Novella Calidus… soon to be Tilani, never expected to enjoy the company of the person she was married to. As a non-mage, it was… well, it was her only chance to be better. She had to marry up. To a mage. But love, nor even tolerance, was expected. She would deal with whatever came her way. She had prepared for that.
What she had not prepared for, was Kaczor Tilani. The woman was a force of nature; she didn't act quite as feminine as expected, nor did she act terribly masculine. An enigma… and this became even more true when Ella thought about how nice the other woman was to her.
They had breakfast with Kac's family, and departed around noon for the townhome. Ella needed something new to wear; so that she wasn't walking around in the exact same thing from yesterday. Though, she knew nothing in her chest would be up-to-par. She was wearing the nicest dress she owned (and it was loaned to her).
Vaguely, she wondered how she'd return it. Or if she should. The carriage ride was quiet, Ella gazed out the window memorizing the landscape. And taking in the home that was to be her new home; not as extravagant as the manor, but certainly nice. She found herself quietly grateful that it wasn't as noticeable as the manor.
She fit in better here.
Even if she fit in better as a servant than the Lady of the house.
Lost in her thoughts, she got out of the carriage on autopilot, fingers twined with Kaczor's.
The morning had gone well, very well, in Kac's mind. Breakfast had been a nice affair, only their immediate family and Ella, so much more manageable for both her, and Ella, after a day that was filled with both up and down emotions, a quiet morning had been in order for them both.
The carriage ride over had been easy, not many were out before noon in this part of the city, except for messengers and servants. Kac knew at some point, Ella was going to ask about their own house staff, why Kaczor treated them the way she did. It was just one more conversation she'd have to approach when, well, they knew one another much much better.
“Yes, it's home. Ours. So let's make it exactly what we want it to be, from the start.” She smiled over to the other woman, nodding once. “Benson and Sari are already here, so you'll have familiar faces from the start.” She paused, looking over what her to be wife was wearing today. “Would you like to go to the tailors and mercantile shops today, start in on getting this place how you want it?”
And then she nodded,
Choices? Her? She was used to someone deciding for her. But she wasn't going to show any of that panic. Perhaps it'd be easier than she thought...
She flashed a shy smile to the Tilani woman, and tugged her hand.
“Do you want to change> Of course you can change, and we’ll do a tour first, yes.” Her smile tugged back to her lips, as she let her eyes settle on the touch, her heart fluttering gently in her chest at that. It was easier for her to let Ella touch her, instead of constantly being scared of seeing her shut down like that again, confused and not sure why. Kaczor was going to make sure that didn’t happen again, she decided, as she turned her hand over in her wife’s hand, spreading her fingers a part and offering her hand to hold.
“We’ll start in the main part of the house, and then we’ll do the grounds. I’ll try not to maul you in the gazebo this time, unless you want it.” Kaczor did like to tease her though, to see the red of Ella’s cheeks, that flush something that pleased her to no end. “And we can take as much, or as little time as you want in each place, looking things over and figuring out what to do with the place. I like darker colors, of course, old family and all, nothing ever looks new even if it is new. But darker colors make the place feel so dark and small, bad for my plants.”
The carriage arrived at the house and she moved to step out first, and then hold a hand out for Ella, to help her down the step and to the neatly graveled drive, into the neatly manicured front garden – small of course, as the bulk of the “outdoor” space would be to the back, and in to the front door and it’s large open foyer. “Welcome home, Lady Tilani,” Kaczor told her, when her wife’s feet hit the ground.
Kaczor was an accommodating partner; something that Ella was never able to forget. She was used to being a shadow; someone forgotten despite being in full view. And to her wife-to-be... she was everything. And that was alarming to someone so used to disappearing into shadow at an instances notice.
Ella's fingers slipped into the proffered hand, and she smiled and nodded in agreement. She would change first, and then she'd get to see this home that they would share. She remained seated, patiently waiting for Kaczor to play her role; she would open the door, offer a hand, and help her from the carriage just as she had first helped her into it.
Cheeks flushed, she murmured, "I'm not your Lady just yet, you know." Teasing, as she squeezed the other's hand in her own.
She'd let Kaczor lead her into the home, admiring it quietly. It was nicer than anything her parents owned, less garish, too. She appreciated that quietly.
It was still a new place; and much like when she'd first run into Kaczor, her eyes were wide, she was quiet. Attempting to take in everything. Perhaps she'd feel better once she was in something that wasn't so fancy, she was still half-dolled up.
"Where... will I sleep?" Because her things would be there.
“You're my Lady, already. You've agreed!” She teased gently as she tucked that arm over her own to help escort Ella into the house. There was so much to see inside, and then a tour of the grounds, much smaller than her parents estate, outside the main hubbub of the inner city, but here, the town house, was meant to be smaller. “Until you decide you want otherwise, you're my Lady.”
As they came through, she tutted, and shooed Sari off, “We'll take the meal later, Lady Ella would like to change, and then we're taking an official tour around. Would you be so kind as to hold plates for us for later. You and the rest of the staff eat, please. I'll ring when we're ready for food.” The older woman nodded and then slipped back through the doorway to their right, there in the front entrance. “Unless, you want to eat now, but no, changing! You asked where you's sleep. It's this way, my dear.”
Kaczor lead her over to the stairs, to take her to the second floor. “I take the front of the house, as I like to see who's carriages come by, to decide if I want to answer the door and be “home” or not. The back overlooks the garden, through here, and then the door between the two.” Kazor opened the door into a large bedroom, complete with sitting area, that took up most of the back of the floor, and the same was mirrored on the other, a shared bathing room between them, linked the two rooms. “For now at least, this is the set up we'll have, and then once you decide to join me in my room, if you do, we'll switch this room into the closet and boudoir again. It was meant as a lady's sitting room, so it wasn't hard to convert for our purposes. For now.”
She raised Ella's hand up, and kissed the back of it. “May I sit in here with you, or would you like some time alone?”
Novella was quiet, listening. She watched Sari as the older woman was shooed away, and then her gaze resumed wandering. This house would be decorated to suit her; to suit them. She'd never had any room to decorate at home; and in the academy it wasn't allowed. They were raising soldiers, not indepdent beings.
"Smart," she commented as Kaczor explained why she took the front of the house, nodding as she was shown to her room; the explanation made her grin. It'd been something else once, before being repurposed for her. That was... endearing, if she was being honest. And upon a quick glance it looked as if it matched Kaczor's room almost to a T.
As it were, her wife-to-be would see that she had nothing of value to wear in just moments. Ella moved towards her single trunk of things, and undid the latch. Pleased that no-one had gone through her things.
She claimed the first bundle of clothing in her arms, and left the trunk open as she slipped past her fiancee to dress in the bathroom.
She made the decision to stay, exaggerated falling onto the sofa and sighing, a hand thrown over her face to cover her eyes. “I suppose you have to put up with me then, for I shall stay. Besides there's something so coquettish in your being shy to change in front of me. I have had my tongue two inches deep inside you already.”
Kaczor was a tease, a confident tease, but she had a right to that confidence. “Don't tell me you've tired of me already, I may pout.” Her eyes swept up to the ceiling, so that she wasn't tempted to look into the bathroom. Even though she was certain that door was going to shut closed in a moment. “Do you have any ideas yet? It's so dark and drab isn't it? We need some more light in here, and done with all this black. It shows so much dust. How garrish.”
She sniffed quietly as she put her feet up on the coffee table, stretching some as she got comfortable, surely Ella would change a few times before settling on something, Kaczor knew she did, so she assumed Ella would be the same. “Maybe a light blue for the foyer, and a pale green for this upstairs hallway. I like green. Oh, and then we can keep the dark green for the library then.”
She talked to talk, wanting to hear Ella's replies, to learn more about her opinions on things. Especially if they were going to make a go of this. And Kaczor was pleased about that, her heart racing a little with the thought. Everyone else has been superficial and vain almost immediately, assuming that her old money status came with bottomless pockets and the right to treat everyone else as lessors.
True, as a mage she sat at the top of the chain, but she would play the game only for show. For now.
The door was open for a moment, and Ella flushed and shut it quickly. Her back pressed to the door, she called, "Are you saying you'd change in front of me, then?" She took off the fancier dress, and all of its many layers, before pulling the simple servant's slip on. Much more comfortable, though certainly simple. Clean, and patched with care.
Ella fiddled with her hair at the sink, for just a moment before she was out of the bathroom, "Green is nice but if we have a lot of plants indoors, green will blend and take away from the plants natural beauty." She supplied, settling on the coffee table, idly tugging at the fabric of Kac's pants.
"But blue or yellow would look nice, with plants." Ella didn't know much about design, but she had learned color theory as part of her service. Colors made people feel different things; when choosing outfits on a mission the color of the outfit was sometimes the most important factor. The wrong color would ruin the play.
“Oh darling, if you wanted to see me naked, you need only ask.” Kaczor quipped back, grinning. “I think you would be more than appreciative of my naked form, just say the word and I am yours, Ella dear.” She watched as Ella joined her back at the sitting area, tugging at her pant leg. Her dark eyes took on the other woman, and her dress. Simple, well worn and repaired several times, just like Sari had told her when bringing the trunks in. Of course Kaczor had the items searched before bringing them into her house. Their home. She wanted to make sure that bastard of a sperm donor hadn't slipped some sort of cursed object into the things.
That and she had a report of what she needed to buy to supplement out Ella's wardrobe, all the under garments and foundations and regular *clothes* the other woman would need. Kac's hand gently went to take Ella's, tugging her over to the couch with her. “Come lay with me for a bit, please?”
“I'd like to hold you if you'd allow it. Nothing more, just, some simple physical affection before I have to go share you with the world again.” Kaczor sunk down into the couch and held her arms open – of course the only place for Ella to lay would be right on top of her, and Kazcor grinned mischievously. “I like blue. The color of the sky? So it looks more like the outdoors inside? And then would you want a dark blue for an accent wall.. or each wall a different shade of blue?”
"You are arrogant, Kaczor Tilani," she huffed, though there was a slight grin on her mouth, as she was pulled to the couch. She stood, watching the other woman situate herself. And then, with careful movements, she settled into her fiancee's arms.
Adjusted herself with care, until she lay flush with the other woman's body. Her arms settled across Kac's chest, underneath her chin, so that she could easily study the others face. "You don't like to share, do you?" She was enjoying learning more about what made the woman tick. What she did or did not like...
"Well, we could have someone paint the walls of each room, maybe one wall has a scene..." She hummed, thinking about how much her fiancee enjoyed art. It felt like it'd be a good idea.
She didn't know if she liked that idea; she's certainly never encountered a home with scenes drawn with paint across the walls. But she was too busy trying to find what Kaczor would like; what would appease the woman... No thoughts of what she'd like; she didn't know.
After a moment of quiet, Ella's cheek flush to the other's chest, as she'd adjusted how she lay, she inquired: "Will my father be at our wedding?"
“Yes, I am, but with good reason. I had to be the best. Now, I am one of the best, and arrogance suits me. Do you not agree? I think you like my arrogant side.” She teased gently as she went to put her hands on Ella's lower back, rubbing gentle circles there with a feather light touch, as she snuck a kiss to her forehead. “If you don’t like me being so arrogant, perhaps you’ll do well to tone me down some, I hear that wives are good for that sort of thing.. Making their spouses better people through gentle reassurance and guidance.” She chuckled. “I assure you though, I am a fully functioning adult, even without the household staff.”
“No, I really don’t like to share. I have, never liked the idea of having to “be good and let someone else use the thing”. Not that you’re a thing, or a slave, or anything of the sort, but as a child the idea of being “nice” and having to hand over something because someone else wants it, is frankly, silly. If it was my brother, yes, I would share my toys, but a child from another house hold come into my home, and say “I want this thing of yours”, absolutely not. They shouldn’t be asking for something that isn't offered, and I will not offer something up that I do not want to share.” Her hand gently moved from the top of the swell of Ella’s buttock, to mid-back, never venturing lower or higher, simply in an area that she would lay a hand to shield her if they had been out walking. “Life very rarely is fair, and the idea of having to share something because someone else throws a tantrum about it is so ridiculous to me.”
Her eyes flicked down to where Ella’s cheek laid near her heart, and she wondered if she could feel the magic that was the permanent glamor for her chest. No one had in the past, but, she always worried. Having that glamor had been so freeing for her, had made right something that the Maker had gotten wrong with her, but thankfully magic could set it right. “Our children will not have to share if they do not want to. They will be taught that it’s noble to do so, but that it’s not required of them to part from something of their own, because another child wants what they have.” She thought a moment about Ella’s question, after her heart stopped beating so fast in her chest, her arms gently closing around Ella, hugging her loosely. She always wanted to make sure that if Ella didn’t like something she was doing, that she could say no, or move to escape. “Do you want him there? I’m not afraid of the scandal of barring him and the rest of your family entrance to the event, if you would wish it.”
Ella rolled her eyes, "I do not think I'll be the sort of spouse to nag." She did enjoy the arrogance, though she'd not admit it. She was used to arrogance, used to prideful nature. "Hm, I never learned to share, nor to have such a strong opinion on the topic of sharing. It was a joke, Lady." Her response was lazily stated after Kaczor had finished speaking on the topic.
"Mmm, not particularly. But if he is not there, I cannot see the look on his face when I wed you. I quite believe he wanted you to toss me out, run me off." She mused, nuzzling against the other's chest.
"As for our hypothetical children—we can avoid sharing by simply providing one of each thing for each child." She shrugged into the other woman's hold, as if it were nothing of consequence. "Certainly we can afford it." Her younger siblings had squabbled often, but that had never been her life.
"Mhm, if we stay here too much longer, I might fall asleep. Up. up." She insisted, though she made no move to push herself upright.
“Oh it wouldn’t be nagging, my dear beautiful creature, you. It would be reigning in!” She chuckled and then gently kissed Ella’s forehead again. “And you are quite right, we can well afford to give any of our children anything they want, though, I won’t have someone accuse me of spoiling them. Nor will I have them fighting amongst themselves for our attention. Remember, I want them to be loved, and raised by us.” Her eyes closed to narrow slits as she too felt the edge of sleep creep up over her. “We could nap all day, and say to hell with the rest of the world.”
But before too long she was stirring, knowing that they had a lot to get done today, and that they’d need to make sure they had their wedding by the end of the week like they had told their respective parents. “Oh you’re right, I would have to miss him having a literal fit in front of everyone in society about it. We’ll humiliate him by seating him back with lesser relations for the reception, and we can have my brother, or my father walk you down the aisle if you don’t want him to do it. Honestly it might be better for my father or brother, I might want to punch your father in the face with a fireball if he utters a single word to me after his temper tantrum yesterday.”
She sat up, and then hooking her arms under Ella’s hips to keep her stable, stood up from the couch, before turning and setting her fiance back down on the couch, and walking through the bathroom to her own room and wardrobe, pulling off clothing as she went. “I’m going to change to something fresh for town, you’re more than welcome to watch.” She stopped on the edge of the doorway and turned and winked, before vanishing through to grab a different robe and set of trousers.
A nice silence fell over them, at least until Kaczor stirred. "Let me... let me talk to an old teacher of mine. About walking me down the aisle. Your brother can be backup." Because there was no promise that something wouldn't come up, if she sent a missive to her old Commander. He had more important things to do, than walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
But she'd still ask. She'd spent more time in the care of the military than her own family, it was only right to extend the offer.
And then, Ella was being lifted as if she weighed nothing, and placed back on the couch. Dark eyes wandered over her fiancee's form, as she watched her go, cheeks flushed.
She doesn't watch, instead she busied herself rummaging through the old trunk, taking her time. She was searching for an old, ratty stuffed dragon, taking inventory of the items the servants had brought for her. She didn't have much but some of the things meant more to her than others. Like the toy, one of the only ones remaining from her mother's time.
“Of course, let me know and I'll make sure that the message is curried over and handed directly to your commander.” It felt important, to Kaczor, that if Ella would mention the man, that this person probably was her real father. Not real in the sense that he had been part of the act that created her life, but the man who had been there and raised her outside of the abuse her blood family had done her. “I may not be able to throw money around the military, like I am in civilian life, but if this is important to you, I'll make sure the note goes straight to his hands.”
Along with a note from her, begging the man to come, if not to give away her bride, at least to be there to witness the ceremony, for Ella's sake. In the future, Kaczor might regret that, but now, in the moment, it was the first time Kaczor had heard her voice an actual want, and so she would try everything in her power to make it happen.
Once she was in different trousers and dressed so that one couldn't tell from the outline of the draped fabric that she kept her external sexual organs, she started back through the bathroom and back into Ella's room, pulling her robe on as she walked, it was only half way up her arms as she appeared back in the door way, and she fussed a little on having it drape the right way before folding the edges over her chest and tying them in place. “Do you want to take something light with us, to stop in the public gardens for a lunch, or would you like to eat here before we go?”
Being seen together, in society, was a good idea. And as much as Kaczor didn't want to share yet, she knew that image was everything.
Ella tilted her head, smiling at how quickly her fiancee promised to give her what she wanted. If Kaczor wasn't careful, she'd spoil the poor girl. "Thank you." By the time Kaczor left the bathroom, Ella had sat the ratty toy on the end of her bed, and was hanging up her clothes. She lingered on one of the nicer dresses, before hanging it carefully next to the rest.
"The gardens sound nice." She needed to make sure people saw them together; there would be talk about how quickly the wedding was taking place. Even more talk if her father spread rumors about what he had witnessed. She didn't particularly mind rumors, but she would not be made a fool of by not taking steps to present herself as in-love and smitten as Kaczor presented herself.
A strange concept. But it'd spare their reputation. Novella shut the almost empty trunk, and appraised the room; empty of her things save for the clothes she'd hung up and the toy on the bed. "You can give me part of a tour while we wait for our picnic basket." She suggested, sticking to the schedule that had been laid before her.
A change of clothes, a tour, and then to town.
“Of course. Not too much more to the town home, not here at least. Just the small back gardens and then the library and sitting rooms. And then Sari, her husband. And Benson and his wife live in the attic. The kitchens are down in the basement area, as well as the laundry. We'll have to look at turning this room into a nursery some day, I suppose.” She moved back over to the couch once her robe was tied closed and held a hand down to Ella, to help her up.
“We'll get the textiles done quickly then, so we can enjoy lunch in the park. And then we can decide what to do there after then?” She wanted Ellla to have the choice on if they came home and napped, or went for an early dinner or something else after. She didn't want the other woman overwhelmed on her first full day away from her family.
“Maybe you'll let me tempt you into joining me in the shower?” She grinned, her eyebrows going up and down a little as she giggled some. “Too soon, hm?”
Ella listened, studying the room. "All of our children can't sleep in one room." She stated it as if it were the most simple fact in the world. An outstretched hand, to pull her up off the couch, accepted easily. It was getting easier to take Kaczor's hand; as if she was learning to expect that touch, to want that touch.
Perhaps she was.
"How many rooms are there?" The home wasn't as large as the family manor, but she could only assume that once Kaczor's parents wanted a smaller dwelling, they would move into the manor instead.
And then Kac was making jokes, and Ella's cheeks flushed. "Maybe." Give the other woman a bit of hope; that there was a world in which Ella might say yes to seeing her nude. Ella was hiding under a guise of shyness, to avoid showing off her own body; scars she didn't want to answer about.
"Come on," she rolled her eyes, and tugged her fiancee's hand. "You promised me a day on the town."
Kaczor stuttered a tiny bit in surprise at Ella's gentle teasing back. “Right you are, I suppose that after the first we'll need to find a larger manor house instead of the town home, and let my brother or parents take this one over.”
She couldn't help but smile, as she pulled Ella up into a small hug, before moving towards the door for them to head down the stairs, her fingers lacing with the other woman's as she went. “The two bedrooms with the bathroom between them, on this floor, the third floor is the library and study, the fourth, the attic of course, then below us, the dining and sitting rooms, both formal and family, then the basement is the kitchen, staff bathroom, and butler's pantry from where he can direct the household appropriately. There are two other girls, not related to our slaves, thar come in and wash dishes and clean out the fireplaces make the beds, but they're an enterprising set of girls who work all the town houses on this avenue. Elves. I think. Never looked close enough to be honest. They're un-intetesting.” And two of her contacts in the burgeoning movement to replace the mageocracy and slaves with free peoples able to govern themselves, not that Kaczor would know anything about that.
She counted on her fingers, “So thirteen rooms, if you count the slave's rooms, I don't go in there, Benson keeps everything in order in those areas.” She found herself at the bottom of the stair case, thinking. “But if you wanted to take that over, as Lady of the House, we'll make that arrangement.” She pulled a cord on the wall, a bell ringing somewhere below them, before Benson showed there in the foyer. “Ahh, just the man, have Sari pack up our lunch in a basket while I show Lady Ella the formal dining and sitting rooms. We'll be taking luncheon in the park. Send our tent and set up ahead if you would, Benson.”
She waved a hand at the butler, as she went to pull Ella along to the formal sitting room. “And the first room I want to pull the drapes and lay you out in the middle of for my tongue to feast upon your skin.”
Ella leaned into the hug, humming questioningly. "The butler lives in... a food pantry?" She frowned at the idea, clearly confused. That was the only thing that honestly confused her, and the non-slaves coming and going weren't strange either. Plenty of women born of lesser means or freed slaves worked entire blocks of homes to make ends meet. Some owners even lent their slaves out that way, too, to bring in more income.
She was pulled to the formal sitting room, and Ella grinned, leaning into Kaczor. "You wanna eat me in more than just this one room?" The implication was that there were multiple rooms in which Kaczor wanted her laid out. And she eyed the furniture.
"What if someone walked in?" She inquired, tilting her head back to study her wife.
“I'm not sure if he lives down there, or upstairs, I just know he's in that room a lot.” She laughs gently as she turned and pulled Ella to her, humming. “This one, the library, the study, the bedrooms.. and if someone walks in, all the more delicious you'll taste.”
She gently started to waltz them around the room. “We clear thus room of the furniture when we host parties, for dancing.” She led the dance, slowing some as they came towards the door that lead to the formal dining room. “We'll be expected to make friends with couples our age, and host parties. We have a longer standing name, so it'll fall to us for these things, hosting.” She hated the idea of imposing society on Ella after being so recently freed from her father’s household, but things would be expected of them, and they needed to put on a good show of it, so they could make her father look insane in the process.
They were just two young people, who were falling in love with one another, and they would play their parts. And hopefully one day, Ella could know Kaczor’s secret, but for now, the woman kept herself hidden behind the bravado, and flirtatious masks, that had been her personality since fourteen. “Any other rooms you’d like to add to the list of where I’ll eventually have you sitting on my face in?”
Ella's cheeks stayed flushed, "It would seem that you've an enjoyment for being watched," she raised her eyebrows, wondering if she was correct in her assumption. Though was it truly an assumption if Kaczor all-but said it?
It pleased Ella, that she was pinning down some of her fiancee's proclivities, before the other woman could pin down hers.
"Oh?" She was led in a waltz, though not a full one, as Kac explained what the room was used for when hosting. "...friends?" She scrunched her nose, "I suppose if we must." She didn't sound excited at the idea of parties; events; people in her home.
Perhaps, someday, she'd ask for a home that was just for them.
Ella's giggle was quiet, as she leaned to whisper, "The gardens might be fun." If her spouse-to-be enjoyed the thrill that they might be caught, she'd play into that. "Though, I'd imagine we'd need to lay out a blanket, lest you get off the ground covered in stains."
If she was bothered that she's not been asked to reciporcate, it doesn't show. She's tactful in her avoidance, hiding under her shyness, which is very much real.
“Minx! What will the neighbors think, looking out into the back garden and you on the buffet table, legs spread, thighs open wide and my tongue rapidly flickering against your little clit, so swollen and red from where my teeth and lips back nips and suckled at it?” She laughed gently, and then pulls her into the dining room.
“Why look, there’s a table right here, would you like to lay back and allow me to demonstrate?” There was a playful, wicked look in her eyes, as if she was close to taking Ella to the table and making good on the offer, “After all, you didn’t wake up this morning crying my name.. And I did promise after all.” Her arrogance knew no bounds as she leaned down, lips close to Ella’s. “Maker, Ella, may I kiss you?”
Her breathe held as she waited for the answer, gently back her to be against the wall. She wanted nothing more than to spend time getting more and more lost in the woman in front of her. “And maybe after a kiss, I can show you how I like to be touched, you are right, I very, very much enjoy being watched and told what to do by beautiful women, and I have a a gorgeous specimen here in front of me, that I think, with a little practice, could come uo with so many delightfully wicked things to tell me to do to myself, as her eyes drink down the sight of just how much my body will respond to her commands..”
“So about that kiss?”
“Master Tilani, your picnic basket is ready, and the carriage is outside, at your leisure.”
“Damned.. Thank you Benson!”
Ella flushed, averting her gaze as her fiancee teased her. The table in the dining room was indicated, and she shook her head, laughing. And when Kaczor leaned for a kiss, Ella was distracted by more dirty talk—
The idea that she, of all people, could get such a reaction from this woman... Was astounding. She was just Ella. And yet, she licked her lips and exhaled sharply when the butler interrupted them.
"Benson's just rescued our day out. Ahem. Yes, you may kiss me." She cleared her throat, but clearly, every word Kac had said was going to live in her head rent-free for the rest of the day.
Kaczor chuckled gently as she captured her to be’s lips in a gentle kiss, taking her time to feed from the pout, before placing a tender kiss in the middle of Ella’s forehead. “So he did. So he did. And blocked me from feasting down every last bit of you. Come, we’ll finish the tour later, and I’ll make sure we save the library for last, there is a nice couch in there that would hold us both nicely for a bit of a cuddle before we end our day. But, to get there, we have some shopping, and a picnic to do.”
She took Ella’s hand, slotting her fingers with the other woman’s and heading back towards the Foyer. “We almost finished the main floor though! Curse me and my inability to not want to devour you whole every waking moment of the day.” She winked, as she stopped at the doorway, gathering her walking coat, and then taking one of her other coats from a peg, held it to help Ella into it. “I hope you don’t mind, I had this one pulled from my closet for you, for today, I noticed you didn’t have a walking coat in your clothes as you put them away this morning.”
Ella grinned as they kissed, trailing after Kaczor. She was a delight, even as arrogant as she acted. "Oh," she murmured, studying the coat as she was helped into it. "This is... really nice. Thank you." She murmured, tilting her head back to study the other woman, thoughtfully.
It doesn't bother her, that she's having to borrow a coat. But perhaps it should. "So... shopping, picnic, then the library." She bit her lip, tugging at the fabric of the coat. "What are we shopping for, first?"
“Let me see?” She asked as she peered around, and then went to make sure that the fabric draped just right on Ella’s smaller frame. “Stunning, I like this better on you than I ever did on me.” She can’t help the small little grin she has as she drinks down the sight of her intended. Oh, Kaczor was going to be in trouble. The woman needed to be dressed, and Kaczor was going to love having a variety of dresses and robes made for her intended. “Textiles, we need new sheets, blankets, curtains, towels, and clothing for you, dearest. All in colors we both like, instead of the dark drab this place currently is. I think we both agreed on blues earlier.”
"Heh, you don't… don't mean that," she shook her head, giggling quietly, thrilled about the compliment even if she was having trouble believing it. And then she was receiving a list of things they'd look into purchasing, and she nodded slowly. Surprised that clothing was on the list; but she doesn't argue.
"Sounds like a busy day," she grinned, and tugged her fiancee's hand. "We should get started."
“Oh but I do, my darling.” She breathed as she leaned down and tucked her face into her intended neck, gently nipping the skin there with her lips before pressing a little kiss over the nibble. “Remember, I may not be nice, but I am honest. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.” She gave another little kiss before rising up to her full height again and tugging the edges of Ella's walking coat together, fastening the button and then smoothing the fabric over her shoulders.
“I think Im going to enjoy dressing you and much as I enjoy tearing clothes off you.” She grinned at the tug, as she opened the foot and took them down the stairs to the waiting carriage, standing at the step to help Ella inside. “Of course, my dear, you are right.”
"You always think about sex?" She inquired, as she was led downstairs. Once in the carriage, she clasped her hands on her lap, and studied the woman she was to wed.
The young woman let her gaze wander over the window, taking in the view of the world going by as the carriage went down the street. "You're quite intriguing, Lady Tilani." She grinned and settled next to her, snug against the other's side.
“I always think about sex with you, darling, don’t forget it’s you that has me panting and following you around like a hound.” She wrapped her arms around the other woman as she leaned in, nuzzling her face into the side of her neck and gently kissing the tender skin there. “And you Lady Tilani, are absolutely bewitching. I can’t wait to have you again.”
She chuckled lowly as she hooked her chin over her intended’s shoulder, watching the street out the window. “That’s a good place, I want to take you to dinner there, and then there, we’ll stop for flowers there, they have my favorite black dahlias there. I like setting a vase of those in the foyer, with red and white roses.” She leaned back, but still kept her arms around Ella, a finger gently drawing circles on her thigh as she pointed out places with the other. “And there, we can go and have books commissioned if you want one. And there, that’s the studio I’ll have us go sit at to have our family portrait painted once we’re married. I promise not to have it be a naked painting, unless you want to have a risque painting done. I would like to have your “O” face as a painting I could look at any time I like.” She teased, smiling gently, as she watched her intended’s expression in the glass of the carriage window. “We could even pull the blinds now, you know, here in the middle of the city, I could have my fingers deep inside her and no one would ever know..” She laughed gently before pressing a small kiss over to the other’s cheek. “But we have chores to attend to, even if I find it hard to keep my hands off you, my darling.”
Ella giggled softly, as her betrothed settled her chin against her shoulder, watching the world go past them. She listened, as all of these places were pointed out... "Black dahlias? Those sound... different." She scrunched her nose in thought; trying to envision a black dahlia. It was either beautiful, or quite... ugly. She couldn't know until she's seen it in person.
Talk turned towards commissioning books, and the art studio, and she flushed at the idea of having a risque painting done. "How... how would the artist know what face I make, when I orgasm?" Her blush only deepened when Kaczor pointed out they could pull the blinds. "Mmm, chores first. C... chores." She stammered, palms cupping her own cheeks as if that might help relieve her blush.
“Well darling, I’d have to be there, maybe with a queening seat, and make sure you make it several times for the artist to capture it correctly. Perhaps we’ll get you a queening seat for the house too, while we’re at it. Yes I like the idea of that. I’m going to commission one made of the most highly polished wood possible with a nice silk cushion..” She grinned. “Yes, of course, Darling. Chores first before I debauch you even more. Is there somewhere particular you’ve never been that you’d like to go to? Don’t let me decide the whole itinerary, we can stop the carriage anywhere you like.
And she would dream about the queening seat later – she already knew where to commission it – they had made a few pieces for her in the past. And she’d keep the secret of what said chair was from her intended as long as possible. A wedding gift. Yes, she would have it be the wedding gift. If her wife didn’t go running once she felt the press of Kaczor’s morning erection against her ass the first time they slept in together the whole night. She really needed to get around to telling her intended about that part of her anatomy soon. “You’re so red, dearest, shall I keep whispering naughty suggestions to you, or give you a little respite for the rest of the morning hours?”
Ella didn't know what sort of chair that might be; but the implication was something used during sex, and she inhaled quietly. "I swear, you're going to cause me to overheat," she pressed her forehead to the window of the carriage, the glass cool against her hot skin.
"Could... do you know Madam de-Solar's seamstress shop?" It was one of the more expensive seamstress shops; her half-sisters had shopped there, and the clothing had always looked delightful. "Mmmmm," she shook her head, "Respite, please. You can't take me to a seamstress if I've soaked myself," she murmured, tilting her head back from the window to eye the woman.
She whispered a small spell and placed a cooling charm on her hands, and then cupped Ella’s cheeks, using them to keep those cheeks from turning redder. “I have been known to do that before, I’ll be more careful with my words then, my darling. No more soaked unmentionables, thought you could lose them. I’m pretty certain the seamstress wouldn’t even blink.” She chuckled as she slid her hands down to the sides of her intended’s neck, knowing having the chill on her pulse points would help cool her back down.
“You mean Camille? Camille has designed all my suits lately, of course we’ll go see Camille if you want clothing from there. I was going to take you up to Donnie, at Le Clar’s, but if several de Solar originals is what you want, then that’s what we’ll get. Donnie will just have to stick as my mother’s tailor for now.” She booped a finger on the tip of the other woman’s nose and then pulled her closed again, a cool hand on her forehead and the other open and waiting for one of her hands. “Let’s talk rings, do you want something traditional, gold, or would you like something more modern with jewels set in it? I prefer something traditional, and then maybe.. Have a tiara made for your wedding veil that we can then turn into a necklace. They have a rather ingenious way of doing it, we’ll do the jewelers this week too, so you can take a look at some. And having the necklace tiara combo, means you get more mileage out of a custom piece.”
"Mmm," she sniffled, leaning into the woman's cooled touch, giggling when her nose was booped. Her hands settled into Kaczor's one free one, as she rested against the other's chest. Talk turned to rings, and tiaras, and she furrowed her brow.
"Traditional sounds nice," and easy. She was studying her fiancee, in awe, at the idea to turn a tiara into a necklace. "Will... you make my tiara?" She doesn't mean literally, of course, but rather, design it. The idea that someone she's just met would put this much care into their wedding…
It was almost endearing.
“Do you want me to design it or would you like to design it?” She asked, pausing as she looked down into the other woman’s face. She was cute. Very cute. If she wasn’t careful she might actually end up falling in love with the woman. Not that anything would be wrong with that. A lot of arranged marriages started out with people learning to be friends first, and then becoming lovers, and then ultimately, in love. She could wait. She was hopeful that maybe the woman was actually the one that would be that for her.
“You’ll have to tell me what sort of gems you like, otherwise I’m going to have you in a lot of purple and gold.”
"You should." She murmured, shaking her head. "Nuh-huh. I wanna see what gems remind you of me." A challenge, and definitely not Ella running away from making decisions about things she's never even briefly considered about herself.
Favorite gems? She's never owned anything with a gem. Favorite colors? She had never spent time studying herself in-depth; her life belonged to her country, not to herself. She could become whoever she was told to become.
“Hah, so you very much are setting me out a challenge right away, is that it, little minx?” She playfully kissed the other woman then, taking a few moments for the kiss to linger, before she reached up and knocked on the roof as they neared the seamstress’ store. She sighed, as she broke the kiss, a small grin on her face. “Damn these chores.”
But as they drew to a stop, she was out the carriage first and down the step to turn and hold a hand back for Ella to take, and the look on her face. If they hadn’t had things that needed to get done, oh, Kaczor would have spent the day between Ella’s legs and not come up to breathe except when she was certain her intended was too over stimulated to be pleasurable any more. The woman positively was besotted with her intended.
Ella grinned into the kiss, "I'm very excited to see the fabrics." She stated, as she was helped out of the carriage. It's the first time she's openly been enthused about something; and once her feet are on the ground, she eagerly tugged her betrothed's hand.
Kaczor allowed herself to be pulled along, the happiest grin across her face as they went. It was no huge secret that Kaczor loved Camille’s designs, and so she was happy that her wife had chosen someone she was comfortable being around. Camille had fitted Kaczor many times in his past, and knew her preferences for looser trousers for a reason. So when they went into the store, and she gave a nod to the woman, to come over, she was happy to finally introduce her to someone that was important to Kaczor. “Cammy, this is Lady Ella Tiliani, as of this Friday, would you be so kind as to help her with a wardrobe. No expense too great, any fabric, style, no many how many slaves you have to have working over time for it, we need a great deal of daily wear, some formal, and… Ella my darling, would you like Cammy to be the one to do your bridal wear too?”
While her tone with the propritoress was cordial, it was positively charming for Ella, it was obvious that the two women were in two very different categories in Kaczor’s eyes. Ella far outranked the other woman, even if she was polite and what would appear to be a superficial level of charming. Ella had her heart though, it was already obvious.
What she had not prepared for, was Kaczor Tilani. The woman was a force of nature; she didn't act quite as feminine as expected, nor did she act terribly masculine. An enigma… and this became even more true when Ella thought about how nice the other woman was to her.
They had breakfast with Kac's family, and departed around noon for the townhome. Ella needed something new to wear; so that she wasn't walking around in the exact same thing from yesterday. Though, she knew nothing in her chest would be up-to-par. She was wearing the nicest dress she owned (and it was loaned to her).
Vaguely, she wondered how she'd return it. Or if she should. The carriage ride was quiet, Ella gazed out the window memorizing the landscape. And taking in the home that was to be her new home; not as extravagant as the manor, but certainly nice. She found herself quietly grateful that it wasn't as noticeable as the manor.
She fit in better here.
Even if she fit in better as a servant than the Lady of the house.
Lost in her thoughts, she got out of the carriage on autopilot, fingers twined with Kaczor's.
This is… home?Her gaze swept away from the building, upwards to find her fiancee's face.
It's… much more humble, than the manor.
The morning had gone well, very well, in Kac's mind. Breakfast had been a nice affair, only their immediate family and Ella, so much more manageable for both her, and Ella, after a day that was filled with both up and down emotions, a quiet morning had been in order for them both.
The carriage ride over had been easy, not many were out before noon in this part of the city, except for messengers and servants. Kac knew at some point, Ella was going to ask about their own house staff, why Kaczor treated them the way she did. It was just one more conversation she'd have to approach when, well, they knew one another much much better.
“Yes, it's home. Ours. So let's make it exactly what we want it to be, from the start.” She smiled over to the other woman, nodding once. “Benson and Sari are already here, so you'll have familiar faces from the start.” She paused, looking over what her to be wife was wearing today. “Would you like to go to the tailors and mercantile shops today, start in on getting this place how you want it?”
Oh. I can, uhm, change.She offered, flushing. The dress she had on currently was much too fancy if they were going to visit shops. It'd draw too much attention to her.
And then she nodded,
But... I think that sounds good.She was. Not. Panicking. Not at all, panicking at the idea of having to make decisions about this house. Decisions—
Choices? Her? She was used to someone deciding for her. But she wasn't going to show any of that panic. Perhaps it'd be easier than she thought...
She flashed a shy smile to the Tilani woman, and tugged her hand.
Will you give me a tour?
“Do you want to change> Of course you can change, and we’ll do a tour first, yes.” Her smile tugged back to her lips, as she let her eyes settle on the touch, her heart fluttering gently in her chest at that. It was easier for her to let Ella touch her, instead of constantly being scared of seeing her shut down like that again, confused and not sure why. Kaczor was going to make sure that didn’t happen again, she decided, as she turned her hand over in her wife’s hand, spreading her fingers a part and offering her hand to hold.
“We’ll start in the main part of the house, and then we’ll do the grounds. I’ll try not to maul you in the gazebo this time, unless you want it.” Kaczor did like to tease her though, to see the red of Ella’s cheeks, that flush something that pleased her to no end. “And we can take as much, or as little time as you want in each place, looking things over and figuring out what to do with the place. I like darker colors, of course, old family and all, nothing ever looks new even if it is new. But darker colors make the place feel so dark and small, bad for my plants.”
The carriage arrived at the house and she moved to step out first, and then hold a hand out for Ella, to help her down the step and to the neatly graveled drive, into the neatly manicured front garden – small of course, as the bulk of the “outdoor” space would be to the back, and in to the front door and it’s large open foyer. “Welcome home, Lady Tilani,” Kaczor told her, when her wife’s feet hit the ground.
Kaczor was an accommodating partner; something that Ella was never able to forget. She was used to being a shadow; someone forgotten despite being in full view. And to her wife-to-be... she was everything. And that was alarming to someone so used to disappearing into shadow at an instances notice.
Ella's fingers slipped into the proffered hand, and she smiled and nodded in agreement. She would change first, and then she'd get to see this home that they would share. She remained seated, patiently waiting for Kaczor to play her role; she would open the door, offer a hand, and help her from the carriage just as she had first helped her into it.
Cheeks flushed, she murmured, "I'm not your Lady just yet, you know." Teasing, as she squeezed the other's hand in her own.
She'd let Kaczor lead her into the home, admiring it quietly. It was nicer than anything her parents owned, less garish, too. She appreciated that quietly.
It was still a new place; and much like when she'd first run into Kaczor, her eyes were wide, she was quiet. Attempting to take in everything. Perhaps she'd feel better once she was in something that wasn't so fancy, she was still half-dolled up.
"Where... will I sleep?" Because her things would be there.
“You're my Lady, already. You've agreed!” She teased gently as she tucked that arm over her own to help escort Ella into the house. There was so much to see inside, and then a tour of the grounds, much smaller than her parents estate, outside the main hubbub of the inner city, but here, the town house, was meant to be smaller. “Until you decide you want otherwise, you're my Lady.”
As they came through, she tutted, and shooed Sari off, “We'll take the meal later, Lady Ella would like to change, and then we're taking an official tour around. Would you be so kind as to hold plates for us for later. You and the rest of the staff eat, please. I'll ring when we're ready for food.” The older woman nodded and then slipped back through the doorway to their right, there in the front entrance. “Unless, you want to eat now, but no, changing! You asked where you's sleep. It's this way, my dear.”
Kaczor lead her over to the stairs, to take her to the second floor. “I take the front of the house, as I like to see who's carriages come by, to decide if I want to answer the door and be “home” or not. The back overlooks the garden, through here, and then the door between the two.” Kazor opened the door into a large bedroom, complete with sitting area, that took up most of the back of the floor, and the same was mirrored on the other, a shared bathing room between them, linked the two rooms. “For now at least, this is the set up we'll have, and then once you decide to join me in my room, if you do, we'll switch this room into the closet and boudoir again. It was meant as a lady's sitting room, so it wasn't hard to convert for our purposes. For now.”
She raised Ella's hand up, and kissed the back of it. “May I sit in here with you, or would you like some time alone?”
Novella was quiet, listening. She watched Sari as the older woman was shooed away, and then her gaze resumed wandering. This house would be decorated to suit her; to suit them. She'd never had any room to decorate at home; and in the academy it wasn't allowed. They were raising soldiers, not indepdent beings.
"Smart," she commented as Kaczor explained why she took the front of the house, nodding as she was shown to her room; the explanation made her grin. It'd been something else once, before being repurposed for her. That was... endearing, if she was being honest. And upon a quick glance it looked as if it matched Kaczor's room almost to a T.
Uhm...She frowned slightly, biting her lip.
You can stay, if you wish.It wasn't an honest answer; she couldn't figure out what Kaczor wanted in that moment, so she didn't sound as confident giving her an answer. In fact, she'd rather switched the choice around. Kaczor could stay if she wanted, or she could go. And that took the choice away from her.
As it were, her wife-to-be would see that she had nothing of value to wear in just moments. Ella moved towards her single trunk of things, and undid the latch. Pleased that no-one had gone through her things.
She claimed the first bundle of clothing in her arms, and left the trunk open as she slipped past her fiancee to dress in the bathroom.
She made the decision to stay, exaggerated falling onto the sofa and sighing, a hand thrown over her face to cover her eyes. “I suppose you have to put up with me then, for I shall stay. Besides there's something so coquettish in your being shy to change in front of me. I have had my tongue two inches deep inside you already.”
Kaczor was a tease, a confident tease, but she had a right to that confidence. “Don't tell me you've tired of me already, I may pout.” Her eyes swept up to the ceiling, so that she wasn't tempted to look into the bathroom. Even though she was certain that door was going to shut closed in a moment. “Do you have any ideas yet? It's so dark and drab isn't it? We need some more light in here, and done with all this black. It shows so much dust. How garrish.”
She sniffed quietly as she put her feet up on the coffee table, stretching some as she got comfortable, surely Ella would change a few times before settling on something, Kaczor knew she did, so she assumed Ella would be the same. “Maybe a light blue for the foyer, and a pale green for this upstairs hallway. I like green. Oh, and then we can keep the dark green for the library then.”
She talked to talk, wanting to hear Ella's replies, to learn more about her opinions on things. Especially if they were going to make a go of this. And Kaczor was pleased about that, her heart racing a little with the thought. Everyone else has been superficial and vain almost immediately, assuming that her old money status came with bottomless pockets and the right to treat everyone else as lessors.
True, as a mage she sat at the top of the chain, but she would play the game only for show. For now.
The door was open for a moment, and Ella flushed and shut it quickly. Her back pressed to the door, she called, "Are you saying you'd change in front of me, then?" She took off the fancier dress, and all of its many layers, before pulling the simple servant's slip on. Much more comfortable, though certainly simple. Clean, and patched with care.
Ella fiddled with her hair at the sink, for just a moment before she was out of the bathroom, "Green is nice but if we have a lot of plants indoors, green will blend and take away from the plants natural beauty." She supplied, settling on the coffee table, idly tugging at the fabric of Kac's pants.
"But blue or yellow would look nice, with plants." Ella didn't know much about design, but she had learned color theory as part of her service. Colors made people feel different things; when choosing outfits on a mission the color of the outfit was sometimes the most important factor. The wrong color would ruin the play.
“Oh darling, if you wanted to see me naked, you need only ask.” Kaczor quipped back, grinning. “I think you would be more than appreciative of my naked form, just say the word and I am yours, Ella dear.” She watched as Ella joined her back at the sitting area, tugging at her pant leg. Her dark eyes took on the other woman, and her dress. Simple, well worn and repaired several times, just like Sari had told her when bringing the trunks in. Of course Kaczor had the items searched before bringing them into her house. Their home. She wanted to make sure that bastard of a sperm donor hadn't slipped some sort of cursed object into the things.
That and she had a report of what she needed to buy to supplement out Ella's wardrobe, all the under garments and foundations and regular *clothes* the other woman would need. Kac's hand gently went to take Ella's, tugging her over to the couch with her. “Come lay with me for a bit, please?”
“I'd like to hold you if you'd allow it. Nothing more, just, some simple physical affection before I have to go share you with the world again.” Kaczor sunk down into the couch and held her arms open – of course the only place for Ella to lay would be right on top of her, and Kazcor grinned mischievously. “I like blue. The color of the sky? So it looks more like the outdoors inside? And then would you want a dark blue for an accent wall.. or each wall a different shade of blue?”
"You are arrogant, Kaczor Tilani," she huffed, though there was a slight grin on her mouth, as she was pulled to the couch. She stood, watching the other woman situate herself. And then, with careful movements, she settled into her fiancee's arms.
Adjusted herself with care, until she lay flush with the other woman's body. Her arms settled across Kac's chest, underneath her chin, so that she could easily study the others face. "You don't like to share, do you?" She was enjoying learning more about what made the woman tick. What she did or did not like...
"Well, we could have someone paint the walls of each room, maybe one wall has a scene..." She hummed, thinking about how much her fiancee enjoyed art. It felt like it'd be a good idea.
She didn't know if she liked that idea; she's certainly never encountered a home with scenes drawn with paint across the walls. But she was too busy trying to find what Kaczor would like; what would appease the woman... No thoughts of what she'd like; she didn't know.
After a moment of quiet, Ella's cheek flush to the other's chest, as she'd adjusted how she lay, she inquired: "Will my father be at our wedding?"
“Yes, I am, but with good reason. I had to be the best. Now, I am one of the best, and arrogance suits me. Do you not agree? I think you like my arrogant side.” She teased gently as she went to put her hands on Ella's lower back, rubbing gentle circles there with a feather light touch, as she snuck a kiss to her forehead. “If you don’t like me being so arrogant, perhaps you’ll do well to tone me down some, I hear that wives are good for that sort of thing.. Making their spouses better people through gentle reassurance and guidance.” She chuckled. “I assure you though, I am a fully functioning adult, even without the household staff.”
“No, I really don’t like to share. I have, never liked the idea of having to “be good and let someone else use the thing”. Not that you’re a thing, or a slave, or anything of the sort, but as a child the idea of being “nice” and having to hand over something because someone else wants it, is frankly, silly. If it was my brother, yes, I would share my toys, but a child from another house hold come into my home, and say “I want this thing of yours”, absolutely not. They shouldn’t be asking for something that isn't offered, and I will not offer something up that I do not want to share.” Her hand gently moved from the top of the swell of Ella’s buttock, to mid-back, never venturing lower or higher, simply in an area that she would lay a hand to shield her if they had been out walking. “Life very rarely is fair, and the idea of having to share something because someone else throws a tantrum about it is so ridiculous to me.”
Her eyes flicked down to where Ella’s cheek laid near her heart, and she wondered if she could feel the magic that was the permanent glamor for her chest. No one had in the past, but, she always worried. Having that glamor had been so freeing for her, had made right something that the Maker had gotten wrong with her, but thankfully magic could set it right. “Our children will not have to share if they do not want to. They will be taught that it’s noble to do so, but that it’s not required of them to part from something of their own, because another child wants what they have.” She thought a moment about Ella’s question, after her heart stopped beating so fast in her chest, her arms gently closing around Ella, hugging her loosely. She always wanted to make sure that if Ella didn’t like something she was doing, that she could say no, or move to escape. “Do you want him there? I’m not afraid of the scandal of barring him and the rest of your family entrance to the event, if you would wish it.”
Ella rolled her eyes, "I do not think I'll be the sort of spouse to nag." She did enjoy the arrogance, though she'd not admit it. She was used to arrogance, used to prideful nature. "Hm, I never learned to share, nor to have such a strong opinion on the topic of sharing. It was a joke, Lady." Her response was lazily stated after Kaczor had finished speaking on the topic.
"Mmm, not particularly. But if he is not there, I cannot see the look on his face when I wed you. I quite believe he wanted you to toss me out, run me off." She mused, nuzzling against the other's chest.
"As for our hypothetical children—we can avoid sharing by simply providing one of each thing for each child." She shrugged into the other woman's hold, as if it were nothing of consequence. "Certainly we can afford it." Her younger siblings had squabbled often, but that had never been her life.
"Mhm, if we stay here too much longer, I might fall asleep. Up. up." She insisted, though she made no move to push herself upright.
“Oh it wouldn’t be nagging, my dear beautiful creature, you. It would be reigning in!” She chuckled and then gently kissed Ella’s forehead again. “And you are quite right, we can well afford to give any of our children anything they want, though, I won’t have someone accuse me of spoiling them. Nor will I have them fighting amongst themselves for our attention. Remember, I want them to be loved, and raised by us.” Her eyes closed to narrow slits as she too felt the edge of sleep creep up over her. “We could nap all day, and say to hell with the rest of the world.”
But before too long she was stirring, knowing that they had a lot to get done today, and that they’d need to make sure they had their wedding by the end of the week like they had told their respective parents. “Oh you’re right, I would have to miss him having a literal fit in front of everyone in society about it. We’ll humiliate him by seating him back with lesser relations for the reception, and we can have my brother, or my father walk you down the aisle if you don’t want him to do it. Honestly it might be better for my father or brother, I might want to punch your father in the face with a fireball if he utters a single word to me after his temper tantrum yesterday.”
She sat up, and then hooking her arms under Ella’s hips to keep her stable, stood up from the couch, before turning and setting her fiance back down on the couch, and walking through the bathroom to her own room and wardrobe, pulling off clothing as she went. “I’m going to change to something fresh for town, you’re more than welcome to watch.” She stopped on the edge of the doorway and turned and winked, before vanishing through to grab a different robe and set of trousers.
A nice silence fell over them, at least until Kaczor stirred. "Let me... let me talk to an old teacher of mine. About walking me down the aisle. Your brother can be backup." Because there was no promise that something wouldn't come up, if she sent a missive to her old Commander. He had more important things to do, than walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
But she'd still ask. She'd spent more time in the care of the military than her own family, it was only right to extend the offer.
And then, Ella was being lifted as if she weighed nothing, and placed back on the couch. Dark eyes wandered over her fiancee's form, as she watched her go, cheeks flushed.
She doesn't watch, instead she busied herself rummaging through the old trunk, taking her time. She was searching for an old, ratty stuffed dragon, taking inventory of the items the servants had brought for her. She didn't have much but some of the things meant more to her than others. Like the toy, one of the only ones remaining from her mother's time.
“Of course, let me know and I'll make sure that the message is curried over and handed directly to your commander.” It felt important, to Kaczor, that if Ella would mention the man, that this person probably was her real father. Not real in the sense that he had been part of the act that created her life, but the man who had been there and raised her outside of the abuse her blood family had done her. “I may not be able to throw money around the military, like I am in civilian life, but if this is important to you, I'll make sure the note goes straight to his hands.”
Along with a note from her, begging the man to come, if not to give away her bride, at least to be there to witness the ceremony, for Ella's sake. In the future, Kaczor might regret that, but now, in the moment, it was the first time Kaczor had heard her voice an actual want, and so she would try everything in her power to make it happen.
Once she was in different trousers and dressed so that one couldn't tell from the outline of the draped fabric that she kept her external sexual organs, she started back through the bathroom and back into Ella's room, pulling her robe on as she walked, it was only half way up her arms as she appeared back in the door way, and she fussed a little on having it drape the right way before folding the edges over her chest and tying them in place. “Do you want to take something light with us, to stop in the public gardens for a lunch, or would you like to eat here before we go?”
Being seen together, in society, was a good idea. And as much as Kaczor didn't want to share yet, she knew that image was everything.
Ella tilted her head, smiling at how quickly her fiancee promised to give her what she wanted. If Kaczor wasn't careful, she'd spoil the poor girl. "Thank you." By the time Kaczor left the bathroom, Ella had sat the ratty toy on the end of her bed, and was hanging up her clothes. She lingered on one of the nicer dresses, before hanging it carefully next to the rest.
"The gardens sound nice." She needed to make sure people saw them together; there would be talk about how quickly the wedding was taking place. Even more talk if her father spread rumors about what he had witnessed. She didn't particularly mind rumors, but she would not be made a fool of by not taking steps to present herself as in-love and smitten as Kaczor presented herself.
A strange concept. But it'd spare their reputation. Novella shut the almost empty trunk, and appraised the room; empty of her things save for the clothes she'd hung up and the toy on the bed. "You can give me part of a tour while we wait for our picnic basket." She suggested, sticking to the schedule that had been laid before her.
A change of clothes, a tour, and then to town.
“Of course. Not too much more to the town home, not here at least. Just the small back gardens and then the library and sitting rooms. And then Sari, her husband. And Benson and his wife live in the attic. The kitchens are down in the basement area, as well as the laundry. We'll have to look at turning this room into a nursery some day, I suppose.” She moved back over to the couch once her robe was tied closed and held a hand down to Ella, to help her up.
“We'll get the textiles done quickly then, so we can enjoy lunch in the park. And then we can decide what to do there after then?” She wanted Ellla to have the choice on if they came home and napped, or went for an early dinner or something else after. She didn't want the other woman overwhelmed on her first full day away from her family.
“Maybe you'll let me tempt you into joining me in the shower?” She grinned, her eyebrows going up and down a little as she giggled some. “Too soon, hm?”
Ella listened, studying the room. "All of our children can't sleep in one room." She stated it as if it were the most simple fact in the world. An outstretched hand, to pull her up off the couch, accepted easily. It was getting easier to take Kaczor's hand; as if she was learning to expect that touch, to want that touch.
Perhaps she was.
"How many rooms are there?" The home wasn't as large as the family manor, but she could only assume that once Kaczor's parents wanted a smaller dwelling, they would move into the manor instead.
And then Kac was making jokes, and Ella's cheeks flushed. "Maybe." Give the other woman a bit of hope; that there was a world in which Ella might say yes to seeing her nude. Ella was hiding under a guise of shyness, to avoid showing off her own body; scars she didn't want to answer about.
"Come on," she rolled her eyes, and tugged her fiancee's hand. "You promised me a day on the town."
Kaczor stuttered a tiny bit in surprise at Ella's gentle teasing back. “Right you are, I suppose that after the first we'll need to find a larger manor house instead of the town home, and let my brother or parents take this one over.”
She couldn't help but smile, as she pulled Ella up into a small hug, before moving towards the door for them to head down the stairs, her fingers lacing with the other woman's as she went. “The two bedrooms with the bathroom between them, on this floor, the third floor is the library and study, the fourth, the attic of course, then below us, the dining and sitting rooms, both formal and family, then the basement is the kitchen, staff bathroom, and butler's pantry from where he can direct the household appropriately. There are two other girls, not related to our slaves, thar come in and wash dishes and clean out the fireplaces make the beds, but they're an enterprising set of girls who work all the town houses on this avenue. Elves. I think. Never looked close enough to be honest. They're un-intetesting.” And two of her contacts in the burgeoning movement to replace the mageocracy and slaves with free peoples able to govern themselves, not that Kaczor would know anything about that.
She counted on her fingers, “So thirteen rooms, if you count the slave's rooms, I don't go in there, Benson keeps everything in order in those areas.” She found herself at the bottom of the stair case, thinking. “But if you wanted to take that over, as Lady of the House, we'll make that arrangement.” She pulled a cord on the wall, a bell ringing somewhere below them, before Benson showed there in the foyer. “Ahh, just the man, have Sari pack up our lunch in a basket while I show Lady Ella the formal dining and sitting rooms. We'll be taking luncheon in the park. Send our tent and set up ahead if you would, Benson.”
She waved a hand at the butler, as she went to pull Ella along to the formal sitting room. “And the first room I want to pull the drapes and lay you out in the middle of for my tongue to feast upon your skin.”
Ella leaned into the hug, humming questioningly. "The butler lives in... a food pantry?" She frowned at the idea, clearly confused. That was the only thing that honestly confused her, and the non-slaves coming and going weren't strange either. Plenty of women born of lesser means or freed slaves worked entire blocks of homes to make ends meet. Some owners even lent their slaves out that way, too, to bring in more income.
She was pulled to the formal sitting room, and Ella grinned, leaning into Kaczor. "You wanna eat me in more than just this one room?" The implication was that there were multiple rooms in which Kaczor wanted her laid out. And she eyed the furniture.
"What if someone walked in?" She inquired, tilting her head back to study her wife.
“I'm not sure if he lives down there, or upstairs, I just know he's in that room a lot.” She laughs gently as she turned and pulled Ella to her, humming. “This one, the library, the study, the bedrooms.. and if someone walks in, all the more delicious you'll taste.”
She gently started to waltz them around the room. “We clear thus room of the furniture when we host parties, for dancing.” She led the dance, slowing some as they came towards the door that lead to the formal dining room. “We'll be expected to make friends with couples our age, and host parties. We have a longer standing name, so it'll fall to us for these things, hosting.” She hated the idea of imposing society on Ella after being so recently freed from her father’s household, but things would be expected of them, and they needed to put on a good show of it, so they could make her father look insane in the process.
They were just two young people, who were falling in love with one another, and they would play their parts. And hopefully one day, Ella could know Kaczor’s secret, but for now, the woman kept herself hidden behind the bravado, and flirtatious masks, that had been her personality since fourteen. “Any other rooms you’d like to add to the list of where I’ll eventually have you sitting on my face in?”
Ella's cheeks stayed flushed, "It would seem that you've an enjoyment for being watched," she raised her eyebrows, wondering if she was correct in her assumption. Though was it truly an assumption if Kaczor all-but said it?
It pleased Ella, that she was pinning down some of her fiancee's proclivities, before the other woman could pin down hers.
"Oh?" She was led in a waltz, though not a full one, as Kac explained what the room was used for when hosting. "...friends?" She scrunched her nose, "I suppose if we must." She didn't sound excited at the idea of parties; events; people in her home.
Perhaps, someday, she'd ask for a home that was just for them.
Ella's giggle was quiet, as she leaned to whisper, "The gardens might be fun." If her spouse-to-be enjoyed the thrill that they might be caught, she'd play into that. "Though, I'd imagine we'd need to lay out a blanket, lest you get off the ground covered in stains."
If she was bothered that she's not been asked to reciporcate, it doesn't show. She's tactful in her avoidance, hiding under her shyness, which is very much real.
“Minx! What will the neighbors think, looking out into the back garden and you on the buffet table, legs spread, thighs open wide and my tongue rapidly flickering against your little clit, so swollen and red from where my teeth and lips back nips and suckled at it?” She laughed gently, and then pulls her into the dining room.
“Why look, there’s a table right here, would you like to lay back and allow me to demonstrate?” There was a playful, wicked look in her eyes, as if she was close to taking Ella to the table and making good on the offer, “After all, you didn’t wake up this morning crying my name.. And I did promise after all.” Her arrogance knew no bounds as she leaned down, lips close to Ella’s. “Maker, Ella, may I kiss you?”
Her breathe held as she waited for the answer, gently back her to be against the wall. She wanted nothing more than to spend time getting more and more lost in the woman in front of her. “And maybe after a kiss, I can show you how I like to be touched, you are right, I very, very much enjoy being watched and told what to do by beautiful women, and I have a a gorgeous specimen here in front of me, that I think, with a little practice, could come uo with so many delightfully wicked things to tell me to do to myself, as her eyes drink down the sight of just how much my body will respond to her commands..”
“So about that kiss?”
“Master Tilani, your picnic basket is ready, and the carriage is outside, at your leisure.”
“Damned.. Thank you Benson!”
Ella flushed, averting her gaze as her fiancee teased her. The table in the dining room was indicated, and she shook her head, laughing. And when Kaczor leaned for a kiss, Ella was distracted by more dirty talk—
The idea that she, of all people, could get such a reaction from this woman... Was astounding. She was just Ella. And yet, she licked her lips and exhaled sharply when the butler interrupted them.
"Benson's just rescued our day out. Ahem. Yes, you may kiss me." She cleared her throat, but clearly, every word Kac had said was going to live in her head rent-free for the rest of the day.
Kaczor chuckled gently as she captured her to be’s lips in a gentle kiss, taking her time to feed from the pout, before placing a tender kiss in the middle of Ella’s forehead. “So he did. So he did. And blocked me from feasting down every last bit of you. Come, we’ll finish the tour later, and I’ll make sure we save the library for last, there is a nice couch in there that would hold us both nicely for a bit of a cuddle before we end our day. But, to get there, we have some shopping, and a picnic to do.”
She took Ella’s hand, slotting her fingers with the other woman’s and heading back towards the Foyer. “We almost finished the main floor though! Curse me and my inability to not want to devour you whole every waking moment of the day.” She winked, as she stopped at the doorway, gathering her walking coat, and then taking one of her other coats from a peg, held it to help Ella into it. “I hope you don’t mind, I had this one pulled from my closet for you, for today, I noticed you didn’t have a walking coat in your clothes as you put them away this morning.”
Ella grinned as they kissed, trailing after Kaczor. She was a delight, even as arrogant as she acted. "Oh," she murmured, studying the coat as she was helped into it. "This is... really nice. Thank you." She murmured, tilting her head back to study the other woman, thoughtfully.
It doesn't bother her, that she's having to borrow a coat. But perhaps it should. "So... shopping, picnic, then the library." She bit her lip, tugging at the fabric of the coat. "What are we shopping for, first?"
“Let me see?” She asked as she peered around, and then went to make sure that the fabric draped just right on Ella’s smaller frame. “Stunning, I like this better on you than I ever did on me.” She can’t help the small little grin she has as she drinks down the sight of her intended. Oh, Kaczor was going to be in trouble. The woman needed to be dressed, and Kaczor was going to love having a variety of dresses and robes made for her intended. “Textiles, we need new sheets, blankets, curtains, towels, and clothing for you, dearest. All in colors we both like, instead of the dark drab this place currently is. I think we both agreed on blues earlier.”
"Heh, you don't… don't mean that," she shook her head, giggling quietly, thrilled about the compliment even if she was having trouble believing it. And then she was receiving a list of things they'd look into purchasing, and she nodded slowly. Surprised that clothing was on the list; but she doesn't argue.
"Sounds like a busy day," she grinned, and tugged her fiancee's hand. "We should get started."
“Oh but I do, my darling.” She breathed as she leaned down and tucked her face into her intended neck, gently nipping the skin there with her lips before pressing a little kiss over the nibble. “Remember, I may not be nice, but I am honest. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.” She gave another little kiss before rising up to her full height again and tugging the edges of Ella's walking coat together, fastening the button and then smoothing the fabric over her shoulders.
“I think Im going to enjoy dressing you and much as I enjoy tearing clothes off you.” She grinned at the tug, as she opened the foot and took them down the stairs to the waiting carriage, standing at the step to help Ella inside. “Of course, my dear, you are right.”
"You always think about sex?" She inquired, as she was led downstairs. Once in the carriage, she clasped her hands on her lap, and studied the woman she was to wed.
The young woman let her gaze wander over the window, taking in the view of the world going by as the carriage went down the street. "You're quite intriguing, Lady Tilani." She grinned and settled next to her, snug against the other's side.
“I always think about sex with you, darling, don’t forget it’s you that has me panting and following you around like a hound.” She wrapped her arms around the other woman as she leaned in, nuzzling her face into the side of her neck and gently kissing the tender skin there. “And you Lady Tilani, are absolutely bewitching. I can’t wait to have you again.”
She chuckled lowly as she hooked her chin over her intended’s shoulder, watching the street out the window. “That’s a good place, I want to take you to dinner there, and then there, we’ll stop for flowers there, they have my favorite black dahlias there. I like setting a vase of those in the foyer, with red and white roses.” She leaned back, but still kept her arms around Ella, a finger gently drawing circles on her thigh as she pointed out places with the other. “And there, we can go and have books commissioned if you want one. And there, that’s the studio I’ll have us go sit at to have our family portrait painted once we’re married. I promise not to have it be a naked painting, unless you want to have a risque painting done. I would like to have your “O” face as a painting I could look at any time I like.” She teased, smiling gently, as she watched her intended’s expression in the glass of the carriage window. “We could even pull the blinds now, you know, here in the middle of the city, I could have my fingers deep inside her and no one would ever know..” She laughed gently before pressing a small kiss over to the other’s cheek. “But we have chores to attend to, even if I find it hard to keep my hands off you, my darling.”
Ella giggled softly, as her betrothed settled her chin against her shoulder, watching the world go past them. She listened, as all of these places were pointed out... "Black dahlias? Those sound... different." She scrunched her nose in thought; trying to envision a black dahlia. It was either beautiful, or quite... ugly. She couldn't know until she's seen it in person.
Talk turned towards commissioning books, and the art studio, and she flushed at the idea of having a risque painting done. "How... how would the artist know what face I make, when I orgasm?" Her blush only deepened when Kaczor pointed out they could pull the blinds. "Mmm, chores first. C... chores." She stammered, palms cupping her own cheeks as if that might help relieve her blush.
“Well darling, I’d have to be there, maybe with a queening seat, and make sure you make it several times for the artist to capture it correctly. Perhaps we’ll get you a queening seat for the house too, while we’re at it. Yes I like the idea of that. I’m going to commission one made of the most highly polished wood possible with a nice silk cushion..” She grinned. “Yes, of course, Darling. Chores first before I debauch you even more. Is there somewhere particular you’ve never been that you’d like to go to? Don’t let me decide the whole itinerary, we can stop the carriage anywhere you like.
And she would dream about the queening seat later – she already knew where to commission it – they had made a few pieces for her in the past. And she’d keep the secret of what said chair was from her intended as long as possible. A wedding gift. Yes, she would have it be the wedding gift. If her wife didn’t go running once she felt the press of Kaczor’s morning erection against her ass the first time they slept in together the whole night. She really needed to get around to telling her intended about that part of her anatomy soon. “You’re so red, dearest, shall I keep whispering naughty suggestions to you, or give you a little respite for the rest of the morning hours?”
Ella didn't know what sort of chair that might be; but the implication was something used during sex, and she inhaled quietly. "I swear, you're going to cause me to overheat," she pressed her forehead to the window of the carriage, the glass cool against her hot skin.
"Could... do you know Madam de-Solar's seamstress shop?" It was one of the more expensive seamstress shops; her half-sisters had shopped there, and the clothing had always looked delightful. "Mmmmm," she shook her head, "Respite, please. You can't take me to a seamstress if I've soaked myself," she murmured, tilting her head back from the window to eye the woman.
She whispered a small spell and placed a cooling charm on her hands, and then cupped Ella’s cheeks, using them to keep those cheeks from turning redder. “I have been known to do that before, I’ll be more careful with my words then, my darling. No more soaked unmentionables, thought you could lose them. I’m pretty certain the seamstress wouldn’t even blink.” She chuckled as she slid her hands down to the sides of her intended’s neck, knowing having the chill on her pulse points would help cool her back down.
“You mean Camille? Camille has designed all my suits lately, of course we’ll go see Camille if you want clothing from there. I was going to take you up to Donnie, at Le Clar’s, but if several de Solar originals is what you want, then that’s what we’ll get. Donnie will just have to stick as my mother’s tailor for now.” She booped a finger on the tip of the other woman’s nose and then pulled her closed again, a cool hand on her forehead and the other open and waiting for one of her hands. “Let’s talk rings, do you want something traditional, gold, or would you like something more modern with jewels set in it? I prefer something traditional, and then maybe.. Have a tiara made for your wedding veil that we can then turn into a necklace. They have a rather ingenious way of doing it, we’ll do the jewelers this week too, so you can take a look at some. And having the necklace tiara combo, means you get more mileage out of a custom piece.”
"Mmm," she sniffled, leaning into the woman's cooled touch, giggling when her nose was booped. Her hands settled into Kaczor's one free one, as she rested against the other's chest. Talk turned to rings, and tiaras, and she furrowed her brow.
"Traditional sounds nice," and easy. She was studying her fiancee, in awe, at the idea to turn a tiara into a necklace. "Will... you make my tiara?" She doesn't mean literally, of course, but rather, design it. The idea that someone she's just met would put this much care into their wedding…
It was almost endearing.
“Do you want me to design it or would you like to design it?” She asked, pausing as she looked down into the other woman’s face. She was cute. Very cute. If she wasn’t careful she might actually end up falling in love with the woman. Not that anything would be wrong with that. A lot of arranged marriages started out with people learning to be friends first, and then becoming lovers, and then ultimately, in love. She could wait. She was hopeful that maybe the woman was actually the one that would be that for her.
“You’ll have to tell me what sort of gems you like, otherwise I’m going to have you in a lot of purple and gold.”
"You should." She murmured, shaking her head. "Nuh-huh. I wanna see what gems remind you of me." A challenge, and definitely not Ella running away from making decisions about things she's never even briefly considered about herself.
Favorite gems? She's never owned anything with a gem. Favorite colors? She had never spent time studying herself in-depth; her life belonged to her country, not to herself. She could become whoever she was told to become.
“Hah, so you very much are setting me out a challenge right away, is that it, little minx?” She playfully kissed the other woman then, taking a few moments for the kiss to linger, before she reached up and knocked on the roof as they neared the seamstress’ store. She sighed, as she broke the kiss, a small grin on her face. “Damn these chores.”
But as they drew to a stop, she was out the carriage first and down the step to turn and hold a hand back for Ella to take, and the look on her face. If they hadn’t had things that needed to get done, oh, Kaczor would have spent the day between Ella’s legs and not come up to breathe except when she was certain her intended was too over stimulated to be pleasurable any more. The woman positively was besotted with her intended.
Ella grinned into the kiss, "I'm very excited to see the fabrics." She stated, as she was helped out of the carriage. It's the first time she's openly been enthused about something; and once her feet are on the ground, she eagerly tugged her betrothed's hand.
Kaczor allowed herself to be pulled along, the happiest grin across her face as they went. It was no huge secret that Kaczor loved Camille’s designs, and so she was happy that her wife had chosen someone she was comfortable being around. Camille had fitted Kaczor many times in his past, and knew her preferences for looser trousers for a reason. So when they went into the store, and she gave a nod to the woman, to come over, she was happy to finally introduce her to someone that was important to Kaczor. “Cammy, this is Lady Ella Tiliani, as of this Friday, would you be so kind as to help her with a wardrobe. No expense too great, any fabric, style, no many how many slaves you have to have working over time for it, we need a great deal of daily wear, some formal, and… Ella my darling, would you like Cammy to be the one to do your bridal wear too?”
While her tone with the propritoress was cordial, it was positively charming for Ella, it was obvious that the two women were in two very different categories in Kaczor’s eyes. Ella far outranked the other woman, even if she was polite and what would appear to be a superficial level of charming. Ella had her heart though, it was already obvious.
03-24-2024, 02:32 PM
