Disclaimer: all the characters, locations and items in this work are trademarked by Disney, Sega and Ubisoft, unless noted otherwise. All original characters, if not related to existing characters, are owned by the author.
Chapter 9 - The Unholy Trinity
"Good evening, Joan", murmured the hunter, staring at his sister for the first time in four years.
All at once, a flood of memories surfaced: childhood jokes, more serious conversations, trips they had made with their parents, birthday parties, solstices, family gatherings, random events... and the last time they had seen each other, in the old Westside prison just before Jason was removed from the cell to serve as a guinea pig for Eggman.
He felt the hand holding his shoulder tighten.
"My God, it's really you!", murmured Joan, enthusiastically. "Jason, I thought I would never see you again, our parents and I thought you were dead!"
"Well, as you can see, sister, I'm very much alive", replied the hunter, his voice slightly choked with emotion. "But I confess, I didn't expect to see you at this coronation, I thought that you, Dad and Mom were still incarcerated... by the way", he began uncertainly. "You married him?", he asked, trying not to sound too disgusted.
Joan took a deep breath before continuing, which made Jason certain that the subject would be a source of much discussion.
"Yes. My current name is Joan Kristen Smith-Westergaard, Princess of the Southern Isles. I was married to Prince Hans Westergaard about eight months ago."
If the brunette could see the face behind the mask, she would realize that her brother had gone pale from the shock - until then, he didn't want to believe the idea that his sister had married the Smith's warden, the man who had led the arrest of all of them, including hers!
"Joan, you know what he did, don't you?", He asked, his tone low and hurt.
"Yes, Jason, I know. But, it's been four years!", exclaimed his little sister, trying not to raise her voice. "I remember that after you were separated from us, mom, dad and I were sent to the Southern Isles to work as servants at King Wilhelm's court, and I was assigned to look after Hans's room and office."
"So he was your master? Because, as far as I knew, the Westside prisoners were turned into slaves", Jason countered, irritation starting to get the better of him, which made Joan grit her teeth in sheer frustration.
"Okay, I'll concede this time. I became a slave to Prince Hans. Satisfied?"
"No, I still can't understand how you went from a slave to the wife of this bastard."
Joan's eyes flashed with hurt, but her expression made it clear that she was already waiting for it - but that didn't make her agree with her brother.
"I'll get there, Jason. The fact is, I was assigned to wash and clean the rooms used by Hans, and the first few days were... terrible. If it wasn't enough to know that I was a war prisoner, and that they could end my life with a wave of their hands, and Hans... look, I love my husband, and I know he loves me, but I can say that the way he looked at me the first few days was enough to scare me."
"Joan... what did he do to you?", the hunter growled, in the midst of an internal struggle to keep his head in place and avoid attacking the prince of the Southern Isles in the middle of the Royal Palace. Joan swallowed, as she assumed a pensive expression, like she was evaluating what she should say. Finally, she began to talk.
"Three months after the invasion, I was cleaning Hans' office when I bumped into a statuette over his desk and knocked it over, breaking it into several pieces. As I tried to gather what was left of the statuette, Hans entered the room and... to summarize the story, to this day I still have the scars of the lashes that I received on my back because of that."
Jason's blood started to boil, and he knew that if he kept hearing the rest of the story, he would end up committing a murder sooner or later. But he needed to know everything, especially because it was his sister who had suffered.
"It was Hans who whipped you, wasn't it?" Joan nodded hesitantly, which made Jason sigh. "Damn bastard", growled the blue-haired man, as he tightened his grip on his sister's hand - but being careful not to exaggerate his strength.
"Jason, please bear in mind that the Hans of that time was not today's Hans. Today he can't look at my back without feeling guilty for what he did!"
"That doesn't matter, Joan, what matters is what he did to you!", exclaimed the islander, outraged, trying to keep his voice low enough to not catch the attention of the other guests. "By God, I'm afraid to hear of what else might have happened."
Joan paled at this remark; she had another story to tell her brother, but, after seeing his reaction to the first incident, the Princess of the Southern Isles was sure that the ball would end in tragedy if she told what had happened two months after the whipping episode - or rather, what almost happened.
Even so, this second incident had left her with nightmares for weeks.
Noticing his sister's frightened expression, Jason realized that her story wasn't over yet - and it was terrifying enough to make him want to strangle Hans. However, if he wanted to find out what had happened, he would have to calm down, for her sake - and when he started talking again, it was in the calmest voice possible.
"Joan... please, I know we haven't seen each other for four years, and I know that I may not be the same person since the invasion, but... I'm still your older brother, and you know you can trust me, don't you?"
The girl breathed slowly and deeply, before answering. "Yes, Jason, I trust you." Then she assumed a more determined tone. "I'm just saying this. You're my brother, my best friend, the man I've known the longest, along with our father, so I trust you completely."
"So... please, sister, what else happened?"
"Welcome to Arendelle, Dr. Eggman", replied Elsa, successfully hiding her disgust at the scientist. Turning to the Duke of Weselton, she commented. "I confess I hadn't expected a guest in your delegation, Your Lordship."
"Well, Your Majesty, don't blame My Lord", replied Eggman, with a charming smile. "I always wanted to visit the Land of the Auroras, and the coronation seemed like the perfect moment to me. Not to mention, I have a fascination with magic."
Upon hearing the word "magic", the queen of Arendelle noticed the grimace made by the Duke of Weselton - interesting, she thought, they have different opinions on the subject. Immediately, she stored the information in her head - it could be very useful in the future.
"Then, knowing that Your Majesty has powers over snow and ice, I confess... I was very anxious to meet you", continued the scientist, ignoring his master's disgusted expression.
As much of a bad opinion about Eggman as Elsa had the stories she'd heard about him - most of them provided at the audience three years ago with Jason Ryan Smith - she could see that his interest in the subject was sincere, which was a blessing compared to the blatant flattery of the Duke of Weselton.
"It surprises me to know that a man of science is interested in the unpredictable universe of magic", said Rapunzel, taking a sip of his drink.
"Princess Rapunzel of Corona, isn't it? I've heard a lot of stories about you, my dear", said Eggman, stepping forward to kiss the hand of the heiress of the Sun Throne.
"I suppose so, doctor",' said Rapunzel, extending her hand for the scientist to kiss it. "During the last Lantern Festival, a few weeks ago, a group of minstrels had made a ballad called 'Tangled', retelling my story with Gothel and Eugene in a musical tone."
"Too bad I missed it, Your Highness", lamented Eggman. "Anyway, answering your question... my grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who was also a scientist... he was a scholar dedicated to the study of magic. He had an interest in discovering the origin of these powers, which he called the gods' gift, and of using them to aid in the development of science."
"And he succeeded?", asked Merida curiously.
"No", Eggman murmured regretfully. "He died several years ago, before he could complete his work... what is your name, my lady?"
"Princess Merida of Dunbroch, and I'm sorry for your loss", replied the Scotswoman.
"Oh, I've heard of you, Your Highness... or rather, about your mother, and the day she was turned into a bear."
The effect was immediate: the Duke of Weselton raised his grimace, while Elsa and Rapunzel suppressed their laughter as a redness appeared in Merida's face. Ignoring the scene around him, Eggman kissed the red-haired princess' hand, just as he had done with the other royals.
"I... it was an accident, I didn't imagine that... er... at least everything went well", murmured Merida, completely embarrassed.
"Don't worry Your Highness, it's like you said, everything went well", the scientist replied in a comfortable tone, which made the Duke clear his throat in frustration.
"Anthony, I can see you're having a good time, but come with me, we still have other people to talk to", Weselton said, his face dark. With a resigned sigh, Eggman bowed to the three royals.
"I hope to meet you again, miladies, I enjoyed our conversation."
Rapunzel and Merida nodded in agreement, while Elsa remained motionless, closely watching Eggman and the Duke of Weselton walk away until they were gone in the midst of the other guests.
"What did you think of him, Elsa?", asked the Princess of Corona, looking at her friend with an indecipherable expression. Seeing that Merida had a similar expression on her face, the blonde smiled, relieved, before answering.
"For a second, I was sure you had been won over by his charm."
"May the gods save me from that misfortune!", cried the Scottish woman with a low laugh. "He is more discreet than the old ferret, I have to admit, but it's as they say: once flattering, always flattering."
"Besides, it was enough to look at your face when they arrived to see that you didn't like them at all", Rapunzel added, seconds before another figure approached the girls: a tall man with dark brown hair and a goatee of the same color, wearing a white coat and a mask that covered most of the face, except for the nose, mouth, and his brown eyes.
"Punzie?", Eugene called, staring at the dance floor with a puzzled expression. "Was that fat man who just passed me old Dr. Eggman?"
Elsa raised an eyebrow, which was followed by the other girls. "How do you know him, Eugene?"
Looking quickly at his wife's friend, he explained. "I met him back when I worked as a thief, he hired me for a job. I had to steal some very old jewelry, if my memory doesn't fail me. But that was many years ago, Elsa, I had never seen him again since that time."
Elsa nodded, accepting the explanation. "And what was he like? Was he a nice boss?"
"Honestly? Forgive me, but he was a pain in the ass", shot the former thief, causing Merida to spit out the wine she was drinking. "He kept complaining, had a shorter temper than the Stabbington brothers, and was arrogant and immature. Seriously, if something didn't occurr exactly as he wanted, even if the outcome was as expected in his plans, Eggman had a temper tantrum that made him look more like a child than a grown man."
The Queen of Arendelle pondered Eugene's account - all indications were that this courtesy was simply a facade of the scientist. His real personality must have been the one that had been demonstrated to her friend's husband at the time he was known as Flynn Rider.
Elsa concluded that Eugene could be immensely valuable in the future if Eggman were to show his true face.
"Eugene... could you do me a great favor?" When she saw the Prince-Consort of Corona nod, she continued. "If we ever need information about Anthony Ivo Robotnik, could you help us? I fear he may be a very dangerous enemy in the near future and since you have worked with him…"
Eugene raised his hand to ask Elsa to stop talking. "Don't worry, Elsa, I'm at your disposal if you need my help." The queen smiled gratefully as Rapunzel kissed her husband's cheek.
She was sure that, given her plans for the coalition, Robotnik's aura of gentleness would become history in a matter of seconds.
Jason Ryan Smith was bloodthirsty - thirsty for the blood of Prince Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles to be more specific.
He had said farewell to Joan seconds ago, after returning her to her husband - unwillingly, if he was honest with himself - and was returning to Elise and Adéwalé, who were talking in low voices, at the same time casting worried looks to the islander.
Jason couldn't hold back a wry smile - as much as he wanted to vent all his emotions with someone, he was still so grumpy that it was a bad idea.
"Seeing your face, kid, you have discovered something very unpleasant", commented the leader of the Hunters' Guild as Jason approached them.
"Understatement of the millennium, Adé, I can guarantee that", said the young hunter, before turning to give a peck on Elise's lips.
"You were right, weren't you, cousin?", asked the duchess in anguish. "Who else did you meet tonight?"
Jason closed his green eyes, trying to control the absolute chaos that was in his head - he was not sure he could keep his nerves in place, unless he stopped to breathe for a few seconds, and he didn't want to worry his cousin and his master more than they already were
The most basic question was how? How would Elise react when she learned that her cousin had married the man who had detained the Smiths - and consequently made Jason's life a living hell?
The hunter wasn't happy about this turn of events, to say the least, especially after Joan had told the second incident - she had only done so after taking an oath from him.
"I want you to promise, brother, that you won't do anything against Hans, no matter what I tell you - he is my husband, and I have already forgiven him. And I know very well that you're the type that doesn't rule out violent action."
"But, Joan... I don't know if I can promise this, this man was responsible for the disgrace done to our family!"
"Jason, Dad and Mom are already free from slave labor, they also forgave him, can't you do that too?"
"No!"
In the end, Joan had managed to make Jason swear he wouldn't hurt Hans in any way, no matter how much he wanted to - and only then she'd told him what happened after the whipping incident.
The islander had immediately regretted his oath upon hearing the news, but it was too late.
"Joan", murmured Jason, still with his eyes closed.
"What?", asked Adéwalé, confused, while Elise paled.
"That was my sister, Joan Kristen Smith... Westergaard," completed the blue-haired hunter, still keeping his eyes closed. "She married the man who arrested me and my family, Prince Hans Westergaard."
"You're joking, aren't you?" Elise asked desperately. "For Solaris, tell me you're joking, Jason!"
"I wish I could, my love", replied the exile, opening his eyes and staring at his surprised master and his frightened cousin. "But, unfortunately, she's married to that... that... that jerk."
"Wow!" exclaimed Adéwalé, shocked, with a hand to his chin. "I confess I didn't expect that, my boy."
"And I, even less!" exploded Elise, glancing fiercely at Joan and Hans, talking animatedly to another couple of dignitaries. The gleam in her eyes was enough to make Jason nervous - it was as if a burning flame was within his cousin's blue eyes. "How... how could she do such a thing like that?"
"I still don't understand it, Elise... she said she worked as a slave for him, but the bastard has fallen in love with her and offered freedom to Joan and our parents in exchange for her hand in marriage."
Hearing those words, Jason was sure that Elise was going to march to Joan, such was the anger that emanated from her. Before she could do anything however, the hunter put a hand on her cousin's shoulder and stroked it soothingly.
"I know what you're feeling, sweetie, I'm also very angry... but with him. However, she made me swear that I would not hurt him at all, so... I'm going to have to accept this situation, as much as I'm unhappy about it."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I am, Elise... She promised to keep a secret about the fact that I'm here, not even... not even her husband will know, so we can be sure it's a fair exchange: my security for the safety of my brother-in-law."
Still disappointed with Joan's actions, Elise hugged her cousin, resting her face on his neck. "Why does life have to be so unfair?" asked the Duchess of Soleanna, her voice muffled.
"I don't know, my love. I wish I knew", whispered Jason.
"I think this is a mystery no one can explain, my boy", commented Adéwalé, in a low voice. "The good suffer more than the bad, that's one of the certainties of life."
"Thank you all, I hope you have all enjoyed the party", said Elsa, standing next to the throne, looking at each of the guests. It was already three o'clock in the morning, and as much as the masquerade had been a success, it was time to retire, even more so because she had so much to do from the moment she would wake up a few hours later. "If you need an escort to your ships, or to your accommodations, just talk to Kai or Gerda, they'll know what to do. Goodnight everyone."
Soon, Elsa was walking to the side door of the ballroom, which gave access to a passage to the Castle's Residential Wing. Rapunzel, Merida, and their respective families had retired half an hour ago, overcome by fatigue, and were accommodated in the Royal Palace's Guest Wing, where they would spend the night before returning to their respective homes in Corona and Dunbroch.
Along the way, she stopped a few times to say goodbye to dignitaries who were leaving. However, it was only when she was arriving at the side door that she saw three guests with whom she had not yet spoken to that night.
The Duchess and the Count of Soleanna, both wearing masks and clothes that made them almost unrecognizable, and the leader of the Arendelle Hunters' Guild, wearing a simple mask and no-flamboyant gala clothes - which matched well with the hunter's lifestyle.
Elsa raised an eyebrow at the trio preparing to retreat; as far as she knew, the chief of the hunters had never left Arendelle after having been granted the asylum by her father years before, and the last time the country had received a state visit from Soleanna had been for over fifteen years before, when the father of the present duchess was the sovereign of the city-state.
It was possible that they had met at the ball, but, given their body language, they seemed to have known each other for a long time.
Without restraining her curiosity, the queen of Arendelle decided to go to speak with the three. At the least, she would avoid the possibility of not having spoken to a dignitary.
Upon seeing the monarch approaching, the duchess, the count and the hunter immediately stopped walking. "Your Majesty, I'm the Duchess Elise of Soleanna", said the girl, curtsying in greeting as the count and the hunter bowed. "Thank you very much for the invitation, it is an honor for my country and for my family."
"Thank you, Your Highness, and I apologize for only giving you due attention now that the masquerade is over", Elsa said, in a slightly guilty tone.
"Don't worry about it, Your Majesty", Elise replied, trying to sound more confident than she was. "My friends and I had an... intense night."
Elsa noticed a certain hesitancy in the duchess' words at the last phrase, but she decided not to press - this wasn't the time or place for it. Turning to the Count, who wore a mask that hid most of his face, she said. "I hope you have enjoyed my hospitality, your lordship."
"No doubt about it, Your Majesty", the man replied in a hoarse voice, which nevertheless sounded strangely familiar to the Queen of Arendelle. "I had heard of your country's gala balls, but I had no idea that Your Majesty was going to hold a masquerade - and I must say, it was a pleasant surprise."
"Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. And before I forget, I heard that you've been living in Arendelle for three years", Elsa remarked, noting the surprised look the Count cast at Elise. "I don't understand why you didn't visit me during that time. It was my duty as sovereign to receive you the way you deserved."
"Don't worry, you received me when I came here, Your Majesty, and in the way a person from my position should be received", answered the nobleman, surprising Elsa. Before the blonde responded, he raised his hand to indicate he would continue talking. "I know you must be curious to know who is hiding behind this mask my lady, but I came to Arendelle in search of peace and quiet. That's why I chose not to reveal my identity, and it won't be now that I will. Maybe in the future, who knows, but I beg of you, Your Majesty, to respect my desire."
Elsa nodded reluctantly. She had many questions for the Count of Soleanna, but if that was what he wanted, she would respect that. Besides, she had one more question to clarify - which made her turn to the black-skinned man who accompanied the couple.
"Master Adéwalé, I never imagined that you knew the Duchess and the Count of Soleanna."
"Your Majesty, it is a pleasure to see you again. And yes, I know them, we have... mutual friends", replied the leader of the Hunters' Guild. "Not to mention they're great company, I didn't even realize how fast the ball went by."
"And as for your apprentice, Mr. Smith? I remember he also received an invitation, and it's been three years since I last saw him. I would like to know how he is, and how the last years have been."
"Jason had to leave a little earlier, Your Majesty, the fatigue overcame him. He asked me to apologize for not being able to talk to you, but he has Guild's matters to deal with tomorrow."
"All right, Master Adéwalé, I understand the situation."
"But... he still doesn't know, but I plan to start sending him to some Council meetings in my place," he announced; Elsa didn't notice the Count of Soleanna twisting his neck toward Adéwalé. "The boy has the potential, Your Majesty, and I imagine he could be my successor in the leadership of the Guild in the future."
Elsa nodded in agreement. If Jason Ryan Smith had so much potential, he could become a trusted adviser in the future when Adéwalé decided to retire from the Guild leadership.
"Your Majesty, if you don't mind... We will retire for now," said the Duchess of Soleanna, in a slightly exhausted tone. "I have to rest a little before the return trip, and the Count and Master Adéwalé also need sleep."
"Of course, Your Highness, I'm sorry. Have a good night and a good rest", said Elsa.
The duchess performed a curtsy in response as the men bowed before turning and walking away. Seeing that they were, in fact, the last guests to leave the Royal Palace, Elsa couldn't contain a yawn.
Minutes later, she was alone in her bedroom, undressing from the dress she had worn during the ball. Looking at herself in a mirror, she allowed herself a few minutes to look at her naked body. She wondered how much of the Council would want her to marry as soon as possible with a man - preferably of royal blood of a powerful country, who could be a strategic ally of Arendelle in an hour of need.
However, the Queen's wish was different - and in the end, no matter what the Council thought, she would only get married whenever she wanted, and with whomever she wanted. She knew that when she decided to reveal her sexual orientation, it would cause a scandal - especially with the more conservative religions in the kingdom.
However, as much as Agdar was a conservative man, she had to thank the fact that her mother, Idunn, was much more understanding about the differences - so much so that the late queen had been the first person to know that Elsa vastly preferred the company of women over men.
She still remembered her mother's words: "Honey, some people think that love can be a scandal. I disagree, the real scandal is hate. So if one of these 'good men' ever says that you can't marry a woman because that will bring shame to the kingdom, remember: the real shame is in condemning a person for the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their birthplace or their religion. I believe that the Savior differentiates people by what is inside their hearts, not by their exterior."
Idunn, however, was only a single person - and Agdar had favored, throughout his reign, the presence of conservative sectors in Arendelle's politics.
A stain that Elsa intended to change starting the next morning.
"Well, we have arrived at the Hunter's Guild, sirs, miss", the charioteer announced after pulling the reins to stop the horses pulling the carriage.
Inside the vehicle were Jason and Elise on one side, hand in hand. On the other side was Adéwalé, watching the interactions between the couple with a smile.
As the carriage stopped in front of the entrance to the Guild, the ex-slave stood up, opening the door to descend. "Well, I think it's bedtime, the day promises to be long tomorrow", said the leader of the hunters, but when he saw Jason making a move to get out of the carriage, Adéwalé raised his hand. "My boy, your cousin is leaving tomorrow, and after that, only the gods know when you will see each other again, so…", he left the phrase in the air, with a mischievous smile.
"Adé, are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jason asked, raising an expectant eyebrow.
"Jason, I have two orders for you before I leave: the first is that you and Elise enjoy whatever time you have before she returns home; and the second... is that you have to be here in the Guild nine months from now, do you hear me?", asked the hunter, trying to suppress a laugh as the two lovers blushed intensely, acquiring shades of red that he didn't even think even existed.
"Er... I... is that... er... um..." Jason stammered, blushing furiously.
"Have fun, but don't have too much fun, if you understand me!" replied Adéwalé, clearly amused by the situation as he closed the carriage's door. The hunter beckoned to the driver, who nodded and shook the reins, causing the horses to run again.
Jason was completely red with embarrassment; he knew that his master had a humorous vein, but did he have to say that, even more so, in front of Elise, of all people?
"I'm going to kill him for this", said the younger hunter, trying to keep his voice steady. "What the hell, why did he have to say that?"
"You know... he, in a way, said what was going on in my head", murmured the Duchess of Soleanna, still very red and with a sudden interest in the floor of the carriage. Jason's eyes widened for two seconds before he grinned.
"If so", he began, taking Elise's face softly into his hands and leaning toward her. "Then, shall we fulfill my master's command?"
"It's about time", agreed the duchess, before closing the remaining distance to her cousin, kissing him softly - at least, at first. In no time however, Jason began to lick his cousin's lips with his tongue, asking for permission to enter. When he felt the tip of her tongue searching for his tongue, the kiss began to gain more and more intensity as their hands began to explore.
He felt the softness of the chocolate-colored dress she wore, as well as the softness of her skin, which was shivering not from the cold - but from the overwhelming sensations that ran through her veins.
She felt the slight tremor in his back, and knew that the anxiety was starting to get better on him - their first time, he had shaken so much that she had to whisper words of comfort for ten minutes to calm him down.
He let out a moan as he felt her hand press a sensitive spot on his ribs - the same one where his shiver originated in extreme situations; Jason was sure that, unless they got to Elise's ship quickly, he wouldn't be able to control himself.
To his luck, however, the carriage began to slow down at that very moment, as it entered the port. A few minutes later, the charioteer reined in the horses a few yards from a boarding ramp for a huge ship.
The man began to rise from his seat to open the door, but when he heard a series of half-muffled noises coming from inside the carriage, he decided not to do so. Instead, he hit the wood of the vehicle hard enough to catch the attention of its occupants. "My lord, my lady, we have arrived", the driver announced.
"Thank you", murmured the duchess's hoarse voice, which caused the driver to roll his eyes. This scene was far more common than he'd expected when he'd started doing this job many years ago.
Inside the carriage, Jason and Elise stopped their kiss - reluctantly. Both of them were breathing heavily, their eyes clouded with love and desire, and their skin was starting to get slightly sweaty beneath their gala clothes.
"Let's go?" the redhead asked, more firmly than she was feeling. Jason nodded, not daring to trust his own voice. "It's so good to have you back", she murmured in a sensual voice as she adjusted her gown before getting out of the carriage.
The journey from the carriage to the boarding ramp was done in silence. The only sound to be heard was the clanking of swords against their sheaths as the Soleanna Royal Guards shifted into position.
As they reached the deck of the Solaris, a man in a uniform similar to the soldiers on the land approached them with authority. "Welcome back my lady.", said the man in fluent Italian.
"Captain Pietro, have the sailors ready to leave at my command. And... I don't want anyone to disturb us, understand?"
As Jason removed his wig, releasing his blue hair, the officer recognized him immediately, even after more than four years. "Lord Smith!" exclaimed the captain, his eyes widening.
"Hello, Pietro, it's been awhile, eh?" asked the hunter, with a clumsy smile.
"Indeed", he murmured, before resuming his professional stance. "My lady, my lord, no one will disturb you. I swear on my personal honor."
Elise smiled and nodded gratefully before taking Jason's hand and pulling him to her personal quarters at the stern of the Solaris.
The place was richly decorated, with pictures of the Duchess' family, bookshelves, a mannequin with the traditional white dress she liked to wear, a sizeable wardrobe, a meeting table with a model of the Solaris at the center and, further down, a queen-size bed (which had been installed when the owner of the ship was Elise's father, the Duke of Soleanna).
"I like the cabin", said Jason, before turning to Elise who had her back to him, removing the necklace she had worn during the party. Unable to contain himself, he moved to his cousin and hugged her from behind, putting his arms around her waist with as much delicacy as possible. "But, I still prefer it's owner," he murmured.
"Good to know", Elise whispered, turning her neck to kiss her cousin. Then, she turned the rest of her body to be more comfortable, deepening the kiss as she began to guide Jason to the bed. It was hard to pay attention on last few meters before they reached the bed, since they were too focused on the increasingly hot and wet kisses they were exchanging, as their hands continued to desperately explore every inch of each other's body, before the morning came.
They wanted to enjoy the most of the few hours left before the ship sailed for Soleanna.
As she pushed him over the feather mattress, she still had time to say one last thing before she lay down beside him, causing them both to forget the world around them - with the exception of themselves. "Have patience with me please. It's been four years since we've made love."
"For you, honey, I have all the patience in the world."
Author's Note: So... the coronation is over. And the hell is awaiting to break loose! Now that we met all the main actors in this story, the plot that connects everybody is ready to begin; and the Chaos Emeralds will have a major role in this scheme.
And Elsa is right when she told herself that Eggman's kindness is a pure facade; and one more thing - Merida and Eugene will have important roles in this story, since both of them have information that can reveal what the Egghead is planning.
Thanks to all the readers who left reviews for Chapter 8, your words are the fuel that keeps me writing - every word, be it praise, criticism or a suggestion, is more than welcome and necessary. Thanks to walard and Striga for their good work - I'd say that part of this fic is theirs. And thanks to my brothers AceVermin143 and SeniorCrescent for supporting me.
See you next chapter!