Defying the Void

The night was surprisingly warm. Delilah had invited Breanna to the roof the of Brigmore Manor where she had installed some drinks and food.

 ‘What’s this all about?’ Breanna asked curiously.

‘Don’t tell me you don’t like these midnight picnics now and then?’ Delilah said while she poured the other woman some wine.

 ‘Here, your favorite wine. Was hard to get. There were lots of guards in the area’ she added.

Breanna frowned and asked: ‘Since when do you visit wine cellars?’

 ‘I happened to stumble upon a nice looking one when I was roaming around the city. And then I remembered what day it is’ Delilah informed.

The other woman laughed and sighed: ‘I know. It’s already a year ago since I joined you. Oh what a wonderful day that was. And such a strange one too.’

The two witches sat down to enjoy the clear black sky sprinkled with little white dots.

Ashworth took a sip of her wine before resting her head against Delilah’s shoulder.

 ‘I have yet another gift for you, my dear Breanna’ Delilah said after some silence. She reached behind her and pulled out an object wrapped up in cloth out of a bag.

 ‘T- thank you’ Breanna stuttered a bit. When she took the object in her hand, it gave away a ringing sound.

 ‘It’s a bonecharm!’ she exclaimed. ‘Where did you find it?’

‘I crafted it myself. This charm will protect you in your sleep, my dear. Whenever there is a threat, the charm emits a sound that only the wearer can hear. Besides, the charm is also linked to me. This way I too will be alerted’ Delilah explained.

Breanna smiled and then hugged the other woman. ‘Thank you, Delilah. Thanks for looking after me.

I have a something for you as well!’ She stood up and walked back to the manor.

When she returned she had a large packet in her hands.

Delilah’s eyes lit up as she looked at the exquisite set of brushes and pencils. It was every artist’s dream to have a set like these.

 ‘Although I know you don’t paint that often anymore, I thought you might needed new tools’ Breanna mumbled.

The other woman wrapped an arm around Breanna and pulled her closer. ‘I appreciate it very much. You are very precious to me. Never forget that’ she whispered to Breanna and it warmed the younger woman’s heart.

In Delilah she found the love her parents had never gave her. Maybe that love reached even further than that.

In Delilah Breanna found comfort, trust and friendship.

‘We’ve come far’ Breanna stated as she looked at the full moon shining bright over the gray city.

‘Yes. There are new members each day. How many sisters have we saved from the claws of their family or a cheating husband already?’ Delilah wondered.

 ‘I believe about twenty. But the number keeps growing’ Breanna mumbled.

‘One day, we’ll be invincible. No one will stay in our way. No one will tell us what to do or not to. And you are one of the main reasons why we’re here’ Delilah praised the other witch.

It made Breanna blush.

After they had drank their wine and eaten their snacks Breanna straightened her back and asked:    

  ‘What can you tell me about love, Delilah?’

The other woman was silent for a moment, thinking thoroughly.

Finally she answered.

 “I know that the love of a man is only for a short period of time. It can be traitorous and in the end the love of a man is all in vain. The love of a woman, however, is different.

It can be eternal, like a never ending flame. This kind of love is dangerous as it can kill men. It can bring down an entire empire. This strong, the love of a woman is. And when two women love each other, they can defy the Void itself.”

‘That’s beautifully said’ Breanna was mesmerized once again by Delilah’s way of speech.

‘What do you think about us?’ she asked hesitatingly. ‘You mean our relationship?’ the other woman guessed.

‘Yes, do you think we’re more than just friends?’

‘Definitely’ came Delilah’s direct response. Breanna’s eyes widened. Delilah noticed.

 ‘What? You’re surprised? I thought it was quite obvious. Almost everything we do, we do it together. I always go to you for advice and vice versa. You’re my second in command, so to speak. There’s a reason for that. It’s because I-‘ Delilah stopped midsentence as if she were afraid to say the next words out loud.

Breanna looked down, avoiding the dark eyes of her leader. She felt her heart beat faster than normally.

 ‘It’s because I love you. More than anything else in this wretched world’ Delilah confessed and it seemed like an imaginary weight fell of her shoulders. Breanna’s heart skipped a beat.

The love between the women had never been brought up explicitly by them or the other witches but it was very clear for everyone that Breanna and Delilah shared a different relation than the rest of the group.

However, it had to be confirmed one day.

‘I, I love you too’ Breanna didn’t know where to look. She had always loved Delilah dearly, but she never found the guts to tell her directly.

Delilah placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and stared with intense eyes at the younger woman.

She then brought her head closer to Breanna’s and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, leaving Breanna paralyzed for a few seconds.

 Another kiss.

This one was longer and more passionate. When their lips parted Delilah had a smug grin on her face.

 ‘You’re pretty cute when you’re blushing, my dear Breanna.’

Breanna rolled her eyes, trying to deny the obvious fact. Delilah crawled back up and looked back at the sky and then back to Breanna.

 ‘One day I’ll make a dazzling portrait of you, my love. Although it won’t compete with the real you’ she stated. She offered her hand and pulled Breanna back up.

 ‘Care to spend the rest of the night in my room?’ she asked and Breanna didn’t have to think twice to answer that question.