Haestin and Mira walked side by side through one of the many bustling streets in The Aeas, he had volunteered to take the girl, he was the best one for the job. Elara needed rest, he daren't leave the girl in the scoundrels hands either—imagine the habits she'd pick up, and Rose? Well, Rose was OK, she just seemed to have it in for him. Learning the common tongue of the Empire only a couple of years ago had proven more difficult a challenge than he'd imagined, why was there such nuance to such a hideously monotone language?

  He grunted in his own thoughts as he grabbed Mira's hand, the streets ahead were full of citizens going about their day, shopping for various wares, transiting from one district to another. The main streets all led in transit corridors between the districts, "Clever idea" he thought, most of the people in The Aeas commuted from one district to another and the vendors targeted both the tired and hungry on their way to and from work.

  As they walked he felt the warm glow of the sun high in the sky beating down on them. "Almost lunch" he grumbled softly.

  Mira looked up at him as she held his hand, her soft, innocent eyes meeting his own. "Food?" she said, and Haestin was sure he saw her eyes sparkle as she looked longingly up at him.

  "I guess…" he replied.

  He looked over at a few stands nearby—vegetables and fruits… that was no good.

  "Mister Angry?" Mira said shyly, and he glanced back down at her, "What about that one?"

  He looked as Mira pointed off towards a strange looking cart, two large wheels suspending a rectangular shelf-like stand filled to the brim with bowls, utensils and cutlery. On top was a large steel pot that sent steam into the air. He sniffed—"Rabbit?!"

  He nodded in approval at Mira as they moved swiftly to the cart. The girl had good taste. Meat was always the right option! Hot meat, even better. Hot meat with ale… well, she was too young to have brilliant taste.

  They didn't wait long in the queue for the food, and a middle-aged half-elf greeted them. Haestin paid the small fee for a healthy portion of the 'fresh Rabbit Stew' and they moved on. As he looked at the small child walking next to him with her disproportionate helping of food, watching as she stepped slowly, one foot in front of the other--shovelling mouthfuls into her small maw he couldn't help but smile.

  She hadn't smiled much since they met, he knew why and he understood. But he couldn't help but feel a hint of satisfaction with her passionate devouring of the food he'd bought her, that was almost better than smiling, right?

  They crossed the boundary to the next district in short order, residential district, one of a few that were placed evenly throughout The Aeas. This one was important to him though, this one was primarily occupied by the Order and those that serve the Order. It included the families of the skilled tradesman that moved to The Aeas to support its operations as well as those who taught at the Great Halls, students could also be accommodated in this district if they had families prior to enrolling, it wasn't as common, but did happen.

  "Mira, it's just up fu—here." he said, managing to catch his words in time, Elara had specifically told him not to use the 'fun' words in front of Mira.

  Mira giggled and looked up at him again, "Hmm, you're doing quite well aren't you Mister?"

  "What d'you mean girl?" he growled—unaggressive, his natural voice grating against the common words he spoke and he pointed, "Look we're almost bleedi—we're almost there!"

  She laughed again. A smile that warmed him thoroughly.

  They finished their walk and arrived, ahead of them was a large townhouse, multiple stories tall and as wide a house as he'd seen. Hope's House. The Orphanage.

  The Orphanage was surrounded with a small brick wall that stood around a meter tall and encompassed a large green area filled with varieties of trees, bushes and flowers. On the green danced many a dozen children of all ages, the voices of the children mixing in with the attempted instruction from the carers who interspersed with the young.

  "Mira." He said as he knelt down to get closer to her level, both his hands drawn to his knees as he hunched forward and looked at her face.

  "Is… is this where Mummy is?" Mira said as a beaming smile that echoed in her bright eyes tore across her face.

  "Mira… I'm sorry but…" he began,

  "No, wait—" she responded the smile fading as quickly as it came, "I remember, Eli said mummy can't come right now?"

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "No. Mira, she can't." Haestin said a large furred hand gripping the young girls arm.

  "You'll play with me though? For a bit?" Mira said, her eyes welling with previously masked emotion.

  "Mira, listen to me." He said, hesitating slightly as he translated from his natural tongue to hers, no fun words either, "The world looks bleak now, but when dust settles and you look up, everything will be better. I promise."

  Mira took in his words as he watched tears fall down her face. "I promise you Mira, we will ensure your future, and that of all touched by the pain of the Calamity's."

  Unable to bear it any longer, he conceded, "Yes, I will play with you. For a bit."

  Her smile returned and it almost reached her eyes. She needed time, this much he knew.

  NSFW - SEXUAL CONTENT WARNING

  "He knows what he's doing," Rose thought as she pushed the burly man in front of her backwards, he allowed it as his tense muscles seemed to encapsulate her hand, she'd return the favour. Plenty for her to take in, She glanced down. "Yeah… that'll do" she breathed as her tongue lapped seductively across her plump lips.

  The desk jarred as they reached the end of their seemingly endless walk and she watched as the man desperately cleared the contents atop it, ink decorating the floor and parchment gliding through the air. He tugged at her but she resisted, pushing him atop the writing desk.

  As he perched naked, his cock stood erect, she felt all thought fade as a primal urge funnelled through her, she planted her knee against the flat of the desk and leant forward, her tongue now gliding across his lips. He tried to kiss her and she pulled back, shaking her head.

  Her hands slowly drew down her naked silhouette and landed in between her legs. She swallowed as the rapturous pleasure of her own soft touch threatened to consume her. "No," she thought. "I'll consume him…" she pushed off the ground and brought her other knee dextrously around the man, fully mounted she locked eyes and felt for the tip of his sword, the moment she found it she pushed down and let it pierce into her.

  No words escaped her mouth as she slowly rode the man, her hands clawing into his back as she found a rhythm that satiated her desire but kept the man ever so slightly wanting more. As she felt him try to respond to her deliberate pace with a thrust of his own she slowed. "You can wait…" she said, a cunning smile creeping across her face.

  "Wait? No I do—" he began to respond, his voice immediately made her lips turn downwards and she felt the enthralling embrace of pleasure subside, "No!" she planted her hand across his mouth.

  "Don't you dare speak… You'll regret it if you do," she said, the words delivering both the finality of her statement and the seductive charm her melodic voice held, "Actions only."

  Without any hesitation the man jolted from the desk, his erect state piercing deep into her and she let out a whimper of ecstasy. He span with her in his arms and she found herself moving swiftly in the air, her legs locked around his form.

  "FUCK, yes!" Rose screamed as she slammed against the wooden wall, her head knocking back and her leg twitching as the hard member of the muscled man pushed inside her. He grasped her body with overbearingly large hands, "not the only overbearing limbs you have, huh?" She thought as the passionate thrusts consumed her.

  One hand balancing against the wall and the other firmly gripping the assailants hair she locked eyes as he gazed intently back at her. Both panting with the built-up frustration they'd locked away and the physical effort of the wild sex they were having.

  She let go of his hair and drew her hand back, "Uh!" she groaned as the pleasure momentarily stunned her, she launched her hand and revelled in the loud—SMACK—as she slapped him hard across the face, "Fuck me like you mean it you—you dirty Empire spawn."

  The human could only grunt as she forced the tempo, she pushed him away with both hands and felt his thick cock fall from grace, she smirked and ran both hands over her own sensual form as she grasped her breasts, her fingers clutching tight on her nipples. She turned, pressed her face into the wall and screamed as she allowed him to thrust into her, she hoped this night would never end.

  '"Intelligence' gathered…"

  END OF SEXUAL CONTENT

  Uthred wiped the sweat from his forehead as he approached, it didn't matter how many times he found himself in front of them, he was ALWAYS nervous.

  He took a few calming breaths and remembered why he was here. It was important, more important than his own comfort. "I hope that damned lad is OK. By the Twins I don't know if I'll be able to face Ironside again if he's not…"

  The Knight of the Order looked ahead at the large double doors, crafted from the finest wood in all of the Empire, emblazoned with gold and embedded top to toe in gemstones of all shape and sizes. It was so majestically designed that he thought it should belong to Arwen herself. It didn't. It was for the final partition before the Council itself. Of all the places in The Aeas, this was the worst.

  He pulled on his decades of knowledge and experience to calm his beating heart. He would need all his mental strength to get through the ordeal. He reached the doors and placed both gauntleted fists against them. He pushed.

  As the doors opened they gave way to a grandiose chamber, seven plinths giving rise to seven pillars, atop each sat thrones all facing towards a central tile in a sublimely mosaiced floor. A single beam of light shot down from a large lone stained glass window depicting the Gods themselves, the light hit the central tile and indicated where his ordeal would take place.

  The thrones were empty and he gulped as he stepped slowly towards the light. He knew it wouldn't be long. Just before he reached the light he saw shadows flicker across the enormous chamber. Noises of steps and a giggle of ominous laughter. He kept his face neutral and his gaze forward.

  As his first foot entered the light a voice that echoed sevenfold rang out through the chamber, "Back so soon, Uthred?"

  The childlike voice that pierced out from all thrones at once was fed by a torrent of Mana that would have drowned him in despair had it had the intent to.

  He looked up and spoke, "Uthred, Knight of Valeron and Crusader of the Order, at your service, God-spoken"

  Yes. Elias is back next chapter!