“I love you,” Lauren said to Nadalia. “And I love you,” Nadalia replied. And the farmer took the knight into her womb, an act that transcended passion and sexuality. Lauren was happy, and more joy would come once she reunited with the rest of her closest companions.– The strutters and the Buskers stood in the same quiet park as the previous day’s introductions. Nadalia and Terrica were redressed in their usual outfit, and weapons had been redistribut

 “Are you positive this will work?” Molly asked. “Absolutely,” Lauren said. “Hopefully,” Nadalia said. “It is a tried and true method,” Terrica said. “Have a little faith, Moll,” Alba said. “I promise nothing will go wrong at all,” Su claimed. “Either way, it’s good for my heart that I am staying on this side of the water,” Enrico said. The seven were standing on one of La Portadora’s piers, staring out at the massiv

 Eight days later, after swinging by Yewleek to pick up Enrico, the cars were driving them through the fog-slathered mountains of Smokelatch. Lauren enjoyed the serenity of those forested hills. Terrica would appear baffled – for once – at the local climate. Su made remarks about cotton candy and gingerbread houses as they spotted lone cabins in the hills. Nadalia mentioned salamanders. Earlier in the afternoon than their previous visit, the strutters and mobsters arrived i

 Lauren and Nadalia were walking through downtown Yewleek an hour after dawn. They had walked a half-mile from Alba’s home before haling a taxi cab to take them to the middle of the center. Nadalia was dressed in her Dusted Realm outfit. Hoping her own nature would aid her, Lauren would enter the first police station they came across. After fifteen minutes of walking through waking city, they encountered Yewleek Precinct 35, and they strode inside the doors. Inside, the police station

 “Your mug’s looking a lot better than it used to,” Alba said to Jeannie, blowing out smoke from her cigar, grinning from ear to ear. “The gate’s in the usual place,” Jeannie stated. “I suppose this’ll be the last time we see you for a while,” Lauren told Jeannie. “Unless you want to stalk us more.” “I have other work to tend to,” Jeannie said. “Figures,” Lauren murmured. “And I don’t-” “So, do you have any

 After the experience of viewing the disparaged version of her farm in an impossible future, Lauren was taking her friends down to the Trim Vine Farm so that Terrica and Su could see the prim patches proper. After two days of travelling from Grecinma on the increasingly busy roads, the travelers were arriving in Opserg. The trip also gave Terrica and Su a chance to see the more standard towns and environments of the Core Realm beyond the lofty and blessed walls of Grecinma. After the first

 “Why am I the one who keeps having to be the bearer of bad news?” Nadalia murmured, as she and Lauren walked through the renewed Greenwill temple. “Well, you and Nicholas were close, so you were kinda the only person who could reveal the death – and possible, ehh… heresy, I suppose – of his niece without mucking it up,” Lauren said, as she examined how the new residents of Greenwill had trimmed and integrate the overgrowth into natural decoration. Lauren realized

 “We’re going to be late,” Lauren said, from inside Strea’s bowels. Lauren’s surroundings squiggled. “You didn’t tell me she was coming at a certain time,” Strea said, slightly muffled. “Well, she’s not,” Lauren said. “So what’s the rush?” “I just want to be ready for when she gets here.” “Can I get one more cum out?” “You’ve already climaxed three times.” “So what’s wrong w

 In an underground level of the Overchurch, Lauren and Nadalia were watching Head Commander Phamen and four other Guard-Knights ogle chunks of Gloom Cries ore, as well as crates full of Blue Bone. Phamen held a piece of the black metal in her right hand, eyes sparkling. “The heaviness, the edges, the color – I don’t know what kind of metal this is, but I’m in awe of it,” Phamen cooed. Lauren chuckled. “I decided to call it ‘Gloom Cries’,” Laur

 “I would not wish to abandon you, My Goddess,” Fóa said to Lauren. They stood at the opening in the walls around the Winter Keep. Nadalia, Alba, Terrica and Su stood behind Lauren. Rauð stood behind Fóa, and the rest of the Winter Knights stood at a distance by the Winter Keep, watching on with bittersweet faces. Lauren’s cloak of fabric fluttered in the wind, and Fóa’s cloak of snow billowed. “You’re not abandoning me, Fóa,” Lauren said, with a hal

 Into the tempered halls of the Winter Keep the rovers stepped. With Rauð’s arms around two sisters – both of spirit and one of blood – she led them towards the feasting hall, lifting her arms only to open the doors before setting them on shoulders again. They strode inside, where the Winter Knights and their matron sat dining. There was decorated Rinnari and dyed Dansari in a playful spat, sitting a table away from one-armed Springari, who feasted next to jovial Hali Stj

 “It’s beautiful,” Kjærleikr said, marveling up at the Overchurch. The travelers stood on the forecourt of the Overchurch. The orb for the Freezing Realm was repaired, and they were ready to go. However, Foa had wanted to show Kjærleikr the birthplace of their own order first, despite their obvious anticipations. No longer wearing the attire of the Burning Realm, Kjærleikr was dressed in a plain white tunic like Foa’s, with yellow trousers and fur-topped leather boot

 Lauren, Nadalia, Melody, Foa, Alba, Terrica and Su were eating fried pheasant inside the Leaky Crack. Mid-meal, it dawned on Lauren why they were eating inside, and she felt a short pang of sadness, looking around the table. “So… Strea’s still busy, right?” Lauren asked. “She couldn’t just… pop down here for lunch?” “Yep,” Melody said, sucking the marrow out of pheasant bones. “Passed her not long after we got back yesterday. Said she was planning so

 The voyagers stood on the main deck of the Hushed Bride. The ship’s crew moved about with renewed vigor. Captain Theresah stood on the forecastle, and Quartermaster Allison stood by her side. First mate Barnard delivered orders to deck crew, and Coxswain Connie helmed the wheel. Lookout Macy played her accordion up in the crow’s nest. Captain Theresah’s officers and the carry-over crew were lively, but it would take time for them to fully recover and gain back what malnou

 Theresah’s boots were polished, and her stockings were steamed. Her breeches were dusted and smoothed. Her shirt was washed, and her jerkin was tightened. Her green coat was cleaned, brushed, and perfumed. Her blonde locks were wetted and combed out into a wave that reached her mid-spine. Her tricorn was scrubbed, and her dirk was oiled. In front of a gate that shimmered turquoise, she slid her sharpened spadroon into its scabbard with a sailor’s smile. Theresah spread her arms

 Lauren, Valentina, Nadalia, Alba, and Terrica were working on the ranch alongside the paid workers (who appreciated the assistance and were glad to see Valentina) to pass the time until the train that would take them back to the capital arrived. The other drifters were off in the rest of Small Grave, passing the time in less effortful ways. The lucky farmer and the knowledgeable knight were pitchforking hay feed for the cows, and the friendly fighter was hoeing the vegetable garden. The ho

Lauren, Nadalia, Melody, Theresah, Foa, Alba, Terrica, Su, Circe, and Bart left the President’s Office so that President Valentina, the Vice President and Noon Sheriff, and High Priestess Giselle could start preparatory discussions. Lauren would have joined, but she was bored of meetings. They stood in the lead-up hallway, pondering what to do in the interim and examining the images on the walls.“We’ll let the other personnel know you’ve got immunity,” Bart told the drifter

 “Like seriously, it’s only been a week or so from this realm’s point-of-view,” Lauren said, drinking her next shot of whiskey. “How did a fucking stupid band of outlaws already move in?” The other patrons had returned to their normal activities, if uneased. “There’s packs of the vermin all over,” Circe said, knocking back beer, “just waiting to spring up.” “If I had to guess, they probably heard that Grantview’s population was shrink

 Lauren woke up, leaning against Nadalia. She blinked the drowse out of her eyes, and she glanced past Nadalia and Giselle next to her out the window at dawn peeking over the arid sands, casting the first shadows from mesas and other desert formations. Lauren yawned, looking around the rest of the car. Of the rest of her friends, only Valentina was awake, smoking a pre-breakfast cigarette. Next to Valentina, Foa wrinkled her nose in her sleep. “Hey,” Lauren whispered over at Valent

 Lauren, Nadalia, Giselle, Melody, Theresah, Foa, Alba, Terrica, and Su entered into a cramped chamber with Valentina nowhere to be found. With a swift look around, Lauren recognized the carved-out room they were in and the stone archway behind them. Lauren, Nadalia, and Melody shared a look. Lauren smelled smoke. At the behest of Lauren, Nadalia, and Melody, the other six followed them up through a narrow passage into a singed library and out onto the burned streets of La Zanja. Valentina

 Lauren was smoking one of Valentina’s cigarettes and not one of Alba’s cigars, because she knew better. Foa was sitting on one of the tables. Su was sitting on the bed, playing Rock-Paper-Scissors with herself by using Theresah’s mechanical arm. At a certain time, Lauren went to the piles of garments in the corner of the room and picked up Strea’s clothes. Reaching into her own cleavage, Lauren dragged out Strea by the fur of her lower back, revealing her backside a

 Of all the spots in the Core Realm at which the gate could have placed them, the forecourt of the Overchurch was not one on her theorized list – especially when the forecourt was crowded with civilians and occupied by a makeshift platform on which the High Priestesses and a cursory number of Guard-Knights, including Head Commander Phamen, stood. The latter had their weapons at the ready, pointed towards the gate. At first, the stunned expressions of the crowd and the Protective Core