#firstnightoutpolyhusband

Because it wasn’t. Mazin chuckled next to me. What else would he do, really.

I put my elbow I his side and he snorted again: “Well, you are… wrong. Kind of. You are a lady of this city now. You have to know your way around it…”

“… no”, I did not. It was a perfectly reasonable thing to say: No. I did not have to go through the slums. Ever. It was even dangerous, too. “It‘s dangerous”

He chuckled again and shook his head: “Mh. Yeah. It… probably is. For now…”

I answered him with a frown: “There is nothing ‘for now’ about that, I don’t even know your language!”

He kissed my forehead again: “Shush. You are drunk. This didn’t even make sense”

I sneered at him. He was being stupid. And difficult.

“Mmmmh… but you made it here just fine, didn‘t you?”

“Because you were there!”, and he apparently knew everyone. And he was a noble of the city. So, he should get through here.

“Ah… yes… a weaponless rich nobleman with a mouth is always so welcome, isn’t that right?”, he chuckled again. It… was somewhat nice, the vibration. And he was warm.

“… at least you’re warm”, so he was better off than me.

The arm around me curled a bit closer and he draped a blanket around us.

He let it go with a sigh: “I’ll share the warmth if you share a few words. Sounds fair?”

After I pulled my knees to my body, I was completely enveloped in blanket, a nice view and seagulls screaming, so I said: “… maybe”, a little petulantly.

He chuckled again. I decided He could do that more often.

“… we really need to work on your alcohol tolerance. Trade agreements are really out the window like that”, he pulled me on his lap. Warmer. Nice.

“Mnnh… you want something from me. I win”, I nodded.

Another chuckle. Very good. He leaned back a little, taking me with him. Mh.

“Ah, yes, yes you do…”, one hand undid my hair. I was too comfortable to complain, “… so… you think you’ve won, being here”

I blinked: “… ‘s warm and we’re not walking… and the view’s pretty. Sure”, and shrugged.

Once again, his chest vibrated, and a hand started going through my hair. It was nice.

“That’s… not what I meant”, a pause, then he continued, “… being here in general… being married… to all of us. Can you… are you okay with it?”

I looked up, meeting his eyes. He looked worried.

…

I flicked his nose. He twitched back and hit his head at the wall. He groaned slightly.

“… you deserved that”, because he did. They all did.

And he already looked at me with curious eyes again: “…maybe”

“NOT maybe. Really. A lot. A big lot. You didn’t… no one even asked that before I had to! You didn’t care. And the others didn’t either. Not a bit!”, I knocked his chin with my head.

He moved back and kissed my head.

Very unsatisfying.

“You all just do what you want! Hurting people and threatening them. And you just… take me away from home. And marry me off. And take ‘Chelle away from me. And bring me to another land. Away from ‘Chelle. And make me marry ALL of you, and that’s just stupid”

He held me a little closer. I jerked my head again before settling a little more: “I miss her. So much. And I don’t trust you people with her. You could hurt her. You would. Glad you don’t know her”, I huffed again. Suddenly unhappy.

“She’d hurt us earlier than the other way around. She’s a fierce young lady, I liked her, from what I saw”, he shrugged, but sounded serious.

“She’s awesome”, and he hummed behind me. Then, slowly, I realised, “… what… you… you weren’t even at court! You weren’t even THERE!”, I scrambled a little to look at him with a frown.

There was an indulgent smile on his face when he said: “You probably had other things to do than looking for a guy dressed like a servant, my Lady… your handmaiden neither, of course. I only watched her train. Lots of energy”

My frown grew darker: “You leave her be”

“She is several weeks travel away from here”, he blinked.

At that, I grabbed his shirt: “Leave her alone”

His eyebrows rose even higher. Then he put both his hands around mine: “I will. I promise. She’ll be safe, if she ever crosses my path. I’ll bring her right to you”, he kissed my knuckles, “As your husband”

He looked at me with an actually serious expression. It was a little surreal.

And then I realised that I sat sideways on his lap, by now, after all the twisting. And didn’t even have proper leverage. And he still had a blanket around me.

So I let go and leaned against his chest again, puffing out air: “… must be good enough”

And so one hand resumed to comb my hair. And another wrapped around me again.

When I rubbed at my eye, it was wet.

Stupid sea.

“I’ll never lie and always be honest. I’m not much good for anything else, but that… I can promise”, and then he was silent for a bit.

“And to show you how you can beat Naba. Little rebel, you”, he chuckled again. Mh.

“…huh?”

“It’s the game of kings, not for commoners”, he tilted his head with a smirk.

I frowned. That wasn’t…

“He’s gotten pretty good, though. At the few times he could learn”

“Well, he’s a sailor, he isn’t… I didn’t think he’s… an intellectual…”, because… yeah.

He squeezed me: “… he never had the chance to become one. But… maybe you can help him a little…?”

I had the feeling that should tell me something. Something more important.

…

I had no idea.

“… sure. I can help…”

He squeezed me again: “… thank you”, he said and chuckled.

And then he went silent… and continued to pet my head.

It felt nice.

People still entered the tavern behind me. I just held onto the human in front of me. Ugh.

For just a few seconds, I rested my head against his chest.

And so we stood until the world stopped being angry.

He gave me a waterskin: “Drink, you’ll feel a little better”

I sniffed at it. Smelled like nothing. After a shrug, I figured it tasted like nothing, too. Water, then.

“Thank you”, I said, handing it back.

He smirked, took a gulp himself and put it away again.

I still leaned on him.

“You’re welcome. Now, should we get going?”, he didn’t push. Just asked. I kept my head where it was for a few more seconds.

Then I nodded: “Aye”

He smiled and helped me stand properly; “Off we are, then”, he said, and we walked. For a while.

At first, it simply felt good to breath fresh air. It did help with clearing my head. The steady pace helped, too. Mazin didn’t seem affected, though. Just walking and walking.

Not affected by the alcohol, I mean.

Huuuh… I did drink too much of that stuff.

But not enough to… not notice where we were.

It was… still away from the main roads.

The houses were not that well maintained. The roads… muddy.

No stones to step on, only earth to sink in.

Also garbage at the side of the houses.

Really, I was glad we were so close to the sea and the smell was taken away that fast.

It was not pleasant at all.

The quarters of the workers. I watched my back more, staying close to Mazin. This was not a proper place for a lady. In disguise or not.

Our way stretched for some time. There were women singing to unruly babies, calming them with tired eyes. There were people standing and smoking. People sleeping on the side of the street.

Most people we saw were exhausted, but some greeted us – and Mazin waved back, calling them by name and asking how their child or mother or partner was. Sometimes out of worry, sometimes with dirty humour, sometimes he was very curt.

It all was strange. I mostly made sure I didn’t step into something.

The feeling of navigating through a maze got more real with every minute we walked.

And then… Mazin just stopped in front of a house.

And jumped up.

Like. He was in front of me one second and the next there was no one.

When I looked up, I only saw his foot disappearing on the roof.

… I was a bit slow, wasn’t I? Right now?

A second later, he bowed down and reached out a hand to me: “Come on, we’re almost there”

I frowned at the hand, but then took it, holding his hand gingerly. It was a little strange.

He rolled his eyes, shook off my hand and grabbed my lower arm.

“Put your foot against the wall”, he said indicating the one in front of me.

I frowned even more: “That… isn’t working”

He didn’t let go of my arm, though. And then I put a foot against the wall experimentally. It didn’T feel safe or like anything that should work. I looked up with an even deeper frown, feeling silly.

“Now put one foot in front of the other”, and he pulled.

Out of pure self-preservation, I did as I was told, feeling the wall under my feet for three contacts.

Then my arms were on the roof.

“There you are”, he said.

And helped me all the way up.

Gravity had lied to me.

I felt betrayed all over. It irked me in the strangest of ways.

“A few more steps”, he said and we walked those steps. Up one ladder. On top of houses.

And then sat down on… blankets.

And leaned back on pillows. Against a wall.

He handed me the waterskin again.

The harbour spread before us.

Mountains in the background. Fires mirrored on the water.

People busy on the other side of the bay. Still moving, in the middle of the night.

Ships creaking.

So many lights.

It smelled of sea and fire.

I settled down a little.

“I reconsidered. It would be unfair. I’d be the same level of drunk as he is, if not more sober, we want to make it a disadvantage for me”, I stared at him. He looked to me like he just liked his moonshine.

It was not exactly greeted with enthusiasm by my opponent, but he said a few dismissive words and the people around agreed on it being a good thing.

It made me wonder what antics a drunk Mazin displayed, if people actually cheered for him drinking more.

It made me want to win a little more. I wasn’t that intent on finding out.

So, for now… I concentrated on the game.

There was skill to my opponent’s actions, only leaving openings that’d cost me dearly five turns in the future. And surprisingly, he was a defensive player. Letting me do the risky steps.

Glancing over at Mazin, I could guess why he had to learn that.

He castled his king relatively early on.

It was somewhat fun, playing against him.

Maybe also because I had - by then - three shots in me.

It should have been five, but… one landed in Mazin’s face when he squeezed my behind (as a ‘punishment’ for losing a figure), the other two were half-spilled, when I was bumped into or Mazin tried to ‘drink crossways’. I… still… don’t know what point this had. Or how the spilling could have been provided.

I was still able to figure that he actually played too defensive.

At one point, a rook and a pawn would have cost him only a bishop. And that hadn’t even been in a strategic position at the moment.

He was not… goal-oriented enough, there.

I could utilise that. And when I saw that it did go all to plan, I smiled and watched him.

And noticed the man was… tired. He looked it, certainly, rubbing his eyes every few moments. Not that it seemed to hinder him playing and growling at the ‘advisers’ behind us.

The chess board looked… worn. And actually, so did he. It was surprising to see this game in this place anyway.

Now he did take my rook – within an equal trade, though. And one done out of necessity.

I obediently took my shot and – this time – clinked glasses with him.

He was a good opponent.

Mazin, next to me, broke out laughing.

And Naba looked also more irritated than before.

After he studied the board for a few seconds, his eyes went wide and he cursed, boxing Mazin’s shoulder.

There were some more curses and then he toppled his own king. There were amused cheers.

With a few more curses, he walked over to my side – the whole giant mountain of him – and shook my hand. Then grabbed my wrist and held my hand up.

The cheers got louder.

The mountain Naba looked disgruntled.

Mazin apparently announced a round for EVERYONE.

And that distracted them enough for him to let go and go grumble in a corner.

I… tapped his arm before he could disappear.

The language was still foreign to me, so I wasn’t sure when I said: “…. nog… eens?

He stared at me with a frown. Then blinked, apparently taken aback.

Then he smiled, broadly, patting me on the shoulder: “Volgende week!”, and then… added a lot more words. I was no sure about any of those.  He held out a shot glass, too. And said something about it, apparently.

So many words.

I… didn’t understand many of them. The alcohol in me didn’t help. It probably was responsible that I even said that.

It had been fun playing with him, though.

I looked for Mazin, who did stand not far away, smirking like there was no tomorrow. But at least he recognised what I wanted. And answered him, seemingly agreeing with things. And removed Naba’s hand from my shoulder.

So I took it up on myself to put the board back in its original state.

Then Mazin joined me: “Well done, sweetheart”

I had the urge to tell him not to call me that, but… well… he probably was allowed to. As my husband and all, so I grumbled: “Hrm. You roped me into it.”

“And you made a date for a rematch!”, he beamed.

I… did. Kind of. I’d have played one again now, but… I wouldn’t have been able to argue the point if I had wanted to.

“… hrm. I don’t know the conditions or anything”

“No alcohol, for starters. Which is good”, he took the board from me and kissed the top of my head.

I wanted to be mad at him, somehow. But I’ve had fun with this person who’s language I didn’t speak. So… mrh.

I punched his arm, too, now. And he laughed: “I deserved that. But you’ve gotten moonshine and beat a sailor. I think we should get some fresh air again”

… it was pretty loud in the tavern.

There was a bar and there was a grumpy barkeeper.

Some people looked over at the ‘newcomers’ and Mazin smiled at them, waving. We made our way to the bar without much incident.

Then a man stood before us. He was taller than my companion. And even though I only just today realised he is tall, he was basically a giant.

And barked something at my beanpole.

The beanpole laughed, good-naturedly, then seemed to insult the guy, since he… vibrated, spat a few words and stormed off.

“What… what just happened?”, it honestly looked like he would come back. With friends. I tugged at Mazin’s sleeve. Maybe we should prevent that.

“… why did he look at me like that?!”, because that’s what he did: He did a glance at me before storming.

“Because he doesn’t believe me that you can beat him any time”, my grip tightened and my eyes widened. He laughed.

“Mazin, I do not know how it escaped your simple mind, but I, in fact, can not beat him”, I hissed. Because he lost his mind.

He chuckled some more and said: “I could”, and smirked at me.

“Yeah, and you are a spider, that crawls through windows, you probably poisoned him or something”, I was being irrational.

He laughed a little more: “Well, you are not wrong”, because that was a reassuring thing to say!

I stared at him. And he laughed some more, ordering… three shot-glasses and three bottles of something I was sure was illegal in my own country.

He placed a glass and a bottle on a table, put me on it, set down another set opposite of me, turned a chair and sat himself backwards on it, chin on the backrest.

“…. You really don’t think we should… leave?”, people started to come a little closer. I heard Mazin’s name. And ‘Naba’ is something that repeated itself, too. So… that’s probably the big guy.

“It would be a great insult”, he grinned some more.

“… I… guess we are not going to… brawl”

It made him laugh: “No, no, you’re not. That would be my task if things went wrong. But you are going to beat him. I chose this day for a reason”

But he was not sharing with the class.

I was busy staring unhappily, when ‘Naba’ came back. He brought a box. And let it fall on the table. He barked some words. I was bewildered.

Then the box got unpacked and the pieces put on the checkered board.

It was a chessboard.

Mazin looked as amused as ever.

“… I guess whenever I lose a piece I have to drink?”, I raised my brows, because: illegal alcohol! This stuff was not healthy. And I would lose some pieces.

“Mmmmmhmh, that’s what he said. ‘The usual rules’. And I need to drink, too. I have to take over for you with that level should you lose. I doubt it, though”, he looked entirely certain I could beat a hulking man with slight issues at chess.

… I wouldn’t underestimate him. There was a bit of an obsessive streak there if you played chess in a tavern.

I’d be on guard.

He gave me white. And sneered.

At my opening. Which… was terribly stupid, but probably a tactic.

Mazin walked next to me, happy as a clam. He greeted every single person we met. And always got a response. More or less enthusiastic, two even asked who the ‘lovely lady at his side’ is, to which he answered: “As if I’d ever tell this valuable an information”, laughed and then started to run after he grabbed my hand.

In my own surprise, I actually followed along with it. Falling into step, getting away from the shouts after us. They didn’t sound malicious at all. Which was… odd, considering whom I was running with.

When we were around the next corner, he stopped. And stopped me with him by catching me in the turn and twirling me around.

“Thanks for following, princess”, he whispered in my ear. He liked whispering things in my ear. And pulling my back close to his chest. My hair as standing again. He had a bit of a thing to… stop my movement. I was not entirely okay with that.

He started walking again, and when I tried to frown and tell him as much, I noticed him – once again – grinning. And rolling his eyes.

My frown deepened, until he pushed me lightly to the side: “Hey, you can’t just sho-“

“AH! No!”, he half-yelled, while three little boys just landed on him. Screaming ‘YAAAAH’… or… something along the lines.

Mazin himself had let himself fall. And cushioned his fall on his side. I had watched it since I was just safe from their attack. The boys now sat on him, holding his wrists. The ‘victim’ made his best impression of pained groans. But there was a laugh underneath. He… had too much fun with this.

The boys said things. I had no idea what, of course, but it sounded demanding.

The answers were suitably ‘humiliated’, with a little side of whining.

It was… odd, to hear that.

Then they pointed at me. And suddenly, all… uh… five of them (in various states of tattered dress) stared. I was a little taken aback. They looked somewhat calculating. More words were exchanged.

“Did he… captu-“, “kidnap!”, “-kidnap t-… you?”, his eyes were all big, still grabbing Mazin’s wrists.

That… was my language, though! And they looked genuinely… interested.

The accused man in question just laid on the floor looking up with big eyes, almost pleading. Oh my.

Ah, what the hell…

I answered: “… no, I was not. It was all proper”

The next reaction I did not exactly anticipate, they turned to him and… made fun of him. Schadenfreude.

A forehead collided gently with the floor.

After a few more gloating words, Mazin turned around, the boys falling off, and put the wrist-holder on his lap, a finger on his forehead: “I so did. As you pointed out, I wouldn’t get such a lovely one otherwise. You’re totally right”, and put him down completely.

They all jumped on him again.

And for a moment, he looked like he would fall again, but Mazin looked at me and then shook himself like a… a wet dog.

And they tumbled all to the floor with loud protests.

“Sorry boys, need to at least treat my kidnap victim nicely”, he lifted his – every present – hat and ruffled everyone’s hair.

Then we start running again.

Around the next corner he didn’t stop me, only slowed down. And then said, with a bit of an apologetic face: “Sorry about that. They didn’t see me in a while. But we’re almost there!”, he pointed to a… tavern. There was no other word for it.

And I stared at him.

 I huffed and straightened my dress, turning towards the door, he better not be la-

Something touched my waist and I froe for a second.

“You look-“, I to hit whatever was behind me, reacting on instinct from the few things Michelle had taught me.

Nothing connected. My hand was caught by the wrist and brought down, so he could touch his forehead to the back of my hand in a bow.

“-beautiful, my lady”, he stood straight and let go again.

 He… had been right behind me. A literal breath away! How the hell had he caught my bloody hand?!

I frowned at him.

He pouted a bit: “Come on… I’ve so rarely seen your neck, and it’s alluring!”, he looked… amused. Like he always did. For some reason or the other.

“… how did you even get in here?!”, is probably the more interesting question.

“Oh, through the window”, he turned to the side and pointed at it.

It… was pretty high. And I had neither noticed nor heard anything.

… I was not sure… what to think of it.

For now, I just looked at him. He was dressed… in form-fitting clothes. They didn’t exactly have colours, washed a lot, but… yes, very clean cut around him.

He somehow looked… lankier. Somehow. Taller and more movable. Definitely taller, though.

“And I think we have to teach you a little more about defence. Not too bad a reaction, at least. Now… lets go!”, he held out his hand. The frown had not disappeared yet.

I still took it… and followed him through the door. At least he didn’t try to get me through the window.

On the streets itself, he let go of my hand, but stayed close, shadowing me.

The behaviour was familiar. But not like a spy. Spies didn’t shadow people like that. A bodyguard?

He didn’t feel like a bodyguard. And he was a spy, so…

“Less thinking, more walking, we need to get a place before the evening rush!”, I twitched again. He was a lot closer than I had anticipated. Again.

 I was married to him. If I wanted to or not, I was married to him. And as my husband, he… probably… had the… the right to spend an evening me. Whatever that entailed.

Right at this very moment, I still stood in Samil’s office and fidgeted. He finished the last line in his letter and then stood to greet me with a kiss, holding my hand: “What is it, my Lady Gabrielle?”

He might act like a proper husband. And he is, after all, the one I married. Properly.

“… Mazin wants to ‘take me out’”, I was sure the culprit in question used these words before. And Samil had been a lower class man, so… he probably knew.

His brows rose for a moment, but he nodded with a smile: “I believe it would be a god experience to see the town. I recommend simple clothing, easy to move in”

My frown was not easy to overlook. I still said: “You… are my husband”, in a voice that should tell him there is something wrong.

“We are not in your homeland, my lady. You are married to all four of us. Please. Go out for the night. I, unfortunately, am tied to the office. It is a good arrangement, is it not?”

I frowned and grit my teeth.

Well. I had asked.

I had asked, I got a clear answer, so that was all that… could be expected. From this situation.

Now I… would have a ‘nice night out’. With a man that was not not my husband. And also an asshole.

Well, at least he was an honest asshole, so… maybe it would be a nice night.

It was his hometown. Maybe he could be nice here.

Somehow, I doubted it.

A servant girl was nice enough to provide a sturdy dress that still fitted well. She got recompensed properly.

My hair got draped up and stuck to the back of my head. Not the fashion this summer, but that probably was the better choice if I didn’t want to get identified as a noble.

 Thinking of the streets made me feel a little queasy. This was a harbour town. Full of sailors.