𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓻𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓵 𝓮𝔁𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
crystallinedreams) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synthneon2022-03-09 10:17 pm
crystallinedreams) wrote in synthneon2022-03-09 10:17 pm
Entry tags:
FF PSL | ❝ two-toned echoes tumbling through time. ❞
To this riddle all souls are tied
Brief our moments, brazen and bright
Forged in fury, tempered in ice
no subject
Then, I'll take you away: wherever you wish to go. [ Her fingers still in his hair for just a moment.] We will go to Costa de Sol once the restoration of the residential ward is done. Then, I'm taking you away on our honeymoon... and I still must take you to Zenith to see the plaza the Moogles restored. Wherever else you may wish to go, Aymeric, I will take you there.
[ Her fingers then move to the base of his ear and gently trace the outline of it. She knows that it is a sensitive spot for him that could rouse certain emotions, but, hopefully it will be a feeling of content that comes to him now. She traces the point of his ear before moving back down. Then, she repeats the motion.
The silence that had fallen over the Manor is not hard to see or feel. It is a stillness, almost a place of reverence. Allaid can feel how the home wishes to burst with life and love once more, and she wishes to fulfill those dreams. She wishes to fill the house with children and make it a place that surely Lord and Lady Borel would love to see. They have not spoken of it much, but, she imagines he surely wishes to have heirs. While the politics of being a noble house have never seemed to weigh on him? Alkaid cannot imagine that the thought hasn't crossed his kind before.
Her gaze drifts to the side as his mind wanders to memories of painful times. She can vividly recall the news Krile gave after she inspected each Scion upon return from the First. While she and K'thisru were healed of the damage the Light did? Trauma from battles and injuries has made it more difficult for her to bare children. The words cut straight into her, and she still feels the hurt from it. While Aymeric has never once looked down at her for it? She cannot help but feel as if she has failed a duty as his wife, lady of his house, and her own place that would be presumed as a member of a tribe.
Alkaid's eyes move back to his the moment he speaks. A gentle nod is given as his hand curls on hers. The same hand once more turns back to rubbing the scar, encouraging his aether to flow. In her mind she sees the knotted aether and envisions it loosening, her fingers gently moving into the knot and unweaving it. The release is certain to ache, and thus she places the hand at his ear on his forehead to help steady him. ]
I promised to be your wife. My place is here at your side. [ Her fingers return to brushing his hair as she watches for his reactions. ] And I love you... if only I had the proper words to describe it, so you might feel how deeply I feel it...
[ The statement echoes a time in Monument Tower as the snow storm continued outside.
The words catch in her throat for a moment, but she presses forward. ]
Aymeric, do you want... rather, how many children would you like to have...?
[ Her voice falls into the range it does as she worries that a negative responsemay come. Her ears fold to her head, and her tail curls up against her leg. Had one hand not been brushing along his ear once more and the other gently easing the soreness at his side? She would have begun twisting her fingers in her usual nervous habit. ]
I will do whatever I must to give you children... a-and should I fail and be unable to... [ She almost flinches at her own words, as if they've struck her in some manner. ] How many would you wish to take in? It seems far from uncommon for even High Houses to take in orphans...
[ Her voice trails off as the edge of her tail bristles. Adoption is something that she would wish to see to; Khole's home could certainly use the aid. Yet, she cannot stop feeling the clawing feeling of failure inside her own chest at the idea of being unable to give him a child of his own blood. Not simply as a lady of a noble house, but as the place in her tribe would designate if she returned to it. She wonders if his mother--Lady Borel--felt the same way. The head maid had never gone into details of the affair, but adoption seemed to be the only way the Borels would have an heir.
Tears gather in her eyes and she bites her lip to keep the emotions from bursting out of her. Now is not the time. ]
I wish to be your wife, the lady of your house... and mother to any children you'd have... i-if it is what you wish... a-and if that would truly make you happy.
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He finds himself nodding with each place that she names. ] I wish to see all of those places and so much more. If it were possible for the two of us to travel the entirety of our star, I would ask for it. Perhaps- Perhaps you will find it strange, even odd, but I wish only to be at your side, to hear you speak about anything and everything you might wish to... What you like and dislike, your hopes and dreams. All of it.
[ He has realized he could spend every day studying her, and there would always be something to surprise him.
When her fingers touch his ear and begin tracing along with it, a long sigh escapes him, seeming to take with it the tension from his frame and finally allowing something like relaxation to replace it. He still is not truly and entirely relaxed, but at least it is a start. When she repeats the motion, that is when the rest of the tension finally leaves him and he is left simply lying there, feeling truly at ease for the first time in so many days.
They still have quite a bit to navigate together, including her own lingering issues from her time on the First, and his unresolved feelings concerning Thordan and his tempering. But he is certain that the two of them shall navigate those together.
That he has finally entered into a state of relaxation has not changed, but neither has the fact that his old wound still has a ways to go before the knots of tangled aether are finally seen to. As she continues to rub at the scar in an attempt to cause his aether to move, a hiss of breath escapes him as a sharp jolt of pain strikes at him. He knows that this is all part of the process, and when she is finished, he will feel much better, and that is what he chooses to focus on.
After all, it has to get worse before it can be better, and he takes this to mean that the knots are indeed beginning to loosen. ]
I only wish for you to be with me, but if you ever feel that you must go, even for a time, no matter the reason... [ He knows he cannot hold onto her so tightly that her freedom to move as she pleases is restricted, no matter how much he wishes to keep her at his side. ] You are free to go where you will.
[ And after only the briefest of pauses, he adds: ] Only, if you do go, I will most certainly follow after you.
[ And then a small smile comes to his face then, because he would follow her across the star if he had to. ] I have never doubted you nor what you might feel for me. [ Well, there have been moments in which he wondered if he was truly the one she wanted to be with, but he has done his best to focus on what he knows to be true and not on the idle speculations of his often worried mind.
But then she says his name, and his gaze returns to meet hers. ]
How many of them? The rather impractical answer is as many as our home can hold and that we can properly care for. Whether they are of our own blood or not, they will still be our children, of that I am sure of.
[ But he muses over the question, because how many children should they have or take in? ]
Perhaps two girls and two boys, so that they might find someone they can talk to should either of us prove to be occupied for one reason or another. Two pairs of siblings, perhaps.
[ Privately, he has resolved to only think of the possibility that she could carry their own children. There is just as much a possibility that she could not, but he has already chosen to be hopeful and believe that it can happen. ]
Just being with you is what makes me happy. [ He has to reach up to touch her, and his reach does not entirely make it, but he wishes to at least touch her and offer her the comfort he believes she needs. She might be trying to hold in her emotions, but he can hear them in her voice all the same. His wife in all but name needs his comfort, and he means to give it to her. ]
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[ Which is why the ordeal with King Thordan's resummoning and the subsequent tempering truly hurt her so deeply. The fear of losing him is always there, but, having the experience of being in a new place with him... that was taken away. She very much doubts either of them would wish to return to Limsa for some time. ]
You will not be behind me, but at my side, hand in hand. If it were my choice? You would never be following me, my love.
[ She is no better than him. A soldier--a weapon--broken down and still asked to fight further. Yet, that is the charge of the soul given to her and her sister. Take to the star and meet the people, mend their hurts, solve their woes. A charge she plans to share with him in the morrow once breakfast has been given.
Alkaid moves her fingers back to his ear to soothe him as she conintiues to ease the knot loose. Her eyes widen at his initial answer as her heart beats in her ears. Would he truly wish to make a family now? She would love nothing more than to give that to him. ]
A small clan of our own with those numbers. [ Her smile turns from nervous to fond. A pair that matches that description comes to mind, but she decides to hold onto it for a later time. ] Would the head maid and steward be up to such a task? Certainly the old man may not like the noise...
[ She leans down into his touch then. Her eyes close and her tail gently sways once more. The hand at his wound curls only in hopes of pressing below the knot to hopefully, finally, undo it. ]
Two boys and two girls. I think that sounds just right.
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The ordeal with King Thordan tested them both and Aymeric would be lying to himself if he said he had feared that they might not be able to weather that particular trial. But they are still together and seem to be holding onto each other even harder than before. ]
That is the only place I wish to be. [ With her, wherever they are: that is what feels like home to him. They could live in the smallest shack and it would still feel like a palace because she was there.
His aether still turns and twists, and on occasion, in spite of his efforts to keep a placid expression, discomfort still crosses his face for a few moments before fading again. When those moments come, he does his best to just wait for them to pass, focusing on her touch on his ear and his side, and the words that she speaks. ]
Yes, a small clan. [ He manages a smile of his own, realizing that such a notion makes him happy and hopeful for their future together. To fill up the halls and rooms of Borel Manor with children, light, and laughter is something he once considered a far off dream. ] That they are getting along in years is clear, but they have always enjoyed the company of children.
[ Not that they come to the manor often, but there are times when the steward and the maid venture out into the city streets for errands or occasions such as the Starlight Celebration, and he knows they happily mingle with them then.
A long sigh escapes him as he feels her lean in slightly, her hand curling at the site of the wound. The tension there has been stubborn and slow to release, despite Aymeric fervently wishing for that release. A few seconds pass and finally, everything that has been knotted up in the wound and around it loosens and untangles itself.
Another sigh, longer this time, leaves him, and for a moment, he just lies there with his head still pillowed in her lap, finally able to be at ease in the absence of the uncomfortable knot in his side. ]
no subject
[ She smiles at him, a gentleness in her expression. The words are not said for pleasantry. Every word is true and the longing shines in her eyes then. Water gathers in her eyes, but she does not let any tears fall. She simply wishes to be near him always. She wants to see him smile and enjoy the world he so longs to see. Peace has finally come to his home and a life awaits him beyond the boundaries of Ishgard.
If she retires as a Scion of the Seventh Dawn, then perhaps she can take him... ]
Then, we should be certain to make our intentions known to them. Simply so they are not caught off guard. [ Alkaid pauses and blushes slightly. ] Although, I imagine they may presume it will happen sooner or later...
[ Especially given how she is.
At his long sigh, Alkaid smiles once more. She rubs her cheek against his hand affectionately, pressing a kiss to his wrist. Her hand gently pets his hair down once more and the other sets about simply rubbing up and down his side with the knot finally released. She is grateful his reaction is not as powerful as it was the last time she had done this for him. Now, perhaps, he may finally find some true form of rest. ]
What would you have me do now for you, my love? [ Alkaid smiles mischievously at him, but, makes no moves to follow through with her look. She leaves the meaning and intentions open for his interpretation. ] I will have to see to it you have a proper bath in the morning.
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[ Oh, how he wishes he could freely travel about the world, perhaps as an adventurer as she and her sister were before all this began. To have little constraints obliging him to remain in one area or another, to come and go as he pleases: that is a life he cannot imagine. And perhaps it would turn out to be far too free for him. While his own schedule is rather regimented and ordered, he does have to admit he appreciates the organization of it all.
Still, he cannot stop himself from longing for enough freedom to travel about unhindered. ]
We certainly should. At the very least, they deserve that courtesy.
[ In the absence of the dull pain in his side, Aymeric finds himself truly relaxed. Gone is the tension in his frame and his limbs, but the feel of her hand in his hair and her other hand continuing to rub his side is still comforting. He too is grateful that his reaction this time was different from the last one. ]
Now? I would have you lie beside me that we might hold onto each other and either share in a companionable silence or speak about whatever subjects might come to mind before sleep claims us both.
[ His eyebrows lift in surprise as a gentle smile takes his face. ] A bath, you say? [ He wonders at her resolve to do such a thing. Perhaps the bath they shared was less of a conventional one and more of them finding ways to further bond with the other, but he marvels nonetheless.
He is so determined to enjoy her company as she lies beside him in bed that he resolutely ignores the feeling of warmth that seems to be creeping over him. Surely it cannot be anything to be concerned about. Perhaps the fire that the steward prepared still lingers even in the form of fading embers, and that is why he feels warm. Or perhaps it is her presence next to him that is causing it.
Either way, he pays it no mind. ]
Lantaa, I love you. [ He could say it over and over and it still would not express how deeply he loves her. ]
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[ She nods to his request, as it is one she can most certainly see to. ] While I received a proper one... it was far from being one for you, especially with what I turned it into... [ Alkaid's face scrunches up slightly in order to shake off the blush that threatens to take over her face, but, the tips of her ears twitch to betray her attempts. ] And should the idea of shared baths sit so well with you, perhaps I should plan more?
[ Alkaid finally moves as he bid her to, slipping beneath the covers aend holding them up for him. Once he has situated himself, she does as well, lying on her side. Her hands raise to then guide him to rest his head on her chest. Her arms wrap around him securely, holding onto him tightly. Her cheek rests on top of his head as her eyes move to the fireplace in their room. There are times in which she cannot help but marvel that they indeed share a room, a life, and time together. Sometimes she can hardly believe that the once Lord Commander of Ishgard turned his gaze towards her in a way that was meant for more than allies. The days of the Dragonsong War feel so very long ago, even if she knows that it truly was not.
A hand begins to comb through the hair at the back of his head. Perhaps, now, Aymeric might reflect on certain things she did or said in their initial time in Ishgard. While she has shared how taken she was the moment she met him? There had been so much more she has yet to share. So many things... such as that, despite the circumstances, when she and K'thisru crossed through the Steps of Faith into Ishgard for the first time? Her mind had instantly wondered where Ser Aymeric was and if they might see one another again soon. She often walked the streets and kept an eye out for him--on the hope that perhaps she might bump into him. Anything he asked her to do, no matter how silly or small the request, she saw to it done.
At the time she believed it would be the only way to show him how much she loved him. For, surely, there would be no reason for the Lord Commander to have eyes for a Warrior of Light. If she could funnel what she felt into his beloved city, and see him smile at the progress and happiness his people had? Then, that would be enough, and she had settled for that idea. So much to the point that when he embraced her in the Vault from sheer relief, Alkaid had hugged him in return and attempted to burn the sensation into her memory. A small moment she would steal and remember on cold nights that she and K'thisru would travel through. She would remember his smile and the way he laughed at the dinner he invited the pair of them to, so she could think of it on the nights she felt her loneliest.
Of course, things had turned out the way they had, and now she shares a bed and room with the only man who has ever swept her heart away. She is certain no one else could the moment their eyes met, because he had her heart and loyalty even if he was unaware of it. ]
I love you, ever since the day I first saw you. [ Alkaid knows she has shared the sentiment before, but it flows out of her regardless. She pulls him closer, gently nudging her cheek further into his hair. ] When we came to Ishgard... despite all of the chaos and worry the others were in? All I could think was if I would get to see the Lord Commander of Ishgard more... maybe even daily if the Gods were good.
[ She feels a particular sense of vulnerability creep up on her then. One that has her curl around him and her tail tuck beside her legs. ] Ishgard was like nothing I had ever seen before. I truly felt like I was small and insignificant, regardless of what feats my sister and I had accomplished. I... even more so then, I was convinced there was very little I could do to catch the attention of the Lord Commander. At least, not as anyone other than the legendary almost mythical Warrior of Light.
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[ He knows that happiness is being with her and ensuring that his people are safe and cared for. So long as both things are met, he is indeed a happy man. ]
I suppose that it may not have been a proper one for me, but that hardly matters. To care for you and see you comfortable and at ease is of great importance to me. You are comfortable, are you not?
[ If she answers otherwise, he will do what he can to swiftly ensure that she is. She is his priority in this moment, and very little will dissuade him from that.
He cannot help but smile when she slides beneath the covers and then holds them up so that he might join her. He does so without hesitation, and he feels a wave of contentment wash over him when she guides him to lie down, his head resting against her chest. This feels so very right to him, and he cannot imagine waking up without her by his side. Perhaps that is why the bed feels so terribly empty when she is gone and why his arms ache for something- someone to hold onto.
Perhaps it is sad that he needs her as much as he does, but try as he might, the feelings will not be dislodged nor shaken off.
In those early days before they were truly well-acquainted, he found himself wondering about her in his spare time, wondering if she had someone whom she loved, and if not, would he ever be able to catch her eye? As one of the two vaunted Warriors of Light, he imagined that would not be likely. He may have been the Lord Commander then, but there were other men far loftier and more important than he, and so he tried not to let his thoughts wander too far in hopes of winning her heart and her attentions.
It seems as though time and fate had other ideas for them. Or perhaps it was the depth of their interest in the other that drew them to each other, or some combination of all of it. And now, here they are, sharing a bed in his room- their room, now. And what is more, she is his betrothed, his dearest, the one he loves more than anything in all of their star. ]
I believe that I too loved you from the moment we met, although I was certain you would not... could not feel the same way. [ Even as he says that, he knows that he did not identify his feelings as love, at least not at the first. Still, it did not take long for those feelings to turn from admiration and respect and a tentative interest in something more to become love. It was a gradual turning, and yet he believes it was inevitable. She is everything he dreamed about and hoped for, and now he can imagine no one else standing by his side.
And then he laughs quietly, because he can remember quite clearly how he found his thoughts drawn from his work and his responsibilities, wondering where within the city or surrounding areas her steps had taken her. If not for all the responsibility and work he had to perform as Lord Commander, and had he been a more frivolous and less duty-inclined man, he would have left his post for a moment in hopes of finding her.
But even the notion of such a thing goes against who he is and how he behaves, but he does have to admit that he was rather struck by her from their first meeting. If he had been capable of placing duty and responsibility aside, he would have done that very thing. ]
I do not believe that I have spoken of this to anyone, not even to Lucia, but whenever you and your sister graced the streets and halls of Ishgard and I could not be there because my own duties called me away to meetings and the like...
[ His gaze softens and he fixes his eyes upon her. ] Although I was as present as ever in those meetings, my thoughts did stray to you and your whereabouts as often as they could. I too wondered what I might do in order to catch the eye of the celebrated Warrior of Light.
[ His smile fades just slightly, but the love in his eyes does not. ]
I might have even convinced myself that I stood no chance, as surely her heart had already been given to another.
[ And while he also kept this to himself, speaking of it to no one, he believed that a mere commander of a host of knights was not worthy of the attention of Eorzea's champion, and thus he had no chance at all. The reminder of those private thoughts is enough to bring some measure of unsettled feelings back to life, but the only sign he gives is in how he nestles himself further against her as if hoping to draw comfort from her to counter those old feelings of loneliness and unworthiness. ]
I consider myself very fortunate and very blessed to have you with me, Lantaa.
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[ She pauses. ] But, we will only travel when and where you wish.
[ As he grows quiet as well, her hand moves from his hair to his neck, then to the space between his shoulders. The tips of her fingers gently move over the old healed scars from his own time in the war. So many hurts and wounds he had suffered before ever meeting her. There are times where she wonders if they have met too late, and t hat she is of no help to him at all. He would most certainly say otherwise, and thus, she has never once brought up the concerns.
She continues to brush along his scars even as he begins to speak.
Then, she shifts. She lays on her back and guides him to continue laying on her breast. ]
If only we had managed to find one another in the streets. [ Alkaid smiles at him, ears relaxing and tail gently swaying under the blankets. ] Then, who knows, we may have kissed even sooner...
[ Her gaze lowers slightly as a blush takes her face. ] I would hate to disappoint the Lord Speaker, but, none wished to have my heart. My capabilities as a healer and a primal slayer were in far more demand and coveted than being simply... me.
[ Alkaid's hand rests on the larger patch of scars in the middle of his back. She gently strokes them, attempting to keep her the blush on her face under control. There had been a time in which she reminded herself that if she could not be what an adventurer might wish, then, how could the then Lord Commander ever cast his gaze to her? What could she ever be outside of a Warrior of Light to anyone? Of course, she had shared these thoughts with him once before, so there is no real point in sharing them again. ]
I wonder who out of the pair of us is more blessed... or if we have equally benefited from it.
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[ Once her touch travels down from his hair to his neck and then to the middle of his shoulders, he stills beneath her touch. The scarred areas are healed and not particularly sensitive anymore (with the exception of the location of the stab wound), but his mind fills in the gaps for him, bringing to mind the memory of how he sustained those wounds, no matter how long ago it was. They are hardly unique, as so many Temple Knights were injured or worse during the long war, and like every knight who sustained injury, the scars tell a story and paint a picture.
But he finds that when he is with her, he does not wish to dwell upon his hurts, whether physical or of the mind. He wishes only to be present with her, to feel her love through her touches and hear it in her words and to give the same back to her. ]
If only we had met sooner... Then we would have had more time to simply love each other. I believe I could spend a lifetime telling you and showing you how much I love you and it would not be enough.
[ The urge to kiss her is strong, and he tilts his head upwards to look towards her. If not for the angle, he would be kissing her already.
In spite of himself, and in spite of his earlier thought that those old scars on his back do not trouble him any longer, there is no stopping the almost reflexive shiver that creeps up his spine. Her touch is gentle, unlike the dragon's talons that inflicted the wounds in the first place. But even now, he does not blame the foes that he fought in the war, given what he knows now about how the conflict began. Blame lies with both sides, but he personally believes that more of it lies with his people, or at least, their ancestors. Still, now is not the time for these thoughts, and so he puts them aside once again. ]
I suppose the truth of the matter is that we both have, and yet I feel as though I am blessed by being graced with your presence, Lantaa.
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[ She does not mean for her actions to bring forth painful memories. No doubt rests in her mind that various knights have more than a fair share of scars. She can recall seeing many who had lost eyes, limbs, digits. Many would say Aymeric had seen through the war relatively unharmed. However, she is aware that his burdens and his pains from the war rest within his heart and mind. She would argue they are equally as damaging.
Alkaid smiles at him, the red in her cheeks still visible. ]
Then, it is a good thing we will have more lifetimes together.
[ After all that she has learned, and intends to share with him in the morrow? She is certain their souls are destined to find one another time and time again. He is her one and only love, through all lives, and they will eventually find one another no matter how long it takes.
Her hand rests on his back as he shivers. He may not mind the touches, but it is clear his body reacts to the sensation, and she would not bring him any unease in this moment. He is in need of rest. Instead, her other hand raises to slip her first two fingers below his chin. His head is already tilted upwards, but the notion is done to invite him to do as he wishes. Kissing, touching, even sleeping. Whichever he feels the wish to do. ]
A blessing that you will have for the rest of our lives, my one and only.
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[ In that very instant, the swirling memories of a time when he was a soldier, not even the Lord Commander, fade away, replaced by the happiness he has felt because of having her in his life. Even if their plans for traveling never come to fruition, he knows they do not need to. Would he like to travel across their star with her? Of course. But if they never manage to do so, he will not be discontent by any means.
Just having her at his side is all he needs to be truly happy. And as for what demons still plague his heart and mind, they too become lessened when she is near. ]
I, for one, can only begin to wonder what those other lifetimes might be like. But I suppose we shall simply have to wait and see. [ If the small smile on his face is any indication, he is not wholly serious. Of course he knows what that would mean, for them to embark upon another journey and another lifetime, and he does not intend to wish away what time they have in this lifetime.
The moment that her hand rests upon his back and the other hand slides beneath his chin, he makes his decision: to push himself up just enough that he can press his lips against hers. The urge to sleep may be beginning to grow, threatening to pull him down, but he does not wish to give into it just yet. With the hand that is not being used to prop himself up, he circles it around her waist, eventually coming to a stop as his fingers brush lightly against her hip. ]
That we are both blessed by knowing each other, we have already concluded, but even so, I hope that I am every bit a blessing to you in return for what you have given me.
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We will see when the time comes. [ A quiet agreement of the things left unsaid.
While she knows they will find themselves again in their next life? This life is the one she wishes to live. A life in which they are aware of their ancient history, and truly able to fulfill a life that perhaps they had been unable to have before.
Alkaid's smile never fades, even as he presses his lips to hers. A content sound escapes her, despite her best efforts, and her ears twitch as well. The arm at his back moves around him to pull him closer. It may be impossible considering how close they are already, but, it has yet to stop them before. A nuzzle is given to his nose in return. ]
You are more than a blessing, Aymeric. You are my other half, and no amount of scars or damages from wars to either of us will change that. [ She shifts her weight so her hip might be fully in his hand. ] You've given me a home when I thought I'd have none... and, [ she blushes then, ] you want me as your wife, lady of your home... a-and to be my mate. It's more than I could ever dream of having.
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Nevertheless, I am truly grateful for you for remaining with me through all of it, and if I have not said so before, I am also so very grateful for the help you gave in bringing peace to our home. It may not be your homeland of birth, but so far as I am concerned, your deeds have made you a very honored citizen of Ishgard.
[ And having said that, he shifts so that he might press the tip of his nose against whatever part of her face he can reach without shifting from his present position. ]
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[ Her nose scrunches playfully at him and gives one more nudge before he moves to return the notion. Alkaid turns her head into his touch, letting her eyes fall closed for a brief moment. She wishes to keep speaking with him, sharing kisses and touches, even bringing them together again. However, they have time to be in such ways, and she reminds herself that he is in need of rest. Hopefully the warm meal, bath, and her presence in their bed will be enough to ease his mind, body and soul.
She tilts her head upwards to kiss him once more on the forehead. Then, she guides him down to rest once more on her breast. Both arms curl around him with one hand gently brushing his hair to lure him into sleep. ]
You will need to tell me all I have missed at breakfast. Then, I'll see you to your duties. [ She kisses the top of his head. ] And be here waiting for you to come home.
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Of course you are, and I would not hesitate to correct anyone who said that you were not.
[ He smiles yet again at the kiss she plants onto his forehead, and as she begins to guide him down, he simply follows her lead, allowing her to move him as she wills. He is as comfortable as he could hope for, and she is by his side. What more could he wish to have?
Perhaps it seems sudden, but no sooner does she have him resting against her and she begins to brush his hair than he feels his eyes begin to grow heavy. He avoided sleep for so long, and when he obtained it, it was hardly restful. It seems that he can no longer outrun it.
With his eyes sliding closed, he manages to put forth one last question: ] Will you be here when I awaken?
[ It might seem a foolish question, especially since she has said she will be there at breakfast, but a part of him needs the reassurance, and thus it slips out before he can call it back. ]
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[ She gently squeezes her arms around him at his question. Oh, Aymeric, her poor knight. The world has been so unkind to him. Others have suffered more--and he most certainly would be the first to point to that fact--but that matters little to her. He is one of the few people whose suffering she can directly aid. He has been left alone for perhaps not all of his life, but enough that it has festered deep down below his titles and mantles. ]
Of course, my love. [ Alkaid shifts enough so he might be able to pull her close and hold onto her. ] If I am not right in this room, then I am merely fetching breakfast for us... but I will be here.
[ Her hand continues to even out his hair and its strands, even once he has finally found sleep. While she usually follows suit, or even sleeps before him, her state of wakefulness lingers for a span of time. There is an excitement to share what she has learned that makes her feel almost as if she were a kitten once more with a grand surprise. Beyond that, her mind moves over steps and what actions she might take in the morning to make certain he is cared for and prove that she remains with him. Even furthermore, how will she phrase her letter of retirement?
All thoughts swirl in her mind before she too finally drifts into a light slumber in his arms. ]
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It isn't until some hours pass that he begins to stir, eyebrows drawing together into a frown in response to something disturbing his rest. He remains asleep, but chills that cause him to shiver even in Alkaid's hold begin to set in. And with them comes a rising temperature that only adds to his discomfort.
He still remains asleep until he no longer can, and his eyes open and he is greeted by the darkened room and Alkaid asleep beside him. The last thing he wishes is to wake her, and so he does his best to remain still even though alternating feelings of being too cold and too warm threaten his resolve.
In a way, he is surprised that some illness or another had not taken him earlier than this, given his erratic sleeping patterns. Now there is nothing for it but to wait for it to pass. ]
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A fever.
Alkaid hums lightly, still pulling her mind out of the last bit of sleep. Her eyes cast a glance to the fire that has turned to embers. The sun still has not risen, which means too much time cannot have passed. Perhaps they should invest in a clock for their room. ]
...you're burning up, my love. [ Her hand shifts just a bit higher on his forehead. ] Are you cold even under the blankets?
[ Perhaps it is a simple and obvious question. Yet, she wishes to gauge how he perceives he feels, as opposed to what he can sense. ]
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It takes what feels like a monumental effort, but he does what he can to still himself and keep from shaking. ]
I must apologize, I did not mean to wake you. [ Her question is a simple one, and the answer is, of course, yes, but he does not wish to trouble her further. ]
I am- Well, I will be all right, I assure you. [ In time, that is. ] Perhaps... [ He shudders involuntarily as the chill seems to seep over him in earnest. ] Perhaps it is best if we finish our rest apart so that you do not become ill yourself.
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[ She kisses the crown of his head then. ] No, I will stay at your side, where I ought to be. Stay here a moment, my love.
[ With one more kiss placed to his forehead, Alkaid regretfully pulls away from him. First, she tends to the fire, putting a few more logs on it and stoking the flames once more. Second, she disappears into their bathroom. The sound of running water can be heard before she returns with a bowl in her hands. She places the washcloth inside it, making sure it soaks the cool water, before wringing it once. Then, she takes her seat beside him on the bed and motions for him to roll towards her.
The cool cloth is placed onto his forehead and she smiles gently at him. ]
If I fall ill, you will just need to care for as well.
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A sort of haze seems to be falling over his eyes, and he blames that upon his elevated temperature. Still, he forces himself to focus upon her and to be present with her even as she moves away from him to the fireplace and then to the bathroom. As she goes about her business, he nestles further against the pillows, but he is hardly comfortable.
He cannot recall the last time he became ill like this, but it is certainly not ideal. There is no finding comfort, as he is either too hot or too cold, but he tells himself he must wait for this to pass.
While he waited for her to return, he allowed his eyes to slide closed once more, but they open when he feels the cool cloth resting on his forehead. He tilts his head slightly so that he might see her better, and he manages a small smile for her benefit. ]
Should that happen, I will spare no expense in caring for you. [ Having said that, he has to reposition his head once more as looking up at her seems to cause the beginnings of an uncomfortable ache. ]
I am certain this is not how you wished to spend your evening. [ Or is it considered morning now? It is dark outside, but he cannot quite tell what the hour is. Perhaps they do need to obtain a clock. ]
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She closes her eyes and forces her mind to focus on the here and now. At least, she attempts, as the shake remains in her hand as she keeps the cloth on his forehead. ]
I would expect no less. [ She smiles for him regardless of the haze in his eyes or her own worries. ] I wish to spend all time with you, regardless if you are at your best or at your worst. Where else would I rather be than with you?
[ She tucks her legs underneath her and scoots closer to him so he might curl around her if needed. ]
Does it hurt?
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His eyebrows draw together as he tries to clear the confusing images and focus only upon her and the coolness of the cloth upon his brow. She asks if it hurts, and he has to pause as if taking stock of what he feels beyond the chilling sensations and the unpleasant heat of the fever. His head aches, but only if he moves it too much.
In response, he does curl around her, and the resulting movement causes the pounding in his head to intensify for a moment. All he can do is slowly nod once, because to move any more than that only causes a worse ache to form. ]
I have certainly felt better. [ He finally manages to audibly answer her, while simultaneously chastising himself for the actions that contributed to this bout with sickness. If he had cared for himself more, perhaps they would not be dealing with this now. ] I am sorry for this.
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There is no need to feel sorry. We will see you through this and will work together to avoid it in the future. [ A smile forms on her face with her tail swaying at her side slightly. ] The fire will warm the room again in a few moments, and I can fetch another blanket if you are in need of it.
[ Alkaid smirks. ] Or, I could curl against you to give you heat. Although... perhaps my smaller stature may not be of aid at all.
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