Lucy walked in uncertain circles around her new room in Gryphon's Eyrie. It was comfortable, and warm, and just big enough. The architects had understood felines: her bed was tucked into a small nook in the wall, and an enormous window-seat let in the sunlight and invited napping.
"It just doesn't smell right," Lucy said sadly to herself. Though they were often confused with each other by non-felinoids, Mistress Kina was not her kind. Her lion-folk smelled entirely different than Lucy's own cat-people, and often entirely different than each other - a baffling state of affairs!
She was also adjusting to the massive extent of Kina's lineage. She was hopelessly confused which kittens came from which marriage, and had no idea who looked after the romping youngsters whose names she couldn't recall. She assumed that everyone here was related to Kina; did that mean she was now family as well? Was she adopted or made concubine in some way she didn't understand? Everything was so different, especially love and family! Even duty bore a different meaning.
Lucy made a list in her mind. She had never heard of money before coming to the Red Dragon Inn. She had never worn clothing (except as sensible precaution against weather), and had never heard of the women-without-clothes called prostitutes. She had never heard of people being bought and sold in any way, and was confused why anyone should pay for someone when lovers and kin could be had for free.
At least she had a job, and a home. And, perhaps, a family? She made a note to ask Kina about her role in the household, and what behavior was now inappropriate. Clothing was optional, it seemed, but she was afraid of missing other rules more elusive.
"Soon this room will smell just like me," she said, comforting herself. "And Antonio won't mind too much if I - don't try that bath thing - for a little while. One step at a time." She brushed out her brown hair, humming to herself. She wondered whether she should tell Kina about her new lover, or maybe Sheyleigh... but she was terrified that she had somehow misunderstood her lover's intentions. How embarrassing it would be to imagine you were adored, and then learn that perfect strangers acted so affectionate!
"Besides, it's more exciting if it's secret," she consoled herself softly. She smiled, thinking how very like a romantic song it all was (if she had read the right intentions into her magical evening!) She had walked into the Red Dragon Inn boasting about her perfect new lover - a pure fiction to make Panther jealous.
Why had she been interested in him at all? she wondered. Later that night she had actually found her true-soul lover, an exciting person that she connected with, that made her heart sing and her fur stand on end.... Someone who lavished her with compliments and petting, unlike the stand-offish, all-too-human panther-man. He had missed his chance, Lucy thought, and in her narcissism started purring throatily.
"I'll write my Beloved a song, and sing it at the club," Lucy decided, giddy with infatuation. She thought again, and amended, "Next week. It would be a shame to waste a devilish drinking song I've already written. I only need one more chorus for 'Be My Pet' to be finished." But the song she hummed to herself was pure romance - an ancient love-song from the Old Country, named "Call of my Heart". She sang the chorus softly as she spun about the room: "Thou art mine, thou art beloved, thou art like sunlight in winter to me - thou art everything, my love, and I am the world to thee."
"It just doesn't smell right," Lucy said sadly to herself. Though they were often confused with each other by non-felinoids, Mistress Kina was not her kind. Her lion-folk smelled entirely different than Lucy's own cat-people, and often entirely different than each other - a baffling state of affairs!
She was also adjusting to the massive extent of Kina's lineage. She was hopelessly confused which kittens came from which marriage, and had no idea who looked after the romping youngsters whose names she couldn't recall. She assumed that everyone here was related to Kina; did that mean she was now family as well? Was she adopted or made concubine in some way she didn't understand? Everything was so different, especially love and family! Even duty bore a different meaning.
Lucy made a list in her mind. She had never heard of money before coming to the Red Dragon Inn. She had never worn clothing (except as sensible precaution against weather), and had never heard of the women-without-clothes called prostitutes. She had never heard of people being bought and sold in any way, and was confused why anyone should pay for someone when lovers and kin could be had for free.
At least she had a job, and a home. And, perhaps, a family? She made a note to ask Kina about her role in the household, and what behavior was now inappropriate. Clothing was optional, it seemed, but she was afraid of missing other rules more elusive.
"Soon this room will smell just like me," she said, comforting herself. "And Antonio won't mind too much if I - don't try that bath thing - for a little while. One step at a time." She brushed out her brown hair, humming to herself. She wondered whether she should tell Kina about her new lover, or maybe Sheyleigh... but she was terrified that she had somehow misunderstood her lover's intentions. How embarrassing it would be to imagine you were adored, and then learn that perfect strangers acted so affectionate!
"Besides, it's more exciting if it's secret," she consoled herself softly. She smiled, thinking how very like a romantic song it all was (if she had read the right intentions into her magical evening!) She had walked into the Red Dragon Inn boasting about her perfect new lover - a pure fiction to make Panther jealous.
Why had she been interested in him at all? she wondered. Later that night she had actually found her true-soul lover, an exciting person that she connected with, that made her heart sing and her fur stand on end.... Someone who lavished her with compliments and petting, unlike the stand-offish, all-too-human panther-man. He had missed his chance, Lucy thought, and in her narcissism started purring throatily.
"I'll write my Beloved a song, and sing it at the club," Lucy decided, giddy with infatuation. She thought again, and amended, "Next week. It would be a shame to waste a devilish drinking song I've already written. I only need one more chorus for 'Be My Pet' to be finished." But the song she hummed to herself was pure romance - an ancient love-song from the Old Country, named "Call of my Heart". She sang the chorus softly as she spun about the room: "Thou art mine, thou art beloved, thou art like sunlight in winter to me - thou art everything, my love, and I am the world to thee."