Guest Suite
Just off of the main hall of the castle, and deep enough into the stone edifice to make windows impractical, this comfortable suite of rooms has been given over to Tulani, Alptraum and the two Yodh. Aside from the four rooms, there is a central communal hub with a fireplace, couches and a large table.

It seems like ages since Alptraum's been back to his room in the castle, given how much has happened in the past few days. So when he first arrives at the suite, he's a little bit surprised. Trunks fill the central room, including the small one he traveled with to the wedding, and Lucy the Fnerf is backing out of Phlagaea's room with another one in her arms.

"Wait, whoa, what is going on?" Alptraum says as he hurries over to the Fnerf, ears back in worry. "You don't have to leave, I promised to take care of her," he says quickly.

"Alptraum!" Lucy yelps, and then pulls the Eeee into a smothering hug.

Alptraum grrks! His arms and wings flail wildly in the all too fluffy embrace. "Whtopth iptth goigntht on?!" the Eeee struggles to get out. "Bettther noth be lvith!"

"What?" Lucy asks, finally pulling the Eeee free of her chest. "My Sylvanian not so good yet."

Alptraum switches to Babelite. He puts his ginger in the center of Lucy's chest and repeats, "You better not be leaving. I promised to take care of Phlagaea and I meant it."

"Moving!" Lucy says. She can't help but seem to bark everything. "Up to the… the… I don't know what it's called. Where the Countess lives."

The Fnerf helpfully points… at the ceiling.

"You're going to share quarters with the Countess?" Alptraum says, jaw nearly dropping. "I don't get to share quarters with her!"

"Yes, you do," Lucy says, nodding, and then points to an open chest where all of Alptraum's clothes have apparently been dumped into. Lucy folded his underwear for him too.

Alptraum blinks, apparently having some sort of realization. "I am being moved?" he clarifies.

"Yes!" Lucy says, nodding happily. "Want me to carry you?"

Alptraum pauses, thinking. "Is Phlagaea also being moved?" he asks, "This is a lot of stuff… "

"Yes!" the fnerf barks again, and once more Alptraum is subjected to a stifling hug. Even his ears feel muffled.

Alptraum oofs! He's excited for … about five seconds. Then realizes he'll be with two pregnant women. Suddenly all those fantasies of youth about two women don't seem so exciting anymore. Once he extracts himself, he says, "No, I don't need to be carried, but I can help carry stuff. Is Phlagaea already up there?"

"No, she is still marinating," Lucy explains, gesturing to Phlagaea's bedroom.

"May I step in and see her?" Alptraum asks as he takes a step back for fear of being hugged once more.

"Yes!" the Fnerf barks, predictably. "She is ticklish today!" she also warns, for whatever reason.

"Thank you," Alptraum says and pats the Fnerf's cheek with his right hand, then pauses, asking, "Uh, you don't mind me touching you with this, right?" He wiggles his chitinous fingers at the Fnerf. "Some people think it is a bit gross."

In reply, Lucy looks at the chitin-covered hand as if she's never seen it before… and then licks it. "Is okay," she decides.

Alptraum gives the Fnerf an odd look … then just shrugs. "Right," he says as if apparently deciding it's notworth asking what that was about. He grins, waggles his fingers again, then slips into the room. He peers a bit to see if the door is closed to where Phlagaea is.

The Eeee in question is sitting on her bed, wrapped in bandages as usual, and looking like she's asleep. Perhaps Lucy meant 'meditating' and not 'marinating' after all. Even in the dimness of the room, it's clear that the green dye used during the trip to Arkold's castle has been washed away, leaving brown fur behind.

Alptraum slinks over to the bed, then slides onto it next to the Eeee. "I always thought you looked sexy in these," he whispers playfully in her ear, then traces his fingertips gently along her thigh. "And that constant hint of chemicals. Scary and ever so seductive."

"Auugh!" Phlagaea overreacts to being startled, and manages to get tangled up in her own limbs (since apparently she isn't able to get into that yoga position without a bit of tugging). She grabs onto Alptraum to keep from falling over completely.

Alptraum tries to not grin at the circumstance as he tries to keep Phlagaea, and himself, from tipping over. "Calm, it is just me," he says, trying to reassure her that she's not being accosted by a stranger.

"Sorry!" Phlagaea apologizes. "I was in a trance and not… well… hearing anything." She looks thoroughly embarrassed.

"Which is why I did what I did," Alptraum admits as he gently brushes some strands of bandage and hair from Phlagaea's face. "Just because you're pregnant and no longer so beautifully green doesn't mean you'll be spared my attention," the Eeee teases playfully.

"Really?" Phlagaea asks. "Oh! Don't kiss me though yet!" she suddenly yelps.

"Why?" Alptraum asks curiously.

Ears folding down, Phlagaea admits, "I was sick earlier, and… well… I didn't realize it would make my breath stink. I haven't washed my mouth out yet."

Alptraum kisses Phlagaea anyway, though it is a bit brief. "It is fine," the Eeee claims, "I took greater risks with you in Babel, you know." Also grinning a bit deviously, he gives Phlagaea a sidelong glance. "And of course you do realize that since you're not green anymore, well … you're going to be my acolyte… " he teases.

"What?" Phlagaea asks, looking shocked and surprised. "But… you don't do anything? Do you? I mean, for Sunala?"

"I do deal with undead threats at times, yes," Alptraum points out, "But no, I had other ideas in mind for you… "

"What do you mean?" the Yodhgorphat asks, taking it all seriously. "I don't know how to perform any rituals of Sunala… or any other Sister, for that matter! What will I have to do?"

Alptraum holds up a finger, noting, "The first will use skills you already have." He stands up and actually slips off into the bathroom. He's gone a few minutes, then returns carrying a towel, a bowel, and several thin brushes. These he sets near Phlagaea, then drapes the towel over her lap and lays his right hand on it, palm down and fingers spread. "I'd like you to clean the joints and scar on my palm thoroughly. Partially because its hard to do one handed, and partially because you're an expert in this area already. Getting infections or chitin rot would not be good if I have to go deal with something." His brow also goes up and he adds, "And if you would like to do more, well, I also intend to officiate over funerals, such as they are here, when needed. Or any calls that require one of reaper powers. You are welcome to come with those until your condition prevents it."

"Do spirits really squirt ectoplasm at pretty girls though?" Phlagaea asks as she takes up the cleaning tools and goes to work, usually with one hand underneath Alptraum's to flex it as needed to spread the overlapping chitin plates on the back.

Alptraum watches Phlagaea work on his hand. "I barely feel that; when you work on the back that is," he comments absently before looking back to her, "That depends on the spirit. Those that … chased women in life do … if for nothing else than mimicking their favorite behaviors in life… "

"I've never been chased, so should be safe, right?" Phlagaea asks as she tries to work out a bit of something from a seam on Alptraum's wrist.

Alptraum tilts his wrist down a bit to help spread the plates, then uses the claws of his left hand to try and pry the plate up slightly, but not to the point it starts hurting. "Well … without your green fur … you will likely find yourself drawing more interest. They won't fear you anymore and will become more … assertive," Alptraum notes. "But I have no fear about your own ability to protect yourself."

"You mean Lucy?" Phlagaea asks with a grin. "I never had to learn how to fight. I mean, I tossed some fireballs, but the Yodhgorphat usually hired mercenary bodyguards when needed."

Alptraum's eyes flick back down to see if she's been able to work loose whatever it was she found. "I could teach you how to fight," he comments, "But yes, Lucy can toss most people around with ease."

"She hasn't a mean bone in her body," Phlagaea says, and then holds up what she fished out – it looks like a clump of black hair.

Alptraum leans in and sniffs it. "Is that mine?" he asks. "Could be the Countess, I guess."

"Do you run your hand through her hair a lot?" Phlagaea asks, with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, sometimes," Alptraum admits as he looks at the ceiling, "Among other, ahem, places."

"Mmm-hmmm," Phlagaea goes. "I'll be in the next room over, you know."

Alptraum nods at that. "So Lucy tells me," he says as he lets Phlagaea resume her work. "I'm going to be taking care of both of you best I can manage. Both of you are important to me. Green, brown, purple, mauve, whatever color you are, you're still one of my dearest friends."

"Mauve?" Phlagaea has to stop and ask. "How is that different from purple? And you didn't mention blue. Isn't your dragon consort blue?"

"My dragon ally is blue, yes," Alptraum agrees and nods. "My point is that I don't care what color you are ultimately. You're still beautiful to me and always will be. And I also just know it is a matter of time… "

"You think I'll turn back to the way I was after I give birth then?" Phlagaea asks, sounding hopeful, as she turns over Alptraum's hand to examine his palm.

Alptraum spreads his fingers so Phlagaea can easily inspect his palm and the scarring beneath the fur. "Oh, I expect you will, yes. But what I was meaning was, its only a matter of time before some knight in service to the Countess realizes how beautiful you are too, and well, how can I possibly complete! You are still in the Countess' employ after all and have duties that will active and meeting others," he explains, "I don't think you will ever feel lonely."

Phlagaea snorts, and nearly chokes as she's not used to having excess mucous, and says, "Big deal if someone else finds me attractive. Doesn't mean I'll be interested in him!"

The Yodh feels through Alptraum's fur to his scar. "This is pretty old now, what makes you think it'll get infected?" she asks. "It doesn't open up when you suck the life out of pigs does it?"

"No, but I really have no idea of what any long term effects of what I did to myself will be. So I like to check now and then," Alptraum admits. He pauses for a moment, thinking, before he asks, "What … do you find attractive? I've always wondered why you liked me."

"Well, you were surrounded by rumor, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about," Phlagaea notes. "And you didn't even notice me spying on you at first! It was cute!"

"Mostly though, because you didn't recoil from me," the Yodh continues. "Even after I nearly got you killed going through the back door into our temple… "

"Aha, so you like mystery! Ever wonder why I went with you?" Alptraum asks as he flexes his hand just to make the scar beneath Phlagaea's fingers move some.

"Eep!" Phlagaea goes, thinking for a moment that the scar will open up and bite here. "Because you liked mystery too, and secretly wondered what I looked like under the bandages on my face?" she says after recovering.

Alptraum briefly ponders trying to make the scar mouth her just to be devious. "Actually, it was your eyes," he answers.

"Because they were smiling?" Phlagaea asks with a grin.

"Putting it simply, yes. They weren't the eyes of some horrible monster, they were those of a woman; and one who looked genuinely happy to talk to someone," Alptraum explains, "Once I saw that, well … the risk of being blessed by your Mother was worth it just to see you happy. In everything terrible that was happening, it what that which gave me hope."

"So, you weren't afraid to refuse me when I asked you out?" Phlagaea asks, grinning wider.

"Not at all," Alptraum claims, "I was just too shy to ask first." He grins right back.

That actually brings a gasp from Phlagaea. "So you would have asked me yourself? Really?" she asks.

"If I could have mustered the courage, yes. I enjoyed talking and dancing with you at that party," Alptraum says, "Even if no one else would come near us and seemed to want to stare."

"I like being the center of attention… usually," Phlagaea admits. "Hmmm… were you thinking of me when you were with that mad-doctor woman?" she then asks.

"Heh," goes Alptraum. "You could say that, yes. I imagined she was you and I was ever so slowly unwrapping you and exploring. Anyway, my point in all this is that all the risks and things we have endured together, I wouldn't trade them for anything. I'll always be there for you when you need me." There's a pause, then an impish grin as he he adds, "And for times when I decide when my acolyte needs training."

"Well… I guess I won't be bored during my pregnancy then," Phlagaea says.

"No, I expect you and the Countess to make me pay in so many ways during that," Alptraum says with a huge grin.

"Oh, I wouldn't do anything… urgh… to… uh," Phlagaea starts to say, and then looks suddenly pained and runs off into the bathroom where she makes some really nasty noises. "On second thought, I will make you pay for this part!" she declares.

"So … how was the patient, my hand?" Alptraum asks to try and change the subject, then actually lifts it to his nose and sniffs it with his fingers curled, moderately curious if it has any scent at all. "And realize what you feel right now … is how I feel if I ever eat anything solid."

"I'm going to make pancakes for you then!" Phlagaea threatens. "Your hand looks fine. I think the scar is fading. And from now on, I'm going to call something else 'Alptraum's Little Patient' I think, just because."

"I heard barfing," Lucy says, poking her head back into the room. "All okay?"

"Yeah, there goes the hormones," Alptraum mutters to himself. Thankful for Lucy appearing, he says, "She's just feeling a bit sick again. I should leave her to rest. Have you seen the Yodhinala about? I need to make sure she's not up to … make sure she's doing fine."

"Yeah, she's in her room," Lucy announces. "When Phlagaea gets too moody, I take care of you, don't worry!" Whether the Fnerf means to defend Alptraum against Phlagaea's mood swings or take care of him in some other way isn't entirely clear. Lucy is a bit of a mystery, after all.

"I don't think I'm big enough for you," Alptraum jokes and flashes a grin.

"Huh?" Lucy asks, cocking her head in that canine way to show confusion. Okay, maybe she did mean 'protect him from Phlagaea's wrath' after all.

Louder, Alptraum says, "If you need anything, send Lucy to find me. I need to check on Mave … then I guess go prepare my new room."

Phlagaea replies with some sort of grunt.

"Uh, bye," Alptraum says quickly, then makes a strategic retreat towards Mave's room. Whether this turns out to be the fire that he just jumped into from the frying pan remains to be seen!

Mave's door is, as always, unlocked and slightly ajar.

Alptraum peeks in before just barging right in. "Yodhinala?" he calls out.

"Come in," comes Mave's voice from far back in the largest of the suites rooms.

Alptraum opens the door and walks the rest of the way in, then heads in the direction he heard the voice. His ears flick forward as he listens intently in case she's doing something.

The bedroom is empty, as is the 'laboratory' section, leaving only the bathroom as the likely location of the Yodhinala. There's even a telltale splash of water.

Alptraum heads to the bathroom and simply enters. Mave is not shy in the least, after all. "I just wanted to thank you for all your help," he says on entering.

Mave is there, of course – completely dressed in her ceremonial robes. Kneeling in the bath and presumably getting a blessing is a naked Khatta girl, who screams when Alptraum enters.

"I hear screaming," Lucy calls from outside. "All okay?"

Alptraum covers his eyes and turns around. "You could have warned me you had company," he says with a sigh before calling out to Lucy, "Everything is fine!"

The girl eventually stops yelling, as Mave instructs her to, "Be calm. There is no shame here, and you want men to notice you, do you not?" The girl mewls something in reply. "Alptraum, I did not expect you to just walk in on this. What were you expecting to find here?" Mave asks the turned-around bat.

"Presumably you taking a bath," Alptraum comments and gestures with his hands. He pauses, then adds to the girl without looking back, "I didn't see anything. I'll leave you to your blessing."

"Hmm, perhaps you should wait outside for a moment, Alptraum," Mave suggests.

Alptraum heads out of the bathroom. In fact, he heads out of the suite so he won't have to hear everything.

Lucy swishes her tail when Alptraum returns. She's folding something lacy. "Did you get pricked?" she asks.

Alptraum gives Lucy an odd look. "She's busy," Alptraum says by way of a polite and non-descriptive answer.

The Eeee does take a chance to spy on what Lucy is folding. "I didn't know Phlagaea had lacy clothing," he comments.

"Oh yes, she has a client," Lucy notes. "These are mine," she explains to Alptraum. Given that the Fnerf doesn't wear pants it's hard to imagine what she'd have that was lacy.

Alptraum tilts his head this way and that trying to figure it out. "Does she have many clients?" he asks.

"Yes!" Lucy says. "There was a line waiting when she returned. Well, three."

"All women or mixed?" Alptraum asks idly, keeping his ears focused forward.

"I cannot say if they were mixed breeds; it is hard to tell with Khatta," Lucy admits. "Two girls, one older man. He pinched my rear and was rather charming."

Alptraum hehs to himself. "Not surprising, really. No one comes to see me," he comments, "But then I hardly represent fun."

"What services do you offer?" Lucy asks, sounding genuinely curious. "Besides what you have done for my mistress, that is."

"Transport of the spirits of the dead and dealing with undead," Alptraum says with a small shrug. "And if I can, holding back the hand of death for those for whom it isn't time."

"And exotic dancing?" Lucy asks.

"Well, that's only for certain people," Alptraum comments as he looks towards the ceiling again.

There's the sound of a door opening and closing, and the quick pitter-patter of Khatta feet leaving the suite.

"I don't see why they act so embarrassed; they're visiting a Yodhinala," Alptraum mutters to himself. He waits another minute before he sticks his head back into Mave's suite.

"You can come in now, Alptraum," Mave calls from the bathroom.

Alptraum walks back into the bathroom. "The gypsies hand socks on the doorknobs to indicate they're … entertaining," he comments.

"I don't have any socks," Mave says. This time she is in the bath, as Alptraum previously expected. "What can I do to you today, Barsunala? Did you need help packing?"

"No, I just came to say thank you," Alptraum notes as he leans back against the wall and crosses his arms. "So, glad to see us moving out?" he asks.

"Not particularly, as I still expect you to find some excuse to visit me," Mave says, and then gratuitously washes herself at Alptraum.

"Skinned as I am or as you?" Alptraum jokes as he tries to not overtly watch the bathing woman. "And you actually wish me to visit? It seems as if you have enough people requesting your services."

"I have a vested interest in you, Alptraum," Mave notes. "And… there are things I need to test on you, as well."

That last statement makes his brow go up. "Test on me?" he asks, "Whatever for?"

"Well, you will need my help now that your lovers will be living together," Mave notes. "Their hormone cycles will likely synchronize, so that you will have to attend to them both at nearly the same time. I have an extract I wanted to test on you that might help."

"More things to increase my, er, virility?" Alptraum asks with a chuckle and finally goes to sit on the edge iof the bathtub. "I more expect they'll just want to kill me at the same time." His head tilts a bit, then he asks, "May I ask what I will owe you for everything you have done?"

Mave smiles, looking very much like a Khatta (or a dragon) who has caught something. "For now, it is enough that you acknowledge a debt to me, Alptraum," she purrs.

Alptraum's brow goes up again. "When you smile I worry," he comments, smirking a bit himself. "I can't give you my shadow powers or anything… "

"Oh, I wouldn't want those," Mave says. "For now, go into my work area and fetch the blue jar and the red bottle, and then join me in the bath."

Alptraum heads back out of the bathroom and locates the work area. He's careful to find the bottles indicated, then starts back. He can't help but sniff each before entering the bathroom, though.

They both smell flowery.

"You want me in the tub? As in, naked?" Alptraum clarifies.

"That is the usual prerequisite, yes," Mave notes. "Are you suddenly shy?"

"Just checking," Alptraum notes as he sets the bottles down. He disrobes relatively quickly, then climbs into the bathtub to join Mave. "It is more that I always feel like … prey, around you," he adds with a grin.

"You are very perceptive," Mave notes, as she takes up the jar. It's full of some sort of pale pink cream that smells strongly of flowers… perhaps too strongly. "This is made with a very diluted extract from a flower found in the Wallace Woods," Mave explains, as she dips her fingertip into it to sweep up a dollop.

"You actually collected some of that? That stuff is dangerous and we have no magic cheese," Alptraum says worriedly as he scoots away from Mave as much as possible in the tub.

"Do not fear, the scent of this one is no longer potent," Mave notes, and takes a deep sniff to prove it.

Alptraum scoots back then and leans in a bit. "What is it for?" he asks, "A fragrant soap?"

"Oh no, it is simply made specifically for you," Mave explains, and then rubs the cream directly into the star-shaped scar over Alptraum's heart.

Alptraum's eyes go wide and almost jerks away! "Made to do what?" he says worriedly and reaches up to take Mave's hand.

Warmth flows through Alptraum with every beat of his heart, but unlike all of Mave's other love potions, this one does not seem to instill any powerful urges in the Eeee. It does have the usual physical effect though, of course. Mave seems shocked when her hand is grabbed. "Don't you trust me yet, Alptraum?" she asks.

"It's more that … " Alptraum says as he shudders, then ears flick as he realizes the reaction. "How … how did you know how to make something that would mix with the shadow?" he has to ask as he slowly lets go. "It isn't like you applied it lower… "

"I assumed that your scar would share similar qualities of absorption with your shadow-flesh hand," Mave notes, sounding pleased as she inspects the results. "And it does seem to have worked without the… ah… side effects of the potions based on the Milk of Inala. You should not have nightmares, or drive yourself to exhaustion. It will help you cope with the demands of your two women though, I think."

"What is the blue one for, then… ?" Alptraum asks, seemingly satisfied with the explanation for now. Then with an impish grin, he adds, "Or is it also your intention that I can cope with your demands along with theirs… ?"

Opening the bottle, Mave pours some thick liquid into her hands and rubs them together to form a lather. "My bath soap. I forgot it when I started my bath," she notes. "And as for my needs… well, the effect on your anatomy will last until you take care of it in the normal way, so you should not use the cream unless you have the means at hand to deal with it."

"So, you used it without explaining it first so that I would have to tend to you afterward or spend the day embarrassed?" Alptraum has to ask with an amused, fangy, smirk and slides closer to Mave. "I rather imagine we would both be … slippery when wet right now," the Eeee practically purrs at her.

The soap does indeed make things slippery, and despite the potion not inducing any magical urges in Alptraum, his natural ones are more than adequate. It isn't until after the water has stopped sloshing that he senses an extra presence in the bathroom… behind him.

"Er … who is there?" Alptraum asks rather worriedly. He's currently having one of those moments where he feels doom hanging over his head…

"I just came to see if Mave had any mouthwash," Phlagaea says. She sounds amused and… slightly predatory.

More disturbingly, Lucy's voice says, "I came to help," in almost exactly the same tone.

"Mave tricked me!" Alptraum claims, "She made this lotion that causes certain reactions!" He slides away from Mave and looks back at the voices, his ears starting to splay worriedly.

Phlagaea is already removing her bandages, and says, "I'm glad it worked! She wasn't sure when she told me about it." Lucy, not wanting to be left out, has removed her own top. "Now then, show me how it's applied?" the Yodhgorphat asks of the Yodhinala.

Alptraum slinks down a bit in the bath and worriedly looks towards the door … which Lucy is faithfully blocking. "Don't I get any say in this?" he squeaks out, "No that you aren't all pretty! It's just … just … " Realizing he's doomed no matter what, the next thing he says is a defeated squeak of, "Just spread a dollop over my heart-scar… "