#waeziverse | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

waeziverse · 2 years

Text

Royal Punch (chapter 16)

Louis the Faun had a fussy goatee. He was a cute little goat-boy of the age of fourteen, but it was his little beard that had gotten him a lady-friend. She lived in this little town called Jadedale that fortunately wasn't far away from Onyxville and a carriage drove to it four times a day.

As he got of the wagon, bidding the coachman good day, he looked at the stream that surrounded the small houses that Amethyst had told him formed a circle. Louis took in a deep breath. The air was clean unlike in Onyxville and he could see plenty of grass around that practically begged him to eat it. He would take a bite after his ride drove away, but a short woman with a sort of hat that covered her ears was sitting at a stump, sharpening an arrowhead. She had a pair of big round glasses and was not much taller than him. She looked like a human, something Louis found curious as not many of those were left after the orcs took over.

And he was even more surprised to see two more. They came from the forest.

Dimi marched in haste. She was pissed, even more so when she realized she had left her skipping rope behind. She looked past her shoulder and saw the human guy had caught up to her. He was gasping after air as he had been running, he was apparently not in the best of shape.

“My... my love...” The guy took off his hat and dried his forehead. “Please, maybe we got off on the wrong foot-”

“Oh yeah?!” Dimi glared at him. “When would that be, when you gave me that bull about meeting in dreams or when you started grabbing me?”

“Oh, do not be cross with me, my lady.” The guy reached for Dimi’s hand. “Are you telling me that you did not feel a spark between us as I-”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence since Dimi’s fist connected to his face.

“Last warning!” Dimi nudged her hand. “Back the hell off!”

Louis the Faun had watched the whole thing, he couldn’t help it. When Dimi passed him and she noticed him, she gave him an annoyed look. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Louis blinked twice as the angry and embarrassed human girl walked over the bridge that led to the entrance of the village. The fishing woman raised an eyebrow and raised a hand to wave. But she got ignored.

Louis looked at the male human who nudged his face. He had a black eye. Louis decided to leave the guy alone and walked over the bridge to Jadedale.

... and then he noticed he could smell something. He was unsure what, but it smelled.. amazing!

***

"- so me and Billy actually got a gig at the Undersea Temptress tavern.” Ruby washed some tomatoes she intended to bake as the dish of the day in her restaurant. “There were suppose to have been some exotic dancers performing, but they had all got stomach trouble. So we were the replacement. And get this... there were actually eight or nine of the creatures in the bar pumping their fists to our music!”

“That’s awesome!” Amethyst had just finished washing the dishes.

“Yeah... but then they asked for our autographs... and this one guy, a minotaur, thought Billy was some harpy named Hitomi-”

“Hey, I know Hitomi the Harpy. She rocks!”

“Yeah, the minotaur guy thought so as well. So here is the thing... they were all high on mushrooms.”

Amethyst laughed. “Oh noooo...”

“Yeah, they only liked us because they were living in their own little drug world. And that was the only successful concert the Human Guts ever had. Not long after, me and Billy disbanded the duo and I threw my love and passion toward the kitchen.”

“Aw, that’s too bad...”

“Eh, we weren’t that great. But me and Billy are still good. He became the drummer of a new band called-”

“Girls, you gotta hide me!”

Ruby and Amethyst turned and saw Dimi enter the kitchen. She looked pissed.

Amethyst jumped down from the stool she stood on to reach the sink and walked over to her human friend. “ Sheesh, did you get into a fight with someone?”

“Worse! I met this human guy-”

Ruby tilted her head while her snake hair blew raspberries. “Wait, there are other humans in the area?”

“Dude! Not the point! This guy that I never met before just starts talking to me and says shit like that we met in a dream or some crap.”

Amethyst smiled. “That’s sort of cute. You have an admirer. About time!”

Dimi glared at Amethyst. “No, it’s not cute! He’s a creep and he won’t leave me alone! I even punched him! He’s nuts!”

“Did you punch him again?” Ruby adjusted her shades. She hoped the answer was yes.

“Yeah, and I accidentally gave him a black eye. He won’t back off, I might hurt him or-”

“My love, are you here?” A male voice could be herd from the dinning room.

“Aw, shit, it’s him...” Dimi nudged her temples. “I swear, it’s like he can smell me-”

“I will take care of this.” Ruby opened the door to the dinning room. A human guy in expensive clothes and a rapier attached to his belt. “Hey, you. We are closed for at least two hours.”

The human looked at Ruby and almost reached for his weapon. “A mon- I mean, begging your pardon, madam, but I have not come to this establishment to dine. Perhaps you could provide me information?”

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms. Her snakes softly hissed. “I’m a cook, not a book. Go get info somewhere else. Also...” She pointed at her head. “Eyes up here.”

The human blinked and turned his eyes from Ruby’s shoes to her face. “Madam, I’m in search of a lady of my own kin, it is of the utmost importance that I find her, a matter of lov... ah, life and death. Have you seen her? She has hair as golden and lovely as the sun itself.”

Ruby felt as if she was about to barf. “No, sorry. I haven’t seen her. Guess you have to ask somewhere else.”

“Madam, you must be mistaken, I have been told she often comes here to enjoy her meals, you must have seen this lovely creature, and I would appreciate you telling me how to locate her. As a matter of fact...” The guy reached for his coin pouch. “I would show my gratitude if you were to know of her whereabout.”

“Look, pal, I don’t like your attitude or the fact that you don’t get the meaning of the word no. You can take your gratitude somewhere else.” Ruby stopped herself from saying Preferably shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. “Good day and piss off.”

“I must insist that-”

Ruby’s snakes hissed loudly.

“Ah... have a good day, madam.”

When the guy left, Dimi came from the kitchen and hugged Ruby. “I owe you!”

Ruby smiled as she padded Dimi on the back. “No you don’t. That guy WAS a total creep.”

“I don’t know.” Amethyst shrugged. “Maybe he is just passionate?”

The human girl and gorgon stared at Amethyst.

“Yeah, alright, he was a bit much.” Amethyst laughed.

“Too much if you ask me. I better get to work.” Dimi walked toward the door.

Ruby and Amethyst returned to the kitchen. Ruby looked out the window and noticed that the human from before was hiding behind a tree, looking at the window. Ruby aggressively knocked on the glass, giving the guy a scare as he walked away.

Amethyst adjusted her apron and the string she had tied around her beard before getting started on drying the dishes she had just washed. She noticed the human as well. “Wow, he is persistent, huh? You know, I think this must be the first time Dimi had a boy related problem. About time, if you ask me.” She snickered.

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she from the window watched the human guy walk away, probably looking for Dimi. “Man... can you believe that douchebag?”

Amethyst looked at Ruby. The snakes on her head were hissing, clearly as annoyed as Ruby apparently were. “Ah... what do you mean?”

“Hey, look at me!” Ruby made a mocking imitation of the human’s voice as she grimaced. “I’m rich and pretty by human-standards, so girls probably throw themselves at my feet! Gods, he pisses me off!” Ruby chopped her already chopped up tomatoes, turning them into a wet mess. “As if he would be Dimi’s type.”

Amethyst studied Ruby for a second. She couldn’t recall seeing the gorgon being this annoyed and frustrated. “Ruby... are you jealous?”

“What?!” Ruby blushed, and her snake hair ceased to hiss, instead hiding behind her neck. She stared at Amethyst with wide eyes. “What are you talking about?!”

The dwarf girl shrugged. “I mean... I guess he is sort of cute for a creature without a beard, but... I don’t know, tall guys just doesn’t do it for me.”

Ruby blinked. “What are you- Oh. Oooh...” She made a sigh. Her snakes relaxed. “No, not a chance. He is just some rando.”

“Yeah, you are right. Sorry, I just... eh, forget it.” Amethyst dried the clean dishes. She rolled eyes at herself for thinking Ruby was jealous of Dimi.

... but then she stopped up, thinking of something Ruby had said:

As if he would be Dimi’s type.

Amethyst took a glance at Ruby who had discarded the tomatoes she had pulverized and chopped up a new one.

Amethyst was about to ask... but then she got distracted by a familiar face.

“Am! Babe! Surprise!” Louis the Faun had made a leap up to the ledge of the window and managed to grab a hold of it with his left arm while holding a bouquet of dandelions in his right hand.

“Honey!” Amethyst was about to hug the head of the little goat guy, but he lost his grip and fell to the ground. He landed on his back, but held the dandelions above his head, saving them from being crushed. “Louis, are you okay?! And what are you doing here?”

“Wanted to surprise you... ouch...” Louis still held the flowers above his head with stretched arm.

Amethyst looked at Ruby. “I will be right back, I just need to-”

“Hey, screw it!” Ruby smiled. “Be with your boy, just promise me you will come back when I open up.”

Amethyst went outside. Louis had gotten himself up and sat on his tail. It had been a short fall, but he still felt sore. The dwarf girl sat next to him and hugged him, pressing him against her fluffy beard. “What are you doing here, don’t you have work?”

Louis snickered, the beard was tickling him. He loved it when it did. “Na, madam Pin Pin got a flue, and she won’t let me or the other sewers get near a piece of cloth or needle unless she is there to observe us. So I thought I would surprise you.” He sniffed. “Hey, something smells amazing.”

Amethyst snickered. “I will be sure to tell the chef you said so.”

Louis decided not to say that it wasn’t food he had smelled. He quickly realized that it was that scent from before. And it smelled even more lovely, almost making him giddy.

***

The anvil spat sparkles and clinked as Dimi's hammer hit it. The steel that was cherry-colored due to how hot it was had started to take a shape that resembled a shovel head. Dimi stroke it at the horn of the anvil to make the sides, then back at the face of it. She kept doing so for a while till she was somewhat satisfied with the result. She stuck it in the water bucket next to her, cracking her neck and drying her head with a slightly dirty rag. Dimi stretched out and left the forge with the shovel head and a file. She sat on a stool next to the forge and began to clean the edges of the head with the file.

“Looks good.” Ivan came with a bucket of water and studied his protégé at work.

“Yep...” Dimi kept filing. “Guess I have to stick to this to make an honest coronet.”

Ivan shrugged and leaned against the door to the forge and crossed his arms. “Look, I don’t know how to get you a new fight, I mean, I do know of a few places, but are too far away from Jadedale.”

“So...” Dimi blew on the shovel to clean it. “I have to move somewhere else?”

Ivan sighed. “It’s not that simple. Even if you hit the road, I couldn’t go with you, you would have to find a new trainer and corner guy, one who actually demands payment. I started my career traveling a lot, doing a ton of odd jobs and I couldn’t get the proper training needed. I was lucky. And besides, you are suppose to keep a low profile.”

“Right.” Dimi studied the shovel head she was just about done with. “In case an orc soldier or something sees me and goes all Hey, that human is blond and have freckles, we looked for one of those years ago, right? Yeah, I get it, I need to not get too much attention.” Dimi narrowed her eyes. “Hey... you know there is an alternative to the Highway Hippogriff, right?”

Ivan raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well...” Dimi smirked. “I could try get in one of those fight clubs that are.... less than... legit?”

Dimi stopped smirking. Ivan looked at her as if he had been told that eating pie had been illegal.

“Ah...” Dimi made a dumb smirk. She felt like she had said something inappropriate. “Look, I’m not sayin it would be ideal, but underground boxing matches could be an option. And it would be totally keeping low profile-”

“Dimicatio.”

Dimi blinked twice. She couldn’t recall when the last time anyone had used her full name. Iven looked at her with a stern and downright angry glare.

Ivan kept speaking. “You will never... EVER, talk about underground boxing under my roof. Understood?”

“Well...” Dimi smirked, but more like a nervous reaction. “Technically, it’s Aura’s roof.”

Ivan didn’t look amused by Dimi’s attempt at humor.

“Ivan.” Dimi groaned. “I need to keep fighting to get better, and we can’t hire a sparing partner for me. Sure, I realize they fight dirty in those sorts of fights, but that would make it more challenging, right? It might even be fu-”

“Never again.” Ivan’s glare became furious. “We will never have this conversation again. Ever.” Ivan went inside the forge. “Go help Aura in the stables.”

He slammed the door shut.

“Sheesh...” Dimi had realized Ivan would most likely be against the idea, but she had expected a lecture about sportsmanship or something, not this... overreaction.

But then she got something else to think about. Dimi saw the human guy from before in the distance.

“My love!” The guy came running toward Dimi with his arms open, ready to embrace her.

Dimi evaded him and then made him trip with her left foot. He landed on the ground with his pretty face in the dirt.

Dimi was about to boil over. “How do you keep fining me?!”

The human slowly stood up and dusted himself clean while spitting some dirt out of his mouth. “My heart is filled with love and I could find you anywhere. Also...” He pointed at the direction he had come from. “That lovable older gentleman told me where you lived. A splendid chap.”

Old man Sunmut the Satyr waved as he leaned against his cane. Dimi felt like snapping the can in half. She took three steps backward as she glared at the human guy. “Look, I don’t even know who the hell you are-”

“Oh! Where are my manners?” The human chuckled. “My name is earl Justin of-”

“Dude! I don’t care who you are!” Dimi cracked her knuckles.

“What’s all the ruckus about?!” Ivan stepped out of the forge, his face covered in sod. He noticed Justin. “What’s th-”

“Oho! Now I understand perfectly!” Justin took a hold of the hilt of his blade and drew his weapon. “This be the beast that has forced you to slave for him day after day! You pretending not to return my affection was simply a clever way of keeping me safe from your capturer.”

Dimi nudged her eyes. “Gods, this is getting dumber every second...”

Ivan was completely lost. He looked at the sword. “Hey now, put that knife away. Kid, you could get someone HOLY SHIT, WHAT?!”

Justin’s sword was on fire. “Do not test my patience, ox. I know of your sort and your violent temperament, but I have been trained in sorcery and swordsmanship.” Justin smirked as he aimed his blade toward Ivan. “And I have mastering both with excellency.”

Ivan held his hands up. “Kid, someone’s gonna get hurt if you aren’t careful. And it will most likely be you.”

“Ho ho! Such confidence you have in yourself, barbarian. But there is something else you should know-”

Justin dropped his sword and collapsed after Dimi had hit him on the head with the shovel head. She blade seized to burn.

Dimi and Ivan looked at the unconcise Justin and then at one another.

Aura arrived with a pitchfork and had hay all over her clothes. “I heard yelling and DID YOU TWO KILL A HUMAN?!”

“Relax, I just knocked his lights out.” Dimi looked at the shovel head. It had luckily not been damaged. “Sooooo... What do we do with him?”

***

After tying up Justin and locking him up in the shed till they figured out what to do with him, Dimi decided to go to her customers with their orders, including the shovel that Amethyst’s mom Agathe needed.

As she went through Jadedale and crossed the town square, Dimi had this suspicion that someone was looking at her in a weird way. But she couldn’t put her finger on it.

When she arrived at Agathe’s house, she was greeted warmly, especially since the dwarf lady really needed a new shovel for her kitchen garden that provided her vegetables.

“Ouch!” Agatha grinned as she cut her finger on the shovel head. “I’m gonna get rid of those pesky roots in no time. Thanks, Dimi. Could I tempt you with a cup of tea before you head home?”

“Always.” Dimi always made sure the dwarf house was the last one on her route so she could accept the invitation.

“There is a warm kettle already, Amethyst’s gentleman is paying us a little visit. Go in, I wanna try this shovel right away.”

Dimi went inside the house and went straight to the kitchen, finding Louis the Faun with a cup he was sipping from. “Oh, hey!” Dimi recognized the little goat man. “So you are the guy Am is seeing? She told me about you.”

“Hopefully good thing. Dimi, right?” Louis poured a cup to Dimi... and he sniffed.

It was there again.

“Where is Am?” Dimi took a seat and leaned a bit down due to the table being designed for shorter creatures.

“In her room, she is changing. I invited her to a night at the theater.” Louis noticed that the sent got stronger. “Say, Am keeps telling me you don’t want to be introduced to my friend Dar.” He smirked. “You too good to go out with a harpy?”

Dimi rolled her eyes. “I’m sure this Dar is a nice bird, but I’m not looking for guys.”

Louis hesitated. “Well... I also know this faun girl named Enid if-”

“NO, I’m not looking for anyone! Gods...” Dimi drank her tea. “Is it so unrealistic that I like being single?”

“Well...” Louis was now sure that whatever it was he could smell, he had never smelled something so incredible and would never find a scent like it again. “I think you do the rest of the world a dishonor with that choice.”

Dimi almost chocked on her hot tea. “Ah... excuse me?!”

“I mean, come on.” Louis grinned. “Those lovely freckles, those muscular arms... I wouldn’t be complaining if you were my girlfriend.”

Dead silence.

“Dude... ARE YOU-” Dimi bit her lower lip, no reason to let everyone in the entire kingdom hear her, or at the very least Amethyst. “Did you just hit on me?” She glared at Louis as she practically hissed.

“Would it be so strange it... if...” Louis stopped smiling and his face turned red. “Holy shit, I think I did?”

“What the hell?!” Dimi slammed her cup on the table. “We are in your girlfriend’s house. Are you nuts or just stupid?”

“I have no idea why I just did that!” Louis grabbed both of his horn as he looked completely confused.

Dimi stormed out of the room, hitting her head because she forgot to lower her head, leaving Louis who was completely confused. As he wondered what on earth had possessed him, he realized that the scent was getting weaker.

“I’m ready!” Amethyst entered the kitchen with a dress she had made for herself with dandelion patterns embroidered on it. She had decorated her fluffy beard with the flowers she had just received from Louis. The faun looked at her and felt ashamed. Amethyst noticed that Louis looked like something was wrong. “What's the matter, hon?”

“... Nothing. You are just unbelievably beautiful.”

***

Dimi decided to go home right away and shut the door to her bedroom and scream. She was furious. Men where apparently way more rotten than she had assumed. She thought for herself that this day could not get any worse.

But as she crossed town square, she realized how wrong she had been. She was right earlier that someone were watching her.

It was seemingly every single male creature in town that at least took a quick glance at her.

“Oh, shit...” Dimi mumbled for herself as she walked as fast as she possibly could without running, no need to attract more attention than she already had, especially since a few female creatures gave her mean stares due to her getting their guy’s attention. Dimi was so frustrated that she didn’t see did man Sunmut and bumped into him.

“Angels on fire, I’m so sorry!” Dimi helped the old sheep man up on his feet. “Are you hurt, sir?”

"Ah, I’m not a paper doll, dearie.” Sunmut laughed as he took his cane that Dimi had picked up for him. “Say, now that I got ya, maybe you could... could...”

“Yes?” Dimi looked at the old satyr who looked paralyzed. She wondered if something was wrong... and then she realized that the old man was blushing.

“Oh deer, look at the sun.” Sunmut evaded eye contact with the young woman who could have been his grandchild. “I best be getting home, I have herbs I need. See ya around.”

As the old sheep man humped away as fast as his old bones would allow him. Dimi realized she probably had to have a talk with Nora.

***

Nora placed a bag with plants she had just collected from the local forest. “Right, so obviously, Dimi getting hit on by guys is her princess puberty kicking in again.”

Dimi stood at the corner of the living room, looking extremely embarrassed. “So, what? I make creatures fall in love with me randomly?”

“What? No.” Nora shook her head as she took off her hat that hid her pointy ears. She accepted a cup of tea Ivan offered her. “Don’t be ridicules. You can’t just make someone fall in love with you. But you can use your newest magical ability to manipulate pheromones, making them infatuated, tricking them into thinking they are in love with you.”

Ivan, Dimi and Aura looked at Nora with blank stares.

“Pheromones...” Dimi was afraid to ask. “So... pretend I don’t know what that means.”

Nora sighed. “Alright... members of the human royal family have the power to have control over the pheromones, a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species or species close enough to humans. So that would include releasing pheromones that induce attraction between subjects, to exuding pheromones strong enough to induce sleep, influence emotions, yada yada yada.”

Aura narrowed her eyes. “Should I... take notes for this, or-”

“Look, what is important here is that Dimi is using this power through instinct.” Nora adjusted her glasses as she gave Dimi a look as if she had taken a bit of a lemon. “Dimi, you basically make guys with the right genes horny.”

Dimi lost all color in her face. “Ewwwwww... WHY?!?”

“Welp, it’s actually because of the side effect of your plantmancer powers. See, when your descendent Queen Dornröschen had gone into a coma and became a thorn monster, she decided to call in magic experts to adjust the power of pheromone control to go off by its own to attract a male who would...” Nora rolled her eyes. “... love her enough to put himself in danger and go through the plants to save her and the kingdom. And she also thought it would help her decedents to find mates so they wouldn’t have any problems producing even more decedents. So, with the help of both humans and elves, Dornröschen managed to give birth to boy with such a power. Sure, this new skill was not as strong as the one you have... but through the proper... medication, his child and the child after that was born with the same magical talent that grew stronger for each generation.”

The human, minotaur and sphinx stared at Nora with disbelieve all over their faces.

“Yes, yes, I know.” Nora nudged her eyes. “It’s extremely fucked up.”

Ivan shook his head. and he kept shaking it. “Why... why would anyone DO THAT?!”

Aura looked like she was about to get sick. “See, this is the sort of shit that makes everyone dislike humans!” She instantly felt guilty saying so as she gave Dimi an apologizing look. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”

“Hell no, I’m with you!” The human girl looked utterly horrified. “Can’t we just get... that... out of me?!”

“Eh...” Nora shrugged. “Yes and no.”

Dimi grind her teeth. “What do you mean yes and no? And is it mostly yes?”

“Dimi, no one can just get something out of you that has been written into your genes as effectively as this spell has. It’s not a zit. If your stomach gives you trouble, I can’t just pull it out of you, can I now? But...” Nora patted the bag with plants on the table. “I can however create a potion that will make creatures completely uninterested in you on a sexual plane.”

Dimi winced. “You make it sound worse.”

Nora opened the bag and took out a blue mushroom. “This is actually used as a curse where I come from. Mostly for revenge if someone stole your boyfriend or something along those lines. Basically, you make a potion and whoever drinks it will make creatures find you... undesirable, so to say. It works for about two days, so I will have to start making enough for about half a year. But according to my research, that’s when your body should stop making its mating call automatically-”

Dimi slapped her face. “Don’t call it that, you are making this weirder than it already is!”

“... and the problem should be solved.”

Ivan and Aura exchanged looks.

“So...” Ivan scratched his muzzle. “Dimi would be... undesirable... for six months? That doesn’t sound fair.”

Aura nodded. “Yeah, don’t you think you could find another solution? What if Dimi actually finds a nice boy and-”

“Actually, I’m okay with it.”

Ivan and Aura looked at Dimi. She looked calmer, less unsettled.

Dimi smiled. “I’m super okay with it. I thought this would be a pain in the ass to solve, but I just have to take a potion ones a day-”

“Once every second day.” Nora corrected her.

“Even better!” Dimi grinned. “Man, I’m so relieved.”

Aura hesitated. “Dimi, sweetie... you get that you won’t be able to get a boyfriend for half a year, right?”

Dimi nodded. “Sure. I don’t care.”

“Dimi, you can’t tell me you don’t want to find a nice young man for yourself eventually.”

Dimi pouted and shrugged. “Maybe I don’t need a so-called nice young man.”

Ivan laughed. “Dimi, it would be weird if you didn’t!”

Dimi narrowed her eyes and glared at Ivan. “Oh, great. I’m weird.”

The minotaur blinked. “Ah... um...”

Aura coughed. “We are treading dangerous waters.” She mumbled.

Ivan’s tailed started to swing nervously. “Look, ah... I’m not saying that if you at the moment don’t want... or later, or... um-”

“At the moment? What, you have a deadline for me or something?” Dimi rolled her eyes.

Aura decided to step in. “Dimi, none of us thinks that your relationships is any of our business-”

“Dangit, you don’t get it either!” Dimi slammed a fist into the wall. “I don’t HAVE a relationship and I will never have one because I... because I lack desire! THERE! You happy now?!”

Aura and Ivan exchanged looks. Nora took a sip from her cup.

Dimi blinked. “Aw, no, no, no...” She groaned as she nudged her eyes. “Why did I say that?”

Deep silence.

Dimi covered her face in her hands while looking like she wanted to sink into the corner she was leaning against. Ivan looked begging at Aura who just shrugged. Nora finished her tea.

“Well...” Nora placed her cup on the table. “I sense that we are about to have an intimate conversation about the feeling and thoughts of a young woman. An insensitive and possibly cynical statement could turn an already awkward situation to downright hellish.” She stood up and walked toward the door. “So I should probably just go home and make potion.”

Dimi lifted her hands from her face and looked at Ivan and Aura who stared back. They looked confused, but mostly worried. “Look, I want Nora’s potion, and I don’t want to talk about.”

“Well...” Ivan shrugged. He very much didn’t want this conversation. “We don’t have to unless you-”

“Yes we do.” Aura elbowed Ivan.

“I mean, yes we do.”

“Sit.” Aura pointed at an empty chair at the end of the table that was opposite to where she sat with Ivan. Dimi groaned and did as she was told. “So...” Aura’s wings were twitching. “What exactly do you mean with lack desire. Lack desire for what exactly?”

Dimi shrugged.

Aura made an awkward smile. “Do you like... girls?”

Ivan blushed and stared at his wife with disbelieve. “Aura, you don’t ask someone something like that!”

“Oh, grow up, Ivan.” Aura rolled her eyes. “Lesbianism is a thing.”

“But that’s the thing, I’m not a lesbian.” Dimi threw her hands up in the air. “I’m not interested in creatures, not romantically or... you know, that thing!”

Ivan tilted his head. “Not at all? You sure you just haven’t-”

“Ivan, I swear on my mom’s grave!” Dimi glared at the minotaur. “Use the words met and right guy in the same sentence and I will break your other horn!”

“Alright, sorry.” Ivan held his hands up. “That was patronizing. My bad.”

“So, you don’t have a desire for romance, is that all?” Aura smiled. “You made it sound like it was something embarrassing.”

“Well, it is, isn’t it?” Dimi sighed. “Amethyst keeps trying to set me up on dates. I know she means well, but I know she thinks I’m not complete because I don’t want to try and get a romantic relationship. Worse, she pities me, she thinks that it’s sad that I’m...” Dimi rolled her eyes as she made air quotes. “... alone.“

“Does that... bother you?” Ivan asked. “What others think of you?”

Dimi didn’t answer right away. “I think... I think what bothers me is... what if she is right? What if... What if I become an old weird and lonely lady and I realize I only lived half a life because I didn't get married and got kids?” The human girl sighed. “What bothers me is... what if there is something wrong with me?”

Ivan and Aura looked at Dimi who looked exhausted.

“Dimi...” Ivan cleared his throat. “Well.. first of all, if you live a life where you so happen not to get married, do you honestly think you would be alone? Or does friendship and family not count? Love can be many things, I find it hard to believe that you would be unloved.”

Dimi didn’t respond.

“Second, I don’t think you should think of your worth depending on what others think of you. Trust me, I very much cared what others thought of me when I was your age and that...” Ivan’s face turned grim. “That blew up in my face, let’s leave it at that. And for what’s it worth, I can’t think of someone who is as perfect as you.” Ivan stood up and nuzzled Dimi’s hair.

Dimi snickered as she pulled herself free. “That’s gross, Ivan.”

“Also, if someone thinks less of you for being the way you are...” Aura made a wide smile that exposed all of her sharp teeth. “Well, I guess I would have to eat them.”

Dimi made a smile that went from one ear to the other. “You guys are great!” But then she stopped smiling. “Wait, what about the asshole in the shed?”

“Well...” Ivan scratched his hair. “I guess we could bring him to the authorities and tell them what happened, or some of it... but we were technically the ones who assaulted him, so...”

***

Dimi had taken her first potion from Nora. She went inside the shed to untie earl Justin. “So...” She looked at the human guy. “Do you still love me?”

Justin looked completely confused. “I do not. I must confess, I have no idea what on earth possessed me, I feel so very embarrassed. It is ill suiting for a gentleman to-”

“Yeah, yeah, enough of that.” Dimi cut the ropes with a knife, freeing Justin. “Look, for what’s it worth, it wasn’t completely your fault.”

Justin stood up, dusting himself clean. Dimi handed him his sword. “Right... well... I should... ah-”

“Leave.”

“Right. Right....” Justin went outside the shed and looked confused as he walked away. But he stopped up, turning toward Dimi. “Look, I would like to say-”

“Just piss off already.” Dimi slapped her forehead.

“I shall, but... It was, despite the circumstances... nice to finally see another human. After the invasion, you know.”

Dimi blinked. She had forgotten to think of earl Justin as a member of her race. “Yeah... I guess. Do you... do you know what happened to all the humans?”

Justin shrugged. “There are few of us left in Nesredna, but we are scattered. The orcs won’t allow humans to live here unless they like yourself have foster families of another species. My family left me in the care of some satyr merchants. And that is not always enough, I have to leave the kingdom.”

“Oh?” Dimi looked confused.

“I happen to be of wealth, but my wealth is about to be used up. I lack the skills to be working class, so I intent to leave the kingdom and attempt to find my family.”

“Well... have a good trip?” Dimi could kick herself, that sounded so lame.

Justin smiled as he took off his hat and bowed. “Well, one can hope. Farwell.”

Dimi felt relived once Justin was gone... but she also felt alone for some reason.

2 notes · View notes