On His Mane's Secret Service
Chapter 4

Ra’Jirra didn’t tell Dar’Amon until the next morning.

“I’m going over there right now and turn in my resignation,” Dar’Amon declared flatly, jumping down off the bed where Ra’Jirra lay, her eyes red.

“You’ll do no such thing,” she shot back at him, anger in her voice. “Dar, I can’t tell you the specifics, but he was justified.”

“That’s just not possible! You and I both know you’re the best agent they have. They’ve fired their best! Why would I want to work for an agency that would do that?”

“I’m not their best, Dar. It’s the Dominion. I really hate them.”

“With good cause!”

“I told you Dar, it’s affecting my judgement. I thought about it seriously all day. He’s right. I can’t do this anymore. Now get back up here. You can’t open the door anyway.”

The Alfiq complied to his fiance’s wishes and curled up on her stomach.

“Besides, if you quit we’d both be out of a job,” she said, stroking him. “Which reminds me, when are you supposed to go back in?”

He began to purr and knead her instinctively. His claws hurt a little, but she enjoyed the companionship and closeness, and never bothered to tell him. It was a minor, loving pain.

“Supposed to report in tomorrow. But that was before all this. Even if I don’t quit, it’s going to be strained.”

“They’ll probably send you out of town.”

“Most likely. I’m always partnered with another agent. It will be weird.”

“Yeah. I’ve gotten used to you being around,” she agreed. “Well, I’m not going to become a recluse. I’m going to get dressed and go out downtown. Maybe look for a job or something. And just think.”

“I understand,” Dar’Amon said, recognizing that her intent was to do these things alone. She liked that about her lover. He knew when to not be there.

She got up, undressed and went to the shower with Dar’Amon shadowing her. She’d gotten used to his presence by now when bathing, though she still drew the line at other bathroom functions. He enjoyed watching her. Truth be told, she thought, she rather enjoyed it herself, though social convention required that she put on an air of mild disgust.

“Raj!” he said unexpectedly. “There’s someone at the door.”

Ra’Jirra shut off the water. “Oh? Go see who it is while I put my hair up.”

The cat left the bathroom while Ra’Jirra wrapped her hair in a towel and began to dry herself quickly.

“It’s Em, Raj!” Dar said excitedly. “Maybe…”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Dar. I probably left something.”

“And he came to deliver it personally? Not likely.”

Ra’Jirra wrapped another towel around herself and answered the door.

“Hi Em. Come in. Was just getting ready.”

Dar’Amon hissed at the head of the most powerful secret service in all of Tamriel.

“Now Dar, I told you…” she started.

Em stepped into the small apartment and Ra’Jirra closed the door behind him.

“Hello Dar’Amon,” he said, smiling despite the Alfiq’s reaction.

“You’ve come to ask her back, haven’t you?” Dar’Amon asked angrily. “Took you long enough to realize your mistake!”

“No Dar’Amon. I’ve come for another reason. Ra’Jirra, you’ve been summoned to an audience with the Mane. Tomorrow.”

“With the Mane?! Me? Why?”

“I expect you know why. That proposal from the Dominion - he wants to talk to you about it. I think he wants to know what you really think.”

“You already know what I think. But I’m just a field agent. The Mane wants to talk with me? Geeze Em, I don’t know anything about Royal protocol and all that stuff! I’ll make a fool of myself!”

“Yes, you will. Which is another reason I’m here,” he said as she sat on the bed, her mind racing.

He handed her a card with a name and an address. The address was part of the Royal Palace estate, though not the Palace itself.

“This is the card of Princess Sauki, one of the Mane’s Royal Concubines. She will see you at noon today to train you in what you absolutely need to know before meeting with the Mane tomorrow.”

Ra’Jirra stared at the card. “Holy shit, Em.”

“I know. But the Mane is the leader of our country. When he asks for you, you come. But protocol in the Palace is pretty strict, and even more so around the Mane. Learn quickly, Raj.”

“Can I take Dar with me?” she asked.

“No Raj. Just you. They’ll know an Alfiq and it’s women-only in the Princess’ room today too.”

Ra’Jirra literally gulped. She was not cut out for Royalty.

“I’ll screw something up, Em. I know I will!”

Yes, you will Raj,” he said, smiling. “But it’s been years since the last beheading for a protocol violation. Just don’t screw up too bad.”

She saw Em out the door and sat back on the bed. Dar’Amon slunk up beside her and looked at the card she was staring at too.

“You’ll do fine,” he said reassuringly.

“I’ll fuck up. I’m a damn field agent! I’ve no experience in this sort of stuff!”

“You’re not a field agent anymore, Raj. I think maybe you’d better dress a bit better than for a walk around downtown.”

—————————–

In fact, she wore her best outfit - a gown that she had once felt was the most beautiful gown in the world, and now she noticed every frayed thread. But she had no time, so she followed Dar’s advice and tried to not think about it.

She turned the card in to the guards at the front gate of the palace and in a few minutes two women came to escort her to Princess’s wing of the Palace - actually a separate building from the Palace proper. Every woman was dressed in the transparent finery of the Royal court and she felt like she was a country rube fresh from the mud farms.

“You are Ra’Jirra?” said an older khajiit lady.

“I am,” she said, eyes downcast. “Princess Sauki?”

“Please, don’t do that Ra’Jirra,” said the Princess, lifting Ra’Jirra’s chin up with a finger. “I have a lot to teach you today, and you’re going to have to look at me. Yes, I am Princess Sauki. But remember, I am not a member of the Royal Family. The office of Concubine is old and respected, but I’m just a commoner like you. But one who knows what you need to know before your meeting with the Mane tomorrow.”

“Sorry, Princess,” she began…

“And let’s stop that right now, or you’re going to be saying ‘Sorry’ all day long, Ra’Jirra. You know things I don’t know, and I know things you don’t know. The only difference between us is that you need to know things I know, and I don’t need to know things you know. Doesn’t make either better or worse, it’s just the situation. So let’s get started, shall we?”

“Yes,” Ra’Jirra said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

“Mmm. Right,” said the princess, standing back away from her and appraising her.

“Okay, first thing we have to do is get you fitted. No female comes to the Mane without wearing the Raba - at least, not in the palace. It is the traditional robe of office for females here, and you will wear it. Remove your clothes, Ra’Jirra.”

She did so without complaint. Two tailors came in and measured her from top to bottom, even the length of her tail. When they were finished, a Raba was brought in that fit her fairly closely and, with some instruction from the Princess, she got herself into it without tearing any of the flimsy cloth.

She stood in front of a mirror, the Princess behind her. The Raba was disturbingly transparent, with multiple layers of gauzy silk-like fabric. Though close-fitting in the torso, it flared at the legs and skirt with necklaces of jewelry about the bust and waist. The fabric on hers was colored in various shades of pale blue. From the jewel-encrusted belt hung two more drapings of beaded jewels that met, framing her lower abdomen in a sort of curved triangle, while a similarly draped necklace did the same, surrounding each breast. The effect was somehow more dignified than she expected though, even though her body was completely exposed visually.

“Yes,” said the Princess. “Very fetching. I think the blue works well with your coloration, don’t you agree?”

“I… guess. Sorry, I’m not very good with colors. But it looks good!”

“For the last time, Ra’Jirra, stop saying Sorry all the time! I get sick of it!”

“Okay, okay! S… I mean. Yes. I will. But Princess, this slit… is it supposed to go up all this way? It’s practically to my tail! You can’t even see it when walking, but if I should bend over or something…”

“Yes Ra’Jirra. That is inherent in the design and function of the Raba. Come, sit beside me. Let’s talk a moment.”

She patted the seat beside her on a long cushioned couch.

“Ra’Jirra, we live in a shameless Patriarchy here. We know this, yes? We have come a long way from where the society was as children, and we will continue to advance. The current Mane is a forward thinking khajiit, you will see. And yet traditions are slow to change. That is why they’re called traditions, you see?”

“I know.”

“The Raba, it has been in use for hundreds of years in the Palace, but its design and function remains rather obvious when you wear it. Its origins are in the bedroom, undoubtedly, though modified over the years into the Raba we have today. I think I don’t need to tell you this. Long ago, it is thought, we khajiit women were gathered into prides, like lions, all under a dominant Mane along with subservient men. If this is true or not, we cannot know, but it is clear our society is formed to mimic that myth. Many of the traditions in the Palace reflect this.”

“Such as…”

“For instance, when at dinner with the Mane, nothing is eaten or drank until he begins. All are subservient to the Mane. If you remember that, it is the core of all our protocols. If you break protocol, as long as you remain subservient to the Mane, it will be forgiven immediately. Now, understand, all of this is only while in the Throne Room or other public situation. Your actual interview will be in private where you can be yourself.”

“Well, that’s a relief anyway!”

“Honestly, it’s not so bad once you get used to it. But if you’re bothered about the slit in the Raba, I’m afraid there’s worse to come. Now, let’s talk about the Presentation. The men prostrate themselves before the presence of the Mane. Females perform a similar Presentation, but reversed…”

“But that means the slit would… In front of the Mane?!”

“That is correct, Ra’Jirra. Welcome to the center of the khajiit Patriarchy.”

—————

Night was falling by the time she left the Palace grounds. Her head was spinning with all the things she’d tried to learn, and she felt less ready to handle the audience than when she’d arrived.

“Dar!” she called in a panicked tone as she opened the door

“That bad?”

“Oh Dar, I’m going to fuck up so bad! There’s a million things! I don’t think I can remember any of them!”

“Well, I’ll be sure and be there at the decapitation.”

“I’m serious, Dar. I spent hours there and all I can remember how to do is stick my damn tail in the air!”

“What?”

“Oh, never mind,” she said, plopping onto the bed. “It would just piss you off anyway.”

Dar’Amon jumped up beside her head.

She covered her face with her hands and began to cry. “Oh Dar, I’m serious. I’m going to embarrass myself so bad…”

“You could always refuse to go.”

“Sure. And get expelled to Hammerfell. They love me in Hammerfell. That would be just my luck. I’ll end up living in stinking Rihad!”

“Listen to yourself, Ra’Jirra! Is this the woman who defeated the Dominion single handedly? This isn’t you. You sound like some damn scaredy cat! This Mane, he may be the leader of Elsweyr, but you are one of it’s best defenders!”

Hearing this from Dar’Amon stung like a slap to the face and she stared at the little Alfiq while her mind shifted gears.

“You know, you’re right. Dar, I may get banished from Elsweyr, but I’m going to deal with this my way. Let me get changed, and then we’re going out! I’ve got some shopping to do!”

“Um… Raj? Maybe I came off a little too harsh,” Dar’Amon said, seeing the change come over her.

“Trust me,” she smiled back.