Chapter 83 - First Kiss

Chapter 83: Chapter 83 - First Kiss

The cool evening wind swept across the skies as Vincent touched down softly inside of the small courtyard of the mansion.

He lowered Maelle gently to her feet. Eugene leaped down from his shoulder and hovering slightly with his tiny wings as he looked around the strangely desolate yard.

"Huh. That’s weird. All those guys Bluey took out – the thugs and guards – they’re all gone."

BANG!

The double doors of the mansion burst open.

Roxa, Gwen, Ava, Daphne, Toby, and his younger siblings – Leo and Zally – came spilling out with expressions of relief.

Ava, currently back in her human form with her oversized glasses sliding down her nose, sprinted straight toward Maelle. She grabbed her hands in her hand and worryingly asked her. "Princess! Are you okay?! You’re not hurt, are you?!"

"I’m fine, Ava." Maelle smiled back.

Relieved, Ava immediately whipped around and threw her arms around Vincent’s waist, burying her face into his chest. He could feel her body tremble as she held on tightly.

"Ava..." He looked down at the top of her head when a soft smile broke across his face, and he gently patted her hair.

Eugene flew up to eye level, crossing his tiny arms and squinting at Ava. "Who’s this twerp?"

"Wha–?!" Her head snapped up and her glasses glinted as she shot a ferocious glare at the green dragon. "I am not a twerp! I am sixty-nine years old, you runt!"

Vincent froze mid-pat. ’S-Sixty-nine?! Nice... wait, WHAT?!’

"RUNT?! Who are you calling a runt, you hag?! I am a majestic dragon!"

"No, you’re just a flying lizard with an attitude problem!" Ava snapped back, puffing out her cheeks the same as him.

While the two continued bickering, Roxa stepped up to Vincent. She noticed the faint scorch marks along the hem of his jacket, but her usual stern expression relaxed into an approving nod. "I’m... glad you’re ok, Vincent."

"Haha. Takes more than a few fireballs to put me down," Vincent smirked.

Nearby, Gwen approached Maelle with a bow. "Welcome back, Your Highness. Everything went well, I expect?"

"Hm. Indeed." Maelle murmured as she looked out around the empty space. "Gwen, what happened to the men who were lying out here?"

"About an hour after you left for the Elsa manor, a small detachment of Imperial Knights arrived. They claimed to be acting under Prince Quinton’s orders to clear the casualties in the area."

"They loaded them all into transport carts," Toby added. "The knight captain among them promised they’d send a crew tomorrow morning to repair any damages that happened to the mansion."

Maelle clicked her tongue softly. "That prince is doing unnecessary things..."

She shook her head and turned back toward the entrance. "Inside, everyone. We need to debrief."

Once inside and everyone was gathered around the long dining table in the central hall, Maelle firstly addressed Daphne.

"Student President. I know you had a hand in Rizer and the others finding this location."

Daphne leaned back against her seat with an unbothered smile playing on her lips. "I guess there’s no point in hiding it. Although, you’re a bit off, it was actually Lady Maribelle’s idea."

"Lady Maribelle?"

"Yes. She requested that Principal Brenda ’accidentally’ leak your location to all three factions. She wanted to force your hand – to back you into a corner so you would finally summon your Familiar."

Maelle let out a long, weary sigh, resting her temple against her hand. "No wonder she refused to help me when I asked her earlier... What a playful Goddess."

"Well... it worked, didn’t it?" Ava smirked.

Daphne leaned forward and asked curiously. "So, how did things go on your end? The Solarian Knights didn’t come here with hostile intent when they picked up the bodies, which suggests something must’ve changed between you and the Crown Prince."

"Something like that..." Maelle began to lay out the events clearly. She detailed how they had breached Duke Elsa’s manor, defeated Prince Quinton in combat, and got out a confession from him.

"It was not merely Rizer who was hoarding Honey Lake Extract. Apparently, Duke Elsa was in possession of it as well. With the implication being; the two of them were working together."

The moment the words Honey Lake Extract were uttered, Leo and Zally flinched with their hands clutching their chests.

Toby’s face flushed with immediate rage. "That monster... hoarding medicine meant for suffering kids?! Isn’t he meant to be one of the trusted dukes of this city?!"

"Calm down, Toby," Maelle said calmingly. "On top of that suspicion of collusion, I also suspect that Duke Elsa was directly connected to the slave bandits who abducted me."

"Disgusting," Roxa’s face twisting in pure revolt. "Typical human noble filth. I wouldn’t be surprised if the other Dukes and Duchesses in the Imperial City are in on this corruption as well."

"Let us not jump to such extremes just yet, Roxa," Gwen cautioned gently.

Maelle looked back at Daphne. "Principal Brenda arrived at the manor shortly before we finished. With Prince Quinton’s support as Solara’s representative, Duke Elsa was formally arrested. His house is currently under full imperial investigation, and he will face a tribunal trial alongside Lucianne... We won. For now."

"AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!" Eugene yelled at the top of his lungs as he stood in the middle of the table. "IT’S TIME FOR A PARTY!"

Leo and Zally bounced in their chairs and cheered along. ""PARTY! PARTY!""

As Maelle looked at the excited children, the corners of her lips curved into a genuine smile. "I suppose a well-deserved break is indeed due. We have been stressed for an entire week, after all."

"I’ll go prepare the food and drinks!" Gwen stood up.

"I’ll help!" Toby volunteered, jumping up from his chair.

Within an hour, the living hall was transformed into a lively, warm celebration.

In the center of the room, Eugene was standing on an overturned wooden bucket, surrounded by Toby, Leo, and Zally as he wildly retold his version of the battle.

"...and then I looked that giant flaming chicken straight in the eyes! I said, ’You think you’re cool cause you’re on fire?! I’m the origin of your flame!’ The Alpha and Omega! I am Ignis the Destroyer! And BAM! I blasted the bird and his master into submission!"

""WHOA! You’re so cool, Lord Ignis!""

"Gahaha! That’s right! Put some respect on my name! Feast your eyes, kids!" Eugene puffed out his chest proudly, soaking up the praise as Toby handed him a berry.

Over by the fireplace, Roxa relaxed in a plush armchair with a glass of red wine, trading dry banter with Daphne and Gwen as they laughed over the day’s chaos.

At the main table, Vincent was back in his mortal form. He was eating heartily, scarfing down all kinds of food. Ava sat right beside him, gleefully holding up small pastries and feeding him directly, giggling every time he took a bite.

A short distance away, sitting at a quiet side desk under the soft candlelight, Maelle sat peacefully, writing in a small diary with a feather quill.

......

As the laughter and clinking glasses began to wind down into a cozy ambience, Vincent quietly slipped away. He pushed open the doors leading out to the second-floor balcony and leaned his elbows on the wooden railing to breathe in the crisp, cool night air. High above, this planet’s twin moons bathed the garden below in a shimmering coat of silver light.

A soft rustle of fabric resounded behind him. Maelle stepped out onto the balcony, carrying two porcelain cups of tea.

She paused for a quiet second, watching the cool breeze play through his brown hair, before stepping up beside him and offering a cup.

"For me? Thanks, Princess."

While looking at the scenery of the night, he turned his head slightly to study her profile in the moonlight.

The silver highlights of her hair glinted beautifully, and for the first time since he had met her, the perpetual, guarded tension in her shoulders was gone.

"You know, Maelle. I’m really happy. Happy to be back with everyone. But mostly... happy to be back with you."

A faint, rosy blush bloomed across Maelle’s cheeks. She averted her eyes toward the shadowy garden below as her fingers tightened slightly around the warm cup.

"I... Thank you, Vincent," she dropped her voice into a register so tender it made his heart skip a beat. "Thank you for standing by my side... even when I was unfair and stubborn."

She took a steadying breath before fully turning to face him. "I never said it, but I owe you an apology as well. I dismissed you for far too long. I let my pride, my fears, and my upbringing dictate how I treated you. But from this moment on... I promise to listen to you. Really listen."

Vincent’s chest swelled. He also turned to face her fully, his eyes locking onto hers.

"And I promise that no matter what happens, I’m always going to be right here to tear down anyone who tries to hurt you or stand in your way."

His smile turned just a little bit playful, though his eyes remained deeply earnest. "Remember what I said before? I said I was going to melt that icy heart of yours."

He took a step closer to her and she didn’t pull back. She instead slowly set her teacup down on the wooden ledge and, in a rare, vulnerable display of affection, she took her own small step forward to close the distance between them.

She rested her forehead softly against his shoulder. Vincent felt his heart race even faster as she leaned into him.

When she finally lifted her head to look into his eyes, her slender fingers reached out and gently intertwined with his.

"You already did, Vincent."

A sudden, magnetic pull flared between them. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Vincent tilted his head downward as Maelle rose slightly on her tiptoes, her eyelids fluttering closed.

They kissed.

It was a gentle, sweet, and quiet brush of their lips.

When they parted by mere inches, Maelle looked away and blushed from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears. She pressed two fingers against her lips and said softly.

"That... that was my first kiss."

Hearing those words, something possessive tugged hard at Vincent’s chest.

Without giving her a chance to hide her face, Vincent slid his free arm around her waist, catching her flush against his chest. He leaned back down and caught her mouth in a second kiss.

This time, it was deep and intoxicating.

Maelle’s hands instinctively gripped the lapels of his jacket, clinging to him as she sank into the kiss and her body melting into his embrace.

Whereas Vincent’s fingers tangled into the silky strands at the nape of her neck, tilting her head up as he deepened the kiss, pouring every ounce of his devotion, protection, and unspoken feelings into her.

The world around them seemed to fall away – the mansion, the battles, the political games, and the unknown future – leaving only the scenic starlight, the rustle of the wind, and the undeniable fire burning between the Princess and her Familiar.