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Chapter 15

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Daenerys trailed silently after her brother, eyes firmly fixed upon the floor, trying to quell the tears of anger and humiliation that so desperately wanted to escape.

Her brother walked a few steps ahead, his chin higher than normal as he glared down his nose at everything and anything, not even bothering to see if his little sister was following.

The entrance hall they were walking down was longer than she'd expected, and yet somewhat empty. No great tapestries or works of art meant to show off the owners wealth adorned the walls.

But despite being surrounded by bleak, dark grey stone, she couldn't help but be surprised at the feeling of warmth and comfort that seemed to envelop her as she walked, soothing her fear and heartache.

Viserys, on the other hand, seemed to be getting more and more tense as they went further in.

After only another minute, they finally came to a second set of doors, which Viserys threw open without a seconds pause. At this, Daenerys finally looked up.

A wide, open hall stretched out before them, brightly lit by floating balls of fire that bounced up and down cheerfully.

But it was the three people who stood at the far end that really caught her attention.

Naruto was the first she took note of among them. He was dressed much the same way as she'd first seen him, black sandals, a dark shirt and pants with orange highlights, and the red, fiery coat he seemed so fond of.

To his left was a woman in an embroidered lilac dress. Her skin was pale and smooth, dark hair flashing in the light from the floating fires. Dark violet eyes - a similar shade as their own! - looked amusedly at Viserys, then flicked her way.

To his right was another woman, in a dress that seemed to shimmer between various shades of orange. Dark haired, her olive skin and dark brown eyes were a stark contrast to her friend. She smiled warmly at Daenerys, ignoring her brother utterly.

The silver-haired girl blushed at the attention. They were both so beautiful.

"Be welcome and find safety and shelter within my walls, Viserys and Daenerys of House Targaryen," Naruto said formally, his voice echoing in the brightly lit hall.

Surprised for a moment at such a ceremonious greeting after weeks spent seeing the man laughing and joking with common sailors, they were both caught somewhat flat-footed.

They hadn't trained as a prince and princess for nothing, though, and recovered easily enough.

Viserys gave a small incline of his head, as befitting the rightful heir of the Seven Kingdoms. No need to bow like a common lord or nobleman.

Daenerys, on the other hand, gave a deep curtsy. Her brother had beaten the need for proper manners into her, even when greeting those who he saw as lesser than they, which seemed to include everyone on the planet.

And, of course, he never felt as though he should follow his own advice.

Naruto noted the difference in their greetings and seemed torn between smiling and frowning, but shook his head. "Alright, alright. All this formal talk is making me cranky."

The olive-skinned woman gave a long-suffering sigh, cutting in with a soft, soothing voice. "Naruto, you can't simply ignore the customs of this country because you find them personally unpleasant."

"Says who?" he scoffed. "There's plenty of things in this country that are stupid and I'll ignore them as I damn well please."

The other woman broke in with a roll of her eyes. "And as we keep telling you, if you ever want to be taken seriously as a nobleman, you'll have to learn some proper manners."

"Coming from you, that's rich," he snarked. "Besides, as I keep telling everyone, I'm not a nobleman! I don't even pretend to be I'm one!"

The dark-eyed woman frowned at him reprovingly. "You are lord and master of this city, despite what anyone says. Considering your plans for this place, you need to learn the proper way the Westerosi do this or you'll hardly ever get any respect. And you will learn, if we have to sit you down and glue a book to your face."

Daenerys watched the back-and-forth with wide eyes. She'd grown up in fear of this man, with her brother constantly telling her that he, among all the others who had rebelled against their father, was easily the most dangerous.

To see him being ordered around like this was surreal. It made him seem more… human.

A warm feeling spread in her chest at the thought.

The dark-eyed woman walked forward as Naruto bickered with the other, until she was standing in front of the younger woman.

"You must be Daenerys," she said warmly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Ah... thank you?" she responded. She wasn't used to being addressed so informally, or in such a tone, for that matter.

And she certainly wasn't used to being talked to while her brother was ignored. The warm feeling began to spread.

Viserys wasn't used to ignored either.

He didn't like it.

"Excuse me," he said thinly, glaring at the woman, then at Naruto. "You have kept me in the dark for weeks. I demand to know why you brought us here!"

And just like that, the good mood was gone.

Both women turned to stare at the young man. The looks on their faces could only be described as disdainful.

"Oh, he demands, does he?" the violet-eyed woman said, a dark smile on her lips. "Isn't that cute?"

The dark-eyed woman simply glared.

Viserys was taken aback by the sudden surge of anger directed his way, and stumbled for a moment.

Naruto smiled and laid a hand on their arms.

Daenerys watched as both women almost visibly relaxed at his touch.

Staring at the younger man, Naruto simply sighed, looking at both of them. "Perhaps it might be best if you introduced yourselves."

"Best for who?" the pale-skinned woman asked, but drew herself up nonetheless, giving a small curtsy. "I am Ashara of House Dayne, Lady of Starfall."

Both Targaryens rocked back in shock. House Dayne was one they'd heard many stories about as children.

Daenerys asked a question before she could think to stop herself. "Did you know Ser Arthur Dayne? The knight of the Kingsguard?"

Viserys had told her all about their older brother Rhaegar's best friend. A legendary warrior and knight, famed for his chivalry and martial prowess, killed by Eddard Stark at the foot of the Tower of Joy at the end of the rebellion.

"Know him?" Ashara said, her face softening at the childlike wonder in the girl's voice, even as memories flickered through her mind. "He was my older brother."

Viserys took that information in. Though somewhat angry at his sister for her outburst, he was more interested in what the violet-eyed woman spoke of.

He remembered her as a former lady-in-waiting to his older brother's wife, though he hadn't interacted with them while he'd been staying the Red Keep.

Surely, as her older brother had been a friend and ally of his own, that meant that she would give her support to him? House Dayne didn't speak for all of Dorne, but it wasn't a small house by any means.

A smile began to grow on his face, and he bowed slightly in Ashara's direction, eyes raking over her form. "Indeed. I look forward to meeting later to… discuss a few things."

He didn't notice how Naruto's expression tightened at his presumption, though Daenerys surely did.

The other woman stepped forward, glaring at the boy.

"Despite what you might think, we are not here to discuss anything with the likes of you, least of all that rapist you call brother," she growled, eyes flashing with anger.

Both Targaryens gaped at her for a moment, before Viserys swelled in rage. "How DARE you! My brother was unjustly accused by those traitorous bastards and seduced by that Northern harlot! I will not let you insult him!"

"Seduced?" the woman scoffed. "I knew Rhaegar better than you ever did, you pompous brat. I knew what kind of man he was."

Naruto trailed a hand down her back, soothing her with his touch, while Ashara simply looked concerned.

Gritting his teeth, Viserys snarled at the woman. "And just who do you think you are?"

She gave a small, bitter smile. "I'm surprised you don't remember, Viserys. Though you were occupied with listening to your insane father pour his filth in your ear, so maybe I shouldn't be."

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the woman drew herself up, staring down at them both.

"My name is Elia, of House Martell, Lady and Princess of Sunspear," she said, an undercurrent of steel in her voice. "Former wife and consort to Rhaegar Targaryen."

Daenerys goggled at the woman with an open mouth.

She'd heard that name before. Viserys seemed to delight in telling stories about her, about the pathetic Dornish princess their brother had been forced to marry. A weak, frail woman, who couldn't keep the Silver Prince happy, forcing him to find another.

The tall, beautiful woman staring down at them imperiously seemed anything but weak.

Naruto, on the other hand, was torn between being concerned and being proud. Elia had never enjoyed being reminded about how her life used to be. It had never been her choice to marry Rhaegar, but she had done her duty and even grown to care about him. Despite what Robert Baratheon liked to preach, he hadn't been a soulless monster by any means. But as her husband grew older and more distant, she couldn't deny that every fault she'd first noticed about him began to be magnified. Which had soon led to his ultimate betrayal, of both her and their children, leaving them surrounded by monsters on all sides.

But she also wasn't the same person she used to be.

Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, Elia drew herself up, rising above the fear and pain that tried so desperately to drag her back down.

Then she turned her head to look at Naruto, who had a small smile on his face. "Maybe now you'd like to tell us why you brought these two here?"

Before he could answer, Daenerys interrupted. "You mean it wasn't you?" she blurted out. Viserys gave her a withering glare, but she ignored it. "But… if you didn't want us here, then why are we…?"

"It's not that I didn't want you here, sweetheart," Elia said, glaring at her brother in turn. "I am simply unsure that our other guest is worth the effort."

Ashara stepped around the blond, taking up position on Elia's other side, taking her hand supportively. "But still, that's a good question. Perhaps you'll like to answer it, Naruto?"

With everyone in the room looking at him for answers, the man simply gave an enigmatic smile. "And what makes you think it was my idea to bring you two here?"

Rapidly growing tired of his dodging about, Viserys snarled at the man. "Then whose idea was it!?"

Then, to their surprise, the answer came from a different direction and from a different voice, one that seemed to catch at all their memories.

"It was mine."

As one, they all turned towards the source of the voice. From a side hallway, another clone of Naruto walked in, but it was who walked beside him that had their attention.

Elia and Ashara both gasped in recognition. Even after fifteen years, they still remembered this woman.

She was thin, moving slowly and with great care, as if every step she took actually hurt. Long silver hair trailed past her shoulders down to her back, while sparkling purple eyes took in all of their expressions with a single look.

Naruto's clone, after making sure that she could stand on her own, dispelled with a single hand-sign. The real one, feeling the familiar surge of memories, took a moment to review them.

Upon doing so, he turned to glare at Viserys, who seemed even paler than usual.

Rhaella noticed the same, and for just a moment, she wanted to rush over and hold her son in her arms.

Then she remembered just what her son had become and ruthlessly crushed that impulse.

"Hello, Viserys," she said softly.

"You… mothe— I—" he stuttered, seeming dazed and confused. Then, to everyones surprise, he pitched over backwards in a dead faint.

For a few seconds, they simply stared at his fallen body, wondering what to do.

"Ooo... kay," Naruto said, his estimation of Viserys going down a notch. "Wasn't expecting that."

Elia, meanwhile, stepped forward hesitantly. "R-Rhaella? Is that you?" she asked, looking at the familiar face of her mother-in-law.

The older woman looked her way and gave a soft smile. "It's good to see you again, dear. You seem happier than last I saw you."

Ashara stepped forward with her princess to face the Targaryen matriarch, an awed look on her face. "...Without meaning to be insulting, your highness… so do you."

Rhaella had never disdained speaking to her, despite that she was a mere lady-in-waiting.

The woman's smile became slightly more brittle. "…I thought I might. Surprising that fifteen years in a coma would be more healthy for me than being married to a madman," she said, but managed a genuine grin. "Or maybe not so surprising."

The two younger women both laughed at that, still in a state of shock over this revelation.

Then, Rhaella turned to the youngest person in the room.

Slowly, she walked forward until she was only a step away, and lifted her hands, gently cupping the girl's cheeks.

"…You're even more beautiful than I thought you'd be," she smiled softly.

Daenerys looked up at the woman, who seemed so warm and caring and familiar. She and Viserys were the last of the Targaryens. Why did this woman possess the same eyes and hair?

"Who… who are you?" she asked, simultaneously hoping for and afraid of the answer.

Rhaella felt her heart break a little at that, but managed to keep the tears at bay.

"Well, you know my name, even if you don't remember that I belong to it," she said with a small smile. "My name... is Rhaella. My husband's name was Aerys. My sons' names were Rhaegar and Viserys. And my daughter's name… is Daenerys."

The young girl's eyes widened as she stared up into those purple eyes, finally realizing why they looked so familiar.

They were the same eyes she saw every time she looked in a mirror.

Rhaella gave a genuine, happy smile, even as tears trailed down her cheeks.

"I'm your mother, sweetling," she said. "And I've waited a long time to see you again."

For a long moment, she tried to think of something to say.

"M-mother?" she whispered hesitantly. "Y-you're my... mother?"

Rhaella nodded once. "I am. And I'm so, so sorry that I wasn't there for you all those years. I... I understand if you're angry with me—"

Daenerys rushed forward and nearly bowled her over, squeezing the older woman in a desperate hug, which Rhaella soon returned, fresh tears spilling from her eyes.

They stayed that way for a long moment, getting used to the feeling.

"I imagine there is a lot you two want to talk about," Naruto said softly, a fond smile on his face at the sight. A clone popped into existence beside him. "He can lead you to somewhere private, if you want. I'll also have one take Viserys to his room."

Rhaella, still stroking her daughter's hair, gave him a smile. "I think that may be a good idea. Thank you, Naruto."

Then, to their surprise, Daenerys finally extricated herself from the hug she'd been sharing and turned away from her mother, who let her go, confused.

To their surprise, she darted forward and embraced Naruto, who seemed surprised at being clung to by the teenaged girl. He quickly realized that she was trying to say something.

"T—thank you," she managed, trembling, even as tears soaked into his jacket. "Thank you so much."

He hugged the trembling girl close, a small smile on his face. "…No problem, kiddo."

Dany let go after another second, discreetly trying to wipe her eyes. She quickly walked back to her mother who held out a hand for her to take, which she did without hesitation, almost as if Rhaella would vanish if she didn't. With the clone leading, the two exited the hall to talk in private, leaving Elia, Ashara, Naruto and the prone form of Viserys behind.

Another clone popped into existence and, without hesitation, grabbed the boy on the floor by the front of his shirt and began dragging him away, leaving the three to stand in silence for a long moment.

"So…" Ashara said, breaking the silence. She looked Naruto's way with narrowed eyes. "Is this gonna become a theme with you? Rescuing all the pretty damsels in the land?"

He shrugged, still smiling. "Who knows? Maybe I'm just lucky."

"Some luck," Elia murmured, still staring in the direction mother-in-law had went. "She said she was in a coma for fifteen years? How did you even find her?"

"…A few of my clones infiltrated Dragonstone during the last days of the war," he replied. "I wasn't really capable of rational thought at the time, so they took it upon themselves to see if they couldn't find a way to end the war sooner rather than later. Rhaegar and Aerys were dead by then. Robert was savoring his victory," he paused, a brief look of anger crossing his face. "—While Ned was no use to anyone, focused only on finding his sister."

Both of them tensed slightly as he talked about the past. They remembered those days all too well.

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose. "My clones arrived just after the birth, when the storm was at its height. They found the two kids being spirited away by Willem Darry and a few servants to Braavos, I suspect with the aid of Varys."

"The Spider?" Ashara asked, surprised at that. "Why would he do that?"

"A card he could fall back on if needs be," he said, furrowing his brow. "Varys was smart enough to foresee that Roberts' reign would most likely be unstable. Keeping the Targaryens alive and out of the way would give him a reliable second option, just in case. I imagine, with how Joffrey has turned out, that card may be needed now, more than ever."

Then, to both of their surprise, he suddenly laughed. "But of course, seeing as how they have mysteriously vanished, I imagine he's shitting bricks right about now."

The two promptly shuddered at that image. They had nothing against eunuchs in general, but Varys, in the brief time they'd known him when he had been in the Mad King's service, had always seemed too... slippery.

"Anyway. I— they— WE arrived when most of the castle was in the process of being deserted," he said, stumbling over how exactly to describe what was, essentially, himself. "Most of the nobles had gone by then or been lost with the Royal Fleet, most of the servants were quietly pilfering whatever wasn't nailed down."

He walked over and took both their hands, before a quick teleportation had them appear back in their shared bedroom. Elia and Ashara, used to his random relocations by now, simply stumbled a bit as the floor changed beneath their feet.

"That's when I found her."

"Rhaella?" Elia asked softly.

"Mm," he hummed in assent.

Ashara simply stared him in the eye. "What happened, Naruto? She said she was in a coma for fifteen years."

"As to what happened… I found her in a room at the top of the centermost tower, the Stone Drum, I think it's called. She… wasn't in good shape."

At that, a stormy expression began to grown on his face as he stared out the window.

"The effort of birthing Daenerys had weakened her greatly, but that was simply the last straw. What Aerys did to her…" he growled, his hands tightening into fists.

"What he did to her was an open secret at court," Ashara said, feeling the familiar surge of protective rage that gripped her every time the Mad King had finished burning someone, knowing exactly what he would do next, and being powerless to stop him.

An unseen force began to press against the walls of the room as Naruto began to shake with fury. "If Jaime Lannister hadn't gotten there first, I would have ripped the bastard to shreds with my bare hands."

In the next second, both women had embraced him from behind, their presence draining the rage from him with practiced ease.

All three stayed that way for a few minutes, waiting for Naruto to relax enough to continue, which he soon did.

"What happened to Rhaella could only be described as torture," he said under his breath, just loud enough for them to hear. "The birth was simply too much. Her body began to shut down under the strain. The servants had already left with her children by the time I got there, I imagine because they thought she was already dead and it wasn't worth the effort."

"…Except she wasn't," Ashara guessed, leaning into him.

"She might as well have been," he snorted. "She was barely conscious, bleeding internally, with old wounds and scar tissue on nearly every inch of her body. Not only that, her bones were weak from malnourishment and showed signs of being repeatedly broken."

Both of them gasped and clung to him harder, feeling sick at the thought of what he was describing. They'd known on some level what Aerys was fond of doing, but to hear it described in such detail was horrifying.

He took a deep, rattling breath as he struggled to continue. "She was on the verge of death by the time I— they got there. Healing her internal wounds was only the first step. I learned from one of my friends that the human body can survive up to twenty minutes without a heartbeat and still be resuscitated, though at that point the mind is almost guaranteed to be completely gone."

Elia moved around to his front, still embracing him while she struggled to keep her tears at bay. Ashara wrapped her arms around both of her lovers, trying to comfort both even as her own eyes misted.

"Rhaella's heart stopped for six," Naruto said, remembering with perfect clarity his clones' struggle to keep the woman alive. "But her will was strong and she refused to give up. It was a stroke of pure luck that she managed to survive."

Both women clung to him harder at that, and Ashara tilted her head up to look him in the eye. "It was a stroke of luck that you were there to save her."

He managed a soft smile at that, and leaned down to give her a quick kiss, which she happily returned.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he said when they separated, holding them close. "Even though Rhaella survived, she was close to death for a long time after. Her body could only take so much of my healing chakra at once, and I could only stop for so long before she began to relapse. It was a delicate balance, which I had to continually reinforce. And then, once she was out of danger, there was still the coma to consider. How could I tell you that she was still alive, if it was still possible that she might still die, or never even wake up? It would have been unthinkably cruel."

"Maybe…" Elia mumbled. "And somehow I don't think we'll be in this particular situation again. But I'm asking you, right here, right now, never to leave us in the dark like this again. We want to know, we deserve to know. Even if you think it's something that may hurt us, or bring us false hope."

She slowly retreated from their embrace until she was standing right in front of him, lifting her chin and straightening her stance. Then she spoke, with a tone as clear as crystal.

"We have chosen to spend our lives with you, Naruto Uzumaki. We share your confidence and stand at your side. We have chosen to put our trust in you, because you have proven yourself worthy of it. We will fight for you if needs be, in peace, or in war. All we ask is that you trust us in return."

Naruto stared long and hard at Elia. Hair messed up, clothes askew, makeup running, her eyes red and puffy.

She'd never looked so beautiful.

He stepped forward, gently taking hold of her hands. "I promise. Now and forever."

She smiled, stood on her toes and brought her lips to his.

They embraced for a long moment, and finally separated, enjoying the look in each-other's eyes. And together, they turned to look at Ashara, who was standing beside them, a genuine smile on her face.

"…What she said."

Naruto grinned at that, and pulled her into their shared embrace, giving her a kiss in turn, enjoying the closeness he shared with these two amazing, beautiful women. Gradually, they moved over from the window to a couch, which he promptly plonked down upon, pulling them both down with him.

They stayed like that for a while, simply enjoying being in each others presence. Naruto snaked a hand across the back of the couch to play with a strand of Elia's hair, while his other trailed down Ashara's back, making them both nuzzle into his chest in contentment.

"Why do you do it?" the violet-eyed woman suddenly asked, making the other two perk up at her sudden question.

"Do what?"

"Why do you work so hard at everything?" she questioned, turning her head to look up into his single eye. "From the moment you arrived here, you have near singlehandedly changed the future of this country. There is technology here we barely dreamed of, knowledge and wealth that belonged to a few that you've spread to so many. And the number of people you've saved grows by the day. But I have to wonder why? This world doesn't owe you anything."

For a few minutes, he simply sat there, a far-away look in his eye. What a question.

"Perhaps not," he finally conceded. "But maybe I decided I owe something to this world. Maybe I did something in my homeland that I bitterly regret, something that cannot be forgiven. Maybe every person I help and every life I save is a way to try to make things right."

Both women had straightened as he talked, looking at him in concern. Naruto did not like talking about his past, something he'd made clear early on in their shared relationship, and they both respected that. To hear him speak in such a tone, filled with such pain and self-loathing, made them want to hug him.

So they did.

Naruto swelled the chakra in his belly, and both women shivered in delight as a wave of warm, caring energy gently caressed them, making their hurts and pain from the events of the day fall away. They were still there, but had been made near inconsequential.

Ashara rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Mm, I love when you do that. Makes me feel all tingly inside."

Elia opened her eyes and frowned, resting her head against Naruto's shoulder. "Don't be vulgar, Shara."

"What do you mean, vulgar?" she asked, opening her eyes to glare back at her friend. "You feel the exact same way! Don't deny it!"

"I never said I didn't," Elia sniffed. "I simply have the propriety not to say so out loud."

Ashara reached over and yanked on her nipples.

"Kyaah!"

"Your current state would suggest otherwise," she said, preening.

Elia, who let out a hiss at the rough treatment, turned her head to glare up at Naruto who was smiling at them in amusement. "Aren't you going to defend me!?"

Struggling not to chuckle, he finally nodded.

"…As you wish."

Ashara quickly became wary as their blond lover glanced her way, a predatory grin on his face.

But before she could think to react, he pressed a single finger into the base of her spine, and injected a surge of chakra into the nerve cluster there.

"Gkh!" A single, strangled moan hissed from between her clenched teeth as her hands clenched the fabric of his shirt, her legs squeezing together at the sudden surge of pure pleasure that roared through her body.

Elia watched with wide eyes as her best friend squirmed around on the couch, clinging to Naruto, her eyes blank.

She discreetly rubbed her thighs together.

The ninja, staring down at the unresponsive woman, tapped a finger to his chin. "Ah. Seems it's a bit too effective."

Ashara gurgled unintelligibly.

Elia enjoyed the sight for another second, then glared up at him. "Oh, that's just not fair."

"It's all fair in battle and bedchamber," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow her way. "And I'm missing one eye, but the other can still see plenty. Don't try to pretend you don't enjoy this."

She glanced in a different direction, a blush lighting up her dusky features. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The man hummed in consideration, slowly trailing a single finger along her arm. It wasn't even a remotely sexual gesture, and yet she shivered all the same. "…I think you do. You need to learn how to conceal your toys better."

"Those were meant to be hidden!" she hissed, heating up at his casual mention of what she and Ashara often spent their alone time with.

"Shoved under the couch does not count as hidden," he said, trying not to snicker. "While the Dornish may be considered somewhat edgy compared to the rest of this world, what I used to get up to in my old one would make you spontaneously combust from the sheer eroticism. Whatever you may think, you are still woefully lacking in your knowledge of the many different arts of love."

Swelling indignantly at the blow to her Dornish pride, she was about to loudly assert the opposite, when a hand came up and tweaked at her nipple again.

"Damn it, Shara!" she shrieked as she cupped her boob and glared furiously at her soon-to-be-former friend, who had finally recovered from Naruto's technique and was giving her a small smirk.

The amethyst-eyed woman held up a hand, proclaiming peace. Then she glanced up at Naruto. "What you said. Is it true? Are we truly lacking in such skills?"

He inclined his head.

"Ah," she murmured, thinking deeply. "Well then, it's lucky we have such a… willing and… able teacher."

Slowly, she reached over, taking Elia by the chin, and drew her into a deep kiss that lasted for quite a while. When they finally separated, both were breathing more deeply.

They both turned their heads his way, lascivious looks in their eyes. "Won't you teach us?"

He was quiet for a moment, desire darkening his gaze, until he gave them a lusty grin. "...Well, I never said you didn't have potential."

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A/N: Okay. Couple of things.

Firstly, this little mini-arc is just about done, I'll be back to focusing on a few of the other characters in the next chapter.

That being said, there's still a whole lot to unpack for these characters, stuff that I'm still trying to work out in my head. Perhaps the purple blob will be less sleep-deprived next time.

I hope you enjoyed.

Wolf out.