Rumors abound

You stare at the red headed warrior for a moment. “Come again?”

Brianna shrugs. “I want to join you. Your harem, your family, whatever you call it. I want to be part of this.”

You glance around, seeing a mix of reactions. Alex, Cassie, and Sarah all get excited, while Melora simply looks bemused, and Nadia seems to be approving. Ferra, of course, is neutral, simply holding your hand. And Lilith…

Oooh, she wants in! I vote yes, I wanna see what she has hidden under those clothes!

You ignore the horny succubus in your head, instead looking curiously at Brianna. “That seems…sudden. Can I ask why?”

She laughs. “I assumed you would! It’s a bit odd, honestly. I never really fit in at home. Dad wanted me to be ‘proper’, a typical noble’s daughter, but I always preferred otherwise. A bit of a tomboy, I guess you could say. I found I have a natural talent for swordplay and riding.”

Alex giggles at her choice of words, and Brianna flashes a smile. “Yeah, that too. Another point of contention with my father. But that’s getting off track. Eventually, he agreed to let me lead his military, after showing I was capable. I earned my nickname that way. But still, I wanted more. I want adventure! And excitement! And most of all, I wanted to get away from the world of the nobility.”

You nod. “I can understand that. I’m glad my father wasn’t a typical noble. Things are a bit different in Athkalla, for sure.”

She smiles again. “That actually leads into the next part of my explanation. I’m sure you know there’s a lot of rumors about you and your past. A man from a mysterious empire beyond the barrier, supposedly the son of some kind of emperor god. Surrounded by beautiful women who adore him, and all incredibly powerful in their own right. Standing up for the common people, overthrowing the corrupt regime, all of that. It’s quite the alluring tale.”

Brianna takes a drink before continuing. “I was definitely intrigued, but I wanted to see for myself! And now I’m here. And I have to say, from what I’ve seen, the rumors don’t even cover it.”

You chuckle. “Flattery will get you everywhere. But seriously, this is pretty sudden, and it’s certainly not what I expected!”

Melora laughs. “Despite some clear warnings…”

You roll your eyes. “Yes, it seems like some of the girls might have seen it coming.”

Nadia smiles, and addresses Brianna. “Just so you know, he’s not always this oblivious. We usually keep him on track.”

Sarah laughs. “As best we can. Otherwise we bail him out of trouble!”

You sigh and shake your head. “I should have expected that. As you can see, I’m only the one you need to convince. How about this, we’ll have some food and drinks, and the girls can decide if you can join us. Fair?”

Brianna smiles. “More than fair. I wanted to talk with all of them anyways!”

You chuckle, seeing Alex bouncing excitedly in her chair. “Hopefully you don’t come to regret that. Some of them can be a bit much.”

Alex looks at you and fakes a pout. “I know you mean me, my bondmate. Don’t be mean!”

You laugh. “Sorry, Alex. You know I don’t mean it.”

The irrepressible solar elemental giggles. “Of course! Now then, let’s chat, Brianna!”