No Need for a Core?

There were more pleasantries to be exchanged, and food was served shortly after that, but eventually Mordecai had the opportunity to retire from socializing and be shown to a tent set up for him to use as a guest. He didn't intend to actually sleep; meditation seemed like the better idea right now, but the privacy would still be nice.

While it was not as large as that of some of the others present in the camp, it was definitely meant for an officer, complete with a small table and a pair of chairs in addition to the bed and a small chest. Upon entering, he also noticed a sudden slight but distinct drop in certain scents common to many perfumes and strongly scented flowers, along with a faint but notable trace of more delicate floral notes that might be found in wild flowers.

The moment that he was presumably alone in the tent, Mordecai began wrapping the tent's interior with a privacy ward layered with animated shadows, while reaching out to the side and weaving his fingers into invisible hair. He yanked the platinum-blonde 'escort' from earlier out of hiding, breaking the layers she had been using to mask her presence. "Have you been having fun?" he asked drily.

The young woman had stumbled when he'd caught her off guard and the way he had pulled her out of hiding caused her to land on her knees, but this did not break her poise in the least. Instead, she cast a sultry gaze up at him and smiled as she said, "My lord, I think you should clarify your meaning. I am just here to deliver a message, as well as happily provide any other services you might desire."

He took the note that she proffered and quickly read the contents. Mordecai wasn't worried about her leaving; he'd made sure to use his shadow to pin hers in place, complete with keeping her on her knees. If she wanted to spend enough effort, she could break free, but that would be rather dramatic. He was pretty certain she did not want to draw attention her way.

Most of the note was information that he had already deduced, but it was good to have confirmation, and there were several details regarding specific officers that could be very useful to know.

When Mordecai looked up from the note, he found her watching him with a rather inviting smile on her lips. "If my lord is satisfied with the information provided, perhaps we can move on to me satiating any other needs you might have. I would truly enjoy getting to provide my services to you."

That caused him to frown. She had to be sincere enough that there was no lie to be found, but that was not quite what he was expecting from her. "You know that there is no information or leverage to be gained from trying to seduce me, which leaves me wondering why you are suddenly so eager."

She licked her lips thoughtfully for a moment, then closed her eyes and straightened her posture. When she had composed herself, Orchid gave him a rueful look, though she maintained her disguised form and her body language had not entirely shifted over. "A mask is a dangerous thing to remove completely when it might need to be donned again quickly, and this offer is true to my current facade, but I admit there is more. I enjoy a challenge, and you have an intriguing amount of experience that I would truly love to indulge in learning. My nature makes it easy to be sincere in my desire and pleasure, even with targets I despise, and I certainly do not hold any negative feelings or thoughts about you or your spouses. Even your casual brushing off of my offer only serves to whet my anticipation for what it might be like to indulge myself."

Orchid smiled mischievously. "Do you know, the matriarch is the most experienced person I have been with? She's not as experienced as you, and I find it hard to pass up the chance to enjoy an even more thorough tutoring." Her smile widened at his expression and she said, "Who do you think conducted most of my training? Some of it was directly from her, some of it was under her guidance."

She suddenly frowned and reluctantly continued, "Though I find myself having to admit that while I like you well enough as a person, that is not the aspect of you that I am interested in. I know many people whom I like just as much, if not more, and that is not what intrigues me here. Also, your aura is annoying."

Huh. That still wasn't going to get her what she wanted, but Mordecai found himself curious about something else. It had not been his business before, but attempting to seduce him, whatever her reasons, had changed that. "What of your paramour?"

She looked both amused and aggravated at the same time. "What a question to ask. Men aren't supposed to ask about other men. He knows my nature and my job, and that I am naturally inclined to be very sincere even with bed partners I do not care for. I think he'd be happier if I bedded you instead of the man whom I risked wrapping up in happy illusions so that I could deliver the note you are holding. As for later, well, I love him, but he's inclined to be too giving at times. Provoking him into taking is something I find rewarding." Orchid paused a moment before adding, "It's too risky to leave camp to see him, and I had already put myself in a mood that I now really need to satisfy. Given these limitations, I can honestly say that there is no single person present in this camp that I would rather enjoy myself with than you. But I will find a bed partner to enjoy tonight, one way or another."

Mordecai shook his head, but before he could say anything, a whisper came across the open connection of his earring. Kazue's core had a slight tremble in her voice as she said, "I find myself tempted to let you. I think I should be more jealous of the idea, but I also don't feel like it would threaten our relationship. I, um, I am not certain what I am feeling."

This left Mordecai open-mouthed as he processed what she'd just said, and while he was thinking, Moriko's voice echoed from the connections to the core. She must have her earring activated, too. "I feel that way as well, and I have a better understanding of why, but I think we all need to have a longer conversation first. And settle the matter of Satsuki before dealing with any others. So no, not right now."

Even if they had both encouraged him, Mordecai wouldn't have agreed and he held the final veto in this circumstance, but it was certainly easier to not argue with Kazue about it. "That partner will not be me," he said to both Orchid and his wives, "but I have some advice you might enjoy. Do you truly want to increase the depth of your experiences? And I take it your paramour does not find other company when you are not available?" At her nod, he continued. "First, if you want to push him a little on the subject, and test if he truly cannot be tempted to enjoy the skills of another, then you might want to bring him with you to talk to a certain star-furred vixen that haunts my nexus, but use your judgment wisely. Pushing him too much could cause problems, so that is between the two of you."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Oh?" she said thoughtfully. "Hmm, I could see even him having trouble saying no to her, if I was encouraging him to give in. I will consider it. Next?"

"Next," Mordecai said, "and probably before exploring options with Danitsa, I would suggest having a long discussion with Satsuki. She has experienced the very same need to explore and deepen her carnal knowledge, and might provide some very good and possibly very timely advice. And after that, if you still want to experience an even deeper depth of knowledge than mine, that storm could certainly sweep you up if you both wished. Be warned, once you are in her hands, you might be occupied for a while before she is satisfied with teaching you. It would be best if your paramour is either part of this tutoring or occupied with entertaining another, if possible."

Orchid listened politely to his suggestion of needing to have a discussion with Satsuki, but perked up once he mentioned what else Satsuki could do. "Oh," Orchid said softly as she shuddered briefly, "that is a very tempting idea. If she's not going to be otherwise occupied after this operation, then I may very well do that."

Mordecai sighed, remembering the chaos Satsuki had caused through chasing only her own needs, and how she was paying for it now. But every person must lead their own life, he mused. In the end, he could only offer words of warning and guidance. "Another offer for you, though with a caution. Once you have fully mastered what you learn from the storm, the two of you might want to revisit my very charming friend in Artgoi, but only if you have a lot of time to spare. He'd be quite willing to teach both of you many things, and you'd find your limits pushed even further than Satsuki could." Mordecai raised a finger and said, "But, if you ask him to draw you down into the shadows, you enter dangerous territory. He is more similar to the Matriarch than you realize, and will take continuing your education seriously. You are asking to have your consent ignored and to experience things you would never agree to, and he won't let go until he's satisfied that he has broken and reforged any aspect of you he considers a potential weakness."

From the look in her eyes, Mordecai had the feeling that she would eventually be doing that, so he added, "Just be careful with your loved one. This could truly break him or break things between you that you might regret forever, even if he's with you and supports you through the whole process."

That finally caused her to look more thoughtful, and perhaps a touch worried. That was good; he didn't want her to get carried away and be burdened by regrets afterward. "Now, an offer for you. I can offer you a blessing from the Lord of Dreams, and I was not intending to use my bed tonight anyway. So you have a choice: you can leave and find a partner on your own, or you can lie in that bed and have your dreams merge with your love's dreams in a lucid and vivid way that you should find entirely satisfying. And I will ensure that your rest is not disturbed."

Orchid's eyes widened slightly, and she took only enough time to make sure she understood the offer before she nodded. "I would like to accept that blessing. If you weren't going to be here, I would not take the risk of being so deeply asleep in this place, but with your presence, I am willing to trust in my safety."

Mordecai released her shadow and got to be amused by the princess discarding her shoes with unseemly haste before throwing herself under the bed sheets. Given how light her clothing had been, regardless of the weather, he supposed that they would be comfortable enough as sleeping clothes. Orchid peeked at him briefly and smirked. "Though I am going to still tease him about me being snuggled into your bed." Then she closed her eyes and waited.

Once she was settled, he knelt next to the bed and rested his hand on her head while he murmured the prayer. Affecting another's dreams was more difficult than affecting one's own, but that was well within the scope of his current power. He used that power to gently push her down into sleep faster and deeper than she would have naturally, before sending out the part of the prayer that would connect her to Paltira's dreams.

Which should work even if Paltira was in meditation, but Mordecai did not want to take any risks. So he added another spell layer on top of the prayer, one that would strongly draw Paltira toward sleep. Mordecai did not expect to catch him unawares with the spell, but as an inducement, it also carried Orchid's aura along with it, and a rather noticeable connection if Paltira paid even a little attention.

So while Paltira might be able to resist the spell readily, Mordecai doubted that the man was going to be able to resist the temptation so easily.

When he was satisfied with his work, he cast a silencing spell on the bed then sat down on the ground, with his back to the bed, and prepared to meditate. This did not happen as smoothly or as quickly as he wanted — eavesdropping Moriko and Kazue had both decided to tease him about giving carnal lessons instead.

They did eventually let him concentrate, and he needed the meditative time. Mordecai had a lot of stamina, but he had not rested in any form the night before, and this was going to be a long slog through the nexus below.

A little before dawn, Moriko's voice whispered over his earring to inform him that their carriage was almost there. Mordecai gently woke Orchid, which gave her enough time to get herself anywhere she would be expected to be found before dawn. He also handed her a note of his own that he'd written while she'd slept

The newest princess of Kuiccihan has completed her bond with her shield, as a trusted friend.
She has also gone on a mission of her own design and intent, that grew to include eliminating an ongoing problem.
The two of them now need your and Paltira's experienced advice in that particular area.

She read the note, then nodded, but did not say anything, expending just enough magic to torch it. Mordecai had passed the note because he did not want Moriko and Kazue to know about Fuyuko's vigilante actions if not needed. Kazue would be especially unhappy, and would be even more unhappy that apparently Li had approved of Fuyuko's actions. While Mordecai had never witnessed it, he was aware of the Rat's Feast. The person whom Fuyuko had assassinated had obviously harmed children with little regard or remorse.

Orchid paused before leaving and rested a hand on his arm. "Thank you for that blessing. For all of my other needs, he truly is who makes me happiest, always." Then she grinned. "However, I am now even more determined to seduce you. Oh, and by your expression shortly before you redirected me, I take it your wives were listening and not entirely opposed, and I imagine they are listening now. I speak to them: I am making it a standing offer any time I visit your home, so long as my paramour is welcome. I rather like the idea of experimenting with the five of us." She followed that up with a spell-sent whisper into his ear without the earring. "I think Kazue and my paramour would be adorably awkward together until we gave them a little guidance." Then she was gone.

Mordecai was reminded of Amrydor's comment about women being impossible after Fuyuko had stated her intent to master diving into the shadows deep enough to be able to sneak up on him.

He set that thought aside with an amused sigh, then went to meet the carriage at the gate. Everyone should be rested and ready; they would be starting shortly after dawn.