Cultivating Chaos 4 -Ch28- (Patreon)

The city of Wahst had been shocked to say the least.

Hundreds of Brides marching in step with their leadership at the front all heading toward the city had caused a stir. One that wasn’t motivated by fear, but awe and stupor.

A decent number of Brides had curtailed the problems in the city. Brought it under control and rebuilt an entire section of it. All while enforcing the laws of the city-lord without ever overstepping what the citizenry would view as the appropriate boundaries.

What was approaching now was clearly at least ten times the original amount.

Even Ash had to admit some surprise at the fact that the Brides numbered close to a thousand people coming into the prison.

More so when Jia admitted that there were another six-hundred remaining behind to keep everything running while actively recruiting. To the fact that they were likely to be at a full accompaniment of Brides by the end of the year and would have to send another wave of people to prison or the next realm.

Upon reaching the sect grounds, the Earth and Metal Qi cultivators banded together and rapidly reformed the grounds.

Building out a great number of buildings, basement facilities, and pathways. In no time at all it had the look of a supreme Sect that spent a lot of coin to look good.

The Wood and Water Cultivators had taken to transforming everything into greenspace on top of that. Then they began working in groups to move throughout the city and repairing it or restructuring it.

Or so Ash gathered from the report Mei and Jia were reading from.

“The final step after expanding the city grounds to accomodate more buidings was the wall,” Jia stated, her eyes flicking up from the paper in her hand to Ash, then back down. Her left hand casually reached up to touch the floating Water Dragon Golem that hovered over her shoulder. It was about the size of a medium sized dog and floated in the air as if it were a fish in water. It had chosen Jia, more than she had chosen it. “It is now forty feet tall and twenty feet wide. Mei and I have put together patrol groups to man it along side with the city-guard, as well as street patrols in the same way.

“Thankfully they seem quite appreciative to the Brides though there has been a number of inquiries into Knighthood. I do believe that will need to be moved to an active plan.”

“Oh, yes, that’s definitely something we should push forward, Husband,” Mei agreed, turning to look at Ash sitting directly next to her. Her hand was, unsurprisingly, on his rear end. Since having their reunion, all of his women generally touched him.

Frequently.

Thankfully they seemed to be mellowing out a touch now that things were settling into a routine.

For the first time he’d been able to sleep longer than three hours the night before, as well. No one had woken him up to steal him away.

“Master, I feel that it prudent to mention again that you should construct a Knight master. Luan will be overworked,” Na put in while coming out of the kitchen with a tray filled with snacks and drinks. She’d resumed her duties as his personal servant immediately and hadn’t relented.

He glared at her hotly.

“I… Ash. That is. Ashley,” Na murmured quickly. “I’m sorry, Ash. I’ll never not see you as I do. I don’t feel anything is odd in how I address you.”

“Husband, Ash, or something like that. Not Master. You’re not a familial servant. I did away with that. It genuinely hurts me when you call me such a thing like Master,” Ash stated firmly and clearly. He was tired of hearing it.

“I… that… yes, Ash. I’m sorry. I don’t wish you to feel poorly for it,” apologized Na, setting down multiple plates, cups, and then filling them equally. When she finished, she leaned in and kissed his cheek then sat herself down on his right. “I’ll make sure to be clear with it, Ash.”

Meat was no longer as rare a commodity for Wahst. The Brides had stormed through the plains and forcefully captured a number of animals. They were now part of a program to try and domesticate and breed them.

They’d also killed a number after determining which species had an abundance in the area.

Mei was leaning forward and looking at her cousin with raised eyebrows.

“You did that on purpose. You just wanted to hear him scold you into admitting your rank,” Mei accused.

Blinking, Ash glanced over to Na and saw her cheeks immediately erupt into a scarlet color. She didn’t respond, look at either of them, or act as if she’d heard them. Instead, she leaned over and begin to quietly cut up Ash’s food for him as if she were his mother.

Or that she just needed something to do to hide her embarrassment.

Ash put his attention to Jia. He didn’t want to make this worse for Na and he’d already lost his attention from Jia’s words anyways.

“Thank you for the report, Jia,” Ash said. “It sounds like everything is on track. I didn’t realize there was so much that needed to get done.”

“Locke was handling it all and quite expertly. She has a tendency to do things and not tell you for fear of you getting worried,” Jia confessed, then she shrugged her shoulders. Taking her seat that’d been prepared for her she snorted. “I am afraid my only concern is being Jia Sheng the Bound. That role is primarily your adviser and confidant. That means telling you the bad things.

“Locke is… Locke is your wife. She is more similar to Mei. They have the luxury of worrying over your feelings and letting those such as Na and I to carry the burden of harming you.”

“True! And I appreciate you, Jia, my partner, for making it easy for me to do so. I respect you and am quite glad we joined forces and can take both sides,” Mei said and then stuck a hand out across the table with it’s palm up. Jia immediately put her hand inside of it and they held hands briefly. After a few seconds they separated and went back to their meals. “I don’t think any other pairings will ever be able to compete.”

Na froze for a moment while working on Ash’s plate, before she went back to cutting up his steak. Neither Mei or Jia noticed it as they were focused on their plates and each other.

Ash thought on it for several seconds before he realized why she’d acted that way. It hadn’t been anything that was going on, nor had it been Jia and Mei, really.

It’d been the conversation of their partnership relations.

Or Na’s lack of one.

Yue hadn’t come back, responded to outreaches to speak to her, and had quite literally vanished into the wind. The absolute definition of MIA.

To the point that no-one wanted to talk about her as they didn’t know what was going on.

Either she’d abandoned them or left without explaining herself. In either situation, she’d simply left. Leaving Na to her own devices and without a partner to utilize to gain whatever their goals had been.

A Cultivator’s mind was unlike most peoples, let alone the culture of the nine kingdoms. Even a diluted version of that culture that was present in the lowest realm, with only one kingdom, was harsh and demanding.

Na likely wanted what all the others wanted. To become the strongest cultivator, or the one with the most power, in the Sheng alliance by one means or another. Second only to Ash and beholden to no one else.

It was a sense of being the best, even if all it did was offer pride and a title.

Without an active partner, it was unlikely Na would ever achieve that. She’d effectively been abandoned.

“Alright, well… a Knighthood Golem… I suppose I should,” relented Ash, pulling the conversation away from partners. He’d talk to Na later about that as he had a sudden idea. He’d need to run it by Locke, as well. “Luan looks to be very busy given all the Brides to watch over as well as her sect masters and students.”

The Brides had immediately adopted Luan as their mother. Given she was an amalgamation of many techniques, styles, abilities, and wisdom, she’d quickly become a consular of sorts.

Which Ash had hoped would be the case.

A sect leader shouldn’t just be so for their power alone, but also their wisdom and mental abilities. The fact that it was happening, felt perfect to him.

He now needed to do the same for the Knights and give them a Golem they could look up to. Except the only person who came to mind for him, was Gen.

If Gen didn’t exemplify a blurred line between a citizen and a Cultivator, he didn’t know who would. The difficulty became trying to condense everything down he knew about the man into transference papers that could be given to another.

“I’ll handle that part. I have to make a few for Siu anyways and I’m practicing my handiwork. I’m not quite as good as you are yet, but I’m getting there. It’s a wonder how much my mentality shifted when I was forced into this body. Or… er… my body, I guess,”Locke admitted. “I like your idea. I’m going to do it, by the way. No need to talk to me about it. Anyways, I’ll handle the Knight papers. You make the golem.”

Ash nodded his head and settled into lunch. He had work to do when he was finished which meant he had to actually get a move on.

Not to mention the weather golem for the farms. Damnit.

So much work to do.

***

Groaning, Ash leaned away from the head of the Knight’s Master, or the “Templar” as Ash was calling it, and sighed. He put his hands into his spine and pushed, getting a good crack out of his back for it.

Na’s golem of Jade flopped over onto it’s side next to him and then patted at his hand with it’s jade paw.

Right now it was a large house cat.

He’d been surprised that her golem had taken on the Jade properties of her new found Qi weapon, but it could shapeshift.

The original form of a weasel had been immediately dissolved and it became whatever Na wanted it to. Only the core at the center remained the same.

“You should take a break, Ash,” Na offered from where she was quietly writing something onto a piece of paper. They were alone and working in his workshop with one another.

Lunch had ended an hour ago and they’d simply gone about their business with only a few sentences said.

They could sit in companionable silence rather well together.

“Only if you do, my dear lovely Handmaiden,” Ash muttered, then twisted his back one way, then the other. He knew Na would say she couldn’t so it was more of an idle statement.

Leaning back into the Knight’s head he picked up his chisel again. Laying the edge to the unfinished cheek bone he began his work once more.

“Okay. I’ll take a break,” Na reported and then lifted up her quill pen. She wiped off the nib, set it down, stoppered her ink, and looked to him. She gave him a wide and beautiful smile. “Do you think we should take fifteen minute? If so… I… could think of something to do in that time.”

Ash froze over the Knight’s face.

Siu, where the hell are you. I could use you right now.

“Sorry! She’s with me. We’re busy. Go talk to Na. Don’t let her get you into a bedroom. You have work to do,”Locke commanded.

Laying down his chisel, Ash stood up and immediately stepped away from his work. He looked to Na and tilted his head to one side.

“I’d like to… I want to, in fact. But… I think we need to talk, Na Sheng,” Ash confessed and then walked over to her. He came up next to the table she was working at and then got down on his knees next to it.

“Ahhh, Ash, you shouldn’t be kneeling in front of me. I’m just your Handmaiden and—”

Ash lifted a hand and placed several fingers across Na’s mouth, quieting her.

“No on will see me that would care that I’m kneeling in front of you, Na,” he argued, not letting his hand drop. “And besides, we both know I care about you. More than one would for “just a Handmaiden” wouldn’t you say? Dear wife?”

Na blinked at that and he felt her lips stiffen under his fingers.

She likely wanted to argue with him. Even if he saw them as equals and wanted her to be his equal, she would very likely disagree with that.

To Na, he knew for a fact that his appearance, respect, and title were beyond reproach.

Even if she loved him, she had him on a high enough pedestal that his whole body would break if he fell from it. Cultivator or not.

“Na… when it’s just us… please. Please just treat me as a woman would her man. Please. I’ll do the same. I know it’s impossible for you to act like it around even those we trust, but could you at least manage it when it’s just us? Please?” Ash begged.

Na’s brows slowly pressed together and she stared at him. Her breaths came out in slow washes of warmth across the back of his hand and arm.

Then she slowly nodded her head.

He let his hand fall away from her mouth and put his hands on her knees. Holding tight to them and gazing up into her face.

Ash could admit he genuinely cared for all these women in his life. In a way that made him inwardly cringe and feel pathetic.

That he’d been hopeful just to have one woman understand him and who he was. Yet now he had more than he could have dreamed of and was trying to balance them all at the same time.

Thankfully, they seemed more willing to balance him and drag everyone else along, rather than him doing it.

“I’m sorry. I just… you’re special,” Na whispered, her eyes boring holes into his head. “You’re a Fated One, Ash. My Fated One. You stepped in and knocked my life off the path it was on and gave it a true purpose. You instilled a Dao in me by simply existing. I’ll not reveal my Dao even if you ask but just understand my actions are mine. I choose them. I’m not driven to any lengths I have not chosen.

“And before you ask… I… yes. I love you. As a woman loves a man, I love you. Not because I should, or someone thinks I should, but because I’ve watched you. Watched how you deal with people. How you handle me. Us. Everyone.

“You’re a kind man who sometimes acts a bit slowly but wishes well for those you worry over. That you genuinely want us to all be happy and that you’re pained if you think for a moment I’m bothered.

“I love you for the man you are, not for any stupid reason that might be fluttering around in that chaotic mind of yours.”

Na reached up with her fingers and lightly stroked Ash’s temple down to his brow. Then around the orbit of his eye to his jaw where she cupped it carefully. Her dry palm felt warm and soft.

“So… I hear you. I’ll do what I can… but please understand I’m also doing what I want for myself. Okay?” Na asked.

“Okay, Na. I understand,” Ash agreed, then leaned forward and kissed Na briefly. Then he moved away from her and looked up into her face. “Now… I wanted to talk to you about Yue. Do you mind if we change the subject? I know it’s a bit jarring but… I feel it’s something we need to talk about. Especially you and I.”

Na winced, looked to the side, then back to him, and finally nodded her head. She looked resigned and unhappy, but willing to discuss the situation.

“Yes, it’s best we do that. I have no idea where she went, what she was thinking, or what her plans were,” Na admitted upfront. “She just… left. Without saying anything. The very night you were sent to prison, in fact. Everything was legally turned over and she was… gone.

“I’m… I’m sorry for her actions. Even if she is my partner, I can only view her actions as very… very wrong. Wrong is the only way I can describe it. To abandon everything just as you need us all the most.

“To give up everything and leave… I can’t even fathom it. I know Jia and Mei are trying to say that it’s more likely she’s gone off to try and get revenge in her own way, but even then, the result is the same. Abandoning you in your greatest time of need. It’s… she should have stayed. She should have mended the fence even after the sheep was lost. All she did was let more get away.”

Ash didn’t quite follow Na’s meaning, but it sounded more like a cultural idiom that he didn’t know. Given Na came from a very different family background then his original Sheng family, that wasn’t very surprising.

“I understand and that makes perfect sense,” Ash said, patting Na’s thighs gently. “What I wanted to talk to you about though was something only related peripherally. Something about Yue, but not Yue.”

“I’m listening… listening, Husband,” Na said, emphasizing the title. At the same time she put her hands on top of his and squeezed them in a rough way, then held to them. She was clearly needing support right now.

The Yue situation was eating at her more than he thought.

Maybe it has to do with her Dao? It seems like that’s a driving force for her.

“Consider her lost,” Ash said simply. “If she’s lost, should you not get a new partner? Locke has partnered with Siu today after me suggesting it to her but I wouldn’t have suggested her to you anyways.

“In fact… I’d suggest Hui, Na. Jian Hui Sheng. The woman who reformed herself into my weapon after her Dantian was damaged. I rebuilt her.

“She now wants to be my strategist and weapon. She says that she exists only for me. To be used by me and wishes only that and to see me use her to cut others down. That sounds like a ‘Right Hand’ sort of position to me.

“In a similar way, wouldn’t you say that… my Handmaiden… is a ‘Left Hand’ type of position? A Handmaiden to care for my house, a weapon to tear down my enemies. That sounds like a very solid partnership. Especially since the weapon is unaware of the dynamics and is trying to find her way in it.

“Maybe I’m overthinking on this but I was worried for you. I noticed your response to Jia and Mei talking about their own partnership.”

Na’s eyes widened as soon as he’d mentioned Hui. The beautiful Handmaiden was staring at him as if he were a truck racing down a highway with it’s highbeams on and she was a deer in the road.

“Jian Hui Sheng is the Weapon. Na Sheng is the Handmaiden. The hands of Sheng. The Left Hand and Right Hand,” Na whispered. Then she leaned down and kissed him in a way that made him wish Siu was most certainly here. Her hands let go of his and began digging at his belt to rip it clean out of the loops. “You were that worried about me and my position? You’ve been thinking on this just for me after you saw my reaction?

“Dearest Husband… I’m going to show you how pleased I am to be your wife. Here and now. Immediately. Show you how pleased I am at your care and concern for me. After I’m done… you’re going to get a brief break, then you’re going to show me what it means to be your wife.”

Na shoved him down to the ground of the workshop and began working at jerking his pants down. Her eyes focused on his privates and she let out a heavy and rushed breath out of her nose.

“Husband,” she breathed in a breathy tone. One he recognized as when Na no longer listened to anything he said.

Holy shit!

“Sorry, I don’t think Siu can save you in time. Na looks hungry. You won’t last long enough for Siu to make it there,” Locke grumbled. “Though… Siu will be close enough to get the power up when Na… finishes you.”