A Cleric's Anxiety
Archetto was used to early rises. Her father often woke her up before sunrise during fall and winter, when teaching her how to use a bow and hunt, especially when they were out in the mountains for weeks on end. Her mother would sometimes get her out of her bed before her alarm could ring too, to help out with the store usually. It's thanks to them that it took Archetto no time at all to acclimate to Landen's rather strict morning hustle and bustle, the monastery's bells ringing early and loud to wake everyone up. Except for that one bishop who had his room soundproofed, but she didn't really want to think about that. Not to say that Archetto never woke up late, but that usually only happened when she meant it to, which is to say when she spent the night up to have fun and could afford to sleep in, to some degree at least. As for those times when she had to stay up late for one reason or another and still needed to wake up early the following day, she still managed to leave her bed on time, her breakfast just happened to include more coffee than usual on such occasions.
In short, Archetto had a rather admirable control over her own sleep schedule.
And probably because of that, the tune which suddenly filled her dorm room completely blindsided her. The cleric's eyes shot wide open, her body turning around on nothing other than muscle memory so that her arm could reach the alarm ringing next to her bed. Her hand came down on the snooze button, but the sound didn't stop. So she pushed down again, and then once more. While not really awake yet, Archetto still managed to realize that something wasn't quite right and got up on her knees, pushing the blankets off herself and rubbing her eyes as she scanned her surroundings. Her room had no windows, since it didn't share any wall with the outher layer of the landship, but the dim nightlight would've been more than sufficient for her to spot her terminal even if its screen hadn't been glowing. She took a look at her alarm and, once her still drowsy mind realized what time it was and that the ringtone filling the room was not the one for emergencies, she turned it off without even looking at who might've been on the other side of the call to go back to sleep.
She only managed to savor the warm, comfortable embrace of her bed for twenty seconds or so before an entirely different and yet annoyingly analogous noise filled her room again. The sound of someone knocking on her door, quite vigorously at that. Not enough to describe it as a banging, but decidedly enough to keep her up for as long as it continued. And so, with all the patience typical of those interrupted in the middle of their well earned rest, the cleric got up on her feet and dragged herself to the door, not too mindful of what she was wearing as she wasn't planning on letting anyone take anything more than a peek inside, much less let them in. Granted, had she been a little less drowsy she'd have asked who was on the other side before opening the door to any degree in her nightgown, but alas. Or maybe she just wanted to tell them off for dropping by at such an hour, that was also a possibility. Either way, Archetto grabbed the handle with the intention to open the door a little bit, just enough to see who it was.
The moment she did so, however, someone dashed in. Still more asleep than awake, Archetto managed to catch a glimpse of long, blue hair before a pair of exceptionally firm hands grabbed her wrists, pinning her arms behind her back and lifting her, her mind barely registering the noise of her door being kicked closed as a leg slid between hers to hold her up and a familiar, warm -bordering on literally hot- body pulled her in and pushed itself against her at the same time, lips she was decidedly accustomed to crashing down on hers as a tongue made its way into her mouth, a scent not at all new reaching her nose. More out of instinct than anything else, the cleric tried to move her hands to push the person away, if only to get enough room to breathe, but the grasp on her arms didn't budge in the slightest and, with her entire body held up enough for her feet to not even touch the ground, the cleric found herself melting into that passionate, perhaps a little overly forceful kiss. The liberi was nearly left panting by the time their lips parted, a little bit of saliva both hers and not on her chin.
"Hey, Arche" Blaze only then greeted, making enough room between their faces to speak without actually letting go of her "Nice to see you again"
As always, the feline's slightly possessive behaviour in private sent all kind of fuzzy shivers through Archetto's spine. Her tail waved a fair bit behind her, something the cleric no longer saw any point in trying to hide. No, what she did instead was take a good look at Blaze. She was quite sweaty, which explained both why her scent seemed stronger than usual and why she had felt, well, a bit wet to the touch. She also looked a little dirty, her clothes messy and her hair all disheveled. More than usual. And there was a rather fresh looking bandaging poking out from underneath her tank top and jacket. Really, there were a lot of things which crossed Archetto's mind in those couple of seconds she spent staring at Blaze, but in the end only one managed to make it out of her mouth.
"Blaze, for heaven's sake, it's three in the morning"
"Yeah, sorry I'm late" she replied with a wide grin, the kind Pozëmka loved to get annoyed at "Welcome back. How was the trip?" she added as she finally put her down.
"... a couple of events nearly gave me an heart attack, to be honest" Archetto answered as she stepped back, inviting Blaze to take a seat.
"Sorry, can't stay" the feline declined "I've just got a couple of minutes before leaving"
Archetto's brain, which was nearing its fully operational state, remembered what Pozëmka had told her around three days ago.
"I thought you wouldn't come back before next week. Did something happen?" she inquired, making sure to not let her gaze wander to the feline's bandages.
Blaze, on her part, shot her one of her smiles and beated her own chest a couple of times as if she knew exactly what Archetto had just avoided doing.
"A little mess happened, but nothing serious. I returned early but I've gotta leave in an hour again, just the time to drop by and say hi. Oh, right!"
"... wait hol-!"
Not putting up any real resistance, Archetto found herself swept off the floor again, Blaze claiming her lips once more but in a rather theatrical way which was a little uncharacteristic of her, leaning down and accompanying the cleric into what sort of resembled a casqué.
"Say Arche, wanna marry me?"
"W-wha-?!"
Her face turning bright red, Archetto's thoughts went completely blank for a couple of moments while her tail decided it would rot and fall off if it were to stay still for more than a fifth of a second.
"So?"
"D-does this look like the way to- "
"Come on, Arche" she interrupted her, speaking right into her ear, her body heat alone nearly enough to make the cleric start sweating "This isn't sudden at all, no?"
"Well, I, no I mean, we, you... b-by the heavens, Blaze... o-of course I want to... "
"I knew it!" the feline shouted, pulling her back up on her feet "I'm not really one for big ceremonies but I'm sure we can get something done if you want! Oh, did you ask Pozy and Pallas yet? I wanted to start with you since, you know, you just came back and all, but I really don't have the time to drop by and chat with them before leaving again right now"
Archetto took a long, deep breath. Blaze was right, it's not like that proposal had come out of nowhere. Far from it. Just... no, thinking about it, she really should've also expected the feline to ask her like that. Well, it's not like Archetto hated that side of her after all. Quite the opposite, if anything.
"Pozëmka accepted" she answered, trying to not blush too much at the memory of how exactly that proposal had gone down and thankful that Blaze's time constraint would spare her from having to tell her about that so suddenly "As for Pallas... she went out for a few days to help look after the kids on their city vacation right around when I came back, so I haven't had the chance to talk with her yet"
"That so? I passed by the bar on my way here, the one on the fourth deck, and I could swear she was there. I guess they returned earlier than planned?"
Archetto's ears shivered.
"I've really got to go now though. Don't worry" Blaze added, running an arm around the cleric and placing her other hand on her hip, applying just enough force to it to make the cleric hopelessly aware of their closeness "We'll party properly as soon as I'm back again"
... breath, Hildegard, breath. In and out, in and out, like that, yes.
"About that" she replied, escaping the feline's lovely grasp to fetch something from a drawer "I had a copy of these made when I stopped by a repair shop on my way back. For you" she said as she gave Blaze a key, together with a pair of goggles as well since she wasn't actually sure which size to pick for an helmet.
"For your bike?" Blaze asked back, her eyes moving back and forth between Archetto and her gift a couple of times "The racing one?"
"That's the only one I have, yes. You said you liked it, and I don't actually use it all that much when I don't have to travel on my own, so... I thought you might want to take it out for a ride yourself every now and then"
"Arche!"
"Woah?!"
Blaze pulled her in for a perhaps ever so slightly too enthusiast hug, spinning in circles half a dozen times before putting her back down and utterly messing up her hair by energetically ruffling it with both hands.
"That's so sweet of you, thanks a lot! I'll try it out first chance I get! Say, can two people fit on the seat? Ah!" she added, her eyes falling on the clock "But now I've seriously got to go, sorry! Bye!"
"Take care!" Archetto shouted pretty much in the hallway as the feline dashed away, once again headed towards her duties, a faint tinge of worry in the cleric's words.
As she closed the door again and stared at the clock, however, her thoughts wandered to other places. She was awake already at that point, going back to sleep might just mess up her schedule even more, and Blaze had told her Pallas was back already, so...
The bar on the fourth deck of Rhodes Island could in a certain sense be described as the most famous one of the landship. Not like there were that many to begin with, granted. It wasn't the largest, or the most frequented one, or the one closest to the dormitories. The occasional recreational events were rarely hosted there, the jukebox didn't have a whole lot of songs -not to mention that there was a jukebox and not a stereo to begin with-, neither the food nor the drinks stood out, and the furniture itself was not only perfectly ordinary but also rather sparse, albeith that last point is something that eventually came to be as the bar's fame increased. Whether those characteristics were positive or not would be a rather subjective matter to discuss, but at the end of the day that was the one bar people were most likely to hear about after spending enough time on the landship, and the reason for that was rather simple.
When she wasn't busy with other matters, be them personal or official, Gladiia could usually be found there. A rather rare occurrence in its own right, admittedly. Still, the consul liked to sit in a corner by herself, listening to jazz music, sipping a glass of gin and just generally minding her own business. That in itself would normally be enough to earn the place a certain reputation, and quite a number of people somewhat hesitantly dropped by just for the chance of stealing a glance at her, lured by two entirely different kind of rumors, one of them being the outlandish stories about the huntress' battle prowess, stories so incredible very few of those who hadn't witnessed her in action first-hand truly believed in. By listening to those recollections, most people assumed her to be some kind of towering mass of muscles, which wasn't exactly the case. While definitively taller than nearly every other affiliate of Rhodes Island, Gladiia had a rather slim build after all. Admittedly, that only made her nonetheless imposing presence all the more impressive.
Still, while striking a conversation with Gladiia was not exactly what one would describe as an easy feat, it also wasn't as difficult as most would imagine. Not to say that she liked being approached for small chats by anyone either, granted. In fact, she was currently sitting by herself in silence. The music playing in the background, however, was not the thing filling her ears, for her focus was lying somewhere else. On a rather far table for two, to be more accurate, and all the consul could feel at the sight of the two people there was a light tinge of worry.
Specter, on the other hand, was currently quite amused.
"My, my. And you asked my dear captain if she wanted to model for one of these portraits, right?"
The huntress was currently going through the pages of a somewhat large binder, staring at the handmade drawings kept inside and chuckling softly to herself. With just a glass of water for her on the table, for alcohol of the surface didn't quite fit her tastes.
"That I have, lady Laurentina" Pallas answered as soon as she had finished taking a generous sip from her bottle of wine "Unfortunately, my proposal was refused, with the same swiftness your captains displays on the battlefield might I dare to add"
Picturing Gladiia in a situation like those the priestess apparently liked to draw required quite the effort, but among Specter's many qualities was a good imagination. Still, she couldn't deny that anything other than an immediate rejection would've felt well and truly uncharacteristic of her captain.
"As much as I believe that she needs to relax a fair bit, I can't say I'm surprised. The captain never stroke me as one with interests such as this one, after all. Or rather, she would much prefer to be on the other side of such interactions, if anything"
Still sitting at her table, Gladiia frowned. Specter's smile grew just a little bit wider, even though she wasn't facing her captain.
"Would you perchance be willing to pose for a portrait yourself, lady Laurentina?"
"I also don't share these kind of interests, Pallas" she answered as she kept flipping through the pages, the priestess tilting her head a little in confusion since the huntress was the one who had asked to see her drawings in the first place "However, there are two well and truly hopeless acquaintances of mine I'd be interested to propose this to"
"Is that so? I would be most glad to portray them, then. Together, perhaps? Most of my works are focused on a single subject, but as you've surely observed yourself I have depicted more than one individual at a time as well"
"Oh, no, individual drawings will work just fine for them, I'm sure"
Talking Jordi into it was surely going to be an easy enough task, of that Specter was sure. An easy and amusing one, she could already picture his flusteredness. Irene would definitively require a little more persuasion from her side, but the little birdie had a really hard time really putting her foot down against the huntress when it came to certain silly matters such as that one. Yes, that truly sounded like a fun way to kill some time. Even better if they decided to let Pallas keep the portraits, since she could then send them to the other one as a little surprise gift. Assuming the priestess would play along, that is, but Specter wasn't exactly worried about that either.
"Oh, I remember this song" she then spoke as the music changed to a different, albeith similar track "It's the one that played when I cleared out some space in this bar"
As she said that, Specter turned around to softly wave her hand at Gladiia, who on her part simply took another sip from her glass, somewhat relieved that her subordinate was plotting something entirely harmless for once. By their starndards, at least.
"Forgive me my ignorance, but what do you mean when you say you cleared out some space?"
"That" Specter simply replied as she pointed to the admittedly rather odd empty area right in the middle of the bar "I felt like having a dance with the captain back then, and since there were tables and chairs in the way I merely got rid of them to improvise a little dance floor"
"I truly don't mean to offend you, lady Laurentina, but I believe such behaviour to surely be a source of troubles for the good people in charge of running the bar?"
The huntress turned back around to meet her gaze, a soft, sharp smile on her face.
"Is it? I can't remember receiving any complaint, you know. Besides, the fact that they have left the area clear ever since surely means they're more happy with this state of furnishings as well"
"You bring up a valid point, yes. ... may I ask, then" she added once she saw Specter closing the binder "May I ask you a question or two, lady Laurentina?"
"You indulged my curiosity about this little activity of yours" the huntress replied as she pushed the binder towards Pallas "I'm sure I can indulge you as well, for a while"
"Would you perchance know of any dance meant for a group of four people to perform together?"
"Oh?"
Specter rested her chin on her intertwined fingers, her head bending a little to the side, her smile growing a bit wider.
"Quite the amusing question you have here, Pallas. Yes, I do know of a couple of dances specifically meant for four. But" she added, taking some mild amusement in the soft twitch of the priestess' ears "They're not something an amateur group would be able to pull off, you know. Are these four people good dancers?"
Pallas' head dropped ever so slightly. Blaze could dance, yes, but mostly by improvising the steps on the spot. Archetto... well, Archetto could follow someone's lead. Pozëmka, on the other hand, was a definitively skilled dancer. Not quite as much as Gladiia or Specter themselves, true -though that one was such an high bar that being beneath it really didn't say much- but she still was the best one among the four of them by far. With that said, the writer had some... personal troubles with the act itself, shall we say, which is why Pallas hadn't really brought up that idea with them yet in the first place. As for the priestess herself, all the dances she knew were related to rituals, ceremonies and the like, which weren't exacly fitting for what she was thinking of.
"I'm afraid they, or rather we, are not"
"A shame. Then I believe you'd be better off simply dancing in pairs and switching around your partners on the fly, you know. Assuming you are at least decent, that wouldn't be too difficult"
Pallas' face seemed to light up at the suggestion.
"A most intriguing idea, this one. I truly appreciate your suggestion, lady Laurentina, and your frankness as well"
"Now" the huntress said back as she turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on the large enough emtpy space in the middle of the bar "I have other plans for the later parts of the night but, in the meanwhile, I'm curious to feel how you might dance since you brought the subject up"
"While your request honors me, I'm afraid one with your level of mastery in the art would find my performance well and truly middling at best, if you allow me to return your frankness in kind"
"I'm quite sure I would, had we not had this talk beforehand to temper whatever expectations I might've had. But I'm not looking for an elaborate exchange of pleasantries here, Pallas, I'm just quite in need of ways to kill some time. In fact, I believe the way one can occasionally trip on their own legs and fall to be quite amusing in itself"
The priestess took another sip from her bottle.
"Lady Laurentina, I cannot help but bring up the fact that your words make it appear as if your reason for inviting me to a dance is only so that you can amuse yourself with the no doubt great difference between your abilities and mine"
"Maybe a bit" the huntress replied, her toothy smile growing a little sharper "But it's not like I'll lead you down or trip you up myself. I have, if nothing else, my pride to protect. Doubly so when my dear captain is watching us"
Gladiia held in a sigh.
Pallas, on her part, lowered her gaze for a few moments, deep in thought.
"Is this perchance a challenge of sort then?"
"How nice of you to not call it a duel. But yes, that's one way to see it. Now then" Specter added as she got up and offered her hand to Pallas "Time's flowing and my patience only goes so far. What will it be?"
"... having come this far already, I believe it would be quite a waste to turn down such an invitation, would it n-ah?"
Rather than letting her finish her sentence, Specter simply yanked the priestess off her chair the moment their hands made contact, laughing softly as she equal parts guided and dragged her to the emtpy patch of floor. To tell the truth, pretty much nobody ever actually danced there save for a few exceptions, and that might've been why a few eyes turned their way as soon as Specter swiftly adjusted Pallas' posture.
"Alright, with me now"
"Oh dear"
And Specter's dance surely was one that caught the eye, in its own peculiar way. Arguably even more so when her partner was someone who didn't exactly excel at that particular art, in fact.
"Not quite like this, just follow me. But not like a mirror would, alright? Unless the mirror is broken, that would work quite well"
"That is quite the demand you are making"
Pallas did have a good enough sense of rhythm, but Specter was only partially following the tempo dictated by the music playing the background. The priestess herself had never danced with Gladiia before, and she had only ever seen her dancing once, but she could nonetheless tell just how fundamentally different Specter's way of leading was. If the consul could turn all but the most hopeless of partners into an at least decent dancer through her lead, keeping their posture and steps in check while guiding them through the motions and easing them into the pace, Specter leaned into every of Pallas' flaws and missteps which, while not exactly terrible, were also painfully obvious to anyone decent enough at dancing. The huntress seemed to derive quite the amusement from weaving the priestess' mistakes and hesitations into the performance, and she did so masterfully, turning what would've normally been a by all means middling dance into a sort of finely crafted, delightful mockery of itself, or perhaps a deconstruction of the very act of dancing to a melody, as if Specter was improvising and playing a remix of a music while listening to it for the first time. Had any ordinary person tried that, the two would've looked like a couple of fools at best, but Specter could turn that into a most captivating performance instead.
Pallas felt quite swept up by the huntress' pace, not fast nor overwhelming by any means and yet impossible to resist nonetheless, her steps guiding the priestess' own just as much as they enveloped and followed them, to the point that someone with less self-awareness might've mistaken themselves for a gifted dancer through them. It was a most delightful experience, pleasant and unique in a way Pallas had by no means anticipated, but it was also surprisingly taxing on the mind, or the priestess found it so at least. It quite reminded her of her youth, almost, of the times her older brothers and sisters would indulge her games and play along to her fantasies, although she couldn't quite tell who had whose role as she danced along. The thought gave rise to slightly conflicting feelings within her.
Then the music changed, a new piece beginning to play in its place, and Specter stopped hers and Pallas' steps altogether for a brief moment, an interruption as firm as it was drastic. The priestess barely had the time to process that, and the huntress had already resumed leading her into a different dance. Perhaps because of that, perhaps because the new song was simply a better fit for it, someone started loudly tapping their hands on a table on time with the tune, or somewhat on time at least. Someone else joined in, and not too long after most of the -few- patrons were either clapping or singing along, with a pair of couples even deciding to try and make use of what little space was aviable to dance themselves.
"You sparked quite the enthusiasm, lady Laurentina" Pallas commented, the ease with which the huntress still led her on being charming but also ever so slightly distressing in its own way.
"I prefer my parties to be a little bit more elegant than this, when a dance is involved" she said back as she guided the priestess into a twirl and then another "But this isn't too bad either. Oh, but I'll probably have to apologize to the captain for this mess"
"If this turn of event disturbed her tranquility, please allow me to offer my apologies as well"
"No need to, Pallas, just... mnh?"
The priestess' steps came to a sudden halt, her gaze clearly falling somewhere past Specter. It lasted only a moment, so short a pause that it could reasonably be mistaken for a simple misstep of sort instead, but the huntress recognized it for what it was and turned her head around before Pallas could even apologize for it.
"Oh, I see" she commented, her eyes falling on the somewhat short liberi standing close to the entrance and calmly waving at them, or rather at Specter's dance partner "You have a visitor, isn't it?"
"My apologies, lady Laurentina, it was not my intention to so rudely interrupt our dance. If you'd want to... "
"No, no, this is enough" she cut her off as she stepped away "Go get your little birdie, I can entertain myself with my captain just as well. Even better, actually"
And so she made her way out of the small, not entirely impromptu dance floor, avoiding the few people dancing and letting Pallas to do just the same, albeith towards a different person. The priestess walked up to a cleric waiting next to an empty table, arms folded, tail hidden from sight behind her, a soft smile on her face. The priestess stopped a couple of steps in front of her, her mouth remaining open for an odd second or two before speaking, as if she wasn't quite sure which words to choose.
"Lady Hildegard" she then greeted with a bow "I didn't know of your return. Please, do forgive my lack of awareness, for I would've welcomed you in a much more fitting way otherwise"
"It was just a matter of poor timing, Pallas, that's all. I returned the same day you left for the city to help watch over the kids' trip. I thought you'd be back tomorrow, however"
"A most unfortunate event, the one that had me return earlier. Young Popukar's Oripathy experienced a flare up, and while we were carrying appropriate medicines just in case of such an event occurring, we still deemed it most appropriate to bring her back for a more thorough examination, and for that reason the two of us have returned sooner than originally planned. I have left her in the good care of the doctors at the medical ward just shy of two hours ago, in truth, and they assured me that her condition is by no means severe and should fully stabilize before the break of dawn"
"That poor child. I suppose this incident taking place on the last night of her trip into the city can at least be seen as a little solace. Were the other kids worried?"
"As all good friends would be, but we reassured them that young Popukar was not truly in danger. May I ask about your own journey instead, lady Hildegard? The road was long, just like your permanence in Laterano, and many events surely had the chance to happen" she said, her words coming to a brief halt as she saw Archetto shift a little, as if something was on her mind "Shall we take a seat? Conversations can undoubtfully be had while standing, but I see no need for this to be one of such kind. In fact, I would love to raise a glass with you after all these months. Unless... " she added, her head turning back a little to catch a brief glimpse of the bar behind her "Would you happen to be in the mood for a dance, lady Hildegard?"
The cleric let out a soft laugh, an ever so slightly concerned but mostly amused one.
"Pallas, please, you know I'm terrible at dancing" she answered, deciding that the kind of dances she used to perform during her brief time as an idol were of no relevance to the conversation at hand "I wouldn't mind trying with you, no, I would quite like to share a drink with you as well despite the hour, but... how do I say it... " Archetto paused briefly as she reached forward, grabbing the priestess' hand in hers "... shall we give it a try somewhere more... private?"
"A proposal I have no intention to decline, I assure you of it. Allow me just a moment to retrieve my belongings from the table and pay what is due to the barkeeper, and I shall be with you immediatly"
"Sure"
Archetto refrained from telling her to take her time, or that there was no hurry, since she didn't quite want Pallas to do the former, nor was she sure the latter wouldn't have been a lie. And so, the two women left the bar less than a couple of minutes later, making small chats about the events that transpired in each other's absence as they headed to Pallas' room. The priestess proposed that location simply because it was a bit closer, but Archetto had two entirely different reasons for accepting that offer, neither of which she voiced.
"The harvest was plentiful this year, from what I could see" Archetto said as they entered Pallas' quarter "But I'm a little worried. It's not unusual for a new master brewer to try out some... unorthodox methods soon after receiving the title, maybe to prove their worth I guess. The results are... it pains me to say it, but they're not always pleasant to recall"
"I nonetheless look forward to sampling such new products, if at all possible. Oh, shall I put some music on? Although I fear I have only a few pieces to choose from" she said as she put her bag down.
"I've already placed a few orders for Rhodes Island, the possibility will be there for sure. And... no, I think we're fine without it. I think that'll make it a little less embarrassing when I trip up, at least" Archetto joked back as she accepted Pallas' hand and beginning to follow her steps, with a certain degree of uncertainty in her moves admittedly.
Leaving aside the fact that she had gone from following to leading, the priestess simply couldn't refrain from comparing the cleric's dancing to that of Specter, as uncouth as she found such a behaviour to be. Even more glaring was the difference between the priestess herself and the huntress, however, so much so that Pallas nearly wondered if she wasn't disrespecting the art with her performance. Nonetheless, she still managed to notice something in Archetto's steps.
"You have improved compared to the last time we allowed ourself this kind of indulgence, have you not, lady Hildegard?"
"A few... things happened, so mom and dad insisted on teaching me a little while I was home" she replied, admittedly a little proud of not having stepped on Pallas' feet a single time yet "And I saw no reason to refuse"
"I quite lament having had to refuse your invitation to get to know them. For having raised such an admirable woman as yourself, I have no doubt they are outstanding people in their own right"
"Oh, please, don't tell that in front of them, mom wouldn't stop gloating and dad would definitively bring up some embarrassing memories"
With no music playing in the background, it were their words which dictated the tempo of their steps, which gave their dance an aura of both true genuinity and noticeable awkwardness, at least from one half of the pair.
"If that is your desire, I shall be most mindful of my words in front of them, if and hopefully when our meeting shall occur. May I infer from your recollections that both your homes are doing well then?"
"Furniture stores will always sell well, so long as laterans are so casual about blowing up roads and buildings... " Archetto answered with a slightly forced laugh, as that was one aspect of her home country's culture she had never really grown into.
"A most peculiar tradition, that one, and while I cannot deny a deep curiosity about it and a desire to witness it with my own eyes, I nonetheless feel obliged to say that I do hope for such a custom to never spread beyond its current geographical residence"
"I think Blaze wouldn't mind if it spread a little. Pozëmka, on the other hand... no, actually, I think she might be somewhat used to that too, judging from some of her tales about Zeruertza"
"As often as her duties take her to many different places, I fear miss Blaze has rarely had the time to truly enjoy the sites of her travels. Lady Avdotya, too, holds a certain degree of uncertainty about truly exploring the surface, I believe. If at all possible, I would greatly enjoy journeying somewhere with the three of you, I am most sure it would be a delightful experience. Alas, I fear that due to how rare of an occurrence it is for all of us to have enough free time together, that is bound to remain but a wish for the foreseeable future"
Archetto nearly tripped on herself, but Pallas managed to bring her back into the flow of the dance somehow, albeith with not much grace admittedly. She pulled her a bit closer towards herself while doing so, however, enough to feel something in a pocket in the cleric's skirt.
"Oh, sorry about that" Archetto apologized, briefly stepping back to pull a small box out of said pocket and put it down on Pallas' desk.
The priestess' gaze fell on that little box, on its size in particular. And then her mind went back in time, to the morning of Archetto's departure for Laterano, and to the peculiar question Blaze had asked her right after they had seen her off. A question which had arrived quite out of the blue, Pallas had thought back then, but she had reflected upon it on more than a single occasion in the following weeks. On it and on a few other things as well.
A feeling equally pleasant and unwelcomed sparked to life within her.
"Lady Hildegard"
"Ah?"
Archetto suddenly felt Pallas' arm embracing her from behind, a somewhat uncharacteristic act for her, if nothing else for how sudden and unannounced it'd been. Not that she disliked it, granted.
"Lady Hildegard, I am aware that what I am about to say is, by all means, not the proper way to conduct a reunion. Allow me to beg your forgiveness for the brazenness of the words I am about to speak as well, for I am sure you had and still have other matters occupying your thoughts. Still, may I... make a selfish request of you for what still remains of this night?"
Archetto turned her head around enough to take a look at Pallas, the height difference between them perhaps making it a little awkward when being so close together with her back to her, her hands closing over the priestess' arm in turn. She had a feeling Pallas' mood had taken a sudden turn for the worse, something she could only see as a bad omen. But maybe she was overthinking it.
"Of course you can"
"May I embrace you?"
Archetto's ears twitched, while her tail nearly bumped against her legs as it shook. The cleric's face grew flushed in a matter of moments.
"I-I admit that's not what I was thinking about, no" she answered, startled "But... "
It was exceptionally rare for Pallas to be the one initiating such acts. She would occasionally ask someone to pose for a portrait, yes, but that was another kind of thing entirely. It was just... making art, which was arguably important in itself but in a completely different way, and the times one of Pallas' drawing sessions turned into something more could all be attributed to the subject being portrayed -to three very specific subjects- rather than to the priestess herself. Partially because of that, she didn't feel like turning her down. That, plus the fact that the intimacy she had shared with Pozëmka a few days earlier, while most pleasant, hadn't quite fulfilled the more physical side of her needs. Not that Archetto held that against the lupo, the two of them simply were a little less compatible with each other than they were with Blaze and Pallas as far as that sort of matter was concerned.
Then there wa Blaze too. The feline's brief visit to Archetto earlier that night had done wonders reminding her of how just how many weeks exactly it'd been since she last had someone take charge in the bedroom. Without having to force themselves to do so, at least, since neither she nor Pozëmka were exactly naturals at that. The rapid train of thoughts going through her head led the cleric to mentally apologize to the lupo while also making a note to herself to not actually voice said apology, she would definitively take offense in that, in good part due to her being of a remarkably similar opinion herself.
Then there was the little box Archetto had just put down. She had meant to bring that up with Pallas that night, but...
... but she had waited a little over four months already. She could wait a few more hours still.
"... but I'd love you to, Pallas" she answered, turning around and leaning back against the desk a little, being careful to not push anything down.
"I am most grateful, lady Hildegard"
"Please, there's no need to be. I'm... I enjoy this just as much as you" she said back, cheeks red and tail waving a little between her legs "There's nothing selfish about your request"
"Your words overjoy me"
Archetto took a deep breath as she watched Pallas take off her gloves and retrieve a small bag and a chain from a drawer, a rather lengthy one the cleric was more than familiar with. The priestess folded it in the middle and placed it behind her neck, letting it hang there to have her hands free as she walked back up to Archetto and placed the bag down behind her on the desk, her palms then briefly resting in the air in front of her. Archetto simply nodded, feeling each and every beat of her heart as Pallas briefly ran her hands over Archetto's shoulders, the cape and eupalette she usually wore left in her wardrobe instead on that particular night. Pallas then slowly loosened the cleric's corset until she opened it completely, carefully placing it on the desk and letting her dress unfold a little. She opened the buttons of said dress, normally hidden underneath the corset, fully unraveling it, and then those of Archetto's shirt as well, both garments now offering only partial modesty as Archetto's front was left more exposed than covered by them, her motions calm, her touch almost solemn in a way, like that of an artisan unveiling a work of art, the warmth of her fingers sending a brief, intense tingle over Archetto's skin as the priestess ran her index beneath the cleric's tie.
"Is this truly alright, lady Hildegard?"
"That's a little rude to ask now, Pallas. What makes you suddenly worry about it?"
"Your choice of underwear" she answered as she traced her fingers over the cleric's plain bra, startling Archetto, her face turning even redder "I couldn't help but notice that you wear most exquisite undergarments whenever you grace me... forgive my choice of word. Whenever we partake in such activities. The one you are wearing now are rather modest and simple, however. Oh, please, do not take this as a complaint, much less a judgement of any kind"
"Th-that's... it's true that I usually... dress up a little, when I believe something like this might happen, but all this means is that I hadn't planned for it this night. That's all there is to it, really"
"My apologies then, lady Hildegard. I sincerely hope to not have offended you with my words"
"Don't worry, Pallas, you really haven't"
Her heart skipped another beat as she felt said bra slipping away from her, her eyes briefly catching Pallas pushing it on the desk as well before sliding her hands underneath the cleric's undone clothes. Feeling her hands on her bare skin while still being technically almost entirely clothed was in itself nearly enough to turn her breaths heavy, and what little was lacking for that was swiftly provided by Pallas' lips, her mouth moving on her neck and pushing down on her, a soft whimper escaping the cleric as the priestess placed a long, intense kiss on her, her palms slowly exploring her body and pushing down frequently on her muscles, as if to commit every single curve of her body to memory, an act of possessivity just as much as it was of worship.
"Firm as ever, if not a little more. Your care for your body and the diligence with which you keep yourself trained is worthy of admiration, lady Hildegard"
Archetto opened her mouth to answer, but her words turned into something both more expressive and less coherent when she felt a pair of lips close on her neck again, a little further down, the cleric's own arms closing around Pallas to hold her close.
It was with a little tint of disappointment that she let the priestess step back, but the anticipation of what was yet to come more than made up for it. Pallas took another step back, running her open hand over Archetto's chest, her fingers pushing her clothes apart a little, just the bit needed to leave her modest chest bare, the cleric's tie incapable of offering any real modesty as it hung from her neck and down between her breasts, the awareness of the stiffness of her nipples making her heart beat a little bit faster still.
"Truly sublime. I have had the pleasure of seeing lush fields of wheat swaying in the wind in my life, of witnessing the bloom of trees and flower fields, but even such sights can't compare to the beauty of your figure, my dear Hildegard"
"You... truly praise us a little too much"
"The world is not as just as it should be and lies can be necessary at times, unfortunately, but it is nothing other than the truth I speak to you right now. That is something I can swear on both my honor and my homeland"
As she said that, Pallas grabbed something from the bag she had previously placed on the desk and got down on her knees, the chain clinking a little, her face ending up a little lower than Archetto's hips. She leaned forward, slowly running her palms up from Archetto's knees along her legs, feeling the skin underneath her skirt and her muscles underneath her skin, savoring the occasional drop of sweat, enjoying the warmth of her body, her hands eventually reaching the cleric's underwear and sliding around over it, taking a gentle, somehow respectful feel of her toned butt before backing away.
"Lift your skirt for me, if you would" she asked, ordered, her eyes meeting Archetto's, the intensity of her gaze nearly burning right through the cleric.
Letting out a breath loaded with anticipation -and, to some small degree, embarrassment-, Archetto grabbed the hem of her skirt and pulled it up, a little bit more, and then a bit more still.
"You have my thanks, Hildegard" Pallas said to stop her once the garment was pulled too far up to cover anything anymore.
Breaking eye contact, the priestess looked down at the cleric's damp undergarment, tapping her fingers on the fluid which had leaked down a little along her thighs before reaching for the item she had pulled from the bag. A small plastic egg, linked to an equally small remote by a wire. Pallas brought the egg up to her mouth, pushing it past her closed lips and pulling it back covered in a thin layer of saliva, a gesture the cleric would've normally found obscene but which somehow looked... not quite elegant, but at least somehow refined when done by the priestess. Pallas then pushed the egg against the cleric's underwear, sliding it past it and tucking it between the fabric and Archetto's wet entrance.
Then she turned the wheel on the remote.
A surprised yelp escaped Archetto, her hands reaching for the table behind her without letting go of her skirt as vibrations shook her privates. That was a little unusual, for Pallas to turn the intensity so far up so soon, but she saw no reason to complain, the mechanical stimulation stoking the fire within her as the priestess tucked the remote into the hem of her panties.
"A most melodious voice, you have been blessed with" she said as she took the second egg into her hands "I hope you will grant me the pride and pleasure of hearing it much more, tonight"
"That... will happen for sure" Archetto replied with flushed cheeks, the thumping of her heart nearly drowing out the electric buzzing between her legs, in her mind at least.
"Your words are nothing short of a source of joy, my sweet Hildegard" Pallas said back, something about her words and the way she spoke them making Archetto feel weak in the knees.
The cleric's gaze, which had been fixed on Pallas the whole time, focused on her mouth once more, the priestess once again placing the toy inside her mouth and apparently licking it as if it were a candy, pulling it back out a short while later, a noticeably thicker layer of saliva covering it. Archetto braced herself, both mentally and physically, as Pallas ran the vibrator over her thighs, circling it around them and pressing it softly against her rear before sliding it underneath her panties, a decidedly less surprised and yet more intense yelp escaping Archetto as the toy was pushed into her butt, quickly but not overly so, a small sense of partial fullness making her far too aware of what had just happened. She managed to hold in a faint moan when the egg started vibrating as well, the stimulation feeling entirely different from the one on the front despite being identical in nature, a faint sense of discomfort fading quickly, replaced by a slowly but steadily growing warmth which both fueled and satiated the tingling in her lower regions.
Pallas, on her part, tucked the second remote into Archetto's panties too and got back up on her feet, placing her hands on the cleric's bare waist and slowly dragging them up, leaving warm shivers in their wake, briefly stopping on Archetto's chest to get a tender, respectful feel of them, one hand then coming to rest right on the liberi's heart before the priestess took another step back.
She grabbed the chain she had left hanging from her neck since earlier, at last, the soft clinking reminding Archetto of all the things they'd done together with that and other chains wrapped around her body, the buzzing underneath her underwear contributing only in part to the shaking of her legs.
With a soft, almost paradoxically innocent smile on her face, Pallas placed the middle point of the chain behind Archetto's neck, under the collar of both her open shirt and dress, and pulled the two halves of it down in front of her, looping them into each other and around her chest while making sure to not constrict the neck at all, masterfully drawing a pattern over her body, the rings of steel running over her warm skin and being arranged into shapes which seemed to highlight Archetto's breasts, her navel, her sides, the cold, tender embrace underneath her clothes making her feel hopelessly naked despite having shed only a single piece of garment, Pallas' admiring gaze making her heart accelerate that little bit more still.
Then, however, the priestess finished decorating Archetto's chest and abdomen while still having quite a fair bit of length left on both ends of the chain. So she briefly let go of it, letting it hang from the cleric's waist and grabbing her wrists. She guided them down to her hips and then a little further down to her thighs, her touch gentle and delicate and yet firm at the same time, her skirt dropping enough to cover her underwear again and offering Archetto a little reprieve from the embarrassment. Pallas grabbed the chain on the right side and ran it around the cleric's wrist once, twice, then down around her upper thigh, circling them together, Archetto's hand struggling a little against the restraint as if to make sure to be well and truly trapped, cold, excited sweat running down her skin, the fabric of her skirt having been pushed back up but not quite to the point of revealing anything too embarrassing. The priestess then repeated the same motions with the left side, pulling what was left of the chain back up behind Archetto and joining the last two rings together with a small, sturdy snap hook.
She then pushed her head against the cleric's exposed belly, the heat difference between her skin and the cold chain making Archetto shiver as she leaned back just that little bit she needed to grab hold of the desk behind her, her hands bound at roughly the perfect height for that, her breath heavy, the constant buzzing in her private regions too strong to ignore but not so intense as to having brought her to her climax yet.
The pleasure seemed to grow more intense as Pallas traced her tongue slowly, intensely up along her skin, placing an intense kiss down on her whenever she had to break contact to cross over a chain, pushing Archetto's tie aside with her nose, leaving sparse, small drops of saliva on Archetto as she moved up, teasing her chest with her lips, tenderly poking and caressing her stiff nipples, silent offerings which elicited more vocal responses from the cleric, warm tingles spreading within her chest as her hips began to tremble ever so slightly. Having noticed that, Pallas gave a final, long kiss to Archetto's left nipple, gently nibbling it a little before beginning to move back down, feeling each shiver that ran along her skin as she reached her navel.
Archetto trembled a little, her grasp on the desk growing a bit tighter as she realized what was about to happen, her heavy breaths making Pallas all the more eager to proceed.
The priestess looked up, their eyes meeting as she grabbed hold of Archetto's sides, a tender vice only partially meant to ensure she wouldn't throw anything off the desk as it was rather packed with items of different sorts.
And then her warm tongue hit the cleric's bare, vulnerable navel.
An expected but still sudden jolt hit Archetto, a soft, ticklish feeling taking over her belly and sides as Pallas tenderly ran her nails over them, soft laughts mixing with her heavy breaths, a certain degree of surprise appearing in her mind as Pallas was being a fair bit more gentle than usual.
The surprise turned into slight confusion as the priestess kept tenderly licking and sucking her navel, occasionally scratching her sides as well, maintaining a steady stream of soft laughs flowing out of Archetto's mouth, the loving tickling making her giggle.
It didn't take long for her to realize what Pallas had in mind, however. As the toys kept buzzing, Archetto's pleasure continued to rise, sweat running down her skin as the fire within her rose in intensity. But higher than usual as it might've been, the intensity the vibrators were set at still wasn't too high, and the cleric found herself torn between the two constrasting feelings, the vibrations shaking her privates and the tongue and nails tickling her, both being pleasurable but in entirely incompatible ways, the forced giggles dragged out of her lips making her unable to fully focus or enjoy the vibrators, the vibrators distracting her from Pallas' loving touch, the priestess' care growing ever so slightly more intense over time, just that little bit needed to keep Archetto on the edge, the priestess' knowledge of the cleric's body being more than thorough and deep enough to allow her to maintain her on the very brink of orgasm, a state Archetto was too shy to admit to love, resorting to a more neutral lack of complaints instead, her gaze silently conveying everything Pallas needed to know.
It was with a slightly forceful tug that Pallas pulled Archetto away from the desk, the sudden lack of additional support nearly making the cleric's legs give out for a moment before she could steady herself, her lungs beginning to tire as the mix of soft moans and constant giggles made it progressively harder for her to breath properly. After the first pull, however, Pallas let go of her and simply focused on keeping her laughs coming, while inching backward ever so slowly on her knees. Archetto, however, walked forward with her to make sure they wouldn't break contact, the pleased gaze Pallas casted her way making the cleric's knees that much weaker and the simple act of taking one tiny step at a time that much more difficult.
Archetto couldn't tell how long it took them to reach the bed nor when exactly they had turned around, she just knew that by that point her breathing had broken down almost completely. Even with her orgasm constantly held at bay, the unending vibrations slowly made her privates grow more sensitive, her insides clamping down on nothing -on one side, at least- as the pleasure seared her from within, Pallas' tongue and nails having grown that much more aggressive to make sure she couldn't reach her climax just yet, the cleric's navel covered in a glistening layer of saliva, her sides slightly red from all the times Pallas had tenderly dragged her nails over them, the weak clinking of the chains echoing in her ears as her hands tried to break free almost out of their own will.
It was with relief that Archetto felt the back of her legs hit the mattress, the priestess helping her down on the sheets without breaking contact with her for even a single moment. And it was with much more conflicting feelings that she heard the buzzing toys fall silent, the vibrations stopping as Pallas turned both off and pulled Archetto's skirt back up, baring her things and slowly, almost reverentially lapping up the fluids covering them, lying down kisses and tender bites at their base, each touch only fueling the cleric's ardent need even further. The priestess then got on top of the cleric, gently running her fingers through Archetto's hair, caressing her head and neck, her warm touch calming the cleric somewhat. Archetto managed to force herself to take a few long, deep, much needed breaths, giving her lungs some sweet relief, the desire to be touched even more quickly winning over the searing embarrassment of asking just for that.
"P-Pallas" she spoke out, her breaths still ragged, her chest moving up and down heavily "Please, don't make me wait any further"
The priestess returned her gaze, and the cleric could tell just by the way she looked at her that Pallas' desire for her was just as intense if not even greater. A warm shiver ran up her spine and down her tail.
"By all means, my dear Hildegard"
She pulled the remotes out of Archetto's underwear, leaving them on the sheets and pulling her panties down. The chains running around her thighs made it impossible to move them a whole lot, much less completely remove them. In fact, the priestess could barely reveal the cleric's drenched privates without tearing the cloth. And yet Archetto found that state far more embarrassing than being simply naked, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest with every third beat. She got back on her knees on the floor and with a brief, final round of teasing, Pallas kissed her way along Archetto's legs until the cleric felt her push the egg which had fallen off inside of her, the penetration sending a warm jolt up her spine.
Then Pallas turned both toys back on, at the same moment she started to personally savor Archetto.
Between the vibrations starting again at a much higher setting, the two eggs buzzing and stirring her from within in both the front and the rear, and the priestess' tongue and lips playing with almost reverential intensity with her clit and entrance, Archetto found what air she had managed to gather into her lungs escape her quickly, her voice echoing inside her own ears as her muscles grew more and more stiff, her moans sounding more sultry than she would normally ever believe possible. As for whether it was by her own will or by Pallas' firm grasp on her that her hips didn't shake in search of even further stimulation, the cleric couldn't even wonder about. All she could do was relish the feeling, her hands struggling against the chains binding them to her legs out of pure instinct as the heat within her rose and rose, searing pleasure tipping over and washing over her, her body tensing up as her voice briefly died down. Pallas felt the cleric's inside contracting on her tongue but, rather than stopping, she simply pulled it back out to focus on Archetto's clit instead, tenderly licking and sucking and poking at it while reaching for her exposed breasts with one hand, gently feeling the cleric's heat and heartbeat before giving her nipple some love too.
"A most melodious display, my sweet Hildegard" she then said as she pulled back and, had Archetto's gaze not been lost somewhere on the ceiling, the sight of her own fluids trailing between her privates and the priestess' mouth would've made her heart skip more than just a single beat "Once more, if you would"
Archetto's hands clenched into fists. Rather than saying anything, however, she used the few moments Pallas gave her to speak up to breathe in instead, though the still buzzing eggs inside her made even something as simple as that rather difficult. Seeing that, the priestess pulled the cleric slightly towards the edge of the bed to get a better angle and resumed tasting her privates, gently but constantly running her tongue on her sweaty skin and sensitive insides just the way they both loved her to, drinking of her, relishing each and every jolt and shiver that ran through the cleric's body, savoring the heat of her body and the sound of her moans, taking delight in the way her tail would wave with abandon.
Archetto's back arched almost on its own as another orgasm washed over her, making her muscles contract and her mind blank out for a few moments, the need for a brief reprieve pushing her hips away from Pallas' blissful touch, the desire for more pulling them right back. Once again, the priestess took a brief pause to grant Archetto the chance to speak and once again she resumed touching her after having received no answer.
Pallas herself kept a precise count as they continued, but Archetto truly couldn't tell how many times she had reached her climax, especially because the toys made sure each orgasm would take far too long to abate even when the priestess herself took brief pauses, making them effectively blend into each other, her overly sensitive privates ensuring that each climax would arrive quicklyer and with more intensity than the previous one, shaking her to the core, leaving her gasping for air. Pallas also knew exactly how far Archetto could go and how much she could take, and thus it was with the most precise timing that she turned the vibrating eggs' setting down, leaving them buzzing with just the right intensity to still keep the cleric's hips twitching and her spine shivering as she got on top of her again, placing tender kisses on her sweaty breasts, taking them into her hands and carefully feeling their shape as they rose and fell, Archetto's every ragged breath blissing Pallas with the sound of the cleric's voice. She then trailed her mouth down, licking her navel gently, softly, just enough to force a light giggle out of the cleric's lips, allowing her to catch her breath but not quite rest, the mild but still ongoing stimulations preventing her body from relaxing, the feeling of Pallas' hands gliding over her half-undressed, bound body sending warm shivers through her skin, the way the priestess' fingers caressed her cheeks and ran through her hair making her feel both fully embraced and helplessly exposed at once.
Then she slowly moved her head up, placing yet more kisses on Archetto's skin, almost made glistening by her sweat, until the two were face to face again. The realization that Pallas could feel her every breath from that distance made Archetto feel just a little bit more embarrassed than she already was.
"Hildegard" the priestess whispered, holding herself up with one arm while cupping her cheek with the other hand "You have yet more to offer, do you not?"
"I... yes... " she answered, fully aware of how things were going to end.
Pallas placed her index on the cleric's chin and then trailed her hand down along her body, tapping her skin along the way, every touch making Archetto shiver with anticipation, her breath getting caught in her throat. The priestess lowered her lips, kissing the cleric with impossibly composed passion as she plunged her fingers inside of her again, going for the spots where Archetto was most sensitive with the precision of someone who had a wealth of experience in that precise act.
The tingling heat which had been slowly building up within the cleric since Pallas had parted from her nethers immediatly exploded again, the priestess breaking away from Archetto's lips for just the few moments she needed to breathe before resuming her kiss, her fingers never stopping for a single moment instead, the frantic shaking of the cleric's hips and the trembling of her entire body, her unrestrained moans, the clinking of the chains as her hands struggled against them and eventually the way her legs closed around Pallas to hold her close and feel her heat, it all fueled Pallas' desire to continue, Archetto herself being akin to the sweetest, most intoxicating spirit the priestess could ever dream to savor.
Archetto's body tensed up, shivered, then it began to relax only to grow stiff again right away, one climax blending into the next one and then with the following one too, the overwhelming pleasure leaving her unable to think, just barely able to breathe, her mind being almost more concerned with savoring and being savored by Pallas' lips than it was with keeping her lungs filled.
Until the moment the priestess stopped moving her fingers, the very same moment overstimulation and exhaustion won over and made Archetto fall into a much needed, blissful slumber.
Taking care to not wake her, Pallas allowed herself to tenderly stroke her hair, enjoy her heat, savor her breaths.
Deep down, a small part of her was hoping that nothing else would really happen come sunrise.
"... ah?!"
Force of habit being the terrible beast that it is, Archetto's body forced itself awake at roughly the same time her alarm would ring, which it was probably doing actually. Just not in that room. Still, having gotten less than half the sleep she had meant to when tucking herself into bed the previous evening, it took her more than just a couple of moments to remember where she was. She blinked a few times, rubbed her eyes a bit, blinked again and yawned, the memories of the previous night coming back to her and making her cheeks turn a little bit red, and a little further still as she noticed that her clothes had been fixed in her sleep. She hadn't been washed, naturally, but she was fairly sure the sweat had been wiped off, she could even smell a bit of perfume on herself. Her gaze then quickly moved to Pallas' desk and, among the papers and books and quills and a few other things still she spotted her little box, still in the exact same spot she had left it at. Pallas herself, however, was nowhere to be seen. Just as Archetto had turned around and was about to get off the priestess' bed, however, Pallas walked in with a small tray in her hands.
"Oh, lady Hildegard, I see that you have woken up. I hope for your sleep to have been a peaceful and restful one, short as it might've been" she greeted as she walked in and closed the door behind herself, taking a seat next to the cleric "I saw it unfit to rouse you, but as I believed you would enjoy having breakfast I took the liberty of procuring some morning refreshments from the cafeteria" she explained, placing down the tray between the two of them.
Archetto took a quick look at what Pallas had brought in. Two brioches, an apple, a few biscuits, two slices of chocolate tart. A glass of water and one of coffee, the size of the latter making it look like a columbian one, although the aroma clearly revealed it to be an exceptionally generous amount of siracusan brew instead. Quite thoughtful. And then a single bottle of wine, although that one the priestess had actually taken from her own reserve before sitting down. No glasses for said wine, however, since while Pallas and Pozëmka were no strangers to starting the day with some alcohol, Blaze and Archetto -the latter more than the former- usually kept their consumption of spirits limited to the later parts of the day, at least when said day was neither an holiday nor a festivity of some kind.
"You didn't have to, really. But thanks, I appreciate it" Archetto thanked her before tasting the coffee and, having found it not overly hot, drinking it all almost in a single gulp, hoping for that to be enough to keep her fully functional at least until lunch.
The following minutes went by rather calmly, with the two women chatting a little while enjoying their breakfast. Archetto had some committments for the day but, since Pallas had saved her quite a bit of time by going to the cafeteria and back to get some food, she could still return to her own room, have a quick shower and get a change of clothes without ending up late.
"I must confess" the priestess eventually said, Archetto's gaze having lingered for perhaps one moment too long on the way Pallas had just savored a generous sip of wine "Your sleeping figure was so suave, lady Hildegard, that I couldn't refrain from wishing to see it immortalized by something more physical than my own pencils. Seeing how you often model for my portraits, I wonder if you might be interested in being the subject for a statue as well?"
Archetto's ears twitched a little. Her tail waved once behind her.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea... for starter, I doubt there even is a sculptor on Rhodes Island. And besides, I really don't feel like I've done anything to earn having a statue of myself done. I'd feel quite boisterous. Oh, but I'm flattered by the offer, really"
"I see. You raise good points, indeed. I shan't bring the subject up again then, but do allow me to inform you that there is, in fact, a sculptor aboard this vessel, and an exceptionally skilled one too, may I dare to add"
"Really? I suppose with how many people the landships hosts, that shouldn't surprise me as much as it does. ... Pallas" Archetto then added after a somewhat brief silence, all food and drinks gone from the tray "There is... there's something I want -I have to ask you"
The priestess put the bottle of wine down, something about her expression changing slightly.
"You have my undivided attention, lady Hildegard. Please, do speak"
Archetto took a deep breath and walked up to the desk, retrieving the small box and taking a by all means ordinary ring from it. Then she turned back around, returned to Pallas and kneeled in front of her, taking the priestess's hand in hers.
"This might feel a bit sudden, and... and I apologize for this ring being so plain and cheap, it's just a placeholder and... Pallas. This is a question meant for Blaze and Pozëmka as well, even if they're not here right now" she said, not wanting to tell her how far things had actually progressed with those two for fear of making her feel pressured "Knowing this, would you... do you accept to become my fiancee, Pallas, and if possible, my wife as well, one day?" she asked, placing the ring into the priestess' hand.
Pallas looked at her palm, at the hands holding it, at the simple, small and yet impossibly heavy piece of steel lying on it. Her mind went back again, to that question Blaze asked her out of the blue a little over four months ago. Then further back, to many events and places, but only to a few people, before returning to the present. She looked up to meet Archetto's gaze and, possibly for the first time, she found it difficult to not look away.
"Lady Hildegard. This question is... I cannot, in good faith, claim to be entirely surprised by offer. Miss Blaze asked me something, on the very morning you left for Laterano. Neither she nor Lady Avdotya talked about anthing similar again, but the thought lingered inside my mind. It would surface occasionally, but I... I believe I did not want to linger on it, for it might have been nothing more than a misunderstanding on my part. But now, as you stand on your knees in front of me, with my hand in yours, all I can ask myself is... "
Her words died down, and her gaze dropped as well. Archetto made an effort to not grasp her hand any tighter, each beat of her heart feeling entirely different from how they did the previous night.
"... I ask myself if I haven't approached it all in the wrong way, my relationship with you and with them. If I shouldn't have... chosen my words better, conducted myself differently. Refrained from getting so close. To claim regret over the time I have spent with you, or lady Avdotya, or miss Blaze, it would be nothing less than an insult to you and to the memories we have made. And yet... and yet, lady Hildegard, I am afraid that right here, right now, I am doing nothing if not insulting you"
"... Pallas, do you... "
"You have my utmost apologies, lady Hildegard" the priestess interrupted her, putting the ring back into her hand and helping her up to her feet "But I fear... I believe I need time. The words I need to answer you are... they are not coming to me, and a shallow answer is not what you deserve. I have to ask you to leave for now"
"No, that's, it's, I understand. I understand, really. This is not a matter I dare claim an immediate answer to, take all the time you need, Pallas"
"You have my utmost gratitude for your comprehension, lady Hildegard. I wish you a most enjoyable day"
"To you as well, Pallas"
And so Archetto turned around and left, the door to Pallas' room sounding oddly noisy and cold as it closed behind her, her words echoing over and over inside her ears, inside her very mind.
With an heavy heart, with a most unpleasant doubt eating at her and with distracted steps, the cleric walked away from the priestess' quarter.
Inside her room, Pallas sat down on the floor with her back lying against her bed, grabbed the bottle and stared into its neck. There was a little bit of wine still within, and she decided to finish drinking it.
That last gulp felt oddly bitter.
Thank you for reading.