When Love Lasts: A Sapphic Short Story Collection

✍️ The World is Beautiful (Read-A-Thon Fanfiction Entry)

February 05, 2023

Fanfiction of Loiosh's book, A Rock And A Heart Place

Written for the Read-A-Thon Fanfiction event hosted by itsmeimthevampire

Word Count: 1,193

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Nahmia has never been good at reading.

Growing up, she neglected her education in favor of her knight training. She doesn't need to read, she can fight instead.

And yet here she is, stuck in the library, doing nothing but reading for the past year.

She lets out a frustrated sigh and glances at Aethyl. The other woman is totally engrossed in her book, brushing her blonde hair behind her ears every so often.

Nahmia has never been good at reading, and it is even harder with Aethyl next to her.

Shaking her head, she turns back to the book in front of her and rereads the sentence she has been trying to understand for the last hour. No matter how much she tries to focus, the words would fly out of the page and spin around her head.

Reading is difficult, but she has to try. She has to read and learn more about magic, about curses, about spells. She has to find out how to break the curse and get Inez back...

Grief strikes her heart like a knife. Princess Inez—the woman she proudly served as a knight, the woman she always loved from afar—turned into stone a year ago. Nobody really knows what happened or who did it, but Nahmia is sure about one thing: she will do anything to reverse the curse. And so will Aethyl.

Aethyl was Princess Inez's maid and loves her dearly too. The two of them have agreed to work together to break the curse, but Aethyl is definitely pulling more weight in this early stage of reading and researching.

Nahmia finds her eyes trailing back to the palace maid—the gentle way in which Aethyl flips the page, the intense concentration in her eyes, her long silky hair, her slim figure...

The grief in Nahmia's heart morphs into guilt. What is she doing? Why is she feeling all these... feelings that should've been reserved for Princess Inez? Aethyl is her love rival, not her love interest.

And even if she did feel attraction, it will never be reciprocated. Aethyl has her heart broken after Inez turned into stone. She will never be able to love Nahmia back.

Another pang of misery stabs Nahmia's heart. This time, it hurts in a different way. Rawer, touchier. Her breath catches in her throat. She needs to get out of here, she needs fresh air...

"Where are you going?" Aethyl asks in that soft, tender voice of hers.

"Off to a hunt. To get something for dinner. Craving anything?"

"I like anything you make."

Nahmia's stomach does a somersault. That sentence paired with that smile is a dangerous combination.

She ducks her head and leaves.

Instead of going to the forest as planned, Nahmia finds herself wandering to the side of the castle. She sits on the ground and leans against the stone wall. The sun is setting behind the trees, and she needs to start hunting before it gets too dark. But she remains on the floor, still and unmoving, as she stares at the glowing sky.

The world can be so beautiful and cruel at the same time. As beautiful as Aethyl and Inez, but as cruel as the curse had been to them. As beautiful as the fireworks in her heart whenever Aethyl smiles at her, but as cruel as the war that goes on inside her at the same time.

Why must people feel? Why must people love?

"Why are you just sitting here?"

Nahmia jolts out of her thoughts. It's Aethyl. Beautiful, ethereal Aethyl.

"Why are you here?" Nahmia returns the same question.

Aethyl settles next to Nahmia, folding her legs to the side to accommodate her dress. "Getting some fresh air. Reading all day is tiring."

Nahmia nods. "Sorry. I wish I can help more."

"Don't be sorry. You don't have as much practice as me. And you have other good skills that I don't have, like hunting."

"That's the only thing a dumb person like me can do."

"Nahmia." Aethyl sits up, her expression solemn. "You're far from dumb. Don't look down on your abilities. No one's ability is better than the others. We each have our own strengths, our own set of skills."

Warmth spreads from Nahmia's heart to her entire body. She pulls her knees close to her. Aethyl always makes her feel this way. Beautiful, sweet Aethyl.

"Aethyl..." Nahmia keeps her gaze on the golden horizon. "I... love Inez."

"I know. And so do I."

"But can a person love... multiple people at once?"

There is a short pause. "Of course. Why not? I love my family, my friends, and everyone in the palace that turned to stone. Even that stray cat that visits us every once in a while." Aethyl chuckles. "We are definitely capable of feeling love for more than one person."

Nahmia gulps. "So... it's not a bad thing that I love you just like how I loved Inez?"

This time, the pause is longer. Dread fills her. Did she mess things up with that question? Aethyl and Inez always had a stronger relationship, one that Nahmia used to be jealous of. Their love for each other is irreplaceable. There is no way Nahmia's feelings are accepted...

"Why would it be?" Aethyl whispers. "Especially since I love you too."

Nahmia blinks. She never expected this answer. Aethyl had expressed admiration over Nahmia's build and had made semi-flirty remarks before, but Nahmia always thought it was superficial. That it was not a real attraction.

Perhaps spending so much time with each other made it real.

She turns to Aethyl, who is gazing at her as if she is the most beautiful person in the world. When it should be the other way.

Aethyl places a hand on Nahmia's knee, and they both lean toward each other.

And they kiss.

Aethyl is eager. More eager than Nahmia was preparing for. She answers Nahmia's every touch with a caress of her own. She gives into Nahmia's every demand while urging for more. They take time feeling each other. Tasting each other. Conjoining. Becoming one.

As Nahmia slides her hand under Aethyl's dress, she is reminded of the beautiful past she lived in before this curse plagued them. She is reminded of all the beautiful times she spent alone with Aethyl, alone in this castle. She is reminded of the beautiful future they can spend together, with or without Inez.

The world can be beautiful and cruel. But with Aethyl, it is only beautiful.

The sun disappears into the horizon, its last drop of gold shining on Aethyl's euphoric expression as she comes. Even in the dark, Nahmia finds it difficult to peel her eyes away from this blonde angel.

"You're beautiful," Nahmia says.

Aethyl's smile quivers as she breathes. Reaching her hands out, she cups Nahmia's face. "So, what's for dinner?"

"I must apologize, Aethyl, for the sun has set, and I can't hunt for fresh meat anymore. But we do have a stock of preserved meat..."

Nahmia is about to list the preserved meats that they have when Aethyl pulls her into a kiss, shutting her up.

After they part, Aethyl whispers into Nahmia's ears, "Then I shall eat you instead."

Nahmia's heart stops a beat. And then, she silently allows Aethyl to flip her to the ground.

The world is going to sleep, but the two women remain wide awake throughout the night.