After the seemingly interminable lunch, the King decided it was best not to witness any of the nonsense that would inevitably ensue between the two gals. He left, appointing just one maid to attend to their needs, if requested, during Verina's stay.
The two, now alone once again, chatted for a while, visiting the vast garden of the castle. Verina admitted she lost most of the discussion between the two royals, and Kara happily filled her in.
Thanks to her victories, she had utterly dispelled the dread of her disease. Her satisfaction alone, in an ideal world, would have been able to cure her completely; now that the argument that ignited the curse was won, and she wouldn't incur in no arranged marriage, there was no reason for her to be cursed at all, wasn't it?
Verina smiled, witnessing the princess cheerful, free of any shackles. Every step she made felt like a little jump, while recalling her stern words playfully.
One piece of information, among the others, surprised Verina the most. «What do you mean by 'here'?»
«Well, we already agreed that you would relocate to Grelona. So, why not the castle? It has so many unused rooms, it is a waste, really.»
The witch had no real counterargument. It was the best solution, and surely the most luxurious one. She would need to adapt some of her habits... and to fetch all her personal belongings left back in Tardeburgo... and...
«Princess, I-»
«You can call me Kara now. I would like to call you 'Verina', if you allow me.»
Kara stopped, hovering the hydrangeas with her hand. «Kara...» reprised the sorceress, while the other continued playing with the flowers «since I've come back, I've been the local 'magical factotum' of all south Varegia and north Calamia. I... need to warn them. I would... need to go back to Tardeburgo from time to time, for the urgent matters.»
Kara stopped, hearing that «...of course, you have a life already...»
«That's not it!» quickly intervened Verina, trying to pause that thought process «I am glad I will be living with you from now on... It is sudden, and unorthodox, but I'm happy.» "Maybe, too much..."
«But those people rely on my services. They will need time to find a replacement: most wizards and witches live in big cities, or they do research at the University... it's not easy. I can't abandon them completely.»
Kara nodded, moving her fingers on the petals, with a saddened look. «Comprehensible. I wouldn't interfere with that...»
The witch went to her side, and started imitating the girl, enjoying the hydrangeas. «I could go just once a week. And make sure to give you a 'goodbye kiss'... as treatment...»
Kara smiled, understanding that she shouldn't feel dejected by such a small thing...
«Will we... kiss only once a day?»
Verina blushed, looking at the pink flowers just below her hand «There is... a certain amount of demonic flow I can extract every day without irreversibly altering my own. But the treatment is a specific action, made with intent. I can... kiss without that intent...»
Kara smiled at her, with narrowed eyes «Kiss me.»
The witch and the maid gasped in unison. The latter, unnecessarily fearing repercussions, turned quickly around, faking to tend to the flowers a dozen meters from them, so as to not disturb the princess she was instructed to follow.
Kara kept her position, waiting for a reaction. The woman felt a new rush of emotions, looking at those thin lips inviting her to proceed...
She got a bit closer, looking at the girl with shy desire. It was then that one thought crossed her mind: it was going to be their first kiss together, but maybe, this was Kara's first in general.
