Dinner was interesting. Both Sapphire and their new companion dug into their food with gusto. They didn’t leave a crumb on their ptes. Nova felt like she could use a feast as well. Maybe we should visit the temple before bed. Nova thought as she watched her girlfriend eat.

  Kat’s mail armor clinked as they entered the hall. They smiled and waved at (redacted) and Sapphire. The dwarf marched over, and sat down right next to Sapphire. A servant soon put a pte in front of the dwarf. “Where have you been?” Sapphire asked.“I went across the river, and killed a wyvern,” Kat replied. “Flying monsters can easily get over the river,” Sapphire mused. “I suspect that it was a familiar of a demon-lord. The forest is not where wyverns are generally found,” Kat said.“We could go adventuring together!” Sapphire stated. She then spped her face with her hand, “I lost my adventuring pque.”“Can’t you just go to the adventurers guild and request a repcement?” Kat asked.“I was only registered in one town. That town is now overrun by monsters,” Sapphire said.“Minotaur horns!” Kat excimed. “What rank were you?”“I just joined the guild when the siege started. I haven’t yet ranked up once,” Sapphire expined.“Might as well register again. We can go first thing tomorrow morning,” Kat said.

  “We need to visit the temple tonight,” Nova said tiredly to Sapphire.“You look a little pale,” Sapphire replied. “Does your attendant not eat? I saw them standing behind at breakfast too,” Kat observed.“They don’t like to eat in public,” Sapphire expined. “I find it strange that a Fertility priestess has a Maiden priestess as an attendant,” Kat said.“I will let you in on a secret,” Sapphire said conspiratorially, as she leaned close to Kat’s ear. “She isn’t just my attendant. She is my girlfriend as well,” Sapphire said, as a blush crept up her face.I just wish she didn’t have to hide herself. I love it when her face lights up like a christmas tree. Wait, what's a christmas tree? Nova thought. “No way! That is a very intriguing development. I never would have guessed,” Kat said in surprise, “By the way, where is Wynnfd? I don’t see her in the hall?” Kat asked.“I broke up with her earlier today,” (redacted) responded bluntly.“That is surprising you were like-” Kat started talking.“Maybe we could talk about something else,” Sapphire suggested, noticing how uncomfortable (redacted) looked.

  _ _ _

  The smell of dung invaded her nostrils as Nova found her way to the mainstreet of the city. It could be worse. Gong farmers carrying buckets and shovels competed with each other to get the dung off the cobblestone street as quickly as possible. The streets were wide enough for horse drawn carts to pass each other while humans walked in between them. The main temple was on the acropolis right off of mainstreet. A lot of guildhalls with gss windows were on the mainstreet near the acropolis. The city was loud and busy with te afternoon traffic. The acropolis had a lot of kids around the age of ten, leaving the temple through a side door in the right wing of the building.

  Nova’s muscles felt like jelly as she tried to climb the hill. Both Sapphire and Beornia turned around when they noticed she was gging behind. “Are you alright? I can carry you,” Sapphire offered.Beornia picked Nova up and carried her. The padin's hard mail chafed at Nova’s skin. I would have preferred Sapphire’s soft breasts to this. Nova thought in dismay, as she tried to keep her face from the mail.“Are you okay?” Beornia asked as she gently smiled down on her.“Your armor is uncomfortable,” Nova responded. “Save me Sapphire!”“Hmmph,” Beornia held onto Nova tighter.The padin shot a gre at Sapphire when she got closer. If Nova struggled she would just chafe her skin more. Nova found Beornia’s protective jealousy a little bit endearing. She better make it up to me for this.

  Nova was carried into the left wing of the temple. The fertility wing was a lot bigger than in the temple at the border town. Beornia put Nova down. When she saw her chafed skin Beornia pnted tender kisses down the succubus’ body. We are in public. Do you care if anyone sees? Nova’s skin healed completely before Beornia stopped kissing her. All the erotic energy from the den of carnality poured into Nova all at once. The succubus gasped, as she tried to control and contain the energy. It felt like when she hatched. The area around Nova became pitch bck.

  “Use some holy magic to reduce the amount of power inside of you!” Beornia said with a sense of urgency.Nova channeled painful waves of holy magic out of her hands. Until she regained control of her erotic energy. “Where am I? It's really dark?” Nova asked.“The talisman shattered,” Sapphire said. The darkness disappeared; they were in a small room with a comfy bed.“We have a problem, none of us have cloaks, and the entrances to the academy have anti-curse magic wards on them,” Beornia expined. “Sapphire, how long can you sustain another illusion?” Nova asked.“My affinity with illusion magic is low. I’m not sure how well I could sustain two illusions,” Sapphire responded.“I can’t stay here!” Nova said, as she put an illusion on herself.

  Outside of the room three demons were surrounded by a group of padins.“What is going on here?” Beornia yelled. The demons shook like leaves when they noticed Beornia.“I was hoping to run into you, Beornia,” A padin turned around. Her armor and helmet was gilded with insur designs. “Commander,” Beornia said tersely.“Take them to the keep,” The commander ordered. “I would like to have a private chat with you and your two companions,” The commander said. The commander led them to one of the private rooms. Once inside she took off her helmet. She had short reddish brown hair with some gray in it. Her brown eyes bored holes into Beornia. She spared Nova a gnce. “Have your demons dispel their illusions,” She said.With a sigh of relief Nova dispelled her own illusion. She whipped her tail around enjoying the freedom.

  “So it listens to me,” The padin commander noted. “She has a name, speaking of names, why don’t you introduce yourself to my companions,” Beornia said, not able to hide the anger in her voice. “There is no need, both of them are probably demons,” The commander said.“Excuse me miss, I am not a demon! I’m a humanoid werewolf,” Sapphire spoke up indignant. “Yet you still wear a disguise!” The commander, accused.Sapphire puffed out her cheeks. Nova just wanted to pull them or kiss them. She instead caressed them with her tail, feeling the softness, and texture of her skin.

  “I just arrested three demons disguised as priestesses of fertility, and you, a priestess of Fertility is wearing an illusion in the company of a demon. So forgive me if I was being presumptions” The commander decred.“Sunne-” Beornia started. “Don’t call me that!” The padin commander cut Beornia off.“Sunngifu please, she is not a demon. It would be a major viotion to force her to dispel her illusion,” Beornia pleaded

  Sunngifu chanted. She released a ball of holy light. It washed over the wolf-kin, leaving her unharmed.“I see she isn’t a demon then. What happened to you? Taking a succubus as a lover? Have you completely broken your oaths to the Goddess!” Sunngifu accused Nova’s girlfriend. She continued in a lower voice, “Is the woman I loved even still there?”Nova summoned a holy spear into her hands. She got between the two padins.“So it is true. You have been accepted by the Goddess,” The padin examined Nova with her wide brown eyes. “But I have heard about your many crimes. Beornia you were a fool to take the fall for her,” Sunngifu shook her head.“I swore to serve her. She makes me a better person,” Beornia responded fervently. Nova dispelled the spear that was burning through her skin. Her padin girlfriend wrapped her arms around her body protectively. “If the crown princess was not protecting you. I would take you to the keep with the other demons,” Sunngifu decred menacingly“You know I can beat you in a fight. Leave my girlfriend alone you petty bitch,” Beornia snarled.Warmth welled up in Nova. Her heart beat faster, as her bear protected her.“If her crimes are bad enough I will come for her. Royalty be damned! You won’t be able to protect your new girlfriend. Just how you couldn’t protect her,” Sunngifu said meaningfully. Beornia angrily lunged at her ex, but her current girlfriend was in the way. Sunngifu left with a triumphant smirk on her face.

  “Who was she talking about?” Nova asked intrigued. “Not here,” Beornia said leaving the room. Nova reluctantly put her disguise back on before following her.

  “Who does she think she is? The padin commander is just unpleasant,” Sapphire griped. “A part of her died the day I came home without my ward. She has bmed me for her death ever since,” Beornia responded. “Save your breath Sapphire she isn’t worth it,” Beornia reprimanded. Sapphire stomped beside Nova fuming. The succubus took the wolf-kin’s hand in her own. Sapphy rexed a bit. The streets were a little less crowded on the way back to the academy.“Sapphire, go grab us a cloak,” Beornia ordered.The padin led Nova into a workshop across the street from the academy. A little bell rang when they opened the door. Inside, fine fabrics were on dispy in rolls on the tables. A few pieces of clothing hung on dispy hangers.

  “Do you need me to take your measurements?” a young dy that looked like an apprentice asked.“Not right now. We are new to the city and are exploring,” Beornia said, pnting a tender kiss on Nova’s cheek.“Yeah that’s right! I love exploring,” Nova ughed awkwardly. The apprentice joined her in an awkward ugh.“You are so cute together the way you interact,” The apprentice noted. “I wish I had an older girlfriend like that,” she said, barely audible.Nova’s sharp ears often caught things she wasn’t supposed to hear. Nova gently held the young apprentice’s hands. “You are young. You have plenty of time to find someone. Just promise me not to run into anything too quickly. Not all women can be trusted,” Nova advised.“You are too kind. I will keep your advice in mind ma’am,” the apprentice said blushing furiously. She fixed her posture and stood up tall. “Is there anything you two want to know about the process around here? Excuse me, as the master’s family is at dinner right now,”

  Nova released the apprentice's hands,“I’m sure you are as charming as your master. I don’t know anything about making clothes anyway.”“No shame in that. Most wealthy dies do not know how to make their own clothes. I would fear for my profession if they did,” The apprentice giggled. “How much time does it take to get garments made after measurements?” Boernia asked.“It really depends on a lot of things. Like how big our backlog is, how complex the design is. Embroidery takes a lot of time. We sometimes need to restock our supplies. There are so many factors in py. If it’s something simple it can be ready in a few days. But if it’s really complex it can take weeks to complete. People get injured and sick sometimes, which can also cause deys…” The apprentice kept talking about making clothes.

  Nova’s mind drifted to fears of being caught while entering the academy, and the mysterious person that Beornia failed to protect, who was she? Nova had a hard time imagining Beornia failing to protect anyone.