The garden was thick with the "noise" of stunned silence. Snowman, Leo, Sora, and
Ryuki stood frozen around the unconscious form of Sparta, who lay sprawled on the
grass like a fallen statue.
Leo, ever the diplomat, stepped forward. He placed his right hand over his chest and
gave a measured, respectful bow to the mysterious newcomers. "It is an honor to
meet the kin of Sparta. But as the First Prince of this palace, I must ask: what brings
you to the capital of Virellia, the sanctuary of the Emperor's wives?"
The High Priest from the second carriage stepped forward, stroking his long, white
beard with a thoughtful hum. "A fine question, young man. But first, allow me to
introduce myself. I am the ruler of the Aurex Empire, the Winged Messenger, and High
Priest of the Ocean's Grace. I am a hybrid of the Lizardmen and Mermaid races,
currently standing before you in my High-Skin form, much like my eldest son, Sparta."
As if triggered by his father's voice, Sparta suddenly surged back to consciousness.
He lunged forward, grabbing the High Priest's robes and shaking him with
desperation. "Why?!" he roared, his voice cracking with pure frustration. "Why are
you here? Why are my sisters married? And why... why is everyone pregnant?! I was
only gone for a year! How did the world collapse while I was away?!"
The High Priest waited for Sparta to stop shaking him, then flashed a mischievous,
serene smile. "Oh, and don't forget your three younger brothers. They've come as
'gifts' too."
From the second carriage, three young men who appeared human leaped out. They
didn't walk; they lunged, tackling Sparta back onto the grass in a chaotic pile of limbs.
"Big Brother! Long time no see!" they cheered, pinning the stoic warrior to the dirt.
The High Priest cleared his throat, stepping back from the scufle. He turned back to
Leo. "The reason we have traveled such a vast distance is simple: my daughters wish
to meet their 'senior sisters.' They have come to join the household of their husband."
"What are you talking about, old man?" Ryuki barked, stepping forward. Sora quickly
grabbed the goblin's collar to silence him.
"High Priest," Sora said, his voice sharp with suspicion. "Could you clarify that? Who
exactly is their husband?"
Before the Priest could answer, the palace doors swung open. Shin walked out, his
azure eyes glowing with their usual bored intensity, followed closely by Yui. The
Empress of the North stopped dead, her silver ears twitching as she took in the
scene.
"Lady Yui!" Sparta shouted from under the mountain of his brothers. "This is my
father, the High Priest and Emperor of the Aurex Empire!"
"And this is the Master's fourth wife, Empress Yui of Terragorn!" Ryuki added quickly,
finally escaping Sora's grip.The High Priest gave a small, courtly bow. "A pleasure to meet a fellow ruler,
Empress."
Yui ignored the formalities, taking a slow, steady step toward the four beautiful
women. "You needn't bow; you are an elder and a Emperor. But I heard something at
the palace doors. Did you say your daughters have come to join this household?"
Yui stopped in front of the four sisters. She leaned in slightly, her nose twitching. "I
smell flowers... but underneath, there is a scent I know all too well." She looked them
in the eyes. "You come from the Draco bloodline, the ancestors of all ocean races.
You four must be Lizardmen or Mermaids."
A lady with pink hair tied in pigtails stepped forward with a confident smile. "Yes, Big
Sis! I am Jasmine, the eldest, and I am a Lizardman. My sisters are Mina, Liana, and
Yuna, and they are Mermaids. We are currently in our High-Skin forms."
As Jasmine spoke, Yui's eyes fell upon their right hands. There, on each of their
middle fingers, sat a shimmering Soul Union Ring. Etched into the crystal in glowing
script was the name: Jee-shahn.
Yui stood frozen. The "noise" in her head became a deafening roar. He said he was
going on vacation, she thought bitterly. I suppose the world isn't big enough for him
to hide. He probably just 'bumped' into an entire Empire and decided to marry it.
"I see," Yui said, a frustrated, terrifyingly sharp smile stretching across her face. She
turned to the four pregnant sisters, who bowed gracefully. "Welcome to the family.
Why don't you come inside? The other four wives are dying to meet you."
Jasmine and her sisters shared a triumphant smile and followed Yui into the palace,
leaving the men outside to deal with the wrestled Sparta and the heavy silence of the
prisoner carriage.