The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

Chapter 118 Four Hearts Under The Stars [Elysium Festival - Part VII]

-- POV General --

While the Empress, Queen and Princess put on a fairy tale show in the center of the Empire, only two people were missing.

Far from the center, in one of the Empire's parks, Alayna and Luna were kissing in the soft grass like there was no tomorrow. It had already been several minutes and as Luna came to her senses and slowly pulled away, blushing, Alayna still with her back to the ground finally spoke.

"L-Luna I...forgive me I don't know what came over me !"

The kiss the fallen princess had stolen from the young Commander had miraculously awakened her and as her heart pounded furiously, she felt extremely guilty. It was her first kiss and even though she had shared it with the one her heart had chosen, Alayna regretted her action.

"You...I...it's nothing."

Luna didn't know what to say either as the two girls turned their heads away embarrassed and unsure of how to act in such a situation. The young half-human had not hated this moment at all and as her red face was turned, she touched her lips as if to make sure that what had happened was not a dream. Luna couldn't see Alayna and didn't know that her words had shaken her even more.

"I...I shouldn't have...I...I have no excuse...I couldn't control myself but normally I would never allow myself to put you in a situation like this. What an idiot I am...I...I ruined everything !"

The more the young woman spoke, the more her voice trembled and broke little by little. Alayna had tears in her eyes and like a child she began to sniffle as if what she had done was serious. The truth was that a torrent of feelings had flowed through her, feelings that she could not control sending her into a state of heightened sensitivity.

"I...*sniff*...if you don't want to forgive me I...*sniff*...I'll understand. If you don't want to be my...*sniff*...friend anymore I'll understand too. Why am I such an idiot ? I..."

The more the former princess lamented, the more tears began to roll down her cheeks. She was crying but didn't even understand why as so many conflicting feelings flooded her tired mind. Luna, who had just noticed her tears, knelt down to her with a panicked face as she forgot her shyness driven by her protective side.

"Ally no...I told you everything was fine, wh...why are you crying ? Everything is fine !"

"I...*sniff*...I showed you an absolutely embarrassing side of me. *sniff* I'm not usually like this, I don't think I should ever take a drink again *sniff*. I took your first kiss and..."

Alayna hadn't finished her sentence when two warm lips landed on hers again, silencing her. Luna kissed her a second time before pulling away with a tender smile that would remain forever in the heart of the fallen princess.

"I just took your second kiss, we're even now, right ?"

The half-human panther wiped the young woman's cheeks in front of her and as the wind blew across their faces, Alayna was in a second state. She thought she was hallucinating, embraced by a sweet dream where anything was possible. It was then Luna who woke her up with a chuckle after giving her a gentle flick on the forehead.

"Come on princess, pull yourself together ! You're not going to spend the whole night with your royal butt in the grass, are you ? pfff~"

The young Commander, who had managed to understand the nature of her feelings very quickly, was no longer as shy as she had been at first. She didn't know where this was going to lead her, but she had decided for the first time to let her feelings carry her. At first, Luna hadn't known if it was love or attraction, but even though she loved to flirt, everything she felt was new.

It was seeing Alayna cry and apologize that her heart had instantly decided no matter how many questions she had. The young human still on the ground, finally stood up and as she shyly dusted off her dress, looking at the ground, she raised her voice.

"You...you kissed me so we could both be even ?"

Alayna had stopped sniffling and was patiently waiting for Luna's answer, but the half-human was already walking away with her hands in her pockets and a smirk on her face. As Alayna ran after her to catch up, she couldn't help but ask more questions.

"Wait, Luna ! Can you explain this to me ? Wh...why did you kiss me ?"

The young Commander wanted to tease the princess a bit as she hadn't forgotten how embarrassed she had been at her behavior. Luna stopped to turn around as she answered with another question still with a teasing look and smile.

"And you, why did you kiss me ?"

"I...uh...I really wanted to and...I...think I fell in love with you..."

Alayna had looked down to say the last words of her sentence, and as she discreetly looked up to see Luna's reaction, she was gone.

"Luna ?!"

Suddenly, hands grabbed her from behind pulling her against a warm body as a familiar voice whispered in her ears.

"I...also think I love you"

Luna had appeared behind her back to answer and to hide her red face and tail that couldn't help but flap in the air. At these words, Alayna gasped as she hid her face in her hands not daring to turn around.

"It...it's true ? You...you're not just saying that to play a joke on me ?"

The two young women were still in the park, and if another person had been there, she would have seen a half-human trying to keep her pride despite her flushed face, hugging an equally flushed human. Only in Elysium was such a thing possible and happening for the first time in this world. A human and a half-human loved each other and it was not the absurd laws of this world that would prevent them from following their hearts.

"I don't lie."

As Luna let go of Alayna, she quickly turned her head away while scratching the back of her head with embarrassment. She didn't assume her embarrassment and didn't want the one next to her to notice, so the half-human acted as if nothing had happened.

"M-maybe we should go back to where the party is."

Luna turned her back to the young human and didn't see that she was smiling with joy as she held tightly to where her heart was beating. As the stars of Elysium above their heads twinkled eternally, Alayna thanked the heavens for being so happy. For both young women, this moment was special and marked the beginning of something they had never experienced before.

"Y-Yes.."

As Luna once again walked away without waiting, her embarrassed face revealed itself under the rays of the all-knowing moon. Alayna, not wanting to be outdone, ran in her direction again before grabbing her arm like a young couple would. The young Commander was still as embarrassed as ever, trying to hide it as best she could, her words sounding disinterested, but her face and tail told a different story.

"I...uh...okay but just this once huh !"

"Hihi~ thanks !"

____

Not far from there, still on the same roof were Emilia the half-cat Commander and Naia the fire fox Vice-Commander. Just before the children's show started, unlike Luna, Emilia had not hesitated to be sincere about her feelings by sharing them rather quickly. She had hesitated but had finally made up her mind, telling herself that she had to go through this anyway and that if she could have survived in this world, she might just survive a declaration.

At that point, Naia hadn't even been able to respond as the Elysium anthem had begun, followed immediately after by the Imperial dance. As the Empress danced, the young vixen had felt her heart rate quicken and she didn't know if it was due to the statement she had heard or the magnificent dance of the Imperial family that had occurred before their eyes.

____

As the Ice Empress gracefully landed on the ground with the little Princess in her arms and followed by her wife, the two young half-human women could see citizens taking their places in the empty space to dance with a partner. The music had turned to a waltz again and many couples were dancing with smiles on their faces after being inspired by Freya and her family's dance.

Emilia was always silent as most of the time so that Naia had difficulty to realize that her declaration had really taken place. Nevertheless, the young fox knew perfectly her personality and whereas she dared finally to turn the head in her direction, she asked her a question.

"You... you want to dance ?"

Naia had come up with this out of nowhere without even knowing herself why she had asked her that. At this moment, she regretted to have asked her this question because deep down, she was persuaded that Emilia would refuse.

"No forget it, that was dumb, maybe you don't like it and..."

"Sure."

The half-human cat had risen in the greatest of silences and stood above Naia who had not seen her arrive. As the fox turned her head, she could see a hand stretched out in her direction inviting her to take it while Emilia smiled again.

"Come here."

The music played below was rising in the cool night air and on the flat roof of a house, Naia was grabbing the young Commander's hand and smiling back at her. Unlike Luna, Emilia was hiding her shyness a little better and as the vixen stood up, the half-human drew her by the waist a little closer to her.

"I-I've never danced before, so I hope you don't mind if I... if I step on your foot."

"Hahaha~"

Emilia for the first time in front of Naïa had started to laugh softly after having heard her words. The good mood of the festival and the presence of the one to whom made beat her heart made her happy, letting Emilia be carried by these feelings. At this moment, the completely shocked vixen, plunged her emerald green eyes in those of her partner whereas the half-human cat answered her.

"I've never danced either, but let's give it a try, shall we ?"

"Mmmh yes."

Emilia grabbed with her left hand the right hand of Naia and with her right hand she drew her against her always with a tender smile. The young fox had never been so close to her and whereas her face became even more red, she posed her head on the shoulder of Emilia. Under the stars, the two young women danced softly, sometimes awkwardly, but neither of them cared because this moment was the most precious of all.

Taking her courage in both hands, her face perfectly hidden, Naïa finally came back to the subject that had been burning her lips since almost the beginning of the festival. She had the closed eyes, her hands trembled and her heart seemed to want to leave her chest. Emilia who was perfectly conscious of her state always smiled by tightening a little more the fox in her arms to give her courage.

"Just...earlier when you told me that...that I made your heart beat...what did you mean by that ?"

"Just the truth. When I am near you my heart beats very fast, I always want to know that you are safe, healthy, that everything is fine and above all that you are happy. I have been trying to understand for several weeks now and now everything seems clear to me. That's why I told you that you make my heart beat, simply because it's the truth and I wanted you to know."

Naia couldn't believe what she had heard and seemed absent-minded but was actually processing everything she had just heard. The last time the half-human cat had spoken for so long was when she had told her past with Nyanny and her story. The vixen was extremely happy to have heard her sincere feelings especially since deep down she felt exactly the same.

That could perhaps appear fast but in this world in constant movement, where the danger was everywhere, where the tomorrows were more than uncertain, the strong feelings were born more quickly. Indeed, it was this fear of losing Naia as she had lost her grandmother that had pushed Emilia to realize her feelings.

"I...you..."

"You don't have to answer you know ? I just wanted to tell you how I felt and no matter how long it takes you to think about it, no matter how much you don't accept those feelings, I won't stop caring for you. It's my choice, my feelings, you have no obligation to me."

The young vixen's mind was on fire and if Emilia hadn't held her tightly, she probably would have collapsed. No one had ever said such words to her and deep inside her heart was screaming at her to answer immediately but no words came out of her mouth. Emilia who always waited still did not know what Naia thought and whereas she was about to speak again, the fox finally raised the head in her direction.

"No I...I want to answer...I..."

The cheerful, eccentric and positive young Naia could not express what she felt. She wanted to express so many feelings, to say so many things but the panic, the surprise and the joy had seized her. Whereas she still did not know what to do, Emilia who had understood what it happened, slightly slackened her embrace before tenderly catching the red face of Naia in her hands.

"It's okay, Naia, I got it."

Just after having pronounced her words, Emilia leaned to deposit her lips on that of the young fox who shared her feelings but did not know how to express them. Naïa, at first surprised, then grabbed the neck of the young Commander to intensify this kiss, much more at ease with the actions than the words.

Under the moon and stars of the Elysium Empire, while hundreds of citizens danced in the central square, Emilia and Naia exchanged their first kiss hidden from everyone, lulled by soft music and the whispering night wind.

____

FULL STATUS

Name : Freya

Age: 0 years / Mentally: 25 years

Gender: Female

Course: Ice Demon Wolf of chaos - Adult

Race : Imperial Demon

Titles: Blessed by Titania, Goddess of Endless Chaos and Eternal Frozen Hell.

Dragon tamer

Ruthless slayer

Level : 36/70

Exp required for next level: 16 600 / 37 000

HP : 120 000 / 120 000 MP : 60 000 / 60 000

Strength: 500

Defence: 500

Agility: 506

Endurance: 503

Speed: 502

Intelligence: 500

Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)

Attribute points to allocate: 0

Married to : Gaya

Daughter : Shiro

Empire (menu)

Subordinated: 439

Humans killed: 153

Souls: 2/3

Elements: Ice / Chaos

Skills (all):

Attack - Demon Claws (Lvl 5)

- Bite of Hell (Lvl 6)

- Infernal Ice Peaks (Lvl 6)

- Fighting techniques (lvl max)

- Katana mastery (lvl max)

- Demonic Empress aura (lvl 5)

Defense - Ice Demon Wall (Lvl 6)

- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)

Pain resistance (lvl 4)

Attack/Defense - Ice Empress Domain "frozen wrath" (lvl 2) - (under condition)

Other - Humanoid form

- Ice creation (Lvl 6)

- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)

- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)

- Analysis

- Second soul (lvl max) - unique

- Telepathy

Detection and control of mana (lvl 5)

Master of souls (lvl 1)

Passives - Commander (lvl max)

- Ice Empress's Natural Aura ]