To any followers I might have, I apologize for the abruptness of this, but I’ve decided to stop working on Tails of the Khajiit immediately. Right now I think it’s permanent. Frankly, I thought it was better than it really was. Sometimes my ego gets out of control and can’t see the ridiculously amateurish crap I vomit out. It takes a real slap in the face to wake me up to reality. E621.net just did that. Well, better now than after I’ve wasted more time on what no one wants.
This actually happened once before, when I got a reality check on the Katherine Managan character. However, I thought it was the cartoonishness of that model that was the central problem. I think I know better now. It’s the cartoonishness of me. Maybe I’ll get inspired again someday, but right now I just want to close up shop and slip into my cave.
I’ll leave the site up just in case I get over this sometime in the future, but right now I really don’t see that happening.
Upon returning downstairs, the first thing Kitty noticed was that there were significantly more people. Now nearly every seat was taken in the main room. It seemed word had gotten around about them in the few minutes they had been away. Mikael had returned to the room a minute before the dancers came in, and was already positioned with his drum while Lisette had switched to an odd stringed instrument.
Mikael spoke briefly with Lisette before he once more began to tap out a drum beat. Kitty and Helfer positioned themselves leaning against tables opposite the open space in front of the bards. Then Mikael began the song. This time an upbeat tempo came from his instrument and Lisette’s accompanying notes rang in primarily major chords, yet the occasional dissonant note kept the flavor still somewhat exotic.
This time, the two Khajiit began their dance separated and leapt upon their respective tables as they began.
While those seated around those tables had a rather unusual view of the dancers, they soon were clapping in time to the music as this particular song lent itself well to this audience participation. Though the music was in an unusual mode for the style common in Skyrim, those watching the Khajiit dance seemed to follow it well.
When the song was over, both dancers did a spectactular synchonized backflip off their tables and landed gracefully on their feet to what now could properly be described as enthusiastic applause.
Kitty and Helfer came together and bowed deeply to the audience to acknowledge their appreciation before Mikael and Lisette started on the next song. However, this time the song was not unknown to the crowd.
The song told a story in verse of a hunter and his prey, a doe.
While they’d had minimal practice, the song was one that required little in the way of imagination to enact and was more of a framework in which each dancer could improvise their own moves. Kitty played the part of the deer while Helfer played the hunter carrying her bow and stalking the deer through the room.
Then the song reached the climax wherein the hunter fell into a pit and could not get out, Helfer, exaggerating the shock and anguish at being unable to climb out, while Kitty appeared to run off – but then returned and timidly approached Helfer, seeming to peer down at the hunter cautiously, before running out of the room.
But Kitty soon returned, having lead another hunter to the pit where Helfer lay. Mikael’s lyrics filling in the role of the imaginary second hunter who found and saved Helfer’s character. Helfer may have over-exaggerated her character’s leaping for joy at her rescue, but the song was such that this was actually appropriate.
…as was the spectacular death played by Kitty when the imaginary second hunter shot her, ignorant of the part she had played in the rescue. Yet it was Helfer’s grief and despair as she hovered over the body of the deer that won the audience’s heart.
Though the art of the play was not unknown in Tamriel, it was not a form that Skyrim was familiar with, and thus the short drama went over very well within the tavern even with it’s overly dramatic melodrama. Not a few eyes even misted over at the conclusion, and some of these were in armor at that.
But now it was time for the concluding dance, which Kitty would perform alone as it required more skill than Helfer had. Mikael began playing an interlude tune while the buzz in the audience over the last dance masked the short time that Kitty hurried into a nearby empty room to change into a new costume.
While the flowing outfit she had warn before accentuated the movements, this dance required too much balance and perfection to allow any chance of a misstep due to clothing getting in the way or snagged on something. She got out of her clothes as fast as she could…
What she wore upon re-entering the bar was little more than underwear, she knew. But it was made of links of metallic rings that were all but unbreakable which made it perfect for the acrobatics she planned to do. Of course she was also aware of the scandalous nature of such a skimpy bit of clothing that left all but her most private parts unveiled.
In fact, upon close examination the rings that made up the ‘fabric’ of the little two-piece outfit were more than a little transparent there too! But this was her chosen outfit and she’d be damned if she was going to break a leg because someone might be offended. With this in mind, she returned to the main room.
But a little scandal was to be expected in such a performance and would probably only enhance the tales told of her dance anyway. Mikael had supported her decision to wear it as her final ‘act’ as well, so when she stepped out of the room and the music switched to a fast-tempo beat, a gasp ran through the room.
This time both Lisette and Mikael were on the drums, and Kitty struck a defiant stance – almost daring anyone in the room to deny her this moment. “Yes,” she thought to herself, “This is my body. And it’s about to do things you couldn’t dream of. So don’t you DARE complain because you can see my nipples if you squint hard enough!”
Kitty paused at the bottom of the stairs, just in sight of Mikael who was in the middle of one of the standard songs she’d heard him sing so many times before. He acknowledged her presence with a nod but continued until he’d finished the current song.
“And now,” Mikael began…
The sparse but typical crowd began to resume their conversations as the bard’s song ended.
“And NOW,” he repeated, getting their attention. “I have something unusual for your entertainment…”
“You’ve seen them on the roads and in their caravans, selling their wares and smiling their enigmatic, toothy grin. You’ve laughed at their odd accents and mannerisms. Perhaps you’ve even cursed at their agility and stealth. But tonight, I bring you another side of the Khajiit. Tonight you will marvel at their physical grace and prowess. Tonight, I present to you for the first time, from the sands of exotic Elseweyr… (dramatic pause)… CatDance!“
And with that Mikael began a rhythmic drum beat as Kitty and Helfer entered the room, walking in with flowing movements that rose and fell with his drumming that was both graceful and sexy. However, they did not proceed directly to Mikael. Instead, they split up and walked around the tables, flirting with the patrons and brushing their tails across more than one customer’s face.
In Khajiit culture, this would may have been considered an insult or even an invitation to love making – but in the predominantly tailless culture of Skyrim it was simply something exotic and provocative as Mikael had assured them it would be. By the time they came back together to stand face-to-face in front of Mikael they had certainly gained the full attention of everyone in the tavern who soon realized that what they were seeing was not just a couple of dancing Khajiit, but something far more interesting… a performance!
As the two circled back to the area in front of Mikael, he suddenly stopped his drum beat and the two dropped to all fours instantly and slowly began crawling towards each other. A slow melody full of unusual chord progressions began – not from Mikael’s hands but from the other bard, Lisette, playing an odd elongated wind instrument. Apparently Mikael had recruited her to aid him in the music for their dance, Kitty realized, though Kitty’s mind was focused more on her own movements and watching Helfer.
They crawled towards one another and pushed against each other, as they had practiced earlier, rising not with use of their hands but simply by the pressure of their breasts pressed against each other – first to their knees, then to their feet.
In dance, Kitty had explained to Helfer earlier, inhibition and the concept of personal space needs to be discarded. The performance is everything, and there is no part of the body exempt from it’s use as an expression of the dance. Helfer understood almost innately and had no problem with any of the moves Kitty suggested they do together, regardless of the body parts involved.
Once back on their feet, they began the slow, erotic dance that Kitty had demonstrated earlier. Now choreographed for two, the majority of it was in constant contact with each other. Helfer perhaps was not quite as smooth in her movements as Kitty, and may have missed a step or two, but it would not have been obvious to anyone in the audience. For the most part, any watcher who noticed anything beyond the erotic nature of the dance would still have been impressed with the dual-synchronicity involved.
The dance concluded with the two dancers back in front of Mikael in the same position that the dance started in – on all fours and facing each other, though their breath was now coming in controlled but obviously strong cycles as their exertion showed. Yet Kitty and Helfer were far from tired. They were just getting warmed up!
But as the last drum beat sounded and she held her position, she was aware that there was no sound in the room. Had they pushed their audience too far? She broke her ending-stare into Helfer’s eyes to momentarily look at Mikael. But he was smiling back at her reassuringly before the applause of the audience rang out. The breath she hadn’t realized she was holding suddenly was released and she returned to her proper position.
Helfer’s eyes were sparkling. She was obviously suppressing her own smile since it was out of character for the exotic personas they had adopted, but Kitty could tell she was enjoying the accolades as well. Then the drum spoke for the next song and the two flowed into their next dance…
When the third dance had concluded, Mikael spoke apparently to the two dancers but in truth was addressing the audience. "Thank you very much ladies. I’m sure after that you two could use a break! We will return in a short time.”
While the reaction as they retreated to their rooms could not be called ‘thunderous’ due to the scarcity of the crowed, it was at least enthusiastic. As she followed Mikael out, Kitty noticed Bierand the smith, who they had met earlier in the bath, applauding along with the others and she smiled and nodded an acknowledgement to him. He in turn cheered for her even more with his fist in the air, to which she had to laugh.
Back in their room, Mikael gave Kitty as well as Helfer a strong embrace as he praised them for their performance. Perhaps at another time Kitty might have felt a twinge of instinctive jealousy at seeing him embrace another female like that, but with emotions running high at the success of their show so far, she completely understood.
Helfer laughed along with them, asking “Helfer did well then?”
Kitty ignored the lapse back into third-person. “Helfer did beautifully!” Then she turned back to Mikael. “So can I assume it went off as well as you expected?”
“Even better,” he replied. “I think even Lisette was impressed!”
“I heard her playing along with you. The combination of drum and her… flute?… sounded very good too, at least to my ears.”
“Indeed! I’d asked her to accompany me if she wanted to, but I wasn’t sure if she would. I think your entrance convinced her to give it a try. That tail thing you did was great!”
“You liked that? But we should be carefule if any Khajiit might be in the audience. They might take offense… or misunderstand and get too frisky. However, for you poor non-tailed races, I think you rather enjoy some tail in your face!”
“Oh, we do! But we must get back soon before our audience gets restless. You know the last three dances then?”
Kitty looked to Helfer who nodded confidently.
“Then,” Kitty said to her dancing partner, “Let’s do a little stretching first, and then get back down there and show them what Khajiit can really do!”
Mikael found himself amazed at the flexibility of the two Khajiits, though he didn’t mention it. But he found himself unable to look away from the sight of his lover stretching in ways no male could dream of. He’d known this Khajiit now, in every sense of the word, for quite some time and he found her endlessly fascinating as well as sexy as hell. As a bard, ‘love’ was not a word he really felt he understood. But at that moment, despite knowing that it was nothing short of pure physical lust that had pushed him over the edge to the decision, he realized that he would ask Kitty to be his wife. This was someone he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Kitty of course knew he was enjoying the view but thought no more of it than perhaps it would lend him some inspiration later that night. She did indeed need to stretch and loosen her muscles for the next set of dances. However, as she and Helfer returned to the room below, she did notice that he did not speak and seemed to be deep in thought.
Ubergard stepped into the room reporting on what she had found but was brought up short when she saw Helfer.
“Helfer?!”
Shyly, the Khajiit stepped forward, nodding to the giantess. “Yes. It is I, Helfer. Kitty loaned me this dress for our dancing tonight. Is it not beautiful?”
“ You are beautiful, Helfer.” Ubergard stated, hugging her closely in an uncharacteristically emotional display for the normally stoic Argonian.
Helfer’s eyes grew bright before she closed them while in Ubergard’s embrace, but then she laughed and begged to be set back down again. “Please Ubergard! Your sharp armor might pierce the fabric!”
Ubergard did as she was bidden, but gave Helfer a nuzzle under her chin before she let yer go.
“Well,” Mikael said sarcastically, “If you two can separate for a minute or two, maybe we could go down and get something to eat?”
“Food would be welcome indeed!” Helfer said, still standing close to the Argonian.
“Absolutely!” agreed Kitty, “But Helfer, we should put different clothes on first. We want to impress when we go down to dance. Mikael, did you get our clothes washed?”
“Yes, they’re right over there by the bookshelf.”
“Ok, let’s put these back on for now Helfer.”
A few minutes later found the four seated at a table in the tavern below, having finished their meal and were now relaxing and listening to the local bard.
“That is Lisette,” Mikael was explaining to Helfer.
“She sings very well, to my ears. Do you know her well?” Helfer asked.
At this question, Kitty listened closely. She was coming to recognized little quirks in his mannerisms and in particular was watching to see if he revealed some past intimacy with this ‘Lisette’ as he had done with some others. Yet his response seemed somewhat cooler than the ever-so-slightly warmer tones that he used when talking about his old lovers.
Mikael’s face turned dark. “Oh yes. We know each other well,” he said quietly. “I can’t say we are friends exactly, but we respect each other. Rivals is probably the better term.”
“But she agreed to let you play and us dance tonight?” Kitty asked.
But before he could reply, Helfer asked a question of her own. “Why would she have to agree? This isn’t her tavern. Only the owner need agree, right? She just works here and should do whatever the owner requests, no?”
Mikael sighed and leaned forward as he began to explain. “Bards are a special case. Well, at least those of us who have reached our level. When we agree to work for a tavern or inn, we have certain privileges accorded to us for our knowledge of the craft. We are, in effect, the masters of the entertainment.”
“But what if the owner disagrees? Surely he has the right to kick you out if he wants to?” Kitty asked.
“Oh, certainly he does.” Mikael answered. “But he wouldn’t do that for two reasons. One is that it wouldn’t be worth losing a good bard for a petty dispute. Those of use trained at the College are not common, and those skilled at Lisette’s level are even less common. But there’s another reason that it’s in their interest not to argue with the wishes of the bard too much… He may never get a bard to work for him again. We may have our own internal disputes, but once word gets around among the bard community that a tavern has treated it’s bard improperly, it will be a long time before another bard enters that tavern!”
“I see! So it was Lisette you had to get permission from for us to dance here tonight,” Kitty concluded.
“Yes. And we don’t see eye-to-eye on often. But we do have mutual respect for each others talent. She was willing enough. I think she also wants to see what you can do with your dance.”
“So why don’t you two get along then?”
“I opposed her inclusion as a bard. Actually, I opposed her entering the College at all.”
“And why would you do this?” Helfer asked.
“You will think less of me, but I opposed her because she was female.”
“What? Only because she is female?” Kitty asked incredulously.
“It… was a different time back then. It’s clear now that I was in the wrong, and I’ve told her so many times since then. But yes. I was of the opinion that only males should be allowed to become a bard.
She fought against that opinion of mine and won. So much so that it’s hard to believe it was ever an issue. But it was and she has a long memory.”
Ubergard then joined the conversation, “You don’t strike me as sexist, Mikael.”
“I don’t think I am. I didn’t think I was even then, though in hindsight…” he trailed off before continuing, “It was my opinion that the bawdy and lewd activities in a drunken tavern were no place for a talented female like Lisette. Her abilities would be better served at some Lord or Royal entertainments and not the low raucous atmosphere of a common barroom.”
“I can see you meant well, but that attitude is clearly sexist too. You can’t protect all the females of the world from the world you know,” Kitty said.
“Oh, I know that now. I know a lot more now than I did back then. But I was young and idealistic and I thought, as many thought at the time, that it was our role to protect females. I’ve since become much wiser. Though I think Lisette doesn’t believe that I have done so.”
“And I would love to see you protect me!” Ubergard laughed.
“Somehow I can’t picture you as a dainty lady living in high society. No, it’s females like you, Ubergard, who prove how silly that male-centered attitude was. Silly in retrospect. But it was prevalent at the time and we males who strove to uphold it thought we were doing good.”
Helfer then rose from the table and changed the subject. “So, friend bard, when do we perform?”
“As a matter of fact…. right away! Why don’t you and Kitty go back up and put your dresses on. I’ll take over for Lisette with some normal songs and introduce you when you come down?”
“That’s a good plan. Ubergard, I’ll return shortly. We shall meet after our performance.”
The facial expressions available to the bony Argonian frame were somewhat limited in their capacity, yet if an Argonian can be said to leer, Ubergard did so then. “Indeed, I look forward to our next meeting, Helfer! Perhaps you can give me a private performance as well later?”
Helfer laughed as she and Kitty rose to return to their rooms. “Certainly!”
“What do you think now, Kitty?” Helfer asked her as they were getting out of their clothes later. “Do you still think Ubergard is not attracted to me?”
“Oh, she’s attracted to you without a doubt! I’ll say no more on the subject. It’s really not an area I have much experience in anyway, and I’d probably just mess it up. Your relationship with Ubergard is just that – your relationship. I’ll butt out.”
Upon returning to the Winking Skeever, Kitty and Helfer saw that Mikael was talking with the female bard at a table downstairs so they left him alone and returned up to their rooms. Ubergard was not to be found, so the two went back to Kitty and Mikael’s room to wait. Helfer sat on the other side of a bookshelf to untie her hair to dry it while Kitty lay down on the bed and closed her eyes for a quick catnap.
When Helfer was done, she came over to Kitty who opened her eyes but for a moment Kitty didn’t recognize her at first.
“Helfer? Is that you?!”
“It is. Does Helfer…I mean, do I look so different to your eyes with my hair down? Does it offend?”
“For goodness sakes no! It’s gorgeous! Why don’t you keep it down for tonight?”
Helfer’s eyes brightened, “If you like it so, I will leave it like this. Do you think Ubergard will like it?”
Kitty shrugged, “Honestly I don’t know what Argonians like. But I can’t grow hair myself so I am jealous of it on any Khajiit. It looks lovely! Why don’t you leave it that way all the time?”
Helfer sat down on the bed beside Kitty and ran her fingers through her hair as if brushing it. “It is… impractical in the wilds Kitty. Many things get caught in it and it becomes annoying. But here in a city it is not a problem. If Ubergard approves of it, I will leave it down like this.”
“Helfer, don’t you think you’re building up your relationship with Uber beyond what is good for you? She’s already said right out that she doesn’t love you.”
Helfer looked at her directly. “Perhaps so, Kitty. But sometimes such feelings can change. I will do all I can to improve my standing in her eyes. I have loved her since I first saw her that night silhouetted against the moon.” said the Khajiit dreamily. “I cannot change that easily. If she does not come to love me,” she paused, “…what will be will be. But I will not give up until all hope is lost. I know I please her physically, and she says she likes me. That is something which I may build on.”
“Night? You met her in the morning when you found her having fallen from that ridge!”
“Oh… sorry, yes. Of course… Silly Helfer. I imagine our meeting… differently.”
Kitty looked at her long and hard. But before she could say anything, Mikael knocked at the door. “May I come in?” he said from outside.
Kitty opened the door for him. The bard stammered a bit at the two naked Khajiits.
“Oh! Sorry, we just got back from the bath,” Kitty said, realizing why he looked flustered.
“Mikael, do you know where Ubergard is?” asked Helfer.
“She said she was going to go look around outside for a while…” Mikael began but then caught himself, “Helfer! Your hair is different.”
“Took you long enough to notice. Finally looked above the shoulders did you?” Kitty muttered.
Helfer tried to display her hair to the bard though, “Do you like it better this way, friend Mikael?”
“I do! Say, would you and Kitty like to practice your dancing for me now while Ubergard is out?
The two Khajiits looked happily to Mikael and both nodded.
"But… I need something to wear,” Helfer said, turning to Kitty.
“Here, I’ve got an idea. I’ve got something here for you. It’s almost a twin to what I’ll be wearing, but in a different color. See what you think.”
“OH KITTY! It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen!” Helfer cried.
Kitty looked at her appraisingly. “Turn around for me. Let me see how it fits… Here. Hold your arms up. I’m going to tuck just a little padding underneath your boobs… Yes! That should look just like mine. Does it feel alright?”
“It feels… soft and cool. It feels wonderful!”
“And the pads? Do they bother you much?”
Helfer shifted her breasts around a bit through the dress. “No, it feels natural to me.”
“What do you think Mikael? Does she look good to you? Anything out of place?”
Mikael shook his head. “She looks absolutely gorgeous! Kitty, put yours on now. Maybe you can dance synchronously?”
Kitty soon had her black dress on and Mikael’s smile grew. “Oh, you two are going to knock them dead!”
“Ok Helfer. Now, let me show you a few of my dances and see if you can follow along. This first one is the simplest. It’s meant to seduce. The moves are slow and smooth, with a lot of back arching and let your tail flow from the position of your back to follow. I’ll go through the whole routine once, then you try and follow along. Mikael, give us a song with a slow, sensuous beat to dance to.”
“I know just the thing…”
“That’s it! Now, here’s another. This one is just for fun and is meant to express the joy of life. There is a kind of grace in it, but there’s a lot of rump thrusts and spread legs too. Watch closely. Mikael, something primal this time.”
A few minutes later and they were both dancing in almost perfect synchronicity.
A half hour later, Kitty had finished going through all six dances she had in mind to teach. Helfer, true to form, was an astonishingly fast learner. Both her and Mikael were complementing her on her dancing ability and quickness to master the moves.
“It is something that comes naturally to Helfer… I mean ‘me’.” I love to dance. But you, Kitty, were able to imagine these dances and turn them into reality. This I cannot do. But once learned, I will remember.“
"Well, what do you think Mikael?” Kitty asked her lover.
“I think you’re going to be very, very popular!” said Mikael before being interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” called Kitty.
“It is Ubergard. May I enter?”
Helfer shot Kitty a shocked look, but Kitty gave her a nod for confidence before responding, “Come on in Uber!”
Author’s note –
Not sure if this is going to work, but I made a short experimental video that goes along with this post here. So if the frame to the right doesn’t work, you can see it from that link anyway.
“Halt!” shouted the voice of a female guard as they approached the main gate of the city. “What is your business in Solitude?”
Mikael responded to her formally, “I am Mikael the Bard from Whiterun, here on my annual pilgrimage to the College along with my companions, the Khajiits Kitty and Helfer and the Argonian Ubergard.”
“Mikael?” the guard responded in a suddenly far more personal tone.
The bard struggled for only a second with his memory before he responded with “Gertrude! Is that you under there? When did you become a gate guard?”
The guard removed her helmet revealing apparently the Gertrude that Mikael had expected. “Oh, Lynnette and I passed the formal test a few months ago. She’s stationed at the palace now. Are you staying at the college?”
“No, we’ll be staying at the tavern. Why don’t you drop in after your shift? We can catch up on things!”
“It’ll be pretty late, but we’ll be there!” Gertrude replied, then sniffed the air a bit. “Say, you’re a bit ripe Mikael. Best use the communal bath after you get your stuff sorted out at the Skeever. It’s new. Just inside to the right. Elisif herself uses it to help promote cleanliness in Solitude. It’s pretty nice.”
With that, the guard resumed her duties and the four passed within the gates.
Sure enough, once within they saw the bath to their right. “Communal bath?” Kitty asked Mikael. “Will they let Khajiit and Argonians use it?”
“Oh certainly. In fact, they’d probably insist. Solitude is a city that prides itself on being the least barbarous of Skyrim’s cities. The communal bath is a tradition going back to the founding of Solitude, but the old bath had fallen into ruin, so this new one is good news indeed!”
“And there’s no problem with males and females sharing of it?”
“None at all. Again, Solitude has a much more civilized attitude than Whiterun you’ll find. But let’s get set up at the tavern first. It’s right over here.”
“The Winking Skeever?” Kitty asked as she looked at the sign over the door. “Sounds vaguely obscene.”
Mikael just laughed and shrugged as he held the door for her.
Mikael made arrangements with the bartender for their rooms, and soon they were settling in.
“Nice place! These rooms are much bigger than back in Whiterun,” Ubergard noted.
“Two rooms? Aren’t you being a little extravagant Mikael?” asked Kitty.
“Oh, I got us a special deal. 2 for 1 in exchange for performing for them tonight. Their resident bard is really quite good, but everyone gets tired of the same entertainment night after night. Plus with your dancing…”
“I see. Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m going to go check out that bath right away. I’m feeling a bit ‘ripe’ myself!”
Helfer looked at Ubergard inquiringly.
“Oh, of course Helfer. You don’t need my permission! Go on with Kitty. I want to check out the security here.”
“Mikael, anything we need to know before we get in the bath?”
“No, you’ll be fine. Just don’t be shocked by other residents using it with you. Don’t worry, it’s not considered a sexual thing here. I’ll be along later, but I need to set up things with the Bard here for the next few days first. But leave your clothes here. I’ll have them washed while you’re out.”
“If you’re sure…” Kitty said, hesitantly.
“I’m sure. Here, you can put this towel on if you’re feeling embarrassed, but it’s really not necessary here.”
“Nevertheless…” Kitty said as she accepted the towel and wrapped it around herself. “At least till I get used to it.”
Helfer, already naked, obviously had no need of a towel for modesty so Kitty wrapped another over her shoulders as well. After getting assurance from Ubergard that it was really OK to leave her for a while, the two Khajiits found their way back outside and across the path to the bath.
“Oh!” Kitty said as they approached the bath. “Someone’s there already!”
“It is of no importance,” Helfer assured her. “Did not Mikael say this shared bathing is acceptable in Solitude?”
Though the area wasn’t heavily populated, Kitty did notice that the few who did see them seemed indifferent to their lack of dress as well as their race. Despite her having wrapped her towel around herself, seeing that did help relieve her insecurity at public nudity, and Helfer certainly had no qualms about it.
As they climbed the steps to the bath, Kitty spoke to Helfer. “Helfer, I noticed you called her ‘Ubergard’ a little while ago. What happened to ‘UberGOD’?”
“Oh,” Helfer replied. “Ubergard told me it began to bother her, so Helfer calls her Ubergard now too. I am still learning. I wished not to offend but to honor her, but this she did not like.”
“And I see you’re using ‘I’ now too, at least sometimes. Very good Helfer. You are a fast learner!”
“Thank you Kitty. Hel… I try to be.”
“Welcome friend Khajiits!” Boomed the voice of the older of the two men in the tub. “Come! Join us. I am Bierand the smith, and my friend here is Sorex Vinius who works at the Winking Skeever.“
As the men stood to greet them, Kitty found it was completely impossible not to steal a glance at their substantial genitals. Yet it was their muscled chests that really held her gaze.
"Thank you Bierand! We’re strangers here I’m afraid, and not really used to your customs. I am known as Kitty, and my friend is Helfer. I come from Whiterun with Mikael the Bard.”
“Well met then, Kitty. Come, sit here by me. You can tell me of your travels and I will tell you about Solitude. For instance, I assume by your use of that towel that you’re not used to our bath. I assure you, you needn’t concern yourself about being naked here though. We locals might look askance if you were wandering the rest of the city without clothes, but around the bath here, it’s expected.”
“It… well, it will take some getting used to for me,” Kitty said as she removed the towel and stepped into the water. “But I’m willing to try!”
“Oh!” Kitty said, noticing his growing erection. “I see you’re… attracted…”
Bierand glanced down. “Of course. The body does what it does, and it would take a poor excuse for a man not to appreciate female beauty such as you two have, Khajiit or no! But please, never mind that. What brings you to Solitude?”
Kitty found herself warming to the smith and sat beside him. “Well, to be honest we’re here at the request of our Bard, Mikael. He is on his annual trip to the College and asked me to come along.”
“Oh, Mikael is here with you? That’s wonderful news! Will he be performing at the Skeever?” asked the other man, whom Kitty noticed was comfortably chatting with Helfer too until she mentioned Mikael.
“Oh yes! And Helfer and I will be dancing for him as well. That’s why he invited me. He seems to think I have some talent for dancing.”
Bierand replied, “Well I’ll have to see this then! A pair of fine Khajiit females dancing with Bard Mikael’s music? I can’t imagine anything finer to do on a lovely evening like this.”
“Say, Helfer. Perhaps you can help me wash my back?” Sorex asked.
“Helfer… I mean, ‘I’ will happily do this for you, friend Sorex. But what is this?”
“That,” Beirand interjected, “we call ‘soap’. It helps you get cleaner than just soaking in water. And it smells good too. What do you say, Kitty? I think you’ll like it. You just rub it into the skin, then rinse it off with water. Since the tub is constantly flowing water through, it doesn’t build up either. Here, let me show you how it’s done. Come here in front of me… Yes. Like that. I take the soap and rub it into your skin… well, fur in your case, like this…”
Kitty had to admit that the feel of the blacksmith’s incredibly strong hands working the soap into her fur was exquisite. “Oh Helfer, you’ve got to try this!”
Sorex laughed, “Hey, not till she’s done with me yet!”
“Do I use the soap properly?” she asked Sorex.
“Oh yes, very properly!” he moaned. “Just remember not to extend your claws and it’s heaven!”
Helfer laughed, “No, no claws!”
“What about the rest of me?” Kitty asked when Beirand had finished her upper body.
“Well, that depends on you. You can do it yourself of course, but if you trust me I’d be happy to continue!”
“Oh please! Your hands are wonderful!”
“Then by all means, stand up and I’ll finish you. Just, you understand I can’t help… this.”
Kitty nodded, knowing what he meant. “If it doesn’t bother you, it certainly doesn’t bother me! But please, continue!”
Helfer suggested Sorex do the same.
Soon however, Kitty’s bath was complete and she proceeded to wash Beirand the same way while Sorex did the same for Helfer. All went well save for a small accident when Beirand had become overly excited as Kitty was washing his lower regions, his ‘accident’ splashing across Helfer’s rump and tail.
At this, Sorex laughed but adamantly refused to clean it off, so Beirand ended up cleaning two Khajiit butts that evening.
“Well,” Kitty commented as she was relaxing later with Sorex, “At least you’re not hard anymore!”
“There is that. Thank you both though. It’s been a wonderful bath! My apologies for it turning rather sexual, but nature does as nature wills and it has been quite a long time for me. However, I need to be off to get ready for tonight! I very much look forward to seeing your dancing ladies.”
Kitty gave him a hug as he climbed out of the bath. “I’ll be looking for you later!” she warned.
“Oh, I’ll be there! Until then, goodnight Kitty. Goodnight Helfer! And I’ll see you later too Sorex.”
“Goodnight,” they both said in unison.
“I suppose I should be going too. As I said, I work at the Skeever so you’ll see me around tonight anyway.” and with that Sorex left the bath to the two Khajiits.
“Wasn’t that wonderful?” Kitty asked Helfer.
“It was wonderful,” Helfer agreed. “But perhaps the details need not concern Mikael or Ubergard?”
Kitty nodded vigorously and then laughed. “Helfer, if I had any doubts at all about your intelligence before, they’re gone now!”
As the three approached the bridge, Kitty found herself becoming unreasonably reluctant. The nearby waterfall with it’s growing roar certainly didn’t help and she angled to be near the center as she grew close. Communication at less than a shout became impossible, when she felt Mikael’s arm around her. She looked up at him and he smiled, obviously trying to calm her.
Meanwhile, Helfer had raced ahead and was even now peering down into the roiling waters below excitedly. While the drop really wasn’t all that far, the churning of the river below after the waterfall just a few yards away, and the sharp, unyielding rocks that may lay below the surface were the real dangers. Yet Helfer seemed to have no fear at all and was happily waving to Ubergard to share the view as she leaned over the side to watch the rushing water below.
After what seemed like hours to Kitty, Mikael had helped her across and beyond the bridge just far enough to talk again.
“Bothered you eh?” Mikael asked.
“You think?” she laughed sarcastically and a bit nervously. “But thanks. I appreciate you staying close.”
“It’s no bother.”
They sat down and waited until Helfer and Ubergard finally stopped their sightseeing and came walking back to them. Even now Helfer was turning back occasionally as if to appreciate the bridge from a different angle with an expression of awe and amusement on her face.
“Never have I seen such as this! Kitty, does it not delight?”
“Delight? Not me, I’m afraid Helfer. In fact it frightens me a little. I get a bit nervous around things like that,” she admitted. “Still, it isn’t something I’ll soon forget, that’s for sure!”
Ubergard turned back to Mikael, “How far to Solitude from here?”
“No more than an hour or two. We’ll be there in plenty of time before sundown.”
Ubergard nodded. “Any reason to stop in the village here before we move on then?”
Kitty shook her head when the Argonian turned to her. “Not me, we can get far better food in the city, I’m sure. Which reminds me… Mikael?”
Mikael looked at her as they continued on past the village, “Yes?”
“Where will we stay tonight? Are there rooms at the college?”
“Oh no, not the kind you’d like to stay in. They have rooms for students, but those are usually occupied and very small, and there’s no telling how many would be available now. Better to stay at the inn.”
Kitty nodded agreement.
“In fact, we’ll just hang out at the inn tonight. It will give me a chance to catch up on the local gossip too. It’s always good to know what has been going on since I was here last. In fact, I was wondering if maybe you might be interested in giving a performance tonight?”
“Do… Do you think they’ll like it in Solitude? I mean, Whiterun is one thing, but Solitude is pretty… I don’t know… metropolitan?”
“That’s why I think you`should. If the locals like it at the inn, that will go a long way towards winning the College over to my proposal. If they don’t… well, better to know ahead of time anyway.”
Kitty nodded. “Makes sense. But I’d best not wear this outfit for the dancing. I’ll need a nice bath. I’ve got a couple other outfits anyway. You remember that one I wore the other night right?”
“The one that tempted me to lift the ‘flaps’? How could I forget?”
“Hey! I do wear underwear you know!”
Mikael grinned at the little Khajiit. “But that’s the whole attraction, don’t you see? We don’t know if you do or not! One more twirl at just a little faster speed and we might find out!”
Kitty returned his lascivious expression with one of her own. “Well, of course! That’s what it’s meant to do. But I have bad news for you. It’s designed so that you’ll never quite find out for certain.”
At that, Helfer dropped back to talk to Kitty. “Helfer knows dancing! Does Kitty dance?”
“Oh, in my own way. Mikael seems to like it though. Would you like to dance with me Helfer?”
The Khajiit’s eyes fairly sparkled in their eagerness that made her reply superfluous.
“Well, I’d love to have you dance with me Helfer. But… we should see if our styles are compatible.”
To that Mikael nodded agreement.
“Perhaps Helfer and Kitty could practice in our room in private?” Helfer suggested.
“That’s a good idea. Mikael will have the final word, since this is his project though. If he doesn’t agree, you’ll be OK with that right?”
Helfer nodded. “Helfer understands. If Mikael does not think our ‘styles’ are graceful together, you will dance without Helfer.”
“Exactly.”
“But… Helfer does not want Ubergard to see her practice.”
“No?”
“No. Ubergard should see Helfer at her best only.”
“Helfer…” Kitty began, but at the look from her fellow Khajiit she decided that it really wasn’t her place to try and dissuade her from her obsession with the giantess. “Oh, never mind Helfer.”
After they’d walked for a while more, Helfer again dropped back to talk to Kitty privately.
“Helfer was thinking, Kitty. Must Helfer wear clothes when dancing?”
Kitty sighed, “Well, yes! I’m afraid so Helfer. Are clothes not worn when dancing where you are from?”
Helfer shook her head. “Only in provocative dances where we remove them slowly. You do not remove the clothes when dancing?”
“No. We keep them on,” Kitty smiled. “They’re kinda mandatory here. Why?”
Helfer looked down at herself. “This Helfer’s only clothes.”
Kitty looked at her friend critically, then shook her head. “No… those won’t do.”
The look that Helfer turned to her spoke clearly of her disappointment.
“Oh, don’t worry! I have a spare outfit, and we’re pretty close in size.”
Helfer hefted Kitty’s breast, adding, “Not here. Helfer is not so big here.”
“Well, let’s try it anyway. This outfit does odd things with my boobs. I don’t think there’s that much difference. And even if there is, there are… modifications we can use to make you fit.”
At that, Helfer brightened up significantly. “Thank you Kitty. Kitty is a very good person. Helfer will remember that.”
Up ahead Ubergard announced. “We’re here. Welcome to Solitude!”
tailsofthekhajiit 