Rescued: A Nyssara Story

Chapter 11

SARA: Upon the rumbling of my stomach, we decided to eat dinner and I offered to help Nyssa prepare it.

"I recall you despising culinary activities," she said.

She's not wrong. I don't really like cooking. But I really wanted to help her for a change instead of her always helping me. She let me cut some vegetables and we laughed at my failed attempts to peel a potato.

The best part of it, though, was when Nyssa guided my hands to stir properly like we were in some cliché movie or something.

Now, we are sitting at the table eating our creations.

"This is really good," I say.

She smiles. "It is, isn't it? It must've been because you helped prepare it," she says a little jokingly.

"I was happy to help," I smile back to her from across the table. "Well, try to help."

"Likewise," she says as she wipes her mouth with her cloth. "We make a great team."

When we are done eating, I help her clean up as I always do, then I change into my night clothes and jump into bed.

Nyssa walks to the door. "I'll be right back, alright?"

"Oh? Ok," I say as I lean back onto the headboard.

She leaves and I pull out a book written in Arabic from the nightstand and practice with it while I wait. When she returns, she enters with her arm behind her back, which makes me a little uneasy for some reason. That feeling soon dissipates when she presents me with a white cupcake with chocolate frosting.

"What's this for," I ask as I take it.

"It is your birthday, is it not?"

"Is it?" I ask confused.

"You don't know your own birthday?"

"No, it's just I have kinda lost track of the date."

"Well, it is the 25th of December, 2008."

I sigh. "Is it really 2008? I missed my 20th birthday? I'm 21 now?" I say a little in awe. "I'm having my 21st birthday in Nanda Parbat. Not at all how I imagined it."

"Well, if it is any consolation, I have never celebrated my birthday. It is not a custom that we have here."

"How old are you, then?"

"I'm 23 years of age."

"Well, bring in 23 cupcakes in then!" I laugh.

She chuckles. "That is very sweet of you, both figuratively and literally, I suppose."

I snicker. "So is that a no?"

"I will be perfectly content just celebrating with you," she says as she sits on the foot of the bed.

I look at the cupcake. "Thank you," I smile. "This was really thoughtful."

"I am sorry that I don't have any other gifts to give. I know it is customary to give them on holidays and birthdays.

"That's where you're wrong. You've given me many gifts."

She scrunches her eyebrows in confusion. "How so?"

"Well, for starters, you gave me the gift of life. And you gave me kindness when you didn't have to. You gave me skill and knowledge. And today," I start to blush, "you gave me a kiss or two and they were very nice."

"Actually, if I recall correctly, you gave me those kisses."

I can feel my face rush with blood. "Well, you kissed back...and it was...magnificent."

She smiles. "It was?"

"Mhm," is all I can say.

"Well, if you consider that a gift, then I shall shower you with gifts every day."

"You saying you wanna kiss me more? Because I wouldn't object," I say as I sit up closer to her.

She smiles and kisses me softly. "Happy birthday, Sara," she says setting her forehead on mine. She pulls back to smile at me.

Slightly unsatisfied with that short kiss, I pull her back to my face and kiss her more.

Damn, she is a drug. Her soft lips and smooth skin. It's so good and I'm hooked now. She makes my heart race and my mind cloudy. She is ecstasy and I'm addicted. I want more. I need more...

Wanting once more to move further, I attempt to remove her top, but again, she stops me and pulls away.

"Sara..." she says still holding me close. "We should not act in haste..."

I don't care if we are moving too fast. I really do have a love for her and I want to make love with her. I want to see if my feelings for her are real. I think of what I could say to make her change her mind.

I bite my lip. "It's not fair..." I say blankly.

"What is not fair? That I insist that we should wait?"

"No. You've seen me naked but I haven't seen you. That's what's not fair," I say pouting a little.

"Well, I did not look upon your body in a sexual way when I bathed you, Sara. That hardly counts for anything," she says a bit stern.

"But...I want to see you..." I bite my lip.

She narrows her eyes at me. "You wish to discover if you are sexually attracted to me. Is that it?"

I bite my lip trying to imagine her naked. Her caramel skin so smooth and perfect. I think she is right. I am still a little confused about my feelings.

She takes my chin and gazes into my eyes. "You do not need to know of your feelings towards me all at once, Belovèd. Do not try to rush yourself," she says kissing my lips once.

"I just..." I trail off trying to rack my brain together.

"I know, my beautiful bird," she says stroking my hair. "Believe me, I know."

She hugs me and I hug back still thinking about everything. We pull apart.

"Would you do it for my birthday?" I ask her hopeful.

"Do what? Present you my unclothed body?"

"Yeah..."

She ponders my offer. "How about we focus on one deal at a time?" she says as she lays beside me on the other side of the bed."

"You changed already? I didn't even notice."

"I have," she says grabbing a silk blanket from the nightstand cupboard.

"Wow, you're such a princess," I say jokingly to her.

She looks a little offended. "What?" She looks at the blanket. "Oh. Well, in a way I am, Heir to the Demon and all."

I laugh a bit. "Well, I don't know of any princesses that are fierce assassins."

"Good," she says blankly.

I look at her waiting for her to elaborate. She looks at me.

"Well, I wouldn't want to have competition, now would I?" she smiles.

I scoff. "Would there really be any competition? I mean look at you. You're stunning..."

She sighs as she spreads her blanket out onto us.

"Goodnight, Belovèd," she says as she pecks me once on the forehead.

She blows out the candle on her side. "May your dreams be full of light," she says laying on her pillow and shutting her eyes.