Chapter 17
Winter was soon over.
Months had passed and yet there was a situation.
Yua was woken up, early one morning by the sound of loud and very anxious banging. She got a robe on and answered the door only to find the curse wombs standing there, and they appeared rather worried.
"Our wives… our wives are gone!" Choso said. "We didn't even see them leave, we never heard anything or saw anyone coming…"
"They were in bed last night, we made sure of it. We even came in to the bed afterwards… how could they have been taken out from under our noses?!" Sho protested.
Yua was concerned as well, however…
"This happened before with lady Tiamat right?" she said aloud.
The brothers paused. "What happened before?" Toshi asked gently.
"When lady Tiamat was to give birth to Yuuji and Suiryu, she didn't do so here. Female dragons never give birth to where they intend on raising their young. Gentlemen, I think your wives are safe, they are just having their children."
They still froze. Tanso shoved his way to the front before he protested to Yua.
'THEN WE SHOULD BE THERE FOR THEM!' was cut into his flesh.
The wound healed as Yua explained. "Tanso, this is how a dragon is. They keep the place they intend on raising their children secret in case something were to happen… It's a precaution, and to my knowledge the father isn't there when the children are born… it's a tradition thing…"
"How do we know?" Junpei asked. "Yua, if what you say is true, how do we know they are safe?"
She paused to consider it, there is one they could ask but she is retired…
"I think you need to speak to a fox. Ask Yuuji or Suiryu to call their guardians, they may have more information." She said gently.
The brothers froze… then suddenly dashed every which way in search of their younger siblings.
It was adorable to see, at the same time, it goes to show that despite what they are. The curse wombs too care for their family deeply.
There was also something else she wanted to ask them about. Their wives, although they all look remarkably similar to each other… with the exception of Syrax. Their appearance has started to change the longer they have been with the brothers. Their hair for example, they were all like Lady Tiamat's. Long with a slight wave to them. But as of late, when Yua saw them, she noticed different colors appearing in their scalp. For example Tanso's wife Melusine. She would have wavy black hair like her mother. But as of late, she noticed it has become straighter, and there are tints of blue being seen within the strands.
Could their current appearance be a bluff to throw off the other dragons?
She didn't want to say anything out loud, so she kept it to herself.
#
By breakfast, there were answers.
Suiryu summoned Ace for his brothers to question, when they spoke of the wives, Ace merely nodded to them. "Yes, the ladies are take to a safe location to have their children." He said bluntly. "Males are not informed so the information doesn't leak as to where they are taken nor where their children are. Rest assured."
Instant relief came to the brothers. Their wives and children are safe, and yet… they felt disheartened.
"We should be there," Eso protested. "How can we protect them if we are not there?"
"That alone is a rather drastic thought. You would attract the dragons to your wives… you are mortal after all, and they know your energy now too. You would have become a beacon to them." Ace insisted.
They froze to the news. "Man, we sound like a bunch of dicks…" Junpei sighed.
Toshi snickered but laughed it off. "If anything, it goes to show we don't completely understand the situation at hand!"
"However, if that is the case, what of your house?" Ace asked offhandedly.
"Our house?" Noranso asked.
"Do you have enough room for children?"
Yua was lingering by when she heard this. She came forward and explained. "There is a nursery for each brother. It can hold quite a few children as needed, and the house can be expanded for when they are older and need more space."
Ace nodded but sighed. "Miss Tooru, with all due respect, dragon children grow remarkable fast. The nursery won't be necessary"
Ah… she should have known that…
"We can do house repairs this month, we will ensure there is enough room for all!" Choso decreed.
"How?" Yua asked.
The brothers paused as they were going to cheer to the notion, until Yua spoke. "What do you mean, how?" asked Sanso.
"Do you know how many children your wives are having? From what I could tell, it's more than one." she said. "Remember how big I looked with the twins? They were bigger than me, but your wives are also dragons…"
The sudden enthusiasm was gone. They froze as to what to do now. "Uh… so… what CAN we do?" Junpei asked.
"May I?" Came Ace.
Yua smiled and nodded.
Ace came before the curse wombs and explained. "If anything, you have the space, make more housing. Have it close by to your lodgings so you are still close enough as a family, but have room for everyone, you many not be able to anticipate your numbers, but you can at least have housing for everyone until you are able to figure out what is needed."
"You also have the second house built too when you learned they were expecting as well. If needed and until you know for certain how many children are going to need a room, you can split yourselves up and one half take the estate, the other take the underground one made." Yua explained.
It set their minds at ease for the moment, the brothers agreed to wait, but, in the mean time they would be preparing and gathering food and supplies.
There was no convincing them otherwise!
Yua sighed and decided to see what else was going on today… after getting dressed of course.
#
She wondered about the domain.
Shin was off training with Gojo. Mochi was with Nanami of all people, why? She didn't know as of yet but either way. Rook was with the other heavenly restricted students, but she learned recently that he's been getting private lessons from both Toji and Maki. She asked about it one day with Maki who snorted a laugh. "Whatever Sukuna is doing to train him, has put him years above the other students!" she explained.
Yua had nearly forgotten that.
Rook has trained with Sukuna often, but not even she has seen how he does it. But Rook was getting stronger and stronger by the day, and it takes Toji or Maki to keep up with him!
Such a remarkable child.
Her focus then shifted to the open field. She saw Sukuna with Kiyoshi, and both were sitting on the ground.
"I best leave them be, scary to think I can leave Sukuna alone with a child…" she muttered to herself.
But that wasn't the only training going on.
She found Megumi with his older brothers, who are helping him with his ten shadow technique. It was odd to see him form incomplete shikigami, and yet his brothers were thrilled.
"YES! Older brother, that's how it's done! That's how Sukuna summoned them too!" cheered T2.
"It's… a lot of pressure to put on… my body." Megumi said through gasps of air.
"Indeed, so we need to help you increase your energy!" T1 decreed.
"NEXT LESSON!" the triplets cheered.
Megumi looked like he was going to pass out!
But he wasn't the only one having issues.
Yua happened to have wondered by and saw Suguru… getting the shit beaten out of him!
He was sparring with Chusi who showed no mercy. In fact, it appeared she didn't even have a bruise on herself. Suguru on the other hand was battered, bloodied and limping.
"Come on Suguru, hurry it up!" Chusi ordered.
"She went from wanting him to marry me to beating the crap out of him…" Yua muttered.
It appeared everyone in the domain had something to do… but her.
"This is awkward for me… at the same time…" she paused and peered at her arms. The curse marks she has been able to hide reappeared by her command.
She revealed them but was rather startled.
The markings have nearly covered her arms completely!