Merchant & Monster Girls Ch. 13

"I saw you gazing hungrily toward the food carts but making no move toward them, I surmised you didn't bring any money. Since I didn't see any owl-girls during my search, I thought this was my chance, and maybe if I gave her money, she would let me take a quick glance. I'm sorry I used you to get to her."

Urola anxiously wrung her hands.

"It's ok. I'm not upset, and neither was she. I'm glad I got to see you again cause I didn't get a chance to thank you. Thank you! You let me have another chance to try Sanna's baked goods. If you've never tried them, you really should!"

"Y...you're welcome." The mothwoman relaxed. "I'll try to remember next time I'm out."

"I want to hear more about this plug type!" encouraged Azalea, hovering a few feet in front of Urola.

"You... you would?"

"Ya!"

"As would I since this is the first time I'm hearing of this," said Aurumina with a raised eyebrow.

Urola looked from the inquisitive fairy to her boss in turn.

"I can show you, but I don't have a finished piece, just a mockup and some rough sketches."

Azalea fluttered closer. "That's alright."

Listening in, the deer woman was one step ahead, holding out and waving the aforementioned item from behind the screen.

"Thank you, Kauri." Urola took one of the models, handing it to Azalea and the drawings to Aurumina.

Azalea turned over the oblong, clay object. "Is this an egg?"

"Yes. It's going to be a jeweled-egg cloacal plug. I've seen countless plug types around the city, but to my knowledge, no one has ever made such a product specifically for harpies."

Azalea held it next to her body. "It's huge!"

"Is it too big? I thought maybe I'd need to make it significantly bigger so it'd stay in."

Aurumina flipped through the design plans. "Urola! This is brilliant!"

"It... it is? I wanted a more complete version before showing you."

"No need. I can already picture what you have in mind," Aurumina confided with a pat to the mothwoman's hand.

"So you approve?"

"Wholeheartedly! We can do so much with this design! The shell can be solid silver, crisscrossed with a platinum frame and encrusted with gems -- either polished smooth or bumpy for added sensation -- or or we could polish a layer of gold thin enough to be a window to a hollow core filled with whatever the buyer wants! We could add them to our more deluxe lineup of products."

Aurumina's mind swirled with ideas.

"Now look at who's suddenly alright with lewd ideas," quipped Kauri.

"I never said I was against them. It's just our regular, normal items tend to sell better."

"If every harpy suddenly wants one, and we make them out of less costly material, they'll become common enough," opined Kauri.

Ignoring the sassy doe, the older jeweler embraced and patted her younger and fluffier apprentice's head. "How soon can you make one?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Harpy eggs come in many sizes, so we'd probably need to custom-fit them to the commissioner. I would like to measure someone to build a practice model."

"If you need a harpy, I could ask my friend Jeni if she'd be willing to help with your project. Do you think Jeni would be interested in something like this, Life-mate?"

"Only way to know is to ask her," Devin reminded his mate.

Urola put the model and design away and tucked her storage drawers behind the screen. "That would be helpful. I would even throw in a discount for services rendered. Is that ok, owner?"

"That's fine with me, as long as you thoroughly explain what you need her to do."

"Of course."

"Are you thinking this would act as a friendship plug for Jeni, Azalea?"

"I am, Life-mate!"

"What's a friendship plug?" questioned Urola.

Azalea turned around, bent over, and lifted her dress to show the mothwoman. "It's matching buttplugs my other love, a friend, and I were given."

Urola, holding her magnifying monocle to her eye, leaned forward for a better look. "This craftsmanship is not half bad. Who made it?"

"A pair of goblin cousins named Eitri and Avu. I think their last name was Tehdä."

"I don't recognize the name."

"It vibrates, too!"

"It does? How?"

"I don't know. We need at least two, and I have to turn them both on and be touching the other person."

"Fascinating. Goblins have a knack for things being a bit more dynamic than what I can make...

"But here we are getting sidetracked. You wanted dishware? I'm not sure we have any stock specifically for fae. I seem to recall a past job involving miniatures for a doll set though. I'll check and see. In the meantime, maybe you'd like to show the Ebonplumes your work, Kauri?"

The deer woman clapped her hands together. "I would love to!"

"I'll leave you to it then. Be right back!"

Kauri stepped out from behind the divider. Standing nearly as tall as Devin, she ambled over to the waiting couple.

"A cutie like you is going to make me blush if you keep staring at me so intently, Mrs. Ebonplume."

"Am I? I didn't mean to! I was just thinking you look very familiar."

"My full name is Kauri Hirvielain if that helps. Maybe you've seen me in town or on a flier?"

"No... who does she remind me of?" Azalea stroked her chin. "Tuuli? That's it! Doesn't she remind you of Tuuli, Life-mate?"

Devin's eyes narrowed slightly. "I didn't get a great look at her, but she kinda does, I suppose."

Kauri gave a knowing smile. "I can tell you why," she stated vivaciously. "It's because she resembles me. She's my daughter."

"Oh really? You look so young!"

"Why thank you. Flattery will get you everywhere. I try hard to maintain my looks.

Are you friends of hers?"

"No, we only saw her briefly when we visited Whitegold."

"How is my little fawn doing?"

"She seemed fine, but didn't look very happy... like it was a bother working there."

"She's probably growing a little impatient about our little arrangement. Sable... do you know Sable?"

"Yes."

"I asked her if she'd hire my daughter in the hope she'd learn some discipline and improve her work ethic. She's inherited some of my younger self's laziness and developed a bit of an attitude due to my spoiling her too much growing up."

"I did see her again briefly at the snow festival. Regardless of her feelings, she did seem to be doing her best. Especially her bladder," recollected Azalea.

"What do you mean?"

"Whitegold offers drinks made from the girl's pee. Well, at the festival, it was snow cones. According to a friend of mine who started working there recently, Sable can be rather... determined about getting new girls into that job role."

"Interesting. Well, I did leave it entirely up to Sable. If my daughter really wanted to leave, she could. She must really be clinging to the incentive I gave her."

"What did you promise?" asked Devin.

"She wanted to follow in her deer mama's hoofprints. If I was satisfied with her progress after a year or two, I'd allow her to work in the family business."

"Being a consultant isn't your main job?"

"It's a hobby. I'm actually a courtesan, of a sort, at a humble hole-in-the-wall tavern called The Widow's Kiss. We don't offer sexual favors, but we do provide delightful banter and flirtatious conversation for young men and women who want to enjoy a fun evening -- a perfect job for us deer girls. We have a reputation for being somewhat... coquettish."

"Some would say you're a cocktease," Aurumina interjected.

Kauri giggled. "I'll admit, in my younger, single years I may have blue-balled many an eager buck, but I put all that on hold when I found my husband. I committed a good number of years to a serious relationship and had two wonderful children."

"So you're..."

"I'm a widow."

"Oh? Oh... I'm sorry," the fairy blanched.

"No, it's alright. I had a long while to mourn. Both my children are grown, and I felt I could move on. I may not commit to another serious relationship, but I'm more mindful of my clients' feelings and let them know exactly where the line is drawn.

"I am well versed in many topics and know all the latest gossip. You two should stop by sometime," she directed at Azalea and Devin. "I can guarantee both of you a fun time."

Devin was the one to respond. "Thanks, but we are in the middle of preparing to embark on a long journey and are unsure when we'll return."

"Pity."

"I noticed you and Tuuli share a love of jewelry," observed Azalea.

"We do. I've added a little here and there to my collection over the years."

Kauri pranced around and posed to show off her ostentatious display. Her auburn hair was flecked with white-gold leaf, arranged as a twisted braid around her stubby, brass-gilded horns, and left to hang over her shoulder. A choker encrusted with scarlet topaz matching her full, painted lips topped off the picture.

Nearly every finger possessed a ring housing a different gem. Her wrists were clasped in sandy, garnet bracelets. Anklets and a matching belly chain, linked together with topaz, hugged her midriff.

"You glitter so prettily!" admired Azalea.

"Many of these were gifts and tokens of appreciation or birthday presents from admirers."

Kauri seductively ran her finger under Azalea's chin and slid her haunch against Devin's hip as she sauntered past. "But that's enough gawking at me. This way. They keep my things on the second floor."

Devin wondered if she was naturally disposed to being flirtatious or if she was acting this way toward them for a particular reason. Either way, it was having an effect on his fairy. He followed Azalea's gaze locked onto the provocatively swaying hips before her. She was lightly rubbing her thighs together, most likely attempting to stymy her arousal.

Lifting her out of the air, he held her in such a way so she was straddling his thumb. Understanding his intention, she mouthed an apologetic thank you and spread out her dress to hide what she was doing.

Kauri stepped into a small alcove housing a stairwell. Turning to look back, "I'm tickled pink. I've never had the opportunity to show off where the magic happens, before. I'm so excited! I don't know what I should tell you about first."

"How about how you got into this side job?" suggested Devin.

"From the beginning is a good place to start. I suppose I should first ask how much do you know about our current sovereigns?"

Azalea shrugged.

"As much as the average person, I guess," answered Devin. "The king is human and the queen is from the centaur clan -- the lesser unicorn tribe if I'm not mistaken -- and together they have two daughters and a son."

"Good! You know that much. I won't bore you with the details of how our kingdom's rulers are chosen or how it's run. Just know that what they lack in political savviness they make up for by how much they promote, contribute and support the art, music, and entertainment mediums of our culture. Most importantly, they are adored by many because they are not afraid to mingle with the everyday citizens."

"They sound like nice people," remarked Azalea

"Veritably. They are open-hearted and regal."

Kauri placed a hoof on the first step and began ascending.

"One of the perks of my job is the opportunity to rub antlers with many different people in various stratums of society. About a year or two ago, I noticed some faces I hadn't seen before. After a little probing I learned they were ladies-in-waiting at the palace in Thawdenn and were currently in town with the royal family to watch a new theater play.

"Now, I don't make it a policy of going out of my way to ask about matters that don't concern me, but should a situation arise when some tipsy customers let slip some juicy gossip about certain peculiarities about the royal family, my ears can't help but perk up."

Kauri wiggled her soft, fuzzy ears weighed down by four moss-green earrings.

"For instance, did you know the youngest princess doesn't like to wear clothes? After turning eighteen, she adamantly declared she would wear what she had to when in public, but at home in the castle, she wanted to feel free, natural, and unencumbered, much to the chagrin of her older sister and mother."

"Sounds a bit scandalous," agreed Devin with a smirk.

"Well, in the early years, before our country was formed, nudity was more commonplace for demi-humans who didn't need clothing for protection. I, myself, don't need them unless it's excessively cold, but I wear them because I like to be fashionable.

"Anyway, her older sister is also not without her naughty habits, as well. I've been told she does a good job of hiding it, but her retainers have occasionally caught glimpses of her not wearing undergarments under her clothes. She is inclined to walking around in public with toys or binding parts of her body in tight leather straps.

Devin mentally chuckled. Since Azalea was always wet to some degree, it was hard for him to gauge how turned on she was, but he was noticing patterns. She'd put more strength into her self-stimulation whenever Kauri talked about something she found particularly titillating.

He couldn't help but kiss the top of her head. She turned to look up at him questioningly, wondering what she did to elicit such a response. He only smiled as Kauri continued.

"So, yeah, she's been growing bored and has taken to sneaking out whenever she's visiting Iceford to peruse the crafting districts for something spicier to try."

"Given what I've seen since I've been here, I'm sure she found a lot of fun things," praised Azalea.

"Now, you're probably wondering how knowing this information is useful to me. When searching out business deals, you naturally look for ones to expand and grow your enterprises."

Devin weighed in, "Of course. Better profits and wages for employees is not an uncommon motivation."

"I'm no exception. Though, in addition to those, I saw an opportunity to ingratiate myself and, by extension, maybe garner some eminence with a demographic I normally wouldn't have access to."

"Nobility?"

"Mhmm. One of the defining features about the service industry is self-explanatory: you provide a service -- something either the other person doesn't want to do for themselves or can't for whatever reason. "

Devin thought hard. "You... wanted to provide a solution to the sisterly pair's foibles?"

"Exactly. For the youngest princess, the question was twofold. How could the princess feel unrestricted by clothes but also satisfy her mother and older sister by protecting her dignity?"

Kauri pulled her dress forward. She flicked her short tail upward, playfully flagging it back and forth to draw attention to her rear. Something akin to a negligee split down the middle was tied around the base of her tail with a white bow. It hung down to the hock part of her legs.

"I roped Urola and Aurumina in to bring my ideas to fruition, and together we came up with this."

The deer woman lowered her hips, parting the silk like a curtain. Suspended underneath the thin material, also attached to her tail, dangled a round, flat gold medallion, emblazoned with the initials F.A., and fitted to cover her anus. Further down and attached by a silver chain hung a briolette-shaped brooch carved with the royal crest, equally sized to cover her vulva.

"Covers the privates in the least intrusive way possible, doesn't it?" Kauri asked with a wink.

Devin felt Azalea shift as she tried peeping at what was underneath, but the exact dimensions of the pieces seemed to prevent just that. Defeated, she agreed. "Ya, it does."

Kauri finished climbing the stairs and pushed open the attic door. Plain yew shelves were set up along the perimeter of the room, surrounding a cluttered workspace in the middle.

"They stuck me up here because I'm messy when the ideas are flowing."

Kauri circled around and placed her elbows on a table, providing a generous view of her cleavage. In front of her were haphazardly strewn drafts and technical drawings between small piles of crumpled-up ideas.

"With that one done, I moved on to the elder sister's desire for something novel to scratch her smutty itch. It proved to be a more difficult task." She reached into a drawer and held up a small, conical, metal cage. "Ultimately, this was the result. Can you guess what this is?"

"A muzzle?" inquired Azalea.

"You're partially right. Instead of keeping something closed, this keeps something open."

Kauri set it on the floor and squatted over it. To a gasp of delight, the genital covering swung away, revealing a scrunched, rosy-pink teardrop vulva that previously frustrated Azalea's voyeuristic urges.

"This particular prototype wasn't made for me, but I think I can demonstrate it."

Rubbing the tip of the cage against her entrance, she lowered her hips with an audible exhale as the metal pushed its way inside.

"Whew, that's tight. I forget how roomy centaur mares are."

Standing up, she swished her tail, pushing aside the medallion, and backed up to allow a better view. Her moist insides trembled and strained against the cage, allowing Devin and Azalea to see all the way to her cervix.

"I've nicknamed this the specula. It's crafted from silver, and those pink gems in the latticework are pearls."

Devin held Azalea, still straddling his fingers, forward so she had the best view. She had an immediate reaction. "It's certainly something! How did you come up with the idea?"

"I tried to put myself into the same headspace as the princess. If I was to capitalize on my already very prominent genitals, I'd find it deliciously improper to wear tight straps under my normal attire with one looped beneath my braided tail so I couldn't lower it, allowing nothing to hide my gaping pussy but the thin fabric of my dress. The next time I saw the royal retainers, I gave them my creations to pass along to the princesses and waited.

"With how much time I put into this and the materials used, it was an expensive gamble. I thought maybe I'd see no fruits from my efforts, but a month later, I received two letters.

"One from the youngest princess. She was very forward in saying her first impression was unfavorable because she thought this was another ploy from her mother and sister to get her to wear clothes. Upon learning it wasn't, out of courtesy, she tried it for a time and surprised herself with how much sexier it made her feel. She did want one minor alteration; with the way she walked, it wouldn't stay in place, so she requested a plug and dildo version so it wouldn't swing around."

Kauri slid a crate toward them. Inside, on a bed of straw, was a massive dildo combined with a sizable buttplug. "Given the size of a centaur's penis, solid gold was out of the question, so I used gold leaf gilding over cedar. Not as conducive as the other one if the user needs to relieve themself but still fulfills the purpose of covering all the necessary places. Also, she didn't like the medallion and instead wanted a heart shape because 'it was cuter.'"

"I can assume the second letter was from her sister?" the fairy pressed.

"She was more reserved and formal with her wording, but in short, she was impressed with my creativity and desired to be my benefactor and tester for future products I might come up with."

"Congratulations! Quite the impressive venture you pulled off. This whole undertaking sounds a lot like something my sister would do," Devin effused.

"Sister? Hold on, Ebonplume... Ebonplume... wait! Are you related to Mavis Ebonplume, the enigmatic owner of Whitegold?"

"Unfortunately, the very same."

Kauri's eyes lit up. "Why didn't I make the connection before?!?"

"You are well informed. I didn't know she was the owner till just recently."

"I know she likes to keep a low profile, but I'm a huge fan of hers! I mean, I've never met her, but the little I've gleaned about her has made her a role model for me!"