Chapter 225 – The Little Princess Joins

The dinner was strange.

The Princess was on edge, her leg bouncing as she kept eyeing the Queen. Princess Lyrei seemed more relaxed but didn't seem willing to talk.

The Queen just had an icy glare focused on the Princesses. The Queen's harem seemed to be happy with everything or just not care about anything, chatting amongst themselves about useless things.

Even Shimmer was quiet, acting reserved and really trying to hide all the way at the end of our line behind Geta's massive frame.

All the other tables seemed to miss the mood amongst the royals, and their laughs and cheers helped to deepen the oppressive mood at the table.

Only Zarzi's table seemed to be in a worse state. Her two helpers were needed to keep her upright as she picked at her food. I clearly did a number on her, which should be good for my standing if anyone even noticed us leaving together.

Even the dessert, some cold cream that froze my mouth on the way down, couldn't help the mood. However, I did focus on the treat more than the table, so maybe I missed something. Stupid Elora gave me more as well, so perhaps the desert relaxed everyone somewhat.

Then, true to their word, a large chunk of the women left to go with the Queen and Princesses to some meeting. Why attach a party to this? I will never understand nobles.

"Alzi, dear," Ioelena says. "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Sure," I say. Even with the Queen gone, the table still hasn't lost the chilling atmosphere, so spending some time with the part-pixie girl will be much better than this, and there isn't any more dessert to steal.

The one issue will be her footing. Everyone has been drinking like they won't see tomorrow, and I guess they are front-loading it for the war. Of course, the rest of the women on the dance floor are clearly just as drunk.

If I want to be nice, I could have them all pile into bed with me, and tomorrow, everyone will wake up fine—except for Isda, Shimmer, and the Princess. They haven't had anything to drink—something Lyrei loved to comment about. I'm not sure why Shimmer is avoiding the wine; maybe she wants to copy me?

But that's a problem for later; right now, I have Ioelena stumbling into my embrace and kissing my cleavage. She even managed to get some lipstick on my right breast! Naughty girl.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood," I tease. "Otherwise, I would make you take responsibility for making me look like a slut."

"You can still do that. Just no kiddies," Ioelena slurs out. "Let's dance!" Remembering what we were doing, she tries to pull me over to the dance floor, but the girl almost trips instead. My arms are the only thing keeping her standing.

"Let me lead," I say. "You'll just end up on the floor otherwise."

"Hahaha, yeah. The maids poured the wine a bit too heavy," Ioelena giggles.

I pin the girl to my side, my arm around her waist, and walk to the dance floor. I find a safe corner and spin her into my arms. My wife giggles like crazy as she stumbles around, trying to keep up with me. Not that I'm moving all that fast.

"Pixies would love your hair," Ioelena says, her hand moving from my side to grab a lock of hair. "So soft, and the fun colors. They may even try building a nest atop your head! Would the fairies get freaked out every time you get a pink strip? Hehe, we should test that."

"You are so far gone," I say. "Do you all drink this much at every party?"

"No, normally just Elora!" Ioelena says. "I am not a drunkard. Just trying to survive that awful mood at the table."

Well, I'm glad to know I read that situation correctly. But I'm not sure how getting drunk and sitting there quietly helped the mood.

"DADDY!" a high-pitched voice squeals behind me as someone latches onto my tail.

"Irlo?" Ioelena says, looking behind me. I curl my tail over to the side and find a little girl holding it, and that sense I felt earlier is coming back.

"Yes, who are you?" Irlo asks.

"I am Ioelena. I'm married to your Daddy here and your sis Elora."

"Sister Elora?" I ask. "How are they related?"

"Same mother," Ioelena says.

"Nesh?" I ask. There is no way I've fucked the Queen, and Elora did call Nesh her mother on the boat. But I would remember having sex with Nesh.

"No, Yuminea!" Irlo says.

"Who is that?" I mumble.

"The Queen, silly," Ioelena graciously informs me. "You fucked the Queen. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I would remember having sex with the Queen," I say. "I doubt she visited during a party."

"Daddy. Sister Elora said you would be happy to see me," Irlo says, clearly mad that I'm focused on trying to figure out when I had sex with the Queen.

"I'm just surprised. It's great to meet you," I say. "I just didn't know I had a kid with the Queen."

"You didn't know about me?"

"No, I have a lot of kids with a lot of women. I often don't even get told when I've gotten a woman pregnant," I say quickly. "But I'm always happy to meet my kids. Do you want to dance with us?" Did Elora set this up? I doubt a kid should be around so many adults when they're drinking. Much less a party about war.

"Your tail is really pretty. How do you make it change colors? Mine doesn't do that," Irlo says instead.

"It just does that."

"I don't believe you. I want my tail to change colors like yours, Daddy."

"Mine has always done this. You can ask my mother about it," I say. "She likes to talk about the story of when I popped out of her womb. Not in detail, of course, but her feelings."

"Where is your Mommy? I don't believe you," Irlo says with a pout.

"Not here. I'm not sure where she is right now."

"Liar."

"Little Princess, your Daddy is telling the truth," Ioelena says. "I can try to set up some time for your grandmother to drop by. I'm sure she would love to spend time with you."

"You'll spill the secret, Daddy!" Irlo says. "I know it."

"How about we dance," I say. Are all my kids going to wonder how to change colors?

"I like your tail."

"Yours is really cute as well," I say. "My kids are always so cute."

"NO! I'm a ferocious dragon!"

"Little cutie."

"Dragon!"

"My cute little dragon."

"I'm dangerous, not cute!"

Needing to tease my little girl some more, I shoot my tail up, causing her to let go and fly into the air. I have to let Ioelena go, but if she falls, it's her own fault. I need to catch my cute daughter!

When Irlo reaches her peak, she slows down and does a barrel roll as a ring of flowers crowns her head, letting me catch her like a baby in my arms.

"No fair!" Irlo says. "You have a wife to help you."

"Sorry about the roll," Ioelena says, using my arm for support. "Magic likes to play tricks."

"The flowers?" I ask.

"Would you believe me if I said those were on purpose?"

"Not anymore," I say. "But they fit perfectly on my cute little daughter."

"Are you pregnant, Daddy?" Irlo asks.

"Yes."

"How many siblings do I have?"

"A lot, little one. I was just visiting twelve of them I had with Duchess Fluvis. Not including the four Fluvis is carrying and the one her wife is growing or her maid. Then your sister Elora is pregnant, and also Isda, two of my maids, and plenty of the nobles in this room," I say. "And then, you see that dragon in the corner?"

"Yes."

"She's also carrying a lot of siblings for you. You have to work hard to make sure they don't outshine my little ferocious dragon," I say. "Now, do you want to dance?"

"If you put me down," Irlo pouts.

"Ok," I chuckle. I put the little Princess on the ground and realize we have a problem: I'm too tall in these heels.

"SHYLA!" Ioelena calls out, waving at my maid. "We need Alzi to be shorter!"

"Daddy, why are you so tall?" Irlo asks. I have to bend over just for our fingertips to touch.

"It's how I was born," I say. "Ioelena, should you be shouting at my maid?"

"The little Princess wants to dance with her Daddy. It's fine to shout out at parties if it is for fun, and Irlo, your Daddy is special," Ioelena says.

"My Lady, is Princess Irlo your daughter?" Shyla asks, offering me new heels. "I think most were wondering where her dragon features came from."

"Yes," I say.

"Are you pregnant?" Irlo asks my maid while I switch out my shoes.

"No, Princess Irlo. My mother is pregnant," Shyla says, all proper. "She is also a maid of Lady Alzi."

"Ready to dance, Irlo?" I ask. Maybe I could have just held her normally and had Ioelena squish her between us instead of calling over a maid.

"Wait, Alzi, you have lipstick on your breasts," Shyla says.

"It's fine. Ioelena believed I needed it," I say. I should keep the gifts from my wives, right? Especially when they make me look like a whore. "And it adds flavor."

"Ok, be careful with Princess Irlo," Shyla says, bowing herself out. She stays nearby, likely worried I'll mess up with the young Princess.

Now able to grab the little girl's hand, I start to dance with her and Ioelena. Ioelena's drunken sense of balance helps to keep Irlo entertained despite the boring dance nobles like to do. Her stumbles take us around the floor while she teases us with her magic, her side effects getting Irlo to giggle every time.The magic adds to the flower arrangement it started, giving her little bracelets and even a necklace to complete the look.

"Daddy should get a crown too, silly magic!" Irlo demands.

"Baby, Ioelena's magic is a bit unpredictable in that regard," I say. "She can try, but there is little she can do about it."

Irlo doesn't seem to accept that excuse, her cute face bunching up in a pout yet again, doing her best to stare down Ioelena.

I feel time stop for just a moment, but the world around me keeps spinning.

"Hehe, I knew she could do it," Irlo says when I catch up with the world again. I feel a small itch on my scalp, the collar asking me to remove the simple hair accessory.

Please let me keep it. My daughter asked for it!

"Alzi, you may keep the flowers," Elora says, pacifying my collar.

"Irlo," the Queen says. "Why are you here dancing with Elora's husband?"