[FoP] House of cards

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

The sun was already rising. The first rays of orange light peaked over the horizon when he had safely arrived by the Zinyra estate, thanks to Rhysand. The streets had been almost empty, par from some few drunken stragglers like them. Faces they would never remember. Ezekiel's eyes were drawn to the sleeping estate, which seemed more like a castle in his eyes. Nor coin nor gold seemed to be spared when they had built it. He drew his hand through his hair as he walked up the stairs to the main door and slipped through it as silently as he could.

As soon as he set foot in the grand hall, he could hear his footsteps echo loudly. It seemed like thunder in a clear sky. He cringed as he halted and looked around as if somebody would jump out of the shadows any moment. All the torches had been distinguished, clouding the corridors in long, dark shadows. He breathed slowly when he went on his haunches to take off his shoes, continuing on his way to his guest room barefoot.

The closer he got to the room, the more reality seemed to dawn on him. The sorcerer had broken the holy rules in matrimony within mere weeks. He had already decided that he wouldn't tell Chaska about it, that it would be a secret he would take with him to the grave. As long as she didn't know, it wouldn't hurt her. And what was their marriage built on anyway? It was just duty. And he would perform that duty diligently. What had happened tonight didn't change anything. It only changed the way it messed with his head. Because everything had almost been fine. He had almost accepted his fate with Chaska and thought he could be content living like that. Only one glance at that man had changed... that.

Ezekiel reached the door to his room, pausing for a long moment as his hand hovered over the handle. At least did he have the decency to feel ashamed. He had left her on the night they should have been enjoying together. He did feel guilty about that, but he did not regret what had happened. Ezekiel held his breath as he eventually pushed down the handle slowly and prayed the door wouldn't creak.

Chaska was asleep peacefully. He saw her darkened silhouet on the bed, her chest rising slowly. His eyes lingered on her for a long moment as he sneaked in the room as silently as possible. He bent down to put his shoes next to the door before closing it quietly. He felt drowsy, the walk had sobered him up a bit, but he was not like he was back with two feet on the ground. So when he reached the bed, he had to steady himself with his hands on the edge of it first, before sitting down in the sheets. He looked over his shoulder to his slumbering wife and leaned over to gently lay the thin sheets over her shoulder. After he turned back around and clumsily pulled his white shirt over his head and rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, his head flooded with all those complicated thoughts.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Before setting foot upon the ship heading towards the southern kingdom, the sorceress didn’t have a clue on what to expect of the festivities. Her nights at sea were spent trying to imagine the sight of the glorious, sand colored buildings she had often read about, if her the man she now called her husband didn’t keep her occupied, at least. Before she had been given the chance to get used to and navigate their marriage, she’d found herself on the ship already, officially allowed to spend her nights beside the silver haired sorcerer which she, in a way, had become strangely attached to.

Unfortunately those nights spent in between the sheets on the ship, no matter how memorable, hadn’t been enough to convince him to actually spend the celebrations at her side. Once the first day came to an end and the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon, she had been left alone to spend the evening by herself, no warning whatsoever. If it hadn’t been for Takoda she would’ve taken her leave towards the estate much sooner. At least he had been kind enough to try lifting her spirits and to keep her company, sparing her the shame of wearing her burdened jewelry without a husband in sight.

Eventually she found herself in between unfamiliar sheets by herself yet again, staring up at the ceiling of the beautifully decorated guest room as her heart raced in her chest with each passing minute in which her husband’s whereabouts remained to be unknown to her. Of course the worst possible scenario’s were quick to cross her mind. Maybe he had ditched that strangely charming friend of his to indulge himself in the pleasures of some expensive brothel downtown, or was amusing himself within the presence of a beautiful, Xailan woman glad to show him around. Her jaw tensed at the thoughts alone, only fueling the anger to be released upon him as soon as he’d set foot within the room. Their marriage was merely a political statement, one which had never been approved by them in the first place. And yet the thought of him leaving her behind in a strange and foreign land to possibly entertain himself with old friends and other women managed to make her blood boil.

It had taken her quite some time to fall asleep, her racing heart and tensed muscles keeping her from dozing off as quick as she would’ve liked. And when she had finally managed to drift off to sleep, it didn’t take longer than a few hours for her to be woken up by the sound of footsteps approaching. Even in het drowsy state of mind, she could tell by the sound of his footsteps that he had been drinking. Yet she kept quiet, pretending to be sound asleep as he made his way towards the bed.

She could feel the mattress shift underneath his weight as he sat down, though the sudden, gentle gesture of covering her bare shoulder with the silky sheets surprised her to the point of briefly flinching at his touch. She didn’t know if he even noticed, but knew that if she still planned on confronting him about all of this, it would’ve been now or never.

”I assume you had a pleasant night, judging from how you reek of alcohol.” she started as she slowly sat up straighter, supporting the weight of her upper body by leaning into her elbow and watching him get rid of his white shirt. ”I’m surprised you even decided to show up at all.” Though her voice remained to be calm and soft from just waking up, she didn’t spare him as her words were obviously fueled by frustration. Her nails dug into the sheets as she pulled them up to her chest, not wanting to grant him a glimpse of the view.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

The moment he heard her speak, he knew his night was about to get much longer. His shoulders tensed up as his head dropped. His hands steadied himself on the edge of the mattress as he pulled his shirt over his head. He had no idea how he could ever face her again, keeping himself eerily still as he avoided that confrontation. With every passing second he felt the guild gnawing away at him. He was risking a lot. It was the person he would have to spend the rest of his life with what he was gambling with.

Ezekiel finally moved again as he brought his hands to his lap, fiddling with the ring on his right hand, as it seemed to burn in his skin. He wanted to take it off, but he couldn't. She would be furious. Only then he noticed he still wore the gold band on his other hand, which made him bury his head in his hands as Chaska continued her resentful words. He quickly sat up straighter and placed his hands beside him once more, but he could not look at her yet. ‘‘I'm sorry for waking you up,’’ he only whispered as it was the only excuse he seemed to muster.

The biggest worry he had was what she would think of him. What would she think of him, as he returned early in the morning, still working off the effect of the booze. He shouldn't care. Yet, he did. He felt like he owed her at least his care, his companionship, but the moment he had laid eyes on Rhysand he had thrown those morals out of the window. Now he could only assume what a dick he looked like and the damage control he had to do.

The sorcerer turned to his wife eventually, leaning on the hand he placed between Chaska and himself. ‘‘Why wouldn't I show up,’’ he whispered, keeping his embarrassment tucked deeply away. ‘‘At the end of the day, my place will always be beside you.’’

With his choice of words, he felt a bit more confident to kick his legs up and lay down beside her, laying his head on the pillows. His eyelids felt heavy already, but he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stall this confrontation to the morning, as her whole demeanor was very defensive. ‘‘Forgive me. Please understand that I haven't seen my friends in years.’’ He felt a bit weird about making her think there might have been multiple people. But this little lie might save him in the future.

He didn't look at her, afraid that she might read the lies in his eyes as he rolled over closer to her, wrapping one arm around her waist and closing his eyes quickly as he placed his forehead against her shoulder. ‘‘I hope you had fun tonight.’’ His wish to fall asleep quietly beside her had gone very soon. And he felt a bit weird to engage in physical contact so quickly after what he had been doing the whole night. But he desperately needed to make amends, before the thing that happened would fester like an ugly wound.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

The sorceress could barely make out his silhouette as he sat beside her, especially when his white shirt had been tossed towards the floor. And yet, when her eyes managed to adjust herself to the darkness of the room, she could make out his slouched position, his hand buried into his head before muttering some weak excuse. Seriously, was it all he could think of after leaving her alone in a strange kingdom? It took her some strength to swallow her sharp words and accusations, perhaps a little too hopeful about him taking responsibility for his foolish actions and confess to her what exactly he had been up to.

She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about his sudden appearance yet. While anger surged through her body at the sight of him, she couldn’t help but feel betrayed by the glimpse of relief washing over her as he sat down on the bed, clearly not as cocky as self-assured as usual. His held back body language and whispered words made her wonder if he came to realize the consequences of his actions. Yet she still couldn’t grasp how he decided to leave her alone for the entirety of the evening. If it hadn’t been voor Takoda’s company, she would’ve been quite the easy target for anyone meaning to bring harm upon a lady.

His words surprised her, though she tried her best not to be too smitten by his sudden change in behavior. ”Ah, yes, feel free to abandon me within a foreign kingdom for the entirety of the evening, just so you can claim your place beside me once the night falls.” though she matched his whispers, her voice was like a freshly sharpened blade; ready to pierce right through him at the slightest of suspicion. ”Or, in your case, when the morning comes.” She’d noticed the slight change of light from behind the curtains of the room, his darkened silhouette growing to be more recognizable with each moment passing.

She kept her green gaze focused on him as he moved closer, swinging his legs onto the bed and making himself comfortable, clearly worn out from a night of engaging in whatever with whoever. The poor man. His words, however, managed to make her question whether her immense frustration was justified once again. ”Then why didn’t you take me with you?” her voice had somewhat softened, though the anger hadn’t quite vanished en disappointment dripped from her words. ”You didn’t even properly introduce me to them.” Averting her gaze from his, her nails dug into the sheets even further. By Lythrana, why couldn’t she simply scold him without all of these complicated feelings infecting her every thought.

A sigh rolled over her lips as she lowered herself back into the pillows again, turning her back to him as she closed her heavy, now tear stained eyes once more. Just as she had made amends with the fact that this fights wouldn’t be resolved until both of them caught up on some sleep, the sorceress was surprised to feel the sudden touch of his arm wrapped around her waist, instantly tensing her muscles as if the person trapping her in his embrace was a mere stranger. Yet she could feel her cheeks flush at the sudden warmth of his forehead against her shoulder, tears welling up in her eyes as he spoke.

”I would have if I got to spend the night with you, she quietly replied, her voice fragile against her will. Instead of drinking and dancing with the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with, she fell victim to judgemental stares and a strange, old man rubbing her sister’s trauma into her face before disappearing into thin air. The only good thing about the night had been the moon elf, which had been kind enough to take her under his wing. ”I thought we were supposed to celebrate together.”

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

The sorcerer had to fight the urge to curl up in a ball and mutter that they should talk about it in the morning. He felt very exposed by his intoxicated mind and the traces of another's touch that had been left on his skin. He was afraid the cracks would show in his hazy state as he desperately needed to patch up his walls. Maybe if he didn't feel so guilty, he would have told Chaska that he didn't owe her any explanation. Then it would be easier to turn his back on her and pray for a dreamless sleep.

His wife had every right to be angry. By the gods, she would be livid if she knew the truth about what had been going on. Ezekiel set his jaw as he quietly accepted her sharp words. ‘‘It won't happen again,’’ he spoke coolly. That was a promise he at least could keep. He had made that deal with himself: one night to indulge himself in every Xailan temptation when they stayed in the country. They probably wouldn't visit for the coming years anyways. Rhysand would once again become a distant memory.

His slightly desperate words seemed to have some effect to ease her troubled mind. Or rather, take the edge off her irritation. But it opened up something even more hurting, as she just plainly stated how selfish and douchy he had been. And he hated that he had to carve out his lies even deeper. Ezekiel had always prided himself on his honesty, even when the truth hurt. But some truths just couldn't be spoken out loud. It was not worth the trouble, and this lost night would stay lost, buried between the sheets of some small tavern.

So when she turned away from him, he saw how he had truly hurt her. She might not want to talk with him anymore and he could accept his defeat. But somewhere he knew he should swallow his pride and try to limit the damage he had done. ‘‘You're right,’’ he whispered as he edged closer. ‘‘I'm sorry.’’

As soon as he touched her, he thought he might overstepped. And he couldn't help thinking how wrong it was to touch his wife so quickly after his night's endeavors. He almost immediately regretted it, but she rubbed salt in the wound with her words. He had no excuses left. There was no use in getting angry. He shuffled a bit closer, wrapping his body tighter around hers. ‘‘Festival's not over yet,’’ he spoke against the nape of her neck. ‘‘As is tonight,’’ he continued, even if the rays of sunlight cracking through the curtains might disagree, as was his weary state. ‘‘Tell me what I need to do to make it right.’’

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Even when a glimpse of guilt stirred within her as he answered with nothing but desired apologies, the sorceress stood behind her anger driven words. The thought of him aimlessly fooling around with his friends, nobody batting an eye at the sight while confused and judging gazes burned itself into her back at the sight of her jewelry; rendered useless without a husband.

She didn’t know whether to feel upset or relieved as he cuddled up to her, the touch of the arm wrapped around her waist hot against the sheer fabric of her nightgown. Her body seemed to freeze in place as a war waged through her mind, pride against heart. Part of her wanted to forgive him purely in an attempt to try and make something out of their remaining time at the festival. Presumably, however, the part of her which refused to do so managed to take the upper hand.

As if it hadn’t been hard enough to stand her ground against his unusually delicate touches, the words which came paired with it were just as unexpected. Either he had done something leaving even a man like him with a haunting sense of guilt, or the same, strange sense of familiarity that she had been experiencing had taken hold of him during their travels to the southern kingdom. Perhaps it was simply because they were spending each night together now, a tangled mess of limbs as the waves of the Sanguine Sea rocked them to sleep. A blurred line between duty and desire, perhaps even comfort managed to complicate her feelings towards this man even further. And to top it all off, he’d made her question all of it over the span of a night.

The words lay at the tip of her tongue. Love me. Her heart skipped a beat at her own, unexpected thought. Or at least pretend to. She swallowed the words swiftly.

A moment of silence followed, her eyes closed to block out the rays of morning sun creeping from beneath the curtains. ”Coward,” she whispered in reply, clearly in dilemma regarding her own words. ”You know just what it is that I wish for, and I certainly won’t be begging you for it.” Her already silent voice cracked as she continued, similar to a chip out of a porcelain cup. Yet her hand reached for the comfort of his, squeezing lightly, contradicting her words as a tear trailed down across her cheek. I wish to be treated like a wife of your choice. She gritted her teeth at that stupid thought. Those foolish pleads which she refused to leave her lips.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

The summoner knew that he walking a fine line of truth and lies. He did feel guilty about his nightly endeavors and wanted to do anything to make it right, or rather; make her less suspicious about what he might had been doing. But for all she knew, he was spending a night with old friend and had just been a giant jerk to leave his wife alone. That was better that the truth. Way better. And now he played to role of guilt-ridden husband who should have been just a sliver of a gentleman.

Ezekiel set his jaw as Chaska called him a coward. He gritted his teeth together as he still felt annoyed that she just wouldn't forgive him. He didn't know if he should call it desperate or selfish, but at least he told her he was sorry. What more could he do? He couldn't go back in time and change the past. He offered her whatever she wanted, and still it wasn't enough. He was ready to wish her a good night and turn his back against her. He would rather face her wrath in the morning than right now. But as she told him that he knew what she wanted and that it was pride that was stopping her, he stayed put.

Those words made Ezekiels mind swirl as he thought it over. He had no idea how to respond to that. Was her body that much of a temple? He had touched every inch of her before, but now pride was getting in the way. He understood why she was angry. He had something what could be described as "perfectly fine", and still he wagered it away for something that could only exist in dreams. Even if they were in Xaila, where things were different, he should have acted like his deity demanded. And he chose not to. And he should suffer for it. And yet, it felt like it shouldn't be such a big deal. At the end of the day, he would choose his duty, even if his heart yearned for something different.

Should duty demand, he could answer. If Chaska wasn't prepared to beg, maybe he could. Even if he was still debating if he should just call it a night, her fingers clasped around his hand made him decide otherwise. He returned the gesture, softly grazing the back of her hand with his thumb. ‘‘Then don't,’’ he whispered against the nape of her neck. He propped his elbow underneath him and brought his body more upright. Slowly he untangled his hand from her fingers and brought it up her chin, slowly making her head turn his way. Only then he could spot the emotion on her face. He expected some kind of rage, but the tear only betrayed something different. He quickly used his thumb to wipe it away, as if nothing really happened. ‘‘Let's just make up,’’ he whispered. Like they always did. How they fixed their rage-filled fights. However, today was a bit more delicate. So he leaned over, gently placing his lips against here forehead. ‘‘Please.’’ He used his fingers to take hold of her chin once more. ‘‘I would hate it to see you go to sleep this way.’’

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

The silence lingering between them seemed to last for an eternity, the only comfort within her reach the strangely familiar touch of her fingers intertwined with his, his breath hot against the skin of her neck. She couldn't help but to feel suspicious about his change in attitude, though part of her so desperately wanted to believe it to be real, that their marriage and journey towards Xaila actually managed to strengthen their bond. It had genuinely felt that way. And yet, during a time of celebration, he'd decided to sweep said progress aside for a chance to hang out with his friends and do Lythrana knows what until sunrise.

Yet she couldn't help but to fall for the gentle strokes of his thumb against the back of her hand, followed by yet another attempt at getting her to forgive him. She was surprised to feel his body shift into the matress as he removed his hand from hers, opening her eyes at the touch of his fingers against her chin. It was hard to make out his facial features in the dark, but they had softened for as far as she could see. Their eyes locked as he gently wiped away the tear rolling across her cheek as she cursed herself for even showing him her weak side. Her husband's words barely reached her before she felt his lips pressed against her forehead. A kind, almost loving gesture which made her heart flutter against her will, followed by yet another plead for forgiveness.

It had been a while since she'd felt this way; a prisoner to her own thoughts. While part of her wanted to push him away and let him figure his feelings of guilt out on his own, she couldn't help but to feel relieved at his sudden shift in attitude. These touches, though the circumstances were quite dire, could've been the most gentle he'd ever treated her. To throw the chance to be caressed like that away for the sake of her own pride would be something she'd definitely regret.

"Fine," she quietly replied, placing her hand atop his and guiding it from her chin back to her cheek before sitting up straight to face him. "But I need you to promise- No, swear on your patron that you'll never, ever try to pull something like this again." Her green eyes were locked on his for as far as she could distinguish anything other than his silhouette. It was clear that she wasn't quite convinced yet, still torn between her heart and mind. "And, unlike your vows, I want you to stay true to those words." Even though she tried to sound as sharp and demanding as he knew she could be, it was clear that the feelings of hurt and betrayal lingered by the sound of her voice. He'd vowed to protect her, and instead left her to fend for herself in an unknown kingdom.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

Ezekiel had to fight his own conscience to not burst out with the whole truth. He hated lying as much as the next person. But this was for the best of both of them, in those rare moments that the truth would harm more than it would heal. But the whole theme of his night was that conscience was out of the window. It was all about savoring those last moments spent together, and him going back to his real life. The bubble of his fantasy had been popped and he was back in his every day struggle of deciding if he wanted this marriage to work or stay distant.

The thing was: he did feel guilty. And the idea that he hurt her was making his stomach turn. She didn't deserve this. But he also didn't think he owed her everything. They were together, but only in words. He was still unsure if he really liked her. But he didn't mind her company as much as he did in the beginning. The way she would be mad at him started to become a little bit charming. However, her tears were not something he ever wanted to see. Not when it was caused by his actions. And he did let her down tonight. He knew he would when he was stolen away by Rhysand, and only understood the consequences of his actions as soon as he started the journey home.

A physical weight on his shoulders seemed to lift as soon as she showed her forgiveness. He let his head drop for a moment, a small smile lingering on his lips. By Lythrana, he didn't deserve this, but it sure did make his life a lot easier. He looked up at her features once more as she made his hand shift, making his fingers trail along her cheek. She sat up straighter, which made him shift backward, leaning heavily on his free arm. And as she wanted to hear him swear against his deity, he nodded immediately. Rhysand was a fleeting memory anyway. He would not see him ever again. ‘‘Done,’’ he whispered when he leaned in closer. ‘‘I swear to Lythrana, even if the sun is watching over us rather than the moon. Once we see her again, she'll know.’’

The sorcerer was ready to seal the night with those words. To make up in a now familiar feeling of how their skins felt together. But Chaska was still not over it, and made him frown when she mentioned his vows. Ezekiel bit his lip and let his hand droop down her face, ending up in their shared sheets. ‘‘When did I..?’’ Not spending every living second together sure was not against his vows. Okay, he agreed that he had been a jerk and maybe he had broken some unspoken vows with his nightly activities. But he hadn't broken anything he had promised her. He had made sure that he wouldn't be the fairy tale prince she might have dreamed about. ‘‘Don't say that.’’

NC

[

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

It was quite adorable, the way in which relief seemed to wash over him as she accepted his apology. Annoyingly adorable even. No matter in what way this man toyed with her feelings, she’d end up tangled in his embrace, accepting whatever wrongs he committed for the sake of their ‘marriage’. Though even a desperate and ill young lady such as herself had to draw the line somewhere. She wouldn’t fall for his touches and unusually caresses, not until he’d swear not to screw her over like this ever again.

So she made him, and he had willingly put his devotion towards their patron on the line to do so. The sorceress’ gaze lingered on his lips as he leaned in. Not so fast Not before she’d give him a taste of his own medicine. A final stab before she’d give in to the lingering taste of Xailan wine he’d eagerly feasted upon with his little group of friends.

Apparently, those few words were enough for him to create a distance between them. The sorceress didn’t move as she stared him down, knowing that whatever decided to roll over his lips would only fuel her anger once more. And his words struck like thunder. ”..At our ceremony?” she responded, her voice finding its strength again, though clearly caught off guard by his stupid question. ”You know, on that one day we both dreaded so much.” frustration fueled her words as she hissed them, a whirlwind of emotions ravaging through her body and mind. If it hadn’t been for their stay within the Zinyra estate, she would’ve barged out of the room night now, spending the night within that guest room she’d grown to despise back in Lythrania. But she couldn’t. So instead, she had to put up with his unbelievably childish attitude.

”Oh, my sincere apologies,” Sarcasm dripped from her sharpened words. “I wasn’t aware of the fact that I’m not supposed to bring up how you vowed to protect me and then proceeded to do the exact opposite.” Her nails dug themselves into the sheets. “I’ve spent nights pondering about my vows, only for you to claim you don’t even remember yours?” It wasn’t even about his protection, truly. She could fend for herself as long as her staff was within reach. It was about how little he actually seemed to care about her, even after she’d stupidly convinced herself that he did. That now that they’d be married, everything between them would change for the better. Unfortunately, her life had proven to be anything but rose colored, and it was about time that the hard reality about the type of man she’d married would sink in.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

[

this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much

Just as he thought the dust had settled, a sudden tornado seemed to shake it back up. Was it just damned pride that got in the way? Or did she just want to fight at this point? Had she been disappointed that he hadn't fought back more? Dear patron of theirs, whatever he did, it was never enough to satisfy her. So when she brought up his vows, the tension on his jaw increased as he created more distance between them, while his odd eyes darkened as he looked over to her, unable to hide his disbelief.

So when she mentioned the "dreaded ceremony" he rolled his eyes and moved away from her, creating physical distance between them. He didn't want to argue about this. He was tired and the wine still lingering in his system might make him do things he would regret.

He had been prepared to make her go to sleep with a good feeling. After that, he wondered if he just have gone to sleep. But when she pulled an attitude, his annoyance flared up. Why was she still moaning about this? While she should be moaning differently. ‘‘Oh, come on, Chaska. You are exaggerating now.’’ His voice had raised from the whisper he had used to not wake anybody in the Zinyra household. ‘‘You are making it sound like I left you in the middle of a battlefield. It was a party.’’

The summoner knew he had no right to be angry. But she had just struck a nerve he could not control. Especially not tonight. He had maybe broken the rules of holy matrimony - or whatever. But he had not broken the promises he had made to her. Even if she wanted to believe it so. ‘‘I am sorry. I am trying to make this work.’’ He leaned his back against the pillows, crossing his arms in front of his exposed chest. ‘‘But every time I do something not as you please, you can't just say I should act a certain way, just because of the words I said in some "dreaded ceremony".’’ His words started to have a certain edge. ‘‘You can not use this marriage to leash me to you like some kind of-’’ He turned his head away as he bit his lip. He thought they'd agreed to do this their way: whatever that was. But it looked like they were just following the path that had been laid out for them. ‘‘It makes you sound just like everybody else.’’

NC

[

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

The apologetic attitude she’d started to appreciate vanished into thin air, quick to reveal his true colors once more. Of course it had all been an act. A simple way to smooth-talk himself out of his child like behaviors and regain his access to the only marital matter he seemed to care about. She could’ve known.

“To you, perhaps,” she spat back at his remark, matching the tone of his raised voice. “While you were catching up with those ‘friends’ of yours, I’ve been enduring judgemental stares and some creepy, old Rizal forcing his twisted prophecies down my throat.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, the thought of her sister and all she had endured lingering within her mind. Yet she blinked them away, not granting him the pleasure of watching her crumble down before his eyes. “I didn’t feel safe, Ezekiel. If it hadn’t been for some some Lemurian man to take me under his wing for the rest of the night, who knows what else could’ve happened.” Perhaps she was exaggerating a little, too proud to admit to both him and herself that all of this was merely about the false image she created of him inside her head. The image of a husband who genuinely cared about her. Though, the encounter with the old man had genuinely frightened her.

Yet he showed no mercy, continuing to spout nonsense as if they had been pushed all the way back to square one. Their unspoken truce long forgotten and buried deep underneath a thick foundation of despise and distrust.

“Go fuck yourself, Ez,” she blurted out in response to everything, blood boiling and hands trembling in anticipation. It was all she could reply, her silver tongue stolen away as her breathing fastened in despise of him. The sorceress refused to look him in the eye, angrily letting herself fall back into the pillow and turning her back to him once more, burying herself within the bedsheets. ”I can’t believe I was foolish enough to take a liking to a jerk like you.” The words came muffled and murmured as she had pulled the sheets all the way up to her chin, ready to call it a night.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

Ezekiel Vylasar wrote:
this is a dance for liarsa competition for sinners, our little, secret game we both enjoy too much
And once again they were like children bickering over very mature topics. It was like they were trapped in this vicious circle that began with something bad happening, them fighting about it, making up in an animalistic way and never talking about it again. Just pretend it didn't exist and the problem was resolved by itself. Now he was tempted to bury his hands in his hair as he listened to her nag at him again.

Chaska explained how she had been harassed by stares and a Rizal. That family had always been up to no good, so that should not come as a surprise. But what annoyed him most was her cheap trick to get under his skin. And even more annoying: it worked. ‘‘Is that supposed to make me jealous?’’ he glared back at her. They were in Xaila, but a Lemurian man knew the meaning of the pearls around her neck and that she was a married woman now. They would not dare touch her, and he was sure it had not happened. Even if his actions of the night were in very stark contrast. He knew he was being an enormous douche, but her words just struck a nerve he could not suppress. ‘‘I said I'm sorry. I am sorry I can't change the fucking past, so what more can I do? Beg for forgiveness?!’’ He felt his voice rising with his temper. The time of whispering was long gone. ‘‘‘You would like that, wouldn't you?’’ he added with a sarcastic snarl. He glowered at his wife, whom he knew was hurting. Yet, at this point, he only did what he could do best. If gentle words didn't work, he would use a lower tactic.

The sorcerer scrunched up his nose with an angry frown as she told him to go fuck himself. They were both handing out low blows now. He exhaled loudly through his nose and threw his hands on the sheets in defeat. ‘‘Sure,’’ he bit back sarcastically, ready to say something he would regret as she turned herself away. But no, she was not done yet. He stared at the back of her head as she told him she had taken a liking to him. ‘‘What was that?’’ he snapped back at her. He truly could not understand the mind of this woman. One moment, she said "It's okay", only for in the next sentence to start another fight. And now she was pouting that she liked him? Poor her. Well, there was truth in those words. She probably shouldn't, because it would make their problems a lot easier. He knew from experience.

Ezekiel reached over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder, and made her turn on her back, forcing her to look at him again. ‘‘You like me?’’ He raised his eyebrows. Not in disbelief, more as in a challenge. It was the closest they had come to a confession. ‘‘I bet I can remind you why you like me.’’ Why they fought, why they made up. The only reason this whole charade seemed to withstand. And without waiting for an answer, he rolled over onto her, pinning his knees on either side of her waist and taking hold of sheets she so carefully pulled up to cover herself.
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she wears strength and
darkness equally well

It was almost as if the intimate moments they’d shared after the ceremony didn’t happen. Their genuine laughs and her reassuring feelings about finally being able to wake up next to him, not having to sneak to around and fear the consequences of their nightly endeavors. No matter how hard she tried to strengthen the bond between them, Lythrana knew why, eventually they’d end up at square one, caught up in heated arguments just so they could make up in the only way they knew how. Well, at the very least they were allowed to now.

The sorceress studied the way his demeanor changed at the mention of another man taking care of her for the night, the corner of her mouth quirked up as she repressed a faint smirk at his sudden hint of jealousy. So he did care about her. ”No,” she coldly replied, though her voice remained sharp. Yet she found herself calming down and gaining back control over her emotions just a little, now that she found something to use against him in this childish war of provoking one another until one of them would give in. ”I simply assumed you wouldn’t care. If anything, you should be thanking him for taking care of your wife.” She didn’t lie if she’d tell him that she indeed felt safer within the man’s presence rather than straying through the Xailan streets on her own.

The atmosphere had drastically changed now that her husband went from begging for forgiveness to raising his voice. ”Instead of begging, you could try to take your head out of your ass and show some basic empathy instead,” she bit back, trying to lower the volume of her voice as not to wake up their hosts. Her tear stained eyes and heavy heart were quick to shift into a surge of frustration and anger washing over her.

Her patience ran out as she sought out the comfort of the bedsheets which she pulled up all the way to her chin while turning her back to him. She couldn’t do this. Not at the crack of dawn when all she had done that night was worry about her stupid husband. Unfortunately, she had to be foolish enough to let something close to a confession roll over her lips, an action she immediately regretted as soon as he opened his mouth to reply. She simply ignored his question, closing her eyes and silently begging Lythrana for a few hours of well deserved sleep.

Instead, however, she was greeted with the touch of her husband, forcing her to roll on her back and meet his gaze once more. ”Don’t twist my words,” she was quick to reply, narrowing her eyes at his suspicious change in behavior. His next remark made her heart skip a beat, something she couldn’t help but despise herself for. Especially when he maneuvered himself on top of her, flushing her cheeks a crimson shade of red. A chuckle rolled over her lips as she raised her brow, looking him up and down for as far as the dim lighting allowed her to. ”Go to sleep, Ez. You’re drunk.” Yet she didn’t bother pulling back the sheets he’d stolen from her, revealing the sheer fabric of her nightgown as he towered over her. ”All bark and no bite. Unable to handle the Xailan wine, I suppose.” Two could play this game.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

going insane to stay saneRaise your hands for the past me

This woman would be the death of him. He would not be surprised if a Rizal would gaze into his future and tell him his wife would drive him into madness. And even so, he still didn't like the expression on her face as she mentioned another man. So when she so obviously provoked him by saying he should be thankful. He almost wished she would have fucked this "caring" man so they would both have something to feel guilty about. However, he just knew she wouldn't dare. And even after his nightly ventures, it still made his skin crawl at the thought that somebody else would have had his hands on her skin. He knew men. Men couldn't be trusted.

‘‘Well, I don't care,’’ he lied blatently. ‘‘What is this man's name? I should thank him in person.’’ And tell him to stay away. Don't even think about it. They would leave soon anyway, and this whole visit could be one big fever dream. They would soon go back to normal, to their usual push and pull. Back to the place where the moon and the stars were at their normal spots, and his patron could watch over them once more.

The argument started to heat up even more. They couldn't just help fighting. It had been resolved, but he just could not swallow his pride. ‘‘You are being impossible, Chaska,’’ he bit back. He didn't care that he lost the plot. He just wanted to hear that he was right and she was wrong.

This dance of power they were playing was dangerous. He knew it was perhaps cowardly to take the easy way out. But she kept challenging him, and he didn't want to lose the fight. Once more he just looked at her, raising his eyebrows as he didn't believe her words. He knew what he heard.

As she continued to speak as if she was innocent, he took hold of her wrists and pinned them above her head. ‘‘Says you,’’ he answered sheepishly. He just needed to look at her and know her words were empty promises. ‘‘Just tell me you don't want it,’’ he managed to lower his voice when he leaned in closer to her, not yet making his lips touch her soft skin. Yet. ‘‘Bet you can't.’’

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