[Nina, I'm here!] (Mizuki)
I sense a rush of excitement through our connection, and I see Nina emerge from one of the huts with a smile on her face. Looking around, it seems like all the freed slaves are in the huts and mostly asleep, and the bonfire intensity has lowered.
[Mizuki! What took so long!?] (Nina)
As she approaches, everyone is letting go of me and stepping away to look around. Nina takes note of Ilina, then her smile disappears, and I sense irritation.
"Oh…what are you doing here, elf?" (Nina)
Ilina looks unexpectedly calm around Nina for once. She puts on a polite smile and responds to Nina evenly.
"Good to see you…Nina. I came back with Mizuki so that I could look after the elves and children, and because I wanted to thank you properly. I've told him that Klaus and I will stay here and look after everyone, so that you and Mizuki can go have the night alone. He can explain everything to you later." (Ilina)
Woah…that was bold. I sense immense shock from Nina, then suspicion.
"Fufufu…Mizuki, is that true?" (Nina)
She looks at me expectantly, and I nod my confirmation. She looks conflicted for a minute, then seems like she remembers something, and I feel a rush of excitement from her. She looks at Ilina indifferently.
"Hmm…we will gratefully accept your help with this, Ilina. Mizuki, let's go!" (Nina)
Jeez, what got into her?
"Hold on a minute, Nina, we still need to set up some protection for everyone here. I also need to talk to Alto." (Mizuki)
Nina rolls her eyes impatiently, but she nods her acknowledgement.
Alto and Ilina have made their way to the huts and are slowly interacting with the elves that are still awake. To say the other elves are excited is a huge understatement. I give them space to enjoy their reunion.
Alto notices me, and she walks over with a smile. When she gets close, I give her an update.
"Hey, Alto. Nina and I will leave soon. However, we'll come back first thing in the morning and arrange for more food, water, and whatever else you guys need. Then, we'll return the wolf-kin to their tribe. I'm guessing we'll probably need you to accompany us to diffuse the situation, so they don't attack the human with their stolen children." (Mizuki)
Alto nods her agreement, and she gives me a look of pity. Cool, now on to that last thing.
I look around the clearing to get a sense of its size, then will my magic to spill out and form a cage-like dome over the entire clearing. When the shape and size feel correct, and I imagine more of my magic pouring into the frame of the cage dome, and then taking on the property of repelling any matter. I stop when it feels like I can't force any more magic into the structure. Time to test it.
"Hey, Klaus! Come help me with something!" (Mizuki)
Klaus looks over from the huts, like 'who me?', then jogs over.
"What's up, Mizuki? Need something?" (Klaus)
He's looking at me, confused. I guess I haven't really asked him for anything lately, I've mostly interacted with Ilina.
"Yeah, try crossing the clearing's edge and heading into the forest. Try and leave by any means necessary, like your life depended on it. Nina made a barrier to protect you guys while we're gone, and I want you to test it." (Mizuki)
Klaus smiles eagerly, and he takes off towards the forest with a nod. After a minute, I see him slow down near the edge and feel out in front of him with his sword. After a minute, he starts swinging it at empty space, and it looks like it keeps bouncing back at him.
Eventually, he jogs back over, breathing heavily, and gives me an approving nod. Perfect. I will a thought communication to Alto and Ilina to let them know we're leaving.
[Alto, Ilina, we're leaving now! I'll see you both in the morning!] (Mizuki)
They both look at me in surprise, especially Ilina who is new to the experience, but they both wave goodbye from afar. I'm all set now.
[Nina, we can go.] (Mizuki)
Nina appears at my side, and she wraps her arms around me with a smile. I chuckle at her enthusiasm, then teleport us back to our inn room.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Nina insisted on another bath together as soon as we got back, which is where we find ourselves currently. She also has questions.
"Mizuki, you were gone with those elves a long time. What happened, and why did that elf use my nickname?" (Nina)
Ahh…shit, I'll need to come clean about that. I might owe Nina an apology.
"Well, long story short I agreed to answer all Ilina's questions honestly. So, now she knows most of the stuff about me that I was hiding. We've agreed to be friends and have some mutual trust in the future. Also, she invited us to the Elven Kingdom to help us decide about aiding them against the demons." (Mizuki)
Nina's eyes go wide in surprise.
"Mizuki, I'm not thrilled about the other stuff either, but you told her everything about you!? Do you trust her that much now!?" (Nina)
Nina is appalled, and I sense the beginnings of…apprehension?
"I didn't fully trust her, but I was tired of our tedious interactions. Her and Klaus seem like they could be good friends to us, and I wanted to earn their trust the only way I knew how. However, yes, now I trust her with that information about me. I don't think she'll abuse it." (Mizuki)
I sense more apprehension from Nina, mixed with surprise.
"Mizuki, I'm the only one you've shared that much with until now. Did anything else…happen…between you two tonight?" (Nina)
"Uhm…about that. Turns out you might have been right about her having romantic feelings for me. She admitted as much herself. So, I'm sorry for acting like you were just paranoid." (Mizuki)
I sense immense fear, then anger, from Nina.
"Mizuki, what!? Did…"
I interrupt her to clarify.
"Nina, please relax. Like I've told you before, that's not going to affect you and me. When she mentioned her feelings, I told her how important you were to me. I made it clear that her and I were friends, you and I were romantically involved, and I'd never betray you. She accepted it." (Mizuki)
I sense shock from Nina, and her mouth is slightly open. There is a moment of internal conflict evident on her face and in her emotions, but then I sense relief and happiness. Looking at her…was she really that worried that Ilina would get between us?
She smiles at me gratefully, and I press on with my reassurances.
"Haven't I always told you that was the case? Another person can't change our relationship by force…you'll come first for me. I'm sorry if anything I did made you doubt that." (Mizuki)
Nina shakes her head, and I can see her eyes getting a little misty. Are you kidding me!? I've never seen that much vulnerability from Nina!
"No, Mizuki, I get it. I'm sorry. I thought you trusting her with your secrets meant that her and I were the same, and that you didn't consider our relationship special, but now I understand that's not true." (Nina)
She's looking at me with a weird expression, and before I can interrogate it, she continues.
"There is actually something that I want. I was going to use the favor you promised me tonight to ask for it." (Nina)
Favor? Ahh, right…from chilling out during our jailbreak and just keeping guard.
She's looking at me with an expression of suppressed hopefulness. I nod at her with raised eyebrows, like 'go on, I'm listening'. She looks conflicted for a minute, like she's not sure if or how to express what she wants. Then, she seems to make up her mind.
Nina climbs from the bath and wraps a towel around herself, then begins walking across the room. Confused, I exit the bath as well and dry off, then make my way over to her.
I move to get changed, but she grabs my wrist abruptly and pulls me over to her, then presses our lips together.
After a few seconds, she pushes against me, and I stumble backward onto the bed. Before I can recover, Nina quickly follows me onto the bed, so that she's leaning over me.
Looking up at her, her face is flushed.
"Mizuki, this is what I want…" (Nina)
She looks at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.
After a few moments, I nod my agreement.