Edea blinked awake. She was freezing. The room was still dark, creaking a little as the Grand Ship sailed through the night sky. It was still dark outside; she still had time to sleep. Shivering, she tugged the covers back onto her and over her shoulders, tugging the lower reaches of the blankets with her feet. It was imperative to minimise cold air sneaking into the warm bed. Rolling onto her side, Edea closed her eyes again. Her head was too low. She pawed around her head, finding the stray pillow that had slipped from the stack. Replacing it on top of the others she put her head down again. Better. She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sleep seemed determined to evade her. She fidgeted and wriggled until she was lying on her other side, facing towards Agnès. She held her breath, relieved when the other's breathing continued uninterrupted.
Edea did not feel tired in the slightest. Well, perhaps not quite that extreme. She was wide awake, but could feel the tension of exhaustion behind her eyes. It was awkward lying on this side; she rolled onto her back. That was worse. She rolled over the other way, pulling a pillow down and wrapping her arms around it. She hugged it as she willed herself to sleep. Nothing. She was awake. The possibility she had been reluctant to face was unavoidable. She needed to use the bathroom. She lay still for a longer moment, wondering if there was no way she could just get back to sleep. Any way to avoid leaving the comfortable confines of the bed? She had no desire to be out in the chill air and walk across the cold floorboards to relieve herself. The Grand Ship was cold in the night-time, and their course to the North and towards the frigid lands of Eternia did not help.
Edea fidgeted for another moment before sighing. She was not getting out of this. Flipping back the covers she let out a low grumble. It was freezing out here. She pushed herself upright, suppressing a moan of annoyance at the situation, her body shivering. Keeping one hand on the bed she used it to guide herself around the dim room, hoping not to knock into anything. A deafening clink of glass put paid to her hopes. She winced and cast a wary eye towards the bed. Good; Agnès had not stirred. Edea edged her way around the bottles, trying to remember what else may have ended up on the floor. She dithered as she passed Agnès's feet, and stooped to run her hand along the bed frame.
She reached the wall without further incident, eased the door open and slipped through. Darker in here. She groped for the shelf and sparked a match into life. Just enough light to get the candle lit. At least now she could see what she was doing. She almost expected a complaint as she pushed the door open when she was done, extinguishing the candle as she did. It seemed she had been stealthy enough and she padded across the floorboards. It was a relief to ease herself back onto the bed and under the blankets. She felt a lot better, only now realising the pressure her bladder had been under.
"Edea?" a sleep slurred voice asked. Edea grimaced, glad Agnès could not see. She had tried so hard to avoid disruption.
"Sorry," she whispered as she lay down, facing away from her companion. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"'S okay," came the response, and the groggy figure fidgeted as well. Edea waited for her to still, and sleep to overtake them both when she felt a touch against her side. There was more fidgeting behind her and now warmth was enveloping her. Arms curled around her, legs pressed against her own. "You're all cold," Agnès observed as she tightened her embrace. The vestal shifted her arms and legs to press her blazing skin closer against her partner's.
"You're so warm," exclaimed Edea with a smile. She wriggled back against her girlfriend sighing in pleasure. "Cuddling with you is like getting into a hot bath."
Agnès sounded amused. "Side effect of living in the desert, I'm sure."
Edea reached a hand up to stroke Agnès's cheek. A little awkward with their positions but she managed it. "I love this."
"I love you," Agnès breathed, her breath tickling Edea's neck.
Edea started at the words and after a frantic moment stuttered a reply. "I love you too, Agnès."
There was no reply; Agnès had already fallen asleep. Edea smiled, not minding in the slightest. Wriggling her head against the pillow again, she let sleep drag her eyelids closed as she drifted off into a deep sleep.