Well enough, but you're burning the candle at both ends

Even in the middle of wars you've never been this busy for this long. Enemies can be killed, captured or driven off. The problems you now face are more fundamental - time and space, men and material. Even magic has been less cooperative, probably a result of the lack of sleep. After all, it's not enough that you're planning a wedding. No, that task was far too simple, so you decided to make it all more complicated.

Around the mansion you've got seamstresses and tailors working like there's no tomorrow. You've made clear to your catgirls that weddings at least are occasions where clothes are mandatory. The most recalcitrant have been brought into line with promises that there will be lots of noblemen for them to check out or talk to. Also, they would be letting down Doe. If nothing else that last bit always works.

It's taking a sizable amount of gold and most of the clothiers in the capital to provide enough for your bevy of beauties.

On another front you've managed to create a less taxing spell that will get the king on his feet. Thankfully the captain of his guard has offered to provide the required life energy. It means his liege will be able to lead his daughter down the aisle and for that he's willing to do whatever it takes.

As for your plan to frame the count, Patrick is set to leave tonight with a pack full of equipment, magical devices and some useful ****. A special, oversized 'featherwagon' is ready to take him on his way and pull the girls back. The various enchantments to make the thing look like it's carrying nothing but feathers for some down and pillow merchants are one of the things taxing your reserves.

In the middle of the afternoon Leshak slips in along with his entire entourage of catgirls. They're immediately drawn by the colors and cuts of various dresses, even staunchly anti-clothing Nelayne checking out a nice bodice or two. The lot of them are here because they've been invited to the wedding and you have left them no clothiers to see anywhere else in town. At least that's the ostensible reason...

Once the girls are distracted and either hanging out with old friends or arguing over clothes you nudge Leshak and get him off to the side. "What with the recent circumstances I've decided I'd like to hear more about the worship of Bast."

"Ah, wedding getting to you that much?" he asks, laughing.

"One aspect of it..." eh, you've already broken the subject with him, more or less. Might as well go right to it. "You see I had to wonder if Bast's faith had any arrangements that would suit the catgirl's greater numbers versus the catboys." Perhaps you could have said it better, but you're tired.

"That's actually something I've been thinking of as well. Not many of the old books survive. What I can say for certain is that there is no specific forbiddance against marrying more than once. Though one piece of wording caught my eye." He pulls out a scrap of paper and read "...so then, before the assembled do the oathtakers swear devotion and faithfulness for each other. And all achemas in ceremony might speak their peace, that they accept or refuse this oath, though that the priest and pair do have the final say should the achemas have accepted the oathtaking ceremony under Bast's holy sight..."

"I know the form is archaic. No one has a proper translation of 'Achema' or 'achemas'. I can't even prove, for certain, that this text is part of the wedding ritual. In another text 'achemas' was thought to refer to close family, in a third it seems to mean bound partners, as in a business contract. I always thought it was some meaning between those other two, but knowing what I do now..."

"So this might be how the faithful of Bast would have handled marriages?"

"I think so. I know that for centuries we've been married under the Glavian church - that sect asks few questions and others ask fewer of them in turn. After the 'official' marriage a secret ceremony in honor of Bast was carried out afterward, usually at night, which we viewed as the true wedding."

"That makes sense. I imagine after centuries custom became tradition..."

"Yes, and somehow we lost a very important piece of our history. Still, Bast worship was persecuted long before we were 'wiped out', so I imagine the practice of concealing ourselves as part of the Glavian or other churches dates far back, before our disappearance."

Inside, you smile. "I take it, then, that the church of Bast would have no issue marrying me several times over so long as we do it in the traditional way? And as Bast is also goddess of stealth and silence I assume the vows only need to be known among those involved."

"Ah, we thrive on living life differently! But with this," he says, holding up the paper, "you would need your new wife to accept the existence of Bast - I know we never required people to give up their faith, if they had another. Acceptance is enough. But then she would have to welcome any other oathtakers, for she would certainly be in your achemas. They in turn would have to welcome each other as well."

"That's no concern. Lessia loves them all dearly. What about you yourself? Do you intend to make things official?" You glance over at where the twins are trying out clothes. Avina likes shorter skirts while Carina is arguing for longer skirts but shorter backs.

"A bit trickier, I will have to convince the other priests of my discovery."

"Lovely catgirl wives - plural - make quite an argument in themselves, don't they?" you ask, teasing him.

"Hah, yes. Still..."

"What about if you raised a new priest? You told me once you were a high priest, so if you found a good candidate could you induct them and let them marry you?"

"I suppose. But I have not been looking - or rather I have not been finding - any suitable candidates. Your catgirls have soaked up all my time and efforts recently and before that I had many things to deal with for the king."

"I can arrange a meeting tonight. An acquaintance of mine - I think you might find him well suited to the task."

"Do you know what is required of a priest of Bast?"

"I've been doing my homework ever since I learned your order was alive and well. I understand it takes someone of intelligence, stealth and either certain unspecified talents or great charisma and charm. Plus a love of cats, intrigue, thievery and duplicitousness."

"Well..." he thinks for a moment. "You have a knack for distilling things to the barest essentials. There's more to it that that, but if you had someone who had those qualities I would be interested in meeting them. Has he expressed any interest in the faith? Or perhaps I should say she?" he says the last as he starts looking about the room.

"Surprisingly it's a he, despite the odds. I'm sure you will find some talented converts here but the man I'm thinking of is actually a member of the church."

"Never a dull moment with you. So what makes you say he loves cats and intrigue and so forth?"

"He's taking care of a lovely catgirl called Fiona along with her four unborn children. He's a member of the church and I'm sure he's in the upper ranks on the strength of his duplicitous nature and love of intrigue. I can't prove anything about his stance on thievery, but the fact that I can't might speak highly of him. Similarly I can't say anything about talents, but his charm is something else."

"And he's the kind of man who might be willing to meet in a cellar on short notice?"

"I think so, if he thinks the gains are worth the risks."

"You have my interest and I'll be there."