by Alex Tryst

Feedback: Drop me a line if you’d like at alextryst@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © June, 2009 by Alex Tryst. All Rights Reserved.

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The following day Anastasia was sitting in a meeting with her mother and the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussing the escalating situation in the Middle East. America had been an ally to the fledging democracies of the Middle Eastern region of the world while trying their best to withhold judgments on more authoritarian societies. The nation was respected as a neutral mediator in most corners of the world, but as of late the disruption in the region was stressing its ability to remain nonpartisan. The U.S. had heavy interests in the natural resources in that area of the world, which were suddenly in jeopardy by the new military regime that had taken over Iran.

“Alexa, after continuing to weigh this carefully and examining our options, we still feel it is best to deploy a larger presence into the area as we discussed at the last meeting,” the Chairman reported. “We have run the numbers you requested and consulted our counterparts in the Middle East, and we are prepared to deploy the Navy and Air Force but withhold ground troops at present unless an imminent danger to our interests presents itself. We have a list of the personnel we would like to deploy as soon as possible. It would take weeks for our carrier ships to move all these people and equipment. While continued escalation is certain between Iraq and Iran, we do not think war is imminent quite yet, but we would like to be prepared with appropriate military response if Iran does invade. We will be able to maintain our presence in the region by sending troops.”

“You believe ground troops are unwarranted. What would be the strategy then if military response was required?”

“A series of air strikes originating from our ships. It is the safest way to respond while limiting potential casualties of our personnel. A ground response would only cause higher number of casualties given Iran’s superior training in that region of the world. Bluntly put it is their home turf and we would be outmatched on foot if we tried to match their forces one to one.”

“And the likelihood of them being able to sink one of our ships?”

“Highly improbable but not impossible. They have enough power to sink one of our ships, but the question would remain what they would do then. It would take significant resources to do that.”

“Then what would we do? I think we would need some ground forces in one of our bases in the region in case it reached such a point.”

“We already have some, Alexa, but we could increase that number. However, I must reiterate, if we engage on the ground we will need a three to one ratio in personnel, because our casualties will be high. They want to engage us on the ground, because they will have the upper hand. Our air personnel are highly superior.”

“Understood. I agree with the approach, but I would want to shift ground resources as well. If something goes wrong, we will need people in position to respond quickly. Now let us review the personnel list,” she said.

When the list was disseminated to the group, they began with the Air Force units and equipment to carry out their proposed operation. No one seemed to have too many concerns about it, so they moved onto the Navy personnel, which was a larger list, which was unsurprising given the amount of ships would be needed to transport the military personnel and equipment. They made it most of the way through the list before Anastasia noticed something that would cause her mother a problem.

When the Chairman came to the unit name in question, she preempted him by asking, “Why is my unit on this list?”

“Your unit is uniquely positioned to assist in this operation due to the kind of ship it maintains. You and your fellow commanding officers would bring good experience to the operation with marginal risk.”

“Absolutely not,” Alexa firmly said. “Stasia will not be going to the Persian Gulf. She is my daughter. That takes precedence over her military rank.”

“Mother, why can I not go? The ship is enormous and will have hundreds of people on it. There is relatively little danger.”

“I cannot allow you in harm’s way even if that risk is nominal. You are the heir to the throne.”

“I am a junior office in the United State Navy. How can you expect my unit to go without me?”

“You could become a target and put your unit and those around you in more danger.”

“My unit’s morale will suffer if I am forced to stay behind. I am one of them, Mother.”

The queen shook her head. “We must table this disagreement for now to get back to our discussion at hand, but we will continue this conversation.”

“Yes, we most certainly will,” the princess strongly stated.

For the rest of the meeting, neither the queen nor the princess discussed their feelings on the matter. Instead they attentively listened to the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s recommendations. Alexa gave her approval to move ahead with the plan within the next thirty days and then dismissed everyone except her daughter.

When they were alone, Alexa said, “We have some other meetings today, and I must ask that you not overshadow those with your adamant feelings on this matter. I need you in the moment listening and participating, not arguing with me later tonight in your mind. I will hear you out on this matter. I give you my word, but for now I need you to stay with me. We very well may go to war, and our country has not been engaged in a war in generations. I do not take consideration of this lightly, and we both need to think of what is best for our military personnel, not our egos. We will discuss this in detail after dinner. Agreed?”

Anastasia nodded. She knew it was her mother’s right to keep her from joining her unit as the Commander-in-Chief and the queen. She only hoped she could sway her to change her mind on the matter, but she knew her mother was right. She had to stay in the moment as the weight of such consideration went beyond either of their feelings.

That evening after dinner Alexa and Lauren adjourned into their favorite library with Anastasia to discuss her potentially impending departure to the Middle East. “Stasia, you must understand that allowing you to accompany your unit brings higher risk to the entire operation as a whole. Iran’s new regime has made condescending remarks about our country, which I choose to let pass in an effort to secure the continued cooperation with our allies, but these remarks are deeply personal for our family. They call into question my capacity not only as a leader but also a wife and mother. They call into question your place as heir to the throne. It is the first time that I can recall in our nation’s history that America has come under verbal attack for the life the monarchy leads.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

Alexa looked at her wife and sighed. “This is difficult for me, Anastasia. I have never had to endure such public disdain, but I do so forbearingly, because we are the most powerful nation in the world, and reaction to such provocation could only been seen in a negative light. The new power of Iran would like to see America’s monarchy crumble, because its leaders are women. However, the contempt goes even further than that. Not only have women ruled this country for generations, most of the women in power have been lesbians, except for my own mother. The world for the most part is an equitable place, but occasionally a more traditionalist regime rises, giving way to hatred of anything outside of what they consider conventional. America stands for freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom in choice and action. Our laws are aimed to cater to the equality of all people, but some parts of the world do not necessarily believe that is what is best.”

“All the more reason I should fight.”

Alexa shook her head. “I cannot allow my daughter, the crowned princess and a lesbian, go to the Middle East. They will make their mission to find you and destroy you, and I cannot even tempt them with such a notion.”

Anastasia was quiet for a moment as she took in her mother’s words. She knew her mother faced a difficult choice with respect to her, but she didn’t agree with the decision she reached. For once her mother was acting out of character by placing her personal feelings above those of the country, and she knew beseeching her to reconsider the bounds of duty to the country would be the only way to change her opinion.

“Mother, I appreciate your desire to keep me safe from harm’s way. A child could not ask for more from her parents. However, this is my country. I have a claim on her that only you and I can make. She belongs to me, and I love her beyond any measure of words. I am willing to sacrifice myself for her good even if it means being without me to guide her. That is our role as members of this family. Country has to always come first. I know in your heart you feel the same way. If the roles were reversed, you would stand and fight for her. Our forefather George Washington was a solider for this country before he was ever king and fought for her bravely with no regard to his own safety. No one in our family’s history would let her suffer, and you personally would not let her fail. If I do not fight for her when she needs me the most, how can I expect anyone else to?”

The queens looked at each other for a moment. “As much as it grieves me to say this, you know she is correct, Lex,” Lauren softly said.

The queen sat there silently for another few minutes before quietly admitting, “I am terrified of letting you go. I cannot even comprehend how I would go on if I lost you.”

“Think of all those military personnel you are sending. All of them are someone’s children, and their parents must feel exactly like you. We must stand with them to show we believe in our cause, that we are willing to fight for our continued freedom.”

With a resigned sigh, the queen nodded. “I am immensely proud of you, Anastasia. In this moment you have once again proved that you are incredibly wise and persuasive for someone of your age. You are the hope of this nation, and your willingness to be a benevolent sacrifice, if need be, for your country only illustrates the leader you already are. I absolutely loathe the thought of you being a target, but you have the superior presence of mind to understand duty in this moment.”

“That means I can go?”

Alexa nodded. “As your Commander-in-Chief, I order you to go, even though as your mother I wish it did not have to be so. You will deploy with your unit and stay your entire twelve-month tour.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve, Mother.”

Alexa brought her daughter into a tight hug. “Stay safe and return to me.”

With the decision to deploy made, Anastasia began to prepare to leave for her tour. She was scheduled to leave with her unit the week after she visited with Layla. She wasn’t sure how her girlfriend was going to take the news of her deployment, so she put off telling her for a few days in order to try to find the best way. However, one night over the phone, Anastasia knew it could not be put off any longer.

When there was a pause in conversation between them, the princess sighed and said, “There is something important I need to talk to you about, but I have been putting it off.”

“What is it?” Layla inquired, relaxing further into the pillows of her bed. She had turned out the light to talk to her girlfriend, because it always made her feel closer to her, almost as if they were in bed together.

“My unit has received deployment orders. I have to ship out for a year-long tour.”

“Where are you going?” she asked in concern.

“I cannot discuss that.”

“Well, when do you have to leave?”

“I am scheduled to deploy the week after you return to school.”

“That’s so soon. How long have you known about this, and why haven’t you told me until now?”

“I did not want to upset you. Things are going so well between us, and I hate the idea of being away from you for even a day much less an entire year. My mother tried to order me to stay behind, but I know I have to go.”

“Why? Why can’t you just stay here? You’re the princess,” she reasoned.

“I know, and that is why I feel I should go. I am the future leader of this country, and I have to be willing to defend her. I believe it is my duty to do so.”

Layla took a deep breath as she thought of the statement. She knew that her girlfriend felt strongly about her country and would be willing to make such a sacrifice. It was one of the reasons Layla loved her, her willingness for forgo the pleasures her position afforded her for the greater good of her people. “I understand,” she quietly said. “I hate it, but I know you well enough to know this is how you think it should be.”

“Layla, I love you, and I do not like to think about the fact that people can grow apart in each other’s absence. Twelve months is a long time to wait for someone. My heart is yours, but I will understand if time creates a distance between us that cannot be undone. You are a beautiful young woman with so much to give, and I know that in leaving to serve my country, I am leaving behind the best thing that happened to me. I know that there will be others who are interested in you the way I am, and as much as would hate to lose you…”

“Stop. Don’t even finish that thought,” the blonde whispered. “You won’t lose me. I love you, too, Stasia, and I’m not going to go anywhere. I promise you that. Will we at least be able to talk on the phone and write each other?”

“Sometimes but not everyday like we do now. I just detest the fact that I will not be able to see your angelic face or feel your soft skin. I will long for your sweet kiss, but I am convinced this is the right thing for me to do.”

“And I support you even though it’s hard. We’ll just have to make the most of our last days together for a while. I can’t wait to see you on Sunday,” she offered, trying to change the subject. She didn’t really want to think about her girlfriend being away for so long just then.

“I know. I have missed you terribly already, and you have not even been gone that long. I long to see you. I cannot wait to run my fingers through your hair and kiss your soft lips.”

Layla moaned a little at the thought. “That sounds nice. What else would you like to do when you see me?”

“There are so many thing I could say in response to that, none of which are entirely appropriate,” the princess confessed.

“But you’re thinking them anyway, so why not tell me?” she prompted. “After all, if you’re going to be gone so long, I’d like to know what you’ll be thinking about me while you’re away,” she teased lightly.

Anastasia sighed as she turned off the lights in her room and settled down in her bed. In the cover of darkness, it made it easier to contemplate confessing her more primal desires, but she still withheld at first. “I do not want to sound presumptuous by speaking of things that I know will not come to pass. You have told me your boundaries, and I respect them, even if my mind wanders passed them on occasion. Out of respect for you, I do not wish to impart my baser sexual desires upon you.”

Her initial confession made Layla’s heart speed up. The thought of her girlfriend thinking about them intimately excited her in a way she had not ever known before. She often found herself having fantasies of them together, even though the particulars of such had yet to be defined. She hoped the redhead could fill in some of the details for her. “Tell me anyway,” she whispered.

“Are you sure? I do not wish to make you uncomfortable.”

“I want to know what you dream about when you fantasize about me. I’ll be able to think of you out there in the ocean somewhere, and I’ll be able to know what you’re thinking of me. Please tell me, Anastasia.”

The tempting appeal disintegrated Anastasia’s resolve. “Very well. If I were able to have my way, I would find the most convenient place to lay you out horizontally and cover your body with my own. I love the feeling of your body underneath mine with you holding onto me. Our short-clad legs would rub together, skin on skin, and my hands would wander over your clothed frame while we kissed deeply.” She paused. The exhale on the other end of the phone made her realize Layla was interested in what she had said. “I would sneak my lips into the crook of your neck to kiss you and listen as you gave a little moan and shudder at the feeling. I like the feeling of you trembling in pleasure in my arms.”

Layla did her best to imagine it as Anastasia said it. Quickly the image appeared before her with her eyes closed. “Then what?”

The princess wasn’t sure how much further she should take them given the fact that they hadn’t ventured past that in real life, but her girlfriend seemed curious to know. “My hands would slowly unbutton your blouse, so I could see your torso better. They would caress your bare sides and stomach lightly as my mouth ventured lower onto the slope of your left breast. Your hands would cup the back of my head and hold onto me as I kissed and tasted the skin.”

Layla’s heart began to thud rapidly at the thought. “Stasia,” she whispered.

The sound of her name being called drove the princess to continue. “My hands would unclasp your bra and fill themselves with your warm flesh. I just know you would feel so incredibly soft.”

A soft gasp ensued as Layla thought of those words. “I want you to touch me like that, Stasia,” she whispered in confession.

The princess groaned at the admission. She wanted her girlfriend so much that she could hardly articulate it, but she tried her best to continue. “Slowly I would undress us both until our naked bodies touched all over. The heat of our skin as we rubbed against each other would only continue to rise as our legs tangled in each other’s. Your arms would be clutching to my back as my mouth slowly devoured one of your breasts and then the other. Your hips would be rocking into mine as you cried out in pleasure.” She paused, thinking she should stop there with the details, but then added, “I want you more than you could ever know, Layla.”

“Then tell me,” she pleaded breathlessly as the fantasy continued to unfold vividly in her mind.

“I want you to give yourself to me, so I can make you mine and mine alone. I want to be inside of you, feeling the warmth of your core clutching to me. I want to hear your delight and feel your body quiver as I slowly make love to you, and I want to be the only one who ever hears you reach that pinnacle of pleasure. I would not stop until you were satisfied, and the whole time we made love I would tell you how much I loved you, how much I needed you, and how incredibly special you are to me,” she professed, not knowing exactly how her girlfriend would respond but wanting her to know how she truly felt.

The blonde could see it in her mind better than she ever had. Anastasia was truly a gentle and accommodating lover. She moaned again. “You make it sound so perfect,” she whispered.

“It would be with you,” she softly said.

“Thank you for telling me. Now while we’re apart we can have the same fantasy.”

“It is my pleasure, Layla. I will always be here to give you everything you want and need. I promise. I would never leave you unfulfilled.”

“It’s getting late, so we should probably go to sleep. I wish you were here holding me right now.”

“I would hold you all night after we made love just so you knew how much I loved you.”

“I love you, Stasia. Good night,” she softly said.

“Good night, sweetheart. I love you. See you soon.”

On Sunday evening the princess arrived in Dallas with a small contingent of security. Layla had agreed to come see her after church that evening but had mentioned she had to spend her last night at home with her parents, to which Anastasia was amiable. She didn’t want her girlfriend to have problems with her parents, so she made the decision to stay as far away from their house as possible. Their evening passed much too quickly, but they had plans to meet early in the morning for the twelve-hour drive to Layla’s college.

Monday morning came very early for both women. They had agreed that in order for them to go largely unnoticed Anastasia would have to disguise herself a bit, so that day she wore a much more casual look than she normally would have in public. She dressed in a pair of long khaki shorts and a pressed Navy t-shirt with a Navy baseball cap covering most of her red hair. A pair of dark sunglasses hid her blue eyes, giving the impression that she was just another college-aged student, not the crowned princess. Layla had already packed her belongings in her own car and drove to their secret rendezvous spot, a rest stop along the highway just outside of town.

When the nondescript sedan pulled into the rest stop, Layla was already there, leaning against her car waiting. They pulled up next to her, and the princess got out of the backseat of her car. She smiled brightly at the blonde as she walked over to her. “Hello, beautiful,” she greeted, slipping arms around her.

“Hi. Don’t you look sexy. I like your outfit.”

The princess leaned down to kiss her deeply. “Thank you. I hope my disguise meets your specifications. I am not used to being so casual, but I have tried to look the part of a college student.”

She nodded. “No one would know it was you in passing. Having the three of them with us might tip someone off, though,” she mentioned gesturing to her security team.

“They are staying in their own car and following us from a distance. I had to bring a few people for safety’s sake. You know that. This was the minimum I could get away with, and they will be as unintrusive as possible. I want this visit to be as secretive as you.”

Layla nodded, knowing they really had no other choice. “Okay. Do you want to drive the first shift, or do you want me to?”

“I can drive. Let us go,” she suggested, dropping another kiss on her girlfriend’s mouth before Layla rounded the car to the passenger’s seat.

The rest of the day passed with the two of them in the car driving, talking, and listening to music. Anastasia did her best to maintain a low profile whenever they had to get out of the car and was successful in the endeavor as they drove through rural Arkansas and Tennessee. The princess was completely unaccustomed to the types of places they stopped for bathroom breaks and meals, but she gamely went along with her girlfriend’s lead. Nevertheless, it was an education in the ways of life of areas of her country, which were drastically more rural to those she normally visited.

When they arrived to their destination, it was too late begin unpacking at the dorms, so they opted to just head to the hotel. The princess was used to only the finest accommodations, but she said nothing as she headed into the hotel near school, which appeared to be a frequent destination of business travelers. She kept her head low and carried her own bags as well as her girlfriend’s to keep suspicions at bay as their group headed to the elevator.

Fortunately there was a suite available for the princess as well as three rooms for her security detail. The three men quickly settled on a rotation schedule for guarding the princess while the two women decided to settle into their room for the night. With the first guard decided, he knocked on the bedroom door and waited for an answer before relating the schedule to Anastasia before taking his place in the sitting area.

“Are they just going to stay out there all night?” Layla inquired when they were alone again.

She nodded. “Each one of them will take a turn staying up. They will probably just watch TV while the other two get some sleep. Then they’ll change shifts, so each of them has a chance to get some rest. We intend to be up fairly early, so there are only about eight hours for which to account. That is nothing for them.”

“What about tomorrow? How are they going to stay out of the way?”

“One of them will stay in your room, one at the car, and one will help us unload. It is the best they can do to secure the area without getting intrusive. I promise it will be fine.”

The blonde nodded. “I suppose that is all they can do. My roommate will be moving in tomorrow as well. I do not wish her to be inhibited. That will not go over well.”

“Of course she will not. I promise the men will not get in her way.”

“Good because I told her I had a friend coming to help me move in, but I didn’t tell her it was you. She’s going to be a little surprised, I think.”

“Tell me about this roommate.”

“Her name’s Hannah Winston, and she’s my best friend.”

“Have you told her about you yet?”

Layla shook her head. “No but I want to. I want to tell her about me, and if that goes well, I’d like to tell her about us,” she hesitantly said.

“Look, Layla, it is vital to your peace of mind that no one know about us, because if the press finds out, your life as you know it will be over.”

“I understand that, but she’s my best friend, and I’d like to have someone to talk to about you,” she said with a smile. “You can’t expect me to not have someone I can talk to about you, especially with you leaving.”

The princess nodded. “You have to be absolutely certain you can trust her. If you have any doubts at all, do not tell her. However, I understand you want to be able to talk to someone about this. I have my sisters, and you do not have anyone.”

“I trust her, Stasia. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t live with her.”

“All right. I am just trying to look out for your best interest here.”

“And I appreciate that, but I think I know what I’m doing. I’m just going to tell her about me first and make sure it goes like I think it will.”

The princess consulted her watch. “Fine. We should be getting to bed. We have an early start in the morning.”

The women changed separately before getting into bed. As they lay in the dark curled up into each other, Layla said, “Thank you for coming with me. This is so much better than having my parents here.”

“I am glad to hear that I out-rate your parents,” she joked. “You did not tell them about seeing me, did you?”

“Most definitely not,” she said turning in her girlfriend’s arms. “I couldn’t tell them that without risking everything. I wish they could understand how happy I am, but they don’t care.” Leaning in she kissed her gently. “I love you being here with me.”

“And I love being with you. I am sorry about your parents, though.”

In the morning the women were up early as expected. Each respected each other’s privacy as they dressed for the day. Their first stop was a quick breakfast at a fast food restaurant. Anastasia took it in stride like she had the previous day, thinking of it as just an addition to her education. The five of them sat around the table drinking coffee and eating egg sandwiches until they were satisfied before heading off to the school.

Anastasia pulled her baseball cap tightly down on her head and adjusted her sunglasses as they got out of the car to help shield her identity before following Layla to the check-in area where the blonde could get her keys. No one seemed to notice the princess, or if they did, they ignored her being too busy with their own agendas. With keys in hand, Layla led her girlfriend and two security guards to her dorm room.

When Layla unlocked the door and stepped inside, the first thing Anastasia noticed was how hot it was. Her girlfriend immediately went to the air conditioner to turn it on and then opened a window. The princess took a minute to look at the small room. Her own closet at the palace was considerably larger.

“Two of you live in here?” she asked curiously, as she opened the closet door to find a small walk-in.

Layla nodded. “Granted it isn’t a castle or palace. Come on. Let’s get the stuff out of my car. I have other stuff in storage we need to get as well. Just leave the door open.”

“Is that safe?” the princess asked.

“Of course. No one would steal anything. Besides don’t I have my own guard,” she joked.

Quickly the two women began to unload the blonde’s car with the aid of one of the security team. Half way through they came back to find a spunky little blonde in the room who screamed in delight when she saw Layla. The two quickly hugged each other.

“It is so good to see you. Man, has it been a long summer,” she greeted. “You never told me about your cute friend,” she said gesturing at the security guard that had been stationed in the room.

Layla laughed as the two blondes continued to hug each other. “Must have slipped my mind. These are my other friends,” she said pointing behind her. She introduced security first before saying, “And this is Anastasia Washington. Stasia, this is Hannah Winston.”

The princess took off her sunglasses and hat before smiling at Layla’s best friend. “Hello, Hannah.”

Hannah opened her mouth to reply but nothing would come out for a moment as realization overcame her face. “You’re the princess,” she said as if no one else in the room knew as much.

Anastasia chuckled a little as she nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Layla, you forgot to mention that you made friends with the princess over the summer,” Hannah chastised.

“Surprise,” she said meekly.

“To say the least.”

“Layla and I met early in the summer, and she was kind enough to let me tag along with her. I am being deployed with my unit on a twelve-month tour, and she obliged me in a request to escape the palace for a few days before I had to leave,” the princess explained.

“Well, it is an honor to meet you, your highness,” she said with a small bow.

Anastasia waved the formality off. “It is a pleasure to meet a friend of Layla’s. She speaks highly of this school, so I was pleased to have an opportunity to visit.”

Turning to her friend again, she said, “You will have to tell me all about how you two met a little later. We have to get this unpacking finished. Are you going to the storage unit later?”

Layla nodded. “We were going to go after we finished with my car.”

“We would be glad to help you unload,” Anastasia offered.

“Thank you. My parents are here, but I’d love the extra help. It’ll give me more time to spend with them before they have to leave tomorrow.”

“Perhaps we could all have dinner,” the princess suggested.

“That would be a great honor, your highness. I’m sure my parents would love to meet you.”

“Something casual of course since we’ll hardly be suitable to be seen when we’re finished unloading today,” Layla amended.

Anastasia smiled obligingly. “Whatever is most convenient for the group. There is no need to be formal on my account. Besides this visit is supposed to be under the radar. I would prefer the press not know about this.”

“Great. It’s settled then,” Layla said.

For the rest of the day, Anastasia helped Layla and Hannah with unpacking their belongings. Even though she was unaccustomed to physical labor, she enjoyed the change of being somewhat anonymous in her task. The exercise felt good, and she was glad to be spending time with her girlfriend. It was also a pleasure to meet Layla’s roommate and see where Layla would be while she was at sea. It would make picturing her in her surroundings much easier.

That night as Layla had dictated the entire group when out to dinner. They took the opportunity to visit one of Layla’s favorite restaurants near school, which had a deck on which they could sit. Hannah and her parents seemed excited at the princess’s presence but managed to reign in it enough that she went largely unnoticed by the other patrons of the place. After dinner Hannah went back to the hotel with her parents while Layla and Anastasia retired to their own hotel suite. Once again the security team quickly settled on a schedule for the rest of the night while the women closed themselves in the privacy of their room.

“I feel disgusting after all that moving,” Layla said. “I definitely need a shower.”

“I do as well. You can go first if you would like.”

“Thanks. I will just be a little bit.”

Each of them showered to wash the dirt of the day away before settling down in bed with the TV. Quietness surrounded them for a while as they cuddled together, but finally Anastasia said, “I really loathe the idea of leaving here in the morning.”

The blonde nodded. “I know. I wish you didn’t have to go either. It’s going to be so hard not seeing you for a year. It seems unbearable.”

“I know, but I will try to call and email as much as I can.”

“It’s not the same.”

“No, it certainly is not but it is the best we can do.”

Looking at each other, Layla caressed her girlfriend’s face. “I don’t want you to go. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you, and you didn’t return to me.”

“Everything will be fine. I promise.”

The smaller woman nodded before leaning to gently kiss her girlfriend’s lips gently. Curving her arms more tightly around her, Anastasia pulled Layla closer as the kiss deepened. Both of them moaned as their bodies pressed more firmly together, their shorts-clad legs entangling. The princess had to feel more, as she had described on the phone a few days previous, especially since Layla had seemed so amiable to the idea then, so slowly she rolled her girlfriend onto her back. Layla moaned again at the feeling of her girlfriend’s body on top of her own. She hadn’t stopped thinking about what had transpired on the phone, and she immediately knew this was the last chance she had to feel some of what her girlfriend had described. Deciding to take the initiative, she slipped her hands beneath Anastasia’s t-shirt onto the heir’s bare back.

Anastasia groaned as she felt short blunt nails lightly clinging to her. It was something she had thought about many times but never experienced with Layla, and it felt incredibly good just then. Feeling safe to reciprocate, her hands slid under the hem of her girlfriend’s top to her naked sides as her lips traveled down into her neck.

“Oh, Stasia,” she whispered as electric pulses shot through her beginning where Anastasia’s hands caressed her and fanning outward along her extremities.

“You taste so good,” she replied, licking and nipping the pulse that started to grow rapidly faster under her mouth. Meanwhile, her hands began to caress her girlfriend all over. The left curved around her back while the right took in a hip before heading up toward the edge of her girlfriend’s left breast.

When the princess’s hand gently cupped it, Layla softly cried out as her body arched upward further into the touch. She had never been touched there, but the large tender hand continued to spread warmth through her body. “Anastasia,” she called as her breathing began to turn uneven.

“I have you. You are safe, Layla. Just hold onto me and let me make you feel good.”

Their mouths met again with rising fervor as Layla gripped tighter to her girlfriend’s frame. Her head was spinning at the combined stimulus of lips and hands in new places. Wanting to be even closer, she began to push Anastasia’s t-shirt up. She moaned when the skin of their stomachs brushed, but she wanted even more.

Sensing it, Anastasia rose up enough to remove her own shirt. She could see blue eyes taking in the visual offering before Layla’s hands pulled her close once again. Several moments later Anastasia had worked the blonde’s top up over her breasts and once again had to rise up enough to assist her with it. However, she could tell that Layla was a little apprehensive being exposed.

Smiling gently and kissing her softly on the lips, Anastasia confessed, “You are so beautiful. I love you so much, Layla.”

“I love you, too, Anastasia,” she replied as their mouths met once again in a deeper kiss.

Both women groaned as their half-naked bodies meshed together. It was better than either had imagined in their fantasies. Taking her time, Anastasia kissed along the blonde’s torso starting along the slopes of her chest before moving between her breasts. Layla moaned with pleasure but also some disappointment when they were bypassed in favor of her stomach. Anastasia grinned into the skin, as she tasted it, indulging in the softness of it under her hands and mouth. She could feel the blonde’s hips rocking against her, and the heat and wetness that emanated from between Layla’s thighs assured her that her girlfriend was enjoying her touch. Anastasia lingered on her left hip, taking in the curve of it under her lips before slowly traversing up her side to underneath of her left breast.

Layla cried out as her girlfriend’s mouth explored the underside for a moment before withdrawing, pulling another tortured groan from her. Anastasia chuckled a little as her mouth moved to the other side and explored down to her right hip before settling on her stomach again. “Anastasia, please,” she called, cradling the redhead to her body more tightly.

The princess risked looking up at Layla. Her girlfriend’s eyes were closed and her mouth open as she panted irregularly. Her chest had taken on a reddish hue that she hadn’t seen before but took for arousal, and the pale tips of Layla’s breasts stood rigid in rigid response to Anastasia’s caresses. Knowing exactly what Layla wanted, Anastasia obliged with great joy. She hovered over the crest of her left breast for a moment before kissing it sweetly, which caused a cry. Feeling a hand in her hair pulling her downward, the princess did as directed, taking it into her mouth.

“Oh God!” Layla screamed. Her hips responded with a faster rhythm. The princess could feel a flood of desire coating her stomach, even through her girlfriend’s sleeping shorts. Anastasia alternated her touches, kissing and stroking her skin as Layla began to ascend to the peak of pleasure. She could feel the blonde’s legs shifting against the sheets as they rubbed against her own. “Anastasia! God!”

“I have you, Layla. My God, you are beautiful like this.”

Several minutes passed as they moved against each other. Anastasia could feel the tension build in Layla’s thighs as they clung to her. She knew the signs well enough to know her girlfriend was on the verge of release, but suddenly she could feel Layla’s body tense in another way. “Stasia, please stop,” she pleaded through her panting.

Immediately the redhead did as asked and pulled away, but she was confused. Looking into blue eyes, she asked in concern, “What is the matter? Did I hurt you? Are you all right?”

Layla took gasping breaths as she shook her head. “It’s just too much too fast,” she panted. “Oh God,” she moaned, putting her hand on her forehead. Blue eyes connected with Anastasia’s. “I don’t know if I can take this.”

“I want you more than you could ever know, but I will not force you, Layla. I would never want you to feel conflicted,” the princess gasped, gulping for air to try to reign in her own feelings a little.

“I just can’t,” she said again, with a groan of frustration. “And if we don’t stop now, I’m afraid I’m going to end up regretting this. I’m so sorry I started this.”

“No. There is no need to apologize. I would never want you to regret anything that happened between us. I am so sorry if it felt like I was pressuring you.”

Layla shook her head. Reaching up to her girlfriend’s face, she stroked her cheek for a moment before tucking some red hair behind her ear. “It didn’t feel like you were. I wanted this as much as you did, and it felt so good up until my morals decided to surface,” she said with a soft smile.

Kissing Layla on the inner wrist, Anastasia did her best to settle her own raging hormones to reassure the woman she loved. “I am glad to know that up until then you were enjoying yourself.”

She nodded and blushed a little. “I was. I suppose we’ll just have to leave the rest. It’ll give us something to think about while you’re gone,” she said, hoping that her girlfriend could live with that small consolation.

Rolling off of Layla and onto her side, the princess curved her arms tightly around the blonde. “Believe me when I tell you that I will,” she teased with a smile.

Curling further into the embrace, Layla said, “I don’t want this night to ever end.”

“Me neither but we really should get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow.”

“Could we sleep like this tonight? That way I get to at least feel your skin against mine all night long.”

“Of course. I would love that.”

They exchanged a gentle kiss. “I love you, Anastasia, and nothing will ever change that.”

“I love you, too, Layla. Sweet dreams.”

When Hannah returned to the dorms late that next morning from the hotel where she had stayed with her parents the night before, Layla was on her bed crying. With instant concern, her friend came to her and plopped down beside her on the bed. “Layla, what’s the matter?”

“She’s gone,” she cried.

“Anastasia left?”

Layla nodded. “I’m not going to see her for a year. I don’t know if I can go on that long without her.”

“What do you mean?” Hannah asked in confusion. Even though she knew Layla was a person of profound emotion, she had never seen her friend that distraught over friends leaving before. She didn’t know why the princess would suddenly be an exception.

Knowing it would be difficult to explain to her best friend without telling her the entire story, she tried to regain her composure a little bit. “There’s something important I’ve been wanting to tell you all summer, but I didn’t want to do it over the phone. I’m afraid you might be upset. I couldn’t take it if you were as upset with me as my parents were.”

“That wouldn’t be possible. Your parents are totally strict. They get upset at the slightest stuff sometimes.”

“That’s true,” she conceded with a roll of her eyes. “I think I know how you’re going to react, but I don’t know for sure.”

“Just tell me. I’m your best friend. There is nothing you could say that would upset me. I can tell something’s bothering you, and you won’t feel better until you tell me.”

Layla nodded. Wiping at her eyes, she sat up on her bed, causing Hannah to do the same. Sitting side by side, they were silent for a moment. “I’ve been struggling with something for a long time, but I’ve finally come to peace with it. However, when I told my parents, they flipped out on me. Please promise me you won’t do the same.”

“I promise. I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.”

“Actually they think it is. You see, I, uh, I’m…” She faltered for a moment. She couldn’t take another negative reaction from someone she loved.

Hannah took hold of her friend’s hand. “Layla, I love you. You’re like a sister to me. You can tell me anything,” she assured seeing her hesitation.

“I told them I was gay,” she quietly admitted.

“That’s it?” Hannah inquired.

“What do you mean ‘That’s it?’”

“I thought you were going to tell me something I didn’t already know,” she said with a smile.

“You know?”

“Of course I know. I’m your best friend. It became obvious last year. You may never have said anything, but we all know.”

“Who knows?”

“All of us, Layla. We discussed it on several occasions when you didn’t take interest in any of the cutest guys on campus, even though they were interested in you. We’re all fine with it. We just didn’t want to confront you in case you hadn’t figured it out yet. Your parents lost it, didn’t they?”

She nodded. “Yeah. They were extremely upset. They think I’m going to hell, and they threatened to pull my funding for school if I acted on it.”

“I don’t believe that, and neither do any of your friends. We love you as you are. We’ll just have to start looking for good Christian lesbians for you, but that might be harder to come by in these parts,” she teased, pulling her friend into a hug. “Seriously, we accept you just as you are.”

“Thank you. I was pretty sure you would, but I was just scared after what happened with my parents.”

“Forget them. What do they know? Our faith accepts you, even if theirs doesn’t.” A moment passed between them as they just hugged. “Why you were crying about Anastasia? Do you have a crush on the princess?” she teased. With a flush Layla nodded. “At least you have good taste. She’s a catch.”

“But it’s a little more serious than that,” she confessed. “I’m in love with her, and now she’s gone for the next year on deployment. I don’t think I’ll be able to live without her for that long.”

“Does she know how you feel?” Layla nodded. “Does she feel the same?” Hannah inquired curiously.

“She says she does.”

“You mean to tell me that the princess told you that she was in love with you?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my God! This is huge!”

“Yes it is, but you can’t tell anyone. You have to promise me. Anastasia said if I told anyone the media would hound me, and I wouldn’t be able to have a life. They would follow me everywhere I went, and I couldn’t take that, especially since she’s not even here.”

Hannah nodded. “She’s right. They wouldn’t leave you alone. I’ve seen what they do to her in the papers. Every little move is documented. I wouldn’t want that for you.”

“Then you cannot tell a soul. Not your parents, not our friends, nobody.”

Hannah nodded. “Absolutely. You have my word. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you. It’s a relief to have someone to talk to about it. I’ve had to keep this to myself all summer.”

With a smile Hannah chuckled. “I can’t believe it. You and the princess. Have you two… you know?”

Layla blushed at the question. “No. What kind of girl do you think I’ve become over the summer? I still have my values.”

“She just has a bit of a reputation as a womanizer. She doesn’t strike me as the type to wait is all.”

“Well, I’ve made it clear that I’m not available for that, and she said she respected that decision. So far she hasn’t pressed for it.”

Hannah smiled again. “I still can’t believe it. How far have things progressed then between you?”

“We sleep in the same bed and have made out. Last night we went further than we ever have.”

“Give me the dirt. Tell me she’s good at least,” her best friend teased with a chuckle.

Layla laughed and blushed. “She’s a fantastic kisser, and her hands touch me so perfectly. I’ll admit last night it could have been so easy to give in. She’s just so—I’m not even sure I can describe it. She just makes me feel so alive in a way I’ve never felt before. She is better than any fantasy I’ve ever had,” she admitted with a smile and sigh. “For the first time I know what it feels like to want to be with someone that way, but I will not give way on this issue. She knows I think sex should be reserved for marriage. I think I might just go insane in the meantime, though.”

“I’m so happy for you, Layla. Too bad she doesn’t have any brothers,” Hannah joked after a moment.

Both girls laughed. “Thanks for being so understanding. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“I’m just glad you’ve found someone. You deserve that, Layla. You’re such a good person, and you deserve happiness. I just hope she knows how lucky she is.”

Continued in Chapter 7

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