Naya and Dariya prepared themselves to go to the concubine’s ‘dinner party’. Some of her people told her not to.

“She’ll poison you, my lady. With the baron gone, she and the other concubines may even try to slaughter you in the kitchen with knives!”

Naya winced, then did her best to calm her servants down.

“They aren’t warriors. And they’ll have no idea what poisons even kill elves. They know nothing about us.” When her servant just stared Naya rolled her eyes. “I’ll take a blade. And Dariya will eat first.”

“By the Goddess I will,” said the old woman as she fussed over her hair. “Not your servant anymore, am I? Eat your own human poison.”

Naya grinned and winked at her maidens. But she still lifted her dress and strapped a blade to her thigh.

Then they were out the door and crossing the grounds of Nassau in their formal dress, attracting a great deal of human stares.

“I never get used to it,” Naya whispered. “I feel like some exotic animal brought home by the scouts.”

“That is exactly what you are, dear,” Dariya said. “Just wait until you have children. They’ll be spectacles.”

Naya smiled at the thought.

“If I have children, I don’t care if they have three eyes and twelves toes. As long as they’re mine.”

Dariya softened a little, making a gesture of praise to her moon goddess.

“May it be so,” she said, squeezing Naya’s hand. “I’m sorry if I’m a bit…grumpy. So much has happened. And so quickly. I don’t like change.”

Naya laughed, and Dariya’s face soured again.

“I’m beginning to realize,” Naya said, fighting to keep her grip on the old woman’s hand, “disliking change is a very elven trait. So you’re not special, Oracle. You must adapt like the rest of us.”

“I’m too old to adapt.” Dariya managed to get her hand back and lifted her chin. “I’m hoping to die before it’s necessary.”

“Don’t say that,” Naya said more seriously. “You’ve already done more than the council. More than almost anyone back home. We wouldn’t be here without you, Dariya. I know that.”

The older woman softened again, looking slightly defeated and taking a deep breath as they arrived outside the door of Mason’s hall.

“Are you prepared for this, princess? I fear I’ve little wisdom to offer in dealing with a room full of lesser, certainly jealous, rival human women. But I do have a few spells ready.”

“They’re extending their hands in peace, you won’t need them,” Naya said, then met Dariya’s eyes. “And you’ll treat them with respect. If there’s to be any animosity, it won’t come from us. Understood?”

Dariya scowled and rolled her eyes, muttering something Naya couldn’t hear.

“She’s likely just trying to show you who the real first wife is. To put you in your place, princess. I’ll only listen to so much disrespect. If they keep on or speak of you rudely, I think it’s best they learn a lesson in…”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“You’ll keep a civil tongue and start nothing,” Naya said, with a bit more commanding tone, then grinned. “Employ your famous charm.”

“We both know I’ve little to none of that,” Dariya said. “I’m…”

“Too old for charm, I know.” Naya knocked and straightened her dress, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. It was all very silly, she supposed, but she’d decided it was important she get along with Haley.

If they were both reasonable she saw no reason they couldn’t be civil, maybe even friendly. And she knew that was what her future husband would want.

* * *

“Why are we even dressing up, who the hell cares what we look like,” Rosa shouted from the bathroom as Haley scrambled in the kitchen.

“Lexi, how does it look?” she called, and the little Brit jumped up from the oven.

“Umm. Not quite ready?”

Haley winced and looked over her dishes. She’d made a classic onion soup, actual home made bread, and a hollandaise sauce that came out basically perfectly. Except it was for the damn ‘Tiny Ugly Halibut’ that wouldn’t seem to actually cook.

“My pies,” she said, realizing she’d neglected them. “Did someone actually…”

“They’re on the window,” Rosa called, stepping out from the kitchen in a formal black dress she’d borrowed from Haley’s stash. She was fussing with a pair of earrings, and Haley literally stopped in her tracks as she scanned the girl from head to toe.

“You look absolutely stunning, Rosa.” She winced. “You, um, might need to…take it down a notch. I don’t want them to think we’re trying to make them look…”

“I am not changing!” Rosa said. “I help cook. I will help you clean. I agree to sit down with this…elf woman, who I still can’t believe Mason is marrying. But if I do all this I will at least look fabulous. OK?”

Haley closed her mouth and grinned.

“OK.”

“And you should change because you look like a dish washer or something,” Rosa added, giving Haley a once over. “I will watch your sauce. I will handle the fish. Off you go. Go!”

Haley gave the girl a kiss on both cheeks then dashed off to the bedroom. She’d picked out the perfect outfit to look a bit conservative, but not frumpy. Sexy, but not too sexy. She hoped it said she had good judgment and could be relied on to continue that.

By the time she was full-on internal debating over shoes, she heard a knock on the inner door and their player guard shouting about guests. With a final groan, she just went barefoot to the door.

“They’re here! Just…act naturally, and turn off the oven! And is the…”

“My God the fish is fine, Haley, and this is all unnatural. We’ll just be over here.”

Haley sighed and opened the door with a polite (but not over the top), friendly smile. The elven princess returned it, the old oracle not so much.

“Thank you for coming, Naya,” she said. “And Dariya. Please come in. I hope you’re hungry.”

The elven princess looked amazing as usual. Though Haley suspected the woman could make just about anything look feminine. Her silk wrappings were so colorful and intricate. Haley really wanted to see how they actually worked to come on. And off.

“I hope the others don’t feel slighted,” Haley said. “Of course at the actual wedding we’ll have a much larger feast and I hope to learn everyone’s names. But I thought it would be nice if we could get to know each other a little.”

“Of course.” Naya said, no sign of offense or displeasure. At least not yet. “I feel the same. Thank you for the invitation.”

Haley was usually comfortable in such situations, but she felt a bit on edge. She failed to think of something worthwhile to say, but at least got the elves into the kitchen, and then eventually the table.

“This is Rosa,” she said, very happy all of a sudden she wasn’t alone. “She’s an alchemist. And a wonderful cook.”

Dariya turned and stared at the princess wordlessly. Haley felt she’d missed something or made some mistake, and suspected it was Rosa’s outfit. She tried not to show her annoyance.

“And this is Lexi,” she went on pleasantly. “She’s a crafter, and can make all kinds of things, though I don’t know much about it. She lives with us, too.”

The elven princess just looked between the women with her frozen, model-like smile, saying nothing until Haley again began to feel uncomfortable.

“And you’re all concubines?” Naya finally asked, her tone perfectly polite.

Haley froze and looked back at the other girls.

“No…we’re…that is…”

“Haley and I are,” Rosa said, then gestured at Lexi. “She isn’t. At least not yet.”

The elves nodded, Naya still smiling politely like they were all discussing the weather. Haley took a deep breath, giving Rosa a chastising look when she saw Lexi go beet red.

“Well. Should we eat?”