Reluctantly Rushing Back to Raseyne

“Ach. Sure ya don’t want ta stay just a bit longer...?”

Krvavy gnaws on the inside of her cheek, anxiety plucking at her nerves as she paces back and forth some distance above the switchback path. This is about as far as her Dryad can be from her tree without... beginning to wilt.

“Ya don’t need ta leave right away. It wouldn’t ‘urt ta stick around ‘ere fer a couple more hours. Maybe another day or two...?”

Krvavy glances up and to the side, looking towards the beacon of light and warmth nestled in one of the highest points within this grand and expansive cave that she is lucky enough to call her own. That spot used to be bare, just a platform of rough stone jutting out from the wall. But it has long since become the one place she can truly call her home.

“We can pamper and spoil ya. We can find somethin’ ta keep ya occupied. A way ta level ya up, perhaps? Maybe earn ya some Divine Favour?”

“Beryl...” The barbarian sighs, coming to a sudden stop. “Please. Don’t make this harder than it already is. I... don’t want to go... I don’t want to leave you and the others... I... There is nothing that I’d like more than to just stay here with all of you... never leaving your sides...”

“But ya’re worried about Rina. Ya’re worried about wha’ Shadow might ‘ave done ta ‘er, wha’ tha’ bastard might do ta ‘er...” The tanned tomboy slowly steps forwards, gently wrapping her arms around her lover’s waist. “Ah know. Ah’m worried too. If Ah wasn’t bound ta my tree, ta our ‘ome... Ah’d be right there by yer side ta confront ‘er.”

“Confront...?” Krvavy’s brow furrows as she gazes down at her sweet berry.

“Aye, my dearest love.” Beryl nods her head, rubbing her face into the barbarian’s breasts and bumping her cute branch-like antlers against bare pale skin. “Confront.” Nimble hands, faintly textured like grained wood, lovingly caress across Krvavy’s skin. “Ah know tha’ ya want ta view ‘er as just a victim in all o’ this, but... Rina isn’t weak. She isn’t a fool. Ah don’t think she’s the type ta be easily manipulated.”

“Shadow,” Krvavy spits out that word, that name, with vitriol and hate, “is the Champion of a God. There isn’t much she can do against that bastard. Even if she isn’t being directly threatened...” The barbarian trails off, lips pressed into a thin line.

“My dearest love.” The tomboy reaches up, delicately cupping her Draconic lover’s cheek. “Ah just... don’t want ya ta get ‘urt if the truth isn’t wha’ ya want it ta be.”

The barbarian can just barely bring herself to nod. She understands her sweet berry.

But that doesn’t mean that Krvavy agrees with what Beryl is saying.

Even if whatever relationship she had with Rina was built on a lie... She doesn’t want to think that it was all an act. The despair and sorrow that she saw in Rina’s face in the last moments before **** claimed her... The pain and regret in Rina’s voice as they talked through the Far-Speaking rings, as Krvavy accused her of... of... what Beryl is trying to say...

None of that felt fake.

The Drakling doesn’t want Rina to be at fault. So it has to be Shadow. The mastermind behind the curtains. That manipulative, sketchy, hooded bastard...!

“Krvavy...” Beryl softly breathes out, eyes glowing a blue-green colour as her body shifts and changes, once more looking exactly like the Wood Elf that she used to be. “Don’t do anythin’ reckless. Don’t make yer newest fiancée a widow, even if just fer a week and a bit. Ah love ya.” Her eyes, vibrant and colourful, glisten with tears not yet released.

Krvavy remains silent, grinding her carnivorous teeth together as she stews in her simmering rage. Her sweet berry’s thumb delicately brushes across the small patch of scales scattered atop her cheekbone.

“If ya need a reason ta return ‘ome alive and in one piece...” The tanned tomboy’s voice is barely more than a whisper. Her tone is gentle as she... pleads with her lover. As she begs. “Ya still ‘aven’t taken my new body’s virginity. Ya’ve never been fully inside o’ my pussy. Yer full length, all the way down ta the root. When ya come back... ya can take me in our ‘ome. In our bed. Ah can be yers, truly and in every way.”

One of Krvavy’s hands slowly trails its way down her sweet berry’s back, feeling each and every toned muscle sculpted by years upon years... decades upon decades... more than a century... of using a bow.

“Tha’ is... actually somethin’ Ah ‘ad planned earlier. A gift and a reward tha’ Ah wanted ta give ya fer finishin’ yer job... fer comin’ back ta us. But... ya were too early...” Beryl’s expression falls, her eyes dropping down as they glow once more. Her Dryadic features return one by one as she slowly lowers her hand away from the Drakling’s face. “It would ‘ave been beautiful. Romantic. Passionate. A moment so memorable tha’ ya couldn’t ‘elp but ask me ta be yer wife. Suppose tha’ Ah still got part o’ wha’ wanted...” She tries to sound playful, to lighten the mood. But her heart just isn’t in it.

“I’m sorry.” The barbarian weakly breathes out, closing her own eyes as she squeezes her sweet berry even tighter.

“Fer dying, aye? Not fer ‘ow ya proposed ta me?” Silence answers her question. “Ach. My dearest love. Ah am more than ‘appy wit’ ‘ow ya asked me ta be yer wife. And not just because o’ ‘ow overdue it was. Ya died and came crawlin’ back ta us. Ya could barely stay conscious. But still the first thought in yer mind was ta marry me. It is sweet. And more than Ah could ever ask fer. Far better than my manipulative plan, aye?”

“I just... I just missed you so much...”

“And Ah missed ya too. We all missed ya.” The Dryad’s vines hesitantly emerge from her back, adding extra ‘arms’ to their hug. “If ya don’t mind me askin’... When ya proposed, ya said tha’ ya meant ta ask tha’ question before ya even left. Why didn’t ya? Ach, Ah don’t mean ta sound accusin’, Ah just... Ah’m just curious. When would ya ‘ave even done it?”

“It was right after you... laid our Seed. You were free. Not a ****. And you...” Krvavy finds herself smiling slightly as she looks back on that memory. “You looked so beautiful in that moment... And when you tried to say that you loved me... I just couldn’t help but ask you to marry me. To be my wife. But then you kissed me. By the time I could talk again, the moment had passed. It would have felt awkward to just blurt it out then...”

“Ach. Ach!” Annoyance and anger drips from the Dryad’s tone, prompting Krvavy to open her eyes once more. A grimace fills Beryl’s face. “Ya stupid softy! Ah wouldn’t’ve cared if it was a little awkward! If anythin’ tha’d’ve just made it even more special! More like ya! But...!” She forces herself to stop, taking a deep breath and sighing out. “At least we’re even now. Ah unintentionally ruined the moment ya would’a proposed ta me, and ya unintentionally ruined my planned moment ta make ya propose. And it... it still worked out in the end. Ah’m still ta be yer wife.”

A comfortable silence descends on the two lovers as they stand in the middle of the pathway, holding each other tight.

But that peace can’t last forever. Krvavy has somewhere to go, after all.

“Ugh, typical...!” That bratty grumble draws both Drakling and Dryad from their shared embrace. “Here,” the noble girl shoves a couple pelts into Krvavy’s hands. “Get dressed already.”

“Ach, clothes...” Beryl shakes her head, speaking that word with a playful amount of disdain. “Wha’ a poor thing ya are, my dearest love. Not only will ya be leavin’ us, yer loves, but ya can’t even be naked while doing so~...”

“Yeah, what a tragedy~...” The barbarian lightly responds, securing her pelt loincloth in place and then doing the same for the matching top. “But hey, at least I have another reason to hurry home as fast as I can.”

Thea just rolls her beautiful blue eyes and crosses her arms, unintentionally lifting up her bare breasts and squishing those soft handfuls in such a wonderful way.

But Krvavy’s gaze doesn’t linger very long on that sight. Instead, her gaze turns to the other blonde by her fiancée’s side. “My little mouse~.” Pure, unadulterated love drips from those possessive words. “What do you have for me~?”

Adeline simply trembles in response, her round cheeks flushing a deep crimson as she gazes up at the giant towering above her. The Halfling’s big hazel eyes follow her oversized lover’s emerald pair as the Drakling kneels down in front of her, getting closer to her short height but still remaining quite a bit taller.

“Well~?”

“Eeep!” The Halfling adorably squeaks out as a couple strong fingers brush against the tuft of fur on the backs of her hands. “F-foood!” She hastily responds, lifting up a large bundle of wrapped and packaged meals, holding it out as an offering.

“Thanks.” Krvavy gives the bunny-mouse girl a loving pat on the head before taking those rations. “It’ll be nice to have a bit of home with us even when we’re gone.”

“Eeeeeieiieeee...” That genuine response breaks what what little composure Adeline had. Without wasting even a moment, she throws herself forwards and hugs onto Krvavy’s waist, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. “Eeeeeeeeeiiieeee...” Her cute squeaking sounds are quickly muffled by the barbarian’s big pale breasts.

“Aww, sweetie~...” Beryl softly coos, quite predictably lowering herself down to the ground so that she can hug both the barbarian and bunny-mouse girl at the same time. “Don’t ya worry, our dearest love won’t be gone fer too long. A bit more than a week, tha’ is all. She and Khalia’ll be runnin’ the whole way there and back. Plus~,” the Dryad’s voice lowers to a playfully conspiratorial whisper, quiet enough to sound private but still audible to all those around her. “Ah’d bet tha’ when our Krvavy does come back ta us, she won’t be leavin’ our side fer days and days and days and days~...!”

Krvavy simply smiles and glances towards Thea. A light blush colours her fiancée’s cheeks as the bratty girl stands just a little off to the side. Within reach of the Drakling’s tail.

“Hmph...” Thea rolls her eyes again as a certain meaty appendage bumps into the backs of her legs, encouraging her to step closer and closer. She stubbornly remains standing even as her arms loosely wrap around Krvavy’s shoulders, reluctantly joining this group hug.

“Mm? I would apologize for keeping you waiting, my Ushumgal, but the delay doesn’t appear to have bothered you.”

The barbarian looks back over her shoulder, grinning widely as she sees her two missing girls.

Inanna is completely and utterly naked, as expected. Her absolutely massive melons... her titanic tits... those big and beyond bountiful breasts... those orbs beautifully bounce and jiggle as she walks along the path, approaching her Draconic lover and fellow members of said lover’s harem.

But as eye-catching and captivating as the Dwarf may be, she isn’t where the Drakling’s gaze ultimately finds itself. No, that would be the Were-Beast following a few steps behind her.

Khalia isn’t naked. Much to the Orc’s displeasure, she is wearing armour. Actual armour, made of light grey and silvery metal. She isn’t wearing an entire suit of the stuff, of course, but there are enough thick plates strapped and secured onto her body to give this Greenskin a decent amount of protection.

A well-fitted breastplate covers the upper half of her torso in its entirety, no doubt compressing and containing her tits better than any sports bra could. It isn’t ‘boob plate’ or even anything remotely suggestive, but it still does quite the good job at highlighting Khalia’s femininity. The top part of that piece of armour is rather ‘gentle’ and ‘smooth’, following the curve of the green-skinned tits contained within, while the much whiter bottom is a lot more angular as it cinches inwards into her waist.

A waist that is far better defended than usual. Though, in all fairness, that isn’t exactly saying much. Khalia’s ‘usual’ is complete nudity. That or she’ll wear the same revealing outfit that Krvavy currently has on: a simple fur loincloth with a matching pelt wrapped around her tits. But only if she is sufficiently ****. Still, the layered bands of metal that reach down from beneath her breastplate to just above her bellybutton are a welcome sight, helping to protect a good deal of her muscled midsection from danger.

The thought of keeping one of her girls safe is more than enough for Krvavy, so she can’t even fault those faulds from hiding away her precious puppy’s toned tummy.

In the other direction, above and atop the breastplate, lay both a gorget and bevor, which together serve to entirely encase Khalia’s neck. The bottom half of her face, everything from just above the tip of her nose and just below her fluffy ears down, is entirely obscured by the uppermost piece of that angular bevor. While that does provide her some extra protection, there is a good chance that it is there to serve as more of a muzzle to keep her from biting anyone and anything that gets too close to her deathtrap of a mouth.

Which is probably why she seems rather annoyed by it.

Khalia’s shoulders are similarly well armoured, covered completely by articulated pauldrons made of a silvery, almost white, metal. Overlapping light grey plates extend down from them, reaching down the outsides of her biceps.

From the waist and elbows up, this Were-Beast is rather heavily armoured. But only from her waist and elbows up, as everything below those points is... considerably less covered.

A pair of thick vambrace plates cover the backs of her forearms, both secured in place by three leather straps that dig into her furred limbs. Similar pieces of metal cover her shins as relatively normal looking greaves. But the larger and much thicker ones covering the fronts of her thighs are anything but normal cuisses. They look more like oversized tassets than anything, especially since they each have a leather strap leading up to her hips in addition to the ones wrapped tightly around her legs.

And in the very center of it all, or technically a little below the center, is what can only be described as skimpy leather underwear. Two layers of that, from the look of it: a thinner more thong-like band that reaches up to the top of her hip bones, passing beneath the faulds around her waist, and a wider low-cut band that is just barely on her hips at all.

Authors Note: Here is the image I made for Khalia’s armour, just flat colours with no shading as usual. Also here is one without the bevor, because I didn’t draw that piece of armour all that well and honestly think that looks a bit better without it, and here is one that is also missing the faulds, because she has nice abs and it is a shame to cover them up. Still, I like the idea of her being ‘muzzled’, so the first image is what is being described in this chapter.

All in all, Krvavy absolutely loves what she sees. Not only is her precious puppy more armoured than she expected, but the armour in question looks great. Both in style and sexiness.

It all just... contrasts beautifully with her Orc’s wild appearance. The remains of a civilized and noble shell surrounding a beast of rage and destruction... The fact that pretty much every single piece was scavenged off the corpses of knights that the barbarian and Were-Beast had killed together elevates this whole look even further. Spoils of war pilfered from the bodies of those she’s slain... How fitting for this ferocious Greenskin.

That the knights in question were the ones protecting the Patriarch is just icing on the already wonderful cake.

There is just a certain satisfaction to be had in taking something from the Duke, the man who had Krvavy killed and who she is hellbent on killing, and using it to protect one of her girls. It almost feels like spitting in his face. Like Krvavy had desecrated the memory of that unfortunately still living man. Rather petty, but no less delightful.

“Enjoying the results of my hard work?” The faintest hint of playfulness underlines the Dwarf’s tone. Her intense copper-orange eyes glimmer with amusement. “You made this request over two months ago, and here it is: knightly armour repurposed and refitted for your Were-Beast. Other than a few last minute adjustments that were just made, this project had actually been completed some time ago. Khalia just never needed to wear it until now.”

“Rrrrrrrghhhhhhhnnnnghh...” A long, rumbling growl emerges from deep within the Were-Beast’s body. Her clawed fingers idly paw at seemingly random pieces of her armour. She may not be happy about having to wear all of this, but she knows better than to actually try taking any of it off.

“You did an amazing job~.” Krvavy grins proudly as she easily and honestly praises her Dwarf. “Come here~. Both of you~.” She all but orders, heartbeat drumming away in her ears as Inanna does just that, engulfing Adeline and a fair bit of Beryl in the vast expanse of her cleavage as she enters the group hug.

Khalia joins in a few moments later, not all that pleased with how the angular armour is keeping her own tits from squishing into her Mate’s head. “Rrghhhmmh...”

“My dearest love~...” Beryl’s happily sighed words are slightly muffled by the bodies clinging onto her. Mostly Inanna’s tits, to be honest. “There we go, ya’ve ‘ad a good, nice ‘ug wit’ all o’ yer girls. Now... it is time fer ya ta leave.”

The Drakling raises an eyebrow as her Dryad makes absolutely no attempt to leave this group hug.

Sadly, Thea does. “Go...” The bratty girl reluctantly orders, taking a step back. “The two of you have a whore to interro–” She suddenly pauses, eyes narrowing into slits as she takes one look at the Were-Beast before turning to the Dwarf. “You turned a suit of knightly armour into lingerie...?” Thea doesn’t sound particularly surprised by that, but there is still a tinge of disappointment in her voice all the same.

“Khalia would only tolerate wearing so much.” Inanna plainly replies, pulling herself back and freeing the poor Halfling from the smothering embrace of her tits. “And I would hardly consider articulating metal plates held in place by leather straps as lingerie.”

The silver-blonde noble girl simply rolls her eyes, lips twisting into the slightest sneer. “I can literally see her pubes poking out of the top of those... do they even count as shorts?”

Krvavy blinks and takes another look at her precious puppy, which isn’t easy to do with the Were-Beast still clinging onto her back. She can... kind of see where Thea is coming from. The different bits of leather around Khalia’s hips are definitely a bit on the lewd side. This Greenskin is pretty much just wearing a leather thong and something that can’t even be described as booty shorts. And, to top it all off, the straps attaching those thigh plates to that leather underwear do look a bit like garter...

“Mm. Perhaps, for modesty’s sake, she should also wear a loincl–”

“RRRGHHHH!” The Were-Beast growls rather loudly at that suggestion.

“You might have to.” Krvavy plainly points out, ignoring the armoured arms tightening around her body in an almost threatening manner. “At least when we reach Raseyne.”

“My dearest love, do ya really think anyone’d complain about yer puppy walkin’ about wit’ ‘er arse out like this~?” Beryl finally pulls away from her Draconic lover, bringing Adeline with her and effectively ending the hug. “Not because they enjoy the sight, but because who would dare ta tell ‘er off~?”

“Me. I would dare.” Krvavy calmly answers in as deadpan a tone as possible, earning herself a growl and another rough squeeze.

Beryl just smiles, reaching a hand out to tap the faulds covering part of Khalia’s belly. “These won’t pinch ‘er, will they?”

“No.” Inanna shakes her head. “Her armour is padded with firm, layered fabric to prevent just that.”

“Ugh,” Thea groans, “enough stalling. Just get going already.”

Krvavy slowly and softly sighs. She doesn’t want to leave her girls, but... She has to. Her emerald eyes lowly trails over each and every one of the women in front of her, memorizing the sight of them. A slight smile works its way onto her lips as she spots the different pieces of Far-Speaking jewellery that they are all wearing.

Thea has temporarily replaced her ring with a bracelet, matching Adeline whether intentionally or not. The simple stud piercing that Inanna has in her left ear is almost completely hidden amongst her voluminous coal-black hair, but the faintest gleam of its silvery metal betrays its presence. Beryl has a horseshoe shaped piercing in her right ear, each end of it capped by a spherical black gem.

As for Khalia... Well, she almost certainly has her collar on beneath her armour, so the brooch she prefers is likely dangling on that with her name tag.

“Alright.” The barbarian finally stands back up, no longer needing to kneel down without a Halfling to hug. “Time to go. For real, this time... I love you all. Bye...”

“Farewell, my Ushumgal.”

“B-b-bye...!”

“Bye fer now, my dearest love, see ya soon~!”

“Hmph...! Goodbye...!”

“Bye bye...!” Khalia waves a hand towards the others as she closely follows after her Mate, barely giving the barbarian any space.

“Rrrrgh... Mate, be calm.”

Krvavy forces herself to take a deep breath and slowly breathe out. She remains just as tense as before.

The sun hangs low in the sky as Raseyne and its walls loom over the horizon. They’ll be at the city’s gates in less than half an hour.

“Rmmghhhn...” A rumbling grumble echoes through Khalia’s armour. Her strong, paw-like hand tightens its grip on that of her Mate, furred and almost bestial fingers interlocked with the Drakling’s scaled digits.

“I’ll be alright, don’t worr–”

Krvavy abruptly cuts herself off, heart freezing as a jolt of panic flashes through her mind.

The two Far-Speaking rings nestled on her lower right horn, both the one that used to be Thea’s and the optimistic replacement, pulse as someone... as one of her girls... tries to contact her...!

⟨Is everything alright?!⟩

⟨Yes, my Ushumgal, everything is alright.⟩ Inanna’s reassuringly steady voice fills the barbarian’s mind. She does not sound even slightly surprised by the worried and almost frantic response her call had drawn out. ⟨Have you arrived in Raseyne yet?⟩

⟨Not... quite.⟩ Krvavy softly sighs, her heart still beating rather fast as she struggles to calm down. ⟨The gates are just up ahead. Are you calling to... check up on us?⟩

⟨Not exactly. I have faith in you, my Ushumgal. I am confident that you will be alright.⟩ The Dwarf’s love and trust can be felt through the connection, causing a warm fuzzy feeling to blossom inside the barbarian. It isn’t enough to completely wash away the tension and anxiety that Krvavy is feeling, but it does help a fair bit. ⟨I would like to make a request: while in the city, could you pick up some more cooking supplies? Primarily grains and flour.⟩

The Drakling tilts her head in confusion, even though her grey-skinned shortstack isn’t here to see that. ⟨Don’t we have a lot of that stuff already?⟩

⟨We did, yes. But there was a very minor incident in the kitchen earlier – no need to be concerned, my Ushumgal. No one was harmed in any way or put in any danger, we simply lost some ingredients due to a spill.⟩

⟨Okay, I...⟩ Krvavy glances up at the dimming sky, unconsciously looking for any sort of winged creature flying about. ⟨I doubt any stores will be open by the time we get there, so we’ll handle that in the morning.⟩ If everything goes well...

⟨Thank you, my Ushumgal. Be safe. I love you.⟩

⟨I love you too...⟩ Krvavy frowns faintly as the connection is cut. Sometimes she just can’t help but feel like her Dwarf is a bit too efficient... If that was Adeline or Beryl, or even Thea if she is in the right mood, then they’d have had a back and forth saying those three wonderful words over and over again...

Krvavy could have used that distraction...

“Mate.” The Were-Beast possessively pulls on barbarian’s arm. She hooks a finger into her bevor and tilts her head back. “Mmmwhm~...” Her plump lips press into her Mate’s mouth, holding that slightly awkward kiss for just a moment before having to pull back. “Rrgh... stupid armour...”

A smile works its way onto Krvavy’s face.

Dim stars fill the murky sky, growing brighter and clearer as the sun falls further beneath the horizon.

The gate to the Countess’ estate stands before the barbarian and her Were-Beast. The knights that are usually there are absent. The large doors have been shut.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Krvavy’s fist pounds against the solid wood, her frustration echoing out through the quiet night air.

Silence answers her. But before she can punch the door again, some of the light filtering out through one of the arrowslits flickers.

“Krvavy?” A familiar voice calls out from within the gatehouse. “Good to see that you’re doing alright after... whatever it is that happened!”

The Drakling lightly bites the inside of her cheek. She recognizes this voice as belonging to one of the knights she sparred with, but... “Yup, I’m all good and healthy. Can my friend and I come in... Jurij?”

“Ha! Didn’t expect you to remember me! We only had the one fight!” The knight sounds incredibly happy that Krvavy guessed right. And that was a guess. “Yeah, come on in! I’ll open the gate a crack and you can squeeze on through!” The sound of his armour clanking grows quieter as he hurries off to do just that.

Despite not having to even try to explain her Were-Beast’s presence, Krvavy is still tense and on edge. How could she not be? Each step she takes brings her closer and closer to –

A muffled thump and click can be heard through the large doors, before they slowly begin to open.

Khalia gives her Mate’s hand a squeeze as she drags the Drakling through that growing gap.

“My, that’s, uh, quite the friend you have there...” The knight’s friendly demeanour diminishes a bit as he stares up at the Were-Beast. He clearly did not pay much attention to her before opening the gate. But now he obviously can’t ignore the Orc/Hyena hybrid standing before him. “We aren’t going to have any problems, are we...?” A degree of nervousness tints his voice as he hesitantly asks that question.

“Don’t worry, Khalia here is... just a bit protective.” The barbarian excuses her Orc’s intense, harsh, and mildly threatening glare. “She won’t cause any trouble as long as I’m alright.”

“Right... Go on ahead.”

The beautiful gardens that fill the Countess’ estate go completely ignored as Krvavy marches straight for the castle turned mansion up ahead. She crosses the decorative pond of a moat and –

The ornate doors open before she can even knock on them.

Vera stands there, alone and with her featherduster in hand. An odd mix of emotions fill her pale pink eyes. At least until she looks towards Khalia. Her aggression and hostility return in an instant. “Come in.” She coldly orders, stepping to the side.

“Rrrrghh...” The Were-Beast growls softly as the tingling sensation of a cleaning spell engulfs both her and her Mate.

“This way.”

The albino maid guides the two guests in the opposite direction that Krvavy is expecting. Towards... the large ballroom where she first met Alexandrina. Towards the belly of the beast...