“Don’t ‘hey bro’ me, stupid little sister sapphire!” I snapped, shocked to see her here but quickly overcoming it. “Your damn hand… show me it quickly!” I could see the vivid burn on her hand more clearly now than I could over the video-call, and just looking at it made me angry. Aiko quailed under my gaze, looking momentarily sorry, before putting on a bright smile. “Well, cheers for worrying. Bro, but…”
“Can we do this later?” Eri said, climbing out the helicopter with far more decorum than my sister. She brightened when she saw me, only for her expression to twist sourly when she saw Hyacinth in my arms. “And who might this be?” Eri asked, her tone cold. “You said six, right? Or are we on seven already?”
If looks could kill, I’d be stabbed to death by that obsidian glare now. Hyacinth too. “No, still six. This is Hyacinth, she’s a bit like Shaeula. Anyway, I’m surprised to see you both.”
“Both?” Eri shrugged, still annoyed, but she turned to the helicopter, where her mother and mine were both descending, my mother looking enraptured by the exotic travel, while auntie Hana was matching her daughter in looking at me and Hyacinth warily. “No, it’s all of us today.”
“I see.” Father and Uncle Junpei were last out, and while I was happy to see them all, I hadn’t prepared for their arrival, so I was at a bit of a loss. “Oh well, why don’t we take this inside?”
“Yes, we should.” Eri agreed, speaking for the group, and I led everyone inside the training school…
********
“Wow bro, be a bit gentler, that bloody hurts!” My sis complained as I examined her hand.
“Of course it hurts, idiot.” I shot back. “You stuck your hand in the fire!”
“Yeah, but I had a good reason, didn’t I? Seriously bro, you don’t know what it’s like, being outclassed by my best friend and brother. I feel such a loser sometimes. But I’m not one to stay down! No, I thought how can I pull this off and I came up with this. And it worked!”
Kana giggled, marvelling at the idiocy of my sister. She hadn’t had the pleasure of Aiko before, and seemed to have taken to her quite well. “You know, Aiko-chan… I can call you that right?” My sister nodded, and she continued. “You are a lot like Akio here, aren’t you? He’s always coming back injured, isn’t he Shaeula?”
Hey, back me up here! I pleaded silently, to no avail, as Shaeula sold me out, as she tended to do when other girls were involved. You know, I think I’m staring to understand why. Without her mother, and her one sister being rather a tomboy from her description, and the maids being well… largely traitorous bad influences, Shaeula hungers for genuine female comradeship. I suppose I can’t be too upset then… “Yes, well, injuries in battle are to be expected and can not-not be avoided, but Akio is willing to endure anything to grow-grow stronger, why, to train his Ether Healing, he…” she then regaled them with a brutally-honest tale of how we used the dangerous spores to train, despite the pain. I tried not to listen as I worked my Healing on my sister, and she groaned as the old, burned flesh flaked off, revealing pink, healthy skin beneath. I just need to check for internal damage, and… done.
“Wow, that’s awesome. No more pain, and not even a scar.” Aiko wiggled her fingers. “I can do archery again… ouch!” I cuffed her around the head, not hard, but enough to show my displeasure.
“Don’t be so stupid again , all right?” We are going to have long words about this later, and she isn’t going to enjoy it!
“Stupid? I think you are being quite the hypocrite here, Aki. We heard Shaeula’s story just fine.” My mom said, taking a sip of the tea Hyacinth had prepared. “Oh wow, this is good. And as a Brit, I know tea!” She grinned at Hyacinth. “So, you were hugging my boy when we arrived. Are you his new girl? Damn, my son is so sinful. He’s definitely going for a football team made up of his wives!”
“Yes, I’d like an explanation too. Did you know about this?” Eri asked Hinata, who was in the corner with Motoko and Natsumi. They had met my parents back in Nishimorioka, but they were only prospective partners then, not fiancées like now, so their nerves were getting to them.
“No, Eri. I promise.” Hinata spoke for her. “We only knew he had a sixth girl, not who it was. We won’t keep secrets from you, we promised…” Hinata looked at me then, before shutting her mouth. Auntie Hana, Uncle Junpei and my father were looking incredibly displeased, but that was only to be expected.
“Damn, I’m glad I got chosen to offer the hospitality of the shrine.” Kana grinned. “It’s pretty funny seeing you suffer like this, Akio. You deserve it though, you heart breaker.”
“Nooo, I am nooot master’s woman, I am his servant, his maid! Tend hearth and hooome, cook the meals, warm the bed, looooook after the children, service the master when he is in the mooooood…” Hyacinth denied it, shaking her head, her long hair cascading, shimmering green and purple.
“Warm the bed? Service the master?” My father was fuming, clenching his fists as if he wished to hit me. “Son, just what have you…”
“I haven’t done anything!” I denied the accusations. Ever since I confessed to my father what I’d been doing these last few months, the instinctive fear of him had diminished a lot, and I felt we were on a similar footing now. “I would never abuse my position of her being a servant to force her into that. I mean, come on. Don’t you remember this conversation last time and how it went? Jumping to conclusions is bad.”
“Yes, but… then it was only Shaeula. Now you have all these others.” Uncle Junpei said, and I couldn’t refute that.
“Little Eri, what do you think?” Auntie asked. “We’ve talked about it, but… everyone is here now, so it seems this might be the best time to be open about everything.”
Everyone? I looked at Kana quizzically, and she shrugged, returning a slight smile.
“Yes, I think that best. We girls, we talked. As for what was said, that is for us girls to know. It’s our secret. I have to say, I didn’t see this happening. I was so happy when Akio accepted my confession.” She looked at me, her dark eyes moist, and she did look happy, which was awful for my guilt. “And I’m still happy, even with these… these annoyances.” She sighed. “Look around? We have nobility, I didn’t even know Japan even had those, I thought only Auntie Emily would be from a country with nobles.” as my mom giggled, nodding her agreement, she continued. “And we have Fae, creatures from myth.” Shaeula smirked at that. “And a shrine maiden, whose kami has been brought to this world by none other than our Akio here.”
“Well, yes that’s true, but I’m not sure why I’m being brought into this.” Kana said. “I’m just here to show our hospitality, as the family of our great benefactor.”
“Yeah but… from what Eri said, and from what I can see, you totally like my big bro, right Kana-chan?” Aiko piped up.
“Well yes, of course I do.” Kana agreed, surprising me, though I had an inkling, as the way she talked to me recently had been significantly more intimate, though she never made a move or any suggestions regarding it. “Still, it’s not like I’d ever be accepted. After all, you hate me quite a bit, don’t you, Mori-senpai, and Akio won’t do something you all truly hate, will he? For a man who can take a bullet to the face without flinching and defeat beings from myth and legend, he sure is under the thumb.” She grinned sourly, taking a sip of her own tea, purring at the excellent taste, nodding politely at Hyacinth, who was quite overawed by the atmosphere of having all the mistresses in one place. “And I have my pride. That and my looks are all I ever had until now. I know I’m shallow, so what? We never had anything to boast about before. My grades at school are middling, I’m not exactly sporty. But boys always liked my looks. Still, I’m not a cheap girl. I wanted my boyfriend to be someone special, handsome, rich… madly in love with me. And he isn’t, and he won’t be.” She let out a long sigh, and I could hear the bitterness. “I’m too proud to ask, and I’m not going to beg you to like me, Mori-senpai. I mean, there are plenty of other guys out there. I have other things to boast about now, I’m special.” Her sad smile turned to a grin, though it looked fake to me. “So, don’t mind me. At least I don’t feel bad losing to you girls. My pride can handle that.”
“I don’t like you. You’re so false.” Eri said, and then her gaze softened a bit. “But you seem a bit better than last time I saw you. Akio has a good influence on those around him. Shaeula told me that. We’ve all changed, thanks to him.”
“Though she also said the reason you and I were so messed up in the first place is because we learned the wrong things from him, Eri!” my sister chortled. My parents and the Mori’s were listening to this closely, their expressions different. My mom’s was happy, while father and uncle looked grim, and auntie was unsure. “Still, I get it. Every girl dreams of being special to someone. I’m a girl, I get it. But my bro, he’s destined for bigger things it seems. But you, Kana-chan, I think you’re all right! You seem fun!”
“I think I like you too, Aiko-chan.” Kana returned her praise. “You’re cute, and you don’t seem bitchy about it. Plus, you must have the patience of a saint, putting up with her all these years.” She gestured with her head to Eri, who pursed her lips yet said nothing.
“Hey now…” I interjected, only for mom to shush me. “It’s all right, Aki. Girls get like this. They are feeling each other out, and sometimes we do that by being mean. Boys do the same, right, alpha male stuff? Remember the baseball?”
“Don’t remind me.” I groaned. “I got carried away. At that point I was fighting trolls and worse, and I used that strength to bully an immature kid. Even if he was a prick.”
“Yeah, but you still won, right?” Uncle said, surprising me. “I wanted my little girl to be your one and only. But… she’s still so happy. She never expressed herself like this before. Showing how much she dislikes someone, she’d always have been too shy before. And the training… she throws herself into it with such a smile, no matter how hard. Though she’s not stupid enough to burn herself for it.”
“Hey!” My sis protested. “I’m a tactile thinker, my volleyball coach says. And it worked! Bro did the same too with those spores, so I’m just following him again! I can’t be blamed!” Oh, I think you can be. But not now.
“That’s for later.” Eri said, stopping the derailment. “This is for now. We’ve laid the groundwork, but… we need to make everything clear, and have you on board, Akio. Else there’ll just be chaos. I love you. I love Shaeula. I can be happy with the three of us.”
What about Hinata and the others? My thoughts were soon answered, as Eri repeated the sentiments she offered when we were making love on her birthday. “I don’t hate you girls. And Akio likes you, and you offer him a lot. If he was just a normal man working a normal job, then I wouldn’t accept it, I’d tell you all to piss off and find your own man, but… I’m first wife. Shaeula may have given me the role so I’d accept her too, or maybe to push off the troublesome crap to me…”
At that Shaeula looked away nervously, giggling. Eri glared at her, before continuing. “… but we all promised we’d make sure we all were loved and had his love, and that none of us would ever be sad. Look around, nothing about life now is normal. We can’t reach for ordinary happiness. It won’t work.”
“Akio said that he would marry us all. Not mistresses, concubines or clouded relationships.” Natsumi said. “I get it. The only way this could ever work is if everyone agrees to stand on the same stage.”
“Exactly.” Eri nodded, pleased. “Now, I’ll always imagine he loves me the best. I am his childhood friend after all, his first kiss, we took each other’s virginity, he’d do anything, even kill anyone for me. But I know you all think differently.”
Shaeula nodded. “I know he loves me the most, for did he not-not slay a Duke of the Unseelie for me, face my brother for me, give me everything I ever-ever wanted?”
“You three… you might think the same. I have my eye on you the most, Hinata.”
Hinata smiled back, and I could read pride on her face, and I understood. Yes, she thinks I love her just as much or more than the others. And how can you measure love? I can’t and I don’t want to, else I think my mind would crack. If I constantly compared everyone I’d have no room left for joy…
“Our daughter has grown so much, Junpei.” Auntie said, and he nodded, expression complicated.
“She has, and I’m proud. She’s right about one thing. If you were a normal guy still, Aki, I’d give you such a beating… but… you are a man. You have to shoulder a lot. Now you are shouldering their happiness.”
“Can you do it?” my father asked me. “Seriously? If you fail now it won’t be just Eri you’ll hurt.”
“I have no choice. Though that makes it sound like they’re a burden, instead of the joy they are.” I declared. “I’m a bastard I know, and I’ve said it before and will again, but I’ll make sure that their lives are full of happiness. I swear it here and now before you all.”
“So, you need to make it clear.” Eri continued. “Hyacinth, was it? Akio likes you. Will you be his woman too?”
“I do nooot understand?” she cocked her head in confusion. “I am already belonging to master. I am nooot a boggart, I am nooot! I am a good brownie, and I looove master dearly!”
“Yes ,but I want you to stand with the others.” I tried to clarify. but she shook her head.
“Nooo, master and the mistresses are above me, I am here tooo serve!” She denied me, pouting, and I was struck by the difference in culture the Fae had. Am I being too pushy here, trying to force my own wants on her? But… otherwise it just isn’t fair.
“I get that, but… don’t brownies get married, find love? They must do, right?”
“Yes, but nooot with the master. That would be toooooo improper!” she said defensively. “Hyacinth is nooot worthy. I am dirty, I was in the booox sooo long, and hurt so much. Master should just use Hyacinth when he wishes, and be happy with the mistresses!”
“Okay, I get it now bro. Damn, you’re so predictable. Some would call that endearing, but not your darling sister!” Aiko chimed in, and Eri agreed too.
“Yes, Akio’s kindness is what I love, but we prefer it when you are kind to only us, else we feel less special. Still, it’s clearly too late. Akio wants to save her, like he did me, and Shaeula.”
“Me too, though I don’t claim to have been suffering anywhere near as much as this poor creature.” Hinata said, sympathy on her face. Beside her, Motoko and Natsumi were also looking on with pity. “I think she’s no problem.”
“She is indeed a good-good female. I distrusted her at first, as she was fallen to Unseelie, but… we put our lives-lives in her hands, and she risked her own without hesitation. I too-too wish to see her happy.” Shaeula praised her, and Hyacinth blushed, hiding her face behind her long hair, muttering in embarrassment.
“You see, mother, father?” Eri said. “We don’t do anything lightly, and Akio doesn’t accept just anyone.” She looked at Kana then, who shrugged. “He isn’t a lustful beast.”
“Though he is rather passionate when embracing us-us.” Shaeula grinned, and my sis gagged.
“Ugh, don’t remind me. Eri still owes me for that one time. I still dream about it sometimes.” She stuck out her tongue and made mock-gagging noises.
“Oh, I’m curious about that.” Hinata said, and my sis waved her away.
“Later. Not in front of the parents, wow. I’m still being tortured by the event. Find me some booze and I might talk.”
“No drinking, Aiko!” My father declared sternly. “You are still underage!”
“I know but my bro can heal the side-effects, so it’s no big deal. Come on, don’t be such a grouch all the time, dad! I have to celebrate anyway, I picked the Uni I’m going to take the test for, didn’t I?”
“Fine.” He sighed then. “But in moderation and only in the grounds of the shrine. I’ll not have my daughter frequenting bars until you turn twenty, understood!”
“Fine!” Aiko sighed. “You heard him bro, break out the good stuff. Eri and I are skipping school tomorrow anyway, so it won’t hurt. You want in too, Kana-chan? We’ll be seeing a lot of each other come the spring, when I move in here.”
“You have to pass the entrance exams first.” Eri warned. “But we are getting off topic, fun though this is. See, fun. Mother, father, you have to accept this. Once I accepted Shaeula, it seemed silly to worry about it, even if it is frustrating. Though again, no bad girls allowed!”
“Stop digging at me, Mori-senpai. I get it, you don’t have to kick me when I’m down.” Kana sighed.
“I think you misunderstand, but whatever.” Eri tossed her head, annoyed. “Hyacinth. I don’t understand your suffering, your past. It sounded bad.”
She parted her hair, peering out. “Mistress? It was, it surely was. But Hyacinth is better nooow. In the dark, I am almost nooot scared at all, Hyacinth doooes not tremble when away from master, nooot much at all! That is why I must serve master and the mistresses. It is whooo I am.”
“So, I get it. But there’s a simple solution, right bro? I mean, come on, your stats are stupid high, don’t tell me you don’t get it. Wow, lame.”
“Of course I get it. It’s obvious.” I sighed. “Hyacinth.” I stepped in front of her, looking her in the eyes. She gulped and flushed, but didn’t look away. “I like you. I want you to be one of my wives. Don’t you like me? You just said you did, and you are prepared to do everything a wife does, so what’s the problem?”
“But, Hyacinth can nooot be a mistress, I am a servant!”
“You can be both.” I declared, and reached out a hand, rubbing her head gently. Her lips parted and she let out a little gasp. “If you want to serve still, do the chores, warm my bed, who am I to tell you no? I want all my wives to do whatever makes them happy. But when it is just the two of us, I sometimes want some time where you’ll be more than that. A wife in truth. Can you accept that?”
“Damn, seeing my bro pick up a woman all smooth like this… it’s a complicated feeling. I’m a little pissed off, but also kind of proud, you know. Wait, is this all my fault? I urged you to accept Shaeula, Eri. Did I start this veritable harem off?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” I sighed. “I take the blame for this. I’m too weak. But I like seeing people happy, especially sad girls. And I am pretty happy myself too. How could I not be? They’re all too good for me.”
“I beg to differ…” Motoko declared, shaking her head. “I am honoured you accepted me. You are a fine man.”
As the others chimed in their agreement, again, their praise somehow more stinging that criticism would be, Hyacinth looked at me, tears in her eyes. “You want Hyacinth? Me? Really? I am nooo good, a bad girl, dirty and sad. I dooo not think I could make you happy, master, and I could nooot bear that. You were the ooone who gave me this name, who did nooot hurt me, who gave me homes to clean, mistresses to serve. You believed in my power, even when it was wicked, and made me realise I cooould do good things with it. When I look at you, I sometimes feel that maybe I cooould be nice again.”
My mother had burst into tears and was being consoled by Auntie Hana, who was also close to tears, wiping her nose and eyes on her handkerchief. My father looked troubled, but as I caught his gaze he nodded, and I thought I understood what he meant. Yes, a real man takes responsibility. I opened the box that let out Hyacinth, and I’ve looked after her since. I’ll continue to do so, whatever she decides.
“I think what would make me sadder is if you continue to see yourself that way. That’s why I’d like it if you could be more than just a servant. If it makes you happy to serve, then do it as much as you want. Just… be more than that too. Be more to me, to us!”
“You would be a fool-fool to turn down Akio now.” Shaeula mused. “You are one of the slayers of Myrcolaxriath, none shall look down on you, and if they do, well then…” she grinned balefully. “Akio shall surely smite them. I too will rage-rage and crush any who does!”
“Master!” Hyacinth cried, throwing her arms around me, wailing. “I never wish tooo leave! Hyacinth is happy! If master wishes, I can be a mistress! Thooough I will always respect and serve the other mistresses!”
“That’s enough for now.” I returned her hug, and surprised by my boldness, I kissed her. Her tongue tangled mine, and I could hear my sister complaining I was soiling her eyes again, not that I had time to pay her any attention. As our lips parted, she giggled. “Master, I looove you!”
“Yes, it doesn’t feel so great watching Akio pick up another girl in front of me, but… it’s hard not to feel sorry for her.” Eri shook her head. “See?” she addressed our parents. “Akio isn’t frivolous. So accept this, and accept them. I’d hate to have to fall out over this.”
“She swings a mean axe, don’t let the YandEri get you!” my sis joked. “Seriously, bro. Congratulations, I guess? And to you too, Hyacinth.”
“As the sister of the master, I shall serve yooou too!” Hyacinth promised, still rubbing at her lips soaked with my spit, giggling.
“So, yeah. this makes me feel kind of bad. can I go?” Kana asked, and Eri shot her a flat look.
“I know you said you couldn’t be proud of your brains…” Eri began, and Kana interrupted her sourly.
“No I didn’t say that, I said my grades were nothing special.”
“Huh, well, whatever. But it’s up to you. I think it’s pretty clear what is going on here. But anyway…” Eri turned to the others. “Honesty time. Are there any others on the horizon? I’d like to firm up our stance now. I know you mentioned a possible arranged marriage to this Sakura girl. I don’t like it, but…”
That’s Hinata’s cousin, right? I don’t need any more noble marriages, I have plenty.
“Yeah, but maybe it might be Miyu instead now. That makes sense.” Hinata said, thinking, and I had to protest.
“No way. Miyu and Michiru-san are totally into each other.”
“So?” Hinata shrugged. “Would you stop them if you married Miyu? I know you wouldn’t. Besides, that would be a good marriage for her, as you are rather understanding, and as your vassal, she knows you’ll look after her. But well, it might not happen. Sakura still strikes me as the logical choice.”
“Okay, any more?” Eri asked.
“I fear there might-might be an arranged marriage from the Seelie Court in time.” Shaeula chimed in. “The Prince of the Elves wishes closer ties to us, since-since our glorious reclamation of the Spring. I do suppose he could engage Aiko to one of his sons instead…”
“No way. My sis isn’t getting lumbered with arranged marriages!”
“Wait, don’t rule it out yet bro. A pretty-boy elf sounds kinda hot! But yeah, no commitments or arrangements, I’m too young for marriage anyway, and I’d want it to be a love match. Besides, the way you said that kinda makes me feel bad for Hinata, Motoko and Natsumi.”
“We know he doesn’t mean it like that.” Hinata laughed. “He is very overprotective of you, isn’t he?”
“Sure is, a big bro that isn’t super siscon isn’t a true big bro moonstone. Seriously though, elves huh? I bet elf girls are gorgeous. Feeling threatened, Eri?”
“Hardly.” she snorted. “An Akio who doesn’t love me the most is clearly an imposter.” She echoed my sis. “So, that’s it then? Two more maybe?”
As everyone nodded, she turned to me. “And you? Any more girls like Hyacinth you are keeping from us? Seriously, I promise I’m not mad, neither are our parents. I think they get it now. This isn’t a normal situation. So, if there are any girls, any at all, that you have your eye on, best tell us now. We need to vet them, and prepare.”
Well, one does come to mind, but she’d never want me… “Don’t worry, there’s only one other girl I’ve ever really been interested in, and she’s just a good friend. She’s got high pride. You get it, right Kana?”
“Do I? I think so, but… sorry Akio, you made all these girls here accept sharing you. It’s crazy, but I think you underestimate yourself. Maybe you could get her if you wanted.”
“Well, we’ll get the details later. But just one, you promise?”
“Yeah, I swear. I mean, I used to quite like Aimi-chan, but she’s got a serious boyfriend. So yeah, just one girl.”
“Great. Now we know what we are working with. Well, almost.” Eri scowled at Kana again. “It’s time to get these perfect networks you were offering.” Eri’s smile turned bright then. “Anything that makes us stronger is great, right Aiko?”
“Yeah, I’m ready! Shaeula, get down to it!”
“Sorry, but I can not-not today!” Shaeula shrugged, her eyes tired. “I am too-too low on aether. Akio will have-have to do the Chirurgery. His skills have exceeded mine now anyway.”
“No way. Eri and father are fine, Uncle Junpei too. But I’m not doing mom, auntie or my sis. Too embarrassing.”
“Oh really? You told me it was only my underwear, so not to worry.” Kana said meanly, and Eri chuckled, though I felt there was little humour in it.
“I see. Well, we’ll be talking about this later, anyway. Aiko, you don’t mind do you? After all, you wore that risqué bikini in Las Vegas. This is nothing different. As for you, mother. Akio has no interest in you, and you’ll be his mother-in-law, suck it up. I know you don’t care, auntie Emily.”
“No, I’ve nothing to be ashamed of.” Mom giggled, her sapphire eyes twinkling. “Come on Aki, stop being a baby. We flew a long way to get here, man up! The helicopter was awesome by the way, thanks again, Hinata dear. You’ll make a fine daughter-in-law! I’m set for life!”
“Why thank you, mother-in-law.”
As the girls bantered, I sighed. Eri’s actually right. It is nothing to be embarrassed about, unless I had weird thoughts in the first place, which I don’t. Still, this is going to tire me out. “Okay, guys first. Just to be warned though, this hurts, much more than the previous time.”
“Probably not as much as seeing my daughter’s fiancé secure his sixth wife! I don’t know how Arab fathers manage the pain.” Junpei grinned weakly. “Still, Eri is right. Seeing the process does make us understand it better. You aren’t being trash.”
“Indeed. Son, I promise to stop jumping to conclusions. You are shouldering a lot, and not making decisions lightly. I may disapprove, but… it’s your life. Just do not screw up, as I won’t help you pick up the pieces.”
Praise from father. Again! Damn, this truly is a bigger miracle than anything so far…