Birgit

  “You look absolutely stunning,” Susi said as Birgit finished her preparations and displayed the final results to her sister. “It is good that Niles will be there to keep the prince and all the other young gentlemen at bay. That is, if he can control himself around you in that dress.”

  Looking in her mirror, Birgit had to admit that her new dress was lovely. She had never worn anything so expensive before. It was a bold red, instead of the brown and green she normally wore, and only covered one shoulder. The other shoulder and that entire arm were bare, and there was even a panel at her side that encroached on her stomach and back that was only covered in lace. She would never have picked such a daring dress out on her own, and she was still surprised she had let the prince talk her into it. There was no turning back now, though. They were due to meet the prince and princess for the state dinner soon. Turning from the mirror, Birgit left her bedroom.

  “Wow, you look great,” Niles said with a big smile as she emerged.

  He was wearing his new suit as well, and it looked very nice on him. Rather than a long coat with loose trousers, it featured a short black jacket with red embroidery that highlighted his trim waist and broad shoulders, paired with a dark red shirt and rather tight black breeches with a red stripe up the sides of his legs. He really was a quite handsome man. For a moment, Birgit regretted that he was not escorting her.

  “Well, you are certainly looking dapper tonight, Niles,” Susi said. “I am sure my sister will agree once she finishes staring at you.”

  “You do look very handsome tonight,” Birgit said, looking away and hoping she was not blushing.

  It was no surprise that both Prince Advick and Princess Vedika looked amazing when they arrived at the designated meeting point, where a carriage was waiting to take them to the palace. When Niles left her to take Vedika’s arm, pairing up with her for the evening, Birgit saw what a lovely couple they made and suddenly felt very self-conscious. Compared to her three companions, she was so plain. She felt like a little girl playing dress-up in a dress that was far prettier than she was.

  “You look lovely tonight, Birgit,” the prince said, offering her his hand. “I knew that dress would look magnificent on you.”

  The compliment was delivered with such sincerity that Birgit could not help believing he meant it, and her spirits rose. “Thank you, I love this dress.”

  The prince helped her up into the luxurious carriage, which then carried them to the royal palace where the dinner was to be held. This was not Birgit’s first visit to the palace, but the enormous castle still took her breath away as they approached. It was the grandest, most beautiful building in all of Deca, a true architectural marvel, and the interior was even more impressive. It was a struggle not to gawk openly, as Niles was. To think Advick and Vedika had grown up here, and if she became a royal consort, this would be her home.

  Rather than going directly to the dinner, they went to a small lounge where they waited until a servant came to fetch them for their grand entrance. A herald first introduced the princess, making no mention of Niles at her side, and then introduced the prince. Birgit was both pleased, and a little intimidated that she was also introduced as the prince’s escort. Looking out over the gathered crowd as they descended a grand staircase into the hall, Birgit recognized several nobles, both high and low, but most of the crowd she did not know.

  After mingling for a short time, everyone took their assigned seats. Birgit and the prince were seated at the same table as Niles and Vedika, but not near enough to talk with them. The king kicked the banquet off with a short welcome before the first of seven courses was brought out. Proceeding at a leisurely pace, the meal provided plenty of time to talk and pauses for toasts, announcements, and short speeches between each course. The food was splendid and plentiful, a fact she was certain Niles would enjoy.

  Throughout the meal, the prince engaged in lively conversation with a pair of dukes and their wives who sat near him. One duke seemed quite set on fixing the prince up with one of his daughters. She was a gorgon, not a kappa, and Brigit knew that should Advick become the next king, he would be expected to take a consort from each race, but to have it discussed so openly right in front of her was jarring. In fact, as the meal went on, Birgit increasingly felt like she was just disappearing. She knew that the main reason Advick was here was to impress the dukes who would choose the next king from among the current king’s sons, and she did not begrudge him that. But that knowledge did not make her feel any more comfortable.

  By contrast, every time Birgit looked down at Niles and Vedika, the two were laughing and enjoying themselves. They were a ways down the table, seated with lesser nobles, with whom they interacted to some extent, but Vedika looked like she was paying much more attention to Niles than Advick was paying to her.

  At least Birgit had time to think as the meal progressed. Was this what her life would be like if the prince actually became the next king and chose her as his kappa consort? Tonight, the king was there with his wife and two of his consorts, but not all nine of them. Did she want to be just one of nine, a showpiece to be brought out on occasion? No, that was too harsh a description. She knew the consorts all had roles to play in supporting the king and raising their children. She would have a high social position and would wield some actual power in the government, but how much time would she actually have with the prince? Niles, on the other hand, was with her almost every hour of the day, every day of the week. In fact, her hand felt empty without Niles holding it. Should she give up on the prince and pursue a marriage contract with Niles? Looking down at Niles and Vedika laughing together, she wondered if it was already too late.

  After dinner, there was more mingling, and things got even worse, as at least a dozen different nobles introduced the prince to their daughters or nieces. One of them was even an attractive kappa. The prince was charming and complimented the beauty of each very sincerely, making Birgit wonder just how genuine his earlier compliment of her had been.

  Birgit did not blame the prince for his behavior. It was his duty as a prince. He had an obligation to be courteous and charming. It would have been decidedly impolite for him to ignore the other guests to dote on her all evening, and when the event was finally over, he was again very attentive to her on the ride back to the academy. When they parted ways at her dorm, he thanked her sincerely for accompanying him, and Birgit thanked him politely in return before heading up to her suite.

  “So, how was it?” Susi asked before Birgit even had a chance to sit down.

  Niles had gone to escort Vedika back to her dorm, so they had time to talk.

  “It was interesting,” Birgit sighed, flopping down on the couch.

  “Oh, that does not sound good,” Susi said. “Was the prince not what you expected?”

  “He was perfectly charming,” Birgit answered, “to everyone, even the dozen noble daughters and nieces he was introduced to. I practically felt invisible most of the night.”

  “Well, you know, if you end up a royal consort, you will be one of nine,” Susi said, slithering up to put an arm over her sister’s shoulders.

  Birgit sighed again. “I know, and I realize it was a great honor just to be invited to escort the prince. Being a royal consort would be a great honor for me and our family. But I just do not know what to do. The prince is so charming and handsome, and when it is just us, he really seems interested, but pursuing him means pushing Niles away. And he is already growing closer to Princess Vedika.”

  “Oh, poor sister, having to choose between two handsome and powerful men. Whatever shall you do?”

  “It is not funny,” Birgit huffed, swatting her sister lightly on the arm. “Neither one has actually come right out and said they are interested in me romantically. What if I pick one only to find out they were only being polite? Maybe neither of them really wants me that way.”

  “You are sharing your bed with one of them,” Susi pointed out.

  “And he still has not done anything, well, except when he was still half asleep and mistook me for his former lover.”

  “What?” Susi gasped. “You have to tell me…”

  Niles' sudden return saved Birgit from having to tell the embarrassing story.

  “And how was your evening,” Susi asked Niles.

  “It was interesting,” Niles answered, unknowingly echoing Birgit. “The food was good, and Vedika is always fun to hang out with. But most of the guests treated me like I was just a decoration Vedika had brought. A half-dozen people tried to fix her up with someone else while I was standing right there.”

  Birgit felt a little guilty for the sudden surge of joy she felt.

  The following morning, Birgit met up with Uma and Hilaria for breakfast before leaving on her crystal hunt with the royal twins. She felt bad leaving them behind, but they understood the necessity of growing accustomed to her field study team, and, in fact, had plans to work with their own team over the weekend. Still, Birgit could not help but feel that the meal marked something of a parting of the ways from good friends.

  Niles seemed to sense her mood as they walked out to meet the twins. “Are you feeling alright? You seem kind of down this morning.”

  “I am going to miss hunting with Uma and Hilaria,” Birgit confessed.

  “We had some fun times,” Niles agreed. “But I’m sure we’ll have fun with the twins, too, and we’ll still see Uma and Hilaria around. And you’ll have exciting stories to tell. You can tell them what it’s like to share a tent with the prince, for example.” Niles shifted over to bump into her playfully as they walked, hand in hand.

  “We will all be sharing a tent,” Birgit said, trying to scowl at Niles but only ended up with a twisted smile.

  Who would have ever thought she would find comfort from this huge alien man who had terrified her so when they first met? It would be nice to spend the day flying to the mountains with him on her mount. There had been so little time for them to spend alone together this week.

  When they reached the practice field they had picked to meet on, they saw the twins and a pair of servants with a hand cart were just arriving as they reached the spot. The princess had volunteered to arrange for all the supplies they would need, and the servants were evidently there to deliver them.

  “Good morning,” the princess greeted, as she approached with a warm smile. “Are you ready for our first hunt together?”

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  “Can’t wait,” Niles answered. “Let’s get the mounts loaded and take off.”

  “Would you both like to ride with me today?” Vedika asked. “My mount should be able to hold all three of us as long as Niles can spare some air magic for her as we go. That way, we can both share Niles’ magic on the trip.”

  Birgit wanted to say no. She had been looking forward to spending time alone with Niles, and she would not admit it, but sharing a mount with Niles pressed up against her and holding on tight was a quite intimate experience that she was not sure she wanted Vedika to discover.

  “Niles is rather big, and it will be a long flight,” Birgit pointed out, hoping to dissuade the princess. “Are you certain your mount will be strong enough?”

  “I am,” the princess confirmed. “My mount is quite strong, and fortunately you are not nearly as big as Niles. My brother’s mount is even stronger than mine, so we will have him carry all our camping gear.”

  “So I am to be your servant?” Advick asked with mock indignation.

  “And I get to ride with two pretty girls,” Niles said with a grin. “I like this arrangement.”

  Birgit laughed companionably along with the others, realizing there was no polite way to decline the offer now.

  At least riding behind Niles turned out to be just as intimate as riding in front, perhaps even more so, since, in order to allow her to make skin contact, Niles simply lifted his shirt and let her wrap her hands around his bare waist. Resting her head against his broad back, she could even hear his heartbeat.

  Vedika’s mount, an air elemental spirit that took the form of a long, serpentine dragon, had no problem carrying them all, though its scaled back was not nearly as comfortable as the fur and feathers of Birgit’s own mount. They flew most of the day, making a single stop at midday to rest their mounts and eat. Reaching the mountains not long after that, they flew until Niles sighted a good hunting spot for them in the mid-afternoon. It was a steep, rugged area that would not have been a location Birgit would have picked, but that was likely why it had unharvested crystals.

  The first crystal they found was a rare vibration crystal, guarded by a tainted hawk with a sonic attack. The twin’s familiars kept it busy while Birgit and Vedika used Niles’ magic to dispatch it. From there, they collected a half-dozen more crystals before setting up camp. They would have gotten more if they had split up, but the primary goal of this hunt was to learn to work together, not to gather as many crystals as they could.

  “I can’t believe they just let you and your sister run around out here without any guards or anything,” Birgit overheard Niles say to Advick as the two set up the deluxe tent Vedika had acquired for them. It was big and luxurious, but much harder to set up than the one Birgit usually used.

  “Why does that surprise you?” Advick asked. “We are both trained mages, with a good supply of prepared spells and guardian familiars.”

  Niles stopped pounding in a stake to look at Advick. “But you are the prince and princess.”

  The prince laughed. “My father has thirteen sons and nineteen daughters. He would not miss a couple of us.”

  “Do not give Niles the wrong idea,” Vedika chided, joining the conversation. “Our father loves all of his children, but we are all expected to be able to take care of ourselves. We were not simply abandoned as children. We always had caretakers to watch over us until we came of age. But then we were slowly given increasing freedom and responsibility to allow us to learn to solve problems and deal with situations by ourselves. Advick would make a very poor king one day if he needed minders surrounding him all the time. We are expected to take responsible risks and face dangers that are within our power to handle. That is how we grow and show that we are worthy to take on greater responsibilities.”

  “Although so far this has hardly even been a challenge,” Advick said, raising one of the tent poles. “You were right about including Birgit on our team. Niles’ ability to see crystals almost seems unfair.”

  “Only almost?” Vedika asked.

  Advick looked back at her and smirked. “Of course, almost. If he were on someone else’s team, it would be completely unfair, but since he is on our team, it is only almost.”

  “So, what are the rules in this field study contest, and how are they enforced?” Niles asked once everyone stopped laughing.

  “What do you mean?” Advick asked, giving the hu a puzzled look.

  Niles shrugged and picked up another stake. “Are teams allowed to steal crystals from other teams? Will teams set up ambushes and attack each other?”

  “Niles,” Birgit gasped. “Why would you even think that?”

  “I’m not saying we should do that,” Niles quickly clarified. “And I’m hoping the answer is that it’s against the rules and no one would. But if there is no rule against it, and there're no referees or anything… Well, I don’t really know your classmates like you do, but it seems like winning this contest is a really big deal, so there’s plenty of incentive to do whatever to win. I mean, Prince Snazlepop sure seems like he wants to win it.”

  “Niles is wise to be cautious,” Vedika said. “There is more than just pride and honor riding on this contest, though those alone are sometimes reason enough for people to commit heinous acts. And to answer your question, Niles, there is no official rule against stealing crystals or even attacking other teams beyond the rules of common decency and personal honor all students are expected to adhere to. And there will be no referees monitoring us. However, there would be a full inquest should any students claim such action occurred, or worse, if students were to die, and anyone found to have committed such acts would find expulsion the least of their punishments. Among our classmates, there are one or two that I could see still being tempted to try to win by this method were they on their own, but I cannot imagine an entire team of five daring such a thing.”

  “What about someone bringing in crystals from outside the game to pad their count?” Niles asked. “Or someone bribing another team to give them their crystals.”

  “You have a very devious mind, Niles,” Vedika said in a tone Birgit found surprisingly approving. “Spells will be cast on each team just before the contest starts to make sure none have any extra crystals, but as far as one team bribing another… I fear that could be possible, though they could not give up all their crystals to another or even most, or it would be highly suspicious. I suppose a team could give up a few of their crystals to another, though. Were they to be found out, it would be a tremendous dishonor, so the risk would be very high. I could almost see our half-brother, Snazlepop, trying something like that, though. Right now, he stands no chance of being chosen as heir, but should he somehow win the field study competition, I think the council of dukes would have to consider him.”

  “Then we shall just have to find more crystals than any other two or three teams combined,” Advick proclaimed confidently.

  Once the tent was set up and wards put in place around the camp, Advick asked Niles to spar with him, while Birgit and Vedika started preparing supper. Niles happily accepted, and the two carved some crude practice weapons from branches.

  “It is easy to think Niles is just some big brute, given his appearance,” Vedika mused as she watched the practice bout. “But he really is quite smart, despite how little he knows of our world and magical theory in general.”

  “In his world, he was not even a warrior,” Birgit said. “He was quite well-educated and worked with the marvelous machines of his world that he talks about sometimes.”

  Vedika turned to look Birgit in the eye. “May I ask you a personal question?”

  Birgit met the other woman’s gaze, wondering what she could want to know. “You can ask.”

  “How have you won such loyalty from Niles? He spends more time at your side than any other familiar I have ever known. What did you have to promise him in your contract?”

  Birgit strongly suspected from her tone that what Vedika really wanted to know was if Birgit had promised him something carnal. Fortunately, she could truthfully tell the princess the true extent of their deal.

  “Gold is the primary incentive in the contract, and of course allowing him to absorb the magic of this plane, plus knowledge about our magic.” Birgit added the last part as a vague way to be truthful while avoiding talking about finding him a way home.

  Vedika cocked her head. “Hmm, gold, I would not have thought that. He does not strike me as the type to be that concerned about money. I had to almost force him to let me pay for his suit for the dinner. He kept insisting on paying.”

  “Gold is even more precious in his world than in ours,” Birgit explained. “And I am giving him sixty percent of the profit from our crystal hunting. Given how adept he is at finding crystals, that has been quite a large amount.”

  “Ah, I see,” the princess said, shifting her gaze back to the practice bout once more. “I know Niles is planning to take a watch with you tonight, but will he be returning to his plane to sleep?”

  “No, he will be here with us the whole time. You asked me to arrange for him to stay for the entire duration of our hunts. I assumed that meant sleeping with us as well, in case there was an emergency.”

  Vedika continued to watch the match. “Oh, that is good. I doubt we will need him on these practice hunts, but the Haunted Wastes are a very dangerous place. We will definitely want him there with us then, and it will be good for him to get used to sleeping on our plane before that.” The princess paused, and Birgit thought she was done, but then she continued, still not looking at Birgit. “Since he will be sleeping in the same tent as the two of us, perhaps we should sleep close enough to absorb magic in our sleep. I have done it with him often enough that I do not even have to think about it now, and I am sure you have as well. So, it seems we should be able to do so in our sleep. It seems a shame not to take advantage of this opportunity to grow our magic potential”

  Brigit looked at Vedika. It was hard to tell with her orange and black coloration, but she thought the princess was blushing. Birgit could hardly believe that the princess had suggested this, but what should she do? She was convinced her own magic potential was increasing much faster now that she was sharing her bed with Niles, so she would welcome the excuse to sleep with Niles on the hunts, since it was the princess’ idea. But she did not like the idea of having Vedika sleeping that close to Niles.

  “What will your brother think?” Birgit asked.

  Vedika turned back to look at her. “He knows that sometimes proprietary has to be sacrificed for necessity.”

  “You see this as a necessity?”

  “Most definitely. We are both valuable assets to my brother now, and even more so should he become king, so having us become as strong as possible is a necessity.”

  “I know you are your brother’s strongest supporter, but how do you see me as an asset?” Birgit asked. “I know we are friends, but I am just a minor noble.”

  Vedika leaned in and took one of Birgit’s hands. “There is nothing minor about you. You are an extremely talented mage, and with Niles strengthening you, I believe you will become among the strongest mages in the kingdom. You are also our teammate in this very important event. And should my brother become king, he will need a kappa consort.”

  There it was. Someone had finally said it out loud, but it had not been the prince.

  Birgit looked down, trying not to blush. “Do you really think he sees me that way?”

  “I know he does,” Vedika answered, glancing over to make sure Niles and her brother were still sparring. “We have discussed it. You are a talented mage, ranked in the top ten of our class, trustworthy, and of noble birth. My brother enjoys your company… and he finds you attractive. Taking you to the state dinner all but announced his intentions.”

  Birgit’s heart was racing. “But does he love me?”

  Vedika paused and looked away for a moment, and Birgit’s heart sank.

  “That will come in time, I am sure.” Vedika assured her. “But you have to understand, things are quite different for a king with a wife and nine consorts. Your father had consorts, did he not? So, I am sure you have some understanding. Finding consorts whose company is enjoyable is far more important than wild passion, which is often a fleeting thing. Of course, that might come as well, and I am not saying that you have to be his consort… Oh, we are getting very far off topic. I am just saying my brother will not object to us sleeping next to Niles. If you are uncomfortable with the idea, I do not want to pressure you to do so, of course, but please allow me the opportunity. I am sure you understand what it is like to work hard to learn magic only to have others, who have not worked nearly as hard, outshine you just because they were born with a higher magic potential than you. This is my chance to increase my potential and truly let people appreciate me as a mage, and not just a pretty princess.”

  Birgit could see the need in the princess’ eyes and understood her very well. It must have been hard to grow up in the shadow of her twin brother, knowing he could be king and she could not, due only to the circumstances of their birth, and also to be consistently outshined by him in magic, even though she worked harder, again just because of the circumstances of their birth. Frankly, it was rather surprising that she was not more resentful of him.

  Birgit felt a kinship with Vedika now more than ever and knew she could not deny her request. “Yes, I agree. We should both sleep next to Niles, if he does not mind.”

  “Do you think he will not want to sleep between two beautiful women?” Vedika asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Probably not,” Birgit laughed.

  “You do not think he will try anything, do you?” Vedika asked.

  “No, I expect him to be a perfect gentleman.”