First Impressions Last
Prompt - The first time Leliana brings the Warden to meet Justinia, or if your warden has parents, the first time they bring Leliana to meet her.
This evening was starting off poorly. The whole day had started poorly and just got worse and worse. Firstly was vessel passage to Val Royeaux—Kyria had travelled by water before but it was nothing quite like the journey here. Enduring miserable days with her head hanging over the handrails were only marginally improved by Leliana's hands, swirling across her back and shoulders as she heaved out her lunch. She could never eat salted pork again, nor drink strawberry cider for that matter. The rough seas delayed the ship for two days, their arrival just in time for the ball tonight. All she wanted to do today was crawl into a dark corner and lie still, but Leliana mercilessly dragged her about the city looking for attire and footwear. The number of shoes her feet were forced into was staggering. But through all the torture inflicted on her today, she noticed the radiant smile on her bard's face while fondling every article of clothing that caught her lover's eye. Kyria often smiled then, and the bard took it as encouragement, visiting more boutiques until her Warden's ensemble was complete.
Kyria paced about in the confines of four flagstone walls while tugging at the collar of her jerkin. It was buttoned up right against her throat and embellished with the most irritating material that had ever been imposed on her. Her lover called it high fashion as she lovingly ruffled it about the Warden's neck. It was much too tight and by the creators, itchier than the toxic plants that grew in the Kocari Wilds. Kyria tugged at it violently as soon as her bard departed from their quarters with a giggle, but the ruffles that were smoothened by the bard's touch only got angrier from the Warden's assault. Grumbling out a maddened groan her hands flew back down to her sides and she continued to furiously pace about in the room like a captive wolf.
In just over an hour she was going to yet another ball honouring her efforts against the Blight. There had already been several in the last couple of moons and the attention, ruckus and lip service had never sat easily on her shoulders. She always insisted it was a group effort but the crowds only remembered that the killing blow came from her sword. Uneasily her mind often wandered to the raven-haired witch and the secret she agreed to keep.
"You look pensive, love." Her lover's melodious voice and that soft Orlesian accent had snapped Kyria from her thoughts. The bard had returned to their room in her characteristically silent way and managed to surprise her again. It made the Dalish smile every time.
"I'm just a little uncomfortable, ma vhenan." Their hands met crossing the last bit of distance between them. "I'm meeting someone very important to you and I find myself out of my element."
"I'll be by your side the whole time; you have no need to worry." Leliana cupped the Warden's cheeks and pressed their brows together. "I know the two of you will get along just fine once the ice has broken."
Leliana sensed the Warden's brows furrowing against hers. "And if the ice doesn't break, what then? You know how I am with Shems, Leli." Kyria pulled away the cool air encroaching between them. "I don't want this to go badly, my dear." She tugged at the collar again and barely suppressed a growl as she took a couple of steps away.
The bard's sigh behind her had her turning towards Leliana once more. Her lover looked thoughtful, those perfect crimson eyebrows creased ever slightly. "You remember when I met your Ashalle, I worried too and you reassured me that all would turn out." The warden nodded, the tension in her shoulders easing a little. The bard walked to her and gently caressed her face. "I know Justinia and I know all will turn out." In the gentle silence that followed, the bard brought her lips upon the Warden's mouth, the kiss deepening the longer it went on. Soon buttons where twisted open and the Warden divested of her ruffly shirt. Leliana smiled into their kiss, hearing the relief in the Warden's groan. Warm skin upon warm skin, they continued kissing till the bard was carried to the bed and playfully thrown onto her back. Kyria's eyes darkened as they took in every inch of her bard's waiting form. Even hungrier kisses followed that stare then hungry lips trailed a line down the bard's body, stopping at crucial points along its journey to the silken heat just below a mound of auburn hair. Remotely aware of the time, Kyria worked her lover's body with a furiously delicious pace till her hips shot up sharply as she came with writhing shudders. Kyria slowed her strokes, savouring the musky sweetness against her lips as Leliana's chest heaved beneath her splayed fingers. Heaving herself up next to the bard's body they spent the few precious moments they had holding each other while the bard breathlessly promised to bring her that same pleasure as soon as they could find another intimate moment together. Lovingly they kissed before frantically redressing for the ball.
The night progressed well with Kyria dancing with her beloved every chance she could, enjoying the heat that ran havoc through her body whenever Leliana seductively whispered all she intended to do to her after the ball. Some time during the night they both met with Justinia whose eyes, the Warden noticed, widened momentarily before she smiled upon her. Taking it as a good sign Kyria carried on a short conversation with the woman whose eyes often flicked to her lips. Feeling a little awkward she squeezed Leliana's hand and the bard smoothly concluded their encounter.
Back on the dancefloor, Leliana searched her lover's eyes. "I thought it was going well, my dear. Yet you desperately wanted to get away." Confusion and curiosity warred in the bard's thoughts.
"It was Leli, but… umm… she kept looking at my lips then looking away and smiling." Kyria's eyes furrowed still trying to figure out just what exactly Justinia was thinking.
Reflexively the bard's eyes flicked to her lover's lips, then widened like two full moons in the sky. "Oh my!" After what seemed like a long moment of staring that had the Warden's heart near thumping out of her chest, Leliana traced a spot on Kyria's chin, lifting a single, wiry auburn strand.