Thy Shadow to Light

Void Within

Mauve like eyes stared up at the white and sliver ceiling of her room on Ragnarok, the faint hum of the engine was the only thing that filled the silence in her room. Silver wavy locks pooled on her satin pillow before she slowly turned on her side to face the wall. A faint sigh slipped her lips while she softly complained to herself that Aliphaud and Alisae just may have tied her bandages a little too tight for her liking. Even though she insisted she could heal herself more later, the light glares from the twins silenced her halfhearted protests. She supposed she couldn't blame them, between the Endsinger and, lastly Zenos. Zenos had made sure her body did not go untouched, a lasting expression of a fight to be remembered. She was told she was littered with bruises, her knuckles scraped and swollen. Her Thavnair garments were tattered and stained with blood; the sight of her body had shaken Alisae so much that she began to weep by her side while Aliphaud healed her.

Soft blue cloth sheets covered her frame, and she only wore a gray tunic and matching shorts at the time. Even though she was on a ship, the lororpriti spared no expense after studying some people in Sharalyn in person. She kept her room dark, just to give the façade she was asleep, even though she truly wasn't. She just wasn't ready for company tonight. She knew they were aiming to return to Mare Lamentorum and then back to Ethyris. This was the last thing she had heard before quietly slipping to her room earlier. As much as the others wanted her to be a part of such victorious merry-making while drinking, she couldn't. She couldn't stomach anything right now. Instead, she gave a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes before politely excusing herself to her room. Everyone accepted this response as far as she knew, although a certain azure dragoon simply watched her retreat, unconvinced that it was just exhaustion that wore her down.

The Warrior of Light, the savior of their home. The savior of planets that were on the brink of becoming undone by Meteion and her sisters. Aris Ejla the traveling Viera mage, had truly saved them all. And yet, her chest tightened the longer she was awake, listening to the humming from the ship. Occasionally, she would hear the quiet laughter of her peers that was semi-drowned out. A familiar, deep voice filled her head. Asking her that dreaded question again, the same question while she was losing strength after being spent from their vicious duel, she couldn't answer. "Did you find your fulfillment, my friend?" "Surely being the Warrior of Light must have been some kind of burden?" Aris wouldn't dare say it verbally, but her eyes flickered shut while she finally shook her head as if answering him. Their duel, as unrelenting as they were to one another, was the closest it would ever get. That same rush, that same need of steel against steel. Zenos Yae Galvus was the only one who could give that to her.

Turning down Zenos was expected of her; after all, the world was facing a calamity. But if given the chance to be selfish, she knew part of her would have faced Zenos long ago. "God damns you, Zenos." Aris choked out quietly. "Damn you for leaving me instead of just surviving and becoming stronger for another dance." She gritted out while curling her hands into fists tightly until they began to ache. It reminded her of the soreness and severe bruise she had on her hands. The sudden wetness of her cheeks startled her for a moment until she realized those were tears that dared to escape her in the darkness. She curled into a ball, mourning a man who wanted to have her and bested her in many ways in battle. She partially was the beast he said she was all along, that hunger for fights and achieving that said power.

The ache to see him again, just like at Ala Mhigo Castle. A choked sob escaped Aris's lips as her shaky hands covered her face. The tears that tried to escape had begun to flow freely now. After all this time, Zenos was right in his words, for this has always been a burden. Not one choice that has been made was her own. That the people she has known have been stripped from her in the past and some in the current time. She wept quietly to herself that she could no longer tell any more tales to Zenos with their dance. Or the lingering gazes she dared to cast him when she did see him beforehand. Gazes filled with curiosity, a lust for fighting, and more of him. Perhaps Zenos knew this sentiment all along. Why else would he aim to pin her down in their last duel, mocking her that she could do better but letting his gaze fall to her lips. Aris lightly struggled, but part of her hoped, almost begged for Zenos silently to close the gap between them.

Such many close moments when they had disarmed each other at that moment. Aris said nothing but gazed upon him, so close that she could feel his breath. Smell the blood from the wounds that she caused him, but in the end, the lingering thoughts they had for one another were cut short once the duel ended. Even now, she could still feel his hands on her frame, calloused hands with muscled arms that wrapped perfectly around her waist. Lips that dare to graze the skin on her neck for a kiss lightly but don't. Touches that lingered before he grappled her to subdue, or she got out of his hold. "The acceptance that I have craved so long." Aris could still hear him tell her how he purred them from excitement and desire for her at that moment.

Aris dried her face lightly with her hands, trying to ignore the slow throbbing between her legs. A sigh escaped her as she turned over on her back, letting a bandaged hand slip past the band of her shorts under the blanket. Her moan was quiet, for she didn't want anyone to hear, right when she began to feel her damp, wet folds. Carefully rubbing them before a finger slipped upward to press against her clit in a teasing manner. She imagined her prince finally gifting her with a kiss, their tongue clashing like their fights. Her legs quickly wrapped around him while he picked her up during their kiss. Shedding each other of their armor, their clothing that dared to get in the way of their fight. "I am the only one that truly knows you. That will have you, my friend." He would whisper to her in her head, only this time, Aris would nod and moan softly. Allowing herself to rub two fingers over her bud slowly, she slipped them inside herself, enjoying the warmth.

Thrusting them in and out of her carefully as she thought of Zenos above her, exploring her body even more. Claiming any part of that wasn't riddled in bruises rather with light bites or kisses. Imagining one of those strong hands, slipping a finger or two in her. Rubbing and curling against her spot to bring her to the edge. She felt her legs spread more as she continued to pump her fingers in and out of herself. She thought of those lovely icy eyes that she alone graced to witness the hint of joy that surfaced just from the pleasure alone between them. Her hips began to rock as if wanting more, being so close to finishing, and yet just as she was approaching climax, a soft knock came to her door.

"Aris? Are you still awake?" Estinien called out after a moment.