Merchant & Monster Girls Ch. 09

This chapter features strong elements of certain kinks. Please check the tags (the tag icon under "Story Info"). I have written this chapter in such a way so readers can skip to chapter 10 and not miss any of the major story beats in case these kinks are not your thing.

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The temperature rapidly fell as the sun set behind the horizon. A light snow had begun to fall, muting the steady click-clack of the carriage as it meandered under garlands of holly leaves and colored lanterns.

"Why's it look so festive, Herd-mate?" Asked Reina, poking her head in the window.

"Hard to say. Depends on who's celebrating what. There are holidays the whole city engages in around the winter solstice, but it's not uncommon to see communities enjoy time amongst themselves to honor the end of a productive year with family and friends."

Humans and demi-humans alike were huddled in warm clothes, their breath mixing with the steaming mugs they held in mittened hands.

Not dressed in her warm winter clothes, Suvi crossed her arms. Jeni, wanting to be helpful, wrapped her wing around the shivering ratgirl. "This one has body heat to share. Friend Suvi should feel free to request it whenever she needs."

Suvi snuggled into the warm owl girl's feathers, surprised by how small she felt underneath all the fluff. "That's, uh, nice of you. I'm not used to being so close to people, but I'll try."

Devin smiled at the two girls' growing friendship. He was especially happy to see Jeni opening up to someone besides himself and, more recently, Azalea and Reina. Since her return from the academy years ago, he had seen her interact with customers, but it was always curt and brief.

Azalea popped her head out from Jeni's other wing. "What's your favorite time of year, Suvi?"

"Hmm, other than the cold, this is my favorite time of year because all the warm drinks are free."

"Agreed! Warm drinks are wonderful," the fairy voiced as she made eyes at Devin, "especially when it's freshly made and enjoyed with loved ones."

"You'll specifically enjoy tonight then," hinted Sable. "Not the one you're probably alluding to, but our girls are skilled in a wonderful assortment of beverages."

Reina trotted up next to the driver's seat. "How long have you worked at Whitegold, Miss Sable?"

"This is my tenth year."

"What do you do there?"

"I fulfill all the managerial work: finances, menu coordination, and act as scout and recruiter for potential new hires. Our turnover rate is rather low, though. The boss used to be more involved, but now she takes a very hands-off approach, but you are in luck tonight. She is gracing us with her presence this evening."

"I look forward to meeting her."

Sable hid a smile as she turned down a side street tucked away from the more festive pockets of people. She pulled back the reins, stopping in front of a three-story building made of dark walnut. Below a balcony jutting from the second story hung a giant cast iron sign embossed with two pitchers pouring intertwining liquids. The building was wider than it was long, and several brick stairways ascended to a tall set of double doors in the middle.

Sitting on the bottom step stood a familiar figure. Azalea darted out of the cab window and into an open embrace. "Mama Sanna!"

"Hello again, little Azalea."

"What are you doing here?!"

"I run the bakery during the day and work here part-time at night."

Sable slid down from the driver's seat and opened the cab door. "She's security. Also does a bit of the heavy lifting when we get shipments in."

"So you knew you were gonna see us tonight!" the fairy exclaimed.

"I hoped so. I didn't know when you were coming, so I wanted a chance to at least say hi before I go about my duties tonight. You are in for a lot of surprises tonight."

Azalea jumped up and down in the grizzly woman's large, clawed hand. "I love surprises!"

Sanna laughed. "Some of them, I'm sure you will, others... might be a bit harder to swallow at first, and a few," she commented while looking specifically at Devin, "might take some getting used to."

Before Devin could ask what she meant, she was already leading the carriage away and offered, "You folks have a good evening." With a wave, she and the carriage disappeared behind the far side of the building.

Sable climbed the stairs and held the doors open. "Now, since we are here," she cleared her throat to continue, "welcome to 'Whitegold,' a finer dining experience than you'll find anywhere in the western half of the kingdom."

The group entered the lobby, led by Devin, who stopped in front of a 'please wait to be seated' sign. "This is quite the opulent waiting room."

A five-tiered chandelier made of old antlers, with pine-scented candles hung from the arched ceiling entryway, the light reflecting off a gold and alabaster stained-glass wall.

Somewhere behind it were moving, shadowy figures holding lutes, pipes, and a tambourine and playing a relaxed and light-hearted melody.

Sable moved in front to address them. "We are a somewhat exclusive establishment with many noteworthy individuals, influential business folk, and city administration as members. While the general public can make an unsubscribed reservation, the wait time can be rather long."

"We wanted to create a relaxed but classy atmosphere and provide uncommon services to those willing to spend for it. While it's more common amongst smaller businesses, we do house most of our employees on the third floor."

"Looks like you've done well for yourself," Devin suggested.

"Our success is due to the accumulated effort of all our girls. This way, please."

She led them through the left of two arched passages. "We have twin wings on each side, allowing us to seat around forty individuals. We designed the main dining room to be circular. To that end, we've positioned the tables for larger or more uniquely shaped demi-humans around the outside and smaller ones toward the middle. We've found it makes diners feel like they belong. It also gives an unobstructed view of one of our centerpieces."

She motioned to the middle of the room. A tawny fountain with five sandstone likenesses of two satyresses and a human girl were arrayed in a circle. In the center, taller then the rest, posed a rarely-seen holstaur. Each statue stood naked, poised with chest thrust out and nipples spraying wispy streams of water into the collecting basin below.

"Makes quite the first impression," Azalea mused.

"It was an impromptu addition." Sable waved toward a pair in topless uniforms. "The flirty saytresses are Eija and Hija. They mainly serve tables. Our holstaur, Janina, runs the milkbar. As far as I'm aware, she's one of only three in the city. A real sweetheart."

The two goat girls were laughing and bantering jovially as they served customer-filled tables. At the bar against the wall, a huge-breasted cowgirl busily mixed her breast milk into customers' drinks.

Sable produced a small set of chimes from her pocket and flicked one of the metal tubes causing a sudden squeak from Suvi. Simultaneously, a human girl standing next to Janina and draining her own milk into a pitcher jumped. She looked up from her work and searched the crowd until she spotted Sable. Whispering to the other two, she trotted over with a big smile, her perky boobs bouncing.

"Hello, Mistress Sable. You called? Shall I prepare a large group table?"

"Not this time, Kirsi. We are headed upstairs."

"The private room, eh? Too bad; they looked like a fun group to serve." Addressing Suvi, "Are you ok, miss? You look a little flustered."

"Y...ya, I'm fine." Suvi flashed a suspicious look at Azalea, to which the little fairy held up her hands innocently.

Devin caught the exchange between the two. "Did something happen?"

"Our toys activated for a second, life-mate. Perhaps Miss Sable's device?"

"Toys?" Sable looked at the chime. "Wait, did you girls feel that?"

"We did."

"Maybe they know Eitri," Kirsi suggested.

"Yes, we know her.. and her cousin!" Azalea proclaimed. "We went to their store during our shopping earlier today."

"I see. She must use a set number of sounds for her merchandise. All the tables are given a bell to call a serving girl to their table if they need anything." Sable held up a small tablet of twenty tubular pipes split into top and bottom. "This is the master set. I can call each girl using it should I need to get their attention. Depending on how I hit it, I can relay instructions."

Kirsi turned around and pulled up her dress, revealing a buttplug decked with a five-petaled white flower with a yellow center firmly nestled in her apple-shaped bottom.

Azalea swooped down to get a closer look. "Oh! How cute! A plumeria?"

"Oh, is that what kind of flower it is?"

"Yes! They grew all over the fields near my home," Azalea divulged before flashing her own. "We got one too!"

"How lovely, like a little cut gem. It does a good job of catching the light. I've never had anything in my butt before, so I'm still getting used to it."

"You and me both," mumbled Suvi.

Sable patted the peppy girl's head. "Kirsi is our newest full-time employee."

"That's me! This is my third week. I'm mostly waiting tables and providing

supplemental milk when needed." She pinched her nipple, letting a few droplets fall onto her finger to show everyone before sucking it clean.

Kirsi felt a tug on her sleeve. "This one couldn't help but notice the uniqueness of your uniform, especially the way it draws the eye to your mammary glands."

"You like it? It's woven of high-quality sheep girl wool." She raised her arms and performed a little spin.

"Designing it together was such fun, but we had a hard time deciding because we all wanted different things. The sisters like to flirt and flaunt their bodies, so they wanted a lot of cleavage showing, but Janina wanted it functional -- also, her boobs are enormous -- so no tight clothing. We opted for a full cutout to let our boobies hang free."

"Since all our customers love our milk, I thought we should represent that?' I suggested the boob window be heart-shaped and framed with lacey bows."

Stable straightened one of the ribbons. "The proprietress and I wanted to make sure they felt they had a say in how they presented themselves. The girls comprised three groups, so each was responsible for their group's base design. After two weeks tossing around ideas back and forth to the manufacturer, this is what was settled on."

"Do you normally not wear the same uniform, Miss Sable?" Asked Reina.

"Only when we are at full capacity and need more hands helping out."

"Which is almost never because she thinks customers don't want to see a woman with small boobs. She's only one size smaller than me, and I keep telling her size doesn't affect how much milk she produces," Kirsi explained with a giggle.

"You girls produce more than enough."

"You're making your customers sad! She has a small handful of regulars who love how she tastes," retorted Kirsi.

"They don't miss me that much."

"Yes, they do!"

Azalea peeked behind Sable. "If Sable also has a uniform, does she have a plug, too?"

Caught off guard by the question, Sable stammered, "I...er...yes, all employees wear one."

"She has a special one only the boss has a bell for," Kirsi snickered.

Sable coughed. "We've spent enough time gabbing. Don't you have tables to attend to?"

"Yes, I just got buzzed! Enjoy your evening, everyone!" She bowed before trotting to a far table.

Sable led the company around the room's edge and to the base of a broad, curving stairway that led up to the second floor. "The balcony seating is for overflow or reserved for special guests and events."

Jeni placed her wing on Devin's arms to steady herself as she hopped up the steps. He lauded the owl girl, "I haven't had a chance to see you really interact with anyone outside your shop. You've come a long way."

She flapped her wings slightly at the compliment. "This one has been most appreciative of big sister Mavis' tutelage before going to the academy and of her fellow students for allowing the social interaction needed to communicate more effectively."

Reaching the top of the carpeted stairs, Sable pushed open a small set of double doors and ushered everyone inside.

A long, carpeted room stretching the length of the tavern formed a semi-circle at the far end. In the center, underneath, and behind the stained glass they had seen at the entrance, was a parrtly-curtained-off stage.

Half-obscured in the dim light sat a woman in a white and blue gown, legs crossed and her talons idly clicking. She gracefully stood up and bowed. "Welcome, eagerly-awaited guests, to an evening you won't soon forget."

Devin squinted. "Mavis?!"

Sable crossed the room and lit the sconces on the wall.

"Hello, little brother!" The smirking raven harpy crossed the room in three strides, embraced him in a light hug, and kissed him on the cheek.

He hugged her back, glad she wasn't going for the mouth. "What are you doing here?"

"I maybe should have mentioned I'm a major investor in your negotiations tonight."

Devin frowned, "You are?"

"I am. I have a lot riding on this, actually."

"That's worrying."

She looked serious for a moment. "Yes, but not entirely in a monetary way."

Devin looked at her, puzzled.

Mavis glanced over Devin's shoulder, "Jeni! Is that you?"

Jeni peaked out from behind Reina. "Greetings, older sister Mavis."

She pushed Devin aside, grabbed the fluffy owl, and spun her around, squeezing her tightly. "It's been too long! I'm so happy to see you!"

Jeni hooted happily. "This one is also joyous at our much-delayed reunion."

"You live in the same city. You should go see her more than once a year," Devin muttered.

"But that's what you're for when I'm too busy, silly."

"You know she loves you just as much as me."

"Not entirely accurate, little brother. Look at this face." She held Jeni out in front of her, "This is the face of a girl who wants to join your harem."

"Since when do I have a harem?" Devin challenged.

"You have three girls with you. Surely, you have room for your childhood friend."

"Um..." Suvi raised her hand. "I'm not really part of their...er...family."

"You're not?" Mavis asked, surprised.

"She was a guide I hired for the girls," Devin corrected.

"And then she became a friend!" piped in Azalea.

"Well, a friend is just a wife you haven't gotten together with yet."

Devin blinked several times, trying to unravel her logic.

"In any case, since you only have two, now you have no excuse," Mavis declared while leering at him.

Jeni, still being displayed like an auctioned item, spun her head backward to look at Mavis. "This one is currently involved in a joint venture with Young Patron in the hopes he will see the benefits one day of being this one's nestmate."

"See Devin? Don't let all this girl's effort go to waste."

Devin sighed. "Can we shelve this for the moment? Don't we have important business to conduct tonight? Speaking of, where is the other party?"

"Everyone's here."

"Eh?"

"I am the other party."

Devin stared at the smug harpy.

"I'm also the owner of this restaurant."

Devin's expression changed to dumbfounded.

"Oh dear, Reina, you should help Devin to his seat. He's looking a little unsteady. Come, come, please be seated while Devin comes to terms about my little surprise! I'll sit here on the far left, Jeni can sit next to me, and you, my dear...?"

"Suvi."

"Suvi can sit in the middle with Devin. Reina should sit on the far right, and Azalea can sit anywhere."

Suvi sat down. "Are we going to watch a play while we eat?"

"Not exactly, but it is what makes our little establishment unique, as you'll see shortly."

Devin, finally collecting his thoughts, thanked Reina for her momentary care. He took a deep breath, "Mavis, can you please answer a few questions plainly and simply?"

"I will," she said, amused.

"Just to make sure I didn't mishear, you're the mysterious person who arranged this meeting so you could negotiate with me to be a long-distance liaison with an unknown person that I need to find?"

"Yes."

"And you just so happen to be the owner of this expensive-looking restaurant for I don't know how many years."

"Correct. Mine in every sense of the word: originator of the idea, negotiator for the land, designer, and purchaser of the building materials. The only thing I didn't do was actually build it, though I did lay the first brick and hammer the first nail as symbolic gestures."

Devin looked at Sable.

"What Miss Mavis says is all correct," she verified

Devin slumped back in his chair. "Why do you enjoy shocking me with stuff like this?"

"Precisely because you're the type of person who likes to know everything beforehand, and that's no fun! I was planning on telling you someday. I was waiting for the right opportunity." The harpy justified.

Suvi put a hand on Devin's shoulder. "Given the rumors I've heard, it could have been a worse surprise."

Mavis, in an overly-dramatic gesture, raised her wings, "ah yes, the rumors, given shape by overactive imaginations and our exclusivity. Orgies? Debauchery? Rich old men bathing in breast milk while virgins feed them grapes and lick honey off their bodies? Or are you referring to a place where mothers and daughters of the affluent come to get gangbanged by well-endowed demi-humans?"

"Uh, I guess they were along those lines," Suvi tentatively spoke.

Mavis snorted. "I can assure you, nothing even remotely like that has or ever will occur here."

"I want honey licked off my body," whispered Azalea.

Devin shushed her with a glance.

"Although, as I hinted to Suvi about, this is what we are best known for..." Sable rang her master chime.

The curtain parted. On the platform were three similarly-clothed barmaids. Their dresses had been replaced with short skirts hugging and barely covering their hips. Tiny white aprons did their best to cover their fronts.

They were each lined up in front of their matching statuary counterpart in front of another fountain. The most eye-catching of the three was a wolf girl with attentive ears, a bushy tail, and a little fang sticking out of her mouth. The chiseled facsimile behind her was squatting with knees splayed, a smug smile upon her lips, daring all to watch her pee into the pool below.

"Didn't imagine they could get more outlandish than the fountain downstairs," Suvi murmured to Azalea.

The wolf girl stepped forward, "Good ev'en, honored guests. Your host would like ta thank'ya for accepting her invitation to dine with us. This evening, we have been asked to be your exclusive servers to provide you with an experience of such quality you won't find anywhere else in the northern realm! Allow me to introduce your hostess', starting with myself."

The wolf girl took another step forward. "My name is Eeva -- eager to serve and ready to please my alphas, that being you folk, and I'm supposed to tell you something about myself. Well, I suppose I like to wrestle with this pint-sized goblin here." She motioned to the green woman seated to her right."

The she-goblin uncrossed her legs and stood up. "And by wrestle, she means having me pin her down and bully her."

"She exaggerates! She couldn't pin clothes to a line," Eeva retorted.

"Said the girl who denies getting turned on when her face ends up underneath this thick goblin ass!" The she-goblin jumped up, pulled Eeva back and took her place.

"Hey, all! Name's Truulté Gress, or shortstuff, or sexy, or cutie. I'll respond to most anything. I'm the resident shortstack. Second-oldest employee after the housepet here. I love to serve people... in all kinds of ways. Especially when it comes to cuddling our cute, little snowshoe hare..."