Home of Consequence

by Archibald Bradford

  The happy image of the mirth on her face was sharply juxtaposed with her bloody smile while she lay dying in his arms.

  Paul dropped his teasing tone as he considered the haunted look on the young man’s face.

  “Boy… Nameless, what the hell happened to you?”

  The orphan turned to the man, his jaw working as he tried to articulate himself.

  But despite the pain that the subject brought out in him, the familiar face of the patient old farmer was warm enough for him to eventually find his words.

  “Her name-”

  He swallowed as tears slid down his cheek.

  “Her name was Kar. She died. And it was my fault.”

  __________

  While Nameless unburdened himself on Paul, back at the cottage his bond-mates felt the storm of emotions flowing over him and fretted.

  “I’m really worried about him.” Milly said quietly.

  The drama of Nina’s sandwich had ended, the Gigas indeed cleaning up after herself.

  Volka had taken Nameless’s place on the loveseat, though she had to sit slightly sideways to accommodate her wings, as they were much larger than Ophelia’s.

  She rested one hand on the Minotaur’s thigh as she spoke.

  “He has not felt loss before, not truly. Give him time.”

  “He is an orphan though...” Erica remarked.

  The Katje’s nap had ended just after their master had left; she was now sipping at a glass of milk, leaning over the back of the recliner where Nina sat.

  Ophelia shook her head, her book forgotten.

  “But he never knew his parents. Kar was closer, to him and to all of us.”

  Volka nodded her agreement.

  “And despite his assurances to the contrary, he still blames himself for her death.”

  The girls had a moment of silence as the Valkyrie’s words hung heavy in the room.

  The fire crackled on, cheerfully oblivious to the pain of those warmed by the kiss of its flames.

  The Flutterby sighed.

  “I am also concerned… for his lack of reaction concerning the recent revelation about his father.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Her milk finished, Erica set the glass in the sink before moving back into the living room to snuggle against the Flutterby’s side again.

  “It’s something that has bothered me since he was little. He never really asked after his parents, and when the truth did come out, when I admitted our bond and he first found out that his father was murdered… he was so busy seeing to my emotional needs that I don’t think he ever really stopped to consider his own.”

  “And now he knows who killed his dad, and they also killed Kar. And he still blames himself like an idiot.” Nina confirmed.

  Despite the giant’s harsh words, Ophelia nodded her agreement with the blunt assessment.

  “I worry that he feels guilty when he should feel angry.” She admitted.

  Milly was gnawing her lip with worry.

  “So what can we do?”

  The angel beside her rubbed her thigh again, massaging her comfortingly as her golden aura washed over the anxious room, the light within her soul calming her bond-sisters’ turbulent emotions.

  “Same as before: we live. Grief has many forms, only time will reveal what form it takes in our husband. Likewise, Erica, Milly, you were the closest to Kar. Do not hold back from feeling what you need to feel in fear of how it might affect him.”

  Ophelia was quick to agree.

  “Yes, if you need to talk or laugh or cry… well, I have many kerchiefs.”

  Erica and Milly agreed and soon the crackle of the fire was once again the only sound within the cottage as the girls were lost in their own thoughts.

  “What if I just need to fuck?” Nina asked.

  Despite the comical nature of her words, her face was serious.

  Chapter 4:

  A Busy Day

  After a fitful night, Nameless was milking Milly in the living room. The return of the simple chore to their daily routine was a welcome relief for them both.

  And since the day before had been so hectic he was taking his time, enjoying the intimacy of the morning ritual.

  The sharp sizzle of milk hitting the bottom of the pail filled the room as he firmly massaged his hands over her breast while she mooed softly. He leaned over and kissed her naked back, she was on all fours over the pail as he worked, and despite being bone tired, he was seriously considering slipping behind her for a quickie once the pail was full.

  But he shook aside his arousal and focused on the task at hand.

  From the kitchen Ophelia called out to him as an idea came to her.

  “Dearheart, how would you feel about us clearing some space in the grass for a little garden? Maybe beside the cottage towards the pond?”

  He kneaded Milly’s flesh as he absorbed the Flutterby’s words.

  “Yeah, if you want, I mean I know Paul won’t mind.”

  Though they very much considered the cottage home, it was technically still Paul’s land.

  “I meant for you, you remember we had that little garden at the orphanage?”

  He snorted. It had been something of a group project for the kids, but most of them abandoned it after a week, leaving Nameless to tend to it himself.

  He kissed Milly’s back again, and settled his cheek against her warm skin, enjoying the intimate contact and the chance to rest his eyes for a moment.

  Another sizzle of milk shot into the bucket while he considered the Flutterby’s suggestion.

  “I don’t exactly have a green thumb, love. If you’ll recall, all we got out of that garden was a bunch of stunted carrots and some rotten cauliflower.”

  Ophelia drifted over to the other side of Milly and he shifted the bucket underneath her so that she could milk her opposite breast while he took up the wash cloth and wiped her nipple clean.

  The Minotaur was completely blissed out as her sister’s delicate hands hefted her weighty breast and began to coax the milk out of it, but she was still listening to the conversation.

  “A garden seems like a nice idea, and I love cauliflower, but it makes me gassy.” She said with a sigh as Ophelia’s efforts produced another jet of cream.

  “Cauliflower makes everyone gassy.” Ophelia chuckled at the Minotaur before looking over to Nameless’s head, still resting against Milly’s back; “And dearheart, you were maybe eight at the time, and didn’t know what you were doing. And I was too busy herding children to give much help once the others lost interest, so those pitiful carrots made me quite proud of you.”

  His cheek slid across Milly’s back and he kissed her again before murmuring into her skin.

  “That’s true I guess, but isn’t it kind of late in the year to start a garden?”

  Ophelia shrugged.

  “Yes, I wasn’t thinking we would plant anything, just prepare the land, maybe a little fence? Then it would be ready for us in the spring.”

  The more she talked, the more he liked the idea.

  “Sounds good, I’ll add it to the list.” He slurred.

  “What list?”

  “List of things that I want to get done around here.”

  Milly looked over her shoulder at him with a furrowed brow.

  “I don’t remember there being a list.”

  He yawned and nuzzled against her some more.

  “I came up with it last night while you were sleeping.”

  He appeared half asleep himself as he let out a contented sigh; her milky skin was so soft.

  Her frown deepened, and Ophelia’s joined her.

  “You mean you came up with it when you should have been sleeping with us, you were out quite late. You look exhausted dear.” The Flutterby observed.

  He stifled another yawn.

  “I’m okay, I was just really restless. Talked with Paul for a while. Went for a walk. Helena was around, sh’stole Paul’s pipe.” He slurred.

  Nina came in
from outside while Milly and Ophelia shared a worried look.

  “Looks like I missed the milking party.”

  Nameless gave Milly’s back one last kiss then stood with a stretch and a huge yawn.

  “You can take my spot if you want, I need a shower.”

  She gave him a quick look up and down and snorted.

  “What you need is some sleep babe.”

  He smirked at the new appellation.

  “Babe? I suppose it’s better than puny weakling.”

  “No, you’re that too. Babe is just quicker.” She threw at him while fetching a glass of water from the sink.

  The Gigas was sweaty from her morning activities, which was an odd sight on her. Even in the heat of the Sansee Wastes she barely had any moisture on her brow, but a drastic change had come over her since Kar’s funeral.

  Before the events in Garland she had been almost apathetic in her supreme confidence, safe in the knowledge that so long as she held her hammer she was the strongest around.

  But now, with Evadne out there, the arena veteran had spent the morning memorizing the terrain around the cottage and then drilling with her hammer, conditioning herself for the kind of combat that rewrote maps.

  Their field of wild grass now had a significant crater in one corner of it.

  She dropped her glass on the counter and looked him over again.

  “I need a wash too, so we’ll take a shower, and then you’ll take a nap.”

  The way she said it made it clear it wasn’t a suggestion.

  “No, I need to take Milly’s milk in to the market and-”

  But she didn’t let him finish, instead she picked him up by his legs.

  “We’ll take care of it. I need to meet the smith anyways. Now come on. I’ll even tug you off in the shower so you can sleep better.”

  She carried him into the bedroom and shot a giggling Milly a wink while Ophelia mouthed a ‘thank you’ at her.

  “Nina! Come on, really I’m fine!”

  They moved quickly into the bathroom, and she didn’t relinquish her grip on his legs as she turned the knobs to start the shower, the audible sound of the pump working resonated through the wall.

  “You will be once you’re face first in your pillow. Now strip.”

  She set him back on his feet, and for one brief moment he considered making a break for it. But the ground outside was chilly, and he didn’t doubt for a second that Nina would chase him down and drag him back no matter how far he ran, so he groaned and pulled of his shirt while Nina likewise got naked.

  “Okay, but you are totally swallowing a big, disgusting, slimy load of my cum!”

  He tried to make it sound as unappealing as he could, but she just nodded.

  “Yeah, I can jerk you off into my mouth if you want. Sounds hot actually.”

  He pulled his pants off and let out another hard-done-by groan.

  His own fault really: there was no flapping the unflappable.

  The water had warmed enough and the pair slipped under the spray for a quick wash, once they were clean and the last of the soap was circling the drain he turned his naked front to her.

  “You don’t actually need to- Ah! Nina! Baby!”

  Indeed she wasted no time seizing his cock and working it between her fingers until it stiffened.

  Once his erection had reached its peak she took it in her viselike grip and pumped it steadily. Her hair was slicked back from the water and her face was right in front of his cockhead with her mouth hanging open.

  Without lubrication, the loose skin of his cock slid over his flesh in her palm and he groaned at the sensation, it was actually how he preferred doing it himself, though it had been a long while since he had done it himself.

  Her tongue shot out and lathed over his head for a moment, before she withdrew it to speak, water dripping off of her face as her red eyes held his.

  “Do it. Shoot that nasty cum in my little slut mouth, come on. I’ll choke it all down for you.”

  Her dirty talk and frantic pace had him climbing into ecstasy within just a few minutes and he gripped her wet hair as he groaned.

  “It’s coming soon, Nina, oh fuck! Stroke my cock!”

  Her hand was a blur of motion. Despite being barely three feet tall, Gigas were one of the strongest breeds around, so a simple handjob took no effort for her. She could stroke him like this for days without tiring, although he certainly would.

  “Cum in my mouth babe, I’m ready. I want to taste that nasty cum you threatened me with.”

  Despite her dirty talk, this wasn’t a sensual exercise; this was her getting him off as quickly as possible so he could get some sleep.

  It didn’t take long.

  He gave a hoarse cry and gripped her head while bucking his cock into her hand.

  As promised she pressed the tip of his cock against her lips when he began to spurt, shooting it directly past her teeth and over her tongue.

  He always had so much cum for them though; his copious wads were legendary amongst the girls, and, though he didn’t know it, amongst the Amazons as well.

  After all, Erica boasted about his prowess to anyone willing to listen.

  So Nina swallowed what she could, but her mouth was overflowing within a few seconds and she opted to pull him off all over her face and breasts, his seed immediately sliding down her body under the spray of water.

  He groaned and thrashed, and she kept stroking him even after his spurts diminished to dribbles, wanting to drain every last drop out of him before sending him to bed.

  After another few hearty tugs for good measure she released him and he collapsed against the wall before slumping to the floor of the shower, warm water and bliss washing over him in equal measure.

  “There you be. Now go to bed.”

  But when she finished washing his seed from her face and chest, she turned to see him snoring in the steamy warmth of the shower.

  She put her tiny hands on her hips.

  “You are such a pain in my ass.”

  But she smirked when she said it.

  __________

  In town rumours abounded about Nameless and his bond-mates. Kettering was remote enough that what few details that came out of Garland had yet to reach the locals.

  Brandon brought his axe down with an annoyed curse on the stubborn chunk of wood on the chopping block.

  The smith’s son was frustrated not just because of the wild theories, but also out of simple jealousy.

  That little twerp Nameless not only managed to snag Ophelia, who Brandon had always had a crush on, but he then went on some kind of badass adventure, only to come back with even more women crawling all over him.

  Valkyrie, Amazons, Hornets.

  It was all anyone could talk about!

  While for Brandon’s part, his father didn’t understand him at all, and now apparently neither did his girlfriend, or rather his ex-girlfriend.

  He had dreams!

  He didn’t want to stay in plain old Kettering. He wanted to be out in the big wide world, doing important things with important people. Of the two of them, he was the athletic one, the handsome one; he was the one with every advantage.

  But now even Cordelia was obsessing over the little snot; he hadn’t missed how she defended him the other night, and he was pretty sure she had visited him since.

  Instead of doing something important, his father had him chopping firewood again, a chore he loathed, though he at least appreciated the workout for his muscles.

  He needed something to keep the ladies coming back for more.

  “Hey, where is the blacksmith? I need some stuff from him.”

  He turned at the female voice but did a double take when he realized that the girl was almost half his height.

  And red, like, really red.

  “Uh…”

  “Rory, I’m looking for Rory.”

  Brandon recovered quickly enough, realizing two things: the girl in front of him wasn’t human, and, despite he
r diminutive size and odd skin colour, she was hot.

  So he adopted his best ‘c’mere girl’ swagger.

  “I can help you, cutie.”

  “Not unless you’re Rory, and call me cutie again and I’ll hurt you.”

  Her words were threatening but her tone was flat so the teen just figured she was being coy.

  Because he’s an idiot.

  “Aw, don’t be like that! I just call ‘em like I see ‘em… cutie.”

  The girl huffed.

  Brandon was having a hard time remembering why he was flat on his back and staring up at the beams in his father’s ceiling.

  “-mostly I made show-pieces, heartstone jewelry and housings and the like. Though it’s been years since I was able to.”

  He recognized the tiny red girl’s voice, still flat on his back.

  “We shouldn’t have any overlap then. I haven’t worked with any precious metals since my apprenticeship. Spend most of my time fixing wagon axles and shoeing Lambdas. In fact, I shoed your bond-sister not long ago.”

  Brandon turned his head in time to see the girl nod; she was sitting on a massive hammer across from his father on his work bench.

  “Yeah, thanks for that. She wouldn’t have made it far without them.”

  Rory grunted, waving off her gratitude as he pulled a bottle from behind the counter.

  “I have enough fire bricks to do you, though if you need an anvil you’ll have to-”

  The red girl shook her head and patted her hammer.

  “Got that covered. Just need the bricks and some finishing tools.”

  He snorted and handed her the bottle.

  “Fair enough. I have some files and such that I never use. Now that your Minotaur’s milk is at the market again I’m sure we can agree on a price.”

  Brandon managed to sit up, his expression aghast as he took in the pair.

  “You hit me!”

  The giant took a good pull from the bottle and let out a satisfied little burp.

  “Nope, actually he did. Not quite as hard as I would have, but still surprised me.”

  “What the fuck dad?!”

  “Mind your cussing boy, your mother raised you better than that. And you deserved a good smack, just be grateful it was from me instead of her. You don’t get up again after a Gigas hits you.”