Haley and Shirley had been getting along great the last week. Haley felt right at home, she sat down on the couch and turned on the television. She had repaired it, Shirley walked inside with some fresh croissants. Haley got up and walked over to greet her. She gave her a kiss. Shirley smiled, “That is much better than our first kiss.”
Haley chuckled, “I won’t forget that kiss. It did lead us down this road.”
Shirley nodded, “I can’t believe you kissed me three days after that super awkward moment.”
Haley shrugged, “what can I say? You make a mean pasta, it had great marinara sauce and lovely meatballs.” Shirley sat down while laughing, and gave Haley a croissant. She sat down next to Shirley and took her hand, “Did you hear any news from my dad through your channels?”
Shirley nodded, “A chariot has been seen riding towards the great wall, your mom, dad, and friends are in it.”
Haley beamed, “Awesome, I cannot wait to tell him I finally have a girlfriend.”
Shirley grinned, “Puppy love that can hopefully blossom into something more mature.”
Haley smiled, “That dance you asked me for yesterday, that is the moment I realized this could be something, us together. It feels fresh, new, and you don’t give me the tingle, but I do feel butterflies in my stomach.”
Shirley chuckled awkwardly, “A very confident super strong woman, and a lonesome orphan.”
Haley caressed her cheek, “You are no longer alone. And I bet my dad will accept you into our group in no time.”
Shirley nodded, “He will be here in one or two days more travel.”
Haley sighed, “If my dad does get here tomorrow, then things are going horribly wrong. Brent will go into full attack mode, I wonder what kind of plan my dad cooked up to beat him.”
Shirley looked at her, “You truly think, your dad can win?”
Haley nodded, “He will be ready this time, no ambush, not after he had just been injured, he will be ready and kill him. Until then, we need to find out more about the artifact.”
Haley grabbed a book and scrolled through it. “So you told me, it is some kind of orb with shadows in it?”
Shirley yawned and nodded, “And supposedly it is keeping the void and other dangers away from this island. Meaning if it were taken or destroyed, this island will be swallowed by the void, and we will all die, even I will die.”
Haley got up and walked over to the kitchen to get some coffee, she still had some trouble walking. She turned to look at Shirley, “If you stay close to me, the void cannot harm you. I can wander through the void unharmed.”
Shirley gave her a thumbs up, “I hadn’t expected less of you. Do you think, something horrible might happen to us, tomorrow I mean?”
Haley sighed as she lifted her coffee, “I am not sure, Brent is also closing in on your home. We see more and more guards around this house. I have been cooped up here for a long time. We should just relax today, tomorrow will be one hell of a ride.”
The rest of the day had been quite normal. Shirley had cooked some pasta with marinara sauce and meatballs. After dinner, Haley took a bath. This helped with regenerating from her wounds. After Haley was done with her bath. She put a towel around her and walked into the bedroom, where she found Shirley sitting on the bed, without clothes on and two candles lit. Haley looked around, “What is going on here?”
Shirley blushed and stammered with no words coming out. Haley chuckled and sat down next to her, “You should try to calm down Shirley, and explain to me what you want.”
Shirley took Haley’s hand, then Shirley took a deep breath and started talking, “I fear something bad might happen tomorrow. I really like you Haley, in any other situation I would wait, but I don’t want tomorrow to come and take me away, without us having to spend private time like this together.” Shirley looked down, “I don’t want to die as a virgin.”
Haley put her hand on Shirley’s leg, “I get what you are saying, and in any other situation I would have said, it is best if we wait, but fearing something bad might happen to the both of us, or one of us, I agree, I don’t want to die a virgin.”
Shirley looked at her in disbelief, “You? The super confident woman is a virgin?”
Haley scratched her nose while chuckling awkwardly, “What can I say?” Haley kissed her, then she smiled, “Let’s figure this out.”
The next morning, Haley woke up with Shirley in her arms and wings. Haley yawned and hugged Shirley tight. Apparently, that woke Shirley up. She smiled at Haley, “Good morning sunshine.”
Haley gave her a kiss and got up, “Do you want me to make some coffee?”
Shirley nodded, “Yeah, I will get your clothes.” Haley nodded and walked to the kitchen. She started to make coffee, along with some breakfast. Haley chuckled, “I can see the appeal of why my dad liked this so much instead of traveling. Waking up with a beautiful woman, making her breakfast, and then enjoying the day together.”
Shirley called out, “I can hear you talk to yourself again, you are beautiful too!”
Haley made some sandwiches as she laughed, Shirley walked in with Haley’s clothes. “Thanks, darling.”
Shirley smiled, “You may call me that.” Haley got dressed and sat down to start eating. Shirley just beamed with happiness, “Your dad should be arriving today. I wonder what he is like, he raised you, it must be good.”
Haley chuckled, “He is a bit rough around the edges when it comes to new people, and direct. But he grows on you, he has this magic ability that you start liking him. Shirley looked at Haley, perhaps, you have inherited that ability? I am overjoyed I helped you out when you were broken down in that asylum.”
Haley nodded, “Are the hidden clues for my dad ready?”
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Shirley nodded, “I finished them yesterday, he should be able to get into the capital undetected, it is going to lead straight to our house.” “I mean, my house,” Shirley blushed, “you know what I mean.” Haley nodded, “I know what you mean.”
Someone knocked on the door, Shirley got up, “That is not good.”
Then Brent called out, “Shirley, I am checking in on you. If you don’t let me into your home within ten seconds, I am bursting open this door.”
Shirley shot up and removed a carpet that sat before the couch. She pulled up a secret hatch. She looked at Haley and mouthed, “Get in, no discussions.” Haley nodded and ran towards Shirley, she gave her a quick kiss and jumped into the hatch. Shirley smiled at her and whispered, “Try not to breathe too much.” Haley steeled her resolve and Shirley closed the hatch.
After she had pulled the carpet over the hidden hatch, she walked over to the door. “I am coming, give me one moment.” Shirley opened the door and looked at five Lizardian guards and Brent.
He looked at her, “Let me into your home.”
Shirley looked back, “It is quite a mess, can I clean up first?”
Brent pushed the door open, “No.” He just barged in.
Shirley sighed, “You know I live here, I have done nothing to anger you.” Brent ignored Shirley and started looking around. Shirley just looked at him rummaging through things. He walked over to Shirley, “Get off the carpet.”
She stepped aside and Brent pulled it aside. Brent used energy to look around, Haley tried making a shield, that way it will bounce off her. Brent kept looking around, “Two plates, two glasses.”
He walked into the bedroom. Shirley called out, “That is my private room.” Brent ignored her and walked into the bedroom. He came back with a purple feather.
Brent held up the purple feather, “Where is Haley?”
Shirley shook her head, “Who? I have no idea who that is.”
Brent sighed, “Our guard has been keeping an eye on your house, Haley has been seen here. I have this feather, there are sets of two for many things, and you want me to believe that Haley is not here?”
Shirley shook her head, “I had a friend who came over, but I am not sure who Haley is.”
Brent laughed, “You? You have friends!? Everyone shuns and hates you. I should have cleaned you up the moment I found you on my airship, but Lucy convinced me you could live on the streets.” Brent waved his hands around, “And you even managed to find a home. Haley killed my son, you are going to tell me, where she is.”
Shirley shrugged, “I have no clue who that is.”
Brent looked at her, “Did you know she seduced Lance, before she killed him?”
Shirley called out in anger, “Maybe that is because he wanted to execute her.” She put her hand on her mouth.
Brent looked at her, “That is not information that has been made public. Only I, the queen, and the Reader know that.”
Brent walked over to her and grabbed her by her throat. “Where is Haley? Come on crack already, I know you are a little slimy bastard that cracks immediately.”
Shirley spit in his face, then she slapped him. The guards even gasped. Brent put her down and wiped her spit off his face. “It seems you grew a pair of balls. I wonder how that is possible. I don’t think Haley is here at the moment, but she will come back here. There is a perfect way to lure her out in the open.” Brent unsheathed his sword, and the five guards behind him did a step back.
Shirley put her hands behind her back and made a little love heart with her hands towards Haley who could see it through the tiny cracks, indicating she needed to stay hidden and Shirley was willing to die for her. Haley seemed to get it and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Brent walked over, “This is your last chance Shirley,” she grabbed a long metal stick she had found somewhere.
“You want to fight me, then come at me.”
Brent laughed, “Oh my god, you are not running this time? You always run, you never dared to speak up to anyone, especially not me. What has gotten into you?”
Shirley stabbed her sharp metal poker at Brent, he did not expect her to actually do that and had let his guard down. A tiny wound appeared on his left hand and a single drop of blood fell down on the floor.
Brent looked at his wound, “I will be damned,” as Shirley tried to stab him again, Brent easily disarmed her. “I have had enough of your foolishness.” Brent charged forward and stabbed Shirley through her heart and her blood splattered everywhere. Haley could see it through the crack of the hatch. She did her best to remain silent as Shirley dropped to the ground with a thud.
Brent sheathed his sword, “Come on, we are leaving, it is no use to continue looking here, Haley will come out into the open soon enough.” Brent left and as soon as he had closed the door.
Haley came out of the hatch and lay down next to Shirley, “Come on you can’t die, no, no, no, come on, please stay with me.”
Shirley shed a tear, “I am sorry Haley, I think, I could have fallen in love with you, if we had more time.” She coughed up blood, “I don’t feel pain, or cold, take my necklace, it is yours now.”
Haley cried, “Oh god, no Shirley! If I tell you that I love you, will you fucking stay alive?” Shirley let out a sly smile before she became limb. Haley shook her, “No goddammit, don’t do this to me! Shirley!”
Haley let her head fall on Shirley and cried. Red energy started surging through Haley, more and more. It shattered the power collar into pieces. Haley clenched her fists, she took Shirley’s necklace, the one she had gotten as a baby from her mother. Haley put it on and let red energy flow over Shirley, preserving her body with energy. She cried as more red energy surged through her body. “Brent, is going to pay for this. He must die for this.”
Haley lifted Shirley up and sat down on the couch. She hugged her tight with her wings as red energy surged through her broken bones. Haley panted as the energy buildup got insane. “I'll mend my wounds with this energy, I am going to make some weapons, then I will avenge you Shirley. I'll make Brent pay for this. For killing you, you did not deserve to die. My rage will guide me and I will slaughter any that stand in my way.” She gave Shirley a kiss on her forehead, “Give me some time to mourn and heal, then I will fight, and I will not be bothered by the thought of death.”