"We're almost there, Meowster Ryoma!~ We just have to cross through this last bit of forest," Briar mewled, humming as she led me through the final stretches of the path leading to Therris.
"There's no rush, I actually like the scenic route..~" I chuckled softly, resting my hands behind my head as I followed Briar.
As we traversed through the lush forest around us, I heard a whinny, the familiar sound catching my attention as well as Briar's attention. An excitable yell was heard, Nebula quickly rushing from the bushes and hurrying toward us. Briar let out a yell, groaning as Nebula crashed into her, throwing Lyna off her back in the process.
I stopped walking, looking at Lyna, Briar, and Nebula on the ground then let out a soft chuckle. I rubbed the back of my head, watching as Briar and Lyna got up. "Are you three alright?"
Briar hissed softly in pain, her tail swaying with slight annoyance. She looked at Nebula, pointing at her. "You dumb Mare! Watch where you're going, nya!"
Nebula snorted, stomping her hoof against the ground. She turned away from Briar, whinnying in a sassy manner.
Briar hissed at Nebula, her tail swishing. "Me dodge?! You're the one running out of the bushes like a wild Beast! You're lucky I didn't Fist of Fury you into the Nyafterlife!"
"I'm glad you two are very concerned about me over here..." Lyna groaned softly, holding her head as she walked toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist.
I looked down at Lyna, softly chuckling and gently rubbed her head. "I'm glad you're alright... although it was rather funny seeing you get thrown off like that..."
Lyna whined softly, but she couldn't help but to lean into my touch, her body molding into mine from my gentle affection. "My Lord... you're such a tease..."
Briar huffed softly after losing her argument to Nebula, marching forward. "Hmph! Let's just go before I show this horse why I'm a Battle Maiden!"
I looked at Briar and Nebula, noticing Nebula's innocent look. I moved my eyebrow at her and chuckled, walking forward and began to follow Briar once again. Nebula trotted next to me, her tail wagging as she was able to walk next to me once more.
Finally, after traversing the oath once again, we had finally made it to the Kingdom of Therris. The Kingdom of Therris, was a majestic and fertile realm, a testament to the strength and stability of the planet itself. Nestled amidst towering mountains, sprawling valleys, and dense forests, Therris was a land where nature thrived in all its glory. The kingdom was characterized by its rich soil, vibrant flora, and a deep connection to the land that its inhabitants cherish and protect.
As we entered Therris, we were greeted by a breathtaking compass of rolling hills and lush landscapes. The air was crisp and fragrant, filled with the earthy scent of damp soil and blooming wildflowers. The land was dotted with farms and orchards, where farmers cultivate bountiful crops and tend to livestock, sustaining the kingdom with an abundance of food.
The architecture of Therris reflected its connection to nature. The buildings were constructed from local stone and timber, blending harmoniously with the natural surroundings. Many structures featured intricate carvings of plants and animals, celebrating the flora and fauna that thrived in the kingdom. The City and citadel were interconnected by winding pathways, lush forest paths, and rustic bridges, creating a sense of unity among the inhabitants.
"We are here! Welcome to my home!~ Come on, I'll show you around and hopefully we'll run into the queen on one of her many walks!" Briar meowed, marching ahead excitedly and hummed a soft tune.
I smiled at her, following behind with Lyna and Nebula. As Briar showed us around the city, I noticed that despite Therris being a "No Men Allowed" kingdom, there were a few men within the kingdom, but they seemed to be working the low income jobs while the women worked the more important jobs.
Despite the clear power imbalance of the kingdom, it didn't take away from how beautiful the kingdom was at first glance. The city bloomed with plants of different arrays and small streams flowed along various pathways, streams that seem to connect to Rivule that helped the plants grow beautifully.
I continued to glance around the kingdom casually until something...better yet someone caught my eye. A gorgeous woman with two little girls at her side, the three of them admiring the flowers at a local shop. "Well, well...and who is that woman there?"
Lyna followed my gaze, smiling brightly. "Queen Edea!~"
Edea heard her name being called, turning her gaze toward us and noticed Briar and Lyna, her lips curling into a smile. "Ahh~ You two finally return. My little buds were worried about you two~"
Edea had an ethereal and graceful presence, blending elements of elegance and mysticism. She had a voluptuous yet, graceful figure with a serene and composed expression. Her long, flowing green hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, giving her an otherworldly, almost divine aura. The smooth flow of her hair created a sense of tranquility around her.
She wore a white gown that was both elegant and modest, with an off-the-shoulder design that added a touch of softness. The gown draped elegantly around her, emphasizing her gentle and refined presence. Her gloves and flowing dress contributed to an overall look of purity and divinity.
Briar hummed as she skipped over toward Edea and her two daughters. "Sorry for worrying you, meow~ I was just handling business with a certain Ultra Mega Strong Human!"
Edea followed Briar's pointing, noticing me and her eyes widened slightly. "Could that be...."
"Hello, my Queen..~ It seems that we finally get to meet face to face..~" I chuckled softly, approaching her with confidence.
"Lord Ryoma..." Edea soft gasped, her cheeks heating up into a soft shade of pink. "Oria...Rosea, go play with Briar and Lyna. Mommy's got something important to tend to..."
Oria and Rosea stared at me before backing away and heading off with Briar and Lyna.
"Follow me, Ryoma. I don't know how you got passed Ixia Forest, but I shouldn't be too surprised..." Edea said, turning on her heels to walk toward her palace, her hips swaying alluringly with each step.
I followed behind Edea, biting my lip a bit as I watched her hips sway as she walked. Nebula noticed me looking and snorted softly, shaking her head.
"What..? Edea is not a whore...besides she's got the body to flaunt around. I'm not surprised that she is flaunting it to me..." I said softly to Nebula, glancing at her.
Nebula whinnied softly, her ears folding back.
"Calm yourself, Neb..~ I'm not going to be tricked nor used. Besides if I am, I am still The Tyrant...I'll just conquer and move on," I said, half jokingly and chuckled softly.
Nebula whinnied softly again, trotting next to me and shook her head. It was abundantly clear that Nebula knew of Edea well to be making such bold assumptions, but I just wanted to know Edea first hand to see if Nebula was telling the truth or just being rude.
Soon, we made it to the palace ahead, a beautiful stone palace adorned with vines, roots, and flora all around the outside of the palace. On the side of the palace, there was a large greenhouse of sorts that seemed to connect with the building itself. Even the royal building looked just as beautiful as the kingdom itself.
As we approached, the royal guards in front of the palace doors allowed Edea inside, but crossed their spears to block me from entering. "Halt. No men will be permitted inside."
"He's with me, my lovely Ent Girls..~" Edea said, glancing over her shoulder to look at the Royal Guards.
The guards immediately uncrossed their weapons to allow me access inside the palace. I smiled at both guards, chuckling lightly, my presence causing them both to blush, but they remained their vigilant faces.
"Very tight security huh?~" I teased, following Edea down the halls.
"There has to be. I pride myself on having the most secure kingdom. For generations, the Kingdom of Therris has never seen a man's rule in so long due to Gaia's 'No Men Allowed' rule after the first King of Therris used women as his personal slaves. But that's a history lesson for another time," Edea answered, glancing back to make sure I was still following behind.
I nodded and took a look around, noticing how organic the castle looked inside. The tiles were soft stones with patches of grass growing through the cracks, allowing for the flora to fertilize the soil beneath. As I kept looking around, I noticed the greenhouse and stopped walking, looking at a woman who seemed to be a Beast-Human hybrid.
The woman inside the greenhouse rested inside a large flower bud, her long hair used as roots so she could gain nutrients from the soil below. She was insanely beautiful, her expression a mix of serene and sorrow. She had wooden horns shaped like tree branches protruding from her head. Beside her was a giant wolf with green fur, laying next to her and relaxing.
Edea stopped walking, noticing me admiring the woman inside and held her arms. "That's my sister...Therese. She was... unfortunately cursed into a Dryad because of my last husband. He had sex with her, defiling her innocence and planting seeds of darkness inside her. The only way to save her was through the blood of Ixia which is what caused the curse."
"What do you mean?" I asked, looking at Edea with a curious gaze.
"The Blood of Humans and the Blood of Beasts can never truly mix. The blood of a beast is way stronger and more potent than human blood. But it's because of that potency that saved and cursed Therese. After that day, I vowed to never trust a man again...no matter what," Edea said, her fingers digging into her bridal gloves.
"If that's the case...why are you allowing me into your realm?" I asked, slipping my hands into my pockets.
Edea glanced at me then turned on her heels to continue down the halls. "Well, I've heard about your tales since you've arrived in Uthea. Azusa, Claire, Inoka, and Tsuna have all spoken nothing but nice things about you. They are my closest friends after all, but Tsuna is who really intrigued me regarding you."
"She said that you two already had history and the tale of your Tyranny in Eyica was fabricated. Yeah, your tale is a scary one...you conquered all of Eyica with Tyranny and Anger, but she said that it was only because you were hurting," Edea continued, her tone softening as she recounted her conversation with Tsuna.
I looked at Edea, studying her soft gaze then looked ahead, resting my hands behind my head. "Yeah, I conquered with anger, but only because I don't take betrayal lightly. My best friend betrayed me in hopes of obtaining my Crest of Arcane, and in hopes of finding him and striking him down, my conquest ended with me uniting Eyica again, but without the chance to avenge my family."
Edea glanced over at me, a soft grunt sounding from her throat. "Well, for now, let's focus on why you're in my kingdom. I am quite curious about what you're planning on doing since no one else seemed to tell me why you're marrying everyone."
"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing bad, darling~" I chuckled softly, continuing to follow Edea to her bed chambers.
Finally, we made it to her bedchambers, Edea allowing me inside and walked inside after me. She closed the door behind us then made her way toward me, her arms crossed and her gaze a bit curious.
"Alright, now that we are alone, allow me to know why you're here and what you are here for exactly," Edea demanded, her gaze meeting mine directly.
"Before we get into all of that, let's clear up some ground rules. My steed has told me some... interesting facts about you. About how you were wedded around 10 times, using your powers to sap the life force out of various men via intimacy or worse. I just want you to know that that won't work on me," I claimed, smirking at Edea.
Edea rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. "Ha, you mean that Horse of Oblivion you left outside? Of course she'd talk mess about me. Let me guess she calls me a whore as well?"
"Her words, not mine. But, all in all, whatever you think you can get over on me, remember I am a Reincarnation of Ascea and I am an Eternal Emperor. I essentially have infinite experience. You can't get one off on me," I said.
"Right, yet your old best friend was able to get one up on you and your kingdom? Doesn't seem like the Mighty Ryona has infinite experience," Edea scoffed lightly, raising an eyebrow.
"Mmm...you really don't want to take it there...at least my sibling is still human," I said, my voice dripping in pettiness.
Edea's nerve endings flared up and she took a step closer to me, her face getting closer to mine. She let out a low hiss as she stared into my eyes. "Don't you dare... especially not after I just told you what happened.."
I leaned down, my face now inches from hers. "I'm not just some normal Emperor who let's sly comments slide. You strike low, I strike lower. It takes two to dance in a waltz of pettiness, darling..."
Edea's eyes locked onto mine, stepping even closer, her forehead pressed against mine. "You think you're funny, Emperor..? I don't find your comment all too funny nor amusing. You're lucky I don't strike you down right here.."
"Mmm...I've been here before and I love getting to this point..~ I'll even let you attempt it," I whispered to her, feeling the tension between us rising, the heat increasing from our taunts.
Edea bit her bottom lip, not used to any man being able to keep up with her. She made a soft sound, a sensation coiling in her stomach that she hadn't felt in a long time. "You are quite different from the others...and it's getting me heated. I hate it so much..."
I chuckled lowly, taking hold of her hips gently, my touch causing her body to involuntarily shiver with pleasure. "I pride myself in being different from all other men. In a world of men who thinks they are kings...stands an actual man who is an Emperor seen as a god..."
Edea shivered at my words, feeling a familiar heat pooling between her thighs. "Such arrogance and self-assurance...why couldn't my other husbands be a good toxic like you..?"
I hummed softly at her question, leaning into her ear, my breath hitting against her skin. "Because they aren't me..."
Edea shuddered at my whisper, whimpering softly as she was now fully enabled. "Ugh...you turning me on with your toxicity isn't helping my case in proving that I'm nothing like your steed claims," Edea whined softly, forcing herself to back away from me.
I chuckled softly at Edea, crossed my arms and staring at her. "Now that I have your undivided attention, I can tell you that I am actually here to take your hand in marriage...but it's not as simple as that. I want to make sure before I leave this kingdom with a ring, you love me the same way I will for you..."
Edea cleared her throat and closed her eyes. "Hmph...well it's...it's gonna take more than getting me aroused and ready to make me love you. Before I am a queen I am also another of two beautiful daughters. If you can somehow get them AND my sister to trust and love you like a father and brother, only then will I consider marrying you."
"On top of that...you have to also please me. At every chance you get...I want to make sure you are serious about this and not like my last husbands who only used me for power and sex," Edea demanded, opening her eyes to look at me.
I smirked at her requirements and rose an eyebrow. "As you wish, my love~"
Edea stared at me then closed her eyes with a smirk. "Good, now your task starts right now so you better go ahead and get to bonding...you have an entire month..~"
"A month is all I need," I hummed, winking at Edea before leaving her room.
Edea watched as I confidently left her sight then let out a soft sigh, raising her gown slightly and seeing how turned on she was in my presence. She let out a soft sigh, knowing she wasn't going to be able to resist me for too much longer at this rate. She lowered her gown and went to go clean herself up before heading out to check up on her sister and daughters.