A Dream of Empire Ch. 022

"And you, William. On the 'morrow," I murmured.

Fuck. I didn't want to dance with Alfred! Would it look strange if I charmed him away? Ugh.

Yes, yes it would. I'd have to ride it out. Without a word, I laced my fingers with Alfred's, placed a hand onto his shoulder, and tried not to shudder when I felt his hand slide to my waist. He led me on a slower dance befitting an older man with a limp, and my mood darkened faster than a winter sunset.

"You know, it's common for souls your age to stray, Alanna, and I won't throw stones or chide you," Alfred told me as we rocked. "I will grant a word of advice, though. Don't shit where you eat."

"I'm sorry, sire?"

"Sir William. You would see him everyday after an encounter, which would ultimately prove problematic. I would likely have to decline his future service, putting the crown at odds with his family. If you are looking for a dalliance, I'd recommend someone from outside the court."

"Oh. You're mistaken, Alfred. It wasn't like that," I calmly denied with a shake of my head. Was he really threatening me? Threatening him, for something I'd concocted?

"I'm glad. Keep it that way," he sternly replied.

"Of course, sire." Yep. That he was.

I noticed Alfred glancing around at the couples nearest us before continuing our conversation in a hushed tone that only I could hear. "Solomon and I are destined for the Quintos races in three weeks. We'll be sailing the day after tomorrow."

"Sounds like a marvelous time," I murmured.

"It should be. Meanwhile, Bernard will be playing Regent while I'm away, dealing with the woes of the Kingdom and all that. But I've a request of you."

"Of course. Anything, sire."

"I'd like you to assist him with his duties during the regency. Be his shadow when you please, and learn from one of the best administrators of our age. In time, perhaps it'll be you in his shoes, running the Kingdom while I'm away."

I gave him a polite smile, even though work was the last thing I wanted to think of at the moment. "I'd be honored to. I'll... discuss that with him, when I come in tomorrow."

My answer pleased Alfred well enough. "Excellent," he replied. "Now, come, let's find some place away from the music. Damn ankle's acting up again."

"Still? Sire... maaybe I'm overstepping here, but perhaps you shouldn't go on that voyage? I won't be able to assist you from afar, you know."

"Nonsense. The Rapide's already stocked with all manner of healing tonic, as is my chambers. Only, upon seeing how successful your efforts were in constructing this party, my wife suddenly came down ill and retired for the night. And I don't particularly want to hear her complain," he smirked.

"Ah," I chuckled. "To the tune-less hall, then."

Alfred and I strolled towards the anterior hall, which was connected to the great hall through a large marble archway. He sat down on a bench to calm his aching ankle, and I got on my knees before him to cast a middling restoration spell to dull the pain.

"By the way, you look exquisite tonight, Alanna. I think I forgot to tell you that," he said as I fixed him.

"Gratitude, sire," I politely replied. I lifted myself to my feet, smoothed out my dress, and sat down beside him. "I wasn't sure it was worth the effort, truth be told."

"Nonsense. You single-handedly brightened the night for every man here, of that I'm sure."

"Hah. Thanks," I murmured.

Alfred wanted to make a move on me, and his eyes flickered towards my uncovered thighs. Fortunately, his righteous, chivalric nature wouldn't allow for it. I silently charmed him to keep to his vows, and so the following conversation was instead polite, good-natured, and ultimately quite boring. And just as I was contemplating a way to escape from him, the gods decided to grant me a boon in the form of a drunken brawl between the leadership of the White Horse Trading Company and the Grey Suns.

"Fuckin' bastard! Why don't ye fuck over the whole of Solais next?!" the chief executive of the Grey Suns bellowed.

"Ye cunt! Don't ye blame me for ye little quill-cock! She begged me fer it, of that ye'd be sure!" the White Horseman shouted in reply.

It came on so suddenly, and I'd barely time to register what was happening before fists were flying. The underlings of both companies naturally entered the fray, creating an epic, music-stopping battle that stole everyone's attention.

Alfred rushed towards the commotion, along with the entirety of the castle guard, and soon every combatant was dragged out the front door. The music resumed. The remaining party-goers shrugged, laughed, and continued on enjoying the eve as if nothing had happened.

I couldn't help but giggle once it was all over. The feud happened - just as I'd warned the Council it would - yet it hadn't stifled the eve's festivities at all. They were right in that it had only livened the party. There was still so much I had to learn.

My job was done. The guests were sufficiently drunk and having a merry time, which was, in the end, what the Solstice was all about; to forget of life's hardships and the bitter chill of winter. Now, I could be greedy. I could take what I wanted of the eve.

And all I wanted were my loves. So I closed my eyes and dreamt, and found myself under the stars beside a lovely girl, who was pointing out the various constellations to me. They were on the east balcony, alone and away from the party. I made my way there.

"Alanna!" they both exclaimed when I found them. Talos and Tanya scooched away from one another on the stone bench they sat upon, and Talos patted the space between them. Gods, how amazing they were. I sat down between them, smiling and laughing as they both wrapped an arm around me. I wasn't an outsider with them. They shared me, just as much as I shared him.

"I know, um, I said I'd give you two your space tonight, but..."

"We're a threesome, Alanna. We'd love your company," Tanya said so sincerely.

I didn't deserve them. Why were the gods so good to me, as to gift me with such perfect loves? Was it only because I'd mated with one? Because I gave the gods a child - one of the spark, no less? Or, had I constructed this? And, if I had, was it really so wrong to draw all my strength from them? Would I always be a fish out of water now, when left to my own devices?

I sighed, a contented satisfaction washing over my mind whilst my lovers squeezed me. It didn't matter right now. I was happy. And I enjoyed their banter as they fought over silly things, like if the stars were really so far away, or if the sun was just another star, or what, if anything, they all meant to us on Mundus. Of course, Tanya soon made things more absurd when she declared that water wasn't water at all.

"Well, I'm a god, so, I'm pretty sure my opinion matters most," Talos casually said. "And my opinion is that water is a base element, like fire or soil."

"Nuh! You're not listening, Talos! Water, when broken down, is irrefutably two parts stardust and one part air. There's been multiple treatises written on the matter, and I'd rather listen to a dozen learned sorceresses over one confused deity," Tanya quipped.

"Pretty sure that's heresy," Talos shrugged.

"And I'm pretty sure that Pelagius would agree with me," she shot back.

"Yeah? Well, I guess we'll see in heaven, when I tie you to a bed for a thousand thousand years to serve as my pleasure slave."

"How cruel! Pelagius wouldn't do that," Tanya giggled.

"Hm. I might, though," Talos smirked.

I snuggled into Talos in the ensuing silence, feeling so pleased that we could now jest of the whole ordeal. I'd been afraid to bring it up, just like he'd been, yet Tanya had not only been able to bring everything into the light, but also made us comfortable with it as well.

I... fuck a god. Every day and every night. And I'm proud to do it, too, and I'll continue to fuck him until the day of my funeral pyre in a decade or ten. And I don't just fuck him, I love him, too. And he loves me.

I discovered the true purpose of my lovers' secluded hideaway when the Catrionan illusionists returned. Those sorceresses turned the garden one level beneath us into a ghostly sea, one which glowed a bright, shimmering blue in the night. Sharks, dolphins, whales and razorfins lept from that sea, awing the party-goers and Talos alike with their realism. Tanya and I were less-impressed, having seen such illusions in College from a young age; it was still a potent distraction, though.

"I'd never asked, but... how many years do you have now, Talos?" Tanya soon asked, breaking the silence.

"Thirty-four," he gruffly answered. I knew he wasn't too keen on how ancient that number sounded. I also planned on teasing him tonight with that fact.

"Hm," Tanya smiled. "I was going to guess thirty. You know, when I return, I'd like to start transmuting you. Gifting you with a prolonged metabolic rate, for starters."

"Uh... I'm not that old, am I?"

"Well... not yet... but, um, I already do it to myself, you see. I plan on living to two and a hundred if all goes well, and I'd like see a hundred-thousand tomorrows with you. The benefits of a diminished metabolism are obvious - it tricks your body into believing that only one day has passed each week, and you don't need to eat as much."

"The caveat being...?"

"Wounds take longer to heal. Both physically, and... well, mentally," Tanya sighed. "But, um, you have me for that. And Alanna. Please, Talos. It's greedy of me, I know, but it'd make me so happy."

And me. Accept, honey.

"Okay," he instantly agreed. "Next time you're out, we'll... do whatever that entails."

"It really is quite simple," Tanya gleefully exhaled. "I only need you naked and attentive once a week, f-for about a quarter-hour, which, um, would barely disrupt our natural schedule anyhow. Thank you, Talos."

"Sure. Will I feel different?"

"Yes. As I said, you'll feel the aftershocks of events in your life for longer. But it's not all bad. Like, when I'm away for a week at a time, it only seems like I saw you just yesterday... and, I imagine that assists me, in that I don't feel as lonely," Tanya murmured. "Speaking of, I really should depart; try to catch the capping of my family's Solstice party, as it were. You'll keep him company, right Alanna?"

"I won't let him out of my sight," I promised.

"Good... good," Tanya softly said, smoothing out her dress as she rose from the bench. Talos rose to meet her as she fumbled around in her purse.

"Here," she exhaled, thrusting a small, pink stone into Talos' hand. "Your name day present."

Talos looked it over. The rock was smooth and rounded on all sides except for one, where it instead was flat and had five lines etched into it, one on top of the other.

"Neat. What is it?"

"I-It's a memory crystal. They're quite rare. Basically, they allow someone to experience the memories of a sorceress, provided she fuse them to the stone. This particular crystal has five memories; to review one, you run a finger over one of those etchings, then tap the crystal against your forehead. Four of the memories are of me visiting other worlds... since I can't take you there myself. The one in the middle, well..." Tanya blushed and bit her lip, smiling ever-so-mischievously, "save the middle memory for the morn' of the twenty-fifth, okay?"

"Morn' of the twenty-fifth. Damn, now I'm really curious," Talos smirked. "I have gifts for you too, you know."

"Oh, of course! Um... why don't you gift them for New Year's, instead?" Tanya frowned.

"Fine. I love you, Tatiana." And they kissed, which wiped her frown away.

"And I love you, Talos," Tanya beamed before flicking her delightful gaze my way. "I love you, Alanna."

"And I you, sweetie," I softly replied.

No matter your kingdom or your creed, saying goodbye to a loved one is one of the world's most difficult tasks. Conversations sometimes run on for hours just to avoid the inevitable. There might be an excuse or three. Plans are made for a future that may not come to pass, and there's always that dreaded feeling of finality.

None of this indecision ever affected Tanya; she merely shuts her eyes and disappears in an instant, giving those who she leaves behind no time to acclimate. She was already gone.

I looked towards Talos, whose eyes were fixed on the spot that Tanya had occupied but a moment ago, before she teleported away. He couldn't hide his forlorn gaze. Not from me.

"Talos?" I murmured.

He shook his head, blinking his eyes awake to the new reality. "I want to ask her to live with us. Why hasn't she asked me?"

I patted the bench beside me, more-than-requesting that he sit back down with me. He and I were soon cuddled together as one, arm over shoulders, cheek on his chest. "I've asked her before. Playfully. She says that she needs a tower, but it may've been a jest," I softly answered.

"I'd hope so. That'd be outrageously shallow," he chuckled.

"Mm. Perhaps she needs that quiet place to retreat to? Or, maybe she enjoys seeing her family... like I do."

"Perhaps. Personally, I think she's too comfortable on her father's coin. I need to prove that I can provide for her," Talos declared as he stroked my hair.

What a horribly condescending thing to say of a sorceress! I was inches away from chiding him as he so very much deserved, but a sudden rush of courage convinced me to speak my mind. Worms, meet air.

"To be frank, honey, I'm rather glad that she doesn't live with us," I admitted out of the blue.

"... Oh?" he muttered.

"Yeah, um... I love her, Talos, just... not as much as you do. You're mad for her. And lately when I see you two together, I've been having to convince myself that I'm not the other woman. That my presence isn't interfering with... with..."

Oh gods. This was harder than I'd anticipated. I wasn't holding on. My breaths were shallowed, and my eyes felt like watering. Why did it have to spill now?

"It, um, goes away with time," I gulped. "That... feeling. That fear. But sometimes, when I'm alone under the castle's ward, I wonder how you'd respond if I told you I was tired of sharing. On Dun Aysla you said you'd pick me over her... yet, in the past you've... you've dumped me off, because... because..."

I was mumbling. Squeaking. Shaking like a frightened kitten. And to be so weak in Talos' presence was abhorrent. It was shameful. I drew the last of my strength from him, and blurted out what had to be said.

"I-I'm not wishing her away or anything. She's lovely, Talos, and our lives are far more colorful because she's in it. I... dunno what I expected from telling you this, really. But I had to say it."

He was a good listener, but I knew he couldn't squash my fears here and now. He wasn't Tatiana. By now, she would have logically convinced me that my feelings and thoughts were wrong, and would somehow have evidence to support her claims.

I knew Talos wouldn't try that. Instead, he'd cut himself off from my mind as if I were virulent, examine me from afar, then assuage my fears through decisive action. It's how he solved all manner of issue in life, and I did love that about him... but sometimes, a girl just wants to hear that she's first.

"Alanna, you already know that. What else do you want me to say?" he said as he stroked my hair.

"Hmm... I was hoping you'd know. You always get me feeling right again," I whispered in reply, shutting my eyes as I slumped down onto his chest.

To no one's surprise, he didn't utter another word for two minutes or five; he only continued pet me like I was some homeless kitten, leading me to purr and hum and snuggle into him tighter. I was pissed that it worked. That bastard.

He did surprise me when he pulled me atop his lap, though, leaving my dress in a most precarious position as I straddled him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we nuzzled noses and foreheads together for a time. Soon, all became right again.

"I take it your outfit didn't serve it's purpose tonight," he softly said to me. I nodded into him.

"Well, it was serving. Promise you won't be mad?"

"At you?"

"Hehe! I was conversing with one of the castle guards... Sir William it was, about half-an-hour before I found you here. We danced, and he..." I leaned in closer to his ear, "fondled me... and groped my butt," I whispered, leaning back again, "and that's when I realized I fancied him."

"Uh oh," Talos smirked.

It's not funny!

Talos grabbed my ass with both hands, getting a decent grope of his own as my dress continued to ride up my legs. My naked thighs would now be on display to anyone passing by, although we weren't sharing the balcony with anyone. Still, it got me going.

"Alanna, if we're now supposed to be feeling guilty over who we fancy, I'd have much to repent for."

"Yeeaaah, but you don't make moves with them. Besides; we can share women. It's menfolk that could ruin us," I reasoned with my cute voice.

"Mm. You're right, honey. It's best I lock you indoors for a while, and disallow you from interacting or displaying yourself to any of 'em. You didn't want that job anyway, huh?"

"Talos!" I giggled, nuzzling into him. I love you.

And I you. "So, that's it? You, Alanna, finally discovered that your desires aren't exclusive, and that put you in a mood?"

"Well, it wasn't all that. I tried to leave on my own terms, but Alfred butted in just before, requesting his own dance with me. He then suggested I never seek William, telling me not to 'shit where I eat'. Hmph. Should take his own advice."

"What a cock," Talos gruffly declared. I giggled again, silently agreeing with him.

"So you're really not mad. Huh," I murmured as I grinded against his crotch. "What would... you've let me do with him?"

Talos cleared his throat. "Well uh, I'd've let you make your own decisions. I trust you."

I gazed deep into his eyes and bit my lip. "Alright... then, I decide... on the same rules as before? And I don't have to tell you?"

"Agreed. Honestly, I'd prefer if you didn't. Just be sure to check with Tatiana first. I doubt she'll be as understanding."

"I know. And I'm expecting her to decline me, but... can I just say that I really, really don't deserve you?" I smiled.

"Keep tellin' yourself that," he smirked.

Talos held quite the aversion to controlling his mates. I knew this. To him - to us - love was an exchange of naked truths and unmasked wants, where the only barriers that existed were those that we put on ourselves to avoid hurting one another. He didn't have to put up with my strange desires, after all... when push came to shove, I would do whatever he damned-well expected of me. He simply could have told me it made him uncomfortable. He could have just asked me to stop. But, I knew intrinsically that he only wanted to see me happy, so he never did. And in the reverse, I tried to keep a wide berth between myself and the limits of his leniency, wherever those may lie.

Tanya, though, had successfully tip-toed her way around Talos' ideals. She says that she prefers it when he tells her what is best. She then takes these recommendations as sacred text, morphing and molding herself into his perfect little-

"Let's... forget about her for a few days," Talos then suggested. I grinned like an idiot.

"Okay!" I wasn't sure that was entirely possible, what with her constantly snatching up cycle after cycle of his idle thoughts. It almost sounded like a vacation.