Giddy Up

"Do you think they will be fine?" I ask Lyona as we start our short journey back home while holding hands.

My quiet Vampire partner sighs softly. "I admit that things escalated beyond what I was expecting, but I believe in my family. I can understand how shocking the revelation is so I don't blame them for wanting more time to calmly consider everything from start to finish. The only thing I find hard to forgive are the actions of my mother."

"Are you still angry that she tried to… do something to me?" I brush the top of her palm with my thumb.

"She tried to put you under her charm and most likely make you forget everything connected to me," Lyona explains. "We do that sometimes, and even I'm not unsullied by such deeds, but it's a step that's only taken when nothing else provides enough certainty and safety, and never towards a person sharing a connection with a member of our race. At least not without a proper council first. Charm is usually only used for spontaneous slips and Humans glimpsing flashes of what they shouldn't have seen."

"And because I'm currently in a relationship with you, it was quite offensive towards your person." I nod to myself.

"Not entirely." The white-haired beauty shakes her head. "Yes, I was furious she tried to charm you, my mate, without talking about it with anyone first, but as your subordinate through the Blood Oath and the bond we share after you claimed me, I couldn't stand still when my Lord was being disrespected this much. Trying to charm another Vampire, which rarely works, is greatly frowned upon. Trying to charm a Vampire Lord… Well, it's an easy way to lose one's life. Possibly their entire lineage too."

"I'm not a Vampire, though. I can imitate some parts thanks to you, but it doesn't change what I am," I respond to her explanation.

"You are a Primordial, Master, aren't you? Primordials are the progenitors of most if not all the races, right?" She glances up at me as we slow down a bit. "Then that means you are the ancestor of the first Vampire Lord or Lady, even if you don't show our characteristic features at all times. Do you think you would be able to assimilate and use abilities and quirks of other races if your very being wasn't completely compatible with them?"

I ponder over her words for a moment. It's technically true that I became capable of utilising those after becoming a Primordial. If we look at it from a more modern angle, I would require proper hardware to handle all the different software I can install from my collection. If I want to delve into an expansion, I need the base first.

"There might be something to that, as you say, but my skill doesn't allow me to copy everything," I say after a while. "Some parts are unavailable, depending on the race of the person I have a connection with, that are incompatible with my body. If it was all up to my Primordial bloodline, that wouldn't really be a thing, no?"

It's Lyona's turn to wrestle with her thoughts as the smart girl rubs her chin while walking ahead with a distant gaze. Moving my hand away from her grasp, I wrap my arm around her slim waist to help guide the thinking girl through the streets, preventing my pretty companion from bumping into anything in anyone.

"I have another theory, Master," she finally speaks up after a few minutes. "I think it might depend on your strength, meaning your Tier and proficiency in handling your powers. At higher Tiers, those previously unavailable options might unlock. From what I understand, you aren't a born Primordial, so you might need time to grow before becoming equal to the ancestors from ancient times."

"Hmmm. That does sound believable." I look up into the sky. "I can see that being possible. I guess we'll have to keep an eye on my abilities as I level up."

"To me, you are already a perfect being, My Lord." Lyona stops in front of me and shows a somewhat soft smile. "I'm glad we found each other and I received a chance to become your Blood Bond."

Chuckling quietly, I lean forward to present my Bond with a delicate, loving kiss. "You flatter me, Ms. Lyona. I'm the lucky one for stumbling on you during my journeys. Let's see what fate has in store for us, shall we?"

Before I escape her reach, Lyona peppers my lips with a few more pecks and returns to my side. It looks like the silent and rather cold Vampire receptionist is starting to open up a little more to affection. She must have been lonely even if it didn't show that much in her collected expression. I better make sure she experiences all the warmth having an intimate companion can provide.

Since we take our sweet time heading back, strolling through the alleys instead of using our dedicated carriage, it takes us a while to reach the mansion. Still, we enjoy the atmosphere of our little mobile date as we chat about random things related to either her or my life. We manage to reach our destination in the end and bid a temporary farewell with some more snuggles.

Temporary because Lyona will be joining us for the night and also due to my cute receptionist stealing the Vampire lady to chat moments after our appearance. Naturally, I let the girls go and have their fun while I make a round or two around the residence. They definitely have a lot to talk about still after Elise has learned the truth about her best friend's true identity.

My final stop before bed is the makeshift infirmary housing the weakened Fairies. This time, I find two more awake and have to fight off a small barrage of gratitude from the zooming, doll-sized humanoids. Our healers try their best to calm their patients down but it's proving to be quite a challenge.

Fairies really are an energetic and extremely chaotic bunch.

Since they still need a lot of time to recover from their pitiful state, we don't yet discuss any specifics besides the permission for them to stay at our place and recuperate. The rest will have to wait until I return. They thankfully understand and don't mind it in the slightest. The only thing I mind is the way they use my hair and shoulders like their most exquisite personal lounges.

But, I've been warned just how mischievous Fairies and other Faefolk can get so it doesn't surprise me when they start with harmless little pranks that affect my vision or something. And neither am I surprised by some accidental glimpses under their simple clothing, catching the sight of a few miniature secrets. Seems like underwear isn't really a thing amongst their cheerful kin.

I'm now somewhat thankful that only lady friends came to search for their missing sister. Though perhaps it is not the best feeling as their males could have perished in those jars.

As I leave the infirmary, my mind is full of images you could often find in toy commercials back on Earth, especially during Christmas season, illustrating magnificent and complex dollhouses. But, instead of unmoving figurines and dolls filling them up to the plastic ceiling, it's Fairies. And the houses are fully functional.

It's an amusing thought, but I shouldn't view the tiny women and men as similar to toys.

Arriving close to Sirgia's forge while trying to clear my mind, I suddenly stop. The reason behind my pause is simple. There is no noise coming from the inside. I've confirmed that my short lover is there, in fact, but the eerie silence is rather worrying. Sirgia practically never takes a break without someone making her.

Curious, I open the door and peer inside. The person in question is sitting on one of the counters while dangling her legs past its edge. None of the impressive furnaces, anvils, workbenches, and other things are active. The Dwarf girly simply sits in the middle of the main room with her back to me.

"Is my sweet little Dwarf alright?" I ask gently as I near Sirgia from behind.

She jumps a little, clearly missing my presence until I speak up, and whips her head to me with the first traces of a rising blush on her adorable cheeks. I greet my petite sweetheart with a peck on the nose as she wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles her face into me.

"Yes, Master," Sirgia replies quietly. "I just finished packing up for our trip. Seeing the entire workshop this silent and dark… made me think about the beginning of my life here. And everything before."

I don't see any crates, chests, or boxes, but she might have already stored everything in her spatial rings. Ailish has enough of them for most of us, and even if they wouldn't be enough, Sirgia is quite proficient with spatial enchantments already. I wouldn't be surprised to see a shirt on her that's made exclusively of gems capable of withstanding such magic.

"I'm going to miss this place…" she whispers weakly.

I run my fingers through her brown hair. "This tiny bundle of underground chambers? I'm sure you'll show me how a real forge of a true master looks when we get to your hometown. Besides, we won't be out for too long. Unless you are thinking about staying with your family after they accept and start to revere you as their little goddess."

"I would never leave your side, Master, no matter what they would say or do." Sirgia lets out a small chuckle. "No, I'm not talking only about material things but also everyone. This place is a second home and family I never had."

"Ah, yes, we are so lucky to be part of this, aren't we?" I smile at her warmly.

"We are, Master." She mirrors it with a cute flush. "I might be the luckiest and happiest Dwarf of this world."

Smirking lightly, I peck her forehead. "Wait until we win over your family."

"I can't wait." My cute wife giggles quietly. "My masterworks are ready. I hope they are enough."

"There's no doubt about that." I ruffle her hair strongly. "You are a genius and don't ever doubt it. What are you going to show them?"

A mischievous glint sparkles in her charming eyes. "You will see during our journey, Master."

"Leaving me unaware, are we?" I raise a playful brow at her, threatening my petite lover with tickles, but the short lady flees my grasp with some more chuckles. "Alright, keep your secrets, then."

"You are not going to make me confess, Master?" Sirgia peeks out from behind the counter.

"I could, but I could also just wait for you to tell me yourself." I grin at her. "I wonder how long you will endure sleeping in separate tents."

"Noooooooooooooo!" She whines jokingly and rushes right into my embrace.

Picking her up, I spin us around as we both laugh merrily. When I stop, Sirgia peers deep into my eyes from above before stealing my lips with a dainty peck or two. Holding her steady, I sit the petite Dwarf down on the closest surface.

"Anything you need help with?" I ask as we shower each other in tender affection.

"Tomorrow. Come here with Diana, Master. I'll get everything ready. Then, we can depart whenever you want," Sirgia replies.

"Got it." I nod. "Do we know the path already?"

With one last kiss, she jumps off the island and trots to another, wider piece of furniture. Following the talented smith, I find ourselves looking down at a few maps pieced together. There are a few routes marked on them, all originating from the Human capital. As expected, Sirgia didn't prepare only a single option for us to enjoy.

"Depending on Master's choice, we have three main paths we can take, and about three more optional ones," she begins. "Lyona and the others helped me a lot during my research as I wasn't sure how much changed since my… disappearance."

I hug her from behind. "Amazing work. I'll thank them later too. What are those paths, then? Are we going to have to cross a desert again?"

Letting herself be comforted for a moment, Sirgia starts pointing at the lines. "My homeland is in a different direction, so no, most likely not. The first option is to go by the sea near the shore. It's a very wind-dependant option that might end up being either the shortest or the longest one, even if we consider hiring wind magicians to push the sails."

"Perhaps we could ask for a favour from a few nearby aquatic creatures and races." I rub my chin pondering. "What's next?"

"We go by land and travel through a lot of forests, reaching a massive mountain range. There is a mercantile path over it, but it's always dangerous due to the weather. It's technically the fastest as there is not much more on the way after making it past the snowy hills," she continues.

"But again it depends on the conditions," I point out. "And the last main one?"

"We go the same way, but under the mountains, utilising old Dwarven roads and mines," Sirgia replies. "They are in a decent state, but no one has maintained them for decades already, if not longer, since these connections are way too close to Human lands. The trip would be a bit longer as we would need to be careful. And, after coming up on the other side, we would need to make it through a dense jungle full of predators and other dangers. The jungle received the name Pit of Gluttony after enough Humans and other races were eaten alive by it. But, I think it won't be a problem for Master."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence." I snicker lightly. "Boat sounds the safest but also the most random. Plus, we would be stuck on a ship for a long time again. I've honestly barely stepped on land after my recent operation."

"I think so too, Master. And I don't mind any choice you make. They are all valid options. I can also explain the additional routes if you wish," she says.

"This much is enough. And do you have any personal preference?" I ask, roaming my gaze over the mapped regions. "This doesn't have to be solely my choice. We are going together, aren't we?"

Sirgia shows a delicate smile and turns to study the paths once again. I admire her thoughtful expression until she peeks back at me.

"Personally… I would like to go through the tunnels…" she answers with a timid tone. "I always wanted to explore them and witness the great architecture of our ancestors…"

"Then it's decided." I peck her rosy cheek. "Since it's only the two of us, we can make this into a sightseeing trip. I'm certainly curious about architecture too. And who knows? We might even stumble on some ancient secrets others could have missed."

"That would be amazing, Master." Sirgia giggles. "But we shouldn't get our hopes too high. Many adventurers and scavengers must have already searched them out for any treasure."

"It's good then that we consider knowledge and simply having fun a treasure too, isn't it?" I wink at her and can easily see that my beloved Dwarf girl agrees wholeheartedly. "Come on. If you are done packing, let's slowly get to bed. We'll need a good rest if we want to leave early."

"Good idea, Master. Especially since you might not get much sleep tonight," she replies with a tiny sly grin, her cheeks burning more.

The cryptic warning or maybe a threat becomes clear after we reach our bedroom and find all the ladies who have managed to sneak into my heart more than ready to deliver on the promise their short sister-wife made earlier. It looks like they all want to share a pleasant moment before I'm gone for a while once more, departing shortly after returning from the last quest.

And who am I to deny them?

So, just as Sirgia predicted, we don't get much sleep done for quite a few hours ahead, and many others would most likely not too if only I hadn't silenced the bedroom properly. With so many beautiful ladies moaning to the heavens and begging for more, there's no way the walls would have been enough to provide privacy. Or shield the residents from unnecessary stimulation.

Only Sirgia and Cornelia are spared from getting satisfied strongly enough to barely remain conscious. The first one because we obviously have to get up and depart soon, and even with all the healing and recovery magic it would be simply impossible to get rid of all the evidence and ghost sensations, while the second one because she's switched her preferred treatment to a bit more gentle, sweet, and affectionate making of love.

Which suits me perfectly.

I take the two of them together as my first pair of lovers send each other smiles. Amidst our throes of passion, I catch them exchanging a word or two, especially when the topic revolves around children. Surprisingly, it's Cornelia who taunts my lovely Dwarf girl with her current state, trying to goad Sirgia into carrying my baby too.

Even though her way of conveying the message is as rude and snarky as always, I think we can both recognise her real intentions after this much time spent together. Embarrassed to admit it directly, she simply wishes for Sirgia to experience the gift of motherhood alongside her, and for her friend to be blessed with the same honour, especially seeing that Sirgia is technically my first wife.

I can feel a tinge of amusement in my lovely Dwarf's mind, alongside a trace of determination and resolution. When she arrives at it, I'm in the middle of showering her with delicate affection from behind as she lays atop Cornelia, and her embrace welcomes me even more firmly as she shyly peeks over her shoulder.

It seems like I'll need to be ready for another ritual when we are done taking care of Sirgia's family matters.

After the farewell orgy wraps up, we all fall asleep together. Sirgia and Cornelia concede their spots by my side to other ladies for the night and I end up with Lyona and Elise around me, with the others surrounding us as usual. I'm already quite used to sleeping under a pile of naked bodies or waking up in rather strange arrangements.

In the morning, I wake up to half of the bed being empty, and the other half drags me to the baths. We quickly take care of each other and head for breakfast. Today, it's Sirgia who gets to be the main cook while the others aid her in the preparation of our meals. It's not surprising she wanted to experience this once more before we leave as there's just so much she's learned since the beginning of this place.

She receives well-deserved praise for the cooking from the ladies and myself, beaming at us proudly thanks to her achievement. And no, we don't have to fake our reactions or assessments to not hurt the short girl's feelings or confidence. The meals she has prepared are simply great.

With breakfast taken care of, everyone unhurriedly scatters to follow their daily rituals, obligations, responsibilities, and so on. As for me, I follow Sirgia down to her forge as instructed yesterday. She checks a few things around the workshop and turns to me with a sizable wooden box by her side.

"Would you mind calling Diana here, Master?" she asks, looking up at me.

With one mental ping, the ominous wolf emerges from the shadows and towers over us both. If I didn't know better, I would be scared for Sirgia's safety. Diana can easily chomp on over half of my beloved Dwarf's figure in one swoop. Even as my animal companion affectionately licks Sirgia's face as a greeting, her tongue blocks the petite girl's almost whole face.

"Enough, please." Sirgia giggles while trying to defend herself.

I chuckle quietly and start rubbing behind Diana's ear, stopping our friend from assaulting her so much. "What do you need her for?"

Wiping her face off, Sirgia lifts the lid of the crate and pulls out a multi-segment purple leather thingy in the shape of a… saddle? Even though the item is extremely customised, I have no doubt that's its main purpose. I've never seen such a massive saddle, though. It feels long enough to comfortably seat—

Oh.

"Diana, could you please lie down for a second?" I request and the wolf obliges instantly.

Sirgia knows I've figured it out and motions at me for help. The two of us hoist the massive saddle onto Diana's back and it falls onto the black fur with perfect alignment. Every ridge in the big canine's frame is counted for. Sirgia hastily works on the comfortable belts and the harness in the middle while Diana doesn't look bothered in the slightest by it.

I have a feeling this isn't the first time she's allowed my sweet smith to put things on her back.

After the two-person saddle is firmly and comfortably mounted on our valiant steed, Sirgia starts attaching a few additional elements looking like not-too-big bags, trunks, wraps, bundles, and so on. When asked about their role when we can carry everything in our spatial storages, she says that it's a good idea to keep appearances. Travellers with no baggage are more suspicious since spatial magic is extremely rare due to it being part of the lost arts.

When she's finally done, Diana looks more like a war steed than a pack mule. Everything fits her body incredibly well and the colours match in a dazzling composition of purples and dark greys. Naturally, most containers bear the mark of our mercenaries, which is to be expected. She will be one giant advertisement during our trip.

We've just created an equivalent of those wrapped cars making circles around town centres to promote services, haven't we?

"Will all of this stay attached when she shifts through the shadows?" I wonder out loud.

Taking my words as an actual inquiry, the wolf in question dives into one corner and surges out of another with completely no change.

"Now I wonder what else the two of you might have been up to while I wasn't looking." I smirk at Sirgia, who sports a fair blush and timidly glances away.

"Nothing much, Master…" my beloved replies quietly. "We are just preparing for when you recruit more steeds for the mercenary girls…"

"We would first need to find—" I pause mid-sentence and squint at the shortie. "What's the chance of us stumbling on Diana's kind in those tunnels?"

The blush on Sirgia's cheeks reaches a crescendo. "Ummm… About sixty percent?"

I let out an amused snort. "Of course…"

"I promise that's not the only reason why I suggested that path…" she continues, escaping my gaze again. "I really do want to see them…"

Leaning down to reassure my lover with a gentle kiss, I give Sirgia a warm smile. "I believe you. But I also believe in you being smart enough to combine efficiency with enjoyment. I should have expected it, honestly. My sweet little genius."

She buries her face in my chest and we hug dearly for a moment.

"What about space for them? They won't all be able to stay in my shadow, will they? Actually, I don't even know where Diana stays most of the time," I ponder out loud.

"Diana spends most of her time either in the forests around the city or with us in the mansion. You must have noticed her sleeping next to our bed plenty of times, Master. Sometimes she likes to stay a night out there in the wilderness," Sirgia clarifies. "As for the other wolves, I passed the plans for a cavern-themed resting chamber to the others. It should be taken care of during our absence. It will be as natural as possible while also equipped with comfortable beddings and other pleasant things that could be useful to both young and mature individuals. And their riders."

"You girls thought of everything, didn't you?" I snicker.

"We are trying our best to lessen your burden, Master," she responds.

"And you are doing an amazing job. To the point that I feel guilty for not doing enough."

"You know that's not right, Master," Sirgia protests.

"Yes, yes, I know." I silence her with a finger over her plump lips. "Love you all."

Next, we actually fill the bags and other containers with some useful stuff. It will be nice to experience a road trip the old-fashioned way. Most things will still stay in our spatial rings, but still.

As the last piece, I help Sirgia mount a sizable wooden rectangle resembling a big suitcase but without the functionality. I can't see it being capable of opening in any way but there are multiple runes, symbols, patterns, and even gems embedded into it. They don't look pricy, but I know better to judge by appearance. They might be the most valuable crystals in this world. Sirgia just knows not to flaunt those things unnecessarily.

"This is everything, Master," Sirgia says, admiring our work. "We are good to leave as soon as I change."

"Alright. See you in front of the entrance in a bit?" I ask.

"I'll be quick. The others must be waiting." She hastily scurries into an adjacent chamber.

Wondering what she means, I walk the passage back to the mansion and climb up, heading for the lobby. Then, the answer appears before my eyes as I spot everyone, and I truly mean everyone gathered inside. The upper level is full of heads and shoulders poking past the stylish railing while the lower level is crowded on the sides, leaving the centre empty and guarded by two lines of our respected merc ladies standing at attention. My kind wives stand at the far end, near the doors leading outside.

Right.

As I approach them, the girls everywhere send me their wishes of good luck and safe travels. Ressia's women salute me and Diana when we pass in front of them. I might need to expect such grand events every time I depart and return now, I guess.

"As flashy as always." I chuckle as I stand in front of my lovers.

Ria smiles proudly. "You know it's not just for you but also for everyone to have a chance to see you off, yes?"

I roll my eyes at her teasing as they laugh softly. Sirgia soon jogs up to us from behind and I pause for a moment to admire her travelling getup. She wears heavy, grey boots that can surely deliver a good hit if necessary, brown cargo shorts with plenty of pockets, a leather chest armour of the same colour, crossed by belts with trinkets and mixtures, then equally armoured pauldrons and bracers with fingerless gloves. Behind her back, she keeps her trusty hammer, or at least some iteration of it as it's definitely a superior version to what she's been using back in the day.

Yep. She looks both badass and adorable.

"What do you think, Master?" Sirgia stops in front of me and timidly displays her attire with a faint flush. "I was going to pick the same colours as everyone, but I don't think I should as I'm not really part of the mercenary force."

"It's perfect." I ruffle through her fragrant hair. "As long as it's also safe."

"Duh." Cornelia snorts behind me. "Who do you think she is? Even you would have a hard time damaging it."

"I'm gonna take your word for it." I wink at my dazzling magician. "Ready?"

Sirgia confirms and we spend a few minutes exchanging a few words with the ladies, interrupted by some kisses and hugs. I make sure to tell Hecate to be a good girl and take breaks sometimes. One day, I'll need to take her with me on some journey since it's clear that she won't suggest it on her own, perfectly happy just enacting my will in the city.

Then, we move outside and the two of us hop onto Diana's back. Sirgia takes the front while I end up behind her, with a small ridge separating us slightly for a more comfortable seating position. She can still lean back to rest on me but she won't be sliding all over the seat. Smart design.

Ressia announces that they are going to escort us and I don't protest after she looks at me with those puppy eyes and a wagging tail. Waving goodbye to everyone once more, we slowly head out in a formation. The girls take our sides as Diana parades in the middle. The passersby must be wondering what the hell is happening with such a grand procession.

Reaching the edge of the capital, Ressia commands her troops into one last salute and I nod at her respectfully. They watch us attentively, waiting for our departure. I glance around to see if we are more or less alone, then smile at them and gesture for them to come.

In a flash, their formation is broken and all twelve women rush to us so that they can get some pats, rubs, scratches, and kisses too. I could feel just how much they wanted to get close for the last time but held themselves in proper order as their role dictated. When all ears are caressed and all cheeks pecked, they obediently back off and wave at us happily as Diana lunges into a sprint 

And so, the journey begins anew. What will it bring? I can only guess, but even that most likely won't be anywhere close to reality. The only hope I have is our successful meeting with Sirgia's family and getting her deserved recognition. I'm going to do anything to support my petite lover.

With Diana's speed, we pretty much fly alongside the main road, watching for any carriages and horses so as not to cause any accidents. Knowing that she can't really jump ahead through the shadows infinitely, we are going to save that ability for a more difficult terrain.

As we make our way forward, I catch Sirgia shooting me occasional glances over her shoulder. I don't make much of them at first, but after a few times, I finally raise a curious brow at the sneaky Dwarf. Noticing that she has my attention, she returns her face forward and flips some kind of a switch in her range.

I watch as the handle she is holding onto in the front splits into two and moves to the sides, changing its angle by about forty-five degrees. Some mechanical noises continue to rise from underneath us as those two handles slide further forward and the separator between us sinks into the saddle, turning it into one smooth bench. The stirrups also switch their positions a bit, pushing her knees a bit higher. All those changes result in Sirgia's frame leaning heavily forward as she arches her slim back alluringly and pushes her plump butt more into the air, practically lying atop her seat.

Then, just as I'm trying to figure out what kind of racing position this is and if I should be worried about a sudden increase in speed, my own handles, which have always been on the sides, around her waist and past her frame, also slide forward with mechanical sounds and I descend onto my adorable Dwarf as my hands are pulled forward. By the time the handles reach their intended position, my chest rests against Sirgia's back and her bubbly behind is rather strongly pressing into my crotch.

When she once more takes a peek at me over her shoulder, this time blushing heavily, it finally dawns on me.

"Did you really design this saddle so that I can fuck you atop Diana's back as we are both riding our proud wolf?" I ask in mock disbelief.

She doesn't answer, but the next time she tries to gauge my reaction with another glance, I can see her timidly biting down on her lip.

Gods, the smartest girls can be the horniest of the bunch, I swear.

Leaning heavily onto her and pressing my bulge into her shorts, I whisper into her cute ear. "I can't wait until we move off the path."

Sirgia shivers lightly and I let out a quiet chuckle. For now, she has to be satisfied with our intimate position as Diana really speeds up like a champ.

This is going to be an eventful trip.