A Dragon's Tale Ch. 32

"You could've just shouted 'yes'; that would've been just as clear." Anthiel said with a knowing smile.

"Okay, I'll admit that he sometimes 'gets my motor going', but not because of the other wives." She finally conceded. "The other wives thing is a huge turn off."

"Is it?"

"Of course it is."

Anthiel gave her a look that was both appraising and knowing. "Would you care to make that interesting?"

"Oh?"

"I bet you one copper that I can prove it turns you on despite what you think about it."

"And if you can't?"

"Then I'll owe you two coppers."

"Deal." Selene smiled; easy money.

"One copper says you're starting to get wet just from our conversation." Anthiel said with twinkling eyes and a knowing expression.

The caramel-haired beauty adjusted her legs just slightly to prove that she wasn't--

Shit.

* * *

Ethan kept a close eye on Alana over the afternoon, and especially after she'd thrown herself so completely into enchanting his armor. He appreciated her fervor, but knew it didn't only stem from her desire to protect him. As dinner progressed, she became a little more subdued and quiet.

*Hey princess, you okay?* He thought to her.

She seemed slightly startled as she looked at him. *Um, I don't know.*

*Worried about meeting your mother?*

She nodded.

He looked at her for several seconds before a plan formed in his mind.

*Rachel, want to help me cheer up Alana?* He thought to her.

*Absolutely.* The redhead thought back. *I'm sure her mother will love her dearly, but I'm not sure there's anything that we could say to convince her of that.*

*Agreed, but we shouldn't have to if you follow us when we go into the captain's cabin.*

*Will do my lord.*

*Thanks beautiful.* He nodded at her, so incredibly happy that they were finally married. The redhead was truly lovely, and he couldn't put into words how blessed he felt to have her as one of his wives.

He asked Beth and Taloni to wait outside and then extended a hand to Alana. "Come on, I've got an idea."

"Oh?" She asked as she took his hand.

"Yup." He smiled as he helped her up and then led her into the captain's cabin with Rachel in tow. The wood elf didn't resist his gentle pull and followed with a confused smile on her face. Okay, it was a small smile and tinted with her obvious concern for meeting her mother tomorrow, but a smile nonetheless.

"So, how much do you two trust me?" He asked them after the door was closed.

"Implicitly sir." She looked very curious.

"The same my lord."

"Good." He said, making sure to keep a straight face and not let a mischievous smile show. "Now, I'm going to ask you two to do something that you might find hard; harder than anything we've yet done. Are you game?"

Alana swallowed hard.

Rachel looked a bit alarmed.

They looked at each other, then back at him.

"Yes sir."

"Yes my lord."

"Are you sure? You don't even know what it is?"

"I know, but I trust you sir."

"You've been so good to me -- to all your wives -- I can't imagine you doing something that we would hate." Rachel said this, but he could see just a twinge of concern behind her eyes.

"Okay then what I need is..." He breathed heavily, still making sure not to smile. "I need you two to snuggle with me."

The two women looked confused for a moment and then the wood elf smiled as Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. He started laughing.

"Brat." Alana said with a smile as she shook her head. She seemed to have temporarily forgotten her nervousness though, so that was good.

"You are awful my lord." Rachel put her head on her hands.

"What can I say? I have enough wives that I need to keep them on their toes."

They started towards the bed but he held up his hand to indicate they should stop. "Hang on, there's one condition here that I must insist on."

"Oh?" Alana and Rachel said at the same time.

"Yes; take off your dresses before you come to bed."

They both froze.

They both looked like a deer in the headlights as they stared at him.

"Before?" Alana whispered.

"Dresses off?" Rachel echoed.

"Actually I want you both naked before you climb into bed with me." He said. He would happily snuggle with his wives fully clothed of course, but something inside of him -- his dragon side perhaps -- told him that they needed this.

There was an awkward silence as Alana bit her lip and Rachel averted her eyes. Identical red spots appeared on their cheeks, and then their upper chests moments later. He felt some arousal from each over his bonds with them. They both stood there for several seconds before glancing at each other. Their eyes met and they quickly looked away. He had to suppress a laugh; they were so smitten with each other it was adorable. With any of his other wives, the wood elf wouldn't have batted an eye at dropping her clothes.

With Rachel...

"You know, you've already seen each other naked." He pointed out. "Rachel, you literally orgasmed on Alana's lap."

The redhead blushed so hard that her cheeks approached the color of her hair.

He turned to his first wife. "Alana, I'm pretty sure you woke up naked next to Rachel this morning, so it's not like you haven't seen each other before."

The wood elf also blushed, though not as deeply.

Finally, Rachel nodded and reached down to the hem of her dress. Her fingers hesitated a moment, then grabbed it and slowly started pulling it up. Alana followed suit, and moments later a green dress and a red dress lay on the floor. His lovely wives stood there awkwardly, not looking at each other and subconsciously covering their breasts and slits from each other.

Not him; each other.

He almost rolled his eyes as his cock started to grow. "Now, Alana come here."

He skootched back so he was laying on his side facing them. The wood elf climbed onto the bed and laid down facing him.

"Hi." He said quietly.

"Hi." She smiled back.

"Roll over." He instructed.

She froze.

"Back against me." He said to her.

She rolled as instructed, the soft, smooth skin of her naked back feeling wonderful against him, though he couldn't help but notice that she was shielding her feminine bits from Rachel.

He looked at the redhead. "Do you remember me telling you about ice cream sandwiches?"

She nodded.

"Pretend Alana is the filling and come here."

Rachel bit her lip and he felt a small burst of arousal from her.

He could tell that his first wife was a bit too brain-fried -- or possibly too embarrassed -- to move, so he gently pulled her into a spooning position while Rachel climbed onto the bed. The redhead was obviously setting up to put her back to Alana, which wouldn't do.

"Rachel, face us." He instructed gently.

The redhead swallowed hard but slowly turned to face them, trepidation written all over her face. His two wives were laying down facing each other, but determinedly looking anywhere but at each other, and especially not down at the other's naked body.

"Skootch closer." He instructed, then added with a chuckle. "At least pretend that you like each other."

They both blushed.

Then Rachel did move.

He leaned up to watch and Rachel skootched closer so they still weren't touching, but were mere millimeters away from each other in so many places.

"Closer." He said, looking into the redhead's eye so she couldn't mistake his meaning.

Rachel bit her lip as Alana seemed to freeze.

Then the redhead scooted closer.

She moved her legs first, resting them up against the shorter wood elf's legs. Alana parted her legs seemingly automatically and their legs intertwined in an affectionate way, though it stopped just short of being sexual. Likewise their hips just barely touched as the redhead pressed herself against the brunette, but again it was shy of being sexual. Affectionate and intimate yes -- even slightly sensual -- but not sexual. Rachel continued her slow molding, pressing her flat stomach to Alana's toned one.

Then the breasts.

Rachel looked Alana in the eye as she finished slipping closer. The two women's nipples, both stiff and hard, pressed together and then slowly disappeared as their soft breasts pressed together, obscuring the nubs from sight. Rachel's larger breasts slightly enveloped Alana's smaller ones as the redhead wrapped her arms around her best friend.

They were laying facing each other, about as close as it was physically possible to be unless actually having sex. The tension in Alana seemed to drain away as Ethan held her from behind while her best friend held her from in front.

Ethan was under no illusion that they were even aware of his presence though. They were so entirely wrapped up in each other that as far as his wives were concerned, he might as well have been back on Earth. He smiled at their budding attraction.

"Hi." Rachel whispered softly, her lips mere inches from Alana's.

* * *

"Hi." Alana whispered back, not quite believing what was going on. Rachel's beautiful blue eyes were so close that she almost couldn't believe it. But more than that, her deep blue eyes were shining in happiness. Rachel was looking at her and her eyes were shining with happiness.

She sighed softly.

Rachel followed suit.

"Hi." The redhead said again.

"You already said that." Alana replied softly.

"Yeah, I guess I did." The redhead smiled and moved slightly, and a strand of hair fell onto her face. She tried to blow it out, but it didn't move. The wood elf slipped her finger up and brushed it out of her face.

"Thank you." The redhead had a strange sort of smile on her face.

They stared at each other for several moments while she wondered what the redhead was thinking. The wood elf herself was blissfully happy being cradled between Rachel and Ethan... Ethan. She felt slightly guilty as she realized that she'd completely forgotten that he was there. It took her a moment to realize that he'd done this for her. He'd asked Rachel to come help distract her from--

Her stomach knotted up again.

"She's going to love you." Rachel said gently but firmly. "I certainly d--" She swallowed and hesitated, then continued. "I certainly don't think anyone couldnot love you."

Alana's heart fluttered as the legion of butterflies in her stomach seemed to march in lock step. Rachel's eyes flicked towards Ethan and then her cheeks became incredibly red.

* * *

"I certainly don't think anyone couldnot love you." Rachel said, finding it hard to believe that the wood elf couldn't see how incredible she was.

*Does that include you?* Ethan thought to her. *I mean, youwere going to say that you 'certainly do' love her, right?*

She blushed scarlet as her cheek got very warm.

*I didn't... I mean, I wasn't... That's not what I meant.* She thought back to him, spluttering slightly.

He smirked, his teasing eyes twinkling.

"What did I miss?" Alana asked looking between them.

Ethan chuckled. "I was just teasing Rachel; ignore me."

The wood elf looked at the redhead and raised an eyebrow.

"It was nothing." She shook her head trying to laugh it off. "He just asked me if I loved you too."

Alana bit her lip.

"Which of course I do; you're my best friend." Rachel continued trying to cover--

Hmm.

Cover what?

She obviously loved Alana as a friend, but only as a friend of course. It would just be weird for her to love the incredibly enchanting and captivating wood elf in any other way. She certainly didn't love Alana the way that she loved Ethan; that would just be strange. They were both women, so it would be weird and totally not something she would do. She just wasn't interested in Alana that way, no matter how adorable and lovely the wood elf was.

"Of course." Her best friend gave her a smile, but her rich hazel eyes looked slightly sad and disappointed as she nodded.

"That didn't come out right." Rachel's mouth said before her brain could stop it.

"Oh?" Alana looked... hopeful?

"I mean, you're a lovely woman and the best friend a girl could ever ask for. I'm so grateful we met and I wouldn't trade you for the world."

Alana smiled.

The wood elf closed her eyes and leaned forward slightly so their foreheads were touching before whispering softly. "I love you too Rachel."

The redhead's heart fluttered.

Suddenly she had a warm, almost hot, feeling in her stomach. She felt her cheeks get hot, and then a warm, comforting feeling spread throughout her whole body. She suddenly felt very warm and happy; like a sleepy happy that reminded her of the afterglow from having sex with Ethan for the first time... and Alana had been there too.

She smiled.

She couldn't understand why she liked that so much, but she did. She also distinctly remembered that the first time she'd orgasmed with another person was at the precise moment that her best friend had kissed her forehead. She had no idea what to make of that; none at all.

For now, she resolved to do something that she rarely did and didn't find easy; she wasn't going to think about it. She was going to try and make her mind rest and just enjoy the moment. It was among the most wonderful moments of her life and she didn't want to miss it being distracted by other things.

They laid like that for several minutes before:

Knock! Knock!

"It's Anthiel." Her voice came from the other side of the door. "Sorry to disturb you, but Lord Borden portalled a letter to Nalatia and a courier just delivered it. Ethan, you especially won't like the contents at all."

* * *

Taloni felt her jaw drop and wings quiver as Anthiel finished reading Lord Borden's letter.

"You're fucking kidding!" Master growled at the pilot. "There is no way I'm kicking all my wives except for Beth off the Argo so we can return to Gralden!" He clenched his hands into fists. "What the God damn motherfucking hell!?" Master snarled to no one in particular.

The Fey girl could feel his dragon side rising through their bond, and she was glad she couldn't feel the full force of it.

"Don't shoot the messenger." Selene suggested.

He shot her a withering glare and she backed down.

Taloni shivered, and not because of the weather either; it was quite warm. Master was so angry. She was too, but there was one thing that weighed even more heavily on her mind.

"Master, I don't want to be separated from you." She said.

"You won't be." Master snarled as he started pacing the deck furiously, his dragon claws out and making a clicking sound on the weather deck.

Taloni was standing near the captain's cabin with Alana, Beth, Rachel, and Selene. Anthiel Serif, and Raklan were standing a few paces from them towards the ship's bow. Master was pacing right in between them, alternately throwing murderous glances in the high elf's direction and possessive glances in his wives' direction.

"You all aremine." He hissed looking towards his wives and Selene. "You'remine, and no one will take you from me." The dragon growled as if to emphasize the point.

Selene got a funny look on her face, and the Fey girl couldn't tell if she was happy or sad to be included.

"Except Selene of course." The dragon said carelessly and without breaking stride or mood. The gorgeous caramel-hair beauty wasn't bonded to him, so that made sense.

Still, Selene looked almost hurt.

She concealed the emotion almost instantly though.

Taloni wasn't sure what to do. Master was clearly as mad as the dragon was, and she didn't know how to help. Usually it was a dragon's rage that made him act like this, but this was a different kind of anger. It was clearly coming from Ethan and being massively augmented by the dragon. Not knowing what else to do, she spoke her mind.

"Master, I'm scared." She admitted quietly. "I don't want to be separated from you."

The dragon looked at her, and it was like his anger started to fizzle out. He took a few deep breaths that started as half-growls but ended as regular breaths.

"Come here." Master said, the dragon seeming to have retreated slightly.

She ran into his arms and he held her. A moment later, Master's other wives wrapped her in a large group hug. She felt safe and loved, but only for a few moments until she remembered the problem at hand.

"I can't believe my father would do this." Beth breathed when the group hug broke. "That's just... just..."

She balled her fists.

Taloni hadn't let go of their husband though. She dreaded the thought of spending any time away from him, especially if he had to leave her behind.

"I'm fine returning to Gralden, but I amnot leavingany of my wives behind." Master said firmly and with a hint of a growl. "I sure as fucking hell won't leave all of them behind except Beth." He glared at Anthiel, his dragon side returning slightly. "You won't like how that ends if you try."

"Permission to speak freely captain?" The high elf replied.

He growled at her, but nodded.

"You are behaving like a petulant child Ethan." She said firmly. "Yes, Lord Borden is demanding that we return to Gralden and forbidding any of your wives except for Beth to set foot on the Argo. But throwing a childish tantrum won't help anyone or anything, least of all your wives. If you want to help, then sober up and pull it together... unless you think your dragon side is going to fix the problem by brooding and throwing a hissy-fit." She finished, and then added in a fairly respectful tone. "With all due respect captain."

Master took several deep breaths and let the last one out slowly. "You're right."

He looked around at his wives, and tenderly kissed Taloni on top of the head. "I'm sorry."

The Fey teen smiled. "I forgive you master."

"And I sir."

"And me Dominus."

"Nothing to forgive my lord."

Everyone looked at Selene.

"What?" She said a little defensively and with an annoyed edge in her tone. "Obviously I'm nothis, and I don't have a freakishly servile nickname for him either."

"Give it time." Beth said while suppressing a smile.

Selene gave her a look.

"Okay, the question is what should we do?" Master said changing the topic. "Can we just ignore him?"

"No." Anthiel replied. "Setting aside the fact that I have an oath to Lord Borden and I'm in his service, he's not someone you want as an enemy."

"Too late." Alana sighed.

"Yeah..." Master also sighed, then looked at the wood elf. "You warned me about this right after I proposed on the night we got married; remember?"

The wood elf gave him a smoldering grin. "I do remember that... sir."

"We can't get everyone to Gralden without the Argo." Rachel pointed out.

"And you can't show up to Gralden with Alana, Taloni, or Rachel on the Argo." Anthiel said. "Lord Borden could clap them in irons for trespassing."

"Master, I know another person with an airship that can hold four people." Taloni piped up.

Master shook his head. "Kendra will never go for it."

"I think she will master, especially if you ask nicely."

He frowned. "Maybe, but she's still on her way to Arcanum. She won't be back here for at least a week."

"And we need to leave now." Anthiel said. "These orders are quite specific."

"Now?" Alana asked quietly, and then bit her lip.

"Alana was going to meet her mother for the first time tomorrow at noon." Ethan pointed out.

Anthiel nodded, then turned to Serif and Raklan. "I understand you're having difficulty with the rigging, how much time do you require for repair?"

Serif opened his mouth, but Raklan spoke first. "There's nothing wrong with the bloody thing."

Anthiel gave him a reproving look. "Raklan, if we leave dock now, Alana will miss her meeting with her mother, and she might never have a chance to be introduced again."

"Could take weeks sir." Serif said evenly, though the corners of his mouth twitched up slightly.