Winter to Spring (Khara)

by **Zhol** on March 17th, 2015, 5:36 pm

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Those stifled gasps, those stuttered breaths; Zhol didn't quite understand what they meant, but somehow he knew they weren't a protest, and the sound of them urged and encouraged him to try and solicit more. His lips eagerly ascended her neck, each sound sending a shiver through his body that begged him to work out exactly how he was making her react in such a way. Each brush past the peak of her breasts seemed to coincide with her involuntary intakes of air, and so that became his focus, his fingertips tracing the outline, gentle caresses teasing towards the summit, feeling them change and transform in response to his touch. His fingers wrapped around the whole of her, not firm nor harsh but not hesitant either, some strange instinct gripping hold of him, spurring his insatiable, wanting exploration of the woman he loved.

Forever, she had said, in the words that they repeated to each other so often. It wasn't just a question, it was a promise; a reminder that everything they had said before, every sentiment they had expressed, every feeling they had confessed, were all still true. I love you rolled off the tongue too easily, too eager to be uttered. No matter how often they said it, it never ceased to be true; but there were times when it was more true, when just saying those words couldn't possibly get across even a fraction of what they desperately wanted each other to understand.

"Forever isn't long enough," he whispered back, his lips tumbling back down her neck, kisses left behind between almost every word. "But it's a start."

He expected the trail to stop at her shoulder, but it continued. His heart and lungs froze in shock, trembled in realisation of where instinct was taking him. His kisses meandered lower still, an overwhelming desire to shower her with his lips' affection on ever part of her that he was now permitted to see. His actions were naive, clumsy guesses, guided by a want to overwhelm Khara with the new sensations he had just stumbled into causing. A moment of indecision halted his lips before they reached where his fingers had just been, a stuttering breath trembling out of his lungs before he leaned forward and placed the kind of slow, delicate kiss against her that he would have delivered had it been her lips beneath his, rather than what he found himself kissing instead.

"Is this okay?" he asked, his lips drawing away just far enough so that he could gaze up at her, his thumbs flitting across her peaks in unison.

A fresh urge gripped him, Zhol's hands sliding down Khara's body, circling around the curve of her hips before beginning their ascent again, returning to explore the bare skin of her back. He leaned forward to wrap his lips around her again, the same tenderness as before but with more passion and confidence this time, an urge from nowhere flitting his tongue across her as his lips wrapped around her.

An involuntary arc of his body pressed him closer to her; amidst the urges sparked a flicker of worry, enough to draw his lips away from her and send his attention scampering back up her body, a frown worrying his brow as he sought out a glimpse of her eyes. Within a moment of seeing them though, instinct took over again, and urgent kisses poured from his lips against hers, ones that he tried desperately to restrain with little success.

"Is this -" he tried to speak again, forcing his kisses from her lips to her cheek, following her jaw line, tumbling to her neck. His hands slowly roamed across her, still unsure of where to remain at rest, experimenting with every inch of her within reach. He managed to draw a single deep breath, the swell of his chest brushing his skin against her breasts; the breath transformed, stuttering out of him as a fresh wave of overwhelming elation washed over him. "Is this good?"

by **Khara** on March 18th, 2015, 11:43 pm

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Khara wasn't sure she trusted herself to speak. She knew the answer to his questions, couldn't deny the resounding yes being practically shouted from every part of her in response to Zhol's actions. At first she hadn't been certain of the gentle explorations of her body, especially as his lips had moved from her neck to shoulders to more sensitive skin. She had almost been able to answer the first time he asked but another sharp intake of air had cut her off and then the sudden warmth and intense sensation of his tongue had entirely driven all coherent thought from her mind and left nothing but an overpowering feeling of utmost bliss.

That fleeting look of worry that had been in Zhol's eyes hadn't been lost to her, though. All it took was that look to once more fully understand why he had asked and she tried to reassure him with every kiss that followed. This was okay, this was good and each eager moment couldn't linger long enough and yet she looked forward to the next. Even as his hands drifted across her, her own continued to move from the back of his neck, across his shoulders, to what portions of his upper back she could reach; Khara knew fully well she may not be able to match the intensity of the feelings he was causing but that didn't negate the attempts to at least try.

A memory came to her suddenly as Zhol once more began kissing at her neck, each gentle instant of his lips on her felt better than the last. It was the emotions perhaps that sparked it; this moment of his hands roaming over her was just as exciting and yet tentative as the very first time he kissed her. He'd asked her a question then too, different from he was asking now; that had been for permission to begin where this was to continue. Her answer, however, was just as right now as it had been then.

"It is very okay," Khara spoke, trying to force every bit of certainty she could into the phrase. Her breath caught in her throat before she spoke again, partially from his continued attentions and partially from the hesitation - only from the sudden rush of embarrassment she felt at admitting such a thing to the both of them than any actual unease."Y-you can do that again, if you want to."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

by **Zhol** on March 19th, 2015, 1:13 am

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He felt her embarrassment, the rush of warmth to her face; he pressed his cheek against hers, nuzzling against her, blushing himself but also elated beyond words. He found her lips again, frantic, passionate, eager kisses assaulting her lips, each one cut short an instant after it began because it just wasn't good enough, attempt after attempt to let his lips tell her everything that his voice had already given up even trying to.

If you want to. He drew back, allowing himself to find her eyes. Was there any question of that? Was there even the faintest shadow of a doubt. "I do," he said, not even loud enough to count as a whisper. "I really do."

He hesitated though, not in reluctance but in thought, his hands slowly caressing up and down her shoulder blades. Khara was a perfect fit: when they stood and embraced, her head rested over his heart; when they lay together she fit perfectly against the contours of his body; and when they sat as they did now, her lips were poised perfectly to meet with his, and their hearts in perfect position to rest against each other. Much as he didn't want to move a muscle, didn't want to do anything to disrupt their closeness or bring this moment to an end, his lips tingled in anticipation, craving more exploration than the position of their bodies would allow.

His lower lip tucked between his teeth in thought, another moment of indecision before he made up his mind. Gently he turned, supporting Khara in his arms, twisting so that he rose from the edge of the bed, and laid her carefully down onto it instead. He held himself over her with one arm, his knees resting on the edge of the mattress; his other hand fell to the soft skin of her stomach, his fingertips meandering their way slowly up her body, ghosting across her chest and lingering over her heart. While his hand remained, his eyes continued to climb up her body, and as they met with hers, her gaze drew him in like a moth to a flame, irresistibly drawn towards her lips.

"I'm going to kiss each and every part of you," he breathed, close enough that their breath mingled together; all the love and lust and longing in the world could not completely hide the faint tentative falter in his words. "If... if you want."

by **Khara** on March 19th, 2015, 5:29 am

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It wasn't a new thing for Zhol to leave her entirely breathless, but it still managed to surprise her when it happened so completely. The slightest effort raised her head from where it rested on the bed so that she could kiss him again; their lips met in another outpouring of emotion and passion. Her arms had been forced to leave where they had wound around his shoulders when he had moved her, though one lingered against his arm while the other found the place where the line of his jaw seemed to perfectly fit against her hand.

Their eyes met once they gently parted and Khara immediately felt herself pull at her lower lip with her teeth again as she considered what Zhol had said. Her head nodded first as a smile slowly stopped the nervous worrying of her lip. She could have left it there, but Khara couldn't stand to leave any room for doubt.

"I-I do," she whispered. Her fingertips against his cheek gently lingered and brushed against his skin as her other hand slowly ran the back of her nails against his arm in a trail that ended with her hand on his.

The smile that had timidly shown up only grew as she watched Zhol's expression mirror hers. Another kiss was shared between them before Khara settled her head back against the bed, her eyes closing as she tried to focus on the unbelievably enjoyable feeling as he began to kiss down along her neck once more. A contented sigh that left her was cut off by another gasp as Zhol's lips moved lower still.

Whether it was only a handful of ticks, a few chimes, or even a bell or two later Khara couldn't say as it felt blissfully timeless until they both ended up laying together, wrapped in each others arms. Things hadn't nearly gone as far as Khara had perhaps planned for the evening, but as she listened to Zhol's heartbeat and felt the warmth of his skin against hers, she was far from feeling like it had all been for naught. She watched as her hand traced small swirling patterns faintly against the inside his arm, feeling entirely at peace.

As much as she was reluctant to say, the way her eyes continued to close of their own accord and the knowledge that it had already been late when they had first returned from the Wind Tower, forced her to admit what part of her rather they both denied entirely - if only to be able to stay just as they were. Still, her voice sounded entirely reluctant, as if the sensible thing to do would be the exact opposite. "We should try and sleep, you know?"

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

by **Zhol** on March 19th, 2015, 6:31 am

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"Do we have to?" he countered quietly, with more reluctance than he had ever felt in his life. Contentment was a word that he'd thought he understood; but it wasn't until now how utterly incomplete his prior understanding of it's meaning had been. He felt like he could stay like this for eternity - please, let them stay like this for eternity. He didn't want to move, for fear of shattering this perfection. He didn't want to sleep, just in case he awoke to find this had all been a dream. What had happened before, the intimacy that he and Khara had shared, that was a wondrous thing in and of itself, but this? This transcended far beyond all of that. To feel her body resting against his, to feel the warmth of her skin pressing a little more against him with each breath, to feel her fingertips tracing across his skin, utterly at ease with things being this way between them? In the last two seasons everything had changed, to such an extent that back then, now would have seemed like an impossibility. At the start of autumn, Khara's heart had never seemed further out of his reach; here at the dawn of spring, he found it nestled here, right beside his own.

His question had been rhetorical though. Both had work, and Zhol had no idea how few chimes they had left to grab some vital sleep. For Zhol, he could probably muddle through his day on instinct, but Khara's line of work was far more dangerous; she needed to be rested, no matter how badly Zhol wanted them to both stay awake like this, so he could spend the night whispering I love yous into her ear.

He forced his eyes open, halting his mind's efforts to immortalise every possible detail of this embrace in his mind. Looking at her brought a fresh smile to his face, laden with adoration at the way her eyelids struggled to hold themselves aloft. He leant forward and settled a small kiss on the tip of her nose, a trick of motivation to lure himself into moving enough to begin freeing himself from the embrace he was desperate not to leave.

"Stay put," he said softly, glancing across the room to seek out the shirt of his that had unofficially become Khara's sleeping attire. She refused to think of it as hers, but even when they'd fetched clothes from her room she'd continued to wear it each night. A small smile tugged at his lips, remembering perhaps the best part of this evening: the fact that his room was their room now, and that he'd hopefully never have to spend another night without her cuddled against his side. "Let me go grab your shirt."

by **Khara** on March 20th, 2015, 5:48 am

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While it took her mind a moment or two to register exactly what he was saying, the subtle shift in his body as Zhol began to gently move her so he could sit up was realized far quicker. Khara responded in the only way she could make sense to; her arms moved around his waist and tightened their hold.

"No," she softly protested. "I-I don't need it." It seemed so strange to say, really. The article of clothing had been something she had worn for the comfort of both of them since the very first time she had willingly asked to stay in his room. It wasn't necessary, she had clothing of her own to keep herself modest while in bed with him, but despite her mind's cruel first impressions of the garment it had come to simply be another aspect of staying with him, another piece of the comforting whole.

Now though? As much as she found solace in the soft cotton fabric, the way its sleeves veiled her hands and kept her from fidgeting with them as much as any gentle hold that Zhol would take himself; it was too far away. It meant they would have to move, have to end this perfect embrace. It had been enough of a struggle to slip off boots at some point but changing entirely? Sure she probably wasn't supposed to be wearing the intricately embroidered bryda to bed, but Khara honestly just... Didn't care. She was happy, she was comfortable, she was safe.

"We can stay here like this?" It was as much a suggestion as a request. Maybe neither as she pulled herself ever so more against him, her hold making it quite clear she wasn't willing to let him go. "I would very much like that."

It seemed like a breathless eternity before she felt Zhol settle back into bed fully and the reassuring tightening of his own arms around her as a silent promise that he wasn't going anywhere. Khara responded by taking a deep breath and nestled against him, back into the space where she seemed to perfectly fit with her head against his shoulder.

Idly her eyes wandered upward and her body turned in the slightest to accompany the glance at the red fabric she had draped from the ceiling over them. A small thought occurred to her, a memory combined with something Zhol had said. He'd called what she had created a pavilion and while Khara knew the little bit of linen must have been a far cry from the grand tents that Zhol had once lived in, she couldn't help but smile at it.

"Since I am living with you now," Khara curiously began, trying to remember all of what Zhol had told her of his former culture. "Does this mean I am of your pavilion? Am I now Emberwing?"

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

by **Zhol** on March 20th, 2015, 9:10 pm

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Normally, you have to be married for that.

Perhaps that was what he should have said. It was the truth after all, and succinctly put. Who knows: perhaps even phrasing it that way would make it an invitation; perhaps the thought of being an Emberwing, the desire to wear his name as proof that she was his, would have lured her into it. After all, the Inarta didn't do marriage, didn't know marriage; why did it matter to her if they were married or not? It certainly mattered to Zhol: nothing in the world would make him happier than being able to call Khara his wife; but therein was the problem. It would mean everything to him, and nothing to her. That would have been the worst kind - and arguably the most common kind - of Endrykas marriage, entirely for the man's benefit, with no regard for the woman tricked or forced into it.

That thought sobered him before his emotions got too carried away; thank goodness Khara was looking upwards, and couldn't see the slight falter of sadness that crept into his eyes. It didn't matter if they were married or not; not really; but it didn't stop it from having always been a dream of his, to meet the right woman and marry her for love. He had found her, of that he had no doubt; and it shouldn't matter, the love they had didn't need a label or a sign to prove it, he felt how genuine and eternal it was with each and every smile she cast his way. Even so, there was the faintest glimmer of remorse that such a thing was not in his future. He reached across with his right arm, scratching idly at the side of his neck. Drusilla had said that the bare, unmarked skin on his arms was a source of sadness; it wasn't the only part of his body where that was true.

He let his eyes fall to Khara, and most of those thoughts were swept away like cobwebs in the breeze, the few straggling strands that remained barely even worth thinking about. He moved just enough to settle a gentle kiss on her forehead, his arm holding her a little more closely for a brief moment. He didn't say what his mind had suggested, but rather something else instead.

"Would you like to be?"

by **Khara** on March 21st, 2015, 5:11 am

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It wasn't really a question she had been prepared to answer. Her own came as a bit of a curiosity, at technicalities in cultures she couldn't really understand. Not that she didn't want to be part of his family, but Khara already felt they were far beyond even that word covering the entirety of what they meant to each other. There was definitely a sentiment behind it, but even that was hard to fully grasp or explain.

When an Inarta took a new name it usually happened in two ways; a new name was simply picked and used at whim, whether for caste movement reasons or even for some it seemed they felt their old one didn't really work with their current sense of self; the second was far more extreme and involved the addition of another's name to their own - only in Wind Reach, the other was a Wind Eagle. It was the only concept of a surname that Khara had and it wasn't even remotely close to how other cultures viewed it. The thought of a single name that tied a group of individuals together was as hard to fully comprehend as a society without castes, as a city made entirely of tents, as a sea of grass, as... Well, a great deal of other things as Khara was coming to understand.

What Khara did know, though, was that she liked the idea of being tied to Zhol in a way that most in Wind Reach wouldn't understand. They had their grassland sign, they had their own little words and phrases, they had subtle touches and looks that no one else could ever even hope to comprehend the full meaning of, but she couldn't help but want more.

Her hand moved towards her neck to touch at the ruby colored scarf that had been discarded along with the rest of her warmer clothing earlier in the evening and finding it absent instead sought out the thin piece of linen around Zhol's wrist.

"If it makes me yours more, then yes." Khara felt a small tug of a frown form at her phrasing and shifted how she laid against him just enough so that she could look up into Zhol's eyes. "If it means we belong together - Yes."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

by **Zhol** on March 21st, 2015, 8:26 pm

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That was enough. All the labels, all the terminology, all the formal arrangements - they were for the rest of the world's benefit. All he needed to know that he and Khara were together; that she was his; and that she wanted him to be hers. If they had that, the rest didn't matter. If they had that, it was more than enough.

He couldn't contain the smile that spread across his features as she looked up at him, and he didn't try. "Then hello, Khara Emberwing," he said softly, his hand idly caressing the skin of his shoulder as he gazed into her eyes.

He felt the need to say something; not the obligation, but the overwhelming desire to, his feelings welling up inside him, demanding to be given form as words so Khara would understand. "We will always be together," he said, wishing that his words sounded as immutable and resolute as the emotions that inspired them were. "I will always be yours. And it is not just because I want to be; it is because I need to be; because I cannot be anything but yours. Not just because my heart is forever yours, and I could not live if you were gone, but -"

The smile shifted, flickering with sentiment, before his adoration mustered to broaden it further. "You are my Syna. You are the light that I wake to, and your smile is the dawn that lights up the entirety of my day. You brighten my world, and my life, just by being... and I love you, Khara. More than the moon loves the sun."

by **Khara** on March 21st, 2015, 10:16 pm

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She wasn't entirely sure of all the little reasons why it was that hearing him say her name that way brought on an uncontrolled sense of giddines, but there was no way she could have hid the smile it brought on even if she had tried. Khara wasn't even sure exactly what that meant now, but she hardly could bring herself to care about the details either; she had told him what it would mean to her and that seemed more than good enough for Zhol.

The rest of what he said didn't even remotely threaten to remove the upwelling of complete happiness, though it was more a guilty pleasure than anything else. Being compared to Syna seemed wrong in a way, but coming from Zhol it sounded like the sweetest sentiment ever.

"You should be glad the moon is no longer in the sky tonight; I'd hate for a god to try and challenge your claim," Khara teased, her voice softened as drowsiness continued to try and claim her. "But if I am your Syna, then you are my Leth. I do not see you until the day ends, you are my light in darkened times, and you watch over me as I sleep."

The pause in her speaking gave room to a small yawn and she realized she had slipped back into Nari. Khara wasn't entirely certain just how much of what she said was understood, but the continued grin on Zhol's lips proved that he knew most of it.

"And sometimes, I get to see you during the daybright," she continued and finally gave in and closed her eyes as her hand found it's way to rest over his heart. "I like those days best."

Fighting to stay awake was a losing battle and one Khara wasn't entirely sure she wanted to win, surrendering to it wasn't so bad though, not if it meant sleeping in his arms without one of the barriers of cloth between them. One last small act of defiance against it was tempted though as she nuzzled closer to Zhol; a last bit of thought allowed to escape from lips in barely more than a breath, "I would not trade them for our nights though. They are perfect."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

Closed Winter to Spring (Khara)