Oh

"Oh," You say to Anastasia, "right," you clarify.

"All done." White said slapping ass and giving you a wink when you look at her. You look at yourself and see you are fully dressed in another toga perfectly matching Anastasia.

You get the feeling you are going to be used tonight, glancing at Anastasia as she gives you frustrated horny eyes, indicated in more ways than one. Also how the two of them dress you without you even noticing. You are unable to ask as they dart out of the room leaving you Anastasia and Eve, who was looking at the matching togas with a dislike you hoped wasn't personally against Anastasia, just against her attempt to make it clear the two of you were together. "So your mother invited me to your engagement, and didn't mention that is why."

Anastasia shifted a bit. "We had a fight."

"You said." Eve stated as she walked over to you checking out your toga. "Does your family often feel the need to punish each other through your lovers?"

"I am Princess Anastasia and you will not speak to me with such disrespect!" Anastasia shouted at her walking over and taking your arm pulling you to the door. You didn't resist because you didn't want these two to fight, if nothing else it might actually give Delilah a heart attack.

Eve was silent as she followed the two of you. When the door open an unfamiliar woman was standing on the other side with a neutral expression, she looked kinda like the Queen but not quite, did Anastasia have an aunt? "Greetings your Highness." She bowed and attached a soft smile to her lips. Unlike her face her voice did ring familiar to you.

"Hello Lady Demise." Anastasia said instantly dropping her anger and defaulting to her own neutral. "Do you need something?"

"Your mother has requested that I fetch Master Christopher." Lady Demise said fixing you with piercing blue eyes. You checked her aura and were not sure of what to make. Every aura you had ever seen was a cloud around a person, it could be small or large, different colours, shapes and expressions but it was always in the end a cloud, a thing that was expanded around a person. Lady Demise's aura was a layer over her skin her clothes, mirroring each colour perfectly enough that the only way you knew it was her aura and not herself was that she was slightly bigger now than when you weren't looking for an aura.

Anastasia's arm pulled you closer. "I need to introduce Christopher to some of the guests."

"Guests who will be waiting for long after the Queen has spoken to Christopher. Beside I'm sure your fiancé to be will appreciate some of your undivided attention for at least some of the night, you can't hide under your bed forever." Lady Demise said not moving from the doorway and giving you a pointed look. You just remembered her voice, she was the one who had been talking to Queen Aurora when Clare had you listen into the conversation, Blue's mother.

Anastasia arm around your tenses. "Can I have a moment alone with Christopher?" She asked feeling nervous against you.

"Sorry your Highness, the Queen was very insistent, and you've had plenty of time with Christopher over the last two weeks, I'm sure you've told him everything important." Lady Demise smiled cheerfully and stepped out of the way.

Anastasia tensed against you and looked at your face. There was no attempt to hide the shame on her face and she opened her mouth. "I -" she shut it and looked at Eve standing amused behind you. "Christopher about -"

She was cut off by Lady Demise clearing her throat. "Sorry your Highness but time is sensitive."

Anastasia glared at her then whispered into your ear. "I love you Christopher," as she pulled back you heard her finish with, "please love me." Before you could respond she pulled free of you and walked out the door. "I expect Christopher to be presented to me as soon as my mother is done."

"If that is his wish of course." Lady Demise said with a deep bow.

All this obfuscation was pretty obvious to you since you heard the conversation between Aurora and Lady Demise. Lady Demise was talking about your **** Contract and confirming that she hadn't told you it had been stolen. That last comment gave you an inkling as to what the Aurora wanted to talk about. They must have tested the contract and think they have a way to subvert or maybe remove Anastasia from her supposed position of power over you. Considering they had said they weren't going to do that in case it inspired more to pop up something must have changed. You can list a dozen off the top of your head not least of which being you are in a position to get an enormous amount of political power to match your power power when Vatarie, Asune, and possible Anastasia reveal your relationship and plans for marriage. Men might not have the primacy in this world but being able to not so much change the balance of power but essentially make it irreverent is a very unique threat.

Lady Demise bowed at you. "After you Master Christopher." She said waving her arm the other direction from Anastasia's exit. You just now remembered another part of the conversation you listened in on, 'With enough people even a God can be taken out.'

"I don't know where to go." You said stepping out of the room and look down the corridor. "Might be quicker if you led." Lady Demise regarded you for a moment then smiled warmly.

"Of course young Master this way." She turned and started walking. She got two steps when she stopped and turned to look Eve who was now at you side. "Miss?"

"Delilah." Eve said with a grin. "I'm coming." There was a long stare between the two, you neither felt nor saw any magic between the two but Lady Demise bowed and spun on her heel continuing to walk with the two of you following. "Stay by my side." She whispered into your ear as she hooked her elbow with yours. Well that was a little concerning but hopefully purely about Eve's desire to stay with you and not in a meat shield kinda way.

"It's nice to see Princess have a friend. If you could call yourselves that, it has only been two weeks and she has always had difficultly seeing people as more than toys." Lady Demise said cheerfully.

The fishing was a little obvious and you got the feeling she might be assuming you didn't hear her private discussion with the Queen about murdering you and stealing the **** Contract and as such assumed you had no idea what was going on. "I like her, she did sponsor me after all, I wouldn't be here without her." You were already done with being used by people so why not have some fun.

"I'm sure someone as exceptional as you would find their way here," Lady Demise said was a dismissive wave of her hand. "Beside I've heard you are very good at making noble connections. Lady Vatarie smiles every time someone says you name and Lady Asune has smiled." She laughs at her joke and you join her feeling a bit flattered that the two like you enough for that.

Eve looks at you from the side of her eye and you try to undo the like Lady Demise just created in you. Reminding yourself of the **** idea did it. "But I didn't and she did bring me, I could have gotten an invite to travel to another kingdom by one of my tutors if not for her." You are more than aware of how to play hypotheticals so it's not hard to counter.

"Oh who were you tutored by?" Lady Demise said non-nonchalantly.

"My last one was Yeven Coas, before her Il-as," you stutter because Eve just tapped your foot. You looked at her and she raised an eyebrow at you. "Tren." You finished chewing your lip in self annoyance. Two people had been to your home to try and get information about you and you are spilling at one question.

"I remember those two, they kept hitting you on your butt when you fell over." Delilah said with a smirk.

Lady Demise looked at Eve for an instant, "Well I certainly hope Lady Stephanie is treating you with more respect. I had always heard Yeven and Ilas were extremely respectful of their student but maybe that isn't the case."

You opened you mouth to say defend the two when Eve tapped your foot again. "I deserved it." You said sheepishly. They had actually done that but not so much after the first few days which you now know is because they became aware that you were significantly stronger than them.

"Have you been enjoying your classes?" Lady Demise asked instead. "It can be frustrating to learn things you already know but I hope you aren't bored."

"They're fine." You answer but added before anyone can say anything. "Where is the Queen, we've been walking for a while." In fact you've been led far enough away from where were you think the plan was to get you lost so you can't run back to Anastasia.

"Not far now, what was it like growing up so far from everywhere, you must have had a lot of wilderness to explore."

"I didn't really think about it." You said with an honest shrug.

"And you were always studying." Delilah sound a bit nostalgically frustrated. It was good Delilah's panic attack had resolved, big crowds and nobles were a bit much, you had no idea how she would handle meeting Aurora but for now you squeezed her arm affectionately.

"Very unlike Anastasia, she was far more concerned with finding a new toy. I hope you've been spared her more manipulative temperaments." Before you can respond you come to a stop and she opens a door. "Your Highness Master Christopher and Miss Delilah."

Aurora was still in a stunning black dress with small while gemstone dotted around it. A neck line that exposed the top of her breasts and a skit that stretched to her feet but was currently open exposing most of her left leg. "Thank you Demise, and thank you for coming Christopher," she looked at Delilah then at Lady Demise. You saw her head shake a fraction, "Miss Delilah. Please come in."

The room was lit by a fire to your left and consisted of lounges, tables and no windows. You looked at the walls and saw paintings of people who look kinda like Aurora so previous Queens you assume. All were extremely extravagant, golden frames, floor to ceiling size and each had a very severe expression. It felt like you were being stared at by a lot of people about to call you by your full name. You stretched your perception into the room in case **** was the reason for the invite.

"I thought you might feel less, flighty without windows." Aurora said with a faint smile. "Sit." She waved at a lounge with the fire behind it so you sat with Delilah next to you. When you sat looked at her wondering how Delilah was doing. You saw Eve give you some side eye as she sat so you hoped Delilah was still conscious. "You aren't going to greet me?"

You stood back up and bow. "Thank you for inviting me your Highness."

"My Queen," you looked up at Lady Demise, "the correct greeting is my Queen."

"Thank you for inviting me my Queen." You repeat with a bow. Eve stands and bows as well echoing your greeting. You are glad she isn't choosing to be adversarial. You both sit and Lady Demise walks around behind you to one of the tables. The hair on the back of you neck stick up as she does expecting some sort of ****. None comes and feel her picking up a kettle and hanging it over the fire. You remember when you tried making tea and ruined it by using magic, and now that feels like a jab. "May I ask why you invited me?"

Aurora watches you for a long moment before answering. "I thought I should offer you an alternative. I am aware that my Anastasia can be, trying," Lady Demise lets out a soft huff but it is ignored, "and I am aware that she has a certain pull over you."

"What do you mean?" You are surprised she is leading with the **** Contract, maybe it's in the room easy to be thrown dramatically into the fire.

"Your sponsorship." Aurora said with a smile. "It can be daunting to leave your home with no security beyond what someone holds over you. You however are worth far more than a mere sponsorship. Your relationships with Ladies Vatarie and Asune are wonderful but a marriage would leave you once more in under someone else's control and I'm sure you don't want to get married until at least you've completed your study."

The information she has isn't surprising to you. Everyone else might not have notice that you have been really on the fence about marriage but you've never really kept it hidden from your face or general reactions. What is surprising is that she seems to be leading into patronage, maybe even a personal stipend. You've been internally grumbling about having no money since before you came here, a stipend has some allure.

Aurora detected your hesitation and moved forwards. "I would be more than happy to ensure you receive the best available of everything at the academy as an apology for what my daughter has put you through. And once you graduate I would be honoured to offer your a position in court."

"I'm not much for court." You said feeling a bit tempted since there currently is no stick, but yeah the idea of being some court official listening to people talk for hours seems not for you.

"It's just a title," Lady Demise said behind you, "I'm sure there are far more important things you can do than listen to nobles gossip." It's like she can read your mind, or has spied on you enough to get an understanding of you.

"Oh, and what would I be expected to do?" You asked wondering if the stick was going to be not seeing Anastasia ever again or something of that nature.

"Respond to my requests as any loyal member of court does." Aurora said warmly. "Naturally I would never waste your talents on anything beneath you."

"And if I end up marrying Vatarie and Asune." Huh you didn't even think of adding an or to the sentence, you got it bad. "I might not be in the capital all the time."

"You can get around rather quickly." Lady Demise says with a smirk in her voice. "I'm sure you'd be able to fly back and forth without much trouble."

Maybe taking off in the middle of park two days ago wasn't the smartest thing to do. "Ok and what about Anastasia?" That was the important thing here and you didn't want her to keep offering more carrots until you at least see the stick. Even if you were with Anastasia you're flying in to help would probably be the same, just with marriage to a Queen an added bonus.

"She will get married at the end of her education and you will not help her in any of her little schemes and when she leaves you will not try and stop her." Aurora stated. "Other than that I am more than aware of my daughters libido and so long as you do not let her use you to get pregnant you can have as much sex as you want." The kettle boiled behind you and you empathized with escaping steam.

"Oh." You said trying to not think about just how aware Aurora was of her daughters libido.

"And who will he marry instead?" Eve asked looking at her nails then up at Aurora. You looked at her and see an indifferent expression as if this was an everyday discussion.

"Excuse me?" Aurora asked looking at her for the first time.

"Christopher will marry a Princess who may be Queen without taking your offer and he is exceptional in many ways," Eve grinned and gave you a wink, "allowing him to marry two duchesses would give their children a political power to match what could be a very real power. He would be an outstanding father and any child he has would love this kingdom but would his grandchildren, or his great grandchildren?" There was a long pause and you heard water being poured into cups. "No Queen wouldn't have already thought of that so you must have another daughter lined up for him to marry."

The cups were placed on a table in front of you and Lady Demise took a seat across from you. "Who are you?" She asked no faint smile no polite intonation.

"Someone who owes Christopher more than you can fathom and who will not allow anyone to ever use him." Eve replied staring Lady Demise down. "Your Highness." Delilah sudden spat out, she's still conscious at least. Eve took back control and took the cup of tea taking a sip. "Excellent tea."

Aurora looked at Lady Demise for a moment before looking back at you. "Mary. She will not become Queen, no matter my wishes but will lead the kingdoms armies until she dies. Your daughters are unlikely to be crowned however they will lead the kingdoms armies, if they are clever and deserving their daughters could be crowned." Aurora said raising her own cup to her lips.

Mary is the eldest and in her late twenties, you aren't going to think about the chronological verse physical age thing, you are mostly over that issue after two stunningly debauched weeks. "Mary?"

"She is currently crushing a bandit group on our western border," there is a subtle look at Lady Demise who didn't react, "But when she is done I will recall her so you may meet." Aurora said putting her cup back down. "Aren't you going to drink?"

You picked up your tea and took a sip. It was very sweet, "It's nice."

"I've never given an offer so, nice, before. I hope you take it as proof of the sincerity of my intentions. You are exceptional and to squander you would be idiocy." She nodded at Lady Demised who stood up and walked back to the drinks table. "As a further show of good faith, and before you make a decisions." Lady Demise hand Aurora a roll of paper you instantly recognised at your **** Contract. She unrolled it and proved it was in fact yours. You see Edin's name right next to your which was a nice reminded that nothing here had been about anyone but you.

"Anastasia made you sign that?" Eve asked. You could feel the heat starting to raising off her and the seething anger in her voice made everyone look at her with immediate worry. The cup in her hand boiled over and shattered as she stood up. "Where is she?" Her eyes had splinted red and her toga was sparking fires.