Van exited the carriage with Lorenzo and the two parted ways, Lorenzo promising to prep everything in advance for tomorrow so they can get back into studying potions and runes.

Van was amused by Lorenzo’s enthusiasm, and also a little excited himself about what he could learn and do now that he had Rudricks memories to play with and use as a basis for his own growth in runecraft.

But no sooner had he opened the doors to his home than he was hug tackled by Luna. Who somehow was able to lift him up and squeeze the air out of him. Much to his shock and confusion.

“What the crap!?” Van thought in surprise at how easily Luna lifted him. Wondering where she got all this strength from. “Luna, love, I know it’s been a while but could you maybe let me down and breathe a little.” Van managed to gasp out.

After another hard squeeze that made Van feel like one of his bones strained almost to the breaking point, he was let down allowing him to see his most beloved face to face after so long.

And what a breathtaking sight it was.

Luna had completely changed in the seven months he had been away. She had not grown much, maybe an inch or two, and she still had that nice soft and slender body he liked so much. But now her breasts seemed to pop out like balloons, they didn’t grow in size he was pretty sure, but they were now contrasted with a more toned and well-defined hourglass body with a flat stomach and some muscle definition. Her allure was only amplified due to the fact she was wearing that weird workout clothes that women sometimes wore. Something Van liked to call work-out underwear, due to the fact they might as well be, considering how little they hid and how tight they wrapped around the body.

What Van also noticed was the fact that Luna looked like she was just working out, so her body was a little sweaty and her face a little flush. Though that might be more due to the fact she finally got to breathe in Van’s scent after so long, than because she was tired from a workout.

“Oh… whoa… Luna… you look Amazing! Have you been working out?” Van asked, much to Luna’s joy.

But while Luna might have put Van down, she didn’t let go of him, his words were all that she needed to hear to get on her tiptoes and give him a passionate kiss. Much to Van’s surprise by her forwardness.

After she separated she looked him in the eyes with a gaze that broke no argument and filled with sheer determination and a hint of desperation. “You. me. the bedroom. now!”

“Wha-?” was all Van could say before he was bodily lifted up again and rushed upstairs like some barbarian's prize to their room.

---sex scene---

if you want to see this scene, please visit my Patreon or scribblehub.

---end of sex scene---

Van hobbled down the corridor like an old man, clutching his lower back. exhausted, hungry, and in pain, he slowly made his way downstairs and into the dining room for breakfast. Groaning, he took a seat and his head almost fell onto the table, his tired eyes and mind looking for any ounce of extra rest they could get.

His father tutted at him from the head of the table, “that’s what you get for neglecting your women…” he said, with Lillia and Thea nodding their heads in agreement.

“Please don’t start,” Van complained. Alv shrugged and the maids started to dispense with the food.

Van dug in, very hungry from the lack of dinner from last night and the exertion he had to do. His stomach felt like a hole that was trying to eat his body.

Then Luna and the Annas came in, practically glowing and radiating youth and happiness. Luna sat down next to Van and gave him a playful hug and kiss which slowly turned into a more passionate one as she stuck her tongue in and started to go to town on his mouth. Making Van fear that she was planning to take him right here and now in front of everyone.

But thankfully, after much groping of his body, she relented and let him go. Much to his relief. And they started eating breakfast together.

After that scene, his parents began to ask him how school was and what he learned. Van doing his best to answer in a satisfactory manner and keeping what happened to the focal point and everything else close to his chest lest he worry them.

The conversation continued for a good hour as everyone took the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company after so long apart. But even as Van was enjoying the conversation, he couldn’t help but take glances of Luna from the corner of his eye. How much she had changed and how much she had taken after Thea and her eating habits. Eating plate after plate of food.

He also couldn’t help but remember how strong she had become. Normally it was him and Anna who was the strength of their little trio, but now Luna was quickly catching up to them and considering how much he saw Anna improve when they were in the focal point. He was beginning to feel like his place on top was now precarious, which made him nervous.

Especially because he had to consider what happened to him last night. While not unenjoyable, the lack of control still scared him a little. Though at the same time he had to remind himself that he was a changed man and now knew that dealing with such situations was what being a grown adult was all about.

He also had to consider whether or not the lack of control was really an issue for him, or became one because he still held trauma from when he was raped. Ren went so far as to admit to him that he never really got over it, the trauma was always there just pushed deep into his subconscious where it couldn’t hurt him as much. But he now had to contend with the fact that that was now a part of his life and giving in to his wife and women and helping them deal with their needs was also now a part of his life. And he could enjoy the experience or not.

If Van had to choose, he rather enjoy it with everyone else than not, and resolved to do so. After all, everyone was changing and seemingly for the better. If he really wanted to be that big mature guy he had in his mind, that meant he had to accept things for what they are and mature alongside everyone else or be left behind as a kid who couldn’t grow up.

And if anything, seeing Luna grow up so much and change actually gave Van hope for himself and that he too could change for the better and still had room to improve. Now more than ever, realizing that he was probably a really bad husband, his father's words a few moments prior, now resonating in his mind. Making him realize that he really did neglect them and that it was understandable why they would react like that.

Inwardly he promised to do better and give his wife and women the attention they deserve so that they don’t feel neglected or feel forced to take drastic measures in the future.

Slowly the conversation changed to one of the future, now that Van was back, his parents were wondering what plans he had and what he was going to do next.

“Well… I was thinking about maybe getting back into some training but mostly back into potion making and runemancy with some enchanting on the side. I also want to see what I can do to better prepare myself for when I leave for school. Study up as it were.” Van said, in response to his dad’s question.

“Actually…” Luna said all of a sudden very nervously. “About you going to that school… is it… possible that I can come with you instead of going to the other one? If that’s fine with everyone of course!” she said looking around at her parents.

The table was in shock at Luna’s suggestion. Thea thought, while still a little shocked herself, felt like she should have expected this kind of outcome. After all, she had personally helped train her daughter and built her and her confidence up. And the fact that there are more martial studies in the other school, on top of the opportunity to be closer to her husband might now appeal to her more than what the west branch academy had to offer.

But still, the east branch was far more dangerous in comparison to the west, due to the fact that the training there was considered more extreme and they were closer to the wastes and its dangers. In fact, students were made to go out and fight sometimes on a daily basis to help accrue power and experience, putting her daughter through that was a scary prospect. At the same time though, she really couldn’t say no, seeing how far Luna had come and the determination she built up for herself to improve, the only thing she could do was agree, much to the shock of Lillia and Alv who wouldn’t have thought that Thea would ever let her daughter part and go to such a dangerous place.

“Alright, Luna…” Thea said after some deliberation. “You can go, just promise me you will come back.” Then she gave a small smile. “And kick everyone’s asses while you're there,” she said confidently.

Alv, Lillia, and Lore looked on with surprise and were once more taken aback by what Thea said when she addressed them next.

“By the way… after we send the kids off to school… What do you guys say we also take the opportunity to go hunting out near the woods? For old times sake?” she asked.

Even Van was surprised, he probably didn’t know Thea as well as his parents did, but he knew enough that this was a big deal for them, and that this was slightly out of character for the current Thea. Honestly, so much was changing it was starting to scare him a little. But the way Alv and Lillia looked, the way they looked shocked and then happy, a strange mixture of relief and hope, made Van realize how much of a big deal this was to his parents. Even Lorenzo looked like he was getting a little emotional at the change in Thea.

“Of course we can go out for a hunt.” Alv smiled at Thea, “we don’t even need to wait for the kids to go to school, we can go out right now if you want!” he said endearingly. Happy that perhaps the old Thea was coming back. Lillia nodded and Lore gave a thoughtful look.

Thea looked happy by the support and slowly the conversation turned into one about the good old times and the monsters and beasts they fought on their adventures in the early days of their travels. How they would fight large creatures, were sent out to deal with undead just because they were vampires. How they had to take control and lead a small village that had a small monster wave coming to attack it, which seemed to bring up Alv short as he then looked at Van.

“Van… I just remembered that since you are going to the east branch, you will be taught many martial skills, and more importantly, you will be trained how to command troops and lead them into battle. Not to mention you will be sometimes forced to fight in defense of the border against hordes of feral undead. This means it is time you get your own troop to train and fight alongside with, in fact… It’s kinda mandatory for where you are going.” Alv said.

“What do you mean?” Van asked, a little confused.

“It means I will hand over a small group of goblins for you to train, and command. You will be given full responsibility over them and be tasked with making them stronger and leading them into battle against all odds… You see… it's customary to form a small group or party when you arrive, either with your fellow students or with buying mercenaries. That or you bring your own soldiers.”

“While there, you will be trained as a commander of those under you and taught how to lead them. After which you will probably be sent into the wastes to fight hordes of undead and be graded by how many you kill and how well you lead your troops.” Alv said, then continuing on about other aspects of school life he was expected to deal with and learn.

Van paused in thought, he knew that the school trained you how to lead soldiers and take command, but it took him a little by surprise it was meant literally or that he will be going out into the wastes to fight undead. But the more he thought about it, and the more scared he got by the dangers of it, the more determined he was to go and make the best of it.

So he nodded along with everything Alv had to say and agreed to take on a small troop of goblins to train and lead. He wouldn’t lie to himself and say he wasn’t nervous, especially considering he would be responsible for their lives and that they probably wouldn’t come back from the dead like the Annas, thanks to the fact they were bonded to him. So he looked at it as just another task he was forced to prove himself with. Though a question did present itself with some more thought and he asked Alv.

“I already kinda have a troop though? I have several Annas.” Van said, pointing out the fact that there were already several Annas to make his own troop with.

“That is true.” Alv nodded. “But it’s probably still not enough for a full troop, nor do I think it’s a good idea for you to show that trump card or your Anna’s hidden strength so early if I were you.”

Van conceded to that, nodding along with the wisdom. It would really be for the best if he hid Anna's ability, not to mention probably better for him to train alongside those that can’t so easily read his intentions so that he can experience the problems that come with that.

With that in mind, he finished his meal and went to prepare and organize for tomorrow and what things it may bring.