[Aquillar Hot Springs] True forms amidst relaxation (Kalila)

[Stigandr]

31st of Spring, 512 A.V. Was this going to become a regular thing for him? He had only been to the springs but nine days ago, and was already returning. He was not one for bathing like humans do, not feeling he needed it as much, and maybe since he was a horse he did not feel the need to bath like normal humans, or to wash the filth away. Maybe it was the safety he knew was here, even if he did not fully relax with others around. Knowing that the owners did not allow anything trouble in their springs, for any reason, was nice. It meant he could not be as tense as he was in the streets. If he could afford the private chambers, he would pay for them, but the cost was simply too much. He walked up to the gentleman there, Max, and nodded his head. ”I would like to go into the common springs…please” he spoke awkwardly still, remember to add the last word as it seemed to make humans more likely to grant requests. The man nodded with a grunt and held his hand out, accepting the five copper mizas from Stigandr, letting the awkward man past and into the springs. Turning around, the Kelvic asked, ”Is there anyone in there?” The man shook his head, ”No. No one is in there at this moment. Not in the common spring at least.” Stigandr nodded and advanced towards the spring, his shoulders slumping as the heat hit his body, the steam already clinging to his clothing and skin. It was a wonderful feeling, the moisture hovering in the air, slowly accumulating on his skin. Taking in a deep breath, letting the wet air fill his lungs, he sighed the air back out, slipping off his shirt, then his sandals next, then his bandage and pants, laying them near the edge of the spring. As he stepped into the spring, his body began to relax, still sore from recent fights he had gotten himself into. Slowly the water moved up his body until it encased his neck, his body crouching low enough to allow the water that high, moving to the middle of the spring, but still able to see anyone who entered. He was still not a point he could be relaxed fully around strangers. Slowly his eyes drifted shut as he half floated, half sat there, his body relaxing as he drifted into a half sleep state, still away of noises around him, showing some trust in the owners of the springs to put down any trouble that should arise.

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila made her way to the hot springs, her small bag of toiletries in hand. She had heard a great many tales about the springs, but had never actually gone there herself and so she decided that she might as well go before she left on this mission to the Spires. Perhaps it would ease her troubled mind for awhile while her body relaxed in the hot water. She did not particularly care for water, but this water was warm and not deep enough to require her to swim, so she was not as uncomfortable by the notion as she would have been normally. Swimming was not something that she had ever tried to learn.

She entered the main room hesitantly, looking at the gruff looking man who owned the place shyly. He didn't look like a bad sort and she walked up to him and paid the five copper mizas for the common springs, silently hoping that there wouldn't be too many people in the springs, if at all. She would have rather gone to the private springs, but with the trip looming closer she had to use her money wisely. Sparing five copper mizas in a place that she might not return to seemed like a fare trade.

The man counted the money carefully before he let her pass, muttering something about business being slow that day. That was fine with her, she didn't need anyone else to be there....she was rather modest. The warmth of the springs was already affecting her body and she could see the little beads of moisture pebble her skin and she smiled, the feeling pleasant. She set down her little bag near the edge of the spring and slowly began to shed her clothes. It was hard to see with all of the steam as she slipped off her boots and head scarf, followed by her shirt and breeches, and then finally her undergarments. At least no one would see her really well with all the steam.

After folding her clothes neatly on the side her stepped into the spring, slowly making her way in until the water reached her waist. She let out a content hum of pleasure and sank down into the water, letting her dark curls float around her until she stood up once again, her hair plastered to her. The water was easing the soreness of her muscles and she could now see why so many people enjoyed coming here, this was a pleasure that no one should miss.

[Stigandr]

Stigandr had reached a point of relaxation at some point, slowly drifting around in the spring until he was hidden in the steam, unable to see anything or be seen. The peace and calm that had seeped into his very being was fractured at a noise that sounded out of place, like a soft splash of movement. Opening his eyes, he looked around, surprised at how far he had moved, and started to slowly move towards the entrance. Small ripples were gliding over the surface of the water, delicate and slow moving. These ripples only reinforced any thought of someone being here, as they were moving towards him from the entrance area. He continued to move slowly until a vague shape could be made out in the water, then closer until he could see it clearly. What he saw was not what he expected. The Kelvic had expected to see a man or woman that he did not know, sitting in the water with their eyes closed, but what he saw was a site that stopped his breathing for a moment as he watched, instinctively staying quiet. It was Sahashkalila in the spring with him. She was the source of the ripples that had rolled through the water's surface to him as she had slipped into the water initially. Now she was standing up, her body moving in a seductive and tantalizing animal-like rhythm, the hot water running down her lithe body. Some droplets were moving in slow winding trails that hugged the curves of her body while other drops glided quickly down her delicate, honey-colored skin. His eyes caught one drop as it moved from her neck suddenly, slowly trailing down to the nape of her neck, where it turned and followed the gentle curve of her collarbone. As the drop reached the center of her throat, it broke free from the line and started gliding down, pushing against the steam rising from her body as it gathered other drops of water and moved between her breasts, winding back and forth. It stopped suddenly above her diaphragm, another drop starting to move as she exhaled, running down quickly to her navel where it danced around it and slowed down, moving now in a start and stop fashion as it found the line of her hip, moving south still... Suddenly he realized he had not breathed in close to a minute, causing him to inhale suddenly, his eyes traveling back up to her face, to meet her eyes knowing his sudden breath would get her attention. He had not admired the body of a woman in a long time, had given up that prospect of his life, just longing for a bondmate he could trust. The feelings of seeing what he thought an attractive female were almost foreign to him, yet ones he welcomed and embraced, seeing them as something so much better than the dark and hateful emotions that flooded the streets and allies of Sunberth.

[Sahashkalila]

The steam wound around her body in gentle streams, and she sighed once again in pleasure. This was something that she had greatly wished that she had done sooner, because she could spend a lot of her time there. Her thoughts drifted as she splashed the warm water on her body, then ran her fingers through her wet hair, getting rid of the tangles. She did not hear the gentle approach of someone behind her, assuming the ripples lapping at her hips were from her own movements.....but a sharp intake of a breath startled her and she turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

She had thought that it would be someone that she did not recognize, someone who could forget her as soon as she left and that she would do the same. Their brief interaction could be forgotten. But it wasn't a stranger, it was the Kelvic man thatshe had befriended, someone that she was not expecting at all. She felt her body flush under his intent gaze, his eyes roaming her body in a way that made her flush even more. She had never been on the receiving end of such a heated gaze, but then again....she had never stood naked in front of a man. Snapping out of her shocked silence, she wrapped her arms around her middle and dropped down into the water quickly, letting the water lap against her neck. She knew that it wasn't much cover, he had seen enough already, but it made her feel a bit better about their awkward situation.

She adverted her eyes from his body in embarrassment, instead fixing on the side of the spring and nibbling on her bottom lip. He was handsome from the look that she did get, she couldn't deny that, his body toned and hardened and the skin smooth, slick with moisture. She didn't dare let herself ogle him though, fearing that it was not polite. "Ssstigandr....I...I am ssorrry, I...did not m-mean to..dissturb your bath,"she stammered, her cheeks flushed. She had no idea why she was so flustered, for he hadn't even spoke to her. "I c-can leave..if you'd like." She then began to inch towards the edge if the spring, very aware of his presence and his eyes on her.

[Stigandr]

He had never been attracted to a female body like this. It was a unique feeling, to be attracted and desire someone like this. Maybe it was the way she moved, in a fashion very agile, or maybe it was something else, but those were not thoughts of the Kelvic. He just knew what he felt. She had turned while he was watching, but turned around at his intake of air, her eyes meeting his. She immediately covered her body with her arms and slid down smoothly into the water, her face darkening slightly. Her eyes watched him, seeming to size him up, but he felt no threat from her. "Ssstigandr....I...I am ssorrry, I...did not m-mean to..dissturb your bath. I c-can leave..if you'd like." She asked in slightly broken speech, like she did not know how to talk to him. Moving forward towards he, the water rolling in gentle waves towards her, he shook his head, "No, do not go. You did not disturb my time here. I am happy it is you. I feared someone I did not know. It is nice to see a friendly face." He knelt down in the water in front of her, feeling it come up to his chest, the steam rising up around his body and over his neck. This was the second time he had seen a woman he knew hide her naked body, and it still confused him. "Why do you hide your body when it is naked? Are you shamed by it? He watched her face, feeling like she was a bit uncomfortable and moved back a bit from her to give her more space, not wanting to upset her. As he waited her answer, his hands played under the surface of the water, causing waves to roll across the surface, entertaining the Kelvic. Playing in water like this was new, and not something he could do as a horse really, making and watching the waves like this. Maybe this human body did have some use after all.

[Sahashkalila]

There was no way that she could avoid looking at him now, for he was coming closer to her, the water lapping gently at her neck and shoulders, her hair floating gently around her. She determinedly kept her eyes trained on his upper body, watching the steam as it curled around him. She felt a strange tug in her abdomen and she bit her bottom lip, not exactly sure what she was feeling. She stopped trying to head towards the exit of the spring and took a shuddering breath as he stopped in front of her, kneeling down so that his face was even with hers. For some strange reason she wanted to reach out and touch his face, the lines strong and angular, but she kept her hands around her middle, her golden eyes staring into his dark chocolate ones.

She was caught off guard by his sudden question and she could feel her cheeks redden even more from embarrassment, still very much aware that they both were naked in the springs. She did not feel that she was terrible looking if she actually thought about it, she had nice features she thought....but it was always her own eyes that were observing herself, and certainly no male had ever seen her. But how does one explain that to someone who did not hold the same values of modesty as she did? She shifted a bit uncomfortably in the water, watching as he made little ripples with his hands in the water before she spoke.

"I...am not asshamed of it exactly,"she said softly, her eyes going back to his face even though she was blushing. "I have jusst...never sstood in front of a man...like thiss before." She hesitated a moment, her arms slowly releasing from their place around her middle. "Esspecially when I can ssee dessire reflected in the man'ss eyess." She tilted her head to the side slightly, almost as if she was questioning what she thought she saw being reflected back to her in his eyes. From the way her body flushed from his stare and the faint tugging in her abdomen, she did not think she was wrong.

[Stigandr]

Slowly his hand stopped it's playing in the water, his attention back to Sahas as she spoke. The water had stopped moving with the exception of the last few ripples that were emanating from where his hand had played at, the water surface level an inch below the top of her shoulders. His eyes were trained on hers, glancing down a moment as her arms moved, taking themselves away from her body, uncovering herself. Looking back up, Stigandr listened to her reason for hiding her body. "I...am not asshamed of it exactly,"she said softly, her eyes going back to his face even though she was blushing. "I have jusst...never sstood in front of a man...like thiss before. Esspecially when I can ssee dessire reflected in the man'ss eyess." Her eyes were looking into his intensely, her head tilting to one side in a questioning manner similar to what he did often when expecting an answer. The last words were unexpected. She said she could see the desire in his eyes. And her head was tilted in question, waiting his answer. He was not ashamed of his answer, or of how he had looked at her body. He did find her attractive and had watched her, enjoying what he had seen. "It is good you are not ashamed. You have no reason to be. You have an attractive body, one that I do enjoy looking at, and one I do feel desire for, Sahas." His eyes made short glances over her exposed skin, seeing the thin layer of sweat that was covering her shoulders and neck, making them shimmer faintly, pulling his attention back every few seconds. He wanted to step forward, to move closer to her, but he knew that such things were frowned about by humans. He contented himself with waiting, watching her reply to his words. His eyes watched hers now, waiting, watching the steam rise and curl around her face, the strands of steam framing her cheeks, the steam making her eyes look cloudy and warm. Suddenly he spoke, "Does it bother you I looked at you like that? I can leave if you are not comfortable with me seeing your body." He made a move backwards, suddenly feeling like he had done something wrong, similar to his days as a slave where he upset his mistress.

[Sahashkalila]

His eyes seemed to follow her every movement, watching her body intently in the heated silence that had grown between them. She took the opportunity to study him as intently as he studied her, his dark hair hanging in wet strands around his face. She followed the line of his jaw with her eyes down his neck, the tan skin glistening with a faint sheen of sweat and droplets of water. SHe had the urge to touch the sensitive skin between his neck and shoulder and she inhaled sharply, not understanding where her desire seemed to be stemming from as she continued to follow the line of his shoulder, and then finally risked a glance at his chest before her eyes found his again as he spoke.

His reply caught her off guard even more, her eyes widening and her lips parting, a small gasp leaving her parted lips. Her tongue flicked out and licked her lips as her nerves churned once again as her stomach quivered. He liked her body, and he felt....desire for it. This was new territory for Kalila, an experience that she did not know how to handle because she had never been in the presence of a man like this. Romance was not something that she had ever thought would come into her life, so these feelings of..desire that she though she felt were new and exhilarating, and also somewhat frightening. "You are very flattering Sstigandr,"she said softly, reaching up to twirl her fingers into her wet hair, a small grin on her face. She shifted where she was kneeling, the water rippling around her with her movements. "I will be honesst and ssay that I have never known a man, but I think dessire reflectss in my own eyess ass well.....I do not wish for you to leave."

She stepped a bit closer to him as he moved to leave, not wanting to be rid of his company. The moment that they were in seemed....almost sensual, and she did not want to ruin it because she felt a little uncomfortable. She realized then that she might have been too forward towards him, feeling embarrassed with what she had said. She looked down at the water in front of her, her fingers twirling absently in her hair as she waited on him to either stay or go.

[Stigandr]

As his eyes took in the beauty of her body, the graceful lines and curves that formed every inch of her, Stigandr could feel the gentle weight of her eyes on his body. The way her golden eyes moved over him and took him in reminded him of being weighed and measure at market, only there was not the feeling of stones in his stomach; this feeling was much more...pleasant, unique, calming and exciting. It made his heart beat faster, moving from the slow rhythmic thump...thump to quicker rhythm of thumpthump. Faster the blood coursed through his body, racing around his veins, increasing the temperature of his body slowly in the already hot Hot Springs. A new, thin layer of sweat formed over his body, mixing and blending with the layer of water that clung to his body from the steam, new droplets forming and tracing their way down his body until they met the water, returning to where they came from. His words to her, his confession and honesty about desiring her caused her to gasp softly, the sound pulling Stigandr's eyes to her lips where they formed a small and soft 'o', her tongue slipping out gently to moisten her lips. The whole moment, but a second time, held him entranced for a reason he did not understand fully, except that the grace with which she did that drew him more into his feelings for her. When she spoke, her voice sounded sweeter than anything he had ever tasted and was enough to still his feet from carrying him away, even before she has finished speaking, expressing her desire for him to stay. She also expressed desire for him. He felt it from her, or thought he had, but to hear it eased the worries he had about having done something to offend her, his shoulders relaxing visibly with this knowledge. Steam rolled in front of his face as he breathed slowly through his mouth, the air passing his lips and pushing it's way through the rising air, causing the steam immediately in front of him to curl into spirals. His eyes held hers as he waited for her reply, her body suddenly stepping in close to his. He could smell her now, the familiar smell that he knew from their first couple of meetings, the soft scent that made him smile inwardly, making him happy to be close enough to smell her, to know her like this. She wanted him to stay, and he stayed even if caught off guard by her closing in to him. Stigandr could feel the heat forming between their bodies as they stood there with one another, this moment so rare and intimate. Her eyes moved downward towards the water, whether in shyness again or some other reason, he did not know. What the Kelvic did know was that his body was moving closer to her through the water, the ripples lapping against her sweet, honey-colored skin before moving back to his body, repeating this process until their energy was spent. He could feel the heat of her skin softly on his body, his heart pounding in his chest as if he has just run from Ravok. With her head down, he leaned down and spoke gently a question that was on his mind of something she said, but he had forgotten in her movements towards him, "What do you mean you have never been with a man?' The subtle nuances of language were lost on him, especially when one phrase spoken meant something else in meaning. As he awaited her answer, he found himself brushing his soft cheek against her neck, breathing her scent in slowly and gentle, his lips caressing her neck at the base as he nuzzled her neck tenderly, his chest expanding and contracting faster as his lungs took more air in, quiet but faster, his breath meeting her neck and shoulder with every exhale.

[Sahashkalila]

The ripples of water grew faster as he closed in on her, and she kept her gaze on the water firmly until she realized that he was barely inches away from her, the heat their two bodies sharing becoming almost unbearable. She did not understand the feelings that were coursing through her nor did she like analyzing them at the moment, only able to think about the body that was now leaning in even close to her, and her breath caught in her throat at his words.

How was she to explain that she had never...well...desired anything so strongly, other than her current houseguest, in her entire life? How was she to tell him that she had never experienced the pleasures that a man and woman shared on an entirely different than what was happening between the two right now? Her thoughts were getting nowhere at the moment however, because she was being faced with a much bigger distraction. His lips were on the soft skin of her neck, nuzzling the sensitive skin as if he had known her her entire life....and she liked it. A gentle sigh escaped her lips as her body shivered, her skin feeling hot and feverish from sensations that wasn't being provided by the calming waters of the spring. Her eyes fluttered closed momentarily before she firmly took a hold of herself, her hand reaching out to place it against his chest and push him gently away before she moved back a bit herself.

She was blushing, both from his ministrations and her own responses to it. "I have..never done anything..l.like that before, with a m..mate,"she mumbled, her hands coming up to cover her cheeks and she turned away from him, moving to the side of the spring to pick up her comb and try to distract herself. He was a Kelvic, meaning affection like that was natural for him but....somehow it felt much more sensual than what she had ever thought possible. Much like the simple affection that Roka gave her when he was happy and complacent, but Roka was not a Kelvic, just someone dear to her. Her thoughts grew muddled with confusion as she ran the comb through her dark locks, wondering what Stigandr thought of her, if he would be angry with her actions.....if he understood what she meant.

oocShe does not know that Roka is a Kelvic yet at this point, just a reminder