Ruby had not left the forest once and she didn't entertain any customers that wished to purchase anything. Several days passed until an undesired visitor came knocking on her door.
"Ruby..." Geneva cried after seeing her face like she was some Saint who she can beg for mercy.
"He left me... He left me..." Geneva came to her crying and haggard. Her clothes are in tatters and her feet have been soiled by the dirt and grime of her path to the witch's house. She had walked from the village and lost her shoes along her way to the cottage.
Ruby thought that Geneva had come to scream at her and beat her up for betraying her, completely taking her off guard when the auburn-haired engulfed her in a very tight hug as if her life depended on it. The witch was confused and was unable to comprehend what to do and how to reply so she merely wrapped her arms around the mage and whispered words of comfort to her ears telling her that everything will be alright, although even she doesn't believe her own words, her gentle siren alluring voice seemed to be enough to somehow comfort her friend.
Ruby welcomed her in her home, bathed her, clothed her, and served her tea, guilt and pity taking over her heart but she maintained an ignorant disposition while speaking with the mage.
Geneva told her that Gallen had eloped with Leanna leaving her alone with no clue on how to find them. She cannot find consolation from her brother since he is also grief-stricken with Ophelia being in a coma after being ambushed by an unknown person so she went to her other best option which is her friend.
The mage begged her for a spell to learn their location but Ruby didn't have any knowledge of such art, so in her despondent state, Geneva merely asked for refuge in her home which Ruby didn't deny. She took care of her friend with great care and gentleness and luckily Aleister had already left before the mage had come to fetch the scabbard from the palace as payment for her favors so the two women had the house for themselves.
Leanna leaned against the terrace of the small yet homey house Ruby provided for them. A mug of warm cocoa steamed beside her as she watched the beautiful sunset unfold. Red, orange, yellow, and pink painted the sky, warm colors that reflected the way that she feels right now.
When Ruby gave her the spell, the witch also graciously provided them with a place to stay, either temporarily or permanently if they so desire. She gave them the key to a decently sized home North of the Empire in the former territory of the Pendragon family. It was a remote place near the forest with a peaceful village close by. The witch said that it was the former residence of her mother before she met her father and that it's okay for them to use it for however long they want. Ruby also allowed them to use her wyverns from the nest which allowed them to travel quickly out of the suburban and escape unnoticed.
The house wasn't much of a mess like they expected it to be. There are layers of dust and webs, a few broken pieces of furniture, and weak wood but nothing they couldn't handle. Since the house was generally in a good condition they figured that some of the villagers must be keeping it well since it was owned by the master of their land.
Currently, she and Gallen haven't thought of a plan to do yet with their lives but Leanna found herself enjoying the peaceful life of the countryside. Gallen was still adjusting to the big change in his environment and lifestyle as well as the fact that he's been hexed for quite a long time however he is trying his best to manage all of the new events and information registering in his mind. They have sufficient funds to keep a steady life for quite some time but the need to work is inevitable as well as socializing with the village folks.
The villagers weren't hostile in any way nor unfriendly. When Gallen and Leanna first arrived, a few of them gave the couple some gifts for their stay. They didn't ask much about their past and respected their reason for keeping their purpose of staying a secret which relived the two.
Although they knew that they might never see their friends and families ever again with the way they left things as it is, they figured that everything will be fine as long as they have each other. But she can't help but miss Harley, her room in the Sellswords' Keep, and the bustling kiosks in the suburbs and city. It was such a shame. They are going to miss the Skylight Festival, a tradition held for the Prince of Light who was kidnapped by demons hundreds of years ago. Even though he was found a decade later after his abduction, the people and the kingdom continued celebrating the Skylight Festival. It was such a shame but at least they've gotten away from their problems.
"What are you thinking about so hard right now?" Gallen whispered seductively in her ears as he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his head over her shoulders.
"Nothing much but I'm just quite disappointed about the festival. I really wish we could have been there. Sailing is the lake on a gondola and flirting under the flying lanterns. It would be completely romantic." Leanna answered, pecking his cheek.
"We can make our own lantern festival here. I heard the people here also release lanterns though it won't be as many as there will be in the city and suburbs but at least we get to have them. And the best part? We're going to be together holding each other tightly in our arms and watching the stars bedazzle us since there's barely any stars in the light-polluted city. Here we're getting a first class seat into a great view of the cosmos just the two of us. No Geneva, no love potions, no swords, and witches. Just us and true love." He narrated tightening his hold on her waist and pulling her body closer to his.
Tears gathered at the corner of her eye due to his sincere and loving words. No words can possibly describe the magnitude of happiness engulfing her heart as she contentedly melted into her lover's affection. This life, this place is beyond her imagination. Never had she ever imagined that she'll be a runaway criminal that made a deal with the witch but with Gallen by her side even though her life took a 360 turn, she knows that everything will be alright.
She turned to face her lover and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him passionately. Twilight soon settled in but they kept showering each other with affection.
It was the middle of the night when a knock suddenly resounded from Ruby's door as she was just getting ready for bed. It was undoubtedly Geneva so she had let her friend open her chamber door. The mage was looking a little bit better than the previous days and Ruby rejoiced at that fact. She met her on the threshold and asked the reason for her visit.
"Hey, Gen. Do you need anything?"
"Ruby, I want to forget the pain but I can't. I want to stop thinking about him but his image has been engraved not just in my heart and mind but also in my body. Please, Ruby, take this pain away and make me forget about all of this just for tonight." Geneva suddenly leaned down, took her face in her hands, and kissed her passionately on the lips as if she was her lover.
Geneva pushed her further inside, closing the door behind her. Ruby tasted the pain, the longing, and the desperation on her friend's kiss feeling her own heart constrict as she knew that it was her that caused all of this grief upon her friend. Every touch Geneva made on her body was painful and torturous for Ruby, though her hands are gentle and loving.
Geneva pushed Ruby in her own bed and went on top of her, kissing and biting her neck eliciting moans and gasp from the witch. Geneva lifted up Ruby's nightgown and slipped it from her body leaving her bare except for her panties before stripping herself. The mage proceeded to kiss the silver-haired who fondled her boobs and pinched her magenta buds. Geneva removed their panties and started fingering the witch who opened her legs willingly. The auburn-haired had inserted her middle and index fingers inside the fighter and slowly moved it inside. She started pushing harder against her g-spot stimulating her for arousal which triggered her to lubricate. Geneva started nibbling her pink nipples while Ruby rubbed her own clitoris and threw her head back in pleasure. The mage had increased the speed of her fingers' penetration inside the witch who painstakingly accepted the molestation on her body as she endured the guilt that bubbled up with her arousal.
Geneva soon pulled her fingers out and mounted over Ruby to connect their nether regions and started grinding their wet pussies together. Ruby blushed in both shame and pleasure as the mage made love to her, moaning in euphoria while not knowing that the woman she is making love with is the same person that caused her the pain she wanted to forget. The auburn-haired lowered her face closer to the witch and kissed her full on the lips, ignorant that she is relishing the sweet taste of her poisonous betrayal while she continuously grinds her sex desperately to seek the ecstasy that would overpower her grief. She had left bright red marks upon the witch's snow-white bosom as if branding her a scarlet letter for her crimes. Ruby only submitted to her friend's desires and was too meek to initiate the pleasure herself due to contriteness.
"What's the matter? Don't you want this? Don't you want me? Not you too, please. Am I making you feel uncomfortable? Am I being too demanding? Please tell me!" Geneva begged in desperation as she started tearing up. She removed herself from the maiden's body and started crying on her bed.
"Is that why he left me? Because I was too needy and demanding. Look what I did to you. I forced you to fuck for my own consolation without even asking you if you wanted this. If you wanted me. I'm so sorry Ruby. I'm sorry. You've been nothing but good to me and I, I..."
Ruby hushed the crying mage and wrapped her arm around her to comfort her. Hearing Geneva apologize to her when she was the one who should be begging for her forgiveness broke her heart more than any man ever did. Her heart burned with the torturous fire of hell, punishing her soul for the choices she had made.
The witch cupped the mage's cheeks and kissed her passionately on the lips shushing her weeping. Geneva calmed down after that and replied to the kiss, hugging her friend's body closer to her own. Ruby pulled away when she felt that her message had come across to the auburn-haired.
"I want to make love with you." she said gently, gazing at the beautiful yet melancholic emerald eyes of the mage. Ruby tucked a strand of her fiery hair and whispered in her ear.
"I'm going to make you feel good more than he ever did to you that you're gonna forget why you cry at all."
"Ruby..." Geneva trailed but was interrupted by the soft pink lips of the fighter. Ruby gently pushed her to lie on the bed and this time she was the one on top. She pushed down her guilt and depression to focus on amending her crimes albeit only a little by satisfying her friend's needs and her own so they made love to their hearts' content. She was able to satiate the mage's need to numb down the pain with euphoria, knowing that nothing will be the same after the night has passed.