The hallways of Briggs fortress were unusually quiet in the early hours of morning. Not a sound could be heard except for the strong whistling sounds of the cold, Northern wind. A lone figure quietly strolled down one of the many thresholds of the massive structure the men of Briggs called home. He cherished these quiet early hours, mostly for the silence and solitude they provided.
Although the Ishvalan enjoyed the loud laughter and friendly banter of his colleagues, he preferred the quiet company of his own thoughts more than anything. However, there was only one person, that he would willingly give up his solitude and anything else for, if only she asked.
Most of the men knew that he was a loner and let him be, except for Buccaneer. The great bear of Briggs; always managed to goad him into something or the other and against his better judgement. And Miles somehow ended up always unwillingly participating. Knowing full well that whatever antic they would be up, always ended badly for him. Miles shook his head the memory of his large friend. He was probably the closet he had to a best friend. Even if he did get him in trouble with their general sometimes.
Walking briskly down his path, Miles reached a familiar corridor and a faint smile graced his lips. He was a few feet away from the door leading to his general's quarters. If there was anyone in the whole world he wanted to be with every second of every day with, it was her. He was fortunate that his wish was partly fulfilled since he was by her side most of their working days. Being her second in command had given him access to the her more than any of the other men and if anyone knew her more than most people, it was him. But there was a part of her he always wondered about and longed to discover.
Who was she, when she wasn't the commander of Briggs?
The Ishvalan was certain that he wasn't the only one who harboured such curious thoughts about the magnificent woman who commanded the Northern fortress. It was true that all the men looked up to her, admired her and feared her. However, the quiet of their minds he was sure, that they had indecent daydreams of her.
She was an attractive woman with undeniable assets, despite their being well covered. Miles knew that their queen realised the men and their man-ish needs, she was a woman after all, hauled up with hundreds of men and that was why she allowed them leave twice a month to go into the city brothels and relieve their urges and that made many of them extremely jubilant.
Miles had once the misfortune of overhearing their heated discussion how her performance in bed would be, she would probably was capable of doing unimaginable things to please a man, a hellion in bed just as she was in battlefield, they thought. And if anyone was allowed into her bed it would either be him or Buccaneer. Since neither of them ever went into the city for the quarterly 'man business'.
Mostly because Buccaneer was too shy around women and Miles couldn't be bothered but the men didn't know that, and besides they both had other means that kept each of them occupied. He was also aware that they often placed bets on who. Of course they quickly changed the subject when they noticed his presence, a little too late most times.
As he neared her quarters, a dull light illuminating light from under the door caught his attention when neared her door. Puzzled, he quirked an eyebrow. 'What was she doing awake at this hour? She should be slee-'
A sudden apprehension stopped him mid thought and his eyes widened. With great haste he searched his trouser pockets for the spare key to her quarters that he always carried on his person. Pulling it out he unlocked the door and dashed inside, silently praying to Ishvala that she would be unharmed. Once inside he noted that the light came from her inner bedchamber, the drawing room however was pitch dark. He removed his goggles, and blinked a couple of times before his eyes adjusted to the dark.
Miles cautiously padded through the room, looking around briefly and realising that everything looked fine so far. He took a deep breath and braced himself before entering her bedchamber. He had never been this far into her quarters before, it was as if he was walking into a forbidden realm. His red eyes with practised ease and accuracy took in his surroundings. The source of the light lie on her bedside table, a small candle that was enclosed in a glass case. Beside it, her bed was bare except for upturned sheets and covers, her uniform jacket and trousers sprawled over them.
'Where was she?' He wondered, almost about to panic. When a splashing sound of water that came from the ajar door to her en suite, startled him. She was in there. Relief washed over him then, like a flood of cool, soothing water.
Meanwhile inside the en suite to the general's quarters. Olivier had heard the key unlocking her quarters and tensed up, muscles ready to pounce on whomever dared to take her by surprise, she patiently waited to find out who had invaded her space and listened quietly to the approaching footsteps, the general had learned to recognize most of her men by the sound of the feet. When the sound drew near, she sighed and let her guard down.
It wasn't an outsider. It was Miles. She remembered that he had been on the patrol duty rooster tonight and probably noticed the light that was on at this ungodly hour and being the worrier that he was, had decided to come in and check on her.
A wry smile crawled up her lips then, the man was too much of a worrier sometimes. She didn't hear any sound and knew that he was probably wondering what happened to her when he her empty bed. That over active mind of his probably picturing her held captive by insane assassins taking her halfway down to Drachma by now. So she stretched out her leg and made a little splash just let him know of her whereabouts.
It wasn't that he didn't think she was incapable of handling herself, in fact he was absolutely sure she could depend herself very well but the numerous attempts on her life since he had been her aide and by her side, had made him extremely careful when he saw anything out of the ordinary that concerned her. He was too overprotective and she secretly adored that trait about him.
"What do you want, Miles?" She asked loudly minuets later, her voice sounding tired and wry.
Oh Ishvala! Miles almost jumped when he heard her. She knew it was him, and he always wondered how she did that. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like a little child caught trying to steal some cookies from the cookie jar, a sheepish grin playing on his lips, he quickly said a silent prayer of thank to his goddess for his general's safety.
"I just came to see if you were alright, sir and now I shall be on my way." He said a little too abruptly, his eyes darted away from her clothes and he cleared his throat, trying to ignore the images that were filling his head at that moment.
'Come now there's no need to get excited, maybe she's just washing her face and wearing her pajamas.' He told himself sternly too preoccupied with his internal battle and he almost missed her quiet command.
"Come here."
Olivier was glad he had come. She needed a distraction from what was troubling her and keeping her awake. Plus frankly she could use a little company at that moment. Sinking a little deeper into the warm water of her tub, she idly ran her hand gently over the wound her left flank, patting it. She had been lucky it was a flesh wound and no harm had reached her abdominal organs but the damned thing was giving her hell and refused to heal. Every time she thought it closed up and that was that. It would open and start bleeding again, as if she had just acquired it.
She cursed the Drachman filth that had given it to her. She had once heard a stupid old wife's tale that when someone received a wound from a person they had killed and it refused to heal, then it probably held the wrath and all the other powerful emotions that the person held at the moment of his demise. Olivier however did not believe in superstitions. She knew that had taken his life brutally, but like the countless men before him, it was nothing personal. He was just another enemy to kill and it was survival of the fittest.
On the other end of the room, Miles hesitated a little before he found his feet leading him to where she was. Slowly, he trailed his hand against the door of the en suite, bracing himself for what he was about to see.
The blonde woman lay in her white marble tub, her beautiful blonde hair tied in a knot, exposing the delicate pale skin of her neck and back. Both her arms resting idly on either side of the tub, and even though she had her back to him, she looked calm and serene. He had never seen her that way before and the sight before him tugged at his heart strings. His sapphire eyes filled with pride and admiration then, and he smiled. Olivier really was a breath taking woman.
She felt him watching her, his eyes boring into back. Olivier leaned her head back and raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you plan on standing there and staring at me all night, Miles?"
He snapped out of his rupture and a faint shade of red appearing on his cheeks. He brought his fist to his mouth and coughed a little into it, pretending to clear his throat. He didn't like the smug smile that appeared on her lips at his discomfort. That rare playfulness of hers was amusing to see.
Olivier resisted the urge to comment on his blush and held her tongue, giving him a smug knowing smile instead. Over the years they had been working together, the pair had become very close and there were instances she had made the proud, serious, no nonsense taking Ishvalan blush. It never ceased to amuse her. Though it was true that she was capable of making grown men cry but, making Miles blush felt different somehow. She found it precious that a grown man such as him could blush. Buccaneer had that strange inclination as well.
Wasn't it mostly silly little girls like her sister who did that? She lifted her hand idly and gestured for him to come closer.
Miles responded as he always did. He walked inside the room feeling a little too warm for him so he took off his overcoat, nipped his gloves off as well shoving them into the pocket of his coat which he then sprawled over his arm before he reached her side. Making sure to avoid looking at anything other than her face, even though his eyes had a quick look over her entire being and he clenched his fists and gulped like a teenage boy and his first time seeing a naked woman.
The ever observant Northern wall, saw his reaction and grinned. "Relax. I won't bite, promise." she mused lightheartedly. Olivier leisurely brought her arm in front of her to cover both her breasts gently tucking her hand under her other arm and slowly sat up from her comfortable lying position.
"Could you scrub my back for me? I seem to have lost my loofah." Saying those words plainly and without the least bit of concern for her current state of undress.
Miles blinked, surprised at her request. The man had done all sorts of things for her but this was never anything that would have ever crossed his mind. With a slight perplexed look, he finally gave in and obliged his queen. He had to admit, nothing made this woman remotely shy. In fact, he was feeling shy for her if that was even possible. Lowering himself down on his knees behind her; he folded his coat and slid it away from the tub, then rolled up his sleeves and took the wash cloth that lay under her head. Dunking it into the water, wetting and soaping it. He then reluctantly reached for her back, spreading the soap gently across it in smooth circular patterns. His eyes flickered to the bath water and he noticed the trace of blood seeping by her side and frowned. So this was what had kept her awake. Suddenly remembering how and when she had acquired that wound. It had been two weeks ago and was surprised it still hadn't healed yet.
"Are you alright?" He asked his deep voice etched with concern.
She knew what he was talking about, he wasn't blind after all and she cursed herself for allowing him near her and forgetting about this confounded thing. "I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about. It'll close up and heal by tomorrow." there was no mistaking how very tired she sounded when those words came out of her mouth.
To be honest, she didn't know if she was reassuring him or herself since she knew this thing did not want to close up and heal. And quite frankly she was bothered by it, but the concern in his voice made her lie to him just to put his made at ease even if he might see through her blatant lie.
Miles knew she was downplaying things again. He knew her well and she always pretended her wounds were nothing to worry no matter how serious or severe they were. Sometimes the woman made him want to shake her senseless just to try and get through that stubbornness of hers.
He decided to remain quiet about the matter and resumed his job, concentrating on the wash cloth and his chore. Trying his best to ignore how soft the milky skin that lay underneath his strong hands was and how well it contrasted with his caramel skin. He took a deep breath, concentrating on how the slow repetitive movements he executed, ignoring the way her nakedness was making his body feel. He was thankful to Ishvala at that moment, that his discipline and self control were firm and strong. Satisfied with how he had scrubbed and finally done, he put the cloth aside and tenderly poured water over her back.
"All done." He cheered, clearly beaming with pride.
The blonde smiled a little, hearing his tone and nodded extending a finger and pointing it to the door. "Towel please."
With a quick hop he was up and went to fetch the towel, handing it her before he turned his entire body to face away from her to face the door while she got out.
Olivier carefully rose and got out of the tub, wrapping the towel around herself. She saw his coat that lay a feet away and picked it up. Within moments, was standing behind him when she reached out and wrapped it around his shoulders.
When Miles felt her warm touch, he almost shivered, startled by her kind gesture he turned to face her and smiled appreciatively. His red eyes gazing into her baby blue and noticing for the first time just how tired she was, he almost resisted the urge to cup her face and stroke it. His heart ached for the way she looked. She was always pushing herself too hard but she wouldn't be the woman that she was, if she hadn't.
"Thank you, sir. I think I should go back to patrolling again. Try and get some sleep before duty call. I'll see you in a few hours." He patted her hand gently then put his arms through his coat. In all honesty, he really didn't want to go just yet so he waited for her to go before, stepping out of the en suite only after she did. He had to be certain that she was safely tucked into her bed before he left her room, and if he could stay he probably would have waited until she had fallen asleep but he knew that she would kill him if he stayed and ignored his work. Their queen was a tough task master.
The general crawled into bed, well aware of Miles' fussing and spread the blanket over herself. The man had taken the clothes that laid there and placed them on a nearby chair. Always so proper and considerate.
"Thank you, Miles." It was a thank you for always being there for her, whenever she needed him. Always around at the right time. What would I do without him?
The major understood and put on his goggles. "Rest well, my queen." He turned and left the room, locking it once again and resumed his walk down the threshold. He felt a cold wind pass by his face and brought his hand to rub his cheek, a faint scent catching his attention then.
A hint of vanilla and roses. It was the smell of Olivier's bath water and her skin. He closed his eyes and breathed it in, immersed in the moment. Shoving his hands in his pockets he went on his way. She never left his thoughts that night and her scent lingered on his skin.
Author's note: I haven't written anything in a long time and I'm a tad rusty and not really feeling this fanfic. Positive feedback is appreciated. Enjoy