Chapter 49 - Intimate Moments
(Grey Virtra)
Sliding into my couch in my room in Taegrin Caelum, I let out a deep sigh. As I felt myself fall deeper and deeper into the confines of silky embrace of the couch, with each passing moment, the inimitable comfort of the couch enveloped me in a soothing embrace, mollifying the tumultuous emotions that churned within me.
Looking around I took in the similar surroundings of my room that despite being so familiar to me, never got old. There was an aura of grandeur and opulence that permeated the very air. The walls, adorned with the finest tapestries woven from the threads of the most exquisite silks, bore witness to the just prowess of the Vritra from ages past. The intricate patterns and vivid hues of the tapestries depicted multiple scenes of heroism and valour depicted by the proud martyrs of Vritra when the dragons attacked Alacrya.
The floor, polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflected the glow of the flickering candles that illuminated the room, casting a warm and inviting glow upon the exquisite furnishings. The regal chairs, crafted from the finest mahogany and upholstered with plush velvet. The ornate tables, carved from the rarest marble and inlaid with precious gems, were awe-inspiring, given it was manufactured by lessers.
In the centre of the room, a majestic chandelier of glittering crystal hung suspended from the ceiling, casting a dazzling array of sparkling light upon the dimly lit room below. The flickering flames of the candles that adorned its surface danced and played, casting mesmerizing shadows upon the walls.
The ambiance of the room was alluring. Amidst the darkness, I could feel myself crave for something. A presence. I spent my past life without a lover, spending a hollow life. And in this life, the same happened all over again. I had to sacrifice a friend with my own hands. However, things aren't entirely the same this time.
Just as I was absorbed in my inner monologue, I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." I spoke meekly, my own voice seeming like a whisper.
Looking towards the door, I saw Seris. She was wearing comfortable clothes, her long pearl-white hair were tied like a bun that made it seem like a divine halo over her head. As she walked towards me, her feet became visible from the cuts in her dress, the smooth supple skin glistening in the soft candlelight. Every step she took towards me was a grace filled one, making my heart skip a beat. Like a dandelion in roaming in the spring fields, she nimbly made her way inwards. As the door closed behind her, the candle lights flickered and the room was enveloped in a brief moment of murky darkness before it returned to its former state.
"How are you today, Grey dear~?" Seris asked, a coy smile hanging at the corner of her plump lips.
"Pretty good now that I saw you." I replied as both of us chuckled.
Making her way to the table near me, she picked the glass up and poured herself a drink, downing it one swift go.
"Tired?" I asked as she wobbled and made her way towards me. Coalescing her arms around my neck she bent, her face a mere inch away from mine as she smiled, "Very." Her minty breath fanned by hair, removing them from left eye as I looked at her. Moved by an irresistible, hormone-fueled desire, I reached out to her, clasping her slender waist with an urgency. And with a grace that belied her strength, she acquiesced, settling herself into my embrace, her supple legs entwining themselves around my waist with a fluidity that bespoke a familiarity born of intimacy.
"Don't tempt me, Seris. I have a meeting."
"There is still time." She cooed in my ear, her voice sending a tremor through my spine.
Drawing nearer, I inched towards her, closing the distance between us with a tantalizing slowness. And then, with a resolute carnal desire that rose within me, I pressed my lips against hers, savoring the wildness in our kiss.
As our bodies intertwined, an insatiable hunger stirred within me, a fierce and primal desire that burned with an intensity that could not be contained. I tightened my grip on her waist, drawing her closer to me, while her own delicate fingers deftly threaded themselves through my tousled locks, pulling me further and further into the depths of our wild embrace.
With each passing moment, our kiss grew deeper, more intense, until the surroundings seemed to blur away, lost in a rapturous dance of passion and desire and an endless lust.
And as I tasted the sweetness of her lips and felt the heat of her body pressed against mine, I knew that there was nothing in the world that could compare to the exquisite joy.
Slowly moving down, I feasted on her, like a hungry animal tasting the subtle tan on her porcelain skin. Her head reeled in where I placed my lips on her neck. My lips, ravenous with a hunger that could not be quenched, traced a languid path down her neck, lingering upon the subtle tan, like a wild animal savoring the last remnants of its prey.
As I reached her neck, I felt her body tremble beneath me, her head reeling with a pleasure that was both exquisite and overwhelming. And then, with a ferocity that matched the intensity of my desire, I formed a suction space with my lips, marking her as my own. An undeniable fact that no one else could dare approach her.
As I drank in the heady scent of her, and tasted the sweetness of her flesh, I felt as though I had been transported to another realm. And with each passing moment, as I feasted upon her body, leaving marks as I got lower and lower while unbuttoning her, I got lost in the depths of our ecstasy.
"Didn't you have a meeting?" She giggled in my ear and the feelings that had blinded my every sense suddenly faded, replaced by the previous rational ones. Peeling away from her and disconnecting the bridge of saliva that connected our lips, I let her still sit in my lap, her hands draped around my neck.
"I do. I told you not to tempt me." I spoke as I looked at her breathless form, her chest heaving up and down as she breathed laboriously.
"And what if I don't stop?"
"You'll regret it."
"Make me."
I sat in silence, looking into her obsidian orbs. For some reason it was relieving. A moment of pure respite.
"By the way, Grey, be careful of what Agrona feeds you. You know how manipulative he is."
I frowned, looking the other way. I was aware of the rebellion Seris was leading. However, I chose not to pick sides in this matter. If Agrona really is oppressive and the people feel that way, everything will play out and will be clear. However, I still didn't wanted Seris to do this. Not because of my undying fidelity towards Agrona but because Seris had no chance at defeating Agrona.
The Legacy alone was enough to raze continents. She was on par with many sovereigns in terms of raw amounts of mana. Although, she still needed to hone them and use them perfectly, she had access to the decay arts too. And she was going to Dicathen.
"Let's not talk about that now, Seris." I said as softly picked her up and stood up, placing her down in the couch.
"What happened?" She asked, her words laden with an unmistakable air of melancholy. The very timbre of her voice betrayed a profound sense of disappointment. A sadness that tugged at the heartstrings.
"It's nothing. We just have some important things to discuss about." I replied, placing a hand on her head and smiling.
Her face seemed unconvinced but she hid it, a forced smile creeping up on her face, "Fine fine. Be back in time. You turn 20 tonight!"
Oh yeah... it is my birthday tonight. It already has been 20 years... huh?
"Come on, you have to go." Seris spoke, standing up from the couch as she picked up my coat from the handle of the couch. Standing beside me, she put it on my shoulders and looked at our reflection in the mirror, "You look good." She remarked, coiling her arm around my waist.
"Thanks." I replied, looking at my own reflection. I hated to do it but I probed for it. The feelings deep inside Seris. And when I did, I regretted it. The feelings so pure and so new, it almost felt foreign yet so familiar to me. Turning back, I held her by the shoulders, "Stay here. I will be back before midnight."
"Sure." She replied, raising on her toes while I lowered my back, giving a small peck on her lips.
"Take care. Off you go." She said with a smile, patting my back slightly.
"Mhmm. You too."
Saying that I left the room and started to walk through the hallway that led to Agrona's throne room. My footsteps echoed in the wide, empty hallway. The sound of birds chirping in the near distance basked in saffron haze of the evening and the sound of my own heels clacking against the wooden floor created an uncanny, somber ambiance, making the belabor of my heart hasten.
"You look troubled, son."
My attention was diverted as I saw Agrona standing alongside the window just outside his throne room, his eyes focused on the open valley that was visible from the window.
"Just tired. The whole management of the naval fleet was tiresome."
He smiled and put his arm around my neck, pulling me in, "It's a beautiful evening, innit?"
"It is." I replied, an unrestrained smile making its way up to my face.
"Soon it all will be over, Grey... my son. The legacy, Cecelia and Nico will finally have the life they deserve. But what about you?"
Agrona looked at me and I could feel his scarlet eyes bore down on me.
"Me?" I asked myself more than him. I had never thought what I would do. Making up for my past mistakes and giving Nico and Cecelia the life, they always deserved was my goal. Now that the goal was nearing completion, I didn't have anything else in mind.
"Never fancied the thought of having a lover? Perhaps one of the sovereign's daughters? Or do you fancy someone else?"
"I don't have time for that. Nor do I intend to," I paused, choosing my words wisely. Despite him and me having a parental relationship, he always used to probe the lies in my words, just like anyone else. "At least not now. Maybe once all of this is over."
"That seems about right." Agrona replied, a satisfied smile over his face. "Come inside now. Atsuomi and the others are waiting." He said and moved inside the throne room.
Just as he always used to probe for my mind, finding lies, I was the same.
Something had changed him.
His heart was not the same. When he took Atsuomi's name, he didn't have the same passion. Something had changed him.
What was it?