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Lyn tucks the last of the recently-purchased supplies into her horse's saddlebag and pats its shoulder before turning to you. "Well, that's everything."
"And that'll last us the whole week?" you ask, more incredulous than disbelieving. The horse's load is light, and though you trust Lyn with all you have, you're not sure how it'll stretch more than a day and a half.
Lyn laughs. "Everything else we need, the plains will provide. Come on, (Y/N)."
You'd had no idea what to expect from your girlfriend on the Day of Devotion some weeks ago, but when she asked you to journey with her to the Sacaean Plains, you couldn't have been more excited. It was an honor, in a way, to be invited to somewhere so near and dear to her heart. She hadn't visited the land of her birth since arriving in Caelin all that time ago, but she often talked about the beauty of the plains - the grass swaying in endless gentle currents with the wind, its rustling lulling her to sleep at night; the vast stretch of land that was both blissfully empty yet teeming with life, the warm sun, the cleansing rain. The way she talked about Sacae was poetic, and each word was said with such fondness that you longed to experience its splendor firsthand. Lyn couldn't hide the sparkle in her eyes when you enthusiastically agreed to go. You've been making your way across the land since, but the distance felt like nothing at all with Lyn at your side.
Lyn hoists herself up onto her horse in one smooth, practiced motion before offering her hand. She looks so dashing like this, you think, and you blush as she takes your arm and pulls you up behind her as easily as one might pick a flower off the ground. You wrap your arms around her waist, and with a nudge from Lyn, the horse sets off.
The bustle of town fades as its cramped buildings thin into fairly spaced farmsteads. You don't bother looking back to see the last of the houses disappear from view.
You've known Lyn for quite a while now, yet you've never seen so immediately at ease as she is once you arrive in Lorcan territory. Watching her now, you can't imagine her ever being anywhere else. Her vibrant green hair flutters gently in the breeze along with the grass that rises to her knees. She looks back to you and beams.
Days pass like a lazy dream. Lyn wants to show you every wonderful thing the plains have to offer, and though the land is too expansive to even scratch the surface, her efforts aren't wasted. She points out herds of wild horses to you, their unique patterns and coloration so different than the carefully bred mounts you're used to seeing in Caelin. She brings you to a sea of wildflowers, and you spend the rest of the day kneeling in the middle of it, weaving flowers into each others' hair and sneaking quick kisses in between. She shows you which plants are good for harvesting, and when you sit down later to share a meal of roasted greens and the spiced meat of some game Lyn had expertly brought down, you see what she meant when she said the plains would provide everything.
Time is spent picking berries, tracking herds, and holding onto Lyn as you ride through the tall grass. It wasn't like when you were traveling here, clinging tightly and watching the scenery rush past as you pressed on with a single goal in mind (though that was thrilling in its own right). Here, your body pressed comfortably against hers as you go wherever you please, often pausing to explore purely on a whim. There were no rules, no responsibilities, nothing to stop you and your girlfriend from sharing the days the way you two wanted.
Following the winds during the day, settling wherever you found yourselves when the sun lowered, and at night...oh, the nights were gorgeous. The plains were breathtaking in daylight, but the way the moon painted the land in deep blues and violets was something magical. Despite spending all of the day in each other's company, you both stayed up and talked for as long as you could before the need for sleep became too much. Each day ended with you curling up together inside your shared tent.
On cloudless nights, much like tonight, you and Lyn would lay side-by-side on the plush grass and admire the stars. The sky is clearer than you've ever seen it, the little variations in color and size and brightness between stars much more noticeable, and you're content to just stay like this, admiring them in comfortable silence.
Lyn seems to have something else in mind.
You're so close that you feel the words on her tongue before she speaks them - the way her hand briefly squeezes yours, the slight tense of her body, the purposeful intake of breath. She calls your name softly, and you make a small hum.
For a moment, she doesn't continue. Then: "What do you think of the plains?"
There's so much you could say about them, and you're tempted to start waxing poetic like Lyn does, but you decide to answer directly. "I love them, Lyn. I'm so glad you brought me with you - I feel like I could stay here forever."
Lyn swallows. "You could, you know."
"Huh?"
You turn your gaze away from the stars to Lyn. Her face is softly illuminated by the moonlight and the dying embers of the campfire, and though it's dim, you can see the determination in her eyes. She brings your hand closer and closes both of hers around it. "You're important to me, (Y/N), more important than anyone else. I wanted to show you my homeland, yes, but...I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Living freely on the plains in peace, for as long as I draw breath. Would you stay with me?"
"Oh, Lyn..." You lean forward and capture her lips. Lyn relaxes and returns the kiss tenderly, sighing when she feels your free hand in her hair. You pull back just an inch, noses touching as you look into her eyes. "I'd love nothing more."