The large jet landed on the air strip, signaling Laura's and Zenesha's time alone was over. They now had to settle back into their roles as Queen and bodyguard. Soon they were off the plane and placed into a luxury car sent by the Prime Minister of Dreso, bringing them to an embassy.
They got word that Empress Vera Veroso had also arrived shortly after them. Both parties would take the rest of the day to rest before meeting tomorrow at the parliament building. They were free to stay in the embassy or roam the capital city until then.
Laura and Zenesha wasted no time and quickly headed towards the fox's room. It was a luxury suite with a common area, a kitchen, a large bath and hot tub, and four separate rooms with their own personal bathrooms. Truly an opulent place.
"Zenesha, look at this kitchen, it's magnificent!" Laura said as she looked around. "I'll definitely cook you something amazing tonight."
"I can't wait." The fox said with a smile only Laura would be able to recognize.
"I'll work extra hard on it tonight since it's to celebrate us getting together!" The wolf said with obvious joy.
Watching the excited puppy bouncing around with her tail wagging, Zenesha's heart couldn't help but swell with emotion. There was a certain amount of pride in the fact she managed to make a void creature fall in love with her.
Walking over to Laura, who was checking out the knives, she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman from behind. She leaned against the solid muscular form of the wolf and let out a satisfied sigh as she buried her face in the crook of the wolf's neck.
"What can I do to help?" Zenesha asked, whispering into her ear.
Laura shuddered slightly at this. Zenesha was never this forward, but now she was suddenly taking the lead. Considering up to this point it was Laura who initiated these moments, the wolf didn't know how to react when she was on the receiving end.
"Let's go grocery shopping first my Princess, I'll tell you how to help while we cook."
"Sounds like a plan, let's change first then."
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Dressed in sweatpants, tennis shoes, a baggy hoodie, and a black mask covering the bottom half of her face, Zenesha was unrecognizable. Laura was dressed in jeans and a blue hoodie that was similar in color to Zenesha's sky-blue eyes. The fox did not notice this detail however to Laura disappointment.
The two of them walked through the aisles of the closest supermarket they could find and were quickly filling their cart with ingredients. Laura was currently holding two different packaged steaks in her hands, comparing them. She scrutinized them with such seriousness that Zenesha couldn't help but laugh a little.
"You're going to cook them with just your gaze darling." She said, her tone full of amusement.
"It must be perfect though." Laura said looking up from the two cuts of steak.
"Anything you cook is perfect, so don't fret over it so much.
"Thanks for the praise."
Laura seemed to have decided on what she wanted and quickly moved on to the next section of the store. The fox obediently followed behind full of anticipation for the meal her girlfriend was planning to make. Laura was one of the best chefs she's ever had the pleasure of enjoying the food of.
After wandering the Grocery aisles for a while, Laura had grabbed everything she could need. After paying for the ingredients, she teleported them back to their room. She had set out everything on the counter. Washing her hands and putting on an apron Laura was ready to start cooking without delay.
"Hope you don't mind, but can you dice that onion up for me?" She asked Zenesha.
"Of course not." The fox responded. "If it means tasting your cooking faster, I'm happy to help."
=======
Once dinner was ready it was a meal consisting of medium rare steaks, a side of mash potatoes, asparagus and a salad. Laura placed the two plates on the dining room table located in the common area. The plates were placed next to each other instead of opposite so she wouldn't have to separate from her fox.
As the two of them ate, they engaged in small talk, mostly consisting of trivial things. At one point they even discuss what they planned to do tomorrow at the meeting. However, as they continued eating Laura couldn't help but note that Zenesha seemed to become increasingly nervous.
Eventually the fox said what was on her mind when they were about three quarters of the way through their meal.
"So, you've mentioned before the different ways your kind can anchor yourselves to my world before." She started.
Laura paused her movements, a juicy slice of the steak hanging in the air in front of her as she turned her attention to Zenesha.
"What about it?"
"You mentioned love was one of them. I was wondering if there was a process we had to go through or if that was an automatic thing."
"... There is a process, yes." Laura answered, her voice low and serious. "But it isn't necessary right now."
"Why not?" She asked, feeling weirdly hurt by her words. Even though she knew this wasn't the case, it felt like the wolf was saying she didn't love her enough.
"I don't know what marking you would do." Lauar explained. "Void energy would enter your body, and I'm not willing to test the effects of such a thing with you at risk."
"Oh." Zenesha said simply. "I'm willing to try it whenever you're ready, I would hate it if my girlfriend disappeared on me."
"Never." Laura said, nudging her fox with her shoulder. "Even if that did happen, I would fight to make it back to you as soon as possible."
"I would do everything in my power to bring you back myself."
"Thanks Princess." Laura said with a grin.
After that the mood at the table lightened up again. Letting the two lovers continue with their earlier conversation about Laura's time on another earth. She apparently learned most of her cooking there. There was even anime!
Soon enough it was time to sleep. With dinner eaten and the kitchen cleaned, the two of them headed into one of the bedrooms, ready to end the night in each other's arms.
As the two of them settled into bed, Laura wrapped in the foxes arms a sudden idea came to mind.
She shifted slightly, lifting her head up and pressing her lips to the fox's, pulling away after a few seconds. With a proud and cocky grin on her face, the wolf addressed the wide-eyed fox.
"Good night kiss." She explained to the adorable little fox "This will be a nightly thing."
"...I… would like that." Zenesha said her face flushed red
"Of course you would."
=======
Inside the parliament building the two lovers were escorted to the main assembly hall. There the Queen of Zari and the Empress of Veroso would sit down to discuss the terms of their peace agreement.
It was mostly formality, the details rarely changing, but it was still important to affirm its relevance not just for themselves but for their people.
However, Laura didn't care about that anymore. The moment she arrived at the building, she felt something unpleasant. The unsettling feeling only grew the deeper they went into the building. Eventually however she and the others emerged onto the large circular room.
Most of the seats were empty, but there, located at the central table, she saw the source of her unpleasant feeling. She didn't register the Empress or her people, nor did she notice the Prime Minister greeting Zenesha with a warm smile.
No her eyes were on the tall blond man with blue eyes that seemed to gleam gold at certain angles. His white outfit catches the light of the room, making him stand out as a beacon even with the flashily dressed Empress nearby.
It was an Angel. Assistant and warriors to the Celestials.
'Why would one be here now!?' Laura asked herself on the verge of panicking. 'Aren't the Celestials supposed to be gone?'
"Laura, are you okay?" Zenesha asked with concern.
The wolf realized her group had already moved from the door leaving her standing by herself. Shaking her head and containing any remaining void energy still hanging loose
around her, Laura made her way to Zenesha. She silently took her place behind the fox feeling anxious.
Without being able to tap into her full power properly she wasn't capable of fighting an Angel right now. Her only hope now was to pray they didn't notice she was from the void. Unfortunately for Laura the blond kept sneaking glances in their direction.
The meeting seemed to drag on far longer than Laura was comfortable with. She felt stuffy, hot and short of breath. She hardly heard the meeting, her focus entirely on the Angel. Time was torture and it ticked by agonizingly slow.
"I think this is the perfect time to break for lunch. We can convene later to continue talking." The Prime Minister said when the discussion reached a good breaking point.
The others agreed and soon enough Laura and Zenesha were in a private room enjoying the lunch the wolf prepared for them. The fox was at least; the wolf couldn't even taste it. Her mind stuck on the Angel from earlier.
"Lola, is everything okay?" Zenesha asked, full of worry.
"There's an Angel here." Said Laura without explaining.
".... What?"
"There's an Angel here." She repeated. "I may be in actual danger."
"Should we leave?"
"No, this meeting is too important for you, we can't leave."
"Your safety is more important to me."
Before Laura could argue with the stubborn fox and explain why putting her country's safety in danger for a single person could end badly, they heard a knock on the door. The two of them fell silent as they stared at it. After a few moments Laura opened her mouth.
"Come in."
The door swung open, and the person revealed themselves. It was the Angel. They greeted Zenesha first, giving a respectful bow before turning to Laura with a sharp gaze.
"I hope you don't mind your majesty, but I need to borrow your bodyguard for a few moments.