The warmth that surrounded Olivia was unlike any she had felt before. It was calming and more comforting than anything she could think of, and her tired mind hoped it would last forever.

"Such soft hair~." Lucina softly whispered to herself and Olivia felt something lightly tug at her hair. Her eyelids were heavy with a want to keep sleeping but she couldn't resist her curiosity, so she cracked open one eye and looked up. "Ah, did I wake you?" Lucina was lying beside Olivia while holding her close and playing with her hair. Lucina gave a soft, sincere smile that felt just as warm as the embrace that surrounded Olivia.

"Wake?" Olivia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with arms that barely listened to her due to how tired she felt. The chandelier emitted a faint light so that the room wasn't completely pitch-black but wasn't too bright to disrupt sleep.

"You can sleep some more if you want," Lucina cooed before glancing at the clock across the room. "Though, it's already past eight."

"…" Olivia lazily watched Lucina's face before nuzzling herself back into Lucina's chest. "Sleep."

"Hm~," Lucina happily hummed to herself and started tenderly stroking Olivia's hair.

Seconds passed in silence before Olivia asked, "Are you…okay?" Her throat was dry and her voice was hoarse.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Lucina chuckled. With her other hand, Lucina started to gently rub Olivia's back to help her fall back asleep.

But Olivia fought through her exhaustion, and clarified, "Last night…you were out of it…and…"

"Hm? Oh, that?" Lucina paused for a moment and adjusted her legs which were intertwined with Olivia's beneath the blanket that Lucina had pulled over them a while ago. "I'm perfectly fine, that was just me letting out all my pent-up feelings." While her voice sounded gentle and kind, there was a sharpness to her words that dug into Olivia, "I let myself go a bit too much, but that won't be an issue now that you're mine~." The arm rubbing Olivia's back pulled her closer, and Lucina lowered her head to whisper in Olivia's ear, "Now, I'll spend every night with you, Olivia~. Whether we're falling into lust, or just holding each other as we drift off to sleep. I won't let anyone take you from me~."

"…Mm." Olivia felt relief from Lucina's twisted words that comforted the hole still left in her heart despite how many years had gone by since her reincarnation. It had always been there, silently gapping in the back of her heart, but now the hole was being filled with a thicket of thorns that moved to infect every part of her being.

"That's it~," Lucina softly sang into Olivia's ear, "Drift back to-"

"It's time to wake up!" The door to the room was thrown open and Tress stepped inside, followed by Mary and two other maids. Cloth rags covered their mouths and noses like makeshift masks, and the two extra maids held bundles of bed linens.

Lucina shot a glare at Tress, and gave an annoyed groan, "You really know how to kill the mood, Tress."

"Considering how late it is and you haven't even started the day's work? I'm here on behalf of Jeremy who's currently waiting in your office," Tress replied, completely unfazed by Lucina's glare. "Also, there's a certain smell hanging in the entire third floor that we need to take care of." Tress adjusted her mask as she looked at the clothes strewn across the floor and the obviously soiled and sweat-filled bed sheets. The room smelled like sex and it had gotten so bad that it managed to leak through the cracks under the door and into the hallway. The two other maids kept looking away due to embarrassment, and Mary held an unreadable expression under her mask.

"Tsk," Lucina clicked her tongue in annoyance but reluctantly let go of Olivia and sat up.

"…?" Olivia was now waking up because of the noise and tried to get up only to feel a dull pain shoot up through her waist.

"I guess I went a little too hard on you," Lucina said and brushed some hair off of Olivia's face. "I'll try and be gentle next time~."

Tress interrupted the tender moment with a dry, unamused voice, "Please don't make this a daily occurrence, we don't have enough spare bed sheets."

"Then we can just buy more," Lucina replied as she finally got off the bed and accepted the robe Tress handed to her.

"We had to open the windows to help air out the smell," Tress countered which caused Lucina to pause and think.

"…Who's outside?" Lucina asked in a low, measured voice.

"Me and Gregory," Carl called from the hall as he and another Hellhound shadow knight kept watch. "They aren't approaching further, but their eyes are all watching the open windows like starved beasts. Once the smell's gone, they should be shut tight."

"…I'll try to control myself," Lucina relented as she finished putting on the robe and tying it shut. The morning was starting off annoying. "Tress, draw a bath in my room so I can-!?" Lucina was interrupted as she felt a tug on her sleeve.

Olivia was sitting on the bed and holding Lucina's sleeve as if afraid to let her go, and her still mostly asleep brain made her ask, "You'll…be back, right?" While the blanket still hid her lower half, Olivia's body was exposed and littered with kiss marks, and her hair was unkempt giving her a tired, yet seductive look.

"…Of course." It took all Lucina had to not jump Olivia and make even more marks, she needed to get to work and let Olivia rest. She leaned down, softly kissed Olivia's forehead, and reassured her, "I'll try to get my work done as soon as I can. I probably won't be able to join you for lunch, but I'll definitely be back before dinner."

"…Okay," Olivia sounded sad, but understanding as she let go of Lucina's sleeve and watched her leave with Tress.

In the hallway, Lucina ran a hand through her hair and licked her lips, before muttering, "We really should buy more sheets."

"Please don't," Tress flatly stated.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Carl perked up and joked, "I don't see anything wrong with it. If they're in love, then why not?"

"Says the man who's still single," Tress shot back under her breath as she followed Lucina toward her room.

"If only your bite were as sharp as your bark," Carl retorted as he followed after them, leaving Gregory to guard Olivia's room. "Isn't it a maid's job to ensure her master is comfortable? I didn't realize washing a few sheets was so challenging for you?"

"Considering you spend all day swinging your sword around, it doesn't surprise me you don't know how long chores take to complete, or how hard we servants work to keep this house clean." Tress glanced over to Carl before sarcastically stifling a laugh, averting her gaze, and saying, "Personally, I think a maid's outfit would suit you, Sir Carl."

"Why a maid!? We have butlers!" Carl snapped and opened the doors into Lucina's bedroom for them to enter. "Maybe you were right, back then? Maybe our Tress does need glasses," he laughed.

Tress looked Carl up and down, before snorting, "Ah, yes, of course. I'll see if we have any extra-thin butler uniforms."

Lucina idly smiled as she sat in a chair by the bath, and offered, "If you two would like, I can always give you a shared room?"

"Why would I want that!?" Carl and Tress yelled in unison. They both glared at each other before Carl stomped out of the room, and Tress quickly prepared a bath.

Lucina leaned back in her chair, and chuckled, "Another lively morning."

***

"…My Lady?" Mary hesitantly spoke once Lucina was gone. Her eyes kept looking at the kiss marks that littered Olivia's body, and her hands were fidgeting uncomfortably as she stood by.

"Could you start the bath…Mary?" Olivia was still exhausted but knew she needed to move so the two maids could change the sheets. The blanket was tossed aside revealing the red stain on the sheet and what little dried blood remained between her legs that hadn't been washed away by the sweat. "I shou-!?" When she tried to stand, Olivia's legs felt like they were wet noodles and she fell to the floor. "…" Her cheeks started blushing as her mind fully woke up and she realized what she was doing while completely naked, other than the torn nightgown that still hung from her arms.

"…Allow me to help you, my Lady," Mary said and helped Olivia to her feet. She walked them over to a chair next to the room's bathtub and set Olivia down so she could get to work running the bath. The maids also took this chance to begin quickly changing the bed sheets.

"..." Silence prevailed between the two of them; it was awkward and uncomfortable. Olivia knew what was on Mary's mind, so after she was wiped down with a wet rag and she got into the tub of warm water, she mentioned, "I didn't ignore your words, Mary. I just…" Olivia's words trailed off as a bucket of warm water was poured over her hair and she felt Mary start to lather soap into it.

"Did you find your answer?" Mary's voice was quiet as she kept working, and Olivia couldn't tell what her maid was feeling.

"…Yes," Olivia answered, confidently. "I love her."

"Then, that's all that matters," Mary's voice softened into a motherly tone and she continued to work the soap through Olivia's hair.

"But, aren't you against Lucina?" Olivia asked. The two maids, who were still changing the sheets, both flinched at Olivia's question and hurriedly left with the old sheets.

"I was against her because you were hesitating," Mary clarified. "Ever since we came here, it always felt like you were walking on eggshells around the Countess; and for good reason." Her hands stopped and she gently played with a lock of Olivia's white hair. "I wanted you to know I was on your side and wouldn't just start appealing to the Countess."

"…" Olivia lowered herself so her mouth was underwater and she blew some bubbles.

"No matter what you choose to do, I will follow and support you." Mary rinsed the soap out with a bucket of water before moving to the side of the bath to give Olivia a bright smile. "Just as I always have, my Lady."

"…Thank you," Olivia breathed a sigh of relief as she sat up and brought one arm out of the water so Mary could scrub it down.

"That being said," a sinister undertone infected Mary's voice and, despite her smile, her eyes darkened which caused Olivia to flinch. "I will never agree with the Countess treating you so roughly!" Using a washcloth, Mary appeared to be attempting to scrub away the kiss marks that dotted Olivia's arm. "She dares to enslave you, steal your heart, and now abuse your body like this? The nerve!" It was clear Mary still didn't like Lucina, but she would put up with it so long as it was what Olivia wanted.

"It's just a few hickies, Mary," Olivia laughed as she watched Mary continue to scrub her down with renewed vigor. "Besides, It's not like I'm going out anytime soon."

"Nonsense! Maintaining one's appearance is a key part of a healthy mind!" Mary justified as she continued to wipe Olivia down. "If you don't look your best, then how are you supposed to feel your best? As your personal maid, I will not stand for it!"

"Yes, yes~," Olivia sarcastically agreed as she let Mary continue fussing over her. After weeks of anxiety and worry, the room seemed brighter to Olivia than before. The soap smelled fresher, the water felt warmer, and her heart felt lighter. While the room still gave her pause, Olivia felt like she could take it now that she had Lucina fully in her heart.

***

"Sorry for the wait," Lucina said as she entered her office. She was wearing a comfortable blouse with a long, brown skirt since she didn't have any plans to leave the mansion.

"Welcome, Countess," Jeremy greeted from behind his desk which was stacked with piles of papers. "I take it something good happened?" Jeremy noticed that Lucina's smile was bright and vibrant, like the smiles she used to get reading Olivia's letters during the war.

"Olivia accepted me!" Lucina happily declared as she plopped down in her chair and hummed a happy tune. She desperately wanted to jump for joy and spin around in her chair, but the knowledge of James' shadows watching her allowed her mind to keep her body in check. "We even sealed our love last night so we're basically married, at this point! I should look into wedding dresses. There's that boutique on Winchester, I should get in touch with them about a custom order for… I think Olivia would look better in a wedding dress, so do I need to wear the suit?" Lucina started tapping her fingers against her desk as she was completely lost in thought. "Could we both wear dresses?"

While Jeremy didn't want to ruin Lucina's mood, he reminded her, "Countess, while I'm happy that your love has borne fruit… It's illegal for two women to marry each other."

"Then we'll change that," Lucina countered with a dangerous look on her face. Her fingers stopped tapping, and her eyes darkened despite the smile that broadened across her face. "I was holding back before out of consideration for Olivia, but she came to me first. Now, I'll do everything I can to keep her by my side, even if it means the crown needs to get a little bloody."

"Didn't you want to remain passive and out of the succession race?" Jeremy tried to reason as he felt uncomfortable about his liege openly talking about treason. "The Royal Grace is still-"

"Jeremy," Lucina cut Jeremy off and her eyes moved over to him. She motioned to his desk and said, "I'll deal with the day-to-day paperwork from now on, you have another task to complete." Lucina stood up from her desk, walked over to one of the bookshelves that were in her office, and took out a history book of Arlexia. She placed the book into Jeremy's hands, and ordered, "Comb through every book, every scroll, every loose scrap of paper you can find, and look for any precedent I can use to shorten the Royal Grace." Olivia being under Royal Grace was one of the biggest leashes around Lucina's neck that kept her as passive and uninterested in getting into politics as she was. "Urldrusk was around for hundreds of years, and royal slaves were around for around just as long; even if the magic collars are relatively new. Find me an excuse I can take to the Emperor and snub James with to solidify my ownership of Olivia. Once James can no longer use Royal Grace to take her from me…" Lucina chuckled and gingerly waltzed back to her desk after taking a stack of Jeremy's papers. "I can focus on dealing with the collar." She happily gnawed on her thumb. "That collar is the last wall between us. If I could just get rid of it, Olivia would truly, wholly be mine~!"

"…Got it, Countess." Treason wasn't something to be taken lightly, and even if Lucina never specifically mentioned it, Jeremy knew that's where her mind went. "Then, if I may, I would like to visit the temple of Lord Sen by the harbor. Now that their finances have improved, Elise and Elder Philip have reclaimed many texts and artifacts that were previously sold off. One of the temple's texts might have an uncensored history I can draw from to find you a justification."

"Good idea," Lucina replied and stopped gnawing on her nail. She thought for a moment and stopped Jeremy as he was standing up to leave, "Oh, by the way?"

"Yes, Countess?"

"It's a lovely day, so feel free to take Elise out on a date, while you're out," Lucina teased with a sly smile on her face.

"…I feel you're talking through your hat, Countess," Jeremy retorted despite his cheeks softly blushing, and his eyes that were avoiding Lucina's knowing stare. "You're mood is getting to you."

"It's a mood I feel like sharing," Lucina laughed as she picked up her pen to start working on the various documents. "I'm sure Elder Philip wouldn't mind you taking Elise into town. Pore over things together? Grab a meal? Enjoy the sights?" Her eyes flicked back over to Jeremy. "Take her to a secluded place to-"

"I'll be heading out now, Countess!" Jeremy took the history book and dashed out of the room.

"Hm~, and here I'm just worried about their future," Lucina idly remarked to no one as she watched Jeremy slam the door shut. She tapped her pen against the document in front of her and mused, "Though, they probably don't want to raise a child in a city crawling with James' men. Who knows what that fool would do if there were a newborn in my ranks?" The thought of James targeting Elise and Jeremy's newborn child so he could get to her soured Lucina's mood. She didn't put it past him to commit such an act. "…I need to solve this." The pen continued tapping against the documents. "Once they're gone, things will improve…for everyone." Lucina's blissful mind wandered to imagine the eventual time when she could free Olivia and not worry about James taking her away. She imagined the sun shining on an open field as its light bathed Olivia wearing a beautiful white wedding dress that gently blew in the breeze. There wasn't a metal collar around her neck anymore. She imagined Olivia turning to face her with a bright smile that rivaled even the sun in its brilliance. And, from the depths of her mind, she imagined a small child poking out from behind the wedding dress. They were holding Olivia's hand. They shared Olivia's white hair but their eyes were as green as Lucina's. Their mouth was open as if speaking. What were they saying? "…?" Lucina was brought back to reality when her hand suddenly felt wet and she noticed that her pen was making a puddle of ink, ruining the document, and staining her hand. Her cheeks were flushed. "…Please find it quickly, Jeremy."