Trinket (Reverse Harem)

In Which Korr & Ormiss Conspire

Korr and Ethat did not elaborate on what their plan was, or where we were taking Ormiss. Ormiss was disgusted that he was being nursemaided and was only placated by the promise it was all part of a plan. Korr practically flicked snowflakes off his skin while Ethat seemed equal parts sly and terrified at whatever they were about to do.

But before we could head out, the dragon brothers insisted that we all be presentable. Which meant washing in the dragon-sized pool (which was not deep, just shallow, like a birdbath) and all hair being combed and mine being arranged. Ormiss did my hair in a very credible Hippocamp manner, with Itek offering skilled hands for help, and Ormiss adorned my hair in shells, pearls, and other delicate trims that he'd (unknown to me) brought all the way from Haven.

"Of course," he told me while he secured a braid with an ornate pin. "I knew you wouldn't bother yourself with such things, but I expected you'd need to be the Lady-Consort at some point."

He had brought some of my Hippocamp silks, but I didn't wear those because of the cold and we'd (apparently) be outside. Instead, a fine dress and an outer robe of beautiful wool dyed in varying shades of pale lilac and trimmed with silvery rabbit fur was produced from one of the many bundles Korr had carried.

"I feel a little absurd," I said as I held out my hands and twisted in the mirror to get a look at how smothered I was. I'd never worn so much fabric or even fur. In my home enclave (should I even call it that?) winter had been cold and miserable, but I'd only had a couple of thin layers to wear, and since I'd spent much of the day in a kitchen, hadn't needed to be bundled up. In Haven, it'd always been warm (so far), and I'd worn very light attire. Traveling had been much of the same.

Ormiss cocked his head. His hair wasn't in any fanciful arrangements or braids since he was going to be shifting, and he was just in his many-pleated bound-skirt except for all his necklaces around his throat. But it was Asund who came up to my other side and pulled the fur collar away from my neck enough to kiss it. He slipped close, his body against mine. "You look exquisite."

"I agree," Ormiss said, shifting his gaze to watch Asund. "I am not used to seeing you in winter attire."

"It's promising, isn't it?" Asund said smugly.

"It is."

"Promising how?" I asked warily.

"Unwrapping a gift," Ormiss said.

"Do you even know how to undo these lacings?" Itek asked.

Ormiss glared at him. "I have been in Haven or even across the ocean, in cold seasons."

"Translation: you've gotten plenty of women out of their warm clothes?" I teased while Itek smirked and Asund snickered.

Ormiss, dignified and salty, said nothing. Among the Hippocamp, a male discussing who he'd kept company with (or wanted to, or what he aspired to do with anyone) was extremely inappropriate. Ormiss took it to a silly extreme with refusing to discuss anything specific at all beyond vague statements.

"Just say you're acquainted with a variety of clothing." I rolled my eyes at Ormiss. Good gods, it wasn't like I hadn't seen him wear pants, shirts, and a coat when we'd been in Haven.

"I am acquainted with a variety of clothing and seasons," Ormiss said, still salty.

We all snickered at him. He glared at all of us.

"Okay, okay," I said, suddenly feeling a twinge of regret for teasing him. We shouldn't pick on Ormiss. He had been stuck in human form a while, and even if he never once complained about it, the way his skin looked and his toes and fingertips suggested otherwise. I'd been told the need to shift (after being trapped in human form too long) was like being hungry and thirsty. It was a type of starvation, although no one knew exactly what caused the starvation.