Leomi is making a thoughtful face, her eyes running up and down my body. I bristle at the undisguised inspection, I desire to show myself entirely but fear revealing my many scars. Especially those that I received as Jessica. She notices my reaction and doesn't hide the fact that she enjoys it.

“It's a tie. Then we each owe the other a penalty.” She whispers.

“That's fine by me.” I reply with no hesitation.

“Good, come along then.” She flashes a grin but it doesn't last. “We don't have that much time left.”

She takes hold of my hand and leads us towards the south-east part of Meria. Our walk turns into a jog, and then a run. We reach the crossing of the 4th and 5th street, entering the mansion. There are traces of battle but no bodies.

“Where is it?” She asks. “The temple guards couldn't find the entrance before they had to leave.”

“There.” I guide us to the library and to the bookcase hiding the secret passage.

I assemble a strengthening construct and a lion strike, ripping the shelve off the rails I tore apart a couple of days ago. Clink. The metal protests but its fixtures snap off.

“I should have thought of showing you earlier, it's a good way out if you're in trouble.” I comment.

“I just wanted a discreet way back in because of... Princesses at the gate.” Her expression darkens at the mention.

She suddenly lets go of my hand and reaches up to my right breast, caressing it, the move disrupts my breath. Her fingers find my erect nipple and take hold of it. She pinches hard, using her nails.

“Arh.” I wail at the intense pain.

“Your penalty is that you're going to prove you're mine.” She tells me with a sadistic corner smile.

I can't help but feel exhilarated by her demand and grip on me, yet it makes me want to fight back. Leomi forces me to follow her as she engages in the tunnel, twisting my nipple when I reflexively resist.

“Ayh!” I yelp.

She shapes a fire construct in her other hand to give us some light. The alcohol is starting to affect me heavily and my lust isn't making it any better. My intimacy is moist, but we're not fully there yet and my other sense tells me that she's only slightly aroused. If only I could see it with my own eyes...

“Your penalty is to take those panties off.” I tell Leomi. She freezes on the spot, her mouth slightly agape. “Both your hands are busy, so... I'll just have to do it myself.” I blow the words in her ear.

Her lower lip trembles and she bites down on it, holding herself silent and immobile. I take hold of her shoulders from behind to run my fingers down the entire length of her trained body. Leomi dances under my touch, accompanying my every movement with small undulations.

Once I reach her thighs, I pass one hand inside her dress' slit and lightly stroke her lower stomach. She quivers, biting even harder on her lower lip. I slip my thumb inside her panties, finding a tiny spread of pubic hair. Leomi almost loses her hold over my nipple but catches herself in time and wrings it a bit as a warning.

“Th, that's enough.” She stutters.

“Is it?” I ask sultrily.

“Ta, take them off, but that's it.” She replies.

I comply, pulling on the underwear to slide it down her thighs as slowly as possible. Leomi's retains a rigid posture as I do this. Once the panties reach her knees, she gracefully helps me by lifting one leg after another. I close my fist over the piece of cloth, feeling that the under part of it is slightly wet.

“Did you enjoy that?” I murmur the question.

“Let's go.” She replies in a rough voice.

She pulls on my nipple, her own are just as hard now and pointing against the fabric of her dress, and resumes advancing through the tunnel but at a much quicker pace than before.

It takes us a while to get to the exit but the occasional bursts of pain provoked by her nails digging into my flesh help maintain my arousal while hers seems to only grow the further along we get.

“Open it, Elizabeth.” She says, pointing at the wall.

I hit the stone that activates the mechanism. and we enter the apartment. She doesn't even pause before heading towards the west wing at a quick pace, dragging me behind, it's not as painful as it was at first but she didn't loosen her hold.

We come across many of her faction's Nobles who watch us pass by with astonished expressions. Leomi is blushing furiously but she doesn't release me and holds her chin high.

I feel a little humiliated at being led in this way, in front of Nobility no less. My stomach ties itself into a knot, but I take comfort in the fact that most notice that I'm holding her underwear in hand and that her open claim on me is somewhat gratifying.

She guides me towards the apartments in the west wing, finding Edusa and Yvonne talking in the hallway. They both notice us and are visibly relieved but react differently to the situation.

The sword-sworn chuckles and winks at us while the young Lady's green eyes lock in on mine. There is a challenge in her gaze, and maybe a little jealousy, opposition but apparently no aggression.

Leomi keeps going straight ahead, not even looking at them as she passes between them. We reach a door and she swiftly opens it, leveraging her grip to propel me inside.

“Argh, fuck.” I cry in pain as she releases me and my blood flows back into the extremity all at once.

She takes a deep breath but doesn't otherwise react to me. She locks the door behind us before leading the way to her bedroom. The room has a bed large enough for three with satin covers and sheets, two armchairs, and panels enclosing a small space for dressing up in privacy.

Leomi makes her way to a closet and takes a small package out from the top of a pile. She throws it at me. I open it, finding a tight blue tunic and black pants with a silver tree embroidery.

“Strip and put them on.” She orders, moving to one of the armchairs and taking a seat. She then slowly crosses her legs.

“I think being dragged here like that and changing settles my penalty. If you want more... you'll have to pay for it.” I counter, looking directly at her perfectly round bosom. She taps her chin with her index, thinking for a moment before answering.

“M, maybe later.” She utters carefully.

Relief and disappointment mix but I don't push and make my way behind the panels and undress. As I fit the clothes on, she extinguishes the flow candles without exception, plunging the bedroom in darkness.

I hurriedly pull the tight pair of pants up and step out, she nods towards the armchair in front of her. I walk up to it and sit down, appreciating the sight of her taking deep tense breaths. I'm in better control of myself than she is. But then again she must feel exposed without any underwear.

“You look superb in these.” She tells me. The simple compliment is enough to make my heart beat faster.

“Shall we dance?” I ask. She swallows her saliva with difficulty.

“We need to talk first.” She says.

“Okay.” I reply softly.

She nervously takes hold of her dress to cover her leg's sculpted muscles and then adjusts her bra. Obviously trying to regain some composure, wasting time before speaking.

“I don't have much experience... I'm a virgin.” She whispers.

“I don't either.” I admit quietly.

“I do not intend to lose it tonight.” She continues. “I want to take it slow.”

“I...” I hesitate for a second. “I want you.”

Leomi breaks away from my gaze, carefully resting her svelte trembling fingers on her knee. She struggles for a moment but regains control.

“Will you renege on your promise if you don't get what you want?” She asks, refusing to look me in the eye.

“I won't.” I affirm.

“Prove it.” She counters.

“How?” I question.

“You said I could ask anything of you. Give me your reply now.” She says.

“I can agree to that with some reciprocity.” I tell her.

“What, kind?” She asks, her breath catching in her throat.

“Depends on what you want.” I firmly utter.

“That's not fair.” She protests.

“You want an advance, it costs.” I reply, standing.

She finally looks up to me, expression full on uncertainty and a little fearful. The vision of this strong woman showing weakness makes me want to provoke her so I make a mean smirk

Lady Lance rises in defiance, her light gray eyes turn hard. She moves to stand face to face with me. The step splits her thighs. It allows a drop of her desire to escape her folds and trickle down her leg.

I reach down and intercept it with my right index, bringing it up to my lips. She intercepts my hand and licks it herself. I watch, dazed, as her tongue steals my prize. She takes advantage to shove me back several times until I hit the wall.

“You're going to arrange for me to see Jessica with my own eyes.” She tells me, pressing her body against mine.

“I meant an answer, not a favor.” I say, repressing my lust.

“You promised to give me anything I want of you, anything I ask.” She counters, briefly touching lips with me. “This is it.”

“What about your oath?” I ask, hopeful in spite of myself.

“This doesn't break it.” Leomi replies confidently.

“You're stretching your honor.” I call her out.

“I won't meet her, I'll do nothing.” She groans.

A panicked thought crosses my mind. She truly intends to keep her distance. It is soon disrupted as she takes hold of my breasts to massage them. I feel myself melt despite knowing that she's manipulating my all-consuming desire to be with her. My mouth twists in anguish. Her lips rise victoriously.

“I can't...” I start.

“You can. Tomorrow, before you leave.” She interrupts me.

I want to ravage her for this, rip her dress off. What's stopping me? I seize either side of her cleavage and pull at the cloth. It tears down to her waist. I then snap her bra off and liberating her exquisitely small breasts.

“W, wait!” She says, distressed and trying to pull away.

I don't let her, grabbing her waist to throw her against the wall, exchanging our positions. For once in my life, I am glad to be the size I am as my mouth is at exactly the right height. I close my lips around her tit and greedily suck it.

“My answer!” She demands, squirming in my grasp.

“I'll do it.” I tell her without even considering it.

“Good.” She nods. “Now...”

Her hand travels down, making its way inside my pants but staying out of my briefs, barely brushing my sex from the outside but definitely able to tell how wet I am through the cloth. I nibble her nipple, encouraging her to go on. She closes her eyes and moans in satisfaction but doesn't do a thing more to me.

“You dirty girl.” Leomi says shakily. “What do you want in exchange for what I asked of you?”

I release her tit, realizing that she won't go any further without a response, leveraging my lust. She's trying to get me to say that I want her. A trick to avoid paying the price, I can tell she's as far gone as I am.

“I want to know if you'll break up with me.” I tell her, fighting a rising fear.

“Are you sure?” She asks, visibly taken off guard.

“Yes.” I utter.

I want her to eventually reject Elizabeth for Jessica but I have an ominous feeling that immediately makes me regret my decision.

“I... we can't last, Elizabeth, you have to know that.” She hesitantly admits.

My head spins, the image of her releasing my hand just after we took the vow emerges in my mind, terror taking over. Isn't that what I wanted, for Elizabeth Vil to fade so Jessica can take over? No, I can't let go, not even a little, never. Not even the smallest piece of her.

“You are mine, mine, mine, mine, mine.” With every word, I tear her dress more and more until she stands there naked, in her full glory.

Leomi handles the assault with calm acceptance. She then runs her fingers through my hair and pulls me in for a kiss. Our tongues find each other and mingle. Her lips turn up and she suddenly pulls my pants and underwear down in one go.

I want to see that smile twist like mine sometimes does because of her. I seize her waist and lift her off the ground. Wanting to throw her on the bed to take control. Surprised by my action and her loss of balance, she reflexively wraps her legs around my thighs to stabilize herself. Pressing both of our wet slits together.

“Uh-mph.” I moan.

Leomi opens her mouth in a silent gasp and I stumble towards the bed. We fall on the satin covers and split apart. She regains her spirits faster than I do, jumping on top of me and taking my shirt off.

I freeze, expecting her to be appalled by the state of my body, by my numerous battle scars. She instead runs her slender fingers over them, gently. Leomi then brings her lips to my ears.

“You're mistaken, you belong to me.” She affirms.

She then brings her knee between my legs and starts clumsily rubbing my feminity with it. My back arcs, the expectation of bliss at her touch is enough to bring its own pleasure.

Her hands slip under my tunic to start caressing my breasts. She stimulates my nipple when she passes over it and avoiding my sleeve glove's straps. I writhe and reach out to her dewy flower before I lose all initiative.

“N, w, wait.” She stutters.

I ignore her, having found a tiny, hard, bud hidden between her cute inner lips. I gently brush it with the tip of my fingers. She loses all tension and crashes on top of me, quivering.

I flip her over and seize both of her wrists in my left hand, pinning them against the mattress above her head. Secured, I use my right to navigate her so very sensitive labia.

I split the entire length of her slit, the action itself almost brings me to point of coming but I focus on Leomi, on her expression so full of anguished felicity. The promise rescinds as I eat the sight up, my breath is short and my heart brutally beating.

“E, Elizab...” She mutters, her waist moving back and forth with my strokes.

“Look at you, trying to get me without letting me have you in return.” I respond tenderly. “I wonder if you're truly a...”

I slide my thumb over to her entrance, barred by her virginity. Leomi suddenly bites down on the pit of my neck with enough strength that blood would surely spill if she continues.

“Truce!” Lance calls out, releasing me. “Heart to heart, hand to hand,... pearl to pearl.”

“D, deal.” I say, unable to resist.

We link fingers and settle side by side, my breasts resting under hers. I wait for her to join with me but don't have the patience. I take the lead, pressing my sex against hers while initiating a kiss.

She returns it with desperation as our bodies dance together. She closes her hands over mine, seemingly trying to pierce the back of mine with her nails. Our movements, clumsy at first, quickly find their rhythm and we lift each other up towards the climax.

The closer we get, the slower we go. I focus on myself, and so does Leomi, to perceive even the slightest brush. Some are so minuscule that they would be ignored, imperceptible, in any other situation.

But in this very moment, with my lover in my arms, the most innocuous caress is enough to send tremors all the way down my spine. Leomi breaks our handhold to seize my backside and bring us even closer. I do the same and, together, we make our petals intertwine.

We reach the apex at the same time, lips parting so that we can both cry out in ecstasy. My thoughts too taken by the passionate rapture to even hear myself. Her chest pulses against my upper torso as she quivers from the waist up.

The moment stretches like a small piece of eternity, shared with this woman who I love so much that it brought me to the brink of insanity. I nuzzle up against her magnificent athletic frame. The aftershocks hit me and we start trembling violently, drained of our strength.

I realize after a second that we are back to kissing, softly. She runs a hand up to the spot between my shoulder blades and scratches my bare back with her nails, leaving burning trails behind. Hum. The sound of satisfaction escapes me.

We regain our breaths, I inhale when she exhales, and exhale when she inhales. Minutes pass and the covers we lay on become uncomfortable because our sweat and desire mixed with the satin.

We separate, with a little trouble because of our exhaustion. I manage to get up on my knees and crawl over to the edge of the bed to sit down. She follows, sitting behind me by splitting her legs to either side. She wraps her hands around my belly, cuddling.

“It was wonderful.” She says, laying her chin on my shoulder.

“Intense is what you're looking for.” I grin, letting my head fall back so that our cheeks touch.

“Indeed.” She chuckles. “I'll win next time.” She adds.

“Wasn't aware this was a contest.” I note.

“It is now.” She murmurs and nibbles the lobe of my ear.

I laugh in happiness, relief, and joy. Then, unable to help myself, I fully rest my back against her and form the shape of the words 'I love you' on the tip of my lips without making a sound.

I can't admit to it. It's possible I won't see her for weeks but while I failed to keep a lid on my abandonment issues, I still can't let Elizabeth Vil and Leomi Lance fall for each other. I've doomed that relationship already.

She grabs the satin cover and pulls it together in a ball. I obverse her through my other sense. She passes it between us to wipe herself a little, top to bottom. An echo of excitement runs through me when she gets to her intimacy's slit.

“Do me.” I tell her sultrily.

“My pleasure.” She grins.

She passes the cloth over my flesh, exploring every corner in the darkness but respectfully avoiding my left arm. We seem too feeble to go another round, the fatigue must be more emotional than physical as we should both have the endurance.

She throws the ball of satin away and starts arranging my hair, combing them with her slender fingers. She hits the side of my mask, seemingly by accident, and discreetly sets it back into place over my face.

Leomi rubs the corner of her eye with the back of her thumb to crush a tiny drop of water. She then says something that barely registers in the chaos of my thoughts, in the heartache quaking my very being.

“What a dance.”

– Arc 03 End –