2~9

In the early hours of the next morning - after Caliste had been fed and put back to sleep, Athan struggled with latching onto his aunt Eira. He fussed softly and refused her breast, tears welling up in his light green eyes. The hunger pangs were persistent, but the clear difference between fairy and demon milk seemed to be too much of a change for the young duchy heir.

"Come on Athan, you need to nurse... pease..."

Eira pleaded, having to sit down to cradle him. She held him in close against her breast, only for him to push and shove his tiny hands at her milk swollen breast. His hunger was apparent - Caliste took to Eira's breast, no sweat, but this little demonspawn... he was living up to his bloodline. The more she insisted, the stronger his stubborn refusal became.

"Hals, what do I do... taint my supply, curse, something?"

Halston flipped through one of his advanced biology books on reproduction and anatomy of various creatures before exhaling heavily.

"Demi-human's milk usually is easier on their stomachs, regardless of species. Perhaps if we could get milk from a cattle type demi-human, we could bottle feed him?"

Halston muttered under his breath.

She leaned back in her seat absorbing the knowledge. Eira narrowly gazed at the ceiling, dwelling at the thought of having ask someone else to provide her nephew... sustenance. For cattle type demi-humans, only one came to mind, and it made her stomach churn having to ask anything of her aunt Thaline.

"I guess I'll need to pay my respects to Dragoon..."

Just then, Athan let out another frustrated whine, his exhaustion winning the battle as he finally gave up and sleepily latched on to her puffy nipple. His suckles were weak at first, but once he got familiarized with the taste of fairy milk, he nursed hungrily to fill his belly.

"Oh-ho, there ya go little man."

Halston grinned, sitting beside Eira and wrapping a muscled arm around her warmly.

"He won't get sick off of it, will he?"

Eira asked looking up at him. Her soft fingers gently caressing the white scruff on Athan's head. The baby's hunger was absolute, leaving no room for air.

"Though at this rate, he's going to have a tummy ache regardless..."

She chuckled softly.

Halston's grin softened into a reassuring smile as he watched Eira with Athan.

"Demons are known for their robust constitutions. Athan should be fine."

He said, his tone confident despite the unusual circumstances.

"And you're right, he's quite the feisty eater. But I think his body will adjust."

As Athan continued to nurse, his small body relaxed against Eira, the tension from his earlier fussing melting away. The room, still bathed in the soft, early morning light, felt peaceful, the sounds of Athan's contented suckling a comforting lullaby. Halston's arm remained around Eira, a silent pillar of support, his gaze shifting between her and the book still open on his lap.

Eira's gaze shifted over her shoulder onto her younger human siblings. A sigh came from her pursed lips, watching as the pair slept. They'd been silent since they were brought in, she couldn't imagine what they'd been dealing with in the weeks prior to being placed in her care.

"I think I have enough funding in my stash to place them in schooling. Pre-care for magic users, though I can already feel my mom's disappointment."

She chuckled warmly, remembering the harsh times Kuina had given her when she refused to learn the way of the sword. Eira always having preferred magic above all else.

"Sage and Soyer will have every opportunity to find their own paths."

She said, her voice a soft whisper, respectful of the quiet morning.

"They deserve that much, at least."

~

In the coming days, Halston formally left the academy - his days became long and tiring. He left every morning at dawn to drop the twins off at their early learning magic classes and returned later at night only after he'd managed to cash in on whatever creatures he'd hunted per request of the adventurers guild.

This new arrangement became routine to the point that he hardly ever got to see Eira awake that often anymore except on weekends when she'd rise extra early to share a shower with him before any of the younglings woke. It always warmed Halston to have her in his arms - it out a spring in his step, somehow pushing him to earn near double what he usually would on normal days.

The days at Ad Laera continued to unfold in a rhythm that was both comforting and exhausting. Halston's early mornings and late nights were a testament to his dedication, not just to his studies and his work with the adventurers guild, but also to his growing family. The weekends, however, were a respite—a time when the demands of the outside world could be set aside, if only for a short while.

Things were still tight in the cramped dorm room with six people. Athan and Caliste shared a crib and the headmistress of the academy had exchanged Eira's plush, queen sized bed for a full sized set of bunk beds which they pushed against the wall to save as much space as possible. With this change, her younger siblings Soyer and Sage slept on the top bunk whilst she and Halston shared the bottom.

"We need a bigger place - and our own room for one."

Halston grumbled, nuzzling in closely to Eira's shoulder and hugging the blankets closer around them to keep out the chill.

Eira's fingers traced over his firm hands, holding one up closely. His hand were calloused, stronger than what they were before he had joined in with the adventurers.

"Do you think, we could find a place outside of the kingdom?"

She asked softly, raising her gaze up at Halston. She shifted herself closer to him within the cotton binds of their soft sheets.

He clasped her hand in his much larger one, bringing it to his lips and ghosting a kiss over her knuckles gently.

"If it is what you wish, I have no qualms putting down roots for wherever your heart's desires."

He murmured supportively.

"What about what you want?"

Eira sighed, turning in his embrace to face him. Her eyes were currently a soft pink, clashing against his ruby red orbs.

"Don't give me the supportive answer either.. I want to know what you think.. or at least question me beforehand..."

She rose her hand up against his cheek, twirling her thumb against his cheekbone.

A lazy smile twitched across his lips and Halston kissed her palm before exhaling sleepily.

"...mmm... what I want... is to ravage you day after day without being told to pull out - to watch you give birth to my offspring and hear you complain when they come out looking like me..."

He said playfully, but the truth was in his eyes. He definitely wanted what he'd just said.

She pushed his cheeks in, thumbs over his mouth and an uncontrollable smirk crossing her lips.

"Shhh... my siblings are surely traumatized enough by how much our parents usually did it..."

They practically did exactly what he had described, destroying her young innocent mind after one curious and determined expedition trip to her parents bedroom... the idea of doing it with Halston, all of the time - like her own parents did however. A faint blush crept over her cheeks.

"I'm not against the idea... but our next child needs to come out looking like me. No exceptions mister..."

"I can't make any promises. My seed is just that amazing."

He grinned, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her even closer to his chest.

Sage and Soyer were not complete fools, encased closely as the whispers, chuckles, kisses, all of it happened below them. Eira and Halston were exact imitations of their parents, and it was almost too frightening. Especially as they shared the same space as them.

"Hopefully it'll end soon..."

Sage said in a soft whisper to her twin.

"And we'll have our own place to live in - with a room far far from theirs... I hope..."

Soyer mumbled.