The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

- POV Freya -

Never in my life had I done what my little sister and I were doing at that very moment. Under the glare of the setting sun, we were running on the sea to join the rest of our family as soon as possible. It had been several minutes that we were running like the wind and already in the distance we could see a rather average and mysterious island that we were going to go around.

From the balcony or the terrace of the Imperial mansion, it was impossible to see it even with my eyes. The perspective of the ocean meant that I could only see the horizon as far as the eye could see, like a world without end. For the first time Kira and I could see this island which was exactly between the beach where we had left and Elysium. While we were still running around it, I took a look at it.

It wasn't a huge island, but it was big enough to prevent me from knowing for sure what was on it. The vegetation was dense, there was nothing but green as far as the eye could see and tall trees rose up to the sky. They were different from the ones I knew in the Syn forest or the Dark forest, as they seemed more tropical, made of large trunks and leaves falling like vines.

So much so that it was impossible to see what was inside, like a wall of vegetation surrounding this island, cutting it off from the world. As we passed by, my desire to explore it became apparent and I kept this idea in the corner of my mind. For the moment, I was concentrating on my run as the sun was already starting to tint the sky a deep black. In less than 30 minutes, the night would be here.

[Hey onee-san I was thinking about something ! Why don't we destroy the statue of Titatrash in the middle of the Empire ? After everything she's been up to against you, I think it's a necessity !]

As we sped past the island, Kira's voice echoed in my mind again. The words she had just spoken woke me up from my thoughts as I realized that the lying Goddess was almost worshipped in our city. An urgent urge to smash that statue into a thousand pieces suddenly came over me before calming down very quickly, as I answered.

*And risk arousing her suspicions ? I don't know if this is a good idea haha~*

[Mmmh...That's true, you're right, but...]

*But ?*

[Well...hypothetically of course...let's imagine that an unfortunate accident happens because of my clumsiness and that this magnificent statue comes to break...it wouldn't be so suspicious, would it ? pffpff~]

Once again, my little sister had just said something totally unpredictable, both funny and crazy. She always had a very special way of approaching things and as always, never ceased to impress me. Kira couldn't break the statue ? She would find a way to do it and still be true to herself. The thought made me smile mentally as I played along with her.

*Hypothetically, right ? fufu~*

[Of course ! In a purely hypothetical way onee-san, you know me ! I'm not at all clumsy, let alone foolish enough to break the divine representation of my dearest "mother" pffhahaha~!]

*So I guess there's no problem little sister haha~*

[Fine...Hihihi~]

This little talk, although short, had relaxed me and made me forget for a moment that my mana reserves were running out. I could finally see the land in front of us, but the ice under my feet was becoming less and less solid. The freezing zone was getting smaller by the minute and even though we were almost there, I felt myself getting weaker by the second.

*Almost there !*

[Onee-san ! I don't have access to your status anymore, but I know it well enough to know that you must only have 10,000 MP left ! You shouldn't strain your mana any further ! We are almost there, maybe we can swim to the end !]

As the path became narrower and narrower, Kira suggested an idea that I was not very happy about. But she was right, because I only had 15,000 MP left and I had to find a solution. My mind was racing and I studied all the possibilities, taking every parameter into account. And the simplest and most obvious idea appeared in my head.

*Kira ! Trust me ! Go ahead and take your humanoid form, we will arrive in a few minutes but I want to be even faster !*

[I trust you onee-san !!]

I was almost out of mana but I could always use another one although it would require a lot more concentration. So I had found a solution that would allow me to manage everything while keeping our speed. Kira was still behind me and since I was the fastest, I had to slow down so that she could pass me. So I slowed down, expecting her to pass me.

However, instead of passing me on the right or left, turning my head, I could see her leaping powerfully with her four legs. Kira had waited until the last moment, almost at the moment our bodies were about to collide, to jump into the almost black sky. While she was above my head, my little sister suddenly took her human form, gliding through the air.

Then, with a graceful salto, she was about to land several meters ahead of me in the water. Before she touched the sea, I used this time the ambient mana to create a path of several meters. Everything happened very fast after that. Once Kira was on the ice platform, I took back my human form too.

Catching up with my little sister, I quickly made myself some ice clothes before doing the same for her. This was the first time I had used ambient mana on someone but I had mastered it enough to do something decent. As I finally reached her height, I grabbed her by the waist and jumped even higher.

[Ooooaaaauuuuh~ you...you could warn anyway !]

Once in the sky, I had spread my ice wings before dashing through the air currents to arrive even faster. Kira, surprised and not used to this sensation, looked at me with a face at the same time amazed and afraid. Smiling at her adorable faces, I took the opportunity to concentrate. All my senses were on alert and from then on I wanted to locate my wife.

*She's here !*

It didn't take me very long because Gaya had a singular smell, indescribable but intoxicating. I could find her anywhere and with my sharp senses, despite the size of the mansion, I knew that she was in our room, surrounded by many people including Shiro. That's it, we had finally arrived, the sun was seeing its last rays disappear but it was too late for it...I had won the race...I had managed to keep my promise.

____

- POV General -

The stars were beginning to come out and the blazing red sky was already almost gone. In the Imperial bedroom, the Queen was lying on her bed, surrounded by her daughter the Princess, some doctors and Lia. The Empress was still not present and despite what her wife had told her about an hour ago, she was about to give birth.

"My Queen ! You must not be so tens e! I know you are waiting for the return of her Highness but you are about to give life ! You...you need to relax, we are here for you !"

"No I...the...the sun hasn't set yet, I...I want to wait a few more minutes. She...she promised me she would be here !"

Gaya was dressed in a white robe that looked a bit small due to her unexpectedly large belly. If a month ago it was the size of a watermelon, now its size had doubled showing that it was time for the dragoness to give birth to her baby. Her hair was scattered on the pillow, wet and completely tangled unlike usual.

The Queen's face was sweating and grimacing every second as the contractions grew stronger. However, she wanted to wait for her wife who had promised to be there for the birth of their child. Her body was unconsciously pushing, but Gaya was trying to resist so as not to live this moment without her while Princess Shiro was beside her on the bed, sponging her mother's forehead.

"Gaya-Sama ! Please, this...this is not good for your health or the baby's...the labor has begun and if you continue like this, you will exhaust yourself !"

"Mom ! I...I'm not sure what's going on but...but you need to stay healthy...and the baby too !"

While Lia was still trying to convince the stubborn dragoness, Shiro was doing her best to do the same. It was all a bit overwhelming for her, and yet she knew that what her mother was doing was not good. Just look at her sweaty face, her grimaces and hear her panting, weak and exhausted voice. The last ray of sunlight was beginning to disappear when suddenly a huge noise was heard.

Gaya, Shiro, Lia as well as the few doctors, all turned their heads in the direction of the balcony where two wings of ice had just appeared. The Empress had finally arrived and was even holding a young woman unknown to everyone in her arms. No one understood what was going on, but the urgency of the situation prevented anyone from focusing on Kira. Time was running out and now that Freya was here, the Queen had to give birth.

"My love !! What is the situation !? Wasn't she due in a few hours ??"

Freya left her little sister on the balcony and rushed into the room, asking questions to the doctors around her, whom she didn't even know. The latter, seeing the Empress so close for the first time, could neither speak nor move. She had arrived so suddenly, from nowhere, and her cold voice was all the more authoritative as Freya was worried about her wife.

"..."

"..."

"Your Highness ! Your...your child is about to be born and the Queen has wished to wait for you. Because of this...she is getting more exhausted by the minute and may be at risk of serious injury. Now that...you are here, it should be better ! The baby should be here any minute now !"

Lia had spoken eagerly, knowing full well how Freya might react under pressure, especially if it involved her family members. The she-wolf had taken in all the information and as she nodded, she knelt at the foot of the bed to grab the dragoness in her arms. At the same time, she grabbed Shiro for a group hug as she whispered.

"Everything is fine...ssshhhh, you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble my love but...to be honest I'm glad I can be here. I kept my promise and I'm back."

"Mmmh...I...I trusted you...I knew you would come before dark...t-thanks..."

"Mommy mommy !!! Welcome home !!!"

Before the stunned eyes of the Empire's doctors, the Empress known for being as cold as ice and as terrifying as she was beautiful, was different. Freya was smiling and despite the frightening aura she gave off, the love she had for her wife and daughter was even stronger. Out of respect and modesty, even though time was running out, the people in the room who were not part of the family turned away to let them meet.

"Don't...don't just stand there...come...Kira..."

While the Empress was still hugging her daughter and her wife, the dragoness had raised her head and addressed the one who was standing shyly in the frame of the balcony window. Kira had stood there all this time and had not dared to approach despite her intense desire to join them. Even though she loved them with all her heart, she was paralyzed and could not go back.

"I..."

Stepping into the room for the first time, the silver vixen shivered in spite of herself, her heart beating wildly. In front of her was her family...the ones she had always dreamed of holding in her arms, the ones who had welcomed her and whom she loved. When she reached Shiro, Gaya and Freya, Kira couldn't look at them and lowered her head, blushing furiously.

The Empress' little sister didn't know how to react, her shy side getting the better of her more than she had hoped. Suddenly, a small, gentle hand rested on her trembling one and as Kira turned her head, she could see a bright smile shining on a tearful but happy face. The two Princesses of the Empire were facing each other for the first time and as the silence reigned, Shiro's small voice rose, sweet and innocent.

"Auntie Kira...welcome home !"

At that moment, Freya's hand wrapped around Kira's waist to draw her close to them. In her turn, the vixen found herself kneeling by the bed, in a family hug filled with various feelings. Once again, tears could not help but color her face as she felt the warmth of a family...her family.

"I...*sniff* I'm here...*sniff* finally !"

Each of the four women closed their eyes, enjoying the moment of this reunion and despite the situation, warm and full of love. Black, crimson, white and silver hair mixed together as Freya, Gaya, Kira and Shiro pressed their foreheads together with smiles on their faces. Long minutes passed before suddenly Gaya spoke words that would reignite the urgency of the moment.

"I...the baby is coming !"

____

"This is it ! I..I see the head ! Push a little more Gaya-sama, it's fine...breathe...everything is fine, you're doing a great job !"

One of the doctors was leaning right in front of the dragoness and was working on extracting the child that was starting to come out. Gaya had been in labor for over half an hour and her hard work was paying off. Freya was holding her hand and whispering words in her ear while Shiro and Kira had moved away slightly to let the doctors do their work.

"You're almost there ! Just a little more courage and it will be over !"

The dragoness breathed loudly, clenched her teeth and pushed harder to give birth to the one she carried in her belly. The she-wolf at her side supported her with her love and words but bit her lip with stress and excitement. She too was shaking, sweating and her usually calm right foot could not help but beat the ground quickly. Then suddenly, the cries of a newborn baby were heard in the night.

"You did it Queen Gaya !"

One of the doctors had started to shout while wrapping the little thing in her arms with a clean black sheet. As she looked up, the Empress was already standing in front of her and gently grabbing this fragile little being. The she-wolf, always with her eyes as piercing as cold, lowered her eyes and instantly, her look changed.

Freya had just put her eyes on her child and they were instantly warmed, filled with love, tenderness and happiness. She had not yet looked at the gender of her child because Freya wanted to find out with her wife and could not wait any longer. So, as she was about to return to Gaya with a smile on her face, something unexpected happened.

The dragoness didn't seem to relax after those long minutes of work and seemed even more concentrated. Her face was still grimacing slightly and despite the announcement of the birth of her child, the dragoness seemed elsewhere. Then, suddenly, Lia's voice came to confirm the suspicions of the Empress who at this moment did not believe her ears.

"Wait !!! This...this isn't over ! There...it seems there's another one !"