Part 1
One afternoon, I was doing the laundry at the public washing well with my friend Alanis.
“A curvy little bunny like you would be popular for sure. But most of us don’t work there out of choice.” She smacked her wine-stained cotton skirt on the porous rock.
She worked at the Hillrose, Saint-Tremaine’s oldest brothel. She didn’t have to launder her own clothes. The madam had already paid a girl to do it. But she loved this skirt, and it gave her an excuse to spend time with me.
“I wanted to bring in money, too. But no one wants to hire me. They think I’m clumsy because I can’t see right.”
My vision was restricted to one little spot. A thankful little spot I could see clearly out of. The Hillrose’s Madam was the only one who saw past it. It was a proper establishment, and I already had potential clients lining up just by entering the place. If Bakti hadn’t made a scene, I would still be allowed in there.
“I’m sure the triplets bring in enough. Beastmen are rare in these parts. I’m sure the mayor is ready to pay a lot just to keep them as city guards.”
It’s true that going private would bring us more wealth, but we were attached to our hometown.
“They hate it when you call them the Triplets.”
“But they look the same.”
“None of us are related by blood.”
“Is there a reason you all insist on that?”
“I don’t know. They are the ones getting cranky over it.”
“But you’re not cranky about it?”
I didn’t respond, instead I beat the sauce stain out of Bagus’s linen shirt.
“Why did you ask the madam for work, anyway? It can’t just be money.” Alanis was right.
“I’m utterly bored all day long, always just waiting for them to come back home.”
“Bored or lonely?”
“Both.”
“Keeping the house is not enough?”
“Miss Margaret raised us right. Which means they clean up after themselves. Sometimes they wake up early to clean the house as a surprise. After that, I’m left with nothing to do all day except cook for myself.”
“Bunbun, it’s a pastime you need.”
“I tried drawing. But I can’t see my full drawing unless they are far away. It always ends up looking wonky. Having sex with people all day sounded way more interesting than just waiting.” I sighed, slapping Arif’s pants on the wash stone.
“What do you know about that? Are the rumours true, that you are as pure as snow?”
“Let’s just say I would have more experience if those three wouldn’t drive all suitors away from me. I get that they want to protect me, but it’s not like they’re offering to take their place.”
“Having a kid would keep you occupied for the rest of your life.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you twenty-two? Most women your age already have a kid or two. You have three fit males at your disposal and—”
“Like I said, I’m just a little sister to them. And I…” I leaned towards her to whisper. “I haven’t bled yet.”
“I guess it was a lie that beastman mature faster.”
“Back at the orphanage, our doctor said I was malnourished for too long. I would probably affect my body in the long run.” Then again, he knew little about beastman. We looked like humans from the outside. But we were built different on the inside. It made us stronger and gave us the ability to turn into animals at will.
“I thought you were short because you are a bunny.”
“Well, I don’t know any other. Maybe the height thing is normal.”
“Adopting is still an option.”
“I can’t either. Cross species adoptions are illegal. We were the only beastmen in the orphanage.”
The king had made the decree because there was a trend in the nobility to adopt beastchildren as pets. Kidnappings became rampant after they started “donating” in exchange for the children. It was how Arif, Bagus and Bakti ended up so far north. One day a trader came to their island and took children that played in the woods. I had been abandoned to die near the town until those three found me fainted in my animal form.
The streets around us were getting louder. No one was running per se. But there was enough walking fast to kick up some dust.
“I wonder what’s going on.” Alanis sneezed.
“What do you see?”
“There’s a crowd gathering at the Townhall.”
“Was there a meeting?”
“Not that I know of. Wanna go check it out?”
“I don’t want to leave the clothes here.”
“Then, I will leave my skirt to you. I’ll go get a quick look.”
“Suit yourself.”
I was a little anxious to be left alone, but it was mid-day and there were plenty of other women at the washing well. And Alanis was the type to get disinterested quickly. She came back by the time I was done laundering my last items.
“So, do you know what’s going on?”
“It’s the new lord. He is meeting the elders. Apparently, he’s a beastman like you.”
“A rabbit?” Maybe I could figure out a meeting to learn more about my beastman type.
“No, a wolf.”
“I wish he was a rabbit.”
If he was a predator, it meant he probably earned his title in the army. That inhuman strength was the reason my little band of big lizards were hired on the spot by the mayor.
The temple bells rang five times.
“Time to get back home. The boys are getting off work.” I began the gather the wet clothes. In the laundry basket.
“I think you’d best wait here.”
“Why?”
“I saw Bagus guarding the Townhall doors. I told him you were here.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
Then I would have time to run our clothes through the wringer.
“I, on the other hand, have to get to work. I already have clients scheduled tonight.”
Alanis left with her skirt. By the time I was done with the wringing, the crowd had grown some more. A flower girl came by, and I bought her some daisies to make a crown while I waited. That was something I could do with my eyes closed, not that it changed much.
I was wrapping the last stem in my crown when some clamour rose from the crowd. I heard it move towards me and when I looked up; I saw a man on a tall horse. He was dressed in blue. He must have been the new lord. They were coming to the well, all of them. Perhaps he needed to water his horse, but this wasn’t the right well for it.
Nonetheless, I rushed out of the way with the full basket in tow. I tripped on an uneven brick on the pavement, but the plush straw basket broke my fall.
“Lucile!” It was Bagus’s familiar voice. He came running my way. In a blink, I was pulled up on my feet by the armpits. Like a damn rag doll. “Are you hurt?” his cold hand cupped my cheek while the other rested on my shoulder.
“Not at all.”
Soon enough, the crowd came to surround us.
“Is this yours?” this was an unfamiliar voice accompanied with a sickly musky scent. I covered my nose. It was intoxicating.
Bagus wrapped his arm around my shoulders and tucked me in his side. I was handed my beat-up flower crown. One of flowers dropped as I held it. I tried to look at who was speaking. He was too close for me to see his full face, but I saw the blue of his coat. I bowed only my head as Bagus held me straight.
“Lulu this is Sir Ludwig, our new lord.” Bagus tightened his embrace softly. “He asked us to be his personal guards while he’s in town.”
He probably sought the company of other beastman. That or he was trying to enlist them.
“It’s nice to meet you, lady bunny. I was not aware there was such a beautiful beastwoman in this town.”
I shivered from his voice and felt a fever starting to come. Humans could not recognize beastman types by smell. The fact he didn’t hide that he could, made me uncomfortable. As if he was stalking me by scent. I put my arm around Bagus’s waist. As if I was afraid to be ripped away from him.
“Lucile is the prettiest girl in town.” He kissed the top of my head.
Arif and Bakti often teased me this way too, to remind me how short I was.
“Thank you, but this honour goes to the women of the Hillrose.” I tried to diverge such attentions to the women profiting from them.
“What’s that?” The lord leaned in, trying to catch my gaze, making it harder for me to do so.
“It’s the brothel.” Bakti’s voice had a bit of bitterness in it. He was the one who had me banned there for trying to attack patrons of the place. In that moment I was a bit relieved I was. I would not want this man as a client. Bakti squeezed onto my left side.
“Lucile, why is your face so red?” Arif was next, wrapping his arms over the other two’s limbs covering my shoulders. He hung his forearms below my neck from behind.
Yet again, those lizards were using me as a heat source. I felt a lot more confident surrounded by my circumstantial family.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” I finally addressed the wolf in the room.
“I wasn’t expecting to meet so many beastman, so far from the motherland. Especially some as rare as your three friends here.”
Big monitors like them were not common indeed. Most beastmen in these parts were mammals like us.
“I hope your visit is going well.” I tried to come up with a platitude to say to break his awkward silences.
I could feel his heavy gaze on me. It made me fidget with the flower crown.
“It’s going very well.” His scent intensified, giving me a full-body shiver. I covered my nose again.
I knew that wasn’t polite. It was so pungent I had to, hoping the smell of daisies would cover it even a little.
“What’s wrong?” Arif put a hand on my forehead. “You’re feverish.”
“I apologize, but I feel sick. I should head home.” I needed an out.
“We’ll go with you.” Bagus was not usually quick to the uptake, but at least he listened.
“We haven’t been dismissed yet.” This wasn’t the time for Bakti to keep him in line.
“Yes, but it’s past five, so we should be by now.” Thankfully, Arif noticed something was wrong. “May we leave, sir? You were on your way to the keep.”
“I won’t keep you here for nothing. But I would like to make sure the Lady made it home safe.” The Lord wanted to follow me home. I clung to Bagus tighter.
“We live together.” Arif’s tone became serious.
“So, the four of you—”
“We’re childhood friends.” I cut him off before he made hasty conclusions.
“Lucile is very precious to us.” Bagus finally got the message. His voice didn’t bounce around all friendly anymore.
“We won’t let anything bad happen to her.” Bakti rubbed my shoulder.
“If you insist then…” The lord expected something in another awkward silence.
Bakti sighed and took the crown from my hand for the lord to kiss the top of it.
I waved as he let go. The crowd dissipated from the lord galloping away. I wiped my hand on my apron, noticing that the guys were the ones holding me up.
“I’ll need one of you to carry me.”
“I’ll do it.” Arif shooed away the other two while scooping me up in his massive arms.
“I’m taking the basket.” Bakti patted my shoulder.
“Guess I’m on flower duty.” I reach my neck to the side of Arif’s arm to get a glimpse of Bagus wearing the crown.
As we walked home, my head rested against Arif’s shoulder, to inhale his spiced scent, the same that permeated our house. I stared at the tanned skin of his neck, glistening with sweat. Its muscles flinched, and he shifted me, as if I was slipping. I wasn’t. I clung tight to him with a lower stomach growing a dull ache. Digging my face into his shirt, I couldn’t wrap my head around how insufferably horny I was getting. It only got worse since one of the three men I cared for most held me with care.
