Completed Red is my favorite color [Eosi please]

[Leo Varniak]

To be able to feel without being able to see was almost maddening. An unprecedented amount of emotion passed right through Leo, and his hand holding hers was nearly numbed by the current flowing from her into him. He had never used the art on someone so intimately connected to him, and the feeling took on new and unknown shades for the performer of the rite. He had been careless, willingly so, leaving himself wide open and receptive to anything she may transmit, and the experience left him breathless. He accepted it all from her, without any knowledge of where it came from. It was like a crash course in emotions and he absorbed it with a greed that surprised even himself, something he recognized as less than healthy. Not that it could be helped.

He felt her in his bones, flowing with his blood, leaving Eosi-shaped luminous imprints on the back of his eyes. Suddenly the sun she carried, etched at the base of her neck, seemed incredibly appropriate. He had caused her to radiate for him, and for all that he couldn't be burned he felt like his outer layer was dissolving with the experience. He felt her light and her darkness with equal intensity, impossible to separate. So this was the full extent of Ivak's domain - and to think he had lived this far and called himself a champion without even knowing! He felt incredibly stupid for preaching about the god like he knew him. He had known nothing. Eosi was teaching him as she learned.

It felt at the same time exhilarating and alarming. Being one with the heights of her ecstasy and the depths of her torment, feeling like an appendix of her spirit made him blaze in turn. His own spirit would not be overwhelmed by hers, and the only reaction he knew was to consume, to want, to hunger. He felt acutely conscious of how uselessly desperate that yearning was; it couldn't possibly be quenched. Such was the nature of desire: if weak enough to be sated, it only left melancholy in its wake, but if strong enough it tore away at you, an invincible taskmaster knowing no rest or quarter. He shouldn't have been so quick to take in so much of her. He could think of no addiction more natural, yet ultimately more dangerous.

As she regained her consciousness, she would find him bent towards her, looking at her, his breath short and ragged through his mouth, eyes blazing with the consuming fury of possession and lust. She couldn't have hoped to drown him in her sharp sunbeams without consequence. He knew this hunger was a dead end - it made him want to bury himself in her and drink more of her, but there was no nourishment to be had from this fount. He may spend himself inside her a thousand times, he may consume her flesh and eat her beating heart out, and he would still never possess her. One could not possess the sun. It was meaningless like this, more so at the height of her most vulnerable time, and a part of him rebelled against it.

He pulled back then, with a painful slowness to the motion. Pearls of sweat graced his forehead as he leaned into the trunk to calm down. His breath gradually steadied itself as he dared look at her again with a mix of wonder, guilt and relief. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "it doesn't usually get so... personal. I wasn't expecting this. I saw nothing, but felt everything. I hope I didn't frighten you." He stretched his neck in an attempt to relax. "We both have much to think about," he thought aloud, feeling more than a little confused by this turn of events.

[Eosi]

Eosi mopped her face. In a desperate bid for composure she breathed deeply and slowly, just focusing on the blurred texture of the wood upon which she knelt. When tears ceased to cloud her sight, she glanced up at the face of her savior. His eyes burned with dark, insatiable fire. His lungs ripped the oxygen forth from the air in short gasps. Almost euphoric she watched as his chest rose and fell in silence. He must have felt it too, then. There could be no other explanation for the hunger in his gaze. Sweat beaded his forehead and seemingly with considerable effort he backed away. She hadn’t realized how very primal he could be but yet that trait was so obvious in him now. Fire was passionate, utterly consuming and addictive. Two flames met and danced together just seconds prior. If they weren’t careful, their very essence could overwhelm the other.

"I'm sorry," he said gently. Guilt was etched in his face. It was so sad how she relieved him and pained him at the same time. Eosi didn’t want to do more damage. ”It’s... okay,” she rasped. Her answering smile was weak but sincere, radiating up at him. "It doesn't usually get so... personal. I wasn't expecting this. I saw nothing, but felt everything.” That was bad enough. It was fortunate he couldn’t see the more intimate memories that had ran furiously through her mind. They were some of her darkest hidden pleasures. But he felt them and she knew he had the gist of it. Some aspect of that made her feel ashamed. No one excepting those in her inviolate trust had known that. Leo was the first person she wasn’t involved with in an intimate manner to hold such knowledge. Even more than ever he had her heart in his fist. She only knew that she’d have to believe he’d keep it safe.

“I hope I didn't frighten you." Her voice regained its strength as she spoke. ”I was never afraid.” In the flood of images there was sadness, pain, shame, regret, anxiety and sorrow. Even worry. But out of all the negativity he’d witnessed there was rarely ever fear. Eosi did not know fear like other humans did. It was there but muffled near to entirety by the overwhelming faith she carried. Her deities were like a magical safety net. Her soul belonged to them, so even in death there was nothing to cower or hide from. He must have known this. Perhaps it was asked in politeness or the hope she might refuse him.

"We both have much to think about," he said offhand. She nodded very slightly, scanning his face. There was a large elephant standing between them. They’d come too far and too close to let it remain there for any length of time. Courage welled up in her, before she began. ”You read my feelings.” It was of course, not a question. ”You know how I feel about you.” It’d all been there for she’d seen it too. She’d been laid open almost surgically. ”Perhaps you need time to think about whether or not you’d still like to offer me a place in Ivak’s service.” That was a worry for her. Having feelings for him might complicate things. Leo could very well reject her and what then? If he did not feel the same then it might interfere with their work.

”Or perhaps you will and might leave me here when you go.” That too was a viable option. Their paths might diverge from there. The idea of it ripped away at her. Still, she re-erected the barrier between them. It was for safety’s sake in case he’d already made the choice. ”Whatever you decide.” Her voice was heartbroken but the inflection was so slight it could be overlooked. Of course he knew better. The pretense was a little silly. But perhaps she’d surprised him with her intensity. Maybe the young archer was too flammable for him. Whatever the cause she’d do as he bid. It was a fact she’d already resigned herself to.

[Leo Varniak]

His furious heartbeat no longer pounded between his ears, and he had calmed down enough to reason once more. For a moment he hadn't known himself there. He might not have stopped had he not worried about hurting Eosi in body and soul. It wasn't the way he wanted things to go, but he wasn't entirely his own master anymore. The mark carried enormous power, perhaps more than a human was meant to wield, and its side effects were plain to see. The Valterrian was proof enough of that. He had to tread carefully, or she may end up paying the price. He saw his behavior had somehow hurt her in some way. It shouldn't have surprised him; he had witnessed how sensitive she could be. He could only hope she would understand his different kind of sensitivity.

He found that he could already read her so well. The way she was distancing herself from him spoke of fear, even though she wouldn't admit to him or even herself. Pain or hardships may leave her unfazed, but she feared his rejection immensely. She was bold, but always retreated whenever she glimpsed a chance of being wounded inside. Leo was left with the impression of holding the key to her heart in his hand, and the responsibility took his breath away. He knew he wanted to remove her pain, to see her smile once more, to hear her adorable laughter ring in the air. He cared for her more than even he was ready to admit, but it wouldn't be easy. Her words had already acquired the ability to cut him, and cut him they did as she suggested he may want to leave her behind. Even without marks, the slight strain in her voice gave her away.

"Eosi," he began slowly, realizing how much easier it was to be a priest than a man sometimes, "I have no such doubts. You have a power over me like no-one before. You command my every string and stir every ounce of my essence. You must forgive me if I appear unsure or conflicted. The mark I carry on my back is not without its side effects. I lose control easily and, when I do, swift destruction follows." It wasn't easy for him to confess how partial and limited his own power was. He couldn't comprehend his gift in full, let alone control it. Then again, even Ivak had faltered once. "I was consumed by desire, and I felt like I wanted to..." He struggled to find the right word for a moment or two. "... devour you." It was the best he could come up with, suitable for men and flames alike. It was strangely arousing to state that flatly in front of her. "I might even have hurt you by simply forgetting that heat can still wound you. It may not be obvious to you, but this mark has enough power to level a city if I'm not careful." He regretted saying that instantly, remembering Denval, and almost bit his tongue. "I... didn't mean it in that way," he stumbled by way of apology.

All in all he got this strange impression that he wasn't making things any simpler as he went on; in fact, he was feeling more and more like a fool. "What I'm trying to say is... I want you by my side. I can't stand the idea of being where you're not. There's too much of you within me, and of me within you. But I want it to be my choice, my will, not my mark's. I need a little corner for Leo Zaital the man as opposed to the long arm of Ivak. Give me time to grow my heart to the size it needs to be to contain your greatness, and I'll hold you inside of me for the rest of time. I'll love your light and crave your darkness and we'll be as one."

There was something else gnawing at him. He had noticed it right away, that she was hesitant to say it, having only used it once when they were perfect strangers, and it had been growing steadily to the point where he couldn't ignore it anymore. They certainly weren't strangers now, and the need was eating at him somehow. "There's one more thing I really want," he said, flushing a little. "I want you to say my name. I want to see it forming on your lips and I can't take it anymore. It means 'lion' and it's pacing around in its cage. I want you to let it out now." It was a small thing, really, but weren't big things revealed in the small?

[Eosi]

It took a bit for him to gather himself before replying. What had all but spent her must also have taken its toll on Leo. After a minute or so, his chest rose and fell at a normal pace. His eyes were exhausted in spite of themselves. He regarded her carefully - wisely even, as she alluded to rejection. When the man seemed on the precipice of speech, she felt the teetering feeling again. This time it could send her careening headfirst into the yawning pit of her own anxiety. That makeshift barrier she’d attempted to maintain fell hopelessly before him. There was nothing she could say or do that would ever hide her intentions from Leo Zaital. It’d been a foolish notion to even try given what had just taken place.

"Eosi," he said deliberately. "I have no such doubts. You have a power over me like no-one before.” How many times could he shock her in such a way? Whenever she thought herself acquainted with him, a new facet of his personality came to light. It was all she had to keep her jaw from hanging agape. The Invalti’s face held such vulnerability that she seemed all but made of glass. ”You command my every string and stir every ounce of my essence.” Her heart shot forth from her breast and off into the sky, dancing about the Ukalas somewhere. Her scrambled brain juggled the information. It was a sensory overload in the same fashion Ivak’s blessing had just been. That was what he’d meant about needing to think.

“You must forgive me if I appear unsure or conflicted. The mark I carry on my back is not without its side effects. I lose control easily and, when I do, swift destruction follows." The look hadn’t been desire, then. Not the way she’d initially guessed. It seemed he was headed in that general vicinity of thought, but his destination was always a mystery. "I was consumed by desire, and I felt like I wanted to..." As his low voice trailed, it hung in the silent void. He seemed to look for the word in the air as his stare shifted to the empty space, searching. "... devour you.”

There was that darkness again, that sent blood pooling in the hollows of her cheeks. The light blush dusted her otherwise open features. Her knees tightened against one another involuntarily and some shrill internal voice reminded she was supposed to be ashamed. Zaital was making that increasingly more difficult. "I might even have hurt you by simply forgetting that heat can still wound you.” But he hadn’t. He’d maintained his control. That was what defined him as worthy. ”It may not be obvious to you, but this mark has enough power to level a city if I'm not careful."

When it’d slipped from his mouth, Leo’s face became a mask of regret. It was near instantaneous. They’d just overcome that hurdle and he felt he’d just undone it all, reiterating the awful tragedy. "I... didn't mean it in that way," he stammered. Her expression was no longer melancholic but kind. With a sad smile, she immediately absolved him. ”It’s okay. Don’t flog yourself.” The reassurance was almost maternal in its delivery. ”You’ve demonstrated a great deal of control.” It’d come with a price, she assumed. To moderate power of that magnitude, he’d almost certainly experienced failure in the past. Just another of his many regrets. ”You’re stronger than you credit yourself.”

He must have felt absurd. The man began again, this time a bit more collected. "What I'm trying to say is... I want you by my side.” At some point she’d gotten to her feet. The confession began to influence the way she held herself. ”I can't stand the idea of being where you're not. There's too much of you within me, and of me within you.” Eosi turned molten at the words, her spine straightening and weight shifting. Her cheeks reddened fully and her heart pounded. ”But I want it to be my choice, my will, not my mark's. I need a little corner for Leo Zaital the man as opposed to the long arm of Ivak.”

Leo the man. She’d failed to see that aspect. Could he be a man and a divine instrument simultaneously? Ivak would wish for him to try. Humans in the service of gods were cherished enough to be allowed that humanity. The god of emotion had known love, too. It was the reason the world nearly met its end. But also responsible for the hero that stood before her. ”Give me time to grow my heart to the size it needs to be to contain your greatness, and I'll hold you inside of me for the rest of time.”

She felt hotter than freshly forged steel. She was a bellows, a furnace, a tongue of white flame. ”I'll love your light and crave your darkness and we'll be as one." At the idea of their union, she finally snapped free from the insecurity that’d held her back. It melted away on the breeze. With a few tiny hops from one branch to another, she closed the distance between them. Her body was sensual and her eyes set in their purpose. When so very close, one hand stretched out to cradle his face. She shivered as her palm grazed his fresh smattering of stubble, invisible from afar. Her eyes were emeralds set alight. She took in the true form of his irises, adoring their inky flowering ridges.

Was he shocked? Hungry? Eosi leaned up and set her mouth flush against his. He’d won this prize from what seemed long ago. It was sweet and yet uninhibited. Her lips moved expertly against his. The contact was like being marked all over again; it was hot yet intensely pleasurable. A better kiss by far than she’d ever had. It required every ounce of discipline she had left to finally disengage. It was too enticing to continue. Not with their need to cool down. ”Mine,” he breathed against him, liking the sound. He’d been right. To comprehend was to possess.

Something still troubled him – she could see it in the lines of his brow. With their proximity she was able to admire the little crease that appeared between his eyes. "There's one more thing I really want," he blushed at this request. ”I want you to say my name. I want to see it forming on your lips and I can't take it anymore. It means 'lion' and it's pacing around in its cage. I want you to let it out now." How fitting. It hadn’t occurred to her, but not once had she said it. ”Leo,” she whispered proudly. The power it held shifted her smile to a smirk. ”Leo,” she echoed once more, the feeling so very natural. ”What shall we do now, hmm?”

[Leo Varniak]

Her sudden approach did not startle him; if anything, anticipation of the event began building up inside him the very moment she moved in his direction. He had been waiting for this a long time, certainly longer than he'd known Eosi, and as she bridged the final gap between them he could not help but feel like this was the way things were meant to go from the start. He took her in completely as she scrambled her way to him, from the tip of her flaming hair to the extremities of her toes, finding beauty no matter where he looked. The vision of his Eosi invading his space, and by extension his entire life, to join him in a burning kiss would accompany Leo Zaital for the rest of his days.

There was desire in his eyes now, but not the expression of an otherworldly power. It was an entirely human feeling - love, the child of Resource and Poverty, always seeking, never content, ever a philosopher of the soul. He locked his eyes into hers for an endless snapshot in time, committing her every shade of emerald to memory, but then the light of her was too bright and he closed them as their lips touched. Just before he did, his memory brought forth a flash from a vision he'd once had of the infant son of Ivak and Kova, laughing innocently in the cradle even as he began to set fire to it in pure, mindless joy. The vision had haunted Leo for years, as if taunting him for everything he could never be. If only he could feel like this, for once, just for once, then he'd gladly bear every burden in the world. He'd carry mountains on his back and travel to the four corners of the lands, taking arrows and giving back hope. If only, if only...

His mind went blank with the kiss, and he lost all notion of time as he melted with her. The world could have ended and been remade around him, and he wouldn't have noticed a thing. He retreated to what felt like a safe, but eternally challenging place. It would be too easy to claim Eosi was his chance at redemption, his shot at a larger and more righteous way of existence; but really, she was no means to an end, she was the end in itself. All thought shattered, Leo understood this on a wordless, primal chord of awareness. Later on there would be worry - for worry was never very far away from him, and any gain is accompanied by the equal and opposite fear of loss; he would worry about her, about losing her, about her becoming his Kova and driving him insane should she fall. Today, however, there was only the blessing of thoughtlessness and things conveyed by higher senses than the usual five. Not that the usual five weren't involved; quite the contrary. Her fingers had left sensory phantoms on his face long after they were gone.

His heart was racing as their lips parted, and he licked his to capture the last droplets of her lingering taste. Her statement of possession made him shiver in a form of greedy delight, but he himself was practically rendered speechless by the kiss and it would be a little longer before he could revert to his usual eloquence. Leo's eyes went to the curve of her mouth as she spoke his name, and it pleased him immensely to have it spoken by her, charged with feeling. As she asked him what was in store for them, he was unsure if she meant the question in an immediate or long-term sense. His wits were, at long last, returning. "Oh, there's plenty to do, don't you worry about that," he gave a coy smile. "Whispers. Wonder. Walking. Riding. Sweat. Colors. Skies. Battles. Shine. Breeze. Skin. Among other things." His arms wrapped her gently as he shot the tree an amused look. "I am rather grateful to this tree, and I'll forever be indebted to hummingbirds everywhere for the heroes' reward, but we may want to leave the nest at some point." He bit his lip, as he tended to do when a new thought replaced some old one.

"I think a thorough explanation of an 'egalitarian relationship' is in order." And he was the one to seek her lips this time, savoring every moment before his kiss trailed to the side of her face, tracing the contour of her strong jaw until the ear, where he spent a moment taking in her scent. "Mine," he whispered there, proving his rather academic point.

[Eosi]

Eager, he reciprocated the kiss. His mouth really was plush, as her previous assessment had been. Leo’s whole body was impossibly warm. As their flesh held the contact, Eosi thought of long winter nights where he might keep her insulated. The idea of their bodies entwined next to a roaring hearth… With a gentle shudder their lips parted. She couldn’t indulge lest she begin tearing down every last boundary. The tree could be due to witness a more intimate act than was really appropriate. When next her eyes peeled open, he was already gazing at her. Leo’s arms snaked around her waist, bowing her in slightly. It was as if he’d granted her permission to roam. The hand that cradled his face now explored his shaggy black hair. The texture was fine and slightly tangled; she abruptly yearned at a comb. When so close his weariness was truly evident. When satisfied with his hair, two fingers lightly traced the heavy bags that hung beneath those blazing orbs.

He watched her as she spoke his name. There was something so perfect about the way it simply rolled from her lips. She’d say it in panic, in heat, in desire… From then on it’d be a name she’d know well. Some thought blipped into her head, related to that idea. They’d be brought together purposely. Eosi had cried to Ivak much in the same way she had Syna. Her justification was that he must’ve needed more than just a broken heart to appear. In truth, he’d known her suffering and bided his time. This was her reward. Ivak must have brought them together. There could be no other reason why Leo appeared when her heart had been empty, her path winding and bleak and her identity lost. He would be the partner she’d never known. Together the pair of them would fulfill that purpose they had been intended for since the Empires had fallen and the world set to ruin.

He’d been gathering himself while she mused and found the words at last. "Oh, there's plenty to do, don't you worry about that," he began with a shy smile. ”Whispers. Wonder. Walking. Riding. Sweat. Colors. Skies. Battles. Shine. Breeze. Skin. Among other things." His list was rather vague and on the whole, very appealing. Returned to his full power of oration, the priest continued. "I am rather grateful to this tree, and I'll forever be indebted to hummingbirds everywhere for the heroes' reward, but we may want to leave the nest at some point." Something else must have occurred to him, for his teeth folded slightly over his lip. ”I like that,” she declared boldly, eyes falling on the gesture. ”It’s very…” the words faded off to imply some scandalous verb in their wake. She giggled.

"I think a thorough explanation of an 'egalitarian relationship' is in order." He claimed her this time, the feeling engulfing all reason. Her bodily tension evaporated. She felt like clay in his hands, to be molded and shaped at a whim. He was so dominant in that moment. Completely overtaken, her lips parted as she ceded one of the few walls left between them. It was a rush of heat on a balmy summer day, almost. He smelled light like crisp linen, except for the base of his throat and the taste of his lips. It was divine, beyond description. A small moan erupted from her lips. There could be an audience standing watch beneath the tree’s lush branches and she would not have cared a whit. Yes, egalitarian indeed. He had the same effect and more on her. In that moment she would have done anything he wanted. Anything at all.

When they broke off, she panted lightly. He kissed affectionately along her jaw until he at last reached her ear. His heady whisper put a weakness into her knees. "Mine," he growled. Eosi never had been able to let go. Not like that. She’d routinely tried in love-making to put aside her need for power. But the grasping nature within could never truly allow it. Not even when physically bound and restrained could the pride of her spirit give in to a man. Yet here and now, she’d discarded it like a weathered old rag. That sort of pride was useless here. Leo had her collared without even having to try. Those men would weep for shame to see how he influenced her.

”Ah,” she sighed, his breath in her ear arousing her. ”Leo..” Her tone was meant to call him back to the front. ”Unless you’d like to give the hummingbird a lesson or two in the act of mating, you may want to, ah,” she flinched a little. ”Leave the whispers for later.” When and/or if he chose to draw away from her sensitivity, she would continue. ”I think I rather like your list and the nature of this relationship.” Her smile was nearly smug with satisfaction. ”We can do any of those aforementioned things. I might say however, lunch is one you missed.” It was astounding how easily she could interact with him. Most others routinely grated her nerves. Eosi was sensitive, domineering and therefore mostly frustrated.

”Do you need time, my love?” She asked brightly.

[Leo Varniak]

Prior to freeing Ivak from his prison, Leo had never really prayed to the god whom he now served. It was one of his many contradictions, the pride of the mind and the burning need of the soul. He had served with the mind even before serving with the soul, and even then he had never been able to serve with the heart; until now. Eosi had already blessed him with the creative ability to make prayer for his god without even needing to try, and even now a small part of him was praying. She could make his ground fertile where he had believed there was only rock and desolation. He had always believed there could be three kinds of spirits in the world: makers, keepers and destroyers. In the time it took to hold a breath and share a kiss, the Inarta had taught him how foolish the notion was. People made words, words did not make people and people could become anything. If he wanted to be a maker then he would be, and no-one could stop him.

He felt himself burn with possibilities at her touch, giving her full permission to trace his features as if committing them to her fingers' memory. If the truth be told, he was walking just as fine a line as she was; even without his mark amplifying the immense emotional release from earlier, he desired nothing more than to know Eosi in the most total and comprehensive way. He felt on pure instinct the decision was his to make, and she would follow. Right now, his power over this strong, commanding woman was intoxicating. Toying with his own need, he was taking a gamble knowing it wouldn't hurt either of them even if he lost. Except the timing wasn't perfect and he wouldn't settle for anything less than perfection, preferably more.

He gave the shadow of a grin, still half-buried against her neck as he looked up and listened to her weak attempt at steering the situation while they still could. It was so very considerate of her, to worry about the hummingbird's modesty. He could see right through her, and took a few seconds to make his decision as he felt her body heat against his. He knew she was incredibly beautiful unclothed. This much he simply knew. Strong but supple, powerful but flexible. He could imagine her muscles spasming at his touch, her full breasts glistening... but he had resigned himself and had to abandon that line of thought. He was a methodical being at heart, a list maker. A tree wouldn't do. Here and now, he couldn't dissect what made her happiest.

And so, after an excruciating wait in which he made a note of whispers on that list, he finally breathed against her lobe. "Later, then." He withdrew, knowing he'd made it just in time. "The tree would sooner give us a lesson or two in the act of falling, at any rate." He straightened, catching his breath. How could he possibly have forgotten lunch? "It was probably lumped with the other things," he gave a mock protest, "but I will have you know there's no precept against it in my religion." He was rather hungry, come to think of it. Even before meeting her, releasing the earth's pressure was demanding work. He felt dizzy from their time of passion, and had to be twice as careful as he stretched his leg to begin the descent.

He looked into her eyes at her question and gave a thoughtful smile. "I need time with you, my love. Consider the list updated with lunch. Among other things." He hopped to the next branch and called out to her. "I might even grant you a rematch one of these days." He looked amused for a moment, as if wondering why it was taking her so long, but knowing she would beat him easily in the downward race.

[Eosi]

She felt his expression shift against the crook of her neck, though it was impossible to know exactly how. Eosi figured it might be a smile. When he pulled back ever so slightly her suspicion was confirmed, and she mirrored the action. Every attempt at guile fell flat with her newfound counterpart. It was quickly becoming a lesson in how truly transparent she could be. The Inarta craved that wicked gleam in his eyes and knew the darkness he contained was at hand. All it would take was a caress in the right place and her willpower would simply crumble. He seemed to know just as well, eyeing her with a measure of speculation. Whatever he would decide. It was right either way.

He held her in suspense for what seemed a lifetime. The interim was filled with the phantom of his touch. It became a delicious ache between her legs, the agony radiating through out the rest of her body. He didn’t have to even touch her for the yearning to be there. Looking at her in the manner he did, hovering just above her ear… That was enough. Before long she’d seize control of the matter and put an end to it right there. Eosi was brave enough. It was an egalitarian relationship, after all. "Later, then." His whispering breath caused her hips to give a tiny, involuntary lurch. He drew back and she closed her eyes, taking a shaky, calming breath. "The tree would sooner give us a lesson or two in the act of falling, at any rate." He’d caught her close to overflow. For that it took a beat to respond as she gathered the scattered fragments of coherent thought. He’d be a cruel master indeed.

"It was probably lumped with the other things," he replied pleasantly, in regards to her abrupt hunger. "But I will have you know there's no precept against it in my religion." The swift return of his good humor was met in kind. ”That’s fortunate for the two of us,” she fired back. Her smile gleamed in the olive light as it filtered through eaves of their tree.

He began his return to the ground and she watched him closely for signs of wavering. It wouldn’t do for her newfound partner to fall to his demise. The timing would be too ironic. When secure on the branch below, he glanced up and flashed her a winning smile. "I need time with you, my love. Consider the list updated with lunch. Among other things." His reciprocation of that term of endearment sent her heart skipping. It must have returned from its otherworldly vacation and re-acclimated itself in her breast. With another careful leap, he added: "I might even grant you a rematch one of these days."

She laughed easily and zipped from one branch to the next, only catching a snag here and there. Insects didn’t bother her and the textured bark was pleasant. Tree climbing had been a fun pastime in her youth. With a soft thud she landed on the grass, turning to give him an expectant stare. He finally clambered down her to level. Eosi placed her hands squarely on her hips. ”Where to then, fearless leader?” From her short stay in the city she knew only a few restaurants. ”The Blue Bull happens to be near where I’m staying.” Lightly, she laughed. A tavern for lunch didn’t seem too appealing. ”Perhaps the Glass Gull instead? It’s a tad pricey but right next to Godiva’s Refuge.” Swift access to somewhere private seemed like a good selling point.

[Leo Varniak]

Everything that goes up must eventually come down, and none was more acutely aware of that than Leo Zaital as he made his way down the branches with the utmost caution. He was less than halfway there by the time Eosi had landed safely on the grass. This was his total and completely expected defeat, though the day was overall an overwhelming victory. He still could scarcely believe he was the same man who had climbed the same tree just a short time before, but he suspected he would adjust very easily to the new situation. He eventually managed to touch solid ground with one foot and then the other, subtle relief washing over his features for a moment. He had just learned why cats had the same problem getting down sometimes. He stretched his neck, a little sore from their stay on the treetop, and his eyes immediately searched for Eosi's, as if making sure she was still there.

She stood there, hands on her hips, as radiant as she'd been reserved on their first exchange, and he took her in for the first time again, standing straight in the sunlight. He had to resist the temptation to wrap his arms around her, knowing full well how their self control had been severely tested and only managed to hang on by a fingertip. As his love offered him a choice of restaurants and eateries, Leo instantly decided against the tavern. "I think the occasion warrants a little indulgence," he said, rubbing his chin and noting the irony of truly being fearless. That in kind brought him the memory of Ssena's mark and eventually having to share it with her. Ah, worry truly never left him for very long. He hadn't told her about the goddess of fear, but he judged that if she had taken the news of the Storm, she could take this with far more grace. "I propose a reconnaissance to the Glass Gull, followed by a tactical raid and much plundering. Then we disengage and join the main army at headquarters for a... debriefing."

He offered her the crook of his arm for her to take if she so wanted. His mother had taught him how to respect women in all occasions, for all that the same mind was capable of burning female evildoers to cinders. Allistir Varniak's negative example of abuse stood out clearly in his mind. In truth, he would rather have slipped his arm around her waist, but it would have looked unseemly in Riverfall proper, assuming it didn't end long before then, making love on the grass. "So you're staying at Godiva's?" he inquired. It made sense; it also hinted at her having arrived only recently. Godiva's tended to be a temporary shelter for most guests. Who knew what had brought her to Riverfall? "They don't look too fondly on men entering that place, do they?" His gaze was curious, but not without a look of challenge. There was a precious difference between may not and can not that he certainly felt willing to explore. It was a good day to do something forbidden.

As they made good but leisurely time towards the gates of Riverfall, Leo stole occasional glances from her. "Let me tell you about myself," he offered, promptly realizing he didn't know where to start. "I was born in Syliras to a family of potters. My father wasn't my real father. My real father was a priest of Ivak, and sadly he died liberating our god with me. There was... a battle, new gods being made from all that energy. I never really got to tell him what I wanted to. I didn't even know he was my father. By the time I found out, the Voice of Rhysol had stopped his heart." He shook himself back to reality after a pause. "You know, I keep looking for bright things to say about my past, and I always come up short. I don't make for a good tavern tale, I'm afraid. What about you, love? What brought you here to me? The waterfalls, the weapons... the Akalaks," he half-jested, but truly he was curious to know.

He doubted it was the Akalaks, anyways. She certainly was a long way from home, however, and people rarely traveled without a compelling reason. She did look as if she'd been searching for herself, and Riverfall was as good a place for that as any. As the city gates came into view, a part of Leo found itself missing the open space they were leaving behind. There was something constraining about a city, now that he'd had a taste of utter freedom. Still, the day was barely just getting started.

[Eosi]

Watching his less-than-graceful descent served to amuse her. Leo seemed a bit nervous as he clambered from branch to branch. There could be a multitude of reasons behind that - perhaps he was simply unskilled at climbing, or perhaps there had been an issue in his past regarding trees? There was a whole history on Leo to explore. Eosi had never before been so intensely interested knowing someone. She was an essentialist at heart; to her, there was no greater value than the story behind something, where it came from. But her hunger to know this dark young man far outranked any other she’d ever met. To even share a space with him in blessed silence could be enough. A vision of their bodies lazily entwined on some woven hammock just listening to the wind sprang to mind. That daydream went on, until it was interrupted by the Azenth’s searching gaze.

Eosi blushed peach once more as he drank her in, this time without shame. He’d looked earlier because she’d wanted him to. Now Leo looked because he was filling his own need. The expression he wore enflamed her desire, and her eyes sparkled wickedly in the rich warmth of the mid-afternoon sun. "I think the occasion warrants a little indulgence," he replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I propose a reconnaissance to the Glass Gull, followed by a tactical raid and much plundering. Then we disengage and join the main army at headquarters for a... debriefing."

Two emotions spilled out at the outrageous metaphor. Eosi laughed freely, genuinely amused, while her cheeks burned. Love-making had never been something was nervous about. The Temple of Nikali had been a source of great entertainment for a couple of years before her departure to Zeltiva. Eosi had become quite skilled, in fact. But here she felt like a red-faced virgin, like some naïve young shepherdess anticipating her imminent de-flowering.

”You’re hopelessly clever,” she said, unlocking her towed in knees. ”It’s rare indeed for me to find someone I’m so utterly enthralled by.” The look in her eyes softened, lust mingling with unadulterated affection. The impulse was there to thank him, but it seemed pointless. They’d found one another. There’d be a special way of saying thanks when Syna and Leth made their nightly exchange. Still, she’d never been this happy. Not in her adult life. Eosi had been proud and vindicated and a whole round of other emotions, but never truly happy. The difference in her outlook was astounding.

Leo offered his arm and without hesitation she obliged. It was disappointing to depart from the careless freedom that they’d enjoyed beyond the city. Now the two of them would contend with a sea of prying eyes and endless questions. She had a reputation to maintain at the Antiquities Society, after all. "So you're staying at Godiva's?" His curiosity was without shame. "They don't look too fondly on men entering that place, do they?" Eosi gave him another arch look, one neat eyebrow raised. ”I could never accuse you of being slow to act.” The mock skepticism broke back into her previous smile. ”So long as I’m bringing you, they’ll pay you no mind. You can’t enter on your own without some questions being asked.” Sneaking in the middle of the night, albeit appealing could lead to some trouble. It was better to have that established.

The stubbornness that stood in his eyes when he’d asked reminded her of herself in so many ways. The young woman had that very same disregard for rules. Not all rules, of course. Many people yielded her respect and received it in abundance. In respect to arbitrary law-following however… No one could say she was guiltless. The marked similarities between them gave her great pleasure. Leo and Eosi had the same pensive quality to their decision-making. The Azenth was certainly different where it counted. He was far more cerebral in contrast to her more visceral attitudes. He had the power keep those rages in check. Likewise, she could easily lift him out of the self-pitying anguish he liked to torture his mind with. He’d made that abundantly clear without even realizing it. They were good for one another. Contentedly, she poured over this in silence as they walked.

"Let me tell you about myself," her lover began. Politely, she broke from her reverie so he might command her full attention. "I was born in Syliras to a family of potters. My father wasn't my real father. My real father was a priest of Ivak, and sadly he died liberating our god with me.” She suddenly felt deflated. ”There was... a battle, new gods being made from all that energy. I never really got to tell him what I wanted to. I didn't even know he was my father. By the time I found out, the Voice of Rhysol had stopped his heart." Eosi felt the weight of his sorrow; two sandbags on his heart. Leo would never get to look into the eyes of his true parent when he’d been there all along. He realized the depressing turn their conversation had taken. "You know, I keep looking for bright things to say about my past, and I always come up short. I don't make for a good tavern tale, I'm afraid.”

”I believe you do,” she replied. ”Just the sort that makes a man solemn and thoughtful as he clutches his mug to his breast.” Leo would become a tavern tale, which he must have known. When their work was done, whatever was said about them would be said everywhere, from one end of the land to the next. ”What about you, love? What brought you here to me? The waterfalls, the weapons... the Akalaks," he teased her. ”All of the above, excepting the Akalaks.” Eosi made a face of slight disgust. ”I’d rather not be a paid surrogate mother. I think the female body carries more majesty in combat than reproduction and I like my relationships to be rather exclusive.” Then, her disgust grew ever so slightly. ”They way they look at me… Though well-intentioned, it makes me feel like a fertile young mare at an auction full of breeders.” With a delicate shudder, she closed the book on that subject.

”When my Mother wasted away and my Father ran off to Wind Reach, I was left to my Aunt and Uncle. Over the years I’d become rather well-versed at fletching and bowing so I spent most hours employed at the family weaponsmithy.” The Inarta held up her free hand. In the light it was graced with a few raised scars from standing too close to the forge. They were scarcely noticeable with the passage of time. ”My Mother’s final wish was for me to attend University at Zeltiva. They sailed me to Taldera with the last of their funds, where I bought my mount and traveled south to the port city. I learned a great deal there.” Eosi smiled wistfully. ”Still, the scholastic life has never been for me. I’m too active and too well-trained. Zeltiva had been making me feel self-indulgent. I thought perhaps staying here might help me shake that notion and renew my purpose.” The open hand flexed and fell back to her side. She smiled. ”I’ve never been more right in my entire life.” Her words were laden with meaning.

”Tell me about your first kiss.” It may have seemed out of place, but her mind wandered. ”Or the first time you felt grateful to be alive.” To know everything about him, she had to start somewhere.