Chapter 288 – Starting Quickly

I open my eyes and find my little babies still sleeping peacefully in my lap. Did Dragon hold them up for me? Well, time doesn't really pass when I go up, so it probably wasn't enough time for them to even begin to fall, and I was holding them.

It's time to go convince a bunch of Queendoms to defend me. I guess I get to be happy that Royalty really wants the royals all attached to me. How many Goddesses are there to even whore myself out to?

Fuck, this all sucks.

"I'll do it for Mommy," I whisper. "I won't let anyone take me from you two." Fertility won't be happy with the Goddess's inaction, and I could threaten the Queens... No, I shouldn't lie about a Goddess while in her temple. I should ask her what support she'll give me.

'Make whatever deal you wish, my champion. I will enact it.'

"Why does everyone like fucking with my brain," I mutter. I have nothing left to do. It's time to threaten some Queens and Princesses. That could never end badly for me, right?

The Priestess is waiting outside for me, wearing a big smile as her hands run over her fake belly. The high Priestess must've come up with a fun ritual for us. I guess that's what will let me make a promise or two on behalf of my patron Goddess. Well, one of them, anyway.

"This way," she says. "They are all ready for you. Your Mother and servant are also in the room. They said they are expecting a few others, but they can start without them. We have the resources for quite a number of rituals, and the High Priestess told me to tell you that we are willing to do any of them that you need us to do. The Goddess is ready to speak her will into the world through us all as needed. Come any time to do one; I know you are tired."

"Thank you," I say. "I hope you are ok with carrying a few at once. I don't give out just one kid that often these days."

"We will happily accept whatever gift the Champion and Goddess gives us," the Priestess says. She takes us just a few doors down and into a large room where some tables have been set up. One that my Mommy and Sarania are at, one for the Kitsunes, another for the Queen and my ex-wives.

Not even a week, and I'll have their names on my screen not just once, but twice. Once to mark them as my wives and then again to mark them as sexual partners. I guess it does help me to have more of those anyway. And didn't most of them say they wanted to get pregnant? I should see how much my second affinity grows with my mana. I already have much more than the Princess had of her second affinity.

My wives will be there to build connections and develop my strength. That's what Dragon was saying, wasn't it?

"Welcome, Lady Alzi," the Queen says. "Thank you for joining us today. I'm guessing your meeting covered the threat that a few Goddesses now present to you. We would like to help you, as we believe the Goddesses are willing to do a lot more than just take you. Nature's beasts aren't known for their surgical actions. It wouldn't take much for you to turn this into a sloppy fight, getting us involved, and I'm sure Fertility is fully prepared to tell you how to do that. We also know you have the option of getting help from the Goddesses, and we would prefer not to hurt you like that. We've done enough damage to you already and want to start making this into a healthy relationship. My daughter tried and spectacularly failed at it, so I will be stepping in personally to help facilitate a better relationship with the help of the Kitsune, and I'm sure Shimmer will be speaking for the Phoenixes. There is no need to hide that fact anymore. Now, is there anything you absolutely must have from us besides offering our protection?"

"To marry my Mommy and lovers," I say, taking a seat next to Mommy. How was that not obvious?

"My Mistress would like to be the head of the harem, obviously," Sarania says. "Do not try to pull tricks like I'm not right here, Yumanea. You must also acknowledge My Mistress's right to Irlo and the current child in your womb. Lotus', as well."

Trick?

"I wasn't trying to trick her," the Queen says. "I talked about the protection pact and nothing else. We already planned on her being the head of the harem and marrying her lovers. I can make her the known father of my children as well."

"You never stop playing politics," Sarania says. "But the Kitsune aren't going to let you do all the talking, are they? They want to offer something as well."

"I don't need you to talk for me or guess what I wish. What is your name now? I know you get angry if we don't keep up with you," the Kitsune Queen says.

"Sarania."

"Very well, Sarania, I am waiting for my little Yuki to show up. She should be here shortly, and then we can go over what I'm offering. I have a few things to offer," the Queen says. "But, let the other two go first. I don't know much about what Yuki did with you, so I need to find out more before giving my full offer. I only knew that she had found a dragon to seduce, and I'm sorry for not looking into it more. We like to let our Princesses be independent, a mistake this time around. I'm sure whatever her issue was, I could've solved it," the Kitsune Queen says. She seems a little too relaxed, right? Does she not care at all, or does she think I'm going to marry Yuki no matter what?

She seems to be saying there was a reason that Yuki didn't just free me, or is she just really good at hiding it? Could I get the Queen to tell me? "What could possibly be the reason why she couldn't have freed me? Elora had no problem forcing a sale," I say. "So how could another Princess not manage to do it?"

"She is of the wrong Queendom, lacking the same threat that Elora would have. Princesses aren't normally all that threatening, but when they are going for the throne, they have a bit more going for them. If they become the Queen, they remember those who made it more difficult and find ways to punish them. The Mistress would be someone who would have to be careful with how little power she really has compared to even a baroness. Yuki lacks that threat, as there isn't a single chance she will take my throne. Elora has a chance, even if it is slim. But you are correct. She may not have a good reason for not buying your freedom."

"So you want to offer Yuki a chance to spin a lie," Sarania says.

"Before my Mother ruins my chances," one of the other Kitsune says. "I did help keep your Mother safe from two different assassins. I don't care about the marriage thing. I, like you, love someone who I am being denied the chance to love, and I would like your help with healing her. I think you have a few things that could help her get over her disease. I also helped Yuki figure out who was behind the assassination attempt on Mai and yourself. I would just like a bit of help with it; I don't need a promise that you would heal her, just that you will give it a chance."

"Oh, um, ok, I guess," I say. Did Mommy mention that before? Wait, wasn't the Queen protecting Mommy? "But wasn't it the Queen protecting Mommy?"

"I was the one who sent a person to tell the Queen about the attempt, and I reached her house first. They took over after the assassination attempts."

"Daughter, give Alzi your name, at least," the Kitsune Queen says. "I know you don't like to show it, but I taught you manners."

"Tanatsu."

She has more tails than Yuki does. Does that mean she is stronger, or do the tails indicate something else? I can't even begin to count the number the Queen has, and I think the other Kitsune has a few more tails than Tanatsu.

"The Phoenixes are offering you protection as well. And I have already mentioned that I've bonded to you, making you my dominant," Shimmer says, letting her disguise drop. Elora looks a little shaken when she sees the belly, or she just didn't believe her Mother when she mentioned the Phoenix.

I have gotten too many of my ex-wives pregnant to truly walk away, haven't I? Do I really want to miss out on my kids?

"If I want more than just you?" I say. Why not go fishing?

"We will have to go to my Mother for that," Shimmer says. "I offer myself fully. I'll act as the dragons do when they are the submissive. I'm sure my Mother will be willing to give you a few more wives, and we can gather some more help for meeting with the true Phoenix. You never know what may happen there."

"That could go poorly for My Mistress," Sarania says. "Does she have to go alone?"

"No, that wasn't part of the deal," Shimmer says, finding something interesting on the table. "You can go with her."

"Then we could make it work," Sarania says.

"Perfect," the Queen says. "We are making some good progress. I can't promise you the throne, but I can promise you will have an easy path forward. After this fight with Nature and Justice, we will have a tournament to decide the next Queen. You'll be well-positioned to win that and have Elora take the throne. You would be able to tell Elora what to do and effectively control the Queendom, and I believe Shimmer is close to becoming the Queen of her realm as well. That would give you power over two Queendoms. Then you have the Dragons, and depending on how this war goes, you may just become the default Queen there, giving you three Queendoms under your control. Then there is the Edeozia Queendom, which we will likely take control of. I won't wait to hand it over to Elora. She will be sitting on that throne immediately, with all the Princesses and their Queen marrying her. That would be your territory as well."

"Do you think I care about power?"

"Yes, don't try to pretend that you didn't perk up at the thought of all that control. Control you don't even have to exercise yourself, except maybe for the Dragon realm," the Queen says. "You can just call the Queen to bed, whisper the orders into her ear, and then breed her. You'll have as many women as you wish serving you. Call them to bed, fuck them, and send them off. Or you can have a big lunch with them all vying for your attention. I know Elora loves you; the others will as well. Drown in the sea of children they provide you as you focus on your kids and lovers. That tingles some deep part of you; I know it does."

Fucking bitch. Why does that sound so nice to me? I've never cared for power until now. Fuck, I am going to have to find good ways to punish my wives. I'm going to have a lot of them to punish. "And Esiyae?" I ask.

"She is alive, and you'll get the final say on what happens to her. You can let her burst, survive until she gives birth, or survive to give you more children. She will be yours to command. I don't care for her, and there isn't going to be a home Queendom to start a war over her again."

"This is all sounding quite good," Sarania says. "But I think we are forgetting a key fact in this matter. My Mistress just divorced most of the women you are trying to marry to Alzi. Fear for her safety was a driving factor for the speed of the divorce, but love is a close second. I don't think we can go straight to a marriage. We need something that leaves room for a divorce from the serious offenders like Elora."

"Sorry for being late. I'm not as mobile as I used to be," Isda says.