"Yes. I've been. At that plateau for a little while. It's maddening." He said.
"I've enriched your plateau and removed the restraints on you. You're able to far exceed what you previously can do now." I explained.
"Well, that sounds well worth it. If I can go beyond what I used to.. I may not actually have a limit this time." Dirthin decided.
"But seriously, I should get you food, silly Kitten." I said l, nuzzling him again, and snuggling up to him.
"Oh, I suppose food would be a good idea." He said, his stomache echoing the sentiment.
I laughed, getting up with him, and heading to the over sized kitchen. I was glad I already lifted the restrictions on staff eating meals bothered were days I didn't bother to, after all. The way it typically worked was a feast is prepared for the royal family and the servants eat the left overs. Which was stupid in my opinion.
I got busy making us our meal, preparing all kinds of goodies for Dirthin that I knew he enjoyed. I had a most unfortunate reaction to chicken, though. I smelled it's scent and nausea hit me. I dropped everything I was doing and retched into a trash bin.
"Are you alright? Did the chicken not agree with you?" Dirthin asked, concerned.
"Do you think you can handle the chicken?" I asked, once I was recovered enough to.
"Cooking wise, yes. Not much of a farm hand though." Dirthin responded. Getting up and helping with it.
When I drew closer to help with other things, the smell of the chicken drove me away again. I said, "How picky."
"Well, maybe he won't be a fan of chicken." Dirthin commented.
"Well, at least this is the first time that's been an issue." I commented. "Mm. I was told we had many casualties."
"Now you've gone and jinxed yourself. But yes, we did have quite a few casualties that we had to re-kill." Dirthin said.
"I see." I said. I took my contact item and reached out to Plight. "Hello, Plight. Have our dead been buried? If not, I would like to resurrect them. The Undead, too, if they aren't ashes."
"No, our dead have not been buried yet. We have been gathering them to identify them." Plight said.
"Excellent. I will be there soon, I just have to feed my Champion first. And call an Arch druid." I said, grinning.
"Alright. I will inform the others to not start burying them." Plight said.
"Thanks, Plight. I appreciate you." I said.
"Not as much as the families will appreciate you, I'm sure." Plight replied.
I ended the contact, reaching out to the Sultan. "My Lord, it's Vexie."
"Yes, Vexie, what can I do for you?" He asked.
"I require you to come to Winter's Halt in about an hour." I said. "I am going to show off the might of Residuum."
"Oh my, boosting the worth of your wares are you?" He asked.
"Nah. I'm going to flaunt a show of absolute power." I replied.
"Alright. I will be there. Sounds like quite a show." He said.
I ended the contact with him and reached out to Chihul. "Four pounds of residuum, with five as components to cast True Resurrection on the fallen in the battle. You keep what is not used."
"No.. wait. Hm. Alright, that's fine. Sounds good." Chihul agreed.
I ended the contact looking pleased.
Dirthin looked at me, "What is happening?"
"I am going to make a miracle happen." I said.
"Oh? What kind of miracle? You are already trying to convert the desert into fertile land. That sounds pretty miraculous already." Dirthin said.
"A mass True Resurrection." I said. "It'll revive all the previously undead people."
"How do you plan on doing that without killing yourself?" He asked.
"Chihul can cast it. The Residuum will help spread and empower the magic." I informed him. "It's what resuduum does."
"How much of this stuff is need for such a big spell?" Dirthin asked.
"Hmm. I am allotting six pounds, but I doubt it will use all of it." I said, helping with the meal again since the chicken was cooked enough to not ward me away. "To cast a single True Resurrection, it would cost only a quarter tea spoon worth of Residuum dust."
"Wow, that's some impressive stuff. I'm surprised my brother never tried to get his hands on it." Dirthin said.
"He probably doesn't know it exists." I shrugged. "Want me to ask him?"
"No, no, I don't need to be running around after this stuff. I need a vacation." Dirthin said.
"You wouldn't have to. I could just negotiate with James for him to provide a security guard for the refinery in exchange for a couple pounds a month." I shrugged.
"Ah, well, yes. He probably would leap at the chance for that." Dirthin replied.
"It's not a bad idea anyways." I said, our food was ready so we plated what we wanted of it, taking it to a more comfortable room to eat in. "I should probably invite influential families to witness the 'miracle', anyways."
"Not much point to a show if no one is invited." Dirthin said.
"I'll invite James, and use a broadcast for everyone else." I said.
"Alright, when do you plan on doing this precisely?" He asked.
"After we eat." I said.
"That quickly. Alright. Guess we better eat up, then." Dirthin said.
"It's ok, I gave us an hour." I said. Munching a bit of our meal.
"Ooh, a whole hour." He said.
I impaled his food with a fork, narrowing my eyes at him, and offering him the bite. "There abouts."
He smiled and took the bite. "Alright."
As we ate, I used my device to contact James. "Hello, James. Can I trouble you some in an hour?"
"I suppose. Truly depends on what for." James replied.
"An abuse or display of power.. showing off a rare and incredibly expensive substance that doesn't exist on this continent.. or an interesting show. You could consider it any of these." I said.
"Hah. Well, I suppose I shall come and take a look, then." James said.
"Alright. It will be displayed in Winter's Halt." I said.
"Alright. I suppose I'll use Dirthin's door to get there." James said.
"Ah, if he hasn't said anything, he is well. His armor isn't, but I'm getting him fed currently." I said.
"I had expected as much. I suppose I will let him have a vacation after this." James said.
"If you could convince him to actually take a vacation and relax, that would be a spectacular feat." I commented.
"Eh, the most I can do is stop giving him jobs for a little while. What he does with his time I have no control over." James replied.
I certainly agreed. Letting James be, I returned to my meal. I snuck some of mine to Dirthin's plate. When he finally glanced at his plate, he said, "Either my plate is magical, or I have a bad memory."
I giggled, "Why do you say so?"
"Well, I could have sworn I had eaten more than this." He said.
"Mm. You did." I said.
"So it is magical." He said.
"Mm, no, it isn't." I replied.
"Oh, then you have someone tied to the ceiling dropping food on my plate." He said.
I laughed, "No, Kitten. I've given you more."
He laughed, "Ah, well, I suppose that is more probable. Or they are under the table!" He even looked.
I giggled which turned into a fit of laughter. He laughed, too. Eating some more. "Perhaps tomorrow, I'll pretend to not be a queen and we can do whatever you like. What do you think?" I asked.
"Ah, if you can find the time, sure. We can go somewhere no one knows you're Queen." Dirthin said.
"The Night Market?" I suggested.
"Sure. We were supposed to go there and check out all kinds of things, especially the food." He said.
I nodded, leaning against him. "You're really adorable."
"Oh, thank you for noticing." He said. "You're quite the cute one yourself."
I leaned on him, while we finished up our meal. Once we were done, we got ready to go, and headed to Winter's Halt. Much as I'd gone there before, I just asked Traxigor for assistance with it. It worked out fine, because this made it so everyone arrived nearly simultaneously.
Chihul approached me, and I handed him the necessary bags. He glanced upwards, and a bird came to him. He spoke druidic to it, then some more birds came down from the sky. I refrained from making bird jokes, bit the birds distributed the residuum into the dead. I began the broadcast with the Sultan.
Presenting a united front, I thanked the efforts of those who fell, and those who survived the efforts to quell the undead that swormed the Southern town, and then I announced that the Sultan and I felt that the loss off life was too great, and that we'd chosen to rectify it.
By the time I reached the conclusion of my words, Chihul had nodded to me. So, I gestured to him, asking if he would. He nodded, and drank a suude potion. Then began casting the True Resurrection spell, which included the dead Undead. The green glowed brightly until it dissolved into the corpses.
All this was displayed through the broadcast, until the magic settled, the bodies mended and healed, becoming healthy in appearance until Chihul completed his spell. By the end of it, they'd all come alive, and started sitting up. Some were confused, checking their bodies, others greeted loved ones who had been grieving.
Either way, all were alive once more. Even the Dracolich, which had been a black dragon, who sprang up and flew away. Alarmed at it's life being restored. Having witnessed that, many fell silent. I just took a breath, and spoke again.
"Once again, I'd like to thank all present for your part in the recent battle, and to those who were previously Undead, I hope you'll settle back into life well." I said, and ended the broadcast.
Dirthin leaned towards me, quietly asking, "Um.. why the dragon, too?"
"Had I to guess.. I would say because a druid is gonna druid." I replied.
"Well, I suppose I can't argue that." He said.
"On the other hand, we found some Leonin." I pointed out. There were a fair number of them amongst the previously undead.
"Leave it to a lich to employ the best." Dirthin said.
"And just like this, I should be able to boost people more next time something like that happens." I commented, as James approached.
"Well, that certainly sounds handy." Dirthin said.
"Now, that was quite a show. Glad I was able to attend." James said.
"Mm. You want explanation?" I asked.
"Yes, I would appreciate an explanation in all this." James said.
"Mostly a whim." I said quietly, glancing towards the Sultan. Then a little louder, "I have been telling the Sultan about Residuum, something that I possess a supply of. This was a good chance to do something right, while showing off the power of Residuum."
"So this display was the work of this material?" James asked.
"Yes. Residuum can replace components, strengthen and enhance magic spells. As well as increase potency of alchemy and magic items." I said. "In addition to that, acts of benevolence during ascension to a throne is welcome, especially after violent displays."
"Where does this material come from?" James asked.
"Whitestone. Which is worthless. I possess a whitestone mine. Once it's processed in a refinery, it dissovles into Residuum crystals or dust, and that's when it becomes valuable. It's worth in the Empire is the equivalent to five hundred adamantine bars for just a pound, just so you have a frame of reference." I explained.
"That is an expensive crystal, then. You used an untold amount for this display, I hope it comes out to be worth it." James said.
"It is enough already." I said. Glancing towards the reunited families. Their happiness and relief were evident, even through the tears. I looked at the Sultan, "More work, right?"
He smiled at me and said, "It will be worth while. I will go and help the newly awakened ones settle."
I grinned, "Oh, good. I'll make the messes and you can clean up." He laughed and went towards Phintias. They then started gathering up the people. I stretched a little, then said, "James?"
"Yes, Vexie?" James replied.
"Want an expensive toy?" I asked, taking a bag of Residuum out of my pack.
"You would simply give this to me?" He asked.
"Yep. And if you decide you want more, we can discuss a deal, then." I replied.
"Alright, I will be on my way with this, then. It is appreciated." James said.
"Very well. One thing, James, it can make powerful potions and such, but it is addictive when consumed." I said, as he accepted it. He headed off, with thanks, as a woman with a large drake pressed against her side approached us. Recognizing her from years prior, I greeted her. "Long time, still no see, Vern."
"Ha ha, Vexie. So funny." She said, monotone, her head angled towards the drake, and the drake staring at me.
"Your lizard has grown." I noted.
"Lizard?" She asked, puzzled.
I looked at the drake, then said, "Nevermind. You look fine."
"Yes. We're fine. An interesting choice you've made. Hope it's appreciated." Vern said.
"It will be. I would recommend the Dueling Rivers territory to watch over the hunting in." I told her. "It is the easiest to get acquainted with, and the easiest to memorize."
"If that's what you wish." Vern said.
"It is. Incidentally, the stone Goliath and the Goblin he is with are from that district. They are sweet, they'll probably show you about." I suggested.
Vern nodded, "Alright. I will find an opportunity to make myself acquainted with them."
"Out of curiosity, is there something wrong with your neck?" Dirthin asked her.
"No, there isn't. Why?" Vern asked.
"Then a follow up, are you visually impaired, and that is why you don't bother to look at who you're talking to?" Dirthin asked.
"Yes. Biri sees for me." Vern answered.
"Have you never sought to have this fixed?" He asked.
"Previous attempts others have made have not impacted my blindness for long, and it does not impact my bowmanship. I do not view it as an ailment, so it is not recovered through magical means." Vern explained.
"I want to be clear, this is not a threat, simply curiosity. But if you were no longer able to see through Biri's eyes, would you consider it an ailment, then?" Dirthin asked.
"No. Because I do not always use Biri. I work alone majorally, so when Biri has died in battle I have had to rely on my own senses again. I was already a hundred and twelve before I gained Biri." Vern said.
"So you would need to be robbed of all senses before you'd consider it an ailment. How tenacious." Dirthin said, sounding impressed.
"I do recognize that people are weary of Biri. I should dismiss her for now." Vern said, petting her friends head, and doing so.
The relief on others was pretty palpable. "Should I introduce you to the Goliath and Goblin, then?" I asked.
"If that is what you want to do, sure." Vern said.
So I took her hand and walked her to where Bibs and Kershka were helping the Sultan wrangle and arrange people. We'd gained around two thousand citizens who used to be undead. Kershka waved at our approach.
Saying nothing, I used Prestidigitation to clean Kershka. And then Bibs. "Vern, this is Bibs and Kershka. Kershka is the Goliath."
"Good to meet you both." Vern greeted, bowing her head slightly.
"Vern is the Ranger I will be assigning to Dueling Rivers area, to prevent poaching." I informed them.
"Ah, that will be of great help." Bibs said.
"I can assist you with your current task if you please. I believe you both are trying to help sort living arrangements for the revived?" Vern offered.
"Indeed, it's going to be a lot of paperwork tied to this. But that's the Sultan's and Queen's problem." Bibs said. "Your assistance would be appreciated."
Vern released my hand and touched both men. Then she nodded and moved her hands away, "Alright, just tell me what to do."
"Alright, just follow us." Bibs said.
Vern did as she was told, and I turned to Dirthin, "I do not think that there is anything else I need to do here."
"Does that mean we get to start out day of non monarchy?" Dirthin asked.
I chuckled, and went to find Traxigor. I whispered to him what I wanted, and we were teleported away by him. Appearing in the Night Market. It had already been late, now it was just about dark. I pulled Dirthin into an alcove, having him shield me from view, while I stripped, changing my clothes to be less conspicuous.
"Hoh, this is starting very well." Dirthin commented, watching me.
"Oh? Want something?" I teased him, straightening to give him a better view.
"Maybe in a more private setting, but I'll remember this for later." He said warmly.
I snuggled up to his chest, bare breastfed, and said, "Prefer to tup in private?"
"Indeed." He replied.
I chuckled, placing my hand on my belly. "Look at this, your son is such a big boy already."
"He's definitely going to outgrow me." Dirthin said.
I pulled on my shirt, then. "He may well. He should start being able to hear us, soon."
"I'll mind my tongue." He laughed. "How do you know if he hears us?"
"Mm." I hopped up to steal a kiss, then ducked under his arm, to walk forward. "We're more advanced. Come on, I'll show you a pertinent book."
"Ok, let's check this place out." He said, looking excited.
I took his arm and led him to the oldest bookstore I knew in the Market, and led him to the newer baby books. I opened it up, "See? Here it says, 'After researching four thousand pregnancies, demi-human and otherwise this are the discoveries.'" I flipped a few pages, "'At sixteen weeks is when the fetuses ears develope.' That would be about eleven weeks for us, I'm at nearly eight."
"How would they have researched this? I don't understand." Dirthin said.
"Well, the answer is pretty dark. But we can go experience one of the methods, if you'd like." I said.
"Something tells me I won't like any answers to this, and that I'll want to kill people. So it's best we not." Dirthin said.
I shrugged. "It's been refined to a harmless peek."
"A harmless peek? How?" He asked.
"I don't understand it, personally. It combines targeted sound to generate an image of peoples insides." I said. "That's really all I know of it."
"That sounds bizarre. And yet, still very helpful." Dirthin said.
"Shall we get some books, then move on to peek at the cub?" I asked.
"Sure. That sounds.. very interesting." He said.
We looked around the store, selecting what books we'd like. He got several that would interest his brother and Isarial. And a few about music for his sister in law. Then after purchasing our books, and storing them in my bag of holding, we headed two miles from the bookshop to the artificer's medical shop.
I informed them that we wanted to see our cub, and they took us into a back room and had me sit on a table. I started getting anxious as they brought the equipment in. With that anxiety, I held Dirthin's hand. They had me reveal my belly, and lay back. Then they used a wand type thing, that had a gel on it, to slide it along where the cub would be.
I hated the gooey sensation. But the display lit up with an odd shape. The machine started making an odd rhythmic sound. And we saw an teeny arm move. The artificer pointed out the head, arms, legs and tail of the cub, and said the sound was the heart beat and that the 'baby' appeared to be sleeping.
"Ah, then we should be very quiet." Dirthin said, in fact quietly.
"Developmentally, the baby doesn't appear to be very far along, but it is big and well formed." The artificer said.
"What does that mean exactly?" Dirthin asked.
"I suppose that does depend in how far along in the pregnancy she is." The artificer said.
"Nearly eight weeks." I said.
"Then yes, it is at the right development, and is properly formed for it's age. It's nearly twice the size it should be, though. What this means is a large, but healthy, baby." The artificer explained.
"Is she going to be alright?" Dirthin asked.
The artificer thought for a moment, then said, "Women are rather remarkably resilient. With experienced healers, she'll be fine. You may want to have her rest as much as possible when her belly rounds, though. We haven't quite figured out how to safely remove the baby.. and the Emporer prevented those who were experimenting from continuing their works."
"I do not even want to begin to think about how such things were experimented. But she will certainly have the best healers available." Dirthin said.
We were invited to come back again, to keep an eye on the progress of our 'baby', we paid for the service, and we headed along. I took him three miles back the direction we came from to get fruit crepes. They were delicious, and the next stall had barbecue skewers. Then refreshing drinks called Lassi. Then Takoyaki.
"This place is going to make me fat, and I am ok with it." Dirthin said.
"Oh, I can help you work off the extra food." I said, winking at him.
"I wouldn't need any exercise regimen, would I?" Dirthin asked.
I giggled, getting him to try some milk puddings and other delicious foods, before went to a weapons and armor shops. We looked around for a bit before heading on to look at other things. He was particularly interested in any and all technological advancements we'd made.
There weren't many. Cooking gadgets, clothes washing and folding tools, and tools to assist in the studies of all sorts of things. I told him all I knew of the things he asked about. We even found some more foods to try. It was well past dark by now. Close to midnight even. We hadn't even experienced half if the market, but I was growing tired.
"Are you getting sleepy?" He asked.
"Yeah. Sorry." I answered.
"It's quite alright, it is getting quite late. I haven't been paying attention to the time." Dirthin said.
"Want to stop in at an Inn?" I asked. "Or I can call Traxigor."
"Oh, let's find out what kinds of inns this place has. Or do we have to find a market for that?" He asked.
Do I took him through a couple of alleys and to an Inn. There were four nearby, with the more comfortable one having only one room left. I let us check out the other ones. But we went with the comfy one. Once we were inside, I ran a bath for us, willfully stripping my clothes off slowly.
"Trying to tease me, eh? You're doing a good job." Dirthin said.
"Mm. I can try if you'd like." I replied flirtatiously.
"Oh? This isn't you trying? By all means. Show me." He said.
With a smile, I playfully began a nude, sultry dance. Once the bath was ready, I got into the tub and bade he join me. "Come here?"
"On my way." He said, stripping and joining me.
I immediately went to task, shampooing his fur and working a lather into his coat. When he started to enjoy it, I kissed him. "I'm so glad you're alright."
"I am. This oath you had me do will help protect me and you. Our cub will want for nothing besides a break from training, I'm sure. So much has happened in so little time." He said.
"Mm, yeah, we've only know each other for two months and you've already got me pregnant and fattening." I grinned. "I do hope we can spoil our son."
"How could we not?" He asked.
I smiled at him. "I'm trying my best to ensure if he wants to be a proper prince that it'll be his choice. In that, he's already very spoiled."
"Who knows how the Sultan will react to someone not of his blood ruling." Dirthin said.
"That doesn't matter because our son could rule the Isla or here." I said, starting to wash his mane.
"True, it is entirely possible they could rule either place. We will have to see." He said.
"Or neither, and he can do as he pleases in life." I said. "Any other cub I have, I won't be able to spare them."
"Indeed, it will be tough for them." Dirthin said.
"Eh. Probably won't matter." I said, rinsing him, and then sitting on the edge to methodically clean myself fully within his view. He soon began to 'help' me, which was really just him feeling me and teasing the spots he knew he could get me excited with.
The sex that followed was wonderfully intense, but it didn't end in the tub. We rinsed ourselves, barely enough, before he pinned me to the bed and had his way with me. Afterwards, we kissed and cuddled before he was buried inside deeply me again. And after that time, he obliged my begged request for him to do it again. We fell deeply asleep after that, or at least I did.
In the late morning, after some more teasing, I rode him. After we were sated, we got dressed and headed out to try out some more street foods. We began visiting more shops. He got some souvenirs for his family, and I collected some things for our cub. We stopped by a magic shop, and I got two port keys. They would allow myself and another to teleport to a location we chose, even through forbiddance magicks.
This would be my wedding gift to him. It would aide him when he needed to find me for our copulation sessions in the future. We'd only need to worry about it once I was no longer pregnant. We hadn't even discussed the marriage consummation. It could be possible that he wouldn't bother to until after my cubs birth.
I didn't want to think on if he would be repulsed by my body. Humans either loved or hated fur. And I'd never slept with a human before. Pulling my thoughts from my task, and applying them back to our shopping adventure. I bought a disguise ring, and before we returned to Valor's Crest, I changed my fur to orange and my stripes black.
Then I took us, with a port key, to the market area near the Hearthry Estate so that he could give his family the gifts he bought them, since they were in my bag. It was just past dinnertime when we entered and I dropped the orange fur disguise. Oddly, the rest of the Hearthry's were coming out of the dining room at this time.
"Welcome home Uncle," Isarial greeted. "Hello, Vexie."
"Hullo, your Uncle brought you all gifts. Can you believe he made me carry it?" I said, pretending to be put out and frustrated with him. Even flicking my ears back and narrowing my eyes at him.
"What's wrong with making the strong one carry things?" Dirthin responded in kind.
I laughed, "You're shameless."
"And you're just now realizing this? He has been shameless for years. Trying to keep yourself in check, brother?" James said.
"I would like to think that I've always kept myself in check." Dirthin responded.
"To whose standard?" James asked.
"My own, obviously." Dirthin said.
"Obviously." James replied.
"Whatcha get, Little Brother?" Snow asked. Her curiosity barely contained, even while she held Jasper.
"All sorts of things." Dirthin replied. We went to the family room and he gave out the books and souvenirs he'd brought. All sorts of different things.
For Isarial it was some small and interesting tools and gadgets, which he began looking over with great fascination. James got more books. He brought Snow a decorated Saung, which was native to my isla. For little Jasper, he had story books for his parents to read to him, an interactive walker and a walk-with-me harness walker. I'd explained it's use already to him.
"How does one go about using this one?" James asked, holding up the walk-with-me.
Dirthin glanced at me for it, so I said, "Well, the cub goes into the little harness, the straps are all adjustable, and you hold the handles at arm length to provide support for a cub led walk attempt. It lessons bumping and trip hazards and let's you be more engaged with the experience. It isn't meant for it, bit it can also be a really fun swing for toddlers."
James looked at Snow, "Do you wish to try it?"
"We certainly can." Snow said. Poking a interactive button on the other walker. She started when it spoke. 'A. Ah-ah-apple.'
"How does it speak." James said.
"It's an interactive walker that can be a scooter for a baby. It has pretty recorder messages that correlate to certain buttons. The button shaped like a cone can record three word messages when held down." I explained again. "It teaches alphabet, with sound association and words."
"Well, that sounds like it could be.. a useful tool." James said.