by Eric Vall
The ceiling of the apothecary was low, and my hair brushed against it as we entered together. The inside of the building reminded me a lot of the shops back on Nekoka, it was clean and bright with that very same fresh and clean smell that I couldn’t place, but here it was stronger. Shelves laden with jars and containers lined the walls, and a long counter spanned the back of the room. On top of the counter was a massive mortar and pestle and an older cat-woman with black hair like Carmedy’s held the stone pestle in her hand. The woman lifted her head and gave Rana and me a dazzling smile.
I didn’t have to guess that this was Carmedy’s mother, the two women could have been twins despite the age and height difference. The healer was tiny, even smaller than Carmedy, and her emerald eyes examined me for a moment. The older female rested the pestle down inside the mortar and brushed off her hands on her own white apron. Her dark hair was longer than Carmedy’s, and it swung down her back and was tied into a loose knot midway down to keep it out of her way as she worked. When the older cat came closer to me, a sweet, floral smell came over me, and I smiled down at her.
“Hello, I’m Vivienne, Carmedy’s mother,” the black-haired cat grinned up at me, then bowed respectfully to me. “You must be Master, we’ve heard so much about you from all of the girls. We’re honored to have a god in our presence.”
I turned at a loud clatter, and three male voices as the door at the back of the room swung open. Three cat-men climbed up the stairs from what I assumed was the basement with heavy-looking boxes. The first two catkins were young and short, just like Carmedy and their mother. Their faces were shining with youth, and their slick black hair was combed back in waves. These were the two older brothers the alchemist had once told me about.
The two men nodded to me with polite smiles. They weren’t as welcoming as their mother, but I was the strange man they’d never met who was marrying their younger sister. They had every right to be wary of me, but I was more than a man, I was a god in the presence of mortals, and their sister was fortunate that I’d chosen her as my bride.
The last man to come up the stairs with a significantly smaller box was much older than the other two. His face was beet red, and he struggled to catch his breath as he hooked a foot around the door and slammed it closed.
“Daddy! Come here, come here!” Carmedy shouted impatiently, and the older cat-man jumped and nearly dropped the box he held tightly to his chest.
“Carmedy, please,” the cat-man coughed as he hurried over to the counter and slammed the small box down. “Whew, that was a doozy, Vivi, can you get me a drink please?”
“Never mind that, dear! Come meet our new son-in-law!” Vivienne cried as she waved her husband over. “Master, this is my husband and Carmedy’s father, Armond.”
The cat-man straightened his light blue button-down shirt, swept-back his messy blonde hair and took a step towards me with his paw outstretched. Just by appearances, Carmedy and her brothers resembled their mother more than their father. Armond was a short man of average weight, but the ears and tail that never stopped moving were speckled white, brown, and black in different places. His coloring was much different from the alchemist’s as she held her sleek, short-haired tail between two paws and looked at the two of us nervously.
I grabbed his paw in mine and gave it a hearty shake. The cat-man winced at my strength but didn’t let go or pull away from me. When I let go, Armond dropped into a low, respectful bow just as his wife did and over his shoulder, Vivienne waved over her two sons.
The two cat-men stepped forward and bowed to me, the older one who stood on the left was only a few inches taller than the younger one. I towered over all of them but nodded my head to them as they rose back to their full heights.
Carmedy hurried forward and grabbed the one on the left by the arm and pulled him toward me excitedly.
“This is my oldest brother, Fabien,” the alchemist grinned as she gestured to him and Fabien gave me a polite smile again. “This is my second oldest brother, Cedric.”
“Are they twins?” Annalise asked as she stroked her long chestnut braid. “My brothers are twins, and you two remind me of them so very much.”
“No,” Fabien smirked as he grabbed his younger brother in a half-hearted choke-hold and mussed Cedric’s hair. “He wishes; if we were twins, then he would have received my good-looks and charm.”
“You two are charming in your own way, my perfect little kitty-cats!” Vivienne cooed as she roughly separated the boys and hugged them fiercely to her chest.
Both boys groaned loudly and rolled their eyes as their mother snuggled into them tightly. Carmedy threw herself forward and joined in on the hug, and her two older brothers groaned even louder this time as their sister fell into a fit of giggles.
“Is this a ritual that cat-kin families practice?” Heijing asked in a confused voice as she looked to Morrigan, and the elf’s white eyebrows knit together. “Does the touching of bodies signify something?”
Rana blinked rapidly then leaned out from behind me to look at the tiny Qianlong.
“Have you never heard of a hug before?” the redhead questioned in disbelief. “Ya know when you wrap your arms around someone and get those good feelings inside your belly?”
“A ‘huh-gh,’ no, I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Heijing shook her head as she slipped her hands into her sleeves and moved her eyes over the cats as they separated themselves from each other.
“Does that mean your parents never hugged you?” Carmedy cried, saddened as she hurried toward the Qianlong. “Is that why you won’t let me touch you? Oh, Heijing, I’m so sorry.”
“Physical touch is arbitrary between strangers and is saved for lovers and partners.” The dragon explained in a bored tone as her icy-blue eyes slipped away and examined the overstuffed shelves. “Sometimes, my father would pat the top of my head when I set fire to certain war council member’s robes for fun, but that is the extent of it.”
“That is so sad!” the alchemist cried as she clasped her hands tightly to her chest.
“It is only sad to you because it is something you are accustomed to. I’ve lived my life without it, therefore, I have not missed it or longed for it.” Heijing explained in her monotone voice.
“Well, Scaly, we’re huggers in this party, except for Morrigan, but she’s gotten used to it, so you better deal with it,” Rana smirked as she cocked out a hip and leveled her gaze at the dragon.
“Scaly? I do not know the meaning of this word.” Heijing blinked as she looked to all of us for clarification.
“It is a nickname. You will get used to it eventually, but it does take time.” Morrigan sighed as she stepped deeper into the room to look at the jars on the shelf closest to her.
“That’s right, Elfy!” Rana nodded empathically as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Your nickname is Scaly, well, because you’re a dragon and--”
“Because I have scales, I understand the meaning behind it, but please refrain from calling me that. I do not approve of it,” Heijing stated in her cold, emotionless voice.
“It will continue. It is best to accept it now. Resistance is futile.” The elven woman sighed, and Heijing blinked a few times in surprise.
“What’s in the boxes?” Rana asked as she slipped from topic to topic and hurried towards the two large boxes and the single smaller one.
“Wedding decorations!” Carmedy squealed as she rushed towards them and flipped open the first one.
“Wow, Carmedy, you already had your wedding all planned out?” Annalise asked as she hurried over and peered into the box.
“No silly, these are decorations passed down through the generations of my family!” The alchemist giggled as she rifled through each of the boxes. “My great-great-great-grandparents used them when they got married, and everyone’s used them since then, even my parents!”
“I am honored that you will allow us to use your treasured heirlooms,” I stated to Vivienne, and the cat-woman blushed and wav
ed a hand at me.
“Nonsense! You’re family now!” the cat-woman grinned as she picked up one of the boxes Carmedy had already gone through. “We have the perfect place for the wedding too! Follow me!”
Fabien grabbed one of the larger boxes, and Cedric grabbed the smallest one before his still winded father could. Armond rolled his eyes and huffed at his son but allowed him to take it anyway. My minions and I followed after Vivienne into the backyard, and I stood in the tall grass as I took in the beautiful view beyond their workshop and home.
Rows and rows of weeping willows created a walkway through the lush grass to a massive flowering cherry blossom tree. The soft pink flowers fluttered through the air like snow and caught in all of my minions’ hair. This was the perfect place to marry Carmedy. It fit her personality perfectly.
The air was fresh out here, and a breeze rustled the leaves of the long weeping willows. The sky was cloudless and a bright cornflower blue, it was a beautiful day, and as I gazed out over my minions who smiled at me excitedly, I knew this was the perfect place to hold our wedding.
“When do you plan to get married?” Vivienne smiled as she turned and set down the two boxes beside the huge trunk of the cherry tree.
“Uh, uhm…” Carmedy muttered as she looked over to me for answers.
“Today,” I stated as I hung my head back and took in all of the picturesque scenery around us.
“W-what?” Carmedy shrieked as she clasped her hands to her chest. “That’s too soon! We don’t have enough time to plan!”
“Master, don’t you think it’s too--” Annalise protested, but the high queen fell silent as I raised a hand to her.
“It’s a beautiful day, and it would be a shame to waste it.” I smiled, and Carmedy’s cheeks blushed pink.
“W-well, what time were you thinking of holding the wedding?” Armond asked worriedly as he fiddled with his paws.
“Midafternoon, or early evening,” I stated in a calm voice. “I think we can get it all done by then, don’t you think?”
My eyes lay heavily on Carmedy’s father. He and his sons knew what I was, and they didn’t dare speak a word that would upset me. I was not only Carmedy’s future husband but also a god that could wipe their tiny island from existence with a flick of my wrist.
“Of course!” Vivienne was the one to cry eagerly as she grabbed Carmedy by the wrist and waved for the rest of the women to follow her back inside. “I think I still have my wedding dress; we can throw it on and hem it a bit! Oh, this is so exciting!”
Carmedy’s mother chattered the whole way back into the house, and my women followed after her happily. The petite alchemist glanced over her shoulder at me nervously, but before she turned back, she gave me a wide, excited grin. The women disappeared back into the house, and I turned toward Fabien and Cedric.
The two brothers stared at me warily but perked up when I met their eyes. They really did look like twins, and in some ways, they reminded me of the Decathmor brothers as they elbowed each other nervously.
“I will need a spare bedroom to prepare while my women are getting ready, do you have such a room that I could use?” I inquired, and Fabien nodded once.
“Of course, we do, Master,” the older brother stated as he kept eye contact with me. “Do you need any help? We could be of assistance.”
“Nay, I will help Master,” Armond broke in as he brushed his sons aside and shooed them toward the house. “I doubt that he wants dumb and dumber helping him with whatever he needs.”
Carmedy’s father placed his paws in the middle of their backs and shoved them toward the house, and they reluctantly went.
“Who do you think is dumb and who’s the dumber one?” Cedric asked his older brother, and Fabien shook his head as he frowned.
“Does it really matter? Let’s just go.” Fabien brushed it off as they trudged together.
“Yes, it matters! One of us is dumb, but one of us is dumber! Which one of us is the dumber one? I have to know!” Cedric cried as he threw his paws into the air.
“Ignore them, Master,” Armond chuckled as he stood beside me. “What is it you need help with? I’d love to be of service to you.”
“It’s nothing too drastic,” I stated as I glanced down at the surface of my armor. “I need to shine my armor and clean myself up a bit before the wedding.”
“Of course, of course,” Carmedy’s father nodded feverishly. “Come with me. I’ll take you to the washroom, you can bathe and clean yourself up there if you like.”
“Thank you; I appreciate all you are doing for us,” I said as I placed a heavy hand on Armond’s shoulder, and the cat-man laughed heartily.
“Think nothing of it, as Vivienne said, your part of the family now,” Armond smiled as he led me back into the house and up a tight set of stairs. “I don’t think I can think of you as a son, but you’re still the man marrying our little girl.”
The upstairs of the building was the family’s living quarters. It was a little messier up here, but it was homey and comfortable as I squeezed through the low corridor. Armond led me to a large bathroom about halfway down the hall, and I stepped in as he stood in the doorway.
“If you would leave your armor outside the door, I can take it, clean and shine it for you, Master,” Armond offered good-naturedly, and I inclined my head to him. “I wouldn’t want you to have to do it on the day of your wedding, so please, allow me to do it.”
I thought it over for a moment, then nodded. Armond looked more excited than I expected him to be, and then the older cat-man closed the bathroom door. I used my telekinetic power to strip the armor off of my body and placed it outside of the door. Armond was gone, but I knew he’d be back for it in a few minutes.
The bathroom was much larger than any of the other rooms I’d seen in the rest of the house, and most of the space was taken up by a massive claw-foot tub. The bathtub surprisingly had running water and the steaming liquid frothed out into the porcelain bath. Like downstairs, the walls were lined with shelves with containers and jars on them, but these looked more for the families use than for sale.
I completely undressed and stepped into the steaming crystal clear water. I dipped my head back and scrubbed at my long, dark brown hair with my fingertips with a creamy looking liquid I knew was shampoo. I couldn’t remember the last time I had enjoyed a hot bath like this. When we weren’t staying at inns with running water, we usually took turns bathing in rivers and streams, but the last hot bath I could recall having was the one I shared with Rana and Carmedy.
I took my time in the bath and made sure that I was perfectly clean. Once I stepped out and dried myself, I got a good look at myself in the mirror. I’d formed my avatar into a dashingly handsome man, but my godly presence leaked through all of its pores. The avatar’s face looked similar to my divine form, and I could see hints of both of my parents in it. I gritted my teeth and pushed that last thought away from me angrily.
In the past few weeks, I’d grown a short scruffy beard, and I turned my face at different angles to get a good look at it. I didn’t hate the way it looked, but it surely didn’t suit my chiseled handsome face.
Laid out on the white counter of the sink was a straight razor, a shaving brush, bowl and shaving cream. I mixed the soap together in the small bowl and whipped it up until it was thick. Using the brush, I spread the shaving cream over the lower half of my face and cheeks. I picked up the straight razor with steady hands and began the slow process of shaving my face. It was painstakingly tedious work, but I enjoyed it. I was taking time for myself right before I married one of the most beautiful women I’d ever met.
Once I finished, I shouldered on my underclothes, slicked back my hair, and opened the bathroom door. My newly cleaned and polished armor waited outside for me. The light glinted off its detail surfaces, and I pulled it to me with my telekinetic power. All the metal pieces snapped and strapped themselves into place over my muscular body. Each time I put on the freshly polished armor, it fel
t as if it were the first time back in my dungeon. The holy armor was powerful, and it protected me at all times.
Armond hurried down the hall toward me, and I noticed that the short cat-man had changed from his casual clothes into a fancy suit. It seemed that the time for our wedding ceremony to begin was close, and I was anxious to make Carmedy my wife. Armond led me through the house and back through the apothecary. The shop was locked up tight, and all of the blinds in the front windows were pulled down. I could hear the soft din of voices outside and could pick out a few that were my minions’, but there were some that I didn’t recognize. I glanced over at Armond, and he gave me an understanding smile.
“Carmedy told us that you were taking control over the island as the ruler,” the cat-man said as he placed a hand in the middle of my back and brought me closer to the door. “In order to do that, we need to have some townspeople as witnesses.”
“Ah, I see.” I nodded as Armond opened the door for me.
It was even more gorgeous out here than before. A swatch of white fabric was laid down like a walkway all the way down to the blooming cherry tree. Wooden chairs were placed a little farther back than the tree where townspeople sat, along with Ezra and Adrian who must have come over on their own rowboat after we had.
Armond led me up the pathway toward the tree where another cat-man waited, who I assumed would be the person to officiate our wedding. I stood directly beside the cat-man, and he glanced at me warily. I’d grown accustomed to the frightened looks I received from people; I was a god to be feared; it was understandable in their situation.
In front of the cat-man was a low table covered in a white tablecloth. An old metal candelabra rested on the table, and a single burned candle rested at the top. Beside the candelabra was a small metal tool that held a worn match in the tip and two small bowls on each side of the table. Inside the bowls was a dark, finely crushed powder. It looked like something that Carmedy used in her potions, and I assumed that it was used during the wedding ceremony.
Four of my minions sat in the front row with Heijing beside them. All of them wore soft pink dresses of different materials that ever so slightly matched. All of them smiled at me sweetly except for Heijing; the Qianlong watched on with an interest in her icy-blue eyes. It was like the dragon had never witnessed a wedding in her life, and she turned her head at the sound of the door of the building being opened slowly.
