Family Winemaking (1)

After dinner, I guided everyone outside for something that I wanted to do for Renna, specifically something that I thought would be both beneficial for her socially within the family, but also something that would benefit Domus Stella since this could be our higher quality wines that she had wanted to sell.

We couldn't do it downstairs since I wanted everyone to participate, and that meant we needed a large amount of space to work with; besides, the temperature outside was warm and the breeze was gentle, and with the moons shining down on us from overhead, it was a picturesque night.

So, we went outside, and everyone watched as I began to set down a bunch of different sized vats for each person, or for people to work together at the same time, depending on their preferences.

"Alright, I know Kalia and Aethisia know how to do it, but for everyone else, all you need to do is just high step inside of these baths of grapes and slowly but surely crush them down from solid little orbs into juice, which is the first step of this process. The goal for this is to have a wine unique to each person that we can sell as a specialty wine, so everything is going to be your own decision and your own skill~!"

I looked around at everyone and saw that they all nodded, which brought a smile to my lips at how no one here asked if they had to participate or if they could just have someone else do it for them, so I began to go around and ask everyone what grape they wanted for their wine.

Some were rather obvious; Kalia and Aethisia stuck with their own wines already, taking green and purple grapes respectively to create the wines they had already come to love, while Sari asked for the stronger red grapes.

Prixisia, Yiksa, Heila and Camara joined Kalia with the more flavorful and softer green grapes, Rhefia, Renna, Shelur, and I chose the traditional purple grapes, and Inik was the only one to join Sari with the red grapes.

As for Aka, Ehretia and Ipoala, they were currently running around playing tag, while Melia slept soundly in the crib that we pulled outside, the baby enjoying the fresh air alongside all of us.

"Renna~! Do you want to dance together then~?"

Approaching the Duchess, I smiled at her as I gestured to one of the larger vats, and she nodded and joined me, though Rhefia gave me a deep kiss before I could fully step inside, the Deerkin smacking my ass as she whispered "You managed to beat me to the punch there, Astra~! I was about to ask my lovely wife to join me, but oh well~! That just means you and I have to 'dance' tonight~!"

Winking at me, Rhefia sauntered off and took one of the solitary vats, which was beside the Orc's vat, the two exchanging glances before settling into a conversation together about training and fighting, with Aethisia joining in after a few moments.

The other pairs were amusing to see; the recently pregnant Deerkin took the pregnant Doe into a vat and began to dance with her, while the Dama daughter duo had a moment of their own as they worked together, Yiksa clearly wanting to smooth things over with Kalia now that she had a moment of 'solitude' with her.

Prixisia was far too large to have a partner, and her tail was far too long to allow one, so she had a gigantic wooden bathtub that she was going to slither around in, which I had to admit... didn't look like it would be a clean endeavor, but she finished far quicker than all of us did, the Lamia humming to herself as she focused on her movements.

Sari and Inik went solo as well, but the Catkin was clearly poking fun at the Hawkkin since she was bristling slightly at Sari, but considering they weren't shouting I didn't say anything at all, though I was a but worried that there was going to be something lingering afterwards...

All in all, it was a quick assortment of who wanted to do what, and as Renna and I stepped into the vat together, I took the woman's hands and smiled at her, finding her pale skin to be quite alluring beneath the moonlight.

"We could call this the 'Owner's Brew' or something, right~? Our special wine, made by us? Doesn't that sound wonderful, Renna~?"

She let out a hum as she continued to step around in the vat, our feet rising out of the purple sea briefly before sinking straight back down to the wooden bottom, which was beginning to be coated in juice.

"That could be one of its names, yes, but I think that lacks a bit of elegance, no? This is going to be sold in that specialty corner, correct? So it needs a special name, something that gives it a bit more 'oomph' over the others..."

Renna pursed her lips and looked up towards the twin moons above us as we danced, and while I wanted to follow her gaze, I felt my eyes had become glued to the sublime visage of beauty in front of me, the red haired Noblewoman stealing my breath away yet again.

"How about... Amator Wine?"

When she looked back down at me, I bit my lip and stared straight into those sky blue gems, completely lost in her eyes and unable to give her a reply since I was too busy admiring her beauty.

Her cheeks reddened for a moment, though she leaned forwards and whispered "How about Amator Wine, my love~? 'Lovers' Wine, if you want it translated into common speech. Our wine, made with love, for love..."

Our heads gently met as we rested our brows together, and I had to stop myself from stealing her lips as I whispered back "It sounds just as beautiful as you are, Renna... and I imagine it will taste just as sublime, but... sadly, nothing can compare to you~!"