With each kiss Kate and Victoria shared, it felt a little easier to sink into it. And now, seeing as they had no other work to tend to, it seemed only right to try and be more... wifely. She raised her hands and cupped Victoria's cheeks, pulling herself in a little closer, sighing into the embrace. "I was specifically thinking that perhaps I might retire to my bed for a while. Between weeping and plotting, I feel quite exhausted."
Victoria's hands dipped down slowly to her shoulders, squeezing them experimentally. Without a word, she shifted her hands back around behind Kate's neck, patiently undoing each clasp. Although surprised, she did nothing to stop this from happening. After a few moments of silence, Victoria pursed her lips thoughtfully. "You're too tense, you'll never rest properly. I'll have to give you a massage first."
Dumbly, she nodded her head and turned away so that it would at least be a mite easier to be undressed. Victoria was not rushing the moment at all, undoing each button and fastener as though it were the most important act in the entire world. As the outer lay was stripped away, she could constantly feel fingertips brushing against her skin – places where she had never been touched before, not like this. It sent a shiver through her, and surprisingly Victoria stopped and looked at her over her shoulder. "Are you alright? We do not have to continue."
Kate shook her head almost immediately. "Please... Keep going..."
Saying no more, Victoria resumed undressing her. The hands were a little swifter now, and unless Kate missed her mark, she was also touching her more consistently. Slowly her eyes drifted closed as her shivers were replaced by tiny sighs. If she had known that human contact could be such a delight, she almost certainly would have made more attempts at it sooner in her life. And this was only the beginning. Where would the experience conclude? Would it be just a massage and then rest? Or perhaps they would push one another for more.
Finally the bulk of her dress was loosened and she allowed it to slip from her body, falling to the ground. "Now, get on the bed," Victoria bid her gently.
Instead, Kate shook her head, turning to face her once more, doing her best to look serious. "Nonsense. If I'm to be half-dressed, you should be the same." Not taking 'no' for an answer, she grasped Victoria's shoulders and carefully turned her around. In a way, it was a good thing that she allowed her to begin the process, because now she had some idea of how to do so without letting it languish in boredom. She moved carefully, she touched her skin softly; feeling bold, she even leaned in at one point and pressed a kiss to Victoria's shoulder blade,which earned her a delightful noise that was difficult to describe but very encouraging.
However fumbling her own attempts were, she did finally manage to free Victoria of her own dress. Now the two of them were left only with basic tops, slips, and corsets. Not wishing to let the blasted undergarment make the experience of sitting in bed painful, she began unlacing Victoria's corset and set it aside with her dress. The princess did the same for her, then took Kate's hand, guiding her toward the bed and finally urging her to sit down. She placed herself against the headboard, then guided her wife to sit in front of her.
Those teasing hands began their true work, digging in and working her muscles with abandon. Kate instantly felt as though she was melting into the bed. Without meaning to, an impressive moan erupted from her lips – not just a sigh or a whimper. It was shameful and embarrassing, and her face instantly turned a deep shade of crimson. "I... am so sorry... I-I cannot believe that I..."
Any further apology was silence when a kiss was pressed into her neck, followed by the sensation of teeth sinking into her skin experimentally. Poor Kate's explanation for her behavior was instead replaced with an even more emphatic moan. And just like that, Victoria went back to massaging her shoulders as though nothing had happened. This elicited a whole new response from Kate, a pathetic little whimper as her mind was temporarily flooded with thoughts of wanting more of... whatever that had been.
But this was only supposed to be a massage and a rest! If the two of them did any more than that... it wouldn't really be rest any more, would it? Then it would be something quite different. But if Victoria was trying to initiate it, then perhaps- "Ah~!" Another bite.
"That mind of yours is whirring away, isn't it? Well stop it. Now is not a time for thinking, darling."
Groaning, she glanced back over her shoulder. "I can't help it! I think about things. It's what I do."
The princess giggled softly, girlishly, and gave her neck the same treatment yet again, nibbling gently. "Perhaps, but I can see the way my touch distracts you... Do you want me to distract you more? Hmm?"
It could definitely be said that overthinking was as much a hindrance to Kate's life as it was a help. Her mind had a way of constantly monologuing that would cause her to miss out on the conversations happening in the moment. So perhaps Victoria had a point, that she needed to-
"Mnh~" Once again, all of that was cut off as she felt Victoria's hand trace down along her side and hip, then up under her top to caress her bare stomach.
"How about this, my dear? I'm just going to try some things, and if you feel at any point that I have gone too far, I want you to tell me clearly. How does that sound?" She started to move her hand in soothing little circles, clouding her thoughts even further. Kate could really only nod her head in response with a small grunt of understanding. "You seem quite sensitive, my lady. Could it be that you have never given yourself the proper exploration that you deserve?"
Kate's face was beginning to burn, true and proper now. "N-N-No... Never..." The idea was not one that had ever really occurred to her. Never mind Freemarsh's strict atmosphere, she spent many years rooming with her sisters. It had simply not been a part of her life. And yet now, it was all she could think of.
"A shame, that. A beauty like yours needs attention. Here..." The hand began to rise higher, softly cupping her breast and massaging slowly. "And, naturally..." Her other hand began a separate journey traveling lower and hiking up her slip, gently grazing her nails over Kate's thigh, eliciting another series of soft whimpering moans. The hand did not relent but moved inward between her thighs, continuing to brush the skin again and again.
It was becoming harder not only to think, but to even maintain an upright sitting position. Kate must have begun to slump back against Victoria. With grace befitting the so-called 'Mouser', Victoria gently slipped out from under her, retracting her hands as she did so and eliciting an even more pathetic noise from the 'Hare'. While she appreciated being able to lay herself out on the pillows, she missed being touched so sweetly. Blessedly, she did not have to wait long. Once Victoria was on top of her, she began to tug away at her top. That part of her brain that never stopped talking might have objected to all this, but the side that was enjoying itself saw no need to complain. She could trust Victoria, and she wanted what she had to offer.
The process didn't end there. Victoria leaned in for a very quick and playful kiss on the lips, giggling in delight at something – though Kate could not be certain what. Her hands drifted low once again, this time grasping and pulling away the last remaining clothing from her body. She expected this to be a terrifying experience, but it was mostly freeing. Her hips lifted almost immediately in response, and the rest of her clothes were smoothly pulled from her hips.
It looked as though Victoria was about to return to her duties, but Kate quickly reached out to grip her shoulders. "W-Wait... I... I want you to join me. May I?"
For the first time since they had begun this newest endeavor, Victoria's face fell and she showed some legitimate anxiety. "Are you certain? My body is not nearly as fine as yours, and there are certain noticeable differences." She swallowed and glanced away from her.
Kate just smiled wider and did her best to mimic Victoria's actions from earlier, idly playing with the hem of her top. "Victoria~ I just confessed to you my complete inadequacy when it comes to this entire process. I have no expectations, no preconceived notions. I only know that I wish to... to see you as you see me. I want to be as close together as two humans can possibly be! Please..."
She lay her hands on top of Kate's, closing her eyes and sighing deeply. "I know. You have a heart like I have never seen before." She took one more deep breath and nodded. "Go on. I am yours as you are mine." Finally her smile began to return.
Guided by Victoria's hands, she pulled away her clothing, piece by piece. And if there was anything at all wrong with her body, it was invisible to Kate's eyes. This was no abomination. This was her wife, and... yes. Perhaps she really was coming to love her. For exactly who she was, no more, no less.
"Might I say something selfish?"
Victoria laughed, which was swiftly becoming one of Kate's most favored sounds. "You may as well. We have spent the entire afternoon being quite selfish. It would be foolish to stop now..."
Kate drew the blankets closer around herself as she burrowed in against the other woman's chest, nuzzling her affectionately. "I hope we do not have a child too quickly. First, I must deal with all of this damned political intrigue. I want to raise them normally, to be a mother, to have my own family. I don't want to give birth to a... a pawn..." The word tasted bitter in her mouth, and just like that, she was back to overthinking.
But she was brought out from those scary thoughts by Victoria's nails dragging slowly through her mane of hair again and again. "They will not be a pawn. You are not a pawn either. You are not alone; we will overcome this together. Our lives are not a game of chess. Continue to say your prayers, and craft your schemes. After all, I know that my father and mother are only human, and their arrogance will be their downfall." Before Kate could offer up any kind of counter-point, Victoria tipped her into another kiss.
There was no point in trying to fight such a force of nature. Besides, Kate was almost starting to believe her. Perhaps together, they could survive this.
