Ch218: Calming Down Over a Few Cups of Tea

Discomfort fills the Drakling’s very being, not a single part of her body spared from feeling sore. Her muscles burn, the weary weight of exhaustion leaving them heavy and sluggish. The backs of her eyes sting as if she had been staring into the sun, that throbbing headache making it difficult to focus. Her throat is painfully dry, the simple act of swallowing what little saliva lingers in her mouth akin to trying to force down shards of glass.

Careful as can be, Inanna pours the steaming contents of a kettle into four separate cups, each of a different size. “Here.” She slowly slides the largest one across this polished countertop, pushing it into Krvavy’s hands. “Drink. It will help.” Her copper-orange eyes subtly glance to the side, finding themselves drawn down the hallway leading away from this kitchen. “Beryl gave me the recipe.”

Just hearing that name is enough to cause Krvavy’s heart to tighten, the faintest of frowns finding its way onto her face.

Likewise, Thea also grimaces a fair bit. Albeit not for quite the same reason. That noble girl reaches forward and wraps her dainty fingers around a filled mug of her own, lifting it off the counter and rather hesitantly bringing it to her kissable lips. “Oh...” She softly gasps, her bitter expression melting away in an instant, replaced with pleasant surprise as she savours that steamy beverage, drinking it without complaint.

Krvavy lightly chews at the inside of her cheek. Stifling a sigh, she lifts her own cup up and takes a sip of the surprisingly sweet tea contained within.

The stool resting on the other side of that barbarian quietly creaks as the bunny-mouse sitting atop it shifts her weight around, all but curled into a ball atop that tall seat. “W-will Miss Beryl b-b-be al-all-alri-right...?” Adeline anxiously squeaks, little hands tightly grasping onto her floppy rabbit ears. It takes all of her will to not hide behind them.

“Mhm.” Inanna simply nods, placing the kettle aside. With no major obstacles in her way... this shortstack’s truly titanic tits squish into the smooth stone countertop as she suddenly leans forward, stretching her stout arm out as far as she can, only just able to pat that worried Halfling on the head. “Beryl will be just fine,” the Dwarf reassures, returning the entirety of her weight back onto the stepping stool that has given her the height needed to comfortably use this counter. “From the sound of it, the ritual proceeded as planned.”

A slight sneer plays at Thea’s kissable lips. “So the whole area was supposed to be engulfed in vines?” She critically asks, scowling over the rim of her cup. “And none of us were told about that in advance? Not so much as given a heads up? A warning of what could well have killed us?”

Inanna glances over at that understandably upset brat. “Yes.” She plainly answers the first of those pointed questions, her dense black brow knitting together. “And...” a tinge of disappointment enters her otherwise neutral expression, directed towards... the one woman not present here. “It would seem so.”

“B-but...!” Adeline loudly stutters, keeping the glaring noble girl from immediately responding. “The b-b-bl-blood...!” Her round face pales slightly as she reminds herself of the pain that the Elf forced upon herself, pain that surely couldn’t have been planned! “M-miss Ber-Beryl...!”

The grey-skinned Dwarf gently grabs onto both of that Halfling’s hands... having to awkwardly lean across the counter – again – just to do so. “As I said, she will be fine. Don’t worry. What you saw... what she went through and what she is currently going through... It is nothing but a temporary pain. Her wounds will heal as her body is remade. And, if I may hazard a guess, I would say that Beryl will have an easier time with this whole process than is normal. The waters of our hot springs are filled with Life Magic, and her grove will drink deeply in the coming days.”

“Hmph...” Thea rather grumpily huffs, soft-blue eyes narrowing into thin slits. And not simply because of the steam rising from her tea. “Typical. That Elf hag barely told me a thing, yet you seem to know all about what happened... and you were not even there...”

Adeline’s little hands are given one last reassuring squeeze before the shortstack lets go of them.

“Mm.” Inanna half hums and half grunts, pushing herself back onto her feet. “We spoke a great deal about that ritual over these past few days.” She calmly admits, not bothering to take her tits off the table. If they’re resting there, then they’re not weighing down her back. “Our talks were not sparse on details, but most of it centered on the... personal conflict that Beryl has been struggling with.”

Thea doesn’t need to say a single word to make her annoyance and frustration known, those emotions written clear across her face as she continues to scowl at that shortstack.

“If you aren’t happy with that, then hold your complaints until Beryl can hear them herself.” A long and weary sigh slips past Inanna’s dark-grey lips, the simple act of pushing a cup of tea towards their shaken Halfling suddenly needing a lot more effort and energy than it otherwise should. “I may know more of this topic than any other of my people, perhaps more than anyone who isn’t a Wood Elf, but... I can hardly be called an expert.”

Khalia’s amber-gold eyes stare down at her own mug, barely blinking at all despite the sweet steam rising towards her face. She barely even reacts as the barbarian’s meaty tail curls past the Halfling and loosely hooks around her waist.

Inanna turns her head to the side, a few thick strands of coal-black hair spilling over her sturdy shoulder as she stares in a direction that leads deeper into this cave that they call home, unbothered by the stone that blocks her sight. “Those ancient and sacred rites are... quite different from the magics that I am familiar with. There is no singular, defined way to perform the ritual that you all just experienced. There were so many variables at play, so many decisions based on... personal preference.” A hint of disdain underlines the Dwarf’s dreary tone. “It was a unique experience that shared similarities with what other Dryads would have gone through, but ultimately had more differences in execution. And in results. Truly distasteful to my Dwarven sensibilities.”

“That is no excuse to have left us in the dark!” The noble girl heatedly hisses, elbows pressing into the cool countertop as she leans ever so slightly forward, that sudden movement seeing her tea slosh but not spill.

Intense, copper-orange eyes stare unblinking at that bratty blonde. “I was little more than an advisor for Beryl. Someone for her to bounce ideas off of. I made some suggestions, yes, but I do not know if she used them or not. In fact, you know better than I what actually happened during the ritual. As you said, I was not there.”

“Is that so?” Thea icily asks, staring through the veil of steam rising from her mostly ignored cup of tea. “Then, was it your idea to involve me in... in such a degenerate way?”

Inanna simply raises a single thick eyebrow. “And what ‘way’ would that be? At least half a dozen of the ideas you were involved in would be, by your definition, ‘degenerate’.”

The brat purses her lips. “Cum!” She spitefully spits out that single word, cheeks burning quite bright. “That pervert...! She made me make Krvavy cum into a flower! So that she could drink it!”

“Mmm...” The shortstack slowly nods. “I see.”

“And?!” Thea jerks forward, spilling a few drops her tea as she aggressively leans towards the annoyingly nonchalant Dwarf, her own bare breasts nearly pressing into the table between them. If she were shorter, or her stool wasn’t nearly as tall...

“No, I didn’t suggest that.” Inanna plainly states, grabbing a small washcloth and calmly wiping up that tiny mess. “But I can understand why she went with that particular choice. It was supposed to be wine. Preferably red for the standard ‘blood’ symbolism. But semen can also be interpreted to have a similar meaning, less so by its appearance and more by its nature. Life is –”

“Ugh!” The silver-blonde brat loudly groans, her slim shoulders slumping as she shrinks into herself. “That damned Elf... Pervert...” She mutters and mumbles, sipping at the sweet nectar that is her tea whenever her voice wavers, not wanting to show how much she truly cares. Even if everyone here already knows. “Perverts, those Wood Elves... The lot of them... If... If they had any self respect, that would have been blasphemy or sacrilege or... or something...”

A pang of discomfort rolls through the Drakling’s tensely clenched jaw, her sticky tongue peeling away from the top of her mouth. The cup held tightly in her hands may be more than half empty by now, but... there is only so much it could do to help. “So it’ll be a week then?”

The Dwarf doesn’t immediately respond, instead taking a moment to pat Khalia on the head... a gesture only made possible by that precious puppy pushing aside her otherwise untouched mug to rest her face directly on the smooth countertop, cheek squished into stone. “Perhaps.” Inanna subtly shrugs. “It should take a single phase – a major phase, specifically – of the ‘dancer’, as the Elves call the smaller of our two moons. Which is exactly a week, yes, but... The transformation into a Dryad, her rebirth, is far more intense and taxing than, say, the transformation from Orc to Were-Beast. Beryl will need more time to recover afterwards.”

A mouthful of sweet and soothing herbal tea glides down Krvavy’s throat. With a rather sharp clack, her now empty cup is rather roughly placed back down. “How long?”

“A full lunar cycle. Thankfully, of the smaller moon once again. So a month.” Inanna calmly states, glancing between that mug and the Drakling it is resting in front of, her unspoken question getting answered with a nod. “During that time,” she continues talking, grabbing the kettle and pouring Krvavy some more tea. “Beryl will be lethargic and tired. She will spend most of her time slumbering in her tree, and will not be able to leave the depths of her grove without... withering.”

“Wha?!” Panic flashes across Adeline’s face as she abruptly jolts upright, nearly falling off her stool in the process, only held in place by grace of her big, barbaric lover’s tail acting as a backrest.

“Mm... Maybe ‘wilting’ would have been a better word to say...” The grey-skinned Dwarf softly shakes her head, brushing her perhaps poor choice of a word aside. “Beryl’s tree will be just as much a part of her as her own body is, so being away from it will leave her feeling weakened and drained. Greater distances and longer periods of time will see that effect grow in severity, but this is truly more of a short term problem. After all, her ‘weakened’ state will eventually be more powerful than, or at the very least comparable to, her... previously standard ‘Wood Elf’ state.”

Krvavy’s brow knits together. “And –”

“My Ushumgal,” Inanna firmly but gently cuts her Draconic lover off. “You don’t need to worry so much about her. Beryl may have had many... concerns... regarding this transformation, but she... she accepted the consequences. Beryl wouldn’t have gone through the effort of preparing herself and the ritual had that not been the case. She knew that you would give her the push that she needed. Beryl repeatedly told me that, ‘one way or another’, you would ‘make it better’.”

The Drakling glances down at her cup of tea, her expression growing darker with each beat of her heart.

“Don’t blame yourself, my Ushumgal.” Inanna reaches across the counter, not having to lean too far forward to rest her hand atop Krvavy’s wrist. “This issue would have reared its head eventually. Your visit to Raseyne simply made Beryl face it sooner, and Rina’s job offer gave her a deadline that she could force herself to abide. She will awaken before you have to leave, and will be recovered by the time you return home. A timing too perfect for her to ignore.”

“I just...” the barbarian bitterly sighs into her sweet, nectar-like tea. “I hope this wasn’t a mistake...”

The Dwarf nods, sharing that sentiment. “I cannot say for certain if becoming a Dryad will bring her the peace that she wished it would, but I do believe... I do believe that this was for the best. This has been hanging over Beryl’s head for a very long time. She no longer needs to live in its shadow.”

“P-p-pa-para...! Paradise!” Adeline shakily shouts, making her fellow blonde and the Were-Beast jump just a little, which in turn causes her to flinch. But the adorable bunny-mouse pushes past her timid nature, sniffling slightly as she leans towards Krvavy. “M-miss Beryl s-s-said that it-it’d help her m-m-ma-make our h-home a p-parad-dise...!”

The Drakling wraps an arm around her little Halfling, pulling that bottom-heavy girl – and the stool that she is sitting on – closer. “Is that the ‘surprise’ she had for me...?” Krvavy softly wonders, fingers idly trailing through dark-blonde hair, beelining straight to the base of a floppy bunny ear.

“Y-yes...” That single word is weakly squeaked in response, this adorable Halfling trembling as she melts into Krvavy’s embrace, going almost entirely limp. “Miss Beryl wa-wanted t-t-to make a-an-ano-other garden for you...” Her wet, hazel-brown eyes peer down into the mostly empty mug that she is muttering into. “A beautiful g-grove wi-with waterfalls and ri-rivers...”

“That duplicitous hag!” Thea slams a fist into the table, gritting her teeth together as she finds that solid stone to be stronger than she is. “Did everyone but me know that she was planning something?! What of you, dog?! Did that Elf tell you some secrets too?!”

Khalia opens a single amber-gold eye, glaring at that outraged brat. “Rrrgh...” She growls in open annoyance, reaching a single paw-like hand past barbarian and bunny-mouse, pressing her palm down over Thea’s mouth... furred fingers grabbing firmly onto that noble girl’s face. “Elfy told me nothing.” She reluctantly answers, seeing Krvavy’s curious gaze. “But...” Her fluffy ear twitches and she guiltily glances to the side. “Me knew... something was wrong. Elfy avoided Mate, gave distractions. Elfy kept distance. Elfy acted weird. And me... I... Rrrmmnghhh...”

“Mmphhph!” Thea hits and slaps at the Were-Beast’s bestial arm, but all of that goes completely ignored. “Haaah!” She dramatically gasps when Khalia’s paw-like hand finally pulls away, not because of the resistance she put up but because that puppy couldn’t be bothered to keep her silenced forever. “I...! I will have some words with that tree slut as soon as she is in any state to hear me!”

Without any warning at all, the Halfling suddenly buries her face into Krvavy’s side, tears streaming down her round cheeks. “I’m s-s-s-s-sor-so-rrrrryy!” That timid girl shudders and shakes, sobbing so strongly that her already wavering voice cracks and break. “I...! She...! She!”

“Shh...” Krvavy gently pulls that bottom-heavy blonde into her lap, holding Adeline tight. “Shhhh... It’s alright. You just wanted to help and Beryl... took advantage of that.”

“Mm. She didn’t exactly lie though.” Inanna idly speaks up, no so much defending that tomboy as she is simply explaining her own thoughts. “Beryl’s grove will be a place of unparalleled beauty, and knowing her she will dedicate it to you, my Ushumgal.”

“That is no excuse for her deceit!” The bratty noble girl contemptuously condemns the Elf who isn’t here to defend herself.

“We just have to wait then...?” The Drakling sighs, ignoring her fiancée’s outburst as she continues to hug her Halfling, letting her chest soak up all of Adeline’s tears. Her comparatively giant hand presses into the small of that short, shuddering girl’s back, scaled fingers massaging the base of a thin fur-tipped tail. One that has, as it often does, wrapped itself around her arm.

“Yes.” The Dwarf confirms that with a nod. “I understand that you would rather not stand idly by, but there is nothing we can do for Beryl but wait. Not even feeding mana into the vines that surround her will do much at all.” Inanna pauses, having noticed a subtle shift in her Draconic lover’s expression. “I would caution against that, my Ushumgal. Those vines will strangle the life from anything within their reach. And damaging them may have negative effects on Beryl’s state. Her energy is needed for her rebirth, not wasted in repairing her defences.”

“Mnnngh...” Krvavy groans in growing frustration. She doesn’t like feeling so helpless. So... useless. “Guess I’ll... try to busy myself with work...”

Inanna’s stout fingers idly tap atop the table, just twice each. “On that front, my Ushumgal, I do have some good news: the slime lure has been constructed and is ready for field testing.” Not one to give false hope, this grey-skinned shortstack quickly expands on that statement, hardly giving Krvavy the chance to perk up. “Of course, I am not entirely certain how effective it will be.” She admits with a shrug. “But, regardless, spending a day taking your frustrations out on a seemingly endless flood of slimes could be good for you. Just don’t overextend yourself.”

The tapered tip of Krvavy’s otherwise thick tail glides back and forth across Khalia’s toned thigh, mimicking the reassuring motions of the hand resting on her Halfling’s lower back. “Right, well... that’s something to look forward to for tomorrow...”

“Hmph... These stools could do with being more comfortable...” Thea grumbles and frowns, not so subtly scooting closer to Krvavy. “Why are we down here instead of up on the couch...?”

“The tea was brewed down here.” Inanna plainly provides that obvious answer. “But we can move if you’d like.”

A faint smile plays at the noble girl’s kissable lips, silver-blonde braids bobbing with her head as so subtly nods... slipping off her stool in that same motion. “Get up.” She roughly pats Khalia on the back, not even flinching at the growl that bit of contact earns her. “You can nap upstairs.”

Adeline takes a long and deep breath, steadying herself as best she can before leaning back and getting ready to leave Krvavy’s lap.

But the barbarian is having none of that, instead scooping the bunny-mouse up into her arms.

“Eeeeeie...” That tiny blonde makes an embarrassed squeak of a sound, her tear-stained cheeks burning a bright shade of red, flushing even further as a soft kiss is planted on her forehead.

A nice, relaxing cuddle is exactly what Krvavy needs right now. No. It is exactly what they all need right now.

And it is what they will all get. All but one...