Aise set down just outside of Pentaleven before He looked around as the villagers called out their greetings. He felt his passengers climb off his back before he switched back to human form and waved his greetings to everyone.

He turned to his group of friends, "We're here. We've got about two weeks before we march for the capital. Go hang out, relax, drink. Whatever it is you guys want. But be ready to fight and kill when the time comes. Momma Kelleece and Loralei, could I ask you two to meet me by the docks? We have a few things to discuss."

Kelleece and Loralei each nod before heading off into town.

Aise turned to Laz, Seymour, and Traza, "Could I ask the three of you to come with me to the inn? I have a few ideas and I'd like to discuss them."

They all nodded and followed him, heading to the inn and getting a large table. After sitting down, the innkeeper brought over the food on offer for the day.

Aise paid her and turned his attention to his harem, "So, you three will be in the ground forces. You sure you'll be alright?"

Sey looked over to Laz, "I'll be fine, but I'm not sure about her. You haven't been in real combat since you nearly died, Laz. Are you certain you'll be alright?"

Laz sighed, "I can't say I'll be fine. I honestly don't know. But I can say that I wouldn't be any more at ease staying here while you are all out there, risking your lives."

Aise looked to her, then over to Traza, "I don't expect you to join in. We've all got a considerable amount of experience. You've done well studying healing magic, Traza, but you've never seen combat. A full-on war might be a bit too much for you."

Traza stood and lightly slapped Aise, "How dare you! You think I'd sit back, all comfy cozy, just waiting for you to come back to me? Hell no! I know you care about Laz and Sey, Aise! That's why I'm going to be right there with them, keeping people healed! I trust that you'll be alright, Aise! You're strong, but... Well, I care about Lazuli like she's my own flesh and blood! And Seymour... He's kind and sweet and caring. I love them both! they're my best friends! So the very thought that you'd offer me to sit out is... It's downright insulting!"

Aise rubbed his cheek, grinning, "You're right Traz. I shouldn't have. I know you care about them. Alright, well, enjoy your meal. I need to go plan with Loralei and Momma Kelleece."

Aise stood and leaned over, planting a kiss on each of their lips. As he started to walk away, Laz reached out a hand and gripped his wrist. He turned to look at her.

With her eyes down, she released a shaky breath, "I don't want to pressure you into this, Aise... I know things are complicated now and I know that it's not always easy for you, but... When this is all done, were we going to be... physical?"

Aise kissed her forehead before flashing her a slight smile, "When this is all done, You can fuck the emperor to your heart's content," He looked up at Sey and Traza, "All of you can. Deal?"

"Deal!" They replied in unison.

"Good. Now I need to go."

He walked off, leaving them at the table.

***

Aise made his way through town, heading over to the docks. As his heels knocked on the wood, the surface of the water glimmered and broke, revealing the head of a large blue drake.

"Hey, Prisoph! How are things? Your eggs doing well?"

She nodded, "Hatched and many. How you, Aise?"

Aise crossed his arms, "Not bad, I suppose. We're planning to eliminate the emperor and depose the royal family. I'll be taking over if we're successful."

Prisoph lifted herself out of the water, "I help?"

Aise smirked, "Actually, yes. But I'm waiting for my mother and Her pet to show up."

As if on cue, a voice rang out behind him, "Hey kid! We're here!"

Aise turned to see Kelleece and Loralei walking towards him. He nodded and walked off the dock, Prisoph following him.

"Hey Momma Kelleece. Loralei. Shall we get down to business?"

Loralei nodded, but Kelleece held up her hand, "Not quite. You're soon to be the emperor. Calling me 'Momma' might undermine your authority. I'm a human. Just call me Kelleece, alright?"

Aise nodded, "Very well." He turned to Prisoph, "So, do you know of any way ground troops might be able to infiltrate the castle unknown?"

Prisoph considered it for a moment before nodding, "Castle has tunnels. Built under it for King's escape."

Aise nodded, "That could work... Is it guarded?"

Prisoph shook her head, "Guards walk it weekly. Next guard walk tomorrow."

"Can you show me where it is?"

Prisoph shook her head, "other side of lake."

Aise nodded, "Is it something my troops could use?"

Prisoph thought for a moment, "No flyers. Walkers only."

"That'll work. Flyers have other matters. Kelleece, go with Prisoph, please. See the tunnels she means, avoid detection. Loralei, you and I need to sit and have a chat. Follow me, please," Aise said, turning to walk away.

Kelleece smiled, "You're sounding more 'n' more like a proper leader, Aise. I'm proud of you."

She turned to follow Prisoph as Loralei followed Aise.

***

Aise and Loralei made their way to the inn. She raised an eyebrow at him as they took seats at a table away from other patrons.

Loralei kept her eyes on the ground, "May I inquire why you needed to speak with me, Sir?"

Aise smiled, "Loralei, I wanted to discuss a few things with you. I've got more than a few questions."

Loralei nodded, "However I can help you."

Aise waved down the waitress for a couple of drinks. After she left, he took a drink and looked Loralei in the eye, "Actually, it's more personal than that. First off, how were you able to have Nina? Kelleece and Momma Cerrei said you were sterilized."

Loralei lowered her gaze to her drink, "I was... Or so I thought... The way they do it isn't medical or magical or anything... They just hit over and over until you stop showing signs of fertility... Girls stop bleeding and guys can't get hard..."

Aise furrowed his brow, "Here in Gratia, they... rely on scar tissue to prevent pregnancy...?"

Loralei nodded slowly, "Yes... It's an old, barbaric practice."

"And obviously far from perfect. Do Kelleece and Momma Cerrei know?"

Loralei dropped her gaze, "Yes. They didn't want to tell you because they figured you'd had enough on your plate. They had planned to tell you after the war."

Aise sighed and nodded, "We can move on, if you'd like. How do you like my family?"

"They're wonderful. Kind and warm and welcoming."

Aise held out his hand to her, "Take my hand. My next question, I need to be certain you're not lying."

Loralei hesitantly took his hand, "I won't. You've all been good to me. Treated me better as a prisoner than my own family ever had."

Aise gripped her hand, placing his thumb on her wrist to feel her pulse, and his fingers on her palm. He looked into her eyes.

"If set free, would you continue to remain with my family of your own volition? Would you continue to be a friend to me, a lover to my parents, and an ally to my cause?"

Loralei tensed at the prospective before her. She felt her heart race, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, and her palms began to sweat.

After a moment, she took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes, Aise. I will continue to serve your family truly and faithfully."

Aise stayed silent as he stared at her for a long moment, gauging her autonomic responses. "You're nervous but I can't see that you're lying. I'll leave the collar on for now. After the war, I'll remove it. But only if I don't see or hear of any hesitation from you. Prove that you're with us now until the end, Loralei, and you'll walk among us and beside my family as a free woman. I promise you this."

Aise saw tears welling up in her eyes, so he asked one final question, "So, Loralei... Where do your loyalties lie? With us? Or with your family?"

The tears flowed and her body shuddered as she choked back sobs. She looked into his eyes and replied, "You lot ARE my family now, Aise. One's chosen family is far more vital than the family they are born to. I love you all."

Aise nodded and stood, "Good. Return to Cerrei. When the time comes for us to march, you'll be at my side."

Loralei quickly downed the rest of her drink before standing and placing her hand on Aise's shoulder, "Thank you, Aise. You're a great friend and a fantastic leader. I appreciate you so much." She left the inn.

Shortly after, Aise followed and headed up to his room. As he neared the door, he heard a giggle coming from inside.

He opened the door to find Laz and Traza in the bed together, kissing.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Aise," Traza said, scrambling to cover herself.

"Don't be," Aise replied. "I'll go grab a drink, give you two a little privacy."

Laz leaped from the bed and wrapped her arms around him from behind, "Wait! Stay. Please. I know you're not ready to join, but... Well, we don't mind you watching, Aise."

Aise chuckled, "I'll take the other bed, then. I'm tired, so I might watch for a bit, but I'm likely just going to try to get some sleep."

Laz stepped back from Aise, allowing him to turn. She gestured to Traza to join her. As Traza climbed from the bed and stood next to her friend, Laz held her hands out, "What do you think, Aise? Have I grown into the kind of woman you'd ravish?"

Traza blushed, "Yeah, and me...?"

Aise looked over Laz first, his eyes wandering from her brown wolf ears, trailing down her sleek brown hair, over her green eyes to her thin, smirking lips. His eyes wandered further down, to her perky and firm B-cup breasts. As his eyes lingered on her breasts, he felt himself growing hard. His eyes wandered further down, to where she had a thin land strip of pubic hair, ending where her slit began. Moisture dripped, drawing his attention down her toned legs as her arousal became evident to him.

Next, his eyes wandered over Traza. Up from her smooth feet to her soft legs, to where they joined. Like Laz, her arousal was plainly evident in the juices that flowed from her clean shaved vulva. Her belly was tight, but not toned as Laz's was - she didn't have the same rippled abs. Further up, her breasts, while perky, hung under their own C-cup weight. Her hair was fiery red that hung to her shoulders, leading his eyes further up to her sparkling, mischievous ice blue eyes. Finally, he found himself looking at her cute little nose and thin lips, the left corner pulled up in a smirk.

Aise found himself lost for words momentarily as his eyes switched between the two, then back again repeatedly. He cleared his throat and licked his lips, "You're both so fucking beautiful. But I want our first time to be in true celebration. Not just of our love, but when our quest is at its end. Once I'm ruler of these lands, we can do this. Until then, I'm counting on both of you to handle each other. And Traza, if Sey needs help-"

"Yes, I'll help him too. We've already covered his unique... situation."

Laz leaned in and planted a long kiss on Traza's lips, "I'm glad I have you to care for my brother and me. At least until Aise is ready to. I've been so fucking horny since my eighteenth birthday."

Traza smirked, "I'm well aware, Laz... I've been in the same situation..."

Aise watched the two make out for a minute before clearing his throat, "Well, ladies, I'm going to turn in. If you decide to fuck, keep it quiet."

"Okay," Laz whispered, planting a kiss on Traza's lips.

As Aise undressed, he watched them climb into the bed and resume kissing. He lay down on his side as he watched them make out, their hands wandering over each other's bodies. Laz was the first to find her goal, her fingers sliding between Traza's slickness and hooking into her hole.

Traza gasped and bucked against her, moaning softly. As Laz moved her fingers in and out of her best friend, she lowered her head, kissing her breast and swirling her tongue around the nipple.

Traza's mouth dropped open and her breath quickened.

Aise, growing harder by the second, found his hand on his shaft, his eyes locked on the two women.

Traza placed her hands on Lazuli's shoulders before rolling the two of them over. Laz pulled her fingers from Traza's pussy as her shoulders hit the bed. Traza smirked down at the wolfgirl as her ears flicked, "My turn, Laz."

Laz smirked back, "Make me purr."

Traza moved down, kissing her harem-sister's breast, abs, and landing strip before reaching the well-lubed slit that lie below. She moved in and slowly licked the full length of her slit, ending at the wolfgirl's clit, eliciting a brief gasp then a moan from the shorter girl.

"Ahh, fuck, Traz!" Laz exclaimed as the human girl licked her clit, flicking it and sucking it. Laz reached up and placed her hand on the back of Traza's head, holding her there.

Traza smirked before continuing. Aise slowly, lazily stroked his cock as he watched. His eyelids began to droop and he quickly found himself falling asleep.

He woke briefly as he heard Laz reach orgasm, before sliding back into the embrace of slumber.