Is That an Order, Your Highness?

by VetiverRiver

Chapter 12: Epilogue

Summary:

Time marches on.

Notes:

Thank you so much to everyone who read this far. The response I’ve received is overwhelming and far beyond what I could have ever imagined when I started typing. I am deeply honored to have shared it with you all.

I’m not going to know what to do with myself now that this is over 😭 please enjoy the last of my brainrot 😚 it’s long and self indulgent

1 year later

Elora and Graydon got married with even more fanfare than Jade and Kit as news of the Wyrm’s defeat made its way through the realm signaling her official return. After the wedding, they said a bittersweet farewell, happy that their friends were together at last but the fact that they wouldn’t see each other often hung heavy over their heads. Elora presented not only Kit and Jade, but also Scorpia and Mims with an enchanted mirror so they could all communicate easily now that she was living the farthest away. It dulled the sting but Kit hugged Elora goodbye more times than she would ever admit to anyone.

 

5 years later

After a couple years of Sorsha walking around the castle dropping baby hints, Jade decided she was finally ready. They met with the head healer who explained the process in detail and warned that it could take more than a few tries.

A few weeks later, Jade was laying on a cot in the infirmary covered by a sheet with Kit sitting by her side. When the healer came in holding a bowl and a large metal instrument she started to panic a little.

“Feet up,” the healer requested, sitting down in front of her and lifting the sheet to her knees. She winced as the cold metal tool entered her and pulled her open, her nerves refusing to settle. Kit stood up to peer over the sheet and Jade made a grab for her but missed.

“Don’t look!”

“Why not? It’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” Kit replied and the healer chuckled. Jade wanted to kick out at him but knew better than to antagonize the person who was wielding a metal contraption in her vagina.

“Because this is oddly humiliating,” Jade replied, covering her face with both of her hands.

“Don’t be embarrassed. There are plenty of nobles who do it this way,” he tried to assure her but it did nothing to make her jaw unclench, “You may feel some pressure,” the healer warned and Jade braced harder than she needed to.

“Oh, gross,” Kit whispered, grimacing as the healer dipped his finger into the now cooled viscous liquid and spread it across her cervix.

“I could do without the commentary, Princess, thank you,” Jade snapped, thoroughly annoyed with her wife.

“I can kick her out,” the healer offered lightly as he went back for another dip.

“Hey!”

“It’s fine,” Jade jabbed her finger at Kit threateningly, “but if this doesn’t take I’m coming alone next time.”

“Fine, I’ll behave," Kit threw herself down into the chair again and Jade flung out her arm, smacking her hard on the stomach with the back of her hand. The healer finished and requested she stay laying for a while to better the chance of it taking and left the room. Kit bent down to kiss her forehead and Jade almost swatted her away but welcomed the comfort.

“You did so good!” Kit said cheerily.

“You didn't,” Jade shot back, her voice taut, still feeling exceedingly sensitive about the whole ordeal even though it was relatively quick.

“I’m sorry,” Kit said sincerely, smoothing back her hair away from her face, “I wasn’t trying to make this worse.”

“Well you did,” Jade glared up at her for a moment before shuffling to one side of the cot so Kit could join her. Kit tentatively scanned her wife’s face, admiring how her red eyelashes caught the light.

“What do you want it to be?” Kit asked, rubbing her arm.

“A girl,” She said a little sheepishly, “I know we’re supposed to just want a healthy baby but I want a little girl.”

“Me too,” She kissed the tip of Jade's nose before tentatively asking, “Am I really banned from coming with you next time?”

“No,” Jade relented, “but only if you stay on this side of the sheet. It’s already weird enough having a stranger poke around down there without an audience.”

“Damn, I was gonna invite the whole village next time.”

“Please don’t make jokes while part of your brother is still inside me,” Jade said with a shudder.

“You’re gonna have to get over that or it will be a very humorless 9 months.”

 

The pregnancy didn’t take and after five more months Jade started to get frustrated.

“Maybe it’s me?” She suggested after waking up to blood on the sheets.

“The healer said it could take a few tries. Don’t assume it's you - it could be Arik. It’s a wonder half of Tir Asleen isn’t having a royal baby.”

“But it’s been more than a few tries. What if I can’t do it?”

“Then we don’t. It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes it is! We both want this.”

“Not if it’s making you crazy. We could always ask Elora if she’s figured it out yet.”

“I just wanted to do it the normal way. One normal, one magic. That was the plan.”

“I hate to break it to you but this isn’t really the normal way either,” She thought she was making a good point, but looking at the pained expression on her wife’s face, she wished she could take it back, “How about one more try then we use magic?” Jade nodded, looking incredibly overwhelmed and Kit pulled her to her chest, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

“I don’t want to disappoint you,” Jade said quietly against her sternum and Kit pulled back to look into her eyes.

“You could never disappoint me. Especially not about this. Maybe you just have to relax? Not think about it so hard.”

“How am I supposed to relax when a man has his hand inside me like a puppet?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”

 

The day of her next appointment, Kit asked her to come to their room after training but she didn’t tell her why.

“I have a surprise for you,” she pulled her towards the bathroom. Jade could smell the roses before she saw them, floating along the top of the bath, sprinkled so thick it almost looked like you could lay on top of it and not sink into the steaming water below. Next to the bath was a little table with candles, her favorite book, and a bottle of wine set beside an already filled glass, “You still have a few hours to relax,” Kit pulled her in by their still intertwined hands and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder. “Get in - it’s practically boiling, just the way you like it.”

Jade stripped and toed her way into the nearly scalding bath, feeling her muscles instantly loosen when they hit the water. Kit blew her a kiss and turned to leave.

“Wait! Aren’t you getting in?”

“No, it’s all for you. I figured you could use some alone time.”

“No, come join me there’s plenty of room,” She swirled her arm under the water, watching the petals dance on the surface.

“I don’t want to ruin your quiet time.”

“I don’t need quiet to relax but I would like some company,” Convinced, Kit stripped and settled on the other side of the large basin, tangling their legs together. Jade ran her hand down a calf and gave her ankle a little squeeze, feeling touched Kit would go through the trouble to make her feel more at ease before her appointment.

They took turns drinking from the single wineglass, passing it between them until it emptied then abandoning it in favor of drinking right from the bottle, giggling and gossiping, feeling like they’re teenagers again who had swiped a bottle from a banquet table to drink in the gardens. She remembered a time when she had a bit too much and the happy buzz had tipped over into sadness as she pulled from the shared bottle, lamenting that the closest she would ever get to kissing Kit would be placing her lips where her's once were. Jade let out a little snort, wishing she could go back in time and tell her younger self to just hang on a little longer.

“What’s so funny?”

“I just had a memory of how far gone I was for you,” She said, batting at the water so a little wave of petals washed towards Kit, “I was thinking about this time we were drunk and I almost cried because I couldn’t kiss you and now I’m going to have your baby,” Jade snorted again and Kit joined in, their laughter spurred on by their shared joy more than anything else.

“Life’s weird. I almost had to marry Graydon,” Kit gagged and Jade nudged her with her foot, passing back the bottle.

“Be nice. He’s perfectly lovely.”

“Yeah, lovely. That’s why you practically shoved him down the steps when Hastur volunteered him for the quest,” Jade flushed, remembering her bold slight towards the prince and she laughed again.

“Ok, he’s lovely now that you're mine,” Kit smirked at her as she took a long drag from the bottle and motioned for Jade to come lay against her chest.

“Read to me,” Kit requested, “Pick your favorite part,” Jade flipped through the pages as Kit wrapped her arms around her middle, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Jade read and Kit wasn’t really listening to the story, just the lilt of her voice, her mind clouded with wine as she absentmindedly traced circles on Jade's ribs. Her hand slowly worked its way higher and her thumb brushed the underside of her breast.

“That’s very distracting, Princess,” Jade said, pausing her recitation, “Are you even listening?”

“Keep reading. I like the sound of your voice.”

“Is that an order, Your Highness?” Jade asked coyly, recalling their mostly abandoned game.

“Yes, that’s an order,” Kit replied, tightening her hold around her waist and pressing another kiss to the back of her neck. Jade resumed reading, anticipation in her voice, and Kit let her continue for a moment before she carried on with her gentle caressing, now purposefully cupping the underside of her breast and sweeping her thumb just shy of the nipple teasingly.

Jade's voice held steady, so she settled her other hand along the top of her thigh, anchoring her thumb in the crease of her leg as she kneaded the flesh firmly, working her way towards her center. When she reached her inner thigh, Jade bent her legs granting her more access but Kit didn’t continue. She let her hand rest on Jade's inner thigh as she switched her focus back to the hand on her breast, finally inching her thumb up to sweep across her already pebbled nipple. Again, Jade didn’t stumble over her words except for the tiniest hitch in her breath as she started a new sentence, the pause in her natural cadence giving her away.

Spurred on, Kit dipped her head forward to kiss the back of her neck, sucking and licking at the freckled skin in unpredictable intervals and she felt a little shiver run down Jade's back when bit down on the tendon just behind her ear.

Jade rocked her hips forward hoping Kit would get the message and finally reach between her legs but her voice still held strong so Kit decided to prolong the torture, skimming the hand on her inner thigh up away from her center, over her knee, and back down her outer thigh. Jade pressed her back briefly into Kit's chest to let her know that move was mean but she read on, her voice a little tighter this time. Kit chuckled in her ear softly, rolling the nipple in her right hand and Jade plunged her own hand into the water, shoving Kit's firmly between her legs. She moved Kit's hand for her over her own clit and the slick of her felt like velvet compared to the water around them. Kit let her use her hand as she continued to to play with her tit, trying to get her to moan, but the knight’s resolve was ironclad. Jade moved Kit's hand lower and pressed two fingers each into her heat. Her voice pitched higher but she still read on and Kit was growing frustrated that she couldn’t get her wife to crack. She thought she won for a moment when she realized Jade was no longer speaking.

“Why’d you stop? I thought I ordered you to read,” She murmured triumphantly against her neck.

“I have to turn the page,” she replied with a little huff, “My hand’s busy.”

“I won’t stop,” Kit promised, “Read to me,” Jade pulled her hand from the water, reaching behind her to run it through Kit's hair, drying it off before she turned the page and resumed reading.

Kit kept her promise as she tried to ignore the fire between her own legs, letting Jade's voice wash over her again. The redhead only faltered when Kit finally pushed her over the edge with a well timed bite on her neck and a brush of her thumb across her nipple as she was still buried inside of her. Her voice quivered along with her legs as she fought to speak through her peak but she lost control, letting out a high, choked off moan. She primly placed the book on the table and turned in Kit's arms a little too fast, sloshing water everywhere as she pulled her wife in roughly by the back of the neck.

“Bed, now,” Jade commanded, standing to get out of the tub. The water ran down her curves, a few petals clinging to her, and Kit wanted to lick the droplets from her skin. She stood and before she could reach for the towel, Jade pulled her from the room, too drunk to care about wet sheets.

Jade pushed her down onto the bed, crawling over her and ghosting her lips along her collarbone. She ran her tongue down the chord perpetually around her neck as she breathed in the rose water on her tantalizingly flushed skin, pink from the hot bath and booze. She wanted to tease the woman underneath her as badly as she had just done to her. Unfortunately, for all her discipline, she never really had any when it came to Kit.

She kissed her deeply, tasting the wine on her tongue and Kit pulled her down flush, wrapping her legs around her waist. Kit began to grind up into her pubic bone and Jade's mind scrambled as her plans to tease her wife went out the window, letting her grind, pinned to Kit by lust and wine, enjoying how their bodies moved together.

Soon, Kit's quiet whimpers weren’t enough, she wanted to make her wife moan. She pulled away, ignoring Kit's protests that quickly quieted when she saw where she was headed. Jade crawled to the nightstand and pulled out the glass toy, leaving the harness in the drawer, her muscles too loose from the alcohol to use it properly. She beckoned her forward with a crooked finger and Kit obediently crawled towards her.

“How do you want me?" she grinned, her voice low and pupils blown wide as she looked at the glass member in her hand.

“Oh, every way imaginable, Princess. But right now I need you to lie down and spread those gorgeous legs for me,” Kit complied, breathing heavily in anticipation, and Jade ran both her hands up the princess's thighs, dragging the cool glass along her skin. Jade teased her clit with the head of the glass before she dropped lower and plunged it into her cunt in one hard thrust. Kit released the breath she was holding in a rushed sigh and she tipped her head back, closing her eyes to fully feel the rod swirling inside her. Jade spent a few minutes just circling her depth as she caressed Kit's body until the brunette's hips started to buck upwards with more urgency. She started slowly, retracting it fully each time as she gained speed until she was pounding into her with force. Kit gripped the sheets as delicious moans ripped from her throat just the way Jade had hoped for and when she reached up to palm her breast, roughly pinching her nipple, Kit let out a loud echoing cry. Feeling a little mean, she slowed her thrusts and Kit opened her eyes, betrayed by her lover.

“I was so close.”

“Now you know how it feels," she smirked down at her victoriously, leaving the toy where it was nestled in her heat as she rocked forward to kiss the pout off Kit's lips. She sucked the princess’s bottom lip between her's, nipping softly. Kit wrapped her legs around Jade's waist again and bucked, knocking the exposed end of the toy against Jade's clit and she let out a filthy moan of her own as she ground down onto the toy, in turn, leveraging it up against Kit's front wall.

She bracketed Kit's head with her forearms and dropped her weight down fully onto her lover, grinding in desperation seeking a second release. She faced her palms inward to tip Kit's head back as she attacked her neck with hot, open mouth kisses, rocking sloppily and panting heavily. Jade broke first, humming against Kit's neck in pleasure and she shot backwards, almost toppling herself as the wine made her head swim.

She spread Kit's legs further apart and dipped her head, knowing just how to get Kit over the edge. She lapped at her clit with hard, broad strokes as her hand pressed the base of the glass, pulsing it against her depth with deep, short thrusts. Kit came with a fist tangled in Jade's curls and the other palming her own breast. She eased the pressure of her tongue as Kit came down, whining softly as she removed the toy.

Jade tossed it to the other side of the bed and joined Kit on the pillows, pulling her to her chest and tangling their legs together. She picked an errant rose petal off of Kit's shoulder and crushed it between her fingers releasing its perfume.

“Feel better?” Kit sighed against her chest.

“Beyond relaxed, I’m barely lucid.”

“Good,” She pressed a kiss to her sternum. They stayed intertwined, losing track of time, and they had to hurry to clean up and head downstairs, giggling and stumbling over themselves the whole way to the infirmary. Jade settled on the table pulling the sheet over her when she looked at Kit with wide eyes.

“Oh no, do you think he’ll be able to tell that I’m drunk?”

“I don’t think he can tell from looking into your vagina how much you’ve had to drink,” Kit reasoned seriously and Jade let out a loud peel of laughter that triggered Kit's giggles again.

“My, we’re in a good mood today,” the healer said, looking between them.

“Uhm, yeah,” is all Kit had to say by way of explanation and it set Jade off again.

“Well, it’s good to get some laughter around here,” he said charitably as he got to work.

 

Spirits still high, they decided they wanted to pay Myrna a visit. They headed deeper into the palace and they heard the seamstress shouting from around the bend. The door to her workshop was flung open and Arik stood wide eyed and disheveled in the hallway, hurriedly trying to tuck his shirt back into his pants.

“You can explain to your mother why you’ll be wearing rags from here on out,” Myrna yelled through the doorway, chucking his belt at his face.

“And you miss Penny-pie, are fired," she dragged her apprentice Penelope roughly out the door by her arm.

“Myrna please,” Arik started, stepping between the women, “This was all my fault - don’t fire her.”

“It takes two to tango, loverboy,” Myrna seethed.

“What happened?” asked Kit.

“I found these two in the storage closet desecrating my winter furs. I thought there were rats in there from all the squealing,” Jade grabbed Kit's arm to anchor herself, trying desperately not to laugh at Penelope who she only knew in passing. Her heart went out to the apprentice who was silently weeping behind Arik but the wine made it difficult to keep her face straight.

“Oh, Myrna, don’t fire the poor girl for having bad taste," Kit said, her chest compressing with barely contained laughter. Myrna huffed, looking between the four of them with crazed eyes before she finally jabbed her finger at the girl threateningly.

“Fine. But you will be cleaning the workshop top to bottom for the next week. After hours so I don’t have to look at you,” The apprentice nodded meekly, gaze trained on Myrna’s feet.

“And you. I never want to see your bare bottom in my workshop again. It was cute when you were four but now I have to go erase the memory with a bottle of wine. If you’ll excuse me,” Myrna turned sharply, slamming the door behind her and Jade thought she might actually faint from trying to hold back her laughter now.

“Really, Arik? You have this whole castle and you chose to violate Myrna’s workshop? Who do you think makes your little outfits?” She scoffed, “It’s not the blouse fairy,” Jade finally cracked, belting out a laugh and she covered her face, still feeling so sorry for the apprentice.

“Are you guys drunk?”

“Mhmm,” Jade nodded from behind her hands.

“I’m going to go to my room. Maybe forever,” Penelope said, touching Arik lightly on the shoulder. She turned and curtsied to both princesses, her cheeks on fire, “Thank you for saving my job, Your Highness,” she said gratefully to Kit before walking briskly away.

“Why are you even down here?” Arik asked, annoyed with his sister, “Shouldn’t she be resting?”

“We wanted to hang out with Myrna. Wait didn’t you just…” she made a rude gesture with her hand, “You couldn’t have possibly have needed to fuck that girl in the middle of the day.”

“I was trying to chase away the icky thoughts about where the first one was going. No offense.” Jade shook her head, letting him know there were no hard feelings. She understood completely - she couldn’t think about it too hard either.

“So what does she think about all this?” Jade asked, waving a hand towards her stomach.

“She thinks it’s very noble of me to help my sisters and Tir Asleen," he said pompously.

“Oh, yeah, coming into a finger-bowl is very noble,” Kit said, sarcasm heavy in her voice.

“Hey, I could stop if you’re going to be ungrateful about it.”

“No, no, we are very grateful,” Jade tried to placate him, “Tell us about her. How long have you been seeing her?”

“Four months,” he said a little too proudly and the women shared an impressed, albeit mocking look at this news.

“So when’s the wedding?” Jade deadpanned, setting Kit off this time.

“You’re kinda mean when you’re drunk," he said, squinting at Jade. “I have to go check on Penelope,” He turned without a goodbye and they blew kissy noises at his back, falling over each other laughing.

 

Luckily, the pregnancy took and the castle prepared for the new addition. Jade's pregnancy was a breeze despite a long bout of morning sickness and Kit was so attentive throughout.

They were attending Arik and Penelope’s engagement party and Jade was getting tired. She had spent the evening graciously letting various nobles grope her belly but she was reaching her limit. If one more person touched her without her permission she was going to scream.

She sat in a chair along the wall trying to hide in plain sight under the guise of resting her feet when much to her dismay, she saw Lord Hardgrave trotting over to her at a clip, his arm extended out towards her long before he was within reaching distance. She braced herself not just for the onslaught of belly rubbing to come, but for one of his incredibly dull stories. She has no clue why the earl had taken to her but he always made a point to seek her out at events.

Like an angel sent from above, Madmartigan intercepted the man, sweeping him away from Jade towards the other end of the room, tossing her a wink over his shoulder. She had never quite mastered the art of working the room the way he and Arik could and she was so grateful there was another buffer around. She was left alone for a few blissful minutes before Boorman ambled over, carrying a goblet and a plate of food.

“These are so supremely boring,” he said, using Jade's belly as a table and he popped a few grapes into his mouth.

“At least you can drink,” she groused, eyeing his goblet and settled for the lone dinner roll on the plate, “Why are you here then?”

“The food,” he said like she was dumb and he snatched a little meat pie off the plate. Just then, Jade felt a little pop and a gush of liquid run between her legs.

“Boorman, I need you to very quietly go get Kit, Sorsha, and my sister. Tell them to meet me upstairs,” She said, keeping her tone even despite her rapidly beating heart, “My water just broke,” He nodded and took a few steps before turning back to grab the plate.

She stood and slid along the wall to the servant’s entrance, hoping to not draw any eyes to the wet spot she could feel growing on her gown and cause a frenzy. She made it halfway up the steps when her first contraction hit and she gripped the banister wishing someone, anyone, was with her. After it passed, she made it to her room and immediately shucked the soiled gown from her body and pulled on her robe. Not knowing what to do next, she sat by the fire waiting for the others.

She was starting to get impatient when Kit and Scorpia ran in, followed quickly by Sorsha and the healers. They dragged in a large reclining gurney and Sorsha excused herself to go back to the party, knowing if there were too many absences there would be questions.

When Sorsha returned late that night, Jade was now in the thick of it and the sight of her mother-in-law opened a dam inside her. For the first time in many years, Kit's presence wasn’t enough. She wished she had a mother. She started to cry and the three women ran to her side but none of them were who she needed.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, it’s just been a very long day that isn’t going to be over any time soon,” Sorsha and Scorpia reluctantly went back to their chairs and she cried herself out, leaning into Kit's chest, but she still felt incredibly alone.

“What’s wrong?” Kit whispered into her hair.

“I’ve never had a mother. How am I going to do this? All I know how to do is fight.”

“You are going to be the best mother in the realm,” Kit said seriously, meeting her eye, “It’s me who’s gonna struggle. Look who I learned from,” she added wryly, jabbing her thumb at her mother reading by the fire, making Jade giggle wetly through her tears. Kit kissed her and held her face steady so she couldn’t look away, “We’ll figure it out together. I promise,” Jade nodded, leaning into her touch, and there was a knock on the door as she caught her breath. Kit went to answer the door and Arik was standing there alone.

“Can I come in?” He asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“No. She’s not really in an entertaining mood, Arik,” She crossed her arms blocking the door.

“I’m not asking her to perform a song and dance. I want to be there when I become an uncle!”

“It doesn’t matter what you want - she didn’t ask for you. Don’t you have a seamstress to go fuck? Oh wait, I meant apprentice,” Kit liked Penelope just fine but she was feeling incredibly protective and a little on edge, especially after what Jade had just confessed.

“Jeeze, you’re in a mood,” He glowered at his sister and they heard Jade groan through another contraction, “The baby’s technically mine anyway.”

“Say that again and I will rip your throat out with my teeth,” Kit spat, slamming the door in his face.

Around ten hours of labor later, it was time to push. It was every kind of pain she could describe all at once. Sharp, cramping, aching, throbbing, pressing, shooting pain. She squeezed the life out of Kit and Scorpia's hands but it did nothing to draw her focus away and the encouraging words from the women surrounding her were more irritating than helpful. At last, with one final, agonizing push, the baby was born.

“It’s a girl!” The healer held up the wailing baby for her to see and the little wriggling thing in his hands instantly captured her heart. He took her to a basin to clean her off and check her over before returning her to Jade. She pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her robe and placed the infant on her bare chest.

“You did so good!” Kit said happily, peppering kisses across her face. She took her daughter's little hand in her own, marveling at how tiny her fingernails were.

“My baby sister had a baby," Scorpia said, smiling fondly at Jade.

“What’s the name?” Sorsha pressed. They had refused to tell anyone for fear of people's reaction changing their minds.

“Dara,” Jade said smiling and Sorsha clapped her hands delightedly.

“I will send the announcements out tonight! Oh, I’ll have to write Clara separately to make sure Gerald doesn’t send a baby elephant to complete the set…” She started to say something else but Scorpia cut her off.

“We’ll leave you be," she steered Sorsha out the door. With their absence the exhaustion hit her.

“How are you feeling?” Kit asked, stroking her hair.

“Like I’ve been trampled by wild horses.”

“Do you want me to put you in bed?”

“Please,” She handed Dara to Kit who clutched her to her chest like it was the only way she wouldn’t drop her. She helped Jade move to the bed and reluctantly handed back her daughter.

“I can’t believe she’s here,” Kit said, laying her head on Jade's shoulder, “She’s real. And you made that! You’re amazing,” Jade turned to kiss her wife, absolutely beaming.

“And you took care of me the whole time. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”

“Every adventure,” Kit confirmed, cooing down at their daughter.

 

Dara was the most loved baby in the realm, constantly surrounded by doting family and friends. Some days, Jade felt like she had to fight to spend time with her own daughter as she was in such high demand, but no one besides herself and Kit loved Dara more than Madmartigan. If she didn’t know where Dara was she knew to go looking for the king. One day, she found them in his study, Dara propped up in his lap as he poured over his work, talking to her like she was his most trusted advisor. It was his favorite bit. Any time someone asked him a question and she was in the room he would turn to her and ask for her opinion, answering the baby babble or blank stare like he understood perfectly before giving his verdict.

Around six months after her birth, they ventured to the Wildwoods for Dara to meet the rest of her family. Immediately upon their arrival they were surrounded by the reavers all wanting to get a good look at the baby. Toth pushed his way to the front and excitedly presented the new princess with a tiny, sun bleached squirrel skull decorated with a little raffia bow at the crown.

“Her first skull mask!” He roared joyously as Dara reached for the macabre gift.

It was a happy, pleasant trip until they were readying to leave and Scorpia offhandedly mentioned that it had been over 100 days and offered to mark Dara before they went. Jade almost declared war that day. Instead, she calmly removed Dara from Scorpia's arms and handed her to Boorman before decking her sister, her daughter laughing happily in her uncle's arms as they grappled at his feet.

 

3 years later

On a plenilune night Elora arrived at their door clutching a swirling vial of amber liquid.

“I think I’ve got it!”

“Think?” Kit eyed the vial dubiously.

“Yeah, I’m like 90% sure it works. I haven’t been able to test it yet, obviously, but it won’t hurt.”

“Ok, your confidence level is not reassuring me. What if I give birth to a frog?”

“No frogs in the potion, just your hair,” Last time she was here she had shorn off a lock of hair from both Kit and Jade to steep in the potion as it brewed for 3 months.

“Is it still in there?” Jade asked grimacing.

“Sorta, it’s all dissolved. Come on! Drink it!” Elora shook the vial at Kit expectantly, “Make me an auntie again. Where is Dara by the way?”

“In the nursery, you can spend the day with her tomorrow,” Jade replied, ready to take the potion if Kit wouldn’t.

“Ok, cheers,” Kit mumbled, downing the amber liquid in one go, “Oh, it tastes like honey.”

“Yeah, I added that just in case. It did not smell good while it was brewing. Graydon thought we would have to burn the whole wing down afterwards but it’s clearing.”

“So that’s it?” Kit asked.

“Oh, no. I am going to run very far away from this room and you two have to…” Elora mashed her hands together ungracefully and they got the gist, “to trigger it,” Elora turned and hightailed it out of the room, shouting back over her shoulder, “I’m going to go look at the baby. I promise I won’t wake her. Have fun!” They waited a beat, staring at the closed door before they collided.

“Let’s make a baby, Your Highness,” Jade murmured against Kit's lips, walking her backwards towards the bed.

When Kit's legs hit the edge she dropped down and Jade chased her lips, climbing into her lap. She kissed her lovingly, stroking the soft skin on her neck. Kit's hands had fallen to her waist and she dropped one lower to caress down her thigh. Jade pulled back to remove their shirts, sighing when Kit immediately cupped her now bare breast, palming it firmly. Jade tipped her head back enjoying her wife’s touch as she rolled her hips against her lap.

“Have I ever told you how sexy your scar is?” Kit asked, stroking her free hand down Jade's arm, feeling the thick scar sitting on her bicep like an armband. Before Jade could answer, Kit craned up to nip at the skin above her collarbone, pulling a whimper from her instead. Kit kissed her way down to her unattended breast, sucking at the already hard nipple and flicking her tongue across it. Jade felt herself flood at the attention of her lover's mouth.

Jade stood, shucking away her pants, and pushed Kit down flat on the mattress so she could remove the remaining offending barrier and she didn’t know if she needed to ride Kit's fingers or taste her more.

Remembering why they were here, she dropped to the carpet and yanked Kit forward by the hips so she was just over the edge of the bed. She teased two fingers into her entrance before latching her mouth around her clit, working the stiffened peak of her tongue directly over her clit, flicking it against her hood aggressively. Just as she started to drive her fingers harder, wrenching a moan from Kit's throat, she felt a tug on her hair and she reluctantly pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, confused as the princess had been responding enthusiastically up until that point.

“Come up here, I need to taste you too,” Jade felt her stomach swoop at the rawness in her wife's voice and happily laid down for Kit, her own clit throbbing and in desperate need of attention.

Kit hovered above her and Jade pulled her down more so she was practically grinding into her mouth. When Kit's tongue ran through her folds, she sucked in a harsh breath, thinking about how she could never get tired of this. The taste, the feel, the love.

Suddenly, Kit rolled them onto their sides and hiked her legs up higher around Jade's middle while also sliding an arm underneath her hips locking Jade in place against her own body, licking into her more fervently than before. They were so entangled Jade didn’t know where her skin ended and Kit's began, feeling like they might finally become one.

They broke at almost the same time, Kit already halfway there when they started and Jade unable to hang on for long while Kit was drinking from her like she was an oasis in a desert. They rolled apart, staring at the ceiling, panting heavily, and Kit intertwined their fingers.

“Do you think that did it?” Jade asked, her clit still twitching from her orgasm.

“I don’t know,” Kit drawled slyly, “maybe you should fuck a baby into me the old fashion way, just in case.” Kit reached up behind her and groped around in the drawer for their favorite companion, handing it to Jade while still flat on her back.

Harness on, Jade crawled over her wife, smiling down at her fondly. She kissed Kit deeply, the taste of each other melding on their tongues, and she reached down to guide the head of the glass past her entrance. She fucked her slow and deep, moving her mouth down to her neck when Kit threw her head back and arched into her as she hit the right spot.

“Harder,” Kit requested, grabbing at Jade's hips trying to urge her on. Jade complied, bottoming out with more force and Kit tipped her pelvis down into the mattress still seeking more pressure as the hard glass stroked against her front wall, “Faster,” she commanded, raking her nails down Jade's back, still not satisfied.

“So demanding today,” Jade teased, withdrawing fully and slamming back into her wife, earning herself a sharp cry. On her next return, Kit rolled them over smirking down at her triumphantly.

“Aren’t you supposed to be fucking a baby into me?” Kit asked, her sentence broken up by short moans every time she slammed her hips down in Jade's lap.

“I was trying, you just got impatient, Princess. That’s hardly my fault,” Jade reached up to play with the perfect tits bouncing above her. Kit arched into her touch, gaining even more speed and the sound of the glass sliding through her wetness was nothing short of obscene. Jade trailed one hand down the plane of her stomach and circled her clit until her wife broke above her with a loud, protracted moan. Kit slowed her hips but didn’t roll off her. Instead, she reached for the buckle on Jade's left hip, trying to undo the harness frantically, her hands fumbling from the urgency.

“What are you doing?” Jade asked, looking up at Kit like she was possessed.

“It’s my turn. I never get to use this thing,” Kit huffed.

“That’s not true,” Jade laughed, swatting her hands away so she could do it for her. She may monopolize the strap a bit, but Kit has certainly spent many nights bending her over almost every piece of furniture in this room, sometimes twice.

Only once the harness was unbuckled did Kit reach down and pull it from her center, fixing it to her own body just as hastily as she tried to take it from Jade. Kit's urgency faded as she entered her wife, thrusting into her with strong, steady strokes. Jade was overcome by a wave of affection for her wife and she reached up to cup her cheek, stroking her thumb over her cheekbone before she pulled her down for a heated kiss.

Jade was always surprised by how connected to Kit she felt with the rod between them, buried deep inside her, like their souls were touching. She came whimpering softly, still fused at the mouth to her lover as the waves rolled through her body, settling in her bones. When Kit removed the harness Jade immediately pulled her back in for another long kiss, overwhelmed by her love for the woman.

“Do you feel anything?” She asked, pressing a kiss to her neck before burrowing against her.

“No,” Kit replied, confused, “am I supposed to? Could you feel it?”

“No, but it’s magic. Maybe it’s different.”

“Well, we’ll find out soon enough.”

 

Kit was in the middle of her second trimester when Madmartigan passed on a beautiful spring day. He had been riding home from the Wildwoods when a snake spooked his horse and he was thrown headfirst into a boulder. Kit and Arik had taken the second loss of their father hard, but it almost killed Sorsha. Jade would never forget the wail of despair the queen let out upon hearing the news. It rattled her bones and set her on edge, reminding her that even though they had defeated the most malevolent being the realms had ever faced, they were only human and life could still sneak up behind you.

The queen handled his death the same way she did the first time, throwing herself into her duties and withdrawing into herself. When she wasn’t working, she took her meals in her bedchamber and would only ever let Dara enter. Kit moved into her third trimester and one late night, Jade awoke to her crying softly, facing the wall. She wrapped an arm around her wife and she felt the baby kick under her touch.

“She said she wouldn’t disappear again,” Kit's voice was thick with grief, not just for her father, but for her still breathing mother, “I know she’s grieving, but I had hoped that maybe this time we could do it together.”

Jade didn’t often meddle with the queen's affairs, but this was hurting Kit when she needed her mother the most. Armed with tea and cake, she pushed her way into Sorsha’s room, ignoring her protests. She poured the tea and motioned for Sorsha to sit in her favorite armchair, taking the other for herself. When Sorsha didn’t loosen her grip on the door, Jade cleared her throat and looked pointedly at the seat again.

“We need to talk.”

“Can’t you let a grieving woman have some peace?” She shot back at her daughter-in-law and it was possibly the first time she had ever raised her voice at Jade.

“It’s about Kit.”

“Is the baby alright?” Sorsha asked, finally acquiescing and settling in the chair looking worried.

“The baby is fine. Your daughter is not. Nor is Arik,” The queen looked at her blankly and Jade continued, “I understand you’re grieving. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose your husband twice but your children need you. You can’t just emerge once the baby is born. You need to be there for them now or all you’ll be showing them is they aren’t really worth your time,” The queen picked up her teacup as she digested the hard truth being thrown at her, taking a sip to buy herself time, “They’re grieving too, and once again it’s like they’ve lost both parents,” Jade pressed, trying to get through to her, fully prepared for a screaming match if it came down to it. Sorsha took a deep breath and let it out slowly towards the ceiling.

“It was such a mundane death for such an extraordinary man," she said sorrowfully, “I’m sure he would have preferred you left him in the 13th realm so he could have died a hero,” She chuckled humorlessly and Jade nodded but didn’t speak, hoping she would continue, grateful that the woman was opening up, “I may have gotten ten more years with him but it will never make up for the ten I lost, nor the ten more I expected to have. I know you’re right, but I can’t bear to look at them. They’re so much like their father, body and spirit.”

“Is it really better to lose all three?” Jade probed as kindly as she could, “It should be a good thing that you still have a piece of him living within them.”

Sorsha started to weep, silently staring into the fire, and Jade knelt by her side, laying her hand gently on the queen's arm, “Please say you’ll try. I think it will help you too, but if you can’t do it for yourself, please do it for them,” The queen nodded and she stood, pulling Jade in for a fierce hug.

“Thank you,” She said sincerely over Jade's shoulder and she gripped the queen back, “It hurts, but I needed to hear it. I will do better. I promise.”

As the month went on, Sorsha emerged and reintegrated back into the family. Kit visibly brightened at her mother’s return and Jade vowed to take her talk with Sorsha to the grave, thrilled that she was able to get through to the queen and wanting Kit to feel like Sorsha did it on her own.

Jade was with her older trainees when a very harried looking squire ran in with the message that Kit had gone into labor a full month early. Jade tore through the grounds and up to their room to find Kit already writhing in pain on the gurney with Sorsha, a healer, and a midwife at her side. Kit's face flooded with relief when she saw Jade running to her side as a contraction ended.

“How long?”

“A few hours,” Kit replied sheepishly.

“Hours?”

“We thought it was a false start - it’s too early. But it seems like it’s really happening now.”

11 hours later the newest member of the royal family was born. The healer held up their daughter, all pink and crying loudly enough to wake the dead, before bringing her over to the basin to clean her off.

“You were amazing,” Jade said, beaming with pride as she bent down to kiss her wife.

“Why does it still hurt?” Kit asked the midwife who was preparing the baby blankets, “It feels like I have to push again.”

“It’s normal to have heavy contractions for the afterbirth. You may just need some help getting it out,” the midwife said, moving to press down on Kit's belly to help it along. She looked surprised as she moved her hand along her stomach, prodding her in multiple places, “You’re going to have to push a lot more than expected, dear. There’s another baby in there.”

“What?” The royals turned to her sharply and Kit let out a distressed whine.

“I knew Elora would mess this up somehow. I can’t do it again,” She looked up at Jade desperately like she could fix it for her.

“Hey, yes you can. You’re doing so good. You’re almost there!” Jade kissed her temple, trying to wrap her mind around the happy surprise, “You can do this.”

“You couldn’t feel the extra kicking?” Sorsha asked, elated by the news.

“No, I've never done this before! I just thought it was one super active baby. Why would I assume it’s twins? They were put there by magic. Elora didn’t say anything about two,” She ended her sentence with a loud groan as another contraction ripped through her.

The healer put the now clean baby in the bassinet and settled in front of Kit again. On the next contraction Kit pushed, squeezing Jade's hand. 20 minutes later, a second girl was born. This time, the healer didn’t hold up the baby, instead, whisking her away to the basin immediately, wiping at her nose and mouth urgently.

“Why isn’t she crying?” Sorsha asked worriedly.

“Why is she blue?” Kit asked like she already knew the answer and it felt like the ground fell out from underneath Jade's feet, the only thing keeping her on this earth was Kit's hand clasped firmly in her’s.

The midwife pressed on Kit's stomach again, making her wince in pain under the pressure, helping the afterbirth along. They watched silently as the healer grabbed a small spoon-like instrument and stuck it in the baby’s mouth trying to clear her airways. Jade could see her little chest retracting in on itself trying to breathe and she wanted to shove him out of the way to try and save her daughter herself even though he was the expert. Upon delivering the afterbirths, Kit started trembling violently and the shakes passed between their linked hands pulling Jade's attention.

“Why is she shaking? I didn’t shake,” Jade practically screamed at the midwife, beyond panicked that she was losing her baby and her wife in one fell swoop. She looked up at Sorsha who had her eyes locked in horror on the healer and her limp granddaughter. Jade dropped down to her knees and cradled Kit's face in her hands and when she saw tears streaming down her cheeks, she realized for the first time that she was crying as well.

“The tremors are normal,” the midwife assured her, keeping her tone steady despite the circumstances as she went to remove the placenta, wrapping it in the sheet it fell on, “She should stop within the hour. Please don’t worry, Your Highness.”

The healer pulled some dark muck from the baby's throat and used the finer end to make sure her nasal passages were clear, pulling a smaller piece from her left nostril. The baby drew her first breath and let out a tremendous wail.

“She should be alright,” the healer said, carrying her over, clean and gaining color. Kit held out her shaking arms and laid the baby on her chest, looking up at Jade with relief, still quietly sobbing, “It was only a few minutes. We’ll just have to watch her closely,” The midwife brought over the first baby and laid her next to her sister as the healer checked over Kit once more while the three women looked down at the babies in awe.

“Two!” Sorsha said with wonder now that the ordeal was over, smoothing back her daughter's sweat soaked hair.

“Oh no, we’re outnumbered now,” Kit said, smiling up at her wife, “That wasn’t the plan.”

“Babies don’t care for plans much,” Sorsha ran her finger across the back of one little hand fondly.

“Now we need another name,” Jade pointed out, perching on the edge of the gurney and kissing Kit on the top of her head, marveling at how small their second infant was compared to her sister who was already smaller than Dara was at birth, “I guess we could name her Elora as a thank you for the extra baby,” she joked.

“No way, she’s not getting so much as a pig set for slaughter named after her. Not after what she just put me through.”

“That wasn’t her fault,” Jade reasoned, “Things just happen sometimes.”

“Not that,” she said gesturing to where the basin was, “I ordered one baby and then I had to push out two with no warning. That’s on her,” Kit argued stubbornly, still shaking but the tremors were starting to subside, “Besides, Leona and Elora are practically the same name rearranged.”

“True. Whatever are we going to name this tiny thing?”

“Well, this was a happy surprise. What about Blythe?” The queen proposed.

“I like it,” Kit said looking over at Jade and she nodded.

“Me too, it’s very pretty,” Jade honestly did like the name but she would have agreed to anything Kit wanted after what she just went through, so unbelievably happy she didn’t lose either of them.

“Baby Blythe!” Sorsha said, deeply pleased that they liked her suggestion, “I’m going to go have someone pull the other cradle out of storage. Thank goodness this castle has seen twins before!”

As Sorsha left, Jade felt the exhaustion take hold and she helped Kit move to their bed where she would be more comfortable, knowing Kit probably felt like she had just fallen off a tower. Kit laid down with Blythe on her chest and Jade settled right up against her holding Leona.

“I love you so much. I’m so proud of you,” Jade said, kissing her hand, “I was so scared. I thought I had lost you both for a moment.”

“Me too. I found out about her and almost lost her in the same hour,” Kit tipped her head to rest on her wife’s shoulder and Jade wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as she watched the rise and fall of the baby on her chest.

The next morning, Sorsha brought Dara in to meet her new sisters after the healer had stopped by to check up on everyone, satisfied with Blythe’s heart rate and coloring, assuring them it was a good sign she made it through the night. The little girl crawled between them in bed, assessing the babies before she looked up at Kit to deliver her verdict.

“They’re ugly,” she said disappointed and the adults laughed.

“That’s what all new babies look like, love. Even you. I promise they’ll get cuter.”

“I hope soon,” The four year old replied, thoroughly unimpressed.

Soon after, they called Elora and Graydon on the enchanted mirror and they let Dara babble excitedly to her aunt as Kit slowly edged Leona into the frame, waiting for her to notice.

“You had the baby!” Elora cried excitedly, cutting off Dara, “Oh, but it’s so early - I was planning on being there. Is she ok? Why didn’t you lead with that?” She scolded.

“She’s fine, just a little small,” Kit laughed and on queue, Jade plopped Blythe into frame, “But this one gave us a scare,” Elora’s jaw hit the floor, absolutely astounded.

“Wow, you guys must have really went at it after I gave you the potion.”

 

5 years later

Kit heard little feet pad into her room just as they were getting ready to put the girls to bed and Blythe zipped toward her, red ringlets flying everywhere. Kit caught the usually serene child around the waist, pulling her to her chest and peppering kisses all over her face, making the girl squeal.

“What’s got you so excited, Bly?” She bounced her daughter, still easy to hold as she was the smaller one of the twins.

“Me and Leo are going to have a tea party sleepover with Grandma so you don’t have to put us to bed tonight!” She said happily, playing with the cord around Kit's neck.

“I’m sorry, baby, but not tonight. You have lessons in the morning.”

“But Grandma said we could and she’s the queen,” She said defiantly, pushing against Kit's chest to be put down and stamping her foot the second she felt the floor underneath her, “You're just a princess like me,” Neither saw Jade come out of the bathroom, watching them from the doorway.

“Keep it up and I’ll make you a pauper,” Kit warned, steeling herself against the brewing tantrum.

“I wish Grandma was my mom, not you," she pouted, glaring up at Kit. Kit was at a loss for words. It was the first time any of her children said something that actually stung. Jade saw the hurt on her face and decided to step in, scooping the girl onto the sofa and sitting beside her.

“Hey now, none of that. You have to plan some fun things and we weren’t planning on a late night sugar fest tonight,” She said, speaking in a low, calming voice.

“But I just thought of it and Grandma said it was ok. I wanted to do it tonight,” Blythe whined.

“You have to check with all the adults first. Just because Grandma said ok doesn’t mean me or mommy will agree. Grandma is in charge of Grandma's time, so you asked her and she said yes, which is good, but me and mommy are in charge of your time because you’re our baby. You need at least one ‘ok’ from us next time,” Blythe continued to pout as she processed the rules and nodded glumly, “You’ll have just as much fun another day, I promise. Can we put you to bed now?”

“Just you,” she said, tossing another glare at Kit who threw up her hands in disbelief that she was still the bad guy. When Jade returned 20 minutes later Kit was still sulking.

“How are you so much better at arbitrating peace than me?”

“Arbitrating peace? Kit, she's 5. She has no clue what’s going on or why. Don’t you wish more people explained why the rules were in place?”

“I never thought of it like that. I only know how I was raised, I guess. Oh no, am I becoming Sorsha? I used to tell Myrna I wished she was my mom. I think the only time I said it to her directly was the night of the siege.”

“She's 5. She doesn’t know what she’s saying, just that she didn’t get her way.”

“Still hurts - and she’s supposed to be the sweet one. I didn’t think a 5 year old could hurt my feelings but here we are. Little does she know Sorsha wasn’t that great as a mom either,” Kit said petulantly and Jade shoved her shoulder, “How did the other one take it?”

“Fine, and they’ll forget by the morning.”

“Dara’s never gone for the jugular like that,” Kit was surprised how deeply the jab affected her, sitting heavy in her heart.

“I don’t think Dara’s ever not gotten her way. That girl could sell bacon to a pig and she’s had you wrapped around her finger her whole life. They should have sent her in to do the negotiations on their behalf.”

“It’s better they don’t figure it out. Can you imagine? We’re already outnumbered. We don’t need a tiny barrister on our case.”

“Speaking of the barrister, we should go say goodnight and swing by the twins’ room to make sure they stayed put.”

“Promise I’m not becoming the old Sorsha?”

“I promise, love.”

When Kit told her mother what happened the next morning she just laughed herself silly, delighted that Kit was finally getting a taste of her own medicine.

 

A few nights later, Kit gathered all the girls dressed in their pjs, toting stuffies and blankets to their grandmother’s room for their sleepover.

“Grandma, I have a present for you,” She called out to her mother and received no response as the girls giggled behind her, “Grandma?” She called again and her eyes fell on her mother sitting stiffly in her favorite armchair by the fire, eyes open unseeingly. Her blood ran cold as she quickly turned them all around, sweeping the girls back out of the room.

“What’s wrong?” Blythe asked, confused as to why the carefully planned sleepover was being canceled this time.

“Looks like Grandma fell asleep already,” Kit lied as calmly as possible as she hurried the girls back towards Dara’s room.

“Why was she sleeping with her eyes open?” Her 9 year old asked worriedly, picking up on the thread of panic in her voice.

“That’s just what grandmas do sometimes," she said in a lame attempt to cover up what they all just saw, her mind reeling as she tried not to walk too fast and telegraph that something was in fact very wrong. She deposited them all in Dara’s room and stood numb outside the door, unsure of what to do next. She doesn’t know how long she stood frozen in place before a guard walked by and her limbs unlocked.

“Send healers to my mother's room now. It’s urgent,” He saluted wordlessly and ran down the corridor, his chainmail rattling as he went. Her feet carried her back to her room without a thought to find Jade, the image of her mother’s body seared into her mind.

“Hey! Everyone well on their way to a sugar coma?” Jade asked, smiling from their bed, her face falling when she saw Kit's frozen in terror, leaning against the door.

“My mother is gone. Call Elora to see how fast she can get here - maybe she can bring her back. I have to go,” She wrenched their door back open, ready to bolt.

“Wait, come back. What do you mean gone?” She asked in alarm, crossing the room quickly to meet her.

“I mean dead. I have to go meet the healer. I sent a guard but I didn’t tell him why.”

“Where are the girls?”

“Dara’s room. I have to go. Call Elora.”

“Kit, there’s nothing she can do.” Jade said gently, like the news would break Kit in two.

“She’s the most powerful sorceress in Andowyne, of course there’s something she can do. She literally put babies inside me. She can create life.”

“Maybe she can create it, but she can’t restore it. You know she can’t. She wasn’t able to bring Willow back…”

“That was years ago. Maybe she’s stronger now.”

“Kit, I’m so sorry,” She said, reaching for her cheek with tears in her eyes and her wife flinched away.

“Call her, then send for Arik and meet me in the bedchamber,” My mother’s bedchamber she couldn’t bring herself to say.

Jade did call Elora as it was the one thing Kit asked of her urgently, even if she already knew the answer. The sorceresses wept openly, saying she wished there was something she could do but that’s where her magic ends. She promised to call Scorpia and Mims for her before setting out to make the week-long journey back to Tir Asleen. She would miss the funeral but be able to make the coronation and stay for a while to help Kit through her mourning period.

Jade sent a guard to fetch Arik at his manor on the grounds and one to fetch Myrna who lived in one of the nicer apartments within the castle walls with a note asking her to keep the girls occupied so they didn’t wander off in the chaos.

By the time she made it to the queen’s hall, two healers were carrying her body away on a stretcher covered in a white sheet. She found Kit sitting beside the door with her head in her hands and Jade sat down beside her, gently leaning in so their shoulders touched.

“Why didn’t I just let them have their stupid sleepover?” She asked, sorrow coloring her voice.

“You had no way to know.”

“She wasn’t even sick. She was fine at dinner.”

“I know.”

“Is it stupid that I never really thought this day would come? I spent so much time wanting to be free of her when I was younger. Now I can’t picture how life is going to be without her. It’s just black,” Jade didn’t know what to say so she folded her into her arms, letting her cry until Arik arrived.

 

The coronation was a miserable affair, perhaps more so than the funeral, not that Kit had ever expected it to be a happy event. She trudged through the day utterly numb, unable to recall a single thing that happened other than the surprising weight of the crown as it was placed upon her head. A delicate white gold circlet of banded arcs tapering to a point in the middle of her forehead, dotted with pale sapphires where the bands met to match Jade's ring. She realized only after the ceremony that Jade's was the same but inverted so it sat more like a tiara and she wondered if she had been the one to approve the designs, her memory a fog that would only show her that night on repeat.

Her mother’s crown was buried with her, never to be seen again.

 

Several months had passed and Jade was growing more worried about Kit every day. Her position required her to run the kingdom while she grieved and she was clearly not coping well.

The meetings and decisions were endless and she was barely eating or sleeping. The girls saw less and less of their mother every day, despite her initial concerted efforts to be there at bedtime. Now, those nights were dwindling as well, Kit finishing her days late into the night, slipping into bed long after Jade had fallen asleep, and waking before her. Jade had gone to Myrna seeking her advice as the only other person who knew Kit down to the bone.

“She grieves like her mother,” Myrna said sadly, “I think the only way out is through, my dear. Just be there for her when she’s ready,” The seamstress offered with a sympathetic hug.

One slow morning Jade was awoken by a harried guard who informed her the queen was missing. Jade tore off with the feeling that she knew exactly where Kit would go to not be found.

She traveled beyond the grounds, pushing Arlo to her limit, and breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the edge of the canyon maze and found Eclipse tied to a crooked tree. She hoped against hope that the old horse would pull through for a few more years as he was getting rather old and Kit couldn’t handle another loss right now.

She walked through the towering rocks, navigating towards their old favorite spot to spar, and looked up to find familiar boots dangling over the edge. Jade climbed to the top, finding the footholds naturally from their youth. When she reached the top, hauling herself over the ledge, Kit just smiled at her sadly and Jade noticed the crown tossed several yards behind her. Jade sat down next to her but didn’t speak, giving her the space to decide when she was ready. They looked out over the barrier for a long while before Kit began with a sigh.

“She always said the crown was heavy, but I just didn’t realize how heavy,” misery dripped from her voice, “I spent most of my life fighting this and now look at me. A half qualified queen,” Her pain was palpable and Jade would have given anything in the world to make it go away.

“You can let me help. You don’t have to do it alone. I doubt Sorsha never let your father help. They were a team,” Kit looked unconvinced so she pressed on, “When you proposed to me you said we would be able to do good together. Please let me help you. You don’t have to do this alone,” Kit drew in a shuddering breath, fighting back tears, and she finally nodded, leaning her weight onto Jade.

“But he left and she had to do it by herself. She could do it. Made it look easy even,” It wasn’t an argument, just a lament, so Jade let her curl up in her lap and cry, smoothing back her hair and whispering low assurances down at her, her heart cracking in two, “You know what’s the stupidest thing that upsets me?” She asked, her voice wavering and small, “It’s so unimportant I hate myself for caring, but you don’t call me ‘Princess’ anymore. I’ve only ever liked it when you called me that.”

“I can call you whatever you’d like, love. You’ll always be my princess, even if you’re my queen now too.”

 

10 years later

After that day atop the canyon maze, they settled into a rhythm and things got easier as Kit relinquished half of the responsibilities to Jade and even some to Arik when she could. Tir Asleen continued to thrive and the girls grew.

Strong and statuesque, Dara was the perfect blend of their features with Jade's complexion but Kit's hair texture, favoring her deep auburn waves at waist length, often braiding it complexly or letting it whip out behind her, wild and loose, while riding. Her hazel eyes were more green than Jade's and they held so much emotion in them she could never hide what she was feeling. She was the heir Sorsha had always wanted, having a flair for the dramatic - preternaturally charming, poised, and so effortlessly good at negotiating from a young age, she was able to talk her way out of any punishment growing up.

Still the smallest, Blythe resembled Jade the most except for her eyes. Blythe had one blue, one green, the difference so subtle you could only tell in the light. She got her mother’s tight red curls that she never cut and she could always be found trailing after one of her sisters as the voice of reason. She was their most compassionate and tactful child, but had a tongue as sharp as a knife when provoked. She spent her days tearing through the library eager to learn everything there was to learn in the world, hoping to better it through knowledge and understanding.

Standing exactly at Kit's height, Leona also resembled her the most with pale, angular features and Madmartigan’s straight black hair that she kept edged into a severe point between her shoulder blades with wispy bangs she was always blowing out of her face. She could be loud and brash, always the first to speak her mind, but also the funniest and most observant by far. Her bright blue eyes never missed so much as a twitch in someone’s expression and refused to hold back when calling someone out on a falsehood. She was the artist of the family, and her many sculptures were tucked into corners of the castle or dotting the grounds. Myrna had taught her how to draw and she never looked back, creating wherever she could with whatever she could get her hands on.

All the girls had Kit's smile, and all the girls had Jade's freckles, but none had a proclivity towards fighting, much to their mothers’ dismay, having hoped to share their passion with their children. They were all proficient with a sword as their mothers thought it was important to know how to defend themselves, but none of them had a knight's spirit.

“I regret having Arik’s baby,” Jade sighed at Kit, dropping down onto the loveseat by the fire, “After spending a week crying over some count, I just saw Dara riding off with a girl on the back of her horse holding on to her rather tightly. We should have went for two magical pregnancies to eliminate the terminally horny gene in the line.”

“I hate to break it to you, but we were also just as horny but too stupid to do anything about it. At least we know she’s not getting pregnant tonight,” Kit mused unperturbed. Dara alternated frequently enough to give a person whiplash. Leo had always been interested in girls and Blythe, the late bloomer, had recently very nervously approached her mothers asking if it was ok that she liked boys, somehow fearing her mothers’ weariness with Dara was that she liked both rather than the alarming speed at which she tore through them.

“Why couldn’t she be like us? Bottle that up entirely until she’s of age. I hate having teenagers.”

“Now you’re just being delusional,” Kit laughed at her wife, “Neither of us bottled shit up until we got together. When you told me you had sex for the first time I cried in Myrna’s workshop for like three hours refusing to tell her what was wrong.”

“I didn’t know that. And you when? You never said anything.”

“Like a month after. I was planning on telling you but I felt so awful about trying to find your stand in I just kept it to myself. I literally only did it because you had. We finished and I just felt shame.” Jade had been 17 at the time and it had happened only a few months after the queen told Kit of her impending betrothal to the prince of Galladoorn, trying to move on from the princess she thought she could never have.

“Who was it?” Jade probed.

“Ellory. We had just gotten back from a ride and you were taking Eclipse back to the stable for me and she was standing in the courtyard. That’s how I picked - she was there,” Jade's mouth dropped in shock, “I know, I have a type. Knights in training just did it for me I guess,” she teased.

“No, that’s not why I’m surprised. That’s who I had sex with.”

“No. You wouldn’t tell me who it was even though I begged you to! I didn’t do that on purpose!” They laughed at the absurdity of the knight who was able to say she’s slept with both queens of Tir Asleen.

“She wasn’t very good was she?” Jade asked conspiratorially.

“No, the heads up would have been nice but you were all secret-secret about it. Our first time was so much better and we didn’t even get undressed.”

“It’s been like 20 years and I’ve spent all this time thinking I was the one who deflowered the Princess," she said in jest.

“Ew, never say deflower again. And you may as well hold the title. It was that bad.”

“Did she do the weird thing where she asked you to spit in her mouth?”

“Yep" she said and after a beat she grinned at her wife slyly and asked, “Did you do it?”

“Did you?” Jade raised an eyebrow back at her.

“1,2,3,” Kit counted off.

“Yes!” They shouted in unison and dissolved into a fit of giggles again.

“I can’t believe you did it!” Kit practically shouted at her, chest still heaving from laughter.

“You always give a lady what she wants,” Jade said gravely before she burst out laughing again, “And you did it too!” she added defensively.

“God, it was so gross. I don’t understand why she likes that,” Kit said grimacing, “And hands like an octopus. She was everywhere at the wrong time and so clammy.”

“Well, she was having sex with the Princess of Tir Asleen. I’m sure my hands were clammy too.”

“They weren’t. Why didn’t you tell me who it was?”

“I didn’t plan on telling you at all. It just kinda fell out! I almost flung myself into the canyon halfway through my sentence.”

“So was she it?”

“No. The day you got fitted for your first wedding dress I went out at noon and got very drunk and slept with some random barmaid. Didn’t even learn her name.”

“That’s why you didn’t come? I needed you! You told me you were sick the next time I saw you.”

“I'm sorry, but I couldn’t see you like that before I absolutely had to. I probably would have died of alcohol poisoning at your wedding. I kinda owe my life to the Crone if you think about it.”

“Was the barmaid good at least?”

“Too drunk to remember, but I’m pretty sure I cried at some point. I’m just gonna assume I was the horror story that night. She was very pretty though.”

“How pretty?” Kit narrowed her eyes at her wife.

“Not as pretty as you looked in that accursed wedding dress, I’m sure.”

“I think I still have it. Want to see?”

“Why do you still have it?” Jade asked in shock.

“We left for the quest and it just kinda stayed at the back of the closet forever. I was trying to forget it was there and one day I did. Wait here, I’ll go look for it.”

Jade heard the swish of organza sweeping the floor before she saw Kit emerge from their deep shared closet. The white of the ball gown had faded into a gentle ivory over the years but she still looked so lovely that Jade felt a surge of decades old jealousy bubble up in her chest.

“I didn’t think it would fit. Barely,” Kit muttered down at her chest. The dress closed but it pushed her tits practically up to her chin as the low V-bateau bodice was unable to accommodate the postpartum swell of her breasts that never went fully back down to their original size. Kit smirked at her, smoothing out the full skirt where it was rumpled from years shoved away out of sight.

“I definitely would have lost my mind if I went to the fitting. I made the right choice,” Jade said appreciatively.

“Want to know the first thing I said when I put it on? ‘Make the skirt bigger so he can’t stand that close to me.’ My mom loved that one. Big hit all around.”

“Myrna would have found me tacking every scrap of fabric in the kingdom to it in the night. You wouldn’t have been able to fit through the door.”

“See? And that’s why I needed you at the fitting.”

“I genuinely may have attacked Sorsha. It’s better this way,” Kit stopped in front of her and Jade reached out to touch the silk of the dress, no less soft from its time hidden away. She stood and pulled Kit in roughly by the hips. “Why do I feel like sending the Pacalcade to Galladoorn right now to attack a man who never even got to see how beautiful you look in this dress?” She murmured down at her wife, running a finger along the neckline, following the contours of her breasts.

“You can do something else instead," Kit goaded, stretching her neck upwards to kiss her wife, “Get me out of this thing and remind me I’m yours.”

“The dress stays on, love. You know you’re mine, it’s the dress I have to claim,” Jade kissed down her neck and across her cleavage, running her tongue just under the lip of the fabric, tasting the salt of her skin. She dipped her head a little lower and bit her nipple through the fabric, soothing over the sting with her tongue, dampening the silk. Jade dropped to her knees, dragging her hands down the bodice and she felt Kit’s abs twitch under her touch, already panting above her. She continued her path downward, making her way under the hemline, hands wandering back up her legs until she hit something unexpected.

“There’s a garter?”

“Mhmm.”

“I didn’t get one. Now I’m even more jealous.”

“Take it up with Myrna. But I assure you, he wasn’t getting anywhere near my legs that night.”

Jade flipped the skirt up over her head, leaning in to kiss up her left thigh and Kit widened her stance, hoping for her to go higher. Instead, Jade wrapped her teeth around the garter and pulled, letting snap back against her thigh and Kit yelped in surprise.

“Hey, play nice.”

Jade didn’t respond, working her tongue under the garter, soothing the sting for a moment before she grabbed it in her teeth once more and dragged it down her leg. Once she felt the fabric pool limply around her ankle, Kit lifted her foot and Jade removed it fully, tossing it into the fire.

“I never want to see that again," she growled at Kit who just nodded breathlessly back down at her before she disappeared back under the gown. She yanked her panties down her legs unceremoniously and licked into her with fervor, one hand wrapped around her thigh, digging into the flesh and the other kneading her ass, anchoring her center to her mouth so she couldn’t pull away until Jade decided it was time. She set a fast pace with her tongue that left Kit quivering above her quickly and she came undone when Jade captured her clit between her teeth, applying pressure to the base as she laved at her clit with long, hard strokes. Kit tried to pull away with a whimper as she slowed her tongue but Jade didn’t release her, digging her nails into Kit’s ass as she swiftly moved the hand on her thigh to her cunt, plunging three fingers deep inside her. Kit threw back her head with a cry bordering on anguish and she wobbled on her feet, grabbing at Jade's back through the skirt to steady herself. Jade didn’t slow her pace with her hand as her lips circled Kit's clit once again, sucking lightly. Her second orgasm ripped through her quickly and Jade mercifully resurfaced after she came down from the high.

Kit dropped to her knees, the dress pooling around her as she pulled Jade in to taste herself on her lips.

“Did you get that out of your system?” She asked, knocking their foreheads together, still panting.

“Not quite, Your Majesty. Do you think you have one more in you?” Kit nodded, a little dumbstruck by the effect the old dress had on her wife and Jade hauled them up onto the sofa, “You wait there. I’ll be back.”

Jade walked to their nightstand with measured steps, shedding her clothes as she went, and grabbed the strap on. The leather harness had been replaced several times over the years from wear but the original glass toy had been a long lasting friend. Jade donned the harness and reclined back on the sofa.

“Come ride my cock,” she requested, her voice as smooth as the silk she was so fixated on.

“I have to get you ready first,” Kit husked as she pushed Jade's legs apart and sank to her knees between them, lowering her mouth to the glass. She ran a hand up her thigh and across the plane of her stomach to knead her breast, never breaking eye contact, “You should have waited to put this on so you could feel me for real.”

“I can feel you plenty, Princess. You have a very talented mouth,” Kit's eyes darkened at the use of her old honorific and she surged forward, rucking up her skirt to climb in her wife’s lap. Jade liked to save the pet name for special occasions knowing the reaction she’d get and it never lost impact over the years.

Kit lowered herself onto the toy with a satisfied groan, bottoming out before she began to move, using the back of the sofa for leverage. Jade dragged her eyes from where the skirt was pooling in her lap up her wife’s body, unbearably turned on by the moans falling freely from Kit's lips.

She reached up and yanked the straps down Kit's arms and the bodice fell away exposing her chest. Jade grabbed her waist, tipping her lover forward to capture a nipple between her lips and Kit keened as she flicked her tongue against the hardened bud, grinding down on the glass now that she couldn’t move as freely while pressed this close. Jade held her grip on her waist as she kissed her way across her chest, sucking a mark onto the underside of her other breast. Kit arched against her hands as she tried to roll her hips harder. When Jade finally raised her lips to the nipple, biting down harder than she normally would, the sharp cry from above practically set her on fire. She dropped a hand under Kit's ass and lifted them just enough to shift their bodies so Kit laid against the armrest looking delightfully disheveled, one leg falling over the side of the sofa.

“This dress may be the death of me,” Jade said, running her hand under the skirt and circling her clit until Kit was moving against her hand.

“Fuck me,” she pleaded, reaching for her to come closer and Jade pushed her other leg up over the back of the sofa, opening her further than she needed. She hovered over her wife, rolling their tongues together as Kit reached down to place the head of the glass at her entrance.

Jade teased her with a few shallow strokes before sinking down to the hilt, both of them hissing in pleasure. Kit dragged her nails down Jade's back and bucked her hips upwards urging her to move. Instead, Jade pressed their hips harder together, winding in figure eights, rimming her depth almost painfully, grinding her pelvis into Kit's clit until she felt her legs tremble beneath her.

“If you want to come inside me you’re going to have to start moving,” She pressed, knowing Jade almost always came just from fucking her with the glass member, “I’m so close,” she warned, slipping her hand between their bodies and palming Jade's breast in another bid to get her wife to thrust.

Jade hummed at her touch and began to thrust at a steady, even pace. The coil in her stomach quickly tightened, Kit's touch and sighs pushing her rapidly towards the edge. She grabbed the leg over the back of the sofa and pushed it farther towards Kit's chest, pounding into her, the queen's eyes rolling to the back of her head as the hard slide of the glass pulled pleasure from her body. Jade was lost to the world, admiring the love of her life flushed and trusting underneath her, thoroughly disheveled by her hand and panting her name in the softest, sexiest way she’s ever heard.

Sensing Jade was close, Kit reached down to play with her own clit and the sight made Jade come crashing down almost instantly. The rhythm of her hips slipped as she chased the waves rolling through her and Kit broke underneath her soon after. Jade made to pull out and Kit trapped her there, wrapping her legs around her as she ground up on the rod, wringing the last of her orgasm from her body. When she finally released her, Jade unbuckled the strap and let it fall to the carpet below, beckoning Kit to come lay on her chest.

“What’s gotten into you? You seem to be taking this so much worse than when it was actually happening.”

“I guess now I know what I could have lost,” Jade said, running her fingers across the silk of the skirt absentmindedly, “I didn’t know you loved me the first time around. It hurt then, but the thought of all we have now never coming to be? Devastating. You, our babies, finding my sister. I’m so much better off because of the quest. I would send the Crone flowers if Elora hadn’t turned her to dust. Arik being taken turned out to be the thing that knocked my life on course. Otherwise, I would have gone to Galladoorn, missing you the whole time, and who knows what would have happened when I came back? You may have never forgiven me.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kit said reflecting on the aftermath of the quest, realizing that’s why she got her mother and father back as well. Jade was right, nothing about their life would be the same if they didn’t have the chance to venture outside the barrier together.

“I still kinda want to go after Graydon. We can spare Elora.”

Kit chuckled and they heard the door open, sharing a panicked look. Leona breezed in, already talking about something they didn’t comprehend as Jade flattened herself down behind the back of the couch, tucking her feet in from where they were dangling over the armrest as Kit shoved her arms back through the straps, trying to get her tits situated in the bodice before she shot up.

“I thought we told you to knock,” Kit said pointedly.

“Why are you wearing a gown?” Leona asked, turning to where her mom had just popped up from behind the sofa like a ghost, taking in the twisted, ill fitting garment and mussed hair, “Oh god you’re being gross again.”

“This is our room. We can be as gross as we want. Why are you here?”

“It doesn’t matter. I have to go boil my brain now. Maybe stick a hot poker in my eye so I never have to see that again.”

“Hey, I'm fully dressed!” Kit called after her daughter as she stormed back out, slamming the door before calling through the heavy oak.

“Barely! By the way I could see mum's hair sticking out over the armrest - lock the door next time! Ew!”

“She could give the town crier a run for his money. Bet the whole castle heard,” Jade winced from her hiding place, rubbing her temples.

“When he croaks we know who to replace him with. That’s the child you want to thank the Crone for?” She asked incredulously, jutting her chin after her 15 year old, “She didn’t even compliment my gown. Rude.”

“We really should have locked the door.”

“No we - you got here last! And I didn’t plan on you ravaging me in my old wedding dress today. You just snapped.”

 

2 years later

Much to Jade's displeasure, Dara insisted she wanted to bear the family’s mark. They made their way to the Wildwoods where Scorpia greeted them smugly, finally getting her way. She could never grasp why Jade refused to accept one of the most important parts of their culture no matter how many times they debated about it.

Kit was much less opposed to it, having made the choice herself, and it drove Jade insane that she was the only person who thought branding each other in the name of a familial bond was barbaric. Either way, Dara was now of age and she could do nothing to stop it.

Her twins were huddled by a tree deep in discussion and Blythe looked distraught enough that she needed to know what was up.

“Leo, I don’t want to do it today,” she heard Blythe say nervously as she approached, “and we said we would do it together.”

“But we’re already here. Let's just do it with Dara.”

“You’re too young,” Jade said, her voice hard, hoping her daughter would drop it.

“They give them to babies,” Leona argued.

“Which I hate.”

“You were a baby!”

“And Your mother was 21, just like Dara is. You can wait.”

“You should have just done it when we were younger, then we wouldn’t even remember the pain.”

“Enough or I’ll tell Scorpia to never give it to you.”

“You can’t do that. This isn’t your land.”

“But she’s my sister and she knows I will burn this village to the ground if she does it against my wishes. I almost killed her the day she offered to mark Dara as a baby.”

“But, I’m not a baby.”

“You’re acting like one,” She said brusquely, losing her patience and Kit joined the tense circle, assessing each of their faces in turn.

“Mom, she's being unreasonable,” Leona complained, hoping that her other mother would be on her side.

“I don’t know if not wanting your child to go through an unimaginable amount of pain is being unreasonable,” she said, cottoning on to the matter at hand quickly.

“Not you too,” whined Leo, storming off and Blythe mouthed a thank you to Jade before trailing after her sister.

“That one is your's to the bone. I don’t think there’s a bit of me in her.”

“Hey, you said that like it’s a bad thing,” Kit said, knocking their shoulders together, "You married me. Twice!”

 

After dinner, a cot was laid out by the fire and the iron prepared as they circled around. Just as she had with Kit, Jade had to watch despite wanting to look anywhere else right now. Her daughter laid down with all of the bravado in the world, biting down on the proffered stick, thoroughly unprepared for the pain she was about to face. Her hair was braided up around the crown of her head by one of the reavers and Jade hoped it was tight enough to hold for the next few days.

She took Kit's hand as the men laid across Dara’s back. When the iron hit her exposed neck, she screamed through her gritted teeth and tried to fight the men holding her down. Leona slipped her hand into Jade's, squeezing tightly as the sickening smell of burnt flesh hit their noses. She didn’t let go even after the water was poured over the fresh wound and Kit went to help her up, anchoring Jade in place.

She looked at her twins to find Blythe had turned around with Elora at some point, clinging to her aunt just as hard. The sorceress made the journey just to help heal the burn as she had done for Kit all those years ago. She was probably the only other person who hated the tradition as much as Jade but she never voiced her opinion out of respect for their culture.

“You were right,” Leona said, shell-shocked by the realization that this pain ran much deeper than a scraped knee or a broken bone. She watched in horror as Dara started trembling forcefully while Kit walked her to the medical cabin, “I might never want it,” her voice trailed off with disappointment.

“And you don’t have to. This was Dara’s choice, as it was your mom’s. No one gave me the choice,” Leona finally met her eye and she saw the understanding and fear there. Jade was glad she let them watch even though instinct told her to shield them from it. She picked her battle wisely - Dara didn’t know what to expect despite their warnings but now the twins did, having seen it first hand, and could make a more informed decision. Scorpia always preached about their freedom and Jade hated the hypocrisy of branding babies who had no say in the matter, marking their skin indelibly. She hugged her daughter tightly, rocking them back and forth and Leona buried her face against her chest.

“Elora and I have to go, but I’ll be back if you want to talk some more,” Leona nodded silently and collected her sister. She watched them go, doing the same twin thing she always saw Kit and Arik doing where they seemed to be talking telepathically. It still creeped her out a little.

“That could have gone worse," Elora said just to fill the space.

“Yeah, well, let’s see how she’s doing first before we declare this a success.”

They heard the choking sobs long before they reached the door and Jade took a deep breath as she reached for the knob. Dara was laying face down on the cot unable to stay upright through her tremors, gripping the sheet like it was the only thing keeping her alive. Kit looked up from where she was crouched by her daughter’s head, whispering low and rubbing soothing circles on her back. Relief flooded her face upon seeing Elora and she shot up so they could trade places.

The sorceress leaned forward to draw out the pain with two hands pressed to Dara’s spine. She was stronger now and able to progress the healing a little further this time but it was still raw and blistering at the surface. Dara sat up and heavy tears were still streaming down her face but her sobs had subsided. Scorpia entered as Kit was applying the salve to what was left of the wound, tutting softly.

“You put on quite a good show,” Scorpia said proudly to her niece and Dara sat up taller at the sound of her voice, quickly wiping away her tears, “Better than your mother even,” Scorpia smirked at Kit who ignored the jab and the girl preened at the lie. All of the girls loved Scorpia but Dara had taken to her the most and looked up to her in a way that always made Jade a little jealous.

Dara nodded stoically, unable to talk and focus on holding back her tears at the same. It was worse than she imagined when her mom described it and the second the iron hit her neck she regretted her decision. It’s worth it, she reminded herself, unable to recall why she wanted the mark so badly now that the pain was at the forefront of her mind. She kept repeating the mantra over and over in her head to brace herself against the burn, not listening to a thing Scorpia was saying as a fresh wave of pain hit her, the magic not yet dulling it enough to unclench her muscles. When Scorpia left the cabin she doubled over and started weeping again.

“Elora, can you try again?” She whined at the floor, laboring through the words as her chest heaved.

“Yeah, I can try,” She sat down on the cot and placed one hand just below the brand and the other across her brow. She knew from experience you could only heal so much at a time and thought that maybe she could chase away the pain a different way. Instead of trying to draw it away or regenerate her skin, she poured safe, warm thoughts into her niece's head, hoping to at least calm her, tricking her mind out of the fight response. Slowly, she felt Dara start to soften under her touch and they all jumped when the door flung open again.

“Jade, I need - what are you doing?” Scorpia asked, eyeing the group. Elora pulled her hands away and tucked them under her legs guiltily.

“I was just making sure she didn’t have a fever,” Elora said unconvincingly.

“Why would she have a fever? Your hands were glowing…” she turned to Kit shrewdly, “So that’s how you did it. You little piece of shit. I could never figure out how you were fine the next day.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kit said airily.

Scorpia backed out of the cabin glaring at Kit, the realization knocking whatever she needed from Jade out of her mind. The three women laughed at their decades old secret finally coming to light.

“Well at least we don’t have to hide it for the twins now,” Kit shrugged.

 

The day they were prepared to leave an awful heatwave fell over the land. Instead of traveling through the punishing heat, they sought refuge in the river with the rest of the reavers.

Sitting on the bank with Kit, Jade watched her grown children float in the river she got married in and a deep sense of peace settled in her bones. She turned to her wife admiring the dappled sunlight dancing on her features and she reached out to push a lock of hair out of her eye, Kit leaning into her touch.

“So, Princess, what do you want our next adventure to be?” Jade asked dotingly and Kit kissed her long and hard before she pulled back with a wide smile, eyes filled with love.

“I don’t care, as long as it’s with you.”

Notes:

Happy kissy ending!

I’m not anti babies but I do hate when women in media have to have a baby to be fulfilled so I felt kinda weird how much I wanted these two to be parents. I think it’s because they both have severe family trauma that it’s nice for them to build their own together. Still worried I gave them the April Ludgate treatment

I think it’s time I ask myself: do I have a formal wear fetish? The jury is still out. I love our milfs. If I kinkshamed you uuhhh sorry! 😇❣️✨

Notes:

Come say hi on tumblr! I’m vetiverriver