The morning sun spilled golden light through the trees as Rea stirred beside Annabella in the cave, her arms still wrapped tightly around her. For a moment, she just watched her—Annabella, ethereal even in sleep, lashes casting soft shadows on her cheeks. Rea couldn't resist brushing a strand of hair from her face, placing a slow kiss on her temple.
When Annabella stirred, eyes fluttering open, she smiled that perfect, sleepy smile. "Let's steal the day," she whispered.
Rea smirked. "Steal it and ruin it for anyone else who tries to stop the fun? Gladly."
She moved to get up—and froze. Naked. Her briefs still wet, torn, or lost in today's early morning chaotic activities
Annabella stretched like a satisfied cat, eyes already dancing with mischief as she sat up and looked Rea over. "Problem, darling?"
Rea ran a hand through her hair, grinning. "Yeah. I can't exactly walk into a village bare-assed and covered in love bites. Pretty sure that'd turn heads."
"Oh, it would. And not for the reasons you think," Annabella teased, biting her lip. Then she stood, brushing dust from her pants and smoothing down her shift. "We'll borrow something."
Rea raised a brow. "Borrow?"
"We could ask," Annabella said dryly, already knowing the answer.
"Where's the fun in that?" Rea replied, cracking her knuckles
"Well i will be the distraction," Annabella offered sweetly, "and you, my darling menace, will be the reward."
As the sun dipped lower, staining the sky in streaks of gold and rose, Rea and Annabella lingered just beyond the village square, watching from the shadows of an old elm tree. Their presence in the village was supposed to remain unnoticed. The were unauthorised Mages in a Sagan village that could turn into a diplomatic issue.
"We're too recognizable," Annabella said quietly, eyes scanning the crowd. "We need to blend in."
Rea's lips twitched into a smirk. "What, you think you'll be less noticeable in peasant skirts?"
Annabella arched a brow. "I'd still look better than everyone else."
Rea chuckled, low and throaty. "Alright, princess. Let's get you something common to wear."
Rea took the lead
Her body was all muscle and sharp movement as she approached the back gate, testing the latch. Locked. With a sharp twist of her wrist and a bent nail she picked up off the ground, she popped it open in two seconds. Annabella followed, graceful and silent as shadow, even in her heeled boots
Inside the garden, Rea reached for the clothesline.
Catch, Your Grace."
Annabella caught the linen dress in one hand and spun, letting it swirl around her like a trained performer. "Rustic elegance," she said, amused. "I'll allow it."
Right after Annabella was dressed, the cottage door creaked open.
A young man stood in the doorway, eyes adjusting to the dimness. "Hello—? Is someone out—"
Before he could finish, Annabella stepped into the open, her hair catching the light, her posture regal.
"Oh, forgive me," she purred, accent lilting into something foreign and sweet. "We're traveling performers. My Wife gets very... forgetful with luggage. We had a bit of an accident near the river. You wouldn't happen to have something spare, would you? Just until the festival?"
The boy blinked, flushed crimson. "I—uh, no! No, my lady, not at all, you look... stunning, and—uh—of course, take what you need."
Annabella stepped closer, brushing a hand over his shoulder as she passed. "You're too kind."
Rea, already halfway dressed behind the shed, mouthed, Wife?! but bit her tongue when Annabella threw her a wink.
Rea then emerged, dressed—linen shirt hugging her muscular build, vest open and leather jacket now snug over it. "Thank you," Rea said, her voice low and smooth, brushing past the boy with a grin.
Annabella wore the flowing dress cinched at the waist with a borrowed cord, hair braided loosely down one shoulder.
"You don't look common at all," Rea muttered, walking behind her.
Annabella glanced over her shoulder, coy. "Would you prefer I roll in the mud first?"
Rea's voice dropped low. "No, but I'd prefer to rip that dress off later."
Annabella laughed, soft and shy.
They started with the games—archery, which Rea dominated with the kind of precision that had children gathering and clapping, wide-eyed. Her arrows sliced through the air with a lethal grace, landing dead centre in the target every time. The crowd cheered, and Annabella laughed, clapping along with them, her eyes glinting with pride as she watched Rea, clearly pleased with herself.
The local men, however, weren't as impressed. One flirt, trying to prove something, challenged Rea to a knife-throwing contest. Annabella sidled up to her, lips brushing Rea's ear.
"Make him cry," she whispered with that teasing smile of hers.
Rea grinned, wicked and confident. "With pleasure." And with a smooth flick of her wrist, she sent a knife into the centre of the target, the sharp blade quivering, inches from the flirt's chest.
The man blinked, his bravado shattering as the crowd burst into laughter. Rea shot him a look that said it all—Stay down. Annabella, still grinning, clapped her hands as the flirt slunk away.
"You really do make things fun," Annabella teased.
A local dancer, seeking to catch Annabella's attention, challenged her to a dance-off. With a tilt of her head, Annabella accepted, stepping into the ring with poise and grace. The crowd was enraptured by her every move as she spun, twirled, and danced with a fluidity that seemed almost otherworldly. Her movements were both seductive and ethereal, a perfect blend of elegance and raw magnetism.
The crowd erupted into applause, some in awe, others in disbelief. "Marry me!" The crowd paused, then burst into laughter and cheers. Annabella, ever the charmer, gave a soft, teasing smile and blew a playful kiss toward the direction of the bold shout.
Rea, standing off to the side, couldn't help but grin. She crossed her arms, eyes dark with pride and desire. "You're going to make me fight for you, aren't you?" she said under her breath, mostly to herself.
Annabella winked in her direction, clearly aware of the tension between them.
Later, they wandered through the bustling square where the feast had come alive platters of roasted meats glistened over open flames, fruits burst with colour, honey cakes melted on tongues, and the spiced drinks were rich and heady. Laughter and music filled the air, but for Rea, the only thing she could focus on was Annabella.
Annabella sat on the edge of a haybale beside her, legs crossed neatly, her dress hitched just enough to show the elegant line of her thigh. She plucked a fig from a passing tray, tearing it in half with delicate fingers before offering one glistening piece to Rea.
"Open," she murmured, her voice low and velvet smooth.
Rea obeyed without thinking. Her lips closed around Annabella's fingers, slow, eyes locked onto hers. Her tongue brushed the tips before pulling away, and she held her gaze as she chewed.
Annabella's smile was wicked and soft all at once.
She brought up another bite—this time of honeycake—and smeared a little at the corner of Rea's mouth. "Messy," she whispered.
Rea didn't move. She let Annabella lean in and lick the honey off with a slow drag of her tongue, her hand resting casually on Rea's thigh. Rea's breath hitched, and she tilted her head slightly, letting her fingers rest behind Annabella's waist, her thumb grazing bare skin.
"You trying to kill me?" Rea asked, voice low, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"I'd rather you suffer first," she murmured, so sweet it made Rea's jaw clench.
As the music in the square grew louder, people began to dance in the streets—an invitation that Annabella couldn't resist. She pulled Rea into the middle of the festivities, her hand finding Rea's, and without much pretence, they found their rhythm. The steps were awkward at first—Rea's brute strength at odds with the delicate elegance of the dance—but Annabella guided her expertly, her body sliding against Rea's with practiced ease. Her fingers brushed along the collar of Rea's shirt, her breath warm and teasing against her ear.
Rea's hands, rough, landed on Annabella's hips, pulling her closer
Annabella leaned in, lips brushing against Rea's, her breath teasing. "If you kiss me in the middle of this, we'll cause a scandal."
Rea's lips curved into a grin, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Good. Let's cause one."
Without hesitation, with a playful grin, Rea lifted Annabella off her feet, spinning her gracefully in the air, her strength and fluidity making it look effortless. Annabella laughed, her head tipped back, her hair spinning around her in the golden light. Then Rea kissed Annabella, soft yet urgent, as if she couldn't wait another moment. The kiss deepened, their lips moulding together in a perfect rhythm, a mix of tenderness and passion. The crowd erupted into applause, but it was a distant sound.
Rea, never one for crowds, took Annabella's hand and pulled her away from the main festivities. They slipped away to the cave.
Rea and Annabella, too drunk to care, ran hand-in-hand into the cave. Laughter escaped their lips, their bodies still humming with the energy of the day's games, the flirtations, and the music.
Rea kissed down Annabella's neck, biting softly at the curve of her throat, severing the gasp that spilled from her. "You walked around all day in that dress knowing exactly what it did to me."
Annabella's breath hitched. "And you did nothing about it… until now."
Annabella brushed her fingers against Rea's chest, her touch light.
"You were magnificent today," she murmured, her eyes still sparkling from the excitement of the dance and the challenge. "You've got a way with both knives and hearts."
Rea chuckled, a low, throaty sound that echoed in the quiet space. "Just don't let the others get too used to seeing me as the showstopper," she teased, as her hands slid to Annabella's hips, firm but gentle. She placed a kiss on her forehead. "The only one I want watching me is you."
Annabella gasped as Rea's other hand closed over her breast, firm and deliberate. Her lashes fluttered, lips curving into a sinful smile. "Is that so?" Her voice dipped to a sultry murmur, teasing with its velvet edge. "I'd hate to disappoint."
Her hands slipped beneath Rea's jacket, dragging it down her shoulders with slow purpose, nails grazing the bare skin underneath. Rea groaned, her hands already hiking up Annabella's dress, fingers skimming along soft thighs, hungry to feel her completely.
"Damn, you drive me mad," Rea rasped, voice strained with longing.
Annabella arched her back, legs spreading with slow, elegant grace as her knee pressed against Rea's side. Her fingers tangled in Rea's hair, tugging her down into another kiss, deep and desperate.
Clothes fell away between kisses and gasps—Rea's shirt cast aside, Annabella's dress slipping from her shoulders like silk melting over skin. Rea's mouth trailed lower, claiming her breasts with slow, deliberate reverence. Annabella moaned, body twisting under her, every sound a spark thrown to dry leaves.
Rea ground her hips forward, her arousal rubbing between Annabella's thighs as their breath quickened, ragged and aching. She pinned her down with a hand on her throat, not to hurt—but to hold, to press her deeper into the pleasure that followed.
Annabella's leg curled around her waist, opening her up completely.
When Rea finally slid into her, it was with a sound half growl, half prayer.
The cave filled with the sounds of their bodies moving together—fast, hungry, relentless. Rea was rough in her urgency, but reverent in the way she touched her, her mouth on every inch of Annabella's skin like a devotion. Annabella met her every thrust with graceful defiance, hips rising, fingers clutching, lips parting with gasps and moans that made Rea lose control again and again.
By the time they collapsed into each other, slick with sweat, their bodies glowing from exertion, the world outside had gone quiet. Annabella lay across Rea's chest, her fingers trailing lazy shapes against her skin.
"I hate that this has to end," Rea murmured, voice low and raw, the fire inside her still smoldering.
Annabella exhaled softly, brushing her lips against Rea's shoulder. "We'll have more nights. But if I don't return soon… they'll alert my father." She sighed, nuzzling into her for a moment longer before sitting up. "That's the rule."
Reluctantly, they began to dress again, fingers slower than necessary, stealing lingering touches and glances. As Rea pulled on her boots, her expression shifted—darker, more thoughtful.
I think you should avoid Harry " Rea said suddenly, tugging on her jacket. He was trying to drug you after all".
Annabella paused, adjusting her clothes "We don't know that. It could've been meant for him. Maybe someone planted it to hurt him"
Rea stepped closer, her muscles coiled tight. "That stuff is subtle. Deliberate. And Harry's been watching you like a starving wolf. He's always smiling too much, always stepping too close. You're too damn trusting sometimes."
Annabella's expression didn't soften. "And you're too quick to draw your blade."
"Not quick enough," Rea said, voice rough, eyes burning with protective fury. "If he ever tries something like that again, I swear—"
Annabella kissed her, silencing the storm in her voice. "I'm not defending him. I just need to know for sure. And until we do, we keep playing the game."
Rea sighed, pressing her forehead to hers. "I hate games."
Annabella smiled faintly. "You like winning though."
Rea smirked despite herself. "Especially when the prize is you."
As the distant flicker of camp torches shimmered through the trees,
Annabella glanced ahead, then back at Rea.
"This is far enough," she said quietly, her voice threaded with a kind of reluctant strength.
Rea blinked, surprised. "You sure?"
Annabella nodded, drawing her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "If I arrive now, I can still pretend I lost track of time riding. But if they find me with you... they'll alert my father. And you still need to reach your grandfather's mansion before the moon turns again."
Rea's jaw tensed, her hand tightening on the reins. "I don't like letting you walk in there alone."
Annabella offered her a small smile as she reached across to touch Rea's jaw, her fingers delicate but sure. "I'll be fine. I'm not some helpless damsel."
Rea leaned into the touch, her eyes stormy. "You're the most dangerous woman I know."
Annabella's smile widened. "And you're the most reckless."
A long pause stretched between them—unspoken things heavy in the air.
"I don't want to leave you," Rea said at last, her voice lower now. "Not after tonight."
Annabella leaned in, kissed her softly, then whispered against her lips, "That's why you must."
Rea let out a slow breath through her nose. "I'll find you again."
"You always do."
With one last lingering kiss, Annabella turned her horse and guided it back toward the flickering lights of camp, her posture tall, every inch the composed daughter of nobility. She didn't look back—but Rea watched her until the shadows swallowed her whole.
Back at the camp
Annabella passed through the guards with the kind of ease that only came from being born to command. Her smile was tired but composed as she nodded to the sentries.
"My lady," one guard said, "We were preparing to ride out—"
"There was no need," she interrupted gently. "I simply wanted to breathe. The village celebration lasted longer than expected."
Inside the camp, her tent glowed with soft lamplight. She pulled the flap open, stepping inside—only to freeze.
Harry was already there, sitting on a cushion, elbows on his knees, a goblet untouched by his side.
"Annabella," he said, standing up. "Where the hell have you been?"
She didn't flinch. "Taking the long way home."
"You were gone for hours."
She shrugged off her cloak. "It was a beautiful night. I needed air."
"You weren't alone."
Her head tilted slightly, cool and unreadable. "What are you implying?"
Harry's jaw tensed. "You disappeared. With no guard. No explanation. I thought—"
"You thought what?" Her voice was soft, but the edge in it was diamond-sharp.
He opened his mouth, closed it. "You're being unfair."
Annabella stepped forward, her expression controlled, perfectly poised. "You're the one who trespassed into my tent, Harry.
Silence. Then, stiffly, he bowed. "My lady."
He left without another word.
Annabella waited until the flap fell shut, the shadows swallowing the last of his presence.
Then she exhaled.
And let herself think of Rea.