She sat comfortably against a crumbled wall outside the ghostly ruins, letting her thick hair fall down her shoulders along her thick furred coat. Her fingers traced over the little journal her dear Blaidd had been so sweet to retrieve, and she opened it to the next entry as her fingers formed a little quill of ice. A knick across her thumb gave her all the ink she would need as she looked over the previous page.
It was filled with sketches and little notes in her old cipher. To most, it must have resembled the doodlings of a naive. "What fools they must be to think such things." She mused lightly.
"To think what?" A softer voice rang out shoulder her just as soft arms fell around her shoulders. Ranni smiled at the feeling of her precious candle.
"Oh, simply that my writings could be of a childish sort." She traced alonf one of Melina's arms, relaxing the often nervous little candle of her unspoken anxieties. She relished in the feeling of the light fabric Melina favored. Its warm color matches its comfortable fit that was so ideal for her as an oft traveling spirit, prior to their current affair.
"You? Childish? Surely not. Sooner would the birds chirp at feed. Never." She grinned in her sarcastic, mischevious way. Ranni bopped her on the nose with her journal, matching her playful expression.
"Careful, little candle. Ice can do some awful things to the flame."
"Hehe, you say that like it's a threat." She flashed her a teasing smile as her hand rubbed her nose.
"Mayhaps it is."
"Promise?"
Ranni laughed, holding a hand to her mouth as Melina giggled against her shoulder. The two made little attempt to hide the warmth in their voices, and as their laughter faded, their gazes met again.
"You are always so busy with these plans, Princess." She said with a tender tone. Ranni could even swear she heard a hint of jealousy.
"Has the flame grown cold without the full attention of the moon?" Ranni stroked her cheek whilst closing the journal with a click of her fingers, healing the little prick with a kiss on the tip before turning and kissing Melina gently. She felt the tightness of her arms around her grow without becoming painful. Her lips tasted of cinnamon and oranges.
"No fair..." Melina whispered softly. "But... Mayhaps..." She pouted, just a touch too flustered to fully form a proper retort.
"Mmm, I have made my candle flicker and dance down to her wick." She stroked a red cheek with the curve of her thumb, reveling in the way Melina tilted her head into the touch with a half lidded look and a warm sigh on her breath. Her hair always looked so beautiful when her cheeks turned half as rosey. She couldn't resist but steal another kiss, which robbed the candle of a breath she had forgotten to take. All she could do was elicit a light whine in her throat as her kiss tasted of blueberries and herbs.
"So easy to stumble." She whispered when at last their lips parted. Melina could do little aside from croaknout a light whimper as she finally caught her breath, as her mind was slower to recover. How Ranni had truly become such a blissful companion. "So precious." She whispered and made the candlelit girl's heart do jumping jacks.
"No fair..." She muttered, burying her face in the neck of her unfrozen love as her cheeks warmed her skin more than even Ranni's fur coat. The moon princess savored that little acdomplishment as her fingers stroked through pinkish red locks.
"Shhh." A soft coo against her ear as she kissed her temple. "No stressing here. Rest thy head close," as she gently pulled her around and onto her lap. She was so small compared to many of the other demigods. Even Ranni was a full six feet tall now that she was once more flesh, but sweet Melina could barely make a claim to five feet and a half, even in her newly flesh made form which had shown some signs of growth.
She felt so frail when she held her like this. Melina seemed to cling and clutch against the moon princess when she would place her on her lap, as if letting go would mean letting go of her entirely. She would spend hours now, stroking her hair and lightly scratching across her back. She would whisper soft and soothing things to calm the terrible storm that would sometimes rage inside. Melina had far too many worries for one with such a lovely spirit. It was another sin to add to the tally of the two fingers and their sickening greater will.
Ranni looked up to the seemingly ever night sky. When it wasn't snowing, it was night here, as if the land had been cursed to live without even the light of the sun nor stars. She even felt her beloved moon was weaker here, their connection tenuous. Yet she could still see her, despite the empty, starless sky.
She could see her through the darkness, just on the edge of her vision. Always there, always protecting her. Now, her loved ones as well. She had once thought of abandoning Iji, Blaidd, and even these newer allies. Now, she knew how foolish she had been. She thought that wiping clean all of her earthly connections, she could ascend to a truly loving godhood where she was free of ambition and greed. She had newrly forgotten that she, herself, willingly or not, was of this world, too.
What could stop her from falling right back down into Marika's trap if all she had was an obedient consort and endless power? She had realized that was no path to the dream she wanted. True freedom from fate, from divine intervention, required loving the land. Loving and being one with its people as much as a goal for them to strive towards. She knew such an ideal was one. Now, she could only aid in the ambition. She no longer trusted herself to ascend as once she had so longed for.
She turned back down to the sleeping form of her dear candle. She was so relaxed when she slept in her arms, and Ranni could no longer stay focused on her endless plots. She wrapped her arms entirely around Melina, cradling her against her. She made sure she could hear the beat of her heart as she often claimed it let her sleep soundly.
"Do not worry anymore, little flame. I have you. We have you. You need not burn ever again." Ranni slowly rubbed her back affectionately.
"I would burn it down before I let you come to harm."