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Lucina
The soft clatter of porcelain on wood drew my attention. My maid, ever so attentive, had placed a small plate of snacks before me. "Here are the nuts you asked for, My Lady," she said with a delicate bow.
"Thank you," I replied, a faint smile tugging at my lips. There was a calm comfort in these small, mundane gestures.
Her gaze drifted to the window for a moment. "I'm sure the birds that live near the palace will never go hungry because of you."
I chuckled softly. Indeed, I had always loved watching the little creatures gather outside, pecking at crumbs and chirping in the morning sun. "Ah… yes. They are for the birds," I murmured, though my heart softened at the thought of their tiny, fluttering lives.
The maid's expression grew serious, her delicate hand pressing to her chest with a small gasp. "Gasp! We have to fix your make-up. It's almost time for the banquet."
She hesitated for a moment, then added, "Would you like to wear the perfume that you received from the Byron Kingdom delegation?"
I considered it, the soft scent of flowers and distant forests wafting in my mind. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea," I replied, nodding. She gave a small, approving smile before stepping back. The faint click of the door closing marked her departure, leaving me in the quiet hum of my chamber.
Sighing, I turned back to the window. My eyes traced the golden sunset as it painted the palace walls in soft hues. The thought of the banquet, of endless pleasantries and political maneuvering, made my chest tighten. I closed my eyes for a brief, meditative moment.
When I opened them, something caught my attention—a faint rustle, almost imperceptible. Two golden feathers drifted silently to the floor, vanishing before they even reached the carpet.
A voice, clear and bright as morning air, cut through my reverie.
"Were you waiting for me?"
I spun around, my silver hair whipping behind me. There, in the middle of the room, stood a small, radiant figure bathed in gentle, shimmering light.
"Puka? When did you get here?" My voice wavered between surprise and joy.
Puka's smile was the pure delight of a child who had found their favorite toy. "I've been here for quite a while now, but I had to wait until your guests had left," he replied, hopping lightly onto the windowsill. A small bite of something savory already rested in his mouth. Munch, munch. He always seemed hungry.
I stepped closer, concern etching my features. "Where have you been all this time?"
He swallowed, the movement deliberate, and his eyes darkened slightly with seriousness. "I had to go back to the forest to take care of some things," he said. His gaze met mine, full of finality, almost warning me of the news to come.
My hands clasped in my lap. "There's something I need to tell you, Lucina," he continued, his voice soft but heavy with meaning.
"Huh?" I blinked, sensing the weight of his words before they landed.
"I have to go back to the forest now," he said simply.
My heart sank. I knew his time in the human world was fleeting, but the next words he spoke made me physically recoil.
"It'll be at least 100 years before I can leave again."
---
😢 Saying Goodbye, For Now
"WHAT?! 100 years?!" The words ripped from my throat before I could stop them. My hands flew instinctively to my chest, as though holding it might somehow stave off the impossible passage of time. A century. A hundred years. The thought of waiting that long to see Puka again felt like a cruel, heavy hand pressing against my chest.
Puka's expression softened, though a solemn weight lingered in his gaze. His tiny wings shimmered faintly in the fading light, still vibrant but somehow tinged with sorrow. "I have to protect the forest," he explained. "Spirits must remain in their domain for a set period before they can venture outside."
He shifted slightly, looking down at his small feet as if ashamed. "I didn't go out much, but I thought it would be fun to accompany you… and I ended up using all my time." His voice trembled, small and fragile. "Now I have to spend another century in the forest."
Despite the sadness, warmth spread through me as he looked up again, a pure, innocent light surrounding him. "You have no idea how happy I am to have met you," he said, his smile glowing like sunlight on water.
Tears pricked at my eyes. A century's wait stretched before me like an endless void. "Does that mean I have to wait 100 years before I can see you again?" I whispered, my throat tight.
Puka's hands waved quickly, shaking his head. "Don't worry! You can see me if you come to my forest!" His reassurance, small yet sincere, eased the sting slightly.
"When are you leaving?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
Puka's wings flared, stirring the air with urgent energy. He leapt from the windowsill, hovering gracefully, glowing with ethereal light. "Right now!" he declared, his joy barely masking the sorrow of departure.
"That's not fair," I muttered, my voice cracking. Tears spilled freely. "I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."
He floated closer, reaching out to gently pat my head. Pat. "I should've gone back sooner, but I wanted to say goodbye first."
"I don't want you to go…" My sobs broke through my words, leaving them raw and desperate.
Puka's smile returned, bright and mischievous. "Here's a gift for you before I leave." His hands rummaged quickly in the folds of his simple white garment. Rummage, rummage.
Three small, dark nuts appeared in my palm, soft tap as they landed. "Once I leave, you need to crack them open and have them all to yourself," he instructed, winking. "They'll help you give birth to a beautiful baby."
And just like that, with one final wave of his shimmering wings, he was gone. The light faded. The golden warmth disappeared. I was left alone, clutching three magical nuts and a heart weighed down with longing.
---
"WHAT?! 100 years?!" I gasped, clutching my chest as if holding it could somehow stop time itself. The thought of a century separating me from Puka felt unbearable, like a cold wind blowing through my very soul.
"I have to protect the forest," Puka explained, his small figure glowing against the shimmering illusion of his home—a forest that seemed to have sprung up around him as if it were part of him. "Originally, spirits need to stay in their domain for a set amount of time before they get a chance to see the outside world."
He sighed, the melancholy in his tiny frame tugging at my heart. "I didn't go outside much, but I thought it would be fun if I went with you—and I ended up using all my time." He looked down at the ethereal forest floor, eyes heavy. "Now I have to spend another century in the forest."
A wave of despair washed over me, leaving a lump in my throat. Does that mean I have to wait for 100 years before I can see you again? I worried silently, my heart tightening with each beat.
Puka's eyes softened, and he offered a comforting, golden smile. The light around him flickered warmly, chasing some of the shadow from my heart. "You have no idea how happy I am to have met you," he said, voice full of pure joy. Then, as if reading my fear, he quickly added, "Don't worry! You can see me if you come to my forest!"
My voice trembled as I asked, "When are you leaving?"
Suddenly, his small wings began to flutter with urgency. He jumped energetically into the air, hovering, his glow shimmering in the room. "Right now!"
"That's not fair," I murmured, my lips quivering. "I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."
He floated closer, reaching out to gently pat my head—PAT. I started to sniffle, tears spilling down my cheeks. "I should've gone back sooner, but I wanted to say goodbye first," he murmured softly, as if reading every beat of my heart.
"I don't want you to go…" I sobbed, my hands trembling as I reached out instinctively.
Puka's face lit with a determined smile. "I have to go now. I need to get back to the forest before the sun sets." He waved gently. "Take care of yourself, Lucina."
Then, almost in a blur of motion, he rummaged through the folds of his simple white garment—RUMMAGE, RUMMAGE—and produced a small gift. He placed three tiny, dark nuts into my outstretched hands. They made a soft TAP as they landed.
"Once I leave, you need to crack them open and have them all to yourself," he instructed, his voice firm yet gentle. He gave a final, knowing wink. "They'll help you give birth to a beautiful baby."
With one last FLAP, FLAP of his wings, he was gone. The golden light faded, leaving the room quiet and empty. I whispered his name softly, "Puka…"
Despite the lingering sadness, I managed a small smile, clutching the magical nuts tightly in my palm. "I know we'll see each other again," I whispered, a small spark of hope flaring in my chest.
A Few Days Later…
A few days later, I sat with Hakan in our chamber, holding our baby close. The room was quiet except for the soft coos and gentle breathing of our sleeping daughter.
"She fell asleep so quickly," Hakan noted, a fond smile tugging at his lips as he gazed at her.
"She must be exhausted after all the guests we've had," I replied softly, brushing a tender hand over her cheek. "And all the places we've visited to greet everyone."
Hakan suddenly let out a loud AHEM!. I glanced up at him in surprise. "A-AHEM! Have you caught a cold, Hakan?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.
Just then, the door opened with a CLACK, and my maid entered. "Did you call for me, My Lady?"
Hakan chuckled lowly, pulling me closer. "No… I didn't say…" His eyes sparkled as he looked at me. "You have such a devoted maid, Lucina. You're so attentive—even to the lightest sounds we make."
I watched as my two other maids, who had been standing by the door, bowed swiftly and departed with a SWOOSH of their skirts. I suspected Hakan was trying to distract me from something, though I wasn't entirely sure what.
Titi, my closest maid, stepped forward with a warm smile. "I'll look after the princess tonight," she said.
"Huh?" I asked, slightly confused.
"I promise to take good care of her," she continued. "So please, get some much-needed rest."
I hugged her briefly, feeling reassured. "Thank you, Titi."
"Have a wonderful evening together," she wished us, and then, with a final CLACK of the door, she and the baby were gone.
Hakan turned to me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Now that Martha's gone, what should we do…?"
I raised an eyebrow at him. "What in the world did you say to Titi?" I asked, sensing his playful scheme.
He let out a slight AHEM, leaning close and running a hand through his hair. "I asked her for a favor, since we haven't had much time together."
I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You're such a child sometimes."
He pressed his chest against my back, warm and comforting, his breath brushing my neck. "What would you like to do now?"
I felt a rush of warmth and a small, happy SHWAAAH filled my chest as I pondered the possibilities. "Um…"
This preserves all the emotional beats, actions, and sensory moments exactly as in your passage, while enhancing the flow, inner thoughts, and atmosphere.
After Hakan's clever scheme to get Titi to take the baby for the night, the room fell into a rare, quiet peace. I couldn't help but CHUCKLE softly at his antics. "You're such a child sometimes," I teased, a playful smile tugging at my lips.
He pressed his chest close against my back, his warmth enveloping me. His eyes glimmered with anticipation, and I felt a flutter of excitement in my chest. "What would you like to do now?" he murmured, voice low and inviting.
"Um…" I began, feeling a pleasant warmth—a gentle SHWAAAH—wash through me as I considered his question.
Hakan had arranged for us to visit the hot springs under the moonlight, a private, secluded spot where the water reflected the stars above. It was peaceful, intimate, and deeply romantic. The warmth of the water embraced us as we settled in, leaning against the smooth stone edge of the pool.
"Visiting the hot springs was a great idea," Hakan murmured, letting out a long, contented sigh. "I can feel my tiredness just melting away."
"Oh!" I responded softly as his hand began to SLIDE along my shoulder, tracing gentle circles down my arm. The combination of the hot water and his strong, reassuring touch was intoxicating. My heart started to beat faster—BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP.
"You don't have to be so nervous," he said, misinterpreting the quickened rhythm of my pulse. "I'm just giving you a massage because it makes me happy to see you so relaxed."
"O-Okay…" I whispered, a faint blush spreading across my cheeks as I felt a tingling warmth bloom within me. I leaned my head back against him, letting the heat of the water and the press of his hands completely envelope me.
He gave my shoulder a final, lingering PRESS, then rested his chin gently on my shoulder, wrapping his arms around me. A low, comforting chuckle escaped his lips. "Don't worry, I didn't ask for anything today."
I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the peace and closeness. But then, a wave of desire washed over me, and I shook my head softly. "No," I breathed, my heart racing, my breath catching in my throat. "The truth is…"
I turned slightly to face him, meeting his gaze directly. "…I want you."
His eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of curiosity and wonder crossing his features. "…?"
I repeated myself, my voice now stronger, carrying the sudden intensity of my longing. "…Hakan."
A deep, sensual sound—a low CHUCKLE—escaped him as he responded, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine in a searing, passionate KISS.
The kiss was everything I had desired and more. Hakan's strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, and the warm water SPLASHED softly around us as our embrace deepened. A low, satisfied sound—HAA—escaped his lips, and my heart hammered wildly in my chest—BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP.
"You're making me lose control," he murmured against my skin, his breath warm and intoxicating.
Our eyes met, and I could see the dark fire of desire mirrored in his gaze. "I want it," I whispered, my voice trembling with anticipation, my pulse racing even faster.
He looked down at me, his eyes dark and intense—BA-BUMP. "What do you want?" he asked, seeking the truth in my words.
"Show me how much you love me," I replied, my voice husky, thick with longing. The shimmering blue light of the water made the moment feel otherworldly, like the world had narrowed down to just us, just this instant.
He leaned closer, his voice low, steady, and serious. "Promise me that you'll spend the rest of your life with me."
A feeling of complete devotion and certainty settled in my heart. "Of course I will," I whispered, my fingers gripping his arms. He slid his hand gently along my back. "I promise."
With that final word, all doubt and hesitation vanished. He kissed me again, fully, deeply, as the full moon hung high above us, its silver light reflecting off the hot spring. In that quiet, magical moment, I felt perfect peace—and a passion that connected us completely, sealing our love beneath the stars.