War and MG chap 11

Serlov stood inside the door of the meeting room, keeping a checklist of everyone as they entered and took a seat.  She had been surprised to find out three new couples blossomed from the training exercise yesterday. Tomas and Reia were considered something of an inevitability, but the other two had apparently come about in the spur of the moment. She thought it a great stroke of luck since she had wanted to include women guards for the tour of the homeland anyways.

 

Checking off the remaining name from the list as the last person arrived, Serlov closed the door. Moving towards the front of the room, she set her list down on the desk.

“Good evening, everyone,” Serlov said, looking around the room, holding her hands behind her back.

 

“As you are all aware, the purpose of this meeting is to go over the agenda for the tour through our homelands. We will depart four days from now, and spend three weeks there. Once we arrive, our tour will take us through ten to twelve cities, depending on how well things go. Our first stop is the city that contains the portal - Kalos.”

 

Alex hesitantly raised his hand before speaking.

 

“Contains the portal?”

 

“Yes,” Serlov said, “contains the portal. While it has appeared on open ground here, on our side it’s contained in a large structure as a security precaution.”

 

“Oh,” Alex muttered as he lowered his hand.

 

The wurm next to him poked at his arm playfully.

 

“Aren’t we great,” she said, her voice a hushed whisper.

 

“I s’pose…”

 

Serlov cleared her throat.

 

“So then. When we cross through the portal we will proceed to a rally within a few hours of our arrival. You all will be the star attraction; the main event. And yes, as you may have guessed, this is mostly for our benefit. While our war has some support, there are many who think we were too quick to respond with force.  I – we- wish to demonstrate that our methods have merit.”

 

Serlov paused, allowing for some time for her words to sink in. She had considered saying nothing more about their journey than the absolute minimums, but she had developed an attachment of sorts. What started as a mission, an objective, slowly grew to bear some emotional weight. It was only right, she thought, to give these men an idea of what was to come.

 

“Does anyone have objections to being used as a showpiece?”

 

Serlov observed the men as they considered her question. None of them seemed particularly troubled by the idea.

 

“I don’t mind being paraded around if it means I’m treated well and not being shot at,” said one man.

 

“Yeah, it ain’t so bad. I mean, we’ve already agreed to join up with you,” said another.

 

The others nodded in agreement, except for Casey. He seemed rather neutral on the subject, Serlov thought. She couldn’t tell if it was due to some internal conflict or if it was simply due to his recent wounding. Well, she had a surprise for him after this meeting that might lift his spirits. She had considered letting Emrald in on her plan, but decided that she’d be unable to keep the secret.

 

“Good. In addition to you men, your new-found partners will also be permitted to attend.”

 

Emrald and Reia gave no real reaction; they likely had anticipated coming along anyways.

 

Yvonne and Viole, however, seemed to be delighted at the news.

 

Yvonne threw a claw around Alex, pulling him into a half-hug.

 

“Yay~ Aren’t you glad?”

 

Alex did his best to reciprocate the gesture, but the wurm’s size meant he couldn’t quite reach her opposite shoulder.

 

“Guess you’re not getting away from me that easily,” Viole said, bumping her shoulder against Marc’s. Though she attempted to appear nonchalant, the furious pace of the wolf-girl’s tail revealed her true thoughts.

 

“I’ll manage, I suppose,” said Marc, shrugging his shoulders in false exasperation.

 

“Now then,” Serlov said, raising her voice momentarily to silence the others, “these will also be scripted events. People on-stage will ask you a series of questions, and your responses to them are written here.”

 

She rested her hand on a stack of papers that were on the desk.

 

“You are to read over these and memorize them as best as you can. There will be cues to help you, but the more natural your responses sound the better.”

 

Several of the audience gave audible groans. Serlov ignored them and continued.

 

“Lastly, you are to be on your best behavior. You will be in a very precarious position. You will be closely watched, judged, and inspected. Though you have been in military care, you will see our civilian life for the first time. They will not be as controlled and disciplined as you have seen so far.”

 

Serlov frowned, unhappy about having to explain these matters. Though she wasn’t expecting anything to happen, she still worried about the safety and health of the men. They were going to be amongst a land that was almost entirely female. Temptation would be very strong for both genders. Another benefit to having them come as couples.

 

“Thus, I trust that you will carry yourselves with honor and pride.”

 

She looked around the room, stopping to meet the eyes of each man to reinforce the meaning behind her words.

 

“You are all dismissed. Don’t forget to pick up a script.”

 

As everyone stood up, she moved to the side of the room and waited for Casey and Emrald to come near.

 

“Casey. Emrald. I want to see both of you in my office,” Serlov said, then left the room.

 

The two looked at each other, then towards Serlov as she left.

 

“Huh, wonder what that’s about?” Emrald said, her tails twitching about as she thought.

 

“Who knows, I haven’t done anything recently.”

 

“Well, maybe that’s the problem?”

 

Emrald gave Casey a sarcastic grin with her last comment. Casey shrugged in response, and then went to collect the script from the desk. Flipping through it, he and Emrald then left the room and headed for Serlov’s office. The pair met Serlov just outside her door. She opened it, waved the two in, and then closed it behind herself. She purposefully kept her face impassive as she slithered to her desk, then picked up a small lacquered box and turned towards them. Emrald and Casey looked on curiously.

 

Holding the box with both hands, she approached them slowly and deliberately. Once she was within arm’s reach, she halted, looking at Casey as if studying him. He shifted nervously, glancing down at Emrald who gave him a look that indicated she didn’t know what was going on either. Finally, Serlov’s face cracked and a lop-sided grin spread across her face. Casey suddenly felt more nervous as he desperately tried to recall a time when the reserved lamia had ever smiled.

 

Serlov shifted the box to one hand, opening its cover with the other. Nestled inside a padded velvet cushion was a small, golden medal. It was in the shape of a five-pointed star, and inlaid with deep blue enamel with a small silver star in the center. Casey noticed one of the legs of the star was longer than the other, appearing to point down to offset the blue and white striped ribbon that rose from the top. She then looked at Emrald, who by this point had figured out what was going on and accepted the box from Serlov.

 

Taking the medal from the box, Serlov held it one hand, bringing it to Casey’s chest.

 

“For your courage and willingness to defend the lives of soldiers of the Coalition, for being wounded in the process, when you had no duty or obligation to do so, I, Mirona Serlov, Colonel in the Armed Fighting Forces of the Coalition, present to you the Star of Valor for your actions.”

 

Serlov then pinned the medal to Casey’s left breast on his uniform, smiling all the while.

 

Casey was speechless, but found himself flushed with pride. He attempted to say that he did not think he deserved such a commendation, but quieted the words before they passed his lips. He thought himself a traitor to humanity, that he had acted due to a simple fling or fleeting emotion. Lives were saved, but others were extinguished, and the choice had weighed on him heavily. Now, for some reason, he felt that he had done the correct thing; that his action rather than inaction was correct.

 

As Serlov distanced herself from Casey, she snapped him a smart salute, to which Casey replied in kind. After holding it for a moment, Serlov relaxed and again smiled at him. Casey looked over at Emrald who appeared to be on the verge of tears.  

 

“It may not mean much coming from me, but I am proud of your actions. I like to think you did what you did because you believe that we are not an ‘enemy,’ but perhaps something more, or better,” Serlov said.

 

“Thank you, sir,” is all Casey managed to say.

 

“Carry on… soldier.”

 

Casey nodded, and began to head towards the exit. Emrald trailed along belong him.

 

Closing the door behind her, Emrald looked up at Casey who was staring at the medal pinned to this chest. She wiped a tear from her eye, then reached up with one hand and stood on her toes to give Casey a kiss.

 

“I…I had no idea they would do something like this,” Emrald said as she fidgeted with the box.

 

“Yeah… me neither. Since then I’ve been thinking about it non-stop, but now… now I feel more like I made the right choice.”

 

Casey looked down at the petite kitsune, observing her happily cavorting tails.

 

“Oh, so I am the right choice? That’s good to know,” said Emrald with a playful tone to her voice.

 

“Well, I think you deserve a reward from me as well then,” a coy smile appearing on her face

 

“Ah, isn’t it too soon? It hasn’t even been two weeks…”

 

“Hey, who’s the doctor here? It’ll be fine. I’ll be gentle, don’t worry.” She stood up again and gave him another kiss, then a light tug on his hand.

 

They walked through the hallways wordlessly, Emrald leading Casey along with his hand. Entering her – their – quarters, she turned and locked the door to ensure there wouldn’t be any surprise interruptions, then tossed the box onto her desk. She gently shoved Casey onto the bed, climbed over the top of him on all fours and began to smother him with kisses as they removed each other’s clothing. They rolled about on the bed and exchanged positions to remove each article in turn; shirts and pants tumbled away onto the floor, undergarments soon following in a lazy arc.

 

Now with any obstructions gone, they admired one another’s naked splendor. Emrald slowly crept her way up and over Casey as he lay on his back, leaving kisses along his body, neck, and face as she went.

 

“I love you,” she said, pausing her kissing and resting her forehead against Casey’s.

 

Casey peered into her deep green eyes, finding them filled with passion, desire, and longing. Since their first night together they hadn’t been able to engage in any love-making due to his wounds. Though he deeply desired her touch and warmth, he suspected she pined for this moment more than he did.  

 

“I love you too,’ he said, smiling with his eyes.

 

Emrald gave a small sigh, allowing herself to sink down onto Casey’s chest.

 

“Ah, this doesn’t hurt you does it?”

 

Though her body lying atop his did cause him some discomfort, he didn’t want to spoil the moment.

 

“Not at all.”

 

“Liar. I felt you tremble. But, if you’re okay with it…”

 

Emrald looked up at Casey and smiled as she spoke, then curled herself up slightly. Her tails wrapped them up with a softness and warmth to match any blanket. Casey responded by hugging her tightly, and the two remained that way for a long while. Occasionally her ears would twitch from Casey’s breath, tickling the bottom of his chin. Reaching up to scratch her behind the ears, Casey loved to touch her fluffy, velvety ears as much as she enjoyed being stroked there. He could feel her warm body relax even further, almost as if she could melt.

 

Tilting his chin down, he took the tip of one of her ears into his mouth and nibbled at it lightly, causing the kitsune to giggle and shiver slightly. During their previous impassioned night, he discovered that her sensitive ears also served as an erogenous zone. After toying with her ears for several minutes, Emrald’s breathing was becoming heavier, turning into small pants. Twisting her head to free her ears from Casey’s touch, she then lifted herself off his chest. Peering down at him again, he noted that she had become flushed, her expression and eyes burned with desire.

 

“I’m supposed to give you a reward, but here I am getting all the attention,” she said, locking him in a kiss to prevent any response. Breaking away only to take a breath, tendrils of saliva trailed between their lips after the long, deep kiss.

 

Gazing up at her, Casey realized his passion for Emrald went beyond the simple physical pleasures of the flesh. He wanted to be one with her, to enjoy the warmth of her spirit and being. Despite the short time he had known her, he had never felt this strongly about anyone ever before. Her presence filled him with something he couldn’t quite describe, yet made him feel whole. But, there were shadows lingering in his mind, whispering to him their doubts. Was it possible she was just taken with him like a new toy? Would she get tired of him?

 

Emrald’s hands sought out Casey’s, her fingers interlocking with his as she pulled herself up, moving to a sitting position on his pelvis while still kneeling on the bed.

 

Looking down at the man she was straddling, Emrald wondered how such a depth of emotion was possible. She admitted to herself that he only caught her attention due to being the first human male she encountered. His gentle demeanor and willingness to cooperate had been an unexpected surprise, and she found herself increasingly infatuated with him.  Though his casual attitude and almost apathetic view of life may have fooled others, she knew there had to be passions hidden within. When she finally broke through his façade, her infatuation became love in an instant as his passions broke free to embrace her. In that night not even two weeks ago, she discovered something unique and beautiful that had been entirely unknown to her.  And it was kind of scary. It made her unsure and nervous; it wasn’t something she could simply think through.

 

“H-hey,” they both began, suddenly nervous.

 

“D-do,” both of them again speaking at the same time.

 

Somehow, they both knew the words the other had tried to speak. Casey and Emrald simply smiled at each other, their worries fading.

 

Raising her hips and then sliding herself down upon him, Emrald licked her lips.

 

“I’ll have to do something about this swelling immediately,” she said with a wink and a slightly lecherous smile.

 

--

 

Casey took a deep breath in through his nose, enjoying the scent of Emrald’s hair. Laying on his right side, she had cuddled up into his arms, sharing her warmth with his. Through the musky scents of desire, the warmth and pleasure of intermingled flesh, and the sounds of gasps, moans, and pants, the two had managed to communicate their worries and misgivings in a way no words could.

 

“What… what do you think of children?”

 

Emrald’s sudden words broken Casey from his reverie. He blinked a few times rapidly.

 

“Children?”

 

“Yes… children.”

 

She rolled over in his arms to look him in the eye.

 

“I want children… your children, you see”

 

“I, uh.. I guess children are fine? But isn’t it a bit early?” Casey said, confusion ringing his words.

 

“Don’t you love me?”

 

“What? Of course I do – I love you more than you could know.”

 

Emrald giggled as his words, taking great joy in hearing them from him again. She brought a tail up to her face, as if trying to hide behind it.

 

“Then, why not allow our love to bear fruit?”

 

Suddenly, Casey felt like he was being manipulated by the crafty kitsune again. Her eyes blinked at him moistly; she fidgeted nervously behind her tail. Why did he feel so strongly about this demon again?

 

“Fine… though I can’t guarantee I’ll be a good father.”

 

Emrald’s nervous appearance vanished instantly. He knew it. Though, she did appear to be genuinely happy with his words.

 

“You will be a fine father if you treat the children like you treat me,” she said, reaching up to stroke his hair.

 

“Well, when do you want to start trying?

 

“Oh? We already have been.”

 

A sly smile appeared on her face.

 

“What? You mean you haven’t been… using any kind… protection?”

 

“Well, contraceptives aren’t really required for us, you see. So every time you poured your love into me…” she said with a wink

 

“So that means you could already be…?”

 

Casey was in slight disbelief now.

 

“Possibly, yes.”

 

Casey groaned, spitting Emrald with a mock glare and pursing his lips. Emrald winked and stuck out her tongue in response.

 

“Roll over, if you would,” Casey said

 

“What? Why?”

 

Casey gave her shoulder a push that flopped her onto her back.

 

“Fine, fine…”

 

Now with her back to him, Casey scooted up against her, lifting her upper leg. She looked down and saw he was ready to go again.

 

“Then we should make more attempts to ensure success, don’t you agree?” he said, sliding into her warmth.

 

“Oh you beast~ How can you go so many times in a night?”

 

“It’s easy, really. I just have to look at your beauty and my body does the rest.”

 

Emrald let out a little squeal of happiness, then hooked her arms around Casey’s neck, craning her own to kiss him.

 

--

 

Serlov rubbed at her eyes, hoping that every time she did so the mountains of paperwork would vanish. It never did. It didn’t help that she was being distracted, causing her thoughts to drift from her work. She was regretting having her office adjacent to the dormitories now. In the quiet of the night, she could hear the chorus of love being sung. With every new crescendo she would pause her work and think about herself and her future. Though her station prevented her from associating with most of the female base staff on a personal level, she wondered if it would be all right if she attempted to claim a man for herself. With a groan, she fell forward on her desk, wondering when exactly she started thinking like a love-sick little girl.

 

Her thoughts of envy and jealousy troubled her most deeply though. She sat back up, crossing her arms in contemplative thought. If she felt like this, how about the rest of the women here? Or what about those back home that see the happy couples? There were many wealthy and powerful individuals that would stop at nothing for a similar taste. Serlov thought back to earlier this evening when she warned of possible dangers. At the time she considered it a relatively minor thing since they would be in military care for the most part. Now, after reflecting on her own emotions, she wasn’t so sure.

 

She shook her head and let out a deep sigh. No, she thought, she had to avoid thinking like that. Once mired in dark thoughts it was nearly impossible to escape. It will all be fine.

 

Another throaty noise seeped through the walls.

 

“That’s it, I am moving my office,” Serlov muttered to the emptiness, resuming her attempt to conquer the mountains of paper.