Toofy

Toofy felt extremely sick as she stepped off runic circle out the front of the capital. She wasn't just feeling gatesick, either. She could feel her two kittens tussling in the womb, the two girls not holding back from punching each other now that their brother was gone.

So when a guard stepped towards her already drawing his sword, she lost her temper.

Her eyes only flashed for a moment, but that moment was all it took to turn him into a gibbering mess on the ground, begging forgiveness for every crime or perceived slight he had given in his life.

Toofy dropped back her hood as others rushed up and flicked her golden bell, "Toofy is the Emperor's Ambassador, Lady Twenty Four de Sai. She is returning from her mission. Who impedes her way?"

One of the guards signalled to the others to lower their weapons, and stepped forward. "Captain Arantir. My most humble apologies. A Crown's Ambassador is, of course, free to go wherever she pleases. May we record your companions, as well, m'lady?"

"Ambassador Meerakeilian." The salamander growled, puffing black smoke threateningly from within her hood, "Concubine to Emperor."

The captain clearly felt out of his depth, faced not just with one ambassador, but two. He was also probably imagining what might have happened if his men so much as scratched a concubine to the emperor.

Toofy waved to her master, "Bodyguard. Name not relevant to the Arantir."

The captain hesitated, his orders probably required him to get the names of all of them. However, Sai's presence would change their return from innocent, to clear conspiracy.

Thankfully, questioning the judgement of someone carrying the emperor's authority seemed beyond this human.

He bowed, "Welcome back to the capital, my dear ambassadors."

Twin fists momentarily poked out of Toofy's stomach, and she grabbed Sai's shoulder as she leaned forward and vomited. The cat shook her head, groaned, and coughed up a bloodied furball.

"Madame Ambassador?" The captain asked in concern.

Toofy winced, "Pregnancy... She needs to see a nekan midwife. We should go to temple, first."

Sai nodded his head silently, acknowledging her. The salamander looked at her with concern from inside their hood. A tiny wisp of white smoke asking the question that Toofy had for herself.

She didn't know if the blood was just her miscarriage, or a sign she was going to lose the rest of her kittens. All she knew for certain was that bad magic had upset her pregnancy, and the kittens had gone from silent a few days prior, to extremely violent.

"Drans, Frin!" The captain barked, "Escort the ambassadors. Allow no one to impede their progress. Apologies, ambassadors. The capital is under lockdown. All citizens and slaves are confined."

Toofy followed the two humans, still leaning on her master, into the empty streets of the capital. She felt her stomach continuing to churn violently as her daughters attacked each other.

"Peace." An annoyingly familiar voice spoke, stilling the kittens and putting their hand on her shoulder with a reassuring squeeze.

Toofy let out an irritated growl at Eratigan, but anger was one of those things that the witch was completely and utterly incapable of recognising. She wouldn't understand the danger she was creating by appearing out of nowhere.

Sai glanced sideways, his new blue eyes glittering, and he whispered, "Banish."

Toofy shook her head, feeling confused for a moment. Like a hole had opened up in her memories. She couldn't remember entering the city, despite paying attention. Was this one of the emperor's new defences?

And why was the city under lockdown?

No explanation had been offered.

An elven girl greeted them at the temple, curtsying with a rattle of a silver bell around her wrist. "How may we assist you?"

"Nekan midwife." Toofy said with exhaustion, pulling at one of her ears, "Where is the priestess? Toofy might need to speak to Lord Yu, as well. Teach him a lesson."

The elf gestured for them to follow, and the human guards went back to their duties. "I am afraid that you find the temple in chaos, m'lady. High Priestess Esmerelda cannot be found, and Lord Yu was recently assassinated."

It was difficult not to smirk.

Seemed that Saia had accomplished her task, and might have even caused greater chaos along the way. She hoped her succugirl had managed to enjoy ending her torturer.

The girl frowned, "Apologies if I am out of line, but... Are you Lady Twenty Four? Have you come to replace Lady Esmerelda?"

"She is, but she hasn't. Her kittens are upset." She managed, before stopping to hack up another bloody ball of what did not look like just fur and the usual junk. There might be skin and flesh in it, too.

Sai's hand tightened on her, his concern plain. She gave him a weak smile, and then decided that this uncertainty in the temple needed to be taken advantage of.

They were looking for strong leadership.

"Mia, gather the girls for talk." Toofy instructed the salamander. "In front of the statues, where prayers happen."

The dragon tossed back her hood, smiling toothily as lazy black smoke emerged from her mouth. Her eyes were bright as she got an inkling of what Toofy was beginning to plan. "Yes, mistress."

"Lady Mia!" The elf said in shock, and curtsied frantically.

The neko patted the elf tiredly, "We were both temple trained. We will help our own in this time of crisis... But Toofy really fucking needs the midwife!"

Sai helped her sit, as the elf sprinted off. He squatted in front of her, one hand cupping her cheek, "We should have avoided using the gate."

"Needed to." Toofy purred into his rough hand, planting little kisses against the palm. "Needed to announce to emperor that she was back, dragon in toe. He will be told, and will know that Mia was beaten. Make him scared, irrational."

Sai pulled back his hood, "Kaden? Irrational? That'll be the day. He is calculating, Toofy, even when he's pissed to the high heavens."

"Irrational for emperor to waste time and effort on Toofy." She disagreed, "Make the ministers grumble. She's just a neko. Just your mistress. Not worth fretting over."

He nodded slowly, "That is largely true... Lords Vanhern and Han probably wouldn't agree. But without Westcolm's vote, they probably won't be heard. You are driving dissent among the ministers... And with Astadia's forces approaching, the dissent will grow among the ministers' own estates."

"Mmm." She grunted tiredly.

The nekan midwife was human, but her face was a picture of concern even as she arrived, "M'lady. Can you tell her what has happened?"

Toofy had only met with the human with a neko speech pattern once before, when she had been taught what to expect in her pregnancy. She'd not liked them then, either.

"Toofy lost a kitten. Bad magic." She whispered, "Two kittens are grumpy. Different fathers. One is human, other was bastard elf who hurt Toofy. Both girls. She lost a boy."

The midwife produced a religious charm and held it over the neko's head, "Oh my. That must be difficult for her. What symptoms?"

"Throw up. Might be gatesick. Furballs bloody, might just be son's." Toofy whispered, feeling a lancing pain to her heart every time she mentioned her lost child. "Kittens shouldn't be awake. Too young. Only just entering second trimester."

"She has bad news." The midwife put away the charm and rolled up her sleeves, "Elf, fetch hot water and two of the girls. The kittens are coming."

"No!" Toofy exclaimed, her ears flattening, "It's too soon!"

The midwife turned, "Are you the father? One of them?"

"I am. I am also a warrior mage, if you need to tap my magic." Sai replied to her seriously, "You might also need to know that one of Toofy's ancestors was a hooktooth."

"A magic-infused premature birth. Wonderful." The midwife said with heavy sarcasm, "What do we know of the other father?"

"Lord Elatham." Sai stated.

The midwife closed her eyes briefly, "Gods be with us. M'lady... The kittens may be born casting. It is unlikely both will survive. During the birth -"

"Toofy remembers!" She snarled, "Toofy will lose her magic until after first feed, but she doesn't even have her fucking milk, yet! Her kittens will probably hurt her."

The midwife gave a small smile, "That is correct, Twenty Four. Surprised you remember my lessons, considering how often you tried to avoid them. We will need some of the girls to ward your kittens. Cut off their magic. It is... A dangerous procedure."

"There's no nekan wetnurse. No milk." Toofy whispered, "What substitute for her kittens?"

"Tauran is the closest." The midwife said with concern, "We have contact with a wetnurse, but they are in the preserve. It may take half a day, and Twenty Four's kittens are already fighting for firstborn."

Toofy's eyes snapped to her master, "Find Saia. She can flash dance. Send her."

Sai hesitated, "Am I more useful here, or do we need the wetnurse?"

"The nurse." The midwife answered him, "Each kitten has a coin flip chance of survival with the Tauran, one in ten flips, without. Hurry."

Her master sprinted from the room, a moment later a concussive boom was heard from outside the temple as Sai ignored Toofy's unspoken warnings, and chanced revealing that the Thunderstep had returned.

Toofy clenched her fists, "You're hiding things. How bad is it?"

"One of the kittens is bleeding." The midwife answered her, "She cannot tell if it is just their sister's claws, or if it is internal. Twenty Four said it was bad magic... And Twenty Four's eyes are... Different."

She winced, "Different things. Her son... Her son was... Infected by ork magic. Evil magic from war. Emperor's secret. Evil magic that drew power from a dark god. From Dearst."

The midwife flinched, "Lord Yu was the demonic expert... Gods preserve us."

"Toofy's eyes are because she stole from Dearst. Her kittens were protected from it, as it became her magic. Still fucking evil, but Toofy is in control."

The woman stared at her in horror, "Twenty Four met a dark god?"

"He killed her son." She snarled, hot tears rolling unbidden down her cheeks, "So she ate his fucking heart!"

The woman swayed, terrified and nervous, "She will do all that can be done to save the kittens."

Before Toofy could assure the midwife she wasn't a total psychopath, and wouldn't be attempting to kill the people helping her, she felt the change.

Her eyes went wide and her claws sank into the chair she was sitting on.

The midwife frowned, "Did you just feel the urge to push?"

Toofy nodded frantically.

"Where is her fucking water!?" The midwife screamed.

---

The cave resounded with a deafening boom as a blue-eyed mage sprang into existence in front of them. Xivian jumped to her feet, hesitantly pulling her knife with a shaking grip.

The man glared at her, "Sit down before you hurt yourself... Esmerelda. Where's Saia?"

Xivian felt a cold chill pass over her as she recognised the man she had just threatened as a lord. A minor lord who had earned his title in war, and was the same minor lord who had purchased the neko.

Lord Sai.

"M'lord." The succubus dropped from the ceiling, tail whipping as she rubbed at one of her ears, "Really wish you'd been more quiet. There's something in the city. I think it might be an arachne, but I'm not certain."

"No time." He ignored her, "Toofy is giving birth. She needs the Tauran wetnurse, yesterday. She's at the temple."

The succubus froze up, "Oh, shit."

Then, they disappeared.

Sai turned his attention back to the three of them, "The missing priestess, one of the Domina's daughters, and... I assume you're Lady Castelle's forbidden romance? And you're responsible for that?"

Xivian flinched as he indicated the dead body, bowing her head, "Yes, m'lord."

"Instruct your mistress to purge her guard." Lord Sai ordered her, "You two, why don't you explain to me why my wife should be interested in providing you with sanctuary?"

He was absolutely a lord, no matter how he had earned his title. He walked in and owned the place.

Xivian gratefully crawled up and through the tiny tunnel to the outside world, sprinting into the house and spreading dirt everywhere.

She found her mistress fretting beside a cold cup of tea and an unread book. Falling at her knees and bowing her head, "M'lady!"

"Xivian! Where have you been?" Elizabeth snapped, "I have had people searching the grounds for you!"

She swallowed nervously, "I am uninjured, m'lady, but was detained. I... It doesn't matter. Lord Sai is here. He ordered me."

Elizabeth sucked in her breath, "Lord Sai? Here? Then... Lady Twenty Four has returned? What we did to Arina..."

"Lord Sai orders you to purge your guard, mistress." Xivian stated grimly.

The lady's hands shook visibly, "Purge...? If I am to remove all I am not positively confident in... Then..."

A rebellion.

It was the only answer. The capital was about to erupt into a civil war. Regardless of the side that Lady Elizabeth would choose, she had to ensure that only the most loyal of her servants were alive.

Everyone else presented a risk, even if not an immediate one.

"Fetch the captain, Xivi." Elizabeth said hoarsely.

---

Khild sharpened her axe absent-mindedly as she sat beside the flames. Her green eyes were turned outward, into the dust and dark of the underground and abandoned city they now found themselves within.

She frowned and tapped the shoulder of an ork screwing beside her, "Double the guard."

The lieutenant barely slowed his stroke into Khild's concubine, "We already have, waa'rlock."

"Double it, again!" She roared, eyes flashing, as spittle flew from between her tusks.

The man grunted, but pulled away from his disappointed companion and went to ensure that the orders were followed.

Khild rubbed at her face grimly, "Deathful thing, what do you sense?"

"... Death." Arina shrugged, the timid handmaiden shaking her head, "I am sorry, m'lady. I am of little assistance here. The city is sizeable, and though it has been abandoned for some time, the grief that weighs upon this land is... Immeasurable. Some great battle was lost here... Something... Evil. Offensive to my god. It isn't clear, m'lady."

"Coulda jus' ask." The fox lazing nearby stretched and sat up, "I didnae 'spect dis place to still be 'ere, but be it be."

Khild frowned, "You know this city, Tammy?"

"S'posed ta be gone." The kitsune nodded, "I musta jus' been a cub when it all wrecked. Buried 'neath da sands. Whole place round 'ere were dunes. Noaw forest. Noaw green. Long time backs."

The ork nodded slowly, "Buried... Is this place cursed?"

"Somet'in'." Tammy nodded, a tail flicking behind her, "Let be 'memberin'... I musta been seventeen. Too young ta even know a man. Not that I known a man 'til Sai. Dis is da place where I chose ta follow ma goddess. Da kitsune."

"The goddess of mischief is associated with this place?" Khild asked grimly.

The foxgirl laughed, "Ya could be sayin' dat. Dis is where it happened. Where she done betrayed da other gods."

The ork felt the ball of fear that had been weighing down her stomach twist violently and sink even further. This place probably couldn't get more cursed. No place could get more cursed.

This was the city where the gods had fought.

Where magic became the reserved right of the few, and demonkind had been born. The dark gods, forged to be weapons in the war between the different divine factions.

For an ork to have strayed into this place unawares was... Unforgivable.

Tammy looked around in the firelight, orange eyes glowing, "Been damn long while, but if ya be wantin' ta seein' da Crucible, den I do be t'inkin' it be dat way. Dey made it out in da open, in one of da town squares."

"How... Far?" Khild spoke hoarsely, throat dry.

The foxgirl shrugged, "Hard ta say. Distance ain't be distance here. Ground 'n air gots da magic in 'em. Gods fought like men, 'ere. Noaw be findin' like da logic in dis world, noaw 'round dis place."

Khild stood up slowly, "Maps."

Arina unrolled the incomplete maps of the city by the edge of the firelight, and indicated where they had made camp, "I think we are here, m'lady... But if Lady de Mae is correct, we cannot be certain of it."

The kitsune shrugged, "Eh. Ya be where ya wanna be, ya l'il shit. Ya gots da blessin' o' a god. Magic ain't be messin' wit ya. Jus' be wit us poor mortal sods."

The ork tightened a grip on her axe, "Then I will require both of you to accompany me. It is selfish, but I will not move my army whilst... That... Continues to exist."

"We gunna go fuck up da Crucible, den?" Tammy raised an eyebrow. The foxgirl's ears moved back and forth for a moment, "Gimme da fuck Sai be owin' ya, 'n ya got ma help."

"Done." Khild didn't hesitate.

Her own personal desires simply could not compare.

She kicked one of her other lieutenants, "The army stays put. One week. If I don't return, leave. Do not question the order. Go back to the stronghold."

The ork acknowledged her with a tired boredom.

She hefted her axe onto her shoulder, and switched back to the human tongue, "Lead on, kitsune."

---

"You said you... Needed my help?" Orli asked nervously, looking around the bedroom as she continued her habitual clinging to the elf's hand.

Trician winced, "We're about to go to war. A war that will redefine the empire, and probably reshape this entire world... The future is uncertain, changing and changing every time I look to it."

The girl nodded slowly, "I know. I... I'm scared... But you were the reason I was born with my odd magic. I am sure of it. The gods want me by your side."

"I'm certain, as well." Trician sighed heavily, "But I would be more comfortable of our chances if I could contact my goddess. Get any last advice before this war begins in earnest."

Orli's bright blue eyes looked into hers, so innocent. "That... Makes sense. What... What do you need me to do? Are you going to cast a spell?"

"Kinda." Trician screwed up her face, "I don't... Need you to use your magic. Uh... My last companion, the one I loved, he used to open the way for me to touch the divine."

The human's eyes went wide, "Wait... You mean... Sex?"

"Yup." Trician said drily and shrugged.

Orli looked around nervously, "You know who my boyfriend is, right? He's... Already jealous of you. Really jealous. I... I can't cheat on him!"

"Yeah. Wouldn't be shocked if the god of war interrupted, but I don't have a whole heap of options, here." Trician shrugged, "I need someone I trust. And they need to be willing to keep going after I seem to faint. It's either you or my fucking sister. And that's gross. Even before you add in that she's dead."

Orli looked extremely conflicted, her grip on Trician's hand tightening, and she looked down at the ground. The girl let out a long sigh, "I'm eighteen. I'm a grown woman, now. Have to make my own decisions... For the service of the divines."

"That a, yes?"

Orli winced, "What do I need to do?"

"Give me... An orgasm." Trician winced, "It's okay. It's easy with a touch of passion, so we'll start slow. Start with a kiss, if you're willing."

"It isn't like I don't like you." Orli said shyly, "You're so... Well, sexy. Confident and brave. Fierce like a warrior, and you're a literal princess."

Trician took the girl's face in her hands, smiling as the diamonds embedded in her skin each began to light up at the proximity to the coming moment. She leaned in and touched their noses together, "Your eyes are one of a kind, human."

"You've... Never said my name." The girl said hesitantly.

The elf smiled lopsidedly and shrugged, "Easier to keep my distance from you, preserve Kal's memory. I ain't interested in falling in love again, so soon. Even if it is what the goddess desires."