🕯️Content Warning:
Mentions of suicide and death imagery Post-traumatic stress reactions and flashbacks Mild combat & recovery discussion
Nyxara
He did not disappoint my expectations. He finished his drill cycle, then turned, placing a fist over his heart in salute. Bowing, "Good evening to Lady Nyxara Ajei, First Lady of the Ajei Enclave. How may I be of service to you?" Well, that was more formal than I was expecting. I also can't see him clearly still. The moonlight through the windows and the low light from the wall lamps make enough light that I can see the room clearly, but he is standing in shadow, making his appearance indiscernible.
"Good evening to you, mysterious stranger. I hope you don't mind me being blunt. Who are you that you have clearance to train in here?" I wanted to step forward, but my instincts were telling me to wait. This man still held dominion over this space, and I should exercise patience. I barely noticed the quirk of his mouth. Not a smile, but also not not a smile. "I have been granted permission by my commanding officer. If you wish to use this space, I do not mind relinquishing it to you." He moved through the shadows towards a gym bag against the wall.
"I would prefer if you aren't tired or in a rush that you would spar with me. I'm aware I'm a novice. I have some restless energy, and I think sparring would be the quickest way to work it out of my system." The pressure I had felt eased, and I walked into the room to take off my shoes and join him on the workout floor. He paused in his actions, then pulled on a sleeveless tank top.
That's a body sculpted by gods. The brief glimpse I got will be living rent-free in my head for a long while. I averted my eyes as I stretched and subtly checked I wasn't drooling. His body is 100% my type. If I wasn't swearing off entanglements right now and I wasn't unsure if this body was a virgin, I would get my restless energy out another way.
The full smirk on his lips proved my gawking hadn't gone unnoticed. Based on the control I've seen of him, I'm not surprised. Mortified but unsurprised. "It would be an honor to help the Lady release her restless energy." The words came from behind me instead of in front of me, like I expected. I pivoted, then struck out at him on reflex. He countered. Without further words, we sparred until I was panting on the floor. He worked up a minor sweat, but he was still combat-ready.
I was trying to regain my breathing when he pulled me up, then supported me in walking in circles until I could walk unassisted and didn't feel like I was about to pass out. He handed me an unfamiliar water bottle. I didn't question it, just drank the whole thing down. His eyes widened for a moment before he switched the empty bottle for a full one. I drank that one halfway down.
When I looked up at him now fully present, I realized somehow his face was still in the shadows, and I was so focused on keeping up with him sparring that I didn't really take the time to take in his appearance. I could see that his lips were pulled into a smile, which I have to admit only to myself looked utterly kissable. Woah, woah, woah, Nyx. Why are we suddenly so horny? I mean, not that I would, but I've seen plenty of hot people over the weeks, but this guy here that I can't fully see just seems to push all the right buttons. Why?
I took a deep inhale trying to calm my rising libido, when I caught a delicious scent I instinctively craved. Tonka bean with a vanilla undertone, the scent that has been my comfort since I woke up in this world. Lux had teasingly sent over a band t-shirt to replace the jacket at some point after our session. Líma had put it under my pillow like the utterly lovable creep she is. I am obsessed with how my scent blended with his scent after my unintended nap. I didn't know whether to take a step forward or retreat."It's you. You loaned me your jacket first then your t-shirt. Who are you?"
I whispered the words and question. He froze beside me. For a moment I caught a glimpse of reddish amber gold eyes before he merged with the shadows. In a blink, the wall lights dimmed, and all I could see was his back as he walked out a glass door with his gym bag over his shoulder.
"You will find out soon. Good Night, Lady Nyxara." He waved over his shoulder then he walked away. I was about to follow him for answers when Líma came through the inner door. "It is time to return, Mistress. You still have lessons tomorrow." Líma was right and the man was already out of sight. I followed Líma back to my rooms, washed up then fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.
[Thursday, Umbrafall 11, 4310]
Elias
Walking away from the woman who has haunted my dreams for the past two years was a lot harder than I anticipated. I didn't expect the gods to amuse themselves by sending the literal woman of my dreams to work out in the middle of the night while I was there. Up close, she was more ethereally beautiful than my imagination had ever dared conjure.
After getting back to my room in the paramilitary complex, I slept for five hours. Not wanting to be late for my new assignment, I quickly ate breakfast with a few comrades. They joked about how they would miss me, now that I was being reassigned from Division 2: Sun-Night (interrogation and suppression). They even kindly offered to help me move to my new quarters. I had to decline since no one could know yet that I was transferred to Division 6: Rhazin (Elite Strike & Blood-Oath Bodyguard Unit) to protect the First Lady of the Ajei Enclave.
Waving goodbye to the table, I then jogged to meet with Keir at their family private training facility. I'm going to get to formally meet her today. I'm actually happy in hindsight about getting to spar with her before our first lesson. I have a better idea of how to co-train her with Keir now. Also, I've considered which style I'm familiar with to train her in so she can develop her own personal style. I hope it will suit her as well as I envision.
Since Keir had requested I arrive early to go over how the training sessions will flow, I arrived an hour before Lady Nyxara was expected to show up. After putting my shoes and gym bag in a cubby, I waited on the outer floor stretching while Keir finished his own warm-up drills. Once done, Keir beckoned me over. "Morning, Elias. You look ready to begin your mission. Thank you again for accepting the transfer from Sun-Night to Rhazin. You already did well during the preliminary mission of infiltrating her class. You also saved and protected her that day that changed our family forever. For that, you will forever be an honored individual to my family."
Keir pulled me into a bear hug, and it was only the slight tremble in his voice that let me know just how much my intervention that night meant to him. "I'd do a hundred times over, my friend. Both my honor and pleasure." I hugged him back just as tightly. Never again do I want to see her so lifeless. I still had nightmares of seeing her hanging from the Eldergloom tree. I would never admit to them that I had actually been too late because of a barrier that surrounded the clearing. It wasn't until she took her last breath that I was able to reach her.
When I took her down and covered her with my jacket as if she could still get cold, it was heartbreaking to see her leaning against the tree as if merely sleeping. I notified my commander I had found her and the coordinates, but I couldn't tell them she had died. So I watched and waited for them to come retrieve her. When the moon had reached its peak over the clearing, I witnessed a miracle—she breathed.
I almost fell out of the tree in shock. I had confirmed her death and even noted down the time. Watching and guarding her as she fumbled her way through the woods while clutching my jacket like an anchor…I can't even comprehend all the feelings I had that night.
Stepping back and bringing my thoughts to the present, I remembered I needed to update him on my encounter with her last night. "Keir, last night while I was doing a midnight workout, Lady Nyxara joined me for a spar. Her request, not mine." I quickly added when I saw Keir glaring at me. "We sparred for almost three hours. We only stopped because her endurance ran out. I've assessed her, and I'm sure the style and techniques I've in mind will fit her well."
I couldn't help grinning and feeling my blood boil a bit remembering our spar. "She is still a bit rough but is a natural fighter. For someone who has started over, I have little doubt that she will catch up to her peers and bypass them soon. Especially now that she will be training seriously and not just doing passably well." The glowing pride and joy in Keir's eyes tells me he had assessed the same and was pleased to get an outsider's opinion confirming his own.
"Lux and I have come to the same conclusion. So today you can begin with the basics of the style…on that note, which style are you going to instruct her in?" I opened my mouth to reply when the training room door opened. In came my charge, 30 minutes early, quickly putting her satchel and shoes away before joining us on the floor.
She was looking at me with inquisitive eyes the closer she got. By the time she reached us, she was examining me like there would be an identification test later. Based on the training I've heard they have been putting her through, I would not be surprised if they did test her later.
"Well, well, well. We meet again. So soon too. I'm hoping you won't run away again before telling me your name." Her smile was full of steel. She would not allow me to deflect again. Luckily, I didn't intend to deny her request again.
Bowing at the waist with my fist over my heart, "I am Elias Cress. The sparring partner, Commander Keir has selected. I am also a fellow classmate of yours in the Sentinels of Accord Academy program. We did not interact much with each other, so I don't expect you to remember me."
She didn't bid me rise. Instead, she approached me, then lifted my chin so she could look me in the eyes. She looked at me like I was a miracle she hadn't expected. She softly muttered to herself subconsciously. I could only make out her words because I was so close. "How could I not have recognized you in broad daylight? Another casualty of trust misplaced."
I didn't understand the context of her words. My confusion must have been apparent enough to bring her out of her thoughts. She backed away from me like I was an opposing magnet. "I apologize for invading your personal space like that." She giggled nervously before turning her attention to Keir.
"So I'm just going to go do warm-up drills. Okay? Okay." Then she hurried away to do just that. Keir glanced at his awkward sister, then at me, back to her, then finally landed on me with a tilted head and a curious smile. "Did something else happen last night that you forgot to mention, Specialist Cress? Something that would make my sister flustered by you?"
I rose out of my bow, glanced at the lady before giving my focus to Keir. "Other than her discovery that the scent from the jacket that night is mine, nothing else of note occurred, Commander." I stood at attention, outwardly calm but internally I was nervous since he had switched from speaking to me as a friend to my immediate superior and the brother of my charge.
"I see. Nyx's behavior has been a bit excitable when it comes to your scent so I'm inclined to lean towards that being the reason she is behaving this way. Answer my next question then I will leave this matter alone…for now." He made it sound like a request but I am aware it wasn't one. I nodded ready for whatever he is about to ask.
"I'll be blunt then. Is her scent one you crave as well?" Of all the things he could have asked that is not one I was expecting. Taking a deep inhale then releasing it I answered as truthfully as possible.