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Even from the very top of the tower, Allura heard the front door slam closed, followed by the low magical hum of the platform. There were a few more worrying clangs until eventually, Kima stomped through the door into their living quarters, throwing pieces of armor onto the ground. She was already missing her gauntlets and part of her greaves, and Allura figured that the clangs she had heard earlier were caused by Kima's armor hitting the stone floor of the entryway after she’d tossed them over the side of the rising platform.
With one final huff, Kima threw her breastplate on the ground and joined Allura on the couch, burying her face in Allura's lap.
Allura put her book to the side and started slowly combing her fingers through the tangles of Kima's hair.
'Do you want to talk about it?' Allura asked.
'No,' Kima grumbled into the fabric of Allura's dress.
Allura nodded, Kima didn't like to talk about the things that made her upset while she was still upset, she would tell her in her own time. So, instead, she continued to cart through Kima's hair, pausing for a moment as she noticed a dark spot in Kima's golden hair.
Dried blood.
'Are you hurt?' She asked, prestidigitating the mess away, carefully palpating the skin underneath it. Relaxing a little when she couldn't feel a wound.
'No,' Kima mumbled, face still pressed into Allura's lap. 'Someone got in a lucky shot. I healed it.'
Allura nodded. That would certainly cause Kima's mood to sour. Kima hated losing, and some recruit getting in a hit would have hurt her pride, but someone actually managing to draw blood would have made her furious.
'Did you eat?' Allura asked, rubbing her hand up and down Kima's back in what she hoped was a soothing gesture.
'Not hungry.'
'Do you want a kiss?' Allura asked, running out of things she could offer to make Kima feel better.
Kima nodded, switching positions, so she was now sitting in Allura's lap.
Allura loosely hung her arms over Kima's shoulders, noticing the tight set of Kima's jaw and the furrow between her brows; she really wasn't happy.
'I love you,' Allura whispered before leaning in to kiss her wife.
Some of the stiffness fell from Kima's shoulders as she melted into the kiss.
With Kima's earlier anger and aggression, Allura was surprised when Kima returned the kiss almost chastely, but when Allura swiped her tongue across Kima's bottom lip, Kima readily allowed her access. Still mostly passive, she let Allura take the lead.
After a few minutes of gentle making out, Allura ended the kiss with another one to Kima's forehead, pulling her into a tight hug, chin resting on the top of Kima's head.
Kima returned the hug, cheek on Allura's shoulder, eyes closed.
'I'm tired, can we sleep?' Kima said after a while.
'Of course, love,' Allura whispered, brushing her lips against Kima's temple. It was still light outside, and they hadn't had any dinner, but Kima obviously needed her rest and some loving affection, and Allura was more than happy to provide that.
Kima slid off Allura's lap, picking her way across the floor before collapsing onto their bed with a sigh.
Allura watched as Kima struggled to get her shirt and trousers off from her reclined position. She snapped her fingers, the laces at the back of her own dress undoing themselves with a slight zip sound. It easily fell to the ground, on her way over to the bed she discarded her undergarments as well so that by the time she climbed onto the mattress next to Kima she was completely bare.
She cast a different spell, and the blue curtains around their four-poster closed with barely a rustle in the unseen breeze. The heavy fabric blocked out the light from the windows and closed them off from the rest of their living quarters.
'Let me help,' she said to Kima, gently batting her hands away and undoing the small buttons of her gambeson for her.
'Lift your hips,' Allura whispered as she threw Kima's shirt to the side of the bed, undershirt following suit.
Kima did as she asked, and Allura peeled the padded tights and her underwear off in one go, the clothes following the path of her shirt onto the ground.
'Thank you,' Kima murmured.
'You are most welcome,' Allura replied with a kiss, drawing the sheets up around them.
Kima nodded slightly and then nestled herself in Allura's arms, back to front, drawing Allura's arm around her waist.
Allura absentmindedly rubbed her fingers over an old scar on Kima's hip. It wasn't often Kima let herself be held like this. She always said it was too hot and restricting and preferred to hold Allura instead, but on days like these Kima always slept in Allura's arms, needing the safety and comfort it offered.
They laid together in silence for a while, but Allura could tell Kima wasn't asleep yet. Once again she wondered what exactly had happened to make Kima this upset.
'Allie?' Kima asked softly.
'Yes, love?'
'I love you, too. I didn't say it back earlier.'
'You don't have to say it; I know you do.' Allura smiled.
'You know,' Kima hummed.
'I know.' She squeezed Kima's hip, tightening her grip on her a little as well.
Silence returned to the room, and Kima was so still and quiet, Allura thought she had finally fallen asleep. Then she heard the shuddering inhale, and realized Kima wasn't sleeping: she was crying.
Her earlier concern was exchanged for full-blown worry. Kima didn't cry, and she definitely didn't hide it from her.
She gently turned Kima over in her arms, so they were face to face.
Kima's cheeks were wet with tears.
'Kima, love, I need you to tell me what's wrong.' She had given Kima her space earlier, but if it was bad enough to make Kima cry, she had to know what it was.
'I don't want to go,' Kima cried, burying her face in Allura's shoulder, holding her so tightly it hurt.
'Where are you going?' Allura asked, confused.
'I-- I have to--' More tears cut off her answer. Allura stroked up and down Kima's back, hoping to ease the convulsions of her crying a little. 'Vasselheim,' Kima continued. 'I have to go to Vasselheim.'
'Why do you have to go to Vasselheim?' Allura asked. It had felt like only yesterday they defeated the Conclave, she had hoped they would have a little more time together before the next threat to civilization reared its ugly head. But if that were the case, Kima would have been more excited; she wouldn't be crying in her arms right now.
'Love, please tell me,' Allura coaxed, combing her fingers through Kima's hair.
Kima pulled back a little. For a moment, Allura was afraid she had pushed too hard and that Kima was getting ready to run like she usually did when emotions were involved. She didn't. Instead, she pulled the holy symbol from around her neck, offering it to Allura.
'He's calling me back. I have been neglecting my oath, and he is letting me know it.'
Allura looked at the amulet, thumb running across the sharp edges. She was as familiar with it as she was with Kima's own body, the two usually going together, and for a moment she couldn't detect anything strange about the platinum symbol. The sole sapphire functioning as the dragon's eye was shining even in the dim light. Then she noticed what had distressed Kima so. A spot of dark, tarnished metal in the center of the dragon's head, almost like it had rusted. Only platinum didn't rust.
Allura gritted her teeth, silently cursing the very god Kima had dedicated her life to. Kima had killed three ancient fucking dragons for him in the last year, what did he want now?
Kima sat up, drawing her knees to her chest, looking at the sheets. 'I don't want to go, Allie. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay here, in our house.'
Allura closed her fist around the amulet, the sharp edging digging into her flesh.
'This isn't really about what we want, right?'
Kima shook her head sadly. 'No, it's not.'
Allura ran her finger over the slight imperfection on the metal. She had half a mind to chuck the amulet out of the window, to tell Kima to stay here with her, to forget about her oath and her duty, but that would be selfish. She knew that part of what had made Kima so upset was the fact that she had failed Bahamut somehow. Kima had given him her word, and if there was anything Kima was not, it was an oathbreaker. She was loyal to a fault, and Allura had known that when she married her, it was why she had married her, it was why she loved her. And if Kima had to leave, she was going to make it as easy as possible for her to do so and make sure she was coming back.
'How long would you be gone?' she asked, fighting to keep her voice steady and her own tears at bay.
'I don't know. A month. Two months. Six months. Too long,' Kima sighed, she sounded defeated, and Allura did not like that at all.
They'd had this conversation before, many times before. That was the nature of their relationship; one of them always had to leave. Allura had had the vain hope that their marriage might have changed that, but logically she knew it wouldn't make a difference. When Kima was needed elsewhere, she would go, and Allura wouldn't stop her, she had promised herself that when they got married. She would never stand between Kima and her duty; it would destroy them both.
'You have to go,' Allura said, happy with how steady her voice sounded.
Kima looked up at her, golden eyes shining with tears. 'I can't. I won't.'
Allura smiled. 'You will. I know who I married. You will always go where you are needed, and right now that isn't here with me.' She handed Kima her holy symbol back. 'Go to Vasselheim. Do what you need to do, annoy Vord for me, and come back.'
Kima cracked a smile, hanging the amulet back around her neck. 'His life has been way too easy since I left.'
'Exactly,' Allura smiled, drawing Kima back into her arms, kissing the top of her head. 'We will be okay, my love. Remember, we are married now, I have teleportation magic, you aren't getting rid of me this easily.'
Kima chuckled, leaning back into Allura's embrace. 'I still wish I didn't have to go.'
'So do I. I would much rather keep you here, in our bed, where I know you are safe.'
'I don't know, Allie, our bed presents plenty of dangers, judging by the amount of screaming that happens in it.'
They both managed a half-hearted chuckle at the attempted levity.
'Just come back to me, okay?' Allura whispered into Kima's hair.
'I always do. I promised you, didn't I? And I always keep my promises.'
Allura kissed the top of Kima's head, hugging her closer. 'You do.'
They sat together like that for a while, enjoying the closeness for as long as they could now it appeared it was going to have to end soon.
'I can't believe I am going to have to spend my weekends in Vasselheim for the foreseeable future,' Allura sighed.
'You don't have to. I know how much you hate it there. Plus, you have your work.'
'Fuck my work,' Allura said, enjoying the way Kima gasped in delight at the unexpected curse. 'For the past year, you have sacrificed everything for me to be able to do my job. Now it is time for me to return the favor. If the council can't keep the city standing without me for two whole days, it deserves to go to hell.'
'I think I might be a bad influence on you,' Kima chuckled. 'You would never have taken that risk before. Or cursed.'
Allura smiled; she really wouldn't have. 'We both have changed. You would never have hesitated in following Bahamut's will before.'
'Yeah, well, I really enjoy my life with you, and I will miss you.'
'I'll miss you too.' She tightened her grip on Kima. 'But it will be different now. I'll come to visit if they don't send you to some far-off dungeon.' She couldn't quite keep the bitterness out of her voice.
'I fear it will be worse than that,' Kima sighed, sending Allura's heart rate into a spike. 'I think I might have to do some meditation.'
Allura pinched Kima's hip.
'Hey! Ow!' Kima yelped, squirming slightly.
'You ass! You actually had me worried there for a second,' Allura laughed.
'Meditation is plenty dangerous, let me tell you. I nearly die of boredom every time,' Kima said, and Allura could hear the grin in her voice.
'We'll be okay. Meditation or no meditation,' Allura whispered, kissing Kima's shoulder.
'We will be, won't we,' Kima sighed, reclining back in Allura's arms. 'Vord isn't going to be pleased to learn I survived Thordak. I really think he thought I was dead.'
'You did do a marvelous job of dodging any inquiries from him.' Allura smiled, running her hand lazily up and down Kima's arm.
'Can't wait to see the look on his face.'
Allura was sad she was going to miss that, but then she thought of something even better. 'How does your title work?'
'What?' Kima asked, turning around.
'When we married, would your title have passed to me?'
Kima started to grin. 'You know what? I believe it did.'
Allura matched her expression. 'Allura Vysoren, Lady of Vord. He is going to have a heart attack when he hears there is a wizard walking around with his name.'
Kima's smile turned devilish. 'I can't wait to tell him.'
Allura chuckled, sinking back into the pillows, drawing Kima in with her.
'When do you have to leave?' she asked softly.
'Soon, I think.' Kima ran her thumb over the imperfection in her holy symbol. 'I need to fix this.'
Allura nodded. 'I'll see if I can take a few days off work to come with you. Help you find a place to live because I am not staying at the Sanctuary when I visit.'
'But Vord would hate it so much,' Kima pouted.
'So would I. Besides, I need a safe space to teleport to. I am tired of getting nearly decapitated every time I set foot in Vasselheim.'
'Alright then. I am pretty sure Vord gave my room away on account of me not being in it for over a year. Also last time I was there I did disobey his direct orders. And I dropkicked Udire.'
Allura’s chuckle at Kima’s antics was interrupted by a yawn, it had gotten quite late, and she was getting tired.
'Let's sleep,' Kima said, making herself comfortable in Allura's arms.
'I love you,' Allura whispered, kissing the skin behind Kima's ear.
'I love you too. So very much,' Kima replied. 'And the Ozmit sea being between us is not going to change that.'
Allura smiled. They had survived far worse things than temporary separation. She wasn't worried, they were going to be just fine, after all, Kima had promised her, and Kima never broke a promise.