Gregory smiled as he placed another kiss on Mindie’s thigh. “Good morning?”
“Aether, yes,” Mindie exhaled slowly. “That was an amazing way to wake up, dear one.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Gregory murmured, sliding up to lay beside her. “Sorry for falling asleep last night.”
“You needed it,” Mindie whispered, stroking his hair. “Please be more careful, though? What will we do if you fracture your core?”
“A good question,” Gregory murmured.
“Yuki would chide you for risking yourself,” Mindie said, then giggled. “Then cover you in kisses once she was sure you were safe.”
“Yeah, probably. Jenn would do the same thing.”
Mindie grew serious. “Greg, if it’s saving one of us and damaging yourself like that, I’m fairly certain I know what they would say.”
“I know, too. I also know that I wouldn’t be able to just do nothing.”
“That’s who you are, like the way I just want to heal,” Mindie whispered, kissing his chest. Her hand traced his abs, and she giggled. “You weren’t this fit when I first saw you without a shirt.”
“First tournament,” Gregory said, thinking back. “I was better than my first day at the academy, but I wasn’t this fit then.”
“My thoughts upon seeing you that first time were jumbled. Something in me told me you were important, that I should be beside you. I didn’t listen to it. I pushed it down as an irrational thought. You were just an injured novice, and I’d helped so many just like you, but I couldn’t shake you. I’d think about you on and off, brushing it off as me being worried for a patient. I felt a small impulse when Jenn came in and found out that you hurt each other. It made a small part of me worry, and I didn’t know why. When you came back in, then Yuki… it was even harder to ignore. I thought I’d managed it, though.”
“Then I came back with an injured arm from Jason?”
“And I said things I shouldn’t because I felt safe with you, safer than anywhere else. I was terrified that maybe I was wrong and you’d tell the healers, but you sided with me. Then, it built from there, bit by bit. It’s why I volunteered to assist your clan as often as I did.”
“I had no idea,” Gregory murmured, stroking her hair.
“It was Daciana who jolted me to consider my thoughts and not ignore them,” Mindie giggled as she kissed his chest again. “She flatly said she wanted to join your wives.”
“That’s Daciana. She’s bold,” Gregory chuckled at the thought.
“She called me out for my own interest,” Mindie added. “She could smell my scent.”
“Oh?” Gregory murmured.
“I don’t have the tail or active glands like my grandmother,” Mindie said, “but I still produce a faint musk.”
“Is that what that scent is? I find it soothing.”
Mindie flushed. “Y-y-yes. That’s me,” she stammered.
Gregory kissed her head. “I enjoy the little bit I can smell. Don’t worry about it, please?”
“What about the others, though?” Mindie murmured.
“I’m sure they’ll love it, as well. Daciana wasn’t disgusted by it, was she? She has the best nose out of everyone.”
Mindie thought about it, then flushed, remembering that Daciana had grinned at her. “She… didn’t seem to mind.”
“Then it’s perfectly fine,” Gregory whispered, kissing her head again. “We should get up and get ready. As it is, we slept in a bit.”
“Thank you,” Mindie whispered. “I love watching and being watched, but waking up like that was amazing.”
Gregory chuckled as he thought about Claudia. “Well, you might find later that we have a wife who might love being watched as much as you like watching.”
Mindie had just gotten out of bed, but she looked back at him. “Oh?”
“Claudia was having issues controlling herself before the end,” Gregory said as he sat up. “She’d hinted that she’d have been willing to lay on the bed and pleasure herself while I watched.”
Mindie’s face flushed and she bit her lip. “Oh… she did?”
“I might have mentioned that one of my wives would love to see that.”
Mindie shivered. “I… yes… she’s beautiful.”
“She is that, but so are my current wives.”
“You didn’t… watch her?”
“Wasn’t sure if that would be crossing lines, so no, I didn’t. I’ll be honest and admit that I was tempted, but I would never want to hurt any of you. Yuki and Jenn said looking is fine, but touching without them agreeing isn’t. I didn’t know if watching that would still be approved, so no.”
“I approve,” Mindie said a little breathlessly. “I’d want to hear about it, though.”
Following her out of bed to get dressed, Gregory stretched, his muscles no longer screaming at him. “Well, let me tell you the full story,” Gregory said when he’d finished stretching.
~*~*~
They did Magi Squares, the Peaceful Fist, and some light sparring with the space they had. Mindie was not great, but she was improving quickly, determined to reach her goals. When they sat and meditated on the Resonant Mind, Gregory worked through the assassination attempt, trying to find better ways to combat their attackers.
It was when they were sitting side-by-side, reading, that there was a knock on the door. Mindie went to answer it and Gregory triggered foresight. He put the journal of Lionel Lighthand away, then waited.
Laozi stood in the doorway. “Healer, I have come to speak with Pettit.”
Mindie bowed to him. “Please, Sage, come in. Husband?”
“It is our honor to greet you,” Gregory said as he stood and bowed. “Mindie, can you let the staff know we could use more tea, please?”
“I’ll be right back.”
Laozi came to the table, taking a seat. “Sit, Pettit. I wished to discuss your saving of Mage Firetongue.”
Gregory sat, hearing the formality in Laozi’s words. He triggered aether sight and glanced around the room. His eyes widened slightly when he noted three spots of aether. There was one in shadow and two near the windows, where aether was obviously being used. “How can I help you, Overseer?”
Seeing Gregory’s clear reaction, Laozi caught his eyes and nodded fractionally. “You were given the task of guarding the archmage’s apprentice because you had saved her from an assassination attempt by common men. Those men used the most advanced hand-crossbows Buldoun can produce with bolts tipped in a deadly poison. How did you know the first was there, and how did you track down all three of them?”
“I’d just finished sparring with various members of Buldoun’s team from the Empire’s Gambit tournament, sir. The commander of the mercenary team asked for me to spar with her, and it spiraled from there. My victories in the arena made others eager to face me. Since I had just finished fighting, I still had foresight running a few seconds ahead. It was when people were leaving that Firetongue asked me about foresight. She seemed interested in the magic. When the two of us were standing in the open, the man attacked.”
“So it was your foresight that let you know what to do?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you chased him through the bazaar to find him and his allies about to flee?”
“I chased him, using foresight in spurts— I was diminished in aether— to track him. I got to him as his friends rushed to help him onto their mounts. Using my weapon, I subdued them for you and the archmage, as you two arrived a few seconds later, sir.”
“Yes. It was shortly after that the archmage approached me with the idea to guard his pupil. He arranged for the Buldoun waiting area and boxes to be used, staffing it with guards and a maid. Did you find the accommodations suitable?”
“I was a little unnerved about the sleeping arrangements, but we managed, sir. Frankly, having an unwed woman share a room with a married man, I worried for her standing in Buldoun. But, as the archmage arranged it, I didn’t object, even when the maid almost got killed for suddenly checking on us. It was as if the archmage didn’t trust us alone.”
“Should he have?”
“I’m loyal to my wives, sir,” Gregory said stiffly.
“Those who have seen you with them would know better,” Laozi smiled. “Now, tell me about the night of the attack.”
Gregory relayed what he could, glossing over the fact that his ring had been altered. He found it harder to speak when he got to Lightshield’s death, but he pushed through it.
“He gave his life in defense of Firetongue?”
“Yes, sir. He killed the assassins only to fall to a fire mage.”
“You undoubtedly wonder how a magi who can see the future failed to see his own death.”
“No, sir. He was dying. He knew that. I think he wanted to die for the greater good of the empire. Lightshield loved the empire, sir. He held tightly to his belief in Aether, but he loved the empire as much as his father did. He never spoke badly of the Iron Hand, even though they broke from Aether’s Guard. I only recall praise when he spoke of them.”
“Ah, so he chose his time and place for the greater good of the empire?”
“It’s the only thing I can think of, sir. I wonder if his devotion to his belief made some worry about his love of the empire? This would’ve been a way for him to show that love and accept his death at the same time.”
“You believed deeply in him?”
“Lightshield was a great man. I see him like I think his great-grandfather was. The stories of Lighthand speak of his devotion to Aether and of his steadfast determination, even when it cost him. I mourn the loss of the family to the empire, sir.”
“As any should, if they knew how much his line loved the empire,” Laozi said softly. “Your clan will not be harmed as greatly as you might fear. Lightshield’s sacrifice to shield Firetongue has garnered the empire favor with the archmage and, because of that, also with Buldoun’s crown. I have no doubts that he knew what he was doing at the end. In repayment to your fallen elder, I will make sure that the clans do not move harshly against Aether’s Guard inside the academy. As it is, the one clan who might have… is dealing with a major incident of their own, which has seen the clan head called before the emperor.”
Gregory inhaled sharply. “I see. May the emperor show mercy on them. One bad apple can ruin a barrel, but it doesn’t mean the entire barrel should suffer.”
Laozi’s eyes twinkled. “Your kindness is known, Pettit. Your clan has repeatedly shown that you do not wish to hurt the empire, even as you raise your clan up.”
Mindie came back in with a pot of tea. “Sorry for the delay.”
Laozi stood. “It is fine. I have gotten what I wished for. Enjoy your time together. Considering the state of the game, I would guess that your wives will be free by this evening. Enjoy the continued use of this home. I have taken other accommodations.”
“Sage,” Mindie bowed to Laozi when he walked past her.
“May your day be good, Overseer,” Gregory said, standing up to bow. “Thank you for speaking with me.”
“Thank you for doing what you have, Pettit,” Laozi said before leaving.
Mindie hurried over to Gregory when the door shut. “What happened?”
“Let’s sit, sip some tea, and I will tell you,” Gregory said. He looked around the room with aether sight, noticing the one spot near the window still being used by a wind mage.
