Twelve Realms Ch. 05-06

"Gods! That's it!" Fiona shouted, her body clenching around Jacob. He drove himself into her as hard and deep as he could manage and roared out his own release as the sky above them opened up and a deluge of rain poured down on them.

Jacob rolled off of Fiona and onto his back, laughing as the water washed over their naked bodies. After a few minutes the heavy rain tapered off to a sprinkle and then the sky cleared and the autumn sun came out to warm them. Jake pulled Fiona towards him and she rested her head on his chest as they both continued to chuckle softly. He stroked her wet hair as their breathing returned to normal.

"I've never seen your Land Law magic respond except when you are angry, princess."

"Any strong emotion can be a trigger... Normally I do a better job of keeping it contained...but that's harder to do in the Wilds. Just being here calls my magic to the surface."

Jacob nodded and continued to stroke her hair.

"What made you cut your hair, Beloved? You were such a vain little girl about your silver braids. I never thought I'd see you with short hair."

"Ah... You are right, I was terribly vain about my hair. Mother and Elsa, my lady's maid, would spend hours getting it into the intricate plaits and then enspell it to keep it neat for days at a time, even through sleeping. But that all ended when I found myself on Academy with nobody to help me with three feet of hair every day. I wore it in a ponytail for a week or so and then got tired of it and cut it all off. Mother was furious when she found out.

"Probably my first instance of real rebellian."

"I kind of like it short," Jacob said, running his fingers through it. "It makes it easier to see your gorgeous face."

Before Fiona could respond, they both heard the sound of a comm buzzing. Jacob rolled away from her, got up, and found his pants to pull out his communicator.

"Edward?" he said once he'd turned it on.

Jacob listened intently to Edward. As Fiona watched his jaw hardened in fury.

"What? Slow down, Ed. Explain it again."

"And Reliquary? Were they able to defend the Beacons?"

"Okay. Samuel is very capable. I have every confidence in him."

"She's here with me." Jake face softened a little and he glanced over at Fiona.

"Yes. The localized storm was definitely her."

"No! No we didn't have an argument! She just got excited."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up into his hair and he blushed as he listened to what Edward had to say, his eyes focused on Fiona's.

"Well, we both got drenched, but we'll be back to the Kype in a half hour."

"Citadel out." Jake shut off the comm and turned to Fiona, his lips pressed in a hard line.

"What happened, Jake?"

"The Empire hit Reliquary," Jacob clenched his fists. "The Duke of Alcazar was killed."

"Moon Haven is his heir. I don't know him. Samuel didn't come to court until after I went to Academy."

"Sam will be an excellent Duke. His father taught him well."

"But it's yet another inexperienced Duke in the Outer Margins

They got dressed in their soaked clothes. Jacob gave Fiona his tartan flannel to wear to stave off a chill since it was the least wet of their belongings. They made their way back to the horses and rode back to the Kype in silence.

Maeve met them at the stables giving Jacob a baleful glare before all but dragging Fiona from her horse. The queen marched her daughter back into the Kype, not speaking a single word. Jacob took the horses to the stablehands and left them to their work before heading into the Kype proper to find Edward.

"You are returning to Academy as soon as Edward's personal shuttle is ready, princess," Queen Maeve informed her daughter. "You will be ready in clothes befitting your station."

"But Mama, I'm supposed to stay another day!"

"Jacob and Edward will be far too busy dealing with the Reliquary situation. You will only be a distraction. As Princess Royale it is your duty to return to Academy where the King and your Duke know you are safe."

Fiona opened her mouth to argue, but then thought better of it and just nodded.

"I'm glad to see you acting sensible for once, princess," the queen remarked archly.

"Yes Mama."