DISCLAIMER: All characters engaging in sexual conduct are 18 years or older, and legally permitted to engage in such activities, irrespective of pet names used for each other.
This story has a male main character and is written in the first-person protagonist.
Kingdoms:
Queen Amice-- Capital Morroco -- Home - Cegramond
Queen Hollis -- Capital Djamena - Velho southern island-
Queen Isabella -- Capital Tripoli
Queen Gilfa -- Capital Cairo
"You create the portal as normal but place it on him, pull him through but don't allow the portal to take place. I did the same to a table once." I see her remember the table in her room and she smiles at me.
I take them all to the baths as it is a very large open room. I walk to the end and set the melon down. "I'm going to make the portal, and move it on the tile over there with the stars on it. When you do this, imagine that final pop at the end when it finishes, hold it back from visualizing. Plucking is a good word for it as you pull back at the very end."
"The two cones are wispier, it finishes its form, but I have it close right after opening before it does all the visuals, the melon moves from its resting spot to the stars tile without a portal showing up. "This prevented the guards from leaping through the portal after the previous king."
It takes a while as they are all proficient in magic, but they've spent so much time reciting they lack the imagination to adjust the spell while you are weaving it. Nora figures it out and explains it.
"When you set it down, it will automatically spit the object out, just set it and then close it and both will happen in order. They take turns even after getting it, to work on the timing. I was pretty sure I said the same thing, but hey, what do I know.
Abi smiles over at me, "So when you did the hand thing, you were setting and pulling it closed?"
"Yep." I reply back, I thought it was pretty good.
"It got everyone's attention and they had no choice but to stop." She answers my thought.
"Cataline was ready to mind spike the guards holding the people," Abi says out loud and Cataline turns to stare at her.
"Badass." Neivia nudges her.
"I was so angry he was holding them like that." She whispers. "The guards in the palace are from the surrounding keeps and never should have agreed to do that."
"I was more worried about what they were throwing at us," Neivia says and touches her jewelry. "I felt this losing strength fast. Hey mom, if we run into something like that again, can you keep our shields full?" Mazarine face lights up and she agrees.
"I'll do it if we are split up." Nora volunteers. "I felt it also and heard James, but it's best if you can focus on one thing."
"That reminds me, most of the champions are evocation, we are going to want the other fields in with them, not every encounter needs to start with fire," I say remembering the talk with Harold. "And, I've only been up for a few hours, what do we do now as I am not ready to go right back to sleep."
Pointing over at Denae and Cataline, "Would you two like to walk around town for a little while?" They both agree as they were with me this back home and in the same situation.
We decide to walk south of the house this time. Walking a little east to stay in the commerce section. The lane directions and sections have no pattern that I can figure out, it's like they made forks and circles in the roads for fun. So many lights that you can't see the stars.
"So many people out tonight." Cataline has one arm and Denae is walking on my other side.
I put my arm out and Denae looks over at Cataline, I lift it up a bit more crooked and formal and she takes it.
"I'm following you two, so lead the way." There were all different types of people in Velho as there is here. It is amazing to see the various regional differences and how people dress. I'm wearing the casual sand-colored linen pants and white shirt most men wear during the day at home. Some here are wearing every color at the same time.
Cataline leads us over to a bench in a little side garden area. "We need to talk."
"That never bodes well." I reply right away.
"Tahareesa was saying that we can't go to see the elves until Mom, and I can pass the test."
"Yeah, I don't think it should take all that long?"
"They didn't seem to mind either," Denae replies so I turn towards her. "We don't want to be the reason you all have to wait."
"We certainly aren't going without you." I lean back and put my arms around them. "Everything we did yesterday was so we could appreciate sitting in this perfect little spot and making fun of people's choice in clothing"
Cataline leans over and kisses my cheek and I see Denae take her hand off my leg. Cataline must have seen it also as she sighs and looks around me.
"Are you going to make this awkward and weird?" She asks Denae. "Everyone already talked about this."
"Not out here though," Denae replies looking around.
"Good, I'll scoot over here." Cataline moves over leaving space between us and I pull my arm down.
"Well, its not exactly the same situation between us as it is for you two?" Denae says looking more at me than at Cataline."
"I thought you were taking over Nora's spot?" I ask Denae and she glances over at Cataline.
"That's a real thing? I figured it would be Cassandra." Cataline replies.
"It's not a real thing," Denae replies before I do. "Cassandra is a favorite of many." She laughs again, "There is a lot of conversation going on about that right now."
"Getting back to Denae, we can go as slow as you would like." I keep my arm around her and look up at the lack of stars again. "If you take too long though, they are going to dip you in the bath again."
"That's what I said." Cataline laughs.
"Who is your favorite?" Cataline whispers.
"Depends on the situation," I reply.
"Tonight?"
"Mazarine."
"What! Really?" I see Cataline make a face like she is listening; it is probably the same face I make.
"Neivia said Mazarine just smiled and said she knows why."
I nod at Cataline, "You two hungry?"
"You just ate!" Denae takes my hand in hers and pulls me up. She reaches over doing the same with Cataline. "Let's just keep wandering around, I love being out here."
After a few streets, I see an incredibly old man selling some kind of food in a brown sack. "Let's go see this guy."
A giant spoon that dips the food out of hot oil, lots of salt and he drops it into a little sack, "Here you go." He hands me a one and smiles at Denae. "Queen Denae, saw you here once twenty years ago, you haven't aged a day."
"Oh, I love you!" She wraps her arm around his, "We're taking him with us."
The first bite is shockingly delicious, a salty, crunchy bread wrapped around a thin cut of meat, shaking the bag to see how many are left I'm not sure this will do.
"We are going to need two more of those." I offer each of them one and we end up with five bags of them to take back home.
"We have treats, going to portal into the hallway, I don't want to carry this through the house."
The bags were destroyed by everyone in the room, I watch the laughing and teasing. Mazarine might be quiet but when she speaks it is hilarious as she listens and will use their words against them after they attempt to tease her. Neivia and Cataline don't appear as competitive as I thought they might be, sitting together with Abi. Abi smiles at me as I catch her watching me watch her.
We've had this bond since birth, all day every day, I can feel her attitude and we make random comments back and forth as a rolling commentary. Now that I can reach back it has expanded to seeing and feeling and hearing even if someone else mentions her. Neivia and Mazarine feel the most open of the others, with Cataline being the most distant. Comfort seems to be the key to increasing the strength of feelings let through.
"Comfort? That's a good word for it, usage both ways also contributes," Abi says and I see her plan with Neivia and Cataline while moving Denae my way. I'm fine with that and start walking over to Denae and Cassandra.
Sitting next to Cassandra, I pull her in for a side hug leaning in to kiss her cheek. She tilts her head and smiles.
"Good evening, my mother is coming shortly, she would like to meet you," Tahareesa says to the group.
"Okay then." I help both Cassandra and Denae up. I pull Denae close and kiss her and get the response I was hoping for, no hesitation, the same kiss I got when she was affected by the bath.
"Mmmhmm, salty." I smile and escort them both out to the common room.
We arrive in a pack and see Tahareesa's mother talking, they look like sisters of the same age. They stand as we enter, and they both clasp their hands in front of them at the same time making me smile.
"Aurenthel, meet Cassandra and her two; James and Abi. Denae and her daughter Cataline, Mazarine and her daughter Neivia and Nora. Everyone, have a seat."
"Do you mind if I look at your auras?" Aurenthal asks me and Abi, I stand up and move back a few steps from the table. I have everyone staring at me and feel a little on the spot.
"They complement each other which is to be expected with twins, there is no human in James."