[SFI]

“This might take a while.” They were still dancing around each other, poking and prodding the other’s defences.
“You might be correct.” Kel’noz caught her swing with the flat of his blade. “I am getting quite tempted to cheat.”
Her silver eyes narrowed. “If you are allowed to cheat, so am I.” She pointed out, narrowly dodging his retaliation.
“Please let us keep it arts-less.” He actually growled when missing another strike by the width of a hair. “I prefer hair not to get into my body.”
“Very funny.” Waes’soloth was sweating by now, a few loose strands stuck to her face. “What about around your ankles?”
The Sarghress only looked marginally better, his hair a tangled mess. “No arts.”
The next few blows were exchanged in silence before the Beldrobbaen spoke again. “So what kind of cheating is there that does not utilize the arts?”
“Eh...” He side-stepped her thrust. “I could think of some, but they either involve knocking you out or getting myself thrown out of the nearest window...”
“Oh?” He admired her flexibility as she bend out of the way of his attack. “Why is that?”
“Because I doubt they are appropriate by Beldrobbaen-standards.” Goddess damnit, she nearly got him there. Her teacher had done too good a job entirely.
“You are making me curious.” She offhandedly threw her braid over her shoulder again when it fell forward. “If I promise not to throw you, will you show me?”
“You do realize that boils down to forfeiting the match?” He chuckled a bit, locking his blade with hers.
“At this point, quite frankly, I just want a bath.” The Ill’haress muttered more or less darkly.
“Well, if you are certain.” Kel’noz grinned lightly. “I must admit, I would like a bath too by now.” Besides, he’d rather not have to explain to Quain’tana why he looked like he fought the Sharen army on the way back from Orthorbbae.
Waes’soloth’s mouth-corner twitched briefly, before she had to gasp when he smacked aside her sword. “Wha...?” Her question was cut off by lips meshing with hers, blocking all sound. Shocked, she failed to notice the leg hooking around hers and pulling them out from underneath her. An arm locked around her head, cushioning it as they both fell to the floor.
“Would this have been appropriate?” Kel’noz breathed against slightly open lips, the woman underneath him staring up with wide eyes. His wooden sword was pressed against her neck, while her own lay a short distance away.
It actually took her a few moments to regain her ability to speak. No one – absolutely no one – had ever dared do something like this to her. “It... no, it would not have been.”
He climbed of her, offering her his hand to help her up from the floor. “Now about that bath?”

She invited him into her own bath, a sunken pool with a diameter bigger than Quain. They were currently sitting on opposite ends, both immersed with cleaning themselves.
“Well, you won.” Waes’soloth looked up from combing her hair. “What price would you claim?”
“I cheated.” Grimacing, he was trying to do likewise and now bitterly regretted not braiding his hair as well. “It was hardly a fair victory.”
“I thought we agreed I forfeited?” She moved to his side, turning most of her attention to his hair. “Let me help, you are just making it worse.”
“If you insist.” Obediently he turned his back to her, wincing a bit as she tugged on some strands. “What do Beldrobbaen ask for?”
“Usually the rights for something.” The Beldrobbaen female absent-mindedly told him. “As far as I know, sparring-matches usually don’t have stakes. They’re just that: for sparring.”
“So regardless of what I ask, it will be inappropriate too?” The Sarghress male chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at her. In some dark corner of his mind, he cursed her servant for making sure there were so many bubbles.
“That will always be the case with you.”
“True enough, I suppose.” Another chuckle escaped him. “Makes it quite tempting to go all the way then.”
“Excuse me?” She leaned forward a bit, looking at him over his shoulder. “Careful, Sarghress, there is only so much leeway I am willing to give you.”
“Not that ‘all the way’.” He frowned a bit. “But if say... I deemed that kiss a bit short and cold, would I get the leeway to do it over?”
“You...” She blinked a few times. “You are going to use the free favour to ask for a kiss?” She thanked the Goddess her bath was this warm, otherwise there would have been nothing to blame the sudden flush of colour to her cheeks on.
“I somehow doubt asking for a golem or a district is appropriate by anyone’s standard.” Kel’noz tilted his head back to look at her. “Well?”

[Isaiah Cortez]

I knew it!

[SFI]

XD I knew it!

Stop mind-reading

[SFI]

Why do I get the feeling that "Sexy Time", to quote Kharla, will ensue? After all, they're already both naked...

*gasp horror shock* Waes is NOT Ash, just saying

[Isaiah Cortez]

But you were thinking about it! Weren't you!

[SFI]

Walking back to her room, Waes’soloth sincerely hoped she wouldn’t encounter anybody. ‘Very well, there will be no harm in this’... She had said that, she had actually said that! Shaking her head at her own insanity, she also prayed to Sharess that he wouldn’t blab that around.
What had she been thinking!? She closed and locked the door behind her, marching straight for her favourite armchair. Kissing a commoner!
As if sensing her turmoil, her pets crept forward faster than usually, climbing onto her lap while chittering softly. Ironically, the spider that always tried to take a dive in Kel’noz’ tea was first to reach the top.
“Well hello there...” She scooped it up. “Don’t worry, I am just being silly again...” Which was in and of itself an insane concept. Waes’soloth Val’Beldrobbaen, silly!? “Bloody Commoner... I ought to have know this would end poorly.”
Oh, he had been a paragon of good behaviour, that was not the problem. The problem had been the fact that she had not wanted him to be at some point. Petting the spider with one hand, she rubbed her forehead with the other.
“Sharess, what am I coming to?” She had wanted him to continue. That was inexcusable.

“I’m just saying it has been moon-turns since she invited me.” Kel’noz muttered somewhat darkly. “Did I offend her somehow?”
“She at least did not mention anything of the sort.” Nau’boloth was sitting across of his colleague, filling two goblets with tea. “Have you tried taking it up with her?”
“Oh, sure, that’ll go well.” The Sarghress leaned back in his chair, looking up in frustration. “’Mother, I require a messenger. Where to? Why, the Beldrobbaen, I think I might have offended Waes’soloth. No I’m assuming not to the point of war.’”
“I could carry a letter for you?” The Beldrobbaen offered with a sound that passed for a chuckle in his clan. “I should be returning there next week.”
“No, I think I got to talk to her myself.” The Davya-headmaster waved the offer away. “I should have some time tomorrow.”

[Dakla]

*Pokes SFI* Hello?

[SFI]

“Why did you come here?” Waes’soloth had allowed him entry to her chambers once more, however reluctantly and was now standing at her window, facing him with arms crossed.
“I think you might be able to imagine.” He had taken a seat in his customary chair, also staring at her with his arms crossed. “It has been months since we had any contact, Waes, I’d like to know why.”
“I do not need to explain myself to you.” She coolly countered, heading back into the room to her dresser where she poured herself a glass of water. “You were deluding yourself if you thought this would last longer than a few months. Our clans are far too different for a ‘friendship’ to have any hope.”
“Is that how it is?” Kel’noz rose from his seat, marching over to her. He was somewhat surprised that she actually nearly snarled at him as he approached her. “Is that how Waes’soloth is? A coward?”
“Excuse me?” Now she did snarl, wheeling around to face him. Her eyes burned with anger. Had he ever seen that look on her face before? “I think you are forgetting who you are addressing, Sarghress.”
“Oh, I know quite well who I am addressing.” Said Sarghress answered with an edge to his voice. “I just think that she is too cowardly to deserve any respect. Because she is unable to be truthful, or is just too afraid to be.”
“How dare you?” Her silver eyes flashed with her fury. Had he had a position of less import as he did, he’d probably be falling down to the ground below the fortress right about now. As it was, even an Ill’haress could not just kill a Headmaster of Orthorrbae over an insult.
“Then give me the reason for this break-off. Or rather... you fleeing.”
“I do not... flee.” She set the glass down with a touch more force than was strictly necessary. “Why do you even care why I called this off?”
“Oh, how about perhaps the fact that you did so without any warning?” He snarled lightly when she turned away from him, obviously intend on not deigning him with an answer. Overstepping his bounds with a long-distance jump, he grabbed her wrist and, while she still tried to comprehend what he had just dared to do, slammed her against the wall. “Answer me.”
“My reasons are my own.” The tone of her voice was now truly dangerous. If he did not find reason – or his common sense to do so – to back off soon, she’d retaliate against his treatment. And there was no way he’d survive that.
“They concern me just as much.” He pointed out, his face inches from hers. “Why, Waes’soloth!?”
After a few minutes of only their ragged breathing, at a point where he was just about to make his demands again, she sighed softly. Looking away, the anger melted from her face. “Because it was turning dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” One of his eyebrows rose as he let go of her wrist, though he did not move from his spot in front of her.
“Come now...” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking at him again. “I am pretty certain you noticed the... tension between us in my bath as well.”
“You... broke contact over that?” Blinking, he retreated some.
“I am the Beldrobbaen Ill’haress. Who would be taking sparring-lessons from a commoner she mustn’t and yet wants to do an entirely different kind of sparring with...” The distance seemed to give the black-haired female back some of her dry humor. “You tell me if that is a bad combo.”
“Point.” He sighed. “So you decided to dodge the ‘commoner’ completely, rather than risk it.” A frown formed on his face. “And you thought that would work?”
“You are the first commoner I had to do this with, but up until now ‘dodging problem males’ worked out quite well.” She sighed, moving past him into the room. “Because unlike you, other males know when to leave well alone.”
“You... did this before?” This conversation was getting somewhat surreal to him at the moment. “Did you ever not do this?”
“Did you ever hear stories of Waes’soloth sleeping with... someone below her?” The Ill’haress counter-asked as she sat down on her armchair. “Content? Then you may leave now.”
“As a matter of fact, no, I am not.” Quain’tana’s son walked over to her, stopping in front of her. Looking down into a face that was starting to show anger again, he added. “You have lived for centuries, and not once indulged yourself?”
“What does that matter?” She did not bother rising to face him. “You had your answer, there is no other reason for you to still be here.”
Silence reigned again as they measured each other. She was not quite able to hide her surprise at his next move. “I challenge you to a sparring-match.”

[Dakla]

Rematch, Rematch , rematch

[SFI]

“Challenge me?” Waes’soloth echoed with a touch of disbelief. “To what end?”
“For one, you still have a retake-exam waiting for you.” He pointed at her with a small smirk on his face. “For the other, consider it something of a challenge.”
“To what end?” She repeated herself, exasperated and more than a little annoyed at the finger poking the air in front of her chest.
“If you win, I will leave here and we will never speak of it again, like you’d do with any ‘other male’.”
“And if I lose?” The Ill’haress demanded, crossing her arms while looking at him.
“You will indulge yourself. Not necessarily with me, but with someone at least.” He countered her move, frowning a touch. “This frigid abstinence cannot be healthy.”
“‘Frigid abstinence’!?” It took a monumental effort to not throw him out of the window just a couple feet to her left. It quite stung her pride that that was his opinion of her.
“Considering I doubt you mate for aught else than making a child... And when was the last time you did that? I believe something like two decades ago, no?” He pointed out. “Now, will you or will you not take my challenge?”
“I will take your challenge.” If only to beat him into the ground for this.
“Then I will wait at the sparring-room, I suppose.” Without another word he turned on his heel and left her chambers again.
After this, she was having a serious talk with her slave, but for now...

Neither was intending to hold back even the slightest bit, both more than annoyed at the other. But Waes’soloth had not trained for several weeks and even beforehand she had been hard-pressed to hold her own against the mercenary.
“Ah!” Landing face-first on the floor of the training-grounds was uncomfortable, feeling a sword-tip – even with it being wood – pressed against the back of her neck was a different matter entirely.
“Yield.” He panted lightly, snarling at the form on the ground.
Clawing at the ground, she looked from him to the sword a good distance away. “Yes. I yield.”
Kel’noz backed off, moving to the side of the room to return his sword. He had been somewhat surprised that she had kept it despite everything.
Looking back, he saw that she had retrieved her own training-sword and was returning it to the closet that held her armament.
“I will take my leave then.” He rubbed his arm where a nasty bruise was forming.
“How come?” She sounded surprised, joining him in the hallway leading back to her quarters. “Did you not insist I ought to... ‘indulge myself’ if you won?” Waes’soloth looked at him briefly, before looking out of the windows they passed.
“I assumed you’d do that with someone that is not a Mercenary Commoner.” He returned the glance, idly untangling his hair.
“And I assumed we covered that currently, said... commoner is the only one I have an interest in.” Biting her lip lightly, she focused on a bruise on the back of her hand. That would be interesting to explain away. “And considering the trouble you went through to get me to ‘indulge’, I figured you were also interested.”
He stopped in surprise. Granted, that had been the intention, but he had not expected her to go this far so fast. Then again, she probably was intentionally riding the adrenaline of their match for this. “I’d be honoured.”

[SFI]

But it kinda naughty so you gotta follow this link here. Regular updates next

[SFI]

“M... Mistress?” The slave hesitantly entered the room.
“What?” It was not Waes’soloth who answered her though, instead the male who was sitting with his back to the bed’s carved headrest.
“Ah, Lord Val... apologies, but... but you asked me...” She wanted to shrink into the ground at his burning gaze.
“I see. You may leave.” Kel’noz smiled faintly as she scurried outside, before looking to the body beside him. “Waes.” He gently caressed her bare shoulder. “Waes’soloth, please wake up.”
“Mmhhh...” Somewhat blearily, she opened her eyes to look up at him. “What...?”
“I fear I must leave.” He climbed out of bed. “I deemed it politer to wake you than to just abandon you... especially after what we did a couple cycles ago.” His smile was wider now.
“Appreciated...” She also left the bed, wrapping the thin fabric she used as a blanket around herself.
“With all due respect, Ill’haress...” He reached for his clothes with a playful grin. “But if you walk around looking like that, I shan’t stand in for myself.”
“Well, all my clothes are in my bathroom.” Holding the blanket closed with one hand, she rested the other on his bicep. “Thank you... for earlier.”
“I think you repaid me well.” He took the hand in his own, pressing a chaste kiss to the back of it. “It was an honour, Ill’haress.”
“Please, just call me Waes’soloth.” Her smile softened her entire face. “I think we passed the point of familiarity.”
“No doubt.” He dressed swiftly, heading for the slave that was waiting to guide him downstairs. “Oh, and before I forget.”
“Mmh?” The black-haired female had been about to head into the bathroom to clean up but stopped when he walked back over to her. “What is it?”
“You...” He flicked her nose. “Have another retake in six moons. You better get back to practice.”
Blinking a few times, she snorted lightly in amusement. “I will need a teacher.”
“And I suppose I will have to volunteer.” He returned to leaving again. “Next week, same time, same place?”
“I will be expecting you.” She watched him leave, before heading to her original destination. By the time her slave had returned, she was every bit the Ill’haress she had always been.

They did not repeat that afternoon again for quite a while, though Waes’soloth did find that he seemed far more open towards her now. Then again, she probably was returning the favour.
They mated again after her second ‘retake’, one which she just managed to pass. Sharess, she had felt like fainting after that one!
Two months later however, disaster struck.
“Waes, are you insane!?” Kel’noz had stormed upstairs this time, marching over to the elder female. “Sending your personal slave to the Sarghress-fortress!? We are lucky I met her outside the walls!”
“I... was desperate.” She was standing at the tall windows. “We have a bigger problem than my slave at your fortress.”
“Which could be?” He walked over to her, pushing aside the long tresses she was hiding behind.
“Your child in my stomach.” She had wrapped her arms around her stomach.
“What...?” He could only find his voice after a good while. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.” Her jawline was tense. “Now I just need to find a father for it, preferably before someone finds out.”
“I did not see this coming.” He slumped lightly, looking her still flat stomach.
“I was unaware you are a Seer.” The Ill’haress sighed softly. “I think Nauboloth would consent to pretend being the father, but still...”
“Let’s hope it does not have my mother’s High Sorcery.” He made a face. “I do not want to think how that’d go down.”
“I wouldn’t hear the end of it, that is for certain.” She trembled lightly.

[SFI]

“Thank Sharess...” Kel’noz looked at the small note he had ‘found’. It were just a few sentences in what he after years knew as Waes’soloth’s hand. Naubol’oth had consented to stand in as the child’s father. He read the rest of it with the feeling that a weight had been lifted of his shoulder. It was a healthy daughter, born just a moon before the Moon’s End Festival.
He probably could sneak in for a visit during that one. Goddess, this could have gone horribly wrong.
Using his mana, he destroyed the piece of paper, getting up from the seat behind his desk in Orthorrbae. He kinda wondered if she had told the other Headmaster who exactly had sired the girl.
Moving to the window, he leaned against it to look outside. If Quain had found out about this... He didn’t really want to consider what she’d have done.
Closing his eyes, he sighed softly. Perhaps he could sneak away earlier than the Festival... He felt like seeing her as they had not had visits since she had informed him of her pregnancy, both considering it far too risky.

Knocking softly against the door, he slipped inside. “Ill’haress?”
“Do I want to know how you got in here?” Waes’soloth dryly demanded, sitting on her couch. “Last I checked, Sarghress are not allowed on private visits like this.”
“A mercenary must also be able to sneak.” He smirked a bit, walking over to her. “You shouldn’t have been taking all those side-corridors whenever I was here.”
“Touché.” She smiled lightly. “You wish to visit your daughter, I presume?”
“And check up on her mother.” He carefully reached over, resting his hand on her arm. “How do you fare?”
“The birth was easy.” She hesitantly put her hand over his. “She’s in a cradle in my bedroom. In a month, I’ll have her sister start taking care of her.”
“Val-customs...” He rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face. “May I?” He pointed at her bedroom.
“Considering how different you are from what Quain would probably want in a child, I sincerely doubt she raised you and Mel either.” Waes slowly got up, leading the way into her bedroom.
“How come?” He followed, heading for the crib.
“I am certain that her proper ‘child’ would not sleep with Val...” She joined him, carefully lifting the baby out of the crib. “Mel with Snadhya, you with me...”
“Point.” The Sarghress reached for his daughter. “Then again, she herself is sleeping with Ash’waren.”
“True.” The Beldrobbaen allowed him to unwrap the small girl. “Sometimes I feel like she is a touch hypocritical.”
“Let’s stay away from politics, shall we?” He gently took the child from her arms. “She is beautiful, if I may say so.”
“I’d have had words with you if you had given me a Xuile’solen or something.” Waes chuckled softly.
“With the arguments being your shadows?” He returned the chuckle. “Considering you wouldn’t be able to make a compelling argument with your weapons.”
“I passed my ‘exam’.” She dryly pointed out.
“You just gave birth.” He countered, using one hand to gently poke her stomach. “I don’t think that makes for good fighting.”
She made a face at that, but did not argue the point.
He lowered the sleeping child back into the crib, straightening to rest his hand on her mother’s hip. “It was an honor.” He pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek.
“It was my pleasure.” She tilted her head to capture his lips with her own. “Thank you, Kel’noz.”
He returned the kiss gladly. “Quite enamoured with me, are you not, Ill’haress?”
“A man that gives me a child after two nights together...” She laughed softly. “I’d be insane not to start liking him.”
“New blood helped, I assume.” He chuckled, resting his hands on her hips. “I got quite lucky.”
“Knowing Ash, I am certainly not the first you impregnated.” She pulled herself free, returning to her couch.
“But how many can claim they did so to you?” He sat down beside her, getting comfortable.
“Too bad you can’t make that claim.” She pointed out, reaching over to the table for her drink.
“To you I can.” He wondered if there were some drinks for him around. “And then be all smug about how much better I am than those precious Val-males.”
“Oy.” A little smirk formed on her face. “You are pretty Val yourself, just saying.”

[SFI]

She smiled lightly at him, sitting on her bed. “I am amazed that your mother is still not wondering where you keep disappearing to...”
“She just thinks I am very busy at Orthorrbae.” Kel’noz leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Plus, she is far more focused on Laele’ael.”
“At this rate, she’ll start a religion with your sister.” Waes’soloth rearranged the blankets over herself, smiling gently at the touch of his lips. Only to frown when he pulled the silk away. “Oy.”
“I like the view.” He smirked, resting on the pillows beside her.
She rolled her eyes, trailing her hand over his chest. “So I notice...”
“What gave it away?” He moved back to stretch. “The fact that I ambushed you?”
“You are insane, by the way.” She pushed her hair away, grabbing her blankets. “What if someone had needed me?”
“Well, then they would have had to wait...” The Sarghress smirked, getting up to prepare a bath. “You were not exactly complaining.”
“I suppose the sex is good enough.” She returned the smirk when he glared at her. “What?”
“’The sex is good enough’?” He echoed, returning to her side. “Really?”
“Why else would a Beldrobbaen keep a Sarghress-lover?” She got up, facing him. “My little puppy.”
“Do be careful I don’t take you like a wolf then.” He snarled playfully, resting his hand on her hip.
“You wouldn’t dare.” Now she glared. “Don’t overestimate my indulgence, Sarghress.”
“Don’t underestimate how much disregard ‘commoners’ have for the feelings of Val...” He pulled her close. “Besides, you’re already kinky, so you might as well go further.”
She gave him a flat stare, feeling like dope-slapping him. “Don’t make me rethink this ‘kinkiness’...” She moved past him into the bathroom.
“Now that’d be insane.” He followed her, resting one hand on the small of her back. “And that is something I most assuredly am not.”
“You don’t want me to answer that.” Kneeling down, she started the water.
Kel’noz snorted, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You wound me.”
“Don’t tempt me.” Her shadows formed around them, winding them both together.