Chapter 102:

Anton sat on a large food crate while everyone watched in silence as Kal and Marion cried and held each other, slowly rocking back and forth. Verona sat by his side and Cetina rested against the wall, both keeping a close eye on the Bull Beast-kin. The Blue Minotaur had her hands free though she was basically free already. Anton was a little shocked to see the few splinters holding her back. Another good tug and she would have been free. She said nothing, gave a nod of appreciation and gently rubbed her wrists.

Finally, Kal and Marion started to calm down. Marion kept stroking Kal’s head and pulled her close each time. Kal pressed on her mother’s shoulders and righted herself. Marion didn’t want to let go but slowly relented. Kal shuffled and sat cross-legged in front of her.

Marion scratched her face, her hands identical to Kal. “I don’t understand. Is this a dream? Have I died?”

Kal chuckled. “I think that a lot of the time. Just about every day when I wake up.”

“But…” Marion took a deep breath. She spared a glance at Anton and Verona, a tiny frown forming on her fur covered face, then looked back to Kal. “Tell me, what happened to you? How are you alive? You were so young…How did you survive out there?”

“It wasn’t easy. But…I managed. Just.”

“Yes, but how?”

Kal took a deep breath and explained what she did after being thrown from the wall. It was just as hard as Anton thought it was. Marion and the others winced as she briefly explained the murder of the young turtle Beast-kin. Cetina covered her mouth when Kal explained how she hid the body under a pile of leaves. Marion raised her hand to stop Kal.

“That is…”

“I didn’t really mean to.” Kal winced slightly. “But I had to if I wanted to survive.”

“But you did survive.” Marion hugged Kal tight again, a mother comforting her long lost child. “My only child…But how did you get from that to where you are now?”

Marion held Kal at arm’s length and scanned her clothes and armour. Compared to the raggedy cloth they wore she wore a gown to a ball. Kal reached underneath her armour and pulled out her silver medallion. Marion nearly burst into tears again.

“You’ve kept it. After all this time.”

“I prayed to it every night. I prayed to Tethra to fulfil my deepest wishes. And now…” Kal smiled at Anton. “She has.”

Marion frowned and looked at Anton again. “Kal. Who are these humans?” she reached out and pulled Kal close. “They haven’t hurt you or forced you to do this. Have they? Make you point out good slaves?”

Kal frantically waved her hands. “No! No. I’m not a slave. I’m free. More free than I’ve ever been in my life.”

“So who are they?” she asked again.

“Um…” Kal awkwardly smiled at Anton and Verona. “Well, you probably…Okay. Anton is...well, he’s my husband.”

Marion’s eyes bulged from her sockets and the other two Beast-kin looked equally surprised. Kal removed her left glove and showed off the wedding ring. The gem glinted in the dim light. Marion gently took Kal’s hand and inspected the ring.

“It’s real,” Marion whispered. “How much did this cost?”

“Lots.” Kal smiled. “But what matters most is who gave it to me.”

Kal looked at Anton then to Verona. “And the silver-haired woman sitting next to him is Verona. She…” Kal groaned and scrunched her eyes. “And I are sister-wives, I think it’s called. We’re both married to Anton. Together.”

“Wow.” The Blue Minotaur laughed and smiled at Anton. “What did you have to do for them to agree to that?”

Anton chuckled. “Nothing much. Besides, I don’t think I look that bad.”

She laughed a deep laugh and looked at Marion. “Doesn’t seem so bad. For a human.”

“I…” Marion couldn’t form words. She shook her head and let out a grunt. “How could you fall in love with a human? After everything they’ve done to our kind? Have…Have you had sex?”

Kal nodded. Marion looked even more bewildered. “Even after everything they’ve done to us?”

“Anton is different,” Kal stated adamantly. “When I revealed myself to them-”

“You showed your face to humans?!”

“Yes. I was extremely nervous when I did, and I thought they might just kill me, but Anton held no malice or hate towards me. Neither did Verona. Instead of anger he looked confused and intrigued, there was no hate in his eyes. He fought for me to stay in Atros when everyone wanted me gone or dead. He told them I was staying no matter what. He treated me like an equal. Something I have never felt before. My feelings grew and now…I’m his wife.”

“But with-”

Kal chuckled and smiled. “Yes. With Verona as well. She gave me a little push so I could say my true feelings but I’m very happy that she did. I’ve never been so happy before. And now, together, we’ve managed to save you.”

Marion shot Anton a dirty look but he ignored it. No one wanted to hear their daughter had willingly entered a polygamous relationship.

“But…You’re with humans-”

“Mother,” Kal spoke deeper and colder than before. “I know that you may not agree with what I have done or who I am with but, I chose this. I want this. They are the ones that accepted me for who I am without any hesitation or reservation. Without these humans, you would be heading towards a hell that you could not escape. To be used worse than a whore. I love Anton with every part of my being and I will never leave him, no matter what anyone says. Not even you.”

Marion blinked furiously, her face stunned, while her hands fell limp into her lap. Marion held her head with both hands and took a deep breath.

“Sorry.” Kal winced slightly. “But I-”

“No.” Marion cut her off. “I’m the one that should be sorry. I’m sorry for what I said. This…This is all just too much and I’m acting silly. I thought that I would be someone’s whore. My mind is completely messed up and with you here now…I can’t think straight.”

Kal held her mother’s hands and the room fell silent.

“Are you guys hungry or thirsty?” Anton asked.

“Yeah.” The Blue Minotaur said. “They haven’t given us anything since the auction.”

Anton patted Verona’s back for her to stand. She stepped aside and Anton opened the crate. Inside were hundreds of pieces of dried and salted meat. Cetina nudged Anton’s side and pointed to another crate with a water droplet on the side.

“And who’s she?” Marion nodded to Cetina. “Is she…?”

Kal chuckled. “No. This is Cetina, a new friend of ours. She’s from Bebbezzar and travelling with us for the moment. She’s known that I was a half-breed for a while now.”

“You know you can’t just show that to everyone you meet.” Marion almost chastised Kal.

Kal looked at Marion with disapproving eyes. Marion winced as she realised who she was speaking to.

“To be fair,” Anton said as he lifted the lid of the crate and pulled out several large water skins. “It wasn’t on purpose. She kind of barged in one night and found out.”

“And then I had to fight her so she would stay silent,” Verona smirked at Cetina, while Cetina looked away embarrassed.

Anton passed the water-skins out and Cetina the food. All three ravenously dug into their food and sculled the water. After a few bites, Marion started crying again.

“I still can’t believe you’re still alive.”

Kal hugged her mother tight.

Verona pulled Anton to sit on the crate. “Since you know who we are why don’t you guys introduce yourselves.”

Verona nodded to the Bull Beast-kin, her face turned cold and menacing. “Starting with the one that tried to strangle our husband. The only human willing to go so far to save an ungrateful slave. If it was up to me you’d be swimming right now.”

The Bull winced and looked to Marion. She nodded. “My name is Kristof. I am a…Dwarf Minotaur.”

Anton looked him over. He seemed just a little bit shorter than Cetina. Kristof picked up on his looks.

“That’s what I actually am. The Seocurians don’t call us that. I’m not that much smaller than a Minotaur.” He nodded to the Blue Minotaur. “But I’m just as strong. They just call us Bull’s because we have these horns.”

“So why were you with the rest of them in the Auction House?” Verona asked.

Kristof glanced at Marion and blushed slightly, barely perceptible underneath his dark skin. “When Marion was taken by those guards I…assaulted them as well. I couldn’t bear to see them take her away from me.”

“Eider told me about that,” Kal said. “Did you really hit a guard?”

Marion shook her head. “No. But there was one that had taken a fancy to me and wanted me to suck his dick. I told him where to shove that tiny thing.” Marion shrugged. “And he took issue with it…Did you say Eider? Was she with the others?”

Kal nodded. “Eider, Irso and Ulyaa. They’re coming with us too.”

Marion breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the Old Gods. Eider was probably going to be executed soon since she can barely see. But I’m glad that she’s safe. And the others?”

“They’re fine,” Kal said. “They were really shocked to hear that I was alive.”

Marion chuckled and smiled. “I bet they were.”

“So, Kristof.” Anton continued. “You are…with Marion?”

Kristof nodded. “Yes. About four winters ago. Things just sort of happened one night and we’ve been together ever since.”

“I’m glad that you have someone.” Kal squinted at Kristof. “Even if he did try to kill my husband.”

Kristof groaned and looked away.

“Okay.” Anton looked at the Blue Minotaur. “And who are you?”

“My name is Rasha. I’m a Minotaur with an eighth Blue Oni blood. That why I have one horn in the centre of my head instead of horns like Kristof. Or like the other Minotaurs. And blue skin.”

“I thought I remembered you,” Kal said quietly. Anton looked to Verona, who shrugged and leant on his arm. “You used to bully me.”

Rasha looked away. “I hoped you wouldn’t remember that.”

“You bullied Kal?” Anton asked, finding his voice colder than normal.

Rasha looked at his hands in fear. “I…I was much younger then. And more stupid. Than now.”

“You were six when Kal was born.” Marion quipped. “You should have known better.”

“I know that…Now.” Rasha rested her head against the wooden beam.

“Are you not well-liked by the other Beast-kin because of your breed?” Anton asked. Rasha tensed, looked down with pursed lips and gripped her hands tight. “The Seocurian woman told me that Beast-kin have problems with any sort of cross-breeding.”

All three looked away in shame.

“There…That is a problem.” Marion admitted. “Quite a lot of them don’t like any cross-breeding. They say it makes us impure. I had to fend them off when Kal was born. If we don’t have a thousand more important things to worry about.”

“The Seocurian’s thought the same thing. They thought it was funny.”

Marion scoffed. “Sickens me that we actually think alike.”

“So, Rasha.” Verona began. “Let me work this out. You were bullied because you were a cross-breed yourself. And you bullied Kal because she was even lower on the…” Verona looked at Anton. “What did you call it? That’s right, the pecking order. Because she was beneath you? In both ways.”

Rasha looked utterly ashamed and couldn’t look anyone in the eye. Anton felt it might be a little harsh to blame her for her actions, actions made decades ago made under unimaginable conditions and stress. Kal held the same thought. She let go of Marion and moved in front of Rasha. Rasha looked quite concerned as Kal took her hands. They were much larger than Kal’s and were very similar to a human’s except coloured blue.

“It was a long time ago, Rasha.” Kal began. “Though I can’t say I can just forget what you did to me, I am willing to leave it in the past. That’s what all of this is. Everything that’s happened will remain in the past…Since we’ll be living in the same city together and I don’t want to avoid one of the few people I know.”

Rasha weakly smiled. “Even though I was the one that told them that you ate those peaches…And then you got whipped?”

“That was you?” Kal didn’t sound that annoyed.

Rasha nodded, a sly smile crept up her face. “I was really hungry. And I was a growing girl. I mean, look at me. I can’t eat what they give a Beast-kin as small as you and expect to grow.”

Kal smiled, hiding her annoyance, and punched Rasha hard in the arm. Rasha yelped, something Anton didn’t expect from someone so large and strong. The look of shock quickly turned into a chuckle.

“I guess I deserve that.” Rasha massaged her arm. “I’m sorry I did what I did, Kal. It…It was stupid and wrong of me. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”

“So, how did you manage to hook up with a human?” Rasha looked over Anton. “You never got to that part of the story. Well? How’d you do it?”

Kal chuckled. “It’s a long story. One I’ll tell later-”

Rasha and Kristof winced in pain and held their temples tight. Both started smashing their hands on their temples.

“What’s wrong?” Anton asked.

“It’s the drugs.” Marion sighed. “Withdrawal from the Purple Shade affects everyone differently, but it can result in headaches and fevers, death in some cases. There’s not much we can do until it passes. Doesn’t seem to do much to me but for them…”

“We saw a Canine Beast-kin that seemed to be suffering from that.” Anton stood up and approached Rasha as she winced in pain, her hands pounding on her temples. “Though she didn’t look like this. More shaking and shivering, like she was anxious to get more of the drug.”

“Lucia…” Kal trailed off.

Marion nearly started crying again and shook her head. “That poor girl. I was surprised to see her still with the Auction House. She’s been there for over twenty-five winters.”

“Shouldn’t she be a mess?” Cetina asked. She held a hand over a small blade hidden on her belt as Anton approached Rasha, her eyes glancing at the iron loop almost ripped free from the wood. “That drug’s meant to tear through a Beast-kin’s body faster than it would a human.”

“How do you know that?” Marion asked. “I don’t think Bebbezzar has a problem with it.”

Cetina hesitated to answer. “Um…I have been involved with trading and transporting Beast-kin near the border.” Marion’s eyes constricted to angry slits. “But that was a while ago.”

“Can you all please not talk so loud?” Kristof begged. “It’s like knives are being driven into my skull.”

Rasha nodded as another wave of pain crashed through her head. Anton stretched his hand out and held Rasha’s head, she looked up and tried to move away but didn’t have the mental strength.

“Tethra, Goddess of Prayer, heal Rasha and remove every toxin from her body.”

Anton lost a considerably large portion of mana with the chant, nowhere near as much as healing Cetina the first time. Rasha’s eyes widened in shock as her skin darkened ever so slightly and the tiny cuts and blemishes disappeared.

Rasha gasped and removed her hands from her head. She looked at him in fear. “What…What did you do?”

“I healed you.”

He moved to Kristof and performed the same chant. Kristof’s shaking stopped and his breathing calmed. Like Rasha, his skin regained its lustre and his horns regrow their pointed tips and the tiny flaking segments disappeared. Kristof looked at Anton and tears of regret fell down his face.

“Thank you.” He reached up and held Anton’s hands. “I can’t believe I was so foolish to try and kill our saviour.”

“Just Anton is your saviour?” Verona raised a brow and smiled at Cetina. Verona idly scratched her chin. “Though, once the Beast-kin find out what’s going to happen to them I think that you pretty much ask whatever you wanted from them.”

Anton smiled at Verona. It wasn’t the main reason why he was doing this but what she said was true, in a sense. Rescued Beast-kin would be very loyal to him and hopefully Atros, so long as they continued to free more Beast-kin and take good care of them. Which was his plan. Though he doubted they would do whatever Verona was hinting at.

“What magic is that?” Marion asked. “How are you able to channel the powers of the Old Gods…I thought that Tethra was supposed to be dead.”

“Not quite dead,” Kal replied. She took off her glove and exposed her Beast-kin hand. “I think that there are only two people that can use her power in the whole world.”

“Two?” Marion looked at Verona and Cetina, both of whom shook their heads.

Kal placed her hand over Marion’s. “Tethra, Goddess of Prayer, heal my mother. Heal every wound, ailment and illness she has.”

Marion gasped as the magic crashed over her. The greyed fur returned to its dark aqua colour, her eyes cleared and her long ears pricked up. Her fan tail, hidden for safety behind her, popped out as the orange marking grew in intensity and size. Marion looked to Kal with genuine fear in her eyes, a look that horrified Kal. It quickly softened as Marion smiled and Held Kal’s hands.

“My daughter…My daughter actually became a disciple of Tethra. Though I just wanted you alive.” Marion reached out and touched with the silver medallion dangling from Kal’s neck. “All this time I thought she was just something we told ourselves to make our lives easier. So we could actually have some hope.”

Marion shook her head. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m just so glad that you’re safe after all this time.”

She pulled Kal into a hug again and tears fell down their faces.

Rasha raised a blue hand. “Sorry for interrupting, but where are we going? I heard the others saying a new plantation…But I don’t think that’s want you want to do with us…”

“Where can we possibly go in Seocuria where we won’t be thought of as just slaves?” Kristof asked.

Anton smiled. “We’ve got a long way to go. And we aren’t going to be stopping in Seocuria or even Graterious.”

“Where then?” Kristof looked to his fellow Beast-kin. “Qaiviel? They hate us just as much as the Graterian’s. Maybe even more. Bebbezzar? I don’t think they particularly like us there either…”

Cetina shook her head. “Not really. The Church of the Holy Father really doesn’t like your kind, but that hasn’t stopped humans from hating and enslaving your kind before they existed. I don’t have a problem with Beast-kin, though a lot of my people do.”

“If the old stories were true the long gone United Kingdom had Beast-kin and Humans working together,” Marion added. “Such a strange place. Though that might not be true. Perhaps it was just lies…Just stories I’ve heard and that was all such a long time ago.”

“Well, you’re going somewhere else. And it’s not to the Clans either. Before you get worried.”

“I don’t want to see snow. Too cold for someone like me.” Kristof said, his words trailing off near the end.

“So where are we going?” Rasha asked again.

“Atros. I don’t think any of you have heard of it, but it’s all that remains of the old Kar Kingdom. A city to the south of Mount Aspire.”

That and another thousand odd people that Nithroel mentioned. Are they in that place that the journal mentioned? Balefire Mine? I don’t think we should make a detour on the way home, just in case.

“And it’s our home.” Anton continued despite their stunned silence, including Cetina. “A refuge where you can live alongside humans in peace.”

“I don’t know about that.” Marion looked to Kal. “It’s a nice idea, Anton, but I don’t know how well it’s going to work. I can only speak for myself but whenever I see a human my blood starts to boil and I get scared and angry. If I was free I’d have tried something like Kristof and Rasha did.”

“Even them?” Kal asked. “The people that I’m married to. What about me? I’m half-human. I look more like a human than a Beast-kin. Does that mean you feel half as angry when you look at me?”

Marion paused. “No. I know that you’re my lovely daughter. But when I see someone I don’t know, like them, I can’t help but feel...angry.”

Rasha and Kristof agreed though they seemed more than a little embarrassed about their feelings. Anton didn’t begrudge such thoughts. It was a natural response to the horrors unleashed upon them.

“But…” Marion took a deep breath and held Kal by the shoulders. “If this is where you want us to go, where you think we can be free, I will go with you.”

“Thank you.” Kal smiled. “Atros isn’t that big but it’s the place that I call home. And I hope that you all will be able to call it your home as well.”

“If Marion’s going then I will,” Kristof spoke defiantly and folded his muscular arms. “I won’t be accused of being a coward when our kind’s freedom is at stake.”

“Doesn’t sound like we’ve got much of a choice.” Rasha scratched her horn. “But it sounds like it might be worth a go. Either that or we head back to that hell-hole with those mind fucking drugs.”

Kal turned to Anton with a smile on her face. “You’re still sneaky. Very sneaky and manipulative.”

Anton smiled though Marion appeared to have the wrong impression. Marion didn’t know about the Qaiviel Bondsmen travelling through the Accursed Forest then telling them they were free to do whatever they wanted, stay and work or leave, in a monster and beast infested land. Perhaps it was the same here, though Anton didn’t see it that way.

“I’m glad you agree. But I need something from you three.”

“Oh?”

“You did buy us.” Rasha smiled wickedly. “That makes us your property.”

Rasha dramatically tossed her long red hair back and parted it around her horn. Cetina rolled her eyes while Verona laughed. Rasha joined in.

“But seriously, you did save us. What do you want?”

“We have yet to tell the other Beast-kin. Only another three Beast-kin even know you aren’t heading to work on a plantation or something. And I’m worried that there’s a chance they might try something.” Anton looked at the wood surrounding them. “We are on a ship in the middle of the ocean, and I have no idea what’s swimming with us. Apparently, slave ships have been lost before and I have no intention of joining them. I need you three to talk to them and convince them that we aren’t slavers.”

“That’s easy,” Rasha said. “Just remove their chains.”

“They won’t know why though.” Marion held a pained expression. “They might think that you’re about to do something terrible to them. Like, throw them into the ocean to watch them drown.”

“That happens?” Verona asked, her face aghast.

Marion winced as she nodded. “Sometimes. Though only to slaves that misbehave. They aren’t stupid enough to do that to good stock.” She focused on Anton. “But some eccentric new owner, with strange companions, might just have that desire.”

Anton nodded. “I didn’t think of it that way. But that’s why we need your help. To make sure they remain calm. Now, the crew isn’t a part of us. They still think you’re all slaves heading to a new plantation. So we can’t just have Beast-kin free to wander the ship. They’ll have to remain where they are and well behaved.”

“We can’t promise that but we can try,” Marion said. “Right?”

Kristof and Rasha nodded. “We’ll do our best.”

“I will tell the people there to be on their best behaviour.” Anton continued. “And I need every Beast-kin to do the same. Human’s tend not to like anything that’s different to them, and you can see why that’s a problem. Kal was a big enough problem in Atros, at the start at least. Anyway, it’s going to be a bit rough, for both you and us, but I know that it can be done and we can get back home.”

All three Beast-kin nodded.

“Well, we might as well get this started.” Anton clapped his hands. “I’d ask that you’re-”

“Anton?” Kal cut him off. “I…I have a lot more to talk about with my mother.”

“Okay. We’ll just take Rasha and Kristof. I’m sure that you two will be enough.”

“Thank you.” Kal smiled, tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you for granting my wish.”

Anton gently kissed Kal. Marion frowned but grabbed his hand, Cetina’s hand hovered over her blade, before holding it tight with both hands.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Thank you. Thank you for saving my daughter.” Marion closed her eyes tight. “I always dreamed of her. But I’d never thought I’d hold her again. Not outside of the hereafter. Thank you.”

Anton smiled and patted Marion’s hand as she brought Kal in for another hug. Anton waved everyone else out while they wept in private.

---[]---

Anton gently closed the door and took a deep breath.

“I really can’t believe that we actually got her.” Anton chuckled. “I feared she would be dead. I know it’s rude to ask how old a woman is but Marion isn’t young.”

“It is rude,” Verona replied. Cetina and Rasha nodded.

“Marion is almost fifty winters old,” Kristof said flatly and calmly.

Rasha sighed and scratched her head. “You’re just going to say how old she is? Just like that?”

Kristof shrugged. “I don’t think she would care. She’s not worried about that sort of stuff.”

“She looks good for fifty.” Verona smiled. “I hope I look half as good when I’m that old.”

“But that means that she was in her teenage years when she gave birth to Kal…” Anton shook his head, dispelling the images floating up through his mind.

Rasha shrugged. “That’s nothing compared to what some of us have gone through. But she’s alive to tell her story. And now she has her daughter back.”

“True…Now we just need to convince them.”

Anton looked over the Beast-kin slaves. They shied away from his sight but they seemed quite intrigued why Rasha and Kristof were free and seemingly happily conversing with their captors. Anton saw the looks of resentment, some even accusatory, directed towards the two.

“What do you want us to tell them?” Kristof asked.

“That we aren’t real slavers and they’re going to be free, very soon, to live without being beaten or abused,” Anton replied. “I don’t know how you’re going to convince them of this…But they need to be quiet and well behaved. And remain chained up. It won’t work if the crew think something’s up. Oh, and don’t tell them the name of the place we’re heading.”

“I’ve never heard of it before.” Rasha shrugged. “And I don’t think anyone here would have either.”

“Perhaps not. But there’s a chance that one of the sailors might talk. If they’re drunk and trying to impress someone with stories they might just talk about a bunch of Beast-kin slaves that were talking about a mythical place where they could go to be free. And that would just create all sorts of problems.”

Rasha nodded. “Okay. Just wanted to make sure.”

She took a deep breath and walked to the nearest Beast-kin slave. Her heavy hooves thudded deeply on the wooden floor. The slave, an older turtle, shied away when she knelt down. Very quickly it changed as Rasha began to speak to them.

“I’d better get started.” Kristof smiled at Anton. “Can’t have the women show us how it’s done.”

Anton stared blankly while Verona and Cetina squinted at him. Kristof realised what he said was more than inappropriate and scurried away. The Beast-kin that he approached looked even more worried than those Rasha was speaking with. Kristof did look like a barrel of muscle compared to the more ragged canines and felines he approached.

“Now what?” Verona asked. “Do you want to get some sleep or what?”

“I want to talk to Kal’s friends first,” Anton said. “See what they have to say and if they need any healing.”

Anton looked to some of the wounds present on the slaves. Some were far worse than simply missing an ear or an eye. “Kal and I are going to be quite busy. What about you Cetina? If you want to have a break you can.”

Cetina shook her head. “You were almost just killed. If it weren’t for Verona and myself you could very well be dead, or have killed Marion’s husband. I don’t think you should go alone.”

“Okay.” Anton could still feel Kristof’s fingers on his throat. He was unbelievably strong. Probably strong enough to rip a person in half if he tried. Seeing him whisper to the scared Beast-kin made Anton feel a little odd.

He walked silently through the close masses of Beast-kin. They parted and tried to avoid his gaze. Even the large ones, similar to Rasha in size, did everything they could to avoid scrutiny. So beaten and downtrodden, an utterly hopeless outlook on life.

The Drakeling nudged her two friends and nodded towards Anton. All three girls looked at him in apprehension. They had seen him with Kal but they probably didn’t have any idea what their relationship was.

“Where is Kal?” The Drakeling asked, her voice had a slight crackling echo. “She was with you before.”

“Irso.” A dark-skinned Beast-kin hissed at the Drakeling. She, very obviously a she, looked almost human. However, the lower half of her body was a spider, quite a large one at that. An Arachnid, he guessed.

“She’s fine,” Anton said as he knelt down. Cetina stood close behind while Verona sat on the ground and looked intently at the Cobra’s short and fat tail. “Right now she’s speaking with Marion. After twenty winters I think they deserve some time to each other.”

“So you actually saved her?” The Cobra asked, her vertically slit eyes blinked furiously.

Anton nodded. “We did. She’s in another room right now. We also managed to get a Blue Minotaur, Rasha, and a Dwarf Minotaur Kristof.”

“I never liked Rasha.” The Drakeling folded her hands, the iron links clanking as they dragged on the floor. “She was a nasty bitch to us when we were younger.”

“Irso…” The Arachnid hissed again. She smiled at Anton. “It was a long time ago. She got a lot better in the last few winters.”

“I don’t forget. No matter what, I don’t forget how I’ve been treated.” The Drakeling seemed quite stubborn.

“Who are you three?” The Cobra asked. “Irso and Ulyaa said that you were with Kal in the Slave House.”

“Why did you say it like that?” Verona asked. “You were there.”

The Cobra winced, a strange expression on her scaled face. “I could barely see before. Kal…She did something to me. I felt something wash over me and then I could see again.”

Anton chuckled. “She didn’t tell me that. Did she say anything when you were healed?”

The Cobra shook her head. As she looked at him her a forked tongue darted out of her mouth, a mix between a snake’s and a normal. Her face was blank as she cocked her head slightly.

Irso, the Drakeling, sighed, a very strange crackling emanating from her throat as she shook her head. “Eider. You need to control that. Especially if their faces are anything to go by. I don’t think they’ve ever seen a Cobra before. Or your tongues…”’

“When you do that do you taste the air?” Anton asked.

Eider nodded seriously. “Yes. I can’t see that well, even after…Kal did that thing to me. It’s what we all do. But who are you? You still haven’t answered.”

“Well, my name is Anton. The woman sitting next to me is Verona. And the woman standing behind is Cetina.”

Irso frowned as she looked at Verona. “You managed to get a Clansmen slave? And without a collar too.”

Verona’s eye twitched. “I’m not a slave. Or a Clansmen.”

“But your hair-”

“I’m not one of them,” Verona replied adamantly, folding her arms. “Nor am I a slave. I am a free woman.”

Ulyaa held Irso’s scaled arm tight. Irso’s eyes snapped to Ulyaa, her large razor tipped sharp teeth on full display before it softened. Anton remembered Drakeling’s didn’t like to be touched, though clearly it didn’t extend to friends.

“Sorry.” Ulyaa bowed her body from her waist. “Irso can be a little…direct at times. Please forgive her.”

Irso tried to make an apologetic face but failed. Anton waved her down and both relaxed.

“Where are we going?” Irso asked. “You don’t look like slavers.”

“To somewhere you can all be free. Where you don’t have to worry about being abused or discriminated. Where you will be treated as an equal, not an inferior being.”

“Are you serious?” Eider asked. “There’s actually somewhere like that for us?”

Anton nodded. “Kal has been living with us for some time. I know that Half-breeds, especially with humans, aren’t exactly popular with most Beast-kin.” The three looked more than a little ashamed. “But she has been living peacefully with us. And I know that all of you will be able to as well.”

“But why do this for us?” Ulyaa asked.

“Well, I don’t like what they were doing to you guys.” All three looked oddly at one another. “And I promised Kal I would.”

“And…” Verona slyly smiled at him.

“And because she’s my wife.”

They were stunned, utterly stunned, by his words. Anton took off his glove and showed the wedding ring. Eider and Ulyaa moved to touch it, Irso seemed content to just look, but they were impressed. They had yet to see Kal’s but they took it as evidence all the same.

“So...” Eider idly scratched at the edge of her hood. “Does that mean you have-”

“We sleep together, yes.” Anton’s elbow was bumped by Verona. “And…Verona is my wife as well. Together. At the same time.”

Irso chuckled, a frightening display of teeth hidden behind her smile, while Eider and Ulyaa flushed lightly. At least he was sure Eider was. The scales didn’t really change much in colour but the inside of her hood turned redder.

“Didn’t think Kal would be into that sort of stuff.” Irso chuckled.

“She wouldn’t have made the first move if I didn’t give her a little push.” Verona smiled. “But I know that she’s the happiest she’s ever been now.”

“So you’re both okay with that…” Irso shook her head. “Doesn’t really matter though, you both seem happy enough. If you are actually freeing us that is.”

“Where are we going?” Eider asked.

“I can’t tell you that just yet.” Anton pointed to the decks above. “The crew of the ship aren’t with us. They’ve just been hired to do this job. So I can’t tell you, just in case they hear and word gets back to Seocuria. None of you want to go back, I’m sure.”

Any sense of frivolity vanished immediately and they nodded seriously.

“Thank you. We’ll talk more during our trip. It’ll be a while before we arrive at the next stage of our journey but I wanted to see if any of you were injured.”

“I think we’re alright,” Eider replied. “Some of the others aren’t looking so good. A few of them are almost blind like I was. Though it’d probably be better to get Kal so she can do…whatever it is she did.”

Anton smiled and rose to one knee. He reached out and touched Eider’s scaled knee, the scales were cold and extremely smooth, Irso almost growled at him.

“Tethra, Goddess of Prayer, heal her. Heal every wound and undo every scar, restore her to her prime.”

Eider gasped and skittered away from Anton. Her hands reached for her teeth as Irso lunged at Anton. Thankfully the chains were just too short, Irso’s claws just missed his skin by a hair. She relented when she felt Cetina’s blade pressed against her throat. Irso shot Cetina a dirty look but Ulyaa pulled both her hands down and onto the floor, using every ounce of her strength to keep the Drakeling from attacking again. Ulyaa wasn’t a thin girl but her arms twitched and shook to keep Irso still. Verona pulled him back and glared at Irso with eyes that would make a wolf crawl away. Irso slowly relented, Cetina withdrew her blade and Ulyaa released her grip.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ulyaa asked.

“What did he just do?” Irso’s voice was almost a growl, her eyes filled with unimaginable hatred.

“Ow…” Eider rubbed her upper jaw as she opened her mouth. He tongue licked around her thin needle-like teeth, really fangs, focusing on two large fangs at the front. Her eyes widened in shock. “My teeth are back. Well, my fangs. I have fangs!”

Ulyaa and Irso looked very surprised, while Anton, Verona and Cetina looked confused between one another.

Eider massaged her cheeks above her two front fangs, a few tears trailing down her scaled face. “I can’t believe it. They’re back. You have no idea how important these are to us.”

“They’re just pointy teeth,” Verona said quietly. “There’s obviously something more…”

“The Seocurian’s rip them out when we’re young. So we don’t bite and kill them. And now I have them back. Thank you, Anton. I’ll never forget this.”

Eider bowed low. Her head hit the floor but she didn’t care. When she came back up she was smiling, letting out an awkward chuckle. It looked a little strange but he could tell that she was utterly ecstatic.

“I might be the first adult Cobra to have fangs.”

Eider’s head started to bob about, her eyes closed, as her tongue wrapped and flickered around her fangs. Her short tail began to swirl through the air, like Kal’s when she was happy.

Verona pulled herself closer to Anton’s ear. “If you keep this up you’ll have every Beast-kin here swearing an oath to you. That’ll be fun.”

Anton kissed her forehead. “One Beast-kin giving me an oath of allegiance made you freak out. What would five hundred oaths do?”

Verona chuckled and held his arm. Extremely tightly.

Eider ceased her fantasising when Irso glared at her and Ulyaa gently pushed her. She coughed and her short tail stopped undulating. “What Kal did felt the same. Who…Who is Tethra?”

Guess the knowledge is becoming lost over the generations. When you’re being beaten every day it might be hard to keep faith in something that doesn’t help.

Anton quickly explained who Tethra was and what her powers could do. They were very surprised to hear that only he and Kal were probably the only people in the world that could use her power.

“I don’t understand why.” Ulyaa began. “If it can do that, why wouldn’t someone else worship her and use her power?”

“That’s a fantastic question. It uses a lot of mana for one. But why she ended up in such a state that only two people can use her power, I don’t really know for sure. Apparently, her followers were dying out but someone from the Clans said her power just stopped working one day and they had no choice but to leave her for someone that worked. I’ll have to look into it further when we can.”

“Tethra…Thank you for healing me.”

“Was it just the fangs?” Verona asked. “Usually it does other things…”

Verona looked to Eider’s chest, a smile quickly formed on her face. Eider didn’t have a bust. At all. Her clothes were relatively tight against her body yet there were no curves underneath. She had a very impressive set of legs but those hadn’t changed.

“Like what?” Eider cocked her head then looked down at her chest.

“Nothing important.” Verona smiled and looked away. Cetina chuckled and shook her head, attracting their gaze but didn’t answer.

“Eider?” Anton began. “Kal told me something about the Cobras. And now’s as good as a time as any.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Well, Kal said that Cobras are a relatively new species of Beast-kin.”

Instantly Eider’s expression dropped. Her hood contracted and her eyes were cast down. “Yes…Yes, we are. I think I’m a fourth generation Cobra.”

Eider looked at her left arm. She frowned and pulled her arm around further. Her frown turned to elation as her legs began to bounce in happiness. “My numbers are gone! Are you serious?! How did you do that?”

“I healed you. Every part of you and every wound. So scars caused by branding…”

Eider started to weep and held his hands. “Thank you. Thank you! You have no idea how thankful I am. I’ve had to look at the thing every day of my life. Always reminded that I was a slave, just a number to the Seocurians. I can’t tell you how happy I am.”

“Give us a few days and we’ll have everyone’s numbers removed.” Anton smiled. “I’m sure they’ll listen to me then.”

Anton saw numbers branded on Ulyaa’s left arm but nothing on Irso’s. Irso smiled and leant back. “They’d be stupid to touch a Drakeling. If they didn’t want their throat ripped out.”

“You didn’t seem all that worried when Cetina had a blade at your throat,” Verona said quietly.

Irso scratched her cheek. “That was different. For all my anger I know I was in the wrong.” She looked at Cetina. “But don’t do it again.”

“Don’t threaten my friends,” Cetina spoke coldly and without emotion. Her eye held the same look as when she fought, cold and utterly devoid of emotion. Irso saw something in her eyes and nodded.

“Kal told me that Cobras were bred from Lamia’s. Because they were too dangerous and cost too much food for what they were worth.”

“That’s what I’ve been told.” Eider shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s true though. But there’s nothing that I can do about it.”

“This is going to sound terrible but why not just get rid of them entirely. If they were such a problem.”

“We’re very tough. Our skin, or as they keep calling it our hide, is very strong. So they use us in places where most slaves would get scratched or torn apart. Like harvesting the fruit from Barnacle Blade Bushes.”

“Oh, I hate those,” Irso said. Ulyaa nodded and scratched at her arms.

Anton looked to Cetina. She might know more. “I’ve had a few fruits from that plant. They’re pretty good. Never thought how they got them. It makes sense when I think about it.”

“Well, the bushes hurt. A lot. And the bush can grow pretty much anywhere without any real water, so there are quite a few large plantations of the things. That and we are just pretty tough overall.”

“I bet that they forget that and overwork you.” Verona pointed to her eyes.

Eider slowly nodded. “They did, for me at least. I was working with something that smelled awful and burned my eyes. After a few days, I could barely see. I was basically blind. I had to get Irso and Ulyaa to help meet demands. Otherwise, the masters would have killed me. They probably had their eye on me.”

Anton smiled at Ulyaa and Irso. While Ulyaa took it, as a matter of fact, Irso huffed and looked away. He didn’t understand why she got so embarrassed over helping a friend. Maybe she was one of those sorts of people.

“Ulyaa.” The Arachnid perked up. “What about you?”

“Well, my name is Ulyaa and I am an Arachnid Beast-kin. And yes, my lower half is a spider.”

“Doesn’t that make you a bit of a target?” Anton asked. “Looking like a human? Also, do you wear clothes over your spider body or are you technically naked right now?”

Ulyaa recoiled her head slightly and patted her spider body.

“I didn’t think a slave would have time to get into…” Verona looked at Anton as she tried to recall the word. “Exhibitionism. That’s it.”

“No. It doesn’t work like that.” Ulyaa raised her body up. The chains had been attached to her hind legs but she seemed a little weak. She had a rough skirt around where her human and spider body joined in addition to a long shirt. Other than that she was naked.

“Let’s not worry too much about the particulars of your anatomy.” Anton calmed Verona down just as she was about to say something. “But…I am wondering. Can you produce silk?”

Ulyaa shook her head as she sat down. “Not for some time. A few winters ago I got really sick, nearly died, and I couldn’t make anymore, no matter how hard I tried or what they did to me. I’m still a good climber, so I can get to the tops of the trees without a ladder, and a hard worker so they let me…stay. Though they did keep checking to see if I could make silk again. That…”

“I wonder if it’s the same for you like it is a spider.” Anton mused. “Does it come out of your spinneret?”

Ulyaa blushed. “Yes, it does. But please don’t talk about it like that.”

“And where is that?” Verona asked. She stood up and looked at Ulyaa’s body. “Is it at the back?”

“Yes…”

“How strong is it?” Anton asked. Ulyaa’s eyes widened at him. “The silk that you make. I know that the web that spiders make is very strong. Is it the same for you?”

“Um…I think so.” Ulyaa calmed a little. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, the clothes you guys have isn’t that great.” Ulyaa pulled at her rough shirt. Anton saw that there was considerable cleavage hidden beneath. Thankfully Verona hadn’t seen him looking, rather she saw it too. “And at our destination, we really don’t have enough wools or furs for everyone. And I have no idea how clothes are made here.”

I’m imagining some sort of loom. However that works….

Ulyaa guessed where he was going. She threw up her hands to stop him. “I would help you if I could. But…Do you really want to wear something that came out of there?”

Verona laughed. “Right now I’m wearing the skin of a dead wyrm and the fur of a wolf on the inside. Anton’s wearing hardened leather as well and some of Cetina’s armour has a few pieces of leather. I don’t think it really matters where it came from. So long as it’s good.”

“Exactly,” Anton said. “It really doesn’t matter to us. But only if you are willing. We’re not going to force you to do anything like that if you don’t want to. That’s my promise to you. To all of you.”

Ulyaa relaxed a little and looked at her hands. When she looked up the happiness faded as Verona smiled wickedly again.

“So long as you wash it before we wear it.”

“What?”

“It sounds like it comes out of your butt…So…”

“It’s from there. It’s a different place! Just near it!” Ulyaa stomped her front legs on the hard floor. She flushed when nearly every nearby Beast-kin looked towards her. She winced and held her head in her hands.

“Verona…” Anton looked at her.

Verona chuckled and held her shoulder. “Sorry. I just got a bit carried away there.”

“It’s not every day you have a Clanswoman, sorry, someone ask about something like that.”

“But could you make clothes?” Anton asked as Verona returned to his side.

Ulyaa shook her head. “No. I could make a thread, great bundles of it if I had enough food and time, but that’s it. I don’t know how to make clothes.”

“I’m sure someone knows how to weave,” Anton said. “Is it a sticky thread?”

“Only if I want it to be sticky,” Ulyaa replied. “At least that’s how I remember it being…It’s been a long time.”

Irso chuckled and shook her head. “You’re talking to a human about your sticky thread. And a man married to one of your friends. Do you have any shame?”

Ulyaa flushed and slapped Irso’s arm. Irso just laughed and leant back further onto the wall. She appeared to be warming up to them. Slowly. Very slowly.

Anton stepped forward, Irso kept a very close eye on him, and chanted the same healing prayer for Irso. She jumped in shock, just like Eider, but smiled almost immediately after. Her hands traced over her body before reaching for her spider body. She laughed as her hands ran through the short fur.

“Some of my claws are back.” She smiled. “On my legs. I lost them when I fell from a tree and tried to hold on. And…Hang on.”

Ulyaa leant further around her body and reached to the rear of her spider body. It wiggled ever so slightly and she let out a gasp. She returned a moment later with a bundle of what looked like white string in her hands.

“I…I can’t believe it. It’s just like I remembered it.”

Anton leant forward and Ulyaa hesitantly handed it over. The small bundle was almost dry, bounced when he touched it and was very warm.

“This is…quite surreal. It looks pretty strong.” Anton said as he pulled a single thread loose and pulled hard. It didn’t break no matter how hard he tried, though it was with one hand.

Verona poked it and he felt Cetina’s armoured legs touch his back as she leant over to look.

“Why is it so warm?” Verona asked.

Ulyaa looked a little embarrassed.

“That’s because it’s been in her body.” Anton quietly said. “Until just a few seconds ago. So it’s going to be warm.”

“Right…” Verona took the bundle from Anton’s hands. “We’ve been thinking of ways to get more money so we can keep buying Beast-kin slaves. Is this worth anything?”

“I…I don’t know.” Ulyaa looked to her friends but they only shrugged. “I don’t think so. I’ve never really thought about it. I think most of it’s used to make our clothes.” Ulyaa pulled her shirt, revealing the deep brown cleavage hidden beneath. “These need to be tough…We don’t exactly get replacements that often.”

“Someone we sold this to would probably wonder why someone like us would be selling raw Arachnid silk.” Anton mussed. “But…If we could make this into clothes or maybe even armour we could sell them. Maybe to Qaiviel, where they won’t know what they’re looking at.”

“I don’t know about that.” Ulyaa smiled as Anton gingerly handed back the small bundle of silk. “But if it can help free other Beast-kin then I’ll do it. I think I can make quite a lot, though it’ll just be like that. Will that actually help you?”

“That’s going to be a great help,” Anton said. Ulyaa smiled warmly, to which Verona pinched his waist hard. “Everything that you can do will help us, no matter how small you think it might be. We’ll need to do a few tests on it but this stuff might be a major export of ours.”

“How many more Arachnids do we have?” Cetina asked. The three looked at her, Irso frowned very deeply. “I don’t mean it like that…Just after handling Beast-kin for a while it can be hard to not speak like they do.”

“I think I’m the only one here.” Ulyaa sighed and slouched slightly. “The only one of my kind here…”

“You aren’t alone.” Anton began. “You’ve got your friends that will always be there for you. I know that Irso looks out for you both.” Again Irso looked away in embarrassment. “And not to mention Kal, myself, Verona, Cetina, Marion, Rasha and Kristof. All of us will be here to help you and everyone else here. You aren’t alone.”

Ulyaa perked up and smiled. Anton knew what he said was a little bit dramatic and flowery with his words but it seemed to work. Whatever he needed to say to raise their spirits he would. And he meant every word.

“Thanks. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.” Ulyaa bowed deep towards Anton. Verona smirked and nudged his arm. She said nothing as Ulyaa straightened up. “Um…Anton.”

Anton nodded and turned to Irso. She scoffed and began speaking before he could.

“Irso. Drakeling. If you touch me I’ll rip your throat out.”

“Irso!” Eider and Ulyaa snapped.

Irso huffed and held out her hand. “Just heal me.”

Anton didn’t move and Irso frowned at him. “Please?”

“Not with that attitude,” Anton folded his arms. “So we’ll start with the basics. What did you do when you were a slave and what makes you different to a Cobra?”

Irso retracted her hand. “Okay…I’m sorry. My blood can make me angry and aggressive at times, even when I know I shouldn’t. I’m sorry. I used to work in a forge, hauling near molten iron and gold.”

“Not with your bare hands?” Verona looked at Irso’s scaled hands. They weren’t damaged in any way.

“They gave us leather gloves.” Irso looked away. “But only Drakeling’s and other Beast-kin like us can handle it. They don’t give much for protection and the gloves are very thin.”

“So…Drakeling’s are resistant to fire and heat?”

Irso nodded. “We are. We don’t really feel it, except when I’m right over the fire, and I haven’t seen anything wrong with my scales. So most of the people that work in the forges are Drakelings. And the Seocurian masters leave us alone because we’re good at our job.”

“We’ll need a lot of help with the forges soon,” Anton said. “Do you know anything about smithing?”

Irso shrugged. “A bit. Mainly from what I’ve seen. Usually, I’m the one that holds the metal while other’s work it into shape.”

“That’s fine. Since you’re are a Drakeling, does that mean you can breathe flame?”

Irso’s scaled ears snapped back and she looked quite embarrassed. “No. No. Maybe several generations ago we could but I can’t…”

“Right. Well, I’ll heal you now but if you feel like you can breathe fire I ask that you don’t. I can’t put it out and we don’t want to be sinking in the middle of the ocean. Not after all this.”

Irso nodded and held out her hand. Anton gingerly touched her scaled hand. Unlike Eider’s it was quite warm and he chanted a healing prayer. It used considerably more mana than the other two, like healing Cetina. The scratches and peeling flakes on her scales disappeared, the large white faint scar running along her face faded away while she started to breathe more easily. She flexed her hands and smiled at Anton.

“Nothing aches anymore. And my scales don’t itch.” She bowed her head, Eider and Ulyaa looked pretty surprised. “Thank you. I’m sorry I tried to attack you.”

Anton smiled. “It’s not a problem. It’s not the first time I’ve been assaulted by a Beast-kin.”

“Who?” Eider asked.

“Let’s see. Kal, Kristof, Irso and almost Rasha.”

“Kal assaulted you?”

“One. She punched me in the stomach really hard. Hard enough that I lost my breath.”

All three looked a little surprised. Anton slapped his thighs and stood up. “I’m going to set you three free. But I can’t let the rest of the Beast-kin free just to wander about the ship. Not only will it freak out the human crew, who aren’t like us by the way, but some are you are really big. Like Rasha and Kristof. I need you to keep as still as possible to save on food as we’re pretty tight on space. We’re going to fish for extra supplies but we still need to stretch it as much as we can.”

“What do you want us to say?” Ulyaa asked.

“That they’re going to be free and to remain calm and quiet. That’s the most I can say for now.”

“We’ll do our best,” Eider said.

Anton took the small key and unlocked their shackles. They rubbed their wrists, and Ulyaa rubbed her spider legs, and slowly stood up.

“When we saw that masked woman kneeling in front of us I didn’t think it would end like this.” Irso smiled at him. “How many more Beast-kin do you intend to free?”

“All of them. If I could every Beast-kin would be free.”

Irso looked into his eyes and nodded. She moved past, her orange tufted tail trailing behind her, and knelt down next to the closest Beast-kin. Eider and Ulyaa moved past, though Ulyaa required them to move to the side to let her spider body through, and they started speaking to other Beast-kin. Those Beast-kin slaves looked terrified but slowly their expressions changed. Anton looked to Rasha and Kristof. They had clearly spoken to several Beast-kin. Those they had looked far more calm and almost happy and excited. Anton hoped they would calm themselves before any of the crew saw them. Happy slaves would attract a lot of attention.

Anton waved Verona and Cetina through the masses of seated slaves, received a nod from Rasha and Kristof, and stopped at the door. He didn’t open it but leant his ear against the door. He could hear two people talking within, Kal and Marion, but not what they were saying. They deserved some privacy.

“While they do that I think we’ve earned a break.” Anton wrapped an arm around Verona’s waist. He looked at Cetina. “There’s not much going to be happening for the next little while. If you want to have a rest it’s probably a good idea.”

“Alright.” Cetina rotated her shoulders. “I think that’ll be a good idea. After what I’ve seen today I might need a good sleep to push it all away. Maybe even a drink, if I had one.”

Cetina weakly smiled and waved down their concerns. “I’m joking. But I think a sleep is a good idea.”

Cetina turned and started walking back to their rooms. Verona tugged on his hand and led him after her. She strode with a spring in her step as they reached their room. Cetina gave a small wave and entered hers, a tiny click of wood told them she had locked it. Perhaps she was worried about potential free-roaming Beast-kin. Or unscrupulous sailors visiting during the night. It hadn’t happened so far but there was no harm in taking extra precautions.

Verona hummed her song as she opened the door. A small white blob ran at her legs, squeaking as it nuzzled at Verona’s. Luna pawed at Verona with her front legs, continuously glancing between the two. Verona leant down and picked Luna up.

“Have you been a good girl?” She asked, holding her just underneath her armpits. “You haven’t done anything have you?”

Verona looked to the side of the bed to find a small deposit of poo. Thankfully it was dry and very small but the faint smell was starting to permeate the room.

Verona smiled at her. “Aw. Don’t worry. We all have to do that. And it’s a little embarrassing to do it on this ship. Not much in the way of privacy. Which is especially bad for Kal.” She turned with Luna still in her hands. “Can you take her for a bit while I deal with that?”

“I can get rid of it-”

Verona thrust Luna into his arms. “No. I’ll deal with it. Besides, it’s good practice for the real thing. Remember what you said before we left Atros. About our future together…”

Anton held Luna more like a baby rather than a dangerous weapon. Luna cooed and nuzzled her head into the crook of his arm, her rear bird’s feet digging into his armour for support. Thankfully she wasn’t that strong yet.

“See. You know what you’re doing.” Verona tickled the red fur on Luna’s cheek. She nuzzled deeper. “By the way, that’s my spot. So enjoy it while it lasts.”

“We need to get something better for her.” Anton looked around. “Like somewhere she can properly go without her worrying she’s dirtying the room.”

“I’ll have a chat with some of the sailors, see what they have to say.” Verona picked up the few droppings with her gloves. “I’ll be sure to wash these before I get back.”

Anton opened the door but Verona didn’t leave straight away. She pulled him down with her free hand. “This’ll be the first time it’ll just be the two of us. So don’t think about going to sleep just yet.”

She kissed him deeply, with a burning passion, so much so that Luna squeaked in annoyance. A tiny strand of saliva connected them when they parted. Verona brushed it away but left her lips wet.

“I’ll see you in a little bit.”

With that, she left him alone. Anton, feeling more than a little flustered, decided to lie on the bed. He gently put Luna down next to him. She tromped on the rough bed before lying down, resting her head on his arm. She looked up at him with big doey eyes. He couldn’t resist that look and scratched her head and underneath her small wings. Her rear legs started to twitch rapidly, like a dog, and her squeaks became very loud and frantic. When he stopped she looked disappointedly at him.

“I wonder what everyone else is going to think when we bring you back.” Anton scratched Luna’s chin. “You’re probably going to be like Ulyaa for some time. The only one of your species.”

Luna squeaked and nuzzled at his hands. She wasn’t content until he was patting her. A memory tried to force its way out, one consisting only painful scratches, which he forced back down. Luna nipped at his hand, Anton realised he had been holding his chest with his other hand.

“Sorry, Luna.” He scratched her head again. “That happens from time to time. I don’t want to really find out what they are. Something tells me I’m not going to like it.”

Luna picked herself up and clambered onto his chest. She gingerly walked along his chest and rested her head on his. Her body glowed slightly, the red cheek markings glowed bright, and she spread her small wings. The lingering fear washed away from his mind. He felt calm and relaxed, like he hadn’t felt for some time. Luna staggered and collapsed onto his chest. For a moment she was still before she started breathing softly.

She…She just healed me! Well, in mind rather than in body. She might still have a connection to Nithroel though. I don’t feel any different but I’d better be safe than sorry.

Anton chanted a prayer on himself to revert any changes, nothing appeared to change, and he searched through his body. Again he found nothing. Anton smiled at Luna as she slept on his chest.

“You saw that I was in trouble and you wanted to help…You’re a very smart and caring girl. Aren’t you?”

He scratched her head, she appeared to appreciate it, and he rested his head against the back of the bed. Verona opened the door a few minutes later. She had a large pillow in her hands.

“Hey. Aw, that’s cute. She’s all tired out.”

“Yeah…”

Verona frowned as she sat next to him. “I know that look on your face. What happened?”

“I just had another of those funny memories try to come back up.” Verona lay beside him. “Luna saw that I was under a bit of stress and…Well, I think she cast some sort of magic on me.”

“What?”

“She glowed and then I felt calm. It took just about everything out of her but I’m sure she did something.”

“That’s new.” Verona scratched Luna’s sleeping head. “Who knew that animals could use magic as well?”

“Not me. She’s a very smart girl.”

Verona picked Luna up, this time more like a baby, and placed her gently on the pillow in the corner of the room. She took a small piece of cloth and draped it over Luna’s body. Luna slowly curled more into a ball.

“Now…” Verona jumped onto the bed and straddled his waist. “We’ve probably got a while before Kal’s done. You’ve given her the best gift she could possibly ask for so, as your wife, I want something too. Seems only fair that I get a present when she does. And it’s been quite a while since I’ve had you to myself. Not that that’s a problem.”

Verona started to undo her belt.

“Hang on.” Anton held her warm and soft hands. “This seems…Wait a second. Isn’t today…”

Verona nodded. “Yep. But you said that after we save the Beast-kin we’d talk about having children. And even if you got me pregnant right now, at the end of summer, I wouldn’t be giving birth until sometime in spring. So it’ll be all of us snuggling up in our warm house during winter. A lovely little fire roaring away…”

“That does sound nice.” Verona took his hand and rubbed her taut stomach. “Seeing you waddle about with a swollen belly would be nice.”

Verona laughed. “You’ll have at least two bellies to take care of.” She lent down and kissed him. “I’m sure Marion will want to see her grand-kids soon. She’s waited long enough.”

Verona didn’t wait for his response and kissed him hard, unbuckling their armour in one swift motion.