*pat* *pat* *pat*
"Mmmm go away... lem sleep a little longer.."
*pat* *pat* *pat*
"Wake up brother it's ti for breakfast!"
A cheerful voice sounded from above.
Jas did not want to wake up, his sleep was wonderful and deep. He could feel his consciousness drifting away again as he lay with Gwendolyn.
".... don't wanna..."
Clara's hands grew more vigorous in her light thumping.
*slap* *slap* *slap*
Jas felt her backhand, then her palm, then her backhand again as she hit the sides of his face.
"....okay...I'm up..."
Jas said this unconvincingly as his eyes remained closed. He layed there for a mont as he wondered if Clara had went away.
Then, Jas felt a slight hint of danger and his eyes sprang open.
With a woosh of air he saw Clara rising off the ground till she hit maximum velocity. She ca back down with a *THUMP* as her knees drove into his stomach.
"Brother! I said it's ti for breakfast!"
"Gaaaahhh!"
She then ripped him out of the bed and started pulling him by the wrist as his body dragged on the ground.
Jas could only cry silently as he thought to himself in anguish.
'Is Madeline the only normal sibling I have...'
—————
He sat with his family and a pleasant al as he rubbed his stomach from the earlier thrashing.
His mother suddenly spoke as if just rembering sothing important.
"Oh! I talked with your auntie Ana last night and there will be a banquet at the palace celebrating your return ho and to announce your betrothal. We also need to leave a little earlier than normal so you can discuss your request about the quota with her."
Jas was confused for a mont then rembered that [Instant ssage] existed.
A question did enter his mind however.
"Where's the palace at? Is it close, I don't want to spend all day in a carriage again after just getting back.."
*Ohoho* "Don't worry dear, you shouldn't have to ride in anymore carriages in the foreseeable future."
"Then how are we getting there exactly?"
"We have our very own teleportation crystal linked directly to the palace, all ducal families posses one for occasions like this or ergency etings."
'I guess that makes sense.'
"When are we heading out?"
"Fairly soon, we'll probably leave as soon as your fitted in a new suit and given a slight makeover."
Her eyes flashed with glee with her last words.
'Everyday has to be so troubleso..'
—————
"I said SIMPLE. S-I-M-P-L-E. Stop trying to get into these extravagantly frilly clothes!"
"B-but my Prince! That won't do at all! This is the standard wear of formal occasions like this!"
Jas growled as he gave his final warning.
"You will pick sothing normal, or I'm not going. I will make it very clear to everyone who's fault it is."
The old tailor stomped her foot in outrage.
Then Jas glared at the maid who kept trying to put makeup on him.
"If you try to put lipstick on one more ti-"
"C'mon Jas. Just let them doll you up a bit."
Emily said this with a grin.
Veronica and her had returned to follow him as his shawdow shortly after breakfast had ended.
They both looked very galant in the new armor provided for them.
The black and gold trimd cloth hung to Veronica's body. She now had thin tal and leather bracers on her wrists and her sword was encased in a very elaborate scabbard. Her bow still attached at her back.
Her usually intricately braided hair was just as expertly done as always. A hint of mischief danced in her dark eyes.
Emily's outfit was quite similar to her previous one as well, except now her brown leather vest was black and gold. She now sported a cloak giving off a much more assassin style vibe as it hid the daggers at her waist. Her long golden hair that was usually in a ponytail was now matching with Veronica's neat braided bun.
Each woman had the insignia of house Cromwell displayed largely on their backs.
"How about I order you two into dresses like Justine has on instead?"
Their laughing eyes widened as they tried to dissuade him.
Jas could understand their panic. While Justine's status as a slave was absolute, even a fallen noble lady still had to appear sowhat refined. The dress however, was obvious in denoting her station.
It was a dress of black and gold but unlike most dresses the hem was short, stopping at mid thigh. Her back and waist were completely exposed as the cloth draped around her snuggly. Her cleavage was pronounced as the dress revealed her chest from the open front.
It looked more like lingerie than a dress.
Justine didn't seem to mind though and absentmindedly played with a strand of her cyan hair.
Jas heard his mother from outside his closed door. She was raging down the hall at Gwendolyn as she forced her, with several maids, into a dress.
Jas hadn't seen his other two sisters since breakfast as they were busy with their own clothing situation.
Jas had denied the maids access to his hair as well. They had shown him a picture book of various hairstyles and each one worst than the last.
'These people are demons... why are they trying to turn into a femboy.. can't they see how manly I am..'
After more bickering with the old tailor, Jas finally got his way and he now wore a black suit. His lapel was trimd in gold as were the buttons. The Cromwell insignia was in a more discreet location compared to his guards. It was placed on the brilliant gold double folded handkerchief in his breast pocket.
Jas studied his appearance in the mirror and smiled.
'It's hard to be humble when I'm this handso... 9.5/10 today, not too shabby..'
He heard a knock at the door and his mother quickly walked in.
She had a dress of pure gold with black accents that contrasted with the guards armor quite strikingly. On her shoulders sat a very ostentatious cape that displayed the Cromwell insignia in all its glory. On her head sat a clear, almost glasslike object which looked a lot like a tiara. It announced her station as a Duchess.
"Jas dear are you ready too— Oh my goddess! My baby is so handso!"
She wrapped him up in a hug and started rubbing her face on his. He could feel her makeup wiping off onto his cheek.
"Mom! Get off or you're gonna ruin my suit."
She stepped back a little embarrassed and signaled so maids to clean his face and reapply her makeup.
"Is everyone ready to leave mother?"
"Yes dear.. though mommy's having a hard ti with Gwendolyn, she won't put on her dress."
His mom seed really depressed so Jas tried to offer his help.
"Let go ask her, I can't promise anything but I'll try. If she really doesn't want to wear one then let it go and respect her choice."
His mother looked like she was going to cry.
"Thanks dear, she might actually listen if it's you.."
So Jas went and found Gwendolyn in her room and knocked on the door.
He heard a stoic voice on the other side.
"Go away, don't feel like wearing a dress today."
"Sister it's , can you open the door please."
The door swung open imdiately and Jas saw her looking a little sad.
"Hey, what's up Gwen? I heard you didn't want to dress up. Do you really hate them or sothing?"
Her impassive face broke for a second as an eyebrow rose in confusion.
"Brother, you told you didn't like it when I wore a dress. You said my muscles made it look weird."
He didn't know what she was talking about before it finally clicked in his head. Jas wanted to slap the previous one for saying sothing so hurtful.
"Ahh... well umm listen Gwen, brother was wrong and now thinks you would look very beautiful in a dress.. so err.. could you put one on for the banquet."
Suddenly the door slamd in his face.
'Holy crap, I think I just pissed her off..'
He heard a lot of movent on the other side of the door and just when Jas was debating on leaving, the door opened again.
In front of him stood his sister wearing a plain black dress that hugged her body's curves in the middle and fell loosely around her ankles. She had on sparkling white high heels and her large stature grew even even taller.
She had on a black and gold headband that held her wild short hair in place. This was the first ti Jas had ever seen a graceful tomboy beauty and it was hard to look away.
She seed to be waiting for sothing and Jas quickly realized what is was.
"Wow! You're so pretty, everyone's gonna be insanely jealous that I'm your brother."
Her stoic face broke once again, as a pretty and bashful smile danced at the corners of her mouth. She spoke with a very quiet and shy voice.
"Thank you.. and brother looks good too."
Jas and Gwendolyn headed to the designated et up point in the dining room.
He took a quick headcount and he saw that everyone was present. His other sisters caught Jas eye as he appreciated the view.
Jas figured that yellow was Clara's favorite color as she now wore another yellow dress today. Unlike his mother's shining gold, this yellow was more muted and warm.
Clara had definitely nailed the whole young and cutesy vibe.
Madeline wore a different colored dress today and she seed to be matching their mom. She was just missing the cape and headpiece, Jas wondered if the matching outfits were to signify that she was the eldest.
He heard his mother clap her hands and thank the goddess again.
"He really managed to get her in a dress... my baby boy can do anything.."
Then Madeline's voice ca.
"Woah Jas, your so handso.. we should probably keep you here so no other conniving won can get on your quota before .."
Jas barely managed to make out the last words as her voice trailed off, talking to herself.
'... I thought she was a normal, helpful and kind big sister... why are my families genes so rotten..'
Then his mother spoke again.
"All right, looks like everyone is ready to go. Follow to the teleportation crystal."
As they were following his mother, Jas asked a question.
"Why are only Emily and Veronica coming with us as guards? Aren't my sisters technically princesses too, so shouldn't they have guards as well?"
His mother shook her head with a light laugh.
"The only reason we can bring any guards at all is because you're a man sweetheart, not because of royal bloodline. We're going to the palace, not so back ally tavern. There simply isn't a need to bring guards along."
"Oh.. I guess I can understand that."
They kept walking and eventually they descended down a flight of stairs, leading underground.
As they neared the teleportation crystal, Jas wondered who was the idiot that nad it.
There wasn't one singular large crystal that teleported you, instead in the middle of the room sat an archway built like a tall door.
It looked to be constructed mostly out of a dense wood and had several white gems placed at intervals of a few inches.
There hadn't been an animation for this travel thod in Fractured World, so Jas watch in curiosity as his mother brought out several of the sa white crystals from her inventory.
With a squeeze of her hand. A crystal shattered and she spread the dust in an arc over the teleportation device.
As it started glowing she turned around and smiled.
"Okay girls! Don't make a fool out of mommy today please... and Jas try to be a little less charming. It would be tragic if any of the noblewon declared war on each other out of jealousy."
She then turned and walked through the gate, her body disappearing in a flash of blue light.
'Why do I feel like today is going to be the biggest headache so far..'
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