AN: Once again, I am ever grateful to every one of you for your wonderful reviews and all the faves/follows! You each all hold a special place in my heart, yes that's right, a spot especially reserved for all my fans 33 You're all beautiful people, and don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise!
This chapter is... mostly fluff, and a lil' bit of plot development, but mostly fluff :3 Enjoy
The dining room of Candy Castle was dimly lit, and had an almost eerie glow to it. Elegant chandeliers spilled light down on the long and narrow dining table beneath it, adorned with an elegant floral table runner, and all manner of silverware and plates of freshly cooked food.
Bonnibel sat along one side of it, close to a wall that was smothered with portraits of past royalty and long deceased family members. She poked at the food on her plate with a fork, twirling it around a few times before carefully putting it into her mouth and chewing slowly. Her father sat at the head of the table, his face firm as he ate in complacent silence. Every so often he would glance over at his daughter underneath frowning eyelids, his crown pushing into his thick locks of dark purple gum hair.
The King let out a long sigh as he placed his knife and fork down on the side of his plate, reaching for a white napkin and bringing it to his mouth to wipe away any mess that might have been left behind. He then scrunched up the bit of material into a ball and tossed it onto his plate. His eyes shifted again to his daughter, who was still playing with her food.
Lately, he had noticed a change in her demeanour. Normally, her retorts to his requests would be full of anger and petulance, and she always found a way to make it sound like he was treating her like some slave when all he really wanted was to make sure she was fully prepared to take over the Kingdom should something happen to him. However, recently, she had not had her usual bite to her words. She usually just shrugged or nodded, and her words were bland as though she was running on autopilot.
"Is there something wrong, daughter?" he finally piped up, fixating his eyes on her pink face and watching as she slowly raised her head to meet his eyes. She stared at him for a few moments, before shaking her head and turning her face back down to her plate of food.
"No, father." she replied quietly, her voice barely audible. The King scowled and clicked his tongue, knowing that this obviously wasn't the full truth. He sat back in his chair a little, folding his hands in his lap.
"I am no imbecile, Bonnibel. I can see that something is bothering you. I have a rather busy schedule, so if you wish to talk about it now you can. Otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to indulge you. Now, what is wrong?" he pushed her a little more, his voice raising, but not out of anger.
Bonnibel noticed her hands were trembling, and she dropped her fork on her plate.
Of course something was bothering her. She madly missed her friend. She missed hanging out with her, watching the clouds in the sky and laughing about the one that looked like Peppy, and another one that looked like a butt. Bonnibel missed how Marceline would sneak in through the disused passage and slip into bed with her, hiding under the covers and reading ghost stories or fantasy novels together.
It was Marceline's 15th birthday soon, and she was terrified of not being able to see her best friend for it. They had spent every one of their birthdays together since they had first met, even if they didn't do much other than enjoy one another's company and share home-made gifts, it was always something they adored.
But now, Marcy was in the army. It had been several months since she first left, and although Peppermint had spoke kindly to her about it and explained how rough the training regime was, it hadn't comforted her at all. She wanted to send her letters, but Peppy had warned against it in case anyone became suspicious at the barracks. Her father was ex-military, and was still close friends with people that worked there. The last thing she needed was him breathing down her neck for, Glob forbid, having a friend outside the castle.
Thinking about it now, though, a sneaky idea suddenly formed in her brain, and as the cogs turned she let the scheme play out like a blueprint in her mind. Bonnibel looked up to her Father, who was looking at her through his stone hard face. He was a darker shade of pink than she was, an almost violet hue to his skin. She definitely shared his complexion, however Peppermint once told her that she looked a lot more like her mother. The long hair, slender but curvy body, the violet eyes, not to mention the love for science and their people.
"Father... is it true that... you and Mother met while you were serving in the army?" she asked quietly, but he heard her. His eyes widened and his face almost paled.
They never spoke about her Mother. Peppermint told her she had fallen violently ill when Bonnibel had only been a mere two years old, and had passed shortly after, leaving the burden of raising her to a grieving, over-protective father and a worrisome butler.
The King cleared his throat, playing with his hands in his lap for a moment before finding the courage to speak.
"Yes. Did Peppermint tell you?" he replied, a quizzical glance in his daughter's direction. She nodded her head. He nodded his slowly in reply.
"Could you... tell me about her?" she asked gingerly, watching as his eyes wobbled in their sockets a little, almost looking a little glazed over as if he were about to cry. However, he lifted an arm up to reach up for his goblet of grape wine, which he retrieved and sipped slowly.
"I'm sure he told you I was the Sergeant of my brigade. We were out on patrol when we saw the Royal Carriage on its way back to the castle from a Royal meeting held for the leaders of Ooo." he begun, taking another sip before staring carefully at his drink.
"Your mother was the Princess back then, her carriage was ambushed by a group of rogue demons from the Nightosphere. Fortunately we got there in time to save her, but she was injured. We took her back to the hospital at the barracks and treated her there, under the protection of my brigade." he continued, watching as his daughter listened intently, her food all but forgotten. He took a long breath before continuing.
"I was the one on watch for the night when she woke up. Let's just say, even when she was all bruised and bandaged, she was still a thing of true beauty. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, and it seems, she felt the same way about myself." a smile poked up the corner of his lips, and it was a strange sight for Bonnibel to see. He almost never smiled.
Bonnibel watched him cautiously for a few moments as he swished the purple liquid in his cup. She bit her lower lip before she spoke.
"Can you take me to the barracks, Father? I-I know it might seem like a strange request but... I'd like to see the place where you and mother met and I... maybe meeting some royalty would also raise the morale among our soldiers? Make them stronger and prouder." her voice was timid to begin with, but she gained confidence as she continued, watching the King's eyes seemingly brighten at the mention of introducing his offspring to the place he had once called his home.
"Well, I suppose... I could make an exception. After all, it wouldn't do any harm for you to see the grand army that our Kingdom has built over the years." he replied, scratching his chin scruff thoughtfully. Bonnibel almost exploded with happiness, but she tried incredibly hard to contain it so that her Father didn't think anything was amiss.
She smiled kindly at him, blushing a little as Peppermint entered the dining room to clear away the plates and cutlery. The King motioned him over, to which he obliged.
"Peppermint, see to it that you find some appropriate attire for the Princess. I want you to take her to the army barracks tomorrow and show her around. A dress would not be suitable clothing." he asked the Butler, who instantly looked between the two in surprise, his mouth moving but no sound coming out.
"Father? Are you not taking me?" Bonnibel quizzed quickly, her eyes lowering a little. The King shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.
"You know I have a responsibility to the kingdom, Bonnibel. My schedule leaves no room to take you myself, as much as I wish I could. I have a conference to attend to with the Fire Kingdom tomorrow, and I will be gone for several days." he told her firmly, his eyes not wavering as he looked again to Peppy and slapped a hand down hard where the round mint's shoulders would have been.
"I trust Peppermint to take care of you, and there will be royal guards accompanying you two there and back. I know you will be in safe hands, so it is no concern to me." jihe told her truthfully, watching as she nodded her head in acceptance.
Besides, she would probably feel more comfortable without him watching over her shoulder as she searched for her dearest friend, seeking solace in her warm arms once again.
"Don't worry your Highness, the Princess will be safe with me." Peppermint stated quickly, bowing before the King, who nodded at him and motioned for him to take away the dishes.
Bonnibel bit her lower lip as she watched him leave, so it was just her and her Father again. They sat in silence for a few moments before he cleared his throat and stood up.
"I must get to bed Bonnibel, I trust you will too, after all you have a big day tomorrow. Make sure you are well rested, yes?" He told her in a placid voice, walking over to where she sat and pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head. She nodded quickly, waiting for him to make his way out of the room before she made her own attempt to get up from the table.
Her hands were still trembling, and her stomach was churning from the small amount of food she had eaten. However, for the first time in months, she felt truly happy. She was finally going to get to see Marceline again! It was almost too good to be true. Making her way out of the dining room and up the wide staircase that led to the hallway where her bedroom was, she begun thinking up ideas for something she could craft for her friend as a birthday present.
It was late, Bonnibel knew that much, even though she hadn't looked over at her clock in some time now. She sat at her desk with only her lamp for light as she worked on her gift for Marceline. Her eyelids were heavy and her legs were sore from sitting for so long, but she pushed through to get it finished. There was a knock at her door, and she turned in her seat to call out.
"Come in." her voice was a little raspy and quiet, and she watched as it creaked open and Peppermint let himself in, grasping a pile of clothes in his hands. He smiled politely at her as he made his way over to her bed and placed the clothing there.
"I brought you some comfortable pants, a shirt and a jacket for our trip tomorrow Princess. I hope they will be suitable for you." he told her kindly, wandering over to her as she nodded in reply to him.
Peppermint looked at what she was working on, and noticed how she blushed as she saw him inspecting it. He had a feeling he knew who it would be for, so he gave Bonnibel a knowing smile and clasped his hands behind his back.
"I'm sure she'll love it, your Majesty." he told her with a small wink.
Bonnibel laughed nervously, looking down at her creation before back up at her butler. She bit her lower lip tentatively.
"I hope so Peppy. It's been so long since I've seen her... Glob, I miss her." she told him sincerely, looking away as the burning sensation of tears at the back of her eyes greeted her at the thought. Her butler stepped closer and pressed a small hand onto her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"Don't fret, Princess, everything will be fine, I'll make sure of it." his voice was caring, but also carried what sounded like a promise. Bonni lifted her violet eyes up to meet his, giving him a warm smile.
"Thank you, Peppy." she replied, giving his hand a small squeeze before he pulled away.
"However it is late, I would suggest you finish up what you're doing then get to bed. You'll need your beauty sleep if you want to look your best for Marceline." he told her in an almost cheeky voice. Bonnibel blushed furiously this time, looking away and chuckling softly.
"Goodnight Princess." He called out to her as he made his way out of her room. Bonnibel turned and watched him as he shut the door behind him.
"Goodnight, Peppy." she called back. She sighed as the door shut with a click, before looking back down at her creation. Shaking her head to get rid of the cobwebs, she got back to work on it, her fingers working skilfully just like her art teacher had shown her to do.
Bonnibel was chewing her lip nervously as her coach approached the barracks. Peering out the small windows allowed her a view of those looming gates and guards standing vigil. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. Her and Peppermint shook lightly from side to side as the wheels turned over the rough gravel, snorts and heaves heard every so often from the two candy horses pulling it along at a moderate pace.
She felt a warm hand on her thigh, and she shifted her head to look sideways at Peppermint, who was smiling at her comfortingly. She inhaled a sharp breath and smiled back at him.
The coach came to a sudden halt, causing them both to jolt forwards just a little in their seats. Bonnibel grunted a little and glared at the driver's back through the front window. Peppermint turned to the right as a guard opened the door next to him, allowing him to step out, making a little jump to the ground. He turned back and motioned for the Princess to follow him.
She scooted closer, edging her legs out and onto the first step, then taking the second step before her feet finally met the rough ground. It crunched underneath her feet, and made her a little unsteady despite the fact that she was wearing a pair of thick soled shoes with good grip for the terrain of the area.
Peppermint motioned for her to follow him, and she did so, walking at a slow pace as they approached the gates, and the guards that stood protectively on either side saw them coming. The tiara on Bonnibel's head was give away enough, and they quickly opened up the door and bowed politely to their Princess, who smiled kindly in return as she and her group passed through into the barracks.
Bonnibel looked around herself in awe, taking in the sight of buildings that were covered in wear and tear, yet still stood strong. She could hear guns firing on the range far off into the distance, and the bossy orders of several loud men, obviously instructing their troops. She could also hear Peppermint occasionally pointing out something to her and explaining what it was, telling her that she should be so proud of her father's army, telling her how much everyone here looked up to her and would gladly lay down their lives for her.
The Princess allowed Peppermint to lead her down to a training field. It was covered in, what she assumed, used to be grass. Now it was scuffed, muddied, and destroyed completely in some spots, no longer the vibrant green it had once been. They stood outside the edge of the field, watching as a burly blue man instructed a group of around fifty soldiers to pick their feet up, and to keep up with the pace the fastest of them was keeping as they ran laps around its outer edge.
"As you can see, the training the soldiers undergo here, though harsh, sets them up for life to be strong warriors that could take on even the most fierce of beasts from the Nightosphere, your majesty." Peppermint stated, his voice full of pride.
The burly blue man in uniform instructing the soldiers turned around and spotted them, his face instantly dropping as he turned back and ordered all of his soldiers to fall in for the presence of royalty.
Bonnibel's heart jumped up into her throat as she noticed the woman leading the pack, and she felt like she just might pass out then and there. For her, there were no words to describe the woman she just knew was her best friend.
The blue man came over to the Princess and bowed deeply, taking off his hat and holding it at his chest. She curtsied to him, and watched as he and Peppermint nodded respectfully to one another. The soldiers fell in line behind him, forming a large square of men and a handful of woman in an almost precise shape.
"Your majesty, I'm Sergeant Bluegum of the 45th brigade. These here are my troops." he motioned his hand to the group, who all had their eyes fixated on the royal woman. But none more so than one black-haired girl.
The Princess swallowed as she let her eyes follow the height of Marceline. The once scrawny woman was now lean, muscular. Her biceps were toned and there was a slight dip in her chest where her singlet cut low. Her shoulders were broader, and her thighs were more developed underneath her dark green khakis. The pale skin was covered with a sheen of sweat from running around the field, but her eyes were wide and glued to the violet ones that were focussed on her.
"Your brigade looks wonderful, Sergeant, and well trained." Bonnibel complimented, allowing her eyes to tear away from Marceline long enough to give him a broad smile. He shuffled in place a little, nodding his thanks to her.
"The Princess would like to know if she could borrow one of your troops to show her around the barracks. So long as you wouldn't mind them being pulled away from their training for the day, that is, Sergeant." Peppermint added politely, giving a formal smile. Bluegum's eyes widened a little and he stood up straighter.
"Of course, sir, that would not be a problem at all." he replied, his booming voice unintentionally loud from years of conditioning. Peppermint moved his eyes over to Marceline, who caught his gaze with a hopeful look. The butler's lip twitched a little as he tried to hold back a grin, and he turned back to the Sergeant.
"Perhaps, this young lady? She looks hardened and trustworthy, surely one of your finest?" Peppermint offered, motioning to Marcy as he took a few steps towards her.
Sergeant Bluegum cleared his throat, his eyes smiling a little.
"Abadeer is indeed one of our finest, gives the boys a real run for their money." He said, with a chuckle. "Abadeer, please show the Princess around the barracks. I don't want any harm to come to her while she is under your watch, understood?" His voice boomed as he stared firmly at his soldier.
Marceline tapped her heels together and saluted him, before lowering her hand.
"Yes sir, Sergeant. I will do my best to make you proud." she replied, watching as he motioned for her to join the Princess. Marceline quickly walked over, until she was only two feet from Bonnibel.
Their eyes met, and they both smiled knowingly at each other. Marceline, in her usual cheeky style, held out the crook of her elbow as she stepped beside Bonnibel. The Princess blushed faintly at the motion, watching as Bluegum instructed his troops to get back to training.
"Allow me to escort you, your Majesty." Marceline said, her eyes twinkling as she looked sweetly at her dear friend. A pink hand looped around her elbow, and she felt her heart skip a beat as they walked off at a slow pace.
"Thank you, Miss Abadeer." Bonnibel quipped back cheekily, watching as the soldier grinned back at her broadly, a speckled blush covering her neck and jawline.
"Guards, would you mind going back to the carriage for me? I forgot my backpack, it has some of my belongings in it, I would be grateful if you could retrieve it for me." Bonnibel spoke softly to the two guards that were accompanying them everywhere.
The two guards looked at each other momentarily, before noticing an impatient scowl on Peppermint's face. Not wanting to enrage the little man for not fulfilling their Princess's wishes, they nodded and went their way to get Bonni's backpack.
"Thank Glob they're gone." Marceline finally sighed as the guards turned a corner up ahead, leaving the three of them alone. She made a small sound as the pink hand squeezed harder on her arm, and she looked down to see those beautiful, deep eyes staring back at her. Marcy swallowed quickly as she was finally able to take in the the vision of beauty that her Bonnibel was.
She had matured some in the last few months since she'd been in the army, her chest had grown more ample for one. Her face was narrowing out a little, losing some of its baby fat and becoming more smoothly defined as she grew into womanhood. Her hips had widened a little too, and her thighs had become firmer, curvier, the shape being well defined even through the somewhat baggy pants the Princess was wearing.
"You look well, Marcy." Bonnibel smiled, clinging tightly to her friend's arm, enjoying the warmth and comfort provided by that one small action. To be completely honest, she had no idea what to say. At least, she was terrified by the thought of her father or one of his no-good friends coming out of nowhere, spotting the two together being a little more "friendly" than just an escort and her charge. She had to be as civil as she could, at least, until they found the chance to have a private moment together.
Marceline noticed what the Princess was playing at, and she made a mental note to take her to a quiet place a little later. It had been a place that her, Carmel, and the other girls had found and claimed as their own, almost like a little bunker where no one could disturb them and where they could separate themselves from having to deal with the boys in their regiment for at least a half an hour.
"You know how it is, hard work, working hard. No pain, no gain and all that. I've grown much stronger, and I'm confident that some day I might be able to become a personal guard for you." Marceline replied, leading Bonnibel down a path that led down past the dorms.
"I'm confident you will be some day too, Marcy." Bonnibel replied with a smile, looking around at the buildings they were passing.
"These are the dorms where we sleep, spend most of our spare time and all that. Oh, this ones ours, the girl dorms." Marceline pointed to one of the buildings, that looked like all the others. Bonnibel smiled as they approached its doorway, peering inside, but not seeing much from where she was.
"Can you show me around?" the Princess asked, peering at Marceline with bright eyes. The pale girl scratched at her head with her free hand, mumbling a little before nodding. She then glanced at Peppermint, giving a crooked smile.
"Sure, but Peppy will have to stay out here, being that... y'know, it's a girl's dorm and all..." she replied, chuckling as a blush crept up onto Peppermint's cheeks. He shuffled nervously a little, playing with his jacket.
"O-oh, yes, that's fine. I understand Marceline. I'll just wait out here, don't be too long though." he replied, watching as the two girls smiled down at him.
Marceline pulled on Bonnibel's arm, guiding her up the small set of steps and into the dorm.
"Well, this is it." Marcy said, sweeping her arm around the long room in one motion, indicating to the rows of single beds along the right and left walls.
The beds were tucked in tightly, to perfection even, covered in dark navy sheets and blankets. She could see mementos on the bedside tables for each bed, some had a novel or two as well as a bedside lamp. At the foot of each bed was a large wooden box, and at the very end of the room was a row of grey lockers, each one with a name
scrawled across it on a little strip of white plastic.
"Wow Marcy, it's so..." Bonnibel looked around before turning her eyes up to meet her best friend's, instantly noticing a smile of sadness on the girl's face. She felt a pain in her chest, like someone had just knocked the wind out of her, and the only thing she could think to do was to reach up a hand and gently cup her cheek.
Marceline sighed deeply and closed her eyes, pressing her face into the welcoming palm. She reached up with a trembling hand and curled her fingers around Bonnibel's, bringing the hand to her lips and feathering several light kisses over the soft skin. The Princess blushed at this action before motioning for Marceline to take her further into the dorm.
"It looks so lonely in here... which one is your bed?" Bonnibel asked, looking around and noticing one bed that didn't have any decorations on its side table. As she suspected, that was the bed that Marceline led her to.
The dark-haired girl sat softly on the edge of her mattress, which elicited a little squeak as she did. She looked up at the Princess, who bit her lip a little before taking a seat next to her dear friend. They sat in silence together for a while, looking into their laps and occasionally looking at each other with small smiles. Bonnibel was the first to break the silence.
"I've missed you a lot Marce."
Marceline's breath caught in her throat, and it took all of her willpower right there and then not to wrap her arms around Bonnibel and drag her down into the bed, covering her with kisses and holding her tenderly, never letting go.
"I-I've missed you too Bon, so much." she looked into Bonnibel's eyes, pushing back the stinging sensation that was threatening to spill tears down her cheeks. Bonni looked back at her with a similar expression, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.
A warm hand was gently placed on Marcy's left thigh, and she looked down at the hand before placing her own over it, intertwining their fingers tenderly.
"Sometimes I hate being here, but... sometimes I love it, y'know? I love learning to fight, getting stronger, knowing it's going to make me into a soldier who can protect you from anything that's thrown at you." Marceline began, locking her eyes with Bonni's, watching as the smaller girl smiled back at her, nodding her head slowly with understanding.
"You... you mean so much to me. I know it hurts for us... to be apart like this, but... it will be better soon, I promise." Marceline continued, the tears forcing their way out this time, trickling softly down her cheeks. Bonnibel whimpered at this, lifting her free hand up to brush them away with her thumb.
"I know, Marce. Just like I have duties to my Kingdom as Princess and future Queen, you have duties to your service. Some day though, we'll look back on all of this and laugh together." Bonni said, her mouth turning up into a comforting smile as she squeezed Marcy's hand. Marceline laughed and nodded, relaxing a little as the pink-haired girl rested her head gently against her muscular shoulder.
"Guess they'll make good stories for the grandchildren, won't they?" Marceline said playfully, not realising what she had implied as the head on her shoulder lifted up, violet eyes burning into her own. She opened her mouth a little to say something, but her vocal chords just wouldn't co-operate.
"Grandchildren?" Bonnibel squeaked, her face turning an intense shade of red. Marceline fumbled with her tank top with her free hand, clearing her throat as she continued.
"That is, not to say that... I mean, grandchildren... everyone has them, some day... when there's... well, when two people love each other very much..." with every word that came out of her unfiltered mouth, she regret every single one, watching with remorse as a gigantic grin spread further and further across Bonni's face.
The Princess couldn't hold it in any longer. She broke into a giggling fit, much to the embarrassment of Marceline. The pale girl knew she was terrible with words, and having Bonni laughing at her like this was only making the redness in her cheeks grow more and more.
"Bonni!" she scorned her, looking away. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying her best to look unimpressed.
She was taken by surprise though, when a pink body smashed into hers, tackling her to the mattress. The Princess was still giggling uncontrollably, making Marceline a combination of incredibly flustered and trying her best not to laugh herself. It was contagious, that was for sure.
Marceline finally gave in, laughing along with her as the two wrapped their arms around each other, cuddling up on the bed and sharing this precious time that they had together.
After the giggling had finally subsided, Marceline sighed and ran her fingers through pink gummy hair. She had missed this so much, and the girl beside her agreed with a little chirp, snuggling closer, her hot breath playing along the pale girl's skin.
"Happy birthday Marcy." Bonnibel whispered, smiling into her friend's chest. Marceline blushed and looked down at her.
"But, it isn't my birthday yet babe." she replied, her quizzical expression causing another little giggle to rise from Bonni's throat as she tilted her head up to look at her.
"I know, but I don't know when I'll get to see you again so... I figured I'd say it now." Bonni replied, reaching up a hand and running it through luscious locks of silky black hair. How it managed to stay that way through everything Marceline did on a daily basis was something that, the Princess decided, would always be one of the world's greatest mysteries.
"Oh. Well, thanks Bonni. It means a lot to me." Marceline replied, smiling down at the Princess. She blushed a little as Bonni scooted up a little further, until their faces were only an inch apart, and the pink-haired girl was almost laying directly on top of her.
Marceline swallowed hard as that pink hair fell around her face, and for a moment, it was like just the two of them were the only things that existed in the world. The smell of strawberries and mint filled her nostrils and sent her head spinning out of control, her hands subconsciously sliding down Bonnibel's side and holding her firmly at the hips.
A smile played across Bonni's lips as she inched a little closer, her warm breath tickling Marceline's lips. The soldier shuddered, lifting her head up to try and meet her mouth, but the Princess pulled back so that she was just out of reach, causing a whimper of disapproval to slip from Marcy's throat. Bonni chuckled.
"Close your eyes, Marce. Trust me." The Princess cooed, her fingers trailing lovingly across her friend's cheek. A pout formed on Marcy's lips, but she complied, letting her eyelids close.
It felt like an eternity, just waiting, the darkness behind her eyes and the silence from the Princess sending her mad. She was about to protest how much she didn't like what was going on, her lips parted as words were about to escape, and it seems this had been just the cue Bonnibel had been waiting for.
Warm, pink lips parted and captured soft, pale ones. It was tender at first, their lips moving together in a slow, timeless dance. Teeth captured Marcy's bottom lip, scraping it playfully before letting go, at which point lips met again to sooth the tender flesh. Mouths parted a little more, and tongues met for the very first time.
It was clumsy to begin with, their tongues probing inquisitively at each others, shaky hands grasping at hair and necks as they tried to make the kiss deeper still. A quiet moan escaped Bonnibel's throat as a hand reached down and gently squeezed her right butt cheek.
"Your Majesty? The guard's have returned with your backpack, will you be re-joining us soon?" Peppermint's inquisitive voice sang out into the room. It was as if he was standing right behind them, staring down with a frown of disapproval. However, he was still safely outside where he couldn't see the two girls sharing their passion for one another.
Marceline sighed and rubbed at her temples as an apologetic Princess clambered off of her, pushing herself off the bed and looking down at her defeated friend.
"We're coming, Peppy!" she called out quickly, looking back at a grumbling Marceline who was now practically dragging herself off the bed, not making eye contact with anything other than the floor.
"I'm sorry Marcy, I..." Bonnibel begun, but her face softened when Marceline looked up at her, a new determination on her face.
"Don't be sorry, just... before we go back out there, can we... um... can I kiss you? Just once more?" Marceline asked, stepping closer to Bonnibel and resting her warm hands on the girl's curved hip bones. Bonni shivered a little at the contact, a blush spreading down her neck as she nodded.
"Just give me a minute, Peppy, I have to use the bathroom in here real quick!" Bonnibel called out, watching as an evil grin crept across Marceline's face at her little white lie. Bonni rolled her eyes at the girl, chuckling a little at Peppermint calling back to her to hurry up so they could go get some lunch.
"Bathroom, huh?" Marceline snickered, pulling Bonnibel's body close so that they were pressed firmly together. Bonni wrapped her arms around the soldier's neck, lowering her voice.
"Just shut up and kiss me."
"With pleasure."
They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the barracks, occasionally being introduced to Sergeants and their brigades, Marceline listening with pride as the Princess gave a speech to her soldiers thanking them for their service to her Father and to herself.
Time seemed to slip by without consequence, and before they even realised it, the Sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, washing over the skies with deep oranges and reds closer to the light source, shrouding the clouds with pinks and purples further away.
Peppermint noticed this as they were walking back towards the dorms, and he cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Your Majesty, it's beginning to get late and the ride back to the castle will take a while. It's time we head back to the coach." he said, smiling up at her. He could instantly see the sadness wash over her face, and as much as it broke his heart to see it, he knew there was nothing that could be done about it.
"Oh, yes, I suppose you're right Peppy." She mumbled, looking up at the sky and realising herself just how late it was getting. Marceline frowned from where she was shuffling along beside Bonnibel. She had not been looking forward to this part at all, and in fact, had been dreading it for the better part of the day.
Soldiers were now trudging down the footpaths, making their way either to the cafeteria to get some food or to their dorms to shower and get cleaned up from a day of hard work and training. They slid past the trio, along with their two guards, some looking up and making polite gestures, others not even noticing them at all.
"Before we leave though, I need to give Marceline her birthday present. It won't take long, I promise." Bonnibel continued, biting her lip a little as she looked at her friend, who smiled meekly back at her.
"As you wish, your Highness." he replied, giving a small bow as he watched Bonnibel be led once again into Marceline's dorm.
As they entered though, Bonnibel noticed there were several girls in the room, and that it wouldn't do privacy wise at all. Three faces snapped up to see Marceline with the Princess of the Candy Kingdom, their eyes widening at the realisation that Royalty was in their presence.
They got up from what they were doing and ran over, greeting the Princess politely, the excitement evident in their voices. Bonni smiled a little, looking at the three. One was spearmint coloured with pink hair, another was a dark brown colour and appeared to have the texture of liquorice. The last, Bonni noted, looked older than herself. Perhaps around seventeen years old? She noticed that the girl had flowing caramel hair and a tanned complexion, her eyes wobbling as she looked between the Princess and Marceline.
"Marcy, you never told us you were buddies with the Princess." the tanned girl snorted, grinning crookedly. Marceline blushed and scratched the back of her head nervously, laughing a little.
"Shut up Carmel, man." Marcy replied nervously, looking between the three girls. Bonnibel raised an eyebrow.
"Marceline, would you like to introduce your friends to me?" she asked, instantly taking a dislike to the girl named Carmel. Perhaps it was jealousy? She wasn't sure, she'd never actually felt jealousy before.
"Sure uh... This is Carmel, this is Ani and this is Juney. There's another couple of girls, but we all fit in this one dorm." Marceline replied, introducing the dark girl as Ani and the spearmint girl as Juney.
"Well, it's nice to meet you all." Bonnibel smiled, reaching out and shaking each of their hands before continuing.
"I would like to request that I might have a moment of privacy with Marceline though, if it isn't too much trouble?"
The girls looked between each other, before nodding in reply. They slid past and made their way out, but not before Carmel turned around, her eyes staring back at Marceline.
"Don't wait up for me, Marcy." she snickered, before following the other girls out.
Bonnibel snapped her eyes in the girls direction, before turning back to Marceline, a look of annoyance on her face.
"What did she mean by that?" Bonnibel demanded, her cheeks flushing red as Marcy took her hand and led her further into the room. Marceline growled under her breath.
"Ugh, she's so annoying sometimes. Just ignore it. I think she has a thing for me but... I don't care about her like that. She's just a friend, nothing else." Marceline told her, turning to cup Bonni's right cheek, stroking it tenderly.
Bonni was instantly put at ease. She knew Marceline wouldn't lie to her, and it was quite obvious that her friend was just as perturbed by Carmel's remark as she had been herself. It seemed the girl had just been trying to get a rise out of the Princess.
"I'm sorry Marcy, I shouldn't have paid her any due. After all, I am here to give you your present, not complain about how distasteful your fellow soldiers are." the Princess replied, giving a crooked smile as she slipped her backpack off her shoulder and opened it up, rummaging around in it.
Marceline cocked an eyebrow, watching as her friend pulled something out of her bag and lifted it up for her to see. Her eyes went wide.
"Hambo! Oh man, I thought I lost him! Where'd you find him Bonni?" Marceline quickly grabbed the teddy, clinging to him tightly and watching as her friend chuckled lightly.
"You goof, I found him one night a few weeks ago when I was going through your favourite back entrance to the castle. He was pushed underneath one of the steps in the staircase, you must have dropped him one night when you came to the Castle half asleep." Bonnibel replied, moving forwards and pressing a kiss to her friend's forehead before wrapping her arms around her in a comforting hug.
"He was pretty worn too, I had to stitch up some holes and give him new eyes. One of his arms was completely missing, probably eaten by a candy rat, so I had to make a new one." she continued, letting her hands wander up Marceline's toned back. She heard a little sniffle come from her friend, and planted a kiss to an exposed shoulder to calm her.
"Glob Bonni, you really are the best, you know that?" Marceline mumbled, pulling away to look at her best friend, her eyes red and her lips curved up into a caring smile. Bonni leant forwards and caught those lips again, pressing into them hard and expressing all the emotion she could that she was unable to say.
Marceline mumbled into the kiss, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as she savoured what would be their last kiss for probably many more months to come. They both shivered as the kiss broke, looking into each others eyes before one of them spoke.
"No, you're the best Marcy. You're the best person anyone could ever hope to have in their life, and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not telling myself that I'm the luckiest person alive for having you in mine." Bonni told her soothingly, gently letting go of her.
Marceline sighed and took Hambo, opening up her trunk at the foot of her bed and placing him carefully inside of it where he would be safe. She smiled widely as she came back to Bonni, holding out the crook of her elbow to the Princess, who hooked her hand through it tenderly.
"Whatever you say, Princess. Now, allow me to escort you to your ride." Marceline told her cheekily, chuckling lightly as the Princess huffed at her reply.
"Yes, Miss Abadeer." Bonnibel retorted, a smile creeping across her own face as she allowed Marcy to escort her outside where Peppermint and the guards were waiting to take her back to her coach.
It almost seemed as if this goodbye was easier than the last, Bonnibel had told herself. They had shared promises at the gate of seeing each other again as soon as they could. Marceline had promised to be on her best behaviour and not to 'pick on the other boys who were slower than her so much', while Bonnibel had promised not to let her Father get on her nerves so much.
Marceline had thanked Peppermint profusely for bringing the Princess to see her and also to see the entirety of the barracks and its soldiers. Although she had been disappointed that she hadn't gotten to show Bonni her favourite hide away, she figured there would always be another time where she would get to.
Hugs had been shared, and with one last loving smile, Marceline had watched Bonni return to her coach. As the driver hurried the horses into action, the last of the sunlight slipping away into darkness, she sighed and turned to head back into the base. She was truly worn out, and was looking forward to doing nothing more than taking a hot shower and curling up in bed with Hambo for a good night's sleep.
Bonnibel had ridden home in complete silence, only mumbling softly or grunting at Peppermint's questions and small talk. It didn't bother him so much this time, as he knew now that his Princess was not ignoring him out of heart ache. He knew that her heart was now full, and she was probably too wrapped up in remembering each moment of the day with Marceline to care about anything else.
He smiled that night as he brought a warm cup of milk tea up to the Princess's bedroom before she went to sleep, and was pleased to see her laying in bed writing in her journal.
Bonni smiled and thanked him for the tea as he set it down on the tray beside her bed. He nodded politely and turned to leave, stopping as he heard her small voice call his name. He looked back quickly, folding his arms behind his back as he usually did.
"Your Majesty?" he quizzed, his eyes bright and attentive. Bonni smiled back at him.
"I just wanted to thank you for today, it truly was wonderful." she told him, taking her cup of tea from her side table and sipping it slowly.
"It was my pleasure, Princess. I'm just sorry we couldn't make the visit longer. I know it's hard for you being away from your friend, but just remember they do get holidays once a year, it isn't permanent." he told her, his voice firm but understanding. She nodded back at him, drinking some more of her tea.
"I know, and it's ok Peppy." she replied, drinking down the rest of her tea and placing the cup back on the serving tray. Peppermint shuffled over and took the tray, heading back towards the bedroom door.
"Just be assured, that everything happens for a reason, milady, and no matter what love always finds a way." he told her, his eyes crinkling a little as he smiled, watching her reaction as her eyes widened and her cheeks blushed at his connotations of love.
"Peppy!" she scorned, looking away. Peppermint laughed and made his way out.
"Goodnight, Princess. Sleep well." he said quietly, bowing lightly. She looked up at him, her cheeks still red.
"Goodnight Peppy." she replied, watching as he left, shutting the door behind him.
Bonni sighed and reached over to her bedside lamp, switching it off and placing her journal beside it before slumping back down, pulling the covers up over herself snugly. She lifted her fingers to her lips, brushing them lightly as she sighed.
She could still taste Marceline's soft but passionate lips on her own. This small comfort allowed for her to fall into a deep, undisturbed slumber.