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protezioni · 5 years

Note

★ for Celes and Ace, ☯ for Akira and Rika, ☕ for Sepheir and Ko, ✿ for Asuka and Ko -w- !

Of course!! This waa really fun to do!! I loved doing all of it!! I hope you like it, Mama!! Also you'll see how Ko and Seph are around each other so that'a fun (they are different when around each other rjjfjd)

ALSO HI STAN ZETA, ASUKA AND AKIRA BELONGS TO THE WONDERFUL CREATOR AND @zetacomic IS THE BEST BOY COMIC also a lot of people from Zeta show up in one part !!

Ace/Celes

…being called a pet name by your muse for the first time = ★

An airplane ride before the mission started... It was normal for the Protezioni to go through that. Missions sometimes happened abroad, after all... But today was a bit special where Crew Tre and Crew Quattro had to team up for a high ranked mission in France... How funny, it even happened in the City of Love. Ironic that such crimes would happen in such an endearing city. "Pilot, how far are we from the location?" Someone brought up the question as he took off his headphones. A bit dozy, the members have guessed. He was asleep for almost the whole trip. Silence. "Pilot?" He stood up from his chair before stretching. "It bothers me that you're not answering! Have I done anything wrong to you?"

Finally, a response from the person who controlled the whole airplane. "Not as of today, but please stay on your seat, Ace."

What a tragedy! His question remained unanswered... How rude. "Sure, sure..." Instead of arguing, he sat back down on his chair, slicking his hair back as he gave another sigh. "I dislike being bored... I would have preferred to sit beside someone other than Bernando." He laughed slightly at his own joke and the male he was referring to closed the book he was reading. "Oh, I did not mean to offend you, Mister Bernando... It was a mere joke." He grinned to prove it was only a tease but he noticed that he only squinted. "Ah..."

Only a second later, he felt a book spine on his throat--- only Allen was the one who was relatively happy from the siblings... But now, Ace dropped his playful attitude and felt a lump on his throat... "I am sorry that you only want to sit beside my sister and allow your filthy hands to have a touch of her virgin skin." He pressed the book deeper on his throat and now Ace was sweating. God, just because he was a gang leader didn't mean he had any intention! "If you touch my precious little sister, I will make sure you'll have a blade pass through your neck."

"I wouldn't do such things to my beloved."

"BELOVED?!"

"Or if you prefer," Ace raised his index finger. "My darling."

"Now, where did that come from?" A female blinked nonchalantly, her voice still being rather soft, yet showing no hint of embarrassment or anger. "You have never called me by that before, and I would prefer if you do not piss off my brother. He could literally feed you to the farm's pigs." She remarked before patting the shoulder of Bernando, who instantly stood up and whispered to her ear--- Her only reaction was a nod before he went to another seat. "I asked something, hooligan. Should I repeat my words?" She raised an eyebrow before Ace only brought her hand close to his lips- leaving a little kiss on her knuckles.

"Would you want to hear the truth, Miss Celes?" He pulled her closer to him before gesturing her to sit down beside him. After a few hesitations, she only sat silently. Her body getting more relaxed as he decided to play with her hair- twirling it around his fingers and just humming to a tune which sounded much too familiar. "I take that as a yes. You really do value honesty, don't you?" He chuckled, but it had no evil intent. Instead, it sounded like genuine happiness. "Excellent! I hope you know that I am a gentelman who never lies." He bows his head slightly. "Hope you can believe me on that, my beloved."

"Before you call me that... Care to explain why?" She sighed, a bit frustrated with all his gestures of flirting, yet he hasn't admitted a thing. "You have never told me the reasons behind that sudden pet name." She would admitel that she was in shock, but she had mixed feelings about it. It was not because she was disgusted by him, if she were to describe how she felt... Conflicted was the best word for it. She did not know whether to like it or not, but that was probably because it was too sudden, maybe even out of nowhere... There was a possibility he only did it to rile up Bernando, who cared about his siblings more than anything in the world.

"You really are curious, Princess." He began to laugh, but he soon leaned back to the window side of the airplane. "But to tell you the truth, maybe it is because I want you to know that I've fallen for you, and I wish you'd accept my feelings. So it brings me satisfaction when I call you that, even if it is a fantasy that can never be achieved. I'd rather deal with a happy imagination, instead of a sad reality." He placed his hands away from her, but now it was crossed. "It may be too much to wish for, but as I said... Calling you that somehow makes me feel... happy. But if you prefer me not to do so, I can stop." An awkward silence between the two before she turned her head away from him.

"I would prefer if you call me Miss Celes." She stands up from her chair and he only respected her decision. Even if there was no hint of her saying anything else, she suddenly stopped ln her tracks while she was walking. "Not because I harbor no feelings towards you, I will let you decide." She glanced back for only 5 seconds before she began to brisk walk to her original seat. "But Miss Celes is a rather special name to me now." Her words faded away, and it was hardly audible in the current place he was sitting on... But with those words alone, he turned deaf to everything but her voice.

"Hm... You're really making my heart's condition worse than it is, Miss Celes."

AkiRi

…waking up in bed next to your muse = ☯

Early morning, where no member was awake... was the hours where Rika felt she didn't need to hide a thing. It was early morning, it was barely 4 o'clock. Her hands reached for her phone before dismissing the alarm clock... She always woke up at 3 or 4 so she could prepare for anything her members needed for the day... Before she could actully stand up, she rolled to the other side--- but to her surprise, someone was there. Her eyes fluttered open, but her face instantly went red when she noticed that it was her lover... Wasn't he on a mission? It must have ended late night... Her face was still red, but she slapped herself a couple of times, to make sure she wasn't dreaming... And she wasn't.

"I should have expected you'll be out for long... Hopefully you at least saw the ramen I've cooked..." She whispered, even if she knew that he wouldn't hear it. While he was on a mission, she would always cook something for dinner in hopes that he'd come back and have a meal to eat, whether it was cold or not... The only thing she wanted was for him to have at least a proper meal... Even if she ate the cold noodles from the previous day for breakfast, she would always prepare a new one just so it would be at least somewhat fresh when he came back. It was part of her daily routine by now.

She carefully reached for his head to ruffle his hair, a smile never leaving her face. "I love you, Akira. You did well during that mission. I am proud of you and the entire gang..." Pointless whispers, she believed... He wasn't even awake. She laughed at her own actions, thinking it was funny that she was talking to a sleeping man. She brought herself closer to give a kiss on his forehead, his nose, his cheeks then his lips. She made sure it was only little pecks, so she wouldn't wake him up. This was her way of showing love when she wakes up first. She always did this when she did, and she may admit it was cheesy--- but she did hope he would enjoy it if he knew.

She finally sat up properly, her body stretching before she ended up yawning. Today was going to be a good day... She promised herself that it would! She should probably prepare herself first, then she could make breakfast and then--- Oh? Her face felt hot all of a sudden, her eyes travelling around until she spotted an arm around her. Did he actually place an arm around her while he was asleep? She held his arm with her hands, a giggle coming out of her lips. "Fine, I'll stay for a little while longer." She closed her eyes before placing his arm away so she could find the perfect spot to lie down again--- but now, her lover's arms were wrapped around her. "Better?"

Grumbles and mumbles, but still gibberish... That was his only verbal response, but his hug got tighter. She rested her head on his chest before smiling against it. Her heart always raised when she was around him. Now, then and forever--- it would always be like that. She nuzzled to him, her arms going around him, returning the affection he gave. "Mmm..." Was he sleep talking? "I love you..." Her heart stopped, but she only formed a response on the top of her head. Of course, she said it back. "Thank you..." And with that, she only said her usual "Of course" and a thank you back. With no other words from him, she only decided to close her eyes before singing a song which she made for him...

A song which became his favorite.

But what she didn't expect was to sleep again, while she sang the song he loved so much. Maybe it was because she felt so calm and relaxed when he was around her? She couldn't tell for sure. All she knew was she actually slept in his arms... But the moment he opened his eyes, he instantly turned red. Wait... What happened? How did they get into this position? The last thing he remembered was he ate what she prepared for him and came to this room to pet her head and--- God, did he actually fall asleep by accident? Holy shit, he had no idea on what to do. What should he do? He did not want to get out of this postion, he loved it but what mattered most was she looked way too comfortable-! He felt like he was dying in the inside, and he only died more the moment she snuggled to him more.

Instead of saying any words, he only let the whole scenario sink in... It was so peaceful, and he didn't mind her being so close to him... In fact, he was relieved that she was so close to him. She was there... and that was all that matters. Akira finally calmed down, realizing that no one was there but the two of them. He tucked her hair behinder her ear before he gave a tiny smile... She really was asleep. Even when she hasn't fixed herself for the day, she still looked amazing as ever. She always looked so perfect... No matter where and when, she always looked so wonderful... He was too busy admiring her beauty, that he didn't notice that she began clutching his shirt. "A-Akira..."

Akira's eyes widened as he let her go. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't realize you were awake. I apologize for disturbing your sleep." He immediately asked for forgiveness, his face getting redder each second. "I did not expect to wake up earlier than you and I-" Before he could think of any explanation, he felt her face bury on his chest, hiding her flustered face from her. "I-!" Now, he was speaking in an unknown language... Not even Rika could understand what he was saying and this only ended up with him just letting every detail of the scenario settle in.

"Yo, get a room you two." A person kicked the door opened, his face forming a grin as he noticed what was happening.

"ZURO, DROP DOWN AND GIVE ME 50!"

"ZURO DEAR, THIS IS A ROOM-!"

Ko/Sepheir

…accidentally spilling something on your muse = ☕

A silent moment between the whole famiglia... This is one of the only times where no member dared to speak up to one another. Of course they wouldn't talk! The most well known famiglia member in the building just had coffee spilled on his suit... HIS SUIT! Yarohe began going behind Aki, and Aki only blinked a couple of times while Romano instantly ran to Ko to apologize for Sepheir's part... They surely did wish that Rika would come back from the boss meeting soon... This didn't look like the best scene, and god knows how Ko would feel that there was coffee stains all over his clothes, and the coffee was surely hot... He even jumped from his chair after it was spilled.

"I am so sorry, Ko! I am so sorry, Sepheir did not mean to do that! She might have not looked at your direction because she was talking to someone or something and-" Romano spoke so quickly that it was hard to catch up, his body was shaking in fear and he began sweating because his entire being was showing off signs of a panic attack. He really hated any kind of conflicts inside the famiglia, but if it were two leaders... Things wouldn't be all good. They rarely fought in a serious way unless it is sparring, but he was able to see how bad things can go if it was between his sister and Ko... They were rivals who were in a constant competition, after all.

"Romano, that's enough." Ko placed his hand on top of his head, causing Romano to freeze, but still breathing heavily due to the way he was feeling. "Please go to Crew Sei, let them help you calm you down." Ko turned his head to Romano before smiling politely. "I wouldn't want you to be too stressed than you already are." His words seemed kind, but if someone knew Ko well enough, there was something hidden under that sweet smile if something like this happens. Once Romano was pulled away by Mitsuki, Ko only laughed darkly before eyeing Sepheir. "I don't want to hear your brother apologize to me in your behalf. Why don't you do it yourself with that pretty mouth of yours?" He finally spoke to her and the rest of the members began to back away.

Sepheir sighed, not looking amused at all. "Apologize? You were in the way. Who sits in the middle of nowhere? You do know the chairs are placed in specific places for reasons." She countered and the next thing she did was shrug. "You can't stay anywhere you want in an improper place. Quit being so entitled, because no matter what, you're still at the same rank as me. If someone should be apologizing, it should be you for making your own "seat plan" while Miss Rika is gone." She did not want to apologize for what she did, but it might have been because of how much she hated defeat when it came to Ko. If it weren't him, she might have apologized... Added to that, who's brilliant idea was to drag a chair to a whole new location just to sit there?

He only laughed once again at her response. Entitled? Well, she might be right, but he did believe he deserved it. "Sepheir, I hope you know that you have two eyes, you could have used it." He snickered. "Unless your eyes are just for your job and nothing else matters to you." Was he serious? Probably not. But he was probably trying to rile her up. "My dear Omi has only one functioning eye, Soffrire closes hers, and yet here you are, being more blind than the two of them. What caught your attention, huh? Were you too busy talking to your sweetheart that you were blinded?" He began questioning her and she twitched a bit before eyeing him... It wasn't exactly anger, but she did look annoyed. "Did I hit something specific?"

"You're annoying." She spun to another direction before flipping her hair. "I don't need to answer such stupid questions from a man who has nothing but money and power... You lack so much and I could make a list from basic empathy to shitty leadership." Before she could get away so she could focus on things more important, she felt a hand hold her shoulder. "Oh, may I have pulled the trigger?" She glared. "And you thought you were the one to hit something." She pointed out and he only released her, controlling whatever he felt for that moment. "What is it now? Why did you suddenly release me?"

"I don't know, probably because I pitied you for your pained expression. Is your skin that sensitive?" He placed his hands in his pocket, his expression looking a bit bland- he did not smile nor did he look angry- he only looked like he was frowning. "You winced when I did that, did not expect that from you... Oh wait, you aren't the leader of strength, just independence. I shouldn't have forgotten that you could still get hurt so easily." He didn't mean those offending words, he truly didn't. But somehow, to him, pissing off Sepheir was certainly a fun thing to do. It would be fun to see the calmest person snap.

Before anything could commence, Aki stood between them before pinching both of their cheeks--- which was to their surprise. "You two always make the biggest arguements over the littles things! That was just coffee!" Before there was further complaining on who started it, she only pinched their cheeks harder which actually felt really painful... Was she digging her nails on their cheeks?! "You two should stop fighting, Mom Rika wouldn't want you to fight over coffee spilling, now would she? Just apologize at the same time, and that would do the trick! Or if not, I could report this arguement to her!"

"... Fine."

"... Whatever."

"That's the spirit!"

Ko/Asuka

…receiving a bouquet of flowers from your muse = ✿

A couple of months ever since the collision happened, and Zygos Academy and Protezioni only became closer as the months passed. They were friends with one another, and there were some duos who considered each other as close friends! Who knew that something unrealistic happening could actually make people bond? It might have been weird or awkward at first, but this changed over time! Sometimes, the people in Zygos would visit the Protezioni house, while the Protezioni visited Zygos academy! It was really funny that the one of the reasons is because a certain pair of people... exploded the buildings. So they sometimes switched to each other's locations, but sometimes a visit was done for fun.

Now, one of the reasons why someone visited was not because of any explosions---No, no! It was something much more special. "Good morning." A male held a bouquet of flowers in his arms as he grinned. "I came here to give this to someone." Of course he was was smiling! He was very excited to give this to the person he refers to as his closest friend from Zygos. The person who was at the door was Yuuki, who was only quiet as a familiar face was in front of him. He didn't talk at all, but he nodded his head and went inside the room... Was that a signal he could come in? "Thank you very much, Yuuki! I appreciate you for allowing me inside." He bowed and the moment he lifted up his head, he took note about how two people of the team was playing... Mario Kart?

"SHO, STOP FUCKING CHEATING!" Junko placed the controller down as she screamed at the person who was playing with her. He only grinned, showing his sharp teeth and he proceeded to laugh at her reaction. "I FUCKING SWEAR TO GOD! QUIT ACTING LIKE YOU DON'T DO SHIT! YOU'RE DEFINITELY CHEATING!" She raised her voice even louder and one of the members only scratched his head as he tapped his pencil against his clipboard. "BITCH, LET'S DO A REMATCH AND I WILL PROVE TO YOU THAT I CAN WIN AGAINST YOU!"

"I don't know, Jun! It seems like your talent in video games is as great as your height." He finger gunned at her before grinning even wider. "Fucking small!" Once he said those words, Junko threw the controller at the side. "Awww, did I end up pissing the baby?" He only joked around further and Maemi finally released his clipboard to tirn his head to the two... Can't they just be quiet for once? He was making the perfect strategy for--- Oh. Someone actually came inside... That wasn't someone from Zeta. Even if the room was ruled by the noise made by Shoya and Junko, it wasn't hard to notice someone who was standing just... there. Watching them.

"Are you here for Su, Ko?" Maemi asked bluntly, eyebags obvious and this only made Ko nod. He sometimes pitied Maemi because he seemed that he overworked himself. At first- he should admit a good majority of the Protezioni had a rocky relationship with him, but at least their relationship improved after the whole talk happened between him and their commander. He was glad that their relationship got better... "Well, you have to wait for a while because Su went out to get something herself. You can wait here, I guess." He shrugged as he went back to what he was doing. "But you have to deal with Sho and Mi playing that game."

"I can deal with that. Thank you, Maemi." He sat down on a chair as he placed the bouquet on the table. For a few moments, he only observed the other team members... Zeta was really a great team, and he would have to attest to anyone who says otherwise and- Oh! She finally came! He fixed himself up, as he grabbed the bouquet again, watching as the door opened. First, she was greeted by all her teammates and they began to talk to her, asking if everything went well... He didn't interrupt the moment, he only watched with a smile on his face. Once it was done, she took a glance at Ko and she tilted her head a bit once she saw the flowers. "Flowers for the Queen! I hope you do not mind."

Asuka went closer and he handed her the bouquet. "Oh my~ Thank you for this wonderful gift. You didn't have to." She appreciated his little gesture and he only shook his head.

"I believe I should, today is a special occasion." He disagreed and only looked at his watch for a split second. "Today marks a year when I first called you Queen. I wanted to get you a gift just for this special occasion."

"How flattering." She did love his small gifts here and there, but sometimes she believed that he was giving her too much... But the Protezioni did tell her that it was a normal thing for him to do. "I really do admire you for being such a kind person." She held the flowers closer to herself and she began looking at each of them, seeing it was a mix of different species. "You truly are a sweet king."

Ko laughed slightly before shaking his head. "No, not exactly. But I do believe that a queen only deserves the best treatment... and you certainly are one of the most talented queens out there, Asuka." He began to thinking of a possible thing to do for the day to celebrate such a day. "Would you want to go out to celebrate? We could have a couple of drinks, if you wish." He brought out an option and she nodded her head.

"Certainly sounds like a plan after a good day of work!"

#ask #celestina #ace #akira #rika #ko #sepheir #asuka #maemi #junko #shoya

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illuminating-dragons · 6 years

Text

Dancing With A Dream

Summary: Ten years before the events of 'Have Fun Storming the Castle', Maria Montoya begins her search for the six-fingered man. But before she can begin, she meets a woman that she's known all her life.

Maria Montoya was twenty-two, and she hadn’t yet lost hope.

To look at her you would never guess that ten years ago she was a poor child in Spain. Now her clothes were neat and well fitted, there was gold in her purse and she carried a fortune in steel in her sword. Her hair was tied back in a tight bun, her eyes were clear, and she was fit and healthy.

You had to be when you’d spent ten years learning how to fence.

Maria had finally run out of people to learn from, after crossing the ocean twice (you have to in order to get back where you started). Three weeks ago, she’d left Spain for the last time, after visiting her father’s friend Yeste.

“You’ve spent ten years learning how to fence?!” Yeste asked, baffled. “And for what, to kill a killer? Molly—”

“Maria.”

“Maria. Your father doesn’t…there is no need for this. I am sure that he is proud of you, and that you will find peace as he has.”

“He cannot be at peace until his murderer is dead.” Maria refused to listen to any protests. “I cannot say how I know this, Yeste. There has been no sign, no dream. Yet I know my father is not resting. Not yet. I have to beat the six-fingered man. I have to kill him.”

Yeste sighed. “You are as stubborn as your mother, you know that?”

“No. I have no memory of her.”

Yeste coughed. “Of course, she died when you were born. Forgive me; these past years have not been kind.”

Maria looked around, saw the empty bottles, and said nothing.

“Your mother was a very strong woman,” Yeste went on. “And she used her stubbornness to conceal any weaknesses. That’s part of why your father fell in love with her in the first place.”

“Then this will honour my mother, as well as my father,” Maria decided. “Test me, Yeste. Test me, and see if I am ready.”

That day Yeste, who was once a judge for fencing before he began to make swords (not as good as her father, but well enough), called her a wizard. It was the highest ranking, achieved only by another fencer by the name of Inigo, who’d died many years before.

“You could never have beaten him,” Yeste told her. “But he would never have beaten you.”

Once he was sure she wouldn’t stay, Yeste was as supportive as he’d always been. He packed her a bag full of lightweight jewels, got the tailors in town to teach her how to make clothes perfect for fencing, and finally gave her a hint of where to start.

“I did meet the six-fingered man,” Yeste said with a grimace. “I rue the day I ever gave him directions to your home. His accent wasn’t from around here, as you may remember. I believe they speak that way to the northeast.”

So Maria exchanged one of the gems for coin, bought passage on a ship, and sailed to Guilder.

Guilder was warmer than she’d imagined; the soft summer breeze took the edge off the burning heat. It was also quite a bit larger, and Maria couldn’t afford a horse. It wasn’t a problem—she’d run daily for the last ten years, and she could cross between the different noble homes quite easily.

She was full of hope—it wasn’t likely that she would get the six-fingered man her first try, but all she needed was a lead. Nobles were close, weren’t they? They would know who she was seeking, and even if they lied she would still find something out. Soon she’d spoken to every nobleman’s servant (and several nobles who actually wanted to speak to the only living fencing wizard), and there was nothing, not a whisper. One servant suggested that she go to France; that’s where she would get the best gossip. Another argued that she should go to Florin first. “You can get to France from there just as easily. Besides, everyone knows that Florinese people are insane.”

Just a quick word from me, the author. Yes, I know, some of you are screaming about why Maria didn’t find Count Magnussen then, if she went to Florin. In a horrible twist of fate, Count Magnussen was on his honeymoon with his very patient and long-suffering wife, far away in Spain. He wouldn’t return for another six months (honeymoons can be as long as you want if you have no restrictions), by which time Maria was already gone. Besides, he didn’t rise to power until just before John left Sherlock. Before that, he was a simple Count who lived in one of the most remote places in Florin, and he kept his sixth finger hidden as much as possible. Alright, I’ll stop chiming in.

So Maria decided to sail to Florin, but the next boat wasn’t coming for four days. Until then, Maria decided to sleep in trees as often as possible. She felt no discomfort from them, especially with her new long cloak (strictly for warmth, not for fencing—you could be shredded that way). And trees, unlike inns, were free.

One morning she awoke to the feeling she was being watched. Peering down, Maria saw a woman with a plain brown dress and braided dark hair staring up at her.

Maria leapt down from the tree, somersaulting on the way down. She straightened, bowed, and said, “I cannot marry you.”

“Good lady, have we met?” the woman asked, her brow furrowing. “I don’t believe so. Why on Earth would we marry?”

So Maria explained. About how when she was younger and training, she had no friends because she was always travelling. So she’d made up a girl, a friend who understood everything and who kept her company the many nights bruises and guilt kept her awake. And as Maria got older, the girl was no longer her friend, but her companion, and they slept in each other’s arms.

“So you have been dreaming about a girl for ten years?”

“And she looks a lot like you. And I must find the six-fingered man, and so I must keep moving, and I cannot marry you.”

“You are mad,” the woman said. “You have no chance to win my heart.” She walked away. Maria watched her go, and then shrugged. She turned back to the tree and climbed up to retrieve her sword. If she was going to stay here for a few days (and she had to wait for the boat, so she was), she still needed to practice.

After a long day of fencing with shadows and running up and down the hills, Maria went to sleep under a new moon in a new tree. She woke before dawn, because someone was shaking her. It was the woman from the day before.

“What’s happened?” Maria asked drowsily. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming, but no…her lady wore her hair loose.

“Where exactly were we living, in this fantasy of yours? In trees like this one?” The woman shook her head. “You have no chance of winning my heart.”

“Can I at least know your name?” Maria asked.

“My name is Jan,” the woman said. “And yours?”

“Maria. Maria Montoya. Come here, you must be tired.”

“I have to go to work,” Jan answered. She let go of the branch. “My work begins soon in the castle.”

It was too dark to watch Jan leave, and Maria was grateful. Her head felt strange; a buzzing sound seemed to ring in her ears.

That mystery was solved a moment later, when Maria noticed the wasp’s nest dangling above her. But even when she leapt out of the tree and made for a different one, she still felt odd. Her arms and legs felt weaker than they should, and her chest ached.

She must be getting ill. That was all. Maria decided she would sleep later, and hopefully the pain would be gone.

When Maria got up, it was nearly noon. She took a long bath in the river nearby, letting the warm river water soothe the aches in her joints. After another long run and some hot tea, she felt much better, but the ache returned the moment she decided not to sleep in a tree that night. The thought that Jan could find me more easily seemed to set off the ache, and although she tossed and turned, Maria didn’t fall asleep until the moon was nearly set.

She was awoken by Jan once again, first thing in the morning. “And where would I be, in this life you’ve dreamed for us? I cannot fence—should I take up dancing so we can earn coin? It’s just foolish. You have so little chance of winning my heart it’s not funny.”

“I leave tomorrow,” Maria answered. “I will not bother you anymore, Jan.” Not that she’d really been bothering Jan at all; if anything, it was the other way around. But Maria knew how to be kind.

Jan sucked in a deep breath of surprise. “So you haven’t found the six-fingered man?”

“No. I’m going to Florin tomorrow afternoon, and I hope to find some information there. Who knows, I might even find the man himself.”

“Why does this mean so much to you?” Jan asked. “Who is he?”

“He murdered my father,” Maria answered. “And he stole my name.” She told Jan the whole story. The woman played with her braids as Maria spoke, but Maria knew she was listening intently.

“I hope that you find him,” Jan said sincerely. “Are you very good with your blade?”

“I am a wizard,” Maria said simply. “Would you like to see?”

If you didn’t know Maria, you might call what she did showing off; pulling out every trick she had, every fancy maneuver. But she wasn’t really showing off—she just wanted to show Jan what she could do. When she stopped she was breathing hard, and Jan was watching with wide eyes.

“Did I scare you?” Maria asked, worried.

“Not at all. Wizard, indeed.” Jan gulped. “Maria, I want to show you something tonight, before you go. Will you come to the castle, after dark? I can get you in.”

“I would love to,” Maria said. “But won’t you get in trouble?”

“Not if we’re careful. Meet me at the gazebo; it’s past the gates and up the hill.” Without another word, Jan picked up her plain blue skirt and dashed off.

Maria was puzzled, but she didn��t dwell on it. The boat wasn’t leaving until later tomorrow, and she had nothing better to do.

Maria walked into the sunset a few hours later, up the hill to the castle. It was a very different castle from the ones that she’d seen in Spain—those were tall, pointy buildings with a few windows. This castle was very different—the structure rose and fell with the land around it, and it was short; perhaps only three floors high, and built of solid rock. There were plenty of torches, and several guards, but they didn’t seem to notice Maria as she wove between the flower beds up the hill.

When she got to the top she was surprised to hear music begin to play. It was a soft violin, with a flute playing just under it. The gazebo was lit up with soft lights in coloured lanterns. There was a table with elegant food, and Jan stood in the middle, in front of the musicians.

Only this wasn’t the Jan that Maria had seen only that morning. This Jan had her hair down, and it fell tumbling past her shoulders. Gone was her plain dress; in its place was a delicate lilac dress with gold embroidery. A golden tiara was perched on top of her head.

“What is this?” Maria whispered. “Jan…”

“I may have…I may have told some stories that weren’t entirely true,” Jan admitted.

Maria turned.

“Please don’t leave!” Jan begged.

“Who are you?” Maria asked, spinning around angrily. “You played me for a fool.”

“No, I promise, I didn’t mean to.” Jan came forward, her hands outstretched. “My name is Janine. I am—”

“The Crown Princess of Guilder.” Maria swore under her breath. What a fool she was. “Not the most complicated pseudonym, Princess.”

“I was distracted.” Janine smoothed her skirts down. “Yes, I am the Princess. But I want to know my people, and so I dress as a commoner. You would be surprised how different I look when I am in full ceremonial dress, and that is the only time people see me. But then I saw you in the tree, and you told me that story, the story of knowing me. And you had my heart from that moment, because you spoke so kindly and so truly. I tried to resist because I know that you have a quest and it is important—I didn’t even understand how important until today. But I have feelings for you, Maria Montoya, and I wanted to say a proper goodbye. This is the whole evening; we are the only guests. And I want to make sure that you remember me, so that if you want, when you’re finished…you might want to come back.”

Maria’s throat was dry. “I truly cannot marry you,” she whispered. “I have no idea how long this will take. And I won’t take your promise from you—”

“You aren’t taking it,” Janine interrupted. “I’m giving it, of my own free will. I have never met a woman or a man I wanted to wed, Maria. But I would marry you tomorrow if I could.” She gestured to the table. “For now, may I spend time with you?”

It was a beautiful evening. Janine insisted that Maria sit on her lap, and they fed each other the best food Maria had ever tasted, from the tiny flavourful crackers to the last bites of chocolate cake. When they could eat no more, Maria stood and offered her hands to Janine. “May I dance with you, Janine?”

They danced together in the gazebo, and the musicians followed their footsteps, sending pure beauty into every simple song. Maria danced with the grace of a fencer and Janine danced with the practice of a Princess, but neither of them cared about skill. It was about moving together, being together, holding each other in their arms. And Maria kissed Janine’s hair and her neck and her beautiful mouth, and held her as close as she could.

It was after midnight when Janine shooed away the musicians, and took Maria’s hands. “Come with me.”

Maria followed Janine down the other side of the hill, and was startled to see several large trees with ropes hanging from them.

“I’m not very good at climbing trees in a dress,” Janine explained. “And mother doesn’t like for me to be in the gardens without wearing a dress. It’s a ridiculous rule, isn’t it?”

Maria hesitated at the foot of the tree. Part of her longed to stay on the ground, to remove Janine’s dress and her clothes and give into her desire. But the boat was tomorrow afternoon, and she was still Maria. She couldn’t have sex. That was for girls who didn’t fail their fathers.

So she helped Janine climb the tree, and the two of them settled into a wide branch with a dip just big enough for the two of them, if they lay close together. They did lie close together, curled up on top of Maria’s coat. Janine’s hand wandered over Maria’s chest for a moment, but she pulled back a second later.

“You’ll come back, right?” she asked, her voice wobbling. “When you find the six-fingered man, will you come back and be my Molly?”

Maria kissed her with everything she had, every promise she had left in her bones. “I will return, Jan,” she whispered. “I accept.”

“Then when you come back, you must ask me to marry you,” Janine whispered. Maria could feel her smile as she pressed her face into Maria’s bare shoulder. “I’ve made one proposal. Turn about is fair play.”

“I will,” Maria promised. “With the best ring I can—”

“A ring?” Janine looked puzzled. “Is that the Spanish custom? We use bracelets in Guilder.”

“Then I will get you a beautiful bracelet,” Maria replied. “And I will come back, I promise.”

They did fall asleep eventually, even though sleep brought the moment of parting closer. It was long after dawn when they woke, and Maria helped Janine down. They stood together for a long moment at the base of the tree, holding onto each other, and then Maria broke away. “Farewell, Janine.”

“Farewell, Maria.”

Maria didn’t cry then. She didn’t cry as she walked quickly from the castle and down to the rest of the village. She didn’t even cry when she realized she only had a few silver coins left after paying for passage—she still had plenty of gems, but there was nowhere to trade for those right now. But a few silver coins bought her a bracelet with purple and green beads that would fit Janine’s wrist perfectly. Perhaps before they were married she could exchange it for a bracelet of emeralds and amethysts.

No, Maria didn’t cry until she was on the boat, holding the bracelet in her clenched fists, and she couldn’t see the castle anymore. As the boat headed for Florin, Maria let the tears run down her cheeks. She still had hope; she was sure she would make it back to Janine, and give her the bracelet. But it would be a sore long time, and now she couldn’t even conjure her imaginary companion for company. It would be an insult to the real woman.

Perhaps if Maria could see the future, she would have cried harder that day. If she’d known that in ten years, she would have lost hope of ever finding the six-fingered man, after crossing through every country she could reach, after her bag of gems ran out even though she’d been so careful. For a while she fenced for gold, but her failure weighed her down. No, not in skill; she would never lose that. Instead, it came from drink, first to help her sleep, then to help her make it to bedtime, then to make herself get through the afternoon, and finally, to get out of bed at all. She wouldn’t even remember it was her thirtieth birthday the day that she had nothing left, nothing but her sword and the bracelet, and she couldn’t sell either for drink. Ireni would find her that day, and get her on her feet and off the drink, into a career as a mercenary. And somehow, that career would lead her to the Count, and eventually back into Janine’s arms as her Molly.

But Maria didn’t known any of this that day on the boat. All she knew was that her heart was broken again, when she thought it shattered completely ten years before. But at least now, she had a purpose beyond the six-fingered man. Yeste would be proud; she knew what she would do later.

Right now, she had revenge to find.

#molly hooper x janine hawkins #molly hooper #janine hawkins #sherlock fanfiction #princess bride crossover #acme146 fanfiction #crosspost from ao3 #the greatest love story ever told verse

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