A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

After they separated, Naeku turned into her werepanther form again, just before Erik opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that Naeku looked at him strangely yet with obvious gratitude.
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"You already thanked me for saving your people, you know?" he quipped with a chuckle, unsure where this gratitude came from.

Smirking, Naeku shook her head. "No, I know. I just… wanted to thank you for respecting my traditions. You know, about my appearance."

She looked up at him, still with that strange look in her eyes. "There are still some things I'm… unsure about when it comes to you. Your philandering ways, for one, and the way you treat some of your wives, for two, consensual or not."

Erik parted his lips to say something, but Naeku quickly raised her hands. "I'm not judging! It's just… something I'm not used to. I know Dad has multiple wives, but he doesn't… you know, have sex with the maids, too."

She looked embarrassed and uncomfortable, with a healthy blush on her cheeks, but also like she wanted to get something off her chest. "And your relationship with Emma and Emily… I know they're fully complicit, but it still makes me a little uncomfortable…"

Suddenly, shaking her head, she sighed. "But I realize that's my problem…"

Smiling, she walked up to Erik and placed her transformed hand on his chest. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is… I think I'm willing to overlook these things… Because I really do like you a lot. You're fun, determined, strong, intelligent—"

"Not to mention handsome!" Erik smirked and interrupted her with a smug grin.

Yet, Naeku shrugged playfully, "Eh, you look alright," thereby immediately causing Erik some emotional damage as he sighed dramatically.

Naeku giggled at his reaction, before returning to her previously embarrassed state. "Anyway, uh…" she averted her eyes slightly. "I don't know if it's the gratitude I feel right now, but… I think I'm falling in love with you."

Erik blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected such a straightforward admission from her… but he liked it. Grinning mischievously, he covered the hand on his chest with his own. "That's so brave of you, Naeku."

Immediately, Naeku glared at him. "Yeah, well, don't make me regret it!" she grumbled before quickly ripping her hand free and turning around, a heavy blush still obvious beneath her fur. "A— Anyway, I have troops to direct…"

"Hold up!" Erik immediately exclaimed before grabbing her arm and turning her around. At the same time, he approached her face with closed eyes, and a slightly panicking Naeku instinctively turned back to human form.

Once again, they kissed, and Naeku melted into Erik's embrace with relish. Her full, soft lips delighted Erik's senses as he explored his partner with his tongue.

Finally, they separated again, and Erik grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his closed eyes. "I feel the same way, Naeku."

Still slightly panting, Naeku gulped… and then nodded, as cautious joy started sparkling in her eyes. "O— Okay, well… good!"

They stayed like that for a moment, but then, as if coming to her senses, Naeku ripped herself out of Erik's grip and turned around. "A— Anyway! I… really need to get back to my troops now!"

"As you wish," Erik chuckled. Waving his hand, he got rid of the isolation barrier, and Naeku quickly disappeared into the surrounding sea of bodies.

Sighing, Erik looked around and decided to look for the final three of his allies, a small smile on his lips.

***

Using his bond with them, it naturally only took him a short time to find the people he was looking for. Within minutes, he walked up behind three women who were talking with some Enkarians.

All three of them wore the servant outfits Elora had designed for them as they brandished the weapons Erik had created for them. A small crowd of warriors had gathered around them as they all swapped stories about the recent battle.

Yet, although the three of them were together, most of the focus was on Seraphina.

"You were so powerful and elegant!" one man exclaimed enthusiastically. "What affinity even was that?!"

"Yeah, you were amazing!" a woman cried out at the same time. Then, doing a pantomime, she pretended to swing Seraphina's slender sword. "I saw you cleave a second-ranked werelion straight in two!"

Some more compliments were being thrown round, and especially the men showed interest in her, mostly for obvious reasons. The less obvious reasons actually included vampires, who wanted to know how she could show so much skin, while still protecting herself from the sun.

Beside her, Anna and Nora also garnered some attention, but although they were still beautiful and powerful, they were simply a rung lower compared to the aloof and powerful vampire wielding her gravity affinity.

Yet, only Nora engaged with the crowd. Anne and Seraphina were a bit antisocial and preferred to keep their distance from these strangers.

Although… Nora's goal here seemed to be the spreading of the glory that was her master, which earned her the embarrassment of her two compatriots.

"T— There's no way he's that amazing…" one woman muttered sceptically, yet somewhat interested.

"Oh, he's that, and more!" Nora exclaimed, a fanatical grin on her lips. "Being in his presence is like standing near God, and your only choice is to submit in worship!"

A sceptical, yet somehow curious whispering spread through the crowd, as Nora managed to pull some attention away from Seraphina.

Yet, it was then that Erik stepped onto the scene. With an amused eyebrow raised, he stepped through the crowd towards his three servants. Everywhere he went, people made way for him, as he just possessed that type of Aura.

His size was enough to make people move away willingly, but the pressure and power radiating from him truly intimidated them. At least, at first. As soon as they actually looked into his fierce amber eyes, they truly started feeling inferior. Even their king, Ankhur, had never given them a feeling like this.

Erik was only partially aware of the effect he had on them, however. He did notice they looked a little weirdly at him, but he just figured it was because of his third rank.

The truth, however, was a combination of Nora's words… and something left behind from his time with Ymir.