#smoochtember

Then caught her as Evangeline suddenly launched herself in Callisto's arms. Now it was less of a bridal carry and more like the other woman was a sack of potatoes. A very wiggly sack of potatoes.

After a few more moments of struggling, Evangeline went limp, though luckily still not very heavy as Callisto took the steps two at a time. "You're so meeean." she pouted, voice muffled in Callisto's shirt. "Gareth would let me have more."

She couldn't help but snort as she turned into the hallway with their room. "My brother would have persuaded Julia to cast a sleeping spell on you by now." she said.

Evangeline feebly kicked her feet, any words she muttered barely audible now.

Taking a breath in the relative quiet, Callisto felt exhausted. If she was honest with herself, this whole trip had been exhausting, not just the gathering tonight. Would it have been better to leave Evangeline home? Or should they both have just stayed home? Everything was so messed up.

Carefully maneuvering her way into their room, she managed to get Evangeline on the bed, where her wife then sat, swaying in place with her arms crossed and a pout on her face. It was quite funny. If one ignored the splotchy red of her cheeks and glazed look in her eyes.

"Do you want to stay up or do you want to sleep?" Callisto asked. The fact that Evangeline hadn't passed out despite being a lightweight was worrying. But she didn't want to pry with her magic. Not when her wife was vulnerable like this. They'd discuss it in the morning. Hopefully.

Evangeline pouted more, squinting at her. "Want chocolates." she slurred, leaning to her left. And still leaning.

Aaand she was out.

All the air in Callisto's lungs left her in relief. Keeping an eye on her now unconscious wife, she changed before figuring out how to tackle changing Evangeline's clothing.

It took some effort, but she managed to get the sweater off without disturbing the wings that popped out too much. The over-gown and corset were also manageable. The nightgown was a little more challenging. But just as she was debating switching from that to either leaving her in just the chemise or getting her a robe, Evangeline stirred.

She froze, feeling her wife clutching at her shirt. Go back to sleep, go back to sleep-

But no, Evangeline's eyes opened, her expression groggy. "No, don't-" Her fingers tightened. "Don't…" She didn't finish, shaking her head.

"Don't what, hun?" Callisto asked softly. "What's wrong, Evee?"

Evangeline looked up. Something in those brown depths flickered, her gaze strangely intense. "Cali…" she mumbled, reaching towards Callisto's face. Touching her cheek. "You're hurt."

Confused, Callisto laughed a little bit. "Yeah, a while ago. It's a scar now, though."

But that answer didn't seem to satisfy Evangeline, who used Callisto's shirt like a climbing rope to sit up. "Hurt bad." she mumbled, her breath a strange mix of the bitter chocolate and sweet wine flavor. "You're hurt. Bad hurt."

Then her lips were on Callisto's cheek, softly moving to her jaw along the faint scar line.

Blushing heavily, Callisto gently pried her away. Somehow between Evangeline's insistence on kissing every scar she caught sight of and her own flustered clumsiness, she got them under the covers, cuddling a now-again drowsy Evangeline to her chest.

"Get some sleep, treasure," she murmured, threading her fingers through Evangeline's golden locks.

"But hurt." Evangeline mumbled even as her eyes drooped. "Don't… Cali no hurt."

Warmth settled into her chest as she laughed slightly. "I don't hurt." she reassured. "You kissed it better, Evee."

Gods, that little smile still made her heart skip a beat. Her heart that melted as Evangeline snuggled closer, holding Callisto tight in her sleep.

Assorted Reunion + Recovery Scenes Pt1

Their Sacred Vow Taglist:

@whumperofworlds, @melpomenelamusa, @writinggremlin

Feathers ruffling, Evangeline didn't take kindly to being manhandled. Her family was one thing. As were the noblemen Natalia kept pushing her way. But Callisto? They may be on better terms now, but that still didn't give her the right to shove her around!

So she did the first thing that came to her mind to at least get the hand off her mouth.

"What the-?!" Callisto jerked her hand away. "Did you just lick me?" she whispered.

Evangeline glared at her. "Well, what else was I supposed to do? You- hey!" She dug her feet against the floor as Callisto attempted to pull her further back among the shelves. "Would you care to explain just what-"

"Would you just care to shut up?" Callisto hissed, still looking over her shoulder, even though they were barely visible to any who might pass by now.

Scoffing, Evangeline rolled her eyes. "No, I would not. Just because-"

Suddenly, she had no choice but to stop speaking. Because Callisto was kissing her. Honest to gods, kissing her.

Everything went still and much too much all at once. She became very aware of her wings, slowly being pressed into the larger surface sticking around the bottom of the bookshelves. And of her hands. What was she supposed to do with her hands? She ended up gripping onto Callisto's shirt as the other princess lifted her up. Now she was sitting on that larger shelf's edge, rather than it digging into the back of her hips.

Callisto, of course, was far more sure of herself than Evangeline. She took control like a painter with a brush to their canvas. One of her hands stayed firmly on Evangeline's waist, while the other threaded through her hair, fingers and palm cupping the back of her head far too gently for a warrior of her strength. Every gasp and sigh Evangeline made was stolen by her lips.

As she was pulled deeper and deeper into the kiss, Evangeline couldn't help but let her mind wander. After all, she'd dreamed of this moment. As time had passed, the faceless woman of her forbidden fantasies had become more… clear. More like… like Callisto. Gods, she had tried to stop. She'd tried to cast those thoughts from her mind. She'd tried to be good.

But being here? Right now? Oh, nothing had ever felt more right.

Faintly, she heard voices nearby, but with her heart beating in her ears and Callisto's hand moving further up her back… She found she didn't care.

As they left, however, falling silent with distance, Callisto was pulling away. And Evangeline was too light-headed to do more than sit there, still stunned.

Callisto cleared her throat, lips swollen and face flush. "Thanks for the help."

And then she was gone as soon as she'd appeared.

As she left, though… Evangeline felt a tug in her chest.

Dread sank through her, down to her bones.

Her feet took her through the shelves, up the stairs. She knew every noble's library like the back of her hand. So this one should have… there!

She pulled "Avian Mating and Its History" from the shelf. Even though it was a different edition than the one she had back home, she'd still read enough copies to know where the passage she was looking for was.

Some avians experience a magical bond where they mate for life. Because of this bond's nature, may inadvertently or intentionally link their soul with another's. Once tied, they are unable to break this bond in any way, with the exception of death. In order to create this bond, the avian must choose their intended as the one they wish to be tied to. Unlike typical mating bonds, this bond does not require reciprocated feelings of both parties. However, this link is still made during a consensual physical act of intimacy between the individuals, such as intercourse or, in some cases, just a simple kiss. Because of this, these bonds have been made accidentally in the past and then exploited by half of the bonded pair, as with this particular bond, an avian can only reproduce with their mate. The reasons of how or why this is possible have yet to be determined. Some theorists suggest that this may be because of a past curse cast upon the avian race, perhaps by a spurned lover. Symptoms of a chosen bond can include: -a primal or instinctual need not to be far from one's bonded -heats aligning with one's bonded -feelings of-

Snapping the book shut, Evangeline put it down with shaking hands.

This couldn't be happening.

She-

Fuck!

Their Sacred Vow: The Courting Years- Assorted Scenes Pt1

Their Sacred Vow: The Courting Years Taglist:

@melpomenelamusa , @writinggremlin, @lesbianwords, @whump-ohmy