MM2 -Ch1-

Standing there, Rene looked from the women in his life, to his family, then back again. Eventually the laughter the Watcher slowly died away.

His mother, Bernadette, had a rather knowing smile on her face. Her light-brown hair was pulled back behind her head in a single braid, her brown-eyes watching him for several seconds before she looked to her husband, Clement.

Dressed in matching colors to his wife, the man was handsome in his later years. A dignified and refined presence he’d cultivated through his career. He had given his sea-green eyes and nearly nondescript brown hair to his son.

His father on the other hand looked like he wanted to laugh. To laugh and not stop laughing for quite a while. He’d clearly known what was happening here and any ignorance or surprise on the part of him or his mother was theatrical.

Looking back and forth from Rene to her parents, was his sister. She was the only one who actually looked confused, sharing their mother’s brown hair though with much more curl to it. Her dark blue eyes searching Rene’s face for an answer.

“Ah, mother, father,” Odelia Delacroix said, turning to look at Rene’s parents. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to collect everyone here and make suitable plans arrangements for your time here.”

“That’d be fine, dear. We’ll actually just step out for the time,” Rene’s mother said before her husband to get a word in. “We’re actually staying in the manor home just across the street. We were only dropping in to announce ourselves.”

“Oh? Thank you for your understanding. We’re just in the middle of figuring things out obviously. I had hoped to have all this well in place before we… well, before we presented ourselves to you,” Odelia said with a wave of her hand as she looked to Rene. “Rene can’t help himself though. We’ll come stop by and then we can go back to my house to introduce you to my father.”

The beautiful, green-eyed, black haired fiance whom he’d bought courting gifts for, gave him a radiant smile. One that reached her eyes and made her even more lovely. Her emerald like eyes hard and mesmerizing.

Unfortunately the massive golden courting gift that dominated her bosom and cleavage with it’s diamonds and sapphires only added to everything else. On top of trying to draw his eyes down to her chest.

It all made Rene very afraid.

Her smile was confident, lovely, and full of understanding.

Without any surprise in it.

She knew about Alana and Irini.

How did she know?

If I knew my boy, I’d tell you what action to take.

Her ignorance was a ploy, and we can’t catch a break.

“Of course. Not a problem dear. His father and uncle were the same way, you know. Richard actually went through with it though. I managed to convince this cad he only needed me, however,” Rene’s mother said reaching out with a hand and tugging at her husband’s ear. Then she waved a hand at Odelia as if what she’d witnessed were nothing. As if she were amused at the whole situation. “Come on, Clement. You’ve had your fun. Ellie, get the door, would you?”

Far faster than he could have hoped for, his father, sister, and mother all retreated.

Though his father did catch his eyes with his own on the way out, giving him a knowing grin. One that felt a lot like an icy-dagger through Rene’s guts.

He does know about Aurora.

Damnit.

“Well! That happened far faster than I admit I was expecting,” Odelia said, turning to look at Rene after the door shut. Turning her head she let her eyes flit to Alana.

Alana the self-described house-wife was standing next to him. Looking nervous though also confident in equal measure. Her brown hair was artfully arranged, allowing her ears to poke through in a cute way. Her clear bottomless black eyes were incredibly deep when she glanced over to Rene before returning her attention back to Odelia.

“I… have… bread in the oven along with a pitcher of tea I made. And I did get you some milk at the store as you asked, Irini,” Alana Cleary murmured, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Lori will be in school for a bit longer. Perhaps… we should talk around the dinner table?”

“Oh, yes. Good suggestion,” said Irini Dalca as she bobbed her head up and down to the suggestion. The assassin cat-girl, or more accurately Alis, gave him a wide smile.

Her short, dark-brown, nearly black when indoors, hair was loose today. Triangular cat-like ears with bright white fur inside them sat on top of her head and were pitched straight at Rene. Her bright electric blue eyes with slit-like pupils were entirely dialed in on him.

“I… yes, of course. Certainly. It would probably be best to discuss all of this,” agreed Rene.

“Most certainly. This is no-way at all to go about courting more than one wife, Rene Anatolis,” Odelia said with clear consternation in her voice. “You’re a very fortunate man that… well… that I’m in love with you, my hero. Very fortunate.”

Odelia smacked him on the arm with some strength as she walked up to him. Then put her arm through his and began dragging him along to the kitchen.

“Oh, is Lori in school? I’d like to see her if possible,” Odelia said, turning to look at Alana who was right behind them.

“Yes. She’s in school for a while yet. She gets a break in an hour though. I usually make her lunch and her tutors swap out,” Alana explained.

“Oh that’s quite lovely. I’m glad Lori has us all in her life,” Odelia said, nodding her head to Alana before looking ahead again as they entered the dining room.

“I like her,” Irini stated firmly. “She’s a strong young girl. She likes my tail.”

“To be sure, you have a lovely tail,” Odelia agreed leading Rene around to one side of the table. Sitting him down into one of the chairs she indicated the place next to it. “Right here, Irini dear.”

“Yes, thank you. And thank you for the compliment. I take great care of my tail,” said Irini moving to the seat specified. “My ears were equally beautiful until someone disfigured me.”

“I don’t know about that, Irini,” Odelia said, taking a seat directly across from Irini. Alana quietly began pulling out what was clearly a pre-arranged snack tray along with a pitcher of tea she pulled from the windowsil. “I think the notches give them character. It also might be interesting to have some v-notched earrings to put into those slits.”

Irini’s eyes widened at the suggestion, sitting upright in her chair.

“Yes. I like this idea. I could decorate them. It would look more akin to a mating mark than a punishment,” said the Alis excitedly.

“See? Not so bad. We’ll go speak to a gold-smith I know later,” Odelia said with a wave of her hand. Then she turned and looked to Alana. Staring at the Elven woman for several seconds as she laid everything out then took a seat next to Odelia. “Thank you, Alana. I’ll start with Irini first if you don’t mind?”

Alana quietly shook her head, her cheeks a deep dark red as she laid her hands onto the table in front of herself. She looked rather lovely in her house-dress.

A lot like an Elven-housewife. Exactly what she claimed herself to be.

I don’t know what we should be doing.

To think this has been inside her brewing.

And hopefully not our undoing.

Ha. Yes.

“I’m Odelia Delacroix,” Odelia said, laying a hand to her very expensively adorned chest.

“Irini Dalca. Master assassin, hired to Rene,” Irini said formally and quite warmly. 

It was the earing comment.

Yes, she’s won over our second. Without even trying.

Realizing he was likely about to be revealed, Rene held up his left hand.

“I feel I should interject and-”

“It’s alright, my Hero,” said Odelia giving him a smile and a shake of her head. She didn’t seem angry at him. Or even perturbed. “I already know you’re the Mask, and that she’s the Dark Mask. I just needed confirmation and she’s given me that by simply existing.”

“You… knew?” Alana asked, sliding her eyes toward the other woman.

“I deeply suspected. Violent crime is at an all-time low. Noble backers are finding themselves being limited on what they can purchase or do,” said Odelia, lifting up one hand and ticking points off with her fingers. “The Mask seems almost too real to be true, but he is. Rene collected all the bounties of those the Mask killed. Junk was murdered quite violently in his home after the Moon fire. You gave my father a great many lines of credit that Junk owned at the same time the man died. And by the way, that was so nice of you Rene. He really enjoyed showing up at the local card game with those. It really gave him the ability to hold his head up with some pride again. And beyond that, there’s a number of other small reasons that I have on a sheet of paper somewhere but escape me at this time.

“Yes, I deeply suspected my darling Hero and fiance had turned the Hood to the Mask and was actively going after crime before it could happen or as it happened.”

Odelia once more looked to Rene.

Gazing back at her, he realized in that moment that he could never see her as a little girl again. This was a woman who was quite likely smarter than he was. Along with a far deeper ability to perceive those around her with piercing insight.

“And if you were the Mask, that meant the Dark Mask existed as well. And the Dark Mask was reported to be female. Hence, Irini exists. I had just yet to meet her.”

“And… me?” Alana asked as everyone digested how deeply Odelia had torn the situation apart.

“I knew you were a woman from the moment you took my hand in your own when I went to grab Rene,” said Odelia with a laugh. “I had no idea why you were playing the decoy but I felt no reason to spoil it for you. You weren’t pursuing Rene so I didn’t think you were a problem either. Though I’m curious how you ended up living here. I thought you were still at the library.”

“I was fired, my contract terminated,” Alana said, spreading her hands apart in a ‘there it is’ type of gesture. “Rene found me at Redemption house and… asked me to move in with him.”

“You were still dressing as Alan at that time,” Odelia stated.

“Yes,” agreed the Elf.

Nodding her head, Odelia turned back to Irini. The Alis was munching on what looked like a biscuit and had filled a small cup with some of the tea.

The assassin promptly smiled at Odelia, showing off her teeth.

“I take it you were supposed to kill him and he… turned it around on you?” Odelia asked with a smile. Then she clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Of course he did. That’s why he notched your ears. Disobedience. You’ll be good from here on out?”

Irini had the distinct look of someone who wanted to argue and fight.

“He can’t give you Kits if you maim or kill him,” Odelia said, putting her elbow on the table.

Frowning severely Irini considered that, then nodded her head minutely.

“Yes. I’ll not try to kill or maim him anymore. You’re right. I can’t claim his Kits if he can’t defend me or them,” Irini admitted.

“Good. Then you’ll be a servant to the Anatolis household and Rene’s personal mistress. If that’s agreeable to you?” Odelia said, still in the same casual pose she’d been in. “With of course the possibility of Kits.”

“I want to be his wife,” grumbled Irini.

“That wouldn’t be approved by any court in his home country or mine. It’d certainly never be accepted in his social circles, either. Or yours in fact,” apologized Odelia. “His lead mistress? Very accepted and quite a reputable position. I’ll also support you in that and treat you as if you were a sister-wife to me, though common.”

If Rene had to be honest, he only barely understood what Odelia was talking about. He hadn’t much concerned himself with romance growing up. Nor anything about it.

Probably explains why father thought we might not become a sire.

Avoiding courting, woman, and marriages as if we sang the choir.

“I accept then. Servant and mistress in name, sister-wife in the family,” Irini said and sighed with a shake of her head.

“And we’ll go look at earrings together to cheer ourselves up. You, me, Alana. Rene’s treat. Okay?” Odelia asked, reaching across the table to take Irini’s hand in her own.

“Okay. Thank you. I’d like that,” grumbled the Alis.

Squeezing Irini’s hand, Odelia then put her attention to Alana. Relasing Irini’s hand she shifted in her seat, sat upright. Looking slightly uncomfortable as she did so, that the chair wasn’t positioned right for her.

Grabbing hold of it she turned it toward Alana then put her hands in her lap, sitting demurely and with proper decorum.

She just shifted her entire mode of attack. Disguised it all in addressing Alana directly and her position change.

We underestimated our beautiful and dear wife.

I look forward to surrendering to her our life.

And oh how I love her. I hope she tells us what to do.

“I’m his housewife under Elven law,” Alana said defensively before Odelia could say anything. “He invited me in and I accepted it.”

“Of course. I have no issues with you being his Elven-concubine,” replied Odelia nodding her head. “If these were Elven lands, I’d most certainly agree with you being his common-law Elven housewife.”

Alana opened her mouth and then sat there, her tongue pressed to her canines.

“No. I’m his Elven housewife,” repeated Alana.

“I’m the mistress. You’re the Elven-concubine,” countered Irini before she began drinking from the cup of milk Alana prepared for her.

Shaking her head, Alana clearly wanted to argue this point.

“Ah. Delicious,” Irini said with a satisfied sighed. “Thank you for the milk, Elven-concubine, the mistress approves.”

“If he chose one of us to be his wife, it couldn’t be you,” Odelia said gently before Alana could respond to Irini. “Without even getting into the Elven negative bias this city has and the laws against such a union… Rene likely didn’t even know that he was pushing Elven custom by inviting you into his home. If I don’t miss my guess… he likely insisted he was inviting Alan, into his home.

“I’ll not fault you for that, and that’s his error. He often doesn’t think about things when those he cares for are in trouble. And according to Elven custom, an Elven-concubine is traditionally the second husband or wife’s position anyways. Is it not?”

Alana’s eyebrows pressed together, the determination in her eyes slowly bleeding out.

“It is,” agreed the Elf.

“Then… you’re his Elven-concubine formally, his Elven-housewife informally. If we ever travel to the Elven lands, you’ll be expected to take the lead while we’re there,” Odelia said, still holding firm to her posture and distinct. A woman of nobility speaking to another.

Modified her stance to speak to Irini at a level she couldn’t be angry to. Then changed to Alana’s.

She… planned this and looked into marital law.

As I said earlier in fear for ourself.

We’re at her the wife’s whim, just like the Elf.

Alana’s eyes slowly slid down to the dinner table.

Then she sighed and nodded her head.

“Elven-concubine outside. Elven-housewife in the family,” murmured the Elven maiden.

“Would you go earring shopping with us, our Elven-housewife?” Odelia asked, smiling at the woman. “I promise we’ll make time to go to the Elven embassy shop. I know for a fact that have some nice pieces that would be lovely in those pretty ears of yours.”

Alana nodded her head mutely.

“Wonderful. Now, Rene,” Odeali said with a very heavy sigh. “My dearest Hero, my fiance, my… my love. I cannot begin to express how terribly hurt I am at what you’ve done. This is distasteful, disrespectful, and honestly quite rude. If you wanted more than one wife, you could have gone it in a much more palatable manner. Am I right, ladies?”

She… ah… she’s going to bind them together against us as a common enemy.

Uh-huh.

Alanna nodded her head much more sharply at that, turning her frown into a glower and pointing it at Rene.

At the same time, Irini had nearly done the same thing. Her ears flattening to her head as she put her gaze to him.

“I’m not even upset about the fact that I’m not enough for you. To be honest, I know I’m not. I doubt any woman is given your… abilities and… disposition,” explained Odelia. “I just greatly dislike how you’ve done this and locked us out from one another. Let alone the Mask secret.

“Now… given your actions, I don’t actually doubt there’s more I need to know. Would you like to come clean to me now, my Hero? Because after this, I’ll not tolerate any lies, any omissions, or misdirects. Do you understand me, my fiance?”

“I understand,” Rene said clearly.

“I expect a full accounting, Rene Anatlois, my future husband. A full accounting of all things you’ve held back from me,” said Odelia tapping a fingertip to the table. “That is my price to be your noble-wife and maintain your household. If you care for me, love me, and want me as your wife, that’s what you need to do.”

It’s time to lay our cards down and end the strife.

If you care to admit your feelings for our wife.

Then… I guess… I tell her everything. Just not that this is our second life.

Good.

“Then I will tell you all. Because… because I do want you as my wife. I’m not a normal human. I have other worldly abilities. I worship a god I call the Watcher,” Rene said, maintaining eye-contact with Odelia.

Reaching into his inventory screen he pulled out his Mask from thin air, and laid it down on the table.

“I am indeed the Mask. Irini is my Dark Mask. I had my top-lieutenant set several woman ‘aside for me’ but I have no intention of ever bedding them. They are part of the disguise,” continued Rene. “I do have one contact however that I have pursued as the Mask and partially as myself. Her name is-”

“Aurora Dean, yes. The new Liuetenant-Captain,” murmured Odelia with a hand wave. “I found her when I was picking through the attempted robbery on you and the connection to the Mask. As well as the attack on her, her miraculous survival, and then her rapid promotion. I already assumed she was likely being courted as I was.

“Did you present her with a gift greater than mine, or lesser?”

I… shit. I don’t know.

I don’t know. W… Watcher? Any chance you could help me here?

As one idiot who wanted a Harem to another, Odelia’s gift is greater at least by thirty-thousand or so gold coins. Tell her that specifically.

If she presses, and she might, if sold in Laetus that necklace would go for around ninety-thousand gold coins. Laetus has much more wealth but less jewelry like what that.

And… just as a bonus, remind her that Aurora is marriageable nobility. Where she herself is not.

Bless you, bless you, and thank you our kind god.

We’ll make a sacrifice to you though we’re badly flawed.

“Yours is the greater by at least thirty-thousand golds,” Rene replied quickly. Deciding to start with what the Watcher had listed first.

“Thirty… I… so much?” Odelia asked looking down at her necklace. Then she looked at it again critically. “Rene… these… how much is this necklace worth? I… didn’t ask but now-”

Lifting her head to look back at him, Odelia had a mildly panicked look to her face.

Doing the simple math in his head he let out a brief sigh.

“If it was sold in Laetus it’d fetch ninety-thousand gold coins. If Felicie, probably around forty-thousand,” Rene admitted.

Gasping softly, Odelia lifted her hand and covered the necklace. Quickly followed by her other hand.

“Rene!” hissed the young woman. She looked like she was incredibly impressed and also frightened for her necklace. “This! This is something that would be sold at the royal city itself! Not here!”

“And by the way,” Rene said, deciding to shift the conversation a bit. “Aurora is also marriageable nobility… where you… you’re not.”

Odelia’s eyes widened further at that statement. Her face taking on a pale color.

“That’s a very good point,” said Odelia, both hands covering her necklace protectively now. “Father hadn’t brought that up yet but it’s a very good point. Even money can’t wash that one away. Even if you spend more on your courting gift to me than the annual pay of the city-regent himself it would be a tough case to present. But a marriage to Aurora Dean would pass easily. And then allow my own marriage. Yes.”

I… did that… work?

“It’s decided. You’ll call on Aurora today and explain the entire situation to her. By yourself. Invite her back to dinner with your parents,” Odelia said with a firm nod of her head. “And we’ll proceed from there.”

“That’ll work,” Irini said. “We need to drop by the guild tonight after that. Since we own and operate every brothel, that hour works better.”

“You’re in charge of keeping him chaste,” said Odelia, looking to Irini.

“Of course. That isn’t an issue,” agreed Irini with a cat ate the canary smile.

Odelia frowned, watching the Alis, but apparently wasn’t sure what to make of that.

And… now we have to go tell Aurora.

About everything.

Damn.

Damn.