Jyn relaxes beneath me, her nerves soothed. She brushes her fingers across my cheek with a placated sigh. She knows, just as I know: I will never leave her again.
“May I, my heart?”
Jyn murmurs against my lips, “Yes.”
We move as one, our bodies intertwined in sweet bliss. Her pleasure sings over our bond with every soft caress and roll of our hips. Each desperate kiss is amplified tenfold by our connection. We fit perfectly, made for each other in every way. Two halves of one fated whole.
The heat that has been pooling in the pit of my stomach grows—a tight coil, hotter and brighter with every touch. Jyn’s contented sighs soak into the tent’s canvas, the sound of her moans for my ears alone. She drags her fingers down my back, her hips bucking eagerly against mine.
“You don’t need to be so gentle,” she says with a light laugh as I wipe the tears at the edges of her eyes. The sound is so innocent and giddy that my heart almost stops. Gods, what I wouldn’t give to make her laugh like this every day.
“I don’t want to hurt you, my lady.”
“You could never hurt me this way,” she murmurs against the corner of my mouth. “Not in this life, the ones before, or the ones to come.”
I pause. “Jyn…”
My eyes fall to our thread of fate. Its middle is a stunning crimson, but it remains gray and frayed near the ends where it wraps around our fingers. Our bond has repaired itself almost completely, and yet it remains incomplete.
It was a mistake.
What did she mean by that? What other secrets has she kept to herself, and more importantly, why?
“I’ve waited so long for you to come back, to return to your true self,” she whispers against my ear, her fingers tightly grasping the roots of my hair. My attention snaps back to the present and I forget my concerns in an instant. “Take me, Your Majesty.”
Our lips crash together in a frenzy, our movements transforming from sweet and gentle to rough and wild. I’ve never felt this sudden hunger before, this animal instinct to devour and claim. Perhaps it’s the result of many missed lifetimes. I decide not to question it, instead seeking out her pleasure with every wanton thrust.
She’s divinity incarnate, her beauty unmatched. Together we are union and sweat and ecstasy. When we finally find the edges of our sanity again, we fall together, still locked in a tight embrace. We kiss lazily through the warm haze, breathing as one, staring deeply into each other’s eyes.
Quiet finds us, though it’s not an uncomfortable silence. There’s peace to be found when all there is to listen to is our own beating hearts, the distant whistle of the breeze, and the quiet calls of songbirds outside. Even the activity around the village is nothing but a dull, soothing murmur.
I wrap her up in the softest collection of blankets, brushing my fingers through her hair. I admire the warm color of her cheeks and the way her eyes flutter closed. I dare not disturb her when shefalls asleep in my arms, more than happy to take in the subtle rise and fall of her chest.
I don’t find rest as easily as she does, so after I’m sure Jyn is fast asleep, I carefully slip away and get dressed. Perhaps I can venture to the village center and barter for something to eat. I’m sure she’ll be famished by the time she wakes.
I take my time, enjoying the opportunity to stretch my legs. It seems that we’ve spent the better part of midday in our tent. People are out and about this afternoon, gathering firewood from the bamboo forest and fresh water from the nearby stream. Everyone has a part to play here, the women and men taking up work in equal measure. As I pass through, I notice that it’s not at all uncommon to find village men tending to their children as women sharpen their tools.
“Sai, my friend, might I have a word?”
I look up to find the village elder quickly approaching. “Of course. Good day to you, sir.”
“I wish it were,” he says, worry weighing down his wrinkled features.
“Is something the matter?”
“Have you seen Mei? She’s roughly this tall,” he asks, gesturing to just above his knee. “She’s one of our youngest. I believe your lady was playing with her and a group of other girls earlier today. She’s gone missing, you see, and it will soon be nightfall.”
I frown. That’s concerning indeed. “I haven’t seen her, but I can ask Jyn.”
“Ask me what?”
I turn to find Jyn walking toward me, rubbing her weary eyes with the backs of her hands. She’s fully dressed, though her hair is an endearing mess.
“What are you doing up, my sunshine?”
“You weren’t there when I woke up,” she mumbles, quiet enough for only me to hear. She combs her fingers through her locks and smooths out her robes. “I was worried.”
“I left to find you something to eat.”
