Gardenia’s Heart

With one hand over her heart, Abelia gazed at the woman beside her, whose hand was firmly intertwined with hers.

”Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I’m here with you.” With a subtle smile, Cleomel reassured her, pressing their shoulders even closer together.

Observing the dark-skinned woman with brown hair—who, once again, understood all of her worries—Abelia found herself with no choice but to let out a soft chuckle.

”Thank you.”

With determination in her obsidian eyes, Abelia opened the door to the dining room and stepped inside. Though it was nighttime, the bright lights of the room welcomed her.

Seated at the table, eating calmly, Oliver, Alice, and Selene were engaged in a quiet conversation, until the arrival of the pair drew their attention.

”Good evening, Mother.” Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Alice spoke casually. ”I thought you and Cleomel would be spending the night discussing future investments with the bank executives.”

As surprised gazes gathered on her, Abelia took a deep breath. Even as the second queen, she had represented her family in many meetings with important figures. Yet, for some reason, none of those moments had ever made her feel as tense as she did now.

”Since Lady Lily and Lady Gardenia went out shopping, I thought this would be an ideal time to share something with the three of you while we’re alone. That’s why we postponed the meeting until tomorrow. This is something Cleomel and I wanted you to be the first to know.”

The initial innocent surprise was quickly replaced by uneasy apprehension. The serious expressions and upright posture of Cleomel and Abelia made everyone’s hearts race.

Shifting her gaze between Cleomel and the rest of her family, Abelia took one last deep breath before finally stepping forward.

”Cleomel and I love each other, and we’re officially starting a relationship. We don’t know how this will change things between us, but we want you to understand that our love is sincere and true.”

Alice, Oliver, and Selene dropped their spoons in unison.

”I know this might come as a shock. And I understand that this could be a lot for you all to take in—I won’t blame you for that.”

Seeing her family frozen in place, completely unresponsive, Abelia continued speaking.

”I can’t even imagine what you’re thinking right now. I’ll answer any questions you have and accept whatever opinions you might hold!”

As she finished her declaration with firm resolve, an eerie silence fell over the room.

The shocked expressions of the three people before her were overwhelming. None of them seemed able to form words, as if the information they had just received was simply too much to process.

Seconds passed before the silence was finally broken—by a girl in a red dress.

”Wait… you weren’t already married!?”

Leaping out of her chair, Selene pointed her index finger between the two women, her expression filled with genuine confusion.

”What!?” Abelia nearly jumped in shock at her sister’s reaction.

Selene’s exaggerated response seemed to have a thawing effect on the others. Watching the black-haired woman in utter bewilderment, Alice pressed both hands to her face in complete exasperation.

”Mother… I knew you were slow, but now I honestly just feel bad for everything Cleomel must have gone through…”

Shaking her head from side to side, Alice stood up and walked over to her aunt, who was still shouting, patting her on the back several times to calm her down.

”A-Alice!? What are you talking about!?” Abelia asked, struggling not to stutter.

”We grew up in the same house. We ate the same food since forever. She slept with us when we were scared and was there when we took our first steps and spoke our first words. Good heavens, she’s probably changed our diapers more times than even you did.” Alice sighed, letting out a series of deep breaths.

On the other chair, Oliver let out a soft chuckle.

”With all due respect, Mother, I have to admit that until I was ten, I thought Cleomel was also our biological mother and that everyone just had two moms.” Covering his mouth to contain his laughter, Oliver had to turn his back to avoid laughing in front of the two women.

”When we were about twelve, we just assumed you were already married but were keeping it a secret to avoid suspicion because of the king and everything.” Alice added, her eyebrows raised and cheeks puffed. ”We were certain it was just a family secret that didn’t need to be said out loud—everyone understood it anyway.”

Finally managing to stifle his laughter, Oliver sat back down properly in his chair and turned toward the two women.

”To be honest, Mother, when it’s just the three of us, we refer to Cleomel as our mother like it’s a given fact.” Oliver scratched his cheek with his fingers, struggling to keep a straight face.

Now flailing on the floor, the three-star mage continued to scream incomprehensible noises at the top of her lungs. Over time, her sounds became more coherent, and her words could finally be understood.

”Tell me, what kind of knight cooks your lunch and dinner, washes your clothes, and helps you take a bath!? She’s been acting like a loving wife and housekeeper for years, and you never noticed!? You two have been acting like lovebirds this whole time, and now you’re telling me you weren’t even having sex!?”

Rolling on the floor, Selene still couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

”Maybe being incompetent in love runs in the family… if that’s the case, I still have a chance!”

Her sarcastic laughter grew louder than her shouting, her eyes tearing up as she tried to make sense of the situation.

”I… don’t think that’s it, Aunt Selene…” Alice, her eyes lifeless, comforted the bunny-eared girl by gently stroking her hair.

After finally managing to get Selene back into her chair, Alice walked over to Cleomel. The dark-skinned knight, who had been silently watching until now, could face an army of monsters to protect her beloved, yet she couldn’t find the words to respond to everything she had just heard.

”Cleomel, I realize now that we’ve failed to make it clear just how much we value you.”

Taking Cleomel’s free hand in both of hers, Alice curved her lips into a warm smile.

”Thank you so much for risking your life for us. Thank you for raising us with so much love and for teaching us what happiness is. Having you as our inspiration helped us through difficult times. You gave us the confidence to be better people and the strength to face the hardships we had to endure every day. Both Oliver and I love you as an irreplaceable part of our family, and nothing will ever change that.”

As Alice’s words grew more intense, Cleomel felt her vision blur. Each word, each syllable carried a weight she hadn’t realized she so desperately needed to hear. Small, lonely tears began to appear, growing in size as her breathing became unsteady.

”More than anyone else in the world, you are the one we want to stand beside our mother. Nothing would make us happier than seeing the two of you happy together.” Even Alice’s own eyes started to fill with tears, her words trembling. ”So please, Cleomel, we’re the ones who want to ask this question—will you become our mother too?”

When those words were finally spoken, neither of the two women could hold back their tears. Both Cleomel and Abelia, who had been listening beside her, pulled Alice into a tight embrace.

”Yes, of course, Alice!” As the tears flowed even more freely, Cleomel couldn’t contain the emotions bubbling in her chest.

From the very beginning, even before she had abandoned her surname and set out in pursuit of the one and only dream she had ever had, the knight had never truly felt like part of a family.

The realization that all her struggles and efforts had been recognized by them from the very start made her lips tremble.

Now, holding in her arms both the woman she loved and the girl she wished with all her heart to call her daughter, Cleomel had no strength left to hold back the tears she had never allowed herself to shed.

Joy filled her chest, her sobs filling the room as the warmth of their embrace washed over her like a wave of relief.

Watching the heartfelt embrace, both Oliver and Selene smiled. Slowly, they stepped forward and joined in.

That night, it took a long time for the small family to finally calm down and finish their dinner.

---

The luxurious bedroom was dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamps.

”They really do see me as their mother too…”

Sitting alone on the bed, Cleomel pressed both hands against her chest.

It wasn’t a gesture she often made, but for some reason, her heart was pounding with so much happiness that simply feeling it beat made her cheeks grow warm.

Lost in such thoughts for the first time in her life, Cleomel didn’t even notice when the bathroom door opened and a woman sat beside her on the bed.

”The look on your face when you’re lost in thought is something I want to see more often.”

”!?”

The voice whispered directly into her ear made Cleomel jolt in place.

Falling backward onto the bed, she had no chance to form words, her amber eyes fixed on the completely naked woman now sitting beside her.

Her long black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, her obsidian eyes pulsing with intensity as she took in every detail of Cleomel.

Water still clung to Abelia’s curves, fine droplets trailing down her collarbone, slipping past the swell of her breast, then trickling down her stomach before landing softly onto Cleomel’s body.

”You’ve been by our side all this time, but I… out of all of us, I was the last to realize just how invaluable you are, Cleomel.”

Abelia’s voice was quiet, but she was so close that Cleomel could feel the shivers running through her own body.

”I-I was just doing what I believed was right…” Cleomel struggled to put together her words, her eyes desperately trying to look anywhere but at the bare skin brushing against her.

Such a reaction did not escape the noblewoman’s notice.

With a soft chuckle, Abelia reached out and gently tucked Cleomel’s hair behind her ear, tilting her face back toward her.

”You know… I never noticed these little things before. Like the way you’d avert your gaze when you helped me bathe, or how your face would turn red whenever our fingers brushed.”

Her voice softened, a mixture of tenderness and regret.

”But now, looking back, all I can see is how much you loved me.”

Abelia could feel the faint tremors coursing through Cleomel’s body. Now that she knew what love was, she couldn’t contain the urge to move forward.

Slowly, she slid her hands to the center of Cleomel’s robe, loosening it with deliberate care, savoring the way Cleomel’s body reacted to every delicate touch.

Unlike herself, Cleomel had been aware of her own desires from the beginning. Even when they bathed together, Abelia had never seen much of Cleomel’s body—she had always kept herself wrapped in towels or cloths.

”Please… don’t force yourself to look…”

With her eyes tightly shut, too afraid to open them, Cleomel spoke with sadness in her voice.

Abelia didn’t need to think long to understand the source of her distress.

Cleomel, despite having defined muscles, had modest curves in her breasts that would make her recognizable as a woman. However, the state of her body was far from pleasant.

Whether burns or scars, both new and old, Cleomel’s body was covered in them. Her fingers were calloused from gripping her spear, and her skin was rough. Her hair was short, and she could easily be mistaken for a boy. Standing before the most beautiful woman in the world to her, Cleomel didn’t think she was beautiful at all.

She couldn’t open her eyes to face Abelia’s gaze. Her fearful thoughts about whether her beloved would find her body disgusting became so unbearable that she felt her world was about to collapse.

However, before she could sink into self-pity, the knight felt thin, soft lips pressing against the center of her chest.

Confused, Cleomel opened her eyes, only to find Abelia even closer to her, her face pressed against hers. Slowly, the black-haired girl was gently kissing every part of her body, her obsidian eyes not closing for even a second.

“Each of these marks is proof of how much you’ve fought for me. I could never find them ugly.”

Abelia spoke in a soft tone, her lips never stopping as they kissed every part of Cleomel’s body.

“Ngh...”

As Abelia’s restrained movements grew more energetic, Cleomel could feel her body heating up. Sounds she never imagined she could make were now escaping her lips as her beloved’s gentle kisses destroyed her worries.

“You’re beautiful, Cleomel.”

With a finalizing movement, Abelia licked Cleomel’s right nipple and took it into her mouth.

“Haaaah!”

Instantly, Cleomel’s back arched, the unfamiliar sensation sending shivers of pleasure through her mind.

“L-Lady Abelia...”

Cleomel stammered, her hands, unsure of where to go, intertwining behind her lady’s back.

“No.”

However, unlike what she expected, Abelia stopped licking her breast. In a single motion, she closed the distance between their faces, her words cold as she stared directly at her.

“I’m not your lady anymore.”

With wet sounds, one lip met the other, and two tongues began to mix their saliva. Cleomel, who already felt powerless, felt her body heat up as the intense kiss, which made her lose strength, lasted for a long time.

When their lips finally parted and a thick strand of saliva kept them connected, she was finally able to speak.

“B-But... I can’t break my oath.”

The noble lady didn’t waste a single second in response to those words. Her arms wrapped around the back of Cleomel’s neck and pulled her closer.

“Just add to its content,” she said directly to her, her heavy breath intensifying each syllable. “You swore to protect me forever. Do it as my wife, not as my servant!”

The words spoken directly to her traveled through her body and struck her heart. Sitting on the bed as if hypnotized, Cleomel pulled Abelia onto her lap, her arms tightening around her back.

Caught off guard by the sudden action, Abelia felt her heart skip a beat. Cleomel had used moderate strength to move her—not enough to hurt her, but just enough to make her entire focus shift to her.

“I want you to be mine,” Cleomel whispered.

She wasn’t kneeling; she faced her with eyes at the same height. The knight’s eyes now looked at her with a seriousness that seemed even more powerful than when she fought. Abelia felt the weight of that gaze—intense and possessive. Her heart raced, and a warm blush formed on her cheeks.

“I want you to be my wife, mine alone. Not the king’s, nor anyone else’s. I don’t want anyone to ever lay a hand on you again! I’ll never let that happen!”

The intense words ended with Abelia’s lips being claimed. It wasn’t like how she had done it. It was intense, almost fierce, as if it carried a desire for them to never part. Abelia could feel lips as sweet as honey and as intoxicating as wine taking over. There was no turning back now—the passion bubbling in her chest made it clear that every beat of her heart belonged to that woman from this moment on.

At that moment, Abelia was certain—this kiss wasn’t something simple. It was a milestone that would divide her life into before and after.

“I love you.” When their lips parted, those were the first words Cleomel spoke.

Their heavy breaths mingled as if they were one. The knight could no longer hold back; she was on the edge of her limit.

“As my beloved knight, you’ve cared for me for so long, you’ve worked so hard and faced countless battles for me. Now, as my wife, I will grant you what I will never give to anyone else.”

Just like her, after such a declaration of love, Abelia felt a fire burning inside her so fiercely that it couldn’t be calmed any other way.

Taking Cleomel’s hand, she guided it to the center of her soaked clit. Her chin then rested on Cleomel’s shoulder. Her heavy breath now in Cleomel’s ears, warm and moist, made her entire body tremble.

“Here’s your reward, Darling~”