It said a lot that once we got back to the village and cleaned up, the girls and I actually kept our hands off of each other, at least in terms of anything that could lead to more. We were starving, and we planned on saving that kind of relaxation for later. We were also using Serena's parents washroom, and that wasn't happening.
Before this though, the first thing we had actually done was go and speak to Ezra, which honestly didn't take very long. We had informed him of what had happened in the Yellow Plains Village, but once I had explained a bit about it, and with Delphia's and the ladies help, had assured him that the village was safe from them. He had relaxed quite a bit, and we had moved onto other topics. He actually informed us that he had people cleaning up a small spare home for us to use during our stay, which we gladly accepted. He said it was the least he could do for us, which I felt was unnecessary, but appreciated none the less.
Delphia had even invited the man to dinner, and after hesitating for a long while, the man actually agreed to come, which made Delphia smile happily. There was a look of sadness and genuine care for the village chief in her eyes. It really made me wonder what the man's story was. I had noticed things in his home that usually only women had, yet there was no woman. I could only imagine the sad story behind that... but maybe I was mistaken. Given this world though... I doubted that.
Soon enough, Cici, Clarissa, and myself were done washing up, and once we left, Serena and Valerie took the washroom next. As we walked into the living it, it was to find the place very lively, with all of our other friends present. Terroth and Marina were hanging out together, joined by a woman in the village I had seen briefly, one that Raizen had taken previously. Abyssal Eye told me her name was Nazumi. She was cute, and I actually chuckled at seeing how close the woman got to him, how nervous Terroth seemed, and how amused and happy Marina looked. It still boggled my mind at how she was not that long ago as opposed to how she was now.
Sheila was actually with Delphia and Lia as they were trying to teach her how to prepare the food they were making, and it appeared to be to mixed results, which made the two older women laugh while Sheila just stood there with flushed cheeks, looking incredibly cute. The food smelled fucking fantastic, and from what I could tell, they were making a feast.
The girls and I walked into the living room proper, and I took the open couch that seemed to have been left for me. Cici sat down on my right, with Clarissa on my left as they both pushed their incredible bodies into mine, and just rested their heads on my shoulders.
"This is nice. No drama to deal with, no angry people. Just good people and good food." Cici said, rubbing her cheek into my shoulder.
"I figured today would be a day, but... things are always way worse than they seem, and it already seemed pretty bad." Clarissa added, her arms wrapping around mine.
I nodded as I placed a gentle kiss on the top of both of their heads, causing them to melt further into me. It was a tough day, but as long as I could always return to scenes like this afterwards, I was fine, and I knew they felt the same way too.
"It's not quite over yet. We gotta go back to the other village tomorrow, but hopefully everything is little better by then. I know what happened to them is hard too... hell, what happened here was horrendous." I said, still thinking about the things I saw, and the things I stopped with pure violence.
"These people adore you now, you know that right?" Cici said, a smile on her face.
"Yeah... I get it, but I'm still not the greatest with all of the attention." I said, which made my women giggle at me, but in a caring sense.
"Eli, you're the strongest man I've ever met. I honestly don't know if any single person in this whole world can compete with you, and yet you get embarrassed over getting attention. I find it... cute." Clarissa said, her words causing a very slight heat gather on my face before I squashed it just as quickly as it came.
"It's... well... you know how my life was. It was, you're useless, you're a burden, you're just a walking dead man... stuff like that. Funny enough, that's not very good for one's self esteem." I said, and even though the last part was said as a joke, my two lovers did not see it that way, and they both looked at me with hard stares.
"Don't you ever think such things about yourself. You are worth everything and more to me. To both of us." Cici said, her tone brooking no argument.
"I agree. Habits can be hard to break, but that's why we are here. No matter what happens, no matter what anyone says or thinks, you will always be the most wonderful man I've ever met. You are worth more than you know, and we'll be here to remind you of that every day, as much as it takes." Clarissa added with conviction.
I really, really tried not to cry, and I did manage to hold back most of my tears, but a couple still fell. The question of whether or not I truly deserved one of these women, let alone both, was always a question I found myself asking. Regardless of my thoughts, they found me worthy of their love, and I'd be damned if I didn't give both of them my all each and every day.
"I truly am the luckiest man in the world." I said, only choking up slightly, "I love the fuck out of you both."
Both girls smiled warmly as they each took turns giving me a gentle kiss, making all of my negative thoughts and emotions drift away, replaced by the warm affection now filling my heart.
"You three are so sweet together." Delphia said, causing me to look up at her in surprise as apparently my SSS+ Ranked perception meant nothing to her, as I didn't even know she had approached us, "It makes me feel a lot better about giving you my blessing to persue to daughter."
I coughed, my face feeling warm again. How the hell was she so good at that?
"You'll hear no objections from me. She's a wonderful woman." Cici said genuinely, making Delphia smile.
"She has been very nice, and it's pretty clear she also likes this one here." Clarissa said, poking my arm for emphasis.
I cleared my throat, banishing my embarrassment as I spoke.
"If that's what Serena wants, we'll gladly welcome her." I said, and Delphia smiled even brighter at my inclusion of the two women in that choice.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." She said, smiling as she continued, "I came to tell you that dinner is almost ready. Ben and Tak should be back with Ezra relatively soon. Sometimes he needs more convincing."
Nodding, I stood with my girls at my sides. At the same time, Serena and Valerie emerged from the hall that led to the washroom, their wet hair making clinging to their shirts, honestly making them both look sexy as fuck. I didn't even try to hide my reaction as I gazed upon them, and I was amused to see them both blush from my eyes upon them. I'd do whatever was needed of me to make them mine.
■ ■ ■
Ezra had arrived with the other two men just as dinner had finished. Delphia and Lia definitely made a feast, and I honestly had no idea what most of it even was. Various meats, vegetable and fruit dishes, and the like were spread across the large dining room table. This house was honestly quite large and roomy for just a family of 4, but as Benarious had pointed out, they had built ths house with the fact that Delphia loved having company over in mind.
I didn't say much as I dug in, an orgasm of heavenly tastes exploding in my mouth. Everyone was like this for a moment, the act of stuffing our faces becoming the most important thing to everyone for the next 15 minutes. My ladies were happy, with Clarissa in particular letting out small delightful moans as she tried each and every dish prepared, much to Delphia's and Lia's delight and amusement. They both commented on how cute she was while eating, and while she did blush quite a bit, that did not stop her from filling her palette. I couldn't help but agree with the two older women.
As we continued eating, and people eventually slowed down, that's when conversation began again. Some of it was light, mostly about what people planned to do after dinner. Terroth and Marina were staying with Nazumi, and I actually was a little dumbfounded at the ease of which Terroth was attracting these women to him. I firmly believed a big part was Marina, but ultimately, I was just happy for the guy. From the looks of it, he may just need to figure out how he was going to handle 3 women.
Serena was obviously going to stay here with her mother, as was Sheila and Valerie, as my girls had also made it very clear that I was all theirs once dinner was concluded. There was obviously no complaints from me on that front, as it was made very, very clear that tonight was going to be something I'd never forget. Clarissa seemed nervous as fuck if excited, while Cici was just eager. Hell, my kitten wasn't even in heat anymore, but she definitely could've fooled me.
Benji was actually going to spend some time here as well, but afterwards, he would be spending the night at Alina's house with her and her family. It was clear that they viewed Benji and Serena almost like their own, given the relationship their two families shared. Eventually though, the conversation shifted to something I'd rather it not have, but it was unavoidable given my experiences. That shift was to yours truly.
"So." Delphia said, her inquisitive tone instantly putting me on edge as her gaze was directly directly at my two lovers, "Tell me, what do you both love most about Elias?"
I felt that to be a pretty intimate question given the company, but I was dismayed to see that everyone else, even fucking Ezra who hadn't said a thing, looked curious to hear the answer to that question. Clarissa blushed, as per usual, the cute sight easing my mind slightly. Cici just smiled as her tail began swishing happily behind her. Yes, that was also cute.
"Because he's Eli." Cici said, pausing for dramatic effect before she gave a more in depth answer, "You've probably realized, but he truly is a wonderful man. He's my darling. Kind, caring, and considerate. He always puts me, Rissa, and our family and friends above all else. He would do anything for us, as we would do for him. When we first met, he never disparaged me for being a Beastkin. In fact, he embraced me more than anyone ever has before. He made me feel safe, cared for, and loved."
Everyone listened to her words with interest, and despite it being a little uncomfortable to me, I also couldn't help but do the same. I knew how she felt about me, but hearing it always did something different for me. It truly help it sink in just how fortunate of a man I was to have met her.
"You've probably also noticed that's not all to him." She said, smiling at me with such adoration in her eyes that I thought my heart was going to explode, "He's smart, decisive, and firm in his beliefs. Pardon my language, but he doesn't take anyone's shit. He acts, he speaks up, and he makes things right when he sees something that is wrong. I think today was a perfect example of that. My point is that this is who Eli is, and not many people, if any, are like him. That's why my answer is simple. Eli is simply who he is, and I love him for that."
I couldn't help myself as I put my arm around her, and gently kissed her on the temple. She smiled warmly as she rubbed the side of her face against mine. The faces of those present were soft, and Delphia in particular had a such a warmth to her smile that I felt it affected the temperature of the room. She then turned her gaze to Clarissa, who hadn't yet said anything, content to just let Cici speak. She hesitated for a moment before clearing her throat.
"Well... I feel much the same that Cici does." She said nervously, but as she looked at me, her eyes filled with affection, which caused her to gain more confidence as she continued, "I struggled a lot with myself, as I was raised around many people with differing ideals than myself. That eventually led to some things I'd rather not discuss here, but my point is that they were bad, and gave me a bad look. Yet despite that... Eli never blamed me, he never looked down on me, and he was there to support me and uplift me when I needed it. The fact that some could care about me that much... that he could love me..."
I immediately did something I was getting rather good at these days. I summoned a cloth, and began to dab at her eyes for her as they began to water. She smiled as she kissed my hand, and nuzzled into it.
"That's what I mean." She said with a small giggle, "He's always thinking of us, our needs, and how to make us happy. How could I not fall in love with a man like him?"
"I think it's lovely." Delphia said, a soft smile on her face, "I'm sure it's hard for many women not to fall for him."
She emphasized her words by looking at her daughter, Valerie, and Sheila, all of whom actually turned pink in the face, which made Delphia giggle a very girlish noise.
"That being said, I'm glad to have met all of you. I'm so happy that it was you who came to our village, and freed us from our torment." Delphia continued, her smile warm, but it faltered slightly as she looked over at Ezra, who had stopped eating with a complex look on his face.
"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned for the man.
He blinked a few times, and shook his head to clear it.
"Yes..." He said, unconvincingly, but then he sighed and continued, "I don't know... this dinner and conversation is lovely, but I can't help but reminisce given the topic."
"Did something happen?" Cici asked, also concerned for the man.
He looked conflicted for a moment, but then he put down his fork, and took a deep breath.
"I too had someone I held very dear. My wife, Anastasia. I doted on her the same way you dote on your women, Elias." He said, blinking his eyes rapidly as he continued, "A couple of years ago, she went out looking for materials just like any other day. That woman weave clothing out of just about anything, and there was no one better at it than her. Although... that day, she never returned. No matter how far I searched, tracking her movements to the best of my ability, I couldn't find her."
Delphia, her husband, her children, as well as Lia, her husband, and Alina, all gave him sympathetic looks as he spoke, obviously already knowing this story. I couldn't help but feel a stinging pain in my chest for the man. He was a nice guy who cared for his people. Lord only knows what I'd do if one of my girls disappeared. Ezra didn't shed any tears, although he clearly was holding them back.
"I've been approached by some of the women in the village since then, but I just can't bring myself to do anything. Some of our race take multiple mates, while others can't fathom being with anyone else but the one they truly love. That's how I am. I found my mate, and I can't image loving anyone else. Plus... as hopeless as it sounds, I feel like... she is out there somewhere. I won't move on... I can't... especially with this feeling in my heart that is telling me she's out there... but I don't even know where she would be, or what even happened to her."
My women shed tears for the man as he explained what happened, and that went for me as well. He truly did love her, just like I loved my girls, and his devotion was no less powerful than my own. I couldn't say anything to make him feel better... hell, no one could, but despite it being unlikely, there was also a chance he was right. You never knew in a world like this.
"You... said her name was Anastasia?" I asked for clarification, and he nodded, "Okay. I have a lot of... stuff coming up soon, I'm sure. I can't promise anything, but I'll keep my eyes open for her."
Ezra gave me a surprised look, before he smiled, and bowed his head to me, a singular droplet of water falling on the table.
"Thank you, Elias. I'd search the whole world for her if I could... but my duties are here. She would never forgive me if I abandoned all of the people she loved to go look for her." He said, and I just smiled at nodded, and everyone else gave me grateful looks.
"Sweet boy." Delphia said softly, and I actually managed to avoid blushing this time. I was getting used to it, and she was just genuinely a kind women who meant the things she said.
Anything could have happened to her. From getting lost, to being attack by a creature, or even being found and captured by someone. Nothing was off of the table, but it just so happened that soon, I'd be going to a place that I would be burning to the ground for the pension of capturing Beastkin to turn into slaves. If she wasn't dead, I figured that was the most likely place she'd be. For his sake, as shitty as it sounds, I hoped my theory was right. At the very least, she'd be alive.
The mood was a bit more somber after that, and soon, everyone was full, drained, and tired as fuck. Ezra excused himself first, with Alina, her parents, and Benji following suit. Marina pretty much dragged Terroth out of the home, his face looking panicked as she told him he was not going to be sleeping much tonight. The woman, Nazumi, actually looked at Marina in awe as she followed them, and I assumed they all were heading to her home. I'll admit, I laughed my ass off. At least he wasn't going full harem anime MC, acting like women weren't interested in him while flying through a wall with a bloody nose at Mach 7 if a woman came within 10 feet of him.
Soon, my women and I also decided to take our leave. We all hugged Sheila, Valerie, and Sheila and told them to have a good night. Delphia hugged my girls in turn, while Benarious shook my hand, giving me a knowing grin as he told me not to worry about the noise, as many people would probably be getting... reaquainted tonight. I just chuckled at him, and thanked him for having us over. Delphia was the last person to hug me goodbye, and I definitely ignored the large fleshy pillowed that mashed against me as she told me to enjoy my night, and advised me to try and get some sleep.
With that, I took my ladies by the hand and left the home. It hit all of us only a moment later that we had no idea where the fuck the home was that Ezra had mentioned, but just as I thought that, I saw the man running back towards us from down the street. He gave us an apologetic look as he spoke, looking much more composed now as opposed to earlier.
"Sorry about that. I had just got back home when I remembered I needed to show you where you'll be staying." He said, scratching the back of his neck.
"No worries. Please, lead on." I said with a small chuckle, and he smiled, and gestured for us to follow him.
As we walked, images of what my women had planned for tonight battered my mind, and I had to actively concentrate with my teeth gritted to keep my cock from getting hard. I was excited, to say the least.