"Lin, did you manage to remove any impurities before you were interrupted?"

Lin says "Yes, but only two. They are really hard to move."

"Don't worry, it gets easier with practice. Do you want to work on it more, or come with me and see the ship?"

Lin says "I will work on my mana. It probably isn't a good time for me to leave the cabin."

"What do you mean?"

Lin says "By now word about us will have spread and the women on the ship will be very hostile. It's better to let things cool off before I go parading around the ship with you."

"Oh, I see. You are probably right."

The first thing I do is drop my shapeshift, walking around as a human will just antagonize the elves. As soon as I do, it becomes easier for me to control my lustful urges. Being in a human body again made it easier for my urges to act up and cause me problems.

Once my mind is calmer, I check on the phoenix and add some coal to the fire. Hopefully she won't wake up while I am gone, but if she does Lin should be able to keep her calm. If not, I can certainly get back to the cabin quickly if there is a problem.

After that I head out of the cabin and immediately I feel hostile gazes coming at me. It looks like Lin was right to stay inside and maybe I should have done the same. It is too late now, so I ignore the gazes and head up to the bridge to see why we aren't moving.

However, when I reach the bridge I find Stillwater and he is holding a crying Brightfire. Unfortunately, due to my size, I can't just turn around and pretend I didn't see anything. I knew that Brightfire liked me, but I didn't think it was to the point that she would cry over it.

Once again, it seems I have underestimated a woman's feelings, I am an idiot. The problem is I don't know how to fix this, other than telling her the truth. That would create even more problems and undo what Lin has done, which was for my sake.

Brightfire deserves the truth, but I would need to tell her in private so the rumor keeps spreading. I can't do that right now, but I also can't run away and avoid talking to her. So, despite wanting to run away, I take a deep breath and walk over to the two of them.

"Brightfire, I'm sorry."

Brightfire says "Why? Ash, just tell me why! Why her and not me?!"

"It sort of just happened. Lin figured out a way for me to restrain my strength so that I wouldn't hurt her. Then it was just the fact that she was there and willing."

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Brightfire says "You are saying if I had been the one to give you a way, then you would have slept with me? What did she figure out?!"

"She had the idea that if I can shapeshift into a form then I should be able to limit myself through shapeshifting."

Brightfire says "That's all? Is it that simple? Why didn't I think of it?!"

"Don't feel bad, I didn't think of it either. It is even worse for me since it is my ability."

Stillwater starts to slowly move away, he obviously doesn't want any part of this conversation. However, before he can escape Neesha comes running onto the bridge screaming my name. Just as I felt I was making some progress in the conversation with Brightfire.

I only ever exchanged a few words with Neesha so I can't understand her. My current mood isn't the best, so when she runs towards me I turn and growl at her. As a beast when she hears the growl, she instantly stops and cowers back away from me.

Even in her beast form Neesha is smaller than me, so her instincts are to submit. Keeble, who was running up to the bridge, stops and crawls the rest of the way after hearing my growl. He crawls to his sister and then pulls her behind himself, all without raising his head.

Keeble says "Ash, please forgive my sister and don't hurt her."

"You are both guests on my ship, you should remember that and stop stirring up trouble."

Neesha says "I'm not stirring up trouble! I am just fighting for what is mine!"

"I am not yours! No one owns me! I don't even know you."

Neesha says "That's not true! You became mine when you saved me!"

"I only saved you because of your brother. If he hadn't told me there were elves in the fortress, you would still be there! The only reason you are on this ship is because I like your brother, he has guts."

Neesha says "You, you don't like me? That doesn't matter, you are my mate!"

Keeble says "Sister, shut up!"

Neesha just stares at Keeble in shock, this is probably the first time he has ever yelled at her. However, it works, she doesn't make a sound as he drags her away from the bridge. Hopefully she gets the hint, otherwise I am going to have to be really mean to her.

When I turn back Brightfire has wiped her face and looks more like she normally does. Stillwater is still standing next to her, but he looks really uncomfortable. Considering what we have been discussing, I can't really blame him.

"Brightfire, we should go somewhere else to discuss this. Stillwater, how about we get the ship moving?"

Stillwater says "Yes, happily!"

He then runs off and starts yelling at the sailors, obviously happy to escape. Brightfire doesn't say anything, she just walks down the stairs and I follow her. She heads back to my cabin which is a surprise since it means that Lin will be part of the conversation.

Brightfire walks straight into the cabin, but I stop and tell the guards not to let anyone disturb us. Then I enter the cabin, closing the door behind me, but I check on the phoenix first. When I don't spot it in the fire I panic a little until I spot it lying in Lin's lap.

"Brightfire, before you start, Lin and I haven't slept together yet. She said that to act as a shield for me against the rest of the women on the ship."

Brightfire says "Yet? You haven't slept with her yet?! But you are planning to?!"

"I haven't decided yet. However, what I said about her coming up with the idea that allows me to was true."

Brightfire says "That doesn't matter, she is basically a stranger. You don't need to sleep with her, you can sleep with me instead!"

"It's not so simple, especially with you. You are a young elf, you will live for hundreds of years right?"

Brightfire says "Yeah, so what?"

"So, I will only live a couple of years at most. How could that possibly be fair to you?"