Serafina had been pleasantly surprised when Orfeo announced that he wanted her to visit attending nobles with him. “I—are you sure?” she’d said.

The prince had tilted his head. “Do you not want to come?”

“No, I—I just—” She broke off, trying to figure out how to explain to this man that having a concubine meet with the kingdom’s movers and shakers—and a common-born concubine at that, a kobold—was not likely to leave the impression he thought it would.

A touch had brushed down on her shoulder, and the kobold had turned up to see Baucis smiling warmly down at her. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ve done it before. If Orfy was engaged or married, then it would be a bit gauche—but as it stands, we’re there more as extensions and reflections of himself.” Her eyes twinkled. “So be on your best behavior, alright?”

It had soon become apparent that Dasha would not be joining them. Orfeo had seemed genuinely apologetic as he’d explained that it would likely be the safest for her—and for his father, too. Later, when Serafina had approached her privately, the orc had waved off her concerns. “Those sorts of fancy shindigs always bored me to tears,” she said. “Besides, the moment some noble started acting all snooty, my thumb’d find their corneas. It’s better for everyone when you think about it.”

And the two of them had laughed hale and heartily together.

---

The day came. Serafina was dressed far more conservatively than her usual outfits—though admittedly, that wasn’t saying a lot. She wore an elegant dress of ivory-colored silk that flowed down her in waves, slits on the side showing off her legs. There was plenty of space in the back for her tail, which still had the turquoise-encrusted bangle, and she wore the circlet atop her head.

She fiddled with the silver necklace that Orfeo had given her to wear, which settled against her collar. She had flaunted everything she had at the audition; she was planning to overthrow the king! Why was she getting butterflies now?

Simple, of course. Now, anything that she did badly would reflect on Orfeo.

She thought she was handling her jitters well, but somehow Baucis always knew. The foxfolk smiled warmly at her.

Serafina had to admit, Baucis cleaned up quite nicely. She was beautiful beyond compare. Her dark red hair was done up on her head, a few strands poking artfully out, and she’d traded in her gauzy purple outfit for a lush, deep burgundy evening dress, formfitting up top (drawing attention to her considerable bosom) and flaring around her ankles. It was longer in the back than the front, the better to show off her stately legs. Jade still peppered her tail, and she wore a matching brooch for the occasion.

“…wow,” Serafina said. “Just… wow.”

Baucis’s laugh was like warm honey. “Oh hush,” she said. “We can’t have the concubines gawking at one another.” Serafina swallowed. She supposed not.

“And besides,” Baucis continued, pitching her voice low, “you don’t have to worry about shaming him there. You’re smart and capable. He chose well when he picked you.”

Serafina nearly felt herself glow. “Baucis, thank you,” she said after a moment’s notice. “I… I wanted to say, that, um.” She swallowed. “I know Orfy’s been paying a lot of attention to me lately and—”

Baucis shushed Serafina with a finger to her lips. “And you don’t want to be a homewrecker? Oh, Fina,” she said, “you blessed, beautiful girl. Orfy was my favorite client, and was and still is my good friend—and that’s all he is.” Her eyes twinkled. “We still enjoy one another in bed, of course, and he’s promised me his patronage forever, but there’s not really any romance. But you two…” Her eyes grew coy. “My word, just watching the two of you is so cute.”

Serafina blushed even deeper. Her tail tensed behind her in a mixture of embarrassment and pride. “…thank you,” she said. Baucis nodded courteously.

The chamber door opened and Orfeo stepped out. He was done up like you’d expect a prince would be; this time he wore a tailored version of a military dress uniform, the rich red color offset by a line of gold buttons and a sash across the front. A saber was hitched to his side, and fringed pauldrons stood on each of his shoulders. The black trousers were pristine and flowing—and Serafina saw to her dismay that they’d been expertly tailored to avoid showing off his bulge.

“Well!” she said in mock outrage, hands on her hips. “The nerve of those outfitters! Hiding your best feature!”

Orfeo chuckled as he approached. “And here I thought my charming personality was my best feature.”

Serafina pecked him on the cheek and then leaned in to nuzzle noses with him, the two of them blushing. “That’s a close second.”

Still blushing, the prince glanced down at his uniform and sighed. “Really not my choice,” he said, “but father insists. I had to talk him out of the fake medals, can you believe that? Well.” He hooked his arm through Fina’s and extended his other hand towards Baucis with a gentlemanly air. “Shall we?”

---

The reception was small, far from an extravagant ball or gala—but that just meant that there were fewer distractions to take prying eyes away from the concubines. Serafina quickly found herself in a game of verbal daggers. Oh, not all of the nobles were venomous—many were ambivalent, and some even polite. But a fair few had remarked on the exoticness of the prince’s company, or how open-minded and charitable he was in selecting her.

“So tell me,” one elephantfolk noblewoman said, fanning herself, “how are things down in Clawfoot Lane? I’ve never visited, of course, but I hear there’s tanners—butchers—even mudcombers!” Her laugh was high and condescending. She had on far too much makeup.

Serafina had smiled at that. “Oh, there are,” she said, “and many more besides. If you’ve never visited, you should—all sorts of folk there work any trade they can to put a roof over their children’s heads. It’s admirable, really.” She turned to Orfeo, who was chatting distantly with another noble, and affected a dreamy look. “I think His Highness appreciates hard work—he seems to admire those who earn what they have with their own two hands.” She turned back to the noble and curtseyed. “Oh, but where are my manners! I don’t even know who you are! From whom did you inherit?”

Behind the elephantfolk, her husband (a portly badgerfolk) snorted and flashed Serafina a thumbs-up. The woman’s eyes narrowed and she continued fanning herself. “Why, I suppose you must think you’re quite clever,” she said.

“I’ve never really wrung hands over how my intellect compares,” Serafina replied sweetly. “Seems a waste of energy. Of course, if one has nothing better to do…” She shrugged. “Who am I to begrudge how people spend their time?”

With an unamused huff, the woman yanked her husband’s arm and led him away. Serafina deflated as she left, releasing a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Baucis sashayed her way over to her, effortlessly excusing herself from conversation with fellow foxfolk. “Lady Lilyheart has quite the reputation,” she said. “I only wish I could have heard the details.”

“I’m sick of barbs against my background, Baucis,” Serafina sighed. “It wasn’t bad when Orfy was next to me, but now…”

Baucis patted her shoulder encouragingly. “I know,” she said. “I know. It’s—”

She froze, abruptly, her hand tight as the chamber door opened. The valet announced a ‘Lord Summerlend.’ And into the court stepped another noble.

He had the proud, distant air of a country aristocrat who rarely visited the city. His clothes were impeccable, but a few years out of fashion—yet he wore them with such severity that it would be suicide to criticize him for it. He was foxfolk, as many country nobles were, his autumn-colored fur starting to grey in patches. His build was lean and muscular, and Serafina had the impression that this was a man who would be dangerous in a duel even today, let alone in his prime. His eyes were flinty and his whiskers were groomed into a slick moustache. His eyes were a faded green, like forest leaves at dusk, and were strangely familiar.

Lord Summerlend swept dispassionately over the court and nearly jerked when he saw Baucis. His eyes widened a hair and his posture stiffened in an obvious gesture of unpleasant surprise. He was scarcely managing to hide a look of disgust and contempt.

Serafina glanced up at Baucis. “Who is—”

She stopped. Baucis’s gaze was affixed back at the newly-arrived noble, her eyes wide. They were the same faded green color.

The exact same.

Oh, by all the heavens. Her father.

Lord Summerlend strode quickly into the court, comporting himself. Anyone who hadn’t caught his initial double take at seeing Baucis likely wouldn’t have realized anything was the matter. But to Serafina, his displeasure was obvious. He strode up to the two of them with the air of one about to get a rotten tooth pulled.

“I’m expected to greet the royal concubines,” he said icily, his voice so low that only the three of them could hear. His gaze was locked on Baucis. “Let’s just call that done with, shall we?”

“Fine by me,” Baucis returned, her voice more bitter than Serafina could have ever imagined. “I hope you enjoy yourself, Lord Summerlend.”

He scoffed. “You look,” he said, after a moment, “ridiculous.” Baucis stiffened and a hurt gasp squeaked past her muzzle, but Summerlend paid her no mind. He glanced down at Serafina and nodded. “Miss,” he said in acknowledgement, the tone neutral. Then he walked on.

“Baucis, what was—” Serafina began after he left. But the foxfolk abruptly withdrew her paw from her friend’s shoulder.

“I have to go,” she muttered. “I’m—sorry.” She turned.

“Wait—Baucis!”

“Tell Orfy—he’ll understand—I can’t.” And she made her leave, and Serafina was left, alone and uncertain in the court.

---

“I’m telling you, Dasha, he had to be her father.” Serafina was meeting in Dasha’s room, pacing back and forth. The reception had ended some hours ago, and she’d not seen Baucis since. The door to her room was shut tight.

The orc growled, cracking her knuckles. “Now I wish I had come. I bet his flouncy tail wouldn’t look so pristine stuffed down his throat.”

“I just don’t know what the story is,” Serafina said. She was worried. It was so unlike Baucis to have something wind her up like that. Even Tereus yanking her ear hadn’t impacted her so much! “I wish I knew. Then I could help her…”

“If you want to know so bad, you could try asking.”

Serafina whirled guiltily. There, leaning against the doorway with a weary, bitter look on her face, was Baucis.

“I—I just—” Serafina stammered as Baucis walked in. “I’m not a gossiper Baucis, I was just really… worried about you.”

The older woman sighed. “I know. And I’m not angry. Given how suddenly I left, I’d be concerned in your place too. So.” Her eyes swept from Serafina to Dasha and back again. “Cards on the table, I guess. Go ahead and ask.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, looking poised.

Serafina and Dasha met one another’s gaze momentarily. “That man,” Serafina began. “Lord Summerlend. Is he—”

“My so-called father,” Baucis said, her voice taut. “Yes.”

Serafina swallowed. She’d always known that Baucis was the scion of aristocracy, but to actually meet her father face-to-face… The Summerlends had nowhere near the influence of Lord Umber or some of the more notable city-based families, but they weren’t nobodies either.

Serafina had a hundred questions at least. What had caused the falling-out? Did Tereus know Baucis’s past? Would they be hearing more from him? But the most important question of all, and the one she asked, was:

“Are you okay?”

Sighing, Baucis looked down at her hands for a moment. “I… yes. Thank you.” She meant it. “Lord Summerlend has said far, far worse to me in his time. It’s why I left… one of several reasons why I left.” She curled one hand in the other, a protective, cupping gesture. “I wasn’t ever expecting to see him again. The suddenness of it made his words sting a lot more than they should have, perhaps…”

Dasha strode over and sat next to Baucis on the bed. She rested one hand comfortingly on Baucis’s hands. “We all have our hurts,” she said quietly. “It’s not about words doing more or less damage. You shouldn’t have had to deal with them at all.”

Baucis smiled at her, the first look of real warmth Serafina had seen on her face in a while. “Thank you,” she said. “Really.” She glanced down at her hands again. “There’s… something I need to share with you both. Something Orfy already knows. I—I haven’t been meaning to keep it secret, I… I just didn’t know how to approach it.” She tensed for a moment, holding in a breath and releasing it. “I’m an unusual sort of woman. Lord Summerlend, he… he thought of me as his son, and raised me as his son, because…” She swallowed. “Because I have a penis.”

Silence held in the chamber for a moment, Baucis tight and tense as if expecting an eruption. Serafina processed the information.

Growing up on the streets in Braston, she’d encountered plenty of people like Baucis. Individuals whose bodies still had catching up to do with their souls. Some, especially in the upper-crust, were contemptuous of them… but she had never found reason to doubt they were who they said they were. She strode over and laid a comforting hand atop Dasha and Baucis’s, a warm little pile. “Alright,” she said with a warm smile. Dasha nodded, smiling as well.

So much of Baucis’s tension released. “Oh thank you,” she said. “Really. It means a lot…”

“So Orfy knows,” Dasha mused. It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

Baucis nodded. “Yes. I couldn’t exactly hide it in the place I was working when he found me. He was kind and understanding without being patronizing… still pretty rare, all things considered.” Her breath exhaled. “The king, he doesn’t know. He thinks I’m just infertile. I’d like to keep it that way, I’m worried what he’ll do if he finds out… but Summerlend…” She tensed.

Serafina patted her hand, a comforting gesture. “I think if Tereus knew, he’d have acted already,” she said. “I don’t think Summerlend would volunteer that information unless he seriously had something to gain.”

Baucis nodded. “Yes, he would have to identify how he knew—and it would come out that I was his ‘son’.” She all but spat the word. “His house’s reputation would fray beyond belief. I know intellectually that he’s likely to keep the secret, I just…” Her words trailed off into an aggravated growl. “I thought I was past having to worry about his influence in my life.”

“If he does make trouble,” Dasha said bombastically, “they’ll have to get through me first. I can turn his teeth inside out.” Though it was an obvious brag, the intent was still clear—she’d protect Baucis to the bitter end.

The foxfolk’s laugh was warm and pleasant. “You’d do that for me?” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Even though I’m a noble?”

“Vestyn was the worst sort of monster,” Dasha growled angrily. “He was involved in the slave trade. He purchased me.” Baucis’s eyes widened. She hadn’t known this. “He’s far from the only noble to deal in such things. And I found out through my ‘owner’ that Tereus clandestinely supports it all. But… meeting you and the prince, I guess… not all nobles are like that.”

Baucis nodded. “I knew the slave trade was still alive and well, but… to think it extends all the way to the king…” Her face tightened, growing angry. “By the ancestors, I hate the noble system in this country. There’s just so much abuse.” Her voice was righteous. “And individuals like Orfy, and me… nobles who just want to help the common people or think that change might be in order… the system beats us down, mocks us, yells at us, tries to break us to fit itself and gets rid of us if it can’t. You know, since I was disinherited, that makes my brother Iphis the new heir.” Her voice grew tight. “He was… always supportive of me. He called me his ‘sister’ in private and covered for me as long as he could. He was just a simple lad who liked archery and the sciences. Lord Summerlend once locked him in his chambers for three days when he suggested that it wasn’t right that the gardener’s daughter wouldn’t get to attend university despite being as smart as him. Three days, no food.” Her voice grew terse. “He never said anything about the gardener’s daughter again. When I finally left I invited him to come with me, but he stayed because he said that if someone wasn’t around to temper Summerlend’s anger, he’d take it out on the staff and servants… I can still see his eyes as I was thrown out. He wanted so desperately to leave.”

She breathed heavily through her nose. “I wonder how many noble children are like me or Orfy or our siblings. Alcyone overshadowed her brother so she was married off to the far end of the realm, little more than a living contract between Umber and her father. Iphis was starved for daring to suggest that perhaps the lower classes had a bad lot. Orfy endures put-downs anytime he has to share a room with Tereus. I’m sure he’s endured worse.” Serafina, thinking of Orfeo’s twitchy nervousness when it came to his father, agreed. “And me, put on the streets when I wouldn’t kill part of myself to fit the role expected of me. All for the sake of ‘respectability.’” Baucis swallowed. “The noble system is rotten. To its core. It hurts so many… and its first victims are its own children. But what are we supposed to do?” She sounded quiet. Scared. “Anyone in a position to change it, the system itself is built to break them or get rid of them.”

She finished her tirade, looking upset and defeated, and in the quiet that followed, Serafina and Dasha met one another’s gaze. Something unspoken passed between them. Serafina nodded.

“Y’know, Baucis,” said Dasha, “we… have had a lot of the same thoughts, Serafina and I. And we—well, mostly her, actually—have come up with a plan.”

Her head rose in curiosity. “A plan?”

Dasha filled her in, Serafina adding in clarification and details when needed, and when it finished, Baucis’s ears were twitching as she pondered.

“I’ll admit,” she said after a moment’s hesitation, “that I’ve had some of the same fears. I also think that Tereus believes Orfeo to be a lost cause… once he has his ‘proper’ heir to mold from birth, he may just get rid of him.” Her paws tightened. “I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to him. And where would that leave the three of us? We’re the prince’s harem, but if there’s no prince…” She cut off, giggling suddenly. “But to overthrow Tereus the Tyrant! That would take…!”

“Nerve?” Serafina filled in, eyes sparking with fire.

“Muscles?” Dasha added, flexing her own with a toothy grin.

Baucis laughed. “By all the ancestors, you two are mad… absolutely mad. Well then.” Her eyes sparkled. “Is there room for another in your little conspiracy?”

“The more the merrier!” Serafina said.

Baucis laughed again. “What a crazy decision I’ve made… Ah, well. It’s far from the first.” She bent over and bussed a kiss against Serafina’s forehead, her muzzle warm against the kobold’s scales. “Recruiting you was the best thing Orfy ever did,” she murmured. “You’ve brought such spark to him… to all of us.”

Serafina swallowed. Baucis pulled her muzzle back; she was blushing, same as Serafina. The two of them locked eyes for a moment. Then, reaching tenderly, Baucis gently reached out a hand to cup underneath Serafina’s chin. The gesture was both intimate and glacial, giving Serafina chance to voice complaint or reservation. There were none; Serafina touched her hand to Baucis’s, holding it there. Still blushing, the foxfolk dipped in close…

Their lips sealed together in warm union and Serafina closed her eyes in bliss. Baucis’s touch was dulcet and soft. They held like that for long, lovely moments, just luxuriating in one another’s kiss.

Then, Serafina put her tail to work. It snaked up to coil around Baucis’s thigh, squeezing invitingly. Baucis gasped, her blush deepening, and Serafina used the open mouth as an invite to stick her tongue in. Baucis moaned at the intrusion, sucking it tenderly, lapping at it with her own. The seed of arousal was beginning to blossom deep inside.

The two of them reclined back onto Dasha’s bed, still making out. Their hands explored one another, Serafina hissing as Baucis slipped a hand to the gauzy bottom portion of her outfit, tugging it free. Serafina responded in kind by kneading and pressing against Baucis’s breast. It was warm and pillowy to her touch, and it pushed mewling gasps out of the foxfolk.

Dasha gulped loudly. “Well I’ll just—I’ll, uh—” she stammered.

Baucis broke the kiss with a giggle. “Oh, right, this is your room,” she purred. “We can find another place. Unless…” her eyes sparkled. “You’re interested?”