I struggle against the vines, but I can't move an inch. Slowly, one of the vines starts to crawl up my arm. Is it aiming to choke me? Does Lotus know about my skill to protect my children? She isn't attacking either of them, and she isn't hurting the ones in my womb. I'm just stuck, unable to move.

"Lotus, you idiot," the Queen says. A rainbow fire jumps from her fingers and onto the vines. Quickly, they spread to all the vines and burned them down. The heat tickles my arms before I'm free to move again. A sword is now at Lotus's neck. "Alzi, take the kids. Hold them."

"Ok," I say. "I'm sorry, baby." Carefully, I take Lotus's child off her nipple. I move my dress around and offer mine to her before taking the Queen's child next.

"Guards!" the Queen shouts out. A group of four women shuffle in quickly, Sarania and my shadow following in behind them. "Take Lotus into custody. Nature may use her to assassinate me or Alzi again. Keep her under complete lock. Remove Nature from the Priestesses' rotation."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," one of them says. Lotus still doesn't respond, but the pupils have returned to her eyes now. The guards chain her up quickly and drag her away.

"Are you both alright?" the Queen asks. "I'm sorry for that. She promised Nature didn't have any control over her."

"I'm fine," I say. "Kelly?"

"Shaken, but that's all," she says, collapsing into a chair. "Tired as well, but that isn't due to the attack."

"Good," the Queen says. "Alzi, take the kids. Keep Irlo as well. I've got a mess to clean up. I doubt Lotus is the only dryad that will try this. Annoris is already captured. If you help her deliver your child, you must have Geta and Nanoka around. I would like you to have Nakuma, Shimmer, or Victoria around as well. No need to take risks, even if her mana is purely for cleaning. She could be hiding something. As for the kids, I'll be leaving for the front lines soon. The castle has guards, but you have the truly powerful women near you. So there is nothing for them in the Palace of the Castle. I know you'll raise them well. That will have you recognized as Irlo and these two babies' father, fulfilling that requirement of our agreement. Thank you for your help. I have things to deal with."

"You just gave birth," I say. "Rest for a bit."

"No, I have to give orders. We can't risk the dryads right now. They may already be causing issues in the army. I did more than my fair share of relaxing with Irlo. I have to work now. Thank you. Please raise our children well."

"Ok?" I say. I shouldn't fight with the Queen, not when it lets me keep my kids close by. But this has to be too fast.

With that, she walks out, naked, with blood painting the inside of her thighs. I hope she makes it.

"Well, little ones," I say. "Time to meet your sisters. Your Mother's side of the family is scary."

"Here, let me hold one, my Mistress," Sarania says. "Are you feeling alright? What happened?"

"I'm ok," I say. "Lotus's eyes rolled into the back of her head or something, and she captured all of us for a few seconds. The Queen quickly burned the vines down and everything."

"I see," Sarania says. "Geta or Victoria should follow you around. I'm sure Nanoka was about to come here if the Queen didn't handle it, but we need protection when going out to the assassin's guild. Victoria would be better. Geta may tell her Goddess about someone cheating death for this long. Yuki and Nakuma are too tired working on the portal now to be a good defense for you."

It'll be interesting to see how Victoria acts around me. She and Yuki have a problem for some reason, but she seems to like me. Mommy doesn't love her language, but I understand it. I'd be talking like that too if the Mistress didn't lock me out of it. "Victoria can do it. We should let her sleep in. I should be safe in the temple."

"Very well," Sarania says. "Sorry, I wasn't able to help you."

"I'm ok. She didn't do anything," I say.

"That we know of. I doubt Nature had such a terrible plan that could be fooled by a woman who had just given birth. We can handle the rest back at the manor. We may not get to the guild today."

"I thought so," I say. "Some rest would be nice."

"You can follow me," the Queen's maid says. "I'll lead you back to the carriages."

*** Queen Yumanea ***

She got on my ass about Alzi and then lets her Goddess pull this off? She just made it so I don't even get a few hours to spend with my kid. I'm going to have to travel today to help fix our lines. We don't have many dryads in the army, but there's enough force us to retreat if they go crazy.

"Irdru!" I shout into my mirror.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness?" Irdru says. "What is going on?"

"That is what you are supposed to know. Tell me."

"Nothing has been reported."

I just raise my eyebrow and wait for a better answer.

"I'll have them reach out," Irdru says. "But nothing has been reported yet."

"Fine," I say. "All dryads are to be taken to the nearest temple for holding. None of Nature's temples. Quickly and quietly. If possible, don't tell them they are getting held in the temples to get them there. Nature is up to something with them."

"Um, yes, Your Majesty," Irdru says. "They've attacked the army. Almost all fronts are in retreat now. The confusion and need for quick action slowed the reports."

"I thought so," I say. "Order them to be killed if needed. We aren't walking out of this with most of our population anyway. No need to worry about a few of Nature's creations that can talk to us."

"I will relay the order. Anything else?"

"No." I'll have to tell Elora to get a new head of intelligence. Irdru is too slow at gathering information. Maybe Syro could grow into that role. Or a kitsune? No, that's just a great way to let Kiyomi know everything that is going on in our Queendom.

"The entire castle? You couldn't even put a sheet over you or something? Your Royal Highness," my maid says, invading my private study. "Don't give me that look. You wish to leave, and for that, you need to get cleaned up and dressed. You can't meet the forces naked and bloodied from labor."

"Slit your throat," I say.

"Excuse me?"

"Burning is fine with me," I say. Two dragons of fire shoot out from behind me and encompass the fake maid. But a shield keeps her from burning.

"Titles. So hard to fit in naturally when they are beneath you," the woman says. "But your fire does burn hot. Almost like a phoenix is here. Your lines will be overrun, and they'll have no Queen to set them back up."

"That would be a problem for me," Nanoka says. "You can put the fire out. I don't enjoy being that warm."

I let the fire die out and see a knife sticking out of a new dryad.

"Does Nature really not know about me? Such a pathetic illusion, and Alzi is perfectly safe still. Sorry for waiting, I wanted to see if she wanted more than to kill you. This attack is just so strange. The one following Alzi is just a normal maid. This one has to know she isn't allowed back here. Whatever. Can I have the body?"

"I'm about to leave, so go for it. Saves me the trouble."

"Thank you. Have fun."

"Fun? Fun would be spending time with my baby, not a fucking war."

*** Nanoka ***

It really is more fun being married. So much more happens, and I actually care about it. No more watching over a realm nobody is daring to attack. No need to listen to my daughter rage that someone isn't listening to her correctly.

The amount of blood is a bit disturbing, but the kids are cute. Almost makes me want to jump into Alzi's bed for one.

"But first I have to deal with you," I say. "Wake up. We're both old, no need to waste the little time we have left faking sleep. I have a lot of questions, and if you don't go quickly, I may miss when the newborns greet their sisters for the first time. It's so cute seeing dragons meet their siblings for the first time. They get this big smile and wiggle around. It melts this old woman's heart every time."

"Fuck you."

"I know a number of women who are excellent at torture. Would you like to partake? Is that what this shit plan is about? You wish to become a sex toy for Alzi and her lovers? No need to try and assassinate the Queen for that. I'm sure they would accept you if you asked nicely."

"Why are you here? The realm..."

"The realm hardly needs me. They've still got my Mother and grandmother watching it. A bit scary to think that Alzi could get one of them pregnant. I really don't need a new aunt or sister. So you really thought you were just going to walk in and kill the Queen? That's it. No, you're not that stupid. You're too old to be that stupid. You wanted to find the priestesses. That has to be it. You wanted to get the war priestesses. The Queen just fell into your lap. Just gave birth, naked, tired, and alone. That makes sense. I'm guessing the armies are only somewhat hurt. Our side is getting too entrenched, but War wouldn't let our side completely collapse. That would end the war. So, Nature gained some ground, but not enough. Not unless you can get rid of the Priestesses. Instead of doing your duty, you convinced the Queen to join the battle before she wanted to. Well done. The exact opposite of what you were meant to do."

"Damn bitch."

"Want some tea? My pot should be just about ready if you wish to have something to drink before you die."

"I don't give a damn for your tea."

"That's rude. I've had hundreds of years to work on it. But why expect Nature to have a good view on tea. Have fun joining death. You may have noticed, Death has a bit of a thing for Alzi." A simple swipe of my finger launches a dagger across her throat. She doesn't care to try and stop it. I must've missed something, but I'll be watching. I know Geta can't join Alzi on her trips, but Victoria is strong enough to hold anything off till I get there.

I should invite Alzi up for some tea soon. I think she would enjoy it, and I do need to warn her about my dear daughter before they talk privately. I hate to say it, but a good fucking would probably help that furball calm down.

Or was Queen Yumanea supposed to go to the front lines now? Whatever, I'm just Alzi's wife and guard.