Chapter 18 - A meal to remember

I did manage to swat the plate out of the air with a loud bang, but that was not the welcome I had expected at all. Suha was busy with one crying young child while Gabriele was scolding the other one for throwing the plate. Everybody else however was looking towards me while the plate was slowing coming to a hold. Especially the two little ones did freeze up and looked at me like they had seen a ghost, with open mouth and large round eyes. Gabrielle used hat opportunity to get the other metal plate and place it a bit away on the table.

I couldnt help to have a large smile at these two now cute faces staring at me. My tail did swing a bit more noticeable then normal but that might have been just the tension from having nearly everybodys eyes now on me. I collected myself a bit then opened my mouth to speak when the 3-year-old pointed at me and sung happy. "Kitty!!!!!" then clapping her hands the other girl following her example clapping as well. "Kitty! Kitty! Kitty!" They sung happily together all tears already forgotten. I chuckled while Suha blushed slightly. "No not kitty that is Misra dear." She said gently. "Big Kitty!"

I just shook my head. "Its fine Suha I dont mind." She nodded just silently while cleaning up the mess that the kids had made. "The kitty Talks! Did you see that mommy?!? And she has dress!!" Suha gently finished her cleaning and said a soft "Yes dear i can see that." I cleared my throat a bit. "Well then ... I am Misra and as some of you already know, the new duke and well ... the new husband or father for you all ... as strange as that may be." I looked towards the two adult woman whom I had yet to have contact with. One was a dark skinned beauty with deep brown eyes, who was just silently looking down and hardly reacting at all, while the other, a redhead, was holding an intense glare towards me as if I had offended her personally. Suha nodded the pointed towards the head of the table.

"Please take a seat " She was interrupted by the redhead. "You are inviting her in!?" she spit accusingly "Is none of you weird out by having to having ..." She hesitated for a brief second. "Her ... as Husband?" I was silent but just went towards the seat that was offered to me. It was Suha who spoke up first. "Neile dear. Of course, it is strange, this change and everything. Thats why we are here today to talk about it. Am I bothered by a change like that without even asking us? Oh yes. Am I grateful that we have not been thrown into prison alongside th ... alongside him? Yes quite a lot yes. Will that bring her the right to sit here and at least have us talk? Yes so sit down and be civil."

I could see Neile pout and it was cute. It was it was Gabrielle who gently rested one hand on Suhas shoulder before speaking up next. "Well then ... welcome to our table. I think you don't know everybody yet so let me introduce them. The little bee over there munching away is Madiha." She pointed towards the youngest at the table a black haired three year old who was already eating some mixture of rice and carrot. She was holding her spoon roughly in her fist while carefully spooning up the next pieces, only using her finger a few times to push the pieces on the spoon. I could see Suha gently moving the hand away every time she did that. Her older sister, who had dark brown hair, was eating on her own but she was so fascinated by me that she sometimes would move an empty spoon to her mouth.

"This here is Sabiha." She gently squeezed the shoulder of the young girl who did wave shyly to me with her free hand. I just waved back with a smile while hearing a hrmpf from Neile. "Then we have here Lizbeth and Neile." She pointed at the two youngest wifes of the former duke and while Lizbeth smiled to me with a warm smile, Neiles face was still hostile glaring at me with small eyes. "Leaving only my little sister Viola of those that you dont know yet." She just shyly glanced up for a short moment before letting her eyes drop back down. Her long black hair was freeflowing but there were long braids on either side.

Suha spoke up with a warm charming voice. "Well then lets eat first and afterwards we will discuss this whole thing ok?" I nodded to her and shortly afterwards servants started to appear from a side door with plates of meat and all kind of different meals. I noticed how most at the table looked at it with big eyes telling me that this was not a normal amount for them. It was Gabrielle who spoke up with a chuckle. "Our dear duke has allowed us to do our own purchases more freely, so now our meal will be more variated then they used to be. Although we wont have a lavish meal like this every day of course. Additionally, we finally have some money at hands for private purchases."

Neiles angry look to me got even more fierce like she was asking if I was bribing them but she kept her mouth closed for now. The meal was an interesting opportunity to observe my new family. Neile was never quite for long. When she wasnt glaring daggers at me she was teasing Viola or joking around with Sabiha. Viola was mostly silent, hardly speaking at all and only if asked for something. She was really different from her sister. In fact they looked so different that I was not certain that they were blood related sisters at all but in the end it didnt matter, they were sisters there was no doubt that Gabrielle had a watchful eye out for her. Suha was ruling the table with smiles and giggles. But when she got more stern, Neiles teasing stopped instantly or the little girls stopped what ever chaos they where creating.

It was interesting to see how Suha interacted with Gabrielle these two were definitely an old married couple in that they only indicated stuff before the other reacted. When Suha took care of the little Madiha, Gabrielle took care of Sabhia and kept an eye on the table. At one point she even gave Suha a gentle peck when they passed each other. Lizbeth however kept quite, sitting next to the even quitter Viola I almost didnt noticed that she had a book out and was reading during the meal hardly eating anything at all because she was so captured in the book apparently. Gabrielle noticed my confused look and then looked to Lizbeth. She sighed stood up and gently laid a finger on the book. "Mark where you are dear." She said in a gentle but commanding voice.

Lizbeth blushed slightly and used an old beaten bookmark at the current page before the older one gently took the book away putting it on the table next to her while sitting down again. "Now eat something dear your plate is still almost full." I half expected a tease from Neile but she looked rather warm towards the two. It was Sabhia who suddenly spoke to me. "Do you often have meals like this?" I smiled and shook my head. "No dearie only the last two weeks before that I had only every odd day a warm meal. And only thanks to close friend of mine." She looked at me with large eyes then nodded. "Where you sick?" I shook my head. "No dearie the old duke kept me in a loooong timeout even trough I had done nothing wrong."

She looked confused about that. "That doesnt sound fair! When I am in timeout then only because I have done something wrong." I nodded. "Yes I think so too." I smiled a bit at the little cutie. "Why do you have kitty ears and a tail?! Do you like to be a cat? Do you need to use a kitty bed?" I laughed loudly about that but noticed how everybody around was listening too. "Well then your last question fist. I use a normal bed with blanket and all. Being catlike is ok but I dont know how others feel so duno its just me. I mean do you like being you?" She nodded eagerly making me chuckle again. "There you go. And why I have kitty ears and tail well thats because I am one of the tribes. Almost all of my family have theses. Do you want to know why?" She nodded quickly again, I definitely had her full attention, the spoon hanging forgotten with its load halfway up to her mouth.

"Well then." I cleared my throat. "There once was a mage, a mage who claimed to be good and charitable, who gathered together a lot of different women, women of all kinds of life but most of them poor and desperate and she changed them. Changed them so they had animal ears and tails as well as the strength, reflexes and hearing of those. She made them strong, so that they where able to care for themselves and each other. She gave them a home a place to stay and work together. But in truth she was an evil witch who wanted to create an army. She gathered together so many used her magic to bind them to her will ... but just as she was about to order her army to conquer the world. The magic went wild and her spell was broken, my kind did not serve her anymore. But the changes to us where permanent. And while we are still human our children will be like us."

This was of course the child friendly version but it explains enough why we are like we are and why we are still human inside. "Does that mean we will get kitty ears too?" She asked half worried half exited. I couldnt help but chuckle to that. "No deary. Only if you are born from the love of someone of the tribes." You cant change later anymore. She looked a bit sad but Gabrielle rubbed gently trough her hair making her smile again. "But why are they called the tribes?" Lizbeth asked now curious. "Well once they were freed from the witch, they couldnt stay were they had been before because she had use them to threaten their neighbours. So they decided to move. And the only path that nobody else could follow was to cross the mountains."

"It was a long and dangerous crossing and once they managed to get out of the mountains they where all exhausted. They found a city that welcomed them with open arms. It became our home our root in this world. And after a few years the city asked our people if they could help them to become Independent and they agreed. When the lord, that the city had declared independence from heard about all of that he asked: 'They are just some st strange mountain Tribe! What can they do?!' After my people beaten his army completely and tossed him out of the Citys lands he continued to curse us as strange mountain tribes. And from that it just stuck as a way to describe us. As a mark of pride if you will."

"Of course, there is more details but for now that should be enough." Lizbeth nodded slowly but I could see a ton of questions in her eyes. Suha coughed a bit to gain attention. "Now then I think it is a good moment to start and talk about this whole thing." I nodded in agreement with her. "Here is it as far as understand: We are bound to you for a year no matter what. And after that we will be free to either marry you or life on our own correct?" I pondered for a moment. "Yes but if you need more time to decide we can push it further back. Since in the end it would be by my culture that we would marry under and there your agreement is absolutely needed for it to happen."

"Lizbeth will become my daughter and if we marry our correct?" I tilted my head slightly. "That depends on what Lizbeth will chose but yes." I nodded again. "What if we want to leave right away?" There was no anger in her voice when she said that, but I could see Neile look up in hope. "Well if you all think that this never going to work, then we can make arrangements for you to have a decent life but I do have hope that you will stick with me for at least the year." Neile rose on that. "Well then you better start arranging now, common everybody lets go." But none of the other women did move. It was Gabrielle who spoke up. "Neile dear sit down please." To my surprise she actually did. Without any complains beyond a pout and crossed arms.

Then Suha chimed in. "We will give you that year. Its just a year and it will allow us to decide a more clear way ahead. I cant and wont promise anything beyond that. However that does no mean that you will have anything to say about how I raise my children. You can explain things and teach them but the final say will be with me." During that talk she did rest her hand on Lizbeth shoulder making clear that she was included in that. I nodded. "I will not decided anything about them without speaking with you first. Anything else would simple wrong." I took a deep breath. "But now there is a question that is simple burning in my mind ... what do you all do during the day? Whenever I came across the notes of a Harem they just seemed to exist, but nobody ever talks about what you actually do day for day."

Suha and Gabrielle looked surprised by that question. Viola just blushed slightly and Neile had a small smirk on her. It was Gabrille who ultimately spoke up. "Every harem, like every relationship is different. In our as you may have noticed we have a strong unity among us, so the favorite past time of some others, hating each other and trying to win the favor of the Master of the Harem are simple not there. Thanks to Suha we did not have to raise many kids either so that duty does not take up so much time although these two can keep us quite busy." She smiled and Sabiha did wave proudly halfway understanding that she was meant. "So we either develop some skills for entertainment or find something to keep us busy with what interest us and well what the old Duke did allow us to spend time on. Some of us paint or play music while others well hit trees walk around and well do what ever they can to fight the boredom."

"We were not allowed to leave the harem apart from visits to the dukedom or the visit to temple and only women were allowed to enter. So we life here in our golden cage entertaining each other as good as we can." She shrugged and I hesitated a moment before replying. "Well ... I do hope I will be able to change this cage to a real home, in which you stay when you feel like it and not one that forces you to stay. You can study and do now whatever you want. Just please talk to me or Suha first especially if it something exotic or outside the house, because there might be some stuff that might require some permission and planning. Like traveling around the world."

"The only exception is please don't get involved with slaves unless it is to release them or help them in a meaningful way." I opened my mouth to say more but then noticed the two young ones who were still watching my ears move in fascination. "But I think we should discuss the details later on." I earned some nods from the grownups and the little following their example joining in with nods of the own causing soft giggles around the table. It was Lizbeth who spoke out of curiosity again. "Why no slaves?" I smirked. "Well most people of the tribes do not accept slavery if they can avoid it. For two simple reasons. One it is just wrong and should not be done. And second many of our kind had the misfortune to become slaves. Especially after the first war with the tribes. That was in fact the reason for the second war, but if you want to know more I can tell you all about it in detail if Suha doesnt mind." It was now Violas turn to speak up. It was in fact the fist time I heard her gentle voice clearly. She was speaking with a shyly and with a total lack of confidence. "If ... if we want to visit a place we can just go?"

I nodded carefully. "Yes but please tell us beforehand. Dont just leave alone and let us wonder if you are ok. I will never stop you, but I promised to take care of you all, so some places might require you to have an escort." Before I could speak any further Suha did cut in. "I know where you want to go so yes you can visit her my dear. Neile you will accompany her please and some of the guards. I will explain everything to the dear duke." She looked at me with her dont you dare to mess this up looks that I had received twice so far so I just nodded before asking carefully. "Do you wish to leave now or after we are finished here?" She hesitated I could see her desire to jump up right away and sprint wherever it was that she wanted to go right away. "I ... would like to leave now ... if you dont mind?" I shook my head with a smile.

I clapped my hands two times and shortly after Eva steeped in, with lowered head. "Yes milady?" She definitely had taken a bath too or at least washed herself because her cloth and face was free from the sweat and dirt she had on earlier and the soft smell of roseoil filled my nose. "Please ask Captain Elaina if she would be so kind to accompany two of my beautiful wifes outside for today with two of her guards. If she can't for some reason, please ask her if she could at least lend two of hers to Johanna and ask her for the same task. My wifes will me her in the central garden near the pavilion." I could see a bit of shook and then a small smile on her face before she answered. "Right away milady. Is there anything else I might be able to help with?" I shook my head.

"No thank you Eva." She bowed and did leave, when I turned back I noticed that they looked a bit shocked. "You know her name? It was Neile who asked that. Well yes of course after all she is one of those who apparently will serve me quite closely isnt it normal to now their names?" She shook her head. "The old duke barely even noticed that the servants existed." I shrugged my shoulder looking to Viola. "Do you need to pack anything or change your outfit? If so please go ahead and then meet the Guards there. Please dont leave on your own ok?" She nodded quickly then stood up before bowing towards the table way to exited to really speak and just left the room. Neile was close behind her with a loud. "Hey wait up!" I looked to Suha and Gabrille with a curious look. To what had I just agreed. "Her nanny lives in the city. She is basically the closest she has to a mother. For six years she wanted to visit, She has exchanged many letters to her and they are both quite close."

I nodded slowly. "I assumed it was someone close to her that left her no time to stay. Is the place safe that her nanny lives in?" She nodded. "As far as I know, for her on her own? No but in the company of three guardsmen? Yes definitely." I nodded and relaxed a bit. We had all finished our meal. Even Lizbeth plate was completely empty despite her late start. Suha clapped again and the servants came in a last time and replaced our empty plates with some kid of white very tasty looking cake. "Well then let us finish this meal with a treat of my hometown. I wanted to have you all try this since a while but so far it was simple to expansive." She sat down and everybody started to dig in happily.

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This chapter had only two edits and one of them was a upload eddit. I love the interaction of the family. There will be many intresting moments from all of this. I wanted to give a bit of background to what Misra is and Sabi did simple pushed that way ahead of schedule xD

It is in this chapter where i question my naming choices xD. Madi and Sabi??? What was i thinking? Still i love these two cuties and i hope i hit the right tone with them.

Neile was tricky to write because i didn't wanted to write her to much over the top. But now she fits so well.

Viola will shine later on. Big social settings are not the place where she will be that noticeable.

Gabrielle and Suha these two i need to write a bit more of their dynamic together but love them together so far and then finally Lizbeth.

Originally i was thinking that Lizbeth would have an eating disorder. But the more i read about that topic the more i learned that i had no clue how to treat that. How you would recover from it and how people act with one. So it changed to "just" starvation which fits to the horrible place she had been.

However. If you suffer from this do not feel ashamed or think i meant to not represent you. I simple did not feel like i could represent this topic correctly at all. If you suffer from this feel yourself tightly hugged and seek help. It is not a small thing or a phase but a serious problem that should be taken like that.

So with that. Stay healthy everyone ^^ Till next time