Kilniara’s eyebrows knit in confusion, “Yes?”

“It… it doesn’t bother you that she is here as well… uh holding my hand?”

That actually gave pause to Kilniara, and she stuttered a bit. At the same time, Gwenvair suddenly sat up and stared over at Kilniara intently.

“What’s wrong?” Gwenvair asked Kilniara with an intensity that Joe found a bit surprising.

Kilniara turned away and struggled but Joe just sighed and collapsed back in his seat, “That’s… she’s jealous.”

Kilniara looked up at that and quickly shook her head, “No. No. It’s… I understand. It’s OK!”

Joe snorted, “So if you found me in the arms of another woman, both of us deeply kissing, that wouldn’t bother you at all?”

Gwenvair quickly responded, “No, it wouldn’t bother her …” she cut off just as quickly and turned to look at Kilniara. Her hand came to rest on Kilniara’s cheek.

“What is wrong?” Gwenvair asked softly, obviously confused.

Joe quirked an eyebrow at that, glancing down at Kilniara before pulling her hard into his side with a soft hug while turning to look at Gwenvair.

“She’s jealous.”

“I don… I don’t understand?” Gwenvair asked with some confusion.

“You… you don’t know what jealousy is?”

Gwenvair shook her head, “No. I understand. I just do not understand why Kilniara is jealous.”

Joe barked out a laugh, “Because you were holding on to me and you’ve been… by my side a lot the last couple days.”

Gwenvair quickly shook her head to deny it but the abruptly stopped to look over at Kilniara. Her hand once again coming to rest on Kilniara’s cheek.

“You are?!” Gwenvair breathed out, half question and half shock and Kilniara finally looked up at Gwenvair, tears running down her face.

Gwenvair sat back but did not remain close to Joe, pulling away from him slightly. She stared down at Kilniara and Joe sighed. He turned to Kilniara and spoke quietly.

“That’s why I was asking if you are alright.”

Kilniara didn’t say anything, looking down in shame and Joe frowned.

“I don’t know why you are ashamed. You don’t need to be.”

Kilniara looked up quickly at that, “But, I trust Gwenvair and I see her …”

Joe shook his head and cut her off, “It doesn’t matter how much you trust someone, or… I should say that it… bah… I’m messing all this up. Let me try again.”

Joe shuffled a bit forward in his chair, and Gwenvair politely slipped back away from them, which oddly seemed to make Kilniara more concerned, but he began quickly.

“Jealousy is… a weird thing. I think if you hugged a boy as a friend, I would be fine, but if you were to hug him as if he were a lover, or as some form of… as if you sought from him a solace that I should provide, I would become insanely jealous. I could not ever see you with another man. If I did, or if you did, it would destroy the trust between us and trust is one of the most vital and important things in a relationship. If we lose trust for one another… well… our relationship will not last, and jealousy is the killer of trust. It… That’s why you always have to be careful to make sure that you never do something that would cause jealousy in another. It… it also means that we have to be very, very careful to not assume things as well. Jealousy… it kills relationships, marriages… everything. There can never be jealousy in our relationship.”

Joe spoke carefully while looking at Kilniara, concern and worry furrowing his eyebrows. Kilniara looked up at him and began to sob, burying her face into his chest and Joe sighed. He looked over at Gwenvair. Joe was surprised to see her staring at Kilniara with a look of shocked horror and pain but the pain was obviously for Kilniara. Joe frowned, surprised to see Gwenvair so concerned for Kilniara, but quickly smoothed his face when Gwenvair looked up at him. She nodded deliberately, smoothing her face, understanding coming to her as she sat back. She didn’t say anything, but mouthed silently.

“I understand. I’ll go now.”

Joe blinked, then smiled really brightly before nodding carefully to Gwenvair and replying without sound.

“Thank you.”

Gwenvair smiled, almost seeming to want to reach forward to hug him or pat his shoulder but quickly stopped, glancing over at Kilniara with realization. Her smile turned sad and instead she stood, the covers of the bed slipping from her. She slipped from the bed and glided out of the room. The door shut quietly, but neither of them really noticed. Joe’s concern remained, however, since Kilniara remained curled up on the bed, crying softly while Joe watched and held her while struggling to figure out what to say. He whispered softly to calm her.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Shh. Shh… It’s OK. It’s OK. Don’t worry. It’s fine.”

Kilniara calmed down a bit but then looked up at Joe with teary eyes, “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

Joe immediately put a finger to her lips and smiled, unable to hold in a bit of laughter, “Why are you saying sorry? Gwenvair will understand. She’s a very good friend and will take care of you well.”

Kilniara grimaced shook her head, “I know, but…”

Joe laughed, “Good. You know. And there is no but… She is a good friend and she really does care about you. It’s really easy to see… even I can see it. She’ll be there for you, no matter what.”

Kilniara looked up at Joe, her tears ending but her face still sad. She reached over and wrapped him in a deep hug before pulling back and kissing him deeply. Once the kiss was done, she pulled back and looked at him.

“Thank you. I… you understand and accept me so easily.”

Joe chuckled, “Well, I hope the same from you as well!”

Kilniara finally gave her first real smile and she settled her head back down on his chest, snuggling into his side again, and Joe sighed, enjoying the alone time with one another. He basked in the moment for a bit, but knew the discussion wasn’t done yet.

“So, about Gwenvair. Are you sure that…”

“Gwenvair!” Kilniara bolted upright in shock and worry. She quickly shuffled out of his embrace, but stopped again and leapt towards him onto the chair, straddling him. She quickly leaned down and plowed her lips into his so firmly it almost bruised him as she kissed him with furious passion. That urgency of her movement began to fade and she soon began to melt into him, her kisses turning from urgency to passion until she suddenly sat back up and pushed herself away from Joe.

“Gwenvair! I have to g…”

Joe sat up and kissed her this time, wrapping his arms around her. She kissed back as quickly before pulling back. She punched him on his upper chest with some annoyance as she pulled back, pouting at him.

“I have to go.”

Joe grinned, “She’ll be fine. I want to make sure you are OK.”

Kilniara nodded, “I am. Really. I am. Thank you.”

Kilniara pushed back from Joe, “I really have to go!”

With that, she fled the room but still remained discrete, not calling out for Gwenvair. The door, however, slammed quite loudly behind her and Joe fell back onto his chair.

“So… I guess she’s doing pretty well.”

Joe settled back on his bed, returning to his magical practice, but found himself quite distracted by the forms of two incredibly beautiful young women. He wasn’t sure if he was lucky, or if he was cursed.

After struggling futilely for almost thirty minutes, he finally sighed and gave up, heading out to the dining room table where Joe was surprised to find everyone ready to eat, even the two boys.

“Hey, Garnedell, Zilnek? When did you … How did you get here?”

Garnedell grinned, “We walked?”

“OK. Ha Ha! Very funny. We would have come got you at the inn.”

Zilnek’s eyebrow rose, “And miss the good food?”

Joe frowned, “The inn’s food isn’t that bad.”

Garnedell goggled, looking at Joe in shock while Zilnek rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, sure,” Zilnek rebuked.

“It’s that different?”

Garnedell seemed surprised, “It’s very different!”

“Huh,” Joe ended. Doesn’t taste that much different? Nothing horrible, but nothing to write home about… a bit bland.

Gwenvair looked up at him with a shallow smile, “I don’t think I wish to tell my mother about how poorly her chefs are doing.”

Joe flushed at that, “Oh… uh… sorry about that. It’s… it’s good.”

Gwenvair snorted and shook her head, “You don’t need to hide how poorly our food is made.”

Joe quickly grew embarrassed and looked away, “I’m… I’m sorry. It really isn’t that bad. It’s all pretty good, really.”

Kilniara came up to him and put an arm on his, “Maybe… stop?”

Joe glanced down at Kilniara and whispered softly, “Yeah, maybe.”

Gwenvair giggled at that, softening and Joe turned to her, hang dog, “I apologize.”

Gwenvair shook her head and waved him off with a smile, “It’s OK.”

The conversation settled after that into small talk and they all sat to enjoy their meal. Gwenvair grew reticent, but Kilniara dragged her into a conversation and the two began whispering urgently with one another. There was no anger in either voice, and Joe relaxed. Really hope they figure things out! They had such a good friendship.

The boys seemed oblivious to Gwenvair’s withdrawal and Joe likely would be just as much but the unusual circumstances of the morning almost guaranteed that he would notice. Despite the girls withdrawn private conversation, the meal appeared to be enjoyed by all and Joe soon noticed that Gwenvair simply seemed deeply lost in thought. Their breakfast ended and when Joe stood to head out to the dungeon, Gwenvair stood up and cleared her throat. Joe glanced at her, frowning.

“Eccentric. The women that were saved from the breeder camp are here. They await you.”

Joe blinked at that, then remembered and nodded, seeing all of them. Many women and some young enough to be considered girls by Joe’s standards came into the room and lined up, all facing him and then curtsying or bowing. Joe felt his anger rise at seeing their predicament and even their age. He kept it in and then greeted them.

“Hello. How are all of you?”

All the women stared at him and Joe grew incredibly uncomfortable at all the staring faces. Some stared at him with adoration, others with excited lust, and still others with burning hope. All of it was deeply uncomfortable to Joe except for the deeply shell shocked women. They offered a different form of discomfort in the emotion of helpless worry and concern for them. He sighed and quickly sought escape.

“I wished to offer you help. I will seek out and find something for you. If you wish to return to your homes or set up something else for yourself, please think on it and speak to me. I will attempt to help you prepare yourselves for a long and good life. I… uh… If you have some other ideas, please let me know. I have to go now. Bye.”

Joe quickly turned away and escaped out the front door, the others following after them, Kilniara and Gwenvair laughing softly between them, breaking out of Gwenvair’s serious thoughts for a time while Garnedell and Zilnek didn’t seem to notice anything of it, simply chatting between themselves. Joe ignored it all and fled.

* * *

The women watched the eccentric stride regally out the door, those shell shocked turned and wandered away in a daze, although some were aware enough to offer comfort and support to those still deeply lost. But the others who had avidly stared at the eccentric with burning interest gazed after him with calculating eyes.

* * *