What is Shyla doing with my hair! She dared to have them in pigtails, and Mai woke our baby up with her laughter, which did at least end that idea. Then she tried just to put my hair over my shoulder. Lasted just as long when it covered all the tattoos in the front.

She ended up with a strange bun and the rest of my hair braided in some loops to keep it from covering my tattoos. Pretty enough, and it is nice to get my hair up. I should probably cut my hair soon. If I don't, it'll be dragging across the floor before I know it.

"Sorry, Ashmark took a bit to clean up. But I have her now, my Mistress," Sarina says. "You look absolutely gorgeous, my Mistress. We may need to work on your hair a bit. Just too much to know what to do with, not trying to say anything bad about your work, Shyla."

"I understand. I'm trying to figure it all out, but it is hard to figure out what to do with all the strands. We can talk it through later, your Highness. It is your hair after," Shyla says. "I've packed up a few other dresses fit for royalty as well. I know there was a plan to meet Shimmer's Mother, and you seem to run into royalty a lot. Sorry that we have to dress you for royalty to meet an old Duchess."

"That's fine," I say, turning to look at my slave. "Who said you could do that to your body? Scratches, bruises, and you haven't been sleeping at all. I lasted almost a decade of rape and torture and didn't do anything like that. Your man looks just fine, missing some parts, but it was you who cut those off."

"Sorry, my my Mistress," the ash bitch says.

"Come over here. Making your Mistress heal you. We'll have to work on that. Shyla, do you have some strips of cloth to cover her? She isn't worthy of clothing, but I can't have my property walking around with everything showing," I say. My slave comes stumbling over, her body shaking at the thought of being near me again. She wasn't even the one to have a sword shoved up her ass. "Now, don't do this to your body again. I've hardly done anything to you, and this is what happens. Are you asking me to keep you next to me at all times? Is that what you wish? Yes, that must be it. Being by that worthless ant is straining my poor slave's mental capacity. Very well. You are to be near me at all times, unless you are physically incapable of being near me or I dismiss you. The ant must stay at least four steps away from you. To keep you from worrying too much about it."

"Yesss, my Mistress," the slave says.

"Yes? That is all? I'm doing you a great service here. But fine. You clearly aren't thinking straight, doing all this. Now, tell me, are you holding back your breasts?" I ask.

"Yes, my Mistress."

"Don't, I want to see all of what I own. Never hide them unless I directly tell you to or Shyla needs you to do it to fit in some clothing. Oh, I should make sure you can always feed my children. That is another reason you may leave my presence. If you hear one of my children crying for milk, you are to help. If you are already feeding two children, then you do not need to feed the other children. If you lose me feeding the children, you are to stay with the kids till you see me, or a maid or wife is able to guide you to me." I grab her breasts; they didn't grow much. She likely did it just to say she was holding them back if anyone asked, and feel them grow a bit firmer as I use my skill. Next, I start to trace her many self-made scratches, her body flinching in pain as I press down on them before finally healing her. I doubt the old Duchess will be impressed if my slave looks like she's been running through tall grass naked. There isn't anything I can do about the lack of sleep. I'll have to find a way to get her to relax. I can't have my shadow fainting on me.

"Do you want silk for the strips or cotton?" Shyla says, pulling out a few different colored strips. "We could go white to match your clothing, but I'm not sure you wish to have her in the color of purity. Black would be a good choice. But there are options for a green to match your main affinity. The others have no real meaning. We need to skip past the colors of royalty and Goddesses. Can't have a slave dressed like that."

"Black is fine. Do you have the ability to keep them from falling if they aren't purposefully moved?" I ask.

"Kind of, your Highness. I'm not going to say I'm strong enough that they will stay in a fight or another force like that, but they won't come off through the normal movements the slave will do in a day."

"Perfect. Just hide the important bits."

"Of course."

The black cloth just barely covers her nipples and lower parts. Thick enough to hide them completely, can't have my shadow giving a naughty view to my children. But just the smallest of effort will reveal everything for me.

After I trace the last scratch, my hands find her flat stomach, stopping right over her womb. Do I ask Fertility to mark her like I am? I hope a goddess of lactation or childcare is born soon. That would be the perfect Goddess to mark this slave. I would get her mark first, if the Goddess wishes to do so, but giving it to my shadow would be important, I think.

"You are to be my shadow," I say. "Only leaving my side to help my children, or if I'm flying or end up in a fight somehow. Your purpose is to help my children grow up to be better than you."

"Yes, my Mistress."

"Now, that should cover everything," I say. "Is Shimmer ready? Anyone else that is coming? Geta should come, and then Nanoka if she wishes. I don't think anyone else is required. I should take Yuki and Nakuma, I suppose. Is that too many women? Calli should stay back, but would your Mother prefer to stay here or join us? I need you for the clothing, and Annoris can continue being unseen."

"Mother has been taking charge of the children. She would like to keep doing that if you are willing, your Highness," Shyla says, throwing some clothing over the ant. "I think that is a fine number of wives to take, just those needed for your safety. You could take one or two for pleasure or work if you need. But I'm guessing your shadow is to fill pleasure for now, and I'm available to help you in bed with Sarina. You don't like Shimmer, but she is capable in negotiations along with Sarina, so I think we have that covered as well, unless you wish for another that wouldn't be biased during negotiations with the Phoenixes."

"Yuki can handle that as well," I say. "She has what she wants for the most part now. Is it ok to say meet us at my wife's temple?"

"Yes, some will need to get ready. Geta should already be prepared to leave, so just Yuki and Nakuma, your Highness. Sorry for not thinking about this. I'm not trained as I should be for being the head maid. Sorry for failing you."

"Your Mother?"

"She wasn't trained to be a maid at all. She manages just by knowing what she wanted her maid to do."

"Hmm, Sarina, do you wish to fill that role? Shyla has enough going on with my clothing. Or I can have Calli trained to fill the role if you do not wish to have it. I can't trust Annoris with the position for a while, at least."

"If you ask my Mother for one and promise the children you have with the maid will be for our realm, she'll be happy to provide you with one," Yuki says. "We were prepared to join you just in case. Nakuma and I have to pick up our maids from our realm. We can ask then. Sarina, I'm sure, has a different goal than being the head maid. She wishes for too many children to fill the role. Your head maid can't be getting pregnant often. Just a few children over their lifetime, if any. Aurora will want a few."

"I'll ask Calli. She's pretty, but I have no wish to overburden her with children. If she isn't able, then we can ask your Mother."

"That works," Yuki says. "Geta and Shimmer should know where to go. Is Nakuma good to move us?"

"Yes," Sarina and Shyla say. Yuki turns to me to get the last verification, and Nakuma doesn't care.

Luckily, I was as ready as I could be, as the next moment I was in a temple of my Goddess wife.

"Nakuma, you should make sure our wife is ready first," Yuki says.

"She was ready. Who am I to keep her from her other wife? I'm sure they have a lot to talk about," Nakuma says.

Did she hear about me getting to pick a champion? I could see her figuring it out somehow. She is just crazy enough to stumble into it.

"It takes next to no time to talk to her. But I was ready," I say.

"Your Highness. Do you need help or a private room?" a Priestess asks. I'm sure Space put her right there for me.

"A room would be nice," I say. I guess I have learned that it is possible that the Goddesses can do more for me than just bring me up. I hope she doesn't ruin the dress. Shyla worked hard on it.

The Priestess leads me to a small but comfortable room off to the side. A few chairs and a couch around a table. A lit fireplace on the far wall.

"I will let you be. Thank you for visiting," the Priestess says, bowing out.

I lay down on the couch and close my eyes.

"Girl, what the fuck are you trying to do to me! Coming here dressed like that and saying I can't ruin a dress. You have to be careful teasing your wife like that," Space says, lounging naked on her massive bed. A hand resting over her pregnant belly. "Lucky for you, I can remove it and put it back just as it was if you wish. I know you're tired of sex, so how about I put you in something more comfortable for cuddling in bed?"

"That would be nice."

Space replaces it with a robe, and I hop into the bed, getting next to the Pregnant Goddess.

"You haven't picked a Kitsune yet, have you?" Space asks, each of us rubbing the other's baby bump. "Pick soon. Either woman you have in mind will work, but I do think Nakuma would be better for you. She isn't as strong, but you own the key to her heart with Yuki. Be careful not to push the crazy kitsune, but it will have her loyal to the family. The Queen is loyal to her realm and her power."

"I just need to give me the best chance at making it through the war."

"As long as things work with the Phoenixes, I see you having good chances. But I can't promise anything. Only Future could give you that, and I understand your meeting with her didn't go very well. Sorry for that. She has an obvious problem. Struggling to think of the past and living in the present. She knew it would go poorly, but when it came to pass, she didn't care. She doesn't understand how lucky she could've been. This belly is a blessing like no other. I'm happy it is yours and not my Mother's child growing inside me. Luck and Destruction seem much sweeter than my sisters. Then Contract is doing better than I thought. That has to be your influence, sweety."

"Thank you. The future is scary, and the Goddess did nothing to calm that fear."

"We aren't very good at lowering fears. But we can talk about happier things. I've gotten glimpses of what Mother is working on. I think you'll like it and it'll help a lot. I just hope she finishes it soon. But then all the kids you've been able to welcome into the world. You've got some cuties around you. Congratulations. Remember, you do have Goddesses trying to help you focus on them. I think your classes are a lot better this time around. We all focused on removing sex's influence from a few. Sorry that meant you didn't have much of a choice in them, but it helped get them in line with what you wish your path with be."

"Yes, I'm happy to think about all my classes this time around. Thank you for helping."

"I'm your wife. That is the least I can do. A warning before we have to separate, the dragons and Nature are nearing complete on their preparations. You do not have much time to get your allies in place. Just a few days with each group: the Duchess, Phoenixes, and Kitsune. Don't let them push you into bad deals. You have deals already with them. Don't let them fill in the details with garbage. Count on Sarina, Shimmer, and Yuki to keep them in line. They know bad deals will hurt them just as much as you."

"Ok. I struggle to trust Yuki truly."

"Good. I don't think she meant you harm, but she didn't act as she should. That carelessness harmed you, and is hardly different from causing you harm herself. Force her to earn your true love. Now get them ready for teleportation. Go bring your kids back home."

"Thank you."

"I love you, Alzi."

"I like you."

"I'll earn it. Thank you."