If not, Winter — Content Warning Within

[Kira Adia]

Adult content warning: part three of this story will include sexual content that is not explicitly descriptive but is clear in what it is depicting. Parts 1 and 2 may be enjoyed as a separate stand-alone tale. Part 3 ties this back into the story of “Once Upon a Midnight Dreary,” but contains no plot relevant information. This tale may be skipped, and nothing will be lost from that story.

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A letter:

Admired and feared, exalted and cursed,

Teach me, o, muse, of agony and mirth.

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After a brisk but enjoyable walk along her favored path by the waterfront, the young Kira walked into the bookstore. With a warm smile to Ëarendil, she asked for a hot tea, finding herself developing a taste for the drink. She asked if Anya was in, and thanked him when he says she is not. She headed up the steps and searched the stacks, certain she knows what she is looking for.

With a little searching, she found her prize. An old leather tone with no title, just a rune to make it so only someone aware of its existence would even notice it. A few days of following the trail led her here. She took the book from the shelf and sat down, looking through the pages. An occasional scowl crossed her face between sips of tea.

Sandalwood permeated the air as the rift opened, the sign of who was stepping through. Click, click, click. Up to the redhead’s table. “What lessons would you like to learn first, Miss Kira?”

The smell of the woman’s entrance reached her with the purred alto words. Kira smiled, the now pleasantly familiar blush touching her face. “I think, first, how to make an impression and a RhyDinian ball.” She had changed and refreshed herself after her expedition, but the fragrance of the winter woods drifted about her. She looked back to Syl as she closed her book.

“You look positively... radiant.” The vampire was caught off guard by her own words. A chuckle escaping her as she shook her head. “I apologize for being so forward.”

Taking a seat at the table, admiring that endearing blush, she hummed a soft note of happiness at the woman. “You will turn heads, my dear. Between Anya and I, plus my connections, we will have you look the part of a winter queen.”

Kira returned a giggle of her own. She knew the inner child would return eventually, but for now, her time in the woods had done its magic. Some will burned in her eyes tonight. “If I were a queen, I will stand in the presence of a goddess. I prefer more simple, if at all possible, but I trust your judgement.” She felt the last part was significant.

“Your note, it... saved my mind from spiralling into a place I do not wish to go. I thank you for that.” Sylista leaned on the bridge she made with her hands, elbows propped up on the table once more. “It is not always extravagance that makes the royal, my dear. It is how one feels and holds themselves when they walk in a room.”

“Would that you were there next to me, I’d hope to show the crowd what dignity still lives in my House.” Her smile turned solemn, almost mournful. “I would not presume to take the place of your beloved, however. I am willing to be but a flickering ember next to your bright flame.” She was almost surprised at her own words. The formality of her upbringing helped, but she found the feelings behind them to be true.

The luminance of her glamour began to light up her porcelain skin as she regarded the woman who had caught her interest. “You, my dear, are more than enough to represent your house, whether you believe it or not.” She paused, thinking of the compliment. It took a moment given the word she used to reference the vampire, a word she used to define another. “Are you asking to accompany me to the ball, Miss Kira?”

She froze. She hadn’t realized... was she? She thought a brief moment. “‘I don’t know what to do; two states of mind in me.’ I want to be at the ball, I want you to be there, and I want your eyes on me, if only for a moment.”

She was pleased with the response, and the smile she granted Kira indicated such. “You discovered the poet I quoted!”

“I... found a book on Sappho. I was reading it while I was out in the woods today. I only remember a little.” She felt ecstasy at the pleasure flowing from Syl. She hoped to keep inspiring such pleasure.

As the thrill of having shared the moment with her lessened, her smile grew softer and more affectionate. “Miss Kira, any chance I may have to look at the twilight in your eyes, I will gladly accept, for it will never be enough so long as we continue this back and forth between us.”

Kira tried valiantly to not avert her eyes at the comment. “I do not have to accompany you. To be there with you is enough.” She glanced away to catch her breath.

“You are such an... exquisite find, Miss Kira. How you have taken me from feeling melancholy to... whatever this is I feel when I am around you, is truly an experience I did not expect.” Her glow and the way there was almost a melodic tone in her voice was indication that her normal control over her endowments was slipping.

“I will be honest with you...” Kira let her shield of formality drop for now. “I have never felt this way... with anyone. I have been desired... but this is different. I want your desire.” Her blush deepened. She wasn’t sure what she was confessing. Or why. But she sensed some wall had fallen between them. She wanted to keep the breach opened.

It was a good thing Sylista could not blush. She dipped her head slightly, peering at Kira through long lashes. “You are, pisică.” A small smile. “You truly are.”

The faeling smiled back, feeling the warm glow of the moment. “I want to ask, before things go too far... how discreet must I be with you in public? And what reaction should I expect from your beloved?” Am I to be a secret? A consort? A lo- she dared not think that. To her surprise, all options set a spark running down her spine. What she felt to be a question of propriety tapped into deep fantasies in her mind, imagining any number of glamorous and... pleasurable rendezvous.

“If you wish to be public with your affections, or private, I am comfortable either way. I would prefer you make that choice.” A look of amusement crossed her face before returning to that softness from before. “Mathian and I were somewhat discreet with our... less than appropriate arrangement before we discovered there was love there. Once we admitted our feelings, it became quite public. Though my aristocratic vampire is not one for public displays, I am more open to it.”

She paused and blinked twice, canting her head to the side. “Kira, are you wanting to... be... with me? Whatever the term is here?”

There was that cursed coyness. She became incandescent and looked away. “I truly don’t know yet. I want... to be in your gaze. I want your affection and your pleasure. For now... that is enough. To ask more would... be too much. For now.” She added quickly with a sly smile. “But an object of desire... I can handle that.”

Kira wondered for a breath how honest she was being.

“I will never treat you as an object my dear pisică.” A soft sigh. “I promised this will be at your pace and I intend to keep my word.”

Did Kira hear a faint note of disappointment? That brought forth a warm smile. “A companion, I think, is better. There is too much that is new too me and... too many wounds to heal to ask for more. But... be patient, please. When I know... I will come to you.”

No disappointment, however there was a strong sense of understanding. “A companion. I like that.” She bit her lip, wondering whether she should speak her truth. “I broke hearts in unforgivable ways during my first month in Rhy’din. I truly believed I was incapable of feeling anything, for anyone. That people were tools to meet needs. I... learned that love is possible, and that friendship is the greatest gift someone could give you. It means they trust you.” She let out a little sniff of a laugh, the regret clear on her face. “This place? It is magic in more ways than you could ever imagine. In all of the danger, it is healing. I swear you will find peace. And, until then, I shall be patient. I believe you will be worth it.”

Kira hesitated a tiny eternity and reached forward to place gentle fingertips against a porcelain cheek. She smiled affectionately, giving herself leave to enjoy this warmth, before allowing the spark of the huntress within. “Don’t you dare stop teasing and tempting me, until your cheeks glow as mine.” She was not ignorant of vampires. She knew what she was asking, and a mischievous smile showed just that.

“You could bring that flush forward, if you were daringly interested...” black eyebrows lifted and lowered enticingly, the flirtation playing off that mischievous comment regarding her pale countenance and what she was.

The huntress was thrilled. The young lady was mortified. Kira was delightfully balanced between the two. She caught a sigh escaping from her before she knew she needed to retreat. She was pleased with herself right now. She didn’t want to lose the strength she felt she had gained. Regretfully, she withdrew her hand. “I believe we had an appointment to choose a dress for me. Please excuse me while I purchase my book and leave a message with Ëarendil.”

She stood and quickly brought her book and empty cup to Ëarendil. She paid and left her message with him before returning to her Lady, hugging her book to her breast, and sitting back down.

“What book did you purchase?” Genuine interest shown as she watched the younger woman sit down. “Reading is a hobby I only discovered after one of my homes came with an extensive library.”

The interest in her project perked Kira up. “Do you remember the book I found from my home? It was indeed left by James. When I read through it, I found odd notes. An emphasized word here or a doodle in the margin there. It was a trail of breadcrumbs. Each of the Great Houses at my homeland has a code for private correspondence. House Adia was no longer a Great House, but we still have our old code. He left a list of other books here in the store. Three in total. So, I purchased them.” She stopped to take a breath, lost in the reverie of her recounting.

The Flameweaver was intrigued by such a tale. “What breadcrumbs do these point to? Do you have any idea what he would have been following?”

“Only partially. But the breadcrumbs were not for him. They... were for me. The three other books also held a code. He was decent enough to make them books of interest to me. One a primer on magic — I assume he wanted to be prepared in case he never had the chance to teach me himself — one a collection of folk tales from another world, and one a RhyDinian collection on the history of Greece on Earth. That... is how I learned about Sappho... I got a book of her poems as well, but... hm, that was for me.” a moment to smile at the thought. “The three together pointed me to this book.” She pointed to the rune inscribed on the cover. “It is enchanted. You can only find it if you already know it exists. Otherwise, you look right past it.”

“Fascinating. Can you read it if you do not know what is in it?” A small amount of concern was woven into Sylista’s voice. “There was one of those here before. It... corrupted a very close friend of mine.”

“It is harmless to read. The enchantment only prevents accidental discovery. I know James as I know myself. That security was more than enough. He would not risk harming someone who merely stumbled upon the book by chance. Even if one did somehow get through the enchantment...” she opened the book and turned it to her companion, showing the completely incomprehensible script within. “It is in code. You cannot do anything with it, unless you are if House Adia.”

After a brief pause, Syl continued. “Why Greece? I had a... companion from there once.”

“He cheated.” The faeling grinned. “I was particularly interested in stories of Greece and Rome when he helped me escape. That is part of the interesting part. He did all of this before we escaped. That was just over a year ago. This trail has only existed here for a few months.”

“Time fuckery,” she understood that well. With Time Lords, her own time drifted children, and the rapid pace of time in her own home world, she had a good idea of how it could manifest. “I know some people who are Greek in some way.” No reference to their relationship to deities.

Kira closed the book and took a breath. “This is just the start. I need to decode his journal and see what’s in it. I do not know what I’ll find yet.” A renewed glow touched the little huntress at a thought. “Perhaps you may introduce me to Artemis?”

“I am afraid I do not know Artemis, though I was briefly involved with Ares’s daughter.” A beat. “One of them. I’m sure he had others.” Waving the thought (and whatever she felt) away, Syl smiled. “I am not entirely keen on deities, myself. I was atheist before coming here. There are no gods nor goddesses in my homeland.”

Kira was strangely pleased with the thought of her lady running off with a diety. “There are gods and goddesses back in my world. But they are not here. Yet another way I am adrift.”

“Do you need them?” She paused, a shudder running down her spine. “Fire cannot reach me here, which I find relieving, in truth.”

She thought a moment. “No, I don’t. I’ve made it this long without them. They were a comfort, and I still find peace in praying to them, especially my namesake, even if they cannot hear me in this world. But I will be fine.” She smiled. “You found me without their help.”

“How absolutely charming you are, pisică.” The vampire purred. “You are lucky there is a table between us.”

Her face flushed. “I suggest we should re-examine what we call luck.” She rested her hand atop Syl’s on the table, froze, and contemplated retreat. So soft... the memory of that hand on her own face kept her in place.

That contact between them had Syl smiling brightly, and she turned her hand under Kira’s. Taking it between thumb and fingers, she lifted that hand to place a soft kiss upon knuckles. Angelite eyes peered over the other’s hand, turning that bright smile into a sweeter one that pulled the corner of her eyes upward. “Shall we shop, my dear?”

I am holding my breath. When did that happen? And when did my heart stop beating? “Yes, I would love that, my dear. Something green, I think?” She stood and, again, offered her hand to her lady.

As Sylista came to standing, she noticed the top of her head barely sat below Kira’s chin in her flat soled boots. “There is a perfect shade of green that would make your eyes stand out and place the skies of the Twilight Isle second to the beauty I see now, looking down at me.”

Kira smiled. It felt odd looking down to her. She found he hadn’t let go of her hand and decided she didn’t want to. “Where do you suggest we start? I have not browsed anyplace with clothes nicer than this.” She gestured to her outfit. She was uncertain earlier, but now she was proud of her choice of clothing.

“There are buildings in the city we could explore, including the ladies I employ to make my favourite pieces. If we find something, they can ensure it fits like a dream, if you would not like something custom.” She loosened her hand only enough to intertwine delicate digits between Kira’s. “Shall we make our way to the streets? You can tell me of your vision as we walk?”

A gentle squeeze for reassurance. A hill had been crested tonight. She wasn’t sure when it happened, or how, but she was deeply happy in that moment. “Let’s. My ideas are rather basic, but I feel I could find a bolt of sack cloth and you will find a way to make it glow.” She turned to walk with her lady to the exit, holding herself as close to her companion’s body as was convenient. She smiled and offered a wave good-bye to Ëarendil.

Stepping out of Books and Brews, linked closely to the stunning woman who held herself near to the vampire, Sylista smiled despite herself. She could teleport them, of course, but then she would be missing this. A courtship similar to that which she had so long ago. Something she had skipped over with both of her current loves.

“Simple can be made glamorous. Do you wish to have length to the dress, or something shorter?” A glance sideways. “Shorter, Pharlen was correct.”

She thought about it. She imagined various designs and lengths, appraising each, then imagined Syl seeing her in each and questioned the suitability. She wanted to glow. “I think shorter. Long dresses always feel like I am being weighed down.” She imagined Syl seeing her bare legs and shivered.

“Are you cold, my dear?” The air was cold. Even the Flameweaver could feel it. “A store we may find much luck in is not far from here. I could warm us up, but I am unsure how effective I will be. This particular power is relatively new to me.”

“Hm. No. I can feel when the air is cold, but it doesn’t generally bother me. One advantage of my Fae blood.” She moved closer anyway. Just because it didn’t bother her didn’t mean she would not want to feel Sylista’s warmth. She was silent a few steps. “Can you help me get a cellphone, too? I do not know what I am looking for.”

“Fae?” There was a startle in her voice that did not translate to their movement. “I was unaware you are have Fae ancestors. Are they closely related? Are you full blood?” To be true, Kira did not smell like the Fae who were teaching her magic, yet the idea of being intimately linked to one had her wary. Though, it would make her blood sweet with magic, so was that so terrible if it ever came to that?

“I am full human in every way that matters. My closest Fae ancestor was... a thousand generations ago, as the saying goes. There are no more Fae in my home world.” She was silent again a few steps. “The only way most can tell is my eyes. And my hair, from my father. Violet eyes is a mark of the Fae Touched within my House. We still have some Fae gifts, like not getting too cold or hot or a perfect memory, scattered through the population. But other than those minor things, and some different physical features scattered amongst the Houses, we are as human as the common folk. Or any other human really. Fae Touched is more a prestige and pedigree now.” She ran her thumb idly and gently back and forth along Syl’s hand as she held it.

“That is fascinating,” and relieving by the sound of her voice. “Your eyes are one of the things that draws me to you. Your personality and that blush that creeps up your cheeks when you catch me watching you are also on that list. Just so you are aware.” She gave Kira a cheeky sideways look. “While I am enjoying spending my time with you all on our own, here is the first stop. I suspect it might serve us well tonight if you are comfortable with suggestions?”

“A suggestion from you is a serious consideration.” She smiled and stopped, turning to face her companion. “I want to tell you something. Something important. Kira Adia is not my real name.” Deep breath. “Not an assumed, I mean. But in my home, we have two names. One is the public name we give others. That is the name everyone here knows me by. But I have a True Name. One only those of my House may know. Only three other living people know of it..” She looked at her companion in her eyes.

A small hand lifted above shoulder height and placed a single finger on those soft lips, halting the words the Fae Touched woman might have nearly spoke. “I am honoured you would trust me with such knowledge, even just that your name is not truly yours. I wish to warn you of two things, pisică.” She pulled that finger back, an apologetic look on her face. “The first, always assume there is someone listening, even if you cannot see them. Scrying happens far too often in this city. The second, and I am sure I am simply reiterating what you know, is that names have as much power, sometimes, as blood. Share both only with those you trust, and in a secure place.” She took a step forward, leaving only a small amount of distance between them. “When you are ready, I will hear it. You can trust me with it the same as a seraph has trusted me with theirs.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her forehead down to rest on Syl’s. “Do not worry, my Lady. I was not going to say it yet. I... truly want to. But... it is the most... intimate thing I can do. There are many, many things you could do to my body... that would be far less intimate than hearing me whisper it to you.” A shiver ran through her at the thought of those wonderful things, her true name on Syl’s lips. She breathed deeply of her scent and gently kissed her forehead. “To even hear you say ‘Kira’ is the sweetest of melodies.” She backed her forehead away. “For now, I am in your... very capable hands.” She took Syl’s hand again and blushed. “Tonight I am your canvas.”

“You are the most delectable treat I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with!” She gave that hand a squeeze as she pulled open the door for them both. “My most impure thoughts are washed away by how wholesome this time with you is...” She looked over and grinned lasciviously at Kira. “Though, do not let this fool you about just how capable my hands are.”

[Kira Adia]

Kira would not be given an opportunity to respond. Once the door shut behind them, two sales people came scurrying over to assist them. “Lady Convor, we were not expecting you and do not have your order prepared. You gave us a week!” The taller of the two squeaked her greeting quickly. “I do hope you will continue to allow us to serve you!”

“Kathryn.” Sylista spoke with a spark of her endowment magic, calming the women instantly. “I am not here for me tonight. This,” a look to the redhead, “is Kira, a… sort of date to the ball. She requires a dress in green, no longer than knee-length, and do ensure it shows off her curves in a noticeable yet proper manner?”

With a sigh of relief, Kathryn and her counterpart appeared to size up Kira, doing mental measurements. “Come, shoes off before stepping into the dressing room. I have some suggestions for Lady Convor’s approval!”

Before she even had a chance to respond, or even to get overwhelmed, she fell into the distantly familiar routine of a formal sizing and fitting. She wasn’t a stranger to this process. Though for some reason, this felt more frantic and energized and… Gods below, my body on display to my lady. She looked back to her and suddenly caught herself in a gleeful giggle.

Shoes, shaw, backpack, and over shirt were off quickly, leaving her in her sports top and bottoms. Significantly less clothing than she’d ever worn around Syl, but she had been ushered behind closed doors before that point.

She could ask for her to follow. She thought she would, and quite happily. And Kira would be happy to have there with her… the thought was interrupted by the flurry of instructions and fabrics that came and went. She smiled. Patience. She would happily model the dresses for her companion. All the more reason to enjoy her body being viewed. More than that… she daydreamed as she went through the motions, occasionally stealing glances at herself in the mirrors, trying to imagine it was her looking back at her body.

Measure, slip, pin. Twist, reach, any discomfort? Before long, still flush with her daydreams, the first dress was ready, and she steadied herself to be modeled before her lady. She would feel no shame, criticism, or inadequacy. She knew that much. Syl would only critique, to the finest detail, the work of the artists about her, while hopefully admiring the display of the faeling herself.

Kathryn and Lauren were good at what they did and followed Sylista's instructions to the letter. Instead of following Kira in to her dressing room (propriety was important!), she found the seat that faced the rather impressive floor to ceiling mirror that would be used to show off the outfit to the wearer. This was Sylista's second favorite store (not that she would ever tell Kathryn or Lauren that), though it could be a match for first, when Lauren brought a glass of dark red wine for her enjoyment while she waited.

The women brought nine garments for Sylista to choose from. The first was a simple shaped green dress that had an intricate tie that would loop around the neck and tie behind. The fabric was exquisite and, while she knew it would not be her first choice, she thought it would make Kira the most comfortable. Following that, she approved one, denied another, purred her interest in two more, scowled at three that simply would not do, and finally, a lace number with beige fabric in the bodice under the lace made her genuinely smile.

Lauren nodded to Sylista while Kathryn took the choices in. That first dress, the one Sylista believed Kira would be the most comfortable in, would be the one on display and, as the redhead emerged, an eyebrow lifted and a sweet whisper traveled across the air into Kira's ears alone. "Wow…"

The faeling gave a light blush and did a little twirl. Regardless of the final choice, this one was certainly coming home with her. Following any needed alterations, of course. She chided herself slightly to not take home every pretty dress she tried, even if it seemed to meet her benefactor’s approval, but she was fond of this already. She beamed a smile at Syl’s reaction and admired herself in the mirror, turning here and there to get a new angle while the tailor fussed over her. She glanced an invitation to Syl.

She stayed put, intending only to move when the dress was on display. "This one would be lovely for a night out on the town, with dinner and dancing. That said, it just is not one that will make you the belle of the ball." With a cant of her head while Kira turned, a half-smile kicked up on the royal's mouth. "That color is stunning with your hair and the exposed skin…" it took quite a bit of willpower to not lick a sharp tooth with her enjoyment of the view before her. "Kathryn? Please note any alterations needed. Lauren? Place this one on my account."

“You spoil me, my dear.” She gave an appreciative smile and glanced once more in the mirror before being ushered back into the changing room. This was more fun than work, she decided. She allowed herself to be guided through the process of the next dress fitting, warmly (and coyly) taking in glances at herself in various states of dress and disrobement. Before long, she was guided back out and gleefully posed appreciably, turning much slower for her companion and locking eyes with her upon facing her again.

There were two parts of Sylista watching Kira, both taking as much of the woman in as possible. First, there was the critique that wanted to ensure the fit, color, and style was perfect for her companion. The second and, arguably more powerful, side watched her as though she were the most enchanting and alluring individual she had ever laid eyes on. It was that expression that had the women working diligently to ensure everything was right.

The second dress, long sleeved and lace, fit nicely but was not quite right. "It is not the correct green. What do you think, pisică?"

She looked herself up and down in the mirror. “The feel is close, but… maybe a shade too dark?” She crossed her arms below her breasts and made a quarter turn. She was fond of her small size, but this made her look like a twig. The lace sleeves were a wonderful touch, though.

Kathryn immediately ushered Kira back into the dressing room, tutting at herself about the choice. Sylista smirked at the woman's need to impress the Flameweaver. To be fair, Sylista spent a good amount of money here, and would probably spend more after watching them work with her companion. It was nice being on the other side of the dressing process, especially now that the girls here knew her size and style without much fuss.

The next dress would be satin with black lace, with a black sash tied to the side in a bow. This one, while pretty, appeared far too juvenile for the woman. The look on her face was enough to have Kathryn push Kira back in the fitting room before even giving her a chance to see it.

Finally, the last dress. The one that made her smile to begin with, was given to Kira to fit herself in to. "Again, please let me know when you are in, dear, and I will zip you up."

She had the back zipped up and situated herself before turning to the mirror. She had long since determined that Syl had specifically chosen the order of the dresses presented to her. The first was a gift of sorts for Kira (and a treat for herself, no doubt) while the second and third were a display of patronage to the dressmakers. She hoped her performance in the second met her approval, and took in the third only long enough to note the lace on the shoulders as she did her dance for her mistress. I could get used to that word, I think, she thought playfully. She suspected Syl would be preparing her for a lace number.

The instant she saw herself in her reflection, she knew the answer. The pattern looked as though she were garbed in leaves instead of lace. An interesting choice for a winter ball, but she saw something there. A glimmer of spring to come would be on display. It’s as though Sylista had taken the wilds themselves and had them infused into her fair huntress.

The extra moment the staff gave her to admire the work confirmed for her that they knew the games at play. At the very instant they thought to guide her out, she instead walked straight to the door full of confidence and radiance. She would display this one, not them. She gifted them the honor of opening the door for her. Impressive. She didn’t even have to slow her stride.

As Kira stepped out, a genuine smile with a hint of desire and something more dangerous lit up Sylista's face. First, a lick to a tooth that would descend when needed, then the right side of her bottom lip pressed between teeth. She was right when she picked it. She knew her colors and styles, and that green caused the purple in her eyes to be the second thing Sylista looked at. That gaze held a plethora of meanings. The most important, however, was that this was the dress.

The wine glass, nearly empty, was placed down on the end table beside the comfortable chair as the obsidian-haired woman stood. The movement was graceful and proof of the vampire's predatory nature. She glided across the floor, her flats making no noise on the carpeted flooring. "Stunning," she purred, stepping around the girl in a circle. She paused, only for a moment, and lifted her chin, changing her tone. She had been admired in such a way only days prior, and it would have made her uncomfortable if it was not the person who did it. Slowing her movements, she continued to move around her companion. A hand touched the waist, just above where the hips would swell, and then another touch on the shoulders. "It fits you like a glove, my dear!"

Kira drank the appreciative touches and gaze. She looked down to her lady as she passed back into view. The difference in height felt meaningless with that hunger in her companion’s eye. She could devour me at any moment, and my only complaint would be that it would end far too soon. She allowed herself the lightest of blush and did a final twirl before taking a more relaxed pose.

“This is a wonderful choice, my dearest.” Did she hear that right? “I hope it pleases you.” She didn’t need to ask, but she wanted to hear it anyway. She felt powerful and regal, more so than any of the Great Houses at home. She felt that was as it should be, but she still wanted to hear that dear gentle teasing.

Oh, how the vampire purred her pleasure at the sight of Kira. Both Kathryn and Lauren had made themselves scarce for the intimate moment between the two women. Another check in the box of reasons why Sylista would come back again. "My dearest pisică, the dress has a certain piquant quality to it. Or, rather, you in this dress!" The double meaning of the word could be taken in this case. Kira looked delightful and delicious. "My dress has the appearance of hoarfrost on branches, and you look as though you represent fresh and invigorating life in this number." A beat. "Fitting, yes?"

She slowly turned to the mirror, mindful of the eyes upon her, and moving to give the best view. “Quite fitting, my Lady.” The sweet embrace of death, and the promise of life’s renewal. “Very poetic. The crowd will delight in the sight of our adornment.” She felt a wash of warmth and want. She turned her head partway towards her lady. “I wager you would be delighting in the thought of our ornaments… elsewhere.” Were it not for the invigoration of her morning’s expedition, the beauty of her dress, and the obvious pleasure of Syl, she would have died of the forwardness of that. Instead, she glowed and dipped her gaze with a vulnerability that was not quite for show.

“Oh, no, I intend on savoring this and, should I be granted a chance, show you how much I delight in the thought of you.” Forward words met forward words volleyed in return. “Until then, I will remain an admirer from a close distance.” She grinned upward, a teasing look in her eyes. “Besides, I have discovered that suspense makes the moment that much… sweeter.”

She delighted in that look of vulnerability, though she did not show it in respect for the woman, and nodded over to the sales woman who had started to peek around a corner.

Kira imagined her mistress approaching her from behind already, her arms around her, lips at her neck, the feeling of surrendering a portion of her life’s blood to her lady. (Her lover?) The scene played out in the mirror before her, and she almost didn’t notice the tailor ushering her back into the dressing room. How long would her restraint hold out against such daydreams? Not long, were it not for the interference from the tradeswoman. Did she desire patience when the promise of such pleasure waited in that loving touch?

If thoughts were spoken, the vampire would have struggled with holding her resolve, initiating a private rendezvous behind the building, up against a wall… no, it was a good thing those thoughts were private. Instead, fantasies of a similar nature danced in her mind.

To distract herself, Sylista arranged both dresses to be put on her account and, to any protesting, simply would reply “Surprise me next weekend at my celebration. You will come, yes?” Followed by a conversation with Kathryn about ensuring Kira was well taken care of.

The younger companion hesitantly changed out from the dress and back into her previous outfit, then walked back out to stand next to her mistress as their business was concluded. “Please have it delivered to room 34 at the Red Dragon when it is ready. The other dress is not a rush, so take your time if needed.” Syl knew her room number now. She thought about what the woman could do with such knowledge. So drunk was she with desire. A chilly walk through the streets would calm her.

“I am afraid our evening must come to a close, dear.” The melodious voice of her companion drew Kira back to the waking world. “I am in need of sustenance before too long. It is detrimental to my health if I go too many hours between feedings.”

Kira turned back to her companion. “That’s more the shame, my dearest. But your needs must be met as well. You certainly could not spend your every hour doting on me.” Back in her typical outfit, she lost a measure of the confidence she had gained while on display. She blushed as she spoke to Syl, the familiar dance resuming between them. She knew she wouldn’t lose the forwardness she had found tonight, a lesson in wild ecstasy from her beloved mistress, but she would not lose her coy hesitation, even in the heat of passion.

“May I walk you back to your room? My needs can be delayed for a while longer.” Unsaid was a hint that their time together was enough for now to keep her energy up. Then, she smirked, lifting Kira’s knuckles to her lips. “It seems it was a date after all, hm?”

“It would seem so, my dearest. If you continue to spoil me so, I may soon be yours in all but name.” She smiled playfully as they exited the dressmaker’s. “I would be delighted to be escorted home by you, but I find myself needing to do a little more shopping before I may retire. I will happily accept your company to a shop where I may find a phone, however. The door will be far enough, if it so pleases you.” The formality of the moment felt more playful and affectionate than normal. Such was usually a shield against anxiety and uncertainty, and one she resented, but with her lady, it felt like an extension of the games they played with one another. A tease she could use against her when the mood struck, now that Syl had seen her at ease.

“Oh! Yes! How careless of me to forget about the very device I encouraged you to have, so I may easily find you!” A sheepish look. “I was so caught up in the magic of seeing you…” She sighed, perhaps dramatically, as she cut herself off, though she was being truthful. “Come, my dear, the place you seek is on the way!” She held out her hand for the Fae Touched to take, and a goodbye was shared with Lauren and Kathryn. Soon, they would be out on the streets and on their way to the next destination.

Kira enjoyed the stroll in the hand of her companion, silently protesting at the rapid pace of their walk, despite their leisurely pace. “Thank you for this evening. I meant it. What I said. I am… certain you could have me at any moment you wish, and I would not protest. I know I will be yours in time. But the care you show, the patience that must ache you as strongly as it does me… hm… to have the choice in everything that passes between us is an act of… of love I yearn to return in kind.” She looked down at the road they walked and felt the presence of the woman next to her like an anchorage in a stormy sea of emotion.

Sylista stopped and gently pulled the taller woman against her, a strong arm wrapping around her waist to hold her there. “In time, my less than favorable upbringing may be discussed between us. It is the reason I am so adamant about taking this at your pace. I never want you to feel as though I am pressuring you to feel anything, emotional or physical, without you being more than sure that it is what you want. Without any question or doubt in your mind.” She lifted that opposite hand to cup Kira’s face, letting her thumb brush against her lips. “If that day never comes, I will know that you trusted me enough to find yourself in my presence, and that will be enough.”

She gazed at her lady and brought herself down to Syl, stopping her lips perilously close to painted red, in a mirror of the gesture her lady showed her just the night before. Perhaps even closer. Any passerby would think the two were locked in a passionate kiss, but the adoration she expressed in this gesture was deeper than any kiss could ever speak to. She gently breathed in orchid and wild amber, the distinct scent of her companion, before pulling back away, wordlessly pulling Syl’s arm back around her and continuing their walk.

Sylista, caught by her own trick, laughed, the sound of wind chimes dancing around them. “Well played,” she murmured. Normally, such a trick would annoy the former queen. But not tonight.

Having reached the store with all the fancy devices, she pulled the handle, using her hand to usher Kira in. From the entrance, she grinned at the man who had replaced her phone three times since May, dipping her head in a quick nod as a greeting. “Place this on my account. Kira needs a phone and some accessories, such as a cover. Please ensure you show her what she needs to know, hm?”

Kira giggled musically. Before entering, she whispered to her mistress alone. “Go, my goddess of the night, and find smaller prey to sate your thirst, as we both anticipate the culmination of our pursuit.” She smiled lovingly and bowed her head. “Good evening, my dearest.”

A sniff of a laugh at the tease, and she exited, leaving Kira in the capable hands of the shop employee and a sense of mystery about what the enigmatic woman was thinking.

[Kira Adia]

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Kira woke to the sound of sobbing. Her face and pillow were soaked, and it was a miracle that she hadn’t woken her lover in the bed with her. Then again, Les was in torpor after having fed a whole meal from Kira. It would take a lot to wake her.

She wiped at her eyes, trying to clear them enough to see. It seemed futile, as every tear seemed to be replaced with more behind it. She sat up and closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath, settling herself enough to dispel the disorientation she felt.

After a few shorter breaths. Kira rose and snuck out of the bedroom, making her way to a living room situated adjacent. She didn’t bother to seek clothing for herself. No one else was home, aside from the stone automata that went about their tasks, and even they kept their distance from occupied rooms for the sake of those within.

Once she made it in and closed the door, she made her way to the couch in the middle of the room, facing a fireplace. With a gesture, Kira lit the wood set ready within and chose to leave the rest of the lights off. The night was still dark, so the dancing of the flames had a soothing effect on the Huntress.

Kira pulled her knees up to her chest in a self-comforting hug and tried to remember her dream. Now that she had calmed some and changed both her physical and mental context, the memory came much more easily. It was their first date. The one where Syl took her to find a dress for that first Winter Ball.

Her lower lip found its way between her teeth. It was a gesture she had seen her first dearest perform, and she found over time that she’d come to adopt it as well. She remembered one such time when she saw that gesture performed. The flurry of activity within the dressing room. The feel and the fit of the dress her lady had chosen. The desire — the hunger — that Kira saw in her companion’s eyes upon that first reveal.

Kira caught a glimpse of an elongated canine, normally retracted and kept hidden, threatening to extend when Syl stood and approached the little huntress. She squeezed her legs tighter as a shiver erupted from the memory, traveling down her spine and ending at an ache that she had longed to feel satisfied for years.

A gentle anguish that has grown to a burning need. One that would never be satisfied.

Fresh sobs struck her as she buried her face in her knees. Longing turned to anguish within her heart, and that same frustrated desire burned that pain and refined it into anger. She found herself struck with a self loathing that pierced through her, opening her and showing her the gaping hole in her heart.

A flood of grief struck as she grappled with the accusation that she did this. “Why did I delay for so long?” She spoke softly to herself through her tears. “Why did I listen to myself, when we could have been so much more?” Kira recalled her promise. Her desire to show Syl the “patience of the hunt.” It was all a lie she’d long told herself. It was fear she showed Syl. A fear that confessing her true feelings would break the spell that had seemingly caught them both.

”…know that I saw that which you could not say.”

The most recent words she’d heard Syl say to her rang forth from her memory. That gentle whisper, the feeling of fingertips against her cheek, and the love they carried helped to ease her pain, enough that when Kira again took a deep breath, the anger left with it.

As she let out that breath, she unwound herself to stretch out on the couch. The memory played back again in her mind. She remembered standing before the mirror, admiring the dress on herself. Partially, anyway. Much of her attention was on the vampiress slowly circling her as she preened and posed, turning so that all her best angles were shown to her beautiful patron.

”"My dearest pisică, the dress has a certain piquant quality to it.” She remembered Syl’s attention shift subtly from the adornment to the adorned. ”Or, rather, you in this dress!” Kira remembered a fantasy from that moment. Syl’s hand was on her waist, and Kira wanted both of her arms to wrap around and take her. Her neck was naked and exposed. Upon Syl’s mention of her need to feed, she presented a look of vulnerability that was not entirely feigned.

Another shiver ran through her, and one hand softly glided up her body and to her neck, still tender from the feeding she had given Les earlier. The evidence of twin wounds remained for the moment, and a soft sigh struck as that subtle reminder wound itself into her memory.

”Names have as much power, sometimes, as blood. Share both only with those you trust in a secure place.”

She shared one with Syl, but never had the chance for the other. There was no doubt in her mind now that it would have been the height of ecstasy. The blood she had shared since confirmed it, and it could have only been more potent when there was true danger for her in the act.

To have felt her life slipping away in the hands of her lover…

A jolt passed through Kira. Her mind stopped wandering with a gasp. Her other hand, ignored and unoccupied, had wandered and drifted down, finding its own way between her legs. She’d let her desire drive her body, and it responded in kind, pulling ever further into those fantasies.

She had no inclination to stop. Fingers wandered over and between sensitive flesh. She drifted from the mark at her neck to her lips. After the dress was decided, they very nearly kissed. The feelings that flooded through her as she modeled the various outfits selected for her were liberating. She never fully got over her natural reserve or occasional shyness, but that night was the first she was direct and forward without wilting in the face of Syl’s response.

They could have kissed. She could have allowed her lady to drag her to the alley just off the road and made love for the first time. Kira knew she wanted that with every fiber of who she was.

Kira’s tease was a mirror of the gesture Syl had performed the night before in the Red Dragon. The mere centimeters between them had been more intimate and enticing than all the times she’d ever kissed anyone. She still remembered the tickle of Sylista’s breath, her scent filling Kira’s entire universe.

That moment in the inn lingered for the rest of the night, following her to her room, where she sought relief for the first time under Syl’s influence. Much as she was doing then in the darkness of her home, where the echoes of that near kiss continued to linger and haunt her.

Breaths became short and heavy. The Flameweaver’s name echoed against the silent walls. Tears poured, even as pleasure roared inside the Huntress at the thoughts of everything they could have been. The touches they never shared. The moments robbed from them by time and by fate.

Kira curled in on herself as she crested the final hill, a flood of electric fire arced through her to bring her some measure of the release she craved. There was no cry of ecstatic agony, however. The faeling lie on the cushions, silently whimpering and sighing as she felt herself released from the grip of desperation.

When that left, she felt emptiness and grief take their places once again, pushed aside in the depths of her desire for what she never received. She reached up and grabbed a pillow, hugging it close to herself as her breathing steadied and her tears slowed.

“Syl… when you are gone, can you take this pain from me?” The thought was voiced aloud to an empty room. Kira started when she heard the room answer.

“Would you let her?”

The strangely accented voice of the raven pulled Kira’s attention to the mantle above the fireplace. Perdea perched there, head cocked as she stared down at the sweating woman on the couch. Kira rolled back in her back, still loosely holding the pillow to her chest. Not out of modesty, as it did nothing to hide the rest of her.

“I should have anticipated your arrival. You are never far behind my dreams of her.”

“Yes, yes. My job is keeping an eye on you. Especially when you call her.”

“When I…?” She thought about that for a moment. “Yes, perhaps I am. My desire manifested itself in the dreamscape.” She looked back to the raven. “Nevertheless, you could knock like you used to.”

A throaty cackle rumbled from the throat of the corvid. “And risk missing the show?”

The Huntress grinned in reply. “Well, if I knew you were interested…”

“I’m not.” Perdea’s head canted to the other side. “I’d rather not, really.”

That stopped her. “Well then… if not you, do you mean…?”

“Maybe she does.” Perdea cackled again. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Raven wings stretched out as she kicked off from the mantle place. She aimed her flight for a shadow in the corner of the room, disappearing into the darkness very theatrically.

Kira bit her lip again. It took a brief moment for her thoughts to crystallize. She suddenly became very warm, and her cheeks felt numb. Kira curled into a ball once again and muffled a small scream into the pillow, still trapped in her embrace. She wasn’t sure if she would die on the spot.

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Save some appetite for me.
A picture: an awkwardly taken shot of an exposed neck, loosely curled red head pulled to the side

What a tease!
You know, there exist other, more sensual places I could drink from, pisică.

My Lady would honor me to add such lessons to the more… detail orientedportions of my curriculum

The little huntress, perched on her bed, pressed her face into a pillow, torn between suffocating herself and screaming until the sun rose. She chose neither, eventually, and turned over on her back for air and to stare at the ceiling for a moment.

Kira’s face was hot, and her lips were going numb from the foolishly girlish grin she couldn’t shake from her face. “Gods above and below… what is that woman doing to me?” She turned on her side and curled in on herself, taking a deep breath and trying to remember the scent of her Mistress once again.

“Mistress… my Mistress…” A giggle found itself in the back of her throat. “My Lady. My Lo…” She stopped herself with a hum. The jolt that stuck her was almost too strong for the faeling. “Mmm… Sylista… how does your name alone make me feel so…?”

Kira rolled off and put bare feet on the rug below her bed. She picked up the phone and plugged it into the charger before crossing over to the small desk in the corner. Her journal was there, open to a page with a partially finished drawing of the dress she’d be wearing in only a few days.

Once she’d found her pen, she began to write in that code that looked to everyone else like doodling. She had so much to record, and besides, it would help delay sleep, and all that waited for her there.

A shiver. That was all past. She’d much rather spend what time she could thinking about her.

It could only last so long. Within a few hours, she was well and truly asleep, head laid on her open journal with the now complete sketch below her.