Eryshae

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Vael

Vael woke slowly, drifting out of a dream she couldn't quite remember. Warmth lingered around her like a second blanket; comforting, close, and undeniably real.

She didn't open her eyes right away. Instead, she leaned into the sensation of it: the quiet rise and fall of Sam's chest at her back, the slow exhale of his breath against the curve of her shoulder, the weight of his arm draped over her waist like a promise he hadn't spoken but had made nonetheless.

Her nightgown; deep green velvet, soft as moss; clung gently to her skin in the places where his warmth had sunk into her. One of her bare legs was tangled with his, the fabric of his boxers brushing her thigh. His skin was hot even in sleep, and the subtle glow of bioluminescent green from his arm pulsed faintly, painting both of them in a soft light that flickered against the walls of her bedroom.

She let herself smile, eyes still closed. She hadn't felt this safe in years.

Not just because he was here, but because he had chosen to be; had wanted to stay; and hadn't needed any grand declaration or ceremony to do so. Just a quiet night. Just a shared pastry. Just a dance beneath the stars and a ring still snug on his finger.

She turned slightly beneath his arm, just enough to catch a glimpse of his face. His hair was tousled, mouth slack in sleep, the faintest trace of stubble lining his jaw.

Vael reached up and brushed a strand from his brow, feather-light. "I'm glad you stayed," she whispered. And she meant it; deeply, fiercely; in a way she wasn't sure she had words for yet. But for now, words could wait. Here, in the quiet morning glow, it was enough.

Vael lay still, her head tucked just beneath Sam's chin, the rhythm of his breath steady against her ear. But her thoughts weren't as settled.

She traced a fingertip slowly up the length of his arm, watching the faint bioluminescent green follow in the trail she left behind. The light shimmered like morning dew kissed by starlight, soft and otherworldly.

He should have been the one they chose to be Cardinal. The thought came sharp and uninvited.

She hadn't planned on intervening. She hadn't expected to stand behind him again and ask Elder Thornhollow to re-nominate him. But when the moment came, when she looked at Sam and saw the quiet integrity in his gaze, the strength he carried without posturing, she couldn't stay silent.

He should have been the candidate.

And yet Serene Liri had claimed the majority. Smooth words and painted charm. Vael had watched the vote fall against Sam, even after her endorsement; especially after. That suspicion coiled in her belly like smoke: had it already been arranged? Had Liri known the outcome before the vote was cast?

But suspicion was not proof. And without evidence, she was bound; even as the Princess; to abide by the council's decision.

Still, it haunted her. The look in Sam's eyes when the vote was announced. Not bitter. Not angry. Just...accepting. Quiet disappointment hidden behind his soft smile and nod of respect.

He hadn't said a word about it since.

Vael's fingertip paused, hovering over the glow she'd drawn across his arm, the heat of guilt and worry settling beneath her skin. Does he think I failed him? Does he regret staying? She startled as his arm shifted beneath her hand; and then she saw it.

Sam was awake. He was watching her with that half-lidded gaze of his, a sleepy, amused smile tugging at his mouth. His hair was messy, one brow faintly arched in that teasing way that always made her heart flutter. "You trying to draw constellations on me, or just admiring the view?" he murmured, voice husky from sleep. Vael's cheeks flushed before she could stop them. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," he said, his hand sliding from her waist to her hip, pulling her gently as he sat up against the headboard. "But you've got sneaky fingers." Before she could answer, he guided her onto his lap, the motion so smooth and warm that her thoughts scattered like leaves in a breeze. She let out a small breath, surprised at how natural it felt to be gathered into him like this; limbs entangled, hearts close.

His arms wrapped around her, and for a moment, everything else; the vote, the council, her doubts; fell away. Just her and Sam, in the soft light of morning, with his glowing arm curled around her like a promise.

Vael relaxed against him, her legs folding along his lap, velvet brushing against bare skin. His bioluminescent arm remained warm around her waist, the gentle pulse of its light slow and steady, like a heartbeat against her ribs. She didn't know if it was the comfort of his touch or the soft hush of the morning light, but her breath had begun to slow. Even her suspicions, which had felt so sharp moments ago, dulled at the edges.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Sam looked at her for a long moment, eyes the color of deep woods after rain; earthy and calm, with that quiet fire just beneath the surface. He lifted a hand, tucking a stray bit of her hair behind her ear, his fingers trailing down the curve of her cheek like she was something delicate, something to be held gently.

Then, slowly, deliberately, he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss wasn't deep; not yet. It was soft, tender, just the barest touch of warmth against warmth. But the hunger that coiled low in Vael's stomach was immediate. Sharp. Electric.

She inhaled as her fingers found his shoulder, gripping lightly at the firmness of him. The kiss had been meant as a comfort; she could feel it in his intention, in the way he breathed against her; but it set fire to something beneath her skin.

The doubt and concern that had clung to her like damp fog began to burn away, swept up in the heat of wanting him. Of feeling wanted. He pulled back just a little, his lips still close enough to brush against hers as he spoke. "You keep looking at me like I'm going to disappear."

"You keep kissing me like I won't let you," she whispered back, a half-smile tugging at her mouth even as her heart pounded. Sam laughed softly, a low sound that vibrated against her chest. He leaned his forehead against hers, letting the silence speak for a moment more.

Vael didn't want to think about Serene Liri, or the council chambers, or whispered schemes. Not now. Not when Sam's glowing arm was around her, and the heat of his skin warmed her nightgown, and the taste of him still lingered on her lips. Just for now, she let herself be his.

Sam's smile lingered as his hand slipped beneath the fall of her hair, cradling the nape of her neck. She didn't need to say anything else; the look in her eyes, warm and wanting, was enough. In one fluid motion, he shifted and gathered her into his arms.

Vael gave a quiet gasp of surprise, then a soft laugh, clinging to him instinctively. Her legs wrapped around his waist with ease, the velvet of her nightgown riding up higher along her thighs as she nestled against him. Her bare skin brushed against the hard warmth of his torso; the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath his chest, the bioluminescence of his arm still gently glowing, casting both of them in soft green light.

"I could get used to this," she murmured near his ear. Sam glanced at her with a crooked grin. "Good. Because I don't plan on putting you down anytime soon."

He padded across the room with her held close, one arm under her thighs, the other supporting her back. The morning light touched his shoulders, golden where it warmed the lines of his muscles. Vael's fingertips absently traced patterns along his skin, following the faint glow that pulsed in his arm.

He carried her into the bathroom, the cool marble beneath his feet in contrast to the heat building between them. The walls were polished stone with delicate silver inlays, vines etched in curling patterns that seemed to shimmer faintly in the morning light.

Sam paused in front of the sink and gently set her down atop it, his hands lingering on her hips as her legs lowered from around him. She sat on the edge, velvet pooling up around her thighs, skin flushed and eyes sparkling. Her toes dangled above the tile, and she leaned back on her palms to watch him.

He turned to the tub; a wide basin built into the floor with an elegant faucet resembling blooming wood and silverleaf. Sam frowned slightly, looking for some obvious mechanism. "How do you work this thing?" he muttered.

Before she could answer, the faucet creaked to life on its own; warm water pouring out in a slow, steady stream, the surface of the bath already steaming faintly. Sam blinked and looked back at her. Vael smiled, one brow raised. "It listens. Druidic plumbing."

"Well," he said, turning back toward her with a glint in his eyes, "that's one less mystery today." He stepped between her legs again, resting his hands on either side of her thighs as the sound of running water filled the air, the steam curling around them like a veil. Her breath hitched slightly as he leaned in, the warmth of his body drawing close again, not with urgency; but with a kind of reverence.

"You still hungry?" he asked softly, voice teasing. "For you?" she murmured, fingers curling at the hem of his waistband. "Always."

The water finished filling the bath with a soft, melodic chime; some enchanted signal that the temperature was just right. A faint scent of wild herbs drifted up with the steam; lavender, cedar, something like juniper; familiar, comforting.

Sam didn't take his eyes off her as he reached to untie the sash at her waist, fingers brushing the velvet knot. Vael held his gaze, heart fluttering, lips parting with a breath. There was no rush in his movements; only the kind of reverence that made her feel like something sacred, something cherished.

The nightgown slipped from her shoulders in a whisper of fabric, sliding down her arms as he helped ease it off. She shivered once; not from cold, but from the softness of the air and the way he looked at her. With gentle hands, he guided her into the water first, her body sinking into the warmth with a sigh.

Sam followed after, easing into the bath behind her, the water lapping around them with soothing quiet. He pulled her gently against his chest, her back to him, his arms wrapping around her waist beneath the surface. She sank into him, resting her head on his shoulder, his skin warm and solid beneath her cheek.

For a while, neither of them said anything. The only sounds were the gentle trickle of the faucet tapering off, the shifting of water as he pressed soft kisses to her shoulder, and the quiet hum of birds outside the window. The glow from Sam's arm reflected faintly in the water, lighting up the ripples with pale green glimmers that danced across her skin like starlight in a pool.

Vael trailed her fingers along his forearm beneath the surface, her touch slow and thoughtful. He let out a low hum, content and quiet, as his lips brushed against the curve of her neck.

"Does it ever… stop glowing?" she asked softly, almost teasing. Sam kissed just below her ear. "Not when you're near." Her heart gave a flutter at that, and she turned her head enough to catch a glimpse of his face; the softness in his eyes, the faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He looked like he'd never been more at peace.

Vael reached up to brush her fingers along his jaw, then twisted gently in the water to face him, straddling his lap beneath the surface. The water sloshed with the shift, and her thighs brushed against his hips. She pressed her forehead to his, the steam curling around them like a veil.

"I like this," she whispered. He slid his hands to her hips beneath the water and held her there. "Me too." The bathwater rippled around them, their breath mingling in the warm air. No kingdom matters, no votes, no suspicions. Just steam and skin and heartbeats, entwined in silence.

And when she kissed him; slow and deep, her fingers sliding through his damp hair; it wasn't about escape. It was about presence. About being here. With him. Now. Wrapped in warmth and water and each other.