Amethyst had been slowly getting used to American food; some of it was good, some of it was acceptable, and a lot of it was just an abomination. Like, the pasta in melted cheese? Disgusting. Sam probably ate that too.

>>”Everything? Pizza, is pretty good here. Seafood isn’t bad. I’ll have to look into Mediterranean maybe take you out some time. I mean, it probably wouldn’t be your highness’s usual. New Yorkers put a good spin on it though.”

Take her out?... Outside the school, she assumed. To eat? For someone who had seemed annoyed by her very existence, he was quick to offer her an outing to the city. For eating. She wondered what his motivation was.

>>”Beats French food though. Not a fan of the snails.”

Snails were actually quite good, if they were prepared right. Amethyst shrugged off the comment. Maybe French food was worth trying.

>>”Currency? You take dollars? Or is it more a barter system in that case I'm sure your powers come in handy?”

"We have gold and silver coins. And electrum. Gemstones, too, if they are good enough quality." she sipped her coffee "And yes. My powers are definitely useful for that. Although I can only get rubies without hurting myself for a few days a month."

She created Gemstones. That was all he remembered her saying what kind they were and how he wasn’t sure but he wasn’t sure where to go on the rubies. It took a moment for him to think about it, a few days out if the month? His face soured when he finally came to the conclusion. Blood led to rubies.

”Gross.” he said into his coffee trying not to laugh. ”Gold and silver.” Sam agreed. It was a pretty basic currency; thousands of nations have been built upon it. It made sense too because if they were at the bottom of the ocean no telling how many coins were repurposed from other currencies.

The icemancer went back to the pot and poured some more coffee and then looked over and offered some to her before he continued, ”Rubies aside, what other stones can you make?” he asked, ”I’m not asking because I need money.” he quickly clarified, ”Far from it. I’ve done alright for myself. Just curious is all.” he said smirking. He wasn’t bragging about his wealth he was sure anything he had paled in comparison to hers. She was a princess of a kingdom after all.

”So… bottom of the ocean?” he asked, ”What was that like?” he took a sip of the coffee and leaned on the counter across from her, ”Also,” he said a little more boldly, ”Polygamist or monogamous relationships? Asking just in case I ever go.” he said with a smirk.

>>”Gross."

"It really isn't." Amethyst didn't see what the big deal in America was about completely natural body functions, but no one seemed to like talking about them. Not even when all of hers ended in gemstones.

>>”Rubies aside, what other stones can you make? I’m not asking because I need money. Far from it. I’ve done alright for myself. Just curious is all.”

"Who said I can make others?" Amethyst deadpanned. Sure, some people suspected that she had more than rubies, but she doubted Sam had that on good authority. He was probably fishing, and she was not about to make that easy for him. He seemed to sense the same, because he changed the subject.

>>”So… bottom of the ocean? What was that like?"

"Beautiful." she admitted quietly, accepting the refill on her coffee. Sometimes she missed the times before Atlantis decided to rise. Her childhood in the blue light of their underwater kingdom.

>>”Also, polygamist or monogamous relationships? Asking just in case I ever go.”

The princess arched an eyebrow.

"Thinking about marrying an Atlantean? You're a demigod, you could probably make an advantageous match."

Sam shrugged assuming it was common knowledge, ”That’s what you can do right?” he sipped his coffee. ”Probably heard it from one of the other kids.” he shrugged again. Not remembering where he heard it. He didn’t press more about her mutation. Clearly she wasn’t up for talking about it and Sam was the last person to press questions when people didn’t want to talk.

”So was it like a bubble or a dome?” he asked, ”The way you kept the water out or” he touched his neck, ”Is it a gill thing?” he didn’t mean to cause offense but he was too curious now about the whole situation.

The arched eyebrow made him laugh nervously, coupled with the thought of marriage the ultimate form of commitment (something he was great at avoiding) he sipped his coffee and shook his head. ”More curious than anything. Not really looking for anything like that. Prefer to keep it cool and casual”

He thought for a second, ”What do you mean an advantageous match?” he asked curiously wondering where he’d fall on the scale.

>>”That’s what you can do right? Probably heard it from one of the other kids.”

Amethyst wrinkled her nose. She did not like the idea of the truth about her mutation going around the Mansion. It must have been Praxi, collecting the little gems like she did, tattling on the fact that not all of them were rubies. Little sh*t.

>>”So was it like a bubble or a dome? The way you kept the water out or... Is it a gill thing?”

Amethyst pouted in disgust, quipping "I do not have gills" before they moved on to the topic of relationships. Which he asked about, but the idea of marriage seemed to not be to his liking.

>>”More curious than anything. Not really looking for anything like that. Prefer to keep it cool and casual... What do you mean an advantageous match?”

"Well, you look good." Amethyst noted. He was annoying and rude, but he did have aesthetic appeal. "You don't really have the social standing to marry into nobility, but a lower class demigod might consider you, for your genetics." she shrugged "Or you could be a concubine to someone higher up."

Sounded like something someone who was afraid of having gills would say. He’d have to ask around more about that. Maybe someone could confirm or deny for him.

”I do.” he agreed with her. This was way better than asking her about her home. Not only did it inflate his ego more but it also required someone who was normally a pain struggle to compliment him.

”Maybe not in Atlantis.” Sam quickly added in. His nose scrunched up when she said he would be considered for genetics. Did that mean they only married to better the genetic line? So love? He didn’t need love, just the idea would make it bearable.

Sam choked on his coffee when she mentioned him being a concubine. He knew what that meant. The icemancer laughed and then managed a normal sip still leaning forward. ”Concubine. Someone higher up? Like royalty?” he looked down to his coffee then looked up eyebrow raised, ”You hiring?”

Sam choked on his drink when she mentioned concubines. Once again, Atlantis seemed to be a lot more liberal than America. Did people not have concubines here? Or did they just not call them that? Either way, Sam was surprised that she mentioned it so casually. It was kind of amusing.

>>"Concubine. Someone higher up? Like royalty? You hiring?”

Amethyst quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that what this 'drink' think was about?" she chuckled "You could have just asked. Do people in America not ask others if they want to have sex with them?"

”No actually,” Sam said then he thought about it. ”I mean that could have been the best possible outcome, but I did want to know a bit about Atlantis.” he said shrugging. ”Guess I could always just read a book.” he smirked.

Sipping his coffee he shook his head at first, ”Afraid not duchess.” he smirked and raised his eyebrows at the title then continued, ”For the most part you have to court, get to know someone sometimes feelings get involved.” he thought about it for a second. ”I mean, maybe I was doing it wrong.” he shrugged then raised an eyebrow.

”So…. Do you want to?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

Now the whole thing made a lot more sense. Amethyst knew she was physically attractive and socially desirable. Even if Sam and her had nothing in common, that had nothing to do with physical chemistry. And he really could have just asked, instead of asking for an Atlantean history lesson.
Americans needed to loosen up.

>>”Afraid not duchess. For the most part you have to court, get to know someone sometimes feelings get involved. I mean, maybe I was doing it wrong. So…. Do you want to?”

Courting? What did courting have to do with sex?...
Amethyst needed to read a book too. Or ask someone. Probably not Sam. Sam knew how to ask now. She looked him over once again. Yes, he was easy on the eyes. Also, probably had the stamina.

"I could entertain the idea" she nodded, pursing her lips "I would have to make sure you are up to the leven of quality I require, though."

He had to… try out? The icemancer smirked when she said she could entertain the idea. He knew he was attractive and most people had a hard time looking past that. Sam smirked, ”Oh? We talking an obstacle course or do you need to call my references?” Sam asked trying to make a joke.

”I mean you did get to see me in action. Not a lot of people get to say they do.” he said talking about the danger room. ”Not to mention,” he pointed to his coffee. ”I’d like to believe I bring the same level of quality as the cup I pour.” he said smirking and sipping.

Sam was now curious as to what he had to do to prove he was up to the princess standards.

>>”Oh? We talking an obstacle course or do you need to call my references?”

"Do you have any?" Amethyst asked genuinely. Maybe he did? Some lovers in Atlantis came highly recommended for their skills; the hetaerae were known for elevating pleasure and companionship into a profession. She doubted that was what Sam meant, though.
Also, obstacle course? Why on earth...

>>”I mean you did get to see me in action. Not a lot of people get to say they do."

Amethyst blinked again. Action? Was he talking about the Danger Room thing?... Did he think she was hiring him for a body guard, maybe?... Nothing happened in that room that had anything to do with his prowess in the bedroom. Unless he was doing things very differently than her.

>>"Not to mention, I’d like to believe I bring the same level of quality as the cup I pour.”

The princess looked at the cup, and back at Sam. He had a strange concept of proving he could be pleasurable to a woman.

"Well, I'm going to have to see proof of your health condition" she noted. She knew Americans tested for a lot of illnesses, and she was certainly not going to let anyone near her who wasn't healthy "And you'd need to show skill in at least the basics of being a pleasurable concubine."

Was she flirting now or messing with him. Sam sipped his coffee uncomfortably not sure what to say. This didn’t happen often but without a window within sneaking distance he couldn’t get himself out of the situation. Then again he wasn’t sure that he wanted to. Did he have people he could ask to give a thumbs up on past performances? Would it be weird to ask Juniper that? Would she? Sam sipped his coffee again knowing that was the only thing that was a known.

Sam raised an eyebrow at her. Proof? Oh his health? He was Sam ******* Johnson. She saw him without a shirt, in the water. Killing a beast. Were the men at in Atlantis in that better of shape? He frowned slightly not liking the thought that he was anything but perfection. ”I mean… I’m pretty sure Doc has some paperwork on me.” he said thinking about it.

”Wait hold up.” he said now feeling like he was applying for a full time position. ”What’s the hourly rate? Any benefits?” he asked trying to make a joke in a situation that was slowly running away from him.

>>”I mean… I’m pretty sure Doc has some paperwork on me.”

"Good." Amethyst nodded. She was not about to touch anyone intimately unless she could be sure they were not carrying some nasty American disease. Atlantean doctors had their own ways of making sure concubines were clean, and as good as someone looked, looks often had nothing to do with it. Quite the opposite, actually...

>>”Wait hold up. What’s the hourly rate? Any benefits?”

Amethyst mirrored Sam's surprised blinking.

"Hourly rate? You want to be paid by the hour? I thought you wanted to be a concubine, not a porné." that was a whole other game, and one she was not much interested in. "And I am the benefit."

The icemancer wasn’t sure how to respond. He took a swig of his coffee about to say something but then stopped. She was the benefit, ”How do I know that?” he asked. ”I mean I’m sure it would be a good time but…” he smirked ”How do I know it will be worth my time to be one? Normally I’m the benefit.” he said smirking.

He thought about it more and wasn’t sure if he was a fan of the interview process felt too business to him. Kind of took the appeal out of it. Then again, ”I’m sure you have similar paperwork?” Sam asked. Knowing Doc was going to have a field day with this one.

”Twenty minutes.” he said raising his eyebrow refilling ”I’ll meet you back at your room? I’ll have the paperwork in hand.” he asked, now in too deep to chicken out now. Especially because he felt he was being challenged.

>>”How do I know that? I mean I’m sure it would be a good time but… How do I know it will be worth my time to be one? Normally I’m the benefit.”

Amethyst smirked, setting her coffee mug down. She knew her questions were throwing Sam for a loop, and she was enjoying it. This was the most fun she'd had in a long time. Maybe since she came to the school. And she could definitely do worse in a concubine. Provided he knew how to stay in line.

"My my. Aren't we just confident."

>>”I’m sure you have similar paperwork?”

She arched an eyebrow. No concubine dared to ask her that before.

"Got some when I came over to America. Your people don't mess around." Not even for royalty.

It seemed more and more like he was going to take the bait. She wondered if it was going to be worth it. He had set the expectations pretty high for himself.

>>”Twenty minutes. I’ll meet you back at your room? I’ll have the paperwork in hand.”

"Don't keep me waiting." she grinned, walking out past him, her dress brushing him as she went.

***

The minutes passed. Amethyst sat in her room. She'd changed, wrapping herself in a lighter blue dress that was slit up the sides, leaving little to the imagination. She was wearing heavy silver jewelry, shining with dark blue stones. She wasn't going to put too much effort into dressing up for a potential concubine, but she already knew that some everyday Atlantean wear was seen as... less then decent over here in America. Not to mention the paint. She was wearing dark burgundy lipstick, and the same color... in a place where Cretan women liked to paint themselves.

The rest was up to Sam to figure out.