Before Tally knew it, it was Beltane, she had enjoyed spending her days teaching Alder about colors and getting to know each other. She'd never celebrated Beltane before and hearing about the reel and how the general had always spent it with the witchfather made her kind of jealous.

But Alder promised her that she wouldn't be participating this year out of respect for her but that if she wished she could partake in the dance and whatever followed or she could not. She knew what Alder was doing and she appreciated it but she also wanted her to get possessive and tell her to absolutely not take part because she was only hers.

Tally simply nodded and it wasn't brought up again after that. The day of Beltane Tally spent eating and drinking with her unit and conversing with those visiting. She saw the General in her red dress conversing with the witchfather and even though she knew she wasn't going to spend the night with him it still made Tally jealous.

When Tally had told Abigail and Raelle that Alder was her soulmate they both kind of freaked out but now they were kind of accepting it.

"You should just go speak with her," Abigail nudged her playfully.

Tally sighed, "I can't do that, nobody but you two know that we're soulmates and it'll look strange if I go speak with her so openly."

Raelle raised her cup happily, "You should just claim your woman in front of everyone."

"Yeah, like that would go over well. Besides she told me she wouldn't be participating in the reel but said I was free to do it if I wanted. I just wanted her to be possessive, you know?"

Abigail wrinkled her nose up at her, "You know you really got it bad? Despite having told her to not feel obligated to you, you really have fallen for her."

"Well, yeah, I've been falling for her slowly for years. And now that I'm finally getting to know her, I've fallen even harder."

"Gross," Raelle took a sip of her drink, "Oh, shit it's starting!"

Abigail hopped up, "You coming, Tal?"

"No, I'll sit this one out," she blushed down at her feet.

"Of course you are, well go find your woman then," Raelle patted her on the back and dragged Abigail over to the dance floor.

Tally smiled at them and looked back to where the general had been but where the witchfather was standing the space was empty and Alder had gone. Tally looked down sadly and decided to head back to her dorm room.

She slipped her shoes off and carried them in her hands just to feel the grass under her feet. She hummed a melody she didn't know yet it came to her like it was something she'd known before.

Before she realized it, her feet had taken her somewhere nowhere near her dorm but to a secluded garden where she found Alder and her biddies. Alder was admiring some roses when she suddenly looked up to meet her gaze, "Tally? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be celebrating?"

Blushing Tally brushed her hair behind her ear, "I didn't really feel like it. And I understand what you're trying to do for me but if I participate in Beltane you're the only one I want to do it with. I was actually on my way back to my dorm but before I knew it my feet had taken me here."

Alder smiled affectionately, "The reel must've led you to me, there's no doubt about us being soulmates."

Tally watched her with hooded eyes, taking in the beauty of how the red roses matched Alder's red outfit. And she sensed how badly she wanted the older woman and how she wished she would take her right there. She'd waited so long for her and just wanted her to make her hers.

Walking over to the older woman she took her hand in hers, the intimacy of it like they'd done it a dozen times before made Tally's skin burn with want.

"I know I said you didn't have to feel obligated but, tonight, will you have me?"

Alder looked at her with dark eyes, clenching her jaw as if trying to restrain herself, "Is that what you want?"

"Yes, but I want you to want me too. Even as I hold your hand here my skin is on fire and my heart is pounding in my chest but you're all I want. Do you feel that too or is it just me?"

Alder swallowed hard as she took a step closer, "It's not just you, I feel it too. I want you. But I don't want you to rush into anything. This is only your first time celebrating Beltane and…."

"Please, I'm an adult, I know what I want and I want you so badly it hurts. If there should be anybody I'm spending my first time with it should be you. I trust you," Tally squeezed her hand to reassure her.

Before Alder could protest any further Tally was pulling her down into a fiery kiss, she wasn't sure where she had found her brazenness but she really didn't have the patience to wait any longer for her.

Tally kissed her clumsily but with passion, Alder pulled away to catch her breath, "Tally, I...you're absolutely sure you want to do this. We don't have to, we can just go back to my office and have tea or something. We can still spend Beltane together without the sex part."

Tally laughed and pulled her closer, "I would very much like the sex part, but not if you don't really want it. Like I said, I don't want you to-"

Alder closed her eyes and took a breath trying to grab onto any self-control she had left, "Feel obligated, yes I remember. I've found it harder and harder to try and resist you Tally Craven, I've been slowly falling for you despite how hard I try not to."

"Then you should stop trying. Let yourself be selfish for once Sarah Alder."

Alder opened her eyes, impossibly dark and lust filled and took her hand, "Then come with me."