Chapter Forty Eight

B A N Q U E T : DAY ONE OF THE CELEBRATION OF COWARDS

“And you called me a coward for moving from the fifteenth platoon!”

The soldiers in the city were the only ones out celebrating amongst the pressure. Throughout the streets many of the soldiers drank and ate their way through the night, while others tried to help the civilians learn to breathe through the heat.

The soldier shook their frozen friend, who was stuck on the bench beside him, as he laughed.

“It’s alway rough the first few hours, but once the terror passes, and you realize he’s not after you, then it’s as easy as shoveling dirt.”

The friend was not amused, but the tremor in his legs told him there was nothing he could do about it.

“We have to go.”

Osiris threw a hand over his eyes.

“Why.”

He wanted to nap.

“You said you wanted to trick them into trusting you. You have to be there in order to do that.”

“..”

“Kou is cooking the entire menu, and I’m sure no one will show up.”

“Yeah, under this pressure?”

“..”

Osiris could feel the shaky little ants moving. The smart ones have on buffers. He sighed. It’s been a long time since he’s had to do fan service.

“I’m not wearing those shoes.”

His father left him these bastardized flippers for him to wear. They looked like dress shoes but the demon surrounding it had moving little hairs inside the soles.

“Who cares about the shoes, what do we do?!”

“Yeah, you never said we had to dress up for these things?!”

His men were panicking.

“Do a quick exchange with Goss.”

Vep slapped his head and pulled out a temp trade scroll.

Osiris was still mad he lived so long without the simple pleasures of a bastardized version of the internet. These one time deals cost a mini fortune to make. Apparently not everyone can attain his level of mana reserves. They take up quite a bit of mana, especially the ones that can teleport large items.

While the three looked over her catalog Osiris stared at his suit. The fabric was soft and airy. He could tell someone put great care into making it. Osiris tossed it to the side and decided to dress himself.

He was beautiful.

Where he used to have a square, sharp jaw now sat a triangle. His monolid eyes were now round with, in his opinion, too much volume in their lash. Where his first kiss was with wide, thick lips, now sat untouched with smaller, plumpier, cherry dyed lips.

He was exactly how Isabella showed him.

Skin tint and all. He used to be more of a peanut brown than this pasty, pale white mess. Osiris touched his hair. With it shorter his ends are a bit more curly.

It was soft.

Osiris wondered if this was thanks to his father’s girlish charm. Osiris glanced at the old photo of a woman. He really did look like her.

“I hate that you still have soft skin.”

“Sunnie, I use my hands and feet to fight, not my face.”

“But why are you so pretty?”

“My mother?”

“That her?”

“Yup.”

“...”

“I still hate you for it.”

“All of you are pretty too.”

“Don’t lie.”

Osiris raised a brow. Her words had a bite. He looked at her through the mirror. She wasn’t looking at him. None of them were looking at him.

“..”

What in the self esteem.

“Are you three having a midlife crisis or something? Is it time?”

They ignored him. Wow.

But being back home must have gotten to their heads.

Out there in the wild, there was no social hierarchy, just army. You were either a follower or a leader, a fighter or a healer, a coward or a knight. But here, he guessed, there were social rules? He wouldn’t know, he was in prison the entire time being taught the wrong names of Kingdoms and Kings.

Osiris looked them over.

They were still kids when it came to this. Or maybe just confused, lost, young adults. You can still get lost on the way up.

“..”

He was getting old.

“I would say I’d fuck you guys, but I wouldn’t. Incesty wincesty and all that.”

No laughs. Tough crowd.

“Are you three forgetting what we’ve been through?” Osiris laughed and started to comb out his hair. “You think any of those piss babies can even put a dent on you?”

Their face’s unpinched, but just a tiny bit.

“You three were very popular out there.”

“Here is different. They care about status here.”

“..”

“Okay fair enough, they do. But do you care about them?”

“We don’t, but do you?”

He found the unease.

Osiris combed his hair in silence. Some would say their relationship is recklessly codependent. They rely heavily on what he thinks and what he does. But who could blame them. With the life they’ve lived, a little safety in others is okay every now and then. It’s not like they are always like this, well, aside from Fibble. Osiris sighed. A lot of things they’ve repressed are about to begin to reappear.

“What on god’s green earth made you think I would think that?”

“...”

“I know you three have seen my welcoming party.”

“Did you really live here by yourself? You didn’t have friends, or other people you liked, right?”

Jealousy now?

“Come. Let’s take a tour, then we can go eat.”

“You’ll really show us around??”

“Yeah, I mean you’ll be staying here.”

Osiris needed to make sure that old man sound proofed their room by the end of the night. They were respectful, but after they drink they fucking don’t even know where they are anymore. Osiris doesn’t know how to stop that.

“Can we stay with you for a bit?”

“..”

“I doubt you’ll be thinking that after you guys start drinking.”

“...”

“..”

“Can we at least sleep next door? We get nervous if you’re too far away.”

Osiris back tracked and grabbed a notepad off his desk. He scribbled a message, rattling his beetle carcass across the table top. It was still preserved. On his way out he passed the note to a maid frozen at his door.

“Get this to the King. Tell him to do it now.”

She shook but took the complete stack of notes.

“Good girl. Now run along.”

She ran.

“What was that about?”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go.”

“They really pulled out all the stops on this one.”

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While the civilians partied in the city, the royals and nobles lavished in the riches of war.

“I heard the King banned a lot of plehoric parties during the war.”

“He did, but the nobles still had secret ones. They all got off to it too.”

“Yeah, that princess even started her own harem of war orphans. She especially loves the ones with dark hair and colored eyes.”

They looked to the Prince’s soldiers.

“I bet she buys him by the end of the week.”

“I say the end of the day.”

The teens snickered.

More and more people were getting used to Osiris. It was only natural, after you realize he isn’t an active threat. Osiris scratched his nose as the teens kept their gossip up. He was being nosy as he watched his men try to socialize without him. It was fucking hilarious.

“Did you see another Dwarf was hung?”

“Those crown prince’s followers are scary.”

Osiris could already picture the future to come if that prince rules the lands.

“Can you believe that woman is part beast?”

“She looks human.”

“Maybe she’s a high ranked beast? I heard those sell for a ton.”

“I heard the church is planning to try and train the prophet.”

“The blonde guy?”

“Yeah.”

“The beast lady looks like the Prince’s type.”

“Which one?”

“Crown Prince.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, he likes the boyish ones.”

“Aren’t the three of those people together?”

“Oh, right! I heard they take after the beasts they killed.”

“I bet it’s because that girl’s beast blood makes her w-”

“Hey, no go back.” Osiris squatted beside them. “The Crown Prince likes tomboys?”

Their faces drained of blood.

“Hello?”

“P-Prince Axel likes beastmen.”

He slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Men?”

“H-h-he means their people, my lord.”

“Fewh,” Osiris pretended to wipe his forehead. “I was worried I had to deal with a closeted faggot there for a second.”

The chitter chatter of teeth sang him a tune.

“So he likes the beasts.. How beastly.”

The teens shared a look and huddled in.

Osiris joined them.

“I heard he fucks one that looked like a rabbit.”

“A rabbit?”

The teen scooted in closer.

“Yeah, like,” He showed about eighteen inches of air. “this much.”

Osiris covered his mouth.

He was smiling.

“And what was it about Mercedes?”

The teens shared another look.

“Well-”

Axel forced the legs of the beast to spread, thumb pulling back skin to show her clit. It twitched. His hips spasmed.

“Fuck.”

Heather, the Crown Prince’s wife, sighed as her husband began eating out the rabbit against her back. The Queen told her she must face all types of situations when she became Queen. And dealing with her husband's needs was one of them.

The little rat squeaked.

Her husband moaned the beast to orgasm, smearing her cum across his jaw. The Prince came hard. Heather hoped that allowing the rabbit in bed would allow him to sleep with her more. They’re trying for a son this time. Heather tilted her hips.

She had hoped this time she could cum.

“They are expecting us soon.”

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Don’t remind me.”

He pulled out. Heather let the beast fall onto their bed. The two began to dress.

“We can do more later, if you’d like.”

He kissed her neck.

Everyone walked on eggshells every time the front entrance opened.

“Now announcing Ri-”

“When can we leave?”

Luella ignored the annoyed look on Mercedes’s face. They were the first to arrive out of the family. They usually were. It helped with their network building.

“I saw the prince huddled with some boys-”

Luella’s beautiful face twisted.

“-in the back. Do you think he’s really, you know?”

The noble wiggled her brows.

“I-”

Her eyes nearly met Luella’s and the girls got spooked and walked away.

“Mother was right to try and kill that bastard.”

Mercedes shook her head.

“What was that now.”

The entire room froze.

“B-Brother Os-siris, you’re finally here.”

Osiris watched a bead of sweat slide down her face. He looked at her hands. She had on a few lovely little buffers. Picking off a little pearl dangling off a tablecloth, he shot it straight at one, cracking the stone in half. He watched her shoulders fall.

Luella could only hear the cackling of the Prince as she struggled to sit straight.

Osiris found the band.

Sunnie walked up to some scared guards and sighed.

“You might want to tell your King to make sure everything is fire proof.”

She looked at him force the band into a group huddle.

“I’d hurry if I was you.”

“So that bastard can control his ego.”

Luella hissed as she watched the air around the band stabilize. Their moods instantly brightened.

“So what are they forcing you to do.”

Donka felt a bead of sweat drip down her back.

If not for her reputation she would have left the moment she was able to stand. She looked the kid up and down. He was pretty. Dangerously pretty. She could already see he had the eyes of men, women, and teens. She could tell he was going to be very popular once school starts.

“...”

She tried to find her voice.

Surprisingly, he waited. A bit bored, but he waited.

“W-we were hired on as entertainers.”

“..”

“T-that, um.” She swallowed. “We are to perform a type of belly dancing from Ing.”

“..”

“...”

“That’s it.”

Her lip shook.

“..”

“Do you know anything else.”

“W-we travel m-many places.” Donka wanted to strangle herself. Her speech was going to affect her ratings. “What I mean is.” She took a deep breath. “We’ve traveled around the continent and have performed for many of the Kingdoms. We can perform whatever type of show you would like.”

“..”

“...”

“..”

“...”

“..”

Donka hoped this was the boy thinking.

Donka shifted her weight, jingling her bells. His eyes fell on her hips. She wanted to laugh. Was the boy really bent? She looked at him as he squinted at them.

“Where are you from.”

She relaxed.

Finally, a reply.

Her eyes closed as she smiled at him, pushing out her chest. Her top was a simple twisted front, cut out crop top that crossed around her neck. Around her hip red, flowery cloth with side slits and little tiny gold bells and beads sat around her waist like a kamarband.

She looked like a gypsy.

“Jora, my Prince.”

“It’s Osiris.”

“I’m afraid we could be punished, my Prince.”

“You won’t, now. What is your family’s preferred style?”

“...”

“Kathak.”

“Nice, do that, but let me try the belly dancing. Give me your band.”

“As you wish, Prince Osiris.”

“..”

He really hated that title.

Donka handed him her belt and watched him put it on.

She’s met his type before, the flashy type. She usually lets the poor bastards embarrass themselves. She gave him a bit of space. He had his back to the crowd.

“Do you think they’ll fire proof it in time?”

“Maybe they already did?”

“Should we join him?”

“Let him show off a bit.”

Vep could see his mana spark. Osiris was a very… active kid, always has been. And he enjoys dancing. Especially the violent, footy kind. He loved to throw his body around, and the odd thing about it all was, it was actually good. It looked goofy most of the time, but it always looked fun.

The men on the field appreciated the rare moments the kid was being playful.

Sunnie hopes she can see more of it.

Donka felt heat pool in her belly.

The kid was good.

She watched him stare straight into her eyes with a glint.

He started by bouncing on his toes and swinging out his legs one by one, hands pushing from his body, and out around the room with smooth, sensual waves of his hands. Then his hip work started. He began to mix it into a little bouncy display of pink and white. Fire sparked below his feet. When she thought he was going to break from the dance and blow up he settled and started throwing his thigh. His muscles bounced and shook. After a few sways he’d occasionally throw in a little kick. His arms spread in an enticing display.

He kept it clean.

He danced like a Ing. She smiled. He wasn’t mocking them, he was just enjoying the fling.

“Would you like me to-”

“Nah, show me your house dance.”

Donka looked at him.

Maybe he was a bit bent.

He handed her the kamarband and she wrapped it around her waist. Looking behind him, Donka could see a lot of freshly curated lustful gazes.

The Prince switched her places and looked at her like he was going to study her. Hand on chin and all. The ground beneath them slowly healed the melted stone. He was making it easy to forget he was a threat.

She looked around the room. She was lucky her team has won his favor at the moment. The grace of feeling weightless after that hell was wonderful. She felt high.

Donka began her dance.

Osiris watches her little feet start their march in place. She had her hands flat and facing inward horizontally. After a few little flashy arm points, the spinning started. He watched her cheeks flush.

The band this entire time was doing a wonderful job providing the right music choice. He could tell that this little bandwagon of culture cared about their craft.

After her lovely little show it turned into a frat party.

Osiris got drunk and forced everyone to dance.

By the time the King and Queen made it, Osiris had nearly everyone wasted, and dancing to music that the orcs liked to make. He was covered in spilled wines, jacket lost amongst the roar of the people.

Even her daughters were laid out on the table, Luella slurring and complaining to Mercedes, Mercedes forgetting she has a phobia. She wondered how much he forced them to drink. The only ones safe from the chaos was the band and performer dancing on the open stage.

It was a mess.

It was noisy.

“.…”

The Crown Prince made his way through the crowd and to his parent’s table where they sat and chewed on the cold, stale food.

The boy was charming the crowd.

It was almost as if he was never isolated to begin with.

He expected severe mental repercussions from going from isolation to war. His Mother purposely sabotaged his education to make sure he would make a fool of himself once he was reintroduced to society, but this.

The hate in his heart spread to his stomach.

Axel sat beside his parents as his wife sat to his left. Under the table he can feel her run her hand up his leg. He let her be. Their relationship has improved since she allowed Beset into their bedroom. She was his prized beast. He preferred the smaller breeds. He was on the smaller end of… things. With them he felt like he was actually pleasing them.

He looked at his wife.

Their relationship started to die a year after their daughter was born.

He got addicted to beasts and she preferred wine over sex. But now she wanted a child again and this was them meeting in the middle. Her hand teased his stomach, fingers ghosting by his waist. He was glad he listened to his Mother and married her. She had dark red hair and lovely, darker red eyes. Once his Father finally retires he will be ready to take the seat. He just had one problem to fix.

Axel looked at his brother’s men.

“Half-breeds aren’t so bad.”

Osiris felt like he was at a meet and greet.

Once the liquor kicked in the people started to talk.

He belonged in the spotlight.

Osiris looked toward the front. The parentals were here. He shot the Queen a wink before carrying on.

“I don’t know if I should be mad or not…”

Fibble held his chin.

Osiris was acting normal.

“I find it terrifying.”

“Same.”

Fibbled watched him flirt with a married man.

“He said this is fan service?”