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Indulgence by WerewolvesAreReal
Fandoms: Nine Worlds Series - Victoria Goddard, Lays of the Hearth-Fire - Victoria Goddard
23 Aug 2026
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Summary
Cliopher is glad to make his first friend in Solaara. He likes Conju, a lot, even if it's awkward that the man keeps trying to buy him things.
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Bookmark Notes:
Cliopher turns. “Do not have sex with my uncle.”
Quintus chokes on his soup; Vinyë makes a funny squeaking sound.
Conju says, “I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”
“He’s eighty.”
“I’ve been with plenty of older men at the orgies, darling. Sometimes age begets experience, and he looks like he’s still in shape - “
“I will leave you on a deserted island.”
“Wouldn’t the islands here be inhabited?”
“I will find one.”
Conju rolls his eyes. “Fine. You’re no fun! I’m having a threesome in your bed tonight. Maybe I’ll find one of your other uncles.”
Cliopher tries to imagine Conju seducing a terrified Uncle Odo, and snorts. “Good luck.”
———
Cliopher snorts and sips his drink. “The really annoying part was scouring the parties for slackers, only to realize they ‘must have gone on extended holiday’ and then couldn’t be found. Forever.”
“Well you can’t blame them for that.”
“I am just saying,” says Cliopher with great dignity, “and I am not suggesting I approve – but I am just saying, that if the Imperial Guard insist on disappearing people, they can at least leave a body.”
“Well then it’s not really ‘disappearing,’ is it?”
“But do you know how much it complicates the legal process when nobles go missing without a body? Years and years of inheritance debate, impostors, claims they could be alive – not to mention the possibility of heirs insisting they were out sowing oats, making claims for decades after - “
“Oh, I see. You’re still upset about Duke Camaro.”
“Seventeen supposed bastards,” Cliopher regrets. Conju cackles into his drink. “And of course everyone knew he’d been assassinated, but we had to investigate every single one – do you know how much paperwork there was? I had to assign an entire team to that ridiculous investigation.”
“And guards. I think Ludvic used the excuse to give a few guards holidays.”
“Well how lovely for them.” Cliopher’s tone makes his friend laugh. “It was absurd.”
“You want to know the really absurd part? I saw him at so, so many orgies, Cliopher. Never with a woman once. Even if he miraculously wasn’t buried in a ditch somewhere, he certainly didn’t have children.”
Now, that’s just insult on injury. Cliopher grumbles into his drink a moment, then registers the silence. He looks up.
Quintus, Vinyë, and Clia have been listening with wide eyes. “...sorry,” says Quintus after a moment. “Do people disappear in Solaara. A lot?”
“Of course not – assassination is incredibly gauche these days,” Conju sniffs. “There used to be a time that people would be impressed and afraid if you assassinated your enemies. Not that anyone admitted, openly, to hiring thugs; but they went about implying it, and everyone would know… now, well. It’s just terribly old-fashioned.”
“Old-fashioned.”
“It really suggests you can’t handle things with words, like an adult, do you understand? It’s embarrassing to assassinate anyone. Unless you’re very young, maybe.”
“Oh, well,” says Clia, in an odd tone. “Suppose kids are always doing ridiculous things. Like. Assassinating their enemies.”
“Goodness knows I did,” says Conju brightly. “What did you call this drink, again? Delicious.”
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Bookmark Notes:
(Condescending preschool teacher voice:) Everyone is doing so well communicating, A+ for effort!
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