The Land Below our Feet III (Legacy)

NOSTALGIC

The Cahenean Captain sat stoically in the dimly lit parlor as the archer queen hovered incessantly over him, silently tending to his injuries with a quite resentful glare and tightly pursed lips.

-This is what you get for being such a naïve fool! –The Xoltunian regent scolded him as she harshly wiped the deep cut over his cheekbone and made him involuntarily hiss – I still can't believe that they were able to manipulate you!

-Histya… – Phomtek began saying, but a pained yelp interrupted his reasoning for a second as the archer tactlessly scrubbed his skin raw clean – Ouch! You know I like it rough, Your Grace, but I wouldn't mind a more delicate treatment this time, if you please.

As he said this, he then offered her a broad, toothy grin paired with his most suggestive wink, which was subsequently responded with a slap across the face by the Xoltunian queen.

-Would you mind not negligently sending your own kid to her imminent death next time she comes visiting… Please? – She snarled at him, heatedly waving the bloodied fabric that she had been using to disinfect his wound before discarding it into a pile of equally soiled gauzes – If you were letting them march to that nightmarish corner of the earth, you should have at least gone with them!

Choleric, she raised her hand once more in an attempt to land a second blow, yet her hand was quickly seized as he pulled her towards him by the wrist.

-How many times do I need to repeat that I simply couldn’t abandon my post? That is why I sent Finjël! – Phomtek puffed out with a bit of annoyance, closing in on her, his warm breath fanning her lips as he lingered over them – I'm telling you, woman, they're fine... Those kids are as safe as they can possibly be as long as he is there.

-And that's what concerns me the most! – She barked at his face – You said it yourself: As long as he is there… But what if that's no longer the case?

-That is just absurd! – The bearded Cahenean amusedly chuckled, eyeing her defiantly, then leaning on his back and stretching his arms behind his head – That man is one of the hardest I've ever met.

-Maybe, but isn't he also like a thousand years old? – The archer queen acridly replied, notoriously unconvinced – I doubt he is as strong as he once used to be.

Sighing, she reached for a fresh bundle of fabric and distractedly dipped it in the strong-smelling solution next to her while she gripped him firmly by the cheek. The herbal aroma reaching his nostrils mixed with her intoxicating scent as she loomed over him.

-Besides, I'm not even mad that you helped Axe pursue his stupid quest – The Xoltunian ruler continued saying – I frankly couldn't care less about what happens to the blue-haired brat or that susceptible sister of his, but why would you let our daughter carry on with this crazy trip?

-Because it was her idea – Phomtek shrugged his shoulders off. Cracking an eye open and squinting at her, but his sight was soon diverted by the mesmerizing swaying of her bouncing breasts – She was the one that convinced those siblings of Alesh's existence in the first place. That's why they came!

-That doesn't mean that she had to take them all the way there! – Histya coldly remarked, pressing the damp fabric against his swollen eyelid with intentional force – You could have talked her out of it if you had tried!

-Seriously, Histya? – The Cahenean exclaimed with a burst of laughter and daringly narrowing his piercing dark eyes – Do you really believe that?

He sat up, grabbing her by the waist and drawing her towards him in a calculated movement, his head curiously titled to the side as he cautiously studied her features.

-When was the last time you tried to contain the tide that she has become nowadays, uh? – He asked in a purposeful murmur, slowly approaching her neck and eagerly sniffling the air – Because in case you haven't noticed, she has true Cahenean fire burning in her, and she is as fierce as her mother to top it off… So, there is no stopping her!

He paused, placing a probing kiss on her collarbone, then blatantly licking it – She’s going to do what she’s got to do, just like you.

-Don't try to sweet-talk your way out of this, Cahenean – She groaned. Weakly pushing him away without much conviction, as her flustered smirk betrayed her.

-Oh, I'm not – He assured her. Reclining back on his seat and raising one of his thick eyebrows invitingly at her – I've been naughty… Very naughty. So, why don't you punish me?

That phrase would apparently set something off in her. Because, in just a heartbeat, she had already crossed the room and come back holding a lustrous whip, which she then proceeded to strike him mercilessly with.

Only the ruler's increasingly labored breath and the warrior's progressively pleasured moans would be heard after each sharp smack for a long while under the silent veil of the arid night.

His entire body was covered by a myriad of fine scratches by the time she finally let the torture tool slide off her hand in sheer exhaustion. But he didn't seem to mind.

In fact, the taunting erection that stretched his pants upwards seemed to reinforce that notion, and the bold grin hanging on his lips as she stood panting before him only confirmed it all the more.

Seeing this, Histya let out a primal scream and outright bolted towards him. Ripping his clothes off the way and hungrily mounting his raging protrusion as if to hush its teasing perkiness and make it disappear.

It would take her a considerable while… But a triumphant smile would creep up her cheeks when he finally let out a muffled cry, and she felt him stiffen between her drenched thighs, exploding messily inside her. His fingers digging into her hips as he held onto them with a transfixed expression of pure ecstasy.

-It’s not Spring yet – He casually observed, as she shakily unglued herself from him and began slowly dressing again.

-I know – She calmly responded. Pouring two glasses of wine and offering him one of them after taking a thirsty sip from hers first – Neither was it when we met, remember?

- You keep breaking the rules… For me – He tentatively murmured – Don’t you ever get in trouble because of it?

-Honey, I am the Queen! – She scoffed, accidentally spitting a bit of wine on him – I do as I please! Besides, there is a reason why we keep men outside our walls for most of the year. It’s easier to follow the rules that way… But it is an entirely different story when the temptations are within your hand's reach.

-So, it has happened before– Phomtek deduced. Chugging his wine in one go and staring at her with a playful grin.

-And more than once! – She confessed with a frisky chortle. Picking up the remaining wound dressings and wordlessly gesturing him to follow her – Remember that time we spent weeks cramped upstream with both of our troops, waiting for the Sigerdeen to show up? Well, let’s just say that we had a lot of unscheduled births that year.

Histya made him sit on an enormous mattress that had been pristinely propped across the room and luxuriously brimmed with cushions and pillows for her royal comfort. She then climbed over him and resumed dutifully tending to the rest of his injuries, including the newly made.

She had been mindlessly working in silence with a serious furrow and a lost stare when he pulled her chin up and made her look up again.

-Hey, are you alright? – He suddenly asked her, running a rough fingertip up her cheek with visible concern – You seem kind of sad.

-You know I love you in my own way, don’t you? – She introspectively mumbled, searching intently into his dark brown eyes – Do you know there was a time when I would have given up my throne? We could have come to live with you, if you had ever asked... I think I even told you that once.

-Yeah... You did – He dreamily smiled. Tenderly cupping her jaw – And you were blackout drunk… But I would never do that to you, my Queen, you’d be miserable up here! Now, why are you being so nostalgic? Is it because you just realized that she is not a baby anymore?

-No. I've been making my peace with that fact ever since she was an infant and I cradled her at night – She gloomily exhaled – I spent hours holding her, and cherishing those precious moments because I knew they wouldn't last. But I always thought that at least I’d get to keep her around. Now I realize that she has grown up with a split heart.

-And why is it a bad thing? – He inquired. Letting an infectious laughter out and encouragingly squeezing her palm – I think there is some beauty in that. Don´t you? It has made her the resilient person she is today… You should be proud!

-I am – The Xoltunian grumbled in a low, pensive voice – But I miss her terribly! Don´t you? Don't you wonder what she is doing tonight?

-Hmmm… I rather not to – Phomtek uncomfortably winced. Shaking his head profusely and giving her an extremely pained glance – because knowing her, she's probably busy breaking some Xoltunian rules with that blue-haired child.