“Tell me what your real plan is, my love,” Cyris had to try not to bed, but she had to know. Hester shook her head, biting her lips and refusing to meet Cyris’ eyes. The swordswoman knew that she wouldn’t be able to change the stubborn woman’s mind on this, so instead she settled for wrapping her lover up in her arms and placing a kiss upon her forehead.
“Just please, Hester. Please be careful.”
Hester wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“Hester. Please promise me that you won’t do anything that is- more reckless than necessary. I can’t lose you,” Cyris whispered, pressing their foreheads together and letting out a long and slightly shaky breath. Finally, Hester nodded.
Cyris just wasn’t entirely sure that Hester would actually keep this promise.
This is up to me now, then, she thought. Hester might not care about her own safety, but Cyris would never let her get hurt again. The other woman had been injured whilst protecting Cyris, the very first time they’d met.
Cyris had fallen in love on the spot.
She knew everything about Hester. Or at least that’s how she’d felt, but now…now she wasn’t so sure anymore. The closer and closer they got to King Terrin’s castle, the more apparent it became that Hester was keeping secrets from her. Cyris didn’t mind, particularly, because she had many of her own secrets that she would prefer if Hester wasn’t aware of - embarrassing stories, and the like.
So Cyris didn’t mind the secrets.
What she did mind was that Hester was seemingly about to throw her life away, all just t save some poor little princess trapped in a tower.
Cyris didn’t know what was going on, but she knew two things: that she would always love Hester, no matter what, and also that she would protect Hester with her own life, if it came down to it.
If it came down to it.
—————
Hester couldn’t let Cyris die - not ever - but especially not for Hester’s sake. She had to do this on her own, or not at all.
So she snuck out. Quickly pulling her clothes back on after Cyris had so eagerly taken them off her earlier that night, Hester leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lover’s bare shoulder.
“I promise I will come back, my dear,” she whispered, standing to go. She stopped briefly, turning back to look at the swordswoman.
“I love you, Cyris,” she admitted for the first time.
—————
“No, no no no no.” This couldn’t possibly be happening, right? Right?
Hester was gone.
All signs of her were gone too, like she had never even existed. Like she had never been Cyris’ lover, like she had never been loved by and loved Cyris back.
Cyris pressed her hands over her eyes and let out a deep, shuddering sigh. Her bottom lip stung as cool air entered her mouth with a great intake of breath.
And the swordswoman smiled. A great, huge grin. Hester had bitten her lip, several times, last night.
She could do this. Cyris knew exactly where to find her lover - after all, there was only one place she could possibly have gone.
“King Terrin’s castle awaits,” she grinned.
It was time to rescue her sweetheart.
—————
Hester refused to bow. She would never bow down to one so beneath her, even if he wore a crown atop his head.
“Let Princess Astira go free. You only lock her way, you have no use or love for her anyway. Let me take her.”
King Terrin laughed. He laughed, right in Hester’s face. She leaned forwards and snarled angrily right at the beast. “Give me my daughter, or I will end your life right here and now.”
“Oh calm down Hessie. This is why I had to divorce you; always so melodramatic,” Terrin rolled his eyes, extending his hand as if proffering it to Hester for her to kiss his knuckles. She grabbed his hand tight and smirked when he winced a little in pain.
“I escaped from you, you did nothing but cause Tira and I pain and grief. You already have a new successor - a boy, just like you wanted - with your new wife, so why do you even care?! You don’t need Astira!” Hester shouted, feeling angry as despairing tears began to well in her eyes.
Terrin leaned forwards, a sickening grin on his lips.
“How right you are, Hester. I don’t need her, but you do. Astira is the best punishment for you, because you will never, ever see your daughter again!”
“Fuck you, dumbass,” a cocky, confident voice proclaimed.
Hester whipped around, never feeling so glad to see Cyris’ obnoxious and utterly handsome smile.
And then Hester’s own smile faltered slightly. Now Cyris knew. Unless, perhaps she didn’t hear much?
No. She heard enough.
Hester could see it in her eyes.
Cyris knew now.
And then out from behind Cyris’ broad figure stepped a little girl. Hester hadn’t seen her in years, but she could never forget her darling daughter’s face. Princess Astira clung to Cyris’ hand until her eyes met Hester’s, and then the ten year old dashed forwards into her mother’s arms.
“How dare you?! Where are my guards?!” King Terrin demanded, taking a long stride towards Hester, his hand raised to strike her. With swift ease, Cyris intercepted the man before he could lay a hand upon Hester or Astira.
“I don’t know, perhaps you should go and look for yourself,” Cyris sneered, roughly shoving the king backwards and forcing him to sit back in his stupid little throw.
Hester gently took Cyris’ right hand in hers, squeezing it lightly. “Let’s go. He won’t stop us,” she said firmly, looking directly at the king. He stuttered something out about how they’d never get away with this and blah blah blah, but honestly Hester’s mind was far more preoccupied with thoughts of her daughter’s hand in one of hers, and Cyris’ hand in her other.
The trio swiftly left the throne room, Cyris practically dragging her two companions along beside her.
“What did you do?!” Hester exclaimed in surprise as they passed empty halls devoid of soldiers. Cyris smirked. “I started a little…accident, shall we say. Somewhere over in the east wing, as far away from the throne room as possible, and rendered the stragglers unconscious,” she admitted, feeling proud of her plan. Even though her plan was basically what Hester had suggested in the first place: Cyris causes a diversion while Hester goes to rescue Astira. Although that part of the plan ended up a little different.
“How did you even get Astira? Or know where to find me?” Hester asked quietly as the three snuck hurriedly along towards their exit. There was currently no one to see them, but surely it was only a matter of time…?
“We need to get out of here, and then I’ll explain everything, I promise,” Cyris said softly, looking deep into Hester’s eyes. But Hester knew that it was she that needed to do the majority of the explaining.
After all, she had a daughter that she’d never even told her lover about.
—————
Astira hadn’t left Hester’s side in the full two days after their grand escape. Cyris was happy for the two of them, but it did mean that the bounty hunter couple hadn’t been able to have a proper talk about….everything, yet.
Their chance finally came in the form of a shared bath. Hester was reluctant to leave Astira on her own, but the ten year old did want a few minutes to herself, so she assured her mother that she would be fine for a little while. Cyris hadn’t volunteered to bathe with her lover, but Hester had instantly taken her hand lead to swordswoman to the baths of the inn that they were staying at for the night.
The moment the two were alone, Hester was taking Cyris’ face in her hands and kissing the bounty hunter passionately.
“I love you so much, Cyris. And I’m sorry for keeping so much from you,” she whispered, resting her forehead against Cyris’.
The swordswoman’s heart nearly burst at her lover’s words.
“I love you too, Hester. And you don’t have to apologise. It doesn’t seem to be a topic that has been easy to even think about,” Cyris said softly, pressing a kiss to Hester’s temple and stroking gently through her soft hair. Hester nodded against Cyris’ shoulder, taking a deep breath to keep her tears back.
“It hasn’t been easy, at all. All I’ve ever wanted was to live peacefully in the countryside with my daughter, and now that dream has…grown, a little.” She took another deep breath, pulling back a little so that she could see Cyris’ eyes. “I’d love if I were able to live in the countryside with my daughter and…and my wife. If you would also like to live in the countryside with a daughter and a wife.”
Cyris had never felt happier in her whole entire life.
“Are you asking me to marry you, darling?” She asked teasingly, stroking Hester’s cheek. But the swordswoman’s eyes were entirely serious.
“Yes, Cyris. I am. Will you marry me?”
Cyris slowly took Hester’s hand in hers, bringing it up to her lips and brushing a kiss to the other woman’s knuckles.
“Yes, my love.”
Hester smiled more brightly than Cyris had ever seen, and the sheer beauty of it caused Cyris to fall in love, all over again. It seemed that she would always continue falling in love with Hester.
“Good. Now, would you like to hear my story?” Hester said sweetly, resting her head back upon Cyris’ shoulder and looking up at her, the emption in Hester’s eyes sending thrills straight down Cyris’ spine.
“I’d love to, my darling.”
-THE END-
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