Chapter 38

  Audrey

  “Please spare us, you’ve already taken all the girls and able-bodied men!” Elder Salma cried, but the bandit leader just coldly looked down at her from his horse.

  “Then bring us some children. Especially the pretty ones.” He said with a disgusting smirk. The village head looked on the verge of collapse as the blood drained from her face, and Lydia and I decided we’d had enough. Before we left the cabin, I stowed our weapons and armor with my magic, then used the shadows to take us behind the nearest house.

  We revealed ourselves and stepped up to the bandits, acting panicked. “Please sir! Don’t take the children!” Lydia cried out, clasping her hands together as if praying. “Take the two of us instead!” I stood behind her, acting as if I were terrified of the bandits.

  “No! What are you girls doing?!” Elder Salma shouted in surprise, and I turned to her with a convincingly sad smile.

  “We know you’ve been trying to protect us, Grandmother. But we won’t sit idly by anymore! They’ve taken all the other girls already, we can at least protect the little ones!” I put extra emphasis on making us seem like family. It would be easiest if the bandits thought we were just village girls, not travelers.

  Elder Salma seemed to pick up on our intention, and her hesitation made the act all the more convincing. The bandit leader narrowed his eye at us—Now that we were closer, I realized there was a jagged scar running across his face and through his right eye. He had long, black hair, and his unkept appearance made it obvious grooming wasn’t in his daily routine.

  “Well, well. You were hidin’ such expensive products?” The other bandits laughed as the leader dismounted and moved closer to Lydia and me, getting right in our faces. How he looked at us while licking his lips sent a shiver down my spine. “Yes… I’m sure the two of you will fetch quite the price.”

  He turned to the village head with a dangerous smile. “Be grateful we’ll be satisfied with these two for now… But next time, you’ll compensate us for lying.” He threatened, before turning to mount his horse again and addressing his followers. “Tie ‘em up boys!”

  Quickly, thick rope was tied around our wrists, and Lydia and I were forced to follow behind a horse. As we were led out of the village walls, I turned back to give Elder Salma a reassuring smile before opening the shadow at her feet.

  “Please don’t worry. We’ll bring the others back soon,” I whispered. I saw her look around, startled, before our eyes met, and understanding dawned in her eyes.

  “No talking! And keep your eyes forward you wretch!” One of the bandit guards shouted from his horse. He bent down to strike me, but cried in pain when his hand collided with my cheek. I hadn’t even flinched, and just kept a calm smile on as he cursed in frustration, shaking his hand.

  “What the hell?!” He screamed, drawing the attention of the bandit leader.

  “Hey! Hands off the merchandise!” The guard flinched beside me, before moving his horse a few steps away while muttering. I had used my magic to create a thin, but hardened barrier of water over my skin, so I hadn’t felt a thing.

  Lydia was in front of me, and I saw her shoot the man who hit me a piercing glare as a spark of flame erupted from her bound hands. Feeling my gaze, she looked back at me, and I slowly shook my head with a smile. The plan was to wait until they led us to the other hostages. Luckily, nobody noticed either of us using magic, and I was grateful they didn’t have any competent mages. After a while, the rope was starting to dig into my wrists, so I cushioned them with some water, then did the same for Lydia, who shot me a grateful wink.

  We walked for nearly twenty minutes before we were led into a decently large camp. Tents were set up all over, with several fires burning in between. This band of bandits seemed quite large, as there were another two dozen in the camp aside from the group that had been escorting us.

  “Hey, the boss is back!”

  “Look at those! We’ll be rich just off the two of them!”

  Whistles and jeers surrounded Lydia and me as we were roughly pulled through the camp until we stopped in front of a large covered wagon. It looked like a large box, and when the doors on the back opened we saw dozens of girls all cowering as far away from the bandits as they could. Their faces were soaked with tears, and muffled cries escaped them through the gags. The sight of them all bound at the hands and feet, along with the apparent bruising on a couple of the girls made my blood boil, but we couldn’t act just yet.

  Lydia and I were suddenly lifted and thrown through the doors, and we both hit the bottom of the wagon hard. “Don’t cause any trouble, and we won’t have to do anything to ya.” One of the bandits sneered before closing the door, blocking all the light from the outside.

  “Well, this actually makes things a bit easier,” I muttered as a small shadow sliced through the ropes tying me. A little light flared as Lydia burned hers away, and we both stood up. It really was just a large crate with no windows. The only opening I could spot besides the door was a small section that slid open at the front, likely so the driver could peek in at any time.

  We kneeled in front of the other girls, who stared at us in shock. “Don’t be afraid. We’re here to rescue you, but we all need to be quiet, alright?” Lydia said with a calming smile, and the girls nodded desperately. I used the shadows to cut all their bindings at once, and they all quietly removed their gags. A few of them looked even younger than us.

  “Are there any other carts?” As Lydia questioned them quietly, I moved through the group, healing their injuries. Most of it was just bruising, but one girl had been cut multiple times across her torso. She hugged me, silent sobs racking her body as she whispered her thanks after I healed her wounds.

  After that, I moved back to Lydia, who looked grim after talking to the women. “They said the men were being kept in a separate cart, but I didn’t see it on the way in.”

  “Give me a second to look,” I said, closing my eyes as I extended my magic through the camp. It took me a minute, but I eventually sensed a large group of people out in the forest a little ways away. “Found them. Let’s go.”

  Lydia nodded, and we stood up and moved toward the door, but the girls let out panicked whispers, afraid of drawing the bandit’s wrath.

  “There’s no need to worry,” I said with a grin, then kicked open the wagon door. They all squinted against the light before a chorus of surprised gasps escaped them. Outside, every single bandit in the camp was bound in shadows, unable to move or speak. Lydia and I helped all the girls out of the wagon, and they all huddled together while glaring at their kidnappers.

  “We’re going to go help the others. I know you all are angry, but the magic may be a bit unstable so please don’t do anything to the bandits while we’re gone.” She paused then gave them a look. “Feel free to look through the camp for anything they took from you, though.”

  My magic was the furthest thing from unstable, but I knew she was just trying to stop them from doing something they’d regret. Plus, we should probably see if someone hired them… We stayed for another minute as the girls started to hesitantly move through the camp, until they were confident in their safety.

  Turning on our heels, Lydia and I ran toward the other cart in the forest with me leading the way. What we found could only be described as a nightmare. The cart was parked in a bit of clearing, and the stench of blood assailed us as soon as we got close. Blood stained the ground, and all sorts of tools lay on a table next to the cart.

  Lydia and I both gagged at the sight of three men strung up by their hands, bloodied and beaten. I had grown used to death while on the frontlines, but this was a different feeling entirely. Fighting the nausea, we cut them down only to find them still alive, albeit barely. We both quickly used our holy magic to heal their wounds, then laid them gently in the grass as we prepared ourselves for what we might see inside the cart itself.

  We nodded at each other, then pulled open the doors. Dozens of bodies were packed inside, all slumped against each other and the walls. Only a few heads turned towards us, but their eyes were glazed over and didn’t seem to register us. The smell was even worse inside, and I hurriedly covered my mouth and nose with water before doing the same for Lydia who sighed in relief as my magic helped filter the horrid scents.

  We climbed inside and started to heal those closest to the doors. Those who were conscious after we healed them began to cry, even as they helped us unload the cart until everybody was taken care of. By some miracle—or more likely the bandits’ greed—all of the men were still alive. It seemed they had still planned to sell the men as well, even after torturing them for amusement. That explains why the village felt so empty… It wasn’t just the women who were taken.

  With the help of the men who were still awake, we managed to carry everybody back to the camp, where the women had settled around one of the still-burning campfires. As we came into view, some of the girls jumped up and rushed to hug or check on the men they knew, who cried even more as they embraced.

  “It was a very good thing none of the girls went with you…” Aurora murmured as I watched the reunions, and I couldn’t help but agree.

  After everybody settled down again around the fire, Lydia and I decided to give them some time to rest, since it would be a long trek back to the village, even if we used the horses. While we checked on everyone again to ensure we didn’t miss any injuries, one of the men spoke up. He was a large man and looked like one of those lumberjacks I used to see in some of Sasha’s storybooks, and introduced himself as Daniel.

  “Thank you for rescuing us, young ladies.” He said, bowing his head slightly. “How could we ever repay you?”

  Lydia and I smiled at the group. “Elder Salma was kind enough to offer us hospitality, so we just wanted to help," my girlfriend said.

  The man nodded slowly. “I’m not sure that’s enough for saving our lives, but maybe we can come up with something once we return to the village.” He said. The others all voiced their agreement, leaving Lydia and me powerless to say no.

  “If that’s what you all want, then we can discuss it with the Elder.” Lydia compromised. The villagers filled us in while we finished rechecking everyone. Apparently the bandits had taken the village by surprise, and most of the skilled fighters and hunters had either been killed or captured during the first attack. That would explain why the few guards we saw were so young… After leaving the village defenseless, the bandits would come back every couple of days to take the women as well. Adding that to the torture, these bandits were quite sadistic and beyond redemption as far as I was concerned.

  Those same bandits had all been glaring daggers at us this whole time, scattered throughout the camp. My shadows held them in place and covered their mouths. While a few of them still struggled to escape, it seemed most had given up. After talking with the villagers a while longer, Lydia and I stood up, deciding it was time to interrogate the perpetrators. Pulling on my magic as we walked away from the campfire, I gathered all the bandits on the other side of the camp, away from the others.

  I placed the bandit leader in front, pulling him from the largest tent. He looked up at me with his remaining eye wide and struggled against my magic.

  “You’re not getting out of this one, so you might as well save your energy,” I said bluntly. Lydia glared at the group from beside me, white fire flickering over her hands. All the bandits slumped over in defeat, except the leader who still glared at us.

  “Mnph Nhpf!” He tried to speak, but my shadows muffled his words into gibberish. Pulling my magic back, I uncovered his mouth.

  “Go to hell, bitch!” He cursed and my girlfriend's magic flared in response, startling the bandit leader before he scowled. “Are you adventurers? We’ve done nothing against the law!”

  His brazen claim shocked me, and Lydia raised a brow. “You’re seriously trying to say torture and trafficking are legal here?” I asked incredulously.

  “There ain’t nothin’ that states otherwise!” He smirked. These people are insane! As I just gaped at the man’s reasoning, Lydia tapped me on the shoulder.

  “Audrey, can you bring that one to the front?” She asked, pointing at one of the bandits. I did as she asked, and I realized it was the guard who had tried to hurt me earlier. I put him next to the bandit leader with my shadows, and Lydia stepped up to the two of them. “Is that how you justified murdering people as well?” She asked the leader, who still gave her a triumphant grin.

  “That’s right, so as you can see, we ain’t done nothin’ wrong!”

  Lydia just looked at them quietly, before her arm shot out. She wrapped her hand around the bandit guard’s throat, and the shadow over his mouth muffled his cries.

  “Is that right? So then there’s no issue with me killing each and every one of you slowly.” Her voice was low and dangerous, and her eyes gleamed like a predator watching its prey. “This one here attempted to harm the person I love most… Audrey is all I have left, and you all dared to bind her with ropes and treat her as nothing but an object.”

  The bandit guard shook with panic, but my shadows left no room for resistance as Lydia tightened her grip around his neck. Then his muffled cries grew louder as the scent of burning flesh filled the air, and flames licked at his skin from Lydia's hand.

  “H-Hey, Lydia!” I said, but she didn’t hear me. The blood drained from the bandit leader's face as he watched one of his men be tortured right beside him, and the other bandits all looked on in fear.

  I didn’t have any sympathy for the bandit, but I wouldn’t just sit and watch as my girlfriend hurt herself like this. “Lydia! That’s enough!” I said angrily, grabbing her wrist. Her face was completely devoid of emotion as her eyes flicked to me. “I’m alright. I told you before, I’m not going anywhere.”

  I gave her a comforting smile, and saw the warmth return to her gaze. Then she let out a quiet gasp as she released the bandit and stepped back. “I-I’m sorry, Audrey…”

  “It’s alright.” I took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I can handle the rest here, so why don’t you join the villagers? I’ll be right behind you.” I said, and Lydia nodded slowly before turning on her heel and heading back into the camp.

  My eyes followed her until she disappeared behind the tents.

  “Lydia…”

  “She’ll be fine, Audrey. Just support her as you always have.” Aurora said reassuringly, and I nodded before slapping myself on the cheeks to pull myself together.

  “Now then,” I said aloud, turning back to the group of bandits who looked at me with terror. Even the leader had lost all fight. “Why don’t you tell me all about your operation.”

  ***

  Lydia

  What am I doing, letting Audrey see me like that? I trudged back to the villagers, berating myself the whole way. No matter how upset I was, there was no excuse for torturing someone like that… But he tried to hurt Audrey. I need to protect her and keep her mine forever.

  The overwhelming thought made my steps falter momentarily before I shook it away. Another minute later, I sighed as I sat down with the group to wait for my girlfriend.

  “That was quite the sigh, young lady,” Daniel said, and I turned to face him. “If something’s bothering you, I’m more than happy to listen. It’s the least I can do for saving my daughter.” One of the younger girls from the group was asleep on his shoulder, still clinging onto his arm. It had been hard to tell in the darkness, but I thought she was the one that had been cut. My heart stung at the sight, and I remembered how I used to cling to Father like that when I was little. And I’ll never get to see them again.

  “I just…” I paused, trying to swallow the sudden dryness I felt in my mouth. “I recently lost… everything, I suppose,” I said with a bitter smile. “My parents are dead, and I have no idea if my brothers are alive. Our home was destroyed…” My eyes glanced in Audrey’s direction. “Audrey is all I have left, and I find myself paralyzed at the thought of losing her and acting unlike myself.” I had no idea why I was suddenly spilling my deepest feelings to this stranger, but something about how his daughter felt so safe on his arm made it easy.

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that. That’s a burden no child should have to bear.” Daniel started, a sad look on his face. I didn’t bristle at his calling me a child, because that’s how I felt in this moment, like a lost kid who was desperately clinging onto her favorite toy for comfort. “But that just shows the depth of your love for her, right? That isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

  I looked at him in surprise. “It isn’t…?”

  “I mean, I don’t have all the details, but I’d say so. Is the problem that you feel that way, or how you’re showing it?”

  His question made me think, because I didn’t know the answer. I’ve always been protective of Audrey, but what I felt in the bath, and just now… Was that the same? After thinking for a while, a noise drew my attention, and I turned to see my girlfriend opening the door to the cart. She had all the bandits lined up neatly with her shadows behind her and began throwing them in.

  I walked over and stood beside her as the bandits were marched like a line of toy soldiers. “Did you learn anything interesting?”

  Audrey beamed at me. “Nothing at all!” Her cavalier smile helped push away my brooding thoughts.

  “Then why do you look so happy?” I couldn’t help the amused smile on my face.

  “It seems we made it just in time, they were planning on moving within the next few days. I’m just glad we could save everyone.” She explained.

  I nodded in agreement. “Are you thinking of letting the village decide their fate, then?”

  “I figured that’s the best way to handle it… They were the most affected, after all.” She said. Audrey was always so considerate of others… It’s one of the things I loved most about her.

  After all the bandits were locked up, we consulted with the villagers on the plan, and they all agreed. Daniel had become their de facto leader and helped organize everyone. Apparently, he was one of their most skilled hunters, so he held a lot of respect from the others. We spent a while loading the horses with whatever the villagers were taking with them from the bandit camp, then we started the trek back. Luckily, there were enough horses for everyone to ride if they doubled up, plus the driver's bench on the cart.

  Audrey sat behind me on the horse with her arms wrapped around my stomach, and resting her chin on my shoulder. Our little caravan wasn’t moving very fast, since some of the villagers weren’t that experienced with horses.

  “A lot has happened… but seems like we’ll finally get a real chance to rest,” I said, then my stomach growled, causing me to flush a little with embarrassment. “And maybe some real food, too…” The two of us had eaten nothing but rations consisting of hard bread and the little dried meat Audrey had left in her storage since we woke up.

  “There’ll be more then that when we get back!” Daniel said, pulling his horse up beside us. His daughter sat on the back, giggling with excitement from riding with her dad. “We’re going to throw a banquet to celebrate!”

  “You don’t have to do all that,” I said with a wave of my hand, but he just laughed boisterously.

  “Everyone is making it home safe, thanks to you girls! Plus, any excuse to drink is one we won’t ignore!” A cry of agreement rang from the other adults around us as they grinned

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Well, if that’s the case, don’t let us stop you… Though neither of us has had alcohol before.” In the kingdom, you couldn’t drink until you came of age, and I had wanted to wait until Audrey turned eighteen so we could experience it together. Though, we aren’t in the kingdom anymore.

  I looked over my shoulder to see my girlfriend's eyes sparkling with interest. “Does alcohol taste good, Daniel?” She asked.

  “Quite the opposite! It tastes awful most of the time!” He responded cheerily. His attitude threw Audrey for a loop, and she tilted her head cutely against my shoulder.

  “Then why drink it?”

  “I think you should just wait and find out.” The man gave us a mischievous grin.

  “That’s mean!” Audrey said with a pout, and I laughed.

  The rest of the way back to the village passed with peaceful conversation, and the villagers discussing what they should prepare for the party. When the walls came into view, we found Elder Salma standing where we had left her with Rick. We were gone for nearly two hours… don’t tell me she’s been waiting the whole time!

  Her knees buckled, and tears flowed down her face as the taken villagers all came into view. Rick caught her so she didn’t collapse all the way, but she was clearly exhausted. As the commotion grew, the village came to life as the remaining people looked to see what the commotion was, only to see their missing friends and family.

  “Thank you! Thank you so much!” Elder Salma cried, squeezing Audrey and me in a trembling hug as more reunions happened all around us. When she finally let us go, we were barraged by more gratitude until everyone settled down. The cart was parked in the middle of the village, and we filled the Elder with our thoughts to let them decide what to do with the bandits.

  “Thank you for allowing us the opportunity, though I wouldn’t have minded if you killed them.” She said, eyeing the bandits warily. She had Daniel and the other men bind them with rope, freeing Audrey of guard duty.

  “We thought this would help the villagers move on,” I said. “Audrey and I both understand how important it is to get closure.” My expression slipped slightly, and Elder Salma retook our hands.

  “You girls must’ve been through so much… And you still took the time to help us. You must be exhausted… Please, go rest. There’s still plenty of time before sunrise.”

  While I was physically fine thanks to my newfound divinity, I was mentally exhausted. Audrey seemed energetic, at least.

  “Thank you, Elder. Then we’ll retire for the night.” I said with a tired smile, then took Audrey’s hand and led her toward Elder Salma’s cabin. When we were far enough away, I paused. “I don’t want to walk, take us through the shadows?” I asked my girlfriend.

  “Anything for you. Want me to carry you?” She asked with a playful wink.

  “Yes, please,”

  “How honest!” I let her scoop me into her arms, and I rested my head against her chest as we entered the shadows. It only took a couple of seconds before we appeared in the darkened room next to the bed, and Audrey set me down gently. “Anything else I can do for my lady?” She asked.

  “Hold me until I fall asleep.”

  “That was the plan anyway, silly.” Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating her scarlet hair as she crawled into bed beside me. I turned to face her as she pulled me closer until our bodies pressed together. Then she ran a hand through my hair—her nails felt nice against my head, and I nearly fell asleep right then and there. No! We need to talk first!

  Drowsily, I forced my eyes open to look into Audrey’s blue eyes. “I’m sorry about what happened in the bath,” I said quietly.

  “There’s nothing to apologize for, Lydia.” I could feel her breath on my forehead, sending shivers down my spine.

  “There is, so just be quiet and listen, alright?” My demand made her giggle softly before she nodded. I took a deep breath to try and center myself. “I realize that I’ve been acting out of fear… Not love. I don’t think I’ve fully come to terms with… everything that happened. A part of me still hopes this is all a nightmare, and I’ll wake up in the morning with Leah and Lucia by our side… With my family waiting to eat breakfast together.” I swallowed, trying to maintain composure, and my hands curled into the front of Audrey’s dress. “When I think of losing you like everything else… My heart is frozen with fear. And it makes me want to lock you away, to claim you as mine and never let you go.”

  “Lydia…”

  “No! I-I’m not done!” I say, my voice coming out louder than I intended. I couldn’t look her in the eyes anymore, and looked down. “I know these thoughts aren’t healthy… You’re not a possession, I know that! But I can’t bear the thought of you disappearing! What if— Mnpf!”

  My rant was interrupted as Audrey pulled me in even tighter, my face buried into her chest.

  “Lydia. I accept every part of you, and if that’s what you need, then so be it. But you have to promise me one thing.” She squeezed my cheeks together and pulled my face up. ”Face me with love of having me, not fear of losing me.”

  We stared at each other before I slowly nodded. “I will, Audrey.”

  The sweet smile that stretched across her face made me dizzy.

  “Besides, it may have been three years out here, but it was only yesterday that everything…” Her breath hitched for a moment before she gathered herself. “It’s totally normal for us to be a mess right now, is what I mean.”

  I pulled my head back slightly to look at her face. “But you don’t seem like a mess…” I mumbled.

  “But I am… I miss everyone so much.” Her hand started to move through my hair again. “Yet, as much as it hurts… We’re still together. If I were alone, I’m not sure I would have the strength to go on.” There was a tremor in her voice, and I cursed at myself for being so insensitive.

  “I’m sorry, that was unfair of me.”

  “I know you didn’t mean it like that.”

  We fell into silence and just held each other for a while. Emotions welled inside me as I thought of my family and attendants, and I fought back the tears burning at the edges of my vision. Suddenly, Audrey’s body shook with a strangled gasp, and her hold on me tightened.

  “Why did it have to be this way, Lydia?” She said in a broken whisper, and when I saw her crying, I could no longer hold back my own tears.

  “I don’t know! I-I miss everyone so much!” I cried. We tried to keep our voices low, but as the dam of emotions broke for both of us, our grief filled the room. We grasped at each other desperately for comfort until we exhausted ourselves and fell asleep in a disheveled heap.

  ***

  Audrey

  It’s been a few days since we rescued the villagers. Our eyes had still been red and puffy from crying the morning after, and Elder Salma had insisted we stay until they could send us off properly. Lydia and I discussed it, and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to give ourselves a bit more time to rest. While we wanted to find the others as soon as possible, we didn’t even know where to start, so a few extra days wouldn’t hurt. Plus, I think we both need a bit more time to process…

  Luckily, Lydia had been more herself since that night. Getting all those emotions out seemed to have taken a load from her shoulders, and while I’ve been helping out around the village, she’s been going out with Daniel and the other hunters to prepare for the banquet that would finally be held tonight.

  “She’s better suited to be out hunting, anyway,” Aurora said, and I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I washed some dishes in Elder Salma’s kitchen. The villagers had insisted the two of us didn’t have to help, but neither of us had been comfortable just lying about.

  “We’d have no plates left if we hadn’t sent her away.” I joked. Lydia was surprisingly clumsy when it came to domestic chores. As my goddess and I giggled together, I heard the front door open behind me, and a gust of cold air blew in with Lydia in tow. She was dressed in a slim-fitting hide tunic and pants that helped to repel the snow.

  “I’m back, Audrey!” She had a big grin on her face, and the waves of her blonde hair were dusted with snow. She unstrung the bow the hunters had given her to use, and leaned it against the wall with her quiver before turning to face me. “I finally hit something today! There was a big quail, and Daniel said I could try for it. I got it right in the head!”

  I listened with a peaceful smile as she told me about the hunt. Over the last few days, my girlfriend had taken quite an interest in the bow, and whether it was her divinity or her natural talent, she had grown enough to surprise the seasoned hunters of the village. She always complained about sword practice… Maybe it was meant to be.

  “I’m happy to hear you helped out… Better than when you tried to do laundry.” I said, covering my mouth with a hand to stifle a laugh. Then I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around her waist. Her face flushed with embarrassment, which only made me smile more.

  “Y-You know I never had to do anything like that before! You shouldn’t tease me!” Amidst her defensive, she reciprocated the hug and looked me up and down. I wore an apron over a simple dress, and my red hair was tied back with a handkerchief. “You know,I could get used to this.”

  “Me too…” I said quietly, and we leaned in to share a tender kiss. We both knew this wouldn’t last, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the kind of life my mother had dreamed of before marrying into House Rose. No responsibilities, no expectations… Just the two of us every day.

  After a minute, we finally parted, and Lydia took my hands. “The Elder wants us to stay here until she comes to get us… Sounds like they want to surprise us with the party.”

  “I see,” I said with a smile. “In that case, I have some dishes to finish.”

  “Want me to help?” my girlfriend asked, but I shot her down quickly.

  “Please don’t.”

  The time passed peacefully, and after finishing the chores, we moved to the simple table in the living room. Lydia was still struggling to open her bond with Azure enough to talk, and I helped her practice as much as I could. As it turns out, however, explaining something that I do on instinct with actual words is more challenging than I thought.

  “Just focus your thoughts on talking to her, and move the stella to your head,” I said, repeating the same thing I’ve said every time we’ve done this the last few days.

  “I’m doing that! At least… I think I am? How does it feel when you do that?” Lydia asked with her eyes squeezed shut. I tilted my head, but I couldn’t think of a good way to describe it.

  “Every guardian is different. How it feels to you may differ entirely from what works for them.” Aurora explained.

  “Geez… So basically she just has to figure it out on her own?” I asked with a pout. “Besides, isn’t it too early for them to be talking? It took us three months!”

  “Well, you had to start from the basics of magic. That’s not the case for Lydia, she should be able to figure it out much sooner… Probably.”

  “Probably?” I slumped over the table, laying my head on one of my arms.

  “Why is this stressing you out more than me?” Lydia asked teasingly, her hand landing on my head.

  “If only I could just do it for you…” I muttered, then my eyes widened and I shot up. “What if I just do it for you!” I took her hands in mine, already sensing for her stella.

  “I don’t know…”

  “That’s not a good idea, Audrey!” My goddess’s complaints overlapped with Lydia’s, so I didn’t hear either as I began to push some of my stella into hers.

  “It will be fine! Aurora said our stella is incredibly compatible, what’s the worst that could happen?” I said, tempting fate. As our stella swirled together and circulated through our bodies, I focused like usual to talk to Aurora.

  “See? Everything is just—AHH!” Halfway through bragging to my goddess, a splitting pain shot through my skull, making my vision spin. I heard Lydia and Aurora both shout in pain as well, and my girlfriend and I clutched at our heads in agony, breaking the circulation of stella.

  “A-Audrey! What did you do?! Ah, my head is killing me!” Lydia cried out, but then her words faded as a ringing noise overcame my hearing. It went on for an agonizing minute before it all suddenly stopped, and everything felt normal. I looked over at Lydia with concern, but she seemed fine now and just as confused by the sudden relief.

  “My guardian… I told you not to do that…” I could sense Aurora rubbing at her temples.

  “I’m sorry… I’ll listen next time.” I groaned mentally, then refocused on Lydia. “Well, did it work at least?”

  “I don’t think so.” She shook her head with a frown, her blonde hair waving with the motion. I flopped onto the table again in disappointment, and Lydia giggled as she reached out to continue stroking my hair. “It was a good attempt, Audrey. Maybe we can try something that won’t hurt as much next time?”

  I puffed my cheeks at her teasing tone. “It’s not like I knew that would happen…”

  As she consoled me, Elder Salma entered through the front door. “We’re all ready for you girls,” she said, excited. Lydia and I stood up, mirroring her grin as we moved from the table and followed her back outside. The wind chilled us briefly before Lydia used her magic to warm us up. “That magic of yours sure is handy.”

  Lydia smiled at the Elder’s observation. “I like to think so… Magic has plenty of everyday use outside combat.”

  “So it seems. Truthfully, I’ve only seen real magic a handful of times in my life, so it’s nice to see it so… relaxed,” she said as we walked through the village. It didn’t take long to get to the center, where a massive stack of wood towered, with tables and chairs surrounding it. Elder Salma led us to the biggest table that sat on the north side, where Daniel and another hunter quickly pulled our seats out.

  We thanked them, and they nodded, stepping back as the Elder grabbed a wooden mug from the table and raised it in the air. “Tonight, Let’s drink in honor of the adventurers who saved our village!” Everyone else raised their cups with a cry of agreement. It was short and sweet, and a small group of villagers started an upbeat song with instruments I’d never seen before. The women began to lay food on the tables from the nearby houses, and the delicious scents made my mouth water.

  A loud growl came from Lydia, and she held her stomach with a shy smile on her face, causing the people around us to laugh. We wasted no time digging in, and not even Lydia’s royal etiquette held up under the barrage of food we’d never tasted before. The dishes piled up around us, quickly, and I ignored the slightly horrified looks the villagers began to send our way.

  “You girls can eat with the best of ‘em!” Daniel laughed, his face red from the alcohol already. “Here, try this next!” His daughter smiled as she placed a plate in front of us. On it lay a whole, roasted bird stuffed with various vegetables.

  “Is this…?” Lydia asked, and the hunter nodded his head.

  “Yup! This is the quail you shot, Miss Prodigy! Nothing tastes better than the prey you worked hard to get!” he said, taking another swig of his mug. His daughter just shook her head as if disappointed.

  “It tastes amazing!” I said, having stolen the first bite.

  “That it does, though I’m sure that’s more a reflection of the cooks than my hunting skills.” My girlfriend said with a wry smile after trying it herself. After that, our pace slowed until both of us had our fill, and we enjoyed conversation with the villagers until the light started to fade. That was when Elder Salma came up to us with a request.

  “Lydia, would you mind lighting the bonfire with your magic?” She asked.

  “I’d love to.” Lydia raised a hand, and a white flame flickered to life above her palm. Everybody’s eyes were slowly drawn to her, and some kids pointed excitedly. When she was confident everyone was watching, she sent the flame into the bonfire, and white fire spread slowly up the pile until every log was alight.

  ***

  Lydia

  I watched as my flames engulfed the bonfire. When I sensed the fire could sustain itself, I slowly pulled my mana back until the flames returned to their natural orange color. There was a moment of silence, then the village broke out into a rambunctious roar as everyone cheered and clapped.

  “Now the real party can start!” Daniel shouted as he laid an arm across our shoulders, pulling Audrey and me together. “You girls haven’t had anything to drink yet!” He turned to some of the villagers in charge of the food. “Let’s get the guests of honor some booze!” Before I could say anything, large wooden mugs filled to the brim with a dull honey colored liquid appeared in our hands.

  “So this is alcohol…?” I watched as Audrey held the cup to her face and took an experimental sip. Her expression twisted for a moment, and she suck her tongue out. “It’s bitter…”

  I took a sip of mine and had to agree, though I was much better at bluffing through it. “It’s not awful,” I muttered. We sipped at our drinks until they were gone, and the refills seemed to go down easier with each mug-full. At some point, Audrey and I were pulled by the other village girls to join them around the bonfire for the group dances. After that, we danced together for the partner songs, taking turns leading like we’d done at the academy dances. Although the alcohol makes this much less refined… But we were both having the time of our life, so it was fine.

  A few boys mustered up the courage to ask us to dance, but each time we’d drunkenly latch onto each other and proclaim. “Sorry, she’s taken!” While dissolving into a fit of giggles. Eventually, our relationship became quite clear to the whole village, and the other men gave up.

  As the night wore on, Audrey seemed to be getting much more drunk than I was, and seeing that, I managed to stop myself from getting too intoxicated. Once I came down a little from my own buzz, I managed to prevent her from drinking any more as well, but the damage had already been done.

  “I wuv Lydia swo much!” my girlfriend clung onto my arm, her words slurring together as she nuzzled her face against my shoulder. The party was finally winding down with the moon high in the sky, and Elder Salma had sent us back to her cabin after seeing Audrey’s state. “Lydia wuvs Audrey back?” She asked as we walked.

  “You know I do… Do you want me to carry you?” I said with an exasperated tone. Audrey had difficulty walking straight, so the minute walk back to the cabin took much longer. And I definitely don’t trust her to take us via shadows right now…

  Her eyes went wide, with exaggerated surprise. “Rweally? I like it when you hold me…” I bent down, sweeping her off the ground and into my arms. Audrey kicked her feet cutely and wrapped her arms around my neck as she giggled like a kid. “Yay! A princess carrying me like a princess!”

  “Are you a lightweight, or did you just drink that much?” I asked more to myself than anything, but she suddenly went stiff before looking up at me with a pout.

  “I’m not hweavy!” She poked at my cheek with a finger.

  “That’s not even remotely close to what I said…” I carried her up the cabin's front steps and through the front door. “I’ll just be grateful you aren’t a sad or angry drunk,” I sighed.

  Once we were in the room, I put her feet back on the ground. “It’s time for bed, can you change on your own?”

  “I’m a divine gwardian! Of course I can!” She said, swaying slightly on her feet and raising her hand in a salute for some reason. Then, she started to fumble with the buttons on the front of her dress. Good thing she didn’t say that outside… We explained her magic as the rare shadow magic and asked the villagers to keep it a secret. I didn’t anticipate them betraying us, but that didn’t mean information couldn't be leaked later on.

  I stripped off the hunting outfit I had been wearing all day, but before I could slip on the pajamas, I was pushed from behind, and fell onto the bed face first. Something wrapped itself around my wrists and ankles as I flipped myself onto my back. My arms were pulled above my head, and I saw a shadow extending from beneath the mattress. Audrey crawled onto the bed and sat on top of me, straddling my stomach. Her gaze was intoxicated in more ways than one now.

  “Hey, Audrey! Don’t drunk-cast magic, it’s dangerous!” I said, struggling against her shadows to no avail. I wasn’t completely sober myself, and maybe that was why I was slow to realize the state of undress I was in.

  “Don’t worry… I’d never hurt my Lydia…” She murmured, her fingers tracing circles around my exposed naval. Suddenly, she looked at the ceiling with a frown. “You better not be watching, Aurora! I’ll get mad!”

  “You don’t need to shout to talk to her!” I hissed, but that only made Audrey giggle more.

  “Oops…” She mumbled, then her hands slide up my body, brushing over the binding I had across my chest. Since we decided to stay for a few days, we stored our weapons and armor in her dimension, including the underwear we had on then. The fabric, and the fact that the bra hooked behind, were far more luxurious than what the women in a village like this could afford, so we both had switched to simple cloth bindings and bottoms.

  “Audrey! I said it’s bedtime! We have to get on the road early—Mmmhh!” I bit back a moan as one of her hands reached down and traced my inner thigh.

  She looked down at me, her blue eyes glimmering with desire. “Do you not want to…?”

  As I sunk into her gaze, I cursed myself for being so weak to Audrey’s touch. Still, my royal pride kept me from admitting it. Everywhere she had touched burned with a lingering heat, and now my face flushed as I turned my head and averted my gaze.

  “I didn’t say that…” I mumbled, and a seductive grin graced my girlfriend's face.

  “Good.” With that, she gathered the skirt of her apron dress, and pulled the whole thing over her head, struggling for a moment when it got stuck on her head because she hadn’t finished undoing the buttons on the front in her drunken state. Adorable.

  When she finally got it off, the handkerchief on her head went with it, causing her scarlet hair to fall in disheveled waves. Her silver locket hung around her neck, and she held it in her hands for a moment, before carefully taking it off and putting it in her storage. “Mother doesn’t get to watch either…” She mumbled.

  The urge to caress her overcame me, but I was quickly reminded that my limbs were still bound in her shadows.

  “Audrey… will you let me go?” I asked as sweetly as possible, but she just tilted her head cutely as her hands roamed my body again.

  “Mmnn, don’t wanna.”

  “But I can’t do anything like this…”

  “I know, and my stomach is all fluttery at the thought.” She leaned down, pressing her body against mine as she began kissing and nipping at my neck. Her nails raked gently up the underside of my arms where they were pulled above my head.

  “I’m—Ah! I’m never letting you drink alcohol again!” I said, but even I knew those words had no real conviction. The shivers down my spine and the excitement coursing through my veins undermined my resolve.

  “This is all your fault, Lydia…” She whispered, her breath warm against my ear. “You stirred me up in the bath, and I waited every night for you to finish what you started.” She straightened herself slowly, the way her body moved stealing what little breath I had left. Her hands began to pull on the cloth covering my chest, and I could do nothing to stop her. Not that I want to.

  We were both breathing hard now, and when my binding finally fell away, her hands cupped my breasts. Even if I couldn’t move much, my back arched in response to her touch as if begging for more. Coming back down, her lips traced their way down my neck again. Gasps escaped me as she left mark after mark on my skin, trailing lower until my gasps turned to moans.

  With her mouth now on my chest, one of her hands moved down until it slipped beneath the waistband of the cloth bottoms I wore, and a jolt of electricity shot to my core. Those dazzling blue eyes held me in a trance as I watched her have her way with me. Audrey grinned devilishly around the peak in her mouth, before a soft pop echoed around the room as she released it.

  “I knew it… My Lydia is the most delicious of any meal, and I intend to savor every bite…” Then, her hand and tongue moved in harmony once again.

  Everything after that was a whirlwind of pleasure.