Amkhu took a seat and initiated the conversation. "So, Archer, how was your journey here? Smooth sailing?"
Archer noticed Nefertiti's gaze before responding, "We encountered a few minor hiccups, but overall, everything went well."
Amkhu nodded gracefully and proceeded with the introductions. "Allow me to reintroduce my esteemed wife, Hatshepsut," he gestured towards the elegant woman beside him. "The lovely lady in the green dress is our first princess, Nefertari," he said, giving her a warm smile. "Lastly, I would like to present to you the enchanting second princess, Isis."
He explained the absence of his sons, "Unfortunately, our first prince is currently on campaign in the north and the second is stuck in his training, while the third prince, who is still a baby, is sleeping after his meal."
Archer smiled and spoke, "That's okay, children need their sleep and shouldn't be disturbed."
That's when he paid closer attention to the girl staring at him and swore he could see love hearts in her pink eyes.
But the look she was giving him excited Archer, he looked at her with a charming smile that caught Nefertiti off guard.
As she was just sitting there he leaned close and whispered into her ear, "I love the look you're giving me, Nefi."
Upon hearing that, Nefertiti shivered all over and didn't know what to do as she sat there motionless, like a deer in headlights, causing the other girls in the room to giggle.
Archer heard Sera speak from behind him, "What is it with him? He's like a magnet for women. We have to be careful of this in the future."
Ella quickly chimed in, "It's not his fault. They are engaged due to her father, but he seems to like her, so we should support him."
Teuila spoke last, "Well, I agree with you, El. We will support him, but not every girl will be like Nefertiti, who likes him. Just look at the way she's looking at him right now."
The girls noticed her loving gaze, nodded to each other and continued to watch the scene unfold as Nefertiti asked, "Why did you call me Nefi?"
Archer looked into her eyes, a hint of possessiveness shining through, and answered with a grin. "Because you're already mine, and I can call you whatever I want. Your father arranged our engagement, so now you're stuck with me."
Nefertiti's eyes widened, and her obsession with him skyrocketed. She suddenly stood up, which shocked everyone.
Ella and the girls knew what was happening, so the three of them got up and piled onto Archer's chair, making room for themselves.
Each girl was trying to lay claim to him, which made the empress and Nefertiti's older sisters laugh at the group's behavior.
Sera shamefully jumped on his lap, which caused the pink-haired girl's brow to twitch, and her temper rose, but to distract herself she turned to her father and spoke.
"Father, I accept the marriage and will be traveling with Archer and the girls. I will still return to finish my time at the academy."
Amkhu and Hatshepsut kept an eye on their daughter, who closed the gap between the two and spoke. "Do you accept me as your fiancée and future wife Archer?"
When her parents and sisters heard this, they were shocked even more, as they always knew Nefertiti to be against finding love.
That's when her sister Isis thought to herself, 'He has such charisma. If he wasn't marrying my sister, I'd volunteer to become his wife.'
She shook her head as she continued to watch the group, happy that her stubborn baby sister had finally found someone she likes.
Archer looked at the stressed-looking Nefertiti, who stared at him waiting for his answer, that was when he felt pinches on his sides.
He yelped and looked at Ella and Teuila, who signaled for him to answer. Despite having a sense that accepting Nefertiti might lead to trouble, he didn't hesitate.
With a nod, he spoke, "I accept, Nefertiti. Let's support and help each other on our journey."
Nefertiti's heart fluttered with delight as she heard his acceptance. Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn't restrain herself any further and lunged forward, swiftly bridging the gap between them, and hugged him tightly.
But caught off guard by the girl's sudden movement, Sera, who was already on his lap, was caught in the middle of their embrace.
She struggled to get out, her face turning a shade of red as she tried to extricate herself from the unexpected tangle.
Teuila and Ella who had been watching, burst into laughter at the sight of the red-headed dragon caught amid the affectionate chaos.
As the two finally broke apart, their cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and amusement.
Nefertiti looked at Sera. "Sorry! I didn't mean to squash you."
Sera managed to free herself, still blushing, but with a smile on her face. "It's alright, Nefertiti. Just be careful next time." She spoke as she winked playfully at Archer, who chuckled in response.
Teuila joined in the laughter, her voice full of mirth. "Well, it seems like our fiery dragon got caught in the crossfire."
Ella nodded, wiping away tears of laughter, and spoke to the pink-haired girl. "Indeed, maybe next time, give poor Sera a warning before you launch yourself at Archer."
Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she realized the scene she had created. She couldn't help but giggle, feeling a mix of joy and embarrassment.
"I promise I'll be more careful next time," she said, casting a bashful glance at Archer as she stepped back and sat close to him.
Nefertiti's family was taken aback by the sight unfolding before them. The boy, seated in the grandeur of the imperial palace, displayed such behavior.
In his heart, Amkhu admired the boy's way of life, unaffected by status or class, and didn't care where he was; he would always pay attention to his women.
He watched as Archer spoke to each girl, and he could already see that the boy cared for the three girls and now his errant daughter, who seemed to have switched personalities instantly.
Hatshepsut leaned in and whispered to him, "Look at that, Am, she's acting like a girl who's in love all of a sudden. It's weird, maybe it's the Goddess Hathor's doing."
Amkhu smiled as he answered his wife. "Most likely, my dear. You know how Nefi was about marriage and love, and now she has met her match. Let's see how it plays out between the two."
His wife nodded, and the two of them could hear his two daughters gossiping about how weird their baby sister was acting.
Archer stopped messing around with the girls and faced the family, who were watching with smiles on their faces.
They then started catching up, and Archer filled them in on what happened on their journey north.
[In a place far away]
Two women were seated on a balcony, their gazes fixed upon a mesmerizing valley. One possessed white hair, pearly white skin, and enchanting violet eyes, while the other shared the same white hair but had chocolate brown skin and captivating bright green eyes.
Tiamat, the Goddess of Dragons, and Hathor, the Goddess of Love, were the two women in question.
The sky was filled with glowing stars as they streaked overhead, and below them, they could see a breathtaking view of a waterfall cascading down into a lush jungle.
Tiamat turned to Hathor and spoke. "Thanks for your help, sister. The boy will need her help in the future."
Hathor turned to her with a radiant smile. "It was worth it. That silly girl has been trapped in her delusions, and I just showed her the truth with your help."
Both women chuckled as they watched the scene play out, meddling in the affairs of a certain boy and his gaggle of women to give him a push in the right direction.
That's when Hathor pointed in the distance and spoke with a voice full of sadness. "They just wiped out another island kingdom. I wonder how their wicked devices manage to get them to all these places."
Tiamat turned to her sister with a sad smile on her face as she answered. ''Morgoth created the Ratling race to drive the surface races to extinction.''
She approached the railings and leaned against them as she continued. ''It was told by Mother that Morgoth gave them many gifts and taught them how to use his dark Voidweaving magic.''
Hathor turned to her with a confused looked and asked. ''What's Voidweaving?''
Tiamat made her way over to a bench on an overlook and sat down, Hathor followed behind and joined her as she explained.
''Voidweaving is a powerful form of sorcery that involves harnessing the energy of the void or the primordial emptiness. It is a specialized branch of magic known for its ability to assist in experiments and the creation of weapons and creatures.''
The two of them watched the beautiful waterfall flowing over the cliff and the colorful birds that flew among the treetops.
Tiamatt continued. ''In experiments, Voidweaving provides the Ratlings with the means to manipulate and control the fundamental building blocks of matter. By drawing upon the raw energy of the void.''
Hathor listened as she spoke and ended up there for a while as the two women said goodbye and left the balcony.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
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