VOL.5 CH.289 RYA’S PTSD

It was mid-afternoon when Rya entered the Royal Carriage with Quinus, Nieren, and Saffron. Dalia chose to stay behind due to how boring Libraries were to her, and she took her mate with her to go out on a date. Quinus allowed Percy to go with his future wife. Hajdah and Laika took their own carriage as a group of knights led by Sir Richard took the convoy towards the Mage's Guild location in the eastern districts of Tairal.

They moved along the busy streets of the Capital City, where most of the citizens were walking around on foot, and a few carriages passed by. Most of them were finishing up their work day and heading home.

"You are quite impressive at diffusing the situation earlier." Saffron complimented the dark elf, and Rya looked at her with a grimace.

"You wouldn't be saying that if I was in the same room with any one of the Divine Three, Headmaster Saffron... I'd be a pile of dust." Rya responded with a sigh, and Nieren nodded.

Quinus smirked at Rya, "You need to learn when to accept a compliment, my love... Sure, there are the occasional moments when you are reckless and should have just walked away. But what you did earlier was the correct decision. Plus, you helped Princess Hilda, who is from the Alliance. You've grown into a better woman since I met you."

Nieren choked on her saliva when she heard Quinus saying that her adopted sister was the bigger woman when Hilda and Rya went tit for tat in the hallways earlier. At the same time, Rya had a different reaction when Quinus tried complimenting her when he used the word grown.

You've been cursed, Rya! Make no mistake that you will keep growing fatter until the Crown Prince will no longer be able to recognize you. He will abandon you. And then you will become a fat cow that no man would ever want to marry. I can't wait to see it! Hilda's voice rang inside Rya's head.

Rya felt like her clothes were getting tighter.

"Huh!? W-What's happening!?" Rya yelled out loud as her dress was getting tighter.

All that food you've been eating for the past couple of weeks. And you are going to get even fatter. Hilda's voice kept ringing inside Rya's mind.

The seams on Rya's dress were getting ready to pop.

Quinus was shocked to see Rya's clothing was being stretched. "Are you feeling okay, Rya?" Quinus asked her.

"NO! DON'T LOOK—"

*RIP!*

*RIIIPPP!*

*RRRRIPPP!!!*

Rya's clothes were torn off her body, and her voluptuous tits bounced free from her dress.

"NO! MY BODY!?" Rya was trying to cover her growing body as her belly and ass were getting bigger, and her hips were getting wider.

*RIP!*

*RRRRIPPP!!!*

The Dark Elf's dress tore off her expanding belly. And the fabric on her ass and breasts were completely ripped off her body, and Rya was left wearing nothing but her heels.

"RYA!? YOU'RE GETTING FAT!" Quinus and his friends yelled.

"I-I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!"

Rya's body continued to get fatter as the wood in the carriage was struggling to keep her weight.

"W-What's going on?" Sir George yelled as the wheels of the Royal Carriage broke.

The Royal Guards outside heard the wheels of the Royal Carriage breaking. They rushed to help the Prince, but they couldn't do anything because the wood from the carriage was splintered. Soon, Quinus, Nieren, and Saffron escaped what was left of the carriage as Rya was continuing to grow fatter.

*RIP!*

*RIP!!*

*RRRIIIPP!!!*

The Dark Elf's shoes were no longer able to fit on her feet, and the soles were ripped off. She was a round 10-foot blob of fat sitting in the middle of the streets of Tairal as everyone stood around Rya and witnessed the Dark Elf turn into a fat cow of a dark elf.

"My body! What's happening!?"

"Rya? What have you done?... You used to be so beautiful, but now you're so ugly... I'm ashamed to call you my fiancee," Quinus said.

"No. NO. QUINUS!? DON'T ABANDON ME!" Rya yelled.

"You were never worthy of being with me. I'm sorry, Rya... But I must marry Hilda. At least she can control herself."

"B-but... I-I didn't know this would happen... A-And I've been cursed!" Rya cried.

"You were a mistake. I'm sorry, Rya," Quinus said.

"NO! Nieren! Help me—"

"Wee-woo!..." Dalia whistled as Percy was beside her. "Alpha, sure let herself go. Maybe it's time for me to find another Alpha... Come on, Gamma! Let's go to the place that thing you humans call a buffet! I can't wait to eat them out of house and home," the wolfkin said.

Percy smiled and said, "Sure, Alpha! Let's go," as he was walking away with Dalia.

"D-Dalia? P-Percy? Wait, don't leave!" Rya tried reaching out for the wolfkin and ranger, but her body was so big and round she couldn't move.

"How shameful... Why did I ever adopt you as my daughter is beyond me... Come, Nieren... We must restore the Wood Elf Kingdom at once. We've been hanging around these silly humans for long enough!" Yuliana said while grabbing Nieren's hand and pulling her along.

"I'm sorry, Rya! But I have to go with Mom!" Nieren said.

"N-Nieren! Don't leave me, please! I-I need your help!" Rya cried, but then she heard someone making out with a woman.

"Mm... My sweet Hilda, you are so beautiful, and I will do anything to protect you," Quinus said.

"Oh, my sweet prince... Mm..." Hilda smirked as Quinus kissed the Princess's neck. The Redhead looked at Rya with a triumphant smile, and she looked at Rya in her sorry state.

"I told you, Rya... I told you that he would see you for the fat cow that you are. Now look at yourself! You're not fit to be anyone's lover, let alone his! I won this battle, and now I've won the war. Now, I shall have everything. Your wealth, your power, and the throne all belong to me now," Hilda said as she grabbed the hair on the back of Quinus' head and pulled him in for a deep and passionate kiss.

'NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! THIS HAS TO BE A TRICK THAT HILDA

CAST ON ME!' Rya thought. 'THIS CAN'T BE REAL! THIS HAS TO BE MAGIC OF SOME KIND!'

Rya saw Hilda wearing a wedding dress as Quinus was dressed in his kingly robes. They were getting married, and they were both laughing.

"You will bear me strong sons, my Queen," Quinus said.

"And you will provide the Kingdom with strong heirs, my King," Hilda said with a smile.

"Aaaahhh!!!" Rya woke up in her seat of the coach causing Quinus, Saffron, and Nieren to look at her.

"Rya, are you okay?" Quinus asked.

"W-What?" Rya said in confusion before quickly patting herself down and sighed in relief. "P-Phew... I-It was all just a bad dream. It felt so real."

"A-Are you alright, Rya?" Quin asked with concern.

Rya snapped her head and looked at him. She blinked, and she felt her face turn red.

"O-Oh, u-uh... Y-Yeah, I-I'm alright... WAIT!? Quin, I need you to answer a question," Rya said.

"Uh, o-okay... What is it?" Quinus asked.

"W-Would you still love me if—if I were to become too fat?" Rya asked.

Quinus' face went red. He had no idea where this came from, but he did love Rya, and he wanted to diffuse this before it became a problem.

"Well, how much weight are we talking here?" Quin asked in a joking manner.

"QUIN!?... I'm serious!" Rya exclaimed as she furrowed her brows.

"Hey! Hey. Hey..." Quinus grabbed both of her hands to calm her down. "I love you, Rya... And I will always love you no matter what. And that is the honest truth, I promise."

Rya looked him in the eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

"Even if I became a fat cow?" Rya asked with worry.

"Even then," Quinus said.

"Really? You mean that?" Rya asked.

Quinus moved his lips closer to Rya's left ear and whispered, "If that cute butt of yours gets bigger, then I will be more than happy to grab it every night."

"QUIN!?" Rya shouted in shock, but Quinus started tickling her, and Rya began giggling. She came back at Quin by kissing him on the lips.

Saffron felt uncomfortable sitting in front of two people who were making out with each other. Nieren blushed a bit when she heard what he said, and she looked out the window to try and hide her blushing face.

'I-I wonder what my Prince thinks about my butt?... Gah! W-Why am I thinking about that?!?! No! He belongs to my Sister. I have no right to even think about him in that way! But still... He does look really good in those black pants. And his butt does look nice in them too... Grrr! Not again!' Nieren was hitting her head on the backrest of the coach as she desperately tried to rid herself of these thoughts.

"Nieren, are you okay?" Quinus asked when he looked up and saw Nieren repeatedly hitting the backrest of the coach with the back of her head.

"Huh!? N-No, I'm just overthinking things," Nieren said nervously while waving her hand dismissively.

"Don't be like that, Nieren... Don't be like me, who freaked out over nothing." Rya said.

"W-What did you freak out about, My Lady?" Saffron asked curiously as she was thankful that the two were no longer passionately kissing in front of her.

Rya grimaced as she slouched in her seat, "It's complicated."

Saffron frowned while Quinus was intrigued. Nieren was the only one who knew what was bugging her Sister.

"So, the Holy Alliance Princess got to you, sis? She knows nothing about us elves." Nieren said.

This was when Quinus frowned, and Saffron became interested.

"The Princess of the Holy Alliance?... Do you mean Princess Hilda? What did she do? Please tell me, my lady?" Saffron said.

"Oh, my sister tried politely telling her that the Crown Prince wasn't hers and that it would be better for her to find someone else," Nieren stated while waving her hand around.

Saffron Fairchild was an older woman in her 40s but she could sense good gossip when she heard it. And she wondered if Nieren would elaborate, so she asked, "How did the Princess react to your lady's words?"

"Nieren, wait—"

"That human princess took it as a sign that the Crown Prince was falling for her! She's under some delusion that my sister cast a love spell on him or something, and she thinks it is wearing off! She said that if my sister released him, then she'd let us walk free like we were in the wrong! Have you ever dealt with someone like her?!?!" Nieren said angrily.

Quinus was surprised to hear that Hilda thought Rya would stoop so low to use love spells on him. He found it endearing, particularly when he noticed how flustered Rya was becoming as her older sister continued to talk about it.

'Nieren is acting like a teenager... Goddess be damned. She's adorably oblivious sometimes... Why are there so many cute women in this world,' Quinus thought to himself as he covered his mouth so Rya couldn't see him smiling at her embarrassment.

"N-Nieren... That's enough—"

"Is that true, My Lady?" Saffron asked the dark elf.

Rya's face was red as a tomato, "I don't want to talk about—"

"Oh! It was so true. If Dalia was here she would confirm it, but it got crazier. This woman had the gall to threaten my sister. Like she could harm my sister or me with her manaless body. My sister or I could have killed her on the spot for her audacity," Nieren explained.

Rya needed to stop Nieren before she went into full gossip mode and overexaggerated the story.

"Nier! That's—"

"Hey, babe? Did you ever use the Seer Stone on her yet to see if she does have a mana vein?" Quinus interrupted his fiance when whispering in her ear.

"Huh?... I mean, I haven't pulled it out in front of her because I didn't want her to accuse me of placing a stupid curse on her or something even more ridiculous! I swear her knowledge of the world is only based on feelings and her fairytale books," Rya explained.

"Maybe we should check and see if she does have one. If she does, then we could help—"

"Help her do what exactly? To help her grow it so she thinks she can kill me, Quin?... Her head is so far up her ass I'm not sure what's worse... Her delusional thinking that

the Divine Three is hiding her or that she's going to make you fall in love with her and become the Queen of the kingdom," Rya became snippy and sarcastic when talking about Hilda.

Quinus had to smile at how jealous his fiancee was acting right now. He reached around and pinched her butt cheek, and Rya jumped and tried to smack his arm.

"Hahaha. Don't worry, babe. You know you're the only woman for me," Quinus said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Ugh! Men!" Rya growled, crossing her arms and pouting.

'Huh!?... W-Wait! When did I become a jealous girlfriend?' Rya thought to herself. She was acting more and more like a woman as time went on. And that was scaring her a bit to lose her old male self, but another part of her was excited about these feelings becoming a part of her life. It was making her feel whole in some strange way.

"Listen, babe... You should give her the benefit of the doubt. We can't let our personal feelings cloud our judgment. And I know she's a bit stubborn in her ways, but she's a good person, and if we can help her get out of her situation of sending her back to the Alliance. Then maybe we can change the way people look at Dark Elves like yourself and help people understand you aren't evil," Quinus suggested.

Rya winced at the thought of helping Hilda, but some of the stories that he would tell her after their tea parties almost made Rya feel sorry for Hilda, then all she needed to do was hear Hilda's voice telling her that she'd become a fat cow, and the pity went away.

'If I find out that Hilda has a decent mana vein, then sure I'll help her. Only if she eats more food than me! Yes, that's it! I'll keep an eye out for potion recipes that will make the person who drinks it more hungry than me! We'll see who will become fatter Hilda! Ahahaha! I might have been gaining some weight here and there, but I doubt a human's metabolism could take on the appetite of a Dark Elf,' Rya thought, rubbing her chin, and grinning devilishly.

Quinus sighed as he shook his head and smiled at Rya. She was a beautiful woman with a kind heart, but there were times he would question the type of woman he fell in love with when she was practically acting like a mustache-twirling cartoon villain.

"You're not thinking of anything devious, are you, love?" Quinus asked her with a raised brow.

Rya blinked, turning to her lover, and blushed. "W-What me? I would never think of doing something that would hurt that prudish woman," Rya denied with a pout.

Quinus gave Rya a knowing look. "Rya? I've seen that look before."

Rya looked away from him, "Look? What look?" The Dark Elf tried to play dumb, but Quinus wasn't buying it.

"Haah... I don't understand what Hilda said to you to be like this—"

"Oh? She didn't!" Lady Saffron spoke up, cutting off Quinus.

Rya and Quinus' attention was drawn towards Nieren and Saffron, who were sitting across from them in the carriage.

"I know! My sister has the patience of a saintess because I would have struck her down for saying such a thing to me," Nieren proclaimed while wagging her pointer finger in the air.

Lady Saffron looked at Rya with a sly smile, "I must admit. You are far more forgiving than I would have been, Princess Rya. When I was 14 years old, right before I found out that I was an Earth Mage, I buried this stupid noble girl from the neck down when she insulted me in a similar way. I commend your resolve for only giving her a tongue-lashing."

Quinus was more confused than ever, while Rya's embarrassment returned with a vengeance.

"Okay, I missed it... What did Hilda say to my love?"

"No, don't say—"

"Hilda did what no person should say to anyone who is stronger than her. She called my sister a fat cow! And said that you would leave her when she became too fat for your taste," Nieren explained.

Rya was overwhelmed with embarrassment, feeling as though she might perish from it. Despite her best efforts to communicate, only a jumble of unintelligible sounds escaped her lips.

Quinus was quiet for a moment, and then he let out a loud chuckle, causing Rya to flinch.

"Oh, babe! Was that why you acted weird right before you asked me if I would leave you? Haha!" Quinus couldn't contain his laughter as his body was shaking.

"S-Shut up, Quin! You don't understand what it's like to hear someone calling you out for eating too much! And I think I have been gaining weight! It hurts my pride," Rya whined.

Quinus' laughter was dying down when he reached over to Rya and pulled her into his lap.

"Ack! Q-Quin! Let go," Rya protested, but her protests fell on deaf ears.

"I don't mind if you gain a little weight. You're perfect to me no matter what," Quinus whispered in her ear and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"B-But I feel so hungry all the time, and maybe I am cursed. Because the hunger will not stop, and it's making me moody," Rya muttered.

"I don't know... I find your pouting adorable," Quinus whispered and gave Rya a kiss on the neck.

"Pfft! Ahaha!"

Rya heard Saffron and Nieren start laughing. "What are you laughing at?"

"You are nothing like what I imagined when I first heard that a Dark Elf was in the Kingdom. And that's the same for Princess Nieren. I've only ever dealt with High Elves, and they are. Well, let's just say they have a superiority complex. But I like how both of you are nothing like your elven cousins at all," Saffron explained with a giggle.

"Yeah, and I've never heard a Dark Elf laugh or joke before. My sister is so weird," Nieren admitted.

"Hey!?... You are one to talk to! I remember when you were stalking Quinus and me like a crazy elf lady," Rya fired back and crossed her arms.

"Wh-What!?" Saffron exclaimed before looking at Nieren, who stopped laughing and glared at her younger sister.

"Th-that was only because I thought you were going to destroy Ironside! I didn't know you were a good person!" Nieren blushed, and her ears twitched.

"Oh, please! You still don't sleep at night and come up with all these weird excuses as to why you can't sleep. First, it's because Dalia and Percy are too active in bed. Then, you don't use mom's special earplugs because you need to hear if an assassin might enter our room while we are asleep, but we stay up really late as well!... I swear that girl has something for Percy," Rya chuckled.

"W-What!? What do you mean something for Percy!? That's nonsense, Rya! His moans aren't anywhere near as sensual as my Princ—I mean, my duty to protect the Princess is absolute!" Nieren argued.

"Yeah, right! The only thing you want to protect is your dignity and pride, Sis. Plus, you're my lady-in-waiting and a Princess as well! So, you can't just say you have to protect me every moment of the day and then eavesdrop on Percy and Dalia while they're having a mating session!" Rya retorted with a smug smile.

"I'M TELLING YOU THAT I DON'T FIND ANYTHING ATTRACTIVE ABOUT THAT PUNY-HAIRED CRETIN OR THAT MUTT!"

"Uh-huh, sure."

"UGHHH! YOU'RE WORSE THAN DALIA, RYA!" Nieren

huffed and crossed her arms.

"No, you are! Hmph," Rya stuck out her tongue, and the two sisters continued bickering while Saffron watched in awe.

"Wow, you two are so close. Like my sister," she mused.

Nieren and Rya stopped playfully fighting each other, and the two looked at her.

"You're talking about the Baroness?... D-Do you think she'll side with us with the marriage?" Rya asked, worried.

"Hmm?... So, you do really love him," Saffron asked her while glancing at Quinus, who was holding Rya on his lap. 'I can't blame her... Prince Quinus has matured into quite the man. I find it interesting that he was able to capture this dark elf's heart. I wonder if there are any other cross-race marriages that were successful,' she wondered.

"Yes, I do love him. I wouldn't be doing all of this if I didn't," Rya answered.

Saffron was silent for a few moments before nodding in agreement.

"I shouldn't be disclosing this... But I'll tell you what I know," Saffron started. "My sister, the Baroness, thinks that you would be the perfect wife to the Crown Prince... But there is one issue that most of the other nobles have with accepting you as the Prince's wife. And that—"

"Her ability to produce a next heir, correct?" Quinus cut in.

"P-Precisely," Saffron's expression became awkward, and she turned her head. "The fact that most of the Major Nobles are considering a cross-race marriage is shocking, but... They won't accept Rya as the next Queen unless you are willing to allow him to have a mistress or a second wife... I know it might be difficult, Princess, but if you are willing to make that compromise, then the Prince is most likely yours to marry."

Rya had a displeased look on her face, and her expression soured.

'This again!?... God, dammit! I wouldn't have to deal with this crap if I was pregnant! This is the only thing that sucks about becoming a female dark elf!... I need to calm down... Other noblewomen had to deal with far worse back on Earth... So, if worse comes to worse, then maybe I'll budge and let Quinus have a mistress and a child with her. I just hope that's enough to satisfy these idiots...'

"R-Rya..."

She blinked and saw Quinus, who was looking at her with concern.

"We can always come up with a different plan. Just tell me what you want, and I'll do it. No matter what," he reassured.

'Quinus is the sweetest, and he is a good man. I'm happy to have him in my life... And he's my only connection to Earth. I don't want to lose him.'

"It's okay, Quinus. I'll do anything to be your wife. Even if it means sharing you," Rya replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't make me reconsider, my love," she gave him a mischievous smile.

"Alright, alright... I'll be sure to talk it over with the Council. If they agree, then we can announce our engagement," Quinus replied.

Nieren's cheeks started to blush as she started staring at Qunius. She had a look of longing before she snapped out of it and shook her head as if trying to get rid of her silly thoughts.

'Gods and Spirits! You can't be his mistress, Nieren!... You are a Wood Elf and a noblewoman! Don't forget your manners!'

"That's if that chump Duval can't block it," Rya retorted.

"Well, he can try. But my father has the final say if the majority of Major Lords side with us," Quinus replied.

"Well, hopefully, I find an old tome with a potion recipe for making a dark elf pregnant so I can tell them to fuck—I mean, shove off," she replied.

Quinus let out a hearty laugh.

"Well, that's one way to put it," he grinned.

"I just wish there was a potion or spell that could help me get pregnant," Rya replied.

"That's rare, Princess Rya... I've only known of a potion that helps dwarven females get pregnant, and it seems very unpleasant," Lady Saffron said.

"How so? Do tell," Rya inquired.

"Well, it has to do with overloading a female dwarf's body with some monster hormones. And it needs to be injected straight into their ovaries. They usually have bruising around their abdomen, and their mood swings can get out of control," Lady Saffron replied.

Rya grimaced, "On second thought, I think I'll go all natural if I can't find a solution," she replied.

"I will see if my father's alchemists can figure something out, Princess," Lady Saffron nodded.

"Thank you, Lady Saffron. How much longer until we reach the Mage's Guild? I'd love to check it out before we head back home," Rya said.

Saffron and Quinus peered out of the window of the opulent Royal Carriage and caught sight of the Mage's Guild building, its majestic spires and intricate architecture standing proudly just a block away.

"Looks like we are close," Saffron said.

"Great!" Rya beamed.

Rya gazed out the window and marveled at the sight of the immense building with its grand and imposing architecture. Three towering spires ascended towards the heavens, creating a majestic spectacle. The structure was encircled by a formidable stone barrier adorned with intricate statues, adding to the overall grandeur of the scene.

'Yep... That's what I would expect for a fantasy world building... Well, I can't wait to get inside the library and see what they—' Rya's train of thought got interrupted when she saw a Temple of Balance on her right with a bunch of children who looked haggard and beaten up.

"Or those orphans? What's going on over there?" Rya asked as she pointed at the group.

"Ah... That's a temple orphanage for children who have no family or parents. They are taken care of until they are old enough to work... I tried asking the House of Lords to fund elementary schools for the commoners but they told me that I was a fool," Quinus stated.

"I'd have to agree with them, dear. Education for the commoners is expensive," Saffron smiled.

"That doesn't make it right, my lady... I was able to get one private school up and running for commoners with wealth, but the idea of diverting some of our taxes to give all the children free education is an unpopular one," Quinus said.

"That sucks... Maybe we can do something about it in the future, Quin," Rya said.

Quinus smirked and gazed lovingly at his wife. "Maybe... But first, let's deal with my uncle and the Alliance... Anyway, We'll be arriving soon," he said while sitting back in his seat.

Rya glanced at the children one more time before sitting down.

'I should look into that later... Those children shouldn't be mistreated like that. And most of them are injured... Gah! Stay focused! I need to be accepted into Fiafyr first! But I will come back to help them... I promise.'

The convoy slowly came to a stop as it entered the gates of the Mage's Guild. Once the door opened to the royal carriage, Quinus was the first to step out, followed by his fiancee, her sister, and Lady Saffron.

"We're finally here," Saffron stated.

"Yes, I can't wait!" Rya said while gazing around the courtyard where Fennic was standing there with his guild members.