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“I know,” Valda panted.

“Mine too,” Maris whispered.

“Perfect,” Valda answered, the teasing smile spreading across her sweaty face.

Maris covered the queen’s lips in a sated yet passionate kiss that ended with both women pressing their beaming foreheads together. It burned slightly, nothing too painful, but as they touched, a sensation of fullness spread throughout their very souls.

The warmth finally settled, slipping away through their limbs and then fingers. Sighing contentedly, and with a dopey smile, Valda shifted on the bed until she was softly secured in Maris’s loving embrace.

Maris ran her hand through Valda’s sweaty hair, kissed her forehead, and pulled her impossibly closer. “Are you comfortable?” She asked, that same hand now rubbing against the other woman’s jaw.

“Yes. Are you? Am I not too heavy?”

The concern in Valda’s voice earned a chuckle from Maris. “You are fine. I am fine.”

Valda nodded, her arm finding a very comfortable curve on Maris’s waist. She moved her face enough for a kiss which Maris gave without a second to waste.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Valda answered, happy and dazed, and so full of love her chest was about to explode. “Just thinking…”

“About?” Maris asked, her hand now rubbing against the dimples of Valda’s lower back.

“About how I would forsake my duties as queen only to stay in your arms just like this.” Valda’s large hand clamped over Maris’s jaw as she brought her in for another kiss, this time possessive and eager.

“We do not have anything planned, now do we?”Maris asked against her lips.

“Oh, Seashell, after tonight, I am pretty sure Eyphah, and the rest of the settlement would like to have a word with their ruler…”

Maris tensed and Valda tried her hardest to calm her anxiety. “Other than that, our schedule is pretty much clean,” she said, giving Maris an apologetic smile.

Maris pulled away and let out an annoyed sigh.

“Maris—”

“Valda,” Maris began, interrupting her. “I am frightened. All my life, I have been hiding in the shadows. I didn’t know who I was, what I was, and just like that, the problems of an entire kingdom have fallen on my shoulders.”

“You have every right to be terrified.”

“But I shouldn’t be! I shouldn’t! I should—”

“Maris,” Valda began, her hand falling on Maris’s shoulder. “I was petrified when my mother died, I was petrified when I crowned myself, I was petrified when I faced my people…” She swallowed hard, not used to talking about how unfit she felt as a ruler, how she still felt she wasn’t doing her people any good. “I am petrified knowing that I will have to make decisions that will affect them all. It is normal to be afraid.”

Maris groaned. “You are right… Tomorrow, I will face them, and I will come to terms with this new reality and try to make the best of these changes for everyone.” She shrugged. “There is nothing else I can do but take it one day at a time.”

“True, but you have to remember one thing, though.”

“What is it?”

“I will not allow my mate to face this alone,” Valda said, her hands lazily stroking Maris’s waist.

“Mate?”

“You are my heart mate. And I am more than sure you are my soulmate.” Her face dropped as she pursed her lips. “If I was able to see I am sure we would’ve formed the bond ages ago.” Shaking her head, she titled Maris’s face towards her. “I will be here to help you in any way I can. I promise. We will do this together.”A sniff came from Maris, and Valda frowned, wiping her tears away. “Tonight is not about crying, Maris.”

“I know. I just…”

“Tonight, we celebrate that against all odds, we found each other,” Valda whispered, leaning to kiss the corner of Maris’s lips, which was moist with her tears. “We found each other, and I love you.”