Novella slept; restlessly. She refused to let Kaczor go down on her, claiming that her wife had been using sex to ply her. The way her wife went quiet, suggested that on some level she was right... But she didn't want to talk about that. She snuggled up to her wife in her comfiest pair of pajamas, before she fell asleep.
The next morning, they slept in, and when the baby woke up with a cry, Ella shook her head and mumbled that the servants would be okay to make her a bottle. And, of course, the child was very quickly scooped into the arms of the older house-servant, who took the little heiress downstairs with her; to the kitchen.
They would discover this ten minutes later, when Kaczor insisted on getting up to check on them. And Ella, pouting, followed. See? She's fine. She grumbled, watching the older woman check the temperature of the bottle. You've got to let the servants do their jobs. She huffed, patting her wife's chest absently.
Darling, you can't ask me to be gine either entirely new people taking care of our daughter, if it was Benson and his family, whi had been with my family for generations after generation, then yes, I would trust, so much easier. Kaczor's from was deeply etched onto her face, her eyes watching the older slave woman as she bounced the infant in her arms, preparing the bottle that would give her daughter, their daughter, she corrected herself internally, her morning breakfast.
And from the looks of it, everything was going right as rain, this new elderly woman seemed a natural with her, until the way she tested the bottle made her raise a brow, memory flushing back to her, and she started to take in a deep breath, confusion and hurt immediately making her hackles rise some, before she looked to Ella, a hand covering Ella's hand on her chest. Where.. did you find this group?
The bottle to the side of the neck wasn't the usual way people checked the temperature was safe enough, but Kaczor's own nanny, Sari, had done that her entire life, and her father's as well. Because the neck was more tender than the wrist, and the elderly woman had never wanted any of the young lords to have their little mouths burned, so she had gone to extreme lengths to ensure it. Kaczor could feel her heart start to accelerated as she watched Ella's face, not wanting to leap to conclusions, not wanting the heart break again. But it was there. Had someone taught this slave to do that, was it part of the "learned everything about you" thst had come with Ella's assignment? Are these ones some from your family, or did you hire them off another family for a time?
Ella stilled, and bit her lip. It's safer if you have the ability to say you never knew who they were. She murmured, glancing towards the woman with Annie. On the off-chance that they're found out.
No more lies; though. Kaczor pressed further. When... they came to kill the servants, she shifted from foot-to-foot, I, uhm... purchased older, nearer to the end of their lives. And I worked with someone that knew illusion magics.
She glanced towards the old woman. As far as Tevinter law cares, they're dead. And I wasn't going to bring them back. But then you... you said you were going to hurt yourself. Teeth dug into her lower lip.
The purchase was under-the-table, the money went to that family's youngest daughter and her caretaker, she hurriedly added. I didn't... didn't know where you stood. Was too dangerous to tell you where they really came from. Your parents hid them, though.
Kaczor's thumb traced over the back of Ella's hand, as she continued to hold her beloved hand over her heart, the taller woman's eyes softening at each of the words, tears forming along her lower lashes as Ella continued. Denability, that was something Kaczor needed, for the next little bit at least, she would be watched, closer than normal, due to her just being released. It was a well thought out plan.
Ella continued telling her though, and Kaczor didn't miss how much Ella was worrying her lower lip, her free hand coming up to gently tap at the lip, a bit of mindfulness, as her wife seemed to be lost in the worry at the moment. Others had lost their lives, but they had been older, near the time that a family would have 'disposed' of them anyway. It wasn't something Kaczor had the stomach for, something she found horribly distasteful, but that exact behavior was why she had joined the resistance in the first place. Thinking that someone was disposable. But Ella had seen to the specifics to make it a little more palatable. It still made her stomach churn, but rather a quick execution, than the slow starvation and maiming that another family might have put them through.
Her arms wrapped around the other woman as she tilted her head down and pressed a kiss to her crown. There was no shock to her, that her parents had know and harbored them. Kaczor honestly assumed both her parents were aware of her ties to the resistance, and wouldn't be surprised if her father was actually its unknown leader. All that to say, that Sari is getting another generation of Tilani's to fuss over and raise properly, even if she has to leave some of that work to us too. Kazcor sniffled a little and then leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to Ella's lips, still chaste, meant more as affection that anything. Thank you, my darling.
Novella allowed a slow smile to spread across her lips. The kiss was chaste; a simple means of affection versus something to distract her from her thoughts and suspicions. She tilted her head back, No more secrets? An inquiry, versus an order.
There would always be secrets, though. Ella was born in secrets, she'd die in secrets. The fact she didn't legally exist as Novella Calidus was testament to that fact. But still, she smiled for her wife, and reached to caress her face with one hand.
You're very welcome. Now, leave Sari with her namesake. She named her, y'know? She flashed the old woman a grin, before she nudged her wife backwards. Towards the stairs.
Hmph. A girl always has her secrets. Kaczor quipped back nearly immediately, her thumb going to trail over her beloved lower lip, before she leaned back down for another kiss, this one with the quick pinch of teeth on said same lip. Not enough to hurt, not enough to be anything but playful. I get to keep birthday gifts secret still though.
Kaczor wanted to go to Sari, to hug the woman who had been a grandmother to her, and would grandmother over her and Ella's child now, but her wife was walking her backwards towards the stairs, and she relented. Let's go take a bath.. A bath in which she could hold her wife to simply have her in her arms, to let fingers dance over skin, to be close and feel the balm of the soul that being skin to skin could bring. And then a little bit of a nap..
Ella laughed, as the other woman had a quippy remark prepared. The kiss had a bit of bite, and she exhaled quietly, Mmm, just a bath. Even a teasing nibble wasn't swaying Ella on what she'd decided they had to do.
Start over, as best they could, to learn each other for real. Well, as best as someone could learn her, when she didn't know who she was either.
But she followed, humming softly. Scented bubbles? And if so, what scent.
Lavender, I think. Kaczor picked up some of the bath mix from their shared counter and started to draw the bath, a tiny fireball into the water instantly bringing up up to the proper temperature, even if the magic did little to smooth down her already crazy hair from just waking. We can stay here the entire day. In warm water.
She quickly shed the night gown she wore to bed, having throwing the robe aside when they had returned to their room, her foot checking the water before she lowered herself down in, patting the water for Ella to join her. Come join me so we can soak. Her long arm grabbed the custom oil from the lower tray of the bath stand and set it on the edge of the tub. She would be making sure her wife's scars were take care of, no matter how bad any future fights, if any. She couldn't stand to see the other woman in pain when they dried out, lost their suppleness that the oil and massage brought to them.
Ella watched the other woman, as she began drawing their bath. It always amazed her; watching Kaczor handle fire as she did. It was something she could not do, and would likely never be able to do. Though there were rumors that people were finding their magic...
She doubted it'd be the same for her. She grinned, watching her wife undress, and only began to undress herself once Kaczor settled into the water. This wasn't her idea of 'starting over', but in a way, it was something they'd done since the early times as a couple... Not necessarily Kaczor joining her in the bath, by any means, but the massages were quite familiar.
And quite helpful. While she mulled over her thoughts, she'd undressed, leaving her night-dress on the floor in her wake, to step into the tub. She'd carefully lower herself into the water, tilting her head back to grin, All day? What if I get pruney? It was an exaggeration, she was sure.
Then I'll still adore a pruney you, as long as it's not a prudish you, I don't think I could handle that one. A hand rose out the the water, and went to gather Ella's hair back from the side of her face and tuck it behind the woman's ear, placing a tender kiss to her temple. Her wife had asked for slow, for time to begin afresh, to... I'd like to take you to dinner tonight. Now that I know Annie is being taken care of people I trust.. a date, might help?
She shifted in the water, a hand gently tugging Ella close, to lay there atop her in the water. And once reclined, that same hand would scoop warm water up and let it drip down a bare shoulder, as Kaczor's eyes focused on the bare faucet that brought water into the bath. It's hard not to jump, head long, back into.. into us, she finished silently in her mind. But I want to do right by you, darling.
Ella settled against her wife, and rolled her eyes. You're goofy. You've positively ruined any hope there is of my being a prude. She leaned into the gentle touch, as delicate fingers tucked hair behind her ear, a kiss placed to her temple. And then the opportunity for a date night, was proposed...
Mmm. I think dinner out would be wonderful. What'll the dress code be? She let Kaczor adjust how she was resting in the water, leaning back against her when pulled closer.
It is hard. But you're doing wonderfully. She reassured, reaching a hand up to stroke the other's cheek, flashing her a grin.
Her eyes fluttered closed with the touch, accepting it as just a touch, a show of affection, and nothing more. They could touch and be affectionate, but Kaczor was going to let Ella lead this time, lead them back to where she was comfortable being. And until the time came, well, Kaczor had decided there would be no extracurricular activities. All her attention, her wants, were Ella's, when she decided it would be time again.
So Kaczor was blue balled horribly, to say the least, but that was neither here nor there, her life had just agreed to a dinner date. Now that the barriers are down, we could even take a little vacation south, once travel is allowed. I heard that we might see that by the end of the month. It was an idea, at least. Her hand continued it's motion, keeping Ella's shoulder warm with a constant trickle of water, making sure that it also ran down her back, over the scars that she would massage here once they were warmed up some. Is there somewhere special you'd like to go?
Her hand paused, a few beats at the praise, before she continued, smiling against her wife's hair.
Mmm, we should see open borders soon. Lots of checkpoints, of course, but there's going to be a ball inviting the world to Tevinter. She only knew because she had received a missive, requesting her attendence at training. And of course, she assented. Travel should follow shortly after, unless the ball goes poorly.
She hummed softly, and shrugged. I've never seen more than Tevinter. I've not even seen Tevinter as anything but a war-dog, at that. She'd travelled extensively across the country, often on missions, never for joy. And the barriers had kept her missions inside of Tevinter. But she'd been told she may be sent out of the country, sometime soon. She couldn't tell her wife that, though.
I was thinking Orlais before completely are obliterated by the steady advance if the blight. A nice little trip south to their main capital that's still warded and see some of their art. Truly, though, nothing hidden, no secret agenda. A true vacation for the simple joy of being able to spend time with my girls. I thought maybe being somewhere completrly new would make it easier to treat it as a start over. She paused, leaning her head against Ella's forehead, both arms coming around the smaller woman to just hold her.
I understand if that's too much all at once. We could do a couple of day trips inside the borders, just to familiarize ourselves with travel together. And that way, Annie could stay here with Sari and the other's. It'd be just us, alone for a day, able to enjoy lunch in the middle of no where, or even skinny dipping in a lake or river along the way. She wiggled her eyebrows some as she grinned. I could watch you skinny dip..perfect day, right there. The fact you let me see you naked at all is perfection..
Ella stared at her wife, almost baffled as the woman spoke about a vacation. She talked about Orlais, and how it could be a true vacation and... the idea of going so far from Tevinter frightened her. But that didn't show, as she shook her head slowly. I think... Orlais is not a safe enough destination. Truth but also lie. She'd not be comfortable leaving Tevinter until ordered to do so; but how could she say that without falling back into the 'country owns me' aspect she was trying so hard to avoid?
Maybe you can take me to some of your favorite places in-border? She didn't comment on the child; not terribly worried that leaving her with the servants might be a bad idea. Malik would check in on them and if not him, then Malachai. No skinning dipping, she shook her head. She'd never quite mastered how to swim, after all.
