She takes off her helm surely and her wings dissipate before all the strength leaves her body. Perhaps she is dead – Gods know she took enough heavy blows from Ketheric changed form. Her single step forward falters and the pain of her armored knees hitting the stone floor of Moonrise Tower lets her know that she is alive – and the figure rushing towards her to stop her from falling is also alive – not a figment of her imagination.
Then a century of mourning and of suffering hits Aylin like a warhammer. Her breath quickens and she thinks her heart will finally give out- too scarred from her numerous deaths to survive seeing her beloved Isobel alive.
Isobel who looks as divine as she was all those many years ago. Who looks as exhausted as she always was after a hard fight or a long day on the road. Isobel who is looking at her like she is seeing a ghost as the cleric's hand is shaking as it reaches out to touch her before stopping. Almost as if she's afraid to touch Aylin but a glance at her beloved tells her everything she needs to know.
Aylin knows Isobel (like herself) is afraid that if they touch the illusion will dissipate. She curses Ketheric for whatever he told Isobel about her.
"My love… you were dead. I saw your body…" Aylin reaches out with a hand and Isobel's hands holds her. She feels tears coming to her eyes. It isn't an illusion. She's free from the Shadowfell and Isobel is in front of her. She starts to look down because if she looks at her beloved any longer the tears will fall. More than that all the unshed tears from her suffering in the Shadowfell will fall too.
Isobel's hand gently (Gods when was the last time anyone touched her that gently?) nudges her chin up and Aylin can see the sheen of unshed tears in Isobel's own eyes.
"I'm here," Isobel soft voice calls out and Aylin's free hand comes up as Isobel's catches it. Then as if she knows what Aylin is trying to do Aylin feels Isobel bracing herself to allow Aylin to lean on her to get up. Aylin stifles a grunt of pain as she slowly gets off the hard stone floor and rises to her full height. Eyes still averted not trusting her own unshed tears again.
"A-and so are you. And my father, he – he can't hurt us any longer." The sorrow in Isobel's voice is as deep as the Sea of Swords. Isobel's head moves just so to allow the two to lock their eyes. It's now she can see the bruises on Isobel's face from whatever fight happened in Moonrise. A fight against whatever dark creatures served under Ketheric – against whatever Ketheric (and no doubt Balthazar) used the fallen faithful in Reithwin to defend the towers. Aylin sees the woman's lips quiver and Aylin pulls her into a hug.
"I dreamt every night that you'd come back to me." She lets go of their hug needing to see Isobel's face again. She takes a shuddering breath before finding the strength to continue. "That somehow it was all a nightmare dawn would undo." And Isobel gives her a small smile and by the gods did she miss that smile.
The smile falters as Isobel looks down and a lost look takes over her face.
"I had no dreams at all. Nothing but darkness. And when I awoke, my father said you were dead." The lost expression turns to one of sorrow with the final words out of her mouth. Aylin's hatred of Ketheric flares again but recalls her own desperate pleas to bring Isobel back. Her anger towards her most divine mother when Isobel was interred into the Throm mausoleum. The anger that still lurks deep in her own soul albeit diminished.
"His soul was poisoned by the god of death. His sick devotion ruined him. But for all his sins, he brought you back to me." Isobel cups her cheek and Aylin leans into the hand. She gives the lightest of kisses to Isobel's palms before beholding her love. "Are you all right?" Isobel's hand lowers and rests just below her pauldron.
"I will be. And you?"
"In this moment, I want for nothing" Aylin leans in as Isobel closes the distance. The kiss is a gentle one – two lovers reuniting after just over a century – before turning into several. Isobel chasing Aylin's lips as the Aasimar breaks away to prepare to give another kiss. Aylin's hands drop from Isobel's waist enough to lift the cleric up and Isobel's chuckle as Aylin spins them in place several times brings a smile to the paladin's face.
Aylin gently lowers Isobel and Isobel's hand entwines with her own while the other touches her cheek.
"My love, let's go home," Isobel's words are just above a whisper and Aylin's heart flutters at the thought. Then in a second the stone surroundings that make up Moonrise Tower are replaced with a wooden balcony overlooking a stony outcropping and the Chionthar river just beyond. The table in front of the two is adorned with a mirror and a bowl of milk that reflects the moonlight.
"The inn?" confusion lingers in Aylin's voice as she looks around and then to Isobel, who looked equally confused.
"That- hmm- that shouldn't have worked," the cleric's hand goes to her chin fingers just covering her mouth.
"I mean, I did have it prepared as a last resort to get some of the Harpers out. But I healed Jahe-," the words are lost as moonlight brightens and Aylin's divine blood sings at the minor showing of her mother's power.
'Rest well, my daughter,' her mother's voice is but a whisper on the wind but Aylin feels some of the weight of the last century lifting off her shoulders.
"-lin?" A hand lands on her shoulder bringing her back to the balcony. Isobel's worried face looks up at her and Aylin finds herself drowning is the silver of Isobel's eyes. She dismisses her gauntlets and reaches a hand to properly gather Isobel's hand in hers.
"How about we wash up, darling?" Isobel asks then blushes as Aylin feels a smile on her face. "I did mean actually washing, Aylin, and don't you think you were able to stop me from hearing your pain earlier."
Isobel grabs Aylin's other hand and starts to lead Aylin to the wash area in the basement until Aylin goes still. Her pulse starts to pound in her ears at the sight off the darkened basement. Well away from the moonlight that lit up the entire inn.
Her mind flashes to one of the many times she woke in darkness.
Darkness. Pain then darkness. Over and over again.
Then light. Not the sickening blue-green light of her prison. But pure white light. White light coming from Isobel's hand the well-worn leather gloves gone now.
Taking a gasping breath her eyes dart to find something to bring her back to the moment and away from the Shadowfell. Anything.
The crescent moon decorated disks that secure Isobel's cloak to her robes. The crescent moon with a star filling the void of shadow that line the edges of Isobel's armored robe – armor with nicks in it old and new alike. The phases of the moon aside the star and moon combination that buttons up the robe. The same phases continue to the ends of her robe to culminate in several crescent moons on her leg armor and on her ankles.
And then stone old worked stone to make the entrance to the basement. Not a trace of a glyph in sight.
Aylin breath settles and she can finally hear again. The sounds of the water hitting the makeshift dock. The sounds of celebration filling the night air across the river – deep within Reithwin. Isobel – sweet Isobel – taking tentative steps towards her.
"D-darling," the half-elf takes another step and her hand to gently touches one of hers.
Then she's back at the threshold into the basement of the inn with Isobel's concerned face looking at her. Isobel starts to lead Aylin away from the basement and towards the river. Aylin starts to protest but a gentle squeeze of Aylin's hand cuts her off.
"It wouldn't be the first time we washed off in a river, darling."
The two continue past the rock outcropping and Isobel guides her to an inlet of water not too far from a bridge. Aylin watches as Isobel starts to unclasp her cloak and reaches out with a hand to help. Wordlessly Aylin helps Isobel with her cloak, the laces securing her armored partial plate, then the numerous loops on her Robe of Selûne. Leaving Isobel in a light tunic she often wore under the robe many years ago. Aylin starts to lean down to help Isobel take off her boots but the pain from her injuries fighting Ketheric stops her.
"Aylin!" Isobel grabs Aylin by her arms and helps her stand.
"Just a few bruises, Isobel," she waves her hand as if to wave away Isobel's concern.
"Well let us take your armor off and I can heal them," Isobel says with her hand cupping Aylin's cheek. Isobel's ungloved hand just faintly touching one of the golden scars on her face. Scars hidden underneath the layers of Aylin's armor – scars that will show Isobel how broken Aylin feels – how broken she is.
"I'm not – I'm not how you…," her breath catches in her throat as she lowers her gaze to the ground. The sounds of cloth shifting fills her ears.
"Our time apart has been less than kind, Aylin. But our scars," she feels Isobel gather her hand and bring it to Isobel's chest. The skin smooth as it was the first time to two laid in each other's arms. Then her hand touches something odd – a scar just around Isobel's collar bone. Her gaze lifts to see Isobel's tunic loosened to reveal a slightly healed scar running adjacent to her collarbones to meet in the center of her chest. The scar disappears down into the tunic.
"Our scars show that we survived. That we have been reforged into something stronger. And you, my darling, are far stronger than anything my father was capable of." Isobel's hand nudges her face so they are looking at the other.
Isobel's face blurs and Aylin feel tears streaming down her face and Isobel's arms pulling Aylin into an embrace. The cleric slowly lowers the two to the ground. Time creeps along as Isobel holds her the cleric's own tears silently falling into Aylin's hair. Faint whispers of "my angel" soothe Aylin as the tears of over her century of pain and sorrow escape her scarred, battered body in the arms of her once lost love.
The sounds of celebration across the river slowly fade as the two lovers remain there. The tears finally end and Aylin moves just enough away to look at Isobel. She just silently nods before standing with Isobel's help.
Standing she smiles towards Isobel before starting to get into the water. Dismissing her armor as the water laps at her thighs. She continues to walk into the water until her abdomen is covered in water. She turns to look at Isobel before sinking below the water. Feeling the cold water soothing bruises she runs her hands through her hair then breaks the surface again – dirt, dried blood (from what is a question for the gods) streaking down her skin – sometimes following the rivulets from her golden scars. She partially stands keeping where she knows the massive scar on her chest will be underwater although it remains under her tattered tunic.
Aylin watches Isobel as she removes her intricate leg armor and boots and a soft chuckle leaves Aylin's chest.
"Not all of us are lucky to just make our armor disappear, love. Although I do recall that one instance of you entering an anti-magic circle. I thought that old head cleric was going to keel over with the great Dame Aylin in the buff all of a sudden."
Their laughter filled the area as Isobel's boot falls from her grasp before making her way towards Aylin in the water. As she approaches Aylin watches as the tunic Isobel is still wearing slowly gets waterlogged. Then they were within arms reach and looking at each other. Isobel handing Aylin her own rag and small bar of soap.
Silently, Isobel looks at Aylin with her eyes before gesturing to her own tunic. Aylin nods reaching to loosen the laces on the tunic before gently pulling it off then tossing it to shore. Laid bare, Aylin sees the marks left on those that died in most houses of healing – or left by the hands of necromancers when they decide to raise undead or alter one.
She takes her mind away from horrid necromancers and their machinations to place a kiss on the left-most part of Isobel's scar. Her eyes drift to Isobel's after the kiss and the cleric nods her approval. Aylin continues to place kiss after kiss until she has to lift Isobel in her arms to continue the trail of kisses. The scar ends just below her navel and Aylin has to stop herself from wanting to continue going lower and lower. She gently lowers Isobel to the water before taking the soap to help clean the remnants of battle off of Isobel.
Finishing Aylin places Isobel's hands on her chest. The cleric kisses her deeply as her hands drift to the woven leather belt keeping Aylin's tunic secured. Breaking the kiss Isobel waits until Aylin nods her approval.
The belt like Aylin's tunic has seen better days and comes apart easily and the tunic is easily lifted from Aylin's form. Isobel's hands linger on Aylin's shoulders fingers tracing scar after scar all while cleaning Aylin's skin with the soap. Her fingers continue to idly trace the scars as she places a kiss on each scar after her fingertips finish tracing them. Aylin fully standing in the water to give Isobel access to the rest of the scars on her chest and upper abdomen.
Isobel's hand lays over the large scar covering Aylin's heart as she utters a prayer and Isobel's healing magic heals the recent bruises from the fight in and under Moonrise Tower. She then moves behind Aylin to starts tracing the numerous scars on her back.
Aylin waits to hear the intake of breath when Isobel sees the scar where Balthazar's golem cut the wings off her back. But instead of a gasp she instead feels a kiss within an inch of the mass of scar tissue. Then another until the whole outline of the scars have been kissed. Then Isobel is in front of her and the two give a deeper kiss than any other.
She pulls Isobel up into her arms unwilling to stop the kiss as her wings reform in their full glory. With a kick off the bed of the inlet and a strong flap of the wings Aylin flies the two to Isobel's room in the inn.
Gently she lowers Isobel to the bed and she dismisses her wings. She traces her fingers from Isobel's cheek and down her chest. Thumbs circle her nipples until Aylin's mouth follows the same trail her fingers did. She gives feather light kisses on Isobel's breasts until her mouth zeros on her nipples which she gently bites rolling the each nipple in turn between her teeth. Isobel's hand gently runs through Aylin's still soaked hair. Nails gently scratching Aylin's scalp.
"Aylin, please. I want you," Isobel's voice is filled with desire and Aylin
Then inch by inch Aylin walks her fingers further until she reaches Isobel's folds while her mouth continues enjoying toying with Isobel's breasts. Skillfully, Aylin's thumb finds her clit and gently rubs it in circles. Slowly Aylin follows her trail of kisses from the inlet to continue her kisses until her tongue is replacing her thumb's efforts of circling Isobel's clit. The half-elf gently balls her fist in Aylin's hair as a moan escapes her throat.
Aylin's mouth lowers until her tongue is running through Isobel's folds before entering her. Isobel's hand gently presses Aylin's head deeper into her before yet another moan fills the air. The paladin continues lapping at her wife's wetness before returning her mouth to the cleric's clit. Her deft fingers circle Isobel's entrance before gently entering her with a single long finger. It is thrusted in and out a few more times before bending her finger to increase pressure to Isobel's front wall while she ever so gently nips at her clit.
Delicious moans of more come from Isobel's mouth as Aylin slowly inserts another finger into her. She thrusts it in several more times before again pressing against Isobel's front fall with every bend in a come-hither motion when her fingers are fully in Isobel before retracting. As she repeats this Isobel's hand grips Aylin's hair in a tighter grip until Aylin feels Isobel coming – contracting tight on Aylin's fingers and Isobel moaning Aylin's name. As Isobel comes down from her orgasm, Aylin smiles as the cleric starts to ride Aylin's fingers anew.
The moans of Isobel and Aylin fill the air of the Last Light Inn. Aylin reflects on a centuries of touches and knows all her pain and suffering will be distant memories as long as she has Isobel.