Chloe Is My Prince
“Eueue….”
As I dried Marian’s freshly washed hair with a towel, she shivered and let out a sound like it felt so good.
“Feels nice.”
“Nice?”
“My stomach hurt so bad, but washing up in warm water with you made it all better—not a bit of pain left.”
“Thanks even if it’s just empty words.”
After drying her hair, I fetched a suitable nightdress left in the bedroom and helped her into it.
“It’s so loose….”
“It’s this or nothing, for now.”
The chest was way too roomy, but since our height difference was minimal, it didn’t look completely sloppy.
“Now I’ll dry yours.”
“For real?”
“Yeah, I kept you up when you needed sleep. This is payback.”
“Aww, how thoughtful.”
“Hehe.”
Sitting on the bed as Marian tousled my hair dry with the towel, receiving her service while showering her with praise here and there, the mood naturally lightened as she beamed back.
But a few minutes later… just as Chloe’s and Marian’s hair were nearly dry….
“Ow….”
Marian flopped onto Chloe’s bed like a fish washed ashore, burying her face in the pillow and groaning.
“You okay?”
“No… not okay…. I feel like I’m dying, Chloe….”
Where had the cheerful girl from moments ago gone? Marian sniffled, utterly depressed.
“Let’s sit up for a bit, okay?”
“It hurts….”
“I’ll give you medicine to make it better.”
“Uung….”
She seemed thrown off by the unfamiliar pain, and Chloe steadied her, handing over painkillers and water.
“Here, drink and swallow. Down the hatch.”
“Uup….”
“There you go, good job.”
Chloe took these every month herself. Viola had picked them out, and they worked for Chloe, so Marian’s pain should ease soon too.
“Ow….”
Still, it would take at least an hour for the meds to kick in. Pouting, Marian shoved the water cup aside and slinked over to Chloe, burying her face in those soft, plush breasts.
It had become one of Marian’s habits lately—whenever something upset her, she’d cling to Chloe and nuzzle into her chest.
“Right? It hurts, doesn’t it? I get it.”
It was a signal for comfort, so Chloe smiled faintly, stroking Marian’s hair and building rapport first.
When comforting a woman, it was all about empathy—first, second, and last.
“You get it like this too, Chloe?”
“Of course. Us women have this killer pain once a month.”
It was a bit funny hearing this from Chloe, who’d only been a woman for half a year, but she did have more experience than Marian. And as the adult, it was her duty to reassure her.
“Was it this bad for you at first too…?”
“Oh yeah. It hurt so much I screamed.”
“Really…?”
“So in a way, you’re tougher than me, miss.”
“Hehe….”
Having gone through it just half a year ago herself, Chloe could share vivid stories and advice that hit home more than anyone else’s. Definitely an advantage.
“Miss, shall we lie down for now?”
“Lie down…?”
“Yes, try lying here. Put this heating artifact on your belly like so—it’ll feel better.”
“Oh, okay….”
Marian followed Chloe’s lead obediently, and Chloe placed the warming artifact on her lower belly, watching her reaction.
“Whoa….”
As the soothing heat spread from her lower belly, Marian melted into a lazy, dopey smile.
“I’m sleeping here tonight. Feels so good with you….”
She rolled slightly to face Chloe….
“Night, Chloe.”
“Huh? No, miss…?”
“See you tomorrow.”
Her face inches away, she started snoring softly and passed out.
“Wait….”
Warm compresses during your period could make you drowsy, sure, but not this fast. What had caused her to conk out so quickly?
“Miss…?”
“Pfu… pfuh….”
Chloe wanted answers, but Marian just breathed steadily, her arm draped over Chloe’s neck—no escaping now. The heating artifact sandwiched between their bellies warmed Chloe too, lulling her into drowsiness.
“Guess I should sleep too….”
Resigned, Chloe closed her eyes, and so their first night together faded into dawn.
‘Chloe’s my prince—everything gets fixed when I go to her….’
Chloe had no way of knowing that Marian, nestled in her arms, was grinding her teeth and pretending to sleep to calm her racing heart.
#
Harsh sunlight pierced through the window cracks, rousing her slowly. A familiar cascade of black hair fluttered before her eyes.
“Eh….”
It was Marian.
“Uung, Chloe…. Boobies….”
Now it felt utterly natural, like it had always been this way—Marian mumbling for “mamma” in her sleep, face buried in Chloe’s chest as if it were hers by right. The maternal affection she’d never known as a child, now found in her tutor….
‘…Not that I’d say it out loud.’
Chloe nipped the petty thought in the bud, chiding herself as she slowly rose from bed. She smoothed the rumpled nightdress, took a sip of water, and savored the usual leisurely morning view outside the window.
“Teacher, may I come in?”
“Huh…? W-wait a sec…!”
Viola had arrived. And that Viola….
“Ah, good morning, teacher. Looks like your cycle’s here—everything alright? Sleep well?”
“Y-yeah, fine.”
“Glad to hear it. You look so refreshed—must’ve been a good night.”
Beaming as always, she stepped in to help change clothes….
“Ugh, so noisy….”
“Eh…?”
Of all timings, Marian woke up.
“L-Lady Marian?”
Viola’s gaze flicked to Marian, then slowly back to Chloe.
“Teacher…?”
Viola’s eyes swam with shock, horror, fear, and more. To an outsider, Chloe looked suspiciously too refreshed for just waking up. Marian looked suspiciously too exhausted. And Marian was wearing Chloe’s loose nightdress.
“No way….”
No way you’ve started down the beast’s path? That’s what Viola’s eyes screamed.
Sexless noble wives taking lovers, or bored young ladies indulging in same-sex trysts—it was nobility’s open secret. Have you joined them too? With a twelve-year-old?
Her piercing stare stung, especially given the awkward timing of her entrance. And Chloe and Marian’s bond already felt too close for mere tutor and student….
“It’s not like that.”
She had to clear this up now.
“Not like what?”
“The miss had her first… you know… at dawn yesterday.”
“Ah….”
“I helped her bathe, and she said she was in too much pain to sleep alone, so I tucked her in.”
“Makes sense….”
Viola had only suspected; she didn’t truly think Chloe capable of it.
“Still, if Lady Marian keeps staying over, it’ll put you in a tough spot. I’ll escort her back for now.”
“Thanks, please do….”
“Then, Lady Marian, let’s go together.”
“Ugh, don’t wanna….”
“You have to anyway.”
With Viola’s help, the groggy Marian was returned to her room without fuss. Back in Chloe’s bedroom, Viola sighed heavily.
“Teacher, no matter how much she whines, you can’t keep indulging her.”
“What was I supposed to do? She took painkillers, I did a warm compress, and crashed out….”
“Even so. Rumors of a noble sharing a bed with an outsider woman? Disaster.”
“I’ll be careful….”
Noble ladies seeking release with each other was an open secret. To protect Marian’s marriage prospects, no more of this.
“Got it, miss?”
“Huh?”
“Use what I gave you and tough it out alone when it hurts.”
“Why? Chloe can bathe and tuck me in like yesterday.”
“No, it’s… about appearances.”
“That matters?”
“It does!”
“If it matters to Chloe… fine.”
After a long debate, Chloe convinced her. Marian vowed to endure the painful nights alone from now on. Chloe taught her how to use the artifacts, ensuring she could manage solo….
“Eh….”
Yet the next morning, Marian was in Chloe’s bed again.
“We had a deal….”
Why did it feel like such a betrayal…?