Chapter 107: Double-Edged, Loaded, and Handleless Question

I followed Harkim into the house, with my wives behind me, but Harkim sent his daughter to find Titania, Nuwari, and Arrentia. The inside of the house was not overly large and both the Mayor's and my head almost touched the ceiling. I was led straight ahead and had to duck under a doorway to get into what looked to be in the kitchen.

I looked around and spotted a child standing at the counter on a stand with her back turned. How many daughters did this man have? I was about to ask him when the child turned around, hearing all of us crowding into the not overly big kitchen. 

Oh shit, that was no fucking child, jeezus, I almost could have died there. Magic or not, this woman was Violet, but older and actually scary looking. That scowl could peel paint and I could almost feel my skin being flayed off as she gave me a once over.

"Gre...Hyde Kline, let me introduce me to my lovely wife, Teema Platz."

"Of course my last name is Platz! Are you a rude and brainless fool that only just now gave your last name?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Oh, I see, as usual, you just need to hear the sound of your own voice! What did you bring this gaggle of women in here for with the bald-headed bean stock?"

Oh wow, this one was quite the keeper. Really hard to see where Violet got her sparkling and award-winning personality and people skills. No wonder he wanted me to take his daughter off his hands; having two women like this in the same room would leave him holding a shield with the referee's outfit on. 

Well, time to put on the smooth talk!

'Don't mess this up or you might literally get thrown out of the house!' -Nina.

Now that was a funny Image, Teema throwing me, hehe.

"Hyde has come to ask you a question, but I think the women and Myself will head into the sitting area and wait for you two to have your discussion."

A what? NO! I was fine to talk to her with some backup, but what the shit was this? Harkim was just going to take all my support and lock me in the room with his wife? I started cataloging exit strategies as everyone filed back out of the room. 

Harkim patted my shoulder as he passed and leaned in to whisper something close to my ear.

"It's better this way."

Real fucking easy to say as your leaving the room and closing the DOOR! I half expected to hear the door lock and I stared at the now closed door. 

"So, what is this thing you need to talk about, and that is making my husband go hide?"

Holy shit! I took an involuntary step back… and then another, but it was no use! 

I had turned around to find Teema eye to eye with me, and every step back it took made her float closer. She was fucking floating! On her stool nonetheless! Damn this woman, Right up in my business, and now I see why Harkim wanted everyone out of the room. This woman looked about ready to tear me limb from limb, and an empty room would be easier to clean than a bunch of screaming and crying girls. 

"Are you here to ask about my little girl?"

Wow, that was a double-edged, loaded, and handleless question if I have ever heard one! 

"Okay, can I get a bit of space? You seem nice and all, but you in my fucking personal bubble. So, if you wouldn't mind, back off a floating stool or two, please."

The scowl on her face was traded for a look of shock, I guess she was used to everyone cowering, but after I let my child's brain have it's fun, there really wasn't much to be scared of. Honestly, some people let things get out of control, and my little mind fear monologue was more for my own entertainment, this woman was no dragon, I was. 

Teema backed off after a brief pause of her collecting herself. 

"So, I am here to talk about Violet."

Teema visibly relaxed at her older daughter's name, but they took on a tired look. That actually made me laugh out loud and to my surprise, Teema let out a small laugh. 

Suddenly, Harkim burst into the room wild-eyed, looking back and forth between us. Teema's smile vanished as fast as it had come as she glared at her husband, but he put up his hands to ward off her flaying stare.

"Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, I had to come to see what was going on!"

"What? Why I hadn't even got to my point yet?"

"Well, you see...my wife never laughs...so…"

"Wow, you thought I was buttering up your wife behind your back? After you scurried away with my wives and left me on my own? You should be ashamed!"

Teema nodded in approval and Harkim wilted. As if this turd thought I was trying to put the moves on his wife! I was here for the newer model!

"Well, since I have you both here, I will continue on with my line of thought."

Kyra, Mishka, and Arrentia were now poking their heads into the kitchen, so I waved them in and Xelios, Nuwari, Alex, and Tescelle, all filled in. The rest must have preferred to wait, these were the nosey wives. I turned back to Teema and smiled again.

"These here are some of my wives, as you can see I do not discriminate against any race. I may seem like I have more than enough already and I normally would be the first to agree with you, but I would like to take your daughter as my wife."

You could have heard a hair drop, and it would have been loud compared to the breathless silence that fell over everyone. 

*Clack*

Teema's stool fell to the ground and I half thought she would fall right off it, but instead, she lowered herself and sat, using an invisible force. That would make for very useful magic considering how strong it was in its basic form. Teema's face was stuck in a shocked expression, but after a twenty count, she took a breath and shook herself, and then looked straight at me.

"What did you just ask me?"

"You daughter, Violet, I want her as my wife."

"Why?"

"She is a firecracker. I have only met Violet one time, but she left an impression on me, and she doesn't let anything get in her way and she seems very determined, and you're already married, so I will have to go for the younger model."

Teema almost fell out of her chair laughing, and even Harkim joined her. Looks like the two needed a good laugh, but that was about the time the back door of the kitchen banged open, I knew it went outside because it was one of my faux pas escape routes. 

I only saw the top of the purple hair storming into the room, but my vision was dragged down, as I could feel the stare of Violent, Violet. Jeezus, that was the first time I had made the mistake, even in my head, since the last time I had seen her. Something about the walking storm cloud personality must bring it out of me.

"SO?"

"Just waiting for the answer now."

Violet turned on her mother who was smiling again. 

"AND? Are you going to give me to this bald-head sexual predator? Look how many wives he has already?! WELL?!"

"Yes."

"YES?! Yes, what?"

"Yes, Hyde can take you."

"What? Why are you fighting this...what? You want me to go?"

Suddenly the firestorm that was Violet cooled and her expression changed to that of a girl that wasn't sure anymore.

"You need to get out and see the world. The people of the village will get along fine without you there to yell at them. Who knows? Maybe your father will actually get to be Mayor for a change? It's time you left the nest Sugar Plum, and if you stay longer with me your father will die a very young man."

The last part made Violet smile and she ran to give her mom a hug. It was a touching moment, but the small child in my head couldn't stop thinking about the children hugging

I shook my head to clear my mind, that was not productive thinking, one of the children was now my wife and I would have to think of her as a full-grown woman, even if she only made it halfway. Okay, that was it for the short jokes, nothing short of that would be okay...BWAHAHA!

My internal laughter spilled out of me and drew hard stairs from everyone, but I couldn't stop laughing. I was getting SHORT on breath! I pushed past everyone and headed out to the backyard of the Mayor's place, trying to get myself under control, but having very little success. 

Violet came storming out after me, but I wasn't ready for the argument. Even though I didn't know what it was about, other than my laughing. I started to jog to the back stone wall that framed the yard. I was about to leap over it when Violet screamed for me to stop, so I did and turned around, letting out an audible sigh.

"You think you're funny! Laugh at me and then run away over a wall that I can't…"

I ran up to Violet and scooped her up and turned back to the wall, but decided there was a better way to have a private conversation. 

"Close your eyes."

"No! Put me down! I am not a child...OH GOD, DON'T LET GO OF ME!