Natalia peeked into the carriage, and oh my goodness, butterflies erupted in her tummy! Eydis and Astra, who usually clashed like cat and mouse, were curled up together, with their heads resting against each other.
Natalia gently shut the door, her cheeks blooming pinker than Princess Athena's finest roses. She wasn't a silly goose, no sir! Years of devouring love stories and whispering with giggling gossip had honed her "love radar" to a razor's edge.
Call it a talent, you may. But if anyone asked Natalia if she was surprised to find Eydis and Astra nestled together intimately, she would roll her eyes. The truth, though, was tucked away in a secret corner of her heart, a whisper she'd tried to ignore for ages. It all started back in the library. Astra, all prickly thorns and icy pronouncements, and Eydis, a mischievous whirlwind of teasing, their interactions a dance of sparks, so much sparks!
Most folks, bless their oblivious souls, saw Eydis's teasing as just that – her natural penchant for playful jabs. But Natalia, her dearest friend, knew better. Eydis's flirty words were like the intricate moves in their chess games with Princess Athena – calculated, strategic, and always one step ahead.
But with Astra, it was different. There was no hidden agenda, no sly smile, just pure, unadulterated joy in their little game of hide-and-seek.
And then there was that incident on the ship! The memory still made Natalia giggle, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she recalled. Eydis, usually composed, had gone all flustered when she asked Natalia to help bathe Astra, flickering between gratitude and a strange, possessive glint. The way she'd fussed over Astra, drying her hair with a tenderness Natalia had never seen before, had heightened her suspicions. Her love radar tingling like... um... metaphor wasn't her strong suit.
But now, with the sight of Eydis and Astra curled up together, their breaths mingling in the quiet carriage, the gears in Natalia's mind clicked into place. The whispered suspicions bloomed into a full-blown garden of understanding, her heart overflowing with joy. This wasn't just a friendship, not quite. So she stood outside of their carriage, guarding this fragile intimacy for a little longer, a secret she vowed to keep.
**
Eydis blinked awake, the rhythmic sway of the carriage still clinging to her limbs. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and amethyst. She'd spent the entire journey lost in a dreamless sleep, her body involuntarily acknowledging the exhaustion that weighed down both her and Astra.
When she finally lifted her gaze, it collided with Astra's, a gentle amethyst pool filled with affection. The older girl blushed, having caught staring. Eydis traced the curve of Astra's jaw with her nose, smiling as her breath hitched in response.
She wanted to give Astra space, a cold, metallic taste of restraint on her tongue. But the sight of her reserved smile, a single sunflower blooming in a field of frost, ignited a scorching ache in her chest.
A rap on the carriage door, a jarring return to reality. Eikholt. The door swung open, revealing a flustered Natalia, her eyes wide with an emotion Eydis couldn't decipher. Before she could probe further, Astra's hand snaked around her waist, and with a graceful leap, they were stepping onto the cobblestones of Eikholt. Natalia's jaw slackened, a silent witness to the unspoken promise threaded through Astra's fingers.
"My, my," Eydis teased, her voice a silken thread, "If you're planning on sweeping me off my feet, let's start with a dinner that does the trick."
Astra's cheeks burned, a delicious flush that rivalled the sunset. She cleared her throat, her voice a whisper against the wind. "Anydays, if you want."
Now wasn't this a little too tempting? Eydis thought, amusement dancing in her eyes.
They stood before the inn, a towering bamboo structure nestled amidst the lush greenery of Eikholt. A symbol of the city's commitment to sustainability, it offered little solace to Eydis. She yearned for sleep, but the thought of lying next to Astra, her warmth a constant reminder of what she couldn't have, yet, felt like a cruel joke.
The wooden door slid open, revealing a space far too small for the storm brewing within Eydis. Two worn tatami mats, the colour of aged honey, nestled against opposite walls, promising refuge and intimacy. Versatile indeed, Eydis thought, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. She blinked, realising her thoughts were practically broadcasting for Astra's ears, a reminder that even Ethereum had its code glitches demanding a touch of wit and charm.
Astra blushed in response, but her amethyst eyes darkened as if entertaining the idea. She swallowed, captivated by the alluring possibility laid out before her. But before she could delve into it, Eydis's hand, drawn by an invisible thread, sought out Astra's wrist. Their fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through her that crackled in the crisp evening air. "I'm sleeping at Natalia's," she rasped, the words rough gravel in her throat.
Astra's eyes, usually cool and unwavering, flared with surprise that quickly morphed into a dangerous glint. "Stay," she commanded, her voice laced with a raw vulnerability that mirrored Eydis's own turmoil.
Staying would be torture, a dance on the edge of a precipice. Eydis knew her resolve was as fragile as a spiderweb in a storm. But pushing Astra further, risking the possibility of losing her entirely, was a fear that chilled her to the bone. So she would wait, until Astra chose to speak. Eydis would respect the space she needed, however agonising it was.
Eydis nuzzled closer, inhaling the intoxicating blend of precious wood that clung to Astra's skin. As their eyes met, the air crackled with unspoken desire. Amethyst flames flickered in their depths, mirroring the longing that coiled in Eydis' gut. "Sleep well, Lady Astra," she whispered.
But before she could take a step back, Astra's hand snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against the cool bamboo door. Their lips met in a sudden explosion, tongues clashing with the urgency of a breaking dam.
Eydis gasped, her initial resistance melting away like winter snow under a scorching sun. Her hands tangled in Astra's hair, pulling her closer, as if seeking solace in the heat radiating from her body. The bamboo creaked ominously under their weight, a silent witness to the storm brewing within their hearts.
Astra's fingers, like whispered promises, crept up Eydis's arm, sending shivers cascading down her spine. Each touch was a deliberate brushfire, igniting dormant desires with an intensity that made her breath hitch. The silk of her blouse, once a shield, now felt like a flimsy barrier against the searing heat radiating from Astra.
With the flick of a wrist, Astra undid a button, then another, the pearl rounds clicking against the silk. Her searing tongue followed the slender column of her neck, tracing the curve of her jaw, before nipping playfully at her collarbone. Each lick sent a jolt of electricity through Eydis, her heart hammering a frantic tattoo against her ribs.
Eydis shivered, a moan trembling in her throat as she whispered, "S-stop." But the plea was drowned out by the press of Astra's lips, hot and insistent, sucking and nibbling the creamy expanse of exposed curve below her collarbone. With a gentle bite, she marked her territory, claiming her with a silent growl.
Her lips dipped lower, teasing the edge of Eydis's silken camisole, then plunged, sending a jolt of pleasure through Eydis's core. The brunette arched her back instinctively, a gasp escaping her lips. She clenched her fists, caught between surrender and a rising tide of need. She wanted to push Astra down onto the bed, feel the weight of her body, taste the urgency on her lips.
Astra lifted her head, a satisfied smile curving her lips. Her gaze lingered on the scarlet marks decorating Eydis's skin, a possessive pride glinting in her eyes. "This will do," she purred, her voice laden with husky intimacy.
Eydis's gaze was molten bronze, burning with an intense hunger. "You are truly..." she drawled, her breath teasingly brushing against Astra's ear, "...such a tease."
With a flick of her wrist, she brushed a stray strand of hair from Astra's cheek, her velvet tongue following along the curve of her jaw, before plunging into Astra's earlobe. A gasp, a mixture of surprise and pleasure, escaped Astra's lips. Her moans grew louder as Eydis pressed her thigh firmly against Astra's core, savouring the heat seeping through their silken garments. Astra's hips instinctively moved against Eydis's thigh, seeking more of the intoxicating pleasure.
"Consider it's payback," Eydis whispered seductively, before pulling back, a mischievous glint dancing in her amber depths. She couldn't help but smirk at the visible irritation that adorned Astra's expression. "Wearing my nightgown would pose quite the challenge now, wouldn't it?" She purred, her fingers dancing above the possessive marks left on her skin.
Astra traced the redden spots with her darkened violet eyes, still hazy with arousal. The image of Eydis in her flimsy excuse for a nightgown sent a shiver down her spine. She wouldn't let anyone else feast their eyes on such a sight, not for a moment. "You can wear mine," Astra offered with a husky murmur.
A slow, knowing smile curved Eydis's lips, amber eyes smouldering beneath her dark wavy hair. Her hand, a whisper on her skin, caressed her nape, acutely aware of the heat radiating from Astra's aroused gaze. "Marked me, then scented my skin with your clothes," she purred, the words a velvet ribbon trailing down Astra's spine. "Two gifts in one night? My dear Astra, I might just return the favour, and you might not like the wrapping."
Astra swallowed hard, a tremor in her fingers as she rummaged through her bag. The gown she pulled out, high-collared and silken, spoke volumes of her intentions. Eydis, her heart a drum against her ribs, accepted the offering with a playful nod.
"Goodnight, Astra," Eydis spoke softly before slipping out of their room. Any moment longer lingering there would usher in a catastrophe that neither of them could handle.
And Eydis would wait until Astra opened up to her. Her heart, once a fortress guarded by her impeccable firewall, now ached with the reckless desire to trust. To trust Astra, of all people, to be the very one who held the key to her own little secret.
This, she realised, was a first. A crack in the wall, a sliver of moonlight in a pitch-black room, a spark that whispered of vulnerability.
Of hope.