Jack Of All Trades (Erotica)

“There are inner doors between the rooms. Do you need these unlocked?”Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.

“No-” Jack began.

“Yes,” Gee and Bal insisted.

“I will take the first room and Bal will take the third. Jack will take the middle,” Gee explained.

“OK,” Tanz replied and opened the middle room’s door. “There are mechanical locking mechanisms on each front door which can be locked from the inside at night if that makes you feel more secure. The palace is the safest place on the planet and the planet is a very safe place.”

She went to the inner access doors and unlocked one on either side of the room. She pointed to the sliding panels at the far end of the room. “The bed is behind the privacy screens. The cleansing facilities are behind the first door inside the room. You can press that button on the wall by the door to summon any kind of assistance you may need.”

She looked at them with a smile. “Is there anything you need right now?”

Jack looked at the two Altarians who looked back at him and they all shook their heads.

“Ok, good! I will come pick you up in a few hours. You are welcome to explore the palace if you like. The only off limits area is the royal apartments but doormen are there to prevent uninvited guests. You will get to meet the royal couple tonight.”

“Thank you so much Tanz!” Jack said and she smiled as she leaned forward. He suddenly realized what she was doing and moved to gently touch his forehead to hers.” She repeated this with the Altarians then left the room.

Gee and Bal immediately pulled Jack over to a wide couch and sat him down on the center of it. Then Bal rushed off to the bedroom while Gee settled herself on the couch next to Jack, lifting his arm to squeeze herself against his side. Bal returned with a blanket. Jack lifted his other arm as Bal tucked herself against him. The two agents pulled the blanket up to cover all of them.

Jack felt them shivering against him so he put his arms around them and pulled them closer. They rested their faces against his chest to get the warmth radiating from him.

“How can you be so warm?!?” Gee grumbled.

“Do not complain! He is the only heat source we have right now,” Bal grumbled back.

“I would have thought you two would have wanted to explore the palace right away, learn all the nooks and crannies,” he teased.

“We have memorized the layout of Elleltris,” Gee said cuddling in closer. “Now hush. You should get some sleep as the party is likely to run late and you should be sharp when you meet with the royal couple.”

Jack snorted quietly as he was sure they just wanted their heater to be still. So he was still and warm and soon they all dozed off.

…..

As royal parties went, this one sucked.

After the friendly welcome he’d received from Tanz and seeing how friendly everyone was, he was surprised by how stiff the royal couple behaved.

The Queen was a beauty! Tall, with dark grey long fur on her reverse side and brilliant white fur with dark grey rosettes and stripes on her front side. Light grey eyes and a grace about her that commanded respect. Jack thought she was also sad and hiding it poorly.

The King was almost the polar opposite in coloration. His long fur was white and the short dense fur on his front was dark grey with white rosettes and stripes. His eyes were deep blue which was apparently a new color for the Shreen since coming to Chrystan. Their environment and diet had changed and these changes were manifesting in new coloration in eyes and fur in some cases. Exciting times ahead!

At the head table he was seated next to the King and Tanz was on the other side of the Queen. The royal couple wasn’t speaking much to each other and the head table was drawing anxious looks from the other tables.

The food had been unique and he’d enjoyed it after being assured it was safe for human and Altarian physiologies.

Jack was tempted to leap to his feet and break out his amazing disappearing napkin trick to try to pump some life into the party. He caught Gee’s eye at the first table where she was sitting with some of the senior council members and their spouses. He pantomimed the beginning of his magic trick and she shook her head vigorously with wide anxious eyes so he slumped back in his chair and pouted.

The servers came by and cleared away the plates. Music began to play and there was an almost palpable sense of relief as this appeared to indicate the meal was over. The Queen rose and walked away with Tanz in her wake. They seemed to be making their way over to a group of older females on the far side of the room.

Jack heard the King sigh heavily and he caught him watching the Queen walking away.

He couldn’t take it anymore and leaned his head forward to catch the King’s eye which swung back to him.

“I’m sorry your majesty if I’m intruding but you seem a little sad. Would you like to talk about it?” Jack asked.

“Your majesty? I haven’t heard that one yet. People just use the title. Since we’re both… consorts of Queens, could you just use my name? It’s Tyg.”

Jack’s hand twitched as he stopped himself from reaching to shake Tyg’s hand. “Yes, of course Tyg. Please call me Jack.”

Tyg pushed his chair back and stood. “I need a drink, Jack. Join me?”

Jack stood as well. “Lead the way.”

They made their way down from the table towards a counter where guests were getting sweets and drinks. Tyg looked at the selection of bottles and frowned. “Lars, where is the local brew?”

A male standing beside the table gave the King a pained look. “I was asked not to bring it.”

Tyg glanced over to the table the Queen was standing before with her back to them. He looked back to Lars. “The Hra Council?”

Lars nodded unhappily. “I was forbidden to bring it in… so I left a bottle outside the dining hall in the access way cooling in a chiller,” he said with a rebellious little smile.

“You are salt!” Tyg cheered quietly and Lars worked to hide his grin, turning his back towards the table of elder females. The so called Hra Council Jack guessed.

Tyg looked desperately at Jack. “I cannot leave the dining hall before the Queen but you… you could slip out and bring back that lovely bottle for us.”

“Certainly! Which door?” Jack said with a smile.

Without being obvious, Lars gestured to the servant’s entrance in the corner over his shoulder.

Jack nodded and nonchalantly wandered away and felt eyes on him as he approached the door. He turned and saw Bal staring at him sternly.

“What are you up to?” she asked.

“Ah! So good of you to join me. Come with me for a second,” he said scooping her up against his side. She wanted to protest but his heat felt good. She and Gee were wearing their thermal undergarments but it still wasn’t enough. They wanted to go back to the room and hide under the blankets.

Jack positioned her in front of the door and pushed it open. “Keep this open just a little, ok?” then he slipped out into the hall before she could protest. He spotted the chiller and lifted the bottle out of it. There was no label but this had to be it as he saw no other bottles. He slipped back through the door to see Bal glaring at him. “Hey! I’m on a diplomatic mission here!” he scolded her playfully and moved away before she could interfere.

The King’s expression was priceless as Jack arrived. He scooped up two very small glasses and led Jack to a small sitting area for two at the back of the dining hall. He sat and gestured for Jack to take the other chair. He put the glasses on the table and Jack put the bottle on the table between them. Tyg twisted the top oddly and the bottle was open. He poured a small amount in both of their glasses and Jack’s eyebrows went up with how little was in his glass. He was a little worried at its strength.

“This is Lussht. You have to start small. Introduce your body to it gradually,” Tyg explained.

They picked up their glasses but before Tyg could drink Jack caught his attention.

“We should toast.”

Tyg looked at him. “What’s that?”

“When people share a beverage like this we traditionally say something we are honoring by sharing the drink. We say something like ‘to a successful endeavor’ and then we drink. This shows we honor the person or thing we’re toasting,” Jack explained.

Tyg smiled. “I like that tradition! Let’s do it! You’re the guest so you do it first!”

“Ok, for my first toast I’d like to honor something that makes life so much better. To love,” Jack said and raised his glass.

Tyg froze and looked at Jack’s honest gaze. He looked like he might argue but he glanced across the room at the profile of the Queen and the protest died on his lips. “Yes… to love.” They drank.

Jack felt the cool liquid slipping down his throat until it landed in his stomach. The cool sensation remained in his throat but his stomach bloomed into warmth which slowly ebbed.

Jack was trying to grasp the flavor but it eluded him. It was good but he just couldn’t place it. He smiled across the table into the twinkling eyes of the King. “I like it!” Tyg grinned and poured two more. Just a tiny bit more this time.

“My turn.” He paused and thought about it. “To freedom,” he finally said.

Jack raised his glass and nodded. “To freedom.” They drank.

The liquid felt like it rushed down his throat, this time on what felt like the slick patch of ice left by the first drink and the bloom of heat was larger. The flavor… damn. He couldn’t catch it yet but he really liked it! “Oh, that’s nice!” he sighed.

Tyg poured two more with a little more. He nodded to Jack indicating it was his turn.

Jack thought about his next move carefully. Then it came to him. “To second chances.”

Tyg paused to think about that. His eyes were drawn across the room and he nodded slowly before looking back at Jack. “To second chances.” They drank.

Jack held himself very still as the third shot seemed to skip his throat entirely and hit his stomach in record time, the heat bloom exploded and went right to his brain stem. The room went soft focus for just a moment and then settled down into a calm, happy hum.

Tyg’s eyes kept tracking back to the Queen and he bit his lip.

“Should… should we do one more?” Jack asked carefully as his lips seemed to be moving on their own like they had something to say.

“Yes… but just the one.”

Tyg poured and Jack tried to focus on how much he’d added to the glasses and if it was more than the last time. He shrugged as it was too hard to recall.

“My turn,” the sad King said. “To regret.”