Hope Springs Occasionally

[Riemaia]

Anneli took the small piece Mara offered her, ad put it in her mouth slowly, knowing she was about to break one of the more lax laws of her faith. She slowly put the bit of meat into her mouth, and slowly started chewing it, with her face lighting up. "Wow.... that... was... amazing!" She exclaimed as she grabbed her drink and started chugging it. "Really Mara, why hasn;t anyone told me bird meat tasted so good? And yea that Kevin sounds like a real freak either way, and i'm not sure Authelene would like someone like him liking her, but what can she do about it, right? I mean she wants to get larger breasts so bad she asked me for money for a boob job, but I told her they are nicer if they are natural... like yours!"

[New Edom]

Mara grinned. "Nice, aren't they? I'm glad you like the goose--I mean I know you like breasts, so that goose breast is nice and juicy and plump just like you like 'em." Mara teased. "Authelene is very pretty. I'm not trying to set her up with Touchstone, just saying that there are people who openly find her beautiful. Besides most fake boobs just look weird, they look too...round and high somehow. At my dad''s casinos and clubs all the women are supposed to be natural, though to some foreigners they're too natural, but they're silly people. So..." she raised her glass. "This is like my third month of sticking to my vow of never wearing pants again. Let's get you caught up on family. Enoch is marrying the Bitch from Menassa. Perrin has the serious hots for Tia Fitzsimmons, though he'd be pissed if he heard me describe it that way. Saxon is still in the Chyeknovostan Republic--I hope, but we haven't heard from her in a while. My brother Adam, you need to formally meet him. Do you know, Adam is very gentle and kind, I know you never see him but you'll like him. He's a total geek and he's very awkward with women. And Ava is supposed to marry a Ganosian Prince, but no one can figure out which one. She's dropped being a band groupie and has joined some New Age cult, though it's not a dangerous one."

[Riemaia]

Anneli giggled and listened to what Mara had to say about the family, until she mentioned the Ganosians. "What... the... fuck. Mara are you kidding me? Ava is going to marry one of THEM!?! She would be better off being shot in the face by a tank than marry one of them... like my step-dad is a Ganosian, and I sure don't like him at all! always wanting to please and make friends with us, it get's so damn tiring after awhile... but I hope shes happy with that basically being forced on her, forced on all of you really..." Anneli said as she drooped her head, but picked herself back up with a smile. "But not to worry! Since you will be close, I think I can manage to come by every other week to see you for a few days, it shouldn't be a problem once I get it worked into my schedule. And who knows, we should still be able to go to parties in random nations we never heard of again!"

"Since you told me about whats going on with your side of the family, let me tell you whats going on with my side of the family!" Said Anneli as she took a sip of her drink. "where to begin... oh yes! My cousin Lena is off as the Marchioness of Riemaia's newest colony, last time I heard from her was the other day, seems some ships from some local countries came by and bugged them about something. Elise as you know is fucking her boyfriend, dunno who he is yet though, haven't seen his face. I think Marjorie said something about going somewhere to find a husband... you know shes 28 and hasn't made it past second base? Sylvia, dunno if you met her, but shes still living in a shack out in one of the forests, such a nice girl but she misguided. All I can think of now is Selvaria, she walked into my room in some see through nightgown wondering if I saw her glasses... funny thing is, they were on her head!"

[New Edom]

Mara burst out laughing. "You're kidding me--Majorie's never been past 2nd base?!" and as she heard more she put a hand over her mouth. "I can totally see Sel doing that. Once she walked into the bathroom when we were at David's hunting lodge while I was having a bath and sat on the toilet, and started farting and talking to herself about it. I didn't have the heart to tell her, but I could barely hold it in, it was so hilarious. She's such an oddball. Mind you she and David are a perfect match. I love my cousin to bits but he's such a...a moron. David once saw a soldier on parade, and said, "You're an Elwe?" and the Elwe said, "Yes, Sire!" and David said, "Bravo, carry on!" When we were kids I convinced him that oranges were the seeds of a kind of melon that weren't worth eating."

[Riemaia]

"F... farting?" Anneli said with her mouth wide open, "That must be why half the bathrooms in the palace back home smell so bad! I mean even I have to do that from time to time, but mine don't smell bad. But anyway, I find you totally sexy like all the time, and yep, Marjorie hasn't made it past second base! You would think she has with how she talk and such, but she finds keeping her virginity until shes married a virtue... sadly If i thought like that, i wouldn't have lost mine when I was your age... But I think it's a good idea, but at the same time a bad idea, know what I mean?" Anneli said as she looked around the room, trying to see if anyone was paying attention to them or even recognized who they were. "I'm surprised nobody has ran up to us and started asking lot's of questions, ya know?"

[New Edom]

"Farting like a horn section warming up," giggled Mara. "Like a french horn, a trombone and a bugle by turns." she noted Anneli's unease and said,
"Don't worry about everyone else, everyone else is talking bout their stuff. See that couple over there? They're having an affair--don't stare! He's an executive with VMK, she's a civil servant with the Department of Defense. See over there? Those two Bishops and the guys who look like a University Professors? They're all as queer as three legged ducks, but not openly. And yes, they all voted for maintaining the Morality Act and want to bring it back. Go figure. That lovely lady dining with her daughter over there? She is one of Admiral Rand's mistresses. Don't worry about what these people think. Worry about telling me why you find me sexy...everything." said Mara with a cream-eating cat smile.

[Riemaia]

"Everything?" Anneli said as she blushed, "Well then, where to start? Oh I know!" She exclaimed as she took a sip of her drink, then smiled. "Your hair, your beautiful hair.So lustrous and long, and so well kept, it's beautiful color too! Your pretty eyes, just as pretty as your hair you know... Your cute little nose, those soft and tender lips I so love to kiss... and your skin, so pristine... so smooth..." Anneli said as she started to drool just a little. "And your breasts, oh those breasts I groped the first time we met... so soft and warm, so perfectly shaped. Your lovely slender figure, how your hips sway from side to side as you walk, which leads me to that hot ass of yours I so wish I had! That tight, hot ass... and not to mention its nearby neighbor I wouldn't mind playing around with my tongue... And your beautiful legs and feet, oh so beautiful."

Anneli was starting to turn a deep fiery red from excitement, and just couldn't stop from going on. "Your personality, oh so fun loving and cheerful, how I wish everyone would be sometimes. Sometimes carefree and filled with joy, always willing to hear me out... And your brains, oh so smart you truly are, much to the woe of those who underestimate you!" After finishing what she had to say, Anneli picked up her drink and put it against her fiery red face to cool off, smiling at Mara. "That's why I find you sexy, hardly just beauty, but everything about you just seems so right to me..."

[New Edom]

Mara felt her heart melting. If only there was a perfect person--Annelli's sweet personality, so understanding of her, understanding her perfectly as though she read her mind almost every time they were together. But combine that with necessity and honor and duty with Prince Heinrich, and then with dash and charm like Prince Hugo of Tartarus, and the confidence and strength of Tom Alvarado. Mara wished she was a lesbian in fact--it would make things easier. And yet as Annelli was talking to her she felt warmed as well, and smiled at her, blushing a little. "You're so tender to me, so sweet, such a darling to me. I feel so loved when you talk to me." she took Annelli's hand, and said, her lips trembling a little, "And I wish so much that I could just be...exactly what you want...but you're so understanding. You accept the love I give you. I appreciate that so much, because I need you in my life."

[Riemaia]

Anneli smiled, with a few tears rolling down her cheek. "You... you don't know how that makes me feel...my love for you is so strong, theres a special place in my heart, just for you." Just like Mara, Anneli could feel her heart melting, just from Mara saying she needed her in her life. "I would do anything for you, just because of love, anything." Anneli had those handful of joyous tears running down her cheek, and left them there, holding Mara's hand. "I think i'm done eating for now... maybe we could go shopping... maybe get high... or go sunbathing?"

[New Edom]

"let's do the shopping, then the others," said Mara gently. She asked for their milk-maid waitress and paid, and then led Annelli out, giving her time to recover herself. She felt mildly depressed by all this--she did determine to care for her though, to be close to her.

The Uber Mall

The Uber Mall as it was called was a huge place, with everything from automotive dealerships to restaurants to clothing stores to a skating rink to movie theaters. It was huge, covering several blocks, and you could literally spend the entire day there and not really see all of it. It was a temple to the Babylonian gods of commerce, a glittering mecca for those who lusted for fashion, amusement, diversion. Part of Prince Philip Tubal-Cain's intent of bringing in as much business as possible before the elections of two years ago, it had been rapidly constructed following the demolishing of a quarter of the downtown area, removing defunct banks, businesses, apartments and official buildings in favor of it.

"Well, where would you like to start?" Mara suggested amiably.

[Riemaia]

Anneli looked at the massive structure as she walked in, astonished by it's sheer overall size. There were no malls as large as the uber-mall in Riemaia, and for many reasons there was, but none of them Anneli knew. "Wow... this place... IS HUGE!" She exclaimed as she hopped a little, smiling. So many things... how about we get matching outfits first? I think it would be something reeeely cute, what do you think Mara?" anneli had a picture in her mind of all the things she wanted to do at the mall, but realized they would have to go back to the palace sometime and get some rest. "Don't worry about the cost of anything, I think i can cover at least one shopping spree!" she said with a wink and smile.

[New Edom]

There were all kinds of clothing stores to choose from, according to an interactive mall map they found. From The Divide to W.C. Farthing, from Orange State to Elizabeth's Rumors, from M&M to Jane Reagent to GlamFab. Mannikins faceless and with blank expressions showed off flowing, snug, sexy, daring, sweet-innocent, outdoorsy, dance, athletic fashion for the discerning woman or the woman with no taste who needed someone else's. In some of the stores friendly women of various ages and pleasantly metrosexual or homosexual men (who would never have admitted they were gay--this was New Edom after all!) were ready to cater to all degrees of taste. In others these people were haughty to many, virtually genuflecting to others.

The shoppers themselves were clothing horses. They could see other women in yoga pants, short skirts, flowing dresses, jeans and all manner of clothing.

In Raith Immel, the elections and a disease outbreak had tensions to the max, and a riot had resulted in a few deaths and many injured as soldiers were forced to break it up. In Haran discovery of an opium war crossing the border with Nalaya and the Cookish States was going to result in Governor Augrim cracking the whip and speaking to his opposite numbers across the border. In Lookinghaven a violent brawl between members of the End Times Church and the LGBT Alliance required the imposition of martial law, and there was talk of closing down Lookinghaven University. In Teman Governor Anthony's staff were working round the clock with Mount Angel peackeepers to return the refugees to their homes in Raith Immel in time for the elections and in northern Bara Glasstower was finally being repopulated out of the teeming refugee camps, hundreds of thousands strong, in central Bara around the city of Padan. And throughout the nation the Feminist Party had been ruthlessly purged, most of its members in jail and many supposed adherents being organized to be sent to the Shrailleeni Empire. Among those were many homeless and out of work people who had been promised a free ride somewhere.

There was no evidence of the state of the nation's citizens here at the Uber Mall. All was music and light and shopping.

[Riemaia]

Anneli looked at all the stores,seeing so many things she wanted and needed, but didn't know where to start. "Omygosh! Oh... My... Gosh.... so many choices! Mara, where to begin!?! Oh wait I know! I think I need to get a nice businessy suit, and some casual clothes... and a few dresses!" She looked around everywhere for a place to begin, but she then resorted to just spinning around and then pointing at the map. "Here!" she said as she stopped, with her finger on Elizabeth's Rumors. She opened her eyes and gave Mara a grin. "Know what this means right? I think, and hear me out... I think we should get some see through nightgowns! You know how men get when you wear something that skimpy... perfection at its finest!" Anneli had never really thought she would be out getting Lingerie with her favorite person in the world, but sometimes things just happen!

[New Edom]

"Oh, I know, right? Actually I should get some stuff for my wedding and honeymoon--something nice. I have no idea what Heinrich likes, but most guys frankly like sex one way or another, so I'm going to get some nice stuff there. Nighties are a good idea. But not that crap with ruffles and heavy lacy and everything--I want to look sexy, not like a whore, you know?" Mara paused at a pet store, seeing a bunch of giant mice in a large tank with climbing rocks and branches in it, perched on their hind legs. "Awwww they're so cute? Why did God make rodents so CUTE and FLUFFY? I can't stand it! But really, rodents would eat the whole world if they could. Thank the Good Lord there are so many predatory birds here...okay let's be off to the store then, you be my guide, you make some of the choices!"

[Riemaia]

"I'd say get him some pocket watch or an old hunting rifle, I mean look at his country... it's so old fashioned!" Anneli exclaimed as she walked into the lingerie store, and started to browse what they had on the racks. "If hes any good, maybe you could hook me up with a threesome?" She said with a giggle and a wink, but with a clear sense of seriousness. "So have you picked your Maid of Honor and other bridesmaids yet? You might not know this guy, but thats not gonna stop you from having a dream wedding!" Anneli didn't much care for the thought of marriage save for a few rare times, for she had a secret she kept; she was once stood up at the altar. "Heres something cute!" Anneli said as she pulled out a black rose pattern robe, smiling. "I might have to get this one for me..."

[New Edom]

Mara laughed. "A Threesome--I'm wondering if His Royal Nordic Highness has heard of that--" she smiled at what Annelli had picked out. "That's very nice, I like it, let me try it on...and no I haven't--I think I'd pick you though you're hardly a maid--and Tia and well...I should pick Ava really." Mara winced at the thought of Ava having any responsibility for anything other than rolling a joint or sitting on a couch. "You know I should plan it more...I've just been trying to not think about it, but you're absolutely right, this could be a fun part of it. Oh you're right, let's start planning, even if it's only a plan!"

[Riemaia]

"Anything for you, Mara, anything." Anneli said as she grabbed something else off the racks and hid it, then grabbing Mara's hand and walking over to a changing booth with her. "I hope you don't mind if I help you change..." Anneli said as she blushed, "But you know.... I like seeing you.... naked.... alot! I'm sure like seeing me like that too... or at least I hope you do. And speaking of planning, maybe we could have your wedding in my gigantic throne room? I can get the banners changed out, the huge ass seven tonne throne somehow hidden, and I got dozens of cooks! Obviously I would have to find someone in christian minority, unless you want that guy who married Sel and Dave to do it... which I think would be pretty cool too."

[New Edom]

"Yay, awesome, we can say put a big dummy on your throne--oh wait, no this is a wedding, not my stagette! No we can drape it over with something--like a huge Griffon emblem or something everyone would love that." Mara slipped into a changing booth, winking at Annelli as she referred to seeing her naked, and pretended to lock her out, then let her in, giggling. She was a quick strip in her everydays, just whisk her dress over her head and kick off her sandals, there she was, and yet she was little more than nudity wreathed in smoke and mystery in the next nighty; she switched her hips, peered over her shoulder, smoothed the silky material down her body. "What do you think? Will this make Prinz Heinrich go "achtung baby!"?"

[Riemaia]

Anneli giggled and closed her eyes, to give herself a small surprise. "Well if you want to have a bachelorette party too, i'm all for it! Like have it a few days before the wedding... again we can have it at my place..." She said as she opened her eyes, looking at Mara with a gaping mouth. "Damn... just damn..." Anneli said as she got a little closer and put her hands on Mara's hips. "I think it's just pure fuckin' sexy... being nude is good and all, but this... this is just great! Maybe we shouldn't wait until tonight..." She said as she slowly glided her hands up Mara's sides, speaking softly into her ear. "Or we could... and find a toy shop... if you know what I mean."

[New Edom]

"it feels like I'm wearing a breeze or something," said Mara, feeling a bit excited by wearing it. "Oh I know what you mean, sweetie, but aren't things better if you wait?" Mara frankly didn't mind if Annelli insisted on sex--in fact it was easier when people insisted, she didn't have to dwell on things as much. She didn't resist being fondled, she was relaxed and yet starting to feel little frissons of pleasure at being so admired and longed for. "I think I like this one a lot, but the other will be for when I'm being a little more decorous--I'd like them to make a little bit of extra pattern over the center of my breasts and my..." she winked at Annelli, "So I can wear it a little casually around the house or at the embassy."

[Riemaia]

Anneli nodded and smiled. "Yea, I can wait... maybe we could have a midnight dinner in Riemaia tonight? The flight is four hours with my plane, but we can take a relaxing nap on the way there?" Said Anneli as she copped a quick feel of Mara's breasts then started rubbing her shoulders. "You know, I think tomorrow we should go to a spa and have a nice, relaxing day... get pampered every way possible! Nails done, facials, maybe a dip into a hot tub, mud baths... the works! Now how does that sound to you? Now close your eyes..." Anneli said as she slipped out of her tight dress and put on the nightie she picked out for herself. "alright, you can open em up now! What do you think?"

[New Edom]

"Weren't we going to keep doing our tour? But oh well, if you'd like to go to Riemaia for a midnight picnic, sure." said Mara, shrugging. She caught her breath a little as Annelli continued groping her--the way that her lover did it made her feel quite breathless.

When Mara was young, she had been educated by a kind of spiritual osmosis by her parents to be rather free sexually speaking. While Adam had turned away from that with childish disapproval and ultimate adult disapproval, she had accepted it. It was normal for her to walk in on her father having post coital breakfast with a mistress, normal for her to understand that mommy had lovers, and that her parents spoke of it in a calm and reasonable manner, and were friends. Now and then hinting at this shocked people and had them suggest that her parents hadn't been good parents at all. And in a way...Mara wondered at times. Her Riemaian cousins were frankly decadent, drug addled, sex obsessed, and barely competent a lot of the time, and she was relaxed around them. Wasn't this all normal? Her own family were more inclined to do what they did seriously and play hard, as Perrin liked to say. And it was a given that you followed the rules so others could see--her mother for example had taught her that it was normal for men and women to enjoy their own sex, but she had also learned to be smart about it--homosexuality was illegal in New Edom, so she and Annelli were cousins and friends. Their ring exchange was a matter of the normal love between women. Mara was not normally attracted to other women but she frankly loved Annelli. The more Annelli let her be free, the more she loved her.

Being found attractive delighted and excited her, and so she caught her breath, sighing at Annelli's touches, and said softly, her voice a little roughened, "The spa idea sounds great...you know what I haven't done that in a while, it sounds fantastic actually. I want a wedding that is outside if possible...what do you think?"

[Riemaia]

"The tour, yea theres just a few things I want to show you in Riemaia... I promise we will go right back to the tour afterwards!" Anneli said as she took her hands off of Mara. "So no comment on what i'm wearing? Am I not good looking or something?" She jokingly said, looking around the small dressing room. "Well can we go look for something a little businessy for me? I don;t want to look like that hot Rena, but just something presentable thats not for high class parties, ya know?" Unlike most Riemaians, Anneli didn't really have a problem with drugs, only smoking marijuana for her glaucoma, never really drinking alcohol, and only using ecstacy on very very rare occasions. "I'm always happy when i'm with you, always so nice to me... so yes, is there a sex shop in this mall? I wanna get some D20 anal beads."

[New Edom]

The Mall

“I’m sorry, but how can I give you feedback with you distracting me all the time?” teased Mara. She touched Annelli’s cheek gently, stroking her, looking at her affectionately. “You look lovely, how can you doubt it? Your fair skin looks so pretty through that lace.” She admiringly traced some of it, and then said, “We can for sure go and see about some more serious clothing, and then we can go to the ‘toy store’ as you call it.”

She shyly added, "I met a guy at the WA--his name is Tom. I'm pretty sure he's spying on me or something, and I'm equally sure he's very attracted to me. I like him. Annelli--I'm worried about turning into my mother. Having recreational sex just for the fun of it, just to see what can happen, and forgetting who's who and all that, having to have the most outrageous doctors working on you because..." she took a deep breath. "You know I think like you should be disgusted with me, but I'm glad you're not because I don't get why there's anything wrong with the way I live," she put her hands over her heart. "In here."

[Riemaia]

"I could never be disgusted y you... but... I don;t want you to be like your mother, shes just, well, your mother is not healthy at all. It's alright to go and do a few people, and I admit I get really jealous when I see you with someone else, but I can accept a small group of people if I know they are nice... but just doing everyone with a dick like my mom or yours, that just leads to so many problems." Anneli said as she grabbed Mara's hand. "Like my time with Enoch, that was sorta because you told me to have fun... I liked it, and I mean REALLY liked it, but look what happened... I don't want this to happen to you, it's just not fair how it works out." Continued Anneli, as she started to cry a little. "I still have feelings for him, I wont lie... but he basically treated me like some random whore by not wearing a condom, and for that I will never forgive him. Basically all i'm saying is choose really carefully who you have sex with, because it can really bite you in the ass later."