Chelly

With the Grand Master Alchemist as backup, the families released their failures into my cause. I now had a whole lot of people to look after and Negotiations underway. Now my problem was the exact opposite of before, which was both a relief and a curse. Putting people in the right spots became impossible and something that I would have to review. Hundreds of educated workers that had been sitting around for years to decades came into my hands, and all had been idle.

Some remembered trying to better themselves most resented me for taking them from their houses of dishonor. I expected something like this a little but not to the extent that it was an issue from my own house of dishonor for the Loveknot family. My life became a whirlwind of dealing with one issue after another for half a week.

Although they were on the border, Yuri was already negotiating with the next-door neighbor Dog-kin and the Goat-kin. The border made a great exercise area, though, with the mountains, and I planned to do some of the boot camp there for excursions. There were so many political things going on that when I heard a knock on the door, I looked up and felt stressed.

New issues were cropping up faster and faster, and I had a workforce not used to deciding bigger things on their own. "Come in!" I yelled out, trying and failing not to let the annoyance in my tone show. It was bound to be another problem, though, and when I looked up to see who it was, my eyes felt like they were showing up. Some resentment hit me, but I didn't say anything as I looked down and saw a little red bunny-kin girl peeking out, looking shy as hell. The five or six-year-old looked at me with large doe eyes, like looking at a unicorn or some mystical being that they had been told about but almost never believed to be truly real. I saw an imitation of me like a doll in her arm, and Alexia looked down at the little girl.

"Chelly, This is your Daddy that I told you about. She is Chelsea Loveknot," Alexia said, and the girl looked a little afraid.

My heart melted, and all annoyance disappeared into the cosmos without a speck remaining. Before I knew it, I was tearing up as I learned one of my oldest daughter's names. "Chelly, Hey," I said, dropping everything and smiling, looking at her. She put her head behind her mother's leg and seemed very shy.

"Mommy, you said my daddy was a nice woman. Not mean as she sounded like," Chelly complained, and I froze.

Alexia glared at me, and my heart was in my throat. "No, no, Chelly, Daddy is just busy, and he thought it was something else. Without Aunty Yuri around, she doesn't know who is coming in, so she thought it was someone she didn't want to see," Alexia explained and picked Chelly up, which distressed Chelly a little before she wrapped her arms around Alexia and looked at me. Her head dove to the crevice of Alexia's neck, and I winced.

"Hey, Chelly," I said, getting up from my desk, wanting nothing more than to scoop her up into my arms. "Sorry, Daddy was not expecting to see you today. Will you please forgive Daddy?" I asked. I wanted nothing more than to care for her, and I was ashamed that I scared her when we met.

Chelly looked at me than her Mommy, who nodded, then nodded herself, "Since Mommy told me to, okay," She said, reasoning, and I smiled and closed the distance slowly.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Chelly. You are so pretty, Chelly. You have my eyes," I said, looking at her.

"Mommy said that I have your eyes and her good looks. I like red, but I also like silver," Chelly announced, and I smiled. I wanted nothing more than to take this little cutey up into my hands and shower her with love. I didn't even know what to do or say as she said that, and it looked like Alexia didn't either.

"Daddy's fur is also Silver. Do you want to play with Daddy a bit? I swear, Chelly. Daddy loves you a lot and wouldn't hurt you in the least. She has been looking forward to meeting you for a long time," Alexia said with a soft smile.

Chelly tossed her head into her mom's neck for a moment but turned her head to peek at me a little. "O-Okay," Chelly finally said, and my heart melted again with tears in my eyes. I reached out, and the little fiery shy girl reached out in turn and I picked her up from her mother. My heart didn't survive when she gave me the shiest smile I had ever seen.

"H- Hey," My voice finally said, almost scratchy. "Sorry it took me so long to see you, Chelly," I apologized.

Chelly looked uncertain. "I- it's okay; Mommy and Grammy said that you were fighting for my future," Chelly said, "Thank you, Daddy, for fighting for my future."

I didn't know what to do as tears were streaming down my eyes, and everything at that moment felt worth it. All the fighting and the political bullshit that I had to deal with. Everything for this little girl in my arms. I couldn't help but pull her tight and into a hug. "Anything for you, Chelly," I cried, "Anything for you."

Hours later, Chelly was sleeping on Alexia's lap after playing and talking for a bit. She was tired from coming to the tower and meeting her long-lost father. I had cried out at this moment, and my eyes were red like Alexia's hair. Her mother, my lover Alexia sat across from me with a blush and red-stained eyes of her own. I noticed that her mana had strengthened in the C rank realm, and it was looking red hot inside her.

"Sorry for taking so long," Alexia said finally as she stroked Chelly's hair. "Chelly was scared, and my Mother was scared you would take Chelly permanently and not let her see her. No matter how I reassured her, it took me a while to convince her." Alexia looked down at our daughter, "I know you care too much for your children to do that. I also had the leave and wanted to spend some time with Chelly. I know that we were gone only for a couple of months, but Chelly really missed me. I missed her so much too. She was looking forward to meeting with you too." Alexia finished looking at me with a soft, heartfelt smile and warmed my heart.

"That is so good to hear," I replied, "I wish you sent me a message not to worry me," I said but shook my head when she opened her mouth, "No need to say anything. I was so busy, and you knew it. I was fighting with the elder council for the supplies I needed. In fact, now that I got them, I have a whole new host of issues that I am drowning in." I told her, "You coming back?" I asked, "I am one hundred percent willing to have Chelly's Mommy and Grammy around the office. I would love more of my little bundles of joy to be around more often." I said my heart which had died today and resurrected in Chelly's hands, hurt with thoughts of my other kiddos.

"I can come back, but I will need a place to stay in the tower, not the apartment. I hate to say it, but you are not the best person to have a kid stay with. I don't want to confuse her yet," Alexia said, and I understood.

"No problem, Honestly, You will be able to set it up yourself once you are back. I will talk to Yuri to see if she can help me with it. Although she has been in marathon talks with various tribes." I said, and Alexia nodded.

"I already got her started on it," Alexia said with a wry smile, "I told her beforehand what I needed, and she knew you would approve it. The amount of power in your hands is a little unheard of, and I heard some rumors there are a couple of resentful families hating how much power you have over the tribe at the moment."

The warning was clear, and I smiled. "If I am a failure, I will have more time for my kids in the future." I replied, "If I am a success, then they will have the best future I can provide for them," I told Alexia simply, "They cannot hurt me in any meaningful way. At least not without attacking my children; they would be making an enemy of the tribe that way. I can take whatever they have planned," I finished confidently.

"I hope so, Chelsea," Alexia said worried, "I really love you not just as a lover but as a father to my child. I know how much you care. You can't be there most of the time for Chelly for your other kids. I know you want to be, but I know you just can't be there. You are their protector and cannot be there. You have an insatiable appetite for making love to us, and I know I could never be the only one there. I know I wouldn't want to be the only one with you, Chelsea. I look forward to working with you and being a mother for you, and hopefully, Chelly with having a sister or brother." Alexia looked down with a soft smile, "But I know you need me. I need a competent assistant, so I will be back to help you, Chelsea. Your hopeless scheduling without Yuri or me helping you."

I got up, walked around, and placed a hand on my sleeping child. She was so cute and peaceful, sleeping softly on her mother's lap. "Thank you," I said, reaching down and kissing her forehead, "I know I can be a challenge. I swear I have improved," I told her seriously.

"You have, please; just continue to be you," Alexia said. Her smile made me happy. A second later, she coughed lightly, "Now, Tell me what I have missed, I need a run down to see the new mess you are handing yourself, and Yuri ran off, leaving on me." Alexia said her expression back on business. I smiled, walked around, and started to bring her up to speed.