Duality

Up to chapter 23 for first tier patrons, and chapter 25 for second tier.

Lyra woke up the next morning, a set of small teeth embedded within her nipple. She felt the familiar suction, and how her daughter's fangs had penetrated the skin.

"Morning, baby." Lyra said. Merla grinned, laid against her belly, and laid her palm against her swollen middle. Lyra sighed as she felt a soft flow of manna roll around her manna veins, and into her middle.

"Is she good?" Lyra asked. Merla grinned, and nodded. She closed her eyes, and purposely moved in closer so she could feel the warmth of her mother orc warm her face. Lyra scanned herself, her belly, and Merla.

"Your manna veins are full, baby. You need to practice a lot today. Did you have something you wanted to do?" Lyra asked her. Merla looked up.

"Shower for Meena." She only released her nipple for a short time. Lyra smiled gently.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of you devoting so much time to an unmarried orc, baby." Lyra said, but sighed. "However, I've been told by Mother Queen that it is an approved relationship by our goddesses. I only question it while you are so young." Merla thought for a moment.

"Meena not wicked. Protect Merla. No bad fake mommas hurt Merla." She looked down, and rubbed Lyra's belly. "Little sister protect. Grow up strong. Choose good orc wife for little sister." Lyra smiled.

"We'll help her when it's time, baby. It's still going to be a cycle before she's born, and another two before she stops being carried like you are." Lyra hugged her gently.

"Merla's legs weak." Merla frowned. "Exercise?"

"You'll do it slowly, baby. Orcs take longer to grow up than humans. Our bones are not only strong, but also big. That takes a lot of meat, fish, and cheese." Lyra saw her impish daughter grin, but Lyra looked troubled.

"What wrong, momma?" Merla asked.

"It's my turn to give some care to the little orcs of the village, baby. I need to feed some infants who lost their fanged mother in battle." Lyra watched her daughter's eyes. Merla frowned, but slowly nodded.

"Understand. All day?" Merla asked. Lyra looked uncomfortable, which made Merla's eyes widen. "All week?"

* * *

"What happened?" Vanya asked her guards.

"Merla lost her temper." The scout said. Vanya was carried on a large reclining couch, while her Slave Wife walked beside her, and within reach. She hated that Lixiss wouldn't sit on the couch with her, but her wife was firm as she would need to react in some situations. They got to the area and their jaws dropped.

Their tree home had pulled up the stairs, set down branches that acted like prison bars, and cavalry spikes to prevent anyone from approaching. The voice within made them shudder, but at the same time, they felt confused.

"NOT ALL WEEK! MERLA MILK! MERLA MOMMA!" The voice vibrated with manna leakage, but still reflected a child's tone. Vanya groaned as she thought about what might have set her off, and realized that it was Lyra's turn to feed the lost ones.

"We need to reorganize the milk mothers." Lixiss said softly. "Little Merla doesn't like to share." Vanya slowly nodded.

"Merla." Vanya called out in a strong voice. Slowly, the manna calmed down, and she could see Taen trapped at the door, and unable to enter as well.

"Big Momma?" The small voice called out.

"Lyra will only share once a week from now on." Vanya said. "We will reorganize the milk mothers so you won't have to be without your mother." She saw a small face appear.

"Okay." She sniffed. "Merla scared lose momma. Not know momma's voice long." Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell forward. Taen screamed.

"MERLA!"

* * *

"I didn't think she would go off her branches like that." Lyra said. The fortified tree quickly returned to normal as Merla's manna had pulled it to form what she wanted, but did not overwrite the original design.

"She already told you that she didn't know her mother's belly, or your voice while she grew up." Vanya said. "She's only been with us a week, and heard she would lose her mother's milk for an entire week. Of course she would fall out of her tree." Vanya reached out, pulled Lixiss into her arms and visibly relaxed.

"My mother and I know how little Merla feels now." Lixiss said softly. "We are connected at a deep level, and when we are not near each other, there is a palpable loss. Little Merla also feels this loss when you're not near. If you are going to feed other children, put her with Meena. She shares a connection, and may not feel alone." Lyra slowly nodded.

"She certainly knows how to make us feel accountable." Taen said quietly and she hugged Merla to her chest. Small hands reached up and gripped her tusks. A stream of manna entered Taen's body, which made her grimace.

"Lyra, take her quickly!" Taen handed Merla to her wife, and ran to a bucket. She immediately threw up a black blob of goo. Lixiss frowned, and scanned her.

"Taen, when did you get poisoned...no, that's not poison. Damage?" Lixiss asked. She made a concentrated scan. "No damage detected." She looked closer and deeper. "Your manna veins for your skills show repairs. Recovery ongoing."

"Gendran Taen, report about your condition immediately." Vanya said firmly. Taen looked at her guiltily.

"Manna vein degradation due to the damage received from the battle in which we lost little Merla. It was considered irreversible." Taen said quietly. She looked at her little daughter. "Looks like she couldn't let me go down that path." Lyra stared into her mate's eyes.

"Taen, my Master Mate, we'll discuss this later." She hugged little Merla to her chest. She put her lips near Merla's ear. "Thank you, my little Merla." Vanya waved her hands.

"I will expect a detailed report tomorrow, Gendran Taen. From the onset of the damage, the symptoms, prognosis, and how you feel now. Nothing left out, daughter. Do not expect a day's leeway to file that report either." Vanya said in a clipped tone.

The group left quietly, while Lyra glared at her.

This would not be an easy root to avoid tripping over.