Symbols in the Sand (Kaie)

[Skyard Underwood]

He fell deeper into the intoxication of her touch. Each and every movement she made brought him incredible amounts of pleasure, and he chose to return the favor one more time. He wanted to make one more attempt to dominate her, and as the end of their euphoric encounter began to approach swiftly he acted. He sat upright again, and wrapped his arms around the circumference of her waist; whilst he uplifted her. He found that she was much easier to lift this time around, and perhaps that was because of the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. Skyard proceeded to thrust away at the womans insides, he felt the flesh of her rear as it collided with his pelvis multiple times.

Suddenly he realized what occurred; the very thing he feared. He suddenly had a vision and saw what appeared to be two separated cords of some sort. They tied together in an elaborate series of knots, and with each and every knot tied Skyard felt a connection between himself and Kaie beyond the physical one. At first the ropes were both loosely coiled around one another, hers appeared to be straight; whilst his wrapped around hers. Before they suddenly tightened to the point of being nearly inseparable, and the vision stopped just as swiftly as it began. However, he had the odd feeling that he could sense her emotions; he felt closer to her than he ever had before. His heavy, deep breaths became moans and continued as did his thrusting.

A violent tremble spelled the end of their intimacy; as he felt his manhood tremble from within her. He immediately knew that the time had come to cease their actions. He swiftly removed his manhood from her insides and began to bring her down toward the ground. Skyard placed the woman on her back gently against the sand. Skyard knew that there was something different between them now; beyond the intimacy he felt a bit “too close” to her. This was the same feeling he had gotten several years ago when he and Aaron achieved a “bond”. Skyard feared the day that he found a suitable partner again, and the day had finally come. However, he felt as if he could trust her not to abandon him and leave him alone intentionally as he had suspected Aaron of doing.

Skyard cracked for a moment and in between breaths as they rested together upon the ground with his knees below her rump. He spoke in a soft tone, and beckoned her although he did not intend to with a single word.

“Master?” Spoke the Lion.

[Kaie]

Once more she found herself lifted in his arms, feeling the collision of flesh with carnal purpose. Her intimate adventures with barbarian men could be counted on one hand. The conquests had been purely primal in nature and almost exclusively physical. Never did they succeed in yielding emotional ties even when one had unexpectedly (and perhaps unwisely) given his entire heart to her. In his love she found only momentary comfort. Since tragedy in Sunberth, the Myrian woman had since grown colder to such advances. She had expected no difference when she fell into the embrace of her current companion. She was wrong.

In the midst of their loving-making, the pair seemed to transcend from their own bodies without warning or consent. Slowly she could feel two becoming one in a way she had not anticipated nor could she understand. Suddenly this man had become something of deep meaning. It was as though through some strange process he had become an extension of herself despite being an entirely different person. With closed eyes and bewildered mind, Kaie could sense the emotions that swarmed within him, feel his pleasure alongside hers in one single storm to shake them both. His manhood trembled within her in time with the final moan that signaled a climax to her satisfaction in his performance. And just like that an unseen and yet powerful force had bonded them together.

Her chest rose and fell as her wide eyes stared up at the bright, puffy clouds above as if they held the answers to questions that plagued her mind. Brow furrowed and she blinked rapidly. What is this? Did he practice some sort of magic on me? Without explanation, something from inside her warned her that notion was false. Silence persisted for a few short ticks as she processed the bond that had been forged. Then he spoke a title.

Master? It took Kaie a moment to realize the man had been referring to her, and when understanding had come, she quickly sat up to find his face. Amber eyes sought to study his gaze, to find error or deviance. She found only a genuine, curious stare. Fingers fumbled to secure her vest closed. "Skyard?" Kaie asked him with a skeptical tilt of her head, eyes darting from odd white-blonde hair to icy blue eyes. "What are you?"

[Skyard Underwood]

His breaths began to slow, and a deep sigh exited his lips. His once curious look became a welcoming smile, and he watched as she hurried to button her vest. Skyard decided that he would put his manhood away and return it to his trousers. He was happy, and yet so afraid simultaneously due to the fact that she was his bond-mate. He somehow came to spontaneously trust her with everything he had, and gave himself to her. He was love stricken, and knew that he could not simply walk away from her from this point on. Skyard chose to dedicate himself to her, and made the decision to never leave her side so long as he lived.

Bonding was a process that came with multiple pros, and cons alike. However, he was ready to accept everything that came as a result. He called her his “Master” without hesitation and had not realized that he had not given that title away since the death of Aaron. She asked him what he was, and he felt as if it were time for her to know the truth. The person that she had just made love to was no ordinary man, and she immediately knew. Skyard hesitated for a moment, and felt his heart hammer away beneath his chest cavity so rapidly that he felt it would escape.

“Master, I am what you would call a Kelvic, but you cannot tell a soul. Y-you felt it didn't you? “ Skyard beckoned her with a question in order to confirm what he already knew occurred. He was simply in a state of disbelief that he finally managed to bond again. The bond was spontaneous this time, and did not take an extensive period of time the way that his first bond had. Skyard innately gained a large amount of both fear, and respect for her. He did not bother to make her answer that question to the fullest extent and decided that he would explain it to her.

“I will tell you what happened, My Kaie. You are now bound to me, and I can only hope that you choose not to sever it. I suppose that through our intimacy we became one, and are now tied together.” Skyard concluded his brief speech, and decided that he would only continue to confirm his suspicions. He could practically feel some of her emotions, which included a bit of confusion; She had no clue what just happened to her. Skyard decided that he would experiment by asking her a short question followed by an answer.

“We're going to play a game, My love. I am going to ask you a question, and it will be rather short but I want you to answer it. When you do I want you to ask me a question afterward.” He concluded his delivery of the rules to the game.

Skyard began

“When shall you leave me?”

[Kaie]

There it was again: Master. Yet with his reply, the title's true meaning became far more clear than she originally had anticipated. Her brow furrowed. Kelvic? Memories of strange animal-humans flooded into her mind upon the utterance of the word.

There had first been the coyote boy she'd discovered naked in the Syliran wilderness years ago. Kyo had been the first she'd met, timid and blissfully ignorant of the crueler ways of other sentient beings beyond his canine companions. Then there was Ardea, the tigress Kaie had managed to piss off just before realizing what a terrible mistake exercising her ego had been. All else the Myrian woman had known of the race was told through stories of her own people.

Kelvics had been the only race deemed worthy to exist among the Myrian people in Falyndar. Though the bond between a Myrian and a Kelvic was not equated to the sacred bond between Myrian and Myrian Tiger, it was one to be respected and observed all the same. For the briefest tick, she reflected on a conversation regarding the enslavement and abuse of Kelvics that reportedly happened in Ravok. Whatever it was that held Kaie to Skyard, the jungle-born could innately sense it was something to be protected.

"Yes, I felt it," she answered his prompting with a subtle tone of uncertainty, evidently still processing the alteration of her world and adjusting to new eyes. He must've sensed her persisting confusion for he quickly went on to further illuminate the subject. The very sound of his voice seemed to suddenly hold the power to soothe her, her name slipping from his lips grasping her attention and holding it without equal. A game she might've been content to abandon had become her singular focus in a tick.

"Not so long as I live," Kaie responded to the first question that launched their silly game without missing a beat. Instantly, her amber eyes widened and teeth sank into her lower lip. Her answer had felt correct and yet it felt as though it were not entirely conceived on her own. It came too quick as though she were absent of thought. To make matters more complex, as soon as it was spoken she knew it was true at face-value. She could feel it deep in her very bones. Kaie of the Cutthroat Shadows would never long to be away from Skyard's side, to be absent his touch. His presence was like the sun warming her face, and despite being naive to what a bond truly entailed, a significant part of her feared to experience so much as an overcast. She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes in thought. It was her turn to ask the question.

"What do I mean to you?"

[Skyard Underwood]

Skyard felt his heart skip a beat as she answered his question without even a moment of hesitation. He knew that she belonged to him from that moment on. The bond had truly formed, and he was incredibly pleased with her answer. However, it was his time to answer her question and as he awaited her response he watched her fold her arms over her chest. She finally asked him, what did she mean to him; the answer was simple.

“Everything, I am to live and die by your command. “ He spoke to her in a soft tone as he took the opportunity to kiss her lips again before he continued the game. Words could not possibly describe how smitten he was with her. She was the sword, and he her shield; without her he knew that he would lose half of his strength. Skyard wanted to be with her until the day that he took his final dying breath. Aaron would approve of this newfound love he had for Kaie, and he practically felt his masters presence as he paused to think of another question to ask her.

Despite the fact that Skyard already had a question in mind; he could not help imagine what their days spent together would be like. Would she hunt with him? Would she cook him delicious food although cooked meals were not his preference? Would they share romantic and loving moments together until the sun rose? Skyard had multiple questions to ask and only a single one that he was allowed to deliver. He continued to deliver a few more kisses to her lips before he broke the kiss and spoke for a brief moment.

“I love you.” He spoke softly and began the question immediately after; as if he had not meant to say it so soon.

“What is the most important thing in your life?” He beckoned the woman, and could only hope that she would give him the answer he wanted. The Sun ascended higher into the Sky, and finally truly began to heat the sand upon which they rested. The water grew a bit more violent, and multiple flocks of birds chirped away in the background. The winds intensified and caused his hair to flutter; however never once did he break eye contact with his Master.

Skyard knew that the world was an incredibly cruel place, but he found that everything became calm. With her touch he became comfortable, and practically became the most soft gentle creature within her grasp. Her eye contact alone put him at ease, and he felt like with her he would never worry again. Skyard continued to think ahead, and attempted to come up with another question so that he would not have to distract her the next time.

[Kaie]

His answer mirrored hers in a way. There was no time needed to truly ponder over a question that might've normally demanded a label or the outright rejection of one. Just as her own devotions were tied to Skyard, his seemed equally influenced by this newly forged bond. He belonged to her as she belonged to him. The only man she had ever loved had been Tsu'kai. Their relationship had been forged through mutual interest and camaraderie, lasting until she departed from Taloba to embark on her pilgrimage. Yet unfortunate events in Sunberth had seen that old flame forever extinguished by her own two hands. No man since had truly found a way to her heart, and the Myrian woman had expected that to be so until the day came she was once more among her own people.

The thought, however fleeting, came to ask whether there would be a time she would hold scorn for the bond and the way it had seized her without cause. With Sky's lips upon hers again, the thought did indeed flee. No other touch had felt so...right. His profession of love had come as a shock. She took several ticks to consider it, taken off guard, before she was able to honestly answer his question. Is this love artificial? Some sort of force of emotion that comes with this bond between the two of us? What is truly me? What is truly him?

"You are," Kaie spoke her reply as if it were obvious, tone gentle despite the accent that made words sound somehow harsher. Wind threatened to blow her hair across her face as the start of its exhale billowed brown curls. The Myrian tucked the front strands behind her ear to ward off it advance. She reached out a hand, fingertips slowly roving the length of his forearm. My turn.

"What do you want in this life, Skyard?" A single blow arched as if to challenge him. After all, to an average person such a thing would not be so easy to grasp or too vague to hold. It was a question that would normally require thought and individuality. Part of her whispered fear over whether his answer would be an indication of a loss of the latter. How was it she could fear the implications of this new relationship with the Kelvic while soothed by its shackled?

[Skyard Underwood]

The moment she answered his question, Skyard knew that he no longer had to fear being bound to her. He was the most important thing in her life, and he would willingly take his own life if it meant to please her. The bond they forged was almost certainly inseparable, and for now he felt as if they stated the terms of their bond. Skyard knew that if this was true then he had quite a bit of ground to cover. He did not want to miss even a minute detail if she was to be bonded to him; to belong to him and he to belong to her. Skyard did not want her to so much as look upon another male with any form of attraction. The Lion would make certain of this by making a statement and experimenting with how deep it goes.

Skyard did not know how he would state it, and make it become true of their bond. However, if they were practically making vows to one another there had to be a way that he could alter the agreement. Skyard decided that he would simply speak his desires aloud, and hope that they would only deepen the bond between them. He parted his lips and began a short speech “My lover, my Master, My Bondmate, and My Best Friend. I state this as part of our bond, and the moment you approach a male or are approached I will feel his presence as well. If you touch the man, or if he touches you I will sense where he has touched you, or where you have touched him. I will feel each and every tormenting moment of your contact; I will know everything.” He concluded his speech in a soft tone audible enough for her to hear, and once again he chose to kiss her lips.

Her lips were a drug he was highly addicted to, her scent, her presence, and her gorgeous appearance were simply bonuses. Skyard knew that she would be the only woman he would ever desire. She was his everything, and if she were to die then he knew that he would be left with nothing; forced into a state of depression. Perhaps the very thing that tied them together would be the death of him. However, he did not mind at all and willingly took the risk to continue the game. She asked him what it was that he wanted in his life, and he knew that could mean a number of things.

However he chose not to hesitate and to voice his desires. “What I want in this life is to please you, and to love you the way that you deserve to be loved. I want nothing more than to become the best thing that has ever happened to your life. Even if I die, I want to be the best there was, and if I continue to live then I will be the best thing that ever will be in your life.” He spoke in a soft tone as he brought forth his cranium and the palms of his hands came in contact with both sides of her visage. His forehead touched her own and he temporarily closed his eyes. A soft breath exited his lips as he asked her the next question in what was practically a whisper.

“Where would you rather be?”

[Kaie]

The Myrian woman found herself locked in a deep stare with the Kelvic, her attention unarguably undivided from the tick his lips parted to declare his intentions to her. The trust she held for Skyard was something that went beyond reason for a hyper vigilant savage. She was the type of woman to sit with her back to the wall, hand on the hilt of her sword, and eyes on the door. Everyone's best intentions were greeted with suspicion by default. However, with no sound explanation other than this mysterious bond that had taken her hostage, Kaie knew every vow he spoke was genuine. There was no doubt his promises were eternal and faith persisted in the belief each would be honored by her bondmate.

Though his words were soft upon her ears she could feel the tension behind them, the desire for her to comprehend the seriousness of the jealousy that would ensue should she let another take her. Relief came when lips pressed against hers, and despite their lengthy and heated encounter, lust threatened to resurface at the warmth of his touch. A hunger briefly entered her gaze as he broke from her to answer her question. As his hands came to rest upon her the sides of her face, she let her fingers rest over his wrists, thumbs gently rubbing the backs of his palms. The last lover she took had been out of pity and responsibility more than affections, and his poetry when he spoke to her fell upon ears that were not particularly gracious. Sky seized her with quite the contrary, reeling her in with his short soliloquy and paralyzing her within his embrace.

The Myrian girl found herself leaning forward to gently rest her forehead upon his. Eyelids closed as he asked the question, for the answer this time was not so immediate as the others. Something deep within pulled at her heartstrings, something inborn and desired for so long it could not be abandoned with such ease. Honesty would persist between the new lovers. "Home." The words slipped shamelessly from her lips and when eyes opened, they looked toward the sand.

Home. A singular word had the power to bring her careening back to memories long forgotten. She could hear the gentle sway of palm trees, the spatter of raindrops upon the giant banana leaves she ran beneath as a child, the smell of cassowary upon a longhouse fire, and feel the squish of soft earth beneath her bare feet. The flash felt like a chime but lasted only a few heartbeats. Amber eyes blinked up to hold the glacial stare of her bondmate. A smile spread across her lips. "With you by my side... to share my fire, hunt our jungles, and slay the enemies of my people."

Without warning, the hands upon his slowly removed his touch from her visage. The Myrian woman found her feet and extended hands down for him to join her upright on the beach. Mischief was alight in her stare. "Come. I've believed little in words and choose to invest in action. I'm changing the rules of the game." Kaie waggled her eyebrows at him before swiftly turning back toward the path that had led them there. Broken from reverie and total fascination in her new partner, she realized only as they trekked back up the path that onlookers had at some point collection on the viewing platform above. The Myrian woman broke into a fit of laughter yet embarrassment did not color her cheeks. Instead she took Sky's hand and led him back through the streets of Riverfall without so much as a hint toward their destination.

Kaie pushed open the door of the Kulkukan Tavern, a place starting to crowd with tavern-goers with the coming of late afternoon. The bartender was already rushing to fill orders for ale and calls for wine, while barmaids wove skillfully between bodies without dropping so much as a crumb from their trays. The Myrian took a single tick to "feel" the environment around her. When no sensation returned to alert her of impending harm, she turned to Skyard. "You understand this bond far more than I do. Teach me. How literal is this connection between you and I?"

[Skyard Underwood]

She wanted him by her side, and wanted to take him to her “Home” although she had not even bothered to get on the ship today. He did not know what truly compelled her to stay away from the ship, but he did not bother to question it. She would rather be home than be in Riverfall; Skyard understood that much because of the fact that home was unparalleled compared to any other place. The Lion was very pleased with the first portion of her answer, and then she said something that he did not expect. She said that she would like him to be at her side; to spend time with her whenever time was available. Each and every word that she spoke only made the Lion more elated with her choice.

Following the kiss she removed his hands from her visage, but Skyard for some reason knew why. They had just finished intercourse, and his touch threatened to make that happen again he understood and nodded his head whilst his eyes remained locked upon her own. Skyard knew that she was unlike any other woman before her. She had been far better, and performed the best not only sexually but emotionally for him. With the short amount of time that they spent together Skyard already felt the strongest connection he had ever felt before. Each and every time that she spoke her accent drove him mad. However, until she spoke words that he considered to be deadly.

Skyard stopped breathing for a moment, and she knew that she wanted to test how true the statement he gave was. Skyard knew that he was not very stable when his anger rose from the surface. He was a Lion after all, and one filled with Testosterone; he would much rather dive into bed with his newfound lover. However, she grasped hold of his hand and led the way toward a bar after she assisted him in standing. He observed her facial expressions as her eyebrows waggled at him. As she took his hand he interlocked fingers with her, and swiftly pulled her toward him. He could not possibly resist temptation, and whilst he heard her outbreak of laughter he wondered why. Until he looked out the corner of his eye only to realize that people stood on the platform above them.

Skyard visualized an expensive wine glass descending to the ground and shattering on the floor when he realized what that meant. It meant that the people could have been there for quite a while, and watched everything that they had done from start to finish. Skyard looked up and gave them a brief wink, as he wrapped his opposite hand around Kaies waistline. He immediately pressed his torso against her own, and proceeded to shower her lips in kisses. He was incredibly glad that she became his bondmate, and he trusted her without question immediately. She did not ever once tell Skyard where she wanted to go in order to put their bond to the “Test”.

Several soft sounds were made as he proceeded to kiss away at her incredibly soft lips. Skyard took a brief moment to sink his teeth into the flesh of her bottom lip one more time. Every single time he touched her it gave him a sense of ecstasy. As he unlocked lips with her yet again he smiled briefly and looked away. He could only hope that if the people above them had seen all of the events that took place that they gave the observers quite a show. He decided that he would finally answer the question she asked regarding their bond.

Finally, they arrived at a tavern; nothing could go too wrong at a bar. Skyards tensions eased, as she pushed open the door and he looked around in the vicinity. The area was filled with Akalak men, and Skyard did not like that one bit. Men were competition, and often times Skyard had to fight them in order to keep them away from things that were his. Kaie belonged to him, and he grasped hold of her hand a bit tighter. Skyard did not want her to leave him, but he knew that if she were going to test it now then he should be prepared.

“This bond is a lot stronger than you think, and if you choose to test it then I will leave that part up to you. However, I just hope that you are prepared for everything that can and will happen as a result of your test. My only question to you Is if you are ready, and you never did tell me when I made the statement to you. If you would like me to repeat it then I can, but I did tell you that I loved you only to be met with no reply.”

Skyard continued to wonder where she would take him, and what she would do when they arrived. Would she get herself attacked, or perhaps harmed in some fashion? Perhaps not although she was a Myrian she was incredibly intelligent from what he could observe. He could only hope that she would not get them into danger. Skyard was not a man that had much to fear, but when it came to the unknown that tended to make him shake. Skyard continued to run through the endless possibilities as they continued along their walk.

[Kaie]

In this aspect of their newly formed relationship, Kaie was completely at Skyard's mercy. She was only just beginning to grasp what had happened between them, piecing together details in hopes she'd discover the image as a whole when she was through. So far she had only managed to grasp information found during their isolation on the beach. The Myrian could feel her Kelvic bondmate's mood, his affection and rush when he made a scene before the platform onlookers (much to her own amusement). She knew a part of her longed to be close to him always. Yet Skyard had warned of a sharing of sensations that would alert him to infidelity, leaving the jungle-born to question both if such a claim were true and what other possibilities existed. Master was the title he had granted her, but it was she who still had much to learn.

"This bond is strange to me still," Kaie voiced to the man as she turned to face him in the tavern. Her arms wrapped around his lower back and pulled him close. "But...I think I love you too. I don't know how. I don't know why...but the feeling is there. It feels real." She tilted her head and looked up at him, planting a kiss on his lips before pulling back. After all, before he demanded a final answer to his previous declaration, he indirectly challenged her meddle. Skyard questioned whether or not she was prepared for whatever he foresaw to come, and the ignorant Myrian couldn't help but find herself slightly insulted. She arched a brow at the man and released her hold upon him.

"I'm sure I can handle myself just fine," the Myrian spoke with a shrug of her shoulders, feet slowly stepping back as she began to part from him. "I told you I needed your guidance. Lead the way. Do your worst." She flashed him a final grin before turning on her heels and making for the bar. It wasn't long before she was seated upon a stool. Most of the patrons inside the tavern were Akalak, and as one would discover quickly upon entering their city, it was nearly impossible to escape their company. The ones that sat beside her, however, bothered her with little more than a polite greeting as she made herself comfortable.

Let's see if this test lives up to the dramatics he implied, Kaie humored with a roll of her eyes. She spun upon her stool and leaned her back against the bar counter. A hand wandered to her side to grasp her water skin. She uncapped the skin and tipped it back to her lips while she spied Skyard through the collection of bodies beyond. Hardly any wine remained in the skin, yet she savored the delicacy Riverfall had supplied her with all the same. Meanwhile, the Myrian could still sense the mild reservations the Kelvic had over the test. She could only hope he'd overcome them so that a lesson may get taught.