“Wren, worry not. I'm here officially. You need time and I'll give it. It truly is you though? You needn't answer that. Much has changed but your voice and scent are the same. If anything, you smell better and look more real to me.” Rohn said, smiling from ear to ear.

That shit eating grin on your face pisses me off, Rohn. Don't know if you ran into Troy or someone tipped you off but if you think what Troy and I have decided has anything to do with you... Well, outside of you bringing the problem to my attention, it doesn't. I'm not gonna embarrass you in front of your men but I can still get my point across.

“Eldest Umberdown, I will attend to your family's needs as soon as I have finished the wall for everyone's protection. Queen Kushal's accommodations will be completed before nightfall. If you'll excuse me,” Wren delivered with cold politeness.

The smile slid off Rohn's face like cooked spaghetti down a wall. A trace of hurt crossed his face before being replaced by suppressed anger as he turned and stormed off. It didn't feel as good as Wren thought it would.

“Liita and Bress right? I believe we've met briefly before. Please let her Majesty know that I will attend to her needs as soon as I've finished the wall, in case the Eldest is indisposed.”

“Do you not think your words overly cold?” Bress asked, sounding confused.

“Do you not think that gloating over someone's loss overly cruel?” Wren countered, not realizing until that moment, that was exactly what he was feeling.

“I'm certain he was not thinking tha-”

“You're damn right, he wasn't thinking! And thoughtless cruelty is far worse for it leaves the one committing it feeling wronged in the end too. Please leave me to finish the wall, I'll be there soon.” Wren started angry and finished just tired.

After another half hour the wall was finally finished as he trudged his way to the corded off area for Umberdown Manor. After consulting the milling band runners on what the different areas were meant to be used for, he decided to build the structure for where the new barracks were going to be.

It'll take a little more effort but at least what I make can serve a purpose after the main manor is finished.

Not feeling like designing anything overly special just easily defended, he picked through a few different styles in his ring before making the energy construct and laying the spell model over it. At this point, just wanting to be done, he simply dropped nearly a quarter of his EE pool into it in Ermita embodiment. The surrounding people and even a few further out, stopped in their tracks to see a rather large three story building spring out of the ground and solidify in less than a couple minutes. After flipping the cornerstone around that held the logo and throwing enchantments in the private baths and restrooms he left without a word.

The father and son duo found their jobs of warding away people suddenly very easy as the crowd parted on their own accord. Being a practical people, most had an inkling what kind of effect such prowess could have if applied to less constructive purpose.

Despite how awed the gen pop is, the way Sable keeps blocking certain angles of the crowd with his body for me lets me know that he gets just how fragile my prowess is and if he can figure it out then others can too. I originally held him behind because I wanted to do something good for him but now I'm starting to think that I'm the lucky one here. Through most of the day today all it would have taken was one asshole with a vendetta that slipped the radar and I could be toast.

Wren joined Jaden in watching the sun sink behind a distant mountain range. The companionable silence granted Wren a peace he had not known all day. As the world faded into twilight they were joined by Lilly who had a somewhat unwilling looking Troy in tow. After a simple request from Wren, Sable was taken with everyone else by Lilly into the couple's realm.

“Now Jaden and I are going to get cleaned up. You boys just relax and we'll come and get you when we're done... It might be a bit.” Lilly boldly stated with just a touch of embarrassment at her own brazenness.

“You look good, Wren.” Troy said lamely, trying to break the ice.

When Wren saw Sable and Grimalkin on the verge of edging Troy away he said, “We're safe here. Both of you have had a hard day too. Try to relax... Little Gray, you think you can show your dad where he'll be sleeping tonight. And before it even comes up, everyone's assuming you two will be sharing the bigger bed unless you don't want to. If that's the case I have a pretty comfy futon squirreled away here. Might be a little musty though.” He gave a meaningful look at Sable.

Immediately Sable responded, “No discussion necessary. I'll use it. This shadowed wood is free of danger and the weather is odd but clear. It would be comforting to sleep by that pond I think.”

Wren handed the futon over, noticing a slight dimensional ripple.

Accessing a space within a space that technically share the same planar area might be a little dangerous. I'll have to keep that in mind.

“You could share sleeping space with me then,” Grimalkin offered innocently.

“I'll be sharing sleeping quarters with Lilly and Jaden tonight. I hadn't originally intended to but today was rather more exhausting than I had originally thought it would be and I could use the bond boost,” Wren said, smiling tiredly.

Troy flinched.

Might be more than a little hurt but it's not like I don't understand.

Mustering up some sympathy, Wren said, “Heard you did a pretty bang up job today distracting and comforting the people who lost others today. You even organized a group to help people find each other and compile a list of the missing. You must be pretty worn out too.”

“No one saw this coming. We had a plan, Wren. It wasn't supposed to be like this.”

Wren sensed a lot more than one meaning in Troy's words.

“Things rarely turn out like they were planned. Ask Ephyra. Sorry, I know she was good to you, if no one else.”

Troy soaked in Wren's words for a moment before saying, “I'm alright. Seeing a school of her offspring ripping up a thousand year old city full of people woke me up... It's not like I really intended our bond to be broken forever. You looking different actually makes this a lot easier for me to accept. It doesn't feel so much like I'm being manipulated and I meant it when I said you look good.”

“There was a large part of me that felt the exact same as you, Troy. If it hadn't taken so long to figure things out, it probably wouldn't even... You did a really good job getting me to accept you. I get it. All this shit's not really something you can just say 'Hey this is your fault.' We're solid, alright. I just got to get over it.”

“You don't have to. We aren't bonded but that doesn't mean I don't like you. I actually like you a lot. We cou-”

Wren cut him off with, “No. Not into that. You want to experience life and have some fun. Not anything wrong with that. Maybe I do too, deep down. I've found myself thinking about a lot of things differently. Our bond had a lot to do with that. I need to figure myself back out again and I don't think it's a good idea to do casual with the person... I just don't want to get twisted or played. That wouldn't be good for either of us.

“Besides, we are partners in crime if nothing else. We're probably going to go through lots of dangerous and crazy shit, man. Let's clear all the heavy out, then we can talk about this again. Who knows, maybe by the time you figure out what you really want and if that includes being my bonded again, I'll be completely cool with that. Just don't expect me to wait around. I'm not gonna put my life on hold so don't get bent out of shape when I move on, because I will. It might be tomorrow or months from now but you don't get a say anymore.”

More than a little frustrated, Troy replied, “You never really gave me a chance when we were bonded. So what if I'm not now. Maybe we could be a thing if you would.”

“Maybe. I made you a promise I would not hold your past against you and I'm not when I say this. A maybe ain't worth shit. Maybe a maybe would be enough for someone who thought the sun rises and sets on your ass but I don't and it's not. That's probably a lot harsher than it needs to be but I don't think you're used to people telling you no when you really don't want someone to. You're a good guy Troy and after I get over my own shit I'd be good with being friends but if you really want me to take your feelings serious ever again you'd better come at me with something a hell of a lot more solid than maybe,” Wren said.

“Two months I... fuck! The sun doesn't rise and set on your ass either!” Troy exploded.

“Didn't think it did but when I was a teenager I'd forget every once in awhile. I wasn't just talking shit when I said I understood. It'll be harder for you because you have that thing that makes people stupid for you but it's not like I think your life was all roses either,” Wren soothed.

“Sometimes I fucking hate talking to you.” Troy said before looking a little surprised at himself.

“Yeah, no one likes a know-it-all. Imagine how insufferable I'd be if I believed I really did.” Wren chuckled out.

“Fuck you,” Troy said with a ghost of a smile.

“Almost. Now it's just a maybe.” Wren stuck his tongue out at Troy and for a moment being hurt and angry balanced on a knifes edge with laughter. Laughter won but only just so.

“May not be up for break up sex but I'm down for a break up drink” Wren said as he pulled out a bottle of tuber mash liquor very similar to vodka and cracked it, watching more ripples with 3.5 mind as he took a long swig before handing it over to Troy.

After taking good swallow himself, Troy said, “This tastes like shit, Wren.”

“Yeah but it's 150 proof and drinking anything less is a waste of time for me. Just so you know. If you are a handsy drunk you better walk off to try your luck somewhere else,” Wren warned.

“Get over yourself,” Troy sneered.

With mock arrogance, Wren replied, “I'm trying. Really, I am.”

A few more passes of the bottle and Sable joined them. Grimalkin tried a sip before passing on anything more. By the time they were reaching the end of the bottle Wren got tired of waiting for the washroom and went for a skinny dip quickly being joined by the other two. Aside from some curiosity driven ogling from Troy and Grimalkin everything stayed on the horse playing side of things.

After they were done with that, Wren started feeling like all he really wanted was a good rest. He said his good nights amid a bit of tentative flirting Troy was sending at Grimalkin which wasn't finding much traction. His last thought before falling asleep, collapsed in the middle of Jaden and Lilly's bed was that maybe a jockstrap wasn't proper sleeping attire.

***

Wren's unconscious mind stirred to near wakefulness. Remnants of wrongness still undigested had found a way to strike at him. It didn't induce panic in him. It just stirred his mind, inducing nightmares and there were plenty of materials to choose from. Wren went into a red and blue light state. This was something he had learned from a therapist many years ago. He recognized that he was in a dream and shaped it to fit him.

The wrongness had found another avenue. Of the two it could travel, it chose the one with three small lights within the big one. Wren could sense it's intent and moved to stop it. It didn't take much effort to catch it but it would require him to wake up to pull it back. It was only a faint wisp. it would wear itself to nothingness on it's own so he just held it there, suspended. As he watched particles of neutral spirit shed off the wrongness his unconscious mind likened it to a slow motion sparkler in negative film.

The least strong of the three small lights was stirred from it's waiting sleep, attracted to the spectacle. In this dreamland, intent gave mobility and desire gave form so it was an effortless thing for it to join in. Awkwardly at first, then with more surety, it began chasing after the drifting bits of neutralized spirit and taking them in.

The willful little sprite delighted Wren in it's gamboling so when the faint wisp of wrongness wore out Wren searched for the remaining bits and continued dangling the shedding pieces in front of gluttonous tiny ball. After finishing the first piece the light of the little sprite grew brighter and again after the third. With the sudden nudge of intuition, Wren waited for the last shred of wrongness to wither until it's last few charged particles remained and released them.

The wrongness divested of all ability to do any real harm was still guided by it's purpose and entered the little sprite. For only the smallest of moments it grew dim before brightening again. In that moment it learned fear but a second later when Wren sent a few particles of life charged Spirit it learned happiness. As simplified as he could he sent a picture of 'strength from small bad' and 'small bad to protect from big bad'. In that moment he earned a new name; 'strength giving/small bad and happiness giving'. Not seeing anymore wants to be had, the little sprite returned to itself.

Wren, too curious about this experience for it to end, followed the small sprite closer to it siblings protean dreams. The biggest light was strongly demanding while the second was accommodating but assertive. Besides that, there was little else to see.

The third was far more complex, even before Wren's snack feeding. It was desperate. Unlike the first two, it came into existence weaker. The struggles it endured to cling to existence had shaped an inner strength instead.

There was a steady but weak source of wrongness that came from a source of nourishment. The first two took the best and least affected, only leaving the tainted for the third. The third took only what it needed to survive, not liking the twisting wrongness, but time and time again it had need and the more it took the more it needed to survive. An endless cycle that was broken when Wren ate all the wrongness. As babies will seek for their mother's milk the desperate third sensed and sought out the not wrong from wrong source and knew it to be better. Satiated for the first time it was tempted to return to that 'no sense but more growing' state but the presence of Wren developed in the little sprite a feeling of curiosity. So when Wren started to follow the tiny crumb trail of wrongness to it's source, the little sprite trailed behind.

Wren followed the trail to a spirit exuding sliver, deep within Lilly. Wren was tempted to take some of it in but this close to the source would steal from the lives yet to be so he did not indulge. As he inspected the center of the sliver he encountered a complex twisting kind of wrongness that targeted new life and sought to subtly bring it into alignment with a certain preconceived form. If in a normal human it would actually be a boon but within Lilly it would lessen that third life who would take it in. The very fact that there would be three, it was also responsible for. The fact that no other man who came after Jaden would have the ability to get her with his child until all three were born was also it's doing. Wren couldn't tease out the details of why, or much care, but the little sprite had delighted him so his unconscious mind disliked the idea of this thing harming the little sprite.

Despite this wrongness at it's heart, all in all, the sliver was a good thing. It would continue to be a good thing for long after the wrongness had exhausted itself. The worst part of it's wrongness actually lay in the fact that the waiting lives would be undone if it was removed now. Seeing that the little sprite had followed him, however, offered his intuition a solution. Since the third had taken in some of the wrongness before it would continue to concentrate itself in the spirit that surrounded the third. If Wren couldn't remove it then he'd make it where the little sprite could feed off the wrongness with no lasting harm.

He gathered the smallest necessary amount from all that he was to form a mustard seed void sprite with only one purpose and two directives. It would follow around little sprite and eat wrongness then share what it didn't need to maintain itself with the little sprite. In this dream, not quite astral plane, the little sprite frolicked with the void mustard seed as it swirled around eating the particles of wrongness and sharing the safely converted spirit to the little sprite.

Lonely and forgotten, Wren bemusedly watched the little sprite make a game of tag out of chasing the wrongness around. Twice the little sprite got too close to the source and dimmed a moment before the void sprite darted in to convert. Finally, the little sprite was full and returned to itself to await it's life and Wren returned to himself to await dawn. He only stirred for a moment to the hushed but excited whispers of Lilly and the subtly tightening embrace of two happy people.

***

“He's waking up.”

Wren's sleep addled brain informed him that the voice was distinctly feminine.

“How can you tell?”

A man's voice.

“The same way I can tell when you're waking up.”

Definitely Lilly.

“Should I-”

Yup, Jaden. Right behind be.

“No. If you move too much he'll wake all the way up. It's better this way.”

Lilly~ what are you planning on doing!?

“What?” Wren managed.

He opened his eyes to see a view of Lilly standing in her naked glory, the shy and awkward girl he had first met a distant memory to this beautiful and strong young woman.

“How should we punish you, Wren?” Lilly said with her hands on her hips, all mock severity barely held in place through all the joy vibrating through their bond.

Wren tried to get up but was held onto from behind on the bed. Feeling the playful happiness of Jaden kept him from devolving into panicked thrashing as the memory of Rohn was still fresh in his mind.

Confused but accepting of whatever was going on, Wren decided to play along.

“What did I do this time?”

Lilly took on a lecturing tone as she said, “You woke our little one in the middle of the night, fed them snacks and even gave them a pet behind our backs. How dare you start spoiling our children before us!”

Jaden chimed in from behind him, “I have to agree. That is a scoundrel tactic, stealing our children's affections from us before we can earn it for ourselves.”

Lilly~, I can tell you're joking but Jaden is half serious here.

“What is an appropriate punishment, dear husband?”

“It was a first offense and we should be lenient but firm. Twenty lashes,” Jaden said judiciously.

“Only twenty? I say thirty with a little suffocation.” Lilly said with mock severity.

Jaden broke out of character for a stunned half second before saying, “If I was too soft then perhaps I need to be punished with him. We are heart brothers after all. His crimes are mine as well,” his voice getting thicker at the end.

It was Lilly's turn to get thrown a little off track for what Wren perceived as jumping off script but she was even quicker to recover.

“Then perhaps you should!”

Guys, I'd be scared as fuck right now if I couldn't sense your true feelings but I'm not really an S&M kinda dude. I doubt they'd come up with anything too bad, though.

“Um, aren't I supposed to get a safe word?” Wren said, slightly nervous. His question elicited a giggle from Lilly she couldn't hold in, which had Jaden losing a couple of suppressed chuckles of his own.

Piecing back together the mock severity, Lilly responded, “Criminals don't deserve safe words. Now prepare yourself for your punishment!”

Lilly slid onto the bed as she positioned her head close to Wren's jock and scooted her crotch to just under Wren's chin before propping her leg open. Jaden's hand on the back of Wren's head froze for a moment before pushing it down into Lilly's dampness.

“Do-do you know how to polish pearls?” Jaden asked uncertainly.

“Since before you were born,” Wren's muffled voice proclaimed, eliciting some giggles from Lilly.

Lilly said, “Then get to it old man. Your words are just tickling me.”

And so he did as Lilly started tongue lashing his cock to a countdown.

“It will not disturb your enjoyment if I join you for her attentions?” Jaden asked.

“I-no, Jaden. In such a situation, with you, there's only one thing I can think of you might do that I'd want you to ask first and I don't think you're interested in that right now.”

“What would-I see. Yes. Today, that is true. Perhaps, one day. I will ask then.”

Jaden lifted Wren's upper leg over him as he lowered and angled himself to equally present his rigid member directly under Wren's own and in an act that even Wren thought difficult to duplicate, twisted his upper body over Wren's to join him in 'polishing Lilly's pearl'

After Wren's punishment was over, and to accommodate Jaden's growing discomfort, Lilly laid on her back as the couple coached Wren to the next position which had Jaden and Wren still competing with their tongues to get Lilly off while she took turns pleasuring each with her hands and mouth. It didn't take long for Lilly to let go and release onto and in the mouths of the waiting men. The sudden intensely gratifying release of condensed spirit essence into to the line had Wren momentarily insensible as he first quested to claim the juice which contained it from the source then the competing mouth which was still releasing faint traces of additional pleasure bringing spirit.

The flashes of light from Lilly's smartphone snapped Jaden out of his trance-like state, making him realize that he had been deeply and passionately kissing Wren for the last couple minutes. He reflexively backed away a bit causing Wren, who was already precariously leaning forward, to lose balance and fall, landing near a much richer source of what he craved.

In a move that shocked Lilly and Jaden both, Wren took Jaden into his mouth and guided by instinct more than skill, began trying to extract more spirit enriched juices. Up to that point, Jaden was a little too stunned from his own actions to stop Wren and after Wren had gotten started the slow releasing of previously untapped condensed spirit being shared between them sapped Jaden of all ability to stop him, giving Lilly a pleading, apologetic look for help. Lilly, who had secretly always been a 'rotten girl', didn't see a reason to. She just created a new picture folder and started filling it up as Jaden started gently petting Wren's head until he couldn't hold back himself and gave in to Wren's ministrations with shuddering jerks.

After seeing Lilly's incomprehensible approval and silent encouragement, Jaden pulled the lethargic but whimpering Wren into his arms and worked Wren's frustration out with a rough hand. Being as the slumping Wren was too hard to easily handle chest to chest, Jaden turned him around and sat him between spread legs, working a slicked hand over the shorter mans length. Seeing the aroused state of Lilly as she watched brought a thrill to Jaden who felt his softened member flair to new life, rubbing between Wren's springy buttocks. By the time Wren had finally relinquished his own frustration in a few weak jerks, Jaden was inflamed with the need to claim. Letting Wren slump to the side and then straighten out face down, Jaden gave Lilly a hungry look she knew all too well and in that moment if she hadn't come to him, Wren might have been in some real danger of getting split.

Straddled over Wren, Jaden took Lilly, who was holding on to him like a koala clinging to a tree during a fierce storm. As the couple's mixed juices ran down it gathered into Wrens crevice. Jaden's burning thigh muscles had him resting weight on Wren's buttocks around the time he released into Lilly and in the softly thrusting afterglow, Jaden's sack started slipping over and then in between Wren's cushioning crack, causing him to suddenly jump back to an oversensitive but insistent hardness. And thus the instigator found herself getting wonderfully punished again.

***

Note to self: Years of build up between Jaden and Lilly because of their freaky hyperbolic chamber realm may lead to extreme euphoria and a state of helplessness. Collect with caution.

Wren noticed that his SE had jumped nearly ten percent but that was an after affect of what taking in the condensed essence did. Honestly, it was as if the spirit inside his astral shell had been baptized and the shell itself was stronger yet more flexible. One thing he was absolutely sure of was that it wouldn't have been nearly as noticeable without taking in so much condensed spirit at once. One last change which also seemed a coincidental side-affect, was the minor increase in LE recovery. Apparently a healthy soul means a healthy life force. Speaking of life force, aren't my buddies gonna go all mayfly on me with the way they use this ream?

Wren noticed that he'd been cleaned up while he was out of it. Other than being a little abrasion sore in the front and a little lower back pain he seemed better than fine and even those two annoyances only lasted a moment as he stepped up the healing. He took a moment to bask in the glow of wellness until Jaden came in holding a tray laden with salted meats, fruit and cheese. He also seemed laden with some apprehension and embarrassment.

“ What's up? You seem extra... purple!?” Wren said, slightly surprised by his friend's new shade.

“Yesterday when you, cleansed us of foreign taint, I noticed my skin had began to darken. After our exertions this morning, it seems to have accelerated.” Jaden said.

“You should see your dad. After he got the Ephyra knocked out of him, he went full dark. Not a speck of blue on him but at his throat.”

“And did that change him in any alarming ways?” Jaden asked with a little worry on his face.

“Nope. All good as far as I could tell,” Wren reassured.

“How did you accomplish such a thing? I know much of what Ephyra shared were half-truths but there was always a half-truth in it. You were not taken by him.”

Wren leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “You're right. I took him but don't go around telling people. I think it's a sensitive subject.”

Wren had to dive to catch the tray that slipped through Jaden's numb fingers.

“Hey man, don't waste the grub!”

“Oh, yes. Sorry. T-his is what I prefer after I have exerted myself in the act of love,” Jaden said meekly.

“Aww shucks. You're makin me blush.” Wren teased.

Jaden did, in fact, and was having a hard time looking directly at Wren for more than a second or two which was uncharacteristic of his usually intense communication style.

“Is there something that you need to get off your chest buddy? Did I do something weird when I was juiced up or something?” Wren asked, a little concerned he may have crossed a line while he was out of it.

“First let me give my appreciation for saving the small one. I was much concerned about their possible loss. Due to your effort, not only have they recovered, but are on their way to be born. That is the second piece of joy I wished to show appreciation for. We knew of the darkness within the heartwood months in our time, days in yours, of Lilly sensing the lives within and quietly worried but dared do nothing. You turned that into a blessing.

“With those things said-” Jaden pulled Wren into a warm hug that he held for a few seconds before letting go and taking a full step back. “Now I want to say that our sharing this morning was more, much more, than I thought it would be. I need time to accept things but I do not regret the sharing.”

“Yeah that was way more intense than I thought it would be too. Pretty scary but like you, I have no regrets.”

At least none that I'm yet aware of.

“It is a small comfort to know I am not the only one. Lilly only shared my surprise but she was delighted and though her delight pleases me I still feel somewhat unnerved. Perhaps it is best I share this before Lilly has a chance to embarrass you for sport. Wren, you took my manhood in your mouth and brought me to completion... You did this seemingly of your own will, though clouded it might have been,” Jaden said with complex emotion.

“I ah, should I apologize or something?”

Yeah, now I'm feeling the burn. I wonder what perma-blush looks like when you really blush under it?

As the tangled knots of feelings grew stronger in Jaden he said, “N-no need. I was more surprised by my accepting of it without revulsion. I-it was pleasant. I brought you to completion with my hand but I believe neither of us find that of interest other than feeling the need to inform you. You looked in some pain for not having found release.

“No, I feel shame for having taken my wife above you...I may have violated your request of asking for I stimulated my f-ruit w-within your valley as I took her a second time.”

Wren chuckled. In honesty, it did bother him a little but with everything else that had happened of late, it just didn't seem like that big of a thing.

“No harm no foul I guess. I'm pretty sure most of the crazy that happened was because there was just so much backed up spirit,” Wren offered.

“It will likely happen again. I, no, we need to accept that. Lilly was right and some things are inevitable. Already I feel you making your way into my imprint.”

Jaden's statement brought Wren some confusion.

“Your imprint? I don't believe anyone's ever mentioned that.”

“Though it is rare, some among us that carry the strongest of Umberdown blood, imprint to their first partner whom they join in physical union. It brings about a need for closeness to those that our blood finds to be desirable and if we are rewarded with successful courtship the imprint will finish. Being that a person who has this condition only desires their imprinted, you can perhaps see my conundrum. I grew up in a society that sees monogamy as impractical.

“I feared imprinting with a male and ruining my chance to have children. I also feared imprinting with a woman who may feel the need for other men. It made forming friendships difficult because friendships often include 'comfort'. So that is why when my blood responded to Lilly I was so... relentless. Ultimately, now that I am older and a little wiser, thanks to my father's tutelage, I have discovered many ways to suppress possessiveness for Lilly's sake but now I find that our bond has also changed the nature of my imprint. It is taking in your scent. Not the twisting one, your personal scent. It is not complete but it is only a matter of time as we share more.

“I am not a person controlled by instinct but I am a person that was shaped by it. You are not a person wh-who wants me as I want them like Lilly. It brings the old fears back. Even now, even in courtship, I feel a sense of possessiveness and it will make me feel unpleasant towards those that pursue you. It will likely not respond to women but... I know Little Gray has want of you and that knowledge puts edge in me. That will only become worse if we... Lilly noticed that I did not treat Troy as a threat. But there are many reasons why that may be. She thinks those that you bond will be accepted in the same way women do not cause the imprint to stir. She believes that if you were to accept Little Gray into the bond it would be good for two reasons now. One to give you anchor and not be fully drawn in and so that I will not be drawn by instinct to treat him poorly. I would not on purpose, Wren, but it is easy to make small slips.

“In many ways Lilly and I are the same. She is heart hurt by the idea of sharing my love with another woman. I am heart hurt by the thought of sharing her love with another man. Once we discovered the small shifts drawing her to you I panicked and finally accepted the idea of accepting your bond but I knew it was only a small part of the solution and now the easiest solution is clear but I fear because I feel the need to court you grow and when I give in, as eventually I must, it would hurt my heart when you deny me. We have seen that you do not desire to submit to another man and I would want you. Lilly could keep me from acting on it but eventually we would need to share again and then it's not a certain thing.

“At this point even the removing the bond may not stifle the change in me. This is not Lilly's fault, nor yours and you are a good brother. I should have been more open to you from the beginning but it is a hard thing for me. I will tell you the same thing I told Lilly. What my father said that I should repeat to one who I court. If you accept me you will find no other more faithful, more devoted. It seems a small lie but it still feels truth.”

The archive and Glaucous' knowledge had accounts of this but they were considered abnormal psychology not genetic disposition. Perhaps this is an instance of unintentional social discrimination. I get the sense that Glaucous held out some things that involved his brother too, when he granted his knowledge. Gotta remember to ask him about it.

“Wow. That's heavy. How much time do you think I have before the need for courtship becomes too strong to ignore?” Wren asked.

“Less than a year but...our realm, we are still binding it. To bring it to a rough honesty, about a week world side, not less but maybe more.”

“You say that as long as I bind Little Gray then as long as I keep my attentions to women it should be well?” Wren asked as he furiously thought.

“I am uncertain but Lilly seems to be and she is meticulous in observation.”

That she is. Especially, it seems, on things that make me squirm.

Wren said, “I hadn't planned on binding Grimalkin unless he asked for it but I'm going to have a talk with him. Before I go, I need to ask. What is it exactly, that I smell like?”

Back into neutral conversation ground, Jaden perked up as he said, “I have discussed this with Lilly for I found you pleasant to smell even before all...this. The strength of certain parts weakens or strengthens depending on your emotional state. I will explain based off of what Lilly said the equivalents are in your terms. On a normal day when you are calm you smell of vanilla and cinnamon and if happy this scent becomes more like what Lilly refers to as pumpkin pie? The easiest one is when you feel fear or the excitement of danger because jasmine and citrus make the other scents faint. We've only smelled it once each but you smelled of anise, er, licorice when you were flirting with a girl. My favorite one is when you are working hard at something, especially if you build up some sweat. I have no name for it and the best Lilly can decipher is a scent similar to fresh dragon's blood incense before it's lit. I've once had the irrational desire to pick you up and rub you on me when you smelled like that. To be honest, one of the reasons I found it easier to be friendly with you after I imprinted with Lilly but before we bonded was because of your scents.

“That's really detailed...” Wren said, slightly disturbed.

“My nose is sensitive. I don't know if I should say this or not but i-if you allow me a successful courtship I will likely want to be more affectionate with you after you have labored. It really is an amazing scent. Lilly said she promises not to get jealous if we let her take plenty of pictures. I think she has been working up to this for over a year. But to be completely serious, we share a road, we three. She said we would face greater danger if we do not walk it together. To delay my concerns and give you more time to clear the air of past circumstances and today, Lilly and I have decided to give you time with Little Gray and his father while we stargaze. That is up to three days on what we have decided to accelerate from the outside.”

“One more question, Jaden. Doesn't all this accelerated time reduce your real world life?”

“Lilly is effectively an immortal. As for me, I currently have an over 500 year lifespan and as I get more heartwood spirit bolstering and w-we share more it will continue to increase until I reach a certain point and then my spirit will convert my life force into life spirit like it has for Lilly. Just this one sharing between us bolstered my life force over sixty years. You are a wondrous creature Wren, wondrous and ruinous if care is not taken. Enjoy your vacation, as Lilly would say. We will see you in the real world morning if not before.”

Jaden disappeared, leaving Wren with a lot to consider.