After a long night's rest, Sienna opened her eyes to the reminder that she was once again, in another world and foreign body. "Curse you chicken feet," she muttered.
The pop up window danced before her eyes, reminding her that she had not fulfilled her mission yet. She stumbled out of bed, took a bath and changed into a pair of trousers that stretched and a t-shirt.
Aside from making Elias sit, she had another goal and it was to lose weight and lose the lazy image everyone had of her. This also included finding a way to make money. If she still had her old physique, she would have gone into her old profession immediately.
But, the food entertainment industry of the beast world was over saturated. One television and livestreaming. Just when she had been about to give up, she discovered an opportunity: fitness influencers didn't exist here! Beast men trained by hunting, racing and other ways but not doing squats in front of a camera.
Non beast men admired the strength of beast mean but had no concept of structured workouts. Its was the assumption that strength could only be achieved if one was naturally born with it.
Sienna had seen the opportunity.
So, she ordered for a drone and holographic equipment and this morning, she headed downstairs to the gardens to set up her first live stream.
Her body was heavy and sluggish, but she was determined. She dragged a holo-projector drone and set it up. Then, she adjusted the interface and activated the broadcast. A banner of her chosen account named appeared: "SiennaFit: Transforming Lazy to Legendary!"
She did not expect to have have many viewers on day one because she had no fame, except the bad kind. She also knew that those who came were likely to mock her. But, she wanted to prove her method worked through her transformation.
"Hello babies! I'm Sienna Miller, or the current but possibly temporary Lady Veythar. I may not have the beast gene and I may look a little out of shape, but I believe fitness is for everyone. Today, I will show you some simple stretches, breathing and a few squats."
Viewers were trickling in slowly--curious beast men and non beast men. They had never seen anyone attempt what she was doing.
The chat was already exploding with emojis of claws, horns and flames. There was a lot of mocking in the comments.
[A little out of shape, you have no shape at all!]
[When she breathes, the world trembles.]
[I feel so sad for the Fox Lord.]
Sienna did not let any of these comments bring her down. She had grown thick skin a long time ago.
She started with exaggerated stretches, her oversized body wobbling comically. "Reach for the stars!"she said arms flailing. "And now bend to touch your toes--if you can find them."
The audience laughed.
Actually, among those who were watching, some were following, just for fun. They did not take what she was doing seriously. Some activated holographic overlays, showing themselves wherever they were, mimicking her moves.
She moved into a squatting position, or what she could manage to do in that position. Loudly, she counted, "One..two..three...my knees are negotiating a peace treaty."
The audience laughed.
Sienna grinned. She was winning them over.
From the balconies of the rooms they were cleaning, servants and guards peeked at her, wondering what she was doing. It was unlike her to wake up at 7 a.m. It was even more abnormal for her to do anything that required physical movement, except for eating and trying to grope Elias.
Lady Cadelaria was also on the balcony, amused by what Sienna was up to. The poses were just so hilarious.
Just as Sienna launched into a plank demonstration, a thunderous noise erupted outside. Drums, shouts, and the unmistakable roar of a beast.
Sienna froze.
"What was that?" she whispered. Curious, she tip toed in the direction of the sound while muttering, "Please don't be a wild beast. Please don't eat me, I am not sweet at all. This fat is not healthy fat."
She seemed to have forgotten that the drone could follow her everywhere while she was streaming and she was live. Sienna stopped just as she came to the center of the gardens. There was a platform and a very big water fountain that was spraying water upwards.
A group of fit bare chested fox beast men were dancing vigorously.
Viewers spammed the chat:
[Fur For You, the fox beast men dance group.]
[Ah..Fur For You!! my babies.]
[Are they preparing for the Masked Arena Dance Battle?]
[Sienna get lost, you are giving away their dance routine.]
[No, go check! This is better content than watching you trying to bend.]
[Do squats with the dancers.]
Sienna sighed and backed away. "If I stay here, I will be accused of being horny by my horrible husband. I better go back to what I was doing."
She went back to where her mat was and resumed her work out. For the next ten minutes, she did her best to ignore the sound of the drums.
"You are asking why I called my husband horrible." She responded to a fan who had sent her a gift. The first gift in this new life. She smiled, "Mmm, what happens in a marriage stays in a marriage. We are getting fit, not making our lips loose."
The chat exploded.
[Behind you.]
[Look behind you Sienna.]
She was about to do another squat when she felt it--the unmistakable chill of someone's glare. Slowly, she turned around.
There he was. Her husband. Standing where her self made dumbbells were resting. Arms crossed, eyes narrowed, radiating the kind of silent fury that could make even the strongest beast man reconsider his choices.
The chat went wild.
[Run, Sienna, run]
[We all know she can't run and we know why.]
[Best stream ever!]
Sienna froze, caught between embarrassment and defiance. "Hello...Lord Veythar," she said weakly, waving. "I didn't hear you approach. Who knew foxes could be as silent as cats?"
Elias stepped closer, voice low but audible to the stream. "Horrible, am I?"
The viewers were in hysterics. Elias looked up at the drone and it suddenly short circuited. The live stream was cut short abruptly.
"Hey!" Sienna whined, "You can't do that. Destruction of personal property is a crime." She stretched out her hand. "Pay up or I am calling the authorities."
Elias sneered. Just what was going with this woman? "I am the governing Lord of Clawspire city, I am the authority."
Sienna responded sharply, "Then I will go over your head. We have a beast king, I will report to him." She smiled slyly. "Unless of course....."
Elias raised his eyebrows curiously.
"You sit for me." Sienna suggested. "Come on," she pointed to the grass. "Be a good boy, sit for mommy," she said, her tone dripping with mock authority.
The words hung in the air like a spark. Elias froze and then in two strides, he was standing over her. His hand shot out, gripping her throat--not crushing, not truly hurting, but firm enough to silence her. His eyes blazed with fury, the kind that made her pulse quicken.
Sienna's breath caught. For a moment, she wondered if she had pushed him too far that he had lost control. But then, just as suddenly, he released her. She stumbled back, coughing, sputtering, clutching her neck.
"Hey, Elias, are you sick?!" she snapped, voice hoarse but sharp. "What is wrong with you? Do you think you are some dominant CEO in a novel? Glowering, grabbing throats, acting like you own the galaxy?"
He glared, jaw tight. "You humiliate me with your words. Do you think I am like a child?"
Sienna straightened, defiance burning through her embarrassment. "And you spent six years making me the bad guy in the story of how we came to sleep together. You married me willingly but treated me like a prop in your sad story. Do you think you are the hero of some power fantasy? You are just a man who doesn't know how to face your own faults and sit down when asked."
Servants, guards, everyone stilled. Even the air seemed to be afraid to pass between them. It was charged with tension form the clash of pride and wounded egos. Elias' fists clenched but he didn't move again. Sienna's oversized body trembled, yet her voice carried steel.
"The old me who needed your affection and acknowledgement is dead. The new me is not scared of you," she said, softer now but no less firm. "When you stand before me, you are not some beast Lord. You are my husband and I am legally allowed to express myself and tell you my needs and demands without expectation of emotional or physical violence. Touch me like that again and I promise that I will sue you in every court on this continent."