Vaid Empire: Conquest Ch. 49

Vaid Empire: Conquest is a massive fantasy series that aims to mix erotica with the quality of a published novel. New chapters and artwork are released every month absolutely free, with the completely optional possibility to receive early access. The Series focuses heavily on worldbuilding, story, and characters.

The world of Ayphieal is shattered and chaotic, with kingdoms and tribes of six distinctive races vying for territory amongst themselves. It is only when a young human warrior finally pushes back against the chaos that the world begins to shift towards order.

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15th of Fonic, 12 AVE.

Domani, Capital of The Vaid Empire.

Their time together had ended.

Vixin cradled her son as she marched forwards, remaining close to her father's side. They walked towards the towering exit of the throne room, its colossal doors parted to the city below. A pair of Sages waited just beyond, the couriers that would bring the young boy to his new life.

They were flanked by both Rosila and Salduin, de facto leaders of The Sages until she could claim her rightful mantle. She had them to thank for the intimate ceremony, of course, for they had been the ones to convince Dominax to place the boy in the mentorship of Sages, rather than any number of families all too eager to display him as a trophy.

She savored every second that remained to her, feeling his infant form in her arms. She sensed his keen mind, delighting in knowing she had created him.

Dominax caressed her back, just above her rump as they walked, granting her a knowing look. The product of their forbidden acts squirmed in her arms, as if knowing the fate that approached.

As they passed through the doors her eyes were drawn to the location of Xenia's execution. Though she hadn't attended, everyone in the city knew keenly where 'the traitor had lost her head'.

"Your holiness." The pair of Sages greeted them with a low bow, dressed in little more than a few strips of black silk. "We are honored to transport the child of our Goddess of Fertility."

"It seems I won't escape such a title." Vixin chuckled. Nor did she intend to.

"Is this him? The first grandchild of his holiness?" One of the pair asked, peering intently at the child. "By The Creator...he's the spitting image of his grandsire!"

Taking secret satisfaction in the statement, Dominax clasped his hands behind his back. "I expect everything is in order. There can be no mistakes, for I'm quite fond of this one."

Salduin stepped closer, though met Vixin's gaze instead. "No harm will ever come to him, you have my word on that, princess. I've selected the Divine Mother of Deci myself. He'll live well, mentored by both her and her acolytes until he is old enough to serve in his own right."

"Our mistress will be honored to possess such a...divine apprentice." One of the acolytes smiled.

Vixin eyed Rosila with a hint of redness to her cheeks, knowing all too well what such a mentorship required. Still, such a life would grant him many benefits worthy of a royal bastard. Under Salduin's latest reforms, each ruler of all villages, towns, and cities of The Empire received a Divine Mother of The Sages at their side, advising their local Lord or Lady in matters of law and worship. Acolytes would serve under their Divine Mother, spreading the official teachings and laws of The God Emperor and ensuring the minds and bodies of the population remain leashed to the throne. As one of the few exceedingly rare males in The Order, her son would find no end of comfort and pleasure.

"Deci." Rosila chuckled. "There is no place more fitting than the city in which he was conceived."

"Perhaps one day he'll forge that vile place into a gem of The Empire. Come now, it's time, my flower." Dominax caressed her gently.

"Very well." She replied as she looked down, remembering every detail of his tiny face. Her father had advised her to avoid granting him a name, else the separation be made harder than it needed to be. She had anyways, of course, and she felt a flare of motherly love as she held him out towards The Sages. "In your darkest moments look to the highest moon and know I too see it. Your mother loves you always, Domir."

"Domir..." The Sage repeated, carefully taking the child into her own arms. "We'll all care for him as though he were our own. Better, more likely."

With a nod from The God Emperor, Rosila used the first two fingers of her right hand to trace a Crescent moon in the air above Domir. "May The Creator watch over you always."

Vixin's arms felt empty as she watched the blessing, its concept first suggested by Salduin. She looked up at the large man, meeting his gaze for a lingering moment before he turned away.

The Sages bowed once more before turning to depart, descending the many steps of The Grand Pyramid into the noisy square below. She watched them carry away her son, knowing any mother's heart would be torn asunder. Instead, she smiled, knowing his future was secured while feeling a tingling instinct within her womb to be filled once more. The Goddess of Fertility indeed.

"You handled that well, my flower." Dominax said as he embraced her, holding her body close. Then, leaning in to press his lips to hers, he sensed the surprise of all onlooking guards at their stations. He pulled away with a smirk, cupping her cheek.

She followed his lead as he turned to depart, her heart hammering at the thrill of nearly revealing their secret. Both Rosila and Salduin granted her a glance as they walked, one aware, the other not quite. The guards would likely think him an overly affectionate father, yet had they only known the depth of their deeds...

Salduin trudged along beside her, and she felt a tingle within her loins as she reached over to touch his strong arm, as if her womb reacted to the presence of her future breeder.

He subtly moved his arm from her fingertips, his face faintly reddening as he strode ahead. The hints of disappointment swirled within her chest, yet she merely straightened up. The confident swaying of her hips was no longer entirely false. She had become a woman, a young mother, a lover. Her smirk rested easier upon her face, nearly as if it belonged there.

She'd be allowed to visit Domir one day, yet for the moment duty called. To become the leader of The Sages she'd require a legitimate heir, one that would soon arrive when the large man finally saw fit to take her.

18th of Fonic, 12 AVE.

Kingdom of Vaidrin, Near The Ruins of Nitri.

"Jinilya..."

Salduin's whisper cut through the evening humidity as he kneeled before the stone slabs, two hexagonal grave markers settled into the dirt. A light mist hugged the base of the hill as he looked down, ready to be swept away with the next tropical storm.

His eyes traced over the names crudely etched into the stone, taking a deep breath before forcing his words from his throat. "The impossible happened. I've found the limit of my duty."

Only a soft breeze came in response, reminding the large man of his solitude. He had ordered his escort to wait for his return far from this place, granting no explanation. They obeyed, of course, living guards keeping their distance while only the bones beneath the ground comforted him.

"He expects me to breed." Salduin said aloud, trying to chuckle. "His daughter no less. Rira would have liked her...she's just as mischievous."

The graves gave no reply, as silent as ever.

Salduin's jaw tightened before a sigh eased from his lips. "I don't think...I can. She's gorgeous, a mate any man would be eager to sire a child with. It's an opportunity I've never been prouder to be offered...yet I-" With his breath catching in his chest, he paused before continuing. "What am I to do?"

Allowing his hands to fall limply into his lap, he was unable to keep Vixin from his mind. Her silky black hair, the way her outfit clung to her feminine curves, his urges had nearly overtaken him when she had touched his arm. Yet each time he thought of her, each night of fantasizing since The God Emperor had made his offer, the more the image of Jinilya seemed to slip away when he sought her face in his memory.

"I can't let you fade..."

19th of Fonic, 12 AVE.

Domani, Capital of The Vaid Empire.

"Well?" Irith's smooth voice echoed through their new royal quarters. "Satisfied?"

Dominax paced through the large chamber, as if assessing every inch. Rectangular in shape, the lounge held many places to sit and relax, intended to host any number of visitors that may be blessed with an opportunity to visit The God Emperor's private apartments. Each of the four walls held a set of doors, while the center contained a shallow pool of heated water with steps descending into its modest depths. He turned to Irith, granting her a satisfied nod.

"A thank you would be in order. This required quite a bit of planning, you know." She said with a playful smile as Arinax and Zela quietly explored on their own. "The girls of the harem had much to say about the furnishings and decor. Listen, and you might discover there is more to them than pretty bodies."

"You need no praise." He replied before pulling her into a kiss. "Show me the bedroom."

Gesturing for him to follow she led him to the other side of the lounge. Where the first wall held the white reinforced main entrance to their private apartments, the opposite contained a pair of dark wooden doors that led to the royal bedchambers. The chamber that followed was double that of the lounge, its walls decorated with the banners of their House. A desk remained near the door, accompanied by two small beds intended for the twins. Yet it was the massive royal bed resting in the center of the far wall that demanded the attention of any who entered, its size fit for a God Emperor. A set of double doors lay on either side of the magnificent bed, open to the warm air of the evening as they led to the balcony that wrapped around the outside of The Grand Pyramid.

Dominax blinked, as if witnessing reality meeting a dream. He had stepped into the vision granted by the orb, every detail a perfect match despite purposely offering no input into the room's design. Yet somehow the very bed he had witnessed now sat before him, a bed in which he was destined to die upon.

"My love?" Her soft voice bled through his thoughts, her accent pouring like an elegant stream. The twins found their way inside, as if tailing their parents. "If you're displeased, I'll look elsewhere for inspiration."

"No." He broke in abruptly, more forceful than he intended. "No, it's quite adequate. Perfect, even."

Chuckling lightly, she took his hand in hers. "Perfect? It's only a room. The true beauty comes from the view."

Though he allowed her to lead him towards one of the open doors, his mind remained with his vision. So eager had he been to believe in its validity that he never considered how he'd feel when proof of his fate finally met him. A quiet death after a long reign, the world seized in his eternal peace. Of course, Dorian's warnings couldn't be ignored, despite his best efforts. To be mistaken in such things could lead to catastrophe.

He watched as Zela sped up to dash through the open door before them, while Arinax struggled to remain as close to his mother's long legs as he could manage with each of her long strides.

Just as the bedchamber stood as proof of the validity of his vision, the boy himself was evidence of its falsity. How could such a timid prince possibly become the man of his vision, a worthy heir ready to accept the throne? He had seen him standing beside the bed, as powerful as he was wise, his hand clutching the sword with his father. He required that Arinax...not the scared child he saw as he looked down!

Could he be incorrect? Perhaps a grandchild rather than Arinax? He had sensed them...yet had his haste to believe in such a death misled him? Whatever the case, if he had but a chance to claim this dream, this potential fate, Arinax needed to change.

"I'll forge you into a weapon, my son, a God of worth." He thought to himself, watching as Arinax suddenly shot his weary gaze up to him.

His pondering had occupied mere seconds, just long enough for them to cross the room and step out onto the stone surface of the balcony, the highest tier of the subtly stepped pyramid, as each tier was just slightly smaller than the last to allow a surface to walk upon. Irith led him to the very edge, leaning upon the barrier that separated her from the steep drop as she looked down upon the city below.

"I could have never dreamed of such heights until I met you." She said, holding his hand lovingly. "Our descendants shall gaze from this very spot, a family united in blood."

Dominax took note of the view, seeing the upper-class buildings hugged by the outer walls. Beyond them lay the homes and shops of the ordinary population, fanning out from the gates of Domani towards the distant tree line itself in clusters of chaotic density. Each held a person, a family, a business, all relying upon his protection. When he dared to ponder just how many beings dwelled within the rest of The Empire, it was no wonder why the white strands of his hair continued to come steadily.

"Cendra's quarters are just around the corner." Irith mercifully broke through his worries, gesturing towards the east. The balcony continued to wrap around the edge of The Grand Pyramid, allowing anyone permitted to walk to any of its four sides. "She and her future family will occupy the east wing of this level."

"Such a family will arrive sooner than you know." He replied, granting her a smirk.

After a moment she gasped, squeezing his hand. "She's...are you certain?"

"I sensed the child myself." He nodded, visibly satisfied.

"My love...that's wonderful! I suppose Clin shall expect to move into her quarters."

Dominax gestured in the opposite direction. "And Vixin's are in the west wing?"

"Yes, and Nafalya in the north when she is old enough." Irith explained before her blue eyes fell away. "Yet I must say, my love, you should have let me attend Vixin's ceremony."

He waved a dismissive hand. "There was no need, it was a minor matter. The boy has been dealt with, and we shall move on without a further word."

"I'll have a further word, Dominax." She responded, her accent holding the lightest touch of defiance. "I should have been there to support her, just as I promised. Nothing in this world could allow me to imagine watching them take my child away, and I would have liked to be by her side."

Dominax gritted his teeth, meeting her fierce eyes. "That shall never be asked of you. In any case, she endured the ceremony quite well, more so than I expected. You should place more faith in her."

"Yet should she be forced to endure? You are free to give away your own children as you see fit, though to expect the same of your daughter seems...cruel."

"Cruel? Cruelly would have been to request that the entirety of our family attend, only to force Vixin to realize yet again that Cendra would not be there." Dominax replied forcefully, carefully spinning the conversation away from her point. "You know she'd have spurned her sister, and Vixin would have noted her absence. Better to keep the meeting simple."

Irith considered his words, looking down from their dizzying height once more. "I'll do what I can to rectify that situation, my love. You have my word that this family shall remain as solid as the stone we stand upon. Even still...the boy could have remained in the care of the harem. My girls are every bit as capable of raising him as The Sages."

Dominax slowly pulled her closer, placing his hands upon her slim waist. To see her motherly conviction coaxed his arousal, and he kissed her deeply before pulling back. "Your efforts please me, Irith, though I see little that can be done to mend the rift between them. And though you've managed my harem more than adequately, the boy shall serve a far more useful purpose as a Sage than the ward of Slaves. My decision cannot be altered in this."

Reluctantly she nodded, unwilling to argue further. "Very well, though I must say it's a shame. He shared so many of your features, as if a tiny Dominax that I may cradle."

Only the hints of a knowing smirk claimed his lips, just long enough for her to witness. Her expression hardened ever so slightly, and she moved to lean against the barrier.

"I never questioned who the father was, yet I know The God Emperor would never let a detail such as that go unfound. Was he a soldier? A servant? A slave? Such would explain your eagerness to rid yourself of the boy. Who claimed the purity of your daughter, Dominax?" She questioned, her accented words sliding like a viper.

"If you'd like to discover that, ask Vixin yourself. As you said, she's only around the corner." He said, gesturing towards the west.

"Yet I've asked you." She replied just forcefully enough to avoid overstepping. "You must know. Whatever occurred in Kinia changed you, to be sure, though the same can be said of Vixin. Hardly a day goes by that I don't spot her at your ear, nor the silent grins you share. Something occurred while you were away, and as your mate I deserve to know."

Amused, Dominax studied her face, seeing the same unyielding strength that had first gained his respect. "You presume too much. Whatever information I grant you is done so out of my own kindness. Still...if I were to tell you, I may risk losing a sacred piece of my existence, a bond that can never be reforged."

"You fear the truth will turn me away?" Irith said, her voice nearly sounding hurt. "Have I not proven myself after all these years? Birthed your children? Shared your bed? I've stood by you all this time, and now I only ask for the respect of honest words. If still you doubt my commitment, then perhaps I was mistaken not to ride away..."

Though her words struck like daggers of ice, he took her hands in his. The truth was a risk, of course, yet a piece of him was nearly curious to witness how she may react. "My love, you were not mistaken. You've allowed me to endure these years, and thus, I shall permit you the truth. Vow to me that none shall learn of what occurred until a time of my choosing, for though the world will come to understand it as natural, we are premature."

Her face hardened, and even as she was surprised to hear him say that anyone could 'allow' him anything, she nodded with conviction. "I promise, my love. Whatever deed Vixin committed that's so terrible, however you were involved, none shall hear it from me."

"Very well. You seek the name of the man who sired my grandchild." Dominax began, choosing his words carefully. Once spoken, the truth could never return to his lips, never be dragged from her awareness. "I sired the boy. No servant, no slave. Vixin became a woman through my own actions, a deed committed only through love. The result is traveling to Deci as we speak, far away from where he may undo us."

Irith's blue eyes widened, and she remained still for what seemed like an eternity. When she finally spoke, her words came as quiet as they were slow. "Many times have I witnessed you touch her in ways a father shouldn't. I had hoped...well, I suppose I don't know what I hoped...yet the signs should have been clear."