((OOC: In the Kingdom of Azulcena, the impending meeting of two monarchs has brought into being a relationship that throws the entire future of the Kingdom into play. General-Colonel Kabya Kenenttz of the Confederacy of Vulshain, director of its military intelligence agency, the MMID, came to Azulcena simply to begin preparations for the safety of her cousin, King Samuil Rainard. King Antonio I of Azulcena had only expected to meet her as a gesture of good faith to her country. Both of them have discovered far more than they expected. For the preface to this storyline, read the “Coronation of the New Monarch of Vulshain” thread from https://forum.theeastpacific.com/invision-404 on.))
((This thread is open; just PM or chat with me or Vulshain for entry! There’s a lot to work with here; corrupt Vulshainian DIEIS agents, an inter-species relationship, the strictures of noble marriage in Azulcena, a bath attendant with a policeman for a husband…))
((Where this thread begins, Kabya and Antonio are in a high-end fashion boutique called Marco’s, in the capital city of Azulcena, Cuizaza. King Antonio has asked Kabya to accompany him to the wedding in Coxnord.))
((The following post was a collaboration between Vulshain and I.))
Antonio smiled, imagining Kabya’s slender body in the dress as she hung on his arm at an extravagant wedding in a land far away… he blinked a moment at her question, arching his eyebrows. “How the monarchy… works?” he repeated. “I’m not sure what you mean, Kabya.”
Kabya smiled as she motioned Antonio to follow her back to the dressing room. “Well, I’m not sure if you know this, or if I mentioned it before, but Vulshain is a basically a semi-constitutional elective popular monarchy.” She entered the dressing room, but stuck her head out, saying, “No peeking, now.” She winked at him and went inside the dressing room.
Antonio smirked, shaking his head in chagrin. “Ah, I suppose I’ll have to wait until tonight, no?” he said softly.
Kabya continued explaining while changing into the dress. “While our monarch is elected, the candidates are always of royal blood. I was actually one of those candidates. The Council of Succession is in charge of conducting the Royal Election of Ascension.”
Antonio listened, nodding, thinking about how different their two nations were despite both having someone with the title of “King” at their helms. His eyebrows raised at the thought of Kabya being Queen of Vulshain, but he said nothing. “Well, we are such a new nation, bella,” he said before she emerged. “Our fiefs have always just been family inheritances, passing from parents to children equally for males and females. The Crown of the White Lily is currently mine. I suppose when I am gone, it will fall to my heir. Nobody ever really chose the leaders of my country; it has always been seen as a fact of birth that there are those who must manage their country. If they cannot, they either abdicate or their people find a replacement for them.”
Kabya emerged in the shimmering silver dress. “I love it, although Chet may have to tailor it for my tail.”
Antonio’s eyes lit up, gazing up and down at her figure. “You are beautiful in it, amor,” he murmured. Kabya smiled. “A dress befitting a Royal consort.”
Kabya’s eyes went wide. “Thank you.” She smiled at him even more, and began examining herself in the mirror, although the gears in her head were turning. “Consort!? I like him, I want to be with him, I want to wake up with him in the same bed. If I decide to do that, it would mean I’ll have to give up my position in MMID. I can probably work something out about anything involving my Vulshainian citizenship. I like being in the military. Wait, wasn’t there… blast it! I can’t remember what they were called. I’ll have to research them.” She returned to Antonio and asked, “Would you like to know more how the Royal Election of Ascension works?”
Antonio smiled and took her by the hand, leading her to Chet, who was still tailoring the purple swimsuit. “A tail hole on this as well, Chet, if you please,” he said with a grin.
“Absolutely, Your Majesty,” said Chet, getting out his chalk and measuring tape.
Antonio turned to Kabya. “I would like to know more, yes. I’m very curious.” He smiled.
While Chet measured the dress to tailor it, Kabya continued to explain. “Well, the Council of Succession is made up of different people, usually Royal Congress members and the few remaining members of nobility. In the past before Merrill Rivers took power, the Council was made up of members of the Council of Nobles and the House of the People. Now, just because you are selected as a candidate, doesn’t mean you have to accept it. You have the right to turn the candidancy down. Usually, the Royal Election is held when the current Monarch steps down or passes away. According to the Constitution of the Confederacy, the Monarch rules for at least 15-20 years, although there isn’t anything in the Constitution that says the Monarch has to step down after being in power for twenty years. The reason for specifying how long the Monarch may reign is to prevent the current Monarch from getting weak-kneed and running away from his or her responsiblities. The recent election was held because King Rainard’s predecessor, King Oykieke Chaney’s health was failing. He had several strokes and a heart attack. While we are a constitutional monarchy, the Monarch isn’t a mere figurehead. You could say that we are between a constitutional monarchy where the king is a figurehead and an absolute monarchy where the king holds absolute power. The monarch has several considerable legislative, executive, and judicial powers granted by the constitution. The Constitution of the Confederacy was signed by King Fersoltsy Arkadyon on November 10, 1715. He had studied aboard while growing up, visiting several nations, many of which were constitutional monarchies. While he didn’t want to strip the crown of all of its power, he believed that there was room for compromise between the upper and lower classes.” She brushed a lock of her hair from in front of her eyes before continuing. “He had several children, and when he was on his deathbed, he realized that he had never chosen a successor. His final act as king before dying was for the establishment of a system where the monarch was chosen by the people, but that monarch must be of royal blood in order to prevent unworthy people from wearing the crown. The system has worked for many years, and although there have been some monarchs who did some unwise things, but overall, it works.”
Chet finished all his marks and measurements. When he stood up he murmured jokingly, “Oh my, Your Majesty, is this the kind of pillow-talk you charm out of all the girls?”
“Hey, come on, Chet, I think it’s fascinating,” said Antonio, giving the shop owner a chiding look.
“If you say so,” Chet fired back. “All right, my Lady, you’re all set. Give me until tonight and I’ll have everything ready for you.”
Antonio thanked Chet and led Kabya back over to the dressing room, remarking on the way, “I really do find history fascinating, amor. Especially history from such exotic lands as yours. Maybe one day I can visit your homeland as your cousin is visiting mine. I could read your Constitution first-hand.” He came up behind her, his arms looping around her waist and his chin briefly settling on her shoulder. “So you must tell me… did you bow out of your candidacy, or did you compete with your cousin?”
“Well, the thing is that while you’re notified of being named a Royal Candidate, you’re not told who has dropped out or who is still in. They just tell you that there are others who have been selected. I actually accepted the candidacy, but I’m proud of my cousin that Sam was picked. Oh, and we’re also a popular monarchy as well. That means you’re not officially the new monarch of Vulshain until after you have taken the Constitutional Oath of Ascension. The oath was actually written by one of our rulers in order to symbolize the bond between the crown and the people.”
“I like to think I’m a popular monarch as well,” said Antonio with a smile, though his eyes betrayed that he was only joking. “When I took the title of King, I sent a flyer out to all the people, announcing that I was going to serve them well… it was an oath of sorts, a promise.”
She held her hand against his cheek and said, “Now, are you going to let me change or do I have to change with you?” She smiled as she teased him.
Antonio smiled all the more, before kissing her cheek and the palm of that hand, then releasing her and stepping back. “It is unbelievably tempting, amor, but I don’t want to upset Chet.” He winked at her. “Go on then, get changed.”
“Oh, I can give you all the privacy you need, Your Royal Horniness!” shouted Chet from across the room.
“Oh, mierda…” Antonio hid his face and laughed.
Kabya smiled and giggled a bit as she went to change back into her uniform. After she had changed back into her uniform, she looked at herself in the dressing room’s mirror. She sighed as her ears sunk downward. She would miss the military, but she had never been this happy before. After the Civil War, people would often say, “The veterans of the Civil War saved our nation from being broken apart, but to shield Vulshain from harm, they used their own hearts and souls. No amount of praise can ever be enough.” She shook her head and smiled.
As she changed in the dressing room, Antonio wrestled with himself on the inside. “You’ve known her probably a grand total of 24 hours. She’s director of the MMID. She’s the cousin of their King. And you called her your consort? That was cute when Maria said it. This is serious.” But he couldn’t deny how immediately… at-home she made him feel. Not to mention everything else…
She came back out with the dress in hand. “Tell me, Antonio, what kind of dinner do you think Marisol would like?”
When she emerged, Antonio took the dress and folded it as best he could, pausing to think. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve only run into Marisol a few times; she’s a women’s bath attendant, so naturally I haven’t spoken with her too much. I know she’s married and lives in the city… perhaps she’d like something new, that she doesn’t get to eat as a Royal servant with a policeman for a husband?”
Kabya nodded. “Do you think she’ll be at home or at the Palacio?”
“I assumed you two worked that out. Like I said before, if you don’t want to leave the Palacio, just say the word and I’ll let you two have one of the dining rooms and the service of my chef. You should probably let her know soon, though: servant hours are nine to five unless they’re attached to someone.”
Kabya smiled as she texted Marisol. <<Are we still on for dinner together? If so, what would you like to eat?>>
It took a few moments for the reply to arrive. Antonio, meanwhile, took the dress over to Chet at the counter. Kabya’s phone buzzed. <<Of course, señora! I love Mirandan pez fresca!>>
Kabya smiled and then texted back, <<Wonderful! You and I will dine at the Palacio. I’ll see you soon! : ) >>
After a pause, a reply text came. <<I am very honored, señora! See you tonight!>>
Kabya began to wonder what Mirandan pez fresca was. She went over to Antonio and told him what Marisol had texted her, and also asked about the food.
Antonio laughed. “Pez fresca is an ancient dish in the history of the Duchy of Miranda. It’s fresh fish… served raw on little balls of rice and wrapped in seaweed. It’s actually what started the alliance between Cuizaza and Miranda. Miranda’s totally land-locked, they have no access to the ocean for the seaweed. Our oldest trade treaty is for seaweed from Cuizaza. I love the stuff. Mm! Sabroso.”
Kabya smiled. “Sounds tasty. I guess you’ll have to get your chefs to get started so Marisol and I can dine with one another.”
Some time later, after Chet had been paid, the orders had been relayed to the chef, and Kabya and Antonio had returned to the Palacio, Kabya soon found herself in the same room she’d had lunch in the day before, seated across from Marisol, who had changed from her professional clothes to a denim jacket and a colorful casual dress, her hair done in braids and her wrists laden with bangles. Big round earrings hung from her ears. “I feel a little cheap, señora,” she said self-consciously. “I should have dressed up for dinner in the Palacio.”
Kabya laughed before replying. “Oh no! It’s quite all right. I don’t mind at all. But tell me, how is everything? I heard that your husband was a police officer.”
Marisol smiled. “Everything is genial, señora. That means, ah, ‘great.’ Tommy is a policeman, sí. He’s a Royal Constable. I actually called to let him know I would be here tonight. He said he’ll probably be guarding your Rey on the streets when he comes, doing, ah… crowd control?”
Kabya nodded. “That’s good. Hopefully, we won’t have a repeat of what happened last year when King Rainard was about to leave on his tour of the East Pacific. A police officer, a Confederate Marshal, and a civilian were wounded by the assassin. Both officers risked their lives to protect His Majesty from harmed.”
Marisol swallowed a bit and nodded. “I hope that doesn’t happen either, señora. Tommy and I have only been married two years. He says once we feel ready we should have children.” She blushed. “I don’t know if I’m ready yet, though.” She politely quieted down as the waiter came in with their salads for appetizers. Once he’d gone, Marisol looked at Kabya a little nervously.
Kabya nodded. “I understand. Starting a family is a very serious decision.” Kabya knew that she and Antonio could never have children, unless she had an artificial impregnation. Pushing that aside to think about later, she started eating her salad. “This is very good,” she said.
It seemed a little obvious that Marisol waited until Kabya started eating before she did. The bangles on her wrists jingled a bit while she forked up her salad. “Mm, sí, es muy sabroso, señora. That means it’s very tasty.”
“So, what do you like to do in your free time?”
“I actually like to paint, señora. I’m working on a picture of Cuizaza in the winter. I go up to the top of our apartment building and paint a little in the mornings and nights.” She forked up a little more salad, then said, “If… if you want, señora, I can teach you some Español. To help when your King arrives?”
Kabya smiled and her tail wagged a bit. “I would appreciate that very much. And what do you like to paint, by the way?” She went to eating, but slowly, as she was very interested in Marisol’s reply.
“Oh, plants, animals, the city… Tommy,” said Marisol with a blush. “I painted him in his police uniform and his mother paid me for the picture.”
Kabya smiled. She then asked. “If you get the time, um… could you paint me? I’ll pay you, of course.”
Marisol’s eyes lit up but she looked very nervous. “I’d be honored, señora,” she said with a bow of her head. “Is… is it going to be for el Rey?”
Kabya smiled and shook her head. “Actually, it’s for my parents. I hope to give it to them for their anniversary, which will be in February. I want to give them something special.” “That’s another thing that I have to think about if I decide to stay here with Antonio. Maybe I should talk to them about this.”
Marisol blushed. “I’m sorry if I assumed too much, señora,” she said. “I… I should probably show you some of my paintings first. You might not want one after you see them.” She laughed lightly.
Kabya gave a look that showed her puzzlement. She then smiled. “Well, I’ll just have to see them, then.” She laughed lightly along with Marisol. She went back to eating, but after taking a few bites, she then asked, “Do you swim?”
Marisol set down her fork and looked very eager. “Me encanta swimming, señora! I love it!” She barely noticed the waiter come in to clear their salad plates and serve their main course. “Tommy and I met in the swimming pool! I swam on all the teams in high school!”
Kabya smiled and wagged her tail. “It would seem that you and I have much in common. I swam on my swimming team in high school as well. I even competed in the underwater hockey team back in school. I wonder if Azulcena thinks about the spectator part of aquatic sports.”
“Underwater hockey?” repeated Marisol, looking puzzled and curious. “Well, I don’t know about that, but swimming is pretty popular here. We don’t have a swimming league or anything like that, but my padres – parents – came to all my swim meets.”
Kabya nodded and then explained the sport of underwater hockey to Marisol while they both ate their meals. Marisol, in turn, started to teach Kabya some essential Spanish words that she could use during her time in her country. Just as they were finishing their main course and the waiter was clearing their plates, Marisol was asking Kabya for more words to teach her. She had almost totally stopped calling her “señora.”
Kabya smiled. “Pero primero, ¿cómo estoy hablando hasta ahora?”
“¡Bien, bien! Como una natural,” said Marisol, drinking a bit from her glass of wine.
“¡Oh, muchas gracias! Marisol, ¿a qué hora se lo dijiste a tu marido vas a regresar?” Kabya wondered if Marisol would be willing to attend to her in the Queen’s Bath chamber once. She was enjoying Marisol’s company very much.
“Sólo dije que estaba yendo a cenar con usted, señora,” came her response. Marisol did check her watch just then; Tommy would be wondering about her if she stayed out much later, but she was having fun… which she hadn’t expected. To become fast friends with a foreign military officer so soon? And a non-human, even! Tommy would have to hear about her day.
“Ah, ya veo. Bueno, entonces, ¿nos encontramos de nuevo mañana? Voy a necesitar sus servicios otra vez.”
“Of course, señora,” said Marisol with a smile, surprised at how fast a learner Kabya seemed to be.
While Kabya had wanted to continue her Spanish lessons, she nodded. “Buenas noches, Marisol. ¡Hasta mañana!” Kabya smiled.
Marisol stood and bowed a bit. “I’ll see you in the morning, no doubt?” She giggled and blushed a bit.
Kabya smiled and bowed a bit as well, tail wagging in joy. “I really like it here.” She excused herself to find Antonio, but she asked the footman at the door to make sure that Marisol got home safely. Kabya wanted to make sure her friend was going to be all right. The footman bowed politely, ensuring that Marisol made it to her bus stop safely and without incident.
Kabya found her way to the Royal Quarters again, where she was stopped at the entrance by a pair of Royal Bersalier guards. All she had to do was give them her name, and after a brief call inside, they opened the doors. And there was Charlie, the sergeant she’d met that morning, wearing a smile. “Hello, General-Colonel,” he said, saluting.
“Hola, Sargento. ¿Cómo estás esta noche?” Kabya grinned as her tail wagged, a little proud of herself as she greeted him in Spanish. “¿Puedo ver a Su Majestad, por favor?”
Charlie’s eyes widened a bit and he gave her a hearty laugh. “Like a fish to water!” he said. “Very good! I was raised speaking English, though, General-Colonel, but I can understand you very well. The King is in his office. I’ll take you to him.” He turned and led the General-Colonel down the hallway, the doors shutting behind them. “He catches up on emails and sets up appointments, this time of night.” After a bit of a walk around a corner or two, he came to a rich mahogany door, and knocked.
“Come in,” came the King’s voice on the other side.
Charlie gave Kabya a wink and opened the door, revealing a relatively small but very warmly-decorated room, the walls lined with shelves full of books. At a strong-looking desk that must have been over three times his age, King Antonio was sitting, papers arrayed around him, looking into a flat-panel computer monitor. He looked up from his work at Charlie and Kabya, and quickly rose, walking out from behind the table to take her hands. “Amor,” he said softly. He turned to Charlie. “Thank you, Charlie.”
“Sire,” said Charlie, saluting and leaving them alone.
Kabya watched as Charlie left. After he was gone, Kabya smiled and approached the nearest bookshelves, wagging her tail. She placed her hand on some of the books. “You must enjoy reading. I do as well.” She went as if to pull the one she had her hand before turning to Antonio. “¿Puedo leer esto?”
Antonio raised his brows and smiled, pleasantly surprised. He checked the book she was touching. “Claro que sí, amor.” It was a Spanish copy of The Odyssey. “I read when I can, but most of these were my mother’s. That’s her.” He nodded in the direction of a moderately-sized portait on the wall opposite the desk. “She died when I was eight years old. Papá would talk about her a lot.”
Kabya removed her hand from the book and placed her hand on Antonio’s shoulder. “You must miss her very much.” While her parents were still alive, if she chose to live here, they would be separated by miles and miles of ocean. Still, her parents would want her to be happy. And she could always write and call them, couldn’t she?
“It’s been twenty-one years, but… yes. Yes I do.” Antonio looked distant, his mind snatching at half-forgotten memories… smiles, embraces… meals and laughter. He rested his hand over hers on his shoulder.
Deciding to change the subject, Kabya asked, “So, what… um… sports do you do in your spare time?”
Antonio snapped out of his memories. “Actually, I… really like to bowl.”
Kabya gave him a puzzled look. “I… see.” “Not my favorite game, especially after that time I dropped the blasted ball on my tail!” “Do you like to swim or jog?”
“I bike every other morning, and on weekends I swim for a few hours each day.” He softly stroked one of her arms. “I get the feeling you might have a routine of sorts also.” His eyes flashed a bit and he smirked.
She smirked as well as she wagged her tail. “You could say that. If all goes well when my cousin visits, people here might be clamoring for underwater hockey leagues to be formed. It is a very popular sport where I come from.” She chuckled.
Antonio smiled and leaned against the bookshelves. “It sounds very interesting, indeed. I’m sure I’ve caught a game or two on international TV late at night. When I can’t sleep.” He looked at her uniform. “I assume… most of those medals are for being a hero to your people?”
Kabya looked at her uniform and nodded. “Yes, they are. Some of these medals are also symbols of our culture. For instance…” She pointed at crystal star hanging from her uniform. “…this is the Star of St. Aiya. It is awarded for acts of bravery in the face of vast enemy forces, as well as delivering assistance and aid to those injured in battle or disaster.” She pointed at medal that looked like a stylized sun. “This is the Sun of Verveno. Verveno was the vulpine pagan sun god. It is often awarded to those who show great courage when facing enemy forces. And this one…” She pointed at another decoration. “Is the Order Of Saint Andrew the Apostle First-Called. The Order of St. Andrew is the highest military and civilian order of Vulshain. And this is the Purple Heart, awarded to those who are injured in battle while performing acts of heroism and valor.”
Antonio’s eyes followed Kabya’s fingers as they pointed to each and every medal. He reached for the Order of St. Andrew, pausing and looking at her. “May I?” he asked. Kabya nodded. He lifted the medal gently in his hand, tracing a finger over its lines. He looked from it to her, his gaze matching hers, drinking in her crystal blue eyes. “Hero to your people, wounded in battle, courageous and brave in the face of great odds.” He replaced the medal. “You saw my scar. I got it climbing out of my tank. How shallow that must seem to you.”
Kabya shook her head. “You aren’t shallow. My own cousin, Sam, got nicked in the tail twice when he single-handedly rescued the remaining members of his unit after they were ambushed.”
Miles away from Azulcena, King Rainard sneezed. “Someone must be talking about me,” he said.
Kabya smiled at Antonio. “Besides, you fought with honor and bravery just as I did. You are no coward and you are certainly not shallow.” Antonio smiled, his eyes twinkling a bit. She tapped his nose as she said, “And. Don’t. You. Forget. That.” She chuckled.
Antonio laughed, lifting himself away from the bookshelves to scoop her into his arms, holding her gently by the waist. Kabya grinned and wagged her tail. “Thank you, Kabya. I won’t.” He leaned in and kissed her softly, smiling still when he withdrew. “Did you like getting to see my scar?” he asked, winking.
“I did. Now, what do you want to do now?” She winked at him.
“Well…” said the King, pressing a little nearer, pushing her against the bookshelf behind her softly. “I know what I could go for right now… but maybe not here. Not with Mamá watching.” He nodded at the painting.
Kabya nodded. “Lead the way,” she said, smiling and wagging her tail. Antonio grinned and took her by the hand, leading her through the mahogany door, down the hall… and into his bedchambers.
The sun’s rays started to creep into the bedchambers. Scattered about the floor near the bed in disarray were clothes. Sleeping softly under the covers of the canopy bed, Kabya was asleep, nestled beside Antonio. Her ears twitched as she stirred. She slowly woke up and smiled. She propped herself on one arm as she smiled at Antonio, debating if she should wake him up. “He’s so peaceful. It would be a shame to wake him. Still, I need to do some work myself, just as he does.” She gently and lightly kissed him on the cheek. The King of Azulcena didn’t stir, only the barest ghost of a smile on his face as the kiss filtered into his dream. When he didn’t wake, Kabya decided to let him sleep. She quietly and gently got out of bed. She gathered the clean clothes she had brought with her from her room in the Hotel Azulcena. Of course, she had left her bathrobe back in Vulshain, so she made do with her uniform’s greatcoat. She gently opened the door, and saw Charlie there. Charlie turned to face her and gave her a crisp salute, but she held a finger up to her muzzle. She gently closed the door behind her and then whispered to Charlie, “When he wakes up, tell him that I’m in the Queen’s Bath Chambers. Tell him that I also said good morning.”
Charlie smiled and nodded. “I wish I could abide you, my lady, but I’m under orders to wake him before seven each morning… but there are always exceptions.” He laughed quietly and let her withdraw to the Queen’s Bath Chambers, where she noticed Marisol. The bath attendant was waiting for her, with fresh towels, fresh soaps and shampoos, and a redundant fresh set of clothes in her arms. Kabya smiled. As she entered the Bath Chambers, Marisol was right behind her.
“I’m sorry, señora, I thought you hadn’t brought anything with you. I got these this morning. Ah well. I also should tell you, there was a book waiting for you in your room; it looked like a history book.”
Kabya nodded. “Thank you, Marisol. Ah, that must be the history book from the Ministry of Education I requested.” Kabya took off the greatcoat and handed it to Marisol, who hung it neatly on a brass hook by the door. Kabya entered the bath, wearing nothing but her fur, and Marisol added a few more salts to the water. Kabya then turned and smiled at Marisol. “Marisol, I know this is going to sound odd, but I would like it if you would join me in the bath.”
When that question settled in her ears, the poor girl turned bright red despite her tan complexion and took a step back reflexively. “I… I- I… ¡señora! I…!” She didn’t know what to say! She’d told Kabya she was married; but she tried rationalizing it away; maybe this was a custom where she came from.
Kabya realized how her request must have sounded. “No, no, no! Nothing like that! We just wash each other’s backs and hair, that’s all.” She was embarrassed as well.
Marisol heaved a visible sigh of relief, but her blush didn’t fade. “Oh, señora, I don’t think I should. I… I’m too embarrassed and… well… I’m on duty.” She kneaded her hands a bit, nervous, her face uncomfortably hot.
Kabya smiled and replied, “It’s quite all right, Marisol. We’re friends here. And consider this part of being my personal bath attendant. Now, please join me. You deserve to relax once in a while.”
“Oh… s-señora… I… this is embarrassing… I…” Marisol was grasping little bits of her skirt in her fingers. “I’ve… never… been… um… desnudo… except with Tommy…” She bit her lip and seemed to shrink a bit, looking down.
“Marisol,” Kabya said softly and gently as she smiled at her friend. “It’s all right. Trust me. You’ve seen me naked. If you want, I’ll turn around while you get undress.” Kabya turned around, facing away from Marisol.
Marisol was very red, from her cheeks to her neck. She felt very uncertain, but at the same time, her heart was thumping. As though not only did she know she had nothing to fear, but that it would be like taking a bath with a sister, one of which she’d never had. She bit her lip a long time, though, and thought.
Marisol was even blushing on her back, Kabya would soon discover. Stripped to her undergarments only, Marisol softly lowered herself into the warm water, facing away from Kabya, shaking like a leaf in the wind. When she was submerged to her collar, she said meekly, “O-okay, señora… I’m in…”
Kabya turned around. She gave her friend a puzzled look. “Oh for crying out loud!” Kabya shook her head. “Marisol, you don’t have to worry about being modest around me. Look at me!” She patted Marisol on the head. “Besides, how are you going to explain wet undergarments to your husband? And don’t be afraid. Nothing’s going to happen.”
Marisol huffed a little, biting her lip again. “I don’t understand it, señora. I’m a bath attendant, but for some reason, I… I’m embarassed.”
Kabya smiled and said, “It’s all right Marisol. I’ll wash your back and hair first, then you’ll do mine.”
Meanwhile, Antonio stirred in sleep, then, his hand grasping for someone that wasn’t there, he startled awake. “Time,” he mumbled. “What… time…?” Finding a clock, he stared at it, muttered a curse under his breath, and climbed out of bed, gathering his things and putting his robe on. Soon he was out the door and on his way to get ready for the day. Once he’d finished his morning routine, he returned to his bedchambers to touch base with Charlie.
“The General-Colonel says ‘good morning,’ sire,” said the sergeant.
“Thank you, Charlie. Should you see her, tell her the same for me. Where is she?”
“Bathing, sire.”
“Ah. Well, I should get to work. Looks like I’m skipping my bike trip today. You know where I’ll be.”
“Of course, sire.” Charlie smiled his usual smile, watching his King depart down the hall.
Meanwhile, Marisol was busy dressing once again, a little annoyed with herself; her underclothes were still wet. But she was smiling a bit; it felt good to just relax with a friend like that.
Kabya noticed Marisol’s annoyance. She was going to ask if anything was all right, hoping she hadn’t offended the Azulcenian, but when she saw Marisol’s smile, she smiled back. “So, Marisol, didn’t I tell you that everything would be okay? Besides, you seemed to enjoy being able to relax.” Kabya was now wrapped in a towel with another one in her hair.
“Sí, señora,” Marisol said meekly, but she said nothing more. Turning, she started to help Kabya dry off, rubbing the moisture from her fur and hair. She was quiet. Smiling, but a little contemplative.
“Marisol, is there something wrong?” Kabya noticed that Marisol sounded meek. Kabya was worried that she had offended her friend.
Marisol looked at Kabya a moment. “Well… I don’t think I’ll be telling Tommy about that when I talk about my day. But it was relaxing, even though I already washed for the day.” She smiled. “Do they always wash together in your country, señora?” she asked.
Kabya nodded. “Occasionally. I’m from Kitumang, the Province Capital of Koxnam. There are a lot of baths there, but of course the baths are separated for men and women. I hope I didn’t offend you any when I invited you to join me in bathing. When I was in high school, the other female players on the swim team and I would wash together. By the way, what other duties does a bath attendant do, besides take care of the bathers?”
“I was just… surprised, señora,” said Marisol, starting to brush out Kabya’s fur. “I wasn’t expecting that. I was an only child, too, so I never grew up taking baths with anyone else.” She kindly took one of Kabya’s arms, brushing through its fur. “Well… that’s about all. Other than clean up the bathroom, and take care of the towels. When I’m not needed I do other things, like laundry, or mail.”
Kabya nodded. “I see. Well, you seemed to have relaxed quite a bit after I washed your hair. And if you like I’ll help you clean up in here.”
Marisol actually laughed brightly at that. “Now, señora, I have my job and you have yours. If you do my work then I’m cheating! Just the same as if you asked me to negotiate all sorts of important things with el Rey.” She smiled.
Kabya joined in the laughter and smiling. “Touche, Marisol. You are quite right. So, did you enjoy relaxing?” Kabya smiled at her.
Marisol nodded, brushing through the fur of Kabya’s tail. “I did, señora.” Just then she chuckled. “You should see my perro when I brush his tail. He just lays there with a big smile.” She giggled.
Kabya smiled and giggled as well. “I see. You must take good care of him.”
Marisol grinned. “When Tommy and I got married, he said, ‘Let’s have children.’ I said, ‘I’ll get you a dog.’ And we named him Niño. Usually Tommy takes him for his walks and I handle the grooming.”
Kabya smiled. She decided to let Marisol continue brushing her. “You’re an excellent brusher, that’s for sure, Marisol.”
Marisol smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, señora. Practice makes perfect!”
“Having fur, one has to worry about mats and tangles. It can be quite a handful and a major headache sometimes.”
Marisol smiled knowingly. “Like having long hair,” she said.
Kabya smiled and laughed at this. “You’re quite right.” Kabya smiled and relaxed as Marisol smiled brightly, brushing diligently through her fur.
Kabya smiled as she looked at Marisol. “By the way, after you get off work, do you mind introducing me to your husband and Niño? I would like to meet him. Maybe for tea?”
Marisol blinked a moment and smiled. “Oh… señora, I’ll have to call Tommy. Our apartment is a mess; el Rey will need to arrange your escort into the city. But I would be very honored, and I know Tommy would be too.”
Kabya mentally kicked and slapped herself. “Idiot! You know you would have to get permission to go into the city, and no you can’t just play ‘girlfriend wants something’ with Antonio! You know that’s wrong on so many levels!”
“Yeah, but…”
“But nothing! You can talk with him about it, but don’t act so needy.”
“All right…”
“WHAT!?”
“I mean…YES MA’AM!”
“Wait, did I just have an argument with myself? Oh, that’s just great.”
Kabya nodded in agreement. “I’ll see what he can do. Hopefully, it would be nice to see what your city is like, though. It would give me a chance to see anything that might interest my king. Also, if we have time, I might want to take a look at your paintings.”
The bath attendant smiled. “You should get some time to yourself once your work is done, claro,” she said. “I’ll call Tommy on my break and let him know we might have very important company. And… ay, señora, ¿qué hice para merecer todos estos honores?”
It took Kabya a bit to recognize the words, but when she did, she smiled, and said, “You’re a wonderful person, Marisol. Ever since coming here, you have been very friendly to me and I appreciate that. Not to mention, estás extraordinaria a ayudarme a cuidar de mi piel. Of course, you’ll have to get over your shyness from now on, though.”
Marisol stopped brushing a bit to bow. “Señora, you’re very kind. I’ve just been doing my job. But I am glad to be serving someone as simpática as you.” She switched brushes, and began to work on the vixen’s hair. “Gracias, señora, para todos.”
“Usted es bienvenido.” Kabya smiled and blushed at being called nice. “Gracias,” she thanked Marisol.
Marisol laughed. “It’s ‘de nada’ if you mean ‘you’re welcome,’ señora,” she said helpfully.
Kabya laughed. “Oh I see. I’m still learning, but you are a wonderful teacher. Thank you.”
“De nada, señora,” said Marisol with another laugh.
Just then, Kabya’s phone buzzed. Kabya blinked. “Who could that be?” She answered the phone. “Hello?”
On the other end of the line was a familiar, nervous voice. “General-Colonel? This is Ursula Menendez, the Intelligence Minister.”
“Oh hello, Minister Menendez. I apologize. I meant to ask you for your number so I could recognize you in case you called me. Is everything all right?”
“It’s quite all right, General-Colonel. I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your comrades from the DIEIS have left Azulcena. And I am afraid we weren’t able to completely blank their camera data before they left; some data might be recoverable. We, uh… we saw the photograph they took.”
Kabya’s gears in her head turned quickly. The photograph that popped in her was…her and Antonio kissing! “Thank the Almighty it’s DIEIS. I don’t think they would blackmail anyone.” “I have a good guess what that photograph is. While I’m also concerned, I don’t think DIEIS will immediately act on it. They’ll wait around until they find an opportunity, but by then they’ll probably have forgotten about it. Still, those three agents, while paranoid, aren’t the type to blackmail people, but I’ll have my people back in Vulshain keep an eye on them. If they try to use what they got, I’ll know immediately, and you’ll know immediately.”
Menendez paused. “Then I suggest you get on the phone to Vulshain as soon as you can. And I wouldn’t discount them trying to sell the photo, General-Colonel. Any number of paparazzi and news outlets would pay many corolas for that picture. Thank you for your offer.” The line closed.
Kabya muttered something and immediately called the person that could help her.
“Hello?”
“Hi Sam, it’s me Kabya.”
“Kabya? Oh hi! How is Azulcena? Everything going all right?”
“It is Sam. The people are real nice here and they are really hoping for building relations with our nation.”
“Splendid. You know, I’ve been meaning to pick an ambassador there, but since you’re there…”
“Sam, you know that I’m in MMID,” she sighed.
“Yeah, I know, but still… you’ve always talked about traveling to another country.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Kabya? This isn’t a social call, is it?”
“No. It isn’t.” She told him what was going on. Her, Antonio, DIEIS, the photograph.
He was silent for a while. “I see. Well, I’m surprised, Kabya, but I’m happy for you, ever since…”
“I know, Sam.”
“Listen. I don’t think DIEIS would sell that photograph. They’re not the kind of people who are greedy for money. Still, I’ll talk with them. Hold up.” She was placed on hold. After about thirty minutes, he came back. “All right. It took a bit, as well as some yelling.” Sam coughed. “But, I managed to get through their thick skulls. Under my orders, they are to hand those photos to me.”
“And how are you going to make sure they do it?”
“I threatened to bring them up on treason charges.”
“Smart move.”
“Yep. Listen, you be careful over there now. And try to take this relationship with King Antonio slowly now. I’m happy for you, honest, but well… you take care now, Kabya. Okay?”
“Okay. Thanks, Sam.”
“No problem. Love you now.”
“Love you too.”
Sam hung up. Kabya immediately dialed back the Intelligence Minister. When she picked up the phone, Kabya told her, “I have good news. King Rainard has ordered them not to release those photographs and to turn over everything they got from here.”
Menendez was a little silent, then said, “I hope that works, General-Colonel. Based on what you told me of some of DIEIS…”
“Like I said, these DIEIS agents can be trusted, but they are paranoid. That’s the problem. Patriotic and paranoid to a fault. And don’t worry, Sam played a trump card on them. He threatened to bring them up on treason charges.”
Menendez was silent again for a time. “General-Colonel… I do not mean to tell your Rey how to do his business… but I fear that if you threaten paranoid patriots with charges of treason… that might cause disloyalty, or loss of confidence in your Rey. I don’t know them, of course…” She sighed softly on the phone. “But I thank you, and Su Majestad de Vulshain for your quick action. Enjoy your day.” The line closed again.
In the half hour it had taken Kabya on the phone, Marisol had thoroughly finished brushing her hair and fur. She asked when Kabya hung up, “Was that your cousin, el Rey de Vulshain?”
She nodded. “Yes. He’s actually looking forward to visiting Azulcena, but he has to visit a few other nations first. I remember that he might take a short break before continuing his tour. Now, let’s put my hair back into a ponytail, shall we?”
Marisol smiled. “¡Claro!” She produced a brightly-colored scrunchie and began to do up the vixen’s hair. “Is everything all right, señora? You seem a little put off.”
“Yeah. A couple of my fellow Vulshainians from my nation’s civilian security agency had taken some pictures without your government’s permission, and they got away with some the photographs. So my King and I were able to prevent them from using the photographs. I apologize for some of my people’s underhandedness.” Kabya sighed. “Just don’t tell anyone, okay? Building relations between Vulshain and Azulcena is very important to my king. If this gets out, there could be a lot of trouble.”
“Señora, rest assured that everything we talk about is a state secret. I’ll even be careful when talking to my husband.” Marisol’s round face seemed built for smiling.
Kabya nodded. “De nada, Marisol.” Kabya was glad she had a friend like Marisol.
Marisol gave Kabya’s hair a friendly tug as she tightened the scrunchie. “Don’t you mean gracias?”
Kabya, with Marisol’s help, had gotten dressed. In return, Kabya had helped dry the bath attendant’s wet clothes with the use of a blow dryer. “Well, I think that’s it. Now, Marisol. I know you were probably embarrassed when I asked you to join me in the bath, but…” she paused to straighten her collar. “…from now on, I want you to join me in the bath while I’m here. Okay?”
Marisol blushed. “Señora, I think it was okay once… but I don’t think Tommy would like it if he found out, no matter how innocent it might be. We can relax when we both have time off. While you’re here and I’m your ayudante, my job is to keep you clean and brushed.” She smiled.
“Fair enough. Besides, it was wrong of me to impose on you to do something you weren’t comfortable doing. I just thought you might want to relax a bit, that’s all.” Kabya smiled. “And I would enjoy relaxing with you when we both have the time. All right, I’m set now. You take care now, Marisol. And again, thank you for everything.”
Marisol smiled. “Gracias, señora. And de nada. You have a good time today, now.” She thought a moment, then gave Kabya a friendly hug.
Kabya smiled and hugged Marisol back. “You know, this is twice today you have thrown protocol to the wind.”
Marisol blushed. "Pues, señora… ¿porqué no?
Kabya laughed. “I guess friends do strange things together. Now you take care, Marisol. I’ll let you know when I can come visit you.”
The MMID personnel were discussing different things. Herbert and Helmuth were going over the details of Samuil’s visit, Kabya was reading the history textbook especially the part about Merrill Rivers while discussing its contents with Senior Lieutenant Naum Georgy. The only member not taking part was Oxana. She was looking out the window. Kabya noticed this and handed the book to Georgy. Kabya walked over and stood beside the Lobo. “Something the matter?”
Sighing, Oxana said, “Not sure, really, I’m a little tense right now. I’ve been ever since we got here. I’ve tried to relax, but I haven’t slept well in a while now.” She turned and Kabya saw her bloodshot eyes.
“I see…”
“Yeah. Comrade, do you think everything is going to be all right here?”
“I hope so, old friend. I hope so.”
“Old? I’m the same age as you! We’re both 28!”
“True. Anyhow, how are you and my brother doing?”
“I like your brother, but to tell you the truth… I don’t know.”
“Well, you two do snore a lot.”
“Your brother snores, not me. How’s the relationship with the King?”
“Going well. I actually like him a lot. You know, I’ll see if I can get all of us some downtime. We probably need the relaxation. And who knows, it might help strengthen relations between Azulcena and Vulshain if we do some sightseeing.”