As soon as the three knocks sounded on Quilliene's door, she immediately hopped onto her feet. However, it was a little too quick for her weakened state, so she stumbled before easing herself on the door. With a deep breath, she used the knob to open the entrance, smiling as she saw Kyrana in her regular clothing - a black shirt and jeans, with a blue jacket over her shoulders and shoes on her feet.
"Hey," Quilliene breathed. "It's nice to see you."
"Hello, your majesty," Kyrana smiled at her sweetly. "It's nice to see you, too."
"How are you?" The queen asked, stepping out of the doorway and motioning with her arm to signal she could go inside. "Well, since I last saw you five hours ago."
The guard captain chuckled as she stepped into the room. "Nearly normal. I scolded Rae, and one of the night shift guards got started by a rabbit."
Quilliene chuckled politely as she closed the door. "As is expected."
There was a moment of silence as Kyrana looked around the room, before she turned to the queen. "Your majesty, forgive my plainness, but… What is the real reason you wanted me here tonight? It couldn't have been just to talk."
The queen hesitated, glancing away with a slight flush. "Well, I wanted to talk about earlier a bit more. I had not meant to make so much with us completely awkward, and… I wanted to say that I'm actually glad you confessed to me."
A few seconds of shocked quiet. "Why is that?" She asked finally, her gaze curious.
"Well," Quilliene muttered, biting her lower lip. "We have known each for a while now - since I was about sixteen. I guess I have grown as a friend to you. Yet, honestly, I have never felt love before, so I do not know what it is like. Still, I question why I had butterflies when you said you had affection for me. I don't know…" She clutched her opposite arm, her face growing rosy. "But I guess I could try to grow attachments to people."
"Well," Kyrana spoke. "It could be one of two options…" She seemed to be gaining confidence as she stepped towards the queen, no longer using formalities. "One, it could just be the fact that me telling you that made you nervous and such, or… You could feel the same way and not realise it."
Quilliene became even more red, the blush on her face noticeable in the moonlit room as blood seemed to fill up her cheeks and even create a scarlet hue at the space between her forehead and nose. She had noticed Kyrana had gotten closer to her, slightly looking up. Why was she being so soft and revealing?
"I could feel the same way and not realise it?" Quilliene said. "That could… Be a possibility, but…" She shook her head, sighing. "I sound sappy. Saying things like this leaves such a bitter taste in my mouth."
Kyrana took a few more steps forward, making Quilliene feel even warmer as she raised her head to the tall woman. She felt like she had nowhere to go, leaning against the shelf next to her door, the vase on top of it wiggling. Their gazes became intertwined, pushing her to further depths of embarrassment.
"Allow me to fix that," Kyrana whispered, before she touched her cheek lightly and leaned in to kiss her.
The last few moments that unfolded onto Quilliene made her freeze up entirely. She could not even notice how quickly she felt Kyrana's soft, warm lips touch against her own or the sound of shattering porcelain happening beneath her feet as the vase was knocked over. She had her eyes open for a moment, before she closed them and allowed herself to be enveloped in her first kiss.
(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.-> 🖋 <-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)
Neo sat on the bed, a spare shirt he found on while his gloves and jacket were off. He and Daileth had long since finished soaking the flax thread in rose water and sprinkled coal shavings. Then they were sewing up the tears in the other shirt, once mangled to no saving and then fixed to almost pure excellence. Daileth had long since pledged to help Neo at least for a while since saving his life, but he couldn't fly just yet.
"You're rather well with a needle and thread," Daileth commented.
"One of my very few talents, I guess," Neo replied.
"Why can't you harm rose water?" Daileth questioned.
"I'm not sure," Neo shrugged. "I can't harm any sort of water, unless it has flavouring. When I soak linen in rose water, it seems to become more immune to my powers. The coal shavings are just optional, but they help with any weak spots in the linen."
Daileth hummed. "So why do you-"
The sprite was interrupted when the sound of porcelain shattering came from the other room. Neo stood up immediately, on the bed, making Daileth topple over with the uneven ground. The bodyguard jumped off the mattress, straight into action as he ran out of his room, his bare hand leaving a print of black on the bronze handle. Instantly, Neo darted to Quilliene's room, opening the door.
"Liene!"
Kyrana pulled back from the queen sharply, who slowly brought her hand up to her lips, covering them as she blinked a few times to fathom what had just happened. Neo stopped, looking between them, then to the broken vase, his breathing heavy as he realised what he had walked in on. He stepped back, letting go of the door as his emotions turned his heart to stone.
Quilliene was still slightly dazed as the footsteps in her mind soon became a late reality as one name settled into her thoughts when she felt the warmth from Kyrana's lips still linger. Neo. She looked up, her eyes quickly going to the door just a few ways from her and Kyrana. She looked at him, suddenly feeling regret and pain. Tears wanted to come to her eyes as her mouth opened to speak - alas, nothing came but silence.
Neo's eyes rested on Quilliene for a moment, then glanced at Kyrana. His breathing slowed as he felt everything shatter inside him, wanting to scream and break down but not knowing why. He looked at Quilliene again, his words left unsaid as he pushed himself to do something - anything. However, all he did was step back, before he simply just ran down the hall to the stairs.
Quilliene felt her steps falter as she nearly tumbled to the ground from the pain, her knees weakening. She ignored it as much as she possibly could before she made her way towards the door, wobbling and stumbling before she hiked up her skirt and started running as best as she could.
"Neo…" She tried to yell for him. "Neo! Neo!"
Neo's bare feet made dark imprints on the floor, taking the stairs down two at a time, his hand blackening the golden rail at the same moment. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, but he pulled open one of the castle doors, startling the guards on the other side as he burst through. He kept running forward, jumping down the steps and heading straight for the gates as confused demons called after him.
"Guards!" He heard Quilliene yell. "Neo, stop!"
Quilliene had collapsed as she exited the castle, thanking a guard who came over to help her to her feet. A few guards stepped in front of Neo, making him skid to a stop. The queen made her way down the stairs towards him, clutching the guard who helped her on her way as she stood a few feet behind him. When he turned around, she was surprised to see burning rage in those red eyes of his.
"Let me out," He demanded, his heart racing and his fists clenched. Pain hid behind his blazing glare, his breaths heavy and letting out a soft fog in the chilled night.
Something screamed inside Quilliene as she looked at him, realising she might have made a mistake. Even so, she was still confused. Did something bother him? Or hurt him? Did he see what had happened? And if he did, why was it so painful to him? Why was it so shattering to her of how he felt?
"You know I won't do that," She panted, letting go of the guard and standing on her own. "What is going on? Why are you so upset?"
"I don't care about your stupid rules, Liene," Neo snapped. "Let me out. Now."
"No," Quilliene said strongly. "You are not leaving unless you tell me whatever the hells is wrong."
"Why should I tell you what's wrong? How do you even know anything is wrong?" His voice was low and dripping with anger. "Like you'd give a damn, anyway."
"Why is it so easy for you to assume someone wants to be against you?" She demanded. "Or that I don't simply want to do a good thing for you?"
"Because I know," He seethed. "I know you don't care."
Quilliene stepped closer, beginning to motion with her hands. "Why do you hate me? Why is it so hard for you to believe I want to show you that I do care?" She paused, squinting at him. "You think I don't hear you in your sleep, talking to her? When you empty your heart out in your dreams just a wall away? You think I don't worry about you when you do that?"
Neo grabbed his right ear, finding it ringing. His blood was boiling, his heart pounding. He flinched, unsure what to do. "Stop, just shut up…" He hissed.
Quilliene took another step forward. "Nathan, please-"
"Don't call me that!" He screamed.
An invisible wave exploded all around him, pushing everyone back as he placed his hands over his ears. The grass turned black, blown outwards from him, the edge of the castle steps becoming ash coloured. The people surrounding him were knocked down, their armour and clothes steaming as if burned and their skin spotted with red sores.
Quilliene fell back, nearly crying out in pain as she toppled to the ground. Agony seared intensely through her arms and legs, most of her clothing somewhat breaking and turning raggedy. Her mind felt as though something were destroying it and eating inside of her, breaking apart as her vision turned pitch black. Then, Neo fell to his knees after staggering, ringing erupting in his skull as he suddenly felt weak. He toppled to the side, falling limp as he proceeded to faint.
"Quilliene!"
Quilliene was still conscious for a few moments as she heard a sharp female cry, someone falling to their knees beside her - Kyrana. A few more guards came out, when she heard a male voice, so familiar yet so far away that she couldn't place it. It was the last she heard before she fell into unconsciousness.
"Get the medics, and place him in solitary. Down below the Nameless."