The rain came, went and continued again the following morning, toying with Maren's nerves. Her thoughts churned, too loud to sit still.
Maren tried to read, but the sound of the rain grated against the walls of her mind like nails on a chalkboard.
She tried to go for a walk but her shoes and dress soaked through in the wet grass and Leah quickly ushered her back inside.
Later, she begged Leah and Harriet to allow her to help with the Princesses guest wing — sweeping or dusting — but they vehemently refused. She knew it wasn't a princess's place and that she was so inexperienced with physical labor that she'd probably just be in the way, but she had to do something.
So instead of bothering the maids, she cleaned her own room. Maren pulled on her training uniform and spent hours working — moving furniture, dusting the shelves, sweeping and mopping.
The doors to her room were still busted down by the guards but they would be put back later that day.
After her discussion with Twelve, she asked Maren to keep quiet about it to Cora — just until she spoke to her. And Maren knew there was no way she could keep something like that from her.
So for most of the day, Maren did her best to find anything she could to distract herself so she wouldn't end up at Cora's side. Even if she told her, Maren felt she wouldn't say it the way Twelve did.
Yes, because there's no good way to say 'Twelve told me you're fated to die early but don't worry, I'll protect you! Maren thought with her eyes closed, her face scrunched up in frustration.
"Wow, you're worse than they said," a voice called from the doorway.
Cora's voice.
Maren gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin.
Cora smirked at her reaction, leaning on the door with her arms crossed. Maren's face burned, noticing that she wore the Garynian training uniform. It was a matching pair of fitted white pants with red accents and a plain white short sleeved top with a neckline that came all the way up.
It wasn't scandalous, but Maren couldn't help notice the way the curve of her hips, the lines at her waist or the way the top hugged her frame.
This is hell and heaven, Maren thought, crying internally. And I am no better than a man.
"Worse than who said?" Maren asked after a gruff throat clearing, collecting herself.
"Harriet and Leah," Cora answered. "They said you've been a nervous wreck all morning and asked me to take you out to get your mind off things."
Maren's eyes widened, her face burning even hotter.
You jerks! She thought, imagining Harriet and Leah smirking to themselves as they plotted this.
"Come on," Cora said, pushing herself off the doorframe, "let's go train."
Before she knew it, Maren found herself in the Royal training room, with a wooden sparring sword in hand. Cora stood across from her, happily grinning ear to ear, ready to spar.
Maren grimaced slightly, but her mood quickly changed.
Well, she thought to herself, I suppose this would take my mind off things.
Then, Cora lunged, her wood blade cut through the air, sending Maren's clattering to the ground.
Maren was shocked, rooted in place with her mouth agape. Cora grinned ear to ear, striking a triumphant victory pose.
"Looks like this'll be easier than I thought," she grinned.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Maren exclaimed. "I wasn't even ready!"
"Yeah, yeah —— that's what they all say. Put your sword up, rookie." She teased, moving back into a fighting stance.
Maren matched her grin, unable to hold it back. She lunged toward Cora who knocked her fake blade to the side, and quickly turned, going for a neck shot that would never meet her flesh.
Maren quickly ducked, avoiding the pretend hit and stuck Cora in the gut with the tip of her wood blade.
She grinned, victorious. "See that's why you needed to cheat in the first place."
Cora rolled her eyes sarcastically, "Being faster isn't cheating. But I'll admit, I went easy on you but you've gotten better."
"I was practicing a lot before we left the Palace," Maren shrugged. "Not much to keep me busy since we graduated from the Academy. Thought I'd brush up on my sword skills."
"Your work has paid off," Cora agreed. "But you've got to practice every day if you're ever going to beat me at my best."
Maren rolled her eyes in amusement, "Is that so?"
"That's right," Cora chided, jokingly. "It's not so easy to beat pure instinct."
They turned to take their positions for a third round when suddenly, Maren whipped herself around, going in for a friendly hit, testing these 'instincts Cora had been bragging about.'
Maren was surprised when Cora's wooden blade met hers.
Cora had a wide, childish grin that spread across her face. Her eyes were alight with a playful gleam. She giggled when they pulled their training swords back, the blades colliding with a thunk.
Maren matched Cora's smile and her playful hits with the sword.
When they were children being raised in the Empire without their parents or understanding the pressure of the truth of their births, they used to play like this often.
Then one day, Cora was summoned to Garyn.
And when she returned, she wasn't the same.
Maren's grip loosened on the handle, the memory becoming clear in her mind. She'd never really put a date on it, but if she really thought about it, she realized the truth in it.
For a time, her and Cora got along well.
But when she came back from Garyn, things had changed. It started small — avoiding Maren sometimes during mealtimes, or not playing with her as often. And soon, as they grew older and Cora's parents' grip grew stronger, that's when the real tears in their relationship began to grow.
Suddenly, Cora knocked the object out of her hand with a swift swing of her wooden blade. Her sword clattered on the floor, its loud thunk echoing throughout the room.
Maren paused, the motion bringing her back to reality. She gazed at Cora who breathed heavily, an excited look in her eyes, as if she hadn't had such fun in ages.
Which, in truth — she hadn't.
Since graduation, they'd spent their time cooped up in the empire palace, learning how to be proper royals, and doing their best to avoid one another until the announcement.
Maren gazed at Cora across the space, their breaths matching the others, echoing loudly.
There was a pause, long and heavy as they gazed at one another. Cora's excitement never faltered, but her gaze shifted slightly, moving down Maren's face, dropping to her neck, then her collarbone and back up to meet her eyes.
The shift in her gaze lasted only a moment, but Maren savored it.
Cora had made it clear she was interested in her.
It was obvious.
But Maren wanted to hear it from her lips.
She wanted her to say the words.
Maren smirked and moved across the space fast, lunging at Cora. Her hands met Cora's hips, feeling the slight curve of her bones on her palms and the plushy sensation of her figure.
Cora gazed down at Maren, a look of surprise in her eyes that quickly changed to a serious, but excited twinkle — heated, she dared to think.
Then, Maren pushed her, softly.
Cora's expression changed again. That same look of surprise bloomed across her face, blushing hard.
Maren grinned playfully.
She'd surprised her.
But Cora wouldn't let her have her way.
In a swift motion, Cora bent over and lunged at her. Her arms wrapped around Maren's waist as she hoisted Maren over her shoulder.
Cora was strong but she underestimated her own physical strength, compared to the strength of gravity and the skill of balance.
Cora yelped as she lost her footing and the two girls fell forward to the ground.
Maren cried out, closing her eyes as she gripped Cora, who held onto her with the same fervor. And when she landed, she realized it wasn't nearly as bad as she anticipated.
Cora had wrapped her arms around Maren's head and back, making sure she landed softly.
Maren swallowed, hard.
She considered moving, but she didn't want to pass up the opportunity to be this close with Cora.
Ah, Maren whined internally at the feel of Cora's frame pressed into hers.
She didn't want to seem so desperate, but her body betrayed her, burning at just a simple touch. She listened intently to the way Cora's heavy breath matched hers. The way her fingers lost themselves within her hair, holding her like a lover. And the way Cora's thighs pressed between her own.
Maren's own hands wrapped tenderly around Cora's neck, the shakiness in her breath betraying her completely.
Then, Cora moved. Her face turned toward her, ever so slightly— skin brushing skin.
The sensation sent shivers through Maren's body.
And just when she thought Cora would pull away, and she would no longer hear the music of Cora's breath in her ear, Cora instead turned more and faced her.
Their faces were inches apart — and even that measure was pushing it.
For a moment — this moment —- it felt like they were the only two in the world, breathing the other in.
Cora's nose brushed Maren's, a tingling sensation flushing through her.
Maren let out another shaky breath, more obvious this time.
She worried that her physical desperation would push Cora further away, but then, something happened.
Cora didn't pull away. She didn't flinch or change. That heavy, heated look in her eye remained level — confident almost.
Then, she did something Maren really didn't expect.
Cora leaned in, their noses, and lips brushing… ever so slightly.
The curve of her breast, and the sharp press of her hips pushed against Maren, as she held her there, unable to pull herself away.
The tension was so thick, it leaked into Maren's mind, absolving her of shame or fear. They had been completely bare in front of each other, but none of those moments felt nearly as intoxicating as this one.
This was intimate, purposeful heat.
Cora's hands moved from her hair and back, up her body — not leaving an inch of the path untouched as they explored, finding their mark. Cora gripped Maren's wrists and pressed her into the floor.
The motion wasn't forceful, but romantic, and steady. Cora's gaze was full of passion — not like the times she was overwhelmed by her power. This was more deliberate than that.
And Maren loved every second of her attention.
Then, Cora leaned in, her slightly parted lips brushing Maren's.
Maren let out a soft gasp, mostly air but enough to instigate Cora further.
Cora's lips brushed hers again, only this time, her tongue accompanied her, the tip brushing softly against Maren's upper lip.
Maren's whole body burned in response, alight and excited. She wanted Cora to touch her more. She wanted her to tear the clothes from her body, squeeze her, bite her, lick her and please her.
She wanted all of that and more.
She just wanted Cora to tell her she wanted it.
Cora went in for another light brush of their lips, but this time, Maren's tongue met hers.
Both of them shivered with excitement, Cora's hips and thighs pressing against Maren's, shifting to feel her better.
"Cora…" Maren gasped against her lips, her voice breathless as she whispered her name.
She wanted to kiss her more than she wanted anything in her life. More than food or water. More than money or the empire's power.
None of it mattered if Cora wasn't there.
"Maren," Cora groaned back, "why are you so…"
But her sentence never reached its end.
Cora's lips met Maren's. Her grip tightened around Maren's wrists. Their tongues brushed fervently as their bodies pressed into one another.
Then, a muffled sound beyond the main door of the room.
"Hey! Get back here!" A man's voice cried.
The girls were startled out of their passionate trance, their attention whipping toward the door.
Maren's passion crashed around her like tsunami waves coming to a halt.