"Please….stop it," Kamui complained. Under any other circumstance he would be pleased, even gleaming with happiness, feeling how Camilla rubbed his head lovingly, her fingers tenderly passing through his hair. She sat to his left as Rhajat´s head rested on his stomach, happily humming. Fortunately, Sakura was the only one who hold her emotions as she smiled with a nervous curl. It would be wonderful, waking up from that weird dream, to be welcomed by the most important people in his life, if it wasn't for the fact that he was nervous from his mother's sly laugh.

"Stop what?" Camilla asked with a tender tune. She played with a bang, swirling it in her index finger as she whispers in his ear. "You gave me a heart attack a couple of times today, and be sure that I'm going to enjoy teasing you in front of everyone for the next lifetime," she said empathetically, tapping her other finger on his chest.

"You won't be off the hook for at least a couple months, my love," Rhajat said with a pleased grin. "Not that I doubted you, but that last fight wasn't something I want to experience again…or even allow to repeat."

"….Please….you´re kind of…..crushing me….." Kamui said with a somewhat shy, embarrassed tone while he could see how Sakura and Mikoto were smiling and chuckling.

"I wouldn't believe it, but here I am, seeing my own son, how he not only charmed two girls," Mikoto said with a grin on her face and leaning her cheek on her right hand, with a somewhat concerned act that everyone knew it was fake, her sparkling eyes were evidence of that, "….but that you impregnated and had a child with your own sisters…to think that my son would be a mindless brute."

"I-It wasn't like that, Mother….." Sakura blushed and coughed into her fist, "I believe that Camilla was the first one to assault him."

"Guilty as charged!" the purplenette happily laughed, now with her head on his shoulder, drawing circles with her index finger on his chest as Kaumi was sweating bullets, "…but, can you blame me? He´s too cute when I tease him, the first time I saw him, I knew he had to be mine."

"Ours," Rhajat corrected, looking at the princess who nodded.

"Yes, ours, sorry, it´s just….. I'm so glad that he´s finally safe and sound….our precious little Kamui."

"So, tell me Sakura, what was it like?" Mikoto asked with glee in her eyes as Kamui tried to free himself from his lovers' embrace. Sakura and Mikoto talking while Hinoka complained beside them.

"W-Well, it wasn't easy….I wasn´t sure if Kamui felt the same way I did," Sakura said, playing with her thumbs and looking away, still blushing. "I guess…..a lot of things happened, it feels like thousands of years have passed from the first time I tried to speak with him about my feelings….. I suppose I wasn't confident enough….since she was my rival….." both girls looked at Camilla, whose face was now pressed against Kamui´s , Rhajat was now over his shoulder, "….about some….charms….."

"Oh?" Mikoto inquired with a skeptic eyebrow, looking at the Nohrian princess and her attire. Thinking back, she met a lot of cute girls around Hoshido, but the realization that maybe Nohrian women were best 'equipped' in some ways made her laugh. "Oh my, I can't believe it," she said, laughing and wiping her right eye.

"Wh-What is so funny?" Sakura blushed more as she tried to understand her, but Mikoto shook her head.

"No, it´s just that I…until now…" she hold her laugh with a smirk "I realize that you´re not a child anymore" she sighs, "….that before I left, you were worried about the soldiers, the war and your family, barely able to stand or speak in front of others," she looked at the confused girl, her back straight, hands in her lap, her eyes weren't going anywhere but hers. Sakura truly grew up, "….you truly became a wonderful lady…..you started a family, looking after your loved ones…..and have blossomed from your original self," she said, caressing her left cheek. Her shyness didn't show as she expected, before the war she would blush and look away, this time there was a faint shade of red, but with a warm smile.

"Thank you…. It means a lot from you…" Sakura closed her eyes for a moment, her hand was like Kamui´s, filled with warmness and care. She nodded "I tried my best."

"You really did," both laughed as the tension in the air was almost gone, until they heard Hinoka complain.

"STOP IT! YOU TWO LET HIM REST!" Hinoka groaned as she tried to push Camilla and Rhajat away. "And you!" she glared at Kamui. "Why don't you say something?! You´re supposed to be resting!"

"Let me know when you find a way to stop her," Kamui deadpanned as Camilla smirked with pleased eyes.

"He´s right, now that…Mother healed him, we only need to wait for his full recovery," Camilla said, looking at Mikoto for a moment before resuming her rubbing against Kamui´s face, who wasn't infatuated or thrilled to let her have her way. "Just seeing him… I can tell that the stupid curse is gone, you even regained some of your youth, if I may say," she giggled as Kamui sighed.

Mikoto coughed into her fist with closed eyes, gaining their attention. "Well, even if I'm….delighted to see such shows of affection, may I remind all of you that he is still under MY care?" she opened her eyes, her glare wasn't cold or threatening, but with such deepness that both Camilla and Rhajat felt a chill down their spines. "…. Kamui can be a little…..permissive at times, but I won't, and if you would be so kind to give him some space, I´ll be grateful," she said, closing her eyes and with her hand on her chest, Rhajat and Camilla sighed and slowly returned to their seats.

'Scary' Hinoka thought. There wasn't venom or hate in her voice, but Mikoto surely knew how to be emphatic with her words and how to say it so her will would reach them. Sakura nervously laughed while both grounded girls huffed almost at the same time.

"Tell me Camilla, you were the first who approached, right?" Mikoto asked.

"That´s right," she proudly said, crossing her legs, one above the other with her hands on her knees. "I was his first time in almost everything in Nohr….the first time he took a bath with anyone else, his first kiss, the one who told him about…..the changes of puberty," she smirked with a faint blush, not from embarrassment, but with delight remembering those moments. Hinoka and Sakura blushed for a moment as Hinoka had a nervous movement in her eyebrow. "We had our first time in his room, and Kana is our first child, then it´s little Mikoto."

"Aww….I'm glad to hear that you consider her as your own daughter," they tilted their head at the same time with a confident smile. "….but….." her sly eyes returned to see Hinoka. "His truly first time was Hinoka."

"Eh?/uh?" Hinoka and Camilla widened their eyes.

"Yes, I remember, his first kiss was on the royal garden in Hoshido. It was in her birthday, Kamui couldn't buy something 'nice' with his allowance, so he asked what he could do for her, and she asked for a hug and a kiss. And what was a kiss on her forehead turned into a lip kiss when she looked up after Kamui spent too much time waiting since he was embarrassed," Mikoto said with her palm on her cheek. Hinoka couldn't remember, but from Kamui´s expression, his face and the nervous way he saw her it was proof enough that he remembered. As for the Nohrian princess, she had a frown on her face, a quivering lip and her knuckles were white with her hands on her knees.

"….She…..robbed it….. from me…?" Camilla whispered. Suddenly, she stood up and walked to the door, looking to her right she hit the supporting beam, making Selena and Beruka fall from it. Selena fell on her butt as Beruka landed safely. "My darlings…..I need to hunt something, NOW!" Selena shrieked while Beruka nodded, opening the door Selena quickly crawled/stood, desperate to find her liege weapons, as Beruka followed close with a faint frustrated face. "…I´ll be leaving for a while, Darling," she said looking at the albino with closed eyes and a quivering smile on her face. "I leave him in your capable hands, ma´am," she said, looking at Mikoto before closing the door when she left the room. Some moments passed until they heard some banging noises outside as her voice broke in what they could say was an annoyed rant. The wall cracked in some places as her shouts were somewhat fearsome. Suddenly she opened the door with the same smile. "Oh my~ it looks like part of the wall…fell by itself, maybe it was that clumsy maid of ours. Please Sakura, remind Jakob to repair it," she waved, leaving them again.

"….O…k…" Rhajat sighed, biting her nail. "Should I go with her? Just to be sure she doesn't kill anyone?" she asked at the albino who nervously nodded. "….Fine…" she sighed standing, and with a snap of her fingers disappeared leaving her usual dark cloud behind.

"You have…. interesting girls, son," Mikoto laughed with her happy smile, "I can't believe she was so adorable with that face."

"….Mother….please don't tease my wife," Kamui sighed. "It was hard enough when Sakura got pregnant first before her, I don't know if Selena or Beruka are in condition to 'Hunt' in her state."

"Oh please, I spoke with Orochi and Kagero and they filled me in every little detail they could share, and now that I know her weak spot, I can resume my rule as the grandmother of this cute family," she laughed with her hand on her mouth, Sakura and Hinoka half heartily laughed with her, as Kamui took a pillow and buried it in his face.

"SHE´S GOING TO BE LIKE THAT FOR DAAAAAAAAAAYS!" Kamui complained.

"I think it was a little to overkill, Mother," Sakura agreed. "You could have used something else, now she´ll be all dramatic because of that."

"Oh? Aren't you a little jealous that your sister took that?" Mikoto asked Sakura, who looked at her sister for a moment before returning to her.

"Of course I'm jealous….a little" she looked away. "But….it´s not like I can be mad at her, it was a long time ago…..and in the same way, I can't blame her, it was just what I said to Mikoto…my little Miko," she smiled with melancholy in her face. "Maybe….we had already fell for him ages ago, but we didn't find the courage to step forward."

"…..We?" Mikoto smiled at Hinoka who face was bright red, waving her hands in front of her with an embarrassed face.

"Ah-A-Ahh? No! I-I didn't say I l-love him or anything, is jus-"

"I meant Camilla and I," Sakura glared as her sister pouted, "….do you really l-"

"OK-AY!" Mikoto slapped her hands together. "I think that´s enough for now girls!" she sighed. "Kamui! Can you stand?" the albino didn't hear what she said, he still had the pillow over his head, she giggled trying to take the pillow off. "Please Kamui, you´re being childish."

"Just kill me already….." his voice could be heard under the pillow. "I….I just want to see my daughters before…. I have to do something unsettling….."

"¿Uh? what´d you mean, dear?"

"You have awakened a beast that can´t be controlled," he pushed the pillow away and looked at her. "You know that she´s going to do something really, reeeeeeeally underhanded, right?"

"Oh, Kamui…. I'm sure she´s just a little jealous, nothing could possibly go wrong, it's not like she is someone wh-"

"Look, mother… I…." he sighed "I just want to rest a little, although I assumed Camilla could be a little…. Wary and uncomfortable from your words….I want to g-"

"Get the report?" Sakura interrupted. "I don't think y-"

"I can't let my guard down, Sakura," he sighed. "Even if I'm excited, thrilled to speak with Mother after returning from that hellish place, I need to know…. How much it cost us…."

"…." Sakura bit her lower lip, clearly displeased for his words. "Kamui….. w-"

"My dear son…." Mikoto caressed his head as she embraced him out of the blue. "I know there are a lot of things you want to do, but right now, you need to rest, to recover, you can al-"

"No, sorry but no," he tried to push her but there was so little strength left in his arms, he barely managed to part his head from her arms. "Mother, I want to speak to you, really, I really want to just lay down and rest, but even so, I-"

"I FORBID IT!" Mikoto interrupted him, there was that side of her that even he feared, her face was still gentle, her caring eyes and graceful stance, tilting her head she continued. "I forbid you to try to escape your recovery, you need to rest, you can always read the report later."

"Mother, maybe you don't know, but I can´t d-"

"Let me be clear," her smile softened, closing her eyes she giggled. "I'm not asking you, I'M GROUNDING YOU!" She playfully said with her finger on her cheek. Kamui's eyes twitched as the girls couldn't believe her behavior. "Now, let's forget about the war, troops and anything else and focus on your recovery," before he could react, she placed his head on her lap. "let's resume our pleasant talk about our family, shall we?"

"Wait, Mother, you must be kidding, I'm not a kid anymore, and you can-" he tried to complain but Mikoto, with a single movement of her hand, rubbing with her thumb his right ear, stopped him as his posture stiffened "A-Ah! Wh-what?!"

"Now, now, I didn't want to use this, but you leave me no other choice, young man."

"Young man? I'm older th- wh-what?! St-stop! D-don't! I-aaah!" with a sly smile, Mikoto started to move her hands under Kamui's bangs. Obviously she was doing something near his ear, Kamui's face reddened.

"It should be riiiiight heeeeere."

"Wh-What? What a-aaah!...aah….aaah…n-no…." suddenly, his body relaxed, or perhaps melted? Perhaps it was due to whatever she was doing to him, but after a few minutes, his face relaxed, with barely any energy left and at his mother mercy, his fate was already sealed in her embrace. Sakura and Hinoka couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"…You must teach me how to do that," Hinoka's thoughts escaped her lips as Sakura delivered an annoyed glance to her sister.

"It's easy actually~" Mikoto giggled, moving his bangs away, showing how she was massaging his lobe, how her finger caressed the edge of his ear and gently moved behind it. "You only need to know how pet him."

"I… I'm not… a…. peeeeeeeeeeeet," He tried to complain, but the moment he spoke, Mikoto pinched parts of his ear, making him lost by the seconds, part of his awareness. "I'm….I'm not a cat or dog…l-leave al-"

"I must say, it's strange," now she used both hands, Kamui again stiffened his posture. It looked like Mikoto was playing with his ear like a little child exploring its mascot head, gently pulling the edge and pressing behind the ear canal. Kamui opened his eyes, just to close them dazed and melted in her lap.

"K-Kamui? / Brother?" Both girls tried to inquire what the hell happened, and hearing how now his breath was relaxed and calm, they couldn't believe it.

"W-Wait…. Is he asleep?" Sakura asked, surprised as she drew closer, just to confirm that her husband was deeply asleep in his mother's lap. "What…..h-how?"

"Oh no, he´s not sleeping, just dazed, look~" she caressed his head, making him mumble. They looked on in disbelief. "What? I needed a way to stop him for rampaging when he was a toddler, and dragons have really, sensitive ears~" she giggled making him mumble further. "You didn't know about this, dear?"

"Eh? N-No! I-I didn't know about this! If this is true, then, then….." she paled. "M-Mother, you… you….." at first, she thought how this could be useful, a way to distract and pamper her girls, but as soon she saw the image of Miko and Kanna sleeping on her lap, there was a purple and black shadow on her thoughts. "I think… we have just witnessed….something terrible….."

"Well, don't worry, I'm sure I can arrange some kind of deal," she smirked. "After all, I'm his mother, there are still some aces under my sleeve," Kamui groaned, trying to push her away, but it was futile. "Ara~ Ara~ even as a grown-up adult, my little Kamui still loves to be pampered by his mother~" she giggled.

Certainly, there was a new 'rival' in the treehouse. Hinoka shivered, thinking if she could really make a move.

"….Dear mother….I beg you, please, don't tease my husband too much," Sakura sighed. "….What now?"

"Well~" she smirked "It´s time to punish some naughty children."

"I….I need to kill something!" Camilla groaned as Selena shivered. Beruka just walked slower than her partner.

"Oh? I'm sure we can arrange something," Rhajat curled her lips, still with her nail on her mouth. "But… you don't have time for that."

"No time?! I'm sure th-"

"What about the girls?" the purplenette stopped, looking at her, and shrugged. There was her trademark wicked smile on her face. "You know I'm always willing to hex some idiots, but if my love is recovering, then this is a good chance to look out for our girls, doesn't it?"

"….. How deplorable…to think I forgot about their future for a moment…..but…. to think our lovely future might be in danger….." Camilla sighed, walking through the hallways of the treehouse. She completely lost her temper. Selena and Beruka were way behind her. She wanted to hunt something, to let out some steam, and suddenly, that raven girl made her all gloomy. "All I want is to take them away from the world in our little love nest."

"That´s my line," Rhajat said, walking beside her.

"Hush, darling…. I…. sigh*" her lips quivered for a moment. "I just want to stay with my sweet, sweet darling and cute daughters, away from the others."

"You hate the idea to separate them that much?"

"Well, of course!" she huffed, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks. "They have been together, like forever, so there´s no point in taking them away from each other."

"You pamper them too much," Rhajat groaned. "They can handle something like this."

"Ah! Excuse me, dear!" they were interrupted as a familiar figure appeared behind them. Nyx, despite her fragile figure, quickly approached Rhajat and cleaned her cheek. "Sorry to interrupt your fun, but I just finished to check the health of the army with your father, we´re ready to give our report."

"My~ My~ quite the perfect timing~" Camilla giggled as Rhajat sighed.

"Mother, sorry, I'm somewhat busy" the raven girl complained, but Nyx frowned.

"Young lady, we have been waiting for this moment, I don't think is time to be selfish, your sister and I have been preparing everything, now Lilith will help us with the castle."

"What are you planning?" Camilla inquired.

"Quite simple, actually, you could help as well, Lady Camilla," Nyx spoke, somewhat happy about the topic. "You could say it would be our wedding present. We only need to gather all the magic casters and anyone who can provide some of their magic."

"Uh? I don't understand."

"Mother wants to maintain this place as it is," Rhajat said, biting her nail. "This is something we talked about before."

"And why is this the first time I heard something about it?"

"Lilith wasn't sure if it would possible to maintain this places as it is," Nyx explained. "Without Anankos' presence in the world, its magic is running wild, being dispersed and without a master, the Outrealms are returning to their rightful place. But we weren't sure if the lands would survive this process. Now, we can know for sure, and use it in our benefit."

"Meaning?"

"For a limited time, we can maintain this place as it is, but without losing our 'time', you could say that unlike the normal dispersed Outrealms being 'pushed away in time', if we evacuated their townfolk and concentrate the magic in 'the castle', we could 'stop the time'. We can fulfill one of Lord Kamui's wishes," there was some pride in her voice. "We may even be capable of travelling to other Outrealms from here."

"… I see…." Camilla crossed her arms, thinking about what Nyx said. "But, what wish would it be?"

"My love was worried that the army or the kingdoms would lack resources," Rhajat injected, signaling with her finger. "Nohr lacks food and basic resources, Hoshido lacks specialized resources like steel or bronze," she smiled. "In the end, if he failed in the mission, the army would retreat and prepare another assault. If we succeeded, we would use these resources to force a peace treaty," she snickered. "But now that all the issues with that dragon are done, with both of them at the head of the group, we have the upper hand at last."

"…Now that we know that Xander will become the next king, Ryoma the new emperor, and with the influence of the late queen…." Camilla smiled.

"We can use those resources as we want, we can even build a lovely place for our love nest," Rhajat remarked.

"Please, don't call it that in front of me," Nyx sighed. "In short, one of Kamui's wishes was to have a place to live, at least for a short time with his whole family, now that Xander and Ryoma will be leading their kingdoms. We can stay here and prepare the girls for their life outside the castle, but before that, recover some of the lost time…. After all, I know better than anyone here the solitude of being 'eternal', and the suffering it carries."

That hurt Camilla deeply. Most of the people outside Kamui´s circle of close friends forgot something important. He may have looked like someone in his early twenties, but now he was near his forty-ninth birthday. There were some aces under her sleeve, and she would use them in her winning hand to recover what the war took from her. "Say, would it be bad if I asked for something more?" Camilla inquired. Rhajat widened her eyes as for the second time in her life she saw the purplenette bow to another person. "It may be an issue… but I have a favor to ask, of course I´ll help you as much as I can with your request for magic casters afterwards…."

"….." Rhajat took a back step, looking away, she wouldn't mock or say something sarcastic. Thinking for a moment, she understood what Camilla would request from her mother. She bowed as well, taking by surprise Nyx.

"Wh-What? St-stop! What has gotten to you girls?"

"…Well… if Rhajat is going to join our family, then I have a request…. Mother…" Camilla looked up "Please… help us …."

Chapter 42: After the war.

Hello everyone! Happy new year!

Sorry for the big delay, I know it's already past mid-January, but you know…. Life….

Anyway, I see that you have enjoyed the last chapters, im happy to see that, with this fic and 'forced light', don't worry, even if I cant stand a steady 2-3 weeks update, I won't abandon these work.

Leave your comments, reviews and PM´s, I hope you have a great new year and a great weekend, perhaps i´ll have more to say in the other update, sorry, I don't have much time to think right now in the post chapter notes. ñ_ñ