A/N: You guys' support has been truly amazing in the previous chapter, so thanks to all of those who left me a review! Reading your opinions and your point of view is always very interesting for me, and all the encouraging words can easily brighten my days.
Also, since it's been mentioned that my writing has gotten better, it's partially thanks to Chrislayer-Sama as well since they're being such an amazing betareader. I'm pretty sure the quality of my chapters has gotten better because of them.
Unfated Passion
Miku woke up with a gasp. She just had the most horrible nightmare she ever had in her entire life. She dreamed that her whole kingdom had been burned down by the demons. She saw her parents and Rin being burned alive right in front of her. She also remembered that all the remaining villagers blamed her for their deaths; saying that it wouldn't have happened if she hadn't left. Even though the princess was aware that it was just a dream, the guilt she felt, however, was real. Her body was drenched in sweat, and she couldn't stop herself from shaking at the trauma the nightmare just made her feel. The worst part of it all was that she had no way of telling whether or not the kingdom would truly be able to stand up to the war. That mere fact was worrying her all too much. She wouldn't be surprised if it were her subconscious that triggered that dream since she was still blaming herself for having left. At least Rin was supposed to be in safe hands with Len, and it had been the most important thing to settle before starting her journey.
After a minute of watching the sun starting to settle in the sky, Miku stood up and walked towards the lake slowly, being careful not to step on any branches so that she wouldn't wake either Gumi or Luka up. Since she was sweaty, the cold air was piercing through her dress, making her shiver. She could easily get sick if she remained in this unfavourable state for very long. Perhaps it would be a good idea to bathe for a bit. Her skin was also partially covered in dirt from having slept on the ground; that, mixed with the sweat, left her with the horrid sensation that she was incredibly dirty. She knew that she should get used to it, but as a girl who was taught to take care of her appearance like it was the most essential thing in life, it was certainly a hard task not to let it perturb her.
After making sure that no one was around, she took off her shoes and dipped her toes in the water. She tried not to flinch at the chilly temperature and pursed her lips in a thin line. She would have to deal with how cold the water was anyway; she didn't have much of a choice. It was either that or her body would remain covered with dirt, and that mere notion sounded far ghastlier to the girl. With a sigh, she got rid of her dress and started to immerse herself in the lake, but stopped in her tracks when a trembling voice spoke;
"A-Are you all right? Y-You seemed upset when you woke up…"
Comprehending that it was Gumi, Miku quickly tried to cover her most intimate areas with her arms, clearly flustered. She didn't hear her at all! Just how stealthy could that girl be?
Upon realizing that the human was visibly uncomfortable with her staring, the half-demon hid her face in her hands, her cheeks beet red.
"I…I'm sorry! I often saw the King and Lily naked…! I…I never realized that it was a strange thing to do!"
"D-Demons have less shame than humans when it comes to… intimacy" The princess explained mortifyingly before fully submerging herself in the water, thinking that it would help to cover her body a bit. She had thought that Gumi would know that it was common sense for humans since she seemed to have a lot of emotions compared to the typical demon, but perhaps she still got taught that being naked in front of others was natural. "N-No harm done, though... at least now you know for next time."
The timid green-haired girl nodded, her eyes still averted from her. The poor thing seemed to hate herself for having made that mistake. Miku smiled reassuringly at her to display that she was forgiven entirely. It might just be her, but Gumi looked like she was trying her hardest to be friends with her despite her bashfulness. Of course, she was welcomed to do so, but things needed to be more natural between them first. All the same, the human wouldn't be surprised if the other girl didn't make many friends in her life considering her unusual mixed heritage. In that regard they were sort of the same; Miku had to force herself into being sociable with all those despicable noblewomen who only ever cared about her being the heiress to the throne, the same women who then either made fun of her or envied her as soon as she was out of sight. The only genuine friend she ever had was Rin, and they sadly parted ways after realizing their mutual feelings of friendship for each other.
"M-Mind if I join you? I… promise that I will keep my distance from you to give you some privacy" Gumi murmured almost inaudibly. "I…I just thought that you might have some questions about the village that we are heading to, a-and I can try to answer them as best as I can."
"Go ahead," Miku spoke with a soft voice. "Besides, the oh-so mighty Queen of Demons seems like she is still sleeping, so she will not get mad at us for apparently wasting time on small talk for once."
The half-human blinked in surprise at the way the princess used sarcasm while calling Luka mighty. However, instead of questioning the palpable resentment in her voice, Gumi decided to shrug it off and rid herself of her filthy clothes before joining the other female in the water. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to mind the coldness at all. She even seemed to be calming down; her tensed shoulders relaxing considerably.
Miku couldn't help but stare, and not because she thought Gumi was attractive, but because it was absolutely heart wrenching to see how many bruises she had on her pale skin, and how undernourished she actually was; her ribs and bony hips were fully discernible. It was shocking to see, and Miku had to bite her tongue to not start voicing her annoyance at the King of Demons for having mistreated such an innocent and vulnerable girl. Moreover, how could Luka have let that happen? The teal-haired female knew the icy woman had a severe lack of compassion, but it was still terrible to ignore such nightmarish treatment.
"S-So? Do you have any questions t-that you would like to ask?" Gumi inquired as if she was unfazed by the shameless staring.
Miku took a deep breath in an effort to suppress the disheartening thoughts and eventually gave a nod. There were so many questions that she wished to ask; thus, she wasn't quite sure where to start. Nevertheless, after giving it some thought, she concluded that it was logical to ask the following one first:
"How comes such a village exists? You would think people would never let humans and demons live together in peace. Such a thing would be able to make just about anyone repulsed."
"I…I cannot say for sure, but…" Gumi took a breath and took some time to think about it. "I…I was born and raised there, so i-it has been standing for at least several years. T-There are people observing the entrance, a-and they do not just let anyone enter; i-it is also why you and the Queen will need me to access the village. S-Since it is in the middle of a dense forest, v-visitors are very rare; most of them are lost travellers."
"I see." Miku murmured simply, deep in thought. Humans and demons were generally extremely different, so it was hard to imagine what the ambiance of this very peculiar village was like. Were they sincerely able to set their differences aside and work together as united people? She knew that both races had already tried to live in peace once in the past, but it failed miserably for that reason and many others. "Can you describe the atmosphere a bit? I'm having a hard time imagining it."
Gumi seemed to be reflecting on it, her gaze completely lost in the clear water as she recollected her memory.
"M-Most of the people were humans. I would say that about only thirty percent of them were demons. T-There were not many children; e-either they were older than I was or too young for me to play with, but everyone was f-friendly even though conflicts h-happened every now and then. T-Though, they were always s-settled by our ruler who constantly tried his very best to be understanding towards b-both demon and human values. D-Despite that, there were a few demons coupling with the humans, and the most appreciated couple of them all was m-my parents w-who were admired by almost everyone. S-Since all villagers know and respect me, it will be a lot easier for you and the Queen to be welcomed if I introduce you…"
Miku was quite shocked. If people were to find out about the existence of this village, it could quickly turn into a disaster. It was also why they had to warn the inhabitants about the demons possibly becoming an imminent threat to them. It was miserable to think that all those lives were in danger even though they weren't doing anything wrong. And needless to mention, Gumi still looked extremely remorseful about her mistake, her lips trembling as she seemed to be struggling not to start tearing up. As much as the teal-haired girl wanted to reassure her, there was sadly nothing she could find to say to soothe her worries. She didn't wish to give her false hope by telling her that no harm would be done to anyone when she couldn't even tell herself if they would arrive before the demons destroyed the village.
Thinking that it was best to change the topic, Miku tried to find something else to say. There was definitely a question that made her throat burn with curiosity the whole time, but she was also worried that it would be a sensitive subject for the poor girl. She desired to know more about her parents. She was aware that they were killed because of their forbidden relationship but other than that, she didn't know much. Inhaling sharply, she decided to ask anyway.
"One of your parents was a… sex demon, right?"
Gumi's head lifted in surprise at the unexpected question. After a few seconds of shock, she nodded slowly, her eyes flickering with hesitation about getting into the topic.
"Y-Yes, my father was an incubus while my mother was only an ordinary human…"
"And yet, they loved each other and were faithful to one another?"
Miku was well aware that she was being selfish by asking that sort of question, but she needed to know. It was stronger than her. The fight she had with Luka last night left her a sour taste in her mouth. Not only did the succubus force her to tell her about her true feelings of love towards her, she even dared to say that she felt unbearable lust for her afterward when it was nothing like the affection she held for her. She could partially forgive Luka's insolence since she probably didn't know how fragile humans' feelings could sometimes be, but Miku was still troubled by that behavior of hers. Just thinking about it was painful, and it was piercing her chest with an unpleasant pang. Even though Luka's speech about her never having felt anything this strongly about anyone else eased Miku a bit, it was nevertheless worrying her; what if it was just false hope? What if the succubus couldn't truly learn what loving someone was?
Gumi looked like she identified why the other girl was asking such a question since she smiled softly at her.
"E-Even though my father was an incubus, a-as far as I know, he has always been faithful to my mother, and he loved her very much…" She elucidated and averted her gaze away from the curious princess. "I… y-you are probably asking because you wonder if the Queen will ever see you in t-this light, but I cannot speak for her. My father was living amongst humans e-even before falling in love with my mother, while the Q-Queen has been in demons' territory ever since she was born, s-so their values and the way they see the world must be different. W-whatever the case is, I…I don't think it's impossible for demons to fall in love anyway, a-and the Queen seems to care about you deeply. I can tell that much…"
Miku was surprised how much Gumi could actually talk; perhaps she was just this comfortable with her. Either way, her words were undeniably reassuring, and it also made her realize that she didn't know much about Luka. She didn't know anything about her past; about her life before she became Queen. It was probably nothing too cheerful and joyful since demons looked like they had a hard time being selfless and caring about others, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to bring it up the next time she would converse with Luka… Then again, that was only if the succubus desired to open up to her about it, which Miku highly doubted would be the case.
The princess, now realizing that she was most likely being quite self-centered right now, threw an apologetic look at Gumi.
"I…I apologize for making you listen to me when you probably have bigger problems on your hands."
"A-Ah no, it's fine!" The green-haired girl exclaimed. "I…I am happy enough just talking to you like this…"
Miku blinked in surprise before giving her the softest expression she could possibly make. Gumi was probably not used to socializing with people who fully accepted her origin.
"Thank you… you are such a sweet girl, Gumi. I hope that we can eventually become friends."
The half-human blushed scarlet at the compliment and lowered her gaze quickly out of embarrassment.
"M-Me too…"
"I am not interrupting anything, now am I?" Luka suddenly spoke from behind them, arms crossed over her chest as she looked at both girls contemptuously. "Come on, let us leave already. If you two cared enough about the village's safety, you would have woken me up to resume our journey as soon as possible."
"Well, excuse us for letting you sleep when you seemed dog-tired last night," Miku retorted with an exasperated huff. "Besides, Gumi and I do not have the same stamina that you have, so we need more rest than you do."
"It did not look like you were resting much; it seemed more like you were wasting time on superfluous talk."
Miku took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down and not get annoyed at the hostile Queen, but before she could even say anything, Gumi got out of the water and bowed apologetically in front of the scowling succubus. The half-human was also requesting forgiveness, which Luka answered with an indifferent shrug. While Miku could understand why Gumi was being so obedient and submissive towards the Queen, that was not something the princess could personally do. She didn't fear Luka at all; even with that unfriendly behavior, it was apparent that the succubus wouldn't try to hurt anyone on purpose. In fact, it looked more like Luka was wearing some sort of mask to intimidate others; as if she didn't want anyone to approach her and befriend her.
Disregarding her thoughts, Miku stepped out of the water. She would have liked to dry herself a bit under the settling sun before putting on her clothes, but she suspected that the icy pink-haired beauty wouldn't let her. Not shying away from showing her frustration with the situation, she let out a grunt and quickly started putting on her dress and shoes. Strangely enough, being completely naked in front of Luka was leaving her unconcerned when the just the thought of it used to make her very uneasy before. Perhaps it was because she was used to it now, after all, they had done much more embarrassing things than exhibiting their most intimate areas to each other. At the very least, Gumi, who was already done changing, gave her some privacy by turning her back to her, while the powerful succubus on the other hand didn't make any effort to make her lustful staring inconspicuous. Light hunger flickered in her crystal blue eyes as they lingered on the other girl's delicate breasts and hips for much longer than was necessary.
Shuddering gently as she felt Luka's burning gaze on her, Miku tried her very best to ignore it. Even so, her heart was pounding hard in her chest at the mere thought that her love interest was still evidently desiring her, even though the older woman's desires were mainly sexual in nature. At least, despite the fact that the Queen wasn't sure where her feelings stood, it was nevertheless encouraging to think that she wasn't getting tired of her yet. The human was one hundred percent certain that sex demons liked to change their partners in bed more than anyone could ever imagine, so it was giving her some form of hope that Luka wanted sex from her.
Once Miku dared to meet with the succubus' eyes, she was staggered to notice some concealed softness on her features. A barely perceptible smile was on the corner of her lips, and her usual expressionless face was holding some sort of unexplainable tenderness. Eventually, as if caught in the act, Luka averted her gaze from her as a light blush astonishingly tinted her cheeks. Miku was left entirely dazed at the sudden and abrupt behavior. Why was the other woman suddenly acting so… fond of her? And where did that unexpected blushing come from? There was also this impenetrable, awkward silence between them. Miku lowered her eyes, her whole face heating up. Whatever that was, the embarrassment was contagious. It seemed like her forced confession from last night didn't make Luka completely indifferent, after all.
"I…" The Queen started speaking, only for her voice to break. She then took a shaky breath and slowly started walking away. "… We should get going already."
The human felt like the demon wanted to tell her something quite significant but quickly changed her mind. She most likely did so because Gumi was with them and she didn't wish to get on to the mysterious subject when a third party could be listening to them. Inquisitive about what it could be, especially since it had been enough to make Luka's voice tremble a bit, Miku had to restrain herself from pestering Luka to tell her. The frustration of not knowing was causing her stomach to churn and her throat to burn. However, she knew better than to start making a fuss about it; instead, she would try to get it out of the succubus when they were alone.
They then started to resume their journey on horseback after they all agreed to stop at the closest town to stock up on food and water, which would take several hours to reach according to the roughly drawn maps that they had in their possession. Unsurprisingly so, Luka was slightly tense as Miku was encircling her waist to hold onto her while they rode on the horse. She definitely wasn't as comfortable about being close to her after their little talk yesterday. The teal-haired girl didn't know if she should feel hurt or relieved by it; she had no way of understanding if it was a good or bad sign.
As if trying to change her train of thought, Luka cleared her throat and stared at Gumi out of the corner of her eyes.
"Half-human," She spoke to get her attention. "Do you know anything about Lily's plan now that she knows where we are heading to?"
"U-Um, I'm afraid not…" Gumi mumbled and looked straight ahead, not wanting to meet with the Queen's uncompassionate eyes. "I…I tried to lie to her when she told me t-to point at the location on the map, but she r-realized I was lying and f-forced me to spill out the truth by threatening me. T-There was really nothing I could do…"
Luka gave a growl; it was a clear warning that she was about to get angry.
"You are nothing but trouble! I should have kept you with me until we left; I should have known that damned weakling was listening to us!" The pink-haired demon snarled, her jaw clenched in frustration. "Even now, I do not understand why you decided to tell her the truth in exchange for sex; this is completely ludicrous! Lily cannot hurt you too badly without the King's orders, and I believe that he was not there around that time, so even if she threatened you, it was merely hot air. Lily loves to appear intimidating when she is actually only one who does not know when to keep her mouth shut."
"S-Still, she scares me… a lot…"
"Then, why did you agree to having sex with her, foolish girl!? You put us… no, everyone in this village in danger! And for what? A night with this weakling who kept on mistreating you only for a feeling of superiority; one that she never had with the King or me? You—"
"Luka, that is enough," Miku interrupted her, glaring daggers at the Queen's back. She had been wrong to think that Luka had already forgiven Gumi. "The deed is already done, and yelling at her will not change anything about the situation. While I agree this is a bit frustrating, I am sure Gumi had her reasons, and she does seem to regret her mistake enough as it is. I thought we made this clear already."
The demon inhaled deeply. Instead of listening to the teal-haired girl's logical reasoning, she growled again to display her persistent disturbance with the situation.
"Miku, everything I have done up until now was for you; leaving demon territory when I had been living there all my life, helping you escape when it took a lot of planning on my part… finding a place where you could be safe, where you and I could…" Luka suddenly stopped talking for a few seconds as if she instantly regretted where her sentence was heading. Disinclination was plastered on her face at what she was about to admit. "…Where you and I could stay together without any complications and judgment... Everything took me several days of planning! And yet, we possibly got our only hope ripped apart because of this one little brat who could not refuse a sex offer made by someone she hates. This is infuriating."
Miku's harsh gaze softened considerably at the succubus' confession. It made much more sense now why she had a harder time pardoning the half human. Maybe it was just her, but Luka appeared to be more straightforward about admitting her most concealed feelings all of a sudden. She even went as far as telling her that she did everything exclusively for her, and also for them to have an opportunity to be together without any of the potential complications such a uncommon relationship could cause. After all, no one could possibly have ever imagined that a human princess and the Queen of Demons would once get this intimately close to each other. If it were to become known, it would trigger even more conflicts between the two races, and both girls' safety would effortlessly become at risk since nobody would acknowledge such a relationship. It was also why that open-minded village was their only escape from all the tragedy that awaited them if they continued their peculiar liaison.
Now that Miku could fully understand why Luka was so irate about the situation, she only kept silent and stared at Gumi; the poor girl was on the verge of tears again, her lips quivering from the great sense of self-reproach that was presently invading her. Feeling like she should actually say something to appease both of them -since she refused to take a side- Miku cleared her throat and tried to keep a steady voice as she spoke
"All hope is not yet lost. I still believe that we might arrive in time, and if we do, we can come up with a plan with the villagers to eliminate the future threat the demons could cause."
"A-As far as I can remember… a few of the villagers can fight, b-but a lot are vulnerable too," Gumi murmured, her eyes directed at her horse.
"The best thing we could do is to keep those who can fight and evacuate the weaklings until the threat is eliminated," Luka voiced her opinion. "Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing how many of his loyal subordinates my King will send, but it will most likely only be a few since the war with your kingdom, Miku, should remain his priority for now. It is possible that we might have the advantage."
"I… I do not think peace will be possible until Gakupo is no longer in power anymore though…" The half-human added quietly.
The princess couldn't agree more with Gumi's avowal. Evidently, the King of Demons desired their deaths, and he most assuredly wouldn't leave them alone until his task with them was complete. Miku looked up at Luka, hoping that she could come up with something, but she was met with blue eyes that were flickering with fierce frustration instead.
"As Miku said, we will think of a plan later. For now, we should reach the village as soon as possible, it should remain our top priority," The Queen spoke sternly, her decision definite.
Luka whispered something else under her breath. Miku couldn't catch exactly what she said, but she thought she heard something about her protecting her at all costs. The teal-haired girl's eyebrows furrowed in concern. She wondered if her safety, in general, was actually the other woman's main worry. She would've liked to reassure her that she could take care of herself just fine, but the words were stuck in her throat. She was aware that she would be lying if she said that; especially since Gakupo almost strangled her to death in their last encounter. Still, she tightened her grip on Luka's waist and rested her forehead against her back. Just the mere gesture seemed to calm the succubus down, her contracted muscles discernibly loosening. It was very clear by now that Luka cared a whole lot about her. Miku would even dare to assume that the pink-haired woman was ready to fight with all of her might if it meant protecting her.
Nothing else was added to the conversation as they all kept silent for the majority of the time it took them to reach the next town. Miku almost couldn't restrain a gasp when it came into their view; it was quite huge, with its massive and resistant walls protecting the peasants. Though, unfortunately for them, and as expected from such a wealthy-looking place, a few guards were guarding the entrance. They would most likely ask Luka to show her face since it was still hidden in part by her hooded robe. Yet, despite how risky the situation was, they had no other choice but to try trespassing since they were severely low on food and water, and they couldn't afford to wait until they reached another village.
"Let me take care of this," Luka said with unshakable confidence. She jumped off of the horse and threw a warning look up at Miku. "Try not to stir up trouble for once, little maiden, and stay back."
'I should be the one saying that…' However, the princess kept that thought to herself and anxiously stayed behind with Gumi as the succubus approached the three guards with a self-assured and gracious walk. As anticipated, they were staring at the woman with distrust on their faces, eyebrows furrowed. When they asked her to unveil her face, Luka surprisingly obeyed, presenting her now uncovered horns and pointy ears for everyone to see.
Miku's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected turn of events, her breath caught in her throat. What the heck was she doing? Surely, there was a better way to settle this than revealing her true identity to them!
"A…a demon…!" One of the men screamed out in shock as he pointed his spear at her. "Surrender yourself now!"
"Now, now, that is no proper way to treat a lady, gentlemen," The succubus stated in her sexiest voice as she raised her arms in the air to show that she was completely unarmed. Already, just from her melodious and alluring voice, all of the guards froze in place, staring at the woman with confusion and shattered determination in their eyes. "I mean no harm to anyone… In fact, I…"
Miku squinted her eyes as Luka whispered something in their ears, sensually stroking their muscled arms while doing so. She didn't understand a thing, but it was evident by how hard they were blushing that she probably said something very crude and suggestive to them. Needless to mention, they were wholly ensorcelled by her at this point, watching her every move with seemingly unbreakable interest.
"Now, will you let me, and my companions pass?"
"O-Of course, anything for a fair lady such as yourself…!"
The teal-haired girl couldn't believe how ridiculous the situation was. They were ready to kill Luka a moment ago if she did anything drastic, and now they were literally listening to every wish she uttered. The Queen of Demons most likely wouldn't be able to command a whole army this way, but having such a strong power was nonetheless incredibly frightening. It was even more chilling to think that Miku would also be very vulnerable and defenseless against Luka if she were to ever try to seduce her into listening to her. However, she still came to trust the pink-haired succubus with time, and she was now aware that she would never do anything to hurt her on purpose.
With a satisfied smirk, and in a swift gesture, Luka covered her face and horns again, before re-joining the startled human and the still apprehensive half-demon. It wasn't without Miku's constant scolding at the Queen for being so reckless that they entered the town. They were blessed enough as it was that the three guards had been susceptible to her powers when it could have quite easily been different. If the teal-haired girl was completely safe when it came to Gakupo, then there would undoubtedly be men out there who would be completely unaffected by Luka's mind-blowing seduction.
And of course, the most exasperating thing about the situation was the succubus' amusement towards Miku's persistent reproaches about her being so careless regarding potential dangers.
"I do not think that talking peacefully with them was the best way to settle things. Above and beyond, life is rather dull when you do not take the necessary risks," Luka replied at the scolding human. "How would a maiden who has always been holed up in her castle know this anyway?"
"Maybe so, but you could have taken care of this without proudly showing your… demonly features! That was pointlessly reckless!"
"And yet, this recklessness of mine has granted us access to this town, so could you stop complaining about nothing for once?"
Disapproving wrinkles appeared on Miku's forehead. Even though she decided to remain quiet, this little infuriating exchange with Luka would leave her a bad taste in her mouth for a while. At the very least, Gumi looked like she was a bit amused by it, a small, almost timid smile appearing at the corner of her lips. The princess couldn't tell what she thought was comical; was it the Queen's relaxed behavior around her or was it merely the fact they were still getting along despite repetitively clashing like this?
Miku sighed, and finally allowed herself to stress-freely enjoy the scenery. It was the most affluent town she had visited in her entire life. The streets were overflowing with noblemen and women, or rich-looking people trading with each other. Thankfully for them, their strange group was going unnoticed since there were still a few dirty travellers like them who undoubtedly stopped from town to town to get supplies or well-deserved rest. Nonetheless, it was quite impressive to notice all the imposing architecture. From the remarkably designed and huge churches to the wealthy-looking households, everything was astonishing to look at, and Miku knew that her awe was written all over her face, but at least she wasn't the only one impressed, Gumi was also admiring the panorama with disbelief. And, as expected of the cold and difficult to impress Queen, Luka was keeping her cool, looking unfazed by everything surrounding them.
They soon reached the marketplace where people were trading their goods for either gold or valuable objects. Miku then took care of buying the food and water they needed; she only took what she thought wouldn't perish too soon while they travelled, which included a limited selection of fruits, assorted nuts, and dried meat. Once she was satisfied with her purchases, she re-joined Luka and Gumi at their promised location and was surprised to see them quietly chatting with each other.
Miku silently approached them so as to not interrupt them, and subtly listened to their conversation.
"I… y-you are wrong," The green-haired female murmured while fiddling with her own fingers nervously. "I…I have not been l-lusting over her…"
"Do not try and fool me; I saw you look at her while you two were bathing, and your aura was growing," Luka showed disgust at the situation, staring down at the half-human.
Miku was speechless. They were talking about her, weren't they? She doubted Gumi bathed with someone else other than her recently.
"C-Can you truly blame me, t-though? I…I am a succubus just like you, a-and I also need t-to feed a-and…"
"Then, find someone else to lay your filthy hands on! Miku has no sexual interests towards you."
"I… I was not trying to do anything to her, I swear on my life! I… I only wish to become friends with her."
The teal-haired girl took a step back. That was too much information; maybe she would have been better off not knowing that. However, Luka's resentment towards Gumi was making more sense now; it seemed like the pink-haired demon had a mild case of possessiveness towards her. Miku didn't know what to think of it other than that they apparently felt the same way about each other. After all, lately the princess had been having recurrent thoughts about becoming exclusive to Luka and vice versa, so it was fairly comforting to know that she wasn't the only one starting to become a little possessive of the other. Furthermore, Miku hadn't noticed Gumi's lustful attention towards her, and she believed her when she said that she only desired to be her friend, so she thought that perhaps Luka was being a bit gratuitously harsh with her. The cold Queen wasn't one who ever cared about sugar-coating her words, but there was no reason to have this constant intimidating aura each time she was in the half-human's company.
Thinking that it was best to finally let her presence known, Miku walked towards them with an innocent smile on her face and pretended that she didn't hear anything. Even though it was a bit difficult doing so since Gumi looked terrified at the thought of her having listened while Luka was raising an eyebrow at her.
"I bought enough food to last us until we reach our destination." The princess stated and quickly showed them the bag filled with culinary delicacies. "Since the sun is settling down soon, how about we stop traveling for today and find a tavern where we could eat a well-deserved warm meal and where we could sleep for the night? My body still has not fully recovered from having slept on the ground last night, so a bed would be greatly welcomed…"
Gumi's face illuminated instantly at the thought of eating a warm meal, her excitement palpable.
Luka only sighed and crossed her arms over her bust.
"Fine, but we should leave first thing in the morning or else we might-"
"Or else we might not arrive at Gumi's village in time, I know," Miku finished her sentence in an exasperated tone of voice before a cocky smirk parted her lips. "Though, I wonder why we did not leave first thing in the morning the last time we stopped at an inn... You should stop blaming us for wasting time when, every so often, it is your own fault to begin with."
The succubus blinked at the reproach that was thrown at her. However, instead of retorting, she averted her eyes, her cheeks surprisingly taking on a soft shade of red; it was as if recollecting the events of said morning was mildly embarrassing her. Miku quickly understood why; Luka was getting in this bothered state each time she was reminded of how she enjoyed having her little maiden take the lead. However, her clear mortification regarding it was more discernible than it used to be. Needless to mention, it was quite exciting for the princess to see her react the way she did. Luka definitely enjoyed being on the receiving end when it came to sex, even though she hated to admit it to herself.
Miku only further teased her by smirking even more in her direction which Luka tried her best to ignore by starting to walk away. It really was nice to have the upper hand on her for once. With that thought in her mind, she searched for a decent tavern, and it hadn't been very hard to find considering how rich the town was. There was even a stable next to it where their horses would be guarded and taken care of for a fair price while they would enjoy their time inside.
As soon as they entered the building, they were greeted with a pleasant aroma of spices and cooked meat. A lot of people, most of them noticeably travellers, were relishing in their meals with their companions. The ambiance was less shady than the last inn they visited, and much to the princess' liking, there wasn't that nauseous strong alcohol smell in the air.
Miku went to speak to the tavern owner and asked for two rooms with three homemade pottages that they would eat now. After everything was settled, they took a table far away from prying eyes to enjoy their meals. Luka sat in front of Miku while Gumi uncertainly took a seat at the teal-haired girl's side.
The princess bit into her first spoon of pottage and winced as soon as her tongue touched it. It was a lot spicier than she thought it would be. She could barely eat it without starting to tear up, her mouth feeling as if were on fire. She threw a curious glance at the two women and was doubtlessly shocked at what she saw; Gumi was ravaging her plate, taking quick and big bites while Luka was graciously eating, each gesture as elegant as ever as if she wasn't bothered by the intense spiciness of the pottage in the slightest. Miku swiftly came to wonder if she was the abnormal one here or if demons were immune to spicy flavors. Either way, in contrast to the two women, she had a hard time finishing her plate without starting to complain that her tongue hurt.
Soon enough, Gumi started dozing off on her seat, and Miku playfully poked her cheek with her index, a reassuring smile parting her lips. She then slipped one of the room keys on the table in front of her.
"You can go to sleep before us. We will not hold it against you. I am certain you need more rest than we do…"
Besides, Miku wanted to stay up a little longer to talk one-on-one with Luka.
"U-Um… all right, if that is fine, then I will…" The green-haired girl still looked at the Queen for confirmation that she could be dismissed, and she only gave her a nod in return.
When they were finally alone, the princess met with the succubus' eyes for the first time since this morning. She couldn't read her expression as usual, but it looked like she was content with the idea that Gumi wasn't around anymore. It was a bit sad that she disliked the half-demon this much, but Miku decided not to get into the topic since it would most likely trigger an argument between them again.
Instead, the teal-haired human decided to take this opportunity to be a little bit daring for once and hesitantly grabbed Luka's hand that had been resting on the table. She traced a circle on top of it with her index. She could then see surprise mixed with confusion swirling in the older woman's eyes as if she didn't expect her to do that; especially since Miku was usually reserved and a bit shy when they were alone. Perhaps the relentless brouhaha that people made in the background helped to ease her a bit.
"S-Since we are growing closer to each other, I would like to know more about you," Miku murmured quite boldly. "About your past… or about all those years in demons' territory…"
"There is nothing much to say or nothing that will interest a fragile human such as yourself."
"I am sure you can make a little effort to tell me more about yourself. After all, it is a bit odd that I barely know anything about the woman who I…" The human princess bit down on her lip, a shaky sigh escaping her at what she was about to say. "T-The woman who I came to grow very fond of…"
Miku had no idea where that sudden boldness came from; perhaps it was because Luka already knew about her feelings, and she didn't feel the need to hide them anymore. Gratefully, her confession wasn't taken with an indifferent shrug like she expected it to be; the Queen even mirrored her fondness by smiling softly and squeezing the hand that she was holding. This unexpected moment of sweetness made Miku's heart want to burst out of her chest, and the fluttering sensation in her stomach was giving her a surge of warmth through her whole body. Ever since last night's events, Luka was definitely making an effort to try and understand her feelings more, and it was so unpredictably considerate of her.
Leaning forward a bit, their foreheads almost touching, the succubus took a breath before starting to talk about her past, in a low voice so that people wouldn't hear them speak;
"I suppose I can start at the very beginning then," She said simply and closed her eyes for a few seconds to recollect her memories. "I do not remember much about the people who gave birth to me other than that they were both truly powerful sex demons, and that I inherited their powers. I suppose that they never truly cared for me or loved me, for the only reason they coupled with each other was to give birth to someone who would grow up to be quite influential once at the proper age. In fact, I was trained ever since I was old enough to think logically, and I was abandoned on my own after they achieved their goals. Naturally, being the child of two prestigious demons such as my parents resulted in me gaining more attention than I ever wanted to have…"
Miku listened to every word that was uttered carefully. She hadn't expected a happy tale, but it was still terrible. It really looked like demons were very self-centred people who only ever cared about themselves. It was no wonder why Luka had so much difficulty expressing emotions now.
"Even at a very young age, people expected me to rule as their future Queen, but I did not wish for any of that. I had to hide all my life in the hope that they would stop pestering me. It was when I met a succubus who was just as strong as I am. Meiko… you saw her once; the woman living in that forest where I took you to when I freed you and your male human companion," Luka took a deep breath; it was apparent that it was rare for her to speak so much, but she was still trying her best for her. "Before I became Queen, I lived with her in that hidden cabin. Meiko taught me all about sex and the art of seduction, and how to use those skills to my advantage. The meaning of my relationship with her remains unambiguous even today, but I never considered her a friend or anything close to it; we only used each other to fulfill our sexual needs… although I continue to suspect that Meiko saw me as more than her apprentice student. Anyhow, some demons discovered my whereabouts and pushed me to pass a few strength and wisdom tests to become their Queen, and I ended up accepting against my own will. That was pretty much when I started living with those two idiots, the King and Lily… I do not think I need to elaborate further on what happened from there since, as you already know, I never agreed with Gakupo and Lily's evil schemes and tried my best to counter their plans of foolishly annihilating your kingdom."
Miku silently stared at their hands. Honestly, she was at a loss for words. She always thought that she didn't have the best childhood since the environment she lived in had been strict and demanding, but Luka's one had been far worse than hers since it had been completely devoid of any love and affection. She had expected this, but it was still… petrifying to think that demons were all living in that sort of milieu where you couldn't trust anybody but yourself. In addition, she was glad that the Queen finally opened up to her; it helped her to understand more about her hostility towards people in general, and why she had a hard time accepting her tender feelings.
The teal-haired girl took a minute to digest all the information before she nodded determinately.
"I… I know that you must have a hard time trusting people after all this, but you can trust me, Luka," She whispered softly as her fingers trailed up her arm, giving her gentle and light caresses. "I used to loathe you quite a lot before we started getting more… intimate with each other, but that was only because I could not understand you. However, the more I am starting to get to know you, the more I am starting to believe that there is more to you than this image of a cold and uncompassionate Queen that you wear at all times… and you do not need to wear that mask with me, you can let it all go… After all, I like the Luka who cares, the Luka who is empathetic and unexpectedly gentle…"
Luka's eyes widened. She looked utterly speechless at the genuine words that came from Miku's lips. Eventually, after recollecting her thoughts, the softest of smiles appeared on the demon's face as she gently reached for the human's cheek with her free hand, the other still holding her left one, and caressed her porcelain skin with the tip of her fingers. Miku shivered at the gentle touch, her body welcoming the mild strokes on her cheek as her heart started acting up all over again.
"You will have to be patient with me then, little maiden…" The succubus murmured in the most endearing voice. "There is a lot that I must learn before understanding my own feelings, or yours for that matter, but I am willing to try if you are the one teaching me… You have made me feel so many jumbled emotions already, ones that I never experienced with anyone else before… thus, your presence at my side has successfully made me feel more… alive than I have ever been in my entire life…"
The princess swallowed hard. She didn't think Luka understood how romantic and appealing her speech sounded, and it definitely had the effect of a cupid shooting its love arrow straight at Miku's heart. The teal-haired girl was in a complete daze, unable to detach herself from the succubus' loving eyes. She was getting lost in them, lost in this feeling of passion that was only growing with each sweet word that the demon spoke to her.
However, the romantic moment between them was unfortunately interrupted as Luka pulled away abruptly. Confused, Miku stared up at the other woman carefully, wondering what was wrong. Luka was puzzlingly shaken, her cheeks flushing gently as she looked rigid on her seat.
"Luka, are you all right?"
"I…I need to feed…"
"W-What? R-Right now? B-But we were just… um…" Miku couldn't honestly believe how sudden that was, but the strong lust twirling in the demon's eyes was unmistakable. She didn't know how long she had been restraining that hunger, but it obviously just decided to boil over now… when they were having such a good tender moment too. "I… suppose we should go to our room right away then…?"
Without warning, Luka swiftly disappeared to go under the table. The human princess blinked and was about to question her odd behavior but tensed up as soon as the other female lifted the hem of her dress and pulled down her panties. It all happened so fast that all Miku had time to feel was profound shock. She was going to do her now? Where everyone could see them? At the very least, they took a seat at a dark corner where the only dim light that was illuminating the environment around them was the dying candle on the table, so they didn't have much chance to get caught, but it was still highly inappropriate.
Without wasting any time, the succubus took her sensitive clit in her mouth and gave it rough, hungry strokes with her tongue.
"W-Wait, Luka…! Y-You cannot— … ahhh… n-not here…"
Miku's hand flew to her mouth as she tried to muffle her moans and gasps. Luka was using her powers on her right now, and the familiar, overflowing heat going through her whole body was making all her resolves crumble. She didn't know if it was the demon's way to make her shut up, but it was very effective. Her mind was already fuzzy as all she could feel right now was an unbearable and intense pleasure. Nevertheless, she was conscious enough of her surroundings to get embarrassed at the situation; she couldn't believe they were currently having sex where there was a risk that people could see them. Even though the few folks who were in the tavern gave the impression of being too lost in their own conversations to care about looking around, just the thought that someone could look their way at any time was utterly mortifying. In spite of that, why was the adrenaline from them possibly getting caught making Miku's body so hot and all shuddery? It was as if her mind was trying to tell her that it was wrong and inappropriate while her body was telling her otherwise. Every lick, every suck, and needy caresses Luka was giving her was absolutely staggering and mind-blowing.
It was no surprise that Miku was left completely shuddering in her seat, one of her hands clasped over mouth as she desperately tried not to let out any sounds. She was nearly certain that she already reached two orgasms by now, but it apparently wasn't enough for the hungry succubus who kept on licking her entrance for more of her love juice. It wasn't until Luka decided to thrust two of her fingers inside while still ravenously using her tongue on her clit that Miku completely lost it. She had to bite the back of her hand so as to not start letting out high-pitched sounds. The pleasure going through all of her shaky limbs was too overwhelming right now. At this rate, she was going to lose consciousness. She was reaching more climaxes than her mind could keep up with. Trying to hold on to her remaining awareness, Miku understood that she had to try to make Luka comprehend that it was getting too much and that her frail body couldn't entirely support all the agonizing pleasure that was assaulting it. With the last of her strength she reached for one of the demon's horns under the table, gripping it as firmly as she could manage right now.
"B-Be…m-more…gentle…" Miku breathed out with difficulty, panting heavily.
Luka stopped whatever she was doing for a few seconds before she resumed. However, this time she only thrust her fingers at a mild rhythm, finally letting go of her swollen bud of nerves that she had been vehemently sucking and licking almost nonstop up until this point. At least, now that the pleasure had reduced to a more sustainable pace, Miku could thoroughly enjoy her impending orgasm. At this point, it was as if she completely forgot where they were, relishing in her climax as she let out muffled moans and unconsciously moved her hips with each new thrust.
When the pleasure finally faded away after a mind-blowing orgasm, the human princess leaned forward against the table, trying to give her body a rest as she caught her breath. It wasn't without licking her clean, pulling up her panties and replacing her dress that Luka got out from under the table, sitting back in her seat like nothing happened. Yet, she still took care of meticulously licking her sticky fingers right in front of a very red-faced and exhausted Miku.
It took at least two minutes for the teal-haired girl to recover before she expectedly started to make a fuss over what just happened.
"H-Have you lost your damn mind!?" Miku exclaimed. Shock and embarrassment were plastered all over her face at the full realization of what would have happened if they got caught. "H-How thoughtless can you be!? You could have waited until we reached our room!"
"I do not see why you are making such a big fuss over it when you were enjoying it as much as I did," Luka smirked, giving her a sultry look to tease her even further. "Oh dearest, you were moving your hips the whole time, and I could sense your aura growing at the possibility of getting caught… Believe me; I would have stopped if it would have made you too uncomfortable."
Miku wanted to retort, but she couldn't find anything to say to defend herself. Luka was right; she enjoyed it. Immensely so. But she wasn't one who liked to take risks, and Luka took it too far. With a growl, she looked away from her, scowling at the floor. It wasn't the only thing that made her feel so infuriated. They were talking calmly and peacefully before the succubus started her lustful assault on her, entirely ruining the rare romantic moment that they had. She couldn't help the disenchantment from making her sulk.
"W-Whatever, let us head to bed already... thanks to you, I am exhausted now."
Without waiting for a response, the princess stood up from her seat and grabbed her belongings before walking up the stairs. She quickly found the room with the right number engraved on the door and entered inside. The full moon's light piercing through the curtains was the only thing that illuminated the rather empty room.
As soon as Miku found the large bed, she dropped herself on it and blankly stared at the ceiling. She honestly couldn't believe how fast the mood between them changed, but that was to be expected from such a perverted succubus who could barely keep her hands to herself.
Still, reminiscing about what happened before that was enough to give her that fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach all over again. Despite her obvious lustful intentions, Luka still wanted to understand her feelings, and she wanted Miku to teach her about them. She was willing to love her and acknowledge that what they felt for each other went beyond mere lust. Even though it didn't begin in the best way possible…
After a few minutes had passed, the Queen of Demons finally entered the room. Silently, she sat on the bed and removed her robe, the piece of clothing slipping down her flawless bare skin.
"Are you angry, Miku?" Luka asked with a sigh. "I suppose I might have taken it too far this time, and I still must learn what is decent and what is not in humans' territory."
"You really should" The princess replied almost furiously even though she was grateful that the demon recognized her mistake for once. Her back was currently facing hers. "W-While it is true that I do enjoy your touches, you must know that there are more proper times for… that kind of activity."
The pink-haired female hummed her understanding before lying down next to her. With some hesitation, she took a strand of Miku's silky hair between her fingertips and brought it to her lips to give it a gentle kiss; hoping that soft gesture would reassure her infuriated maiden, even if just a little bit.
"I cannot help it though…" Luka murmured and tried to meet with the human's breath-taking eyes. "Look at it this way; the lust I hold for you makes me feel drawn to you, and it keeps me satisfied. As of right now, I do not crave sex with anybody else but you."
The younger girl felt herself blush at the revelation. Luka's sentence sounded anything but romantic, and yet, it was still making her heart pound. It was idiotic how Miku became so weak and entranced by her that she would almost forgive anything. While it was somewhat reassuring to know that Luka didn't desire sex from anyone else, it was still rather worrisome; would the succubus grow tired of her one day? Would Miku be able to keep on satisfying her? Would she even be all right with a relationship that wasn't exclusively libidinous?
Unable to keep those thoughts to herself, Miku decided to ask, and she hated how much her voice broke.
"…What if you grow tired of me? What if I cannot keep you satisfied?"
As if she expected that question, Luka didn't need to think twice before she answered almost instantly.
"I would be lying if I said that I am certain that I will not, but… I suppose only time will tell us. Though, I can reassure you that I do not wish for such a thing to happen as my life has never been as meaningful as it is now."
Miku was appreciative that Luka was obviously making an effort with speaking from the depths of her heart. However, that statement was nothing but comforting. Though, she didn't have time to feel hurt or disappointed as her whole body was growing numb from tiredness, her eyelids heavy as she was starting to doze off.
The last thing she saw before drifting off to sleep was Luka's loving eyes directed at her.