Hours later, Cayrimsa Ettelenya laid curled up against Nyx Shyndyn and marveled at how perfectly warm he was.  Her fingers dared to dip betwixt her legs and reaffirmed this thought as she felt his heat still spreading against her there.  Somehow she had always felt that elves would carry their cool temperaments with them to bed.  Even after the sparks that had flown between her and Nyx before this had happened she had held to her doubts that an elf would make a decent lover. 

Of course… he isn’t really an elf…

She reminded herself, again, with a slight smile.  Nyx had poured his passions over her like an erupting volcano.  She now doubted if the boiling he caused in her blood would ever fully cool. 

They had come to this room for a purpose.  The words they had spoken had been promises that needed to be sealed with something more tangible.  For Cay, though, the act itself was not enough.  Even as her body and her soul burned with what they had shared she still found a tug of doubt, and a realization that he had not yet fully lived up to the promises he had made. 

Her eyes closed and she wondered if he felt any lasting doubts, or if her submission and the breaking of her vows, had been enough for him.  She tried to read him, and even with her eyes closed she thought she could.  His lithe body was spooned against her back.  Their hearts were aligned in this position, only the encasing ribs keeping them apart.  The aspen breeze of his elven breaths caressed over her gnarled ear and ran through her hair.  Light as air a kiss brushed over her shoulder and she sighed, starting to feel at ease; which is when he moved, the kiss had been a single act that preceded his body separating from hers, and brought the doubts crashing back down upon her. 

Leaving… he’s leaving you Cay… even after everything he turns and shows you that he is no better than the rest… perhaps worse because he lied…

Her stomach clenched and she sat up, hating that the first emotion that rose in her was fear and not anger.  “No…” she muttered in despair, reaching her hands toward him as he pulled off the bed. 

The pained voice made him turn back to her.  For a moment she could see herself reflected in his yellow eyes.  She saw herself, weakened by him to a point that she was now leaning across the bed, throwing her heart under his feet, tears threatening to consume her amber eyes and drench the fires he had fanned.  A flicker of shock at seeing her like this ran over his face, but it lasted only a moment and was quickly replaced with compassion.  His hands caught hers and pulled her out of the sheets and to his chest again. 

“Shhhh…”  He whispered against her hair, pressing his lips against her forehead. 

In his arms, as he guided them closer to the little dresser in the room, she started to let go of her doubts once again.  Slowly she relaxed and looked up at him, their eyes met and he smiled lightly at her.  His eyes plead with her to believe that what he had said was true, so long as she accepted him he would never leave her.  The smile melted over her and she returned it.  Only when he had gotten that smile and seen the trepidation leave her eyes did he let her go.

He stepped back so that small inches of space separated them.  She closed her eyes and felt the electricity that tingled in the space between them.  In the darkness she heard water, and smelled the sweet fragrance of lavender.  Soon it poured over her as his hands directed the sweet water along her body. 

It was intimate and tender, but most of all it was almost casual.  He was simply enjoying her.  Even now after the crashing tidal waves of their passions had died down and they now floated in some placid bay, he found her pleasing.  Every touch was light and lacked the sexual fervor he had touched her with before.  Cherished was how it made her feel.  The concept that she could be wanted even when she was not performing some sexual act was new, and she liked it. 

Fingers and droplets of water teased over her skin, and with every moment she found more depth hidden in the caresses.  There was trust in them.  Trust that she had truly accepted him, and would not flee the room and him in the next moment.  This was why he did not clutch at her in desperation.  In this moment he trusted her with his heart.  She sighed lightly and found that the last shreds of her doubt were fading with every caress.  He was living up to his promises. 

He was behind her now, water rushing down her spine as his fingers followed.  Reaching behind she caught up his fingers and stopped their course and curled his arm around her.  As fluid as the water he pressed his body against hers.  She brought his hand to her lips and over the battered knuckles she whispered softly.  “I was wrong Nyx… this changes everything…” 

And she knew it was the truth.  For better or for worse she knew she was eternally tied to him and that it would color her every action and thought.