Beta read by Shigiya, Gamercrusher55 and Fluffy Slayer
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-Grünes Bergdorf-
(A few days earlier)
"So, this is the place?"
Arriving at a familiar village, two figures came to a stop before a large, two-story building that clearly served as an inn for travellers passing through. It was easily the most imposing structure in the area, surpassing even the village head's residence. What made it stand out even more, however, was the heavy presence of guards and mercenaries stationed at the entrance—far more than were posted at the village gates. The building itself bore the marks of numerous renovations, with reinforced walls and fortified sections, giving it the appearance of a military barracks rather than a simple inn.
"Well, it kinda matches most of his description. The name is the same too," remarked a blonde elf staring at the elegant and well-made sign above the door. She wore a stunning sunflower dress that complemented her elegant but revealing figure. Her stoic expression gave little away as she studied the imposing structure. Her appearance alone attracted glances from the surrounding people, dazed, mystified, intrigued, and enthralled to name a few. But the most prominent gaze from the majority was lustful.
A few tried to get closer but were immediately sent away with a single glare from both the dark and light elf.
Grace suppressed a sigh and turned toward her blonde-haired and buxom companion—her lover and best friend, causing her own beautiful sundress to twirl in the air, showing off her smooth dark legs and wide childbearing hips. "It's been a long journey. Never in my life have I traveled so much in just a whole month."
"Well, we did have to make multiple stops along the way," her companion replied dryly, though her face did not show it, there was a distinct presence of amusement within her tone.
"That's because you couldn't hold yourself—" Grace paused mid-sentence, her cheeks flushing slightly as she took a deep breath and looked around to check if anyone was overhearing them. Once sure, she continued in a much lower tone. "Because you couldn't control yourself the entire time and had to drag me to calm you down! For multiple days at times! We spent twice as long in Ken than we should have!"
"It's not my fault these urges have been getting stronger after we slept with him. It's hard to forget how much of a beast he was with our bodies," Anna retorted with a shrug, licking her plump lips at remembering that night, which had Grace rubbing her thighs at those memories as well. It didn't go unnoticed by Anna. "Don't put all the blame on me, Grace, you were just as willing the entire time and never said anything, at least other than calling Archer's name. I would've felt jealous but I was thinking about him as well."
"T-T-That's be… because…" rendered momentarily speechless, the Dark Elf stuttered on her own words and then sent a stream of multiple light punches at Anna — the latter who just kept ignoring them, as they had the same impact from getting hit by a ball of wool.. "That's because I was worried about you, dummy! Your lust kept spiking more frequently since we parted ways with Archer. I didn't want you to suffer along the way and hold yourself back…"
Her voice trailed down at the end, the blush getting more and more prominent till even Anna was unable to stop herself from smiling at the pout. Grace then continued.
"I thought you said when you were with Archer you felt it was more manageable?"
Anna's face then bore a sad peaceful smile.
"That was when I was with him, but now that we're so far away it's returned, and after having been with him I feel something different."
"Anna."
Grace looked at her friend with concern.
"I can't control my dreams, it's not my fault I kept recalling our moment near the waterfall with Archer." She revealed, making Grace reminisce as well, her eyes getting lost in memories of the past which she quickly tried to push away in order to not get swept away by them again.
"I-I know… you don't need to bring that up."
As if not hearing her words, Anna continued to speak. "Even now, my body yearns for it again. I'm half tempted to go after him right now, drag that man to a secluded part of the woods, and not stop until my belly is swollen with his essence… or until we both pass out from ecstasy…It all works just as well. But the thought of both of our wombs flooded and drowned in his hot, thick sea— Mmmmmm~ Oh my~!"
"—Anna!"
"I think I came a little."
"For the love of mercy, please don't say such things out loud!"
Mortified by what the blonde was willing to say out loud without any shame, she took action and covered her face. Hating herself for almost getting lost in the same fantasies and actually considering going to Feoh to find him!
If he were to find out, Grace did not dare to imagine the kind of face he would make upon realizing what Anna planned to do.
Or perhaps repulsed by how needy she had become for a man she had only known for a few days?
She used to be an innocent maiden!
But now she felt like some wanton harlot prowling after her prey!
"Speaking of others," Grace said hastily, desperate to change the subject, "I wonder how that child is faring." She thought of Radomira, the other companion they'd parted ways with. "I worry about her in Feoh. That place isn't exactly welcoming to non-humans... let alone a Tiefling."
"She'll be fine," Anna stated with a great deal of conviction. "If Archer is willing to go this far to safekeep both the Dark Queen and her servant back then across the dark lands with us in tow — then taking care of a child shouldn't be an issue."
"I know, but I still worry, you know?" She said a sentiment which Anna seemed to understand as she nodded without saying a word. There were many topics they shared during their journey here, this was not the first time the conversation around Radomira surfaced.
"Let's put that in the back of our mind, we first need to get settled here."
The two elves approached the Emerald Inn, where raucous laughter and drunken singing spilled through the walls. Inside, patrons bellowed in boisterous cheers, and drunk men sang in merriment, with some calling the name 'Bianca' out loud to bring more drinks and food, their voices carrying clear into the street.
Grace fidgeted with her dress, clearly unsettled by the rowdy atmosphere, while Anna maintained her usual composed demeanor. Without hesitation, Anna strode forward and pushed open the newly installed doors, leading them both into the bustling tavern.
"Wow…"
Immediately, they were taken by surprise by the sight before them. Especially when both elves had experience running an Inn, they could tell the interior was different from their prior village's Inn.
The Emerald Inn had changed from its past self if Archer were to see it for himself — to the point it was nearly unrecognizable. As Grace and Anna stepped through the newly built doors, they were greeted by a warm atmosphere—a mix of blooming flowers, fresh greenery, and faint traces of herbs. The inn's interior was a living sanctuary, a stark contrast to the rugged exterior and rowdy sounds that poured from within.
Vines and ivy crept along the walls, weaving intricate patterns around the wooden beams. Pillars throughout the space were wrapped in cascading greenery, with small flowering plants sprouting at various intervals. Lanterns with soft, golden light dangled from the ceiling, each encased in glass terrariums that housed tiny, glowing fungi. The light reflected off polished wood floors, creating an almost magical ambiance that made the room feel alive.
Despite the rustic charm and abundance of greenery, the Inn didn't sacrifice functionality. A long bar stretched across one side of the room, its surface filled with plenty of different pints of beers and other beverages all being placed in stacks by a gruff-looking man who seemed to be the bartender… or the owner?
Regardless, he was intimidating enough with a body that seemed to mostly be an amalgamation of large muscles clumped together, that Grace had almost mistaken him for a muscular dwarf. His presence alone makes Grace involuntarily hesitate to take a step inside for a moment.
Gliding through the room was a raven-haired beauty in a scandalous red barmaid outfit that left little to the imagination. Her long, silky legs drew appreciative whistles as she sashayed with the grace of a prima ballerina. The bodice of her dress seemed to strain against her large, inviting bosom, threatening to burst free at any moment, much to the anticipation of some of the patrons. Yet it was her dazzling smile that truly captivated the patrons, radiating a warmth that seemed to melt even the gruffest demeanor. The barmaid's presence was like a soothing balm, spreading cheer and lifting spirits wherever she went.
"Make it quick, Jint! I have another order for ten pints of beer and two bottles of wine!"
"Don't rush an old man, I am going as fast as I can! Humph, no respect for the elders anymore, have some consideration for my frail body."
"Frail body? Where?" The woman answered with an eye roll. "If I remember correctly, you were swinging around a few greatswords yesterday in the woods and easily chopped off a few trees with just a few attempts."
"That doesn't count. As a blacksmith, it is my duty to test my creations." He said with an expression that exclaimed injustice, yet his hands never stopped moving as he prepared the order Bianca gave him in a matter of seconds. "Just get on with your duties, if someone tries to grope your butt again, then I'll make sure that it'll be the last time."
"And like I said last time, don't hurt the customers or they won't come back!"
"Oh please, I broke that boy's hand at least four times and the persistent little shit keeps coming back because you keep flirting with him!"
"Shhhh! Keep your voice down, Jint, he's the child of a noble from one of the surrounding kingdoms and his pockets are deep enough to buy the premium stuff every day! This is good for business!"
"I don't remember the shy little lass that first worked here being this shrewd." grunted out the Blacksmith before moving to get the drinks.
"Well, my dad was a merchant. It's in my blood~."
With their naturally enhanced hearing, both Anna and Grace were able to hear the conversation between the two of them. The interaction between the old man and young girl made the dark elf wonder if they were father and daughter.
"Are we sure this is the place again?" She couldn't help but ask, avoiding a drunk man that walked past them, his eyes lingering on her breasts and hitting the wall near the door. "Archer mentioned that the owner is supposedly some young girl named Alice."
He spoke about the girl for quite a bit during their last moments and mentioned her in the letter he made. At least, he mentioned enough for them to understand that this person was someone he trusted. An orphan who tried to run the Inn that was left to her by her parents. Barely managed to manage the entire thing on her own and barely kept a sinking ship afloat a while longer only thanks to her stubbornness.
It struck a chord within Grace's heart when she heard the story, for it felt like this person shared some similarities with her, and perhaps was even a kindred spirit.
"Order up!"
Then came a voice from the very back of the place, where they saw an open window looking inside a kitchen. Witnessing a single person swiftly going around and placing a few plates of dishes on its counter. Barely giving them any time to even see that person's face.
But for a brief moment, the visible strands of red hair made something click within Grace and Anna's mind.
"Got it, boss!" Bianca cheerfully shouted and went to the window to pick up the orders without any complaints. Going around the tables to serve the customers who were mostly guards, traveling merchants, and passing mercenaries.
She instantly took the orders to the table, and when the opportunity to flirt with a few of them was presented, she came up using her naturally attractive body to garner their attention and used her cheerful voice to brighten their day. It seemed to be quite effective. But many amongst them did not dare to lean over for a touch, as they felt the blazing glare of the mountain of muscles behind the bar counter.
"That confirms it, this is indeed the place," Anna said, to which Grace agreed.
The moment they walked in, practically no one noticed them. But as the seconds passed, slowly but surely their appearances kept turning, a few heads from all around the place looked at them until the moment they reached their tables…because now the entire inn had gone silent looking at them. A few gasps of disbelief sounded from a few people around at the beauties which neither of the girls paid any attention to.
"How nostalgic seeing this reaction." The blonde elf commented, "If I remember correctly, we had a similar kind of reception when we first arrived at our village. At least now no one is rushing over to start praying at me."
"This must be the first time they met an elf. So it's understandable."
"How long do you think it will take for one of us to be approached by an individual asking us for marriage?"
"You mean asking you, and not me." Grace corrected her with a tired exhale. For even if the threat of the Dark Queen had been quelled by Archer, that person's prior atrocities still were fresh in the minds of the population. Thus dark elf kind were not necessarily seen in a favorable light in all of Eostia, so she was more careful compared to Anna.
It would not be surprising if one of the soldiers were to raise a weapon at her and try to attack. It wouldn't be the first time nor would it be the last, for Olga's influence and the image she built around her race had engulfed them completely. For the stigma to disappear, it will need a few centuries to pass and some goodwill.
"I am also surprised we have not met a priest or any member of the church of Celestine wandering around."
"Don't think about them too much, Grace. This place is quite far and is very small in comparison to our village. So I doubt those money-hungry morons would open a church in such a place for they would not even collect enough coins to tear their pockets apart." A clear tone of distaste could be had within her tone which she did not bother to hide in the least. Thankfully, no one around seemed to be interested or rather, most of them appear to have not even been interested in their words but rather kept gazing at Anna as if she were the goddess reborn herself.
As they were continuing their conversation, the young woman working as a waitress finally came over to their table with a large smile on her face.
"Ooooh! How rare it is to see elves around, a light elf and a dark elf together no less! That's amazing, both of you look so beautiful!" To their surprise, Bianca approached them without much hesitation. Speaking to them cheerfully as she did with any other customers. Going so far as to even get close to them and start looking at their features, like their ears openly. "Oh, where are my manners? Welcome to Emerald Inn! The best and only place in Grünes Berg-oh… Bergoft… Berget… village where you can get the best tasting dishes and the strongest liquor on the market. Guaranteed to be better than the crap you get from even the fanciest places in Ken. All of it at an affordable price!"
The introduction called them a bit off guard at first, but the more she continued to speak the more relaxed they became till both of them found themselves enjoying the bright personality of this waitress. She definitely had a talent for such things.
"Also, we don't cover any of the medical expenses that you might get here, just in case you get hurt whilst inside this building. I am also not responsible for any broken bones in case you decide to get a feel of my butt." She added that last thought quickly in a quiet voice, something which they nearly missed had they not been paying attention.
In the end, Grace just ended up chuckling at the entire situation. "You seem to be familiar with elves."
"Kinda, I knew a few elves who used to work with me at a brothel in Ansur. We never talked much, and they always had a "higher and mightier than thou" attitude when it came to interacting with me even though we had the same job. It probably had something to do with the fact that most didn't want to be there in the first place. No wonder most of them were thrilled to get out of there when the place shut down."
A former prostitute? That was unexpected but nothing that would change their opinion of the girl in front of them. Having traveled across this land over the years they encountered people of all walks of life who all worked different kinds of jobs of similar nature.
"In any case, since both of you are new to the village, are you also here to use the routes in order to leave the place?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, recently there has been an influx of people leaving Ken or one of the other kingdoms. Many of them use this road to traverse to the neighboring kingdom in the southwest. But we also get plenty of foreigners from outside Eostia coming over to go in recently. Most of them are mercenaries. Funnily enough, we had a demi-human woman who passed through not that long ago. She was a heavy drinker and had a chest bigger than Alice! She even gave me permission to touch them! Though yours are bigger than both of them now that I think about it. I mean I don't think I've seen ones as large as those." She said whilst pointing at the dark elf who did not mind the comment.
For she was more preoccupied with the information they got from the waitress. It was no secret that the seven kingdoms were not in the best of times at the moment. Even though Olga was defeated, both women knew that it would take a while for things to stabilize let alone improve anytime soon. That's why it made sense for people to just leave for a better future somewhere else.
"That is interesting to know, we will keep that in mind, thank you very much." Grace sent, feeling more worried about Archer and Radomira with this news. "To answer your previous question, we did not come here in order to traverse to one of the surrounding kingdoms. Rather we came here after someone very precious to both of us suggested we find a place to live in this village."
"Really!? That's wonderful news! With two hot elves around, this place will gain a lot of popularity and we will have tons more customers! Don't worry, I'll help you find an empty house or have Jint over there convince the village chief to give you a plot of land and build one there instead."
Grace quickly waved her hands, trying to slow Bianca down. "Oh, you misunderstood. That person actually told us to visit the Emerald Inn and ask us to meet the owner in case we wanted to find a place to live."
That made Bianca raise an eyebrow as she stopped her continuous mumbling. Now growing more intrigued than anything else. "Oh? That is news to me. Mind telling me who this person is?" Bianca began to ask weirdly as soon as she heard their statement.
"Archer."
"..."
As soon as she gave her answer, the girl went completely quiet. Her eyes widened as she stared at them with slight disbelief. This went on for a few more seconds till Bianca managed to recover enough to ask them another question with a shaky breath.
"You… are you two friends of his or something?" She asked with a bit of uncertainty.
Before Grace could even give an answer, Anna beat her to it. "No, we are his wives."
"What!?"
"Anna!?"
Both women had a similar reaction to her answer. Looking at the blonde in this belief at what she had just said, and worst of all, she was not done. "We came here to find a place to live while he is on a mission in Feoh with our daughter."
Bang!
The kitchen doors burst open with a resounding bang, revealing a frazzled red-headed woman with wild curly hair and a massive chest that could give the elves a run for their money. She stumbled out, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, clutching a chef's knife in a flour-coated hand. Her apron was splattered with various cooking stains, giving her a slightly unhinged appearance.
"What did you say? W-Wives? D-D-Daughter!? What!? HOW!?"" Alice sputtered, her voice rising an octave with each word.
Anna regarded the shocked innkeeper with a straight face. "Ah, you must be Alice. Archer mentioned you a few times. Such a sweet girl." She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with mischief despite her neutral expression. "No need to fret, my dear. From now on, consider me your second mother. Grace has already claimed Radomira, but don't worry - in time, I'll guide you in the art of seducing your father so he may take you as one of his wives. We'll be one big, happy, loving family that will share one bed."
Grace, still reeling from the 'wife' bombshell, barely registered Alice's presence. Her mind was too busy conjuring images of herself in a breathtaking wedding gown, standing hand-in-hand with Archer at the altar. The deep crimson blush spreading across her cheeks only added to the chaos of the moment.
Alice blinked owlishly, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
Bianca still had that shocked look on her face, wondering what was going on.
And Jint…
"..."
"Hahahahaha! I knew he had it in him! Scoring two elves? As expected of Archer! Hm, we'll need to expand the Inn soon at this rate." Jint, on the other hand, couldn't be anymore happier, raising his pint of beer in the air and promising a round of free beverages for everyone in the Inn, causing the entire building to shake from the cheering.
{Break}
-Feoh-
Chloe felt like shit.
After the execution of Beardsley, things had mostly gone back to being the same as before oddly enough. With the kingdom needing to be repaired and brought back to its feet, the Princess Knights were going to be busy in the near future. All of them were putting their all into repairing the kingdom and helping the people. So while they focused on that aspect, Chloe found herself having more free time where she wanted to focus on one thing alone. Before Archer was busy with the cleanup as well, so she could only ask Brynn for training, in exchange for helping her with tasks, but now her main target was available.
The forest trembled faintly, its stillness disrupted by the sharp sound of blades clashing.
Klang!
The impact rattled through her arm as their swords met, holding for a brief moment before breaking apart. They'd been at this for hours, turning the peaceful clearing into their personal battleground. Trampled grass, scattered dirt, and splintered branches marked their path of destruction. Every clash echoed through the trees, punctuated by her heavy breathing and quick footwork. Now and then, a hit would land, drawing out a sharp hiss of pain when it landed.
"Ah!"
Unfortunately, this moment of stalemate barely lasted for long, her figure tumbling to the ground, another sword in her hand becoming completely useless with multiple chips forming on its edge.
"Damn it!" Her enraged shout came from her sore throat, throwing away the sword with anger fueling her action. "Again! Give me another one!" she demanded, extending her bruised arm towards Archer who just looked at her with his usual thrown on his face.
"..."
"Hey? Stop wasting time and give it to me!" Chloe snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.
She barely cared how her words might sound, her focus entirely on the battle at hand. Archer, ever unfazed, shrugged nonchalantly as he traced another weapon. The sword she had forced him to discard moments earlier dissolved into particles of light, vanishing as though it had never existed.
"How long do you plan on continuing this?" he asked, his tone maddeningly calm.
Chloe glared at him, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. The blade in her hand was nothing special—a simple longsword with a blunt edge, meant for training. It matched the one Archer held, but his ease with it made her feel as though she were wielding a child's toy.
"When I'm strong enough!" she shouted, her voice ringing out as she lunged forward with all the speed she could muster.
Her movements were sharp and precise. She closed the gap between them in mere seconds, her sword was aimed as a piercing thrust at his stomach. She was determined—this time, he wouldn't just brush her off.
Kling!
The collision of their weapons sent a sharp vibration up her arm. Archer stepped back just in time, using the flat edge of his sword to deflect her strike. The force of his parry sent her blade sliding off his, sparks scattering between them. She grits her teeth as her momentum falters, the sudden shift forcing her to regain her balance.
Her eyes burned with frustration, her grip tightening on her weapon. "Stop playing around and fight me for real!" she yelled, her breath labored but her determination unshaken.
Archer's expression remained unreadable, though there was a faint trace of amusement in his eyes. "If you're this impatient, you'll never learn control. Direct your anger as a weapon or use it to give you inner strength, don't let it throw you around randomly," he said coolly, readying his stance for her next attack.
Chloe growled under her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't going to back down—not now, not ever. She raised her blade again, the fire in her chest driving her forward. She wasn't just trying to prove herself to him—she was trying to prove herself to "herself".
And this time, she wouldn't let him dismiss her so easily.
"Gah!" His free arm went to grab the hand which held the sword. Twisting it with enough force to break her hold but not strong enough to break her bones. Pulling her forward, he sunk his knees into her guts making her go limp for a bit. Her body leaned against him, using his shoulders as support while her chest pressed against his. She tried to use her other hand to grab his blade, but he merely turned it into light, and used his other hand to grab hers, leaving her trapped.
If she had her dagger… then this bastard would have regretted keeping her this close.
"You are getting better, still need some work with your technique but I can say with certainty that your current self stands above the Chloe of the past."
What frustrated her the most was how he probably meant those words genuinely. The first time they fought one another, she was certainly an experienced swordswoman but still lacking compared to the likes of Claudia and even Alicia. She was nimble and used that straight to her advantage but in many cases let her anger take control easily.
Chloe was aware of all of this, but improving and getting rid of that side of hers was hard.
"Hah… hah… hah… easy for you to say that…" she said whilst gasping for air after the knee to the gut, sweat streaming down her face and body.
He was always like this. He would taunt her, belittle her, humiliate her, make her feel helpless, and then at the end of their sessions, he would praise her for her improvement. Even if it was little or if it was none, he was never dishonest in his praise.
It felt like a game, and she was the one being played.
The bruises all over her body coupled with the pain that made it difficult to move all caused her to start to feel… strange. She tried to free herself from his grasp but found herself incapable of doing so, rather her body just refused to listen. Each time she inhaled she took in more of his scent, sending a tingle down her core. He was also sweating because of their prolonged training, and everything she was doing to keep herself upright, her hands pressing against his chest, only made her more susceptible to everything about him and made her mind grow numb with a foreign need to pull him closer.
The scent of leather, iron, some strange aromatic perfume, and a slight trace of his body odor reached her nose. She wanted to find it repulsive, disgusting even but strangely enough… it wasn't that bad. She just continued to breathe it in, unconsciously pushing her face closer to his armor and getting even more addicted to the sensation.
She glared at him from the ground, her breathing growing heavier by the minute. "Damn you," she muttered, her eyes burning with frustration and another emotion.
It was his fault, it had to be.
There was no way she would enjoy being beaten and battered by a man like him. No way she would take any sort of pleasure from the feeling of his powerful muscles wrapped around her, , his warm breath on her neck, or his strong grip on her wrists.
No way in hell she would want him to do more.
She struggled, but couldn't break free. Archer was far too strong for her to resist, even with her superior agility.
"You're getting better," he whispered, his hot breath making her shudder.
They were close, faces just inches apart. She could feel the heat of his body through his armor and onto her bare skin, going so far as to imagine his breath on her skin. It was like being surrounded by him, completely immersed in his presence.
The armor she wore… it felt like it was getting in the way. Making it more suffocating for her to breathe properly, a desire to remove them grew within her heart. To have them exposed for this savage man to witness her bare chest, knowing the human, he would lose control of his instincts and force himself on her.
Rip away everything till nothing covered her body, pinning her body onto the ground with that disgusting rod rammed into her hot, needy pus—
"—Chloe?" His voice brought her back to reality, eyes widening with shock when she realized the kind of scenario her mind was conjuring.
'What the hell am I thinking!?'
"Shut up!" she growled, struggling again.
But her efforts were fruitless, she knew it wouldn't work. She was trapped, helpless to this man. The feeling was both infuriating and exhilarating at being so helpless in his grip.
He was so much stronger than her, that she could admit. So powerful. He could do anything he wanted to her, and she couldn't stop him. The thought made her pulse quicken, her body tensing with anticipation in what he can do with that strength while he had her in his grasp.
"Heh, maybe I hit you on the head a bit too much. You're starting to lose it already."
He chuckled at her attempt, the sound making her blood boil. She was afraid of saying anything or even doing anything, for the chances of her body betraying her at the moment were too high. She was barely able to hold herself back, already thankful he had not noticed the signs.
Archer raised an eyebrow but did not seem to notice that change in her behavior. "I can see the hatred in your eyes," he said, his voice low and his expression stern. "Do you want me dead that badly even after I saved you and your Queen twice by now?"
"Of course I do," she spat, hoping to use her anger to push back against that rising heat within her chest and her nethers. "You were not trying to save her back then. I saw that arrow heading for the center of Feoh. With the power of that arrow, you were aiming to destroy the entire kingdom but missed it at the end. Had that not happened… then Olga-sama and I wouldn't be alive today. Will you deny that?"
"I won't," his honest answer caught her by surprise, she was not expecting him to admit it so easily. "My goal was to stop the spread, there were too many unknown factors for me to believe that those effects would have been temporary and not permanently change a person into a sex-craving monster. There's also a big possibility of what we saw spread across different kingdoms."
"That choice meant killing us all… damn you!" He said such blasphemous things and openly admitted that he was willing to kill her and her queen. Yet why did her body keep yearning for his touch!? The contradiction was enough to drive her crazy.
"To be honest it's not something I would have liked doing, and a part of me is glad the situation was resolved without it." Staring at his face made her even more confused, it looked as if he genuinely meant it. If he didn't want to kill them, then he shouldn't have tried to in the first place. "What's the matter, Chloe? Already giving up?"
She bit her lip, glaring daggers at him. "No," she hissed, "I'll never give up."
He sighed, looking amused by her determination.
"Good," he said, his voice, to her ears, sounding low and husky. She was not even sure if her imagination had started to bleed over to reality.
Her grip tightened around his shoulders, the desire to rip this infuriating black armor away and expose his bare chiseled chest growing by the second. "Oi, what are you doing?"
He immediately grabbed her wrist, the strong grip making her wince. But instead of pain, it sent a jolt of pleasure through her, her body reacted instinctively, her hips grinding against him. She couldn't stop herself, couldn't control herself. All she could do was ride the wave of pleasure, letting it wash over her.
He finally let her hands go using them to move her face up to look at him. Staring into those concerned gray eyes surrounded by that oddly handsome face made her own feel transfixed. He was asking her something, but she couldn't hear as her now free hands immediately went to work.
It wasn't until he firmly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away did she notice that half of her armor was already gone. Removed by none other than herself, leaving her perky breasts and stiff nipples completely exposed for him to see. She finally realized how much she had lost control.
"... Chloe?" He called her name, his prior expression replaced with confusion, some degree of suspicion, and even some worry. The latter of which was a look of his she had never seen as long as she had known him.
Rather than feeling shame or even rage, Chloe found herself feeling even more aroused to have him staring at her bare chest and that horrified her.
"NO!" She covered her breasts, unable to trust herself or even willing to look him in the eyes. Turning around and running away as fast as her legs could take her away from him.
.
.
.
"What… just happened?"
Left standing in his spot, Archer gazed at the retreating figure of Chloe running away in the distance. Disappearing into the woods without leaving a trace behind except for the part of her armor that usually covered her breast now lying on the ground. He thought about going after her, but decided against it, feeling she needed space.
His mind went back to the beginning when she first approached him in the morning for their usual training session which he agreed to do. He also wanted to have some time away from the castle, to give himself space from everything that was happening. They proceeded their sparring as usual, with him first handing the girl over one of his standard blades and then having a handful of spars where he emerged victorious each battle and then took a few minutes where he would point out her faults.
He did notice her expression getting increasingly flushed as the session went on but he attributed that to her just being exhausted or pushing herself beyond her limit. But now, there was no way he could mistake the fact that she was literally just rubbing her body against him and intended to remove her armor completely with very clear intent.
"Is she still under the effect of the aphrodisiac?"
That was worrisome to think about. Olga mentioned that Radomira managed to reabsorb all of it that day, so it should have been impossible for anyone else to still be affected. Did it have side effects, or was it something else?
If that were truly the case, then the only way to resolve this was to have a conversation with Olga or hope that Radomira would wake up from her slumber soon and see if she could check Chloe over.
Speaking of Radomira, he had to go check on her.
{Break}
(A few minutes later)
"Ah, you're here!" A voice called out to him when he made his way to his living quarters, turning his gaze around to find Brynn dutifully standing in front of the door.
"You don't have to do this, Brynn. Ask Maia to have a few knights or guards keep watch for the day." While he appreciated her effort, there was no need to go this far. She, just like Chloe, had a tendency to push herself beyond her limits lately. More so than she had been doing previously.
"And do you honestly think they would do a better job than me?"
He doubted it, the girl could be very stubborn and loyal to her duties even if the situation did not require it. At best, he could use some of his weapons that enabled him to set up a bounded field around the room.
Or even ask Olga to make one for him.
Truthfully, he trusted that conniving woman far more than any of the knights and guards stationed around the castle. Not to mention she was a very competent mage to begin with, the equivalent of a first-rate magus of his world if he had to make a comparison.
"Um, before you go inside… there is someone waiting for you." Just as he was about to walk in, Brynn quickly informed him with an embarrassed expression. "I tried to stop her but failed to do so."
"Is it Maia again?" As soon as he said those words, they were immediately dismissed inside his mind. The redhead visited his living quarters regularly enough that it had practically become her own abode at this point. Several times he would find her sleeping on the sofa near the bed with several empty bottles of liquor around her and a couple of times, he would wake up to find her sleeping with him completely naked.
"Ah… well not exactly. It's best if you see it for yourself."
Moving away from the door, she stepped aside to let him enter, which he did with some confusion on who this might be. Yet the moment he entered, that confusion soon turned into surprise when he found the blonde Princess Knight sitting calmly on one of the couches with a cup of tea in hand.
Gone was her usual hostility - instead, her face held an unsettling calm. Rather than when they met at Feoh's gates when she was clean, healthy, and enraged, now she was a mess, dark circles ringed her weary eyes, and her skin had taken on an almost sickly pallor. As he entered, Alicia looked up from her seat and, to his surprise, was the first to speak with a greeting.
"Good morning, Archer. I hope I'm not disturbing you this early in the morning… but I just wanted to have a small conversation with you. If you don't mind. I took the liberty to make some tea for us, it may not be as good as what Prim brews, but I tried my best."
He was nearly about to snark a comment and ask who this woman was and where was the real Alicia, though managed to restrain himself at the last second.
Best to not antagonize this woman any more than necessary. The fact that she came here peacefully was a miracle in itself. Then again, given what happened recently with the revelation of Beardsley's betrayal, they could guess why she was more tame than her usual self.
"You've seen better days, Alicia." He said bluntly, taking a seat on another couch next to her that Brynn had also bought at some point, saying the room needed more places to sit. He accepted the offered cup of tea from her and took a close look at it. The thought that she may have poisoned the beverage did cross his mind, but he did not worry about that at this point too much and took a sip — though he did structurally grasp the tea out of habit. Even the Alicia of the past wouldn't have done this, the woman was far too prideful for such a method.
Naive as well.
"Heh, is it that noticeable?" She ended up chuckling weakly at his remark. Not denying it or berating him for making such an observation. "I suppose you're right, I have… been a bit busy lately. The reparations and other duties that were usually handled by Beardsley now fall on me."
"And how much is that?"
She went quiet, averting her gaze from his out of embarrassment. "Almost... almost all of it." She whispered quietly, barely enough for him to hear it.
"You let him handle the affairs of the entire kingdom without checking in?" Archer was shocked, he knew that she wasn't properly looking at her kingdom, but not THAT much. "You're not making it easy for me to feel sorry for you Alicia. At the end of the day, you might as well crown him king of Feoh instead of Prime Minister."
"You don't have to say it, Claudia scolded me about this for an entire day already."
Thankfully he was not the only one who saw the absurdity in all of this. Blindly giving so much power to someone she trusted was not exactly the bad part, but doing so without bothering to check in or notice the obvious horrible state of many parts of the kingdom was what could not be acceptable.
Sliding her finger around the rim of the cup, she continued to speak with a tired tone. "It's shocking how much he was handling without my knowledge. From the funds, permissions and even managing of the lands under my family's name — many of which were given away to the church."
"Is that all?"
She shook her head, "Unfortunately no, that's just what I found out recently. I still have a lot to go through, a decade's worth of paperwork."
"Have you seriously been doing nothing this entire time? That can't be the case." As much as he wanted to berate the girl for her past actions, this was not the time to do so. First, he needed to understand just how off-track she really was, before leaving Ken he already heard of how differently the female and male guards were treated in Feoh due to Alicia. That couldn't have been Beardsley's doing unless he planned to cause more chaos back then to tarnish her name.
"I was mostly focusing on my knights and protecting the land."
"So basically you were more of a warrior than a ruler."
Well, that explained everything, the urge to massage his temples grew but he held it back. Looking at Alicia and seeing her continuing to avert her gaze gave him some reassurance that at least she saw how wrong this outcome was, to begin with.
Unfortunately, that realization came a bit too late.
Or maybe it was plain guilt.
He couldn't tell.
"It's a miracle how this place still stands to this day. I've been to Ansur for a brief period of time and even that place is more stable than your territory… and we're talking about Maia here. The same woman who likes spending her time drinking, and running off to do her own thing." A bit of an exaggeration on his part, but he wanted to make sure she understood what he was trying to insinuate. Despite her faults, the redhead had people to take some of the load off while making sure to check on them from time to time, even if it was rarely. Say what you wanted about her; she knew how to make friends.
"..."
She couldn't give him an answer, in fact, there was nothing she could tell him at the moment that wouldn't paint her own incompetence as the main reason behind the state of this kingdom rather than purely blaming Beardsley.
"Hah, alright. I won't be scolding you or anything like that. It's not my place to do so, and from the sounds of it, Claudia already gave you a tongue lashing."
Her hands trembled, making ripples show on the surface of the liquid of her teacup. Alicia bit her lips, frustration bleeding from her face.
"I-I trusted him… Archer. He was there from the beginning… from the time my family still ruled. H-He was practically part of the family in a way, b-but why would he want to ally himself with those kinds of people? Why would he be after my…" she didn't finish her words, but the way she looked at her own body made it obvious what she was implying.
"Unfortunately, I can't give you an answer to that. My magecraft does not particularly allow me to revive the souls of the dead and question them on the reasons behind their motives." Though he doubted Heaven's Feel would have helped much in this situation since he couldn't use it, so it wouldn't be of any use. "Some people can be monsters from the beginning and just be skilled at hiding that side of them for years. Some people and their motives change with time. There are several factors that could have made him the man he currently is. He could have been more interested in wealth or the status that came with ruling a kingdom? He could have been repressed and couldn't hold it in anymore? Or lastly, maybe it became too much, the strain of ruling an entire kingdom finally got to him, especially without any recognition."
"He… tried to rape me back then, didn't he… those chocolates were for me…"
"Most likely," Archer answered, "You're quite lucky that you ate those before he made the necessary arrangements. Though both Kaguya and I nearly became the victim of your little lustful outburst, so maybe lucky isn't the right word I'd use, at least from our point of view."
The blonde covered her face with both hands to hide her crimson blush. "Please don't remind me of that, Archer. I already apologized to Kaguya as much as I could and somehow I doubt I would have been able to do anything to you in the first place now that I think of it! I practically threw myself at you!"
Her face grew more flushed, this being the first time she actually showed some anger since he arrived.
"So you do remember everything after all," he commented with a slight smirk, his response making her freeze up in shock as she realized the trap she walked into.
"Are you trying to make me hate you again?"
"That would mean now you no longer hate me." He added, finding it amusing how much the young Princess Knight was holding back. Doing an admirable job, he was almost impressed.
"I… I-I don't hate you… at least not anymore." Alicia said, having a cute pout on her face. "I already told you this before."
"I thought that was the aphrodisiac talking."
"... It was not the aphrodisiac. I really meant those words."
Her words gave him pause. He'd dismissed her previous confessions, chalking them up to the aphrodisiac's influence rather than genuine sentiment. At the time, his only thought had been extricating himself from an awkward situation, and making amends with her. Now though, hearing her say it again while clear-headed made him reconsider. Perhaps there had been truth behind those drug-addled admissions after all.
"In any case, why are you here then?" Finally, he got to the crux of the matter. This woman did not come here just to have a simple conversation about their past interaction. Given the topic they were discussing, he had a faint idea as to what was going on inside her mind. "While I do enjoy our little discussion we're having here, I have other matters to attend to as well."
Alicia nodded, taking a deep breath she adjusted herself to prepare for whatever was about to come out of her mouth. "Archer despite everything that has happened between us. Despite how much my past self misjudged you and how many times I tried to lock you up in a dungeon… I want to apologize for all of that. I know it will be har—"
"Apology accepted."
"—d for you to forgive…. me…? What did you say?" She stopped mid-sentence, disbelief clearly painted on her face. Doubting her own ears as to what she just heard.
Archer tilted his head, "What? I remember telling you something similar during Beardsley's trial. I don't easily hold a grudge against most people. You'd have to be a real special case for that, and I doubt you'll ever come close to being one. I've been betrayed many times and experienced countless scenarios that made the whole point of holding a grudge against someone pointless. I was frustrated with you, sure, but never to the point of truly hating you enough to have a grudge."
He was aware of how the latter part of his words sounded contradictory given his attitude towards his past self and actions. But once again, that was a special case more than anything else.
She was not nearly as difficult to deal with compared to Emiya Shirou, nor would she ever be.
Also, he feels he's changed from what happened before in the fifth war and here in Eostia.
His answer made Alicia's eyes glimmer with hope and joy. "T-Then if that's the case, then you wouldn't be against me giving you a spot in my inner circle and taking on the position Beardsley left behind—"
"Wait," the former Servant of the bow raised his hand to stop her from continuing, a frown settling in. "Are you seriously going to hand over that much power to someone you just had a bad history with a few days ago? A stranger who is not even from these lands?"
At this point, he was contemplating whether or not Alicia was actually joking with him or not. But her eyes told him she was being completely serious!
"Yes, I am!" That answer only cemented his shock, going so far as to even come close to him and grab his hands. "You have proven yourself a capable person. I didn't understand before, but I can see why Celestine-sama, Maia, Prim, and even Luu-Luu put so much trust in you. Even Claudia-sama is starting to sing your praises, that is enough for me to understand that with you by my side, Feoh will soon return to its former glory!"
This situation… felt oddly familiar. The blonde's face was now getting replaced by the Mercenary Queen and the Goddess Reborn.
What was with these women offering up their kingdoms to strangers so easily!?
At this point, it started to feel like they just wanted to dump their responsibilities on someone else!
"I refuse."
Just like with everyone else, he gave her the same answer. Of course, hearing that she started to panic.
"Eh, why!? Is the offer not good enough? Are you afraid I'll backstab you in some way? Maybe you want something else? Just tell me! I'll get it for you!" There was quite a bit of fervor in her eyes, he just realized that in her restless state, she at one point got on top of him and was practically straddling him, her chest pressing against his..
Again with her doing such things, he started to suspect she was doing so intentionally.
The woman who once recoiled at a man's mere presence now clung to him without hesitation. As she gripped his shroud and pulled him closer, their faces inches apart, he couldn't help but marvel at her transformation. The Alicia who had despised men with every fiber of her being was gone, replaced by someone entirely different. Given recent events though, perhaps such a dramatic change wasn't so surprising after all.
"Because I have other duties to attend to, like hunting down the Beast. I can't be chained down by such responsibilities. It's best if you learn how to shoulder your own responsibilities without needing to rely on other people to do everything in your place."
She was still not convinced.
"B-But… but what if I make the same mistakes?"
"You learn from them and adapt accordingly."
"What if the people hate me?" She asked with a whisper, close to his ears.
"Accept it, if they have suffered because of your mistakes then that's their right. You need to work hard to regain their trust, which won't be an easy road. That is your burden to bear, not mine or Celestine's." He calmly replied to her, noticing how her eyes started to become more hazy.
"I don't deserve to rule them after my mistakes."
"Maybe you don't, but who else is there to clean up this kingdom. With everything going on people are going to be working hard lately, not just in this kingdom but all of Eostia, and because of that, it needs someone who's dedicated to it. Maybe I could lead this kingdom, but there's just too much for me to focus on to be able to do that, and besides it is a far better option for a person from this kingdom and who cares about it to stay in charge. Being a ruler was never supposed to be easy, even the best ones with all the advantages on their side have failed at times, and sometimes that's just how it is. But if you truly care about your people, then that shouldn't deter you. Right now they probably don't believe you do after turning away from them for so long, someone has to step up and save them on this side, or another, but that won't change this question. I ask you, are you the one who cares for this kingdom."
"..."
"Fulfill your duty Alicia, the Arcturus family has looked after this kingdom for a long time, on their behalf as well as yours repair the damage to this land and people."
Her face came close enough that her hair covered his face, there was genuine fear within her eyes. Her grip on his shroud did not come loose at any point, shaking with her eyes moistening with tears threatening to fall.
"I-I am scared…"
"..."
"I'm scared that I'll end up being worse than Beardsley and destroy everything my parents have built. I cannot even bring myself to trust my own judgment recently, I feel anything I try will lead to disaster and endanger many lives once more. I can't deny it anymore after seeing this kingdom go through what it did, I failed my people, I failed Prim and I failed Celestine-sama. Whenever I sit on my throne and close my eyes for a bit, I can still see that fire… I see the faces of those who couldn't be saved back then. I saw my Knights getting raped and being turned into living corpses. I see it in my nightmares as well as something even worse with Beardsley's plan coming to fruition. I fear that one day… that Knight being assaulted would be me instead, just like in my nightmares, and I'll be unable to save myself let alone Prim."
At this moment, there was no Princess Knight in front of him, but a frail girl who desperately sought some kind of pillar to lean on, that he understood. Yet the hard part came with the fact that he could not play that role for her.
Just like with Maia, Radomira, or even Alice. He could not be a constant in their lives due to his very nature making that impossible. A path that if he accidentally ended up walking on once more, would end up just hurting them more than anything.
"Sorry," he gave her an apologetic smile. Finding himself gently patting her head as he did with Radomira to reassure the woman. "I can't take away your fears. All I can say is that, be strong and have courage, do your very best, and don't be afraid to ask for help…just not blindly this time. All the Princess Knights, your Knights, and all those whose goals align with yours are by your side. For now, that includes me too. It was never supposed to be easy, but sometimes you just have to push on regardless, and it's the people who can do that most of all who are the ones people look to. Think of it as your own personal eternal battle that you're determined to win."
She also let out a bitter smile, having understood his words and how no amount of effort would change his mind.
"... In that case, if you can't stay by my side in the foreseeable future…" her face drew closer, less than an inch separating them. He didn't shy away, looking at her calmly the entire time. "Then at least give me the strength to take on this challenge… just like how you've done with Maia. That's… that's all I ask."
In a flash, Alicia's lips one more crashed against his, the sudden warmth and softness catching Archer off guard. For a moment, he froze, his mind struggling to process the unexpected turn of events. Just like her first time she was inexperienced but he could tell that she had at least learned a little form their first time, as it wasn't so rough as before. As her tongue once more darted out, seeking entrance, he found himself this time instinctively parting his lips, allowing her to deepen the kiss, finally giving her entrance. Alicia's very first reciprocated kiss was messy and untrained, but was also full of passion and excitement.
Their faces were linked together, and on the outside no one can see Alicia's darting tongue exploring every corner of Archer's mouth, while Archer knowing her inexperience decided to guide her along so she wouldn't go around randomly.
The room fell into a charged silence, broken only by the soft, wet sounds of their deepening kiss and the rustle of fabric as Alicia pressed herself closer. Her hands, once tentative, now moved with purpose, gliding over his chest and shoulders before finding purchase on the clasps of his red shroud both above and below, unhooking them, and letting it fall down.
She continued to explore his body doing everything she could to take off his complicated armor, but eventually grew frustrated with its futuristic design unable to take it off. Seeing how cute she was fiddling with it, Archer decided to help her, moving her hands to the right spots that normally no one would notice. Once she felt the clasps properly, she immediately went to work.
When they finally parted, a thin string of saliva still connected their lips, a testament to the intensity of the moment. Alicia's face was flushed, her eyes half-lidded and darkened with desire, but there was no hint of regret or hesitation in her expression. With deft fingers, she made quick work of his armor, the black and white armor being pulled off clattering to the ground as she tossed them aside carelessly.
His bare chest was exposed to her for the first time, and Alicia couldn't help but gaze in shock, her mouth opening saying nothing for several seconds. The visual sight mesmerized her, from his tan skin that glistened with sweat to the muscles that made up his body perfectly sculptured. She slowly guided her hands to them and felt around, groping his muscles extensively as if to make up for all the time she hadn't touched a man. She felt his touch as much as she could from the hardness of his pecs and abs to the actually soft parts of his body. He felt like a warm fireplace on her hands not burning her, but gently warming her from the cold.
Pausing to feel his warmth for a time, she later looked into his eyes, who were watching as if waiting for her to do something. Taking a deep breath she'd gone to unclasp her own armor, letting her blue breast plates unmarred to be thrown with his own armor. She wished she could remove their lower parts, but how could she when she couldn't help staring into his gray eyes with her blue.
"Are you sure?"
"... This is my choice, not the aphrodisiac."
.
.
.
{Break}
-???-
Border of the forests outside of the castle of Feoh.
"Argh!"
Within the crevice of a rather large ravine left behind by one of Archer's Broken Phantasms stretched a vast area. The familiar figure of Chloe stumbled onto the muddy ground, the rain making it hard to hear her gasps.
Cuts and wounds covered her body, much more serious and life-threatening than the small bruises that were left behind by Archer during their spar.
There was no anger to be seen, instead just pure horror and desperation as she tried to run back to the castle. "Ah!" Only to have a whip catch her ankles the moment she took a couple of steps ahead — making her fall to the ground once again.
Her armor was now in complete tatters and her weapons were nowhere to be seen. She tried her best to loosen the rope but found herself unable to do so.
Step! Splash! Step! Splash!
Trembling, she shivered upon hearing the sound of boots walking closer, stepping onto puddles of water left over by those who tried to douse the fires, a silhouette holding the other end of the whip, grew closer and closer whilst whistling a musical tune.
"N-No, stay… stay away from me!" She shouted, grabbing a nearby rock and throwing it with all her might at the approaching figure.
Clang!
The stone seemed to have struck what sounded like a wall of steel. Falling to the ground as the figure came close till the moonlight revealed a pair of white wolf ears, white hair and what was in fact a giant white steel buster sword.
A pair of canine eyes glowing in the dim atmosphere revealed itself staring back at her with contempt.
"As the Dark Queen's right-hand warrior, I thought you'd have put up a much better challenge. Tch, what a disappointment, couldn't even endure the tenth strike from my sword."
"Stay away!" Chloe shouted again, growing more desperate by the second. "I won't go back to him! I WON'T GO BACK TO THAT MONSTER!"
"Oi!" A swift kick was planted into her guts, making her momentarily unable to breathe and gasping for air. "While I do have my reservations with slavers, you are the real monster here. You and your Queen have ruined the lives of so many innocents across the continent… killing both of you would be far too merciful."
The asualter quickly went to work taking out more restraints from her cloak's inner pockets that were swiftly bound onto the dark elf, and making her unable to let out a sound or even see where she was going. With great strength, her capturer lifted her up with ease onto her shoulders like a sack of potatoes.
"Alright, the journey back is going to be a pain. But if you behave, I'll make sure it's at least bearable for you.
"…Still I wonder why I found you with your tits out in the open? Must have caught you at a bad time!"
She tried to struggle, but the grip of the warrior was too strong. At that moment, Chloe wanted to scream but couldn't. Call for her Queen to come and save her as she did in the past.
To call his name…
To have Archer save her once again.
But nothing came out and slowly, both of their figures disappeared into the woods and away from the kingdom of Feoh.
+----------------
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.