"Is this the budget for the harvest festival next month?" Muffled voices echoed across the black void Olivia was in when she regained herself. It felt like she was floating on a soft cloud with a warm blanket wrapped around her.
"Yes, if it's approved now we can start spreading the word and get the people excited. Considering the rumors running rampant due to the knights butchering those shadows in the alleys, it would be a good idea to divert attention to something more light-hearted." The voices were both clear and unclear. Olivia tried to open her eyes, but her body refused. "You should take a break after-"
"I want to get ahead of work for when Olivia wakes up." She heard her name. Her arm refused to move.
"It would worry her to see you like this, Countess." There was only one Countess of Solfin. Olivia bashed and screamed against the darkness that suffocated her.
"I'll get some sleep when-" Her arm finally twitched.
And Olivia found her voice, "…Lu…cina?"
"Olivia!?" Someone pressed down on the cloud next to her and Olivia felt her head roll to the side. She tried to open her eyes.
"…?" The light of the world was blinding after floating in darkness, causing Olivia to wince and keep her eyes shut.
"Draw the curtains!" Lucina snapped, and Olivia heard shoes clacking against tile before the blinding light was softened.
"…Lucina?" Olivia's raspy voice fought through her completely dry throat as she finally managed to open her eyes. She found herself lying on a large bed with scarlet beddings that sat against the far wall of a large, open room. Along the wall Olivia's head was turned toward, thin white curtains softened the setting sunlight that was doing its best to pour in through the open doors that led to a balcony. The white marble of the room softly glowed a subtle orange from the setting sun that made the room feel cozy and silhouetted the person leaning on the bed next to her.
"Ah~, you're awake!" Lucina excitedly exclaimed as she reached over and brushed some hair off Olivia's face. Lucina's eyes were drooped and had dark circles underneath them from a clear lack of sleep.
"Lucina!" Olivia desperately fought her body to move and managed to fully turn over onto her side. Arms without strength reached out and wrapped themselves around Lucina's waist to pull Olivia closer to her. Her muscles screamed in protest but Olivia ignored the pains of her body. "Lucina!" All she wanted was to be close to Lucina.
"I'm here. I'm here," Lucina softly cooed and started stroking Olivia's hair to try and calm her down. "Everything's going to be alright, now."
"…" This was real. The warmth she felt through her arms told her that Lucina was truly here. Olivia looked up at Lucina's exhausted face. "…Are you…okay?"
"I'm fi-" Lucina tried to deflect Olivia's worry.
But Jeremy, who was also in the room, wouldn't allow it, and interrupted with, "The Countess hasn't slept in two days and is suffering from exhaustion." He ignored the glare Lucina shot him.
"Two…days?" Olivia started looking around as her body was beginning to listen to her again. There was a desk behind Lucina that looked out of place and must have been brought in so Lucina could work while being by Olivia's side. "Was I…?" Her eyes wandered the room before landing on the other side of the bed where she saw another familiar face.
"…" Mary was passed out while sitting in a chair and had the same dark circles under her eyes that Lucina did. A bowl of water and a clean rag sat on the nightstand next to her that she had been using to keep Olivia's temperature down, and Olivia realized there was another rag that fell onto the bed when she turned over.
"Mary…"
"She refused to leave your side," Lucina cheerfully explained as she picked up the rag and put it back on Olivia's forehead while forcing her back down onto the bed. "You were unconscious for two days, even with Elise's magic healing your wounds." The hands that held Olivia down were trembling, betraying Lucina's inner worry that she hid behind a comforting smile.
"…Luci-"
"I'm sorry," Lucina's voice was a whisper being strangled with guilt. Her long brown hair hung in front of her face, masking it in shadow, as she continued, "I should have been faster. I rode multiple horses at full gallop to return to the Emperor, and even all the way across Holst before using a portal to reach the mansion when I entered Solfin… But I should have been faster… I should have just killed my watchers and teleported immediately." Lucina's hands tightened their grip on Olivia's shoulders. "I first went to your room…and saw the bodies…and you weren't there!" Her body started slumping over, and her voice was breaking down. "I looked out the window in the hall and saw you outside…covered in blood… Your wounds-!?" A gentle, warm hand reached through her curtain of hair and cupped her cheek. Lucina raised her head and saw Olivia smiling up at her.
"…" Olivia didn't say anything, she just kept smiling. Her thumb felt tears start falling down Lucina's cheeks and Olivia gently brushed them away.
"…They're gone now," Lucina's voice was still broken, yet held enough confidence to make her sound in control of her emotions. "Peter and the others routed them all out… Solfin is free of anyone's shadow knights and I've ordered Carl to have my shadows increase their surveillance of the city so they don't come back. No one can get you, now." Through the briars of her unkempt hair, Lucina's festering gaze fixated on Olivia. "No one can take you from me~."
"…" Words that once filled Olivia with unease now sounded like the most enticing lullaby. "Mm," she gave a nod which seemed to somewhat placate Lucina's worries.
"Now, even though you just woke up, you should get some more rest." Lucina finally released Olivia's shoulders and moved to get up from the bed. "Jeremy, can you call Elise and have her-?" But she was stopped as a desperate hand grabbed her wrist.
"No…" Even though Olivia was still out of it and her mind begged for sleep, she fought to stay awake. "You…need rest, too."
"I'm fine, and I still have work to-"
The door to the master bedroom opened as Tress and Elise entered, and Elise interrupted, "Work that Jeremy can easily handle while you get some sleep." She looked over and gave Olivia a wink. "Doctor's orders."
"Doctor's orders," Olivia repeated and excitedly started patting the empty space next to her on the bed. There was a fierce determination in her eyes, despite how haggard she looked.
"…Fine," Lucina eventually relented after letting out a long sigh. She turned to Jeremy and ordered, "Just finish the last few documents on the desk, we can do the rest later."
"Got it, Countess," Jeremy replied and took his place at the desk to get started.
"Tress?" Lucina continued as she climbed into bed next to Olivia. "Inform Mary, when she wakes up, of Olivia's condition and have her get some proper sleep in her bed. Get the other maids to force her if you have to."
"Got it," Tress replied and gave a bow before moving next to Mary to drape a blanket over the sleeping maid.
"Elise? Make-!?" Lucina was silenced as a fed-up Olivia reached up and forced her down on the bed next to her.
"…" Olivia was pouting as she forcefully held Lucina close.
Elise happily giggled to herself, and reassured, "All of Lady Olivia's wounds are healed, now she just needs some proper rest. So…" Elise walked over and brought her hand over the two girls. A gentle light radiated out of Elise's hand and enveloped the two patients to fill them with a calming warmth. "You should also get some rest, Harbinger."
"…Fine," Lucina mumbled as she relented against her exhaustion and nestled herself deeper into Olivia's embrace.
"…" Olivia smiled as a warm hand soothed her soul. Lucina's soft breaths tickled her neck as a reminder she was there and that Olivia was safe. The subtle scritching of Jeremy's pen as he worked on various documents and the occasional rustle of paper as he finished them worked to dull Olivia's mind and helped her slip into a restful sleep.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
***
"The sun's quite bright today, so a hat is essential!" Mary brought out a wide-brimmed hat and tied it onto Olivia's head.
"It's not as warm as yesterday, so make sure to pick out a coat," Lucina ordered from a chair as she watched Mary and other maids pick out clothing for Olivia to wear.
"A pair of gloves would look lovely and protect against the wind. Do we have any white ones?" Mary looked over to another maid, expectantly.
"Right here!" the maid replied and handed Mary a pair of thin, white gloves.
"Perfect." Mary put them on Olivia's hands as another maid approached with a long-sleeved, yellow jacket.
Olivia, who had been silent this whole time, muttered in annoyance, "You two… It's not like I'm going off to battle!" Olivia was standing in the middle of the master bedroom as maids bustled around her with various pieces of clothing that were either approved or denied by Lucina and Mary. It was the following day after Olivia regained consciousness, and she was currently getting ready to go on her first outing in months. Now that the shadows were taken care of and the Royal Grace was sorted, Olivia could finally go outside and explore Solfin.
Lucina spoke up, "Cassandra always says that fashion is a war."
"Says the person who only has a single closet worth of dresses," Olivia retorted.
"I never said it was a war I was aiming to win," Lucina joked as she was wearing her usual black and red dress.
"You're not even aiming to try," Olivia said with a resigned sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. Her white blouse with subtle, white floral embroidery was neatly covered with a yellow jacket that was left open down the middle and matched her long, yellow skirt. The hat on her head was also white but had a blue ribbon tied around it that matched her eyes. "It feels like my clothes take up more space in this room than yours. We should stop at a boutique while we're out."
"Perfect," Lucina agreed while having a sly smile on her face. "We can pick out some new fall and winter clothes for you~."
"Denied," Olivia flatly stated as she tipped the brim of her hat so it didn't obstruct her sight. The maids had done an excellent job picking out the clothes and Olivia couldn't help but smile at herself in the mirror. "…" A smile that faltered as her hand went from her hat to the slave collar around her neck. Using the seal on her hand, Lucina had shortened the metal leash to only a single chain-link to try and keep it as out of the way as possible but that wouldn't erase the weight that constantly pressed against Olivia's neck. Her fingers softly traced the large crack that ran across the collar.
"It will be fine." Lucina appeared behind Olivia and put her hands on Olivia's shoulders. She gave a reassuring smile, and said, "If it bothers you, we can cover it with a scarf?" Lucina glanced over to one of the maids who quickly brought out a light scarf and offered it to Olivia.
"…No." Olivia's hands returned to her side and she took a deep breath to center herself. "Covering it up won't make it go away. If anything, it will make me more conscious of it if I think the scarf is coming loose." She turned and gave Lucina a confident smile. "I'll trust you."
"…Mm." Lucina gave a nod before grabbing Olivia by the hand and leading her out of the room. "Then let's go! I booked us the best restaurant on the shore for dinner; Margaret and Todd both loved it."
"I'm looking forward to it," Olivia laughed at how excited Lucina was to be taking her outside and the joy she felt was reflected throughout the mansion. While repairs from the attack were still ongoing, the blood and bodies had been cleaned away and there was a cheerful atmosphere among the staff as they rushed past. Olivia and Lucina boarded the carriage that was waiting for them outside and they began their journey into town. "…Hm?" As the carriage approached the iron gates that led out of the estate, a striking sight caught Olivia's eye. "Are those…?"
"A warning to any potential onlookers still skulking around," Lucina finished Olivia's thought as she smiled out the window at the gruesome display. The severed heads of all the shadow knights who took part in the attack were mounted on the tips of the iron fence that surrounded the estate. Their gazes were frozen in horror, sorrow, anger, or a mix of all three as they faced outward at the small forest that filled the hill the mansion sat on. Dried blood coated the iron beneath the heads, indicating that they had been there for quite some time. "I want to make it clear that you're safe here." Lucina's smile was filled with happiness while her unwavering gaze remained on Olivia. "Since I knew we were going out today, I told Peter to keep them up so you could see! It's my little gift to you~." Writhing rot broiled behind her eyes.
"Ah… Thank you, Lucina~." A rot that was reflected and matched in Olivia's frozen lakes that were strewn with cracks. She felt no disgust or unease from Lucina's actions, only a deep love that stirred her heart. "But, what if a child who's playing in the woods sees them?" While she didn't want the heads taken down just yet, Olivia was genuinely concerned about a child seeing the morbid display.
"Don't worry," Lucina happily placated. "Most parents have taught their kids to stay away from the mansion ever since the Rolf family ruled, so it's become a custom to leave the estate alone. I also have a few knights patrolling the woods who were told to turn away any commoners who get too close." A twisted joy filled the carriage.
"That's good," Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and looked back out the window at the mounted heads as they rode past. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as the carriage gingerly rode through the streets of Solfin to allow Olivia her first real look at the city. It was mid-afternoon so the main streets were bustling with people going about their lives with people out shopping, workers unloading carts, and tourists enjoying one of the many cafes that offered outdoor seating. Squads of Hellhound knights walked the streets, their scarlet robes covering their plate armor, and they saluted the carriage as it passed. Eventually, the carriage stopped in front of a store whose windows were filled with various dresses and hats.
"Shall we?" Lucina got off first and extended a hand to help Olivia out.
"…Yes." Olivia took a deep breath and swallowed a lump in her throat that almost got stuck on the cold metal of the collar. She put on a confident expression, took Lucina's hand, and stepped outside. "…?" And nothing happened. "…Ah." No one called out about her collar. No fingers were pointed at her with disgust at her slave status. It was just another summer's day in the city of Solfin. There were quite a few eyes on them but that was primarily because of Lucina since everyone recognized the lord of their city after all she'd done to solidify her position and image to them. Olivia's heart felt at peace as she followed Lucina into the boutique. Since Solfin was a port city, despite being a county with no lower nobles under Lucina, there were quite a few nobles from other territories who were either passing through or enjoying their vacation in the revitalized tourist districts. These visiting nobles allowed boutiques that catered to the nobility to stay in business despite Solfin's population being primarily commoners.
"Welcome~!" A woman who looked to be in her early forties with curly, short brown hair, and who was wearing an extravagant purple gown immediately greeted them as soon as Lucina stepped through the door. "Greetings, Countess! Your current order is still being made, but I'm happy to say we should be able to finish it a bit earlier than scheduled; my passion's been burning brighter than usual so we're ahead of the game!" The eyes of the customers and staff stole glances at the newest customers who garnered the attention of the boutique's owner.
"That's good to hear, Madam Francesca, but I'm actually here for a different reason, today." Lucina motioned to Olivia and tried to explain, "I'm hoping to get some clothes fitted for-"
But Olivia intervened before Lucina could get her more clothes, "We're here to buy more clothes for Lucina; preferably some dresses."
"…" Madam Francesca's face never broke from her businessman's smile as her eyes flashed over to Olivia. Even though her gaze briefly rested on the slave collar, she didn't speak of it as a hunch formed in her mind. She waited for Lucina's response before proceeding with her thoughts and would adjust her behavior accordingly.
"I told you, I have enough clothes." Lucina's tone wasn't that of a master reprimanding a slave, but of a friend who was just called out for a silly dispute. "Besides, I'm getting two more dresses done here, so I'll have more than enough."
"So, you'll be able to finally fill your first wardrobe?"
"…" Lucina's silence and averted gaze told Olivia all she needed to know.
"Having dresses adjusted and spruced up doesn't count as a new dress."
"…One of them will be new," Lucina muttered.
"Overruled." Olivia brushed some hair over her ear and turned to Madam Francesca. "Could you show me the catalog for your latest pieces? Also, I'd like to see samples of your fabrics with earthy tones." Olivia did her best to sound natural and had to stop her hand from brushing the slave collar out of habit.
"…Of course, dear customer~!" Madam Francesca immediately picked up on the dynamic and hierarchy between Lucina and Olivia and adjusted her plans. "We've actually just gotten a new shipment of fabrics from my homeland of Itrecha that I think will perfectly match what you're looking for!" Completely ignoring the slave collar, she showed Olivia to a comfortable seat before having refreshments brought out and multiple catalogs at the ready.
"Olivia?" Lucina felt a dangerous shift in the air. "Wouldn't you like to buy some clothes for yourself?"
"I have plenty of clothes," Olivia firmly responded as she flipped through the first catalog. "You on the other hand…" A few designs caught her eye that she felt would look good on Lucina, and she declared, "We aren't leaving until we've ordered you at least ten new dresses."
"…Ten?" The danger was closing in as nearby staff who weren't attending to anyone immediately turned their attention towards Olivia. "We don't really need to-"
"I have show pieces we can easily adjust to the Countess' size for most designs, to show you what they would look like to wear!" Madam Francesca smelled gold and immediately dove in on helping Olivia. "Though, I have this catalog that has designs that are still in the works, if you'd like. Aria, bring fabrics!"
"…" Lucina was too late as she watched Madam Francesca and her workers swarm around Olivia to push for more pieces. "I'm already feeling exhausted."
***
"And I was right." Lucina leaned back in her chair as she was still thinking about what happened at the boutique, and the number of dresses Olivia forced her to try on.
"Madam Francesca has such a wonderful eye," Olivia playfully teased as she picked up her chopsticks and scooped up a piece of grilled salmon. After spending most of the day at the boutique, Lucina finally managed to convince Olivia to leave so they could go eat at the restaurant on the shore. Like when she ate with Margaret and Todd, Lucina reserved the whole patio so she could enjoy a private meal with Olivia while looking out over the ocean. "I can't wait to see her again when everything's ready!"
"…" Lucina silently grumbled as she awkwardly held her chopsticks in one hand and used a fork in the other to try and pick up her crab cake. Unfortunately, she squeezed too hard and split the crab cake in two with the chopsticks. "…How do you use these things so effortlessly?"
"It's all in the technique," Olivia laughed before an idea wormed its way into her mind. "Like this," she said as she reached over the table to pick up one of the crab cake halves with her chopsticks and held it up to Lucina. "Aaa~."
"!?!" The gesture caught Lucina off-guard and her cheeks slightly reddened. She was thankful that the setting sun was bathing them in a gentle orange light to hide her surprise. "…Aaa." Lucina didn't refuse the offer and ate the food. "…Hmm~." But not before fighting back and making sure to seductively wrap her tongue around one of the chopsticks while looking Olivia dead in the eyes. A strand of saliva connected her tongue and the chopstick as Olivia pulled away. Now it was Olivia's turn to blush as Lucina triumphantly smiled at her. She wanted to see Olivia's embarrassed expression, but Lucina's smile quickly fell as her plan to embarrass Olivia backfired, leaving Lucina awestruck.
"…" A gentle smile bursting with happiness played across Olivia's lips as she basked in the moment of them playfully enjoying a date on the water. A salty ocean breeze blew by with just enough force to rustle Olivia's long hair but was calm enough that it didn't blow her hat away. The setting sun's orange light glittered through Olivia's platinum white hair and sparkled through her deep blue eyes as it did its best to peer through the loose locks of hair that freely hung around her face. A warm giggle escaped Olivia's mouth as she couldn't help herself from laughing at what they were doing, which only made her glow even brighter in Lucina's eyes.
"…" Lucina stood up from her chair and walked around the table to stand next to Olivia.
"Luci-!?" A hand cupped Olivia's cheek to raise it up, and Lucina kissed Olivia's lips. It started tender with only the lips, but Olivia felt Lucina's tongue press for entry. Olivia gently pushed away and looked up at Lucina.
"…" Lucina was standing on the side away from the sun so Olivia wouldn't have to look directly at it, and that gave Olivia a clear view of Lucina's desperate features. Her black and red dress was oddly warm and inviting under the sun's light, and the red jewels she used to accent her dress shinned under the orange glow. Lucina's hair freely hung down her head but left her unobscured so Olivia could see the longing on her face. Green eyes, filled with rot and obsession, reflected the rolling ocean's waves as they looked down at her. Her soft lips were parted, waiting for the chance to come back down and meet Olivia's. "No?" Lucina's quiet plea was almost lost against the crashing waves, but it found its way into Olivia's ears.
"…It's unfair if you look at me like that." Olivia pushed her seat out from the table so she could properly lean back into it while facing Lucina. She gently took hold of Lucina's hands and pulled her down so that she was straddling Olivia's lap. The thought of someone seeing them didn't cross either of their minds as they were completely lost in the moment. "My Lucina's become quite greedy~."
"You're the one taunting me," Lucina mumbled as her lips hovered against Olivia's. Her eyes were half closed as she painstakingly waited for Olivia to make the final move.
"Then, I'd better take responsibility~." Olivia leaned forward and pressed her lips against Lucina's. This time, when Lucina's tongue asked to enter, Olivia obediently opened her mouth so their tongues could dance together. Olivia's hands firmly grasped Lucina's waist as a reminder that, even though her eyes were closed, this was no illusion. After months of hiding followed by weeks of endless anxiety, Olivia could enjoy a day out with Lucina. There was still much to do, and the slave collar still weighed down on Olivia's neck, but this moment of bliss under the setting sun belonged solely to them.