Yulianna smiles. “A decision that seems to have turned out for the best. Here you are.”

“So confident. You don’t know anything about me.”

She finishes her food and laces her fingers. “Mm, I need to make a small confession. I may know a little about you.”

My eyes narrow. Sneaky sister has been being sneaky, hm? “Oh?”

“My husband is one of the field commanders for the Bleak Moons. That means he’ll be leading one of the armies in the campaign. He may not be in charge of the hunters, but he’s interested in them, to ‘make sure they stay out of the way’. The Moons have been keeping an eye on them and they keep grumbling about a noblewoman with the violet hair.” One of her fingers points at my distinctive locks. “It’s a given he’d want to know about the group that killed a guildmaster.”

She holds out her hands. “Of course, all he managed to gather is rumors. For as much as they hate you, the hunters knew next to nothing about you besides you being an acolyte. I wasn’t sure you were the person from the rumors until I re-read the reports this morning.”

“I’m not the one who killed the guildmaster. That was my wife.”

She suddenly leans forward. “Would that be the green-skinned woman they mentioned. Is it right that she’s an actual elf? Seriously?”

“She is.”

“Wow. Do you think I could meet her?”

“Depends. I was going to find her right now.” She should still be in the house but there is the slightest chance that she went on a happy stroll past the mountains for a little “entertainment”. Really small. Practically nonexistent. Sigh. Bet I’m the only one in Victory who has these kinds of worries. Or maybe not.

“Oh! Will you allow me to accompany you?”

“Are you ready?”

She hastily wipes her mouth, an unnecessary gesture that reminds me of her mother, before standing. “I am now.”

Her grin and general excitement remind me of a child asking to go to the market. I am very confused by Yulianna James. She presents as nothing more than a cuddly woman who wants to spread hugs and sunshine to as many people as she can. Beneath that is a James daughter, shown by her knowledge about me.

Perhaps she’s a blade wrapped in so many layers of fluff, you forget there’s a dangerous weapon underneath. Or maybe that blade is made of wood, easily mistaken as a deadly instrument at a glance but something completely different up close.

The problem. If those are the only options, it doesn’t explain Alana’s dislike of her sister. Maybe I’m overestimating my future saint, emotions can be fickle things and she would have been a child at the time, but I can’t see her utterly rejecting her sister because of others’ actions.

She ignored every rumor about me and judged me by my actions. Bullying? She almost had to fight acolytes because I started a fight with a noble and she still didn’t blame me. She was ready to stand against a prince for saints’ sake. I can’t see it.

No. If I know my future saint, whatever Yulianna did, it had to be deliberate, inexcusable, and very personal. Yet, the sneaky sister has made no mention of such an event. Wants to paint their strained relationship as the result of many unfortunate happenings outside of her control.

I’m having a hard time judging her sincerity. From what she’s shown me, there’s a real chance she could have done something horrible without realizing it.

If that’s the case, do I intervene? Just because they can have a better relationship, doesn’t mean Alana wants one. I want what Alana wants. If that means kicking the poor, hapless, misunderstood bunny to the side, I won’t feel good about it but it is what it is.

“Do you know the way to Kalise’s bedroom?”

-

Uproarious laughter spills out from the room as we come to a stop outside the heavy wooden door. A woman dressed in full plate, painted a dark blue, stands to the side of it. She gives me a disapproving look before bowing her head to the bunny escorting me. “Lady Yulianna.”

“We’re here to visit Kalise…but it sounds as if she’s busy.”

“She is entertaining the elf.”

“She spent the night?” My darling deviant, you better have kept your promise.

The female knight sighs deeply. “They’ve been talking all night.”

Aw, Kii made a friend.

“Announce us, please,” Yulianna half-asks, half-orders.

“No need,” I assure her, hearing the laughter cut off. I hear my wife’s footsteps moments before the door is opened.

Kierra, her clothes exchanged for a long white cloth that hangs between her legs and a fluffy, brown pelt that hangs over her shoulders just long enough to cover her breasts, leans in the doorway. Her eyes are hooded as she licks her lips. My stomach does a rare flip as she smiles, my eyes raking over her perfectly sculpted body. Mm. Normally, when the clothes come off, I don’t have much time to simply admire her. A rare treat.

“Lou,” she purrs, her voice making me melt. “A sample of southern clothing. Not too different from Twilight. You like?”

I let out a rumble of approval, fearing the river of drool that might escape if I open my mouth to respond.

“Oh my,” Yulia mutters, cheeks flushed.

Kierra saunters forward, putting her arms around my shoulders. My hands slide down her back to grab her ass as she forces me to walk backward until I hit the wall. Then she ducks her head to kiss me.

I’ve long passed the point of being embarrassed by public affection. I return her eager kiss. My abnormally long tongue dominates the kiss, pushing past her soft lips. She responds by sucking on it oh so gently. Damn woman. She knows that always gets me going.

“Oi! Get back ‘ere, Greenie! Wha, ah. Don’t be wrangling bulls in the fecking halls. You owe me more drink.”

Kierra ignores the grumbling barbarian but I don’t. Pulling away from her hungry mouth, I shift my lips to her neck, brushing them against her smooth skin as I whisper, “How many of my barrels have you guzzled?”

“Three. Ahhn~”

She has the audacity to moan, fingers pushing into my hair to pull me closer as my kiss turns into a bite. Three whole barrels in a night?! That much liquor could drown seven grown men. And she’s planning on drinking more! Doesn’t make a dent in my supply but at this rate, it’ll be gone by the end of the week.

She licks my ear and nibbles on it. “Have I been bad, Lou?” she asks, not a single trace of contriteness in her tone. “Are you going to make me pay?”

It is my turn next. “For every drop.”

“Then I better drink my fill.”

She steps back and I drop my arms. With her warm body no longer distracting me, I take note of my surroundings. The bleary-eyed, bronze skinned barbarian holding onto the doorway to stay standing who doesn’t look like she can drink another cup let alone a whole barrel, the female knight guarding the door who is watching us with a stern frown whose stoicism is ruined by the faint flush to her cheeks, and the bunny covering her face with her hands, an eye peeking at us through two spread fingers. “Who’s been delivering the barrels?”

“The little pet.”

Bell, huh. “Alright, I’ll send another by.”

Kierra gives me one final kiss. “I will see you later, my love,” she proclaims a touch louder than she needs to, the showoff. She turns back to Kalise, pushing her back into the room.

“Sure you dun wanna invite yer moon sister in? Wouldn’t mind a show with the next cup, bwahahaha!”

Their laughter is muffled by the door swinging shut. Leaving the rest of us in a tense atmosphere. Well, the other two. I’m perfectly comfortable. “So, that’s my wife, Kierra Atainna.”

“She’s, uh.” Yulia lowers her hands, revealing her smile. “She’s certainly something.”

“Yeah.”

“You must tell me how the two of you met.”

I nod to the watchwoman before walking back the way we came. Yulia hastily jogs to catch up, falling in step behind me. “Sure. I think you’ll love it. Could have come straight from a fairy tale.”

“I can’t wait.” She hesitates for a moment before asking in a tentative voice, “Is Alana meant to be your second wife? Or is your relationship…less committed?”

“You don’t have to look so worried. It’s not exactly an offensive question.”

“I wasn’t sure. Marrying multiple partners is not the norm outside of Victory.” She shakes her head. “I don’t mean to pry but…I’m concerned about Alana. Frankly, I can’t imagine her casually sharing intimacy. The few times I tried to touch her before things got…really bad, she froze like a pillar of ice. I’ve never seen her so much as hug anyone aside from her mother. It’s clear you and your wife love each other. I don’t mean to offend but I’m worried, hm, where Alana stands.”

“I love her. That’s where she stands.”

Yulia ducks her head. “I’ve overstepped. I apologize.”

I guess a little annoyance managed to slip into my tone. “I’m not mad at you. My temper flares a little every time you speak of Alana’s past.” And maybe I was a touch agitated by her insinuating I might abandon her, even if that’s not what she meant. “It’s not pleasant to hear about the way she was treated.”

Her smile returns. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t be.”

“You should know what I’m talking about. You’re married, after all. With a child. It’s very late but congratulations.”

Her smile becomes curious. I like to think I’m good at reading people but there’s so much there, it’s hard to pick apart. “Thank you. Do you like kids? I was worried about being a mother. I’ve lost four brothers and many more friends. I…hate to think of the day my son…” She lets out a shaky breath. “But I love my little butterball.”

“Butterball?”

She giggles. “He’s so round and cute. You’ll see. It definitely fits.”

“Hm.”

“You didn’t answer my question. About liking kids. I understand your wife has a pure physical affinity—"

“Who told you that?” The hunters wouldn’t have known. “Time for another confession?” I drawl.

“Nothing so serious. I talked with my brother this morning. As I am no competition to his inheritance, he likes to air his frustrations to me.”

“Hm. As for your question, I don’t feel one way or the other about children.” I smile as I remember my bet with Kierra. “But I do plan on having my own. Kierra is especially keen on ‘expanding the clan’.”

“Alana as a mother. It’s a little hard to imagine.”

My lips twitch as I hold back a frown. Was that an insult? “I think she’d be great.”

“Oh, me too. It’s just, I always saw her as the next head of the Waning Stars, taking over from Aunt Anastasia. It just…breaks my expectations to think of her putting down her sword to raise a family.”

“Is there any reason she can’t do both?”

“Maybe she can but speaking from my own experience, I couldn’t bear to risk my life in some frozen wasteland and miss spending time with my boy. There is a reason the female knights have their traditions.”

“Well, she doesn’t have to stop fighting anytime soon. Better, if we conquer the north, there’d be no need to choose.”

She looks at me from the corner of her eye. “Do you think you can? End this war?”

“Now? I don’t know, but if that’s what Alana wants, I will. One day.”

Yulia giggles. “My husband said something similar. When I lamented the fate of all like me, who aren’t meant for this war, and the future of my children, he swore that he would conquer the north before the next generation are grown enough to march. That’s when I decided to marry him.”

“Do you think he can keep that promise?”

“I know he’ll do everything he can. More importantly, I know he loves me and our family. That’s enough.”

Sigh. This woman is really hard to hate.