The work Allan had been mindlessly performing lay forgotten. What had started gently, and with tenderness, was now aggressive and wrought with longing, lust, and quiet desperation. No words were spoken as Aly and Allan probed each other's mouths with their tongues, all the while Aly was stripping Allan of his clothing.

Once he was naked, Aly wordlessly sat on the edge of the table, pushing the tools and things that Allan had been using out of the way in a rush. She perched precariously on the edge so her vivacious legs hung free and she had to lean back slightly so she did not slip off the table.

With a solicitous look from Aly, Allan stepped forward, placing himself in between the soft scales of her legs and slipping inside her. They slowed for a moment. It was not to prepare, but simply a moment of enjoying the feeling of being entwined with each other. Aly relishing in the feeling of Allan’s rock-hard manhood filling her up. Allan enjoying the total pleasure he felt as Aly’s tight pussy cradled every inch of him.

After a few moments of gently holding each other like this, the two of them locked eyes, and all pretense was lost. Aly wrapped her arms and legs around Allan, and he grabbed her ass with both hands lifting her off the table and beginning to thrust like a wild animal in heat.

The sheer ferocity of their lovemaking brought them both to climax in short order, but Allan did not stop, and Aly did not want him to. They gave themselves over to a baser part of who they were and threw their entire beings into the carnal release they both desired. After countless orgasms Allan collapsed, barely managing to get Aly onto the table before his legs gave out on him. Aly got off the table and promptly collapsed next to him, her head resting on his chest.

After a few moments, Allan stood and scooped Aly up, walking through the ship to the sleeping chamber where Jalla, Tillia, and the princesses were already asleep. They snuggled down into the tangle of limbs and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning. Allan rose early before the others awoke and set about getting breakfast. As he walked back into the sleeping chambers, the ten women were waking up, and all of them thanked him for the bowls of food he had brought for them from the dining hall. Allan then sunk back into his mind and made his way to work on the casket once more.

Several days passed in a similar pattern. Allan would rise early, getting food for everyone, and then retreat to work on the casket. Several hours would pass and occasionally Aly, Jalla, or Tillia would come and visit with him. Allan would then spend time with everyone for lunch. Usually around this time, one of the gods would show up and talk with everyone and then Allan would go back to work, typically with Aly as company, the guardian was standing by quietly following Jalla and Tillia throughout the day.

On the sixth day,Allan woke, got the food for everyone, and then went to work, only to see that he had completed the casket, or at least its pieces, the night before. Xulgra was standing and looking at the pieces of shaped gemstone and gold filagree that Allan had made.

“It will be beautiful,” Xulgra said, “surely befitting his station and reflecting the love of his daughters.”

“I hope so, and to hear the God of Death compliment it as such, I am relieved to know that you approve.” Allan said, placing the pieces that he had made into a box so that he could move them easier. “Aren’t you a little earlier than usual?”

“True, but as you could probably tell I am the oddball of the divines.” Xulgra thought for a moment and then placed a hand on Allan’s shoulder. “I wanted to thank you and assure you that I intend to do everything I can to keep the bargain that has been struck. To that end, if the other gods back out of the deal, I will provide Eddy with the knife we discussed earlier and watch the show.”

Allan locked gazes with the god. Staring into the deep swirling darkness that was the god of death’s eyes and understanding Xulgra had just promised a god-killing blade to Eddy if the gods broke their word. “I imagine you are doing this because of my several speeches concerning the ineptitude of gods and how they like to sit around and do nothing — at least in my opinion.”

Xulgra laughed and clapped Allan on the back. “I do it, because, like you Allan I despise those who fail to keep their word. But yeah, what you said too.” Xulgra turned to go and then stopped. “The entirety of the gods has been made aware of what is going on and of the debt that we are putting ourselves in to. So don’t be too surprised if some who you do not know stop by.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Thanks for the heads up.” Allan said as the god faded from reality.

As the day progressed, Allan caught glances of glowing beings, seeming to hide from the women but eager to catch a glimpse of the man they were asking to die. By the end of the day, Allan, Aly, Jalla, and Tillia had completed the final assembly of the casket. The end result was beautiful.

Hundreds of gemstones, all with excellent clarity, had been shaped into leaves and gold filigree was used to create branches, stems, and veins for the leaves. It looked as if a rainbow had crystalized into a leafy cocoon. When the princesses saw it they broke down in tears and thanked the Jushintorg clan for all they had done.

The princesses asked for some time and were granted privacy as they moved their father from the cryo chamber to his casket and activated the cryo system Allan had built into the casket. After they had finished, the princesses joined Allan, Aly, Jalla, and Tillia on the bridge as they waited for the Jumpgate to charge the last little bit. Suddenly two glowing lights appeared floating next to the Jumpgate.

Allan could make out two beings floating next to the Jumpgate. Kallanna gasped and pointed to the being near the left of the Jumpgate. “That is our god.” She said, and Allan looked to the right, catching sight of a god that reminded him of the ent-like-beings on station Xentrop Theta.

The two glowing beings looked to the observation port of the Solstice and bowed low before placing their hands on the Jumpgate and then vanishing. Aly spoke when a quiet alarm sounded. “They sent us a message. It simply says ‘A Gift.’”

Allan wondered what could be happening when the navigation AI flashed an alert on the screen. Aly quickly went to look, and her eyes widened in shock. “The gate is charged enough to get us directly to the gate closest to your world, Kallanna. It should have taken almost a month to charge to that level. It’s why we were taking small hops. They just infused it with an insane amount of energy.”

“Then let's go.” Allan said, suddenly wanting to be alone with his wife and packmates.

Aly nodded and triggered the Jumpgate. After passing through, she set the last thirty-hour stint of travel into the autopilot. Allan felt weary, suddenly exhausted, and decided that it was bedtime. He was quickly joined by Aly, and then one by one the rest of the women who shared the ship with him.

The next morning as they all patiently waited for their journey together to be over, Allan was surprised when the seven princesses found him and asked to speak with him. “Sure. What is it?” Allan asked.

Kallanna stepped forward and bowed her head slightly. “I wish to thank you. I was wrong about you, and I know we misled you and yours to get the transit cheaper than you would have charged. And all of us had reservations about traveling with someone who was a supposed heretic. We have told this to Aly, Jalla, and Tillia already, and they are kindly moving my father to the cargo bay so we can leave as soon as we are docked.”

Allan smiled at the young woman who was about to become the queen of her people. She seemed to be searching for the right thing to say. “Thank you for taking the time to meet me and understand me. Though I am betting that having your own god verify the things I had been saying probably didn't hurt did it?”

The seven dryad-esk women chuckled at that, and Kallanna nodded before speaking again. “This is very true. I would say thank you, and let you know that I am grateful for your crafting of my father's casket, and for the sacrifice the gods asked of you. If you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to reach out.”

Kallanna surprised Allan then by quickly stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek before turning and leaving, being followed by all but one of her sisters. Allan recognized this young lady as one of the as-of-yet-unnamed princesses, and the most avid opponent of Allan’s relationship with Aly. “Something you want to say?” Allan asked.

The young woman hesitated and then locked eyes with Allan. “I am sorry. Maybe… Maybe it’s not so terrible that you and Aly love each other.” And with that, she turned and walked from the room.

Several hours later Allan, Aly, Jalla, and Tillia were bidding the women farewell. Kallanna cast a last furtive glance back at Aly and Allan, and then made a quick gesture before the cargo door finally sealed.

Allan looked to Aly for a meaning, and she smiled and translated. “That gesture is commonly meant to mean ‘until we meet again.’”

Allan smiled as he felt the ship begin undocking. The rest of the day was quiet. Just before they intended to go to bed, the alert that signified a received message went off. The message was an emergency dispatch with a report that went to every ship and was retransmitted via the Jumpgates to major civilization centers.

The report was a single line of text. What it said sent shivers down their spines as they read it.

“Why won’t they die? Why have the gods forsaken us? They come.”