Forbidden Love

By Major Mike Powell III

Cassandra Alexandra stood before the Euridyce Shrine, praying to the god of forge, Hephaestus.

She prayed for the good fortune and safe return home of her older sister, Sophitia. The oldest Alexandra had been gone for about six to eight months now. She had gone after the evil sword, Soul Edge, whose other half Sophitia had shattered years earlier during the battle with the dread pirate, Cervantes de Leon.

Her Omega Sword had been shattered as well, but Rothion the blacksmith fixed it and gave it back to Sophitia before her second journey.

He had also taken the opportunity to propose to her, but she had politely rejected him. She said she would repay him the favor of fixing her sword, though.

Little time after Sophitia had received the call of Hephaestus and gone in search of the Soul Edge, Cassandra had gone after her sister, believing Sophitia had gone through enough tests as it was, and she found her at Ostreinsburg Castle.

Sophitia had asked her sister to step back and return to Athens, but she had blatantly refused. Seeing no other way to end the argument, the oldest Alexandra had drawn her sword against her sister.

They crossed blades.

It was a very even fight, but in the end, Cassandra let her guard down, and that opening was the all the more-experienced Sophitia needed.

No blood was spilled, only pride was hurt.

So, Cassandra had admitted her defeat, given her sister a tight hug, a kiss on the cheek and a "Good luck" and made her way back to Athens.

Finishing her prayer, Cassandra's sky-blue eyes opened and gazed up at the colossal statue of Hephaestus. She sighed.

'Oh, Sis…I-we all miss you…I just hope you're alright. The last time you wrote to us was when you were in Japan…with…' Taki.

The ninja woman that had rescued and taken care of Sophitia after the battle with Cervantes.

Cassandra would be forever grateful to her for that. But she was also aware that her older sister and Taki shared feelings for each other for a while back then.

And along with that awareness…came jealousy.

Cassandra loved her sister…as more than a sister. She wanted Sophitia to be happy and for a long time now…she hoped to be the one that brought her sister said happiness.

'Damn it…but…' Cassandra hugged herself tightly. She couldn't afford to say those words to Sophitia, in fear of her sister's and their parents' reactions.

At first, Cassandra thought her feelings for Sophitia would eventually disappear, as if it were just a phase. However, those feelings had nothing short of become even stronger as the time passed by and also…the youngest Alexandra desired her older sister.

She wanted Sophitia…and she wanted her badly.

More than enough nights Cassandra had satisfied her lust by pleasing herself, imagining Sophitia to be the one caressing, kissing, loving her.

"Oh Sophie…I love you but…I know I can't have you!" she sighed in defeat. "If only for just one night…"

"Cassandra!" the girl's eyes widened in recognition, relief and joy when she heard the familiar, beautiful voice of her beloved sister. She whipped around and smiled brightly at an equally-smiling Sophitia.

"SIS! You're back!" with a happy cry, Cassandra bounced over to her sister and enveloped her in a loving, albeit bone-crushing hug. Sophitia let out a "Huff!" at the sudden affection, but soon embraced her younger sister back, patting Cassandra's blonde locks and rubbing her back.

"Hey Cassie. I'm home~" Sophitia spoke, planting a soft kiss on the top of Cassandra's head.

"Oh Sophie…I missed you…so much" the younger girl said softly in her sister's ear. "Don't go away ever again, Ok?" she asked with a little sniffle.

Sophitia pulled back from the hug and smiled at Cassandra, wiping away a couple of tears from the younger girl's eyes and then placed a loving kiss on Cassandra's forehead.

"It's Ok, Cassandra. It's all over. Soul Edge is gone" she said reassuringly. Cassandra nodded and took her sister's hands.

Suddenly, Sophitia frowned and looked up and around. She had the odd feeling she was being watched. Cassandra tilted her head to the side.

"Sis? What's wrong?" she asked, worried. Sophitia looked back at her, shook her head and smiled.

"Oh, no. It's nothing. Come on, let's go home" she said. Cassandra smiled sweetly again and nodded. She nearly skipped alongside her sister, holding her hand tightly with both of her own.

Now, as the Alexandra sisters made their way down to the city, Cassandra showered Sophitia with questions about her travels: the opponents she fought against, the items she acquired and familiar people Sophitia had come across.

"Well, I sure hope you didn't beat up Rock too much at that lakeside coliseum!" Cassandra commented with a giggle. Sophitia sweat-dropped a bit.

"Don't worry. He'll be Ok, but I got really nervous when fighting that thief with a katana and shuriken. Her style was really good…I would've been in big trouble if she had gotten away with my money" the older woman let out a sigh of relief. She then blushed slightly. "But…well, though she didn't even give me her name, she was very…well, she was quite good-looking…"

Cassandra blinked twice and tilted her head to a side. She then gave her sister a doubtful look.

"O-Oh…I, ah…I see" she began. Sophitia looked at her sister, but before she could ask what was wrong Cassandra spoke again. "Hey, and how was Taki? The last time you wrote home was when you were in Japan with her."

At that, Sophitia's cheeks turned a good shade of pink, and she looked away so her younger sister wouldn't see her embarrassed.

But of course the youngest Alexandra saw it…and her heart clenched. Cassandra just smiled at Sophitia though. She didn't want her big sister to see her pain, and much less to suspect of Cassandra's forbidden love for her.

"Well, she was quite busy, actually" Sophitia informed. "She asked for my help in fighting back the ninjas still loyal to the Fu-Ma's former leader, Toki. Taki fought him at the Hoko Ji Temple…and won, killing him" Sophitia's face fell a bit. Cassandra looked at her in confusion and concern.

"Sis, what is it?" she asked. Her elder sister looked back at her.

"Toki was Taki's father" Cassandra's eyes shot wide open in shock. "He adopted Taki as his own daughter when she was a child. He taught her everything she knows. Taki…she…she needed my support for a while…" Sophitia sighed. "She was distraught. But…Taki got over it, and well, there were some Fu-Ma ninjas still loyal to Toki, and I offered my help in reuniting their clan" she finished.

Cassandra looked down a moment and then looked back up at Sophitia. She then wrapped her arms around the older woman in a loving hug.

"It…it hurt you to see Taki suffer, didn't it?" Cassandra whispered in Sophitia's ear. She closed her eyes, smiled slightly and embraced her little sister back.

"Well, yes. Yes it did. But it's alright now" she reassured Cassandra, giving her a kind smile. The younger blonde smiled back and pulled away. She then grabbed Sophitia's hand with both her own.

"So…you became a ninja, Sophie? Did they give you a suit~? Teehee!" she giggled and Sophitia's cheeks went ablaze with a furious blush.

"W-What?! Of course not~!" the older Alexandra giggled along with her sister. Cassandra then began to all-but drag Sophitia in the direction of their home.

"C'mon, c'mon, hurry! We'll be having a huge party for you, sis!" she cheered.

~o~

While improvised, Sophitia's welcome back party had been pretty good nonetheless. Drinks and a delicious cake were shared between the sisters, their parents and Rothion, who had come to visit.

And again, he tried to propose to Sophitia…and once again, he was politely rejected, much to the dismay of the Alexandra elders and Cassandra's (albeit a touch guilty) joy and relief.

Now, near midnight, after chatting in the living room, the sisters' parents had turned in for the night, leaving Cassandra and Sophitia alone in the room.

Cassandra, after her parents were out of sight and earshot, stood up and, giving Sophitia a wink and a quick "Be right back!", walked into the kitchen.

The elder sister blinked twice and wondered what her little sister had in mind. Soon enough, Cassandra came out of the kitchen holding a bottle of wine in one hand, and a couple of shot glasses in the other.

"Ta dah! Look, Sophie~!" she said cheerfully. Sophitia shook her head and frowned at her sister.

"Cassandra! Where did you get that?" the younger girl pouted and plopped down next to her sister on the couch.

"Oh, but c'mon, Sophitia~! I bought it about a week ago. I kept it away for a special occasion." She said, taking one of Sophitia's hands in her own. The older woman's eyes softened and she smiled.

"Well…" she took one of the glasses in her sister's hand. "I guess a drink or two won't kill me. And besides, you're not a little girl anymore" she said sweetly.

Cassandra's heart fluttered. No-one, not even her own parents had said those words before. People had always treated her as an immature child. Cassandra smiled widely and opened the bottle, first pouring a drink for her sister and then for herself.

"Oh, Sophie…you always know what to say~" she sighed happily and leaned down, pressing her body against her beloved sister's, and rested her head on the older blonde's shoulder.

"To you, sis" Cassandra whispered. With a small giggle, both sisters downed the wine in their cups at the same time.

After about a half-hour of downing shots, the Alexandra sisters were quietly lying in each other's arms on the couch: Sophitia was on her back, leaning against the armrest of the couch, while her sister was all-but sprawled over her body; Cassandra's head nestled in Sophitia's bosom.

"Mmmmm…" the younger girl hummed. Her sky-blue eyes opened slightly and she looked up at her adored sister.

The drink had given her the courage…

"Sis…" she whispered with a smile. Sophitia returned it.

"Yes, Cassie? What is it?" she said loud enough for her fairly-drunk sister to hear.

"Sophie…there's something I…I need to tell you~" she began and she boldly shifted her position on her sister's body, so that she was actually straddling Sophitia's lap.

With a smile and under the older woman's curious gaze, Cassandra leaned down to her sister's face…and her lips stopped their descent mere inches away from Sophitia's.

"When we were little, we used to compete in silly games, remember?" Cassandra purred, gazing longingly and lovingly into Sophitia's deep-blue eyes.

The older woman just remained quiet and let Cassandra continue.

"You nearly always won those games. I used to get so angry at you for beating me…" she giggled. "And so, when people put us in comparison, they always put me behind you, Sophie. And yeah, for a while, it did hurt" Sophitia's face fell and she wiped a tiny, lonely tear sliding down her sister's cheek.

"But I don't hold it against you, sis. I accepted it and…moved on. I knew there was something inside me that told me…it told me to be stronger…to be a better sister for you. To be worthy of having you as my sister" Cassandra went on, leaning further down, so that their noses were touching and both sisters could feel the other's warm breath on their lips.

"I've always loved you more than anything, Sophie. But it was only after you were sent by Hephaestus to destroy the Soul Edge in Cervantes' possession, and then a second time to defeat Nightmare and destroy the other Soul Edge that I…I realized I…" Cassandra licked her lips and blue met blue as the sisters locked gazes.

"Sophitia, I…I…I lo-Hmmm!" Cassandra was cut off when her mouth was covered by Sophitia's own.

The youngest Alexandra's eyes went wide as her Nemea Shield when she finally felt the softest, sweetest pair of lips she could ever dream to kiss.

'By Hephaestus! This…this is so, SO much better than I imagined!' was Cassandra's only coherent thought, before her brain was completely overrun by the incredible feeling of Sophitia's tongue sliding into her mouth and caressing her own. Adding to that was the intoxicating pleasure of Sophitia's body pressed against her own and all-but melding to the younger girl's curves, nearly as if they were pieces of a (now completed) puzzle.

The incredible moment of bliss eventually ended when the need to breathe forced Cassandra to break the kiss. She panted while smothering her sister's face with butterfly kisses.

"Gods, Sophie…! I love you…! I…I love you…so much…" she said in between kisses, and she then began to kiss and nibble on Sophitia's neck and ears.

Her sister smiled, wrapped her arms around Cassandra and hugged her tightly, pressing their bodies together.

"Cassie…" Sophitia purred and her sister's face returned to her field of vision. She cupped the girl's cheeks, which were a bit puffy and moist with tears of joy.

"Yes, sis?" she asked with a smile.

"Cassandra, I somehow knew you loved me as more than a sister, but I…well, I guess I just couldn't see it" Sophitia began, giving her younger sister a soft, calm kiss on the lips and she then pulled the girl's head down to rest on her bosom, with Cassandra happily snuggling deeper into her sister's embrace.

"And I really felt awful when people, even our own parents compared us and looked down on you, pointing out the things I had that you didn't…I felt you were the best of us" Cassandra giggled a bit.

"How ironic, then…" she said softly.

"Yes, well…I also began to realize just how precious you were to me once I was already fighting Cervantes and his Soul Edge. Before I blacked out, after destroying the sword, I thought…of you, Cassie. I wanted you by my side, then…so badly…and well, when I woke up…"

"Taki was there, wasn't she?" Cassandra said…it not a bit coldly. Sophitia sighed.

"Yes, Taki was there. She tended to my wounds, she took care of me and brought me back to health. I…well, for the time we spent together…I grew to love her" Cassandra's hold on her sister's body tightened.

Sophitia closed her eyes and went on.

"I felt bad for leaving her in Japan…but our duty was first. I know she saved my life after destroying the Soul Edge…and well, we met again, little time before I sent you-OH!" Sophitia then stopped when realization hit. "I forgot to tell you in that letter, Cassie. Taki found a girlfriend~!"

Cassandra's head shot up from her "pillows" and she stared in curiosity and surprise.

"Really~?! Uhm!" she coughed into her fist. "I mean, really?"

Sophitia let out a chuckle and cupped Cassandra's chin in her hand and smiled sweetly.

"You were jealous, weren't you?" she asked. Cassandra merely pouted.

"Well, I've got every reason to be! You're mine!" she emphasized that point by squeezing Sophitia in her embrace. "Anyway, who is the girl?" she asked nearly child-like. The older sister giggled.

"Her name is Kasumi. She's a runaway shinobi of the Mugen Tenshin clan. She was searching for the man that crippled her brother Hayate, who was going to be the new leader of the clan." Sophitia explained. Cassandra smiled and returned to snuggling into her sister's warmth.

"Then, I've got nothing to worry about!" she said happily. Sophitia chuckled.

"Yes, Cassie…you have nothing to worry about. Anyway, as I was saying, I met Kasumi. She is a nice girl, a perfect match for Taki. However, it took her a little while to get over me, but she did, and I'm happy for her" She explained. "But…what I wasn't expecting was for it to…not hurt. I thought Taki moving on would hurt me more…but it didn't. And now…I think I know why…" Sophitia smiled at her younger sister and, cupping her cheeks, she pulled her up to her face.

"I love you, Cassandra" she said the words softly and then locked lips with the younger blonde once again.

The youngest Alexandra moaned unabashedly into the kiss as Sophitia's hands began to roam over her young, lithe, athletic body.

"Oh Sophie…" Cassandra purred, breaking the kiss. She leaned up to her sister's ear and whispered huskily…

"Make me a woman, Sophitia~"

The older Alexandra sister replied to that with a soft kiss before sitting up on the couch. She then took Cassandra's hands and broke the kiss.

"As you wish, my sweet, precious little sister~" she whispered in her ear before standing up, pulling Cassandra along.

Their hands joined, the two made their way to Sophitia's room.

That night, clothes were slowly taken off, kisses were shared, caresses were delivered and moans and muffled cries ensued.

They would deal with the consequences later. Right now, right there, all that mattered…was each other.

The End