After devouring my third slice of pizza, I leaned back in my seat and rested against the back of the booth. The pizza was absolutely amazing. The crust was slightly thicker than any I had tried before, and the sauce had a delicious flavor with a perfect amount of acidity that balanced out the cheese and grease. The salami and pepperoni were sandwiched between two layers of cheese and then topped with sausage, mushrooms, and black olives. I think I've found my new favorite pizza place.
As I was about to stand up to ask about the pizzas and how they were cooked so quickly, Asra loudly cleared her throat. I sank back into the booth and looked at her. She was halfway through her second slice, giving me a slightly amused smile.
"You forgot we were going to continue our talk after eating and were about to go ask about the pizza, weren't you?" Asra teased.
"No?" I said, giving her a nervous smile. The way she was looking at me changed ever so slightly. I don't really know how to describe it, but it felt softer.
"You can ask about the pizza any time, but I think it will help if we have this talk first." Asra says with a gentle smile. There was a hint of weariness in her eyes.
"Why would it..." I stopped shortly after I started speaking. Oh, right, the pizza guy thinks I'm a woman. If I had gone and asked about the pizza, he would have heard me talk. If he heard me speak, he'd know I was a man.
Asra's worried voice breaks me out of my thoughts as I must have looked like I was about to run. "Hey, it's going to be alright. Let's just talk and work this out, okay?"
I nod, and she continues. "Now, we were talking about how you feel about the pizza guy thinking you were a woman earlier, but we don't have to. I have some other thing I wanted to talk about."
"I don't really have much more to say. I was more worried about him deciding to make fun of me for being girly if he ever found out he was wrong." I had other thoughts of things he might try, but I didn't voice those. I knew from all the times I heard people yelling in the guild about men who dress like women that they could get quite angry when they found out.
Asra gave me a calm smile before speaking. "We could try having someone you know won't make fun of you calling you something similar."
I let out an exasperated sigh. "Asra, we both know that you just going to say something to tease me. But sure, why not. Go for it, I'm ready."
With a cheeky smirk, Asra looked me in the eyes and said. " well, I was just going to tell you that you've been a very good girl tonight and see what happened."
In an instant, everything came to a standstill - my thoughts, heart, and breath. A white-hot sensation radiated from my chest, spreading throughout my entire body. Then, just as suddenly, everything returned to normal.
The words "good girl" repeatedly spoken by Asra keep echoing in my mind. For a brief moment, a vivid image of Asra dressed in tight leather armor, holding a leash, and saying "good girl" seductively flashes into my mind, causing me to jolt upright with a scarlet blush on my face.
Asra looked like I had just given her something she wanted for a very long time. When she noticed I was looking at her and not lost in my own head, she spoke. "Well, I'd say it looks like that went well, but I won't know for sure until you tell me how it made you feel."
"I didn't hate it." it came out so quietly it was almost inaudible. Still, I knew Asra had heard me when her face lit up with so much joy, hope, and some other emotion I didn't recognize.
Before she can say anything, I start speaking. "Can we start talking about something else now?"
Asra just nodded and sent a gentle smile my way. " That's fine. Do you want to choose the topic?" she asked.
" No." I said . "What was the thing you originally wanted to talk about before we got distracted?"
"I had a few things I wanted to talk to you about. How about we start with that." Asra said, thinking out loud.
" Have you heard the news of the second princess?" she asked me.
I didn't know how to answer that. I didn't remember there being a second princess. To my knowledge, the royal family was just the king, queen, princess, and then the prince. Princess Raya had a younger brother named Verin, but I didn't remember her having a sister.
"Did the royals have a new kid or something? I don't remember the princess having a sister and a brother." I say, noticing the slight grimace on Asra's face when I mention the prince.
"No. The official story is that there was never a prince and that the second princess was cursed with a male body for the first 20 years of her life. It wasn't until her sister slew the witch who had cast the curse just last year that it was finally broken." she said, clearly taking delight in my growing confusion. "Now, before you start asking questions. Yes, I know more than I'm saying, and no, I can't tell you most of it. It's not my story to tell."
"Okay? Sounds like things worked out for her in the end. But why bring this up if you can't tell me anything?" I asked. Asra wasn't usually one for gossip.
"The second princess has requested that I set up a meeting between the two of you. I was on the team that helped the princess with her "curse." We've talked a few times since then. I ended up talking to her about you. She's wanted to talk to you ever since." Asra said, watching me nervously.
"What could you have possibly told her to make her want to meet me." I nearly screamed at her.
"Well, She took particular interest in how you reacted to me, telling you I was a lesbian. she said it sounded familiar to her." Asra said calmly.
I glared at her for a moment before sighing and resting my head on the table. "Alright, I'll do it." I didn't like it, but I'd agree for now and see what the second princess had to say.
"Alright, I'll let her know," Asra said. She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't remember everything I told her. I got really drunk during the party Princess Raya hosted to celebrate the sentencing in the Brathus case. The second princess decided that it was the perfect time to ask for my life story," Asra explained while scratching the back of her head. "If I told her something that wasn't mine to share, I'm sorry."
I nod at her. Then, when she realizes I'm not going to say anything, she speaks again. "I have one more thing I wanted to talk about. Do you think you up for that, or should I wait for another time?"
"That depends on the topic, " I say, giving her a weak smile.
"There a small gathering in a few days I want you to come with me to," she said hesitantly.
"Alright, that doesn't sound too bad. What's the catch, though?" I asked, knowing that when Asra asked for something like this, it was never so simple.
"I get to pick what you wear, and you don't get to complain." she said, sending me a bright smile.
"And what do I get out of it?" I questioned.
"I will owe you one thing. Doesn't matter what it is. You can ask for one thing, and I will do everything in my power to do it," Asra answered with a confident smirk.
"Fine. I'll go." I said, "Also, you never told me the second princess's name?"
" Oh, right, she chose the name Sophia." Asra said before starting to get up. "I'll go pay and ask for a box for the leftovers."
As Asra walked over to the counter, I thought about our discussion. What an odd coincidence. What were the chances Lyra's new boss and the second princess had the same name? Maybe they spell their names differently?
After devouring my third slice of pizza, I leaned back in my seat and rested against the back of the booth. The pizza was absolutely amazing. The crust was slightly thicker than any I had tried before, and the sauce had a delicious flavor with a perfect amount of acidity that balanced out the cheese and grease. The salami and pepperoni were sandwiched between two layers of cheese and then topped with sausage, mushrooms, and black olives. I think I've found my new favorite pizza place.
As I was about to stand up to ask about the pizzas and how they were cooked so quickly, Asra loudly cleared her throat. I sank back into the booth and looked at her. She was halfway through her second slice, giving me a slightly amused smile.
"You forgot we were going to continue our talk after eating and were about to go ask about the pizza, weren't you?" Asra teased.
"No?" I said, giving her a nervous smile. The way she was looking at me changed ever so slightly. I don't really know how to describe it, but it felt softer.
"You can ask about the pizza any time, but I think it will help if we have this talk first." Asra says with a gentle smile. There was a hint of weariness in her eyes.
"Why would it..." I stopped shortly after I started speaking. Oh, right, the pizza guy thinks I'm a woman. If I had gone and asked about the pizza, he would have heard me talk. If he heard me speak, he'd know I was a man.
Asra's worried voice breaks me out of my thoughts as I must have looked like I was about to run. "Hey, it's going to be alright. Let's just talk and work this out, okay?"
I nod, and she continues. "Now, we were talking about how you feel about the pizza guy thinking you were a woman earlier, but we don't have to. I have some other thing I wanted to talk about."
"I don't really have much more to say. I was more worried about him deciding to make fun of me for being girly if he ever found out he was wrong." I had other thoughts of things he might try, but I didn't voice those. I knew from all the times I heard people yelling in the guild about men who dress like women that they could get quite angry when they found out.
Asra gave me a calm smile before speaking. "We could try having someone you know won't make fun of you calling you something similar."
I let out an exasperated sigh. "Asra, we both know that you just going to say something to tease me. But sure, why not. Go for it, I'm ready."
With a cheeky smirk, Asra looked me in the eyes and said. " well, I was just going to tell you that you've been a very good girl tonight and see what happened."
In an instant, everything came to a standstill - my thoughts, heart, and breath. A white-hot sensation radiated from my chest, spreading throughout my entire body. Then, just as suddenly, everything returned to normal.
The words "good girl" repeatedly spoken by Asra keep echoing in my mind. For a brief moment, a vivid image of Asra dressed in tight leather armor, holding a leash, and saying "good girl" seductively flashes into my mind, causing me to jolt upright with a scarlet blush on my face.
Asra looked like I had just given her something she wanted for a very long time. When she noticed I was looking at her and not lost in my own head, she spoke. "Well, I'd say it looks like that went well, but I won't know for sure until you tell me how it made you feel."
"I didn't hate it." it came out so quietly it was almost inaudible. Still, I knew Asra had heard me when her face lit up with so much joy, hope, and some other emotion I didn't recognize.
Before she can say anything, I start speaking. "Can we start talking about something else now?"
Asra just nodded and sent a gentle smile my way. " That's fine. Do you want to choose the topic?" she asked.
" No." I said . "What was the thing you originally wanted to talk about before we got distracted?"
"I had a few things I wanted to talk to you about. How about we start with that." Asra said, thinking out loud.
" Have you heard the news of the second princess?" she asked me.
I didn't know how to answer that. I didn't remember there being a second princess. To my knowledge, the royal family was just the king, queen, princess, and then the prince. Princess Raya had a younger brother named Verin, but I didn't remember her having a sister.
"Did the royals have a new kid or something? I don't remember the princess having a sister and a brother." I say, noticing the slight grimace on Asra's face when I mention the prince.
"No. The official story is that there was never a prince and that the second princess was cursed with a male body for the first 20 years of her life. It wasn't until her sister slew the witch who had cast the curse just last year that it was finally broken." she said, clearly taking delight in my growing confusion. "Now, before you start asking questions. Yes, I know more than I'm saying, and no, I can't tell you most of it. It's not my story to tell."
"Okay? Sounds like things worked out for her in the end. But why bring this up if you can't tell me anything?" I asked. Asra wasn't usually one for gossip.
"The second princess has requested that I set up a meeting between the two of you. I was on the team that helped the princess with her "curse." We've talked a few times since then. I ended up talking to her about you. She's wanted to talk to you ever since." Asra said, watching me nervously.
"What could you have possibly told her to make her want to meet me." I nearly screamed at her.
"Well, She took particular interest in how you reacted to me, telling you I was a lesbian. she said it sounded familiar to her." Asra said calmly.
I glared at her for a moment before sighing and resting my head on the table. "Alright, I'll do it." I didn't like it, but I'd agree for now and see what the second princess had to say.
"Alright, I'll let her know," Asra said. She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't remember everything I told her. I got really drunk during the party Princess Raya hosted to celebrate the sentencing in the Brathus case. The second princess decided that it was the perfect time to ask for my life story," Asra explained while scratching the back of her head. "If I told her something that wasn't mine to share, I'm sorry."
I nod at her. Then, when she realizes I'm not going to say anything, she speaks again. "I have one more thing I wanted to talk about. Do you think you up for that, or should I wait for another time?"
"That depends on the topic, " I say, giving her a weak smile.
"There a small gathering in a few days I want you to come with me to," she said hesitantly.
"Alright, that doesn't sound too bad. What's the catch, though?" I asked, knowing that when Asra asked for something like this, it was never so simple.
"I get to pick what you wear, and you don't get to complain." she said, sending me a bright smile.
"And what do I get out of it?" I questioned.
"I will owe you one thing. Doesn't matter what it is. You can ask for one thing, and I will do everything in my power to do it," Asra answered with a confident smirk.
"Fine. I'll go." I said, "Also, you never told me the second princess's name?"
" Oh, right, she chose the name Sophia." Asra said before starting to get up. "I'll go pay and ask for a box for the leftovers."
As Asra walked over to the counter, I thought about our discussion. What an odd coincidence. What were the chances Lyra's new boss and the second princess had the same name? Maybe they spell their names differently?
