Doc held Ayla and Sophia to his sides; he felt a little empty inside. The last two days had been filled with passion-fueled need, as all of them wanted to reaffirm his life. This morning, Ayla and Sophia had been there to wake him, and while they did have sex, it was more of a goodbye than frantic sex. Doc confirmed that they were both pregnant, and they’d have their children either at the start of the new year or close to it.
“We’ll make sure the paperwork is done, then take care of everything we can,” Sophia whispered. “We’ll help our darling wives with their children like they’ll help us with ours.”
“Everything will be in place, and you’ll be able to rival some countries with the wealth you’ll have at your disposal,” Ayla said. “We’ll coordinate with David and make sure you always have the funds to do anything you need to on your journey.”
“I never would’ve made it this far without you two,” Doc murmured. “You are both pillars that helped support my crazy ideas. I’ll miss you as deeply as I have Fiala and Sonya. Rosa will be there for you both when the time comes for the children. I’m sorry that I can’t be.”
“We understand, Doc,” Sophia said. “Just stay as safe as you can. There might be assassins even in Tsarrus and Qin. You can only come back once a year, so please… be safe.”
“We need you,” Ayla added softly. “We might not be as frantic as Rosa was when you were shot, but it broke our hearts and the fear was… indescribable.”
“I’ll do my very best,” Doc whispered. “Citrine will guide you to Anchor Bay, and Sequoia and Fira will make sure the path’s ready for the railroad you’ll be finalizing. That’ll make shipping ore easier than by riverboat.”
“The contingent of tribe and clan guards will make sure we get there safely,” Ayla said.
“As well as help keep Fira and Sequoia refreshed enough to keep going,” Sophia giggled. “I like Sequoia; she’s so timid and shy, quite unlike our dear Rosa.”
“She’s wonderful in that way,” Ayla smiled. “If she wasn’t needed here, I would’ve tried to talk Doc into letting me take her with us.”
Doc laughed. Ayla had taken a huge liking to making the towering dryad be submissive. Her ability to be a switch— dominant to women, but submissive to Doc— had come out even more with Sequoia involved in their fun. “That’s her choice, Ayla. She’s very useful here, but I won’t ask her to stay if she doesn’t want to stay. I’m sure that another dryad would be happy to help if she leaves.”
“I’ll discuss it with her on the trip,” Ayla murmured, kissing his bare chest. “She already knows, because I’ve thought about it more than once. I’m sure she also knows the line you have for women who want to join the family and not be with other men.”
“It’s hypocritical of me…” Doc murmured. “I know it is. I can’t help how it makes me feel.”
“You don’t need to change, Doc,” Sophia said, then also kissed his chest. “Our wives will be coming back with breakfast soon. We should—”
The door opened and Lia was the first one into the room. Behind her, Rosa, Sequoia, Citrine, and Fira carried food and drink. “I see they’re done, at least,” Lia chuckled. “Which is good. Breakfast is ready.”
“Pity. I was hoping for a light nibble,” Ayla sighed, sitting up.
“Rosa would’ve helped,” Sophia snickered.
“Gladly,” Rosa beamed, her eyes glowing. “Oh, that is nice.”
Sequoia gasped, then hurried over, leaving the food behind and kneeling in front of Ayla. “Truly, mistress?”
Doc laughed as he sat up. “I guess the family will be expanding a little.”
Ayla touched Sequoia’s cheek tenderly. “We’ll discuss things on the trip, but it’s very possible after I have a collar for you. You’ll need to come back here when we get to Anchor Bay. Once we reach Furden, Petal will let you know when it’s time.”
“I’ll have one of my sisters come this way when you leave. This way, I can help her integrate with the tribes and clan before you call for me.”
“Breakfast first,” Lia said firmly. “We have to make sure you’re all ready to leave.”
No one spoke against her, and breakfast was soon handed around. Doc took the plate of fish, flat bread, and cheese with a smile. Breakfasts here might be a bit monotonous, but it’d never been bad.
~*~*~
No one left the home until nearly lunch, as it wasn’t just food on the menu, Doc found out. Lia loved being in charge, and none of the women went against what she wanted, because they also got what they wanted that way.
Wearing a bemused smile, Doc led everyone outside. A contingent of dwarves and elves stood a hundred yards away, waiting. When the group came out, they started getting things together.
Doc hugged Ayla and Sophia tightly, kissing each, society be damned. He also hugged Sequoia, who looked like she’d be with his wives in Furden before the year ended. Lastly, he hugged Citrine and Fira.
“Keep them safe for me, Citrine.”
“With my life, Doc,” Citrine replied. “I will do my best to stay alive, too.” She touched her belly. “I will go back to my tribe once we are in Emerita. There, I will be the only one to know how special my child is. No one else will find out from me, not even my father.”
“She will live, as will they, Voice,” Fira whispered. “My word on that, even if it costs me my place with her. Mother has deemed you as the most important life, and you love them, so they will be protected as if they were you.”
“Thank you, Fira.” Doc touched her cheek. “But you need to live, too. Citrine will need you.”
“I will do my very best.”
Doc went back to Sequoia. The giant dryad knelt, lowering her head to him. “Voice?”
“I see Rosa has corrupted you,” Doc chuckled, stroking her hair. “My dear banker cares for you, so you must survive, too. My wives, Fiala and Sonya, will be happy to meet you. Your sister, Petal, will be glad to have another with her, I’m sure. Stay the gentle giant you are, dear Red.”
Sequoia shivered, his nickname for her making her core quiver in delight. “Yes, Voice.”
He pulled Sophia to him gently, kissing her softly one more time. “It never gets easier.”
“No, and it hurts more this time because I won’t be with you,” Sophia whispered. “It feels like I’m leaving my heart behind. I know why this is the right choice, but it hurts more to me.”
He held her for a few more minutes, then kissed her once more. “We’ll all be together again. It might take a few years, but we will be.”
“I know. That’s the only thing giving me the strength to go,” Sophia murmured, then stepped back so Ayla could have her turn.
Doc grunted when Ayla grabbed him, squeezing tightly. “I’ll miss you, too, Ayla.”
“Everything Sophia said goes for me, too. Thank you for agreeing to Sequoia. She’ll help me not be too rough on our wives. All of us will be waiting, Doc.”
Doc silenced her with a kiss. Tears spilled from his eyes as surely as they did hers and Sophia’s. It hurt more this time for him, too. He’d already missed the birth of his daughter with Sonya, and now, he was going to miss two more of his children, all because the church would hunt him and he wasn’t ready to face them.
When he stepped back, Lia moved in to hold both Ayla and Sophia. Doc walked to the men and women escorting his wives. He spoke to them for a few minutes, shaking hands and thanking each of them. By the time he’d finished, Sophia and Ayla joined the departing group, as had Citrine, Fira, and Sequoia.
Doc stood there until the caravan was out of sight. Eventually, his eyes dried as the sun passed midday. Sighing, he turned to Lia and Rosa. They hugged him a moment later, and he held them back, needing to feel that he still had loved ones with him.
After an unknown amount of time, there was a light cough. “Doc, do you still want to leave today?”
Doc looked up at Sal. The half-elf boat captain had found a wife among the tribe of the Dancing Salmon, which had made Doc laugh a few months back when he found out. It felt like fate that Salmon Fisher— Sal to his friends— had found love where he had.
“Yeah, Sal, I’m sure. Are the bags loaded?”
“Everything’s ready, Doc.”
Taking Lia’s and Rosa’s hands, Doc walked down to the pier. He was about to leave Emerita behind, along with the majority of his loved ones, to seek sanctuary in Tsarrus. While he was gone, the mines would produce money and the railroads would be completed. He knew David and Nickla would push things on their end, too. When he was ready to come back, the church would find a man who would face them.
That would lead to something Doc didn’t want, but wouldn’t run from. This world had missed out on a civil war, but it was very likely that war would be coming when he touched Emerita again.