"So I left milk in the kitchen for when they get hungry. Don't forget you need to heat it up, but Leo, not too hot. You can use the inside of your wrist to check to see if it's too hot. Actually, just let Mimosa or one of the kitchen staff heat it up. Alexa should be fine, but Mira's being stubborn taking a bottle. Though Fuegoleon's had better luck getting her to take it when I'm not around so who knows, maybe she'll be nice and take it from you too. Ummmm what else did we not go over?" I look at the booklet of information Fuegoleon and I have written down the last few days. We're only supposed to be gone for less than a day for my training. Leona is still acting as captain to give Fuegoleon the parental leave he needs to help me to take care of the girls. She drops by frequently with paperwork however for Fuegoleon to peruse and sign off on. She states that something so tedious shouldn't be part of the captain's job, but I think she also uses the excuse to see the girls as frequently as she wants. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a tad bit afraid of her handling the girls after the stories I heard about her trying to "train" Leo as a baby. But she's surprisingly gentle with her nieces. She doesn't growl or complain when they grab her hair, spit on her or make general baby messes. Fuegoleon had made a comment about the natural hierarchy of lions. Lion society often revolves around the females as they make up the bulk of the pride. To ensure the cubs' survival, females raise and care for all of the pride's offspring, not just their own. So perhaps it was this unintentional instinct that caused her to soften up around Mira and Alexa, but I'd just like to think she adores the girls.
We got to move back into the main Vermillion estates two days after the girls' debut. Luckily the majority of the servants were able to return to work and helped us get settle in quickly. After settling in and trying to establish a routine, two weeks had flown by. My magic was still on the mend. I could now summon a strong flame that encased my hand and nothing else. I blamed it on the slow regeneration of my guardian powers. There just weren't a whole lot of souls passing over in this region of the kingdom for me to regain my strength. But one place where there was a ton of souls waiting would be the high mana region known as Gravito Stones. It used to be the Eye of the Midnight Sun's hideout. And although the main compound may not still be there, all the human souls used during the elves' resurrection spell would be there. I had a good feeling they hadn't passed on and maybe particularly angry that they were not "reborn" into their true selves but rather used to bring the elves back. If this proved true, my powers could return fully within a short amount of time without killing anyone.
"Ummmm, Ember. It'll be alright, I promise! Leopold and I can handle the girls for the day, trust me! And you've given us such extensive notes," Mimosa reassures me. I let out a nervous sigh. The young girl was truly sweet to use one of her days off to help Leo babysit for the first time. The first time she saw them, she nearly melted right then and there. She gushed over the girls like they were her own and picked up on taking care of them quicker than anyone I knew. It must just be innate for her.
"Yeah! That's right! We're going to have a blast starting your training, isn't that right little ones?!" Leo yells as he holds Mira up. She giggles and waves her arms, causing her to punch Leo in the face. He looks shocked and stunned for a minute.
"No! No training Leo!" I scold him. "They're only five weeks old. The only "training" they should be doing is tummy time, which if you look at the notes is at several increments through out the day." I flip to the main schedule on the first page to show him what I mean.
"Ember, if I may-" Mimosa gently holds out her hands, waiting for me to give her the additional copy of notes I'm holding. "-it will be fine, I swear. There's also the servants to help us or we can always call their godparents. There's plenty of help." The plant mage gives me a smile which doesn't quite help me dispel the worrisome image she's put into my head. Call their godparents? Oh gods what if they call Nozel for something as simple as a diaper change, or to test the temperature of the milk? What if they call him cause the girls won't stop crying? The guy is seriously going to be pissed about it. Does he even know baby basics? Does he even like kids? My thoughts start to ramble and I get even more nervous about leaving the girls.
"Oh Ember, there you are. Still going over the notes? Cob is waiting for us." Fuegoleon's voice breaks my ruminating thoughts and all three of us look over to see him making his way through the door way. "Mimosa, thank you again for helping Leo today." The lion says as he comes to stand next to me and across from Mimosa. She smiles again.
"Ah~ it's no problem really. They're just so adorable. Plus Leo told me Asta was pretty good with them." I swear she looks like she just entered a daydream as she mentions Asta and babies. But I brush it aside.
"Either way, you have my thanks. Come on Ember, we best be on our way." Fuegoleon tells me, prompting us to say our last goodbyes to the girls. We then take our leave and head out to the royal courtyard where Cob Portaport awaits us. He was gracious enough to create a portal to the Gravito Stones lake, as he had been there before as part of the Royal Knights. He would not be joining us there though, as he had other duties to attend to that day. We were given a communicator to contact him when we were ready to come back.
When we walk through the portal's opened golden doors, the sight of what awaits us makes me stop dead in my tracks. There's a huge ass crater in front of us. It's so big that it must have been where the lake was before the battle. A good portion of the forest surrounding it has been incinerated as well. Especially the eastern side, there's a giant section where everything is missing, Despite it being broad daylight, I don't hear the sound of birds or other forest animals. It's like there was a blast so large that it evaporated the entire lake and blasted through the forest at the same time. Without the lake, the food chain for this region is forever changed.
It takes a minute or two for the grand scale of things to wear off of me. When it does the shock from the damage is replaced by an intense new feeling. This place has a weird atmosphere about it due to the high concentration of mana. But that's not what I'm feeling. Instead it's a feeling of sorrow, betrayal and anger from many unique beings. They aren't alive though, I can tell they're stuck as spirits, unwilling to move on.
"Hm. It seems like Cob was able to put us right where we needed to be. We can get started right away then." Fuegoleon says stepping to the edge of the crater. He looks out, taking in the damage before him as well. A small roar is heard behind us as Salamander takes to the skies by itself in a voyage of exploration. I join Fuegoleon's side, but instead of looking out at the horizon, I'm looking down at the bottom of the crater. It's surprisingly clean. I would have expected more rotting fish carcasses to litter the bottom, but they must have all been incinerated during the blast.
"Righty-o. Let's get this party started I guess." I exclaim, moving forward over the crater's edge and towards the bottom. It's a steep slope and I slide down the majority of the way there. Fuegoleon stays at the top of the crater, choosing to watch both me and Salamander from afar. Humming to myself I head to the center of the crater. The sooner I finish up here, the sooner we can get back to our girls. Standing in my desired location I look around. This lake must have been huge and home to lots of animals. I can barley make out Fuegoleon's figure at the top and Salamander is but a mere speck in the sky now. I reach above my head, stretching. Afterwards I stand tall, bring my elbows into my side while my hands are out in front of me like I'm holding a tray. The right palm is facing upwards towards the sky while the left one is facing downwards towards the earth. I take a deep calming breath, grounding myself even more.
Slowly my senses are heightened, as I feel the souls collect around me. When I first arrived I could only sense their general presence, like a fog over the land. But the longer I stay here the more clear each one is. Each unique soul is a different color, a different shape, a different feel about it. But the thing that ties them all together is they're all criminals who were duped by the Midnight Sun. Their anger is what holds them back here.
I take in another deep breath. I've gained enough energy now to slip back into the spirit realm and handle this situation. When I open my eyes, a murky haze clouds them. I'm underwater at the bottom of the lake. It must have been such a vital part to this region that it's own essence remains within the spirit realm. Swiftly I push off the lake's bed and towards the surface. The souls follow me, clinging onto me like a heavy robe. Their touch is cold and uninviting and I'm happy to be rid of it as soon as I make it to the lake's shoreline. From there it's fairly easy making them pass onwards. My powers keep increasing and all I need to do is touch them to push them onwards. There's a lot of souls that need taming but I make quick work of it all. Satisfied with the progress I've made, I dust myself off and re-materialize back into the world of the living. I'm actually only a few meters away from Fuegoleon when I return even though he isn't where I left him. He's traversed the parameter of the crater. Salamander has come down from its time in the sky and is currently enjoying a head scratch or two from the Vermillion.
"Done already?"
"Yeah~ This place was just saturated with souls. And they are NOT happy campers either. Though I suppose I've never met a stuck soul that was happy." I say stretching my arms above my head. "I think everything is back online though. Let's see..." I open my grimoire and perform Sagitta's Arrow. The bow is huge but lighter than usual, and the arrow spits off flames like no other. Pulling the arrow back, I turn to the forest before letting it go. The arrow flies through the air before ripping through the forest. The sound of splintering wood, and tree's falling are heard multiple times as the arrow takes out another good chunk of the woodlands. I press my lips together and look quizzing at the bow. "Eh, maybe that was a little too much oomph. That wasn't even ten percent..." Fuegoleon's chuckle can be heard behind me.
"To think you only learned this months ago is truly astonishing." I blush as I feel him approach and wrap his arms around me from behind. He rests his chin on my shoulder. "Let's pick up your training from the last time. I want to see how much you've grown" He says, pulling me in closer. I squeak.
"The last time though I had the seal. And you haven't had Salamander for very long. If we spar it's going to be on a totally different level. Are you ready for that?" I whisper to him.
"Who said anything about sparing my goddess?" He plants light kisses on my collarbone and I close my eyes and sigh pleasurably. It's felt like ages since we did anything. Before his slumber, sex was a daily occurrence for us. It was the best way we knew how to display our love and passion for one another. But suddenly loosing the feeling of his warm touch and the sensual kisses he left was extremely difficult for me. His hands start to roam my stomach, pulling the bottom of my shirt up as to allow him access to my bare skin. "We never got time to reunite after I woke up." He huskily whispers into my ear. My heart rate jumps. "And I never got to properly thank you." His hands slide from my stomach to my lower back as I turn around to face him. I stare into his lavender eyes only for a moment before pressing my lips against his.
I can feel his need fueling the kiss. It's a raw, primal hunger with an intensity I've never felt before from him. My hands find their way to the side of his face, intertwining with his brilliant locks. The corner of my lips turn upwards into a grin as I hear the fire spirit huff and stomp off into the nearby woodlands. We're truly alone now, on the outer edge of what remains of this forest. Fuegoleon's hands roam lower and lower until they firmly grip my ass, giving it a tight squeeze. I gasp in surprise, breaking away ever so slightly from the kiss. But Fuegoleon doesn't miss a beat. He starts planting kisses down my jawline and neck.
"Mmmhhhh... thank me for ~ Ahhhh~" He's found the sweet spot at my neck's junction. He licks it lightly with his tongue before biting down on it, hard. My nails dig into his scalp at the sudden onset of pain. He pulls my ass in closer, causing my groin to feel the already large bulge in his pants. Removing his teeth from my skin, Fuegoleon faintly runs his tongue back over the fresh wound. He makes sure to clean up any blood that's shed before answering my question.
"For saving our kingdom-" He starts to walk forward, pushing me back wards. My hazy eyes stare into his deep soulful ones. "-for saving me-" My back hits a nearby tree, causing me to be pinned between it's rough bark and his heated body. His hands move from their residence on my backside, upwards. Feverishly he starts to strip me of the fabric covering my skin and I do the same to him as well. "-and for bearing my daughters." He breaths into my ear before grabbing the lobe between his teeth and pulling on it. It's at this moment that I've undone his pants causing them to fall to the ground. The white fabric joins the rest of our clothing in a pile around us, while our shoes are somewhere else, discarded long ago.
His hands make their way to my breast, grabbing them roughly. I turn my head to the sky above, letting out a small cry. His touch is more unruly than usual, and my breasts are still very tender from breastfeeding. But my cries don't seem to bother him. From his hardening member, I can tell they're actually more of a turn on. His kisses move downwards, outlining the contours of my collarbone and markings before he pulls back to get a better look at my chest. A devilish smirk graces his lips.
"Did I ever tell you that these look amazing? Especially since you became a mother?" He runs his thumb over my nipple. The stimulation causes them to leak ever so slightly and my face becomes redder than our capes in embarrassment.
"Ahhhh~ Fuegoleon, I'm sorry! I can't control it and-" Fuegoleon squats down slightly so his face is at the same level as my breasts. He looks up at me. I swear the look his lavender eyes gives me tell me to stop apologizing. My face is still flaming red though.
"It's only natural. Milk from a mother goddess herself should not be wasted." The lion's tongue laps at my skin. Not one drop is misspent as he licks up every drop like a kitten. He then latches on with his mouth, draining me of my reserves and lightening the constant pressure my breasts have been feeling. Sighing at the relief, my hand reaches downwards and grasps his hard cock. My fingertips dance lightly along his shaft before I grip it hard and run the pad of my thumb over his tip. His breath hitches. I then begin to pump my hand up and down his length, and in turn I can feel myself become wetter in the process.
Fuegoleon stands up fully after attending to both breasts. His tongue darts out of his mouth to lap up the last remains of his meal. He reaches down and pulls my hand off of him, only to grab my ass again with his flaming right hand. His left forearm braces himself against the tree above my head as he closes the distance between us. His dick slides between my legs, teasing my folds. My breath catches as I feel him rub himself against my entrance. The heat within me continues to grow as I haven't felt his touch like this in months.
"Ember-" My name passes his lips as he rests his forehead on mine. I stare into his eyes. They're filled with love and determination. "-I plan on giving you my full gratitude here." His right hand moves down to grab my left thigh and wrap it around his waist. My right foot is forced to be on its tippy toes to make up for the height difference. His erection is poised perfectly at my soaking entrance now, ready to take me in one quick motion. "My love and passion for you knows no bounds. I won't be able to hold back any more."
With that, he slams into me, with more vigor than ever before. In fact it's so rough that his thick dick causes me to cry loudly in pain. My arms wrap around to his backside, allowing my nails to dig into his back, drawing blood. My chin hovers right above his right shoulder, letting my loud vocalizations to be clearly heard. True to his word, Fuegoleon doesn't hold back. He doesn't even give me a moment to wait for the new pain to dissipate before thrusting harshly inside of me. Each movement of his, causes him to penetrate me even further. His breath becomes labored and sweat starts to drip down our skin. Pain gives way to pleasure and pleasure leads to ecstasy.
I thought the long period of abstaining would mean we would both finish quickly, but this new rougher side of him keeps me on edge, unable to finish. I vocalize my pleasure, causing my moans to echo through out the forest. The louder I get ,the more Fuegoleon pins me to the tree so he can continue his maneuvers. My right leg begins to burn from standing on my tippy toes. As a remedy, I grab a hold of Fuegoleon's shoulders before quickly jumping up to wrap my leg around him. This doesn't even hinder his rhythm though, but rather speeds it up as he can now slam into me as hard as he wants without worry that I'll fall over.
The new adjustment to our position does wonders for us. Fuegoleon's now angled upwards ever so slightly, stimulating my G-spot. My moans become unvocalized as I can only gasp for air now. My body cries for release. My desire is more intense than ever as every sense is heightened ten fold. His warm skin against mine, his soft pants in my ear, the sight of his brilliant hair is only but a sliver of what I feel. I can feel his mana mixing with mine in a harmonious blend of wild fire. Our souls have become connected and I can feel the pleasure and gratification he's receiving. I have no doubt that he can feel mine too, because this time I reach my peak within only a few minutes. My body arches off the rough tree bark and into my lion's strong frame. He continues pounding me as I ride my climax. Each thrust now comes with a subtle grunt from him. It's getting to a point where he's starting to fuck me raw. Just as I thought I wouldn't be able to take it any more, I hear my name rip from his throat as he gives one mighty thrust. His seed erupts from him, coating my insides with a new warmth.
Fuegoleon rests his forehead on mine as our labored breathing starts to level out. We refuse to break eye contact as our mana and souls go from one to two. I lightly lower my right leg before Fuegoleon's flaming hand slips from its place on my thigh, allowing me to stand on both feet. My body shivers when I feel Fuegoleon fully withdraw from me. I replace the loss of him, by closing the small gap between us and placing my lips upon his in the lightest of kisses. He smiles ever so slightly as we break away.
"That's some thanks." I murmur.
"Indeed." He replies, placing a kiss upon my forehead. His hand moves to my neck and moves my wavy locks out of the way. His eyes travel from my face to the puncture wound from his earlier fervor. My blood is smeared across my collarbone diluted by sweat. Fuegoleon runs his thumb over the wound and tries to wipe away the crimson liquid, but it only smears more upon my pale skin. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mar such beautiful skin. I'd say we should freshen up, but unfortunately the lake is no longer here."
"Oh! The lake? I can fix that!" I enthusiastically break away from his grasp and cheerfully bounce over to the edge of the crater. I can hear Fuegoleon's soft footsteps behind me.
"What are you planning on doing?" I look over my shoulder at him, giving him a quick wink before facing forward again.
"You want a lake? You got it, just watch!" I stretch my right hand out in front of me and close my eyes. I visualize the boundary between the spirit realm and the living disappearing for only a moment. A strong breeze moves through the area, bringing goosebumps to my exposed skin. I can see the lake that was once here. It's very essence is engrained in this land. Using my newly regenerated power I cover the land and pull the lake's spirit into this realm. I know I'm successful before I even open my eyes from the sound of gentle waves.
"Amazing," I smile widely, lowering my arm and turning around fully to see Fuegoleon standing there astonished. "You brought back the entire lake, fish and all." He says peering into the crystal clear water to see a multitude of tiny fish swimming around. He looks up at me, only to realize I'm halfway in the water. I turn around to face him, smiling proudly before falling backwards into the water. The cool water feels good against my skin. It washes away all the sweat and dirt from our earlier activity. I can tell Fuegoleon has also taken to the water when I hear the water sloshing from his general direction. It's here where we spend the rest of our free time, relaxing and enjoying the day.
"Hm. That's strange. The communicator isn't working." Fuegoleon says staring at the small device in his hands. I hobble towards him on one foot as I try to put my last shoe back on.
"What?! What do you mean it's not working? How are we going to get back without a portal?! We got to get back to the girls! It's almost night time!" I cry grabbing the communicator out of his hands and smacking it in the palm of my left hand. "Damn it you stupid thing! Work!"
"Ember. Calm down. Hitting it won't fix it." Fuegoleon tells me, but I ignore his warning and smack the device even harder.
"I'm not hitting it. I'm fixing it with percussive maintenance." I inform him. As I finish my explanation the communicator shatters in my hand, leaving me with a pile of nuts and bolts. "Well that wasn't supposed to happen." I mutter.
"We'll just have to fly home then. Come now, it shouldn't be that long if we ride Salamander." My stomach drops as Fuegoleon heads over to the giant dragon who is waiting for us nearby. It lifts its head, blowing out a small cloud of smoke. It then stands up and shakes itself out, allowing its wings to fully unfurrow.
"That's okay. I can take us through the spirit realm. It'll be just as quick, I promise." Fuegoleon shakes his head at my suggestion.
"Ember. You've got to get used to flying. It's the main choice of transportation for all knights. Let us use this opportunity to help you get over your fears!" He gets so fired up his flames spit off of him every which way. Salamander bows its head signaling me to mount it.
"Errrrmmmm. Are you sure we can't use the spirit realm? I know it can be creepy. The residences are assholes cause any spirits you meet there aren't going to ask you for your autograph and invite you to tea. But I can fend off anything in there. I promise!" But no can do. Fuegoleon takes my hand and leads me to Salamander.
"Think of it as training. I promise I won't let you fall. Now up you go!" I yelp as his hands grab my waist and hoist me onto the spirit's back. Fuegoleon quickly takes his place behind me, wrapping an arm around my middle. "There, are you ready?" My heart races and my palms start to sweat. I'm just about to tell him 'no' but Salamander doesn't wait for my response. It roars, stretching its wings and gives a mighty flap to help lift it off the ground. I scream bloody murder, grabbing onto Fuegoleon in hopes of some form of stability.
"I WASN'T READY YOU SCALEY LIZARD!!!!! STOP! NO! PLEASEEEEEE!!!!!" I scream as loud as I can in hopes that my terror is heard clearly over the roaring wind. Higher and higher we climb with each powerful beat of Salamander's wings. But my terror is more powerful. "We're gonna die. I just know it. We're just gonna fall off and splatter on the ground like bugs!" I cry into Fuegoleon's chest. I can feel it rumble as he lets out a deep chuckle.
"You won't fall. I swear it. Open your eyes Ember. Face your fear, you might find the reward worth it." He utters into my ear. His breath tickles me and I pull away from his chest to scratch my ear. But my hand is halted mid-scratch. We've leveled out, gliding on the wind's currents high above the clouds. I can't see the ground or birds up here. Only white fluffy clouds tinted pink. "Do you see it?" He asks. My breath catches at the sight of the setting sun in front of us. A wide variety of pinks mixed with dark oranges paint the sky, taking away the normal blue hue. The clouds beneath us appear as smooth white rolling hills, a new land entirely for us to explore. And everything up her is so calm. It's peaceful and serene. My fears have left me, replaced by wonder and awe.
"It's gorgeous." I whisper, afraid that speaking any louder would shatter this amazing sight before me.
"Not as beautiful as you though. " Fuegoleon comments. I place my hands over where his rest on my waist. Leaning back, I take in the sight before me. Gliding above the clouds, the sun sinks lower and lower letting me know this won't last forever. "Ember-"
"Hm?" The way he says my name, I swear his voice wavers ever so slightly, like he's the one that's nervous up here, not me. I feel Fuegoleon shift behind me ever so slightly as he reaches behind him with his right hand. He stays silent for a moment and I feel his chest rise as he takes a deep breath in.
"I know this past year has been a challenge. Yet through the darkest times you stayed by my side waiting for my return. You've grown in so many ways and in turn you've helped me grow as well. You've challenged me in ways no one else can and every day you're with me – I - well, I feel like the luckiest man in the world." His right hand reaches back around, clutching something in his hand. "Ember Avest, my goddess, will you continue to bless me with your warmth and spend the rest of your days with me?" Fuegoleon opens his fist to reveal a small velvet box. With a flick of his thumb, he opens the lid to the box. Nestled inside is a single set diamond, surrounded by a halo of ruby stones all held together with what appears to be a platinum setting. My heart skips a beat and my breath catches when I realize what he's asking. "Ember?' His worried voice breaks me from my stunned state.
"YES! I SAY YES!" I cry out loud. I twist around to face him. I grab his face in my hands and smash my lips upon his. His grip tightens around me. "Yes! A thousand times yes!" I murmur before sealing my response again in a passionate kiss. I can faintly hear Salamander roar as my head swarms with excitement. When we finally break our kiss, I notice we've landed right outside the Vermillion estate in the courtyard. Fuegoleon picks up my left hand and slides the ring over my long delicate finger, where it belongs. Grinning madly he then leaps off the spirit's back onto the ground only to turn around and hoist me off the dragon's back.
"See, I told you this training would help you get over your fear of heights! You didn't even scream when we came back down! You don't have to worry about falling to your death cause I'll be here!" I puff my cheeks out, now grumpy at the thought of being tricked into flying.
"Jerk. I wouldn't say I'm cured of my fear. Just well distracted." Salamander huffs next to us. It nudges me with its nose. Smiling I reach down and give it a pet on the head. "And I suppose you were part of this plan too? That gets you the title of 'World's Best Wingman'!" I ruffle my hand over the lizard's head and it chuffs at my bad pun before turning tail and leaving us. "Eh?" I look at Fuegoleon. "Eh?! It was a good joke! Why aren't you laughing!" Fuegoleon closes his eyes and snorts at me while shaking his head.
"It was cheesy-"
"-and something you should get used to. You're a dad now, so bad puns are part of your new duty. If you don't then I'll just have to make up for the lack of dad jokes." I say determinedly. "Are you sure you still want to marry me, knowing you'll have to deal with bad jokes?" Fuegoleon presses his forehead to mine. We lock eyes and I feel lost in his pools of lavender.
"Always."
A/N: A shout out to @AdrianaSchiffer who gave me the inspiration for the proposal idea!