Title: Calm After the Storm
Pairing: Shi Seiran x Kou Shuurei
Rating: R
Warning: Het,sappiness, lime-citrus-lemon
Fandom: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Summary: Amidst bad weather and rising temperature Shuurei and Seiran discover a mutual attraction hidden beneath the surface
Time-line umm.. maybe between book 7 and 8
Terminology: Kanrouocha (very expensive sweet tea )
Oujo-sama: My Lady, Milady (term Seiran uses to refer to Shuurei)
Special thanks to my beta : Ysa-chan chuu
Calm after the storm...
He rode his horse through the torrential rain like a madman running out of time. His lady, tucked securely between him and the horse, was a constant reminder of the urgent need for refuge from the bad weather. "Hah!" he commanded, spurring his old friend to move his already swiftly-galloping legs even faster. He had to find a place to spend the night. It was not a matter of comfort but a necessity, given Shuurei's rising fever and chills. She trembled like a wet kitten against his chest, sometimes murmuring incoherently as she restlessly tried to find comfort in her current position in front of him. He momentarily looked at her with brewing concern etched on his beautiful face.
"Oujo-sama, please hold on just a little while longer," he whispered against the top of her wet ebony locks as she leaned against his chest.
Their mission to the small village just south of Sa Province had been a failure and they had barely managed to escape with their lives. He wondered if he had not been too careless in letting her undertake such a dangerous mission. Perhaps they should have brought backup or insisted on traveling with a physician. They had been forewarned about the outbreak of fever amongst the villagers but Shuurei, being Shuurei, had insisted that they survey the area without jeopardizing more lives than necessary. Her plans of campaigning for aid for the forgotten villagers could have cost her life. Thoughts of losing her made him all too aware of his own dependency on her. He was a man of the sword and had known no other way of life until she and her family came into his life, teaching him to love again. He was certain that his heart would shatter if anything were to happen to her. She was more precious than life itself. No, his life was meaningless without her. He pushed on with these thoughts gnawing at his brain, hoping against hope that they'd be able to find some lodging for the night.
It was almost night when they finally came across an abandoned hut several miles from the village. He sighed in relief as he quickly surveyed the area. There didn't seem to be anyone in the hut and from the run-down look of it it had probably been uninhabited for quite some time. He brought the horse to a halt next to a nearby tree.
"Oujo-sama, I'll get a fire going soon. Hang in there."
He felt her forehead. She was burning up yet shivering like a fallen leaf. He dismounted from the saddle, and after securing the horse to the tree he scooped her off the horse's back and proceeded to carry her bridal-style towards the hut.
"Is anyone here? We need lodging," he said, knowing that the likelihood of anyone being there was slim to none. After ascertaining that the place was indeed abandoned, he pushed the door open and entered, still cautious about his surroundings.
It was a tiny hut with the barest furnishing: a table with stools, empty pantry, and luckily a fireplace with some wood. He was surprised that the place didn't seem as bad as its exterior suggested. He wondered if it was used as a rest stop for village hunters. Either way, he was relieved that he would be able to keep his mistress safe from the unforgiving weather.
"Oujo-sama?" She was restless and only murmuring incoherent phrases every now and then. He spotted a place next to the fireplace .
"That'll do," he thought to himself.
He lay her down momentarily on the hard wooden floor as he searched for material to construct a makeshift bed. There were some old shabby cloaks hanging against the wall, and some dry hay piled in one corner that would serve his purpose. In no time he had created a somewhat comfortable futon.
"Oujo-sama...sorry," he whispered as he knelt by the sleeping girl.
He proceeded to undress her, relieving her of her wet clothing. He blushed as he finished the task of divesting her of her clothes. It was not the first time he had seen her naked, but that was long before she had started developing into a woman.
Once she was tucked in he quickly threw some wood into the fireplace. Creating fire would have been a challenge had it not been for his survival skills learned many years prior as a member of the renegade gang, Satsujinzoku. With fire warming up the hut and his mistress tucked beneath the covers, all he had left was to hope.
------
The rain beat relentlessly against the thatched rooftop but thankfully the leaks were few and far between. He looked down worriedly at the young girl as she occasionally stirred in her delirious sleep. During her few intervals of lucidity she would complain of feeling cold despite being as close as he could get her to the fire without scorching her. He finally resolved to do the next best thing. He stood, removing what little was left of his wet clothing, and slid under the covers next to her. He drew her close, holding her tightly against his warm frame.
"Oujo-sama, please... don't let go," he pleaded softly, hoping with all his might that the fever would break and she'd be safe.
He thought of all the times he had been close to losing her. He could fight against men like Sa Sakujun, but what power did he have over an illness?
He could only pray to whatever gods were out there that she'd get better given some time. She stirred against him, but her shivering had become less frequent and she seemed at peace like a sleeping child. Yet he could hardly think of her as a child any more. Her soft breasts pressed against his bare chest were a constant reminder of that.
Soon it was approaching dawn. Though the rain and thunder had not showed signs of slowing down, Shuurei's fever had broken sometime in the middle of the night.
She opened her eyes and yawned as she tried to stretch her arms, but realized that she was trapped by something or someone. She felt the gentle pressure of warm arms around her waist. She blinked, trying to focus and assimilate her new surroundings. She had little recollection of how or when she had arrived there. The last thing she could remember was Seiran calling her name repeatedly through the later part of the night as the fever slowly waned. She turned in his arms, careful not to disturb him as he lay asleep.
Shuurei whispered something softly, almost inaudible.
Had it been under any other circumstances or had she been her usual self perhaps she would have made more fuss about lying naked next to a man she had considered family since childhood. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she continued to watch over his sleeping face. There was something she hadn't noticed or perhaps appreciated much before tonight. He was extremely pretty... no, more like beautiful, she thought to herself. She found herself fascinated by the smooth cream flesh of his face, his long, soft lashes, and his ashen rose lips . Those soft lips curled up in that peaceful smile made him all the more irresistible? She was so close to his lips that if she just moved an inch she would be touching the objects of her sudden fascination. She blushed, wondering where that last thought came from.
This was her Seiran she was thinking about. Her big brotherly figure that she had no qualms about jumping into bed with as a child during those frightening thunderstorms.
Without warning a bolt of thunder roared through the rainy skies, causing her to jump and scream. In her frenzy she pushed Seiran out of the beddings, giving him a rude awakening. He looked around for his sword, wondering what would have caused her to let out such a screeching sound.
"Oujo-sama, are you ok?" he inquired, realizing that she had been frightened by the thunder outside.
"Ye..s , I'll be all right," she said, trembling with her hands over her ears and knees pulled up.
"I see," he said, wrapping the covers over her and pulled himself up to stand. Shuurei looked up, realizing too late that he was naked, even below the waist. She blushed furiously and quickly covered her eyes.
"Ah! Sorry... sorry!" she sobbed, mortified.
He blushed slightly, realizing his mistake.
"I'll get dressed."
Another bolt of thunder was all it took to get Shuurei jumping out of her skin this time again.
"No... wait," she pleaded, desperately holding on to his arms. He lost his balance, falling onto her and the futon.
For a moment they were silent and the only audible sounds were the occasional thundering and their heavy breathing.
"Oujo-sama..." he inquired as he tried to push himself up, afraid he would crush her.
She brought her arms up around his neck, silently asking him to stay. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, breathing softly against his heated flesh.
"Please... just for a little while longer," she pleaded softly.
Seiran let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm here... now... always," he said softly as he held her close, and for the first time since they'd arrived, was able to enjoy her comforting closeness.
She sobbed softly, berating herself for her weakness. Warm tears fell against his skin as he reassured her again that it was ok and that he wouldn't leave her as long as she needed him for whatever reason. Finally the sobbing ceased.
"See, it's ok. The thundering has stopped too."
She nodded. "Seiran... sorry for all the trouble I've caused," she said, embarrassed at her childishness.
"I don't mind... but promise me you'll never scare me like that again."
"Promise..." she said solemnly.
He turned them so they were laying on their sides, facing each other, and without thinking kissed her softly on the forehead. She closed her eyes, thinking how he smelled like the soothing, comforting scent of Kanrouocha. Somehow, she wished for more than a chaste kiss... she was uncertain about what she wanted anymore. Having him so close had awakened feelings in her that she had thought inconceivable, yet the attraction she was experiencing at that moment was so strong, so frightening and inescapable that she thought she'd die if she let go of him. Love, with its pleasure and its sublime pain, was still a mystery to her, but she felt that the one man she could open her heart to without fear of being hurt or trapped was here in her arms. She wondered why it had taken so long to realize this. He was always there in all her most difficult moments, willing to share the joys, the ups and downs, without asking for anything in return. It couldn't have been more obvious, yet when it came to matters of the heart she had always been slow on the uptake.
"Oujo-sama, are you feeling ill?" Seiran said, a little worried as he noticed the redness rising on her face and fearing her fever was coming back.
"No... no...I feel fine." She smiled gently as she brought one hand to rest against his cheek.
"Is there anything I can get you?" he asked.
"I'm fine as long as you're here," she whispered softly against his neck, drawing closer to his warmth.
Seiran felt his heart constrict at those words, creating a burning sweet fire in his chest that made it hard to breathe. It also didn't help that she was rubbing against him, causing certain parts of his body to be painfully aware of his desires for this woman. Without warning he gently but firmly extricated himself from her embrace and sat up with his back turned towards her. The way things were going he feared that he would be unable to control himself and would do something he'd regret.
"Seiran..." She looked puzzled.
"Oujo-sama, get dressed and I'll do the same," he said coldly.
"Seiran...Seiran..." she called out softly as she embraced him from behind. She buried her flushed face against the taut skin of his back. Her tiny arms wrapped around his waist, trapping him in a gentle embrace. He sighed and took Shuurei's hand. Her fingers were not as white or smooth as those of other noble women, but he thought most fondly of those ragged fingers.
"Oujo..."
"Ne, Seiran...," she continued, "remember those times when I was sick and the only thing that would make me feel better was mom's Kanrouocha?"
"Yes, back than you loved Kanrouocha more than life itself..." he replied, thinking about those days when things were far less complicated between them.
"I don't know how else to put it, but...I feel the same way right now," she said, gently turning him to face her.
"It's ok...I don't mind," she said timidly.
"Oujo-sama, I.."
She silenced him with a gentle kiss. He groaned, giving in to his desires as he lowered her to the makeshift bed, following her down.
"Oujo-sama... my sweet, intoxicating Kanrouocha ." Their lips joined, moving restlessly against each other as he deepened their kiss. His kiss was sweeter than anything she had tasted and it was everything she had imagined a kiss should be: a mere touch of skin and tongue, enough to cause her heart to beat wildly with a rhythm she could feel in every fiber of her body. It wasn't too long before his lips were exploring other parts of her including her neck, sucking a sensitive spot just behind her earlobe. She moaned, bracing herself for the wonders that would come from these uncharted emotions. Seiran gently slid a firm thigh between her softer ones, making her spread them apart to accommodate him.
"Oujo-sama... I don't think I'll be able to hold myself from here..."
"Shhh..." she said, kissing him, hoping to placate whatever reservations he still had.
His calloused yet gentle hands moved across her smooth belly and up against her breasts ; she released a soft gasp when she felt his mouth close on her hardened nipples. Her fingers lovingly caressed through his soft, unruly locks as he sucked and licked at her breasts. As he continued lavishing both breasts with attention, his free hand searched for the moist warmth of the sanctuary between her thighs. Soon his fingers were parting her soft wet folds and gliding through the center of her silky heat. She bucked instinctively, biting her lip as she felt his fingers caressing that part of her that she thought shameful.
"Oujo-sama, am I hurting you?" He asked.
"Noo. . . It feels good," she panted. She wished he'd call her by her name, just once, but for now the things he was doing to her were enough to contend with.
He kissed her again and slowly withdrew his fingers from her folds. She let out a little disappointed groan, causing him to smile against her lips.
"You're beautiful," he said as he proceeded to spread her legs wide, allowing him to lie between them. Her body moved by its own accord, arching up, searching for more contact between his hardness and that part of her body he had so tenderly awakened only to cruelly withdraw his pleasurable explorations. Seiran felt her needs through the restless gyration that was pressing against his now-hardened erection, and he was finding his patience waning. The urge to take her was becoming harder to control. With that thought he thrust deep into her moist flesh, savoring her tight, constricting folds as she stretched to accommodate his engorged erection. She let out a quiet sob that would have fallen on deaf ears had he not been so attentive to her comfort even in his frenzied, needy state.
"Sorry...I didn't..." he began.
"It hurts a little... but I'll be ok," she said, fighting back tears.
"I promise it will feel better..." he said, kissing her brow .
She nodded, wrapping her legs around his hips and burying her face in the crook of his neck, trusting him as she had always done.
He kissed her forehead and her cheeks, and when his lips finally returned to her mouth he thrust himself forward, swallowing her last gasp of pain. His thrusting was soon matched with hers as pleasure took over, running through her depths and finally culminating in a sweet climax. She sighed contently as he reached his own peak, with one final thrust leaving him breathless and panting.
When it was done, Seiran slumped atop his beloved mistress. Shuurei didn't seem to mind the comforting feeling of his weight against her frame. Her skin seemed to glow with the thin sheen of sweat from their lovemaking. He rubbed his lips against her skin, tasting salt. They both fell silent for a long time. Words were useless. She stroked him idly, listening to the gently raspy sound of his breathing as he fell asleep.