"And what if you fail?" Celeste said to her son, her curiosity mixed with concern. She wondered if he truly had complete control over his fertility now.
Orion shook his head, a thin smile forming on his lips. "I don't think I will fail. However, if by some chance I do get a woman pregnant, then I'll agree not to penetrate any woman for the period of time you all decide on," he replied, showing his confidence in his abilities while also accepting the consequences if he were to be mistaken.
Celeste looked at Greta, who nodded in response, showing her agreement with his statement. "If he loses, then he will have to make a promise, and we all know he'll be determined to keep it," Greta said, furrowing her brows as a thought crossed her mind. "However, the only problem is finding the right woman whom we can pay to have him prove his claim in front of us."
"I don't think there's a need for that since not everyone in this room is pregnant," Grandma Meldra interjected, reminding them that there were a few names Orion didn't mention among those who were expecting.
Celeste and the rest of the women heard Grandma Meldra's words and immediately grasped her implication. The women who were not yet pregnant for Orion could volunteer themselves, ensuring that even if Orion failed, they would still have a chance to get pregnant.
It would be a win-win situation for all involved; they could witness Orion prove his ability to control his fertility, and if they succeeded, another woman among them would become pregnant.
"Ahem!" Celeste cleared her throat and asked, "How about you, Grandma Meldra..... I mean, isn't this a chance for.... If Orion loses..... I mean, there's a chance that he might lose, and you might become pregnant as well."
Seeing Celeste fumbling with her words as she tried to convince her to participate in the test to confirm Orion's confidence, Grandma Meldra immediately shook her head and replied, "I understand what you mean, Celeste, and I really want to volunteer myself and see where his confidence comes from, but it's just not practical right now," Grandma Meldra replied with a sigh.
She continued, her voice louder now, "If all of us become pregnant, then who will take care of us?" She wanted to ensure that her words were heard not just by Celeste, but also by the rest of the women, and possibly Orion, so they could understand her reasoning.
Fiona-the-well woman, having overheard their conversation, chimed in, nodding in agreement with Grandma Meldra's words. "She's absolutely right," Fiona-the-well woman affirmed. "If all of us get pregnant, it'll be challenging to care for another child properly. Besides, it wouldn't be ideal for someone like me and the village healer to be pregnant at the same time."
Greta felt a pang of embarrassment as Fiona finished speaking, realizing that she had overlooked such an important point. She couldn't help but think that even if she had been given time to ponder before Orion penetrated her, she would still have chosen to get pregnant. With age catching up to her, and now knowing the risks that older women faced, she was certain she had made the right decision.
However, Greta couldn't resist stealing a glance at Grandma Meldra's serious expression. Out of all her friends, Grandma Meldra was the only one who hadn't yet become pregnant. Greta had her suspicions about why she had made that choice, but she respected her decision and chose not to pry too much.
"Does that mean you wouldn't be willing to volunteer either?" Celeste asked, her expression showing defeat.
Fiona-the-well woman couldn't help but smile as she witnessed Celeste's defeated expression. "I never said that," she clarified with a wide grin. "I was just letting you all know the consequences if someone like Greta or me were to get pregnant." Taking a deep breath, she stood up, her eyes fixed on Orion. "But there's no way I could pass up the offer if it ever comes my way; after all, I'm certainly not getting any younger," she quipped.
Fiona-the-well woman then glanced at Sura, sensing that the young girl also wanted to volunteer herself. She felt a slight pang of guilt for not giving her the chance to do so.
Fiona couldn't help but think to herself, 'Well, she's still young, so there are other chances for her to try and get pregnant, unlike me.' She cast a glance at her bulging, rippling muscles, which were even firmer and bigger than most male warriors, recognizing that she also looked slightly intimidating.
However, she didn't let that deter her as she made her way to the centre of the room, passing by other women until she stood right in front of Orion.
Upon arriving, Fiona-the-well woman stood tall and looked down at Orion intently. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her eyes searching for any sign of doubt in his confidence.
Orion brushed his nose and looked up, meeting her intense gaze. "Well, we won't know unless we find out," he replied with a playful smile. "But don't get your hopes up, because there's basically no chance of you getting pregnant unless I want to."
As Fiona-the-well woman prepared to say something privately to Orion, a daring glint in her eyes, Celeste's voice suddenly cut through the anticipation. "Alright, everyone, now that we have a volunteer, let's see whether Orion can prove himself and show us that he is capable of controlling his fertility," she declared loudly, ensuring that all present could hear her.
Then, her eyes shifted to Gina, who sat on the other side of the circle. "Can you please get us a mat for them to lay down, Gina?"
Frustration gnawed at Gina as she stood up and walked over to the other room where all the mats were packed. She felt frustrated at the growing number of women drawn to her brother, becoming pregnant or his partners, while she seemed stuck as his little sister, unable to progress their relationship further. However, this situation fueled her resolve to change things.
'Enough is enough,' Gina thought resolutely as she walked back to the room to hand over the mat to Orion, who smiled and thanked her as he collected the mat from her. 'I will find a way to become pregnant for Orion or become his partner after this before anyone else gets the chance.'
