Stepping into Leini's office, Martha saw her beloved sitting at the front of her desk, one hand resting on the top of the table next to a bottle of wine while her other hand held a pair of gsses together. A smile on her lips matched the eyes of want that Leini had in her expression as the two of them looked at one another.

  "Took your sweet time didn't you?" Leini asked with an amused tone as she kept her gaze on her beloved, summoning a pair of red arms that floated in the air which took the wine gsses and the wine bottle, opening the bottle and pouring the crimson liquid into each gss

  "My apologies my dear Leini, I was busy teaching a css...I had to...disciple a pair of rowdy students, I am sure you can understand" Martha replied to her lover

  The former general was now only a hair's breadth from her lover, her hands pced on Leini's hips and their breasts pressing against one another as they looked at one another lovingly.

  "Seems that someone is craving something more" Leini mused with a smirk as she leaned forward and kissed her beloved on the lips before pulling back

  "You always know how to tease" Martha replied as she licked her lips

  "As much as I wish to continue this moment, I have something else to tell you" The Dean of Imperia interrupted as she moved from her lover's grasp and over to a letter on a side cabinet

  "Oh? And what is this?" Martha asked as she took the letter handed to her

  "Read it and see"

  Martha nodded as she opened up the letter and began reading it. Her eyes went from rexed to confused and then to realization as she finished reading the letter and looked up to see Leini smiling at her.

  "This..."

  "Is a letter for the annual family reunion. While yes the descendent families of my children all have different names now. They all used to have a different iteration of my st name, Augusta" Leini stated as she moved over to pick up the wine gsses and handed one over to her beloved.

  "So, I take it everyone there shall be a retive of yours? Regardless of who they are?" Martha asked as she took a sip of her wine

  "Most likely, the children of the original 12 families will be the ones organizing the entire thing. Prisma is the oldest out of everyone in her current generation. So she will be in charge of running everything. From the list of family retives to the venue etc"

  "So why is it in the Ashen Empire?" The former general asked as she took another sip

  "The Ashen Empire...how much do you know of it?" The Dean asked as she took a sip of the wine

  "Well, based off on memory during my time as a military attache to said empire, it is certainly worthy of being called the strongest nation on the pnet"

  "Second strongest. Partoba has me" Leini corrected her lover with a slight smile

  "Right, but nevertheless, the Ashen Empire is an empire that commands respect internationally and is recognized as the top dog in most circles"

  "True, but what of the history of the nation?"

  Martha stopped and looked puzzled as she actually had to try and recall information she had read within the Ashen Library inside the empire pertaining to the nation's history. An inquisitive expression formed on her face as she was doing so.

  "Well, from what I remember. The nation was formed after several kingdoms united under the orders of the First Schor of Quelecta and the rest is history"

  "You are half-right. The Ashen Empire was formed after several kingdoms united, but they did so in honor of Ash, not under her command. I still remember when Ash came to me annoyed that she now had to take care of an empire that formed in her name due to her just doing her job...ahh, fond memories" Leini let out a brief chuckle as she pictured the memory in her mind, seeing her beloved daughter Ash resting on her shoulder telling her everything.

  "So the current Ashen Imperial Family?" Martha asked with a raised eyebrow

  "Oh, they are her descendants no doubt about it. She had a husband, Gallus was his name, a fine man with a lovely personality but rather unremarkable in terms of everything else. Although he was leagues below Ash, he loved her to no end and she did the same to him. I remember being at the wedding and he was already in tears while Ash was reciting her vows to him, was beautiful really. They had a family that I would visit from time to time and I would see them in other familial reunions" Leini answered her lover as she pced her gss down on the table

  "Although over the years, the current Imperial Family is now cousins to the actual line of descendants due to an agreement between her descendants that I carried out. The true Ashen Family would become the Augustus Family while another family known as the Ilrian Family, a trusted family who were loyal and devout followers of Ash became the Ashen Family that is still in power today. Reted because one generation from both families married 3800 years ago" She added as she looked at her beloved who was clearly surprised by this information

  "So you're telling me, the current Ashen Imperial Family is not the actual heir to the empire? The true heirs are the right-hand house of the said ruling family?"

  "Pretty much so yeah"

  "Wow"

  The two women took another swing of wine from their gsses and for a while, there was nothing but silence as the two of them enjoyed each other's company. Martha kept her gaze on her lover who looked away from her from time to time, the former general seeing that Leini was going through the vast quantity of memories that y locked inside her mind, although curious as to what went down across the history of this world, she was also content with just waiting for her lover to tell her even if she asked one day.

  "So what now? You told me you had something to discuss?" Martha asked as she finished her third gss of wine but felt nothing from it

  "Ah! Right. The annual familial reunion is upon us in a month and it will be held in Stormholme Fortress inside the Ashen Empire. Since you are going to be my wife, I think it is best for you to attend this reunion" Leini answered her as she moved to stand right in front of her, barely a hair's breadth away

  "What is special about the reunion this time around again?"

  "Well, this one will be the biggest so far. Usually, the reunion events are held between me and the original 12 families who are descendants of my children. This time though, the various cousins of the main families will be joining us in one massive family event"

  "Woah, and how many people would that be?"

  "Around 500 give or take"

  {!}

  Martha's jaw dropped as she heard the number of attendees and suffice to say, 500 was a massive number for a bunch of family dynasties that had lived for so long, it surprised her as well that there were not more.

  "That is...a lot of people" She remarked as she saw Leini give a small chuckle before pouring herself another gss and doing the same to Martha's gss

  "Indeed it is. Highest attendance we will probably have for the first time ever. I am quite excited, to say the least" The Old Schor stated as she took another sip of her wine

  "You sound as if you have something in store for them...don't you?" Martha asked with a small smile

  "What gave it away?" Leini replied as she cocked her head back with a smirk

  "But they asked you not to mess with anyone in the letter, are you really going to go against their wishes?"

  "Short answer. Yes. Long answer...Also...Yes...Look, I won't do anything bad. I just wish to mingle with the crowd of retives before they notice something is up"

  "I take it someone is going to be helping you then? Besides me?" Martha asked as she crossed her arms and smiled

  "It will mostly just be you, thought I know there will be someone willing to help out. I just need to convince them hehehe"

  .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

  It was now July 1st, and in the forest-filled mountains surrounding Stormholme Fortress were abuzz with patrols of Imperial Guards, the elite military formation of the Ashen Empire, performing security checks around a 10-kilometer perimeter of the pce. Dragonkin and Demonkin soldiers flew above, while soldiers on horse or centaur back rode along the well-paved road. In the smaller dirt roads and in the forests themselves, Imperial Guards moved in groups of 8 or 10 as they did their routine patrols, security was of the highest priority as the Emperor and his family were here at the estate, far from the heavily fortified capital city of the empire, Ashenville.

  Trudging along in a nondescript and fairly pin bck carriage was Leini and her beloved Martha. They had booked a carriage service from the capital city a few hours ago and they were nearly at their destination. Sure Leini could have just teleported herself there, but she wanted to spend some quality time with her beloved who rgely loved the fact that she was just with Leini as the two of them strolled down the pristine infrastructure of the capital city buying food, flowers and even a few gifts for one another.

  Now, as they sat beside one another in the carriage, the two of them were feeling mighty rexed and ready to partake in Leini's shenanigans for her family.

  "Are you sure this will work Leini? What if they notice out the gate?" Martha asked as she rested her head on her beloved's shoulder

  "They won't. I know they won't hehehe" Leini replied as a smile appeared on her face as she looked down at her lover

  "Now, let's get to work"

  .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

  Standing at the front entrance to his home, Duke Joachim, dressed in a sharp and grand bck suit with red linings that had golden cuffs and chains around the overcoat. His slicked-back, spiky bck hair and his sharp and well-maintained beard complimented the smile on his face as his hands were pced behind his back and his brown eyes were looking at the bck carriage pulling into the courtyard. Next to him was his beloved wife, Duchess Ariani, a woman of intense allure with her voluptuous, curvaceous and well-endowed body was dressed in a simir outfit to her lover except for her coat being longer and closer to the ground. Her auburn hair flowed beautifully down her back and her face, while still beautiful by all standards, had a small scar on her left side cheek that went up near her eye, an injury from her duty as a soldier, her green eyes were also glued on the carriage arriving and a small smile on her face formed as it got closer. On either side of them were their children 20 and 22 years old respectively, Markus and the older sister Elizabeth were dressed in the same outfits as their parents. Elizabeth had her father's traits, brown eyes, and flowing bck hair she tied into a ponytail, while Markus had his mother's green eyes and auburn hair that was really short and spiky. Both of them were as the same height as their parents, 5'9 tall (175.26 cm).

  On either side of them were their servants and at the forefront of the servants on the right was the trusted trio of elven head maids who had been with the family for several generations now. The Aligardi Triplets who are the descendants of Intess Aligardi, an elf, and The First Schor of Quelecta's Right-Hand Confidant who took up the role of servant, bodyguard, friend, and advisor.

  Mintess, Teresa, and Sapphim were their names and they had been loyal to the house ever since they were born and have helped guide them through thick and thin. All three of them were beautiful and striking elven women who still looked as if they were 30 despite being well over that age by now. All of them were reaching around 1200 years of age and each of them was dressed in headmaid outfits that were all bck.

  "So, that's Grandmother's ride?" Markus asked as they saw the carriage pull into the courtyard

  "I thought she would have just teleported here in all honesty" Elizabeth remarked as she had a puzzled expression on her face

  "Maybe she has her reasons, did she tell you why she was coming in a carriage dear?" Ariani asked as she gnced at her husband

  "No, no she did not. Only that she would be arriving by carriage which was pin bck" Joachim answered as he gnced at her

  When the carriage stopped, it was in front of the fountain that stood in the center of the courtyard and all eyes were on the driver moving from his rider seat over to the door and when he opened it, the family and their servants saw Leini, dressed in her typically attire of her bck scks, sleeveless bck vest, her rge bck overcoat and her white long-sleeved blouse coupled with her bck dress shoes and something new, an ornate purple crystal inside a gold holder hanging on a string of beads around her neck which was a neckce. But before they could even look at that, the family and the triplets in particur were surprised as Leini extended her hand to someone behind her and helped down a woman who wore a simple blue dress that reached all the way down but rested just above her feet, she also had a blue sleeveless vest that blended in well with the top half of the dress, the woman had flowing and curly white hair that rested just past her shoulders and her crimson eyes looked at all of them before looking down at Leini's hand, smiling as she took it with hers and got off the carriage.

  "Woah...Grandmother...who is that?" Markus asked as he was the firs to speak

  "Oh, this is Martha Sincir. My beloved soon-to-be wife and your soon-to-be other grandmother" Leini answered him with a smile as she gnced at Martha who was smiling back at her and wrapped her arm around hers lovingly

  "Huh?! You finally have someone?!!!!" Elizabeth gasped as she felt a smile creeping up her shocked expression

  "Yes I have deary. It took a long while but I got there" The Old Schor replied with a heartfelt smile as she looked at her family before her

  "You owe me money now my love" Ariani said as she looked at her beloved husband who was still in shock upon seeing his ancestor with a woman after so long

  "Holy shit you were on the money...Gods damn!" Joachim remarked as he snapped his fingers and let a rger smile grow on his face

  "I know you all have questions, but why don't we all save them for te hmm?" Leini told them as she took a step forward with her beloved

  But she couldn't even take one more step before Markus and Elizabeth moved to embrace her, hugging her at the same time and doing so tightly as they truly missed her. Leini chuckled as she embraced them back and patted both of them on the back. When the two young adults pulled back and looked at Martha, they bowed their heads and extended their hands for a handshake that Martha accepted with a nod and shook them. Though it could be seen as disrespectful to some, to Martha it was understandable, she was practically a stranger to all of them still. But if she was with Leini, she was fine.

  "Alright, alright, let's all head back inside for some rest and rexation. The rest of the 12 are here already with some of the extended family and I must say, we are all excited for the party tomorrow" Joachim said as he moved over to his ancestor and embraced her briefly and shook Martha's before gesturing the two of them towards the door

  "Alright then, lead the way, please. It is always a pleasure to be back here" Leini replied with a nod as she embraced Ariani and patted her on the head

  As Leini passed them, she gnced over at the Aligardi Triplets, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she gave them a discreet nod, one that was returned with the nods of the trio of head maids and their own subtle smirks.

  'This is going to be fun'

  A/N: New Chapter. Enjoy! Hehehehe