Carmen hums contently to herself, double-checking the dinner that's been set out with a critical eye as she paces around the table. A harsh rainfall comes down in sheets against the manor's windows, drowning out the surroundings in a dark fog. "Astrid," the lynx calls out, still pacing around the table. "Is everything ready?"

From the side of the room, a beige pegasus clad in a full suit nods with a smile. "It is, Ma'am," she reports with a smile. "Everything's ready for when Clara arrives." She pauses as Carmen fixes a stuck part of the tablecloth, cautiously eyeing the Iberian lynx's slowly swaying tail. "Is there… anything else you need from me?"

Carmen glances up with a soft chuckle and a gentle smile. "There is one more thing," she says, stepping out from behind the table. She slowly spins for Astrid, letting the mare take in her entire outfit. An old cavalier's hat rests upon the lynx's head, complete with a large yellow feather. Her lacy dress flows up to her neck and down both arms, hugging the contours of her form closely, just barely covering enough. A pair of flowery decorations attach at Carmen's waist, their 'stems' wrapping around her torso. "How do I look?"

Astrid raises an eyebrow, letting a small grin come to her muzzle. "You look good, I suppose."

The lynx lets out a loud chortle as she steps over, plucking a check from the folded side of her hat, holding it out to the pegasus. "Here, for the week. With a little extra for helping me with this."

Astrid takes the check, double-taking as she unfolds it to see the amount. "I-I… This is too much! Y-You said I'd only get–"

"Two-thousand a week if you decide to stay, to help with unspecified personal issues," Carmen says, recalling their agreement with no small amount of mirth in her red eyes. "Doubled this time, because I know you have a stallion you're close with. Once this storm clears up, go to him. Treat him, you hear? I'm sure he'd love it." A sudden crash comes from the front of the building as the door is forced open, startling Astrid while only causing Carmen to nod with a grin. "That's my cue, then. You might want to stay out of the front area."

Astrid nods faintly, almost darting out of the room. Carmen sighs to herself, taking a wine glass from the table and downing it in one go. She turns, strutting out of the room and scooping up a fresh glass as she goes, leaving the empty one behind.

As the lynx steps up to the railing overlooking the main hall, the front door finally shuts, leaving only a soggy bobcat throwing off her leather jacket. "Well, I see the storm hasn't kept you, Clara," Carmen calls, swirling her wine. "Are you sure you want this little endeavor?"

The bobcat idly brushes down her soaked vest, grazing a hand against the scabbard at her hip, icy blue eyes meeting Carmen's. "Inara, why exactly should I plan to let a demon like you exist in the world?"

"Oh, so now you're calling me a demon all the time?" Carmen purrs, slowly coming down the steps. "Here I thought that was something special between us."

The lynx savors Clara's hesitation, though the bobcat draws her sword all the same. The silvered metal gleams under the hall's light as Clara holds it at her side. "Maybe," she allows. "And maybe I should deal with you right here and now.”

“Oh, Clara…” Carmen takes a long sip from her wine, making a show of licking her fangs clean. At the same time, she pulls the left ‘flower’ free from its stem, revealing a chain of blades hidden within. With a flick of her wrist, the chain glows blue with magic, snapping together to form a full rapier. “You won’t spill a drop.”

Clara just laughs, marching up the stairs to meet Carmen, while the lynx saunters down.

Their blades meet with a ring of metal, Carmen jabbing at Clara's defenses and Clara taking a swing at the nimble lynx every chance she can.

Oh, how Carmen's missed fights like this, pushing her duel partner's limits as much as her own, grinning as she keeps the wine glass high and full, safely out of harm’s way. "Careful, Clara," the lynx teases, "you're going to–"

Rather spitefully, Clara swings her sword wide, taking a chunk out of the banister. "Oh, like the rest of these chips aren't your fault," she grumbles with a roll of her eyes. The bobcat deflects another jab before returning the favor, thrusting her blade at Carmen.

Carmen leaps, flipping over Clara’s head, her dress flowing as it trails behind her, and she lands gracefully, holding her wine glass up with a smug grin, not a single drop spilled. "They might be," the lynx allows. Clara scoffs, lowering her blade and aiming a raised eyebrow at Carmen. "Clara, dear, you should really–"

Her rapier flashes, deflecting a sudden strike from Clara's blade. "Will you put the wine down?" the bobcat growls. "Every time with you, and you wonder where the stains come from."

"It isn't that bad," Carmen protests. She aims another jab and–

–Clara grabs the blade, hand coated in deep navy magic, thrusting her sword up at Carmen.

The two stand stock still, Carmen staring down at the blade centimeters from her throat.

After a moment, Clara taps the flat of her sword against Carmen's chin. "Another one for me," she announces, bearing a grin to rival Carmen’s one from before.

Carmen sighs as Clara pulls her blade away. “I see you’ve been dabbling more in magic,” she notes, finally setting the wine glass down on a nearby table.

“Of course,” Clara chuckles, sheathing her sword. “Have to learn something from you, don’t I?” The couple shares a small laugh as Clara leans her sword against the table. “Should I even ask if there’s a meal waiting upstairs?”

“You know me,” Carmen murmurs with a warm smile. She chuckles softly, leaning in for a kiss.

Clara holds up a hand to stop her, letting her smile fade into a flat stare. “I do know you. I know you only get this anxious or smug under certain circumstances. Starting to go thirsty being one of them.” The bobcat doesn't wait for Carmen's shame to take hold, already pulling her shirt and vest away from her neck and shoulder, giving her wife as clear of a path as she can. "Go on, Carmen."

Carmen quietly nods, leaning close to her. Clara hisses a breath as the lynx's fangs sink into her flesh, and Carmen draws her blood as gently and quickly as she can. Just as quick as she started, she’s pulling her fangs away and licking at the small beads of blood. After a moment, the wounds clot, and Carmen pulls away.

"Better?" Clara asks softly. Carmen nods, and before she can clean her fangs, Clara’s pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “You don’t need to fret over this being perfect,” she assures softly, collecting her sword and heading back to the stairs. “What you do need to do is tie us back up now that I’m ahead.”

Carmen scoffs, rolling her eyes as she drains the wine glass, leaving it behind and following after her wife. She tucks her rapier back into its sheath and returns it to its segmented form. “Sure you are,” the lynx snarks. “What happened to the last three duels?”

“Practice rounds!” Clara laughs. She stops at the landing to smirk down at Carmen, offering her free hand. “Besides, you would be so kind as to let me have them, wouldn’t you, Lady Inara?”

Carmen stops just below Clara, slowly raising an eyebrow from beneath her hat. “Why, yes, Reverend Inara, I suppose I could allow such a thing." She takes her hat off, holding it against her chest as she gives her wife a small bow. For good measure, she lifts the offered hand to her lips, giving it a light kiss.

Clara lets out a loud snort, clutching Carmen's hand and dragging her the rest of the way up the stairs, continuing on to the dining room with her wife in tow. "Come on, I don't want the food you and Astrid made to go to waste. …Or was it just Astrid?"

"Will you leave me alone about my cooking?" Carmen mutters, setting her hat back on her head.

Clara doesn't look back as she responds, "That depends, did you mess up crêpes so bad you got your French-ness revoked again?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not," Carmen mutters. "Astrid did help, I will admit, but most of it was my work this time." She pulls against Clara, bringing the pair to a stop. "But, Clara–"

"What?" the bobcat wonders, whirling around with a self-satisfied grin.

She meets a soft, warm look from Carmen as the lynx pulls her into a hug. "I'm glad you could make it," Carmen whispers, getting a tight hug in return.

From another door down the hall, Astrid sticks her head out and clears her throat. "So, are you two going to start purring now, or–"

"Astrid," Carmen sighs.

"Can't tell me to leave, the storm's getting worse." Astrid steps out, leaning against the doorframe with a small smile. "Besides, if I may be bold–"

"You may," Clara chimes in.

"–you're the one that hired me."

Carmen takes a breath just to let out a deeper sigh. "I am not infallible," she says lowly.

Clara laughs, and Carmen and Astrid join in with their own chuckles after a moment, all enjoying the others' presence.

The storm never touches the warmth inside the manor.

_{Written April 11, 2022}