A/N: don't forget, black lives matter! go to blacklivesmatter.carrd.co for more information and things you can do to contribute to the movement.

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Ever since their rest at the Burgundy Swan tavern, Olivia's mind had been occupied. 

It had been three months since the trio's original departure from the castle. And despite all of the trials and tribulations they had experienced...oh what a wonderful three months it had been. 

But why? Yes they had wonderful times, with the witches and pirates and barmaids, but they had experienced such fright as well: duels with coyotes, lack of food and drink and warm beds, almost robberies and near death experiences. These should have outweighed all of the good parts of their journey. 

But they didn't. Olivia knew why: it was all because of Chaewon. 

The cold, prissy, overeducated, underexperienced princess of the kingdom had changed her world forever. They understood each other, felt joy in each other, that neither of them had ever felt before. It was absolutely crazy to Olivia. 

Though these feelings were full of joy, they were haunted by the fear in Olivia's heart. 

She couldn't stop thinking about what Chaewon said: if I had a choice, it would be you. 

Olivia couldn't be sure where Chaewon's heart laid, but the truth was, it didn't matter. Chaewon didn't feel like she had a choice. One day, Chaewon would insist on returning to the castle. Olivia knew she loved her sister and her country too much to sacrifice them for her own happiness. The castle was the one place Olivia couldn't follow her. And that tore Olivia apart. 

One day, this would all have to end. And once again, Olivia would be entirely alone. 

"Olivia," Yerim suddenly whispered. 

Olivia blinked and cleared . "What?" 

"Go to sleep." 

Olivia paused before answering. "I can't." 

"You haven't slept in days. Don't think I haven't noticed." 

Olivia sighed. "I just can't." 

Yerim sat up, resting her cheek on her hand. "It's her, isn't it?" She asked, sparing a glance to Chaewon's sleeping form. Olivia deflated and Yerim gave her a knowing glance. "Why do you torture yourself? You know she feels the same way you do." 

"But it can't be!" Olivia whisper-cried. "It can't. She doesn't want to go back but deep in her heart she feels the inescapable urge to fulfill her destiny. She must go back, and I can't go with her. I...I can't imagine being away from her. I don't know if I'll survive." 

Yerim thought long and hard as Olivia choked on her words, breathing steadily to calm herself down. She was Olivia Hye, cool, calm, and collected knight. She should not act so emotional in front of her squire. 

"I see," Yerim finally answered. "And I...I know you're right. Chaewon, for all her qualms, would never disappear and not fulfill the duty given to her at birth. Not to mention there's always the chance of us getting caught earlier than we planned. But...but we do have time in this moment, don't we? We don't know whether we'll get caught or not but we also don't know if we have all the time in the world. How painful would it be for you, for both of you, to go your separate ways and realize you never explored the utterly passionate feelings you share for one another? You are Olivia Hye, the strongest and bravest knight in our kingdom, no matter whether or not the organization recognizes it. I can't imagine a woman like yourself living the rest of your life filled with regret. But Olivia, I truly believe that is what will happen if you don't tell her what's in your heart. You may have to be apart sometime, but why waste the time you share now?" 

As Yerim finished speaking, Olivia's mouth dropped. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't say anything, really. 

Her eyes were opened, finally, as Yerim's words filled her heart. 

The loud, overenthusiastic, young squire was right. Beyond right. 

Olivia chuckled breathlessly. "I believe you've just saved my life." 

Yerim smiled back brightly. "I pledged to be your loyal and faithful squire, did I not? This is what I swore to do." 

"But...wh-when?" 

"Soon," Yerim said firmly. "As soon as you can." 

Olivia's breaths quickened. "Tomorrow night, then." 

Yerim grinned. "I will sleep early." 

Olivia stared long at her squire, truly the most loyal and the most faithful of all. "Thank you." 

"I'm glad to be of help. Now, it's time for me to get some rest." 

Yerim laid down and immediately fell asleep. Olivia laid down too, but find she could not even make herself shut her eyes. But she was sleepless for a different reason than before, and a far better one. 

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Something in Chaewon's heart left her sleepless and full of excitement all the next day. 

It had been an odd day as well; Yerim wearing a strange knowing look in her eyes and Olivia silently brooding as she walked ahead, avoiding Chaewon's eyes. 

It was strange, to say the least. But for some strange reason, it excited her. 

Night had fallen long before and the three girls had laid down to sleep. Yerim had crashed right away, soft snoring coming from her blanket, but both her and Olivia had not been able to find rest just yet. 

Both shuffling in the dark, flipping back and forth amongst the grass and their thin blankets, when the moon was at its peak they both shuffled to face each other. 

They fell silent, the light from the moon and stars the only things shining on their faces in the dark. They gazed at each other and Chaewon was just struck by how beautiful Olivia looked like this, almost alone together. Her heart ached just gazing at her. 

Chaewon would have denied her feelings if it was any other time. But something... something about this night's air felt so different. 

"Chaewon," Olivia whispered to her in the dark. 

Chaewon was silent for a moment. "You...you have something you want to tell me, right?" 

Olivia shivered in the dark and Chaewon knew her feeling about this night was true. 

"I..." Olivia paused to shy and Chaewon looked down to see her fingers shaking, all of their own volition. "I, Chaewon, as much I want to deny the things I've felt for you from the moment we locked eyes in your bedroom at the castle I can't. The way I feel is just so strong I can't even suppress it-" 

Chaewon took in a short sharp breath. 

"A-and, Chaewon, I know it's crazy, I know you have to go back to the castle someday but I don't want to waste another second of our time outside of it not loving you to the full capacity I'm able, I-" 

Chaewon's mind spun in circles; her feelings had only been growing and growing for the knight since they had been at the witch's coven and she had learned she even could love a woman. But she had simply thought it could never be, that Olivia did not and could not feel the same way, that she would have to live with her feelings pushed aside for the rest of her life. 

But Olivia felt the same. This whole time, she had felt the same. 

"Chaewon, I know you were drunk at the tavern, but did you mean it when you said your choice would be me?" 

Chaewon couldn't even remember saying such a thing out loud but it was something she had repeated over and over again in her heart: that if she did have a choice, it would be Olivia. 

And maybe later down the line, she wouldn't have a choice. When she had to take up her destiny on the throne her choice would be snatched from her. But for now, while she was free, she chose Olivia. She would always chose Olivia. 

"I did," Chaewon choked out, her whispers carrying in the darkness. "I did mean it, with my whole heart." 

Olivia took in a breath and wordlessly, reached out to cup the side of Chaewon's face. Fire burned between them, excitement and fear and affection and everything. Their first touch and Chaewon already felt like she would explode; she wasn't sure how she would carry on. 

"Can I kiss you?" Olivia whispered, the quietest thing she'd spoke that night. 

"God, yes," Chaewon whisper yelled back and Olivia crashed into her, the space between them disappearing, Olivia leaning on Chaewon as they laid and kissed in the grass. Chaewon slowly wrapped her arms around Olivia and the intensity died down, letting themselves breath into this feeling. 

And for the first time Chaewon tasted true freedom. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N part 2: hi, just doing a quick check in! i hope all of you are doing well, safe, and healthy during this time. we are more than halfway done now; this story will be 20 chapters! how is everyone liking it? anything you want to see? PLEASE leave a comment letting me know; it motivates me so so much!

Love,

RainbowDonkeys