ever wanted to know.”

She suppressed the full-body shudder, but Caelan could still see how her tail drooped, and the rest of her went rigid as she recalled the memory. “Fortunately, Faradis saw me as a little sister of sorts, rather than a potential mate. I wonder if he’s watching this right now, and what he’s thinking if he is. I’d like to think he’s worried about me. I shudder at the alternative.”

“He sounds awful,” said Caelan sharply.

“He’s not that bad,” replied Ionanthe, but it was only half-true and it was clear in her voice. “But there aren’t a lot of us dragons in the world, and not a lot of other immortals on the material plane either. So you can’t be too picky about company.”

She then gave Caelan an appraising look that made him feel like a squire again under that electric blue gaze. “I suspect you’re now one of us, after what we all saw in the Battle of Askania.”

Caelan blinked incredulously at her before replying. “Before I…came back, Aldir told me he’d given me a spark of immortality. I hadn’t thought about what it meant. Maybe I was just putting off thinking about it.”

Ionanthe smiled a genuine smile, hearing that. “Good. Then we won’t be alone, for we’ll enjoy each other’s company in our long existence. I’ll be here to guide you, of course, and I suspect Aldir will too. I just hope that the others will join us.”

“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Immortality?”

Caelan had relaxed a bit as they’d talked, seeming content to ignore the oliphaunt in the metaphorical room and focus on her company. Ionanthe almost felt bad bringing him back to reality, but it had to be done.

“That’s part of it, yes. I also wanted to talk to you about your new role, as the Master of Harem Hotel.”

“What’s there to talk about?” said Caelan acidly. “If I don’t play the game, you will suffer. And if I do, I will hurt you.”

“Everything,” replied Ionanthe sternly. There was a slight draconic rumble in her voice. That made Caelan sit up straight on his bench and pay attention.

She took a deep breath. “You’re correct that if you don’t play the game, we will all suffer, and be turned into mindless puppets. And I don’t think you’ll become a mindless puppet, but from what I’ve seen, the show isn’t kind to Masters that refuse to play the game.”

“That’s why I agreed to play at all. To save everyone.”

“But there is one misconception you have that I must correct. If you see participating as hurting us, that’s what it’s going to do. You’re going to lose the love of all the women that have been summoned here, and while they’ll be bound to you for the rest of your life, it will be a miserable and lonely existence.”

“Lose the love? But they--”

“Everyone who’s been summoned here to be part of your harem loves you, Caelan. On your dates with them, ask them and they’ll tell you that.”

Caelan blinked suddenly, and his heart hammered in his chest. He did not want to confront that right now, so he asked Ionanthe about the other part of her statement. “Then how do I make their existence as part of my harem…happy and bearable?”

“Spend time with them, like we are right now, both on date nights and during the daylight hours. Act like the man you’ve always been, the one that drew them to you in the first place--the leader that takes responsibility, cares deeply for others, and is willing to fight for what he believes in. And while ultimately you’re the Master, we will be by your side to support and guide you. I know I am.”

Caelan blushed again, but this time he smiled slightly. “Thanks, Ionanthe. I’m glad you’re here.”

Ionanthe gave him a warm smile. “I know we haven’t known each other for a while, but I do care for you. And even though the circumstances are less than ideal, I’m glad that I’m getting to know you better.”

Ionanthe and the Master had a heart-to-heart: +10 VP

Ionanthe encouraged the Master to play the game: +3 VP

Ionanthe heard the happy chimes in her head as she earned points. But at that moment, she did not care about the points. The conversation had needed to happen.

They sat in contented silence for a few minutes. Caelan then finished off his glass of wine. He then took a deep breath, then another, and then spoke. “Could you come around to my side?”

He waited for Ionanthe to refuse. Instead, she silently got up, and sat next to him, close to him. If he sniffed the air, he could smell the petrichor and ozone that he realized was her natural scent. He moved his arm as though to put it around her shoulder, and then stopped.

“Don’t worry, I won’t bite,” said Ionanthe, a warm laugh in her voice. She had seen his moment of indecision. “Unless you want me to.”

Caelan then imagined her playfully biting him, perhaps in his bedroom, and started to shake his head to clear away the intrusive thought, before he stopped and let it linger. It was a pleasant idea. He put his arm around Ionanthe, and ever so slightly pulled her closer, feeling warm as she relaxed against him, wanting as much contact with his body as their positions would allow.

He was content to sit with her for several minutes, watching the blanket of stars that dotted the sky, listening to the chittering of nighttime creatures and the soft breath of the dragoness, feeling her beside him. And then, she spoke.

“May I kiss you?”

Caelan blushed, hemmed, and hawed. But kissing Ionanthe seemed…right, somehow. He turned towards her. “Yes, please,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t sound nervous.

He leaned closer, as did Ionanthe, and their lips met in a chaste kiss that slowly deepened after a few moments.

Ionanthe kissed the Master: +2 VP

First contestant bonus: x1.5 VP

Total: +3 VP

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and she did the same for him. Her large breasts pressed into his chest, and he wondered how soft they’d feel in his hands. Ionanthe’s hands traveled down his back, tracing the bones of his spine through his tunic and shirt. They continued kissing until Caelan felt that his cock suddenly stood upright, and quickly moved away and out of the kiss before Ionanthe could notice as well.

“What happened?” she said, noticing his scarlet face and how he’d moved away as though she’d burned him. “Are you alright?”

“I…well…”

Caelan’s face felt hot enough that he could cook meat on it. And then his mortification, and with shock, his arousal grew, as he realized that Ionanthe could see the tent in his trousers.

“Please, Caelan, use your words. What’s wrong?”

And Caelan could see the electric spark in Ionanthe’s eyes, of what he realized was arousal and genuine interest, and realized she knew exactly what was “wrong”. She just wanted to hear it from him.

“I…I want more. Let’s go back to the room.”

As he spoke, his voice grew more confident. Ionanthe grinned. “Your wish is my command.”