I felt a little bad at the end because ten more women were waiting when I ran out of mana. None of them seemed sad, more surprised that they got so close to being healed.

  Whatever Goddesses are fucking me over, if you could at least speed up my mana regeneration somehow, so I don't have to leave so many waiting to get healed. No need to ruin others alongside me.

  "Alzi honey, that is impressive," Shimmer says. "Fluvis set up the order, and I have the list here. At this pace, you should be able to heal most of them. The ones at the bottom just have some aches and pains, nothing to feel bad about. Most of these women would be waiting around for a healing show to get a chance at this. I told them you would be starting around the same time tomorrow. Is that ok?"

  "Yes," I say. "That was the pn. I don't know if I will get to that many tomorrow or not."

  "You'll have better meals here than you did out on the sea, so you'll get your mana back faster, dear. It is near lunchtime, so how about it?" Shimmer says. "I think it would do us all some good to have a partial family lunch. Then we can py with the kids a bit before Aurora forces you to learn how to read."

  "Sure," I say. Another shit thing about the whole 'getting kidnapped with the Princess' thing is that I like the Princess more now. I should hate her, but now I just dislike her. It's a small but noticeable change that feels weird to think about. If I think I should hate her, then why do I not just hate her?

  I think I can bme the colr for that, but it is nice sleeping beside her, though that could be because we are both pregnant.

  Don't worry, Alzi, the Princess will do something stupid soon. Isda's command won't keep you here.

  "Where is Isda?" I ask.

  "She is still handling the house. Even with the Princess gone, requests and such are coming in," Shimmer says. "She is handling that along with getting our army raised. Funding and all that awful stuff that goes with war. She will be meeting us in the capital. She had too much work to do, and we wanted to limit the amount of travel for her, as she is at risk from the size of her pregnancy. It's something we'll need to work out for Aurora since she'll be even bigger. The war will likely keep you separate for some time, from both of them. If you have something that can help them, I would like you to do it. That's not a command, but they are carrying your children. Ones you will get to raise. Elora did share your new csses with us. We're sorry we didn't get you a better healing css."

  "I'll see what I can do," I say. Aurora will need the help. Isda, I guess I should help. She did lie, but I think it was the Princess keeping her from joining me. If only she had told me the reason.

  The Princess and Geta are already sitting down when we walk in. The Princess looks like she just woke up. Are her maids not here? Didn't Shimmer talk to her this morning?

  "Hello," Shimmer calls out, getting them to turn around. There are dark circles under the Princess's bloodshot eyes to go with her crazy hair.

  "You ok?" I ask.

  "Yes, dear. Just a long night," the Princess says. "Just emotional, being free and with my wives."

  Sure, Princess, whatever you say. Not sure why you need to lie to your little rape sve about your humiliation, but fine.

  Shimmer just gives me a quick squeeze and directs me to the chair next to the Princess.

  "Sorry," Elora says. "I didn't understand."

  "Take my colr off, or I simply don't care about your single incident that I was there for. You've lied about how you feel about it too many times now," I say. "We can go through the crash together, or you can do it on your own." Maybe a bit harsh for the tired Royal, but I really did try to get her to talk to me about it.

  "I'm telling the truth, Alzi," the Princess says. "But I do not expect or wish for you to feel bad for me. I'll get through this soon. You had a lot less support while going through a lot more. I'm sorry that happened to one as sweet as you."

  "Whatever," I say. I really don't get this woman.

  "How were the kids?" Geta asks.

  "Nice, I got to feed a few of them and even took them for a little walk st night. And they didn't hate me," I say. "Hoping to spend more time with them today."

  "We can fit in plenty of time for that this week, dear. You just need to put in some work on your letters. A lot of people are starting to write to you, and they would love for you to personally read them, I'm sure," Shimmer says. "I don't know if Lady Estrel asked this already or not, but do you know which daughter was born first?"

  "Why?"

  "They are just wondering. They all have a lot of promise, so they won't be focusing on any kid in particur. They're just curious, is what they told me. I can tell them you don't remember if you prefer or if that is the truth," Shimmer says. The standard food carts come in, and I notice one of the Princess's maids helping to pass out the food.

  Just what was the Princess doing to look so bad? She couldn't even run a brush through her hair, or is this with a brush going through her hair?

  If this is allowed, I'll have to have Shy dial things back tomorrow. I've gone through enough that I don't want to wear fancy dresses all the time.

  "The one with yellow horns was first," I say. Shimmer better not be lying to me about no special treatment.

  "Really? I don't think any of them guessed that one was first. A fun little surprise for them, then. Are you surprised by the number of dragon features they have? As the Mother, you get less of a say in that, yet here they all are, some just a step away from being a dragon," Shimmer says. The Princess focuses on her meal.

  "No, a lot of my kids have horns. This is pretty normal," I say. "It has been years since I've given birth to a kid that didn't have at least one dragon feature."

  "Well, girls. It seems our kids will be tearing out of us with horns and tails. Challenging pregnancies ahead for all," Shimmer chuckles, like any of them will be getting a kid. If this war drags on, maybe one of them will slip up when I'm too horny to think, or they might just have sex with me and ask nicely. I doubt I'm any less of a pushover now. "But we already have enough pregnancies going on right now. Isda, Elora, and Alzi. Our own house will be filled with children's cries for a while. You haven't been to an affinity check before. Or do they send one out to the dragon's vilge?"

  "Only those that make it to seventeen get tested, and even then, it is only sometimes. I did fall in a year when they came out," I say. "A day that spelled the end of my future."

  "Sorry to bring that up. I was just thinking about the parties we have for them. Nobles check after six months to help pn their lessons. Royals can check after just a month. They are a lot of fun for the Mother, and I think most of our kids will have an affinity."

  This time, I have fish for the meat instead of a sandwich. In fact, only my pte has a full fish on it. Did Fluvis notice as well?

  "Hmm, seems silly. Shouldn't the child have fun with it? It is their gift," I say. "Why do nobles get it for every kid and Royals just a month after?"

  "Well, they are a little young to enjoy a full party," Geta says. "They'll normally get a party when they turn eighteen and get their first css. The kid will still get some gifts and toys. As for not testing everyone? Well, they will find out at eighteen if they get offered a css. It costs money and resources to test a child, and most commoners won't have an affinity."

  "I'm sure the nobles could find a way to do it if they didn't think of only themselves," I say. "It didn't seem difficult to do. Even just telling us we have one without knowing what it is would be a step up, and the women admitted that it's much easier to do. Bad use of your resources, I would say."

  "Well, you are part of the right family to make that kind of change, dear," Shimmer says with that stupid grin. "You would be a great advisor to help remind us of the possible impacts on the commoners. They will always struggle to speak their mind to a Queen or officer. But you won't have that problem, being in a position of power in the harem."

  "I'm a sve. What power do I have?"

  "You won't always be a sve," the Princess says. "I would love to take that colr off. Will you stay?"

  "No, I have people I like better and would like to be with."

  "They will join us," the Princess whispers. "I've told you that over and over. They will marry us."

  "Why wait when I could have it now?"

  "Danger. But this is just rehashing a tired conversation for us all. We are moving the marriage forward as much as possible. We are even working out ways to continue moving the date closer. We will prove our sincerity then," Shimmer says. "What do you know of Yuki? I'm not talking about whether she could have freed you or what you think would happen once the colr falls off and she promised to marry you. I would just like to know more about her."

  "Pretty and strong. Her music and dancing are the prettiest things I've seen," I say. "Her white tails danced behind her without a thought or when they helped her py another instrument. Then she had the best outfits and looked stunning in all of them. She would listen to me so well and handle my bitching whenever I was near the end of my pregnancy. She was a great friend that did what she could to help me, just like Mai. Mai was more consistent in being there for the bath and lunch. Her stupidly long tail flicked around. It was comforting holding her in my arms, and she knew what I was going through better than Yuki."

  "I see. Every girl gets grumpy at the end of their pregnancy, and we will give you the support you need, love. But we will struggle to understand your experiences," Geta says. "It is just too different from our lives, from even your childhood. I'm sorry that we won't be much help there."

  "You could always let me go to those that would understand."

  "We will bring them in, dear."

  "Whatever. You couldn't even get Kelly before I was kidnapped, raped, and impregnated."

  "We have her letter, my Lady," Aurora defends. "Isda has already changed how the missions will be handled to prevent this from happening again."

  "I'm sure she has. Can't have what you rightfully took be stolen from you again."