Chapter 14 Emotionally torn, Quest to feed, Time to bond.
Waking in the morning cuddled by three nude women, not at all unpleasant, if a little awkward still. I moved slowly, trying to not wake the girls, but with so many hands, and legs it was a vein effort. “Do we HAVE to get up already?!” I chuckled. “Well, we do need to feed a small army of young, and in order to keep doing that, Marie and I at least need to keep questing, at least for part of the day.” Groans from three women, all beautiful, and they all stretched luxuriously, making me want desperately to dive back into the bed, and ignore my good intentions to wait. Still we got dressed, and went to the Kitchen, where unsurprisingly Theresa was already awake, and sluggishly moving to try and make a Breakfast for all of us. “Nothing’s ready yet, you’ll have to wait.”
“No waiting for us Love.” I kissed her cheek fondly. “We’re here to help, just tell us what you need us to do. I assume you need water, perhaps I can start hauling that for you.” Theresa blushed a little, but returned my cheek kiss, and pointed to the water barrel in the corner. “Fill that to the top then, that will help for the whole day. I’ll have the girls help with other things. Thanks loves, it really helps even with just carrying stuff.” I yawned mightily. “Hard to sleep with Mom and Dad going at it. Wonder how the kids handled that. If they’re so loud we can hear them all the way in our room,…they never went home did they?” The girls all gasped. Penelope came in just then. “Hey Penelope, I think my Folks stayed here last night, could you run up, and check the older kids, just make sure they aren’t worried about anything, and maybe send them here, we’ll make more food here for them. Maybe Jessica stayed up there, can’t believe I didn’t even think to figure out where everyone was sleeping.” She gave me a quick hug, and a peck on the cheek, then walked briskly off to do a check, while I continued with my task.
As I finished with the final trip carrying water, I went to see if anything else needed done for Breakfast. “Anything else I can do?” Theresa shook her head. “No, we have everything well in hand now, maybe you could start waking the kids, food is almost done as it is. You girls should go help with that, I’ve got this.” However at that moment four of my new Sisters came in. “Brother Mark, can we help at all?” “Well I was going to go wake the girls, you can help with that, but first, I don’t think any of you four ever introduced yourselves yet. I know the little ones names technically because I signed their papers, but that trick doesn’t work for you older ones, aside from Zack, and Rose, I don’t know any of your names yet. I feel like a Bad Brother not knowing my cute Sister’s names.” My betrothed, all four of them in the room smiled indulgently, no doubt thinking they were looking at at least one new wife, though I had no intention of crossing that boundary with them, but what did I know. “I’m Tina, I’m twelve years old, an adult for over a month now.” “I’m Ginger, we’re all Twelve, my Mother thought it was funny calling me Ginger cause my Father was a Red Head, even though I’m not.” I smiled at that. “That’s cute, even if I can understand if it drove you crazy growing up.” Ginger smiled., and a Blonde spoke next. “I’m Carrie, Mother tried to insist she called me that cause I liked to be carried everywhere, but all babies need to be carried right?” I nodded “Moms like to tease their daughters, so I could see that happening.” The last of the four, funnily enough, was a red head. “I’m Kora, I don’t actually remember my parents, I’ve lived at the Orphanage as long as I can remember. I’m really thankful you adopted us,…can,…can I perhaps have a hug? I’ve never had a sibling to hug before.”
“Well, now you have a bunch of family to hug, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces, and even Parents. Hugs are free, as is the love that comes with them. You never have to worry about asking for a Hug, just as long as it’s safe right then. If we’re doing something potentially dangerous, like working in the Forge, maybe wait till it’s safe for us to take a break, and come hug you then.” We all, including the other girls gave Kora a Hug, giving her the confirmation of the love she desperately needs. “All right everyone, lets get our little ones up, and fed.” With that, after wiping a couple tears from young faces, we went off to wake the herd of over eager angels ready to eat, and play. Breakfast was a hectic affair, but everyone got fed, and just before they all bolted I spoke out. “Listen up! I’m going to point fingers, and whoever I point at, you’re helping Theresa carry the dishes today. You’re all taking turns doing a little work here and there, nobody gets away without doing chores.” There were a few groans, but Jessica was stunned. “I’ve never had the children help with anything.” I pointed my finger at the six girls I wanted to help, and two of the boys since they were here too. “Chores are not just work, they’re lessons, skills to improve their lives as they grow up. The more they do, the better off they are when their system unlocks.” I then put some kids on wood carrying duty, and a few of the older ones were set to chopping more wood.
I spotted Katy running around at one point, and scooped her up into my arms. With her squiggling in my arms, I tickled her a little on her ribs, as I went to the Pond. Walking down the steps onto the Dock. Wripple, and Spashtar were both there. Katy started happily reaching out to them. “Not so fast little one, we need to get you out of that dress first. Can’t learn to swim when you have a dress.” I placed her down, and the lifted her arms over her head. I pulled off her dress, leaving only her underpants. “Shoes, and stocking too, they would pull you down, making it hard to swim.” She plopped onto her bottom, and pulled them off herself. “Good job, now listen to Mother Wripple, and Mother Spashta, they’ll teach you how to swim, and give you lots of love too, won’t you?” Two beaming watery faces were all the answer I needed. “Of Course, She will be a regular little tadpole before you know it!”
Five other children came over, clearly jealous of Katy getting so much attention. “Dora, if you want to swim too, you can ask Spashta if she has time right now. As for you boys, I don’t know your names yet. I only know Dora’s name, because I signed her papers, So tell me your names please.” One of the boys with scruffy brown hair, clearly wearing the oldest pants he had to his name spoke. “I’m Jerry, he’s Kent, he doesn’t talk much, but he’s my best friend.” I smiled, and pulled them both into a Hug “Kent will talk, when he wants to. Those who are safe, and make him feel safe, will get the treat of hearing him speak, the rest don’t need to hear it.” A little whisper came from Kent. “Thank you” I almost couldn’t hear it.
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Harmony came up just then, as I was getting the boys into the water for a Swimming lesson. “Morning Mark, I’m surprised Katy is so eager to swim after falling in yesterday.” I smiled, and handed her the Towel. “I noticed, she was so eager to get to Wripple yesterday, the fall, and water didn’t scare her at all, and she wasn’t hurt, but she was MAD when Grace took her off to dry. Now though, she’s practically naked, and I handed her directly to them. I’m forgiven so to speak, Mother Grace is probably the Bad Guy still, cause of being the one to take her away.” We Giggled. “Maybe I should be the one to take her back then. Don’t want Father to be the Bad Guy if we can avoid it.” I sighed. “Honestly I’d love to just hang out, and get to know them more, but Marie and I need to do some Questing. If you could watch over the tadpoles so they get properly dried, and dressed again, that would probably be best. Then I can go get Marie, and head out to the Guild.” “Hmmm, ok, but one condition.” I turned. “Oh, and what condition would that be?” The smiled. “I want a proper Kiss, and, well, maybe your hands could, maybe.” I took her lips, and gave her the proper kiss she wanted, and groped her properly. Once I came up for breath, she pushed me away. “That’s what I wanted, but if I let you go anymore, I don’t think you’ll be able to make me wait like you want me to. So go do your questing already.” Kissing my cheek as I turned in her arms. I chuckled as I went off to find Marie.
Marie and I headed into town to visit the Guild, and see if any quests were worth taking today. As we entered the hall, Pearson saw us, and waved us over. “The Master needs to see you. I’ll take you right up.” I was somewhat pensive, hoping there wasn’t anything troubling. “They’ve come Master.” He opened the door to the Master’s office, and we entered. “Welcome home you two. Sorry to drag you in here right off, but we’ve got something,…irritating. One of the beasts that was displaced by that stupid Wyvern never went back. It’s a Giant Spiny backed boar. It’s not coming any closer, but it’s made getting certain herbs and the like too dangerous, and it’s gotten to a point where either I have to deal with it, or our own S rank Questers. SO, logically I need to send you, cause this mountain of paperwork isn’t going anywhere, and will only grow if I don’t stay here.” I sighed in relief. “I’m just glad it isn’t something annoying. Like a message from the Capitol branch or something. You could have just left a message with Pearson, we’ll always take a quest like that.”
“Why would the Capitol branch be sending a message?” I shook my head. “As we were leaving town, I barely noticed that someone was trying to call out to us. I assume they either had a Quest, or else they were trying to drag us to the King, and make use Double, or Triple S, which as you know would make us Nobles, which we DO NOT WANT!” “Oh, yeah, they don’t know where you’re based out of yet, but it’s only a matter of time, especially after the Orphanage attack. That will probably take a couple weeks to trickle up, and get noticed, but it will, and then maybe a month before they lock in on this as your base of operations. They’ll find you eventually I’m afraid.” I shook my head. “Just don’t make it easy, ok. Don’t lie, but don’t volunteer anything. We’re off to take out this boar., back as quick as we can, also Pearson, can you grab us the list of herbs to collect, not as a quest itself, just so we can grab what we see while taking on the Boar.” Pearson darted off to scribble out the list for us, and by the time we reached his counter he was able to hand it over. “Thanks, see you when we get back.”
“Hey Mark, you know this is going to pay out a TON when we turn the whole carcass in. Nobody else can do that, it’s just your weird storage thingy that allows us the luxury. We could even keep some of the Meat, and I bet we still get over a Platinum in reward, not counting the base reward on the quest ticket. That’s two Platinum itself, not counting materials, aside from the tusks, and two spines as proof.” I thought about her words. “You’re right, another decent payday, but these sorts of quests should die down, now the Wyvern is gone. So we’ll still want to do something almost every day, if we can, just to keep our funds up.” She nodded. “True, but you could take a day, or two after this, even if you want me to do gather quests close by, we need to take time to bond with the little ones. Katy is the only one who really has you wrapped around her finger, and that’s mainly because of Wripple, and Spashta. That girl loves the water, I can tell.” I chuckled. “That she does, and I couldn’t be happier, and you’re right. Maybe we can take turns on simple stuff for a week or more after this. It’s bound to put us well enough in the green as it were to not really worry about feeding our minis for quite some time, I just like to have and not need, rather than need and not have. I never want any of our kids, present, or future to go hungry, even for a day.”
Marie stopped me, and pulled me in for a long Kiss. “I love that about you! Genuine love, and care for all those girls, and I can already tell you love all your women. I saw what Harmony got, and when I’m not geared up, I want that too, especially in bed, when I can feel it all. Grrr, why are we waiting again? Aside from the Boar just now that is.” I stroked her hair. “I guess I still have a hard time accepting that you’re considered adult at twelve. We’ve got so much life ahead, and in that other life you weren’t an adult till eighteen. Even if it was for practical reasons of education, it still sticks into your brain as a Moral thing. If you keep doing things the way you have though, all you girls are making it VERY had to wait. Probably won’t be long till I can get out of my own way on this. Just a little more patients, at least as much as you’ve shown, and I think you’ll all get what you want soon.” She positively simpered at that. “Boar now, and herbs I guess.” So saying she gave herself a double hand slap on the face, and I adjusted myself for comfort.