REQUEST FOR A FRIEND

The grand dining hall buzzed softly with the clinking of silverware, the rich aroma of roasted meats and spiced wines hanging in the air. The long, candlelit table was lined with nobles, royal guards, and the maids who had been summoned to serve dinner in the king’s presence.

At the head of the table sat Edmund, the younger king, his sharp brown eyes glinting with something unreadable. He lounged lazily in his ornate chair, dressed in regal dark silks lined with gold. Across from him, his older brother sat, engaged in hushed conversation with an advisor.

But Edmund’s focus was elsewhere.

His gaze trailed over one of the maids—a strikingly exotic one. The Brazilian woman stood out among the others, her presence an intoxicating mixture of grace and danger. A maid’s uniform hugged her curvy frame, the fabric straining subtly against the swell of her hips. Her tail flicked lazily behind her, ears twitching at the sounds around her.

Perched atop her head was a cat-shaped mask, carved with intricate details and painted in deep, earthy tones. The slanted eyes of the mask almost seemed to watch him, even as she looked away. It was an odd little thing—always present, yet never worn. An enigma, much like the woman herself.

She reached for a pitcher of wine, stepping beside him to pour into his goblet. The movement caused her generous backside to press against his shoulder ever so slightly. A mistake, surely.

Or was it?

A smirk curled at the corner of Edmund’s lips as he leaned closer, voice dropping into a low murmur only she could hear.

“Careful, kit,” he murmured, fingers just barely grazing her wrist as he took the goblet from her. “You might make me think you’re doing that on purpose.”

His smirk widened at the way her tail twitched, betraying her.

Yes… he had found his newest entertainment.