Kyrie was speechless at the response in Haven. Thousands upon thousands let tears roll down their cheeks.

“It really affected them.” Kyrie said, almost overwhelmed herself. “I’ve always just called them my Others. Ones like myself. Or my Other Offerings. I had no clue that they felt like this.”

‘Why should you know, goddess?’ Kyrie saw the grimace on Lena’s face. ‘You are their goddess, but I am their Empress. It’s my duty to know how they feel. As their goddess, it’s their duty to know how you feel.’

“I understand.” Kyrie said, but she still felt sad.

‘Take Aura home and let her experience life among her sisters, goddess. The human world does not deserve to have her here. I will send many...I see why you called our children ‘others’, goddess. I almost said it. I will send many sisters for her to play with. They will love her forever. Now take her home. I have much to do, and she has much to learn.’

“Does she not like me, goddess?” Aura asked, as she turned away, but was pulled back onto Lena’s lap, and held to her chest.

‘You are my first, Aura. I love you. I want to keep you with me, but you have many sisters to meet, and a whole world to explore. Forests, rivers, shops, bakeries, mines, all kinds of things to see. Don’t worry. When you’ve explored a bit, and want to visit, the goddess will bring you back.’ She lightly rubbed Aura’s arm.

‘Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to taste you.’ Aura grinned as Lena slipped her robe up and sucked her nipple into her mouth. Aura held her head to her breast as her teeth sank into her flesh.

“Mom is like you, goddess. Her teeth are really sharp.”

 

*****

 

“I think this is a record, Sol.” Solange nodded as Nadya looked out the window. Eos and Hebe were still asleep, but the carriage continued to move through the desert.

“Another hour maybe, and we’ll be across the Great Desert. Humans can’t travel at this speed normally.” Solange said softly. “Did you hear it?” Nadya smiled.

“The Empress always surprises me. We are the Yathanae.” Nadya leaned against Solange and reclined comfortably. “I can’t wait to go back and feel her teeth again.”

“I can’t wait until she whips me again! Oh, that woman is so skilled in how she makes it land, and how it stings!” Eos opened her eyes, and listened in.

“I miss her.” Nadya said softly. “I spent a lot of time away from her while destroying the temple, and those cities. Now, I am away from her again.” She sighed sadly. Solange put her arm around her.

“Don’t worry. You have a special place at her side, Nadya. You and Nuri. Remember, you two were the first ones to taste her whips. I am quite jealous of you.” Solange said softly. She pushed Nadya’s face into her chest.

“Do you miss Hanna too?” She asked quietly.

“Yes.” She said simply. “I used to bury her with my breasts when I was a guardian, and she had to bite me to get me to let her have some air.” Solange smiled. “She would crawl into my bed and slip under my robe like a naughty girl. So I pushed her face against my breast, then wrapped my arms around her so she couldn’t escape. Then I would have to let her go, and she would go back to her bed reluctantly.  However, that naughty thing only waited and would crawl back into my bed within a few minutes. I wrapped my arms and legs about her body and hugged her all night. She was my most precious lover when she came of age.”

“Nicci was mine. She crawled into my bed, burrowed under my robe, and I ended up hugging her all night long. At first, I would put her back into her own bed before she woke up. Later, I stopped as she kept coming to sleep with me.” Nadya sighed softly. “It was the best time of my human life.”

“Did you make love to her?”  Sol asked with a grin.

“When she grew up. When she was still a child, she was curious, so I let her explore and play, but nothing serious. I never let her get serious as she was still too young to understand her own feelings.” Nadya turned her head towards her fellow Yathanae. “Do you think it was wrong?”

“No. The humans marry their daughters out as young as thirteen winters, and to men that have twice as many winters on their head. The temple allowed the acolytes and guardians to have relationships, but not the initiates, as they were too young, and didn't dedicate themselves. When they became acolytes, they expected us to protect them from a poor decision.” Solange said and hugged her close.

“That makes sense, Sol. Our Temple Priestess and High Priestess expected their guardians to act properly. No one fresh was allowed to couple.  That meant the initiates who just joined, or the ones dedicated from birth, but still a child.” Nadya grinned. “Those acolytes were naughty girls though. I swear that I hardly ever woke up without a pair of lips on both breasts.” Solange chuckled.

“I know what you mean. Those Asmarian acolytes had busy hands.” Solange sighed softly. “They were good girls though. Thoughtful, hard working, and never shirked their duties to goof off. They used to pick wildflowers for me, take care of my bedding, and even helped me to take care of my armor after a long day of training, or standing guard at the gate.” Solange smiled and sighed softly. “I miss their smiles, and how eager they were to please.” She sighed sadly. “I miss their kisses. I had a peaceful life at the temple.”

“Mm, so did I. They used to kiss me for practice so they could kiss each other better.” Nadya frowned slightly. “Wait, did they kiss me for practice? Oh, those little devils!” Solange chuckled as Nadya came to a bit of a realization.

“Most likely they just wanted to kiss their favorite.” Eos said from the other side of the carriage. Nadya looked at her and could see a bit of a blush on her cheeks.

“There were a lot of guardians there. I can’t imagine that I was their favorite.” Nadya said softly, while Hebe grinned.

“I do not doubt their intentions, Nadya.” Hebe then frowned slightly. “I’m sorry, I have no idea of your title. You directly serve the Empress, and the goddess.” Solange smiled as Nadya blushed a bit.

“I am a simple guardian of the Empress. Rachel, Hanna, Nicci, Lydia, and Ayn are all Deacons. One of the highest titles assigned in Haven. Nadya and Nuri are the Empress’s personal attendants.” Solange then shivered. “I think I shouldn’t have said a simple guardian. I just felt the Empress’s displeasure.”  She put a finger to her temple.

The Empress reacted quite strongly to her words.

 

*****

 

‘She is a Royal Guardian!’ Lena growled, and grimaced as her body was racked with pain again.

“Who, Empress?” Celeste asked, and felt some concern.

‘Solange!’ Lena squeezed her eyes shut to try and endure the pain she now felt.

‘Goddess! She’s in agony!’ Celeste cried out inside her mind.

 

*****

 

“Empress. Focus!” Kyrie ran out of a black hole that appeared, as she walked straight from the throne room of Haven, and into Lena’s bedroom.

‘She called herself a simple guardian! She’s not simple! She’s my Royal Guardian! Nadya and Nuri are Royal Attendants!’ Lena’s body straightened out.

“This is not good. The Yglathria are growing, and she’s struggling to get them under control.” Kyrie’s eyes went from red to black. ‘Concentrate, my Empress. Force those children to obey.’

‘I AM THE EMPRESS!’

 

*****

 

‘They won’t stop.’ Kyrie said softly. ‘Our girls don’t understand that their positive flow of worship push them into a highly agitated state.’ Kyrie scanned her body, and her mouth fell open.

“I was wrong.” Kyrie said in shock.

“What were you wrong about, goddess?” Nicci asked her from Lena’s side as she tried to comfort her.

“The Yglathria aren’t rebelling. They are eager to attach themselves to our Empress, and are changing her faster then her body can handle.” Kyrie couldn’t understand it. Even she would not be able to merge with so many godseeds when she was this young, but they wanted to bond with Lena.

Kyrie didn’t understand that because they called them seeds, all Lena wanted to do was plant them and make them grow. With her positive acceptance of the seeds, they were eager to get into their proper places, everything that blocked them from their goal had to be consumed.

Lena squeezed a tear from each eye as they relentlessly chewed and ground away her spine. If there was a greater pain to endure, no human before her had ever found it.

That day, Imera, the one referred to the world below by the Yathanae and the goddess, felt a sound rather then heard it. Every single living being upon that world took note, and shivered.

Lena’s cry of agony sounded like the roar of a thousand armored bears, amplified by a dozen times, and all at the exact same time.

 

*****

 

‘Father!’ One of his children, Talia, ran into his realm, her ears still felt the sting of the roar she just heard.

‘I have heard it as well, Talia. Everyone in existence can hear it.’

‘Why? She’s just a human!’ She watched as her father shook his head.

‘The Empress is no human.  Kyrie has no idea, but I have only just remembered myself. She is Gallae, and she is waking up.’