Dealing with Liz Brookshire's attempted "intervention" had gone fairly well, and Karen did feel some relief that things had worked out well in that regard as she and Peter came back to her dorm room after dinner at the end of the day. Karen had figured that Liz's intent was to try and put Karen off by revealing the various ins and outs of werelion society that most people outside Moon Lake would be seriously uneasy with and potentially even some in Moon Lake would be uneasy with. To a certain extent Karen figured that would be something that the other werelionesses would have some issue with. After all, Peter was pretty high up on their proverbial hierarchy and would be bound to be the sort of prize that they would want. In this, Karen figured that if she had been in Liz's place and was as jealous as Liz was, she might have tried the same thing.
For many people the very open marriage system that werelions operated under that would allow males to enjoy various werelionesses and that a werelioness might be with multiple males at times, to say nothing about potential for female/female pairings would be something that wouldn't sit well. Karen was fairly well aware of that in that there were times where even she had wrestled with the issue, despite the fact that Peter had told her about that sort of thing when they'd started dating. She was sure that came from the fact that so much of the world's culture seemed to emphasize monogamy that any implied polygamy would make people nervous. And Karen also had her own memories where that sort of thing could break families up, and that was really what fueled a lot of her own initial nervousness.
But she was deeply in love with Peter. In that it reached a point where while she might be uneasy on things, he was worth it. It wasn't just because he was a were, though that did help. The big thing was that he actually made her feel comfortable with herself in a way that she'd never had before. He was kind, he liked her artwork, and he was honest. Karen loved that and that made her happy, which set up the present situation as they sat on her bed talking about their planned nuptials.
"I think you did great today," Peter said to her and rested on hand on Karen's shoulder, "Especially given... well..."
"I can understand the jealousy," Karen commented softly, "shoot... if I were in her position... a werelioness that had been with you before, even if it was only sex... and had some interest in you as a potential mate... I'd probably be jealous too. Lots of people run into that sorts of issue those who are popular feel that other popular people are the best "match" for them and then get jealous when the object of their desire chooses someone other than them. I wouldn't say that some of what Liz felt was unnatural. Some of the way she went about it... that's a different issue, but I think she's made it pretty clear that she's into you."
"But there was never really all that much between us," Peter said slowly, "I've never really been that interested in the whole "Lion Prince" role. Yeah, it's there... but I'd honestly be just as happy as just another werelion in Moon Lake as being the Lion Prince. I think to Liz... that seemed more important to her."
"As I said to her," Karen gave Peter a small smile, "any girl will want her fairy tale ending with Prince Charming sweeping her off her feet." Karen paused to take Peter's hands in her own before she continued, "And you ARE charming."
Peter smiled at that and gave Karen's hands a gentle squeeze as he smiled to her. In many ways she was to him what he'd looked for with regard to who he wished to marry. Moon Lake's werelions might live in a quasi-polygamous state that mirrored mundane lions, but with regard to husband and wife and who had who's cubs, werelions could be just as monogamous as any of Moon Lake's other weres, and he found that Karen was worth that level of devotion to. She didn't have either the desire for rank that Liz had and at the same time she didn't get nervous over it either. He'd had a few off and on girlfriends going through high school, and while many were fun to be with, many also got cold feet when they recognized the level of "work/responsibility" that would come with him as the "Lion Prince." Karen didn't have that, and unlike many normal women who'd become werelions, she also didn't have interest more in his fursona than anything else. He could tell she was interested, but it had seemed that Peter the person was what brought her to him the most, and that made him happy.
"Thanks," Peter gave a smile, "for everything..."
"We haven't gotten to "everything" yet," Karen chuckled, "that will start with what you have planned for the weekend."
Peter nodded with a small smile, with his mind coming to what he had planned for Karen's fist transformation.
"And then will come the wedding," Karen said happily.
Again Peter nodded, "there aren't any things to worry about is there?"
"You mean like what Jenny went through?" Karen asked, "no, there's nothing like that. Shoot, I think my mom would be overjoyed that I'd found someone. She probably would like to meet you though... which we can obviously arrange over Christmas Break where there will be more time to go down and you can meet her."
"What about your father?" Peter wondered.
"He isn't an issue... he ran out on my mom and I when I was little and I've never heard from him, and the most my mom has heard from him is a monthly child support check," Karen gave a slight grumble.
Peter gave a sigh at that and then nodded. That might have been one of the things that made Karen a bit nervous regarding some of the ins and outs about werelion society. He really didn't know what he could say beyond, "I'd never do that to you" to try and assure her that she was who he loved.
"But we've managed and put that behind us," Karen commented, "and in this, my mom would be more than happy to meet you at Christmas."
"Not Thanksgiving?" Peter wondered, as that break was closer.
"That break is shorter," Karen answered, "and I probably wouldn't be able to afford the plane tickets needed do that. And I wouldn't want to put pressure on your father to pay for tickets. It'll be fine..."
"You could stay with my family for Thanksgiving," Peter offered, "dinner tends to get pretty hectic as everyone comes together, but it's worked."
"I'd like that," Karen smiled.
Peter nodded as things soon came back to the main subject that they'd been on, their wedding plans.
"So... aside from your mother... is there anyone else you'd want to invite to the wedding?" Peter wondered.
"Well, Jenny and Harry, obviously," Karen answered, making Peter laugh.
"I was thinking with regard to guests from outside Moon Lake," Peter chuckled.
"Maybe... maybe my grandparents... at least those on my mother's side," Karen said slowly, "but I really can't say for sure on them because of schedules and times and so on... at times... there's even some wondering on my side on how I'd even explain to them that I am DIFFERENT without fully saying how... I mean, female weres are all very curvy and start at large and go to "wow, how can you even stand." Right now, I don't fit into either category and neither does my mother or grandmother."
Peter nodded at that, as it was a conundrum that related to the build that various weres had. Male or female, weres seemed to be built to inspire new weres being conceived, and that wasn't something that fit within how most normals were built. Things like "plastic surgery" or a "growth spurt" were often used, but the former might be seen as a lie if there wasn't the money for it and the later might be judged as a lie if there wasn't anyone in the family that had a similar build. That was something that often came with regard to many interactions that normals that moved to Moon Lake had with family after they became weres. There were ways that had been used that made either option "credible" but that didn't make it easy.
"And you're sure you'd want to introduce me to your mother at Christmas?" Peter wondered at that.
"Yes, she is a wonderful woman and a very loving woman, she'll love you, too," Karen commented, "the one thing that I'd need to be able to explain by then..."
"Well... if you feel you can trust her... there might be some allowance to let her know you've become a were by that point," Peter said slowly, "she'd need to sign one of the waivers not to divulge anything if she doesn't wish to move to Moon Lake... but that could work... though that might mean talking with the Town Chancellor before Christmas break to see how they'd handle issue."
Karen nodded. That might be the easiest way, and her relationship with her mother had been good. To some extent her mother had been a bit "frustrated" by the fact that she'd been something of a "furry fan" through her teenage years, but the two of them did have a good relationship. Karen was certain her mother loved her and would love Peter too. Revealing that weres were real might be a bit of a surprise, especially considering Karen's past fandom, but Karen also figured that her mother would accept it. Though for the moment there was probably plenty of time to think on how to deal with that issue.
"Do you have any particular preference on how the wedding is done?" Peter wondered, figuring some details could be figured out later, "Moon Lake does have churches of nearly every denomination. You could go with a "justice of the peace," which could be anyone from Moon Lake's executive branch of the city government or any member of the city's judicial branch... I'd think the Police Chief even has the authority under the town's laws to perform the ceremony."
"It'd probably be preferable to go with a church," Karen commented, "My mom and I are Methodists... at least by confirmation... but in the end we'd be okay with your family's church too. We're not too picky."
Peter slowly nodded, "You're sure?"
"Yes," Karen nodded, "and the date we've set is good. We just need to make sure that everything else is well timed."
At that, Peter smiled again.