Quarrel
There were many who called it a political marriage. A union based on a
necessity for more factors to tie Airyglyph and Aquaria together as
friendly nations. It was an old and universal tactic, practiced
throughout the histories of dozens of worlds in the Milky Way galaxy,
worlds that most of this planet's residents would never in their lives
know the existence of. But even from the perspective of the average
resident of Elicoor II, it was an old maneuver in international
diplomacy to have royalty of one country marry an important member of
another.
It was a persistent annoyance to Nel Zelpher that she could not honestly
say that this view on the marriage between her old friend Rozaria and
the king of Airyglyph was false. The wisdom behind the old saying, "The
enemy of my enemy is my friend," had its limits to how completely it
could unite nations which shortly before had been at war. Though there
were many who welcomed the new alliance between Aquaria and Airyglyph
after so long and bitter a struggle, one whose painful consequences had,
in one way or another, been felt personally by nearly every citizen of
each country, there were yet many who could not see the wisdom of these
friendly relations. Could not, or perhaps would not...many who had lost
family and friends still opposed working together with the country they
blamed for their close ones' deaths. Others still did not trust the
other side's wish for peace. And there were a few who had profited or
stood to profit from the war, particularly the political allies of the
late Airyglyph Dragon Brigade Commander Vox, who were naturally
displeased with peace because it was, so to speak, bad for business. In
the end, the catastrophic Vendeeni attack that Fayt had unwittingly
brought upon Airyglyph and Aquaria could only be a catalyst for the
start of a peaceful age between the two countries--it would take much,
much more to maintain it.
So, with the pressure of building ties between the kingdoms that could
withstand whatever trials the dissatisfied could concoct, Nel could not
delude herself into thinking that politics had nothing to do with the
ceremony that she was currently watching, in which King Airyglyph XIII
was, as was in accordance to this ceremony's tradition, kneeling before
his bride Rozaria, daughter of the high priestess of Aquaria. But she
was adamantly certain that there was far more to this ceremony than
simple international convenience. Rozaria had loved this man for the
better part of her life, and that long-lasting devotion and affection
was a radiant glow softly emanating from her joyful eyes as her mother,
who was performing the ceremony, asked the king if he would from that
moment forthwith recognize his bride as a partner and equal in love,
life, and spirit, as was custom. Try as it might, the light that
filtered through the church's many stained glass windows could not
brighten and warm the room of worship as greatly as Rozaria's smile as
her groom confirmed what her mother had asked.
And though Nel was not an overly sentimental person by nature, she truly
wanted to believe that the happiness in the king's expression and eyes
as he was bidden to stand was born of love as well.
The red-haired knight of Aquaria took her eyes off the ceremony for a
moment to cast a sideways glance over at her fellow knight and other
member of the Crimson Blade, Clair Lasbard, who was situated a few seats
down on the same pew, squeezed between her father Adray and a recently
promoted knight captain whose name Nel had not had a chance to find out.
Adray had, amazingly enough, donned a shirt for this occasion. The shirt
was, of course, far too casual to be appropriate for such an event, but
his wearing one at all was a remarkable enough event as it was--Nel
could only imagine how much trouble Clair must have gone through to get
her father to wear it.
Clair seemed to be intently watching the ceremony's proceedings, so Nel
turned her attention back to them as well as the priestess began the
typical small speech acknowledging and vindicating the groom's promise.
Queen Aquaria XXVII herself was a guest of honor in this wedding, so a
number of Aquaria's finest military personnel were also present to act
as an honor guard for her. Although she could have sat among the friends
and family of Rozaria, being one of the bride's oldest companions, Nel
had opted to take her place with her peers. She had done so out of a
hope that she and Clair might have a chance to sit with one another, but
seating arrangements had not favored this wish.
It had been more of a disappointment than Nel wanted to admit to
herself. Opportunities to spend time with her lover had been few and far
between during the war--real, quality time, that was, not simply
exchanging information, making reports, and laying out strategies--and
with the ensuing chaos after the Vendeeni invasion, then the time spent
with Fayt and the others in ships and dimensions far beyond Nel's
understanding, and now recently the immense increase in duties to
protect Aquaria's well-being personally entrusted to her by her queen,
the time that Nel and Clair had alone together had become next to
nonexistent. Nel would, of course, never complain or even think to do so
about how many tasks the queen was entrusting to her now--for Nel
Zelpher, a sense of duty and dedication to her country was the greatest
drive and emotion that she had. Still, she regretted how little she saw
Clair these days. The romantic in Nel, the one most would never suspect
she possessed, had envisioned her and Clair sitting together through the
ceremony, holding hands and enjoying a small break from their
near-constant duties.
But that was just how life was sometimes, and dwelling on this perhaps
trivial disappointment would only sour what should be a happy occasion
for all involved. Nel resettled herself in her seat, and continued to
watch the ceremony.
***
It had been an enchantingly beautiful ceremony. Nel had not been to many
weddings before, but she was certain that this had to have been one of
the loveliest ever performed. Rozaria's mother had executed the ceremony
flawlessly (of course, one could expect no less from Aquaria's High
Priestess). But perhaps the most impressive part had been the High
Priestess's impassioned speech at the end, right before she officially
pronounced her daughter and Airyglyph's king wedded. Standing in the
bright light, arms spread and reaching forward as though to embrace the
entire congregation of people watching the ceremony, the priestess
became the very image of the holy love of matrimony that she spoke of,
with her daughter and her new husband standing before her as testament
to this miracle. Nel severely doubted that even Aquaria I herself could
have matched Rozaria's mother's pure, awe-inspiring divinity at that
moment.
And then, there was the reception. It had been going on for roughly an
hour now. From the highest ranking state officials to simple commoners
who happened to be friends of Rozaria's, everyone was taking his or her
time and enjoying this respite from a busy and tiring time for both
kingdoms after so much chaos. People danced, ate, conversed with one
another, and personally congratulated the bride and groom, who sat
observing the scene with a quiet happiness. It was a true shame that of
all the Elicoorians that had personally assisted Fayt in saving the
universe, Roger was the only one who didn't have enough political
standing in either Airyglyph or Aquaria to warrant an invitation, for
the rambunctious youth would likely have enjoyed this event the most out
of anyone. Then again, getting him and an ideal "Man's Man" like Adray
together with the intention of festivities was probably not a very good
idea anyway.
Oddly enough, though, Nel was in a foul mood, and had been since the
High Priestess had finished her speech and everyone had come to the
reception. She had sat through all of the reception's small festive
traditions, and a short speech by Woltar, who was King Airyglyph's
Guiding Man (being the closest that the regent had to a male family
member or friend), all the time with an unpleasant sense of discontent
and slight anger gnawing at her. She'd tried to enjoy herself, to sit
back, eat, and smile at the festivities around her, but found that this
almost sickening discomfort only grew as she did. She didn't feel
hungry, she didn't want to talk with others, and she didn't want to
dance. Nel knew Clair would want to come and spend time with her as soon
as the leader of the Shield Legion could be sure that she could safely
leave her father to his own devices for a few moments without risking
catastrophe. But she didn't even want to see Clair right now.
No, that wasn't quite right. She especially didn't want to see Clair
right now.
To this end of total isolation from everyone else, Nel had quickly
sought out Albel Nox to converse with. He leant against a far wall
alone, and was likely the only person in the room who could possibly be
enjoying himself less than she was.
Speaking to Albel was, as always, a slightly less rewarding experience
than striking up a conversation with a wall. True to his personality, or
severe lack thereof, Albel had felt that a single, disapproving and
disdainful grunt to greet his former comrade had been a more than
generous contribution to the sake of communication, and had not yet
given Nel any further verbal acknowledgement that he even knew she was
there (the haughty glowers, of course, left little doubt that he did,
and didn't like it). Still, putting up the appearance of having a
conversation with the man at least kept others from approaching her
while she did so, whether out of politely not wishing to interrupt, or,
for those that knew him, just not really wanting to be around Albel.
Nel knew she was being foolish, which only served to make her more
upset. She felt guilty that she felt anything but happiness on such an
important day for her old friend. She also knew that she was wasting a
rare opportunity to relax, something that she had not been often able to
do recently, and would likely not have a chance to do again for some
time with the work load she had to take on--a chance she knew she
needed, too, for her own health. And worst of all, Nel knew that she was
squandering a precious opportunity to connect with Clair, who by now
surely was wondering why her lover was ignoring her. These feelings of
guilt and foolishness continued to only stoke the nameless,
directionless anger within as the minutes passed--and Albel's sneer
wasn't really helping the situation, either.
A small commotion temporarily distracted her from the dual distastes of
her negative feelings and Albel's expression. Clair's loud and irate
voice was cutting through most of the chatting and soft music as she
began to chastise her father. It seemed that Adray had been in the
process of yet again organizing some competition amongst several
seemingly random men for the prize of Clair's hand in marriage. Apris
only knew what the terms of a wedding competition would be. Maybe Adray
had planned to marry his daughter off to the best dancer. As ever, Clair
wasn't standing for her father's nonsense, and was delivering a small,
completely exasperated speech that she would make her own decisions
about this. It was not unlike many other speeches she'd made in the past
on similar occasions, and Nel doubted it would have any more lasting an
effect than its predecessors.
Witnessing this scene made Nel feel more miserable than ever. She needed
to get out of here and be alone to think.
Nel politely excused herself from her former 4D-fighting ally's
presence, which provoked the closest thing to a positive response from
Albel that she'd gotten yet, and left the large dining room that the
reception was taking place within. She passed by the door guards
outside, reassuring their questioning eyes with a casual shake of the
head to indicate that nothing was amiss, and then made her way upstairs,
to the queen's throne room, and from there outside to the bright,
greenery-wreathed balcony.
Finally outside with some space to herself, Nel breathed the fresh air
in deeply as her eyes adjusted to the bright early afternoon sun's
light. The tranquil setting helped to calm her, if only a little, and
focus on herself, on why she was so upset. Part of what had been
bothering her before had simply been the fact that she was feeling an
unidentified anger and regret at all. Nel was a very controlled person.
She liked knowing where she stood with herself. Regardless of what
happened around her, she strived mightily to keep her cool and stay
focused, controlled, a calm person. There were few people who could face
some of the things she had in the recent past without panicking at least
a little, and even of those few, most agreed that she was the most cool
and collected at all times. Only Albel and Roger came close--but Albel
had his moments of absolute, maniacal fury, and Roger...well, Nel wasn't
always sure that the rascally youngster's head was quite right.
So for Nel to have lost control of herself to such a degree as she had
was shocking to her, and only worsened the situation.
Why was she feeling this way? What was it that was making her miserably
angry? Why was that speech the priestess made rattling around in her
head? It was driving her crazy.
"Nel?"
Nel turned from gazing at the city of Aquaria to see Clair step out of
the building behind her. She stepped out of the shade, and Nel had a
chance to see her wearing her ornate crimson dress, fancy frills and
tresses and all, in good light for the first time that day. The effect
of the bright sun on the deep red which complimented the woman's dark
gray hair would normally have been a breathtaking sight to Nel, but
right now, all she could think was that Clair's choice to seek her out
now was a case of uncharacteristic bad timing.
"Hi," Nel succinctly greeted her lover.
"Hello, Nel," she responded, smiling. "Just wanted to get some air.
Funny coincidence running into you out here, hm?"
Her playful voice left little doubt about how much of a "coincidence" it
was. Nel didn't respond, and turned back to looking out at Aquaria's
capital.
Clair seemed to pay no attention to Nel's unusual aloofness, and came
forward to stand by her. After a moment of silence, she said, "It was a
lovely wedding, wasn't it?"
Nel grunted aloof assent, and mumbled, "Probably all just for politics,
though."
This was ridiculous. Why did she say that? She didn't truly believe
that; she didn't want to believe it!
"Oh come now, Nel," chided her companion, "I know you don't really think
that. Just looking at them...it was obvious they were getting married
because they loved each other. None of the other reasons for it were
important to them."
Why did hearing this make Nel feel even worse?
There were a few more moments of what was now becoming an uncomfortable
silence, before Clair spoke up again, while moving to take Nel's hand in
her own and give it a squeeze. "I wish we could have sat by each other
for it. It would have been nice. We don't get much time together any
more."
Nel didn't squeeze Clair's hand back, nor did she look at her. "Yeah.
It's too bad."
"Are you angry with me about something, Nel?"
"No."
This was true, at least. Even though Clair's presence and words were
only making Nel more upset, and upset at being upset, she wasn't angry
at Clair specifically.
Clair let out a small sigh of resignation and disappointment at Nel's
bad mood. She refused to be so easily defeated by her fellow Crimson
Blade's standoffish behavior, however, and tried again to make
conversation. "So how is Albel Nox?"
Nel let out a small, mirthless laugh, finally actually looking at the
woman beside her. "Just as foolish and groundlessly arrogant as always."
"Really? It's odd that you talked with him for so long, then."
There was a tiny edge to Clair's voice now. Under normal circumstances,
Nel wouldn't have blamed her (or anyone else) for becoming a little
impatient and annoyed at the way she was acting. Right now, however, all
it did was to incense Nel, make her also start to lose her temper in
response to Clair losing hers.
"You seemed busy being auctioned off as a prize by your father," Nel
said in retort.
This was absurd, of course; Clair had only become involved in that
fiasco minutes before Nel had taken her leave of Albel.
Mentioning this did not improve Clair's mood, instead causing her to
recall her annoyance over the ordeal from before and find a new focus
for it. "You know I've told him a dozen times to cease that nonsense.
But you sound like you're blaming me for it."
"Maybe you like it. Having all those men competing over you, trying to
win your hand in marriage...it must be nice to have that option open to
you."
It was a credit to Clair's self-control that her voice only heated a
little further as she responded, "Nel, that is ridiculous."
Under normal circumstances, Nel would have agreed completely. Having her
assertion called ridiculous, however, only worsened her already
irrationally foul mood.
"Is it?" she asked sharply, now outright glaring at her partner. "You
don't seem to try very hard to get your father to stop."
"I scold him all the time about--"
"He'd stop if you just told him about us."
There was a sudden, furious silence, and even in her incensed state, Nel
knew she'd gone much too far. Clair's calm eyes of gray flashed with a
real, honest, hurt anger almost totally unknown to them. This was not
simple irritation over dealing with a stubborn and eccentric father, or
upset disagreement with Nel over the latter taking too many risks to
fulfill her duties. Clair was just wholly angry now.
"Is that what this is about?" she hissed in indignant fury. "That's what
you're ruining our time together for? Is that it?"
Clair was very sensitive about the fact that she had not yet found the
"right time" to tell Adray that she was already spoken for. Nel knew
that Adray was not often an easy person to talk to, and more often than
not, the scheduled duties of each of the dark-haired warriors kept them
from seeing one another for extended periods of time. Thus, she had
never before pressured Clair to tell her father about their
relationship, and had often had to reassure Clair that she shouldn't
rush it or feel guilty over it (though she did anyway).
So what Nel had just said was, ultimately, an emotional betrayal, one
serious enough that the guilt that washed over her snapped her out of
her ill temper.
"Clair, I--" Nel started.
But before she could speak any words of apology, Clair grabbed her arm
roughly, turned, and began pulling her back to the entrance to the
castle's entrance. Her grip was like an iron vice, her pace like an
angrily charging Hauler beast, and her air like...well, there really
wasn't any comparison that could accurately describe the way Clair's
scowl permeated the air when she lost her temper. Having lost her own
aimless anger and in the face of Clair's more focused fit, Nel didn't
even think to try to resist until they were nearly at staircase leading
to the ground floor of the castle's interior.
Finally coming to her senses a little, Nel tried (totally
unsuccessfully) to pull away, protesting, "Clair, what are you doing?"
Clair didn't miss a step (literally) as she forcefully led Nel down the
stairs, responding with a paradoxical tone both icy and heated, "I'm
bringing you along so that you can see me tell my father in front of our
friends, our subordinates, our superiors, our allies, and our queen that
we're in love and have been for years."
They were at the bottom of the staircase now, and Clair continued to
pull and furiously rant down the hallway. "Then if he starts making a
scene, which I am sure he will if he doesn't approve, and will even if
he does approve, just about everyone important to us will be able to
watch the show as I try to calm him down. Not the kind of setting I was
waiting for to tell Father in."
Here Clair abruptly stopped and spun around. "But I'll do it! If it's so
important to you that you're going to hold it against me and avoid me
during the first time in months--months--that we've had to really enjoy
each other's company for more than an hour, then I'll tell him right
now!"
Clair was a sweet, caring, compassionate person. But she was frightening
when angry.
"Clair," Nel said, looking her old friend in the eye, "Please stop."
Clair did not calm down. But neither did she speak again. She simply
stopped and waited, her angry eyes glaring into Nel's.
Nel looked away and said, "I'm sorry, Clair."
"You should be," Clair responded, slowly and clearly.
"I...I'm not angry at you, Clair," Nel said in an almost meek tone.
"Well, you had me fooled."
"Look, Clair, I...I don't know. I've been in a terrible mood ever since
this morning's ceremony, and I just...don't know why. And not knowing
increases how badly I feel. It makes me mad at me, you, everything, and
for some reason, it just seemed to get worse when I saw you, and you
talked to me...I can't...I can't explain it. I'm sorry about this,
Clair. I really am."
The commander of the Shield Legion had also, by now, calmed down
somewhat, and her voice was even as she chided, "Well, you shouldn't
have taken it out on me. That wasn't fair, and you shouldn't have said
what you did. But...I forgive you." She sighed, then asked, "When was it
that you started to feel upset? Was it during the High Priestess's
speech?"
Looking back for a moment, Nel realized with some surprise that it had,
indeed, been while listening to the speech that she had grown
unreasonably angry. She had often said and thought that her lover knew
her better than Nel herself did, but it was still eerie to her that
Clair could infer this immediately.
"Yes...it was right around then...how did you know?"
Clair sighed again, this time regretfully. "That speech bothered me,
too. Nel, you're angry because we'll never be married, and the whole
wedding, especially the High Priestess talking about it, is just
reminding you of that.
"When I heard her talking about marriage...it being the perfect way to
consummate love, to show your love to others and each other...it made me
feel very frustrated. It's not fair that people like us can't get
married, no matter how much we love each other. I pushed it out of my
mind so I could enjoy myself today, but it's been bothering you this
whole time, hasn't it?"
Nel was silent for close to a minute, looking down to the floor in
troubled thought. Clair released her hand finally, then moved forward to
embrace her gently. As Clair hugged her, Nel hugged back, and said,
"I...think you're right. I guess it upset me a lot more." She paused.
"No...honestly, I think it's been upsetting me for some time now."
The issue had actually been weighing somewhat heavily in Nel's mind for
several months, ever since her travels with Fayt and the rest. During
one of the periods of rest that the group had during space travel, Nel
had decided to do some research on the worlds of her friends' origins.
Maria had helped her, showing her some rough basics on how to use a
computer for such a purpose, and turning on a translation program to
change the strange symbols that the Pangalactic Federation used into a
language that Nel could understand. Among the many astounding
revelations made to Nel during her journeys was the fact that every
world in the interplanetary alliance recognized and practiced marriages
between people of the same gender. It was one thing to wistfully imagine
such an idea in a society where it was unthinkable and prohibited by all
social and religious customs...it was another thing altogether to know
that it truly was possible, and in that understanding, the sting of
knowing that it would never be allowed here was tenfold worse. Clair,
understandably ignorant that civilization the galaxy wide had allowed
such marriage for hundreds and hundreds of years, felt some frustration
and disappointment that had faded quickly--but it was small wonder that
Nel would take Rozaria's mother's speech so much harder, because she
knew.
"It really troubles you that much, does it?" Clair asked
sympathetically.
"Yes," Nel answered. "I remember when we were children...you always
really enjoyed pretending to be a bride, and you'd gush about exactly
how it would be all the time. You'd get so excited...even as a teenager,
you'd sometimes still imagine of what it would be like, what you'd wear,
the decorations, the flowers...I just feel like...I don't know. It was
always something you loved to dream about, and because of me, you can't
have it. It's like I've stolen it from you. I guess my guilt's why it
stays on my mind so much."
This was true, if not the whole truth. Still, Nel couldn't tell Clair,
or anyone else, anything about her travels, and what she learned about
the universe and its people during them. There was no reason to, and all
it could do was cause discord.
Clair tightened their embrace, laying her head on Nel's shoulder. "Oh
Nel...you silly girl. It was never the wedding that I dreamed of. It
really is just like the priestess said...it's the love that makes it
wonderful. Pretending and imagining was always fun...but the part that
made it a beautiful dream was that it would mean loving, and being
loved. That's what I really wanted, and that's what you give me, Nel.
Stop feeling guilty."
Nel tilted her head to rest on Clair's for a moment, taking these words
in slowly before eventually saying, "I love you, Clair. I'm so sorry for
before."
"I told you I forgive you. And I love you, too, Nel."
They broke their embrace, and stood staring at one another for a moment.
Then Clair grinned playfully and gave her other half a quick peck on the
lips. "Although I can think of a way that you could make it up to me if
you're still feeling guilty..."
This time, it was Nel's turn to read her companion's thoughts (not that
a total stranger couldn't pick up Clair's obvious meaning). She looked
quickly around and realized that they'd actually stopped just a few
steps away from her own room. She motioned to her door, Clair let out a
giggle, and they quickly went inside.
Once the door was shut and they had blissful privacy, Nel locked her
lips to Clair's. She pressed awkwardly against Clair's lips, a little
too forcefully, clumsily trying to match her partner's mood and
movements, but never quite in synch with them.
Clair broke away and smiled. "Goodness, Nel, you really are a terrible
kisser. Just awful," she said with a playful titter.
"I know. Sorry," Nel replied with a smile. No matter how hard she tried,
she could never quite get the hang of it, always pushing too strongly or
too softly, always taking it in the wrong direction at the wrong time,
always a little too closed or a little too open.
"Mmm, but you're my bad kisser, and I'd never want a better one," Clair
told her, for Nel's ineptitude at this most basic act of affection had
always amused and charmed her.
The next couple minutes were an active blur of seconds to Nel, a collage
of kisses and caresses to and from Clair, accompanied by clothing being
carelessly undone to clutter the carpet. Nel only really came back to
some clarity once both halves of the Crimson Blade lacked clothes, as
she backed her naked companion toward the covered bed.
This light lapse in thought concerned Nel little, though, if at all, for
this really was no time for the mental, only the physical. She and Clair
had not made love for so long now, and Nel had been lamenting the lack
of her lover's touch as truly as all her other qualities. It was all
right to Nel, as she lowered her beloved lady to lie atop the bed's
quilt, to lose herself for a little while in lust born of love.
As Clair lay, Nel allowed the ashen-haired woman's arms to raise and her
hands to anchor themselves at her sides, caressing as before. There was
an added tug to the caresses, an attached unspoken message asking that
Clair's companion join her. Nel accepted, and came down to also lie atop
the mattress, at Clair's side and wrapped in her arms.
Initiating another kiss, Clair moved in, inching herself toward Nel and
increasing their proximity enough that their bodies lined up, intimately
interacting through touch. Skin paradoxically soft and strong met
identical flesh, legs hit legs, thighs met thighs, chests and nipples
distended pushed together, all mimicking the mouths and lips which
kissed, nipped, and licked one another. Inept as Nel might be, right now
her skill was insignificant, for the intensity of their love and lust
was high enough that it reconciled the kiss's inequality.
Clair reached around her lover, reveling as her fingers brushed across
her lover's perfect frame at its firm strength, different from its soft
appearance. She broke their kiss, and embraced her, pressing her palms,
fingers, and wrists against Nel's back, tender yet with force. Clair
brought her right hand lower, to explore her lover's lower back and
rear, pressing, caressing, and even groping. Nel groaned in pleasured
response to the pressure there, and Clair, encouraged, returned her
right hand to its previous course of exploration, further down Nel's
lean frame, following her rear curves to where her legs parted. Nel
murmured happily at this relatively minor sensation, and Clair started
to rub her fingers against the flesh they traveled a little harder. She
arrived at her target a moment later, reaching the bottom of her lover's
gender's center. A groan rumbled in Nel as Clair slowly and luxuriously
traced the outer rim of this core, then graduated to a throaty moan as
Clair maneuvered two of her fingers to enter. Another moan reverberated
through her as Clair moved further and deeper, then another as the
fingers retreated a bit, and more followed as Nel's warrior lover worked
deeper again. These actions were repeated rhythmically over and over,
and Clair observed with a sort of wonder and interest as Nel grew closer
to a rewarding release, the increasing rate of her labored breath and
body's trembles serving to inform Clair. Toward the end, when Clair
determined that her partner was ready, she readjusted her hand, never
breaking her pace, and relegated her thumb to firmly stroking the firm
little nub which brought her greatest pleasure. Nel was never loud in
the throes of orgasm, nor did she jerk and squirm very hard
(unsurprising, given her generally controlled nature), but there was no
doubt for Clair as Nel's grip on her arms grew stronger and her inner
parts clenched hard on her stroking fingers. She worked her lover
through her orgasm, then drew back when it was over, and allowed her a
short time of rest.
Nel only took a minute or so before renewing their embrace and kiss. She
knew that what Clair had done to her, and what she planned to do now,
was nothing new, nor unique from other times they joined one another;
yet it was never routine, for their connection, the knowledge of love
shared, was enough to render each night, each experience as enjoyable as
the last one, tinged with the spice of desire long kept dormant by
necessity from both women leading incongruously busy existences. For
Nel, it was Clair, and for Clair, it was Nel, that made these moments
wonderful, not the kinds of actions they shared.
She broke her clumsy kiss then, as well as the embrace, to rise to her
elbows and knees and move down the bed's expanse. Even though Nel's
kisses left something to be desired, she was, oddly enough, really adept
at orally expressing her affections elsewhere. She presently knelt above
Clair's legs, and reached a hand to feel them, then gently pressured
them until she had edged Clair to lie evenly on her back. Nel then eased
her head down to the Shield Legion leader's legs' cleft, taking a gentle
breath there at her center.
Nel's tongue left her lips then, lazily beginning to lick a slow circle
along her lover's labia, and a soft coo and pleased giggle leapt from
Clair. Her lungs halted their lovely rising for just a split second as
Nel called off her light oral tickling in favor of allowing her tongue
to lovingly push past the lower lips of her lady and begin a more
internal exploration. She gently stimulated the walls of this womanly
cavern, the low rumbles and barely spoken calls of Clair guiding her
oral dance, privately smiling as she listened to Clair's lusty sounds
steadily grow louder. She lowered her head slightly again, giving her a
longer reach within, but more importantly, allowing her small nose to
brush lightly along her lover's clitoris, letting a new level of
pleasure to overtake Clair. Nel's lover wriggled a little at the added
bliss, and Nel did not let up at all, only increasing the rate that her
tongue swirled and lapped, and nose carefully rubbed, until finally
Clair called Nel's name and let go.
A few minutes later saw them quietly lying in one another's arms in an
amiable silence. But even small moments of forever such as these had to
pass, and Clair finally spoke after kissing Nel's forehead. "I'd love to
continue..."
"...but we've already been away from the queen's side for too long," Nel
finished her sentence for her.
Clair nodded and sighed. "We can't miss the whole reception."
They slowly rose to gather their garments, tidy up, and rejoin the
others. As this process was started, Nel told her, "I'm...still really
sorry for before, Clair."
"I told you already, Nel, I forgive you," Clair replied.
"I love you, Clair."
"And I love you."
***
They rejoined the reception party, if not stronger in their love than
before, then at least no weaker for their fight. The reception was close
to finished, but Nel still had the time to warmly congratulate her
friend Rozaria personally, as well as throw a somewhat less cordial look
to her new husband that made quite certain that Arzei, grand king of
Airyglyph, would suffer dire consequences were he to treat his wife
badly.
Incidentally, Clair told her father of her relationship with Nel that
week, perhaps feeling too guilty from Nel's comment that day (despite
knowing that she had not meant it) to put if off any longer. He took the
news well, knowing that Nel was of fine character and good breeding,
congratulated them, and then immediately asked Clair when she and Nel
were planning to adopt a son or daughter, which Clair of course told him
they had not been and did not plan to soon start considering.
Apparently, Adray's interest in his daughter's getting married had been
motivated solely by the interest in having an heir to pass his legacy on
to, so his constantly pestering his daughter did not cease with her
announcement, only change from marriage to adoption. But it could have
been worse, and now she did not have to feel guilty at keeping a secret.
As for Nel, though the knowledge that millions of others in her galaxy
could have a marriage that she could not still weighed on her mind,
Clair's reassuring words had made this envy inconsequential. She loved
Clair, Clair loved her, and that was all that was truly significant.
Back to Star Ocean Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction