Kali’s heart was still booming loudly in her ears. Each beat was like the noise produced when the head of a mallet struck a massive drum, the resulting thrum left behind all but drowning out the sound of her heavy breathing and the words of her friend. She had just told her friend she loved her! What could be wrong in the world on such a momentous occasion? They’d kissed and shared affection like *real* lovers and almost as soon as their lips parted and she spoke those three simple  yet weighted words, Kali felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders - as if the silken lips of her friend had drawn away with them every worry and doubt when their kiss had at last broke.<br/><br/>Her golden eyes flicked up toward Lanthra’s own expectantly in the aftermath of their kiss as silence lingered briefly between them.  Loathe to let her affection go unexpressed however, Kali leaned into her friend, her lover’s touches with almost unbound enthusiasm. Her side shivered beneath the other woman’s fingers, each touch eliciting little coos and gasps of pleasure not unlike the fingers that also toyed at her sensitive earlobe. Her head craned keenly into the delicate touches and she kept her forehead pressed up against her princesses’ while her arms wrapped themselves around her waist to hold her close.<br/><br/><br/>Just as she drew closer however, disappointment soon reared its ugly head. The weight of responsibly, of duty and obligation was heavy on her friend’s shoulders and it showed in Lanthra’s eyes as theirs finally met. Kali felt tears well up in her own, her lower lip trembling and her breath held as she hung on precipice of whatever it was her friend would say next.<br/><br/>“ I know..”<br/><br/>Her heart sank instantly and her ears wilted like flowers ‘neath the harsh desert sun. The elf’s golden eyes turned away from Lanthra’s own, expecting to be pushed away and reprimanded only to open in surprise when she was kissed yet again. Kali melted into the embrace and emitted a gentle groan as their lips met once more. This time she was no less gentle as she peppered Lanthra’s lips with a flurry of rushed kisses, her breathing uneven and her body still shaking beneath Lanthra’s hands.  “ you know, but you also love me, Lanthra. I saw it in your eyes… you *love* me.”<br/><br/>Kali pullsed back her hands gliding up Lanthras back until her fingers arrive at her beautiful locks of curly brown hair. She buried her fingers in them, combing through the tresses until she could cradle the other womans head and pull her into a brief but passionate kiss that she pulled away from shortly after. Much like earlier her eyes were alight with mischief and though her face was flush red with arousal her ears were pointed sharp and at attention. “ We can run. Who says you must be Queen? We can run and live our own life far away from here. I want to be yours, Lanthra. You will always be my desert flower. Would you not accept me?”<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>