The Princess and the Blade

[Soran Nightblade]

"You held most of it," he argued matter-of-factly. Her soft touch on his face made him feel like he was floating away. "I'm a bit tired, but your mother repaired the sword." If he was being honest, his body did feel sore, but it should have been much worse. The power Tenara had used to make him whole while they were trapped had been substantial, despite her injuries.

A thought occurred to him then, and he froze. What if she misunderstood? "She repaired me, but it did not affect me the way your power does," he said with urgency.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara grinned at his concern. "I know," she said. "My mother has always healed people. If her powers affected others they way mine affect you, my fathers would not let her heal anyone." She leaned a little closer to him. "It seems we're just special, you and I." Though, she had never tried to heal anyone else, and had no desire to experiment. The idea of making someone else—other than Havitharon—feel that way, made her uncomfortable. "Can you reach the gold cord in the corner over there? If we pull it, someone will come help us with the bath." She reached out and plucked a piece of stone from his hair.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi stared at the pebble she'd drawn from his hair, a bit embarrassed as he realized what a poor state he was in. He glanced at the cord. Normally, he shut out his attendants whenever he wasn't in peak condition. Could he afford to be seen in a weakened state within the walls of this palace?

"I wish to draw it for you," he insisted, even as his arms clutched her a bit closer to him. If he pulled the cord, they could remain like this... He brushed off the temptation and slid her gently to his side, slipping out from under her. His sore muscles grumbled, but cooperated as he rose to his feet. "I'll return in a moment," he said, moving toward the bathroom. He paused at the door and looked back at her. It was satisfying to see her warm and secure, even injured as she was. He slipped into the bathroom and made quick work of opening the tap to fill the tub. There were oils and balms arranged along the lip of the bath. Was he expected to add these? Which did she like? In what proportions?

He grimaced at the dainty bottles. He disliked being so clueless about such basic things. Even if he could speak her language, such shortcomings seemed to constantly undermine him. Calculating his options, he began opening each bottle and thoroughly investigating heir scents and properties.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara lay in bed, waiting for Havitharon to return. She traced the blade, back and forth, back and forth, periodically glancing up at the door to see if he was coming back. It hadn't been too long, but she didn't like being away from him. She scooted to the edge of the bed and tested her balance again. Her knees quivered as she took a step, but they didn't buckle as they had before. She made her way slowly towards the bathroom, and leaned against the doorframe, peeking in. She smiled as she spotted Havitharon standing over the large tub, smelling bottles of desert rose and jasmine. She looked beautiful but pale while leaning against the cool sandstone framing. "The pink glass bottle is my favorite," she offered. "If you don't like smelling of roses, though, the teal one is sage. It's nice." She stepped away from the wall and wobbled on her feet, stumbling into the vanity and grabbing hold of it to steady herself.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi had been meticulously inspecting the green bottle when she spoke. He'd been so engrossed that her soft voice so close behind him startled him alert. He jerked, spinning to look at her while the sudden twitch of his hand upset the entire tray of bottles he'd been experimenting with. Too late, he fumbled for them, but his muscles were unusually slow to respond. He stared in shock as the whole collection of mostly-opened bottles tumbled into the nearly-full bath.

It took several seconds for him to fully come to terms with what he'd just done. He glanced back at Tenara, face pale. "I... used the pink one."

[Emora Deen]

Tenara laughed, half lying on the vanity as the sound of it tumbled out of her. It took nearly a full minute for her to stop, and by then her eyes were blurry with tears and she was dragging her fingers beneath them. "Well, at least we won't smell like brick dust anymore."

[Soran Nightblade]

A bizarre bouquet of scents, chaotic but not necessarily unpleasant, floated through the room. Havitharon grimaced at the water, fully dejected. He might have preferred her anger over being laughed at by his Yurivis. He wasn't normally so clumsy. How could he fail this badly at something so simple? "I apologize. I will drain and refill it, to cut some of the scent," he strategized, trying to scoop what remained of his pride up off the floor.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara sighed with a happy smile. "Don't worry about it, Havi," she said, and edged towards the tub. Her legs shook with each step, but the dress hid it, and the distance wasn't too far. She sank down next to the tub, and reached in to draw a bottle out. "Let's just drain a little, and add more water. It will even out. Don't worry." She placed the empty bottles on the tray, the smile never leaving her face.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havitharon knelt quietly beside the tub. "I apologize," he repeated, unable to think of anything to redeem himself at the moment. Perhaps his brain was as tired as his body. He was still mortified at being laughed at, and he couldn't help wishing he'd just pulled the gold cord. But a different feeling grew as he watched her calmly rectify his mess with a soft smile on her face. It will even out. Don't worry. It wasn't the first time she'd accepted him with that quiet, decisive confidence. Whether it was spilled perfume or her own life on the line, she kept accepting him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

He rose up and leaned in beside her so he could pull the pin from the base of the tub. Shoulder to shoulder, they managed to get the water diluted after a few more minutes. "Does it smell pink now?" he asked seriously.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara gave a testing, playful sniff. "It smells pinkish," she replied, her gaze flashing to meet his. "It smells nice. Thank you." She dipped a hand in, swirling the top of the water to gauge the temperature. "It's perfect."

She pulled her hand free and raked it through her tangled hair, moving the mane of silver over one shoulder, before reaching for the ties on her dress. She pulled them loose one by one, and then gently pushed the tattered, dirty fabric from her shoulders until it pooled around her hips.

Tenara thought about standing, but wasn't entirely sure she would be able to, and she didn't want to admit that to Havitharon. So, she folded her arms across the tub’s side and rested her head on it, admiring him. A second later, her hand nudged his shoulder gently, “Can I help?” Her small hand glided feather-light down his arm, and a finger tapped the buckle on his belt.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi was so busy staring at Tenara's clothes pooled on the floor that he had to work to remember what she'd just said. She wanted to help?

He turned his confusion toward her hand tapping at his belt.

Oh.

For some reason, it hadn't occurred to him that she might want to bathe together. But it made perfect sense. She was still weak, and he could help support and clean her if he entered with her.

"I... can handle that much," he said, but instead of disrobing, he kept watching of her slender fingers.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara leaned up to press a light kiss on his cheek, taking the belt in her fingers. "I'll help," she insisted. She knew he could do it on his own, but she wanted to dote on him. She gently unbuckled the metal clasp and drew the leather from the loops. Instead of tossing it, as she'd done the night before, she coiled it and set it down next to the tub. Then, she unclasped his trousers and parted the fabric. She didn't move any further than that. She wanted to. A flurry of wonderfully delicious thoughts floated through her mind. Instead, she reached up and plucked another piece of stone from his hair. "Can I wash your hair?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi unconsciously put his hand to the back of his head. He slid his hand under a long lock of hair the color of early twilight and pulled it over his shoulder to inspect it. It was heavier than humans' hair, like weighted silk, but even that hadn't saved it from tangling after everything that happened the day before. "If it pleases you," he said curiously, wondering what was so great about touching his messy hair.

[Emora Deen]

“It does,” she said, and kissed him tenderly. She tried to stand, using the tub’s edge to draw herself up, but didn’t manage to make it off her knees. She slumped back onto the floor, embarrassed to ask for help. He had to be just as tired as she was. She cast a sheepish gaze at him. “Would you mind helping me in?”

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi followed her to the ground, his lips still tingling. "Hold on to me," he said, pulling her smaller form in against his chest and lifting her. Cradling her in one arm, he freed himself of his pants with the other. He held her close as he sat on the lip of the tub and swung his legs over, into the water. He knelt down slowly, helping her rest against the back of the oversized tub. He pressed his wet hand to the side of her face, his thumb brushing over your cheek. "How is your pain?"