A/N This is a bit of a fluff filled chapter… I needed to move us along but there are plot lines that need to be 'laid' and filled out. This chapter in particular may have benefited from an edit and I think my need of a beta reader may be showing more than a little, so any offers will be gratefully received.
Thessian concolor = cougar/puma
Thessian orric = pack animal akin to Earth hyenas
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Two days before Janaris
T'Soni Estate, private quarters - late morning
Waiting in the private sitting room with Liselle while Shepard and Aria were talking made Liara more than a little annoyed.
"Told to sit here and wait like naughty children who must wait for the Matriarchs to decide what will happen," Liara said out loud giving vent to her growing impatience.
"Be around Aria for long enough you get used to it… you know they have to try to work out who's top orric don't you?" Liselle said from the comfort of an arm chair a small smile playing on her lips.
Liara looked across at her sister and noted once again how lithe and powerful she looked. Even in the loose white shirt and not quite so tight black leather trousers her muscular body looked strong even in her very relaxed slouch.
"Top… ah you mean they are in there trying to decide who is the alpha Asari," Liara smiled a little at the thought and then looked more serious, "but that will surely defeat the object of working together?"
"It's just something they have to get out of their system every time they meet from what I've seen… Aria has a lot of respect for Shepard and it must work both ways because mother does not take even a hint of disrespect well," Liselle chuckled and Liara nodded in agreement.
"Yes I believe Shepard does respect her… and Shepard also always tries to see the best in anyone… I love her for that," Liara blushed and realised that may have been the first time she'd actually told anyone else directly about her feelings.
"We can all see how much you love each other… there's something just so right about the two of you together… hard to describe… but shit what do I know about love and all that crap," Liselle said still smiling but Liara could see an edge of sadness behind her last words.
"But I thought you and Tash were… well you certainly seem to be very together?" Liara said still not used to talking with anyone about such things and worried she would say the wrong thing.
Liselle rose from the chair with all the grace and menace of a mountain concolor and moved to sit next to Liara on the sofa.
"You see the thing is…I can't talk about my… well relationship with anyone… not easy given most of the people I hang out with on Omega and loosely call friends all work for Aria and most of them want to fuck with me," Liselle smiled at Liara's faint blush and wondered, not for the first time, how her sister had ended up being quite so shy about sex.
But Liara's blushes came not only from her shyness but also from the voyeuristic experience she had had and which she still had not confessed to her sister. Partly to put off her confession she encouraged Liselle to continue by nodding her understanding.
"And I can't talk to Aria or even let her suspect that I have… whatever it is that I have for Tasha," Liselle tried to sort out what the real problem was so she could share it in some coherent way with her sister, "thing is Aria has been totally on me about not getting emotionally involved with anyone until I'm at least edging out of my maiden years. She's fine with whatever and whoever I want to do but just not anything that could get serious."
"But you have been with Tash for over five years does that not make it… something?" Liara asked now fully engaged in the conversation and desperately wanting to be helpful to her newly found sister.
Liselle thought for a moment as if weighing up whether she wanted to answer the question. Finally with a huge sigh she said quietly, "yeah Liara it is something, for me at least. The only reason Aria doesn't worry about it is because for the first two or three years Tash was such a mess it was just all about partying and sex. Well for her it was…
I think it was always something more for me from the first time we joined. Goddess I spent a lot of time worrying about her in the beginning making sure she didn't end up dead either on purpose or by accident." Liselle seemed to lapse into memories and after she'd been quiet for almost a minute Liara prompted her again.
"But it has been different this last year?"
Liselle looked gratefully at her sister and continued, "Yes it has. It's as if she was finally here, with me, it's hard to describe but she let me see more and more of her. Look, don't get me wrong we don't have what you and Shepard have. We like fucking other people and sometimes at the same time," Liselle's face transformed with a huge smile accompanied by a small chuckle of laughter and she pulled Liara into a brief hug. "There I go embarrassing my little sister again."
"I am much better than I was when I first met Shepard and…" Liara suddenly realised everything that Liselle had said and replied with mock indignation, "I am hardly younger than you the difference is very small."
But she smiled and recognised the truth of Liselle's words. Despite all she had gone through and the responsibilities she was about to take on Liara felt Liselle was far more experience and galaxy wise than she.
"You must know how Tash feels about you?" Liara asked once again offering Liselle the opening to continue if she wanted.
"I know she loves me in some way, she trusts me, wants to be with me… and the sex… I have to say it is the best I've had and I've had a wide range of experiences… must be something about human's huh," Liselle gave her sister a knowing wink and carried on, "it's not that easy to know Liara unless both of you are really open emotionally… I guess you've never had a different kind of meld… you've only ever joined with Shepard."
It was true Liara had been blessed with her first meld, Shepard had been completely open with her from the start, she couldn't conceive of any other kind of connection.
"I was very lucky," Liara conceded, "could you not ask her?"
Liselle widened her eyes and raised her brows to emphasise her words, "Tasha talk about her feelings… actually that's not fair I'm not that great at it either… but Goddess no I wouldn't know where to start and she'd probably run for the nearest Asari dancer to confirm her freedom if I tried."
Liselle looked somewhere out into the middle distance of the room her eyes unfocussed and clearly remembering a powerful memory as she spoke.
"But we have plans… once this mission is over, the Collectors," Liselle turned briefly to clarify which mission to Liara who nodded her understanding, "once the mission is finished and Shepard cuts all her ties with Cerberus, Aria is going to work something out with them to get Tasha out and she's going to settle permanently on Omega. We've agreed she'll work for Aria with me and we'll live together. Then I think she'll feel safe enough to let her feelings for me grow."
"And what if she returns to the Alliance?" Liara asked knowing this was unlikely in the extreme given the situation Tash was in.
"Well… I guess she'll have made her choice… she told me often enough how much being in the Alliance had been all she wanted to do… until they screwed her over.
Then last couple of year's being with me on Omega is what's made her happy again and given her the sense of belonging that she'd lost when she left the marines.
And how the hell would it work if she did go back to them… merc captain and right hand to the Queen of Omega in a relationship with the newly reinstated Alliance officer trying to make everyone believe she isn't rogue anymore," Liselle smiled and before they could talk anymore their OT's flashed with a message to join Shepard and Aria in the study down the hall.
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T'Soni Estate, private quarter's – 12.20 hours
Shepard walked down the hall from the spare bedroom she had used to dress and walked into Liara's bedroom studying the dress white cover she was holding. When she looked up the sight took her breath away.
Standing in the middle of the room, with two young Asari maidens fussing at her feet, was Liara dressed in a shimmering long white dress. She was suddenly pulled back in her memory to the night of the New Year celebrations on Arcturus.
"Fuck T'Soni if I hadn't already asked you to marry me I'd go down on one knee right now," Shepard's smile was broad and infectious as she noticed the two maidens exchanged brief smiles.
Liara smiled just as broadly back and she looked so young that Shepard's breath caught in her chest as she moved forward, not caring they weren't alone, the need to kiss Liara too strong for any such minor details.
Standing close to her lover's body she took a moment to curse that she was not only holding her cap but also that she had already put on her white dress gloves which meant she couldn't truly feel the bare skin that the scooped nature of the dress allowed access too.
Their lips touched and a burning lust filled both their bodies Liara pulling them into a meld before either knew what was happening. They sensed rather than saw the two maidens leave the room as their kiss deepened and Liara's hands searched Shepard's body through her dress blues.
"Fuck Lee we just don't have the time… tho in the name of everything that's holy in the universe I'm gonna strip you out of that dress the minute we get back," Shepard growled the words as she pulled her lips away but continued to brush her mouth across Liara's throat breathing in the scent of her lovers body.
"Goddess I know…" Liara panted allowing the meld to recede but its passing not lessening their joined desire and need one bit, "I believe you have made me very wet Commander," Liara breathed quietly into Shepard's ear and the response was another blazing, scorching surge of desire that they could feel resonating between them.
Shepard took a step back and held Liara at arm's length by the shoulders another wide grin and slight shaking of the head accompanying her words, "T'Soni you truly are the most irresistible and sexy and beautiful being in the universe… and I love the very bones of you… but right now we have to go to a mind bendingly boring and tedious protocol laden reception at your fuck off huge castle," Liara was smiling as broadly as Shepard and at the term castle she broke into laughter.
"Shepard we have discussed this I am not some fairy tale princess and we have no such things as castles on Thessia."
"Well that's a damn shame coz I have rather a cracking sword with which to slay any dragon that comes within twenty clicks of you," Shepard moved her hands placing her cover on her head and pulling it down, as always, low over her eyes.
She stood to attention and then with one hand on her sword hilt she reached for one of Liara's hands with her other, holding it lightly and bending forward to kiss the back of it. Then she offered Liara her arm with a theatrical flourish.
"I believe your carriage awaits," Shepard said deadpan and Liara laughed as she placed her arm in her lovers. It was a good job her human had played a few old human vids which Shepard called historical dramas or Liara would have had no understanding of the scene Shepard was playfully enacting for her.
There was a small part of Liara's mind that rather liked the idea of being some lonely princess that her handsome and beautiful soldier had rescued by fighting whatever monsters were in the way. And she understood why human's had been so attached to their 'fairy tale' endings and why she hoped they still happened as often as they could throughout in the galaxy.
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T'Soni Estate, main entrance – 12.20
Tash felt at once at home and at odds with herself as she walked through the front door her dress sword moving gently against her leg. Her eyes shielded by the midday Thessian sun by the peak of her cover her mind a million miles away thinking of the last time she wore dress blues a million years ago.
She was brought back to the present by a familiar voice and when she looked for its source she saw Liselle leaning against a large land car one arms crossed and one foot resting back against the vehicles body. The loose white shirt she was wearing not disguising the swell of her breasts nor the smooth toned abdomen that gave way to low slung trousers.
Tash began to walk down the steps and realised she hadn't heard a word Liselle had said. "Sorry to busy looking at the view what did you say?" Tash said a cheeky grin spreading across her face.
"Oh you of the one track mind," Liselle said pushing herself of the land car and moving towards the approaching human, "I said don't you scrub up well. You look very sexy and a sword." Liselle fingered the hilt and pressed herself against the taller woman's body.
"Where did you get to I thought you would have come and helped me dress," Tash said quietly leaning in to find her lovers lips.
The body heat burned through their clothes and for a moment, with the help of a light meld, it was as if they were skin to skin.
Liselle moaned into Tash's mouth as their tongues danced and their hips pushed forward.
"Some of us are working Mikhailovich but I'll promise to be here when you get back to take you out of it," Liselle said as they parted aware of other people arriving.
"Hey no fair I'm working today," Tash said in a mock hurt tone.
"That you are major so you'd better look sharp," the voice belonged to Hannah Shepard who had just come out of the front door and was walking down the steps.
Instinctively Tash turned towards the approaching naval officer snapped to attention and gave a perfect salute which was returned just as perfectly.
"As you were marine," Hannah said with a smile, "good to see you haven't forgotten your training."
Tash had a moment of nervousness about what her aunt may say next. She had asked both her relatives to keep her reinstatement between the three of them for now; Tash had even banned Shepard from telling Liara.
She needed time to think and needed to have a chance to talk it through with Liselle. At this point she wasn't sure about anything except she didn't want to lose Liselle and that seemed like a distinct possibility if she went back to the Alliance.
But her worry was pushed completely out of her mind when she realised what her aunt was wearing.
"Admiral?" she said with surprise in her voice.
"Well don't sound quite so surprised Major I am perfectly qualified and Hackett seems to think it was a good idea," Hannah Shepard said deadpan but with a glint of humour in her eyes.
"No ma'am… I mean yes ma'am…" Tash was aware of Liselle amusement that her normally very laid back and cool lover was completely flustered by the situation.
Hannah Shepard laughed deeply and slapped Tash on the shoulder, "get a grip Tash. As I remember you were pretty insubordinate in or out of uniform so don't go all squeaky yes ma'am no ma'am on us."
Liselle joined in the laughter and Tash felt a little more at ease in the uniform she had once loved and now had very mixed feelings about.
"You kept that quiet Admiral," Shepard said walking down the steps slowly with Liara on her arm.
"Liara you look absolutely wonderful," Hannah Shepard said, "and I thought news of my promotion could wait I didn't want to," there was a split second hesitation as Hannah Shepard adjusted what she was going to say, "well it didn't seem as important as everything else that's going on," she finished smoothly with a smile.
Once Shepard and Liara were safely off the steps Shepard gave the Admiral a precision salute which was once again returned.
"This must strike you all as very formal but it would seem odd not to follow the usual protocols," Hannah said to both Liara and Liselle.
"Oh you forget I grew up in an Asari military home and as for protocol I think by the end of this afternoon you'll get a fair idea of how anal Asari diplomatic and social protocol can be," Liselle said a mischievous grin dancing on her lips, "I'd better get going, I'm riding escort in the shuttle."
And she turned towards the shuttles parked on the front lawns giving Tash one brief touch on her arm as she passed.
"I like her," Hannah said as they watched her move quickly across the lawns. "And thank you for letting me ride up with you Liara, much more pleasant than a stuffy shuttle and don't let the young colonel tell you any different," Hannah nodded her head towards Shepard who rolled her eyes.
"Do you know how much quicker it would be if we… all right I give up… nice long drive along green lanes," Shepard said as they began to move to the land car.
The vehicle was large with comfortable seating for six, facing towards each other carriage style, with a row of seating behind and in front that was currently accommodating six commandos including Captain Senna who remained in command of the Liara's private commando squad.
"You look taller," Tash said trying hard not to look at Liara's cleavage, perfectly and tantalising displayed by the sweep of the dress.
"It was thought best that I opt for a formal dress, rather than a suit, and as such it requires the use of heels. I am not entirely comfortable in them, in fact I can not remember the last time…" Liara stopped mid-sentence a look of absolute misery on her face, "no Shepard I do remember of course I do how stupid of me."
"It's ok babe a lot's happened and to be honest the shoes you wore never figured large in my best memories from our trip to Illium," Shepard spoke gently and kissed Liara on the cheek then helped her get into the car.
Hannah Shepard got in and sat across from Liara but Shepard and Tash stood waiting for their final passenger.
"Bet you remember the dress she was wearing with the shoes," Tash said quietly leaning close to Shepard so they wouldn't be overheard.
Shepard grinned at her cousin, "unforgettable… she was… smoking hot. Caught every eye in this club we went dancing in. Damn I was proud to be the one with her… but hell she looks hot in just about anything she wears," Shepard finished with a quick glance in Liara's direction the smile still playing on her lips.
"You, dancing, surely not," Tash teased and Shepard was saved from defending her dance skills with the arrival of a tall Turian in dress military uniform.
"Come on Vakarian… I know you need to spend time making yourself look pretty but hell even I don't take that long and I've got more scars than you have," Shepard shouted as he approached.
"That's Captain Vakarian to you, newly and temporarily designated ambassador to Thrassica and empowered by the Turian Hierarchy to offer my blah blah," Garrus drawled in his best sardonic tones.
"I am so sorry Liara my father took much longer to brief than he needed to, but he's very proud," he rolled his eyes as he sat down next to Hannah, "apparently the Hierarchy feel I am just about qualified to stand still with a sash around me and offer the best wishes of my government to you and Thrassica."
"Oh Garrus I am touched that you will be the Turian representative to go down on their knees and pledge their support and allegiance to my family and my heirs," Liara said her face and tone serious.
Garrus looked completely non plussed, "pledge, my father didn't tell me I'd… knees," he said in a puzzled tone watching Shepard settle into the seat next the Liara.
Then with comprehension dawning he noticed Shepard's face contorted trying to stifle a grin and said, "I think I preferred you when you were shy and with no understanding of leg pulling. You've spent far too much time around Shepard young lady," he finished his mandibles flaring indicating his amusement.
And with a round of laughter they began the drive to the mansion and the formal reception of T'Soni extended family members, foreign diplomats and an abundance of Matriarchs from Thrassica and beyond.
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Road to the T'Soni Family Mansion, Thrassica – early afternoon
The hour's drive was passing pleasantly and the occupants of the vehicle seemed to relax more and more as the land car threaded its way through almost straight roads.
Moving in and out of the dappled shade afforded by the trees that from time to time edge their path and other times the drive offered magnificent views across rolling landscapes to mountains in the distance.
"Even the cultivated fields look natural Liara," Hannah commented as they passed yet another section of the Estate's farmed land.
Liara smiled and tilted her head slightly as she talked about the changes wrought over five thousand years ago when the Asari Republic's decreed that the natural beauty and environment of Thessia was of primary importance and all other matters were subordinate to the 'Principles of Preservation', the name of the treaty that all Republics signed up to.
"Asari heavy industry and manufacture was all moved off Thessia onto purpose built stations within our system or other planets… thanks to that decree Thessia has been able to let huge tracts of our land revert to wilderness, the natural fauna and fora returning often given a helping hand from our scientists," Liara stopped realising she had dropped into professor mode as Shepard called it. "I am sorry I… sometimes I share too much detail," she finished a little shyly.
"Not at all Liara it's fascinating to see what can be done with the right agreement. We'd do well to take some advice from the Asari about our own problems with our environment… a legacy from the mismanagement of the mid twentieth century… we've been trying to clean it all up for the last three hundred years," Hannah said and smiled wistfully adding, "although those timescales must seem very short to you Liara."
"It only shows how much progress humans can make over such a short period of time. You are greatly admired in the galaxy for your dynamism and lack of patience," Liara said and frowned, "perhaps that was not the best way to phrase…" Shepard cut as Liara paused.
"Think your right on the credits Liara as a species we don't do well with delayed gratification," Shepard smiled and squeezed her lovers hand which was as usual nestled in one of her own.
Arriving and passing through the gates that marked the entrance and final drive up to the mansion Liara spoke her quiet voice edged with sadness.
"The reason why I wanted to take the land car has everything to do with my childhood," Liara let her eyes drift and began to watch the horizon for the first glimpse of the huge mansion. "You see for holiday's we would live at our private residence, the Estate house. But unless my mother was conducting private or secret business or diplomacy the rest of the time we would live in the private quarters of the mansion.
I would be left with my own personal staff, even as a baby, as my mother worked tirelessly for Thessia. She often travelled and so I would not see her for long periods of time.
She was always so caught up with everything that it was as if she did not see me. So different from when she made time for me…" Liara shook her head slightly to free herself of the memories and smiled.
"Anyway it was a concession that she made to me most of the times we had to return. That we would take the longer land journey and she would give me her undivided attention on the drive… silly I know."
To a murmur of support and understanding Shepard added a kiss to her lovers cheek and held both of her hands as she said, "Babe I know this wasn't the path you wanted and we all know why you're doing it… but it won't be like when you were a kid. You're in charge this time and you know I won't let you disappear on me."
"And you won't be lonely this time Liara you have a lot of friends, people who love you by your side," Garrus said in warm genuine tones leaning forward a little to emphasise his personal connection.
"Thank you," Liara managed to say and desperately trying not to cry she had no idea why she was being so emotional.
"That is a fuck of big house Liara… you really are a princess," Tash said with humour in her voice recognising that Liara needed a change of gear.
The group laughed but a gasp escaped more than one of them at not only the size of the building but also its beauty.
"Such elegant sweeping curves and that lovely cream stone again," Hannah said looking at the building now coming into view more fully as the land car swept across its front on the curving drive.
"You can only see two of its three spiral arms, the other is at the rear and half of that will be our private quarters with a separate entrance and gardens… if we wish," Liara said, "of course the rest of the families living within the mansion complex have private space but most prefer to live more communally."
"How many people make their home here Liara?" Garrus asked much more familiar with the more communal living arrangement preferred by Asari which was reflected, to a lesser extent, within Turian society.
"I believe at the moment we have around fifty adults and ten children. Then there are house and estate staff, some with children and of course the commandos but they have their own accommodation which is also their training centre." Liara said smiling.
"Do you ever wonder why you never see a destitute Asari?" Tash asked to no one in particular, "every one of the thousand first families have a duty to all Asari who were born in their Republic and of course within their own families. And any Asari asking for help, a home and work will be given it. And now that responsibility sits on Liara's very graceful shoulders," Tash smiled and again worked hard not to let her eyes drift to the very enticing sight of Liara's breasts only just contained by the material of her dress.
"Yes but it is right that we share what we have and it is not only my responsibility Tash all first families have the same duty which we are happy to honour."
As the car swept up to the much more impressive entrance Shepard noted the use of glass and metal as an integral feature of the building. And the huge pieces of sculpture that flanked the wide entrance doors.
"Are they shimmering or is it my imagination," Shepard said to Liara as she offered her hand to help her lover out of the land car.
"Yes they are dark energy pieces and you can only really see how beautifully the biotic fires dance when it is dark," Liara answered and Shepard felt her stiffen, "I feel a little like Garrus… my mother would be proud of me but I can take no pleasure from the thought."
And as they walked forward towards the house and all the formalities that the afternoon would demand of them Shepard wondered for the first time just how much their lives would actually change with Liara's new position and by default her own as 'Lady Liara's' bondmate.
A/N next chapter will deliver a romantic surprise and some interesting confrontations…
The 'mansion' – if you think of an artistic mix of Bauhaus, Art Deco and Santiago Calatrava then you will have an idea of what I'm seeing when I saw the building in my mind's eye.
