Chapter 299 – Tense Before the Wedding

I have a lot of women saying they are in my service, and I don't know if any of them are useful. Nanoka should be good, as she seems to only be here to protect me, and I can give the Kitsune something if she does her job well. Finally, I have someone who will just protect me, one who finally has the strength to keep me safe. Mommy always did what she could, but she just didn't have the strength to do it.

Sarania seems to be trying, but I don't know if she is a fighter. I feel like I can trust her way more than I can trust Yuki, but is Sarania strong enough?

"If you thought you could buy me and run off, what would you have done with me?" I ask.

"I would have taken you and your family to our realm and married you," Yuki says, the tips of her tails twitching.

"And after that?" I say. I really was going to be a breeding stud if I went with her. Elora was right, not that Elora had me doing much else.

"You're talking about your role in my realm," Yuki says. "Yes, you would need to help my people have children. But you would get to raise them, and they would know you. Not like with this Queendom's idea of you gifting them children. No, you would become part of their family, helping your kids grow and getting to watch them discover the world."

"You didn't want me to say no to any of your people," I say.

"Of course, I wanted to help them as much as possible, but you're a nice woman, Alzi. I wasn't worried that you would deny them; that had nothing to do with my decision."

"Fine," I say. "Fine. I expect your people to let me see my kids. If I have to fight them on anything, I'll find a way to put a damn collar around your neck."

"You may," is all Yuki says, giving me a soft smile and watching Mommy work with Mai and Kelly.

Aurora and Shyla start to put some jewelry on them. Luckily, they're smart enough not to speak up and ruin everything. I thought for sure Aurora would try to help Yuki, but I guess she has some understanding of special moments, or she just hates the Kitsune.

"My Lady," Aurora says. I guess I judged her too quickly. "May I braid Shyla's hair? I haven't done that since she was a little girl, and I feel bad just watching your Mother. I could also braid Mai's or Kelly's hair if they wish."

"Do what you want," I say. "Mai would be cute if she got a red ribbon on her tail." A customer did that to her once. She forgot about it in the morning and came down to the bath with it still on. She was adorable with it, but she clearly didn't like it.

"Alzi," Mai says. "You're lucky I'm pregnant, or I would be tying a ribbon around your cock right now."

"You were so cute," I say. "Like a little doll."

"Yes, I know! That was the problem. I look enough like a doll when I'm not pregnant; I don't need a ribbon sealing the deal!"

"It was cute," Yuki says.

"If you get ribbons at the end of your tails, I'll let the maids put a ribbon on my tail."

Without asking the Kitsune Princess, Aurora pulls out some golden ribbon and gets right to work. Yuki just pouts as Mai tries to believe her eyes. I really haven't given Aurora enough credit.

"Sorry, Mai," Shyla says, giving her the red ribbon.

"I'll take it," Mai says. "I'm more than happy to see her tails get messed up."

"They are hardly messed up; just not as beautiful as they normally are," Yuki says, crossing her arms. "You do look cute, Mai."

"Thank you, and your maids work quickly, Alzi."

"Sometimes," I say. "Is something wrong, Kelly?"

"Yes. Yuki knew about your sale for probably weeks before it happened, and she never said a damn thing to you! I gave her plenty of chances to tell you back then, and I gave her plenty of chances to confess right now. But I guess the great Princess likes to keep quiet about important matters."

"It would've just made Alzi depressed. I didn't want her to struggle with the labor. Having that many kids at once is already impossible for most, so I was worried about her, and I was still trying to find a way to stop the sale. And then, she and Mai were the targets of an assassination attempt, so a lot was going on. I put in a lot of work trying to get Alzi to marry her Mother as soon as possible, and I know you did, too, Kelly. All of us worked hard to get to Alzi."

"You knew?" I say. "I- I was- Couldn't you have warned me after I gave birth? I don't think it would've been good if I knew before my labor. But there was time after."

"I thought you already knew," Kelly says. "Sorry. I would've said something, but I thought your close friend Yuki would've been smart and told you already. Or at least warned me that I need to share the news, so it would be softer than getting taken by strangers. Sorry."

"So you both knew before me? Did you know, Mai?"

"No, I'm not sure when they figured it out, but they didn't tell me about it."

"She didn't know," Kelly says. "I think it was just me and Yuki who knew."

"You're lucky. I'm sure I would've let myself die in labor if I knew about the sale," I say. "Any other secrets you want to share?"

"No, just that I was the reason why no other noble ever bought you," Yuki says. "I was able to threaten them into leaving, which kept the Mistress from selling you."

What the fuck is going on? Mai, Mommy, and somehow Fluvis are the only ones who haven't fucked me over. Sarania, as well. I guess Yuki would have also stopped her from buying me, or maybe the Princess already had the sale by that point.

I thought I had more people who loved me. They couldn't tell me something that simple or keep me from walking out of the damn room? Kelly had to know they would grab me the second I did.

"Oh, baby," Mommy says. "I have just one last loop to make. You look so pretty for Mommy."

"Do I really? I'm just a useless whore."

"No, no, you are not, my little rainbow. You are my world and my love. You're so much more than that. You're my savior."

"My Lady, you have many better titles than that one. You're a Princess by blood. Likely to become the Queen over many territories. A Champion. A mother and father. A woman I'm proud to serve. I know you care little for my opinion, something I deeply regret, but you are an amazing woman."

Yuki lets out her breath and hugs me, her familiar tails wrapping around me like she has done so many times before. How many times has she comforted me like this? Did she do enough back then? Why couldn't these tails have hidden me away?

"I'm sorry, Alzi. I didn't want to lose you, and I didn't have a chance to warn you after the labor. I'm sorry for not finding a way to warn you before they took you, but nobody can take you now. You can trust me and my Grandmother to be willing to die for you. I will work hard to keep you, and your Mother, and all of your kids safe. I didn't know what to do when you were at the brothel. I just tried to be there to help you, to be someone you could talk with. I didn't know what else to do, and I'm sorry for not finding out how to do more. I love you. I'm yours. My life's purpose is to keep you safe. If I fail, I'll slit my neck after getting you back."

I don't know what to say. Can I trust anyone to tell me the truth? Is there a Goddess of Truth?

"My Lady," Aurora says. "Would you like a bit of makeup? Your lovers should move to the temple for now. You'll see them in a few minutes."

"Can Mommy stay?"

"I think that would be a good idea," Aurora says. "This is a very rushed ceremony, so we don't need to follow all the rules. I'm sorry you aren't getting a better wedding for you and your Mother. We can have a bigger celebration once things calm down. You deserve better than this."

Yuki releases me from her tails and arms, giving me a soft kiss. Kelly just gives a small smile.

Aurora directs me to a different mirror and puts out a chair for me. Shyla leads Yuki, Mai, and Kelly to the stupid temple. Stupid Goddess, letting a slave get married and even forcing me to have to face her to get the divorce. Hopefully, she doesn't show up for the wedding.

Aurora pulls out a bit of makeup, just enough to mimic the light show around my eyes. Her hands move quickly, already knowing what they need to do. She moves fast enough that I don't know if it was worth it to send everyone ahead of me. I think she could have this done in a few seconds if her belly didn't keep getting in the way.

"You look beautiful, baby," Mommy says as Aurora looks over her work. "Thank you for the help, Aurora."

"I'm happy to serve, Lady Armirynth," Aurora says.

"I'm..."

"Close enough. What's a few minutes right now? My Lady is ready to go meet you in the temple and seal another bond between you two."

"I'm done?" I ask.

"Yes," Aurora says. "Shall we?"

"Yes," I say. At least I can marry Mommy, and then figure out how to handle the rest of the harem later. I don't know what to do with most of them.

*** Yuki ***

"Well done, dumbass," I say. "I told you I was right to keep it from her."

"Then fucking tell me that I need to warn her!" Kelly says. "I thought she already knew, and I didn't want to bring it up!"

"Both of you, just shut the fuck up," Shyla says. "I've had enough people fucking me over in my role, and I'm tired of it being Princesses. Is there anything else that you need to share that will destroy my Lady's trust in her closest friends? I do not wish to find my Lady trying to kill herself or hurting herself, so spill it."

"There is nothing else," I say. "And I didn't destroy that trust; others have just kept spreading bullshit around. I had no real way of getting Alzi out of the brothel, and I knew that telling her about the sale would end with her dead. I did what I could, so take your hate for Princesses to Elora and this dumbass. She could've just kept her stupid mouth shut. Alzi has plenty to deal with already, as I'm sure her memories are back, and some of them are going to bring some very painful times back to her."

"I suggest you start being honest about your failings," Shyla says. "You just saw her exclude you from having a child with her. I wouldn't be surprised if she regrets the fact that she included you, Kelly. My Lady is having a rough time right now and is likely only holding on due to some interference by the Goddesses. Do not continue to push her, or I will find a way to fix what I see as a problem."

"If you say so," I say.