"You can't be serious... You just can't!" the last of the human thorns complains as we finish our last game. Smiling towards the Champion with my victorious pride bejewelling my features, I start to stand. I giggle softly as I feel the Champion's subtle movements underneath and I straighten out my dress. Briefly flashing its looser parts open in his direction.

"I will have someone pick up my winnings at a later date. Please assemble them as necessary." I explain to the human thorns as I firmly set my points into the ground. I slither about the Champion's grip as I try and goad him into standing up. He does as I want, but, oddly, he heads off in an unexplained direction.

"Yeah, yeah..." the oldest of the human thorns bitterly goes as he smacks his drying lips together. I give them a final, smug smile and walk after the Champion. They have lost their senses-dulling drinks and they are now mine. Soon, I shall let the Champion share it with me, or, I'll just stick with my personal favourite kind of wine.

I am sure the Champion will appreciate sweetened and boiled rose wine just as much as I do.

Catching up to the Champion, I focus my attention on the beautiful source of strength ahead of us. The Valkinvar is letting her power out quite noticeably and I am intrigued as to why. It's harder to figure out who she is with, but, it's obvious she is not alone. There's a slight distortion amidst her power, it's not overwhelming in its presence despite the difference between the pair.

"Where are we going?" I ask the Champion as I put his arm between my breasts. Squeezing their softness around it, I smile closely against his bothered features.

"I'm going to check on something I asked Vapooliar to help me with." he answers as some thorns bow respectfully as we pass by.

"It is not right for you to be bothering her. Please, come to me in future, I can help with anything she can do and more..." I explain to him, whispering the final part close to his ear. I frown as he ignores me. Does he not trust me to help with this? Have I not shown my trustworthiness by healing and tending to him since he arrived here?

We enter the bulb that is struggling to hold in the Valkinvar's brilliant, perfect light. I spot the attire of a root and I frown, but, then, I spot the colour of their magic. It's mostly yellow, with purple on top... My body stiffens slightly.

Why is the Thief being treated by the Valkinvar, why did the Champion ask that of her!? The whole point of having her burst out of my wardrobe the way she did was to...

"How is she doing?" the Champion asks the Valkinvar as I make a point of lingering closer to the bulb's entrance. I will not step point near that hideous thing on that there bed! Though, for all the fury brewing inside of me, my gaze is soft. It does not reflect my inner turmoil at all.

"She's doing fine, Nin, what I can heal is nothing too serious. But, she will need to spend quite some time in bed if she is to recover. You brought her to me with broken bones... But, I cannot do anything about her throat which is nearly irreparable. Never mind her skin and her head bulbs." the Valkinvar explains to him as he walks around to the Thief's side. Reluctantly, I move forward slightly, just so I can keep a close eye on the Thief.

The Champion carefully looks at the Thief, he shows her a level of concern he has yet to ever show me. I don't let it show, but, at the back of my mouth, I snarl. Though, I do find myself slightly joyous when the Thief starts to panic as her head turns my way. Flickering eyes just barely pick up on my presence and terror fills her.

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I move closer to the Champion and wrap my arms around his. The Thief's eyes widen and she starts to panic even more. The Valkinvar intervenes and keeps her still but her inability to speak means she cannot explain a thing. To them, it just looks like a root that knows she is not dressed properly before a full-name petal!

The Champion sighs as the Valkinvar puts the Thief to sleep with some kind of martial technique. I nearly moan in disappointment as I would've liked to see her struggle some more. But, for now, I cannot take any risks that would draw the Gilded-Bark's eye. Thankfully, he still thinks he can find the Thief somewhere out there.

Even with the rapidly decreasing findings of parasites...

"When you can, tell me how she is doing." the Champion tells the Valkinvar as he leaves with a simple gesture. I tow after him and move ahead until I am walking beside him once again. Carefully watching his face as he walks to the rhythm of frustrated breaths.

"So why is the Valkinvar taking care of a... Root?" I ask the Champion, nearly choking on the fact I cannot call the Thief her honest name. He'll start asking questions otherwise, they all will. I need to make it seem like the Thief is nothing more than just some root.

"My reasons are my own." he mutters nearly indecipherably as we find ourselves getting closer and closer to the irrigation bulb. It's grown in scale considerably since his first awoke day here and the drop in the building's quality is intentional. A place for the roots to tend to themselves properly. But, we are in front of the portion intended for petals, thankfully.

I find myself waiting alongside the Champion quietly before something disgusting walks out...

Sighing blissfully, the utterly forgettable oxfuine steps out into the open well-dressed and perfumed. She laughs giddily as she takes in the improved state of her tail but I struggle to hide my sneer. Not only did this root-like thing just walk out of something intended for petals... She does so wearing the attire and make-up made for them as well!

We interfered with her efforts before, but, if even the Champion is helping her...

The Champion and the Valkinvar are both being quite charitable with this thing. But, at least her hideousness is somewhat hidden under the more appealing look of our clothes. A strange set of circumstances as normally I'd hate a petal who is covering her beauty up. Yet, given this oxfuine's ugliness, I am glad she is covered up.

Human concepts of modesty finally make sense to me...

"Do you like it, Ho?" she asks the Champion as she dances a little with the obvious intention of showing off her tail. The Champion's gaze looks the petal-intended attire over and he seems to appreciate it. A wonderful sign as it means he must adore my choice of clothes.

"Oh, right, I got those for her earlier. I hope it's not an issue." the Champion explains. I simply nod and accept his answer as there's nothing non-tedious I can really do about it. Through the right of his heroism and the strength that his body holds, he pretty much can do what he wants. Within reason... It would not be a popular choice for me to just reverse everything he wants.

I can look past this, despite my disgust for it.

Though having gone through so much stress-creation recently, I want something more delectable in my life. Talking to the grieving Gilded-Bark, discovering the upset to my plans and now this. I want to hold something beautiful and powerful. Someone like the Champion, from within the comforts of my bulb and bed.

Oh, I can feel my body getting excited just at the thought of it! But, that alone is an annoying thing as my breasts are likely to leak again... I've burned through so many fresh sheets of silk and linen since I started sharing my bed with the Champion. I hate him for it.

But I lo-

"Come on! What do you think?" the oxfuine asks again as her smug smile passes by my gaze. Our eyes meet again and we sneer at each other as my tail prods away at the Champion. Leaning up to him, I spread myself across his body as my mouth goes near his cheek. He can feel the bare skin of my breasts and the warmth of my breath...

My power hums in harmony with his and it submits to the point I can feel his energy tickling my flesh.

"It's nice to see you smile." the Champion tells her as I start to assert myself more aggressively over him.

"We should get moving, Champion. There are more important things we need to discuss..." I tell him with a sultry tone, tugging at his clothes and his body to draw him away from here. I make sure my breath tickles him in all the right ways and he seems more than happy to follow along. My eyes meet the oxfuine's one more time as she sneers smugly back at me. She shows off her new wealth and I shake my head at it, groaning my disgust.