He got closer still and Idalie felt hot all over. Little tingles danced across her skin where he pressed into her and her heart pounded within the confines of her ribs. It felt so nice and so much all at once, and Idalie decided suddenly that she very much liked being in love.

She also decided, just as suddenly, that Khyan belonged to her and she to him. It had already felt that way, but now she couldn't imagine what she would do or how she would feel if Khyan ever parted from her.

"Qualcosa ti ha ferito," (Something hurt you,) she murmured, voice soft and quivering with the weight of emotion she felt. "Non va bene." (That's not fine.)

Breath catching in her throat as Khyan lowered his head to her paw, Idalie felt like her face was on fire. The gesture was so kind and tender, and for some reason made her feel like crying. Had her parents ever loved one another so?

Of course not. Their love had been showy and transactional, her mother a gift from a neighboring kingdom. There had been little care and even less affection.

Idalie wanted to hide her face. Wanted to run away somehow. But she also never wanted to be anywhere but right here.

"Non farlo - è sporco." (Don't - it's dirty,) Her cheeks were warm as she pulled her paw back, a bit overwhelmed by the gravity of what she was feeling, and more by the thought that Khyan was lowering himself so. Idalie hadn't washed her paws since she left the island! A royal should never prostrate himself so, not even for another royal.

So why did it make her heart flutter so rapidly?

She was very much eager to wash up, muddied and bloodied as she was. Idalie barely noticed the little stings in her paw pads as she followed him to the water, hesitating briefly by the edge.

"Pulirai anche tu?" (You'll clean up, too?) she asked him, waiting for Khyan to enter the water first.