Like that first time, the wind led Elsa to the little meadow a few miles from the sea. She slipped from the Nokk's back and pressed her brow to his, "Wish me luck?"
He stamped on the ground and bobbed his head before riding off, exploding into mist as he dove into a stream. Elsa sighed, and shook her head with a smile, "I'll take that as a yes."
Turning around, she walked into the meadow, swinging her arms at her side as she wondered where Cassandra was. Her nerves knit themselves into knots in her stomach as she walked, but it wasn't too long before she caught a glimpse of a figure sitting in the grass. As she got closer, she could see Cassandra had several notebooks with writing and sketches in them. Curiosity was overwhelming but she was polite and so didn't try to peek. Much.
Without looking in her direction, Cass said, "I see Olaf found you." Only then did she look up, hair gleaming as she smiled at Elsa in a way that made her knees weak. The sun almost seemed to glint off of Cass like a halo. Cass would surely disagree, but Elsa thought of her as an angel.
Oh, this was suddenly much harder than she thought it would be and yet somehow easier. "Yeah, he found me while I was reading a letter from my sister."
"What did she have to say?" Cass turned one of the books so Elsa could get a better look at the drawing on it.
"Oh. Just stuff."
"Just stuff." Cass raised an eyebrow, "What kind of stuff."
"If you behave, maybe I'll tell you." Elsa sat down next to Cass and peered at the drawing. Cass's skills clearly lay elsewhere, but it was a fair approximation of a cabin. It looked a little unstable and she already had a few ideas how to fix that if Cass was willing to listen. Elsa had always enjoyed architecture...
"Maybe I'll have to get it out of you." There was a purr in Cassandra's voice that sent a shock through Elsa and made her forget all about building construction.
Trying to stop her heart from racing any more than it was, she tapped the sketch, "So what's this?"
"Something I wanted to talk to you about, actually. And something I'll need to talk to Yelana about as well." Cass scooted to face Elsa, "I'm going to be fully honest with you. I still don't know what I want out of my life. I don't know where I'm going or who I'll be in ten years. The only thing I'm sure of is I could end up spending the rest of my life searching for something I'm never going to find. Or maybe realize one day that I gave up the things I'd been searching for. Or maybe it's something that just happens."
Elsa's nails dug into her palms, her throat bobbing as she listened to Cass, unable to predict where the conversation was going or perhaps simply unwilling to assume anything. She could feel this need to burst with her own words and worries and emotions but this was Cass's time and the last thing she wanted was to bury Cass in a flood of someone else's needs.
"I can't think of anyone who's ever gotten me to talk as much as you have," Cass said, more to herself than to Elsa. She lifted her eyes up again, "I want to stay, El. With you. I want to figure this out with you. I want … " Cass held up a finger, looking around until she found one of the notebooks and picked it up, "Look, I'm really bad at this kind of thing. At sweeping romantic gestures and grand displays of emotion. I'm a shower, not a teller."
"I don't know, telling me to come to where the wind led us was pretty romantic." Elsa took one of Cass's hands, the one that always made her ache, and held it, massaging it gently, "A lovely meadow, with the sun bursting in your hair. You said you were the moon, Cass. The moon is beautiful and outshines the stars when she casts her smile upon the earth."
"Oh god," Cass breathed, closing her eyes for a moment before looking at her notebook again. "I'm not a poet, I can't paint with words the way Raps paints with water or you with ice. But I'm going to read this before I lose my nerve."
Elsa nodded at her and not relinquishing the hand she'd captured.
"A summer's crown on winter's day," Cass started to say, before she closed her mouth and looked a bit like she was having second thoughts. Her eyes flicked down to their joined hands, then back to her poem.
"A summer's crown on winter's day…" Cass grimaced, closing the notebook, "I'm sorry, this isn't exactly my area of expertise, I've got the creative skills of a dead caterpillar. I thought about singing it but..."
Gently, Elsa took the notebook from Cass, "Don't sell yourself short."
Cass watched her as she opened it back up. There were a lot of pages that had been torn out, or scribbled over, but before long she found the final result of what was obviously a lot of work. Cass, she knew, was more comfortable doing something with her body (and Elsa tried to not think too heavily on why that thought excited her) such as train, or ride or what have you.
"That's short," Cass muttered, pulling her hand from Elsa and flexing her fingers. Then she seemed to change her mind and pulled the notebook back.
In a voice as clear as a bell, Cassandra sang.
A summer's crown on winter's day
Smiling, taking my breath away
Showing me the truth, and I pray
That I find the right words to say
What it is you mean to me
What it is I'm beginning to see
How it is you make me free
As the last note trailed off into silence, Elsa stared at Cassandra, stunned into silence by the beauty and clarity of her voice.
"I know it's inadequate," Cass said, folding her arms, hugging the notebook to her chest, "But I'm trying to say that maybe … maybe you're one of the things I was searching for and I didn't know it until now."
Elsa wiped her eyes as she closed the notebook. "It's a beautiful poem, Cass."
"Liar."
"I mean it!" She laughed, then crawled closer to Cass, until she finally gave in to her wants and straddled her lap, "And your voice is so beautiful, I had no idea you could sing like that. "
Cass laughed as well, wrapping her arms around Elsa, "I'm very happy you liked it."
In recent days, Elsa had been nervous every time she'd kissed Cass. Afraid that it might mean more or maybe somehow less than she thought it might but not wanting to stop. That they'd both been busy with their own things hadn't made that any easier, though it had been assuring to Elsa that they could in fact operate as separate people instead of a unit. Watching Anna and Kristoff had told her that was very important to a relationship. And Elsa wanted this to be a relationship, to share with Cass everything they wanted to share. Her eyes darted to Cass's lips.
"What are you thinking, El?"
"About kissing you. But I'm almost always thinking about kissing you."
"Yeah?" Cass pulled her a little closer, "We can do something about that."
Elsa searched her eyes, then leaned down. There was something different about this kiss. Something deeper and more emotional, with a fire beneath it that quickly spread through Elsa. She started to think of those drawings of Anna's, started to imagine what Cass's skin would taste like and remembered how firm her muscles were.
Cass's tunic was held together by firm clasps. Elsa's fingers snapped one open, the sound so loud in the clearing that Cass broke the kiss to blink up at her in surprise. But Elsa swallowed, holding Cass's gaze while her fingers traveled down to the next clasp.
Snap! She was starting to like that sound, and like even more the way Cass's breath quickened and color flooded her cheeks. The only sound for the next twenty seconds was Elsa methodically snapping open the rest of Cass's clasps, and then the rustling of fabric as she pushed the tunic open. Cass wore a simple undershirt beneath it, much less complex than what Anna wore or what Elsa had worn before she'd switched almost entirely to clothing made from her own magic.
It was kind of cute, actually. Elsa leaned back, smiling as she took in the moss-green fabric emblazoned with a sunburst, finger tips teasing at the hem. She trailed her fingers down Cass's stomach, gnawing at her lips as she savored the hardness of the muscles there. The same heat she felt when laying next to Cass in bed flooded through her.
Elsa's eyes flicked back up to Cass's face, "Is this okay?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing." Cass slid her hands up Elsa's legs, a sensation that made her feel weak and floaty and it was very, very okay with her, "Whatever you want or don't, I'm here for it. If I'm not, you'll know."
Nodding, Elsa hooked her fingers underneath the hem of Cassandra's undershirt, and started to pull it up. She had a brief glimpse of the surprise on Cass's face before it was obscured by the fabric, "You need to lift your arms if you want to get this off."
"I know." Cass sounded faint as she did so and Elsa's gaze dropped to Cass's chest. Her breasts were small but wonderful, but there was something else she wasn't expecting; a faint scar over her heart in the shape of an opal, with thin white strands like cracks spreading away from it for several inches. Elsa hesitated, staring at it curiously before lifting her eyes to Cass's.
"It's okay, El, really." She took Elsa's hand, guiding it to the scar and placing it over her heart. For a moment, Elsa held her hand there, searching Cass's eyes, before she slid her hand down to a breast. Elsa bit back a groan as she delicately rubbed her palm over it.
Cass's reaction was a little louder, making Elsa grin excitedly. She dropped one hand to smooth it over Cass's stomach again, before she leaned down daringly and brushed her lips over Cass's skin,right over her scar. Cass inhaled sharply, and Elsa kissed it again, before brushing her lips down her chest and then tantalizingly close to her nipple.
Bringing her hand to Cass's other breast, Elsa couldn't put to words the way Cass tasted, closing her eyes and flicking her tongue out experimentally. Cass had goose pimples, her breathing growing shorter as Elsa caressed and stroked at one, and teased the edge of the other nipple with her mouth. She was so sensitive that Elsa felt drunk with power.
She felt a hand on the back of her head, gentle and trembling as Cass whispered, "Elsa, please…"
"Who knew you'd give up so quickly under pressure?" Elsa said, just before closing her lips around Cass's nipple, sucking lightly as she flicked her tongue back and forth across it. There was the strangest, most intense need to push Cass down and ravish her from head to toe, show her that she was someone to be worshiped and loved and treated with tender fire. At the same time, Elsa wanted to feel Cass's hands on her skin, the nip of her teeth and just what it would feel like to give herself over utterly to the woman.
There was a low growl, deep inside Cass's throat, "Not fair … Let me see you."
Giving Cass one last tender lick, Elsa sat back up, gazing down at her and chewing on her lip. Like the lifting of a fog, mist rose from Elsa's body, her clothing evaporating into the air into millions of sparkling, refracting points of light. Cass's eyes roamed over her body, never quite staying in any place for too long as if she was trying to memorize every inch. The expression on her face made Elsa want to preen, an unusual but not unwelcome sensation. She didn't like to think she was that vain but Cass's attention was making her feel a certain thrill.
Then Cass's hands slid up her sides, but she caught Cass's right hand and removed her glove. If Cass was going to touch her, she wanted nothing between them, especially not cloth..
"It's okay, sweetheart," Elsa whispered at Cass's obvious uncertainty. "Really."
That seemed to be enough and Cass's hands snapped up to Elsa's breasts, which appeared to be just the right amount of a handful for her. Elsa wasn't at all prepared for that sensation, Cass's calloused fingers and palms on her sensitive skin and the way they brushed her nipples sent little jolts coursing through her. Gasping loudly, Elsa closed her eyes and leaned into Cass's hands. Her own trailed down toned abs, before she pulled at the waistband of Cass's trousers. Cass made an almost whining sound, wriggling her hips as she slid a hand down Elsa's side and stroked lightly at her hip. It felt a little like being burned but in a way that was very pleasant.
Warmth and a burning need surged through her and she slid off Cass long enough to rid her of her offending trousers. In Ahtohallan she'd understood what Cass's memories had revealed about her gender. So she wasn't all that surprised with the shape of Cass's body and she loved all of her. Still, they'd barely talked about it and Elsa wished she'd thought to thank her for letting her see that part of herself.
Elsa was silent a little too long, Cass looking at her nervously. She smiled reassuringly as she gazed at her, "I got a little distracted, you're beautiful."
"Somehow, I almost believe it when you tell me that."
Elsa clucked her tongue, a finger tracing a spot on Cass's thigh that was tantalizingly close to much more sensitive areas, "Because it's true." She held Cass's eyes as she moved her hand up, lightly brushing her fingers up her thigh. Cass's breath grew heavier and she made an encouraging sound so Elsa groped her gently and experimentally. Cass's eyes fluttered shut, a soft moan escaping her, and Elsa stroked at her, learning her and marveling a little at the sounds she was getting out of Cass and the way her hips rocked into her hand. Elsa had no idea what she was actually doing but it was working and that was what counted as she slowly made the woman she loved come undone.
Cass suddenly surged up, pushing Elsa onto her back and pinning her lightly by the shoulders. Her voice was thick, raspy, full of need and want and a tumult of emotions and the only thing that came out was Elsa's name.
"Cass…" Elsa breathed, wanting the whole of Cass, or at least everything she was able and willing to give. Needing Cass to touch her back, she took one of Cass's hands and pushed it down her body and between her legs, shuddering at the sensation of calloused fingers on her sensitive skin. Then Elsa ran her fingers up and down Cass's body, stroking at her back and sides and savoring the way her touch made Cass lose all sense and reason.
Cass's hands on her skin had the same effect in return, making Elsa press against her fingers. Cass kissed her, groaning into her mouth as she caressed and explored between Elsa's legs, finger trailing lightly over her before stroking over a spot that made her hips jerk and lightning spark. Elsa realized they'd wound up in one of the positions from Anna's diagrams and laughed, though the sound trailed off as she gasped when a finger slipped inside her and Cass's thumb pressed against that spot from just a moment ago. A feeling like fire spread through her limbs, burning and searing and then lifting her on an updraft.
Elsa's nails dug into Cass's shoulder, her other hand sliding around her hip and then grasping at her rear, making Cass grind down against her. Liking the feel of that, of Cass's skin and body pressed onto hers, Elsa grabbed her butt again. Then she lifted her hand and brought it down as hard as she could, the sound echoing through the woods around them.
Cass's hips jerked and her hand stilled as she laughed uncontrollably. It took her several moments before she was in control of herself, and she gazed down at Elsa, "God, I love you."
Smiling and giggling softly, Elsa cupped her cheek, "I love you too."
Leaning into the touch, Cass closed her eyes as a few tears trailed down her cheeks. Then she turned her head, kissing Elsa's palm, and then her wrist, before leaning down to kiss her properly. It was much too short of a kiss for Elsa, but Cass slowly slid down Elsa's body, lips brushing at her skin, teeth nipping and biting at her throat and her chest. She gave each of Elsa's peaked nipples a gentle kiss and flick of her tongue, then continued her journey south.
This was definitely one of the positions on Anna's diagram and Elsa's heart pounded as she watched Cass settle in between her legs. She lifted one of Elsa's legs up over her shoulder, nuzzling her thigh and then biting it, sucking and flicking her tongue in a way that nearly pushed Elsa over the edge for the very first time. Elsa tilted her head back, groaning as Cass left a hickey on her other thigh too. Cass's tongue went where her fingers had been a little while ago and Elsa made a sound she didn't know she was capable of making, her cry disappearing into the canopy above them even as her thighs and legs went taut with tension.
"Relax," Cass whispered. "Relax and let yourself enjoy this."
Elsa, hand over her mouth, nodded and forced her muscles to loosen. Once she'd started to relax a little, Cass started again, her eyes closed as if she were savoring the finest meal imaginable. A shudder ran through her as Cass's tongue moved in nimble circles and Elsa gave up on trying to keep quiet, instead dragging her fingers through Cass's hair and digging them into her scalp. She had the vaguest thought of wanting to return the favor but she was quickly overwhelmed by the pleasure rippling through her body, all centered on Cass's eager tongue and mouth. Cass's name was torn from her lips as a wave crashed over her. Snow dusted the ground around them as she came back to earth, chest heaving as she desperately tried to regain her breath.
Slowly, she relaxed her thighs, and Cass lifted her head with one eye squinted shut. Her smile was almost giddy-looking as she rubbed at her neck, "...wow."
"... Are you okay?" Elsa asked, eyes widening.
"More than okay." Cass slid up beside her, rubbing her hand around her stomach and groping at her breasts, thighs and arms. Basking in the attention, Elsa rolled onto her side, wrapping an arm around Cass and kissing her. Her skin buzzed, the contact and afterglow combining to make her feel like she was floating. But she still craved … more. Not just for herself, but for Cass, too. If Elsa could make Cass feel half as good as this, that would be a win.
With their bodies pressed together, Elsa pushed Cass onto her back and straddled her. Breaking the kiss, she nuzzled at Cass's jaw and her throat as she started to rock her hips and grind herself down onto her new lover. This was almost as good as what Cass had been doing just a short moment ago and Elsa gasped softly as she felt another orgasm building inside her, a tightening spring that made her movements jerky and nearly uncontrolled. She felt Cass's arms around her, holding her tight and so she kissed the side of her face and then the back of her ear.
With her movements growing more and more erratic, Cass rocked herself up against her as if she was trying to crawl inside of her. Taking that as a hint and also wanting desperately to be as close as possible, Elsa slipped her hand between them and when they next moved together she guided Cass inside of her.
Cass went perfectly still, a low breathy moan escaping her as her grip around Elsa tightened. Elsa also went still, burrowing her face against Cass's shoulder as she tried to adjust to the feeling of it all. Slowly, and as Cass started to rub at her back, she relaxed, snuggling against Cass's chest.
"Elsa, are you—" Cass's words cut off into a slightly strangled sound as Elsa started to move, slowly and rhythmically rocking back and forth and lifting her hips as she did so. She whimpered back, still moving slowly, the sound of Cass's moans hot in her ear and the feel of her like a fire within.
Then Cass's hand gripped her hips, guiding her positioning a little differently as she rolled her hips underneath Elsa. A shudder of pleasure made Elsa's vision momentarily blank out, before she pushed herself up and looked down at Cass, her hair falling like a curtain around her face. She nibbled on her lower lip as she drank in the sight of Cass beneath her. Cass was tense underneath her, eyes wide as she stared back. Elsa couldn't help but tease, "Relax, let yourself enjoy this."
Cass laughed, brushing the back of her hand over Elsa's cheek. "Oh I am." She flipped them around suddenly, giving Elsa a rush as she was pinned by Cass again, and that rush only built as her lover settled on top of her. They kissed, Cass's lips smiling against Elsa's as Elsa wrapped her legs around Cass.
"This okay?"
Elsa replied breathlessly, "I'll allow it."
It took a moment before Cass clearly realized she was being teased. She laughed, leaning down to kiss her. Elsa closed her eyes, arching her back when Cass moved her hips and quickly became lost in the moment. Cass's moaning, the look on her face when she opened her eyes and broke the kiss, how heated her expression was and the fire that was reflected there all served to make her heart feel full. Elsa stared at her. At her beautiful, passionate Cassandra.
She felt so close to that same something as before, that white hot fire that spread from her center in rapidly pulsing waves, that she left welts in Cass's back from her nails when she came again. Elsa held Cass close, taking in ragged breaths as they clung to each other. For several long moments, neither of them spoke, and Elsa was glad for it because she couldn't wrap her tongue around words just yet.
"I don't think I can see straight," Cass whispered, nuzzling her face against Elsa's, trembling beneath her hands. Elsa wasn't sure if it was because of her own release or supporting her own weight without falling on top of her. Probably a little of both.
"Mmm." Elsa caught her breath, and tried again, only for laughter to come out instead. Finally, she settled down enough to say, "I love you."
For three whole seconds, Cass looked like she'd forgotten how to breath, before she slid off of Elsa and rested on her side against her. She had a lopsided smile on her face and gazed at Elsa with unrestrained affection, "I feel like I'm floating."
"That makes two of us," Elsa promised. She played with Cass's hair.
Cass shifted a little, grunting and then reaching behind her. She pulled out a twig and glowered, "Can we do this in a bed next time?"
Elsa rolled her head, laughing softly. She spotted Cass's notebooks and made a futile effort to pull one over.
"What are you doing?"
"Let me fix this for you, sweetheart. I'm pretty sure your house design would collapse in a day and a half."
Cass threw her head back and laughed, before pulling Elsa against her — and away from the notebook, "You can do that later."
Huffing, Elsa gave up trying to reach the offending drawing and settled in against Cassandra's chest. "Fine."
"You're not expected anywhere any time soon, are you?"
"What happened to a bed?"
The only response Elsa received was Cass's lips covering her own.