Heya guys, chapter's finally ready. Sorry for the delay, and to make up for it, this chapter is gonna be a spicey one. Which is also a friendly warning to those less inclined towards such stuff.
Hopes and Dreams
S'eni's heart was beating heavily, reaching up to her ears and drowning out all other sounds. Kneeling on the ground, she felt her body shake slightly, though it was neither from fear nor cold. No, it was from the rush of excitement that coursed through her entire body. She looked up from the grass underneath her and towards the figure rushing towards her, appearing almost as if time was slowing down, but in truth moved faster than an untrained eye might be able to conceive.
A grin split her face.
Like a sudden snap, sound returned, and a cry entered her ears. Her hands shot up, catching the leg that was aimed at her just mere inches away from finding its mark, and, with a twist of her wrist, sent her opponent spiralling through the air. The cry that was meant to fuel her attack, swiftly turned into a yelp as Lyse landed on the grassy ground, eyes wide and blinking momentarily, before rolling out of the way of S'eni's fist coming down at her.
Bringing some distance between the two of them again, Lyse stood back up and raised her fist, the corners of her lips curling into a smile. "Good one!"
S'eni responded by simply brushing her thumb across her nose. She then rushed forward, throwing a punch that her friend dodged, immediately followed by a kick aimed at the side of her stomach, only to be blocked by her rising leg. Lyse shook her head.
"But not good enough," she sing-songed a little before going back on the offensive.
They traded a few blows, before breaking apart and swiftly moving back in, each attack a motion of familiarity of two people that had known and trained with each other for a long time. Coming close, but never truly hurting one another. It felt great.
After taking her first steps again, her strength had little by little returned and thus opened up the door to more physical exercise. That was where Lyse, and to a small part Yugiri, had come in and helped her get back into shape so that she could restart training in earnest. She still was far from being back to old form, and she knew her friend was holding back some, but at least she had regained the freedom of movement to actually get there.
"Got you!" S'eni said, slipping a hand underneath Lyse's leg as she kicked towards her torso and pushed it up to unbalance her. Her other hand shot forward, striking her friend's chest with her palm and sending her flying a few feet back onto the grass.
"Ooohhh," she suddenly heard from her left and turned to see the crowd that gathered there. It was quite a sizeable one consisting of students, watching them with awe. But it wasn't just the student body whose attention their training had drawn.
"Master Montichaigne!" Lyse exclaimed and jumped back to her feet. "W-We didn't see you there."
Or anyone for that matter. Though it really shouldn't have surprised them, what with being so close to the Studium and all.
"I'm sorry if we disturbed any lessons," S'eni said, gesturing around the area. "But it was really the only place we could find with enough space. Just say the word an—"
"I assure you that will not be necessary, nor did you disturb any lessons. I was merely curious to see what garnered the attention of so many students." The old Elezen chuckled. "The art of the Monks of Ala Mhigo is truly unlike anything I have ever seen before. Why, I am sure quite a few gathered here will find themselves inspired just watching you."
A few murmurs of agreement came from the crowd. A small note of authority entered his otherwise kind voice as he looked at the gathered students. "Now then, I do believe we have all watched enough, so let us not further disturb them."
The students groaned in disappointment, but nevertheless listened to Scholarch and gradually began to walk away. Master Montichaigne nodded, and his kindly gaze landed on S'eni, offering her a smile. He inclined his head and, wordlessly, headed back to the Studium.
"Well, it's been a while since we've had a crowd," Lyse said, walking up to her.
"Sure has," S'eni chuckled and turned towards her friend. "Another round?"
"Of course. If you can keep up." Lyse smirked and raised her arms.
She just mirrored her friend's expression and got into position. But before either of them could move, her ears picked up a voice coming from the path that led to the Annex. As she glanced over, she spotted that it was none other than Tataru.
Lowering her arms again, she waited for her to arrive before greeting her, "Hey, Tataru. Are you looking for us?"
The Lalafel took a moment to catch her breath, then glared at the two of them. "I am. Because you two are late!"
"Late?" Lyse asked and shared a confused look with S'eni. "Late for what?"
"To try on the dresses for the banquet!"
S'eni blinked at those words, pursing her lips in thought. There was supposed to be a banquet? What banqu—
She slapped her forehead.
Oh, that banquet. The one celebrating the stopping of the Final Days. Hosted by the Leveilleurs and of which the Scions were the guests of honor. She had totally forgotten about that. And, apparently, so did Lyse, because she sent Tataru a sheepish little grin.
"Well, no matter," Tataru sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Come, I need to see if I have to make some adjustments."
The two of them shared another look before they released a defeated sigh. So much for more training. Following Tataru back to the Annex, they were told that their outfits would be in their respective rooms and to find her in the main hall once they had put them on.
After freshening up a little, S'eni made her way back to her room. Upon entering, she found a box lying on the bed, next to another one that had already been opened, telling her that Y'shtola was most likely already undergoing torture. Well, and she could hardly leave her lover to that fate now, could she?
With a little sigh through her nose, she walked over to the bed and opened the box. It was a beautiful dress, long and red, embroidered with a golden floral pattern. As she held it against her, she noticed the rather daring leg slit and a considerable amount of cleavage that stood out from the otherwise rather traditional Yanxian appearance.
After putting it on, she slipped her feet into the elegant-looking heels and, after testing how they felt, stepped in front of the mirror. She turned left and right, and spun around once to see how it looked from behind. She rather liked what she saw.
Immediately, though, her mind went back to the last time she had gotten a dress similar to this, and all the things that had happened afterwards. But...that was in the past now. She very much doubted they would see a repeat of that night in Ul'dah here in Sharlayan.
Nevertheless, even her otherwise untrained eye could see a few spots where the dress wasn't fitting exactly right, meaning she was next on the proverbial chopping block of fashion. After all, fashion was an art, and to create art one must suffer. She grimaced at the thought.
...Maybe I can still somehow get myself killed?
She shook her head, dismissing the idea on grounds of Y'shtola most likely finding a way to hunt her down and make her pay for having to go through this torture alone. So with a final look into the mirror, she left the room and made her way to the main hall, all the while listening to the click-clacking of her heels. As she stepped inside, her eyes immediately fell upon the other Miqo'te, standing in the center of the room while two of Tataru's new Hannish employees were working on her dress. And to her credit, Y'shtola looked surprisingly calm.
"Ah, S'eni. Come in, come in. You look stunning!" Tataru said, beaming with no small amount of pride as she looked her over once. The look in her friend's eyes quickly turned critical, though, and she briefly circled her. "No, that won't do. Varsarudh."
"Yes, Mistress Tartaru," the Au Ra woman in question said, appearing practically out of nowhere and whisking S'eni off to stand next to Y'shtola, before pulling out a few needles from under her poncho and getting to work.
S'eni just released a sigh of resignation and glanced at Y'shtola, sending her a little smile despite it all. "Well, hello there."
"Hello. And here I thought you would try to wriggle yourself out of this," Y'shtola said back.
"Let's just say I realized the futility of it and resigned myself to my fate. At least the company is good."
Her lover's lips quirked upward and she took a moment to check out Y'shtola's dress. It was black, but that was certainly no surprise, and also quite long, reaching nearly the ground. Like hers, it had a slit along the right leg, but slightly more conservative. The worked-in bodice accentuated all the right curves and the modest cut in the top offered just the right amount of cleavage.
Gods, she looked stunning.
Y'shtola, of course, didn't fail to notice her staring, and asked, "Do you see something you like?"
"Oh, certainly," she revealed quite freely, a small grin dancing across her lips.
A white eyebrow rose ever so slightly and a twinkle entered pale eyes as they checked her out as well. Feeling a little playful, S'eni shifted a little to offer the other Miqo'te an eyeful of leg...only to immediately regret it when that caused a needle to poke her in the side. She bit her tongue, barely able to contain a yelp, and moved back, shooting Y'shtola a small glare at the giggle sent her way.
She shook her head, silently lamenting that Tataru otherwise had their measurements down and that most of the outfits she made for them fit like a glove, but she supposed dresses like these were just a different beast entirely.
This is going to be a long day... she thought when Lyse finally arrived to join them, looking equally as eager as they did.
Soft music filled the air, accompanied by a multitude of voices that were kept just low enough to not fully drown out the melody. Members of the Forum, highly regarded scholars, professors, and other people who belonged to the who's who of Sharlayan were all gathered here in the Leveilleurs garden, enjoying the evening with their peers. S'eni quietly watched them from the table she was sitting at, face resting on the palm of her hand. She breathed out a tiny sigh, poking the rest of her dinner with the fork held in her other hand.
It was delicious, same as the wine. But no matter how good the food or drink was, it did little to quell the feeling of being quite out of place. She supposed being surrounded by scholars did that to someone, more so even than being surrounded by a bunch of nobles. Those at least talked about topics she didn't need to have spent years upon years of studying to fully grasp. Or she was just rather bad at mingling in situations like these, which can honestly never be understated.
The others had very little trouble with it. Even Y'shtola whose ties with Master Matoya made her not exactly a favourite amongst some of the people here, was currently engaged in conversation with Master Montichaigne and Y'mhitra. She watched her lover for a brief moment, before shifting her gaze back down to her empty glass.
Might as well get me another one, she thought and began to rise to her feet, when someone approaching her table made her pause midway. Looking up, she found herself smiling when she saw a certain former count standing there. "Edmont," she greeted him. "Did you need anything?"
"On the contrary. I could not help but notice that you were sitting here all alone, so I thought I might offer you some company," he replied. "Unless, of course, you have other plans now."
"Oh, not at all." She shook her head and grabbed her glass. "Just wanted to get another one. Feel free to join me if you like."
"I would very much like that."
After each getting a new glass of wine, the two found themselves a quiet little corner and S'eni resumed watching the crowd, taking a small sip. "You are going to leave tomorrow?" she asked after a few moments.
"Indeed. While I am no longer duty-bound, and Artoirel has outdone himself as my successor, I believe it is time I return to Ishgard, now that you have sufficiently recovered," he replied.
Not surprising, really. After she had regained the ability to walk, Yugiri was the first to leave, feeling compelled to resume her duty at Hien's side. Her sisters, too, had left only a couple of days ago, and while she knew that S'neena was having a hard time of it, she also missed her daughter dearly. So with a heavy heart, and a promise to soon see each other again, they had said their goodbyes. To be honest, she was actually more surprised that Edmont hadn't left earlier as well, though whatever reasons he had to stay up until now, she was glad he did.
"You know. Standing here, I cannot help but find myself reminded of the soirée I held for you and your fellows." Edmont raised the glass to his lips. "You appeared quite a bit lost that evening, too."
She sighed. "I guess events like these are just not for me even after all this time. I like celebrating just fine but..."
"Not when it is so formal?" he offered.
"Yeah. It's not like I don't enjoy the dressing up for it part, though that comes with its own problems..." She grimaced briefly and washed it down with another, more heartier, sip.
Edmont nodded understandingly. "Nevertheless, I am glad you managed to still find enjoyment that evening."
"Thanks to your son..." they both smiled bittersweetly. The two of them then fell silent, each of them momentarily lost in the memories of Haurchefant. She would need to go visit his grave as soon as she was able to. He deserved to know about their battle as well.
Suddenly, her ears perked up and she was drawn out of her thoughts by the change of music. Looking around, she took notice of people making space so that others could dance. Seemed like even the nation of scholars was no stranger to fancy footwork, though she wouldn't be surprised if they thoroughly studied even the smallest step a thousand times.
A hand was then offered to her, and she turned her head to see Edmont smile. "May I have this dance?"
It was at this very moment that there was absolutely no doubt anymore that he was indeed Haurchefant's father. She chuckled and drained the rest of her wine. "Sure, why not?"
Putting their glasses away, they moved onto the dance floor, offered one another a formal bow, and began to dance. It was slow and elegant, not exactly her forte, but the former count was more than well-versed enough to lead her through the motions. Always keeping a respectful distance, almost like a father would while dancing with his daughter. The thought made her smile.
She really hadn't thought it possible, but somehow Edmont had become something of a father figure for her, replacing the void that had been left behind by the death of her real one. It was just one more thing that she would forever be glad for. Haurchefant had not only taken her in when she needed it most, he had invited her into his home, and thus, made her a part of his family.
Family... she thought as she slowly twirled. Hers certainly had grown far beyond those from her home village. All these lives that had become part of her world, embedded themselves into her heart in ways she hadn't even thought possible when she had left all those years ago. Yet here she was.
And she couldn't be happier.
As the song came to an end, so too did their dance, and they both bowed to each other. He smiled warmly. "Thank you, S'eni, for indulging an old man."
"You are pretty spry for an 'old man'," she replied with a giggle. "And I have to thank you, for saving me from boredom."
"May I cut in, then?" a third, more than familiar voice joined the conversation and they both turned towards Y'shtola.
"Of course not," Edmont said, giving another polite bow, before stepping back to offer the other Miqo'te his place. Stepping up, Y'shtola held out her hand just as the next song began and, with a little grin, S'eni didn't hesitate to take it.
They danced for a few long seconds, following the gentle rhythm of the music, before her lover spoke up in a soft whisper, "You know you could have just come over if you were bored."
"No, It's alright," she said with a shake of her head. "You three looked like you were having a fun conversation. I wouldn't want to interrupt that."
Y'shtola frowned at that, prompting her to release a little laugh and lean forward to plant a small kiss on the other Miqo'te's cheek.
"Besides, you're here now. Aren't you?"
Y'shtola huffed, but smiled nevertheless.
The music began to pick up, inviting every dancer to pick up their pace. A hand slipped down to her lower back, pulling her in. With an ever so slightly narrowing of eyes, Y'shtola leaned forward, her voice teasingly warm against her skin. "I wouldn't want you to run away this time."
"Can you really blame me?" S'eni asked. "I had just realized my feelings for you."
"Hmm, I suppose not."
"Here—" she stepped forth, bringing them closer yet. Now it was her turn to lower her voice. "—let me make it up to you."
Y'shtola did not reply, choosing to instead bring their foreheads together. Their movements flowed with the music, but it might as well have not been there at all. They were solely focused on the person in front of them, their space on the dance floor becoming their own little world. Little by little, their lips inched closer to one another until they were but a hair's breadth apart, their breaths mingling with the desire to become one...
...and the song ended.
Almost simultaneously, they breathed out their disappointment and stepped back to join everyone else in the applause for the band. S'eni glanced over to her lover, her skin pleasantly flush and lips slightly parted. Their eyes met and she felt a tingle well up from deep within. And she knew that Y'shtola felt it, too.
A low moan escaped her as Y'shtola's hand travelled across her body, free of the dress that was pooling around her feet, and she crashed their lips together in a heated kiss, her own hands very much working on ridding her lover of that pretty, but oh so annoying dress. Fingers danced across the exposed skin of Y'shtola's back, stroking it for a moment, then continuing downward to undo the clasps of the bodice, each one eliciting little sighs. Once undone, she broke the kiss to move her hands to her lover's front, jumping once when the other woman's fingers briefly dipped under the hem of her undergarments, before pulling back out.
"Tease," S'eni exhaled, beginning to undo the front clasp of Y'shtola's dress.
"Can't have you lose focus too soon," Y'shtola replied with a little 'tut tut' motion. With a tiny click, the front clasp came undone and she raised her arms so that S'eni could raise it over her head. As soon as it landed on the ground, she pulled her back in, fingers burying themselves into blonde hair while tongues clashed in a dance of sensual dominance.
Gods, S'eni thought, eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. She had been craving this, to feel Y'shtola against her like this, since waking up, but the state of her body had denied them that. Not anymore.
Faintly, her ears made out the sounds coming from the banquet outside, and it made her wonder if their absence had already been noted. Surely their friends must have picked it up, but had smartly deigned not to search for them. If someone was going to interrupt then now, she would not be held liable for damage sustained.
She reached up, cupping one of her lover's breasts, giving it a squeeze and eliciting a beautiful sound from Y'shtola. A gasp then escaped her, forcing her to break the kiss when soft fingers slid between her legs and started caressing her growing heat through the fabric covering it. Throwing her head back, she moved her hips to get more of this sensation, but only grew more frustrated by the second.
With a mixture of a groan and deep-seated growl, S'eni pushed Y'shtola onto the bed behind her, leaving her sprawled upon soft bed sheets. Light shone in from the outside, draping her in a pale glow, like translucent silk that clung to her rising and falling chest. Silvery-white eyes traveled up S'eni's body, deliberately taking their time until they at last locked onto hers and silently commanded her to take the rest off.
She was more than happy to provide, slipping off the far too constraining piece of underwear and tossing it somewhere she didn't truly care about right now. Like a predator after its prey, she climbed on the bed, crawling after Y'shtola as she playfully backed away towards the pillows. S'eni swiftly 'caught' her by an ankle and let her fingers wander up Y'shtola's leg in gentle strokes until she reached that which she thought. When the other Miqo'te finally laid bare in front of her, she took a moment to drink in the sight. She would never get tired of seeing her like this.
"Shtola..." she breathed out, lowering herself to bring their lips together in a kiss, lasting a few long seconds before breaking it again and moving down. The crook of her neck, her beautiful breasts and taut nipples, her pretty little belly button, she took her time with each, all the while listening to every sound Y'shtola produced and sighs that accompanied her name in ways that stoked the fires of desire even more. At long last, though, she reached her prize, greeting her in all its glistening warm glory, and she leaned in.
Y'shtola's taste and scent were enough to drive her crazy, like a man dying of thirst in a vast desert finally finding an oasis. And she intended to have her fill. Fingers found her hair once more, pressing her closer while moans began filling the air, encouraging her. She, too, began to moan, reaching down between her own legs to pleasure herself; to alleviate the tension she was feeling. But it wasn't enough.
She needed to feel Y'shtola on her, too.
With a disappointed groan from Y'shtola, she wrestled free and pushed herself up. Her lover's eyes cracked open, a questioning look inside them, but instead of answering that silent question with words, S'eni simply climbed on top of her and turned around, offering her sex to Y'shtola while still retaining access to her own prize. An almost relieved moan passed her lips at the feeling of the tongue brushing against her, gently but firmly stroking every nerve and sending sparks of pleasure up her spine. She reveled in the feeling for a few moments, every gasp and exhale a word of encouragement, before resuming seeing to Y'shtola's needs.
As they gave and received in equal measure, their moans mingled in a loving duet that accompanied every little shake and shiver of delight. With each passing moment, her mind grew foggy, leaving only the singular desire to reach her climax together with the woman she loved most. Little by little, step by step, they climbed that mountain of ecstasy.
They had nearly reached their peak, when S'eni pulled away once more, getting off Y'shtola to lie down at her side. Their lips immediately came together in a searing kiss, tongues wrestling with one another as eager fingers slipped between glistening folds, driving them further and further towards release. Just a little more...just a little more...just a—
S'eni stiffened, crying out into their kiss as the orgasm raked her body, setting her mind alight with waves upon waves of pleasure. Y'shtola swiftly followed her over the edge and they both clung to one another, their hips convulsing at the sheer force of their release and desire to prolong it as much as possible. After a few blissful moments, they slumped against each other in a gasping, sweating ball of happiness, sharing a few affectionate pecks before separating just long enough to get in a more comfortable position.
Silence returned to the room as they simply lay there, gently caressing one another with their fingertips. With a content little sigh through her nose, she looked out of the window and towards the moonlit sky. She let her mind wander, going in all directions. Past, present, and, most importantly, the future. It must have shown on her face, because she soon felt soft fingers come to rest under her chin and guide her face towards Y'shtola, who was resting her on her shoulder.
"Gil for your thoughts?"
She chuckled at that. "Just thinking about what's going to happen next. I mean, I haven't forgotten our plans. I still plan to help you in any way I can. After all, I'm your ever-dependable assistant."
This time it was Y'shtola's turn to chuckle, and she lowered her hand to drape her arm lightly around S'eni. "I'm glad to hear that. But before that, I believe we have something else planned."
"Hm?" she looked at the other Miqo'te questioningly.
"I believe we also wanted to take a little time for ourselves." Y'shtola smiled.
"Ah, yeah, I suppose we did," S'eni said. "I just figured—"
"That I'd want to rush off to hole myself up in the next library?"
"Very much so." They both shared a little laugh.
"I won't lie, if the situation was different, I would probably be compiling my notes at this point and planning out which tomes to acquire," Y'shtola admitted. "But...after all that happened, nearly losing you, seeing you unconscious for three moons, I wish to treasure some time of peace with you before throwing myself into my research."
"Shtola..." her eyes locked onto those of her lover and, with a loving smile, leaned over to share a brief kiss with her. "I want that, too."
"Now then, I had actually something related to all this that I wanted to ask you, but I believe I shall wait until tomorrow for that. After all—" Y'shtola began to plant tiny kisses from S'eni's shoulder to her neck. "—the night is still young."
"Ah, I see," she said in response, enjoying the sensation, then moved to straddle the other Miqo'te. Her eyes narrowed playfully as she placed a finger underneath Y'shtola's chin. "And what, pray tell, do you propose we do the rest of this fine evening?"
"I have a few things in mind. Here, let me show you," Y'shtola replied, reaching out her hands to cup both of S'eni's breasts. Closing her eyes at the feeling of her lover's hands, she threw her head back and made her appreciation known.
Yes, this was a nice way to spend the night, indeed.
Nice.