The Wax Pools

Chapter 10: Back on the Road

Shout out to Blackbeard25 my first commenter AND 100th reader!! Thank you so much, my dude!! You made my fucking week. 

I never thought I'd get more than like 10 reads honestly, and I'm hoping to start updating weekly at least until September. 

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The last part of our journey by horseback is thankfully mostly uneventful. I spend most of the trip trying not to think of how sore my ass, thighs, and rest of my body are. I officially hate riding horses. 

Seeing how sore I was yesterday, the boys made sure we stopped for a few minutes every hour or so, it was nice having someone looking after me when they didn't have to. Gods I've barely known them a week but I gave up literally everything I knew and had just to be with them. My mind wanders and I wonder if I'm making a mistake, my mind dreams up crazy scenarios where they are not my actual soulmates, and have forged trinkets or killed my actual soulmates, our actual destination not being the capital, but somewhere much more nefarious. Every far-off scenario and worry leave my mind when I meet their eyes, so much concern and honesty in those eyes, I feel my heart will burst. 

Or my ovaries might explode. 

Never in my life have I been this horny and god damn with not much else to focus on but the scenery, it is unbearable. I just want one of them to make the first move. I was so desperate for their love I gave up everything, and now I'm so desperate for them I'll sleep with the first one that asks. So lost in my horny fantasies I don't even notice how close we are to Drend until the chatter of a market and the smell of fresh baking bread hits my senses. I've never been here before, it's somewhat similar to Hildegen but at the same time completely foreign. There are definitely many more people here. 

Adam and Bear guide the horses to the town's main entrance, dismounting and then aiding me in my always ungrateful dismount. Adam hands me a small drawstring bag, full of coins. 

"Why don't you explore the market for a little while we sell the horses and get our luggage on the train" 

"I can't take your money, I have my own just let me-"

"nope! let us spoil you Princess" Bear grins, closing my fingers around the pouch. I open my mouth to protest further but they're already leaving, spiriting my bags out of my reach.

"one more thing," Adam turns back to me, slipping his hand into his pocket he pulls out my trinket. Damn, I have got to keep better track of that thing. He shows me that he's wrapped my trinket in a scrap of yellow ribbon, creating an eight-point star. He ties the ribbon around my neck, then leans back and takes it in, he smiles softly at me. 

"We won't be jealous or angry if you find more of your soulmates Lillian, but don't be afraid to tell them to fuck off if you want to. Just because the Gods think you would be good together does not entitle them to you or obligate you to them." I honestly don't know what to say to this, I didn't expect this tenderness, I can't find any words to reply. 

"stay in the market, we'll come to find you in about an hour love." Adam presses a soft kiss to my forehead and departs in the direction Bear went. I stand blinking in the sunlight for a minute, watching him leave. I think my heart is actually going to explode with how happy I am right now. Gathering myself  I examine my new pendant and decide to tuck it under my sweater before heading toward the marketplace. 

The smell of food in the air is salivating, I drift toward the source of a particularly mouthwatering smell, vanilla and fresh fruit... To find a pastry stand, I helplessly google the countless perfect-looking desserts in a rather ancient-looking glass display case. I have to physically remind myself to not drool. My eyes quickly find a small danish, it looks like it's filled with vanilla cream and piled high with glazed berries, dusted with powdered sugar. 

I have never wanted something this bad. 

Not even caring how much it costs I grab the attention of the baker tending the stall and pay for three of these heavenly treats. 

Thankfully the pasty box is wrapped in a piece of twine so I can carry it easily while perusing the rest of the market. I happily wander from stall to stall, looking at ripe produce, baked goods, and all sorts of trinkets, I wish we had a market like this back home. Another stall catches my eye and I drift towards it, crystals and tiny bottles of liquid are scattered across the table, fresh and dried herbs hang from the pole keeping the linen top up, it reminds me of my apothecary. 

There's an incredibly small crystal near the other side of the table I don't recognize, I bend over to get a better look at it, causing my pendant to slip out from under my shirt

"Never thought I'd meet you like this, mi Vida" A deep voice rumbles from the other side in an unfamiliar accent.

well fuck, guess I can't walk two feet without finding another one. Okay chill, maybe he thinks you're someone else. I straighten up and my eyes meet his deep brown ones, immediately my eyes flick to his hair, specifically how he has turned his familiar-looking trinket into a hairpin that is holding his long curly black hair into a half-bun. Shit, he's hot. 

"never thought I'd have so much... competition either" his lip twitches downward slightly when he says this. Here comes the rejection, I wonder how many of them will stay if any. I meet his eyes again, but there's no hint of displeasure on his face. I finally open my mouth

"feel no obligation" I manage to whisper before turning away.