Chapter Text
Before Ragatha even came back to herself, she still knew, vaguely, that she was safe.
Warmth surrounded her. Ragatha found herself sobbing into it. She could breathe again. She hadn’t been able to breathe like this in a very long time.
The thing that held her almost felt like it loved her. It whispered gentle reassurances against her hair, and it ran its fingers over her gooseflesh-covered skin. It felt like she could love it, too.
But, once Ragatha’s breathing evened out and she stopped crying, she realized that she was wrong. She wasn’t being held by a thing that could love.
She was being held by Jax.
The memories flooded over her—her vision in the rafters, her running out of the ballroom, her lungs failing to cooperate.
But then the memory of Jax came to her. He’d rushed to her and gathered her into his arms, he’d promised her she’d be alright.
Ragatha told herself that he probably only kept her safe so he could have the fun of hurting her all to himself.
She shuddered as Jax’s fingers ghosted over her body, running up and down the bare skin of her back in a soothing—wait a moment, bare skin? Had he ripped her corset?!
Ragatha shot up, her face going scarlet as she hastened to repair the damage to her corset. This damned thing was expensive!
“Jax, this was custom-made!”
Jax blinked in surprise, then groaned. “Oh, gods. I knew you’d have a fit about this. It’s only a corset.”
“It took the royal seamstress three weeks! There is so much intricate embroidery—“
“Princess…”
“Not to mention how I specifically told her I wanted the pearls reinforced because—”
“Princess.”
Ragatha clamped her mouth shut before she could continue running it.
Jax was staring at her with a painfully gentle expression. “You can buy another corset. You can’t buy a new set of lungs. I’m sorry to have ruined your lacy torture device, but you weren’t able to breathe with that terrible thing on.”
She hesitated, then nodded, settling back down. “I-I ought to go back into the ballroom and save face…I’m sure I made quite a fool of myself.”
Jax shook his head, taking one of her hands. Ragatha let him gently tug her back into his arms. “Stay here a little longer. I don’t want you to go back in there while you’re afraid.”
Ragatha looked at him for a long moment. He wasn’t usually this thoughtful. He wasn’t being rude or mocking at all—he seemed genuinely worried for her.
She leaned back into his arms, then tilted her head to look up at him. Ragatha hadn’t been this close to him in far too long. She could make out every one of his deep brown curls, every wisp of his dark lashes.
Ragatha was no artist, but her fingers suddenly itched with the urge to sketch his face and commit it to memory, the way someone would feel when in the presence of a beautiful sunset or a field of forget-me-nots in the peak of spring.
Very quietly, Ragatha said, “Thank you.”
Jax shrugged, suddenly rather sheepish. “It’s no trouble.”
Silence drifted between them. Neither seemed quite sure of what they were supposed to do now, though when Ragatha’s eyes drifted briefly to his mouth, she was struck with an all-encompassing impulse.
Before she could think better of it, she leaned forward.
Jax’s entire face lit up like a child being offered a sweet, but it was then dimmed as a sort of understanding passed through his features. “No, Princess. You’ve just had an attack. I’m not going to take advantage of you while you’re most vulnerable.”
Ragatha stared at him with new wonder. She helplessly realized that that might have been the most attractive thing a man had ever said to her.
“Will you at least help me with my corset? I only need it to be somewhat functional. It goes beneath most of these ribbons, so if you can hide the damage, I’ll look half-presentable.”
Jax exhaled a little laugh, nodding. “Of course I will. What else is a personal knight good for, hm?”
Ragatha couldn’t help but reciprocate with a giggle of her own. “Perhaps I ought to have you start shining my shoes every night.”
“And I’ll lay out your gown for the day every morning,” Jax mused as he fiddled with the corset. Ragatha could feel him struggling to understand how it worked, and she could imagine the tear down the middle made it all the more confusing. He grunted as he messed around with it.
Eventually, they agreed to haphazardly cover up the damage by tying as many bows as possible over the problem area. This wouldn’t appear all that strange on her—Ragatha was a great connoisseur of all things bow-related.
Once the corset trouble was solved, they simply sat there a little while. Ragatha rested against Jax’s shoulder, listening to the distant music through the thick stone walls. The ballroom sounded almost peaceful from here, and the horrible pressure in her chest was gone, leaving only exhaustion behind.
Jax seemed to notice, craning his neck so he could kiss her temple. “You’re feeling better?”
Ragatha nodded. “A little…” she sighed. “…so I suppose I really should return.”
Jax glanced toward the ballroom doors. “You don’t have to. I’d be perfectly content to sit out here all night. Do you want to move? I don’t want to move.”
Ragatha laughed, shook her head, straightened her skirts, and carefully checked the collection of bows covering the ruined portion of her corset.
“Not particularly, no. But I suppose we must.”
“What a terrible fate for me.” Jax said, standing and offering his hand, which Ragatha took.
He helped her to her feet, steadying her with large, gentle hands. It occurred to Ragatha that she really liked Jax’s hands.
Jax shifted her, a hand dipping to the small of her back to guide her back to the ballroom. As they approached the doors, the music and conversation grew louder—but she wasn’t so afraid anymore.
They entered the ballroom, and noise surrounded them again. There was so much laughter, music, clinking glasses, the rustle of hundreds of gowns and coats.
Ragatha breathed in slowly, venturing a glance toward the rafters—and nothing happened. No shadows appeared in them. Ragatha was safe.
Jax remained beside her for another moment before returning to his station.
Ragatha watched him go, and hated how much she wanted him to stay.
“Lovely Ragatha!” She turned. Jack was approaching her with a bright smile. “There you are! I was beginning to wonder where you’d gone.”
Ragatha smiled politely. “I needed some air—“
“I am glad you’re feeling better.” He interrupted, extending his hand. “Won’t you come dance with me?”
Ragatha looked at his hand. Then, almost unwillingly, she glanced toward Jax, before nodding and taking it.
“I’m sorry for running off,” managed Ragatha as Jack’s hands guided her into the traditional Ellesmyrian waltz, which left much more room for conversation than the overly complicated Eldamyrian waltz. “I don’t know what is wrong with me lately.”
“Don’t apologize.” Jack replied, smiling that perfect smile of his.
Ragatha glanced over at Jax. He was now standing by the door, watching attentively. His lips were set into a flat, unexpressive line. He was, clearly, still a little bit jealous.
“You know, Agatha, I’ve begun to think that I really do see a beautiful future for the two of us,” Jack pondered wistfully.
Ragatha nodded absentmindedly, until she registered what he said.
“Agatha?” Ragatha repeated, a brow rising. Did Jack really just make the same mistake she did by mixing up their names?
She expected for Jack’s face to go red and for him to begin apologizing profusely. But instead, his perfect smile turned positively wolfish, as if he was very proud of his little trick. “It doesn’t feel very good, now does it?”
Ragatha blinked, then, not knowing how to reply, let her mouth open and close dumbly as she stared up at her soon-to-be-fianceé.
Jack’s mischievous smile dissolved, and he laughed. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” He looked back at Agatha, who was wearing just the same jealous expression as Jax. “Lovely Ragatha, I do believe we’ve found ourselves in the same unfortunate position.”
Ragatha, still sputtering, began to realize what he was alluding to. Her first instinct was to deny, as per usual. “I-I—I’m not…I don’t understand—"
“Please don’t panic. I’m in the same awful boat as you. We’re both in love with our knights,” Jack interrupted, then shivered. “Gods, that hurts to say aloud. My mother will never let me hear the end of this.”
“I’m not in love with—!” Ragatha began, her volume nearly a yell. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “Jack, I am not in love with my knight. That’s outrageous.”
It was true. She wasn’t in love with him—right?
Jack waved a hand at her dismissively. “Alright, perhaps you aren’t in love with Jax. But, from what I’ve gathered, you’re in a very strange, upsetting relationship somewhat akin to love, and it leads you both to be very mean, but then gaze longingly at one another whenever separated. Is that right?”
Ragatha considered this, then nodded slowly. She couldn’t deny the objective truth.
“Well, I, for one, am in love with Agatha.” Jack said, “Plainly and simply. I look at her and I see the moon and the stars and everything right in the world. And, perhaps, if I truly am blessed by the gods, she looks at me with a fraction of the adoration with which I look at her.”
“Aw. That’s very sweet,” Ragatha said genuinely, though she was still shocked to be having this conversation with the man she thought she’d be forced to marry.
“Isn’t it? But, Lovely Ragatha—woe is me. No! Woe is we!” Jack sighed in anguish, dropping Ragatha into a dip for dramatic effect before hoisting her back up and continuing on. “For not only are our respective lovers both knights…but they are both dreadfully emotionally unavailable!”
Ragatha nodded sorrowfully. “That’s true.”
“A-and mean to us sometimes!”
“That’s very true.”
“And elegant, and raven-haired, and intelligent, and…” Jack trailed off, then cleared his throat, his cheek going pink. “I’m sorry, I’m getting off track.”
Ragatha laughed. “Mm, only slightly.”
Jack chuckled, guiding her through another turn. “But truly, Lovely Ragatha. Whatever are we to do?”
Ragatha’s smile faded. Slowly, she said, “Well…perhaps we ought to stop pretending we don’t feel anything.”
Jack’s eyebrows rose. “Are—a-are you suggesting we pursue our—-our respective knights? I—I-I should p-pursue—Agatha?”
“We could at least try.” Ragatha hesitated, then went on. “And if it comes down to it, you ought to know that I’d be alright with a purely political marriage. We would only be friends. You could see Agatha, and I wouldn’t object. When it comes to producing an heir, we—”
Jack was already shaking his head before she even finished her sentence. “No. No, no, I will not be doing that.”
As Jack spun her into another delicate turn while the music guided them across the floor, Ragatha blinked in surprise. “You won’t?”
“Ragatha…before my father passed away, my parents were the two most devoted people I had ever encountered.” Jack smiled faintly. “My mother truly loved him, and I remember thinking that must be the most wonderful thing in the world—to find someone who makes you so happy that everyone around you can see it.”
She nodded slowly.
“I refuse to marry someone while knowing my heart belongs elsewhere.” Jack resolved. “And I will not allow you to do that, either.”
Ragatha’s chest tightened. “Jack…”
“You must marry the one you love.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “And I know who that woman is for me.” He gestured with a tilt of his head toward Agatha.
“You really do love her,” Ragatha ruminated as the song flowed into the next waltz, “don’t you?”
“With every bit of foolishness I possess.”
Ragatha nearly swooned from the romance of it all, smiling from ear to ear. She smacked his arm playfully. “Who knew you were such a romantic?”
Jack grinned sheepishly, brushing back a loose strand of his flawlessly styled blonde hair. He then glanced back at Jax. “What about you? Do you love Jax?”
Ragatha looked toward Jax. He was speaking with Kaufmo now, though his eyes kept wandering back toward her.
Her heart gave a painful little squeeze as she spoke honestly. “I don’t know. Sometimes I hate him more than anybody else in the world. And other times, I think I would run away with him if I could. Perhaps I love him. But, then, perhaps I do not.”
Jack smiled knowingly. “Then perhaps you ought to find out.”
Ragatha contemplated this, then nodded. She tilted her head up at him. “You’re a good friend, Jack.”
“And you are a very good friend, Lovely Ragatha.”
They continued dancing until much later, when the ballroom had become considerably less dignified.
The older nobles had begun speaking considerably louder than generally considered polite, and their stories were rather vulgar to boot. Pomni, meanwhile, had run off with Ribbit of all people.
It seemed no woman was able to resist Ribbit’s charms.
And, of course, Kaufmo was nearly passed out drunk against a wall, with Jax’s arm haphazardly keeping him upright.
Ragatha decided this would be an excellent time to leave without anybody noticing. She turned toward Jack. “I think we’ve survived long enough.”
Jack laughed. “Oh, agreed. Are you going to find Sir Jax?”
“I’ll try, yes.”
“Then I—I-I’ll do my best to woo Agatha.”
Ragatha laughed at his nervous expression, patting his arm. “I believe in you. I’m sure you’ll be a real charmer.”
“Really? I—I suppose, if you think I’ll be a charmer, I-I’ll be a charmer…I’ll be very charming!”
Ragatha smiled, then wrapped her arms tightly around him. Jack hugged her back.
“Thank you, Jack,” she whispered. “For understanding.”
He squeezed her once. “Thank you for understanding, Lovely Ragatha. Sir Jax is very lucky to have won your affections.”
Ragatha pulled away. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
They smiled at one another, and then both Jack and Ragatha turned their attention to their knights.
Ragatha walked toward Jax, who straightened when she approached.
“Princess,” he greeted her, bowing politely.
Ragatha stopped in front of him. “Jax,” she then turned to acknowledge a very inebriated Kaufmo. “And Kaufmo!”
“Your…Highness Ragatha Majesty! Listen, listen!” Kaufmo swayed a bit, then began to sing again—this time, a ballad they’d been playing all night from Eldamyre. “Ohhh, Prince Jack…of Eldamyre! Uh…how golden is thy hair, and thine skin, how fair? How—“
He was promptly cut off with a howl when Jax stomped on his foot.
“I do not need to hear anything more about that man.” Jax snapped at his drunken friend.
Kaufmo sniffled, nodded, then stumbled away and crawled under a table. Ragatha heard a muffled gasp, then his drunken voice exclaiming: “Oh my, they’ve hidden cheese down here, all for me to find!”
Ragatha laughed fondly, shaking her head, then turned back to Jax. She held his gaze. “How much longer must you stand here for?”
Jax shrugged. “Until most of the guests are gone, I assume. Why?”
“Oh,” Ragatha said sadly. “I’d hoped we might go on one of our walks in the courtyard, like we used to do. But if you have matters to attend to, I—“
“No!” cried Jax, “I mean—no. I’m sure I could get away for a little while. For you. Considering I’m your knight, I should follow you into the courtyard to ensure that you are at your safest.”
Ragatha’s lips curled into a grin. She, without a moment’s hesitation, grabbed Jax’s hand.
“Follow me, then,” she grinned, then unceremoniously yanked him through the doors.
-────-·-ˋˏ-༻𖤓༺-ˎˊ·-────-
It occurred to Jax that he’d let Ragatha drag him anywhere as long as she held his hand like this while doing so.
They walked briskly through the palace halls, making their way to the courtyard. She led him, giving him quite a view of her thoroughly ribboned corset. He admired his work.
“I’m glad the ribbons held themselves together.”
“It was all your handiwork. Have you ever considered going into tailoring?”
Jax chuckled under his breath. “Oh, the life I never lived.”
“It’s never too late to explore a talent. The Jax Boutique.”
Jax grimaced at the sound of that, and Ragatha went quiet for a moment, ruminating.
“Hmm…Boutique Acrasia? Ooh, that has a bit of a ring to it!”
“Yes, princess. A ring of fire I’d walk through before opening a boutique.”
Ragatha rolled her eyes, looking back at him and sticking out her tongue as they reached the courtyard doors. She rattled one of the door handles, and then realized that it was locked. “Oh, fiddlesticks…”
Jax held up a hand, and, from his pocket, produced a key, which he stuck into the lock. It turned, and swung open. He flashed her a smug little grin, though he was sure he enjoyed helping her more than having something to hold over her head.
Perhaps he simply liked making things easier for her.
Gods, when did that begin?
He’d always enjoyed doing things to irritate her and make her blow up at him. While he still found some joy in getting under her skin and seeing her all hot and bothered, helping her had started being even more fun.
“Where did you get that key?” asked Ragatha as they stepped out of the doors and into the crisp night air. The warm season was coming to an end, with harvest season just around the corner.
“I have my ways,” he replied sneakily, then held up his ring of keys. He possessed a key to nearly every door in the palace—this collection really was his pride and joy.
“Suspicious,” Ragatha quipped, then began walking into the courtyard. Jax walked just behind her like a proper knight—or, perhaps, like a dog at her heel.
For a moment, Jax could almost pretend they were children again.
It was just like those nights during grand balls when they were young—when the palace was so full of music and laughter and mystery, and their parents sent them to bed before the ball got interesting. They used to sneak out of their rooms and wander the courtyard together, sitting beneath the windows and watching through the glass. while the grown nobles danced inside.
Ragatha would point out the most ridiculous dancers while Jax would invent increasingly absurd stories about them. They would laugh until somebody inside noticed them and sent a servant searching.
It had been so simple then. Now, everything was so different, and yet, here he was again, following Ragatha across the courtyard, watching her skirts trail through the grass.
Eventually, they settled beneath an old tree. Ragatha lay back first, then Jax followed suit, folding his hands behind his head.
Above them, the sky stretched endlessly across the palace towers, and the stars glittered between the branches.
“Thank you for…” Ragatha began suddenly, then trailed off. She grew quieter as she finished, “for helping me. I’m sorry about all of that.”
Jax chuckled incredulously. “Princess, would you stop apologizing? It was my duty to ensure that you were safe.”
Ragatha nodded a moment. “But it wasn’t your duty to stay with me.” She glanced up at him, but when his gaze met those beautiful, wide eyes of hers, she quickly averted them. It felt like being handed a diamond, then the giver snatching it back before his fingers could close around it.
“Any other knight would have seen that I was only upset, and they would’ve dismissed it. Maybe even dragged me back into the ballroom.”
Jax struggled for words, then did what he did best. “Well, I am not just any other knight,” he snarked.
Ragatha bobbed her head in recognition of what he said, but didn’t seem convinced. “That’s true…that’s true.”
Jax sighed, leaning further back into his hands. “Nice night.”
“Mhm.”
“Very pleasant breeze.”
“Mhm.”
“Ideal, really—”
“Jax, Jack and I aren’t going to get married.” Ragatha said suddenly.
Jax shot up, his mouth falling open in surprise. He fumbled for words, though it was difficult to formulate a sentence while he was grinning like an idiot. “You—oh, really? Oh! Alright! Alright. I’m sorry? I’m sad for you…?”
Honestly, he couldn’t be happier about this, but he was far too polite (sober) to outright say it. Perhaps after a goblet of wine.
Ragatha waved a dismissive hand. “It was a mutual decision.”
Jax’s grin fell a bit. He’d been picturing Ragatha breaking it off with that idiotic, stuttering, stumbling Jack, while he begged her to marry him—and she told him: No, Jack! I’m too in love with my knight! Jax is so handsome and funny—
Alright—Jax thought to himself in lieu of Ribbit, who usually was the one to tell him to be quiet—slow down, loverboy.
“Was there any—not to pry. But was there any reason for this?”
“He’s in love with his knight.” Ragatha replied simply.
Jax blinked in surprise, then he snorted. “Agatha?”
“Agatha is lovely. I won’t have you judging anyone’s character.”
“I’m not. I’m only…” he laughed incredulously. “Agatha.”
Ragatha crossed her arms with suspicion.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth.” Jax leaned back down, resting his head against his hands. “But I’m very neutral about this.”
“You’re thrilled about this.”
“I am. Huzzah, hooray, and all that. Shall we have a party? Annulment party? Happy annulment?”
Ragatha shook her head, unamused. Jax frowned. She was serious.
“Are you upset? Did you…want to go through with this?” Jax asked cautiously.
Ragatha hesitated, and Jax felt sharp panic go through him. He’d been banking on the fact that Jack would never be attractive to Ragatha—but they had spent a lot of time together. And Ragatha did have a habit of being endeared to stupid things, like baby rabbits. And Kaufmo.
“You like Jack?” He ventured weakly.
“No! Gods, no. He’s…he’s a little brother whom I worry about.”
“Then why are you upset?”
“I’m not upset.” Ragatha paused, then corrected herself. “I’m not upset about the marriage. I need to talk to you about something else.”
Jax met Ragatha’s eyes, and quickly assumed what she was going to say.
This was about their fight, wasn’t it? Gods, he was an idiot for what he’d said to her—calling her a divine creature.
There was a reason why he kept his poetry to himself. He couldn’t be saying things like that to his muse—and now she was going to tell him that she wouldn’t see him that way. He’d need to repair things, and quickly.
“Princess, about the fight—I was an idiot. I didn’t—”
“Did you mean those things you told me a week ago?” she asked. “That I…oh, what exactly did you say again?”
“I called you a divine creature,” supplied Jax through a somewhat petulant mumble. “Which I would rather not dive into.”
“No, no, not that.” Ragatha said flippantly, then blinked. “You called me a divine creature?”
Jax felt the back of his neck heat up. “Was that not what you were referring to…?”
Ragatha tilted her head. “No, it was not.”
Jax was suddenly compelled to throw himself into the nearest rocky brook. “So I repeated that for nothing. Wonderful.”
Ragatha did not dignify him with a response. “I meant—you told me you’d kill for me. And you know how I feel about that.”
Not knowing how to respond, he shrugged sheepishly.
“You do remember what you told me a few years ago, too. Don’t you?”
“What’d I call you that time? A heavenly soul?” He muttered sarcastically.
Ragatha breathed out a laugh. “You told me that you’d never kill for me.”
“Oh.” Jax grimaced. He’d been a naïve little fool back then. He managed a sharp smile which didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, I suppose many things can change in a couple of years, Princess.”
Ragatha was quiet. The breeze stirred the grass around them, sending a few fallen leaves skittering across the courtyard.
“Yes,” she said eventually. “They can.”
Jax looked up at the stars. “I was…angry, that day. I didn’t mean what I said.”
Ragatha's expression softened. “You were afraid.”
“Gods, I was terrified.” He said with a shaky laugh, then swallowed. “I was so terrified, Princess.”
“I know.” Ragatha drew her knees toward herself. “I said cruel things, too.”
“You were hurt, and I was being an ass.”
“That’s true. And after that day, you never stopped.” Ragatha offered snarkily.
Jax didn’t attempt to refute the claim, instead shrugging with a half-nod.
Ragatha looked down at her hands. “I suppose that's what I've been trying to understand.”
“What?”
“Everything.”
Jax gave a small, humorless laugh. “Very articulate.”
Ragatha shoved his shoulder. “I mean—everything about you. After I left, you didn’t come home for days. And when you came back, you were rude. I thought you’d had your mind washed, or you’d been swapped for another, meaner you. What did you do during those days?”
“I tried to escape to another kingdom, and I posed as a runaway island prince being pursued by a slew of vengeful sea creatures.”
“Really!”
“No, I sat in a forest and sulked for three days.” Jax rubbed the back of his neck. “Then I saw a bear, and I was so frightened that I ran halfway back to Ellesmyre. And a guard my father sent to search the area spotted me.”
Ragatha laughed. “That certainly takes some of the mystique out of it.”
“I’ve never claimed to be mysterious. Did you attribute some mystique to me?”
“I had to entertain myself somehow.” Ragatha plucked a blade of grass from beside her skirt and twirled it between her fingers. “Would you not have come back if the bear hadn’t scared you?”
“Well, realistically, I probably would’ve gotten hungry and come back, tail between my legs.” Jax tilted his chin to look up at the stars. “But I’d planned on leaving forever. I was fifteen. And a fool.”
Ragatha smiled faintly. “You were fifteen. You were allowed to be a fool.”
“You were never a fool.”
“Well, I’m perfect.”
Jax rolled his eyes fondly. For a moment, it was easy—almost too easy. It felt like they had gone backward in time, to when they could lie beneath this very tree and argue about nothing until the servants came looking for them.
But, Ragatha's smile slowly faded. “I missed you. After you left, I mean. Even when I was angry with you. I missed you terribly—I thought the Jax I knew was gone forever.”
Jax swallowed. “I missed you too.”
Ragatha’s eyes went wide. “You did?”
“Of course I did.”
“You seemed to be getting on so well, though. You had Ribbit and Kaufmo. I didn’t have anybody.”
Jax’s heart sank. He fumbled for a reply, but Ragatha beat him to it with a sigh. “I thought you all hated me.”
“I didn't. And Ribbit and Kaufmo—well, they definitely don’t now. I think they like you more than they like me.”
Ragatha laughed weakly. “Then why did you act like you did?”
Jax hesitated, then, after thinking it through, decided that the truth was probably the best approach. “Because it was easier. I didn't know what to do with everything I'd seen. Everything I'd thought about my father, and everything I'd said to you. I thought if I was angry enough, I wouldn't have to think about any of it.”
Jax sighed. “And I thought if I was angry enough, I wouldn't miss you.”
“Did it work?” Ragatha asked.
“No.”
A tiny smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. It was such a beautiful thing, her genuine smiles. He didn’t understand why he’d deprived himself of them for so long. “Didn't work for me either.”
Silence settled between them. Ragatha shifted closer, until her shoulder brushed his.
Jax sighed. “I was such an ass.” He groaned, running his hands over his face.
Ragatha laughed. “My, my. When did you become so humble?”
“Don’t tell anybody, please. It’ll absolutely destroy my reputation.”
With another chuckle, they fell into another silence. Jax took the opportunity to truly look at her—her pale skin, her mismatched eyes, her pink lips. He really, really missed those lips. He lifted his hand, tempted to take her chin between his fingers and guide her mouth to his—
“I don’t want to fight with you anymore,” Ragatha murmured.
Jax dropped his hand.
She went on. “I don’t want to spend another year pretending not to care for you.” She shook her head. “I’m tired of it, Jax. I’m so tired of it all.”
“Me too. I mean, me neither. I mean—I’m sorry.” Jax managed, stumbling over his words like some blithering fool. Gods, he sounded like Jack right now. Perhaps Ragatha simply had this effect on men.
“I forgive you,” Ragatha replied softly. “I’m sorry, too.”
Jax nodded in recognition of the apology. He didn’t feel that he had the right to forgive her—not when he’d been the one mostly in the wrong. So, instead, he lifted his hand again. Tentatively, he reached over, cupped her cheek in his palm, and gently directed her to look at him.
“I did reject a kiss from you earlier,” Jax murmured. “That was very impolite of me.”
Ragatha blushed, but didn’t shy away from him. “It really was. One should never turn down a kiss from their princess.”
Jax tilted his head. “I certainly hope you haven’t been going around offering kisses.”
“No.” Ragatha shook her head. Jax noted that she didn’t seem in the mood for teasing anymore. “Only you, Jax.”
“Good.” He whispered, then closed the distance between them.
-────-·-ˋˏ-༻𖤓༺-ˎˊ·-────-
Ragatha didn’t even register that she’d been practically shoved against the tree until she felt it scrape against the precariously tied ribbons of her already broken corset.
Gods, she’d really missed Jax’s mouth when it wasn’t talking her ear off.
Her thoughts scattered into only the sensation of Jax against her. She felt the cool, rough bark of the tree pressing through the back of her dress, which was quite the contrast to the heat of Jax’s body across her front. Her heart hammered so violently against her ribs that she was certain he could feel it where his chest was crushed to hers. When his tongue slid against her lower lip, she let out a shaky breath, then parted her mouth completely.
Jax let out a ragged sound at her compliance. His hand slid from her waist, traveling slowly up the curve of her ribs, his palm hot even through the layers of her bodice. His kiss took up all the space in her world, crowding her against the trunk of the tree until she was entirely anchored by his weight.
Ragatha gripped the fabric at his shoulders, her fingers tightening as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Thank goodness for highly ranking knights needing to wear noble attire during galas—he could actually feel him now. Not that she didn’t appreciate his armor—that certainly added to his charm.
His fingers spread wider against her bodice, moving upward until his hand cupped her breast fully. A shaky gasp tore from her throat, her back arching slightly off of the tree.
“Jax,” she managed to gasp out against his lips, the word broken and breathless.
He didn’t let her go. His forehead rested against hers, his breath coming in short, uneven rasps that fanned across her damp lips. His hand remained firmly where it was, his thumb lightly stroking over her breast through the cloth.
His eyes, which were normally lighter and mocking, were dark, utterly fixed on her face.
“So beautiful,” Jax whispered, his voice entirely stripped of his usual sarcasm. “Gods, Ragatha, I’ve been going crazy.”
Before Ragatha could even begin to process the raw honestly in his tone, his lips dipped to her neck. Ragatha’s head rested back against the tree as his teeth dragged along the pale column of her neck, her breathing turning into short, ragged hitches.
She managed a weak, breathless grin. “Do you still…still think I’m a divine creature?”
In lieu of a response, Jax nipped at her neck again. “Oh, princess…” She squirmed beneath him, and he flashed her a little smile before moving further down. “You have no idea.”
To prove his point, his teeth grazed the sensitive dip right where her neck met her shoulder, biting down just firmly enough to make her gasp. Ragatha’s fingers dug ruthlessly into the expensive fabric of his gala doublet, her knees going completely weak. If he wasn't pinning her so securely against the tree trunk, she was certain she would have slid right down into the grass.
His hands shifted, one resting firmly on her waist while the other traced the line of her shoulder, anchoring her against the weight of his gaze. Ragatha could feel the rapid beat of his heart—something of a testament to just how much this moment was affecting him.
“Jax,” she whispered, her head tilting back against the bark, looking up at him. “Jax, please...”
“Please what?” he teased softly. He brought his mouth back up to hers, his lips brushing tantalizingly against her own, stealing her breath before she could answer. “Tell me what you want, princess.”
“I—I want you,” she whimpered.
“That’s a broad statement,” He chuckled. “Won’t you try to be more specific?”
Ragatha shoved at his arm. “Stop that.”
“You’d like me to stop?”
“No!” Ragatha whined in annoyance. “I want you to kiss me.”
Jax smirked against her skin. “Well, you should have simply said so.”
He wasted no time in, once again, closing the tiny gap of air between them and capturing her mouth once more. If the first few kisses had been about relief, this one was pure, unadulterated hunger. His tongue slid past her lip. The feeling made a pool of heat settle deep in her stomach—the aching sensation made her instinctively roll her hips against him.
He caught his breath sharply against her lips, his control seeming to fracture completely. He abandoned all pretense of gentleness, his large hand slid down from her breasts, bypassing the broken lacing of her corset to grip her thigh through the heavy silks of her skirts. He bunched up the fabric in his fist, hitching her leg up around his hip.
The friction of his body crowding between her thighs drew a ragged gasp from Ragatha, her eyes flying open for a split second to see his—they were dark, blown-out, and almost worshipful—staring right back at her before he plunged back in for another bruising kiss.
He held her closer, his hand resting firmly at her waist. One shred of sense passed through her mind suddenly, breaking through the heavy fog which was Jax Acrasia.
“Jax,” she gasped out. “People could see us.”
“And they’d all congratulate me.” He said smugly, kissing his way down her jaw.
Ragatha laughed, though it came out a little bit shrill. Once worry entered her mind, it would be very difficult to pry it out. “We ought to—to stop. I think I hear people.”
“I don’t hear anything,” Jax mumbled, then surged up for another kiss, which Ragatha quite eagerly accepted. She wouldn’t be one to turn a kiss from Jax down.
But, midway, through the kiss, Ragatha heard a muffled giggle. Immediately, she pushed Jax off of her. He blinked in surprise, and, for a moment, seemed rather hurt.
Then it seemed that he realized the situation—but only once two figures had stumbled into the clearing.
Pomni appeared first, nearly tripping over the hem of her gown as she hurried forward. Ribbit followed immediately behind her, laughing under her breath and looking far too pleased with herself.
They were holding hands, and their hair was slightly disheveled. Judging by the way they were holding on to each other, they had clearly come out here with rather different intentions than admiring the stars.
However, when Ribbit’s drunken gaze slid over to the tree and met Ragatha’s, she shrieked. Pomni then, in turn, screamed even louder than Ribbit.
“Stop!” Jax yelled, and the girls’ stares moved to him. Ribbit’s jaw dropped completely as she took in the scene. Her eyes went from Ragatha, then to Jax, then to back to Ragatha again.
If it weren’t Ragatha in this situation, she would’ve found it rather hilarious. It was completely silent, save for the distant sound of music drifting from the ballroom.
Pomni’s mouth finally opened. “Hello, Ragatha.” Her eyes moved to Jax, who she was decidedly less friendly with. “...Evening, Acrasia.”
“Hello, Lady Pomni,” he replied icily. He turned to Ribbit, “Why aren’t you in the ballroom? Aren’t you supposed to be guarding?”
“I could say the same to you.” Ribbit replied, crossing their arms.
“I am guarding.” he shot back. “The subject of my guarding is right here. Say hello, Ragatha.”
“Hello,” Ragatha breathed, still processing this rapid turn of events.
“Oh, yes, and you’re guarding Her Highness very effectively, I’m sure. Hello, Ragatha. Is he bothering you?”
“Um…to a degree.” Ragatha glanced at Jax. He seemed just about as bewildered as she did, though she could see the slightest hint of a smile twitching at his lips. He actually appeared rather proud of himself.
Ragatha laughed stridently, smoothing her skirts, and trying desperately to regain whatever remained of her dignity. “I—I ought to go. I—um, I—alright, goodbye. Goodnight.”
Ribbit and Pomni both looked at her blankly, but didn’t seem opposed. Clearly, their minds were more set on having this spot than anything else.
Ragatha took one step, but, before she could get far—
Jax caught her hand.
She turned, therefore allowing him to pull her forward with said hand. He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, then pulled away. “Goodnight, Princess.”
Ragatha felt her face go scarlet. Pomni and Ribbit were right there!
“I—goodnight!” She squeaked out, then hurriedly pulled her hand free before fleeing across the courtyard, and far away from Jax’s hands.
For she knew that if they were on her again, she’d never let him remove them.
-────-·-ˋˏ-༻𖤓༺-ˎˊ·-────-
Jax was going to kill Ribbit for that interruption.