Kal looked around his living room as if it were a different world. In his entire life, he had never seen so many people in his house. Quite honestly, he didn't much care for it. Perra was sitting in the living room chatting with Dax, Refia, and Kuto. Up at the dining table, Elta bounced Ruce's chick, Lada, on her knee as she talked with the little girl's mother, Ghoss, and her own mother, Lady Nina. It somehow didn't make him feel better that three of the women in the room were pregnant with his children and by what Perra had told him last night, the harpy, Kuto, might be looking to join them. Actually, that wasn't quite true. She had said that the harpy was interested in becoming one of his women and forming a bond with him, not necessarily that she was looking to become pregnant.
Daxas and Refia had been a complete surprise to him that morning when they showed up with Kuto in tow. Perra, however, had been expecting them. Soon after their arrival, he learned that Refia's olfactory prowess was even more impressive than previously believed. The bloodhound was also able to detect small changes in a woman's scent that gave a few hours of advance warning before a woman went into labor. Though her only previous experience had been with other dog girls, she was confident she would be able to do the same for humans as well. This would give them enough time for someone to go fetch Lulen from town and warm the water in the large tub sitting off to one side of the living room.
Nina had been unexpected as well. She had only shown up to drop off a small vial of medicine. Lulen was insistent that women not go past their due date, larger babies might be healthier but that was a small consolation when the mother didn't make it through childbirth. If necessary, the medicine was to be taken the morning after she was due and labor would typically start by that afternoon.
Jurien had come along but had been quickly hustled out the door by his wife. The apothecary froze upon walking into the farmhouse, rooted in place by all of the delectable female flesh on display. It was hard to blame the man, Refia and Dax were naked, as normal, and their swollen bellies were matched by an increase in their breast size as well. Ruce had fed Lada not long ago and had yet to go through her ritual of making her chest shrink again. This gave Jurien another impressive pair to ogle, even if all he could really see was the harpy's nipples. With the falcon's chest smaller than normal from Lada's recent meal, Perra was currently the largest of them all. Despite Dax and Refia's naked breasts being proudly on display, the poor apothecary was still having a difficult time peeling his eyes from the farmgirl. After only a couple of minutes, Nina all but booted him back out the door with a promise to have Kahrin come to visit once they got back to the shop.
While Elta knew of her parent's activities with the barmaid, she frowned at the idea that they were so open about it with this group. That her parents were in on this whole business of the wizard and his monster girls had been another shock the cleric wasn't prepared for. Finding out that her own father had been one of the witnesses to Felli, Marda, and Rone's 'marriage' left Elta reeling. When the harpy declared herself to be her sister and brother-in-law's mate, the cleric had no idea her father and Kal had made it official.
Though she didn't show it, another thing was truly bothering her: Kal. She had expected a powerful and domineering wizard who looked down upon the non-magical peons, while sheep-like Perra revered him because of all of his wondrous abilities. What other kind of man could shrug off the birth of his own child? Worse yet, Perra was even understanding and supportive of his reasons. Then last night arrived and like a whirlwind he burst through the door and swept the farmgirl off her feet in a very literal sense, but not before having one of the most touching scenes she had ever witnessed between two lovers. Not in the deepest fathoms of her mind could she come up with a hint of condescension for the woman. Now he stood next to Perra, looking insufferably human and awkward among the gaggle of women. He looked no different than the farmhands, Tain and Thom, who also looked like they'd rather be out plowing a field by hand than standing uncomfortably next to their harpy lovers. Thom didn't even get the respite of caring for his daughter since the little girl had been all but attached to the cleric except for when Ruce fed her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kal lean down and whisper something in Perra's ear. The woman looked up at him with a beaming smile and grabbed his hand, holding it to her cheek as she nodded in response to whatever question he had asked. From the look of adoration on both of their faces it was easy to tell they would do anything for one another. Maybe...
Kal started walking towards the door and Elta quickly picked up the harpy chick and passed her over to her mother.
"I'm, sorry," she told the harpy with an expression of genuine sadness. Standing up, she turned around and called out, "Kal!"
The wizard stopped and looked over at her, his hand still extended as he reached for the door handle. "Yes?"
"Fight me."
There was a slight uproar for the next couple of seconds, ranging from gasps of shock to a stern admonishment from her mother, accusing her of planning this challenge beforehand.
Kal held up his hand, commanding silence from the people in the room. "What do you hope to accomplish, Elta?"
"If I win you tell Perra to release me."
"And if I win?" asked the mage.
"You can have... me."
Before Kal could answer Daxas howled in laughter, "I can tell you from experience, that's not a punishment."
"You didn't think this through, did you," he said, shaking his head. "If you win, and that's a very real possibility as I have had little real-world experience battling other magic-users, then you get your freedom and the ability to become a threat to me and my family. If I win then I get the ability to do whatever I want with you whenever I want. All the while knowing that you hate me and don't want to be with me. I've no taste for taking women by force—"
"You can force yourself on me anytime you want," came a voice from the living room
"You aren't helping Dax," said Kal, glaring at the wolf girl who was giving him a cheeky smile in return. "As I was saying. I've no desire to force myself on a woman, especially when I have willing—"
"And wet!"
"Dammit, Daxas! Hush!" He took a deep breath as the wolf doubled over with laughter. Despite his annoyance, her antics seemed to diffuse some of the tension in the room, for which he was grateful. "Willing," he leveled a glare at the wolf girl which just set her off again, "partners to choose from. As you can see, I have no real reason to accept your challenge."
Elta's face fell, no she hadn't thought it out. It had been a split-second decision and she had hoped that male pride would cause him to accept without thinking. She hated to admit it but being rejected after offering her body stung more than she had expected. "Then what can I offer in exchange for my freedom?"
