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"In a year, I promise," Throné said, and she and Agnea stood just outside Cropdale. The other travelers had already gone their separate ways, each with the hope of their paths crossing again someday.
"One year," Agnea repeated, a faint smile on her lips. "We both still have places to be, huh?"
Throné touched her bare throat; just a day ago, the eight of them had defeated an evil god to bring back the dawn, and afterwards, with their individual journeys completed, went their separate ways for now. It was still rather hard to believe, and the scent of blood didn't seem as strong. "I want to travel the world, and beyond. Now that no collar weighs me down, I want to see lands no one else has seen before."
"You're always had grand dreams, Throné."
"I could say the same to you."
Agnea folded her hands over her heart. "I'm going to rest a while, and then I'll be on the road again! Who knows, maybe our paths will cross again sooner than we think!"
Throné looked toward the entrance of Cropdale, both so near and so far. "If it happens, I certainly won't object."
A silence began to fall between them, and Agnea fidgeted. It was an odd feeling, Throné thought, that she would wake tomorrow and not see Agnea beside her. She could settle down now, as Agnea had invited her, but a wanderlust still filled her; in this moment, what she wanted most was to know what it would be like to travel without staining her hands with blood. Agnea inhaled deeply, and raised her gaze to meet Throné's. "Remember, the raspberry festival is in a year. Even if we don't see each other before then, I'll be sure to save lots and lots of raspberries for you."
"Thank you, Agnea," Throné said softly.
Agnea hesitated a moment, and then lifted herself onto her toes to press her lips to Throné's. "It's just a year," she said, her voice equally quiet.
"Yes, a year." Throné nodded, and the warmth of Agnea's lips lingered on hers. Of all the things she had expected to find on her journey for freedom, love hadn't been one of them. "It's a promise."
Agnea smiled, and as they bid each other farewell, Throné watched as she returned to Cropdale, until she was out of sight.
Throné dreamed often of that kiss, but not out of regret. Certainly she missed Agnea, but to travel for herself, without blood or death, and knowing that there was a home waiting for her at the end of the road, helped ease the pain of parting. She traveled to the horizon and beyond, collecting her fair share of treasures.
(Some habits were hard to break, but she knew Agnea wouldn't begrudge her that little bit of indulgence.)
A year seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and soon enough she found herself walking a familiar forest path. A village entrance came into view, and the scent of raspberries greeted her first. She quickened her pace, her heart racing; she couldn't remember the last time she had felt such excitement. Not even the sight of such large crowds dampened that feeling.
Among all the clamor, she scanned the crowds, but didn't see Agnea. She frowned briefly; in her excitement to return to Cropdale - to the home Agnea promised her - had she arrived before Agnea?
"Hello there, newcomer!" came a vibrant voice beside Throné. "Here for our famous raspberry festival?"
Throné turned her head, and saw two girls holding hands. One had her dark hair in twin tails, while the other wore a red robe, and they wore matching earrings. She recognized them both, and smiled faintly. "Pala and Mikka, correct?"
Pala blinked in surprise, and then recognition dawned on her face. "Ah, you're one of Agnie's traveling companions! Miss Throné, right?"
"It's good to see you again," Mikka added with a bow of her head.
"Same here," Throné replied, nodding. After liberating Ku from Mugen's tyranny, Agnea and Hikari had introduced Pala to Mikka, and it was nice to see that they had grown closer this past year, she thought. "Have either of you seen Agnea?"
"She's not due back 'til tomorrow." Pala grinned widely. "She's cuttin' it real close this year!"
Throné chuckled weakly. "So I'll be the one to welcome Agnea home. That's a rather nice thought, I must admit."
"Well, while we wait for Agnie, why don't me and Mikka here show you 'round our l'il village?" Pala suggested.
"Yes, I think I'd like that."
As the three of them walked around the village, Pala spoke excitedly while Mikka occasionally inserted a comment of her own, and Throné was content to listen. Although she had only met Pala twice - once at the Grand Gala, and then when escorting her to Ku to help Mikka - Pala spoke to her as if they had known each other all their lives, and she was glad of that energy. Pala was much like her older sister, cheerful and radiant, and Throné could clearly see the love they had been raised with. All the while, Pala and Mikka held each other's hand tightly, and Throné caught the looks of love they exchanged. Sometimes Pala would tuck a strand of hair behind Mikka's ear, and Mikka would blush and smile.
Time passed, and the excitement of the village didn't dull. Pala greeted everyone they passed with a smile, and all around people were preparing for the festival. More than a few asked when Agnea would be arriving, and Pala simply smiled and told them to be patient. The scent of raspberries grew stronger, and as evening began to fall, the three of them found themselves in front of the Bristarni residence.
"Got a place to stay, Miss Throné?" Pala asked. "The inn's pretty booked this time of year."
Throné frowned briefly. "Hm, I hadn't thought of that."
Pala grinned, as if she had expected that answer. "Then how 'bout you stay with us? It'll be a real surprise for Agnie to show up and suddenly see you at the breakfast table!"
Mikka giggled quietly. "It'll certainly be lively."
"Well, if you put it that way, I can't refuse." Throné smirked, and easily she could picture Agnea's look of shock. "If I wouldn't be imposing, I'll be delighted to stay with you."
"Good to hear!" Pala exclaimed, clapping her hands together as a mischievous expression came upon her lips.
In truth, it wasn't until the following evening that Agnea arrived in Cropdale, but otherwise her reaction was much as Pala promised. However, with Garud, Pala, and Mikka also present, said reaction was also more restrained than Throné might've initially expected. She couldn't blame Agnea; too late she realized she hadn't wanted an audience to their reunion either.
As the sisters and their father caught up with each other, even Garud's stony face began to show emotion, and Throné and Mikka watched the heartwarming family reunion in gentle silence. Eventually Pala, catching Throné's gaze, declared that Agnea needed time to rehearse before the festival and that the rest of them still had work to do themselves, giving Agnea and Throné leave to head toward the festival grounds.
"That sister of yours is quite the force of nature, isn't she?" Throné said once she and Agnea were outside.
"Oh, yes, she really is," Agnea replied absently, and her body fidgeted. "Um, before we head to the festival grounds, there's someplace I'd like to show you first…"
It was strange to see Agnea so nervous, Throné thought to herself. "Well then, lead the way."
Clutching Throné's hand tightly, Agnea led her toward the outskirts of town, and silence fell over them. Agnea's expression was both anxious and excited, and every time she glanced back at Throné, her cheeks flushed an adorable pink. She was clearly holding back, and that only piqued Throné's interest further. Of course, Throné was restraining herself as well - they'd been apart for a year, and she wondered how much longer she could hold out. She had so many stories of her travels to share with Agnea, after all.
Soon they came to a small house surrounded by trees. It looked rather old, but also as if someone had put much care into it recently. The walls were a mix of old and new, and fleshly-planted flowers lined the front of the house. "What a lovely place," Throné said.
"Do you really think so?" Agnea's expression brightened. "It's been empty for a long time, but before I left, I asked some neighbors to help restore it." She paused and turned to face Throné, inhaling deeply. "Um, if you'd like, this could be your home. I mean, only if you really want! A-And even if you don't, it was still worth it to restore it, so please don't feel pressured or—"
Throné laid a finger on Agnea's lips. "You did promise me a home, didn't you?"
Agnea blushed deeply, her eyes wide. "Then, you really…?"
A year's worth of longing threatened to burst free, and Throné let her fingers brush along the length of Agnea's bare throat, never marred by a poisoned collar, and she smiled. "I've always wanted a home to call my own."
A large smile came upon Agnea's lips, and she seized Throné's face between her hands to kiss her deeply, and with a tenderness both aching and passionate. Clumsy and unrestrained, this was the greeting Throné had expected for their reunion. Throné put her own arms around Agnea to draw her closer, returning her kisses with equal fervor. How she had missed this genuine affection! More than a few nights she had spent fantasizing about Agnea, letting that pleasure comfort her during times of solitude. She hadn't minded her solitary travels, but only because she knew Agnea was waiting for her.
"I missed you so, so much," Agnea said when they finally had their fill of kissing, and she pressed her face to the juncture of Throné's neck and shoulder. "You've no idea how happy I am right now."
"I think I have a good idea." Throné laid her hand on Agnea's head, and she'd almost forgotten how soft Agnea's hair was. "I promised you I'd come back to you, and I don't break my promises."
Agnea lifted her head, and still her smile was bright. "I never stopped believing in you."
Together they entered the house, and Agnea held Throné's hand gently yet protectively. It was small and lightly furnished, but Throné could imagine living here, a quiet and peaceful life. It was far enough from the other houses that she wouldn't feel stifled by crowds, but still close enough to the heart of the village. Here, no one knew of her past with the Blacksnakes, and again she remembered the way everyone had greeted her with a smile as Pala and Mikka had led her around town yesterday. She found herself smiling too; it was little surprise Agnea had turned out so radiant.
Carefully Throné explored the small space as Agnea followed closely, and examined each and every piece of furniture and other necessities. The windows were clear and inviting and draped with soft curtains, and she found no marks of decay on the walls or floors. So much care had gone into renovating this place, and it was hard to imagine that it'd been abandoned for so long. She stopped in front of the bedroom, and her gaze fell upon the bed in particular.
"It's wonderful," she said in a quiet voice. "Thank you, Agnea."
Agnea wrapped her arms around Throné's waist from behind and planted a kiss to the back of her neck, where that collar had once lain. "I'm glad. This can be your home for as long as you like."
"But there may be something missing." Throné turned to face Agnea, a playful smirk crossing her lips as she saw the worry on Agnea's face. "You."
"M-Me?" Agnea squeaked.
Heat crept to Throné's cheeks, but she didn't wish to hesitate either. After a year apart, she couldn't stifle this longing any further. "It doesn't have to be right away, but the two of us living in a place like this, I think, would be… nice."
Agnea was silent a moment, clearly stunned, but just as quickly her face broke into a wide smile as her arms tightened around Throné, and kissed her again, and just as fervently. Her lips were warm and soft, and Throné wanted to savor the taste as long as possible.
They soon pulled apart, but Agnea still held Throné's hands tightly, and she cast a knowing glance at the bed. "You know, we're alone together now, and I'm not in any hurry to rehearse…"
A smirk tugged at Throné's lips, and Agnea stared up at her with that familiar entreating look of hers. "You know I can never refuse you when you look at me like that."
Their hands tugged at each other's clothing as they made their way to the bed, and once they were both nude, Throné fell back onto the soft bed sheets as Agnea climbed on top of her. Agnea's blush made an adorable contrast to her alluring smile, and her hands soon found Throné's breasts and squeezed gently. Throné let out a breathless laugh; during their travels together, she had often noticed Agnea staring at her breasts, and more than once she might've gone out of her way to empathize her cleavage to draw Agnea's attention. Agnea lowered her face to press a soft kiss to Throné's cleavage, and strands of soft brown hair brushed over her skin.
Agnea's hands and lips were eager but a little clumsy, and although Throné wasn't much more experienced, they still smiled and laughed together as they explored each other's bodies. Agnea let out a low moan as Throné teased her stiff nipples, and her lips found Throné's for yet another kiss, with the passion of a year's worth of longing. They touched each other wherever their hands could reach, and as Agnea slipped her hand between Throné's thighs, a new kind of pleasure filled her, one greater than any pleasure she had given herself.
As that pleasure washed over Throné, she granted it to Agnea in kind, and in the fading light of day, it was as if two heartbeats had become one.
They lay together a while afterwards, and Throné tucked a strand of hair behind Agnea's ear. "I have so many stories to tell you about my travels," she whispered.
"Me too!" Agnea smiled faintly, radiant in the afterglow. "And I promised you raspberries, didn't I? I'll give you all the raspberries you can eat, and I can even made you as many raspberry pies as you want…"
"It's not just the raspberries I'm looking forward to. You'll be dancing at the end of the festival, won't you?"
Agnea drew closer to Throné, and her breath was warm on Throné's lips. "Now that you're here to watch me, I'll shine even brighter!"
"I can't wait."
"Oh, but there's one more thing I need to tell you!" Agnea cupped Throné's cheek, and let her thumb brush over Throné's lips. "Welcome home, Throné."
Throné's eyes watered, and she pressed her lips to Agnea's. She and Agnea had waited a year for this; rehearsal could wait until later.
The next day, as she had promised, Throné watched Agnea shine at the end of the festival. To greet each new dawn with Agnea - she could imagine nothing greater.