The lady wants a chat

Another day and the knight's horse is still sick. Quite a nice animal, you'd say. Most warhorses are far less friendly to others - even to life mages who can communicate on a more empathic level with intelligent animals. The high grade oats mixed with a bit of honey are certainly helping his attitude. But alas, another day with a sick horse means another day for Lady Emira and Laura to wrap Sir Galren around their fingers. The two are already working together like a well oiled team.

The extra time is necessary for you to get a magical device ready for the lady. Your own wives have more or less declared a vacation now that their hearts aren't pounding over the visiting inquisitorial army. Lots of quite time, cuddling and hot chocolate. Vacation or not it usually leads to sex, but it's slow and gentle. Even Yvonne has eased up a little, though in her case that means she's only exercising in the mornings and is spending the afternoons helping in the nursery.

Sandra has cultivated a reputation of being a bit of a lone wolf among your wives. Sure, when she's around she lights up and is conniving and driven by sex and talk of babies, but she also spends time off on her own. Really she's down helping you with the captives, making notes and plans or inventing bits of false history. But after many months all your wives and the highest members of the order of Bast simply accept that this is how she is. It's very convenient, since Sandra can keep an eye not only on the captives but also on Lady Emira, Sir Galren and all the lovely catgirls he's snared - or who've snared him.

A little tickle in your mind tells you Sandra is concentrating on a special statue you put on your writing desk for just this purpose. You take the time to finger Doe's dripping pussy until she squirms and begs, then you give her a long kiss and whisper, "Your turn," before leaving. It's a fun game your wives enjoy. Just as you turn the corner you see a grinning Doe dive onto the chair right behind Helena, who was trying to comb her mane. Your shy, white furred lover barely has time to gasp before Doe gets her fingers between Helena's legs. Doe's other arm wraps around Helena's midriff, pulling up against her breasts and keeping her from escaping. Alice is watching and she just gives you a grin before the door closes. Vacations can be a lot of fun.

Soon you get to one of the concealed doors and slip down into your sanctum. Sandra is there and so is Lady Emira, both looking pleased as punch. Patrick is nearby, tail lazily swaying in a way that tells you he probably took a lunch break to visit his cousin and that the two of them are getting closer every day. Emilie may be worried about pregnancy but after a few experiences with Patrick she's decided she enjoys the advantages of his cat cock.

"Ten days," you say, pouring drinks for all of you. "Sandra wanted someone else to help and in just ten days you've already found a way to escape our clutches."

Lady Emira chuckles and accepts the drink. "Were it not such a perfect solution to my issues I would love to stay. Regardless of Sandra's need for aid can you turn down the chance of an ally in the northern reach who will be able to plant all manner of evidence?"

"No, you're right. An ally with power in just the right spot is worth a great deal," you reply.

"I just wish we could still talk," says Sandra. "I get so much more done when I can toss ideas back and forth with people, and the more the merrier."

"Well, about that," you say, pulling the heavy mirror from behind one of the bookshelves.

"Oh, is this that thing you've been working on the last day or so?" asks Patrick, who had to take over for you in several spots.

"A magic mirror?" says Lady Emira. "If I have one of those it will be just like the stories. The northern witch and her mirror of devouring."

"It is actually. Rather powerful too, in a particular way. Although unlike the stories you don't need to feed it little children who don't listen to their parents. It's actually been laying in one of the storerooms, gathering dust."

"When a mage creates a magical item do they not sell it off to a noble as quickly as possible?"

"Mmmm, for most magical items we do. Most nobles want simpler things and that's where the money is. Protection, fire, paralyzation, curses, sexual prowess, that sort of thing. Usually in the form of a ring or amulet or fancy cane. And we mages will happily use up odds and ends that have the right character but aren't so useful in our own research or the powerful items or wards we might want for ourselves."

You rub a spot of dust from the mirror and hold it up, looking at the fine brass frame and the even finer silver wire decoration. "It's quite rare for a noble to want something like this nowadays. Unlike the usual magic items this requires some skill to use."

"I have no skill with magic," says Lady Emira. "I was tested long ago when I proved to be a highly intelligent student."

"Yes, but magic is an interesting beast. To be a mage you need both a mind able to control magic and a talent for drawing it from the world, but there are people who possess one of those things without the other." You look around the room and say, "I believe each of you do have the mind to guide a spell if the magic is somehow granted to you." That causes a surprised silence, so you continue.

"Today nobles want a little stick that knocks the weapon out of an enemy's hand. They want something that will, with a command word or a simple gesture, do exactly what they expect it to do. They want to know that even when they're stumbling home drunk their little toy will blast someone. Long ago there were nobles who valued real magic. They wanted devices with a lot more power or flexibility. They preferred complex artifacts that only those with a real will could control. They used that as proof of their superiority."

You hand the mirror to Lady Emira and tell her, "This is a sending mirror. There are a few simple enchantments in the frame, one of which will allow you to contact me as long as I am wearing this ring," you tap a silver ring on your smallest finger. "You've seen me scry before, but scrying is greatly limited by distance. With this mirror you can reach out and when I begin using my scrying spell the mirror can reach out to it, drawing off the wasted energy from my side of the connection. You can use your will to guide the spell to you. The distance is barely noticeable when there is someone on each end channeling and controlling the spell."

"So a noble could contact you at any distance with this?"

"More than that. As long as you gain some practice you can even draw small amounts of power, if I'm willing and able to provide, in order to perform minor magic of your own."

"Nobles should be hammering at your door begging for such a thing."

"The trouble is that if you start to depend on it to defend yourself then you are putting your trust in me. There is a way for you to cast spells from a mana store - but in both cases it's far less powerful than what a true mage can do. And recharging the mana store through the mirror is taxing. Both for you and for me."

"Yes, I can see why that would have caused issues. But the element of surprise..."

"Indeed. Everyone has forgotten things like this exist. And most noble families never had the favor needed to actually use one, so the stories about how they work are all fairy tales at this point. The main problem is simply the amount of practice needed for you to become good enough to control the magic at your end."

"Thank you," she says, and you actually see some tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I have always wanted to use magic. To see for myself all those things I read about in books. I will practice. The winters are long and even with a new husband and many wives I know there will be time."

"Good. I have some mana stores I can give you as well. Hopefully a little misdirection at the right moment, a little luck when you need it will serve you well up there in the north."

"Again, I thank you." She's tracing her fingers over the silver wire, almost as though she's trying to memorize the patterns.

From the couch Sandra clears her throat and says "I hope you didn't tire yourself out too much John - there's still the presents Patrick and I picked out for Lady Emira."

"What?" Lady Emira asks, snapping out of her daydream.

"Come on, we figured if there are going to be farewell presents we had to get in on the act," says Patrick. "Problem is, it's none too easy to get out and buy something. Plus you women are really picky about your clothes, so I couldn't get you a nice little something to seduce the lucky knight in."

"I suppose you would have wished to see me wear it to ensure the proper fit?" she asks, grinning.

"You know me," he says, leaning back. "Unapologetic and horny. But Sandra and I talked about it. No clothes. We decided you needed the right kind of help."

"Yeah," says Sandra, getting excited. "Come on, follow me!"

She leads you down to one of the rooms where you keep captives. Through the one way glass you can all see there are just three girls in the room. One is a tall, hulking northerner who looks like she's ready to chew through the door - one of the mercenaries you haven't changed yet. Then there's a smaller mercenary who's pacing. A real bundle of energy. The last is a meek looking nun, still in her habit.

Sandra turns to Lady Emira and says "Patrick and I realized there wasn't the right balance in your family. You've got eleven little ones to take care of. All of them John's progeny, so maybe one of them will be good at magic too. But doesn't it make sense for half of the kittens these girls are carrying to be your children? I mean, sure, you'll have a lot of mistresses, but I think at least two of these girls love licking pussy even more than they like taking cock, so it's kind of a bonus."

"And," says Patrick, "things might be a bit rough up there in the beginning. You've got a big knight to take care of you, and you've got Mercy who I know would turn someone to paste if they try to hurt her friends, but two of these girls," he nods at the room, "are each a match for her. Doesn't hurt for someone to have your back. Hurts even less when four people have it instead of two."

Lady Emira looks caught off guard. You're not sure if she'll accept or not. Sandra gives her a hug. "And," she whispers, "it's not fair that you came up with the idea of the Foxfall, Snowshoe and Valkyrie breeds of catgirl but none of those are going with you."