The Alpha Worlders cheered, if a little uncertainly, while many of the guild members started to cheer loudly with whistles. “Come on Fluffball, you can do it,” came many voices from the crowd.
Fluff cast around, looking a little panicky. Alburet took her hand gently, leading her up to the stage area again. He held up a hand for silence and the noise died down some. “Fluff, if you wish to bow out we can have someone else stand in. I know you can do this, and I think you’re perfect for the role. Will you do this for all of us?”
Her cheeks flushed and her hands trembled as she met his calming eyes. With a shaky breath, she finally spoke, “Yes.”
The crowd cheered loudly, all eyes turning to Alburet. He grinned at the crowd, “I give you the garden scene of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet will be played by Fluffball. Romeo will be played by Karen. Without further ado, let the show go on.” He let go of Fluff’s hand to take a step forward giving the audience a brief summary of what led up to the upcoming scene, then stepped off to the side. Taking Stacia’s arm, he hugged her to his side as he watched the scene play out.
Karen stepped forward to speak, speaking as though she were talking to herself, yet managing to project her voice so that everyone could hear her. “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.” She continued with Romeo’s monologue, turning to Fluff as she came to the end.
Gulping, Fluff squeaked the first words of Juliette’s part, “Ay me!” She deliberately looked away from Karen, as if she didn’t know Karen was there.
“She speaks. O’ speak again, bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this night, being over my head as is a winged messenger of heaven. Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze on him. When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, and sails upon the bosom of the air.” Karen finished the speech in the same tone as she had before.
Fluff spoke into the moment of silence, “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”
Karen stepped in again speaking to herself, “Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?”
“Speak, speak,” called out a few from the crowd.
Fluff paused before she continued on with her moment. “Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name, which is no part of thee, take all myself.”
Karen turned to face Fluff directly, “I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I’ll be new known. Henceforth I never will be called Romeo.”
The play went on, the audience enraptured with the moment. Both Fluff and Karen were getting into their roles, Fluff going so far as to clutch her hands to her chest as she spoke. Karen responded in kind by going to one knee before her with a hand upraised as if actually speaking from the garden below her. As the scene came to a close, Fluff walked into the tent for the last time, called away by the supposed maid for the final time.
Karen followed her into the tent a moment later, ending the scene. After a few heartbeats, a wild exuberant cheer rose up from the crowd. Alburet was grinning widely as he joined in with a few loud whistles. Long seconds went by before the duo reappeared from the tent. Both of them seemed flushed as they stepped out hand in hand to take a deep bow. The crowd rose to their feet, clapping and stamping their feet as whistles and cheers echoed into the night.
The two took a second bow as the applause continued, smiling out at the crowd then vanished back into the tent. Gerald stepped out of the crowd to the front of the tent holding up his hands to call for quiet. Once people settled down, he spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed this evening. If you would like to participate in future enactments, or even if you just want to see more entertainment like this, talk with Marysue. For now, I’ll see if we can’t persuade the ladies to come back out so you can thank them personally. Please form a single line.”
Alburet stood up with Stacia on his arm, nodding to Gerald as they went into the tent. Alburet froze just inside the tent, the flap falling closed as he realized that Karen and Fluff were holding each other in what seemed a very intimate embrace. Karen was whispering in Fluff’s ear as she stroked the other with one hand. Fluff was flushed, her lips parted slightly as she breathed raggedly.
Stacia let his arm go as she slipped forward to gently embrace Fluffball from behind. With her lips close to the ear Karen was stroking, she whispered words that Alburet couldn’t hear. When Karen and Stacia stepped back from Fluff a minute later, the ladies all turned to Alburet, whose conflicting thoughts were echoed on his face.
“Did I do well?” Fluff asked, her face still flushed.
Coughing to clear his throat to get his mind focused, as her expression and demeanor were more reminiscent of a woman who was recovering from an orgasm than Fluff’s normal, meek expression. “Yes. You moved me with your passion while speaking to Romeo. My heart pounded, and I hoped your love would be requited.”
Fluff took the few steps to stand just before him, her face turned up to his. “Can I ask for a reward, then?”
The request was completely unexpected and his mind dropped to a gutter level he’d never expected to visit with Fluff in mind. He struggled to keep his thoughts from showing on his face while his mind did flips trying to come to terms with what he was hearing. The shy, hesitant, bashful, scared woman he had come to know was asking him to reward her for doing well. His frozen turmoil caused Fluff’s face to go from excited to uncertain, as she took his inaction for disapproval.
As she went to pull back from him, her head dropping as her shoulders started to hunch up, Alburet grabbed her to pull her into a tight hug. “No, no, you did amazingly well. I’m sorry, you did nothing wrong at all. I just wasn’t sure what to do. You were amazing, wonderful and inspiring, Fluff. There’s a long line of people just outside who all want to tell you that, too.” He shifted his arms, one going around her waist and the other gently ruffling her ears. “You did so good. I’ll promise you a reward of your choosing, okay?”
“You mean it?” Fluff asked softly as she put her arms around him, returning the hug.
“If you go out and meet your adoring public, then yes, I mean it,” he told her.
“Come on, Fluff, we have people to say hi to,” Karen quickly spoke up as she touched Fluff’s arm. “If we dally he might grow a brain.”
“It worked, just like Stacia said,” Fluff added, seemingly surprised as she let Karen lead her out of the tent.
Blinking, Alburet watched them go. When he turned to Stacia, her eyes glowed with victory. “What did she mean?”
A sly smile curled her lips, “Tha’ ya have a soft spot for a woman in distress, me love. Ya also have a tendency to give out open ended promises to ya loved ones. I wonder what she might call tha’ in on?”
“That is what you whispered to her?” His face flushed as he realized he might have just been played.
“Aye, and ya did as I expected. Was tha’ wrong of me, master? Are ya goin’ to punish me?” Stacia purred as she swayed forward, “I be thinkin’ it mayhap be a bit with all of the crowd wantin’ to talk to them.”
A dark chuckle bubbled up in him as his hand lashed out to tangle in her hair. “You devious little wench,” he growled at her as he pulled her in to him. “Maybe I can manage something before they return.”
Her eyes began to burn, literally, flames kindling deep within her pupils. She passionately pressed her body to his, “Now tha’ sounds fittin’ to me.”
“Aye, it does,” Kitten said as she pressed into him from behind. Alburet had forgotten about her being in the tent.
Almost two hour
s later Karen and Fluffball finally managed to get away, returning to the tent to find Alburet, Stacia, and her Copy asleep, their bodies intertwined in a lover’s embrace with the bedrolls tangled around them. Karen chuckled softly as she got ready for bed, “Seems like her plan worked for her, too.”
“Why did she ask me to do that?” Fluff asked.
“I think she has a plan that will benefit you, and us as well. I’d expect it to be a day or two before she sets anything else into play, he’s likely to be waiting for something to happen. Guess we’ll be doing my memory tomorrow night.” Glancing at Fluff, who was pulling her pajama top on, Karen grinned, “You ready for bed, Juliet?”
Fluff blushed pink, but nodded, “I won’t turn away a cuddle from my Romeo.”
“A cuddle it shall remain, until such time as you are ready,” Karen reassured her as they curled up for the night.
Chapter Eleven
Alburet woke slowly to find himself still sandwiched between Stacia and Kitten. Each of them was using an arm as a pillow, with their legs thrown over his. His lips tugged into a smile as he considered how loved he was by the woman on either side of him. He kissed Kitten, then Stacia, “Time to wake, my devious wife.”
“Hmm, aye,” Stacia murmured as she and her double shifted, kissing him from both sides. “Thank ya for the wonderful evenin’.” She rolled away from him to stand up, her naked body on full display. Her eyes found his gaze drinking in her form, “It be good to know ya still find me attractive.”
“He isn’t the only one,” Karen murmured from where she was spooning Fluff.
“Can I draw you?” Fluff asked, not moving.
“Aye,” Stacia replied. “We can do tha’ after we do Karen’s memory tonight. Did ya both sleep well?”
“So good,” Karen replied softly as she nuzzled Fluff’s ear.
Blushing, Fluff smiled, “It was nice. I feel protected like this.”
“Tha’ be good then,” Stacia commented as she grabbed her clothing and began to get ready for the day. “Ya seem to be comin’ along, Fluff. Ya still be blushin’, but ya seem more acceptin’.”
“I know that you three are with me. Better family than I ever had before, a family that cares for me… loves me?” The last two words were a barely heard whisper.
“As long as you will let me,” Karen replied softly into Fluff’s ear before kissing it.
Fluff shivered as her arms clutched Karen’s. “Promise?”
“Aye,” Stacia added as she finished dressing. “We all be lovin’ ya. We should be movin’ though, so do nay lay about long.”
Fluff’s eyes found Alburet, sitting up to watch the byplay. He gave her a gentle smile, “I do care for you, Fluff. I’m very happy to see you coming out of your shell.”
With a small secretive smile Fluff bowed her head before she rolled to face Karen. They exchanged a few words too softly for Alburet to hear as he got up to get dressed. He realized he was naked, just as Karen let out a wolf whistle.
“Didn’t know you’d gone to bed commando last night,” Karen said.
Alburet turned to glare at her, only to find Fluff’s eyes raking his body. He spun away to find his clothes, his face red, only to find Kitten kneeling beside him, holding out his clothes. “Ya clothin’, master. Ya forgot to put anythin’ on after we—”
“Thank you,” Alburet interrupted to stop her from elaborating. By the time he’d finished dressing, the women were also dressed and waiting on him with an array of smiles.
“He is a complete package, am I right?” Karen laughed.
“Aye, he does have a very nice body,” Stacia added.
“He’s very handsome,” Fluff commented, looking away with her cheeks burning.
“Breakfast is waiting, right?” Alburet coughed, ducking out of the tent without waiting for an answer.
He joined the two captains by the cook fire, collecting the meat, cheese, and bread that comprised the day’s breakfast. “Gentlemen, did you work out a plan for breaking camp?”
“Aye, we think we have a workable plan,” Banthor replied. “We be tryin’ it today, which means leavin’ this fire up with the crafters and ye low leveled folk safe inside the camp. The rest of us will step out and see what happens.”
“Normally if a fire is up no monsters will show up nearby,” Roberto added. “With a group this large though, we really don’t know. If nothing happens, we’ll take down this camp as well and brace for the attack. If we do get attacked, we’ll deal with the mobs, then drop this camp and see if we get attacked again.”
“Sounds good,” Gerald agreed as he came over to the group. “Shall we eat, then make sure everyone knows the plan? Also, Alburet, quite a few people are wanting to do more of the plays, and some were interested in more sparring matches like you and Karen did the first night.”
“We can arrange it. If you or Marysue have ideas in that direction I’ll leave it up to you. Also, call me Al. Seems silly to have you say the full thing at this point.”
Gerald laughed, “Nice, must have raised my reputation far enough.”
Laughing, Karen came up behind them, “There must be a multiplier for women. Also, I want another crack at Al tonight for a three round fight. I’ll start the shindig tonight.”
“I’ll make sure it’s set up,” Marysue agreed as she took her breakfast.
“Shall we step aside so everyone else can get their food?” Ioaniss chuckled. They all looked at him in surprise, as no one had noticed his approach until then.
“You’re stealthier then I had thought,” Karen praised the historian, “you’re right, though.” She walked over to the seating area with Fluff next to her, getting into a whispered conversation as they went.
Gerald watched them go with a puzzled look, “Does Fluff seem more relaxed this morning?”
“Aye, she be getting’ past some of her blocks,” Stacia informed him as the larger group walked towards where Karen and Fluff were seated. “She be doin’ better today, is tha’ nay right, Fluff?”
Fluff nodded, swallowing the bite she’d just taken to reply, “A little. I was so scared last night, but Karen helped me with that. I don’t feel like everyone is staring at me right now, like I used to.”
“You’ve been throwing yourself into combat more fearlessly as well,” Gerald added. “Makes me want to do a bit more, seeing you becoming more aggressive.”
“I agree,” Marysue commented. “You really have been blossoming over the last week or two, Fluff. You’re blushing less, more aggressive in combat, and even more open in social settings.”
Fluff’s cheeks pinked just a touch at Marysue’s comments, “I’m doing my best. I’ve been getting so much help from all of you that it makes me want to try even harder.”
“Ya be doin’ really well, Fluff,” Stacia reassured her. “Husband, Kitten be inside the tent packin’ the rest of the things up. Are ya goin’ to summon Tiny and Bob when ya finish eatin’?”
Alburet finished his makeshift sandwich before replying, “Going to do so now.” He pointed to the empty spot behind him, “Come to me Tiny.”
Tiny appeared in the usual flash of smoke, “I have come.”
“Next up is something nifty a stronger version of Bob,” Alburet chuckled as he fixed the spell words and motions to match his old summoning spell. “I summon Bob the Mighty,” he held his hand next to his waist.
As the smoke cleared around Bob, a new sight greeted them. Bob was a touch darker in coloration, was now just shy of four feet tall and his wings were larger. Flexing his hands. Bob grinned like a maniac, “I’m so much more powerful.” He jumped into the air flapping his wings, hovering but not able to gain any more height no matter how hard he flapped. He dropped to the ground again, not dismayed in the least. “Can’t fly yet, though. You are amazing, master,” Bob gushed as everyone watched him. “This has to be the fastest an Imp has ever achieved this level of power, and it’s all thanks to you.”
“He does have a way of turning things upsid
e down,” Ioaniss agreed wryly.
“Bob, you’re starting to look like a stud,” Karen teased. “How are the two wives treating you?”
“Darkness, it’s wonderful!” Bob gushed, hopping over to Karen to regale her with his latest sexual escapdes with his wives.
Gerald got up abruptly with Marysue, “We’ll go spread the word about the plan.” With that the pair headed off, eager to get away from the explicit conversation the imp was having.
“We should as well, as the matin’ habits of Imps do nothin’ to improve me mornin’ breakfast,” Banthor added as he and Roberto left to go fill in their men.
“I need to pack my tent, if you will excuse me,” Ioaniss laughed as he left as well.
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