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“Wait up.” Marcille was panting, and had Falin not pulled her along, holding onto her wrist, she would have taken a break. “Please. Falin.”
Falin turned around, seemingly only now noticing Marcille’s state. “Oh. Sorry. I am just excited.”
“You could tell me what it is you found.” Marcille pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Ever since she had lost the motivation to properly do her hair, it was somehow getting in the way all the time. If it had not been for her magic, she might have cut it short.
“Here.” Falin was summoning some magic. A nice and cool breeze of air helping to cool Marcille up.
It made her take an easier breath as she closed her eyes to just sense the magic. Falin’s magic was always so gentle. Even these days. Even after everything.
After a moment, her breath became easier. She inhaled one more time, and then nodded. “I think I am ready to go,” she said with a smile.
Falin smiled. She took Marcille’s hand once more, though this time she was at least not running.
“You could tell me, where we are going,” Marcille noted as they walked clearly towards the edge of the town.
“It is a surprise,” Falin said, smiling at her.
Marcille allowed herself to be taken, though. They walked along the cobblestone road reaching the edge of town and soon walking between the fields. It was a warm summer day, though the heat was not too punishing. The breeze coming from the ocean made it fairly easy to bear.
And yet, as they were walking on and on, Marcille could not help but wonder: “Where are we going?”
“I told you,” Falin said, pressing a finger against her lip. “It’s a surprise.”
The surprise, it turned out, was not in the fields either. It was somehow somewhere inside the small forest to the east of town, where the shadow smelled of pine needles, and three rabbits got startled as the two of them came walking.
Falin was heading towards one of the hills here – at least that was what it seemed like. Though it was not until they had come closer that Marcille saw the rift in the mountain, opening up to a sort of cave.
“It’s here!” Falin said.
There was a certain smell coming from the cave. A scent that Marcille was all-too familiar with. The smell produced by spirits. Magic.
“A dungeon? Another dungeon?” she asked, not sure what she should make of it.
“It is a natural one,” Falin said. “You know? Like the one back when we were at school!”
Marcille was still not to sure what to think of this. Her rational mind knew that not all dungeons were dangerous like the one that had almost eaten her alive. From what they knew now, those were the dungeons created by reckless magic. Natural dungeons usually stayed small and contained, given there were no human desires to feed on.
“Come!” Falin tucked on Marcille’s hand once more, pulling her ahead and towards the dungeon.
Some part of Marcille wanted to hold back, tensing as they came closer.
“Didn’t you want to study them?” Falin asked. “To find out how the magic worked.”
“I just…” Marcille looked at Falin for a moment, the feathers still covering her neck and shoulders – though it was quite clear that Falin did enjoy them. Her shirt showed them off quite clearly.
Falin was so happy. Even after everything.
And so, Marcille gave in. Allowing Falin to pull her into that cave.
The entrance was narrow, forcing them to walk sideways to get inside. But after maybe five feet it widened, making walking easier – even though they could not walk side by side.
It was fairly dark in here, though Falin summoned a few balls of light to accompany them.
Something was rustling in the darkness ahead. “What was that?” Marcille asked.
“Ah, it is just some shadow spiders. There is a nest ahead.”
Once more Marcille felt herself tense. “Are you sure…”
“It is fine,” Falin said. She smiled, her face seeming more alive than normally in the light of her own magic.
How could Marcille say no to her? How could she deny her any request?
She kept close to the other woman, walking close to her as they stepped along the path.
There was a tiny rift to the side of their path. Not big enough to fall into – thank the gods – but from it came a moist smell, and the sound of dripping water.
“There is water here?” she asked.
“Just wait a bit more,” Falin said.
And Marcille just could not deny that request. She followed, being careful as the tiny fissure to the side became wider, making her at least hear some water splashing around somewhere below.
The path became steeper. They were still not too far in – she could see some light coming in above them. But then the path took a turn and opened up to…
“Oh.” The single sound escaped Marcille as she saw what was ahead.
There was a lake. It seemed fairly shallow – though she did not want to try it out. A dungeon lake.
Above it were some glostacles hanging on the walls, their ends shimmering with blue and green luminescence, reflecting in the water bellow. It was truly beautiful.
Sure, Marcille had enough of any sort of tentacle for all her life – glowing or not – but even she could not deny the beauty of the view.
But there was a blubbering sound as well. Some waves in the water.
“What was that?” she asked carefully.
“Just some spark worms. Don’t worry.” Falin turned to her. “They won’t come out of the water.”
Marcille looked at the rocky shore of this lake. She could hear water moving somewhere – so probably the water ran off into some sort of stream that went along that path they come from.
“I don’t know how you can be so… fearless,” Marcille muttered.
“I just know that they won’t come out,” Falin said. Her hand grabbed Marcille’s once more, holding it gently in her own. “And if they do, I have you with me. You can blow them up.”
Marcille gave a nervous chuckle. “You trust too much in me. Remember how I got you killed.”
“I remember you bringing me back in the end,” Falin said. Her smile was so soft and wide, it was almost infectious. “I trust that you look out for me.”
Marcille could not help it. Some part of her felt her heart flutter just a bit. She knew the tips of her ears were burning. And then, there was a need that came over her. A need so desperate that she could not shake it, as she pulled Falin into a hug.
But Falin was soft. She was gentle. She returned the hug, her hands being so warm on Marcille’s shoulders. She felt strangely nice, and warm. Well, no, actually not strangely. Normally. Ordinarily. Because Falin had always been like this. Though her feathers were almost ticking Marcille as she hugged her.
“I admit,” Marcille whispered, “it is quite beautiful down here.”
“See?” Falin’s voice was soft as well. “I hoped you would like it.”
“I do.” Marcille closed her eyes, and then she forced herself to let go off Falin. She managed to bring a smile to her own face. “Thank you.”
There was a strange sparkle in everything, as Falin now took Marcille’s hands. “I was actually wondering something.”
“You were?” Marcille tilted her head. “What?”
“I was just wondering what it would be like,” Falin said. “To kiss down here.”
It was just in that moment that Marcille’s mind might have stopped processing it all for a moment. She must have misheard her friend after all. “W-What?”
Falin paused for a moment. And then she leaned over.
Her lips were just as soft as everything else about her. They were warm, and they somehow tasted just a bit of berries.
Marcille knew her face was burning. And her heart might have skipped a beat or two as well.
And yet, she found, that she did like it. The kiss. An actual kiss. She had not been kissed since, well… Not on the lips, at least.
“F-Falin,” she whispered, as their lips finally broke apart.
“I am sorry,” Falin said. “I just… I wanted to know what it feels like. Just once.”
Well, there was the thing about Marcille. She really never could tell her best friend no. Especially not when her lips were so sweet and soft. Not, when she had been dreaming about tasting them in a long while.
In the sense of a kiss, that was.
She quickly banished the other thought out of her mind. Darn that stupid Laios!
But she leaned forward as well, kissing Falin in return, as she could not help it. She was thankful that this desire had not been consumed by the Winged Lion.
“Marcille?” Falin whispered.
Marcille looked at the woman, pressing her hands. “I think it feels quite good.”
