"Why 't I just marry the women I love? I had it. Just a few months and I would've had everything I wanted!" I shout out.

  "Perhaps. But you would've had a lot of problems in your final months. Yuki would o find something to keep you safe. Then, the Queen could call you a traitor for marrying Yuki and running off. Likely ending with you as the prize for the throne."

  "Why would she give a shit about some brothel whore."

  "The Queen, mind your tongue when talking about her, Alzi. I don't want to be mean about it, but she is the one person you shouldn't insult," Shimmer says, the fmes in her pupils e alive again for her little warning. "You think your hair and light show are normal? Think for one sed that you don't have a e with the Goddesses? No, the Queen was happy you were helping the he sed she catches wind of y to leave is the sed she'll bel you a traitor and show you what a true breeding bitch is. Milked every day for your semen. A true sve colr on you. You'll fuck who she says, and every day would be a new girl. Some would be sves, others traitors of the Queendom. Many of the very nobles you hate. You would fiesting the best method fetting your womb filled to the brim."

  "Yuki said nothing about running off. She said I would have to marry a noble. Fluvis was my top choice."

  "Think a Duchess wants to carry around a bunch of women without a css?" Shimmer says, the maids setting the table through ument.

  "They have a css. They are weak, but they have a css," I say.

  "Fluvis has two wives. The three of them make up one of, if not the stro, noble houses. Most Duchesses have ten wives. Think Fluvis would just take in your weak Mother? I'm n to be mean here, Alzi. I just want you to see that the world you think the Princess stole you from wasn't a clear cut as you think. Many houses wouldn't let y in the people you love. The Princess will let you. But it isn't really safe for them. tests will happeween the families. tests that, if the wives are too weak, will end up with them killed. It's best for them to wait till this process is over to be full wives. I promise we will marry them. Please just give us some time, my love," Shimmer says.

  "Fluvis would do it," I mumble. Pig away at my food. I'm not sure who is meant to start this one, but Aurora doesn't pin. But the expression on her face makes it impossible to tell if she was being nice or if I really didn't break a stupid rule.

  "Maybe. Maybe she would do it and we really did take you away from everything you ever wanted. Maybe you would've gotten into another house that would accept the women you love. Or maybe Yuki would've done something stupid, and you would end up in a much worse state. Or maybe you would've ended up in a different family that would never let you marry your Mother," Shimmer says. "This ohe family you have now will let you marry your Mother. That has to be worth something. To not have that worry. We haven't done a good job of weling you, but we love you and want you to succeed. In the noble world, men are sold off to families, and women fight to get into them. Your colr is the one difference you have to other men in the noble families right now."

  "I'm not a noble. I'm a whore."

  "You are a noble. Not a whore. Not a prostitute. You are my wife, Alzi. Someone I love and wish to see happy. I am not saying you will never marry your Mother. I'm saying you o wait a bit. I know you have been waiting a long time, and it was right around the er, then all of a sudden, it felt like never. But it will happen, and I will push for them to join you soon. But right now is a delicate time for the family. We just got started ao make our name and power known. Yuki, Nakuma, and even Kelly do that. But the others would hold us back. We just need some time to get us in a good spot, and then we do it," Shimmer says. "I don't want to give you a timeline in case it falls apart, and I know that sounds like it will never happen, but it will. A lot is going ht now."

  "My csses disagree with you."

  "Csses don't define you. I'm not defined by them. I don't box myself away based on what they are called. All csses do is give you power and they have given you plenty of it. You are a powerful woman, Alzi, and we are teag you how to use that power and make it yours. This is a pce where you grow and find more love, as well as ect with those you already love. Your introdu to the family was a shit show. But please don't let that ruihing else we have to offer you."

  "Your csses are all good. They haven't been staring you in the face, calling you a sve. A breeder. I don't even know what a high breeder is. But fuck does it feel like shit seeing that is what I'm being turned into."

  "You aren't our breeder. We aren't eveing you get us pregnant. None of us have asked you to carry our children. Dear, we see so much more in you. Elora taunted you to get her pregnant. Aire night, and she won't have a kid in nine months. We see your power as a healer. Someoh whom we build a friendship will support us and help us. Someohat I want to help. Someone I fell in love with in a sed, and I'm just going deeper. You are an amazing woman, Alzi. And you are right. My csses all have good names. I uand that yours has been a source of pain, and I get why. I'm not saying that pain is stupid or should. I'm saying that you are more than the csses. Your massages were seriously overpriced if you just pare it with others that offer it. Yet people stantly wanted you. Not for the sex or the kids. But to walk out feeling like a kid again. To heal their aches and pains. You have a skill that helps you heal people despite all your ames being about sex. That is what you truly are. Someone who heal. You deserve more than we are giving yht now. But we are the only group that will fight to get what you deserve."

  "I just want this colr off and to be with my Mommy," I say, fighting back my tears. "If I deserve more, then just give me that."

  "Elora is scared you'll run off a kidnapped."

  "Fuck her."

  "You did plenty. She looked like a grandma walking to breakfast and couldn't sit down properly. Now, I've said all I say on this subject. I know it isn't the most ving with a colr around your neck. But I mean every word of it, Alzi," Shimmer says. "I hope you're still willing to join in the sauna tonight. I have a mission I have to start tomorrow and it will likely be the st ce for a hot bath."

  "Yes," I tell her. It really felt too good to pass up.

  "Good, it's more fun when you have friends to bathe with," Shimmer says. "Now Geta is doing a very iing workout, and I heard she's pnning on showing a lot of skin for it. Want to join me in admiring our wife after lunch? I would love to cuddle up with a wonderful woman and watch that powerful thing run around and throw things."

  I give Aurora a quick look; I don't know why. The stupid maid just deal with my decision. She gives me a nod anyway.

  "I guess," I say. It has to be better than dealing with whatever lesson Aurora had pnned.

  "Good, I get more time with my new wife before I have to run off to help the Queendom," Shimmer says with her stupid smile.

  ...

  Lunch was the normal affair. Shimmer gave me a rundown of every noble's dress at yesterday's party. aterial, style, heel size, and jewelry. I 't say I notice the clothing too much. I'm used to the clothing falling off a bit too fast, I guess.

  Nee style after nee style, even how the hem of the dress was dohen the overall silhouette and just too much detail to care about. I mean, the question should just be, does she look good or not? And evehat only matters if you're watg her. If I have to talk to them, wouldn't how hey are be better to judge them?

  I guess they all know each other well enough that, at this point, all they judge is clothing. Hopefully, Shy does a good enough job so they don't start harassio dress better.

  "Ready to go watch Geta?" Shimmer asks me.

  "I guess," I say back.

  "Perfect. I think it will be a good show, and afterward, we do a bit of exercise ourselves before dinner and a wonderful bath," Shimmer says, putting the pointless napkin oable and standing up. "I'll miss you when I leave tomorrow. Our little lunches have been a real treat for me."

  The sed I stand up she has her arm looped in mine and leads me over to a back through the garden. Our maids move quietly behind us. I guess another set of maids will e by to up.

  We shrough the beautiful garden, past flower bed after flower bed, a geream running beside us to water the pnts. Shimmer's breast is pushed into my shoulder. The soft, warm flesh tempts me to see if my skill will work through clothing and maybe get her to strip a yer off so I finally see her figure unobscured.

  O of the garden Shimmer heads towards a different field from the one we normally use for my flight training. I wonder if this one has a wall of 'knog their sve wife down' around it as well?

  Past the thick wall of trees, I see three chairs pced out on the edge of the field, Geta warming up off to the side. A bunch of random obstacles and items are pced around, ready feta to do whatever this thing is.

  Shimmer pushes me into the middle chair, ach Geta stretch.