Chapter 654: What more can be done?

“A wedding? I love weddings!” Rosa slumped back down next to Lexi on the couch in the harem’s communal palace living room. She sighed and put her head on her friend’s slender shoulder. “But orcs? Why does it have to be orcs?”

Mason shrugged and went for the coffee. He’d shifted back to fully human and washed off the days on the road. The girls were all smiles and excitement, mostly because he was home.

Becky had been hoping for a sex-fest, but Haley had wanted to talk, and it became clear most of the girls all needed some quality time more than they needed a roll in the sack. Or at least they needed quality time first.

He caught up with Haley privately (OK and did a little sneaky making out), mostly talking about how the girls were doing and how the palace and city were progressing while he was gone. Everything seemed fine. But he could tell she was a little…off.

“What’s wrong?”

He rubbed her back as she sat in his lap on their temporary bed. Considering how good she smelled and felt against him he was kind of proud of himself for not railing her right there.

She looked annoyed that he’d noticed, like she was trying not to trouble him. Objectively they’d only known each other for a few months, but in the crucible of the game, he felt he’d known her for years. Adding that to being able to literally smell her hormones…

“Come on, spill it.”

He gave her a gentle shake, which he instantly regretted because it kind of ground her ass against his crotch. Haley sighed.

“It’s silly. I mean with everything going on.” He stared until she rolled her eyes and took a breath. “OK. You asked for it. I think you should marry Rosa, Lexi, and Becky. Officially, I mean. And Demi, too, if she wants. It’s just this sort of ‘second class’ thing. Naya doesn’t try to do it, it’s just, she kind of naturally exudes princess, which reminds everyone and makes hard feelings. And the system treats wives…different, like it’s real. Like we have official positions because you’re a king. So the civilians treat us different. And…”

“OK.”

Haley stopped and stared like she hadn’t expected it to be so easy.

“OK what?”

“Make them wives. Whatever. Can’t the system just do it? I hate ceremonies. There’s no fucking chance I listen to a priest. And we don’t have time for nonsense, so…just do it. Then we can all go to the orc tower for a big, weird party. Why not? It’d be more fun if everyone could get blind drunk, maybe, but I’m sure we’ll enjoy ourselves.”

A smile was working its way across Haley’s beautiful face as he spoke. She squealed and threw herself against him for a hug. He chuckled and did his best not to crush her.

“I’ll have to make sure it’s safe first,” he warned. “Players only until then. And there’s a chance I decide it isn’t. But if it is, we can teleport the girls over. They have a beacon.”

“This is so exciting! I don’t think I can just do it, exactly. I mean I have to make up contracts. You know how the system is, but it won’t take long. Now what do we wear? If they have a beacon we can bring as many people as we want, right?. Why not just bring lots of people? Then we’ll feel safe.”

He considered that, and supposed she was right. He didn’t want to distract the player teams from going out, but one night for a few of his key people wouldn’t hurt anything. Anyone not going with Chinua was technically free. He smiled and nodded, and Haley hugged him again and attacked his lips before leaping up.

“There’s so much to arrange. Are we leaving right away?” She looked at him and rolled her eyes again. “Of course with you it’s right away. I don’t need long. I’ll just tell the girls and we’ll get ready. You can sit and chat with them as we go. So they get a little alone time. Be right back.”

She went to run off, but he pulled her back one more time and sunk into her soft lips. She slowed down and took a breath, sighing as she draped her arms around his neck.

“We’ve come a long way since a dungeon in a tree. Though I miss that outfit.”

Haley laughed and wiggled her eyebrows.

“I’m sure I could re-create it. If you prefer your slave in gold chains, Master.”

He grunted, trying not to let his hands roam too far down.

“Fair warning. I’m not sure what I’d do to you if you put it on.”

“What more can you do?” She grinned and leaned in closer, chest pressing against his. “I’m already pregnant. I’ve fucked you with half a dozen other girls. I even let you back there.”

Operation Wait For Sex was not off to a great start. His treacherous hands were roaming Haley’s ass, and he was starting to forget why he couldn’t just do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.

“I’ll think of something.”

She was wrapping her lips around his tongue and moaning in another second. He gripped her hair and picked her up with an arm around her back, ready to throw her on the bed and start tearing off clothes. But with his ridiculous senses he could hear the other girls.

Pregnancy hormones were in the air, and emotions were high. They all missed him and wanted to talk. They were worried Haley would get special treatment. They assumed he was screwing her and they’d have to wait. He groaned and pulled back from the brink.

Haley looked at him like he was some stranger, her eyes drooping with lust. He gave her an apologetic face and stepped away. She put her head back and groaned, biting her lip as she closed her legs.

“So strong, my love. Later. After the girls get their time.”

She raked him with her eyes and pouted, but nodded and took a breath.

“I kind of hate you now but also I’m proud of you. You see? Sometimes you can beat your demons.”

He looked at her long legs raised in the air, the shape of her body lying on the bed.

“Let’s not overestimate me. Come on. I’ll say something about the whole ‘marriage’ thing. Probably best to just tell them all at once.”

Haley grinned and hopped up to take his hand, then they went back out to the other girls. Mason took a breath and made his best version of a weird, post-apocalyptic harem family speech.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and we’re all getting married. No more ‘wives and concubines’. Just wives. Then we don’t have to worry about confusing the kids or explaining anything. And it’s clear how I feel. Yeah. That’s it.”

OK it maybe wasn’t his best speech. But then he’d always been better at encouraging men to fight to the death than chat with a group of women he was sleeping with. The girls were all exchanging looks, mostly smiling but probably trying to figure out how Naya would respond.

The elven princess noticed the scrutiny. Like all elves she had an excellent poker face, but she eventually gave Mason a polite smile.

“I think that’s a good idea, husband. The peace of your household is my main priority. This way, we’ll all be equals.”

He was pretty sure she…wasn’t thrilled. But she was trying. More than anything he suspected she was still upset and disappointed about the lack of pregnancy, and afraid of being surrounded by women having the children she couldn’t. But by god, he was going to solve that problem. Then they could all fight about which prince got what later.

He kept Haleys hand and went to Naya, pulling the little elf into his arms. He gestured for the others, and one by one the women in his growing harem came in for a group hug.

With all the contact, sexual tension was leaking out like fog. Or maybe that was his very upgraded Blessing of Gaia. Different pairs of eyes kept flicking up to meet his, smiles ranging from eager to shy as hands slid up and down his body from different angles. But he’d resisted thus far and he wasn’t failing now.

“OK. Get ready for the weirdest wedding party ever. Bring however much clothes you want. I’ll go make sure it’s safe, but I expect it to be, so everyone can come. Even you elves, Naya. If you want.”

The princess made a face like she’d smelled something unpleasant.

“To an…orc tower? I…” she shook her head. “I trust you, husband, and if you insist then, of course I will, but…”

He chuckled and kissed her head.

“I don’t. Enjoy a quiet night in the palace with your mother. Or we can take you back to Nassau, if you prefer.”

“Yes, please.”

He smiled and started to extricate himself from the pack of women. That Naya was eager to get back to their real home didn’t make him unhappy in the slightest. He winced when he remembered he hadn’t told her about his visit to Sharisse. Or about the ancient oracle who was really a druid. And also gone.

He gave Haley a look. His first wife clapped her hands and started wrangling his harem girls like stray cats. After some groaning and more excitement, the women were all running about doing hair and…whatever else women did.

Mason took Naya and Ayet aside and told them about his visit. And about Dariya. Ayet covered her mouth, instantly battling tears. Naya hugged her mother but didn’t look like she was doing much better.

“We all would have died without her,” Naya whispered. “She found Mason. We would have died in that grassland. And probably in the swamp before it.”

“I knew her all my life,” Ayet said. “Somehow I’d started to think she’d live forever.”

Mason wasn’t sure what to say. He glanced at his profile, seeing the title and blessing—the new, unique rune because of her attentions.

“She might save us all, before the end,” he said softly. “She was carrying ancient knowledge I don’t fully understand. She gave her life to make sure I had it.”

Ayet smiled through a few tears and shook her head.

“In a city full of clever beings, I think she was always the most cunning. I don’t think any of us truly knew her. She was always making us better despite ourselves. She made me braver. When the demons attacked, I could have never closed those portals without her.”

Mason squeezed her hand, smiling at the thought. The ancient elf might have taught him something, too, even in death. Making the living stronger. Is that what a druid was for?

If so, he decided it suited him. It was a fine and noble thing to defend the weak. He’d done that most of his life, at least when he could. But better by far to make them strong enough to protect themselves.

“Tonight we’ll light the lanterns, and do the death rituals with our sisters,” Naya said, smiling at her mother. “I’m glad you told us, husband. And glad we have a night to honor the oracle properly, with our people, and those who knew her.”

Mason was starting to feel a little bad about going off and partying. He was about to offer to at least attend and split his night between the tower and Nassau when Naya seemed to understand and shake her head.

“Better for us to be alone. With only elven kin. Your understanding is all the gift required, husband. Please enjoy the tower. Dariya loved a good party, even if she pretended otherwise.”

He smiled and kissed his wife’s delicate hands, squeezing Ayet’s thigh with one of his own. But when the look he got back was maybe more complicated than just grief, he decided for maybe the third time in an hour it was time to go.

I’ll do more quality time with the girls at the tower, he messaged to Haley. For now I’ll go check things out, make sure it’s safe. Be ready in an hour.

With a few last touches of his elven wife and concubine, he sped from the harem chambers, and back towards his new great tree outside the city. He’d pay Blake’s orc lover and greenskin ‘allies’ a little private visit. Before they’d been warned about company.

Then he’d decide if the marriage and night of pleasantries was happening at all. And if the greenskins could be trusted. Or if it was maybe better to eliminate a threat before the demon invasion started…