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"Please! Let them be alright!" Aila moved at an insane pace. She ran from the town to her manor, stirred up the dust and sent debris flying, and only settled her nerves when she got back. Everyone inside was safe, and there were no beasts near her home.

"Bloody hell." She whispered. "I have to find a way to make them stronger. My heart can't take this!" Aila moved back towards the wasteland, and threw several boulders towards her manor. She growled when they could only get near due to the trees that were in the way.

She needed the boulders as the amount of stone on the surface was limited. She would need to relieve the overall pressure of elemental essence on the land in order to excavate for a cellar, or place new foundations, and trenches.

At the moment, she didn't know there was a limitation on the pressure as she hadn't explored it yet. As a result of this lack of knowledge, she damaged many trees with a direct boulder strike.

"If mom or dad were here, I would never hear the end of it! I did a lot of damage, so I need to go out tomorrow and harvest those trees." Aila moved the few dozen boulders to the inside of her courtyard. Each one had the possibility of being turned into a hundred bricks that she could use to repair the manor. However, at the moment she wanted to cut them, she felt a wave of fatigue.

She struggled to get back inside.  She had reached her limit on her physical and mental endurance.

"Master?" Elena saw Aila come into the manor and close the door. She was at Nadya's side, to help her walk from room to room so she could strengthen her legs. Ellie had already helped Nuri, and both rested on the edge of Nuri's bed. "You look tired." She said quietly.

"I was too keyed up to sleep last night, and it just hit me now." She stumbled over to her bed, and laid down. "I'll just rest for a few hours." Aila closed her eyes, and laid still.

"Let's go over and see her, Elena." Nadya said. Elena nodded and helped the large woman to walk over. She now looked up to Nadya, and treated her like she was a mother figure, as Aila had intended. Once she sat down, Nadya laid down beside Aila, while Elena slid in on the other side.

"She's still breathing." Elena said. Nadya smiled.

"She's tired, but not dead." Nadya said quietly.

"Should we continue to exercise, or keep her warm?" Elena asked. Nadya lifted herself up onto her elbow and looked at her close friend, Nuri. The other woman understood immediately.

"You just walked around. Rest for half an hour. Ellie will help me walk around, and we'll take your place later." Nuri and Nadya were like close sisters, and didn't want to compete for this privilege, even though it was the most desired position.

Both women had a sense of deep longing, and both wanted to be the one to comfort their Master.

* * *

"Mm." Aila sighed as she snuggled in to a soft body.

"Are you waking up, Master?" A soft voice spoke near the top of her head, so she slowly opened her eyes and looked up.

"Nuri?" She said softly, and looked down. Right now, she was nestled right in Nuri's arms, but also right between her large breasts.

"Both Nadya and I have kept you warm while you rested." Nuri said softly. "She's walking around the house, and will take my place soon. You should relax a little while longer, Master. You work so hard." Aila blushed a bit.

"Nuri, are you doing this because you think it's expected, or because you want to?" Aila asked carefully. Nuri thought for a moment.

"To be honest, Master, none of us actually thought about it. Both Elena and Ellie also helped to keep you warm because that is what they wanted to do." Nuri said, but smiled gently. "I think Nadya would agree with me when I say that this is something we wanted to do." She watched as Aila lowered her eyes, and rubbed her face on Nuri's chest, but not her breasts. She was nestled between, so her face was just a bit above her globes, but her head rested on the upper swell of her chest.

"Thank you." She said softly. "It was nice waking up warm like this." Ellie poked her in the back.

"Master, are you okay?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, Ellie. Thank you for staying with Nuri to help her." Ellie blushed, and wrapped her arms about Aila's waist, with the doll still under her arm.

"She is nice to me, Master. Keeps me warm, hugs me, and protects me. I haven't been treated like this since before I was sold." Ellie said in a low voice.

"Nuri, can any of you write?" Aila asked suddenly. She wanted to help them to grow stronger, but at the same time, also grow more independent.

"I don't think so, Master. Ellie, can you go ask Kaala and Shaala?" Nuri asked.

"Sure." She rolled out of the bed, and ran to the kitchen. Several seconds later, she ran back. "They can't, Master." She said and slid into bed again, right against Aila's back. She really liked being near Aila, so it was difficult to leave the bed when she was still there.

"Then I will need to teach you. We can probably use planks, and branches that have the end charred to practice. I can also teach you girls how to do math." Aila said with a smile.

"But why would you do that, Master?" Nuri asked.

"In the Winter, there is little to do, other than clean a bit, or make meals. It's the perfect time to learn. It's also good for you to learn as you can do other things. Reading books, writing down information, calculating accounts, like the household account, and the budget." Aila said. "With those skills, all of you can help me more. You can keep track of supplies. Order supplies. You can also do business. Maybe learn a skill where you can earn silver." Aila turned over, but was immediately drawn back into Nuri's arms, but with her back to Nuri's belly.

"Business? You would let us?" Ellie asked. Aila smiled, and cupped her cheek.

"Did I not dissolve your slave collar?" She asked, and watched Ellie nod. "That means I have freed you. You are my companions, and servants, not slaves. You will never be sold to anyone ever again." Ellie looked into Aila's eyes.

"Promise?" Ellie asked. Aila smiled.

"No, I will not promise. Promises are broken every day. Instead, I will show with actions."