Harem - English version [onc2024]

Chapter five

The spray creates a fine mist when used to care for my wounds. I am used to such a thing and so I hardly react to the stinging sensation. It stitches my skin together almost invisibly, but bragging about an orange cloud I defeated with a vacuum cleaner somehow doesn't count as very brave, which is why I don't mind the lack of scarring.

The Uimm, a peace-loving humanoid from the planet Uimmidarus, turns my hand. He hisses when he sees the cracked open skin, and I act tough as if it doesn't bother me at all. Secretly, I'm glad he's treating it a lot more carefully than if I were tending my wounds myself.

'You killed Windy,' says Zandr. He stands a few feet away from us and he has his arms folded over each other in a stern manner, making his dark appearance stand out. I just managed to ignore him, but now that he starts talking, it becomes more difficult. The Uimm concludes his business and taps my knee to let me know he is finished. I barely realize he is leaving, as I am engaged in a discussion.

'She started.'

'She's a cloud. She just floats.'

In response, I point to the visible skin on my legs, which is visible because - yes - one Windy put her misty claws into me.

I'm lucky the spray can of medicine doesn't produce her children, I think recalcitrantly. At that thought, I look at the canister suspiciously, but I don't see a shred of orange, so I relax again.

Zandr doesn't react further, and when I look at him, I see that he is staring at my legs. As if sensing my gaze, his eyes slowly wander to the piece of furniture I'm sitting on and then onward, across the room.

'So, you have a harem,' I try to distract him from the death of his much-loved Windy. 'Intense.'

It half works.

'As long as you don't kill them, I do indeed have a harem,' he confirms flatly.

'Oh well, in that case I still have quite a few to go,' I say airily. How many does the guy have? One hundred²⁶?

Zandr makes a suspicious sound, then coughs for a moment. I look up at him curiously, but his closed gaze gives nothing away.

'Get ready,' he says suddenly. 'You're coming with me.'

'Oh, all right. Where are we going?' I glide nimbly off the couch and smooth my cloths. I look wistfully at the ruined dress. Although I am not a fan of such garments because it interferes with my movements, the color is definitely awesome.

'Simix will give you new clothes, then we'll go to the arena.'

I immediately start thinking that he is already fed up with my behavior. The quickest way to get rid of me is to bring me to the arena and leave me there. Good luck with that, I guess. The Boltrunian had already made it more than clear to me that I wasn't strong enough. Of course, I still disagree. One thing I know for sure: I will sell my skin dearly.

'Why do you look so dogged? That dress really has to go,' Zandr says. He looks at me disapprovingly, as if I place great value on something as flamboyant as a gown. In fact I do, so I only mutter something grumpy back.

By now I consider Simix my regular sitter, for he is waiting for me outside the doctor's office. The Plantane takes me with him after Zandr gives him his orders. This time he stays with me as we re-enter residence 3, but there is no Windy now to give me a hard time, and so I find that he does so far too late.

My roommates haven't moved an inch from their seats since the last time I entered the room, or so I think. Their heads turn uniformly toward me and I wave cheerfully. 'Hi, there I am again.'

They don't really respond, but if I stay here longer I'm sure I'll get them out of their shell.

Simix escorts me into a second room, which equals the first room in size and height. Judging by the garments that have found a place everywhere and nowhere, it is a walk-in closet.

I can't wear much because the human form is not very prevalent on Serail, we are comparatively a small, unsightly breed, but I see some robes I can drape myself into. I grab the first one; an orange one. I see it as a tribute to Windy. Besides, the color clashes fantastically with my hair and that's a good reason to do it for.

My hair is perfectly styled, because even though I've been rolling around on the floor with it, it's still in the big, complex bun that Charlaegh cobbled into it. Of course, it won't make me sleep well, which makes me promise myself: if I never get it out again, I'll go back and sprinkle salt around her weak stature. Watching her shrink seems like a nice pastime.

My thoughts turn from salt to other foods and suddenly my stomach starts growling. When was the last time I actually ate?

'Bye,' I wave to the harem characters, but I receive no response from them. Too bad.

'Simix, do you have some food for me?' I ask him, as he leads me down a long hallway to Zandr. From what I've seen of the house so far, everything is huge. I don't know the type of stone that covers both the floor and the walls, but its various shades of green create a calm atmosphere. Large bulbs on the ceiling provide an even light, and other than that I hardly see any furniture, paintings or other props. Just nice and boring all the same.

None of the few doors I secretly tried will let me trough, which is annoying. I briefly toy with the idea of making Simix my ally (after all, it's not my plan to be stuck in Zandr's harem forever), but I'm not really sure what I have to offer him at the moment, so for now I walk quietly behind him. I'm positive my chance will come.

'Oh yes, you are an Earthling,' says the Plantane. 'They're always hungry.'

He knows that, of course, because Zandr will have about the same eating pattern as me, so I say nothing and watch quietly.

'Just wait.' Simix remains standing and he rustles his leaves. From an undisclosed spot on his body, a brown something suddenly rolls onto the floor and I politely avert my gaze.

The Plantane continues to murmur and suddenly he presses the brown item into my hands. My eyes almost pop out of their sockets when I realize what he's doing and my scream will echo throughout Serail, then I throw off his finished product so hard that it sticks briefly to the wall opposite of me before it's slowly slides down.

The brown is cracked open, revealing the appetizing white-pink color inside. A heavenly scent emanates from it.

'What are you doing?'

I look at Simix perplexed. 'What are you doing!' I snarl back.

'I was feeding you, the Puddibrierre is known all over the universe as a delicacy,' Simix sputters.

Oh yes, now he mentioned that, the name sounds indeed familiar to me. Not only is it a delicacy, it's also extremely expensive. Plantanes are such upstanding creatures for a reason.

I look regretfully at the ruined food and then hopefully at him. 'Would you like to make...another one?' I put on my sweetest voice.

***

²⁶Prompt 26. Being the other woman in a marriage hurts. But being the 100th in a harem of powerful beings is deadly.