Mythran's Master Of All

Ren woke up on the couch and looked around. Teepo?

“Hi, Ren.” Teepo said. “It's just about morning.”

I know. Ren thought. I ran a little late.

“Then I'm glad you didn't run a lot late.” Teepo said, and chittered in laughter. “You'd have missed half of the day.”

Ren smiled, and stood up. Nathalia's not up yet, is she?

“No.” Teepo said. “But I don't go in the bedrooms on my patrols, so she could be awake and just not up and moving around.”

How's the time?

“You've got half an hour before breakfast.”

Thanks, Teepo. Ren used Sneak to creep over to Nathalia's bedroom door, went inside, and shut it behind him. He got to the bed, and saw she was tucked under the blanket and laid on her side. He stored his clothing, climbed under the blanket with her, and snuggled up close behind her.

Ren thought he felt her move slightly, so he reached an arm around her front to grip her stomach. She moved her hand to hold his, and he kissed the side of her neck. She twitched a little, so he nuzzled her there for a few minutes. She relaxed and he stopped doing it.

“I hope you slept well.” Ren said to her.

“Would you be angry if I said not really?”

“Of course not.” He said. “Concerned, yes. Angry, no.”

Nathalia sighed and rolled over to face him. “The bed seems so empty when you aren't here.”

“I'm sorry.” Ren said, and kissed the tip of her nose. “Do you want me to make you a bed-buddy?”

“A... a what?”

“It's something I've been thinking about for a while.” He said. “It's just a pillow with arms and legs, but at least it will be something to help you believe the bed isn't so empty.”

“So a really big doll.”

“Pretty much.”

“No, thank you.”

“Huh?” Ren looked at her. “Why not?”

“I want you here, not some imitation.” Nathalia said, and kissed him. “I'd rather be alone in the bed, than wake up thinking you're here to find it's only a pillow.”

He cupped the side of her face, and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Okay. No full-size Ren doll for you.”

“I already have one.” Nathalia said. “I don't need another.”

Ren kissed her, and they held each other close. “Teepo says we've got about 25 minutes before breakfast.”

Nathalia sighed. “Nowhere near enough time.”

“I don't have Adventurer's business to deal with tonight.” Ren said, and Nathalia looked at him.

“You're staying all night?” She asked.

He nodded, and she beamed a smile at him.

“Thank you.” Nathalia said, and kissed him.

“You don't have to thank me.” Ren said.

“Yes, I do.” She said. “With the both of us so busy, the only real time we have together is at night. So when you have Adventurer's business to take care of...”

Ren put his forehead on hers, and sighed. “I'm sorry.”

Nathalia chuckled. “You don't have to apologize for that. If you didn't take care of it, something bad would happen. I just know it would.”

Ren nodded slightly, because if he didn't normally log out to eat and take care of things, it would be bad for him. They cuddled for the remaining time that they had before breakfast, and he told her about what he had to do today.

*

Laurelia had stayed up for most of the night, preparing food for everyone, and made sure more of the trench had been dug, like Ren had wanted.

I can't believe what he did with that child's clothing. Laurelia thought as she ducked into her tent and slid into the bedroll inside. More and more parts of the stories I read as a child are coming true. She smiled as she looked up at the top of the tent. I wonder what he'll prove is true to me next?

*

Ereka got up and went into the kitchen to see what she could find to eat. Nathalia had been spending more and more time at the restaurant, and didn't make food for fun anymore. She looked in the icebox and saw that it was almost completely empty.

*

Ren got up when he heard Ereka pass by, and told Nathalia to stay in bed so he could get her breakfast.

“Are you making french toast?” She asked.

He nodded, and she pulled the blanket up to her neck.

“Then hurry up. I'm starving!”

He laughed and left the bedroom. Since he still had sneak on, he made almost no noise as he went through the main room and into the kitchen. He saw Ereka slightly bent over, with her head in the icebox, and he was tempted to grab her sides to scare her.

Ereka sighed, stood up and half-turned to close the icebox door go to the pantry... then gasped and nearly screamed as she saw Ren as he stood right behind her.

“REN! You scared me!”

“Sorry.” Ren said, and grinned as Teepo chittered in laughter from his perch on the ceiling. “I'm making breakfast.”

Her mouth opened to say something, then she closed it.

“Go ahead and say it.” He said. “Nathalia told me you've been brutally honest for a while now.”

“Making breakfast doesn't make up for scaring me, dammit.”

Ren chuckled. “Would a hug be enough?”

Ereka looked at him for only a moment, then nodded slightly. He stepped close to her, and wrapped his arms around her. Since she was a couple of inches shorter than Nathalia, making her 3 foot 10 inches tall, the top of her head only came up to his chin. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly, and she completely ignored the fact that she only had her thin slip on.

Ren felt her breasts through the thin fabric of her slip as they pressed against his skin, then looked down at himself and remembered that he hadn't bothered to equip his clothing when he got out of bed. All he had on was his underwear, but Ereka didn't seem to mind as she put the cheek of her face on his chest. She sighed a few moments later, and let him go.

“That was a good hug.” Ren said and smiled. “I should scare you more often.”

“Don't you dare!” Ereka said as she put her fists on her hips and scowled at him.

She looks like she wants to tear me apart. He thought, and smiled crookedly. “Go have a seat at the table. I'll have breakfast ready in a few minutes.”

She started to walk to the table then turned back quickly to see if he was going to try and scare her again. Ren hadn't moved, and held his hands up in surrender.

“I promise to make more noise in the future.”

Ereka walked towards the table and sat down to face the kitchen. “You should wear a bell or something.”

Ren chuckled and went into the pantry to gather the ingredients he needed, then equipped his armor bodysuit for the ease of movement it gave him. “That would completely defeat the purpose of Sneak.”

“You're using Sneak?!?” Ereka asked, surprised. “In the house?”

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“I didn't get back until nearly dawn.” Ren said and came out from the pantry with what he needed. “I didn't want to wake either of you up by making noise.”

“Well... I guess that's okay.”

Ren started the grill and looked at her. “Don't tell me...”

Ereka nodded slightly. “My brothers used to scare me a lot when they were around.”

Ren sighed as he started making french toast. “I really am sorry for scaring you like that.” He said and dipped the first couple of slices of bread into the egg, milk, and spices mixture he'd whipped up in a big bowl. “But if I'm going to be honest, when I saw you bent over with your head in the icebox, I wanted to grab your sides and scare you.”

Ren saw her starting to get angry, and raised his hands in surrender again. “It was completely innocent.” He said, then added the bread he'd dipped in the mixture to the grill. “I thought you'd enjoy a good scare like that.”

Ereka sighed, because she heard the truth in his words.

“I know you hate it now, so I'll try my best not to scare you.” Ren said. “Either on purpose or by mistake. Okay?”

Ereka nodded, and he dismissed the Honor gain popup. He finished the first few slices and served them to her on a plate.