The Lion Princess

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Though her sisters were eager to immediately begin the interrogation, the simple fact was that Aurelius was still nude. Though he was used to being naked after all this time, he found himself actually becoming self conscious when surrounded by the four princesses. So nothing could be done until Larissa ran to her workroom to find him some trousers and a shirt to wear. She absolutely forbade them from saying anything while she was gone and she sprinted there and back so she was breathing hard on her return.

While Aurelius went behind a tree to change, Reanna and her sisters took a seat under one of the other trees in the middle of the garden so no one could see them. Not that anyone would. At this time of night, the only people that would be around were the princesses themselves. Which Reanna should have remembered before she nearly allowed Aurelius to ravish her right there next to the halls surrounding the courtyard.

The four of them sat down, making themselves comfortable. And Reanna pretended not to notice her sisters all grinning at her wickedly as she smoothed out her skirt. None of them said a word though until Aurelius returned, pulling at the shirt.

"I thought the pants were bad," he was saying as he moved around the others to sit next to Reanna. Barefoot. Wild hair. Shirt ties open and trousers revealing his calves. All three of her sisters smirked fully at her.

"So," Nat prompted almost innocently, leaning forward. "Are you going to explain your 'pet', Rae?"

"Or the fact that you've been keeping secrets from your own sisters," Larissa crossed her arms, trying to look upset but unable to do so properly around her large grin.

"Girls, this is Aurelius. He prefers Auri," Reanna introduced him formally. Trying to salvage whatever dignity and decorum she might have left.

"Hello, Auri," her three sisters chimed together.

"My goodness. Like a hive mind. I'm suddenly very scared," Aurelius laughed. "Evening, princesses. I daresay you do find me in quite an embarrassing situation."

"You didn't look embarrassed at the time," Andromeda smirked.

"Looked like you were about to threaten Rae's virtue," Nat narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Aurelius chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I did not think we had an audience. Of course I would never disrespect you by performing such acts within your view had I known you were there."

"Well, isn't he a gentleman," Andromeda gave Reanna a look. "A gentleman that mauls ladies under trees."

"Oh! I know you!" Larissa pointed at him with a gasp. "You're the man she was with in the forest." She took in another, more exaggerated gasp as she grabbed Nat's arm and shook her gently. "The man and the lion are the same. She's been defending him this whole time! Was that the secret that you didn't want to tell us?"

"That hurts," Nat frowned at Larissa.

"Auri asked me not to tell," Reanna said primly, folding her hands in her lap. "It wasn't my secret to divulge. I also might not have known how to explain it."

"I'm still not entirely sure I just saw it," Andromeda beamed. "May I...?"

She gestured to Aurelius curiously. He shrugged and held out his arm. She scooted in quickly and began running her curious fingers over his hand and all the way up to his shoulder. Staring with wide eyes.

"Amazing. You can't even tell. He feels completely human," she marveled, touching his sun and wind weathered skin like it was a precious artifact.

"Just guessing," Aurelius grinned, "You're Andy."