Crimson and Gold

Eris and her group took out the remaining cultists and escorted Saria and Lysandra back to safety, which turned out to be ‘Charybdis’ belonging to Mormo.

The road wasn’t easy, even more so in the condition both of them were in, but fortunately, the carriage was undamaged, so they were able to travel without many stops.

During one of the breaks, Eris came over to the coach. “I’m sorry we came so late,” she said, leaning against the open door.

Initially, she was planning to join them inside, but seeing Saria resting her head against Lysandra with her eyes closed, and the Princess embracing her tenderly, made her feel like she was intruding.

“There has been some trouble in the city that we had to take care of first,” Eris continued, looking away from the lovers with a sour feeling in her heart.

“How did you know where we were and that we needed help?” Lysandra asked.

As far as she could tell, only the people in the Palace knew where she headed. The existence of the villa wasn’t a secret, not like Keros, but the fact that Mormo’s people found them there made her feel uneasy.

“After your first meeting with Mormo, he told us to assist you,” Eris explained. “We weren’t to intervene unless something serious happens.”

The Princess pressed her lips together. “He was spying on us?”

“Watching over would be more accurate. We weren’t stealing your secrets or meddling in your business. We were simply making sure that you stay alive.”

Eris felt that Lysandra was acting somewhat ungrateful. After all, if it weren’t for Mormo, both she and Saria would join the pile of corpses in the courtyard. Nevertheless, she knew that given their difference in status, it wasn’t her place to make any comments.

In the end, she simply folded her arms on her chest and stared at the Princess a bit more harshly than before.

Lysandra, on the other hand, couldn’t stop feeling suspicious about the whole thing. “Why does Mormo want me alive so much?”

“I’m afraid this is something you’ll have to ask him.” Eris shrugged. An looked at the sun slowly moving towards the horizon. “We should be back in Aervelis by evening. We’ll take you to ‘Charybdis’ first. You’ll be able to rest and talk with Mormo, while we make sure nobody else is coming after you.”

Before the conversation could continue in its polite, albeit icy, manner, Saria winced, then groaned and stiffly sat up. “I think I fell asleep for a moment. Why did we stop?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Just a short break to let the horses rest.” Eris’ demeanor took a drastic turn the moment Saria woke up. Her cold voice immediately sounded softer, and her arms, folded on her chest, relaxed.

“How are you feeling?” Lysandra asked affectionately, caressing her lover’s cheek.

Despite the mind-numbing pain from her injuries and the exhaustion, Saria made an ‘OK’ gesture with her hand and forced a smile. “Peachy.”

“The healer is already waiting for us in ‘Charybdis.’ He’ll take care of you once we’re there,” Eris comforted, fighting the urge to embrace Saria.

By that point, Lysandra wasn’t paying attention to her at all, with her focus centered on her lover, who needed her the most. “Just a little bit longer,” she whispered, stroking Saria’s hair. “We’ll be in Aervelis soon.”

Saria nodded groggily and interlocked her fingers with Lysandra’s. “As long as you’re with me, I’ll be fine,” she said, nestling her head on the Princess’ shoulder. “I think I’ll nap a little longer.”

“I’ll wake you up once we’re there,” Lysandra hummed. She readjusted her position, never letting go of Saria’s hand, and kissed her lovingly.

The affection both of them had for each other was obvious to anyone who was there to experience this scene. For most, it was a heart-warming image that brought a smile to the one watching.

For Eris, it was her first experience with jealousy.

Having nothing else to say, she closed the door to the carriage and called for the rest of the group to prepare to leave.

Upon returning to Aervelis, the caravan took a less frequented route to ‘Charybdis’, wanting to avoid unnecessary attention.

Once they arrived at the place, the luggage got unpacked and moved to the rooms prepared for the newly arrived guests.

During that time, the most pressing matter—being Saria’s injuries—was also taken care of.

The cuts, stab wounds, the burned shoulder, and even the mostly healed cuts from the whipping disappeared under the soothing effect of magic. However, even with her body returned to a perfect condition on the outside, the lingering fatigue was something that had to be relieved with the usual methods.

“Your Highness, your bath is ready now. The servants are waiting for you. I’ll help Saria, so you don’t have to worry.” Eris walked into the washroom carrying a towel and a couple of clothing sets for Saria.

A faint rosiness tinted her cheeks as she kept battling all of the indecent thoughts popping into her head. She didn’t want to give Saria a bad impression, after all.

But while the woman in question remained utterly oblivious to Eris’ fluster, absorbed in the land of dreams, Lysandra was much more versed at picking up small signals like that. “No. It’s fine. I’ll help her first and then take the bath on my own.”

The coldness in the Princess’ voice, ever so present during their short conversation in the carriage, made a swift return.

This was a turn of events that Eris did not foresee. “But…” she tried protesting.

“She’s my responsibility.” Lysandra shot her down immediately. “I should be the one taking care of her,” she said, caressing Saria’s sleeping face.

Ever since they left the villa, she kept dozing off at every opportunity. This was the first time Lysandra saw her in such a state, and that was also the reason she felt reluctant to let anyone else take care of her.

The healer told her that it was a normal reaction. The drug in her system got neutralized, but it still weakened Saria’s body. There were also signs of a significant toll of magical origin, which the Princess connected to blood magic.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Eris wasn’t stupid. She could easily tell when the cause was lost, and despite feeling terribly disappointed, she bowed her head and left.

Once alone, Lysandra gently woke Saria up, took off her dress—or rather what was left of it—and helped her into the tub.

The Princess was scrubbing meticulously, washing off the dirt and the blood from Saria’s skin. With every inch of her body cleaned, two conflicting feelings clashed.

Guilt and relief.

Guilt, because for every bloodstain that marked Saria’s skin, hers was left unsullied.

Relief, because it was already over.

“I didn’t make a mistake, you know,” Saria broke the silence all of a sudden. “Eleven years ago, when I was sent to that village.”

“The one Rosa talked about?” queried Lysandra.

Saria nodded. “Sekaris had an eye on this cult for a while. It wasn’t the first time I wiped out one of their dens.”

“Why was Sekaris targeting them?”

“Rosa said they were living peacefully in seclusion, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.” Saria leaned back in the tub, exploring clouded memories from over a decade ago. “She probably was too young to know, but everyone in there was guilty of something heinous.

“Sekaris didn’t start paying attention to them until their actions started colliding with theirs. Burning down temples and villages, kidnapping children, and ritual murders. The cult was becoming more and more brash in what they were doing, and that was attracting unwanted attention to Sekaris’ business. So Father decided to get rid of them,” she said.

Lysandra moved behind Saria, gently washing her hair. “What happened next?”

“We started hunting them down,” Saria answered. “The order was simple—kill everyone, leave no witnesses. But you have to understand, the cult was growing in two ways.

“They were raiding smaller, unprotected settlements and killing everyone who didn’t want to join or by kidnapping children from the streets,” she explained, her voice turning bitter. “They liked the second method more. Young children are easier to manipulate and be turned into obedient soldiers willing to die for the cause. Sekaris did the same.”

Saria made a short pause, collecting her thoughts, recalling the details, then continued her story.

“That’s why when I sensed that there was someone else hiding behind that altar… a child. I saw myself in her, and I couldn’t do it. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen.” She sighed. “Maybe I hoped that she would leave everything behind and live a normal life? But how can you live normally after going through a nightmare?”

Tilting her head back, Saria looked at Lysandra. “Do you think I made a mistake by leaving her alive back then?”

“It wasn’t her fault that she was taken by the cult,” the Princess answered without hesitation. “She deserved a chance at a normal life.”

“But that decision almost took your life,” Saria argued. The visions of what could have happened flashed before her eyes, bringing back the pain and anxiety she managed to shake off on their way back to Aervelis.

Lysandra circled the tub and sat on the edge. She took Saria’s hands into hers and furrowed.

“You are not responsible for this. She was given a choice, and this was the path she decided on. We all have free will and decide about our actions. That means that not all decisions will be perfect, but you must remember that offering mercy is never a mistake.”

Saria kissed Lysandra’s palm, her wrist, her neck, then gazed deeply into her eyes for a while.

There was so much she wanted to tell her, so much gratitude that she didn’t know how to express. “I love you so much,” she whispered before sealing Lysandra’s lips with a kiss.

“Let’s dry you off before you turn into a raisin.” The Princess grabbed a towel and spread it between her arms, waiting for the aforementioned raisin in making.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Saria grinned and stood up in the tub without any reservations.

The sight, just for a moment, stole Lysandra’s breath away. Her heart seemed to lose its rhythm, sending a wave of hot blood rushing to her head, paining her face, and even her ears, red.

Unable to bear it, the Princess looked away.

“Why are you acting bashful so suddenly? We did so many things that seeing me naked shouldn’t affect you at all.” Saria laughed. She didn’t expect to see Lysandra so flustered all of a sudden.

“That’s precisely why I’m bashful.” The Princess gave her a quick side eye. “Every time I look at you like this, I suddenly remember everything.”

The amused expression on Saria’s face quickly turned into a proud smirk. “Should we do something to help you relax?” she purred, leaning closer.

What answered her was the towel wrapping around her at an incredible speed. “I haven’t bathed yet,” Lysandra groaned.

“I’ll quickly change and help you with that.” Saria jumped out of the tub and hastily wiped herself dry before putting on the closest piece of clothing she could find.

Seeing her change, Lysandra put all of her remaining strength into fighting off the temptation. “There’s no need. I can ask the servants for help,” she said, looking away.

Saria had no intention of giving up, however. She finished clipping the shoulder pins of her tunic and flashed the Princess a smile she couldn’t resist.

“You are my responsibility too.”