Elva sat on the edge of the bed while she observed the half-Elf before her. She studied Eila's face and saw the soft lines of subconscious tension and strain from the things that were on her mind. It was clear she had a hard time meeting Elva's gaze, even still as she was laying on her side, facing the door.
"You're beautiful, you know that?" The Violet-eyed woman said gently as she reached out to wrap her fingers around Eila's hand. She could feel the chilly temperature of her flesh despite the form fitting black leather gloves that covered her hands and wrists, separating them from skin-to-skin contact. The young sorceress has never seen the Rider's hands without gloves. Even when she was pulled from the walls, she wore these same gloves and never took them off anywhere in public.
At her voice and touch, Eila looked up and straight into Elva's eyes, a slight confused frown now marked her features.
"I mean it." Said the slender woman who then shifted to be facing Eila more directly. "I know you may not believe me, but I want you to know that I think you're beautiful."
Eyes widening, the Young Rider searched Elva's gaze for any bit of dishonesty. Her eyebrows raised when she found none. "Why? I've been an abomination since birth, you know that."
Elva frowned and shook her head. "But don't let that thought define you. I know how troubling being born to Galbatorix is for you because I can feel it. It causes you an incredible amount of pain." Her frown lightened and she squeezed Eila's hand. "I don't want you to be in pain."
With a soft sigh, Eila closed her eyes and relaxed. "Elva, the same goes for you. I don't want you to be in pain either. I don't want you to suffer through my pain most of all."
"You're not a burden." The other woman stressed as she picked herself up and sat cross-legged on the bed. She wore no shoes.
"How am I not? You feel everything I feel."
"No. Only your pain. It used to be only physical, but now that I'm… older, I can feel emotional pain as well." Elva corrected and she saw Eila's expression fall. The half-Elf sat up, but continued to hold tightly to the other woman's hand.
"That's exactly why I'm worried."
"You're worried?" Elva asked softly.
"Yes." Eila released a shaky exhale. "Of course I am… I don't want you to get hurt. It's best to stay away from me. I'm scarred from head to toe with physical and emotional pain, pain that you can feel and I just… I don't want to hurt you." She pressed, but her eyes softened with the intensity of her words.
Elva straightened with surprise, then leaned forwards and hastily pressed her lips to Eila's while her fingers laced through the Rider's long black hair. She pulled away quickly when she felt Eila tense under her touch. She then felt pain blossom in her own chest from the instant, subconscious rejection. Feeling guilty, the young sorceress looked away. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have done that." she whispered with shame.
At first, Eila didn't know what to say or how to react. She just stared, trying to decipher her overanalyzed and scrambled thoughts. She swallowed thickly. "W-why are you sorry?"
"Because you didn't ask me to do that. Kissing someone is a rather intimate activity, and… I'm sorry." Elva tried keeping her voice steady and she had significant trouble with looking up to meet Eila's crystalized blue eyes.
"Did you mean it? Your kiss?" She asked as kindly as possible, her voice remaining surprisingly tender.
"Y-yes." Elva's voice was shaky and her eyes were wide, entirely unknowing what to expect. She didn't want her actions to cause the end of their friendship.
A small smile graced the Rider's lips. "Then don't be sorry." It was almost a reprimand and the honeyed tone caused a tingle to run down Elva's spine. Only moments later did Eila lean over and return the kiss with her own, taking the young woman completely off guard.
When she pulled away, it was Elva's turn to remain wide-eyed. "You're not angry?" She asked immediately.
"No, why would I be? If you kissed me because you care for me, the gesture is welcomed. If you kissed me out of sympathy, pity or personal gain, I'm asking you to please not do it again." She swallowed.
"I-I meant it, Eila." Her violet eyes watered slightly. "I have come to care greatly for you. I never meant to hurt you back in Ilirea. I was worried for your safety and health. At the time, I didn't know if you were a spy either. My job was still to protect Nasuada. I had to." She stressed, then softened. "I… I know your shoulder blade still bothers you, even after it was mended."
Absorbing those words, Eila looked down at her lap. "And you know I'm sorry for getting angry with you, but it doesn't hurt for me to say it again."
"Just as you know I'm sorry for giving you unnecessarily harsh words when we argued." Elva smiled softly yet sadly. "I realized too late how much they hurt you." She said as she reached up to feel the side of Eila's face, her smooth cheek and eventually her pointed ear.
The half-Elf smiled tenderly and closed her eyes, leaning into her touch, seeming to crave the gentle contact. "I told you, you're already forgiven. I understand why you called me out. It was wrong of me to steal, but I was also afraid. I didn't know who I could trust. That's why I was received so poorly. Why I fought and made it difficult for everyone."
Eila let go of Elva's other hand and hesitantly pulled one of her gloves off, tugging at each of the fingers before removing it entirely. She kept her eyes closed so she couldn't see Elva's reaction to the heavily scarred surface, and she didn't hesitate when carefully reaching up to touch the back of the hand that caressed her face.
"Nobody has ever called me beautiful before. Arya said my mind was beautiful, but that's not referring to the way I look or my personality." Eila opened her eyes and looked directly into violet ones. "Thank you, Elva." A small smile touched her lips again. "It means the world to me."
"I'll only tell the truth to you; you have my word on that." Elva brought her forehead to rest against Eila's.
"I promise the same- to give nothing but the truth to you." Eila smiled, then placed a skittish kiss against the sorceress's lips; more hesitant and worried she was overstepping. Elva leaned into the kiss, letting Eila know that it was okay, and through that gesture, the Rider grew more confident as their kiss deepened.
Eyes closed with fingers tangled in long tresses or wrapped around skinny sides, they were absorbed by the confirmation of their new connection, reveling in its warmth.
When they broke for air, Eila was left wide-eyed as her lips tingled. She's never kissed anyone before. Not like that. Durza kissed her during their moments of procreation, but that was rough and against her will. This was light and free and good. A grin split her features. "Thank you."
Elva frowned. "For what?"
"Showing me that intimacy does not always lead to pain." Eila was excited by that discovery, but she could see Elva's reaction to the comment was anything but excited. Eila's smile fled and worry was beginning to clamp down around her chest like metal shackles.
The young woman glanced down at Eila's exposed hand and carefully brushed her finger against the scars that littered every inch of her skin. She used her thumb to gently push the sleeve of Eila's shirt upwards, exposing the scars along her wrist and forearm. She only made it a few inches before the Rider yanked her arm away with a look of hurt.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay." Eila said with a hint of sadness as she fixed her shirt and pulled her glove back on. "I'll- I'll show you one day. Let me get to know you better. I don't mean offense. You've opened yourself up to me here and I don't want this to seem like I'm trying to spit on that. I just…" her voice faded into a confused and frustrated sigh.
Elva rested her hand on Eila's clothed forearm, causing her to look up. "It's okay, I understand. I don't want you to ever feel forced to do anything with me. I know you need time to heal from what you endured in the castle and also that it's hard to open up about those things. Don't feel pressured to tell me about or show me those things either. I just want to help you if I can because I care. My ear is always open. I am still young in experiences, so my advice may not be as sound as Angela's or Arya's, but I will if you ask it of me." Elva said pointedly as she reached up to run her fingers through the other woman's hair.
A smile that held everything from thankfulness, happiness and relief to sadness, apprehension, and tension marked Eila's features as she remained speechless.
Elva's gaze became contemplative and nervous, both from Eila's lack of response and from the question she was about to ask. "I know this request might seem… too soon for where we stand, but would you mind if I stayed with you? I was tasked with resting when we got back and… and I feel comfortable around you." Elva had a hard time meeting Eila's gaze, hoping with everything in her bones that she could stay.
"We… we might get in trouble. I don't know if Riders are allowed to be in romantic relationships." Eila said with a hint of deep sadness in her voice.
"Oh, no I meant… I meant just to fall asleep as friends would." She smiled. "Or at least, that's what we would tell people, namely Arya and Angela. Are you… o-open to being with me, though? Something more than just friendship?"
Eila smiled and nodded. "I am. I wouldn't have been so amicable to your kiss, to your words, or to your touch if I felt differently." She said honestly and the pure elation on Elva's features made the world to the young Rider. "I'd be happy if you were to stay." Eila whispered, leaning her forehead against Elva's.
"Thank you." Her violet eyes shone with emotion as happiness swelled in her chest. She is something to someone.
Eila laid back on the bed, stretching out comfortably as Elva joined her to her left. They both curled up on their sides, and the sorceress wrapped her arms securely around Eila's waist, both taking enormous comfort in each other's presence.
They can't be scorned against by outside forces when they have each other like this.
A/N: Hello, I found inspiration and a nice chunk of time to myself! This little chapter's development may seem quick, but I'll explain it, don't worry or fuss at me (you can if you want, I'm not gonna stop you)! To my beloved reader, Eragon Dowhat, I proudly say, "you called it!", in fact, actually the way you broke down the situations of these characters is simply perfect and something I myself didn't quite realize until you put it into words. Sometimes a writer needs an outside view in order to make his or her story better, and you've given me just that, so I'm thanking you! I love you too!
Anyways, this story is turning into a soap opera for me, it's great, I'm having so much fun. I hope you ladies and lords are having fun following the course of events this story is taking as it begins to meld into what I want it to be. It's all a writer could hope for :)
On an entirely unrelated note, I got a new desk chair and I'm in love with it! It rocks back really far and it's super comfy! Also, I have a black Yawë tattooed on my left shoulder surrounded by green thorns from a plant called "Flying Dragon Hardy Orange". It's my favorite plant. My ADD is winning today, can't you tell?!
I love you all tremendously! Stay safe and healthy!
-Lady Arlo