As she was taken through a rigorous search by female beast women that protected the queen, Sienna realized that Elias had been right to take away all of her weapons. She also realized that the queen's impression of her was firmly settled: a horny woman!
Sienna felt smaller than her size when she was lead to the couch opposite the queen, in her reading room, which had a view of the gardens. She sat stiffly on the velvet cushion, hands folded in her lap.
The do's and dont's she had been given floated through her mind as she silently watched a servant pouring steaming amber tea into delicate cups. Across from her the queen lounged in a relaxed manner, eyes gleaming with mischief.
Sienna picked up a cup and quickly brought it to her lips. Why am I here? she asked herself.
"So, Sienna," Queen Serenya purred, "I am not the gossiping kind but I have to ask some questions since I personally witnessed Elias frisking you intimately. It was quite the spectacle, wasn't it?"
Sienna nearly chocked on her teas. "Frisking?!" she squeaked, cheeks burning. "We were--he was--" she couldn't tell the truth. What lie would work best in this situation? "He had something on his tail and I was helping him clean it."
The queen's giggles became a rumble, like distant thunder. "The tail too! You were just helping him clean it? Is that what they are calling it these days? My dear, you were flushed by the time he was finished pawing at you. You looked positively horny. I thought perhaps your heat had arrived."
Sienna's ears went red. "Non beast women don't--well, our biology is different. Heat cycles are not timed, the desire just comes when it wants to. And I wasn't--oh heavens." She put the cup down and sighed.
The queen leaned back, her tail making a sudden appearance just to swish with delight. "You must forgive me. It's just so amusing. Lord Veythar...no, I could be referring to his father so let me change that, Lord Elias is known for his coldness. Others call him cruel, but they say some not so nice things about my husband as well, it is the debt they carry as leaders. Still, you have seen the way Elias treats others--like gnats buzzing around his ears. I have seen him treat beast women from noble families like dirt. But you? He let you touch him. How is it that there are rumors of an unhappy marriage between you?"
Sienna scratched the back of her neck. How could she explain that he did not let her touch him either. Today was an exception. Just as their sleeping together had been an exception. "It's complicated."
Queen Serenya roared with laughter, startling the servants. "Oh, Sienna, you are delightful. Tell me, did he choose this hairstyle for you because he wants you to look more like a fox beast woman? Does he groom you personally? Does he lick your hand? That's how foxes show affection, you know."
Sienna sputtered. "He does not lick my hand! That is...not very sanitary."
"Not very sanitary, she says!" Queen Serenya wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. "You non beast women are very picky. Among beast men, licking is practically foreplay."
Sienna wanted to sink into the cushion and disappear. This was not the conversation she expected over tea with the queen!
"I have never really been around non beast women." Queen Serenya looked over Sienna, observing her features. "Many easily get frightened around me. And honestly, we don't have much in common. Tell me, how do you show affection? Do you purr? Do you roll on your backs and wiggle your butts?"
Sienna stared at her. Didn't this lion queen have access to movies? Everything was explained in there clearly. The beast world was big on censorship though and everything she had seen so far seemed to be PG 11. "We..talk. We hold hands. We kiss."
Queen Serenya gasped theatrically. "No playing or grooming? How boring?"
Sienna shrugged. "It's different."
The queen leaned forward. "So is your marriage. You are non beast woman married to a beast man. Elias must crave for affection in the way his kind shows it. If you don't adjust, I am afraid that in the long run, your marriage will be even rockier than rumors make it out to be."
Sienna picked up her cup. She thought to herself about her pending divorce. The marriage was already rocky, licking Elias' hand was not going to save it. She buried her face in her teacup. "Why are we even talking about this?"
"Because it's fun," Queen Serenya replied cheerfully. "Around the other noble beast women, I have to watch what I say. With you, I feel like I can say anything. Besides, I find you amusing. And, I want to learn as much as I can about non beast women. Honestly, it is common knowledge that your kind has unpredictable heats. But, how do you know when its time to frisk?"
Sienna muttered, "We just...know." She added softly, "I haven't frisked in years."
The queen's hearing was sharp. She gasped and leaned back. "I can see why you called you husband horrible. No wonder Elias is always angry and cold, he is not releasing himself regularly. You two are not having sex."
Sienna groaned. "Can we please change the subject?"
The queen smiled slyly. "Tell me Sienna, do you dream of Elias? Do you imagine him curling around you, tails wrapped around you, eyes glowing."
Sienna turned red and she covered her ears. "I am not listening to this. Absolutely not!" To think she had been warned to say less around the queen! This was what they should have warned her about, not the teeth. Not things like take small sips of tea and say thank you after each sip!
The queen smirked. "I would not want to put you in a difficult position. We can discuss something else. How are you surviving life with the Veythar's?"
Sienna laughed. "You just said it yourself, I am surviving."
Queen Serenya chuckled. "Did Lady Cadelaria give you rules to follow before coming here? She is a stickler for rules, except when it comes to her grandchildren." Her eyes flicked to Sienna. "Your cubs."
It was a fact. One that made Sienna nod.
"How do they treat you?" Sienna thought of the original owner of the body and herself, currently. There was a slight difference in treatment, but only because she stood up for herself.
If she had chosen to take the docile, desperate route like the old Sienna, she would probably be in the same situation.
So, which answer was best to give? Were the Veythar's good or bad to her?