Black Magic Women

99

Zelda closed her bedroom door and leaned against its cooling, wooden surface, exhaling audibly. She felt her body, drained of every single ounce of energy, relax and almost melt into the wood, only to feel her legs starting to tremble. A sign for her to lay back down. Her body was not healed enough to even be out of bed, let alone be leaning against her door for support.

She walked over to her bed with heavy steps, collapsing onto it. She was glad she even made it this far without hitting the ground, surprised her legs didn't give away underneath her. She sighed heavily, face down and hair all over the place when she felt Mary stir to all the noise. Zelda smiled to herself as she called out to the sleeping brunette next to her lovingly.

Wake up sleepy head.

Without having to say, or think, anything else she heard a soft groan, as Mary awoke and gave her a shy smile. "Good morning," Mary said and half hid her face in the blankets, inhaling Zelda's sweet scent.

"Morning? We almost have noon, my dear," Zelda said, looking up and laughing.

Mary adored the way the ginger's hair seemed to wrap around her beautiful face so perfectly and she watched her love roll onto her back, moaning in pain. A strand of Zelda's golden locks landed in her face and she enjoyed the soft feel of them against her roughened up and bruised skin.

She took a strand and curled it around her fingers, all the while watching Zelda take deep breaths until the pain that had spread upon her movements had ebbed away. The ginger's hair was soft and smooth to the touch. Nothing in comparison to Mary's rough-textured messy curls.

You're cute, you know that?

"I am not cute!" Zelda protested, hating being called cute.

"Yes, you are. Have you looked at yourself?"

"Well right now my face is bruised so badly that I am unrecognizable, so I wonder how you can find this cute. It's anything but cute. It's hideous," Zelda said and turned her pounding head to look at Mary.

She met her eyes and the deepness of those orbs caught and sucked her in, not planning to let her go any time soon. Mary looked at her with an intensity that made Zelda shiver.

"You could never be anything but utterly beautiful, let alone hideous. Even in your after battle... glow, you're still the most beautiful woman in the world to me and there is nothing that could change that!"

Zelda's eyes got watery and she had to look away for a tear to roll down the side of her face that was now hidden from Mary, but the brunette knew that she was crying. She could feel it in every fiber of her body as if she, herself, was crying.

Mary lifted herself up to guide her hand to Zelda's chin and turn her head softly. She leaned down to kiss away any tears that had been shed and whispered 'beautiful' every time her lips parted from her pulsing skin.

When there were no more tears to kiss away, she leaned in for a soft and long kiss that was carefully pressed against Zelda's lips until both of them needed to breathe, even though both would have gone on forever if it had been possible.

"I talked to your family before I came up to see you," Mary said all of a sudden. She hadn't planned on telling Zelda, but for some reason, she couldn't keep those words from slipping past her lips. She didn't mean to worry or burden the ginger any more than she already had, yet she kept going and Zelda let her.

"I told them about how I didn't feel like I belonged here and how I brought nothing but pain to your family."

Zelda waited for her to continue, softly stroking the back of her hand, knowing it was important that she just let Mary talk.

"I don't even know why I felt like that. They told me it isn't true and that I am a part of this family," Mary said and finally looked at Zelda again.

"And did you believe them?" Zelda asked, continuing her soothing circle of brush strokes with her thumb.

"I don't know. They seemed honest and I know they meant what they said. Still, I can't help but feel like I don't deserve their acceptance. After all, I did hurt you and your family. I lied to you. All of you and even worse is that I hurt you," Mary said and now it was her turn to cry.

Zelda said nothing for the longest of times and just looked at Mary, whose face was now wet from all the tears. She looked at all the cuts and fully developed bruises and she really looked at her.

With every passing second that Zelda spent in silence, Mary grew more insecure, believing that Zelda's silence meant that she had been right, that she didn't deserve Zelda's family and their forgiveness. It seemed like years had passed before Zelda finally spoke.

"Don't you ever think you're not worthy of me or my family. While I can't deny that you've hurt, you must never forget that you are the greatest thing that has happened to me in my entire life and I truly don't know what I'd do without you. At this point there is literally nothing that you could do that would make me turn away from you!" Zelda said and kissed Mary with a passion and yet kindness that Mary had never known.

When they parted, both women were crying.

Zelda was the first to start laughing. "Look at us crying when there are more important things to discuss," Zelda said and her stomach started growling in protest at the lack of food it had received.

"Like your stomach. It seems to demand food," Mary said, the heaviness of the prior moment vanished.

Zelda put both of her hands on top of her stomach and looked up at the ceiling, considering her choices. While her stomach did crave food desperately, she was too exhausted and lazy to move, so she just stayed where she was.

"Oh, don't be so lazy!" Mary said after she had heard Zelda's complaints and finally reached for her hand, pulling her towards herself.

The two of them lay there, cuddling for a while longer, simply enjoying each other's embrace.

Your sister has conjured up something incredibly tasty in case you want to act upon your stomach's protest.

"Are you okay with facing them again?" Zelda asked and Mary stayed silent.

"I'll be right by your side. You don't have to fear a thing," Zelda reassured the brunette and watched her face form a little smile.

"With you by my side, I'll be able to do anything!"