This Is What It's Like To Be Lovers [ON HOLD]

12: If Devotion Is A River

• Love you for a long time by Maggie Rogers •

Lari. Lah-ri. Lawri. Laari. Lary.
Laa-ree-maar.

Jade turned her head to her side to look at her sleeping companion and turned away immediately. Lifting her quilt, she covered her face in embarrassment. Her cheeks were red like cherries and hot against the cold wind that invaded the house through a narrow slit under the front door.

How could she? How could she take Lari's name? Call her anything but Princess?

She kept mouthing the name under the guise of the sheets, wondering how her life had come to this. For twelve years, Jade had wished to make more than an acquaintance of the Princess, to know her better than the books. And now - she removed the quilt - there she was, sleeping peacefully beside her, a breathing beauty, her friend, her compatriot. The Moon to her Sun.

Jade shuddered at the thought. She had not parted with the knowledge of the prophecy and had forbidden Citra to tell Lari about it either.

She didn't believe it herself. When she decided to go against Laz, she had decided to do it alone. She indeed received counsel from Sillia and other members of her court, but she never fully revealed her plan to anybody. She was willing to take the Emperor down or out by herself.

And even if she did need a partner, it couldn't possibly be the Princess. Jade could never ask Lari to take part in her father's demise.

A moan escaped Lari's lips, as she adjusted her posture and was now laying on her stomach. Jade looked on, as if in awe of her presence, and a smile crept upon her lips without her knowledge.

It was the day of her departure. In less than twenty-four hours, she would be one forest apart from Lari, with no real promise of return. Jade sighed. The last few days were so perfect, she didn't wish to malign them with anxiety.

She wondered if tonight would be one of those colder nights when the Princess would have inched closer to her through the night in search of her warmth. She knew she'd miss being so close to Lari, that night and the nights in the future after they'd be gone their separate ways.

On mornings when she was up before Lari and had quite some time to herself, Jade was often lost in thoughts of the future. They had become so close, so soon that the thought of days without her seemed dull.

She couldn't think of mornings not making breakfast for Lari, afternoons without their flirtatious banter, evenings without their mandatory combat lessons, or nights not watching Lari immersed in her lunar ritual.

Some night, she'd fail. The Moon would not respond, and Lari would simply sulk about it and go to sleep. Jade had noticed that only on those following mornings did she wake up looking well-rested.

This morning was one such morning. When Jade's eyes wandered back to Lari's face, she was already awake and looking back.

"What are you worried about this early in the morning, my Queen?" Lari asked, sheepishly, her voice still hoarse from sleep, and rubbed the corners of her eyes.

She rolled onto her back and stretched her arms. Her sleeves fell back, her joints popped soundly, and she laughed out, making Jade chuckle too.

"So," Lari turned, starting again. "What were you thinking about?"

"You." This would be one of the few times when Jade initiated the flirting. She succeeded in making Lari look away to hide her blush.

"No, seriously," the Princess continued when she faced her friend again. "What was causing you such anxiety? Your face was all crunched and everything. Tell me, and I'll do away with it."