The next morning, Black Diamond sat at the window as Pearl slept quietly in bed. Occasionally, the sheets would rise and fall over her, expanding every time she inhaled. Black would watch for a few seconds before glancing outside again. The day began to break, and with each new color that blossomed in response to the sunlight, Black peeled a small stretch of skin from her lips. Her fingernails picked as her thoughts twisted inside her stomach.
Luna slept outside. Curled up like a cat, she breathed in and out slowly as her pretty scales reflected the sunlight. At certain angles she appeared silver, and at others, she shimmered the hues of the rainbow.
After about fifteen minutes of sunrise and bloodied lips, a knock at the door drew Black Diamond's attention, so she turned to find Lady Lapis's wife standing in the doorframe. The little woman had set a delicate arm over her chest while her mouth curved inward, until finally, she said, "Good morning, My Diamond."
Black shook her head and looked out the window. "Not you too."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Madame. Would you like me to go?"
"No, not at all," Black turned to her again. "But you don't need to call me 'My Diamond.' How did you find out?"
"Well, when White came here last night, looking for you, I pieced it together. My wife and I talked about it too. She said you didn't want anyone knowing, but…" She paused, casting her gaze to the floor. "I'm worried that I've offended you. After I gave birth you carried me home and you've called me 'Madame' the entire time, and—" she cut herself off.
"It's okay," Black filled in the space. "I didn't mind doing any of those things, and you haven't offended me." She regarded the town again, and Lapis moved a few steps closer.
"Madame, are you alright? You seem troubled."
Black Diamond's nightgown shuffled softly as she adjusted her stance. "I am troubled."
Lapis trembled, a ripe question waiting against her teeth.
"White Diamond asked me to come back with her last night. She wants me to live in the palace so that we might marry one day." Black drew in a breath. "She asked me to give her a chance and she seemed genuine, but…"
"It's a big decision." Lapis spoke and covered her mouth afterward, blushing in royal blue.
Black cracked a smile, "Yes, it is a big decision," and regarded the floor. "Maybe it's time to accept that I'm a Diamond. I've been running all these years and yet, everyone found out. Perhaps I could be a good wife to her. She could be a good wife to me, and I could become a mother..."
Lapis offered a kind smile and gathered a few words. "I think you would be a great mother, Madame."
"Truly?"
"Truly," she rolled her lips a little more, as if warming them up. "If you decide to live with her, and things don't work out, you're always welcome here. My wife and I would love to have you back, but I understand the temptation." She waited a moment before continuing. "I love being a mother, and I'm fortunate that I was able to have not one baby, but two. I don't know if you feel the same, but I wouldn't blame you for considering it. No matter what, we'll always appreciate what you've done for our family and our city."
Black grinned at her, but with bent brows. After a few seconds, she had to look away. "Thank you for allowing us to stay here as long as we have."
"Of course, Madame. You can stay as long as you like." They regarded one another a few seconds before a cry sprung up almost out of nowhere, but the mother turned the moment the sound began as if she had anticipated it. "Excuse me, My Diamond. It looks like she's awake and she's probably hungry."
"Not to worry. Thank you, Lapis."
To that, Lapis grinned and left the room to attend to her child.
Black Diamond looked at the sheets. "Pearl?"
The top layer flipped forward immediately. "Yes, ma'am?"
"I knew you were up."
Pearl responded by making a silly face. She squinted and stuck out her tongue.
"You're ridiculous," Black laughed until her gaze wandered again toward the sky. "So, I was thinking…"
"Are we going to move in with White?"
A pause ate up a few seconds. "I think I'd like to give it a try. I spent all night thinking about it, and perhaps she has a point. It might be nice to spend time with another Diamond, and if we hate it, we can leave."
"Whatever you want, My Lady. No matter where you'll go, I'll follow you."
Black embraced Pearl, and shortly after that, they packed their things. They had folded their borrowed blues upon the freshly made bed, then walked downstairs, creating footsteps that echoed within the silence. Upon arriving to the first floor, Black and Pearl found both wives sitting upon the couch, waiting.
Two sets of wild gold and deep blue eyes caught them as both stood, slowly and deliberately.
"Are you leaving then?" Lady Lapis said, unrelenting as usual.
"We are. Thank you again, for everything. We both enjoyed our time here."
"Thank you, Black Diamond," Both Lady Lapis and her wife approached, and the town's leader extended her hand for Black to shake. "I hope there are no hard feelings for last night."
"No," Black Diamond gave the Lady's fingers a small squeeze before letting go. "You kept your word, and White Diamond came looking for me. It was really only a matter of time. Even if she hadn't come, the others would have begun to figure it out anyway, with the Quartzes here." Despite something slightly sad still lingering in her voice, Black managed to look fully forward at Lady Lapis and her wife.
"You do have diamonds in your eyes."
"I can't deny that I do."
"Well, my offer still stands. You're welcome back whenever you like. I'll be sure my people treat you the way you want to be treated, and we'll have a place where you and Pearl can stay."
"Thank you, Lady Lapis, and thank you, Madame." Black Diamond leaned forward and shook hands with the queen and her wife—the latter of which blushed a deep and lovely blue.
"Oh, as if you would need to call me that. I'm sorry if I ever said anything inappropriate to you. I didn't know, but looking back on it now, it seems so ridiculous that I didn't piece it together. Thank you for coming to our city, Miss Black Diamond!"
All four of them spoke a while longer before waking Luna. As Black Diamond and Pearl approached, the dragon lifted her head and opened her mouth of sharp and terrifying teeth to yawn. She stretched her wings and waited as the gems said their goodbyes and Black and Pearl climbed upon her back. Black lifted Pearl first and boarded secondly herself, at which point, Luna stood to banish the sleep from her legs.
"Thank you both again!" Black Diamond held onto Pearl with one arm and waved with the other.
"Thank you, Black Diamond!" Lady Lapis merely raised her hand while her wife waved with a little more enthusiasm.
"Please come again, Madame!"
"We would love to! Goodbye!" At that point, Black patted Luna on her back leg and the dragon grunted, flapping her wings for takeoff. The pair kept waving while they picked up speed before Luna leapt into the air and flew. Black Diamond grasped Pearl close and held tightly to the reins. Both parties screamed, particularly when ascending higher and moving quicker. They practically touched the clouds, but from that great height, Black Diamond looked down and caught the passing sight of the desert and a few Lapises flying below them. Pearl continued to panic, holding onto her lady's arm until her own fingers turned white. The wind made speaking difficult, so Black Diamond kept her words to herself and watched as the rolling fields of green came into view.
They passed over thick forests and villages small and large of gems who would gather together and watch as they drifted overhead. They flew over impressive buildings and rolling farms of golden wheat, sometimes over lovely fields of purple and pink flowers that clustered together by color.
Eventually, Pearl stopped clutching so hard and dared to lean over and look at the passing landscape. She only observed for a moment, however, until going back to facing forward and securing her Diamond's arm.
The ride over went smoothly with Luna coasting on the currents of the wind and even gliding some of the way. She flew quietly, only needing to flap her wings occasionally, and within as little as two hours, they approached the capital and White Diamond's Palace upon the hill.
As the wind blew through her hair, Black Diamond's stomach twisted into several confusing knots. Pearl still held onto her, and Black grasped her just as tightly, one large hand squeezing her around the middle. Sometimes they looked at one another, unable to speak, but locking gazes for short seconds. Other times, both managed to focus on the passing landscape beneath them—the same land Black Diamond might someday co-own.
As Luna neared her home, Black found a small procession out front of milky Quartzes and pale Pearls. Upon spotting Luna, one of the soldiers went in, but the dragon didn't stop in front. She continued on until reaching the garden, at which point she dove down and landed, gracefully, amongst the plants and flowers.
Black Diamond took Pearl and stepped into the trim grass. Both shook slightly, and Black took a moment to rest her hand against the side of the dragon's face.
"Thank you, Luna. You're a good dragon."
The beast opened her mouth to release a small cloud of smoke, and just as she began to rub her face against Black Diamond's hand, the procession arrived through the back of the palace, playing their instruments.
"Welcome, Black Diamond!" They called to her, somewhat breathlessly, and took up their poses. The soldiers set down their drums and the Pearls played their flutes as the two guests looked to one another and back to the band. Just as Luna began to secure her snout into the heartlines of Black's hand, a certain sparkling claimed her vision.
Shining like a chandelier, White Diamond appeared in the overhead afternoon sun, casual robes billowing in the breeze. She stopped for a moment, before her servants and before the two gems arrived in the garden, and set her hands upon her hips.
Black Diamond looked to her—that statuesque woman composed of marble and muscle—and perceived every singular beat happening by the force of her heart.
The wind blew and its gentle influence barely affected either of them, but through it White moved forward as her focus accosted the new arrivals. An odd, but demure smile bent her lips upward. The servants stopped making their song, and where one might expect White to speak was instead a pause. Both Diamonds breathed slowly at a calculated rhythm where one exhaled and the other inhaled.
The breeze caressed the ends of their hair and White finally spoke, "Black Diamond, I'm glad you decided to come." She stepped forward and reached over to pet Luna along her snout. "She was supposed to land in front of the palace. I suppose she forgot."
Luna expressed another cloud before setting the end of her elegant face into White Diamond's palm. The dragon chirped as her master spoke again.
"How was your trip here?"
"It was…adventurous. We've never flown before. Thank you for allowing us to borrow Luna." Black looked at White. Part of her mouth went dry.
"It's hardly a problem. She doesn't mind." White took her hand away and the dragon followed it with her nose, causing Black Diamond and Pearl to laugh. In response, White smiled, though she broke it up immediately with her words, "I'm sure you're tired. Please come in. Lunch is waiting, and I've set up a room for you and Pearl."
"Thank you, White."
The new arrivals followed White into her palace, the structure as overwhelming as the first time. With their bags strapped to them, windblown and dressed in rags, Black Diamond and Pearl took each other's hands. Sometimes, White's luminous silver eyes would touch them, like a violent kiss upon the cheek, before going back to the scenery before her. Black could almost see the phantom of a grin upon her lips as the three of them progressed forward, together.