Red Princess

Steps echoed as the three of them walked through the narrow hallways of the palace, each guard they encountered along the way straightening their back at their approach. Not that any of them paid it any mind, however. 

 

The silence was almost eerie, for Maren could still feel the unresolved tension between the two sisters, especially when none of them were saying anything. Yet, he could not say a word himself, being unaware of what exactly had transpired between them. He would have never thought that anything would be able to drive such a wedge into their bond…

 

"... how is father?" 

 

Until all of a sudden, Amaragi was the first to cut through the silence. In their current state, her voice seemed almost too loud, echoing in the empty hallway, even though it had barely been more than a whisper. 

 

Namagi didn't reply for a moment as she lowered her head slightly, seemingly pondering about it. 

 

"He is alive, but barely. I last checked on him a few hours ago… depending on what the healer has said, it could go either way." 

 

A quiet hum escaped Amaragi's lips. Namagi spoke no further as they kept on walking, but in time, she closed her eyes with a barely audible sigh before she suddenly halted in her path, causing both Amaragi and Maren to stop as well. 

 

They looked up at the younger princess in confusion when she turned around to face them. 

 

Maren, in particular. 

 

"Hey… is it alright if I could talk to you in person for a moment, Maren?" 

 

It was not long until Amaragi's eyes instinctively narrowed slightly, her lips forming into a thin line, thus prompting Namagi to glance at her sister out of the corner of her vision. 

 

There was an unspoken conversation between them. About something that Maren was not aware of as he hesitantly shifted his eyes between them, feeling as though they were both trying to undo the tension that was still lingering in the air. 

 

Alas, Amaragi abruptly shifted her head to face the cold stone floor beside her with an unappreciative look, her hands having clenched together ever so slightly. 

 

"Why should I not be allowed to hear it?" 

 

Even if she tried, the accusative tone was still dripping from her voice. 

 

Once again, Namagi sighed as her form and her shoulders in particular seemed to slump down slightly. 

 

"Magi, please… I am sorry. But it is not fair for Maren to simply stand here without knowing what's going on, and…" 

 

She closed her eyes again briefly. 

 

"... perhaps let me explain it, for I truly regret my actions, I do. So let me talk to him about it."

 

For another moment, it seemed as though Amaragi was just about to retort something, until she barely stopped herself in the act and stared back into her sister's eyes once more with a hardened gaze. 

 

But Namagi didn't flinch, and in her eyes, just as she had said, was naught but regret and a sense of pleading to be seen. 

 

For whatever it was, Namagi seemed to genuinely want to apologize to her sister, and upon realizing it, Amaragi's expression seemed to harden even more-

 

-yet, in the end, she suddenly relented. With a frustrated but short sigh, Amaragi turned to lean her back against the stonewall of the hallway, crossing her arms while lifting a foot to lean it against the wall as well. 

 

"... fine." she spoke no further, her long, crimson hair covering her eyes slightly. 

 

The barest hint of a smile formed upon Namagi's lips in gratitude before she silently turned to gesture for Maren to follow her into a small, nearby room. 

 

Once the heavy door behind them closed shut, Namagi turned to face Maren in full. 

 

"I will cut it short. I'm sorry." 

 

Maren was as bewildered and confused as before, even more so, when Namagi suddenly bowed deeply for a moment. 

 

"But… what for…?" he had instinctively raised his hands, feeling utterly uncomfortable for someone to apologize to him. Especially when it was always his first instinctive thing to do whenever something seemed wrong. 

 

"I don't know if you remember it, when you were shot on the battlefield and rendered unconscious." 

 

Namagi's voice was careful, slowly testing the waters, as she eyed Maren once he seemed to remember. 

 

He barely nodded as he lowered his hands. 

 

"I… Amaragi did not leave you. When the Norian troops threatened to overwhelm us on the field, she would not budge from your side for a single moment, even if it meant to potentially lose her life in defending you, even if it meant sacrificing our troops as they were caught off guard, she would have done so."

 

She paused for a moment, letting these words sink into Maren's mind as he almost blankly stared at her. 

 

"... but I… I forced her to abandon you on the field, I ordered our troops away from certain death when she would not, and I did not stop from pulling her away even if she had killed me for it afterwards if it meant that she survived. For our people, for our country…"

 

It was the first time ever since Maren had known her that he heard the sheer tremble and uncertainty within Namagi's voice. Whereas the usual, blank and indifferent voice seemingly never cared what others thought about her, now it seemed to waver in genuine regret. 

 

"Later, when the defeat of the Norians after their failed assault was at hand, and we forced them to flee, Magi and I… well…" 

 

Again, her voice seemed to break slightly before she forced herself together, taking a deep breath. 

 

"We argued…"

 

For a moment, it seemed as though Namagi wanted to hit herself. 

 

"No, scratch that, we almost fought each other. Magi was furious… she was consumed by anger, hatred, hurt, and most of all… sorrow. If you know how much she treasures you, how much you mean to her, then believe me when I say that you are the world to her. When the realization truly settled in her mind that you were gone, possibly dead, I could see it in her eyes. The unbridled and seething fury, hungering for revenge."

 

Another pause. Namagi looked into Maren's eyes for anything, but he remained unresponsive, listening intently to each and every word. And so she continued. 

 

"But again, I wanted to prevent her from letting her emotions consume her. From leading even more of our people into death. However, I was… I was not supportive. I knew… I am her sister, I have seen everything from my earliest years in life of what Magi has done for us, how she has always supported and protected us at her own expense, and in that moment, when she was the one who would have needed my support… I failed her…"

 

It was then when Maren could see it clearly. The tear escaping her left eye. 

 

"I rationalized, I tried to make her see reason without any thoughts of how she was feeling. And I know why. Deep within, I… I tried to justify my own actions, I tried to justify having abandoned you on the field, having hurt my sister beyond my comprehension. I tried to ease my own mind by trying to make it seem as though it was her who was not being reasonable, who was not acting on behalf of our people… but I was just as monstrous and selfish the whole time…"

 

It was barely audible, but all the more visible when a shudder coursed through her body, and Namagi barely suppressed the sob. 

 

"Magi was already furious, but through my actions, through my words, I… I'm sure I only made it worse. I know that I only fueled her hatred, and this time not only for Norin, but for myself. I knew at that moment, as we argued, as it escalated further and further, that, in the end, when she looked at me one last time… she truly despised me…"

 

At the barest motion, when Maren slightly raised his hand in an attempt to at least console her, Namagi strongly raised her hand in a clear sign for him to stop right there and never bother, eyeing him with a sense of absoluteness. 

 

"But that was not even it. During our entire argument, during our entire fighting… we didn't even realize that Kiel was standing there at the door frame…" 

 

Maren's body froze as his mind tried to reenact that scene in his mind. To see the face of Kiel, who would always have a smile on his lips, see his own siblings-

 

"We have never fought against each other, we have never insulted one another… but I know that, now, in hindsight, both Magi and I have said things that we… that we most certainly regret. But Kiel heard it all, and when we realized, he had already stormed off, locking himself in his chamber without ever coming out again. And Magi, she… she ultimately left, taking our armies, in search of you… leaving me to ponder about everything once I stood alone, and everything doomed upon me all at once."

 

Again, Namagi took a deep breath, and before Maren would even have a chance to say anything, she glanced at him once more with the most pleading gaze he had ever seen from her. 

 

"I'm glad to have been able to tell you this… and I hope… I hope you see now just how much you mean to us all. Should harm befall you, it is not just you who suffers, it is us all. And Amaragi… most of all. Please remember this… and I hope for your forgiveness."

 

For a long moment, silence reigned. Since, even though she did not want any consolidation, Maren still refused to let her just apology for having wanted to see her sister survive above all else-

 

"... I still don't see why I wasn't supposed to hear this…"

 

-but it was swiftly cut short when Namagi abruptly shifted her head towards the door. 

 

Only to see that, somehow, without them ever noticing it, Amaragi was just standing there at the door frame, silently, part of her hair covering her eyes as she slightly faced the ground. And her lips were formed in a small, thin line. 

 

"Magi…?" 

 

Namagi's voice was a breathless whisper, and no more words followed, since it was evident that her older sister had undoubtedly heard enough of their conversation. Thus, Namagi just stood there, her arms limply hanging at her side as she stared at her sister with glazed and teary eyes. 

 

Until, slowly but surely, Amaragi's hands clenched into fists and she lifted her head slightly to meet her sister's eyes. 

 

For a long while, the two of them stared at each other, and once again, Maren internally felt his heart growing heavy without being able to do anything. 

 

And yet… alas, it was not needed, for Amaragi's hands slowly relaxed again. 

 

"... how long do you think we would have been able to continue living together like this while ignoring our own conflict?" 

 

Namagi simply couldn't hold the gaze of her sister for long anymore as her expression began to crumble and falter, her eyes growing more tearful. 

 

"... why did you listen in…?"

 

"As I said, how long do you think we would have been able to uphold this? I wanted to see how you truly felt about it, and I did. I have protected and looked after you and Kiel for nearly all of my life, and I was not about to change it." 

 

A gasp tore through Namagi's lips, and her eyes steadily widened when she saw that Amaragi's expression began to soften, showing emotion. 

 

"... yes, we have both said things that we shouldn't have… I am sorry, I of all people should have known better as well." 

 

Amaragi slowly reached out her hand, holding it openly towards her sister while never ceasing to look her in the eyes. 

 

"Will you forgive me?" 

 

In the blink of an eye, Namagi's expression fell apart and she all but rushed towards her sister, jumping into her arms and allowing herself to be hugged close as she openly buried her face into Amaragi's chest and cried. 

 

"Y-yes…! I'm… I'm s-so sorry…!" Namagi's voice was filled with tremors and sobs as her body shivered, and, just as she had always used to, just as Namagi had secretly longed for after all this time, Amaragi held her younger sister. Providing the same gentle care and protection that Namagi had almost thought to be lost amidst all of their previous hatred. 

 

For in truth, regardless of anything that might happen, Amaragi would still always be the older sister, watching over them, and protecting them from whatever threat may come, as if they were all still children. 

 

And Namagi cried all the more. 

 

It was a long but comforting moment, one that reigned in a different kind of silence as Maren silently observed the scene with a soft smile, for he could simply feel the tension fading away into nothingness. Giving way for a peaceful serenity, one that spoke of care and comfort. 

 

And he did not want to interfere with this moment in the slightest. 

 

"I know you only wanted to protect me in return…" 

 

Amaragi softly whispered into Namagi's ear long after her tears had begun to cease, her form still trembling from time to time as Amaragi gently stroked her back. 

 

"... but you must understand that I want to live to protect what I love the most. Even if it means to do so at the expense of my own life…" Namagi shivered more strongly for a brief moment, and for once, Maren's eyes widened slightly. 

 

"... so make no mistake, never hold me back again. For if I failed to do so, I would not be able to go on anymore…" 

 

All of a sudden, Namagi grew still, and she slowly lifted her head from Amaragi's chest to turn her teary eyes towards Maren, who up till now did not want to speak. 

 

And neither did Namagi have to say a word, her eyes alone speaking of the previous, last words she had directed at him, and he slowly nodded in understanding, hanging his head slightly towards the ground. 

 

For, in truth, he could not shake the feeling of being responsible for all this once again… 

 

---

---

The door behind Amaragi gently clicked shut as both her and Maren stood in their chamber for the first time after what felt like an eternity to her. 

 

And still, when Maren laid eyes upon the room, it was just as he remembered it, with each and every single one of his belongings being still at the same place where he had left them all this time ago, as if Amaragi had tried her best not to touch a single thing in his absence. 

 

By now, the night had long taken over the sky, with the full moon shining brightly from outside the windows and into the chamber itself, bathing it in its serene light. 

 

"I'm sorry, if I had been more capable, maybe all of this wouldn't have happened-" 

 

Before he knew it, all of his regrets seeped out of his mouth, but it was cut short when Amaragi slowly stepped up to him from behind. 

 

"No…"

 

He slowly turned around to face her when she placed a hand onto his shoulder, her eyes almost pleading. 

 

"Please… don't start with this…" 

 

He remained silent, and after a while, he hung his head low once more, knowing that she would fiercely reject any and all notions that revolved around him trying to take the blame for himself. 

 

"You really have a knack for this, do you know…?" 

 

He perked up again slightly in confusion, witnessing how her lips had suddenly turned into a small smile. 

 

"... always trying so much to apologize… sometimes even without knowing what is wrong in the first place. Or if you are involved." 

 

Maren's lips parted slightly with no words coming out when he actually saw the small but genuine amount of playfulness in her eyes, her gaze alone once again gleaming in the same lively manner that he had always loved about her. 

 

A small and quiet chuckle, soft and light, as Amaragi briefly closed her eyes before reopening them to simply hold his gaze with that same, kind smile. 

 

But alas, her expression faltered slightly. 

 

Without knowing what was the cause, even now, Maren almost subconsciously tried to go back to his old habits, at least, until suddenly, Amaragi decided that she no longer wanted to rely on words alone. 

 

With one, gentle movement, her hand had moved from his shoulder to cup his cheek-

 

-and she claimed his lips with her own. 

 

With a barely audible mewl, Maren was rendered silent as she closed any last gap between them, letting her body touch against his own as he melted against her warm lips. 

 

It was soft, heartfelt, a small means to convey a torrent of feelings that had been building up inside of her for such a long time now, and it was barely enough. Only able to show him the utmost surface of her emotions as Amaragi slowly parted from his lips, gazing into his eyes without restraint. 

 

What she had meant to speak about earlier, after her speech… 

 

Maren was left gently gasping for air, her lips having left longing for more, but when he actually met her gaze once more, realizing how the moonlight was illuminating each and every single one of her features… 

 

… he felt his heart stop. 

 

Without a word, Amaragi barely bit the bottom of her lip before she ever so slowly turned her head slightly to the side, facing one of the windows to look at the moon standing high above the night sky. 

 

Her eyes tightened slightly as she pursed her lips, but it was gone again as quickly as it had appeared when her expression turned… solemn. 

 

Maren watched with concern when he felt her hands searching his own, gently grasping them and holding them together, even when she still continued to look outside without facing him directly. 

 

"Maren… do you like romantic novels…?" 

 

He blinked. 

 

He actually saw a small, dreamily smile growing upon her lips. 

 

And she was still not looking at him. 

 

"... perhaps… maybe you've heard about those classic romantic tales, where the charming prince would come to the princess and save her from whatever threatened her, sweeping her off her feet and living happily ever after…?" 

 

Slowly but surely, Maren felt the air in his lungs mysteriously beginning to disappear, vanishing into the void. She is a princess… and she… 

 

… did she actually… prefer…? 

 

"... and do you fancy those novels…?"

 

A certain uncomfortableness and sadness unfolded in his chest. 

 

She closed her eyes in content, with the same, small smile still apparent upon her lips. And the feeling of dismay only began to amplify in his chest. 

 

"... I could never stand them."

 

Her hands clasped around his own, holding them tight. 

 

"... eh…!?" 

 

And before he knew it, Maren suddenly found himself lying with his back upon her bed, having been all but shoved into it with one swift and powerful push. 

 

Not even being granted a second to regain his senses, he could already feel a certain weight upon his arms, a pair of hands pinning them down on his sides, and a mere glance upward revealed that Amaragi herself was all but looming above his frame, one of her legs slowly lifting off the ground to rest upon the bedsheets, kneeling between his own thighs. 

 

He gasped when he finally met her gaze. 

 

"... I am not a prize to be claimed… I like to take matters into my own hands…" 

 

Her eyes bore a predatory glint as she slowly eyed him up and down, sending a deep shiver down his spine as her voice was a deep and low whisper. 

 

Warmth was seeping through his body, his heart beating furiously against his chest at her sudden actions, and his mind failed to think clearly as another tremble coursed through his body the moment Amaragi leaned her lips close to his left ear. 

 

And he could feel her warm breath teasing his skin, lips brushing against it. 

 

"... I always wondered why the princess would need a prince when she could perfectly handle herself, and preferred somebody entirely else…" 

 

Her whisper grew dangerously low, and he felt her leg brushing against his upper thigh. 

 

"... someone who is so sweetly submissive, cared for who she really was, and let her take the lead~..."

 

Another sweet gasp elicited from his lips. 

 

And Amaragi was finally tired of waiting. 

 

Her hand all but pressed down against his clothed chest, applying a certain force that spoke of a single desire before she hungrily claimed his lips once more, bringing them together in a sensual seal. 

 

For all the time they had done this before, in this instance, Amaragi's movements were far more demanding, sloppy even, more than once bringing her lips to even cover his own completely as if she were planning to devour him whole. 

 

It was a fit of intoxicating lust, but every time Maren would briefly open his eyes to see that her's were always trained upon his face, greedily watching each and every shiver of pleasure that she could elicit from him, he witnessed only how much pure and unbridled love reflected from her gaze. 

 

She delighted in each tremble that coursed through his body when their lips would reconnect, leaving a string of saliva whenever they parted for air, she delighted in each moan that would escape his lips when the leg brushing against his thighs would come dangerously close to his growing arousal. 

 

It wasn't long until Maren closed his eyes again in a daze, and there was a spark in Amaragi's own eyes when her stare roamed over his current state, at how she could so willingly control him, a certain playfulness at how he trusted her with his entire being. 

 

When her lips sought his own once more in an insatiable longing, Maren would have been close to lose control over himself entirely-

 

-were it not for the sudden sound of cloth being ripped apart. 

 

Still lost in a daze, Maren's eyes barely registered the sight down at his chest as he could feel a sudden sensation of being exposed, and his thoughts were proven correct when he felt her delicate fingers pressing down upon his skin, trailing down his stomach, and ridding him of every piece of his tunic that was in her way. 

 

But he would have never gotten so much as a chance to become vocal about it when Amaragi's lips parted from his before her head snuck behind his own in the blink of an eye, and she fiercely kissed his vulnerable neck, eliciting another deep shiver from him. 

 

Gently, she bit down upon his skin, tasting his sweat, suckling upon the tender flesh that was exposed to her, and she could all but feel the tension in his lungs as he fought to suppress a moan, to deny her her reward. 

 

When in reality, her lips had long formed into a grin, allowing her tongue to lap along his skin instead to further bring his mind to submission, if only to prevent him from consciously finding out what her hand was doing to his tunic once she had successfully ripped it from his chest and arms in the process. 

 

And she dared him to find out once her hand moved further down, silencing him yet again by crashing their lips together.

 

"Mmnn… Mmmn…!" her tongue slipped past his teeth in the wake of a gasp, playfully struggling with his own for dominance just when Maren could subtly feel her hand working upon his leggings. Progressing further with each swirl of her tongue that Amaragi made against his own-

 

-before she all but growled into his mouth, abruptly disconnecting from his lips as she lifted her chest from his own and leaned back. 

 

And with one, strong and fluid motion, she gripped his leggings with both of her hands and yanked them down, dismantling them from his legs while allowing them to carelessly drop onto the floor along with his boots. 

 

Short, erratic and bated breaths were filling the chamber when both Maren and Amaragi stared at each other. For Maren, his eyes spoke of a distinct feeling of embarrassment, almost having wanted to pull back slightly as his head shifted to the side. 

 

But as for Amaragi, her eyes were solely gazing upon all of him. His entire body, as it was illuminated by the moonlight, so tender and slim, yet pronounced with an unmistakable but subtle firmness to the touch, as he was covered in sweat and his eyes almost shyly evaded her own. 

 

For it was no surprise when her gaze came to a halt at his arousal, having long grown rigid and proud after everything that she had done to him, speaking of his own desires even when his expression wanted not to show it. 

 

As the silence stretched on and the anticipation only grew stronger, Maren could have almost not handled it any longer-

 

-were it not for a sudden rush that tore through his body, causing him to arch his back with a sweet gasp, just as his head snapped back downward to see that Amaragi's hand was gently touching his member. 

 

Her fingers, sensually gliding along his most vulnerable and sensitive parts, teasing quiver upon quiver from his body as her tender and loving strokes left an exhilarating feeling of anticipation. 

 

Never before had he felt this vulnerable and exposed before in his life. 

 

And still, despite all of his hesitation and uneasiness… 

 

… when he looked back into Amaragi's eyes, all that he could see was adoration. 

 

"... you're beautiful…" 

 

It was a breathless whisper, as if she stated a matter of fact both to herself and to him at that very moment. And she was oh so aware and conscious about her own choice of words, as her eyes took in all of him, a sheer glimmer reflecting off their crimson surface. 

 

Maren could almost feel a lump beginning to form in his throat as his heart swelled with emotion, but in the end, the silence was finally broken on his part when a frail whisper escaped his lips. 

 

"... what do you want to do with me…?" 

 

Slowly but surely, Amaragi's eyes began to widen as his words left an obvious but unspoken challenge, a tease, and it was all the more amplified when he gazed at her with a feigned innocence and frailty, putting himself at her mercy as his lips pursed ever so slightly. 

 

But his words were answered soon enough when Amaragi's hands began to lift towards her own chest-

 

-and her face betrayed not a single emotion as she witnessed how his eyes followed her every action, unable to glance away even if he wanted to, once her hands moved along the straps and buttons holding her combat dress together. 

 

Undoing each and every single one of them

 

"I…" 

 

Piece by piece, the dress began to slide down her shoulders, further down her body as her hands made short work of every button. 

 

Her pauldrons clattered onto the ground, her eyes fixated upon Maren's own with each bit of skin that she exposed, until her dress fell apart and onto the ground once and for all, leaving only her long and decorated boots to hide her feet. 

 

"... want…" 

 

Maren's chest heaved up and down with each and every breath, watching tentatively as Amaragi lifted her remaining leg from the ground and onto the bed, moving her hands to the top of each of her boots before gently sliding them off her legs, allowing them to join the rest of her attire upon the ground-

 

-until there was nothing left anymore to hide her glorious body from him as she kneeled between his thighs, leaving all of her to be highlighted by the moonlight. 

 

"... to ravish you…" 

 

For what felt like an eternity to him, Maren's eyes were stuck upon her body, taking it all in even if it never proved to be enough. Her slim form, firm and strong, her every, soft curve, a body that was so elegant and modest and still holding so much strength-

 

-but, almost shamefully, Amaragi suddenly lifted her arms slightly towards her chest, crossing them, while for the first time facing away from him. 

 

Much to Maren's dismay. 

 

She involuntarily looked back at him with a small shiver when one of his hands came to a rest upon her waist, and her arms lowered slightly when she saw the expression he was holding. If she was ashamed of the smaller size of her breasts, he would rather gut himself before ever allowing her to think this way. 

 

In the end, her eyes widened slightly when the sweetest of smiles graced his lips, and his other hand shyly moved close over his own chest. The ring upon his finger held just above where his heart would be as his eyes lidded. 

 

"... you're… handsome…" 

 

He tilted his head with an innocent look as he closed his eyes, the same playful smile still adorning his lips. 

 

Another gasp tore through her body, and for the last time, Amaragi allowed a fraction of a second to pass. 

 

Before the sheer hunger returned to her eyes. 

 

In the blink of an eye, Maren's hands were both pinned above his head as Amaragi held his wrists in a firm and controlled grip, straddling his hips as she leaned her chest upon his own, bringing their bodies closer against each other than ever before. 

 

As her eyes loomed above his own, Maren found his breath being stolen once more as her lips were so close to his own again. 

 

"... such a naughty thing to say… to a crown princess no less…" 

 

His mind was no longer working upon coherent thought as every action and word happened upon its own. 

 

"... she does not like it…?" 

 

Amaragi breathed a warm breath against his lips as they brushed against each other. 

 

"... she loves it…"

 

Before he even realized it, Maren suddenly felt her hips moving above his own, nestling the tip of his erect shaft against her warm folds-

 

-and the both of them moaned at the first notion of her lowering herself on him, filling her entrance as he gently spread her apart. 

 

"... Magi…!" 

 

Warm, intimate, loving. Above all, it was the pure emotion that overruled the sheer amount of lust and pleasure, mixing together to create something breathtaking that left Maren in a never ending cycle of pure bliss and longing. 

 

Her surprised gasp at his use of her personal nickname didn't last long, however, before Amaragi suddenly halted amidst her actions. 

 

And a sharp gasp of pain escaped her lips. 

 

With an immediate snap out of his own trance, Maren's eyes were filled with nothing but concern in an instant as he looked back at her. Amaragi's head hung low for a moment as she inhaled sharply, and Maren himself could feel it as they were both still halfway connected. 

 

The fleshy barrier, barely penetrated, and a small trail of blood trickling down her thigh. 

 

"I'm sorry, you don't… you don't need to-" 

 

"No… I'm fine…" 

 

Maren's eyes widened when Amaragi lifted her head once more, only to see that she was actually wearing a small smile upon her lips. 

 

And without warning, she pushed down all the way in one swift thrust, sheathing him deep inside her completely. 

 

While Maren threw his head back with an ecstatic moan, Amaragi held herself still for several moments while suppressing any cries of pain. 

 

For in that moment, as the pain slowly began to fade away… 

 

… for the first time, Amaragi felt utterly complete. 

 

A moment of silence passed between them, one in which Amaragi's grip upon his wrists lessened before she carefully allowed her hands to cup his cheeks instead. 

 

And this time, there was no playfulness to be seen in her eyes as she gazed at him. 

 

"... I love you… with my heart and soul, I promise…" 

 

Only love and adoration. 

 

"... stay with me forever... never leave me alone…" 

 

Her eyes began to tear, but Maren could not utter a word as a torrent of emotions swept through his heart before that same playful and dominant glint from a moment prior appeared in her eyes again. 

 

"Now, I believe I told you what exactly I had in mind for you…" 

 

She glides her hips forward, slowly, developing a steady rhythm of her own, and during all this, her walls squeezed on his shaft in a rush of love and excitement, her hands pinning his wrists down again above his head. 

 

In time, while Maren was forced to remain still and accept the most pleasurable ride he could ever imagine, Amaragi's movements grew quicker and more bold, craving him as she thrust his member into her deepest parts and core. 

 

His breathing grew more erratic as the pleasure mounted, and Amaragi threw her head back when she took him in once more with a particularly deep and hard stroke, eliciting yet another deep moan of her beloved. 

 

But it was not enough

 

Her crimson hair was already quite disheveled as she lowered her head again to gaze at Maren's face, drinking in every twist in his expression when he felt another surge of pleasure due to her massaging of his proud member. 

 

His eyes were shut, and during all this, she could see how he was slowly coming apart, lost in the throes of pleasure that had long started to fog her own mind as well. 

 

And yet… as much as he was at her mercy, as much as he came undone in front of her very eyes… she knew that he was still a male, one who had to hold his own wishes in the deepest depths of his mind, but he refused to let her know. 

 

And she wanted to see it all

 

"Tell me…" 

 

Shallow breathing escaped her lips in between her words, but still, her eyes fixated solely upon Maren's own as she all but clenched around his shaft once more, taking every ounce of his attention for herself even when she could see the questioning glint beneath the layer of pleasure in his gaze. 

 

"... tell me what you want to hear…!" 

 

She never stopped in her thrusts, sliding her belly and chest along his own, flexing her abs in the process. The rhythm was beginning to crumble with each second that passed and the pleasure mounted, but even now, when Amaragi could clearly see Maren's face contorting in nothing but ecstasy, he still refrained to speak. 

 

And it only fueled her inner flame. 

 

With a sharp inhale, she sank down completely upon him and her hands moved from his wrists, lifting his chin, before she assaulted the bare flesh of his throat with soft kisses. 

 

"... a-ah…! I… I…" 

 

His composure was all but gone, and she knew that she had him right on the edge. 

 

As he was buried deep within her warm folds… 

 

… she bit down ever so slightly as she clenched him. 

 

"Ah…! Talk… talk dirty…" 

 

Her head tilted as her lips moved away from his throat, having left their mark, up to his ear with a husky whisper. 

 

"... what was that…? I didn't quite hear you…" 

 

He was losing his mind. 

 

"... talk dirty to me… please…" 

 

Her lips formed into a smirk.

 

Since he asked so nicely… 

 

"... be honest, have you ever imagined me like this…? To… ah… sully a princess in such a manner…"

 

Any and all discipline was gone, but even so, in her voice, Amaragi could not even truly uphold her controlling tone anymore. For when she could feel Maren swelling deep within her, his breathing growing more and more hitched, she found herself grinding against him all the more. 

 

But unlike her, Maren clawed at the last shreds of self consciousness in his mind as he looked back at her with clouded eyes. 

 

"To be able to claim her in such a carnal and vulgar manner… making her yours and yours alone…?" 

 

His hands reached for her waist, a feeble attempt to remind her of what was about to happen if she continued, of the possible risk. 

 

But even in her current state, she knew exactly what it could entail. And she knew that regardless of what might happen… she wanted it. 

 

And so, with another strong grind at the peak of her pleasure, sheathing him snug within her deepest folds, her head hung low near his ear. 

 

"... and you can… if only you let go…" 

 

It was the last string that snapped apart. 

 

With a strong moan from both sides, Amaragi all but threw her head back once more when she felt his shaft erupting within her. Her entire body trembled, a torrent of warmth shooting through her inner walls, spreading through her abdomen. With each arch of her back, another string of his seed shot forth, meeting her core, leaving a lingering and hot warmth in their wake. 

 

Lasting for several seconds, as with each string that filled her, her arms threatened to give out underneath her before she finally collapsed on top of Maren, her long hair almost covering most of his own face. 

 

It was pure and utter bliss

 

For a long while, their heavy and raspy breathing was all that sounded within the chamber as they lay together, still joined into a single being. And Amaragi refused to move away, to ever let him slide out of her, feeling as though her entire body was blanketed in warmth. She never wanted it to end. She never wanted him to move away. 

 

It was after another long moment when Amaragi slowly snuggled her head closer against Maren's cheek, a breathless smile forming upon her lips. 

 

But this time, Maren beat her to it as his arms moved around her waist, holding her close. 

 

"... I love you too… I won't ever leave again… promise…" 

 

Amaragi's breathing hitched, her eyes gaining a sparkle that put even the moonlight to shame, before she all but buried her head against his neck, her hair covering even more of his form as she held him in return. 

 

And for once… the world could not have been any more perfect

 

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AN:

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