(Hydra Star System- Planet Eleron)
(St. Loies National Park)
"Can I open my eyes now?" Cleo asked sleepily as she was led towards an unknown location with a heavy blindfold wrapped tightly around her face.
Now she could use her mental power to scan the nearby surroundings, but she didn't want to ruin her girlfriend's surprise.
"Just a few more minutes babe," Sophie cheerfully replied.
The hybrid girl looked up at the sky and a small smile flashed across her face.
The sky was blue and completely clear with only a few white fluffy clouds floating lazily across the horizon.
A gentle breeze brushed against her face and the green grass beneath her feet swayed lightly from side to side.
"This isn't a kidnapping attempt, right? Because I have you know… my girlfriend is the famous duchess of House Peterlor!" Cleo teased jokingly as she stretched out her arms and yawned.
"Oh really? Well, I don't care," Sophie played along and lowered her voice menacingly.
"You see… I am a woman who specialises in kidnapping innocent little princesses like yourself… I love the taste of royalty…"
"No please! Not my innocence! How will I ever get married?" Cleo placed her hand on her forehead and let out a dramatic sigh.
"I suppose you will just have to marry me," Sophie casually spoke before blushing bright red after realising what she had just said.
"In… in the future of course! I mean… err… if you want to… okay… I'll stop talking now…"
Cleo giggled softly and her bell-like laughter echoed across the clearing. Sophie held her right hand and gently played with her girlfriend's fingers.
She loved quiet moments like these.
Spending time with Cleo made all of her worries slowly melt away.
She no longer felt the pressure of being the head of an upper-class noble family nor did she have to be concerned about her image.
Sophie continued to walk hand in hand with her girlfriend deeper into the park until they finally arrived at the location that she had chosen.
"I'm going to take your blindfold off now," Sophie gently whispered.
She kneeled down slightly and placed her fingers around the heavy fabric that was covering Cleo's face.
It only took a few quick tugs to remove the wrap and once again Cleo could see the outside world.
"Surprise!" Sophie happily yelled as she pointed towards a massive oak-like tree that towered over the surrounding forest.
The tree had a thick trunk with grey knobby bark covering its surface and several branches along its exterior that were covered in slender green vines.
But it was the base of the tree that grabbed Cleo's attention.
A large purple blanket had been spread out on the ground beneath the shade of the tall tree and the edges of the fabric had been embroidered using golden threads.
Now what was on the blanket was a massive feast.
There were dozens of plates, dishes, and bowls each filled with hearty meals, light snacks, and tasty looking deserts.
Cleo saw grilled vegetables with traces of char still on their exterior, a creamy soup with a thick layer of milk floating gently on top, eggs from an unknown animal done in the classical scrambled way…
And that was just the tip of the iceberg!
Beans that had been baked in a red sauce, a mixture of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers all drizzled with a special vinaigrette, chunks of meat that had been well roasted and many more!
"Babe… what is?" Cleo's voice trailed off as Sophie wrapped her arms around her lower body and lifted her up in the air.
The hybrid girl smiled sweetly at the girlfriend and then proceeded to lean forward and gently kiss her lips.
Her tongue slowly entered the young princess' mouth and began to explore in a slow and sensual manner that took Cleo's breath away.
The moment seemed to last forever as Sophie did not want to let go of the girl in her arms. But eventually… she broke off the kiss.
Cleo appeared to be slightly dazed, and her cheeks were now a bright red colour.
"I figured that we needed a special picnic date," Sophie spoke warmly as she lowered her girlfriend back on the ground.
"You… you are amazing," Cleo whispered softly as she approached the feast and sat down at the edge of the fabric.
"I'm… I'm honestly lost for words… thank you…"
Sophie laughed and followed her girlfriend's lead. She sat down next to the princess and leaned over slightly so that their shoulders touched.
"Come try this!" the hybrid girl enthusiastically spoke as she reached for a nearby bowl that was filled to the brim with warm chocolate cookies that were still hot.
Winged creatures hopped from treetop to treetop as the two young women enjoyed a delightful afternoon in each other's company.
"So how did things go with the merchants on planet Eryndor Prime?" Cleo asked curiously as she reached for a baked pastry with a golden fluffy exterior.
"Not bad!" Sophie replied happily since she was in quite the good mood.
"Najet the spice trader has agreed to join House Peterlor as an exclusive merchant on a permanent basis."
"Lady Arcturus… I got her services but between you and me… looking back on the deal… I may have been a bit too generous."
"Still, I don't know what else would have gotten her to agree to have House Peterlor as her sole customer for the foreseeable future."
"Sometimes you have to lose to win," Cleo shrugged her shoulders as she bit into the pastry and a burst of flavour erupted in her mouth.
The golden flaky exterior gave way to a sweet filling made from berries, sugar and a thick purple jam that had a delightful aftertaste.
"What about the third one? What was his name again? Felnar? The archaeologist guy who specialises in ancient ruins."
"Yeah, I planned to meet him but when I arrived at the restaurant where we supposed to discuss the arrangement… he was nowhere in sight," Sophie replied nonchalantly.
"Maybe he reconsidered and didn't even want to have a discussion on the possibility of working for House Peterlor."
"Still… his loss…"
Screech!
A loud noise immediately grabbed the attention of both women as they turned in the direction of the sound.
A small mole-like creature with bright pink skin crawled up from a hole that was hidden behind some thick underbrush.
The creature sniffed the air a few times when suddenly a dark shadow fell over its body.
A large, winged beast dove down from the treetops and snatched up the creature using its razor-sharp talons.
Screech!
The mole-like animal cried out once more, but its cries got softer as the winged beast carried it off towards an unknown location.
"The circle of life," Sophie remarked quietly.
"The circle of life?" Cleo asked curiously as she heard another saying from her girlfriend that she had never heard before.
"Oh, it's just a saying from the ancient Earth era… it refers to the natural cycle where animals live and die in a shared environment," Sophie explained calmly.
"Predators, prey, scavengers… no matter how big or mighty the animal… eventually all will return to the soil."
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