The Emperor

"Enough, Gul!" I snapped.

The orc looked furious as she paused with her sword drawn and ready. I wondered for a moment if she was going to ignore me, but she took a step back with a furious expression.

"Why won't you die?"

I turned my attention back to the lamia and shook my head. "I'm immune to most things. If it makes you feel better, I felt that one. Burned right through me."

"But-"

"Look, Amaly needs you. If you wanna bite me some more, speak to one of my wives and book an appointment."

"Mommy?"

The lamia switched her attention, before glancing back at me. In a flurry of motion, she propelled herself across the ground with her torso only inches above it. Tackling her daughter, she swept the smaller lamia off her tail and raced off into the trees to the far side of the gardens.

"I'll put out a call to the-"

"Leave it, Gul," I sighed. "Whatever they've got going on, they're not hurting anyone."

"Hurting? War leader, she set a trap and tried to kill you!"

"Not much of a trap," I shrugged. "And she has plenty of ways to kill me. If she was holding a knife, then you could worry about it. But she's just biting me."

"Yes... And... Wait. How are you not dead?"

I looked at Gul and saw the confusion written across her face. I didn't think it was worth explaining about Henry the Just's experiments once again, so I shook my head and turned for the keep. She fell in beside me and remained silent for the trip back inside. When I arrived in the throne room. Sint scampered over. I offered the goblin a smile as she chirped softly. She still didn't speak, but she understood most, if not all of what was said around her. But I had yet to see her even attempt to vocalise more than the soft crooning and chirping she usually made.

My little goblin wife pressed herself against me and I scooped her up into my arms. She clung to me and made small crooning noises. I admired her and noticed the way she stroked her belly. That... was something I had made efforts to prevent. The last time I went that far with her, she turned into a rage filled monster that literally started the battle of Kunnskap. The last thing I wanted was for that to happen once again. But as her sister-wives' bellies began to grow, she was getting more insistent.

"This would be so much easier if you could talk," I sighed.

Sint shook her head quickly, before letting out a few rapid chirps. While she refused to go outdoors on her own. Sint was fine walking the halls. Though she avoided the more public areas. Occasionally other goblins would come inside, either to speak with me, or for other purposes. And when left in her presence long enough... Well after the second time she publicly killed one, I had to ban goblins from her presence. They were now under strict orders to flee at the sight of her, which was strange, as they were always so willing to approach her, even knowing she would kill them. I wasn't about to pretend like I understood their society. So I did what I could to minimise the damage.

"My lord!"

I glanced over at Raulum as he approached.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Queen Eila informed me to get preparations ready for a large force to leave. I wanted to let you know it will be ready by morning."

"Wonderful," I nodded. "Do you know where she is right now?"

"Ah..." Raulum flustered. "She took Queen Ally upstairs."

I chuckled as Gul let out a small huff and turned to follow my wives. Sint clung to me as I climbed and I wondered what exactly I was getting into. Only to stumble into our rooms to the sight of all my wives eating lunch. Sint sprung out of my arms and rushed to her spot at the table, and I sighed as she ravenously started eating. This was... not what I thought was going on. But as Marala carried in another dish and set it by the large chair at the head of the table, I nodded in agreement.

***

"You should go with them," Eila announced.

I Frowned and put down the bone I was chewing on. "What?"

"Go with them," Eila nodded. "Take Sint, Mareridt and the drarskk."

"Why them?" I frowned.

"Most advanced pregnancies," Ally chimed in.

I looked over at Lonty and Harri, who blushed. "I hadn't realised."

"It's getting harder to put on my armour," Harri smiled, touching her stomach.

"It's getting hard to keep my hands off her," Lonty yowled softly, making Harri blush.

"Eila, I'd rather not leave my wives. Especially after Blomst just gave birth," I nodded at my faun, who beamed in delight as she fed our daughter.

"But you should," Eila nodded. "If you support Solee and Lyrei in setting up an outpost in the elfin lands, you can solidify them as an ally."

I sighed and slumped back in my chair. She had a point. But I didn't want to leave. Eila, Ally, Chit and all the others were ready to birth. Blomst was proof of that. The idea of leaving was going to drive me crazy. But... Maybe it was for the best. I wasn't much of a ruler. I didn't handle politics well. In particular, if someone ran their mouth. Hestha pointed that out when she called me a brute. I was good at hitting things. Not running them. That was far more suited to Eila.

"Let me think on it," I nodded as I stood.

Making my way out into the hall. There was a tray of food for the drarskk. They ate at a different time from the rest of us. That was because with my daughter, it wasn't really safe for anyone to go up there. Taking the tray, I made my way back down into the throne room, before approaching the rear stairs. There was no other way up, to the roof. And we guarded it at all times to prevent anyone stumbling up there. A drunken party had led to injuries when a young couple went to find somewhere private. Precautions had to be taken.

The guards let me pass with respectful nods and I climbed up. I tried not to dwell on my problems as I climbed. But they snuck through regardless. I had too much on my plate. While the conflict in the elfin lands was profitable, it also created refugees. And those refugees needed somewhere to go. This solved everyone's problem. But I couldn't help but think there was going to be consequences. Once the elfs got themselves sorted out, then what? Would they accept the territory loss and treat it as the buffer I hoped for? Or would they would consider it a threat?

I was mulling things as I stepped out onto the roof of the keep. The simple wooden hut was long gone. Still wood, it was properly shingled and walled. The door hadn't lived though.

"Hi daddy."

I froze and turned slowly. Sitting on the roof of the stairwell was my daughter, Chessta. She was a tiny thing. Tiny compared to her mother. She could easily sit in the palm of my hand. And she was probably the most terrifying thing I had ever seen. The childish voice that came from her mouth, did nothing to diminish the reptilian grin as she devoured... what looked like a small rabbit.

"Hi sweetie," I smiled cautiously. "Did you have fun hunting today?"

"Yes daddy," she smiled, before biting off a piece of flesh. "Mother won't let me hunt deer yet."

"Because it would be a waste, daughter," Sessa replied, landing on my shoulder.

"Not if the flock helped eat," she growled cutely.

"That is not our way," Sessa shook her head. "For now, I need to speak with your father."

"Yes, mother," Chessta grinned.

Taking the offer for what it was, I turned and made my way into the nest. It was multi-tiered inside. There was a large main nest in the bottom. It was where I slept when I stayed. But each drarskk had their own shelf. Usually they hung from beneath like a bat, storing items of their own on top. The higher in the nest they were, the more authority in the nest they carried. And it hadn't been lost on me to see that Chessta had a fresh perch beside her mother's.

"She... Is strange," Sessa hopped over onto the closest perch to face me.

"Strange how?" I asked.

Sessa frowned and shook herself. "She is... beyond her years."

"Yeah, I thought it was strange she could talk so well already."

"Not just that," Sessa shook her head. "After those first weeks, she has calmed considerably."

"Good?"

Sessa opened her mouth, before shutting it again and shrugged softly. "Different. I would attack on sight at her age. A rabid beast like my mother before me. And while she is as vicious as I was. She tempers it well."

"She is of mixed heritage," I nodded. "Maybe something in me is changing how she behaves."

Sessa nodded, "You need to give Hestha an egg."

I gulped softly, "Sessa..."

"No. I'll go get her. She needs an egg."

"Sessa," I stepped as she took off and caught her. She glared as I held her close, but softened as I stroked her wings. My little warrior was always soft for me when the others in the wing weren't around. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"All the more reason."

"Why?" I sighed.

"Because we could birth a future for our kind!" Sessa snarled. "No more would we need to live apart from the other races of this world if we could control ourselves as children. We could go to school, have friends, get jobs. We could stop being so reliant on our husbands!"

"You can do that now," I pointed out.

"It's not the same," Sessa sighed. "Husband, I want to rip your face off, chew on your eye sockets, and then have you take me and give me another egg."

I blinked at the description and I wondered how much danger I was really in.

"We spend our entire childhood, preparing to kill the one person we don't want to kill. Then we spend our entire lives questioning that decision. I know I could never harm you. But the desire never goes away."

"And you think she's different."

Sessa nodded. "Our daughter spoke to you. Can you remember how she reacted when you first met?"

I grimaced at the memory of Ita healing my eye after escaping the onslaught. "She was getting better."

"And now she is fine," Sessa continued. "She is still very much a drarskk. But she lacks the innate viciousness of our kind."

I sighed and brought her back into the nest. "And what if I just want to give you another egg?"

Sessa frowned. "That is the problem. If I have another egg, she may reject it and I will have to find a way to raise two children separately."

"And what if she does that, anyway?"

"Not the same," Sessa shook her head. "While it is true, the greatest threat to our young is other young. I... can't help but think of the future. Our children. Your, children. They could be something more."

I nodded slowly, thinking about what she was saying. "Is it worth the risk?"

"Yes."

We both looked up at Hestha, who was peeking over the edge of the shelf, second from the top. She was staring right at me and made a small growl.

"I want you to give my second an egg, husband," Sessa hissed.

I heard a soft flutter of wings, before a weight settled on my shoulder. Only it wasn't her talons, but her claws, as she hung her nude form down my front. I could hear as she breathed in my ear. Either she was exhausted, or extremely tense.

"I want an egg," she whispered.

With a last glance at Sessa, who grinned like a devil, I nodded in agreement. Untying the front of my pants I shuffled them down my legs as Hestha crooned and nibbled at the side of my chin. Her sharp teeth made small clicks as she waited. That part of me though. It always clicked into overdrive. This wasn't just sex for the sake of please. That would come regardless. But here, now, we were going to be trying for pregnancy. And some part of me was really, really enticed by the notion.

"Use me like a toy, then hold me down and fill me," Hestha whispered.

I gave her an odd look thinning about a drarskk dirty talking. Hestha was one of the more socially aware drarskk. But even that seemed like she had been practising. Moving over to the wall, I leaned against it as I took her in my arms. She was completely nude, and I admired her metallic green scales.

Sliding down the wall, I held her close as I sat. Sessa moved over to the edge of the nest to watch with a wide smile as I hovered Hestha over my cock. Foreplay wasn't really a thing with their kind. With everything internal, I just tried to be gentle until she was comfortable. But it was still something else to see such a small being take such a large cock as I lowered her onto it.

Hestha's wings fluttered as I felt the resistance of her egg chamber. This was the secret to mating with them. A male of their kind would usually penetrate it using their entire hand. And on the inside rim, was one or more clitorises. Sessa, being a royal had six of them. Why that was relevant to being a royal I didn't know, but when I penetrated her egg chamber, she became placid and relaxed.

"More," Hestha growled cutely.

With a smile, I applied more pressure and felt her chamber stretching over the head of my cock. The tight ring of muscle stretched, before clamping down over the head and Hestha let out a soft growl. Holding her steady with both hands, I gently rocked my hips, driving what little length was still outside of her body, in. Instantly, Hestha went limp in my arms. She crooned as her taloned feet gripped my wrists.

"More, husband," Sessa growled from across the room.

"More," Hestha agreed.

With a grin, I started using my hands as well. As I drove my hips up, I pulled her down, using her as a living masturbator. Her wings flapped uselessly as she let out a series of high-pitched screeches. But she made no mention of me stopping. When she relaxed fully, I transitioned to long, powerful strokes. Sessa watched on with glee and I felt my end rising.

"Remember, Hestha," Sessa growled. "Do not accept his power."

"Noooo," Hestha whined as her body throbbed.

Pulling her down hard, she gasped and locked her eyes on me. With my cock fully buried inside her, I felt the first pulse. Hestha squirmed as she felt it and I saw the blue as her eyes lit up. But as instructed, she pushed it away as she felt the second throb. I watched as her middle swelled slightly from the volume of seed I pumped into her. But she didn't seem bothered by it at all.

As we came down together, Sessa hopped over towards us, like an odd bird of prey hopping along the ground. She crawled up to sit by her wingmate and nuzzled her.

"Well?"

Hestha trembled bodily, still impaled on my cock. She raised her eyes and looked at us both. "I am with egg."

"Good!" Sessa beamed. "Now get off. It is my turn."

Chapter Five

"What are you grinning at?" Gul asked.

I blinked away the memory of that morning. Harri and Lonty were delicious when they were together. Nude, I could see the swells of their stomachs. The image of Lonty's tail, dancing in the air, while she laid atop her lover. The two were wrapped in one another's embrace, rubbing their swollen crotches together, while I slid myself from one, to the-

"You're doing it again," Gul sighed.

I frowned, snapping out of my daydream once again. Gul was eyeing me from across the carriage. Dressed in her borrowed armour, she was at odds with the plush, cushioned seat beneath her. To my right, was a chest that contained Sint. While she didn't mind being inside the carriage, the movement worried her. Besides, it was easier to move her inside a chest when we went out into the open. She panicked otherwise, and while she clung to me in an emergency, she wouldn't let go of me either.

It was odd when I thought of it. We hadn't had a lot of time together. Something I knew she wasn't happy about. But I couldn't risk her changing form after we were intimate. Not only was she suddenly as large as I was, but she lost all fear of the outdoors. Having her charge into Kunnskap was something else and while it may be useful in the future, I didn't want to be on the road when she goes off to fight something on her own.

On my right, was Solee, who was across from his lover, Fenian. The young elf was nervously twisting the ends of a tunic slightly too large for him. They had accompanied me, in chains until outside the walls. At which point, I had removed them, but told them to stay within the carriage. Solee's wife Lyrei and her two lovers were in a second carriage behind us where they were very much left alone. Alone to the point, where one of her lovers took the reins around the same time I released Solee.

"I'm still unsure of how this is going to work," Solee sighed.

"What's to be unsure about?" I shrugged. "We go take a nearby town and put a wall around it. Then, all the refugees who pass through on their way to my territory, stop at yours instead."

"And how are we supposed to feed that many people if I'm going to be taking a town under siege?"

"Easy," I smirked. "I'm going to kill anyone who questions my decision, then I'm going to kill anyone who's abused their spouse. I'll release all the slaves in the town and whoever stays behind, will probably want to help."

Solee frowned and gave me a strange look, while Fenian stared with wide eyes. I ignored them both as they went through their own thoughts on the matter. Realistically, that was my plan. Go in, kill anyone likely to be a problem, and put Solee and his wife at the top. He could handle the politics, while she ran the show. Both would feel power, both would get their needs met in whatever way they desired. I would get an ally that would buffer the elf lands. Later on, when the civil war dies down, I could see about expanding my territory. Hestha called me a brute, after all. And she was right. I'm not built to sit on a throne. I want to hit things, fuck my wives and do what I want. This kind of political nonsense is not something that I have patience for.

"How many stayed behind?"

I glanced over at the two elfs. That question had been directed at Fenian, and he swallowed nervously. "Three."

Solee nodded as he blew out a breath. "Three, was it-"

"It was as you thought," Fenian nodded slowly. "They moved on, but they weren't upset. Paeris sent well wishes."

Solee nodded, "For the best then."

"Your lovers?" I asked.

Solee nodded, but Fenian cleared his throat. "My King, it was voluntary. Solee never forced us to do anything we didn't want."

I nodded, seeing Solee tense slightly. It was a master and slave relationship. They did not technically achieve consent in their dynamic. But knowing that only three of his harem had left, while one was here dressed in the man's clothing and the rest were with the wagon train. That had to speak for something. And don't even get me started on Lyrei's men wanting to fight me for suggesting I have her executed.

I would never condone slavery. But in this instance, it looked more like the best-case scenario of a worst-case situation. These elfs, while very much in the wrong, had done their best not to make things any worse than they had to. And for that, I would not kill them. Besides, I had other things to worry about.

A sudden series of screams distracted my thoughts. I couldn't pinpoint the direction while inside the carriage. But it sounded like they came from up ahead. I could hear clashing blades and shouted orders. I growled, thinking about my loved one's being in danger. Mareridt was out there. So was Pet, who like Ita before her, needed me for sustenance, along with Marala and half the flock of drarskk.

Sint opened the chest and peaked out, while Fenian opened the carriage door. I glimpsed horses rushing past, with elfs leading the charge. I knew that some of those elfs were my own people, but the others were not. A scream, louder than before came from up front and the carriage lurched into motion.

"Close it!" I roared.

Fenian turned at my shout, and so did an elf who was outside the carriage. A spear of ice slammed into the wood, and Fenian shrieked as it gashed across his face. Reaching across, I grabbed the young elf and hauled him further into the carriage while I pulled the door closed. The ice fell apart the moment I touched it, falling free of the hole it left in the door. Fenian was gasping as Solee pried his hands from the wound.