The coming days for Claire were filled with rage. Jasmine's words on the Knights' Order killed any respect she had for them. All her life, she had looked up to them and wanted to join them, but all of it died when she found out why they didn't act. Jasmine's words echoed in her mind and fueled her rage. No wonder Lady Lloyd's guards were able to take Ryley without issues. Her mood had soured incredibly from that one sentence.
Her mothers even commented on her scowl when she came back. For the first time in a couple of days, she was truly distracted. She went back to her romance novels, to how they portrayed the brave women of the Knights' Order, now viewing them in disgust. She could not believe that the order she held in such high regard was just like any other, filled with corruption and weak to money.
At least she wasn't drooling over her lovers and got things done. Her packing and preparations for the upcoming trip were completed. Now she was stewing in her bedroom, her eyes scanning her bookshelf. All of the books of righteous knights protecting their lovers. They fought corruption, nobles, and the system to fight for their loved ones, everything that Claire looked up to.
She picked up her favorite, one she had read a dozen or so times. The one she got shortly after Ryley was taken. The knight on the cover was kneeling before her male lover. She stared at it. All inspiration, all the hope she felt toward the book had dissipated.
She chose to let it go.
The books were nothing but fantasy. A fantasy that she fell for, and the dream that they would save her brother. She took a deep breath, letting the emotions flow through her. She got up and headed out. She needed something to hit. Training would get her mind off of it.
For a couple of hours, she used the training dummies as punching bags. Letting her anger out as she beat the wooden target with her fist or training sword. Her anger flowed as she kept hitting harder. Taking out the emotions she had tried to suppress. The frustrations and anger of the last week, how the knights failed her, and her now having to do their job. Her emotions only broke when her training sword gave out.
The crack of the wooden sword snapped her out of her emotions.
She stood before the battered dummy, huffing breaths as she seethed. Her sweat-drenched body glistened in the sun as she caught her breath. Her anger slowly diminished. Her legs gave out from exhaustion. When her knees hit the ground, her tears started flowing. Tears for her brother and every boy that was let down. For the women who mourned their sons, brothers, or lovers because of these corrupt nobles and their henchwomen.
She felt arms wrap around her as she cried. Jasmine's arms. She felt her former teacher embrace her from behind. She let her tears flow as her lover and former mentor held her. She cried into her hands, Jasmine's presence and warmth slowly bringing her out of it. She pulled out of the embrace, wiping tears and sweat off her face before turning around.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Of course… Ana and Elsie are also here." She whispered back.
The duo hugged their lover, bringing their warmth and easing Claire's pain. No words were spoken as Jasmine joined the hug, Claire's emotions began to stabilize. She could think clearly now.
"Thank you, I'm feeling a lot better," Claire whispered. Her party members didn't let go. They only hugged her tighter. She let them cling to her sweat-drenched body as she kept talking, "I truly thought that the Knights would step in to protect people. I should have known that I wouldn't be needed if they did…"
She felt their embrace tighten on her as she said the last line. Their bodies warmed her exhausted body. She took a deep breath as she fully accepted how she would have to fix this. Just another thing thrown on her shoulders.
"I love you girls," Claire declared. She let their warmth envelop her completely. "Thank you for helping me with this… this mission."
Her lovers finally let go as she finished speaking. They all looked to their Paladin. Her eyes reddened from her tears. One by one, they took turns kissing her. They felt for the girl as reality hit her, her anger and sadness.
"We'll do better than them," Elsie whispered to her.
Claire nodded. If the Knights wouldn't step in, then she would need to do it for them.
"The G-goddess chose right…" Ana said. "I believe in you."
They slowly got up from the ground, Claire's anger almost entirely gone for the moment. Her lovers watched her carefully before she began to smile again.
"Goddess, thank you for bringing these women into my life," she said. The twins offered their hands to the girl. Claire took them with a weak smile, and they led her back home.
The trek back was filled with silence as Claire grieved her childhood heroes. Her tears no longer flowed, but her chest constricted as she thought about it. She thought back to her days reading about the Knights and their adventures. Reading them to Ryley and then throwing herself into them when he was taken. How she wished for the Knights to step in. She felt tears well up in her eyes, signaling her to stop thinking about it.
She walked into her house, the twins still holding her hands. Her mothers looked at her with sorrow and hesitation. Her exhausted smile poorly hid her emotions. Her reddened eyes and sweat-drenched body gave her moms a perfect idea of her emotional state. They hugged her before her lovers led her up to her room.
They waited in Claire's room as she bathed. They weren't going to leave her alone in her own thoughts. Eve and Jane let them in, more concerned with their daughter's mood than the weird party dynamic. They waited in silence for her.
Elsie was sifting through her books, noting how many books were about knights. She could see how much they meant to her. She muttered to herself, "Goddess… She has so many of them."
She pulled a worn-out book. The cover had a knight kneeling before a man. "Knight's Oath" was the title. She skimmed through the pages as they waited. The main character was fighting for her lover after he was taken away from her. She fought against the noblewoman she was sworn to, against other nobles and their knights, all to get her lover back.
She could see why Claire read this one so many times. The worn pages and binding showed her love for the book. She probably idolized the main character. The woman had to fight to get her lover back despite the obstacles. She was interrupted in her thoughts as Claire walked out of her bathroom.
Claire walked out in only a towel. She quickly changed into her nightwear before sprawling out on the bed. Her exhaustion took over as all three joined her. Elsie snuggled into her arms as Jasmine embraced her from the back. Ana found her spot in Elsie's arms. The four of them crammed into the bed.
Claire felt so much better, even if the bed was cramped. Their body heat warmed her heart, easing the tension she's had for a while. She felt her exhaustion take over as she felt relaxed. Before falling asleep, she heard Jasmine whisper in her ear.
"You will do better… I know you will"