“Jackie, Phanna!” Blake called out as he got closer to the house, getting the two to come out, Jackie wiping on her apron, while Phanna looked like she just got back, “a little help please.” he said as they noticed him and Hilda, who was still asleep on his back, walking closer.

Luckily for him, they both rushed over, Phanna taking a large portion of the equipment he was caring, while Jackie ran up and started checking Hilda over.

“She is fine just asleep, can you untie my sword so I can switch it for the spear, I need to get her to bed.” Blake said a bit annoyed as Jackie was throwing his balance off.

Jackie gave him a pointed glare before she spoke, “Why the helgan is she asleep after a dual?” she asked in a lightly angered tone.

“Come here and I’ll tell you, or do as I say, and I’ll tell you when she is in bed and resting as a person should.” Blake said back as he had to shift a bit and lifted her a bit more.

Jackie sucked her teeth and untied his sword placing it under Hilda and lifting her up as he dropped the spear taking the sword in its place, then he took a step forward, letting Jackie pick up the discarded spear, as they started for the house.

After getting Hilda into her bed, Blake stood up and let out a sigh, before turning and pulling her blanket over her, turning to the door only to be intercepted by Jackie, a fear on her face.

“What happened?” She asked with a cooled tone, her care of Hilda making her not hold back on her wish to know.

“We dualled twice, then I taught her how I fight and why she lost twice, then she had to deal with the second side of what I taught her,” He took her hand and pulled her in so he could whisper the next words “so we found a nice spot and fucked, but I may have gone too hard, and she passed out as a result, she is fine, I used magic to help her recover.”

Jackie took a step back and started to ponder and pout as she tried to think of how he did that, before turning back to him gripping his tunic, and pulling him close so his eyes would be unable to look away “What did you do?” she asked her voice a fine mix of curiosity, fear, lust, and uncertainty.

Blake sighed and leaned to her ear as he whispered what they had discovered about Hilda, “oh…” Jackie said before he added on it, his explanation of how he used his magic and what they did turning her face red and her breathing sped up a bit, “oh, my…” he finally expanded on what happened after she made her request and the subsequent end result.

Jackie let him go as her eyes glazed over while her mind raced over the information, then with a red face and a glint of lust in her eyes as she turned to him, “That is something you can do, and she liked it…” she started to sheepishly fidget as her eyes glanced at the sleeping Hilda and back to him a few times, “Can you do that with me? So, I can try it too.”

Blake let out a chuckle, “I am never going to leave you fully satisfied am I, just so you know, not everyone enjoys it.” He said but pulled her into a hug, kissing her quickly, “How about you talk to her about it, and then after the festival before I leave you can ask again.” he said after a second.

Jackie smiled before taking a deep breath, “Yeah that sounds like a better idea, also I need to get back to the kitchen, and you smell a bit, washroom is the next door over.” she said as she pulled away and left.

Blake took a sniff of his clothes and while the clothes were fine, his body did smell bad, so he found his way to the washroom, the simple shallow tub of cold water and a number of towels were more than he needed, he also saw a simple and small fireplace to heat up water if you wanted, so he lit the flame and boiled up about half the tub worth. Getting up and going to his room, he found one purchase he really did appreciate Kiania making him get as he pulled out a small palm-sized bar of soap, he held it in the package and got back up and headed back to the washroom.

His washing of himself was nice as the scent of the soap was sandalwood, or hwauun flowers as Kiania called it, his mind relaxing a bit as he applied it over his body, having to reach a bit as he got his back too before taking a small bucket of cold water and dumping it on himself, then again but with the water from the tub, flicking his mane afterward so the hair would not get in his eyes as he climbed in and let the heat soak into his muscles, letting an audible exhale out as he sat.

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[fuck this feels good, and the soap was a good choice. Thank you Kiania wherever you are right now.] he thought to himself and sat up as a new thought bubble formed, [wait for a tick, Jackie said six kids and five women including her, so how is that possible as there is no way Hilda is having a kid.] he ran through what he could remember of the class he and his late wife went to when they started trying for a kid, [twins, two pairs I guess, that is the only explanation, but from who, Granite or jade clearly but I don’t really know how jade feels about me, I don’t think she likes me to that level] he mindlessly felt the surface of the water, [i guess someone else will have twins too, but who, my money will have to be on Miann, and that fucked supplement she gave me. I mean I don’t know much but it tasted like it would screw things up for whoever drank it.] his thoughts were interrupted as the door cracked open a bit, “If you are looking for a show then you can leave, I am not doing anything without money upfront.” he loudly declared and heard sudden steps and the voice of Jackie shooing someone away before the door closed again.

Blake sat in the water a bit longer until it grew cold, getting out and getting a towel around himself, he dumped the water out and half-filled it for someone else to use, before getting back to his room. getting dressed again, he felt a lot better as the bath had melted away a part of his lingering fatigue from his long day so far. [ fucking hell, I don’t think I have been so tired since boot, but that is more physical, this is a bit more spiritual too.] he thought before standing up and hopping a few times to make sure his boots were on right, and heading out the door as the day was turning to evening and he could see the villagers making their way somewhere.

His path took him to the kitchen as he wanted to see if anyone was still there, finding Phanna cooking something a bit last minute while Jackie was cutting some cooked meats up. “Hey, do you ladies need a hand?” He asked.

Phanna shook her head as she only glanced his way, but Jackie looked around before answering “Not really but if you hang out, we will need to bring the table out in a bit.” She said, before going back to cutting up some meat into bite-sized chunks.

Blake shrugged and walked over and sat next to Jackie, but she stopped her work and took a sniff, like something was off in the air, turning around and stepping away before sniffing again, then locking on him leaning in close and sniffing one last time, before her eyes showed a maliceful glare at him like he was the scum of the earth, “why do you smell good?”

“What, what are you talking about?” Blake asked a bit confused, himself shrinking under her gaze.

“Phanna come here and tell me what you smell.” Jackie said as she pulled back and pouted, making Phanna let out a sigh and walked over.

Leaning down and sniffing the air near him her eyes widened a bit. “Oh Blake, you salty dog you.” She said before taking a second sniff and walking away, “It is Hwauun flowers, Jackie, he must have plans to say something to someone, I wonder who has his eye, it's not us clearly.” her voice made Blake a bit more nervous.

“What the fuck is going on?” Blake asked.

“In our village, a man doesn’t use scented soap unless he is about to ask for someone’s hand in marriage, you idiot.” Jackie said with frustration before turning back to her work and cutting with anger. “And I know you don’t get it, but you are about to be talking with most of the villagers, then rumors will spread, then when some of us are with child, people are going to think you are some womanizing adventurer that tricked us.” her voice was not angry but upset. “Just so that no one starts anything, say it was anyone you slept with today, it is not illegal just really uncommon in our village, and some men may complain, but that is the chief's problem.”

“Jackie, he can't say that he should just ask the one he actually wants” Phanna rebuked, turning a bit but her eyes locked on Blake, a glint of sadness in her eyes, as though he had rejected her directly.

“No, Phanna, he needs to do this, or else everyone will think we don’t want our children.” Jackie said back making the woman stop and shudder at the thought of the implication of those words meant, a piece of unknown information that will plague Blake. “I would rather them think we are in his harem than ostracize his children and be force to abandon them.” her voice sounded resolute at her plan to overcome this issue.

“Wait what?” Blake thought out loud, the information of her last words now too much for Blake to hold back on, as new thoughts that he had not considered came up. And he started breathing hard and fast, as he shook with old memories resurfacing, his eyes blanking out.

[they will be abandoned, they will suffer because of me because I was greedy because I am a bad father, I am a failure, my father was right, I am worthless…] Blake’s mind started running through as he fell down his eyes scanning the ground, the world around him numbed as his mind summon painful events of his buried youth, the suffering he had caused to his family, and his heart ached, clutching his chest as he panted. [I can’t do this, I can’t be a burden, I am useless, I shouldn’t have gotten involved, I can't let them suffer my stupid mistakes, I need to leave. I need to go now…] his memories of his father hitting him at faults he had made, waves of violent anger at his existence, the hatred for his face and life, the abandonment he endured because he failed to do some task, the basement of rusty tools, the pain of his father’s maliceful glee of his pain, his mother behind him laughing at his torment. [please make it stop, mother, father, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to, I will be better.]

A strong set of hands force him up and onto his rear, a power making him sit right, and two sets of arms wrapping him tight, his eyes landing on the face of Jackie pressing him against someone else, her voice too distant from him, eyes showing concern at his wellbeing. [no, she needs to let me go, she can’t suffer beside me, they will get her…] she shakes her head, but her words aren't close, [she needs to be far away from me, I can't drag her down, not any of them, my father can’t see them…] her hands grip tight and he feels them, the pressure of whoever was holding him too. [no, please run, leave me, I can’t protect you, please don’t make me watch, not them…] his thoughts force tears out as his trauma rams away his understanding of the moment, but she doesn’t relent, as a new set of arms wrap around his side.

“Blak…” he heard someone, his eyes still see the world, it is silent like they are numbed like a heavy vail snuffed the sound while his memories feed his recollections of the cracking of whips, the impacts of flesh on flesh, the breaking of his voice. Jackie’s face turns as she starts shouting, her hands cupping his face, their touch on his skin but he shudders, as his mind feels the cut of knives.

[ no, please run, he is coming, please run away…] he shuts his eyes afraid at the sight of her suffering, [I can’t save her, she isn’t listening] his mind replays deep-seated pain as the darkness of closed eyes take hold. [i can’t save any of them, he knows, I hear him coming, he sounds angry, I have to get them out.]