A Report for the King
Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me.
It was only when she noticed the smell of musk hanging thick in the air of her office that she looked up from her paperwork.
"Watcha doin'?" The girl in the doorway wore a gown of dark red silk, coral ear-bobs and a musky perfume so rich as to be almost syrupy. The commoner's accent was as immaculately adopted as her posture, draped back against the open door and the long sinuous strides as she shut and latched the door, making for Kel's desk.
"Writing a report for the king," answered Kel with a tired smile.
Aly stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Boring!" she announced.
"Quite," agreed Kel, and dipped her quill in the inkpot.
Aly cocked her head to one side, considering. "I think not," she said, her voice precise. With deft fingers she plucked the quill out of Kel's hand and tossed it carelessly on the desk.
"You'll spot my parchment," scolded Kel.
"I'm heartbroken," declared Aly, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead with flair.
"His Majesty does not care for spotty reports," said Kel, "and nor does Lord Raoul."
"Ah, well, that changes everything," replied Aly. "It means they're heartbroken."
"And you are quite well," said Kel.
"Quite," agreed Aly with a wicked smile.
"Do you have plans for you newfound wellness?"
Delicately lifting the hems of her red skirts from the floor, Aly lifted one leg and seated herself on Kel's lap. She faced her, wrapping both arms around the other woman's neck and leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "A few."
Kel's hand crawled up the silken back of the gown, flitted across the tickling ends of hair to weave her fingers deeply among the strands, up the nape of her neck, pulling her close for a long, drawn out kiss. "Your health is impeccable," she decreed, "and I must get back to work."
Aly groaned, pushing back to regard her face. "Keladry, it is well past midnight!"
"Yes," agreed Kel with an amiable smile. "That is why I really must finish this report now. It's late, you see."
"Too late to work," purred Aly, flicking a finger up Kel's neck and then under her chin. "Don't you ever play?"
"Often," said Kel. "Not now."
Aly did not give up, but took Kel's arms and wrapped them around her waist. "Can't you do it in the morning?"
"If I finish it tonight, I'll have more free time tomorrow," reasoned Kel, pulling her chair closer to the desk.
"Oh, I know knights, you're all alike," said Aly, flapping a dismissing hand. "You never have free time, not even when pretty girls throw themselves at you." Raising herself from Kel's lap she settled to sit on the desk, looking down at her reprovingly, and crossed her arms across the laced bodice of her deep red gown.
"You're sitting on my report," Kel pointed out.
"Oh, really?" replied Aly, flitting her lashes. "I hadn't noticed."
"Care to move?"
"Care to make me?"
Kel stood up to unseat Aly, who retaliated by curling one leg around Kel's thigh. "Make me," she said again, as Kel's hand came to rest on her leg. She leaned back, her arms behind her, her hands spread over the parchments to brace her. Kel's other hand fingered the black lacings of her bodice. Aly smirked as Kel clenched both her arms, pulling her tight against her body, both legs dropping with her toes just touching the floor.
Aly eased her hands to lock behind Kel's neck as they kissed. She hadn't even noticed that Kel had turned and was moving her away from the desk until she was pressed between her body and the office wall. When Aly ended the kiss, Kel pulled away and strode right back to her desk, starting to shuffle papers into order. Aly gasped in shock and affront. She ran a hand through her mussed hair with great dignity.
Just as Kel was sitting down again, quill in hand, Aly came up to the desk in three long strides and swept her arm across the surface. The papers tumbled to the ground, soaked in ink from the upended bottle. Kel looked up at Aly to find her smiling angelically. Her smile did not waver as she retook her seat upon the cleared section of the desk, flicked her slippers off, and placed a stocking-clad foot on each of Kel's knees.
"Wench," murmured Kel, reaching under her skirt and up her leg to tug at the rim of the stocking, peeling it off.
The now bare foot inched farther up Kel's thigh. She tickled the big toe experimentally but the treatment elicited no giggle. She reached up again, to remove the other stocking. Aly wrapped both legs around her hips as she stood up and leaned in to kiss her, then started to unlace her bodice.
"Does this mean I win?" she asked innocently.
"You always win," replied Kel with a wry smile.
They were curled together, naked on the floor, covered under Kel's cloak when the dawn began to break.
"There's a ball tomorrow night," said Aly enticingly. "You could come."
Kel considered. "I think I'll be in my office, working. I have a report for the king I have to finish."
Aly sighed contentedly. "I was hoping you'd say that."
