Chapter 103 – Friends

    "Stop moaning and start dressing up!" Echoed Sasha''s slightly annoyed voice in their bedroom, followed by Luna''s loud moans.

    "I''m tiiiiiiiireeeeeeed!"

    "It''s almost noon! Get up, and let''s go!"

    The next disgruntled groan was followed by a thump as Sasha grabbed the bedsheet and unrolled her lazy friend from it, throwing her to the ground.

    "If you don''t get up, I am going to drag you to the bathroom." Sasha warned her, but Luna just remained lying there, snoring, right until the point when her Queen grabbed her ankle and began dragging her naked body through the room. "You are unbelievable!"

    "I''m weary..." She mumbled, fighting hard to open her eyes, and not even the bump of entering the bathroom bothered her. "Sleepy... HYAAAAA?!"

    Her scream echoed through the whole palace while Sasha stood there, an empty bucket in hand, watching the now-soaked little maid who was wide awake, sitting and shivering, her pink nipples standing at attention.

    "They say a cold shower is healthy." Sasha explained with a stoic expression, a tinge of jealousy flickering within her amber-colored eyes.

    Since Elliot left, she had been back with Louise, no longer able to snuggle with Leon at night. Yet here was Luna, clearly basking in yesterday''s pleasure, making her unbelievably lazy. No wonder she made sure their maid had ample reasons to be up and active, planning multiple activities together so that when night came, she would be too tired to climb onto their husband. She wanted to include Yuri too in her activities, but for some reason, she always refused, saying she had already scheduled multiple meetings, which was rare, but she didn''t seem to be lying.

    "First things first, wash yourself; I can still see our husband''s marks on you dripping out."

    "Start with that... and not with the cold water... Hauh!" Luna grumbled under her breath before finally opening the shower and starting to wash up. Sasha felt lost for a moment as she watched her, biting her lower lips, eying her round buttocks, and the water trickling over her cheeks.

    "No wonder he likes slapping and groping them... tsk..."

    "Hm? You said something?" Luna asked, looking back over her shoulder, blinking her eyes questioningly while scrubbing her head.

    "I am going to get the clothes ready! Don''t tally for long!"

    "Ooookaaaaay!"

    Finally, after another hour, followed by two guards from Yuri''s division, they were out of the palace and into the city. By now, the homes surrounding them belonged to the current ministers, their families, and all the multiple well-known people within the city. Although Sasha knew that was the plan from the start, it also developed naturally that the people living closer to the palace were more influential than those who lived further from it. Although the city''s population was still rising and many outer buildings were yet to be occupied, the trend was already showing itself.

    She brought this up with Leon one day, and even though he knew about it, there was nothing for them to do. In his words, people are not born equal. Stopping it from happening is like trying to fight the ocean with your bare fists. You can''t. You can interfere with it and build structures that protect your shores from its waves, but you can''t stop it. That is why everyone in Avalon has to go to school, so one day, by distinguishing themselves, they can also move closer to the inner city.

    "The difference between Avalon''s nobles and the Empire''s are going to be based on achievement and not on an inherited rank." He told her, smiling, "Even though Merlin is the prime example of what I want from my Prime Minister... When he finally has a kid who turns out to be someone who is not up to the task, he won''t inherit his father''s role. The same is true with all the current roles of power under me. Your merits will grant you the position, not by being born into it."

    "What if people begin saying the same about us?" Sasha asked the moment she heard her husband''s words, which made him chuckle.

    "The world is also unfair, my dear Sasha! Every rule has exceptions; we are that anomaly right now. Of course, we can''t be complacent; in my old world, heads rolled when things got dicey. So, what we can do is raise our child to the best of our abilities and make him or her connect with the people of Avalon. After being born, our kid has to feel responsibility for the people. Only then will our bloodline be around for a long time, and will Avalon prosper. So that is why our child will attend the same school, just like all the other kids."

    "Where are we going?" Luna asked, interrupting her thoughts, jolting Sasha out of her memories and back into the present.

    "First, we are going to visit the school. Merlin asked me to come along because he was holding a lesson about the royal family, and he wanted the youngsters to hear from me about how we met—which also includes you!"

    "Eh?! I will have to talk before the class?!"

    "Thanks."

    "What is it? Bad memories?"

    "Yeah..." Yuri answered, slowly putting the instrument down and taking the tea from her. "That silly melody I was trying to play... I think I remember hearing it somewhere. I don''t know where or when, but it makes me feel... stuffy."

    "Maybe it is an old feeling that you repressed?" She asked, gently stroking her back as the two sat inside Mikan''s chambers at the back of the temple. It was late at night, their usual daily session of talking about Yuri''s past and working on it by learning music, something that came up randomly. One night, Yuri noticed the instruments in her room, picked up the lute, and began strumming without thinking. Since then, it has been how they would talk.

    "Who knows. I used a lot of things growing up, so it could be something I heard while I was knocked out."

    Mikan knew full well that when Yuri began speaking, it was best to just listen so she did not interrupt. Letting Yuri retell memories that started popping up from nowhere seemed to be the best method of helping her, as every time she spilled them out, she always looked relieved. This was the same now, too, and after more than an hour of talking, it was time to end their midnight chat.

    "Thanks again, Mikki."

    "I told you, it''s what I do!" She said while smiling at her and hugging Yuri, even letting her grab her boobs while doing so, already used to her antics. When she was acting like this, at least Mikan could tell that Yuri was starting to recover. As for how long that would last, she couldn''t tell, but she was ready for it, even if it took years to happen.

    Heading back home, Yuri felt that her chest was slightly lighter. She didn''t understand it but chalked it up to Mikan''s unique aura. She wasn''t sure she could if she had to talk this openly about her past to Leon. Previously, she did so because she thought it was not a big deal, and who cares what happens next. But... after Leon showed her that he cared, she no longer could bring herself to tell him everything, especially not about her life and the things she did with men and women alike. She felt she couldn''t face him if he knew everything. It was amongst these thoughts when she arrived back at the palace, and while strolling through the garden, she bumped into Sasha, who stood there as if waiting for her.

    "Yuri..."

    "Hm?" She stopped after being spoken to, tilting her head and watching Sasha silently. By then, she knew it was not a coincidence that they had met. She was waiting for her. "Louise won''t be happy if you catch you sneaking away."

    "I know. But I want to ask, what''s wrong. You have been out every night... Are you..."

    "Do you think I am fooling around?" Yuri asked, shrugging and interrupting Sasha, but before she could continue and get angry, Sasha said something that Yuri was not expecting.

    "What? No! Why would I? I trust you. I... I just wanted to ask if I can help... Or if it is me. I am not dumb, but I noticed how you look at me sometimes. I... I know I was harsh in the past; I get that. But I want to make it right. I didn''t trust you then... Sorry..."

    "..."

    "I want you to feel at home here. So, if something is bothering you, we can talk, okay? I... want to make it work."

    "Stupid..." Yuri whispered, surprising Sasha, especially when she crossed the distance between them with one quick step and hugged her tightly. "You are alright. I... I have some troubles, yes, but I''m working on it."

    "Um... but... if..." Sasha mumbled, getting embarrassed but happy at the same time. She hugged her back firmly, trying to think about what to say.

    "It''s fine..." Yuri continued, enjoying her sweet scent. Closing her eyes, she remembered an old friend she had tried to forget many times. Although she couldn''t recall her face anymore, right now, hugging Sasha, she felt she was back in those days again. "Come girl, let''s get back to your cell, or your jailor will scream at you like a banshee!"

    "Ugh... don''t even bring her up!"

    "Ahahaha~ A few more months, stay strong, hm? I see a little bump has already been growing!" She added while letting her go and rubbing her tummy, "Hehehe~ I am curious if it will be a boy or a girl!"

    "Whichever it is... I just hope he or she will be happy."

    "Don''t worry!" Yuri chortled, holding her hand while walking back towards Louise''s chamber, "I will protect the kiddo as if she were mine. You can trust me on that. Nobody will be able to hurt her, not while I draw breath!"