John sighed before saying.
"First let's get this banquet over with and then we will proceed from there, if you still want to be with me after the embarrassment I will cause you at the banquet then we can talk about what's next for us after."
Alea's eyes widened with joy as Thasinia's smile grew wider before Alea asked.
"Does that mean you're willing to help the three of us?"
"It does, though I am not sure how I am supposed to show that I am the date of all three of you when I only have two arms." John stated.
"Simple, while it will be me and Adria entering the hall on your arms with Sarah accompanying us, throughout the night we will be sure to rotate who is clinging to you and make the appearance that all three of us belong to you."
"Are you sure you're ok with that? John asked with concern.
"With what?" Alea asked, confused.
"With sharing me with other women, I know it's only for one night and they are your close friends but still, won't you get jealous?"
"Oh, are you already concerned about how your future lover will feel when I see you with other women?" Alea asked with a smirk.
"Yes." John answered simply, causing Alea to blush deeply as she did not expect such a direct response while Thasinia giggled at the side.
"You don't have to worry about that John, as you said there my two close friends, besides if you didn't already realize it Sarah likes you." Aleah said with a smirk.
"You mean because of the slight flirting we did outside my old shack?" John asked.
"Oh, you realized?" Alea asked with surprise.
"I may not have had a relationship in my life but even I know how to flirt, also who are you to say that since you have never dated and have you ever flirted with anyone in the past?" John asked back.
Thasinia laughed before saying.
"Oh, he got you there Alea." As Alea pouted and turned her head away.
John sniggered at Alea's cute response before he cupped her chin and turned her head to face him again before saying.
"Don't worry there will be plenty of time for you to practice flirting in the future." After which he kissed her forehead causing her to freeze for a moment before she touched her forehead and grinned happily like an idiot.
"Ok so that's enough playing around for now, what does this banquet entail and what is expected of me?" John asked.
"What the banquet entails changes every year depending on who host's it and their plans for it." Alea began to explain after calming down.
"For the one this year it is fairly simple and low key, it will basically just be a place for the leaders of each race and there accompaniment to meet mingle and strengthen friendships while food will be served as a buffet with drinks and also a music and a dance floor for those who wish to invite people to dance."
"Oh, are you expecting me to ask you to dance?" John said with a smirk.
"If sir asks me to dance it would be rude to refuse," Alea replied with her own smirk.
"Perhaps sir will then." John added.
"Ok you two stop flirting, I'm glad you're getting the hang of it Alea but don't forget that some of us have been single for hundreds of years and don't want to watch that." Thasinia moaned from the side as John and Alea grinned at each other before Alea continued explaining.
"As for what is expected of you, it's mainly to do what I have already explained regarding those three suitors of ours, other than that it's to show what a true gentleman really is while accompanying us for the night and maybe asking us to dance like you said before." Alea said before adding.
"Also, there are a few individuals, mainly friends of ours that we may ask you to accompany us to greet and chat with."
"That all sounds manageable though I'm not sure I have anything to wear and you do realize I have never attended a formal gathering like this." John said.
"Don't worry about the clothes I will have Ayduin get something ready for you and send it over before the banquet, as for never attending a formal gathering or event, just be yourself and you will be fine, everyone has to attend a first at some point and if we are going to be together in the future you will have to accompany me often darrrllliinnnggg."
"Oh god, would you stop Alea, have you been watching how to flirt guides on the net or something?" Thasinia moaned again before asking.
"Maybe." Alea said in a very low voice they could only just hear.
John and Thasinia shook their heads before John said.
"Well, if you're sure then fine, I am just warning you not to expect much."
"Don't worry, like I have said, just be yourself." Alea said with a smile before changing the topic.
"Since that's all settled, show me your access band and let me check your settings so Sarah and Black Dragoon can send you a friend request for you to invite them to the dungeon."
"Dungeon?" Thasinia asked as she passed Alea the Mk0.
"Yeah, John discovered the Rank one bandit dungeon around Thamethalas that had previously not been found."
"Ohhh that's big news, you can earn huge experience and maybe some great loot if you get the first clear." Thasinia said with excitement.
"That's the plan." John agreed as he saw Alea messaging on her access band before he heard his own make a noise signaling two notifications.
"Ok got their friend requests and accepted them, now I go into the settings and change you over to private." Alea spoke before handing John the access band which he put back on his wrist and she spoke.
"I switched your account to private because once the banquet ends people will try everything to find out who you are and once your account name goes public people will start spamming you with friend requests and messages."
"With it set to private you won't receive any friend requests unless you're with that individual in person and also you won't receive any messages from people who are not on your friends list."
"Nice thank you." John said with a smile to which Alea smiled back.
"Ok with that done you two get lost now, John has a dungeon to run, I have to speak to my sister about this whole Queen Elrinira thing and Alea needs to go practice flirting." Thasinia ordered before shooting them out of her lab.
After John and Alea were gone Thasinia sat back on her chair and thought for a bit before getting a wicked grin on her face.
She then used her access band to dial a contact.
It took several moments for the recipient to pick up but when they did Thasinia saw a beautiful dark haired female Kitsune with nine bushy tales who was until a moment ago obviously asleep.
"Hello." The Kitsune said sleepily.
"Hey Sakoto, how's things?" Thasinia said cheerfully.
"Oh, Thasinia hey how are you, look I already told you I'm not coming to the banquet because it will be boring, and you will only want to talk about science stuff." Sakoto groaned.
"Aww come on Sakoto don't be like that, you're a genius scientist as well as being Empress to all Kitsune, you can spare a few minutes for your old friend surely?" Thasinia said.
"No not interested, now if you don't mind, I will be going back to sleep." Sakoto said and as she was about to end the call Thasinia said hastily.
"Wait wait wait, what if I told you something super interesting and exciting will be happening this year."
"Like what?" Sakoto asked her interest peaked.
"What if I told you two princesses of different races will be attending the banquet with the same man as their date?" Thasinia teased.
One of Sakoto's beautiful eyes raised slightly in interest before she asked.
"Which princesses and why would they do that?"
"Princess Adria of the Human race." Thasinia said, causing Sakoto to show even more interest since the Human race ruled the eastern continent the Kitsune lived on.
"And the other?" Sakoto asked, now more awake.
Thasinia smiled for a few seconds and waited until she knew Sakoto was about to burst from impatience, something the Kitsune empress sorely lacked.
"My own niece Princess Alea." Thasinia finally revealed and this time Sakoto actually sat up from surprise before asking.
"Two of the impossible Princesses?"
"Yup." Thasinia confirmed while smiling.
Although Alea always told her aunt that she should get out of the lab more, Thasinia was actually far more up on current trends than her niece because she often had the Genesis News feed on in her lab or read the Genesis forums when taking a break.
"Why?" Sakoto asked simply.
To this Thasinia just smirked and spoke.
"To know that you will have to attend the banquet." Before she ended the call with a chuckle and left her lab to find her sister and get the story on the whole Queen Elrinira situation.