NT Rangers - Lad 32 - Let Kara In (Patreon)

The party landed at the dock. The carriage was made full size once again. The Hero stepped out with Jeane, Raithe and Esther. Ai landed as well, panting. He looked up towards the city.
“Looks like Aniyufar, doesn't it?”

“Uncanny. Too bad I'm not a real 'Jackal.'” Esther smirked.

“Oh, you've lived enough to have the full experience.” The Hero commented, stepping forward. They were greeted by female guards.

“Prince and... Vizier? What are you doing here?”

“Prince?” The hero chuckled. He glanced towards Esther with an amused look.
“I decided to meet with the good Viceroy, since there were some things we needed to discuss.”

They looked confused. “We... Should have received word of you arriving, and the Viceroy leaving the palace. We need to- to-” Her speech slowed, then paused as the Hero calmly lifted his palm towards them. Their eyes became unfocused. The two women then stood at attention and lowered their head.

The other spoke again. “What are your orders, my Prince?”

“Lead us to the palace discreetly.”

Within the palace, Merit had been taking care of various issues throughout the Kingdom. With the addition of the taken territory back into Aniyufar, there was a lot to do. She looked up as a procession entered. It was confusing, because she had not expected anyone and no one had been announced as arriving. She looked up and was shocked to see the Hero Prince, standing slightly more lithe with longer hair and far darker eyes. She then looked over and saw...
“Me?”

“Merit!” The Hero opened his arms.
“You actually became a princess? How nice.”

“Uhm...” Her cheeks flushed.
“N-no Your Highness I am your Vizier.”

“What does that entail?”

“I carry out your orders, in addition to the orders of the Queen.”

“The Queen? That is...” He looked curious. He wondered who it could be.

“That would be Her Highness, Queen Fiona Vara.” She said cautiously, hoping it was not a trick question. She saw in the Heroes expression that he seemed shocked.

“Queen... Fiona?” He had planned to simply take over using the fortuitous circumstance, but that answer halted him briefly. He put on a warm expression.
“Do not consider any of these questions tricks. Tell me with your words what the Queen is like.”

Merit's ears flattened. The Hero seemed strange with the way he spoke and looked. Then there was the matter of her copy standing beside him. The Aniyub. At his side could pass for her. Anyone that knew her could assume that they were sisters or twins. It was perplexing and a little unnerving, especially the way that person stared at her. She set those thoughts aside and focused on the question.
“Her Highness is domineering and regal. She commands authority, as a woman should, and was like that before she took the throne. She has strength exceeding those of my family, and intelligence beyond the sages of old. She is truly fit to rule.”

The Heroes mouth hung open. “That... That is Fiona?”

Merit hung her head. “Did I say something wrong?”

He smiled and approached her. “No. In fact, you said something very right.” He sighed, looking around the impressive courtyard. The palace was grand and gold seemed to flow like water.
“Very right. We will return, since our business is concluded.”

“Y-your Highness, if I could ask... Who is that person beside you?” Merit questioned, trying to be as humble as she could.

“Oh...” He looked to Esther.
“This person is nobody. You do not need to trouble yourself. Continue as you were, Merit.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” She did not know why, but she was sweating. She felt like someone that had just avoided a terrible fate. Like she was standing at the edge of a tower looking down, and only just then as he left did it feel as though she stepped back.

“Master?” Esther looked to him questioningly.

“Not a word.”

Jeane tried to rationalize it. “Our... Lord has deemed that these people are submissive enough to our aims without interference being necessary. To act would simply serve to interrupt the serendipitous nature of his status here.”

“Is that right?” Esther looked to the Hero for confirmation.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “What?” He asked coldly.

She shivered and held her hands up. “N-nothing, master.” Esther could see worry in Jeane's eye, and suspicion in the eyes of Raithe. Ai, as per usual, seemed like a happy blank slate.

-

“How is it?” Leto asked.

Driana lifted the cup to her lips and sucked the warm liquid into her mouth, rolling it over her tongue before spitting it back without letting on that she was not drinking. She closed her eyes and nodded.
“I like warm. It feels good in my mouth.”

“Haha...” Leto smile awkwardly.
“What about the taste.”

“Yes, very good. I can certainly taste this to be of high quality.” She lied.

“I agree!” Lacy nodded, sipping from her cup.
“It's very well steeped. The balance is good, okay? Good job, Leto.”

The girl's face brightened. “Thank you!”

Janna lifted her cup to Joseph's lips. He opened his mouth without looking and drank. “It's good.” She commented, as if she had tasted it herself.

“Is that so?” Leto nodded. She had gathered a peculiar party just by existing closer to Dri.  

“How goes your training, dear?” Lacy asked.

Leto looked to Dri. “I have a good teacher, so it's going well.”

“It's pointless, since I'll protect you, but you got a sense for fighting.” The Traveler commented.

“What exactly are you learning?” Janna asked curiously.

Leto curled her fingers in front of her into mock claw. “To go for the eyes!” Dri smiled proudly at that, as if it was not a problem at all.

“Well... That's okay I suppose.” Lacy chuckled, finishing her cup.

“Ah...” Dri stood up and poured Lacy another cup.
“Here you go, Director.”

“Thank you so much!” Lacy beamed.

“Uhm, how are they doing in there?” Leto asked pensively.

“It seems like they are taking to it like a fish to water. Everything's proceeding nicely so far.” Lacy offered.

“Echo has been quiet recently. I expected to have to pull them out at some point, but you all are doing such a good job. Leto, what are your measurements, by the way?”

-

Lad stared at Kara. It felt strange to have this conversation while he was still inside Kai, so he reluctantly lifted the girl off of him and set her down on the bed. It was fun to have the strength to do things like that, and Kai and Yeong both seemed to enjoy it as well. Kai pouted at him, but seemed to understand the situation. Lad put his cock away.
“I'm sorry to hear your having a bad time. Since you asked, I'll protect you, of course.” He knew that would not be all she needed, so he attentively asked.
“What's wrong, if you don't mind me asking?”

“Me.” Kara sighed.

He lifted a brow. “You?”

“Thanks, Lad.” Kara smiled.
“The problem is me, yes. Losing my abilities a second time has put into perspective the fact that I haven't changed all that much. I cut all the ties that connected me to the vast power I collected over centuries when I started training and I thought I let go, with that. I was wrong. Instead, all I did was pull off a band aid. The wound never healed. I realized I was falling back into old habits. With nothing that I'd built to fall back on I was going to return to my old ways. You know what that means?”

“It means you never came to terms with what the actual problem was.” Lad offered.

She looked at him with a bit of surprise. She just needed him to listen, but she did not expect him to offer a sound assessment.
“I guess it makes sense. You've got a crazy amount of willpower for a guy your age. You've faced corruption and temptation. You've built relationships and... They're good. They're working.” She looked to Kai and Yeong. Yeong had woken up and was watching beside Kai.

“I felt very used.” Yeong said.
“When you left me high and dry with Sebek in the other time I realized that I was a tool, more than anything. Something that could be swapped out if needed.”

“I don't remember that time, since things changed, but... I'm sorry, Yeong. I haven't been a very good Grandmother to you. When I was training you, it was always towards a purpose. I thought it was different just because I wasn't trying to directly manipulate you, but I can see now that I did the same thing to you that I did to Fin.” She smiled weakly.
“Did you ever even want to be a Hero?”

“My name literally means Hero... There was nothing I could do from the start.” Yeong commented.

“Yeah...” Kara admitted.
“You know your Dad actually really didn't like me at all. Even though your Mother thought I was the best.”

Yeong chuckled. “Yeah, I know.”

“I'm really not sure what to do from here on. Maybe the answer is I need someone like Lad holding my leash. Maybe-” She felt a hard flick on her forehead. She touched the spot and flinched.
“Ah! Why!?”

“What'll you do if I hold your leash? You'll just be relying on me for your morality. I think your problem is, the way you see the world and the way you've lived means that you only believe you can change through other people. That's why you came to me. But... You couldn't change through a Hero. You couldn't change through the last guy. What's different about me?”

She felt frustrated. “What am I supposed to do!”

“When you fight programming that's in your head it's easy to rebel against all the things you hate. But... There's undoubtedly things you like. Things you'll happily ignore since they benefit you in some way. When I was being controlled it was my sisters safety, and the unfairness of society. When I was trying to break free the things that held me back weren't the Hero or and Angel or whatever, it was all the pleasant things that they gave me.” He pointed, poking her forehead. Her eyes crossed lightly, staring up at the finger, then back down at him.
“You, Kara, need to break the programming by setting aside the nice things that are preventing you from moving on.”

“I... enjoy being in control. I am a prideful person. When I tie myself to someone I think what I'm always doing is tying them to me, as well. I enjoy being needed, but hate needing someone else. Because I guess if we are in a partnership and my side remains closed, I'm in control. I get to oversee your reactions to me while your perception of me is tailored to what I want it to be. The first person that shook that was Cao Young. It never worked right up until the end... So I don't get-”

Lad stared at her and asked frankly. “It never worked, but did he ever correct you?”

She blinked. “N-no... He would just never be affected by it. I couldn't control him because he simply didn't want to be. But, even if I tried he'd never scold me. He would just shrug it off.”

“Kara... Do you understand that you've been bad?”

Her ears flattened against her crimson hair. “Yes.” She offered shamefully.

“Do you want to change?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Is this an act?” He stared into her eyes sternly. She looked, her cheeks flushing. She had no defense against him, just like Cao Young, but it felt different this time.

“It's not, I promise.” She placed her hand over her heart.
“No, I swear.”

Lad leaned back. Yeong slid up and hugged him from behind. He turned and pecked her lips before looking to Kara once more.
“I've already kinda got an action plan for you. You're pride was brought up, and also your ability to rely on people without also trying to tie them to you. Kara...”

“Yes?” She perked up.

“We're not partners. I'm your mentor now. You don't have any authority anymore, understand?”

She gulped, her mouth dropping open. “I-”

Lad smiled. “This is also me teaching you to trust someone.” He held out his hand for her.

She looked down as she took his hand. “Y-yes. How will this work?”

“We're going to end this adventure. You follow me. You tell me everything you're thinking and everything you want honestly, and I'll decide if you should have it.”

Kara made a face. “That's a bit-”

He smiled. “A bit out of your control?”

“Uhm...” She fidgeted.
“Do you want to sleep with me?”

“Nope. I already have two lovely partners with me and one waiting back home.” Kara frowned.
“But, we can be friends who talk to one-another honestly. I'm not going to tell you to do anything with me and I'm not going to accept if you try something with me. What that means isn't that I'm rejecting you. It's what's necessary. This isn't a situation where you can gain or lose anything so there's no pressure. Just accept things as they are and follow me, Kara.”

“Yes Lad.” Kara nodded. She blushed, feeling herself getting absorbed into his charisma. If he wanted her he would have her. That alone was jarring. It would be fitting. It would be how things would go along her own terms. Instead, he had the ability to have her completely, but he was simply refusing. It was a strange sensation. As the feelings of lust passed she covered her mouth and laughed.
“I- Without thinking I was trying to do it again. Thank you for not letting things go my way, Lad.” She bowed her head.

“Of course. It goes without saying, you're not sleeping around anymore.”

There was a knock at the door. “Master Slayer! We caught up to one of the ships.” Lad opened the door and made sure to show the fact that Kara was in his room. It was recognized by the first mate. He cursed a little, but there was nothing he could do. Lad could tell the look on his face was saying that he had literally taken all the ass on the ship for himself, and he did not mind letting the man think that. He relished it, because that is what the Slayer would do. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“What do we have?”

“Elves. Shall we raid them or 'talk' with them?”

Lad smirked. Internally he knew that the two options were, raid them physically, or raid them with words and threats. The outcome would be the same.
“I think you all just just desperate for more women, or a soft enough boy.” Lad taunted.

“Well-”

“Have they stopped?”

“They have. We've positioned our three vessels in a way that they can't escape if they tried.”

“Then I'll do it myself. Prepare a life raft.”

“Yourself!?”

“You heard me. I'm a bit hungry. Some elves would taste nice this time of year.” That is what he said. He was not sure if he actually wanted to put on a display before the Orrans to keep them satisfied with his guise, or if he wanted to actually just wished to talk to them. If he left the ship with nothing he would draw suspicion and the crew might feel comfortable messing with what's his.