Claire was thankful that there was no bad blood between the two women, at least outwardly. Hannah couldn't talk the first day due to her jaw, but she was all smiles and laughter the second. For Ursa, she was in a sling for a few days while her arm fully healed. Claire was still impressed that she picked Hannah up from that position. Lily even checked Hannah's weight to see just how strong Ursa truly was.
210 pounds. That was her weight. Ursa was able to lift 210 pounds of woman up from her back, while the leverage of her own body was used against her. It was starting to make sense why Ursa's tribe sent her specifically out. Her berserker state gave her insane power.
Claire looked at the two women in awe. Not only Ursa's strength, but also Hannah's surprising expertise in grappling. Typically, smaller fighters are taught grappling since it can even the height and weight advantage, but you don't usually see grappling experts at 6'4". Claire could only guess why the shieldwoman would learn grappling. Both women had their intrigue, and it wasn't just Claire who noticed.
Ana was getting far too handsy with the two when she healed them, whether intentionally or not. Claire swore she saw the younger twin drooling after the fight. It made Claire even more curious about what Elsie had said before. She really wanted to know what Ana was thinking about while Claire was between the two.
That'd have to wait until they got on the road, though. They couldn't spare much time for their usual sex or intimacy since they had to pack and plan. Elizabeth was given Jasmine's seal and instructions on how to handle Lady Efreit, while the boys were informed as best as possible.
Issues arose when the whole village was informed of the fates of the boys.
Claire's mother, Eve, was not happy to see them go. Especially Ricky. Her mother had an unhealthy attachment to the boy that Claire had let slide. She had to. It hurt her heart to see the two separate, or when Ricky had to go for the night. It would be rough for Eve if she didn't outright adopt the boy.
Jane, too. Claire could see the way it affected her more stoic mother. While Jane wasn't the best at showing her emotions, Claire knew it was rough for Jane. She gently encouraged the two to let Ricky leave with the rest of the boys. What Claire feared was Ricky being ripped away from the two like her brother was. She didn't think her mothers could handle it again.
That was another reason Claire was so insistent on Jess getting her earnings. She knew her mothers would frequent the bar more after the boys left. It was a token of Claire's thanks for being there in her stead. She just hoped her mothers would be okay. It would be rough for the two with her gone and then the boys right after.
All Claire could do was make the most of her time with the two and the boy. She watched over the interactions the boy had with the two, feeling both guilty and a bit of joy. She knew she was playing with fire, letting Ricky be so close with her mothers, but she hadn't seen them smile like that in a long time.
So for now, Claire let it be.
She let them have this little bit of joy before they would have to part. Claire even found herself wishing the two could actually adopt the boy. But that quickly faded with time. It would be best for Ricky to be with Lady Efreit where they could guarantee his safety.
Maybe when Claire gets back, she can send her mothers to the Efreit fief while she rescues Ryley. Have them visit Ricky and the boys long enough to keep them out of harm's way and distracted from what will likely be a public incident. Claire could already feel it.
On their last night before heading out, Claire chose to spend it with her mothers once again. They were joined by Ricky and a few of the other boys. Their house was filled with the boys' playful laughter mixed with Eve and Jane's laughter. Claire watched on from the side while they all played.
She was reminded about why she was doing this. These boys were robbed of their families. They should have had an actual childhood, not the torture they had to endure. At the very least, they were able to save these boys. They'd hopefully get reunited with their families and protected. That's all Claire could really hope for.
Claire's thoughts did take a dark turn, though. She remembered the dead boys from when they reunited with Ursa. The carriages were full of their lifeless bodies. It left her with a cold feeling of despair upon remembering the sight. Her stomach sank while she watched Ricky climb on Jane's back. That could have been his fate.
Claire swallowed hard. Her mind was falling down the rabbit hole. With images of the boys' lifeless expressions and their pale faces flashing across her mind. The feeling of dread was threatening to take over, but she was left with one question.
Why?
Why kill the boys? It didn't make any sense. Men made up only 10% of the births already, so why take the chance on killing any of the boys? Create more scarcity and risk a population decline? It just didn't add up.
Claire rubbed the back of her neck. The missing boys were also found during the census. Where were those boys and men taken? Or were they killed like the others?
Claire was brought back by Ricky approaching her. The boy looked concerned for Claire, and all Claire could do was give him a weak smile. "I'm alright," Claire whispered to the boy. "Just have a lot on my mind."
The boy pouted his lip, "You don't look okay."
Claire's smile widened. She could feel the cold feeling leaving her chest. Ricky's pout was quite cute, so it was hard to feel anything besides a warm feeling. "Probably not. But, I'm fine," Claire continued.
She opened her arms, and the boy jumped into her embrace. She hugged the boy tightly as she whispered in his ear. "Thank you. I was too deep in thought to really enjoy this moment."
Claire felt the rest of the lingering feelings of dread leave her body with the boy's nervous laughter. "Um, you're welcome. Are you sure you're okay?"
Claire squeezed him tight before pulling back from the hug. "I am. Don't worry about me. Have fun."
"But you leave tomorrow," The boy said while looking at the ground. "I wanna spend more time with you before we…"
Claire exhaled. She'd been too distracted. She should actually be taking advantage of her time and not just sitting here. "You're right"
Ricky's smile beamed at Claire as she stood to join her mothers. Claire was then nearly tackled by three boys, and she was thankful for her new strength. She spent the night with a permanent smile on her face that made her cheeks hurt the following day.
Claire said her goodbyes the next morning. Her mothers were quite tired, but emotional. Ricky and his friends were in tears, which made it harder for her to leave. She wanted to say something about her moms getting too close to the boys, but she held back.
She'd let her mothers have this for now.
She hugged them all tightly before reluctantly leaving. She headed towards the church, which was now their designated meeting spot. She took a moment to drop by the tavern to say her goodbyes to the rest of the rescued boys and to the tavern owner. She made sure to leave more money for Jess before heading towards the church.
She was happy to see Ursa and Hannah getting along. Hannah was whispering to the warrior and making her caramel colored skin turn a bright red. That was a relief and brought brevity to Claire's emotional morning. Beside them, the rest of her lovers were gathered with their gear.
Claire set her own pack down, noticing she was the last to arrive. She looked over at Jessie, who was sandwiched between Daphne and Lyn. The two's hands were dangerously close to the outline of Jessie's erection. She gave her a sly smile.
"Anyone want to take bets on if Lyn or Daphne is the "father" of Jessie's baby?" Claire asked aloud. She let the shock of what she said settle in while she remembered the ping she got this morning. Her Progenitor of a New Age skill told her that Jessie was now pregnant, but didn't say by whom.
All eyes turned towards the older Carpenter sister. Jessie's face grew bright red while the women beside her laughed. "I-I forgot you could see when I…" Jessie replied sheepishly.
"My money is on Lyn," Elsie cut in with a smug smile. She gave Lyn an approving nod, "From one sister to another."
"Fine, well, my money is on Daphne," Jasmine replied to her before throwing actual money down. "I believe in my sister."
"Anyone else?" Claire asked as she tried to smile. Her cheeks hurt, but she forced the smile. "No one?"
"I-I will," Ana said sheepishly. "I-I put money on Lyn."
Ana was rewarded for her bravery by having Elsie tackle her to the ground. The older twin was on top of her sister, planting kisses across her face. "That's my Ana."
"Well?" Claire asked the two women beside Jessie. They glanced at one another before shrugging.
"No idea," Lyn admitted. "We kinda both just…"
"Emptied our balls in her," Daphne finished for her. It was a crass but aptly put explanation of what they did. Daphne could still taste the aftermath on her tongue.
Claire felt a notable tension rise in the group. Claire shuddered just thinking about the mess the two made of the woman. She cleared her throat and continued.
"Well, I guess we'll find out when we get back?"