A Rival In Arms
Kailorien buckled the final strap of his thigh guard with practiced ease, the metal ringing in the frigid morning. His mind raced with the day ahead—rotations to review, rift tremors to investigate, and patrol coverage thinning as more soldiers fell ill from the piercing moor winds.
He slipped on his undershirt and reached for his chest plate when he heard the soft pad of bare feet behind him.
“I want to help,” Auryn said, her voice still husky from sleep.
He turned. She stood there, braid tumbling over her shoulder, a flush of determined energy in her cheeks. She wore her traveling leathers and cloak, ready for what the day would bring. Her freckles were still dim. She hadn’t yet regained her full strength—but Void, shewastesting her limits.
One of his brows lifted in amusement. “With what, starlight? Stealing my blade while my back’s turned?”
She smirked as she stepped closer. “With this.” She reached for a chest strap near his shoulder, fingers tugging the leather loop. She stretched, but couldn’t quite reach.
“But I don’t…understand how these work. They’re not likeotherarmor straps.”
Not like Thessia’s.
She didn’t have to say it.
He heard the words clear as day.
Resh watched her fiddle with one of the clasps, his chest tight.
You still don’t know what you do to me. And I’m still too afraid to show you. Even after you’ve said you wouldn’t turn away from me, I still cannot believe that you will stay.
He took a breath, helpless to resist her when the expression on her face was so determined.
“You’re tugging at the decoy strap,” he murmured, voice dipping low as he leaned in, bending down. “Try just above your fingers.”
She stiffened as his breath teased against her ear. “That one?” she asked, trying again.
His hand covered hers, guiding it. “Mm. Close. But you’ll need to straddle the latch and loop it under. Like so.”
She finally found the correct placement and clicked it into place with a small, triumphant sound. Resh chuckled.
“You did well.”
She beamed—until she noticed the next buckle sat much higher on his chest. She reached for it. Couldn’t quite get there. He tilted his head, entirely too pleased. “Want me to bend down more for you?”
She huffed. “Kneel, Resh’Agar.”
He grinned now. “As you command.”
You’re the only one who could make this demand. Confounding, that I would kneel for you a thousand times when even my own kin cannot make me bend.
He dropped slowly to one knee. His gaze didn’t leave her face, even as she fumbled with the strap over his shoulder. He arched a brow—then tilted his head to offer the strap more clearly.
“Right hand here. Thumb under, palm flat. Pull slow—there’s tension on the reverse loop.”
She followed his guidance, fingers clumsy but determined.
“You’re twisting it again,” he said, catching her hand in his, kissing her knuckle.
“Stop distracting me,” she frowned, her voice airy.
“Not distracting,” he murmured, leaning in until his breath stirred the curve of her ear. “Instructing. Very…thoroughly.”
Her fingers fumbled. Again.
