The bed beneath me is so soft I’m pretty sure I’m sinking into a cloud. Or maybe that’s just the exhaustion from the day hitting me all at once. I stare up at the vaulted ceiling of our new bedroom, my mind still struggling to process everything that’s happened in the last few hours.
“This place is bigger than my parents’ entire house,” I mutter, rolling onto my side to face Brooke. “Like, seriously. I think our bathroom is the size of their living room.”
Brooke bounces on the mattress beside me, her blonde hair flying around her face as she grins at me. “Can you believe it, Chris? We’re actually here! In another world!”
Her excitement is contagious, and despite the lingering anxiety in my gut, I find myself smiling back at her. “I know. It’s insane.”
“We’re going to get to slay monsters!” She punches the air with one fist. “And be famous! And probably use magic!” Her eyes light up at that last part. “Oh my god, what if we can do magic? Like, actual magic!”
I prop myself up on one elbow, trying to match her enthusiasm while also acknowledging the elephant in the room. “Yeah, that would be amazing. But also... we might die? Like, that’s a real possibility here, right?”
Brooke’s expression softens as she reaches over to squeeze my hand. “Hey, we’re in this together. And we’re heroes, remember? That means we probably have some kind of special powers or something.”
“Or we’re just really good at dying dramatically,” I joke, but my voice wavers slightly.
She laughs, the sound echoing off the high ceilings of our massive bedroom. “Come on, you’re not scared, are you? This is literally everything we’ve been talking about for months!”
“I’m definitely a little afraid,” I admit, running my fingers through my hair. “But when you get teleported to a new world to become a hero, isn’t that kind of a reasonable reaction? Being scared means I’m not completely delusional about what we’re getting into.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She shrugs, her shoulders rising and falling in that casual way that always makes my heart skip. “Still, this is far better than whatever lives we were going to have back home.”
I nod. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do.”
Her eyes darken with that look I know so well. The one that makes my stomach flip and my pulse quicken. In one fluid motion, she pushes me down onto the bed, her strong hands pinning my wrists above my head. My breath catches in my throat as she hovers over me, her weight pressing deliciously against my body.
“I’m happy to be here with you too,” she whispers, her voice dropping to that husky tone that sends shivers down my spine.
She leans down, capturing my lips with hers in a deep, hungry kiss that makes the rest of the world fade away. Her tongue slides against mine, and I arch up into her, completely lost in the moment. Her hands release my wrists to cup my face, her thumbs stroking my cheeks as she deepens the kiss.
I’m just about to reach for the hem of Brooke’s shirt when a sharp knock at the door makes me freeze. Before either of us can respond, the door swings open, and Morgana strides in like she owns the place.
“Oh,” she says, her purple eyes widening as she takes in the scene, Brooke straddling me, my hands tangled in her hair, both of us flushed and breathing heavily. “My apologies. I should have waited for a response.”
She doesn’t look particularly apologetic, her black lips curving into a smirk as she adds, “We’ve never had anyone quite so... eager... after a summoning ritual before.”
Brooke slides off me, her face hardening as she positions herself slightly in front of me. I sit up quickly, adjusting my shirt.
“What can we do for you, Royal Mage?” Brooke asks, her voice cool and formal.
Morgana chuckles, the sound like velvet wrapped around steel. “Please, just call me Morgana.”
“Alright, Morgana. What can we do for you?”
Morgana glides over to a chair by the small table in the corner, her dark fantasy ensemble catching the light as she sits down, crossing her legs at the knee. The high slit in her skirt reveals a flash of pale thigh that I quickly avert my eyes from.
“I’m here just to talk about things like our cultural values and whatnot,” she explains, gesturing casually at us. “In the past, many heroes have been shocked by our world, and vice versa. So my predecessor always set up meetings like this.”
I clear my throat. “That makes sense.”
Morgana’s gaze shifts to me, and I feel that same unnerving intensity from earlier. “Legend has it that four thousand years ago, one of the hero duos summoned were lizard people. Can you imagine? Scales and tails, but still humanoid in form.”
“Wait, seriously? That’s actually really cool.”
Morgana gives me a warm smile that makes me feel oddly seen, like I’ve said something particularly clever. “Yes, Christopher, it does sound very cool. I’ve always been fascinated by the diversity of the heroes we’ve summoned over the millennia.”
Brooke shoots me a sidelong glance. Her expression seems a bit jealous.
“Alright, so what do you want to know?” Brooke asks, her tone shifting to something more businesslike.
Morgana looks back at Brooke, her expression becoming more serious as she opens up a small leather-bound tome. Her long, elegant fingers trace through the pages, stopping at what appears to be a section of notes. She reads from it with careful precision.
“What is the dominant gender in your world?” she asks, her purple eyes lifting to meet ours with genuine curiosity.
Brooke looks annoyed by the question, her shoulders tensing slightly. “I guess men, but the patriarchy gives way bit by bit every generation.”
Morgana’s eyebrows rise slightly. “Very interesting.” She closes the book with a soft thud and leans forward, her gaze intense. “In this world, the line is clear. This is a matriarchy, women run the world. Men are mostly kept in their homes doing things like cooking, cleaning, taking care of their children...” Her lips curve into a knowing smile. “And taking care of their wives’ needs.”
“What do you mean?” Brooke asks, her voice suddenly sharp. Her body tensing as she positions herself between Morgana and me.
Morgana’s eyes widen slightly at Brooke’s defensive posture. “I mean that men are gentle creatures, not really suited for hard things.” She gestures toward me with a dismissive wave. “By the whole, they are much weaker than women. Plus, many women only have one thing on their mind. Sex. Men need to be protected from rapists and such.”
I feel my face heat up as I shift uncomfortably on the edge of the bed. “Our world... well, the country we’re from definitely isn’t like that... usually...” I stammer, trying to process this information. “It’s very much the opposite. Women work jobs there. I mean rapists definitely do litter the streets, though… Can men vote here?”
“Not unless they have special privileges. Most men are content with their domestic roles. They find fulfillment in supporting their wives and raising children.”
Brooke’s face has gone pale. “People are going to want to rape Chris?” Her voice rises with each word, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.
Morgana tilts her head, studying me with those unnerving purple eyes. “Well, Christopher is a very special case. We get male heroes from time to time, and while they aren’t weak, they can be targets for rape. But once you two are trained, the average thug will pose no threat at all...” She pauses, her expression darkening. “Though one male hero in the past fifteen hundred years was raped to death in the Demon Queen’s castle...”
The room suddenly feels ten degrees colder. I swallow hard, my mouth gone dry. Brooke moves closer to me, her arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders.
“That’s not going to happen to him,” Brooke says, her voice low and dangerous. “I won’t let it.”
“Good,” Morgana says, nodding with satisfaction at Brooke’s fierce declaration. She looks back at her book. “Does your world have gods?”
Brooke and I exchange a confused glance. “Uhhh...” I stammer, trying to figure out where she’s going with this. “We have religions that worship gods? Is that what you mean?”
Morgana shakes her head, her dark hair swaying with the movement. “No, this world has goddesses that have made their intentions clear. There are five goddesses, and they’ve been asleep for a thousand years.”
“Like, there’s proof?” I ask, genuinely curious despite the lingering unease from our previous conversation.
“Any elf older than a thousand years old can attest to their existence,” Morgana explains. “Though some people might say elves aren’t exactly a trustworthy race.”
“Alright...” I say, not sure how to respond to that.
Morgana’s expression grows serious as she leans forward. “This brings me to my next point.” Her voice drops to a more somber tone. “Cheating on a partner is an offense so great it warrants divine-level punishment. When a man has a partner, whether married or just dating... any level of commitment really, and the man cheats on them, they are cursed with a brand.”
I feel my stomach drop. Brooke’s hand finds mine, squeezing tightly.
“What’s the brand?” Brooke asks, her voice tight with tension.
“A large black letter A on their body,” Morgana says matter-of-factly. “It’s random where it appears, and once someone has one, it’s illegal to hide it when they’re out in public. Our society treats these men very poorly. They were rejected by the goddesses and are seen as something lower than monsters.”
“What does that mean?”
Morgana’s expression remains neutral, as if she’s discussing the weather rather than human rights violations. “It’s not illegal to mistreat these men. It’s not even illegal to rape them.” She pauses, her dark lips curving into a slight frown. “It is illegal to torture or kill them. They often go work at seedy brothels in other countries.”
“What the fuck?” Brooke exclaims.
“What about women? Do they get branded too if they cheat?” I ask. [A/N: No one will ever cheat on Christopher in this story]
Morgana’s expression shifts, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her features. “Our courts deal with women, but there is no brand. It’s illegal for women to cheat, but it’s usually just a fine.” She pauses, her lips pressing together. “There are exceptions for worse punishments in extreme cases.”
“But the women aren’t treated like pariahs?” I ask, unable to keep the disbelief from my voice.
“It’s disgusting, I agree, but no. They aren’t seen as hated by the goddesses.”
“Well then, it’s no problem since I’ll never cheat on Brooke,” I say firmly, turning to look at my girlfriend.
Brooke looks at me nervously, her blue eyes searching mine. “Exactly.”
She turns back to Morgana, her jaw set with determination. “Will Christopher have a lot of temptation to cheat on me? I mean, in this world, is it common for women to try to... you know...”
Morgana’s purple eyes flick between us. “We’ve never had a male hero be summoned in the middle of a relationship before. I can’t say for certain what will happen.”
She pauses, her dark lips curving into a slight frown. “In the past, women would often throw themselves at those men. Since the heroes were like you two, from a world with different gender roles, many of them took part in... very unbecoming behavior. But that in itself wasn’t an issue, since they weren’t in a relationship at the time of such things.”
“Usually,” Morgana adds, “those men would end up marrying a noblewoman to retain the high mana levels among the rich.”
Brooke turns to me, her blue eyes wide with fear. “Please...” she whispers, her voice cracking slightly. “You won’t, right?”
“Brooke, I’m not a cheater. I love you.” I need her to understand how serious I am. “I would never do that to you.”
She leans into me, her forehead pressing against mine as she nuzzles my cheek. “I know, I know. I love you too.” Her voice is small, vulnerable in a way I rarely hear. “I trust you... I’m sorry.”
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. “Don’t apologize. I get it.”
Morgana watches our exchange with those unsettling purple eyes, her expression shifting to something almost... disappointed? But it’s gone so quickly I wonder if I imagined it.
Morgana rises from her chair. “This is quite a lot to process for one evening. I’ll leave you two alone for now.” She tucks her leather-bound tome under her arm, her purple eyes lingering on me a moment longer than feels comfortable.
“Tomorrow is a significant day. You’ll both pull the legendary twin swords from the Altar of Heroes.”
I blink, sitting up straighter. “Wait, what?”
Morgana waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t concern yourself with the details. It’s merely a ceremonial tradition, a way for the peasants to witness the heroes’ return. You’ll both perform admirably, I’m certain.”
She moves toward the door. “Rest well.” With a final glance over her shoulder, she slips out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
The silence that follows feels heavy, loaded with everything we’ve just learned. I turn to Brooke, noticing the tightness in her jaw, the way her fingers are curled into fists at her sides.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, scooting closer to her on the bed.
She lets out a frustrated sigh, her blue eyes flashing with something that looks suspiciously like jealousy. “Did you see how she was looking at you? And that outfit...” Brooke gestures vaguely toward the door. “She dresses like all that weird goth porn you used to love before we met.”
I reach for her hand, intertwining our fingers. “I’m into blondes now. Specifically, one blonde who can bench press me without breaking a sweat.”
Brooke’s expression softens, but there’s still a hint of insecurity in her eyes. “You better be. Because if you ever cheat on me… I don’t care what world we’re in I’d throw your ass away without a second thought.”
“I’d never.”