The days turned to weeks, and over a month had passed as I settled into the life of a prince’s pet. I was allowed to wander the halls alone whenever I had the urge to, though I wasn’t alone all that often, Syrion liked to join me whenever they had no other plans. They supposedly liked seeing the palace through my eyes, which sounded more like an excuse instead of saying that they were lonely again and just wanted some company. I don’t mind though, I’ve found that I don’t like being alone much either. It’s an emptiness I never expected to feel in my life. Syrion’s presence dampened it at least.

I’ve also come to learn that Prince Faelix doesn’t like us to eat without him, though neither Syrion nor I know the reasoning behind that habit of his, nor do we feel comfortable asking him. But it meant more time spent in the garden, where I was allowed to explore on my own as long as I stayed in Prince Faelix’s line of sight. They both joined me from time to time as well. It was nice.

I often found myself wishing that I had Nalik to explore the beauties of this palace and gardens alongside me though. He’d love looking at the flowers and trees and asking what they were called and wanting to hear all about their origin. He would likely ask for a pen and paper so that he could draw them and write down information about them in an odd language I didn’t recognize. He had once told me that it was something his mother had taught him before giving him up, he promised to teach me too someday. I hate that I didn’t get to learn it.

Even in this moment, as I walk through the small hedge maze of leaves many shades of dark blues and greens with the occasional purple or white flower bud. Prince Faelix had told me they only open during the night and that they glow under the moon’s light. He hasn’t let me see them at night just yet due to the cold of the coming winter. He’s already started having me clothed in long skirts that flow gently and glitter in the light like stars as I move and soft shawls over the pretty tops and wraps, that he had made for me. The top I wore today being a silky black wrap that Ryliar had to show us how to use, wrapped around my chest and around the back of my neck. It was a lot simpler than we had originally thought.

Looking down at a closed flower bud, I couldn’t help but picture my friend sketching it out while wondering aloud about what it looks like in full bloom under the moon’s light. Syrion would likely help him imagine its full bloom and then help him perfect the sketch until the winter season is over. Syrion would like him around too, Nalik would match Syrion’s energy much better than I do.

“You’ve been coming to these hedges often. I can have more planted closer to your room, if you like these so much.” Prince Faelix offers, coming to stand next me as I continue to look at the closed bloom. “Is that something that you’d like?”

I’ve grown better accustomed to his presence, he had proven for the most part that he isn’t as terrifying as I had thought he was. “I like walking out here, I get to see most of the garden on this side as I come up here.” It was nice to walk through the garden, getting to feel the warmth of the sun with the slight chill in the air.

“You seem to have something on your mind this morning, you’ve been staring at that flower bud for some time. Is everything alight?” He asks, gently readjusting the deep blue shawl to cover my shoulders more with one pair of large hand, while the other seems to have started absentmindedly playing with my hair.

“Coming out here reminds me of a friend I had in my former group, he would have loved getting to explore these gardens.” I couldn’t help the soft sigh that escapes me, or the sadness in my tone.

We both stayed silent as I continue to look at the closed flower buds and one of Prince Faelix’s pairs of hands continues to play with my hair, the touch feeling less absent minded and more like a way to keep them busy as he thinks now. I couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking about, but I didn’t want to bother him. Standing in this silence wasn’t so bad, it was becoming a norm for us. I’ve learned that he isn’t much of a talker, much like myself.

“I will have him brought here as another pet of mine then, so you can have a friend that you know well and Syrion can have another friend they can spend time with.” Prince Faelix says, starting to gently braid my hair. “I’ll have Ryliar go to pick him up later today. You can go too if you’d like.”

My brows furrow in confusion, thinking for a moment before deciding to voice my confusion, “Will you not be joining this time?”

“No, I will be in a meeting later today.” He sighs softly through his nose, seeming genuinely remorseful that he’s unable to join. “You will be with Ryliar at all times, I do not trust that other handler to be alone with you.” I nod in agreement with his demand, not that I would have wanted to leave Ryliar’s side.

“I will stay by his side the whole time.” I promise aloud to reassure him.

“Alright, I’ll send a message to inform that handler that you and Ryliar will be there to get your friend.” He tells me, then we fell into a comfortable silence, wandering through the hedge maze with the prince following close behind me.

“I’m very honored that the prince wanted another from the group under my care, though I don’t understand why he didn’t come himself and sent a pet to pick out another pet.” Mayvax gave me a displeased side eye as I stayed by Ryliar.

“It’s best that you don’t question our prince’s choices, I personally find it rather disgusting of you to do so.” Ryliar voices his distaste, pausing for a moment to glance down at me with an apologetic look in his eyes.

I was thankful when we finally got to the bathing room, where the whole group was. Searching the group of nude bodies playing in the water and washing each other in rather odd ways that made me a bit uncomfortable. The only one that had stopped doing so was Nalik, who seemed genuinely confused when he spotted me. I looked up to Ryliar to silently ask for permission to approach them, earning a small nod. So, I walked over to the pool, gaining the attention of the rest of the group.

“Ivorix, you’re the one that got sent to pick another of us for the prince?”

“Who are you going to pick for the prince?”

“Take me with you please, I’ll do whatever you want.”

With all but Nalik coming up and talking to me all at once was very overwhelming. So much so that I stepped back, Nalik pushing through the group towards me. “Back off, Ivorix will pick who the prince will like best.” He scolds, even going as far as to shove some of them away before turning back to me. “I’m surprised he sent you, not that I’m disappointed. I’m very happy to see you again.” He smiles up at me as I sit down at the edge of the pool, taking my shoes off and pulling my skirt up to my knees to rest my feet in the warm water of the pool.

“I actually came here to get you, I mentioned how you would like the gardens to Prince Faelix, so he sent Ryliar and I to come get you.” I admit to him quietly, my cheeks flushing lightly at the slight widening of his pale green eyes. “There’s very pretty foliage within the walls around the palace that I think you’d like to draw and write about.” I added, returning the small smile he gives at hearing my words.

“I would like that. Things have been very tense as of late. Mayvax got into trouble with the youngest of the Traylirian prince’s when he lost track of Janik and they were even angrier when she was found panicking and terrified by one of their personal guards.” His voice was so quiet it was difficult to hear him over the rest of the group. “He had started taking it out on the rest of us. We’re all rather desperate to leave the palace now, so forgive the others for how they reacted.”

It made me sad to hear how things had been since I had left, especially knowing that Mayvax had made it so tense here that Nalik didn’t feel comfortable enough to speak any louder than a whisper. It made me wish that I had taken him with me the day I was presented to Prince Faelix. Then he wouldn’t have had to take the unjustified punishments Mayvax had dealt after angering two princes in a day.

“I’m so sorry, Nalik. But you’ll be freed from that now, you are the one I’m taking back to the palace.” I reassure him, reaching down to take his hand to squeeze gently, being reminded of how much paler he is compared to me. “Let’s get you dressed, we brought a proper outfit with us so that you won’t have to wear anything that will leave you feeling cold outside.”

It’s been a few days since Nalik joined us and I couldn’t help the content sigh that escaped me as I sank into the plush cushions of the nest, listening to Nalik and Syrion chatter about the plants that surround the palace on either side of me. They have been talking about them since we had come back, the two of them clicked almost immediately. It wasn’t much of a surprise though, the two of them are so sweet that it’s just so easy to be around the both of them.

The sound of the door opening came a few minutes after I settled in, the other two quieting down as I sit up, all three of us looking up at a slim female Varyxan with shaved sides and deep violet braid that ends just above her knees and a pair of short lavender horns that curve ever so slightly back and end in a sharp point. She wore a silky deep blue blouse accented with silver buttons and embroidered flowering vines paired with black skin-tight leggings and boots with a four-inch heel showing that she was Prince Faelix’s attendant. Her narrow obsidian eyes flick between the three of us before settling on me.

“Ivorix, the prince requests that you come bathe with him tonight, Nalik and Syrion may join if it will you feel more comfortable bathing with him.” She states in a rather deep, smooth monotone. Watching me as she waits for my response or waits for me to just simple follow her back to Prince Faelix.

I glanced between the other two, Nalik giving me a bit concerned look while Syrion just watched me with curiosity. I wasn’t sure if I should bring them with me, my discomfort around the prince has dropped quite a lot throughout the past few weeks, but this would be the first time I’d be left alone with him naked since I was presented to him. I bit my lip nervously, worried that it would offend the prince for wanting the comfort of my friends being nearby. But I was worried that I would offend him all the same by showing my nervousness from being alone and naked with him.

Feeling hands on my shoulders brought me out of my thoughts and worries, to focus on said friends. “It’s alright to be nervous about being alone with him while bathing, Ivorix. We can join you, he won’t be offended. He wouldn’t have extended the offer to us if it would.” Syrion reassures me, Nalik nodding along behind them in agreement, trusting Syrion’s reassurance.

So, I take in a relaxing breath and give a nod, looking back up at the attendant, “Alright, I’d like to bring Nalik and Syrion with me.”

“Let us go then.” She waits for us to climb out of the nest and put on our silk blue robes, then turns and leads us towards the prince’s bed chambers. Through the main room, that held nothing more than a desk by a curtained window, a black carpeted floor, deep blue walls, and a very unused plush looking sofa, we went into the bathing room. It was very similar to the one in our room with the floor paved in smooth black stones with a matte finish leading to the warm pool of water and surrounding it as well as leading to a different door.

Upon further inspection of the pool, Prince Faelix was already in the water. He was lounging with all four arms outstretched on the stone floor behind him and his head tilted back with his eyes closed at the farthest edge of the pool where I assume a seat is carved out of the wall. Seeing him that way, looking so relaxed and at peace, made an oddly pleasant tingle surge through my belly and down, causing me to squeeze my legs together a little in an attempt to hide any reaction to the sight.

“Prince Faelix, your pets are here to bath with you. Now I will take my leave.” The attendant announces, before turning and leaving the room.

The prince lifts his head and gives the three of us as close to a small gentle smile as he can usually manage, motioning for us to join him. “I’m glad to see all three of you have the bath robes I had made for you. Please join me, I made sure to have all the product the three of you use.”

“Thank you very much, mas- Prince Faelix.” Nalik catches himself quickly as he sheds the robe alongside Syrion, sinking into the warm water together and heading straight for the little bottles and jars lined up along the edge near the prince. It was nice to see them be so comfortable, smiling and talking as if bathing with the prince was the least nerve-wracking thing to do.

“Ivorix?” The prince asks, pulling me from my thoughts, suddenly standing just a few steps in front of me and surprising me with his sudden close proximity. He tilts his head to the side and extends his two left hands towards me, waiting patiently for me to take them. “Are you alright?”

My eyes flicked down to his offered hands but trail lower than intended and get a glimpse of the prince’s cock. My face burns hot and I quickly turn my head away to forcefully avert my eyes, being more than a little shocked at how large he was while still soft. It made some rather lustful thoughts I have been having the past few nights come back to me. I squeezed my legs together tighter as I let my robe fall to the floor to hide my body’s reaction as best I could. “Y-Yes, I’m alright.” I stammer while taking his hands, allowing him to guide me into the water. If he notices my body’s reaction, he doesn’t say anything about it.

He guides me to where he had been sitting originally, the water reaching my chest while it only reaches the middle his torso, then stops to look between me and the spot he had been sitting in. “The water may be too deep for you to sit comfortably here.” He realizes aloud, looking around the pool before deciding to move along the wall until we were in a shallower spot. He moves me to sit on a seat carved out of the wall that I didn’t know was there so the water only reaches just under my chest, then kneels on the floor in front of me.

The other two make their way over to us with their arms full of the bottles and jars, Syrion insisting on washing Nalik’s hair, then voicing the same complaints they had about mine being frizzy and needing a trim. Meanwhile the prince started washing mine, two sets of large fingers ever so gently massaging my scalp while the other sets massage the shampoo through the rest of my hair, rinsing it out after a short while.

As he starts to comb a conditioner through my hair, I couldn’t help thinking over an idea occupying my mind. And before I let my nerves convince me not to ask the question, I speak up in a soft voice, “Prince Faelix, may I wash your body?”