Kiss Me Again

(16 Fashanos 5115, Ta’Illistim)

She sat at a quiet table in one of the Inns in the beautiful city of Ta’Illistim with the man, drinking tea. The wonders of the adventure getting here as well as the wonders she had seen as she walked the streets were already gone from her mind by the time she scooted over to sit next to him.

She breathed deep of the warmth rising from the tea cup, sipping it. A warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with her cup of tea, as she sat next to him, relaxing in the quiet. She had been mostly quiet during the trip, mindful to not distract him; taking in so many new sights of so many new places. The moonlight on the landscape made a subtle and glorious beauty across changing scenes that needed no color to inspire, awe, and take her breath away in the dark.

Now exchanges of conversation filled what space lay between them. Some important. Some not so much. The meaningful portion was still what was (yet) largely unspoken. It was intense, lyrical, and still felt so fragile to her. Maybe it was only her own vulnerability that made this seem fragile. She lived for his company, and that was such a recent delight to admit to herself, to him.

“So I will be looking for inspiration for a new song now,” she told him, hoping that perhaps he might hear, might sense, an opening there from her.

He was still for what seemed like an hour. There was a wistful sigh in her thoughts when she heard her own words, and remembered something Stormyrain had told her. Half of her mind was ready to tell that story, the other half of her mind was terrified of the very idea.

“How’s that goin’?” He asked. In reality no extra time had passed at all.

This is as good a time as any, the one half of her brain thought.

What if he misunderstands?  The other half argued, scared.

“Oh, I will look for the right inspiration,” she glanced at him with a smile.

The conflicted internal voices still parried thoughts with one another. She needed to silence them with a decision, or the doubt was going to cripple her.

The man folded his hands in his lap, saying nothing.

He is more than worth the chance. In for a silver…, her decision was made.

… in for a pound, the other side surrendered.

“A couple months ago, I was struggling to find the right way to complete a song. Miss Stormyrain heard the discouragement in my voice, and offered suggestions,” she started out with how this brief bit of amazing advice came to her.

“I see,” he said. Was he encouraging her?

“So, Miss Stormyrain’s advice was to find a sunset and watch it from a new vantage,” the words came fast to her now.

“To help a motherless child,” the bardess continued, “To make an offering at the temple or shrine without expectation of anything in return.”

The man nodded at her.

At this point she paused the cadence of the small story. She flicked the small doubt in her mind away as if it were an annoying insect. Sure, planning this might have been smoother, but … I am committed now, she reminded herself.

She leaned over and kissed him, her lips lingering on his for the span of of several pounding heartbeats, then she whispered softly against his ear, “Or to kiss a man I had never kissed before.”

Surprised, the man seemed to freeze. But she could feel his pulse speaking into the silence.

His voice was quiet when he asked, “How’d the last one go…?”

“I am feeling a little more … inspired,” she replied, a fresh flush adding even more color to her cheeks. She started to try to say something, “I…”

He reached for her with a tender touch, saying, “Need some more of that, I think, I wasn’t really ready…”

Nestled close to his ear once more, she whispered ever so carefully, “And are you ready now?” She needed to know that answer, even if she was not so sure she was ready.

He nodded quickly.

They kissed.

 

Author: GSBardess

A young bardess named Luxelle is currently learning her trade and hoping to one day make a name for her songs in GemStone IV. Follow along with her adventures in life and song.

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