I wake up feeling refreshed as if regaining health like I was in a video game. I really want to take another bath. I feel so dirty after having sex with the queen and the heat from the baths sound perfect for getting that cold feeling out of my brain. I did not like that at all. I didn't like anything about what she did to me. It is like she was getting off on treating me that way. I wonder how long it will be before dinner time. Nat does not seem to be in the room anymore but I still got my little Ash. Ash stirs awake when I do and he asks, "Do you want to talk about it?" I shake my head, "Not right now buddy. Maybe later. I still feel -" I shiver a bit and continue, "I still feel a little cold and gross. I am going to go to the baths and soak until dinner." He replies with an adorably worried face, "Ok. I am here if you need me, Zoe." I pick him up and kiss him on the head, "I know buddy. I love you. I will be back later." I place him down gently and I walk out the room.
I tell the guards I am going to the baths and one stays by my room and the other follows to accompany me. I am pretty sure both of them heard everything through the door. He seems like he wants to say something but can't find the words. I hate being the object of pity. I train my body so I can be strong. I want to be strong. I can feel he cares for me yet I don't even know his name. I think we could maybe be friends if we got to know one another. I break the awkward silence as we walk, "I do not think I ever caught your name." He replies in that stiff, curt tone of his, "Stirling" I ask him, "So are you a knight? Do you go by Sir Stirling? Where I come from, knights always had sir in front." He replies after a light chuckle finding humor in my words, "No it is just Stirling. Though I think I like the 'Sir'. The idea of being called 'Sir Stirling' makes me happy." I replied back, finding the energy to shoot him a warm smile, "Well then it is official. You are now Sir Stirling." He laughs, "I like it." He continues to laugh. I asked him, "What is the other guy's name? I don't think I caught his name either." He replies composing himself back to his stoic usual self, "His name is Broderick, but he likes to be called Brody. Do me a favor and call him Sir Brody when we get back and see how he reacts." He laughs mischievously which seems a bit refreshingly out of character for his strong-silent image.
I giggle at his air of mischievous excitement, "Sounds fun. Thanks again for watching out for me like you do." He replies after gritting his teeth in frustration, "We are just doing our jobs. Just wish we could do more sometimes." He trails off a little. I say, "Don't worry about what happened earlier. I knew what I signed up for when I decided to agree to become a concubine. Like you, I am just doing my job. If you guys could keep the king and the princes from trying to come into my room I would really appreciate it." He replies in a reassuring tone, "Oh, the princess already gave us the order to protect you from them. So when they are concerned we have to be with you at all times to make sure that you are safe." I reply back in a worried tone since it seems like they are always there, "You guys stand outside my door all the time it seems. Are you guys getting enough rest?" He says in a calming tone to help ease my worries, "Don't worry it isn't like we work around the clock there is a night shift. Though they don't work as long of a day as we do, they get paid the same for working unusual hours." I then ask, "Are they at least letting you take breaks or anything? I know Nat got reprimanded when I let her sit down and eat breakfast with me."
He sighs and then shakes his head and replies, "Yea… We heard that and we are in a similar boat. Just so you know we have heard about your furry friend through the door so we are here to help you keep him safe as well. We want to help." I reply, "Well thank you, Sir Stirling." and he giggles a little, still getting used to the new name. I am not going to stop now, this is going to be a thing. Seeing this tired overworked man smile and giggle makes me happy. I want to try and be a friend to him and his partner and start hanging out with them more. I know, I need to sneak them snacks from our tea parties. We didn't have one today but I am sure we will have one again soon. Then we arrive at the baths and he posts up outside the baths in the hallway, "Holler if you need me. I'll be here." I reply back with a soft smile, "Thank you, Sir Stirling" He smiles and I head into the baths.
I sat there soaking. Embracing the heat. Feeling the goosebumps on my skin from the temperature change. Thinking. We are in a world not as advanced as Earth so where did that tail and ears come from earlier. I wouldn't think they would have technology to make artificial sex toys/cosplay accessories. I then think about the "demons" and wolves then my heart sinks. Don't tell me that she made me wear an actual demi-human tail and ears (or maybe a wolf tail and ears) that were fashioned into accessories. That is fucking sick. I have the urge to throw up yet I know there is no more food in my stomach to throw up since I already threw up today. So it turns out to be a dry heave. Wearing the remains of someone I was sent here to help.
I talk to the goddess, "Please watch over the soul who was sacrificed for that terrible outfit. I promise I will do my best to make it better here. I hope and pray their next life is a long one. Sorry I haven't talked to you much yet. I haven't really had a moment alone to just talk out loud. I think most of them would think it weird that it looks like I am talking to myself. I can picture the stares from people now." I chuckle a little bit at myself just imagining it. "Tonight I am going to try and bring the princess with me to see you. Hopefully it works but I guess we are going to find out tonight." I am just starting to get comfy and am about to continue when I hear someone approaching. I turn to find Vi. It appears she is back from her duties away from the castle. She takes off all of her clothes and gets in towelless like usual.
She gets in close to me and puts her head on my shoulder, "Brody and Stirling told me the gist of what happened. I am sorry I wasn't here. Two times now I failed to protect you. I will have a talk with my mother. As of right now you are all mine. No one else's. Ok?" I nod, "Yes, Vi. I am all yours and no one else's." She purrs in approval of my words, "Yes. Say it again." I repeat, "I am yours, and no one else's." She turns my head and kisses me tenderly for a few moments. Then she places her head back on my shoulder, "It wasn't even 24 hours since I made that promise and I failed you again. I talked with Stirling and he will make sure she is never alone with you by my authority ever again." I giggle a little out of place and she gives a confused, "Hm?" I just say, "Oh it is nothing. I just found out his name was Stirling today and I told him how knights on Earth were always called Sir. Now I call him Sir Stirling and it makes him all giddy. I refuse to call him anything but now since it made him so happy."
She laughs, "I might have to call him that to see his reaction. Having the princess call him that might break him though." She laughs harder now, almost cackling and I join her. I agree with her, "Yea, it might be a little too much for him to handle from you. Especially here in this culture where that is not a custom. How was your day today?" Vi replies after a heavy sigh, "There is an issue happening in town and I am not sure what is going on. It seems some people are getting sick. Not many right now but it is worrisome. I am scared it is something big and I am not prepared for it." I ask, "Do the doctors know what they have or why they are getting sick?" She shakes her head, "They don't know what this is yet. They say it is almost like they are poisoned. Yet when I looked up all the affected victims, none of them seemed like they were involved in foul play. Just like with most incidents like this, the worry has caused some tightening casualties as well among the unawakened population."
I respond with a furrowed brow, concerned, "Yea, that is pretty serious. Hopefully the doctors can figure out what is going on soon. Are you ok? It seems like today was a little hard on you." She scoffs, "You realize that the reason it was hard on me was when I got back and heard from my retainers, right? Yes, my day was a hard one but what was harder on me was hurting you again." She lifts her head off of my shoulder and looks at me with tears in her piercing blue eyes, "I am sorry. I promise I will do better." She then kisses me on the forehead, "I have an idea. How about for tonight we get our dinner served in your chambers? I can just tell the family you aren't feeling well and don't feel well enough to go down to the dining hall. What do you think, Zoe?" Looking at me for approval. I am actually really relieved not having to see the queen again so soon.
I close my eyes and sigh in relief, "That sounds great, Vi. I was literally just thinking how awkward it was going to be with her highness at dinner." She smacks her hands on top of the water with a pop that startled me since it was sudden and then says, "Then it is settled! I will have Nat bring a cart with dinner for two (plus Ash) to your chambers." We finish bathing while chatting about my magic and where I am currently at right now and how I need to compliment myself every time I see my reflection. She giggles a little bit, "Some people observing are probably going to think you are conceited." I reply wearing a slight smirk feeling a little nostalgic of my previous life, "I know they will. They did it in my first life too. I just liked to look at myself back then though. 'Look at that handsome woman,' I would often say to myself." I say as I get a pain in my chest and sweat starts jumping from my brow.
Vi grabs me with a worried filled expression and says, "Quick say something nice about yourself." I immediately say, "I like my knees. I like my knees. I like my knees." The first thing I realized that made my core react positively. My core releases the tension and I sink back into the water. Vi giggles and asks out of curiosity, "What happened to your knees in your first life?" I stop and think about if I should tell her. I have already entrusted her with many secrets and she has a good heart so fuck it, "I was in my nation's military for 6 years. During my time in the service, I got in an accident during a field exercise and it hurt my knee." She looks at me with astonishment, "You were a soldier? Really?! I would not have guessed. Not that I don't think you look the part because just looking at you I could see it, but having known you personally I know you are such a gentle soul."
I reply while starting to actually clean myself now instead of just enjoying the heat starting with my sweaty brow, "Thankfully I never had to take another life and I didn't see that much fucked up shit. The hardest was losing my battle buddies back home. They were so troubled by the things they had seen while they were deployed, and the things they were forced to do. Like the most common was killing child soldiers. The enemy would make children fight because they knew the psychological torment it brought our soldiers. It burdened their souls to where they felt like death was the only escape even back home in a peaceful environment. Vi gasps, "Goddess, that is just so terrible! Child soldiers?!" I nod confirming and then continue, "Since being here I have also been tempted to hurt myself, but I know I can't. If I die, I am damning all the life in Gaos to continue living in constant conflict. The goddess entrusted this mission to me and I must do my best to see it through. She believes I have the power to bring peace to this world. I am not saying her faith is misplaced or anything, but I know for a fact I will not be able to do this mission alone and I will need allies."
Vi replies with those piercing blue eyes filled with reassurance, "You have an ally in me. That is your start. You will gather more allies on the way." I nod feeling very thankful for having an ally in her, "Yep, that is the plan. Thank you for being there for me while I am here." Vi reaches out and squeezes my hand in response to my words and I continue, "I am starting to get dizzy now, so I am going to call it." I say as I stand up waiting until I am completely out before bending down to grab my towel. I didn't get my hair wet during this bath so I just dried off my body. Once I am dry, I throw my clothes on and I see Vi out the corner of my eye, get out the water and do her water magic thing to dry off. I tell her, "I am going to go back to my room. How long do you think you will be?"
She is getting her clothes perfect while responding, "I won't be too awfully long, so work on your magic while you wait." I reply while fixing my hair finger combing it, "When I am not talking to anyone that is what I am working on. I might not say anything out loud but I work on it introspectively. Though sometimes I falter and think of something I shouldn't then my chest tightens. That actually happened during our first bath together." Vi replies looking like she recalled it exactly, "I thought that is what I saw. It was very brief and it seemed like you had everything under control so that is why I didn't say anything. I didn't want to run the risk of accidentally making it worse. At that point in time I knew nothing of the feelings involved with your magic so I wouldn't have been able to give you any advice anyways. We were always taught to be very cautious with unawakened strangers who are having a tightening episode because you never know what the feelings they need to feel to get better and if you get it wrong it could be fatal."
I reply, "I can definitely understand that with the sheer variety of different emotions involved with magic. I'll see you later, Vi." She gives me a kiss and I head back to the room making sure to stop at every mirror and say something good about myself. My neck is very red from the collar earlier and it will probably turn into a bruise. I try not to think about that and keep complimenting myself. Once I am in front of my room I see Sir Brody looking at me with a similar worry Sir Stirling did earlier. I say, "We are back, Sir Brody." His worried face softens and he is slightly confused by the sir, but smiles ever so softly, "Welcome back, Miss Zoe." I giggle, "Just Zoe is fine." He replies, "Well just Brody is fine." I laugh a short laugh and I tell him the deal with the Sir and tell him to get used to it. He then replies, "Then don't get mad if I call you Miss Zoe." I reply back, "Fair enough" Sir Stirling is over there smiling, having been amused by the interaction.