Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Queen Sorsha grabbed Kit’s arm and dragged her out of the Great Hall. Sorsha was understandably upset and likely going to admonish Kit for the outburst at her and Prince Graydon’s engagement banquet. The last thing Jade saw was Kit looking back at her. Kit’s eyes were dark and glossy, welling with tears. With that look, Jade felt the depth of pain and hurt that she had inflicted on Kit. 

Jade knew she should have told Kit about leaving to train with the Shining Legion sooner. She knew Kit would be upset and, yet, she kept it secret. She was afraid she’d ruin any remaining time they had left together, afraid of things changing between them, afraid Kit would push her away. She had seen Kit do it numerous times with Airk, Sorsha, and even her before. It usually never lasted long, but it made her nervous about telling Kit about news this big; this is life-changing. 

The thought of telling Kit was daunting, along with the reality of leaving Tir Asleen. Now it was the night before her departure; she would be leaving Tir Asleen, leaving Kit, for forty moons, and the weight of it hit her like a tonne of bricks. How could she have been so stupid? So cowardly? She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and it almost made her banquet dinner come back up. A fitting punishment she thought. 

Jade knew she had to do something. She couldn’t sit with this guilt. She couldn’t leave tomorrow without talking to Kit first. Jade snuck through the banquet crowd, and quietly ducked out of the Great Hall and into one of the service corridors. She had memorized all of the halls, corridors, and secret passages so she could move around the castle quickly and efficiently; exactly as a future royal knight should. 

She made her way to one of the upper corridors by the hallway next to Kit and Airk’s bedrooms. Jade stopped abruptly, remaining hidden, as Sorsha’s voice rang through the hallways.

“...I’ve never asked much of you or your brother. You are free to come and go as you please from this castle, you mostly do whatever you want.”

“How is asking me to marry Graydon Hastur, ‘not much,’ exactly? You’re making me a prisoner, sentenced to a life I didn’t even choose!” Kit yelled back.

“No one chooses their life, Kit!”

“Or their mom!” Kit retorted.

“That’s right. And if you think I’m tough, you should have met mine,” Sorsha said, reminding Kit of her evil sorceress grandmother, Bavmorda.

The patter of fast footsteps approaching made Jade tense up until she heard Airk’s voice, “It’s fine, it’s fine. Everything’s fine. I just spoke to Graydon. Who’s actually not such a terrible guy, if you just get to know him. He’s going to talk to the King, smooth everything over, explain-”

“I think you should stick to chasing girls, rather than sticking your nose in matters that you’re incapable of understanding and are not your concern!” Sorsha snapped.

Jade, unable to see the royal family from her spot in the corridor, was still able to tell that Sorsha had overstepped. Sorsha was not usually that strict. She may be tough but she was rarely cruel. She was often lenient in Jade’s opinion. Who in their right mind would let their heirs sword fight in the upper reaches of the Canyon Maze, or galavant around Tir Asleen as they please, or ride around the surrounding areas of the kingdom as they see fit? Jade always thought it was Sorsha’s way of overcompensating because she knew the burden of the royal duties would overtake their lives, especially Kit’s, eventually. Since tonight was the eve of Kit’s wedding, it made sense that Sorsha would be tense and on edge. She had the weight of two kingdoms and a Realm on her shoulders.

“Go to bed. Both of you. In the morning, you'll apologize to the King, and the Prince, and then you will marry him because that’s what was agreed upon all those years ago, Kit. It’s what I’ve been preparing you for these last several years. We all have responsibilities in protecting the Realm. You knew this day would come.” Jade heard Sorsha walk away, leaving the twins in the hallway.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kit asked Airk, with clear irritation in her voice.

“Oh, what? That? I was just trying to explain that I spoke with Graydon and he seems like a really nice guy-” Airk said, before being cut-off.

“I didn’t ask for your help,” huffed Kit.

“No, but you’re going to get it anyway, because you’re my sister and I love you, despite your winning personality.”

“Everybody loves you because you’re so charming and fun, as long as they don’t expect anything from you because the moment that they do, you’ll just leave. Just like Dad did.”

Jade winced at Kit’s insult. She knew she was partially responsible for Kit’s hostility right now, and felt bad that Airk was enduring Kit’s wrath instead of her.

“I’m not him. Kit, I’m not going anywhere. I’m never gonna leave you. I’m going to be here for you while you marry Graydon. I know you don’t want to marry him. I think everyone knows that by now, but I want you to know you can lean on me, Kit. I’ve got you. I’ll always have your back. I love you,” said Airk, in a soft but firm tone.

There was a pause, and then Jade heard Kit take a deep breath and sigh before saying, “I know. I’m-I’m sorry, Airk.” Jade noticed the sound of defeat and regret in Kit’s voice before Kit continued, “I’ll talk to you in the morning, okay?” 

“Yeah. Of course…hey, maybe you should talk to Jade,” Airk said. Jade perked up at the mention of her name, hoping to hear Kit’s response but Kit said…nothing. What Jade wouldn’t give to be able to see both of their faces right now. Half of the communication between Kit and Airk was exchanging knowing glances with each other. Blummin’ twins. That weirdly telepathic, annoying connection. She rolled her eyes, wishing she could read their minds.

Jade heard Kit shuffle towards her bedroom saying “Night, Airk” before closing the door. 

If Jade had thought she felt guilty when Kit was dragged out of the Great Hall, it was just a sliver of the guilt she felt now. A part of her knew Kit would feel abandoned, and Kit confirmed her suspicions in the conversation with Airk. Jade had convinced herself that she was doing this for Kit, for Tir Asleen, and for the Realm so she would understand and come around to the idea. Eventually. Except she hadn’t given Kit the luxury of time to absorb the news, so it was no wonder that Kit was rightfully angry. She had been dealing with a lot due to her upcoming marriage and Jade had just thrown a match into Kit’s emotional powder keg. 

Part of Jade’s job was protecting Kit, and she took pride in how well she had accomplished that goal up until today, but now, because of her own cowardice, she was the one who had caused Kit pain. She felt floored by her own failure.

Suddenly she heard shoes clicking, and the mutter of a new voice that she couldn’t quite make out. Airk quietly called, “Dove?” and Jade pressed her body back against the corridor wall continuing to hide in the shadows.

Dove? Who’s Dove? She could now make out the other voice and recognized it as Brunhilde, a kitchen maid. They had spoken numerous times, but she had never heard the name Dove before. Ah, a nickname bestowed by Airk . He loved finding ridiculous nicknames for all of his current love interests. Jade almost snorted at the thought but caught herself. She pursed her lips and slowly breathed in and out.

Jade tuned back into their conversation and overheard Brunhilde say, “-how can I expect you, the prince, to commit, to me, muffin girl, when you’ve got countesses and trollops shamelessly throwing themselves at you like-“

“Okay, uh, wait-” Airk responded. “What if, uh, I did? What if I did? What if I was - ready to commit? I know it’s not the greatest marriage proposal of all time. In fact, it might be the worst, but what if it was, what if it was better?”

“Uh, that’s definitely something that we can discuss.” 

Airk stammered, “I just have- I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” 

“Me neither,” Dove said softly, before adding, “-but perhaps we could discuss this somewhere that’s not right outside your sister’s bedroom.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course,” said Airk as he led Brunhilde down the hall towards his bedroom.

Jade’s whole face scrunched. Did Airk just propose to Brunhilde? She was absolutely gobsmacked by what she had just overheard. Jade rubbed the space between her eyebrows as all of the tension she had been holding in her shoulders and face went slack as she contemplated Airk and Brunhilde’s conversation.

Thoughts swirled in her mind. Airk, the notorious serial dater, was ready to commit? To marry someone? To marry someone who wasn’t royalty or highborn? She couldn’t believe it. Jade shook her head, looking downwards. She wasn’t exactly sure what this feeling was but it felt something close to awe, and being in awe of Airk felt bizarre. Her skin felt clammy so she instinctively wiped her brow; suddenly feeling too warm.

Airk had always been a bit casual about, well, everything. Something Jade didn’t really understand. She was a serious person. She had to be. The moments that she had to relax were few and far between as she was rarely off-duty, and with Kit. That’s when she felt most like herself. The only thing Airk seemed to be dedicated to was galavanting around Tir Asleen, sword fighting, and wooing maidens. Sure, he was a great brother with a caring soul, but he wasn’t someone that many people took seriously. She had always liked Airk based on how he treated everyone, how he treated her, and the things that Kit told her; but the castle staff rumours about him were merciless and she never knew exactly what was truth and what was fiction. 

Hearing that Airk wanted to commit to someone, especially someone who was a member of the staff, gave her a glimmer of hope. If Airk could love someone like Brunhilde maybe there was hope for Jade after all. Maybe Kit could feel the same way about a member of staff like Airk did? Maybe Kit would feel the same way Jade felt. Maybe Kit could love her like Airk loved Brunhilde. Maybe…

No, that’s impossible. I’m a knight. Well, I’m going to be a knight and knights swear an oath. They don’t fall in love. They don’t marry. Plus she’s the Princess and I’m just…me. Airk must see something special in Brunhilde, but Kit must not see something special in me. Otherwise she would have said something. Or done something. Plus we could never- she’s getting married soon. Tomorrow. 

Jade felt panicked and desperate. A feeling she was unfamiliar with. She was used to feeling competent, self-assured, and clear-headed. Only when it came to her feelings about Kit did she feel an internal spiral, a swirl of emotions that she wasn’t ever sure what to do with. She had tried to get over it, to put those feelings aside, but it never worked. Dozens and dozens of moons and she still felt that pull. A need to be close to Kit. A wanting.

She always thought she had hidden it well, but Ballantine recently noticed that Jade would hand pick flowers for Kit and leave them tied in a bouquet hanging from Kit’s bedroom door. Jade never placed them on the ground for Kit, knowing the Princess was always groggy in the morning and likely to trample them on her way downstairs to the dining hall for breakfast. 

Ballantine reminded Jade to tread carefully with the Princess, and she had felt so ashamed that she had been so blatantly obvious about it. She never thought it would lead anywhere, not really, she just wanted to do something nice for Kit and picking flowers was always something she enjoyed, and if Kit picked up on Jade’s feelings for her then so be it. Jade was willing to have that conversation, but she wasn’t about to initiate it. At least not without some sort of serious indication from Kit that her feelings were mutual. 

Picking flowers for Kit was also a nice respite for Jade and it was also something she could afford. She made sure to go through the castle gardens a couple of times a week to peruse its different sections; really enjoying her alone time. She would think about how to improve her skills and training methods, or sometimes she’d daydream about Kit, and would try to find a flower that matched Kit’s personality. Kit always took the time to compliment Jade’s selection of flowers and it gave her a sense of pride, as well as a swooping feeling in her stomach. Another feeling she wasn’t sure what to do with.

Once Ballantine talked to Jade about leaving the flowers though, she stopped immediately. She missed getting that swooping feeling from giving Kit’s flowers. It was consistent, predictable, reliable. Ever since she had stopped leaving flowers for Kit, that feeling showed up erratically and in bizarre ways. Sometimes the swooping feeling would turn into a tight sensation in her chest and she’d have to take a couple of deep breaths. Recently when Kit would place a hand on any part of her, Jade would feel a shot of electricity down her spine and heat would radiate out across her body. Sure, it made her feel vulnerable, but it was also exciting and intoxicating. Jade was never good at deciphering her feelings, and it had taken her some time to piece all of these feelings together to realize that she was in love with Kit.

Of course, you’d fall in love with the Princess. Pretty much the one person you shouldn’t fall for she had thought to herself upon realization.

Jade knew that she couldn’t let her romantic feelings for Kit overshadow what she had come here to do. She needed to apologize to Kit. To salvage their friendship. That was the most important thing to Jade. She could tolerate Kit not loving her back in a romantic way. She had gotten used to that, but what she couldn’t tolerate was Kit being mad at her before leaving for Galladoorn. She wanted to make sure that whatever happened tonight, that her and Kit were good and their friendship was still intact. She didn’t think she’d be able to withstand the Shining Legion training if she left on bad terms with Kit. 

Jade laid out her plans in her mind and then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and gathered herself by tipping her head back against the corridor wall. She whispered a small prayer to the future true Empress, Elora Danan. ‘Til that day. She then proceeded out into the hallway and made her way to Kit’s bedroom door.

Kit, still fuming, paced around her bedroom unable to calm herself. She felt lightheaded as she choked back tears. She pondered if it was the wine from the banquet making her feel nauseous, or if it was because her whole world was collapsing around her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Kit’s thoughts spiralled. Jade is leaving tomorrow!? I need to talk to her! I can’t marry Graydon Hastur if she’s not here in Tir Asleen. It will be unbearable without her. I could just leave. Maybe I could go with Jade…no. I can’t hide out in Galladoorn with Jade. Everyone would recognize me. I’d be the missing Princess. The Princess that rejected their Prince. It could start a war between Tir Asleen and Galladoorn. I could flee to somewhere else? That place wouldn’t have Jade either, though. Gods, what a nightmare. What a fucking nightmare.

Kit was never good at sitting with her anger or how to handle it. She often tried to redirect it with varying degrees of success. Her redirection hadn’t worked out well at the banquet. That had been a complete disaster. 

She felt like she was allowed to be sad, or nervous, or jealous even, anything but angry. Being angry felt too volatile, too explosive. She always had to turn it into something else before she erupted and pushed people away. She had done it countless times before, and tonight was no exception. The guilt that would plague her afterwards was too much to deal with and the round of apologies she’d have to endure for her behaviour always felt too vulnerable and she hated it. She was determined to not let her anger spiral out of control again this evening. She had already lost her father due to circumstances out of her control and the last thing she wanted to do was to push Jade away even though she was furious with her right now. She wasn’t about to lose someone she loved due to circumstances she could control. She needed to find a way to talk to Jade and keep her cool.

Kit tried taking a deep breath but it caught in her chest, restricted by the tightness of her dress. She was still wearing her banquet gown with what could only be described as a truly insufferable waist belt. Her hands fumbled trying to remove the suffocating metal and leather torture device. How could her mother think she’d like this…thing? “It’s fashionable in Galladoorn,” her mother had exclaimed. As if she had ever cared about what was fashionable. Clothes fit for horse riding were all she needed. Whereas this belt contraption may have been the worst thing she had ever worn, not that she’d let her mother, or anyone else for that matter, see her squirm. She needed it off immediately.

Kit wrestled with the belt until sweat started to gather on her brow. Her fingers finally found purchase with one of the thicker leather strings. She tugged it and the tension loosened and Kit wiggled herself free. After two quick attempts to undo the clasps down the back of her dress, she gave up and rang the string bell for a staff person to come up and help her. Surely, one of the staff would be available to help her out of the dress. She hoped not every member of staff was too busy with the banquet to assist her.

It felt like less than a minute had passed before Kit heard a knock on her bedroom door and ran over to it. She swung the door open, head already down as she turned her back to the person at the door and motioned to the clasps on the back of her dress. Impatiently Kit asked, “Could you please get me out of this thing?” 

Kit heard a quick, deep gasp, and then felt warm fingers on her back, near the top of her dress, slowly starting to undo it. This person must be new, she mused as she felt a slight tremble in the person’s hands as they seemed to struggle. Kit felt the last clasp come undone just below the dip in her lower back. She quickly removed both arms from the shoulders of her dress, and was about to say thank you before heading behind her privacy screen to fully undress when she heard, “Um, do you need me to unclasp your necklace as well, Princess?” 

Shocked by the sound of Jade’s voice, Kit whipped around, almost dropping the front of her dress. She scrambled to make sure she hadn’t just exposed herself to Jade, who was quick to avert her eyes; choosing to look at the ceiling instead of directly at Kit. Clutching the front of her dress, Kit looked directly at Jade, whose face had gone beet red, and stuttered, “J- Jade?” Slightly louder, she questioned, “What are you doing here?”

Chapter Text

Still averting her gaze, Jade tried to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation, “I, uh, I felt so bad with how things went at the banquet- I was so stupid. I couldn’t fathom not seeing you until tomorrow.” She finally brought her eyes down to meet Kit’s, “I should have told you I was leaving to train with the Shining Legion sooner. I really, really messed up.”

Jade took a step towards Kit, needing her to feel the sincerity of her words, “I’m so sorry, Kit.”

Feeling exposed and still trying to keep her dress up, Kit blinked hard and let out a deep breath. It wasn’t often that Jade apologized. If she was being honest, Jade wasn’t often wrong so hearing an apology from her left Kit a bit stunned. She hadn’t processed Jade’s words but she could see the distraught look on Jade's face and instantly wanted to console her. It was instinct by now, wanting to make things right with Jade. After any of their rifts or fights, they’d never stay mad for long. They always worked it out, often by way of bantering, but sometimes a heated sparring session was better. Some sort of physical release tended to make things right a lot faster. They had never fought about anything this big, yet Kit still felt the pull, the need, to make it right despite her hurt and anger.

“Jade-” Kit started, before being interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. Kit and Jade’s eyes went wide, as they looked to the door, and then back at each other.

Kit, quickly realizing what must have happened, said, “That’s probably the maid I called for…to help me with my dress. That’s who I thought you were.”

A second knock at the door, accompanied by a voice asked, “Princess? You rang for assistance?”

Kit rushed to the door, and opened it ever so slightly, making sure Jade was out of sight. Sure, Jade had been in Kit’s bedroom before; early evening conversations and going over morning training routines, that wasn’t particularly unusual. What was unusual was Kit being partially undressed with Jade in her bedroom late at night.

Peeking through the small gap in the door, trying to hide her exposed shoulders, Kit anxiously answered, “Right. I did ring, didn’t I? I’m, uh, in need of, um -“ she blanked and looked back into her room, only to see Jade’s panicked face. After a lengthy pause, Kit turned back to the maid at the door, “Actually, I need a pitcher of water along with a small basin, a couple cloths, a bottle of wine, and could you wrap up some leftovers from dinner and bring that up as well? You can leave them outside my door and I’ll grab them later, thank you.” The maid nodded. Kit shut the door, locked it, and turned back to Jade. “I have a plan.”

“A plan?” Jade asked. “A plan for what?”

Not willing to let tonight go to waste, Kit responded, “Well, I guess, a plan for your last night in Tir Asleen.”

Jade winced slightly at the frustration in Kit’s voice, “I’m so sorry, Kit. I know you’re angry. I would be too. I wanted to tell you. I really did. I was just…scared.”

“Scared of what?” Kit asked, brusquely.

“Of everything. Going outside the Barrier scares me. I don’t know all of what the Shining Legion training entails. I want to be here with you in Tir Asleen. The thought of leaving everything terrifies me. Leaving you terrifies me. But I also know this is a once in a lifetime chance that doesn’t happen to people like me very often. I never imagined much for myself growing up because I always thought that would lead to greater disappointment, but I worked hard and Ballantine noticed and that changed my life. I can’t just throw away an opportunity like this. It’s the best chance I have for a decent future. I wanted your blessing more than anything, but I was a coward.” 

Hearing Jade call herself a coward made Kit instinctively want to shout that Jade wasn’t a coward. She was the furthest thing from a coward that Kit had ever known, but she was too hurt to counter it.  

“You were afraid I wouldn’t give you my blessing?” Kit asked.

“Kind of, yeah,” Jade shrugged.

“But you don’t need my blessing. It’s your life, Jade,” Kit scoffed.

Jade stepped closer to Kit, sensing her growing frustration, and placed a hand on her arm. “I know that. But I wanted it anyway.”

Kit looked down at Jade’s touch. Her eyebrows furrowed, still perplexed by Jade. Kit had so many questions, but so little time left with Jade. She could feel the time slipping away; it felt like a knife slowly turning in her gut. 

“How long have you known?”

“Um, a-” Jade hung her head, feeling the intensity of her shame. “About one moon.”

Kit stepped back, shocked that Jade had known for so long. “A whole moon?”  

“I know,” Jade said, running her hands down her face in frustration with herself and feeling the distance between her and Kit. Jade raised her eyes to look at Kit. She could see Kit trying to work out the whys of Jade’s decision, and she wasn’t sure if she could tell Kit all of the reasons. Yes, training with the Shining Legion helped guarantee her better future; a future with options but it wasn’t the only reason. She wasn’t sure she could endure seeing Kit every day after her marriage to Graydon. She, once, foolishly thought that maybe Kit would see her as someone worth being with. Everyone in the kingdom had known for years about Kit’s impending marriage to a Hastur, but Jade didn’t care. She would take Kit anyway she’d let her, but that hope had long passed as Kit and Graydon’s marriage approached and Kit had only expressed mild concern at being married off by her mother. When the subject came up between them, Kit would either get extremely short with her or would refuse to talk about it. So that was that. It was a topic that sat between them untouched. “I was stupid, Kit. It was selfish of me not to tell you.”

Kit had a short fuse when it came to her royal duties and if there was anything that could have caused a rift between them, it was that. Jade always took her duties seriously whereas Kit seemed to yearn for freedom at every turn. Jade only wanted a life that would allow her a relatively secure future and some sort of happiness or a purpose. She wasn’t sure if training with the Shining Legion would make her happy, but anyone who trained with the Legion always got to choose where they could swear their oath, and it was a requirement for anyone who wanted to protect a royal family member. It was one of Sorsha's best pacts with Galladoorn; the Shining Legion traning program that would train all prospective knights in the Realm. It standardized the training process. But Sorsha had been extremely lax letting Jade occasionally protect Kit up until now. Kit would inherit the throne one day so Jade would have to train with the Legion to remain close to her.

“I just don’t buy it Jade, we tell each other everything. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jade thought to herself, Well that’s a lie. We don’t tell each other everything. If we did, you wouldn’t skirt around your feelings about your marriage. But she decided to let it go.

Sensing Jade's reluctance, Kit tilted her head slightly and raised her eyebrows, “Truth?”

Jade pursed her lips and scrunched her nose, annoyed that Kit would pull out this game.

Jade knew that when either of them prompted this it meant that you could not lie, and Kit confirmed that she wanted to hear the hard truths that Jade needed to spill. They had devised this game to keep each other honest. They heard about an old tale about the enchanted Wildwood forest. Truth plums were said to be a magical fruit and when someone ate one, they were unable to be anything but honest until the magic wore off. Jade would muster as many truths as she could bear, and the one she couldn't bear she would keep to herself. An omission wasn’t a lie. Her romantic feelings for Kit would not be fodder for a truth plum game.

Jade gathered her thoughts and let out a heavy sigh, "Fine. Plum." She straightened her posture and took in a swift gulp of air before unloading her spiel, "Okay. I don’t think I can sit here in Tir Asleen twiddling my thumbs as you get married to Prince Hastur. I’ll be reassigned to some shitty post somewhere else because you need a better guard than me. I’ve always wanted to be a royal knight, and training with the Shining Legion allows me to have choice in what type of post I can be assigned to. I want to come back to Tir Asleen and get posted in the castle. Maybe I can even be your royal knight! On top of all that, if I train with the Legion, I’ll be paid a good wage so I can afford a half-decent life. And I didn’t want to tell you as soon as I found out because I was honestly worried you’d push me away. The thought of enduring the remaining time we had left, without us having fun or training together, was too dreadful of a thought. And I didn’t want you looking at me like you are right now for an entire moon cycle.”

Jade exhaled, her body bent over slightly, needing to catch her breath. She felt the tension in her body gather and a painful lump formed in her throat. She felt equally unburdened and anxious as she awaited Kit’s potentially explosive reaction. Jade looked down as she could feel her body shaking lightly. She clenched her fists and tried to breathe deeply, unable to will away the tears forming in her eyes.

Kit could see Jade struggling. She relaxed her face which had been in a perpetual scowl since the start of the banquet. Kit hadn’t expected any of that. It was so much to unpack, but she knew that she hadn’t made it easy for Jade to approach her. She had been so closed off lately due to her upcoming wedding to Graydon. She barely wanted to think about it, and so she had shut down any conversation related to it unless it was with her mother, and only when those conversations were absolutely necessary.

“Well, it’s not like I’ve been the easiest person to talk to lately,” Kit sighed. She tilted her head, bobbing it lightly, “Or ever, actually. I kind of proved that at the banquet, didn’t I?” A small smirk curled at the side of her mouth. “Clearly not my best moment.”

Jade and Kit’s eyes met and they both let out a small chuckle. With that, the tension in the room became bearable. As Jade smiled, the crinkles by her eyes caught the water that had been forming. A small tear slowly slid down her face, stopping at the top of her cheek. Kit stepped closer to her and wiped away Jade’s tear with her thumb, cupping the side of Jade’s face with the rest of her hand, “If I ever made you feel like you couldn’t talk to me, I’m sorry, Jade. I shouldn’t have reacted like that at the banquet. I was in shock, and with my upcoming wedding to Graydon, I was feeling-”

“Abandoned,” Jade punctuated.

Kit shrugged. “Yeah, sort of,” she said, feeling relief that Jade understood. 

“I should have realized you would have felt like that. I know we always said our plan was to adventure beyond the Barrier one day. We even said it wouldn’t change with you marrying Prince Hastur, except you’d have some more responsibilities, and would one day be Queen…and that’s all I ever thought I wanted, because it meant I could be here with you.”

Jade took in a shaky breath, “But then Ballantine submitted that petition on my behalf and I actually got into the Shining Legion, and I just…well, I thought, maybe that would be better.” 

Jade paused, shuffled her feet and continued, “Ever since I was taken in by Ballantine and saw how he served Tir Asleen, I dreamt of becoming a member of the Pacalcade just like him. I want to become a properly trained knight; better able to protect Tir Asleen, the Queen, and you. You need a Legion trained knight. That could be me, Kit.”

Jade felt a wave of emotion welling in her chest. “I would never abandon you, Kit. I wouldn’t,” said Jade shaking her head. “I wouldn't do that. You mean too much to me. My plan is to come back here as soon as I’m done my training. I want to take my oath here in Tir Asleen. This is my home. I promise you, I’m coming back.”

Kit’s thoughts became muddled with an influx of emotions hitting her all at once. Relief was first. Jade didn’t want to leave Tir Asleen for some other adventure. She wanted to be here, with Kit. She understood that Jade couldn’t be permanently assigned to anyone in the royal family without proper training. Her mother had been extremely lenient, letting her and Jade ride around the kingdom like she wasn’t the Princess of Tir Asleen. Her mother always complained that they should take a royal knight along with them. Kit pushed back against this as she never wanted their time together to be infringed upon. Sorsha had sat her down numerous times to explain that once she was married this wouldn’t be allowed to continue. The thought of seeing Jade less felt excruciating. Yes, they’d be able to ride and train together still but they’d likely never be alone together ever again. No matter what Kit did, their future was going to be very different moving forward. Everything was going to change, and she hated that there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She never wanted to burden Jade with her duties. Jade was the one part of her life where she felt free. Ever since her dad left, she felt like her presence, her existence, was an annoyance to everyone around her. She’d be Queen until Elora Danan returned. She was a stand-in for something…someone better. Undoubtedly, the citizens of the kingdom, the Realm, would only be disappointed with her and Graydon’s succession. Their marriage would unite Tir Asleen and Galladoorn, but it was a poor stand-in for an Empress with magical powers. Everyone was waiting for the day Elora Danan returned, not some marriage of convenience.

Kit doubted the possibility of Elora Danan’s return therefore there was no end in sight for her. She’d be Queen one day, and she’d likely remain Queen for the rest of her life. The burden had always felt suffocating. Her mother hadn’t lied in their conversation earlier, she had prepared Kit for this. She knew what was expected of her, even if she loathed it. But knowing that Jade wanted to return to Tir Asleen to take her oath meant Jade could be a part of the Pacalcade, and Kit would make sure Jade was assigned as her own personal knight. This definitely wasn’t a bad idea. In fact, it might be a great idea, but it meant they’d be separated for what would feel like an eternity. 

Kit could see that Jade was still fighting back tears and she desperately wanted to bring them back to their equilibrium. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen Jade quite like this. She seemed so broken. Kit wanted her to know that, of course, she had her blessing. She didn’t need it, but if that’s what Jade wanted, she’d give it. 

Tir Asleen might be both of our homes, but it’s going to feel empty without you here. You’re my home.

Kit inhaled, taking a deep, steadying breath.

“Jade, you mean everything to me, and I want you to go after what you want. I do. I just…wasn’t expecting everything to change so suddenly, but that was going to happen whether or not you got into the Shining Legion.” Kit paused.

Jade raised her eyebrows. You mean everything to me? What does that mean? Jade re-focused on what Kit was saying.

“I’m so proud of you. Getting into the Shining Legion…that’s an incredible feat. You’re extraordinary and we need to celebrate! We need to have some fun!” said Kit, almost lifting her arms in emphasis but remembered she was still holding up her gown.

“So you’re not mad at me?” asked Jade.

“Mad? No. Well…I was. Initially. I think your plan is a good one, actually.”

“Really? Because I feel like I’ve ruined everything.”

Kit placed a hand on Jade’s shoulder. “There’s not much you could do that would ruin everything. We can be together when you come back.”

Jade’s eyes widened. Together.

“Sure, the next forty moons are going to be tortuous and I’ll probably despise everything and everyone until you return. I’ll likely be a complete menace while you’re gone, but the kingdom will just have to deal with it,” Kit said, as she shrugged.

“How are you taking this so well?” Jade asked.

“I’m not! I’m burying it! I’ll deal with it all over the next forty moons but I’m not about to waste any more of this evening.” 

Jade knew Kit’s patience for being upset was minimal. Kit always preferred to spur herself into action instead of dwelling on things, which she honestly preferred as well, so she was more than happy to move on and still make something of the night.

“We have to do something fun tonight, but I’ll need to change out of this,” said Kit, kicking a foot out from the bottom of her tight fitting mermaid-style gown.

As Kit sauntered past Jade towards the privacy screen on the far side of her bedroom, she purred into Jade’s ear, “Hey, maybe you can make it up to me tonight somehow.”

Shocked by the proximity of Kit’s lips to her ear and now watching Kit’s exposed back, all Jade could respond with was, “uuhhhh,” as Kit dropped the top of her dress. It flopped down the front of Kit’s torso and Jade’s mouth dropped open. She wanted to chivalrously look away but she was too curious, too surprised. Kit tugged at the sides of her dress and pushed it down past her waist. Kit wandered behind the screen just as the dress started to slide down past her hips, catching a glimpse of the top of Kit’s ass.

Chapter Text

Kit disappeared behind the screen and Jade stood frozen in place, mouth agape with astonishment. What just happened? Did Kit really just do THAT?! “You mean everything to me” “Together” and now THIS! What is going on?!

Jade loved to lightly tease Kit, but she wouldn’t say she was good at flirting. She desperately wanted to be better at it, and she did attempt to on the rare occasion, but was always cognizant not to overstep too much with the Princess. She mostly let Kit lead the way anytime there was something sitting there between them; tension or a hint of something more. There were times where she couldn’t help herself, though. If they were sparring and she gained the upper hand and was able to drop Kit on her ass and pin her down, she’d do it. They both flirted and challenged each other in sparring sessions. It was a part of their dynamic and Jade was so grateful for it. It made their sessions that much more fun, and Kit always pushed Jade to teach her more. When Kit had started winning several of their sparring sessions in a row, Kit knew Jade was holding back.

Jade would never forget that day. The earful of curses she received from Kit was the most intense and passionate that she had ever seen Kit. It was surprisingly sexy seeing her so worked up; demanding Jade take her more seriously. Kit was right, and she decided to never hold back in a fight ever again. It was easy to not hold back physically, she was used to that. Emotionally…that was a different story. Jade had never been good at expressing her emotions, or talking them through. Things seemed so cloudy and muddled when she tried expressing her feelings. It was always too overwhelming, and made her feel small and weak like she was an orphaned child once again. She hated feeling that fragile, that adrift. 

The anger, confusion, and sadness that she had felt as a child, after the death of her family, was constantly bubbling below the surface. It was why she preferred action over emotions. It’s why she gravitated toward wanting to be a knight. There was always something to learn, something to do as a knight. It kept her busy. When her thoughts were focused on a task, her emotions would remain in check. She craved the structure. She needed it. 

Kit stepped out from behind the screen in a night robe that stopped a couple of inches above her knee, and Jade couldn’t help but look at the smooth skin of Kit’s thigh peeking out from under the robe. Jade inhaled deeply.

“I was thinking-” Kit was cut-off.

“I have an idea, actually,” Jade interrupted while standing up taller, edging her chin upwards so Kit knew she was serious, like she had done countless times before whenever she wanted Kit to listen to her. 

Kit had shamelessly flirted with her and Jade had loved every moment of it so she was going to follow Kit’s lead once again. Kit said they should have fun, so Jade would oblige.

Kit took in Jade’s serious expression, taking a step closer to her. “Well, what is it then?” she asked.

“So you want me to make it up to you, right?” Jade said. Kit couldn’t pinpoint the exact inflection in Jade’s voice, but it was enticing. Nervous perhaps. Taunting maybe. Both somehow?

”I mean, yeah, you kind of owe me one, Jade.” Kit teased, hoping she was matching Jade’s energy.

“Okay, well…” Jade ran her fingers down the lapel of her dress stopping only when they went over her chest, “I can’t possibly make it up to you in this.”

Kit’s eyes had followed Jade’s fingers down her dress and was still staring at her chest when Jade lowered her voice and commanded, “Kit, come here.”

Kit quickly snapped her eyes up to meet Jade’s; her demeanor shifted immediately. As per usual, as soon as Jade switched to that particular tone, Kit couldn’t help but listen. She normally was terrible at taking commands or following instructions from others, but with Jade it was different. Of course, she pushed back and challenged Jade whenever she felt it was necessary, and she always felt comfortable doing so. She was the Princess, after all. But something about that particular tone always made Kit stand up straighter, pull in closer, focus her attention, and listen to what Jade was about to say next.

Jade continued, “You know how I feel about gowns and wearing them, and yet I had to wear this one tonight. For you. So you’re going to help me.”

“Help you?” Kit asked, confused.

“I’ve been fiddling with this uncomfortable waist belt all night, and part of it undoes in the back so I need your help to remove it,” Jade said, moving her hands to the front of the belt, slowly undoing a small knot.

Kit’s eyes followed Jade’s hands, watching carefully as she undid it. The material at the front of the belt released, draping down and curving slightly around Jade’s waist. The material was held in place by the lacework on the backside. Jade reached for Kit’s hand and pulled her closer. She held Kit’s gaze, and put Kit’s hand on her waist and moved it towards the backside of her dress, “Could you undo the laces back there?”

Kit looked at Jade’s hand covering her own while she gripped Jade’s waist causing her heart to pound so loudly in her chest that she could feel it in her ears. Kit’s breathing stuttered as she looked back up into Jade’s eyes. Sweet. Mercy.

Kit may have been shocked by Jade’s forthright flirtation but it felt so natural to touch Jade like this. She didn’t want to move her hand away, in fact, she wanted to slide her arm around Jade’s back and pull her closer. But she hesitated. She was never sure if she should take their flirting to the next level or not. It had always confused her because Jade never seemed to initiate any of it but she was quick to tease and flirt back. The one exception seemed to be when Jade started leaving flowers at her bedroom door. Kit was so surprised and enamoured by the gesture. It continued for months before stopping suddenly one day without explanation. Kit assumed that any feelings that Jade may have had for her had dwindled. 

Kit had started this bout of teasing that Jade was now reciprocating, but this felt slightly different than every other time before. The way Jade was looking at her now, how Jade had clasped her hand and pulled her closer, Jade’s breathing which seemed to match Kit’s; deep and rapid. Each second felt like there was more meaning, more weight behind it. It was exhilarating.

“Turn around,” said Kit. Her hand swept over Jade’s torso as Jade turned. Kit undid the large knot on the lacework, then gently pulled at each of the strings to work through loosening the entire belt. Jade let out a sigh at the release of tension. At that sound, Kit felt a swell of heat course down her body starting from her chest, before settling low in her belly.

When the waist belt seemed loose and had slipped down to her hips, Jade looked over her shoulder to ask Kit, “Could you help slide it down?”

“Down? Are you sure?” Kit questioned, as she felt her whole body warm as she instinctively looked at  Jade’s exquisite backside.

“I don’t want my hair to get caught in it,” Jade replied.

Kit paused as she swallowed hard, feeling the dryness in her throat from her heavy breathing. Jade, still looking over her shoulder, gave Kit a “go on” expression as she nodded.

Grabbing the loosened sides of the belt, Kit noticed the warmth of Jade’s body as her fingers curled around the sides of it. Her eyes landed on the curve of Jade’s waist and hips. Looking at that particular area on Jade had always stirred something deep within Kit, so she normally tried to avoid eyeing it for too long, except in this moment her eyes were locked. Kit had to shake her head to snap herself out of it and re-focus.

Kit was trying her best to be gentle but the belt got tighter and tighter as Kit wiggled it down until it became stuck right at the widest part of Jade’s hips, sitting right over the top of Jade’s ass.

“Oh sh-shoot, it’s a little stuck,” said Kit.

“Well, you’ll need to loosen it more then, Princess,” Jade said with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Kit paused, then smirked and nodded her head once, knowing exactly what Jade was doing but Kit refused to be outdone. Not when it came to flirting, at least. Jade may have the upper hand in sword play, but Kit definitely had the upper hand in teasing and she couldn't let Jade win this encounter. 

Kit dutifully worked her fingers through the laces again but made sure not to loosen it too much. She wasn’t about to ruin her new plan by having the belt loosely drop to the floor.

Kit straightened her posture and stepped around and met Jade face to face.

Surprised, Jade quietly said, “Oh.” She looked Kit up and down and bit her lip.

Kit grinned, looked deeply into Jade’s eyes and allowed her breathing to even out before putting her hands on Jade’s waist, gripping it. Kit was once again hit with the feeling of how right this all felt. How much she wanted to touch Jade like this.

She knelt down on one knee in front of Jade, slid her hands down from Jade’s waist to where the belt was sitting on her hips and slowly pulled it down over her hips and ass. Kit looked up at Jade, catching her stunned expression. 

All too pleased with the look on Jade’s face, Kit was unable to hide the self-satisfied grin on her own. Gotcha. Your move, Claymore.

Kit had that grin plastered across her face. Jade equally loved and hated that grin because it always meant a bit of mischief on Kit’s part. Right now, she loved it because this was Jade’s favourite type of Kit Tanthalos mischief, and she was more than ready to play the game.

Jade looked down at Kit who had just reached her feet with the belt. Okay, Tanthalos. You’re on.

Jade lifted her gown so her shoes were poking out, and stepped out of the waist belt. She lifted a leg and put one of her shoes on Kit’s knee she asked, “While you’re down there, can you undo my shoes?” 

Kit cleared her throat. “Of course,” she replied.

Jade lifted her gown higher exposing the entirety of her shoe along with most of her bare leg, midway past her thigh. She noticed Kit looking her leg up and down before grabbing the back of her calf and repositioning her foot on Kit’s knee. She undid the laces and slipped the shoe off Jade’s foot. Before Jade could move it, Kit ran a hand up her foot, past her ankle, midway up her calf and back down again, rubbing and massaging with her fingers and said, “That must feel better.” And it did feel better, the shoes had been too tight but as the dull ache in her foot receded, one formed between her legs and Jade tilted her head back in pleasure from Kit’s brief but indulgent massage.

“Again?” questioned Kit.

“What?” Jade asked, coming back to her senses.

“Your other foot. You need me to remove that shoe too, right?” Kit chuckled.

“Oh, right,” Jade smiled, as she moved her other foot to Kit’s knee. Kit repeated the same process with her other foot, and Jade could sense she was losing herself in the moment. She didn’t want Kit’s hands to stop. 

Why should I stop? Kit started this, I’m just following her lead, and she’s not stopping so maybe she wants this too. 

“Can you help with the rest?” Jade asked. 

Kit rose and visibly gulped, “The rest?” 

“Grab this, will you?” Jade motioned to the blue outer robe portion of her dress so Kit could pull on the sleeves. “You know, I think I must have injured my shoulder when you bested me on top of the Canyon Maze today. I wouldn’t want to exacerbate the injury by pulling the robe off all by myself,” she said in a tone so sarcastic, so deliciously teasing that even she was surprised by it.

Maybe she could do this flirting thing after all. She was definitely enjoying it more and more.

“It must have been that loose rock you slipped on,” Kit poked back.

They both flashed a curious, coquettish smile at each other.

Keep your cool, Kit. You got this. You’re a Tanthalos, remember. This is totally fine. This is more than fine, actually. This is fun.

“Wait, is this one whole piece or two?” Kit questioned as she looked at Jade’s gown.

“Two.” Jade cocked an eyebrow. “Were you hoping for only one?” Jade teased. 

Kit smiled. “No. That would ruin the fun.” Kit saw Jade’s breathing deepen; her chest heaving. Jade’s gaze bore into Kit, captivating her. She had never seen this particular look before. The intensity of it pierced a part of her. It felt wondrous and sublime.

I want her. I’ve wanted her for so long. Kit was flooded with the thought over and over again. This is why touching Jade had felt so right, so instinctive, so natural.

Kit felt a new clarity wash over her. This is why she spiralled after finding out about Jade leaving for Galladoorn. Why her world suddenly felt so small upon learning the news. She didn’t want to lose Jade. Not just because she was her best friend, but because she was everything good in Kit’s life. The way she challenged Kit, the beliefs she held that were so different from her own but were integral to Jade’s being. Jade’s faithfulness, her seriousness, her loyalty, her courage.

It felt painful not to reach out and touch Jade as she stood in front of her looking so delightfully brazen that it made every muscle in Kit’s body feel electric. Does Jade feel the same way? Or is this just harmless teasing before she leaves for Galladoorn?  Whatever the answer was, Kit desperately wanted to know if Jade felt the same way she did so she decided to take a risk.

Kit took a step closer to Jade so they were mere inches apart, and met her eyes. Kit slowly ran her hand up Jade’s arm, taking in the moment when Jade bit her lower lip. She imagined her own teeth grabbing it, and couldn’t stop herself from darting out her own tongue to lick her lips. Reaching Jade’s shoulder, Kit ran her hand under the outer blue robe, separating the layer from the golden hued inner robe. Kit did the same with her other hand, and separated the two layers from each other on Jade’s other shoulder. She worked the robe apart from the underlayer and pushed it down Jade’s shoulders and upper arms. They were so close that Kit felt Jade’s hair tickling the side of her cheek. It took all of her willpower not to bury her face in the curls.

The blue robe dropped to the floor behind Jade. Kit stepped back and was transfixed by what she saw. The top of the golden under robe was semi-sheer. It was sheer enough that Kit could make out the dark hues surrounding Jade’s hardened nipples. 

Fuck. 

The only reason Kit stopped staring was when she heard a low, familiar, warm voice whisper, “Kit.”

“Kit, I-” Jade stuttered. “I want to show you the rest.” Kit’s eyes rose up to meet Jade’s.

Kit nodded vigorously, “I would be very into that.” She internally winced. I would be very into that. Mothers Almighty. 

Jade reached for the first button of the underlayer. “Wait,” said Kit. “I want to do it. If that’s okay.” The caramel brown of Jade’s eyes seemed to warm even more as she smiled softly at Kit. The smile calmed Kit’s nerves as it felt like a yes. But she waited for Jade to say it.

“It’s more than okay,” said Jade. She reached down and grabbed Kit’s hand and placed it on her clavicle and slowly moved it down to the top button that sat between her breasts, in the middle of her sternum. Her breath caught as Kit’s fingers wrapped around the button. She nodded at Kit, who stared back with her piercing, dilated blue eyes. Kit brought her other hand up to work the button loose. Jade could feel the goosebumps forming on her skin as the robe draped open a bit more when Kit undid the first button.

Jade couldn’t believe this was really happening. Kit. Her Kit had asked to do this. And Jade just let her. No thoughts about her duties or her responsibilities. Want enveloped her. It ignited every part of her body, and she couldn’t help herself. She didn’t care about anything else at that moment. 

The back of Kit’s fingers grazed down from Jade’s sternum to her belly button. Kit undid the second button less efficiently than the first, making an adorable hmmm sound and furrowed her brow as she struggled with it. Jade let out a light giggle. Kit snapped her eyes up to Jade’s.

“Go on,” Jade encouraged. 

“I can’t,” said Kit. Her face became serious which concerned Jade. Oh no. She's realized this is a huge mistake. I’ve made a huge mistake. Shit.

“Wh-Um. That’s okay,” Jade said, flustered. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Kit. Just forget about-”

“No, Jade. You misunderstand me,” interrupted Kit as she gripped the front of Jade’s robe with one hand and curled her arm around Jade’s back with the other. “I can’t undress you because I want to kiss you before I see you naked.”

“Oh!” Jade exclaimed. Finally! 

“And in about ten seconds I’m going to kiss you so if you don’t want that-”

“Yes, I, I wo-” Jade took a steading breath, before mimicking Kit from earlier, “I mean, I would be very into that.” Jade smirked.

Kit smiled. Jade slowly wrapped her arms around the back of Kit’s neck as they both moved their heads closer. She looked down at Kit’s lips, taking in the heat Kit’s body pressed against her own. Jade pressed her forehead to Kit’s as their chests heaved against each other. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She closed her eyes, taking in the feel of Kit’s embrace. Kit moved the hand that was pressed between them up and cupped Jade’s jaw. Jade opened her eyes as she felt Kit tenderly rub her thumb along Jade’s cheek. Kit closed the space between their lips. Jade’s bottom lip grazed Kit’s before a loud rapping on the bedroom door startled them.

Jade yelped and jumped back in shock. 

“Kit, open up! It’s important!” yelled Airk.

A huge thank you to crystal_clear88 for making this video edit for the fic! You can find her HERE on twitter for more amazing video edits!

Chapter Text

Kit turned her head to look at the bedroom door. Jade sighed heavily in clear frustration. Kit went to head towards the door but was stopped as Jade grabbed her arm and whispered “Kit, pass me a robe. The top of this thing is a bit sheer.”

Kit smirked, “Oh, I noticed.”

Jade snapped her fingers and lightly commanded, "Robe. Now."

“Come on, Kit! Open up!” yelled Airk.

“Gee whiz! Give me a blummin’ minute, will you?” Kit yelled back at the door. She ran to her dresser and pulled out a robe and tossed it to Jade, who hid behind the privacy screen.

Kit unlocked the door, opening it just a crack but Airk pushed his way into Kit’s bedroom. He rushed past her with a giant basket in his hands and put it down on the dresser nearest her bed.

“This was outside your door. Got some late night snacks, huh?” he asked, not waiting for an answer. Kit noticed all the items she had requested from the maid earlier. Airk plopped onto her bed, laid back, and spoke frenziedly, “I can’t believe it, Kit. I wasn’t sure, you know, until we talked. This was right after mom yelled at us. I just thought, I’ve never felt like this with anyone before and so when I saw her and she mentioned feeling jealous, I realized, you know, I could commit. I wanted to commit. I never want her to feel jealous. I want her to know, I’m hers." 

Airk rambled, completely oblivious to the fact that Jade was on the other side of her bedroom. Kit tried listening to Airk but she was fuming at the interruption. He ruined our moment!

Airk continued, “-so we went to my bedroom and we just had this amazing moment of letting each other know exactly how we felt about each other, and how we always want to be together-“

Kit looked over to the screen Jade had hidden behind, and saw Jade peek her head out past one of the sides. Jade gave Airk a menacing glare. She was directing her ire towards Airk but Kit knew full well that Jade’s patience was only going to last so long so Kit interjected, “Wait, what are you talking about, Airk?”

“Dove! I asked her to marry me, and she said yes!”

“Dove? The kitchen maid?!” asked Kit, disdain dripping from her voice. “Does mom know? Do you really think she’s going to be okay with you marrying the kitchen maid?”

“Stop calling her the kitchen maid, and I’m going to tell mom...soon. She’ll have to be okay with it eventually, because it’s what we both want.” Airk waved his hand dismissing Kit’s questions. “She just makes me feel, you know, she’s just so-“

Kit interjected, “Okay, first off. I’m not calling her Dove. That’s not her real name so-“

“Well, maybe you’d know her name if you paid more attention,” Airk snapped back.

“Well, maybe-“

“For the love of-“ Jade interrupted them; revealing herself from behind the screen and now wearing the robe Kit had tossed her. Jade rubbed her forehead in frustration, "-you two, I swear. It’s Brunhilde…her name is Brunhilde!” 

Airk startled and sat up on Kit’s bed. He looked across the room and was met with a stern-faced Jade. With hands on her hips, Jade was barely containing her annoyance.

“Oh! Uh, heeeey Jade,” said Airk, pulling himself off of Kit’s bed.

Jade rolled her eyes, turning on her heels, and went to sit in a chair by Kit’s bedroom window.

“Okay, hint taken. Hint taken. So sorry to interrupt,” he said, bowing his head as he backed towards the bedroom door. “Now don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you two.”

Kit shook her head, “There’s literally nothing you wouldn’t do.”

“Exactly, little sis,” he said, winking at her. Kit scrunched her face. She hated when he called her “little sis.” Kit knew Airk knew this, but he loved getting under her skin. They’re twins, literally one born one right after the other, it didn’t seem fair he should claim he’s older because he was technically born first.

“Ugh. Airk, Get out,” Kit said as she pushed him towards the door.

Kit stopped pushing once he was at the door threshold. “Hey, I am really happy for you,” she said before pulling him in for a hug. As she released him from the hug, he beamed. “Thanks, sis!” he said.

“Do you really think she’ll let you marry Brunhilde, though? You know…because she’s not highborn or whatever,” Kit questioned.

“She’s going to have to let me. It’s either that or I don’t get married. Let’s see how she feels about that! And I love her. I’d do anything for her, even endure mom’s wrath,” Airk laughed. 

“Yeah, maybe remind her of your previous indiscretions and I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear you’re ready to settle down.” Kit winked.

“Hey, those were not indiscretions. I cared about-”

“Okay, time for you to leave, remember,” Kit said as she pushed him further out the door.

He laughed, “Okay, fine.” Airk’s smile warped into his notorious, irritating smirk as he gave Kit a double thumbs up and added, “Now, don’t waste the night. If you know what I mean.”

Kit rolled her eyes and slammed the door on him.

Reeling from Airk’s news, Kit turned away from the door and walked over to the dresser and started pulling items from the basket. She poured water from the pitcher into the small basin and grabbed several cloths. Kit wasn’t sure why but she felt disjointed at Airk’s announcement. She was happy for him, truly. But as she gathered the basket items, she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. An aching lump formed in her throat. She felt like the moment she and Jade had just minutes ago had passed. Like that moment was just as lost as she was feeling right now.

I’d do anything for her, even endure mom’s wrath. Airk’s words echoed in her thoughts.

Airk was able to openly express his love for Brunhilde. He may have had plenty of indiscretions before but he had never uttered the word ‘love’ when it came to other women. Kit had often felt envious of her brother; he didn’t have the burden of the crown to think about. He wasn’t bound by the same rules as her. He could love openly and without hesitation. The thought buried itself into Kit’s brain.

Love.

Kit looked across the room to Jade, who was giving her a strange look. She must have sensed that Kit was feeling out of sorts. She was so good at that, knowing when Kit’s mood had shifted.

They had almost kissed. She had nearly seen Jade naked. She wanted to desperately get back to that moment they had shared, but a prickly, jealous feeling clawed away within her.

Airk can marry someone he loves, why can’t I? Jade gets to chase her dream of being a knight. What do I get to chase? Nothing. I have nothing, not even Jade anymore.

The feelings swelled and threatened to become unruly and irrational. Kit tried to contain it by taking deep breaths. She knew that when she went down this path, it never ended well. She had to get her bearings.  

Kit turned and shuffled towards the chair Jade was sitting in. Jade’s eyes followed her the entire way. Kit could barely meet them under the weight of new, resentful feelings.

“We still have kohl and rouge on our faces,” she said as she held the water basin and cloths. “We should probably wipe it off.” 

Jade looked Kit up and down, taking in the supplies Kit was holding. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed and nodded, “Okay, let’s get cleaned up.”

Kit must have come to her senses. Jade noticed the change in Kit’s body language after Airk left. How Kit’s movements slowed, and the tension in her body became palpable. Kit’s whole demeanor had become serious and somber. Understanding that the moment between them had dissipated, Jade decided to go along with whatever Kit wanted to do now. 

Kneeling before Jade, Kit carefully placed the water basin on the ground beside the chair. Jade had a momentary flashback to when Kit had knelt before her earlier. It felt like mere moments ago. Much like the first time Kit had done this, Jade’s face flushed and her palms sweat as heat radiated through her body. She knew this wasn’t like the first time, but Jade’s body reacted instinctively. She cursed that her body was always a dead giveaway for her feelings, but hoped Kit wouldn’t notice.

Kit dipped a cloth in the basin water then squeezed it out. “Can I?” she said, motioning at Jade’s forehead.

Jade nodded. 

“Lean forward a bit, yeah?” Kit directed, as she scooched herself closer to Jade.

Kit gently rubbed the cloth over Jade’s forehead, wiping a dot above each of her eyebrows, and Jade closed her eyes remembering the few times Kit had been this gentle before: Kit bandaging a small, rare wound of Jade’s, Kit coming into her quarters a few times before a big banquet or event and helping Jade braid her hair. She got lost in the thought as Kit worked her way from Jade’s forehead and eyebrows to her cheeks. 

Kit dipped the cloth in more water, squeezed it out, and proceeded to wipe down between Jade’s eyebrows, her nose, and across her lips.

Kit and Jade had removed each other's kohl and rouge on the rare occasion before but this felt different. Jade could feel the gentle consideration with which Kit was stroking the cloth across the different parts of her face. It was the same gentleness with which Kit had removed her shoes, and hope bloomed in Jade’s chest and she wanted to give the same gentleness back to Kit. 

A line of water fell from the cloth, slid down the front of Jade’s neck and between her cleavage. Jade opened her eyes as a light breeze from the window cooled the water running down her chest, and shivered. Goosebumps formed across her entire body. Kit paused momentarily and caught Jade’s eyes. Kit smiled but it wasn’t a true smile; the edges of Kit’s mouth were turned down. Kit had something on her mind. Something was burdening her. Kit rinsed the cloth again. 

When Kit brought the cloth up to Jade’s face again, she hesitated as she approached Jade’s top eyelid. She had aimed for one of the twelve dots around Jade’s eye but withdrew the cloth, “These dots that you apply for special occasions, I know they represent the twelve Great Domains. I know you take your faith very seriously, but how do you have faith in all that?”

For years, Jade had always donned twelve dots around her eyes to indicate the twelve Great Domains. Any big festivals or banquets in Tir Asleen, she’d take the extra time to place the twelve dots around her eyes. She knew it was an unusual practice. It wasn’t a practice that anyone else did, even if they were a believer in the twelve Great Domains. It was something she did for herself, and no one else. Her faith was her own. 

Jade was genuinely perplexed by Kit’s question. How? She knew Kit didn’t hold the same beliefs. She didn’t mind questions about her faith most of the time, but Kit had a knack for finding the most blunt and exasperating lines of inquiry. Kit loved to straddle the line between curious and abrasive. She didn’t want them to get into another fight so Jade prepared herself for a barrage of questions, while trying to clamp down on the bristling feeling inside her that built up when people scrutinized her faith.

Chapter Text

Kit could sense Jade slowly building up her defenses by the shift in her posture. Kit admired Jade’s faith. She always had. Jade seemed to operate resolutely on her faith and duty. It felt so far removed from what she felt about her own life, and her own beliefs. Jade seemed to find comfort and purpose in her faith. She wished she could find something that gave her that same resoluteness.

“Thirteen, technically.” Jade corrected.

Kit’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?” she responded.

“Technically, there are thirteen Domains. The Circle of the World is Fire, Earth, Water, Air. The Circle of the Flesh is Greater Faery, Lesser Faery, Daikini, Malevoiy. The Circle of the Spirit is Hope, Despair, Life, and Death. That’s twelve, but the thirteen Domain is Elora Danan. The one who unites all the Domains.” 

Kit pushed back her hair with her hand, and scratched the top of her head. “Um, okay, but how do you have faith in all that?”

“I just do. That’s why it’s called faith, Kit." Jade took in a deep breath. "But it’s more than that. My duty and faith are intertwined. I believe the Empress will return one day and I want to do what I can to help facilitate it. It gives me hope. It gives me purpose.”

“Which is why you want to train with the Shining Legion and serve the Realm?” Kit asked.

“Yes. That one of the many reasons I want to train with them," Jade replied.

Kit sighed. “I guess, I don’t, -" Kit paused a moment. "I don't understand how you have faith that Elora Danan will return. My Dad took her away to help protect her, to hide her, but he didn’t come back. He may never come back. It’s been so long that I’ve lost count of the number of days that have passed. Why do you think she’ll return?” Kit challenged, her eyes burrowing into Jade’s.

Jade frowned. She could feel the intensity of Kit's frustration. Jade always had a hard time explaining her faith. She didn't feel like she had to. That was the whole point. It's was belief, not an immutable fact. “I just do, Kit. I can’t explain it. I feel it, and I hold onto that feeling to give me strength in moments of darkness or confusion. I use it to guide my actions so I can help bring forth a better world; not just for the Empress but for everyone.”

A considering look crossed Kit’s face, before it hardened once again. “I’ve never believed in any of that. I don’t have faith that she’ll return. I just-“ Kit’s voice shook. Her throat and chest felt tight. “How can I believe she’ll return when the one person who was supposed to protect her has been missing for so long?” Kit sniffled, tears forming in her eyes.

Jade bit her lip in contemplation. She knew she had to tread carefully. Madmartigan’s disappearance was a devastating loss for the royal family, and Kit never hid that she would give anything to have her father back. Jade felt the same about her own mother. Even though she was younger than Kit when she had lost her mother, she would still do anything to see her again. Witnessing her mother's death haunted her, but she knew her mother's fate unlike Kit. Jade imagined Kit was equally haunted; but by not knowing what happened to her father.

Jade hadn’t known Kit when Madmartigan left Tir Asleen to hide Elora Danan. It wasn’t until Kit was in her early teens that her and Jade started training together. Jade always thought Sorsha had enlisted her help because Kit needed someone close to her age to spend time with besides Airk. When they had first met, Kit was turbulent and disengaged. Jade had thought there was no possible way she’d be able to teach Kit anything with her unruly nature, but she was happy to be proven wrong. Kit’s unruliness never truly abated; it was her double-edged sword. Cutting and harmful on one edge but when used with precision, when properly trained, Kit could be formidable. Jade had to find that fine edge, the one that she knew Kit had within her. She just had to figure out exactly what Kit was digging for.

Feeling bitter and frustrated, Kit raised her voice, “I don’t know how one is supposed to fulfill their duties when they don’t believe in any of it. What's the point of it? I’m supposed to be…what, some sort of stand-in for a magical Empress?!”

“You’re not a stand-in, Kit! Would you say that about your Mother? Is she a stand-in for Elora Danan, too?” Jade huffed.

“No, of course not!" Kit rolled her eyes, letting out a haughty breath. "But she understands the Crown. She helped raise Elora Danan before sending her away with my dad. She has faith like you. She knows how to rule, she formed the Queen’s Counsel, the Tir Asleen-Galladoorn treaty, you know, royal stuff.” Kit sighed defiantly, “Why should I care about my apparent duty to the Realm when I don’t believe in any of it?”

The irritation Jade had felt subsided. Kit wasn't questioning Jade’s faith; she was searching for a something else. Kit had always had a probing mind. She questioned everything. It was occasionally annoying, but mostly it was a quality Jade loved and appreciated. Jade raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. She fixed her eyes on Kit, lightly challenging her. She knew Kit wasn’t done. 

Kit took a deep breath, pressed her lips together, and slowly released a breath through her nose. “Why should I marry Graydon Hastur, Jade? Everything inside me is screaming to run away, to leave Tir Asleen, and with you leaving that voice grows louder and louder by the minute. You get to leave Tir Asleen, and go off and learn how to be a knight. But I’m stuck here.”

“Stuck here? In this beautiful castle...getting waited on by staff and eating delicious food." Jade tried to not sound condescending but she knew that came out in a less than favourable tone. She knew Kit was struggling but the thought of the next forty moons in Galladoorn, likely living in crowded training quarters on mediocre food was all she could compare it to in the moment. She had grown up in less than ideal living quarters so the thought of feeling stuck in Tir Asleen's castle was a hard to fathom. 

Annoyed, Kit put her head in her hands. "That's not-" Kit sighed. 

Jade pondered Kit's frustration for a moment. "I'm sorry, Kit. It is tough for me to see how you would feel stuck here at times since I grew up in very different circumstances, but I do understand how it would feel that way to you." Jade reached out and put her hand on Kit's arm. "Look, I know you're frustrated about your upcoming marriage to Graydon. I am too. We are, unfortunately, both bound by our stations in life. But do you think going to train as a knight is freedom? Because it’s not. It’s a different type of duty, but a duty still. One that I am choosing to do. And now you have a choice to make, Kit. Sure, you can choose to run away but I think Gods what a horrible waste that would be.”

“A waste?” Kit asked, dismayed. She leaned back on her knees, and Jade's hand dropped from her arm. A waste of what?!

Jade leaned forward, closing the space Kit had created between them. “Of your potential,” she said. “I don’t think you have to believe in the Great Domains, or in Elora Danan. I think the only thing you need to have faith in, is yourself. You are a great many things, Kit Tanthalos, but you’re not someone who runs away when life gets tough. I see it in you every day; your resilience, your persistence. You are strong-willed, adaptable, and I think you could be what this Realm needs. I think you could be an amazing Queen.”

Taken aback, Kit's eyes widened. She froze. It was a rare occasion that left her speechless.

Jade reached out and put her hand on Kit’s shoulder. A soft smile drew across her face. “I think you can find great purpose outside of faith. You don’t need to be a believer to help unite kingdoms or the Realm. You can do it for your own reasons. You just need to find out what those reasons are. You need to find out if you’re willing to perform that duty." Jade squeezed Kit's shoulder. "You know, I’d support you either way. If you decide to leave and pursue a different path for yourself or if you decide to stay, and even if you marry Graydon Hastur…I’ll always be by your side.” Jade paused, realizing the error of her words. Flustered, she scrunched her face at the mistake. “Um, well, I guess I mean that metaphorically over the next forty moons…you know like emotionally and, uh, I hope we'll write each other while I'm away. But, you know, after my training, then I mean literally - I'll be by your side. Uh, if you’ll have me. And, I guess, if you’re still here in Tir Asleen.”

Kit couldn’t help the small smile that formed at the side of her mouth. She always found it cute when Jade became flustered and stumbled over her words. If you’ll have me…if you’re still here.

“So you think I should stay?” Kit asked, raising her eyebrows.

“I do.” Jade nodded.

“But I don’t want to marry Graydon.” Kit's face wrinkled with disgust.

“You’re not being asked to love Graydon, you know that, right? Just to bring the two kingdoms together through marriage, but you get to determine what that marriage looks like. It can be what you make it. I'm not sure what that could look like or how you'd navigate that but you are really good at improvising so even if you went that route, I'm sure you'd be able to figure it out."

Holding Kit's shoulder tight, Jade rubbed her thumb along it. “I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t marry him. That’s up to you, Kit. But I do think you could help bring security and stability to the Realm and that’s something really special.” Jade paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing, “The lives that you can influence and protect are so important. Your mother, your father, have kept peace and brought safety to the people of Tir Asleen. There can be a unity between the kingdoms that can help broker lasting peace and cooperation. It’s by no means a simple task, but if you wield the power of the Crown with the care and resolve that I know you’re capable of, I think the people of the Realm will thrive.”

“You really think I’d be good at it?” questioned Kit.

Jade tilted her head to one side. “Kit, I’ve seen you study and train your ass off to learn all sorts of different techniques and weapons. Why would this be any different?”

“Because I actually wanted to learn that stuff,” Kit lightly scoffed. 

“Okay, truth plum me again,” Jade said, removing her hand from Kit’s shoulder only briefly to make a “come on” gesture before returning it.

Kit bobbed her head to one side. “Alright. Truth?”

“Plum,” Jade assertively responded. “So here’s the truth as I see it. Are you ready to be the Queen? No. Absolutely not.”

“Okay. Ouch. A bit harsh,” Kit responded.

“Stop pretending you’re actually offended by that,” Jade said, tilting her head down to peer at Kit. “Look, no one expects you to be ready to rule, or to suddenly become the Queen tomorrow. You’re not inheriting the throne yet. Sorsha will still rule and you'll have a chance to learn from her and have a say in how the two kingdoms operate. You can seek counsel with those closest to you, and all of the royal advisors and learn from them, and none of that means you can’t have some adventures. Your mother often travels because of her royal duties. You’ll get to go beyond the Barrier. She even keeps up with her training because of the threat of attacks. You’ll have to do the same. Maybe she could teach you a thing or two with the sword," Jade smirked, which Kit hesitantly returned.

"I know you yearn for something bigger, something more adventurous but who's to say this isn’t an adventure? It would certainly be your biggest challenge,” said Jade.

Kit took in Jade’s words. She had never considered the Crown as an adventure. That’s one way to look at it, I guess.

Kit started, “But-”

Jade interrupted. “I’m not done." She cleared her throat. "It’s true that you're being entrusted with a heavy burden. Which is why you have to determine if it’s worth it to stay and accept the duty you’re being asked to inherit.” Jade paused. She moved her hand down from Kit’s shoulder to her forearm, taking in the feeling of Kit’s muscles. She had seen Kit grow from a scrawny teenager to someone who could wield her sword against some of the best royal guards in the castle. She grabbed Kit’s hand and ran her thumb over Kit’s knuckles and looked deeply into Kit’s eyes, “Kit, you are at your core kind, just, brave, and curious. All great qualities for a Queen. I have just as much faith in you as I do in Elora Danan returning.” 

Kit looked down to where Jade was stroking her knuckles. A knot of butterflies built low in her belly. Her body went hot and she felt flush in her cheeks. The gentle smile on Jade’s face was warm and reverent. Kit hadn’t seen anybody look at her like that. It made her feel confident and at ease, like she could take on anything. 

Jade curled her smile to one side, “You’d be a pupil once again…if you’re willing to learn.”

Kit’s mouth dropped in a faux mocking manner, “I think I’m a pretty good student, thank you very much. A challenging one, perhaps, but still very willing to learn.” Kit formed a half-crooked smile back. Her eyes widened as she contemplated her predicament. Jade thinks I would make a good Queen? The thought bolstered her. It made her puff out her chest a bit. She had never truly thought out becoming the Queen. She only looked at that eventuality with dread and loathing because it seemed forced upon her. But maybe Jade’s right. Maybe I could make it my own. I don’t have to do it exactly how my mom does it. 

Unable to read Kit's bizarre expression, Jade lightly tapped on Kit’s knuckles, “Hey, are you okay? You just look a bit, um...deranged."

Kit was tired of contemplating everything. She had spent all night stewing about Jade leaving, and what that meant, and then Airk’s news. She was done. She didn’t know what she wanted once the sun came up but she did know what she wanted right now. It was right in front of her. Jade. She wanted to touch her. To be with her. Tomorrow's duties would pull them apart, but Kit finally knew what she wanted for this night. Their last night.

“You know, there’s really only one thing I want right now,” said Kit.

“And what’s that, Princess?” Jade replied.

“You, Jade. I want you.”

Jade’s mouth dropped slightly, and her eyes practically bulged out of her head at the shock of Kit’s words. Jade had finally heard the one thing she had been waiting years for. Her heart swelled and she unknowingly squeezed Kit’s hand, her short nails digging lightly into Kit’s skin. Jade knew this was the moment; the moment she had been waiting so long for. It was now or never.

A muffled sound caught in Jade’s throat as she tried to get the words out. "I am," she cleared her throat, “…and have been for some time, just totally, ridiculously, desperately in love with you.”

“Wha-uh, me?” stuttered Kit, fixing her eyes on Jade. When Kit had said that she wanted Jade she hadn't expected Jade to confess that she had been in love with her…for how long did Jade say?

“Yes, you,” Jade said in a tone so soft, gentle, and desperate that Kit was sure she was in a dream state. Jade released her grip on Kit’s hand and moved it up Kit’s arm. She moved her hand past Kit’s upper arm, across her shoulder and up her neck, stopping as she brushed her thumb over Kit’s ear and held her head in her hand and whispered, “Kit.” 

Kit closed her eyes and put her hand directly over Jade’s, feeling Jade hold the side of her head as her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. She held Jade's hand in place as she swayed into Jade’s touch, and took a couple of steadying breaths. She loves me? The thought bolstered her next move; finally ready to give into what had been building between them for years.

She took Jade’s hand from the side of her head and moved it towards her mouth. She tried to breathe calmly as she ran the tips of Jade's fingers across the length of her mouth, stopping briefly so she could breath in the smell of Jade and placed a kiss on Jade’s palm. Kit opened her eyes and met Jade’s only briefly. She took Jade’s open hand, moved it downwards so she could kiss across the top half of Jade’s fingers before tipping her head slightly downward, breaking eye contact so she could close Jade’s hand and place another lingering kiss on Jade’s knuckles. Kit worshiped these hands. These hands that had taught her so much. These hands that had been so steady in their sparring sessions, as steady as Jade’s own resolve.

Kit was almost too afraid to look at Jade out of fear she was experiencing a hallucination; a cruel delusion where Jade hadn’t said that she loved her.

Jade rotated her hand and Kit’s hand slipped into Jade’s grasp. As Jade held Kit's wrist, Kit immediately felt grounded. As Jade pulled Kit even closer, Kit knew it wasn’t a figment of her imagination, it was thankfully her reality.

With her other hand, Jade cupped Kit’s chin, directing it upward to look at her. Jade’s last vestige of patience drifted away as she ran her thumb over Kit’s bottom lip, “I swear on Mothers’ Gate, Kit...if you don’t kiss me right now, my scream will shatter the Barrier.”

Chapter Text

Kit lightly grasped Jade’s wrist and moved it down her neck, then between the folds of her robe, inviting Jade to touch her chest. Jade gasped as she gently squeezed one of Kit's breast. She caressed Kit's cheek with her other hand and and guided Kit towards their kiss. As their lips touched for the first time, they both stopped momentarily and took in a quick breath, and then pressed their lips together once again but firmer. Jade squeezed Kit’s breast harder as they kissed but she needed more. She moved her hand further into Kit’s robe to wrap her arm around Kit’s back. 

What started as slow and hesitant kisses quickly turned into deep, unleashed desire as Jade flicked her tongue into Kit’s mouth pulling a low groan from her. Kit's groan shot a line of wanton electricity down Jade’s body causing her to stand up from the chair, yanking Kit up along with her as to not break their kiss. Jade had imagined this moment far too many times in her mind and now that it was here, she kissed with desperation. She was finally indulging the deepest of cravings; making up for what was long overdue by pressing their bodies so tightly together that they nearly stumbled as she attempted to walk Kit backwards towards the bed. 

Quickly sensing what was happening, Kit turned them around so she could lead Jade backwards. There’s no way Jade’s pushing me down onto my own bed, Kit thought. She had dealt with Jade on top of her too many times in their sparring sessions and although she may have enjoyed it little too much…this was something else. She wanted nothing more than to feel Jade under her. To hold her. To brace herself against Jade. She’d keep Jade here for as long as they had tonight. She wouldn’t stop Jade from leaving Tir Asleen, but in Kit’s bed, Jade’s release would be on Kit’s terms.

As Jade reached the edge of Kit’s bed, her knees buckled, and Jade fell back on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows as Kit stared down at her. Jade took in how wonderfully disheveled Kit's robe was and couldn't help but bite her lip at the more than generous glimpse of Kit's body; not noticing that her own robe was equally disheveled. Kit reached down to the tie that was pitifully trying to keep Jade’s robe in place. Tugging lightly on it, she asked, “May I?”

Jade nodded, “Gods, yes.”

Jade sat up while Kit leaned down to untie her robe. When Kit brought her eyes up to meet Jade’s she was reminded of the dots she never removed and recalled their conversation earlier. “Wait…hold on. You said there are thirteen domains. Why don’t you have a thirteenth dot?” Kit asked.

“I do have a thirteenth dot.” Jade replied.

“What? Where?!” 

“Since the Empress has not yet returned, she is in the shadows. The dot that represents her is hidden much like she is right now.”

“Hidden? Where?” Kit asked, genuinely curious.

Jade raised her chin. “I can show you, but you’ll have to come here,” Jade urged while running her hand up her thigh, moving aside the portion of the robe covering it. Kit’s eyes widened. She immediately forgot about the thirteenth dot, as Jade revealed the light brown, lightly freckled skin of her thigh and hip; everything else still tauntingly covered.

Kit leaned in and ran her hand up Jade's exposed thigh while placing a knee up onto the bed beside Jade, bringing herself up onto it. She slid the other between Jade’s legs and lowered herself onto Jade’s bare thigh. Kit nearly resisted the urge to grind down on it but couldn’t stop herself from a brief half rocking motion as she made herself comfortable in the position. She looked down briefly at the sight of herself on Jade’s thigh and remembered the countless times they’d been in similar scenarios before while sparring. Unfortunately, each of those times were clothed despite her desire for the opposite. With no clothing between them she found a deeper appreciation for how strong and sturdy Jade’s thighs felt. As she settled onto Jade, she let out a shallow whimper at the feeling of her cunt pressed firmly against Jade’s flexing thigh muscles.

Jade reached for the knot on Kit’s robe. Kit nodded and Jade undid it with ease. She easily brushed it off Kit’s shoulders as it was already partially hanging off. She wiggled herself back a bit to get a fuller view of Kit. Her face looked like the moment when the kitchen maid had knocked on the bedroom door; completely stunned. For the first time since they'd kissed, Jade’s hands weren’t all over Kit’s body. They were frozen in place, palms down on the bed as she took in Kit’s full, naked body: the shape of her hips, the white silkiness of her skin, how her tits had a roundness to them that Kit's clothes often minimized, the dark hair of her cunt which blissfully tickled Jade's thigh every time Kit moved her hips. Jade took in a deep breath as her eyebrows lifted and her jaw dropped. “P-Princess, uh, I-” Jade stuttered.

“Shh,” Kit hushed, sensing Jade's sudden nervousness. Rarely having a height advantage on Jade, Kit took the opportunity to gaze down into Jade’s eyes. Kit spread open Jade’s robe, watching it fall off her shoulders, forcing Jade to move her hands so she could slip it off entirely. “You can touch me, Jade. I...I need you to touch me.”

Jade hadn’t thought that she had stopped but she had been completely overcome at seeing Kit naked. Jade felt so overwhelmed and relieved at the same time. She couldn’t believe Kit was sitting on top of her, that they had finally kissed, the feel of Kit's skin against hers, the weight of Kit’s body pressing into her, how they’d sunk into the mattress. She felt bound. And it was exactly what she wanted. Kit keeping her here; rooted to this spot.

I need you to touch me. Kit needed Jade to touch her and Jade needed the same. Not sure where to touch first, Jade reached out to what was closest and placed her hands on Kit’s stomach. Feeling the warmth of Kit's skin, she spread her fingers and moved her hands to Kit's hips. Remembering the whimper Kit let out earlier as lowered herself on Jade's thigh, she wrapped her hands around Kit's hips. As she pulled Kit's hips forward, she also planted a searing kiss on her lips. Jade moaned deeply as they kissed and pushed Kit's hips out and back in again, encouraging Kit to rock back and forth on her thigh. The feeling of Kit's slick cunt rubbing against her was exhilarating; she gripped Kit's hips harder and rubbed her thumbs along her hip bones.

Kit wasn't sure how this had happened so quickly. She had wanted to touch Jade, to make Jade come first but somehow Jade had switched everything on her. Kit was now rocking herself on Jade's thigh and it felt so damn good that she didn't want to stop; especially not with Jade's hands holding her hips like that. The pressure of Jade's hands gripping the sides of her, the steady push and pull, the light rubbing along her hip bones: Jade's hands were always so sturdy, always guiding her. The low pulsing in her clit became a deep throbbing as she rocked back and forth, Kit moaned out Jade's name in between their fervent kissing. All of her thoughts were consumed by Jade. She wanted to scream her name out. Jade.

Jade placed a hand on Kit's ass and continued to guide her rocking while the other fondled one of Kit's breasts; gently rolling a nipple in between her fingertips. The softness of Kit in her hands wasn’t what she had expected. She thought Kit would be harder, sort of like her arms and shoulders, but under the robe, Kit was splendidly soft in most places. Hearing Kit say her name in that breathy tone drove her wild. She pressed her thigh higher into Kit's cunt, giving her more. Giving her everything she could in the moment.

Jade placed a line of kisses between Kit’s breasts before moving her way up to Kit’s neck; sucking, kissing, and biting. Kit took in a deep breath before letting out another low moan. "Jade," she said again as Jade reached Kit's earlobe with her teeth; sucking it lightly into her mouth. As Jade dragged her teeth and tongue across her neck. Kit pushed back Jade’s hair, feeling the softness of Jade’s curls between her fingers. She closed her fingers around the curls making a soft fist and pulled Jade back to her mouth. Jade’s glistening, wet lips were irresistible and Kit deepened their kiss immediately. She slid her tongue into Jade’s mouth and Jade's whole body curled inwards towards Kit as she a gutteral moan escaped her lips.

As they kissed, Kit worked Jade down onto her back and pressed her thigh into Jade’s warm, slick center, and felt euphoric knowing Jade was already so wet. The gratified groan that escaped Jade’s mouth as she grabbed Kit's ass, giving herself more purchase to grind down harder onto Kit’s thigh, gave Kit a moment of such ecstasy, that she knew she’d never feel like this with anyone else. All of Kit’s feelings of desperation and devotion for Jade swept through her in that moment; she was entirely and completely Jade’s. 

Tonight Jade had given Kit one of the greatest gifts. Jade believed she was capable of something not even Kit felt she could handle. Jade’s belief in her drove a passion and desire deep within her that she had never felt before. A newfound confidence bloomed in her chest revealing something she thought she had lost: a reason to stay in Tir Asleen.

Gazing down into Jade's blown deep hazelnut eyes and flushed red face, all Kit wanted to do was care for her. Jade had given her the care and advice she needed earlier and she wanted to do something similar for Jade. Kit buried her head into the side of Jade’s neck before kissing and swiping her tongue down her neck, and then down to Jade’s chest. Kit moved down Jade’s body, darting her tongue across one of Jade’s nipples, swirling it in her mouth. She stopped briefly to suck on it, while caressing Jade’s other breast in her hand. Jade’s tits were bigger and heavier than her own and it was fascinating watching Jade respond with small sighs and gasps at each swipe, swirl, and suck. It made Kit feel ravenous. She had to remind herself to take her time as she was never this patient when it came to her own pleasure, but with Jade she wanted to show her just how much she cared for her. She would listen and watch for Jade’s cues for exactly how to pleasure her.

Kit shifted her weight off of Jade’s thigh as she licked her way down the centre of Jade’s torso, stopping only to place a few light bites on Jade’s hip. Kit looked up at Jade as she left the last of the bites on Jade’s hip and saw Jade’s eyes flutter, before grasping for Kit.

Tears welled in Jade’s eyes as they fluttered and she shut them tight. A swelling ache built in her throat and between her legs. She grabbed Kit’s hair, pulling her up and Jade sat up. Somehow Kit felt too far away as her body moved down Jade’s. Even though it felt amazing to have Kit moving down her body, kissing her. She needed Kit face to face. She needed to feel the weight of Kit on her. “I need you up here, Kit. I need you to hold me,” she said. 

Kit nodded as she shifted herself back up Jade, her weight back onto Jade’s thigh. Kit wrapped an arm around Jade's back; holding her. She curled a lock of Jade's hair in her fingers with her free hand, “You’ve always taken such good care of me, Jade. You started training me when no one else would because they thought I was too young, too immature. You seem to always put my needs above your own…often to the detriment of your own, and that’s not something I want you to do going forward. I want to care for you the same way you’ve always cared for me. I want to return that favour. Tonight, and always.”

Jade felt dazed. Her body shuttered with a small sob as she took in Kit’s words. She had never had anyone say they wanted to care for her before, not even Ballantine, who had practically adopted her. But Kit saying it, well that was the last thing she had ever expected tonight but it meant everything to her. Not knowing what to say back, she opted for a wide-eyed and breathless, “Okay.”

Kit smiled. “Okay.” She leaned in, wrapped both arms around Jade, and pressed her lips to Jade’s. “I love you too,” she said between kisses.

“Yeah?” Jade puffed out.

“Yeah,” said Kit. “I think I’ve loved you the whole time. But it probably started when you first corrected my technique,” she said, placing another kiss, this time on Jade’s neck.

Jade smiled, leaned her head to one side allowing Kit more room to continue her ministrations along her neck. She closed her eyes, feeling Kit’s tongue swipe up to her ear. “That easy, huh?” Jade teased.

“Apparently,” Kit breathed into Jade’s ear before sucking the lobe into her mouth.

Jade grunted before teasing back, “Your technique could still use some work.”

“Is that so?” said Kit, sliding her hand down Jade’s torso to her cunt, gliding her fingers through Jade’s wet folds. Jade moaned, and buried her head into Kit’s shoulder. 

The spark sitting in Jade’s core burned hotter and hotter. Heat radiated throughout her body. She felt more aware of each one of Kit’s movements and touches. She groaned as Kit worked her fingers through her folds and pressed her palm into her clit. She  whimpered desperately and bit down on Kit’s shoulder, unable to contain the sounds coming from her mouth. Kit rolled her clit in between her fingers, and Jade dug her fingernails into Kit’s back as a throbbing desire thrummed through her.

Kit was enthralled with the feeling of the thick hair of Jade’s cunt in her hand. She was delighted at how much curl resided there. She licked from Jade’s sternum and across her clavicle. She nipped under Jade’s chin, before dragging her tongue to Jade’s ear which she briefly nibbled before whispering, “I can’t wait to taste you.”

Jade shivered and moaned in Kit’s arms at this. The sounds that escaped Jade’s mouth as Kit slipped Jade’s clit between two fingers and applied more pressure, made Kit’s already warm body flush with another wave of tingling heat. She felt the increasing wetness between her own legs and pressed herself further down onto Jade’s thigh, rolling her hips to release some of the mounting pressure.

Kit took her time feeling Jade in her hands, and wetting her fingers with Jade’s slickness. Kit patiently stroked Jade’s cunt, noticing that whenever her fingers glided over or applied pressure to Jade’s clit, her breath would hitch and she’d moan deeply before a small keening sound escaped her. Kit continued to explore and swirled her fingers over Jade’s entrance. Jade’s breathing became heavier and she relaxed in Kit’s embrace. Jade moaned, “Please Kit, I want you inside me.”

Kit removed her fingers from Jade’s folds and Jade grunted, “Why did you-” before Kit interrupted, “I said I couldn’t wait to taste you and if you want me inside you, I need to do this first.” Kit licked Jade's luscious mess off of her fingers, taking in the smell and taste of Jade, commiting it to memory as this was all she would have for the next forty moons.

Jade’s eyes dropped to Kit's mouth. She bit her lip…hard . “You’re such a brat,” she said, amused. Of course, Kit would make her wait and drag out her desire. Typical.  

Kit grinned. “You taste incredible, by the way.” 

“Really?” Jade asked.

“Really,” Kit emphasized, pulling Jade in for a kiss, giving Jade a sense of her own taste that Kit had just licked off of her fingers. Minutes passed as they kissed and groped.

Kit eventually pulled away to spit in her dry hand. She rubbed the spit onto her index and middle fingers. She reached back down in between Jade’s legs and caressed her folds, gliding her fingers around Jade’s entrance before sliding one finger in and thrusting gently. 

“Another?” Kit asked.

Jade hummed in agreement and Kit obliged, sliding another finger in. A groan escaped her and she grabbed Kit to kiss her again, needing to feel her everywhere but especially on her mouth. Her body slumped further into Kit’s embrace as Kit kissed her back and thrusted into her. She felt so wondrously full and smothered in Kit’s love and affection. 

Jade panted heavily with Kit plunging her fingers deeper and faster inside her. It satisfied a fervent craving within her. It was better than anything she could have ever imagined. She was so close to bursting with Kit’s fingers inside her and Kit’s palm rubbing against her clit, and yet she wasn’t quite there yet. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t come. Everything felt amazing. It was perfect. It was everything she had ever wanted.

Kit shifted her weight slightly on Jade, repositioning herself, and re-wrapping Jade in a closer embrace. Kissing Jade deeply, she changed course. Jade seemed to be enjoying everything but she hadn’t responded like earlier before when Kit applied intense pressure to her clit. She removed her fingers from Jade, who let out a loud sigh. Kit took a chance and moved her fingers up to Jade’s clit and began rolling it in between her fingers. Jade responded immediately with a deep, heavy moan. Kit slowly applied more and more pressure as she rolled Jade's clit faster and harder. Jade’s body curled in slightly and started to gently shake.

“Kit,” Jade breathed out before stuttering, “W-where did you learn this?” Jade’s head rolled back in bliss, eyes fluttering.

Kit quirked an eyebrow, “Self-taught. You gave some cues and I’m a quick learner, remember.”

Tidal waves of pleasure radiated out from Jade’s core. Kit braced Jade’s increasingly lax body and applied more pressure to her clit, stroking it exactly as she needed. “Let’s hope my technique isn’t too bad,” Kit teased.

The pressure that had built up in Jade's core, not quite getting the release it needed until now, finally burst. Jade panted and moaned as her body shuttered, “You k-know, for once,-“ she choked out as her orgasm hit her like cascading waves, “I think I’m h-happy with your te-technique.”

Jade is laid sprawled out on Kit’s bed, slick with sweat and still panting, coming down from her last orgasm. Kit had worked her to such exquisite and delightful ecstasy that she felt blissful, limp and so satisfied that she didn’t even care about the weakness floating through her body. Usually feeling so powerless would have terrified her, but if a bit of body weakness was the result of being so thoroughly pleasured, she’d likely develop a fondness for that type of fragility.

While Kit placed kisses along her body as she regained her senses and caught her breath, Jade recalled their earlier antics. 

Her first orgasm was surprising. She desperately wanted Kit’s head between her legs but when Kit’s body weight had shifted off her, she felt completely unanchored. She desperately grabbed for Kit to remain straddling her. She needed Kit’s weight upon her to keep her from feeling stranded. Kit dutifully obliged and held her in her arms while she unexpectedly came in a way she didn't expect.

Her second orgasm followed not long after that. Once her first orgasm had come and gone, she was able to let Kit go down on her. Kit fucked her senseless with her fingers pumping into her while Kit sucked and rolled her clit with her tongue and mouth. She could almost still feel sensation. Giddy at the thought, she covered her smile with the back of her hand.

As the fogginess in her head cleared, Jade knew that she was almost ready for another round but this time her pleasure would be from watching Kit come. The thought of having Kit in her mouth made the throbbing in her clit, which had started to dull, return. Jade was about to interrupt her but Kit beat her to it.

“Hey, uh, is that- is that the thirteenth dot? That smudge?” Kit said, poking lightly at Jade’s upper chest.

Jade looked down, noticing a small black smudge that was indeed from the thirteenth dot that she placed over her heart. “Oh yeah, that’s it,” she said.

“Huh,” Kit huffed out. “I thought you were joking and using the thirteenth dot as a reason to get me in bed,” Kit laughed.

“Oh, I mean I was also doing that,” Jade chuckled. “But I do put one over my heart.”

Kit’s eyes softened as she smiled at Jade. She kissed Jade deeply. As she came back up for air she said, “I love that. But honestly, how did I miss it? I was all up in your tits, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Easy to miss with all of these other dots,” Jade said as she motioned to the freckles on her body.

Kit placed a kiss on the smudged dot and traced a line of wet, warm kisses along Jade’s clavicle. “Well, I love all of your dots, real or not.”

Jade moaned as Kit moved her hands onto her breasts massaging and nibbling her way along Jade’s neck. Jade let out a sigh of pleasure.

“Princess,” Jade groaned, “if I’m going to be away for forty moons, I need to taste you.” 

Kit stopped immediately, bringing herself to look directly at Jade, an inquisitive smile formed on her lips. Kit started to move herself off of Jade, repositioning herself to lay down on the bed. 

Still feeling a bit shaky and weak from her orgasms, and not sure she could hold herself up properly to get on top of Kit, Jade grabbed Kit’s arm. “Kit,” she hummed out, “come sit on my face.”

Chapter Text

Jade could see the sky outside Kit’s bedroom window. It was still dark out but it had lightened slightly as the sun was beginning to rise. The sun rose early in the late summers so she was relieved to know that she would still have plenty of time to grab a couple of hours of sleep before she’d have to empty her quarters and get ready for her departure. As she lay wrapped in Kit’s arms, Jade played with the small hairs on Kit’s arms. Twirling and stroking them with her fingers. This newfound intimacy had her silently kicking herself thinking about all the time they’d wasted not acting on their feelings for one another. They could have had so many nights like this one. Their nights together could have blurred together in her thoughts if she tried recounting them while away in Galladoorn. As indelible and astonishing as it was, she lamented she’d only have this one night to remember Kit’s touch. Her taste. How Kit held her as she came completely undone beneath her. She wanted to embed everything Kit had done into her brain. All of the wonderful things she did with her hands, her fingers, her tongue, her thighs, her everything. 

No, she would never forget tonight; it would have to sustain her for the next forty moons in Galladoorn. She knew it could likely sustain her the rest of her life. But she didn’t want it to sustain her for the rest of her life. She wanted so much more. She wanted all of Kit. She wondered if Kit felt the same. Yes, Kit had returned her feelings. She had said she loved Jade, but she wasn’t sure what that meant going forward. She knew they’d have to broach the subject, she just wasn’t sure how.

Tonight’s enough. For now...it has to be. Their lives would diverge but Jade knew her feelings would hold true. No amount of time away would change that. 

As Jade laid her head on Kit’s chest, snuggled just under her chin, Kit ran her hand up and down Jade’s back under the bed covers. Despite all of the frantic thoughts running through her mind, Jade was so comfortable in Kit’s arms that she drifted off to sleep. 

There was clash of swords under a torrent of rain. Mist rose out of the ground. It was the strangest weather Jade had ever seen. She looked down to her boots but she couldn't see past her hips. Her legs were stuck in mud. She could barely move. She looked around and all she could see were people fighting around her. The ring of sword on sword would have been defeaning if it wasn't for the sound of the thunderstorm. She unsheathed her sword and put it in the closest solid ground she could reach and started to heave herself out of the mud. As she pulled herself out, she heard a booming voice speaking in a language she had never heard before, it sounded malevolent; almost like a curse. A loud screech interrupted it and she turned towards the noise. A creature with huge gossamer wings swooped through the mist, just before it reached her she startled awake.

Jade looked around expecting to be in the talons of the creature, thrashing and trying to escape but she was shocked to see she was surrounded by a soft blanket and fluffy pillows. As she sat up, she remembered she was in Kit’s bed. Relief swept through her body. A nightmare. It was just a nightmare. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm her nerves and looked around. Kit was missing. Jade blinked hard and rubbed her eyes as she tried to focus her vision in the dim lighting. She could hear rustling across the room, behind the privacy screen. She immediately stood up on the bed, trying to get a better vantage point to see what the sound was. “Who’s there?” she loudly demanded. “Kit, is that you?” She clenched her fist, ready for whatever might emerge from behind the screen. 

“It’s just me, Jade,” Kit snickered as she emerged holding her green banquet dress. “What was your plan if it was an intruder? Pummel them buck naked like that?” A giddy grin stretched across her face, amused at Jade’s willingness to fight in her state of undress.

Jade let out a heavy sigh of relief. 

Kit turned her dress inside out as she bounced back to her bed, exposing the soft, silky green inner lining, and ripped apart some of her dress.

Jade’s eyes widened in surprise. “Kit, what are you doing?!” she asked.

“Well, you were falling asleep and I remembered that you need a headwrap.”

“I can…stay here?” Jade asked.

Kit shot her a look of incredulity. “What?! Of course, you’re staying here. Now sit back down in bed before you get cold.” Kit walked over to her dresser, grabbed a long shirt, and tossed it to Jade. “Here.”

Jade slipped on the long shirt, noticing it was the exact same type that Kit was wearing. It was embroidered with the Great Tree crest of Tir Asleen. She couldn’t help but feel thrilled at the idea of being in night wear meant for the royal family. In about forty moons she’d earn herself Tir Asleen armour with that same crest. She was determined that nothing would keep her from reaching that goal.

They both knelt down on the bed. Kit shuffled the gown into her lap. “We’re not wasting any time apart tonight. Not even a couple of minutes for you to fetch things from your quarters. Look, I have almost everything you need. We have food. Drinks. You’re wearing my long shirt. But I don’t have any headwraps so I need to make you one.” Kit shifted the dress and motioned for Jade to grab one end. “Yeah, hold it steady.”

“Okay,” said Jade, smiling at Kit’s thoughtfulness. She was confused as to how Kit would make a headwrap out of her dress, but her hair definitely needed a wrap or she’d have a tangled, frizzy mane to deal with in the morning. She grabbed a hold of the dress to help steady it. Kit smiled back, and grabbed a sizable chunk of dress lining and ripped along a seam. The material snagged in a corner where there were some stitches overlaid. Kit reached over to her bedside table and pulled a knife out of the drawer. She cut the stitches loose and the fabric released from the rest of the gown. Kit went around the edges of the ripped fabric and cleaned up a few loose threads with her knife, cutting anything long that might catch in Jade’s hair.

Kit held out the large piece of silky, soft fabric to Jade and quietly muttered, “I’d rip apart everything if it meant you’d be able to stay in Tir Asleen.”

Jade put her hand over Kit’s, squeezing it along with the fabric still in Kit’s grasp. “Kit,” she sighed. “I don’t want you to destroy anything. I’d rather you create something instead.” Jade slid the fabric out of Kit’s hand and held it up to catch the bedroom’s dim light as she inspected Kit’s handy work, “Or, you know, you can always repurpose something to make it work for you.”  

Kit let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and took Jade’s hand. “I want to make it work…for both of us.”

“Yeah?” Jade asked.

“Yeah,” Kit agreed.

“I know forty moons is a long time…but I think if we can get through this, we can get through anything together,” said Jade, her gaze piercing into Kit’s. She was so relieved to hear that Kit wanted this too. She wanted to make whatever they had work.

Together. Kit’s heart bloomed at the idea. But how would that even work? She tried to calm all of the thoughts looping in her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Be here. Now. With Jade. She felt a hand on her cheek. “Kit,” Jade whispered. She ran her thumb over the top of Kit’s cheekbone. Kit leaned in and put her forehead to Jade's before planting a kiss on her lips.  

“Right, okay, yes forty moons. I can wait that long.” Kit nodded her head, reassuring herself. “Also, I think what we just did will definitely last me fourty moons…maybe a lifetime,” Kit said, cocking an eyebrow.

Jade cracked a smile and laughed. Kit joined her. 

“It’s going to feel like forever,” said Kit.

“I know,” Jade sighed.

“It won’t be the same,” Kit lamented.

“Things were never going to stay the same forever. Our lives were always going to change.” 

Kit nodded once before sitting in contemplation. Everything would change. Kit knew she needed a plan. If she was going to stay in Tir Asleen she had to make the best of it. She knew that after tonight she'd have to compromise but also stand her ground. She wouldn't let her mother make all of her decisions for her. She was in charge of her life; she'd have a say in her future even if it meant making Sorsha angry. She could tolerate other people's anger. What she couldn't tolerate was a life that made her angry at herself.

Jade inspected the edges of her headwrap before breaking the silence, “So this was your plan? Seduce me on my last night?” Jade teased.

“What?” Kit questioned, perplexed.

“Earlier you said you had a plan...for my last night in Tir Asleen.”

“Oh. Oh no. No, I thought we’d sneak out of the castle, go for a ride and maybe go to that spot we really like by Mothers Lake but you derailed my plans when you came onto me rather aggressively.” Kit laughed.

“I was not aggressive. I was simply determined,” Jade said, mockingly aghast.

Kit snickered, “Oh, yes. Yes, you were, and I definitely preferred how tonight went over my initial plans.” 

Kit paused, reached for Jade’s hand, squeezed it lightly and said affectionately, “As you well know, plans change.”

Eyes wide, smiling and leaning in to kiss Kit, Jade whispered back, “Plans change.”

Jade fiddled with the headwrap fabric in her hand, feeling how delicate and soft it was. She was surprised that a dress lining could be so exquisite, and so perfectly suited as a material for wrapping her hair.

“Can I help you tie it?” Kit asked, gesturing at the wrap.

Jade nodded, and turned around. She positioned the fabric around the front of her head and brought ends of the fabric to the back of her hair for Kit to take. Kit carefully took the ends and tied it like Jade had shown her. Kit had practiced on her own countless times just in case Jade ever asked her to do it again. She always rehearsed every move Jade had shown her until she had it memorized, combat or otherwise, and she was right...Jade had asked her again. Kit was prone to staying late in Jade's quarters. Yammering on as Jade would get ready for bed. Jade's schedule meant she went to bed a good hour or two before Kit but they'd often try to sneak in as much time together as possible on the days they spent with each other. Jade would often ask Kit to tie her headwrap for her, or Kit would offer; whoever thought of it first.  

Jade jumped up and out of bed. “Wait, where are you going?” Kit asked. Jade disappeared behind the privacy screen, not answering Kit. When Jade reappeared she had her waist belt in hand and something else Kit couldn’t make out. She grabbed Kit’s knife and sat back on the bed.

“Okay, um, what are you doing?”

“Hold that leather string tight…please.” Jade urged.

Kit obeyed, still wildly confused.

Jade cut a long length of leather string from her waist belt, and unclasped her hand to reveal a Labradorite stone pendant. Kit had seen Jade wear it numerous times before. She knew how much it meant to Jade. Jade usually wore it as a necklace under her clothes or tucked away in the side of her boot. If it wasn’t physically on her it was kept hidden away in a secret spot inside her quarters which no one knew about, not even Kit.

“I’ve kept this with me ever since I was a little girl. You know, I don’t remember much about being taken from my mother and her death…except that it was Bone Reavers that killed her-”

“Jade-” 

Jade held up a hand to stop Kit from talking, “This stone is one of the only things I remember having before being taken in by Tir Asleen. I think, maybe, I received it on one of my birthdays as a child, but I’m not sure. I don’t remember much, I just know I’ve had it for as long as I can remember.”

Jade replaced the old and worn leather string attached to the pendant with the new leather string she cut from her waist belt and tied it off to form a necklace.

“But, since I’m going to be off training and fighting, I don’t want to lose it, so I want you to have it. I thought since you gave me something of yours, I should return the favour.”

“Jade, the headwrap is just a piece I ripped out of a dress. This pendant is so much more. It’s - it’s a piece of your family-” 

“I know. But you’re my family, too, Kit. You’re the person that means the most to me…so I’m entrusting it to you.” Jade held out the pendant in her hands. Kit looked down at it, afraid to touch it. Afraid of the weight of responsibility that came along with taking it. Kit drew in a deep breath, took the pendant, and looked back up to meet Jade’s eyes and nodded. Jade’s eyes shimmered in the light of the bedroom, the Labradorite pendant colours catching momentarily in her eyes, highlighting both the green and brown in Jade's eyes. How Jade's eyes could change between green and brown was a mystery to Kit. 

A soft smile crossed Jade's face. “And you better not lose it because I’m coming back for it…and for you.”

Kit smiled and dipped her head so Jade could put the necklace on her. She brought the pendant to her lips and kissed it. “I swear to care for it as if it were my own.”

Jade’s eyes bugged out, a look of worry crossing her face as she knew exactly how careless Kit could be with her stuff. Kit stammered, “Uh, no, uh-better! Better! I plan to care for it much better than anything I’ve ever owned or had or, um, I promise I will be very, very careful with it. I swear to you!”

Jade took a deep breath, “You do?”

“Yes, Jade, of course. I don’t just swear to protect the pendant, but I swear I’ll be here for you when you return. I can wait. I would wait a lifetime.” Kit jostled her head a bit, “I mean, I hope I don’t have to wait that long-”

“Forty moons,” Jade lightly reminded, shaking her head at Kit's peculiar charm.

Leaning back into the bed, Jade settled into Kit’s embrace. The deep red, blue and purple of the early morning sky peaked through the windows in Kit’s room as they held each other. Jade no longer felt the panic and sadness that had flowed through her when Kit was dragged out of the banquet earlier that night. She was now filled with the longing of a day in the future when she returned to Tir Asleen as a fully trained knight. A knight of the Realm. Kit’s knight.

Moments passed of them holding each other under the beginnings of a sunrise, until Kit couldn’t stop herself from blurting out, “I just- I don’t know what to do next, what we do next.”

Jade pulled her head out from under Kit’s chin. Still laying on her side, she curled an arm under a pillow and rolled towards Kit to face her. “I’m not sure either, Kit, it’s obviously a bit complicated, but we can figure it out-” 

“What if you change your mind? What if you go away and don’t want to come back Tir Asleen? What if you find something or someone else?” Kit frantically questioned.

“You know, I’m taking the same risk, right? You’re getting married, remember? What if you fall in love with Graydon.”

Kit scoffed, and laughed, “I don’t really see that happening…for, you know, reasons.” 

Jade’s head tilted back slowly as she started to nod, and let out a laughing sigh. “Okay, we seem to be on the same page with that, so as long as you don’t fall in love with some cute maiden or whatever-”

“Me?” Kit said, stunned. “You’re worried about me? Jade…know how hot you are, right?” Kit smiled a teasing grin.

Jade rolled her eyes.

“Okay, but, yes in all seriousness, you’re going to be a hot new knight-in-training in a different city. What if you meet someone in Galladoorn?” Kit asked.

“That’s not going to happen, Kit. But if it helps, why don’t we promise to write to each other regularly and be completely honest …even regarding that sort of, uh, stuff,” Jade said, loosely waving a hand.

“Feelings? Is that the stuff you’re talking about?” Kit chuckled.

Jade cocked an eyebrow at Kit, smirking, “You know I’m not great at talking about that…but maybe it would be easier if we wrote to one another.”

“Yeah, I mean we’re both kind of bad at it. That’s how we ended up in this predicament.” Kit said, recalling their night.

“Right. So we vow to tell each other exactly what we’re feeling from now on and continue to do so while I’m away in Galladoorn and if either of us develops feelings for anyone else, we tell the other and we’ll figure it out.” 

“So we’ll have to trust each other then, to be honest with one another,” Kit remarked. 

“Yeah, I guess it’s like…a leap of faith,” said Jade.

Kit raised her eyebrows. “A leap of faith?” she wavered.

“Yeah, I’m asking you to place your faith in me. And I’ll do the same for you. We have to believe in each other. So we kind of have to make this leap…together.”

Kit paused and looked down and away from Jade. She contemplated what Jade was asking of her, how long they’d be apart and what their lives might look like in forty moons, how different everything would be, how different they would be. Wanting things to stay the same had gotten them nowhere but everything had changed tonight. She felt ready for something different, and if Jade was ready and willing, she would be, too.

Kit intertwined her fingers with Jade’s and met her gaze, “I have never believed in anything my whole life…but I believe in you.”

Jade entered her quarters after a long, hot day of training, picking up the letters that had been slid under her door. When Ballantine submitted a petition for her to join the Shining Legion, she didn’t think she would get her own private quarters. He must have made a very strong case for her because when she arrived she found she was one of the few knights-in-training that ended up with her own room. She initially felt bad about having her own quarters but after getting a whiff of the other Shining Legion trainees after only one day of training, she was grateful for the scent-free solitude. Having her own space meant she could freely put up items that mean a lot to her, as well as post her tactical drawings like she used to in her quarters in Tir Asleen. 

Jade eagerly sifted through the letters, and found the one she was most excited about: the one with the royal seal of Tir Asleen. She turned it over and saw Kit’s chicken-scratch handwriting on the front spelling out: Jade Claymore. She had been waiting for another letter from Kit as they tended to come about every fortnight. In anticipation of reading it, she cracked the royal seal and placed the letter on her pillow. First she had to wipe away all the grime and sweat from the day and change into her nightwear.

She left Tir Asleen twenty-five moons ago, and the time away had felt both excruciatingly slow but also re-invigorating. She had never felt so self-assured, competent and, well, hopeful. She knows she has another fifteen moons left before she’s fully trained, but she looks forward to the day where she can return to Tir Asleen, kneel before the Queen, and receive her official knighthood.

Before pouring water into a small basin, she grabbed a cloth and her headwrap, and placed them nearby. She quickly washed her hair and made even faster work of wiping away all the sweat and grime on her body. When she grabs the headwrap, she runs her fingers over the initials “JC” that Kit had sewn into the fabric.

The morning that Jade left Tir Asleen, she had woken up not only in Kit’s quarters, but in Kit’s bed and in her arms. She had never slept so well in all her life until that night, despite staying up way too late. She was able to spend her morning with Kit as she wasn’t expected to perform any duties that day since she was leaving for Galladoorn after Kit’s wedding. While Jade was gathering her things to leave for Galladoorn, Kit snuck her headwrap away from her, and had the royal seamstress quickly finish the edges of the fabric so it wouldn’t easily fray, and also had the seamstress show her how to hand sew Jade’s initials into the fabric. The seamstress had offered to do it, but Kit refused as she wanted to do it herself. Jade only learned of this in one of the many letters exchanged between her and Kit. 

She loved experiencing this new side of Kit; the side that took the time to sit down and think about what to say. Kit had always been so abrasive and rash in her verbal exchanges with people, but Jade could tell that Kit was taking the time to write her meticulous and thoughtful letters. If she thought that she had loved Kit Tanthalos before leaving Tir Asleen, that love had only deepened with time and distance, and better communication. 

By letter, they had confessed things to each other that Jade, nor Kit, would have the courage to say to each other face-to-face, unless in dire straits like, say, leaving your home for forty moons. But by writing to each other, the letters had acted as a conduit to their innermost feelings and thoughts.  

Jade carefully wrapped her hair in the silky headwrap, threw on a night robe, and made herself comfortable in bed by propping up her pillow up and moving the candle on her bedside table closer so she wouldn’t have to squint to read Kit’s letter. 

By Kit’s opening line, she already knew what kind of letter it was going to be. Kit tended to send her two types: advice-seeking, confessional letters sprinkled with some complaining about the affairs of the Realm or sweet and adorning letters that tended to turn teasing and playful, and sometimes downright raunchy. Jade’s lips curled into a smile as she read the first line, knowing that this opening line meant she had received the latter.

“To my beautiful, brave, and dearest knight in Shining Legion armour…”

Thanks to everyone who read my first longer fic! I decided to make an edit for my two favourite idiots in love! And if you want to read about Jade's return from Galladoorn, check out the first in what's going to be a series of stories called Gentleman Jade.