Lanaya's room was almost empty, only a bed and a small table with a chair, tugged in one corner, and a lamp on that table, which glowed softly. Nothing else. The bed was small and Lanaya knew that it was hard and uncomfortable, so sleeping on the floor would make hardly any difference.
Rylai stopped in the door, then she laughed. "That's how I envisioned the home of the Templar Assassin. This is your room?" She shook her head, still laughing. "I wish I could make a picture of that. It fits every prejudice about an assassin to the core. Nothing but for a hard bed and a desk. The only thing that's missing is the weapons rack but since you don't need them, it is even more fitting."
"You do know that this is a temple? All rooms look like this one." Lanaya looked at the ice woman with raised brows.
"Yeah, and it is absolutely impossible to make it more cosy and personal… You have been living here for a long time and you didn't even put a picture on the wall? Or bring a pillow?" She was still smiling, her eyes sparkling in the dim light of the lamp.
To be true, Lanaya had never thought about things like that. She didn't care how her room looked like and she didn't really need comfort. She was always so focused on the things she could learn that she was simply completely indifferent about how her room looked. She was indifferent about most things.
And then the sudden thought struck her, that the Crystal Maiden might not like that about her. She wasn't indifferent, she seemed to care about things Lanaya didn't even register, like the butterflies in the forest in the town war. Maybe she would realize that she didn't want to be this close to someone who was so unfeeling, especially in contrast to herself. Someone who was so callous.
All at once this light conversation had rooted Lanaya to the spot, waking the fear in her that Rylai would want to leave her one day. Not that they had any kind of commitment but the connection between them was so very strong and the Assassin had grown used to the presence of the Maiden, had begun to like having her near.
Somehow the ice woman had brought a purpose back into her life and had, simply with her presence, made her life enjoyable again.
The thought of being alone again, of being without Rylai again, was horrifying and the Assassin found it suddenly hard to breathe at the thought of this happening.
Thy Crystal Maiden stopped smiling, a tiny frown creasing the skin between her brows. She stepped in front of the Assassin. "Lanaya. What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"
Lanaya looked at her, looked into her blue eyes, and couldn't answer. The fear had paralyzed her.
The frown deepened and Rylai, putting her magic staff against the wall, raised her hands, tugging the mask, which covered the Assassin's mouth and nose, down. She framed Lanaya's face with both hands, not once breaking their eye contact. Her thumbs began to stroke over her cheeks slowly and she asked again. "What is wrong? Please tell me."
Her voice was soft and her touch tender, calming the Templar Assassin. She took a deep breath, her heartbeat still too hard but the panic diminished, albeit slowly. The words she was finally able to utter were: "Don't leave me."
Rylai seemed confused. "Of course I won't. Why would I leave you?" But the Assassin shook her head. "Promise me."
Very serious the Maiden pulled her face a little closer. "I promise that I won't leave you." Through the connection she felt the truth behind what she said, felt the intent of the woman to keep her word.
They stood like that for long minutes, staring into each other's eyes, until the Templar Assassin could breathe normal again, until she felt stable enough to take a step backwards. The Crystal Maiden removed her hands. And Lanaya broke the eye contact. She felt a little embarrassed about her breakdown. That had never happened to her before. She was always controlled and emotionless. Maybe she wasn't used to all this emotions that came from the connection with the Maiden. She would have liked to busy herself with something but the room was empty. She couldn't hide from Rylai, who was still watching her, her gaze intent. She was waiting, waiting for an answer or an explanation from Lanaya.
The Templar Assassin didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to tell her why she had had something close to a panic attack without an evident reason. She didn't like to talk about herself and even less about her feelings. Or about anybody's feelings.
It seemed the Maiden wouldn't budge, though.
So she looked at her again. "I had the sudden thought that you might want to leave me one day because I am so indifferent. It is so much in contrast to you that I thought you might tire of it. Of me."
"Oh, Lanaya." Rylai came closer again, so close their bodies were almost touching. "First, you were like that from the beginning, when we first met, so I know what I was getting when I agreed to come with you. And second, you are not indifferent towards me, as your fear about me leaving you a few minutes ago shows, and that is the only thing that matters. Just like I said before, I don't want you any different."
The woman was very close and suddenly her gaze dipped, wandering from Lanaya's eyes to her mouth. The connection between them began to sizzle, and the Templar Assassin stared at the ice woman. Something changed. Rylai shifted even closer, and when she looked up again, her eyes were half lidded. Her tongue flicked out, licking over her lips and she raised her chin ever so slightly.
Lanaya's heartbeat accelerated. There was only this tiny gap between them, almost not existent, and Rylai was strikingly beautiful. And before she knew what she was doing, she leaned down, brushing her lips against Rylai's. How she had wanted to do that, to taste her, to feel her.
As an answer, their connection pulsated.
The Crystal Maiden sighed and leaned against her, her hands on the Assassin's shoulders, pulling herself closer. The next touch of their lips was a real kiss and when the Maiden licked over Lanaya's bottom lip she followed the unspoken request and deepened the kiss. She lost herself to the woman in her arms, forgetting everything around them, simply revelling in the pleasurable sensation that came from holding her, kissing her, touching her. Rylai felt wonderful and their connection was thrumming with energy now, heightening the experience with every caress, with every brush of their tongues against each other.
Their emotions were merging with those of the other until the Templar Assassin felt as if they were one person. One person filled with so many different emotions that she couldn't decipher them all. There was desire but also tenderness and wonder. Affection.
When they broke apart, Lanaya in dire need of air, Rylai looked at her with big eyes. Her cheeks were flushed and she was breathing way too fast. "Wow," she said. "That was … wow." She took a shaking breath and released her hold on the Assassin's shoulders, bringing a little distance between them.
Lanaya's head swam. She was not really sure what just had happened, she only knew that it was not normal. This had not been a simple kiss. It wasn't like anything she had experienced so far in her life and she wasn't certain if she wanted more or if she wanted to get space between them as fast as possible so it wouldn't happen again.
They stared at each other, Rylai seemingly just as confused as Lanaya, until someone knocked on the (still open) door. Glad that something else wanted her attention, she shifted and took the blankets the monk was carrying. A second monk brought a bowl and two towels and a third one a flagon with water. That was all one got when residing in the Hidden Temple. The Templar Assassin threw the blankets on the bed and with a short "I go to the library" in the direction of the Maiden, she left the room as if she was on the run. It was too much and she had to get out for a few minutes, clear her head.
In the huge hall where all the books of the Hidden Temple were kept, she leaned against the wall, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was agitated, confused by how the kiss had felt, how it had made the connection between them stronger still. Confused by how right it had felt to hold Rylai. As if she had been waiting her whole life for this woman and as if she only now felt complete.
She didn't want to be connected to another being so strongly. It made her vulnerable. She was an assassin, assassins were always alone. They didn't need anyone. But it seemed it was too late for that because from the way she had panicked simply at the thought that Rylai might leave her, she already needed her and it was way too late to change it now.
Which made it even more important that she learned how to use the Psionic Energy and her abilities to protect the Maiden. If anyone who wanted to harm her found out how deeply she cared for the ice woman, they would try to get to her first, because she was the easier target. So she needed all the protection the Templar Assassin could give her, if possible even more.
With that thought in mind Lanaya began to read. First she took the books of which she knew that they were about Psionic Energy. She went through one book after the other, searching for clues that would help her find a way to protect Rylai. She lost track of time, as was normal when she was studying. But when she felt the presence of the Crystal Maiden entering the library, she looked up. The woman was carrying a plate with something to eat. She smiled but it looked as if she was unsure of what to do or how to acquit herself. And now wonder. Lanaya had fled after their kiss and hadn't returned for several hours.
She knew that her behaviour had hurt the Maiden, which had never been her intent. Okay, she had reacted harshly to their kiss. But afterwards, when she had taken the first book into her hands, she had simply forgotten everything around her though she should have headed back and apologized for leaving like that. So she pulled her mask down now and stood up to take the plate from Rylai. "Come, keep me some company, will you?"
The Crystal Maiden nodded. She was without her magic staff, had probably left it in their room. When they were both sitting again, Lanaya turned to her. "I'm sorry for leaving you and not coming back. I needed a few minutes alone and then I got lost in my studies." She pointed at the plate. "You brought me something to eat?" Rylai nodded and the Assassin smiled. She often forgot to eat and only realized it when she was already a few days without food and her body refused to go on like that. "Thank you."
After a few minutes of silence, the Maiden asked: "Why did you come back here? I mean not the library but the Hidden Temple. What are you searching for?"
"I'm looking for a way to be better able to protect you. I want to use the Psionic Energy and my abilities to give you the shield I can create or to make you invisible. But I need to find information on how to do it."
"You want to use your powers to protect me?" She seemed surprised by that statement.
Lanaya looked up from her plate. "Of course." And because it was the right thing to say: "You matter. I want you to be safe regardless of where you are. I want for you to be able to go home again, to do what you want. To be free again."
Rylai just stared at her, her eyes wide. Then she stood up and hugged Lanaya. It was a little awkward with the Assassin still sitting, a plate on her lap. But that didn't really matter. "Thank you." Then she walked out of the library and Lanaya, feeling through the bond that she was okay, resumed reading.
When she was disturbed the next time, it was Rylai again. "I just wanted to remind you that the scary Tauren wanted to see you."
The Templar Assassin looked at the clock in one corner. The Maiden was right. It was already late and the master of the temple was probably waiting. Or, since he knew Lanaya, probably not. Nonetheless it was rude to be too late and she immediately set out for his room. When she passed Rylai she stopped. "You okay? Do you have everything you need? If something isn't to your liking, you can tell me. And if you want to leave the temple you can tell me as well." Live in the Hidden Temple was very simple, surely not what the Maiden was used to. And if one didn't like to read and study, there was little else to occupy oneself with. If the woman wanted to leave because she didn't like it here, Lanaya would find another way to get the information she was searching for.
But the ice woman shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm fine. I will probably be asleep when you come back, so I wish you a good night."
Lanaya nodded and was already turning around when she reconsidered. She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on Rylai's mouth. And was gone before the Maiden could react. It had been on impulse but she was smiling as she walked down the hallways, still feeling the softness of Rylai's lips against her own. And through the bond she felt something like an answering smile from the Maiden.
The Templar Assassin knocked on the door of the room from the master of the Hidden Temple and entered. The Tauren looked at her, astonishment clearly evident on his features. "Hey little one, I didn't expect you so early."
And Lanaya smiled. If Rylai hadn't fetched her she would have been too late, as always. She bowed in front of the beast sitting at the table. "Templar Assassin, at your service."
"Oh, is that so?" His smile showed his sharp teeth. "Come, take a seat. Dinner will be here soon." And, not someone to skirt around the topic he was interested in: "Tell me, what have you been doing in all those years you have been gone? I'm very curious of what you have learned, whom you have met and what you have accomplished."
And so the Assassin talked. She talked much. She answered every question. She kept nothing of what she had learned a secret because she didn't have secrets from the master. When she had told him everything about her quest to learn as much as possible about the Psionic Energy she could wield, he leaned back in his chair, his whole being extremely focused on the Assassin. "I see you have been very successful in your studies. You have reached every goal you have set for yourself. But how does the Queen of Ice fit into all this? And how comes you are back here, and with a mate at that?"
"A mate? Rylai is not my mate." But then she didn't know what they were, what the Crystal Maiden was to her. She thought about it for a moment. Were they mates? The thought didn't disturb her as much as she had thought it would, as it would have a few days ago. Maybe she should talk with Rylai about it. Because, to be true, she would like to call her that. Would like to say 'Rylai is my mate'.
The Tauren looked at her with knowing eyes and raised brows and Lanaya shrugged. "The topic hasn't come up until now. We met in a town war. I assume you have heard about those? And when I heard that she was in danger I decided to take her with me. Seemed to be a good enough idea. And now I try to find a method to protect her better, to use Psionic Energy and my abilities for that."
"Ah, I see. I know someone who might be able to help you with that. I will track him down and send him to you. Please be nice, he is a little shy. Now go to your mate, it's already late. I expect a visit from time to time from you."
The Templar Assassin stood up. "As always."
On the way to her room, her mind was circling around only one topic: Rylai.
But just as the ice woman had said earlier, she was already asleep. The soft glow of the lamp on the table bathed her in a warm light, one hand tugged under her cheek, her hair spilled over her body, shining golden. She was wearing Lanaya's clothes again. The Assassin closed the door carefully and kneeled beside the bed. For long moments she simply stared at the beautiful woman in front of her.
Suddenly the Maiden shifted a little, then she smiled sleepily. "Hey Lanaya. You back?" She opened her eyes and slid to the wall behind her back. "Come, here is enough space for both of us." She yawned and put a hand over her mouth. "Come." She closed her eyes again and went back to sleep.
Lanaya was unsure if she should take her offer. But since she had forgotten to ask for a second set of bedclothes the only other option was to sleep on the floor without a sheet and without a blanket. Which was way too uncomfortable for her liking.
Before she could second-guess her decision, she took her shoulder armour off, as well as her boots and her mask and slipped under the blanket that was covering Rylai. It was cosy and warm and when the Crystal Maiden snuggled closer, Lanaya sighed contently. She turned towards the woman and looped one arm around her waist. Feeling her warm breath on the skin of her neck, her own nose buried in her golden locks. Surrounded by her warmth and scent, she fell asleep.
She woke a few times in the night because Rylai moved in her sleep but she adjusted her position and closed her eyes again. It would probably take time to get used to sleeping with someone but the Assassin found it nice.