Laughter rang through the castle halls, that and Ascot's voice as he called
gleefully to his friend. Together Umi and Ascot made it to the throne room
and pushed open the doors, practically falling over one another in their
happy, playful race. Clef's eyes widened with jealously at Ascot's hand
around Umi's waist, but it vanished with her laughter when she looked up
and noticed him.
He'd just finished getting used to his friend's reactions to the new look he'd taken on. Caldina had teased him, not nearly as bad as she'd teased Ascot over the same transformation, but her good intentioned meaning was the same. Lafarge and Lantis had reserved their comments entirely, both understanding the feelings that had guided Clef's decision, and Ferio hadn't really seemed to notice. Clef's already adult voice hadn't deepened at all, unlike Ascot's, which had matured in depth and tone, but the Master Mage knew Ferio was aware of the physical change. The group of them could only speculate on their King's absent response but figured it had to do with his deep-seated pain at the loss of Fuu. Clef could reason with this, though his fears were still unconfirmed since Umi had never actually said she loved him.
But that self same young woman was now staring at him, her eyes taking in every detail, every possible imperfection in Clef's grown form, and for the first time ever he felt truly self conscious. What if his hair was the wrong color for his eyes? Or he'd become disproportioned during the transformation and she found him completely repulsive? It'd been three years, he reminded himself, three long years when she could have found someone to suit her better, someone who was not so old. Like Ascot.
His imagined trespasses rose in the form of cold anger at himself. Again he hated himself for not being there, for not pressing her before she left, and for not just telling her himself. There she stood, perfect and more beautiful than ever, and he was no longer what she deserved. Far from it.
Umi was amazed into silence, but after her initial shock of realizing who the handsome man before actually was wore off, she smiled and walked right up to him. Ascot had greedily greeted her with a hug and, were that Clef the same as she had remembered, she would have done the same the instant she met him again. But he was different, very impressively different, and Umi hesitated, her hands clenching as she decided what to do.
"Hello, Guru Clef," Umi whispered, her eyes eating up the sight of him and the relief she saw pass into him at her recognition. She smiled then and threw herself into his embrace, her arms grasping Clef about his now broad shoulders and her lithe body snuggling perfectly into his form.
He caught her to him and inhaled that sweet scent, of ocean and magic, enjoying the tickle of her silken hair on his cheek. "Umi," he whispered, all the longing and regret making his voice wistful and pleading.
Ascot smiled at the two. His heart hurt knowing it was his mentor, a man he'd respected long before Clef had changed his form, which was the recipient of Umi's love. He'd been close and wondered for a second if he had not stood against the Magic Knights at first, would it not be his arms she craved the feel of? His Love? The moment passed quickly and then it became embarrassing for him to stand there watching their reunion. Backing silently from the room, he closed the door and went to see about a room for Umi.
She was here, in his arms, clinging to him like she would never let go. Clef's heart soared and he pulled her tighter, marveling at the feel of her along the entire length of his body. It was amazing, tingling, and arousing.
Umi pulled back from where her head rested on his shoulder and looked up at those two beautiful blue eyes that had haunted her dreams, waking and sleeping, for months.
"You look so good," she blurted out, completely uncaring if there was no finesse between them. She needed honesty right now, the absolute truth. That was why she'd come. "I almost didn't recognize you, but you eyes . . ." she cupped his cheek, trying to hold back the tears of joy she felt coming. "They're the same as before, and the rest of you is just perfect!"
Clef's arm about her waist tightened, his worst immediate fears banished by the woman he loved that was finally here, with him. "I've missed you, Umi," he said and a single tear escaped down her cheek as her hand on his face slid back to his shoulder. He bent close to her and kissed that tear, drawing it into his soul as he drew her tightly to him. There was no space left, so close they were, close enough for two to be one in the entire universe of singles.
"Me too, Clef. So much that it hurts." Umi cupped his head in her hand, the fine hairs at his nape begging her to brush her fingers into them. His breath near her ear was exciting, so much so she returned the feeling, nuzzling the soft skin at his jaw with her lips. She boldly kissed him there, a chaste exchange really, but so intimate that Clef groaned.
The sound made her blood rush and her body heat from the middle out. She'd not been able to tell him last time, her courage failing her at the last possible second, but not now. Umi rose with that wave of emotion as it surged through her, and continued placing those light, sweet kisses along Clef's jaw until she reached his chin. There she stopped and looked up at him, wanting him to see the truth even as she told him.
"I made a mistake before, Clef," she began softly. "I should have told you and then stayed, but I was afraid you would only see me as a child. That you wouldn't believe me that I love you."
His eyes widened, clearing almost completely of the passion that had just been there, and Umi felt her hold slip as she began to cry. He didn't believe her, she thought.
Her tears terrified him as much as her declaration overpowered his anger and soothed that part of him which hadn't let Clef forgive himself. She'd come back for him, and when he realized that, everything else, the pain and separation, the dreams and jealousy, it all faded away into nothing.
Clef cupped her face in both hands, his staff clattering to the floor, and drew them together until his lips were only a breath away. He inhaled her very essence then lightly touched her mouth with his own, savoring the way she melted in his grasp, closing her eyes and returning the embrace.
With one hand diving into her hair, the other stroking down her arm to twine about her waist, Clef kissed her again and again. He tasted the salty tears on her cheek, captured her gasps and moans to mingle with his own, and finally dipped into the warm chasm of her mouth. Their tongues met for the first time, and Clef would swear he saw stars.
Umi had to hold on to him; else she was sure she'd collapse to the floor. Her wariness from before vanished and replacing it was so many emotions, fears and unexpected passions, love and wonder, that Umi was sure her very being would burst. Whenever it seemed too far, she could feel Clef relieving her of the extra burden, as though their kiss created a special magic that was shared back and forth between them. The power of it overwhelmed and lifted Umi, knowing Clef was with her all the time, and showed her a different world, one where everything happened for a reason, all pains rewarded with pleasure, and their love shining strong through it all.
As he drew her back for that place, shimmering in his mind as she did in his arms, Clef wondered at the strength of her. How had she managed to see that place inside him where his magic lived, and to awaken other pieces of his soul he swore were dead and buried? The possibilities that they might never have met, or that she could have died during any one of those battles to save Cepherio, had Clef grasping her tightly to him again. She'd said she feared his rejections, that he would see her as a child, and that honesty, along with her love, deserved his truth in return.
Loosening his old, but not breaking complete contact, Clef bent and picked up his staff. He took her hand, so much smaller then his now, and raised it to his mouth, kissing her fingers in a very Ferio-like gesture.
"Come with me, Umi. There are things I need to tell you," he said, wanting to gather her to him again when a shadow of fear crossed her face. He did love her, and would tell he as much, but by all that was holy he would clear the waters between them first. Clef drew her close when she looked away (probably realizing he had not returned her admission of love yet, he thought), and kissed her softly on the forehead.
He led her from the throne room, navigating the maze of corridors and hallways to the inner gardens of Cepherio's castle. They settled together on the grass beneath a sagging willow tree, hidden in its private lagoon of green and sage. The perfect place, in Celf's opinion, for one to confess self-doubts and love.
PS
Hummm, should this go citrus? I could you know . . . Leave me a review and I'll tally the votes. Cheers.
He'd just finished getting used to his friend's reactions to the new look he'd taken on. Caldina had teased him, not nearly as bad as she'd teased Ascot over the same transformation, but her good intentioned meaning was the same. Lafarge and Lantis had reserved their comments entirely, both understanding the feelings that had guided Clef's decision, and Ferio hadn't really seemed to notice. Clef's already adult voice hadn't deepened at all, unlike Ascot's, which had matured in depth and tone, but the Master Mage knew Ferio was aware of the physical change. The group of them could only speculate on their King's absent response but figured it had to do with his deep-seated pain at the loss of Fuu. Clef could reason with this, though his fears were still unconfirmed since Umi had never actually said she loved him.
But that self same young woman was now staring at him, her eyes taking in every detail, every possible imperfection in Clef's grown form, and for the first time ever he felt truly self conscious. What if his hair was the wrong color for his eyes? Or he'd become disproportioned during the transformation and she found him completely repulsive? It'd been three years, he reminded himself, three long years when she could have found someone to suit her better, someone who was not so old. Like Ascot.
His imagined trespasses rose in the form of cold anger at himself. Again he hated himself for not being there, for not pressing her before she left, and for not just telling her himself. There she stood, perfect and more beautiful than ever, and he was no longer what she deserved. Far from it.
Umi was amazed into silence, but after her initial shock of realizing who the handsome man before actually was wore off, she smiled and walked right up to him. Ascot had greedily greeted her with a hug and, were that Clef the same as she had remembered, she would have done the same the instant she met him again. But he was different, very impressively different, and Umi hesitated, her hands clenching as she decided what to do.
"Hello, Guru Clef," Umi whispered, her eyes eating up the sight of him and the relief she saw pass into him at her recognition. She smiled then and threw herself into his embrace, her arms grasping Clef about his now broad shoulders and her lithe body snuggling perfectly into his form.
He caught her to him and inhaled that sweet scent, of ocean and magic, enjoying the tickle of her silken hair on his cheek. "Umi," he whispered, all the longing and regret making his voice wistful and pleading.
Ascot smiled at the two. His heart hurt knowing it was his mentor, a man he'd respected long before Clef had changed his form, which was the recipient of Umi's love. He'd been close and wondered for a second if he had not stood against the Magic Knights at first, would it not be his arms she craved the feel of? His Love? The moment passed quickly and then it became embarrassing for him to stand there watching their reunion. Backing silently from the room, he closed the door and went to see about a room for Umi.
She was here, in his arms, clinging to him like she would never let go. Clef's heart soared and he pulled her tighter, marveling at the feel of her along the entire length of his body. It was amazing, tingling, and arousing.
Umi pulled back from where her head rested on his shoulder and looked up at those two beautiful blue eyes that had haunted her dreams, waking and sleeping, for months.
"You look so good," she blurted out, completely uncaring if there was no finesse between them. She needed honesty right now, the absolute truth. That was why she'd come. "I almost didn't recognize you, but you eyes . . ." she cupped his cheek, trying to hold back the tears of joy she felt coming. "They're the same as before, and the rest of you is just perfect!"
Clef's arm about her waist tightened, his worst immediate fears banished by the woman he loved that was finally here, with him. "I've missed you, Umi," he said and a single tear escaped down her cheek as her hand on his face slid back to his shoulder. He bent close to her and kissed that tear, drawing it into his soul as he drew her tightly to him. There was no space left, so close they were, close enough for two to be one in the entire universe of singles.
"Me too, Clef. So much that it hurts." Umi cupped his head in her hand, the fine hairs at his nape begging her to brush her fingers into them. His breath near her ear was exciting, so much so she returned the feeling, nuzzling the soft skin at his jaw with her lips. She boldly kissed him there, a chaste exchange really, but so intimate that Clef groaned.
The sound made her blood rush and her body heat from the middle out. She'd not been able to tell him last time, her courage failing her at the last possible second, but not now. Umi rose with that wave of emotion as it surged through her, and continued placing those light, sweet kisses along Clef's jaw until she reached his chin. There she stopped and looked up at him, wanting him to see the truth even as she told him.
"I made a mistake before, Clef," she began softly. "I should have told you and then stayed, but I was afraid you would only see me as a child. That you wouldn't believe me that I love you."
His eyes widened, clearing almost completely of the passion that had just been there, and Umi felt her hold slip as she began to cry. He didn't believe her, she thought.
Her tears terrified him as much as her declaration overpowered his anger and soothed that part of him which hadn't let Clef forgive himself. She'd come back for him, and when he realized that, everything else, the pain and separation, the dreams and jealousy, it all faded away into nothing.
Clef cupped her face in both hands, his staff clattering to the floor, and drew them together until his lips were only a breath away. He inhaled her very essence then lightly touched her mouth with his own, savoring the way she melted in his grasp, closing her eyes and returning the embrace.
With one hand diving into her hair, the other stroking down her arm to twine about her waist, Clef kissed her again and again. He tasted the salty tears on her cheek, captured her gasps and moans to mingle with his own, and finally dipped into the warm chasm of her mouth. Their tongues met for the first time, and Clef would swear he saw stars.
Umi had to hold on to him; else she was sure she'd collapse to the floor. Her wariness from before vanished and replacing it was so many emotions, fears and unexpected passions, love and wonder, that Umi was sure her very being would burst. Whenever it seemed too far, she could feel Clef relieving her of the extra burden, as though their kiss created a special magic that was shared back and forth between them. The power of it overwhelmed and lifted Umi, knowing Clef was with her all the time, and showed her a different world, one where everything happened for a reason, all pains rewarded with pleasure, and their love shining strong through it all.
As he drew her back for that place, shimmering in his mind as she did in his arms, Clef wondered at the strength of her. How had she managed to see that place inside him where his magic lived, and to awaken other pieces of his soul he swore were dead and buried? The possibilities that they might never have met, or that she could have died during any one of those battles to save Cepherio, had Clef grasping her tightly to him again. She'd said she feared his rejections, that he would see her as a child, and that honesty, along with her love, deserved his truth in return.
Loosening his old, but not breaking complete contact, Clef bent and picked up his staff. He took her hand, so much smaller then his now, and raised it to his mouth, kissing her fingers in a very Ferio-like gesture.
"Come with me, Umi. There are things I need to tell you," he said, wanting to gather her to him again when a shadow of fear crossed her face. He did love her, and would tell he as much, but by all that was holy he would clear the waters between them first. Clef drew her close when she looked away (probably realizing he had not returned her admission of love yet, he thought), and kissed her softly on the forehead.
He led her from the throne room, navigating the maze of corridors and hallways to the inner gardens of Cepherio's castle. They settled together on the grass beneath a sagging willow tree, hidden in its private lagoon of green and sage. The perfect place, in Celf's opinion, for one to confess self-doubts and love.
PS
Hummm, should this go citrus? I could you know . . . Leave me a review and I'll tally the votes. Cheers.
