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They meet in the middle of an open field. Behind each of them rests an uneasy army, each clad in their respective nation’s colors. Teal for Frelia and the dark red of Grado, with Selena riding out to meet the other commander. The pegasus’ wingbeats blind her for a moment, the wind stinging at her eyes and stealing her sight.
“General,” Selena greets, once the rider has grounded her pegasus. “It is a sad thing to meet you here. There has been enough Frelian blood spilled to last well beyond our lifetimes, and it is no joy to be here on the precipice with you. The might of Grado will crush your troops, and this is your only chance at surrender.”
Vanessa laughs, and shifts in her saddle as she leans forward. “Your script is stale, General. You will find that my troops will be more than a match for your own, and I look forward to seeing you surrender. Stay your own defeat, and give up, so that Frelia can be free with her mercies.” Titania turns her head, and Selena recognizes that intelligence in her eyes. Rider and pegasus in perfect harmony, a twinned heart and soul.
The determination on Vanessa’s face matches the one on her own, so Selena nods. The Fluorspar nods again, and signals her return to her troops. Frelia’s Pegasi General does the same, and that stinging wind, that heralds her return to the sky blinds Selena again. The sight of pegasus in flight is a wondrous sight, a delicate thing in comparison to the heavy weight of a wyvern hanging in the sky. She watches for a moment, and then she stirs her steed into a canter, and falls back.
“Soldiers of Grado!” The Fluorspar calls, “Frelia has chosen not to accept our gracious offer.” The troops make noise, the horses stamp their hooves and the wyverns roar. Frelia’s soldiers do the same, the dull roar rising up and echoing across the distance. “We ride to battle!”
Their forces class on the green like two mighty waves. Up go the wyverns, the pegasi chasing. Magic slings through the air, and Selena in turn hurls bolts of thunder at anyone in range. It’s chaos, it’s horrible. The noise is overwhelming, and many of her soldiers halt. They shake, they raise their hands over their head or they bolt.
Comrades help those trembling in place out of the way, they lead them away from the carnage. When she looks, Frelia is doing the same. The battle grows quieter, slowly, as combatants fall or disengage. The sky clears, riders chased to the ground or just away. Selena can’t yet imagine who the winner will be, so equal are the losses.
Vanessa descends like fury, and Selena canters forward to meet her. Hand slashing upward, bolting sears a few feathers off of Titania’s wing. A javelin screams just over Selena’s shoulder, the near miss sending her heart rate spiking. Like all battles, this one is short lived. Vanessa’s spear finds its mark even as Selena’s magic sends the flier tumbling off her pegasus to lie limply on the ground.
The battle is over. The field is quiet and the skies are clear. There is no clear winner.
“A draw,” Selena whispers, hand over her wound. The sky is so beautiful, blue and wide and open. It is a good thing to see, when all in the world is narrowed to what she can see and what she can feel. “All of this, and a draw.”
“Frelia’s honor would accept no less,” Vanessa agrees. “Now move your hand, I need to look at that.” Vanessa’s hands shiver and shake, the remnants of the magic that had dismounted her still raging through her nerves. “I did get you rather well, didn’t I?” Vanessa presses on the bruise gently, and grimaces when Selena allows herself a pained whine.
“I’m sorry to say you’ve been bruised, General.”
“I suppose I shall just die here then, in the dirt. With no one but my enemy by my side. Message the Obsidian and the Sunstone and relay to them my deepest regrets that they must continue to lead our nation without me. Unless,” and Selena’s gaze burns, leaving Vanessa warm. “Unless you were to kiss it better, General.”
“Selena,” Vanessa hisses, not a ‘no’ but a ‘here??’
Propping herself up on an elbow, Selena looks up into green eyes. “Vanessa,” Selena answers, admiring the way Vanessa’s mouth twists as she thinks. Not a smile, but not a frown, and all the shades in between. “We’re married.” She taps her cheek, and makes a kissy face. “You’re allowed to be affectionate with me.”
“We’re on duty.”
“The scrimmage is over, the wounded are being sorted, and you’re here with me. Vanessa,” Selena says, laying her hand atop of Vanessa’s, “We have this moment to ourselves.” Just this moment, this brief pause between duties and commands. “I would kiss my wife, before we part again.
“I miss you while we are working.”
With an explosive sigh, Vanessa leans down and gives Selena what must be the briefest kiss in the history of kisses. “Will you miss me less, now?” Selena shakes her head, and Vanessa responds with another kiss, only a fraction slower and not at all deeper. “And now?”
“General, you prolong my agony.”
“A truly unkind thing for me to do,” Vanessa whispers, and Selena hums like a laugh. Heads held close together, they breathe in warm silence, a bubble of peace around them. “I think skirmishes were a bad idea,” Vanessa says after a while, unable to restrain herself from business. “Those of us who lived it are all still too shaken from the war and no matter how well we dress it up, pitched fights shake us all.
“I could have killed you,” Vanessa whispers. “Someone could have died. Theatrics can’t save us from ourselves or our history.” She closes her eyes, and thinks on her scars, thinks on her memories. Staring across a battlefield at the woman she would come to love, would eventually marry. Thinking of blood and tears and the smell of death and evil.
“Vanessa,” Selena calls softly, reaching up to cup her hand against Vanessa’s cheek. “It’s the past, it can’t hurt us here. The sun is bright and the sky is clear.” Selena moves and captures Vanessa’s hand, “I have your hand, and I won’t let go. This can be enough for now.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Vanessa agrees, sighing. “This is enough for now.”