Chapter 261 A Date
Archer stepped through the portal and entered Talila's home. Inside, he found Fabia sitting up, engaged in conversation with the Matriarch.
Without a word, Archer made his way to the balcony. He summoned several Stone Men and instructed them to capture animals for the domain.
Talila stepped out from her entrance and inquired, ''What are you doing, Archer?''
He turned to her with a smile. ''Well, I've created a new home for the tribe, and now I'm having the Stone Men gather beasts for them to hunt.''
Upon hearing his response, she was taken aback, a thought crossing her mind. 'How can he create a new home?'
Before she could speak, the Matriarch appeared from behind her and posed a question to Archer. ''Is what you say true?''
Without hesitation, he nodded his head but added, ''We should wait until the Stone Men return.''
Agreeing, the three of them took a seat. Fabia soon joined them, admiring her surroundings. ''It's just as I remember. How long was I asleep?''
Talila glanced downward but still provided an answer. ''Eleven years, Mother.''
Upon hearing this, a look of horror crossed Fabia's face, and she hurriedly embraced her daughter. ''What happened to you? Were you okay?''
Before Talila could respond, the Matriarch interjected. ''The tribe looked after her. You two are a part of us, so we stepped forward.''
Fabia's smile returned, and she felt a bit more at ease as Talila reassured her of her well-being.
While Archer followed their conversation, he noticed that the Stone Men had returned. Eager to conclude matters and return home, he decided to move forward.
''Alright, Matriarch. If you're interested, let's show you three your new home.'' He announced, rising from his seat.
Archer made a doorway for the Stone Men to move the caught animals and then opened another one for the four of them to enter.
As they arrived, the Matriarch's eyes fell upon the new village, leaving her utterly speechless, the other three shared in her astonished silence.
Addressing the women, Archer proposed, ''Would you consider living here? I only ask that you follow the example of the dragon-kin: stand by me in times of need, and your tribe will flourish.''
She considered his words thoughtfully. ''Allow me to present this to the council and assess their thoughts.''
Archer nodded and promptly created a portal through which she stepped. Minutes later, she returned accompanied by a group of women who shared similar expressions.
Talila approached him. ''This doesn't mean I'm yours, Archer.''
Meeting her gaze, he responded with a grin. ''Think of it as a beginning.''
With a smile, she moved away from him. Fabia then approached, making a request. ''Are you Archer? Talila mentioned you will be marrying my sister Hecate.''
He turned his gaze to Fabia and confirmed, ''Indeed, your father's original plan was for me to wed the first princess. However, I chose Hecate.''
A smile graced Fabia's lips as she voiced her request. ''Could I have a moment with my sister? It's been twenty long years since our last meeting.''
Archer's smile persisted as he conjured a portal, his voice calling out, ''Hecate, there's someone here eager to see you.''
A brief pause passed before Hecate materialized, her eyes locking onto Fabia.
In a soft, almost reverent tone, Fabia murmured, ''You've grown into such a stunning young woman, my dear sister.''
Hecate's smile widened as she closed the distance between her and her sister, enfolding her in a warm embrace. Fabia's smile matched the sentiment as she willingly accepted the hug.
Upon witnessing this heartwarming scene, the Matriarch made her declaration. ''Archer, I wholeheartedly accept your proposal. Our tribe will move her, and pledge our support in times of need.''
He nodded and swiftly conjured a portal to aid the tribespeople in their relocation here.
The Matriarch and the others she had brought returned through the portal, leaving the four behind,
Turning to Hecate, Archer inquired, ''Would you like to return to the domain or stay?''
She responded promptly, ''I'll stay for a little while. I want to talk to Fabia.''
He nodded and turned to Talila, attempting to flirt. However, he met her stubborn resistance, prompting him to rethink his approach.
Archer shrugged as he walked away and settled beneath a tree, eventually dozing off while waiting for the tribe's move-in to complete.
[Talila POV]
As Archer quickly dozed off, she observed his slumber and couldn't help but let out a giggle.
Turning her attention to her mother and aunt, who were both observing her, Talila found them grinning at her.
''What?'' Talila inquired, met with the laughter of the two women.
With a playful expression, Fabia regarded her. ''You've taken a liking to the boy, haven't you, Tali?''
Talila chose not to answer her mother's teasing and instead moved to take a seat. However, they were persistent, continuing to prod her.
After enduring their playful persistence for an hour, Talila's patience waned, and she finally gave in. ''Fine, yes, I do like him. But if he believes it will be easy to win me over, he's mistaken.''
The two laughed at her and continued to watch the villagers walking through the portal and taking in the view.
They could see the people were happy as they started looking around. As that was happening the Matriarch approached Fabia.
As she got to her she spoke. ''Fabia now Talila knows her roots, I think the two of you need to know that the man you were with was dragged away by the people who attacked you's.''
When the two heard her their eyes widened with shock and hope. They turned to the sleeping boy.
Talila rushed over to him and kicked his boot.
[Back to Archer]
Archer was roused from his slumber by a sudden kick, causing his eyes to snap open. His gaze fell upon Talila's black panties, a sight she quickly became aware of.
She promptly stepped back, putting an end to his newfound and rather surprising view. He shook his head, his senses slowly returning, and he responded, ''What do you want, woman? I was enjoying my sleep.''
Talila came straight to the point. ''The people who pursued my mother may have my father. Will you help me once again?''
Archer, still slightly befuddled, cleared the fog from his mind. Just then, a portal materialized nearby, and Teuila and Sera emerged.
''What do you want me to do? Should I lay waste to the Delphosia Republic? Agamemnon will inevitably expand his conquest sooner or later,'' he replied, his tone contemplative.
Their conversation captured the attention of the newly arrived girls. Teuila inquired, ''What's happening here?''
Archer smiled when he saw Teuila and Sera. He stood up and explained what Talila had asked for.
Teuila and Sera looked at Talila, and Fabia explained, ''She just asked for his help.''
As more people joined them, Hecate said goodbye and kissed Archer before heading back to the lab.
He glanced at Talila and grinned, inquiring, ''What's my reward if I save your father?''
Meeting his gaze with a playful expression, Talila replied, ''A date.''
Archer's smile widened as he nodded in agreement. Then, he turned his attention to Teuila and Sera, explaining his plan to them.
Both Teuila and Sera rolled their eyes, recognizing that arguing with him would be futile. They knew he could handle himself.
Guiding Fabia back to the treehouse, Sera and Teuila took her along. Meanwhile, Archer utilized his Gate spell to transport himself, along with Sera and Talila, to Hecate's lab.
Upon their arrival, Hecate looked up and greeted Archer with a smile. He approached her and made his request, ''Could you do me a favor and try to awaken a friend? She has been under a sleep spell for some time.''
Hecate nodded in understanding. ''Of course, husband.''
Archer then turned to Sera, asking her to accompany Hecate to assist with waking up their friend, Sarah.
After his conversation with Hecate, Archer proceeded to the living room and gathered everyone together.
The girls took their seats on the sofa, while Fabia positioned herself beside Eione and the twins.
He then explained his plan to set the Delphosia Republic ablaze until he located Hemera's brother and recovered their treasures.
While most of the girls rolled their eyes at his words, Hemera and Fabia's expressions lit up with excitement. They asked if they could accompany him, but he shook his head.
"I'll be using my dragon form and casting spells all over the place, so I want to make sure you all are safe," he explained, a hint of concern in his expression.
They nodded in understanding, and Hemera proceeded to provide him with detailed information about the Republic before he left.
Archer cast Gate to transport himself to the mountain he had previously destroyed.
Saying his farewells to the girls, he hopped through the portal and appeared in a quiet clearing not far from the old mountain.
Taking in his surroundings, Archer called out, "Draco."
A radiant white light enveloped the clearing as he transformed into his dragon form. Once it was complete, he spread his wings and took to the sky.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]