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beansideVerse: Captive Hearts
Title: The Wedding Drag
Rating: R (and C for crack)
Pairing: Jeff/Jensen
Summary: Arranged Marriage! In Space! With Aliens!
Disclaimer: Never happened, never will. Total fiction.
Note: as suggested by the awesome![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gblvr for the Egyptian words, just hover your cursor over for the translation.
Banner by the awesomely awesomeangstpuppy
Jeff stood in front of the mirror and stared.
"Is this good for meeting your, uh, bride?" he asked the woman in his life.
At the sound of his voice, Bisou lifted her head from his pillow. Apparently he wasn't interesting enough, because she soon settled back in to sleep.
The suit fit uneasily. Jeff tugged at his sleeves and the hem, trying to balance them. He hadn't needed to wear a suit for years; his carefully cultivated image as an auteur in blue jeans meant that most investers met him at his level, in casual clothes. And the Pesedjet, well, they didn't care about trappings unless it was to earnestly suggest a research paper on the costuming of human males.
But Ever had said the girl was in corsets and skirts. If she was going to make herself uncomfortable, Jeff could do the same.
He had to stop calling her 'the girl'.
"Jen," Jeff said, trying the name out, tasting it. "Jen."
There was a polite tap on the door, and someone called, "Jeff? Mr. and Mrs. Ackles are waiting for you."
Jeff recognized Kirsten's voice and sighed. One more of Jeremy's spouses running interference for him. He went and opened the door, and Kirsten peered up at him over her glasses.
"You too?" Jeff asked.
"They mistook me for a maid," Kirsten said dryly. "Because us women certainly can't go around without supervision."
"Talked to Ever?"
"Listened to Ever rant for an hour about idiot Setions." Kirsten stepped back and gestured him into the hallway. "Traci tried to tell her she was being racist. That went well. I came with Jeremy to get some quiet."
"And not because you wanted to sniff-test the--" Damn. "Jen."
"Never that." Kirsten flicked her lacquered nails at him. "Interference is a Sekh trait. I know better than to try to tell you anything."
"Thanks so much." Jeff tugged at his jacket. Kirsten dressed for Shu trends, her clothes immaculately stylish and tailored to her curves. She'd give him an honest female opinion. "How do I look?"
Studying him for a long moment, Kirsten reached out and buttoned his middle jacket button. She dusted the dog hair off his front, frowned, and said finally, "You'll melt her panties, honey. Go on down."
"Thanks," he said again, meaning it this time.
Kirsten smiled, a brief show of dimples, and said, "Subject me to another Set'et male and I'll kneecap you."
"Understood, my dear." He kissed her cheek and she smacked him and strode off, still grumping under her breath.
With a bracing breath, Jeff headed it downstairs.
Ten minutes later, Jeff was convinced that no matter what Ever had said, this was a bad idea. As a matter of fact, it sucked. The parents obviously hated him on sight, judging by the lip curl her father had given him when he entered the room. He'd done his best not to offend, wearing his most conservative suit. To him, it said, 'I'm rich as fuck, but I don't like to flaunt it.'
From the hesitant way the wife took his hand, it really said 'I eat babies and kittens.' She had the twitchy, wary look of someone who had been in Pederjet care. He bowed, kissing her knuckles lightly, and murmured against them, “I see you brought the very stars from Set'et with you."
The father shot him a sour look, but the wife nearly cracked a smile.
“My oldest daughter," the father said stiffly. "Jen, come here.”
Though she was summoned like a dog, the girl came forward.
The girl was unusually tall, something Ever hadn't mentioned. In Set fashion, she was veiled, denoting a virgin, and wore a loose fitting open front coat over a tight corset. The corset didn't look comfortable, and judging from the slightly uneven lay of it, they'd made the poor girl stuff her chest to make her appear more endowed. Wide, kohl rimmed green eyes watched him from behind the veil, and Jeff could see a bit of honey colored hair peeking from behind the headpiece. She'd be pretty under that veil.
“My lady,” Jeff said softly.
“Good evening, Seba Morgan-shu,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse.
“You are my betrothed, you don't need to be so formal. My name is Jeff. It would be my pleasure to escort you on a tour of the World-city of Shulian.” He offered his arm to his bride with a slight flourish.
For a moment, he thought the girl would laugh. He could see her eyes crinkling and her lips twitching behind the veil. Then, she glanced at her father and all the joy slid out of her eyes. “I would be honored,” she whispered, voice toneless. “Thank you.”
She slid her arm through his and he escorted them out to the wereyet, where Jeremy bless him, was waiting. “Senator and Mrs. Ackles,” he said with what Jeff assumed was an attempt at false cheer. “It's wonderful to see you again”
From the way Mrs. Ackles pressed closer to her husband, Jeff assumed that she too thought Jeremy's smile was a touch unhinged looking. Either the father didn't care, or he was planning to shove his wife in front of him if Jeremy were to eat them.
Jeff ushered Jen to the front seat and helped her up onto the bench. It was a little ostentatious to use a full size wereyet, but with five people plus a driver, it was about the only thing that would fit. And what was with Jeremy having Alona drive? Did he really think they needed a body guard for a trot through the gardens?
The sesmet team was in fine form, tossing their heads and pulling at the bit to head out. Jeremy had ordered the dress harness to be used, and the team of blood bays with their manes and tails plaited with the same jet that studded the harness. All in all, they'd be a damn impressive sight. Especially since most people on Shulian used the monorail-weskhet. Only the first six houses of Shu were allowed to own sesmet at all.
Jen settled into her seat, looking uneasily at the animals. “You own sesmet?” she whispered. “Real ones?”
“About ten of them in all. These are my favorite team for driving, though. They're direct descendants of the Gypsy Vanner sesmet that the Pesedjet rescued from earth.” Jeff smiled. “Do you like them?”
“They're beautiful.” That sounded like the most sincere thing she'd said so far. Her expression as she peered at the sesmet was delighted.
“Thank you. When we get back, you can meet them, if you'd like?”
Darting a look at Jeff, as if realizing how much she had given away, she sat back against the seat. Her thighs were pressed so tightly together that it would take a crowbar to part them. “I would. Thank you.”
“Good evening, Seba Morgan-Shu,” Alona said, flashing Jeff a smirk that totally belied her servient tone.
“Good evening, Ms. Tal-Isis,” Jeff returned. “I think a turn around the usual route. The central market, and the gardens and zoo.”
“Yes, sir,” Alona said, flicking the reins lightly. The team took off at a smart trot, more than ready to stretch their legs.
Almost as soon as they cleared the circle at the front of the house, Jeremy started talking softly to the parents, pointing out the more interesting bits of Jeff's land. As the sole heir to the First House of Shu, Jeff was afforded many comforts that others were not. Most of them, he didn't even use. He was fonder of the bathhouse in Sekh style at the back of his house, and the Bubasitan garden, its hammocks and bowers overun with cats that Traci was always finding in the city. He teased her that half of his income went to feeding strays.
He wouldn't change a moment of it. The greatest joy of his life was that he made enough money that his chosen family, his friends, could live with him in the house that adjoined the bathhouse. Jeremy had been his best friend forever, and his wives and husband had their own places in Jeff's heart.
Glancing over at Jen, he wondered how his chaste bride will feel about having the whole crew of them so close.
As they turned out into the main streets, he saw Alona flick her wrist. There was a brief crackle of static, then Jeff heard Jeremy's voice drop away.
“Bless you, Al,” he said softly.
Jen looked at him, eyes wide and confused. “Pardon?”
Jeff grinned. “My driver just put up the sound shield between the compartments.”
Nervous, Jen looked back at her parents. Afraid of him, or them, or both. “Oh.”
Jeff took her gloved hand. She started when he touched her, nearly jerking her hand away, then deliberately relaxed. Jeff smiled, trying to radiate that it was all right, but she still looked nervous. He asked, “Do you consent to this marriage?"
Raising her eyes to Jeff's, Jen returned his question with a question. "Who would not consent to marrying the first son of Shu?"
"That's not what I asked you." When Jen only stared at him, saying nothing, Jeff sighed. "I don't want you to feel trapped."
Jen laughed, a humorless breath. "I'm a 29 year old Set'et. I'm nothing if not trapped."
"You're going to be my shen-mate. That makes you one of the most respected people in the world-city." Considering, Jeff added hesitantly, "And you're a very pretty girl."
She shook her head, a blush peeking over the edge of the veil, staining her cheekbones. Through the fabric, Jeff thought he saw the spatter of freckles on her eyelids, and that pierced his heart. "I'm not-"
"You are." Leaning closer, Jeff lifted his hand, letting his thumb trail over the edge of the veil. "I'd love to paint you."
Jen ducked her head away from his hand. "Seba Morgan-"
"Jeff."
"Jeff," she said, shakily. "I--You shouldn't."
Jeff took her hand again and brought it to his lips. "As my lady wishes." He didn't let go of her hand, though, letting his thumb rub across her knuckles.
This wasn't fair to her, being saddled so young with an old gay man like Jeff. He considered himself theoretically bisexual, but still, there were few women he'd found that he was sexually interested in. Jeremy often said that he should go to Sekh and find himself a bride, a broad like Ever instead of the wilting hothouse flowers who courted Shu men. He'd never found the time. He never expected to feel attraction to a Set'et woman, so characteristically meek, but something about Jen drew him. Her freckles, her scent, her piercing eyes the color of sea glass...
He heard Jen's soft intake of breath as they turned onto the main square of the world-city's heart. Jeff looked at it with new eyes, for the first time realizing how spectacular the statuary and fountains truly were.
"This is the main square," Jeff said lamely.
Jen leaned forward, pressing her gloved hand to the glass as she studied the commissioned statuary. It portrayed the story of Shu and Tefnut in jet and brass: Shu's patron god yearning towards the hand of his goddess, hand outstretched and yet never touching the edge of her dress. Water spilled from Shu's outstretched palm, gathering in a bowl around their feet.
"It's beautiful," Jen said, her voice husky with awe.
"Yeah. I used to sit on the benches there and sketch until my fingers cramped. Look. It was said that Shu himself would bless the students who worked at his feet." Careful not to spook her, Jeff pointed out a cluster of university students sitting on the ground by the fountain. "Those kids there are probably skipping class to get some inspiration."
"Class?" Jen turned, as if unaware how close Jeff sat now. "There's a university near here?"
Jeff nodded. He spoke softly, trying not to remind her to be afraid of him. "About a block away."
"Could I-- I mean." Dropping her gaze, Jen spoke to his knees. "If it would please you, I wouldn't neglect my duties, I..."
"Hey." Jeff surprised himself by daring to touch her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm your fiance, not your jailer. You don't owe me any duties and you can do whatever you want on Shu. I want you to be happy."
"Every man wants an obedient bride," she said, clearly quoting someone, bitterness rich in her voice.
"Well, I don't. I want a bride who likes me." That sounded pathetic. Jeff tried again. "I'd like us to be friends."
"You have many friends," Jen said.
"There's no limit."
Jen just stared at him for a long minute before she looked away. "I wasn't trained for that," she finally said, voice flat.
"I know. Jeremy's mother was Shu. His father was ambassador to Set'et.” Jeff raked his hand through his hair, looking at the dome of the University. “I'm going to try to say this tactfully, but Ever says that my tact is thoroughly broken. It's why Jeremy does most of my negotiations. Shulian isn't like Set'et. You'd be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of similarities, culturally. Women are free to do as they wish. They can go to school, get married, and hold whatever job they wish. Sometimes, all at once.”
“As long as her husband allows, you mean.”
“No. A woman doesn't lose her standing because there's a ring on her finger. Even if her husband doesn't think she needs to work, she can. He truly has no say in the matter. And he may not raise a hand to her, or force her to serve him, sexually or otherwise.”
“Truly?” Jen lifted her eyes, and Jeff smiled at the new light in them.
“Truly.” He reached up, gently running his fingertip along her cheekbone. “You may attend University if you want, or if you prefer, you may get a job. However, you don't have to. It's your decision.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as he cupped her cheek through the veil, and he heard her breath quicken. Intrigued, he slid his other hand over, and traced the sweet inside swell of her knee. Her breath stuttered, and her eyes opened, pinning him as the pupil dilated until he could see the barest rim of jade. “Seba—Jeff,” she breathed.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“You shouldn't-”
“I know. but I've never been good at doing what I'm supposed to.” He let his hand drop from her face, but left the other stroking her thigh lightly. He wondered if she even noticed that she'd slid forward, pressing his hand higher on her leg. Closer to where he wanted to be. How long had it been since he'd been this intrigued with a woman? How long since he'd wanted so slide to his knees in public and lick his way up under the heavy gown? To taste those silky thighs. She'd be wet for him. Already, he could smell the sweet scent of arousal, musky and thick.
He wanted to taste it on his tongue, heavy and salty. Hold her narrow hips down while he teased her, until she broke beneath him, until she saw how much he wanted her.
Gods, she was Set. She may have never been touched. May never have touched herself, even. Set tended to think the body was evil, a hungry dirty animal that housed the soul, instead of a temple to be treated with respect. He was the first man to touch her like this, to feel her shiver. To bring her pleasure with his fingers, his mouth... he had never imagined himself a man with a fetish for virgins, and yet he felt the drumming of his pulse, wild and hot as he gentled his touch up her thighs.
Surprisingly strong fingers closed around his wrist. Jeff looked up at her, his own breathing far from regular.
“My parents,” Jensen murmured. “It's a sound shield, not a sight shield.”
"There's a pity," Jeff said, with enough feeling that Jensen smiled.
"You'd be surprised." Jensen averted her eyes, swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Seba."
"Seba again?" Jeff nudged his knee against hers. "Hey, you've got nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry, you deserve better than getting mauled on our first date."
"You didn't maul me," Jen said, but her mouth quirked. She twisted her gloved hands in her lap, fidgeting; Jeff thought about covering her hands with his own, but it was too close to her hips for him to trust himself. "No. I was apologizing for... for what my parents have done. What they may yet do."
"You're not responsible for your parents."
"I'm their instrument." Glancing over her shoulder, eyes heavy, Jen seemed to be drawn to Jeff's mouth. "This would be easier if you were cruel."
"And yet." Jeff reached out and dared to touch her arm. "I won't be cruel to you."
"You may change your mind."
"Only if you ask me nicely," Jeff said, then kicked himself. "Ahem. Sorry. We're, ah. We're coming up on the gardens."
"Hm," Jen said, still watching Jeff's mouth. She remembered herself a moment later, twitching as she came out of her daze, and turned to look out the window. Her excitement was immediate, a joy to watch. "Oh! Are those trees? I've read about those."
The canopy of branches, thick with green shining leaves, spread over their path and blocked out the glaring sunlight reflected from the towers above. Jen inhaled as they drew beneath its shade, like he could breathe cleaner air, and closed her eyes.
"The last ones for miles," Jeff said. "So much was mowed down to create the world-city."
"That's sad." Jen opened his eyes, blinked. "What are those?"
Jeff looked, confirmed his worst suspicions and sighed. Traci had snuck her menagerie into the gardens again. "Deer. They eat the grass and make nuisances of themselves."
"Deer," Jen echoed, and touched her fingers to the window as if she would touch their dappled flanks.
"They're technically not supposed to be here. Alona, could you drop the shield for a moment?"
As the shield faded, he heard Jeremy's voice exasperated, but soft voice on the phone. "Tracy, you need to get your babies out of the garden. No, I know it's stifling their creativity. But they can't eat the dabew. People complain. And it gives them a tummyache."
"Never mind," Jeff muttered.
Alona slid the shield back into place and flicked the reins lightly.
It was only then that he realized that his bride-to-be was shaking. Fuck was she upset? Ill?
"Are you well?"
A snicker slipped past her restraining hand over her mouth, and Jeff found himself laughing too.
"I know," Jeff said. "He's so put upon about it. But Tracy and Ever rule him. Kirsten, too. Possibly even Misha. You should see the back yard. We have a shrine to Bast, and I don't even know how many cats we have now."
"We?"
"Um. Their house is connected to mine via the Sekh bath-house."
"They come into the house?" Jen asked nervously.
"Sometimes," Jeff admitted. "But mostly just the kitchen and living room. And if you're not comfortable with that, I can ask them not to come over without checking."
"You love them," she said softly.
"Yes." Really what could he say about that? He did love them, and better that Jensen knew it before they married. "I told you about Jeremy's father. He wasn't exactly paternal, so Jeremy spent most of his time at my house. My parents were more relaxed. My mom was from Bubastis, and she didn't believe in taking anyones shit-- ah, pardon my language."
"Jeff," Alona said. "Jeremy's requesting the shield down."
"Go ahead."
The shield disintergrated, and Jeremy sighed. "Tracy wants me to bring Zoe home with us," he said. "Do you have room up there?"
Jeff was ready to say no, but then he saw Jeremy's obvious tension, his in-laws' disgust. But most of all, he saw the way Jen was looking at the smallest deer. "Yeah, I can do that." He slid out of the seat and Zoe trotted to him, putting her chin up for a scritch. Scooping the deer gently up, he climbed back in the car, taking care of with its spindly legs. "Tracy's from Hath," he said by way of explanation.
"I've never met a Hath," Jensen said. "They don't trade with Set'et."
Jeff's mind boggled for a moment, trying to imagine Tracy's gentle, caring nature up against a Set'et male's chauvinism. It wouldn't end well. For the male. Tracy was the best example of maternal strength he'd ever met. She was kind, and caring and gentle, but god forbid you threaten anyone she counted as hers.
In Tracy's case, that included all animals, and most children. If she'd seen Jen's father hit him...
"You'll like Tracy. It's hard not to. Deep down, I think she and Ever run both households. Jeremy and I are just there for the heavy lifting. Oh, and to feed the animals."
"Animals? What others do you have?" Jensen asked, eyes huge as he looked up from where he was stroking Zoe's soft ears.
"Lord and Lady, what don't we have? Tracy actually is a registered Veterinarian, and she works part time at the zoo across town. Half the time, she's brought home this animal or that animal who needs a little TLC. Once, we had two tiger cubs running around the house, raising holy hell."
"I've only seen pictures of tigers," Jen said softly. "They look beautiful."
"They aren't exactly potty trained, though. It took months for the smell to go away."
Jen wrinkled her nose, and Jeff felt something in his stomach flip. Affection tangled up with lust.
"Maybe you should talk to Tracy about becoming her assistant. I know the University has classes for veterinary technology."
You would have thought he'd offered the woman gold and diamonds, the way her face lit up. "Truly?"
"Definitely." As they neared the turn back to the house, Jeff suddenly remembered the box he had slid in his pocket earlier. "Oh, I forgot! I have something for you."
"For me?"
"On Shulian, it's customary for a man to give a ring to his betrothed, as a sort of a promise. To mark that he is to bind his life with theirs."
"Oh," she said, looking wildly uncomfortable. "That's... that's... lovely."
"Ever estimated your size, but she's pretty good at stuff like that." Jeff didn't feel the need to tell his bride that it was usually a cock ring that she was sizing. Ever was a little bit of a sadist. "But if it doesn't fit, we'll have it corrected."
He opened the box, watching Jen's face carefully. He'd chosen the ring carefully, from what little Ever and Jeremy had told him about Jen. He thought all in all, he'd chosen well. The ring was deceptively simple, a single oval shaped malachite set in a platinum band that had been shot through with copper, all in honor of the Goddess Hathor, the keeper of the home. Traci had even blessed it as she knew how. Jeff could only hope the ring wasn't dipped in anything horrifying.
Jen removed her glove, and the glimpse of bare skin nearly undid Jeff. She'd been sitting there, so tightly bound and wrapped, and now he could touch skin...
Hesitantly, Jen held out her hand for Jeff to take, then fumbled. "Should I be taking it? Do you-- which of us-- no, Zoe, don't eat that!"
Somehow Jeff had never imagined the ring exchange involving a deer with a glove in its mouth. Zoe peered at them both, silk glove between her teeth, and tilted her head.
Jensen turned her face away, shoulders shaking, her headdress falling forward to conceal her eyes. Jeff reached to touch her shoulder, terrified that she might be crying and he didn't know how to cope with crying women and Jeremy was all the way in the backseat, but Jensen raised her head and wheezed out the hysterical upswing of a laugh. Her laugh was deep and rich, surprisingly strong and contagious as hell. Jeff gave in, clamping a hand over his mouth as he giggled along with her like they were stray schoolchildren hiding from the teacher.
She laughed again, reaching over to tug the silk glove out of Zoe's mouth. "I know," she murmured in mock-sincerity to the deer. "But it really wouldn't taste all that good, I promise."
Those damn green eyes met Jeff's again, and he smiled. With a little flourish, he slid the ring home onto her finger, taking advantage to stroke her hand lightly. There was something seriously wrong with him if this was turning him on, but damn, she had soft skin. Big hands, ones that looked like once she relaxed, she could grab his hips and pull him back against her.
She was killing his libido here, and she had no clue.
"Jeremy's paging for the shield to open again," Alona murmured.
Sitting back and carefully crossing his legs, Jeff nodded. "Enjoying the tour?"
"My wife is becoming tired. We would appreciate if we could be taken back to your estate," Jen's father said. Even his voice annoyed Jeff, much less that he was being distracted from his bride.
"Of course. My solicitor, Ever and her wife Kirsten will arrive after the dewa-meal tomorrow. Say around 10:00? They will take Jen and your wife to the market for her wedding dress. At that time, Jonas and I can finish the paperwork for the wedding on Merwethrw."
"That is acceptable."
The life drained from Jen's eyes when her father spoke, Jeff thought as they turned back into his front gate, and hated his in-laws just a little more.
Title: The Wedding Drag
Rating: R (and C for crack)
Pairing: Jeff/Jensen
Summary: Arranged Marriage! In Space! With Aliens!
Disclaimer: Never happened, never will. Total fiction.
Note: as suggested by the awesome
gblvr for the Egyptian words, just hover your cursor over for the translation.Banner by the awesomely awesome
angstpuppyJeff stood in front of the mirror and stared.
"Is this good for meeting your, uh, bride?" he asked the woman in his life.
At the sound of his voice, Bisou lifted her head from his pillow. Apparently he wasn't interesting enough, because she soon settled back in to sleep.
The suit fit uneasily. Jeff tugged at his sleeves and the hem, trying to balance them. He hadn't needed to wear a suit for years; his carefully cultivated image as an auteur in blue jeans meant that most investers met him at his level, in casual clothes. And the Pesedjet, well, they didn't care about trappings unless it was to earnestly suggest a research paper on the costuming of human males.
But Ever had said the girl was in corsets and skirts. If she was going to make herself uncomfortable, Jeff could do the same.
He had to stop calling her 'the girl'.
"Jen," Jeff said, trying the name out, tasting it. "Jen."
There was a polite tap on the door, and someone called, "Jeff? Mr. and Mrs. Ackles are waiting for you."
Jeff recognized Kirsten's voice and sighed. One more of Jeremy's spouses running interference for him. He went and opened the door, and Kirsten peered up at him over her glasses.
"You too?" Jeff asked.
"They mistook me for a maid," Kirsten said dryly. "Because us women certainly can't go around without supervision."
"Talked to Ever?"
"Listened to Ever rant for an hour about idiot Setions." Kirsten stepped back and gestured him into the hallway. "Traci tried to tell her she was being racist. That went well. I came with Jeremy to get some quiet."
"And not because you wanted to sniff-test the--" Damn. "Jen."
"Never that." Kirsten flicked her lacquered nails at him. "Interference is a Sekh trait. I know better than to try to tell you anything."
"Thanks so much." Jeff tugged at his jacket. Kirsten dressed for Shu trends, her clothes immaculately stylish and tailored to her curves. She'd give him an honest female opinion. "How do I look?"
Studying him for a long moment, Kirsten reached out and buttoned his middle jacket button. She dusted the dog hair off his front, frowned, and said finally, "You'll melt her panties, honey. Go on down."
"Thanks," he said again, meaning it this time.
Kirsten smiled, a brief show of dimples, and said, "Subject me to another Set'et male and I'll kneecap you."
"Understood, my dear." He kissed her cheek and she smacked him and strode off, still grumping under her breath.
With a bracing breath, Jeff headed it downstairs.
Ten minutes later, Jeff was convinced that no matter what Ever had said, this was a bad idea. As a matter of fact, it sucked. The parents obviously hated him on sight, judging by the lip curl her father had given him when he entered the room. He'd done his best not to offend, wearing his most conservative suit. To him, it said, 'I'm rich as fuck, but I don't like to flaunt it.'
From the hesitant way the wife took his hand, it really said 'I eat babies and kittens.' She had the twitchy, wary look of someone who had been in Pederjet care. He bowed, kissing her knuckles lightly, and murmured against them, “I see you brought the very stars from Set'et with you."
The father shot him a sour look, but the wife nearly cracked a smile.
“My oldest daughter," the father said stiffly. "Jen, come here.”
Though she was summoned like a dog, the girl came forward.
The girl was unusually tall, something Ever hadn't mentioned. In Set fashion, she was veiled, denoting a virgin, and wore a loose fitting open front coat over a tight corset. The corset didn't look comfortable, and judging from the slightly uneven lay of it, they'd made the poor girl stuff her chest to make her appear more endowed. Wide, kohl rimmed green eyes watched him from behind the veil, and Jeff could see a bit of honey colored hair peeking from behind the headpiece. She'd be pretty under that veil.
“My lady,” Jeff said softly.
“Good evening, Seba Morgan-shu,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse.
“You are my betrothed, you don't need to be so formal. My name is Jeff. It would be my pleasure to escort you on a tour of the World-city of Shulian.” He offered his arm to his bride with a slight flourish.
For a moment, he thought the girl would laugh. He could see her eyes crinkling and her lips twitching behind the veil. Then, she glanced at her father and all the joy slid out of her eyes. “I would be honored,” she whispered, voice toneless. “Thank you.”
She slid her arm through his and he escorted them out to the wereyet, where Jeremy bless him, was waiting. “Senator and Mrs. Ackles,” he said with what Jeff assumed was an attempt at false cheer. “It's wonderful to see you again”
From the way Mrs. Ackles pressed closer to her husband, Jeff assumed that she too thought Jeremy's smile was a touch unhinged looking. Either the father didn't care, or he was planning to shove his wife in front of him if Jeremy were to eat them.
Jeff ushered Jen to the front seat and helped her up onto the bench. It was a little ostentatious to use a full size wereyet, but with five people plus a driver, it was about the only thing that would fit. And what was with Jeremy having Alona drive? Did he really think they needed a body guard for a trot through the gardens?
The sesmet team was in fine form, tossing their heads and pulling at the bit to head out. Jeremy had ordered the dress harness to be used, and the team of blood bays with their manes and tails plaited with the same jet that studded the harness. All in all, they'd be a damn impressive sight. Especially since most people on Shulian used the monorail-weskhet. Only the first six houses of Shu were allowed to own sesmet at all.
Jen settled into her seat, looking uneasily at the animals. “You own sesmet?” she whispered. “Real ones?”
“About ten of them in all. These are my favorite team for driving, though. They're direct descendants of the Gypsy Vanner sesmet that the Pesedjet rescued from earth.” Jeff smiled. “Do you like them?”
“They're beautiful.” That sounded like the most sincere thing she'd said so far. Her expression as she peered at the sesmet was delighted.
“Thank you. When we get back, you can meet them, if you'd like?”
Darting a look at Jeff, as if realizing how much she had given away, she sat back against the seat. Her thighs were pressed so tightly together that it would take a crowbar to part them. “I would. Thank you.”
“Good evening, Seba Morgan-Shu,” Alona said, flashing Jeff a smirk that totally belied her servient tone.
“Good evening, Ms. Tal-Isis,” Jeff returned. “I think a turn around the usual route. The central market, and the gardens and zoo.”
“Yes, sir,” Alona said, flicking the reins lightly. The team took off at a smart trot, more than ready to stretch their legs.
Almost as soon as they cleared the circle at the front of the house, Jeremy started talking softly to the parents, pointing out the more interesting bits of Jeff's land. As the sole heir to the First House of Shu, Jeff was afforded many comforts that others were not. Most of them, he didn't even use. He was fonder of the bathhouse in Sekh style at the back of his house, and the Bubasitan garden, its hammocks and bowers overun with cats that Traci was always finding in the city. He teased her that half of his income went to feeding strays.
He wouldn't change a moment of it. The greatest joy of his life was that he made enough money that his chosen family, his friends, could live with him in the house that adjoined the bathhouse. Jeremy had been his best friend forever, and his wives and husband had their own places in Jeff's heart.
Glancing over at Jen, he wondered how his chaste bride will feel about having the whole crew of them so close.
As they turned out into the main streets, he saw Alona flick her wrist. There was a brief crackle of static, then Jeff heard Jeremy's voice drop away.
“Bless you, Al,” he said softly.
Jen looked at him, eyes wide and confused. “Pardon?”
Jeff grinned. “My driver just put up the sound shield between the compartments.”
Nervous, Jen looked back at her parents. Afraid of him, or them, or both. “Oh.”
Jeff took her gloved hand. She started when he touched her, nearly jerking her hand away, then deliberately relaxed. Jeff smiled, trying to radiate that it was all right, but she still looked nervous. He asked, “Do you consent to this marriage?"
Raising her eyes to Jeff's, Jen returned his question with a question. "Who would not consent to marrying the first son of Shu?"
"That's not what I asked you." When Jen only stared at him, saying nothing, Jeff sighed. "I don't want you to feel trapped."
Jen laughed, a humorless breath. "I'm a 29 year old Set'et. I'm nothing if not trapped."
"You're going to be my shen-mate. That makes you one of the most respected people in the world-city." Considering, Jeff added hesitantly, "And you're a very pretty girl."
She shook her head, a blush peeking over the edge of the veil, staining her cheekbones. Through the fabric, Jeff thought he saw the spatter of freckles on her eyelids, and that pierced his heart. "I'm not-"
"You are." Leaning closer, Jeff lifted his hand, letting his thumb trail over the edge of the veil. "I'd love to paint you."
Jen ducked her head away from his hand. "Seba Morgan-"
"Jeff."
"Jeff," she said, shakily. "I--You shouldn't."
Jeff took her hand again and brought it to his lips. "As my lady wishes." He didn't let go of her hand, though, letting his thumb rub across her knuckles.
This wasn't fair to her, being saddled so young with an old gay man like Jeff. He considered himself theoretically bisexual, but still, there were few women he'd found that he was sexually interested in. Jeremy often said that he should go to Sekh and find himself a bride, a broad like Ever instead of the wilting hothouse flowers who courted Shu men. He'd never found the time. He never expected to feel attraction to a Set'et woman, so characteristically meek, but something about Jen drew him. Her freckles, her scent, her piercing eyes the color of sea glass...
He heard Jen's soft intake of breath as they turned onto the main square of the world-city's heart. Jeff looked at it with new eyes, for the first time realizing how spectacular the statuary and fountains truly were.
"This is the main square," Jeff said lamely.
Jen leaned forward, pressing her gloved hand to the glass as she studied the commissioned statuary. It portrayed the story of Shu and Tefnut in jet and brass: Shu's patron god yearning towards the hand of his goddess, hand outstretched and yet never touching the edge of her dress. Water spilled from Shu's outstretched palm, gathering in a bowl around their feet.
"It's beautiful," Jen said, her voice husky with awe.
"Yeah. I used to sit on the benches there and sketch until my fingers cramped. Look. It was said that Shu himself would bless the students who worked at his feet." Careful not to spook her, Jeff pointed out a cluster of university students sitting on the ground by the fountain. "Those kids there are probably skipping class to get some inspiration."
"Class?" Jen turned, as if unaware how close Jeff sat now. "There's a university near here?"
Jeff nodded. He spoke softly, trying not to remind her to be afraid of him. "About a block away."
"Could I-- I mean." Dropping her gaze, Jen spoke to his knees. "If it would please you, I wouldn't neglect my duties, I..."
"Hey." Jeff surprised himself by daring to touch her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm your fiance, not your jailer. You don't owe me any duties and you can do whatever you want on Shu. I want you to be happy."
"Every man wants an obedient bride," she said, clearly quoting someone, bitterness rich in her voice.
"Well, I don't. I want a bride who likes me." That sounded pathetic. Jeff tried again. "I'd like us to be friends."
"You have many friends," Jen said.
"There's no limit."
Jen just stared at him for a long minute before she looked away. "I wasn't trained for that," she finally said, voice flat.
"I know. Jeremy's mother was Shu. His father was ambassador to Set'et.” Jeff raked his hand through his hair, looking at the dome of the University. “I'm going to try to say this tactfully, but Ever says that my tact is thoroughly broken. It's why Jeremy does most of my negotiations. Shulian isn't like Set'et. You'd be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of similarities, culturally. Women are free to do as they wish. They can go to school, get married, and hold whatever job they wish. Sometimes, all at once.”
“As long as her husband allows, you mean.”
“No. A woman doesn't lose her standing because there's a ring on her finger. Even if her husband doesn't think she needs to work, she can. He truly has no say in the matter. And he may not raise a hand to her, or force her to serve him, sexually or otherwise.”
“Truly?” Jen lifted her eyes, and Jeff smiled at the new light in them.
“Truly.” He reached up, gently running his fingertip along her cheekbone. “You may attend University if you want, or if you prefer, you may get a job. However, you don't have to. It's your decision.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as he cupped her cheek through the veil, and he heard her breath quicken. Intrigued, he slid his other hand over, and traced the sweet inside swell of her knee. Her breath stuttered, and her eyes opened, pinning him as the pupil dilated until he could see the barest rim of jade. “Seba—Jeff,” she breathed.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“You shouldn't-”
“I know. but I've never been good at doing what I'm supposed to.” He let his hand drop from her face, but left the other stroking her thigh lightly. He wondered if she even noticed that she'd slid forward, pressing his hand higher on her leg. Closer to where he wanted to be. How long had it been since he'd been this intrigued with a woman? How long since he'd wanted so slide to his knees in public and lick his way up under the heavy gown? To taste those silky thighs. She'd be wet for him. Already, he could smell the sweet scent of arousal, musky and thick.
He wanted to taste it on his tongue, heavy and salty. Hold her narrow hips down while he teased her, until she broke beneath him, until she saw how much he wanted her.
Gods, she was Set. She may have never been touched. May never have touched herself, even. Set tended to think the body was evil, a hungry dirty animal that housed the soul, instead of a temple to be treated with respect. He was the first man to touch her like this, to feel her shiver. To bring her pleasure with his fingers, his mouth... he had never imagined himself a man with a fetish for virgins, and yet he felt the drumming of his pulse, wild and hot as he gentled his touch up her thighs.
Surprisingly strong fingers closed around his wrist. Jeff looked up at her, his own breathing far from regular.
“My parents,” Jensen murmured. “It's a sound shield, not a sight shield.”
"There's a pity," Jeff said, with enough feeling that Jensen smiled.
"You'd be surprised." Jensen averted her eyes, swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Seba."
"Seba again?" Jeff nudged his knee against hers. "Hey, you've got nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry, you deserve better than getting mauled on our first date."
"You didn't maul me," Jen said, but her mouth quirked. She twisted her gloved hands in her lap, fidgeting; Jeff thought about covering her hands with his own, but it was too close to her hips for him to trust himself. "No. I was apologizing for... for what my parents have done. What they may yet do."
"You're not responsible for your parents."
"I'm their instrument." Glancing over her shoulder, eyes heavy, Jen seemed to be drawn to Jeff's mouth. "This would be easier if you were cruel."
"And yet." Jeff reached out and dared to touch her arm. "I won't be cruel to you."
"You may change your mind."
"Only if you ask me nicely," Jeff said, then kicked himself. "Ahem. Sorry. We're, ah. We're coming up on the gardens."
"Hm," Jen said, still watching Jeff's mouth. She remembered herself a moment later, twitching as she came out of her daze, and turned to look out the window. Her excitement was immediate, a joy to watch. "Oh! Are those trees? I've read about those."
The canopy of branches, thick with green shining leaves, spread over their path and blocked out the glaring sunlight reflected from the towers above. Jen inhaled as they drew beneath its shade, like he could breathe cleaner air, and closed her eyes.
"The last ones for miles," Jeff said. "So much was mowed down to create the world-city."
"That's sad." Jen opened his eyes, blinked. "What are those?"
Jeff looked, confirmed his worst suspicions and sighed. Traci had snuck her menagerie into the gardens again. "Deer. They eat the grass and make nuisances of themselves."
"Deer," Jen echoed, and touched her fingers to the window as if she would touch their dappled flanks.
"They're technically not supposed to be here. Alona, could you drop the shield for a moment?"
As the shield faded, he heard Jeremy's voice exasperated, but soft voice on the phone. "Tracy, you need to get your babies out of the garden. No, I know it's stifling their creativity. But they can't eat the dabew. People complain. And it gives them a tummyache."
"Never mind," Jeff muttered.
Alona slid the shield back into place and flicked the reins lightly.
It was only then that he realized that his bride-to-be was shaking. Fuck was she upset? Ill?
"Are you well?"
A snicker slipped past her restraining hand over her mouth, and Jeff found himself laughing too.
"I know," Jeff said. "He's so put upon about it. But Tracy and Ever rule him. Kirsten, too. Possibly even Misha. You should see the back yard. We have a shrine to Bast, and I don't even know how many cats we have now."
"We?"
"Um. Their house is connected to mine via the Sekh bath-house."
"They come into the house?" Jen asked nervously.
"Sometimes," Jeff admitted. "But mostly just the kitchen and living room. And if you're not comfortable with that, I can ask them not to come over without checking."
"You love them," she said softly.
"Yes." Really what could he say about that? He did love them, and better that Jensen knew it before they married. "I told you about Jeremy's father. He wasn't exactly paternal, so Jeremy spent most of his time at my house. My parents were more relaxed. My mom was from Bubastis, and she didn't believe in taking anyones shit-- ah, pardon my language."
"Jeff," Alona said. "Jeremy's requesting the shield down."
"Go ahead."
The shield disintergrated, and Jeremy sighed. "Tracy wants me to bring Zoe home with us," he said. "Do you have room up there?"
Jeff was ready to say no, but then he saw Jeremy's obvious tension, his in-laws' disgust. But most of all, he saw the way Jen was looking at the smallest deer. "Yeah, I can do that." He slid out of the seat and Zoe trotted to him, putting her chin up for a scritch. Scooping the deer gently up, he climbed back in the car, taking care of with its spindly legs. "Tracy's from Hath," he said by way of explanation.
"I've never met a Hath," Jensen said. "They don't trade with Set'et."
Jeff's mind boggled for a moment, trying to imagine Tracy's gentle, caring nature up against a Set'et male's chauvinism. It wouldn't end well. For the male. Tracy was the best example of maternal strength he'd ever met. She was kind, and caring and gentle, but god forbid you threaten anyone she counted as hers.
In Tracy's case, that included all animals, and most children. If she'd seen Jen's father hit him...
"You'll like Tracy. It's hard not to. Deep down, I think she and Ever run both households. Jeremy and I are just there for the heavy lifting. Oh, and to feed the animals."
"Animals? What others do you have?" Jensen asked, eyes huge as he looked up from where he was stroking Zoe's soft ears.
"Lord and Lady, what don't we have? Tracy actually is a registered Veterinarian, and she works part time at the zoo across town. Half the time, she's brought home this animal or that animal who needs a little TLC. Once, we had two tiger cubs running around the house, raising holy hell."
"I've only seen pictures of tigers," Jen said softly. "They look beautiful."
"They aren't exactly potty trained, though. It took months for the smell to go away."
Jen wrinkled her nose, and Jeff felt something in his stomach flip. Affection tangled up with lust.
"Maybe you should talk to Tracy about becoming her assistant. I know the University has classes for veterinary technology."
You would have thought he'd offered the woman gold and diamonds, the way her face lit up. "Truly?"
"Definitely." As they neared the turn back to the house, Jeff suddenly remembered the box he had slid in his pocket earlier. "Oh, I forgot! I have something for you."
"For me?"
"On Shulian, it's customary for a man to give a ring to his betrothed, as a sort of a promise. To mark that he is to bind his life with theirs."
"Oh," she said, looking wildly uncomfortable. "That's... that's... lovely."
"Ever estimated your size, but she's pretty good at stuff like that." Jeff didn't feel the need to tell his bride that it was usually a cock ring that she was sizing. Ever was a little bit of a sadist. "But if it doesn't fit, we'll have it corrected."
He opened the box, watching Jen's face carefully. He'd chosen the ring carefully, from what little Ever and Jeremy had told him about Jen. He thought all in all, he'd chosen well. The ring was deceptively simple, a single oval shaped malachite set in a platinum band that had been shot through with copper, all in honor of the Goddess Hathor, the keeper of the home. Traci had even blessed it as she knew how. Jeff could only hope the ring wasn't dipped in anything horrifying.
Jen removed her glove, and the glimpse of bare skin nearly undid Jeff. She'd been sitting there, so tightly bound and wrapped, and now he could touch skin...
Hesitantly, Jen held out her hand for Jeff to take, then fumbled. "Should I be taking it? Do you-- which of us-- no, Zoe, don't eat that!"
Somehow Jeff had never imagined the ring exchange involving a deer with a glove in its mouth. Zoe peered at them both, silk glove between her teeth, and tilted her head.
Jensen turned her face away, shoulders shaking, her headdress falling forward to conceal her eyes. Jeff reached to touch her shoulder, terrified that she might be crying and he didn't know how to cope with crying women and Jeremy was all the way in the backseat, but Jensen raised her head and wheezed out the hysterical upswing of a laugh. Her laugh was deep and rich, surprisingly strong and contagious as hell. Jeff gave in, clamping a hand over his mouth as he giggled along with her like they were stray schoolchildren hiding from the teacher.
She laughed again, reaching over to tug the silk glove out of Zoe's mouth. "I know," she murmured in mock-sincerity to the deer. "But it really wouldn't taste all that good, I promise."
Those damn green eyes met Jeff's again, and he smiled. With a little flourish, he slid the ring home onto her finger, taking advantage to stroke her hand lightly. There was something seriously wrong with him if this was turning him on, but damn, she had soft skin. Big hands, ones that looked like once she relaxed, she could grab his hips and pull him back against her.
She was killing his libido here, and she had no clue.
"Jeremy's paging for the shield to open again," Alona murmured.
Sitting back and carefully crossing his legs, Jeff nodded. "Enjoying the tour?"
"My wife is becoming tired. We would appreciate if we could be taken back to your estate," Jen's father said. Even his voice annoyed Jeff, much less that he was being distracted from his bride.
"Of course. My solicitor, Ever and her wife Kirsten will arrive after the dewa-meal tomorrow. Say around 10:00? They will take Jen and your wife to the market for her wedding dress. At that time, Jonas and I can finish the paperwork for the wedding on Merwethrw."
"That is acceptable."
The life drained from Jen's eyes when her father spoke, Jeff thought as they turned back into his front gate, and hated his in-laws just a little more.
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