As Spike got closer, he spotted Thorax at the top of the Hive, waiting. He saw him pacing about, looking this way and that until he caught sight of him. Thorax waved at him and saw that he had a smile as he approached.

“Hey Thorax,” Spike said, touching down in front of him. “Am I late?”

“Spike,” his friend went up to hug him, “no, not at all, you’re right on time.” Then after a beat, Thorax let go of him, “Feeling nervous?”

“…. Is it that obvious?” Spike scratched the back of his neck. “Given what you invited me to.”

“Hey, it’s okay to be nervous. I mean, did I make it clear that you can step away at any time, did I?”

“I know it’s just…” Spike breathed in deeply. “Okay, not gonna lie, this is new for me. This whole harem thing and uh…”

“Oh, believe me when I say that I understand,” Thorax nodded, “I was the same way when I did it for the first time with them. Speaking of which, do you want to come inside?”

“Yeah, where are they anyway?”

“They’re getting ready for tonight. Oh! That reminds me, had you had your bath yet?”

“I have to bathe? I mean I had a shower this morning-”

“Oh no, that’s not what I meant. By bathe, I mean to say had you take care to make sure you’re clean. Inside and out?”

“Uh…”

“I’ll take that as a no. Well, that’s okay, before anything happens, my harem and I go to the baths to make sure we’re completely clean first.”

“Huh, I guess that makes sense. And besides, I would like to meet them before … you know.”

“Understandable,” Thorax nodded, “C’mon, I’ll show you.”

Spike followed his friend into the Hive. Down the moss-covered halls and across rooms where Changelings were getting ready to go to sleep. Many said good night as they pass by, others raised an eyebrow when they saw Spike there while a few whispered behind their backs. They descended downwards from a spiral slope that went through several levels, and they walked a ways to the point where Spike asked if they were going underground.

“The baths are on the lowest level,” Thorax told him, “In fact, that’s where we’ll be with the harem for the night. It’s spacious and private enough where we won’t be interrupted.”

“What? Is it like a sex dungeon down there?”

His friend deadpanned, “Spike, you know I don’t imprison my own subjects – it’s rude.”

“No, I didn’t… ugh! Nevermind, that was a joke.”

“Regardless, it’s not a dark and gloomy place at all. You’ll see that it’s actually quite pleasant.”

Eventually, they reached the bottom of the spiral where Spike heard running water, murmuring voices, and a lyre playing. It was coming down from a short hallway that was lit up by lanterns with fireflies in them. At the end of the hall was a curtain with two guards with spires at attention. Seeing their king, they smiled and raised their spears.

“Good evening, Thorax,” the one on the left said, “it’s that time of the week, huh?”

“Hi Uri, hey Vri,” Thorax said warmly, “yeah, I did promise that I would be here tonight. And you’re aware that this time I’ve brought a guest?”

“Spike? Yes, we’re aware Your Highness.” The one on the right nodded, “Good evening. I’m Vri, and this is Uri. We’ll be standing guard tonight to make sure that no one goes in except for you two.”

“Uh… thanks?” Spike said, giving a wave.

“Still, this is quite new if I say so,” Uri commented. “Not to mention extremely lucky.”

“Really?” Tilting his head to the side, Spike raised an eyebrow, “How come?”

“Noling, except for the King, is allowed to touch the concubines,” Vri explained. “Usually, they are meant for him and him alone. So for anyone to be invited in must be very special.”

“And I indeed invited him.” Thorax told them, “So, may we pass?”

Parting the curtains wide for them, they were allowed to enter.

Spike didn’t know what to expect being inside a royal harem, yet as he stepped inside, he was in awe of it. The room was a spacious one. An underground cavern that was lit up by Saddle Arabian style lanterns with fireflies that dangle overhead. There must have been at least a hundred of them that lit up the baths. Well… it was more like an underground spring as he saw steam rising from the sparkling waters. With the lanterns overhead, it gave the illusion that there were stars in the water. There were gentle waterfalls that came down from the ceiling at one end through a hole that let in the only natural light outside as well as ventilation. Indeed, it was a warm room where the stone felt warm and damp. In the center of the spring was a large moss-covered bed with bottles, towels, and pillows. However, Spike’s attention was turned towards the concubines in the room – all twelve of them. Some helped bathing each other; others were swimming in the spring, a couple was snacking on flowers and one was improvising on the lyre.

“Good evening, guys,” Thorax said to them, getting their attention.

“Thorax!” The harem excitedly welcomed him with smiles, all getting up to meet him.

“Welcome back, Your Highness,” said one.

“We’ve been missing you,” another chimed in.

“Is that your dragon friend you’ve mentioned?”

“Quite the stud there.”

“Welcome to the harem, sexy.”

Thorax cleared his throat, “Now everyone, first things first, I want to introduce you to my best friend, Spike. Spike, these are my concubines.”

“Uh… hey.” Spike awkwardly waved with a nervous smile, getting a chuckle out of them.

“So then,” Thorax continued, “let me tell you whose who from left to right. This is Basi.”

“Good evening,” Basi nodded. Spike noted that the light green Changeling had tinted-rose glasses that he had to wipe the steam now and then.

“This is his twin brother, Papri.”

“Hi there,” a dark green smiled at Spike. Indeed, apart from the tone of color, the dragon probably wouldn’t be able to tell the two twins apart.

“That there is Cinn.”

A yellow Changeling nodded, Spike noticed that out of all of them, he was the biggest. He imagined that if he had regular muscles, he would be something of a bodybuilder.

“That’s Clov, he and Oreg usually prepare the snacks.”

“Nice to meet you,” Clov reached out his pink hoof. “I’ve already prepared some treats that I hope you would like.”

“And I also brought some wine for the occasion,” Oreg also reached his orange hoof out to Spike. He shook both.

Thorax continued, “This is Dill, he’s the musician out of the whole group.”

“Welcome,” Dill, a purple changeling that held a lyre winked at Spike.

“Then there is Parslee. He’s the storyteller.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Spike,” Parslee, a silver Changeling bowed his head to him.

“This is Carda, who is also the Hive’s famous playwriter.”

“How do you do,” Carda, who is red in color and the shortest of all of them smiled look up at him.

“There’s also Anis, who is the comedian of the group.”

“Well, hello there, sexy,” the sky-blue Changeling winked at him. Compared to Cinn, he was almost as big as Cinn in height.

“This is Tarra, he’s the most recent to be picked for the harem.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” the royal blue Changeling nodded at Spike, who seemed to be just as nervous meeting him as he was to them.

“Then there’s Cay, he’s the group’s therapist, mainly because he’s a good listener and he likes to cuddle.”

A golden changeling nodded to Spike.

“Of course, last but certainly not least, this is Corian, he has been in the harem the longest and is something like a leader.”

“Good evening, Your Majesty.” A white Changeling bowed to them. “And to you, Sir Spike.”

“Just Spike is fine.” Spike nervously smiled back. Every Changeling there could quickly tell that he was intimidated, given what half of them were about to do to him.

“Feeling anxious, are we?” Cinn asked and Spike nodded. Chuckling, he went over to put an arm around the dragon. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re a lot more easygoing than you think.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Yup! So have you bathed thoroughly yet?”

“He hasn’t,” Thorax told him, “And neither have I. So, let’s get clean before anything happens.”

“One moment, Your Highness,” Corian interjected, “you said that half of us will be entertaining for your friend here, but we don’t know whose getting who.”

“Oh! That’s right, I forgot.” Thorax gave an embarrassed laugh, “Sorry, I completely spaced it. Now let’s see…” He looked about his harem and pointed, “Okay Basi, Clov, Dill, Oreg, Parslee, and Cay, you guys get Spike. Cinn, Anis, Corian, Tarra, Carda, and Papri are with me.”

Spike might have mistaken this as a moment from a dream if he were asleep. Over by one of the waterfalls, Spike was sitting down, his back against a boulder while the six Changelings around him either washed him, served him snacks or wine, or in the case of Dill, improvised on his lyre to keep him entertained. At first, Spike thought he was himself, but the Changelings insisted on doing it. Rubbing soaps and ointments over his scales in small circles up and down like he was getting a massage. Meanwhile, Clov had brought over a tray of… well if he was being honest, he wasn’t sure what it was. He was served something that looked like wraps that tasted sweet and savory at the same time. Oreg poured him a small cup of wine that had rose petals floating at the top that gave it a delicate flavor to it. Dill, who sat on his left, his legs dangling off the rock, plucked away a tune that seemed to have no beginning or end.

Spike imagined that he felt like he was staring in a homoerotic version of a Saddle Arabian Nights tale. ‘All that’s missing is a lamp with a wish-granting genie in it.’ Spike thought. And yet he still feels…

“How come you feel nervous?” Cay asked him, scrubbing over the scales on his head.

Spike looked up, “Who said I’m nervous?”

“You did.” All six concubines said at once.

Cay’s hooves rested on his shoulders, “You know we Changelings, we can read your emotions like an open book. So why is it that you feel nervous and – oh! I feel a hint of anxiety there too.”

“Oh no, it’s diffidently there,” Dill agreed. “Surely, we can’t have our guest be anxious beforehoof. That’s just bad courtesy, you know. So, tell us what’s wrong.”

“Please, it’s nothing serious,” Spike lied.

“Surely you can’t at least tell us what it is,” Basi said, lathering up his hooves in soap before applying it to Spike’s chest. “We want you to be relaxed and carefree as much as possible. So please, even if it’s nothing, at least let us help.”

Spike looked across the spring to where Thorax was. “Can you guys keep a secret?” They nodded. “So uh… full disclosure here, before anything happens, there are two things I think you guys should know. First being…” Taking in a deep breath, an embarrassed blush colored his face. “…. I have no idea what I’m doing. Like, at all. Despite what I told Thorax, the only sexual experience I have is a few toys – and that’s it. So, I’m painfully aware that I’m inexperienced here. Chances are, I might be laughably bad at this since I’ve never… done it, much less with a whole group.”

“Ooh!” Oreg’s wings were buzzing happily, “Oh this is better than I anticipated! We get to pop a dragon’s cherry!”

“Now Oreg, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Parslee chastises, “He doesn’t have to partake in our performance if he’s not willing. We need to treat him like we have with His Majesty, that the experience must be a pleasure-filled ballet, not a rape. If he doesn’t wish to participate, he is in the right to do so.”

“Well said,” Clov nodded. “And what is the other thing you want us to know?”

“Besides being inexperienced in this sort of thing being my first orgy and all that… do I have to… you know… have sex with Thorax?”

Looking at one another, Clov asked, “Do you… want to?”

“Short answer, you don’t have to,” Parslee said. “The long answer is you could but you have to ask him first. Knowing him, I’m sure he would if you asked.”

“If I’m being honest,” Cay commented. “His Majesty would be honored to.”

“Why is that?” Spike asked.

“Think about it. Do you know how much trust he must have in you even to be allowed inside the harem? How far he’s willing to go for you, and how he’s willing to let you touch us untouchables.” Cay smirked, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you have gained an honor that not even we could reach.”

This gave Spike some pause. Looking across at the Thorax, laughing from a joke that one of his concubines had told, it made him wonder… Does he really see him as a friend or… something else.

“Say, do you guys mind if I change the subject?” Spike asked, “So… what is it that you guys do, really?”

“What?” Asked Basi.

“Being a uh… concubine. I don’t know much of it, but I imagined that not everyone could just join.”

There was a chorus of agreement all around.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Dill said. “Even back when Chrysalis was around, you can’t just ask to be a part of it – you have to be invited in. Not only do you need to be close to flawless as possible, but you also need to have a varied set of skills too.”

“Like what?” Spike tilted his head.

“For instance,” Oreg placed the pitcher of wine aside on a rock. “When I was chosen, I and several others were put through a set of rigorous tests. Some are the kind you might be thinking of, but others were surprising. You need to know how to be charming and witty, know poetry by heart, tell some good jokes, transform into any creature (even imaginary ones), play a musical instrument, sing, know how to cook, tell a good story, and how to handle difficult situations or topics when they come up.”

“Some of us have specialties, of course,” Parslee nodded, “but if called upon, we can do all sorts of things. Here in the harem, we are treated much better than most of the hive – even during Chrysalis’s reign. However, we are still servants in a golden cage where in the old days we didn’t have a say or a choice in what happens to us. Thorax is different, not only were we allowed to step away at any time, but now it is us who call the shots. Where Chrysalis used to own us, it is we who own his Majesty.”

“A much better system if you asked me,” Clov said and the others agreed. Then looking across from them, he added, “Well it looks like Thorax is almost ready. Are you, Spike?”

“I…” Spike let out a deep breath, “I think I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Excellent,” Cay clapped his hooves in delight, “Dill, will you get the straws?” Dill obeyed, and while he left them for a moment, Spike asked what he meant, “You see since there’s so many of us here, we just draw straws to see who gets what.” Dill returned with a narrow, long cup that had thin sticks poking out, “Right then,” he said taking hold of the cup and shaking it around. “We all know the rules. The longest goes first, the nest longest goes second, and so on. The shortest will provide the lube.”

Taking out one of the straws, Cay passed the cup around to draw theirs. Within a minute, the descending order went like this: Parslee, Clov, Oreg, Cay, Dill, and Basi will “provide the lube.”

“Shall we get started?” Dill hovered over Spike, his hoof pointing towards the mossy island in the center of the spring where Thorax and the other concubines were swinging towards.

Taking in a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He knew that he could always refuse at any time. But he felt that now, he was ready. So he to swam towards the mossy beds with the other Changelings following behind.

Author's Note

Don't worry, the sexy times will start up next.