Yukiko was the first one naked. “Jenn, if you get my back when you come in, I’ll get yours.”
“Yes,” Jenn nodded as she finished stripping. “Be right there.”
“Greg?” Yukiko called out softly.
He looked toward her out of reflex. “Yes?” His mouth went dry when he saw her, her pale skin looking as silken as he knew it felt.
“It’s okay. She’s fine with being seen by you, and I’m fine with her seeing you. Please, dear one, try to accept this?”
Gregory’s face burned hotter and he exhaled raggedly. “I’m trying, Yuki… I really am. It’s just moving a little faster than I thought it would.”
Jenn went to stand beside Yukiko, but she wasn’t looking his way. “It’s not like I thought it would be either, but I’m not unhappy about it.”
The contrast between Jenn and Yukiko side by side was obvious, even with Jenn turned sideways, one arm covering her breasts. Jenn was more muscled and defined than Yukiko, but not overly so, and her skin was a darker shade. The difference in height was also noticeable, as Jenn was half a head shorter than Yukiko.
“Um… okay.” Gregory’s face was burning. He knew his state of arousal was obvious. Even with the kimono still mostly in place, both of their eyes dipped below his waist. “I’ll be right in,” he told them, pulling his gaze from their bodies.
“We’ll be waiting,” Yukiko said as she took Jenn’s hand and led the other woman into the bathing chamber, shutting the door behind them.
Gregory let out a shuddering breath as he tried to calm down. It’s okay, it’s fine… They’re both fine with it, so everything is okay. The image of them standing by the door was still fresh in his mind, and he tried to think of anything else. Need to calm down… Brow furrowing, he wondered at that. Why? I’m going to end up in the same state as soon as I go in there. If anything, the more I act like this, the worse it’s going to be for all three of us. It’s not like I’m going to do anything wrong. We’re just bathing. Seeing them is natural, and they know that, too. Just need to not stare at Jenn… glances are okay, but no staring. She’s so different from Yuki… Gregory sighed to himself— he knew this was moving them closer to what Jenn wanted and what Yukiko had proposed. Another long, deep, slow breath helped him calm his emotions some. With a nod, he resumed undressing.
Soft laughter reached him the moment he opened the door to the bathing room. Jenn was behind Yukiko, soaping her back. “I was sure my face was going to burst into flames,” Jenn was telling her.
“Gregory’s was just as ready to combust too,” Yukiko giggled. “Wasn’t it, dearest?” she asked, her sharp ears having heard the door slide open.
“Yeah,” Gregory admitted, going over to sit beside Yukiko. “That was difficult.”
“Which I found amusing because of my father’s guards,” Yukiko said. “I think it was Jento who said, ‘Only enough blood to run a single head at a time.’ Oh, Lin thrashed him when he realized I overheard that. You proved that wrong a moment ago.”
Gregory’s face went crimson again and he laughed awkwardly. “He wasn’t wrong. Not entirely, anyway. Men do have a hard time thinking when they get excited.”
“You’re all done, Yuki,” Jenn said.
“Thank you, Jenn. Do you want to get Greg’s back?”
“I don’t want to make this harder for him than it already is,” Jenn said.
Gregory exhaled, glad he was facing away from her. “It’ll be fine, Jenn. If you want to, that is.”
“Really?” Jenn asked, the hope in her voice clear.
“It’s just washing my back. It’s fine,” Gregory said.
“And I can get hers at the same time,” Yukiko said, getting back up after having rinsed off. “Efficiency is good.”
Jenn’s hands touched his back gently and hesitantly, afraid he might change his mind at any moment. When Gregory didn’t bolt, she placed her hands more firmly on him and began to work the soap into his skin.
Gregory stayed as still as he could. His face was still burning, but her hands felt good. Not as skilled as Jess, but still really nice. The memory of his bath with Jess made it even more difficult to ignore the hard time he was having.
Almost as soon as it had begun, it was over. “All done,” Jenn told him.
“You are, too,” Yukiko said with a trace of humor to her tone. “Now, let’s finish washing up and then soak for a bit.”
Gregory nodded mutely as he picked up some soap and scrubbed up mechanically. His mind raced from thought to thought only for him to try slamming the door on each in turn. He was the first one finished, and he moved swiftly to the bath and sank into it.
The hot water, smelling faintly of minerals, helped pull his mind to something different. “A hot spring? Huh, nice location for an inn. I guess that explains the hot water from the pump, too.”
“Yes,” Yukiko said as she joined him. “This town is known for its hot spring inns. At least according to Lavent, they are.” Sitting beside him, she kissed his cheek, her eyes on Jenn as she lowered her voice to a barely-audible whisper, “Thank you, dearest.”
Gregory’s eyes tracked to Jenn before swiftly looking away as she stood. “Trying,” he murmured back. His gaze flickered to Jenn and away again when she came toward them— the image of her naked body on display seared into his brain.
Jenn’s pace hitched for a second when he looked at her, but she continued walking. Reaching the hot spring, she eased into it across from them. “Oh, that is nice,” she said, her face red.
Gregory closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. “It really seeps into the muscles after a minute.”
“Who are you training with, dearest?”
“Oh, a man named Bryn Abrosum. He’s the bowyer of Brighid’s Bows. Brighid was his grandmother. Today, he spent our few hours together quizzing me on various parts of the job. I’m certain he was surprised at how much I already knew.”
“I’m at Lavox’s Leathers, Jenn,” Yukiko told her. “The owner is called Lavent Lavox. He’s half-elven and has been in this town for generations, but he originally comes from Buldoun. I had a similar day with him— he quizzed and tested me over what I knew of leatherworking. He was excited about how much I know, and I’m sure that he’ll be moving onto the actual work tomorrow.”
“You both met Micklen,” Jenn said. “Her given name is Kassidy, and she let me call her Kass by the end of the day. She doesn’t say a lot, but I could tell she was pleased to have someone who could do the job and not bug her with questions.”
“We all have solid instructors, it seems,” Gregory said. “Not surprising, though. I doubt Lightshield would have arranged for us to have less than good instructors.”
“Only if he couldn’t help it,” Yukiko said. “He can’t change people. He can only see what might happen.”
“True,” Gregory sighed.
“Greg, am I ugly to you?” Jenn blurted.
Head coming off the wall, his eyes shot open. “No!”
“Okay,” Jenn said slowly, “because it feels like you don’t even want to glance at me.”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, is all. You’re beautiful and it’s hard to not appreciate you. I’m having an incredibly difficult time because both you and Yuki are here. I’m sorry.”
Jenn’s cheeks were burning again. “No, it’s fine. I know that Yukiko is prettier, but I—”
“Not prettier. Different, but not prettier,” Yukiko said. “I’d love to have your tanned skin instead of my pasty skin tone.”
“Porcelain, not pasty,” Jenn told her. “Your skin is beautiful and silky smooth, and I know it is, having washed your back a number of times now.”
Gregory chuckled as a memory came to mind, and both women looked at him with questioning gazes. “Uh, sorry. The wall between the bathing chambers in the training hall is just thin enough that if you talk loudly, voices carry to the other side. That reminded me of Yukiko and Michelle the first time we trained with Nick.” Both women stared at him, and he shifted uncomfortably under their gazes. Neither looked happy.
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier, dearest?” Yukiko asked pointedly.
“I… forgot until just now,” Gregory admitted, clearly repentant. “Michelle had been complimenting your hair, kind of like you two were just doing.”
“I’m glad we don’t bathe there anymore,” Jenn said simply, “and I forgive you, Greg.”
Yukiko continued to stare at Gregory for a few more seconds before her lips twisted into a smirk. “Good thing the clan hall is better built. I think his head would have exploded if he heard half of the things we’ve talked about in there.”
Jenn began to laugh as she watched Gregory’s face. “Yes. Look, he’s already trying to figure out what it could’ve been.”
Gregory took a deep breath and submerged himself underwater. Muted laughter reached him, making his ears burn. Well, you walked into that one, and she was right… I was trying to figure it out. He surfaced and gave them both a sheepish grin. “I was,” he admitted before leaning back against the wall again. “Going to tell me?”
“No,” Yukiko laughed.
Jenn laughed as well, shaking her head. “Girl talk isn’t discussed with men.”
Gregory chuckled, the tension from earlier gone now. “Fair enough. I’d try to say the same about guy talk, but frankly, there isn’t any conversation that would be that interesting.”
“I would be shocked if there was,” Yukiko grinned. “I can’t imagine Gin telling you the things that Inda or Indara might tell us.”
“No, no,” Gregory said, “not even going to consider what those things might be.”
“Or Dia,” Jenn added. “I mean, I never would have guessed that about her.”
Gregory gave her a hard stare. “You’re just messing with me now.”
Jenn laughed. “Maybe.”
Gregory shook his head and got out of the tub. “Nope, not being baited. I’ll see you both for food.”
“We’ll be out soon,” Yukiko called after him. “I want to soak a little longer.”
“We won’t be too long, though,” Jenn added.
~*~*~
Gregory stepped into the main room and found Dia sitting at a table. “Dia, are we doing dinner as a clan?”
“We are. I take it they wanted to bathe a little longer?”
“Yes.”
“How was your first mixed bath?” Dia asked with sparkling eyes.
Gregory felt the blood rush to his face again. “Different. Why is the clan bath segregated if we’ll be in places with mixed bathing?” Gregory asked as he took his seat.
“Because you could have opted to bathe on your own. No one is forcing you to bathe with them. The clan hall would be problematic, though, especially once we have more members.”
“Oh, right,” Gregory said.
“Would you like some of the wine?” Dia asked, nodding to the two bottles on the table. “It is made for magi, so it’s safe to partake in moderation.”
“Thank you,” Gregory said, pouring himself a glass. “Dia, you’ve been here before. Do you know the history of the rock in the park?”
“No one knows,” Dia replied. “When I came here as an apprentice, I did my best to find out, but there are no records going back that far that I could find, here or at the academy.”
“A mystery, then,” Gregory said.
“So it seems,” Dia smiled. “Here come the others, and the food. Very good timing.”
~*~*~
As they finished eating their dinner, a rotund man in a cyan kimono came walking into the inn. Seeing them, he came directly toward their table. Several people quickly got out of his way as he approached them.
“Apprentices, Magus, I was not informed that we would have guests in town.”
“Magus Yang,” Dia said, her tone neutral, “I didn’t know that magi had to check in with you when in town. It has been quite a few years since I was here last. When did this get instituted?”
Yang gave Dia a frosty stare. “It is polite, is it not, to announce yourself before entering another’s domain? What clan are you with that this isn’t known?”
“Aether’s Guard,” Dia replied. “I seem to have the advantage on you, so let me introduce us, now. I am Dia Ursinda, and here with me are Yukiko Pettit, Jenn Bean, and Gregory Pettit.”
“Aether’s Guard? That clan died years ago.”
“Our clan might not have kept its name on the tips of tongues in the last few decades, but that has already begun to change,” Dia replied. “Gregory Pettit won the first novice tournament and came in second for the second tournament. Bean finished in the top eight, then won the second. Yukiko Pettit placed second and third, respectively. When could any other clan claim the same?”
Yang hesitated, his posture shifting. He bowed formally, but shallowly, with his left hand cupping his right fist. “I apologize. Your clan was thought to have ceased their existence some years ago. This was obviously in error— to have such talented apprentices is an honor to the clan. Apprentices, welcome to Waterrock.”
“Thank you, Magus,” Gregory said, echoed by the other two. “We have only been here a single day, but the town is a wonder.”
“Your guidance must be a boon to the citizens,” Yukiko added.
Yang’s chest puffed up a little, nearly meeting his gut in size. “I do my best for them.”
“Apprentices, dinner is done, and I know you have things you have to accomplish. Be about them. I shall speak with Magus Yang. Perhaps upstairs, so not to disturb the inn? I know they have a lovely wine here that would help ease the conversation.”
Yang glanced at the room and nodded. “Yes. That might be for the best.”
“If you’ll pardon us?” Yukiko asked politely, rising to her feet and bowing to Yang and Dia.
Gregory and Jenn mirrored her before the three of them walked away from the table.
“They are very polite. A credit to their teacher,” Yang said.
“You flatter me,” Dia replied. “Let me go see about the wine.”
Instead of heading for the stairs, Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn went down the hall instead. They found the war room with a bit of trial and error, interrupting a private meal once and apologizing for it. The board for Empire’s Gambit was clean and waiting, along with the figures on the shelves and the decks on the table.
Shutting the door behind them, Yukiko sighed. “That man is a toad.”
“Yang?” Gregory asked.
“Yes. He reminds me of merchants my father dealt with. They only care about lining their pockets, not doing their jobs properly.”
“I feel bad that Dia has to even speak to him,” Jenn shuddered. “He thinks she’s beneath him. You can see it in his eyes.”
“Dia will be able to handle him,” Gregory said. “When he puffed his chest out, I saw his medallion. He might wear the cyan kimono, but his aether is emerald and only five ranks in.”
“He must have just been posted here,” Yukiko said. “That would explain why he felt so threatened by us being here. The emblem on his kimono belonged to the Swift Foot… they’re a branch family of the Swift Wind clan.”
“Hayworth’s clan. Glad we didn’t go with them,” Gregory said.
“It wasn’t likely, not with the way he treated you,” Yukiko snorted, “though I will admit that he did mellow during the second tournament.”
“Part of that was Greg proving he was strong enough to win,” Jenn said. “The change came when Greg beat the Apprentice Jenga in their duel.”
“Hmm… I don’t know. We avoided them as much as we could. But I guess he did act civilly during the second tournament,” Gregory said.
“Swift Wind might not be an ally, but they aren’t an active foe like the Eternal Flame,” Yukiko said. “Now, shall we play a three-way game? We can ask that they leave the table alone so we can continue it over the next few days.”
“I like that idea. I’ll take the empire,” Jenn said.
“I’ll take Buldoun,” Yukiko said. “I need to look more into what they can and can’t do.”
“Hmm, give me Krogga. We’ll set it at the border, so we can all have a place to retreat to.”
“It’s been decades since a war enveloped multiple nations,” Yukiko said, “but it will make it fair this way.” She paused, then gave Gregory a hard look. “No foresight.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t think of it,” Gregory chuckled. “I wasn’t going to use it… not often, anyway.”
Jenn shook her head. “I’m fairly certain that whoever instructs us next year will say the same thing.”
“Which hampers us a little,” Gregory countered. “There are no foresight magi in the decks. I wonder what they’ll do about that?”
Yukiko looked thoughtful. “I suppose we will see when we get there. For now, we’ll just have to let you pick a magi commander. It’ll do us good to get used to all of them, as it is.”
“Okay,” Gregory said as he picked up the commander cards for the empire. “Physical enhancement for Jenn…”
