The kiss sparked memories of her time in Rudaheim - and it encapsulated Zerath as the kind of man she knew him to be. Kind, warm and firm.
As his arm tugged her waist closer against him, she found her own hands lifting slowly from his chest to wrap around his neck. Her fingertips brushed past his ear and into his hair, gently curling those soft locks around them as his lips traced hers.
An unmistakable heat spread from her cheeks down to her neck when she found the courage to meet his lips back with her own intentions. She felt his grip over her jaw tighten in response - not enough to hurt her - but enough to tell her that Zerath's heartbeat was in just as much of a frenzy as her own.
They parted. Vivia had no idea how red her face blushed in the moment, but she was fairly certain that it was catastrophic.
"I don't want to leave your side…"
His sweet words hushed softly against her ear. As much as the wave of warmth gushed through her heart, the aching longing behind it only deepened.
He had to leave. Just like in the astral realm. The time was here to part ways. Bidding goodbye never became easier.
She cupped his face in her hands and tiptoed, kissing him the way he had. No words were needed. All they wanted right now was for these few last moments to stretch, to last just a little longer than they ever could. They held each other as tightly as they could, and kissed until their own breaths abandoned them.
Zerath trembled, his grip on her waist tightening, left intoxicated by Vivia's soft kisses. He wished she bit him hard enough for his lips to bleed. At least then, the faint tingling ache would keep him company in the times he missed her the most. When her quivering fingers clutched onto his hair, a jolt moved through him and he kissed her harder. Deeper. More breathless.
He was still cautious though, not wanting to lose his sanity in the momentum. He wanted their first kiss to be memorable, filled with gentleness and love. He was prepared to pull back with even the slightest trace of hesitation. Instead, he felt her match his depth with the same, quiet hunger and urgency.
She wanted this as much as he did. For one small moment, she wished they could escape from their worlds entirely - somewhere no one would need them, somewhere far from duty, danger and politics.
Ah…that would be so wonderful.
Just the two of us together…Somewhere quiet. Alone.
When they withdrew for the second time, they were left more breathless than before. Their warm breaths mingled in a hush like a secret. They simply stayed in that silence for a while, relishing the stillness and presence before it ended.
Vivia pressed herself into his arms tightly. Zerath smiled and kissed her forehead, soft and unhurried.
"Promise me you'll take care of yourself."
"Yes."
"You won't overwork yourself to death."
"I won't."
"We have to find whoever is behind everything, but you'll always prioritize your safety."
"Yes."
Vivia looked up from his chest and frowned. "I feel like you wouldn't do a single thing out of everything I just warned you about."
"I would never dare disrespect your authority, Princess," he pecked the tip of her nose.
He held her face, his thumb grazing her cheek. "You have to promise me too. Sir Malphas's killer is still at large - who could very well be your brother."
"After everything Finnian and Lady Judith said about Aeren, it only makes sense if Elvin has something to do with it."
But he's the Crown Prince. Please don't let that idiot Elvin be involved in this. If nothing else, that alone would ignite a war for sure!
"What if Elvin indeed…"
Zerath said, "It sounds grim, but your side wouldn't be completely defenseless. Sir Malphas colluded to hurt you, a royal princess, after all. Both sides stepped into a deal, fully aware that this could tarnish our peace. Neither side is powerful enough to hold any cards against the other. So even if things reach their worst, it's up to us to salvage the situation."
Easier said than done, especially with Rosrell as the King.
But it was enough to bring a tiny sliver of hope within Vivia.
"Also…" Zerath's expression shifted to something uncertain.
"Yes?" She blinked.
He pressed his lips together. "I know you've to find Audreya, which is dangerous enough, but…I'm concerned about that man Silas mentioned. The one who could be Eurus's father. If he's in the Human Realm, he won't stay hidden for long before someone else finds him."
"Don't worry! Finding that ice demon was part of my agenda anyway. How could I just leave him be? Before someone else finds him, I'll get to him first and find somewhere safe for him to stay until we figure out our next move."
His expression dropped. "I don't want to keep adding onto your burden and putting you in even more danger."
"You're not adding onto my burden. All of this is a part of the larger conspiracy. We cannot escape it," she shook her head. "Also, finding him will be beneficial for us. If he's truly Eurus's father, he may know things we don't. We need to make him our ally sooner rather than later."
He smiled. "Spoken exactly like how a princess would."
A glint of pride passed her eyes. "I think I'm getting used to Clairette's life now. Though it's still terribly restrictive…" She mumbled her complaint nevertheless.
They shared a warm laugh, easing some of the weighted tension between them. Zerath kissed her one last time, slower this time, as if reluctant to make it the last and then pulled back.
"I have to go."
"Yes…" she mustered every last bit of her courage to utter that acceptance.
She met his gaze. "But we'll meet again in the Festival of First Light. It's not so far away if we think about it."
"I'll miss you regardless."
"That goes without saying," she harrumphed. "Same for me. But no matter how much you miss me, you're not allowed to fall weak and let some beautiful demoness seduce you."
He pinched her cheeks. "And you're not allowed to fall for the charm of some handsome duke either."
She gasped. "I would never!"
Zerath smiled, watching her radiant smile do what it always did - flutter his heart with tickles and gushes. He entwined their fingers and held on for just a moment longer.
"Let's go."