Co-written by Generalmoose2nd
Cover by Oslight
A note!
First things first, my computer died and I had to write this chapter via the Google docs app on my phone. And let me tell you how much of a bitch that was.
Nevertheless the show must go on. Updates will be a little slow as I keep using my phone and eventually buy a new computer. But I'll have at least one more update before the month is out. It'll either be this or HoG.
This story is a culmination of all the techniques I've learned throughout the years as well as all the critique I've received from you. I'm putting more than my absolute best in this to ensure this becomes my fanfiction masterpiece. Time will only tell if I'm able to pull out off.
There is much planned. I'm excited about this. Thank you all who have taken an interest this early on.
Now, on with the show!
The gods are incomprehensible. They cannot be understood through mortal standards. To try and understand them is to limit their greatness when they are so much more than rules and concepts. They are the beings who created all existence, the known and yet to be discovered.
He was excited ever since coming through the city gates. With a skip in his step, he approached his first familia. Unfortunately, they weren't recruiting any new members at the moment and turned him away. He wasn't distraught about this. Disappointed, yes, but it was the first of a hundred other possibilities. With his eager smile, he went to the familia he had reluctantly placed in second. Surely they would accept him, right?
There was nothing the gods couldn't accomplish. Worlds, a wholesome universe, planes of reality were theirs to create, bend, and destroy on their whims. Yet… what was the point of it all? Where was the fun in having limitless potential without consequence? Why bother to create a nova capable of triggering life when it could be snuffed out just as easily?
He kept going. Familia after familia turned him away. Doubt began to creep in the back of his mind but he kept up his spirits. Days went by and still no luck. He would need to ration his savings if he was going to survive in this expensive city. A single day in the inn here would buy him five back in his home village. That's not to mention basic need expenses. He kept going, more determined than before to find a place to belong.
To be blunt, they were bored of their own omnipotence. It was only when they gazed down in the moral planes did they find something of want. The mortal children would use inefficient tools, sciences, and rituals in a crude and hazardous attempt to survive. They struggled just to make it to the next day. Everyday. They had limits with what they could do but were learning and adapting.
He pleaded with them. He begged to stay. He would have offered everything to them if they allowed him a place. But they turned him away with more reverence than before. They wanted him even less as though his value had dropped in the days he stayed in the city. They either made excuses or forcefully had him removed from their home. He was forced to retreat to the inn with his head low and spirit frayed.
The gods were amused, frustrated, and in awe by the mortal children. They were intrigued. More than anything, they craved a stimulus they hadn't felt since the dawn of their conception. In consensus, they suppressed their divinity within physical vessels and descended down into the mortal realm.
He no longer cried himself to sleep these days. It was almost a month since he came to the city and no one would accept him. He ran out of money to stay at an inn. He barely had any left to feed himself. He was forced to use the river cutting through the city to clean himself and his clothes. Still, he pressed on, still seeking a place to call home.
They taught the children the secrets of the realm. Agriculture, forging, medicine, magic, combat- the gods told the mortal children how to harness their full potential. They gathered them together and made them their champions. They created their familia.
He slept in the alley where no one could see him. He had been forced to sell his pack and its contents to be able to feed himself. All he had left was the one set of clothes, a light jacket that did little to keep him warm in the darkest hour, and the smoldering embers of his dream that was quickly dying out. He had already lost his dignity and pride. He accepted whatever scraps were offered to him.
One such god, in his hubris, in his arrogance, used his knowledge of the beyond to accelerate events not meant before their time. He wanted his perfect champion to prove his superiority over the other gods. He schemed, he manipulated, and, just perhaps, he cheated. He forced fate to comply with his selfish demand and his ideal champion was born. Born eight years before its intended time.
Sometimes the gods would give him things. Coins, food, and gentle words. He almost believed when a goddess so beautiful it ached his heart looked his way with eyes of pity and want. She turned away after dropping a coin in his lap. It hurt her to do so more than it hurt his pride. She was no different in the end. None of the gods would grant him a place at their side.
Before he could enact in his plans, he fell at the peak of his power. This foolish god had meddled in things he shouldn't. The child, born before his promised time, was outside of fate's guidance. The one who would have become his family would not appear until years later. The child was left without divine protection, without fate allowed to interfere, and without a thing to his name.
Bell stood up, cradling the valis given to him as though they would be blown away by the wind, and hurried down the street. He kept his face bowed so no one could see the shame in his eyes.
0-0-0
"Here you are," said the waitress as she set the meal down in front of him. She didn't move away or offer anything else as she would have with the other customers. She had an unsure expression as she watched him closely.
"Thank you," he said and handed her a few copper coins and, reluctantly, the one silver.
She clutched them in her hand and gave him a more genuine smile. She didn't ask if he needed anything else and went to serve another customer. The owner, who had been watching the interaction from the counter, went back to managing the shop.
A bowl of soup and a piece of bread. A quarter of a loaf and some chicken stock with cabbage, to be exact. He wanted more than this. His stomach demanded it. But this was all he could afford. He only had a few more copper pieces, just enough to buy an apple, and he wasn't sure if he would get more money tomorrow. He needed to save it in case he needed that apple.
His hands clutched into fists around the bowl. His arms were around it possessively as though someone was about to steal his meager meal. He was so hungry. He was tired of being hungry. He knew he was going to be hungry when this was done.
One month had gone by since coming to the city. Had he been less optimistic he would have learned sooner. If he knew things would turn up like this, he would have seeked employment before trying to get into a familia. It was too late when he tried. No business wanted him anymore than the gods did.
Though he tried to keep himself clean, there was little he could do with one set of clothes and a smelly river. He couldn't afford soap. He was filthy and he smelled. It was why he sat here in the corner and away from everyone else.
He gripped his hair as his frustrations rose. The soup was mocking him. Things weren't supposed to go like this! He had a dream! He was supposed to be a hero and make his grandfather proud!
He was so very tired. Tired of the hunger. Tired of the cold. Tired of the rejection.
Worst of all, he was tired of being a failure to his grandfather.
"Dammit!" he snapped and brought his fist down. It was a crack in his fortitude. He couldn't stand himself anymore than those around him.
In his frustrations, his first struck the edge of the bowl. Liquid splashed on his face as the bowl was knocked into the air and over his head. His eyes followed it but his body wasn't capable of stopping it. He watched in horror as his meal was going to be lost to him.
"What the hell?!"
The bowl landed perfectly on the head of the patron behind him. It cupped her head and dripped its contents down her hair.
He rose to his feet quickly. His head snapped around in search for something to help with the mess he created. The waitress from before averted her gaze and pretended to not see him. The other patrons watched with curiosity as well as amusement. They were going to enjoy whatever retribution awaited him.
The owner threw a towel at him. It slapped him across his face before sliding off. He caught it and stepped up to hand it to the woman.
Not a woman. A girl. She couldn't be any older than him with long black hair, dark olive skin, and a physique that was normally found on older girls. His eyes leered on her budding breasts longer than he should have. Her body was also layered with lean muscle that put him to shame.
"I'm so sorry!" he cried and offered the towel. "Please! I didn't mean for this to happen! I… Can I buy you a drink?"
It hurt him so much to offer this. He was giving up his promised meal for tomorrow. But he genuinely felt guilty for doing this to her. He wanted to do this. He didn't want to be any less of a man than he's already become. He could at least take responsibility for this much.
"Damn right you're sorry," the girl growled as she snatched the towel out of him and began to wipe her face down. "Gods it stinks. Getting this out of my hair is going to be a chore. Just get out of my sight before I-"
Her hands stopped when she finished with her face. Their eyes met. She stared at him and he saw hers widen by a fraction. Her lips parted as her jaw went slack. Red tinted her cheeks.
She suddenly flashed him a carnivorous smile that filed him with dread. "Oh, I am going to have so much fun with you."
A shiver went up his spine. He pulled out the coins from his pocket and placed them on the table. "Please, I don't want any trouble. It's all I have. So please forgive me and let me go."
Her eyes flicked to the copper pieces before returning to him. She blinked and looked back at the coins, this time with astonishment… that slowly morphed into unamused. He was aware she thought so little of him because of how little he offered. It would buy her the cheapest beer on the menu.
He took a chance. He took a few steps away from her before turning sharply and bolting for the door.
Something yanked at his collar before he could make a break for it. The world spun as he was lifted off his feet. The air was knocked out of him as he realized the girl had thrown him over her shoulder. She had crossed the distance so quickly to catch him!
"Cancel my order, old man," he could hear the smile in her voice. "I've got some choice meat to go."
"It's already under prep," bit back the owner. "You gotta pay for it, little tramp."
"The hell did you call me?!" She spun around sharply to bark back at him. Bell almost hit a customer if they hadn't ducked at the last second.
"You heard me! Pay up or don't come back!"
"Fine, fine! Just put it on my tab. I'll pay it off next time I come around."
"I ain't serving you till you do, Aisha!"
She spun back around, swinging Bell around like a sack of potatoes over her shoulder, and waved off the owner. Her grip around his waist was firm and unmoving. He couldn't break free.
She had no problem walking through the streets of Orario like this. People looked her way and laughed.
"Got another one, Aisha?"
"A great haul! I'm having rabbit tonight!"
"Good luck lad. Last guy couldn't walk for days."
"Hey. I'm going to break my record and make it a week!"
All the blood washed out of Bell's face as the people laughed further. This girl was going to torture him! She was going to break his legs! With the way she was handling him, she had to be an adventurer.
"Miss, please!" he tried to plea to her. "I'm sorry! Please let me go! I'll do anything if you forgive me!"
"...What're you talking about?" she asked with a clueless tone.
"The soup! I'm sorry I spilled it over you!"
"Hmph, that?" she snorted as if it didn't matter. Her gone shifted to mischievous next. "But you're right. That is a problem, isn't it? Bad boys like you need to be punished."
"Wh… What're you going to do to me?" he asked in a small and very frightened voice.
The grip around his waist tightened. He heard the hunger in her voice. "I'm going to break you in and make you scream my name until your voice goes out."
He cried out for anybody to save him. Nobody did. They all laughed at him as this girl, Aisha, continued to carry him through the streets.
0-0-0
"Excuse me," he said after twenty minutes had passed. He couldn't feel his legs with the way her shoulder dug into his pelvis. "How long are you going to carry me?"
"If I put you down will you promise to not run?" She asked with a knowing tone.
He didn't answer. He continued to lie limp over her shoulder with his arms dangling around. Once or twice he accidentally patted her soft and round tush. She either pretended to not notice or didn't care. Either way, he wouldn't dare to try it on purpose; he was too afraid to make her more mad than she was already.
On an unrelated note, she made a sharp turn and made sure he hit his head against a dangling street sign. It had nothing to do with the fact his hand was celches away from grabbing her rear before foregoing that deadly idea. Nothing to do with it at all.
She took him to a part of town he hadn't been to before only because even he wouldn't have dared. It was in the corner of the city away from any of the major gates. The streets had the sewage backed up from lack of maintenance and the roads and alleys were littered with trash and feces. Dangerous looking people watched Aisha pass through with she gave them challenging looks. Everyone was watching the other with suspicion.
Eventually they passed through a community walled off with the only entrance mounted with a pair of wooden gates. The doors were open and adventures and gods alike were coming and going. There were a lot of dark skinned girls in similar fashion to Aisha that were among the crowd.
The district within was small with a few shops spread out. There were an unusual amount of taverns and inns present. Even stranger, beautiful women of every type were standing outside each establishment, calling out to the men. And the men would approach them, talk, and then disappear in pairs into whatever building they were squatting by.
There were also men doing the same for the women. A good amount of both genders were giving him charming smiles and provocative gestures. Some of the girls even exposed more skin such as their bust or thigh. When he blushed, they either laughed at him or further exposed themselves.
"Hey Aisha," one of the dark skinned girls called out to her. "Whatcha got there?"
"Back off. This one's mine!" Aisha gave him a possessive squeeze. It crushed his stomach, making him squirm and rendered unable to breathe.
"Come on~" another girl whined with a playful smile. Her eyes were boring into his with a hunger as though he were a juicy steak. "I've not seen a man like that in a long time. He looks like a lot of fuuuuuun~"
"That's why I brought him," Aisha put her other hand on his rear and slid it down his leg, running a single nail down the cloth of his trousers. He didn't realize his voice could reach such a high pitch. "If you want him so badly, you'll have to fight me for him."
Both girls didn't seem so keen on it. One clicked her tongue while the other pulled her lower eyelid down in a taunt. Aisha threw her hair back and kept walking. Bell was forced to watch those girls grow in distance. They kept looking his way while pressing their faces together and whispering things beyond his hearing.
"Miss Aisha?" he turned his head to see her face but all he could see was the back of her head. "Where are we going?"
"Finally accepted your fate?" she asked back with humor.
...It was more like he couldn't run away. His legs were completely numb and she'd be able to catch him if he tried.
"Just… want to know what you're going to do to me," he replied with woeful acceptance.
"Well~" she purred in such a way it made him feel warm. She was enticing with her sultry voice even when she was his age. "I could tell you all the things I'm about to do to you, but that would ruin the surprise wouldn't it? I promise you, bunny boy, you'll never forget today."
And that was what he was dreading. All this because he spilt some soup on her? He gave her all the money he had! Was she just mad because it was so little? He even promised he'd do anything to make it up to her.
The place she took him to was at the center of the district. A mansion rested in this place with such pristine paint and artistry in the design and gardens it didn't belong here. There were so many levels and seperate buildings conjoined with towers and bridges it resembled more of a castle than anything. It was sealed of by a high iron fence without a gate to block anyone entering. Yet no one dared to cross through the invisible line.
Aisha did without a care in the world. The attendees working in the gardens didn't so much as look her way.
"Is this your place?" he asked in awe. There were a lot of brightly colored flowers not usually found in this side of the country. Unfortunately he didn't know enough about flora to guess where they originated.
"In a manner of speaking," she replied casually as she approached the pair of dark wood doors. The knobs were made from gilded gold. "This mansion belongs to my familia. I am a member of the Ishtar Familia. And this is the Palace Belit Babili."
He had been right. This person with unreasonable strength had been an adventurer blessed by a god. He already suspected but now that the answer was confirmed did he panic further. He had upset someone who had the backing of a deity.
The interior of the mansion- palace, according to Aisha- was expansive and in the shape of a donut. The floors are marbled with a grand staircase at the very center. The steps were carpeted with velvet and the railings lined with gold. Other rooms and hallways resided in every direction he looked.
Aisha shut the doors behind her and finally threw him off her shoulder. He tried to catch himself but his legs have out under him.
"Don't think playing dead will get you out of this," she said while flashing him a smile full of teeth.
"I'm not trying to cause you trouble!" he said in a hurry. He didn't want to add to his punishment. "I was like that for so long my legs fell asleep. I just need a moment to get the blood flowing again."
"Oh," was all she said. She almost sounded apologetic. He must have imagined it. She watched him closely as he rubbed his legs. He felt embarrassed as she watched with him intently.
"Aisha. Who is this human? Why aren't you ready for tonight?"
Aisha froze and stood a little straighter. Her eyes flicked up the stairway; her confident aura became completely subservient in an instant. "Lady Ishtar."
Bell's eyes followed up. They widened at what stood at the head of the second floor.
A tall, curvaceous woman with tanned skin stood with a posture that oozed temptation. She hardly wore any clothes with a see-through veil being the only piece of fabric falling between her legs. The rest of her body was covered with gold jewelry such as a crown, necklaces, rings, bracelets, anklets, and then some. They covered her most private parts in an entirely teasing way.
Her hair was dark that shimmered purple in the light. Her amethyst eyes pierced through his, reading deep into his soul that no mortal possibly could.
This was a goddess. A goddess of beauty at that.
"Lady Ishtar don't look at him!" Aisha snapped and moved in front of him to block his sight of the goddess. She sounded worried. "What am I going to do if he falls under your spell?!"
The goddess Ishtar gave a throaty laughter, "There's money to be made tonight. Don't waste too much time on him."
From the gap between Aisha's legs, he saw the goddess move across the second floor to reach the adjacent halfway.
"Is that your goddess?" Bell asked as he looked up at Aisha. "She's very pretty."
Aisha craned her head around and glared down at him. He knew he messed up somehow when she looked at him like that. All he did was compliment her goddess! Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing?
"Would you rather fuck her then?" she said with a face and tone as though her birthday was being rained on. And it was all his fault.
Her words made his face explode with heat. "N-N-N-N-No! She's a goddess! I can't… do that with a goddess! I was just saying she's pretty! Just like how you are Miss Aisha! Honest!"
She continued to stare at him. It wasn't a glare anymore. Now, she looked skeptical and confused. She tilted her head as though a slightly different angle would get her whatever answer she was seeking through him.
"Smooth," she said with some of her previous smile returning. "I'll give you points for trying to woo me. You're a curious boy. Or maybe you just didn't get a good look at my goddess. You don't seem to be affected by her charm."
The gods were already impressive on their own. He was already in awe just by seeing one at this distance. Of course he was affected by her divine grace.
"Come on then," Aisha said as she stepped towards the side of the bottom floor… while grabbing hold of his collar and dragging him along the way.
"I can walk now! You don't need to do this Miss Aisha!"
"I'm not fully convinced you'll go running after my goddess as soon as I look away," she shrugged and continued on. She pushed open a part of the wall to reveal a corridor. "Besides, I'm pretty sure Lady Ishtar would kill you before taking a shower."
"Shower…?" his head lifted up. A feeling he hadn't felt in what seemed like ages crept its way through to his heart.
"Let's be real, bunny boy," her tone fell flat."You reek. And you look like you're about to keel over any second. So while you're washing your goods, I'm going to find you something to eat. Then we can get down to business."
She continued to drag him for a few seconds before stopping. He hadn't said a word to her. It wasn't unusual with the way they were interacting with each other for the past thirty minutes. But this time definitely felt different.
She looked and found him crying.
"Really?" he asked in a small voice. "You'll let me wash up? You'll feed me? But… But I spilled soup on your head. I stained your top. I thought you were going to punish me."
She didn't say anything right away. He couldn't tell what sort of expression she had as his vision was beginning to cloud from tears.
A delicate hand rested on his cheek. Her smooth voice whispered right into his ear, "It's okay. I have plans for you. Right now, let's take good care of you. Your big sis will treat you right."
Bell was able to rise to his feet. She let him. The thought of running away didn't cross his mind as Aisha held him by the arm and escorted him further down the corridor. For the first time since coming to the city, he smiled out of pure happiness.
He didn't see the wolfish smile Aisha bore, full of fangs and hunger.
0-0-0
"Is that your goddess? She's very pretty."
"What about the reports for construction of the brothel in the western side? Have the permits been finalized?"
"The Astraea Familia continue to be a thorn, it would seem," her aid, Dumuzi, recited from memory as he handed Ishtar a letter from the stack in his arms. "They've found evidence we planned on using the restaurant as a new brothel and shut down the operation. I don't know where the leak comes from but I intend to find it."
Ishtar frowned as she reviewed the warrant from the Guild. Her familia was being fined a hefty sum for both intentional acts of prostitution as well as money laundering and tax fraudulence. These self-appointed enforcers of justice were becoming more than just a thorn. They were growing in power and her bribes within the Guild were becoming more expensive to elude them. Soon, she might not be able to ignore them as mere nuisances.
"Is that your goddess? She's very pretty."
"When you do," she leaned back in her lounge and blew into hey pipe. Her eyes were as sharp as daggers. "Make sure you make an example out of them. I don't like traitors."
"As by your will," he replied automatically. Almost lifeless. She knew she had captivated him with her beauty and held his soul through sex. Everything about him was hers.
It was starting to get dull.
"Enough business for now," she said with a stream of smoke flowing through her words. "Tell me about your understudy. Tammuz, was it? He's starting to become a fine man."
"He dedicates everything to meet your expectations, Lady Ishtar," Dumuzi replied straight away. "You are, after all, the most beautiful goddess. Seeing you is the only reward we seek when doing our best."
"Is that your goddess? She's very pretty."
"That's how it is, isn't it?" she mused with bitterness. "Do you think me fairer than Freya?"
"That slut doesn't even compare to you," he replied with an ounce of anger. After all, whatever she hated so too did he.
She leaned further back, propping her head with the back of her hand with her elbow against the head of the lounge. Her body was spread out, legs crossed over the other, and her attire doing nothing to hide her womanly assets. She was exposed for anyone to see… and wished someone would admire her.
Dumuzi did. But only because she demanded that of him. He was so in love with her his thoughts were no longer his own.
"Is that your goddess? She's very pretty."
"Dumuzi."
"Yes my lady."
"...Am I pretty?"
"Your beauty outshines all other-"
"That's not what I asked," irritation flashed through her. She spoke a little slower. "Am I pretty?"
He looked so confused but try he did anyways to appease her. "Yes. Of course. Of course you're pretty."
"Am I very pretty?"
"You're very pretty, my lady."
She said nothing for a while. As the silence dragged on, as Dumuzi waited for his next chance to appeal to her, she waved a hand. "Thank you, Dumuzi. You may go for the day."
Dumuzi looked even more confused than before. "Lady Ishtar… Have I done something to upset you?"
She frowned his way, "If I told you you did, what would you do about it?"
"I would beg for your forgiveness and ask that you punish me so that this may never happen again."
He responded so quickly and with such a frightened look in his eyes she almost laughed. "That'll be all, Dumuzi. Come back in the morning."
He stood there briefly. When he came to understand she wasn't going to require anything from him further, he bowed and dismissed himself. Ishtar was left alone with nothing but her thoughts as company.
"Is that your goddess? She's very pretty."
That human child infuriated her. She sucked on her pipe until the tobacco turned to ash. That child had said those words with such innocence it was as if he had been unaffected by her charm. Impossible. Even those who fancied other men weren't immune to her beauty.
Yet. He spoke about her with all his heart. Not in captivation, especially in undying love. He spoke with… innocence.
It was something she had never come across before. Innocence. Her, goddess of beauty, war, and fertility, would come across someone not affected by her divine presence.
What infuriated her the most was how he said it. No one spoke to her like that. It was such a casual compliment and yet… the most honest she'd ever heard.
She puffed out one last breath before flipping the pipe face down in the ashtray.
0-0-0
Bell sat on a velvet couch with tons of pillows spread over the cushions. His skin shone and was a little red from the steam of the shower as well as how thoroughly he scrubbed himself. Aisha had taken his clothes from the hamper of the changing room and thus was he left with only a towel around his waist. He waited patiently with his hands on his knees for Aisha to come back.
Her room was bigger than the inn lobby he had stayed at. There was a bed that looked capable of holding five people, a few couches like the one he sat on, dressers and mirrors, and an assortment of decorations to fill the broad printed walls. The room itself was as big as the average home of his village. And this was Aisha's personal room.
Being an adventurer surely had its perks.
The door knocked. He jolted and faced forward. The door opened… but it wasn't Aisha who entered.
"I thought she'd never leave," one of the girls from the street said to him. Behind her was the other girl who tried to convince Aisha to share in his torment. They both entered the room and shut the door behind. He heard the audible click of it being locked.
"H-Hi!" he said with his face reddening. He was nearly naked! He grabbed the nearest pillow and hugged it to cover himself. "What are you doing here? This is Miss Aisha's room."
"Miss Aisha," the second girl giggled. "She think she better than us just because she's a Level Two?"
"We're aware this is Aisha's room," the first girl had no hesitation to cross the room and plop herself down on the couch. She sat dangerously close to him. So close he could smell her dizzying scent. It made him scoot away; her smile spread and she scooted after him.
When he moved again, his shoulder bumped into something. A pair of slender but impossibly strong arms threw themselves over his shoulders. The other girl had snuck up to corner him. Her hands felt around his chest. Her smile was completely devilish.
"Where else would we find you?" she asked when he looked her way. She pressed herself against his back, sending a jolt of electricity up his spine when he felt her breasts on him.
But he couldn't move as the first girl took this chance to sit on his lap! One leg swung over his and her tush landed on him. He severely wished she hadn't. Despite his inexperience with women (or because of it) he couldn't control himself down there.
She gave him a knowing smile. She wiggled her hips around, making matters so, so, SO much worse. "It's been a while since I've had my way with a virgin. You have a really nice look in your eyes. So innocent. I can see why Aisha brought you back."
His heart was beating in his chest. This was way too much stimuli for someone like him. He always dreamed of being in a position like this. But he never actually thought he'd be here so soon in his life!
Both girls were more beautiful than any of the villagers back home. It wasn't just because of their exotic features such as their coppery skin, long and muscular physique, and curvaceous figure. It was their confidence and the way they were talking to him. They wanted him for reasons he couldn't understand. No girl had ever been like this to him.
But there was something else that distracted him from enjoying this moment.
"Wait a minute. You mean you're not going to torture me?"
Both girls exchanged a look. The first one answered playfully, "Only if that's what you're into. We can be a little rough if you want."
"No, no!" He shook his head frivolously. "I just thought… with the way you were talking to Miss Aisha that you wanted to be mean to me too. She brought me here because I spilled soup all over her."
"That doesn't sound like Aisha at all," the second girl commented. She rested her chin on his shoulder. And she continued to play with his chest no matter how tightly he clutched the pillow shield.
"You're so innocent you're adorable!" the first girl gushed as though he were a puppy. "We saw her heading towards the kitchens. And you smell so fresh now. If anything, that girl is just pepping you up for a nice, long fuck. Just like how we're about to."
He zoned out and didn't pay attention to the way she licked her lips. His mind focused on everything Aisha had said and done since meeting her. Evidence pulled up as he also recalled what the passerby mentioned on the way here.
His face turned so red he could see himself glow in the corner of his vision. Aisha was going to sleep with him?! That's why be was here?!
"I think he finally gets the idea," the girl behind him laughed lightly. She moved close to him and bit the edge of his ear.
He couldn't help but squirm at the sight pain. She didn't draw blood and the action sent conflicting emotions through him. It earned him a throaty laugh from her.
"Forget Aisha," the one sitting on his lap cupped his face and drew herself close. She was so close to kissing him. "You can have fun with us instead. Wouldn't you like that? Two girls instead of one? Isn't that every man's dream?"
She almost did kiss him. She leaned forward to seal the deal. Only, he pulled back at the last second. The girl frowned at him with annoyance.
"I'm sorry," he did as he shook his head. "This isn't right. You're both very beautiful but this isn't right to Miss Aisha. She let me use her shower and is going through the trouble of feeding me. If she does want to… t-to sleep sleep with me, then I have a responsibility as a man to meet her expectations."
"Is food and some hot water your price?" the girl cackled. She ran a finger down his cheek until lifting his chin up. "I can get you those things too. How about a bed to sleep in? Stay with me for the night and I'll warm you all night long."
"Fuck me and I'll let you stay as long as you want," said the other girl. She forcefully turned his head and brought her lips onto his.
His first kiss. This was his first kiss. And he didn't even know her name. But it was with such a beautiful girl.
"Hey no fair!"
The second girl let out a deep moan as she pulled herself away. A trail of saliva followed her tongue. Her tongue? He had been so enamored by the kiss he hadn't noticed she shoved her tongue into his mouth. The girl gave a victorious smile to her friend.
His breath was taken away again as the girl on his lap turned his head and planted him with a kiss. Hers was rougher but no less enjoyable. She bit down on his bottom lip while grinding her hips and pulling on his hair.
His hands no longer gripped the pillow. They had moved on their own at some point to grab her waist. She pushed him away into her friend with a sadistic smile. The other girl kissed his neck tenderly while her hands did things to his lower abdomen that made his mind go crazy.
"We don't need this any longer," the girl on him lifted herself up and peeled back the loose knot keeping his towel in check.
The door flew off its hinges as Aisha forced it open with but a palm thrust. In her other hand was a tray with a plate of fruit and cheese and a goblet with red liquid spilling over the edge.
She looked beyond pissed.
"Miss Aisha!" he squeaked. His voice got caught in his throat.
"Oh good, you're here," the first girl fell back on his lap with her hands still on the towel. She was acting as though nothing was wrong. "Took you long enough. Hurry up and join us."
"Phoebe, Cellaneo, what do you two think you're doing?" Aisha's tone was flat and impatient.
So that's their names. He figured which was which with the way Aisha's eyes glared when reciting their names.
Phoebe, the one who continued to peck at his neck, spoke simply, "Just fluffing him up. I think he's ready. How do we decide who goes first?"
"I'm already here," Cellaneo wiggled her hips once more. "I say I get first dibs."
"Like hell you do!" Aisha stormed into the room, placing the tray on dresser by the door. "What part about he's mine did you not understand?! I found him fair and square! I don't see you two going out there and finding your own man!"
"Come on Aisha~" Cellaneo waved her hand at her. "We're never going to find such raw meat like this no matter where we look. Here, I'll be the bigger person and let you go first. Just let us have him after the first round."
"...But I wanted to pop his cherry," sulked Phoebe. Her arms tightened around him enough to make his ribs ache.
Aisha planted a hand on her hip while looking at Bell. Now that he knew her intentions with him, he looked her over once more. She really was a beauty. He would have done anything to spend a night with a girl like this. And she was doing it by her own merit.
"Fine," Aisha groaned as she shifted get balance where she stood. "But you both get to sit back and watch until I'm done. If we're going by rounds he's not going to last ten seconds."
His face started to steam.
"How about until your first climax?" Phoebe interjected. "Or else we'll keep getting in your way."
Aisha didn't look to keen on it but, "Deal. But first let him eat. None of us will enjoy it with the way he is now. Now get off of him."
The girls complied, Cellaneo quickly and Phoebe reluctantly. The latter made sure her hands lingered as long as possible. They both sat at his side. He put his hands at his front in an attempt to hide the rise under the towel.
Aisha gave it an appraising look as she slid between him and Cellaneo- who grumbled under her breath. She found his manhood to be something to look forward to. Until then, she kept it to herself and plucked a single grape.
"Here," she brought it up to his lips.
"Miss Aisha… this is…" he stared at the fruit, to her, and the grape again. He tried to reach for it to feed himself but Aisha pulled it away. The look she had promised something foul if she didn't get her way. So, with heavy embarrassment, he leaned forward and opened his mouth.
Aisha slid it in with a rewarding smile. When he was done chewing, she had another piece waiting for him. He had no choice but to have her feed him.
"Have some wine," Phoebe sneaked around to reach for the goblet. The way she did so had her breasts rub against his arm. Aisha didn't look too happy. And the coy smile Phoebe had told him this had been intentional.
Like with Aisha, Phoebe served it to him directly. She did so without overbearing him, tipping the goblet enough to not spill its contents and keeping up with the speed in which he sipped. The wine was smooth and left him thirsty for more. It was like nothing he had before.
Cellaneo sulked. She hunched over, resting her cheek in her palm and propping get elbow on her knee. She watched the two girls treat him like royalty.
"Miss Aisha?" he asked once most of the food was gone.
"Had enough?" Aisha's eyes flashed like a wolf ready to take the kill.
He suppressed the shudder of dread… and excitement. "I just wanted to ask. Why me? Why are you being so nice to me after what I've done?"
"Fishing for a compliment? That's not an attractive feature in a man."
He kept his stare level with hers. He wasn't looking for something like that. He only wanted the truth.
She approved of something within him by the way her smile shifted. "I knew you were a virgin as soon as I saw you. But more than that, you've got a gentle soul. It makes me want to corrupt it."
He didn't know what he was expecting. That she was a good person who was doing this out of the kindness of her heart? She was being selfish. He wasn't against it, though.
"Okay," he said with a warm smile. "You've given me so much, Miss Aisha. If all you want is… one night with me… It feels like I'm the one getting everything. I never thought the girl of my dreams would approach me first."
Her eyes widened. Now for sure he noticed the red spreading throughout her cheeks.
That carnivorous smile of hers returned with a vengeance right after. "Aren't you the little natural? Gods, I'm just dripping down there. What's your name?"
He never gave it, he realized.
"It's Bell. Bell Cranel."
"Well Bell, I'm going to make sure no woman you lay with will every match up to me."
"Those're fighting words, Aisha," Cellaneo muttered.
Bell couldn't hold back his smile as a soothing warmth swelled within his chest. He couldn't believe this was happening. Not only was he going to live his dream with someone like Aisha but two others wanted to share in this moment as well. He couldn't possibly be any happier than at this moment.
Unfortunately, the curse of the city wouldn't let him have this moment.
All three girls froze. He had no idea what happened. They seemed so lively barely a second ago. Their heads turned towards the gaping hole where the door had once been.
"Phryne," Aisha swore under her breath. "She's coming."
Was that someone's name? It sounded kinda cute. Yet all three girls were breaking out into child sweat.
"Quick! Hide him!" Cellaneo shouted in alarm.
He didn't know what happened or how. One moment he was sitting with Aisha and Phoebe pressed against him and in the next he was being smothered by pillows. Lots of pillows. He could barely breathe as every inch of him was buried. The girls laid on top of him, adjusting themselves to look like they had been comfortable for a long time.
Bell had the tiniest crack to see through. All he could see was the doorway.
He heard the stomping first. It made the couch shake as a rhythmic beat of a drum filled the hallway outside. It got louder by the second. Something big was approaching
A small hand clutched against the doorway. It confused him. And then a massive body attached to that small hand pulled itself into the room.
The thing was over two meders tall with a round, bulbous figure. Tiny arms and legs, belonging more to that of a child, were attached to this mass of meat. Leather armor covered it in what would normally be for a hunter of the forest.
The head was also just as grotesquely huge. A humanoid face was attached to the front that was more liken to a Bullfrog. He thought a mushroom was growing and consuming the head but he soon realized that mushroom-shaped attachment was human hair.
Whatever stepped into the room nearly made him gag. It was hideous. He felt shame for feeling this about anyone. He didn't know this person.
"Ayyyyee," he nearly gasped. That thing was a woman! It smiled with too many teeth. "I smell me a young'un. Where you keeping him, Aisha?"
"Away from you," Aisha's voice was harsh and cold. "I found him fair and square. Go out and find your own man. Though good luck with that mug of yours."
The thing that was a woman gave a nasally laugh. "Jealous now, are we? How petty. It's not my fault the boys in town can't stand up to my looks. It's hard being the most beautiful one here, cept for Lady Ishtar. But she's on a whole different world."
"You're delusional, Phryne," Cellaneo hissed with just as much disdain as Aisha. "Go away. We're in the middle of something and you're not welcome."
"Don't be like that," Phryne took a few steps forward. The wood underneath groaned. "I'm bored as hell. None of the men here can entertain me. Let me have some of the fun."
The girls pressed together a little tighter. He nearly groaned by their combined weight. They were smothering him beneath the pillows. At least he could still see through the same gap.
"No," Phoebe's voice was firm. "All the men you devour are wasted. You're not having him."
Phryne was now standing in front of them. She licked her lips as her eyes looked from one girl to the other. Her nostrils flared; and her eyes landed on Bell's.
"There you are," her smile grew.
Phryne lunged for him. The world spun as the couch was knocked over and he was pulled by several pairs of hands. He had somehow managed to get back on his feet. However, Aisha and Cellaneo were pulling on one arm, Phryne gripping the other tightly, and Phoebe had her arms wrapped around his waist and pulling him away from Phryne.
"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" He screamed as he felt his limbs stretch. Something within him was creaking and he heard his bones crack. His skin and muscles were on fire as the girls fought over him.
"Let go!" Aisha snarled. "He's mine!"
"I promise to give him back when I'm done," Phryne cackled and pulled a little harder. Bell let out a scream of utmost agony. Phryne had been able to pull him a few celches while dragging the other girls.
"You're going to break him!" Aisha argued. "It won't be the same after you're done with him! You'll give him back all mangled and gross. I'd rather fuck a corpse!"
She and the other girls pulled at him. He didn't budge due to Phryne's superior strength, who had been able to hold all three of them back. Something within him was about to break. They were going to rip his arm out. He kept groaning in agony with tears sprouting out.
"You're the one who's about to break him."
Aisha, Cellaneo, and Phoebe released him. They stood straight with frightful expressions. Phryne kept a grip on his wrist; she looked annoyed at who spoke up.
The goddess Ishtar looked at all of them with a flat stare. She leaned on the doorframe with her arms crossed; an unlit long pipe twirled lazily at her fingertips.
"Lady Ishtar," Aisha's voice was hoarse. She glanced at Bell and quickly moved in front of him. Phoebe covered his eyes.
"Enough," he heard Ishtar's voice crack like a whip. "If you can't sort this out among yourselves without damaging the goods then you shouldn't be playing in the first place. Boy, you'll come with me."
"Lady Ishtar!" Cellaneo whined. "That's not fair! We were all going to share him but then Phryne got in the way!"
"I wouldn't have minded to give him back when I was done," Phryne argued back. "You're the one who had a problem with it."
"I said enough!" Ishtar yelled at them, more like a mother angry at her squabbling children. "You will all cease this and prepare yourselves for the night. There's money to be made. Fix this mess and start looking for customers. Come, boy. I'll not repeat myself."
The girls all gave loud whines. Phoebe's eyes pulled away from him and she took a step back. Phryne didn't let go of him. Not at first anyways. Her eyes locked on the goddess', who gave her a raised brow as if daring her to defy the deity, and then let him go. The skin she held onto was bruised.
He grabbed the hem of his towel to readjust the knot. He offered a word of apology to Aisha before approaching the goddess. Aisha clicked her tongue and turned her back on them. Ishtar didn't react to it; she only began to casually stroll down the hallway. And Bell followed her without question.
0-0-0
Ishtar's private office was at the fifth floor of the palace. It had marble columns with hanging gardens, lavish embroidered rugs thrown over another in layers, velvet couches and chairs and lounges, and a dark wooden desk with shelves filled with scrolls and books behind it. At the far end of the room was a bed twice the size of Aisha's and a balcony to overlook the entire district.
He sat on one such couch, back straight and hands on his lap. His head was bowed. The goddess Ishtar hadn't said a word since taking him. She moved about the office, revealing a secret compartment in the wall that stored wine, and poured two cups.
"I-I can't take your wine!" he blurted out.
She looked at him. Cold, fierce eyes liken to a serpent's pierced into his. "Oh? And why not? I seem to have seen some wine in Aisha's room. Are you saying my charity isn't as good as hers?"
"I'm not saying that at all!" He gasped. "It's just… you're a goddess. I can't possibly take anything from you. I'm not worth it."
She hummed. He didn't know what it meant. She continued to pour the wine, place the bottle back in the safebox, and walk towards the couch. Her steps were light and he couldn't help but notice the way her hips swayed with each step. The jingle of her dozens of jewelry forced his eyes to look at them. It made his face blaze as most of her jewelry was used to cover her naked body.
She slid into the couch and directly at his side so swiftly and silently it was as though she were an apparition. She did so casually and without a single thought of the indecency of such an intimate action. She offered him one cup. He took it with shaking hands— his whole body was shaking.
She watched him without blinking.
"You've never been with a woman before," it wasn't a question.
Had he taken a sip from the wine and he would have spat it back out from shock.
She crossed one leg over the other. Doing so brought her calf to rub against his leg. She had to have known they were touching like this. Yet she didn't seem to care. She wasn't teasing him either like with the other girls. She only watched him.
"What is your name, boy?"
"B-Bell," his voice was quiet. "Bell Cranel, ma'am."
"You will call me Goddess or Lady Ishtar," she said with a slight frown. "Drink your wine."
"Y-Yes, goddess. Thank you for the drink."
He complied. He honestly didn't want the wine but he wouldn't dare to be rude to a goddess. He raised the cup and took a drink. It was very bitter but had a fruity aftertaste. It was also much smoother than the one Aisha offered him. This could go down as easily as juice.
He pulled the cup down, or at least tried to. Right when he was about to remove it from his lips, Ishtar tipped it back into him with a delicate hand at the bottom of the cup. He nearly sputtered but kept drinking. Some wine spilled out of the corner of his mouth. And Ishtar kept pushing the cup upwards. She did this until he was forced to finish the drink.
"G-Goddess?" He asked her the question with his eyes. He was starting to feel warm and his mind was a little fuzzy. He was already affected from fatigue and the wine Aisha gave him. This was only accelerating his drunken state.
"Tell me something, Bell," she propped her elbow at the head of the couch while resting her temple on her knuckles. "What are you doing here?"
"I… was taken by Aisha," he answered honestly. "I accidentally spilled soup on her. I offered to make amends but she took me here. I couldn't stop her. I thought she was going to torture me but instead…"
"You were going to make sweet love to her?" Ishtar finished.
"S-She gave me food, let me use her shower, and took my clothes to be washed," he finished what he originally wanted to say. His face was burning at Ishtar's words. He couldn't look at her.
She poured half of her cup into his. He looked at her and she stared back with intent clear in her eyes. He had no choice but to drink. At least she didn't make him drink it all this time.
"And you were fine with that?" she asked next. She gave a single dry chuckle. "Of course you were. You're a boy and Aisha is one of my best."
"Aisha was the first to show me kindness," he said in a low voice. "I… I was so bad I would have done anything for the food alone."
She hummed again and gestured for him to drink. He did.
"And the fact she's such an exotic flower had nothing to do with your impression?" she mused dryly.
He couldn't tell if he was feeling hot because of the alcohol or his blushing. "Aisha… is very beautiful. I've never seen a girl like her."
"What about Phryne? Would you have fucked her if she had been in Aisha's place?"
He instantly felt cold and sick. Something tight wrapped around the inside of his stomach. He hated himself right now. "Maybe. I shouldn't be thinking this. I don't know her. But if she had shown me the same kindness… I might have gone with it. I was in a really bad place."
"You wouldn't have survived," Ishtar took his cup and slid hers into his grip. "Phryne has a reputation here as being the Man Devourer. If she weren't such a capable fighter I would have tossed her away. She frightens customers away."
"T-Thank you for rescuing me," he said and meant it.
"Don't think I did this out of the kindness of my heart," she gave him a coy smile. "My intentions are just as selfish as Aisha's. There's something I wanted to figure out about you."
"What's that?" he asked as he drank more wine. He didn't realize he was doing it. The cup was there at his lips and he didn't give it any further thought.
"They say a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts," she said while pressing herself closer to him. Her hand landed on his thigh with a sharp nail sliding up and down. There was no lust in her eyes like with the other girls. She was detached about it, only testing him for something.
Still, he couldn't help but react the same way. He stiffened… in one place more than his shoulders.
Ishtar had noticed but didn't comment. Her hand strayed dangerously close to the member, though. Her sharp eyes continued to search for something within him. "Tell me, Bell, what do you think about me?"
"I…" he gulped. "I find you very beautiful, goddess. I'm grateful to you and your familia for what they've done for me so far."
"Beautiful?" she frowned. "Not pretty?"
"B-But you are pretty!" He yelped. There was something dangerous in her eyes. "You're both! You're a very mature and elegant woman. A real goddess! I'm not worthy of being this close to you."
"Is that so? Then will you tell me you love me?"
The question threw him off so much he had a moment of sober clearness. He blinked once. "L-L-Love?! Goddess… I don't think I have the right to say something like that. A-And… I don't know you. It wouldn't be right to say that to a stranger."
Whatever he said baffled her. Her eyes flicked between both of his, as if either eyeball would hold separate answers each. Her upper body leaned away to get a better overall look of his face. Her hand remained on his lap.
"You are a curiosity," she muttered. "You're completely unaffected by my charm. I wonder if it's because there's not enough exposure?"
He had no idea what she was talking about. It was also difficult to follow. The room was starting to sway.
He received another moment of clarity when she began to take off her jewelry.
"G-G-Goddess! What're you doing l!" he leapt where he sat.
Thin veils and gold ornaments clattered onto the floor. There was nothing to hide her naked figure this time. She pulled her hair back and leaned back, exposing her large breasts for him to see fully.
He turned the other way.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded as if he was the one doing something indecent.
"Y-You're naked! Goddess please put some clothes back on!"
She made a disgruntled noise. The nearly empty cup of wine he held was snatched out of his grip. The rest of the contents ran down the top of his head. She had poured it over him.
"You have no problem sleeping with Aisha but you won't so much as look at a Goddess of Beauty?" her voice was low and burning with rage.
"It's because you're a goddess I can't look!" He tried to reason with her. He kept his eyes shut as the wine ran down his face.
"Whose child are you?" she demanded next. "What familia do you belong do?! What skill do you have that allows you to refuse my charm?!"
"I'm not! I'm not in any familia! I've been looking for one but everyone's refused me! They keep saying I'm too weak or too poor… They say I have no conviction… and that I'll just drag them down…"
His hands clutched into fists as his forgotten shame had returned. He kept his eyes shut, now more to avoid meeting her gaze than to see her naked body.
"...Show me your back," she said with a skeptical expression.
He happily obliged. He didn't know why she asked but it gave him an excuse to not look at her. Though when he did open his eyes he saw her reflection in a polished vase nearby. He shut his eyes again.
Her hand pressed on his back. Fingers traced the muscles as if in search of something. He didn't know what she was looking for.
"This is impossible," he heard her whisper. "What are you?"
He didn't know how to answer that question. He probably wasn't meant to hear it.
"...You will join my familia."
His head snapped up and eyes flew open.
"You will be given a room of your own and meals," she said in a sharp tone. "Clothes will be provided to you if you don't have any. You will receive instruction on how to make money within my familia. Do you understand?"
He must have been completely hammered. He could have sworn he just heard…
"You… You'll let me join your familia?" his voice was so small, so weak, and so full of hope he didn't recognize it.
"I am taking you," she corrected. "Whether by your consent or not doesn't matter to me."
He didn't say anything for a moment. He did hear correctly. She wanted him to join her familia. He finally had a place to belong to. The nightmare was over.
He wanted to cry. Instead, he lifted his head and smiled. "Yes! Thank you! I'll do everything I can to make sure I belong!"
"Then you will turn around and look at me."
He hesitated for the same reasons as before. But he steeled himself. With a large gulp, he turned back around. His eyes found hers. His peripheral vision betrayed him and he fought every nerve and instinct within him to look lower.
"Come with me," she rose to her feet suddenly. He got a face full of her perky breasts and then some. She walked around the couch and headed towards the bed.
He followed, his head bowed and hands over his crotch.
She reached for his hands, forced them to part, and pulled off the towel. He wanted to cover his nakedness but she smacked his hand aside. She used the towel to wipe the wine off of his face and hair. She tossed the towel away as she stepped up and cupped his cheek.
"I am Ishtar, goddess of war and fertility. You will become my child henceforth. You will follow my every word from this point on. Any show of insubordination will have you punished. Am I clear?"
"Yes, goddess," he said. His heart was pounding in both excitement, embarrassment, and arousal. He put all his energy into making sure his eyes remained on her.
"You will lie on that bed. And don't cover yourself."
She stepped to the side, watching him intently. He wasn't allowed to disobey her command. He obeyed, crawling onto the sheets and then lying down on his back. He so desperately wanted to shield himself with his hands. Instead, he went to cover his face.
He felt Ishtar's glare this time. He may have whimpered as he forced his hands away.
Ishtar crawled in after him. One leg swung over his and she sat on his lap. His piece rubbed against her bare crotch, one move away from entering her. He could feel her secret spot kiss his. She leaned over and placed her hands on his chest.
"Goddess…" his eyes were wide. This was wrong. Completely wrong. This was something sacred. Gods and mortals can't do something like this. They were gods and Bell was just a mortal child. He wasn't worthy of such a moment with a divine being.
Unless…
She told him to say he loved her. Why would she make such a specific request? Did that mean she…?
"Quiet now," she said as she lifted herself up. One hand gripped his membrane. He felt the tip rub against her. "Match my breathing. Follow your instincts. I will teach you what it means to be my child."
She slid down. His world went white as a sensation unlike any before surged up his spine. Ishtar enveloped him all the way to the base. Her insides were warm, moist, and almost too tight. She clutched against him in such a grip he couldn't help but let out a gasp.
"Look at me."
He did. She was smiling. A sultry smile mixed in with pride and satisfaction. She kept her hands on his chest as she began to move. Her hips swayed back and forth in gentle rhythms. He released a few more gasps, and each one made her smile grow.
"W-Wait! I need—"
He never got to finish warning her. Something rose out of him. It made him jerk his hips out of control. A groan escaped his lips as white filled his vision.
"So soon?" Ishtar had a mix between disappointment and amusement in her voice. "It's to be expected. You are a boy. But you're still young. You can keep going."
She began to move her hips again. This time she did it with more thrust. She moved tougher than before. His breathing picked up as an itch he just couldn't scratch was making him go mad. An itch that only Ishtar could satisfy with every sway of her hips.
"Match my movements. Move your hips."
She grabbed his hands and guided them to her rear. She kept them there, making sure he wouldn't let go. She kept swaying back and forth, up and down, moving in a single continuous motion.
When his hands grabbed onto her rear instead of resting there, she let out a purr of pleasure. It made his heart skip a beat. His hips began to move on their own. He wasn't thinking; his body was only reacting as instinct took over.
Another surge of electricity swam through him. This one had taken longer than the first. Ishtar stopped moving to give him a satisfied smile.
And then she began to move again. Rougher. Harder. More primal and hungrily. Before was nothing but a test. Now she put her all into the final act.
She threw her head back and rolled her hips as hard as she could. The bed creaked under them. He was letting out short gasps with every thrust of his own. She got tighter and her movements accelerated.
She suddenly stopped and let out a moan. The sound of her voice sent him through euphoria. As she tightened around him, he was struck with one final surge of passion. His body convulsed. Ishtar let out a soft moan as she lowered herself.
She fell forward and sprawled herself down at his side. They were both breathing hard, though he was more than her. One of her hands lay on his chest and a leg was thrown over his.
"Now will you tell me you love me, Bell?" she whispered into his ear.
"I…" he panted. "I can't. But I will try to love you, goddess. You made me the happiest man alive."
She hummed again. One finger player on his chest. "Still unaffected. I made the right choice in keeping you. You're dangerous in someone else's hands."
His head rested on the soft sheets. He wanted to pass out but his hammering heart wouldn't let him. He was trying to catch his breath.
He was no longer a virgin. To think he would have made love to a goddess. He never even dreamed of it! It was unfathomable! The gods were gods! He sooner imagined sleeping with a cute barmaid first. Aisha was out of his league.
But Ishtar? She was on a whole different world. And yet she had chosen to share this moment with him.
He promised he would earn his keep in this familia. And… he will make Ishtar happy. He needed to take responsibility as a man. He had just made love to her, after all.
"By the way, goddess? What kind of familia do you have?"
Ishtar raised her head and gave him an odd look.
Was his question really that strange?
Omake
"...Did you have to share every detail about Ishtar?" Hestia's brows were in a flat line. Her cheeks were still read after listening to thirty minutes of Bell rambling on about his first night with the goddess.
"I felt it was important," Bell shrugged. "Ishtar was a monster but she was the best in the trade."
Hestia couldn't help but make an unpleasant face.
"Is something wrong goddess?" Bell cocked his head to the side. "Ah, don't worry. I'm sure you have some impressive stories yourself. Any man you've been with must have had their breath taken away."
Her face flashed crimson, "What kind of person do you take me for?! I'm a virgin goddess. A virgin!"
He was taken aback, "W-Wha…? But you're a goddess. How can you not be with a man for so long?"
"No man can reach my standards, that's all," she looked away. "I'm looking for Mr Right is all."
"Um, Bell?" Haruhime raised her hand.
"Yes?" he looked at her from where she sat on the bed's edge.
"About your story? How did you know about the scene you weren't there for?"
The room was silent as both girls stared at him. His face was blank. He blinked and exchanged glances with them.
"Divine intervention?" he more asked than answered.
"I-Is that so?" Haruhime gave a flimsy smile.
"Did I ever tell you about how I met Mia Grand?" Bell leapt straight into his next story before they could press for a better answer.
"Who?" Hestia made the mistake of asking that. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
And Bell began to retell his story of another incident within the Ishtar Familia. Hestia wanted to bang her head against the wall. She swore if he gave another graphic and disturbingly detailed description of this person's cooch, she might just disband this Familia. Was the money actually worth it?
...Yes. Yes it was.
Hestia bit her lip and listened.
(Pat reon: Arrixam)