Nuri was the first to calm herself down. She moved to each one and gave them a hug, as was her instinct. The green life elements that Aila continued to flood her with flashed within her eyes with each hug, and calmed their hearts.

"She chose us, even when she first saw us." Nuri said. "These echoes we feel are most likely the echoes of her affection. Master is so powerful, she even lets us hear her thoughts." Ivadra's cheek twitched.

"Um, she can speak inside your mind." Ivadra said. "When she gave me a dark core, I heard her voice, and her lips weren't moving." She said quietly.

"When she healed me," Alara said. "I also heard her voice, but it was a whisper. I wasn't strong enough to hear her." Ellie looked at her sister.

"We heard her this morning." Ellie said. "I didn't want to say anything, but her affection was clear in my mind, even if her lips didn't move." Elena slowly nodded.

"I played with her chest. I could hear her when I did." Elena said, and Ellie growled.

"You weren't supposed to tell them that!" Ellie said. "It's embarrassing! Play with Master's boobs and you can hear her speak inside your mind." She pouted. Elena giggled.

"I don't think it's because we played with her boobs. I think it's because she was feeling more affectionate when we did." Elena said. Nadya pouted.

"Elena, we need to walk more today!" Nadya said firmly. "I need more stamina so I can last a lot longer next time!" Nuri looked at her close friend, then at Ellie. Ellie giggled.

"My poor hips!" Ellie grinned. Everyone laughed at Nuri's blush. Ellie stood up, and hugged Nuri about the waist. "Since I know what to do now, we're going to have a lot of fun tonight."

"Naughty girl." She said softly, but smiled a bit. "Then you have to teach me what to do. I also want to make Master as happy as you and your sister did last night."

* * *

Aila heard her ladies talk, and regretted what she said. She didn't want them to believe they were coerced by a god, but didn't she just make them believe she was a god? That bothered her a lot. As a result, she slipped out the door, and was now in the upper part of the manor.

No one could go upstairs as the stairwell was blocked by stone and rotted wood debris. It was the main reason why the upstairs felt unnatural to herself and Elena.

Some walls collapsed as they weren't a part of the original structure, and were added on. The weight of the walls held them in place, but they weren't tied in properly. She wanted to finish the roof before the rains started.

"I need the bricks to fully renovate this upstairs so we can actually use it." she sighed a bit. "So much work to take care of one wife, but eight?" She groaned. "What's going to happen when we have babies to take care of?" She blushed brightly as she imagined each of her wives pregnant, and swollen with child.

"That means I need to get to work." Aila slipped out of the upper part, and didn't see the twins below listening carefully. They blushed brightly, and looked at each other before they rushed back into the kitchen.

"Was it her?" Nuri asked quietly. Ellie nodded, while Elena looked at her sister's belly.

"Master is going to fix the upper floor. She wants to have the room for babies." Ellie blushed as she said it. Elena nodded.

"Master didn't speak about it, but she thinks we'll be pretty when we are pregnant." Elena said, and knelt down. She lifted her sister's shirt. "I think my sister will look pretty with a big belly, and a baby inside her." Ellie covered her face as her cheeks heated up, while both Nadya and Nuri came up behind them, and hugged them both.

"Don't worry. We have big enough breasts to help you feed them." Nadya said as she lifted Elena and hugged her. Elena laid her face on Nadya's shoulder. She nodded slowly.

"So embarrassing!" Ellie said as she turned in Nuri's hug and buried her face against her belly. Ellie took a deep breath. "But if she's going to fix the upper floor, we have to work too." Ellie stepped out of Nuri's arms.

"Yeah." Elena said softly. "Is there a fireplace? Maybe we should take the rotten wood outside so Master can burn it all. The stones...can we use the wheelbarrow Master made?"

"I don't see why we couldn't." Nadya said quietly. "She did build it in order to make it easier to move stuff. Whether it's garbage, or bricks, we can use it." Elena's eyes bulged.

"Bricks!" Elena groaned. "Master turned all those boulders into bricks, but haven't used even half of them!" Ellie instantly understood what her sister meant.

"You think she's going to use them upstairs? But that means she has to bring them inside, but not use the stairs as they are blocked. That's not good! Master can get hurt!" Ellie said anxiously.

"We'll help her. Ellie, go retrieve the wheelbarrow. We'll start pulling the debris out of there, and work our way up. We have to be careful though. If it dislodges, falls and hurts one of us, Master will be upset." Nuri said. Ellie nodded and walked towards the door.

At the top of the stairs, Aila smiled gently down at her lovers. These women were precious to her, and their behavior made her quite proud.

These were her wives. Her heart ached every time she thought about them not being with her, and not being able to see them smile.

She grew enraged when she remembered what they have suffered through. The Inaris clan could survive for a bit longer for only one reason.

When they became strong enough, her girls would eradicate the clan themselves.

* * *

"Steward Pern, what is the meaning of this thing that happened this morning?" Patriarch Inaris said angrily as he walked into the Assassin's Guild. The steward smiled a small smile. The thing he spoke about was how Liam woke up this morning with a blade against his throat. The first step to making him shit himself in fear.

"Your elders have not paid the penalty, and neither has Liam. The week may not yet be up, but there is also another thing we must consider." Steward Pern said.

"What 'thing' must you consider?" Gard asked, and his tone bothered the steward quite a bit. Thankfully, the Inaris clan has already angered someone they shouldn't.

"The anger of the one in the forest." Pern watched Gard lose all color in his face. "She's already punished the clan for the treatment of Rirn, and the theft of her property. However, Liam sent assassins after her." Gard swallowed a lump in his throat.

"What does she intend to do?" Gard asked and watched the steward smile.

"She intended to do nothing, and leave it in our hands. However, she examined her people more carefully." Gard backed up at his statement. "Those girls were treated quite horribly. So horribly that she said if she were to punish Liam, he would die too quickly. She is that angry."

"What should we do?" Gard asked in a low voice.

"I would suggest you do nothing, other than prevent Liam from mistreating your slaves. If you decide to protect him, or kill him yourselves in order to ease his suffering, I can't imagine how she'll react." The steward grinned. "You understand my instructions?"

"I do. That stupid son of mine kicked a stone bear in the balls and expected that nothing would happen." Gard left the guild, while the Guild Master stepped out of the shadows.

"A little bit derogatory, but an effective description." The Guild Master said quietly. "She's not a stone bear." Steward Pern nodded in agreement.

"Too true, sir. Those were the eyes of an angry god."