A Nagas tale

For all to see

I felt so stupidly happy as the girls around me told me about the time they'd spent with their partners. One of the girls, Talia told me about the cute lakeside date she and her partner went on. "He was very good at catching fish!" she told us. I smiled as she went on to explain how he used his paws to catch any fish going by. I couldn't help but giggle at the image of a large bear trying to catch a fish just to impress his partner. "That sounds so freaking cute!!" Arnie squeals. I turned to her as she showed me the necklace she wore. It is made of silver with some Tanzaite "Cory made this for me with some of the stones he found around the river banks!" she showed off. I found their story all so cute. "well! My Arther hunted some deer for me! He made me this cute deer antler knife!" she shows us. I feel impressed with these guys. I nod 'I can see why Ivonka called them accessories.' I giggle as they keep telling us about their dates and gifts. Their eyes turned to me suddenly as Willemina asked me something. "HM? sorry I was admiring how cute you guys were being." I mutter. They giggled before the question was posed again. "What has the leader gifted you?" they ask. I smile "Well, he loves to buy me clothes and sweets." My answer did not really excite them. I feel like I fell short of flaunting my husband. "Did he make you anything?" they ask. I tilt my head "He loves to make me food." I point out. They look at each other before laughing. "Do you like food?" they ask. I nod "Yeah, his cooking is the best! It's always so balanced and so tasty!" I chirp with more enthusiasm. "He is also the best cuddler in the world!" I declare my favorite activities to do with him. "He is such a sweetheart it's crazy! Ugh, at times I just want to smother him with hugs." I let out what I truly felt. The girls giggle as I pick up another meat skewer. 'I feel like they might not like those answers.' "Oh! come on! Why don't you tell us all about being carried around like a goddess!?" Willemina asks. I blush recalling Ivonkas words. "Oh, hehe yeah he does like to carry me a lot which is a bit... silly," I whisper shyly. She shakes her head "Being carried like a goddess is such a telling thing!" Willemina protests. "To have a man like a leader treat you so lovingly! I am really impressed with Mother!" she chirps happily. I laugh nervously as the other girls agree "Yes! I agree! oh, I'd melt if my husband ever carried me like that!" Talia adds. 'I...is it that highly praised to be carried?' I wondered as Kogen stepped up. He offers me a sweet roll despite my still full plate of food. "You should try it." he offers. I smile "Alright, I will honey." I take the plate from his hands. He walks away to join Leon and the others. "Oh my gosh! how sweet!" I turn my attention back to the girls. "I understand if the leader has no time to make you anything special." Willemina nods "Since he is already busy enough with his work and looking over the tribe's needs." Talia points out. Arnie nods "That's right! he always makes sure to send us any rations during the winter and helps us newer couples find a  location to make our homes." Arnie tells me. 'He helps them find new locations to make their homes.' I turn back to Kogen 'I didn't know he had such a responsibility.' Haru quickly scoffs "I find the older generations hate for him so petty." I turn to her as she drinks some tea. "I... wanted to ask why so many people don't like Kogen," I mutter picking up a forkful of sweet roll. "Have you not heard?" They ask I shake my head 'They don't know I didn't grow up here.' "W..well no, I lived most of my life in the ancestor's cave studying ancient scripts and spells." I half lied. "No way! 201 years living in that cave?" they ask. I nod "Wow you must be so behind in history." they joke. I laugh before taking another bite of the sweet roll. 'it tastes kinda like cheesecake but less sweet.' I note down the flavor. "Well, back when we were kids mm we are talking about maybe around nine or ten we were always told a story of the leader's devil son." They answer. 'I've heard grandpa call him demon child before.' I wait for them to explain. "Well, before we were born the leader was Kogen's father Kaileb, he was in charge of looking over this forest." They start the story "The Government at that time viewed the bear tribe as a threat to their operations in the forest." I look at the food on my plate and keep eating. "Where the leader Kaileb wanted to be diplomatic with the government they refused to hear anything he had to say." I frown "They killed the leader in cold blood leaving the seat of leader to mother Olivia who was caring for her two children." I turn to Kogen who is laughing with Leon. His laugh is so ear-catching that it's all I focus on. "When the eldest who was I believe he was 11 years of age heard of his father's assassination." I feel my heart sink "Kogen and his mother sent us into hiding before taking the forest by storm." Arnie explains. "They took..." I ask she nods "Yes, Kogen and his mother destroyed many government camps and killed two of the leaders that were to be stationed here." She explains. 'w...only Kogen and his mother?' I turn my eyes back to Kogen in utter shock. "With the deaths of two leaders, the government decided to sit and talk it out with Olivia and Kogen." she puffs her chest. "They came to an agreement that this forest belonged to the bear tribe and nobody was to interfere with its inhabitants." She seemed proud of the story. "The Government placed them as leaders for the troops that were to come to this area to protect the land." I felt unusually prideful that my husband had such a story. 'All this when he was only 11? Man, I feel like I lack accomplishments.' I turn back to Kogen in utter admiration for his life accomplishments. "The older generations dislike Kogen since he is a very no-nonsense kind of guy. I was told that at some point he banished three houses from the forest due to their son's violent actions towards the women of the nearby village of Zeras." I looked at the girls who seemed to gain some devious grins. "So how does that make you feel?" they ask. I blink a few times before nodding. "He is amazing, it's hard to believe I a very sheltered woman managed to gain his attention." I mutter. They laugh "Don't sell yourself short! You found a way to revive the tribes of Ezra! That in itself is also very impressive!" Willemina assures me. I look at them and nod "Right, reading through old runes and books is just as amazing." I mutter half mocking. I turn to them curious how they did not feel the same as the older generations. "W...what made you girls change your minds about Kogen?" I ask Talia and Willemina, who cross their arms under their breasts as Arnie and the others clasp their hands together. "We came across the letters Kogen would send to us with our rations." they answered "He seemed worried about our well-being in the letters and assured us if we needed anything just to send him a letter so he could get it for us." I smile knowing Kogen would be considerate like that. "My parents always painted him like a demon but each year we came to the gatherings I never saw a demon just a lonely guy." They sigh. I nod understanding that feeling very well. "Terry was thinking of trying to pair up with him if he was still without a partner this year." I turn to the tall blond girl in the group. Her eyes are so blue and her face is gorgeous. "Don't feel Jealous though, it would be as a mutual union." Terry assures me. I giggle wondering if she would be able to withstand Kogens aura. "They always said his aura was like that of a demon but it's pretty normal." She points out. I turn to Kogen and smile "It will try to drag you down if you don't keep your wits about you." I whisper under my breath. "Is it scary?" I turned to the girls who watched me curiously. I nod "If you aren't ready for it. Yes." I answer honestly. They look at each other "How did it feel?" they ask. I turn to Kogen who is walking this way. "It feels like hot tar eating at your skin. Like the bones of death trying to swallow you into the depth of its realm." I explained how I felt it. "Audrey? are you alright?" he asks crouching next to me. I smile "Yes, I am alright silly. Why do you ask?" I grab his cheeks wanting to give him all of the kisses in this world with how cute he was being. "I noticed you kept looking at me." He states I blush "Why are you so observant." I whisper "I don't want you to be uncomfortable." he answers. I feel like he was being cute on purpose now. I giggle "I'm fine, just admiring my handsome husband." I assure him. He smirks before kissing my lips and getting up. "Alright, Do you need anything else?" he asks looking at my now empty plate of food. 'Gosh, this man is going to make me drag him home.' I shake my head "Mmm, no not right now." I answer. "Alright, call me over if you need anything." He caresses my cheek before walking away. 'ugh I swear I couldn't care less right now if I am still recovering.' I take a deep breath as I try to calm this aching. I turn back to the girls they were watching so blatantly. "Wow, he is so caring." Terry whispers. I blush "He's cute like that isn't he?" I ask flaunting how adorable the so-called demon child was. The girls nodded before they all started chatting about their own partners again. 

Leon had started drinking like an idiot while sobbing about me finally getting married. "I can't believe my little Kogen is finally becoming a man!" He sobs to Ivonka who seemed already over his bullshit. "There you go being so clingy." She huffs annoyed. "Man If you weren't already married I'd say you wanted to marry Kogen yourself." Otani jabs at Leon. "I'd be the perfect wife!" Leon shouts back. Ivonka sighs as she takes the bottle of sake away from him. "Oh? how would you be a good wife Leon?" Missy asks jokingly. "I'd love him unconditionally! he is my best friend!" He declares. Otani laughs loudly "Yeah, what about the bedroom?" He teases Leon's face turns red before he shakes his head "If... if he is into that." he starts blushing like a shy little girl. I smack his head "That sounds disgusting." I grumble. Missy laughs loudly as Leon shoots me a glare. I spot Audrey walking over to us but my mom stops her. They start talking and Audrey frowns before pointing at me. My mother agrees letting her come over. She walks over "Oh! Audrey! Just on time! Leons trying to take your husband!" Otani jokes. Audrey giggles as she sees the drunken Leon. "Oh? He bends that way too?" she teases. Leon shrugs "If he didn't already have such a cute wife there might have been some tests." He jokes earning himself a cackle from Audrey. "Oh, my Ivonka you've got a floozy on your hands." She jokes. Ivonka laughs before smacking Leon herself. "Is everything alright?" I ask her. She turns to me and nods "Yes, everything is alright, I just need to head back to resume the treatment." she explains. I frown unhappy that she is still so hurt. "But I wanted to ask if you wanted to come with me?" She asks. I don't hesitate "I will go with you." I get up and watch her smile at me. I crouch to her height before lifting her off the ground. She holds onto my neck letting out a delighted sniker. "I hope you all enjoy the party!" she waves bye to the others. I followed my mother who was waiting for us. She leads us to the hospital with Yyvonne following after her. I was forced to wait outside of the treatment room while Audrey changed with Yyvonne. "Oh, Hello Leader Zer." I look up at my mother's aid Livy. "Are you here for Audrey's final treatment?" she asks. I nod 'it's her final treatment?' Livy smiles "This treatment should heal up any remaining perforations in her lunges but the other superficial wounds will be left to naturally heal with her aura." She explains. I turn to my mother as she calls me into the room. I walk in seeing Audrey lying on her back. "Don't be stupid and let us work if you want Audrey to go home tonight," she tells me. I nod watching Audrey fall asleep to the anesthetic. I sit back and watch my mother intubate Audrey before removing a sack from her side. "There is not as much blood this time, which means we have only one more perforation to treat before we can close her lunges completely." She sighs before starting her treatment. Livy kept her eyes on the monitors with all of Audrey's vitals. After three hours my mother stopped letting out a deep sigh of relief. "This should be all that's left." puts her gloves into the trash. "We will need to remove the tubes and let her start breathing on her own before anything is finalized," she tells Livy. Livy turns off the oxygen machine letting Audrey readjust to breathing for herself. We watched her worried as she started choking on the tube. "Alright, we need to be quick." My mother starts removing the tubes from Audrey's throat. She loudly gasps for air before settling into an even pace. "We did it, ma'am!" Livy squealed excitedly. My mother nods "I will leave the remaining superficial wounds to heal on their own since Audrey's aura has been actively healing them." she turns to me. I nod "Alright, I'll be sure to disinfect them." I assure her. "Let Audrey wake up before you go home, it might take a little while so rest while you can," she tells me. I look at Audrey "alright." "Yyvonne come with me you can stay over for tonight." My mother quickly ushers Yyvonne out of the room. I know Audrey will ask for her but for now, I want to focus on her recovery.