Chapter eighteen C.

When we reached the kettle and pan, the front door did not seem to be the main entry point as a hostess stood behind a small podium to the side of the building. "Good day Exalted Lady Ashley and Rachel, Exalted lord. Exalted lady Elizabeth is here will you be joining her today?" The exotic-looking hostess asked after clearly recognizing Ashley and Rachel.

"Oh, that's wonderful, but no. if it's possible to get a table next to hers that would be wonderful?" Ashley said.

"Right this way, we of course can accommodate." The hostess said. As she turned, a rich ivory white braid swung as it hung down her back. Her skin was coal-black, and her eyes glowed a warm amber. Her ears came to points like an elf, but the small black horns that swept back from her temples on her head distinguished her from the elves.

She had to be wearing all black clothing, blending with her skin effortlessly.

"Exalted Lady Ashley and Rachel; how wonderful to see you today. I did not know you would be about?" Came the voice of Elizabeth from a few days ago.

"Exalted Lady Elizabeth, we were not expecting to be about today. But Rachel and I finally got a husband from the college, and he so graciously offered to go on display with us today. This is Exalted lord Eric Grayson." Ashley said in an overly happy tone that did little to hide her excitement at showing me off, as she politely indicated to me.

"Ah, Exalted Lady Elizabeth, a pleasure to see you once more." I said.

"I see your test was successful then after all."

"I was never worried, and who might these lovely ladies be?"

"Oh, do forgive, this is lady Ballad and lady Fits."

"A pleasure." I said, bowing my head slightly in greeting. From their introduction, I knew they were not mages, so I guessed any more than a polite bow would come across as strange.

We sat, and soon after, we had ordered an arrangement for lunch. And Ashley had finished telling Elizabeth all about the flowers she had so wisely selected; Elizabeth and her companions left to continue their day with pleasant goodbyes.

Halfway through the lunch; A wonderful cool, light fruity tea and a light selection of artfully crafted vegetables left me full but not heavy, I asked. "So, are you going to finally tell me what kind of mage's you are?" I said playfully.

"I do suppose it's time." Ashley said.

"Very well." Rachel added.

"The Wintershore's are famous for being powerful ice mages. And I take after my family's affinity, with water and air as my highest affinity." Ashley said with a proud smile.

"My highest affinity is earth, but I have a wider range of affinities I can cast spells from." Rachel added.

"How long have you been at the college?"

"Rachel and me enrolled at the same time. About six months ago. We've been planning on going at the same time since we were little girls." Ashley said with a warm smile.

"Oh. How long have you been friends?"

"Our fathers are some of the few mages that can teleport. As such the Diamond of the west and Wintershore are of strategic value so our fathers often consult with one another. Even though they are on opposite ends of the Empire. They started bringing us along, since we were there only female children, they thought we could become friends. We met when we were eight?" Ashley said questioningly and looked at Rachel.

"We were seven but only a few months away from our birthdays. which are only days apart." Rachel added.

"And when might those be, it would seem remiss of me to forget such important days?"

"Mine is the 46th of May. Making me the oldest and wisest." Ashley said, feigning a wizened tone.

"By three days; mine is the 49th of May. As you can see Ashley carries the burden of age, wrinkles and all." Rachel said in mock outrage.

"Listen here young'en...why I odd'aa whip your behind for that, wrinkles and all."

"Mmm. Don't tease Ashley, you'll have me all worked up in no time."

"Brie could always take care of you?" Ashley said with a wicked grin, instigating a clearly previous friendly argument. She also gave a slight playful tug on Bries leash. The booth at the restaurant was normal, except for under the table. Which had clearly been designed to allow three or four slaves to sit at their master's feet.

I felt Brie brush past one of my legs on her way over to Rachel's lap. The slight blush that rose on Rachel's cheeks indicated exactly how Ashley wanted this to go and exactly how Rachel didn't want this to go.

"Ashley really..." Rachel let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, just let her play with you a little bit; you know I just love that shade of color on your cheeks."

I felt Sasha's head move on my lap a little, probably to look at Brie under the table. I was still enjoying the few delicately sculpted pieces of vegetables and fruits on the table as I watched the flirty exchange between the two.

"Why don't we Ask master Grayson and see exactly how he wants this to go?" Ashley said with a devilish grin as if she had already succeeded.

With a deepening blush, Rachel looked at me as if she had not considered me in her current predicament. "My Lord, what would you like Brie to do or not do to me?" Rachel asked with a pleading smirk on her face, letting me know this was all just fun and games, and she was fine with it going either way.

Ashley turned a feral smile on me, and I knew that it would turn to a playful begging pout the instant I sided with Rachel. I decided to meet halfway, "Well seeing as I won't get to see Ashley punish your lovely bubbly behind Rachel, I think you should just have to live with the knowledge that once we get back to our home for the night that is exactly what I am going to have Ashley do to you."

Rachels face stretched in a smile, then froze as she realized that she did not completely win this one against Ashley. Ashley, on the other hand, looked wonderfully intrigued; though she did not corner Rachel into playing publicly, she would get to punish her best friend later.

By the heated and flushed looks on their faces, I had managed to walk the tightrope between what they both were looking for. Hopefully anyways.

We finished with the remnants of the meal. Extricating ourselves from the booth, we walked to the far end of the bar, where there was a reserved spot for us to pay for our meal before we exited the restaurant. While we were walking over, I made eye contact with Rachel and made a gesture indicating whether I should pay or not. With a slight shake of her head, she pointed to both her and Ashley, indicating it would be customary for the ladies to pay.

The same Obsidian black beauty was behind the register as we made our way to leave. I made a note to myself to find out from Ashley or Rachel or someone what species she was. Because for all my mythological and fantasy Lore I had gathered, I was still unsure if she was some form of dragon Ken or something else.

In a swirl of blue, Rachel step forward and, from a small bag at her waist, pulled out some coins. I did not get the chance to see how much the meal was because, at that moment, a happy, overly friendly voice said, "Oh... Exalted Lady Ashley... how wonderful."

With a soft, hesitant turn from the register, which was clearly done by Ashley to allow her the time to gather herself, she said, "What a wonder. Exalted Lady Tiffany. Truly...a pleasure. And exalted Lady Adelia, ever in toe I see."

The lady Tiffany was defined by a classic noble look. She was tall and slim. Her straight blond hair was woven in artful braids that had jeweled flowers in them. Her eyes glowed a light blue like the sky at the beach in summer. She wore a simple white dress, done with ivy patterns of gold, a large white sun hat with bright gold on the underside outlined her face like a halo. She was lovely, and if not for her snide tone, I would have thought her beautiful.

"One does try and keep exceptional company." The lady Adelia said. She was of average height and had black hair that faded into metallic silver tips. She was a petite girl with an expertly display chest. Coming from a world where the variety of women's chest support apparatuses could be viewed, I would guess she had a C-sized chest but wanted it to look closer to a D. She wore a black and silver corset with slim sleeves. The skirts she had on wrapped around her were in a pleated fashion, providing for a flickering effect of silver and black.

I immediately felt the hostility between the four women as Rachel's glare could be felt as she moved away from paying. The door chimed, and a man walked in. Well, I guess you might call him a man by the vague fact that he was human. But the weaselly greasy short-haired boy that walked in was anything but a man.

His black hair was short but had an astounding amount of grease in it. The vague attempt at a mustache was trying to be grown in but looked more like mold growing under his nose. His eyes were a sharp blue that held a condescending glint to them. The man's short stature was done no favors by the over-embellished gold and green robes he wore.

He walked up beside Tiffany and said, "Why...hello there little frozen flower, it is always such a pleasure to see you Exalted Lady Ashley and Rachel."

"Exalted Prince Leonard, I do hope you find yourself in good company?" Rachel asked.

"Why heavens yes, Tiffany is so obedient in her acting wifely duties along with Adelia, they have come to heel nicely." Leonard said without the slightest recognition towards the women.

"You ever do us the favor in complementing us Lord. And who is that you have with you Ashley?" Tiffany said in the most affectatious voice I had ever heard.

"Why do let me introduce, Exalted Lord Eric Grayson. We were assigned to be his acting wives for his time at the college." Ashley said far more diminutively than I had heard her be before. Yet at the same moment, she came close and took my left arm lightly as Rachel did the same on my right.

"Wonderful another peasant joining the ranks of the mage nobility. It still amazes me these things happen; how does one of obvious low standing gain the privilege of being acting husband to the frozen flower of the east. The way the college is assigning things... they must not want marriages to be made... as if Duke Wintershore or Duke Albillac would permit you to marry..." the huffing pondering tirade was the calmest, most dismissive thing I had heard. It was as if Leonard were talking solely to himself with no one else present.

Ashley and Rachel simply tightened their grip on my arm, and I could also see a triumphant look in Tiffany and Adelia's eyes. Understanding that this jackass didn't even know there was a game being played, too absorbed in his own world, I said, "Yes the eternal mysteries of the college, I am truly lucky to have such pliant and supple acting wives."

"Yes, yes... Ah I know... Lady Ashley when you are done with you time, I will allow you to become a third or fourth wife. Yes, fitting for me to collect all the flowers of the east to decorate my bed."

"The exalted Prince is most kind to think of this flower, but only time will tell how his lords garden will grow." Ashley said.

"Hum...Yes... Come women, I am hungry." With a disregarding mumble, Leonard turned to a hostess and followed her in.

With curt nods, both Tiffany and Adelia followed behind. It was clear the exchange had been cut short by the Prince. The whole time this had happened, Sasha had come to stand directly behind me, her hand on my back. Brie had taken to the floor and curled up much like a sleeping fox wood by mine and Ashley's feet.

Leonard, Tiffany, and Adelia had two human slave women with them. They stayed in the back and kept their heads down. They had on simple loincloths attached to a jeweled belt with small bells hanging from it; their wrists and ankles had the same bells attached. As they followed behind their owners, a soft tinkle could be heard. I could barely make out the color of their dirty blond hair as they walked past, but the bruises they wore stood out in stark contrast.