Briala woke easily, eyes fluttering open as they adjusted to the darkness. Too dark, she thought to herself. The fire went out long ago and no trace of moonlight could get through the thick drapes that covered the window. Far too early to be awake then. She closed her eyes again, content to revel in her comfortable position on the Empress of Orlais' chest. She was warm beneath the covers, cushioned by Celene's satin nightgown and soft skin. Honeysuckle and rose, Celene's favorite scents, lingered on her skin from her bath that evening and Briala breathed deeply, arms tightening around her empress. She watched Celene's hand rise in the darkness, pale and glowing almost like a spirit as it found Briala's arm and traced gently down its length.
Celene's breathing hadn't changed. Nor did the strong heartbeat thundering in her ear give its usual telltale flutter when Celene realized her lover was awake. Briala smiled as if she held a secret and adjusted gently, closing her eyes when Celene looked down to see if she was awake. She was fairly certain that Celene's human eyes could not make out her features in such a lack of light, but thought it best not to take her chances. Deceived, Celene finally looked away, still tracing up and down Briala's arm. She took a deep breath, but quieted her sigh for Briala's sake. Despite the near pitch darkness of the bedroom, Briala's elven eyes allowed her to see clearly, and she fought back a frown as she looked up into her lover's face.
The empress' brow was furrowed, a small crinkle forming between her eyes as she gazed out into the darkness. Her piercing blue eyes were distracted, moving rapidly about as she fought whatever battle waged on in her mind. Even her pretty mouth, which naturally curved into a simper, was touched with worry. Briala lost herself in Celene's concern and let out a sigh. The empress looked down and she shut her eyes again, nuzzling into Celene's chest as if adjusting while still asleep. Celene's chest shook for just a moment beneath her as the empress stifled her amusement at Briala's antics. Then Briala felt lips against the top of her head, lingering for just a moment before they pulled away.
The elf allowed herself a pursed lip smile. It was good to know that Celene could still smile despite her current worry. It was likely she was thinking about the talks with the university chairman she had yesterday, that would continue into today. He had badgered the empress for more money, all the while remaining reticent about elven and commoner enrollment. One of Celene's biggest weaknesses was her university and the legacy she wished to leave with it. Though Briala thought Celene handled herself well with him, it was clear that Celene had not let it go.
Celene hardly slept well as it was. She worked late into the evening, reading documents and the like by dim candlelight. When she could barely keep her eyes open, she would stumble into bed and worry for another hour more before exhaustion finally took her. If it was a good day, she would wake just before dawn, the four or so hours of sleep somehow doing her a world of good. If it was a bad day, however, she didn't sleep at all. Or if she did, her worries woke her early into the morning and exhausted her mind before her first cup of morning tea. Briala knew she needed to be at her best with the chairman. Celene could do amazing things on a sleepless night with the worst of enemies and had done so on many occasions. But with her precious university on the line, it was a risk the empress couldn't afford to take. And one Briala wouldn't allow her to make.
Briala squeezed Celene again, stretching against her as placed a kiss to her collarbone. Celene's fingers stilled on the elf's arm, and her whispered voice cut through the easy silence of the bedroom.
"Go back to sleep, Bria."
"Mm-mm," Briala mumbled as she finished her stretch. "You go back to sleep."
Celene said nothing but Briala could see the smile she thought the darkness hid. Briala ran her hand down Celene's side and turned her face inward, kissing Celene's chest through her nightgown. The empress gave a small murmur of content but also gave the elf's arm a gentle, warning squeeze.
"You need your rest," Celene chastised weakly.
"I want to be up with you," Briala countered, lifting her head to press her lips to Celene's chin.
The empress sighed in defeat, her body relaxing back against the bed. "Shall I make us some tea?" she offered after a few moments.
Briala shook her head and hooked her leg over Celene's waist. She sat up on top of Celene and smiled down at the surprised expression on her face. Reaching out, Briala ran her fingertips down Celene's shoulders and back to her neck, before roving a single finger down her chest and between her breasts. She watched Celene take her bottom lip between her teeth and felt the empress' hands come to rest on her hips. Leaning down, Briala took advantage of Celene's blindness and barely brushed her lips against Celene's. The empress leaned up to capture them, but Briala ghosted away, keeping herself just out of reach. She smiled when she felt Celene's hands tighten on her hips in frustration, and allowed the tip of her tongue to graze Celene's top lip before pulling away again. When she spoke, the empress felt her warm breath on her lips, just beyond her grasp.
"I don't want tea either," Briala teased in a low voice.
Celene's hands slid down her hips and past her thighs until they reached the hem of her nightgown. Then the empress' fingers snaked underneath, gliding along Briala's warm skin to clutch at her hips again.
"Then what do you want?" Celene asked, hands moving behind the elf to squeeze gently.
Briala hummed at her touch rocked a few times against Celene's hips. She could see the sudden alertness in Celene's eyes, feel the desire in her touch, and longed for that bottom lip that swelled and smoothed between Celene's teeth. She put her own hands beneath her nightgown and grabbed Celene's. Lacing their fingers together, Briala leaned over the length of her empress, bringing their entwined hands above Celene's blonde head. Celene rolled her hips up and into Briala, bringing her chest up in hopes of gaining more contact with her lover. Briala smiled at the sight but continued to keep her mouth just out of reach of Celene's.
"What do I want? Hmm," she purred, sliding her hips down just a bit to press her chest against Celene's. She could feel Celene's strong heart beating quickly against her in anticipation, feel the breaths that made their stomachs graze together. Celene squeezed her hands tightly, a plea, and Briala pressed her cheek against hers, lips tickling her ear as she spoke.
"You."
The warm breath against Celene's ear made her release a shuddered sigh. She arched her body into Briala's as much as she could and tilted her neck to the side, exposing more of her tender, pale skin to the elf. Briala ran her tongue down the length of Celene's neck before sucking on the spot where her ear met her jaw. Celene gave a low groan of approval, as Briala knew she would, and continued to roll her hips against the elf.
Briala kissed up her jaw and finally granted the empress peace by kissing her deeply. Celene moaned her relief into Briala's mouth, allowing the elf to dictate the slow but savage pace. When Celene squeezed Briala's hands once more, the elf let her go, and Celene wasted no time in running her hands down the elf's side. Finding the hem of Briala's nightgown, Celene lifted it and pulled it over the elf's head. When Briala broke their kiss to get the gown over her head, Celene surged forward, bringing them both upright as the elf sat in her lap.
Briala adjusted her legs to wrap them around Celene and let her head fall back as the empress kissed at her chest. Her hands ran up and down Briala's exposed back, fingertips tickling before short nails eased the sensations away. She nipped at Briala's collarbone and the base of her neck as her hands traveled lower, squeezing tightly and making Briala push against her. Briala gave a pleased whimper and lifted Celene's head to kiss her deeply again, pulling away when she felt Celene's hand come between them.
"Cel…ene," she managed, licking her lips and rocking against the hand that knew her so well. "Stop."
Celene's hand stilled. She frowned, concerned, and began to pull her hand away. Briala grabbed her wrist, keeping her hand there, and kissed her sweetly. "I didn't mean that," she breathed against Celene's lips. When Celene still looked concerned, Briala smiled and kissed her again, moaning into her mouth as she rolled her hips against her hand. When Celene resumed her ministrations she pulled away, teeth raking across Celene's bottom lip as she did. "I meant that…that I w-wanted…" she drifted, sinking deeper into Celene's touch.
"What do you want?" Celene whispered into her ear as Briala leaned in to bury her face in her shoulder.
"You to…sleep," Briala got out finally, fingers tightening on Celene's shoulders.
The empress chuckled against her, the sound of her voice rippling through Briala's ear and sending a pleasurable tingle down her thighs. Briala felt her lips brush against her in a tender, grateful kiss. The elf smiled against her empress and ran a hand along her spine in acceptance.
"Well then," Celene said as she increased the pressure and pace, "I suggest you hurry up."
Briala laughed and began to thrust herself earnestly against Celene's hand. "I haven't heard of lions being stubborn…but asses are."
The empress responded to that jest by slipping two of her fingers inside the elf, her thumb taking over where her finger left off. Briala cried out and shuddered against Celene, moaning her approval into the empress' ear. She rocked furiously in Celene's lap as the empress held her with her free hand, kissing whatever part of Briala was available to her. Briala could do little but seek her release. But as she felt it building inside of her, she lifted her head and brought it to Celene's. She kissed her deeply and cried out into Celene's mouth as the empress brought her over the edge. Celene continued to thrust inside of her slowly, carrying the shuddering elf through her release. Briala finally collapsed against Celene's lap, breathing heavily. Celene smiled as she removed her hand and held her lover tightly as she recovered, rocking them both back and forth gently.
When her euphoric haze finally began to lift, Briala kissed Celene again. It was slow and tender and lazy and she hummed against Celene's lips before pushing her back onto the pillows. She wiggled her way down Celene's lap and between her legs, where she sat on her knees and lifted the empress' nightgown. Celene's pale skin glowed in the night, calling to her, and Briala allowed herself a few moments to appreciate the beautiful woman beneath her before she crawled over Celene. The empress welcomed her mouth eagerly and Briala took her time, kissing and sucking on all of the sensitive spots of her neck. Celene rolled her hips up and into Briala eagerly. Briala knew that she was ready to accept whatever the elf offered, but she wasn't about to rush. She needed Celene exhausted if she wanted to ensure her to sleep.
Briala traveled lower, hand running down Celene's side. She ran her short nails down Celene's thigh and smiled when Celene bucked into her chest. The empress gave an annoyed whimper and Briala hushed her gently before circling her tongue around her nipple. Celene arched into her mouth, the fine muscles of her stomach flexing beneath the elf's chest. Briala ran her free hand down her torso, marveling at the smooth strength beneath her hand. Deciding to give somewhat into Celene's pleas, Briala slid her hand lower and ran a finger through Celene's wetness.
"Yes," Celene hissed as she tried to push herself against Briala's hand.
Briala smiled despite her task, circling Celene's nipple again as she brought her finger up in a slow circle. Celene gave a low groan and brought her hand to Briala's head, squeezing gently. Though Briala had moved to the other breast, her finger was barely touching the empress, causing Celene to squirm beneath her. Occasionally, to keep Celene from getting too upset, she would touch her firmly, just long enough for Celene to get a rhythm going before she pulled away.
"You are wicked," Celene groaned between heavy breaths.
Briala looked up, encouraged by the slight upturn of Celene's lips, and moved up to kiss her again. She placed her thigh between Celene's legs and felt her wetness coating her leg as the empress moved against her. Briala drove her tongue into Celene's mouth and ran the tip along the roof. Then she pulled away and looked into Celene's eyes. The empress couldn't see her well, but she could see the lust within Celene's eyes, overshadowed only by the love that always lingered there.
"I think you like it," Briala murmured at their closeness. She ran her thumb along Celene's bottom lip and shook her head. "Beautiful."
Celene's lips twitched in a shy smile and Briala kissed her once more before sliding down her body. She kissed all the way down Celene's stomach and pelvis, making sure to touch each hip. Celene opened her legs wider in eager anticipation. Briala placed her lips near Celene and exhaled a slow, warm breath. Celene cursed the Maker in frustration, bucking her hips towards Briala even though she knew it was fruitless. Chuckling to herself, Briala spread the empress apart and dipped her tongue inside.
Now that she had her where she wanted her, Celene rested her hands on Briala's head to keep her there. She pressed herself against the elf's mouth, her body moving in tandem with Briala's tongue. Briala kept her pace slow and steady, desiring to work the empress up, and fought against Celene's own, faster rhythm.
Celene was usually a quiet lover, content to whimper or give soft moans. Tonight was no different as Briala opened her eyes and watched the empress purse her lips closed to muffle the moans that escaped. Her eyes were shut, mouth parted when she trusted herself to keep quiet. Celene's lips were swollen, with a slight sheen to them left by Briala's tongue. Celene's stomach crested and fell with each swipe of her tongue as the muscles tensed and released. Her chest heaved with heavy breaths, breasts rocking gently to the rolling of her hips. In the darkness, when she forgot what elven eyes saw and let herself go, she was beautiful.
Briala smiled against her empress and teased two fingers at her entrance. Celene's breath caught, and in the darkness Briala could make out her nodding. She pressed them inside, surprised at how easily they slid in, and felt a sliver of guilt at teasing Celene so. But not enough to stop. Celene inhaled a sharp breath and released it in a throaty groan, throwing her head back against the pillows as she thrust herself against Briala.
Briala could sense that she was close when her hips rocked just a bit harder, her breaths coming out in shallow bursts with whimpers in between. The hands on her head tightened, thighs trembling on either side of her.
"Please, Bria," Celene managed. "More."
This time Briala obeyed, thrusting her fingers deeper inside of Celene with tighter curls. The empress moaned her approval, her hips bucking wildly despite the arm Briala locked over them. Briala kept her tongue steady in long, hard strokes and fought to keep her own excitement at bay as Celene began to move uncontrollably. She moaned in beats, each soft sound punctured by the thrust of her hips. Finally she stilled, her body shuddering and clenching around Briala. The elf's tongue continued, carrying Celene through a wonderfully long release before the empress collapsed on the bed, panting.
Briala pulled her mouth away, breathless as well, and wiped it on the back of her hand. Celene tugged on her hair, urging her upward, and Briala complied. Celene's eyes were half-lidded, exhausted, and Briala fought to keep her victorious smile at bay as she kissed her lover again.
"I love you," Celene hummed lazily as they parted.
Briala smiled, and because Celene couldn't see it, she kissed her again. "I love you, too."
Celene gave another content hum and relaxed against the pillows. Briala crawled down to her usual place atop Celene's chest and rested her head there, listening as her racing heart finally slowed. Celene's arms came around her and in a moment she was asleep. Briala smiled to herself and nuzzled against Celene's chest. Celene's deep, even breathing soon had her eyelids fluttering to stay open. But soon, she resigned herself to a little more sleep. She deserved it, after all.