Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with the show, the only things I do take credit for are any Ocs and mistakes ;p
Chapter Twenty Three.
"Your impatience is the reason you, dear wife, will lose this game" Dahlia announced with a teasing smile as she pondered which would be her next move, across the table from the brunette, Cara sat leaning back in her high-backed chair, the seat was pushed out slightly from the square array, her long toned legs were crossed at the knee, her right foot hovering above the marble floor while her left tapped repeatedly against the cool tiles.
"How do you know I am not luring you into a trap?" Cara retorted with a smirk, her drawl accompanied the crackling of the lit hearth several feet to the right. She lazily scanned the various chess pieces set out before her, depicted from pieces of onyx and platinum, while she was not without vast skill in the ways of tactics, she supposed her Mord'Sith was correct. She couldn't quite envision how was was going to achieve victory with the few pieces she was left with, her eagerness for an end to their game was ruling her all decisions.
"Because unlike you, my thoughts are not so entirely directed toward our bed that I have failed to plan ahead" Cara chuckled roguishly, discreetly unfolding her long tanned legs while her mate continued to plot out her next move in their game of chess. She cast her aquamarine coloured eyes towards the flickering flames filling the fireplace as she innocently began running her bare foot up and down the length of Dahlia's silky smooth calve beneath the table, the proactive red lace chemise the brunette wore complemented her colouring so flawlessly she almost found it difficult to breath.
"Oh I have premeditated a considerable amount" She purred as the brunette lifted her brilliant blue eyes to meet with her own uniquely coloured irises, her hooded gaze prompted a smile from her Queen, filled with a beguiling promise.
"I can imagine" Dahlia's melodic voice was as smooth as silk, stifling the slow shiver that her Mord'Sith's tone incited from her, she continued to slowly tease the soft expanse of her the brunette's velvety skin, stilling her actions only when she caught the rising desire in her beloveds deep blue eyes.
"I am quite certain you can't" Cara murmured, lifting her elegant hands up behind her head to subtly massage the cramp tensing the lithe muscles in her neck.
"Who knows you better than anyone?" Her Mord'Sith challenged, arching a perfectly shaped chestnut brown eyebrow. Dropping her palms away from the nape of her neck, she crossed her arms beneath her full breasts, catching her soulmate's gaze as it inevitably roamed, over her shoulders and upper chest left bare by the strapless slip she wore, towards her generous cleavage on display from the deep neckline of her short onyx shaded slip.
"My mother" She laughed at the less than pleased expression that painted itself across the beautiful contours of Dahlia's face, despite the narrowing of her mate's perceptive azure eyes, she could sense a hint of her Queen's amused smile behind her tutored mask.
"Now it is you inching toward a bruised backside" Dahlia warned slowly.
"Do what you will to me, just call it a draw on this infernal game" Cara traded, the flickering orange light filling their bedchamber from various tapers set up around the immense room made her eyes gleam brightly.
"Impatient..." Dahlia scolded mockingly, for a moment, the brunette's eyes drifted toward the neatly kept bed, the designs carved into the four elaborate posters seemed to beckon to them with the most potent of magic's, desire to be with the one they loved, with each other.
"...And scared of losing" Cara's eyes narrowed dangerously on her mate, it was the Mord'Sith's turn to adopt a smug smile.
"There is only one thing in all of Creation that scares me" She whispered softly, for a fleeting instant she almost allowed her thoughts to drift outside of their chamber, toward notions of the young traitor trying to destroy all that she held dear. Reaching for her half-finished wine glass, she could clearly taste the grapes used in brewing the rich alcohol as she sipped slowly, severing her trail of thought before it even had the chance to fully blossom into the distressingly unimaginable. She saw a flash of knowing spark to life within the depths of her Queen's deep blue eyes before a playful gleam caught her attention.
"You've been dreaming about rats again haven't you?" Cara bit her tongue to prevent her laughter from joining the wicked chuckle that erupted from the brunette's full pink lips.
"Darlin' we act out the majority of my dreams due to their generally erotic inclinations" She replaced her wine glass back on the polished oak table beside the chess board with a satisfied smirk.
"Mmm that is very true..." One sensual corner of Dahlia's mouth tilting upwards, she found herself marvelling over the stunning sight before, no matter how many times she was gifted with her mate's smiles, be they filled with tenderness, seduction or anything else in between, they always managed to steal her breath away.
"...Checkmate in three" The brunette suddenly perked up, glancing down at the gold and silver board briefly. Cara arched a blonde eyebrow sardonically once her Mord'Sith's striking blue eyes had risen to meet her gaze once more.
"You are aware that I stopped caring about this game the moment we began playing, correct?" She felt compelled to drawl, redundant as her statement was, Dahlia didn't need words to know what she was thinking or how she was feeling and she could read her mate just as easily.
"'Who knows you better than anyone', Cara?" Dahlia repeated, she found the brunette's melodic tone to be lustrously hypnotic, her mate's voice was one of her favourite sounds, only to be matched by the equally endearing octaves belonging to their daughters.
"You do..." She confirmed with a roll of her eyes "...Not that you needed that question answered" She murmured with a pointed look, her only response was a contented grin.
"No, but your first answer was neither accurate nor truthful, so seeing as you obviously needed prompting" Dahlia reached out with her elegant hand, slowly moving one her remaining platinum pawns forward a single place on the chessboard. Cara grumbled to herself, she really held no interest in this game any longer, and not simply because she knew defeat was immanent, but because she yearned for rest and the feel of her Mord'Sith within her lithe arms. Dawn would be arriving sooner than she would like, and then the constant precession of her daily and tedious tasks would begin.
"Perhaps now that you've gotten what you wanted, maybe your impatient wife can get what she wants?" She purred suggestively, while sleep was placed somewhere toward the top of her present priorities, her hunger for her mate was a never ending fire simmering just beneath the surface of her skin, always it licked at the edges of her thoughts, willing to excel into an all-consuming inferno if given the chance.
"Seeing as she has been such a good girl..." Cara grinned wickedly just as the remaining onyx and platinum chess pieces found themselves being scattered to the marble floor, the clattering sound of their departure was slightly muffled by the thick furs covering the marble tiles. Pushing her chair out further from the square table, she couldn't quite stop her breathing from becoming somewhat laboured as her seductive Mord'Sith crawled across the fairly long array. She wasn't one for modesty nor shame when it came to anything sexual, but the sight of her lower literally stalking toward her, the light from the healthy hearth behind her, gave her lover's deep blue eyes the appearance of sapphires sprawled out beneath the midday sun. Mesmerising certainly wasn't an accurate term to use when describing the captivating sight before her, but she lacked other, more suitable, words.
"...You know, we haven't finished a game in over thirteen years" Dahlia mused as she settled herself in Cara's lap, straddling the blonde's toned thighs and linking her long slender fingers together behind the Lady Rahl's graceful neck.
"Your fault..." Cara grumbled carelessly, cupping the slight curve of her Queen's supple hips in her hands as she leaned up to tenderly brush her full pink lips across Dahlia's, as always she savoured the velvety feel of her mate's mouth, the Mord'Sith's lips were considerably softer than the inside petals of a fresh rose.
"...You're simply too distracting" She whispered against the delicious seam of the brunette's perfectly sculpted mouth. The tender smile she felt blossom against her sculpted lips coaxed her to repossess the impossible softness of Dahlia's lips, the long drawn out sigh that erupted from her was swiftly punctuated by her mate's small moan. Continuing to steal and gift loving kisses, she trailed her elegant hands over the brunette's lower back, savouring the feel of her Mord'Sith's lithe muscles through the layer of lace.
"I can hardly be held accountable if you cannot resist me" Dahlia teased. The right corner of her mouth curled into a half-smile before she captured the brunette's full lower lip between her teeth, she bit down gently, groaning at her mate's addictive taste and responding moan.
"Yes because you can say no to me at any time, can't you mm?" Cara drawled after releasing her Mord'Sith's succulent lip, the tiny whimper of protest that graced her ears made her arc her hips up a little into a the cradle of Dahlia's hips. She let her hands guide themselves down to her Queen's firm backside as she rolled her hips upwards once more, pressing her pelvis into her wife's sweet little pussy, a sharp gasp lunged forth from her as she watched the brunette's beautiful blue eyes flutter closed.
"Now I never said that..." Dahlia replied shakily, the brunette's deep blue eyes drifted open, desire made them gleam like heated sapphires. Grinning gently, she leaned forward to seize the brunette's perfectly sculpted lips in the same instant she kneaded the taut muscles filling her hands, she allowed her tongue to press demandingly against the seam of her wife's lips. A low growl reverberated in the back of her throat when her Mord'Sith simply lifted her head a little, denying her what she knew they both wanted.
"...Time for bed" Dahlia decided, her melodic voice growing husky as Cara continued to massage her mate's firm ass.
"Well at last!" She exclaimed blissfully, earning herself an amused laugh from her Queen, as she dragged herself, and Dahlia, up out of her high-backed chair, the brunette's long legs snaked around her slender hips as she easily stalked towards their four-poster bed.
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"...Mistress" Kelia didn't even spare her pet the annoyed glance she could feel begging for it's freedom as she read her instructions once again. The small tavern she'd arrived at the night before offered pathetically small accommodations, the furnishings had seen their prime many years ago and judging from the layer of dust covering each article of furniture, they had likely seen their last clean at the same interval. Then again she hadn't chosen this particular inn for its renowned reputation in hospitality, but still she was Mord'Sith, she expected her dwellings to reach her typical high standard.
Nevertheless, she had achieved her goal, the tall blonde haired man kneeling on the floor beside her perch on the edge of the only small singular bed in the room had a part to play in her Mistress' plan. She managed to tear her gaze away from Mistress Catha's regal penmanship, she scanned the various injuries covering her pet's muscular body, clothed solely in a pair of torn brown pants, violent purple and angry red welts covered the majority of his lean body like blotches of brilliant colour scattered across a blank canvass. A bundle of finely honed disdain and irritation coiled in the pit of her stomach, she despised the pet staring intently at the floor, as she'd ordered when she'd completely his training. It never ceased to amaze her how such large men could break so easily, though she'd come to expect such results from her extensive training several years ago.
"Get dressed..." Kelia's hard tone echoed through the scarce room, she returned her attention to the piece of worn parchment in her gloved palm, exhaling slowly as she began to fold the paper back into a square shape, the blonde pet rushed to find his shirt, that she had carelessly discarded the previous night after slaughtering all of the patrons in the tavern below the hostelry floor of the inn. It had been a decision born of practicality, it wouldn't do for the prying fools that had once inhabited the useless hole she now found herself temporarily housed within to interrupt her entertainment.
"...I have work to do and I refuse to waver from Mistress Catha's schedule"
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Kahlan was summoned back into the Land Of The Living through the hazy fog of sleep by the subtle movements behind her. A soft moan accompanied the swift widening of her crystalline blue irises, while she was unsurprised by the protective warmth of her blonde Sorceress plastered to her back, as was the norm for the mated pair each morning, she could not stifle the sharp pang of acidic panic nor the welcoming thrum of desire abruptly assaulting her keen senses. She forced herself to remain perfectly still within the cage of Nicci's pleasantly lithe arms, despite her intoxicating awareness of exactly where her mate's elegant hands lay dormant upon her curvy body, clad only in the gossamer slip of a white cotton nightgown.
"...Merciful Spirits above" Kahlan whimpered, the sensitive flesh covering her abdomen sang with acute pleasure as her mate, subconsciously or otherwise, the Mother Confessor couldn't hope to be certain which, began gliding her slender fingertips over the taut muscle. She shivered against her Sorceress' ample chest, covered by a thin layer of black silk, nibbling on her full lower lip, as those long clever fingers grazed their delightfully sharp, short nails down her flat stomach. If she were a kitten, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she would be purring loudly enough to draw the instant attention of passers-by.
As the soft pads of her mate's fingertips continued their lazy exploration of her lower abdomen, drawing closer and closer to the apex of her clenched thighs, her sky blue eyes blindly landed on the small square table beside their bed. She pressed her full pink lips tightly together in a partly futile attempt to stifle the desperate sound urgently trying to break free. From what she could gather from the steady, even breathing behind her, fluttering deliciously against the exposed magnolia pale skin of her nape, Nicci was still deeply asleep, even as her mate slipped her elegant palms down the smooth cotton covering her stomach, until she could feel the heat of her would-be-lover's hands gently caressing the very tops of her thighs.
She clenched her hands into tight fists, keeping them pressed against the slender curves of her hips as her eyes once again found themselves latching onto the small table, in the top drawer was an elaborately designed Rada'Han, Cara had obtained the silver neck-band for her just after their slightly embarrassing conversation, on her part, the day before. If she could only manage to slip the magical suppressant around the slender column of her throat, there would be no need to resist her reaction to her mate's languid caresses. But she knew Nicci would not take her if her Sorceress caught the slightest glimpse of the Rada'Han.
Her breathing quickened as panic and arousal flooded her veins with the potency of a raging river at the hight of a storm as her mate's gentle hands glided down her long lithe legs, she mentally berated herself as she involuntarily parted her toned limbs, lifting her right leg slightly and bending her knee to press the sole of her foot to the celestially compressible mattress beneath her. The action pressed her back more firmly against Nicci's steadily raising chest as she shifted to accommodate the new position. The flames of lust licking teasingly at her conscious mind grew in their intensity as her Sorceress slipped her palms between her legs.
She expected the sharp cry that ripped itself free of her hold to wake her mate from the blonde's slumber. She couldn't be certain if she was correct in her assumption. Nor, if she were honest, did she care as Nicci cupped the heating mound of her aching pussy with one hand, her mate's other clever palm trailed sensuously upwards. Their chamber, lit by the early morning D'Haran sun fighting its way through the cream coloured drapes covering the window panes, flickered as her sky blue eyes fluttered closed. She was becoming a slave to her senses. She luxuriated in her love's touch.
The firm pressure of her mate's hand pressing into her cunt, the heat of Nicci's palm burned through the thin material of her nightgown, enticing wave after wave of endorphins to rush with frightening intensity into her clit. Coaxing the tight bundle of hungry nerves throb demandingly, desperately requesting the barrier between her Sorceress' long slim fingers and the heating folds be swiftly removed. Moisture pooled between her thighs, coating the pink folds of her pussy and dampening her nightgown. A loud moan echoed in her ears, a drawn out helplessly ravenous sound that had her blushing once she recognised it as belonging to herself. As her lust eagerly rose up within her, forcing her breathing to quicken in the mellow silence of her shared bedchamber, she felt the chill of her Confessor's power begin to rear its head curiously, as if sensing the a clearing route to its liberation.
"Nicci..." She intended to speak loud enough to pull her mate out from her slumber, truly she did, but the husky whisper that left her lips only served to accompany the heady sensation of Nicci's left hand trailing a seductive line back up her flat stomach, to provocatively tease the undersides of both her ample breasts in turn. There wasn't a single force in the Creator's revered light that could've prevented her, almost violent, shudder of fiery pleasure as her Sorceress' right hand finally cupped the supple weight of her left breast, the heat of her mate's hand seared through her nightgown, urging her already hard nipple to swell further.
Kahlan moaned deeply in her throat as her blonde Sorceress began to lazily tease her hard peak through the tight lace bodice of her gown, she flung her lithe arm out towards the side table, the cool silk bedsheets seemed to emphasise how hot her flesh was growing. Mentally, she screamed various curses that would make her family of Mord'Sith proud, when her long slender fingers fell several inches short of the mahogany table edge, her muscles protested as she stretched her arm out as far as she possibly could, desperate to get her hands on the one thing that would keep Nicci safe from herself. She could almost hear her Confessor's power purring mockingly inside her head, rumbling its satisfaction at her frustration and laughing, utterly uncaring of her internal worry for her beloved.
Her inner scolding only grew more ill-mannered as she caught herself clamping her long pale legs on the hand between her thighs. Dear Spirits what was wrong with her?. She could feel her magic tracking her arousal as it built under her mate's tantalising ministrations, her Confessor's power was skilfully searching for an outlet, pressing for a way out of her crumbling control. She knew what she needed to do, to preserve her mate's free-will, she needed to rip herself free of her Sorceress' welcoming hold, to deprive herself of the delicious, varying, pressure between her legs and the lazy fingers, currently, tweaking her hard nipples through her nightgown, switching between each sensitive tip. She needed to gather some self-control, hadn't she always prided herself on her willpower?, so where was her restraint when it was the most important thing in the entire world?, or rather, where was her steely control when she needed it to protect one of the most essential rays of light in her life.
"Keep grinding your ass into me like that, and I am going to take it" The silky smooth promise was whispered into her ear, Kahlan's eyes flew open, wide as sky blue orbs as realisation dawned over her. Her curvy body had fostered a mind of its own while she fought an internal battle, she was rocking her firm rear backward into the supple cradle of Nicci's hips. She froze entirely, doing her best to block off her Confessor's magic as it frantically rushed forth.
"You were awake!" Kahlan snapped suddenly, swiftly encircling her mate's slim wrists in each of her hands, attempting to pry her addictive tormentors away from their current places, if only her gorgeously lithe Sorceress would let her. Doing her best to put the rising lust burning through her bloodstream and casting waves of intoxicating sensations to erode her coherent mind aside, she tilted her head, throwing an accusing glare over her slender shoulder.
"And have been for some time" Nicci purred with a half-smile, her deep green eyes were the colour of a vibrant forest set ablaze. The sight was enough to make her breath catch in the back of her throat, to the extent she almost neglected to be outraged at her mate's careless audacity. She could have Confessed her Sorceress and the blonde did not even seem to give the slightest thought toward that fact.
"Are you utterly insane?" Kahlan exclaimed. Fear for her beloveds free-will washing over her like a dousing of cold water, she yanked on Nicci's wrists once again, hoping to remove the potent temptation of the blonde's groping hands, but to no avail. The nettled gleam in her love's eyes, accompanied the sharp pleasurable jolt of the blonde's hand resuming its fondling exploration between her legs. The friction over her moist labia, the divine pressure pressing into her passion swollen clit, caused her eyes to flutter closed all on their own in reaction to the sudden bolt of overwhelming desire sending her nerve endings into an excruciatingly sensitive state, she bit her lower lip to somewhat stifle the gratified moan begging for freedom.
"Will you stop trying to resist me if I say yes?" Nicci's velvet soft lips pressed a searing hot kiss just behind the delicately sculpted shell of her ear. Her moan rushed forward, resounding so loudly through their bedchamber she was grateful Danika had acquired her own accommodations. She helplessly pressed her rear back into the svelte curve of Nicci's hips, she wanted to feel the long slender digits rubbing her pussy, not through the thin barrier of her gown, but sliding through her wet folds, pushing inside of her. The ache building in the pit of her stomach yearned for a fervent release, something she knew she would only ever gain from her soulmate, but she was not willing to risk Nicci's will to gain it. Never that, if only her Sorceress would allow her to wear the Rada'Han, then they would both get what they desired.
"Nicci...Stop it..." Her Confessor's power was like a serpent, readying to slither forth and strike, she knew the signs, knew the sensations, knew she couldn't stop it if her mate continued to touch her like that. It was torturous pleasure, she wanted more, but she couldn't ask for it, there was too much at stake.
"I could..." Her entire body jerked, her short finger nails dug into the tanned flesh, covering her love's elegant wrist like a blanket of perfect silk.
"...Or you could lift the hem of your gown and let me touch you like we both want." Nicci's rumbling purr vibrated across the heated skin of her neck, she shivered in response to the note of sheer arousal she could hear in her Sorceress' melodious voice. Her mate's full pink lips brushed against her neck seductively, filled with luscious promise. She sank her perfect teeth into her plump lower lip, hard enough to draw a ruby bead of blood. Despite the short sting, the urge to do exactly as the blonde had asked burned just as potently inside her as the swirling arousal steadily coiling itself tighter and tighter in her stomach and the Confessor magic wrestling itself free of her hold. An unstable mix to say the least.
"Only if..." Nicci chose that moment to increase the tormenting pressure against her swollen clit, she felt as though a bolt of lightning swept up through her body, sending shards of glorious sensation thrumming over her, inside her. The sharp intake of breath that echoed loudly in her ears belonged to her, but she distantly recognised the appreciative groan as Nicci's. Her fingers tightened around the blonde's wrists, desperately trying to cling to reason. Why couldn't she just wrench herself out of her Sorceress' lithe arms?, she needed to, but she'd never ever experienced something this. This was so natural, so right. Nicci was her mate, the only person in all of Creation that had ever lured out such wanton hunger from the cage she'd been trained, from adolescence, to store her desires inside.
"...The Rada'Han, I need the..." Kahlan stared wishfully at the bedside table, it was all she needed, all they needed, and then they could be together, hard and fast, soft and gentle, both. She didn't care how Nicci took her, just so long as the relentless need for her mate was sated, for now.
"What you need, is to trust me, not some obscene decoration around your rather exquisite neck..." Kahlan whimpered, feeling her mate's teeth rake over the exposed flesh of her neck, forcefully enough to leave an inflamed mark in their wake.
"...You can't hurt me anymore than I can hurt you. Simple as that, despite what you are thinking, even now" She wanted to believe that, really she did, but how could it possibly be possible. She was a Confessor, there were very few magic's capable of neutralising her birthright.
"Nicci..." The soft plea broke free of her as easily as a cloud disperses rain. It was an instinctive need to protect her Sorceress. She couldn't hurt her mate, she'd die first, but whether or not her Magic held that potential wasn't particularly an experiment she wanted to undertake in the likelihood it ended with her entire world falling apart around her. Surely the blonde could understand that?.
"You'd best prepare yourself darling, for when I finally get you beneath me, you won't be able to walk for days if not weeks..." Nicci's honeyed promise was followed by the sharp sting of teeth roughly sinking into the pale skin of her neck. Kahlan could not resist the scream of blended pain and pleasure that rose up from the core of her being, her Sorceress' frustrated moan sent shivers of heat across her flesh that rushed through her to join the tightening coils in her stomach. Though she was thankful that Nicci possessed enough strength to remove herself from the threat of her Confessor's magic, though she could not restrain her pitiful whine at the loss of her mate's touch. The taller woman reluctantly allowed a few inches to separate their heaving bodies, she quickly sat up next to her love, drawing her knees tight to her ample chest, she clenched her jaw to prevent herself from hissing as the weight of her toned thighs brushed against her swollen nipples.
"...And I am not going to wait much longer" She flinched, sensing the depth of Nicci's lustful hunger through the haze of desire coursing through her veins and the worry consuming her thoughts. It was all she could do not to straddle her mate and beg the other woman to take her. She needed Nicci more than she needed her next breath, but the risk was simply too great.
"I love you" Kahlan whispered softly, silently begging her Sorceress to understand why she just couldn't put the other woman's free-will in jeopardy, while endeavouring to ignore the ache between her legs as she felt the blonde shift slightly beside her, turning to rest her weight on her exquisitely curved hip.
"I love you too" Nicci murmured gently. Even though she knew she should discourage the motion while she could feel her magic prickling under her skin, the very instant her mate's warm palm came into contact with her slender shoulder, she found herself allowing the taller woman to pull her into a loving embrace. Her Sorceress' deep scent of crushed roses washed over her as she stiffly settled next to her mate, burrowing her face into the tanned expanse of the blonde's neck, her Confessor's magic reluctantly began to skulk back into it's dingy cage, gathering that it's escape route had been sealed off. It was still several minutes, in which her arousal eventually settled back into a bright ember, before she could relax against Nicci's luscious curves. Soothing patterns were being lightly drawn into the still sensitised skin of her back as she continued to breath in the other woman's comforting scent. As she lay there, wrapped in the safety of her mate's arms and her scent, the sound of Nicci's strong heartbeat and even breathing filling her ears, she couldn't help but muse, her mate was a pillar of determined strength that seemed incredibly more wilful than her own, but was it strong enough to withstand her magic?.
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Kelia smirked as her black warhorse reared onto its powerful hind legs, instinctively tightening her one-handed grip on the red leather reigns while her pet promptly tumbled to the forest floor with a loud pained grunt.
"Settle..." She crooned to the powerful beast as it dropped back onto all fours in the middle of a desolate path, the sound of hooves meeting dried leaves and twigs resounded in her ears as she patted the silky black pelt covering the horse's muscular neck. She didn't hold much affection for the beast, it was simply an effective means of swift travel, hence her careful upkeep of the animal that had been personally bred by her Sister Mord'Sith. The horse she sat astride had been trained for endurance and speed, there was no faster animal on earth than the horses raised and trained by the Sisters of the Agiel. This was why she found the beast more useful than the blonde pet clambering to his feet slowly with a devoted expression adorning his face as he stared adoringly up at her with a pair of clear blue eyes.
"You know what to do" Kelia breathed as she tangled her long fingers in her horse's short coal-black mane, absent-mindedly she scratched gently, detecting the subdued tones of the animal's delighted neighing and twitching ears. Before her Mistress had reprieved her from her previously low existence among her Sisters, she'd always had a fondness for horses, particularly this one, now she found such sentiment pointless. She only held any type of potent emotion for Mistress Catha, nothing else mattered.
"I won't fail you Mistress, I promise you" The blonde pet swore as she stopped petting the muscular horse, jerking the reigns in her left hand, the animal obediently turned to face the opposite direction, it began to take several slow, measured steps forward, crushing desiccated forestry beneath its hooves.
"You'd better not"
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Denna was in the process of tying together the two leather lapels of her crimson shirt when she caught a short collection of rustling sounds outside the main chamber door, her hawk-like hearing gained from years of training allowed her to detect the newcomers even as the comforting and familiar octaves of both her mate and their daughter sought to dominate the otherwise quiet rooms. Temporarily forgoing the heavier pieces of her typical attire she lazily stalked out of her shared bedchamber, casting a tender smile in the direction of her two precious gems, currently perched close together on a plush maroon chaise, two feet in front of the unlit hearth, her easily perceptive hearing picked up on talk of the upcoming wedding.
Her smile spread further into a contented grin that went unnoticed, she found Jennsen and Shayla seemed to be entirely consumed in their plotting, as she sidled closer to the closed double doors. The emblem of House Rahl was split in half and imposed proudly on either door, when closed they formed a complete image of her patron's seal, unlike the common material used around the bulk of the Palace, most of the furniture in her chambers was constructed out of Cherry-wood, she'd come to the conclusion as a young Mord'Sith that it's brilliant red internal hues were rather pleasant looking. Being the Lady Rahl's third-in-command allowed her to change and alter what she would around the Palace, be they decoration, security measures or anything else in between, if she deemed it necessary, although she suspected that prerogative would soon come to a temporary end. Being as Dahlia was discreetly funneling all manner of servants and such out of the Palace, to decrease the chance of a possible threat receiving any clear openings to their beloved monarch, soon enough there wouldn't be anyone left to order around. Personally she thought her Sister was taking Lady Rahl's security a step too far, if there was a threat in the Palace, they, the Elite Mord'Sith, would instinctively know. After all, it was their calling, to protect the ruling Rahl.
Her grin transformed into a devilish smirk as her long slender, ungloved, fingers encircled the both door hands. When Cara discovered her lover's overprotective meddling, and it was a matter of 'when' not 'if', there was sure to be a rather entertaining yet endearing argument between the two, only just, younger women. Before they disappeared inside their bedchamber for a day, or two.
"I have a dilemma" Denna couldn't help but chuckle playfully when her icy blue eyes landed on Nicci's disheartened expression, while Danika flew passed her to, likely, climb into Shayla's lap. Her presumption was confirmed when she caught the unmistakable sounds of kissing behind her, the clenching of Nicci's jaw also assisted her decision.
"Sexual, political or magical?..." Denna arched a platinum blonde eyebrow sardonically as she stepped to the side, further ushering her friend inside her chamber.
"...Because I can only advise you on the former two" She smirked wickedly, closing the doors once the other blonde had stepped inside. Her smirk widened into a wicked grin, the groan Nicci had given her was telling enough. Poor Sorceress, she could sympathize, having spent the better part of fifteen years pining for Jennsen and forsaking the beds of others, in spite of the sheer magnitude of offers put towards her. No one but her mate could tempt her, could ever satisfy her ravenous hungers.
"Oh dear..." Denna purred, her pale irises dancing with mirth, she was confident that she shouldn't find her friend's obvious frustrations as amusing as she did, but she was also quite certain that Nicci would be exactly the same if their situations were reversed, in light of that fact, she planned to bathe the current 'predicament' with sarcasm and whatever else came to mind.
"...I'll finish dressing and then you can tell me all about your failures to do the opposite to Kahlan" She threw a lilting laugh over her shoulder as she stalked back into her bedchamber, pulling the door closed behind her, she almost felt the urge to duck under the dark, yet coltish, glare the other blonde was shooting her before she pushed the door shut with a soft click. At least the Prelate hadn't been foolish enough to actually throw the Dacra she knew was concealed somewhere on Nicci's person.
She chuckled at the thought as she reached for her corset, laying idle on the foot of her shared bed, atop the indigo silk bedsheets. The scent of fresh leather and the oil she used to cleanse her uniform filled her delicately shaped nostrils as she fitted the heavier piece of her outfit around her toned back, lithe ribs and flat stomach, drawing the laces together with her ungloved fingertips, she swiftly secured the fastenings before moving onto the small buckles, by the time she was through, the corset was cinched so tightly it had once, long ago, made breathing difficult. Reaching out for her neck-guard, she guided the hardened collar around the graceful column of her neck, quickly lacing the joins at the back together, once finished she moved onto the buckles connecting her neck-guard and corset together. Grabbing her blood red gloves, she slid the armoured leather into place as she stared reverently at her Agiel. She holstered her beloved weapon at her slender hip before she stalked back out into the main chamber.
"Shall we, chaste Prelate?" Denna drawled with a smirk. She found the other blonde sat on a high-backed padded chair close to the chaise where her mate was pouring over different material samples for her wedding dress, apparently it was a most important decision. Honestly she didn't care what Jennsen was wearing on the day, she just wanted what she had desired from the first instant she'd laid her pale eyes on her soulmate, to be married to her lover, besides it wasn't probable that the redhead would be wearing the dress long enough for her to develop an appreciation for it anyway. Denna smirked hungrily, her wedding day was going to be a magnificent occasion, with her in charge of the more carnal nuptials.
"Continue that and I will make sure you never make it to your wedding Denna" Nicci threatened darkly, rising to her feet gracefully.
"Those are strong words to put toward a Mord'Sith. But, I must warn you, threaten my wedding and I will ensure you never lay eyes on our granddaughter. You are calling her Sonya, are you not?..." Denna laid both her gloved palms on Shayla and Danika's shoulders, genuinely interested, but she couldn't convince herself that the disgruntled expression that crossed Nicci's face wasn't the slightest bit amusing.
"...I wonder if young Dani, here, will have her much desired sibling at such a time?" She tilted her head teasingly, her friend's pout had her next comment dying in her throat, clearly the other blonde was suffering grievously from sexual frustrations.
"That is actually a very valid question mom" Danika suddenly perked up in Shayla's lap, Denna removed her hands from the girl's and grinned at the other blonde.
"And if you even attempt to ruin our wedding I'll help her dispose of you" Jennsen looked truly frightening as she narrowed her vivid green eyes on the Sorceress.
"My woman..." Denna proclaimed proudly as she rested her leather clad forearms on the back of the chaise, close enough to Jennsen that she was able to lean over the lounge to press a tender kiss to her mate's brow. She smiled contentedly when her lover lifted her head, allowing her the opportunity to kiss her mate properly.
"Down mom" Denna growled low in her throat when she felt Shayla swat her shoulder playfully, lifting her head away from her lover's succulent embrace, she pursed her full red lips as she glared down at her daughter, she found Shayla's 'innocent' grin to almost be infectious, as it was she couldn't help but give her daughter a wolfish half-smile.
"I am so glad you no longer reside here with us" She drawled sarcastically. Of course she hadn't been overjoyed when her little girl had announced that she would be relocating into a chamber of her own, with Danika no less, but she had long since arrived at the conclusion, that watching one's child grow up into their own person was the hardest thing an individual could do, but she was, and always would be, proud of the Mord'Sith Shayla was growing into. Besides, her daughter spent a good amount of her time within this very chamber every day, she could hardly miss something that never went away, and yet she did, she even missed tucking Shayla in at night.
"Oh good Spirits, she wounds me!..." Denna rolled her eyes and carefully concealed her laughter behind her unreadable Mord'Sith mask as Shayla clutched her chest melodramatically.
"...Dani, quick, there is something I must tell you before the Keeper takes me..." Her future daughter-in-law was openly giggling at Shayla's sarcastic shenanigans, Denna found Jennsen's hand and entwined their long fingers together as their daughter continued her charade.
"What is it my love?" Danika laughed, dancing to her mate's easy tune.
"...I said we'd meet Sophia and Regin before training" Shayla's comment was made more comical by the sudden switch of tone, transforming from dramatic and satirical to deadly serious in a flash. Denna chuckled lightly while shaking her head fondly as she stroked her gloved thumb over Jennsen's pulse point. She could almost feel the sheer happiness flowing from her mate as the younger woman laughed at their daughter's antics.
"You would never survive in a Temple" Denna declared playfully as Shayla clambered to her feet, while assisting Danika to do the same.
"Yes I would. Because my momma would protect me" Shayla smirked teasingly. Denna freely nodded her agreement, there wasn't a force in the Land Of The Living, The Keeper's Domain or in the Spirit World that could hope to pose a threat to her family and live longer than it took her to track and destroy it. The Keeper's himself would feel the agonising touch of her Agiel before that happened.
"You keep telling yourself that tiny snapdragon" Denna purred playfully.
"Tiny what?" Shayla frowned as Danika lead her towards the chamber doors. Denna grinned at the befuddled expression that painted itself across her daughter's face, the scrunching of Shayla's aristocratically sculpted nose could only be described as adorable.
"Its a flower" Nicci offered smoothly with a silky smile.
"A flower!, mom!" Shayla whined before Danika pulled her out of the chamber.
"'Snapdragon', I just decided what decoration I want at our wedding" Jennsen smiled brightly up at her, Denna raised an eyebrow quizzically, glancing towards Nicci, the Sorceress merely shrugged and sidled towards the open chamber doors.
"Whatever you want my darling, its yours. Now I really must go and advise Nicci on a most...important matter" Denna pressed a chaste kiss to her mate's lips before she reluctantly broke away with a sigh.
"Personally I think she should just talk to Kahlan" Jennsen offered as she jotted down a note on one of the many pieces of parchment spread out across the low table in front of her.
"Because you reacted so brilliantly to that yourself" Denna prompted sullenly.
"In all fairness, I was a foolish young girl and you spent most of your time scowling while trying to corner me. Do you have any idea how intimidating a Mord'Sith on the prowl can be?" Jennsen smiled sweetly up at her, even as a blush began to stained her high cheekbones. The redhead really was the most beautiful sight she had ever held the privilege of laying her icy irises upon.
"You didn't find it the slightest bit arousing then?" Denna tilted her head quizzically, knowing full well how eliciting Jennsen had found her untraditional courting methods, her eyes fostered a smouldering edge as she gazed down at her lover.
"Do you not remember..." Jennsen blushed pronouncedly, Denna grinned, delighting in the knowledge that no matter how many new sexual experiences she introduced her lover to, Jennsen was still endearingly modest about their many and frequent indulgences.
"Remind me..." Denna requested in a seductive whisper, feeling the first tingles of desire sweep over her flesh. The redhead was not unaffected, she could see the shorter woman's ample chest begin to rise and fall quicker than was the norm.
"Denna!" Nicci's voice cut through her lustful haze like a hot knife through butter, and yet the urge to leap over the back of the chaise and slide her fiancée's skirts up around her slender hips so that she could 'indulge' both their desires remained.
"Go after Nicci, attend your duties and then when you get back..." Jennsen's blush was almost the same hue as her gloriously dark red hair. Denna completely forgot about her friend waiting outside the chamber the very moment her mate began nibbling nervously on her plump lower lip.
"Come on kitten, don't leave me with half a promise" Denna purred softly.
"...We can re-enact the first time" Jennsen finally murmured quietly. Denna groaned low in her throat as she reluctantly began backing away, Nicci was fortunate she was a loyal friend, else the other blonde would've been waiting several hours before she emerged from her chambers.
xxxxXxxxx
Kelia ducked under the shimmering sword swinging for her head, spinning on her boot heel she reached out and encircled her would be attacker's wrist with her left hand, forcefully yanking him back around to face her, she thrust her Agiel out in one swift movement. She smirked as the man of an unimpressive stature fell to the ground, his thin body beginning to jerk and spasm uncontrollably from the Agiel's torturous magic, his sword clattered unnoticed to the bed of grass beneath her feet, he screamed louder than any trainee she'd ever had the pleasure of coming across as her beloved weapon jabbed into his right orbit. Blood and white discharge began to seep from the gaping hole where her attacker's eye had once resided, a trail of gore wended down his face. She twisted her Agiel within the man's eye-socket, uttering a sigh of satisfaction as her assailant's scream turned into a bone-chilling shriek that ushered the birds in the tall trees above her to abandon their nests with frightened cries.
"Pitiful fool..." She was certain he couldn't hear her insult over his own screaming, pulling her Agiel free from the oozing wound, she sheathed the thin leather rod at her hip while the man before her curled into a fetal position on the ground, the pathetic whimpers reaching her ears earned nothing but irritation as she stared down at her prey with a stoic mask in place, his dark brown clothing contrasting vividly with the deep green foliage around them. The brigand had hardly offered much of a fight at all, it had required little more than a minute to turn this cocky pest into a useless mass of shuddering cries and incoherent pleading. She had seen girls of nine summers put up more resistance to the Agiel's glorious touch.
Kelia kicked out at her attacker's shoulder, her groaned weakly as he turned flat on his back, her upper lip curved into a sneer of distaste as she pressed her boot heel into his tracheae, slowly exerting more and more pressure until his one remaining eye flew wide and his blotchy sunburned face took on an even more unappealing shade. Thick fingers grabbed at her ankle, attempting to relieve the crushing force she was gradually adding, but with no success. It wouldn't be long now. She could almost see the blood vessels bursting in his singular green eye. It would've been quicker to simply use her Agiel, but the brigand slowly asphyxiating beneath her boot was hardly worthy of dying in such a manner. He gagged and choked as she continued to squeeze his windpipe, disgustingly undignified sounds that irked her. Finally, blissful silence greeted her after a last sigh escape the fool, now dead. Lifting her foot she turned to find the red-robed reason she had stopped for shoving a gleaming Dacra into another brigand's throat several metres away from her.
xxxxXxxxx
"It all seems rather pointless if you ask me" Shayla grunted as she landed on her back after a particularly well placed and powerful kick to her sternum that violently knocked the breath from her lungs.
"Pointless or no, we have been commanded to continue on as normal and so we shall" Regin murmured in answer as she held out her hand to her fallen Sister in the middle of the training ring. She unsurprised when she found her gloved palm being slapped away, instead of assisting the other woman back to her feet as she'd originally intended, she retreated a few steps with her Agiel raised while the younger Mord'Sith gracefully climbed back to her feet.
"But things are not normal. There is a traitor on the loose and we, the Mord'Sith, are just sitting around" Shayla persisted as they began circling one another, scanning with practised eyes to seek out a weakness in the form of the other.
"True. You have spent most of today on your backside..." Regin smirked mockingly. Shayla's vivid green eyes spoke of annoyance as they narrowed on her but the younger blonde's lips curved into an amused smirk.
"...Putting that fact aside though. I wouldn't say any of us, as a whole, are doing nothing. Hally and Rikka are using somewhat less than traditional methods to retrain the archers posted along the battlements. The Queen is removing the newer servants in, the unlikely, case their loyalties have been swayed. Let us say nothing of the Two and Half million soldiers out in the Azrith Plains, they have been on high alert since Lady Rahl returned from the Temple" Regin listed. There were several other modifications in security since the fateful day that Kelia's allegiance had changed hands. Over twenty of the Home-Guard, hand-picked by Dahlia and Denna, were never more than four paces away from their monarch unless she was within her chambers or study as Dahlia was always with her. Zedd and Berdine had been pouring over the vast volumes in the library to locate an ancient fortification spell to strengthen the magical barriers already in place around Palace itself and she had caught the barest hint of rumours that Triana and Garren had been 'discreetly' and ruthlessly keeping all the guards on the very tips of their toes. She hadn't asked how, partly sure she didn't want to know what diabolical method they had undertaken in guaranteeing the highest efficiency from the guards. She, like just about every Mord'Sith in the Palace and the Temples, wouldn't be entirely assured of Lady Rahl's safety until she had felt Kelia's blood coating her hands, but she thought the updated security measures were satisfactory.
"Not to mention the City gates are sealed up tighter than a crab's ass" Shayla murmured thoughtfully, after a moment they both shared a mirthful glance before they burst out laughing. Overhead the midday sun glared down at them, unlike their mentors standing on the sidelines, Regin felt her lips tilt into a smile as she scanned her less than captivated audience. Berdine looked to be pestering Raina about the petite Mord'Sith's hourly influx of herbal tea, something the dark haired woman seemed to have very little interest in. Nicci was pacing around the wide training ring, Lily at her side like a silent shadow, the tall Sorceress was obviously vexed about something judging from the deep and brooding frown she was wearing.
"Exactly. No one with the slightest intention of causing trouble is getting through the City perimeters. Particularly when your mom is overseeing the most of the operation with our newly arrived Sisters" As prearranged several days ago, twenty full trained Mord'Sith, four from each of the five Temples, had arrived at the Palace the night before. The recruitment drive necessary to replace the Mord'Sith now permanently stationed at the People's Palace would be initiated at noon tomorrow. If she remembered the rite correctly, girls from different villages had already been preselected by each Mistress based upon information received from various informants in and around the towns.
"Its an effective ideology..." Shayla nodded, suddenly sidestepping and striking out at Regin's shoulder, bringing her forearm under the younger blonde's, she smirked before she roughly brought her head forward, intending to head-butt her Sister. Too late she realised what Shayla had planned. She internally cursed when the platinum blonde crouched down slightly, she found herself being carried over Shayla's leather clad shoulder by her own momentum. She landed on the ground with an annoyed scowl, directed more at herself than at her Sister Of The Agiel. Discarding the pain from her hard descent, she inclined her head as she pushed herself up onto her elbows.
"Congratulations Sister, its has only taken you just over a month to get the better of me..." Regin acknowledged, she had been marking a gradual improvement in Shayla's technique for some time now, but this was the first occurrence that the younger blonde had managed to utilise her skills.
"...Pity its not going to last" She grinned mischievously as she swept her leg out to catch the back of Shayla's ankles, she laughed at the incoherent grumbles and curses emitting from the platinum blonde, now sprawled out the ground beside her.
"I hate you" Shayla stated bluntly. Laughing breezily, Regin sat up on the training ring floor, glancing over to the sidelines once more, she felt her already elevated heartbeat accelerate, it was as though a troupe of fluttering butterflies had briefly shoved their way into her chest when her dove grey eyes landed on her mate. She felt a loving smile tug at her full pink lips, though she couldn't hear what her lover was murmuring to a secretly amused Danika, she suspected it held a competitive edge. Had they been making wagers on the matches' outcome again?.
"And I was going to ask you to stand with me at my wedding, when it eventually comes about" Regin couldn't tear her gaze away from Sophia's when her Princess finally met her own, the blazing D'Haran sun suddenly seemed to dim in comparison with the aura of radiance wrapped around her fiancée like a resplendent cloak.
"What?" Shayla abruptly bolted upright on the gravel covering the ground, she grumbled in slight irritation when instead of staring adoringly at the strikingly beautiful face of her Princess she was instead faced with her baffled Sister. Sighing slight she refocused on Shayla, regarding her with a soft smile.
"I am not really accustomed with marital traditions, but I am told one is expected to have someone, generally a close friend, or in my case an absolutely galling pest, to stand with them on the day" Regin laughed at the coltish narrowing of Shayla's vivid green irises.
"That is your well thought out approach?, to call me a 'galling pest'?. How tactful" Shayla drawled sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.
"Tact is utterly meaningless when you hate me anyway" Regin smirked with equal satire, they both chuckled softly at the ruling jest.
"True..." Shayla nodded as she exhaled "...Very well, I will do it, but know this dear Sister, it is precious time out of my day that I will never be getting back"
"Duly noted" Regin accepted, her light grey eyes dancing with mirth, amusement that was mirrored in the other blonde's emerald green irises. A serious note washed her suddenly, reaching out she offered Shayla her crimson gloved hand, their gazes turned from playful to solemn in a flash as the platinum blonde slipped her palm into her extended hand. As they clasped hands, a silent promise, she internally nodded without making a single outward movement, there was no one she'd rather have standing at her side when she married the woman she loved.
"As long as you return the favour someday" Shayla murmured.
"So be it, assuming you can get a ring on Dani's finger without Nicci deciding she needs a Mord'Sith hide to decorate her wall" Regin smirked, both of them releasing each other's hand at the same moment.
"You're hilarious..." Shayla muttered, casting a tender glance in Danika's direction before she turned a weary look towards Nicci, still pacing around the training ring with Lily at her side.
"...Though with the mood my future mother-in-law looks to be in..." Regin adopted a sympathetic expression when Shayla trailed off.
"...You and Sophia would elope with me and Dani, wouldn't you?"
"We're eloping?" Danika suddenly materialised by Shayla's side, dropping onto her knees beside her mate. Regin felt a delicious shiver pass over the back of her neck, tilting her head over her shoulder, she found herself looking into a pair of mesmerising aquamarine coloured eyes.
"And we're going with them?" Sophia purred.
"No..." Regin protested immediately, leaning back slightly when her mate moved to gracefully settle into her lap, smiling loving, she readily wrapped her leather clad arms around her Princess' slim waist, linking her long slender fingers together and pressing her palms gently into the younger blonde's flat stomach while she rested her head on Sophia's warm shoulder, savouring the other woman's intoxicating scent with every breath.
"Not yet" Shayla amended with another pointed look in Nicci's general direction, Regin snickered into the smooth skin of her lover's shoulder. Feeling her Princess laugh at the cautious note in the platinum blonde's voice.
"My mother is not that bad..." Danika defended while tucking herself into Shayla's side "...Besides, she is starting to like you, I think"
"She thinks" Sophia tutted mockingly. Snorting in amusement, Regin began to trace lazy circles into her mate's flat stomach, through the silken material of the younger blonde's crimson sleeveless tunic.
"In faith I haven't really been pressing the issue of my relationship lately, because well, she looks rather frustrated about something or another, but at least the threatening comments have decreased to the occasional dark look" Danika offered with a hopeful expression.
"So where are we eloping to?" Sophia asked after a moment of comfortable silence. Regin grinned wickedly over her Princess' shoulder at her disgruntled friend. Danika scowled as she pressed a tender kiss to her mate's pale cheek.
"Mistress Berdine!, Mistress Raina!..." Regin lifted her head from Sophia's shoulder as a member of the Home-Guard came running through the marble archway separating the training arena from the main courtyard. Sharing a look with her companions they all climbed to their feet, Regin took her slightly younger lover's elegant hand as she lead the way over to the other side of the training ring, she snaked one arm around her Princess' compact shoulders she leaned a hip against the mahogany rail encircling the entire upraised frame. Shayla and Danika mirrored a similar pose next to them. All four adolescents shared the same stoic mask as they listened in carefully, to hide the concern burning through their veins.
"...There has been a disturbance at the Palace gates"
TBC. . .