Chapter 319 – Hearth Talking About Family

Does the Goddess want Syro to listen to my mind to make sure I'm safe in the temples? Would they even have time to pull me out of the temple? The meetings are always over before they even begin down there.

"Looks like I'm yours," Geta says, bringing me back to the damp room. The Priestesses are still kneeling, but they are slowly starting to get up and go about their day.

"Your Goddess is strange," I say.

"She is death," Get says. "I'm sorry for failing my duty. Now that all my goals are aligned, I won't fail again."

"Not like I can do anything to you if you do," I say. Where do I go next? "Well, Death warned me to be careful when going to the Goddesses. You should know a safe one to check next."

"Yes, that is something we need to watch out for. There won't be many that would hurt you," Geta says. "Hearth was nice to Isda, and she has no reason to hurt you. She'll be able to give you a good list to visit."

And then, after all of this, I have to handle Shimmer. "Well, we need to move quickly. I have a date tonight," I say.

"Very well," Geta says.

We go back to the carriage, where Nakuma is curled up in Yuki's tails.

"Hello, dear," Yuki says, giving me a pleading look. "Do we know where we're going next?"

"Yes," I say, sitting next to them. One of Nakume's tails shoots out to cover my lap. How kind. I pull out a brush and start working, letting Geta sit across from us.

"Hearth," Geta says to the driver, and we lurch forward.

…

Nakuma just kept switching out her tails for me to brush. Yuki was dealing with Nakuma hugging all of her tails so that I couldn't brush them. Of course, she'll get her tail brushed tonight. Calli's and Mai's don't take long to brush, compared to Yuki's nine tails, so she'll get the most attention. I'll have to find a good way to even that out.

But on the way home, I'll have to make sure to ask Nakuma about the Goddess of Space.

We stop in front of a small house, which is missing the usual decoration and size. I see why Geta says Hearth will be safe to meet. I doubt she will help me directly, but she has to be nice to meet and talk to.

I push through the door, Geta following behind me, and find an older woman patching a dress while gently rocking in a chair. A warm fire crackles in the fireplace—just a nice little warm living room.

"Your wife was here doing a surprisingly similar thing," the older woman says, keeping her focus on the dress. "I'll give you the same warning. Not all Goddesses are kind to those who talk to them. Be careful who you ask."

"Yes, I know that well," I say. "Is there anything I can help you with? I feel like I'm intruding in your home."

"No need, Champion. Just sit and pray. I'm too old for anything you can give me."

"I've given to those older," I say. What am I doing? "And I can do other things. But thank you."

"Meet the Goddess first. I have to think about if I want to rock in this chair with a belly," the Priestess says. At least I hope she is a Priestess. Otherwise, this is going to be a bad visit.

Geta stands behind the couch, letting me take a seat. I've barely even closed my eyes before I'm in a new cozy living room with a massive fire raging in the fireplace. The room wouldn't look right back in my village. Clearly, she has high standards, or ideas; she is a Goddess, but it's comfy. Books I'll likely never be able to read, soft chairs, a rocking chair like her Priestess', and plenty of blankets, despite the fire—a beautiful room.

"Thank you, dear," sings from a room somewhere. "Death barely gave me any warning that you would be coming. I'm sorry for not being in the room to greet you." Another perfect Goddess comes in carrying a plate of cookies. She's wearing an apron, and I don't know if there is anything underneath it. "Now, do you want a cookie? Freshly baked, as you can see. Normally, they would be too hot to eat right now, but heat is hardly a problem for a dragonkin."

"That sounds nice," I say. The Goddess bends down and shows me that there really is nothing under the apron. I just take a cookie and give it a test bite. It is warm in my mouth, but sweet. "It tastes good."

"Good, good," the Goddess says, putting the tray down before me. "Eat as many as you like. Now, what brings you here?"

"Help," I say, grabbing another cookie. "Nature and Justice want to do something to me, and I don't want that. I'm looking for Goddesses that will help me. But your temple was cozy, so I'm kind of just hoping to talk for a bit."

"I thought you would want more than just help. Offering that old Priestess a kid, I think that is what you were offering," the Goddess says. "You have her caring about a visitor for the first time in a long time. She's a good Priestess, helping the few women who come by, but she doesn't give them much thought. She's been patching dresses every day for years, and now she's thinking about what else she could do."

"That is what I meant. I offer that a lot these days," I say. "Too often."

"Yes, that is what happens when you have those three Goddesses over you."

"Three?"

"Dragon has her finger in you. Maybe just her pinky, but it is there for all dragons. Then, Sex and Fertility, to name them all. All love sex, two love kids, and you got trapped with them all. I could strip this apron off, and I know I would get you into my bed and walk away with a kid. As long as Fertility doesn't take it."

"Will you?"

"Do you want me to? Fertility's decree says I should accept a child with you. Do you want to give one to me?" Her apron starts to shrink, slowly letting her curves show as she lies on her couch. "Sorry. I shouldn't be teasing you. If you wish to give me a kid, I will take one. I do watch over families, and kids are part of families. It would be silly to turn down a fringe part of my aspect. But, as you said, dear, you offer it a lot. I'm not going to take advantage of you." With her last sentence, the apron gets replaced with a loose robe. "So, Nature and Justice. Two troublemakers. I won't help you fight them down in the mortal realm. My focus would be to help you get your house together. I can help you with that. You have some nice women in that harem. I warned Isda, but she, too, has Goddesses messing with her. I warned her to get her family in order. I gave her that first class instead of Sex. But it wasn't enough."

Do I get her pregnant? Fertility did ask for more Goddesses, and they're pretty. "What do you mean, help me with my house?"

"You don't like most of your wives. You even hate some of them. That doesn't build a strong house. I guess this would help you against Justice and Nature. Azula De Vil is strong. You know that. Yes, she let Esiyae hurt you, and she should pay for that. Make her pay by working for your family. Give them a path to the real harem. They are in your house. They shouldn't be, but they are. With that, you have to care about them and their needs. And they have to care about you, now. You need to wrap that harem of yours in a nice bow, or you'll have to watch your back against the very women that should be protecting it. They won't simply take you abusing them forever, just as you have no plans to let those who abused you go free. Get your revenge quickly, and then let them earn your friendship. You don't need to love them, but you do need to care about them."

"She watched me be broken and abused. She told me to get raped and get it over with."

"Yes. Azula De Vil made a grave mistake. And then she should've stopped the Queen from going to war. She should've taken control earlier, and she knows that. She made mistakes and knows she did, and she could make it up to you. She has things to pay you back for, but if you continue down this path, you'll have a snake looking to snap at you. Don't count on your mana to heal all the bites. Eventually, it'll kill something before you can heal it. Marriages are strong, but they aren't a perfect contract."

"I just want to be married to my Mommy, Mai, Yuki, and Kelly. I don't want the others."

"You have them. They are your house, your family. I am not telling you that your feelings are wrong. I understand them; I would feel the same in your shoes. I am just asking you to defend your family. To protect the ones you love, you have to keep those around you happy. They don't have to thrive. They don't expect that. They just can't be miserable. Get your revenge, then build a family. That is all I ask. I know it isn't a fair thing to ask of you. It's too much for even Goddesses to do, as you can see. Nature and Justice are throwing their tantrum over past incidents that they should've long gotten over."

I just stare at the cookies, wishing everyone would leave me alone. Everything sucks. Why do I have to do things that others never do for me?

"I'm sorry, Alzi. I really am. I wish the world would leave you alone. Most don't get what they want, though it is rarely as bad for them as what you have to deal with."

"Can you help me?"

"With what, dear?" the Goddess asks.

"Spend time with those I love."

"You won't like it."

"Why?"

"I need to give you a tattoo. You need to keep collecting those tattoos. That will give you time with your lovers, but it will still take a while for you to get that time."

"Do you want a kid for that?"

"No," the Goddess says. "No. I've told you too many hard things to ask you to get me pregnant. I'll bother Fertility for a kid, unless you really wish to give me a kid. But I think that the Priestess will want a kid. Are you ok with helping her?"

"Fine. I'll be able to hurt Azula for a bit, right?"

"Yes, you have to be happy as well. This isn't something you can do on your own. Relationships take two people, at least. Azula and her harem have to make you happy and comfortable. Otherwise, you are fully within your rights to snap back at them, just as they would at you. I just wish for the two families to find a path where they can be happy together as one family. Or you can find a path where you two will split completely."

"But Azula is a slave," I say.

"Do you want to have to command her for everything? Let it be her punishment for once going against you. For the pain she caused. She'll be wearing a crown and a collar, and that is a fine long-term punishment. She should've known better than to hurt a Champion. But will it be good for your kids to see you commanding someone you're married to? Will it work out, having a wife who is always looking to betray you, even if she has a collar trying to prevent that? What if you remove the collar at some point because she tricked you into thinking she'll behave? Turn them into wives who happen to be slaves, not slaves that are your wives."