Waking up beside her
Belar, my head hurts unbearably. I feel like I'm tramping through a mental swamp.
He gave a small groan and tried to locate his hand to bring it up to massage his throbbing skull. Damn, it did hurt.
This feels like the time when that Angarak clubbed me over the head with the handle of his broad sword. Where's my hand?
In the darkness of the room and vagueness of consciousness, Silk could make out the slight sliver of sunlight that managed to steal in to the room and throw itself across his forehead. Silk grunted in frustration as that bright line hit his eye when he moved. He threw the comforter over himself in a sluggish, irritated motion.
Where on Earth is my hand?
Silk, half blinded by the momentary flash of light lay moaning under the blanket. He felt his limbs moving lazily out of sight under the bedclothes but couldn't seem to get his hand to come out. He really needed to relieve the dull pain at the back of his neck.
Too much ale, last night. God, far too much ale. Idiot innkeeper, watered my wine and charged me more. If I'm going to kill myself with hangovers, the least I can do is get drunk properly with strong grog. Going to take back my money.
Two skinny fingers poked out from under the covers. Ahah. His hand! There it was.
Silk managed to convince his hand to wearily travel to his head – for a moment, he couldn't find his head in his hungover daze – and gave it a quick rub.
What time is it? Meeting with Javelin's messengers at two. Can't be late or they'll leave. Should've asked to meet at night instead. How the hell am I going to get out of bed and reach the Maiden Head tavern by two?
A short pause, as Silk tried to roll himself over, with the grace of a lumbering seal.
Where is the Maiden Head? Damn. Now I've got to find it.
Silk turned, his back to face the edge of the bed. His arms reached out instinctively for something soft and fluffy to hug.
Nevermind. I'll deal with it later. Need more sleep now. Need to get rid of this confounded headache.
His arm brushed against something warm and smooth. Mmmm. Pillow.
Silk tried to pull it closer and attempted to rest his head against it.
The pillow refused to budge, and a solid heat filled his embrace.
Belatedly, Silk realized it was hardly anything resembling a bolster; soft, fine hair was tickling his face and nose. Bare, warm skin was laid hot against his palm.
Certainly was busy last night. Though I don't recall taking any of them to bed.
At the back of his mind, tucked far away in the foggy recesses of drink-induced haze was the memory of several very gaudily dressed, bosomy, golden haired females fauning over him, feeding him with their hands and wiping his mouth with thei….nevermind. Hardly attractive, but their scantily clad bodies were more of an attraction than their faces. After all, they all looked the same after the ninth mug of ale.
Did all those ugly women come before or after he carelessly chucked his heavy money-filled purse on the table?
Nevermind. Just hope I have money enough left to pay this one. What a waste. Didn't even remember a thing.
He brought his arm around the woman's waist and succeeded in bringing her back against his chest. Maybe there was time for a quick frolic before the meeting. Once he was in full possession of all his senses, that was.
This one's skinny. Well, not skinny. Just not like the usual curvaceous ty..
Silk's slow train of thought came to a halt as his wandering left hand traveled higher and encountered a more bountiful supply of flesh.
Ooh. Nevermind.
The body in front of him snuggled back closer in to his chest in a feminine manner and he welcomed the feeling readily.
"Mmmm…Mmmphph?" muttered the creature that was comfortably curled up in front of him. He couldn't see anything of her face, just dimly, a smooth, tan back.
"Mmmmph.." murmured Silk in reply, nuzzling the nape of her neck.
This one's nice. Warm and smooth. The wench two towns back had skin like a crocodile.
The body in front of him shifted a little, as if to turn and face Silk.
She smells nice too. Like grass and something else. I'm sick of all that cloying perfume those common tavern girls pour on themselves.
Silk was starting to feel a little more lively. Staying in bed for an hour or so with this delightfully smelling creature didn't sound half bed.
She gave a small yawn, a cute, kittenish purr, and stretched, the skin of her back gliding against Silk's torso.
Silk shivered in anticipation. Why not?
"Mmphm…morning."
Silk sat bolt upright. Surely that wasn't…wasn't her voice?
The figure down on the bed beside him slowly twisted around the bedclothes and gave him a half weary, half coy smile that was entirely Velvet.
BELAR! What is she doing in my bed?
Silk shot out of bed and rushed straight in to the wall, much to his chagrin, as he fell to the floor and dragged down a cotton curtain, and half the bedclothes.
A blast of sunlight shone in to the room, finding all the corners and recesses and – adding to Silk's confusion – conveniently threw the whole place in to light.
"Kheldar!" She sat up, clutching the blankets to herself, one arm shielding herself from the harsh disturbance of the sun rays.
Sitting in the middle of the bed, blankets pooled around her waist, with her slim shoulders bare and her honey-streaked hair tousled adorably, was Liselle.
As large as life.
How did she get in here? Surely I didn't...didn't sleep with her?!
Silk sat bewildered on the floor, half buried in curtains and blankets, stunned in to a curious and unusual fit of silence.
Liselle waved a hand at him. "Well? Put the curtains back up. I can't see anything; it's so bright."
Silk found his tongue.
'Wh-what are you doing in my bedroom?"
Liselle gave him an undecipherable look, followed by a sigh as she got out of bed.
"Liselle!" He exclaimed, hurriedly making a show of averting his eyes in to the heavy fabric around him.
"If you aren't going to put that curtain back up, who will?" She demanded, as she heaved aside the mound of blankets that was around her. Two dainty, prettily shaped feet slipped out, on to the floor, followed by the rest of her form.
"Put something on, then! And you haven't answered my question."
Velvet groped her way across the room, still unaccustomed to the brightness, and, picking up a shirt that had been discarded on the floor late last night, draped it across herself.
"Happy?"
"That's my shirt you're wearing! Take it off!"
"You just told me to put something on. You're contradicting yourself, Kheldar, and that never goes well with spies."
She reached down to pull up the maroon coloured curtain from under Silk, who rolled off it in one smoothly, clumsy motion with an effusive groan when his hip banged against the edge of the bed frame.
He sat up, rubbing his hip resentfully, trying to look like he wasn't admiring Velvet's long legs.
The back of her legs are nice. And her ankles are so nicely turned.
Silk gave himself a harsh mental scolding and hurriedly dragged on a pair of pants that was half lying under the bed.
"Let me do that." He took the curtains from Liselle, who was busy hooking the heavy piece of cloth up easily, her body stretched from toe to head in a smooth, clean line.
"You might have offered to do it before I dragged myself out of bed," said Liselle, handing over the curtains gratefully, and making for the bed.
"You're getting back in to bed!?" Silk managed, his throat constricted when he saw Liselle clambering back on to the mattress.
"You have other things in mind you want me to do?"
"Ahh…no. No….I mean, yes! Yes, yes. You tell me what you're doing here. And in my bed too! We didn't…didn't…" Silk floundered helplessly, his red face turned towards the curtains so that she wouldn't see him.
"Who says it's your room? If you go down and check with the inn keeper, I believe you'll find that I paid for the lodgings, and all expenses I – you as well- have acquired. Which really makes this my room. What are you doing in my room, Kheldar?" She inquired, smiling sweetly at Silk, who'd finish hanging up the curtain but refused to draw them shut, and sink them both in to darkness, in which he knew the sly girl would certainly take to her advantage.
"Your room? I paid the lady. You talk nonsense, Velvet. I gave her exactly two gol…"
His voice trailed off as he noticed two golds and four silvers on the dressing table, glittering dimly next to his two daggers and sword.
"I think I'll just be going back to sleep," announced Liselle, a smug smirk on her face, instead of Silk's when he usually got the best of her.
"No you don't," Silk muttered, sitting himself down firmly on the bed next to Liselle, who seemed to be affecting the peacefulness of sleep.
Sly creature. I thought Javelin posted her in Algaria this month!
"I thought he sent you off to Alga…"
Liselle rolled over, presenting Silk with her back, which she showed off to her advantage.
"Algaria. I know. I'm done with the assignment."
"But you were due there this month! You couldn't have traveled from there to here in a single week."
"Kheldar, have you been checking up on me?"
Damn. Shouldn't have mentioned Algaria. All I did was ask Javelin where she was going.
"No, of course not," Silk said smoothly. "Javelin mentioned it while we were discussing something last week."
Velvet turned her sharp chin, and gave him a pointed look.
"Javelin was in Cherek last month and will be till the end of February. And you were here, in Tol Honeth for the past four days. Don't try feeding me some cock-and-bull story, Kheldar, because I won't buy in to it."
"And you've been checking up on me?" Silk enquired drily, sounding nonplussed, though he knew he'd been caught.
Liselle gave a scoff. "I make it my business to know."
"Your business is in finishing up your diploma and graduating. You're not going to get anywhere if you keep running out on errands for Javelin," lectured Silk, who scratched his chin, amazed at her cheekiness.
The look Liselle threw him was hard to read; part pride, part confidence, and a tiny part, disappointment.
"I graduated two years ago, Kheldar. Remember? I went on the honour-roll. Top in my class."
Silk strained to remember, half horrified that he'd forgotten such an important thing. He sat on the bed next to her, forgetful of her unclothed self under the bed clothes.
"Two years ago….that would make you nineteen?"
"Twenty. Twenty one, in the fall," cut in Velvet in a toneless voice.
Silk sat quiet for a moment.
Damn, she's big. I thought she was still a teenager. Wasn't it not too long ago when she was sitting, a lightweight, in my lap, pulling my nose?
Silk unconsciously reached one hand up and tugged at his nose. He could almost feel tiny, warm fingers yanking it in a surprisingly hard, yet playful grip.
An uncomfortable silence pervaded the room for a while, and Kheldar unconsciously became very interested in the pattern of the tapestry hanging crooked on the wall.
"I'm not a small girl anymore."
Silk looked up. "What?"
"I told you. I'm not the little kid who used to run around and tag after you. I've seen almost as much as you have, and done far more than any of the other students my age. I've grown up."
Silk was inclined to believe her.
Liselle sat, surrounded by a pool of beige and cream blankets, warm tan skin showing from where it peeked under his shirt, and vague hints of abundant curves under the garment, which was unbuttoned and left a tantalizing long slit of flesh exposed from nape to navel. From what he could see, she was definitely not the braided haired –flat chested- youngster he'd left behind.
Originally he'd prefer clothes off women rather than on, but somehow to indulge in staring at Liselle and think of her the same way he saw the erstwhile whores he dallied with seemed like sacrilege to him.
"So?"
Silk shook his head, startled back in to reality at her monosyllable.
"So what?"
He caught faint vestiges of a smug look disappear, at his shameful staring at her, only to be replaced with a far more serious, earnest look.
A short silence. Then a brisk, yet slightly hesitant, "Don't you love me at all?"
Silk was dumbfounded. "Love you?" he sputtered.
"Why, yes. Love me." She looked at him expectantly.
Where did that come from? Love her? What kind of question is that?
"I see the way you look at me, Kheldar. I'm hardly blind. You can't possibly say you feel nothing for me," she insisted, one hand fiddling with the edge of her – his – shirt, not unintentionally, for somehow the slit showing bare body seemed to widen.
"Feel noth….feel nothing? What are you implying?" he sputtered.
Damn. I'm going to have to answer her sooner or later.
Without warning, she leaned for, and before Silk could assume an aghast expression at the sight of a very nice chest under the open shirt where the sides fell open, she kissed him.
Her soft, chaste kiss was brief, merely a touch of lips to his, but Silk froze, his head reeling.
Belar. I think she's kissing me.
Silk's body responded almost immediately after the initial shock and before he knew it, the full length of her body was pressed up against his, the warm body now invitingly sitting in his lap. The kiss was hardly chaste anymore, and their mouths ate hungrily at each other, fiercely and desperately.
He felt cold tiny fingers, fingers used to flinging daggers, making nothing out of knots, pouring poison and reining in horses, slide through his hair in unaccustomed gentleness and grasp a handful in delicious pressure against his scalp. The other…oh damn. It was somewhere it shouldn't have been.
He had barely had enough of her wet sweet mouth, when she pulled back, and he reluctantly relinquished his hold on her, before realizing what he'd done.
I kissed her. Shit.
She leaned her forehead against his and shut her eyes.
"That," she said softly, "was what I wanted to know."
And she resumed where she left off.
What the heck.
He couldn't restrain himself. It was too much for him.
I'll deal with the mess later. But now...
He slowly lifted Liselle off his lap, never letting her mouth off his, and with no little gentleness, pushed her back in to the mound of pillows.
Twenty five minutes later, a very sated, pleased, and decadent Liselle lay back in the comfortable warmth of the bed, slick with sweat and other things, feeling utterly satisfied. And happy.
Behind her, Silk lay fitful, their bodies pressed together, fitting familiarly, his hand casually draped over her waist, one leg wedged between her two thighs as they lay back to front.
I'm done for. I expect she wants commitment or some other silly thing women want. Devotion to her and all that. Damn... but was it ever worth it. Where the heck did she learn to do that? She certainly wasn't a... well she wasn't.
His hand tightened jealously over her waist, and Liselle moved.
It better not have been from some wretched sod.
"Mmmm?" she inquired lazily, turning her head back.
"Nothing."
"Liar," she muttered, wriggling her bottom against him in a suggestive manner, making Silk gasp involuntarily. It was too soon to start again, but certain parts of his anatomy hardly agreed.
He tried not to respond.
"I wasn't your first." Silk's tone was terse.
What the hell is wrong with me? It's not like I care.
Liselle made a small sound of mingled amusement and surprise, and wriggled in his grasp to turn around and face him.
"My dear, you're starting to sound vaguely jealous. Are you?"
"Hardly," Silk hastened to add. She gave him a you-can't-fool-me look. "It's not like I care. I mean, you do as you please. It's not for me to say," Silk continued, more for the lack of things to say than anything else.
"You're hardly inexperienced yourself, Kheldar. Did you expect me to wait for you? You weren't taking any notice of me after all," Liselle noted drily.
"That's hardly the point," Silk muttered diffidently.
"Mmmhmm. Well, that's of no importance now. If you think I'm letting you in to any other bed with some other saucy wench in it – aside from me, of course – you're very wrong. There won't be space for anyone else if I'm occupying your bed."
She sounds bloody confident.
"You sound bloody confident."
She snorted, a small unfeminine noise that seemed part of her endearing traits, and turned back around.
"I am bloody confident."
Silk made a face at the back of her head, surprisingly not feeling in the least bit discomfited. Somehow the notion of being confined to Liselle's bed was more erotic than anything else. It would work out somehow.
"Now, if we're going to get any work done here…"
Slender fingers groped under the covers and hit bare flesh. Silk threw his head back in a muffled moan.
"Oh God…I can't…can't. Have a meeting wi…"
"I postponed it. It's at nine tonight."
"You what?"
"I figured we'd be busy."
And then some.