Saban
"You will be on your best behavior tonight," Anita ordered me, trying not to move her lips as a maid carefully applied her makeup. "Understand?"
"Yes, mistress," I replied in the appropriate subservient tone. And I would be on my best behavior, too. The happier I kept Anita, the more likely she was to reward me with a feeding.
She really did look lovely tonight. Not as delicious as when she was naked, of course, but quite lovely, in an aesthetic sort of way. Her long, flowing dark blue dress, clinched tight at her usually nonexistent waist, was dotted with magical lights, giving the impression of a night sky covered in stars. Her figure, usually boyishly flat, now had curves, thanks to the careful artifice of whalebone and fabric. A small, magically lit tiara graced a hairstyle it had taken an hour with a hairdresser and some careful magic to achieve, and a glittering necklace pointed to the suggestion of breasts and lit delicate shoulder blades. Sparkling high heels were barely visible below the waterfall of skirt. Even her face, usually vaguely draconic in appearance, looked ladylike thanks to the heavy application of makeup. Her green eyes peered imperiously out from under magically lengthened eyelashes and a set of artfully disarrayed brown curls.
Marian opened the door. Her dress was spring green, and a bit more revealing, mostly, I suspected, because it actually had something to reveal. Her hair and dress were covered in flowers, charmed not to wilt or fade, and several enchanted butterflies flew lazy circles around her. Her hair looked like she'd just gotten out of bed, a style, I suspected, that had taken even longer than Anita's to achieve. I could definitely sense a lot of magic holding it in place.
I myself was wearing my usual tight black leather armor, today with the addition of a stylized sword I had been told not to use and a ridiculously rakish black hat. I sighed. Mortals. So concerned with appearances.
The wizard behind the lights adorning my mistress, the flowers, the butterflies, the more subtle hair magics, and various small illusions peered in behind Marian. His name, I remembered, was Antoni. He was wearing purple and gold. "Almost ready?" he asked, nervously wringing his hands. "Bianca, please tell me you are not using that shade of eyeshadow." He bustled over to my mistress, shooing the maid away, and delicately wiped away the offending blue makeup.Then he began to apply something dark brown. "Much better," he said with satisfaction. "We are presenting my daughter at court this evening; we all must look our best. Thank you, again, for everything you have done for my little girl."
"Dad," Marian sighed. "I'm not a little girl anymore."
"Of course you're not, precious," said a voice from out in the hall. A women entered the room, and looked Anita and I critically up and down. "I don't see why the demon can't wear something more stylish. Also, she," the woman gestured to my mistress, "should be showing more cleavage."
"She hasn't got any, dearest," explained Antoni. "And the demon should look impressive, not stylish."
The woman huffed. "He could be impressive and stylish at the same time. Also, what is wrong with illusory cleavage?"
"I think he looks fine, Mom," Marian said. "And you know Dad can't ever get the bounce right."
Before the woman could reply, Antita, eyeshadow finished, stood. "Lady Daya. A pleasure to see you. It's been, what, a year, since I saw you and Journeyman Antoni last?"
Lady Daya smiled. "Longer than that, Apprentice Anita. Sorry for my poor manners."
"Not at all, my Lady," said Anita. "This is a trying time, after all. Your daughter's future is at stake."
Not to mention her life, I thought. But to mention that would be rude.
"Yes, very trying," replied the Lady. "I have been quite distraught." She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, careful not to smudge her makeup. The pair of doves perched in her hair cooed. I wondered how they were kept from crapping all over her fake blond hairstyle. That would be tricky magic.
As the polite discourse continued, they moved out of the room. Anita ordered me to follow. I did so, staying the prescribed two paces behind her.
When we entered the ballroom, I was nearly overwhelmed by the lights, music, and color, not to mention the various spells about the room. Charmed animals were apparently all the rage with the ladies this season. One woman wore a long rodent of some kind draped around her shoulders. Another led a bear on a slender golden leash. And the charms on the animals were only the most obvious of the spells. I saw mage lights, and heatless flames. Illusions of all sorts concealed and altered. Protective spells were in evidence as well. Even the food was spelled, probably to keep it from spoiling, or, in some cases, melting, though who could tell with mortals. And in the center of all the magic and hubbub, wearing the most impressive set of protective spells I had ever seen, was the king.
I followed as my mistress, Marian, and Marian's parents made their way over to the throne where King Hector lounged, eating a large turkey leg and drinking a cup of wine. As we approached, his jester said something to make him laugh.
"Your majesty," Lady Daya said, curtsying. My mistress curtsied as well, as did her friend. Antoni bowed.
"Bow, demon," Anita ordered in a whisper. I complied, not fighting the compulsion, but bending as little as possible all the same.
"This is my daugher, the Apprentice Wizard Marian, and the Apprentice Wizard Anita," Lady Daya continued. "And you know my husband, of course, Journeyman Wizard Antoni."
"Who's the young man?" King Hector asked, giving the group a cursory once over.
"The demon Saban, your majesty," answered Anita. "My familiar."
"Ah," said the king, looking back at his fool. The man did a trick, and the king laughed and clapped. "Can he hunt? Or do any tricks?"
"He does what I tell him to, your majesty," replied my mistress. "I'm sure he'd make an excellent hunter. He has keen senses, and is skilled in combat."
"Oh, good," said the king distractedly as another group approached him. "Carry on, then. Enjoy the ball!"
As my mistress's group walked away from the drunken fool of a king, Anita asked Lady Daya, "Why didn't you bring up the special dispensation?"
"It doesn't do to rush things. We have time," the Lady responded.
"Besides, he was drunk. He would have forgotten it by the end of the ball," Antoni said. "He's usually drunk," he added glumly.
My mistress sighed. "I suppose we just circulate, then?"
"And dance, and make merry," said Lady Daya. "Enjoy yourselves, like the king said."
"But be careful not to muss your dresses or smudge your makeup!" added Antoni.
Then Lady Daya spotted someone she knew, and led her husband away to talk to them, leaving my mistress with myself and Marian. For awhile the two hung out together, talking to various nobles of their age and daintily nibbling on delicacies. Then Anita spotted something.
"Is that Lord Umbron?" she asked Marian.
Marian giggled, and the noble ladies she had been talking to tittered. "I believe it is. You should go talk to him!" she said.
Anita hesitated. "I thought he went to his family's estates."
"He came back," one of the noble ladies offered. "About a month ago. Go talk to him!"
"Yeah, go get him!" Marian chimed in. The other nobles offered various encouragements, some slightly suggestive. I growled, low in my throat. I wasn't sure why.
Anita smiled. "You're right. I should. It was nice talking to you all."
And with that, she headed off towards Lord Umbron.