Closed Yes! Let's... [Taurina]

[Azmere]

Azmere was not bashful about what he wanted and that desire was folded up on the couch cushions with her legs in the air. The tenderness he used was born of genuine love but the insatiable way he moved and the things that came through the dirty in the back of his mind originated from some place else. For a man unaccustomed to such revelries, the sounds Taurina made were sweeter than any symphony he’d ever hear and more enticing that the rolling of thunder across the Sea of Grass. These things mixed with the dance of her fingers and the contractions of her muscles; all of which drove him onward in a quest for the ultimate culmination of emotions long repressed by both himself and his love.

The Drykas’s mouth fell open in agitation when he was yanked by his hair from the sacrament of Taurina’s garden. His hands took hold of her swiftly as if to protest but her kisses silenced the upheaval. The man did not cave to her request so much as adjust his mindset to incorporate her latest need. Az had always considered himself a provider ever since he took up the mantle of ankal. While satisfying this type of need was not a duty for the leader, he was so tied to the Ethaefal that he raced through every ounce of knowledge he possessed to find ways that would ease the suffering of her lust-filled heart. Desire was pain if left to want and the scarred man refused to let any shred of Taurina’s longing go unfulfilled.

His eyes widened when their mouths danced but he took to it quickly, enough so that he created a game where one tried to pin the other. It was a strange sensation but a wonderful feeling especially to share the salivating delight that she had blessed upon his lips with her fruit. He wanted her to hit that place again where her back arched and she emitted a rumble of thunder that let him know her body loved his touch as much as her heart. As alive as her body had been while he performed his selfless acts of exploration, her return upon his own flesh had set him on fire. Voices called from within the muscles and nerves of his own form to act, to move and quickly. This would never do for such a treasured moment.

While Taurina engaged his core, his lips and his passion, Azmere set his hands and mind to work by adjusting some of the pillows and cushions upon the couch. It was an idle task, but vital as he wiggled his hips a bit so her thighs had an even space to rest on his sides. Hands scooped the small woman against him and connected their lusts as their hearts had always been. The impact was slow, gradual but as intense as a blacksmith’s forge. He let his weigh settle naturally while his arms bound her against his chest. Kisses were broken and began as a muse strikes an artist but they had slowed since the two had become one.

Azmere kept his eyes open. The blue and gold orbs searched through the caramel oceans for the soul that seemed to belong to his own. He could not dream of anything so pleasant as this- as amazing as this. His mind struggled to process the feelings, both emotion and physical, that saturated him to the point where his sweat was laced with joy, relief and need. As the last bits of space between them vanished, a big hand found the back of her head and fingers curled into her hair. The hold was strong, unbreakable and possessive but there was no anger or haste in these actions. The scarred face leaned in until his lips brushed Taurina’s and their breath became a shared source of vitality. “All my life I’ve wanted to know what my purpose is…” He inhaled her exhale, licked his lips and kissed her sweetly but quickly went back to the frame where all was still and they had meshed completely. His idle hand pulled her thigh tightly to his hip and held her there with a pressure that was clearly being restrained as if his inner longing wanted to explode. “It’s you, Taurina.” The eyes were serious, wet with love but as steady as the stone of the earth. “To belong to you is why I am here…” Another soft kiss aided by the hand upon the back of her head. “And to own you.”

Az lifted her head to him this time, the contest for who could control the other’s lips ensued with a splash of fire but it was merely a sideshow that forced him to close his eyes. He lifted his hips and felt the cold air rush in between them and address the void as an enemy. Steadily, he removed the threat as heat once more covered them entirely where their bodies converged. A rhythm was created and built upon that grew in both size, speed and intensity but it was a slow process. The weathered hands made certain to always support the tanned Drykas who rested beneath him for she also sat upon the throne of his spirit and as such she was treated like an empress. Every move he made was to bring her joy. Every sound he uttered was to give her comfort and every time they connectedfully, the lightning that struck through his heart etched another piece of her name into the man. This was truth. This was life. This was everything and Taurina was the key to it all.

[Taurina]

Taurina exploded in a fit of breathy giggles that bubbled up from her chest as Azmere turned the deep kiss of their lips into a sort of game. She sparked to life there beneath him. Not swallowing down her amusement but laying it out for him to see because she would hide nothing from him. Here she was at peace. Here she was free. So sweet were their kisses full of passion and fire. So sweet was the tangle of tongues and taste of his lips lathered in her nectar. Some chord within her was struck satisfied to know of how he had tasted her. Though that same chord burned with a need to taste him as well. All in due time. Just now her need for two to become one was greater.

Soft moans and subtle whines filled the void of silence that threatened to wash over them when no words passed between them. The Ethaefal was not a silent lover. In life she was shy and invisible but here with the one who saw her as no one else could, she let her heart’s desires be known. She kissed him needy and full, lips and teeth nibbling at whatever flesh she could reach when he did not give her his lips. She found herself loathing the air when space came between them. She even found a dislike for the gown she wore; not because she did not like it, but because it was a barrier between her and her love. If it had not been his gift, and if she had not been so fully immersed in all they did, she might have pulled it off herself.

Fire and light flared as she touched him. He did not give her all she wanted all at once, but instead allowed room for patience and time. Her soul rumbled in protest but she was too busy kissing him to speak. Her hands moved across the plains of his body idly, her hips rolling so that her soft and aching need rubbed up against him as he shifted so that her legs might evenly drape against his sides. She understood not why he felt the need to shift the pillows and cushions around, but in a moment it hardly mattered. The world was suddenly in motion as he scooped her up and made to fulfill what was her deepest desire just then.

Nothing could accurately describe what it was to be one with the man whom she loved. Taurina found herself void of all words and pictures and sounds. The artist within her was quiet and still just then. There was nothing in her that was not a thought of him. So long she had wanted this, so long she had wanted him. Dreams of the day nor dreams of the night had ever accurately portrayed what it was to be so near him. It was something she could never have imagined but was so thankful to have. Once she had believed she was never going to get to have this, that she had lost him for eternity, but somehow she had not and it made her savor this all the more. They had each other and they had time now, she was not going to waste it. Not a tick of it.

Gazes locked as soul reached out to soul. Together they were bound by something etched in starlight. Joy and light collide with love and desire as emotions became so overwhelming that no single one could be pinpointed. They both knew how far they had come to get here. The road had been twisted and faded. It was nothing short of a miracle that they had found each other again. A miracle or fate, one of the two, Taurina thanked her silent god for whichever it was. Her Azmere. Her beautiful warrior-hearted Azmere. How lost she had been without him, and how grateful she was to have him again. He held her in his hands with one tangled in her hair with an unshakeable grip. There was not anger in him though, no hatred or intent to bring harm, just an unbreakable love and a possessiveness she reveled to see. For she was his and he was hers, and no one was going to break that.

The words he spoke brought tears of joy and love to line Taurina’s eyes in silver. She did not know how to explain to him what his words meant to her. What all of this meant to her. Her breath caught in her chest like a butterfly. The kiss so sweet before everything went still again being the key to unlock it. Her exhale was his inhale and visa versa. She felt as though she could have lingered like this forever. But then her core quaked when he drew up her leg up to his side using a pressure that made her understand his restraint and all the need came rushing back. She whimpered softly, unable to bite it back, and met his steady gaze of love with hers of molten sunlight and unhindered devotion. To love him, to have him, and to be loved by him as well as be his. That was what he said his purpose was and she could not argue. For she was certain that in him she had found her purpose as well. After seasons of searching, longing, and needing; to have him and be owned by him was the thing that made her soul sing with peace.

Taurina said nothing for no words could fully express what she felt aside from the ones he had already spoken. Instead she kissed him fiercely with a fire that matched his own as their game began again. It didn’t last long for he pulled from her and the cold that hit her made her cry out in protest. He did not leave her long but plunged again. Causing a deep groan of yes to rumble through her. Steadily their rhythm was found at a pace meant for patient lovers. Restless were Taurina’s fingers as they wandered down the curves of his muscled back and over the scars at his chest. She gripped at his hair, traced the outline of his face, and when the rhythm grew into something more than she could handle, she wrapped arms around him and dug nails into flesh.

Azmere took her to a place full of color and wonder where every nerve in her body fired off and her body began to tremble. She could not help but pant and moan and whimper as he brought her to that edge she was meant to fall over. “Azmere..” she spoke his name through heavy breaths, so quiet it was like a prayer or a wish, “Azmere..” It was the only word she knew how to say. His name. Everything else escaped her as she closed her eyes and arched her back, a roar of pleasure thundering through her chest. Release was found in a wave of ecstasy that washed over her as it poured out over him. Colors danced in sparks of light as heat rose and fell again and again. She was left breathless and without words. All she knew how to do was reach out towards him and pull him close against her so that she might kiss him deep. Her love being the only thing she knew how to give him.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

Boxcode credit goes to Azmere

[Azmere]

Azmere moved in ways that were both subtle and direct. He tempered his strength based upon the sounds that she made but that was not always reactionary. As his body intertwined with the tattoo artist, the Drykas was overwhelmed by a constant battery of sensations and feelings that he could not process, sort or comprehend. Taurina was a creature of love and fire and light that set him ablaze with her rough kisses and playful laughter. The pattern of red etchings that she laid into his back burned in the most amazing way- kindling for the inferno growing within his soul.

The ankal pressed his form through the lithe frame of his heart’s desire with the heaving rhythm to which they danced. The pillows and cushions had been shoved around to create a space that would not interfere with the sway of passions that pushed and pulled upon them both. Azmere devoured every inch of her that he could find. His hands pulled at her flesh and her hair in numb grasps meant to inflame her skin or to direct her body to a certain place. He swelled with what felt like a lifetime of repressed affection as the tempo gathered momentum.

The man’s lips drew warmth with every embrace and left behind a raindrop upon her skin. He was no kelvic but Azmere’s primal nature began to take hold in the throes of love and lust that swirled within his core. It did not take long for her whimpers and moans to shock him in his spirit. Taurina’s pleas started a conversation that he gradually filled on his end with rumbles of thunder deep ins his chest or growls from his throat. The latter often preceded a sharp clamp of his teeth upon her neck or a hold of her jaw was he steamed through his nostrils like a bull. The claws of a bear plied the sun-kissed skin of her legs and arms as he found new ways to support her body. The greedy paws even took turns catching hold of the tender and pale skin that had always been protected from Syna’s light. These soft places always initiated some kind of lingering conversation that might have been instinctual Pavi or just the perversions of Azmere’s weathered fingers exploring every tiny spec of his love’s daytime form.

When Taurina touched his face, his heartbeat skipped and his eyes flashed upon to see the look of love, joy and ecstasy on her face and the contrasting gaze fell for her all over again. The raw beauty displayed beneath him was an image he commissioned to the painter in his memories to be a masterpiece that never left the main gallery. Ticks later, the strong grip of her nails plunged into his back muscles and Azmere groaned with a fire he did not know that he possessed. He felt the pressure as it built inside of her and relished the new sensation it gave. There was a point where his eyes fell shut again and the loss of sight rejuvenated his other senses. It was like waking up in the middle of a dream then falling right back into paradise. The large man’s body consumed the smaller form of his woman and the aroma of sweat, love, lust and heat caused his nostrils to flare.

Azmere’s skin awakened as every hair stood on end and every nerve seemed to take on lives of their own. Choruses would sing to him about the slick of her smooth skin and the heat of her core while his lips continued to taste the honey from her garden and the salt from her lips. His lead in the dance had grown into strong exclamations of movement that shook them both and made her tremble. The shivers of her body sent chills up his spine that tried to chase the sting where her nails raked the thick skin of his broad shoulders and back. His ears swooned as she spoke his name over and over again. Each time was like a blow to the soul that drove further and deeper into the place where he and she stopped being individuals and they became one.

Taurina’s silent cry of release pummeled him like the roar of the mighty falls. Like the rush of the river, Azmere splashed down into her wave in a feeling that could only be described with a look the two of them could share. No words a poet could write, no song a musician could perform and no tapestry and artist could paint would ever relay the power of the moments where Taurina fell and Azmere dove in after her. His body crashed into hers with greater and greater force until every muscle went tense and he felt the eruption of a all that had culminated over years flood their union. The levy gave way and the two lovers were caught in a moment frozen in time where love and desire met, quenched at last in an ocean of feelings, thoughts and memories which held them together.

Azmere did not move away from her. Rather, the big arms wrapped around her and drew her closer to him, a hand cradled the back of her head. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were locked on to hers with pure devotion that reflected the light which crept through the slightly parted curtains. Smoke filled the room but it was just a trick of the eyes as steam lifted from their skin. The Drykas man had nothing to say but he did hold Taurina fast and press his lips to hers in a kiss that spoke a lifetime of sentiments. For almost half a bell, he lay against her and kept her pinned beneath him on the cushions. Often, he would find her lips with his own or his fingers as well as making sure to pay ample attention to any part of her body that tried to cool off. He had no want to see her leave his body just yet.

Finally, Azmere took Taurina’s hands and laced his fingers into her own then stretched her arms above her head. He lifted his torso only slightly and put his face against her own, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. “Never will I forget this day-” He stole a kiss and slowly rose to his feet but held her fingers in his grip and dragged her up as well. “But we’re just getting started.” He pulled her into a bear hug and hoisted her from the ground,his hands finding her bottom and giving her a place to rest as he carried her into the bedroom. He helped her get cleaned up and dressed then made her do the same. Once they were presentable for the public again, he gathered a pack and emptied it on the table. He grabbed a money pouch and called for Grey. An ornery smiled lit the right side of his face. “If we’re going to travel, we need to get a few things.” With a hand outstretched, Azmere waited for her to join him as they set off for a trip to the bazaar.

[Taurina]

Once Taurina had thought she would never know what it meant to be happy. She had thought herself destined to a life full of loneliness and sorrow as a nobody who held no special place in anyone’s heart. Then she had thought that she knew what happiness was, that she was happy. She had gained a strider, a people, and a family; and she had loved them all so greatly and so dearly. Tragedy had brought sorrow again, however, and that happiness was lost in a raging and unforgiving sea. Though she fought there was no air and no shore in sight, so she had run. It was a story she had told over and over. To Alekxandra, to Koshin, and then, to Azmere. Her failures and weaknesses handed over to those she held dear so that they might understand why her heart had been shattered and why it would never again be whole.

What Taurina had never understood was that she was wrong. Her heart would be whole again and it was because of all of them. They held the pieces and they had given them back to her, one by one. Alek had given her a purpose and a reason to live again. The bondmates time together had been too short, but it had been enough to get the Ethaefal out of bed in the morning and made her learn how to stand on her own two feet. Koshin had given her a way to say goodbye and a reason to try and smile again. The days had been long but they had been beautiful and she had finally opened her eyes to see them again. Then Azmere… Her beautiful, wonderful, warrior hearted Azmere; he had taken all the pieces and put them together one by one by one. He showed her what it meant to be loved, what it meant to be cherished, and what it meant to be needed. He taught her what it was to be happy, really happy, and her heart was full.

She would never forget what it felt like to fall over that edge with him. She would never forget what it felt like to have him dive in after her. Words did not do justice to how she felt, not even a painting would. She would try though. Later, when the heat of their passions had cooled and they had tired for a time of being so near, she would try to sketch what it was this made her feel like. They were just a tangle of limbs now, panting for air with angry lines rising with some sort of pride from their skin. He held her so carefully in his arms. Her body ached for all they had done but she would have changed none of it. She was proud and she was happy and she was so, so, in love. Fingers trailed through her beloved’s hair and over his scarred chest. She smiled as she touched the recessed squares before she reached to touch the ones on his face and graze fingertips over them. So beautiful he was to her, scars and all. She would have him no other way.

Words did not come as they laid there clutching each other close. The only sound was the sound of breath and sweet kisses as each was claimed again by the other. Just once more. It was never enough. Azmere kept her awake and warm inside, heat flaring every time he touched her. Whimpers pressed against his neck as he touched where she remained so very sensitive. She did not mind though. A part of her was not quite ready for it all to be over either. She kept replaying it all over again and again in her mind. Committing to memory what he looked like as his eyes filled with love and adoration for her alone as she touched his face and loved on every inch of him. The roar of his heart was echoed in her own, a symphony of sound she wanted to play over and over again. What was it that made the thunder roar? A smile tugged on her lips. She would hear him roar again.

The shift was slow and caused the woman so happy where she was to groan. Arms lifted above her head as his face came near and he admitted exactly what she had been thinking. Taurina blushed though her eyes sparkled and her insides curled with delight. Yes, she would never forget. Yes, they were just getting started. There was much to come and she would enjoy all of it. His stolen kiss came with little surprise though it acted as a distraction before he began to drag her up. It was with great reluctance that she rose with him. She would have much preferred to stay on the couch and love on him more instead, but when he lifted her up and fixed his hands on her bottom she decided that this was alright too. Her legs draped around his sides as her arms wrapped around his neck. She pressed herself into his body and smiled softly as she was reminded of his hands roaming every inch. Her skin tingled in exhilaration.

“I can’t wait,” she admitted, nipping gently at his neck and jaw as he carried her into the bedroom.

The Ethaefal was in no mood to get dressed and return to the normal world. She much preferred it here where they were safe and locked away from the world. This place was like a bubble of happiness and protection while out there anything could happen. Taurina frowned at her love, begged him with teasing kisses and nibbles against his skin to reconsider as he helped her get ready. She was not a very willing participant in this, but eventually she heeded his direction and got cleaned up with much help from him. Helping him was much more enjoyable. Especially when she teased him with playful fingers each chance she got. Still, it was too soon that they were dressed to go out into the streets.

“You certain that we must?” she asked calm though childish when she followed Grey out to meet her love.

He seemed very certain with his pack emptied and a bag of coin secured. Taurina sighed, idle fingers playing against the top of Grey’s head in his soft fur. Lips pursed and slowly she nodded, seeing how Azmere held out his hand for her to take. That brought a smile to her lips. She surged forward to meet him and intertwined fingers in his before resting her head on his arm and walking with him towards the warrens. If they had to go than at least it was together.

“What do we need to get?” Taurina asked curiously as they walked hand in hand with Grey keeping pace by their side.

The Ethaefal assumed that collectively they had everything short of food rations and perhaps a compass. Maybe they needed some travel stuff too. She remembered that she had traded in much of her gear when arriving to Riverfall for simply not needing it anymore. No one needed a tent when they lived in a lavish -it was for her, and now him as well- apartment. Idly her free hand reached over and rubbed up and down his arm. Not in a nervous behavior but as if assuring herself that he was here with her and reminding her not to lose so quickly what it was they had found together on her couch.

Midday the warrens were busy but no busier than any other time of the day unless perhaps a trade caravan had just come through. Taurina did not think so for there was no great buzz, though she had been wrong before. Vendors were all out selling their wares and the shops were all open. Her nose drew her towards the bakery, a great rumbling in her belly telling her that she was hungry. Caramel eyes looked towards Azmere in silent plea. Though she was sure food was not exactly what he had in mind with coming out here. At least, not the perishable kind. She sighed again and gripped his hand, her gaze dropping to ensure Grey was still near. She did not know why she bothered really. The big dog never left his master’s side for long unless told to. Had not even done so when Azmere had not known his name. Taurina smiled vacantly at the thought, very glad that someone had looked out for their Azmere when she had not been able to. Grey had saved her love’s life more than once out there, she was sure, and she was never going to forget it.

“We should get Grey a treat,” Taurina whispered into Azmere’s ear so the dog would not hear, “he deserves one, don’t you think?”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

Boxcode credit goes to Azmere

[Azmere]

Azmere felt strange. Was true happiness really just peace? He felt no anxiety. There was no fear creeping up his spine and no stress waying down his muscles- just her. Taurina was light in his arms and warmth against his skin. Flesh on flesh created a searing bond of heat that begged for the two bodies to remain joined. The world outside of their bubble did not exist, couldn’t.

Laughter and feigned whining touched his ears as the Ethaefal revealed a playfulness that he had not known her to have. She fought him in ways that strengthened his resolve to accomplish their goals but also stirred his desires to the surface again. At one point, the small woman had placed herself as a physical barricade to his movements which only served to ensnare Az in a well-laid trap. He pressed his slick chest against her back and pinned her hands to the wall underneath his own. The next few chimes were spent with whispered secrets of hot breath against her neck and ear as he inhaled the scent of her hair -sweet like her but salty from the workout they had just undergone. The scarred man could resist words with no more than a thought but the sensation of her heart-shaped backside pressed back against him nearly caused his plans to fall apart. Only the cold nose of a canine could come and save the Drykas from having his way once more.

When the couple had finally managed to escape the temptation of one another in the small apartment, the watchman rewarded his furry companion with a snack and a half smile as he teased his lover. “Man’s best friend.”

The Warrens were as Azmere remembered them. People and tents everywhere. The canvases were bright and in every color one could imagine. Smells clashed and sounds exploded. Even though their day had not been a particularly quiet one so far, it was singular in its distraction. No, that was not the right kind of word; consumption. The man smiled with his entire body as Taurina clung to him and brushed up against him. Her subtle machinations were constant as if she was reminding herself that he was actually there. The big dog trotted around with them but he favored Azmere’s left leg, the one that limped slightly. Idly, the man would scratch and pet his friend. It was an incredible thing to the Drykas that the dog remained loyal and faithful for all those days and seasons while his mind was lost. Never had such devotion been known to him before and Az decided he would try and model his life after such an ideal.

The look from caramel eyes coupled with a growling stomach suddenly put into sharp focus the emptiness in his own belly. He took a step into Taurina and slipped an arm around her waist. The woman didn’t stand a chance as he hoisted her up against his torso and swung her around to stand right in front of the baker. The contrasting gaze went first to the tanned woman in his grasp. He poured his gratitude and love through eyes of day and night that twinkled with the midday heat. Flashes of their nude antics ran rampant in his mind and sent tingling sensations racing through his form which spawned a slight jerk in his hips against the woman’s leg. His free hand moved in view of the caramel stare that seemed to increase his hunger. You chose for both. Azmere had no idea what to get at a bakery aside from bread. Anything sweet ever served on the Sea of Grass was impromptu and generally part of a gift or celebration.

Once they had sweets, Az would steer them towards the main reason he had come to the bazaar. He nodded as she addressed the idea of treating the canine. Certainly, anything the faithful companion would need would be handled but the Drykas decided it would be ok to find some kind of special reward for the four-legged brother. The man stayed close to his heart as they walked about the stalls. She was never out of contact if he could help it. Soft brushes of his hands, heavier grips that landed upon her neck and shoulders or just as simple as letting his palm rest upon her bottom. Mine. While the city of Riverfall had many beautiful women of several different races and more than its share big strapping men to woo them, the wayward ankal was keenly aware that every blue in any given point in the city was staring at every woman as a potential mate. Their society allowed for supremacy in the finest of ways and it worked. Still, it was the principle of letting the world know -not just its bachelors- that Taurina was his.

The archer came to a stop at a large tent, green as the steppe and splashed with yellows and whites to reflect some kind of sunrise. The inside was dim but lit with mirrors which trapped and reflected the light of Syna within the canvas walls. Several racks lined the edges while a few tables were in the middle of it all. A man covered in windmarks sat in the back and talked in a low voice to a purple Akalak. Azmere moved slowly past the goods but didn’t even glance at them. He waited for the conversation to end then approached and flashed a quick greeting in Pavi. A brief exchange took place then the older man shot up from his chair and nearly tackled Azmere in a hug. The two walked over and stood near the center table but faced a rack on the wall. It was at this point that the scarred man extended his hand for Taurina to join him and once she did, he would pull her close. “Castien, this is Taurina.” Love. Family. His hands spoke interchangeably with his words. “Her strider is pure white and she knows Injal.”

The man’s wrinkled face erupted in a laughter that was as much breathy coughs as the giggles. “I knew him as a lad and he was the meanest damn kid.” The bent old fingers cycled through his own set of signs but slowly. Bully. Shy. Sparkling eyes of green belied the old age of the body and looked Taurina up and down then he nudged Azmere in the ribs and gave a knowing look. Before either of the couple could react, the old man went into pulling things from the rack and table and handing them to Azmere and Taurina. “Traveling back to the Wandering City is not going to be easy but if Asmodeus’ blood is in this one’s veins- you’ll be just fine.” he laughed and went on to regale them with tales of when Az’s grandfather was young and how nothing has changed from the sounds of it all. It took only a chime or two for him to push Azmere aside and wrap his hands around Taurina’s and walk her around while making her beau grab all the stuff.

After a bell of stories and apack full of gear including a well-made bow, Azmere was finally able to pry Taurina from the old man’s coddling. The sun was setting and it was time to go home. Azmere was hungry so he made them stop at a stall on the edge of the Warrens that made classic grassland cuisine. Skewers of meat, roasted vegetables and patties packed in broadleaf stalks that tasted of honey and clover. As they ate, Azmere explained that they would travel the Run in reverse to get back to their people. On their own, trying to chase down Endrykas was going to be impossible but the larger pavilions that worked in smaller circles are all along the Bluevein going clear down to Eyktol. He made sure to maintain the earlier aspects of their outing so that he was never out of touch from her. The physicality had shifted to something more sensual, more meaningful. His fingertips pressed against her the space between her fingers or running his fingers through her hair mixed with a leaned in whisper of affection. Once their food was gone, Azmere led them back to her apartment but not in any kind of rush.

The gentle stroll allowed his food to settle but it also gave Azmere a chance to appreciate the beauty of Riverfall. It wasn’t the city that drove them away but the pressing matters of finding one’s family that called him home. His steps were light but the pack was heavy. Grey was tired but the Drykas was excited -giddy with a childlike wonder- as he anticipated being back in the Sea of Grass once more. Like all things, the evening walk had come to an end as the couple and the big dog rounded the last turn and saw the build which had been their home. Az let Taurina lead them in and he stashed all of the goods in the main room with the rest of his gear. Tomorrow, he would begin the process of sorting, packing and double-checking all that would be needed for the great journey ahead. Grey padded over to his pile of blankets and sat down with the treat they’d bought for him.

Azmere looked out the window at the setting face of the goddess and turned to Taurina. He walked to her but stopped just before his body collided with her smaller frame. Hands found her hips and held the woman in place while he bent down and softly kissed her lips. It was delicate and brief but the words which followed were anything but. “I want to watch you change...then you’re going to receive the consequences of all the whining and fussing you made earlier when you didn’t want to leave.” He smiled in a rather mischievous way, something not typically seen on his face. He took her hand and brought her into the bedroom where he stripped off his shirt and boots then sat on the bed. The golden and blue eyes simply watched as he waited for his demands to be met. Just thinking about all the things he wanted to do to her put his body into a state of rising temperatures and growing urges. He knew she’d listen but there was a small part of him that wanted her to be defiant...either way, Az was careful not to show his eagerness because that would just spoil all the fun.

[Taurina]

Taurina had never known herself to be a much of a beggar or whiner. She had never been a child in her memory and did not know what it was to pull on her mother’s skirts and ask for something over and over again until her demands were met or punished. This new side of her that begged to stay within the apartment was new to her and formed in an instant as she whimpered and played with her lover. He took it in stride as he fell into her trap, trapping her within his own. It was new to be pinned up against a wall. New to feel his heated and sweaty body pressed up against her as aching began anew. She decided she didn’t hate it as his whispers touched her ears and her body seemed to groan in need. She could have cursed Grey for coming to keep them from losing themselves to each other again. Could have, but didn’t because Azmere was on a mission and while she thought it could wait, he did not.

Lips smirked as eyes danced and his teasing words caused her to roll her eyes even as they pulled into a smile and rogue colored her cheeks. She liked this side of Azmere. A little silly, playful, and happy. Truly happy. No stress or burden of the world was touching him now. They were both as light as feathers, and Taurina wished that it could remain that way forever.

The Eth was like a bird or a giddy child as they wandered the warrens. She had not a care in the world outside of keeping Azmere by her side and watching Grey as he infrequently circled them around from side to side. Fingers stretched out towards pretty things and whispered words to her lover told him of what she thought. She was not much one for material things as they became cumbersome, but as an artist she appreciated beauty in all of its forms and now she shared that with Azmere. She wanted to share everything with him. Except her muffin, that was hers. She had smiled wide when Azmere swept her off her feet and planted her in front of the counter. Kind words were exchanged with the lady there who Taurina knew from spending nearly every day in spring here getting something or another, but just then Taurina was mainly focused on her beloved. On the way his hips jerked subtly against her leg and how that caused something warm to flare in her core. She shot him a look to tell him as much, a scolding that faltered into something playful, before she turned and ordered two honey and walnut muffins.

The sweets brought great delight with the flavors that swirled across her tongue. Though not so much delight as Azmere’s agreement in that Grey would get a treat too did. And that did not compare to what it was to have her love’s hand molding to her body in the most claiming of ways. *Mine* he told the world as he rested his hand on her bottom or gripped her neck. She smiled though her glance was shy and her cheeks rosy. She was unused to belonging to another, but she found that she loved it. Mostly because the one she belonged to was him and he was her heart. She leaned into his touch, wrapping an arm around his waist and stroking her thumb up and down his side. First above the shirt and then tucking it below to feel the soft of his tanned skin against her touch. She sighed softly, happily, calm as she held him and he held her. Mine. No one else got to have him.

The tent they came upon was like stepping right into a little slice of Endrykas right here in the middle of Riverfall. The proprietor talking in the back was covered in windmarks of a style Taurina recognized. There was some of Jarorra and even Keil there, but mostly it was Injal. She smiled softly as she remembered them, their kindness towards her and encouragement during her training, she looked forward to seeing them again. To seeing everyone again. Another gentle sigh escaped her as she realized she was slowly becoming more and more okay with the idea of going back the longer the day went on. She had Az and he had her, and nothing was going to tear them apart. So she would follow him anywhere. For home was where the heart was and Azmere was her heart.

Laughter clung to the canvas walls as the Ankal went to greet his friend after the Akalak had taken his leave. Taurina was left standing at the entrance with Grey, a touch confused for this was not a man she knew but also smiling for both men seemed happy to see the other. When Azmere invited her close, she went, and she smiled as introductions were made. Her own laughter joined theirs as Castien told her of the Az she had never gotten to know. The child. Her smile was brilliant as she soaked it all in, even as she caught the nudge to Az’s ribs after the man gave her a good looking over. Her eyes danced and her soul sang even as her cheeks burned red. That he approved, that this man from her heart’s past approved, made her happy somehow. As if such a thing validated their love even more.

Taurina was glad for the stories that came after supplies had been gathered for them. She was glad to learn more of Azmere’s past, his family, and his grandfather. Once before Azmere had told her of how important the man was to him but now she knew even more. She suspected with time she would learn all there was to know. At least, she hoped that she would. Though a part of her liked not knowing because it meant there was always something to reveal. A new story to tell. She smiled. They would just have to create their own then. She looked forward to it greatly. As she squeezed her man’s hand as fingers intertwined, she realized that she actually could not wait and that made her smile wide as they said their goodbyes and thank yous to Castien.

Morning had turned to afternoon which now turned to evening as Syna began the last leg of her descent. Soon Taurina would shift, but not quite yet. First the pair got to enjoy the spice of food that tasted like home as they shared sensual touches and sweet whispers. Constant was her need to touch him. A hand on his knee or in his hand, fingers brushing down his face, and quick stolen kisses between bites of food. He explained to her how they would travel and she nodded in agreement with every word. She trusted him and she trusted that he would get them home. There was not a doubt in her mind that between his leadership and Starfire’s connection to the web that they would find their way back to the Stormbloods. Back to the pavilion that rose like a cloud over the sea. She smiled just thinking of it.

The evening took them back towards the apartment at a pace that was leisurely and unhurried. They made it back as the sun began to truly set, soon Taurina would take her second form. She was not thinking about that though as she enjoyed her stroll through the streets with Azmere by her side. There would not be many more nights like this for soon they would be faced with the harshness of the Sea of Gras and their lives would change. The Ethaefal decided that she did not fear that change, not in the least, not now. Everything would be okay, she trusted that. Even when they got home, everything would be okay. Soon they were back to the apartment where things were put to the side and Grey was given his treat to take with him to his bed. Taurina smiled as she praised the dog with a pet on his head that ran down his chin. He was deserving of so much more than she knew how to give him but she thought this was a good start. Some treats and a little extra love for being the faithful companion that he was.

“My change?” Taurina parroted in a whisper after too brief a kiss that caused her to scowl and mischievous words that caused her to blush. “Alright.”

He led her into the bedroom where he half stripped and sat on the bed. She laughed at the grin of mischief on his face even as she decided that she loved it. She walked towards him and bent down, a soft kiss laid upon his lips that was just as brief and delicate as the one he had laid upon hers.

“You know.. there is more where that gown came from,” she admitted sweetly, “but to see this change properly..” She cast her gaze to the window where she saw Syna’s sinking light. Soon. Very soon now.

Taurina left him at the bed and went to the window. Her caramel gaze lifted to the sky where she could see her lord beginning to shine. Lips stretched into a smile as she slowly began peeling at the layers of her clothes. Idle fingers unbuttoned the top before letting it drop to the ground and then going to work on almost -though maybe with a titch of awkwardness- sensually working off her shoes then pants. She did not look at Azmere but out the window as she hid in the shadows of the curtains so only he would see her. Her small clothes were simple, unimportant, and came off quickly as Syna’s last lights were cast over the horizon. Leth’s light began to truly shine then and when it did, the Ethaefal began to turn.

The shift was unlike that of a Kelvic which was all light and sparkle. It was not quite like a model of res either. More like stone shimmering as the light touched it. She became almost transparent but also like an opal or a Konti’s scales, made of so many colors. Light swirled around her in a graceful pattern that touched the top of her head and ran down the length of her body towards the tips of her toes. In a matter of a couple chimes she went from the broken Drykas to the beautiful Ethaefal who stood tall with ebony locks cascading down her back and emerald horns crowning her head. She was beautiful in a way on a celestial could be beautiful. In Leth’s light she looked positively radiant, but it was not Leth that caused the brilliant smile that wrote itself across her face. No, Azmere was the reason for that. She cast her gaze over her shoulder towards him as that brilliant smile turned into something playful while arms crossed over her chest, a hand on each shoulder, not in a bashful way but rather in a challenging way.

“Come get me,” she dared him, “do what you promised.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

Boxcode credit goes to Azmere

[Azmere]

Azmere sat in silence with his contrasting gaze fixed upon the object of his desire. She kissed him, a return for his brief investment then moved away. Every word she said was noted- not one thing would be missed just as had taken place earlier in the day. The scarred man focused in on the slight swish of her body as he pondered the many mysteries to which she had eluded before the window became her perch. With the dimming sky cloaked as a background, the Drykas watched as the magic of her race revealed itself to him. There is no real way to describe how it made him feel. As a man of few words, the ankal basked in the glow as windmarks became smooth skin and small, athletic muscles became gracious curves that raised a chill from his skin. Two women, one soul. Could there be anything better?

Indeed. The space between man and Ethaefal was in direct violation of the plans Azmere had made in his mind. On principle alone, he wanted to hold her and carve paths against the pale flesh as it glowed under the light of her god. So much time had been lost and the foolish mortal was itching to jump up and hasten through to gather as much experience and as many memories as possible. Something deeper calmed him, however. It was almost like the tug he felt when he had bonded with his striders. The call was for peace, patience and persistence. A fire must be tended properly but to do so required the slow hand of a nurturing soul to guide it. As the lights danced upon her skin gradually became countless twinkling stars, the man stood from his place on the bed. Taurina issued a demand that he keep his word. The woman knew he would but to hear her put in like that -in that tone- set his core ablaze.

The remaining bit of clothing was cast aside and sure steps carried him in an agonizingly slow pace across the room. Between strides, Azmere had time to fully take in each new perspective even if it only shifted slightly. Taurina was perfect. Her skin was flawless and the lines of her muscles connected with such elegance that the man’s breath caught in his throat. The expression on his face was one of concentration for the archer was doing all he could to memorize every single small scrap of the Ethaefal’s form. The scarred warrior had yet to speak and would not even as he came within arm’s reach of the stunning figure he so selfishly called his own. She was wholly his and he was absolutely hers, of that he had no doubts.

Az extended a rough hand to take one from her shoulder. He lifted her fingers between his own above her head and slowly turned her around in front of him as he backed her away from the window. Hungry eyes devoured every inch of the woman from her horns and hair down to her toes. The man was flushed with need, the need to fulfill his lustful dreams and romantic desires. His walk had been slow, her rotations were slow and all was done for her benefit in the quiet of their room. The door had been shut and should Taurina try and talk at any time during all of this she would be met by a finger against her lips and the intense stare of gold and blue. The intentionality of a deliberate walk controlled everything- until now.

Azmere waited until she had just finished a second full revolution and they were in the middle of the wall adjacent from the window to strike. The man flattened his naked body against hers and pressed Taurina into the cool masonry. Her arms would be stretched up above her head and brought together by his hands so that he could compress them both into a single grasp. The smoothness of her skin clung to his chest while the dip in her lower back created a space and the inspired curve of her lower half fell full against him. The pieces of their body aligned almost perfectly and it incited him until he ground his hips forward. The pushes, though small, were heavy and allowed him to feel the heat that radiated from her core upon his own. Azmere’s lips found the back of her ear and the side of her neck where he taunted with whispers of what was about to happen- the last of which was “don’t move.”

The weathered hand slipped down along her arms where it’s presence was mirrored by the opposite hand. They drew inward and gathered her hair into a twist then ran away from each other to trace down the sides of her body. The curvature of her bosoms drew attention and it was a collective of moments that had Azmere firmly cemented against her back while his hands and fingers stimulated every bit of her. The sensations of this were so great that he let his hands linger while his mouth traveled down her back and left its mark by dragging lips and teeth against Taurina’s skin which shimmered like mercury. When he reached the swell of her bottom, the man required the aid of his hands to ply and hold all that she had. His approach was a blend of curiosity mixed with reverence and worship that sung from his kisses, his hands, and the rest of his body which went through the in depth exploration of Taurina’s heat source. Azmere had gotten as far as to bite along the backs of her thighs while his fingers marched against a throbbing fire that was both liquid and solid; the honey of her enjoyment was his final straw.

No more could he hold upon his back and so the poise Azmere had held unto this point vanished in a flash of tanned skin and tattoos. His chest brushed against the masterfully shaped bottom as he once more flung himself against the willing Ethaefal. His hands and feet worked to move her body in subtle ways to accommodate him and the motions felt like one fluid act. Hands up, cheek pressed to the wall, hips back and feet apart, Taurina received the whole of him as he used one hand to hold her ready and another to drag his thick fingers down against her throat and bust -a fitting symbol of the ache that her beauty caused him.

Earlier today, he had studied her then taken his time to find the perfect way to please her. This evening he had watched as her body molded from one attractive women to one of perfection and the curiosity of it all would never be lost upon him. But Azmere was in a state of frenzy that he could not contain and his behavior reflected as much. Rough movements of great force found a rhythm all of their own as the warrior felt his passion wind ever tighter. His hands squeezed her soft flesh and plied at the places where shadows did rest with his fingers. His mouth was insatiable as he laid down bite marks, drag marks and small pinches with his teeth. The Drykas also drew tiny runes with flicks of his tongue beneath the guise of kisses. His goal was to drive her mad. He wanted her to break under waves of love and lust so much that she couldn’t stand without him to hold her.

So he drove. Azmere made certain to fill the room with the sounds of their bodies as they collided over and over again. His hand on her hips would snake around and find that special part of her body that seemed to be the center of her ache. Years of hard work, training and pain had built him into a brutal opponent and this was a fight he would win. The ministrations of his hand would be mimicked by the other against the most sensitive part of her upper body as well until he could push her over that edge again. Azmere did not accept failure and this would be no different but the aftermath would certainly be something new.

After Azmere had made to bring Taurina’s body to fruition, he turned and flung her upon the bed with her face down in the blankets and furs. The animal inside of his pounced immediately and lifted her hips so that he could savor the sweetness of her love again until the shine of his heavenly prize was bestowed upon him. The aroma in his nostrils and the sight of her blessed form being taken to a ragged place of satisfaction brought him to the edge. Still holding her hips, Azmere flipped her end over end by lifting her back end up then shoving it over. The whole thing was rapid and powerful born of the strength he had spent a lifetime to build. The spin landed Taurina on her back with her head near the edge where he stood.

Azmere looked down upon her with devotion as a flood in the blue eye and a lustful fire in the other. The right side of his face curled in a smirk as one hand lifted himself and the other touched stroked the hair away from her face. He saw the hunger in her large, lavender eyes along with the lust, devotion and passion that continued to shove him towards that cliff. Like any man that provides, the scarred Drykas fed his woman. He gave her a meal and eagerly hoped she would savor it.

[Taurina]

He took her hand and spun her slow like a dancer there in the light of the moon as his hungry eyes devoured her. He had come to her slow and steady as every nerve within him swelled with desire and need. She had watched him from the moment he departed the bed, followed the lines of his body as he cast off what remained of his clothes, and blushed lightly when she saw the evidence of his affection towards her. Maybe someday she would get used to it. Or maybe not. She did not know if she truly wanted to as he pulled her away from the window in walk that was as deliberate as it was slow. Slow as if they had all the time in the world.

Taurina did not try to talk. She did not make a sound as her love spun her round and she wondered what his goal was. She trusted him and, almost more than that, she wanted him- needed him. Now. The original plan had been to resist and tease until he was the one whimpering but she had given up on that the moment he touched her. For it had been in that moment that her core pulsed and all resolve had crumbled. Oh well. Maybe next time. She would enjoy him playing with her instead.

The wall was cool against her body in a way that was almost obtrusive and despised, but Azmere behind her chased away all thought of it as his warmth consumed her. A fire lighting low in her belly. Attention was drawn to the raising of her arms above her head and then to the grinding of hips against that bit of her which was supple and fleshy. She groaned soft, hips wiggling just subtle side to side in an attempt to get him closer. Feel him better. Lips brushed so teasingly against her neck, her ear, whispered words causing her to pant and whimper. She was such a beggar. She knew it too for he had hardly done anything yet and she was already whining.

She obeyed. She did not really want to, but she did for he had asked it of her. So she would not move, not even her arms pressed over her head, as his hands began to roam. Lazy was the stroke of his touch as it wandered down her arms to tangle in the soft tendrils of her hair. Taurina breathed deep and slow as she followed the trail of his hands down the curves of her body. Then breath shallowed as he found the tender aching at her chest. She had not known what warmth could come from his touch there. What aching came as he woke her up with playful but focused fingers. She groaned and leaned back into him, finding it difficult to focus on anything but the touch of his fingers and the warmth at her core. But he was not done.

“Azmere…” Taurina moaned in her begging, “not fair.”

Lips and teeth moved to devour her as he used them to whisper blessings down her back. Marked. Claimed. His. Taurina shivered lightly. He needed not words to tell her of how he adored her- worshipped her. She felt nothing but these things as his curiosity drew him to bite along the backs of her thighs and crawl fingers across the heat of her core. She squirmed at his touch, a series of pathetic little whimpers escaping her as she struggled to follow his rule not to move. He was moving again soon after that. Using hands and feet to adjust her so that he might be granted access to her core. The Ethaefal gave it to him easily and willingly, gasping just slightly when a hand held her ready as he moved to fill her. Tremors shot up her spine. Moans escaped while her hands gripped at the smooth of the wall.

So different was this time from the last. Day had been a slow love full of something passionate and building. This was more of a wild frenzy full of burning fire and the crashing of waves. Taurina did not know this Azmere but she wanted to know him. She was getting to know him with every bite and nibble and lick he laid upon her skin. His hands found her tender places as he drove into her hard at a rhythm she panted to keep up with. She remained pressed against the wall, her body becoming slick with sweat, but she didn’t mind. She couldn’t even think to mind. For all she could think about was how she was going to explode if he kept this up much longer. How such passions were going to wreck her so completely she would struggle to stand.

He kept going. Behind him some force that drove him to conquer her in a way none other had before. Flesh hit flesh as the sounds of their love filled the room. She would miss such privacy when they no longer had an apartment with doors that could lock. That thought flew away when Azmere’s fingers administered a particularly satisfying stroke. Sensations flared all up and down her body as he took her to that place where pure ecstasy was found. She was not quiet when the trembling began. Nor was she quiet when satisfaction was found as she relaxed into her lover’s warm embrace. His. She was his. She hoped he knew that.

Taurina went to break his order to remain still in order to turn, to touch his face, to kiss him hard; but he had other plans. It was sudden that he moved her from the wall to the bed. Sudden that she found her face in the blankets and her hips in the air. She was confused but then she felt his mouth against her tender garden. Tongue working against that warm and extremely sensitive place. Hands clutched white at one of the furs as she groaned deep like thunder. She squirmed to get away from him but also did not wish for any of this to stop. They were not done. He was not done. He reminded her of that when he flipped her over using the strength only a man of his ability could wield and presented himself to her.

Hunger, lust, passion, desire, devotion, adoration, love.. it all intermingled as she looked upon her heart and met his dual colored gaze. She gave him a smile, more of a smirk really, before she reached those needy hands of hers out to touch him. She stroked his tender and ready muscle with her fingers first, preparing herself for what she wanted and what she knew he had put her here to do. This was new and she was a little nervous, but her wanting was greater. So her hands moved up to his hips where she grabbed till they wrapped around to his backside where she pulled him forward all in a rush. Then her mouth went to feast.

At first Taurina was gentle and shy with her lover. The drag of her lips and tongue light and far more teasing than anything claiming or demanding. Slowly she got braver. Her tongue landing on the tip of him where her mouth closed around. She held him there sucking lightly, her eyes closing as she savored, and then more firm as she drew him in deeper. A new rhythm was found here. One much more erratic and unknowing than the one Azmere had used with her. Fingers gripped at his bottom and then stroked at his hips or gripped down his thighs. At one point she found his hands and intertwined fingers before she had to let go so that she might focus on pleasuring him. For she wanted to pleasure him. She wanted to give him everything he had given her.

There was little so sweet as the taste of him when finally he dove over that edge. Perhaps nothing compared to it. Not each the sweet muffins from the bakery. This was… this was something Taurina had never realized she had been missing till now. Something she was unsure if she could ever let go of now that she had it. Her mouth was firm and soft around him all at once. Her breath heavy as her moaning was loud. She was not going to release him in a hurry. No, she wanted to savor this meal he had given her. A gift she had not been expected but was so very happy to receive.

Her chest shook with a tremored breaths when finally she let him go, her lips messily and thoroughly coated with his sweet nectar. She did not let him go all at once but first ran kisses up and down his tender muscle while she regained her breath. When she was finally done, those wanting hands of hers reached up towards his face. When he gave it to her, she claimed his hair with her fingers and kissed him hard. Sharing with him as he had shared with her. Her body still warm, she slowly rose to her knees so that she could meet him and place her hands upon his shoulders. With no small amount of force, she silently begged him to join her on the bed amongst all the pillows, blankets, and furs where she then curled up against him. Her fingers splayed across his chest. Lazy patterns drawn against the patchwork of brutal scars that told the story of his life.

Taurina made no rush to speak or move or do anything. She did not ask him to tell her those hard to speak of stories because she knew with time he would tell her. He would tell her everything, just as she would share everything with him. She sighed with pleasure and satisfaction and happiness, nuzzling her face against his neck. She loved him. Not just because of their intimacy though that was a result of the love her heart sang and certainly a part she enjoyed greatly. But because of how he took care of her, how he lead her, and loved her back. There was no fear with him, no anxiety or worry. When such things flared up, he chased them away. When things were bad he held her close, but he also held her close when things were good and that was important. A life partner, not just someone who was there during the bad but absent during the good. Taurina sighed contently, happily.

“I love you,” she murmured into his skin, “so very much.”

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

Boxcode credit goes to Azmere

[Azmere]

How does a man weight the happiness in his life? How does he compare the joy of one moment to another? Is it simply the strength of his mind that decides these things? Or is it something else entirely?

Azmere felt, more than once, that he had let his desires get the best of him but each time he started to raise concern in his heart, Taurina responded with a sound of approval. She whimpered and moaned under his soft touches while the rougher moments put the shakes in her muscles. The Drykas was not afraid of himself anymore but he did not know of his lover’s experience and at every turn, her endurance withstood his assaults. The taste of her skin and the feel of it in his hands melded into the sounds of her pleading when it all began. The sensations that surrounded him while they worked as a blacksmith’s tools to forge their love into a deeper bond rocketed to the top of the significant events in his life right beside the slow and sensual encounter from that morning. If the archer had any doubts about whether or not they were made for each other, they were erased when she sheathed him in her warmth and his quivering soul could only utter ‘perfect’ over and over again with every exchange.

Perfect.

With her face buried in a pile of furs that muffled her groans of pleasure.

Perfect.

As he watched Taurina on her back with a wiley grin and her hair a mess.

Azmere had never experienced anything like this before. The idea was foreign to him but the way that everything transpired was guided purely by instinct. Not a single time in his life was the ankal so grateful for following his ‘gut’ or, in this case, something just a bit lower. His eyes closed as hands found the soft parts of her body but none so smooth as the silken passage of Taurina’s generosity. He mumbled several times out of sheer reaction to the flood of feelings and commotions that she stirred in his core. The man responded to everything that she did; his sensitivity had gone beyond normal means and he had been boiled into a frenzy by the raging fires of the seemingly insaitable Ethaefal.

Perfect.

While she enjoyed the labor of love to please her man.

In a moment, singular and brief, the contrasting gaze was able to find its way down to the shimmering beauty sprawled out upon the bed before him. Taurina was not only radiant but she seemed to attract the light from the room. The shadows could not touch her and it even seemed as if they began to flee from the molten expression of one soul finding its home in another. Azmere would have admired longer. He would have wished that he spent his days painting or drawing so that he might recreate the most beautiful scene he’d ever witnessed. He would have done a lot of things had it not been for the spike of lust that nearly buckled his knees. With a heavy sigh that drew on for several breaths, he fell into the eternal mists of ecstasy as Taurina coaxed his body into sharing its essence with her. He had done the same to her not that long ago but it seemed like forever and a day since then. As the scarred warrior slowly worked his way back to reality and some form of stability, he took in the image of this magnificent creature who laid beneath him.

Perfect.

When she took the time to be tender while trying to catch her breath.

Taurina had gotten up on the bed and folded him in her arms and lips. Somewhat stunned by her outpouring of affections, Azmere returned every ounce that he could. While the man crawled forward and worked with the dark-haired goddess to ease their bodies into the comfort of their most sacred of sanctuaries, he ran a thumb across her chin and the corner of her mouth. He fed her the lingering drops of his salty-sweet dressing while a wide and easy smile rested upon the right side of his face. The former watchman felt some of his strength return and he pulled her tightly against his chest and side doing everything he could to make sure that the lithe frame of his silver-skinned paragon of devotion was thoroughly entangled with him.

The woman was so smooth against his leathery skin that he would occasionally feel a snag where a callous would catch and it would stop his roaming hands in their tracks but only for a moment. Azmere couldn’t resist the temptation to trace every inch of her body with his fingertips. HIs eyes looked down at her as she snuggled into his neck and told him that she loved him. So very much. The tug of his heart’s strings and the explosions of his soul as it cried out to be heard created a symphony inside of the stoic horseman. There was a gracious melody of powerful tones and subtle harmonies that paid homage to the one whom he had claimed. She had saved him but more than that- they had saved each other. This was not the first time their souls had met. Nor would it be the last.

Azmere felt the gravity of the situation weighing down upon it and it brought security and peace with it. He used his big hands and strong arms to shift the naked form of Taurina, his lavender-eyed lover, directly on top of him. He shifted her legs so that one thigh was on either side of his hips and he pulled a set of furs up around them so she would not catch the chill from the night’s breeze against her skin coated in a fine dew of sweat. Once she was settled, he focused all of his attention on her face and not the places of intense warmth that threatened to distract him from his task.

Perfect.

How the moon’s light made every part of her glow except her eyes- they had a light all their own.

“Taurina.” The baritone was soft, pensive. A large hand slipped up her body with light brushes of fingers until its palm could cup her cheek. “I love you more.” A second hand dug itself from the mooring along her hip to hold the other side of her head behind her ear and neck. His face was inches from hers and the look in the eyes of day and night was so tense. “More than I did when I woke up this morning. More than I did when I yelled at you for running off with that walahk.” He placed a kiss upon her lips that was so soft it irritated him a bit. “More than I did when I covered you in my cloak the night of that terrible storm.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one lingered a second and left him closer to satisfied. Though, in truth, he could never have his fill of her. “More than I did when I took you to the Life Rock. More than I did when I gave you that wrap that you still cling to- the one that saved me from myself.”

He pulled her up into another kiss that lasted even longer this time. Azmere had shifted her entire body so that their noses would stay connected and each breath one took was shared by the other. His gaze closed its lids tight, so tight that crow’s feet formed on the around his right eye. “I love you more than when I was a strider and bore you across the Sea of Grass in a life long forgotten.” He kissed her again as his body heat rose to a point where he was starting to sweat beneath her and surrounded by covers. “I will always love you more. More than I do now.” He kissed her briefly but took her bottom lip between his teeth in a stiff but tentative grasp that he used to illustrate the growing need being expunged from the deepest treasure chest hidden within his soul.

“In this life, in the next and every life after, I will always love you more each time.” Azmere created some space between them and waited for her to stare into his eyes as he opened his own. Once he had her locked into the mismatched gaze, he had but one more thing to say. “Every life. For all of time. Because we belong together.” Slowly, as the words rained softly upon her ears, the Drykas who had two faces drew his glorious and beautiful Taurina down until their lips touched and he would hold her there in a kiss that grew like a fire doused in kerosene. Soft pressure became heavy as desires and lusts slicked over by a love unbound by earthly bodies consumed the man. His life would never be the same because, for him, she was simply-

Perfect.

[Taurina]

He did he do that? How did he unravel her and put her back together all within the same breath? Surely she did not know but it hardly mattered as she draped her arms around him and he brushed his thumb over her chin up to the corner of her mouth. She smiled at him before her tongue flicked out and she let him feed her those last drops of sweetness. Delicate she sucked at his thumb, pinching it lightly between teeth in a tease before she let him go with a gentle laugh. Fingertips reached and brushed across his brilliant half smile followed by a tender kiss. She loved that smile. That happy, radiant, glowing little half smile. It made her soul sing to know that she was the cause of such joy within him.

If the world looked for them it would find them a tangle of limbs and skin buried in a pool of furs completely consumed with one another. Nothing mattered but the tracings of patient hands roaming across bodies stripped of clothe. His touch that of weathered hands worn from a life not altogether simple or easy. Hers was the touch of one carved from moonlight and untouched by the world’s hardships. It fit together somehow. Balance found rather than their separate life experiences being something to drag them apart. No, if anything it was just another thing that drew them close to one another. Just another thing on the list of many that proved that their souls were made for each other.

Taurina murmured something soft and whiny when Azmere made to shift their bodies around. She did not want to move for here she was warm and comfortable. Where was he taking her? Not far. He brought her to rest upon his chest with legs draped over his hips as he pulled one of the furs up and over her body, settling it over her shoulders. Taurina murmured again, her voice so soft that it was unintelligible. She was not quite sleepy, but her energy reserves spent and her heart completely full. The rest of the night could have been spent just there and she would have been left happy and satisfied. It seemed, however, that her beloved had something more pressing on his heart. And these words.. these required her attention.

Hands stroked gentle up her body as one came to cup her cheek and the other to rest in the space behind her ear. A shuddered breath clamored through her as he spoke with words that dripped sweet as honey from his lips. So intense was his gaze of sun and ocean as his looked into the very core of her soul. No one else could look at her like that and she did not shy away. With Azmere though, she would let him look and see and not hide but reveal. For he was the exception to every rule she had ever made.

"I love you more.”

More than when last he woke. More than that night anger had filled him and thunder had filled the sky.

She shivered to remember that night. Regret threatening to swell but he shredded it when he kissed her so very soft. She groaned it was so soft and dissatisfying, but he was already speaking again before she could demand more.

More than the night a storm had struck fear in the hearts of their family and striders alike.

Another kiss. This one lingering though still it ended too soon.

More than that night he had taken her out and helped her finish her journey into becoming a Drykas. More than the day he had cut away that section of his yvas blanket and gave it to her so that she might carry a piece of her family, her people, her home wherever she went. Proof of who she was, what she had become, because her body had denied her the marks the others carried. She smiled fondly. Finding herself so very glad that he had given her the very tool she needed to bring him back to her.

Pouty lips molded to his in this kiss that lasted longer than the other two. Taurina leaned into it, savored it, and breathed soft over his lips where nose brushed against nose.

She could see him now. The black strider that had flown with her over the steppe. The stallion who had known her better than she had known herself and carried her through so many great unknowns. What had happened to him? Finally the answer was found. For he was Azmere and Azmere was him, and Taurina found herself smiling at the news for it was perfect. Just as he was perfect.

Sweet was the next kiss they shared. Needy was the following. Taurina felt it as she turned molten in his grasp. As her breath escaped and new whimpers formed but these not out of begging. He had made a promise to her. A promise that held a weight not lost on her. A promise to love her, more and more, with each passing day into each passing life. She knew he would keep it. She knew that every life their souls would find each other once more; over and over until the end of time. She would not have had it any other way. Without him she could not live, could not exist, and she knew the same could be said for him. It was why she knew that her ethereal life would not last longer than his mortal one. For whatever reason, she would not be made to live without him. And she was completely and utterly okay with that. For the thought of living a moment without him was simply too much to bear.

Lavender and stars collided as gaze met gaze. Breath seemed to just fade as he held her face and spoke the final piece of his promise to her. “Every life. For all of time. Because we belong together.” Everything within her melted as joyful tears slipped down her cheeks and a smile graced her lips. All of time. Yes. She would love him for all of time. Theirs was a love written in the stars. He pulled her down in a kiss that grew as a flower bloomed. First nothing special until sudden it was everything beautiful and glorious and wonderful. Fire clashed with light as passions flared and all those tender places ignited in a flash of heat. Fingers met his face of scars and whiskers where she stroked gentle and then held firm. She would not let go of him. Not for all eternity. Instead she would love him fierce and true. No power, no matter how strong or eternal, would steal them from each other. No, they had beat the odds, they had found each other, and that alone proved that they were meant to last.

“Azmere.” Taurina pressed her forehead against her love’s own as she panted heavy to catch her breath. “I love you always.”

Her fingers left his face and trailed down his neck to meet the flesh of his shoulders where she traced idle patterns down his arms.

“From the moment you pulled me out of that lonely place you found me to when these bodies fall and are just dust on the grass.” She stole a kiss that was light as it was claiming. “You speak of lives past and lives future. I do not know those people, those lives, but I do know us. I know this fire that burns and this love that consumes. And I know that if you say it will be so than it will be and I cannot wait to find you life after life after life.”

She smiled and kissed him again. So sweet was the taste of his lips. Never would she get enough of him. The Ethaefal lifted her chest so that she could graze her fingers over the place where someone so brutal had cut away at his chest. She sighed softly and closed her eyes. Just feeling, tracing, getting to know him more than she ever could with her eyes open.

“I know what I am going to ink here,” she whispered, “how I’m going to tell our story on your skin.”

It was so hard to think that such a thing was possible. How did one tell the story of a love that traversed lifetimes? She was unsure if she really knew, but she was going to try anyway because he deserved that. He had asked for that. And she was going to give him everything she possible could.

“I cannot wait for you to see,” she murmured before stealing another kiss from him, “for the world to see that I belong to you.”

Taurina smiled as eyes opened and she looked once more upon the face of her beloved. Her hands returned to his face, fingertips tracing lazy circles over his cheeks that wrapped around back to his ears and through his hair. She loved to touch him. To feel his warmth beneath her fingertips as she committed him to memory over and over again. It was more than just reminding herself that he was real, that he was here, though it was also that. There was something deeply affectionate about the way she touched him. Her way of telling him that she loved him and accepted him fully without hesitation. That no scars, no past wrongdoings, no moment of brokenness or anger would ever bring end to that.

“I love you always.” Her gaze leveled with his. “Forever into eternity. I choose you.”

Passions flared as kisses sweet were laid upon his lips. Not just once did she kiss him. But instead once, twice, three times when she finally lingered there and held him close as she poured her every affection out upon him. What happened next was something extraordinary and wonderful. Warmth, not like fire but like light, touched upon the neck in the space behind and below the left ear. It was a metallic swirling that mimicked the wind as it curled with a silver sheen. It was beautiful as it was binding. Forever into eternity, they belonged to each other. And now all the world would know.

Though Taurina did not really care about the world as she kissed him hard and soft, light and heavy, passionate and loving. For her there was only them, and she would not have had it any other way.

Forever into eternity.

Common | Pavi | 'Thoughts'

Boxcode credit goes to Azmere