Chapter 36 Downfall: Part 2

As it turned out Seri was correct about well everything, the entire city began to implode, the groups of people baying for blood seemed to increase by the minute, and the bigger the crowd the greater the chance of violence. It had started small, first as a few dozen adventures with angry hearts and as they had drawn attention the blackband had fed the fire, spreading rumors and partial lies. After that the garrison was sent out, town guards were set to make sure the crowds didn't get out of hand. But even that fed into the blackband’s plans, seeing as they told the agitators in the crowd worked up the crowds, telling them that the nobility would soon start imprisoning them to save their own backside. Industry practically shut down in a matter of hours, bakers stopped baking, butchers took to the streets, soon the agitators were not even needed as the crowd had reached a critical mass at that point in time.

And that had been three days ago...

I turned over in bed, pulling myself out of Seri’s arms, feeling her warmth leave me and sighed. I looked over at Sarena and envied her those elven ears, which were more sensitive than a human's but nowhere near my own, meaning she didn't have to put up with the sound of people chanting all the time, 24 hours a day. Everything had ended up closed down, the smiths, the banks, and most certainly the guild hall, despite the threats the guild master had promised to dole out for indecent behavior.

Which of course didn't go down so well as it served to prove that he was in league with the Brandmounts, just like the rumors had said...

“She doesn't know how much longer this can go...” I sighed and looked down at my naked body. Sarena liked laying under light covers, even when she was snuggled up close to me, something That was never comfortable for me, it was much better to sleep on top of the covers, it felt more natural for me. I needed a bath, a proper bath, not those tubs of water that Sarena attempted to wrestle me into occasionally, but a real proper Khatan bath. Sadly I didn't have anyone to share tongues with, no Turu to help me. “Oh well,” I sighed and began to lick myself clean.

“Oh well, what?” Seri asked cracking open an eye, which upon looking at me widened to an incredible degree.

“What?“ I asked, my leg still up in the air and my back bent to allow me to lick my inner thigh.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a slightly strangled voice.

“She is grooming her fur, sadly there is no one here to help her so she must do it alone.” I sad and went back to licking making sure to get every spot.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Seri hissed, “you let others lick you?” she didn't seem too pleased about that.

“Well yes,” I answered honestly, “her clan always shares tongues, it allows bonds to grow which makes the community stronger and-”

“You let other people lick you?” she repeated her question, so I decided to elaborate, thinking my answer was not sufficient enough perhaps. “Even in those places?” she pointed between my legs and around my chest, and it took me a moment but I finally understood why she was upset.

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“Only her mother and sister, and never like that,” I said, “in Khatan society it is not proper to share tongues like-” I paused and searched. “As Seri and she do, people do not do that, not in that way...” she let out a sigh of relief when I said that, “Why, would Seri be opposed to me sharing tongues with another?” I asked, creeping over to her, a purr in my throat.

“Don't you dare,” she said narrowing her eyes on me, as I gently pulled aside the covers and put my face down beside her bare midriff, my whiskers causing her abdominal muscles to twitch as they were tickled, I flicked my eyes upward as I put my tongue out, and rasped it up her stomach. She as attempting to keep a stern face but was failing as my whiskers did what they always did to her. I licked her again, making sure to not press too hard, seeing as my tongue was rough and I didn't want her to feel too uncomfortable. I blew out a breath of warmth from my mouth, watching as her muscles rippled again, and she fought back a wave of laughter, her stern expression melting as I once again ran my tongue over her stomach, this time slightly lower. “Rin~” she giggled and I opened my mouth to answer when the door to our room opened of its own accord and in walked Aldria.

“Its happene~” she broke off what she was saying as she looked at the two of us, both frozen looking her way, my mouth still open with my tongue pressed against her lower abdomen, frozen in the act of licking her. Aldria’s cheeks turned red and she quickly turned on her heels and left the room standing in the doorway for a second not looking at us.

“For the love of the gods,” Seri sighed, pulling the covers over her naked form and then glancing at me and throwing them over me as well. “What sort of curse has been placed on me, I swear I am not an exhibitionist, why do people keep walking in and seeing me in compromised positions...” she hissed under her breath, I wriggled back up, lying next to her so that I could also see out from under the blanket. “Aldria, come back in please,” she called out, sounding exasperated. Aldria glanced back still red as a blood moon and when she saw we were covered she came back in, but she definitely looked everywhere but at us. “Now then, what is it?” Seri asked, “What has happened?”

“Ermmmm,” she said, still not meeting our eyes.

“Well spit it out already, after all, you did barge in here and-”

“This is my house,” Aldria crossed her arms, “I am not used to having two guests that seem to rutt like they are in heat at every possible moment?” She snapped.

“We do not rutt,” Seri growled.

“Yes, yes, whatever, I came to tell you it has happened, the lord is caving, he has had the Lord and Lady Brandmount detained, and he said he will be charging them for their crimes so long as the mobs promise to not riot and everyone gets back to work,” she paused, “well the proclamation didn't actually say it like that, seeing as that would mean he has bent to commoner’s will, but that is essentially what will happen...” she looked at the two of us, “that and the two of you have been summoned to the Ducal castle,” she said, looking at the two of us for the first time this morning, her cheeks were still flushed but the color was fading as she regarded us. “You two be careful, you can't refuse this summons, and I doubt the Duke likes you too much, after all, it is likely easy to put this on you two, seeing as you have been rather recently entangled with local politics...”

“I see,” she sighed, “Right, Rin, let's get dressed and make sure we look our best, also, pack up your things, we might need to leave rather quickly, and I would rather not be caught unprepared...”

“Good luck,” Aldria said with a somewhat forced smile, before turning on her heels and leaving. “You're going to need it.” I looked over at Seri, who sighed and nodded, before throwing off the covers and getting out of bed.

“Come on kitten, we have a Duke to meet, we better look our best,” and I groaned, knowing what that meant, as she walked over to a copper tub big enough to sit in. That was my kind of bath...