Night had just fallen and you were walking through the halls of Leyndell's royal palace, your last duty now complete, hand over the hilt of your sword, always at the ready, moving at a quick pace towards the royal family's chambers. The creaking of your armor echoing through the near-empty corridor, its sole source of light being the glowing Erdtree right outside the giant windows, only a few guards noticing your presence, yet you had no intention to stop to talk. After all, with no more pressing matters at hand, there was only one place to go, your most important duty to fulfill.
After making your way to the enormous gilded hallways of the palace, you arrived in front of the door, anticipation welling up within you as always, yet you steeled yourself and knocked on the door.
"I have returned, may I come in?" you inquired, to no response, meaning you had permission to enter the room. You gulped and, with a shaking hand, turned the intricate door knob, slowly pushing the door open.
Looking inside the beautiful room of pure white marble and golden decorations, everything was as tidy as always, yet noticeably the king sized bed and its white silks were empty, unused since they were last made. Looking to the side, you scanned the living area, yet the chairs also stood empty, a massive book left open on the table, its pages rhythmically dragged by the wind. It was then that your gaze was drawn to the balcony, and there it remained, as your eyes met an unmistakable figure.
It was there that He stood: your Lord, the object of your devotion, the only one you swore your life to, His long golden locks gently dancing in the wind, His slender figure ethereal, godlike. Miquella, Kindly Miquella, darling Miquella: empyrean demigod son of Queen Marika the Eternal and Radagon, loved by all and lover of all, but most importantly, your beloved partner.
His golden hair, normally long enough to cover His entire figure when witnessed from the back, turned slightly to the side, making you stand completely still. The profile of His face slowly being unveiled, as He turns His gaze towards you, His eyes locking with yours as your heart begins pounding, almost as if it wanted to leave your body. Those golden eyes, glowing bright as the Erdtree itself, perhaps even brighter: one would think you'd be used to them by now, yet they never failed to enthrall you, you could never get enough of them, if you could you'd stare into their light for all eternity.
A faint sigh left His lips, before He spoke "Swift as lightning, though I should expect such efficiency of thee, my steadfast knight." His supportive words snapped you out of that charm, turning your head to the side, bashfully. "You flatter me, my Lord, I only do what is expected of any knight." you replied, still averting your gaze from His radiance, as if you were ashamed to indulge in His enchanting stare for so long. His lips curled slightly, a gentle chuckle followed "Is that so? Or didst thou long for my company, instead, I wonder?" surprised by his teasing, you could feel your face flush red "M-my Lord I could never-" you couldn't help but stutter. Miquella began giggling at your flustered display, his laugh so sweet and soft, yet so brief as he interrupted you "Tis not a sin, my knight, to let passion be a motivator." His teasing turned to reassurance, another chuckle escaping his lips "Come now, I for one, have been awaiting thine return." He continued, calling you to his side.
It was then you turned to look at him again, you couldn't help it, He'd just called for you, it's in your nature to answer. Your Lord held out a hand, beckoning you to join Him, His immaculate face displaying the warmest of smiles, his eyes catching your gaze once more, how could you ever refuse?
You slowly approached the petite demigod, enchanted by His radiant smile, taking soft steps in hope to not startle Him, lest you'd lose his smile for a moment. As you got closer, Miquella reached out further with his hand, gently undulating his fingers in a slow rhythm, once again beckoning to you. Your stare now drawn to that same hand, you began raising your own to reach it, only stopping short for one moment: it would be a shame to touch his silken skin with armor getting in the way, wouldn't it?
Your Lord tilted His head, puzzled by your sudden stop, yet His smile persisted, only the faintest furrow of His eyebrows could be noticed, as you quickly removed one of your plated gauntlets of black iron, attaching it to your belt instead. Finally you placed your hand over His, it emanated a gentle warmth, like that of a sunny afternoon. His hand was so delicate, smooth and pale like the rest of his skin, slender fingers with perfectly kept nails, which He let grow just a little bit.
Soon you felt His fingers softly grasp the back of your hand, those nails gently pushing against your skin, His index running soothing circles over it. You felt slightly guilty to sully such a perfect hand by touching it with yours, while your hands were about the same size, they were much rougher due to your combat training. Miquella didn't seem to mind though, as His grip on your hand got slightly tighter, gently pulling you towards Him, leading you to the balcony.
A pleasant fresh breeze now caressing your face, a much needed relief from the body heat you'd been building up to this point, which had just increased as you came closer and closer to your Lord. Both of you now bathed in moonlight. His eyes of gold were staring deep into your own, once again, this time you felt your hand being lifted upwards, your heart beating faster and faster as you witnessed Miquella gently placing it on His cheek. It was so warm, so soft and smooth, you'd think you were touching His elegant silks instead, but that's just how perfect His skin was. Just as you'd made contact, the sweetest smile formed on His pretty lips, His eyes filled with such genuine warm love, it could almost make you tear up.
"Ah, how I'd missed thine touch, dearest Victoria…" Those words were sweet like honey, yet you felt guilty for causing your Lord to feel lonely. In an attempt to put Him at ease, you began softly rubbing His delicate round cheek, to which he let out a gentle sigh "It matters not, my dearest. I fully know the effort with which thou accomplished thine task. Indeed, it may have not made the slightest difference, even had thee completed it within seconds. Tis mine own greed that is to blame, I fear." it's as though he'd read your mind, reassuring and gentle as always, you felt unworthy of such kindness, even in this situation He'd be quicker to blame Himself than you. Kindly Miquella then tilted his head towards your hand, slowly rubbing up against it, his eyes closing and turning his expression into one of relief. He looked so innocent like this, you couldn't help but look at Him with adoration. "My Lord… may I attempt to rectify this wrong with an embrace?" A bold proposition, quite unlike you, left your mouth, you spoke almost without thinking, as you could feel how much He'd missed your company.
It was at those words that Miquella opened His eyes again, a look of gentle happiness written on His face, that loving smile widening even more. "My dearest lily, there is no wrong to rectify, thou knowest this. Even so, I was hoping thou would ask for that." He then approached you, his feet barely making any noise against the pavement. He pulled you into a warm embrace, nestling His head on your shoulder and wrapping His arms around your back, gently clenching against your cape. You, on the other hand, wished for this even more and immediately clung to him, in the neediest of ways, burying your head in his chest, as if you were trying your best to hide your flushed cheeks. "Darling Miquella… in truth, it is I who hath longed for this even more…" your words were subdued, muffled by His chest, but you spoke the truth. Any time you were to leave His side, no matter which duty required it, you felt a void growing within you, anxieties building up: what may happen without you there to protect Him? He was far more powerful than you, yet you needed to be by His side, to feel sure no wrong would befall Him.
You could hear a warm chuckle, feeling its faint vibrations through your head, due to your proximity to His chest "Oh, you sweet thing…" he cooed into your ear, sending warm tingles throughout it "Have no fear, we are united once more, alone no longer. Indeed, what are a few moments of loneliness, against the eternity that awaits us, together?" He now whispered directly into your ear, you could feel His words pass right through you, causing your whole body to shiver. Never had you heard such comforting words about the future, it didn't matter whether it was a promise or just a lofty dream, you wished for that to be a reality so much. In this twisted world, it was only your beloved Miquella whom you could truly rely on: who showed you kindness, who cared for you like no other.
You were snapped back into reality when your Lord suddenly pulled away from you, it felt so cold to be separated from His body heat, only His hands now softly gripping your shoulders, as you locked eyes again. "...My Lord? Is something the matter?" you worried, maybe you had been too clingy, too needy, and made Miquella uncomfortable. You shuddered at that horrible thought for a moment. But your worries would soon fade away, as the boy of golden hair moved closer once again, never breaking eye contact. His right hand gently grazed your shoulder, shifting alongside His movements, first over to your neck and then right under your chin, leaving a warm tingling sensation along its trail. His thumb and index finger gently grasping your chin now, your breath quickening and getting heavier.
Though He was cursed with a frail body, Miquella was still taller than you, if only ever so slightly. After all, he was small, for a demigod, but a demigod you were not. He used those fingers to tilt your face upwards, pulling you closer too. In His eyes, ever brilliant and comforting, you spotted a glint of intent, determination.
So much anticipation was building within you, your mind racing to so many different thoughts and outcomes, but in the end you didn't really care which would become reality, you knew that in His hands everything would go well.
Your Lord, now a few inches away from your face, closed His eyes and puckered His pale pink lips, initially you did the same in response, but as He pressed against your mouth, you couldn't help but open your eyes wide and yelp softly. The sensation was heavenly, Miquella's lips were smooth, soft, perfectly shaped. They were slightly plump, but still small, his bottom lip a bit more so than the other. He would move His lips, filling the empty space between them and yours, sometimes making a light smacking noise as you two kissed passionately, yet innocently just on your lips. Occasionally, you'd be able to feel a faint taste, so sweet like honey, from small drops of saliva dripping from his mouth. At times a soft whimper would leave his mouth, those noises would make you feel all kinds of happiness, even making you whimper in turn. Miquella ran His free hand through your long hair, caressing your locks lovingly, twirling them on his index finger. You wrapped your arms around his neck, draping your hands over his back, feeling a tickling sensation coming from his wonderful golden mane.
No words would be exchanged, none needed to be. Your love was beyond words, was it not? Sometimes you could feel the corners of His lips slightly raise, He'd chuckle and press his forehead against yours, strands of your hairs slightly tangling and twinning.
A couple minutes passed and the two of you finally separated, gasping for air, looking at each other with passionate smiles. It felt a lot longer than just two or so minutes "Dearest Victoria… Alas, even demigods need to breathe, do they not?" Miquella chuckled, in between His panting, dragging one of His fingers from your chin over to your bottom lip and pressing against it softly. "My apologies, most beautiful of lilies, I'm afraid I couldn't help myself. After hearing how much thou hath felt our distance, I had to make it right, one way." Once again, his kindness was overwhelming, so genuine, it felt amazing. You could feel tears forming in your eyes, you tried holding them back with all your might, but to no avail.
As a couple tears began slipping out from under your eyelids, your Lord's warm smile briefly turned into a worried frown, and His eyes widened "What is it, dearest? Have I said something that made thee unhappy?" He immediately got close to your face, scanning your expression and attempting to find what was wrong, giving you gentle caresses passing through your hair. "Ah… Tis nothing, my Lord. I was just… Overjoyed by thine words and thy kindness, I don't think I'm deserving of it." It was difficult to speak while tearing up, but it seemed like Miquella understood perfectly, letting out a sigh of relief and His gentle smile returning to that beautiful face. Your Lord still kept His proximity to your face, which prompted you to blush more as you could feel His warm breathing softly hitting your skin.
Kindly Miquella was even more beautiful up close like this. His skin was akin to porcelain: it was a pale pink, almost completely white, smooth and entirely devoid of blemishes, His cheeks had the slightest hint of red to them. Those golden eyes, almost hypnotizing to stare at, were actually somewhat big, but you'd barely see them fully opened: Miquella always had this relaxed expression to Him, when His emotions didn't run too high. Still, much like the rest of His face, they had a feminine grace to them, with long gilded eyelashes to crown them, anyone would be jealous of such natural beauty. He had defined eyebrows, the same colour as His hair, but they were well kept and sharp, thinning at the ends but slightly thicker at the bridge of His nose. The latter was soft, delicate and straight, slightly round at the point, which you loved to poke occasionally. He had such a soft jawline, giving His face a delicate profile, yet again quite feminine, which ended in a rounder chin, ever so slightly pointed. And His hair, oh His hair… You could never say for certain what your favourite physical aspect of your Lord was, but that golden blonde mane would've definitely been a contender. It was so, so long, longer than even His entire body, the hair worthy of the direct offspring of Queen Marika. It carried slight curls throughout, some of His locks were kept in elegant braids, but they did little to keep those luscious tresses bound in any way. His hair would always dance in the wind elegantly, framing His body perfectly. It was your favourite thing to brush through His hair, getting lost in it, almost tangled up by it, it had such a wonderful sweet scent, like the lilies He'd loved so much.
You were snapped out of your swooning, by the sudden touch of Miquella's slender index finger, gently caressing your cheek and just below your eyelid, to wipe away a tear. You let out a little yelp, in surprise, to which your Lord chuckled in response "Oh my, did I startle thee, dearest?" you blushed and avoided eye contact, you were a little ashamed to have been staring at Him so long that you'd completely zoned out. "I-I'm afraid I lost myself admiring your beauty… M-my Lord…" you stuttered bashfully, causing Miquella to giggle once again, covering His mouth with His free hand in a very gracious manner. "How very sweet. You needn't look so ashamed, though, dearest Victoria. I often times get lost in thine beauty all the same." another loving compliment, to make your heart melt away: you definitely didn't believe you were beautiful, especially next to Him of all people, yet you knew that at least He'd never lie to you.
He carefully wiped away another tear, and held your cheek in one hand, gently rubbing it with His thumb. "My Lord I'm not-" you were quickly stopped by Miquella holding a finger over your lips, He didn't actually have you stop talking, but you couldn't say no to Him "Hush, my beloved. I know what thou art about to claim: that thou art not beautiful. Tis always like this, and I have no intention of changing my mind. I know not what it will take, but I shall make certain thou will be aware of thine own beauty, in time." He then placed a warm kiss on your cheek, causing you to go even more red "Furthermore, there's no need for such formalities, when it is but the two of us together. Thou knowest this as well." He smiled and patted your head reassuringly. There were few things you loved more than your Lord giving you those gentle caresses on your head, ruffling your hair ever so slightly, if you'd been born a dog, your tail would be wagging profusely right now.
Miquella smiled once more and let out a faint sigh, His bright eyes exuding warm love as always "Thou truly art adorable, my dearest Victoria. Thine smile is so charming, it never fails to bring me joy in turn. Like a wonderful flower, blooming in the winter, so rare and thus so special." It was getting more and more difficult to not burst out in tears, you were never used to the kindness shown to you by Miquella, even if you had been together for some time now, you'd never received any prior to Him. You instinctively clung tightly to Him, squeezing maybe a little too strongly at first, to which Miquella let out faint yelp, causing you to quickly adjust your grip more to be more suitable for your Lord's frailer body. "My darling Miquella, I love thee oh so much…" you didn't hear a reply, only a deeper breath taken by the demigod, as he kept stroking your hair, this time going down your longer hair strands.
It was another moment of silence, filled only by the care and love you two put into each other. Even Miquella's breathing was so relaxing for you to listen to, you could definitely fall asleep to it.
The silence was broken once again by Him "May I help thee remove thine amor, my beautiful lily? It must feel quite hot in there, I imagine." That couldn't be more right, you were practically steaming under all those iron plates and chainmail, and it definitely wasn't helped by how much you'd been getting flustered around Miquella's company. You nodded, and you began removing your white and gold cape, letting it rest on one of the chairs inside.
Soon, your Lord quietly walked up behind you, and started unbuckling the belts that held your black iron chest plate together, which soon fell into your hands as you placed it down with care. Then came the plates on your arms, besides the gauntlets you had removed before, your leggings and finally your greaves. You had the armor of independent knights, who sought to take their own personal oaths, rather than those who took up service in specific settlements such as the golden knights of Leyndell. Unlike their shining and visually striking armor, befitting of their name, yours was much more subdued, mostly made in black iron and adorned with small golden decorations. The cape was not something you started your knighthood with, in fact it was a gift from Miquella Himself, as a symbol of your oath to Him: a beautiful white cape, with golden embroidery featuring tree and lily motifs. As it was a gift bestowed by the demigod Himself, you of course took the utmost care in it, making sure it was clean and whole every chance you got. It was quite a beautiful cape, of impressive craftsmanship and it somehow always seemed to keep the scent of your Lord with you, at all times.
Having removed all your plates of armor, you were left with just your chainmail and padded gambeson underneath. Unlike the rest of it, these particular pieces of armor didn't require a second person to remove, yet Miquella didn't seem to care and kept undressing you all the same. You'd already taken a sigh of relief after taking off the stiff and warm armor pieces, but once your chainmail came off, you felt even lighter. It seemed like your Lord wasn't pleased yet, and wrapped his slender arms around to your chest from behind, where the buttons of your gambeson were. You gasped and quickly put your hand over Miquella's, stopping him from unbuttoning your padded cloth shirt. He made a puzzled noise and tilted his head "What is it, dearest? Is something the matter?" He asked innocently, to which you shook your head "Not quite, it is just… May I ask you to not look while I undress? Forgive me, I'm still not comfortable with revealing my body so much…" you replied with a shaky voice.
It was true, you struggled with your body and were extremely scared at the thought Miquella would see it and not appreciate it, you wouldn't forgive yourself if that were to happen.
He sighed calmly at your request, nestling His head over your shoulder "Fret not, my sweet Victoria, I understand thine troubles. I shall be patient for you, always. May I instead bring thee a change of clothing, whilst thou undresses?" Ever comforting and understanding, Kindly Miquella's whispers were so relaxing, you couldn't help but feel at ease whenever He spoke like this. You only nodded, making a faint sigh of relief, at your Lord's empathy. He smiled and began making His way to the large drawers, elegantly walking through the room, His bare feet once again making His steps basically silent. You worried a bit that your Lord seemed to not carry any footwear, no matter where He was walking. It wasn't like the royal palace had many carpets, and with his overall frail physique and those dainty feet, you were worried He may hurt himself, but it never seemed like He showed any discomfort.
You then turned around and unbuttoned the top of your gambeson, starting to feel even lighter as your skin began actually breathing some fresh air. With ever silent steps, Miquella almost snuck up behind you and gently tossed some clothing over your shoulder. "Worry not, I haven't taken a single look, my beloved lily." He reassured you once more, you knew those weren't lies, so you didn't get scared and went to put on the clothing chosen for you by your Lord. He'd given you a silken white tunic, with golden accents and embroidery, white tights and some small light brown shoes with golden decorations. It was definitely an outfit that matched well with His, it seems like it was picked on purpose for that, which made you happy, it was fun for you to show your devotion to Miquella in more subtle ways like this. The clothing itself was extremely comfortable and smooth, of truly high quality craftsmanship, as expected of the royal capital of Leyndell.
You turned around and beckoned to your Lord "Tis done, forgive me for the long wait." Miquella turned around and quickly had a surprised look to His face "My, thou art lovely in those silks! May I ask for thee to twirl around?" He smiled, you quickly fulfilled his request by elegantly spinning in place, showcasing your new look and taking a gentle bow at the end. Miquella's smile widened and a pleased giggle escaped His mouth "How lovely, indeed! A lily in full bloom, truly." As He complimented you, making you blush once more, He approached you, elegant as always. He then grabbed one of your hands between His two, lifted it up to His mouth and kissed the back of it, causing you to almost lose it. He laughed as he saw your flustered expression and then pulled you into a soft embrace. "A kiss, for a fair maiden like thee. Tis only right, is it not?" You once again felt the full warmth of His body, of His voice, both so close to you: it was relaxing, and yet filled you with so much energy you were almost shaking. Miquella would pat your head attempting to make you relax and kissed your forehead. "I love thee, so, very much, my darling Miquella. My beautiful sunflower." You gently spoke to Him, making sure He was aware of your undying devotion. Kindly Miquella let out a sigh of relief and whispered into your ears again "I love thee too, dearest Victoria. Most beautiful of all lilies. May we cherish every moment together like this, for all our eternal lives."
A wonderful vow, one which you agreed with fully, you always remember every moment you'd spent with your darling Miquella, and this heartwarming reunion was certainly no different. You closed your eyes soothed by His embrace, as you two bathed in the light of the stars in the sky above, pondering what to do in the remaining hours of the night.
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