Four months after returning from New Sanctaphrax, Cade Quarter picked up his copperwood spyglass, shrugged on his tilderskin coat and closed the door to his cabin. That morning, Celestia had invited him to go stargazing with her. And now the night had come – his chest was feeling fit to burst.
The air was brisk outside, the wind soothing. The clear and cloudless night sky was illuminated by the bright full moon, its entirety dusted with the celestial sugar that was the stars above Cade.
He tramped along a well-trodden dirt path, which took him through the eastern forests of the Farrow Ridges. When the trees thinned, the path was defined by switchbacks that lead up to High Farrow. There, near a cliff overlooking the growing town of Farrow Lake, was Celestia Helmstoft. She was seated, splendid in her green tilderleather riding suit and form-fitting black leggings, potions and amulets dangling from her neck.
Once a simple outpost in the treacherous Deepwoods, the place had grown into one of the most advanced settlements in all the Edge, thanks to the power of Fourth Age technology.
Celestia had opened up a large, thick barkfleece blanket on the soft gladegrass and set up pillows for the both of them. Folded on one corner of the blanket was a quilt, to keep them warm. At the other corner sat a picnic basket, laden with spiced hammelhorn strips, loaves of oakbread, thousandfoot fritters, and a huge bottle of woodfizz.
Cade had been in love with Celestia for years but war after war eliminated all chances of a romance forming. She was still mourning the death of her superior in the skymarshals, Brock Rolnix, so he felt it was a bad time to confess his feelings. He was certain her relationship with Brock had a romantic undertone. Hearing his footsteps, she turned to look at him.
"Cade!" Celestia exclaimed, her emerald eyes lighting up, her breath misting. "Over here!"
Cade sat down next to her on the picnic blanket and smiled. She took the quilt and covered them with it. Eyeing the woodfizz sticking out of the basket, he could tell it was a special occasion.
Celestia noticed his gaze. "It's to celebrate the opening of the Town Hall. And now the people want to elect a Councillor of Farrow Lake to represent and run our town."
"Why drink to this specific building?" said Cade.
"It's a step towards growing this place," Celestia explained, "to sharing our peaceful land with like-minded individuals."
"Fair enough." He leaned forward to grab the bottle. "Let's drink!"
Celestia fished two metallic goblets from the basket and handed them to Cade and then popped the cork, filling their cups to the brim. They clinked their goblets together, woodfizz spilling over, and downed their drinks in one gulp.
"Want some more?" she asked.
"Of course!"
The alcohol warmed his chest and face, and after a few rounds, the cold air no longer bothered Cade. The warmth emanating from Celestia—pressed up next to Cade—and the cozy blankets were the perfect solution. Between sips of woodfizz and oakbread, Celestia returned to the subject of politics.
"I think the new Councillor should be you, you know?" she began.
"But I don't know the first thing about governance!" said Cade.
"It's easy. Just sign this document, approve that project," she teased, putting her arm around him.
"I disagree."
"You don't have to decide now. They'll hold an election in two moons time."
Though the plan was to gaze at the stars, he couldn't keep his eyes off of Celestia. She had olive-colored skin, a rarity in the Edge. Her long, jet-black hair was tied back in an intricate braid with a red ribbon, her green irises mesmerizing. Cade noticed her full lips were painted a subtle crimson, a similar hue to the ribbon holding her plait together. Celestia's hot breath billowed onto his cheeks, making his heart soar. It could've smelled better but that was a nitpick. Soon the buzz reached his head, and he felt loose and incredible.
The pair made short work of the bottle and oakbread—which they ate with squabfruit preserves—leaving the spiced hammelhorn strips and thousandfoot fritters for the morning. After finishing their simple dinner, Celestia and Cade laid back and rested their heads on their feather-stuffed pillows.
She pointed out the most famous stars and constellations to him: the East Star, Borius the Spider, Darsh the Dragon, and Mitras the Great Banderbear. His friend Thorne Lammergyre had fashioned an extension for his copperwood spyglass which radically increased its magnification capabilities. Cade attached it, careful not to damage his family heirloom. He and Celestia took turns peering through his spyglass, observing the stars up close. It was an unforgettable experience and Cade was glad he had agreed to accompany her.
Once the pair had finished stargazing and started settling down to sleep, they rolled over to face each other and talk about what they'd witnessed.
"Beautiful, wasn't it?" Celestia said.
"Very," said Cade. He was getting emotional, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "The night sky makes me feel insignificant, yet it isn't a scary notion to me. Our trials and tribulations are small. And unimportant to the stars."
"I don't think that far into it. I just think they're a pretty sight. Worth sharing with a loved one…" Celestia wiped his tear away with her palm. Her touch was welcomed. She looked deep into his eyes and continued. "Your sensitivity is endearing at times."
"I… I didn't mean to cry. I'm just overwhelmed."
"I understand. All this ugliness we've endured, it makes us lose sight of the majesty of our world. And realizing it again is breath-taking."
"You sound like Eudoxia," said Cade.
"I learned plenty about eloquence and charm from her," Celestia said, scooting ever closer to Cade, warm and happy.
"You are charming—and always have been."
"Trying to flatter me, city boy?"
In that moment, Cade was overcome by an intense urge to kiss Celestia, his guilt regarding Brock forgotten. He searched her eyes to see if they would betray her thoughts. Her irises were defined by striations of green in a wispy sunburst pattern emanating from her pupils. Though captivating, he discerned nothing of her feelings.
Celestia had never felt such intimacy before. Sure, she'd been best friends with Cade for a long time and had flirted with him often – but this was something more. He had been incredibly supportive during her devastation over Brock and she knew he was enamored with her. I wonder if this is just the woodfizz, Celestia thought.
"Cade, there's something I need to tell you," she shyly began.
"Should I be worried?" said Cade with a chuckle.
"No! I wanted to let you know that I treasure you. You've been so good to me since we first met… five years ago, was it? You helped me save my father and have always had my back, demanding nothing from me."
"That's what friends are for."
"Just friends, is that it?" said Celestia, clearly amused.
Cade blushed. Are my feelings that obvious?
"With Brock dying, Fenda, Grent…," she continued, "I realize how much it would hurt me if you were gone…"
Celestia—bold as always—made the first move, leaning in and planting a kiss on Cade's lips. It felt good. It felt right.
When she pulled away, his cheeks were flushed and his blue eyes were lively and opened wide. His desire was aflame and he wanted more but he didn't know how to proceed. Cade hadn't kissed a girl since fleeing Great Glade, and in his inexperience, hit his forehead against hers while trying to return the kiss.
"Cade! Earth and Sky, that fucking hurt!"
"I'm sorry!" What a fool she must think I am, he fretted.
"I'll live," Celestia said, laughing it off, "don't need to feel mortified, city boy…"
Celestia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, this time for longer and with her tongue. Cade took hold of her hips and pulled her towards him. He ran his hands over the surface of her leggings, to her ass, and squeezed gently. He felt a stirring in his breaches and his cock began to stiffen.
"Harder," she murmured before nibbling his neck. Cade obeyed, holding onto Celestia's body, his cock dripping, salty fluid seeping through his trousers.
Ten minutes passed and the couple began to feel drowsy. They rolled onto their backs and sighed with content. Celestia clasped Cade's hand in hers and squeezed. A deep sense of calm washed over him—and joy—as his dreams became reality.
"What now?" he asked.
"Whatever happens next is what happens next," she said simply and rolled over for a moment to kiss his cheek.
Celestia then gripped his hand, guiding it under her black leggings and between her thighs to her clit. Cade, still a beginner, wasn't sure what to do next. "Use your fingers and rub it," she whispered into his ear.
She moaned as he found his rhythm. There was something special about another person stroking her, instead of just her alone in her bedchamber. When her cunt was wet enough, she pulled her leggings down.
Celestia let out a soft gasp as three of Cade's fingers entered her tight heat. They just barely fit inside of her. He pushed them in and out of her inner warmth, his palm brushing against Celestia's clit, her body shuddering.