Val, cozy in his bed, stirs as he senses someone on top of him. His thoughts race, "Don't... Don't do anything you'll regret." He hears a familiar voice—Maelis—saying, "I've come to claim your offer, my sovereign."
Feigning sleep, Val hopes to avoid her, but Maelis presses, "I sense the shift in your mind's rhythm, far different from the stillness of slumber. Thus, I ask that you attend to my request with the gravity it deserves, my sovereign."
Reluctantly, Val opens his eyes, groaning, "Why does it have to be at the crack of dawn, Maelis?"
With a tilt of her head, she responds, "Is not the sight of a radiant female, first thing upon waking, one of the finest blessings for a male to behold?"
Suspicious, Val asks, "Where exactly did you hear that?" Her answer—"Experiments"—sends his mind reeling. "Experiments?" he muses, "What kind of 'experiment' leads to that conclusion?"
"Regardless," he says aloud, "I fail to find this rewarding. Kindly, Maelis, move aside."
Unfazed, Maelis tilts her head to the other side. "Yet, your male organ seems to harbor differing sentiments, my sovereign."
Realization hits Val like a lightning bolt—he's got a boner. He internally screams, "This better not be because of Maelis! For arcane's sake, if it is, just kill me now."
Outwardly calm, Val replies, "Maelis, I will not repeat myself."
The weight of his command sends a chill down Maelis' spine, and she quickly leaps away. She mutters, "For my sovereign to revoke his promise... disappointment weighs upon me. I have invested much time crafting the perfect conditions for copulation, yet here we are."
Val is only half-listening, thinking, "She's at it again. What is she even talking about?"
Undeterred, Maelis continues, "Though my crafted egg lacks the organic perfection I desired, I remain confident it would receive your offering well. But, alas, a different route must be taken. Perhaps... a sample, by alternate means, will suffice, my sovereign?"
Val can barely comprehend her request, but he gets the gist—she wants his sperm. Unwilling to outright reject her, he thinks, "This feels awkward. I'll make it sound like it's just bad timing."
"That won't be necessary," Val finally says. "We may do things... naturally, when the time is right."
Maelis, ever cryptic, smiles. "Very well. I shall await your... 'booty call,' as they call it, my sovereign."
Val mentally sighs in relief—at least she got the slang right. "Yes. When the time is right. Now, please, leave."
But Maelis remains. "Were it that simple, my sovereign. I come bearing other matters."
Internally, Val is shouting, "Just speak plainly, woman!" But all he says is, "I see."
Maelis elaborates, "The current climate among your female vassals, and ancient ones alike, has shifted... dramatically. You would do well to tread carefully, my sovereign. Not all are as... restrained as I."
Val responds with an indifferent "I see," while understanding none of her words.
Before disappearing, Maelis utters, "As they say... schodaloo."
Val, still in bed, contemplates staying under the covers all day. But before long, Ira storms into his room, yelling, "You! I've heard... that you're thinking of producing an heir, my lord!"
Val, already exhausted, simply mutters, "Indeed."
Ira, her voice quaking with excitement, continues, "If... If it pleases you, my lord, I offer myself as the mother of your heir!"
Val, trying to remain composed, says, "Now is not the time, Ira. Return to your duties." Mentally, he congratulates himself—"Smooth."
Ira, confused and insistent, presses on. "But... my lord, the heir is important, yes? YES?!"
Val feels his nerves fraying, "Stay calm, Valdris. Don't say anything reckless."
Finally, he says, "Did I stutter?"
Ira's frustration mounts, but just as Val fears things might spiral out of control, she starts blushing and squirming in an odd way. Val, initially thinking, "It worked?" soon realizes, "It... did not?"
As if Val's morning couldn't get worse, Lunara enters with the same intentions, but upon seeing Ira's odd behavior, she nopes out without a word.
Selene, crossing paths with Lunara, is about to confront her when Lunara gives a cryptic warning: "I wouldn't try it today if I were you."
Selene, confused, ventures into Val's room and finds Ira atop him, shouting, "Let's make babies, my sweet king!"
Selene charges in and kicks Ira out, yelling, "What in the moon mother's name are you thinking?! Get out and reflect on your behavior!"
Ira protests, "Oh, don't act like you weren't planning the same thing, you wench!"
Selene, flustered, retorts, "I would NEVER! The conception of my lord's child should occur on a night of the full moon, under the moon goddess's gaze!"
Ira snaps back, "Oh, go fuck yourself, you uptight priss!"
As the argument escalates, Val sits helplessly, his mind pleading, "Hälp!"
Suddenly, Nyxis flickers into the room and knocks Ira out cold, bringing the chaos to an abrupt halt.
Everything was silent as Nyxis' assistants dragged Ira out of the room. Nyxis nodded slightly and left as quickly as they had arrived.
Val, still in bed, sighed before asking, "So what brings you here, Selene?"
Selene straightened up, adjusting her posture as if preparing for a royal decree. "I've come to bring news of a recent collaboration request."
Val, still groggy, thought to himself, "And you thought first thing in the morning was the best time for this? Is this an elf thing?"
Outwardly, he simply said, "Proceed."
Selene continued, "Yes, my lord. We've received a message from the Witch Collective, requesting a collaboration regarding the recent appearance of the hero candidates. The Grand Hex Mother of the Veil herself is currently in the city awaiting your presence. How would you like to proceed, my lord?"
Val's eyes narrowed slightly. "So they send a message and show up before we've even responded? I might've lost some of my edge, but I can still smell a situation where 'no' isn't an option."
"Tell them they have my permission to come to the throne room. I'll prepare for this... unexpected guest."
Selene nodded. "I'll send the message forward. And..."
Val's internal monologue kicked in again. "Oh no, there's more. Please don't drop anything devastating."
"What is it?" he asked.
Selene hesitated for a second before speaking. "The matter of the full moon, my lord... Is... is it still alright if we proceed then?"
Already mentally drained, Val simply replied, "Sure."
Selene visibly brightened up. "Great! ... Ahem, I mean, great. The next full moon is eight days from now. I'll make the necessary preparations, your grace."
She left with a spring in her step, while Val groaned inwardly, "What have I just agreed to this time? I really need to start paying attention."
Reluctantly, Val got out of bed. "No time to dwell on that. I've got a meeting with the Grand Hex Mother of the Veil. Time to get the show rolling between two bigshots."
Time passed, and Val sat on his throne, waiting for the leader of the Witch Collective to arrive. As he shifted uncomfortably, a thought crept into his head: "What was her name again?"
Then the door creaked open, and the sight before him made his blood run cold. A woman with violet eyes, platinum blonde hair, and porcelain-like skin, draped in dark, flowing robes embroidered with arcane symbols. The robes shimmered with silver accents, and the headpiece atop her head, adorned with crystals and gems, was unmistakably familiar.
The woman stepped forward, her voice smooth and commanding. "Greetings, O ruler of Netharis. It's been far too long. Two millennia, to be precise. Allow me to reintroduce myself."
Val braced himself for what came next.
"I am Lucylia, The Grand Hex Mother of the Veil. Though, you might remember me as your big sister, Lucylia Wise Mournveil. It's wonderful to see you again, Val."
Val's external reaction was calm. "It's good to see you too, big sister Lucylia."
But internally, he was screaming, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Lucylia's expression softened. "How many times must I tell you, Val? It's just Lucy. Just Lucy."
"I see," Val replied.
Lucy tilted her head. "You're not going to say it?"
"No," Val replied flatly, his brain on autopilot.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" his mind kept screaming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Lucy chuckled lightly. "Oh, you tease. But I must admit, I'm impressed you managed to make such a pesky spell that kept us from finding you. Quite the effort, making sure none of us could connect your name to our dear Valdris."
Val mentally banged his head against an imaginary wall. "OF COURSE, IT'S GONE!"
In a show of confidence, Val said, "Effort? Nay, it was merely a simple trick—one befitting the head of Mournveil."
Lucy's grin widened. "You say that, but haven't you been away for, oh I don't know... over 2000 years?"
"Of course I wanted to stay away from you freaks!" Val thought bitterly. "If I had to choose between my family and Netharis, I'd choose Netharis in a heartbeat, considering the risk of one of you thinking about goddamned incest!"
He responded coolly, "I had my reasons to stay out of view, which I won't disclose to you."
Lucy waved it off. "Oh, you don't need to explain. We already figured out why you left ages ago."
"No, you didn't."
Lucy continued, "It's obvious. You wanted to strengthen the Mournveil family name by building such a magnificent empire. You knew, of course, that when the time was right, we sisters would inherit it when you failed to produce an heir. Such a thoughtful little brother you are."
"Yeah, you MOST DEFINITELY didn't get why I left," Val groaned internally. "Granted, this madhouse I live in now isn't much better, but it's still the lesser of two evils."
He forced a smile, not wanting to crush her mood. "While some of that may be true, I've actually been taking steps to produce an heir."
Lucy's pleasant demeanor evaporated in an instant. "What?"
Val's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no, what did I just say?!"
Quickly backtracking, he stammered, "O-Of course, I've been looking for only the finest people who could bear my children. Just you wait, dear sister. Just you wait."
"What the hell is wrong with you, Valdris?!" he chastised himself internally. "You should've remembered how controlling your family is! Now you've practically implied you've made intimate connections they didn't approve of!"
Lucy's smile didn't falter, but a menacing aura seeped through her. "You know, Valdris, big sis was expecting this. I mean, it HAS been 2000 years, so OF COURSE you would've made a move on... a girl or two... Right? Am I crazy to think you haven't done it for the sake of the family? Am I, Valdris? Am I?"
"I'M SO FUCKED!!!"
Desperately trying to salvage the situation, Val forced a laugh. "Of course, I've taken the family's feelings into account."
"Bullshit! I didn't even think any of you were still alive until five minutes ago!"
"To prove I haven't betrayed your trust, I've yet to bed any woman. You can ask around Netharis if you don't believe me."
Val thinks "Admitting that you are still a virgin after over 2000 years? Sacrifices have to be made, I suppose."
Lucy, still smiling but with a glint of suspicion in her eyes, said, "So... you've possibly bedded a man then?"
Val thinks to himself, "This, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why I left my family. They twist everything I say to fit their narrative. If I'd said 'I haven't bedded a single person,' she'd probably claim I've been intimate with an object instead. You just can't win with the Mournveil family. You just can't."
Val says, "No, sister. There isn't anything in existence that I've slept with or had any intricate connection with."
The aura around Lucy warms again as she says, "Of course, dear brother. I knew you wouldn't. You're my precious little brother after all. You wouldn't sneak behind your family's back. We sisters and mother agree."
Val's internal world crashes. "So there's more? Even mom is still kicking?"
He responds, "Naturally. How foolish of you, dear sister. I have everything well under control."
Lucy beams, "Of course you do. Big sis is so proud of you."
Val adds, "Indeed."
Lucy echoes, "Indeed, indeed."
Val continues, "Of course."
Lucy counters, "Of course, of course."
Finally, Val says, "Yeah, we're done for today, Lucy. You may leave at your earliest convenience."
Lucy grins, "Oh, I will."
But Lucy stood there without moving, causing Val to think, "Please don't say what I think you're going to say."
Val reiterates, "You may leave."
Lucy responds, "Yes, I may." Yet she still doesn't budge.
"That's it," Val thinks, "even my peaceful days sitting on this throne have vanished. She's not leaving anytime soon now that she's found me."
He sighs out loud, and Lucy asks, "Is something wrong, Val?"
"Everything's fine," he answers. "Just…"
Lucy prompts, "Just?"
Val continues, "Don't you have your own responsibilities at the Witch Collective?"
Lucy claps her hands in delight. "Oh, I'm actually on vacation! So I'm not in a hurry to leave."
Val's face tightens. "So, when does your vacation end?"
Lucy smirks and asks, "Dear Val, are you waiting for me to leave?"
Val, now blunt, responds, "Yeah, that's the gist of it."
Lucy is visibly offended, "Val! Is that how you treat your big sister? Do I need to re-educate you on how to—"
But Val, summoning his most intimidating aura, declares, "Sister. I am the ruler of this domain. I am the undefeatable. If you test my patience any further, I may not be so considerate of your position as my sister. Do I make myself clear?"
Lucy, realizing she's overstepped, says, "Ye-Yes, Val. I… I'll take a stroll around your place for now. Just to… confirm everything is to standard. If that's alright with you, of course."
Val thinks, "Holy fucking shit! It's actually working! Quick, make the final push!"
In a calm yet menacing tone, Val says, "Did I not say it once already? You may leave at your earliest convenience."
Lucy, in awe of her brother's command, stammers, "Ye-yes… I understand, Val. Big sis understands."
With that, she finally exits the throne room.
Val, taking a moment to absorb the victory, begins to celebrate in his head. "I actually won against my sister! I can't believe it! Go Valdris! Go Valdris! Go Valdris! WOOOO!"
Just as the euphoria sets in, the door creaks open a little, and Lucy peeks her head back in sheepishly. "Si-Sister just wanted to remind you that I love you, Valdris."
Val, without thinking too much, replies, "I love you too, Lucylia."
Lucy's smile grows wider as she closes the door with joy.
Outside, Lucy reflects, "I can't believe how manly little Val has become. He was just a tiny ray of sunshine, always calling for his big sister. I'll never forget the proud look on his face after he destroyed that mountain. And now, my dear brother is so powerful, so commanding... So cool!"
She then makes her way to Val's private room and, in true Mournveil fashion, inspects everything meticulously. Sniffing his bed, Lucy thinks, "Ah, this is heaven."
But then, her face changes as she picks up on another scent. "A woman's scent… no… two of them?"
Lucy frowns slightly before casting a spell. Through it, she observes what happened in the room earlier that morning. Her lips curve into a wicked smile. "Oh, Val… My dear, dear little Val… testing the hearts of women already, are we? If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were turning into a womanizer like our father. Hehhehheh... Hehhehhehheh..."
She laughs to herself. "But no, you aren't like that. You're my precious little brother. I know you wouldn't just choose any woman to bear your heir. You've put this all in motion the moment you lifted that spell. Oh… my dear devious little brother... Big sister sees everything, and I won't disappoint your expectations. Just you wait."
Lucylia cackles to herself loudly. "Hehheh... Hehhehheh... HAHhahhahhahhahhahhaa!"
Some of Netharis' staff glance at her curiously, while Nyxis, watching from the shadows, makes sure she harbors no ill will. Aeloria, meanwhile, is eavesdropping purely out of boredom, smirking at Lucy's theatrics.
Meanwhile, far from the imposing walls of Netharis, in a hidden, dimly lit chamber draped in shadows, a messenger hurriedly approached one of Val's sisters. He bowed deeply before whispering, "It is truly him."
The sister, her fingers delicately tracing the rim of an intricately designed chalice, paused. A knowing smirk curled on her lips as her vibrant blue eyes flickered with anticipation.
"Oh, big brother…" she purred, setting the chalice down as she rose from her seat. "My dear, dear Valdris… so you finally slipped. Did you really think you could hide forever?"
Her mechanical body whirred softly as she moved, its cold metal masked by the smooth, flawless skin of her puppet frame. She let out a soft chuckle, her voice laced with a twisted excitement.
"Your adorable little sister will be there soon," she whispered to herself, a gleam of madness in her eyes. "And when I arrive, I'll show you pleasures that only I can provide. You'll see, brother... no one knows you like I do."
As the eerie echo of her words filled the chamber, she tilted her head back and laughed softly, her maniacal glee resonating through the air. With one last look at the messenger, she added, "Prepare everything. We'll be leaving for Netharis at once."