Intrigue : Comfort

By the time he had finished grooming Terra, Riveria had already left the wellspring and was currently sitting at the small cafe-style table at the side with Ryuu, who had also shown up after returning from the Dungeon. She was still early in her pregnancy and had continued accompanying Fenrir into the Dungeon, though that would change relatively soon. Since Terra seemed content staying on her roost, Vahn left the wellspring and joined the two stoic Elven women and pulled out some snacks before refreshing the tea. Ryuu smiled at him and said, "Thank you, Vahn..." while Riveria nodded her head and added, "Yes, the tea you make is always delicious."

Vahn knew Riveria was still in an 'awkward' state right now so he didn't want to rile her up by saying anything that would embarrass her, especially in front of Ryuu. Sitting down, Vahn poured himself a cup of tea and inhaled the fragrance before saying, "This garden may be one of my favorite places. The atmosphere is calm and full of natural energy...maybe I should capture some small animals to populate the forest so we can enjoy the sounds of nature as well." Ryuu tilted her head slightly as if she were thinking about the matter very seriously, before smiling and saying, "If they are small, like rabbits, squirrels, and birds, it shouldn't be difficult to alter the formation so it doesn't affect them..."

Though it would potentially create gaps to be exploited by people with some more 'unique' abilities, it wouldn't make that big a difference if the formation was slightly weaker. The only people they were trying to prevent from entering the forest were the normal workers that were allowed on the property. For anyone else, the defensive barrier around the Manor itself would detect them long before the illusory formation became useful. If they actually managed to sneak in, there was no way they could avoid Terra's detection, which had spread largely through the entire forest at this point. Her dominion was the result of an Innate ability and it was nearly impossible for them to avoid her detection unless they could fly and avoid the ground entirely. In that case, Fafnir would probably sense them as its perception was quite high and it could even see small animals from several kilometers away in vivid detail.

For the remainder of the afternoon, Vahn talked with Ryuu and Riveria about possible animals they could introduce to the forest, deciding that squirrels, rabbits, and even small deer would be a good option. There was a type of deer that was a popular pet amongst some of the 'noble' ladies, which was known as a Pygmy Deer since it was typically several times smaller than their larger kin. On average, they were only around 70cm tall and, though they were very agile, they were normal animals that didn't have the capacity to Level up. Because they had very fine hides, they were hunted to near extinction by poachers so Vahn thought it would be good to have a small herd of them take up residence within the forest. The natural energy provided by Terra made it very easy to grow fruits and berries within the forest and it would be a good idea to plant some small species of shrubs and bushes to make things more scenic.

They also discussed Vahn's 'experiment' this morning, which he explained to them in great detail while Riveria took notes. Ryuu's elemental affinities were Wind/Water, which was very normal for most Elves, but she was still very interested in what Vahn was saying since he also mentioned manipulating other elements, including her own. As for Riveria, she was truly prodigious and, unlike the vast majority of people that had around 1-3 elemental affinities, her mana was like a small rainbow that had several. From a glance, Vahn could see Fire/Water/Earth/Wind/Wood/Life/Light and even Destruction, which was like a chaotic red that intertwined with the other elements. Alf, her ancestor, was one of the few nature Spirits that was able to use Destruction magic, and many of those in her bloodline possessed the trait. It was for this reason that the Alf Royal Family had been the most influential clan as their capabilities were simply far higher than almost everyone else's.

Unfortunately, though Riveria had many affinities, none of them were 'pure' and this meant her capabilities with each element were somewhat lackluster and would eventually reach a bottleneck. Her mana, though it came from the same source, was like several conflicting threads of energy and, though they existed in a natural equilibrium, it would always be a restriction on her growth unless she could 'fuse' them together. Vahn knew he could use his source energy to facilitate this fusion, but she would have to undergo 'Nirvana' in the process, which they had already discussed in the past.

Because the basic nature of her mana would change, this had a fair chance of making Riveria temporarily unable to use her magic, as she would have to learn how to control it from scratch, so she had decided to put it off until things with the Elven Kingdom were taken care of. Though he had said she would be able to circumvent that and simply use equipment that helped her cast magic, such as Lefiya's [Miki's Tulip], Riveria declined the offer, at least until Vahn received training from Eva. She didn't mind learning Magic from scratch if it was a higher form of magic, so those were the two situations that would have to pass for her to undergo Nirvana...

After a peaceful afternoon with the two beautiful Elven girls, Vahn led the way as they all headed toward the dining room for dinner. Terra came along as well, properly wearing her robe as she walked behind the rest of the group. Being followed by two 'noble looking' women wearing elegant dresses and gowns made Vahn feel a strange sense of pride. Even Ryuu, though she had a slightly more boyish look, was incredibly beautiful and had a gentle aura like the sunshine. Her hair had almost completely turned golden at this point, as she had stopped dying it, so she looked more vibrant as the days passed.

During dinner, everyone was very lively and discussed what they had been up to in the Dungeon while Preasia just stared at him from across the table. Tonight was an important event for her and she didn't even touch her food throughout the entire meal. Vahn felt a little awkward under her unwavering gaze but he was interested in hearing about the girls' days presently. One of the things he had 'learned' was to always listen when the girls were speaking as simply showing an interest in what they were doing was enough to earn him a few happy smiles from them. It helped that he was genuinely interested in what they were up to, as his infatuation with everyone had increased even though the 'pacing' of his relationships had slowed down.

As everyone was 'aware' of Preasia's behavior, dinner hadn't gone on for too long since things grew progressively more awkward the longer she watched Vahn. Even Tiona, who was typically easygoing and unphased by most things, had a bit of an awkward smile on her face since she was sitting close to Vahn and could see the pale grey eyes peering over. When dinner finally came to an end, Preasia somewhat awkwardly moved off to the side and watched Vahn while her aura continued to flare up like a bonfire that was filled with vibrant pink flames. Though he would typically help clean up, Vahn was 'urged' away by Milan, Emiru, and Maemi since everyone would be able to relax once he and Preasia left. Even Fenrir was behaving uncharacteristically well and was apparently going to be sleeping with Tina since her 'hug pillow' was going to be used by her Master tonight.

Reaching Preasia's side, Vahn smiled and stroked her fluffy hair, saying, "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Preasia..." in a quiet tone. Preasia simply shook her head in response and, with glittering grey eyes, said, "I feel very happy right now, so please don't apologize..." before hugging tightly around his waist. Since Vahn was currently 175cm tall, Preasia's 150cm height meant she only came up to his chest and her 'small' arms wrapped around his lower ribs with a very strong force, even though she was actually very weak. With a smile on his face Vahn didn't mind the gazes of the other girls, most of which had politely turned away or simply left to go about their own business, and picked up Preasia in a princess carry. She tucked her head toward him so her horns wouldn't poke him and tightly gripped his tunic while her body trembled slightly.

After leaving the area, Vahn started to move towards his room but Preasia suddenly shook her head and said, "No, we should go to my room..." Though he was surprised, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Sure..." and carried her toward the small room she typically shared with Fenrir. Vahn somewhat understood her reasons for wanting to use her own room and, even though it was a little embarrassing, didn't mind it much. He could imagine her snuggling up in the bed when he was away and enjoying the ambient scent after the fact, something that Fenrir would also partake of as well. Though her nose wasn't as strong as some of the other Beast Tribes, it was still much stronger than humans and Vahn knew Preasia was very fond of his scent.

Once they reached the room, Vahn looked around and noticed there wasn't much present besides a small bed, a dresser, and a large secretary full of clothing. One thing he did notice, however, was the existence of a small plush toy that looked a lot like him. When she saw where he was looking, Preasia tightened her grip and said, "Milan helped me make it...I'm sorry..." Vahn just smiled in response and carried Preasia over to the bed before laying her down and grabbing the doll. He noticed that some of the fabrics used in its construction were pulled from his old clothes that he hadn't accounted for after throwing them into the laundry.

As he also had a small plush of Ais, Fenrir, and even Eina, Vahn didn't really mind other people having something similar. Ais, after giving him a small doll of herself, had spread around the idea so there were a few 'failed' creations made by some of the girls. Milan had previously helped Fenrir make a version of herself so he could 'always carry her with him', so it made sense that she would have helped Preasia as well. He expected that many of the girls probably had something similar, which was a strangely comforting feeling even if it made him a little 'nervous' at the same time.

Preasia was watching Vahn's actions and saw that he didn't seem to mind the doll at all, even smiling a bit before he turned to her and said, "I can help sew up some of the loose seams if you want. Since I've been making a lot of clothing, I'm pretty confident in my skills and can probably make a higher quality doll if it helps you sleep at night..." Though it was very embarrassing to hear such words, Preasia quickly nodded her head and said, "Yes...please...I would like that...!" with her small fists balled up. When she lifted her hands, her sleeves slid down her arms slightly and Vahn could see her platinum blonde fur poking out which made his smile widen a bit. Realizing where he was looking, Preasia blushed slightly and asked, "Do you...really not mind...? Isn't it...strange?"

Vahn tilted his head to the side and got an idea so, using his experience in his Báihǔ and Vanargandr forms, activated his [Thria*Mimos] to grow a layer of thin white fur around his body. There were thin strands of black creating a tiger-like pattern, but Vahn was much more fur-covered than normal as he asked playfully, "Do you think I look strange...?" with his upper body exposed. Since he knew Preasia's body wasn't covered in the front, Vahn let his chest and abdominal muscles remain bare but his arms, shoulders, and back were completely covered in fur. He immediately noticed he was much 'warmer' than normal, but ignored it almost completely as he gauged Preasia's reaction. She currently had a flushed face and was breathing a little harder as she shook her head quickly and said, "No, you look...very handsome...but...ummm...I like the real you...even more..." Preasia was somewhat worried that her first time with Vahn would be while he was in a different form so she felt compelled to 'correct' her words so he would return to normal.

With a smile on his face, Vahn returned to his normal self but didn't equip his tunic and allowed his tanned skin to remain bare as he said, "Your fur is very soft, Preasia, and I think it suits you very well. Even if other people think its strange, I feel like it's something uniquely 'you', so I'm very fond of it. However, if you're worried about it I wouldn't blame you for trying to return to a more normal appearance..." Preasia had been watching him very intently, almost as if she were trying to peer through the truth of the matter with her unwavering gaze. Even if she 'wanted' to see he was fooling her, the only thing Preasia could discern from Vahn's expression was intrigue, concern, and, she would like to believe, a bit of love. Sensing no dishonesty in his words, as he truly believed the thin layer of fur suited her, Preasia shook her head slightly and said, "No...I want to stay like this..." in a low but determined tone of voice.

Though it was only very marginally, Vahn saw the platinum blonde coloration become slightly more vibrant as the color deepened and became more golden. His interest was piqued, something that wasn't missed by Preasia making her feel happy that there was something about her that Vahn was interested in. She had originally told herself she didn't mind being completely covered in fur if Vahn like it and now was resolved to let it grow since he would probably help her trim and groom it if she asked. Just thinking about laying in his lap as he sheered her fur made Preasia's heart tremble a bit as a slight moisture spread in her lower body along with a powerful heat.

Vahn was very aware of Preasia's current state so his expression turned gentle and he asked, "How would you like to proceed, Preasia...? Do you want me to guide you along, or did you want to go at your own pace so it's not as scary?" Since Preasia had a powerful phobia related to sexual acts, Vahn wanted her to know she had the option of leading things if she wanted. The heat in her body turned into a gentle warmth when she heard Vahn's words before Preasia eventually nodded, after several long seconds of silence, and said, "I want to...please, leave it to me...at least for now..." Though she didn't mind leaving things to Vahn, Preasia was still a little scared since it was still her first time and her body was still somewhat resistant to the idea, even if it appeared to be 'eager' to begin.

Since he didn't mind being responsive during sex, Vahn nodded his head with a gentle smile and said, "Then, you just have to tell me what you want me to do. Unless you let me take action, I'll just listen to you...okay?" Preasia began to breathe a little fast as she imagined 'telling' Vahn what to do since the first thing that came to her mind was having him 'service' her like a princess. She knew it was a little silly, but Preasia just wanted to be pampered by him and was curious to see what he would do if she gave him 'strange orders'. With a giddy feeling welling up inside of her, Preasia turned her grey eyes to meet Vahn's and said, "Undress me...slowly..."

With a gentle expression on his face, Vahn nodded his head before moving in a strangely fluid yet slow motion as he reached his hands out to Preasia. Her breathing increased slightly but she didn't say anything as she just watched him undo the buttons of her yellow, star-covered, pajamas. Her chest was still completely bereft of fur so, as Vahn undid the top three buttons, Preasia fair white chest showed through and he noticed she wasn't wearing a bra tonight. Her B-Cup breasts were still hidden behind the fabric, at least for the time being, but Vahn noticed her small pale protrutions had already solidified. Knowing she would appreciate it more if he let his thoughts and feelings show properly, Vahn didn't hide his intrigue and interest in her body.

Preasia noticed all of the subtle changes in Vahn's expression and, even though he hadn't undone all her buttons, she mumbled, "You can touch them..." in a low voice. Vahn's brows raised slightly and, instead of moving to the next button, he slipped his hand into the gap of her pajamas and held her inexplicably soft breast in his hand. Though there was a hard spot at the apex of the breast, every other part of Preasia seemed to be softer than normal, even compared to his memories of her body in the past. So she knew what he was thinking, Vahn muttered, "Your body seems to be changing slightly, other than just the fur...everything is so soft and supple..." Preasia trembled a little under his touch but smiled in response to his words and let him fondle her breasts for a bit since it was very comfortable. Vahn was currently just using his [Petting], without using his [Hands of Nirvana] at all, so Preasia was only feeling comfort from his touch even though it was a stimulating experience.

Using her own fingers, Preasia undid the remaining buttons of her pajamas and pulled the fabric apart to reveal both her stomach and breasts for Vahn as she said, "You can do more...if you want..." Though he wasn't entirely sure what she meant, Vahn squinted his eyes before moving his left hand to Preasia's back, feeling the soft fur under his palm before moving his right hand to her left breast. Lifting the tantalizingly soft mound in his hand, Vahn brought his face to Preasia chest and 'sampled' her nipple with his tongue. She trembled a great deal before hugging his head with a loose embrace without stopping his actions at all. With her 'consent', Vahn brought his lips and created a gentle suction while rolling her nipple with his tongue, using his left hand to stroke her back at the same time. Preasia gave out very quiet and stifled moans that tickled his ears before she eventually said, "The...the other one too...hafuuu..."

Having Vahn 'tease' just one of her nipples had become strangely 'frustrating' as more time passed and Preasia wanted him to pamper her whole body, not just one part. When he immediately tucked in his head and began sucking on her right breast, she released a hot sigh and stroked the back of his head. It made her feel very safe to have Vahn listening to her words because it was almost like she was in control of the situation, even though he was much stronger and bigger than she was. She had been tempted to ask Vahn to shrink down his body a bit but decided against it since she liked being 'cradled' in his big arms. Instead of fear, she had started to associate every part of Vahn as something that brought her safety and security...

Since she had been leaning progressively further back, Vahn let Preasia rest against the bed and continued to split his focus between her breasts while stroking her abdomen with his right hand. This continued for several minutes until Preasia's body trembled slightly and Vahn could sense her aura fluctuating as a result of the gentle climax she experienced. To guide her along, Vahn made his actions tamer and just rested his hand on her abdomen, sensing the changes in her body through his hyper-developed perception. Even without looking, Vahn could detect almost every basic change in her body just by being in contact with her.

After calming down, Preasia basked in the gentle afterglow of her own orgasm before feeling Vahn's warm palm against her abdomen. She had hugged his head a little tighter at first but he had stopped his tongue, causing Preasia to realize he was 'waiting' for her next words before continuing. Since she had been very 'vulnerable' previously, Preasia felt a great deal of warmth spread through her chest seeing how patient Vahn was. He wasn't anything like the greedy and possessive men that she had feared in the past and instead always showered her in compassion, affection, and even love. Though they couldn't be together all the time, the moments where they were alone like this made Preasia feel like she was in a dream that she never wanted to wake from.

Deciding to treat it like an actual dream, Preasia grabbed the sides of Vahn's face with her hands, now sporting a light layer of fur on their backs, and said, "Finish undressing me...please..." Vahn had almost expected Preasia to ask for a kiss when she cradled his face but, hearing her words, realized she was beginning to get a little 'impatient'. It wasn't that she was disatisfied with his treatment, but her resolve seemed to have become solidified and she obviously wanted to move forward. Knowing that it was important to not tarry regarding such things, Vahn smiled before pulling away naturally and stroking the sides of Preasia's waist.

Preasia's fur actually encroached a little on her front side, making it frame her cute abdomen with pale golden fur, which was still more platinum blond than actual gold. Vahn enjoyed the feeling of the fur against his fingers but kept his main focus on the 'task' that had been assigned to him. Tracing his fingers under the elastic band of Preasia's pajamas, Vahn noticed she wasn't wearing panties either but decided to not mind it as he slowly pulled her pajama bottoms down. There was a robust smell that came from her body, but it also smelled strangely sweet as Vahn's eyes were momentarily drawn to her groin. The platinum blond fur was a bit thicker in the area and even the inside of her thighs had a very thin layer now.

Vahn was very curious about its feel but knew he would find out later so ignored it for now as he pulled her pajama bottoms free of her legs. Seeing that the fur covered her entire legs, Vahn had a small smile on his face that was noticed by Preasia as one appeared on her's as well. She noticed that, every time Vahn 'discovered' how much the fur had grown he always seemed pleased by it. Even if he was trying to 'fool' her by pretending, Preasia knew he couldn't keep it up at all moments and she had never seen a single sign of inhibitions on his face when looking at her 'strange' body. This always made her feel very happy and it had been an especially 'impactful' moment when she saw the intrigue in his eyes as he looked at her lower body...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tea Time with Two Elven Beauties','*Staring Intensifies*','Soft and Fluffy Preasia')

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