"The Angel's Bachelor Party"
Jigen No Hanashi
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fanelia had become a flutter of people from one place to another. Garlands with autumn flowers adorned the streets forming arches. White, red, gold or ultramarine blue paper lanterns hung from every door or window facing the street. The parks were also decorated while tents arrived with tables, chairs, stages of not much height and musicians appeared to rehearse. The entire country had dressed up for the event that would take place the next day. The king would finally get married. The jubilation of the townspeople could be seen from the windows of the Asturian ship where a ryuujin with black hair and crimson eyes watched everything uncomfortably.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Oneshot
"VAN, MY FRIEND!"
The aforementioned did not even bother to turn around, he could recognize Allen Schezard's voice anywhere on the planet, even if it caused him some kind of annoyance like at that precise moment.
"Why are you here alone? Your celebration is over there" mentioned the blond as he pointed towards the center of his boat with a gloved hand before taking a sip from his wooden cup.
"I should be down there working" answered the dark-haired man without taking his eyes off the picture that was taking place on the ground, many meters below.
"Come on Van, don't be a spoilsport, kings only get married once in a lifetime... or so I believe. Now that I think about it, didn't you have an ancestor who married twice?"
"He was widowed, he needed someone to raise his successor."
The atmosphere had become more tense at the mention of the death of Van's great-great-grandmother during the birth of her only child, Van's great-grandfather. Allen leaned against the crystals that made the wall while he drank slightly thoughtfully, without wanting it, he had screwed up when he shouldn't.
"Do you know that by tradition a celebration is held to say goodbye to bachelor?
"…"
"It's an almost religious tradition, Van, it's what makes men happiest when one of their friends ends up giving in."
"Giving in? Is that why you're still single at your age?"
Now he really had gotten into a big mess, Allen blamed himself for trying to cheer up his old friend when he felt those crimson eyes throwing him a reproach impossible to ignore. What was he supposed to do if that guy was stubborn enough to refuse to participate in his own celebration?
"Maybe they shouldn't celebrate so much down there, with all that enthusiasm of yours, surely your marriage lasts a couple of hours."
The Fanelian king turned to see Allen with complete and total hatred. The blond simply smiled before taking a last sip of his glass and then retreating to the source of all kinds of screams and chants inside his ship.
"I was just saying Van… after all, ladies never like to be shown little attention on special days… I hope you at least know what to do with her tomorrow night."
Allen let out a small laugh of derision as an empty glass brushed past his head, coming from the place occupied by his interlocutor. Without further ado, the first Caelli knight opened the door that separated him from the place of celebration and entered, leaving a Van completely flushed and upset.
The black-haired man turned his attention to what was happening downstairs in his precious city, worried about all the agreements and papers that he should be reviewing at that moment, suddenly thinking about his fiancée, had her friends also 'kidnapped' her?
The muffled sounds of the party were hard to ignore. He could clearly hear the music and laughter from the men he had considered his friends at some point in the last few years. The door opened. From the voices he guessed it would be Gadeth and another crew member heading to the bridge to check if the Cruzade stayed put or moved a bit, he wasn't really sure or interested.
One last look down and Van decided that he had evaded his celebration for too long. He couldn't go down without the populace noticing his wings and this might cause some panic among his compatriots. It was no secret to the Fanelians in the capital that their sovereign was a descendant of the white dragons... but it wasn't like they'd seen him in broad daylight, either, and he wasn't sure it was a good idea to find out what kind of reaction they would have to seeing him, so then, steeling himself, Slanzar took some time to breath before turning around, picking up the goblet he had thrown at the ship's captain, and entering the room he had barely escaped from.
"LOOK WHO'S BACK TO THE CELEBRATION!"
It didn't take long for Dryden to catch up with the dark-haired man as he held his glass still high with a huge smile while the rest of the entourage paid attention to the newcomer to raise their glasses and wooden jars in the air.
"LONG LIVE TO THE KING!" they all shouted in unison before bursting into loud laughter and returning to what they were doing moments ago.
"Van, Van, for a moment we thought that you wouldn't come in again. It would be a real discourtesy for your comrades, don't you think?"
"They didn't leave me options Dryden… does Millerna know you're up here?"
"Yes, she is aware of it."
"And does she also know about the 'show' you brought to the ship?" released the celebrated while nodding at the five girls dancing on one of the tables and singing a Fanelian song, obviously vulgar and coarse. One last look and Van looked away slightly blushing. The five girls wore bottomless dresses underneath, the way in which the fabric clung to their waists and the pronouncedness of their necklines was scandalous, not to mention how alarming the pirouettes that some did while dancing, revealing their bulging underwear and lace, as well as the strips of cloth that held the stockings of those women in place. One of them was a werewolf, the others seemed to be of different nationalities because of the color of skin so different from one to another. Dryden dedicated a good look before answering.
"She knows that something 'sordid' happens during these festivities, but she is not worried, she knows that I will not do anything wrong."
"HEY, VAN!"
The king turned in time to see Allen approaching again holding a couple of wine glasses in his hands. He offered one to the dark-haired man and then deprived him of the empty glass in his hands and deposited it on the first table he found as he began to walk followed by the other two.
"Luckily you reconsidered coming back. A farewell celebration to freedom without the celebrated is never the same."
"Are you speaking from experience?" Van asked, suddenly feeling like a fifteen year old again, completely annoyed, confused and dazed by what was happening around him.
"Surely yes" Dryden blurted out with a scathing smile before taking a sip of his drink, emptying his glass and leaving it on the makeshift bar where all the drinks were pouring out at the time.
"You can't blame me for going out to have a little fun."
"A little?" the brown-haired man said, adjusting the ribbon with which he tied his hair before taking his glasses out of his clothes to be able to read the label of a barrel of beer that he had nearby "I understand that you appear in this type of event at least once every moon, with or without invitation."
"Dryden, when I go uninvited it's to make sure that no law is broken. You have no idea about the lawsuits and occasional deaths that occur among diners."
"And for this you took me out of my office?" asked Van incredulously at the last comment "also, why are we here? I'm sure there are a few bars down there."
"We couldn't allow his Majesty to escape from his own celebration, right Allen?"
"You're absolutely right Dryden."
Both the King of Asturia and the Caelli knight gave each other a couple of malicious glances before bursting out laughing. Surely complicit in all that Machiavellian plan that Van had a bad feeling about.
He sighed again before taking a sip of his second glass of wine. It was slightly bitter, which perfectly hid the low graduation of that liquid.
Everywhere there was happy music, shouts and laughter. The girls had stopped dancing and singing to start removing empty glasses and jars, exchanging them for others just served while walking between the tables where the gentlemen laughed without stopping seeing them. Some few , already past drinks, didn't hesitate to give the girls one or another spanking while they let out complicit giggles before retiring to the next table. Van blushed a little again when he notice.
"That can't be nice for them… was it really necessary to bring them?"
Both Allen and Dryden laughed cheekily at the question and then watched the whole scene. The men drank and watched the scantily clad vestals. They drank, shouted and laughed, it was true, but they also played cards, told stories, some had started some duels of strength to see who was the first to twist an arm in the struggle. Soon the food began to circulate, there was a complete feast coming out of the small kitchens of the Cruzade. Roasted poultry, fruits cooked inside crispy-covered tarts, vegetables baked and bathed in oils and liquors gave off a succulent aroma too. The men did not take long to make room at the tables to taste the dishes of their choice. Van had no choice but to go to the table of honor in the center of that chaos, trying to avoid seeing too much of the girls who were now serving his table exclusively, then he saw with surprise how a plate was brought from the kitchen huge array of shellfish and fish, surely from the seas of Pallas. Van was throwing another disapproving glance, this time at Dryden, for the audacity to keep the best dishes just for them when one of the young women placed a plate with some kind of red lobster on it and accompanied by other crustaceans and some vegetables. The color rose on the face of the young man celebrated when he noticed the proximity of a pair of white breasts that forced him to look up at the young woman who was serving him. She simply made her huge violet eyes winked as she gestured with her finger to be quiet before turning around with his tray in her arms, shaking her head in such a way that the brown locks around her head danced briefly, hitting the ryuujin in the face.
"Get this face off Van, you're going to scare the girls" Allen let out hitting one of the arms of the man he was talking to while Dryden started laughing again.
"This is completely demeaning!" Van murmured in a disapproving tone, with a flushed face and tightly closed eyes as he took his cutlery to prepare to eat, causing the two men older than him to burst out laughing again.
"You're a puritanical Van" Dryden commented before reaching for some small fish to accompany the huge thigh he already had on his plate.
"Or too innocent" Allen replied on the other side while he selected some vegetables to serve himself "maybe he's even inexperienced."
He must have said it as a joke, but the monarch's completely frown and the, now noticeable, blush almost completely covering his face and neck, only made the two companions of the day start laughing again.
"Wow, is that true?" asked Dryden trying not to laugh and trying to be a little serious and worried without much success.
"That's none of your business," the aforementioned growled, completely annoyed and embarrassed before beginning to devour his lobster.
"It's just… Van, come on, there's nothing wrong with practicing a little before the big day" Allen blurted out with a mischievous look as he served himself a piece of the nearest bird with too much elegance.
"To practice? With all the work I've had on me since the war with Zaibach ended, besides, it would be disrespectful to my future wife."
Dryden began to cough, beating his chest so he wouldn't choke after hearing that and almost choking on his food. When he finally pulled himself together, gently pushing aside the brunette who had run to his rescue, he looked back at Van.
"You're not serious!"
"I'm pretty serious!"
"Oh come on Van, you should have been able to 'practice' a little with someone before the war, right?" Allen asked as he watched with disappointment as his friend shook his head negatively "not even with Merle?"
If looks could kill, Allen would have fallen dead at that precise moment. Luckily Van didn't say anything, he just ignored him again as he tried to finish his plate, causing the blonde and the brunette to exchange concerned looks before turning around in silence, wondering if any of the Fanelian diners would know of this.
"Van, it's not to worry but... a little experience never hurts to give your wife pleasure."
"I'm not interested, Dryden… I'm not going to 'practice' under the stupid excuse of giving pleasure to my future wife."
"I guess then you know that it's not just about sticking it in and that's it, right?"
Allen smiled after making his last comment. Dryden grimaced at the inelegant way that the most gallant knight in his kingdom had used and Van, simply looking carefully at what was still missing from his plate, had blushed again, feeling stupid that this was happening to him within a day of getting married.
"I'm a grown man, I'd appreciate it if you stop treating me like an ignorant kid."
"A man, you say? But if you don't know how to use that 'manliness', you're going to leave your wife quite frustrated in bed."
"Allen, leave him alone."
"Yes, Allen, I prefer to get married without having experience than to be single and with all the experience that you must have without a doubt."
Allen smiled not knowing very well whether to feel flattered or insulted. Dryden decided to cover the laughter that he was trying to contain by using a jar of Chezarian beer, emptying its contents and willing to ask for the jar to be refilled.
"I don't know how much experience Allen has, but I already knew what it was all about when I married Millerna for the second time."
"I'm not sleeping with any of the women you brought anyway."
"I didn't bring them expressly for that... although they could be lent if you change your mind... all five, even at the same time…"
Van gave him a completely shocked and slightly horrified look that made Allen laugh more than was socially acceptable.
"But that is still your decision and I understand perfectly that you don't want to do something so intimate one day after getting married... if I'm honest, I stopped seeing all my 'little friends' after Millerna told me that she would be waiting for me, just before to go to war with you two... and I clarify, Allen, I really enjoyed the attentions of my 'charming companions' but, once you have given your heart, sharing a bed with another woman becomes something... empty... funny surely but lacking of any meaning."
"That's the reason why I haven't taken a wife yet" the blond replied suddenly serious before drinking his glass thoughtfully "not only because I have to take care of Selene now, it seems that I still haven't found the right woman. If I'm honest, I thought I found her a few years ago, but she…well…her heart didn't belong to me."
That sad smile and the brief look he gave the dark-haired man made Van get a little annoyed. It even bothered him when Allen mentioned his brief infatuation with Hitomi, maybe he could never get used to hearing it.
"Then I don't understand why they make such a fuss about this" Van answered, less scathingly than he had expected.
"One thing I can assure you Van," Dryden said, forgetting about the food and focusing on his friend "you can hardly please a woman if it's the first time you're with one of them, even if it's also the first time for her."
"We'll see," answered the other before helping himself to a slice of fruit tart "taking into account how much I love her… if I'm able to convey my feelings to her, I'm sure I'll leave her pleased."
Dryden smiled a little while looking at the king of Fanelia as if he were talking to a teenager in love and not an older man. Allen sighed completely frustrated while holding his head with both hands, probably trying not to laugh. Van felt that the colors rose to his face once more.
"Very well," said Allen making an effort not to laugh or hit the sovereign of the country over which the ship was stopped "let's say I believe you for a moment, you are going to satisfy your wife tomorrow night just by 'showing' how much you love her…how exactly are you going to do that?"
"Well… well… I… um…"
"You have no idea what to do with a woman. What a wedding night you're going to have" the blonde mocked.
"OF COURSE I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER!... you have to kiss her and... hem... caress her before consuming."
"Caress her where? How? For how long?... Van, it doesn't matter if it lasts for a breath or all night, you're going to enjoy it, there's no doubt about, but she…"
"Allen is right Van, women are difficult creatures to please."
"But I love her… and she loves me back… that should be enough!"
"It would be enough if it was a platonic relationship, but IT WILL NOT BE PLATONIC VAN, you are going to get married and surely you won't even know where to put your…"
"Allen, there is no need to be so explicit with him."
"Very well, all right, I'll moderate my language but… By holy Jichia, Van! I heard of a guy who didn't know what to do on his wedding night and ended up hurting his wife. The poor guy couldn't touch her again for at least two moons while she forgave him.
"That's not true, you're making it up."
"Of course not! Besides, not all maidens like anal sex."
Dryden spat out the sip of beer that moments before he was trying to swallow. Van dropped what he had in his hands to eat while he began to cough desperately, trying to free himself from the fruit that had gotten stuck in the middle of his throat.
"Allen, have mercy!"
"Don't tell me you haven't tried it before, Dryden!"
"I've heard things, and I know what you mean, but I don't think it's something pleasant for anyone, especially to comment with…"
"Yes, yes, let us protect the integrity and sanctity of the monarch on the eve of his marriage, even if he makes such a big mistake as 'consummating his love' on the wrong side."
The men at the neighboring table began to laugh out loud, Van suspected that some of the talk had gone to the ears of the Cruzade crew and he couldn't help but see with some hatred and indignation the captain of the ship that had just finished his food, or so it seemed. It didn't take long for a slice of a cake to approach, whose cover was completely smooth, showing that under that smooth and sugary crust some kind of sweet and yellowish cream was hidden. Anyone would have thought that Allen would eat it, seeing him bring the small spoon he had in his hand closer, however, the blue-eyed man changed his mind, turned his spoon around and began to make a couple of holes in his slice, paying attention to it as he took out a bit of filling from the inside, accommodating it strangely under the broken cover of one of the holes he had just drilled into his dessert before showing it to his two table companions.
"Very well Van, then, explain to me what this is?"
Dryden smacked himself in the forehead before getting up from the table in a completely defeated attitude before shooting the partygoer an apologetic look, then leaving the table and walking over to the table where the men was finishing up a game of cards.
"Is it a slice of amaryllis pie?"
"Van, this is serious, now, pay attention…" Allen was completely frustrated as he lowered his head and left the malformed slice in front of the celebrated, apparently while thinking how to make him understand what he was doing "someone must have told you about the human body parts at some point, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"And I suppose someone took the trouble to explain the differences between men and women."
"Of course yes!" the monarch answered angrily while he turned his face away, blushing again for what he had hinted at in that question.
"Then you must know what this looks like, right?"
Van cast a sideways glance at the slice of cake trying to figure it out before looking at Allen, yes, he was tipsy, but not ebrious… not drunk enough to be ranting.
"I think so."
"Well, very well, since you don't plan to practice with the girls and a part in the happiness of your marriage, I am completely sure, depends on this, pay close, close attention, I will do my best to give you all my secrets…"
"Your secrets don't interest me, Allen."
"Oh come on Van! You are like my younger brother! And I can assure you that for years no woman has complained about my services."
"Allen, you're more drunk than I thought."
The blond simply ignored that last comment before starting to give the king of Fanelia what would be a long, detailed and forceful explanation on how to make love to his wife the next day while the poor bachelor felt that with each explanation, his face grew redder and redder because of the amount of details that Allen was giving him, the small examples that the blond gave him with that slice of cake and one or another with the girls themselves who were in charge of serving and entertaining the men on board of the ship.
By the time the party ended that night and the Cruzade made landfall again, the white-winged sovereign ordered that they bring him absolutely nothing for dinner, especially he didn't want to know anything about cakes or pies for the next moon, because the blond's explanations didn't turn over in his head and make him more nervous than he was.
THE END
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hi everyone. Not my first stroy, also not my first fanfic, but my first work translate to english. Re reading this oneshot for translate was really fun for me, hope you enjoyed it to read.
This is a sidestory from my fanfics 'Jigen no Hanashi' and 'El Abrazo del Ángel' (The angel's hug), but, well, I translate this as a experiment and for a writter I admire a lot here in fanfiction net. She told me she want to read one of my stories, so, here it is. I write this one on 2016 by the way.
I'm not so sure if I'll be translating Jigen no Hanashi and The Angel's hug soon, but, well, it depends on how this one is accepted or not and how many time I could take from writing my own novels and raise my kids.
I haven't put the fiancee's name here thinking that it could serve to other stories in the same series, after all, in some of the stories I've read by other authors, no matter who Van is married to (yes, not all of them end up married to Hitomi), most of them give the impression that he hasn't tried to practice with anyone before wedding.
Anyway, I hope you liked this story and that you laughed a little with Allen's jokes, which makes a little liquor xD, well, take care of yourselves and we're reading
SARABA