Should Have Let Me Die

Chapter 32: Earning Trust Comes Before The Dancefloor

Everyone started moving around the tables and coming to the center area. I watched as the girls began to move from the center, while others stayed more excited about dancing than others. The other split into another two groups. One came to our table, while the more shy girls found a place out of the way.

I watched all of this, but the Kadence came and pulled on my sleeve. I turned to look at her, but she just grabbed me and started pulling me. I knew what she was trying to do, but there were more important things to deal with at the moment than dancing.

"Wait, we need to do some things first before I do any dancing with anyone. Kadence, Kalita, and Addel, I need you three to come with me to get the other girls that are with the kids, but we are going to take that group with us."

I motioned with my head to the group that was trying to stay as far from notice as possible. I looked at Alex, and she gave me a big warm smile, nodding to me because she already knew my thoughts. This understanding thing was quite handy when used in the proper situations without having to sound mushy but convey the same feeling through the look.

I turned back to my two and a half confused wives and pushed them ahead. Addel wasn't really my wife yet, according to her standards, so I will just mark her as half a wife, for now, to keep my ducks in a row. I led them over to the girls that were almost cowering in the corner and got the women to go and get them.

Considering all their experience with human men, I was the last person they would want to come and fetch them. It was confirmed as the girls passed me, I could see the fear, but one of them came right over to me and gave me another curtsy. This was the Deer-kin from this morning, hmm? I don't think I got her name.

"Umm, I just wanted to say thank you for helping my mom and sister. They were both in bad shape, and"

The Deer-Kin girl had started to tear up and then choked up before she could continue, so I stepped in and slowly gave her a hug. Her body went stiff in my arms. Then the rest of the girls stopped to look at what I was doing. Great, this probably looks bad, but I can't break face now, or I won't change anything.

"I not here to hurt you or anything like that. Life has been hard for you and your family, but I'm here to change that for you and the world. Believe me, one of my main goals is to rid this world of slavery, even if I have to kick down every slave den my self, I will be done!"

The shaking had stopped, so I gave her a quick squeeze and let the Derr-Kin go, and stepped back. To my surprise, she didn't run to the other girls but stayed staring at me, looking at me. I suddenly felt like I was being checked out, and I looked away, nervously without thinking.

It was slow to start, but so are avalanches. First, the Deer-Kin began to laugh, and the others in the group began to giggle. Soon, even my wives were laughing along with them all.

Even at my expense, I could take the laughter if it helped the girls loosen up. I looked back at the girl in front of me and gave her a disapproving frown, but not a serious one. She quieted down, and the others soon followed.

"Child, do you have a name?"

"My name is Liolla, and I may look young, but I'm the same age as you! At least that's what Miss Addel said."

"Oh, she did, did she? Well, I can see you have all got a good laugh out of the way, and since your all more cheerful, I would like to take you to relieve my other wives from children's duty. Is that OK?"

Most of the human girls were excited, and I knew they would be, but I also knew the other side of this coin. The Beast-Kin girls would be apprehensive about going around the kids, so I explained that I would sit with them for a while, and then two of my wives would stay with them. That seemed to calm their nerves, so my wives led us around the tables. The girls sounded excited as we got to where the kids played with my other wives.

Arrentia, Nina, and Mishka were all entertaining the kids while the parents enjoyed the meal and dance. I had heard a number of people comment and thanks me on my way over here about this. The Beast-Kin girls had stuck beside me the walk over here, and now we're starting to crowd around me and making it hard to walk, but I managed.

There was a fox, badger, dog, and a cat, along with another Deer-Kin, presumably Liolla's sister. When we got closer, my three wives rushed over, making the group circle around behind me, and the other girls moved forward to intercept the children chasing after them.

Nina was the first to hug me and give me a kiss, her touch made me feel a slight drain, but it was nothing like before. When Nina was done, she moved to the side to let Mishka in but, she was timid compared to Nina and moved in close, making me grabbed her and pulled her into a hug while tickling her at the same time. Mishka started to giggle and squirm in my arms until I finally kissed her cheek and let her go.

Arrentia was also timid, so I walked over and gave her a hug, but no tickling. I breathed in her scent and was reminded of what almost was this morning. When we pulled apart, I kissed her cheek as well and then stepped towards the kids. At this point, all the boys were making screwed-up faces, and the little girls were looking dreamy-eyed up at me.

"I would like you all to meet these girls here! They will be helping you guys have fun and keep busy while your parents are at the dance. I want you all to be nice to ALL the ladies, even those who don't look like you. They are all the same. They all can all have the same kind of fun as the ones that look like you, OK?"

The kids looked at me strangely but agreed and then went back to playing with the girls. I turned to the other girls and led them over to the crowd of kids, and found a seat on the ground. Kadence scolded me about getting dirty, but I was soon joined but the Beast- Kin girls.

As expected, it didn't take long for the little girls and some of the boys to come and start dragging off the girls to play. Soon I was left to my wives, except Alex, who was making sure everything else ran smoothly with Breth and Mesh. I knew what was coming, but I wanted to put it off as much as I could.

'Stop being such a wimp and let the girls show you how!' -Gripton.

'Hey! I didn't ask for your opinion! I get it! You can make me be good, but this is one thing I don't plan on budging on!'

'Oh? You think so? I don't need to use pain or anything like that to get you to do this!' -Gripton.

'Oh? Then how do you think you're going to get me on the dance floor?'

'Me? Really, I'm nothing more than a voice in your head. I really think you should look up and worry about the more important and real things in life.' -Gripton.

I looked up, and all my wives were staring at me on the ground. Oh shit! Even Alex was with them. Well, it was a good run while it lasted. I don't think I can put up the good fight with the odds stacked like this.