Nanoka must have decided Tanatsu was taking too long, as she disappeared for a few seconds and came back with her granddaughter.

"Why are you acting like a five-year-old?" Nanoka says.

"Thank you," Tanatsu says. "I was just putting Aya to bed. She's tired and still incredible sick. I was just next door."

"Yes, but we've been here for longer than planned, so we need to get going. Move Aya to the castle so Alzi can check in on her occasionally till she's ready to heal the rest of her. I expect a better response after the next healing session. I know you're used to let-downs, but I know you know how to say thank you."

"I said thank you and I mean it," Tanatsu says. "Things just feel weird. Most of my life has been keeping Aya alive so I could figure out how to heal her. I'll move to the castle."

"I'm happy to help," I say. "It shouldn't be long before I'm able to fix the rest of the issues. Just need to complete a strange ritual and then test it out on the dryad and go forward. It'll be fine."

"Thanks," Tanatsu says again. It's a bit hard to take her serious while she's naked. I wonder if she was hoping I would get her pregnant, too. I could use her to help me get Aya healed. I'm sure she'll be happy with that.

"Well," I say. "I'm happy you have some progress. It felt nice to do. Um, you should get dressed as well, so I don't have to worry about my kids seeing you. I think Kou is getting tired of controlling the two Goddesses. I also need to get dressed, but I've got Kou holding the kids. Well, I do have robes I can put on. So, just you, Tanatsu. Come to the castle dressed."

"I will," Tanatsu says. "I'm not ashamed of my body, but I know how to be decent."

I slip into some random robe I've kept around. I really do need to work with Shyla to figure out a good backup robe for me to carry around. It's kind of a problem with how often I need a change of clothing. But my body also changes shape so much.

Kou is really cute, swaying in the corner. She's using her tails to hide the room from the Goddesses. A stone between her feet that must be what kept the sounds separate. I walk over and do my best Nakuma impression and hug her tails. She doesn't startle like I was hoping. Instead, they just slither out of my grip, and she turns around, the rock getting put back in her ring.

"Don't pout, my Queen," Kou says. "You'll teach your kids how to beg, and they'll become spoiled. Here, have them again. Tanatsu is gone with Aya. So we should be done with everything. Queen Yumanea does have a request for you. Probably the crown. We should be able to complete that quickly. She doesn't have much of a choice in that matter. Elora is the only candidate, somehow."

"Somehow," I say.

"Yes, somehow. No need to think about it too hard, my Queen. Yes, she probably planned that one out, but it works for you," Kou says. "Nanoka, are you doing well?"

"Yes, I can get us there," Nanoka says. "I'm hardly pregnant. I'm not that weak."

"Just asking. I just needed to know if I needed to ask if a carriage could come by," Kou says. "I'm happy we don't. Should we take the dryad with us? Is she your slave? She looks a bit weak. If you want to keep her alive, it would be good to have her nearby."

"Tanatsu should be keeping her near," I say. "I never actually took her as a slave. We'll just free her after fixing her. Probably need to figure out something more to give to her. Sorry for this taking so long."

"A new forest to live in would be nice," she says.

"I'll work on it," I say. "Sorry for the trouble."

"That is something I can handle easy enough, My Queen," Kou says. "I'll find a good place for a new forest. That is everything then. Group up and we'll get to Shyla so you don't have to meet a Queen in a robe."

"I think so," I say. Kou really does just move on to the next thing. I hope Kou has a relax mode. It's nice right now, but this constant moving onto the next thing will be a problem. Or maybe it'll help me keep up with my kids.

Nanoka sends us back to my room. Shyla is already waiting with our kid in her arms for me in bed with a small smile.

"Hello, your Royal Highness," Shyla says. "Kou warned me about the robe. Shall we get you ready? A Queen should show everyone who she is."

"I suppose," I say. "Does seem to be a lot of extra trouble."

"Don't give me that, you Royal Highness," Shyla says. "You don't want to be dressed poorly for this. You're going to be taking over everything. You should dress to fill that role. Come on. Lady Nanoka, take the kids for a bit, please. Just a simple dress and put an inch on those heels and you'll feel better."

"No, I'm fine with getting dressed," I say. "Just the show everyone and high standard thing. I think I may just be tired."

"I'm sure you are, your Royal Highness," Shyla says. "We can have this meeting, dinner, and then let you sleep. How about that? Kou?"

"Yes, Ioelena has everything prepared for tomorrow, My Empress," Kou says. "You should be fine just to relax. We could meet the Hearth's Priestess in the city and relax with her. It may energize you some. You are getting along in the pregnancy. I wouldn't be surprised if the war took more energy than Fertility planned. I doubt she thought you would be so close to the fights and doing so much healing. Blasphemy isn't easy either. I'll make sure Elora is with us during the meeting to make sure nothing goes wrong. Between her and me, you shouldn't have to worry too much about any deals."

Am I really tired? Probably. I was always tired in the brothel. The Mistress can get her punishment later. I am tired. "She's in a dungeon, right?" I ask.

"Ashryn? No, Fertility's temple is holding her for now. Similar, but not the exact wording. Want to be careful there," Kou says. "Is there something you wish for her? I can handle that if you need. But a long-term judgment will have to be given by the Queen. Which will soon be you, or Elora, depending on the title you go for."

"I like empress," I say. It should give me a way out of doing the work for the different realms.

"Then, Empress. Elo will be the Queen along with Shimmer and Elora. I'll make sure Queen Yumanea understands this during the meeting. Shyla, do you have the measurements?"

"I'm not doing anything that fancy," Shyla says. "I can feel how tired you are, Alzi. Don't worry. Aurora is keeping the dinner small. Well, not really, but casual. Aurora is mixing the kids in with the adults. Multiple tables and all that. Your true lovers at one table with Irlo and Radelia. Elora will be there as well due to the news. Is that fine?"

"Yes," I say. "I am married to them all now."

"Not many get that pain," Shyla says. "But if the stories are true, it is a real problem, no matter how much it seems like a blessing. Not that you probably ever thought a bunch of wives would be a blessing. But there are some out there that do. Now, being a dragon queen, I'm thinking gold if you want just a single color. Or we can go more like magma with a mix of red and black. Or we can go a bit funny and pick a green dress."

"Funny?"

"Play the healer after whatever you just did," Shyla says.

"Oh, yes. I'm not meeting a Goddess who knows what I did, so nobody would get the joke," I say. I'll try not to pray when I enter Hearth's temple. I did promise to meet with the Priestess, and it would be good to see how she's doing. I did put a number into the old woman. "Hearth wouldn't be bad to visit just for the Priestess. I doubt she cares much. We can just do gold."

"As you wish," Shyla says.

...

The Queen does not look good. I kind of feel bad that I went with gold. My natural, or goddess-given, light is shining everywhere off the long, flowing dress, making it really hard not to look at me. The Queen's biggest feature is the streaked makeup and puffy eyes. Probably taking some time to think about her wives. I hope it wasn't Kou that asked for this to take place in the throne room. It would've been better to do this in a study or something.

Just Nesh and the Royal Healer are beside her. Lotus must be in a dungeon like Annoris still is.

"Welcome," Yumanea says. "Thank you for making time to see me."

"It is nice to have a simple afternoon," I say. "Been crazy for a while. A simpler day is nice."

"That's good," Yumanea says. "I shouldn't take much time for this. Sorry to have you come all the way out. But the tradition says it has to happen here. Will you marry me?"

"You'll marry me," I say. "I may not be wearing the crown right now, but I hope you can understand."

"Yes," Yumanea says. "Is it ok to have the ceremony in a week? We have most of the nobles here already. We can have them spread the news and food themselves."

"We'll have to watch them," I say. "I don't trust them to distribute the food correctly."

"I'll work on it," Elora says. "But who will be the Queen. Me or you?"

"You," I say. "I like the thought of being an empress instead. Sounds cooler and describes my role better. I'm not really ready for day-to-day handling of the Queendoms. Nor do I want to do that. I'll just check in to make sure things are going well."

"Very well," Yumanea says. "Sorry for my appearance. I've hurt a lot of people. Just finally hit. Sorry. But thank you for sticking with us. I know I hurt you and don't deserve you helping us."

"I'll live," I say. She did lose all her wives. She must of loved a few of them at least. "Elora is doing a lot better now. Things are working out, and Syro is a big help. I'm meeting kids I thought I would just have to live without. Things are getting better for me."

"That's good," Yumanea says. "I'll see what I can do to help. Is Elora taking charge of that?"

"Yes," I say. "Got the first this morning. Going to have dinner with my daughter even."

"Good," Yumanea says. "Well, don't let this idiot keep you from your family."

"You will be family soon," I say. "Probably giving me more family as well."

"Thank you for the blessings. I don't know if I deserve them. I'll work hard for our future family."

"Thank you," I say. That was easy. I wonder how many ceremonies and rituals I have skipped in the path to becoming the Queen of these Queendoms. Kind of funny. They spent all their time trying to keep me down, so they don't have anything left for when I jump over them.

I give her a little nod and walk out. "Do I have time to visit a priestess?" I ask.

"Probably not, My Queen," Kou says. "Maybe if we teleport. But I think you'll want more time to relax with a future mother of your children. After dinner will be a great time for you both to see each other."