Family Curse Ch. 06

Once we got past the maze of armed guards I found myself surrounded by snobs. Look at all the rich people with too much money. Then again, I guess that included me too only I didn't feel that way. Maybe they didn't either and I was just being judgmental. But they did say that money would change a person.

So to give you the basic picture, there were gold chandeliers and gold curtains and golden plates. It was like yellow had been blanketly spray painted on everything. I was told to stand to the side and keep out of people's way. All these people were much more important than me after all. I should feel honored just to be in the same room with them. I shouldn't expect to actually get introduced or get a picture with them unless they say it is ok.

Now, just to say this plainly I did not ask about any of this. I just kept my mouth shut and hoped I could get away from this party as quickly as possible. I was being quiet and some people took that to mean I was a good listener so they started just spilling the whole life story of the queen and the connection she had to the president and vice president as well as the fact that the movie star was related to the vice president's family in some way and on and on and on. No wonder people say it's all about who you know.

Sitting at my assigned seat at the table for dinner wasn't comfortable no matter how delicious the food was. Mingling wasn't really fun since tux shoes were not made for walking around in. These things were not the right size. OUCH. Then we all had to pause while we watched a live video feed of the first woman president tell the queen she was sorry she could not attend herself. Reelection must really be time consuming. Either that or she didn't want to have to share the frame with an even older and uglier woman world leader.

Then we got to watch a sneak preview of a scene from the movie star's newest film that wasn't even out yet. It was all very dignified but I noticed that I could see her nipple through her costume in the film. Well, that explained why they were aiming for a pg13 rating because anyone much older than that was going to need a bit more than the outline of a nipple to get them interested.

Everyone clapped and I played along even though I felt her line delivery was just fucking terrible. No wonder she had to let them sexualize her in film. She couldn't act. If she wasn't related to the vice president, it would likely be the case that the only acting she'd be doing would be in porn. That would be funny, her having to get naked and let men she'd only met an hour or so earlier fuck her. I could just imagine it and smiled while I did so.

I really didn't mean to be such an ass but it was so obviously clear that she wasn't cut out for acting. Maybe if she got some training she'd be better. Or maybe it was the case that no one wanted to tell her she was doing a bad job because of who her family was. But clapping at a performance like that was just ego stroking. She should do herself and the world a huge favor and get out of acting and let women who were actually talented have a chance.

My sisters were talking together and my mother was standing there like she was the most important person in the room even though no one took notice of her. My father was working the room when I noticed he got a call. He did not look happy. He ran outside the ballroom and started to quietly yet harshly speak with the person on the other end.

"No, that isn't what we agreed. You put a stop to it." ... "No, I can't open the offices today. I'm out of town. You've all known that for two months now."

I couldn't look away. Despite my best efforts I couldn't keep from smiling. Really, he should be happy. In the end, I was going to end up owning a lot more of his company than he'd planned for so he should be ecstatic.

My own curiosity was getting the better of me and I decided to find a place to be alone for a moment. I wanted to call my banker and get an update. I'd gotten one two days earlier and I didn't really expect her to have any new information for me but now that word had gotten to my father about my scheme I wanted to have someone to talk about it with.

It had been so hard not telling anyone, not even Terri what I had planned. Not that I didn't trust Terri but I figured it would be best not to say anything until it was done and wouldn't have any chance of failure.

I had instructed my banker to set up a holding company for me. That holding company had only one purpose, to buy as much of my father's company as his partners would be willing to sell. The last I'd heard, I was sitting at a full forty percent ownership and that was without the shares I'd gotten through my father. The final holdouts were asking for a fortune to release their final shares and my banker had advised me not to buy at that price. So, along with the 15% that I'd purchased through my father, I now had a majority ownership position in the company. My father's plan to become the largest share owner again had failed and he was going nuts over the fact the he didn't know who was doing this. It was hysterical to see. I owned his company and I still didn't really know what he did.

I found a little side room that had a couple of sofas and a coffee table and not much else. I quickly got my shoes off and let my feet air out. Then I got my phone out to call my banker when there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?' I asked.

A tall woman who was part of the queen's party of people came into the room and closed the door behind her. She was a blond with very bright blue eyes. She looked to be about the same age as me.

"Can I help you?" I asked with more of an air of superiority than I usually sounded. Look, I had claimed this room. I'd even taken my shoes off and she just decided to encroach on me.

"I don't believe we've met." she said. Wow, the British accent was strong with this one.

"No. You are?"

She looked at me with disdain. "You really don't know?"

"In jolly old wherever you're from, is it the custom to ask questions you already know the answers to?"

"Marga ... ahem ... Margaret Just Margaret." she said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm John."

She extended her hand to me and I did the thing where you don't really shake a woman's hand, you hold it like you're going to kiss it but then just don't.

"Nice to meet you, too; John."

"Anyway, I was just about to make a private phone call."

"Oh dear. I'm ever so sorry. Don't mind me. I won't make a sound."

"I don't suppose you could not make a sound on the other side of the door?"

"Well, you see, it's just that ... oh dear."

"Ok. Fine. I don't care and I really don't want to know. But if you're going to be in here, guard the door."

"The door?"

"Yeah. The thing that opens the hole in the wall that we go through. I don't want anyone else coming in so if you're going to be in here, make sure that doesn't happen. Capisce?"

"Right. I'm on it. You can count on me."

Honestly I wouldn't count on her for bunk but giving her a task kept her away from me as I got on the line with my banker.

I was waiting on the line listening to the bank's hold music when I looked back over at the blond. Yeah, she was attractive and nearly adorable when she smiled at me. Too bad her accent made her sound like she was speaking a foreign language or she'd be quite the catch for some guy. Not me of course. I was unbelievably on the path to matrimony. I wondered if not for the curse thing if I'd really be so eager to really just be with my sister for the rest of my life. I loved my sister unquestionably. It just seemed so fast to come to that decision. But being with her I hadn't had a curse episode in something like two weeks now. The last one had actually been initiated by me.

"Hello." my banker said.

"Hello, Mrs. James. It's John Ferris."

"Mr. Ferris. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing much, I just want to get a quick status on my little project."

"I haven't heard anything. Let me take a look at the file and see if there's been any activity."

"My dad is about to flip his top."

"We did get an offer in."

"For how much?"

"Oh, actually now that I'm looking at it, it's an offer to buy some of your shares."

"Don't sell anything. Just buy."

"No problem. I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Great. Oh, and I probably should have asked this before but can I sell shares to myself?"

"What do you mean?"

"The shares that I bought under my own name. Can I sell those to the holding company?"

"Sure but there are easier ways to do it. Come to my office on Monday and we can talk about it."

"Ok. Morning or afternoon."

"Your choice. Oh, I just got another offer in. It's tagged as urgent. It's from your father. He's offering triple for the shares."

"Triple? Don't sell. No way. Only buy if you get a chance, otherwise just sit on it."

"Sure thing. Anything I can help you with?"

"Not now. I'll see you on Monday."

"Great. Enjoy your weekend."

"You too."

I had instinctively started facing the corner when I actually got a human voice. Now that the call was over I turned around and low and behold, another girl in the room.

"What did I tell you?" I said.

"Oh, that's right. I wasn't supposed to let anyone in."

I was about to tell the new girl to get the fuck out of my way so I could watch my father have a meltdown when I suddenly recognized her. I didn't know her name but I knew her face from the terrible movie scene we'd all just watched. Something in me was telling me to be polite but what used did I have with being star struck.

"You're a shit actress, just so you know. Now move."

Click.

"No. ... No, no, no, no, no. What are you doing?"

"What do you think? You won the lottery and now this shit actress is going to let you get lucky."

I pushed past her to the door. Damn. Shut tight. I was very angry when I turned around to look at the two women helping each other get undressed from their overly complicated dresses. I knew it wasn't really their fault but damn if I wasn't actually really angry with them at that moment.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" I yelled.

"I haven't done anything yet, but I'm going to." the actress said.

"I just wanted to get a moment alone from the queen. I didn't mean for this but now I think I'll join in. This looks just smashing. I'm so excited."

It was the curse talking. Had to be. She couldn't really sound like that in real life.

I turned back to the door. Uncle John had said something about a way out. The handle was frozen in place. I kicked it and the door didn't even vibrate. What could it be? Through the walls? No. He'd said something about actually opening the doors. Or maybe he was joking. One last laugh. It would be his style, like sending me all over the world on a wild goose chase.

I stood there looking at the door and trying to figure out how to open it. When I turned back around the two women were already completely naked and doing sixty nine with each other.

Ok, I'll just go ahead and say it. That was hot. Objectively, that was really sexy just then and I was getting a hard on. The problem wasn't that this couldn't be great. The problem was that my own free will was stripped from me and in a way I was guilty of causing it to happen to them.

"Come bring me your cock." the foreign girl said. "I want to suck it."

"No." I answered.

"Do it. The future queen commands you."

"Future queen, ay?"

"You really don't know who I am?"

"I have to be honest. I really don't fucking care. There are three people in this room and you are the least important. Do you know who I am? No. Cause I'm so important you're not even qualified to know. In fact, I can prove it. No dick for you."

"What?" she said in shock. "That's ... um ... oh my. That's not how ..."

"No. Get your hands off of me. No dick for you."

"Please."

"Bow down and kiss my feet, pretender."

The foreign girl did as I commanded and the actress looked puzzled. "You know you really shouldn't talk to her like that. Now that her uncles and cousins are dead she is the next in line for ..."

"Shut it. I don't feel like hearing you run your mouth. She's got my left, you kiss my right. Do it or no dick for you."

And she did. No complaint about it.

I did have half a mind to just let them go from kissing my feet to sucking my dick so that the sex could happen and then I could get out of there. But then again, I'd miss my chance to learn something new about the curse. Of course the most ideal situation would be to not be cursed but if I was going to be cursed then I was going to make the most of it.

"Ok. Here's what we're going to do. There's a party going on in the ballroom. I am going to the rest of that party. If I miss any more of the party, then no dick for either of you."

They moaned and complained at that. "Please. We'll do whatever you ask. Just please fuck us. PLEASE." they begged.

"Whatever I ask? Fine. Open the door."

"But we need privacy."

"Only for fucking and that's not going to happen until AFTER the Party. Get it? Now get dressed, both of you and then get that fucking door open. I don't care how you do it, just do it."

Once they were both dressed again and I had my shoes back on to my amazement, the actress was able to just unlock and open the door like it was nothing. Not fair. I'm calling it. That bullshit was not fair. Fuck that door.

It was about five meters down the hall to the door to the grand ballroom where the party was being held. The two guards at the door recognized us and just let us in without a word. Back inside the party, the two women were each clinging to one side of me and acting all lovey dovey. I really hoped my sister didn't see us like this. Oh no. Too late!

"John, what's going on?" Terri asked me.

"Untalented actress and powerless descendant of a military dictator, please meet Terri. She's very important to me so show respect."

Both women fighting to be closer to me turned to introduce themselves to my sister. And just then my other sister and my mother both came over to see what was going on but before that could happen, some snobby looking guys came to attempt to collect the foreign girl for alleged queen of some unimportant little place that was now just a sub-jurisdiction of the new European super-state. I think I remembered that they had actually voted to leave the EU before it became one big Republic but then the first woman president came to power and threatened them with all kinds of sanctions if they pulled out. So now England was just one state in a weird united states of Europe only with some states having a monarch. All the flags of Europe all had to have the old EU flag in the upper left corner now.

Anyway the foreign girl refused to leave my side even when I told her it would be ok to leave for a little bit. "No, then you're going to fuck her and not me and it's not fair." she whispered in my ear.

Well, what could I do?

Then other people were taking an interest in these happenings and people started to ask me all kinds of questions like who I was and what I was doing there. I was smart enough not to answer anything and instead commanded the two women to answer for me and keep these peasants in line.

My goal was to find my father and see what was going on. I found him sitting at the table in his assigned seat. A crowd followed me and any hope I had of getting my father into a conversation about the company so I could know what he was planning ended. Instead, he got wrapped up into asking me what was going on.

Eventually I found myself sitting in my assigned seat but I turned it away from the table towards the more open area of the ballroom. When I sat down, each woman sat at my feet and affectionately put their heads on my lap. The crown princess of ... well I was going to say, as if it was all scandalous or something that the crown princess of the island and all the other places that used to be their colonies was at the moment acting like my lap dog but I guess considering the country's then current position in the world, it really wasn't all that important. Who cared?

Well, the then current queen cared. If her ... well, I wasn't sure exactly how they were related. But anyway, if her, I'm just guessing here, granddaughter wouldn't come to her then she was going to come to us.

Someone poked my side and told me to stand for the queen. Ha. When the queen came I politely asked her to bend the knee.

"I'd also ask you to kiss my ring but I'm afraid I haven't brought one."

The ancient woman was clutching her purse with one hand and used a wave of her other hand to ask someone to bring her a chair. She sat down in front of me. She only spoke in a very low voice and only after some of her people cleared the crowd that wanted to get close. Even in the middle of the ballroom it was almost like we were in private.

"You're a very rude young man." she told me. "What's the meaning of this?"

"What's the meaning of you coming over here and expecting me to answer to you? You're not my equal. You can't even vote. If you would have just wanted to come over to talk that would be one thing but your goon there told me I had to stand as if I was subject to you or something."

"And is she now subject to you?"

"For now."

"I know what this is." she said. I had to smile and almost laughed at that.

"Really? You think so."

"Your great uncle was mister John Argento. Correct?"

"How did you know that?"

"You came to a party like this and expected anonymity?" Then she waved at a guy and he brought over a black plastic folder. From the folder she showed me a photo of a very young Uncle John standing next to a very young version of the old woman while she was wearing an army uniform and had grease smeared on her face. They were both standing next to one of those old WWII trucks with the engine hood propped open.

"He had a big head at times too." the old woman said. "But we eventually earned each other's respect. I know what you have to do and I know about the rule of three. I know it can't be helped. I only ask you not to abuse her."

"I certainly have no plan to."

"I didn't know this spell ran in the family."

"I'm the only one currently in case you're curious. Honestly I would have liked for it to pass me by."

"I remember your great uncle was made to suffer greatly by what he was made to do by me."

"I'm actually engaged to be married. My future wife has to see me like this. Imagine what that does to her."

"You're very young to be getting married."

"Well, I'm hoping something in the magic of matrimony will finally put an end to this kind of thing happening."

"I will pray for your success."

"Thank you."

"Now please, release her. Go back to the place this started, and release her. Stop making a spectacle of her acting like this. I beg you."

The queen was begging me. But I guess in that moment she wasn't a queen. She was a frail old woman who'd lost most of her family including her sons and her husband in a terrorist attack and now her last living heir was under my control and she just wanted what was best for her family. She wasn't demanding or commanding. She wasn't just asking. She was begging me. She wasn't acting higher or superior. She was treating me like her peer or even her better and she was politely asking that I not harm her family.

Yeah, even I'm not asshole enough to refuse that.

I nodded in agreement. "Come on ladies. We need some privacy."

Each woman was clinging to me as we left the ballroom and the guards surrounded us as we went down the hall to the little room where I'd made my phone call. Once we were back in the room, the three of us were in private again though guards were posted outside the door to ensure no one bothered us.