Halfling (editing in process)

Chapter Seventeen

Aria could tell that something was up with Payne when she woke up and joined her and Javen for breakfast in the tavern. The demoness, usually adorned in some skintight leather armor, was instead dressed in a simple cotton outfit that a peasant would wear. Her hair was braided back, revealing the lovely soft contours of her face. Her dark eyes locked with Aria's as soon as she stepped into the room, Payne's face lighting up in a pleased smile.

"Bout time you got up. Elfy here is going off to his so called friend's house again today, and I've got plans for us." She took Aria's hand before she had time to protest, excitement glittering in her eyes. "Come now, I have breakfast planned already. Have a nice time doing what animals do Javen!" Payne called sweetly, and before he could reply they were both out of the tavern.

"Payne," Aria laughed, looking back as they traveled out of the town and back up to the hill they had been the day before, "what has gotten into you?"

"I have something special planned for us. We deserve some time getting to know one another, and you need some time to relax, no?" She questioned. "So we are going to go back out, we are going to spend the whole day teaching you spells and whipping your demonic butt into shape, since the elf is beating me with your other half. I hope to at least balance them out."

Payne took them to a small clearing out of sight from town, and, after a simple breakfast was consumed, the lessons began. They started out as simple spells, conjuring, calling fire and moved onto greater spells, curses, things of that nature. As the spells got more complex, and time passed, a dance began. Steps and dodging turned into beautiful moves of elegance and grace, with the addition of deadly curses being thrown in the air all around them, blackening tree trunks every time a spell would hit one of them. Payne grew closer and closer and closer to her before finally grabbing her wrist and twirling her, bringing her to her chest. She chuckled into her ear, sending a soft thrill down Aria's spine.

"Not bad." The woman purred softly. "For a Halfling that is." She hummed softly, looking up at the darkening sky. "You have done quite well... How about we go back to the tavern?" There was an odd light in the woman's eyes, excitement and another emotion that made Aria's heart quicken.

She nodded her head, slowly pulling backwards to get Payne to let go, which she did, but reluctantly. The whole walk back felt odd, there was a tension in the air, her shoulders were tight, but Payne seemed like she was walking on air. Payne didn't give Aria a chance to get to her room, instead gently taking her into hers and shutting the door, locking it. She turned to Aria, expecting the same lust in her eyes, and was surprised when she saw the girl tense and confused.

She faltered in her little plan for a moment, a sudden dread going down her spine. The whole purpose of the day was to draw closer to Aria, to get her to understand that she was infatuated with her. Did the girl understand? Did she know that her fingers itched to touch her skin, her heart raced every time their bodies touched? Payne was no virgin, but she hadn't felt the thrill that delighted her body without pain in some time. She wanted Aria to know that... Wanted to have the girl underneath her, breathless and wanting... She had seen the exhilaration in her eyes when they were battling out in the clearing; clearly she had misunderstood the intent. Maybe instead of her excitement stemming from being with her, it had come from the magic. She could understand... learning new magic for the first time was quite the experience, especially the powerful spells she had taught her, but the knowledge that it hadn't been her advances towards her knocked her down a few notches, dread moving through her in a rush.

"Come here Aria." She said softly, sitting down on the bed and taking in every inch of the girl's body, clad in an outfit similar to her own, as she hesitantly paused before coming to sit by her. "Tell me... What did you think of today?" She questioned.