The temple of the Little Red Dragon & The Tiger Lord.
"Are you my new companion?”
“No child I am not your companion. But I do think though you should have your mother close by on the day of your nuptials.”
“But I have just said to everybody she lies in eternal sleep in the temple.”
“No child she is resting while she waits the call she knows will come. Now as we appear to be done here it is time we all went back to India. I remember as a child visiting the temple of the Little Red Dragon. Little did I expect to be going back with the high priestess.”
Andorra nodded to Alexis who opened another portal. “See child the route back is far easier than it was on your outward journey.”
A young village boy saw the arrival and ran to the village. “Help, Help many women have invaded the temple.” The villagers all came to see what he was shouting about.
The Brahmin came out and said, “We can see for miles and nobody approached the village from any direction.”
“I swear learned one the High priestess was with them. They just appeared out of thin air. I should warn you Kali was with her and then there was many more that scared me.”
Inside the temple Asia found the Alabaster forms of her mother and Grandmother. Andorra kissed both forms and then said, “Asia we have to leave for a short while. With that they went outside. Alexis and Alison stayed inside the temple. The others had just got outside when a Golden ray appeared to engulf whole the temple.
The Brahmin ran to the temple but Kali stopped him. “Sorry Brahmin but you cannot enter there now regardless of how hard you try only the children of hers can enter now.”
Asia spoke, “Brahmin you sent me to find my future. I travelled a long way to find my fate, but ended up back here. Have no fear for your temple is been upgraded. For years your people prayed to the Red Dragon. What you see is the transformation of the temple. The Golden dragon has decided this temple is suitable for her purposes and will in future be hers.”
“But Asia the Red dragon will be angry with us for allowing another god to seize his temple.”
“Brahmin only the Golden one can do what needs doing. If you are so worried then I suggest the villagers build a new temple for the Red Dragon.”
The boy who had alerted the village was staring at Brunhilda. “Child do you not know it is rude to stare?
“Sorry I was just imagining what it must be like to suckle from you?”
Brunhilda laughed, “Many others here wonder the same. At least you are honest with your thoughts.”
The Brahmin spoke, “Goddess do not think harshly of him. His parents died protecting other children from a great tiger. The villagers share a little of their food with him but he is always hungry.”
Brunhilda sat down, “So your parents where brave. Come here and let me inspect you. Those girls whose hands you are holding do you know who they are?” He shook his head.
“Well young man they are the daughters of the cat queen.” His face paled.
“But that is a story of the desert peoples.” With that Cleo changed to a Lion and then a Leopard then she transformed to a tiger.
He fainted into Brunhilda arms. Brunhilda kissed him. “Andorra how much longer will they be? Because I want to keep this one.”
The boy recovered and broke free of Brunhilda’s arm and ran to the temple. The Brahmin tried to stop him but the boy ran straight through the entrance of the temple.
Andorra spoke, “Well Brunhilda you have your answer. Alexis has accepted the child. For he would not have been able to pass through the entrance otherwise.”
Alexis and Alison came out holding on to the still trembling child. “Brunhilda this child is yours I believe.” Behind them followed two women. The two ladies Deli and Angaharad took hold of the child and walked across to Asia.
“Asia as High priestess it is your job to see this child goes back to her mother.”
Asia took hold of the child and they walked across to Brunhilda. “Brunhilda the Valkarie as high priestess I have to ask you. Do you take full responsibility for this child I should warn you this is an eternal commitment. Now do you child agree that Brunhilda should be your mother
The child looked at Brunhilda. “Sorry goddess I was hungry and noticed you where dripping milk. I thought if I could have some of that I would not be hungry ever again.”
Brunhilda smiled, “Come here if you wish some?” As his lips touched the nipple he transformed to a baby. “Well high priestess the decision is made. There is a problem though while I am feeding this one I cannot have other children.”
Alexis spoke, “Brunhilda you must name and present the child as you now have her eternally as your baby. The child is yours now as well as being mine. However you now have an eternal baby to care for.”
Andorra spoke, “Brunhilda soon you will have a figure like me. I also have an eternal baby. As has Alexis and many others.”
Justine spoke, “I also have an eternal baby. Some here may already have met my baby O’Connor. Ah some of you may wonder how I got him back. It appears I had prior claim to him rather than the young queen he told you about. Still he made a commitment to her and I expect him to honour his word.”
“Now Brahmin you are about to get first-hand experience of why I am the goddess of rebirth. My sister has taken this human child as her own and the child has become a baby. But the child has not been born to Brunhilda.” That shall now be rectified as Brunhilda lays down here.” Justine picked the child and passed it round the villagers. Then Justine laid the child on the tummy of Brunhilda and it appeared to open up and engulf the child. For a second or two the villagers were shocked with what they witnessed.
Alexis then spoke, “Brahmin fear not for the safety of the child. Call for your village midwives so they may attend to Brunhilda. For she is in need of their services”
Two very scared women appeared. They examined Brunhilda and then tried to shoo the men away.
Brunhilda spoke, “No I have taken one of your people as my child and you all shall witness the birth of Indra. It will be a very long time before I again give birth to any child. The child chose me when he ran to the golden one for protection.”
One of the midwives noticed a wet patch on the ground and said, “Not much longer sister of Kali.”
The other midwife felt the tummy Brunhilda and said, “Oh there is more than one.” Brunhilda let out a growl.
Justine spoke, “Yes that is normal for us the last time she had three children.”
Sephrena and sisters came and stood by their mother. “Ladies we must handle the children she now bears.” As they watched Brunhilda tummy expanded greatly. By now Brunhilda breasts where leaking copious amount of milk. The next second all three babies shot out of their place of abode into the light of day. As they shot out the three older sisters caught them.
One of the midwives looked at the three children and then said, “This one was our Indra and now she is a goddess.”
As they were watching Brunhilda started to change to a young woman. The Brahmin looked at her and then at Kali. He then looked at the two women who had come out of the temple with Alexis. He bowed to Alexis. “For a while you had me confused, but the spirit of Kali can inhabit many bodies at the same time. Only one though can restore what was lost.”
“Brahmin they will accompany me to a land far away. You must choose a new high priestess as these are all now one with me. It would be nice if your village could build a couple of new temples close by.”
Meanwhile Astrid & Cleo had wandered off round the village. Cleo spotted some movement close to the forest. Astrid nodded as they both transformed in to cheater cubs and ran close to the shape then they started to scent mark where they had been. The shape made its way to the first point they had scent marked. The girls giggled as they saw it was a magnificent male tiger. The tiger continued to sniff the air and then stopped each time he found a newly marked area. He knew he was close to man but he had to find where the kittens had gone. If there where kittens then there would be a she cat. Perhaps this time he would be lucky and find a mate he desired. If nothing else he would play with the kittens for a while before going back to the forest. The tiger threw caution to the wind as he followed the scent of the kittens into the centre of the village.
The Brahmin watched in amazement as loads of little girls all jumped out on the tiger and started to play with the tiger. The tiger played with the children and then he heard a voice. “Shear Khan I presume?” The children immediately stopped what they were doing and stood to attention.
“Sorry I followed the scent of the kittens. I was hoping to find a mate? For long enough I have looked for partner. Unfortunately you have me at a disadvantage as do not know with who I converse.”
The oldest of the midwives spoke, “This is a great day when Shear Khan also decides to visit us. Though I doubt he realises just what the kittens are. As little as they are they are far more deadly than he ever will be.” Shear Khan noticed Kali and went up to her and licked her.
Alexis spoke, “I have many names, and to you I am the child of Draco. The Golden flight is mine to command. My children wish to play with you. Now first I have to appoint a new high priestess.” Alexis pointed to the younger midwife. “Yes you will do nicely. Asia you may pass the necklace on. As from today the temple will be known as the Queens temple and prayers may be said to any that ride the winds. Shear Khan you may live in this village and protect it.”
One female with a disfigured face spoke, “Goddess most women in this village are already married. I am not so if Shear Khan is to protect us then I would be willing to share my home with him.”
Shear Khan looked at her. “You must be a great warrior as you bear the marks of a great battle.”
Alexis spoke, “Although she is the Brahmins’ eldest daughter and she lives apart from the rest of the village. She at great personal risk single handily protected the children from a great evil. Her opponent now adorns the wall of her hut.”
Shear Khan looked at the hut. “Many men would have been scared of that opponent. You will do fine. I will do as the goddess asks and protect the village and bring food. I though would like to play with the children both human and cat.” He looked at Alexis but it was Isolde that spoke.
“Cleo do you and your sisters wish to play with Shear Khan?”
“Mum he is a big kitten himself. I bet even Freya & Friga would love to have a play with him as would Kali.”
“Madame I Shear Khan would not wrestle with any adult female unless she was my mate. To wrestle with Kali though one has to be wrong in the head. Am I to take it these children are the grand children of one who might be considered wrong in the head? On my travels I heard stories of Kali and her fights with him who is considered wrong in head.”
Petal spoke, “Hi Shear Khan we are the smallest of Draco’ daughters and just as deadly as the children you decided to follow. I have no doubt they will be coming to visit you as often as they can and we will be with them.
Astrid spoke, “Shear Khan before a man in this village can live in a woman’s hut they have to wrestle each other. It is sort of a tradition.”
Shear Khan bowed and said, “Then I will do the same, for my opponent has already shown she is brave and would defend her young to the death or until she could no longer fight.” Before long Shear Khan had knocked the woman down but somehow he ended up on his back and she was tickling him.
The Brahmin spoke, it is not a match I expected lord of the forest. But Shear Khan welcomes to the village of the red Dragon or perhaps we should call it the dragon’s village? My daughter is now yours to protect although it looks like you will need the protection from her. She can be quite a handful at times, as the villagers would tell you. They though have the greatest respect for her.”
Shear Khan then noticed Andorra and Endora. “We both enjoyed that. You though are very forgetful. To say you are a god of the forest. Would you have done the same with us? Would you fight us?”
“Goodness no ladies had I done that in front of the other gods you would have become my wife regardless of who won? Besides unlike a certain head banger I do not fight ancient goddesses.”
The female with the scared face spoke, “Instead you fought me and I won. So now you are mine for you did it in front of other gods and my village. So I claim you as my partner.”
Alexis spoke, “For now you can stay and protect the village, but one day I will recall you, your partner and her sister. First though show your human self to your bride. The villagers call your wife the tigress for the way she protected the young of the village. The Brahmin though has another daughter you must also protect for she is now the new High priestess of the temple.”
Shear Khan bowed and spoke to the High Priestess. “Madam it appears I must also challenge you. As a god I may have more than one partner. I have to ask if you wish to fight me.”
Andorra winked at Endora and before Shear Khan knew what was happening he was on the ground with the ladies sat on him. “Shear Khan we win and you are now ours. Once before we let the chance go by with you. As for the High Priestess she is already promised to the Golden one. While we may have to go away occasionally we will set our home here. How do you feel now you have three partners? Somebody has to be here when the children come visiting. Would you like to challenge any of the kittens?”
The Brahmin spoke? “That would be a bit unfair. He has already lost to a disabled maid and two elderly goddesses. A kitten like those would make minced meat of him within seconds as they have youth on their side.”
“Girls I regret I already have acquired two dragons and a tigress as partners today. As a minor god I am at my quota for wives. However if any kittens wish to practise their hunting skills they can try them out on me. Endora & Andorra I presume these children are sort of your grandchildren and I will be a Grandfather.”
The Brahmin smiled “I suppose I can also make a similar claim as my daughter is promised to the golden one so that make me a father in law.”
Cleo spoke, “Gentlemen we have quite a shortage of males to practise our skills on. Lord Tigger I am Cleo the youngest daughter of Isolde the Cat Queen. All my sisters regardless of who is the birth mother now have the abilities of cats. To be able to practise on you and even pretend to hunt you would be a great Boone for us all.” The next second Lord Tigger found he was once again on the floor this time two cheater cubs where licking him. As if on a signal many more cubs appeared and started to jump on him.
Astrid spoke to the Brahmins daughter, “From today you will be known as Tigress eternal companion of Lord Tiger. For a long time he has sought an ideal partner. You are that partner. As for Endora & Andorra they already have many other responsibilities. Now kneel before me so I can restore your damaged face and repair those scars of yours.”
Tigress did as commanded. She felt a tingle on her face and then her damaged eye opened. Her entire body tingled and the scars all started to vanish. As this happened Tigger came over and knelt down. Tigger noticed Tigress no longer wore the rags he had first seen her in. Now she was in a wedding dress.
The child that appeared to have been Astrid suddenly changed in height and appearance. All present realised it was Alexis “Tigger here you have a home and wife. Tigress almost all of your visible scars have healed it will take a little longer for those we cannot see to heal. By the time of the next new moon all your scars will be healed. Now though our party must leave and return to our homeland. As the villagers watched the entire group appeared to walk into the temple.
