Adventuring, in Kallixenia's experience, consists a great deal more of long stretches on horseback travelling to and fro than it does exploring dungeons or felling great beasts.
Not that that's a bad thing! The opposite, really- She's the sort of professional one hires to, for example, guard princesses. Lunaeris may technically be a novice adventurer, but she got her start exploding the Demon King out of sheer fiery rage; a lack of practical experience with dungeoneering fundamentals didn't really hold her back for very long. Lagakh and company are all decently high ranked members of the Adventurer's Guild.
If the kinds of problems that required the likes of the six of them were common, the world would be a dire, dire place.
But they aren't. So... long horse rides.
Ones that could stand to be longer, maybe. Everyone else would probably disagree- They've been on the road for near a week and a half already, and those heading onward to deal with that wyvern nest have probably another two ahead of them. But today is where her and Lunaeris split off, and head into the Elven Kingdom, and then who knows when they're going to get caught by royal guards looking to reclaim their lost princesses.
She's not worried about that encounter, Lunaeris is quite sure she can strongarm them into taking only her back to the castle and letting her continue on back to the mountains, and Kallixenia fully believes in her ability to do so.
She's going to miss her terribly while they're apart, though. They're not exactly close to her home, entering the kingdom here, and who knows how long they'll both be occupied once they arrive?
"So, are you meeting up with anyone to replace us?" Asks Lunaeris, seemingly untroubled by such things.
"Mhm." Lagakh hums. "Have to. Always good to have a wizard, after all."
"Awwww, I'll try not to deprive you of my talents for too long."
"That... may not be up to us, beloved." Says Kallixenia. "If your father-"
"Oh, to hell with my father! What's he going to do, throw me in the dungeons? That'd be even more embarrassing for him than me being a runaway." Lunaeris scoffs. "He's going to bluster and whine about propriety and then do precisely fuck all to stop me from leaving again."
"We should take more jobs in elf lands." Purrs Ryse. "Law sounds remarkably lax."
Lagakh snorts at that and shakes her head. "You know how to get in touch, whenever you're done picking fights with the King."
Lunaeris had, of course, told the rest of the party that the purpose of their detour was to try to clear up the situation with her family. Not untrue exactly, though she certainly didn't seem interested in clearing it up so much as making her father decide it was too much trouble to continue fighting her on it.
Telling people that you want to break your paladin oath isn't typically wise. And even if Lunaeris is right and she won't face much trouble, Kallixenia very well might. It's up in the air whether she'll even return still capable of adventuring at all, not stripped of all her power and smote for good measure.
"I think this is where we part ways, just up ahead." Lunaeris says, tilting her chin at a crossroads ahead of them.
"Good luck, then."
"Gods guide your journey." Says Sophia.
"Yours as well." Kallixenia says, knowing that the cleric would probably hate her for what she plans to do.
The two of them travel alone for maybe fifteen minutes before Kallixenia decides that it's an appropriate time to ask for something frivolous and comforting.
"Would you like to ride with me, Princess?" She asks, scooting back a little in her saddle and holding out her hand.
"Oh! Gladly, hang on-"
Lunaeris takes her hand and joins her on her horse, leaning back into her chest and giving a short whistle to make sure her own steed follows. Kallixenia wraps one arm around the Princess' midsection, holding her close.
"We're going to be fine, love." Lunaeris murmurs softly. "I can handle my father, and if changing your oath will bring the gods' wrath down upon you then, well, don't do it."
"You're likely right." Kallixenia replies.
"I often am."
"Mm."
She lowers her face to the top of Lunaeris' head and places a gentle kiss upon it, holding her a bit tighter.
"Even if it all goes well, I'll still miss my princess." She says, and Lunaeris sighs.
"Gods, I'll miss you too. Need to enjoy being held like this while I can, who knows how I'll sleep without it after all this time."
"Without your head buried in my tits, Princess?" Kallixenia asks with a soft smirk as she kisses her again.
"Without your deafening heartbeat ringing through my skull, oaf." Lunaeris grumbles, ears reddening. "It's comforting, it's like falling asleep in a thunderstorm that loves me."
"O-Oh. Well, that's, I-I also find you comforting. I'll try not to-"
"By order of the crown, HALT!"
Lunaeris lets out a combination of pathetic whine and annoyed huff.
"Already?" She grumbles, as Kallixenia shoots bolt upright and lets go of her. "You cannot be serious. Does he have people watching the borders for us?"
A scouting party emerges from the trees, bows-
"I'm certain you aren't aiming those at your princesses." Lunaeris says with a glare.
-nervously un-nocked and pointed at the ground. The leader of the bunch comes forward and takes a knee.
"Princess Lunaeris. Princess Kallixenia." He says, and Kallixenia feels a little embarrassed because she still really doesn't see herself as a princess. Lunaeris just grumpily takes her arm and places it back around her, not wanting to part just yet.
"Speak." She says haughtily, fully taking on her role.
The man swallows hesitantly, and then says: "We've orders to escort you both to the castle, princesses. Direct from the King himself."
Lunaeris reacts to that with an upturned nose and a loud 'hmpf!'
"If, if you'll allow us-"
"I will not." She says, and the guards look between themselves, lost.
"Lunaeris." Kallixenia says softly, taking her cue to be the ~voice of reason~. "You have to go see your father eventually."
"I didn't think we'd be caught so quickly." Lunaeris whines, now sincere. "I don't want to see him."
"I know, beloved."
She hems and haws and grumbles and kicks her feet and eventually says: "Fine."
The guards visibly relax.
"Right. Excellent, Your Highnesses. If the two of you-"
"No." Lunaeris interrupts, arms crossed.
"...Pardon?"
"I will return with you to the castle. Princess Kallixenia has important business with her holy order, she will be returning to her home unbothered by any further patrols. Are we clear?"
"I- Princess, the King requested you both-"
"Are we clear?"
Kallixenia clears her throat gently. "I give you my word as both a paladin and your princess, once my business is finished I will make straight for the castle."
"...Right, of course, Princess." The guard says, nodding. "Give us just a moment to bring our horses around, we'll be on our way."
Hm. Kallixenia has never given anyone her word as a princess before. Definitely feels strange.
They travel together up to another crossroads, where their escort insists they must part so that Lunaeris can take the most direct route to the castle.
"Ugh, fine, okay." She huffs, turning around to face Kallixenia. "I'll message you at least once a day. Try not to worry too much about... well, you know. And please don't worry for me, I can handle myself."
"That's rather evident, yes." Kallixenia hums, lifting the Princess' chin and drawing her into a kiss. The guard patrol awkwardly looks elsewhere, all pretending to investigate nothing in particular. "I love you. See you as soon as I can, Princess."
"I love you, and you'd better." Lunaeris grumbles, reluctantly returning to her own steed.
"Oh, wait-" Kallixenia says, and Lunaeris pauses. "It's- The weather's getting colder, and I don't know how much longer you'll be on the- Here."
She unclasps her cloak and holds it out to Lunaeris, who takes it and looks at it blankly.
"...Kallie, I breathe fire."
Hells.
"R-Right, um, well, never mind then-" Kallixenia stammers, and Lunaeris shakes her head and holds the cloak close to her chest when she tries to take it back.
"No! I, I still want it. Thank you." She says. ears twitching. "I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Right. See you soon." Kallixenia says, cheeks burning.
Lunaeris sets off with her guards, and Kallixenia waits at the crossroads for her to leave her sight. She takes a deep breath and steadies herself, then continues on her own way.
Time to go get excommunicated.
