Page 48 of Fate

“You didn’t. I’ve just…never had to explain it to anyone. I didn’t understand why I wanted that name when I first thought of it. But now, now I do.” I look out across the ruins and avoid Helia’s gaze before I lose my nerve. “It was Itho, buried deep and drowning, screaming at the top of her lungs. Being Skion, being a man when that wasn’t me, was as a lake in a rainstorm. The first few drops of rain dance on the surface of the water, present yet unnoticeable; a phantom you barely sense. Slowly, that phantom becomes a nuisance, a disturbance on the surface. An itch that you can’t scratch, a thirst you can’t slake; you don’t know how. Then the storm rages, a hurricane, a typhoon, churning the lake. No longer ignored, no longer an annoyance put off for another day. No; it seethes and writhes, screaming for it all to stop. All it wants is peace. All it wants is quiet.”

My words die, bringing quiet and stillness to the plateau. The starlight doesn’t care, still dancing across the stone. Helia scoots forward until our knees touch and wipes away the tears I hadn’t noticed.

“Hence, The Quiet Lake.” Helia breaks the silence and pulls me into her arms, a bastion of safety. A place I never expected to find. “Thank you for holding out. Thank you for surviving and finding a different way to find your quiet.” I spend an eternity there, engulfed by her presence. When that eternity finally ends, Helia nods toward the center of the plateau.

“Let’s go watch the stars.” Helia pushes off her seat at the edge of the world and wraps her generous hands around my waist, gently helping me down. She probably picked up on my hesitation earlier. Despite being hard stone, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable as I lie on my back next to Helia.

“Oh!” What a simply silly word to describe the wonder of Nia’s domain and her infinite blanket of celestial light. Their twinkle reflects in the space between Helia and I, a bridge of stars connecting us. I’ve never truly sat and stared at the stars. I often looked up at the darkness back in Athos. But I wasn’t looking then, not really. My mind wandered in the what-ifs, the I-wishes. Now, I have what I want within my grasp. Now, I am in the present.

I roll on my side, and trace my fingers along Helia’s arm. Her hum is content, warm and inviting. I outline her muscles, fingertips tingling along their route, tender and intimate, etching every line into memory.

“Helia?” My voice is a whisper, afraid to break the innate magic of this moment with my fear.

“Mmm?” How can someone make such a simple noise sound divine? I’m head over heels for this woman, aren’t I?

“I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I want you to know that these past months have been everything to me. Even if it all comes crashing down, coming into my own and getting to know you will have been worth it.” Helia turns to face me, the universe reflected in her meadow eyes. She reaches over and pulls my neck softly forward, our lips embracing. It’s a deep and smoldering kiss, one of quiet need for each other; a yearning for a knowing of the other. I shimmy closer and lay my hip against Helia’s, pushing her on her back and taking me along.

“This is familiar.” Helia breaks our kiss, joke on her lips and fire in her eyes. I sit back on her hips, my smile matching hers. My fingers deftly undo the knot of her tunic’s belt and slowly open the folds of the fabric.

“Wow. You really are an Aspect, aren’t you?” Helia barks a laugh at my teasing, embers singing the edges of her voice. I’m right though. Every curve, the slope of her breasts, and each scar crisscrossing her body is perfectly placed; a work of divine art.

“You know you’ve already seen me naked, right?” Now it’s my turn to laugh as I lean back down, hovering above her lips.

“I will always have that reaction.” Helia inhales sharply, as if no one had ever treated her like more than a tool or a good time. I kiss the base of her neck and work my way up, slowly. I feel her pulse in the vein along the side, all the way until her ear. I feel the shudder in her body; I’ve found a weak spot. I make my inhale raspy, causing another tremor.

I saunter along Helia’s jawline until I claim my prize. Her lips meet mine again, the tips of our tongues touching. Gods, she’s truly divine. Her tongue dances across mine, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure from my throat. I slide my hand up her side to her breast and rub her nipple gently.

“Ahh!” Helia pulls back, not expecting the touch. Her hips arch unconsciously into mine, causing a perfect amount of pressure against me as I push back to meet her. I can’t help the rumble in my throat at the heady feeling building in my chest and the sight of Helia’s composure starting to slip away. With a final flick of my finger, I start to slide my hand down her body stopping at her waist for a brief moment. The feeling of her beneath my hand is intoxicating, demanding more. I trace the cut of her stomach, her muscles flexing as Helia’s breathing catches under my attention.

My voice is laced with desire as my hand continues to play. “Looks like someone is a little worked up.”

Helia chuckles, her body rumbling under mine, knowing that she is. Knowing that I have her right where I want her. She arches her neck to look at me, desire filling her eyes.

“I need you Itho. I can’t stop thinking about you even when you’re marching beside me and only an arm’s length away.” My breath catches as the intensity in her gaze threatens to swallow me whole. “You charm everyone without trying, you’re brave, complicated, and beautiful. You see the real me. You. Are. Addicting.” Her eyes fill my vision as she pushes up to a sitting position and in a single motion wraps one arm around my waist, locking me in place on her lap. “I need you, now.”

Our eyes dance across each other’s face as if we could disappear at any moment. Then Helia consumes me, stealing the air from my lungs. No more teasing, just pure passion and need for each other; for this moment. Helia threads a free hand into my growing hair tilting my head back enough to give her better access. She continues to hold me in place, but I manage to shimmy back enough to snake my hand down between us, fingers desperately seeking purchase under the loose fabric. Tongues still entwining, I feel the hitch in her breath as I find what I was searching for. Two fingers start to play delicately with her clit, a gentle circle, a slow aching stroke. I push farther down, playing along her folds and teasing her entrance, before flowing all the way back up. I moan into her mouth as I feel the slickness of her need already. Unable to hold off anymore, Helia breaks our kiss, panting for air.

“Fuuuck…” She can barely get those words out, voice shaky.

My own breathing starts to quicken as her pleasure stokes the flames of my own. Her need feeds mine. Confidence thrumming, I push Helia back down, still teasing her, though with each passing moment, that teasing slowly becomes more urgent, matching Helia’s building fire.

I stop to readjust, shifting off her hips and straddling her thigh instead, giving me better access. I take advantage immediately, slipping a finger inside while bending down to kiss her exposed breast. One finger quickly becomes two, my thumb giving attention to her clit. Helia moans loudly, giving herself over fully to the sensations and pleasure. Her noises fill the starry plateau, Helia’s true self on display for me. Not a commander now, nor an Aspect. Just a woman; my woman.

My hips start to move, sensational friction urging my fingers to make pace. Despite losing her grip on reality, Helia shifts her leg up slightly, giving my hips more leverage. A throaty rumble is pulled out of me, joining Helia’s in the night air. I flick the tip of my tongue across her hard nipple again, causing a small shake in her body, telling me she’s ready.

With renewed vigor, my hand speeds up, matching the shrinking time between Helia’s gasps for air. Her body starts to clench around my fingers, and I break off from her breast, quickly moving my lips back to her neck right below her ear. My breath is hot and raspy, driving Helia to the edge.

“I-Itho, I’m s-so close! Gods, I’m r-right there!” Pantheons but her passion fueled stammering drives me wild!

“Let go. Let go for me Helia.” As if my words unlock a secret door hidden within, Helia loses all abandon, her body surging under me.

“Oh fuuuck!” Her words turn into a strangled scream of ecstasy, her body convulsing with each surge of pleasure. I slow my hand in time with each wave, letting her lead the way back down. Her body quietly stills, becoming the glassy surface of undisturbed water as I slide my fingers out gently, causing one final shiver of pleasure. My own release is out of immediate reach, but the joy from bringing Helia to that abyss and back is satiating in and of itself.

Helia peels her eyes open, staring up into the stars above while I take in the reflection of them along the stone, bathing Helia’s glorious body in light. Without a word, she rolls to the side, guiding me onto my back as she lays next to me, head propped up on one hand. Now it’s her turn to fiddle with my tunic, opening it partway, giving enough of a view for her eyes to smolder, despite having climaxed a moment ago. My breath becomes more labored, my need coming back in force as Helia caresses my body with her eyes and hand.

“Tell me what you need right now. I don’t want to ruin this.” Thought is getting incredibly difficult, especially when I’m not even sure how to navigate things right now. Who cares? This might be the last night I ever spend with Helia, much less that I spend alive.

“Um, you can touch me. Let’s try it.”