Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
PENNY
We’ve been in Black Rock Bay for two weeks, and I’ve decided it’s finally time to move onto Maplewick, to try to make a home there.
The guys assure me we can stay as long as we like, that we can stay until Ria sets sail again.
But now I see her with her three husbands and baby Bella, I can see she started a life here, and she’s insanely happy. And I want that too.
I’m beyond happy with my mates, but without a real home I feel adrift.
It also hasn’t escaped my memory that I was due for a new birth control implant about a month ago.
Although it may still be effective for a little while longer, there’s also every possibility of me getting pregnant soon.
All my mates know about the implant but none of them know when it was due to expire, and I kept that little tidbit of information to myself.
I say my teary farewell to Ria, promising to meet up at Westhaven Harbor twice a year.
I always expected to end this journey with her at my side, my sister from another mister.
But I can’t say I’m disappointed at the turn of events.
We both want to start families with our husbands, and knowing we can see each other several times a year helps ease the sadness from leaving her.
We decided to buy six horses to make the trek south to Maplewick. Indy was tasked with finding us the horses as I told him my idea for him to run a stable in Maplewick, where he can raise and train horses. Really, he can do anything he likes with them. We have the money and none of us need to work.
I wish we could take skyreachers to Maplewick, but Ryker tells me they never fly this far north, preferring the cooler climate near the mountains.
The trip takes us just over a week after we stopped in Westhaven Harbor for a night. And when we finally crest the hill and see Maplewick in front of us, I get a strong feeling in my chest. “It feels like home,” I whisper, suddenly getting teary-eyed.
“Penny?” Ryker asks from where he’s sitting behind me on the horse.
“I can’t explain it, but somehow I know this will be our home.” He squeezes me as we trot down the hill, the others close behind.
“Ryker, how do you buy land here? In my old world, all land is owned by somebody, and you have to buy it off them if you want to own it and build a house on it.”
“The land here is owned by the royal families. We can claim any unused land we like, and we pay taxes to the royal family to use it.”
“And do we get anything in return for paying them?”
“Like what?”
“Do they maintain roads, provide protection, maintain law and order?”
“Oh, well, not so much the roads part, but there are knights that help maintain law and order. Generally, they live near the castle and are only sent out if someone asks the royal family for help. They send out the knights to do their bidding. Like if a group of trolls gets too close to a village, they will deploy a group of knights to deal with them.”
“I guess that makes sense. How do we know if land is owned by anyone?”
“Well, in most cases, it’s obvious with houses or produce being farmed on it. Or you might see orange markers around the parameter.”
As we get closer to the main village, more homes come into view. The village before us is beautiful. Most of these houses are built of stone, unlike the wooden homes of the other villages. Small stone walls surround some of the gardens and it gives it a very English countryside impression.
“Ryker, where do your parents live now?”
“I’m not too sure. Last I heard, they moved further north, but if I’m being honest, that was years ago, so I have no idea.”
“You’re sure you’re okay being back here?”
“Yes, Pen, you know I had an apartment here? They probably cleared it out by now as I’ve been gone for so long though,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
“But I’m positive I’m okay being here, this place is unlike anywhere else in Dyconia.
” I nod in agreement. Even the backdrop of the village was gorgeous.
Huge stone cliffs with a forest on top. “You know what that is, don’t you?
” he asks, seeing where I’m looking. I shake my head. “That… is where we first met.”
My eyes widen as I look up. “That’s where the mating games were held?”
“Yep.”
“How did you get up there? Oh, the skyreacher, right? Is that how everyone travels there?”
“No, there’s a small path that leads from the village around Highcrest Castle, up to the top.”
“Wow, that’s quite the hike.”
We carry on through the outskirts until we reach a busier part of the village. This place is much larger than anywhere else we’ve been so far, but nothing like cities back in my old world.
“Do you think there is somewhere we can build a home that has room for a stable and a place for you to train skyreachers?”
“Penny, you want… You… Fuck, Red, you’re too good for me,” he mumbles into my neck, squeezing me tightly.
“Nah, I’m perfect for you,” I tell him, tilting my head back for a kiss.
After a few minutes, Ryker finally answers my question. “I have some ideas for land. We can check it out later. First, let’s go check the horses into a stable and get us a room at one of the inns.”
“And food. I need food, I’m so tired of jerky.”
Ryker laughs. “Me too.”
We arrive at the stables and all take a few minutes to stretch our sore limbs as Ryker and Brax go across the street to see if there’s a room big enough for all of us. I guess rooms tend to be bigger in this world, as multiple mates are a common thing.
“How are you feeling, Angel?” Apollo asks, pulling me into a hug.
“I feel… like this could be a home for us. There is something about this place I like. How about you guys?”
“Yeah, I feel it too, it’s almost… magical,” Apollo agrees.
“I think it’s more like it just feels right, it feels like home somehow,” Indy adds, making me smile.
“Ryker’s going to show us a few possibilities for property we can build a home on.
You guys have to think about everything you want included.
So far the list includes a stable, somewhere for Ryker to keep skyreachers…
which would be an aviary, I suppose.” I tap my lip in thought.
“We should have somewhere we can practice throwing daggers, what else?”
“At least seven bedrooms,” Brax adds as he and Ryker rejoin us.
“Seven? You guys all want your own rooms? I mean, that’s totally fine—”
“No, Baby, not for us, for our children.”
“You want… six kids?” I ask, my voice pitching high in surprise.
“At least,” Silver adds, surprising me.
“You told us you have that implant, Sugar, but how does that work? Does it ever expire? Will we need to get it removed?” Indy asks, his eyes watching me carefully. Oh boy, I guess now was as good a time as any to tell them.
“They have a five-year expiry, but in my old world, a doctor is able to take them out early.”
“Where is it?” Drake asks. I turn my arm to the side and show him the slight bump there. He studies it before pulling out a dagger. “I can cut it out.”
“Whoa!” Indy says, pulling me away from Drake. “No cutting our wife.”
“It’s not like I want to cut her. I’d be careful, and we can use the cream to heal her quickly.”
“It would still hurt her,” Brax growls at him.
“Besides, she didn’t say she wants it out. When does it expire, Sweetheart?” Silver asks, as they all turn to me.
“Ahhh… about… one month ago,” I say, trying to sound innocent as I bite my lip, worried about their reaction.
“What?” Brax turns to me, grabbing my arms as he stares into my face. “Are you saying you could be pregnant, even now?”
“I mean… it’s unlikely, it doesn’t just suddenly stop working at the five-year mark. It’s more likely that I could get pregnant in the near future, especially with how often we…” I trail off.
Brax blinks at me once, then immediately scoops me up and starts walking quickly across the street. “Brax! Put me down!”
“No, I need to put a baby in you.”
“Oh my god, you’re such a caveman!” I laugh at his seriously determined face as the others keep pace behind us.
He storms all the way up to our room before dropping me on the bed, pressing his ear to my stomach, making me laugh. “What are you doing?”
“Shh! I’m trying to listen for the baby’s heartbeat.”
“Oh my goodness, it would be too early for that even if I was pregnant,” I laugh, trying not so hard to push him off of me.
“Fine, I guess I’ll just have to make sure you are then.” He sighs while undoing his pants, like me not being pregnant is an annoyance.
“Brax!” I laugh as he slips his pants off and tackles me on the bed, trying to push my dress up my body.
“You know… we don’t want to know for certain who the baby’s father is, so we’re all going to have to come inside of you every time we have sex now,” Indy says as he comes around the side of the bed.
My eyes widen as I ask, “All six of you?”
“Don’t think you can handle us? What if we don’t let you come until all of us have? Think you could take us, then?”
“You… You can’t do that!” I cry.
“I think that’s a great idea, but maybe if she’s good, we let her come after the first three and again at the end?” Ryker asks, looking at Indy in question.
“Umm, no, I can’t handle one of you without coming!”
“Yes, I think that’s a good compromise, what’s the order?” Indy replies to Ryker like he didn’t even hear me.
“Hello? Can you guys even hear me?”
“Shh, Baby, let me take care of you,” Brax whispers as he presses his body to mine, kissing me firmly.
“Nope! We’re doing this in order of meeting her, so I’m first big guy.” Brax pulls back and I see Ryker literally trying to push him off me. Which is kinda funny, considering how big Brax is.
“Fine,” he grumbles, rolling to the side.
“Hi, Red,” Ryker says, straddling my waist.
“Hi, Ryker.”
“Time to get naked,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows at me before pulling my dress over my head.