A Forbidden Love!

In the quiet corridors of the academy, Brenna walked slowly, her steps soft and thoughtful. She had come here with a clear purpose—to surprise her son, Ethan. But now, that thought had slipped away. Her mind was somewhere else, her hand gently moving through the air like she was trying to catch a memory.

"She was so firm... yet soft," Brenna thought, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

Her thoughts had wandered back to earlier that day—when she had hugged Maruti. Her hand had rested on Maruti's strong belly, and her face had brushed against her toned abs. It was such a short moment, but the feeling... it lingered.

A strange warmth stirred in her chest.

But then her face turned red as she shook her head quickly.

"No! I shouldn't be thinking about this!" she scolded herself in a whisper. "What's gotten into me? I'm too old for this nonsense."

Her heart was beating fast—not just from the memory of the touch, but from something deeper. Something painful.

Guilt.

Old emotions she had buried long ago were now slowly crawling back to the surface.

"Her face… and her body… they feel so familiar!" she whispered to herself. The thought was heavy, and it stuck in her chest.

But she shook her head again, trying to throw the idea away.

"No," she told herself firmly. "Love can't happen twice. I'm just imagining things."

She gritted her teeth and clutched her chest, her hand resting just above her heart.

With a deep breath, she started walking again. She had to focus. She had to see Ethan.

She moved through the corridors with purpose now. She already knew where Ethan's dorm was, so it didn't take long for her to arrive at his door. She raised her hand and knocked gently.

A moment later, the door opened.

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Mom? Where were you?" he asked, clearly confused but happy.

Brenna forced a smile, trying to hide the storm inside her.

"Haha... I just wanted to surprise you but… I ended up getting too late," she said with a small sigh as she walked into the room.

Ethan looked at her closely.

"You look kind of down," he said softly. "Is everything okay?"

"No! It's nothing," Brenna replied quickly, her smile turning a bit bitter. "I'm just a little tired. That cheap carriage from home was a nightmare."

"I'll go get you some water!" Ethan said kindly and turned toward the kitchen area.

As soon as he left, Brenna sat down on the edge of the bed, then slowly lay back, her body sinking into the mattress. She stared up at the ceiling, her eyes fluttering a few times.

Her whole body felt heavy. Her legs ached. Her head was spinning a little.

She had done so much today—traveling all this way, dealing with the thugs on the road, and then... laughing like a madwoman with Maruti.

Before she even realized it, her eyelids dropped and her breathing slowed.

She had fallen asleep.

A few minutes later, Ethan returned with a glass of water in his hand, only to see her resting peacefully.

"Huh… I didn't know Mom could fall asleep so fast," he said with a small chuckle as he placed the glass on the table.

But what Ethan didn't know…

Was that Brenna wasn't just sleeping.

She was dreaming. A dream wrapped in memories— A dream of her past…

A past she had never shared with anyone.

Not even her son.

-----------------------------------

15 or 16 years ago…

In a quiet, nameless village surrounded by forests, two girls were hidden deep within the trees, far away from judging eyes. The wind gently rustled the leaves above, and the sunlight slipped through the branches, casting a soft golden light on them.

They were just sixteen, on the edge between girlhood and adulthood. One of them, Brenna, was lying down with her head resting gently on the other girl's thigh, her cheeks slightly red and her fingers playing with the hem of her own dress. She had long, soft blue hair that fell like a curtain over her shoulder, and her big, bright blue eyes held a timid sparkle. Her beauty was so elegant that people often mistook her for a noble's daughter, even though she was just a poor village girl.

The girl sitting up, holding Brenna gently in her lap, had a completely different presence. She was tall, her skin a deep, beautiful tan that glowed warmly under the sun. Her short hair framed her strong face, and her body—firm and refined with muscles—looked like it belonged to a seasoned warrior, not a delicate girl. But strangely, she wore a simple nun's robe, its fabric hugging her figure in all the wrong ways.

Her name… was Rachel Serabayoka.

Tradition in the village or this world said girls should be married off by this age. But neither of them wore wedding rings, nor had they been promised to anyone.

Brenna had no parents. She was all alone in the world. A few years ago, she had taken in a small orphaned baby and named him Ethan. He became her world.

Rachel, on the other hand, had been raised in the village chapel. As a nun, she was bound by vows—vows that said she could never marry or have a lover. But even so… she had found someone she couldn't let go.

Rachel slowly leaned down toward Brenna. Their faces drew close, their eyes locked, and Brenna's lips parted slightly as her heart raced.

And then… their lips met.

It was soft at first, but the kiss grew deeper, more full of emotion. Brenna raised her hand and gently held the back of Rachel's neck, pulling her closer. Their kiss tasted of warmth, longing, and the quiet hope that somehow, they could stay like this forever.

When they finally pulled apart, Rachel ran her tongue across her lower lip, still catching the taste of Brenna.

Brenna's eyes drifted downward, her cheeks turning red as she gazed at Rachel's firm abs through the tight fabric of the nun's robe.

"Are you sure you're a nun?" Brenna asked with a teasing smile. "You look more like a warrior. But… maybe that's why I fell in love with you."

Rachel let out a small laugh and shrugged.

"Who wants to be a nun forever? I'd rather throw away this boring life. I want to become a warrior—or a soldier. I want to leave this outdated village and live with you in a city."

Brenna's eyes lit up. She nodded excitedly.

"Yes! I want that too. Thanks to Ethan, I finally have a reason to tell the villagers why I haven't gotten married. They'll leave me alone now."

But Rachel's smile faded a little. Her eyes lowered, and she asked softly,

"So… is he just a tool for you? Someone to protect you from being married off?"

Her voice was calm, but the sadness in it was clear. There was doubt in her heart.

Brenna's face became stiff, her eyes wide. For a moment, it was like she forgot how to breathe.

But then, in the next second, she stood up quickly from her lap and shouted, "Of course not!" Her voice was firm, without hesitation.

She sat back down, her shoulders slumping a little. "It's been almost four years... but I already feel like I'm his real mother…" she said in a quiet, sad voice. "I couldn't get an education. I never went to the academy. But I wanted him to learn, to have a better future. That's why I asked for your help. That's why I hired you." Her eyes dropped to the floor as she spoke.

She was telling the complete truth. Brenna never saw Ethan in any strange way—she only wanted the best for him.

Ethan had always been a smart child, even from a very young age. That's why Brenna wanted someone to guide him, someone who could teach him even a little.

She already knew a bit about Rachel—she was a nun, and nuns were given an education. That gave Brenna the idea to ask her for help, even if it was just for basic lessons.

It didn't take long after that. Brenna and Rachel started spending more time together, and before they knew it, they weren't just friends. They were something more—friends who slowly fell in love.

Rachel smiled softly as she looked at Brenna. It was strange how fast everything had changed. But in her heart, she didn't regret any of it.

"I was only joking earlier," Rachel said gently. "I knew that already. That's why I want to work even harder. I heard that in the city, girls can become knights too. So once we leave this village, I'll make sure Ethan goes to the academy. I'll help him grow into someone amazing!"

Brenna's eyes lit up, touched by her words. "You're the best!" she whispered, and without thinking, she leaned forward and gave Rachel a kiss on the cheek.

Rachel blinked in surprise, then smiled even more.

"Alright then, I should go now. It's almost time for evening prayers," she said, standing up and giving a small wave.

She took a few steps back toward the door, then suddenly turned around again.

"Oh, and by going to the city," she said with a teasing grin, "I meant tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Brenna blinked, surprised. "So soon?"

Rachel chuckled. "Yep! I'm going to talk to Father… about us."

Brenna's smile faded instantly. Her eyes grew wide with panic, and her body stiffened.

"No!" she said, almost shouting. "Two girls aren't supposed to be together! The village will never accept this… especially you! You're a nun! You're supposed to stay unmarried for life!"

She started to shake slightly, her voice trembling. "W-we can sneak out instead, if you want…? We don't have to tell anyone."

Rachel walked closer and gently placed her hand on Brenna's shoulder. "Don't worry," she said calmly. "I don't need their approval. If they can't accept it, we'll leave. We'll go far away and never look back. Just focus on packing, okay? Get ready for tomorrow."

She gave one last smile before turning around and leaving through the door.

"B-but…" Brenna called out weakly, but the words stopped in her throat. Her lips moved, but no more sound came out.

The evening slowly turned into night. Inside her small, quiet house, Brenna was packing. She folded her few clothes and placed them carefully inside a worn-out cloth bag. Beside her, there were some pieces of bread, boiled eggs, and dry fruits—food she had prepared in advance for the journey tomorrow.

Her hands moved slowly, but her heart beat faster with every passing second. She was nervous… but also excited. Tomorrow, they would leave this village behind. She and Rachel… together.

But then—

Loud voices suddenly filled the air from outside. Angry shouts. Many of them.

Brenna's hands froze.

Outside, loud voices filled the village night. Torches flickered in people's hands, and angry shouts echoed through the trees. She rushed to the window, her heart pounding in her chest like a wild drum.

And then… she saw her.

Rachel.

Her nun's robe was slightly torn at the sleeves, and her face had a fresh red mark, probably from a slap. Even though the village wasn't very big, the church was right in the center, clearly visible from Brenna's home. She could see and hear everything.

The priest of the church raised his hand and gave Rachel another hard slap across her face.

"You sinful girl!" he shouted in anger. "How dare you do something so shameless, even while wearing the robes of a nun?"

His face was full of disgust as he turned to the crowd behind him.

"Tell me! Who is this girl? Who is this slut who wants even other girls?" he spat the words like poison.

"Yes!" one of the villagers agreed, shouting from the crowd. "She should be punished too!"

"They have both sinned!" another screamed. "Goddess Seraphine will turn her face away from us!"

The crowd behind the priest—villagers, men, women, even children—joined in, shouting, cursing, and judging Rachel with cold, cruel eyes.

Rachel knelt on the ground, her hands tied tightly behind her back. Her knees were scraped, and her hair was messy, falling in front of her face. But even in that painful moment, she didn't look scared.

She raised her head slowly and said with steady breath, "Of course I won't tell. I just wanted your permission, nicely… But I guess this shitty village can't even give that!"

Her words burned like fire, and the priest's face turned red with rage.

"Bring the whip!" he ordered, his voice like thunder. "Let's see how long she can stay quiet!"

Brenna watched it all from the back of the room, her eyes wide in horror. She couldn't take it anymore. She sank down to the floor, leaning against the cold wooden wall, hugging her head tightly.

Wack!

Wack!

The sound of the whip echoed in the air, followed by Rachel's soft, painful groans.

But Brenna stayed frozen.

"No! I can't take it!" she cried, shaking her head. "Stop! Please stop those voices!"

Tears poured from her eyes like a river, but she didn't even wipe them. Her whole body was trembling. She wanted to move, to help, to run out and scream—but her legs felt too heavy. Her heart felt like it was breaking into pieces.

After some time, the sounds stopped.

Silence filled the air.

With shaking hands, Brenna slowly pulled herself up and peeked outside.

And then… she saw it.

Rachel was tied to a tall wooden pillar. Piles of dry grass and firewood were stacked around her feet. The villagers stood in a wide circle, holding torches, their eyes full of hate.

"Burn her!" someone shouted.

"Burn her alive!" yelled another.

"This is the only punishment for a witch like her!"

Brenna's eyes grew wide with terror.

"No…" she whispered. "No. No, no, no…"

She turned around and ran toward the door, her only thought was to save Rachel.

"I have to tell them it's me! I have to say the truth!" she screamed in her mind.

But just as she ran forward, her foot hit the plates of food lying on the floor. She tripped and fell hard.

Crash!

The dish broke, and a sharp piece stabbed into her leg, cutting deep.

"Ahhh! It hurts!" she screamed, but even with the pain, she tried to crawl toward the door.

But it was too late.

Ahhhhhhh!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Screams filled the air like a siren.

"No! I don't want to hear it! Stop! Stop those voices, please stop!" Brenna cried as she covered her ears.

She sobbed, helplessly smashing her head against the floor, trying to block out the sounds.

But the screams faded… and silence followed.

She knew then. She didn't need to see it. She knew Rachel was gone.

Gone forever.

Her tears came harder than before, dripping down like a never-ending fountain. She looked down at the broken dish, the sharp piece still stuck in her bleeding leg.

She pulled it out slowly, her hands shaking.

Then, with trembling fingers, she raised the bloody piece to her neck.

"If she's gone… I don't want to live either," she whispered. Her voice was weak, her soul even weaker.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I should just… end it…"

But just as she was about to press the sharp piece into her skin—

A small image flashed in her mind.

Ethan.

His little face. His smile. The way he called her "Mom."

Her body froze.

Her hands couldn't move anymore.

"No…" she whispered. "I… I can't leave him. He needs me…"

The sharp piece fell from her hand, clinking softly on the floor.

She cried again, even harder this time. Not just in pain, but from the weight of everything she had lost—and the one thing she still had left.

"I must live for him..At least till he grows up!"