Compromise

After being out of it for nearly an hour, Ashe, resting against Andrew's chest as he cradled her with his right arm, whispered, "No matter how fervid your ministrations, I will never yield..."

Raising his brows, Andrew asked, "Who said you had to? I just make it a matter of course to satisfy the women I'm with. If you think I'm trying to conquer or sway your heart, you're overthinking things."

"..."

Though she didn't believe Andrew's words, Ashe was too exhausted to argue with him. She also felt an indescribable feeling of 'contentedness,' so she remained silent and still for nearly a full minute before divulging, "I intend to travel to the tomb of my ancestor, King Raithwall, and claim the proof of my lineage. You will accompany me and watch over my growth as I acclimate to the power you have vested me..."

"Sounds like a plan," replied Andrew, resulting in another lengthy silence as Ashe expected him to push back or ask for further details. Instead, he just lay there silently, prompting her to eventually sit up and ask, "Do you not have any questions, or do you simply not care?"

Opening his eyes, Andrew stated, "It's a good idea. You don't 'need' proof of your lineage, but King Raithwall once conquered the entirety of Ivalice. If he left a heritage for his descendants to claim, it could be instrumental in your rise to power."

"Oh..."

Not expecting Andrew to respond in such a supportive manner, Ashe felt awkward and slightly embarrassed. She still 'vividly' recollected how he had spoken to her aboard the Atomos, so she expected him to talk down to her and question her every decision, not reinforce her.

Seeing through Ashe's thoughts, Andrew closed his eyes and casually asserted, "Don't get too caught up on things that happened in the past. You have your entire future ahead of you. Spend the present thinking or making decisions that will improve your situation and better the lives of your people..."

"Before and now...you speak as if you understand the burdens of a ruler," said Ashe, understanding that Andrew's status had to be fairly high but not knowing his actual position or title.

"Nah, I'm not suited to rule," contended Andrew, preempting Ashe's next question by stating, "I'm more of a guarantor for those in power. To that end, I try and support people I believe would make good or, at the very least, compassionate leaders. You understand loss and the horror of war, so if you can overcome your desire for vengeance, you'll not only be able to restore Dalmasca but lead it to prosperity..."

Furrowing her brows, Ashe asked, "You would ask me to relinquish my desire for revenge? The Empire must be made to pay for what they have done...!"

"Calm your tits and keep your voice down," said Andrew, brushing the tip of Ashe's nipple with his tail, startling her. Then, meeting her somewhat indignant gaze, he said, "You're thinking too broadly. You view the Empire as some wicked beast that only knows how to devour, but the truth of the matter is that, much like Dalmasca, Archadia is just an idea. It isn't some tangible thing, and there is no such thing as Archadians, Dalmascans, or Rozarrians, only individuals trying to make the most of the circumstances they were born into."

Rising to a seated position and moving so that his back was against the headboard, Andrew gestured for Ashe to move closer. She was reluctant to do so, especially given the circumstances, but eventually moved to sit atop Andrew's lap, prompting him to say, "Just like this. You probably want nothing more than to bite or slap me, but because you believe it will help you obtain what you desire, you swallow your pride and commit acts you otherwise wouldn't..."

"..."

Catching Ashe a little off guard, Andrew abruptly hugged her, holding her head to his chest and caressing her hair as he added, "What hurt you and your people was the ambitions of a select group of individuals who wield power and authority to dictate the lives of countless others. Just as there were thousands of Resistance fighters willing to die for your cause, there are tens, potentially even hundreds of thousands among Archadia's forces that want nothing more than to earn enough money to secure their future and support their families. Most simply do not have the option to refuse orders without inviting disastrous consequences on themselves, so don't blame the body for what the head of the snake decides..."

Hearing Andrew speak, the tension that came about as a result of Andrew abruptly embracing her gradually faded, causing Ashe to feel increasingly tired as she muttered, "What you're saying is that I should direct my ire at Vayne, not the Empire as a whole..."

"Think of it like this..." said Andrew, continuing to caress Ashe's hair as he softly appended, "If you wouldn't personally put a gun to their head and execute every man, woman, and child 'after' learning their circumstances, you should never hate an entire group of people..."

Though she frowned at the thought, Ashe knew the horrors of war didn't discriminate based on a person's age, gender, or class. However, as she had spent the past two years wishing to inflict the same suffering on the Empire as they had inflicted on her and her people, it was difficult for her to accept Andrew's reasoning completely. Her own told her he was right, but negative sentiments rarely gave ground to reason...

"I'm not asking you to forgive what the Empire has done, but unless you are willing to erase them from existence completely, you have no choice but to learn to live with them..." expressed Andrew. Unfortunately, Ashe fell asleep halfway through his words, faint snoring emanating from her nose as she succumbed to the comfort of being held.

'Well, there's still time for her to change...' thought Andrew, his words and actions intended to cover the lack of Larsa's influence. He couldn't recall when the two had met, but he knew the young Solidor's compassion and reason went a long way toward convincing Ashe that not everyone in the Empire was evil. Andrew hoped something similar would happen when the two inevitably met, but until then, it was his responsibility to ensure Ashe didn't allow her hatred to consume her, jeopardizing the lives of countless innocents...

...

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With Andrew casting Auto-Regen on her as she slept, Ashe was barely out for two hours before she awoke, surprised to find she was still sitting on top of him, held in his embrace.

Surprising Ashe even further, Andrew abruptly said, "I informed the Sky Pirates of your decision, and they agreed to ferry you to the edge of the Ogir-Yensa and even accompany you to King Raithwall's tomb. The Viera, Fran, is connected with us through the system, so we can teleport to her once they flee the city with Basch and Vaan in tow."

Hearing Andrew mention Fran, a slight frown marred Ashe's face as she asked, "What is your relationship with that Viera...?"

"At the moment, we're just acquaintances," said Andrew, adopting a smile and lowering his hands to Ashe's ass as he added, "But, even if we were more, I already informed you that I'm involved with several women. That includes one of the people we'll be traveling with, a pig-tailed girl named Penelo. She has agreed to be your future handmaiden, so try to get along with her."

"Isn't that something I should decide for myself...?" asked Ashe, her frown deepening.

Shrugging his shoulders, Andrew relaxedly replied, "Feel free to consider it a suggestion. However, considering the disrepair Rabanastre has fallen into, procuring dependable servants, knights, and ministers will take a lot of work. Penelo is a kind girl with great potential. She's also linked to you through the system, so you can teleport to her and vice-versa if the need arises."

Understanding how 'convenient' it would be to have a handmaiden who could teleport and transport a functionally limitless amount of goods, a resigned sigh escaped Ashe's throat. Most of her father's ministers and retainers had also been put to death to stymy the Resistance, so it was true that she was lacking the personnel to manage a Kingdom properly...

"What do you think you're doing...?" asked Ashe, regaining her frown as Andrew raised her ass and casually parted her vulva with his piping-hot glans. In response, Andrew promptly released his hold on her butt, raising his hands and smiling in mock surrender. As a consequence of his actions, however, Ashe's butt dropped, causing his cock to sink deep inside her as she was too slow to prevent it.

Groaning in a voice tinged with more than pain, Ashe hung her head and placed her hands on Andrew's shoulders as she muttered, "You're beyond despicable..."

"Not really," contended Andrew, caressing Ashe's back as he said, "But I am something of a horndog. I could go at it twenty-four hours a day and never tire. This is just a morning quicky to help you wake up and give you the energy to go about your day..."

Recalling the events earlier that morning, Ashe shuddered as her pussy clenched involuntarily. She had heard that men became enervated fairly quickly after releasing their seed, but Andrew had released his no fewer than twelve times. In that period, she couldn't even fathom the number of times she had climaxed, so Ashe feared he truly would conquer her if she weren't permitted to collect herself between ravishings...

"It's okay..." said Andrew, continuing to pat Ashe's back as he assured her, "Last night was about setting expectations and demonstrating what I was capable of. If you prefer gentle and intermittent coupling, we'll take things slow and do them your way..."

"Then...if I wanted to stop...?" asked Ashe, raising her muted grey eyes to meet Andrew's luminous blues.

Adopting a reassuring smile, Andrew answered, "Then we'll stop. I might relish having sex, but it's meaningless unless my partner enjoys it just as much."

Grasping Ashe's ribs, Andrew raised her off him and set her down on his thighs. He felt like he had blue-balled himself, but that was how life was sometimes. Ashe would eventually feel 'obligated' to have sex with him, and while it might take days, weeks, or even months, it would ultimately become natural for them to do so. Like most things, their relationship just needed time to grow and blossom.

Demonstrating this sentiment, Ashe looked down at Andrew's engorged penis for several seconds before exhaling a faint sigh, raising her gaze, and stating, "I will facilitate your release, but only once. After that, you will attend me in the bath..."

"That's a compromise I can live with," replied Andrew, returning his hands to Ashe's bottom. However, before he could raise her, she preempted him by stating, "Wait. I'll take the lead this time. If I left things to you, I have a feeling they might get out of hand..."

"Once bitten, twice shy," mused Andrew, sliding down the bed so that he was lying flat against it. He figured Ashe would have an easier time doing her own thing if their faces weren't separated by only a few centimeters, and he was right. She wasn't nearly as proactive as Penelo, but she made a noticeable effort to improve as she inserted his cock of her own accord and gave him an inexperienced but enjoyable ride. Afterward, he returned the favor by washing her in the bath, helping her dress, and brushing her hair, surprising her with how 'obviously' experienced he was with the care of others, particularly highborn women...

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