Page 39 of Valpar

After carefully gathering oursupplies, I gently scooped up Calliope, feeling her warmth against my chest. The silence enveloped us as I cradled her in my arms, our bodies melding together as we ventured deeper into the dense forest. Peering through the foliage, I spotted her worried family and my brother anxiously scanning the surroundings, their worried expressions etched on their faces. Thankfully, the distance shielded us from their searching gazes.

I huffed and turned away, determined to keep Calliope hidden until I fully claimed her as mine. I would not have them change their mind about letting me have her, or tell me how to claim my miresa, or how I should treat her.

I was chosen by the Moon Fairy to keep and protect her in all ways, and I would do just that.

As I cradled her in my arms, the rhythmic rustle of leaves and the hushed whispers of the forest enveloped us, lulling her into tranquility. The faint scent of moss and pine mingled in the air, creating a serene atmosphere. She yawned softly, her drowsy sighs blending with the gentle sway of our surroundings. It was of my own doing, I’m sure, having my face in her cunt. I also acknowledged that it was well past her time to be sleeping.

Humans were much weaker, and I knew she needed her rest after such an exciting day.

The moon was high, having moved further than halfway through the night. I continued onward, and the further we traveled, the more I could smell the salt of the ocean coming nearer. I was running out of places to run to, but it wasn’t the time to get her back to the Wood, just yet. I told her I would keep her around the Golden Light Kingdom until she knew me better and I had proven my worth.

I heard the waves crashing down on the shoreline. I hadn’t been here in many years, since my curiosity got the best of me. Back then, sirens lined the shore, their tails waved and baked in the light sources and even they were curious about the orcs that helped turn the war.

I hoped we weren’t greeted by the sirens, but you never know since we were getting close to their territory.

They, too, were always invited to the mating balls, especially since Queen Melina was half siren. It was harder to pick them out among the bunch of more human-looking creatures. They allhad pointed ears, but they also held scales in some areas of their bodies.

“Where are we going?” My miresa yawned and nuzzled into my chest. Her eyes drooped and I hurried to pick up the pace.

I was looking for anything, a shelter of some kind to keep my mate hidden until I figured out what deal I could make with her to take her back to our home. I would not break the vow I made her, but she had to know the dilemma of the alpha within me, wanting to take her away from all these creatures.

“A place to rest for a time,” I mumbled into her hair, taking a deep draw of her scent. “A place where you will be comfortable.”

She hummed, her eyes staying closed. My chest puffed with pride that my little fairy would be so willing to succumb to sleep in my arms and would trust me even this much after the worries she had shown earlier.

Yet, she’s had a very busy night.

“There is a cave.” She lifted her head and nodded to the northeast. “It hasn’t been used in years; my uncle sealed it off.”

I hummed and headed in that direction. The palace gradually faded into the background, but its spires remained visible above the trees. Once we reached the sandy shores it came into better view, and I didn’t like how close we were to it, but it was late.

“Would your family find you here?”

My miresa yawned again and shook her head. “No, like I said, they don’t use the cave anymore. Aunt Melina expects people to stay in the palace. She likes the company and expects everyone to bring their whole family to visit.”

It made sense that the queen would want everyone in the palace, especially their children. In the war, the queen was stabbed in her womb with a demon sword and, even now, they say she may never bear children.

And the queen loved children and wanted nothing more than to have some of her own.

The tribe and I knew that feeling all too well.

The cave would do for now. When the light sources rise, we can find another place to hide.

As we drew closer, the waves continued to crash into the shore. The smell of fish was much better than the flowers that surrounded the palace. As I came to the boulders blocking the way to the cave, Calliope squirmed in my hold, rubbing her eyes.

“It’s here,” she finally spoke up, pointing to a spot between two large rocks. “You will need to move those boulders.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of my supplies as I let them drop with a soft thud onto the ground. Rolling my shoulders back, I could hear the faint crack of bones readjusting. Determined, I gazed at the towering boulders ahead, ready to showcase my strength as a capable male.

I carefully placed her on a nearby rock, the rough texture scraping against my palm. Reluctantly, I had to let her sit, for she was a tenacious female who disliked being idle. Yet, a thought crossed my mind - would it be necessary to secure a rope around her waist, ensuring she never strayed from my side?

Hmm.

I flexed my arms, taking in a deep breath and getting ready to move the boulders that were blocking the entrance of the cave. I didn’t want to move them too far. I planned on moving them back once we had settled in the cave. That way, no one would stumble upon us while we stayed here.

I easily rolled the large boulders away from the entrance, not even breaking a sweat.

Calliope watched intently as I worked, her eyes wide with wonder as she saw me effortlessly move the heavy stones out of our way. Soon enough, there was a clear path for us to enter the cave.

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