Camilla prided herself as a woman beyond fear, beyond shaking, and she did little to dismiss the image she had gained of cold cruelty and an excitement for battle. Though it wasn't the most flattering reputation for a woman, it was one the first princess of Nohr embraced with a smile. She was well aware her place was amongst soldiers rather than the perfumed and prettied ladies of the court, and found little wrong with matching her quick wit, love for her family, and her sly sense of humour to the battlefield. And nothing brought her more happiness than to fly in the sky with her wyvern, leaving the ground and her homeland far behind her on the back of her partner who had grown at her side ever since she was a child.
Now, though, as Camilla hesitated at the fences that formed the corral, she had to admit that fear was most certainly the emotion that was dominant in her at that moment. The castle within the Astral Realm was a strange place, and it had been with a mixture of happiness and alarm that she had found the old stables of Castle Krakenburg to be replicated on the far reaches of the grounds. Her wyvern, as well as Belka's and the wyverns of her men had all found suitable homes there, and it had been with pride that she joined her soldiers in caring for the great scaled beasts who were both mount and partner in battle and life.
But it was not a well-bred and docile wyvern that raged inside of the corral before her, and Camilla admitted that she had never seen a more feral specimen as it let out another earth-shaking roar from within its confines. He was a handsome creature, a dark and splendid navy from tip to tail, but his scales were littered with scars and marks of the fights he had lived through and won during his life amongst his kin. He had a personality to match, ferocious and wild, and it showed in his great claws and fangs as he snapped at the steel and leather bonds that pinned his wings to his back to prevent him from flight.
It had been sheer chance he had been found at all, and only a sympathetic heart had saved him from his death at the hand of a fellow rider who had been ambushed by him during a routine fly-over of the mountains. Despite his wild nature, he was handsome and strong, and there was no shortage of need for wyverns to ride as the twins' army continued to swell with new numbers. And when Aidan himself had expressed interest in learning to ride, Camilla had been more than thrilled to introduce him to the stock she and her riders had acquired in their flights into the wild. That excitement however had died the moment her lover had taken one glance at the raging and roaring wyvern that absolutely no one wished to approach, and she had regretted everything when he had requested a chance to test him for dominance.
It was a common ritual in Nohr for new riders who had not picked their wyverns at birth, and though Camilla did not doubt Aidan's ability to earn a wyvern's loyalty in such a manner... She was not sure the wyvern he had picked would be so easily cowed. The great scaled beasts that Nohr preferred over the Hoshidan pegasi were a temperamental and ferocious species, but they had been bred carefully, oh so carefully, over so many generations that it was ingrained within their blood to be subservient to a worthy rider. The same could not be said of a feral wyvern caught fresh from the mountains, but Camilla was well aware that no amount of protest or arguing would change her lover's mind.
"How were his wings pinned? You had said no one could approach him, yes?"
The question made Camilla grimace with memory, and she shook her head as she watched Aidan calmly surveying what he hoped to be his mount racing about the corral in a vain attempt to find an exit. He paid the humans outside little mind beyond the odd snarl and hiss, and was far too occupied in trying to find a way to bite through the device that held his wings firmly to his body. His teeth could not cut through the steel, and the bars and straps were positioned in such a way that to even reach the majority of the device was simply impossible for his neck.
"To put it simply; we drugged the beast. After what happened to the last hopeful, no one in the brigade was willing to get near him. Not that I can blame them; he's extremely fierce even for a wild catch." Camilla explained with a shudder, and she still could remember that feeling of guilt and shame when she had watched the great beast succumb to the cocktail of herbs and potions that had been mixed in with his daily ration of meat. He was a proud creature, wild and splendid, and she had nothing but respect for him and his kin. To forcibly sedate him so he could be bound for the ritual of accepting a rider was not a task she enjoyed, and she was glad that for all her expertise on such matters, she had only been forced to do it a handful of times in her history of working wyverns in Nohr.
Aidan watched from his safe vantage point outside of the pen, his head tilted slightly to the side as the wyvern snarled and bucked in futility against his bonds. It was a clever device the Nohrians had invented, and he admitted their craft was splendid as it took the weight of the draconic creature's strength and held without showing a sign of strain. His flights on Myrrh had taught him well just how strong a wyvern's wings were when pushed to the limit, and he had little doubt this male in front of him was even stronger. He mused errantly, not allowing his eyes to flicker from the sight in front of him as he remembered the last man who'd tried to put a hand on the wyvern, "The last hopeful lost a hand, didn't he?"
"Yes. Which is why he isn't muzzled. He broke it once, and he'd break it again if anyone tried to put one on him... Normally, after that, a wyvern like this would be put down. Returning him to the mountains would only endanger any human nearby, and he isn't the type who would submit to a rider. I wouldn't even risk it myself, not without Myrrh to protect me." Camilla answered with another involuntary shiver, and she was almost glad that her faithful mount was nowhere near the male's snapping jaws and killer crimson eyes. She didn't want to guess what kind of battle would start if Myrrh was faced against an alpha male in his prime, but all of her experience told her it would end with more blood than she likely wanted to imagine.
There was little doubt that he knew nothing of a calm, peaceful life. While Myrrh had been bred for war, he had been living it since his hatching, and from the vast array of scars he boasted, he had earned his solitary life that most wyverns shunned in favour of their flock. He would never be social with his own kin unless he claimed complete dominance, and to trust a human was out of the question after he had been captured. He was death with wings, an embodiment of primal rage, and again Camilla found herself asking hesitantly, "Aidan, I know that you said this was the wyvern you wished to test, but... Are you absolutely sure it's wise? It may be better to do the humane thing than to put you in danger."
Aidan shook his head, and his crimson eyes never once flickered from the rampaging wyvern caged within the bars of the corral. He understood Camilla's concern, but it seemed like little as his eyes lingered on the long scars that whipped their way around the wyvern's serpentine body. He had never seen a more beautiful wild animal, and though its wings were pinned down flat, he could still vividly remember that enormous wingspan of leather and claw and horn he boasted when he had challenged his transfixed stare with a roar. "No. There's no other I'm interested in. Besides... I don't want to put a creature like him to the sword simply for being angry. He knows nothing of this world. I can't blame him for lashing out."
Biting her lip, Camilla swallowed down the thousands of protests she wished to speak even as she saw the hard glitter of determination in her lover's eyes. She knew it was useless to reason with him, and it felt almost wrong to try to when he spoke so sagely, so empathetically, of a creature he clearly felt a bond of kinship with. She understood the draw, and she most certainly could see why Aidan was the only soldier who showed no fear when face to face with such wild ferocity. He knew that power, knew the rage and the fear, and his heart went out to the battered but strong animal that reflected himself in its deadly crimson gaze.
The acknowledgement however did not make her feel any better as she watched him unbuckle his sword and sheath from his hip and set it down beside the fence. It was tradition to enter the corral unarmed so to prove one's mettle and superiority to a future mount, but Camilla felt only a cold knowledge that the creature in front of her would care little for his bravery. He only knew how to hunt and to fight amongst his own kind, and a human was nothing more than a prospective meal and not an equal or a better to cede his dominance to. Yet Aidan was strict on adhering to the code, and he only had his dragonstone in hand as he approached the fence with silent footsteps.
Camilla backed away instinctively as Aidan opened the gate and slid inside without making a single noise, and she was both impressed and surprised by his ability to travel without so much as a scuffle of footfall on the dirt. It gave him the advantage of surprise as he entered the corral, and the raging wyvern did not notice him as it continued to vainly try to wrap his jaws about the device strapping its way across his back. She swallowed noisily as Aidan began his way forward, and called out in a voice that shook despite all her best efforts to keep it steady, "Be careful..."
Aidan acknowledged her whispered plea with only the barest of nods, and then his back was all she could see as he moved with purpose towards the eastern half of the corral. His step was now loud and pronounced, giving warning to the previously oblivious creature, and he only paused in his movement when he saw it realizing his presence. Almost at once it froze for a moment, sweeping a keenly intelligent glare over him before it hunched its back, wings flexing and straining against their bonds in a futile effort to open and make itself seem larger and more imposing. It was a futile effort and a moot one as it opened its jaws and let loose a warning roar instead, and Aidan found himself smiling grimly as he noticed he didn't need such paltry threat displays to make himself seem impressive and deadly.
It happened in a flash, the wyvern bracing his feet against the ground for a mighty lunge, and for a brief instant, Camilla was absolutely certain that her lover was a dead man. It was a killing lunge, and one she was intimately familiar with. He didn't seem to need his wings as he launched himself through the air, his jaws parting for that bite that could smash stone and break a man in two with the sheer force behind it. She only glimpsed Aidan raising his arm before there was an impact of the two colliding, and the ensuing dust cloud as the wyvern found his target blocked all else from view.
Forgetting all she knew of safety, Camilla found her body leaping forward as her hand moved for the axe she had been carrying almost as a second-thought on her back. She reached the fence in one jump, her weapon in her hand as a frantic cry escaped her lips as a terror she'd never known coursed through her blood and left her both frozen and demanding movement as quickly as her body could muster, "Aidan!"
Her cry however had only barely passed her lips before she realized there was absolutely no need for her worry. The wyvern had indeed leapt upon the man with full intent to maim and kill, but Aidan had held his ground, and more importantly, had transformed his arm into the limb of a dragon in order to take the blow. The steely-scaled appendage held perfectly against the wyvern's attack, and it was with confused snarls and hisses that the wyvern fought to sink his fangs through the impenetrable scales as he was completely halted in his tracks.
Aidan's gaze was locked with that of the navy-scaled beast, and there was a fierce glint in his eyes as he held firm against the massive weight behind the wyvern's jaws. The dragon's arm he had manifested was far stronger and capable of bearing the load, and he felt himself smiling as he saw the confusion and irritation in the wild animal in front of him. The jaws continued to try to close, scraping helplessly against Aidan's defence, and the snarls turned to growls, and eventually silence as the wyvern came to realize he had chosen an opponent he simply could not overwhelm.
Camilla watched, breath tightly held and mouth agape as the wyvern's gnashing fangs slowly but surely stilled in realization. He remained still, his growls turning to hisses, and then to silence before slowly, ever so slowly, he withdrew his hold and backed away from the young prince. Though his wings were bound, she watched the restraints on him slacken as he pressed them further against his body in a sign of submission. Then, to her total shock, the ill-tempered creature lowered himself into the dirt, laying flat on his belly as he looked up at the man who'd conquered him without once needing to inflict a blow. "By the gods..."
Aidan did not move from where he stood, holding the wyvern's gaze as he continued to rumble despite his signs of defeat. He remembered well the lessons Camilla had given him on wyvern wrangling, and he was well aware he was to continue to show signs of dominance until he received the exact outcome he wished for. To his satisfaction, he knew the great creature understood his silent demands, as it quickly quieted itself and continued to lay calm and still on the ground in a sign of peace. His stern scowl broke into a smile as he waited another minute for the gesture to hold, and then he reached out fearlessly to lay a hand on one of his horns before speaking quietly, "That's it, boy. You've nothing to worry about now... I'll take care of you from now on."
The two sat together in silence for several more minutes, with Aidan's hand fearlessly stroking along the scarred hide of the massive creature as it lay calm and relaxed beside him. Camilla could only watch, absolutely spellbound by the work of magic her lover had made without once showing a sign of aggression or demand. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, in more ways than one, and she couldn't decide if she was more frightened, impressed, or angry by the reckless show she had been treated to. The wyvern looked like a completely different beast, and there was a self-satisfied smile she had never seen before gracing Aidan's features as he continued to rest his hand nonchalantly on the body of the creature who had just minutes ago attempted to eat him.
The spell seemed to hold forever, with the onlooker frozen into silence at the peaceful tableaux within the corral, but it was broken when Aidan lifted his head from his work and called to her. She jerked as if being struck by the sound of his voice, and awkwardly, Camilla shook her head as if to cast aside effect the sight had had on her. Her feet carried her naturally forward to the gate, but she paused as she reached the doorway and realized that her axe was still tightly gripped in her hand. She glanced down to her faithful weapon almost hesitantly, and then back up to her lover before swallowing hard and placing it carefully on the dirt next to Aidan's blade.
Slowly, carefully, Camilla opened the latches and slid inside of the corral with the most hesitation she could ever remembering feeling since her childhood. It looked almost like a replica of the pens she had used to train Myrrh and so many other wyverns like her, but the spectacle she had just seen only made her remember that she was no longer home, and that was simply memory. She swallowed hard, forcing down her thoughts for another day before she took her first steps closer, watching with an expert and wary eye for any negative reaction to her presence.
It came swiftly as the beast took notice of her and lifted his head, but to her surprise, Aidan's carefully petting hand turned stern as it gripped down on the horn on the right side of the wyvern's head. He grasped tightly and shoved down none too gently, asserting himself without hesitation or gentleness as he had been taught. There was no room for kindness in the first few days of establishing dominance with the breed, not unless one was happy to lose a limb, and Aidan proved his instincts were perfect for the job of a rider as he spoke sharply, "You'll show her every bit of respect you do me, lest you find yourself on the wrong end of a sword, understand? As far as you're concerned, she's every bit your master as I. Myrrh won't have a carcass to destroy if you harm a hair on her head, I promise you that."
The combined force of the hand on his head and the sharp, commanding tone did its work, and the beast immediately lowered his neck to place his chin flat on the dirt. His crimson eyes however did not divert from her as she continued her approach, but he lay silent and unmoving, accepting that it was Aidan's will that she come near and he not react negatively to her. Camilla watched this all with wide eyes, and she felt her concern melting away as she glanced from the immobile beast to the man handling him as if he had been born with reigns in his hands, "You... You actually did it. I was sure he was a lost cause, and you did it. I don't know if that's a poor reflection on my expertise, or if you actually managed to pull off a miracle, yet here I stand."
"It isn't a poor showing of your knowledge. Barring the stablemaster who taught you, I don't think there's anyone who knows wyverns the way you do." Aidan dismissed the compliment with a shake of his head, but there was still a tiny quirk to his lips that proved he was more than satisfied with himself. The stern grip he had loosened as Camilla came closer, but he kept his eyes firmly locked on the beast at his feet as he pat the space between his horns, "I think however, this one is a bit of a special case."
"You can say that again." Camilla murmured with a mixture of appreciation and wonder as she circled about to come to Aidan's side while coming even closer. She felt no fear whatsoever as she came within lunging distance, and to her pleasure, the navy-scaled wyvern did little else but tilt his head to the side so he would not lose sight of her approach. Shaking her head, she ran a disbelieving hand through her hair before looking up into Aidan's proud blood-red gaze, "He'll need a name, now that you've proved yourself. We can't be calling him "him" for the rest of his days. He deserves better than that, wouldn't you say?"
"He deserves better than that, yes." Aidan agreed with a nod, but he said nothing else as he looked down to the wyvern he had completely beaten down. As if sensing his gaze, the wyvern left his searching for Camilla and instead flickered his own brilliant crimson gaze upwards, and Aidan felt his heart speed up as they locked eyes and stared at one another. He saw understanding within those draconic pupils, understanding and intelligence beneath his feral strength, and Aidan spoke more to him than to anyone else as he mused quietly, "Had I not transformed, you'd have torn my arm clean from my torso with those fangs of yours... Heh. That alone seems fitting for a brute like you, doesn't it...? Fang. That's your name. Fang."
"For all your ability with sarcasm, I think you're pushing it with that, darling..." Camilla couldn't help but remark with a weak laugh, but she said nothing else as Aidan didn't break his gaze with the newly-christened Fang. It was only proof that they had created a bond, that Fang was accepting the path Aidan wished him on, and she couldn't hide a smile in answer. She had seen it happen so many times before with other riders, and she remembered each and every one she had watched gain the respect and loyalty of the great beasts that Nohr paid homage to. It was a sacred thing, a mystical thing, and no matter how many times she witnessed it, she could only feel proud to have been a part of the generations-long ritual that her homeland had created.
It was Aidan who finally broke the silence, and he let out a long breath as he stiffened himself and turned back to his waiting lover. Her smile was patient and proud, and it reminded him that for all of his willingness to be lost in this strange kinship he'd found with the wyvern, that she had been a witness to it all and was clearly just as pleased as he was by it. Coughing to hide his embarrassment, Aidan looked over to the nearby stables as a familiar heat twisted its way through his stomach and up towards his face, "Er... The first flight shouldn't be delayed, yes...? Shall we get a spare saddle, and Myrrh?"
"Yes, we should. The sooner the better." Camilla agreed with a nod, but her smile broadened as she noticed the way Aidan was pointedly avoiding her gaze. He had suddenly come back to earth, and the awkwardness was clear in his stiff posture as he roughly pat Fang again between the horns and then began to move towards the stables. Fang lifted himself casually back to his feet, following after Aidan as naturally as a newborn would its parent, and Camilla had to bite down on her lower lip to stifle a chuckle as she daintily stepped out of the beast's way and followed after both males.
Whether by embarrassment or accident, Aidan made it to the fence well before she did, and Camilla was laughing even as she watched him vault over the barrier with ease and head into the stable without her. Fang stood at the fence where Aidan had left him, watching after him with a mixture of curiosity and confusion, and taking cues from her history, Camilla gently lifted a hand to stroke his muzzle as she reassured him softly, "We'll be right back, boy. And you'll have a chance to stretch your wings when we return."
Following after her lover quickly, Camilla headed into the stables with another light chuckle. He was already at the saddles, picking the largest one he could find to match to Fang's size and weight, and she didn't stop laughing even as she joined him by the wall. He was still pointedly trying to look as if he was far more interested in the leather and metal devices, and she nudged him lightly with her elbow as she remarked with playful scolding, "You know, as a student of wyverns, it was very irresponsible of you to leave me behind with him like that. As good a show as you made, he may not have been as docile with me once you were gone, you know."
Aidan's response was an exhausted exhalation and a sudden slouch, and it took more effort than was warranted for Camilla not to burst into a fit of laughter then and there. It was only more proof that he had been too embarrassed to think, and the treat of seeing it was well worth his lapse in judgement in her eyes. He however was not aware of that, and it showed as he finally turned himself away from the saddles, eyes now lowered to the ground and a look of boyish shame on his face as he muttered to his bare feet, "I'm aware... Forgive me. I know better, and I should act as such."
"It's fine, darling... I'm not really berating you for that." Camilla laughed again, though it was much gentler now as she reached out with a gloved hand to gently trace the shape of his jaw as she lifted his head. His quick gaze moved immediately back to the saddles for a moment, but when her touch didn't drop, he slowly allowed his eyes to focus on her face instead as he understood her want. A hint of red had made itself known in the very tips of his pointed ears, proving his emotions despite the slight frown his face betrayed, and she tapped his cheek before clarifying herself with a bit more firmness, "If I wanted to berate you, I'd berate you for walking in there in the first place. And with that said, I'd like to see your arm."
"My arm?" The words were just out of his mouth before Camilla took initiative without request, but Aidan was not of the mind to resist her as she dropped her hold on his face and grasped his wrist instead. She firmly pulled his arm up, and he twitched in surprise as her fingers quickly encircled his wrist and then smoothed their way across the length of his forearm. He watched her brows furrow as her touch feathered across his sleeve, and before he could speak to question the frown, she was pulling the cloth up to his elbow to touch his skin directly.
Aidan watched with a mixture of surprise and curiosity as she turned his arm over, clearly examining every inch of skin she could see as her fingers stroked one way up his arm and down the other. It took him almost a minute to realize her intent, and he blinked several times as she finally ceased her examinations, merely holding his wrist in her hands as she looked down at his unblemished skin with a frown. He spoke slowly, wanting to make sure his assessment was correct so he wouldn't draw her ire as he questioned her, "Were you... worried I was injured?"
"Of course I was. I was just plain worried." The word came sharply, and Aidan felt himself wince despite himself at the tone that proved beneath her pride and happiness for him that a real anger had finally come to boil. Her wine-coloured eyes flashed with a familiar flame as she finally looked up from his arm as she dropped it, and her own arms crossed over her chest as she fixed him in the heat of a fearsome glare. Her voice lashed out like a whip, and her foot tapped in a perfect one-two beat on the ground as she continued hotly, "In all my years, I've never seen anything as reckless or stupid as what you did in there. For a moment, I was sure I would be burying you. I don't quite care that it worked out well; as your chances were almost negligible. But for reasons beyond me, when you insisted it had to be him, I gave way against better judgement and let you have your fun. And I swear I aged thirty years in three minutes! It was stupid, it was reckless, and frankly, I expected better of you! You're a wise man, and you ought to know better! If you ever scare me like that again-"
Camilla's words died on her lips as abruptly she was shoved backwards and against the nearest wall, and her astonished gasp was silenced as Aidan's mouth covered her own in a rough, passionate kiss. He was quick and unforgiving, pinning her neatly between the wooden walls and his own body, and he took full advantage of her surprise to slide his tongue into her mouth while one hand grasped her wrist and the other settled on her hip. He pushed forward mercilessly, pressing her body flush into his as he plundered her mouth with his tongue, and her only response was to wilt, taken aback by the sudden ferocity and having no other recourse but to succumb to him.
Any sort of protest she had thought of an instant after his mouth crashed against hers was gone moments later as his body slid against hers in that sinfully strong way she loved, and she melted with the softest of murmurs despite her better judgement. It was unlike him, this hot and hungry attack, and though she still had thousands of words and scoldings for him, none of them seemed to matter as he held her so tightly in his grasp. She forgot the stinging in her hip from being whirled around so suddenly, or the numb echo of pain in her wrist as he pushed her arm farther against the wall in his sudden need to be as close to her as he possibly could get. Little else mattered but that heat of his body against her own, and she moaned softly in the back of her throat as her knees threatened to buckle from the force of him.
His answer was a growl, one that she heard in her lips and felt rumbling against her chest, and she shivered as that heat almost instantly began to pool between her legs. The hand that had been on her hip moved farther south to grasp at her thigh, and she almost mewled as his fingers bit into her stockings and skin. She could already see him lifting her leg around his waist, could already feel him unbuckling his trousers and shoving aside her skirt so he could slam into her and take her where she stood right then and there, and she practically purred with anticipation as he gripped down harder.
Then his touch gentled, pulling her from her sinful fantasies and back to reality as that almost bruising grip turned softer and sweet before vanishing entirely. His kiss turned lighter in tandem with his hand, softening and almost becoming apologetic as his hold on her became less of a pin and more of an embrace. One strong arm slipped between her back and the wall, pulling her forward and into his chest, and she came willingly as his lips left her own to ghost across her cheek and down to her neck. He nuzzled through her hair as his right arm roped its way across her shoulders, and she heard his harsh breathing on her ear before he whispered gruffly, "Thank you."
The two words broke through the haze that had all too quickly clouded her mind and demanded more from her body, and Camilla took pause as she felt the weight behind his sudden and rather disconnected show of gratitude. Yet, as she allowed herself to soften and curl her own arms about him, she felt herself smiling gently with understanding. He was a man of action before words, but he was also incredibly clumsy when it came to his own emotions. Acting before speaking didn't always give the best impression of his feelings, but with two simple words, Camilla could completely understand why he had embraced her so feverishly seconds before.
Sighing quietly, Camilla reached up to gently twine her fingers through his already messy platinum-coloured curls in a tender caress. Both of them were breathing raggedly, their arousal now muted by a different sort of tenderness, and she nuzzled against his temple as he feathered her neck with soft, apologetic kisses. Exhaling slowly, Camilla leaned against his chest as she breathed softly into his ear, "I love you, you know... Of course I was worried... I don't want to imagine a world where you and I are apart. Not after everything we had to go through to finally be together."
Her answer came in a gentle bite at her pulse-point, followed by the wet warmth of his tongue streaking across the reddened skin in a loving caress. She shivered at his wordless reply, feeling that tight knot in the base of her stomach twitching with need, but she put it aside as she tightened her hold on his shoulders. His hold was warm and comforting, and the feeling of his breath on her neck, as well as his heartbeat underneath her palm was more than enough of a reminder that he was still with her despite the scare she'd had. He knew exactly what she needed to feel to give her comfort, but he proved he was learning as he spoke in that same gruff whisper that proved he was leashing himself just as much as she was, "Forgive me."
"You're forgiven... Just don't think that doing this every time I scold you will always make me less angry at you." Camilla whispered back into his ear, and she was glad to feel his lips quirk into a slight smile against her neck as he gave her a gentle, careful squeeze. She responded gladly, gripping down tightly for a handful of moments so she could soak in the feeling of his body protectively clasping at her own, and she was pleased beyond measure when he answered her just as eagerly. She let him draw away first, and the moment his crimson eyes flickered across her face in that grave, measured way of his as he tried to read her expression, she offered a smile as she touched his cheek and told him softly, "I love you."
Aidan reached to clasp her hand, tenderly nuzzling the sheer silk of her gloves before turning his face to her palm so he could press the softest of kisses to it. He didn't answer her declaration in words, but he didn't need to as that tender hold on her wrist brushed down her arm as he held her just a little bit closer before release. The words sang out in his every action and touch, and his heart was in his eyes when they opened again and held her gaze. She was used to the wordless communication, and she loved him all the more for his decision to withhold his words unless for the most intimate and grave of moments. It was proof enough he loved her, and she smiled at him when he leaned forward, requesting her permission with one flicker of his eyes and the slightest movement of his head.
"Mm..." Camilla hummed her answer, and he was quick to respond as he closed the distance to kiss her again. It was softer than the first, gentle and sweet as she knew they both needed, but she didn't allow herself to completely forget that tangle of heat and desire he had awoken before. It would be put aside to be saved for later despite her impatience and want, but when he made to withdraw again, she nipped lovingly at his bottom lip before warning him in a sultry murmur, "You'll be making up for that little interlude later tonight, I hope you know... If it wasn't for Fang being in the corral, I'd be throwing you against the wall."
Aidan shuddered at the liquid heat in her voice and the promising bite on his lip before she pulled back, and the smoky look in her wine-coloured eyes was almost enough to wipe away the thought of his wyvern from his mind. She was tormenting him and rightfully so, but it didn't make it any easier for him to find his arms and pull away from her even as his body demanded the opposite. He cursed inwardly as he forced himself back, but when she didn't follow, merely leaning against the wall and eyeing him like a hungry cat, he couldn't help but let the curse go to his voice, too, "Damn it..."
"This is your fault. I want you to make sure you regret it." Camilla's voice was breathless, and the cruelty of her words was only a slight balm as she saw the naked disappointment in her lover's eyes as he stared at her like a starving man before a feast. The look was more than enough to soothe the injury of leaving her lust behind for the moment, and though she knew both of them would be smouldering until nightfall, she reminded him with an evil chuckle as she pushed herself from the wall and brushed by him for the saddles, "You can be patient. We've spent several years waiting now. A few more hours should be nothing for you."
Aidan let out a wounded noise as she made for the saddles to their left, and Camilla couldn't restrain a peal of laughter as she glanced over her shoulder to see him staring after her longingly. The regret was written all over his face, as was the torn desires in his eyes, and she couldn't help but laugh again even as she reached behind her and extended her hand in invitation. She understood well, and she wasn't going to torment him further as she added in a much gentler tone, "Come on, Aidan. We've a flight to get to. And I have a promise to fulfil. I'm going to finally take you with me to the sky."
Blinking in surprise, Aidan reached automatically for her hand even as her words rang within his ears and stirred up memories that had been left behind in the cascade the last several months had been. He hadn't forgotten what she implied now, he could never forget that night they'd spent together before everything else had fallen apart, but to be reminded so lightly was enough to make him take pause at her memory. She had been holding to the same thoughts, had been waiting for her chance to give him all she'd ever promised, and to see her taking joy in it was enough to bring an exasperated sigh to his lips even as his fingers interlaced all too easily with hers.
Camilla tilted her head as she watched him, her smile shining in her eyes and across her beautiful features as she waited patiently for his reply. It made him smile in answer as his hand squeezed down tenderly on hers, and he allowed himself to be pulled forward to her, following his feet as if it was the most natural thing for him to do even after so many years of never allowing himself to move. He brushed against her, savouring that momentary contact with every inch of his being before he leaned forward, brushing his lips to her quickly blushing cheek as he replied quietly, "You did that a long time ago, Camilla."
AN:
The bad thing about messed up sleep schedules: I literally turn nocturnal and sleep all day when I really shouldn't. The good thing about messed up sleep schedules: my muse apparently comes out of hiding and beats me viciously over the head until I finish writing whatever piece I was currently working on. It's really unhealthy, but damn, it works! Every piece I've been writing has been a product of me going nocturnal, and it's terrible, but I love it!
Ahem. Anywhosit. Sorry. So, yeah, this is the story I've been dying to write about Aidan and Camilla and Fang! When the whole "Heart Seals" came out, I had a heck of a time imagining how Aidan getting to reclass to wyvern-riding would impact him as a character. Considering much of his characterization came from being a "prisoner", Aidan always had a love for "freedom" that really manifested in his longing to fly. Camilla gave him a form of escapism in bringing her tales back to him in the fortress, but I always imagined that the two of them always wanted to fly side by side one day. And there came my inspiration for Fang, who would eventually serve as Aidan's draconic mount, just as Myrrh was to Camilla!
Of course, Fang and Aidan's adventures are only just starting, and there's plenty more about those two that I could write about, and maybe someday will. But those are for future stories. However, in the next Marx/Eve chapter, Fang was going to get a mention by way of transport device, so I knew I had to write his introduction so readers wouldn't get confused by the sudden appearance of a wyvern. It helps that this was also a perfect excuse to write some fanservice for Camilla and Aidan, so I was glad to jump on this before returning to The Knight and the Princess. I'm horrible that way, eh?
I'll be happily continuing with the collection for Marx and Eve afterward, but Camilla and Aidan will definitely be popping up in that little story, too. It's not exactly hitting a climax yet, as there's more tension and such to be worked through in the story, but I do intend to show a bit of everyone in the coming chapters of The Knight and the Princess. Everybody's gonna get a chance to be seen and written for, I promise you that. I'm just glad that I seem to be churning out more work than I thought I would in recent weeks. Hopefully it lasts!
As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for reading all this way and sticking with me for so long. I am ever so grateful for your attention, and feedback. Should you feel the need to drop me a review, I'd be extremely thankful, and I hope you guys continue reading and I continue to write! Have a good one, everybody!
PS: All ideas and theories about wyverns are not my own, and are taken happily from my girlfriend, Amelia. Dragons have always been her love, and she's spent more time than I can imagine theorizing and speculating about the nature of every kind of dragon that has been seen in Fire Emblem. Everything I wrote here is the fruit of her labours, and with that said, I'd also like to formally dedicate this piece to her in gratitude. You're a dragon-fangirl through and through, hun, and I am so glad to finally be able to put your theories and fanon to paper and screen! I love you, Amelia!
Mood: Excited.
Listening To: "Stand By You" - Rachel Platten
~ Sky