Font of Fertility Ch. 19

Then they tabled the topic and didn't even come to an agreement!

Ndia and Marcel then argued over a series of 'small wars' that were happening across Africa and their mutual influence on the engagements - for Marcel the ongoing bloodshed was a source of power for him so it wasn't surprising he was stoking the flames. What was surprising was that Ndia was doing the same thing, just with different factions. Marcel made demands, and I listened closely and realized he was shifting the goalposts every time Ndia made a concession. The conversation ended with Ndia having agreed to stop her influence on the wars across western Africa, though I noted that she'd worded the arrangement to only restrict her in terms of warfare, while Marcel was banned from all activity in eastern Africa for the next five years.

Then Uwe and Xi Zuang argued over mineral rights, and Genghis Khan petitioned Yaroslav to allow him to usurp Northern Asia since Yaroslav had abandoned it for several decades, but was blocked by both Uwe and Xi Zuang.

Throughout the whole thing I tried my best to listen and narrow down what the other Seats seemed to actually want - and what I got out of it was that they were like listening to anything about politics. They were petty, grabby, jealous and generally didn't want to come to any sort of agreement that would potentially help someone else more than it would help themselves.

One thing I did notice is that no one made any demands or requests of me. Maybe it was because we were still talking about 'old business' and when we moved on I would get inundated as they tried to take advantage of me, or maybe they were taking it easy on me. Ndia, despite her handling of Marcel in a sort of Wing Chun deflective way, seemed to have a handle on directing the conversations as the Eldest and I wondered if she would try and hand-hold me a bit as another Seat of Fertility.

The other thing I noticed, though, was that while the others bickered and argued with each other, Esmeralda Romero was silent and stared at me from across the circle. Every once in a while she would lean over to whisper something to the skull of her father, and nod at whatever she got back, but other than that no one seemed to have outstanding issues with her. Was that because until I joined she was the 'rookie' and had been shielded to now?

"I believe that is the last of our outstanding personal matters," Ndia finally said, cutting off an argument from Xi Zuang that had threatened to go back into the whole Russia/Yaroslav issue. "There are two major issues I am aware of in regards to Our World, but I believe a break is in order. If anyone has anything in that regard they wish to bring to my attention I will add it to our Issues at hand before we bring up New Business."

There wasn't a gavel drop or anything, everyone just sort of... accepted the break and started standing up and stretching.

"Are you as bored as I am?" Lauren asked me.

"God, I feel like my eyes are bleeding," I laughed.

"I didn't realize we were going to be sitting through a Model UN debate team practice," Lauren chuckled. "I should have brought a book."

"Yeah, I was kind of expecting something more..."

"Magic-y?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Jerry, sweetums, you need to get to work," Adama said.

"Hmm?" I asked and looked around. A bunch of the Seats and Primes were starting to walk around and mingle, talking in pairs or small groups.

"Holy shit, it really is like a debate club," Lauren said. "What do you think? Stick together as a united front, or divide and conquer?"

"I'm pretty sure Divide and Conquer refers to dividing your enemy," I smirked softly.

"You know what I mean, dorkus," Lauren rolled her eyes and smiled, but held back from giving me her usual punch on the arm.

"Let's split up. See if you can make a better connection with one of the Primes," I said. "I'll see who approaches me."

She nodded. "Good idea. I'll go after Ana - she seems the least connected to Yaroslav and might be more open to spilling some info. Plus if she controls the media of the magical world then she can probably fill us in on a lot of cultural shit we're missing."

"Good thinking," I nodded. "But remember we've got Aidra now, and she comes from a family of Witches, so we have her as a source as well."

"I won't overplay my hand," Lauren nodded and stood up, leaning over to give me a soft kiss. "Ready?"

"Just be careful," I said. "Don't make any promises to anyone."

"I know, babe," Lauren said. "You too." She walked off, confident but looking for all the world like the teenager she and I were amongst a lot of weird and wild adults. I wished I could tell how old Esmerelda was - her outfit made it hard to judge because she could have been a modern-day cosplayer. Was she of our generation, or one or two before? Or was she hundreds of years old? The fact that fucking Genghis Khan was the third youngest in the group... he was around during... the Romans? That far back? Or later?

I was going to need to do some history research.

After taking a breath I stood and straightened out my shirt, looking around. Lauren had inserted herself into a conversation with Anna and, apparently, the zombie lion that served as Marcel's Prime. I was just beginning to try and start putting together who looked like they were on friendly terms and who was avoiding other people when I noticed Ima, Uwe's daughter and Prime, was walking over to me with purpose.

She was a statuesque woman, impressively built, and I had the distinct impression that while she doted on her Father she might also be his bodyguard or something. If the 'tottering friendly fat gentleman' act could be believed at all. Ima's clothing mirrored her father's - a tailored suit down to her shiny black shoes. The only things she was missing were the cane and tophat; instead her blonde hair was braided behind her neck neatly. Her eyes were boring into me as she approached, but I noticed in the background across the circle that Esmerelda hadn't left her seat to engage with anyone else and she was still staring at me.

"Mister Grant," Ima said, curtsying when she approached my throne.

"Please, Ima," I said. "First names are fine with me if they are with you."

She smiled courteously and nodded. "Jeremiah," she corrected herself. "My father was wondering what you thought of the proceedings of your first Council meeting?"

I smiled and shook my head a little as I sighed. "Honestly? So far I've found it dry as hell and more than a little boring."

She smiled in return and nodded. "He thought as much. That's why he's offered me to you for your use as a mid-meeting pick-me-up."

"I'm... sorry?" I hesitated.

"If you would like, you can fuck me," she said, plain as day and as if it wasn't an abrupt and somewhat absurd offer.

"I- that seems like it would be..."

"Inappropriate?" Ima asked. "Perhaps in another setting, but here sex is just another source of magic and experience of life. It is not uncommon for Seats to offer their Primes to curry favour with the Fertility Seats - you are the easiest to provide such a base favour for. See?"

Ima gestured towards the mingling folks, and I saw that conversations had... developed. Ndia was currently standing and talking with Xi Zuang while her husband was behind her obviously slow-thrusting that massive cock of his into her, and she just kept talking like she wasn't affected. The other Xi Zuang, the twin, was currently on his knees in front of Genghis Khan sucking the squat man's dick. Meanwhile Khaltmaa, Genghis Khan's wife, was obviously flirting with both Uwe and the ghost of Esmerelda's father.

"I see," I said, trying to keep my reaction neutral. There was a big part of me that would be more than happy to get Ima on her knees and sucking me off, or bending her over my throne and sliding into her and pounding her until she came hard. But there was another, small but loud, part of my brain that was repeating all the warnings I had tried to caution myself with ahead of this. I couldn't trust anyone. I couldn't get myself in debt with anyone by making a mistake. I had to blow out a long breath, my eyes darting to the carnal activities going on casually in the space before I looked back to Ima. "Honestly Ima, you are an absolutely stunning woman but I think it's best if I don't participate so heavily yet. I have a lot to learn about this place, and I wouldn't want to jump without some patience."

She nodded demurely. "A wise choice," she nodded.

"Out of curiosity," I said. "Is having sex with me something thatyou want?"

"Oh, I don't mind either way. Sex does nothing for me," Ima said.

"Nothing?" I asked, almost feeling like it was a challenge.

"I experience the contact, but don't process the feeling," she said. "I'm dead, after all."

My mouth was open for a couple of solid seconds before any sound came out. "I see. I... hadn't realized that."

"My father has made every effort to help me appear more alive," Ima nodded. "But being dead has its perks."

"Like?" I asked.

She shrugged, giving me a little smile that said they were secrets she wasn't going to share.

"So it really does nothing for you?" I asked. "That seems sad."

"To a Seat of Fertility, yes," she said. "But it is who I am."

I had questions, but I also didn't want to overstep or pry into the affairs of the dead woman and her father. Why not just use magic to give her feelings of pleasure back in her body?

"Well, if you are not interested in using me carnally, I should return to my father," Ima said and curtsied again. "It was nice talking with you, Jeremiah. If you change your mind, you know where I am."

"You as well, Ima," I said. "And I'll keep that in mind."

She walked away and I couldn't help but glance down at her muscled ass in those business slacks. I had to close my eyes for a moment and concentrate on the fact that she was dead and not the living person she seemed. She was a zombie or something.

When I opened my eyes I nearly jumped out of my skin because I was looking straight into the skull-face of Esmerelda standing barely a foot away from me.

"You turned down the walking valkyrie," she said.

"It, ah, didn't seem prudent," I said.

"That the only reason?" she asked.

"No," I said. "The fact that she's dead and wouldn't enjoy it was also a factor."

Esmerelda narrowed her eyes, looking me up and down. "And what if I offered myself? I am very much alive, and could enjoy it immensely."

I swallowed. This close, even with the makeup, I could tell that Esmerelda was attractive under the facepaint. She had a sharp jawline and piercing green eyes, and softly full lips that reminded me a little of Lindsey's mouth. "I would still think it wasn't prudent," I said. "Not without a proper conversation about expectations. And I definitely wouldn't want to do it here - with a woman like you, I would want to be in private so that we could fully express ourselves and be equals."

She raised an eyebrow, still glaring at me slightly through those narrowed eyes. Then, without another word, she turned and strutted back over to her throne.

"What the fuck?" I muttered, shaking my head and then sitting down on my throne again.

"Jerry, bunny, it was likely a good decision not to take up the offer from the First Seat or the Sixth earlier, but you had little to fear from the blonde corpse-girl," Adama said from her seat behind me. None of the Patrons had moved from their places.

"Did Ezekial fuck the Primes of others?" I asked.

"He did. Almost every meeting," Adama said.

"And what about his Prime? Did she have sex with other Seats?"

"When there was a particularly tense agreement to be made, Ezekiel had asked it of her," Adama said.

"That will never be me," I said firmly. I looked across at Lauren, and as if she could feel me looking she glanced around and met my eye and smiled reassuringly. Ima had joined her conversation group, and the zombie-lion had wandered over to talk with Esmerelda though the Seat didn't seem to be responding. "Lauren is mine, and only mine."

"You wouldn't be the first Fertility Seat with a jealous streak," Adama said. "It will be a handicap, though."

"I could give a flying fuck," I said. "Lauren is mine. So are Lindsey and Stacey, and Annalise and Angie." There was a part of me that wasn't sure I should include Angela on that list. I knew she'd been promiscuous, especially the way she and Lindsey got on, but I was fairly certain that since she and I had hooked up she hadn't been with anyone else. There were also other names that, deep in my gut, I wanted to put on that list. Not everyone I had been with... but a few...

"I know that look," Yaroslav said as he meandered over, his thick accent slurring the words as bit.

"Do you?" I asked.

"Overwhelmed," Yaroslav nodded with a chuckle.

"Not exactly," I admitted. "Just deep in thought. Introspection."

"You know what would help with that? Peyote. You ever try peyote?"

"No," I shook my head. "But I'm still young."

"You'll never be too old," Yaroslav grinned. "Seriously, that shit is like magic. But make sure you do it with a proper guide who knows who and what you are. The last thing you want to do is unlock and untether your mind and then start using magic."

"Noted, thanks," I said. "Hey, uh, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, kid," he nodded.

"You don't... seem like the others," I said.

He smirked. "That's because I realized something a few decades ago," he said. "Uwe and Ndia say I'm just going through mid-life crisis, but I'm not so sure."

"What did you realize?" I asked.

Yaroslav leaned in and cupped a hand over his lips as if he were trying to keep his next words a secret from the others. "None of this shit actually matters," he stage-whispered. Then he stood back up and shrugged. "Seriously, bro. There is not so much left in the world that we Seats actually need to do or deal with. Most of our problems are of our own making. I stopped doing Judgements thirty years ago and you know what changed? Absolutely nothing. Do you know how many magic wars have started? None. So now I'm living my best life, partying down in the warm weather, surfing in the mornings. I've got a pod of dolphins that adopted me."

"Do they talk to you?" I asked.

"What? No, that's silly. Dolphins are idiots," he said. "But they're cute A-F. Whales on the other hand? Big cuddly behemoths. They've been thankful ever since we sent the sea serpents into their slumber, and when I cut off whale hunting in most of the world. I'd say everywhere but Xi Zuang won't let me kill it off in China."

"See, I keep finding these things out that completely change how I see the world, and I don't even know where to start asking questions," I said.

"Anyone told you about Atlantis yet?" Yaroslav asked.

"Yeah, my Patron did," I said. "Dark side of the moon."

"Yeah, the place is a shithole," Yaroslav nodded. "Total bummer."

"Any other big historical, mind-blowing secrets you think I should know?" I asked.

"Hah, plenty," Yaroslav grinned. "I'll tell you what, one of these days you and I are going to sit down and smoke a bowl of premium weed and I'll tell you all the wild shit I've learned about the world."

"Seriously," I said, "That would be fucking amazing."

He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "We'll party like it's 1978."

"That's oddly specific," I said.

He shrugged with a grin. "Best song ever came out in 1978. Anyways, it looks like we're getting started here and I need to talk with Anna quickly before we do.Do svidaniya, Jeremiah. Hah! That rhymes." He walked away, whistling a tune to himself that tickled my brain but that I couldn't place.

He was right, the other Seats and Primes were starting to filter back to their Thrones like some unheard warning bell had rung, and I saw that Lauren had been on her way back to me but Ndia had caught her up and was speaking to her. Lauren shook her head but kept a smile on her face, and then said something. Ndia replied, and Lauren frowned slightly, then said something. Ndia shook her head and then rubbed her pregnant belly with both her hands. Lauren replied, and then left the Elder and came back to me.

"Everything alright?" I asked, seeing the look on her face.

"Yeah, fine," she said. "She was just trying to tell me I should be letting you impregnate women and that it's important for your magic."

I took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips to kiss her fingers. "Lauren,I'm not ready for that. Magic or not. If it happens, it'll be a decision we make together and Magic won't have anything to do with it."

Lauren smiled and wrapped her fingers around my thumb, squeezing back. "Thank you," she said.

"How about the other conversation?" I asked.

"Fine, nothing extreme. I'll tell you about it after," she said.

I nodded and we looked out around the circle as Ndia stood from her throne. "I call this Council back to session. Our next outstanding topic of discussion is the petition made to us by the Court of the Night to allow their war with the Wandering Lords. Lord Dracula has submitted evidence that the Caininites have been attempting to raise Cain from the dead again and would like to prosecute his war under the same terms as in 1732. I think we can all agree that the last war amongst the Vampyr was a bit over the top and would not be sustainable in the modern environment so we shall need to come up with new terms of engagement to propose to both clans. I suggest we lean into the Code of War that the Shapeshifter tribes have been warring under - I know the Vampyr won't like hearing that we've borrowed from the shapeshifters, but their laws are tried and tested."

I looked over at Lauren, and she looked back at me with the same big-eyed expression.

"Okay," I said quietly to her. "This is more of what I'd been expecting."

Lauren nodded, and we sat back to try and follow along with the ensuing discussion of how two Vampire families could go to war and murder each other without revealing their presence to the greater world and causing an uproar.

I had so many fucking questions.

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Thanks for reading! Votes are great, but Comments are even better.

Font of Fertility is an ongoing series that will continue to see updates moving forward. If you have enjoyed the series so far, you might want to check out my Pushing series, or AMA: The Boyfriend series, for similar romantic harem elements.

Cheers!

~Break

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