She often returned to that place; whenever she felt her responsibilities as the matriarch of her family, she sought refuge in that distant territory, which represented for her both unpleasant memories and a small moment of rebirth.
The woman let out a sigh, approaching the ruins of what had once been a lush hill, sitting next to the roots of what had recently been a solid oak, in whose shade rested the famous Staff of the Monkey King, the religious relic that for centuries had imprisoned her husband suspended between the realm of the dead and the living.
She reflexively clenched her fists remembering those sad days; the pain of loneliness, having to raise and educate Red Son alone, all the tears of frustration shed in silence and solitude every time she failed to bring back her beloved companion.
She shook her head as if to make those unpleasant memories go away, crouching better on the bare earth which showed here and there small signs of recovery; she took off her royal headdress and loosened her long black hair from the complicated hairstyle that was supposed to resemble the shape of two bull horns, sighing with relief. She placed her weapon next to her, not too far away so she could grab it if necessary, and also stripped her of her regal clothes, remaining in her simple robe to enjoy the sweet breeze that caressed her skin. She closed her eyes, freeing her mind from every thought, concentrating only on the natural sounds that surrounded her: the blowing of the wind, always her ally, brought with it the chirping of the birds that had returned to reclaim their natural territory on the branches of the fallen tree, the distant voice of the city, the rustling of the grass that gradually grew back all around...
And a sudden sound of footsteps.
Princess Iron Fan tensed the muscles in her shoulders and neck for a few seconds, before relaxing them again, recognizing her husband's heavy step. She didn't hide from herself that she was surprised; she thought she had managed to get out of the castle without being noticed.
-My sweet bride...-, the cavernous but sweet voice of the Demon Bull King roused her from her thoughts; he hadn't approached her yet, remaining at a respectful distance, calling her only to reassure her of his identity, but not wanting to disturb her further. He observed her from afar, enjoying the vision of the sunlight embracing the figure of her wife, enhancing her physique and giving shiny reflections to her raven hair. For years, segregated in his rock, he had dreamed of her, of her smile, of her voice and of her beautiful body, which despite the years that had passed and her pregnancy, had not lost a shred of charm. Her remoteness had made her even more attractive, if that was possible.
- Come closer, husband. Sit next to me -, her velvet voice invited him, to which the King obeyed, slowly placing her imposing bulk on the ground in front of her; not resisting his urges, he reached out with one of his hands, gently touching a lock of her hair, bringing it to his face and savoring the scent of shampoo, one of the few things humans had created that he seemed to appreciate.
- I'm sorry I left the castle, my darling. I needed a breath of fresh air -, she apologized to him, but the King immediately shook his head gently: - You can do whatever you want, my beloved. Don't feel obligated to always stay by my side. If I'm here it's because I sensed your frustration and hoped I could bring you comfort. Just say a word if you want, and I will go away, leaving you to your solitude -.
At the word "solitude" the woman immediately took his hand, bringing it to her face and kissing his palm: - Never. I will never, ever ask you to leave me alone. I have been mourning your passing for too many years, and I have no intention of repeating the experience, not even for a few minutes -. She hesitated for a few seconds, before confessing what worried her: - Our son is changing. He is reaching adulthood so quickly... It seems like yesterday I was holding him in my arms, feeding him and rocking him...-.
Bull King nodded understandingly, caressing his wife's cheek: - I'm sure one day he will make us proud of him. We just have to keep pushing him and one day I'm sure he will be able to carry on the good name of the family -, he lifted her face with a finger to look into her eyes, - After all, you raised him with the right amount of love and severity. The fact that I am here now proves it -.
Iron Fan smiled softly as she saw the love and respect in her husband's eyes; her doubts had not disappeared at all, but somehow her partner's words had reassured her. - If I'm still so strict with him it's because I want him to bring out the best in himself, I know he can do it. Failure is not an option in our family, not after... -, her voice and her smile faded, while the memory of her husband's defeat by the hands of the Monkey King came to her mind again.
- Our son will not disappoint us. He knows how important it is for us that he recovers the Staff of that insolent monkey as soon as possible. In this way we could finally conquer the world and take back everything that the Gods have taken from us. Then ...-, Bull King approached her wife, taking her effortlessly in her muscular arms, bringing her up to her face and kissing her passionately, - We could finally return to our peaceful life, leaving everything in the hands of our son, who you so superbly raised making him the boy he is now and the man he will surely be -, he added with a voice full of love and admiration, then laying down his own bride on his cloak, which he had previously spread on the ground, towering over her with his bulk.
- Yes, my husband... - she sighed, feeling his excitement pushing against her thigh.
They smiled sweetly at each other, proceeding to spend the next few minutes making love, making up for the time lost in those centuries of distance, leaving, at least for those sweet moments, the past and the imminent future behind them.
sooo... I wanted something sweet between Iron Fan and Demon Bull King. I didn't delve into the description of their "act" because Demon Bull King is, in fact, a bull, so I wouldn't want to trigger anyone; although it is known that in the book of Journey to the West and in the Lego Monkie Kid series it is known that the two are married, have a child and have done... things, ya know? XD