Chapter 349 – Sea’s Plan

It is at least peaceful, and the sun is warm, but a lava bath is still a better place to lounge.

"Our time is coming to an end, little one," Sea says. "Alzi. Listen carefully. I know you're tired of whoring yourself out, and I'm a bit of a hypocrite for saying this, since I did get this belly by making Fertility whore herself out, but stop it. No more. The next time you conceive a child, do it with someone you care for. You have all the support you need, besides the Phoenix Queen verbalizing the agreement. I know your past is practically defined by sex, but the past only explains why you are in the present. Decisions made in the present are what decide the future. The past may direct the future, but make enough decisions in the present, and you'll end up somewhere the past never predicted. You have plenty of future in front of you, after all. Making such decisions is hard, but you can do it."

"If the Queen says no?"

"You have Shimmer. I know you don't love her, but you found her friendly in the past. I'm sure you could find a woman amongst them that you would love. You aren't strong enough to lie with the true Phoenix, but I think you'll like her when you are. But that is then, and you have to get the Queen to agree now. So, tell the Queen that the Goddess of the Sea is willing to be strapped to Fertility's altar for years until she has enough power to make all the Phoenixes, including the beloved true Phoenixes, sterile. Either she supports you, or she will be the last Phoenix Queen. Fertility hasn't agreed to it yet, but I know she will back you up. The Queen will have no choice but to help. They don't have to do their best; two months is all we need, and then the ritual can begin."

"If she..."

"She won't. Shimmer is yours, and she knows it. If you ask her to run naked through the streets, she will. She truly did what she thought was right for you, after she got pregnant, that is. Princesses think a little differently. Right now, she is watching over your kids with tears in her eyes, hoping you'll give her a sliver of the love you give those kids."

"I guess she was nice."

"I'm not telling you to love her. I know Hearth wished for you to love all your wives, but that is something you simply can't do. The Queens made certain of that. That is just Hearth's nature. She wants the women around the fire to feel a warmth for each other, just as Justice only cares about imposing her warped justice, and Nature only cares about her forests. Then there's War and her need to cause massive fights over nothing. So much so that she attacks a mortal to pretend that the divine and mortal realms are at war. A sad excuse for ALL of us, but that is just who we are. Those brave enough to venture into my domain must keep their wits, or they'll end up at the bottom of my great waters. It's a dangerous domain, but those who learn to traverse it can find a thrill like no other. Just ask Fluvis or Salis. Fertility is so low in the world because the Goddess of Fertility hates herself. Yet, you have a spark inside you. Be careful what it grows into; it may come to define you. You have time to build it into something you are happy with, or it could turn into an eternal torture. You've helped Fertility find pleasure in herself, and I hope you can find that same self-respect. Now, my parting gift."

Sea gives me a big smile and pokes my nipple. Before I can give a retort, I'm back in the room, clothed. I'll have to wait until I'm back with my kids to figure out what the mark looks like.

Salis is still passed out on my shoulder, as calm as a lake on a sunny day. I wonder if Sea controls the lakes or if a new Goddess can take those away from her.

'I do, but I'm hoping my little one takes it over. I like the open waters more.'

Bitch, who said you could do that?!

'Hehe, careful, Salis is waking up.'

Salis does stir. Slowly, she sits up, a tattoo of waves crashing is now in the same place on her as Power's mark is on my body, and I now have that on my nipple. Definitely one of my stranger marks, after Destruction's mushroom thing. I wonder when she'll be old enough to explain it.

"Salis, how did it go?" I ask.

"Good, I think," Salis says, still stuck on my shoulder. "She asked me to sleep with you."

"Yes, she said something about that to me. Are you ok with it? I wouldn't mind it. You are a beautiful woman."

"My breasts."

"I'm sure you have much bigger breasts than that. But even then, the woman I love most hardly has any breasts, yet I consider her the prettiest in the world. Do you hide your breasts so no one looks at you?"

"Yes."

"Sorry, but that doesn't work on me. You are on my shoulder, and all of that. Shall we head back? We can have some lunch, play with my kids, and then see what Sea was talking about, about us sleeping together. What happens there, happens. And then I want you to find those you love and marry them. For ten years, I couldn't marry the women I love. I'm sure the women you love have a hole in their hearts, just waiting for you to come by and fill it. If you promise to do that, I'll sleep with you tonight."

"I think I can."

"Good enough," I say. We're having a normal conversation. I'm sure they'll come to her when she gets her title, or I can just ask Fluvis to get them to come by. "I want to see my kids."

"Sorry, we can go," Salis says, freeing my shoulder.

"I didn't mean that," I say. "It's just, when I'm with them, I can ignore my past better."

"That, that would be nice."

"If Sea is right, we may both just get that soon," I say. Salis stands first, even offering me a hand to stand. I take it, and we head out. Geta is standing by the door, hand over her sword. She relaxes when she spots me walking on my own and falls in behind us as we continue out of the temple and into the carriages. We go with the same setup as we head back to my kids.

...My kids are the best thing in the world, and I'll kill anyone who disagrees. How could you not love them, watching my daughters tug my hair with their innocent smiles or little giggles? They're just happy to be near me. Sure, they need me to survive. Well, not me exactly, but they need others to see the end of the hour. But in return for helping what I brought into the world live, I get to see and feel their love.

Probably a strange way to see it, as they do need us to do a lot of things for them to live, but I'm happy to do it all, glad to help them live.

"Th... Thank you," Salis says, closing the door. Sarania and my Shadow are standing by the door in the hallway, just in case I need them. I'm hoping whatever Sea is doing with this makes it so they aren't required, but I'm happy they're here.

"We need to get naked."

"Yyyes."

I've never dealt with anyone this nervous before, but I'm sure just taking the direct approach will work. I walk up to Salis and give her a soft kiss, my hands crawling around her back to find what keeps her dress on. It's just a few strings that my hands can easily loosen. Salis is frozen in my hug, letting me kiss her wherever I wish, letting her dress fall to the floor to reveal that just a single wrap is covering her small breasts. I pull that loose as well, then kiss down her neck and over her tattoo, down to one of her pretty nipples, while my hands slide down to her underwear and tug them into my tattoo.Now naked, she finds the strength to move. Her hands are shaking as they move through my hair and down to my wings, probably trying to find the back of my dress. She needs to find the base of my neck to let it fall. It takes her a few seconds to figure it out, or she just likes to feel my wings. But eventually, both of us are naked and ready for what the Goddess of the Sea wanted from us. But I really don't want to stop.

"Are you ok with carrying my child?" I ask.

"She, she warned me. Yes," Salis says. "It'll be ours."

"Good," I say. "I'm glad I don't have to force that out."

"Of course."

Sea must've already warned her about what I wanted. But with that promise from her, I work her over to the bed and push her onto it. I give her just a tad of my touch to get her a bit more relaxed, then kiss every inch of her body from her lips to her nipples. Her hands slowly figure out what they should do, like they're trying to remember an old memory. She's grasping for the right feeling, but she's finding it.

I keep teasing her, letting her body figure out what sex is like again. I just enjoy her thin body, working us towards the center of the bed. There, I spread her legs and hover, waiting until she has her bearings.

"I'm ready. Please make me a mother and tie our houses together. The Sea is Fertility's in all the realms."

I think Sea put a little too much power into that tattoo of hers, but I'm happy to take both sisters, even if this one won't be a wife. A little side harem? We'll figure it out.

I push in slowly, willing to let this take time. I'll have plenty of time later to fuck like an animal with Sarania, so I should take the time now just to enjoy the feeling. I may hardly know her, but our similarities at least make it feel like I know her.

I know I'm wrong about that, but I'll take the feeling all the same. To realize that we both had someone abuse us, take our Skills, and warp them until we couldn't recognize what we saw in the mirror. We both wanted to hide from the world. We share that. But neither of us can hide anymore, and neither of us has anyone controlling us anymore. Sea finally told me what I needed. Sadly, it took a Goddess to tell me to stop being a whore, but she did. I'll still wear those dresses, since I'm a sexy woman, and there's nothing wrong with showing that off. But I'll need to mix in conservative dresses, too, to let the world know I'm in control and not just the woman they made.

"You're so big," Salis says.

"Yes, I've been told that a few times, and in a few different ways. Don't worry, you'll only get a single kid to start."