WARNING: This fanfiction is NanoFate and it is rated M for strong and/or violent content and situations, as well as intimate scenes between two women. If this type of content is not to your liking, please do not read it.
DISCLAIMER: MSLN Characters belong to their rightful owners. All the situations and characters presented in this work are fictitious, any similarity with real, historical, or present situations or individuals, it is not intentional.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTES: Okay, so the first days of November were somehow chaotic for the FF page and delayed the moment to publish the chapter, and the mess was somehow solved yesterday as I published. So, as ideally, we were/are planning to publish two chapters per week, we don't want to delay this one anymore.
Anyways... on to the story now...
"Till the End of Times" by Aleksei Volken
Chapter 12. FAREWELLS
"Yes, I know Fate-san burns with the desire to stand, walk and especially, return to work but you must take things easy for a few more days… Two days ago you were still unconscious and four days ago, still burning up in fever!" Shamal insisted on a very stubborn Fate who was sitting on her bed after instructing Linith to bring her armor.
"It's not the first time I've been wounded… Counselor Yagami," Fate insisted, narrowing her eyes, with that serious, self-sufficient tone that made Nanoha want to hit her with a mallet.
"Shamal, Linith," said Nanoha, who had just entered the room right at the moment when Fate was giving Linith instructions in her absence. "Could you give us a moment please?"
Both the physician and Fate's valet bowed and left as requested.
Standing in front of Fate, holding her hands in front of her, Nanoha looked at her and waited.
Two days had passed since she had woken up and Fate was already insisting on going back to her duties in the Imperial Guard.
"I cannot stay here doing nothing, Nanoha… besides," Fate said, noticing her wife's attitude and using a much softer tone than she had used with Shamal. Tilting down her head a little she added almost embarrassed, "I must see my mother. She won't come. And every minute that goes by surely is making her more furious..."
Nanoha knew that moment was bound to arrive, but she had hoped it would not come so soon. Fate was really recovering quickly but she could tell she was not completely well yet.
The night before, Shamal had agreed for Signum to report the activities Fate usually was in charge of. The heiress had insisted that the meeting with her captain be private, so Nanoha did not know what they had talked about but what she did know was that she had not liked one bit the worried face her wife had when the meeting ended.
Fate had gone to sleep quieter than usual and that morning she had asked Nanoha for breakfast earlier than usual.
Now she knew why.
During her brief absence, Fate called Linith to bring her armor as well as to help her get dressed, but she had not counted on Shamal to be looking out for her the minute Nanoha stepped out.
At that moment, Fate was looking at her in that way she had come to know very well; too well for her own good… and, as she had already found out in multiple ways, when Fate had that look there was nothing that would change her mind.
The last couple of days they had interacted peacefully. They had not talked about anything… deep… but at least, they had not argued about minutiae as they always used to do before. Fate had been behaving kindly with her and she… well, she could not find a word to describe the way she had been behaving with her wife.
They had some sort of silent but frail truce that could be broken at any moment.
Breathing in deeply, Nanoha asked, "Are you only going to see your mother?"
Fate made an apologetic face but answered truthfully.
"No. I also need to meet Signum and Victoria at the guard's quarters."
Nanoha already was aware something had happened that had worried Fate since the previous night.
"Shamal is right about what she is saying, you know? If you don't take it easy and you overdo it now, you may take longer to recover…" Nanoha tried. She was not used to talking to Fate nicely, least of all, asking things from her. She just could not ask her not to go out now.
Fate, on her side, was not used to saying something, and Nanoha not to respond in a negative, defensive, or plainly aggressive way; so she felt like walking on extremely thin, dangerous, ice… blindfolded.
"If I… promise to finish everything I have to do by noon… and take the rest of the afternoon… easy…" Fate said cautiously, "Would that be acceptable to Shamal?"
They both looked at each other without saying a word for a few seconds.
"Maybe if you promise to finish by noon, or earlier if you are not feeling well… Shamal would accept," Nanoha said.
Shamal had no idea she was being used as a temporary bridge between the wives but at least, her name served her function mediating so both could reach an agreement… that the physician had no choice but to accept before the strict gaze of both women.
Additionally, this time specifically to Shamal, Fate had to promise she would call for her if for any reason she did not feel well.
So at that moment, Fate walked firmly but at a moderate speed with Signum by her side towards the meeting room her mother had adjoined to the Great Throne Room, where she knew the Hegemon would be attending several matters. Victoria, Micaiah, and Sieglinde walked in formation behind them. On the way, Signum briefly informed her about the latest news and what her mother would probably tell her.
She waited to be announced and entered with firm steps to the room, while Signum and the rest awaited outside to be called. Fate had hoped to find her mother alone, but her hopes were dissipated in an instant as soon as she entered. Precia was sitting at the large table, as well as her aunt Olivie, Megane Alpine, Victoria Dahlgründ 'Mother', and much to Fate's surprise… Fortis and Arnage Huckebein were there with her as well.
The least Fate was expecting was for Fortis to return as her mother's counselor after the result of the duel… or her mother to take him back, but least of all to find him along with his sibylline sister. Apparently, she had been very wrong.
"Of course," she thought when her eyes met the ones of the Huckebeins, "they could not leave Veyron's sacrifice without capitalizing on it."
The Huckebeins, just like her mother, weighed the interests of the family over other more intangible and less representative matters.
Fate bowed, greeting all the ones present.
Olivie, who had visited her a couple of times since she had woken up, stood up to kiss her, as well as Megane and Victoria. The women gave her compliments on her recovery but moderately, Fate presumed, in consideration to the presence of the Huckebein siblings.
Fortis and Arnage acknowledged her presence with a light gesture of the head.
"It's good to see you recovered, Marshal Testarossa," Fortis added laconically in the name of both of them. Veyron had faced his duel with honor. Even if Veyron had died, the Huckebeins, as a family, had won. They could not throw that away by being rude to Fate.
Although in private it was a completely different story.
"You took your sweet time," Precia said with her eyes almost closed and without making a single movement to move from her seat.
"The Yagami physician considered it was better not to take any unnecessary risks, Your Highness," Fate responded a little hurt by her mother's reaction but tilting her head in a sign of respect.
She was not expecting her to get up from her seat and run to hug her, but she was not expecting to be scolded either. Once again, she was happy to have decided to have that conversation as quickly as possible.
"Her Highness is worried about certain matters that require her attention," Fortis explained with a smile, just as if he was able to read Fate's feelings of discomfort. "There are things that only the heiress and Marshal of the Imperial Guard can be in charge of. I presume Captain Wolkenritter has explained the situation?"
"Yes," Fate answered, hardening with Fortis's words and gesturing the guard to summon her warriors in.
When Signum and the rest entered and bowed to the Hegemon, Fate took her place at the table with the rest.
"Victoria and Micaiah have not found yet any solid lead on the rebels in Kestrel, however, now that they are back and informed what happened to Signum, our captain noticed a seemingly insignificant event which could be critical now." Fate gestured to Signum who, standing behind her, approached to report.
"Knights Dahlgründ and Chevelle reported having detected a band of three men… probably outlaws, hiding in the woods surrounding Kestrel. Dahlgründ reported the information to Governor Lanster and several search parties went after them to no avail. The conclusion was that it was an isolated event and that probably the bandits would keep mugging road travelers," Signum explained getting straight to the point.
"However, when they arrived and gave me the detailed descriptions of the men in question, I remembered a comment the Warrior of Albion made to me after her arrival. For security reasons, she did not come here in a group, but rather concealing her identity and with a minimal royal escort until Dinsmark's borders. Along their way, they ran into the same kind of men described by Dahlgründ and Chevelle but in a much larger number. They, just as warrior Saber was, seemed to be hiding and to be very well organized for just some random road thieves."
After finishing her summary of the events, Signum stepped back to her original position.
"Have you talked to the Warrior of Albion about this?" Olivie asked Fate.
All the members of the nobility council that were present were already aware of the gang of thieves reported by Victoria and Micaiah and although the idea of them posing a significant threat had not been entirely rejected yet, Signum's last piece of information changed the perspective.
"No," Fate recognized. "I was planning to do so after this meeting."
"What would the possible implications be?" Megane Alpine asked.
"If this is an organized group, not an isolated one anymore and a large one… that would explain why we have not been able to find any lead in Kestrel. They would be causing the riots and then retreat to another location," Fate explained. "Up until now we thought the rebellion was directly related to the people of Kestrel, but if our theory is correct then… the enemy is elsewhere and only using Kestrel as a scapegoat."
Victoria Dahlgründ 'Mother' and Megane leaned in to whisper something to each other and then to Olivie.
"That would necessarily mean they have someone inside Kestrel," Fortis insisted with a serious tone. "The attacks could not have happened without inside help. The attackers knew very well our weaker spots."
Fate refrained from answering that such knowledge not necessarily had to come from Kestrel but it could also come from Dinsmark. Olivie had told her very few people were aware of how critical the situation really was in Kestrel. At that moment, Fortis was one of the few who was aware of that, but not that Alicia, Olivie, and Fate suspected the traitor was very close, in Dinsmark, and not outside of it.
Fate was not sure if Olivie had said anything to her mother but she could not take that risk in front of the rest.
"Definitely," Fate conceded with a straight face. She opted to keep her ace up her sleeve. "We will have to keep investigating. I will speak to the Warrior of Albion now. Micaiah and Victoria will go to Kestrel tomorrow and I will catch up with them as soon as possible."
"And when will that be?" Precia asked with some impatience in her tone. "The rebels are not going to wait for you Fate… they keep going on with their plans and all our drawbacks just help them."
"It's a long horseback ride to Kestrel," Olivie intervened before Fate could answer. "Victoria and Micaiah going on the front line will give Fate the time to prepare things for her and finish her recovery…"
"Our Marshal and heiress is a woman more than strong and resilient," Arnage spoke for the very first time with a slightly sardonic smile on her lips. "It's not like her current condition puts her life in danger, is it?"
"I will come with Victor and Micaiah to cover Fate's tasks," Sieglinde said, taking a step forward.
"And if Captain Wolkenritter joins Marshal Testarossa after, who will be in charge of the Imperial Guard, Knight Jeremiah?" Fortis asked, giving Sieglinde an inquisitive look. "The Guard cannot remain on inexperienced hands."
"Silence!" Precia stated standing up and looking severely at her daughter. "The rebels need to know the Empire is strong and impenetrable. The image of authority that must prevail in Kestrel is yours, Fate. I do not care who goes in the front line or how you organize your troops. Make the necessary arrangements to get there as soon as possible."
Fate clenched her jaw but accepted. "So shall it be, Your Highness. I will talk to the Warrior of Albion and we will make the arrangements for our departure…"
"You will go…" Precia cut her off. "Saber of Albion remains here, with me. I have a mission for her."
Fate looked at her mother puzzled but Precia just took her place back on her seat without further explanation.
"Is there anything else… Fate?" the Hegemon questioned her coldly.
"No, Your Highness," Fate answered and after bidding farewell to the women of the council and the Huckebeins, she left the room feeling completely furious.
Sometimes she just could not tell if her mother was on her side or the Huckebeins'. Be that as it may, she would now have to convince Shamal… and Nanoha… that not only she was fine, but also that she was ready for a three-day horseback ride without any problem.
"Signum," she called her captain who was walking slightly behind her. "Where can I find the Warrior of Albion this time of the day?"
It was not Signum who answered, but Sieglinde. And the answer did not amuse her at all.
"Knight Saber must be in the training arena. The last few mornings she has been there with Lady Nanoha practicing…"
Fate stopped short in her tracks and turned to stop Sieg, putting a hand on her chest.
"What did you say?" she asked with anger glowing in her eyes.
Sieg held Fate's gaze… and Signum's, right beside her.
"I said Saber must be… probably… at the training arena," she repeated cautiously.
"After that…" Fate hissed with her teeth clenched.
"It's been a couple of days that… Knight Saber is there… at this time... with Lady Nanoha..." Sieglinde said more concerned and promptly added, "But Vita and Zafira have been there with her too! I mean… it's not like she has been alone…"
Signum shook her head disapprovingly. Sieg had just gotten her in a gigantic problem with Fate.
Exactly as she expected, Fate turned slowly to look at her.
"That means you knew." Fate was not asking.
Signum considered her best choice given the circumstances.
She could not tell Fate that Nanoha had asked Shamal to ask her to keep the secret because she wanted to surprise Fate. That would only make things worse and would make Fate angered, not at her but at Nanoha.
After Fate had finally woken up and everyone was more relieved, Nanoha had suddenly approached Vita with the requirement to train her in the use of the sword, just as Fate had requested since the beginning. The short knight wanted to report it to Fate immediately but Nanoha asked her not to until she recovered. And then, the idea of the so-called surprise started to take shape.
During her first session with Vita, Saber noticed them and approached them. There and then the problems for Signum started.
Saber gently offered Nanoha to train her with her technique. Vita, obviously, vehemently protested. She had probably been so emphatic that she ended up offending the Warrior of Albion, which had them in turn, confronted in a duel. The reward for the victorious one would be the privilege of teaching her own technique to the Imperial Consort.
Vita had lost.
For Nanoha, it truly did not matter whether Saber or Vita taught her. She also enjoyed very much the time spent with the nice blond warrior who was also a foreigner in Belkan lands just like herself. She could learn the Belkan technique at any other time.
Nanoha did not see a problem with that but Signum noticed it from the very first moment. Despite that, she had agreed to Shamal's request, which actually was Nanoha's request.
"Damned Vita," she thought. "Of all possible duels, she had to lose that one in particular. Well, at least Fate has indeed been surprised."
"Yes," she recognized, staring directly at Fate. "I knew."
Fate pressed her lips together and without saying another word strode towards the training arena.
— X —
"Left… Block… Up… Strike…"
Saber's voice was soft and modulated while she moved gracefully in the arena.
The slender blonde warrior was all gracefulness and strength, moving as if it were at a dance more than in combat; and although they were moving much slower than what real combat would require using wooden swords to teach Nanoha the basic movements, her dance was still harmonious and aesthetic.
Nanoha did not know about the basic movements of fencing, but she was thin and nimble. They were both wearing light training clothes and leather protections that were lighter for Nanoha who was not used to wearing armor. And they both looked great together.
"Block…" Saber said again, this time hitting Nanoha's sword harder.
Both swords crashed together, Saber grabbed Nanoha by the wrist and pushed; the red-haired just as the other had taught her, stood her ground and resisted, gripping Saber's wrist as well. The swords were pushing each other forcefully.
Nanoha resisted but Saber was much more experienced and with the last push, the blonde's sword ended right by Nanoha's neck.
"Block…" Saber repeated with a smile that Nanoha returned. "You must always block, Lady Nanoha."
Nanoha dropped her arms to the sides, exhausted but with a wide smile. "Mou… Saber-san… this is too tiring! My arms hurt already!"
Saber approached her and placed a hand over Nanoha's shoulder.
"You have done very well… the art of the sword is not something that can be learned in one day… Besides, we also need to strengthen your body and…"
"Can you tell me what the hell are you doing?"
Nanoha and Saber were so caught up with their training that they never noticed Fate until she was standing inches away from them. Nanoha turned to Fate's voice only to find her wife looking at her, furiously. Signum and Vita were standing at a safe distance from her.
"Fate…" Nanoha started and quickly ran out of words.
"I asked you a question," Fate insisted, approaching her wife with a threatening look and grabbing her by the arm.
"Hey..." Nanoha protested, annoyed with her attitude. "I am training with the sword… Isn't it obvious?"
"My instructions were for Vita to teach you," she answered Nanoha, ignoring Saber who kept at a distance but was closely paying attention to the conversation between them, "and not about the sword, but to defend yourself."
"I do not care what your instructions were," Nanoha answered with her anger and indignation increasing, shaking her arm to break free from Fate's grip and taking a few steps behind to put distance between them. "And I can learn whatever I want from whomever I want."
"You were not willing to learn when Vita offered the first time…" Fate argued, getting closer to her again.
"Vita did not offer from her own will… You ordered it to her, without even asking me first if I wanted or was able to…" Nanoha countered.
"It seems you really want or you are very able now," Fate said, grabbing her arm again, with more strength this time to recriminate her. "Why didn't you tell me you wanted to learn now? Did you have to go behind my back?"
"Eh… Fate…" Vita tried to intercede but Signum shut her up with a dry bump on her head. She had already made things difficult without speaking.
"Let go of me…" Nanoha asked Fate already furious with her attitude, but the grip on her just intensified.
"Lady Testarossa…" Saber intervened, unable to contain herself anymore.
With a sudden outburst, Fate let go of Nanoha to grab the handle of her sword, taking her wife with her left hand; she felt a sudden twinge in her chest due to the effort on her arm but ignored it to confront Saber.
"Stay out of this Warrior of Albion, this is none of your business." Fate said looking at her threateningly.
"Fate…" Nanoha called her, immediately worried as she noticed the pain in Fate's face that she was trying to hide.
"Yes it is, Lady Nanoha was training with me because I asked her to… I will not allow you to offend her in my presence," Saber answered and then glanced at Fate's hand on the handle of her sword. "Don't do something you will regret later."
"Then maybe you should learn not to ask things from other people's wives," Fate replied stubbornly. Despite her rational mind telling her to calm down, a consuming fire was burning in her chest and she was unable to control it.
Very slowly, Fate unsheathed her sword.
"Testarossa," Signum said worriedly, approaching her along with Vita.
"Fate!" Nanoha called. "What are you…?"
Fate pushed Nanoha aside and winced in pain, feeling the twinge extending on the left side of her chest while she was locked in a stares duel with Saber.
"I do not engage in duels where I have an advantage," the Warrior of Albion said undisturbed and without averting Fate's look. "We will have our duel if that is your wish Lady Testarossa… when you are recovered, not now."
"I don't need to have any consideration from you… Saber, I have fought in worse conditions like this… and I have always defeated my opponents."
Saber did not even answer.
"Fate!" Nanoha yelled frenzied, pulling Fate by the breastplate of her armor of the guard to make her look at her. "I asked Saber to train with me...! And I did not say anything to you… and I asked everyone not to say anything to you… because I wanted it to be a surprise for you!"
Fate felt like she had been smashed with a colossal mallet on her head not only for Nanoha's words but also for the tears her wife had been clearly holding back while saying those words.
Without being able to say anything else, Nanoha bluntly let go of Fate and walked outside the arena as fast as she could.
Fate tried to stop her but Saber stood in her way.
"Although I can change my mind about our duel if you insist… Lady Testarossa," Saber said, deeply serious.
"Testarossa…" Signum called her again, worried about Fate's outburst. "Saber of Albion is our guest."
"Nanoha is my wife," Fate said with her eyes fixed on Saber's and ignoring Signum.
"And that does not give you the right to treat her like that."
Fate froze upon Saber's words but the Warrior of Albion was not finished with her yet.
"Lady Testarossa," Saber said with the same serene voice she had maintained during the altercation and with her ruthless gaze on Fate. "Even if a warrior dominates a thousand men on the battlefield, the one who masters himself… IS the best warrior… You may want to remember that when we face each other, since on that day… you can have the absolute certainty I will not have any consideration towards you."
After saying that, Saber picked up the wooden sword Nanoha had dropped on the ground before leaving and left without giving Fate back a second look.
Fate was speechless looking at the ground. Something warm was running on her left side and she was feeling a throbbing pain in her chest, but she did not care.
Signum and Vita approached her.
"I have behaved like a complete idiot…" Fate mumbled almost to herself.
"Do tell," Vita said, crossing her arms on her chest. "Your wife is going to be mad at you for a LONG while… You really don't do things halfway."
Signum reprimanded Vita with a look and then placed a hand over Fate's shoulder. She was worried Fate had not even reacted to Vita's snarky remark. She got even more worried when she noticed the dark stain extending on the left side of her uniform under the armor.
"Testarossa," she called her several times until Fate finally looked up. "You have not only messed up with Lady Nanoha, but you have also reopened your wound."
Shamal was going to give her a hard time for letting that happen.
"Come on, let's go... we need to see Shamal so she can check on you, again," Signum said with a severe tone.
At the distance, hidden behind a wide column, Nanoha observed the three women that had remained at the arena, feeling desolate and sad.
Finally, the truce had been broken.
— X —
Fate was sitting in her study, which as the evening settled in was becoming darker and darker without her caring enough to light a candle. Since her confrontation with Nanoha, she had not returned to her room, despite feeling tired and sore, she had stayed in her study alone, ruminating her thoughts. Or her sorrows.
Shamal had come to see her, and of course, had reprimanded her for opening her wound in such a foolish way; fortunately, she had taken good care of her, even in the middle of the scolding and now her chest was bandaged to prevent her from hurting herself again. Shamal had also insisted she go back to her room and rest, but Fate had stayed in her study. Rationally, she self-justified by telling herself she had a lot of things to do, but deep down she knew that she did not want to face her wife.
And not because she was angry at her. But because she had behaved like an idiot.
Saber had come to see her to talk about the group of men that she had seen during her incognito journey towards Dinsmark, but she had not brought up the topic of their earlier discussion and Fate had not either. She had not apologized either. The Warrior of Albion gave her a full detailed report with all the information she needed, the number of men, weaponry, locations, as well as the impressions she had at first as a band of outlaws but to which she reconsidered afterwards for being considerably well organized and concealed. A petty band of common thieves with no preparation would not behave like that. These were silent, organized, subtle, and apparently, efficient. Saber and her fellow companion from Albion had not bumped into them for the simple reason that they were better at hiding and tracking than them.
Alicia had come to see her, to scold her, of course. She had found Nanoha in such a distressed mood that she had finally told her everything on the verge of tears. And that was not the only reason to reprimand her.
"A duel with Saber of Albion?! You really are out of your mind! Saber was sent by King Uther Pendragon himself at our mother's service! Are you trying to start a war or what?! And weren't you the one who wanted Nanoha to learn how to defend herself? If that was really true you wouldn't have minded who taught her… No, actually… Would it be that difficult to act like a decent person with her and teach her yourself? Of course not… right?... You had to defend your defiled Belkan pride, is that it? By the Gods, Fate… And also, Shamal already told me about your wound… And that's how you want to be on a four-day horseback ride?"
Fate doubted she had ever seen her sister so angry at her before. She did not want to point out that the ride had to be done in three days, and not four.
Her aunt Olivie had come to see her, luckily for her, with a more moderate attitude than Alicia's. She reminded her that on her way to Kestrel she had to meet someone special but did not let her know anything else, arguing she could only deliver the information once she was about to leave. She told her to take care of herself and not to let her be pressured by her mother… And with the same kindness, she ordered her to apologize to Nanoha… and Saber.
"Quite the Belkan warrior and Imperial Heiress would you turn out to be if you are incapable of admitting your mistakes and own the consequences of your actions," Olivie had said in her perfectly melodious voice to a Fate that was trying her best to keep her dignified look.
It made no difference whatsoever to Olivie that Fate was willing to engage in the duel for the sake of her pride as a warrior.
"Your pride is the thing that matters the least of all here, Fate. If you two want to kill each other on behalf of Nanoha-san like two males in heat, it's your problem… I doubt your wife will agree or even be happy about it or that Saber wants to kill you because of that… She seems to be a smart young woman… be that as it may, you are both grown-ups and you can decide how you want to die… BUT whether you go with your madness or not, you will respectfully apologize to the knight before this becomes a very delicate incident, not with Saber but with the Kingdom of Albion. You started it, Fate, it was not Saber who challenged you in a rampage fueled by jealousy."
"I am not jealous," Fate had defended herself quite unconvincingly and Olivie increased her embarrassment by not believing her denial for a second.
And at that moment, alone, in the darkness… she had to admit she truly had been jealous.
She had felt almost betrayed when she found out Nanoha had been training and with Saber of all people… but that was nothing compared with what she felt when she saw her almost dancing with the blonde warrior, touching her and laughing with her.
She almost wanted to unsheathe the sword and kill Saber right there and then.
Fate closed her eyes and recognized Saber had nothing to do with what she really had felt; she recognized the impulse she had felt seeing her wife smiling at someone who has not her… the need to take her in her arms, kiss her passionately to make love to her right there and let everybody knew that she was HER wife and no one but hers.
Something that would have not been sensible at all.
Neither of those things, not what she had desired, nor what she had done had been wise at all.
At that moment, just as aunt Olivie had told her, she had to face the consequences of her actions and apologize.
With a sigh, she stood up, and with great affliction in her heart, she went to the room that should be her matrimonial bedroom to meet with Nanoha.
— X —
Even as it was completely dark outside, it was not late in the day yet.
After the incident with Fate, Nanoha had locked herself in her room and had not left for anything. Saber had come by to apologize… even though she was not the one that had to apologize. The Warrior of Albion tried to reassure her despite everything; she told her she had spoken with Fate about matters of the Empire and that things were fine between them. For the time being, neither would try to kill the other.
Nanoha appreciated Saber's attempt at humor, but when the warrior said farewell, she could not help but fall into sadness again.
"Fate really behaved like an idiot," she thought trying to get angry but the truth was, her wife's attitude had not upset her, but rather had deeply hurt her.
To make things even worse, Fate had not returned to the bedroom and despite saying she would make things easy during the afternoon, she had remained in her study working or avoiding her or both. Nanoha wondered if she would come back or what was going to happen...
She definitely was not going to go looking for her.
Despite her firm resolution, her heart skipped a beat when she heard two soft knocks on the door preceding Fate's voice asking permission to come in.
"Come in," she said after standing up and walking from the bed, where she had been sitting down, pondering; straightened her dress, and making sure everything was in her place. When she realized what she was doing, she cursed herself for not pretending at least to be reading or doing anything at all. She did not want Fate to think she had been spending all afternoon waiting for her to come back.
Although that was exactly what she had been doing, she had spent all afternoon worrying about Fate, hurt from her behavior, and waiting for her to come back. Which Fate had not done, until that moment.
Fate entered the room, which unlike all the previous days, was very illuminated with all the candles lit, and gently closed the door behind her. Nanoha was looking elsewhere but at her and kept standing up in silence, waiting. She suddenly found herself standing up in the middle of the room trying to find the best way to start only to realize her mind was completely blank.
There in the middle of the silence, they finally looked at each other.
When she finally met her wife's blue eyes, she was expecting to find a look full of anger, but the only thing Fate could see was a shade of sadness that clouded the usually bright and defiant eyes of her wife.
"Olivie is right," Fate thought. "My pride is the least that matters at this moment."
With newly found courage, she got closer to Nanoha without breaking eye contact; she got close until her bodies were almost touching. Nanoha did not step back, trapped by the glow shining in Fate's eyes and that she had never seen before.
The red-haired jumped a little when her wife tenderly held one of her hands and stared open-mouthed at Fate's words.
"I behaved like a complete idiot this morning, Nanoha… I… I could not see past my anger after seeing you training with Saber in a way I would have liked for you to… do with me… For seeing you... smiling with her the way I would have liked… for you to smile at me… I am… truly sorry," Fate said with firm conviction and red up to her ears.
Nanoha was speechless. She was flabbergasted by the surprise of Fate apologizing, yes; but moreover than that, that it mattered to Fate, her attitude towards her. That something as ordinary as a smile was significant to her.
"I know I should apologize to you for so many more things than just… what happened earlier," Fate continued without losing her momentum. "But I don't know even where to start… I cannot change the things that have happened, Nanoha… but I am sorry… very much... for having... hurt you."
Nanoha felt her body quivering under Fate's look and her proximity.
She did not know what to say but she could see the way Fate was looking at her was different from all the times before. She felt Fate squeezing her hand gently and almost without realizing, she squeezed Fate's fingers back in return.
"It's difficult for me to see someone like... Saber... by your side…" Fate said, blushing even harder than she already was, before saying part of what the Warrior of Albion had told her. "But that is not a reason for me to treat you like I did… Will you... be able... to forgive me, Nanoha?"
Nanoha was not able to see herself so she could not know she was as blushed as Fate, or more, as she listened to her; but she could feel the heat that engulfed her body. She could not answer Fate, and she could not move either; she was trapped, captivated by the way Fate was looking at her, as if she was truly seeing her for the first time and, more than that, that she was seeing right through her to her soul.
Fate could only feel her heart beating out of control in anticipation of what Nanoha would say or do and that her soul was hanging by a thread waiting for that answer.
Neither wanted to move or say anything as if they both perceived that moment was so incipient and so frail that even a minimal whisper or the lightest breeze could invariably break it. And even as both felt frozen and speechless, it was imperceptible for them the way in which they were very slowly moving towards each other; more than by their own will, almost as if an external invisible force pulled them in, like those powerful and dangerous currents of the sea that go unnoticed until it is too late.
Only their fingers were actually touching each other but their bodies were already so close, Fate could perceive Nanoha's scent enveloping her and Nanoha could sense the heat irradiating from Fate's body like a blazing fire.
Their lips were almost touching when the door to the adjoining room opened somewhat abruptly.
"Nanoha-chan… Do you know if… oops," Shamal exclaimed, stopping herself as she had already stepped into the room.
Nanoha and Fate realizing how close they were at that moment and what they were about to do, stepped away from each other deeply embarrassed.
"Ehrm… Fate-san! So good to find you here!" Shamal said smiling and pressing her hands together in front of her. "I was about to ask Nanoha-chan if she had heard from you. How are you feeling? From what I can tell you did not rest at all… Ouch!"
At that second, Hayate came in and pulled Shamal from the arm to drag her back to their adjoining room.
"Hey, wait! Hayate-chan! ... I still have to…"
Hayate had to cover her sister's mouth to finish dragging her inside the room, but managed to tell them before closing the door. "Go on, carry on... I will take care of her."
Nanoha and Fate looked at each other after the door closed. They were still blushing and ashamed although the spell that had kept them enthralled moments before had been broken, Nanoha could still feel her heart racing without control and Fate could feel the heat burning her from within.
"Shamal is right," Nanoha said at last. "Today has been your first day and you need to rest."
Fate waited a few seconds before replying, "You have not answered me, yet."
She was embarrassed, but she had decided she would not leave that room until she got Nanoha's forgiveness, whatever she had to do for it.
Nanoha averted her gaze. No one had ever asked for her forgiveness before. In the life she had led until her engagement, that had not been necessary; she had apologized and she had been apologized to, but no one had hurt her so much that required that kind of forgiveness. Although she had never been forced into a marriage, she had never been the reward of a clash of power… she had never faced the wild world outside her family's palace and the safe and comfortable life in Nihon.
Finally, she was able to really listen to many of the words Hayate had repeated to the point of queasiness during the last weeks, as well as Alicia's, whom she considered her a friend like Hayate; like thunders striking, many of the moments she had lived since she had arrived from Nihon... no actually, since she had learned about her engagement to Fate, flashed by her eyes like a flare.
"I believe…" she stated, noticing her voice sounded strangled by the emotion, "many things that have happened have been beyond our control… I am also sorry for many of them…"
Pressing her hands together she looked at the floor trying to clear her thoughts until she felt Fate taking her hands in her own; Nanoha raised her head to find Fate again close to her, looking at her with a longing look in her eyes.
"Nanoha… I… really…"
"No," Nanoha said, "I would not like to say I forgive you as if all the blame and responsibility was only yours."
"But it is," Fate said as her eyes darkened, "I am the heiress of this Empire and I have to do what is expected of that position… I am Belkan and I can't say I would make different decisions from the ones I have… but I think now… I would have behaved in a different way. And it is because of that, that I need you to forgive me… You will always be my wife, Nanoha… I said it to you before and I repeat it again, the Belkan vows are forever and I acknowledged them as such at the moment of our wedding… but I have not behaved up to them."
Fate let go of one of Nanoha's hands to carefully touch her face and she shivered, averting her gaze again.
"I will not… break the promise I made to you," Fate said, and noticing Nanoha's uneasiness she withdrew her hand. "This will remain your room… and I… will never force you again."
To emphasize her words, she gathered all her strength of will and stepped back, putting even more physical distance between them.
"... But I would really like for you to forgive and that we… could make a truce … on mutual agreement," Fate said feeling her heart aching as she said the words.
Nanoha looked at her. She did not need Fate to make a promise to know she was being sincere, what she could not explain was the knot in her stomach she felt while listening to her words.
Making an effort as well, she straightened up saying, "I believe we can call a truce… and I can forgive you."
Fate visibly relaxed and smiled. For a long while, they just looked at each other until Fate realized she was still holding one of Nanoha's hands.
"Thank you, Nanoha," she said and then let go of her hand with sadness.
They both stood in silence, uncertain of what else to say, until Fate with the best smile she could give, told Nanoha she would gather some of her things to take them to the study.
"To the study?" Nanoha asked, somewhat disconcerted.
"Yes… Thank you very much for taking care of me these days… But I think it's time for me to return to my room…" Fate explained making an effort to keep her voice light and nonchalant.
The last thing she wanted to do was to leave that bedroom. The last two days she had woken up to find the vision of her wife next to her, sleeping peacefully and serene had been the most wonderful she could remember in her life, but she did not trust her self control anymore to stay a single more night with her.
The incident with Saber that morning had shown her she had much more energy than she could control and that some of her passions were still beyond her will.
She had made a promise to Nanoha and she would keep it.
"Don't you think it's too soon?" Nanoha said with an identical and feigned nonchalant tone. The decision had taken her by surprise and until that moment she realized she did not want Fate to leave again.
"I will take it easy as Shamal indicated," Fate conceded, raising her palms as an indication of rendition. "But… there are some things I still need to do and it's better if I do them there to not disturb you. Victor and Mica leave early tomorrow and I have to meet with them in a while"
Nanoha felt a sudden flash of jealousy at the sole mention of the two warriors and breathed in deeply. Now with even more reason, she wanted to tell Fate to stay but she did not want to beg either.
"Try not to… overdo it," she said with a forced smile while she watched Fate pick up the things she was going to need.
"Tell her to stay," every part of her body screamed at her, including some she did not want to think about.
Even as she felt something wrenched inside her, she did not say the words.
"I won't," Fate answered. With everything she needed in her hands, she still stayed a little longer standing while looking at Nanoha. Her feet refused to move. Her hands wanted to drop everything she was holding to the floor and hug her wife as tightly as possible.
They both looked at each other but neither moved.
"I will… see you… tomorrow then..." Fate said awkwardly.
"Mmmm… yes…" Nanoha answered as she watched Fate walk to the dorm without completely finishing looking at her and without finishing turning around.
When she was about to step outside, Fate turned to say "Tell Shamal-san she can come for the night check up… later."
"Yes… I will tell her," Nanoha answered, feeling how her resolution to not ask Fate to stay, faltered by the second.
Feeling her own resolution of not turning back to kiss Nanoha was also faltering, Fate gathered her strength and threw herself out of the room before she did something she would regret later.
In the hallway, leaning against the door she had just closed she did not realize she was not alone until a snarky voice addressed her.
"Did you make things right with Takamachi?" Vita asked standing in front of her.
Fate tilted her head and looked at her knight upset. Standing straight she reprimanded her with her answer. "If you had done your job, there would have been nothing to fix."
"I gave you the opportunity to remove this Saber from the middle and you did not take advantage of it… Where the hell are you going now? Don't you realize she wants you to stay? She waited for you all damn afternoon!"
Fate looked at Vita, who in turn looked at her annoyed and disconcerted.
"She wants me to stay?" she asked in a whisper looking sideways in case someone appeared.
"Gods… you can really be…"
"Vita." Signum's voice was heard, as she appeared swiftly from the shadows behind her.
Vita tensed and kept her opinion to herself surprisingly fast. Fate did not know yet that Vita had dueled with Saber and lost. Although for different reasons, neither Vita nor Signum wanted Fate to find out. It had already difficult to convince Zafira not to say a word.
"Dahlgründ and Chevelle await us, Testarossa," Signum said, attracting Fate's attention to other topics.
"Yes, let's go," Fate agreed after looking one last time at the bedroom door.
— X —
"I cannot believe you let her go!" Hayate scolded her.
"She made it very clear she had important things… to take care of," Nanoha replied with faked indifference.
"As if you did not care," Hayate mumbled with her back turned to her friend as she put on her nightgown.
"I never thought I would say this, but… Hayate-chan is right," Shamal added to Nanoha's annoyance. "Fate-san was dying to stay with you tonight… and not only to sleep I daresay… Although I have to tell you, she still cannot make that kind of effort yet, you would have to…"
"Shamal!" Nanoha yelled exasperated. The last thing she needed, as things were at the moment, was to think about things she did not wish to even imagine.
"Be that as it may," Hayate insisted. "You should have told her to stay… or to come back when she finished her work… even better, she could have met with her… girls right here."
"I am not going to force her to do anything she does not want to do…" Nanoha said pensively for the first time.
Hayate's and Shamal's arguments were not making her feel any better but they did make her think about possibilities that disturbed her.
"Will Fate sleep alone tonight?" she wondered.
Fate had told her she would not force her anymore… but did that promise mean she would exercise her right to have any other women she wanted?
The mere thought of picturing other women in Fate's arms gave her a sharp pain in her gut of deep disgust. However, did that mean she wanted to be in the place of those women?
Nanoha could not still answer that question to herself. Her wife was triggering in her feelings she had not had the chance to absorb or even accept she was feeling them.
Shaking that uneasy feeling to the best of her abilities, she bid goodbye to Shamal and Hayate arguing she would go to sleep early. Her counselors, reluctant to leave her conversation unfinished, left her alone; but that did not make Nanoha sleep any faster.
After several nights, first watching over Fate while she was sleeping and then lying next to her, the bed now seemed too cold and empty. She missed the warmth that came from Fate's body as well as her scent, her presence… the sounds of her deep breath.
Curling herself as much as she could, she shut her eyes tight and forced herself to stop thinking...
But sleep did not come to her either.
— X —
The day had dawned with a gray overcast sky, covered with dense clouds. The temperature had fallen drastically overnight, and after taking a quick look at the sky Alicia told her it was quite likely there would be snow by noon.
"Snow? But it's still the fall!" The red-haired was surprised.
"Here in Dinsmark, the winter is long and the summer very short," Alicia explained smiling. "In fact, the cold weather was already late to arrive. You have been lucky."
Nanoha felt like freezing, so much that she postponed her morning training to the afternoon; but just as Alicia had predicted, before noon, it started to snow heavily. Full, abundant snowflakes rapidly covered all the surfaces with a solid white coat. Nanoha had seen snow before in Nihon, in the mountains, and at high altitudes when she had traveled with her family, but never in Heian-kyo.
Seeing Dinsmark covered by a dense white mantle, to see the trees full of snow was turning out to be quite a spectacle. Nanoha walked around Stier Castle joined by Saber, Hayate, and Shamal to be able to appreciate different views of the snow. Just in case, Vita did not let them leave their sight.
By mid-afternoon, Alicia joined them and at some point, she closed in on Nanoha and whispered to her ear.
"Would you like to see a view of the city very few people can enjoy?"
Nanoha looked at her sister-in-law inquisitively but her curiosity got the best of her.
Just as if they were doing some mischief, Alicia excused them with the group and bolted away taking Nanoha with her.
Fate's twin guided her through a passage she had never used, towards the basements, to then take a spiral staircase that looked endless and that led to the watchtower of the castle. As the city had progressively grown, it had stopped being used for military purposes and it had been left as a deserted area in the castle.
Except for the Testarossa twins who used to play there ever since they were kids hiding from everyone.
Even as grownups, it still remained as Fate's favorite place when she wanted to take a break away from everything and not be found. Which happened even less often as time passed by. However, she always went up during the first snow to watch the city.
"I had a feeling I'd find you here," Alicia said when they finally made it to the top, agitated and with their cheeks rosy from the cold and the effort, and almost breathless.
Fate was leaning on the ledge of one of the four openings at the top of the tower, one for each cardinal point. There were no windows and due to the height, the wind felt much colder than on the surface.
"I hope you don't mind, I brought Nanoha with me to show her the view of the city," Alicia explained, with a wide smile. She was counting on Fate being there and luckily, her dumb sister had not failed her on that occasion.
"No, no at all," Fate said smiling. "I'm glad you both came."
It would have never occurred to Fate that Nanoha would have wanted to see the city, and least would have occurred to her to invite her to that place.
Nanoha smiled shyly and got closer to one of the openings, the north one, from which the Tower of Dinsmark, as well as the grand cathedral, could be seen; and she could not suppress a small exclamation of surprise upon the view.
Fate got closer to her and started to explain to her everything that could be seen on each cardinal point, where the entrances on the walls were, which were the largest and most beautiful houses of the nobility, and other points of interest.
Little by little they covered all four cardinal points and by the time they finished, Nanoha was shivering with cold.
"Nanoha, you are shivering," Fate said, worried. "Let's go back down."
As she said that, they both noticed they were alone at the top. Alicia had left them without even saying goodbye. They both looked at each other and despite the cold, a sudden warmth extended through their bodies.
"I wish I could see more, " Nanoha said sighing, creating a white mist with every breath.
Fate looked at her and was suddenly struck with an idea that weeks, or even days before she would have never considered possible.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?" she asked clumsily.
Nanoha looked at her surprised.
"Now?"
"Yes," Fate said. "The snow has not hardened yet, tomorrow the streets in the city will be more difficult for the horses, but now we can still go out for a walk."
The snow was not falling as densely as when it started, but it still was falling at a consistent rate and the small flakes seemed, more than falling, to float around them.
Nanoha considered it for a moment and finally accepted.
What she was not counting on was that once in the horse stables, Fate would suggest taking only one horse.
"We will go slowly and that way you won't have to worry about controlling your horse, Niger already has experience in this endeavor. I have always enjoyed going out during the first snowfall."
Niger, Fate's grand black steed, was ready and saddled and also impatient to start.
Nanoha had ridden before, but since her arrival to Dinsmark, she had not done it at all. And she did not have much previous experience either. Even if the sorrel mare Fate had given her seemed tranquil, she did not know how to walk in the snow, least of all ride in it, so she preferred not to risk it.
In that way, she soon found herself riding Niger trying not to pay much attention to the position she was in.
Fate had chosen the most ordinary saddle and had positioned Nanoha not astride behind her, but sitting in front of her, sideways to hold her between her arms.
"This way you will be safer," Fate had explained, and Nanoha did not doubt it, but it did not make it any easier to deal with.
She was completely sitting in Fate's lap, resting on her legs and leaning on her chest. To Nanoha, that meant their bodies were touching in many more points than she wanted to count. Fate's long and thick cape, with an overcoat of wolf fur, covered them both and even part of Niger's hindquarters. Nanoha, who was wearing a shorter cape, which was also warming by itself, and with her hood on, was surrounded by an intoxicating warmth despite the falling snow.
Thus, together and covered they came out through the castle walls and towards the city.
Fate led her horse in silence; for a long while, the only sound heard was Niger's hoofs on the ground. At first, Nanoha was a little uncomfortable with the sway, because even though Fate kept a slow pace, their bodies pressed together on every movement; however, as the warmth from Fate combined with hers, and their bodies found their way to fit with each other, Nanoha realized it was very nice and comfortable to be in that place in Fate's arms, literally resting over her. She felt warm and safe and could see everything around her.
She could feel both the steeds and Fate's vitality almost as one… and both welcomed her and sheltered her.
After a while, Nanoha noticed how they reached one of the borders of the city, and going through it, Fate made their way towards the forest where she liked to hunt. It was safe and she was hoping Nanoha would like it too.
As the fall was ending, almost all the trees in the city had lost most of their foliage, but the ones in the forest were pines and other perennial trees, so the snow had covered over their leaves giving a new white look to the traditional green and dark landscape.
Fate heard Nanoha emit an exclamation of astonishment as she watched marveled and smiled.
Once in the edge of the woods, she dismounted and helped Nanoha down. Just as Fate said, the snow gave in under their feet.
"Let's walk a little," Fate said, taking her wife with a gloved hand and Niger's reins in the other.
"Are you cold?" Fate asked while they entered the woods and the only sounds came from their steps and the faint sound of the snow falling.
Nanoha's cloak was thick enough to cover her and she could still feel the warmth that having Fate's body close to her had left in her, so she just shook her head.
"It's really beautiful," Nanoha said after a while of walking in silence, stopping to watch the scenery around them.
"During the first snow, I like to go out… like this… I am glad you… came with me," Fate said stopping in front of Nanoha.
Nanoha shivered, not from the cold, but from a feeling she could not explain and that invaded her when her eyes met Fate's
"Thank you for inviting me," she answered with a lightness she was not even close to feeling.
Without stopping looking at her, Fate got closer to her and held one of her hands. They were both wearing gloves and yet Nanoha was able to feel the contact as if there were not two layers of fabric between their fingers.
"Nanoha," Fate called her in a somehow somber voice and she had a sudden bad feeling. "There is something I have been wanting to tell you since morning but… I had not found the right moment."
Nanoha, without realizing, tightened her grip on Fate's fingers, but kept in silence, waiting.
"I have to go to Kestrel," she said with determination but without being able to entirely hide her tone of resignation.
"When?" Nanoha asked with her heart shrinking… that had nothing to do with the cold she was starting to feel despite her cloak.
Judging by the way Fate looked at her, she knew she was not going to like the answer.
"Tomorrow… or as soon as possible. Signum is already making the arrangements but we were not counting today would turn out like this all of a sudden."
Nanoha got closer to Fate to ask her, "And you cannot wait for the weather to improve? Fate… you are still not well rough to ride, or to make considerable effort… and least of all with this weather."
"It's not going to improve," Fate answered with a sad certainty. "Once this starts, it does not get better. If we wait, crossing the mountains will be even harder and more dangerous. We have to take advantage of the most favorable moments not only to advance but also… to be able to get back."
As she said that, Fate also got closer to her. The distance between their bodies was minimal.
"I have not even left, Nanoha… but you can be certain, I already want to be back," she said with a longing and intense voice.
Nanoha did not say anything. The Hegemon surely was behind that. Ever since Fate had received Signum's first visit, something had been troubling her and according to Shamal, the meeting with her mother had not been very encouraging.
Fate had not told her anything but Signum had said something to Shamal.
"Will Signum-san be going with you? Nanoha asked.
"Yes," Fate replied. To Nanoha, it seemed as if her wife wanted to tell her something else but changed her mind at the last moment and remained silent.
Nanoha suddenly realized an important detail. Kestrel was several days away. And Fate was already worried about her return. "How long will you be gone?"
The muscles in Fate's face contracted. "I do not know very well but… at least three or four weeks."
Nanoha felt a sudden emptiness in her chest.
"But I promise you I will be back for the solstice ceremony," Fate said with renewed enthusiasm taking her by the shoulders.
The winter solstice was one of the most important Belkan celebrations. The Hegemon in their private meeting that morning had ordered Fate to have the businesses in Kestrel resolved by that date. Without excuses.
Fate took Nanoha's hand again and they walked around the forest while she explained to her all about the solstice celebration and the festivities that would take place.
Suddenly, Nanoha stopped cold and looked at Fate inquisitively.
"Can I ask you a difficult question?" she asked.
The tone in her wife's voice was a new and slightly playful one that delighted Fate, who answered yes before even thinking if the answer would not be dangerous… or difficult.
"Did you apologize to Saber?"
Fate threw her head back, growling a little. Nanoha tried her best to keep serious and not laugh.
Fate cursed her aunt and her sister, but finally with resignation, she answered as vaguely as possible.
"Yes."
They were both standing over the snow, under the edge of a tree canopy, a huge tree that had attracted Nanoha's attention. Fate kept still and Nanoha waited, but the blonde did not say anything else, so she pushed.
"So? How did it go?" she asked innocently.
Fate breathed in. The truth was it had gone well. It had not been as humiliating as she had feared. Very early that morning, Fate had looked for Saber and she had found her training, not in the arena like the day before but in one of the private yards in the castle.
Fate had apologized, both as Marshal of the Imperial Guard and as heiress to the Belkan throne, for the affront caused to the noble Kingdom of Albion Saber represented.
Saber had accepted her apology as corresponded, with honor and nobility… but not without punishing her in the process.
"However… that does not exempt you from our duel Lady Testarossa…" the damn blonde had told her with a cryptic look. "You can be safe in regards to the honor to the Kingdom of Albion… but I still have not forgiven you for the offense against Lady Nanoha's honor."
As Fate looked at her with astonishment, she explained.
"Yes... by challenging me in that way, you did not insult me… you insulted your wife's honor… and that is something you will have to pay for."
So now, Nanoha was innocently asking her about how it had gone when it was almost certain Saber herself had already told her. Fate was on the verge of feeling jealous of that camaraderie of the Warrior of Albion with her wife but was able to contain herself on time. Nanoha looked amused, they were having fun and her wife was talking with her. She could not ruin all that again.
"I guess it was not that bad…" Fate said at last. "At least there will not be a war between both kingdoms anymore."
"Hmmm."
"Why?" Now Fate asked. "Did Saber tell you anything?"
Nanoha pretended to remember while softly touching the leaves of the trees with her fingers.
"Well... Saber mentioned that you had apologized but despite that…"
"Despite that… what?" Fate asked, getting closer to her wife.
"...She would kick your ass later and that I should also collect some sort of retribution for your offense," as she said that and while Fate stood speechless to Nanoha's words, she jumped back pulling with all her strength the branch of the tree causing an avalanche of snow to fall over Fate's head.
Fate stood not only figuratively but literally frozen before reacting, shaking the snow off and reaching for a handful of it to throw at her wife, who was already getting away from her laughing.
For a while they played, hiding and chasing each other in between the trees. Nanoha let herself be caught so that her over-achiever wife would not make an effort even for a game and before even realizing she was already in Fate's arms, breathing hard for the run in the snow… or for having Fate so close to her.
Their exhalations formed a white mist around them and they could not hear anything else but the faint sound of the snow crackling and their own breathing.
Fate marveled again at the beauty of her wife, smiling and with her cheeks blushed. Nanoha had made fun of her, yes… and using Saber… but at that moment, she could not care less.
"It's going to get dark soon," Fate said, still smiling. She did not want to break the moment, but the temperature would drop even more when night fell and with the snow, it would be very dark; Fate did not want to take any unnecessary risk or ruin an afternoon that had already been wonderful.
Walking holding hands, they made their way back.
When they stepped out of the edge of the forest, they realized it was getting dark very fast. Time had gone flying so now, not with the same calm as before but with a moderate and safe pace, Fate with Nanoha in her arms again led Niger back to Stier Castle.
The guards had just finished lighting up the torches in the patio when they finally crossed through the wall towards the stables.
Nanoha felt inexplicably sad at the news of Fate's departure but she had loved the walk, so she felt overjoyed and melancholic at the same time.
Fate was exultant that Nanoha had agreed to come with her for the ride and that they had been able, for the first time, to do something not only without discussing… but to actually do something and enjoy it… very much.
Neither wanted for the moment to end, so after leaving Niger at the stable, Fate, euphoric, let herself get carried away and held Nanoha's hand in her own just as she had done in the forest. They both entered Stier Castle with no rush, smiling, walking very close together while holding hands.
Absorbed as they were with their newfound wellbeing, neither noticed a dark figure watching them from one of the top floors of the castle.
— X —
Fate woke up in an incredibly good mood despite the cold and the mission in her hands.
Stretching on her bed, she placed her hands behind her head, careful not to strain her injury, recently treated on her left side, and closed her eyes again to remember.
The night before after they got back from their walk, still unwilling to let the moment end, she and Nanoha had dinner in her room. They had stayed talking until it was very late. About nothing and everything. For the first time.
But that was not what had left a permanent smile on Fate's face.
What had left her with a stupid smile on her face was that, after saying goodnight to her wife, when she was about to leave, Nanoha had stopped her, and, standing on her toes, had lightly kissed her on the cheek.
It had happened so quickly, that for a moment Fate doubted if it had really happened or if she had just dreamed it, but the blushed face of her wife told her it had really happened.
"Thank you for the walk," Nanoha had said afterwards almost as an explanation despite Fate did not need one at all.
She was just euphoric.
Her good mood lasted even after the visit to her mother where she reprimanded her for having the time and strength to go for a walk and not to go out and deal with the urgent matters that put at risk the security of the Empire.
Fate explained to her as calmly as possible that she would go to Kestrel as soon as possible. But that was not quick enough for Precia Testarossa.
"If that were true, you'd already be on your way," was the last thing she told her before leaving her study slamming the door.
Fate finished her preparations by mid-morning. The last and most important: meeting with her aunt Olivie.
Unlike all the other times they had met, Olivie did not ask to meet in either hers or Fate's room. Not even in the quarters of the Imperial Guard. Olivie asked to meet in the shadows of one of Stier Castle's most hidden hallways. Olivie extended Fate a scroll and a folded paper, telling her she had to talk to the person mentioned there. Fate read the name and contained an expression of astonishment, largely due to the expression with which Olivie asked back the small paper, to throw it to one of the torches illuminating the hallway.
"Follow the instructions and you will arrive," she said in a whisper only to hug her tight. "Be very careful, Fate."
After saying that, she got lost in the shadows.
Fate went back to her study to pick up her scarce and light packing, concealing the parchment inside her cape and shaking off the somber mood that the meeting with Olivie had left her, she went looking for Nanoha. At that moment she could not think about the implications the name Olivie had given her meant. She had to say goodbye to her wife.
Despite her efforts, she was not able to find her anywhere in the castle. Not even Linith knew where her wife was. Fate did not want to leave without saying goodbye but it was the agreed time to leave and she still had not found her wife or her counselors.
Again, she felt a hint of uneasiness while she went to the stables to prepare everything for her departure and let Signum know she had to wait a bit longer. She would not leave without seeing Nanoha first.
Much to her surprise, there in the stables was where she found Nanoha and her counselors, as well as Alicia. Signum and Shamal were a little separated from the rest whispering to each other while Hayate, Alicia, and Nanoha chatted eagerly.
Alicia was the first to notice her.
"Fate!" she called raising her hand as is if her sister could somehow miss seeing them. "Now you have a complete farewell committee, what do you think?"
Alicia laughed although she also was slightly teasing her.
Shamal had prepared a complete kit of medicine and infusions and had already trained Signum to treat Fate and change her bandages during the journey.
"So you will take care of me, Signum-sama?" Fate said with her good mood restored after finding her wife... waiting for her, imitating the style of formal discourse of the Nihon girls.
Signum growled and got on her horse, another huge steed like Fate's but golden and with almost white hair. Just like Fate, she was wearing a long, thick cape with an overcoat of wolf fur and a hood.
Alicia said goodbye to Fate as always, with a tight but careful hug. Nanoha, embarrassed to have so many people around, kept her arms to her sides and just raised her hand timidly to wave goodbye. Her body roared at her to hug Fate, but her mind would not let her move.
Fate seemed a little disappointed but did not try to get closer to her. From where she was standing, some two steps away from her wife, she extended her hand cautiously just to softly caress her face.
Then, she put on her gloves and carefully got on Niger. Even as she walked along Signum towards the wall, she turned on her saddle to keep her eyes fixed in Nanoha's blue.
"Are you really… leaving just like that?" Signum asked without looking at her.
Fate looked at her captain with a question mark on her face. "You are leaving like this," she replied.
Just then, Signum turned to see her, and even though she was not smiling, a wicked look shined in her blue eyes.
"I spent all night with her… saying goodbye."
Fate halted her horse abruptly and turned back to watch her farewell committee.
Hayate looked like she had not slept all night. Shamal looked melancholic but radiant. Alicia was looking at her with her eyebrows lifted and eyes that screamed "Do it already... goddamnit now!"
Nanoha was looking at her like her heart was going to race out of her chest and could not hold it back any longer.
With determination, Fate got off her horse and walked towards the four women.
She did not break eye contact with Nanoha for a single moment until she got next to her and took her in her arms to kiss her passionately.
Nanoha knew something would happen the moment she saw Fate halting her horse and saw her get off, but she was paralyzed.
When Fate took her in her arms, she tensed, placing her hands on the wolf fur over her shoulders, but after feeling the soft and warm contact of her lips on hers, she melted in her arms and let herself be carried away by the intensity of the feeling.
She did not respond to the kiss immediately, but her lips parted for Fate's and a few seconds later they started to move timidly but sensually.
For a few seconds, they forgot where they were and with whom and they just drowned in their kiss until they were breathless.
When they broke off the kiss, Fate rested her forehead in Nanoha's, thanking all the Gods that her wife had not rejected her, had not slapped her for her audacity and that she was still holding her, trembling in her arms.
"I will be back as soon as possible," she whispered to her ear, holding her by the waist as if there was nothing more precious in her life than her.
Nanoha, who felt her heart beating unevenly and something melting in her legs, could only nod.
Reluctantly, they parted a bit and only then they realized that Alicia, Shamal, and Hayate had stepped away to give them some… space… not privacy though, since the three women seemed to be very interested in what was happening between them.
Both blushed completely and Fate finally let go of Nanoha to walk slowly towards her horse.
It had never been so difficult to go on a mission than at that moment.
The snow was falling in light and soft flakes when Signum and Fate crossed the threshold of Stier Castle's portal towards a mission to which the future of the empire depended on.
— X —