Locum Tenens

~~~ Chapter Notes ~~~

Loki and Rilla spent their first night together. Kira got the pair fired up and then went to sleep with Loki's adopted daughters. All chapters in this tale are complete and have been submitted. Hopefully, the kind, gracious, smartly-attired, and gorgeous admins will release a new episode every day or so.

~~~ Kira's Quarters ~~~

Rilla and I came out of the bedroom to find Kira and the girls waiting on us.

"Good morning, father," Zima said. "Good morning, stepmother."

"I love that so much," Rilla told her, hugging the 14-year-old tightly.

Hanna squeezed into their hug and Rilla giggled and kissed her precious little face.

I sat down next to Kira. She leaned over and kissed me tenderly.

"I love you so much," I told her. "Thank you."

"It was well-deserved," she said, "for both your sakes. In the end, it may be more self-serving than you realize. I adore you both and I can feel the love from both of you - with every sense of my being."

Rilla sat on Kira's other side - pressed firmly against her - begging a kiss. Kira laughed and relented.

"Good morning, sister," Rilla purred.

"Did you have a good evening?" Kira asked her.

Rilla nodded and said, "Once last night and then once this morning..."

Kira turned to me, looking aghast.

"I promised her three, you miserable wretch!"

The edges of her mouth curled into a smile almost immediately, however. Zima and Hanna giggled and pounced on me, shooting mock-glares at Kira as they hugged me tightly - protecting me from whatever supposed punishment their stepmother might mete out.

The princess, of course, took advantage of our arms being occupied and sent her fingertips into ribs, sides, and armpits. Squeals of laughter echoed through the common room. She quit when they begged for mercy.

"I asked Mila to bring us some breakfast," Kira said. "I thought we would eat together as a family this morning."

As if being summoned, the door opened. Mila and another cook came in with trays carrying plates of food and mugs of drink.

"So...?" Mila asked Rilla. "How was it?"

I threw my hands over Hanna's ears.

"Mila?!" I gasped.

"What? They know where babies come from by now, surely."

Zima smirked and told me, "Nala says that Prince Kiro tells her that Mila found her in the wine cellar."

I glanced over to see the curvy cook looking a little flustered.

Kira laughed and said, "That might have been where she was conceived..."

"Kira!" her cousin gasped.

My royal spouse, however, only giggled and bounced her eyebrows up and down at her cousin.

Hanna hugged me and I looked down to see puppy dog eyes looking back at me.

"How soon will you have a baby?" the 10-year-old asked.

I hugged her tightly to my chest and said, "A while yet. We need to get settled before I'm ready for several months of sleepless nights."

"I promise to help take care of her," she offered.

"I love you for that and I'm sure you will," I told her, "but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

She seemed... not unhappy... for which I was glad.

"Okay...," she said after a quiet moment. "I love you."

"I love you too. We haven't been a family all that long. I'd rather wait a bit so that I can focus on you and Zima - as well as your stepmothers."

"You've got a good guy there," Mila told the 10-year-old.

"I agree, mistress Mila," Hanna answered. "Thank you."

"I'll leave you to it, then," the cook said, slipping out of the room.

I had trouble deciding whether to start with the cheesed eggs first - or slathering the toasty bread with butter and jam. I ended up doing a bit of both - chewing the eggs as I worked to get the bread perfectly prepared. Kira shook her head at me and laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"I think you and my brother would be happy eating nothing but bread," she replied, grinning.

"Probably...," I told her. "Especially Mila's."

"It's really good," Hanna agreed. "I would never complain about Dora's but this is so..."

"Perfect," Zima finished for her.

I traded her piece of bread with nothing on it for my piece that was covered in butter and fruit-spread. She took a bite and her eyes widened.

"Oh... my... gods...!" Zima gasped. "That's sinful!"

Hanna begged me to make one up for her as well. I had to tell them to finish their eggs. They were quickly addicted to the sweet confections and abandoned the rest of their meals. After I informed them that they would get no more bread, butter, and jam until they had finished their regular food, the pair gobbled down everything on their plates as I made them up another slice.

I ate more than I should have - and then relaxed in the oversized chair. I had an adopted daughter in each arm. Despite the fact that I hadn't been up that long, I was feeling full and cozy. My eyes started to close of their own accord.

My elbows got jostled and I opened my eyes to find Kira snuggling in behind Zima on my left and Rilla cozying up behind Hanna on my right.

"I cannot believe how incredibly lucky I am," I told them - looking back and forth between them. "I feel like I'm the king of the world."

"You're definitely our king," Kira said, leaning across Zima to kiss my cheek - and then giving the dark-headed girl a peck on the temple before sitting back again.

"I agree," Rilla said, kissing my right cheek and giving Hanna a motherly kiss.

I glanced at Kira.

"Anything on our to-do list?" I asked.

"Brant's scared enough to offer my brother a wife who won't be of age until your oldest daughter...," she said.

Zima snickered.

"Sven - by the rumors as well as your last scrying - is licking his wounds. His son seems to have no desire to leave servitude here to return home."

"He does seem happy," I agreed.

"The rat king is dead and the rats..."

"... were turned into skewers?" I teased.

"What? Ew! No. Those skewers are made with..."

"I know, I know...," I said. "River rats."

"I'm not eating anything that was crawling around in that filth that we walked through...," Hanna said firmly.

"So, we have no pressing emergencies - is that what you're saying?"

"There are reports of goblins to the northeast and orcs to the southeast - which would put them east of Brant. That might be the other reason he's trying to create a relationship with us in such a hurry. You and I did a pretty good job of neutering his army. I think he may actually be more worried about the orcs than us. To the southwest, the rumors say that there's civil war among the hill giants. As long as there's no clear winner, the rest of us are better off. If a strong victor emerges, he may take his newfound success and try to turn it into coin by attacking Brant, Sven, or us. To the northwest, things have been quiet. The mother dragon hasn't mentioned anything of concern - so I think we can assume that we can focus our attention elsewhere - at least for now."

{"I have changed my mind about the gifts,"}the mother dragon spoke into my mind.{"Please come see me before you head off on your adventures. I think the gifts might need some explanation."}

{"Are you available now?"}I asked.

{"Yes. Now would be good,"}she replied.

"The hatchling's mother just spoke into my mind," I told my girls. "I have gifts for you from her. She has asked that we visit so that she can explain the gifts. She's ready for us now. I think it would be best to go there before we do anything else - so that we're ready for whatever comes next."

The hatchling perked up from where she'd been lying on the floor and came over to join us. She nuzzled her nose against Hanna - who giggled and gave her scratches like a bear-sized pet.

"We'll need a moment to pack for the trip," Kira said. "It's a half-day hike to the cave."

"Oh... uh... Quick update," I announced. "The great mother gave me a tooth of hers and I have it inside of me."

I touched my left shoulder.

"I'm guessing that's why I can hear her speaking from so far away. It also works like a special portal-stone - for visiting her and then returning to where we came from. We won't need to pack anything. We can just come back when we're finished with our visit."

Kira's eyes went wide.

"That's... highly unprecedented," she remarked.

I shrugged and said, "If you say so. She just kind of made it sound like she wanted us to be able to bring the hatchling for visits."

Kira glanced at my younger daughter and the little dragon - rubbing their snouts together.

"This is most unusual as well," she said. "When the dragon roared - at the ceremony - and everyone knelt - I just kind of leaned into it - but that's also something that I've never heard of happening before."

"Our husband is greatly favored," Rilla said proudly.

"He is indeed," Kira said. "Speaking of greatly favored, we should probably not keep the dragon waiting. We hold hands?"

"Yes," I answered. "I think it would be best to stand - since that's how we'll arrive. Hanna, make sure you're touching your playmate."

I held my hand out to Rilla - who stepped between me and Hanna. Hanna held Rilla's hand and put her other on the hatchling's shoulder. Once I made sure that Zima and Kira were ready as well, I summoned the magic within the tooth and we faded from the palace.

~~~ Dragon's Cave ~~~

As soon as we had fully arrived, the hatchling trumpeted and capered off to greet her mother. The rest of us walked to within a few paces of the pair.

Kira knelt and the rest of us followed her lead.

"You may rise," the dragon said. "Our relationship is familiar enough that - when we are alone - you do not need to bow and scrape."

Her eyes were on the princess.

"It would be unseemly not to honor you, great mother," Kira replied. "You are worthy of respect and fear. It would be better for us to always greet you reverently so that we do not take a chance of forgetting when others are around."

The dragon huffed a little and said, "Fine. Now that the formalities are concluded, step closer and let me show you what I want to give you."

I took out the stones and held them in my hand.

"Let's start with the youngest...," the dragon said.

"Is that Hanna...?" I guessed

"It is my daughter - but she's only slightly younger than Hanna," the dragon replied. "Hanna, take the brown stone and press it against my daughter's chest. Hold it there until it disappears."

I held out my hand and Hanna took the stone. The hatchling raised her head and Hanna knelt to press the stone to the little dragon's body.

When the stone disappeared, Hanna stood up. The bear-sized dragon shuddered and shimmered. She tossed her head from side to side like she was suddenly dizzy. She staggered for a moment and then I swear she looked Hanna in the eyes as her body began swelling - and stretching. The bear-sized dragon pup grew in every direction at once - and, in moments, she was a rhinoceros-sized dragon.

Hanna squealed and hugged the dragon's face. The hatchling fanned her wings as puffs of smoke billowed from her nostrils. She raised her snout above Hanna's head - away from us - and blew a little one-foot-long flame from each nostril.

The little dragon was giddy. Her new size definitely tickled her - but finally being able to breathe fire - even just a little... She did a happy-dance - and Hanna joined her.

"Ah...," mused the mother dragon, "the innocence of youth..."

Once the short celebration was over, Hanna quieted. She had figured out that she was next.

"Each gift I give will benefit your team as a whole - in addition to making the individual stronger. My daughter is now bigger, tougher, and stronger - and that helps both her and you all."

I watched as Hanna nodded.

"Hanna, take the yellow stone and press it to your chest - just at the bottom of your throat," the dragon instructed.

She held it there for a moment and then it disappeared. Like the hatchling, she shimmered and shuddered - and then acted a bit woozy.

"Hanna received a talking-stone that is linked to those that the adults have," the dragon said. "She also now has the ability to speak her thoughts into my daughter's mind - and can receive those thoughts sent her way by my little one."

Hanna squealed louder than I'd ever heard her and hugged the little dragon's neck. She then stared into the closest eye and it was easy to see that the two had started a conversation that wouldn't be ending anytime soon.

The dragon chose to move on. I figured that I would just catch the two of them up on whatever they missed.

"Zima, take the black stone and hold it to your chest - just below your throat."

Once again, the recipient of the dragon's gift shimmered, shuddered, and staggered for a moment.

"Zima, I'm going to have your father attack you. I want you to focus on bouncing his attack back at him. Before this, you countered attacks - nullifying them. Now, you will be able to reflect them instead. Loki, either attack her with a weapon or use your magic to do a stabbing attack. Zima, just focus on bouncing it back..."

We stepped several paces apart and I decided to try my belt knife first. I pulled it out of a pants pocket and flicked it at her stomach without warning, praying that I hadn't just harmed her. Zima focused on the knife and - just before it got to her - it spun back at me the same way it had spun towards her. A second later, my knife was stuck in my belly. I pulled it out, healed the wound, wiped it clean, and then tucked it away again.

"That's so cool!" Zima gasped.

She turned and bowed to the dragon.

"Thank you, great mother," she said.

"You also have a talking-stone linked to the others and can use it to communicate with any or all members of your group. Hanna will serve as your go-between when it comes to my daughter."

I nodded - as did the others. Hanna and the pup were sitting on the floor of the cave - still carrying on a private conversation.

"Rilla, take the red stone please and press it to your chest - just below your neck," the dragon ordered.

A few moments later, it disappeared. Her reaction was the same as the others.

"Rilla, any ammo you use will return to you. If you miss, it comes back a moment later. If you kill your target, it comes back a moment after they die. If you merely injure them, your ammo gives you the ability to track your foe. Try it out."

Rilla pulled her bow from storage, nocked an arrow, and fired it towards the mouth of the cave. A moment later, the arrow reappeared in her hand.

"Thank you, great mother," Rilla said, bowing to the dragon.

"You also have a magical shield that you can use to protect those near you. It will be most useful for you, the children, and the hatchling. I foresee that the three of you will ride on my daughter's back. Zima will return the enemy's attacks while you defend and harass them as Hanna analyzes their strategies and formulates a response. When you are traveling on foot, only my daughter will be able to move quickly enough to keep up with Kira and Loki.

Rilla nodded.

"You also received a slightly smaller sound barrier that you can raise - that will allow the adults to... entertain themselves... without waking the others."

"Thank you for that, great mother," Kira said quickly, bowing low.

The massive dragon chuckled.

"Kira, the blue stone please," she told the princess.

After the stone had disappeared and Kira's body had finished reacting, the dragon explained her gifts.

"You now have the speed, agility, and dodge skills that Loki gained when we were training together before the wedding."

"That's not fair," I complained. "I spent days fighting to get those..."

The dragon ignored me and went on. Kira snickered but listened closely.

"You can do short teleports - to escape damage or close on your foes. As Rilla's ammo returns to her, so your blades will return to you..."

Kira dropped to her knees.

"Lastly, you have the ability to hide your camp from scrying, tracking, or accidental discovery. When you settle in for the night, you'll be able to sleep without having to take turns standing watch."

"Thank you, great mother," I said, bowing at the waist.

Kira was prostrated on the floor of the cave - demonstrating her immense gratitude for the gifts.

"Loki, you already have the speed, agility, dodge, and teleport improvements. In addition, you have the ability to spy on others with your spirit-bird companion. The last gift is for Kira - but you need to take it into your body."

Kira sat back on her heels - listening closely to the dragon's words.

"Loki, hold the green stone to your chest - just below your neck."

Once I had suffered the effects of the magic, she spoke again.

"You have a knowledge of conception that those in this world don't fully grasp," the dragon said.

I nodded, thinking about the advances in medicine that I couldn't explain to those here.

"My gift to you - for Kira and Rilla - is this: at the moment of conception - before the embryo attaches to the mother's womb - you can teleport that embryo into the womb of a surrogate."

Kira began crying as if she had been struck.

Once more, she prostrated herself before the dragon. She lay on the floor of the cave, her forehead pressed against the cold stone, and cried for several minutes.

Rilla, Zima, Hanna, and the hatchling came and hugged themselves to me. We held each other close and waited for Kira to recover.

Finally, she got to her feet, walked straight up to the dragon, and kissed her on the mouth - or - rather - the front of her bottom lip.

Once that was done, she came over to us and threw her arms around all of us.

"I've been fighting with myself," she explained. "I want to have your baby but I know that I'll feel trapped. It's my golden cage. I've struggled with myself for weeks, trying to figure out the answer. I had talked Mila into being my surrogate. I planned to have you..."

She glanced at the two girls.

"I planned to have Mila stand in for me. With this gift, she can still be my surrogate - but it will actually be OUR baby. I know my cousin will accept. She'd already agreed to what I had planned. This will also allow us to get pregnant but still be able to go and fight."

"Mila agreed to that?" I asked her.

Kira nodded and said, "She's completely smitten with you. I promised that you'd give her a child. The great mother has already prophesied that I'll only give you daughters - but Mila will give you a son."

She turned and looked at the dragon.

"That is what I have seen," the dragon replied.

Kira turned to Rilla.

"I think - if you wanted - we could talk Mila into carrying your children as well. We'll just have to give her a few more nights alone with our husband in trade."

"Am I just breeding stock?" I asked, teasingly.

"Yes," the two women said - at the same time.

They laughed and hugged each other.

I looked up at the dragon.

"Thank you, great mother," I told her. "I knew something was bothering her but didn't know what. This will help keep the peace in our home. I don't know how I could repay you but you have but to ask..."

"We've already discussed this," the dragon replied. "There is no repayment. I'm giving you all the skills to ensure that my youngling is well taken care of while she is learning her way in this world. This is self-serving."

"You honor us, nonetheless, great mother," Kira said, kneeling on one knee and lowering her head. "For that, we give our thanks."

I watched as Rilla, Zima, and Hanna followed my first wife's example - kneeling side by side.

I stepped in behind them, standing over them, and bowed my head as well.

As I closed my eyes, I could sense the four of them wordlessly pushing feelings of immense gratitude towards the dragon.

"Enough," the regal lady said gently. "Take the brat and - as you like to say 'go fuck some shit up'."