Mystique looked upon her son for only the second time in her life, as he bowed with his troupe to the applauding nobles. She watched as he drank in the praise, returned to the side of Princess Amanda and teleported her to her rooms after she had bid goodnight to the guests. He reappeared alone and headed to the buffet, ready to do justice to his hunger.
That alone gives credit to the mages words; he was unable to go where he wished before.
As none of the visitors had noticed the lack of collar or Binding, there were no obstacles in Raven's way as she headed towards the demon, holding tight to her husband's hand with nerves. The Duke squeezed back with gentle support.
Kurt watched them approaching from the corner of his eye, determined to get enough food down his throat so that he would remain standing whilst they poked him around to be sure the fur was real. 'Porting was hungry work.
When he realized who it was, the demon swiftly swallowed his mouthful and stood attentively. Having been in Germania for most of his life, he had a lot of reverence for the Duke.
Duchess Raven looked as if she had been crying, though she hid it well. Standing in front of him, the lady opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She frowned, stopped and swallowed a couple of times; still no sound emerged. The demon passed her a glass of orange juice, which she gulped greedily. The Duke seemed to be quietly laughing at the nervous woman, making Kurt smile as well.
What could she say? Come out with it bluntly, whisper it, proclaim it to the assembled people in a loud voice? Finally, she thought of a way.
"Mein Dame are you alright? Can I get you anything, because you're looking a little ill...?"
"Kurt?" The Incredible Nightcrawler nodded, surprised.
"Did Astrid ever tell you how she...came across you?"
Kurt stared at her. Could it be true? After everything else that had happened today, they were still going to fit in a family reunion?
"Ja, repeatedly; Mutti..."
Raven stepped forwards and hugged him tight, transforming as her hold on her appearance slipped. The two blue people startled the throng of nobles into crowding them, some rudely demanding to be told what was happening.
Duke VonWagner began to explain to the richly dressed rabble, smoothly describing the events that led to a duchess naming Princess Amanda's pet forest demon as her son.
Much later, having left Mystique talking with an excited circus troupe, and having proved to the nobles he was human, via a complicated spell performed by Jimaine's mother; Kurt left to tell Amanda the good, no, the miraculous news.
:BAMF:
The blue furred human landed on the top of the four-poster just as the princess had slipped her nightgown on. The girl scowled towards the dissipating smoke.
"You have either very good, or very bad timing, Kurt. What do you want? You don't live here anymore, I freed you."
"Maybe I came to say auf wiedersehn."
"Oh. Sorry. Are you leaving with the circus troupe?"
"Nein, mein fruend, I am leaving mit mein mutti, Raven."
"WHAT! Kurt, are you kidding me? I don't believe it!"
Amanda climbed up to sit opposite him on the top of her bed.
"Are you sure that curtain will take both our weights? I don't want your bed to break, Amanda."
She laughed at him. "Don't worry, Fuzz-head, it won't break. Are you really going with Duchess Raven? That would be incredible. So you were telling the truth the whole time?"
It was the demon's turn to laugh, though he'd been grinning constantly anyway. "Would I lie to you, liebchen?" He asked, leaning forwards to kiss her gently. Amanda was stunned, then lashed out, sending him flying over the edge of the bed. A quick BAMF saved him from hitting the carpet. In front of Lady Amanda once more, he muttered that he'd known she'd do that, just not so hard. The girl sniffed.
"You may have been freed and become heir to the Duke today, but you can't take liberties like that. Try to again and you are in serious trouble."
A crafty look replaced the grin. "Didn't I hear you say that you'd rather marry me than Chad?"
"I'd frankly rather marry a worm than him, you haven't seen how poor the competition is."
"Isn't the most wanted union between Germania and the South Realms?"
Amanda raised her eyebrows at him. "You really do have amazing hearing don't you?" Kurt nodded.
"So," he continued, after that rude interruption. "You would have to marry Chad because Duke VonWagner had no son, but now that he does, namely me, you will most probably marry that son," He grinned again, pointing at himself, "because that is what everyone expects. Could you stand living with a blue elf?"
The girl's jaw dropped. "At least you're not Chad, I suppose. Oh, Goddess, that's so strange. You were my pet a few hours ago, now you're my potential fiancée? I'm too confused."
"Don't worry." Reassured the Forest Demon, going to kiss her again, surprised when she let him.
His tail wrapped around her, and he purred loudly when she wrapped her arms around him and stroked his fur. She'd wanted an excuse to do so ever since brushing it.
Conveniently, that was when Lady Marie, or Rogue, decided to meet her brother.
"Hey, 'Manda, is the blue demon that's supposed to be my brother in here? Hey, what have you two been doing?"
They blushed, having sprung apart guiltily when she entered, but Kurt's tail was still around Amanda.
"Talking about political marriages maybe? Amanda, you have blue fur on your face. Hey Kurt; I'm your sister."
Kurt leapt down from the bed, amazed at how easily Marie had accepted such a sight.
"Nice to meet you, sis. How are you? In fact, who are you? I don't know you at all."
He held out his hand to shake. Rogue backed away slightly.
"I, er, can't touch people. I hurt them somehow."
"Don't worry, I bounce back very easily." The blue hand caught hers and squeezed it a little, before snapping back.
"That felt weird...Never mind, I obviously haven't been harmed. So, how long are we staying for?"
"We go back to Germania in a week, listen - :YAWN: - We better go to bed, it's late."
Kurt grinned. "Technically, it's early." He quipped.
Marie groaned lengthily. "Oh, and I didn't see that coming at all!" She sarcasmed. The demon wilted.
"You better go in one of the guest rooms now that you're nobility." Suggested Amanda.
"Ja, I am, aren't I. Schlaf gut mein Dame."
"Mm-hmm."
The two siblings left and Amanda climbed into bed.
Kurt is a good kisser. Was her last thought.
When Amanda woke up again it was midday, and someone was knocking on her door. Rolling out of the bed onto the floor, she growled at the foolish peasant who dared talk to her when she had what resembled a hangover, brought about by the stressful day yesterday and the late time she got to sleep. Woe betide anyone who crossed her path that morning.
The door opened, to show the Queen accompanied by the Duchess VonVagner standing in the corridor. The princess snapped awake, shaking off the habit of being evil-tempered in the morning.
"Why are you on the floor, daughter?"
"I was too tired to get up and fell out. Don't laugh at me."
"No, I won't. I came to tell you that you will be staying with Raven for a while. Partly so that you can get to know her better."
"Why? I mean, what is the other part?" ventured Amanda, suddenly fired up with hope.
"Well," started the queen cautiously, "A bond was supposed to be established between our realms when Raven and I were found to be pregnant at the same time, it was just a matter of seeing who had a boy or girl. That was scrapped when you were a girl, and Raven lost her baby..."
Lady Amanda nodded knowingly. "I know from there. Ish."
The queen floundered for a second, then resumed her tale. "We began to think of a sister bond between you and Marie lately, but at the Ball, the son was rediscovered. So that we decided to go straight back to the original plans. So, you see..."
"Why do you keep hesitating?" Needled the princess, enjoying torturing her mother. Rogue entered the room unexpectedly and made herself at home in an armchair.
"You heard of asking?" was Amanda's blunt response.
Rogue gave her a grin that reminded the girl of what Marie had said yesterday, that she could hurt people by touching them. "You gonna move me?" challenged the interrupter.
"Not right now, mother was just about to tell me something," replied Amanda dismissively.
The queen regained her voice.
"Maybe you should meet Raven's son."
That was Kurt's cue to enter. He smiled and waved, draping an arm about the duchess.
"Hey Kurt."
"Hey Amanda, meet mein Mutti, Duchess Raven of Germania, A.K.A Mystique the Seer."
Amanda nodded and turned to her mother. "You were saying?"
The queen decided to plunge ahead and risk her daughter's wrath. She got on well with the demon anyway.
"We decided to pick up the negotiations from where we left off, and this morning decided, whilst you were still asleep, that the marriage will take place next July. If you didn't pick up on it, your husband will be Nightcrawler."
"WHAT! I don't believe it, you only found out last night! You going pretty damn fast, did you even stop to blink, or just choose that immediately?"
"No faster than you." Murmured Marie, as all others shrank from her fury. Amanda blushed; glad no one else had heard. Kurt however, pulled a face at her. Then he staggered melodramatically and proclaimed in a pained voice,
"I am hurt, wounded, nay, emotionally scarred for life by thine cruel dismissal!" Clambering up to cling from the ceiling he began to intone, "woe is me, for my love hates me."
After a full minute of shocked silence Rogue threw a cushion at him to end his monotonous repetition. Then Amanda looked at the various expressions ranged on the faces of those about her; and fell over laughing.
The converged retinues of all the royals stepped surreptitiously outside to laugh, scorn and gossip at their mistresses' expenses.
The Queen and Duchess Raven left through sheer harassment of their nerves, Marie walked out to avoid any major fluff, and Amanda and Kurt were left completely - you guessed it - alone.
They cheered, hugged, laughed, danced around, kissed, purred (for Kurt) did other things that ended in -ed, and the next year, were happily married.