Chloe followed Sae down the stairs. The main room of the inn already had a few people present. There were even a few familiar faces present, but she noticed most of the women in the room were walking around with their bare boobs on full display. A familiar human girl walked up to them, “Morning girls, sleep well?”
“Sure did Aria,” she said while looking around. “It seems.. Busier today. It was practically deserted this time yesterday.”
Aria was dressed like a maid, which around here meant a black and purple outfit specially cut so the boobs spilled out and paired with a very short skirt. Like the Dark Elf from yesterday she wasn’t wearing panties either, so Chloe could see Aria’s pussy. The auburn haired young lady grinned, “Sure is! Today will be one of our busier days,” she leaned forward, “Just between us, yesterday is always slow, just something about the last day before the weekend you know?”
Another familiar figure came down the stairs, it was the pink eyed spider girl with the white carapace. She was also wearing a maid outfit with the same colors, but a somewhat different cut. Leaving her pregnant belly, pussy and breasts completely exposed. She stopped, “Morning girls.”
“Morning, um?” said Chloe.
“Gyweri,” she replied, “I hear today is your last day in Tyna.”
Sae nodded, “Yeah we are leaving with the Bordertown Caravan in the morning.”
“Oh, so we will be seeing more of you then.”
“We are leaving?”
Aria giggled, “Gyweri and I will be joining you two on that caravan. We aren’t going all the way. We should reach our destination right about when it’s time for Gyweri here to give birth.”
Gyweri grinned, “I’m sure the Goddess will be pleased. I can present her my newborns when we come by to pay homage.” Chloe, recalling Aria mentioning that she’d been presented to the goddess soon after birth, had a question, “So do followers of your faith present their children to the goddess immediately after birth or something by default?”
Aria nodded, “Sure, if we can. The goddess absolutely loves children, the younger the better, and she rewards young mothers with her blessing. That’s why we are making the trip.”
Sae and Chloe both looked at Aria’s belly. “You don’t look ready to give birth.”
Aria giggled, “Sadly not, but I’m tagging along to help Gyweri and visit some family I have in the area.”
Alicia, looking a bit tired, came down the stairs just then. Chloe couldn’t help noticing that she was wearing a variation on her usual outfit that had been cut so her apple-sized breasts spilled out. Sae smiled, “Morning sis! Ready for a fun day?”
“Sure am, we just have to stop by Zoey’s brothel for a bit, she needs me for a bit.”
“Sounds great! I was thinking we could visit the lake,” replied Sae. Chloe frowned, as Sae kept up, “after that, maybe some adventurer training? We could practice magic and hunt some weak monsters, but I can cut something out if Zoey needs you.”
Chloe scanned the girls for a second before commenting, “So, um, Alicia is there a reason your boobs aren’t covered today?”
Alicia’s eyes turned glassy for a second, then she nodded, “Sure is. Krellick’s orders, please don’t pay them any attention.”
“I see,” she replied while noting a similar reaction in Sae’s eyes. It seemed Krellick had woven some instructions into Sae, but nothing harmful. Just a few to keep her from noticing anything they were doing with Alicia and another so she wouldn’t question them borrowing Alicia.
Sae blinked, “Oh right I almost forgot,” she turned to Chloe, “I want you to come with us.”
“After Alicia is done helping Zoey, I take it?”
Sae nodded happily, “Yup!”
Chloe sighed as she noticed Zoey enter the room. Aria interjected, “Come on, let’s all get to a table, we are starting to block the stairs.”
Chloe agreed and the group moved to one of the tables. Chloe, seeing Zoey about to pass them, waved her over.
“You need something?”
Chloe looked around, “Something like that. I wanted to talk to you about Alicia.”
“Oh, let me guess this about me needing her. Don’t worry it shouldn’t take more than an hour, you are welcome to observe. Given your age you might just be interested,” she leaned forward and more quietly said, “I’m told you have had your menarche already.”
Chloe blinked as her mind connected the dots. Of course it was something sexual, her mind flashed to that ritual. “Trying to get her pregnant?”
“Goodness no, it’s far too soon for that. This is just a little fun.”
Somehow Chloe didn’t trust that. “I’ll hold you to that hour,” she replied.
Zoey giggled, then sauntered away. Aria inquired at that moment, “So what will you have?”
Chloe ordered something to eat while working a familiar favored spell.
____________
A couple of hours later Chloe joined Alicia and Sae at the lakefront. It was an incredible sight to see the shadowed waters stretching on out of sight. Several boats were on the water, but her mind was more on digesting what she had observed. What Alicia had been through during the last hour seemed more ritual than anything else. The purpose of which however was something she was still working out.
Sae ran out onto the dock. Alicia watched her with a grin, as the younger sister took in the lake. Chloe ran out to join her, some fun on the water did sound appealing to her as well. Besides, she wanted to check out how the lake systems might have changed since her last cycle. New monsters may have emerged, one thing about a world blessed with a system of evolution was that if the right circumstances came to be, new creatures could be formed. Each with their own dangers and abilities.
A spider woman sitting on the edge of the dock greeted them, “Morning girls. Come to see the lake?”
Alicia took the lead, “We did. My sister here was hoping for a little ride on the lake. Any ships available?”
The young woman stood up and turned around. Chloe took her in, like many of her kind she was entirely naked and quite pretty. She smiled, “Well I can take you out myself. There are some nice sights along the coast,” she paused, “Anything in particular you wanted to see?”
Alicia nodded, and moved closer, “I do have a few thoughts. I was also hoping to give my sister a chance for some practice. I’ve been teaching her a few spells.”
“Ah of course, I know just the place,” replied the spider woman. “Oh right, introductions. I’m Reija and you are?”
“Alicia, this is my sister Sae, and Chloe.”
“Well aren’t you two the cutest things? It’s nice to meet you,” she said as she led them towards a small boat. Chloe took in the details, the hull was wooden but the underside was plated with mage steel and etched with enchantments. Protective in nature, normally she would see something like that with a seagoing vessel.
Chloe frowned, “Is there some kind of lake kraken in this lake?”
Reija giggled, “Well aren’t you observant. Been around boats before?”
“A couple,” she replied.
“Well you are right, Tyna lake is home to its own local variety of Kraken. Thankfully they tend to keep away from the town. Nothing we need to worry about as long as we keep away from the deeper waters.”
Chloe was well aware of that, but instead she said, “Is that so?”
Alicia said, “That lines up with what I heard.
Sae didn’t pay any attention as she ran up the gangway and started exploring. Chloe rushed up to join her. She wasn’t that worried about a Kraken anyway. The only ones that would come into shallow water would be the juveniles, and younglings were actually quite playful. Unfortunately their idea of play could be somewhat hazardous to the health of a mortal. Not surprising, since juvenile krakens enjoyed rocking ships, and if you fell into the water you’d be a playtoy. In what sense of the word, depended entirely on the variety of Kraken. Some were known to be rather... lewd. Which might be fine if you were a species of mortal that could breathe water, but since most mortals couldn’t, drowning while being played with was a real concern especially if the kraken in question was one of the younger juveniles, older ones tended to recognize something like that and how to avoid killing their catch.
Chloe watched Sae exploring the ship and briefly imagined an attack. Pushing the thought aside, she reached out with her senses just to be certain. Finding none in the area, she relaxed and joined Sae for the trip. Alicia spent some time discussing the specifics with Reija then they set sail. There was something special about it, especially with the way the waters looked in the Underdark. The water just seemed to shimmer under the light of the luminescent ore veins and moss that ran throughout the underdark. Filling the shadowed waters was a swirl of greens and blues, some of the light came from above but much came from below.
Sae watched the waters in fascination and pointed out every fish, eel, and jelly that swam beneath them. Chloe joined her and time passed rapidly. To the point that she lost pretty much all track of it. It was just the three of them and a guide on an adventure over the water. Sae seemed to enjoy it just as much, and what came after was a landing on a shore of the lake known for its Dire Rat colonies. Perfect for a little hunt, where Chloe got to show Sae a few basic spells and Alicia spent the time training them. It was a nice experience, as it taught her a great deal about modern combat theory, so Chloe enjoyed it just as much as Sae. Even if she didn’t have as much to learn as Sae.
By the time they made it back to the dock in Tyna most of the day had been whiled away. Sae stepped off the boat yawning and Chloe felt a little tired herself, her tail wagging happily. However, as she followed Alicia down the street back to the inn. Her mind was already thinking about the coming trip.
Turning a corner, she asked, “Alicia? After we leave here, what is our next stop?”
Alicia smiled, and Sae hugged her. Chloe frowned but after a moment Alicia started, “The next stop on the road is the City of Black Blossom.”
Chloe blinked, that was a name she’d heard before. It was interesting to hear the city was still around. Especially after the misfortunes the city suffered last cycle. Her undead had been the least of their problems back then. Black Blossom was so named due its proximity to a vast underground forest: the Dark Wood. Underdark forests were somewhat rare but not unheard of. They were home to several unique varieties of magical tree and other plants that could only grow in the Underdark, away from the sun. Black Blossom, last she heard, was a major producer of Blackwood, a specific type of Underdark tree named for the pitch black color of the lumber produced from the trees. That same wood had also been why she’d wanted to take the city last cycle, but her undead never reached the city. Before the heroes found her and banished her once again, she had however heard news of a corruption in the forest. One that came with a plague that killed all it touched. Naturally Chloe had been blamed, but that plague wasn’t of her doing. “Black Blossom? What’s the place like?”
Alicia shrugged, “I haven’t been there in years and never for long.”
“Why not?”
“Well as much as we adventurers enjoy exploring. We have to make a living, and Black Blossom?” She sighed, “It’s not the best for that, too stable. Most of the dangerous monsters in the area were culled long ago and the local garrisons keep the nests clear. If there was a dungeon near the city, that might be different, but there isn’t so only novice adventurers really find the city worthwhile. Usually we just come through with one of the trade caravans, stay a few days, then move on to the next. There are other more interesting stops around the Dark Wood anyway, so it’s not much of a loss.”
Chloe digested that, “I see,” she replied as they walked up the steps to the inn. Well she’d like to learn more along the way. She yawned, besides her mortal body could use some rest and she had other things to think about as well.