Commission from Caelum yet again. And boy oh boy is this the best image in the series in my opinion. I love this so much. But yeah, like normal, I added a little story below! Hope you all enjoy~
Months passed after Caelum and Liandra shared their first intimate night together, and in that time, their bond only grew stronger. They had learned to navigate life as slaves, adapting to their surroundings, finding joy in each other's company, and, above all, keeping their spirits alive amidst the harsh conditions they faced daily.
It was another sweltering day on the farm, and the two keidran were assigned to work in the fields—tilling the soil for the next planting season. The sun beat down on them as they toiled, but the exhaustion that used to drain their will was now lighter, softened by the warmth they had found in one another.
As Caelum dug into the earth with a hoe, his ears twitched at the sound of Liandra's laughter. She had been teasing him for being overly focused, her bright eyes glinting with a playful spark as she carried a heavy sack of seeds on her side. Her usual mischievous smirk danced on her lips, and Caelum couldn’t help but smile as he straightened up, wiping sweat from his brow.
<"You're getting slow,"> she teased, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she tugged a stubborn weed from the ground.
<"You wish,"> Caelum shot back, a grin spreading across his face as he bent back to his work. The soreness in his muscles was almost comforting now, a reminder that he was still alive, still capable of feeling something other than pain. And Liandra—she was the reason his heart hadn't hardened completely.
As the two worked, a group of other keidran slaves toiled nearby, their movements mechanical, devoid of spirit. The field was vast, stretching out endlessly towards the horizon, where the mansion of their master loomed like a dark shadow. It was a reminder of their place in this world—property, nothing more.
But here, in this small corner of the field, Caelum felt free, even if just for a fleeting moment. His gaze drifted back to Liandra, her body silhouetted by the orange sky. He couldn't help but admire the way she carried herself, strong and defiant even in the face of everything they'd endured.
They worked side by side for hours, their movements synced through months of shared labor. As it became time for the slaves to have their lunch, Caelum and Liandra took a brief break; sitting down under the shade of a nearby tree, Caelum stole a glance at Liandra. Her fur, now slightly matted with sweat and dirt, still looked beautiful to him. She met his gaze, a soft smile spreading across her face.
<"You know,"> Liandra began after a long stretch of silence, her voice low, <"I never thought I'd find anything worth caring about in a place like this. But..."> She hesitated, her hands stilling in the dirt. <"Then I met you.">
Caelum’s heart skipped a beat. He straightened up, his eyes meeting hers, and for a moment, the weight of their situation melted away. It was just them—two keidran in love, defying a world that told them they were nothing.
<"I feel the same,"> he replied softly, his voice barely above a whisper. <"You make all of this... bearable.">
She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. <"Just bearable, huh?">
He grinned, scooting closer to her, his hand brushing against hers as he leaned in. <"Alright, maybe more than that.">
Before she could respond, a sharp voice cut through the moment. One of the human overseers was making his rounds, and the sound of his whip snapping through the air sent a jolt of tension rippling through the field.
<"Back to work, dogs! No slacking off!"> the overseer barked, his eyes scanning the rows of keidran with a cruel smile.
Liandra flinched, her body stiffening, but Caelum stepped in closer, shielding her with his larger frame. <"Don't worry,"> he muttered under his breath. <"He's not gonna ruin this for us.">
The overseer’s gaze lingered on them for a moment longer before he moved on, his attention diverted to another unlucky keidran who hadn't been working fast enough. Caelum watched as the human stalked away, his hand unconsciously tightening into a fist.
<"One day,"> Liandra whispered, her voice laced with anger and determination. <"One day we’ll make them pay.">
Caelum nodded. <"Yeah. One day.">
The two fell back into their routine, though the tension from the overseer's interruption hung in the air like a storm cloud. Still, Caelum couldn't help but steal glances at Liandra as they worked, his thoughts drifting to a future where they could be together without fear, without chains. He didn’t know how, but he was determined to find a way out of this life—for both of them.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the keidran were herded back to their quarters like cattle. Caelum and Liandra lagged behind, sharing a quiet moment before they had to return to the cold reality of the barracks.
<"Tonight,"> Liandra murmured, her voice barely audible over the distant calls of the guards. <"Meet me by the tree, after the moon’s up.">
Caelum raised an eyebrow. <"What for?">
She smiled, that mischievous glint in her eyes back in full force. <"I’ve got a plan. Something that’ll make this hellhole a little more interesting.">
Caelum couldn’t help but smile back. <"Alright, I’m in.">
(TwoKinds is a comic written and drawn by author and creator Tom Fishbach. I in anyway do not own the comic at all or any of the cannon characters in the comic. This is just a piece showing appreciation to the TwoKinds franchise. Thank you for understanding.)
