Corvayne's plan to go fight the boss right away ran into a problem: Nyx had vanished.

Lady Blood Claw rolled her eyes. “Boys will be boys. That means we're staying the night.”

Brines had joined them at the bar. He looked at the wine cooler he had ordered but not yet opened. “That wasn't the plan? Bearer booked us a hotel room already. I thought that was always the plan!” He looked around in a panic.

LBC snapped her fingers to bring his attention back to them. “No you dingbat, we WERE going to make this quick.” She turned, silver hair swaying over her as she waved the Barkeeper down. “Give me a bottle of the wine I had before.” She said while putting down a handful of gold and silver. Corvayne was about to say something about being rude but once she got her bottle Lady Blood Claw turned and said “Thank you.”

Bearer put her arm around Brines. “Oh no! A drink? Looks like we can't leave tonight. Come on space cowboy.”

“Huh?” He seemed stunned as she pulled him away from the bar. It was always sort of funny to Corvayne that an athletic and handsome man like Brines had so little confidence in himself.

For as much as he didn't like Bearer, he seemed pretty happy when she pushed his head into her chest. “Later guys!”

Lady Blood Claw watched them go while feeding her squid chips, then sighed. “Fine. I'll babysit the princesses while they go wander the bar. Corvayne, Spears... go have fun.”

Spears stood up, putting a hand on LBC's shoulder. Corvayne saw that Lady looked irked at it, but Spears didn't notice or slow down. “We can do a sleep over! Well, I mean, we should get a different room for Tutu because she's a little handsey.”

“She has, multiple times, tried to have Corvayne give her a pelvic exam.” Lady Blood Claw said, swirling a cup of red wine and looking doubtful. Corvayne made a note that her skin was starting to turn a deep orange with black swirls. A bit like a tiger. Interesting.

Spears pointed at him. “Well, Corvayne is going to try to solve her problem anyway, right? Because he can't leave someone in trouble.”

He wondered if he had any say in it. Bell and Tutu were at a table not too far away, looking like they were trying to ignore each other while also eating what looked like a five course meal.

That being said, he could use a little time 'off' from worrying about losing someone to monsters. “Okay. I don't mind having some non combat related bonding with everyone. I mean, I suspect Nyx will be up late anyway.”

He saw Tutu turning to them with a lavicious smile and shook his head. “No. Not that sort of Bonding. Go back to your food.”

He thought he really shouldn't have untied her.

“You really shouldn't have untied her.” Lady Blood Claw said before downing the entire glass of wine she had poured.

Spears ended up getting a large room for her and Corvayne and Lady Blood Claw, with separate rooms off a shared suite. Spear's room emphasized blue yellow and gold colors, with tall ceilings and exterior balconies with gardens attached to every room, even the bathroom. The smell of flowers mingled with a gentle pine scent. His own room had a variety of flowers that merged into the garden outside as they flowed out of the room's glass doors. He heard a small fountain outside as well, burbling and attracting at least two small birds that dipped their beak into the water before flitting off. The sound of water encouraged him to revisit the bathroom, and when fully in the door he saw it had a balcony with a chest high wall for privacy as well as a large shower if one wanted to enjoy washing outside, which of course made him wonder exactly how many different configurations the rooms came in, and if it built rooms based on who was requesting them.

He took a moment after testing the outdoor shower view looked to be some city in evening, the cooling sky contrasting with what looked like the lively glow of windows in the wood houses below. If he had to guess, they were about seven or eight stories up, but he didn't feel like testing what The Inn would do if he tried to jump down and walk around town.

Spears had got Bell and Tutu their own rooms as well, but asked everyone to come in after getting cleaned up and ready for bed. Corvayne didn't want to point out it was only around four in the afternoon by Nel'Ferral time, both because it would defeat what Spears likely wanted (a slumber party) and would point out that LBC was day drinking. He let the girls bath before he did, and was happy to discover one of the side rooms had a place to wash his clothes. Mr. Squidgglesworth floated over to the drier and curled up on it after Corvayne started it, its skin melding to the brass embellishments on the device. He gave it a little pet and it wiggled happily. Lady Blood Claw cleared her throat, one hand holding her towel over her silver hair, the other pointing at her pet.

He had assumed she was annoyed at something he did, but instead she turned slightly. “Don't beg Corvayne for treats.”

Corvayne tried the outdoor shower and found it was a little weird and exposed, even with a wall blocking anyone from seeing him, so he went back indoors and drew a fresh bath.

Refreshed and dressed in some of the clothes that Wick had picked for him, he walked into the main room to see Spears had packed a tiny projector as well as a few board games, which suggested to Corvayne that she had some sort of storage enhanced bag as well. Perhaps not as handy as the ring he had found, but it was nice to see everyone else getting more room to carry all the stuff that the Tower left laying about.

Spears sat across from Corvayne as she spread the board out on the large fluffy white carpet dominating the center of suite they were going to be sharing with Lady Blood Claw. It looked like it was a game of chance, the sort where a person rolled the dice and tried to advance along the board. Corvayne flipped a few of the cards and guessed it was finance themed, as they seemed to be about taking or blocking money. Spears explained the rules for about two minutes before sensing that she was loosing her audience, and with that they began to play.

Tutu and Bell had to have a helper tell them what the cards meant, which Spears offered to do so that the other four could play. Both royals were intensely focused they played, Bell using breathing techniques and staring holes at her cards while asking Spears to remind her what each was, while Tutu actually stopped trying to strip as she examined her cards, the board, and her stack of fake bills. Lady Blood Claw took the first game anyway, as Corvayne was relaxed and let his mind drift over some of the events of the last few months and let his shadow limbs handle moving pieces around. He was thinking about Spears and him suddenly being an item, of course, but also how he was going to handle what had happened with Hari and Wick.

Spears took over for Corvayne by pushing him playfully towards the two princesses. “I wanna to play!” She was smiling slyly, so Corvayne wondered if she had guessed what he was thinking about.

Corvayne wondered what she was thinking, as he saw a gleam in her eye. Maybe some sort of curse reducing factor. Bell looked stressed out with him sitting between them, while Tutu was earnestly asking him about the cards she had drawn.

Corvayne looked at the first card. “Bank Lotus. Looks like it gives you a sudden infusion of cash.”

Tutu looked a lot less insane when she was focused on something besides sex, though Corvayne still thought she was showing way too much skin, and he was pretty sure that she had put perfume and makeup on.

She pulled another card with a thief taking a stereo on it. “This one lets me steal a card from someone else, right?”

Corvayne nodded.

She shuffled through her hand, then showed Corvayne a card. “How about this one?” revealing art of a man with a sneer driving off with a big money bag away from a sad looking wife and kids.

“Discard any number of family members for three money each... uh... what a jerk. It feels like this game is very cut-throat.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Spears piped up. “It's supposed to be instructive! Motivating the player to see how empty the pursuit of wealth is.”

Lady Blood Claw shuffled her hand. “It's dumb to try to make the winner feel like a loser.”

Tutu looked at it, then handed the card to Bell. “I think it's meant to be in your hand.”

Bell took it and looked at it for a moment, then her face went red and she actually crushed the card, face twisting in fury before she took a deep breath and went back to simmering, glaring at her sister. “You think that's funny?”

Tutu sneered back, holding her hands out like an actor trying to be seen in the back. “What else can I think, SISTER?”

Bell stood up, for a moment looking like she was about to start kicking her sister. However, as Tutu hastily stood, Bell instead pushed past her and stormed out of the room. Everyone was silent, and he could see they were all staring at the door. While he had been hoping to take the night off from combat and drama, Bell was crying and everyone else looked like they had been caught off guard. He sighed and got up. “I'll go get her.”

Tutu started to follow him but Corvayne put a hand on her shoulder. “You've done enough. Watch a movie.”

The princess tried to push his hand off, but failed. She instead gave him an annoyed look. “You are wasting your time. She's heartless.”

Corvayne felt his eyes narrow, and he let her shoulder go and turned to follow Bell. He heard Tutu call after him. “It's an act or something! I've NEVER seen guilt work on her, not for years! She has no shame!”

“Well, you very successfully knocked her off her high horse, just like everything else in the last two months has.” Corvayne turned back and looked past her to where Spears was setting up the laptop. “I'll be back in a minute or two.”

Stepping out into the exterior courtyard, the scenery had changed to what looked like late afternoon, with long shadows and a vista with buildings and palm trees black against the setting sun and shimmering ocean. It looked nice, but he didn't see Bell anywhere, so he made his way into the bar and sought her out, finding her curled up in a corner booth with lighting as dim as he had ever seen at The Inn.

Corvayne had a moment where he was trying to figure out if he should sit next to her or across from her. He chose across, given she might want to bolt and his gut told him to give her space if she needed it. A waitress walked over, and he ordered two hot chocolates and a little treat for movie night.

Bell eventually looked up at him, eyes red. Corvayne decided not to smile or give his voice too much inflection. He considered trying to emulate Mister I when he was serious. Gentle yet firm. “Are you okay Bell?”

She took a deep breath. “Something has been happening. I have taken stock of many things I have done in the past and find I am rich in regrets... A regret.”

The drinks and his order arrived and Corvayne thanked the waitress, who smiled at them and vanished, features shifting a little as she did. He noticed he was becoming used to Tower dwellers doing all sorts of shape shifting. Corvayne took a sip of his chocolate, the mix creamy with a bit of cinnamon added. He saw Bell was just looking at hers. He wondered if this is what Grunt and Mister I saw when he came to them for advice whenever Wick had got him worried. “If you want to talk, I can listen. I'm not as good as Mister I might be...”

“You will suit me better than a monk would. So listen well. You had brought up the idea of trying different things to find an heir. While I was not subjected to the worst schemes you had offered... when I was young I was pushed into an unusual match.”

Corvayne considered putting the breaks on the conversation, worrying that it was going to be another one like Wick's that would leave him totally unable to function for a day, but it was too late. He had cast the die.

“I had a half-breed child with an Avaria. She did not have the royal talent, and being only fifteen summers old I had felt like the entire process was a... punishment for me. It was a chore. Afterwards I wanted nothing to do with her and sent her away to live with her tribe. Since then, Tutu went from admiring me to despising me.”

Corvayne thought about it. “Was this when you started getting angry all the time?”

She shrugged. “I do not recall.”

Corvayne was about to say that line made her sound guilty when she seemed to hurry to explain herself. “I know I was more timid before, and I only agreed because... if not me, it would have been her.”

“Have you met your daughter?”

“She's a little bird girl... I saw her once when she was three. Hylal. The tribe they picked... they didn't expect me to want her at all either, so I tried to keep it out of my mind. I was told I had become more angry, but I think it's just I noticed other people failing more. I think I had grown up.”

“You didn't think about her, then get angry?” Corvayne asked, trying to not sound judgmental while moving the conversation forward. He sipped his hot chocolate. “Or... did it feel like sometimes... something was wrong with how you were thinking? Then you'd get angry, and do something impulsive?”

She looked down at her cup. “I had not thought you'd be so familiar with the feelings I used to have. Of something being wrong. Even now I am... mad at myself, and you a little, to be honest. I think... if I met her now, I could at least say something. I've never thought about it so sharply, but... my sister was right.” She pulled from her sleeve one of the little car game pieces, empty except a pink peg driver. “Thinking of a person, my daughter, as an unwanted burden...” She played with the piece, then slipped it back in her robe. “You have been trying to push me, like an annoying bureaucrat dumping scroll after scroll onto my desk, to find some sort inner truth. But I'm lost as to what to do with myself, how to feel anything that I know I should feel to... something that I made... and it's just wall after wall. Not even your monk knew what was wrong with me.”

Corvayne stood up. “I'm going to try something. Something weird. I have to put my hands on your chest. It might help you, or I might just be chasing shadows.”

Bell went beet red, and curled up further, her hands crossing over her already modest dress. “Truely? After all this time... Now?! You thick headed beet farmers son of a hero! A peasant's sense of timing, one drunk on turnip wine mixed with sawdust kicked too many times by a goat...”

After a few more lines comparing him to farm animals, farn implements, and something about having a chamberpot for a head, she stopped, bit her lip, then composed herself while turning her nose up while also tugging at the collar of the dress she was wearing, letting Corvayne see her cleavage and the tan line around her neck. She looked away, and closed her eyes. Corvayne was pretty sure, for some reason, she wasn't as angry that he asked as she was about him not asking her sooner. [[Understanding]] sometimes only confused him more. Oh well. It was a long shot, and worse case he'd just say sorry for jabbing his fingers into her collarbone.

Placing his hand above her heart, feeling her smooth warm skin, he started pressing, at first gently, then firmly as she pressed back until he felt something break, and bloodlessly his fingers sank into her, and she gasped and arched her back. His fingers moved with her and it looked like she was in pain, so Corvayne pressed further, certainly deep enough he should have hit bone, then felt something wrong, and seeing as Bell was hyperventilating he hurred and hooked a finger around what felt like barbed wire, got a grip tearing at his fingers and hands while still inside her, and pulled. A black thorned vine appeared with his hand and left a little blood but no wound behind as he pulled it from Bell. It was stubborn and Corvayne had to grab her shoulder and push her while pulling to get the last bit out of her, the thing fighting him as it had become a snake before he yanked it free and watched it fall apart, crumbling into ash that itself vanished.

[42.0%]

Corvayne winced at that. He just gained a percentage. Bell was still gasping, sort of making fish faces as she tried to take a full breath. Corvayne was about to pick her up and try to find a table with a healer when she abruptly stopped gasping and coughed, taking a full breath at last.

Then the waterworks started. In a moment, she was bawling, coughing, her nose running. Corvayne looked at his hands, stained with a hint of black residue. An emotional load-bearing curse, it seemed. He sighed, and fixed her now torn dress so she wouldn't accidentally flash a demigod, then pulled her off the bench and princess carried her to her room. She clutched his shirt when he was about to put her down.

He sighed. “Fine.” He left the two princesses room and carried her back to their own.

Tutu saw him return and bolted to her feet. In three different voices with emphasis on three different words, the three girls asked at the same time. “What did you do to her?”

He set her down on a couch, then grabbed a blanket. “She had a curse on her. I yanked it out of her chest.” He glanced over at Tutu's well exposed chest. Perhaps when there was a mender around. The last thing he needed were two traumatized princesses.

Lady Blood Claw folded her arms, entire skin turning brown with sharp black bolts. “You pulled HER curse out?”

“It was pitiful and small, and the results are she's a mess.” He shook his hand. While the wounds from grabbing the curse had vanished right away, the pain seemed to linger. “I can try to fish yours out later. Tutu, can you call a truce with your sister for a while? She's started to feel regret. You know, give her an olive branch?”

“Do I look like an olive farmer?” Tutu looked at him, and her eyes started to glaze over as she pushed herself into him, pulling her already too thin and too small night gown down. Breathing heavily, she asked, “What if you extended YOUR olive branch... to me?”

Lady Blood Claw narrowed her eyes. “Corvayne, you had better not waste-”

He thrust his hand into the princesses offered chest, with slightly less care or hesitation as he sunk his arm into her, and of course Tutu had a coiled thorny curse vine that he pulled out and tossed to the side before dusting his hands.

[42.5%].

Spears stood up looking between them and looking a little hurt. “Both of them? In one night?” She took a slightly disappointed tone. “Corvayne.”

Lady Blood Claw was pouring herself more wine. “No no, I'm fine over here Corvayne. I love my stupid name.”

Corvayne's hand felt like he had dipped it into fire. It might have hurt Tutu too as she started bawling her eyes out, which started Bell up again. Spears went over and pulled both girls to the couch and started trying to shush them like they were babies rather than fully grown (if somewhat short) women.

Lady Blood Claw, meanwhile, toasted with her wine cup smile not touching her angry eyes. “Great job Corvayne. Just the sort of audience I want for watching Terminator with you and Spears.”

Corvayne sheepishly reached into his storage ring and pulled out the treat he was going to bring. “Popcorn?”