The Ascension

"More food, Master?" Elena asked when Aila came back with a full cart, and a heavy backpack. Aila smiled.

"Yep. Winter will be a difficult time, and autumn is the time that people start putting away their preserves and stocks. Between now and then, we need to have our reserves in place. The prices of grain will increase a bit at a time between now and then." She sighed a bit. "We'll always be able to acquire meat, but there is a limit on root crops and grains." She looked at Kaala, who had just come out of the kitchen.

"Kaala, can you estimate how much more we'll need to acquire so that it lasts through the winter, and into the spring? We need to make sure we don't run out, and the crops won't start flowing until mid summer. Remember, good healthy meal sizes, not slave rations!" Aila said.

"Master!" She stamped her foot like a woman who as a little spoiled. It made Aila smile, as it meant she wasn't deathly frightened of Aila now. "I haven't done that since the first day!" She inhaled to calm herself. "I'll start separating, and taking note of them, Master. We really need a larger cold room to store the root crops, and grains. There are no mice out this way, due to the those sharp toothed rabbits, so we don't have to worry about rodents. Also, tunnels can't be dug before the earth pressure fills them in." Kaala said. Aila thought for a moment.

"I'll set an expansion in place soon. If you need to, bring the crates of stuff upstairs, and use the entire storage room as you see fit." Aila walked up to her, and smiled as Kaala blushed. She kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Master, be good." Kaala blushed brightly. "Um, Master, if you don't mind, can you find another python and iron tusked boar? We have enough salted meat, but if we salt some boar belly and make bacon, we can make quite a bit of silver." Aila pursed her lips.

"I can get up to five pythons between now and winter. I don't want to stress the population. Those boars, they seem to thrive around here, and breed like rabbits. I can get one in the next day or two, so you'll have something to work with." Aila said with a slight frown.

"Well, they eat the rabbits, and the wolves too. I'm not sure where their main area is, but I think it's closer to the mountain, and the stands of ironwood. They eat the red rocks, right along with the ironwood, mushrooms, and as much meat as they can get. That's what I've heard." Kaala said, and felt a surge of life elements, as well as some flame elements enter her body.

"Master?" Kaala asked.

"Flame elements have a habit of making you ill tempered, but it is your affinity. You'll be able to handle it better, and be more passionate as a result. However, you need to assimilate it slowly, and adjust to it over time. A large boost of elemental essence that you don't have the mental strength to resist would be bad." Aila said, and Shaala chuckled.

"Yeah, I don't think we could handle a temperamental Kaala in the kitchen, with knives and iron pans." Shaala said with a big smile. Kaala blushed brightly.

"Be good, Sha." Kaala said after Aila smiled, kissed her gently on the cheek, and left the room. "Oh damn, isn't she so wonderful?" Kaala said and sniffed while she looked at the ceiling. Shaala came in close and hugged her.

"She is. Did you hear her? You had an idea, and she said you can do it. She'll hunt it for you, so you can make some silver." Shaala said. Kaala frowned, and poked her.

"It won't be my...."

"Kaala!" Aila swung back into the kitchen with the sacks of grains and more cheese.

"Yes, Master?" Kaala asked, her lower lip captured between teeth so it wouldn't tremble.

"When you make the bacon, make sure you charge enough for it. I don't want you to work so hard and not get paid properly for your work. Just let me know what you need to start your meat business, and I'll get it all." She thought for a moment. "Here. This silver is your capital to start." Kaala's mouth fell open in shock. It was a large lump of silver, and most likely to equal ten large silver at least.

"My capital, Master?" Kaala asked. Aila came in close.

"You're my wife now, not my slave. I will mark down all the numbers, get a set of scales made, and oiled paper to package your products up in. I will deliver it to Rirn for you to sell. That capital will be what you use to buy salt, and spices. I don't care if I have to knock down the walls of the capital to get you what you want." Aila wrapped her arms about Kaala's waist, pulled her in close, and kissed her warmly on the lips. She even sucked Kaala's lower lip into her mouth and tasted it.

"Mm. No wonder you bite your lips. You're quite tasty." Aila walked away, while Shaala came in and helped her sister to remain upright.

"Thank you, Sha. My knees are giving out after her kiss." Kaala said in a whisper.

"I bet they are giving out after her kindness too." Shaala whispered. "She loves you, Kaala. She really loves you." Kaala nodded.

"Correction." She said. "She loves us." She sniffed a bit. "Master is letting me run a business. What about you, Sha? Have you thought of something you really wanted to try?"

"I have a wind affinity. I was thinking about figuring out how to make fans, but I'll need to think about it for a bit." She sighed. "Fans are needed as the summer starts, but it's going to be the harvest season soon. Fans aren't needed to cool people off after the harvest."

"True." Kaala said, but looked around. "Have you thought about the kitchen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kitchens have stoves. Stoves make heat, but the heat is lost in the kitchen, and doesn't heat up any other place. Why not a fan that can move the heat?" Kaala asked.  Most people assumed that almost everyone had a flame elemental affinity, and so they absorbed flame elements.  This was wrong, as Aila showed them that only Kaala had a flame affinity among their group.

That showed them why so many people disliked the heat even though they believed they had a flame elemental affinity.  Fans were necessary back in town, and some poor people make a bit of silver through folding and gluing paper to well carved wooden frames.

"Hm. It might be beyond my ability, but if Master helps me, and gives me wind elemental essence, I might figure it out."  Shaala couldn't picture a fan that moved because there was heat around, so she decided to ask Aila for help. She kissed her sister on the cheek.

"Thank you, Kaa. Will we share Master on our day, or do you want her to yourself?" Shaala asked softly.

"I don't think I can handle her by myself." She blushed. "You know how exhausted the girls were. Master has a lot of energy, and I'll need your help to please her properly." She blushed brighter. Shaala smiled.

"Yeah, some day, we'll have enough energy to handle her on our own." Shaala kissed her sister's cheek again. "We are the lovers of a woman whom we call Master, and she calls us wife." Kaala let out a sigh.

"I've never been so happy."