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“Are you almost ready?” Shelby asked from behind as their hands placed themselves on Katherine’s shoulders and twisted around her to place a kiss on her cheek.
Katherine shoved the last few things she needed to within the bag before shifting their position so they would face each other. She brushed some of Shelby’s dark brown curls away from her face before pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. “I am now. I think Evermoore is a beautiful place to visit, but, after a while, the fog starts getting to me.”
“It tends to do that.” Shelby gave Katherine a fond smile as she intertwined their hands together. They flicked their left hand and the bag full of things disappeared wherever Shelby put them with their magic. “I used to come back around here a lot before deciding to travel much further north than I ever dared to before. It was the best decision I’ve ever made, though, because I got to meet you.”
“And I’m very glad you made it, because I got to meet you.” Appreciation and gratitude for each other were freely displayed in their actions and confirmed with their words. It was natural for them to do so, so why hide it from each other when they could express it?
Katherine and Shelby have been traveling together for well over two years now, and they knew each other for months before that. They took their time to wander through the various towns and villages, sightseeing the world together. They weren’t in a rush to go anywhere specific so they didn’t do so.
They started way up north and traveled south on a very indirect route. The goal had been to explore the world together, and they have done just that! It was wonderful and full of bliss. Katherine didn’t think she’d ever smiled or laughed as much as she did when she was with Shelby, the love of her life.
The two of them walked most of the time since they weren’t trying to move at any certain pace and it allowed them to save some money. Shelby perfected spells early on to help increase their endurance and stamina when walking, but, over the past two plus years, their leg muscles have grown strong. Sometimes, she would forget to cast the spell and they wouldn’t even notice until hours later! It helped that they didn’t have to carry anything but the clothes on their backs, thanks to Shelby’s magic.
If they were ever in a need for money, they would spend some extra time than usual in the various towns or villages, and pick up odd jobs. Katherine would usually find more labor intensive or monster hunting jobs while Shelby sought out magic-related or gardening jobs. It may not work well for everyone, but it worked well for them and they were extremely satisfied with their lives. They’ve never been happier!
“Sanctuary should be our last stop before we’ve gone everywhere we initially planned.” Shelby mentioned as they walked together, still hand in hand. “There is Eversea closeby, but I think it’s better to stay away from there. I’ve heard that there’s been an increase of piracy and crime there. If they find out I’m Blessed, then… well, I don’t know what to think about it.”
Katherine knew better than to push that topic any further. She’s helped Shelby through many nightmares and panic attacks that have resulted from the trauma behind her “Blessing.” Katherine simply squeezed Shelby’s hand in silent reassurance before asking, “Wouldn’t Sanctuary be a problem if they’re so close by?”
“No, Sanctuary is supposed to be a magical place,” Shelby informed her with a shake of her head. “The land protects the people, and deters those meaning to do harm to it or the people it protects away. It’s supposed to be a safe haven. I’ve dreamed about visiting, but going near Eversea alone terrified me. Evermoore was the closest I got before backing out and going the opposite direction.”
“We should have enough money saved up to afford to pay someone to take us there.” Katherine held out her free hand to Shelby. “Can you give me one of our gold pouches? I want to hold it so we don’t have to use your magic in front of anyone until we get to Sanctuary.”
Shelby hummed for a moment before doing as she was told. “That’s probably a good idea. We’re so close that I don’t want to take chances.”
Katherine briefly let go of Shelby’s hand to secure the gold bag to her belt. The belt was hidden underneath some of the fabric layered on her dress, making it the perfect place to hide things such as their money and knives to help defend them from monsters, both human and otherwise.
And so they traveled on together, hand in hand as they wandered east on the paths leading to the docks just beyond the mangrove swamp Evermore occupied. When they arrived at the docks, they managed to catch a ride with a fisherman named Grian.
Grian wasn’t the most friendly to them at first, but he certainly wasn’t the worst person they’d stumbled upon. Within the several hours it took for them to make their way across the ocean to Sanctuary, Grian warmed up to them, and started joking around and teasing them mercilessly. Their time together grew pleasant and silly, and it was almost a shame when they reached Sanctuary’s docks and parted ways.
The keyword there being “almost” because the way Shelby’s face lit up when they arrived was worth so much more than the friendship they formed with Grian. “Katherine! Do you feel it?”
“Feel what?” Katherine asked, noticing the delighted gleam in her girlfriend’s pale yellow eyes. She took in Shelby’s expression, observing the smile wrinkles by her eyes and the way her grin grew wide enough to show off all of her teeth.
They’re gorgeous. Katherine thought, meaning it in every sense of the word. Appearance-wise, she was stunning, of course, but her personality, ability, and outlook on the world were not anything Katherine could ever imagine being able to ignore.
“The magic!” Shelby laughed breathlessly. It was like she was so overwhelmed by Sanctuary that she struggled to keep the air in her lungs. “There is magic everywhere! It feels so safe and warm. I could stay here forever.”
I could stay here forever. That wasn’t something Katherine has ever heard Shelby say about a place before. They knew that they could never do such a thing out of the fear people would come to learn Shelby was Blessed (more like cursed) with tears composed of silver. Thinking it over a bit more, if Sanctuary really was a safe haven, perhaps they could settle down?
Katherine wouldn’t admit it, but she did daydream about that sort of thing. She liked to imagine what it would be like to wake up in their familiar bed, decorate their house as they please, and go to make breakfast in their kitchen… Katherine found herself desiring all those little, domestic moments.
Sure, they were plenty domestic and caring as it was, but it wasn’t the same. Katherine has enjoyed her time wandering the world with Shelby, yes, but was it so wrong to wish for simplicity and to settle down? She didn’t need much; all she needed was to see her girlfriend’s smile to be content.
Before Katherine came up with a proper response, another voice interrupted them, “¡Hola, amigos míos! Welcome to Sanctuary!”
Coming to greet the new arrivals was a person much taller than them with a friendly smile and bright blue eyes. They had a trimmed beard, medium-length brown hair, and a faint scar over their right eye. They were wearing a dress with a creamy white top, a sun yellow skirt, and a teal blue belt-scarf tied around the waist. The belt-scarf covered over the transition between the top and the yellow.
They spoke rapid greetings in Spanish as they kissed Katherine’s cheeks then Shelby’s cheeks. Katherine was a bit stunned so she didn’t return them, but Shelby returned the cheek kisses with ease.
“My name’s Sausage, I use any pronouns, and I’m the Protector of Sanctuary!” she introduced herself, turning on her heel to get a comfortable distance away from them (presumingly to give them their personal space back) while still being able to converse. The skirt of his dress twirled with him, lifting up some to reveal the muted brown pants worn underneath. “What are your names and pronouns?”
“I’m Shelby, she/they,” Shelby introduced herself, struggling to stay still, before gesturing to Katherine, “and this is my girlfriend, Katherine, she/her.”
“Girlfriends! ¡Oh, qué adorable! ¡Qué lindo!” Sausage gushed over them, clapping her hands together. “Do you have a place picked out to stay yet? I could set you up with the Lover’s Suite at El Caldero de Colores.”
Katherine’s face flushed red at the mention of a “Lover’s Suite” and she ducked her head. “We would love a room at the inn, but there’s no need for anything fancy. We don’t have much money-”
“Nonsense! Here at Sanctuary, we treat each other like family!” Sausage dismissed the notion with a flick of his hand, insisting that he was more than happy to do it for them. “Family helps each other out. Honestly, it’s the least I can do for you two lovebirds. I always love meeting new faces! After I set you up, I am going to pick up Hermes, my son, up from his dad’s place, but after that, we should chat. Perhaps we can catch lunch after the service taking place at La Catedral de Santa Perla tomorrow morning?”
“We would be honored,” Shelby was quick to reply, her grip on Katherine’s hand tightening. “Uh, muchas gracias, Protector Sausage.”
“¡De nada, Shelby!” Sausage looked pleased at Shelby’s minimal use of Spanish. “Come, come, we aren’t too far from the inn.”
And so they followed Sausage as he rambled about various things about the blossoming village, and the lore surrounding the land and the buildings. It was all very fascinating, even if a lot of it went over Katherine’s head. Shelby was enjoying herself, soaking in every word, so Katherine wasn’t going to complain. At one point, Shelby even whispered to her, “I can’t believe we’re casually talking to the Protector of Sanctuary! She’s basically a legend! I’ve always wanted to meet them.”
“So this is the room right here!” Sausage brought them to a door in the inn at the end of their mini-tour and placed the keys to the door in Shelby’s hand. He wiggled his eyebrows with a sly smirk on his lips. “Have fun in there!”
“Thank you.” Shelby clenched the keys in their hand and held them to their chest. Sausage left fairly quickly after that, saying something about needing to go so she wasn’t late in picking up Hermes. Shelby unlocked the door and turned the doorknob before holding it open for Katherine. “After you, my love.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Katherine giggled, entering through the doorway. Inside was decorated much like she would expect when noticing the theme of the outside. The things that stood out were the swan towel sculptures on the bed with colorful flower petals scattered around and candles lit on all the surfaces. “Oh, wow.”
Shelby fiddled with clasp on her overalls, her face bright red. She stared for a moment before laughing awkwardly. “I s’pose Sausage did call it the ‘Lover’s Suite’ for a reason.”
Katherine bit her lower lip, shaking her head before forcing herself forward. She picked up the swans to place them on a table, not daring to ruin them, and brushed off some of the petals. “I’m thinking of taking a shower and then maybe we can go out to eat?”
“Can we do that tomorrow?” Shelby asked, somewhat vague with a slight shy tone to her voice. Mindlessly, she summoned some of their bags into existence, lining them up nicely against the wall. Realizing that she wasn’t specific enough in her request, she clarified, “Go out, I mean. It’s been a long day and I think it would be nice to stay in. Together.”
Katherine didn’t respond for a moment before letting the ends of her lips curl into a smile. She walked back to where Shelby was and placed her hands on their hips, and rested her forehead against theirs. “Of course, moonlight. That sounds wonderful.”
Shelby mirrored her smile before closing the gap with a brief kiss. “Perfect. I’ll get started on dinner. You go shower.”
“Ay, ay, captain.” Katherine saluted her with humor in her words. Despite the humor, she did as she was told and separated to go shower. Wanting to get back to Shelby’s side, Katherine didn’t take as long in the bathroom as she might otherwise have.
By the time she finished and got changed, Shelby had made them potato and cheese soup with a side of bread. There was a small, two person table near the kitchen area with the necessary dishes to eat already set out properly. Shelby must have found plates, cups, and silverware in the cupboards because Katherine didn’t recognize the dishes laid on the table. “La cena está servida.”
“You’re really trying to recall your Spanish lessons, aren’t you?” Katherine remembered Shelby telling her that was one of the many things she was forced to learn, being one of the Blessed. Spanish was only one of several languages she was taught up to, at least, an intermediate level. They were out of practice for most of them, but Sausage’s use of the language must have inspired them to start using Spanish again.
“I am,” Shelby confirmed with a sheepish expression. “Sausage seemed pleased when I thanked her earlier. By the way, ‘la cena está servida’ means ‘dinner is served’... I believe. I’m pretty sure, anyway.”
“La cena looks delicious,” Katherine complimented them as she sat down at the table and picked up her spoon. From there, their conversation flowed as it normally did. They were comfortable with one another and they never struggled to come up with conversation. Even when they fell silent, it wasn’t an awkward silence. Their silence was peaceful, calm, and content.
Katherine offered to wash the dishes so Shelby took to wiping down the counters and table. When Shelby finished her task, they came up behind Katherine, wrapped their arms around her waist, and rested their chin on Katherine’s shoulder.
“Hi, Shelby,” Katherine murmured as she finished up the dishes. “You alright, sweetheart?”
“‘Eepy.” Shelby murmured in return with a soft yawn accompanying it. “The bed looks comfy. We should get in it.”
Katherine chuckled fondly, drying her hands on the towel set nearby before turning to Shelby. Shelby whined softly at the movement for their access to her back was removed, but Katherine guided them to lean into their chest and their whining stopped as a result. She smushed her face against Katherine’s chest as her arms hugged her tightly. Shelby muttered a few incomprehensible sentences before whining out again with drawn out vowels, “My body don’t wanna move, Kathy!”
“Do you want me to pick you up?” Katherine offered, having done it before. That must have been the right thing to ask and Shelby’s desired result based on the way they nodded enthusiastically. She rolled her eyes without a hint of malice as she leaned down to gain enough leverage to pick Shelby up. Katherine got her arm underneath her knees and swept her up into her hold. “We should change you out of your overalls, at least.”
“Bed though.” Shelby pouted, barely able to keep her eyes open. They had walked a good portion of the day, and Shelby did get a little motion sick on the boat a few times. Perhaps she was also overusing her magic? Katherine wasn’t sure, but she didn’t mind these clingy moments.
“How about this: I get you to the bed, you start to take off your overalls, and I’ll retrieve a set of your pajamas for you?” Katherine suggested, neither of them strangers to the other changing around them. When one lives with another person traveling like they did, they get very used to things that may have otherwise been uncomfortable once upon a time.
“M’kay.” Shelby agreed with a slight hum to her voice as Katherine carried her to their still made bed. “I love you, darlin’. My darlin’ darling Kathy… mm…”
“I love you too.” Katherine set her down on the blankets. “Can you remove your clothes for me, moonlight?”
“Mhm.” Shelby nodded as she started to fumble with the clasp on her overalls to unhook it.
She left them there temporarily to retrieve something for them to change into. Since Shelby was moving slowly, Katherine took the opportunity to change into pajamas herself. She put on sleep shorts and a tank top, but decided a simple nightgown would be easiest for Shelby at the moment.
Katherine started to bunch the nightgown up around the head slot to make it easier to put on her. Once Shelby’s outer clothes were removed completely, Katherine slid the nightgown over her head until it was on her as it should be. Katherine then tugged on the blankets to get them out from under Shelby. Once the blankets were free, she proceeded to tuck Shelby in underneath them. Katherine gave her another kiss to the forehead before walking around the bed to get in on the other side.
“ Katherine! Don’t leave me!” Shelby whined again with a panicked tone to it, sticking out their arms and making grabby hands at her. She looked like she was about to cry and Katherine frowned slightly, concerned. Shelby was sleepy, yes, but she only got like this when her mind refused to keep the memories of her past at bay.
“I’m right here, Shelby. I won’t leave you,” Katherine promised as she climbed into bed next to them. She scooted closer to Shelby, pulling her close and holding her tight. “I’m right here.”
Shelby pressed their body close to Katherine, burying their face near her collarbone as their legs grew entangled with each other. Shelby’s left hand clenched a fist full of her tank top’s fabric while their right arm wrapped around Katherine just above her hip. Shelby’s neck rested on Katherine’s right arm as Katherine used that hand to run her fingers through Shelby’s dark brown curls. Katherine’s left hand kept a secure hold on Shelby, silently enforcing her promise that she would never leave her. The hold was tight, and it only loosening once Shelby’s breathing mellowed out and deepened as it did when she slept.
Katherine still continued to hold her even if it wasn’t as tightly done so. She stared at her sleeping girlfriend, completely content. She had a smile on her face that she couldn’t get rid of with love practically bursting within her so strongly that it almost hurt too much to bare. As Katherine closed her eyes and drifted into unconsciousness, all she could think about was how lucky she was to be able to be like this with the person she loved the most in the world.