A Pleasant Waking, A Misunderstanding And Some Surprises

John felt as he had many times recently a hand upon his head gently stroking. There was also a soft sensation under his head he recognised as a pair of thighs. As his eyes cracked open he caught a pair of loving crimson eyes staring down at him. It was Lailia whose lap he was using as a pillow. Even as John’s eyes open all the way she continues to stroke his head and smile. “Did my master have fun last night? I do have to say the mule (Ophilia) is quite skilled as an amateur she gave me quite the thrill.”

John sighed he really overdid it. He could tell the only reason he isn’t feeling any sort of strain is because Lailia used her magic before he awoke. John still held Lailia in the light of the previous timeline but that girl and the one before him are not the same. “Lailia, yes I did have fun. I’m assuming you took my strain away with your magic thank you. Though I will say I was disappointed you didn’t approach me like the others.”

Lailia blushed and stopped stroking John’s head. “Master it is my job to make sure you are in the best of shape. There is no need to thank me for using my magic on you when it’s common sense. A slaves job is to protect and die for her master. I failed to protect you from my selfishness when I was younger and so I have no right to approach you.” Lailia’s face looked scorned as she talked about the past.

“Well Lailia the past is the past perhaps we should move on with the day. Besides you probably won’t be my **** forever you’ll fall in love with someone or get bored servicing me and leave.” John was teasing her but suddenly felt rain droplets on his face. Looking up he realised they weren’t rain droplets but tears from Lailia’s face.

“Master please don’t think so little of me please! I love you, I love you more than anything I would never betray you like that. You took me in when I was alone! I’ll be by your side forever and it’s never boring if I’m with you!” Lailia’s face was full of tears. John didn’t expect this reaction from his little teasing. This only proved just how different this Lailia was to the bitch in the previous timeline.

John sat up and decided to now stroke Kailua’s head to calm her down. “It’s okay Lailia don’t get so worked up I believe you. Just do me a favor and move past that night when you took me in your bed. We have a day to start.” Lailia had calmed down she personally couldn’t move past that night but she would try. She loved John as his maid, **** and as a woman. She’ll happily serve him for the rest of her life.

Suddenly John and Lailia heard clapping. Looking to the source they found Ophilia sitting not too far with her dress half on. “Yay! Ophilia is happy master and mistress made up!” She clapped some more “Now can Ophilia eat? Ophilia is hungry.”

John laughed a genuine laugh something he hadn’t done it a while. This was a nice change of pace. Lailia had a wicked glare at Ophilia for interrupting the moment but John waved her off. “Don’t worry Lailia I’m hungry too. Let’s go grab some food.” Lailia lost her glare immediately and smiled. “Okay let’s!” She said.

Ophilia giggled and grabbed one of each of John and Lailia’s hands. “Ophilia knows where good food is! Ophilia will lead!” Ophilia led John and Lailia directly to a small pastry shop that sat just a couple buildings down. Ophilia reaching the door looked confused. “Master? How can Ophilia open the door when Ophilia was her hands full?” John sighed at Ophilia’s stupidity. John went ahead and pushed the door open and Ophilia’s face lit up. “Master is so smart!” She exclaimed.

Entering the pastry shop there was only one worker who was joyfully baking is a stone oven. She turned around and John immediately laid his eyes on her. She was a very pretty elf likely in her late 20s she had dark blue eyes unlike Ophilia’s glassy blue. Her hair was a auburn color rather than the common blonde. Her body was a solid 9 with a rather round backside and good child birthing hips.

“Milord and miladies how are you? Recovering from the festivities alright? What may I get for you? Oh I haven’t properly introduced myself either i’m Fiora but most people call me Fi” Her smile was very bright.

John answered for everyone we’re all fine just a little hungry. “We have just about fully recovered and we’ll take some of those wild berry fruit pastries. Do you bake and work everything yourself by the way? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Fi nodded “Yes I’ve done everything myself and lots of the people respect me. Queen Idril actually helped me open the shop as I first started baking for her. But soon I guess I won’t have to work alone.” She placed a hand on her stomach and rubbed it. “Milord has granted me a child and for that I am truly grateful. My mother as well will be having another daughter and she said she’s be happy if she was a baker as well. Milord is so kind.” She smiled at John and bowed “You have my sincere gratitude.” She then handed John a basket of pastries and shoed away his hand that was outstretched with money. “Milord has blessed me enough this is the least I could do.” she said as she still held her stomach warmly. John handed the basket to Ophilia before they left.

John, Lailia and Ophilia all left the pastry shop having each taken a pastry from the basket. Ophilia ate hers in two bites and immediately grabbed another but after a glare from Lailia she slowly munched it. Lailia happily nibbled at the fruity pastry gaining a look of joy as her mouth tasted it. John enjoyed his as well reality dawning that he had impregnated several of the village people. They all seemed happy though. John began to wonder where Syr and Siris might be. When Lailia suddenly ran ahead of him. “Master I forgot something important I’ll be going off ahead.” She then started running towards the castle. This was so out of character for Lailia. ‘What could be going on?’ John wondered.

John suddenly felt a weird tug from the direction of his shadow. Looking down a shadowy arm was reaching out and pulling his leg. It was Pio trying to get his attention. Then John tugged on Pio’s arm to signal for her to come out of his shadow. Pio materialised from his shadow in a more detailed form. Ophilia jumped in shock. The still shadowy Pio took the form of a girl with a similar body shape to Lailia but with long black hair tied into a ponytail. Pio bowed and spoke “Miword I wouwd like a pastry too. They smwell yummy.” John found himself sighing again was that really all Pio wanted.

John grabbed a pastry from the basket and handed it to Pio. Pio gladly accepted and took a bite. Pio finally had a face and when she took a bite it looked very cute. She then loudly declared “This tweat must be the bewst delicacy in the world!” She then took another bite and then another getting disappointed as she finished it. John looked at her “Pio you need to be quiet like a mouse here is okay but elsewhere you need to…” John was cut off by pure disappointment as Pio literally formed herself into a mouse. This was gonna take some getting used to. John just kept on sighing today he grabbed another pastry and threw it at Pio who turned back to a human form to grab it. She then disappeared back into John’s shadow.

John then continued his walk slowly admiring the kingdom in which he now rules over. Many villagers waved as he passed of course they were all female so it was always a pleasant sight. Suddenly John noticed a jewellery shop. Well, it wasn’t really the jewellery shop he noticed but instead it was who was coming out of it. It was Syr and Siris. They both spotted John as well then looked towards the castle. They just kinda fidgeted in place and froze.

John approached them. Siris was the first to speak “H-Hi papa we uh we need to go to the castle here so me and Syr should go.” She then grabbed Syr’s wrist but Syr didn’t move. Syr stayed staring at John and said “Daddy there are surprises for you at the castle I don’t like seeing your worried face. I can’t lie to you. Though I uh definitely don’t like you bye milord!” She then ran off with Siris towards the castle.

Surprises John wondered what kind. John decided he would enter the jewelry shop. The shop keeper was a pretty but short middle aged elven woman who looked like a mixed race. “Ah My king and father to my daughter welcome! How may I service you?” She then winked. She had quite the straightforward personality. John could sense a strong amount of magic pressure around the shop.

“I was just curious my daughters just left here what did they get?” John asked

“We’ll they said it was a surprise but the girls had me recraft a very strong magic item. It was nearly dust I mean crumbled pieces. They said it was something you seemed to care about when they first met you. A necklace about yay big.” The way the shop keeper described it there was no doubt she was talking about the Complete Charm.

“This item if you redrafted it does that mean you are part dwarf?” There is no ordinary way to recraft an item of that caliber without being a dwarf and John knew none even in the previous timeline. Dwarves were all about extinct except for a minor few. Many were sold into slavery but would always fetch too large a sum.

The shop keeper nodded “Aye you caught me red handed my father was a dwarven **** who my mother purchased. They both died when I was younger but not before they both trained me. Names Diamond and don’t forget it. And before you say anything I know being named after a worthless gem is stupid but my father liked the way they looked.” John was more than happy to make her acquaintance and formally introduced himself. If she could remake something like the Complete Charm necklace she was a strong friend to have. It was a bit of a shame but also a bonus she was going to have his child.

John said his goodbyes and was going to leave but Diamond stopped him. “John or sorry milord be careful with Idril. She may already have you under her charm but I hope you listen. Rumour is my father years ago was tasked with putting a strong aura on the last queens crown it is quite powerful but supposedly she hardly wears the crown because of it. It’s only usable by whoever is currently the queen but I think it increases her charisma to crazy levels everyone seems to get along with her when she wears it. Perhaps that’s how she made you marry her. Just be careful” She then let John and Ophilia leave.

John didn’t know Idril had such a scary thing. “Why didn’t he see any of that in her mind?” He wondered to himself. Little did he know that was all just rumours and none of it was true. But the queen did have a way of words with women thanks to an ability she didn’t even know she had ‘Girl Talk’. It’s an ability that makes other girls trust her more and more agreeable to her wishes.

The Castle:

Lailia had arrived first to the castle before Syr and Siris. She saw Idril and Malpa who were standing rather close to one another working on some decorations. Malpa was behind Idril seemingly still embarrassed about the night before as she prepped some banners. Vannil was stitching together some final touches on some clothing she was prepping for John and his party.

Lailia still hadn’t had a conversation with Idril but was a little pissed off that she was John’s wife already. She avoided the queen all the while she prepped her own gift for John it was a magic sword she had found at one of the shops in town. She used her own magic to imbue the sword with blood regeneration magic along with the fire aspect it already contained. The more blood the sword would shed the more it would heal the user.

Soon Syr and Siris arrived. Each was holding her gift to John. Syr was the one who decided to have the Complete Charm reassembled she couldn’t wait to see John’s face. To be honest she didn’t know what it did but when she asked Lailia what the perfect gift would be she said this. Though she said Ophilia would likely be given it back because that’s what John would do. Siris had a more interesting gift nothing physical but unbeknownst to even John she had connected her sexual feelings to the doll which contained Odle’s soul. Well, over the course of the night his soul began to believe it was female and had gotten addicted to pleasure. So it was great progress in the corruption of his soul though he or she now hadn’t completely cracked.

Back to John:

John continued towards the castle Ophilia now skipping behind him. She continued to grab the pastries one after the other munching them down until there were none left. They reached the entrance to the castle and were at first stopped by a guard. “I’m sorry my king but by queen Idril’s orders you are not permitted to enter until preparations are ready.” The guard said standing there unmoving.

John was a little worried if Idril truly had that power on her crown she may have broken his manipulations. Maybe she was in the midst of turning Lailia and the others against him. Could Idril actually be an enemy. He had to act quick. He touched the guards head and removed her loyalty to the queen just leaving the loyalty to him. She immediately moved from the door when asked. She even handed her sword to John. Ophilia didn’t have her big backpack but she got into her fist fighting stance on John’s command.

John suddenly kicked the door open immediately you could hear a pin drop as everyone turned in shock to the door. Malpa dropped the banner which said “To The New King! And Happy Sendoff”. Idril dropped the one that said “Just Married!” Vannil had managed to stop herself from messing up the stitching while Lailia had luckily just finished imbuing the sword. Syr nearly dropped the Complete Charm while Siris did drop the Odle spirit doll which thudded on the floor.

Tears started to form in Idril’s eyes as did they in Malpa’s it seemed their emotions were slightly connected. “John! It was supposed to be a surprise!” Idril sobbed. Idril grabbed Malpa and brought her into a hug. They cried on each other’s shoulders. Lailia actually felt bad for Idril and did Syr and Siris for their mother’s hard work was in vain.

John couldn’t get out a sentence. “I…uh..I’m sorry?”

After a couple minutes Idril stopped crying and walked up to John giving him a light slap that wouldn’t hurt. She then kissed John. “You are lucky I love you so much!” She said in an angry tone to John. John felt he must explain his reasoning and said out loud what he had heard from the half dwarf about the crown which John noticed Idril still wasn’t wearing. Idril broke out in a hysterical laughter. “Ahahaha You actually believed that darling. Oh my you must believe fairytales too like world peace and flying pigs.” She patted John’s chest in her laughter.

John was embarrassed now and John noticed Lailia looking angry as she stormed up to Idril. “Listen here I don’t care if you are John’s wife he is my master and I won’t tolerate you…” Idril had suddenly patted Lailia’s head “Oh my I can finally speak to my darlings beautiful childhood friend. I’m so happy you finally decided to talk to me. Don’t worry I won’t take John from you besides you two are great together. Two strong warriors but I hope we can get along.” Idril said before bringing Lailia in for a hug which she crumpled into. John was scared he had never seen Lailia crumple so easily except to him.

Once the hug was broken Lailia left John and Idril alone. John was scared by Idril’s seemingly natural charisma. Idril explained the surprise to John. “We all have presents for you since I know you wanted to go on that adventure so I’ve prepared a small ceremony for our wedding here in the castle. This way we can get it done quickly and you can leave knowing your lovely wife will be here waiting. But since you came early!” Idril clapped her hands and a meek looking elven girl came out wearing priestess garbs and glasses. She pulled out a small book and quickly read “I pronounce you husband and wife you may now kiss the bride!” She then closed the book. John just went with it and kissed Idril.

Idril blushed and smiled “There that wasn’t so hard right.” She then hugged John and whispered in his ear “Darling whenever you return I want more kids if I’ve already had the twins.” She then bit John’s ear.

Soon everyone joined in the gathering congratulating the pair. Then John called attention to himself. “I well know this is sudden but expected I officially am taking Syr and Siris as my daughters!” Suddenly an uproar of claps arose from the open front door. The citizens of the kingdom had gathered also bearing gifts of food, armour, magic items, and numerous other goods for John’s adventure and new marriage.

John was bombarded by everyone and one hand managed to pull him away. Vannil had managed to grab John before he was surrounded. “John are you good? It got a little hairy there.” Vannil asked. John nodded “Yeah thanks for the save!” All the Villagers were lifting Idril, Syr and Siris into the air.

Vannil and John looked each other in the eyes. Cannily spoke to break the ice “John thanks for bringing me an my mother here everyone is so welcoming. My mother and Idril already seem really close too. I’m really happy I have a friend like you.” She then gave John a peck on the cheek “I don’t like cheaters so that’s all you are getting don’t expect anymore unless you make me a wife in the future.” She than playfully stuck her tongue out before presenting John something. John was shocked when he saw her holding out Hero’s Necklace which she was wearing when they fought. “John I want you to take this it was my father’s and thanks to you I won’t have to fight. I’ve also prepared some fine clothes for you, Lailia and even Ophilia. Just make sure…” Vannil began to cry John wasn’t sure why until Vannil finished her sentence. “Just make sure to come back to me if I lost you too I-I couldn’t live anymore. My Dad dying was bad but I had only known him for so long. If I lost my bestest most wonderful childhood friend I really couldn’t do it. So promise me no swear to me you’ll return!” She wiped her tears and stared at John with determination.

John nodded “I will, I swear I’ll return!”

Vannil suddenly pressed her lips to John’s. John knew he implanted no romantic feelings in her these were all natural. Vannil broke the kiss after a couple seconds “It’s not cheating if it’s **** upon you remember you swore to return okay! I’ll be waiting!” Vannil then ran to the crowd of people and joined in the celebration. John put on the necklace looking down at the clothing he wore and yet never remembered putting on. He realised Lailia had clothed him in his sleep and chuckled that he had just about forgotten about clothes.

John slowly was making his way to the crowd when he was stopped again by another hand. This time it belonged to Malpa “John I really appreciate what you’ve done for me and my daughter. You have really given us a home here and I’ve gotten to reunite with The Queen. She even has taken me as her Lady-In-Waiting. My daughter Shared some of her young stories of the two of you and I could tell she likes you. The only issue is…” Malpa then kissed John on the lips like her daughter did moments earlier. “…I like you too. I also like Idril so if you would be willing to think about it please consider marrying me and my daughter. The bonus would be uniting the dark elves with the elves of the forest. Please consider it until you return I’ll wait for the response.” She then handed John her deceased husband’s wedding ring. And ran back to the crowd. John not really ready to accept it put the ring in his satchel.

John finally made his way back to the crowd and was immediately picked up to join the others. However it was Ophilia who had lifted him. “Ophilia wants to join!” She proclaimed. The marriage celebration went on for another hour before everyone cleared from the room. Idril was officially John’s first wife and Syr and Siris officially his adopted daughters. There was now a table loaded with offerings for John’s adventure and others for the wedding. John received his magical sword from Lailia who couldn’t even look at Idril. Ophilia didn’t really know what was going on but gave John the empty basket the pastries were in.

Then came the gift from Syr. When she held out the Complete Charm necklace John was in utter shock. Diamond who had rebuilt it was the real deal it was perfect and John could sense the power within it. It didn’t feel as strong but it would definitely work for it’s main purpose. John did as was expected and returned it to Ophilia who just thought of it as a gift. She had completely forgot she ever wore it before because her brain didn’t deem it necessary to remember.

When Siris explained what was going on with the Odle doll John was exceptionally pleased. Everything was progressing well. When the time would come in the future to handle it the soul will be ready.

Idril presented John with a horse. She explained that it would have to remain in the village to be raised but it is a rare horse breed. They grow to be able to singly lead carriages and wagons. John accepted everyone’s gifts and Vannil presented the fine clothing she stitched to John, Ophilia, Lailia, even Syr and Siris. The clothing looked to be the same kind high class adventurers wore. John explained to Idril and the others that the first stop they would be making will be to the wolf shaped mountain and from there they would go to save the elves that were sold into slavery.

Ophilia loaded her oversized backpack with all the different useful offering. John holstered the magic sword he received from Lailia and swung it on his back. Idril gave John one more kiss and a hug to both her daughters tears running down her face as she stepped back into Malpa’s arms. John was glad the two had gotten close and he was certain they would only get closer. Vannil waved to John tears in her eyes as well.

John, Lailia, Syr and Siris followed by Lailia headed towards the forest and wolf shaped mountain. Their adventure just beginning.