Remnant 3 -CH1-

Steve sighed and shook his head, staring out at the vast, empty plain before him.

“The fuck did I agree to this?” he muttered.

“Because children make a family,” Lucia said from beside him.

Glancing over at the Fae princess Steve was momentarily struck by her beauty.

Much as he always was when he looked at her.

Her wings were laid out over here back, calm and still. Her bright blonde hair was pulled back behind her head with small wooden butterfly clips.

Those dark black eyes of hers were gazing down into the swaddled new born craddled in her left arm.

Looking up from their son, Lucia gave him a wide smile.

“And little James will need siblings. Nia will be a good older sister to him, but he does also need those directly his own age,”said Lucia.

Glancing down from the Fae princess to the child, Steve felt a strange fluttering in his chest.

Mostly hairless, the baby looked to be sleeping. Content in their warm world of blankets and a mother’s love.

“Besides, Gennie is a noble-woman. This covers all our needs,” Lucia murmured. “Gwen, Gennie, and myself. Three children, one from each level of society. They’ll all grow up together and think nothing of social norms.”

Nodding his head as he stared at James, Steve still didn’t know what to say.

Having three children so close together had scared him off from having anymore.

Since impregnating Geneva, he’d made sure to keep his seed locked away from everyone else.

Lucia sighed and looked out at the open plain in front of them causing Steve to look up as well.

Farm hands and Witch-Knights were everywhere. They worked the fields, wandered around on patrol, or were off-duty or their day off.

“Hard to believe this is the creep-lands. That we’ve already made it… this,” Lucia noted. “So much hard work to get to this point and now it’s… it’s almost like a downhill slide now. The grass grows and spreads further on its own now. Trees are seeding and spreading without us having to do anything. Everything is coming to life.”

Nodding his head at that Steve had to agree.

A great deal has changed in the Creep-lands. But not everything.

There’s still a vast and empty countryside. We’ve barely reclaimed a fraction of a percentage. More than enough for us, but nowhere near enough to do anything to the creep itself.

“-found several apple tree seedlings. All by their lonesome at the eastern edge,” Lucia said and then giggled to herself. “I of course immediately designated them as precious and gave them appropriate names. James, Robert, and Thomas.

“I figure we’ll plant an apple tree over there for every one of our lovely children.”

Steve raised his eyebrows at that. He hadn’t ever figured Lucia to be the sentimental type but it appeared she was.

Then again, she’s not quite the same ever since she nearly died for me.

Definitely far more… mature?

A loud and low groan from behind them in the house brought Steve back around to the reason they were sitting out here.

Geneva was currently in the process of birthing Thomas, his third born child.

And third son.

No one could really explain to him how the midwife had known all the babies would be male, but he stopped doubting it after the second one.

Turning in his seat, Steve looked to the door and wondered if he should be going inside.

“She said she didn’t want you in there, and that’s her choice,” Lucia said, apparently picking his thoughts from his mind. “Besides, you were able to watch me give birth to our son. My gift to you as your Royal Wife. To watch my womb provide you an heir. Our prince.”

Steve’s thoughts flicked back to indeed having watched a very sweaty and distraught Lucia pushing their child out. Gwendolin and Geneva had both asked him to not be present for the births.

Geneva let out a low growling noise from inside, followed by a grunt and a woosh of breath.

There was a soft smack, followed immediately by a baby crying.

“And the third son is born,” Lucia said followed by a dark chuckle. “The sons of Steve shall inherit everything.”

Glancing toward his Fae princess, Steve watched as the small woman lightly brushed a fingertip back and forth across James’ nose.

“The first to unite the commons in belief and desire. His brother to command the crowns and thrones, bending or breaking to the family will,” whispered Lucia in an almost dream-like voice. “And the third as a blaze upon the houses, burning all that do not listen to his fiery words

“And then the three shall make one. And as one they will remake the world in their own vision. Culling the herd, cleansing the way, and blazing the trail.”

“Well that’s not ominous or anything,” Steve muttered.

“What?” Lucia asked, lifting her eyes back up to him. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she looked at him curiously.

“Your little prophecy there. It was rather ominous in a way,” Steve repeated.

Lucia opened her mouth in clear contemplation.

“Lord Steve, please come and greet your son, Thomas,” called the mid-wife from inside.

Chuckling, Steve patted Lucia on the shoulder.

“You pull off that spooky princess thing too well sometimes,” Steve said before heading into the cottage.

They’d had it put together as a new mother’s retreat and nursery. Generally, Lucia and Gwendolin spent most of their time here in this four bedroom home. The back of the home reserved for birthing.

Or so the three women had worked.

Geneva would likely be joining the other two here for a time as well.

Her duties as the military-governor kept her rather busy at the old creep-wall and Filch.

Entering the room Steve found Geneva laid out in a bed. Held against her bare chest was a baby that was already eagerly sucking away at her nipple.

Geneva was more in line with the bestial races of the world, and less so a simple human.

Cat-like ears stuck up from her messy and sweaty pale blonde hair. Both of those darker colored ears now turned toward him. Her face was quite pretty, almost too pretty.

Then her bright yellow eyes turned to him and he could practically feel the pride shining out of them like physical blows on his-self.

The alien beauty he’d come to admire in her cheeks, jaw, mouth, and eyes were on full display right now.

“We have a cub,” chuffed Geneva who then rubbed her cheek against her newborn’s forehead. “As we discussed, he will be Thomas. Our firstborn. A son.”

Wandering over closer to Geneva Steve glanced to the midwife.

“All was well, and will be well,” said the older woman. Steve would guess she was in her fifties with brown hair going towards gray and soft brown eyes.

Lucia had hired her specifically to come out to the farm and take care of their needs. Both her, her daughters, and all their children, out onto the farm where they were given work and a place of safety.

“Three sons, three births,” said the Midwife with a chuckle. “You’re fortune favored Lord Steve. I’ve hardly seen three boys in a family in a handful of years, let alone three weeks.”

Forgot her damn name again.

“Thank you,” Steve said simply, nodding his head at the woman.

Packing up her things quickly the midwife was gone in seconds. Apparently it really had been an easy birth. Much more so than Lucia’s had been it’d seemed.

Geneva let out a slow breath, her eyes slowly lidding, her cheek resting to the child’s brow.

“I’m a mother. We have a son,” Geneva practically purred at him. Her right hand snuck out from beneath the blanket she’d been covered in and snatched up his left. “A son. Our firstborn is a son.”

Nodding his head, Steve smiled at the woman and did his best to look like he completely understood. Chances were that he didn’t quite fully grasp the significance behind having a son being born first.

He knew men were certainly far less in number than women in the world, but for all he knew there was some type of omen about having a boy first.

Didn’t Gwendolin say having twins would be even better as a first mother?

Something like that I imagine.

“Thomas Bril, of house Gosti,” Geneva whispered. “Though… though I think it’ll be house Bril in short order. Even before he reaches his maturity.”

Geneva’s eyes glowed for a second before she pulled on Steve’s hand. Drawing him next to her bedside.

Growling, the distinctly non-human woman peered up at him.

“You and I will take over my house, and you will give me more cubs as well,” demanded Geneva. “I find motherhood suits me. I will retire from the military after we return.”

“Ah… yeah. Yeah,” Steve said, not wanting to fight Geneva.

Slowly, his eyes moved back to Thomas.

Another son.

***

Stabbing down into the earth with his shovel Steve paused and stood up straight.

“Ready?” asked a soft voice.

Glancing over his shoulder he found Nia standing there with a bag in between her hands.

“Yeah, gimmie a second,” Steve said with a chuckle. Nia had taken to being his personal assistant for his farm tasks. Where-ever he went, she was bound to follow it seemed.

“You’re such a good girl,” Kimor said from not far off. “Yes, a good girl."

“Thank you, Aun,” replied Nia primly.

Since they’d move to the creep lands, Nia had lost a lot of her childish nature. The way she sounded out words and her speech patterns had drastically shifted as well.

By the day, Steve could see the young woman she was already shaping into. The young child was rapidly growing up.

“And cute,” Siena added with a grunt.

“Adorably so,” Felisa chimed in.

Rolling his eyes, Steve levered the back of his shovel upward, dislodging a rather large amount of dirt.

Turning he looked to Nia and the women surrounding her.

Siena the red-headed, green eyed, half ogre beauty was looming over the little girl. Large, muscular, and built for fighting, she looked like she was ready to fight.

Next to her was Kimor the reindeer-kin. She was a step to the side but seemed equally focused. Her golden blonde locks were pulled back into a single braid behind her head, her dark blue eyes locked to Nia.

Both women were far too pretty, just like every other woman he knew. Just more so since they weren’t commoners.

Each one looked like they wanted to pick up the small Siren and hug her to death.

“Nia, will you be a big sister to any children I have?” Beati asked, getting down on one knee in front of Nia.

Of his Witch-Knight Lieutenants, Beati was more like Geneva, and gravitated toward the Beastkin side of the equation. More so than others.

Her nose was very narrow and almost seemed to have a point to it. Ears that sat atop her head much like Geneva’s made that point quite clear. They had a gray edge to them with a black interior which went well with her ashen blond hair.

The nearly gray hair was finger length and was combed backward today with a set of hair clips. Her blue eyes could see only Nia at this moment.

“Course Aun, I told you I would,” Nia said, reaching out with one hand and patting the Racoon girl’s cheek gently. “You already asked me. Felisa, too.”

Nia turned and looked toward the Banshee on the other side.

“Can you and Mama sing together again, Aun?” Nia asked.

The grim looking brunette with dark brown eyes gave Nia a small smile, making it quite obvious she was likely one of the prettier Witch-Knights.

“I’d like that, Nia. You’re… sure it didn’t make you sad though? Listening to your mother and I?” Felisa asked.

“Course not! It was… it was like life. Sad and happy, both,” Nia said, grinning at the older woman. “You and Mama can sing together lots. And when you have a baby, I can sing with them!”

Leave it to the Banshee and the Siren to blend into one another like that.

“Hey, Sprout, ready for the seed over here,” Steve said, unable to really be angry.

His Witch-Knights doted on Nia because they liked her. Not because of him.

And that made him grateful to them.

Nia laughed and skipped forward. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a handful of seeds and dumped them into the hole.

“There!” she said quite happily.

Don’t need so many but… whatever. Makes her happy.

Steve used the shovel to pull the dirt back into the hole and then patted the top layer flat.

“Huh?” Nia asked, turning to one side and looking back toward the center of the farm.

Moving his gaze to follow Nia’s, Steve found Aubrey and Hiren coming toward him.

The two were as obvious as if they had signs above their heads.

Hiren was the captain of the Witch-Knights. Her short-black hair and piercing green eyes marked her out from everyone else even at a glance.

Next to her the massive cat-girl brute that was Aubrey could never be overlooked. Dark brown hair, blue eyes, and looking far too much like a prettier version of Linne Linne, a woman Steve would go to the ends of the earth to kill.

The very thought of the woman, and the fact that she’d killed several of his wives, made him see red for several seconds.

“Ha, all done putting seed in?” Aubrey shouted before they were close enough to talk. “If you are, you can put your seed in me. You promised me I’d be first and you still have taken any of us to bed.”

Before Aubrey had even finished her first words, Beati had put her hands over Nia’s ears.

“Stupid brute,” Felisa grumbled.

Kimor however started to laugh at Aubrey’s comments. Siena looked amused as well.

Of course those two think she’s funny.

Hiren and Aubrey finally got close enough to have a non-shouting conversation.

“Yeah, I’ll plant it in your damn ear so you can grow a brain,” Steve said while pointing at Nia. “Language, remember?”

“Oh! Oh. Yeah, sorry,” Aubrey said and shrugged her broad shoulders. “I’m just really horny. You play with me too much and you won’t let me play with myself.”

Steve couldn’t deny that he often sought out Aubrey to avail himself of her beautiful mouth. It didn’t hurt that she always really got into it.

Clearing his throat, Steve looked to Hiren.

“What’s up?” he asked. If she was here, it meant something had happened or changed. She was more often than not working with the other Witch-Knights and Jaina. Leaving the others to tend to Steve and whatever he needed.

“Queen sent a new military governor to replace Geneva,” Hiren said, her face tight and her mouth a flat line. “Along with an army. Geneva’s second won’t let anyone into the citadel or on the wall. Though I’m not sure on what’s going on with Filch or the farm.”

“I see,” Steve said. Then he nodded his head and shrugged. “Sounds like it’s time for us to take a trip out East. Start getting all the supplies ready. I’ll speak with Lucia and we’ll make the arrangements otherwise.”

Hiren looked to the rest of the women, then made a hooking thumb gesture back toward their witch-stone garrison building.

“I’ll get Jaina, pack your kits,” Hiren said.

“Hell yeah,” Aubrey said raising up her arms. She rested her forearms against the top of her head. “Fighting would be good.”

“Yes, fighting,” Kimor said walking over to Aubrey and shoving her. “C’mon. You strap me, I’ll strap you.”

“Thanks,” Aubrey said, shoving Kimor back as the two started to walk away. “I think I’m gonna bring my axe this time. I wanna try it out on something alive.”

“Oh, I like that. I’ll bring mine,” Kimor said, nodding her head.

Siena jogged after the other two to catch up. “I’m going to bring my mace.”

“They’re so… stupid,” Beati said with a sigh, then she turned to Felisa. “Strap?”

“Strap,” Felisa agreed, the two women moving off. Nia had ended up atop Beati’s shoulders at some point, and was now being carried off toward the garrison.

Hiren looked to Steve once they were alone and gave him a wide smile.

“I do believe your promise is going to come due,” Hiren commented. “I still think you’ll need to… service us… in order of rank. But that’s just my personal preference, obviously.

“Being captain of the Witch-Knights should have a few perks after all.”

Casually, Hiren let her eyes roll down Steve’s figure, then back up to his eyes. Then she clicked her tongue and began to follow after her lieutenants.

When she got forty feet away Steve finally heard the shifting of feet on the grass. He knew who it was and had known for quite a while.

“As her boss, you should service me first. No, no, you should ravage my face, make me gag on it, till I choke. Then cum down my throat so I cough for hours.

“Then… then even as I’m still coughing, push me face down into the ground and ride me till you put a baby in me. As I cough and splutter and beg you to stop.”

Unable to help himself, Steve laughed softly and turned to face Nancy.

“The camouflage worked,” Steve said as his eyes landed on the Wight. “I couldn’t tell you were there. No one else could either.”

Beautiful, slim, extremely well put together, with long-pitch black hair, nearly glowing green eyes, pale skin to the point of being sickly, and wearing dark leather, Nancy dominated Steve’s personal preferences as of late.

“Yes, yes it did. I knew there was more to these powers than just fighting,” said Nancy with a smile. She put her hands on her hips. “I may not be as gifted with a sword as those other girls, but I’ll make my way. I’ll be my own Witch-Knight.”

Nancy paused at that, and then shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, your Witch-knight. As I’m all yours. Aren’t I,” Nancy said, then drew close to him. “Tell me? Tell me what I want to hear? Please?”

The lovely and overly-dedicated Wight slipped her arms around Steve’s shoulders and stared up into his face.

“You’re mine, Nancy. And I love you,” Steve said with a smirk, putting his hands on her hips. “I’m going to make you gag on me. Choke on me. Because you’re mine. I own you. You’re my personal toy and whore.”

Shivering at his words, Nancy pushed in closer to him.

“Yes. Your whore. Your toy. I love it when you call me those things,” purred the broken Wight. Pressing her lips to his chin she started to trail soft kisses up along his jaw. “Call me your cum dumpster? Your personal baby farm?”

It’s only getting worse. And will get worse.

Checking a sigh, Steve didn’t know what else he could do with Nancy anymore. She was too close and gave him too much.

But she was his henchman. She was his completely and cared only for him.

He could never set her aside.