**The Desert Kingdom**
Belle and I lay naked on her large bed in these wide-open quarters, resting at the highest point of the Desert's center castle. It was more than king-sized and even larger than my own bed back home. We both looked up at the illuminated night sky; the ceiling that once hung there had opened to reveal the millions of stars above, dancing in the reflections of our eyes. She had also summoned golden butterflies that fluttered silently all around us. Her skin glowed a soft gold each time she breathed, showing off her endless store of mana. We could have sworn we saw shooting stars among it all and the cluster of glittering lights. No sheets covered us. Just our naked bodies and the night sky above.
We said nothing. Only the sounds of our deep breathing and the howling winds of the desert in the distance occupied this place. It was the perfect temperature due to a magic veil that invisibly covered just outside the concrete beams and open walls. It was almost like a filter for the desert winds, allowing only a pleasant breeze to enter and touch our bare skin, the sheer curtains fluttering gently around us. I could feel the balmy air we both exuded as we lay next to each other, barely touching—hot sweat becoming one.
Only our hands connected, my calloused hands brushed over her soft, dainty ones as we lay unparalleled, feet distant but heads inches from each other, continuing to breathe deeply, slowing down with each exhale. The moisture from her smooth, rosy skin silently dripped onto the beige sheets as mine sparkled through the cuts of my ink. We had fucked a few times already tonight alone, and it wasn't even midnight yet.
I couldn't get enough of Belle. Though we weren't celibate, we were deprived of each other for so long—and in her case, she was unable to initiate all that time while I lived my life as if she had never existed. There was a part of me that always felt guilty of that, however. I couldn't tell if the act I chose to make that day was selfish or selfless… regardless, she was here next to me. And I could touch her, feel her, be one with her. It was all either of us wanted to do.
When we weren't catching our breath, I'd want to spend my days talking with her nonstop. Making her laugh, watching her smile, looking at those beautiful sky-blue eyes, smelling her scent, and feeling her soft skin against my scarred canvas. Our nights have been like this for the past six days, going on seven in a row now. I was afraid I'd get her pregnant at this rate…
Finally, her honey voice sang in my ears. We hadn't even talked yet before we started fucking. "So, did you get my present?" she asked, still catching her breath, the balm from her body exuding, arousing me once again.
"This wasn't it?" I purred.
"It's not a present if you get it all the time. This is more routine than anything else. Like drinking water."
I let out a deep hum in response to her and simply turned my head, a gentle smile on my face, listening. Anything she said at this point was taken sexually. I could have swung my body over her once more if she weren't legitimately trying to have a conversation with me now. So, I let her keep talking, "No, silly, the maids. I'm assuming Alice told you on the way here, or rather, before that? They're going to be helpful, you know."
"I mean… yes, but… one did try to… ah, never mind…" I said, slowly reeling back my words. A purposeful tact; I wanted to see her reaction to other women around me. Plus, it would be cute to watch her act jealous. Our relationship felt new. Fresh. Things like this livened up our suppressed long-term bond.
"Try to what, my Greed…" she said in such a seductive and dominant way. Not even a question. I couldn't tell if she was flirting or actually portraying jealousy in this moment.
"Nothing. It was just a misunderstanding… but…" I trailed, "She did change me."
Belle's eyes squinted, and her expression became sort of serious in that moment. Had I been rocking the boat too much?
"I see. So, she saw all of you?" she inquired. Though her tone changed slightly, it was still sweet. I relished it.
"It couldn't be helped. I couldn't change myself, apparently."
"Are you a child, my Greed?"
Soft teasing, as she turned her perfect body to meet mine now. Our legs crossed over each other, playing their own game of push and pull.
"Do I look like a child?" I teased back, looking down at her favorite part of me, then back at her with coquettish, prowling eyes.
"You surely act like one… but this…" she said as she grabbed my anchor and leaned into my ear, whispering, proclaiming, "this is mine… You got that?"
Her eyes, instead of looking like the sky as they usually did, glowed royal blue like the ocean. Her platinum-white hair and eyelashes reflected the light from above. She controlled me now, and I had no problem letting her take the reins.
"Of course. And you are mine. You were mine from the start… I just didn't know it yet." That line alone could have broken the curse on Belle's tongue six days ago.
After that, she went feral and shoved me on my back while climbing on top of me, finding me again. And it was the ocean that dove onto the anchor.
She sat below me, regardless of whether I was ready or not—and by the fucking Keeper, I was. With the open roof and view of the universe above us, she danced, and she looked like she was its god. Like she was its creator. I was no artist, but I could have painted her moans. I could have painted her with great detail and burning passion. I would ink her on my body if there were room.
"Oh, my Greed…" she whispered from where she was, almost like a gasp of air.
Her sound was angelic as she continued to ride me, ironically, becoming more and more unholy.
We went on like this multiple times that night, each time different than the last. We must have broken a personal record tonight alone as, over and over, I filled her more times than I could count.
***
**The next day**
Noon arrived, and it was probably the latest I had ever slept; we were breaking all kinds of records and beds… The time was 1201. Belle and I had just barely woken from our prolonged, private activities.
I was the first to lazily open my eyes, welcoming the noon sun. It was then that the sound of knocking on Belle's large, far-away door echoed across the room.
"M-Milady… Um… are you awake yet?" a shy, muffled female voice asked from behind.
I patted Belle's cheek gently as we continued to lie, my eyes still barely opening. She merely moaned in response, and—Alice was right—she was a heavy sleeper.
I got up and found a pair of boxers on the floor, put them on, almost tripping through the hole in them, before I headed to the doors, which seemed miles and miles away—a curse and a blessing of this gigantic room. The ceiling had covered us once more—magic auto-cast it back once the night sky changed back to light. The knocking continued…
"M-Milady… M—"
I answered the door at last, creaking it open slightly—a subtle interruption. "'Milady' is asleep; may I take a message?" I said with a raspy, morning voice.
There, on the other side of the door, was a girl with lavender hair and blonde ombré. She was wearing gold-plated armor only on her breasts and thighs, exposing her neck, arms, and stomach—the rest of her legs were covered in dark gray thigh-highs and gold armored knee-high boots with a slight heel. She had a sheer white cape that glittered in gold, much like the tall curtains inside Belle's room, which draped to her ankles, and she stood only at five-foot-five.
This wasn't the first time we'd met—it was actually the third. First time was at the Kingdom's Guild meeting (indirectly), and second was at my Trial. We'd never gotten the chance to properly speak until now.
Her light lavender pupils were large, almost dilated, as they nervously hovered over me repeatedly.
"H-h-h-h-h-h-h…" she spewed. I said nothing and stared at her blankly. She repeated, "H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h…"
"Okay, what are you trying to say?"
At that moment, another girl appeared from behind her; I didn't even know she had been there to begin with. Her stealth was either on another level, or she had suddenly spawned here before us.
"She's trying to say 'hi,' but she's nervous 'cause you're half naked, and she's super awkward around guys… especially ones who look like you…" the other girl responded—more so toward the slight hint of annoyance woven underneath my gentle tone, which I had thought was barely noticeable. So, she also had sharp senses… There was no lying with this one either.
This girl was the complete opposite of the other, and quite direct—a common favorite trait of mine among people. Her hair was black and medium length with short bangs just over her eyes. They were a crazy color, like a mixture of green, hazel, and blue all at the same time. And depending on the position of her head, they would be one of the three colors in full. She had a black, skintight mask over her face, revealing only her eyes and the top of her head. It trailed down into her golden armored breastplate, stopping just below it, exposing her petite, porcelain-like stomach. Like the other lavender-eyed girl, she wore gold armor at her waist and gold armored boots, except hers were only ankle-length, with black thigh-high tights. She crossed her arms and stood, leaning on her hip as she came out and around the lavender-eyed girl, standing next to her now at only five-foot-two.
Unlike the other girl, she wore a slightly different cape behind her. It was black and short—but still sheer—ending just at her waist. She reminded me of some kind of ninja… or perhaps even a snake-mixed beast in the body of a small female by the way she carried herself alone. Some sort of primal or stealth type user, maybe. Or both.
She looked me up and down. "Yeah, that checks out… This one's got a cute face and a bit rough-around-the-edges. Seems, Belle has a type… Ironically, similar to mine… almost," she said informally, the first I'd seen any of the Golden Rose Knights do. All of them, until her, had always addressed Belle with the utmost formality; they were posh and held themselves like they were a different breed of 'hot shit.' Like she was sacred… and to be frank, I hardly blame them.
She brought the vibe home. "I'm more surprised about you, Love… well, maybe I shouldn't have been. You shy, nervous types have the weirdest kinks. It's only natural to be attracted to edgy guys and even want them to do the most fucked up things to you. I wouldn't be surprised if he were the type to cut you up, put your body parts into separate bags, and then toss them out to sea. I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted him to do that to you too after he had just fucked your brains out—"
"V-V-V-V-V-VIPER, PLEASE STOP TALKING!" the other girl—Love—interjected frantically, voice turning high-pitched and squealing at the end.
The masked girl, Viper, was steadfast, ignoring Love. I felt her darting eyes trailing over my skin as she unashamedly looked me over constantly. So, I began narrowing the door ever so slowly as if to close it…
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on, hot stuff. We need to see Belle right now. She's been in there all morning… literally… It's fricken 1204…" She looked at the simple-styled golden pocket watch that she pulled out of nowhere, chain attached from under her breastplate. "Well, 1205 now…" She began sniffing me profusely. "Wow… You smell like vicious sex… Is she okay? You didn't kill her, did you, and then do nasty things to her body afterward?"
"Keeper, what the hell? I didn't— Why would you even say that?… I'm—"
"You're Greed. Black Wolves. Acting Captain, previously 2nd Vice Captain, about… give or take a year now. You and Belle go way back. You like noodles. Blood type O-negative. And your body count is—"
"Okay, stop right there. How the fuck do you know all this?"
This chick was like Havoc and Star combined in the worst imaginable way.
"I smelled it… along with other things… You're dangerous." Her tone changed at the end, and then she glowered intensely with her multicolored eyes. "Open the door now and show us Belle, or we'll force our way in."
She then threw her arm in front of the other girl's breasts and pulled out a gunmetal katar dagger from behind her waist, positioning herself in a protective stance.
Though nearly unnoticeable, she was shaking slightly. Did she truly see me as such a threat?
I stared at her unwaveringly, looking her up and down as they did me. I saw a lone trail of sweat running down the side of her exposed temple. And at that point, I closed my eyes and sighed… "Okay." Stepping aside and opening the door fully now, I outstretched my hand behind me into Belle's quarters, letting both the Golden Rose girls in.
They hesitated for a bit, staying in place outside in the hall with the door now wide open as I proceeded to walk in nonchalantly. I stopped just a little bit inside and turned around with my hands on my waist, elbows out behind me, and head slightly lowered, looking back at them, "Well?" You two just gonna stand there or you comin' in?" My soft glare met them both, and the one named Love gasped—like a peep—when our eyes met. The other, Viper, stayed cautious.
"Just like that, huh? Must be a trap. Don't fall for it, Love. Your simpleton, bimbo brain can't take this kind of gesture. You'll just end up in bed with him faster than Belle," she said.
Yeah, this girl was indeed Havoc and Star combined—or perhaps their lovechild. What a fantastic fucking combo.
"V-V-Viper… I think it's fine. We can just c-come back later. I-I don't want to intrude. Plus, Belle told us to handle all her agendas today, so waking her would just be a violation of her privacy at this point, don't you think?" Love said jumpily.
"Now you're pussying out, Love? Come on. This was your idea… Oh, I get it…" Viper sheathed her blade and faced Love, "You're wet, aren't you?"
"EEEEEK! V-V-V-V-VIPER! THAT'S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY!"
"Relax. I was joking. I didn't even sniff you. However… you didn't deny it… You dirty girl. I knew you were a freak."
As they continued to squabble at the door, I closed my eyes and turned back around, walking back to the bed Belle still rested on.
"Princess is still fast asleep, but I have no right not to let you through. I don't live here after all." I said, and I could feel their eyes fixed on my canvas.
Unspoken Guild rule #1: if you are a guest in another Guild's home, you have no say and have no right to correct the actions of whatever happens within the walls of their home. This is described in a single word—respect. Ryo taught me that one.
The two girls finally entered the room cautiously; it was like a skit going on behind me.
At this time, I heard a large, high-pitched bark in the distance, out in the hallway where both of them had entered. I turned around excitedly, knowing exactly who it was.
The sounds of heavy beast paws trampled down just outside the double doors. When it arrived, it slammed them open brashly. Large, white, fluffy paws entered the room. Each paw was the size of a small boulder, and the body, that its equally fluffy arms supported, was almost the size of Belle's mega king-sized bed. Its whole body was covered in bolstering white hair, and around its neck was like that of a lion's mane. The top of its back was the top of my head, and its head was held higher than that, the size of more than half of my body. The head was that of a wolf, the body that of an enlarged dog—the same species as Yuna, but a different breed, given the size and loud, fluffy white hair. The wolfdog of the Golden Rose Knights had entered like he owned the place. And in my opinion, he did.
"Is that my boy, Toto?? Come here, boy!" I shouted, completely changing my demeanor.
When Toto heard and saw me, his large mouth closed and caught his tongue midway like a 'blep'. He began wagging his large, fluffy tail behind him. It was curled upward, looking like he was waving hi. As he reeled his legs in to pounce, I had completely forgotten about the two girls that were right in between him and me.
I looked at him and looked at them repeatedly. "Wait, Toto!" I shouted as Love and Viper barely turned around just in time for his launch.
"W-w-w-w-wait a second, Toto!" Love yelped.
Like in slow motion, and their lives flashing before their eyes, he tackled all of us together, knocking us back all the way to Belle, who remained asleep on her enormous bed until we arrived.
He happily huffed his large mouth in my face, which smelled like a massive fish factory, and started rolling on his back. Then and only then did my heavy sleeper of a princess awake to greet us, at last.
"Good afternoon to you all as well…" Belle said with Toto crushing us beneath him.
***
The four of us, five including Toto, still hung in Belle's vast living quarters high up above the Golden Roses Castle. It was beige concrete and mechanical, but when the sun's rays bounced off it, it reflected gold instead. The shining gold beacon of the Desert Kingdom—a signifier of the Golden Rose Knights' presence and of their rule over the place. It was the center of the whole Kingdom, and the Queen, who ruled side by side with The Golden Rose, lived at another large castle behind it to the north, just like the Valley Kingdom's Arcane King and Royal King.
We hung out on Toto's stomach like he was some large, curved couch on the ground next to Belle's bed. Our view was from her open balcony that overlooked the south of the Kingdom. In the distance, we saw sand and high winds, but here it was peaceful, and the breeze was cool. Even the Kingdom below had a similar magic cast from the dome barrier that surrounded it, again, just like the Valley.
Its barrier kept the citizens cool, making even the Desert habitable. From my knowledge, only Sub-Kingdoms with harsher weather conditions had these types of barriers. It was emitted by the type of Zion Orb used, then mixed with artificial magical compounds once within the Kingdom, and stored underground. Because of this, they were called lesser Zion Orbs. They were slightly different than the ones in the Valley—in hue and in purpose. They were formed by certain natural magic in high-density areas, typically near or around the same place as a true Zion Orb at a higher section still far underground. And since the Desert was only a sub and essentially a smaller Kingdom, only two lesser Zion Orbs were needed to cast protection for the entire area, lasting over twelve years—two years more than a normal Zion Orb.
Belle sat in the middle of the other two girls, Love and Viper, bantering more than relaying anything important about her agendas this morning. They were both her Vice Captains. Belle had three of them in total: the first one being golden-cockblock Lance, with whom I had a slight rivalry for some reason. Second was Love, the lavender-haired girl, and third was this slithery one I just met, Viper—another, and yet different, personality than the other two reserved Vice Captains.
Belle had a coffee in her hands as she sat back straight, in a chaise, and listening to Love talk about haircare… Viper, on the other hand, was more tomboyish than the other two, sitting with a leg up and arm over her knee, listening in and out of the conversation as she eyed me almost every second.
I sat there with a mint-flavored toothpick in my mouth, shirtless but with my Black Wolves jacket on and black pants, barefoot, toward Toto's head, who was chewing on a large bone, hacking away at it like a lumberman to a trunk of a thick tree.
"Can I help you, snake girl?" I asked as I picked at my painted black nails, toothpick placed to the side of my mouth.
"What's your story, wolf boy?" she asked. "And it's winged snake girl to you…"
To which I raised an eyebrow at her, looking up, "Thought you could smell that on me?"
"I can smell things like: how I knew you and Belle had a history, or how long you've been a Vice Captain, and even how many girls you—"
I raised my brow to her, indicating that she should not finish her sentence, especially with Belle there now.
She huffed at me and continued inquisitively, "I can smell familiarities. Not stories."
I looked back at my nails, continuing to pick them, then said, "The story of our past is kind of… a sensitive topic… I'd prefer not to say, sorry. Perhaps another favorable time." I looked up once more with a soft, lazy stare that carried its own weight of command. "If she's okay with it."
She held my stare after I said that. "Hmm… I like you. You're mysterious. I think I understand the appeal now." She adjusted her mask then said, "Let's just hope that mysteriousness doesn't bite you in the ass later…"
"I tend to bite back, if you know what I mean?" I looked over to Belle and grinned.
Viper nudged her and pointed with her triple-colored eyes back to me, baring teeth and forming a serpentine-like smile hidden behind her skintight mask. "You hear that, Belle? This one's got some one-liners."
Belle gave me a soft and pleasant smile. Her deep blue eyes sparkled as she did. I had always forgotten where I was every time she looked at me that way. I was the definition of head-over-heels.
"So…" I said, changing the topic. "What's on today's agenda, princess?"
Love flushed as I said this, her mouth almost in the shape of a winding canal. Belle tilted her head and faced out towards the Kingdom below, then said, "You've already been here a couple times this week alone, but you go as far as my room only… How about we explore the Desert Kingdom today? There's plenty of good restaurants I think you'll like. Stir-fried noodles are extremely popular in this Kingdom."
My face lit up, and I was already down to eat. We bantered for another thirty-or-so minutes, which, at that point, Love and Viper finally exited Belle's room. Toto followed playfully behind them with a giant plushie he pulled from behind Belle's bed, which I had no idea was back there. And as they left us, the two continued to talk to each other in private out in the hallway.
***
"He was nice." Love said with her arms behind her daintily, head tilted up, almost in a daydream-like state. Viper looked at her sidelong suspiciously.
"Really, Love? 'He was nice'…? Just say 'you'd let him blow your back out if he was single' already."
"V-V-Viper! Why do you always have to twist my words? T-That's not at all what I meant…" Love said with her hands over her face, hiding her vibrant blush, and trying not to picture the thought—futile as it may be.
When she calmed down, she asked an innocent question that she didn't know would carry weight behind it, "By the way, Viper… Earlier, when you said he was dangerous… what did you mean by that?"
Viper's mood changed so quickly. She looked straight ahead in the direction they were walking, not speaking as they continued on in silence. "Yes," she said finally.
"How come?"
"Because I can usually sense people's magic, their aura, and what color it is at a more heightened level than the average Sensory mage. Every living thing has these things, every single one of them—no ifs, ands, or buts. The more vibrant the color, the greater its strength. Example: Belle's aura is huge, and the color is a vibrant gold, almost blinding. She is immensely powerful… but…" she trailed off.
"But?" Love inquired, leaning her face in closer, facing Viper as they walked side by side.
"When I sensed his…" she inhaled and exhaled deeply, "There was nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Well… I wouldn't exactly say it was 'nothing'… It's just… There was just a small, black ball in the middle of nothingness… and I couldn't tell what it was."
"Mana?" Love asked obliviously.
"No, not mana… it looked almost like…" Viper put the side of her index finger and thumb on her masked mouth. "A soul. In the form of a void."
Confused, Love's mouth turned squiggly, and she put her own index finger to the bottom of her pink lips, thinking what she could possibly mean.
"Never mind, Love… Forget I said anything, okay?" Viper said, breaking the silence and patting Love on the head. She blushed and nervously brushed Viper's hand away as they began bantering about all else.
The two girls, Belle's fourth and third in command walked off with a thought behind them. One that not many dared ask… Just who exactly was Greed? What was he?
***
**Moments later**
Greed:
Belle and I walked amidst the bustling crowds at a certain shopping plaza of the Desert. Just like the open quarters of her room way up high, the weather down here was perfect as well.
In the streets we walked, there was a mixture of metal, concrete, and sand in between them. Those were the only reminders that we were in the Desert.
Most individuals who resided here wore attire similar to people in the Valley, which was usually sunny and had perfect weather. Not too hot nor too cold.
Belle and I had dressed casually for our date today. I wore an oversized white shirt, tucked in the front of my black jagged jeans, black-and-white sneakers, a beaded bracelet, two silver necklaces—one short and chained, and the other longer with a pendant, about five rings in total on opposite fingers, and my usual dangling cross earrings hanging in my lobes. Kiki had definitely packed my clothing with thought… It was like she had somehow known my style outside of my everyday Black Wolves attire.
Belle's outfit was a tan, strapless body-con dress that revealed most of her cleavage and bare legs from the thighs down. She topped her dress with an oversized, thickly knitted, powder blue cropped cardigan that hung off one rosy shoulder. On her feet were tan, open-toed heels; the straps wrapped around her calves, crossing over each other and neatly tied at the top, just below the backs of her knees. She wore a white ribboned choker, and her nails were painted a light, galaxy blue. She adorned her slender fingers with silver rings, and her lobes wore dangling silver earrings of some intricate design by a local Desert Kingdom artist.
I had always known her to wear rose gold, per her Golden Rose uniform—or 'lack thereof'—but she also looked good in the pops of silver she decorated herself with. She was stunning, especially with the way she fixed her effortless, platinum-white hair, which remained down and waved, bouncing in synchronization with her pigeon-toed steps.
Her hair was more blonde than usual today; she had used her magic for that. Though it still gleamed other heliochrome hues at the tips, it would be easy for others to mistake her for some other pretty girl aside from the Valley's princess, unless of course, they were really paying attention.
As for me, aside from my tattoos, I was just an average guy outside my Black Wolves uniform. People skipped past me and onto her quicker than I could blink. They simply admired and then went on with their day. Only a few would recognize that she was the Princess of the Valley, but we'd turn the corner and disappear before they could get the chance to approach.
Right now, we were just another random pretty couple. I didn't mind that.
She caught me staring at her—admiring her. And then she turned away shyly and said, "Is… Is there something on my face?" She turned red and whipped her eyes back to me with furrowed brows and a serious expression. "Or are you thinking of another girl!? My hair doesn't look that different, does it?" She took a loose strand and started twirling it.
I chuckled. "Wasn't that the whole point? So that others don't catch on to us?"
"So you are thinking of another girl! Ophelia perhaps!?"
"What? Why are you bringing Ophelia in on this randomly?"
"She's got pretty blonde hair…"
"She's also not fully blonde or naturally blonde…"
She gasped. "You didn't deny her hair is pretty, though!"
This was also my first time seeing Belle wear anything on her feet. She caught my wandering eyes.
"My eyes are up here, pervert."
"Aye, and the dogs are down there."
"Why do you have to call them that? It makes it sound so ugly!" she squealed. "And don't change the topic!"
I laughed. "They're anything but that, princess. I was just admiring your shoes."
"Did I wear the wrong shoes today, too? Oh…" she spouted innocently. I could normally keep my composure around a girl, but the way she looked at me with those beaming, blue eyes caught me off guard.
I actually blushed and looked away, clearing my throat as I replied softly, "I just said I was admiring them, what part of that meant otherwise? Your outfit's perfect… I'm just surprised to see you wear anything on your feet, is all."
She blinked at my response. "Well, these open-toes look good with this outfit… should I just take them off?"
I raised my eyebrow at her, and I was almost inclined to say…
"That's a yes, isn't it? You're a perv, but that's okay. I still love you. Hehe," she commented as if clearly reading my thoughts. "Also, I'm not forgetting that you called Ophelia's hair pretty!"
"I didn't—" I snickered, not finishing my sentence, then closing my eyes as I threw my hands in my pockets, "You know? You're the real perv here."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
I said nothing, eyes closed and faced upward in a proud manner as we proceeded to walk side by side, relishing in the silent tease.
She pouted cutely and repeated, "Hey! What do you mean!?"
I finally glanced over at her sidelong, with a sly look, one eye open, and said, "Oh, my Greed…" in a not-so-quiet whisper.
She squealed as goosebumps rippled on her skin from the bottom up. Just as quickly, she collected herself and bumped into me, shoving herself in as she peered around, making sure no one around us heard.
"My Greed… shut up, please," she whispered in a command I couldn't take seriously.
We passed by a beautifully decorated vendor. It was a humble family who waved to her and offered their respects, clearly knowing her despite her different look. The little girl ran to her and handed her a sunflower. Belle nervously and respectfully took it, thanking her sweetly, all the while sending me glowering stares as I smiled like a fox.
She knelt, looking at the sunflower, and then, looking back to her, she said, "It's beautiful! Just like you!"
The little girl beamed with happiness at her comment and said, "Thank you for saving the Valley!"
"You mean the Desert, sweetie?" Belle corrected, thinking of the Colossal Sand Dragon she told me she saved them from not too long ago.
The little girl shook her head. "No, the Valley. Mommy's sissy, my auntie, lives in the Valley. Thank you for keeping everyone safe there as well! When I grow up, I want to be just like you!"
"Oh… Of—Of course…"
Belle then stood back up and sent her back to the family, along with "goodbyes" and "see you agains."
As we went our way, I said nothing and continued to admire her as she admired the sunflower, blushing and eyes beaming with a pretty smile on her face. Aside from her outfit, she was perfect. And I was glad I wasn't the only one who appreciated her the way she deserved.
As I was losing myself in her, without looking, she turned her whole body to face me intently. Before I knew it, she grabbed my face with two hands on each cheek, the sunflower resting on her arm, and kissed me passionately. She was about five-foot-five to my six-foot; the frame of my body and broad shoulders were still in view even from the other side of her in a window reflection nearby.
When her face tilted back from mine, she stared into my eyes so fixedly as she licked her pink lips, "Sorry… I just felt like kissing you. I hope I didn't catch you off guard."
I stared back with a matched look. "Not at all."
"Good, 'cause I'll be doing it again when you least expect!" she said playfully, giggling at the end.
When she released her soft hands from my face, she threw her arms around mine, and we strolled the rest of the plaza, looking at stores and bantering as we finished off with a late lunch; it was a popular local stir-fried noodle shop that she had promised to take me to. And it was a very good day, to say the least.
***
We took a stroll along a small manmade lake they called the Oasis. If the Desert city so far felt and looked like the Valley, this place basically transported us back there, literally engaging all our senses to its beauty.
We strolled along the metal and concrete walkways, admiring its serenity and relishing each other's presence in silence for a moment. It was at this time that Belle asked, "Hey, so… When do you want the Valley to know about that day?"
I didn't face her. I still admired the calm waters to our left as we kept walking casually, hands in my pockets all the while.
"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing exactly, but not wanting to acknowledge it.
"You know what I mean, babe…" she disappointedly said.
Belle stopped walking, and so did I, eventually, a little ahead of her; the water from the Oasis beside us glistened gently with the sounds of peaceful chatter and children playing nearby.
My head was still turned towards the water, and a solemn look beheld my face as a pleasant breeze passed by, rustling my hair. When I turned around to face her from where I was, I changed it to a smile with eyes closed and said, "I don't actually. It was you who saved the Kingdom. I just happened to see it, remember?"
"We both know that's not true…" she replied quickly.
I said nothing. My face remained in that same serene way. Then she asked, "What happened after I got stabbed by Syemore?"
That's right. I had never told her. When she came to, Syemore was defeated already. His body was nowhere to be found… and that's because it disintegrated… into space… All she knew was that the battle was won.
My face changed to disinterest. "Really? You wanna talk about that now?"
"Well, when do you want to talk about it? We never talked about it once since it happened six days ago… I know you fought him on your own after that and won. By that standard alone, you outrank me just next to the Arcane King… Keeper… You could even be stronger than the Arcane King himself—"
"I wouldn't go that far, babe… Look, can we just talk about something else?"
She frowned. I knew I was about to regret saying that to her. "No. Why won't you let others praise you or take the credit for something you obviously did? Do you know how frustrating it is for others to praise you for the good job you didn't do? I hate taking undeserved credit…" she said as she clenched the stem of the sunflower in her hand.
I stayed silent, just watching her with an unreadable expression on my face as she went on. "No, I don't deserve it at all… I was powerless against Syemore… Me, the number two Knight of the Valley—utterly powerless against a major threat that very well could have single-handedly destroyed the entire Valley Kingdom itself… and to make it worse… twice in that same fight, I lost my composure. Then just when I thought we had won, I got stabbed and I lay there like the helpless girl I was." Her head tilted down, frustration in those blue eyes—now like the ocean as tears formed. "Do you know how humiliating it is to take the credit for winning that battle knowing it wasn't you? Knowing what really happened?" Another pause. And still I just listened. "Without you… I would have let the Valley fall."
I kept watching her with my expressionless black eyes. The sounds of peaceful waters next to us. The birds were chirping. And the breeze was soft and relaxing.
"Even now, you infuriate me because you proceed to say nothing… Why, my Greed? Why won't you accept what is rightfully yours—"
"Enough, princess," I interjected, a very gentle command. And I took the turn to speak. "I'm sorry I've imposed this on you; it was wrong for me to have asked you to carry such a heavy burden on my behalf… I just could not think of another way. Just please stop putting yourself down. You don't deserve that."
"No. I do deserve it. I deserve the ridicule you let yourself carry. You deserve the praise I get. What do you mean you couldn't think of another way? How about just taking the credit that you so rightfully deserve? Why do you hate recognition so much?"
My eyes strayed downward, tilting my head along with it. The ground was in view now, but after a second, I met her eyes again. "Because I didn't do it for the recognition of the Valley… What would the Kingdom say if they found out that it was the hooligan Black Wolves Acting Captain who saved the Kingdom? They would not believe it. And why would they? None of them saw it for themselves; they were frozen in time during the whole ordeal. And even if you were to vouch for me, once everyone knows we're dating, they would think I'm just using you as leverage or clout. I couldn't ruin your reputation for such a small act as taking the credit."
"Fuck reputation. Who cares, my Greed?"
"Exactly. Who cares, princess? So just let them think what they want of me… what they already think of me. It's easier that way," I said, turning my head to look back at the still water of the Oasis. "As for you, I promise I'll take the spotlight away from you one of these days so that the light won't be so blinding… perhaps I'll go do something stupid again—give these people something else to talk about," I ended with eyes closed and a pleasant smile in her direction once more—exhausting the look.
Her eyes glittered at the sight of me and blushed, blinking with her wispy whites, but she shook off the feeling, looked me up and down, discontent with my answer, "I hate that… I hate that you let all the Valley think the worst of you."
"So long as the people I care about know the truth, then the rest don't matter." I met her eyes again; they were softer this time. She said nothing in reply, so I finished with one last thing. "You see, princess… that's why creatures like me stay in the dark. Even if we do right, when we're revealed in the light, no one likes what they see. For no good deed goes unpunished."
Her eyes gleamed. She understood, but she hated it. The decision in itself, however, was respectable by her standards, but she said something then that made me forget, and that's when I knew… "You are no creature to me, my Greed."
I said nothing in response. I simply looked at her and was just mesmerized by the simplicity in her words. The way she said that made me feel I truly belonged to her, even though I often felt unworthy of it. Just how she felt unworthy of taking the credit on my behalf. We were both imposters.
"Though you have a remarkable gift of spitting in integrity's face and still calling the action noble," she concluded. Ouch.
I whistled, finally breaking eye contact. She had gotten me there.
She finally grinned, then took on a submissive mannerism, looking down slightly. She now viewed the ground just as I had been a moment ago. Swiftly, I met her where she was and lifted her chin with a finger before it got any lower.
We kissed, and she was caught by surprise.
Her eyes widened then closed, letting it happen. Our bodies became silhouettes layered over the sparkling, blue calm we solicited.
When my lips released from hers, I lost myself once more in her perfect eyes—her perfect face—her perfect self. "Sorry… I just felt like kissing you. I hope I didn't catch you off guard."
"This is not how you win a debate, my Greed…" she replied, leading her lips to my ear.
"Oh? Then how do I win?"
She wrapped her arms around my neck, lifting herself to her toes. And then she whispered, "By choking me."
"I knew you were a perv."