Out of the Ashes Ch. 22

Chapter 22: Friends and diplomats

(8k words, futa, dialogue, plot chapter, size comparison, size praise, wholesomeness, reunion scenes, mini-gts, hyper curves, bbw, female muscle, pregnancy)

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"Wash that silly smile off your face, boy. This is not a field trip," the doc said.

Such a remark came barely as a surprise, not when he was this moody all day. Now that Ricky thought of it, he had been like that for the last few days, ever since he knew he would be joining them. One could only wonder why he had to accompany them in the first place, but Ricky would not allow him to sour his rising spirits which rivalled the growing walls before them.

"Brighten up a bit, doc. It's already rare to sit on a king's table, let alone one that would call us friends," Ricky grinned with swelling awe as the mighty walls reached the heights of legends -- and even those didn't do them justice.

"Your friend. And don't think we are here for chitchatting, boy. This is a diplomatic mission," the doc said in his roughened-up voice.

"Guess we had different briefings then," Ricky sighed and smirked over to Agatha between the two men. "We are just here to see some friends."

Her breath was already heavy by the time they traversed the hill on which the royal palace resided on, but she managed to offer a warm smile, as she struggled for air.

"You think... this will be ... this bad, Martin?" she asked breathlessly.

Ricky listened up. He never heard the doctor's actual name before and always knew him as a person who lived in the shadows and working for those who cherished secrecy as part of their profession.

"Aye. I think this trip could go south, really fast," Martin replied and ignored Ricky's grimace.

"What the hell are you two talking about? This is Maggie and Lexi what we are talking about. Come on, we know them. There is nothing to fear," Ricky said.

"Some of us don't see through the tainted lens of an acquaintance, boy. This meeting might be more important than you can even imagine," Martin said and gestured to pause when he noticed how hard the heavy-boned Chef was breathing. "Why do you think did my people send us on this mission, huh?"

The blonde boy frowned and looked for clues on Martin's seasoned face, but he never strayed away from his expression of calculated, but terrified sternness.

"Because it would be nice to be on good terms with a king," Ricky concluded.

"Almost there. And why do you think they sent us, a physician and two cooks, on this journey and not someone actually suited for this endeavour?" Martin asked in an annoyingly self-assured tone.

"Because we know them," Ricky hissed.

"No... because we are expandable," Martin countered and took a step closer to Ricky who now had to look up slightly.

"Because our identities have been compromised already. And if things turn out like they usually do, we won't be able to give your so-called friends any intel they could use against our people," the doctor said in an assertive tone.

Agatha rested a hand on Martin's shoulder who talked down on a growingly annoyed Ricky who just angrily shook his head.

"But it doesn't have to be this way. You also put faith into Margaret and it proved to be a wise decision," Agatha said.

"Was it? Look what it brought me," he said and noticed the confusion in both Agatha's and Ricky's faces. "What did you expect? Not many were on your friend's side. And we all know who made them listen. This is my punishment for choosing the wrong side."

"The right side," Ricky said with a sincere grin that only earned a disgruntled growl.

"Time will tell. Enough talk. A king awaits us, and we better leave a good impression," Martin said before they were within reach of the guards already observing them from between their battlements.

They walked over the outer gate's lowered bridge and their combined jaws dropped by a sight unlike any other. The palace had always the reputation of an impregnable fortress, one that was capable of bringing death and destruction to anyone in the kingdom. Only few saw this historic place as more than a symbol of oppression -- and certainly not as an accomplishment of ingenuity and beauty.

The heavily fortified outer walls were quickly left behind and replaced by marble and ornamented pillars wherever the human delegation could see. Each gate their escort led them through brought them closer to the centre of the palace and like peeling an onion revealed even more wonders with each new layer.

It was beyond comprehension what luxury they encountered once they made it past the inner gate house. Each wall shone in bright white as the marble danced with the sun. Every window was coloured, each pillar decorated and every statue ornamented to an extent that made Ricky believe he entered a whole new world. Neither of them had ever seen anything like that, and those were only the feats of artisans and masterful builders -- but nature proved to be an even greater architect.

The group soon found themselves in what looked like a secluded enclave within the palace where nature reigned. A tree, too big to encircle with a dozen grown men towered above the paved pathways surrounding it. The trio could not stop themselves from loudly gasping when their necks craned further and further to meet the tree's royal crown -- towering even above the inner walls.

"I heard stories of this place," Agatha eventually said and smiled. "This was where the first king was coronated. I always thought those were just fairytales."

"Looks like we have got a history enthusiast here," a young voice replied.

Ricky winced and turned around almost as anxiously as Martin did. Both didn't hear the arrival of the newcomer as well as the blonde guard accompanying her.

"I will take care of our visitors from here. We will talk later, Lucilla," the dark-haired amazon said with a girlish smile that prompted the also imposing guardswoman to blush.

The blonde hermaphrodite bowed and despite wearing the armour of those soldiers that attacked Manuel's inn, the black-haired woman looked so much more intimidating. Her arms and legs bulged with solid muscle and were put on full display in her tight uniform. She must have been younger than Ricky even, but she looked nothing short of terrifying -- and oddly beautiful.

She stood almost at Lexi's height but was even stronger built than her. Her green eyes had so much fire to them, that the young boy almost felt blinded by them, but could simply not find the courage to look away.

All the guards around them bowed when this muscle-bound giantess silently nodded at them and dispersed. They seemed to have received an unspoken order, because they stopped at the entrances and kept their eyes on the human visitors.

"Those were not just fairytales. This place is very much real. And as old as both our people. Legends say it grew when the first people settled in those lands. Back when they still believed in spirits residing in trees," the hulking girl said and smiled down at Agatha.

Ricky noticed that both Agatha and Martin looked horrified upon their unnamed guide. They seemed to know her without any introduction -- unlike him.

"Who are you?" Ricky asked.

The towering hermaphrodite smiled as her gaze rested solely on him. He was drawn to her eyes like a moth to a flame, unable to notice anything but the emerald fire burning within her. Even when her sizeable breasts and chiselled abs were basically pushed into his periphery. And he knew, usually there was no way he could stop himself from getting a few good looks on such a body.

"This must be the first time I ever had to introduce myself," she said, frowning and added. "I assume your people usually address me in a way that I would not wish to hear. But my people here call me Sybilla."

Unnoticed by Ricky who was trapped in Sybilla's gaze, both of his companions bowed as deep as their age allowed.

"Oh! You must be Maggie's sister then! Sorry, you really look nothing alike. This is not a problem I grew up having with my brother. Nice to meet you," Ricky chuckled and offered his hand.

"Ricky!" Agatha hissed behind him.

Sybilla's smirk rose once again when her eyes darted between the tiny blonde man and the bowing chef, but didn't shine with anger.

"So, we don't look alike, huh?" Sybilla said calmly and shook Ricky's hand. "Guess that is true. She ended up much more like queenmother after all."

His fingers pulsed excruciatingly after their handshake, but he gritted his teeth and swallowed the pain. There was no animosity to be found on the princess' face -- at least he hoped so. She was probably not even aware about the striking difference in strength.

"Maybe she hasn't ever shook any human's hand before," Ricky thought and eventually bowed to hide his grimace.

He heard the hulking princess walk past him and turn towards Agatha who seemed to be of greater interest for now. There was no denying Margaret's younger sister inherited some pretty damn good genes from her mothers -- just like her older sister. Because Sybilla's backside was even more impressive than the bulging set of muscles up front.

"You have mentioned you heard of this place. May I ask you from where? Lady?" Sybilla asked politely.

"I... am no lady, my princess. I...am just Agatha. I... we tell such stories to our children. Mostly before bedtime," Agatha muttered nervously.

"Usually bedtime stories are not true," Sybilla said and turned towards the gargantuan tree towering above them. "But it is probably for the better to tell children the truth instead of fairytales. Especially if they are about such beauty, don't you think?"

"I agree, my princess," Agatha replied.

Ricky failed to notice the growing smile on the elderly woman's face. To be fair, he missed out on most of their conversation entirely. Ever since Sybilla turned and revealed how much her back muscles and unbelievably perk ass stretched the fabric he was gone and had yet to return.

"Oi," Martin hissed at him, anger rising in tandem with redness on his face.

The blonde found himself torn out of the trance that Sybilla's body bestowed him with. And made him blush the second he realised that he openly stared at the princess' ass while still dozens of guards' eyes rested upon them. Not only their gazes were unsettling him, but also Martin's who kept changing colour ranging from his usual redness to a whiteness that rivalled snow.

"Pardon?" Sybilla asked and faced the reddening doctor.

He looked like he was about to pass out any second from now. His hands shook and he crossed them behind the back to hide this fact. While Ricky found Sybilla quite inviting, although a bit intimidating, he on the other hand must have seen her nothing short than the spawn of a demon. In a way that was exactly who she was -- but so would be Margaret.

"You seem unimpressed with this historic sight. Quite the contrary. Is there any problem?" Sybilla asked in her royal voice.

"No problem. Just... thought of something," Martin admitted through quivering lips.

"Whatever it was, if it brings you this much discomfort you better let go of it. We all came together today to leave such thoughts behind once and for all. Don't we?" Sybilla asked.

This time there was something echoing within her voice and it wasn't just curiosity. She looked like the total opposite of Margaret, but they seemed to share on quirk -- they both squinted when they noticed something important.

"That depends on what will be discussed today," Martin returned.

The princess stood motionless for a few seconds and made her look frozen in time. She didn't move an inch, even her gaze remained the same, but an aura was growing around her. Something sinister, something raw that Martin just tapped into. Ricky could not explain what it was, but there was something deeply unsettling about Sybilla now where she was attractive before.

"Who are you? You are no friend of Margaret's. She didn't mention you."

Her voice was cold like ice. Ricky could have sworn the princess' mouth did not move when she spoke, so much did he once more lose himself in her green eyes, but this time out of fear. Fear for Martin.

"I am ... a physician. Your sister and I have met. When she asked for my help," he said after some consideration.

Sybilla took a step forward to further tower above the aging man.

"So, you were there when Alexia was wounded. That means you must have taken part in the battle that left my guards in the dust," she said with a swelling roughness in her voice.

Ricky could see her muscles tense all over her back and arms.

"Aye, I was there, yes," he said timidly.

"Those were good warriors. And even better friends," Sybilla returned.

By now Ricky and Agatha both started silently exchanging looks of pure horror, unable to understand how this innocent conversation could turn terrifying so quickly.

"Sybilla... he did not-, "Ricky began.

"You will address me with my title! Learn some manners!" she hissed over her shoulder but kept her focus exclusively on Martin shivering before her.

He ran out of options. If he'd raise his voice to divert Sybilla from the doc, there was no doubt she or her guards would intervene. But if he kept standing there, idly, she would slowly but surely push Martin to a point where he would say something that would him cost his life. Ricky had to act.

"Hey-."

He was about to say something. Not knowing what would come out of his mouth and praying it was something that would take the blame off Martin and left his own head on his shoulders. Thankfully someone stopped him before he did something he would not have much time to regret.

Suddenly a hand was gently resting on his shoulder and instinctively his gaze fell back upon Agatha. She was still standing at the spot he left her before addressing Sybilla. Half a dozen feet in front of him -- and not behind him.

The fingers that must have materialized out of thin air vanished as fast as they arose and their owner silently appeared from the furthest corner of his eyes and quickly dominated his entire view.

A woman of gigantic proportion stepped before him, but unlike with Sybilla before he first noticed her hair and not her strikingly massive features. They were golden, with the occasional white strand that graced her combed braid. And unlike the princess she was not dressed in a uniform, but a dress, that would have made Gretchen turn green with envy within a heartbeat.

"Sybilla," she said in such an angelic voice that made the princess snap out of her intimidation and somehow made her look robbed of anger.

Ricky only now realised the full extent of this woman's size once she stood next to the princess. She must have been almost a full foot taller than her and probably around Margaret's height when he last saw her. How these people reached such amazing sizes was just beyond him.

"Would you please tell Alexia that her friends have arrived? She has been looking forward to it all day," the blonde woman said softly.

"As you wish, mother," Sybilla said and before leaving, bowed down to seemingly make up for her outburst. Probably just because she was in the presence of her mother.

"Please forgive her youthful impulsiveness. Many of us have yet to learn that those who left their lives on the battlefield are honoured best when we make sure that nobody ever has to pay the price they paid," the huge woman said and turned around.

Her face was a literal look into Margaret's future. The nose, her eyes, even the way she smiled, everything about her screamed of Maggie. While Ricky was unable to see the resemblance between Sybilla and her sister, there was literally no space for doubt when it came to who she inherited her stunning looks from.

"Apology ... accepted," Ricky said first, still in awe of this older version of Margaret.

Just like her, she was simply huge ... everywhere. Her breasts and ass were on par with the size Margaret had grown into. Some wrinkles were the only clue of how many years separated her from her daughter, but nevertheless she looked gorgeous. If this was what awaited Margaret in her older days, she would truly be blessed with eternal beauty.

"Thank you... for intervening," he said with a growing blush.

"Thank you for your patience and for your understanding," she said and bowed at him and both of his companions each.

Her already massive cleavage spilled out further from an outfit that hardly concealed any of her curvy body. Everything about her attire seemed to have chosen deliberately to further highlight every inch of softness she possessed -- and she possessed plenty. The dark blue fabric complemented her azure eyes beautifully, as much as all the jewellery that shared the same colour. If there was one thing Ricky knew nothing about it would be fashion, but even he had to admit that this was just a striking combination. Almost as striking as her other endowments she clearly didn't mind teasing.

Unlike Sybilla, who must have been either much less endowed or better managed to hide this particularly sizable part of hermaphrodite anatomy, Maggie's mom's bulge reached far down her extremely thick thighs. He didn't even have to stare to notice that due to how her dress snug her curves.

"Thank you... my queen," he blushed before repeating the same mistake as earlier.

Which meant taking his gaze away from a woman as bewitchingly beautiful as the one before him.

"Please," her soft voice said and he once more felt a gentle touch on his shoulder that seemingly lifted his head back up without his doing. "My days of queenhood are over. Call me Euridike, Ricky."

The young man's puzzled expression must have been one of comical proportion. Regardless how ridiculous he must have looked, he silently thanked the gods for it, otherwise he would not have seen her simply glamorous smile.

"You know my name?" he asked while shaking the hand offered to him.

"Of course, I do. Margaret told me about you when you all lived under one roof.

And how you became a family in spirit. Any friend of hers that made my daughter feel this way is a friend of mine," Euridike said and only grew more intoxicatingly beautiful with every gentle world coming out of her mouth.

"I... am ... honoured...Euridike," he eventually managed to mutter while fever claimed his face.

She simply smiled back and once she turned around, he simply couldn't force himself to look at her, despite knowing that such a sight would be nothing short of divine. He would feel dirty if he did this to such a welcoming and entrancing woman, that also happened to be mother of his friend and king.

Her hips and breasts swayed naturally as she gracefully danced over the paved stone to greet her next visitor.

"And you are Agatha. I have heard many stories about you too. I have looked forward to this meeting," she said motherly and offered her hand.

"M-me? She told you about me, my queen?" Agatha said with a noticeably proud smile emerging on her face.

"Please, call me Euridike. And indeed. There were not many people she mentioned as often as you," Euridike said, both her hands gently encompassing Agatha's.

"Please. What did she say, Euridike?" Agatha asked with a widening grin.

"She shared many stories, Agatha. All of which she clearly holds close to her heart, but one stood out to me. The one in which you made her and Alexia feel at home, the day they walked into yours. And I was told from that moment onwards it was also your influence which made them grow as people. You earned my eternal gratitude for that, Agatha," Euridike said with the same pride that shone bright off a woman that barely reached her waistline.

"Than- thank you, this means... a lot," Agatha whimpered as tears of joy were trickling down her full cheeks.