Chronicles of an Elven Bed-warmer

Chapter the Eleventh

Dress for Success

I finally got some pants on! Oh wait, this is a skirt. Dammit!

Aedan was approaching the library on the lookout for male human/female elf "literature", when he started hearing a strange thumping noise. It was oddly regular, happening every few minutes or so. It grew louder as he got closer to his destination, it was coming from his sister's study. As he opened the door of said room, he was greeted by a curious sight.

His bodyguard and his sister were wrestling.

In their small-clothes. and, in Kallian's case, stockings.

Naturally, Aedan was intrigued, and decided to watch, while doing his best to ignore the fact that one of the "combatants" was his sister. The young lord was inadvertently reminded of a time when he had seen the Stray playing with a kitten (probably one of his). Kallian would lunge at Elissa and the larger girl would swat her back down and try for a pin, which the elf would somehow miraculously squirm out of, and it would start all over again. Judging by how sweaty they were, the match seemed to have been going on for some time. He spotted Elle off to one side.

"What are they doing?" he asked the maid.

"Wrestling." she answered in her usual deadpan tone.

Well, ask a stupid question... He thought. "That's obvious. Why are they wrestling?"

"If Elissa wins, Kallian has to wear a corset." explained Elle.

"Okay, and they're in their smalls because...?"

"Didn't want to mess up their clothes."

"Ah," That... sort of made sense, at least if he didn't think about it too hard. "How is she doing?"

"Kallian's down one fall to none," Elle said as she anticipated her lord's next question. "Best of three."

"Er...why does Elissa care how my bodyguard dresses?"

"We're trying to teach her how to be a lady."

There was another thud as Kallian was once again hurled to the floor.

"How's that going?" he said, eyebrow raised.

"Better than I expected."

"So basically, she's kicked and screamed, but she hasn't actually killed or maimed anyone yet."

"Pretty much."

They watched the two women for a while. There was another thud.

"Does Kallian even know how to wrestle?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"Hmmm."

Elissa had finally gotten a sold grip on her surprisingly evasive opponent and had her pinned when she noticed Aedan for the first time. "Ah, brother, enjoying the sh-AAA!"

Kallian bit her and scrambled to her feet. "Does that count?" she asked franticly. Looking over at Elle and noticing her would-be lover. "Aedan?"

"Uh...hello?"

Kallian flushed in embarrassment and looked down at her stockinged feet. "Uh, sorry I missed break-"

Elissa took advantage of the elf's distraction and rolled her up for the win.

"Never let your guard down." She admonished before Kallian could protest that she hadn't been ready.

"Fine." pouted the rogue. Knowing that Elissa and especially Elle would want her to wear the corset literally as soon as possible, and she couldn't wear a corset with her bra on, she began to remove it.

Elissa cocked an eyebrow and indicated that there was a male present. Said male was suddenly blushing and looking everywhere but at the stripping elf.

Kallian smirked saucily and started removing the garment more slowly, swaying her hips sensuously back and forth, just as she had seen the Rivaini dancers at the Pearl do. She then shot Aedan a teasing wink over her shoulder.

"Ahem." coughed Elissa with a disapproving frown, giving Kallian a start. She'd been so focused on seducing Aedan, she had completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room.

Elle gave her a smirk as the approached bearing the corset, motioning that the young elf should raise her arms over her head.

Kallian had long stopped wondering how the maid kept producing clothes seemingly from out of nowhere, and in her size to boot, and reluctantly did what she was told. The maid wrapped the corset around her torso and started lacing it up.

Well, thought Kallian, this isn't so ba- "Ack!" The blond grunted as the lacing was pulled taught with a sharp yank.

Elissa surveyed Elle's handiwork, and frowned after a couple seconds. "That's far too loose. Here let me show you..." She took the string and jerked it as hard as she could, probably a lot harder than was strictly necessary. Then again, Elissa Cousland did not appreciate being bitten.

"C-can't... breathe!" Gasped Kallian.

"Er, that does seem a little tight." Aedan commented.

"Oh tosh," His sister said dismissively. "Being pretty is worth a little pain."

"She's turning blue!"

"Okay, that's not supposed to happen..."

Elle, not waiting for the siblings to stop bickering, quickly pulled the strings loose.

Kallian gasped in relief, gulping down great lung-fulls of air with her hands on her knees. The maid patted her on the back.

"There there, dear, quick shallow breaths."

Aedan, seeing that the maid had things under control, turned to his sister. "You know Elissa, I can't remember the last time you wore a corset."

"Oh I don't wear them." she shrugged. "They're really terribly uncomfortable."

"Then why-" Aedan started.

"Because I thought it would look good on her." Interrupted Elle. "And look: I was right."

Kallian had caught her breath by then and turned to face Aedan nervously.

"..." The lord was speechless.

The restrictive garment pushed her formidable breasts up and together, greatly enhancing her already impressive cleavage to epic proportions.

"That's really quite flattering." Even Elissa was impressed.

"It's kind of uncomfortable, and I can't really move my back. How am I supposed to fight in this thing?"

"Now try the heels." demanded Elle, completely ignoring her junior's question. Kallian looked like she was going to argue for a second, but balked at the maid's 'Do it. Now.' face. "Might as well, try the dress too..." the maid continued under her breath.

While this was going on Aedan shot his sister a sidelong glance.

"Elissa."

"Yes brother?"

"Would you please put some clothes on."

"Why? You've seen me in my smalls before." she answered, feigning ignorance.

"We were eleven. Things have changed a bit since then."

"Have they?" she teased. "You know, lots of people would love to see me like this, probably would pay a lot of coin for the privilege."

"Elissa!"

"Oh fine," she pouted. "Bet you wouldn't say that to little miss elf though."

"He did, actually." interjected the blond, in the midst of having a rather elaborate dress put on her. "Made me get a robe." Elissa smirked at the reddening noble. "That was just the first time though.

Before anyone could comment further, Elle had finished with the dress.

"Well, what does everybody think?"

Elissa brought her hand up to her chin in the 'thinking' pose. "Quite acceptable." she concluded after a few moments. "Aedan?"

"Urg." he grunted, higher brain functions disengaged.

The dress was a slinky strapless number in burgundy velvet. The skirt, though floor length had a slit up the side revealing Kallian's shapely leg, made even more so by the heels that forced her to stand on her toes, emphasizing their musculature.

The females all grinned simultaneously.

"I think he likes it." commented Elissa.

0-0

"And that's why I want control of the alienages." concluded Anora.

Shianni, still in her nightclothes and still very hungover, wondered why the Queen had decided to tell her about this now. She had been dragged from her bed, which she very much wanted to get back to, force fed some odd bitter beverage called "cough-ee" if she recalled correctly, which didn't help her hangover nearly as much as Mhiri had said it would. Now that she came to think about it, Anora was probably telling her this now because Shianni was really in no condition to argue with her. Little did the queen know, Shianni could argue while hanging upside-down with her head submerged in a bucket full of wine.

Squinting her bloodshot eyes in an expression of fierce concentration, the elf started speaking. "So let me see if I've got this straight, you want control of the alienages as a separate form of income to bypass the Landsmeet,"

Anora nodded. "For schools and other worthy causes." she clarified.

Shianni rolled her eyes sceptically and continued. "And in return, we get a new landlord and some special legal protections."

"That just about summarizes it."

"But a human will be in charge?"

"Lord Aedan, yes."

"No."

Anora raised an eyebrow. "You have a problem with him? I assure you he is eminently qualified. He demonstrated this when he reformed Highever's alienage"

"He's a human." And he's doing something to my cousin. She added in her head.

The Queen sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Shianni," she responded in a weary voice. "This isn't a negotiation. This is me, the Queen of Ferelden, telling you how it is going to be, out of courtesy."

"But-"

"The position is going to Lord Aedan." The queen declared. Shianni attempted to explain why she found that unacceptable, but the queen cut her off. "Whatever the problem is, you're just going to have to sit on it for now and sort it out with Lord Aedan when you have the opportunity. Is that clear?"

The redhead was taken aback by the steel in the queen's voice. This was not the woman who played dress-up and joked around with Mhiri. She was, without a doubt, speaking as the Queen.

"Er...y-yes, Your Majesty."

Anora's eyes softened and she was back to being just herself again. "Shianni, once Aedan has been put in charge of the alienages, at least give him some time to actually see how he operates. If it turns out that he is not governing your people to your satisfaction, come speak to me, and we'll resolve the issue then. Is that acceptable?"

The elf managed a nod.

"Excellent. Now I suggest go back to bed, you look terrible, and could use some beauty sleep."

As of this chapter this is now officially the longest thing I have ever written.

Anyway, Sorry this is so short again but I felt I should update before you guys all forget about me(sob)

I've got another bit with Aedan finding some dirty books after this but I feel like this is enough for now.

So that's sort of a cliffhanger. Is everybody enjoying the story so far? It's not too fluffy is it? Considering adding some more dramatic elements like...okay haven't really got that far yet, but if anyone has any suggestions I'm more than willing to listen. Not saying I'll actually DO anything, but I will listen.