Sing like you think no one's listening,
You would kill for this,
Just a little bit,
Just a little bit,
You would, you would...
-Straylight Run, "Existentialism on Prom Night"

It was last the next day, close to sunset, that they had arrived.

Horses made the journey considerably easier and faster, stopping only every so many hours to give them a chance to stretch out their legs from being in the saddle as well as rest the horses. The rations that had come with their likely ill-gotten gains had been broken out at midday, consumed with little discussion. Consisting of a strip of something that had been made into jerky and a piece of bread she was pretty sure could be used as an improvised weapon and seriously hurt, the dried piece of fruit; a peach she was happy enough to discover, made for a bland fare.

But everything couldn't be lounging about while others carried you on a litter, waving great, large fans at you while you ate strawberries and cream. She nearly laughed, instead busying herself to return her gear to the back of the horse. It was, by and large, safer to do that than it was to answer the questions of why was she laughing over something so boring and trivial as trail rations.

With no one ready to leave yet, to resume on with their journey towards this unknown destination that the others knew, just not her, she drew from her pack the wrapped short sword and its scabbard, carrying it back with her as she stood before the Priestess.

"Come on, if we have time to sit around you have time to learn how to not stab yourself in the foot."

Of course that was an adventure all within itself. The Priestess was a prideful woman, a stubborn one as well. She reminded her a bit of herself in some lights, not bothering to hide the playful, yet thin smile that danced across her features to be banished away. With some interest, though they hid it well, Phobos and Deimos pulled away from watching their surroundings to ensure no one was approaching, instead drawing to the instruction she gave.

It was the easy things first, how to hold the short sword for starters. It wasn't an axe or some butcher's knife that you had to hack and slash with. Nor was it a rapier but she seriously doubted the Priestess would be one for using an epee in the first place. Instead, with numerous touches because how else were you to explain to someone how to hold something like a short sword within their grasp? she explained how the weapon would move quickly enough, almost flowing in a fashion with just the right grip.

That was the first lesson. Just how to hold the sword. At their next break it moved to how to draw the sword from its scabbard, explaining the benefits of a cross draw and how, with examples, the fact she was left handed gave her both the advantage and the disadvantage when fighting. By the time that break was over, she was mostly confident that if she wasn't pressed in the least, if she was standing perfectly still, the Priestess could draw her short sword and not outright stab or slice herself with it.

Progress. She'd take it however she could. It wasn't that she had doubts in her own skills, much less her oath, but she had a feeling. A sensation that she learned long enough ago to not to ignore and at the very least, acknowledge it. She could have merely said it was training; she'd become part of the Princess' guard soon enough, and combat was to be expected. Something however told her that the other needed to learn. The Priestess had to be more than just decent or alright with a blade, she didn't have to be a master but she had to be good enough.

But was combat to be expected though? If there was so much peace, then why did she need to be plucked from her life, her surroundings and the things she knew to live on some foreign planetary body; alright she got the Moon wasn't a planet but for sake of argument she let it slide. But to live on foreign ground, far more foreign than one was used to. Surrounded by strangers, strange customs, strange cultures, all to protect someone.

All to protect someone and to ultimately die for them.

The thought was sobering. She gave her oath, and she'd see it through to the end. It was something though that hung in the back of her mind, a whisper of doubt that she thought had been banished but had failed to time and again. For the most part it lurked, a silent spectre that was neutral in all things unless the circumstances were right. Like if she had too much time in the Princess' presence, or if she was a long enough space flight away from home.

What was home anymore? She used to think it was Venus, but when was the last time she had been there? It wasn't unheard of for the Lunarian army to take furloughs and return to their homes, but they were natives. They didn't have too far to go. For the rest of them, it would mean so much more, so much longer spent just by the sheer requirement of travel time. A week break would mean at the least three days spent in travel, depending on the transport taken. Justifying the need for a Mecurian speeder was beyond even her skill, though she had tried a few times especially when faced with travel to Jupiter.

The thoughts didn't go away once they returned to the saddle, the Priestess sitting behind her. She kept her grip by way of her sword belt, though a few times she had no choice but to throw her arms around her waist. Always with a mutter under her breath; mostly in Martian but a few choice words had managed to escape in the more common tongue that she understood well enough. It was worth a grin, a reprieve from the thoughts about duty and sacrifices.

It was how they arrived at the town, a monastery of sorts built into one of Olympus Mons' numerous little mountain ranges that flowed from the jutting peak that dominated the planet. Maybe they weren't mountains but hills; fuck if she knew. Martians seemed to have an opposite view to most things that she did. To her they looked that way and thus was how she viewed them. The monastery was built into the side of one, almost a fortress but with the recent activity of these warlords, it probably helped out considerably to have such.

This was a lot busier town than what the other one had been. By proxy then, her traveling party probably thought this was a city if they thought the last was a town. The people here seemed to know them, for they made no move to take on their humbled appearance. Nor had the Priestess drawn her robe's hood back up over her features. It was only to keep the sun out of her gaze that her own was over her head; her head felt like it was throbbing still from the mace more often than not. She had managed to ignore it for the most part but suspected if it wasn't the heat taking its toll, it was the lack of a decent meal and an even better place to sleep.

It was far too much the fact that pride was keeping her going. Martians appeared to never show weakness, at least not any that she had seen yet. It wouldn't do to just give in, despite how wonderful it felt. The townspeople around them paid them little mind, though a few seemed to be expecting them regardless. Reining in to a stop in front, acolytes in robes similar she noted to what the Priestess wore silently approached, collecting the horse's reins to hold still as they each slipped from the saddle.

Another, their robe just a little bit different that the others in coloring and markings, engaged the Priestess in conversation while the acolytes lead the horses off to be cared for. A few lingered about, holding their gear for them, but while she didn't understand the conversation she could guess at it. Likely it dealt with logistics, where they would be staying, accommodations and meals. Maybe even some of the amenities like a bath. Fuck she would kill for one, but she'd also kill for her head to stop pounding all the same.

She forced her mind off of it, taking in the rest. Subconsciously she compared it to what she knew, of the Jovians, the Mecurians, even her own people. Superseding it all to the Moon, the way that Lunar architecture ran. In some twisted way it seemed like it could work, or at least it was fitting. The monastery looked well fortified yet open at the same time. She noted no outward defensive signs, the obvious signs of it withstanding siege warfare but the little windows cut into the outer walls told her archers could hide there. While there was no moat, her eyes followed to see how the walls flowed seamlessly into the mountain's face, denying the ability to use ladders or ropes and climb their way up and over the walls.

There was more, all she had to do was merely look but they were being led inside, separated and paired off with one of the novices to take them to unknown but hopefully favorable destinations. She paused though, not yet moving, her gaze boring into the Priestess' form. This was the perfect opportunity, if so desired, that she could be split up and removed from the picture. It wouldn't take much and the thought did not settle well with her at all. Phobos and Deimos had already been led off, the hold up sensed the Priestess turned, meeting her gaze silently before she softly conversed with the other that was so differently dressed.

The figure turned, bowing to her which surprised her but not enough for much of the shock to register on her face. A soft voice followed; male but fuck she couldn't guess by the robes, to her assigned acolyte before the man spoke to her, relaying that he understood her oath and her position, but that nothing would happen to the Priestess. The tone conveyed that the temple itself knew how important the Priestess was; intriguing that, and that they would prevent any misfortune from occurring. All could be gleaned from the tone of voice and the growing blush of color on the Priestess's cheeks.

Accepting that she bowed politely, following after the younger novice that she guessed was just as relieved that an incident had been diverted. The interior was nothing special, rather drab and plain if she had to so describe it. Unadorned it was a far cry from the Temples on Venus, which held colorful mosaics of things pleasing to the Goddess. Most could be viewed as though they were acted out scenes from a book of sex, still others were of waterfalls and the beauty of nature, while the rest could just be vibrant colors. This was such a far cry, seemingly lifeless in comparison on the surface.

It took her a bit of time to notice though there was a hidden beauty existing within just the construction. The lines of mortar work and brick; a brush of her fingers along the wall had her guessing it was granite or something that came easily from the surrounding rocks, were artistically aligned. She paused at one, causing her guide to instantly stop in their tracks and wait patiently for her. Fingertips brushed, following a few lines before she suddenly took a step back, nearly to the opposing wall of the hallway they had been walking along. The bigger picture sprung to life, "A phoenix…" she murmured softly in awe.

It seemed to get the guide on her side, nodding as she spoke; a girl she should have guessed but again the robes were not exactly flattering. "It takes many of our visitors days to discover that."

She knew the legends; there were few that did not even if the story originated on Martian soil. The bird of fire was beautiful to behold, majestic and primal. Often associated with royalty, the bird was a living symbol of death and rebirth, living to numerous years before it was consumed by the very fire that surrounded it. Only to rise from the ashes, giving the sensation of hope. A thin smile played on her lips, her instructors would be proud she remembered so much but thoughts for another time.

Her room she was shown to was equally as plain, not a single window but really what would one face, the mountain it was carved from? The light source she was still trying to puzzle out, given that she had yet to see a single candle much less a lantern. It was unnerving but she took it as much in stride as she could, given the circumstances.

It was easy to ignore too, given that her eyes beheld a bath. Thank the Goddess, she offered up countless prayers to her patron just for the sight of it. Outright ignoring the rest of the furnishings; fuck it could be bare and spartan for all she cared at the moment, the acolyte merely chuckled softly, closing the door behind her on the way out after leaving her belongings on the chair, leaving her to her devices.

Hearing the door close she released a more vocalized prayer to the Goddess, thanking her for the boon. She latched the door behind her; not that she gave a fuck about modesty but she didn't want to be interrupted. Off came her cloak, hung from a peg by the door. Fingers pulled at lacings and straps, removing her breast- and backplate to her armor, feeling like a weight was coming off of her just for that alone. Against the chair she balanced it, her own dance continuing with each removal of clothing until she was nude.

A long stretch followed; fuck that felt amazing, her eyes closing to bask in the simple feeling of what it was like to be freed of constraints, then to the bath she went. Drawing one she went through her rituals, visiting her pack to pull out a number of items to aid in her cleanliness. Her hair she washed first, while a soak would have felt wonderful first there was an order to it all. Cleaned and brushed with first a comb of mahogany, she followed it with the soft bristled brush of silver, winding it up to slide four of the thin bone rods through the mass of blonde to keep it up and out of her face.

From there it was the bath itself, sinking into it with a moan that echoed off the walls. It was just large enough to allow her to stretch out, the water line almost high enough to cover her shoulders. Arms hung off the sides, fingertips brushing the floor as she stared up at the ceiling. Goddess how she missed this, the feeling of a slow and gentle heat that could infuse her body with warmth. For some time it was all she did, soaking after scrubbing her skin clean, drawing her arms back in the water just to enjoy it for what it was.

The heat lulled her to drowsiness, her mind slipping off as her gaze closed. Goddess when was the last time she could do this? Just soak in a tub without interruption. There was that one time… the last time she had managed a bath without any schedules she had to follow much less places she had to be… fuck she had been so close then…

It wasn't like she'd stop herself anyway. Her fingertips trailed through the water along her stomach, trimmed nails raking lightly and slowly. It felt like ages, it wasn't like she had a lover waiting for her on the Moon; the thought wanted to make her laugh about some stuffy Lunarian pleasing her. Too much of her time was spent in meetings, or training, or surrounded by people that solitude was savoured for what it offered.

Around her breast her fingertips lazed, a soft sigh of pleasure falling from her lips as she leaned further back in the space the tub offered for her to take advantage of. Borderline aroused as it were it didn't take much for her fingers to brush against her perked nipples, feeling her breath increase. Fuck yes… her mind ignored the room, the fact she was on Mars, transitioning her to her quarters in the palace. The steam of the bath played havoc with her senses anyway, a sudden pinch of her nipple by way of her fingers released the resounding moan.

She appreciated both the sense of worship that came with sex just as much as she longed for a possessive and fierce lover. Control issues aside, there was something so very arousing about a dominate lover, one that would not allow her to think, that would take the choices out of her hands and off of her mind. Goddess knew she had countless of them to make, so very many things to know, to do… she just wanted someone that would take at least one aspect of her life into their own capable hands and allow her to forget what it was like to be in charge.

She had two hands for so very many reasons, while one teased her breasts the other brushed along her thigh. Nails followed in the wake of her fingers, her mind envisioning her phantom lover. For some time now, at least those times that she could have moments like these to herself she had taken to dreaming someone up, more so after it was so painfully obvious she wouldn't be able to have someone while fulfilling her duties. Her phantom lover was female; having engaged the acts with both she found the company of women far more enjoyable. Of course she couldn't describe her but she didn't need to anyway.

Her mind drifted with her hands, leaving her thigh to flitter to her hip, along her navel then to her pelvis. Almost perfectly her palm rested on her body, fingers trailing along her nether lips while her tongue peeked out, not yet claimed by clamping teeth. Nails flicked, turning her breath that was already panting to start becoming colored by further moans and gasps. Fuck she would kill for another right now; self pleasuring wasn't taboo in her upbringing much less life, but there was so much more to be said for another to reside in this moment with her.

Longing was not something she liked to feel but it infused her very soul, a single finger wasted no time to slip within herself with a thready moan. Fuck she needed this, she needed this badly. She needed the release, the ability to let go. Her heartbeat pounded out the rhythm she was a slave to, her fingers following suit dutifully at her breast and between her thighs. Against the tub's surface her toes curled, only to splay wide and press against the confines as though some part of her desired to remain grounded while the rest wanted freedom.

The single finger was joined by another, too far gone to give a damn the nature of her vocalizations of pleasure. Within her they pumped, knowing how to alternate their tempo to bring her the most sensation possible, curling just right as her thumb found just right where to press. Goddess! her mind called out, teetering on the edge between frustration and the overload of sensory saturation, each movement driving her quicker towards the spectrum she desired.

There was a knock at the door.

She didn't hear it, her body about to begin its throes of release, she could feel it, it was so close, her climax was almost within her grasp, almost ready to envelope her and take her away from the conscious world for at least a few moments.

The knock at the door continued, a bit of a pound.

FUCK YOU! She wanted to scream, awareness came crashing down on her, flooding her senses that had been of pleasure now with frustration. Gritting her teeth she poured herself into her moment, needing her orgasm before she moved to that point where she couldn't, where she would be far too frustrated to achieve that perfection.

The knock continued.

The moment was lost. Tightly she squeezed her eyes shut, counting from one to ten, then ten to one, in Venusian, then Lunarian, then in the splattering of other languages she knew.

The knock was punctuated with a growl from the other side.

Fuck.

She shoved her way out of the tub with a glower. Goddess above, was she just destined to be interrupted every time she had a chance to feel something that was beyond duty? The last time, in her quarters, it had been by the Princess of all people, concerned that her moans were actually cries of pain and what was going on and was she ok, was there someone else in the bath tub with her? Was she being attacked? Should she call for the guard? Fuck the Princess was naive…

Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it around her body as best as it was going to get, padding to the door on wet feet and a wet body that continued to drip where the towel did not absorb. Unlatching the door she nearly pulled it off its hinges, refraining somehow with dignity to open it. Her eyes blazed, irate did not begin to cut it for interruptions.

The Priestess stood on the other side, a covered tray being balanced in one hand, the other had been at the door.

Her eyes, the color of the night sky, of sunset beyond reds and yellows, the transition to blues and purples and violets widened.

The towel covered her, clutched at her side by one hand, but only so much. It was not completely closed, nor was it very large, revealing long legs that could go on to next week, the nature of her hip, part of her toned stomach, up her ribs, the outer swell of her breast. It fell to mid thigh, resting just over her breasts but not enough to completely deny the nature of her cleavage. Certainly not when wisps of hair trailed from where she had it pinned up, drawing attention to her neck, her collarbones, the slope of her shoulder.

She blinked. Oh fuck… It was the only thing she could think of and therefore the only thing that came to mind as she watched the Priestess visibly inspect her. The frustration of the ruined moment was gone, a snarky sense of play replacing some of it. Her lips moved towards a smile that would not take much for it to be pushed over towards seduction. A step back was taken, the universal sign of 'please, come in' with her movements.

A blush infused to the Priestess' flesh, the tray held out before her like it was a shield, a protective measure and armor to give her strength to step into this den of. Of. Of really who gave a fuck what it was. She did step in, much to her amusement, amazement, and silent wish.

"I. I brought something to eat. I didn't realize you were busy. I. Uhm."

Goddess help her, she was everything when she was stumbling and looking shy.

"We uhm. I. Erm." The Priestess suddenly stopped, taking a deep breath before carrying the tray over to the desk that apparently was in the room. It seemed to calm her, for the next words came out almost normal. "I brought us something to eat, I spoke to the Head Priest and it concerns what we're going to do, since you are my bodyguard."

Her lips curled with their smirk. Her mind craved this, this take charge attitude. This directive. Some part of her thoughts transitioned her phantom lover to superimpose the image of the Priestess to its otherwise featureless body. Was it wrong of her to desire her in such a fashion? She'd answer that later, merely moving to rifle through her pack to find clean clothes and change behind a screen, aware that she wore the eyes of the other no matter what the screen had to offer.

A/N: Sometimes I get inspired by amazing things. Oh hey, so I'd like to co-author a Reinako fic out there, if anyone is wanting to write one.