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When Raelle had proposed to Scylla to travel by car from Salem to the Cession, initially the Necro had been a bit reluctant, but as usual, it was practically impossible for Scylla to say no to her wife and so she had accepted.
Not that Scylla was not used to spending many hours in the car given her childhood and teenage years as a Dodger. Her doubts were due to the fact that they would be working until late the day before their trip, and Scylla knew very well how Raelle struggled to wake up at dawn after a full night's sleep, let alone wake up after a few poor hours of sleep.
Although she was no longer a recruit, her wife had not lost the old habit of running around from building to building in Fort Salem to get to work on time.
In all honesty, Scylla had to admit that she was often the cause of those delays, starting morning activities that distracted Raelle from her duties. On the other hand, the Fixer had never complained about that kind of distraction; indeed, she was more than enthusiastic about it.
Other mornings, however, it was Raelle who would start and to no avail were Scylla's feeble attempts at telling her that she would be late. Raelle in response would kiss her until she was out of breath and tell her that there was nothing like a morning charge to get through the day. After a few fake, weak protests, Scylla surrendered very easily to Raelle's teasing, letting the Fixer gladly drag her back to bed. After all, who was she to deny her beautiful wife a charge?
“Are you sure you packed everything?” Raelle asked Scylla the evening before their trip.
“You, asking me if I packed everything?” Scylla turned to her with arched eyebrows. “Which one of us forgot her toothbrush last time?” She asked with a smirk. “Or forgot the ID, risking missing the flight, Raelle?”
“All right! All right! You've made your point.” Raelle rolled her eyes. “You're so annoying when you do that.” She mumbled, tossing a shirt into the duffle bag resting on their bed.
Scylla chuckled, wrapping her arms around the Fixer's waist. “Admit it,” she told her, her chin resting on her shoulder. “Without me you'd forget even your head if it wasn't attached to this beautiful neck.” She said, pecking her neck with a kiss.
Raelle smiled, covering Scylla's hands with her own. “Someone is feeling very cocky tonight, uh?”
“Not just tonight,” Scylla turned her around without breaking the embrace to be face to face. “Always.” She flashed a cheeky smile.
Raelle put her arms around her wife's neck. “You know, I think all those students in love with you didn't do your ego any good.” She teased her with a grin.
“I can't help it if I'm their favorite teacher.” She said, boasting in jest.
“Well, not that you have much competition.” Raelle chuckled, continuing to tease her. “The youngest of the other teachers was probably at the Salem trial with Alder.”
Laughing, Scylla pushed her away dissolving the embrace. “You are really unbearable.” She said, shaking her head in amusement.
Without stopping snickering, Raelle tried to hug her again; Scylla escaped her grasp twice. Finally on the third attempt, Raelle managed to tighten her arms around the Necro, who giggled and tried to wriggle out of her grip. Between playful pushes, they ended up falling onto the bed.
“How could I marry such a buffoon?” Scylla asked her with a mocking smile, pressed between Raelle and the mattress.
Leaning on her forearms, Raelle pretended to think about it. “Maybe because I'm incredibly hot?” She retorted with a smirk.
“Oh, is that so?” Scylla arched an impertinent eyebrow. “Is it your fan club of cadets who think that?” She asked laughing.
Raelle gave her a light pinch, triggering a 'hey' of protest from Scylla and a brief struggle to flip the Fixer onto her back; she failed, finding herself even more pressed into the mattress, with a victoriously chuckling Raelle on top of her.
Definitely not a bad view, indeed. Thought Scylla, who was beginning to enjoy that position all too much.
“I can't help it if I'm their favorite drill sergeant.” Raelle retorted with a sly grin, echoing Scylla's words in part.
The Necro rolled her eyes, huffing. “Yeah, I bet some of them wouldn't mind a few private lessons from the Witchbomb.” She huffed even more loudly.
After the events of the first song, her wife had become all too popular among the young recruits. Not that this was a problem, Scylla knew that Raelle only had eyes for her, but she found it amusing and at the same time annoying to see them hitting on her wife even in front of her.
“I love it when you're jealous.” Raelle smiled at her, brushing her nose against Scylla's. “It's so cute the way you furrow your brow and nose.” She said, imitating Scylla's expression.
“I'm not jealous!” She mumbled in protest.
“Oh you are!” Raelle was having a blast teasing her. “All those cadets who want what's yours,” she whispered, while she kissed her neck.
“Now, ‘all those cadets', don't you think you're exaggerating?” Scylla asked her, trying to maintain a mocking tone, which was very difficult to do while Raelle was kissing her like that. “I'd say three or four at the most.” She added, this time in a slightly more breathy voice.
“What wrong, Scyl?” Raelle smirked, giving her a light bite on the neck, making the witch beneath her gasp. “Trouble breathing? Too hot?” She slid her knee between Scylla's legs, who arched her back, emitting a moan; Raelle chuckled smugly.
Unexpectedly Scylla turned the situation, taking advantage of the Fixer's distraction due to her smugness. “I'm not jealous of all those cadets,” the Necro told her, straddling Raelle, who still had a surprised look on her face from being flipped onto her back. Scylla leaned down until she almost brushed the Fixer's nose with hers. “But you're right about one thing. Well, two,” she added after a moment. “You are hot,” she pinned one of Raelle's wrists to the mattress, smiling mischievously. “And you're mine.” She pinned the other wrist.
Raelle swallowed, unable to take her gaze off Scylla's face. “Always and only yours, beautiful.” She declared, her eyes full of love and desire.
Scylla's smile softened, becoming one of those that only Raelle was capable of making pop on her face. The Necro loosened her grip on her wrists. “I love you.” She whispered.
Free to move, Raelle smiled and stroked Scylla's face with her thumbs, pulling her closer to kiss her. “I love you too.”
When the kiss began to get deeper and more demanding, the Fixer inadvertently hit the duffel bag with her foot, which rolled off the bed, spilling its contents onto the floor. She didn't worry about it; now she didn't care about anything but the woman in her arms. Later, she told herself, she would fix it later.
§
Raelle was wrong, because later, she fell asleep with her head buried in the crook of Scylla's neck and awoke only when the alarm clock began to ring. Outside, as her sleepy eyes could see looking through the window, everything was still shrouded in darkness; the sun would not rise for at least another hour.
“Shit,” she stretched out her arm and turned off the alarm clock. She rubbed her face with one hand to try to chase away the sleepiness. Next to her, Scylla was starting to wake up, stretching like a cat. She was so lovely that Raelle was sorely tempted to postpone their trip and snuggle back under the blankets with her beautiful wife.
No, I can't! She reminded herself, if they delayed her plans for Yule would be blown and Raelle could not allow that.
“Morning.” Scylla murmured with her voice thick with sleep.
“Morning.” Raelle leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Scylla smiled sleepily, then noticed Raelle's duffel bag and clothes scattered on the floor. “Shit,” she exclaimed as her wife had done.
“Yeah.” Raelle jumped out of bed and began picking up her clothes to put them in her duffle bag. She had never been very good at stowing clothes as neatly as Abigail when they were to leave for a mission; she chuckled picturing the look on the Blaster's face if she saw her hastily toss the clothes into the duffle bag.
“Nice to see that you find repacking fun.” Scylla told her with a huff, getting out of bed. “I'm going to make coffee. When I come back I expect everything to be packed.”
“Yes, ma'am!” Raelle answered her with a grin and a military salute.
Scylla rolled her eyes, but could not hold back a smile as she headed for the kitchen. Raelle distinctly heard her mutter 'buffoon'.
Luckily for her, when Scylla returned with a steaming cup for her, Raelle had just zipped up her duffel bag.
“Thank you, love.” She gave her a smile of thanks, taking the coffee and drinking a long sip.
“I'm going to take a shower,” Scylla informed her, leaning her shoulder against the bathroom doorframe.
“Mm-hmm, okay.” Raelle nodded, setting her coffee down on the nightstand to do a second check of the room to make sure she had not forgotten anything. The Necro coughed to get the Fixer's attention again, who looked up at her wife still leaning against the doorframe. “What?”
“Since you'll have to take a shower too,” Scylla said, as she slipped off her pajama top. “Why not maximize the time by doing it together?” She proposed, with a sly grin arching one corner of her mouth.
Raelle blinked a few times, recording her wife's words. She dropped the shoe in her hand and faster than lightning reached Scylla, who smiled in satisfaction at the little effort it had taken her to convince Raelle. Laughing, they began undressing each other before slipping into the shower.
They failed to maximize the time. But at the very least, they managed to leave only half an hour late on the schedule.
The trip to celebrate Yule and Christmas with Edwin and Quinn turned out to be enjoyable, and how could it not be? They were together and it was enough to make anything, even the most insignificant, something beautiful and new to share together.
After a few hours, they had stopped in one of the passing towns for a brief stop and to have hot chocolate from a stand.
Scylla thought Raelle looked adorable all bundled up with scarf up to her nose, woolen hat and gloves; the only part still visible were her bright sky-blue eyes. Scylla really loved those eyes, she knew them so well that she did not need to see her wife's whole face to know if she was smiling, if she was angry, happy, sad, or when Raelle was about to say something stupid just to make her laugh.
Who could blame her if after all that time she was still smiling like a silly lovesick teenager, when Raelle brought their intertwined hands close to her lips to place a tender kiss on Scylla's knuckles? She would challenge anyone not to melt like snow in the sun.
On the other hand, Raelle was equally madly, foolishly, hopelessly in love with her wife. The Fixer thought it was funny how Scylla, one of the most powerful and dangerous witches she had ever known, could get as dirty as a child when she was drinking chocolate.
At that moment Raelle was holding back a laugh as she watched her tastefully sip her hot drink, unaware that she had a chocolate stain on her cheek. This gave the Fixer the opportunity to use the 'you have something on your cheek' move, leaning over to sweep away the offending stain with her thumb and taking advantage of it to steal a kiss.
Scylla reciprocated in turn with a kiss and a smile on her lips, which Raelle found terribly irresistible, so they always ended up continuing to steal kisses from each other until their chocolates went cold.
It was evening when they arrived at the Cession, Scylla was dozing on Raelle's shoulder when a pothole made her jerk awake suddenly.
“Sorry,” Raelle said, stroking her leg, while the Necro blinked a little dazed by the abrupt awakening. “The road is dimly lit and I did not see the pothole in time.”
It took Scylla almost a full minute to realize that something was strange, or rather unfamiliar. She frowned as she looked at the dimly lit road surrounded by trees.
“Raelle,” still frowning, she turned toward her wife. “Where are we? Did you take a wrong turn?” She looked at the watch on her wrist; they should have arrived at her father-in-law's house at least twenty minutes ago by now.
“Nope.” Was Raelle's reply, who could not hide a small smirk.
“Nope?” Scylla was increasingly confused.
Raelle chuckled. “No, Scylla, I didn't take a wrong turn. I know exactly where we are. Well,” she added a moment later. “Where we're headed.”
“What do you mean?” The Necro replied, wondering what the hell was going on. “It's from your father we're headed, and this is not the right way.” Raelle laughed again; Scylla was beginning to lose her patience, she crossed her arms and looked at her seriously. “You took a wrong turn, didn't you?” She arched an eyebrow. “And you don't want to admit it like that time-”
“I didn't take a wrong turn.” Raelle turned her head to look at her. “And not that time either! I had taken a shortcut.” She mumbled.
Scylla huffed out a laugh. “Sure,” she said sarcastically. “A shortcut that made us take twice as long!” She rolled her eyes.
“We're not going to dad's,” she finally said. “Not tonight.”
“What?” She exclaimed. “Raelle,” she took a breath. “I swear to the Goddess if you don't tell me right now what the hell-”
“It's a surprise, okay?” The Fixer interrupted her wife's threat.
“A surprise?” She asked in astonishment.
“Yeah, Scyl.” She laughed at the expression on Scylla's face. “You know when you want to surprise someone and you don't tell them anything, or else it doesn't work? That's what I did by not telling you where we're really headed tonight.”
Scylla pondered for a few seconds, beginning to connect the dots. “Is that why you haven't mumbled all morning for waking up before dawn?” Raelle nodded, smiling. “Is that why you insisted on driving the last hundred miles even though you had already been driving for two hours?” She asked, still stunned. Raelle nodded again still smiling at her, pleased with herself.
“I thought you might like it, since this is our first Yule together. I mean really, really together this time.”
They both knew what Raelle was referring to. The last Yule had not gone as they had hoped; they still remembered when they had talked about it that night at the dodgers' shelter before their cover was blown, forcing them to flee.
At the shelter there was always plenty to do and they were always surrounded by other people, the only time all to themselves was at night. Hours they spent making love, whispering dreams and wishes to each other until exhausted they fell asleep in each other's arms. One of those daydreams included celebrating Yule together. Unfortunately, cruel fate had decided otherwise, parting the two lovers for the umpteenth time.
Because of this and because she wanted to make her wife happy, Raelle had decided that she would give Scylla a Yule that year which she hoped she would remember forever.
“But, your father? Quinn?” Scylla hastened to ask her.
“They know everything and helped me with the surprise.”
“Won't they mind if we don't spend Yule Eve with them?”
Raelle squeezed her leg, smiling lovingly at her. “Don't worry,” she reassured her. “We'll join them tomorrow afternoon and spend the rest of the holidays together. Dad and Quinn are fine with me having you all to myself for a little while longer.” She winked at her.
Scylla smiled, she didn't mind having Raelle all to herself for a while longer either. It was so rare to be able to spend a whole day together because of their busy schedules, let alone almost two whole days.
“And then they will come with us to Abs and Adil's house for New Year's Eve.” Raelle continued. “I don't envy poor Adil, Khalida, Tally and Gregorio who will have to help Abigail prepare the party.” She grinned looking at Scylla. “She will be in full High Atlantic mode and I bet she will enslave them to make everything perfect.” She laughed and Scylla with her. “I'm glad we'll get to their house no sooner than the party starts.” With a devilish smile on her face she added. “And if we get there early, we'll pretend it doesn't.”
“I support your diabolical plan.” Scylla laughed heartily. She had not forgotten how Abigail had bossed everyone around so that everything would be perfect for their wedding; the Necro did not want to repeat the experience. “So will you tell me where you are taking me?” She asked curiously.
“We're almost there.” That was all that Scylla got in response.
Indeed, after another ten minutes Raelle parked. Scylla looked out the window, around them she could see nothing but darkness and the trees illuminated by the car headlights. Raelle killed the engine and got out of the car, Scylla followed her.
“Uhm, are you sure we've arrived at the right place?” The Necro asked her doubtfully.
Raelle laughed. “You really have little faith in me, uh?”
“Well,” she raised her arms to point to the woods. “I don't see anything here.”
The Fixer flashed her one of her sly smiles. “Close your eyes.”
Scylla frowned. “I just told you I can't see anything and you ask me to close my eyes?”
Raelle rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. “You're making this surprise really difficult, you know?” She said amused, squeezing her hands. “Can you please do what I'm asking?” She asked her peremptorily.
“All right!” She huffed, doing as she was asked. “Now?” She asked with her eyes closed.
Raelle led her a few steps and turned her to the right before stopping. “No peeking.” She ordered her.
Scylla felt Raelle move away from her, the temptation to peek was strong but she resisted. After about a minute Raelle's arms wrapped around her waist and rested her chin on Scylla's shoulder.
“Open your eyes, Scyl.” Raelle whispered in her ear.
Scylla opened them and stood open-mouthed; in front of her was a path made of small, colorful, fluorescent mushrooms, leading to what was a chalet illuminated by a myriad of larger, brighter mushrooms that reflected off the snow in a kaleidoscope of colors.
“Raelle, it's,” Scylla could not find the words to describe it, beautiful, fantastic were reductive adjectives.
“It's an old chalet owned by a friend of Quinn's,” she explained. “When I was sixteen my parents and I spent the holidays here.” Raelle smiled wistfully. “It was our last Yule with mom.”
Scylla turned and stroked her cheek lovingly, wishing she could wipe away the veil of sadness she saw in Raelle's eyes. The Necro knew how rare it was for Willa to spend the holidays at home and not on a mission; this place must have meant a lot to her wife.
“I've been wanted to bring you here ever since I met you.” Raelle told her, smiling more cheerfully. She had never told Scylla about that place, because she had always hoped that one day she would be able to take her there and surprise her. “Do you like it?” She asked her a little nervous.
“If I like it?” Her blue eyes shone brightly with joy. “It's perfect.” She said touched. Raelle's smile broadened, and Scylla could resist no longer, she took her face in her hands and kissed her. “When I think it's impossible to love you more, you prove me otherwise.” She said, overcome with emotion.
“I would wait to say that,” Raelle grinned. “There is only one fireplace to heat the house, when you wake up tomorrow morning frozen you might love me less.”
Scylla chuckled. “No way,” she shook her head, entwining her arms around Raelle's neck. “And if we feel cold, we can always warm each other up.” She smiled mischievously at her.
Despite the freezing weather, Raelle felt a certain warmth spreading through her. “I feel like this is going to be the most wonderful Yule ever.” She smiled broadly and leaned down to kiss Scylla intensely. “Let's go.” She took her hand and they walked down the path.
The chalet was as small and cozy as Raelle remembered it, with a medium-sized fireplace suitable for heating the small room. Quinn with Edwin's help had prepared everything for their arrival, there was food, drinks and even decorations scattered all over the chalet. Resting on the bed were at least five warm blankets, which would avert the threat of spending a night in the cold.
Dad and Quinn have thought of everything. Raelle thought fondly.
“Look.” Scylla pointed to something over their heads.
Raelle looked up; hanging from the ceiling between the small living room and the bedroom was a mistletoe. “Like I need encouragement to kiss you.” She laughed.
Scylla squeezed her waist to pull her closer to herself. “So you're not going to do it?” She asked her with a smirk.
“I didn't say that,” the Fixer smiled, brushing her nose with her wife's. “And then it's bad luck not to kiss under the mistletoe.” She whispered less than an inch from the Necro's lips.
“So what are you waiting for?” Scylla whispered back to her, and a moment later Raelle erased the tiny distance between their lips.
§
After lighting the fire and eating dinner, Raelle and Scylla snuggled on the large rug in front of the fireplace. In keeping with tradition, the witches carved runes on a large log, placed it in the center of the fire, and watched it burn for a while, enjoying the quiet of the moment.
Resting her head on Raelle's shoulder, Scylla began to squint, pleasantly enveloped by the warmth emanating from the fireplace and her wife's body holding her close. What awakened her was a light kiss on her forehead, she looked up and saw Raelle smiling sweetly at her.
“I'll be right back.” She said, standing up, chuckling at the mumbled protest from Scylla, who to compensate for the lack of Raelle's body heat wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.
Raelle walked to the bedroom and knelt down to open her duffle bag, rummaged for the little box that she had heartily hidden under her clothes. She thought back to that morning, Scylla had almost seen it because of her carelessness the night before when she had knocked over the duffle bag. Fortunately, she had managed to put the box back in the duffle bag before her wife had noticed.
She returned to sit with Scylla, who welcomed her under the blanket. “Scylla,” she said in a slightly hesitant tone.
The Necro looked at her expectantly. “What?” She asked after a few seconds of silence from her wife.
Raelle wet her lips, then straightened up, facing Scylla.
Scylla frowned slightly. “What's wrong?” She asked the Fixer, sensing her nervousness.
“Uhm, well," she began, looking at the fire and not at Scylla. Damn, I should have prepared a speech! Should I just say it?
“Raelle?” Scylla called her, the Fixer seemed lost in thought. “Why are you nervous?”
“What?” Raelle laughed nervously, further confirming her wife's doubts.
Scylla arched a quizzical eyebrow. “If we weren't already married, I would think you were about to propose to me.” She uttered a wry laugh, which quickly died down as she saw that Raelle was not laughing with her. Her mind immediately thought the worst. “Are you about to leave for a long mission?” She asked, hearing the tremor in her own voice.
“No!” Raelle hastened to reply, squeezing her hands. “Nothing bad.”
Scylla let out a sigh of relief, then slapped her arm. “Do you want to tell me why the hell you look like that then? You scared me!” She scolded her.
“Sorry,” Raelle gave a small smile, scratching the back of her head. “I was looking for the words to tell you,” she hesitated again, biting her lower lip. “Here.” She handed her the box she had kept hidden behind her back.
Scylla took it in her hands with a confused expression. “I thought I had already received my gift.” She said, referring to the chalet's surprise.
“Well,” Raelle finally smiled at her without nervousness. “This isn't really a gift. Come on, open it.” She urged her.
Scylla opened the box, frowned, brought it closer to her eyes to get a better look at its contents. “Raelle,” she looked at her, then back at the inside of the box. “Are-? How? Why?” She looked at her wife again with a questioning expression and more confused than before.
Raelle took the box in her hands again. “They are our medals.” She said, pulling out her own.
“I see that, but I don't understand.” The Necro took her medal in her hands. “I thought I had lost it.” She said almost in a whisper, running a finger over her name engraved on it.
Not that she missed it, quite the contrary. For her, that medal had been a leash, a way to bind her and so many other witches who had no other choice. Finally, after the first song, conscription had been abolished and young witches could decide their own lives.
“It was in Fort Salem all this time.” Raelle explained to her.
“But why are you giving it to me?” Scylla asked her frowning; her wife certainly could not believe she cared to have it back. The only thing that still tied her to the army was her job at the necro lab; a job she only held because Raelle and her Unit were at Fort Salem.
“I'm not asking you to go back to the army, Scyl.” Raelle told her with a kindly smile, sensing what was going through her wife's mind.
“Then what does that mean?”
“I'm leaving the army.” Was Raelle's response. Few words, but which meant a lot to the two witches.
Scylla opened her eyes wide in disbelief, for the second time that night she was speechless. Had she heard correctly? Had Raelle really said it?
“Scylla?” Raelle squeezed her hand, the Necro seemed in shock. “Tell me something.”
“I-, I don't know what to say... you-?” She stammered, then cleared her throat. “You're leaving the army?”
“Yes.” Raelle nodded.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” She asked bewildered.
Raelle laughed. “Are you trying to persuade me not to?”
“No! Goddess, no!” Scylla threw her medal into the box and squeezed Raelle's other hand. “I'm just saying it's an important decision, have you thought it through?”
As much as she had longed for that moment for as long as she could remember, she knew this was not an entirely easy decision for Raelle; leaving the army meant leaving her Unit, her sisters.
“Now you sound like Abigail.” The Fixer huffed, playfully taunting her. “Are you sure, Raelle? Is this really what you want, Rae?” She said, imitating the Blaster.
“Did you tell her?” Scylla asked surprised. “I guess she wasn't enthusiastic about it.” She said a little somberly.
The Necro loved the Blaster, really, she was like a sister to her by now, but they still clashed once in a while about the army, and Tally, Adil and Raelle had to intervene before things got too overheated.
“Not at first,” Raelle admitted. “But she knew it would happen sooner or later, and after my tenth ‘yes, I'm sure,’ she resigned herself.”
“Tally?”
“To her it wasn't much of a surprise.” The Fixer smiled. “Tal had seen it an hour before I met them to talk to them, but she didn't reveal anything until I told them my decision.”
“Did she take it well?” She asked a little uncertainly. Scylla knew that Tally understood and respected Raelle's desire to leave the army, but she also knew that the Knower would be sad not to see her and Raelle so often.
Raelle nodded with a slightly sad smile. “Both she and Abs are a little sad that I will no longer be part of the Unit, but they are happy for us.” She gave her wife's hands a squeeze, smiling more cheerfully now. “They told me it doesn't matter if I am no longer in the army, they will forever be my and your sisters, that will never change.”
Scylla quickly wiped a tear at the corner of her eye. “When I met them, I never thought those two would become part of my family. Especially Abigail.” She laughed, wiping away another tear.
Raelle laughed, too. “Yeah, me too,” she agreed, with equally teary eyes “They can be annoying, but by now we can't get rid of them.” She said fondly.
When the laughter died down, Scylla looked intensely at her wife. “Raelle,” she said in a serious tone. “Are we really doing this? Leaving the army behind us?”
The two of them finally moving to the Cession as they had planned and dreamed when that moment was only a distant mirage, for Scylla it seemed too good to be true.
Raelle cupped her cheek, looking at her with infinite love. “Yes,” she nodded. ”The world is slowly starting to improve after the first song.” She stroked her cheek with her thumb. “And after what happened at Samhain, what could have happened to you,” her voice cracked, lowering her gaze.
“Raelle,” Scylla lifted her chin to link their eyes. “None of that was your fault.” She said softly. She hated that Raelle felt guilty when she had none.
“But if we had not been at Fort Salem you would not have participated to the ritual,” a tear slid down on her right cheek; the memory of that night and what she was about to lose still haunted her. “You wouldn't have risked your life, you-”
“I would not see my mother again.” Scylla interrupted her. “Not everything that happened was bad, and it's mostly thanks to you that I was able to talk to her again.” She leaned in to kiss her. “It is to you that I owe every single happy moment of my last years.” She brushed her nose against her wife's. “You are my sunshine, Raelle.”
A small, happy smile broke out on the Fixer's lips. “I love you,” she gave her a quick kiss. “I can't wait to start this new life with you.”
“Me too.” Scylla whispered, her forehead resting against her wife's.
Scylla wondered why a small part of her felt guilty; they had always longed for this moment, Raelle as much as she did, so why couldn't she shake that feeling?
“Raelle,”
“Yes?”
“Will the world be able to do without the witchbomb?” She asked hesitantly.
Although much of the world was finally reacting positively to what the first song had entailed, there was still a very large part that did not accept the change and created several problems. Her wife had been important to the fate of the war and still was important to the great change everyone was going through, was her desire to have Raelle all to herself selfish?
“Scyl,” Raelle took her face in her hands, looking at her seriously. “After the first song I kept delaying and delaying this moment because I felt responsible for what I and the other stewards had done, but you know what I realized?” Scylla shook her head. “That I don't have to wear a uniform to do something good, I can decide how to help this world to improve.” She smiled softly at Scylla. “Do you want to do that with me?”
The smile Scylla flashed her was warmer and brighter than the fire crackling in the fireplace. “Yes, my love.” She replied enthusiastically, kissing Raelle's knuckles.
A fleeting thought went to her young students; leaving Salem to move to the Cession meant leaving them as well. Scylla tried to push that thought away so as not to ruin that beautiful moment, but Raelle managed to catch that very slight change of mood anyway.
As if reading Scylla's mind, Raelle told her. “We don't have to move right now, we can wait until the school year is over, I know how much you care about your kids.”
It was absurd, Raelle had decided to leave the army and now she was the one who didn't want to leave Salem right away? Scylla shook her head. “No, Raelle, our plans, our dreams-”
“They will be here waiting for us.” Raelle smiled lovingly at her. “If that's what you want, we can stay in Salem for as long as we have to,” she entwined their fingers together. “The only thing that matters to me is being with you, Scylla, no matter where.”
Scylla looked at her thoughtfully, in doubt whether to express her fears. She bit her lower lip and then let the words flow. “What if you change your mind in the meantime? What if you decide not to leave the army?”
Raelle shook her head. “It's not going to happen. It's not official news yet because I wanted to tell you first, but I already gave my resignation to Petra. She obviously tried to persuade me not to,” she laughed. “Like mother like daughter. But I told her I had made my decision and nothing would make me change my mind, so from the new year I will no longer be officially part of the army.”
Scylla bit the inside of her cheek; it was what she wanted, she should not hesitate. Her students would have managed without her, right? “We have no reason to stay in Salem then.” Finally she said, ignoring that small hint of remorse.
Raelle frowned. “Isn't your wish to end the year with the kids a reason?”
“Yeah, but,” Scylla tormented her lip, trying to find the words to explain to Raelle how she felt. “I've dreamed of this day ever since I realized I loved you, living finally away from the shadow of the army.” She lowered her gaze to their intertwined hands. “Stop fearing I won't see you again when you leave on a mission. Waking up in the middle of the night and wondering if you're okay, if you'll come back to me safely.” She looked again into her eyes; Raelle returned her gaze with sad eyes and full of affection for her. “So what does everything else matter if we can now live the life we want?”
“It matters because it is important to you, Scyl. And you are the most important thing to me.” Raelle stroked her cheek softly with her thumb; a gesture so sweet that it managed to make Scylla melt every time. “You waited for me to make this decision without ever pressing me. You have been so patient with me, my love. So please don't give up what you want because you think it's what I want.” She smiled at her. “Cession will still be here in a few months. In the meantime we will think about what to do when we move here and start looking for our new home.”
“Our home.” Scylla said it smiling like a child on Christmas morning.
They had a rented house in Salem, because they both knew it would be a temporary arrangement, something a dodger like her was used to; as her parents always said, home is the people you love not the places. This was still true for Scylla, but to be able to feel a place that was truly hers and to live there with the love of her life, to return every night to their cozy haven, spend holidays there with friends and family, see the signs of time and their living together in their home, was a thought that warmed her heart.
“With a garden and a big bookcase?” Scylla asked her with a dreamy expression.
Raelle's smile broadened, she loved seeing her wife happy. “Anything you want, Scyl.”
“You're not going to postpone your resignation if we stay in Salem for a few more months, right?” Scylla asked her thoughtfully. If Raelle's answer was yes, she would never accept that deal and they would pack for the Cession right after New Year's Day.
“No, Scyl, I promise, it won't happen.” Raelle swore to her.
“What will you do while I continue teaching?” Scylla knew Raelle was not one to sit idly by for months.
“Well, since I know my wife well,” she winked slyly. “I figured you'd be sorry to suddenly leave your kids, so I proposed to Petra to be a counselor for future Fixers as long as we stay in Salem,” Scylla was about to open her mouth, but Raelle continued anticipating her questions. “And no, this does not mean that I will still be part of the army. I will not wear a uniform, I will no longer be a sergeant, I will no longer take part in any mission.” She leaned toward Scylla to give more weight to the words, to make her understand to the core that she intended to keep her promise. “I will no longer spend days, weeks away. Every day, every night, I will come home to you, Scylla.”
Scylla let go the sob she was holding back and hugged Raelle tightly. “You really thought of everything, didn't you?” She asked her between tears of joy.
Raelle chuckled, hiding her own tears. “When you marry someone so skilled at planning, you may happen to learn a thing or two.” She joked.
Scylla laughed, pulling away just enough to look at her. “And still, you managed to forget your toothbrush again.” She teased her.
They both began to laugh, light-hearted and happy as they had not been in a long time. “Hey I had more important things to bring!” Raelle feigned offense, pointing with her eyes to their medals. “I didn't have time to focus on futile things like the toothbrush.” She grinned.
“I still don't understand why you brought them.” Scylla admitted, taking her medal again.
Raelle smiled, that smile that Scylla loved so much, sweet, soft like a toffee and with a touch of naughtiness that the Necro could not resist.
“Do you remember the first time you told me about Labor Pain?” Raelle asked her in a nonchalant tone.
How could she not remember? It had been one of the last happy moments with Raelle before everything fell into a thousand pieces like their hearts.
“Yes.” Was Scylla's short answer, straining to remember that they were now old wounds, scars from a past that had started a more prosperous future.
Raelle took her medal and with her other hand squeezed Scylla's. “I know this is not that beach,” she said.
“Yeah, I had gotten to it on my own.” Scylla joked with a sly half smile, looking around the room.
Raelle chuckled. “Will you let me continue?”
Scylla grinned. “Sorry, please continue.” She nodded.
“Lately I've been thinking back to that day,” Raelle resumed her speech. “At the time they were just words, daydreams of two fools in love. I never thought I would see with my own eyes the end of conscription, much less marry the woman I love and want to spend the rest of my life with.” She said with emotion in her voice. “We had joked that day about going to the beach,” the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile. “Maybe a very small part of me really hoped so, that one day we would hang our medals on the door.”
Scylla opened her eyes slightly wide, she finally understood why Raelle had brought their necklaces.
“Do you want to do it with me, Scyl?” Raelle squeezed her hand tighter, anchoring each other so as not to be swept away by the emotions of that cold, but so warm night. “Do you want to hang our medals on the door?”
Scylla had thought that when Raelle had proposed to her, she would never feel such emotion again; she was wrong, she felt like she did that day, happy and surrounded by the infinite love they shared.
“I love you so much.” It was the only thing Scylla managed to say before pulling Raelle toward her and kissing her like there was no tomorrow; but a tomorrow there would be and another and so forever.
“Is that a yes?” Raelle asked her out of breath between kisses.
“Yes.” Scylla whispered huskily, without stopping kissing her. She gently laid her wife down on the rug, there would be time later to hang the medals, now, Scylla wanted to show Raelle how much she loved her and how the Fixer made her feel so special.
By the time they parted, the fire was out and the room was lit only by the faint light of the embers, which rested in the fireplace.
The two witches put their clothes back on; Scylla wrapped the scarf around Raelle's neck, pulling the end of it to steal a quick kiss from the Fixer, who giggled like the madly in love idiot she was.
They went outside the chalet, the mushrooms around it shining brighter than ever, recharged with love like the witch who had summoned them.
“Together?” Raelle asked her wife, lifting her medal.
“Always.” Scylla smiled brightly at her, lifting hers as well.
Simultaneously, the two witches hung the medals on the door handle. In the distance, they heard night birds singing their goodbyes.
Raelle turned to Scylla with a raised eyebrow and a hint of a smile. “You had something to do with this, didn't you?” The Fixer asked the Necro, listening to the melodious singing.
Scylla chuckled softly, putting her arms around Raelle's neck. “You're not the only one with a few tricks up your sleeve.” She winked. “With those fluorescent mushrooms and all the surprises of the night, you've raised the bar, love.” She smiled wily. “I had to do something to keep up with my amazing wife.”
Raelle laughed and pecked her lips. “Then I'll keep raising the bar.” She whispered, brushing her nose against Scylla's.
“And I'll raise it even higher.” Scylla whispered back, pecking Raelle's lips in turn.
“So that's it? We're going to spend our days making sappy, romantic surprises?” Raelle pretended to shudder, unable to hold back a smile.
“What a terrible life.” Scylla joked, with an exaggeratedly dramatic sigh.
“The worst.” Raelle nodded, squeezing her waist to pull her even closer to her.
“However,” Scylla smiled at her, a smile so beautiful it rivals the moon and stars. “I look forward to living it with you, Raelle.”
Raelle rested her forehead against her wife's. “Me too, Scylla.”
They kissed, for minutes, or hours, they did not care for the cold, nothing could extinguish the warmth that was inside them.
As in one of their dreams, Raelle and Scylla held each other close, surrounded by birdsong and the fluorescent light of mushrooms reflecting on the snow, illuminating the Yule night. But there was something brighter shining, something not tangible, something only the two of them could see; their love, eternal lighthouse in the night.