Steel and Mana

It was late at night, and the moon was out in its complete beauty, bathing Avalon with its silvery light. Only a few guards patrolled and walked around the clean streets as the city slept, keeping vigil and protecting its dreams. Amid the silence, a soft knocking was heard on the city's only temple's door, and then came the shuffling sounds of Mikan, who was tiredly coming to check on who came visiting this late, wearing her long nightgown and rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Um... Can I help you... ah... Yuri? Is something wrong?"

"Sorry... I... Can I come in?" She asked, looking troubled and almost panicked, which was very weird. Mikan immediately felt that something was off, very much so, because Yuri was wearing nothing but her underwear and came all the way over while barefooted. She was lucky that Avalon was a clean city, or her feet may have been dirtied and cut at multiple places.

"Yes, yes... come in, um, what happened?" Mikan asked back, hurriedly inviting her in and rushing off to bring some tea while Yuri found a bench to sit on, nervously fiddling with his fingers, cracking them.

"It's complicated. I think I am sick... or I think my head is wrong. I... I am not good, Mikan. I am very not good! I think I broke!"

Yuri's answer scared her because she was indeed looking like a wreck. Not physically, even though her body was dotted with scars and old injuries, what was troubling was the child-like fear in her eyes and the tears gathering within them.

"Here, drink this; it helps relax your nerves! After you take a few sips, you can slowly begin telling me what happened. Did you have a fight with Leon?" While gently asking, Mikan's voice was soothing and motherly, sitting down next to her and caringly stroking her head in the meantime.

"T-thanks... No, we did not. We just had the best sex I had in a while, and he is sleeping with Luna and Sasha." Yuri answered, with one hand rubbing her tummy, making Mikan blush, but she continued listening carefully to everything she was saying. "I couldn't fall asleep afterward. My mind didn't let me, and I thought about it over and over and over again! It is driving me crazy! I don't get it... I don't... why does my head make me think about it?! I don't want to think about it!" With a desperate moan, she was on the verge of bursting out crying.

"W-what... what are you thinking about? Yuri?" Mikan held her hands, wanting to make her say it, as she had no clue what she meant. She just hoped it was nothing violent.

"It's all because of Sasha! I... I never thought about it before, but... The way Leon is handling me when in bed, I always cum so fast; it has never happened before! I love it when he is rough and fucks me like the bitch I am, but whenever he is slow and sensual... When he kisses me and licks my neck or behind my ear... gently biting my earlobe... Shit, I want to melt and cry and scream! I hate it... but I don't... I really don't... I love it!"

"Um..."

"I want to get pregnant too, Mikan! I want to have his babies!"

It took Mikan by surprise when it burst out of Yuri's mouth, even though she had already suspected something similar by observing her body language. Watching Yuri's face, she didn't know what to say at first, but then the scarred girl threw herself between her ample breasts, and instead of beginning to molest her, she burst into loud cries and uncontrollable sobs.

"It's okay..." She murmured, hugging back, letting her wail her frustrations away, waiting until it turned into soft moans, and finally, a few minutes later, it stopped.

"Don't tell them I came here..."

"I won't, but it is not something to be ashamed of, Yuri."

"Still... I don't want them to know." She argued, letting her go, wiping her eyes, trying to recollect herself.

"You can't get... pregnant?" Mikan asked the question that was bothering her from the moment she heard Yuri's woe.

"I am pretty sure that I can't. I was overused from an early age. I think I have been irrevocably destroyed down there... Even my periods are irregular." Watching her explain it, Mikan quickly noticed how detached she was about it, as if she was observing those moments of her life from an outside perspective, "At least it never bothered me, and I could fight without worrying about cramps and other bullshit like the others. And, with my body count, you think you would get pregnant occasionally. Never happened! So... you tell me..."

"I... see..." She wanted to comfort her, but for a moment, Mikan couldn't find the words or decide what would be helpful at that moment.

"Damn it... I never thought about this before! I was just saying it to make sure he takes me in, I knew fully well I can't breed like a good bitch! Ugh... It was a mistake coming back..."

"Was it?"

"No..." Yuri replied, looking into her eyes and averting hers after a few seconds. "Running away is what I do. I am not used to sticking somewhere for so long! Sorry... I lied... It was not a mistake; I just... I don't know..."

"Maybe it was time to settle down for good. Wasn't this your dream?"

"I never thought it would happen! I was saying it just cause... Why not? Who would in his or her right mind be with me? Grant me power? I wouldn't want to be with myself! I killed half of the guys who fucked me and crippled the other half for crying out loud!"

"But you didn't do it to Leon."

"..."

"You did... all those things because whoever used you did it in a horrible manner." Mikan continued while holding her hands, patting them.

"Not always. Ugh... look, don't make me out as some kind of victim; I am a horrible person who would be hanged in most cities. I know it full well!"

"Maybe, but people can change. You are the prime example of it, Yuri! I don't know how you were before; I was not here then. But I can tell you, you are not a bad person! You may be a bit rowdy, uncouth, and perverted, but you are not evil!"

"I don't like this change... it makes me nervous and irritated. I would be happier if he was throwing me around and fucking me like a toy... That I know how to handle!"

"Well, you must learn how to manage this then, too!" She added with a cheerful chuckle, hugging Yuri and rubbing her shoulders. "Come to me for a few days, and we can discuss it. It will help; you will see!"

"If you insist..."

"I do! You came to my temple for help, and I will never send anybody away! Now, I can't guarantee I will have a solution to the problem of... getting pregnant. Your body needed healing long ago, something it never received. I can only help you with healing what is inside of you." She continued, placing her hand on Yuri's chest while leaning forward and kissing her forehead, "But I have an old monster within me; maybe she knows something."

"You want to release her? Sorry, I ain't worth that much!"

"Everyone does! Don't belittle yourself, Yuri. Just go and ask Leon, Luna, or Sasha. I bet that they would say the same thing that I do. I don't intend to release my ancestor from her prison, but I will ask Merlin and Leon for help. Don't worry! I won't tell them about you; this will stay between us. You can trust me on that. But I will look for something to help you out and try and heal you."

"Why...?" Yuri asked by reflex, feeling that her chest was way stuffier than before, which was a new, weird feeling, something she didn't like. She was unfamiliar with it, and it was weirding her out.

"I told you! You came to me for help, and that is what I do! I am Mikan, Priestess of Avalon, and I am here to help anyone who comes to my temple. Um! That's me!"

"You should marry Leon..."

"Eeeh?!" Yelped Mikan, feeling it was a jab from nowhere, turning so red that a tomato would look unripe next to her.

"Yeah, you should, Mikan. Because right now, I would want to kiss you but can't... ah, oh well..." With that, she finally stood up, stretching and turning around, leaving the stumped Mikan behind. "Hey, Mikki..." She stopped before opening the church's door, looking back over her shoulder. "Thank you."

"Ah... Um! Don't forget!" She jumped up, recollecting herself, hurrying after Yuri, "Come to me tomorrow, okay? We will talk again! It will help, you'll see!"

While leaving, Yuri felt Mikan's gaze, watching her until she disappeared into the night. Heading back towards the palace, she felt a bit different, and she couldn't explain why, but she felt... better. Sighing, looking up at the moon, her thoughts slipped out from within without her realizing it.

"Maybe Mikki is right... damn, busty girl! Shit... you are supposed to be a killer bitch, yet you are only a bitch now... tsk... grow up, Yuri! Crying won't help; it never did! We talked about this many times! But... once again, a little talk with Mikki won't hurt, won't it? Um, yes... Words can't break my bones or something like that. I will return tomorrow... Until this weird feeling is gone... Then we can go back to being the killer bitches, for sure!"

...
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......

Back in the Capital of Ishillia, Duke Kustov was within his study, doing nothing in the past two weeks but rearranging his family and subordinates and delegating their responsibilities. It was finally at a stage where he could begin relaxing, having more time to himself and not worry too much.

It was amongst these days when his family finally returned, unharmed, alive and well. The news of what had happened to the family scared his wife dearly, thinking her husband also fell and soon the whole family would be eradicated. She had no illusions, knowing full well if it came to that, her children would face execution just the same.

Maybe the Gods listened to her prayers as if it hadn't happened, and right now, her son, Milan, was given the task of preparing himself for the future. Soon, he will be entered into the Imperial Institution of Law. In this prestigious academy, the lowest-ranked nobles are all coming from families of Marquesses, and they count as the subordinates of the descendants of the Dukes within.

"How's Milan's progress?" Garbank Kustov asked, looking at Barnabas, who put the freshly brewed black tea before him.

"He still needs more work. The entrance exam is on the first day of fall, so he has time to correct his shortcomings. Don't worry, My Lord, I am keeping an eye on him, and I think he is also taking the task seriously. This time, he won't be a lower-class student but part of the elite group. By finishing school, he can be the future head of the family with even more credibility than anybody before him. If we manage to do it first amongst the newly appointed Dukes, our household will have a big advantage. It was a wise choice, My Lord."

"Of course... we must do everything in our power to be good servants of the one and only ruler." Kustov murmured, and this time, Barnabas said nothing, thinking his lord was still scared about what happened and didn't want to risk the ire of the Imperial Family once again.

"What about Elena, My Lord? Are we ready to tell her?"

"I let her enjoy being back home a little before it; otherwise, she may run away. Or throw a tantrum. I know how she is, so let her cool off a little before we face her with her new role. Is she out with her friends?"

"Yes, My Lord. They have been returning in droves now, that her status is to be the daughter of a Duke."

"Are our agents following her?"

"Of course, My Lord!" Barnabas answered, once again being surprised by the force of Kustov's voice.

"Good. Don't let her fool around; she must be a virgin when we send her away! This is very important!"

"Y-yes, naturally..."

"Good. Make her return before evening and tell her that tomorrow, we must talk! This can be her last carefree night before she starts playing her role as the daughter of the Kustov family!"