The Spider Queen

A large mechanical hovercar gradually approached from the horizon and landed at the edge of a seemingly barren field.

Sophie nervously leapt to her feet and hurriedly powered on her communicator. She opened the camera function and checked her appearance multiple times.

No.. no… her hair was a mess! The dress that she was wearing… it really was too plain!

God… she looked terrible!

Sophie began to hyperventilate as negative thoughts began to surface in her mind. Fortunately, her father was right there by her side to place a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Take in a deep breath and remember what we talked about," Duke Peterlor whispered gently.

"You look absolutely beautiful."

His calming words helped Sophie to relax and those painful doubts faded away to dull hums in the background.

Sophie took in a few deep breaths and then gently exhaled. There was no need to panic. Those nasty thoughts were just the self-doubt talking.

The full blue sun was now more than halfway across the sky but the thought of seeing Cleo again made the entire world brighten.

Duke Peterlor chuckled lightly as he saw his daughter begin to fidget and nervously play with the ends of her skirt.

"Come on… why don't we go meet her?" Duke Peterlor spoke calmly.

He placed the chairs back into his storage ring and then held out his hand.

Sophie tightly gripped the duke's palm and let her father lead her towards the hovercar. With every step, the hybrid girl could hear her heartbeat slowly get louder and louder.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Cleo…

Sophie didn't notice at the time but there was a faint pinkish mist that was beginning to spread from the corners of her golden eyes.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Something was calling out to her. It was impossible to describe the feeling but it was almost like there was a thread leading her towards the direction of the hovercar.

A bond…

No… there was more than one thread…

Sophie furrowed her brows in confusion as she felt two tugs. One was noticeably fainter than the other but it was definitely present.

Was there something that she was missing?

Sophie had the vague feeling that she had forgotten something in her excitement to be reunited with Cleo.

The hovercar was only around five hundred meters away so the father daughter duo soon arrived in front of the vehicle.

Whoosh!

An opening appeared in the side of the hovercar and soon a metalloid staircase descended to the ground with a dull thump.

Sophie forgot to breathe when she saw the figure that appeared at the top of the stairs. All she could hear was the rapid beating of her heart.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

It was her.

IT WAS CLEO.

The princess was just as beautiful as she remembered. Long dark curly hair that fell gently below her shoulder.

Perfect facial features, a cute button nose that Sophie had to resist the urge to kiss and pale fair skin that resembled an ice queen.

A lean physique with soft curves that Sophie was all too familiar with and of course those piercing green eyes that completely stole her heart.

The outfit that Cleo wore perfectly displayed her beauty.

It was an expensive black dress that was adorned with tiny star-like crystals that blinked and appeared almost like a night sky.

Cleo stopped for a moment and her eyes sparkled with love as she met the gaze of her girlfriend who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Did you miss me?" Cleo teased softly as she spread open her arms. Sophie's body moved before her mind even had the time to react.

Cloud Treading Dragon!

Sophie's figure blurred and then vanished from the spot. She instantly appeared on the top of the stairs and wrapped her arms around Cleo's body.

Without a care for who was watching, Sophie smashed her lips into Cleo's and furiously kissed her girlfriend.

Those lovely lips were just as soft and sweet as she remembered.

Sophie's much taller body completely covered the princess and she dominantly pinned her girlfriend against the side of the nearest wall.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Sophie's right eye was now completely covered in the pinkish mist and the only thought in her mind was to make sure that the soft girl in her arms never left her again.

Cleo was mine… Cleo was mine… I love her so much…

A dark possessive tide was flowing through her veins and Sophie had to fight down the urge to pull her girlfriend into the nearest room.

Who knows what might have happened if a loud cough had not broken the passionate mood.

"Ahem! Ahem! Sophie… don't get too carried away! I am still here you know!" Duke Peterlor loudly yelled.

Sophie instantly broke off the kiss and stepped back. Her brain had finally caught up to what she had just done and her face slowly turned red.

"Cleo… I…. err… I…" Sophie stammered as she tried to find the right words to say. Two minutes passed as Sophie continued to mumble incomprehensibly.

The hybrid girl kept nervously trying to explain herself but the words just wouldn't come out!

Cleo's lips were slightly bruised and bloody but there was a loving smile on the princess' face as she gazed at her panicked girlfriend.

She pressed a finger against Sophie's mouth and made a shushing noise. Cleo buried her head in Sophie's chest and began to cry.

"I thought that I would never see you again… there were nights where I…" Cleo whispered tearfully.

Sophie began to stroke her girlfriend's back as she broke down in tears. The pain and hurt in Cleo's voice broke her heart.

Months… her girlfriend had suffered for months without knowing if she was alive or dead.

Sophie couldn't help but notice the large bags under Cleo's eyes. It was a clear sign of the many sleepless nights that her girlfriend had endured.

Sophie leaned in and whispered into Cleo's ear, "I'm here… I'm here… I promise I won't ever leave you again."

Cleo looked up and Sophie used her fingers to brush away the tears that were running down the sides of her girlfriend's cheeks.

"I'm sorry…" Sophie spoke hesitantly.

"Don't apologise… don't you dare apologise. It wasn't your fault," Cleo whispered softly. Sophie nodded slowly and continued to gently touch Cleo's face.

She kept wanting to feel Cleo's soft skin to remind herself that this wasn't a dream. Her girlfriend was really here in her arms.

Sophie smiled gently and she could feel the wild lustful urges inside her chest slowly fade away.

The pink mist that covered her right eye slowly disappeared and in its place was the normal golden hue.

This happiness… she never wanted it to end.

Sophie couldn't resist and pressed her lips against Cleo's forehead. She could still hear the steady beating of her heart but this time it seemed to be joined by another heartbeat.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Thump! Thump! Thump!