Time spent together is important, it changes you and helps you grow.

Authors note: <<Brackets>> are implied to be universal/world announcements. “Quotes” are character speech. “Italicized text” are thoughts. <single bracket> are displayed to characters.

Edited by: Dragodonv2 and Mitch on discord

Author’s notes: This chapter is from Syvis’s first person perspective.

Nearly a year has passed since I first discovered my incredible power to consume books with just a glance. During that time, I have spent my time studying the books offered to me from the sisters in the temple have helped me greatly to understand the world around me.

Apparently, there are several “great” races within this new world. The races include Humans, Elves, Dwarfs, Beast-Men, Demons, Gnomes and Half-lings. Much like fantasy worlds I had back in my old world in movies, books, and tv shows, I guess it isn’t a fantasy now for me, is it? I would guess that my old world is now a fantasy world for me. I have learned how to properly read the books thanks to Lady Arilemna, the language we are speaking is known as the elven language, thanks to a few of the other ladies in the temple I have learned how to speak common, demonic and elven, our primary tongue is common simply due to the amount of refugees we take in.

I also learned a few things about my mother, aside from being called Nimue, she is known as a First Priestess, a direct line of communication to the goddess Draya, and apparently a princess, the eldest daughter of the king of Ithumeaba. It’s an Elven kingdom which rules over its own ocean locked continent, I say ocean locked, but in the north, there is a mass of land where a great wall stands that protects the kingdom from human and demon lands. At the northern land bridge, as it is called, is a boundary between the two races, to the west are demon lands, to the east human lands. Apparently, wars are fought regularly between the two over land, skirmishes happen at the wall between the two races, but our race keeps out of the wars and remains as a neutral third party.  

Honestly it shocks me at the core that our race gets around wars by acting as a neutral third party. We take in refugees of both races and protect our own lands. There were times in the past where both sides attempted to kidnap elves for their beauty but due to the work of our people the offenders are punished severely. There are still elves out there who have lost their status as high elves due to the dilution of the race and even in our country, apparently only one out of thirty thousand remain high elves due to dilution of blood.

This is all just what I learned about the world so far, now about the temple we live in. The women here are all those who have received the blessing of the goddess Dyara. They take a vow of solitude with other priestesses and certain ones are released to interact with the world when called upon. Most of the time it’s to act as healers during the various wars of other races. Working as a hired squad of healers to help keep both sides from dying too much. Manpower is important, you know.

I turn six next week, my mother is planned to be released from most of her duties as the first priestess. She spends her time organizing who is supposed to be released out to assist the various countries in their time of need. She also organized the funds for the kingdom producing books for the king, my grandfather, to read and review. She also offers blessings for people who visit in the visiting chambers and heal the deathly ill. She will be able to spend three to four days a week with me now. I am both scared and excited to finally be able to spend time with her. I worry about if she truly loves me or not, if it is true that I am a fatherless princess then does she hate me for being born? I truly hope not, I wish to know how I was born much like everyone else and who my father is.

The sun rose for the day of meeting my mother, I got up and got dressed in my best dress staring at myself in the mirror. I grew a few inches taller since the last time I had really looked at myself in the mirror, my own face I found strangely cute and beautiful. I am amazed that I am not even 10 but my features are already developing at such a young age. A pang of dread from imagining what my old self might do if presented with a grown woman so unnaturally beautiful hit me then. I worry about my own future.

Once the sun rose over the temple walls there was a knock at my door, which I promptly walked over to and opened. I stared outside to see lady Arilemna standing there with her gentle smile. I smile back in excitement.

Arilemna: “Lady Syvis, I am here to escort you to your mother, the first priestess. If you are ready, we can go”

I looked back towards my room before looking back and nodding towards Arilemna, I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me staring up at her with my arms folded behind my back.

Syvis “I’m ready lady Arilemna, let us go see mama”

Arilemna took my hand gently and escorted me down the great halls of the temple. After walking through a few doors I have been through once or twice before over the last year, various chambers that the priestess’s lived in starting from lowest ranked to highest ranked. My room sits in the furthest points, most of the priestess sharing a room with a roommate. I was lucky enough to get my room due to my age and circumstances.

Finally after about 10 sets of double doors we arrived at a set of doors that were about 3 to 4 times larger than any other door so far. Two female guards stood at either side of the doors clad in what appeared to be heavy green armor. They appeared to be full plate mail with the symbols of the goddess etched into the metal itself. I found it truly exciting to see more of the fantasy-like nature of this world. I guess it showed on my face too, the guards smiled down towards me with a caring smile which caused me to hide behind lady Arillemna involuntarily. The guards giggled softly before lady Arilemna spoke to them both.

Arilemna: “I am bringing Lady First’s daughter to meet with her. We should be expected..?”

The guards both nod at the same time before gripping the heavy handles of the gates, slowly opening the double set of doors with heavy creaking the doors fully open. The revealed room showed off pure white and green decorations on every item in the room. The emblem of the goddess, a lotus flower surrounded by several stars between each pedal, was etched on everything from the marble floors to the desk that sat at the center of the circular room. A beautiful woman with silvery white hair sat behind a desk wearing a kimono looking dress with the goddess stitched on both shoulders. The woman with pink eyes blinked a few times before smiling gently, putting her quill down onto her desk. She stood up showing off a bountiful chest and wide hips that were barely concealed from under her dress.

Nimue: “Hello Syvis, I know it has taken a long time. I am your birth mother Nimue...I hope that you don’t hate me for taking so long to finally meet you”

Honestly at first, I was shocked at her level of beauty, it was like she was sculpted out of my mind when I was a human guy. I feel like if I was a guy still, I would probably have just never looked at her or been unable to speak to her. 

I swallowed my saliva before hiding behind Lady Arilemna to buy time, I was nervous. The idea of a new mother up till now didn’t really register inside of me. I am scared that she might hate me or try to disown me for not being an ardent follower of the goddess. However, what surprised me was that Nimue folded her hands into her chest with a saddened look on her face watching me hide. I looked up towards Lady Arilemna and saw a gentle smile, her hands reach down and gently push me forward in front of her.

I take a deep breath praying to myself that my mother was a gentle soul before bowing towards her and speaking in a measured, respectful tone.

Syvis: “Good morning, Lady Nimue, my name is Syvis, I hope that we can get along as mother and daughter.”

Nimue stopped and froze, hearing that before tearing up, she moved out from behind the desk rushing towards me faster than I can blink before being picked up and hugged tightly in between two massive breasts under that silk dress. I struggled for a moment before giving up and letting her hug me.  A shaky voice whispered into my ear, and I was uncertain if it was meant for me, or herself.

Nimue: “My baby girl…My baby girl doesn’t hate me…”

I look up from between the breasts of the woman hugging me feeling something wet hitting my head. I stare into Nimue’s eyes who’s light, just as vibrant pink as mine, was distorted by tears. I make a weak smile hugging her tightly and before crying myself, tears rolling down my face. I can feel it in my soul and in her desperate, all consuming desire to be loved in return, this woman loves me… She really loves me.

Another short one, we got a side chapter coming soon and then 2 more chapters with Syvis's progression. I am trying to get past her younger age as fast as possible without skipping out on the world building. Right now I am writing up the beginning of her going to school. So I hope everyone had a good holiday!