Princess Hannah of the Jade Harem CH 39

Hannah sat at her desk with three books laid out to cross-reference. She was annoyed that there were conflicting organizations of magic and how they worked. Surely, necromancy was just necromancy, and growth was growth, yet these were often grouped with other schools into spheres of darkness, nature, light, etc. Most writers agreed that these spheres had three focuses each but that two always overlapped into another sphere. These spheres were then grouped into what some writers called the four magical elements, with no agreement on how many spheres went into each group. These groups were then under two layers known simply as positive and negative, but there was a hint at a third, invisible layer called balance.

It was chaos, and each writer approached it differently, trying to make sense of the system. Hannah wondered if the necromancers had found the solution and if that was the key to their unusual understanding of magic.

“Maybe it's in the necromancer's book,” Hannah sighed and looked to the right, where Quinny and Umtha leaned over the strange tome, looking for a diagram of the magic system. “Found anything?”

“This book is like reading a guide to all religions,” Quinny replied. “And it’s written in five languages.”

“I told you to look for a picture, not try to read it,” Hannah replied. “There’s a whole section near the front that discusses the layers of magic.”

“We looked at it,” Umtha replied. “It doesn’t fit any of your models.”

“Maybe they found a fourth completely different model?” Quinny suggested.

“That would make all these books useless,” Hannah grumbled as she looked back to the tomes on her desk. “But it would make sense. Whatever they discovered created a boom in magical advancement and drew a lot of negative attention from Kevin.”

“I don’t mean to argue that point, but a lot of that came from the fact that they were helping you with your plans,” Umtha corrected. “I don’t know this for sure, but I think he destroyed the necromancers because they were the only ones who could help you escape.”

“So the secret to getting out is in necromancer?” Hannah asked as it seemed almost too crazy to believe.

“I don’t know,” Umtha sighed. “Just that they knew how to help you.”

“Maybe because they figured the magic system out,” Quinny suggested.

“Hmm, maybe,” Hannah agreed as she strummed the table, drawing a bounce from the spider curled up in one corner. Webster tapped the table with a leg and let out a little squeak that she heard in her head as words.

“No, I don't think the secret is in the necromancer circles,” Hannah replied.

“He thinks the circles hold the key?” Quinny asked as she turned to face them.

“He does, but I am more convinced that the circles are the result of that knowledge,” Hannah said. “They seem to be able to focus all magic types into one cohesive spell while boosting the effect.”

“But maybe you can reverse engineer how that works?” Quinny suggested.

Hannah already had that thought, but after hours of studying the symbols and patterns, she was no closer to an answer. She could only identify small parts of the circle anyway, which wasn't enough to get a cohesive picture. That was why she was trying to draw an accurate map of the magic system. She was hoping it would be the key to understanding the rest.

Without it, she would have to find a new way to approach the problem, but she didn't even know where to begin. Maybe she could interview a few of the harem girls who had access to other schools of magic. It might give her a direction to go in or even how to begin recreating the research. The best solution would be to find somebody involved in that research and find out how it was being done. But who could she ask, and would asking draw unwanted attention? She was already distrusted by her powerful neighbors, and rumors of her engaging in magical research might stir suspicion.

“Has Legeis said anything more about the parts he brought back?” she asked to change the topic.

“I spoke with him this morning,” Umtha said as she got up to stretch her long, slender body. “He says the parts are consistent with a power relay. His theory is that whatever the device did, it used so much power that the parts often burned out and had to be replaced. Oh, and he's got the first spider tank up and working. I saw it being tested, and it looks impressive.”

Webster chirped, causing Hannah to smile as he showed interest in seeing a tank named after a spider.

“We will go see it later,” Hannah promised him as she leaned back to feel Umtha’s hands on her shoulders. The goblin woman began to rub as Hannah groaned, welcoming the attention. Hannah let her head fall back as those delicate hands did their work and helped soothe away the tension.

“You should take a break,” Umtha suggested. “You have been at this for hours.”

“There is so much to do,” Hannah sighed. “And Blackbast has refused to let me question the rest of the skulls. She says I need the pause.”

“You do,” Quinny agreed. “That was kind of scary how the one skull knew who you were.”

“That was a very revealing point of fact,” Hannah said with eyes closed while hands continued to rub. “That he knew who I was proves that something bigger is at work. But then, why did the others not seem to recognize me?”

“Maybe he was the leader, and he had more information?” Quinny offered.

“Maybe,” Hannah agreed as she smiled. “Little goblin, if you had told me you were good at massages, I would have married you sooner.”

Umtha giggled as she smiled and leaned over Hannah to look down into her eyes. The two shared a loving exchange with promises of kisses later.

“We should go to the inn and get a drink,” Umtha suggested. “I want to try the grosk.”

“Grosk?” Hannah repeated with no idea what that was. Umtha explained it was an orcish drink made from a dark berry and mushroom blend that grew far to the north. Hannah wasn't as eager to try it but agreed to give Umtha's drink a sip. They headed out, the three walking together with tails entwined. Hannah carried Webster slung under one arm, carrying him like some stuffed toy.

They passed into the intensely guarded hall hidden inside Gwen's castle, where dozens of soldiers stood guard. They all saluted at the princess's passed, with Quinny enjoying her new title as Gwen's daughter. In minutes, they were at the magical door that took them to an equally defended room inside the jade temple. Hannah and the girls passed down the hall, pausing only for a moment when the tiger guard gave her rear a firm swat.

“Hey,” Hannah said as she turned to regard the brave NPC. “Did Rajeen give you permission to do that?” The smiling look she got back told her she would have to speak with Rajeen later. They headed down the hall, passing a few harem girls who exchanged greetings. They passed through a guarded archway decorated with jade lions into a vast common area. It was dominated by tables and slender columns holding up an elaborate domed ceiling. The central area was open, but along the walls were private nooks where low tables were hidden away by planters and lush growth.

Hannah led the way, waking her girls past players who were enjoying the ambiance. She selected a nook along the wall instead of going to the private space reserved for the harem leaders. She liked to sit on pillows with her girls and linger out of sight while the busy inn went about its daily life.

A harem girl arrived only a minute into their arrival and didn't even bother to ask Hannah what she wanted to drink. Everyone knew Hannah loved the glitter bomb and would order one every chance she got. Umtha ordered her odd orcish drink while Quinny asked for something called a frostbite. The girl danced away, promising to return soon with the drinks and a tray of meaty snacks.

“Do you crave meat more when you're a succubus?” Quinny asked as they waited.

“I was just thinking that,” Hannah replied as she considered how hungry the meaty treat made her feel. Umtha also agreed, stating that a well-cooked meat appealed to her for some reason. They assumed that devils were meat eaters and let go of that as they huddled together and enjoyed the company.

“Well, well,” came a gruff voice as a human man appeared in the opening to their private space. He was quickly joined by another man who appeared to be a blend of human and bird and a slender woman with rubbery skin. They leered into the booth with broad smiles before inviting themselves in to sit down.

“Excuse me,” Hannah shouted. “We are here to be alone.” Her sentiment was echoed by Webster, who let out a shrill hiss at the interlopers who didn't seem to care.

“I hear you three are wild girls,” the human said as he tried to scoot up to Umtha. “You succubi always are.”

Hannah tried very hard not to overreact. She knew that by being a succubus, there were certain expectations among other players. It was only reasonable to assume that some of them would make the mistake and come on a little too strong. So she smiled and held out a hand to stop his movement and save Umtha from having to bite him.

“We succubi belong to the harem,” Hannah corrected as the other two sat and began to encroach on Quinny. “We get everything we need from the harem and are forbidden to play outside it.”

“That’s not what I hear,” the woman said as she smiled at Quinny. “I was told she was whoring it up in a forest temple.”

“That’s only when I am at the temple,” Quinny argued. “And that’s only when my masters tell me to be there.”

“Does it really matter?” the thinner man asked. “We know you succubi have to have it.” He reached for Quinny only to have his hand nearly broken as Hannah’s tail lashed out, swatting him away. He recoiled in pain, gripping his wrist as Hannah stood to glare.

“Alright, that's enough!” Hannah shouted. “You three get out! We came here to be alone and enjoy a few drinks. I am sorry, but we are not allowed to play with anyone outside the harem without express permission from one of the masters. If you persist in pushing this, I will defend myself and my girls.”

“I can’t feel my hand,” the man grumbled.

“I had no idea these devil whores were so fridged,” the woman laughed.

“They just need someone to light their fire,” the human said as he pushed into Umtha and reached for her chin. His cry of pain echoed across the common area as Umtha bit his hand with sharp, devilish teeth, drawing blood as he struggled to pull away. The woman went to draw a dagger, but an eight-legged hood landed on her face. She screamed and fell out of the booth as Webster refused to be dislodged. Hannah was on the table in a heartbeat, her tail wrapping around the neck of the feathered man, and, in a quick twist, hurled him from the booth. Her hands wrapped around the shoulders of the human and lifted him from the seat with Umtha dangling from his hand like a snapping turtle.

“Ow, ow ow!” he cried while attempting to dislodge her.

“Serves you right,” Hannah grumbled, then ordered Umtha to let him go. She obeyed and dropped back to her seat just before Hannah threw him from their private room. He piled into his companions, who lay on the floor while the entire space looked to see what the commotion was. A moment later, four harem girls in full armor showed up with a dozen tiger guards. Hannah explained that their friends assumed the harem’s rules were flexible and attempted to touch what wasn’t theirs to touch.

The harem guards took a very dim view of anyone attempting to touch the master's property, and the trio was quickly escorted outside. The girl returned with their drinks a minute later, oblivious to what had happened.

“Here you go,” she said, then nearly dropped Umtha's drink when she saw the blood dripping from the woman's chin. Her eyes glanced down to the table where Webster was lapping up a blood stain.“Umm, do I even want to know?”

“She had a drink already,” Quinny suggested.

“It was more of an appetizer,” Hannah corrected as Quinny laughed. Hannah turned to Umtha and told the woman to use her magic to clean up before somebody mistook her for a vampire. Umtha glowed as she used the cleanse ability, then smiled as she took up her grosk and sniffed the black liquid.

“Oh, it smells like bark,” she said excitedly.

“And that’s a good thing?” Hannah asked as she watched Umtha take a sip.

“Oh, it's good!” Umtha said excitedly and held the glass out to Hannah. She wrinkled her nose but took the glass, starting at a reddish black broth that reminded her of pulped turnips. She pressed the glass to her lips and took a sip, causing her mouth to burn as if she had just taken a swig of horseradish.

“How is it?” Quinny asked as Hannah held it back while making a face like she had tasted something sour.

“Uhhg!” she groaned. “It's like radish, blended with sour grapes and wood pulp.”

“Can I try it?” Quinny asked eagerly as Hannah handed her the glass. She took a sip and proclaimed it to be equally as foul before handing it back to Umtha.

“Why do people need to taste things they know are awful?” Hannah asked as Umtha happily sipped away.

“I wanted to share the experience,” Quinny laughed, holding up her slender glass with a golden liquid. “This is more like honey and wine mixed together. You will like it.”

Hannah took a little sip and agreed it was a lovely drink, but she had a large blue glitter bomb to devour. Her glass was oversized so she could share it with her girls when they finished their tiny drinks. Now, she settled back with blue syrup on her lips and let out a contented sigh.

“Do you think we died, and this is a kind of heaven?” Hannah asked as Quinny and Umtha snuggled in.

“Nah, if this was my idea of heaven, my harem would have more men,” Quinny explained.

“Three isn't enough?” Hannah asked as Quinny shrugged, and their waitress returned with a tray covered in treats. The inn called it the wild hunt, a tray covered in triangles of crisp bread three layers deep. In the center was a large bowl divided into four sections, inside of which were four different types of meat, cooked to perfection and often swimming in a thick sauce. You dipped the bread into the bowl to scoop some of the meat, creating a quick and delicious finger food. The real trick to it was you never knew what the meat was, and it usually wasn’t worth asking. It came from whatever wild animal the hunters had brought down the day before and could be anything from a giant rabbit to a killer squid.

Umtha was the first to sample the delight, going for white meat swimming in creamy sauce. She dipped her bread and shoveled it in, making a pleased hum as she delighted in the taste.

“Frank is right. We are weird,” Hannah laughed as she considered that they could be eating almost anything.

“We're girls. We are supposed to be weird,” Quinny suggested as she also went for some.

“I don’t know that I agree with that,” Hannah said as she leaned forward to join the feast. “But I  love my little wild monsters.”

“Ha, we're wild monsters now,” Quinny laughed as she looked over the tray at Umtha, who had four triangles of bread in her mouth.

“I thought we were your dark angels?” Umtha mumbled through her food.

“Oh, you're that too,” Hannah said, petting her head. “When you’re good.”

“We’re always good,” Quinny insisted, but Hannah laughed and went for some bread. They were each a dozen pieces in when two figures appeared at the end of the table, and Hannah looked up to smile.

Frank stood before them, wearing a smart shirt and pants. He had a sash of green and cream marked with his hero's emblem and a jade tiger wearing a crown. Beside him was a tall, slender succubus wearing the barest silks and a mysterious veil that was seen through. She was covered in gold chains and bangles as she clung to his side, smiling with a lewd expression. Her eyes were shadowed with blue, making them dance above the mysterious cover as she struck a sensual pose.

“And here are my husband and wife,” Hannah said as she gestured to them with a piece of bread.

“Oh, Breanne looks pretty,” Umtha said as she took in the outfit.

“She’s perfect for the harem,” Quinny said. “She knows how to look sexy.”

Hannah agreed and took in the sight of the beautiful woman before asking why she was wearing a veil. Frank explained that they were going to implement a rule that all harem girls had to wear them when outside the harem. Hannah liked the idea and the way it made Breanne look exotic. Not that the horns and long tail didn't do that already, but this accentuated that dark charm. Breanne scooted in beside Umtha while Frank joined Quinny, the two girls smiling as their family gathered.

Frank asked how her research was coming, and Hannah admitted she was stuck. She described the conflicting systems to categorize magic and how it was impossible to know who was right. She shared her plan to talk to some of the harem girls who were skilled at magic but didn't want to go much further. Frank agreed that if word spread the jade harem was doing serious magic research, it might draw unwanted attention.

“Which means you can’t look for people who were part of the original program,” Breanne surmised.

“Not without admitting what I was doing,” Hannah said. “Maybe Mother knows somebody we can trust. She did say she knew somebody who might know things about Hathlisora.”

“I remember that,” Frank agreed as he picked up a bread. “We were afraid to pursue it.”

“Well, it’s something to consider if we hit a dead end,” Hannah suggested as she shared her drink with Quinny. The pretty succubus took a gentle sip, coating her lips in sweet glitter.

“And now you will have pleasant dreams,” Hannah laughed.

“Speaking of which, have you asked Gisely to show us the vision you had?” Breanne asked.

Hannah shook her head and sat back, considering the choice. On their way to the distant necromancer tower, she saw a memory from her past. It was a painful vision of Frank's death, along with a woman who looked like an angel claiming that he had failed her like he always did. The dream was only twenty seconds long, and Hannah had snapped out of it when she presumed the woman had killed her too.

“I will ask her tomorrow,” Hannah said.

“You can ask her now,” Frank said. “She was in the corner flirting with one of the rogues when we came in.”

“Oh,” Hannah said as her ears perked up. “I should.”

“I will go get her,” Breanne said, slipping from the booth. She sauntered off, rolling her hips as she went with Hannah, enjoying the display.

“You are a lucky man,” Hannah laughed at Frank. “All these girls to dress pretty and decorate your arm.” She batted her eyes at him as he rolled his back. She loved teasing him with little comments and gestures to see how he blushed or tensed. Still, he was growing bolder, even coming to her for affection just because he wanted it. She could tell he loved having his girls around him and seeing them smile when they looked at him. She thought back to the early days when he was a scrawny ghoul who walked hunched over so that she was taller than him. How things had changed, and the once scrawny ghoul was a powerhouse of muscle that was just as attractive to him as his human form.

Hannah was distracted from her musings as Breanne returned with Gisley in a lovely white dress. She fluttered to the table's edge and immediately offered to take them into a dream tonight. Hannah held up her glitter bomb to show she would be ready, causing a wide smile to cross the woman’s face.

“I heard you sing this morning,” Gisley said. “Your voice sounded so beautiful. It was almost like there were several of you singing.”

“There were,” Hannah said. “My girls joined me, and we sang together.”

“Oh, I want to sing with you,” Gisley pouted.

“Yes,” Hannah said and said she could sing tonight. Gisley shook her head and said she had a lot of preparation to do tonight, especially if Hannah wanted to visit a dream.

“I thought Roric told me you were doing a special dream with them tonight,” Frank said, causing Gisley to nod.

“Yeah, but your dream won’t take long,” Gisley said. “Then I am going to take my family off to a dream where we pretend to be students in Japan.”

“What?” Hannah laughed as Quinny looked up with wide eyes.

“You’re going to pretend to be students in Japan?” Quinny asked.

Gisley explained that she had taken her family into a dream from her own memory. It was of a noodle shop in Japan where she used to work, and afterward, she took them on a little tour. She visited some of her favorite places, ultimately ending up in her little apartment. It had been Chandice's idea to alter the dream, so they were all friends who went to school together and would have a sexy poly relationship.

“I want to go!” Quinny said and looked at Hannah. “Can I please go with her?”

“I don’t know that any of us should,” Hannah said as she urged Quinny to sit. “This is Gisley’s thing she is sharing with her family. Why don’t we let her have a few dreams of her own before we start barging in.”

“It would be interesting to see Japan,” Breanne agreed as Frank nodded along.

“What, really?” Hannah asked. “Does everybody want to go?”

“What's a Japan?” Umtha asked as Hannah shook her head. “Remember the dream where we went to the big city, and you wanted to explore everything?” Umtha nodded, so Hannah explained it was like that, but in another part of the world where things were a little different. Umtha wanted to go, too, and Hannah had to turn to Gisley for advice.

“Well, it takes more energy for me to keep so many in a dream,” Gisley said.

“Then you should take your family first,” Frank said. “See if it works, and if it does, maybe we can experiment with a few of us to see how you handle it.”

“Alright,” Gisley beamed, then looked worried. “Oh, um, is your dream scary?”

Hannah wanted to say no, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. Seeing a dead Frank and a raging angel just before it killed you was a little scary. She explained the scene to Gisley, who nodded but said she would do it anyway. Hannah then handed her glitter bomb around, ensuring her family ingested a little fairy glitter to mark them for the dream.

“Well, I will see you tonight,” Gisley said and bounced off with a happy step.

“Why is that girl always a fountain of happiness?” Breanne asked when she was gone.

“What has she got to be unhappy about?” Quinny asked. “Her entire life is lived to make people happy, and that makes her happy.”

“Everybody loves that little purple fairy,” Hannah agreed.

“So, is this dream scary?” Frank asked as he brought them back to the topic at hand.

“Oh, Frank,” Hannah sighed. “My only worry is that you are going to see yourself dead. Is that going to bother you?”

“Maybe it’s how I died and forgot my past?” Frank suggested.

“It looked more like a typical player death to me,” Hannah replied. “But who knows?” She watched Frank nod as he considered the implications but announced he was determined to see it. They would go tonight to revisit this vision and see what they could learn. With any luck, it would provide more answers and give them a direction to go in. With so many helping to sift through the clues, it was bound to produce a picture soon, and when it did, she would decide where to go from there. For now, she would enjoy a meal with her family, and later, they would see what they could learn.