A Disruption of Ripples [Khal]

[Blackthorne]

Toes gently touched cold metal floor in a half-step forward as she was pulled in. Though her sense of humor wasn't particularly keen on many things, Loxa had perhaps an over-active sense of self deprecation. The look was there on her face, subtle though it may have been, softening into something a tint warmer as bristle brushed past. A slow exhale loosed on his neck, the Priestess leaned her face lightly against his.

<< Once more, >> was the quiet reply with a squeeze of her hand within his own.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

It started slow, but resolute.

No opportunity for her to look around and all she could do was go with the motion, listening to the subtle hum of his voice guiding her along the way. His eyes were closed and he moved, feet picking his way from left to right, right and back and fore, the soft tick of their feet clicking against the floor and ushering them on.

As no stumbles were made the pace was picked up and giving her more difficulty to keep up.

It was a lesson, training, making it more difficult to see how far she could pick it up. At least... at least, until suddenly her back was against the wall and he was pressed against her.

Forehead leaning gently against her brow, his breath steady, but an undercurrent of exertion running through regardless.

No words were said, none were necessary as his lips locked with hers.

 

[Blackthorne]

Her steps fell in synch more easily this time and at no point did his boots find her toes again. Pulled closer than before she found following his stride more innate, given less room for error or confusion. Content to carry on as they were, finding that elusive sense of serenity in the repetitious coupled with the familiar, Loxa thought she could have danced forever.

Or at the very least for the duration of their trip that she would have spent pacing back and forth, back and forth. If nothing else, it was a new form of pacing, a new methodical approach to a meditative state. Only now it involved another. Two entities traversing as one; left and then right, right and then back, back and then foreward again. If she didn't know any better she'd think they were etching symbols into the ether with each turn and circle, dip and sway, back and-

Wall.

The suddenness in which the dance stopped cut a sharp breath from her lungs, punctuated by a stutter of heartbeat. The usual placid rhythm now played a strong staccato he would surely feel against his chest. Saffron eyes glowing pale blinked at Khal as his face shifted before hers, lips following shortly after. She inhaled slowly, feeling strangely taken off-guard by the gentle nature of the encounter. He'd never been mean or made to bring harm, nor had she ever been discomforted by his previous advances, but somehow this felt different. It lacked the often intense and feverous abandon she'd experienced from him before.

Yet she still felt that same coiling knot in her chest.

The hand at his shoulder moved to his head where fingers slid into his hair while the other curled upwards against the wall, those fingers entwining within his. Whatever had happened just now during that dance, she certainly wasn't thinking about the coldness of space any longer.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

It was almost as strange for him as it was for her.

More often than not the hunger threatened to consume him in the moment of flesh, sweat and passion, but for some reason it was different now. It wasn't gentle, not as such, but there was a rare softness there that offered a stark contrast between their previous engagements. Instead of being pinned to the wall, he slid her up and supported her body with his, instead of his teeth grinding past her skin... the kiss stretched out and Malvern knew not where she began and he ended. Intoxication from her taste, her smell, her mind pressing against her.

It felt... strange, but good.

There were thoughts at the back of his mind, shrouded by a void and coiled shadows, but they wondered what this was. Why it was and why it felt so much better than what they had ever done before?

But Khal pushed it away, his free hand brushing past her side and letting himself go in the moment.

 

[Blackthorne]

Such was the nuance of difference between passion and lust. The sensation of being connected with rather than devoured by desire; of being supported rather than pinned against a wall; of being experienced rather than simply used. Loxa would never have defined their relations thus far in a negative manner, but it wasn't until now that she realized there had been an element missing.

Or perhaps an element scorned and abandoned - not just by Khal, but by both of them.

Legs had lightly looped to rest around his waist when her feet had left the ground, Loxa loosed her fingers from his, drawing her other hand down to his neck. She traced her fingertips over his jaw, brushing them up along the bristle before drawing along the rim of his ear. The soft nature of his kiss reciprocated, it gave the woman a chance to appreciate she scent of his skin without the distraction of the burning sensation often left behind by his beard from the more greedy and demanding approaches.

Loxa noticed as well the quiet nature of his presence.

Though the pair both stood as monoliths of their respective practices and art of power, neither had truly made to overcome the other. Still, there had always seemed to be a subtle simmering of energies beneath the surface, always pressing against one another but never truly clashing. In these moments Khal seemed calm, peaceful, perhaps even ... dare she say, vulnerable? It was a state of being she'd never experienced in him before and it drew her in completely. Not as a Priestess, not as the Sha'Matri, not as a practitioner or preacher of a religion. Simply as a woman wanting to be with the man that presently held her.

Someone else would have said she was falling in love.

All Loxa knew is that she wanted all of him, just as he was in this moment, all to herself. She spoke as much in hushed Pacean after pulling from his kiss, fingers in his hair and warm breath on his lips.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

Some time later....

Somehow they ended up in bed.

He laid there lazily, warmth curled against him and Khal listened to her breath. Soft and steady, balanced and keeping him in the moment, not letting him go in its grasp. Something had changed today, shifted underneath his notice and Khal wondered what it would mean for the future.

A smoke would have been good, but he didn't want to wake her.

Not when she was finally completely at peace and they would arrive at Wayland soon enough. Better to simply let her rest, better if her shoulders didn't tense up again, her jaw-

That train of thought didn't go where he needed it to go now.

He shifted carefully, pulling her in just a little bit closer and cozier.

There would be enough time later to think about what they... he had done and what it would mean for the future. Right now he was content enough to simply enjoy the moment.

 

[Blackthorne]

<< This one can hear a man thinking. >>

Said the witch, voice faint with lingering sleep. Loxa did not open her eyes or move in the slightest, try as [member="Khaleel Malvern"] might the innocent and simple gesture of pulling her closer had roused her conscious self from its walk through dreamscape. Her breath remained slow and steady; the warmth of her being ever persistent.

<< Not much longer now, >> there was no need to see their route map to feel that she was closer to her home. The bond she held to her home on Wayland ran deep - it was where she felt the closest to the Gods. They spoke to her in her dreams in their own way, foretelling of things to come. She knew there would be troubles ahead, but she also knew that the time approached where many things would change for the better. Boethiah's journey to awakening would soon be underway.

She was content to lay coiled at his side, listening to the heartbeat within his chest and breathing in his scent. There did seem to be something missing, however. Where was that cloud of tabacco he always surrounded himself in after their encounters?

<< Where is a man's smoke... >>

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

A small measure of embarrassment floated past his expression.

It seemed that he had not been careful enough and she woke up regardless. This was still new to him, this, whatever this was and Khal didn't truly know how to behave in a situation like it. It might have seemed as if nothing had changed and they were still doing the same dance they always did, but for some reason it was different for Malvern right now.

His thoughts went to Wayland and to Boe.

A little girl no more, she was growing up and taking her destiny in her own hands. A prophet - smirk tugged at the thought of that - and the renewed Host Lord, if the whispers spoke true.

It only amused him.

<< A man thought it would wake you. >> An awkward cough followed next as he shrugged lightly. << A man did not realize he already had. >>

His free hand brushed some strands of hair away, rubbing at his eyes and trying to figure out just how late it really was. That was always a difficult thing when you were up in space and there was no sun at the edge of the horizon to give you a hint.

<< Did a woman find pleasant dreams? >>

 

[Blackthorne]

Faint smile lines formed at the corners of her lips in response to his words. Words she could hear but also feel - reverberations within his chest with the echo of his voice over the chorus of a heartbeat and air filling, then leaving his lungs. It reminded her of the storms on Wayland with the thunder ever rumbling on the horizon, rain speaking on every surface, and the winds singing songs between the world of the living and all the worlds beyond.

Pale eyes slivered open at the man's question, the shadows of his figure slowly coming in to focus.

<< Dreams... >> the witch lifted her left hand to his middle where she found familiar lines of scars through gentle touch alone, << Some are pleasant, >> her fingertips left the line of a long scar, traveling absently now along the mark of a tattoo on his abdomen. Loxa took another breath to continue speaking but caught herself as the words formed in her lungs. Somehow speaking pragmatically, realistically, seemed off in this particular moment.

Loxa's fingers continued to follow the form of muscle along his middle, << but not as pleasant as this. >>

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

Khal caught himself in the middle of a purrr.

A low and steady spinning hum that rumbled from the depths of his body in response to the pleasant touch. Control was relinquished and the man allowed himself to simply enjoy the moment for what it was, already his finger was curling around a strand of her hair, curl and uncurl in a hypnotic gesture while he smiled at her words. Not a snort, it didn't seem... right in this moment.

Sarcasm was a familiar friend, but it put distance where right now they were pulling closer together.

He slowly turned on his side, closing the distance more and letting his free hand brush scars of her own - exploratory curiosity in the hunt for more - before Malvern reached in and softly kissed her neck.

<< Oh? >> The voice whispered while she felt his smile touching against her. << You find this pleasant? >> Another kiss of punctuation followed.

 

[Blackthorne]

The woman smiled, her jaw lifted to permit access to her neck. The closeness of his voice and the flush of warm breath on her neck produced goose pimples where their bodies did not touch.

<< If there is another word for what it is, this one does not know it. >>

She shifted, the hand at his middle flattened and pressing in a non-urgent but insistent manner. Loxa leaned into his kisses, sitting up and then pushing him back. A moment later the witch was hovering over him, all manner of sleep gone from her eyes. She kissed him then, as he had kissed her before back in the hallway, the length of her hair draping down over one shoulder.

A nuzzle broke the kiss while hands roved further away. The lips then slowly followed.


~~~


Wayland. Mid afternoon.

Loxa descended the loading ramp of the shuttle to be greeted by a sun blazing across open skies above the landing alcove. It was quiet - the time of day reserved for prayer within Temple Yvarenthi. The Sha'Matri paused at the bottom of the ramp, silently fixing the folds of her robes over her shoulders and pushing the long braid of her hair to fall at her back. In her hand the phrik staff of Moross felt familiar but not quite home.

She had seen in her dreams between bouts of pleasantry with Khaleel what needed to be done and she waited for the man to join her before saying as much.

<< This one must go to Eogorath. What a woman must do must be done alone. >>

 

[Arage Bao]

W A Y L A N D​

He stepped on out and was once again hit by the scent of the arcane in the air.

A thick cloud of force permeating around the tree and forcing peace in every direction. He knew this, because he had assisted in the matter, to ensure there was a place where the Witches could practice their craft with no worry. Difficult rituals, but not even the predators of Wayland could stand against them.

"I could assist." Khal pointed out gently. There was an undercurrent of doubt in her voice, but the man did not so much seize it, as much as underline it.

If she wished to do this on her own, he would no stand against it.

But perhaps it was not as necessary as the first glance suggested. If she insisted? Khal would probably look up the tiny library hidden deep inside of the living complex and spend some time there, perhaps exchange some barbs with the strict librarian there - that was always amusing.

[member="Loxa Visl"]

 

[Blackthorne]

His words gathered a look from the woman verging on warmth and appreciation. A smile, subtle in the way the lines just barely pressed into her expression. Loxa reached to him with her free hand to grasp gently at his arm.

<< Asante. >>

A quiet thank you bereft of acceptance. Her fingers trailed down along his sleeve to his hand, lingering over his fingers before withdrawing back to her figure. The Sha'Matri gave a faintly perceptible shake of her head before turning and taking her leave.

The trek to Eogorath was a long one and one she usually took astride her horse. Today was not one of those days to make her way quickly, however. Today was a day of contemplation and meditation. Visions seen were warnings understood. Loxa was trailing too far from her path, down a road that the Gods did not approve. What their disapproval was over, however, not even the great Witch knew. So unaware of the state of her emotions towards Khal she had mistakenly thought they were angry that she would risk herself for the Morossi staff.

Return to Eogorath for judgement they bid.

Return for judgement she would.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Loxa Visl"]

The lack of acceptance in her voice was noted, but all that Malvern did was give her a silent nod.

As Loxa pulled her hand away he pulled her in before she could retreat. A brief kiss ensued and only then was Khal prepared to her go, brushing past her further into the temple complex. At this time a day the rituals were in full swing. Robed and cowled sentients hushed close to each other, praying or preparing for obscure initiations, weaving magic into the air and spreading their influence around.

Malvern was a known figure within the complex and as such his presence raised no eyebrows.

Every once in a while one of the warrior-priests - Khal couldn't recall what the boys called themselves - eyed him up, but said nothing. An atheist was a strange occurrence within this place, but his relationship with the Sha'Matri was no secret to them.

Neither was his involvement in some of their more elaborate feats of power.

The initial rituals that had safe-guarded the temple from the domestic predators living on Wayland to the birth of the Living Ships.

There was no rush in his stride, as he passed people he knew and did not know, exchanging a nod here and there or silence when it was appropriate. It would be interesting to see if the librarian had any new knowledge to share.