Chapter 54 – Start of a Birthday Party

*** Princess, Before the birthday party ***

I'm interested in meeting this spoiled younger sister. Mother's seed has been locked away in some corner of the castle. So, who is the one who got the Queen pregnant when she no longer wanted kids? Mother let us know she was pregnant but hid it from the rest of the nobles. Some guessed based on her walk and habits, but those who weren't able to see her had quite the surprise when she announced the newest Princess.

Then she hid her away for a year, making her reveal this large party. Many wonder if the father is a shameful night or a hidden alliance. My guess is a shameful night, but I wouldn't mind a good alliance.

Mother is still messing with me, doing every petty thing she can. Tonight, my fiancées aren't allowed to walk out with me; I need to marry them first, apparently. Silly little made-up rules for me. Soon, she'll be out of things to treat me differently. The wedding is set, and a Goddess enforces strict behavior at those, so there is no need to worry about her messing with me then. Once the marriage happens and the campaign begins, I'll be no different from my sisters.

With this being my first public appearance as a competitor for the throne, I have to go all out. A revealing red dress, gold jewelry, gold hair pins, full make-up, and heels. Looking into the mirror, I hardly recognize myself. I'm not quite beautiful enough to be a goddess, but maybe an angel. Most certainly hot, girls will be mad they didn't line up to marry me. I would be willing to add them to the waiting list.

I give a slow twirl, checking for any problems. My hair is in a tight bun, letting my tight dress show off my muscular back, slutty slit lets my right thigh out a bit, as well as making it possible to move in the tight dress. My ass and tits are on display, classy enough to not be mistaken for a courtesan, but I'm not far from it. Use everything to get attention. Besides, I'll be marrying a whore most of the nobles in the capital have seen naked, if not joined in bed.

"Is it time to leave?" I ask my maid once I'm satisfied with my attire.

"Yes, the royal attendees will be announced shortly."

"Good, let's go. It's time to see how much is wasted on a one-year-old's birthday party." The carpet muffles my heels until we get outside, where the stone lets everyone hear me coming their way. Even my jewelry rattles a bit. The hardest part for warriors who get nobility is the silly clothing we wear to these parties. Nothing about this lets me move easily. Remove the slit, and I would be shuffling along the ground. But nobles like to be extravagant even if it's useless. Though I will have to admit, we look amazing in these dresses.

Mother picked the grand ballroom for the event. Though the hints about the number of people invited mean we'll need the space. I hope she is combining this party into some situation meeting. I can't show up with my fiancées, but they are all invited. They won't be able to sit with me at the dinner, but we can walk around together. I'm wondering about the reaction to the angel. The golden hair and bump should be the second most distracting thing in my group.

Inside the castle, I make my way to the back entrance to the grand ballroom. The royals and the Duchesses enter here with an announcement. My sisters and I will have to wait. The duchesses just enter as they arrive.

When I arrive, I see a few of my sisters already here with their harems. They all wearing some type of red dress.

"Oh, sis, I heard you think you can make it to the throne. Pathic war hungry you. Running around letting the peasants command you," my eldest sister mocks. She's a similar height as me, but she's a mage, so she lacks my muscle mass. Her dress is much more conservative, besides her bust that we all show off.

"Helping our people is hardly something to shame me for. Maybe you should occasionally listen to what the people want if you want your claims to be at least slightly true."

"The peasants get helped when the nobles have little to worry about. I don't want to solve a town's issue; I want to solve a region's problem. You should remember where the Queen sits. You'll never get anything done if you worry about all the peasants."

"If you never check what a town's issues are, how could you know if you are helping them? How can you measure their progress if you never see them."

"Can you two just fuck off. Nobody cares about your race right now. Let us enjoy the party,"  interjects another sister. She's the daughter of a harem member. She is still a princess, but she doesn't get all the perks.

I don't want to talk about it. There is no need to give my Mother a chance to talk down to me with a large audience. "Happily, I had to respond. If Arya drops it, we can focus on the party. We should start getting announced soon."

"Fine, I'm sure there will be plenty to laugh with about you at the party."

"Princess, get ready to enter!" One of Mother's maids calls out. Stopping me from responding. A good thing, I suppose.

We line up by age, youngest to oldest, putting me third. The two in front of me aren't even adults yet, still waiting to get their affinities. Everyone behind me has a harem to join them. A number even have a man beside them. I wish I could make Alzi speed up the pregnancy, but she already goes so fast it would probably end with her dead.

They start calling out our names, and we walk into the massive room. Two of the normal ballrooms could fit in here. A twenty-piece orchestra is already set up, pausing just to let us walk in. Everyone is watching us. Quite a few eyes follow me as we line up in the middle of the room. Eventually, the twelve of us line up, the crowd gives a little cheer, and we're free to mingle till my newest sister appears.

I start looking for my fiancées. It's a slow process; I'm constantly pulled into conversations about my recent announcement. The same bland greetings and congratulations get exchanged as I make my way to the far side. I find them in a small huddle; a few of the servants are also among the group. The only girl missing is the Duchess. She'll be waiting near the entrance now for the Queen and my little sister to be in the first group to meet them. In theory, the princesses have already met the little girl, so we have to wait.

"Hello, girls. How has the party been so far?" I ask, stepping into the group.

"It has been nice, your Highness. The Queen is making this reveal quite the spectacle. I don't think so many nobles have ever been in one place." Ioalena responds. She was the last girl to get a marriage agreement, a time mage, and a beautiful wood elf. Tanned skin, brown eyes, and colorful green hair. Her light freckles over her nose give her a cute little look.

"Yes, Mother has been spoiling her rotten, it seems," I say, giving each a look and nod. "The birthday girl should be coming soon. Then we can see what fun my Mother has planned for the dance floor or if she wants us to eat first."

"Should we not try to meet people first?" Isda asks, my little pregnant angel.

I get behind her and wrap her up in a big hug, her head sandwiched between my breasts. "No, Mother would look to throw us out if we did. Even my sisters wouldn't be able to do that. Plus, this is our first public party. We should aim to have some fun on my Mother's gold."

"Oh, ok. Um, do we have a moving date?"

"Yes, the week after our wedding will be when we move. My manor will be just a day outside the city to the southwest. I've already started the furnishing; I'll get you the address so you can visit and see what else we need."

"Yes, your Highness," she squeaks out. I can feel her ears heating up as I tease her golden head.

"My fiancées don't need to say your Highness. Pick something more intimate to say."

"Yes, your uh honey. Could you let me go? I think your other fiancées are getting jealous of me."

"I do need to spread my love and body around," I let the embarrassed angel go. "Iolena, come here. You're next." I give each girl a hug while we wait for my Mother and sister to join the extravagant party.

Just as I finish up with the last servant, a stream of maids walks in with champagne for everyone in the hall. I take Isda's glass from her. My first children can't have any problems, though I doubt anything could hurt that dragon's kids; her life mana is likely still inside the fetus. None of the other girls are pregnant, so we wait for the maids to finish making the rounds and for my Mother to be introduced.

"The Royal Highness Queen Yumanea Elagwyn and Princess Irlo!" Gets announced. On the far side of the room, I only see my Mother stride in wearing similar clothing to my announcement, though she wears the traveling crown like she is supposed to. But Irlo sounds like a dragon's name. Did the Queen get pregnant from a sex slave? My soon-to-be sex slave. Oh, poor Mommy, already fucking my seed. It is a little strange how many of Alzi's children I'm finding around me now. Duchess, Isda, and now my Mother. I'm sure more than a few women in the crowd carry her children as well. I doubt any man can boast the same accomplishment. Unfortunately I can't let Mother know I've bought the father to her spoiled brat. I can't let her take Alzi from me. I need to get the marriage first.

"Well, it's time to see if dinner or dancing will come first," I say, moving to the center. There aren't enough tables out right now, and no servants move to add any, so we'll likely be dancing a bit first, then eating.

The band plays the traditional dance intro music proving my guess correct. I turn to pick a girl from my future harem and find my stupid sister waiting for me instead.

"What do you want?"

"To dance, little sis. We had a good conversation going," Arya mocks, holding her hand out. Enough eyes find their way to us that I can't turn her down; it's too rude to turn your eldest sister down for a dance. Yet more silly rules are made to hurt the younger kids.

"Of course, we shouldn't leave things unsaid. Best to have everything out in the open." I firmly take the mage's hand and start to lead her to a more open spot, my group matching off amongst themselves.

"Sis, some rude rumors are going around that you're marrying a very low woman. A peasant, commoner, a prostitute even. How could you hurt the royal blood by marrying such a woman? I've heard she's even caused a lot of pain to nobles." She does let me take the lead as the music starts, but the class is the real chooser of who leads. Mages follow warriors, support follows mages, and classless follow supports, so it doesn't show I'm above her like I wish it did. "You should take after Adesala; she has already married a wonderful nobleman. A dark elf and a great wind mage. Right now, you're a bit of a laughing stock."

"I don't need your opinion. You must be worried to try and ruin my plans this much. You should worry about yourself more. You don't have any real accomplishments since the last war, and even then, Mother took most of the hard items. Lately you've been making promises to nobles without showing you'll have the power or resolve to keep those promises. I may have made less promises, but I've proven none of mine are empty. Something we can't say for you."

"Power, I've proven my power on a much bloodier and dangerous field than you. My resolve? Plenty, I've stared down armies of thousands with only a hundred women at my back. You've fought a fearsome beast but never the chaotic mess that a true battlefield is. Careful overestimating yourself; you'll find just how dangerous my promises are. How much influence I have." Her smile goes cold, trying to penetrate my mind with fear. "Drop out soon, or you'll find how dirty we can play. Mother won't care about you enough to reign us in before something devastating happens."

"I can handle you and show Mother she shouldn't have tried pushing me out."

"If you say so. Just don't cry about the world being unfair. It's why some have power, and others get crushed."

I just give a little shrug of disapproval and finish the first dance in silence. I'll just show them why, if you decide to treat someone unfairly, best make sure she gets crushed.