Author: Mirage
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns the Buffy characters, you know the ritual.

A ticklish sensation on her cheek crept through her sleep into her mind. First only a small nagging noise in the background of her dream it grew louder, announcing its presence distinctly. Clarissa had to react or she wouldn't be able to maintain her desperately needed sleep.

Still in the land of dreams she moved her head slightly to the right but only far enough to put space between her and the tickling and not too much to wake herself up. And it worked. Just as she dove back into the dreaming the feeling returned even more intense than before. She moved again but the troublemaker followed her. If she wanted or not she had to take action again, even if her own movement distanced her even more from her dream. Uncoordinated and fussily her hand moved up to her own cheek to brush the intruder away. It felt like hair and not like her own the already awake part of her mind told her. Clarissa tried to persuade that part that she needed her sleep that something the day and night before had been exhausting but it wouldn't listen. It was already running in high modus to find out whom the hair belonged to and it decided that it needed the rest of her mind to solve that mystery.

As soon as her annoying part of her mind convinced the rest to join the solution woke up her body immediately. Natasha. It was her hair. What meant that they lay together in her bed side by side. A smile crept over her face her eyes still closed, enjoying the suddenly not any longer unnerving ticklish feeling but soft caress of the blond hair when the memories of the last 24 hours hit her and shot her eyes wide open.

She watched the blonde girl next to her as she tried to force her heart back into her chest. It pounded so loud in her ears that she was afraid it would wake up Natasha but the other girl slept on soundly unaware of the turmoil next to her. She looked so peaceful only the purple bruises in her face betraying the horrible things she went through.

Natasha had somehow managed to snuggle up to her, her injured arm resting securely on her right hip. It didn't look comfortable to Clarissa but the sly smile on the witch's face indicated the opposite. The blonde had placed her head at Clarissa's shoulder, her forehead resting against her cheek, the tousled hair causing the earlier ticklish feeling.

Slowly not to wake her up the princess moved away again to have a better view. She propped herself on her right arm and gazed down at the blonde. Carefully her hand sneaked out and touched her forehead. There was still some temperature but the burning heat was gone. She felt the release and joy rush through her body as she realized that they had defeated the fever. Before she could stop herself Clarissa bent down and placed a light kiss at the same place her hand had rested a minute ago. She knew that she risked to wake Natasha up but her joy had needed a way out or she would have exploded and that wasn't an option either.

"We've made it." She whispered. They had made it after all. They had left the darkest part behind them and from now on there was only sunshine in their future. No more brutal family and no more hurting. They would be together and she would help Natasha to heal physically and mentally. And they would live together happily ever after. And before the rational part of her mind could interject she shut it up. This was her happy moment and no one would ruin it especially not herself.

Her head turned around and she watched the first rays of the sun falling through her window. Her eyes followed the flock of wild gooses that past by her window. The summer was nearly over now. It wouldn't take long and the sweltering hot days would only be a fading memory. But she wouldn't be able to forget this special summer. Even now she could feel their first touch when Natasha had brushed over her palm, showing her the difference between their hands on that particular hot day.

An incoherent mumble next to her snapped her out of her pleasant memories and back to reality. Back to the reality of being in one bed with said blonde. Natasha shifted as she fought her way back from sleep. Her eyelids fluttered. Clarissa held her breath, she didn't want the blonde to wake up now. She needed all the rest she could get and to be honest Clarissa wanted to watch her a little bit longer. But Natasha didn't to her the favour as she opened her eyes to look straight at the redhead. Blue eyes locking with green. A small smile formed around her lips but as soon as her smile reached her bruised cheek the blonde winced.

Clarissa sat up alarmed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just have to go without smiling for a while." Natasha answered.

The princess frowned. "But I like your smile."

Awkwardly the witch sat up with a little help from an overprotective princess. "You do?" She blushed.

Clarissa nodded, blushing herself. "Very."

"Really?" the blonde asked a seductively half-grin on her face.

The redhead swallowed. "Yes." She answered hoarsely. After clearing her throat she tried it again. "Really." Her hand sneaked out to caress Natasha's arm and to reaffirm her words. "Sounds like you're feeling better." Her fingers traced small circles on the tender skin.

Suddenly Natasha's features darkened. "I, I have to go." She sat up in a rush, causing her world to spin around. Only Clarissa's hands on her shoulders kept her from collapsing. Gently the redhead forced her to lay down again.

"You can't go."

"But I have to. They will come after me." Natasha struggled weakly.

"Nobody's coming after you. You're safe." The princess reassured her.

"No, you don't understand. They always find me." Her voice shrieked with panic.

"No." Clarissa shouted to get the panicked girl's attention. "They won't come. I bought you from them. You don't belong to them any longer." The girl under her went limb. "You belong to me now." She whispered as she settled back.

"Y-you bought me."

"Yes." But then she saw the shock and hurt in the blue eyes before her. "No! Not like that. I didn't... You're not my property. I bought you, actually Nana bought you with my money, because your family shouldn't see me but technically it was my money that bought you so it was me who bought you but I didn't buy you to possess you I did it to free you from them. I would have done everything to get you out of there and money was the only possibility. And I would do it again, well I hope I don't have to do it again because that would mean that they hurt you again and I will never allow that to happen but I would give all my money and the jewelry even my mothers stupid necklace to save you. But I didn't want to possess you I wanted you to be free and you don't owe my anything." She took a deep breath to continue but a finger on her lips stopped her.

"I get you."

"Really?"

"Really."

The princess exhaled with a sigh. "Good, cause I don't like the thought of you hating me. Makes my stomach go acidy and squeezes my throat tight and there is this bad taste on my tongue. Wanna see?" she stuck her tongue out. "Ith it kreen? Dethinitely tatheths kreen."

Giggling Natasha shook her head but then she cringed and held her stomach with her good arm. "Ouch. Looks like giggling is out of range too."

Concerned Clarissa bent over the blonde. "You should be careful. You have to rest." She took a strand of thick hair between her fingers and twirled it around before she tugged it behind the witch's ear. "I was so afraid to lose you." She whispered as tears dwelled up in her eyes.

Natasha looked to the side and blushed. "I, I'm sorry I'd caused you so much trouble."

"No." The redhead placed her hand under Natasha's chin and guided it till their eyes met again. "You're not trouble."

Natasha shook her head and closed her eyes, blocking the blue from Clarissa's eyes. "I've never been anything but trouble."

"Look at me." The princess ordered. "You're not." She said firmly when their eyes met again. "And you'll never be." Following a sudden urge she bent down to capture the blonde's lips with her own. Natasha's tongue slipped out to moisture her lips in anticipation. But their lips never met as suddenly Clarissa stopped only inches away from her destination. She backed up blushing and lowered her head. There had suddenly been the fear that they couldn't continue where they had stopped. Everything had changed, maybe their relationship too.

Natasha furrowed her brows. "I, I should go." But before she got up the redhead stopped her.

"Please don't go." She pleaded. "It's, I, I don't..." where were her words when she needed them. "I..." She stopped again and took a deep breath, hoping that Natasha would stay long enough for her to get her words out. "I don't know if we can go on from where we stopped."

Natasha's face went pale but she nodded, swallowing her own tears down. "I understand."

"No, you don't. I want to continue I just don't know if you want after what happened."

"B-but I want. Why shouldn't I?"

"Give me a minute and I'm sure I'll come up with a hundred reasons." Clarissa said insecurely.

A seductive smile returned to the blonde's face as her index finger waved Clarissa to come nearer. "Then maybe we shouldn't wait that long."

"Maybe not" Clarissa muttered as she followed the invitation. And this time there wasn't any hesitation as their lips met. First it was a soft careful kiss as Clarissa wasn't sure if she hurt Natasha. She shifted her weight on her left arm and bent down further, her right hand positioned next to the blonde's head. She felt Natasha's hand in her hair, pulling her down closer. A small moan escaped her throat as she felt the fire behind the full lips that captured hers. The taste of the blonde surrounded her senses, diving her deeper into her own desire. But soon lips weren't enough, she wanted to taste more go deeper and when Natasha opened her lips slightly and invited her in she didn't have to ask what to do. Her tongue developed a life of its own as it darted out into the mouth under her. Her tongue was greeted by the blonde's one. First the slowly teased each other. Only their tips met and drew back as they played with each other, both testing how far they could go. Then their tongues circled each other, entwining around each other, the fire inside of them growing with every touch.

Just as Clarissa was about to remove her left hand from its position next to the blonde's head, shifting all her weight on her other arm to trace it down Natasha's body a knock on the door to Nana's room tore them apart.

Clarissa jumped out of the bed and smoothed her dress before she sat down on the chair next to the bed and tried to catch her breath again. Then she straightened herself up and with a last look at the blushing witch called Nana to come in.

The door opened slowly to reveal a wicked smiling nurse. When she saw the two blushing girls and their tousled hair her smile grew knowingly. She stayed at the door blocking the view into her room.

"Looks like our patient feels better." The deepening red at the blonde's face indicated just how good their patient felt right now.

Clarissa cleared her throat. "Her fever's gone." She gazed at her nurse and when their eyes met she felt that the old woman could see right through her camouflage. Ashamed to be caught she lowered her head.

The smile on Nana's face stayed. "Well maybe I have something to make her feel even better. Although I think you did everything to make her feel good." The old woman couldn't resist to add just for her own amusement. Then she opened the door just wide enough to allow a particular black cat to sneak through the gap between her and the door.

"Kitty!" Natasha called in surprise, holding her arms wide open for the cat. It followed her invitation and purred as tender fingers ruffled her skin.

"Where did you find it?" The princess asked surprised and a little ashamed as she had forgotten completely about the cat and her promises.

"We did find each other." Nana looked at the cat, their eyes meeting in understanding.

"Thank you." Natasha only lifted her head shortly to look at the nurse before she returned her attention to the cat. "I thought I'll never see you again. Where have you been?" She addressed the cat which just purred as an answer, rubbing her head against the hand that crawled her.

Clarissa felt a short jolt of jealousy run through her as she watched how lovingly her friend caressed the animal. She shook her head shortly but firmly to drive that ridicules emotion away.

Willow sat up from Tara's lap and searched the room with her eyes. When she didn't find what she was looking for she bent forward, lifted the blanket and looked under the bed. She scooted nearer to the bed's edge and her head vanished under the bed, her left leg wiggling in the air to keep her balance.

"Honey?" Tara asked worried. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Muffled voice from under the bed answered her.

"Sweety, please come up." Tara patted the place next to her. "All your blood will rush into your head and don't whine to me at night when your feel all dizzy again." She took her lovers legs and pulled her back.

"To late." She sighed when she saw Willow's already Rubin-red head.

"Where is she?" Willow asked.

"Who?" Tara asked back confused.

"Miss Kitty? I haven't seen her today." Willow tilted her head. "Thinking about it, I haven't seen her for a long time."

Tara frowned. "I haven't seen her too." She cupped Willow's face and brushed a strain of red hair behind her ear. "Don't worry," she kissed her forehead. "I'm sure she's alright and will come back to us." Gently she guided her back into her lap and continued her story.

Nana crossed the room and Clarissa stood up to offer her her chair as she reached the bed to look at her patient. She thanked her silently and sat down. "We haven't been introduced yet. I'm Nana her old, week nurse." Clarissa was about to protest but the nurse stopped her with a dismissively gesture.

"Natasha."

Nana nodded. "So Natasha let's look how you're doing." Then she took Natasha's head carefully into her hands. Lightly touching her thumb examined the bruise and swelling around her eye. The blonde winced but didn't back away even not when Nana lifted her right eyelid to get a better look at the eye.

The nurse nodded satisfied. "The swelling is fading but it will take its time. How's the vision. Blurry?"

"No. It just hurts a little." Natasha answered.

"Good. The fever's down." She checked her forehead before her attention shifted to the broken arm. "This one will take longer." She examined the splints. "You have to be careful not to derange them." Her gaze shifted to the redhead. "Both of you."

Clarissa swallowed but nodded. "Don't want you to get a crooked arm." With the help of the chair's back Nana lifted herself up with a sigh. "some more days in bed and you'll be fine."

"I don't have to rest. I'm fine." Natasha insisted. "I want to be useful."

"I'm sure you feel fine but you stay right there." The nurse said sternly. She bent down to whisper into the blonde's ear. "And the little princess over there would panic if I allowed you to get up this soon. And if you get up against my advice you will have to deal with both of us." She straightened up and stretched her back. "Got me?"

"Yes." Natasha answered meekly.

"Fine." The old woman grinned then she turned serious. "You have to be careful." She addressed the girls. "In this room and outside. This castle has more ears and eyes than you might think and I won't always be able to protect you."

The girls followed Nana's advice. Natasha had stayed in bed for the whole week and Clarissa had enjoyed to fuss over her, playing the overprotective hen. On one occasion even Nana had admonished her that although she never heard of a case of death due to overprotectiveness but that she was sure that she would witness the first case if the princess continued. It had earned her a giggle from Natasha and a furrowed brow from Clarissa who mumbled under her breath

On one occasion even Nana had admonished her that although she had never heard of a case of death due to overprotectiveness before she was sure that she would witness the first one if the princess continued like this. It had earned her a giggle from Natasha and a furrowed brow from Clarissa who mumbled under her breath that they couldn't be careful enough and that taking care of someone was a serious thing she wanted to get right. She never had had the possibility to take care of someone before. She had always been the protected one, mostly not for herself but for her status as a princess.

She wanted desperately to make it right, to make up for everything that Natasha had gone through in her life. Although the blonde hadn't yet talked to her about what exactly her family had been doing to her for all those years but from what she had witnessed with her own eyes she could imagine some of it. She could wait till Natasha was ready to talk about it although sometimes at night when she watched over the blonde's sleep her own mind tricked her, flooding her with its own creation of what they had done to her, how they had tortured her through her whole life. And every time Clarissa had to tell herself that Natasha had survived all this and had become a beautiful woman on the in and on the outside. And that now she was here, next to her, sleeping safe and sound and that it was her responsibility to ensure that it stayed this way.

"No one will ever hurt you again. I take care of this with my life." She whispered into her sleeping lover's ear. The only answer to her promise was a small murmur as Natasha tightened the grip around Clarissa's hand and buried her face deeper into the shoulder she used as pillow.

They still slept in the same bed and Clarissa hoped that this would never change. There had been some discussion in the first place when Natasha offered to sleep on the small hay filled bed that had been arranged in Nana's room. But Clarissa had insisted that she stayed, that the second bed was only there because her second maid officially needed a bed and they couldn't reveal that there was enough room for the new maid in the princess' bed even with the princess in it. Half heartedly she had considered that she could sleep in Nana's room so that the blonde could recover without any disturbance but she had been more than happy when the witch had suggested with a slight stutter that they could sleep together as in next to each other in the same bed.

That was all they had been doing. Sleeping next to each other. There had been kisses, soft and tender kisses and some fierce, hungry kisses, caresses and touches, a soft brush over a bare arm, fingers gliding through soft, silky hair, everything harmless. Clarissa didn't deny that there had been occasions when she wanted to go further, way further but she had always found the willpower to stay strong. First due to Natasha's injuries but they had faded. What hadn't faded was the insecurity of how far the other girl wanted to go. Both hadn't had a relationship before, they had confessed it to each other during one of their long talks and both were nervous how exactly to progress. They would take the slow route, waiting till everything happened naturally, although Clarissa sometimes thought that it all went too slow for her 'nature'. But she was happy. Happy like she had never been before. She savored every single moment she shared with Natasha.

And there weren't enough moments in one day for her to spend them with Natasha. For the first two days Natasha had slept mostly through the days regaining some of her strength and Clarissa had stayed by her side. First on her uncomfortable chair but after a cheerfully accepted invitation in bed with her, the soft, curvy body of the witch pressing against hers. Breathing had became a difficult issue then but after half a day she had been able to draw enough air into her lungs to prevent fainting.

On their first day she had left her alone for only as long as she could run forth and back from her library, bringing some of her books back with her. The ones that had meant the most to her in her life till she had met the shy witch. Of course she hadn't left her on her own, she had made sure that Nana was with Natasha for the short time she had needed to collect her books. Then she had settled back into her place and had opened the first one. But she hadn't been able to read a single word as she found much more pleasure in watching the blonde sleep. She had watched her chest rise and fall with deep breaths. Had touched her golden hair and had traced the lines of her face with her eyes and sometimes her fingers had gently followed the path her eyes had outlined. In spite of what had brought the blonde into her bed it was the luckiest time in her life.

But there had also been dark moments. Every time Natasha had whimpered in her sleep, had winced in pain or when her delicate features had darkened in memory of the past. But even worse had been the times she couldn't be with her. And there had been a lot. Her mother had demanded more of her time, forcing her to listen to her endless ramblings about what a gorgeous man Phillip was even if he wasn't a prince. But in her mother's eyes he had enough riches and properties to compensate for the shortcoming. Clarissa hadn't known till then that her mother was a woman of equality. It had been hard to her to even listen to half of what her mother had said. How could she, when her mind showed her blue eyes that promised love and trust and that peeped at her from under heavy lids, the blue bordered by long, curved lashes. The princess had always seen herself as a woman with willpower strong enough to resist temptations but looking into deep blue eyes she was lost unable to even spell the word resistance.

And her mother hadn't been the only one wasting her time. It wasn't something personal she had against Phillip but he wasted her precious time too. The time she could have spent with someone else talking about her life and dreams instead of listening to his plans and little stories that would have been amusing for everyone except her. She didn't want to hear the newest rumors and gossip, wasn't interested in hunts and horses. She appreciated his tries as he asked her about herself, her interests and if it had not been for a special blonde she might have found him more than nice and might have enjoyed his presence but now this was out of question. She was happy every time he said goodbye and she could return to her room where she didn't have to think about the future he and her mother were planning for her but live in the moment and dream about a future with Natasha by her side.

And then the day came when Nana allowed Natasha to leave the bed and everything changed.

"Can I get up now?" Natasha asked in a tiny voice.

"If you feel fit enough." The blonde nodded enthusiastically at Nana. "But be careful the bones in your arm will need at least two weeks more to heal properly. Don't lift or carry heavy things." A second nod was her answer.

"Are you sure she's strong enough? Maybe a day or two more in bed..." Clarissa asked, her voice carrying concern and disappointment.

"'I'm fine." Natasha reassured the redhead with a smile. "See." She stood up and wiggled with her fingers and toes. Her cat used the opportunity to suck up to her legs, rubbing herself against her skin. The blonde crouched down and scooped the cat up into her arms. "See, Miss Kitty is on my side." She rubbed her cheek against the cat's head, looking coyly at the princess.

But Clarissa still wasn't convinced. "I don't know." She shook her head. "What if you ram your arm into something?"

"I will be careful." Clarissa opened her mouth to interfere but the blonde carried on. "I have to do something. I want to be useful. I can't lie there doing nothing any more."

Natasha's words hurt the redhead. The last week had been far from nothing and useless for her and she had thought that the witch felt the same. But her words indicated the opposite. "Useful." She whispered as she lowered her head. She stayed like this till she felt Natasha's hand under her chin, lifting her face up to look at her. "The last week was very useful for me." Clarissa's lower lip trembled.

A smile and a soft kiss on her cheek was her reward. "Of course it was. It was my best week although I could have done without the beating up to end up here." She tried a joke but the tears in the princess eyes hinted that it wasn't a good joke. She took a deep breath and began again. "I have to do something, I always did something. It gives me the feeling to be useful and needed." Her next words were only a whisper. "I never felt useful."

"But you are. You're essential." Her words were emphasized by her fingers that traced first Natasha's cheeks and then her full lips. Both hadn't realized that Nana had left the room when their small 'dispute' had started. A small cry of surprise escaped Clarissa's mouth as the blonde opened her lips slightly, tasting the fingers with her tongue.

"M-maybe we should stop." The words stumbled out of her mouth incoherently.

Natasha released her valuable prisoners. "But it makes me feel useful." Natasha answered, a smutty smile plastering her features.

"Vixen." Clarissa prepared herself for more to come but suddenly Natasha turned around and headed for the door. "B-but..." Clarissa's hand reached out but she was too late.

On the door the blonde turned around. "See you later. I have to help Nana."

"Wait." The princess called out. "Meet me here later after lunch. I want to show you something."

The witch nodded and vanished.

The next four hours were pure torture for the princess. For a whole week now she hadn't been separated that long from Natasha and her whole body ached for her. First she paced through her room then she laid down into the bed, hiding her face deep into the pillow the blonde had used. She inhaled deeply, the scent calming her senses for a short time. But soon the scent wasn't enough, she needed the blonde, wanted to burry her face into her hair and not just into her pillow.

Nothing helped, not her books in her library nor the boring lunch with her mother and her staff. Through the whole time she had looked out for Natasha, hoping to spot the blonde somewhere but she had vanished. Clarissa cursed herself that she had never been interested in where the servants worked. A shout or a ring with a bell had always been enough to bring one of them to her but she couldn't do that now.

Finally the lunch was over and Clarissa headed back to her room happy to find Natasha there, already waiting for her.

"You're here." She noticed cheerfully, pulling the other woman into a fierce hug.

"Of course I'm here." Natasha laughed, pulling herself just enough out of the hug to look at the redhead.

Clarissa collected herself and nodded. "Of course. You nodded when I asked you and that should have indicated that you would follow my request. I just wasn't sure and four hours are a long time to think about if you really nodded. Maybe you just shook your head to get rid of an annoying strain and it happened just in the moment I asked you."

"But I'm here."

"Yes, you are." Once again Clarissa found herself lost in blue eyes.

"So what did you want to show me?" Natasha asked.

"Oh, yes." The redhead took Natasha's hand and guided her to her door. "It's in another room."

Her excitement grew as closer they got to their destination. Would Tasha like it? She desperately hoped so. It meant everything to her and she wanted to share it with someone. No not with someone, she wanted to share it with the blonde.

She wasn't bothered if the whole castle saw them as she pulled the witch along with her through the long corridors to her special room. They giggled on their way and Natasha looked more than once over her shoulder to make sure that no one took notice of them.

Finally they had reached their destination. A big wooden door.

"Close your eyes." Clarissa ordered, still heavily breathing from their run.

Natasha obeyed and closed her eyes.

"No cheating." To be on the safe side Clarissa shielded Natasha's eyes in addition with her hand. Only when she was sure that the blonde didn't see a thing she opened the door and lead the other girl in the middle of the room.

"Stay here and don't open your eyes." She whispered softly, her breath causing Natasha's skin to creep with pleasure. She shut the door and leant against the rough wood, watching Natasha from there.

"You can look now." Her voice was filled with excitement.

As Natasha opened her eyes she found herself in the middle of Clarissa's library. The room wasn't big but except for the window the other three walls were covered with shelves from the bottom to the top and every shelve was filled with books, every size and color. The room was filled with the heavy smell of old leather crushing down on her senses. Amazed the blonde reached out to touch the leather clad spines then she turned around to face Clarissa.

"I've never seen that many books in my life." Her eyes sparkled. "It's beautiful."

"One thousand--thirty-two." Clarissa explained proudly as she stepped over to the blonde.

"Have you read them all?" Natasha asked impressed.

"Everyone, except for the cooking books. I've got bored after reading over fifty pages about a monk's rambling over how to make the best beer." She chuckled and Natasha joined in.

Then she covered Natasha's hand that still caressed the spine with hers. "We could learn here together." Her gaze wandered to her studying table at the window. "No one will disturb us. We can stay here all day and we could tell Nana to bring us our lunch. We can continue our studies. And maybe we could do ... Some magic?" She asked with a little cute pout and big puppy eyes.

The blonde watched her, her eyes reflecting her inner fighting emotions. "That sounds great, but I can't stay here the whole day." Natasha's hand left the spine taking Clarissa's into hers.

"Why not?" The redhead asked as her plans crumbled around her.

"I have work. I'm your new maiden, remember?" The witch joked but Clarissa wasn't responsive for any jokes right now. With force she pulled her hand from the caress, leaving an irritated Natasha behind.

"I didn't bring you here to work for me. I could have had a maiden before if I needed one. I brought you here to be with you, to spend time with you. Only you and me." She stated harsh but the tears shimmering eyes betrayed her.

"I want that too. We could meet here after my work's done." Natasha stepped closer but didn't take the redhead's hand again. "I need to be useful."

"I know that." Clarissa snorted back, shocked over her own harsh words but she couldn't take them back.

For a moment her words soot between them, filling the air around them.

"I, I should go." Natasha didn't wait for an answer as she headed for the door and left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Clarissa snapped back to reality with the slam, realizing what she just had done. "Tasha." She called out but the blonde was gone.

She had to go after her and apologize for her stupid outbreak. She had her hand on the doorknob about to pull it when she heard two voices from outside. She recognized them immediately. The first one belonged to Tasha and the second, a male one to Phillip. Suddenly she couldn't open the door anymore.

"Damn." She muttered under her breath. Carefully not to attract their attention she opened the door just wide enough for her to peek through. Wordless she thanked god that she had ordered to oil the hinges some weeks ago so that she could sneak in and out without being heard to visit Natasha.

Natasha and the Count faced each other, Phillip holding both of her shoulders like he was to stabilize her while the blonde had lowered her head, looking at her feet.

"I, I'm s-ssorry." She said her stutter back at full force.

"Nothing happened." Phillip assured her being a real gentlemen. 'Although as a gentleman he could let go her arms right now' shot through the jealous part of Clarissa's brain. She had to put all her inner strength together to not storm out there and get her hands on him and his off her Tasha.

But the two went on with their conversation without noticing her and her raving heart.

One of the Count's hand traveled under the blonde's chin lifting it up. He tilted his head to get a better look at the girl that still didn't look him into the eyes. "You shouldn't hide a beautiful face like this one." He showed his white teeth with a big smile and finally broke the body contact.

Natasha only blushed more about his compliment, her eyes shortly gazing up to meet his before she lowered her head again. "Th-thank you." She curtseyed.

"So you're her new maiden." He drew his conclusion.

Natasha only nodded, still looking to the ground.

"Hm, looks like I have to find someone else for my horses but at least you being here, will give me the pleasure to see you more often." He flirted obviously with her.

"I shouldn't bother your time any longer." Natasha curtseyed again. Clarissa noticed that the blonde didn't feel comfortable in her position but that didn't do anything for her jealousness. But right now all she could do was wait and watch. She desperately wanted to talk to Natasha making up for what she had said earlier but she didn't want to meet the Count because that meant she would have to spend more time with him and that was the last thing she needed right now.

Her hand tightened around the door knob to get some of her anger out of her system as she saw the Count taking Natasha's hand into his and kissing it on the back. "You never bother my time." He answered nonchalantly as he hinted a bow and continued his way. Without looking back Natasha took the other direction leaving a very angry Clarissa behind.

"Arghhh. I hate him. Him being with Clarissa is awful enough but him bothering Natasah... It's just arghhhhhhhhhhh." Willow announced disgusted, closing her fingers around an imaginative neck.

Tara decided to ignore her girlfriend and continued.

The redhead closed the door again and leant against it. She clenched and unclenched her fists. Her day was getting worse and worse and with the Count in the castle it could only get worse. She definitely didn't want to spend her afternoon with him, wasting more time. Now she had to stay the whole afternoon here hiding from him. She paced her small room. Normally she would be glad to be here but right now it was too small for her and her emotions. She had to do something but she was condemned to sit here till it was safe for her to leave her sudden prison.

Clarissa walked over to her table. Maybe she could get her mind off her situation and do some work, writing her diary. A lot had happened the last week and she hadn't been able to write it down. She opened her inkpot and took a new quill out of the drawer. With a small knife she sharpened it till it fulfilled her demands. She looked at the blank parchment before her, her fingers sliding over the rough surface. She closed her eyes concentrating on the feeling under her fingertips. It was her way of meditation. Deeply she breathed in and out, feeling her body relaxing. "Don't think, just write it all down." She admonished herself. The writing would help her focus, would calm the storm inside her. She twirled the quill between her fingers, thinking about the first sentence. The first was always the most difficult, all the others would come on their own.

Then she dipped the feather into the ink and began to write.

She had already filled ten pages with her thoughts when suddenly the door opened. She looked up expecting to see Natasha but it was only the Russian lady-in-waiting.

"Hey. How dare to come in here without my permission." She hissed and pulled her drawer open to hastily put her writings out of view.

But the Russian waved her hand dismissively. "I'm not interested in your scribbling." She said a boredom coloring her voice. "Actually you hum... you country people are all boring."

"Then why don't you leave us alone?" Clarissa asked angry.

The other woman sighed. "You don't know how much I want to but I can't." She got closer, intruding the princess' private space and whispered into her ear. "But I'm bound here to fulfill the queen's wishes." Clarissa backed away in her chair but the lady-in-honor didn't notice. She tilted her head and played with her necklace. "Actually it's only one wish." She nodded. "One simple wish and I'm gone."

Clarissa snorted. "Good luck, my mother never has wishes just orders."

"I've noticed that." The Russian said, her voice sounding frustrated.

"What do you want from me?" The princess asked hatefully. "You should better return to her, maybe she just voices a wish and your not there."

"I'm not interested in you and your little games. If I was, you would have noticed by now. Be sure of that." Her eyes narrowed before her false smile reappeared with a snap. "I'm only here to tell you that your mother asked for you."

Clarissa nodded. "Tell her I'll come in a minute."

The Brunette curtseyed elegantly and was about to leave the room, when Clarissa called her back. "And Anyanka, never come in here without my permission again."

"No!" Willow screamed. "You can't do that, you can't let her ruin the story."

"Baby, she has been in that story for a long time." Tara explained.

"Yeah, but I didn't know it was her. She doesn't belong there. She'll destroy everything." Willow tried to convince her girlfriend.

But Tara just laughed. "Baby it was her in the first place who told me the story."

"Did not." The redhead pouted but Tara ignored her as she continued the story.

Spending her afternoon with her mother and Phillip had been as pleasant as spending it with... Actually she couldn't think of anything as unpleasant as her recent afternoon and she wanted to never ever think about it again. Well there was a part of the afternoon she wanted to remember. The part where she had showed Natasha her library.

She had been delighted to share her love for knowledge with her only other love and she had been proud when she saw the amazement and fascination in the blue eyes. Everything could have been wonderful but she had to ruin it. Ruin it completely and maybe even beyond repair.

Through the whole teatime with her mother she had wanted to bang her head on the table to punish herself for her stupidity and her harsh words to the one person who had already been yelled at enough in her life and who deserved it the least. She had seen the pain in Natasha's eyes but even then she couldn't stop herself and she hadn't been able to run after her. She had told herself that she couldn't leave her library or she would fall into her mother's hands. But to be honest she had needed the time to refocus on what had happened and why she had acted like that. Her only answer was, that it had been disappointment and injured pride. Well her punishment had followed on the heels: An afternoon with her mother.

And now she had to make it up to Tasha. But she had to find her first and that mission proved to be more difficult than expected. First she had looked at her room and the one that Natasha officially shared with Nana without success. After that she had strolled the floors and rooms of the castle not really knowing where to look for the blonde. It wasn't as if Natasha had seen a lot of the castle in the last week so there wasn't a favorite place where she could look for the witch. Although deep down in her heart she hoped that her bed was Natasha's favorite place.

She had even visited her library in the week hope that her friend had returned and maybe waited there for her. But she hadn't had any luck no matter where she searched for the blonde. Panic rose as it occurred to her that Natasha might have gone back to the only other place she knew. Back home to her family.

Her tide turned when she finally found at least Nana. Nana, the woman who knew everything that happened in the castle.

"Nana." She shouted after her as she saw the old woman at the other end of the floor.

Her nurse turned around and looked puzzled at the princess running up to her. "Don't scream around here. It doesn't befit a princess and I'm not deaf." She mocked the redhead but turned serious as soon as she saw the concern written all over Clarissa's face. "What have you been up to?"

Clarissa's lower lip trembled and she bit on it to stop it before she answered. "Something really stupid."

"That's what I figured out myself." Nana had grabbed the desperate princess by her arm and guided her to a quiet niche. "And you should go to her and apologize."

"You've seen her?" There was hope in her voice and shame at the same time.

"Yes, but she wouldn't tell me what happened." The nurse's questioning gaze lay at the redhead, expecting an explanation from her.

"I have to go to her. Where is she? She didn't go back to the farm, did she?" Frantically Clarissa turned around searching the place for the blonde like she expected her to show up any second.

Nana sighed as she realized that she wouldn't get a proper explanation here either. "No she didn't. She's still here and I don't think that she thought about going back."

"We had a fight." Relieved that the blonde was safe it broke out of Clarissa. "Actually it was more a fight from my side and a fast flight from her side." She lowered her head ashamed.

"You two don't quarrel much?" The old woman asked.

"Never, till today." Clarissa still couldn't face her nurse. Not after what she had done to the blonde.

"Well, it's over now." Nana tried to reassure her and laid her hand on her shoulder, squeezing it but she only achieved the contrary.

"Over? How can it be over? I just found her." Clarissa's head shot up in despair, locking eyes with her nurse. She shook her head in disbelief. She knew she had been mean and had wanted to hurt but that punishment was to cruel.

A sympathetic smile played around the old woman's thin lips as she realized the misunderstanding. "The quarrel is over." She explained calmly, her hand patting the shoulder it lay on. She felt the fear leaving the redhead as she relaxed under her touch.

"Oh, yeah." Suddenly she felt really stupid. A small blush formed on her cheeks.

"Ah, at least a little bit color returned." Nana pinched Clarissa's cheek with her bony fingers. A little mean smile played around the corners of her lips as the redhead squirmed out of Nana's grip. Nana knew how much she hated the cheek-pinching and it had always been her way of punishing the princess since she was three years old.

"Please, where is she?" The back of her hand rubbed over her own cheek where she still could feel Nana's lingering pinch.

"She went with Carl."

"Carl?!?!" Clarissa froze, her hand still on her cheek. She didn't know this Carl but she didn't like him already.

"The coachman. Stephen's father." Nana shook her head defeated. "You should learn the names of your servants."

"Oh, that Carl." Clarissa nodded vehemently, pretending to know his name. "And where can I find him?"

"Honey, use the thing between your ears. Where would you look for a coachman?" Nana teased her, a finger knocking against Clarissa's forehead.

A look of mild shock crawled over the girl's face as she realized where she had to go. "No!" she sighed defeated. "Doesn't the punishment ever stop today?" She muttered as she strolled to her destination.

There she was. The place looked even bigger and scarier than before. She sneezed as the mixture of hey and horse hit her nose. Why had Natasha always to hide in a stable when she searched for her to apologize. "Must be Karma."

"I can do this. I've done it before and I can do it again." She muttered to herself in the effort to find the bravery to go in there. "The last time you ended up on the back of a horse and hit the ground with your head in the middle of a storm." Her courage faded leaving only the heavy knot in her stomach back.

"And I found Tasha." She grinned self-absorbed as she remembered waking up in the small hut, seeing the blonde for the first time and finding herself naked in her bed. She liked the naked-in-bed-and-being-with-the-blonde-in-the-same-room part. Only if she found that constellation again there would be an other end to that scenario than the last time when she fainted.

She took a deep breath and jumped up and down preparing herself for her next step. "I can do this, I have to do it." She repeated her mantra in the hope to fool herself long enough to believe in her own words. She rolled her head around before her eyes fixated the gate. "One step after the other."

What was easy to spell wasn't easy to do. She lifted her right leg but it didn't follow her order to move forward nearer to the stable.

"She's in there." She told it and all the other parts of her that still doubted her decision. "Move." She ordered between gritted teeth and finally her body obeyed her. Reluctantly but it obeyed her and that was all that mattered.

As she opened the gate the inside of the stable was laid out before her. It was still full of horses like the last time she had seen it and they seemed as scary and mean as before. She had hoped to see Natasha without stepping further into this hell. She could have called for her, calling her attention but no such luck for her on her lucky day. For a second she thought about calling for her nevertheless maybe the blonde would hear her and show up but her yelling could make the horses angry at her and the last thing she could use right now where 25 angry horses snapping with their sharp teeth at her and stomping with their big hoofs on her. "I want to keep all my limbs." She reminded herself.

Carefully in the middle between the boxes she walked through the stable turning her head right and left to make sure that none of the horses could jump at her.

"Hello? Anyone there?" She whispered more than she spoke the words.

Suddenly she realized that one of the boxes was open. Paralyzed with fear she froze at her place her gaze focusing on the box only some feet away from her. But no evil horse with fuming nostrils and red gleaming eyes appeared. She could even hear a quiet inharmonic whistle coming from there. Boldly she walked to the box and peered into it. She exhaled deeply when there wasn't any horse in it but the old coachman who shoveled the dirty straw with a pitchfork into his push cart.

"Excuse me, uhm... Carl." At least she had remembered his name.

The old man turned around. His face told her that he had never expected to find the princess in his stable but he recovered fast and bowed. "Milady." He took his hat down and kneeled it nervously between his big hands.

"I'm looking for my maid. Have you seen her?" It sounded strange in her own ears to call Natasha her maid and although she knew that the coachman had been there to rescue the blonde and would at least have some superstitions regarding her relationship with Natasha she wanted to keep it as much a secret as possible.

To her relief he nodded. "Where is she?"

"Over there." The old man pointed behind the last box where they kept the hay. When he directed his next words at the princess she knew that it had to cost him all his courage to do so. "She is sleeping. She seemed so lost and exhausted."

The princess just nodded her gaze already directed behind the last box. "Thank you." She whispered before she crossed the stable to Natasha's hidden place.

She stopped as soon as her gaze fell on the sleeping beauty. It took her breath away and starting from her heart a sweet pain shot through her whole body. She had to lean against the next post to stabilize herself as her legs weren't able to carry her weight any longer.

There on the hay carefully tugged into a blanket lay the blonde and next to her was her cat guarding her. The pain Clarissa had caused her had left her face. She looked vulnerable and innocent with only a black cat to protect her against the violence of her life.

How had she ever been able to hurt her? There was no excuse and all that Clarissa wanted was to make it up to her and hope that there might still be a future for them, if the blonde was willing.

Clarissa left her safe post to crouch before the blonde. She just sat there not moving or touching the blonde, afraid she would wake her up. Nevertheless the other girl must have felt that she wasn't alone any longer as she opened her eyes slowly, locking them with the redhead's green ones.

"I'm sorry." Clarissa whispered.

"You didn't wake me up." Her friend answered with a small smile the sleep still heavy in her voice.

"No, not for that, for yelling at you. I'm so sorry and I want to make it up to you starting right now." The princess lowered her head. "If you let me."

A soft hand on her chin and a tender kiss on her temple made her look up again. "It's alright."

"No, it's not." Clarissa shook her head, sometimes she couldn't understand how Tasha was able to be so understanding. Why she never condemned but forgave. "And there isn't an excuse for what I've done." She waited till Natasha told her with a nod to continue. "I'm so happy that I found you and I want to spend all my time with you. It hurt my pride that you didn't feel the same. I could only think about hurting you too." She tilted her head and looked with big puppy eyes at the blonde. "Please, don't leave me." She begged, tears shimmering in her eyes. She had never been more afraid in her life except for the day when she had found Natasha beaten up. But if the blonde decided to leave her now at least she knew that she wouldn't die.

"Of course I won't leave you. I could never leave you." There was nothing but love in the blue eyes that looked at her. "And I want to spend every second of my live with you. I even want to dream about nothing else but you and only you. But we can't always have what we want. There are restrictions in live." The blonde seemed so grown up and knowing that the princess couldn't do anything else but love her even more. "But they make everything you have so much sweeter."

Clarissa gazed at the blonde admiring. "I fell in love with you and I never want to fall out of it." She whispered. She couldn't think of anything else but the love she felt for her lover.

"I love you." The blonde answered before she bent forward to kiss the princess.

"So you're not mad at me?" Clarissa asked with a childish voice after they broke the kiss.

Natasha smiled at her and kissed her head. "I'm not mad at you."

"Fine." The smile returned to the redhead's face and she sighed in relief. "Can we go now?" She looked around suspiciously. "I don't like stables that much. They give me the creeps. Too many horses."

The witch chuckled. "I feel safe here. I used to hide under the hay as a little child and the smell still sooths me." She pulled Clarissa with her as she stood up. "And I like horses. They're gentle." Her hand clasped around the redhead's hand and she led her to the box next to her. "Especially this one." She held her other hand out into the box, offering her palm to the horse in there.

"I don't think you should do this." Clarissa pulled at the hand holding hers as the horse came closer. She pulled more forcefully when she recognized the horse. "Especially not with this one." But the blonde stayed calm her palm still offered to the horse.

"Let us go, please." She pleaded in panic.

Natasha turned her head around to face her. "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt you." She smiled reassuringly.

"It already hurt me." The princess shrieked. "Th-that's it. It kidnapped me and threw me off." Her free hand pointed at the horse that had reached Natasha and sniffed at her hand.

"Oh it was him?" Natasha stroke the white horse. "Then I should bring him a bunch of carrots as a thank you."

Clarissa looked puzzled at the girl in front of her. "For bringing you into my life." The blonde beamed at her and Clarissa couldn't do anything else but beam back although for her they were still too close by that horse.

"Uhm, I think Carl could give it the carrots from us. Can we go now?"

"You had to bring it back, didn't you? And what's up with all the stables?" Willow asked. "You're supposed to tell me a story to sooth me not to punish me with horses and stables... and men on horses." Willow added. "That flu is bad enough without you torturing me."

"Aww. Poor baby, but I promise you a happy ending. Okay?" Tara tried to sooth her.

"But I want happiness in the middle too." Willow insisted.

"Okay, one moment of happiness coming up for you." Tara promised.

"You're sure you're ready?" Clarissa asked nervously. "We could wait one or two more weeks it wouldn't matter." She looked at her fingers that fiddled with her sleeve.

"I'm sure." Although she couldn't see it, the redhead could hear the laugh in her friend's voice. "I've waited long enough."

"I'm afraid I might hurt you." Clarissa whispered her eyes searching for Natasha's.

"You could never hurt me." A tender hand stroked over the redhead's smaller one, stopping it from fiddling. The blue eyes that had captured hers told her nothing but the trust that their owner had in her. How could she fail her?

Clarissa swallowed. "But I don't know how. I want to make it right."

"You will. It's easy." Natasha reassured her again.

"Look." The redhead held her hands out. "I'm trembling."

Natasha took the trembling hands and led them to her lips to kiss every single finger. Clarissa closed her eyes and a small moan escaped her throat as the tingling sensation rushed from her fingertips through her whole body. She could even feel it in the roots of her hair.

"Better?" Natasha asked with a crooked smile as Clarissa opened her eyes to stare at the blonde.

"N-no." Her hands were trembling even more now.

"I can do it myself." Natasha offered and wiggled with her brows.

"NO! I want to do it, really." The redhead took a deep breath. "I'm just, it's just..."

"I trust you." The witch interrupted her.

"But..."

"I trust you." Natasha smiled at her. "And even Nana told you that you can do it. There's nothing to worry about." Natasha laid the big scissors into her shaking hands.

"Just a few cuts, it's nothing more." Natasha hold her splinted arm in front of the princess. "Here, here and here." She pointed at the bandages that held the splinters.

Clarissa nodded and took a deep breath. She led the scissor to the first bandage but stopped herself. "What if I cut your flesh?"

"Then you have to do first aid. And You can use the bandages you cut open." Clarissa's face went green as she imagined the blood streaming from a big cut at the pale arm before her. She still stared at it as a gentle hand under her chin forced her to look up again.

"You'll do it great." Clarissa opened her mouth to interject but Natasha continued. "There are no 'buts'. Just do it."

There was so much trust and love in the blue eyes before her that Clarissa couldn't to anything else but share that trust. She nodded slowly. "Well, I don't trust myself... but I trust you."

The blonde blushed and lowered her head. After a moment she looked up again. "Then lets start. I've worn this long enough." Her left hand rubbed over the splinters. "C-can you hurry up?" She asked. "It itches and I want to scratch this particular spot here for over two weeks now."

Playfully Clarissa swatted the blonde's fingers away. "I need room to work." She tried to sound like she knew what she was about to do. "Stay still." Her tongue darted out as she concentrated on her task, trying different ankles to hold the scissor before she positioned it and cut through the fabric. She held her breath till the first bandage fell apart. Clarissa only looked up for assurance after she was sure that she hadn't cut through skin instead of fabric.

Natasha smiled at her. "Like I told you. You're doing just fine."

A big grin appeared at the redhead's face and she turned back to her work.

"Done." She declared proudly after she removed the last splinter. Then she waited. "How does it feel?"

Natasha twisted her wrist and wiggled her fingers. "Good." A sigh escaped her lips as she scratched over her arm.

Then she leaned forward to rest her hand on the redhead's cheek. Slowly covering every inch her fingertips glided over the soft skin sending a shiver down the redhead's back. "But this feels even better." She whispered her voice filled with desire.

Clarissa leaned into the touch and closed her eyes to regain her composure. If Tasha didn't stop right now she wasn't responsible for what would happen next. She already could feel her whole body reacting to the small caresses.

But Natasha had no intention to stop. "I've waited so long for this." Her hand vanished into silk red hair. A small moan escaped the redhead's throat as the gentle finger massaged her scalp.

"If I knew how good it felt I wouldn't have hesitated to cut your splinters loose." She managed to get out. "Maybe I wouldn't have waited two more weeks." Her voice answered feeble to the blonde's caresses.

Natasha giggled before she turned her full attention back to her task. The tip of her tongue darted out as her left hand joined her other in ruby-red hair claiming it hers.

Her right hand surfaced from the red tide to wander back to Clarissa's cheek and then south to her jaw. Her thumbs brushed over Clarissa's lips, evoking a second moan from deep down of the redhead's throat.

She continued her journey and suddenly Clarissa was happy to sit already on the bed as her legs turned into jelly. Gently fingers travelled down her neck and traced her collarbone resting there for a moment. As they were to continue their way Clarissa stopped them holding them in place.

Natasha looked up surprised to lock eyes with the princess. "Are you sure?" Clarissa whispered.

The blonde nodded her eyes fixated at the place just above the princess heart.

"You don't have to if you don't want it." Clarissa wanted to make sure that Tasha wanted it as much as she wanted. She couldn't bear it if the blonde's attention was only out of gratitude.

Natasha frowned and pulled her hand free from under Clarissa's touch. "I, I'm sorry." She backed away as she tried to flee from the bed but Clarissa grabbed her arms and stopped her.

"No." Clarissa said firmly. "Don't go." Her voice grew softer.

She scooted closer and squeezed the blonde's arm. "Tasha, look at me." She demanded gently. When their eyes met she continued. "I really want it. You can't imagine how much I want it. I lie awake at night being so close to you, touching you, feeling your breath under my touch and I only can think about what I want to do... With you." She blushed as some of her memories about what exactly she wanted to do came back to her.

The loop-side smile returned to Natasha's face. "Really?"

"Really." Clarissa smiled back.

"Then why don't you do some of the things you dreamt of?" Natasha blushed at her own words but her smile revealed how much she wanted to experience Clarissa's dreams.

The princess just stared at her as her brain tried to communicate with the rest of her body, ordering it to do something. Anything!

Nervously she edged closer to the blonde till their bodies touched. Thigh brushed against thigh and only the sound of two heavily breathing girls filled the room.

Their eyes met and the princess drowned in the blue pools of desire that looked at her. There was no need for her to think anymore as her body took over control. She bent forward and captured Natasha's full lips with hers. Natasha mirrored her motions as she grabbed Clarissa's hair, pulling her closer.

Their lips parted to let their tongues began their play. There was no teasing only lust that rushed through their veins as their play became more passionate.

Clarissa didn't know if she was lightheaded from the kiss or from the lack of oxygen in her lungs. Nevertheless she groaned disappointed as the blonde pulled back from her. She snapped forward to capture Natasha's lower lip between her teeth and bit tenderly into it before she let go.

Natasha looked at her in surprise and Clarissa felt her blood rushing into her cheeks as she blushed.

"Did I hurt you?" Clarissa asked shyly as her thumb examined the blonde's lip.

Natasha shook her head and just stared at the princess.

The redhead giggled nervously. "Could you please say something? The not talking makes me kinda nervous. Cause I always talk especially when I'm nervous. It's like I'm a little teapot. All the nervousness bubbles up inside me but instead of hot steam all the words stumble out of me. I can't control it. Just like now. There is so much heat inside me forcing all these stupid words out of me. Help me please. Talk." She pleaded with big puppy eyes.

Natasha smiled pitying at her but didn't say a word.

"I could really need your help here." Clarissa continued. "Cause it's getting kind of serious. See, my arms joining my words. Now I'm a babbling and arms waving idiot." Her arms waved through the air.

"I can't." Natasha whispered. The simple response stopped the redhead.

"Why not?" She asked softly.

"Because w-whenever I'm n-nervous I'm starting to stutter." She blushed and lowered her head to hide her face behind her hair.

The princess giggled. "Looks like we complete each other."

Natasha looked up. "Perfectly." She whispered sultry.

This time a kiss wasn't enough as they went for each other. Arms and legs mingled as Clarissa lowered Natasha down onto the bed and climbed onto her. She stayed there for a moment without moving as she took in the sight of the blonde under her. With every exaggerated breath her full breast pushed through the fabric of her shirt against the princess chest.

She growled in frustration as the plain shirt prevented her from feeling the soft skin under her. Her hands travelled south where the shirt vanished under the blonde's skirt. Forcefully she poured it out from there and up till her eyes caught the full breasts.

She gasped in delight. They were exactly like she remembered them. Even better. Clarissa looked up to meet Natasha's gaze.

The blonde tugged at her dress. "Take it off." She pouted.

"Need your help." Clarissa answered breathless as she turned around to present Natasha her back were the dress was laced up.

She felt Natasha's finger's pulling harshly at the strings without success. "Why did you have to wear this dress." She sighed.

"Because you laid it out for me." Clarissa answered as she twisted her arms to her back to help the blond in her task. "Take the scissor." She demanded. She wouldn't lose any more time due to this damn dress.

The blonde didn't hesitate to follow her orders.

Clarissa inhaled deeply as the cage around her chest vanished. She struggled to get out of her dress and through it away before she lowered down onto the blonde again.

"Thank you." She whispered into her ear before she nibbled at her earlobe.

"You're wel..." Natasha arched her back, pressing herself against the small redhead.

A new wave of arousal shot through her small body as Clarissa felt the blonde's full breasts pressing against hers. She scooted down, her tongue wandering over the hot flesh beneath her till her head was at one level with her aim.

She smiled impishly as she considered which breast would get her attention first. Clarissa inhaled deeply. Her senses were overwhelmed with Tasha. Her smell, her touch and taste. Everything around Clarissa was Tasha. She was her prisoner and her conqueror.

She kissed the place where her mouth touched the delicate skin earning a small moan from the blonde before her mouth turned to one of the nipples in front of her.

Her tongue circled around it wetting it. She could feel Natasha squirm under her with desire and her own grew. She loved it to cause such feelings in the blonde.

Two hands cupping her face forced her up. She bent down and kissed the breast before she followed the order and trailed along Tasah's body. But her fingers stayed were her mouth had been, tracing small circles around the delicate flesh.

As soon as she was at one level with the witch's face, she was pulled down into a fierce kiss. A little cry escaped her still captured mouth as she felt fingernails tugging into her back leaving her red mark behind.

And suddenly the same hands were at her lower back, clutching her cheeks and shifting her up along the blonde's body.

A little movement more and Clarissa felt a leg between her thighs that forced her to open her legs. And suddenly the same leg rubbed against the already hot spot between her legs.

She growled in a mixture of desire and frustration. Only a second ago she had been the leading person here and suddenly she was the seduced one. Not that she was to complain. There wasn't enough strength in her left to complain. But she wanted at least to be equality.

Her head snapped back from the kiss and she looked into eyes that were glazed with lust. She breathed over the blonde's neck, her hot breath over tender skin sending small shivers through the blonde as she tugged at Natasha's skirt.

Without breaking the eye contact her trembling fingers managed to open the knot that held the skirt in place and with on rush she freed the blonde from it.

Her eyes lowered to take in the new sight. She added as her fingers glided through the blonde curls.

Natasha raised her hip to give the redhead better access and Clarissa didn't hesitate to follow the invitation.

The blonde had closed her eyes and bit her lower lips as the princess small caress rushed through her whole body. She lifted her leg again bringing it to the same place between Clarissa's legs again.

Just a little up and down was enough to burn the redhead from inside. She moaned as the thigh stroked her most sensitive place, feeling her own wetness covering it.

And before she could react the leg was joined by a hand.

When it entered her a gasp was her only answer.

Tara stopped, a dreamingly smile on her face.

Willow looked up and waited for the blonde to continue. But nothing happened.

"Tara? Honey?" She asked softly, tugging at her sleeve.

Lightly startled Tara shook her head to get back to reality and looked down at the redhead.

"Penny for your thought." Willow offered with a smut smile.

"Oh I think you had enough for free." Tara countered with a smile and bent down to kiss her girlfriend. "And the last scene was all the soft porn you get in this story." She promised.

"Do I get at least some heavy post-sex snuggles?" Willow begged with in a childish tone after her pouting didn't show the wished for effect.

Tara titled her head like she was suggesting the beg. "Oookay. "She stretched the word. "I think a mini-snuggle scene is possible. Only for you."

Clarissa rolled on her back, a satisfied smile covering her features. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply till her breathing was back to a normal rate.

When she opened her eyes again her gaze fell on Natasha who watched her happily. They stared at each other, reliving the intense moment they had shared just a moment ago.

"Come." She patted her own shoulder to tried to move more than her hand.

Natasha's grin widened as she scooted over and lay down on Clarissa's shoulder. Her blonde hair rubbed over the redhead's shoulder as Natasha searched for a comfortable place to settle down.

"How can you be so energetic?" The princess asked wearily and yawned after Natasha had settled down, her arm spread out over Clarissa's chest.

The witch didn't answer but nuzzled into redhead's neck leaving a lingering kiss there. Clarissa's head tilted back and she purred in response to her lover's caress.

Natasha giggled into the red hair sending a new shiver through the princess' body. "You've spent too much time with the cat." She whispered into her ear.

"I'm not the one with the claw's here." Clarissa gave back. "I'm the one with the marks on her back."

"Poor baby." Natasha said sympathetically. "anything I can do to make it better?" She asked sensually as her leg sneaked between Clarissa's.

The redhead nodded and closed her eyes. "Just stay where you are."