Immunity, page 17
“And you’re not the sort of person who asks someone else to do something you’re not willing to do.”
“Correct. And so, we’re trying to make this a vibrant city. Our population is too low.”
“You need the humans.”
“Yes.”
“Then maybe you should treat them better.”
“Which is why you’re on the council.”
“As the token human.”
“As a human with a voice, even if sometimes you are stymied. You’ve calmed down.”
“You should have talked,” I said. “If you’re going to blindside me, you could have handled that much better, Khaleesi.”
“You’re right,” she said. “I manipulated you.”
“What?”
“I wanted you to storm out.”
“Like I’m about to do right now?”
“Actually, you are.” She wanted me angry? “Are we done discussing the one issue?”
“You’re stuck,” I summarized. “There’s a good reason you’re stuck, and you don’t want the city to become even less vibrant.”
“Yes.”
“Fine.”
“Go storm out far enough to get Otter, then get your ass back in that chair. Let her have your lap.”
“Why should I?”
“If you do, I’ll tell you why I manipulated you.”
“Fuck you.”
I wasn’t sure if the door would open. It did. Otter was at the other end of the hallway. She heard me and ran back. I didn’t fight her when she pushed me all the way to my chair and plopped back in my lap. “You are calmer?”
“The Khaleesi is going to explain to us why she intentionally angered me during the meeting.”
“I was irritated,” she said.
“At me?”
“Oh, no. Not at you.”
“You just took it out on me.”
“If you aren’t going to let me explain, I’m not going to try.”
“Mute her,” Otter said.
“Don’t mute me,” I said. “I’ll let you finish.”
“I was mad at, well, not all of them. Bellaluna. Myrrh, oh I was most perturbed with her. Aravae. And frankly, everyone that wants to push harder to be cruel while not blocking the things important to me.”
“Explain them.”
“Aravae first. Her proposal is premature. She should come back in a year. But she has support, and if I block her any longer, she’ll block me on everything else. I was surprised she gave us until the next council meeting.”
“Fine.”
“Myrrh for pushing the teaching before you were ready. Everything you said was fair. She is young and far too impatient.” But then she began to glower. “You are mine! You both are. She thought I’d let her have you? Do you have any idea how insulting a suggestion that is? And now she hopes to sneak one of her spies into my harem. I won’t have it!”
“I tried to stop it.”
“Oh, she won’t sneak any spies in, but I’ll let Veronna have a slot. After that, I haven’t decided.” She pointed a finger back and forth at us. “You are both mine.” Her finger finished on mine. “Stop calling yourself a slave. I don’t like it.”
“If the shoe fits.”
“I won’t let you leave in a pique of anger, but if you truly want to leave, I’ll take you. I already promised.”
Otter tightened around me then whispered into my ear, “I’ll tie you to the bench and never let you loose.” I snorted at that.
“What about Bellaluna? What did she do?”
“You are mine!” she said again. “You should be seated beside me. You should sit where I can quietly whisper to you. She wants you out amongst the wolves. I’ve been working to put you on the council since the day I learned you accepted my invitation.”
“I hate politics.”
“I know,” she said. “I need you. Otter needs you. The humans of this world need you. If not you, it’ll take two decades before I could place someone else in your chair. And no, you won’t pass many proposals, but you will be heard.”
I tightened around Otter. I still wanted to be mad, and I was frustrated. I closed my eyes and just wanted to hide for a while.
“I want you to make a new proposal for the next council meeting.”
“I don’t think so,” I said.
“I want you to propose that any time someone legitimately feels blindsided by an issue, she can demand no binding decisions are made until she’s had an opportunity to look into it further.”
“Which I tried to demand today.”
“They won’t want to make it a formal law, but it could be an informal policy, and we tend to follow those.”
“They’ll all vote it down.”
“Bellaluna may act like she’s opposed, but she’ll let herself be convinced.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because she gets caught napping. No one pays attention to all the conversations, and sometimes she won’t realize the implications. It doesn’t happen often, but often enough. Myrrh will agree because I’m going to express my ire with the suggestion she should take two of my favorites. Aravae will be opposed, but everyone knows she’s impatient, and she’ll do more to convince the rest than I will.”
“What do I do?”
“Write it and then, a few days before the next council meeting, tell me in some public setting you have a proposal for the council, and that you’ll present it at the meeting. No hints. That will get it on the agenda, and everyone will think you’re a… what is that English term?”
“Noob.”
She smiled. “I don’t even know what that means.”
“It’s from newbie, which is someone who is new at something, but newbie doesn’t have as many negative connotations as noob.” I sighed. “Why not just do it yourself?”
“Because you effectively already proposed it, you were just a noob how you did it.” I snorted. “And because it’s a good proposal. It’s going to pass, and you’re not the only one who needs you to have a win in the council chamber.”
“Fine,” I said. I was feeling raw. “I think it’s time to mute me now.”
“I’m done with that. It’s a pain in the ass.”
“Khaleesi,” I whined.
“It’s story time,” she said. “And I don’t want you making someone else read for story time.”
“Mute me and bring us back to the harem.” Then I grinned. “You can stay for story time if you change clothes.”
“Perhaps I will.”
“Good. You should.”
“But I’m not kneeling to anyone.”
I thought she was teasing. She did, indeed, mute me. They brought me back to the harem and told me to clean up from exercising earlier. Then I went to find them, and everyone was waiting for me, including Rhosani. She was dressed as a harem girl, and she looked fantastic. I stared for a minute. She offered a shy look, entirely contrived, and then patted my place.
I found myself surrounded, with Otter and Rhosani’s heads in my lap. I stroked both of them for a moment as the others crowded in, one big cuddle pile.
“This is nice,” Rhosani said. “If I ask a question, will I receive an honest answer?”
“You will from me,” I said.
She snorted. “I’m not worried about you. Am I welcome? This is your time together.”
“If you dress like this, and you are Rhosani, but not Khaleesi, then you are welcome,” Glisten said.
“Read the tickle one,” Otter said.
“I want to read one I haven’t read to you,” I said.
“And then the tickle one.”
“Yes. And then the tickle one.”
I read the first one. Around me, there were happy sighs. They were learning to better understand the beauty of the writing, far more beautiful than I could ever duplicate. For a moment, I wished for the abilities of a fine poet.
I lowered the book and let everyone absorb the story. Then Light Touch asked, “Rhosani, do you like this poem?”
“Very much. Snow Dove, have you heard of the Book of Kells?”
I laughed. “Oh, yes.”
“There are times I think of the Book of Kells, but with these poems. I would love to have an illustrated copy of this book.”
“With naughty illustrations?” Spring Giggle asked.
“There is nothing naughty about it,” Rhosani said. “With sensuous illustrations.”
“Sensuous. I like that word.”
There was another sigh, and then I opened the book to Otter’s favorite story. I had time for that story, another long one, and then a short one. I closed the book, and we all grew quiet.
“This is a human tradition,” Rhosani said.
“If you mean a parent reading to her children,” I said, “and she isn’t reading erotica, then yes.”
“The bedtime chime will sound very soon,” Glisten said. “Off you all go.”
No one argued with her. We never argued with Glisten. Rhosani followed Otter and me to our bed. “May I stay for a few minutes?”
“Yes,” Otter said.
She and I undressed. Rhosani didn’t. We all climbed into the bed, and I found myself in the middle, the other two pressed against me. “Am I truly welcome?”
“In our bed?” Otter asked. “We are yours. Even Snow Dove knows this. She doesn’t want to leave. She was only angry. But if you stay all night, you must undress.”
“Only a few minutes,” she said. “Thank you.”
“You meant at story time, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I appreciate Otter’s answer.”
“You are welcome at story time,” Otter said. “But please don’t bring the Khaleesi with you.”
“I won’t,” she replied. “And I won’t come every night. But sometimes.”
We cuddled for a few minutes. And then Rhosani climbed atop both of us, straddling one leg of each of us. She bent over and kissed Otter’s forehead then loomed over me, looking into my eyes. “Please never again ask to leave.”
“I’m not entirely happy with you.”
“I know. And I’m afraid.”
I looked up into her eyes. “I’m not sure I believe your promise. For someone who shares us with every elf who asks, you are awfully possessive of your harem slaves.”
“Would you please stop calling yourself that?”
“An interesting request,” I said. “Sure.”
“What’s the catch?” she immediately asked.
“I’ll stop when you take me shopping in Paris. There’s a lovely café I haven’t visited in years.”
“Snow Dove,” she whined.
“When I know it is my choice whether I return or not, that is when I stop being a slave. Once a year, you will take me somewhere. Otter, too. She’d love French food. That’s the deal. It’s just a word. You can decide how much the word annoys you.”
“You were less annoying when I muted you.”
“Which I pointed out more than once.”
“You are mine,” she said. “Mine! Say it.”
I looked up into her eyes. “I am your harem slave.”
“Argh, why can’t you obey me?”
“I have been obeying you without question for three years.”
“I should paddle your bottom.”
“You may spank me any time you want,” I said. “But if you ever put me back in that device, my cooperation ends. You’ll have to break me, telling everyone I was right about you three years ago. The only person who puts me in that machine is Otter, and she does it to tickle me. That’s the only path to my ever forgiving you for my first day here.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m an idiot. That’s what the two of you are doing.”
“She rubs my bottom, too,” I said. “But not so much as a gentle pat. Tickles and rubs. I want to visit the human village tomorrow. Please arrange for guards for us, but tell them to give us room. Otter and me, and we might ask Light Touch. She probably knows more people than we do.” As I didn’t know any of them, that wouldn’t be hard. “We’ll have lunch in the market.”
“I’ll arrange it.”
“You aren’t invited. They won’t talk in front of you.”
“Understood.”
“Go away, Khaleesi.”
“Please say it my way first, Snow Dove.”
I looked into her eyes. “I am your harem girl,” I said. For now. But I threw her a bone and didn’t say it.
* * * *
The women of the village were leery, but Light Touch moved about the market, quietly talking to them. And in her path, the women turned to watch me. And when we sat at one of the tables, a number of them clustered around.
“Otter,” I said. “Tell them.”
They spoke for a while. I sat quietly. Light Touch said a little, too, and it sounded like the women asked questions. It took time, with Otter giving me periodic updates. They talked about my position on the council, and about how I was beginning to teach Elvish. It took a while to talk about Aravae’s proposal.
One of the women said, “Men.” And then she turned and spat on the ground, making a point. “Gone.”
The women seemed excited about much of the news, but as best I could tell, not a single one cared about the proposal.
One young women listened quietly, but then she started asking questions. It went back and forth, and I hated not understanding the conversation. She turned to another woman, older, spoke for a minute, and the second woman simply said, “Yes,” in Persian, one of the words I knew.
I didn’t know what that was about, not quite yet, and Otter didn’t clue me in. I think she wanted to see my reaction shortly. Instead, she said, “I told you. They have other concerns, but on this, they don’t care.”
I still thought it was wrong, but I nodded. “Thank you for talking to us.”
We got up to head back to the palace. The young woman I’d mentioned walked with us. Otter and Light Touch were watching me. “What’s she doing?”
“Walking to the palace with us.”
“Why?”
“She wishes to join the Khaleesi’s harem and learn Elvish.”
I stopped and turned to her. But then I said, “You know, that’s between her, the Khaleesi, and Glisten. Tell me you told her what to expect.”
“Of course,” Light Touch said. “I thought you trusted Otter.”
“She does,” Otter said. “But she takes her responsibilities seriously.”
I turned Otter to me, my hands on her shoulders. She smiled. “You’re right. I can’t worry about everything. I am going to worry about my responsibilities.”
“And I will worry about the rest.”
“Exactly. Both of you, and Glisten too. Call me harem girl if I need a reminder.”
“We will, harem girl,” Light Touch said.
* * * *
Twenty minutes later found us in the nearly empty audience room with Glisten and Rhosani. “Before anyone says anything, I am only here as an interested harem girl.”
“My harem girl,” Rhosani said.
“Yes, Khaleesi, your harem girl, without any of the other titles.”
“Then you should be kneeling.” She was right. I stepped closer and knelt, exactly as I should have been. She paused then stepped forward, offering a foot. And then she left it there for the remainder of the conversation.
They spoke in Persian. Several minutes in, Rhosani nudged me with her free foot. “Are you listening to this.”
“Not really,” I said. “I don’t understand enough to bother.”
“I want these conversations in Elvish.”
“For crying out loud! I’m working on it.”
“I know you are. Stand up. I need your advice.”
“What part of harem girl suggests I have advice? You got what you wanted. I didn’t say slave, and I said your.”
“You aren’t bribing me that easily. Get up here.”
I sighed, but she helped me to my feet. “I was happy down there.”
“You were not.”
“Yes, Khaleesi,” I said. “I was.”
“Why are you grumpy?”
“Because she carry the weight on shoulders,” Otter answered for me. She moved over and wrapped an arm around me. I laid my head on her shoulder. “I tickle you later.”
“Good.”
The woman – whose name I never learned – asked a question. Rhosani answered then said, “She asked if all harem girls speak to me like you do. Were you this grumpy with your students? Maybe that’s the real reason President Moss wanted me to give you to the harpies. There were too many complaints.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny,” she said.
“I was more cheerful when you kept me muted.”
Otter turned me to her. “Harem girl, tell Khaleesi to trust Otter, Glisten, and Light Touch.”
I didn’t say anything, but instead let my actions speak for me. I knelt again, this time facing Otter, and when she gave me a foot, yes, I kissed.
“I see how it is,” Rhosani said. She nudged me with her foot, but it was done playfully. “Harem girl, I do wish to understand, but we’ll talk another time.”
In the end, they accepted the woman. Rhosani declared her new name to be Honey Bee.
* * * *
We introduced her to the harem, many of us moving to the baths. The woman was a little wide-eyed, but she didn’t stop us from dressing her to match us. She eyed the clothing.
I turned to Glisten. “She is behind. Who will work with her? Not Otter.”
“Silk,” she said. And then she looked past me and grinned.
Hands grabbed me and pulled me to the punishment bench. They let Honey Bee help.
Contrition
“Do you hate me?” she asked, standing over me. I kissed the little toe before edging back towards my heels. I stared at her foot for a moment.
I really was quite a lovely foot, perfectly shaped, with a faint, pleasant, elven scent. I eyed it for a moment before returning my forehead to the floor.
“Are you going to answer me, Snow Dove?”
“I have never hated you, Khaleesi.”
“I am afraid.”
