Aelene Date, Part 7: Taming the Dragon?

Mattie

Mattie is feeling pretty clever. She had to plan so many dates on the old season and none of them went exactly great. So, she was absolutely stumped on what to do with Sarge tomorrow. But the dumb idea she admittedly totally stolen and adapted from that Fly-Girl season is going to be great.

Blue calmly watched and listened in the meeting. Now she follows Mattie, wings buzzing, to the dorm room. For someone that claims to be solitary, she certainly likes to hang around. Still, doesn’t bother me. I like having people around me, too.

The buzzing stops as Blue enters the room. Mattie already has some of her old clothes out, trying to decide what’s going to be good to turn into leather (so she can wear more than just the catsuit). She’s already stripped off the catsuit and tossed it in the hamper. Happily, it works like on the old season; clothes left in there overnight get washed, dried, and placed back in the wardrobe to be worn by next morning. She holds up a T-shirt, asking Blue, “Think this’ll work as a leather T-shirt? Man, a leather T-shirt seems weird.”

“My species normally does not wear clothing. The only consideration I take when choosing clothing is does it adequately cover my thorax enough to meet community standards and does not interfere with my arms and wings. I may not be the best one to ask.”

Huh. Well, I guess I need to go with my gut here. Mattie puts the T-shirts back into the wardrobe, pulling out some bras instead. There, those would look good as leather.

As Mattie starts blasting her clothes to fit her clothing restriction transformation, Blue asks, “Captain McMattersen, how does one develop romantic interest? I have been polling your compatriots about that.”

Mattie snorts. Hilarious. Then, she takes a beat to think about it and answers, “Wanting to join Sarge’s harem, eh, Blue? Don’t deny it; I’ve seen how you look at her. If it helps, I’ve seen how she looks at you. There is definitely mutual attraction there. The difference between animal attraction and romantic interest is that you want to hang out together and cuddle after the rutting. You see yourself wanting to do that?”

“That is definitely not the norm among my species. Granted, males in my species do not live for very long after mating. I find spending time with you all is enjoyable. My one experience with cuddling was not great. Is that a requirement?”

Mattie snorts again. “Do I want to know?”

“Ms. Daphne has a very strong grip.”

Ah. Good to know? Mattie keeps turning her clothes into leather versions. Soon, I’ll have a fun variety of fetish-wear to wear. While I’m satisfying my curiosity...

“So, why does Sarge need a lawyer, anyways?”

Harper

As Aelene and Skye prepare for another round resetting the high elf’s dildo sword, Harper scoots over to Glitterdust and removes the rope gag. I’ve left her out enough.

“Hey, Glitterdust, I want to check in before we do anything. Are you okay with a little fun?”

“THIS ONE needs you touch, THIS ONE’S Goddess!”

Harper sighs. “Didn’t we talk just about this, Glitter? I’m a person, not a fetish object to worship.”

The dragon is insistent, despite the rope transformation. “THIS ONE’s MtF Goddess, bless THIS ONE with your touch!”

Frustrated, Harper growls, “Glitter, last chance, who am I?”

“THIS ONE is having difficulty giving you the answer you wish, THIS ONE’S Goddess! THIS ONE knows you want to be treated like a person instead of like the MtF Goddess you deserve! THIS ONE would be willing to humor you, but THIS ONE feels like that is too disrespectful for THIS ONE’S Goddess Mistress right now!”

Harper replaces the rope gag, too irritated by Glitterdust to give her what she wants. I’ll try again later. I just can’t reward her for thinking like that. She leans back and watches the show. Aelene and Skye seem to enjoy each other’s company. She’s happy that her wife and her betrothed found each other over the week. She’s glad that Aelene, who she was so worried about when she was first introduced to the harem, has adapted so well. And next time, I’ll win.

Skye

Wow. Everything is just so... vivid!

The elven trio on the date reach the reverie at about the same time. They are on the foothills of the mountain and the world is bright and teeming with life. A smattering of drow elves (the survivors from the harpy attack) stroll around, communing with nature. Cute bats flapping in and out of caves. Grasshoppers hop through the tall prairie grasses. Prairie dogs scurry underfoot. These strange looking beasts kind of like bison graze. Pronghorns bounce. Hawks float in the air. It’s magical.

Lady Aelene is on one side of Skye and Harper is on the other. They each hold onto one of Skye’s hands as the three stroll. She leans into Harper’s breast, just below her wedding scar. If this is what the reverie is like when we move here, I can’t wait!

Suddenly, Lady Aelene withdraws her hand and scurries a step or two forward. Before Skye can start to feel hurt, she gets a glimpse as to why. An elder elf that looks very similar to Lady Aelene in full (indecent) armor steps forward, double-bladed scimitar drawn. Harper pushes Skye behind her, her sword at the ready.

For what feels like a lifetime, the four stare at each other, none ready to speak. Harper finally greets, “<Mother.>”

It is Lady Aelene’s mother. The queen of where we are moving to? The woman in question looks taken aback. “<Who are you and what have you done to my heir, Tyalangan? When I felt you this far away from home in the reverie, plus my dear Aelenetheria in two places at once, I had to investigate. Why are you dressed so scantily, Aelenetheria? Where did that scar come from, Tyalangan? And who is this commoner tart?>”

The grip on Harper’s sword gets tighter. Skye is getting nervous. She remembers her quest, utterly confused by it at the time. Skye’s Mountaintop Date Quest: Earn the respect of your mother-in-law. Quest Reward: Brewer’s Supplies (Wine) Tool proficiency. Now, she understands.

Harper answers the question. “<Mother, when last I saw you, it is sometime in your future. Not exactly sure when. The Hotel got me and Aelene. She’s stolen mid-season, so she is still here. I imagine that’s one of the reasons we were told not to go too close to home. Don’t want to risk Aelene running into herself. And Skye here is my wife.>”

The elder elf gets livid, her voice turning into a primal growl, “<Wife? WIFE? You got married on that vile smut show? Did you at least marry Aelenetheria first? Did you have enough sense to respect your betrothal, at least? Or did you finally awaken to your hormones and toss everything good I gave you aside? Tyalangan, answer me!>”

“<Amille,>” Aelene interrupts, “<Tyalangan did not mean to hurt us. She married Lady Skye before we even met. And I intend on marrying them both when the show is done. So, please, Amille, calm down.>”

“<Obviously, I need to beat some sense into both of you. Prepare yourselves, seni.>”

Harper starts to step forward, only for Skye to find enough courage to hold her back. She whispers, “I have this.” to her wife, and Harper reluctantly relents. Skye strides forward, estoc drawn, gently saying, “<Dear Queen Kaelisterie, I am Skye and I am in love with my wife and her betrothed. Please, we do not need to fight. We can speak calmly. Work things out?>”

“<Quiet, commoner scum. This is between my foolish seni and me.>”

Manifesting moonfire in her hair, Skye adds an edge to her tone, “<I will try this again, good queen. I am Skye O’Connor, wife of Harper O’Connor, champion of Eilistraee, and I will not tolerate you disrespecting my wife. So, are we being civil or shall we duel?>”

If the queen is shaken, she doesn’t show it. “<A quick duel then. I could use a bit of a warm-up.>”

The queen takes a defensive stance, looking ready. Skye does the same, offering the traditional dueling prayer, “<May our scars be beautiful.>” Then, casting Hunter’s Mark as she moves, Skye is in striking distance in a flash. Her first thrust punches through the elder elf’s plackart, causing her to wince. Skye withdraws, to strike through the gap between the rerebrace and the vambrace. The third blow, straight through the high elf’s eye, exploding it in ruin. Even before she falls to her knees, Skye is already casting Healing Spirit to patch up the wounds she delivered.

Skye: +1 XP (Knocked out 1 Level 6 Player, x0.5 penalty [over-leveled], x0.5 penalty [sparring])

“Wow, Skye. You didn’t hold back. You okay?” Harper asks, concerned.

Skye pants, “I’m fine. Maybe she’ll be less rude when she comes to?”

And, soon enough, she comes to. With a groan, and some Elvish curses, she sits up. “<No one has ever been able to drop me by charging me head on even before I get a swing in, drow tart. Why spare me?>”

“<Ignoring the fact that, despite your rudeness, you are an innocent? Because you are Harper’s and Aelene’s mother. Even if you will not recognize me, I will not hurt them.>”

Harper has put her sword back into her inventory and sits down beside the queen. She explains quite a bit. How a swarm of harpies attacked the town here. How Aelene used her date to send us back in time to stop them. How The Hunger is coming soon to the capital. How an earlier version of Harper will be meeting her in the reverie by the monastery a bit later. The queen absorbs everything.

“<Okay, Tyalangan. I understand that you did some good here and I appreciate the warnings. Still, just how strong is your whore?>”

Harper growls in irritation. “<Skye, would you allow my Mother to read your statistics?>”

Skye, confused, nods. The queen pushes a finger into Skye’s forehead, then turns pale as a sheet. She panics, “<Level 15? This skank is Level 15? How?>”

“<Mother, I will get up to kick your ass if you disrespect my wife again. And, unlike when we fight in your future, I will not hold back. Aelene hit Level 16 today, too. Hotel magic lets us break the usual rules.>”

Once the queen does whatever she did to Skye’s forehead to Aelene, she sighs and nearly collapses. “<I apologize, Tyalangan, Aelenetheria. This reverie has been... trying. Promise me no more weddings until after this incoming siege is over, at least?>”

“<Promise. I understand that I need to marry Aelene next and it needs to be a big to-do at home.>”

“<Understood, Amille. I will wed Tyalangan and Skye once we return.>”

The queen winces at Aelene’s mention of marrying Skye, but the expression soon fades. She stands, then asks, “<Skye, was it? May I speak to you in private?>”

Skye stands and follows. She gives a glance back to Harper and Lady Aelene. It helps to settle her nerves, as does fiddling with her wedding band.

“<Look Skye, can you turn off the fire?>

Skye’s hair slowly stops floating as she turns off the moonfire. “<Oh, sorry.>”

“<Thank you. Now, what do I need to offer you to go away?>”

“<Even if the game would allow it, I will not abandon my wife. I love her.>”

A familiar voice from above adds, “<And it’s not like my briny cousin does not have another half dozen women waiting for her back at the Hotel. Are you trying to hurt my dear, sweet little cinnamon roll of a champion, my regal cousin?>” The sound of The Lady’s voice gets Skye’s love juices leaking down her thigh.

The queen, rigid at receiving divine chastisement, draws her double-bladed scimitar. Touching each of Skye’s shoulders in turn, then the top of her head, the queen declares, “<By the power vested in me, I declare thee an Arquen of my court. When we meet again, I expect a proper adult name, daughter. Give my other children my love.>”

And then she’s gone. Skye walks back to her loves and wraps them both in a hug. “Your Mom is scary.”

Harper returns the hug, declaring, “Eh, she’s not so bad, once you get to know her. Love you, my little drow.”