Tah Min's voice shook and with a reddened face, she forced herself to meet his gaze. Panic morphed into some kind of anguish as realization flashed across Ea's eyes. He turned away and forced a smile into his face in an attempt to let her know that he wasn't upset because of her, but the solemn look in his eyes betrayed the smile on his lips.
"You're right...I apologize. I got too carried away."
"Ea, I—"
"It's alright. Really! I completely understand...I should head back to get some rest...you should do the same."
Ea took one last look at Tah Min before letting the hand that was on her shoulder, drop to his side. "Well then...goodnight Priestess..." He bowed before walking down the stairs and out of sight.
Tah Min clenched her fist to her chest in frustration. It had been six years since Ea last called her "Priestess." The sound of the word on his tongue felt so foreign to the both of them. Tah Min wasn't entirely too happy to hear it again, but she reasoned that it was for the best and made her way to her own chambers.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
The maid shifted awkwardly from within the opening. Partly because of what she was witnessing and partly because of her abrupt proximity to Gabriel. For a split second, she chanced a glance in his direction and was met with a cheeky grin. She quickly turned her attention back to the pair in the stairway. Of course, he wasn't looking at them. He already knew this was going on, he was watching her in order to see her reaction when she found out he was right about them. At least that's what she reasoned and she wouldn't be entirely wrong either. Gabriel's smile only widened as the maid's eyes widened each time the pair progressed in intimacy.
By the time they had left, Gabriel was thoroughly satisfied with the belief that the maid was now completely taken in by his lie. A snide cough snapped the maid out of her stupor.
"Not that I mind being stuck in here with you, but we should probably get out of here."
The maid flushed when she realized that she was still firmly pressed against Gabriel's chest and quickly stumbled out of the opening. Gabriel followed her out.
The maid dusted herself off. "That was...no...we shouldn't pry. Don't tell anyone about this!"
Gabriel raised his hands in defense. "Fine. I won't."
"A-And don't tell anyone about us...getting that close either. It's improper. The maids who serve the Priestess are to remain pure, just as she is."
Gabriel chuckled. "Wait, was that your first time being that close to a man?"
The maid turned away in embarrassment, earning a laugh from Gabriel. "Before I head back to the guards quarters, why don't you tell me your name? I think it's only polite that I know the name of the lady who's innocence I'm destroying. Besides, we are partners in crime now aren't we? "
The maid shot him a glare before responding timidly. "Asra..."
"Nice to officially meet you then Asra. I'm Gabriel."
Never in all her years of living did Asra ever think that someone could say her name so sinfully. It felt like Gabriel coated her name in poison, and there was an itch to hear more for reasons Asra wasn’t going to admit out loud.
She huffed, regaining some of her confidence. "Gabriel...that's a nice name."
Gabriel hummed in response. "I suppose it is when you say it."
Butterflies filled her stomach, lulling her into a trance but before she could answer the sound of more guards coming down the stairs broke the spell. Gabriel glided around her, dipping into a short bow.
"I guess that's my cue to get going. See you around Asra!" He spun around and shuffled off and down into his hiding spot before anyone else saw him.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Callisto awoke in the middle of the night to the haggard coughs of his wife. Illya lay beside him, fighting off the pain that was caused by the rapid deterioration of her root shi. She tried to remain as silent as she could so as to not wake Callisto. He had been tending to her all day and she thought he should get some rest, but as luck would have it, he woke up anyway.
"How do you feel?"
"Like death has his hands lodged between my ribs and is ripping shit apart."
Callisto pushed himself up. "How descriptive, " he chuckled.
Although he managed to laugh, he was undoubtedly more concerned about her than ever. Though it pained him whenever she got hurt, he knew she would always pull through. "The perks of having exceptional regeneration powers, " she'd call it, but this was different. She was so weak and pale. If things continued this way, if all her shi died out, she was sure to die for good this time.
Illya raised a shaky hand and placed it on his cheek. "We're going to war."
Not exactly the comforting words you expect nor want to hear when your wife is on her deathbed. He should be used it by now but he'd be lying if said he wasn't a little bit taken aback. She never did fail to surprise him.
"...love...not to put a damper on things but how exactly do you plan to go to war like this?"
Illya blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? Like I always do? If I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna take them all with me. I am not dying idly on this bed Callisto."
A smile broke out on his face. "I'd prefer it if you didn't die at all."
Illya yanked him down with surprising force and pulled him in for a long kiss.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWI3rnrIAl9
"I won't. I have a plan to replenish my core."
For the rest of the night, Illya explained to Callisto in great detail what she was planning to do, with breaks for rage-filled rants of course. By the time the morning sun had peeked above the horizon, the two of them were fast asleep in each other's arms, dreaming soundly of victory.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
"I am not dreaming. This isn't a dream! This is reality! I MADE THIS REALITY! YOU CAN'T TAKE IT FROM ME!"
"You should get some rest, Your Majesty." Li stood at Sana's bedside, looking down at him as though he were a bug, a tool, a pawn that had lost its purpose.
"Spare me that sickeningly sweet tone of yours witch. I might be weak now but I am not a fool. You think I don't know that the second I let my guard down, that wretched King will completely take me as his vessel?"
Li turned to the window with a vacant look in her eyes. "It matters not what you think. You will succumb to exhaustion eventually and when you do, I will claim my reward for carrying out my end of the deal."
Sana cursed through clenched teeth as ripples of pain flooded through his head, sending him spiraling into the darkness of unconsciousness.
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