Diana found the necessary materials and packed them in a picnic basket. Together, they walked out of the manor and crossed a field to a patch of lavender. They gathered a bunch of flowers before spreading a blanket under a nearby tree. Diana threaded a needle and gave it to Akko along with a spool of thread. She threaded a needle for herself. "Take one lavender and push the needle through the center of the stem. Stack the next one on top so that it forms a chain." She stacked lavenders one after the other.
Akko grabbed a handful of flowers. "Ok, how long should it be?"
"About 8 inches."
In a few minutes, they made lavender strings of desired length. Diana sat to Akko's right and floated the book between them with a spell. She activated her orb to record the ritual. "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
She waved her wand over the lavender strings. "Eg Veiti. I, Diana, heir to the House of Cavendish and Baroness Wedinburgh, hereby pledge my love and loyalty to Atsuko..."
"S-say that again?"
She cleared her throat. Maybe, her voice was too soft and Akko didn't hear. "I hereby pledge my love and loyalty..."
"Sorry... I meant, before that."
"That I'm heir to the House of Cavendish and Baroness Wedinburgh?"
"You're a Baroness?" Akko's eyes were wide with surprise.
"Not yet. When I claim the title, I'll be styled Baroness Wedinburgh."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Diana cancelled the spell and looked at her worriedly. She remembered the time when Akko accused her of being an aristocrat. Did she have something against nobility? "Does it bother you?"
"No... I was just surprised, that's all. Are you royalty?"
She forgot that Akko wasn't that familiar with noble families. She might as well tell her now. "No. A Baron is one of the lowest ranks of aristocracy. I don't have as much influence compared to the Duke of Bevonshire who is one of my relatives."
Akko's eyes grew even wider. "You're related to a Duke?"
"Yes. I'm still Diana, just as Amanda is still Amanda."
"Amanda is an aristocrat too?"
"Centuries ago, her ancestors were once kings of Ireland. The clan lost their hold on the throne, but they're still very influential. Amanda isn't in the direct line, but her side of the clan is quite prominent." She held her hands. "Once again, if this bothers you, we don't have to do this."
"Sorry... I'm just like... wow... it's like a movie. Do you end up going to fancy parties a lot?"
She sighed. "More than I care for. I get invitations because of my status. Remember the Coven?"
"Oh yeah."
Was it her imagination, or did Akko seem suddenly reluctant? Diana swallowed nervously. This argument was a bit underhanded. "If you're with me, you have to come too. The cakes are very good."
Akko perked up. "Really?"
"Just as good as milk puffs. I'll do all the talking. You don't have to worry about dealing with people."
"That would be great!"
She hoped that it was enough assuage whatever worried her. "So... umm... do you still want to continue?"
"Ah, yes! I'm sorry that I interrupted."
Diana recast the spell. "I, Diana, heir to the House of Cavendish and Baroness Wedinburgh, hereby pledge my love and loyalty to Atsuko Kagari."
"I, Atsuko Kagari hereby pledge my love and loyalty to Diana Cavendish."
Diana intertwined fingers with Akko and moved her wand over the lavender string. Akko crossed her wand over hers. Together, they chanted, "Sibophe Endawonye."
Their lavender strings floated towards their intertwined hands. Akko's string wound around Diana's wrist while Diana's wound around Akko's wrist. The ends of the strings knotted together.
"And now we wait for an hour."
"What about the next page?"
"The second part is a more permanent binding." Diana blushed. "It's only done when witches get married. The one we did is a temporary binding. We'll renew it every year."
"Oh..." Akko's cheeks flushed pink and she looked shyly at her. "So... what else do we have to do?"
"The string is fragile. In order to complete the ritual, the string should remain intact for one hour."
"That's it?"
"Yes. That's why we're sitting so close."
"Has it ever broken before?"
"Sometimes by accident, sometimes deliberately. If a witch pledges falsely, the string dissolves on its own."
"Really?" Akko stared worriedly at the string.
A soft breeze blew, scattering lavender petals into the air. Tall grass rustled, whispering an invitation to nap under the cloudy sky. Here and there, birds gathered seeds or frolicked among the trees, thrilling soft chirps to each other. Diana felt very peaceful surrounded by such a pastoral scene, especially with Akko.
"Umm... I think my foot fell asleep..." Akko fidgeted.
"Already?" Diana checked her watch. They had been sitting for over half an hour. She sighed. It could happen. "Let's lie down for a bit." She pressed her forearm against Akko's, determined not to break the string. "Move with me. Slowly..."
They lay on their backs with their shoulders touching. "This isn't so bad," thought Diana.
Akko pointed to a cloud. "That one looks like a tree."
Diana scanned the sky. "The one over there looks like a dog's head."
"That one looks like Prof. Finneran on a bad day."
Diana laughed. They looked for patterns in the clouds and made silly stories about them. Sometime later, Diana heard dogs barking in the distance.
"Is your foot better?"
"Yes, much better." Akko lay on her side. "May I kiss you?"
Diana faced her and put her right hand on her waist. "I thought you'd never ask." Akko shifted closer and leaned forward. Such soft lips... Diana could easily lose herself in such sweet kisses.
After kissing for a few minutes, she heard loud rustling from the tall grass. Diana looked over her shoulder to see a rabbit running through the grass.
Akko made several high pitched squeaks then the rabbit ran over and squeaked at her. Meanwhile, the barking of dogs sounded closer.
"I'm going to lift us so we can sit." Diana flicked her wand and cast a floating spell. Carefully, they oriented themselves into a sitting position. Meanwhile, the rabbit cowered behind the tree. While they were floating, Diana noticed a man riding a horse in the distance. Then she understood. "Akko, a hunter is coming. Tell your little friend to stay near you. I can't guarantee its safety if it's far from us. There are dogs."
Akko squeaked and the rabbit hid behind the basket.
She sighed. Why did this have to happen now? The dogs came first and prowled near the basket. The hunter galloped over.
He tipped his cap. "It seems my quarry has disturbed your picnic. Allow me to get rid of it for you."
Akko gasped and Diana squeezed her hand to reassure her. "The rabbit is my guest, and I don't believe I gave you permission to enter this estate."
"Permission? Why would I need permission on public land?"
"This isn't public land. Public land ends where those Birch trees are." Diana pointed to a row of trees in the distance.
"I didn't see a fence." said the man in a curt, defensive manner.
"The fence may have fallen. For that, I won't accuse you of trespassing. Now that you know, I ask that you take your hounds and leave at once. Otherwise, I'll be forced to remove you."
The man laughed. "A little girl like you? I'd like to see you try!"
Her wand flashed and a few teleports later, the dogs and the man were gone. "Tell your friend that he may be back so it must not go near the Birch trees until tomorrow."
Akko spoke to the rabbit and the rabbit replied before leaving them. "She's very grateful."
"Good. Now, I believe you weren't done kissing me."
"Yep! So pucker up!" Akko closed her eyes and made an exaggerated pucker with her lips.
Diana chuckled at the sight and planted a quick kiss on those waiting lips. They leaned against the tree trunk and exchanged more kisses. A few minutes later, she felt a tingle on her left wrist and looked down.
"Oh no! It's disappearing!" exclaimed Akko in a horrified tone.
Diana quickly checked the time and breathed with relief. She squeezed her hand gently. "It's all right. Just watch."
The lavender string faded and solidified for a few seconds before turning into rainbow colored mist. The mist glowed briefly and when it faded, lavender flowers were imprinted on their wrists.
"Whoa..." said Akko who touched her skin. "Will it stay like this?"
"No. It'll fade in a day. With this, the ritual is complete," said Diana proudly.
"Yoooshhhh!" Akko hugged her tightly and gave her a noisy kiss. "MWAAAAHHH!!!"
Diana laughed and kissed her just as noisily. "You silly."
Akko hugged her tight. "I love you!"
"I love you, too."
-----
When they returned to the manor, Anna said, "Miss, Mrs. Parker and Mrs. England would like to visit you tomorrow."
"Did they say why?"
"They wish to discuss their daughters."
Diana wanted to return to Luna Nova in the afternoon. "Please tell them to visit at 10 AM."
"Are they Hannah and Barbara's mothers?" asked Akko.
"Yes."
"Why are their mothers coming here?"
"Something must've happened."
When they reached her room, Diana activated the scrying mirror and displayed Luna Nova News. She looked for an article that was related to the incident in the cafeteria. Finding none, she checked the forums and found a discussion about the Star and the Rebel. Her eyes scanned through the discussion list. The school prohibited gossip on Luna Nova News, so the press club had resorted to using the forum.
"It looks like they heard that I refused to eat with them."
"Just for that, they want to talk to you?"
"The Parker and England families are in good terms with the Cavendish. I think their mothers prefer that it remain that way." Diana turned off the mirror. "Even though I'm here to rest, we still have some homework to do."
"I'll go get my notes."
After Akko returned, they went to the library and did homework. They were still doing homework when Anna fetched them for dinner. After dinner, they continued working on homework and finished around 9 PM.
Akko stretched back on her chair. "Finally! That took sooooo long!"
Diana suggested, "We haven't done it in a while. Let's stargaze."
She immediately stood up. "Ok!"
They gathered their charts and walked to the front door. Akko took her broom out of the closet but Diana didn't. "Aren't you getting yours?"
"No need. Besides, didn't you wonder what it's like to stargaze with someone on your lap?"
Akko blushed. "Now?"
Diana winked. "Now's a good time. Nobody will bother us."
Akko clenched her hand in a confident pose. "Ok! Let's do it!"
They went out and Akko mounted her broom. She scooted back to make room near the handle. Diana carefully balanced herself on Akko's lap and put her right arm around her shoulders.
"Ready?" asked Akko.
"Go ahead."
They rose slowly until they were about twenty feet above the manor. There was a slight breeze, so Diana clipped the page of the star chart to keep it open.
"This isn't too bad," said Akko who looked relieved and pleased with herself.
Diana kissed her cheek. "You've come such a long way. Now you can fly with someone on your lap!"
Akko giggled and kissed her cheek. "Thanks to you!"
They spent about fifteen minutes making notes before Akko nuzzled her cheek. She turned her head and met her lips. As they shared kiss after kiss, Diana felt so free and she could just fly to the moon with Akko.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew and the broom tilted sideways.
"Aaahhh!" Akko grabbed her waist, but they were already slipping.
Diana hooked her knees over the broom and quickly cast a levitation spell. "I got you!"
"Are you okay?" Akko's legs were wrapped around the broom as well.
Adrenalin surged through her racing heart. "Yes."
"How long will the spell last?"
"As long as I want it to."
"Give me a few minutes." Her lips captured hers.
Surprise mixed with suspense at Akko's daring. This was the most unusual way to kiss, but with Akko, the unusual was the usual. Thrill and excitement ran up and down her body over these suspended kisses. She should be scared, but somehow, fear was the last thing on her mind as Akko's lips caressed hers and Akko's arms held her close.
Eventually, Akko drew away with a giggle. "Thanks for letting me."
Diana giggled too. "It's all right. It's fun!"
Carefully, they sat upright on the broom and retrieved their fallen charts with teleport spells. For the next half hour, they made more notes and kissed. When they were done, Akko had a glazed look in her eyes as they floated down. "Best star gazing ever..."
"Indeed." How did Fietta and Rize manage to keep their focus? Half the time, she and Akko were kissing. Although this star gazing wasn't as fruitful as usual, Diana didn't care. She wanted to ride like that with Akko ever since she saw Fietta and Rize do it. They went back in and got ready for bed.
"Is it all right if I stay with you?" asked Akko shyly.
"Of course. You don't have to ask every day."
"I just don't want to intrude on your privacy."
"Are you're still worried about what happened in the bath? Don't be. That's long past."
Akko looked very relieved. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
Diana went back in her room and changed to her pajamas. It wasn't long before Akko came by with her pillow. They snuggled into each other and doused the lamps. Moonlight slipped through narrow gaps in the curtains. She could feel Akko inch closer and the tip of her nose touched hers. She slid her arm around Akko's body to feel more of her. Just by touch, her lips travelled from cheek to lips.
She took her time feeling Akko's lips, tracing its contours, sliding against its texture, squeezing against its softness and embracing its warmth. Meanwhile, the goosebumps spread across the rest of her body as if in protest over Akko's attention on her lips. Her legs wrapped around Akko's, skin touching where it could. Out of habit, she wore pajamas but now she was thinking of wearing a night gown next time, since Akko was just wearing a tank top and very skimpy shorts, so a lot of her skin was exposed.
Her bosom pressed against Akko and she gasped as fabric rubbed against her sensitive nipples. Maybe she should wear pajamas after all. Her breasts were bigger, and she didn't want Akko to notice her body's reaction.
Akko stopped nibbling her lips. "Did I bite you?"
"No." She caressed her cheek. Would she let her? She drew a deep breath. "Akko... do you mind if I kissed you a little differently?"
"I'm doing it wrong, aren't I? I'm sorry. I really don't know how to kiss. I'm just copying pictures."
"What pictures?"
"Er... um... just reference books from the library."
"I love your kisses. You're doing fine. This kiss is a bit more... intimate. If you don't like it, just stop me."
"Ok..."
Diana put her thumb on Akko's chin and surrounded her lips with her own. Her tongue swept lightly over Akko's lips, and then she paused to gauge her reaction. Sensing no adverse reaction, her thumb pressed down on her chin, causing her lips to part. Diana slipped her tongue in and gently poked Akko's tongue. Akko twitched slightly. She did another poke and waited to see if Akko would move away. Instead, she felt something soft touch her tongue. Encouraged, her tongue pushed lightly on Akko's. To her delight, Akko tagged her back. She licked the top of Akko's tongue. Akko did the same thing.
"She's copying me," thought Diana. Her heart beat rapidly in anticipation. Her tongue slid against Akko's, testing and tasting. "Mmmm... is she using bubblegum flavored toothpaste?" She pulled her tongue back and opened her mouth more to invite Akko to explore also. Her heart leapt with delight when she felt Akko's tongue slide by her lips. For a while, she just let Akko feel her. Her tongue swept across the inside of her lips, then tapped the front of her tongue. It slid against her inner cheeks, under her tongue and rubbed against the top of her tongue.
Diana responded by trying to wrap her tongue around Akko's. Soon, they were experimenting and playing with each other. The feeling of Akko filled her with a heavenly bliss. If they didn't have school, she would stay in bed with Akko and just kiss the week away.
Suddenly, Diana began to see stars. She stopped and gasped for air. She was so focused on the kiss that she didn't realize that she was holding her breath. Whenever they kissed, breathing became an afterthought, an inconvenient necessity. Warm air blew over her cheeks. Akko was breathing heavily too. Diana giggled. They were both holding their breaths.
"Is this kind of kiss all right?" asked Diana.
"It felt really personal. Like you were... um... inside me."
Fire seemed to spread over her body. Her innocent words conjured lewd images in her mind. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the warmth between her thighs. "It's only my tongue."
"I mean... it felt like I was melting into you."
She whispered in a husky voice, "Would you like to melt some more?"
"Yes, please."
They experimented with many kisses until the clock struck one. Akko pulled away and whispered, "I should let you sleep. You have visitors tomorrow."
"I love you. Good night." Diana did a quick peck on Akko's lips, afraid if she did the other kiss, she may find it difficult to stop.
Akko kissed her cheek. "I love you too. 'Nite."
-----
Around 3 AM, Diana woke up to snoring. Carefully, she lit her wand and was surprised to find Akko's head on her abdomen. Most of the blanket was pushed over the edge of the bed. Using her elbows as leverage, she began to sit up, and then Akko's head turned left towards her thighs.
"No!" thought Diana in a panic. "Not that way!" She quickly cast a floating spell before Akko moved any further. Carefully, she floated Akko to the left side of the bed. Once again, her bellybutton was showing. The tips of her fingers ran over the smooth skin of Akko's abdomen and slid it towards her bellybutton. She poked it lightly before covering it with her tank top. After tucking her in, she gently nuzzled the top of her head, inhaling her scent. Once the silence bubble was in place, Diana snuggled as close to Akko as possible for more rest. It wouldn't do to yawn while talking to visitors.
-----
Anna led Mrs. Parker and Mrs. England to a sitting room that had a fireplace where a tapestry with Cavendish Crest hung. Diana tugged on her sleeve to make sure the lavender imprint was covered before entering the room. Although there was an armchair closer to the couch where they sat, Diana purposefully sat on the armchair near the fireplace.
"Good Morning, Lady Cavendish. Thank you for allowing us to visit during your rest," said Mrs. England
Diana's eyes narrowed. They knew why she was here. "What did you wish to discuss?"
"It has come to our attention that our daughters have upset you. We heard that they made you drink a vile potion that made you ill so we are here to apologize on their behalf."
"It was my decision to drink the potion. Your daughters mock witches from non-witch lineages. Some of those witches are my friends, so I don't wish to associate with people who mock my friends."
"I believe my daughter was just concerned for your reputation if you keep company with girls who are from a non-witch lineage. She's just looking out for you."
Diana's eyes narrowed with disgust. Mrs. England said 'girls' instead of 'witches'. Now she understood the source of Hannah's prejudice.
"Before the Noir Missile Crisis, magic was declining around the world. That meant fewer girls had the potential to be witches. After the Triskellion appeared, magic is undergoing a revival and more girls with potential are being discovered. Are you saying that you'll turn away those who would add to our ranks just because you don't approve of their lineage? These new witches are the future of magic."
"Surely there are standards and expectations that must be followed."
"Then let me reverse that. Why should a Baroness allow herself to follow the expectations of commoners?"
Mrs. England looked mortified and her hand drooped slightly so that tea dripped onto her skirt. "Oh! P-pardon me." She hastily wiped her sodden skirt.
"Sometimes, I'm embarrassed to call you my friend," said Mrs. Parker. She turned to Diana. "After I heard gossip about you, I went to Luna Nova and spoke to my daughter and Prof. Lukic. You are gracious to take responsibility for the potion, but I still think my daughter has done you a grievous slight. For that, I revoke her privileges which include her allowance and permission to visit town. Through her selfish actions, she lost her friend's trust. I told her that friendship isn't possession. Friends aren't meant to be controlled. Just because you're spending more time with other people, she has no right to interfere and to control how you spend your free time. Furthermore, I'll correct her misconception that having a non-witch lineage doesn't make a witch worth less."
Mrs. England looked at her aghast. "Holly... what're you..."
"Shush, Brittany. I'm not done talking." Mrs. Parker cleared her throat. "I'll remind my daughter of all these things as many times as needed until she understands. In light of the hardship that you suffered, I ask forgiveness for her behavior and I humbly request that you give her a chance to win your trust back."
"In consideration of our families' history, I'll give her a chance, but know that she is starting from scratch."
"That's more than enough. Additionally, please don't hesitate to tell me if my daughter does something stupid like this. I wish to correct her before the situation worsens."
Because of what happened in the cafeteria, Barbara and Hannah had ruined their reputation. Barbara kept it from her mother, but her mother found out anyway. "I will consider it."
"H-Hannah's privileges are revoked as well. I'll make sure she doesn't upset you again. Please give her another chance too," said Mrs. England in a pleading voice.
"It's really up to her to make the effort. If she demonstrates genuine sincerity, I will extend my friendship."
Mrs. Parker just rolled her eyes at Mrs. England and spoke formally. "Thank you for listening to us. We don't wish to interrupt you more than necessary. Allow us to take our leave."
"I appreciate your concern. Anna shall see you out."
Mrs. Parker and Mrs. England followed Anna down the hallway. Diana turned in the opposite direction and then she noticed a vine along the wall. Suspicious, she removed her shoes and cast a spell to make the shoes walk away from the vine. With another spell, she floated. She followed the vine around a corner, and behind a tall cabinet was Akko with a leaf to her ear.
"Did Amanda teach you this?" asked Diana as she floated above Akko.
With a small yelp of surprise, Akko dropped the leaf and turned around to stare at her. "I... uh... I'm sorry!" She bowed.
Diana cancelled the floating spell and gently guided her upright. "It's all right. I'm not mad. But you have to be careful in school."
"Huh?"
"There are still a lot of people who look down on witches from non-witch lineages. We have to be discreet, my love. I'll do my best to stop anyone from bullying you. We may have to look out for..."
"Say that again."
"I'll stop anyone from bullying you."
"Before that."
Diana paused for a few moments before she realized it. She cupped Akko's face with her left hand. "My love." She kissed her lightly. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Akko."
Akko put her hand on top of hers. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I know more magic now."
"You do, but I'm worried about Alice, Minna and Lynn."
"I'll look after them."
"Me too. For now, let's finish packing. I'd like to leave after lunch."
"Ok."
------
They returned to Luna Nova without further incident. After putting her things away, Diana planned to go to the library to do some research about dragons. As she walked towards the library, an arm was flung over her shoulders and her body sagged with increased weight.
"Welcome back! Whoa! What's this?" Amanda sniffed. "I smell Akko's shampoo and lavender." She smirked. "Did you claim her maidenhood already?"
Diana sighed with exasperation. "Please take your mind out of the gutter. I didn't do that. We only did the first part of the ritual. So don't worry. You have until graduation."
"For what?"
Despite her nonchalant tone, Amanda seemed alarmed. "To tell Akko. After Summer Solstice, I'll propose."
Amana shoved her hands in her pockets. "I've nothing to say."
"The future isn't set. It is what we make it to be. You should tell her. Because of the binding, I can tell if..." She steeled herself for the possibility. "...if Akko's pledge breaks. I'll let you know if it does."
Amanda shrugged. "That doesn't matter to me. She chose to bind with you."
"There you go again. Why can't you take things seriously? Why can't you commit?"
She put her hands behind her head and started walking in the opposite direction. "I do what I want."
Diana couldn't help her if she didn't want help. She watched her sadly. One day, she hoped that she could get through to Amanda before she destroyed her own potential.
-----
To be continued in: Hydrangea
-----
References:
In Ep 14, Diana is watching Akko discreetly.
In Ep 10, Barbara and Hannah talk about Diana's lineage.
In Ep 14, Akko calls Diana an aristocrat
The Pledge is based on Handfasting, a ritual from ancient Celts. A handfasting was originally more like an engagement period, where two people would declare a binding union between themselves for a year and a day. The original handfasting was a trial marriage. It gave the couple the chance to see if they could survive marriage to each other. The hands of the couple are clasped and fastened together with a cord, thus the saying, 'Tie the knot'. (Description Source: handfastings.org)