The Promised Of Elaria

A Quiet Longing

The steam rose in gentle swirls, filling the bathing chamber with a soft haze. The mother reclined in the large marble bath, the warm water enveloping her body, easing the tension in her muscles. She had spent much of the day overseeing the realm, ensuring the duties of the women were fulfilled, watching from afar as Ethan continued to meet the expectations placed upon him.

Her hand drifted over her skin, gliding from her shoulder down her arm, the touch soothing in the tranquil space. The scent of lavender hung in the air, calming her mind, though her thoughts wandered to places that stirred something far less peaceful within her.

Ethan.

The chosen one. The man sent by the gods to restore balance to Elaria. His presence had awakened something in the women, a powerful drive, a hunger that could no longer be denied. But it was not just the other women who felt it. The mother, too, had found herself drawn to him in ways that unsettled her. She had been the one to guide him, to reveal his destiny, yet even she could not escape the pull of his presence.

As her hand slid across her chest, down the curve of her waist, she allowed herself a fleeting moment of indulgence. She imagined Ethan’s strong hands on her body, the way his fingers would trace the lines of her form with a reverence she longed for. Her breath quickened as her hand moved lower, brushing her thighs, the heat between her legs intensifying with every passing second.

Her mind filled with images—Ethan’s bare skin pressed against hers, his breath hot on her neck, the weight of him moving over her in a rhythm that made her pulse race. The water rippled around her as her hand drifted lower still, her body responding to the fantasy with a need she could no longer deny.

She gasped softly, her back arching slightly as the desire threatened to consume her. Her fingers hovered just above the place where the longing was strongest, trembling with anticipation. For a brief moment, she let go of all restraint, her mind lost in the vision of Ethan, imagining him giving himself to her as he had to the others.

But just as her fingers began to slip further, a sound echoed from outside the chamber. It was faint, but enough to jolt her back to reality. Her eyes flew open, and the vivid fantasy shattered like glass. Her hand stilled, the heat in her body suddenly replaced by a cold wave of guilt.

The mother sat up quickly, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she tried to regain control of herself. What was she doing? She was the guide, the leader of this realm, entrusted with ensuring the prophecy was fulfilled. She had no right to indulge in these feelings, no right to let her mind wander to such forbidden places. Ethan was not hers. He belonged to Elaria, to the future, to the women who needed him to restore their world.

Her hands shook as she gripped the edge of the bath, her chest heaving with the effort to steady herself. The desire still simmered beneath the surface, but she forced it down, burying it deep within her as she had done so many times before.

This was not her place.

With a final shuddering breath, the mother rose from the water, the cool air of the chamber biting against her wet skin. She wrapped a towel around her body, pulling it tightly as if it could hold back the tide of emotions threatening to spill over.

She stood there for a moment, staring at her reflection in the mirror, trying to find the composed leader she had always been. But the image that stared back at her was different now. She could see the longing in her own eyes, the vulnerability that had been exposed in that fleeting moment of weakness.

Shaking her head, she turned away from the mirror and hurriedly dressed. There was no time for this. The realm depended on her, and she had a duty to fulfill.

But as she left the bathing chamber, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder—how much longer could she suppress the desire that had begun to stir inside her?