Finally, Nala pulled back slightly, her blue eyes glinting with mischief once more. ''Now, don't go getting all soft on , handso,'' she said, poking his chest lightly. ''We've still got my grandmother to go see, and I'm not about to let her ruin our day.''
She stood, stretching her arms above her head, her tail swaying excitedly. ''So, what's the plan? You know I'm ready to fight, baby or no baby.''
Archer admired her unyielding spirit. ''That's my girl,'' he said, brushing a strand of golden hair from her face. ''We'll reinforce the defenses and take the fight to them if they try anything dodgy.''
He leaned forward and kissed the lioness on the forehead before finishing. ''But you are staying out of the fight. I'm not risking you, I'll need you to break the ice between and your grandmother.''
Following that, Archer scooped Nala into a princess carry as Elara went to leave the wall to shore up the defences. He quickly took off and flew toward the Goldenmane camp just as she looked at him.
''Aren't you bringing the 1st Legion?'' She asked. ''I thought it could be a show of force for grandmother.''
When Archer heard the comnt, a low chuckle escaped his lips, quickly building into a deep, amused laugh that echoed around them. After a mont, he shook his head with a confident smirk.
''There's no need to concern myself with mortal soldiers,'' he smoothly said. ''I command legions, trillions of monsters and shadows at my beck and call. I could summon them in seconds if I chose to. Let them co.''
Beside him, Nala's brilliant blue eyes shimred with anticipation, the light of impending conflict reflecting in their depths. As they descended toward the Goldenmane encampnt, the air around them seed to crackle with tension.
They touched down just outside the camp's periter, dust kicking up around their feet. Instantly, the soldiers spotted them, their discipline faltering as fear surged through the ranks.
Shouts rang out as they scrambled to respond. Spears were leveled with trembling hands, and a loose circle began to form around them, nervous, desperate, and entirely unprepared for what they were facing.
Archer had a smirk on his face before exclaiming. ''Take to your empress, she is here to see after all.''
When the Goldenmane soldiers heard Archer's words, a ripple of shock passed through the ranks. Their eyes widened in disbelief, and murmurs spread like wildfire as the weight of his claim settled in.
The commanders quickly stepped in, barking orders to reestablish discipline and form up properly. Spears steadied, though tension still crackled in the air. One soldier, bolder than the rest, cautiously stepped forward.
But as he caught sight of Nala, he faltered mid-step. His eyes locked on her face, and confusion flickered across his expression. He blinked, then muttered just loud enough to be heard, his voice tinged with awe. ''You look like the Empress when she was a young woman… only with white skin.''
Nala's grin widened, her sharp canines catching the light. Pride glead in her blue eyes as she gave a playful nod. ''She is my grandmother, after all,'' she said, her tone light. ''Though I turn a lovely brown if I stay in the sun too long.''
The soldier stepped back, clearly unsure whether to bow or stare. A mont later, one of the senior commanders approached, his face unreadable but his posture respectful. With a curt nod, he gestured for them to follow.
''Co with ,'' he said, leading them deeper into the camp.
As they walked, the atmosphere shifted. Soldiers lined their path, eyes tracking their every move. So looked on in awe, others in suspicion, and a few with sothing approaching reverence.
Whispers stirred behind them, a mix of fear, curiosity, and sothing else, hope, perhaps. The camp, once bustling with rigid order, now held its breath, unsure what to make of the strangers who had walked so boldly into their midst.
Ten minutes later, Archer spotted a massive tent set up in the center of the camp. While walking, Nala leaned over and whispered. ''Don't you feel uncomfortable with all these soldiers looking at us?''
''No,'' he instantly answered. ''They are ants compared to and look down.''
The lioness did that and noticed thousands of eyes lingering in his shadow, causing her tail to go straight in shock. ''There are so many, it's creepy,'' she muttered
''They've been protecting you girls for years,'' Archer revealed just before reaching her grandmother's tent.
Monts later, the commander turned to them and spoke respectfully. ''Go inside, she is waiting for you.''
Following that, they stepped inside only to sll a strange sll, but Nala got excited as her tail started swaying side to side. Without a second thought, he waved his hands and got rid of the smoke.
Archer glanced at the lioness before revealing. ''It's not good for you or the baby.''
Just then, a mature voice sounded out. ''Baby? Are you telling my long-lost granddaughter is pregnant?''
''Grandmother!'' Nala exclaid and rushed toward an older woman.
When Archer laid eyes on her, a flicker of genuine surprise crossed his face. She stood at his height, an imposing figure in her own right, and he could sense it imdiately: the unmistakable presence of a Pseudo-God.
Though not as powerful as he was, her aura pulsed with raw potential, a quiet storm beneath the surface. Her hair, long and untad, cascaded around her shoulders in wild waves, like Nala's, though hers was a striking shade of silvery grey rather than golden blonde.
Her body was sculpted and curvaceous, with an hourglass figure that radiated strength and elegance in equal asure. The older woman's skin, a deep, rich brown, was smooth and unblemished, gleaming slightly in the light like polished obsidian.
She carried herself with effortless confidence, the kind that could silence a room without a word, and Archer instinctively knew she wasn't to be underestimated, causing him to think with a glow in his violet eyes. 'I need to steal her away from the Alliance.'
Following that, the older woman hugged Nala, smiling. ''It's good to see you again, Little Cub. I've missed you greatly, but to reunite and learn that you are pregnant is even better.''
The younger lioness was happy, but the stranger turned to him with narrowed blue eyes as she introduced herself. ''I'm Empress Malakia Goldenmane, I'm glad you finally turned up. I've been waiting days.''
He gave her a charming smile, replying. ''Sorry for that but I had problems to handle elsewhere alongside the damned Alliance army.''
When Malakia heard this, she sighed. ''There was nothing I could do, the commander was adamant that he could take the wall before you returned. Now enough of all this, sit down and let catch up with my pretty grandbaby.''
The younger lioness couldn't help but smile as Archer sat down, pulling out a bottle of ale and starting to drink as Malakia revealed. ''I see you're halfway through the pregnancy, by next winter the baby will be here.''
''That's what Brooke and Ari said,'' Nala replied with a happy expression. ''I think she'll start kicking soon.''
''Oh my,'' Malakia comnted. ''How do you know it's a girl?''
Nala glanced at Archer, curiosity flickering in her eyes. He offered a small, knowing smile before speaking, his tone casual but edged with amusent.
''One of my wives, Hecate, had a vision in her sleep,'' he revealed. ''She saw a group of little girls… Turns out, a whole lot of the others ended up pregnant around the sa ti, not long after.''
The older woman's face lit up with a radiant, almost mischievous smile. Her eyes sparkled with both amusent and approval as she turned her gaze to him, studying him more closely now.
''Well,'' she said with a soft laugh, ''Sounds like they've got themselves a very fertile husband. So tell , how many are expecting?''
Her voice was teasing but warm, as though she already knew the answer would be impressive, and wouldn't be surprised if it grew by the hour. Archer thought for a second before answering. ''Seventeen, if I rember correctly.''
Malakia's eyes widened in surprise, but the shock only lasted a mont before it gave way to laughter, deep, genuine, and contagious. Nala joined in, her grin stretching ear to ear as she playfully nudged Archer with her elbow.
''He's just like the Southern Hares,'' she said through her laughter. ''They mate like crazy, and so does this handso dragon.''
The older lioness chuckled harder, shaking her head. ''Then it's no wonder half your household is glowing,'' she said. ''With a reputation like that, I'm surprised there aren't more!''
Following that, the three of them continued chatting about the pregnancies that Malakia was strangely interested in. Nala noticed this and gave him a knowing smirk before sending a ssage through the tattoo. 'She's interested in you, keep charming her.'
Archer couldn't help but chuckle, prompting the older woman to question. ''What's so funny?''
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