AN: I know how I left you guys hanging for, like what, two or three weeks? Sorry, no excuses. I just had some thing to do. To make up for it I spent the past few days making this incredibly, by my standards, long-ass chapter. It's probably the longest chapter i have made yet. And that's counting all the chapters where i made info dumps. So, yeah, pretty long. Please keep in mind that usually this one chapter would be big enough for several. That isn't even because the pacing is good, it's because I can write ALOT and i feel te need to end chapters once it reaches a certain length.

Also, I will make this pretty short, but....I kinda joined a certain website. Meaning, the creator is letting me put up my other work there.

https://fantasy-books.live/

Yup, there it is. Check it out, there's some pretty interesting works being hosted there.  I will make a short announcement about this later, too. My other work is not all there yet since im mainly editing them right now.  

Anyway, about this chapter...towards the end it is very NSFW. so be careful.

Personally, as a side note: I'm liking Fenris the more I write about her. What do you think of her so far? I gave some backstory in this chapter, so tell me what you think.

P.S: I really almost regret making this a harem novel. It's like, Roland and Morigan have so much history with each other that none of the others except Gehenna can compare to them. I mean, I wrote a fair bit about Morrigan and Roland in this chapter and I am really liking how they are turning out. To the extent where it almost seems like it should just be those two together. Gehenna and Morrigan are my favorites right now, with Fenris slowly catching up.

BTW, tell me, how are my character interaction so far? Am I doing it alright? I want to know. That's it. Remember to rate, review and comment on whatever you wish.

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Fenris had ditched her mother not long ago.

She didn't know how, but the woman had woken up and ambushed her. Next thing she knew, she awoke and herself laying faced-down on a table being massaged by some woman she didn't know. Her mother was laying on the table next to her, letting out a pleased moan.

After some heated talking, Fenris left in a fury.

That damn woman, she had kidnapped her!

If she weren't Fenris' mother....

Well, suffice it to say that she wouldn't have been very comfortable.

Fenris wandered about in her cat form when she spotted Roland and his....wife....walking along with Grace. They looked good together, those three. Well, four, if you count that fox.  Morrigan and Grace was in disguise, but that couldn't fool Fenris' nose.

Roland and Morrigan--thinking of those two together was still a bit hard for Fenris.--actually did seem suited to each other. When looking from afar, they were a great pair. Grace, too, that cute little girl, fitted together with them perfectly.

The three were all easy on the eyes and once you stared long enough it would be hard to turn away. Grace was adorable, a girl one couldn't help but feel instant affection for. Morrigan was stunning, she turned heads everywhere she went with her seductive curves and magnetic charms. Roland exuded a powerful presence at all times, his handsome appearance catching the eye of many females.

Fenris understood that. The other women would obviously be able to sense a strong, capable male.

When the three of thrm were together the effect was dazzling. Yet no one intruded. One was because Roland and Morrigan had a "Don't mess with us"-type of aura going on. The other reason was because they seemed to not want to disturb such a group. It would have been a shame to do so.

Fenris hesitated too.

Roland's eye lit up at the girl's every action, it seemed. He had a look of unconditional love to him. Morrigan and him walked arm in arm as well, the move appearing natural to them. Morrigan had a soft, smiling face on at the moment.

She was usually a bit cold to everyone but Grace, yet now she couldn't help but open up her heart and put her feelings of happiness on display. And Grace, that girl, she was so bright and cheerful....

Before, both the girl and the woman always seemed a bit weighed down. Ad if there was something missing. But now was different. It was hard to explain in words. It was as if they were right where they belonged.

They all looked so peaceful and happy. So...content.

Fenris felt a bit jealous at seeing them.

When would she have that, she wondered.  Would she ever? For a long time, that is what she wanted. To start a family of her own, to be loved like that.

Fenris had lived a long time now. She had fathers and mothers, but that was different. She wanted a mate who loved her and children to dote on.

Fenris was never all that liked by her other family members. They never openly showed any disdain but she knew they hadn't ever fully accepted her. They never shunned her, but neither did they ever welcome her with open arms. They smiled at her, but they appeared almost forced.

Her "real" father, Loki, loved her. But their relationship had never been very close. Loki didn't know exactly how to be a father. He loved his daughter, but he had spent little time with her as a child because he never quite knew what to do with her. And that wasn't his fault. But the damage was done. She, even now, never spent much time with him.

So Fenris, early on in her life, wanted two simple things more than anything else: A mate that loved and cherished her, and children of her own from said mate. But forget about the second, she had never been able to find even the first.

She refused to accept someone weaker than her, but even if she found someone stronger she wouldn't merely submit to them. If she did, then what sort of relationship could that ever be?

She wanted a strong mate, but also one who truly cared for her. She wanted to be taken care of by that person too. She was a strong woman. She didn't need to be taken care of. But she wanted it. To be cherished and held dear.... In her long life, she had rarely felt this. It was almost a foreign concept. Could she be blamed for wanting it? Is that not what everyone wanted, deep down in their hearts?

And then to have many, many  children with that person. At least five or six.

Giving them the love and affection Fenris had rarely gotten from any of her family, later spending her time together with them and her beloved mate in blissful idleness...

This is the life she wanted, what she craved more than anything...

The three she gazed at  now appeared to already have that. Or close enough. And it was almost painful to see.

Fenris was watching a woman enjoy what she herself most desired.

Honestly, she almost wanted to cry.

It was close, right there in front of her...but it wasn't her's.

All of that...everything those three had...everything that Morrigan already possessed....it seemed so far from her grasp....

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They had already walked for some time now, enjoying probably every worthwhile attraction that caught Grace's eye.

Now they merely wandered the streets and were window browsing. It was already dark now. It was something that always made him curious. How was this ship able to produce an effect like this where it became night?

He knew that it must have meant it was already dark outside the ship too. Well, in the end he didn't think too much of it. Though to be accurate it wasn’t exactly night time just yet. It was merely close to it, the light already starting to fade a fair bit. It wouldn't be long now, though.

As such, the lights from the shops were currently turned on and Grace's eyes looked everywhere as she marveled at all the things she saw.

The little fox walked by her side right now, it's tails floating around in the air like snakes.  

The girl's silvery hair fluttered as a light wind blew. The hat Roland had given her was perched firmly on her head and only served to increase her already considerable charm.

Roland felt a wave of warmth as he saw her. Even if she did nothing this feeling would persist. How could every small action of her's bring him such a feeling? Every time she smiled or laughed or simply stood there he would feel this. This girl, he had not known her for long and already he found himself becoming more fond of her as time went on.

She was his own flesh and blood, his daughter. His daughter. She was so like her mother in terms of appearance, like a small angel. But her eyes were all his, those deep blue eyes were something that she got from him. Morrigan had given the girl her looks, had given her a home, had showered her love...

But what had Roland, her father, given her up to now? Nothing. Apart from those eyes that hat was all she had ever received from him.  No, that was wrong. He had given her something: Pain. Sadness. A broken family.

All this time she must have been wondering where he was, why he wasn't with them. She had been waiting for him for a long time and yet he had never, until recently, ever even seen her.  Not only that but when Morrigan had found and been rejected by him, it was her who had to try comforting the woman.

It didn't matter that his lack of appearance in her life wasn't his fault. The fact was that he was never there for her or her mother.

He had only brought them misery and heartache. Some parent and husband he turned out to be, right?

Grace seemed so bright. She was raised well. But that was all Morrigan's doing. Roland himself had no part in her upbringing.

He wasn't sure if he had the right, after such a long absence, to be part of her life. But he would be from now on. He couldn't be concerned with "If he had a right" because right now all he could think of was "He had to make up for lost time."

He was here now, and though he couldn't turn back time he could still ensure that neither she nor her mother would be put under any kind of pain on his account.

This was among the many things he had on his mind at the moment. Sighing, he idly held the ring he received from Grace in his hand.

"Dear, what is it?" Morrigan, to his side, asked.

He shook his head. " It's nothing."

"Hm." She looked at him, not believing his words.

Roland smiled. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"This has something to do with the ring, doesn’t it? I should have had Grace throw it away the instant I saw her with it, that suspicious thing."

"No, it's not about that. Well, not entirely. " He wasn't thinking of that right then but it was still one of his concerns.

So he asked, " Where did she get it anyway?"

She frowned. "I'm not sure. We got separated at that city from before and when I found her she had that with her. She seemed quite enamored with the thing. It was strange. I inspected the thing but couldn't discover any real abnormalities. But to think I forgot about it up until now...."

He understood what she meant. " The thing is certainly strange, isn't it?"

"Indeed." She paused. "But my previous question....I don't know what you're thinking, but I know you've been a bit out of it like this since you laid eyes on the thing. Why?"

She couldn't read his mind but when it came to him she had a sharp intuition. She knew something was wrong. Was there anyone who understood him more than she? Obviously she would spot when something weighed on him.

He closed his hand around the ring. The words didn't come out easily. " I think....I think this was mine. When I held onto it the first time, I felt something. I can't be entirely sure, but....I think it was a memory...."

Morrigan's eye went wide in shock. "A memory!" She exclaimed softly. Her eyes locked onto him and she felt her breath quicken. "What did you remember? Was it....did you..." She looked at him expectantly.

Of course he knew what she was thinking at the moment. But he couldn't do anything but let her down. "No. It wasn't about us." He felt like taking the words back as he saw how crestfallen she looked. "I'm sorry."

Morrigan looked away for a moment. "It's alright. It doesn't matter." She finally said, looking back at him and smiling. But he couldn't believe her.

Her expression from before, so disappointed, made him unable to.

"So..." She began. "What was it that you remembered?"

Roland smiled bitterly. " I'm not entirely sure it was a memory. I don't know. But what I saw...." He trailed off. "Death. Everywhere. Blood and bone and broken bodies scattered across a desolate landscape. I was high above it all, looking down. I felt anger, and hate. I don't know why, either. I also saw a small girl....So young, full of life....But then there was a woman. Her eyes, her face, they were...."

He stopped himself.

He couldn't continue. That woman, the person he saw, it was her face. But exactly what was she to him then? That person, she must be thousands of years old, probably much more.  The girl he saw could become a person that could live that long if she cultivated her power but she was human. Humans fundamentally lack the ability to become as strong as what Loki and the others made that Gehenna out to be.

They can't be the same person. That Gehenna, from Loki's words, is a walking time-bomb, a disaster waiting to happen. She, according to Loki, is hated and feared by not just gods but her own kind as well. If she and the little girl  were the same person then there would be no way that she could reach that level of power.

Humans could become gods, but they couldn't become that strong. Even those who were demi-gods had their limits, though much higher.

Plus, that Gehenna was a demon, right? Loki never made that clear. Was she a demon, truly? Or something else? Her aura felt like it, but also not....

There were gods and goddesses that were aligned with chaos and darkness but he wasn’t sure if that was the case here. Well, whatever she was Roland didn't know what to think.

But they couldn't be the same person....

He was almost sure of it.

He was silent for a long time, contemplating, before he noticed Morrigan looking at his expression oddly.

"Well, that was all. Nothing too important."

"...Alright."

She said nothing more and simply continued walking with him as they followed Grace from a bit behind.

But she was a bit discontent. That woman he mentioned....she must have been important to him. Was she also the young girl he talked of? To be able to remember that woman even when he couldn't do the same for Morrigan herself, his own wife....

She didn't feel comfortable knowing that. She was right here beside him and yet he wasn't able to remember anything of their time together. But a mere ring was able to let him recall a woman from his past? Even though Morrigan herself was here in flesh and blood?  

....That other woman held a place in his heart of such importance that a small ring from his past was enough to allow him a glimpse of their time together. Yet when it was Morrigan who was right here with him, he still....

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Morrigan was left in charge of Grace.

She didn't know what that husband of her's was doing her something caught his eye and he told her to wait a bit and watch Grace. Then he disappeared in the throngs of people,  going Heaven knows where.

It was about twenty minutes before he came back.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Nothing, really. Just something I thought I should do. You'll see later." He smiled mysteriously.

Morrigan narrowed her eyes at him, trying to guess his intentions. But she couldn't see past that smile of his and could only wait till later.

"Okay, fine. Don't tell me." She pouted a bit. Whether she was aware of it or not, Roland didn't know. But on that beautiful, heart-shaped face of her's the expression was incredibly charming. " Maybe you were just chatting up some pretty girl. " Her tone was bitter, remembering that insufferable woman from earlier.

Roland laughed. " Why would I waste time on any other woman? I already have the most beautiful woman under the heavens right beside me."

" Hmph. Sweet words, nothing more. " She spoke coldly. Morrigan then stopped and looked at him, genuinely curious. "Did you say that to all the women you've been with up to now?"

The corner of his lips curled slightly upwards. "No, because then it wouldn't have been true."

Morrigan let out a secret smile in her heart, feeling pleased.

"That's quite the silver tongue you have there, my dear." She whispered coyly.

" Only for you, wife of mine."

Grabbing hold of her waist, under the envious and hateful stares off all the male passersby, Roland planted a kiss on her soft lips. She leaned in, not at all unhappy by the sudden show of affection.

Quite the contrary. She enjoyed how forward he was becoming. It meant he was accepting her more and more. She loved the feel of his lips on her's, the warmth and security it brought with it.

Then, arm in arm, they called out to their daughter and left the area.

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It was utter chaos.

Everywhere they looked now had people showing signs of fear and worry.

Roland had no idea what had happened but the next thing they knew it was pandemonium as multitudes of people littered the streets. Suddenly it had become crowed, people shouting and running past them.

There were men and women alike screaming at the top of their lungs in fright.

Roland grabbed the arms of a nearby young man.

"What's going on?"

The young man's eyes looked past him as he answered. "It's insane! They're people everywhere saying two people who look like Lord Loki and Lord Apollo having a battle at the highest level of the ship! Several buildings were apparently completely destroyed! Everyone who isn't a local is leaving, no one wants to stay and be caught up in a battle between such powerhouses!"

With that, the young man wrenched himself from Roland's grip and ran off. He disappeared into the sea of people.

"Loki!" He cursed.

"Daddy, mommy...." Grace was a bit scared at the dark look her father and mother had on.

"..." Morrigan was too angered for words.

He knows of their circumstances, knows that she and Grace would want some time with her husband without distractions....but that damn man goes off and picks a fight with Apollo?!

No, why was Apollo even here? Loki, that brat, can't have simply taken this ship with him still inside, right?

How?

She felt a deep-seated resentment for the god of mischief. She wanted to strangle him.

Ruining their outing together.....

Roland felt the same.

"That idiot...." He said in a low growl.

His anger was a near physical force, making others shy away and give the small group a wide berth.

"Take Grace back." Roland glanced at Morrigan as he readied to leave.

"What are you going to do?"

"Unless I get a good explanation, probably commit murder."

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"I thought you could get rid of it." Aries' voice was a bit high-pitched as he backed away from the growing black fog. It was already the size of a large building and increasing in size every second.

"Well fuck, this isn't my fault. The guy went full Dark Apollo. It complicated things." Loki said defensively.

"Don't give me that shit, how exactly is it more complicated!"

"Dammit, he's a God of Destruction when he gets like that!!" Loki yelled at him. "You know that's a whole different animal all together from his usual self! You think that kid would attack me otherwise?!"

Apollo had been around a long time, many thousands of years. Normally he was alright....But once he went into rage mode he was pretty much a different person. Loki and Aries thought of him as such, anyway.

Aries had a pretty deep dislike for the so-called "Dark Apollo" but the other one was okay for the most part.

"Why wouldn't he? Most people find you annoying enough without you stealing their stuff. Need I remind you what you made the kind-hearted Hestia do when you stole that dress made of starlight that she loved? The woman went ape-shit crazy and killed you three times!"

Loki snarled at him. "That doesn't count, she never liked me to begin with!"

"No one ever likes you when you first meet them! Most people think you're a leach that feeds off the suffering of others."

His words made the other man sputter. "T-That's Hermes' fetish, not mine!"

Aries sensed the conversation would only regress if this continued, so he threw up his hands in agitation, clearly fed up with all this.

"Oh shut it! Just hurry up and--Fuck!"

Aries dodged a tendril of black that had formed and reached for him.

"It grew tentacles?! What the actual fuck!"

"Idiot, you said yourself that this isn't a normal plague. It's practically grown a mind of it's own with Apollo dead, unable to control it." Loki observed. "How fascinating." He cooed.

It truly acted like it's own entity, as if it were alive. Almost as if It had evolved.

"Be amazed later, like, once you dismantle the fucking thing. I saw what that last one could do. Apollo seemed to take more time with this one so I don't even want to imagine what it's capable of." He shivered once he remembered how that clone of Loki had went all rotten and green, his skin turning rough and maybe a bit moldy.

And he didn't even die! Now that was one hellish way to live. Who knew how painful it was?

Aries wouldn't die from that either. That Loki had only a fraction of the power the current Loki had. Aries would of course survive it since he had full use of his power. But even he would die eventually. Apollo was damn good at what he does.

And he did not want to have to wait for however long it took for his body to die and reform. He'd rather kill himself, maybe in a glorious explosion.

But that would hurt. So he felt it best to not get infected with whatever the fuck that stuff was.

"Geez, don't get your panties in a twist. Rest easy, my less handsome friend. Let me handle it."

"Well hurry it up. If Mephisto or Roland get wind of this, they'll--"

"They'll what?"

Two calm, slightly cold, voices cut him off.

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Lilith felt she might have died today.

When she, Reina, her little sister and her parents had been out for a walk together there was a sudden blinding briliance from above.

When the screams started she had no idea what was going on.  When people ran around in horde she knew something was truly wrong.

When the stray fireball hurled through the sky towards her and her family all she could see was a harsh golden light as it came upon them.

The heat was scorching.

Her father had yelled for them all to get behind him. As he took on the fireball, his arm had paid the price. The barrier couldn't hold, it fell to pieces like paper. He had no way to block it other than to use his body to absorbe the attack. From the tip of his fingers to the beginning of his should everything turned a dark, nasty red.

Blood sprayed out of the wound, angry lines running along his arm. He didn't cry out but he grunted loundly and fell to his knees in pain. His arm twitched.

"Father!" Charlotte and Reina had yelled.

"Dear!" Her mother rushed to his side.

Lilith couldn't afford to be concerned. She looked up and saw two figures. One was instantly recognizable while the other was one she only vaguely recalled.

A blond-haired youth, slim and well-built but not as muscled as Saren or James. He gave an oppressive feel, a dark, oily sensation at the pit of her stomach.

He glowed with golden light, from the distance even his eyes seemed to emit bright yellow rays. Maybe they did.

"We have to run. Now." She looked towards her father. "Can you stand?"

He said nothing, ever  a man of few words. He merely rose, a bit unsteadily, to his feet.

Her mother had a panicked look in her eye but she held up nicely. She wasn't a weak woman.

As she took his good arm and helped him to move, he didn't refuse. For anyone else he would have pushed them away, refusing any aid. He had his pride.

People were rushing towards the lower level of the ship as they tried to escape the battlefield between the two gods.

Lilith memorized the way and so had no trouble navigating. Even if she hadn't though she could still simply follow the others.  Soon in the corner of her eyes she witnessed Lord Apollo summon some sort of gas. She felt deep in her bones a cold dread at looking at it. It made her think of death.

For some odd reason she suddenly missed James and Saren....Maybe it was because of the time they had spent together during their missing months. Their memory was lost, but it seemed some things remained. Though she knew they wouldn't be capable of doing anything in this situation,

Rather, she really, really wished that Roland was here. He seemed like he would be able to stop them....

Well, it was no use hoping. He was probably off somewhere enjoying his time with his...wife...

She still had trouble accepting that. Those two, no, that woman...to think he and she would be....and to even have a daughter...

It wasn't long until she found herself stopping abruptly. She had seen Loki spilt himself into many. A loud boom resounded in her ears as  one of them crashed in front of her. As far as she could tell he was the only one to come crashing into the ground.

He made a large crater in the ground, saying, " Well, that hurt. Blasted matchstick, just wait for what this daddy has in store for you!"

Did he see them?  If he did, would he have even cared for their safety?

She didn't know.

She looked towards Reina and Charlotte to her side. They held onto each other's hand as they ran. What surprised her is that Reina didn't look very winded at all. Not even breathing rough.  She seemed....somehow calm, even.

Why?

How?

She didn't think that she had any other private lessons with Roland. Only the one time a few days ago, yet it really made such a large change? Usually she would be tired by now. Her athletic ability was, on a scale of one to one-hundred, a ten. If that.

Lilith had no idea what they did but it really was pretty effective.

Maybe she had had underestimated her sister though. Roland, that day, had said something similar, right?  

She looked behind her and saw a figure rise up to a tall building carrying some things in in his hand. She felt as if she had seen him somewhere....

No, it couldn't be.

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There were several ways to get from one level of the ship to another. Large stairs, an elevator that could carry hundreds at a time,  use the gradually rising road that led to a golden gate.

The last was used the most. People of every race and color streamed into the lower level as he ran. His speed wasn't something that most could react to when he was in a hurry like this.

But as he went he spotted a small group he knew.

"Reina, Lilith, what happened?" He looked towards their father.

The man in question answered without preamble. "Stray fireball."

Roland cursed. "Let me see. "

He gave the wife a glance and tried to reassure her. She understandably wouldn't want someone who was pretty much a stranger to be messing with her husband when he was so clearly injured and in pain.

She was unsure her husband didn't stop Roland so she could only allow it.

In a matter of moments the wound was nearly gone. But it was still a little red.

After Roland was done, his patient stretched his arm and clenched it a few times. He seemed satisfied. " Thank you."

"No problem. But, sorry. I can't do much better. This wound, it wouldn't be because of..."

"Lord Apollo." The man answered.

"Thought so." A wound from someone like him....Roland may have been able to heal most of it, but it wasn't easy. Though it may have appeared so, he actually struggled a bit with it.

But this man truly was pretty strong. An attack from a god like Apollo, who is a major figure in his pantheon, was not something ordinary Immortals or Celestials could survive without taking significant and widespread damage. At he very least 90% of their bodies should be riddled with severe burns.

Obviously this man must have quite some methods to survive with such light injuries. Interesting.

Roland moved his eyes to Reina, Charlotte and Lilith in turn. "You three are alright?"

Reina nodded. "I'm okay."

"...I think I’m alright..." The young girl looked slightly distressed, looking at her father with concern and relief.

"Fine. “Lilith shrugged, appearing pretty much calm and collected.

He nodded. "Good. Reina..." He paused.

She tilted her head a bit. "Yes?"

He peered at her. "...No, nothing. Never mind." He said.

She seemed to have handled the situation well. When they first met he thought she would be a pretty meek person. He knew she was capable of being strong in mind and body, given time to grow, but she surpassed his expectations.

On that note, he would have to make time for her to have another lesson. But first he had to strengthen her body a bit more. Her power, he sensed, was a tad unstable still. It was best that he fix that before giving her another lesson.

" Go find Morrigan and stay with her. I'll be off to settle this damn mess."

He told them where they were staying at and sent them along on their way. They should be able to catch up to them.

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The beating was something that few would be able to handle. Roland and Mephisto had snuck up behind them, grabbing their clothes and throwing them straight down. When they hit the ground the two kicked them while they were down until they were bloody and blue. Then Roland healed them and the cycle of abuse continued for several long minutes.

If there were some who thought this was something that was a horrible thing to do to one's friends....well, they didn’t have friend like Loki and Aries. These two deserved it most of the time. Plus, their bodies were damn strong. It took at least this much to dole out some punishment that was appropriate.

Their little group was already considered a coming together of eccentrics due to their actions. But Loki and Aries were both supreme idiots who, if left unattended, would cause havoc everywhere they went.

Okay, only if they were bored, but still.

The point is, this kind of abuse was still acceptable. They all had close enough bonds that a few beatings wouldn't matter to them over much. Of course Roland had never been subject to this. At least not one-sidedly like this. Sometimes they liked to gang up on him but that was rare and it usually ended once Roland decided to get serious.

To them, this was all on the level of "play". If Loki and Aries decided they had enough then they wouldn't be taking this without some protests but they stayed quiet. Likely because they knew they fucked up by causing such a mess.

Killing a god's physical body, destroying buildings, causing a panic....

If this wasn't deserving of some punishment, what was?

But the beating stopped eventually, Roland and Mephisto currently standing atop a building while Aries and Loki  in front of them with a defiant look in their eyes. The plague had long since been dealt with by Roland and Loki, the two combining their power and knowledge to forcibly disperse the deadly thing.

Roland had half a mind to throw the two unruly gods that caused all this into the damn thing and be done with it. But he was a very kind, and generous friend. So he didn't. Was he not the most merciful and forgiving of individuals?

Though, Loki secretly kept some stored in a small bottle. It was under heavy, seriously powerful spells and it was pretty tame now. He would have to study it, the thing was pretty interesting.

Roland wore a dark expression even now. Loki had reverted to his normal childish appearance. Mephisto was watching the other three with a cool, almost unaffected gaze as if he had nothing to do with what was happening.

Apollo's body rested between them all, now free of the gold chains which bound him. Loki dispelled them moments ago, albeit reluctantly. Roland found the sun god hovering near Loki when he and Mephisto arrived. The sun god's position at that time was....most concerning.

"So, I was under the impression that you simply stole his ship." Roland began. "But no, that wasn't good enough, was it? You had to go and keep him prisoner. Not only that, you decide to kill him? Alright, I can handle that. But you go on to cause a mass panic by having a fight in which you destroy several building, not to mention all of this had involved a deadly plague, and your fighting also injured the girls' father in the process." He stared at the two opposite him. " But as if all that still wasn't enough, even worse, your actions disturb my precious bonding experience with my new-found wife and daughter?"

His face, to everyone present, seemed to grow more sinister by the second as he spoke.

Loki narrowed his eyes. " This wasn't my fault. That damn firefly, he attacked me first. And who told him to threaten my daughter? What would you do if it some guy came and threatened your little girl, hmm?"

The reply was instant. "I would cut off his balls and feed it to him. " His eyes were cold. "But we're not discussing that right now, don't even try changing the subject. Loki, Aries,  I don't even really give a damn about Apollo dying or you holding him prisoner here. But your recklessness injured an innocent party, even Mephisto and I were forced to come and check what was going on. So many people could have been killed, do you realize that? You're damn lucky I don't see any other dead bodies lying about."

How there was able to be no real casualties from this he didn't know, but it was a good thing. He was sure some were injured, but deaths? He didn't see any indication of that.

People dying was not a rarity at all and Roland knew that. But he didn't consider a person's life to be so worthless that he was fine with them dying simply because of a dispute between gods.

He was no saint, he had killed countless people even in his current life for one reason or another. But neither was he heartless. If people died from this conflict, he would not mourn them. Why would he? He wouldn't have known them. However, he would have made damn sure that Loki and Apollo were punished accordingly.

To be honest, though, he didn't care much over someone dying or being killed. He cared more about how they died. If they were brutally tortured or had any other nasty business happen to them before they were killed then he would be angered. Other than that? Well, it was a bit different.

For example, thousands could die instantly in an explosion and maybe he wouldn't pity them too much. He would feel sorry for any family and friends of theirs who would have to suffer from their deaths, but as for the victems themselves he knew they would most likely be treated alright after their souls entered the afterlife so he wouldn't pity them.

Unless they built up a lot of bad karma, in which case things would be pretty harsh for them.

But if someone had killed just one person by some cruel method, if they played with that person before they killed them....Then Roland would be angered to a great degree. He would feel a bad, sour taste in his mouth. A thousand dying instantly but painlessly was much better than simply one person dying a cruel and agonizing death. At least in Roland's book.

Of course it was different if someone close to him died. Even if they did die peacefully he would still be pained by their leaving.

Aries snorted. "I don't see why you include me.  I didn't do anything."

"Exactly." Roland said. "You made no move to stop any of it. That's just as bad. A person who sees something like this happening but doing nothing about it is just as guilty as the ones directly involved. And why were you not with Mephisto? I put both of you in charge of the boys, did I not?"

Mephisto felt it was time to join in. " Yes, but you see, there was a pretty little thing that caught his eye and so he had to go quench his evil fire. Meaning that he saw a cute girl, left,  and then probably had her bent over a kitchen table somewhere." He spoke candidly, pretty much condemning the man.

Aries was indignant. " Please. I'm no animal. We started on the bed but she was the one insisting on getting a bit more adventurous. Besides, you had it handled, why was I needed there?"

"That doesn't  matter, he point is that I asked you to do something and you leave to have some fun while Mephisto and the boys were left to their own devices!" Roland all but yelled.

"Bullshit, you didn't do any damn asking! It was blackmail, blackmail I say!

"Oh, that's right." Roland remembered. " Well, to be fair, you owed me one anyway. So I shouldn't have had to blackmail you in the first place. "

"Why did you bribe Mephisto, then, and yet threaten me?"

"I would have threatened him too." Roland admitted, unabashed, "But he wouldn't have cared and just done what he wanted. I can't even think of what I would use against him that would be effective. Simply put, you're easy."

"...."

Aries had no words to describe the feeling of injustice the welled up in his heart.

The Heavens weren't fair, ah....

Roland then turn to Mephisto. "By the way, how are the boys doing? They have fun exploring?"

" I assure you that they're more than fine." The long-haired man's lips rose in a wry smile.

" Oh?" Roland raised a brow. "How so?"

"Well, I got them laid."

"...What?"

"Okay, technically I didn't do much, but they still enjoyed themselves. See, we went to a bar and two girls--succubi, I later learned--showed some interest in them. They all went back to the hotel and...well, yeah, I would say that they probably did have a fun time "exploring". The female anatomy, that is." The man chuckled a bit.

"Wait, succubi?" Loki interjected. " Shit, those brats...." He appeared a bit envious. " I get stuck dealing with that talking, overgrown matchstick while they're busy having a good time with two delectable vixens? Lady Luck, that bitch, must have something against me."

"Maybe if you didn't insult her like that she would have a more favorable impression." Mephisto said mildly.

Loki snorted.

"...Well damn...." Aries shook his head in wonder. Succubi, in his book, were second only to that little minx Aphrodite. True masters of their craft. He couldn't believe that he let an opportunity like that slip away...

Well, succubi were mysterious creatures. They chose whoever they wanted at the time. Plus, Aries got around. His "taste" might not be to their liking. They might consider him a bit too "spread thin". They usually preferred those type of people who didn't sleep with any pretty thing that catches their eye.  

Roland held the bridge of his nose, looking tired. "Dammit, what the hell is wrong with you? Succubi, really? You really let them interact with such dangerous people? What if they were sucked dry?"

"I assume they were." Loki laughed. "Otherwise those succubi wouldn't have been doing it right."

"Don't be worried though, I gave them a shot of my energy to liven them up before I left. They should be feeling pretty great right about now. Eh, I also told them to leave their windows open in case the little seductresses wanted a midnight snack." The energy he gave them was around 3 times smaller than a silk thread. That was all they would be able to handle, really. And it was just to revitalize them. They would have recovered naturally in a few hours but he decided to help them out.

They were probably feeling a certain high at the moment. So it's all good. Plus, it would last for a day or two. If those succubi went back for a round two then the boys would be good to go.

A sigh. "...Well, at least they're alright."

But...Succubi, huh...

Roland did have many happy memories regarding succubi, he had to admit.

But some of those experiences were not entirely good.

Roland thought back to the time when he and Sol were lured by a group of succubi back to their clan's village. Succubi usually do that, bring back particularly strong males so that the females of the village could mate and have better offspring with them.

It started as innocent fun with Loki, Roland, Aries and Sol looking for a good time. He and Sol caught the eye of two succubi that night, just like the two boys james and Saren had.

When the succubi lured them into their clan's village they were both pretty much assaulted with the combined powers of all the succubi present. This...was not to be underestimated.

Succubi were the worst enemy for males. As long as you were a male a succubi had some degree of power over you. They had numerous abilities to dominate the minds and bodies of men. They were no different, and if not for their strong minds they would not be able to have escaped the combined powers of so many succubi.

Though it was called a village, there was so many succubi that they could populate a small city. And all of them wanted to hold him and Sol there so they could mate with them.

But to be fair, in the same situation, not many males would even want to escape.

To most other males, it would be a dream-like experience. But neither of them wanted to father any kids so they chose to escape. Having a night of fun with a succubus was fine. Being taken to their village so that you could give the females there strong offspring?

No, that was pretty much unacceptable. At least for them.

Their minds were still their own because their will power was able to fight off the succubi's abilities and they were able to escape. When the succubi chased them Sol got annoyed and wanted to kill them but Roland held him back.  

"Forget it. Loki, I was in a good mood today up until now. You just had to ruin it, didn't you? And I was considering letting you off the hook, too. Never mind that, then. I changed my mind. You must really be a glutton for punishment, huh? Licking sun gold will hurt, you know."

His words made all those other than Loki, who now stiffened considerably,  confused.

"...I'm sorry, what?" Mephisto raised a brow.

"Remember what he told everyone earlier about cleaning a bathroom with their tongue? Well, that applied to staff, too. And guess who was last."

Roland smiled.

Aries looked incredulously at Loki as he picked up the meaning.

Mephisto grinned in amusement. "Hoh? So a development like that occurred, huh."

Loki nearly choked, screaming. "That was a joke, a joke! I didn't mean it! Come now, would I, Loki,  make such an outrageous statement in seriousness?"

They all stared at him blankly.

"Yes."

"Of course."

"Well, if it's you...."

Loki's cheek twitched. " Bah, to hell with all of you!" He shouted in anger. "I refuse to take such treatment. Hmph, saying such things about me, I’m hurt. I don't have to take this.  Screw you guys, I’m going home!"

He winked out of existence.

"...He ran away."

"True men don't go back on their word."

" The coward."

Roland and Mephisto turned to Aries as he said this.

"Well, looks like you’ll have to fill in until we track him down."

"That's right. It's only fair."

"...Eh?" Aries face was showing surprise and disbelief. "Fuck that, why do I have to? I didn’t do anything w--!"

"You poor thing. Do you not know that phrase, 'Guilty by association'?"

"...." The man ran before the last word was spoken, jumping off the building and disappearing.

Roland and Mephisto watched for several seconds. The man wasn't slow.

"...Should we catch him?" Mephisto asked curiously.

"Nah, don't bother. I'll let Abigail know what he did later. I don't know what their relationship is but I have a feeling she can sort him out better than I could. " He looked at the other man as he spoke. Mephisto offered no insight into the dynamics between the war god and the mysterious woman.

Roland still hadn't figured out what she was exactly, but he still had fun guessing.

"Probably." Was the only thing the man said, shrugging. He didn't say anything more regarding it. "And what are we going to do with this?" He pointed to the corpse of the fallen sun god.

"...I can probably revive him. His heart was crushed but that only temporarily killed him off. Gods, obviously, wouldn't die from that alone. At least not for long. A god that has powers over medicine and healing will be able to come back faster, but I should help him out. I can probably rig something that helps him reconnect with this body. I just need to heal him a bit..."

"He was pretty pissed off." Mephisto observed. "That "dark" side of him might spring up."

" I hear that he doesn't remember much when he enters that state anyway so I don't think he'll hold a grudge. He probably won't even remember why he got so mad."

"And if he does?"

"I'll kill him." Roland shrugged. "I don't want to deal with any more crap like this today so if he isn't cooperative I'll have to put him down."

"...You make him sound like a wild dog in that scenario."

"If he got like that then he pretty much would be." Roland stated. " But honestly, I'm surprised Loki beat him so easily. When Gods of Destruction are awakened they shouldn't be so weak..." It was truly strange.

"Apollo, from what I know, is restrained by the fact that his normal state is always so calm and soft. If he didn't have that side to him then his other nature as a God of Destruction would be a lot more domineering. His power is probably only a fraction of what it should be. Typically Gods of Destruction are damn strong. Like that Gehenna."

"Oh? Was she not a demon?" Like with Abigail he could not discover what that Gehenna woman was.

"Hmm...."Mephisto considered. "I. for one,  consider her a Goddess of Destruction....But no one knows exactly what that woman is. Maybe she's like Asmodeus, some kind of a half-breed. Not sure. Actually, I don't even remember when she first showed up. Her origins are pretty much a mystery.  I'm also not certain when she established a foothold in Hell. Maybe only Lucifer knows. Anyway, by the time she became more well-known most people already hated or feared her for one reason or another."

Mephisto looked lost in though, as if he was remembering something from long ago.

"Everyone seems to really dislike  her." Roland mused.

She must have killed many people but from Roland's understanding that might just  be part of her inner nature. He had to admit that was a bit scary but he wasn't going to hate the woman for that. Some beings were like that. Created to "balance things out" so to speak. Roland was in no position to judge anyway.

Though he knew well how hypocritical his opinions were on the matter of killing. He wouldn't judge Gehenna for killing who knew how many people but he would punish Loki or Aries if someone accidentally lost their lives during this mess?

Maybe he was like this because Loki and Aries should have known better than to cause a fight in a heavily populated city like this where people could die.

Gehenna...Roland wasn't sure that she could truly be blamed for killing. He felt like maybe she had no concept of killing being wrong or bad. And if so....

Or maybe he was just making excuses for her. He didn't know. All he knew was that he disliked the way everyone seemed to treat the woman.

"Yeah. And rightly so. Gehenna..." He seemed to struggle for the words. "...She's not...natural, you know? You met her, couldn't you feel it yourself? Gods and similarly higher beings don't care much for life, but they won't usually go out and cause massacres. Her? I've never known anyone quite so cold-hearted and blood-thirsty. That woman is damaged, I can tell. But I also think she was never completely whole to begin with. There are some gods and demons that are similar to her. Maybe not as bad, but still. The reason why Gehenna in particular is hated is because, I think, she doesn't feel right. If that makes any sense."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He cut Roland a glance. " You told us not to mess with her. And we won't. But mainly because none of us really want to even go near  her. Most everyone I know just wishes she would simply lay down and die." His words were cold and maybe a little venomous.  

Roland said nothing, but he was getting damn tired of all this. They treated the woman like she was some sort of...abomination.  Mephisto and Loki were not ones to hold such harsh sentiments towards anyone. Not to this degree. Not this absolute disdain.

He said that none of them would ever even want to go near the woman.

Roland could only imagine what others thought of or treated the woman if even Mephisto, Aries and Loki reacted like this.  Gehenna seemed to lead a very hard and lonely existence. To be ostracized by, well, almost everyone....

Or did she even care?

Even if she didn't, to have eternity at your fingertips and yet spend it while hated and feared by everyone....

Roland found that he grew more upset the more he thought of it and he had no idea why.

Mephisto looked at his friend, saw the changes in his expression. He felt he knew a bit of what was going on in his mind, and he was sickened by it.

How could he feel sorry for a woman like her? Did he not understand what sort of being Gehenna was? Even after meeting her?  Mephisto felt his friend was being too soft on the woman. Gehenna was one of the most beautiful women Mephisto had seen, and that included both Aphrodite and his own wife, but that was only her outward appearance.

Inside, at Gehenna's core....Mephisto felt that there was something broken, something that should not be.  Yes, she was beautiful. Yes, she was attractive to him. Even if he loved his wife dearly he was still a man, after all.

Gehenna was feared and hated, but also desired. Most gods, at least males, would be attracted to her. But more importantly, underneath that attraction....they would  eventually feel disturbed. Like thousands of insects crawling along your skin and burrowing into your flesh.  

They would feel how unnatural of an existence she was and they would make a point to not be in her presence if they could help it.

Mephisto thought maybe his friend was fooled by her beauty. It's said that no one could truly hate a beautiful women no matter what they did. This was obviously untrue, but at the very least a beautiful woman would be endearing enough to them that they would not immediately be biased towards them.

If it was for a beauty then men would be more forgiving, more understanding. Did that Roland fall prey to Gehenna's looks? Was he so enamored with the beauty of the rose petals that he forgot about the thorns?

Mephisto thought that might be the case. And he couldn't help but shake his head at his friend.  It was the first time he felt Roland was being a bit too foolish. He shouldn't feel sorry for a woman like Gehenna.

"Alright, help me with these spells. If we're going to revive him we might as well get it over with."

They said nothing more as Mephisto aided Roland in bringing back the dead sun god.

--------------------------------------------------------

"...I don't mind Loki borrowing my stuff, but to have so shamelessly knocked me out and kept me prisoner...I simply can’t let this pass. When I inform King Odin of this I will demand justice be done. Too long that man has done as he pleases, without consequence, but no more. I should think that after this fiasco of his, King Odin will reconsider his choice of wanting him as the Heir-apparent of Asgard."

Apollo, newly revived, scowled as he spoke in annoyance. He was shorter than he had been previously, his skin more tender and holding the sheen of a white pearl. His  hair, too, even became a few shades brighter, a bright gold instead of the previously darker hue.

His eyes were a silvery color, different from his previous appearance. His form was younger than before, looking as if he was merely a fourteen year old youth instead of the slightly older look he had before. His voice, as well, became a higher pitch than what Roland assumed it would have been otherwise.

It was very melodic, soft, lyrical.

All in all, he truly left a good impression on others.

Roland was a bit impressed. Apollo actually remembered most of what happened but he wasn't as angered as one might imagine. That might be because Mephisto had already filled him in on Loki's punishment.

But that, of course, was not enough and so Apollo promised that Loki would be getting a lot worse once his father was informed of what went down. Though that last bit the youth said would acutally make Loki happy. He hated the idea of taking over as King once Odin decided to step down.

Odin was, after all, getting on in his years. Gods were immortal but Odin was truly old. He was getting tired of ruling, of dealing with the thousands of things that went into governing the territories under his control.

Apollo cut a glance at the southern part of the ship. There, built along the wall, was a giant mansion. A veritable palace of gold and marble.

" Come, my Oracle! Show yourself!" He shouted the words, a low vibration spreading everywhere. It was like hundreds, thousands of people talking at once.

Roland and Mephisto waited.

Nothing happened.

Apollo frowned fiercely, his eyebrows scrunching up in irritation. "That man, what is he doing? Why hasn't he come?"  He loked towards Roland and Mephisto. "My apologies, Lord Roland, Lord Mephisto. Please, wait here while I go see what's wrong. I shall only be a minute."

And with that, he became a streak of golden light and disappeared.

Roland hated that title. "Lord". It was foo formal for his tastes. But Apollo, he noticed, hesitated upon the word. He probably wasn't sure if that was the proper form of address for someone like Roland.

After all, his situation was a bit unique....

"He's taking this better than I thought he would." Mephisto mused.

"True. But you can't let Loki's antics get to you or else you'll never be able to sleep well."

"Yeah, can't argue with that. Loki's like a damn STD. You have to learn to live with it. "

"Those can be cured, you know." Either by science or magic. Not every civilization was advanced enough to do either but it wasn't really a problem. "And as if you've ever had one. " A god getting an STD, how laughable.

"Can they? Huh. " He shrugged. " And the sentiment remains the same. That man is absolutely cancerous. Not to mention his other selves. "

"And yet he's still our friend. What does that say about us?"

"That we're just as fucked up as he is, probably. That damn klepto, he takes whatever catches his eye. I remember once that he was said to have taken Thor's hammer and used it to smash bugs when they were children."

"Oh? How did he...."

"Hold it? Please, if that prick is good enough then it means the thing has some pretty low standards."

Roland felt a faint smile coming on at his words.

Soon enough Apollo came back with a chained up young man. The newcomer had an enraged expression. He was square-jawed and his hair was a slight mess, curling naturally.

"These infernal chains...How do they last so long? These, what type of magics did Loki use to make them, they even cut off my connection to my own Oracle...Just how did he...Even the original creators of the chain this is based off of would be impressed..."

Roland saw the chain that bound the young man and recalled the very same material around Fenris' neck the two times he saw her naked. The thing was, it seemed, always present on the woman.

"That chain, what is it?" He quietly asked Mephisto. "I saw Fenris wearing the same thing."

Mephisto looked at him. " No surprise there. But...you didn't know? Fenris is a Goddess of Destruction. Or was. Not anymore, not since she was chained." He stretched a bit then went on to explain when he saw Roland's curious expression. "...See, when she was born the girl was a little beast. Completely raged across the Higher Planes. A few realms got eaten. And she even escaped to the Lower  Planes, ate a planet. That girl can really eat." He chuckled. " Honestly, most of the more influential gods wanted to kil her but Loki totally freaked out and threatened to got to war if they tried."

Roland was pretty surprised. He had no idea something like that happened. He heard some stories regarding Fenris made by mortals, now that he mentioned it, but nothing similar to this...

"What happened?"

"Well Loki's declaration had quite an effect. He never got serious like that, it was pretty out of character for him. Eh, anyway, not many of the other gods wanted to start an all-out war with him. He had me and Aries backing him up too. Though we haven't interacted with Fenris much at all since that time. But we couldn't let our friend's kid get offed, you know? So basically it became a damn huge mess. Not to mention that Loki had his other selves to rely on. So there was a compromise. Chain her up."

Roland felt it strange. She didn't seem like a Goddess of Destruction at all. Something had to have changed.

" So, chaining her...."

"Altered her personality, yeah." He paused. " Okay, not exactly. It was more like her more destructive nature got suppressed. She's almost like Apollo in that regard. Her power probably lessened by half. As you can imagine, the entire thing made her a bit of an outcast among her family. I don't think she was ever told about that time, so don't mention it. Like, ever. Who knows what could happen. The Fates even once said that..." He frowned. " ...No, never mind."

"The Fates?"  Roland felt a sour feeling as he heard the words.

None of the gods of fate liked him.

No, rather, it was like an illogical hatred? The few he met said he was a "chaotic variable". Which meant they tried their hardest to get him under their thumb. Or kill him.

"...It's nothing worth mentioning."

"Hmm..."

Roland cast a glance at his friend. He didn't know exactly what was on his mind but he wouldn't push it. He felt like he understood a bit though. He knew some of the stories. Now that he heard the tale he did recall a few of the myths mortals had made regarding the Aesir Pantheon.

Most of it was nonsense.

But a kernel of truth could be found, sometimes. The Fates, and indeed all gods of fate, were a mysterious bunch. Always working the angles, always managing things behind the scenes.

If they had something to say about Fenris then it probably wasn't anything good. They usually only spoke when it was to mess with people's heads.

"This...is troublesome. " Apollo muttered. "I can't seem to..."

Roland and Mephisto went up to him. " Yeah, I don't think you're going to be able to get them off without Loki here."

Mephisto stated.

"Are we going to have to bring him back after all then?" Roland wondered aloud. That would be annoying. He could be anywhere and if he didn't want to be found then Roland would find it a hard thing to do.

Maybe he should go fetch Fenris. She would probably be able to sniff him out easily.

Apollo narrowed his gaze as he looked at his Oracle. " Fine. Let's do it. I truly am getting soft." He sighed. " Oracle, I won’t be angry at you for allowing this but you should expect some sort of punishment. To think I found you messing around with all those women, too..." He shook his head, almost sadly. "I'm disappointed."

The Oracle protested, making various sounds as he was still gagged.

"...Here, let me get that." Roland thought the man was a bit pitiful and went to help him.

He crouched down a bit and placed a hand over the chains that were covering his mouth. He should be able to move them at the very least.

As soon as his hands touched the material it seemed to shudder slightly before bursting into streams of gold which flowed up into the air.

Everyone froze.

The Oracle fell, surprised at suddenly being freed.

"...What the hell did you do?" Mephisto asked.

That chain shouldn't disappear so easily!

" I didn't do anything..." Roland frowned.

Apollo looked at him pensively. " ...Lord Roland, perhaps the chains disappeared because Loki willed it?"

"..Maybe."

He wasn't sure. Loki probably forgot about the man. And even if he didn't why would he bother letting him free of his own initiative? That wasn't like him at all.

"...Huh. We can ask Loki later. It's probably nothing. Anyway, I should get back to the boys. Eh, those two, they're not that bad for mortals. Least they can hold their drinks. And I'm sure that wife and daughter of yours are waiting for you. Apollo, sorry about the trouble."

Apollo nodded at him easily. "No, apologies from you are not needed, Lord Mephisto. I will take my grievances to King Odin and have him take rein of that unruly child of his. So don't worry, you two. While you're here simply enjoy yourselves."

He said magnanimously.

Roland cut in. "Thank you, but I have to tell you that we're using your ship to go to the Array which will allow us to head towards the Higher Planes. I'm teaching a few students some basic combat and whatnot so I plan to put them in a suitable place to sharpen their skills. Their battle techniques leave something to be desired."

Apollo considered. "...I see. And you want to continue using my ship to get them their? But you may not know, my ship can travel to the Higher Planes by itself without needing intermediaries like an Array. I can take you wherever it is you want to go, I don't have any other destination in mind. " He offered.

That was unexpected. Roland didn't know this ship could do something like that. "Thank you, but no. Solomon is here on this planet and, for various reasons, I need to speak with him. "

The youth smiled and raised a hand. "Say no more. I'll get you there. I'm not against helping out the development of the younger generation and taking you to speak with Solomon can be taken as returning the favor of beating that insufferable lout. And reviving me. If I was dead much longer I might not even remember much of what happened."

"Thank you."

"No need." He said. " Though we haven't interacted much in the past I still know how to repay my debts when one helps me out. And giving that Loki the beating he deserves certainly qualifies. You and Lord Mephisto both have my gratitude for that. "

"Well then, we'll take our leave."

They turned to go when a shaky voice stopped them. " Lord Roland...please wait."

From a bit aways the Oracle struggled to his feet. His eyes were a deep, brilliant grey.

Had they always been that color?

"Yes?"

"Lord Mephisto mentioned a wife and child....They're yours, right? I'm sure that's what he said."

Roland stopped and stared at the man. Why was he interested?

He felt it was odd.

Apollo's eye's went a bit wider. That's right, Lord Mephisto had said that but he hadn't noticed until it was pointed out. How curious. A man like Lord Roland with a wife and child....

"Indeed. Is there something you wish to say?"

"Yes. Your wife. What color eyes does she have?"

The question threw him off. What an odd thin to ask...." They're red. Why?"

The answer seemed to surprise the man. "Red? Not violet?"

Roland looked at him oddly. "No. They're red. Why do you ask?" He was a bit suspicious of the man's sudden and weird question. And that reaction of his, why did he seems so surprised?

"...Ah, no, I apologize. I asked something rude. Pay me no mind, Lord Roland. I can't imagine what came over me, asking something so odd." His eyes shined brightly, nearly glowing.

Roland didn't like the look of those milky eyes of his. They seemed to look at him and past him at he same time. A distinctly uncomfortable feeling.

Mephisto and Apollo watched the exchange quietly. Mephisto felt a headache coming on. Ah, that Morrigan....

No, he didn't want to think of it. Honestly, those two being together was simply too hard to believe. That cold woman....

"No worries, It's alright. " Roland said easily. "Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you. " His voice was still a bit weak.

"I see. Then excuse me."

Roland nodded to the Oracle and Apollo, once again turning to leave.

This time no one stopped them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

As the two watched them leave Apollo looked at the young man by his side.

"...You saw something, didn't you?"

He said.

The other man seemed in deep thought. He took a long time before responding, but Apollo knew better than to disturb him while he was in this state. It would only be counter-productive. He instead thought of what he would do about the citizens who were down in the lower city due to the fighting. He would have to deal with that....Tomorrow.  For now, he wanted some rest.

"...Yes. But I'm not sure what it was, or means. And it wasn't about him, really. Rather, it was someone related to him."

'Interesting. And what did you see?" Apollo asked.

The man's eyes seemed to shine even brighter.

" A girl. Or a monster. I can't tell the difference. Maybe there was none. Perhaps there was two. One young, one older. A young girl, a mature woman. One like a blossoming rose, the other like deadly nightshade. Beautiful, seductive...but dangerous. Poisonous to all. Or at least...all but one. And yet even that doesn't seem right. But why?" He seemed to struggle with something. Some internal conflict Apollo could not see or know. " Is it one, or two?...Perhaps even she doesn't know anymore..." He trailed off softly. " How sad."

"While this is all very interesting...." Kind of. Mostly it sounded like gibberish. "...It's not very specific, Oracle." Apollo reprimanded.

Apollo no longer had the gift of foresight.  He gave it all to Oracle. Apollo's other gifts caused interference and so the images he used to get were always hard to interpret. To fix that he bestowed the ability upon Oracle. Usually the man saw things with crystal clarity.

What changed?

"I apologize, my lord." He said, calming down and appearing sincere. " But...Well, there is one thing that stuck out."

"Oh?  And that was...?" The sun god prompted.

"A name. it was whispered to me, in his voice. Gently, lovingly. But not for me. No. For her."

"Him?" Apollo frowned.

Who was Oracle talking about..No, wait...

"Ah. I see." Really, who else could it be? "What was the name then? Out with it already." He told the man, growing impatient.

"...Grace. The name was Grace."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...Hold up, I need to do something."

Roland told Mephisto, then disappeared into the masses.

They had sped through the crowded streets, which were still in a state of pandemonium, before Roland stopped them and abruptly went off by himself with only a few words.

Mephisto was impatient. And everyone else could tell. They sensed the agressive aura coming off im and stayed away. This wasn;t be cause he was angry, though. It was simply how most percieved him. Aries was like that too. They kept it mainly tucked away but sometimes it slipped out.

In this case, he let it out willingly.

He looked around.

It was damn dark outside. The lights of the city glowed in the darkness, the street lamps illuminating the way. He saw many golden-skinned Apollites.  They seemed much calmer than the rest. Some even munched on food while they watched the others panic. Cheeky little buggers.

He liked the Apollites a bit. They were kind, generous and fun to hang out with at parties. Especially the women.

He hadn't ever went out and picked up a women, or three, since he married Selene. That woman was enough for him. He might admire other women, even be attracted to them, but he had the best of the lot at home. Waiting for him....

By herself....

She was probably naked right now.

The woman always did find it liberating. In their own home where there were few people other than long-time servants which were like family, there was none to disturb her. She took advantage of that and walked about naked as day pretty often.

Mephisto couldn't help letting out a sigh.  He fantasized of his wife's bare skin and welcoming smile, a smile formed by full lips which begged to be tasted.

Ah...he wanted to go home.

He could be there at any time, but he did want to at least accompany Roland and the gang until they found Sol. Maybe once they reached the Higher Planes, even.  

It was several more minutes before Roland came back.

He carried a small, square box that was  covered in blue velvet cloth.  The thing quickly got sucked up into thin air as he approached. It, of course, entered his Treasury.

But not before Mephisto saw it.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about, my dear." Roland patted the big man on his shoulder and spoke airily.

Mephisto gave a small sneer. "Disgusting. "

"Quite. So I suggest you don't ask any more questions."

"Fine, fine." Mephisto replied wearily. " So, tell what was in the box."

Roland glanced at him.

"What? That wasn't even a question." Mephisto shrugged.

He was ignored.

"So I take it you're good to go, then?"

"Yes. Come on."

To all those watching, their bodies seemed to flicker and disappear.

To them, a speed like that was merely a casual stroll.

---------------------------------------------------------------

As they walked inside the building Roland was called by the receptionist.

"Ah, sir, excuse me."

Roland walked towards the man. "Yeah?"

" Sorry, but that woman you came with, Lady Morrigan, has purchased another room and instructed me to direct you to it upon your return. She'll be waiting." He informed. "The room is at the top floor, here is the keycard. Rest assured that you won't be disturbed."

The man gave a polite smile as he handed Roland the thin rectangular object. He received it with a bit of puzzlement upon his face.

"I see. Thank you. "

He returned to Mephisto's side.

" What happened." The man asked. He didn't pay attention to their conversation.

"Nothing major. You go check on the boys, make sure they're alright. I sent Reina and Lilith, along with the rest of their family,  to Morrigan when I saw them last. I don't know what Morrigan would have done with them, so goo check on that for me."

" Me? And where are you going, then?"

Roland shrugged. "My wife summons me."

--------------------------------------------------------

They parted ways, Mephisto heading towards their rooms while Roland went to the highest level to see Morrigan.

He didn't know where Grace would be, though she was probably with her mother.

It only took him a few moments to get to the door with the correct number on it. He stood there without moving for a second Somehow, he had an odd feeling. Strange.

He opened the door and stepped in. The room was brightly lit. It's color scheme was warm, a series of reds, browns, and oranges.

There was a window in front of him, to the far side of the room which took up an entire wall. It's curtains were long and thick, a muted green color. They were not fully closed. In fact they were revealing quite a bit of the outside scenery. The city's lights were a beautiful sight to see.

The room was very spacious. It held a large white-tiled kitchen and a red, comfortable-looking loveseat.

Indeed, the room looked very nice.

But...He couldn't see Morrigan or Grace anywhere. He stepped inside to investigate, closing the door. After looking around a it he stood in the center of the room, confused.

He was sure this was the right room, there could be no doubt. So where...? As he was lost in thought, his attention was grabbed when he heard the door behind him make a rattling sound.

He turned, wondering what caused it.

What he saw nearly took his breath away. It was Morrigan, standing with the door to her back, her hand upon the lock. But that wasn't what made him react this way.

As she stood there, she was dressed in an incomparably casual fashion with an elegant, black lace negligee that was essentially see-through.

The flimsy material loosely wrapped itself around her body, accentuating her seductive figure. There was a V-shaped neckline at her chest, raised high by her twin peaks.  There was no bra of any sort to hold back her breasts, the tips standing erect and in full view.

The lower half of the clothing was surprisingly short, only barely covering her round bottom while those smooth white thighs of her's were completely visible and glowing with a jade-like luster.

Roland found himself looking down a bit, noticing that that other than the negligee she only wore a pair of matching black lace panties...

Morrigan's eyes noticed his sharp intake of breath and smiled in pride. Her husband, she knew, always had a good amount of control in regards to women. That he made such a reaction simply from the sight of her...it  made her secretly pleased.

She cast a flirtatious gaze at him, speaking in a low, sultry voice. "So, husband, do you think I'm pretty?"

Roland smiled. " Pretty? Please. Even to call you beautiful would be a grave injustice towards you. "

" And am I desirable?"

"Any man would say so."

"Perhaps. But I don't care about other men. What do you say?"

" i say yes."

"I see." She smiled mischievously. "And would you like to touch?"

"...Yes." He spoke honestly. " But--"

However, before the word was even formed she threw herself at him. Roland felt her warm body slam into his own, her lips on his. He had no time to react, no time to even blink.

Morrigan ripped at his clothes, the cloth not able to withstand her strength.

She smiled, running her hands over the contours of his hard, deeply defined muscles. This man was her's, yes, her husband. No one else's. He had a body that oozed masculinity, the pinnacle of male perfection. Not a single part of him was soft, nothing but lean muscle.  No woman would deny his advances.

She wrapped her legs around him, forcing him to hold her up. Roland had to place his hands on her bottom, feeling the soft elasticity.

Roland really didn't have much control left in him, not when faced with this bold seductress of a wife.

He fervently returned the kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Tasting, demanding.

When she mewled in rapture--so good--he felt a hardening in his groin. She melted against him, meeting his tongue with her own and wanting to breathe him in.

Her whole body felt hot, and she felt his reaction to her. A large, hard object hitting her. That, coupled with the way he took control of her mouth and sent her in ecstasy, was like throwing gasoline-soaked logs into an already raging fire.

She didn't ever want to let him go. Had to touch him. Everywhere at once, fingers in his hair. Soft, so soft...they were fine strands, like silk.

Morrigan thought back to earlier today, remembered that woman and the way she smiled at him. The way she looked at, the way every other woman looked at him. She hated it. More than anything. It drove her insane.  Why? Why did they have to want him, too?  

He belonged to her. This man, everything about him, was her's. Maybe she hadn't found him first. That, she had to admit. But...no one could love him as much as she. Yes. This was her husband and she wouldn’t give him up.

So, no one should want him. Or rather, no one should think of possessing him.

She was too greedy, wanting him for herself.

Only her's.

His lips broke away from hers, traveling down towards her neck. His tongue hot, scorching, upon her skin. Her back arched, causing him to use a hand to support her.

His mouth made trails of fire as he went from her neck to her collar bone. Then from there he bent his head towards her breasts and lightly bit into her hard nipples. Like perfect, pink little beads.

She gasped as she felt his teeth teasing her nipple, a jolt of electricity making her entire body more sensitive to his touch.

"Roland..." She purred, her voice shaky.

Hearing his name, he stiffened. His heart was pounding in his chest, a wave of lust making his thoughts slow.

"Where's Grace?" He asked, his voice a slight rasp as he fought to control himself.

Morrigan, breathed out, placing her lips by his ear. "Asleep."

"The others?"

"Gone, you just missed them."

That was all that needed to be said.

This time he was the one to take the initiative. He moved them towards the large bed to the side, his legs still encircling him.

He placed her on the cushioned surface, staring down at her. She was breathtaking. Her heated gaze, her ruby-red eyes clouded with lust.  Her delicate face dyed in a feverish red, her dangerously seductive cuves. No man was capable of resisting her.

Morrigan felt his hands on her legs. He took on in his hand, raising it up into the air. Starting from her foot, he placed small kisses on her leg and worked his war to her calf, then her inner thigh and traveling ever downward until he met the ravine between her legs.

He brought a hand to her chest and punished her erect nipple by pinching it between his fingers. Morrigan had no defense against it, had no way of resisting the power he had over her.

And she didn't want to.

Roland didn't stop there, but also slowly ran a tongue over her secret place, her erotic moans making his member go even harder than it was, a pleasant ache. She wrapped her slender legs around his head, pulling him in deeper.

Her face was dyed in crimson as she panted, feeling the charge of electricity run along her body in waves as the his tongue entered her again and again, teasing her.

In the corner of her mind she asked, "How many other women did he do this to?"

How many women did he have that made him so experience in the giving of pleasure? How many women would warm his bed during the nights?

These worries ate away at her. Or they would. But not now. No, right now, her attention was focused on him, on the numerous shameless things he did to her.

She felt her body stiffen, then go limp as she felt something gushing out of her. Roland, his face pressed against her most intimate of places, tasted her sweet nectar as it came. Her body felt weak, hot. But the burning desire hadn't left her even after the climax she just went through.

Morrigan felt his face near her most intimate place,  his breath tickling her.  She let out a soft moan as his tongue entered her once more. It played with her even now in her weakened state, twisting about inside.

His tongue was scorching hot, driving her crazy. She felt another rising wave, seeming to well up even from the pit of her stomach.

Soon enough she inhaled sharply as the sensation overtook her.

Roland brought his head up, enjoying the sight of her in the depths of pleasure, the way she let out hot breathes of air, the rise and fall of her chest.

She was perfect. More beautiful than almost any he had seen before. Only one was her equal.

And this woman, this achingly beautiful and enchanting woman, loved him. Had eyes only for him, would show this type of appearance only to him and no other.

Yes.

Because she was his. She belonged to him.

Every cell in his body knew this to be true.

Yet he, too, belonged to her. Or at the very least, in this moment, he was truly her's alone.

Morrigan made a fast movement and in the next moment it was now Roland who was laying on his back. Morrigan was on her knees, placing a hand on his pants. They were off in an instant.

Morrigan straddled him. She rubbed against Roland's erection, up and down, painfully slow. She loved it. Loved the heat and eroticism.

He let out a sharp, cold breath, the feeling stroke his desire to new heights.

He sat upright, planting a fierce kiss once more upon her lips and letting his tongue meet her own. Their saliva mixed together as they locked mouths, tasting each other, savoring.

They broke away only when they had to breathe. "I could get addicted to this." He whispered in her ear. She saw a wolfish smile, his eyes seeming to glow.

"...I already am. " She told him.

How long had it been since she had last felt his touch? How many years?

Too many. Too many years of dreaming of him, wishing for his return. Too long a time spent cold, alone, without him to keep her warm like he used to.

And far too long without the comfort of his arm, the pleasure and comfort he used to give her all throughout the night.

She needed this. Needed him.

Yes, she had to leave a trace of herself on him, she had to make sure to wash away his memory of every other women he had been with until he could  only think of her.

Was it wrong of her to want this? To ask that of him?

Maybe.

But leaving her brand on his skin was the only thing she wanted to do, the only way to ensure he would stay.

Perhaps this, too, was one of her dreams. Maybe she would wake up and find him still gone from her side.

She didn't think she could survive that.

If she hadn't had Grace, then....

Then it might be that she would truly allow that to happen.  Because this felt like a dream. Perfect, too perfect to be true. Him, Grace, Morrigan. Together.

This moment, having him making love to her like they always did. Never getting bored of it, never tiring of it. Everything...it was everything she had dreamed of, so maybe....

But...if it was so...then let it last a while longer....

How could Roland not know what was on her mind?

"Don't." He hissed. "You're not allowed to think that."  The words were almost cold.

She laughed. "Think what?" Her tone was just a bit mean.

"That this isn't real. That I'm not here. That all this, the time I, you and Grace spent together weren't real."

"And why shouldn't I think that?" She asked him. "You were never here for us before." She went on, her voice bitter.  

Then she realized what she said and looked away, not able to meet his eyes. She regretted the words instantly as she saw the pain they caused him.

That's right.

Those words, they weren't fair to him at all.

It wasn't his choice to leave, that's just the hand he had been dealt.

Roland, on the other hand, kept staring at her. He was never sure. Not until this moment.

He knew, now. Knew what she had hidden away in her heart.

Her took a hand to her chin and forced her to look at him. "...You blame me, don't you? " He asked quietly.

For a second there he thought she wouldn't answer. Then, "What do you mean?...I don't know what you're--"

"Lies. You do know. " He cut her off. "Go ahead. Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

" That you blame me for not being there for you. Or for Grace. That you hate me,  hate that I wasn't there whenever you two needed me. Admit it" His voice was hard, insistent.  

"Yes" No. Maybe. She didn't know. She didn't have that right. Not when he had no choice in the matter. She wanted to tell him this. But the words wouldn't come.

"I see."  His words were mild, measured. "Well, that's doesn't matter. No matter how much you hate that I wasn't there for either of you, it cannot compare to the hate I have for myself because of the same fact." He told her.

"But you? You could have moved on. And yet you didn't. And now I know I have a daughter and a wife who I abandoned. A daughter who wanted to see me but couldn't, a daughter who's more yours that mine because I wasn't there to help raise her. And a wife who missed me, who cried because of she was left behind."

He smiled. " All of that's on me. Those are the things that I have to live with." He paused, looking at her strangely. "...You should have forgotten about me. " That probably would have been best for her.

"Maybe. But I can't. I don't want to forget you."  Yes, more than anything, that was true. She loved him. That was something which couldn't be denied.

" Do you think I wanted to forget?"

"No, Of course not."

" Then say it."

"...I hate you. I hate that you had to leave." Yet she couldn't hold it against him.

" But you love me more." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." She cried. " I love you. So much."

" I know you do."

He kissed her.

Neither of them thought of anything more. They leaned into each other, breathing each other in. Slow, deep, passionate.  Morrigan could smell him, smell his spicy scent becoming even more pungent. She loved, craved, that masculine scent. Wanted to bath in it.

Roland also became intoxicated by her sweet, fragrant smell.

Morrigan felt him harden against her. She was still straddling him, still teasing him with her wicked movements.  

She was already drenched, ready.

Roland even still had a bit of difficulty entering her, but it was worth it.

Morrigan lowered herself onto his erection, slowly, leisurely, easing herself into the riotous sensation.  She held back even as her mind demanded she hurry. But she couldn't. After so long she wanted, needed, to enjoy it thoroughly.

She forbade herself from rushing.

However, Roland had other ideas.

She was already so wet, what was the harm?

He thrust into her. He was careful, but he didn't think there was a need to drag things out.

She moaned even more, her legs going weak as felt him come inside all at once, pain and pleasure coexisting in harmony. His long, hard member twitched ever so slight and she once more melted against him, her breathing rough and ragged.  A light sweat had built on them both.

Morrigan's voice turned even more erotic as she felt a strange pleasure starting inside her, one she had almost forgotten. A second later her body exploded with a thousand sensations that made her shake all over. It was too much too soon, her mind going fuzzy.

Her body was boiling hot, aching for more.    

Roland laughed quietly, almost in triumph, as he felt her body spasming around his and tightening.  Taking her hips in his hands, he thrust even harder into her, intensifying her orgasm.

She actually cried out as she leaned forward even more.

Strands of her pure-white hair tickled him and in a heartbeat he nearly joined her in her climax. He growled as absolute pleasure tore through him, rendering him in a half-crazed with desire

Morrigan was exquisite, so much so that she left him breathless every time he looked at her.

Roland groaned as she began to move, payback for his previous actions.  She felt more alive than ever as she felt herself wrapped around him, falling ever deeper into euphoria with every small movement.  

He didn't sit idle either. Roland used his hands, which were still placed upon her hips, to shamelessly increase the tempo. It seemed like lighting struck her with every thrust,  spreading everywhere and tearing her up from the inside out as it brought her closer to another release.

He took a hand to her breast, now, choosing to once more torment her hard, pink nipples. The negligee was still present. But he found the material to be bothersome, ripping it off and exposing that white, tender skin of her's.

The swell of her breast, the plumpness, the sheer volume, was astonishing. She was a work of art. Without flaw, without imperfection. From her face to her toes, there was not one thing to complain about. One could only marvel, could only stand in awe.

He broke from his reverie and continued.

To Morrigan his wolfish paw were relentless, driving her body mad while he continued to thrust himself into her.

Time stretched on and they didn’t know how long they locking in each other's embrace but it certainly wasn't short.

Roland felt a boiling hot feeling in his chest that spread to his groin.  He would release soon, he knew.

Morrigan grabbed his hair, dipping her head down and biting down hard on his shoulder as she shuddered, just an instant before he did. A warm, sticky liquid escaped from her, a clear sign of her climax.

Her entire body went boneless, like jelly, unable to support itself in the face of the sheer ecstasy that assaulted her senses.

She held onto him, exhausted.

They fell onto the bed, breathing heavily and soaked in sweat.

----------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take long for them to recover, but they stayed like that anyway. Resting next to each other, simply enjoying the other's company.

His steady heartbeat brought her great comfort. It always did.

"I have something for you. " He suddenly said, causing her to start.

She had become lost, merely concentrating on the rhythm of his heart. It was truly soothing.

Morrigan, coming to her senses, smiled. "Oh? And what would that be."

"Nothing much. Just something I felt appropriate."

He held up a hand and a blue, velvet-covered box came into existence on his palm. He presented it casually, not bothering to look at her.  

"What's this?" She asked.

He shrugged. " If you want to find out, open. Or, well, If you don't like it then I can just return it. Or give it away. Maybe Reina or Lilith would like it."

Morrigan spat back a vehement " No!" She nearly shouted the word. "It's mine."

She had felt a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach as soon as he said the words.

It was something he had gave to her. No one else could have it. She hated the thought. Especially not that red-haired brat. She didn't know why but she couldn't bring herself to really like that girl.

Picturing her husband give the girl something that was meant for Morrigan was almost painful.

" Then open it."

"I will. Of course I will. It's mine. " She repeated, as if the first time wasn't enough.

She opened the box slowly.

"They're rings. No,  wedding rings?" She whispered.

And indeed it was. It was an elegant design, not ostentatious or gaudy at all. A simple, silvery band. Platinum? It seemed so.  But instead of a single, normal diamond there were two stones nestled side by side.

One rudy-red, the other an azure blue.

"...I never saw you wearing one. So I thought that maybe I should go buy one. What sort of husband would I be if I let my wife go without a wedding ring?"  He smiled lightly, as if it were no big deal. "I don't know if you already have one, however.,,” He stopped. “ Actually, you probably do. Given my absence I understand why you don't wear it. Maybe I should just take these ones b--"

"I love it. " She cut him off, smiling.

She did have a wedding ring, once. But it got taken from her some time ago. The person who took it would never give it back. She had probably destroyed it long ago anyway.

But that was fine. Because she now had another. No, this one might be even better. Red and blue. Their colors. Together, by side.

She remembered the way he took off earlier. So, was this what he was doing?  

"That's good, then. " He wasn't sure what else to say. " I'm glad you like it."

"I do. Thank you."

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, softly, lightly. It spoke volumes.

Morrigan placed the ring on her finger and admired it.

Roland hesitated, then put on his own. It felt...odd. Maybe it was just because with the rings their marriage felt more real. As was his responsibility to her and Grace.

He truly couldn’t turn back now.

Not that he had ever wanted to. The thought never even crossed his mind. He still felt a bit bad, though. He knew now that he loved Morrigan.

Roland knew that him saying such a thing would raise questions. He didn't know her that long, after all... Or, that wasn't exactly true. He had interacted with her before, briefly.  Even still that was not a good foundation.

To explain, there was a few reasons that Roland would say this: First, because she was the mother of his child. Second, because she loved him to a degree that it could be seen in the way she looked at, held or spoke to him. Such a thing was hard to remain unaffected by. And lastly, because Roland felt very strongly that it was his duty, as both a husband and father to their child, to love her.

Was this the sort of love born from shared experiences and time spent together? No. Was this the kind of love a normal husband would have for his dear wife? No. This was not  love as most people would think of it. And it certainly was not like what Mephisto and Selene had.

No, Roland's love for Morrigan was like a candle in the wind. It was there, but vastly incomparable to her own love for him.  

When one got down to it, his love was pretty shallow. Yet because of those reason he was still able to say he loved her. No matter that it was not formed from a deep, shared connection or intimacy like what other couples had.  

And Morrigan understood his thoughts on the matter.  She knew he loved her, but that it was a flimsy thing still, spawned for reasons that were not exactly what she would have hoped but there nonetheless. And...she was fine with that, for now. What they had just done was due to her own selfishness, this point she was keenly aware of.

She needed to feel close to him, and this was one of the ways she could do it. She was the one who came to him. Of course she knew why he would go with the flow instead of simply outright refusing her advances. He was, after all, a man with some control. Bluntly speaking, if sex was all he wanted then he had ways of finding it without relying on her. He was humoring her, going along with her whims.

He was also accepting her feelings, even seeming to form feelings of love for her on his own, albeit for reasons she was slightly unhappy with.

This, what they had done, was more for her than for him. They were both aware of that.  And she would not ask more from him than he was currently able to give. She would not make this out to be something more than what it was, a result of her wanting to feel close to him again.  She was frustrated that he didn't feel the exact same way she felt about him but knew it was unfair to expect it of him given how little time they spent with one another in his current life.

But she knew that he did love her, even if it was not comparable to her own feelings for him or even for the reasons she wanted.  Yet, for now, this was alright.

Yes, for the time being this pseudo-love of his would have to suffice. Did she have any choice but to accept this anyway? No. So Morrigan would simply enjoy what little she has instead of lamenting what she lost.

She would work on spending more time with him, making him get to know her more, making him truly love her like he once did.

Until then she would take advantage of the fact that he was currently indulging her.

" You know...I think I'm ready for round two." She whispered in his ears, pulling him from his thoughts.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh really? What a coincidence. So am I"

" Then let's continue. The night is still young, dearest."

" Ah, what a lustful wife you are. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up with you."

She snorted in disdain. "Hmph. Who do you think made me like this? And don't worry, your stamina was always one of your biggest strengths. "

"Is that a fact?"

"Quite so. You truly are insatiable. Why, I remember that you once didn’t let me out of the room for a full week. You were absolutely shameless, too."

"I would have to disagree. I know that I would never be anything but a perfect gentleman.

"Gentleman? Perhaps, but never in bed. Now come here, husband. It's my turn to ravish you."