GoldenCat/SilverLineMelody56

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Azure Dreams

"... and then, as Ofaniel flew after the Wind of Death, Myria gazed upon the lands devastated on its wake... and realised that, puissant as her mate was, he would not be able to fend the Wind off alone. She would need to call upon her allies, for Crimson Blood on Virgin Snow, for the Emperor Fintan, for Thanatas! Only with their help, they would drive the scorned woman back to hell."

"... and then? Did sh..." The prince asked, but a finger fell on his lips.

"... and then my prince went to sleep, to know the rest of the story tomorrow." The royal caretaker plants a kiss on the prince's forehead, letting his eyes close... and then, she gets up, whispering his sweet dreams as she walks on the Zephyr... and knocks on the Joybringer's door.

• Gennadi opens it sleepily, clad in light silken pajamas, the blue of the sky and the pure white of coulds drifting slowly in motion across it. "Oh? You decided to come after all..." He opens it wider, waving her inside with a yawn.

Millia: She reaches to his clothing, touching the material on his arm, making sure it is fabric. "Nice pajamas. Where did you get it?" She asks, a little puzzled by his expression... "One with your... profession, tired already? Would your job only just begin by now?"

Gennadi: "I don't have a profession right now. I'm an honored guest, and I enjoy my rest. As for where I got it... heaven, of course." He grins as the door clicks shut. "How shy are you? I can get some towels to cover you up if needed."

Millia: She blinks. "As long as you look the other way..." There was a strange feeling of danger as he clicked the door, but Millia did not mind overmuch. There was always Calisara, after all.

Who better not spread misinformation about this!

Gennadi: "Of course. Just the massage, then? Perhaps a story after? I'm not sure there's time to properly prepare the bath.... no doubt you must be up early in the morning."

Millia: "No doubt. If I am not, Cedric will just push my hair and jump over my bed. That is, if he is not feeling creative. God forbid that he is feeling creative. And has glue or a kitchen at hand...." She sighs, shaking her head and remembering a thousand 'tortures' suffered in the hands of the little adorable hellion. "Just the massage. And the bath. I can do without the story, unless it can be told during the massage..."

• Gennadi chuckles, a bit of comisseration. "I know how that can be... not so much children as demanding men, women, and spirits." He hunts around and finds a wooden case, locked tight and lacquered white, golden decorations in intricate whorls all along the side. "Are you certain you don't drink? I'm certain something mildly alcoholic would soothe your nerves... You have to relax a bit first for the real relaxation to kick in, I'm afraid." He laughs again. "Backwards, but true."

Millia: She waves dismissively, "Not close to you, at least. I can drink quite a bit, but even I can relax someone without that, and if you truly are a Chosen of the Goddess of Serenity, of all things, you should be able to." She says with a twinkle of dare in her eyes. "So, where are my towels?"

"... and your blindfold, for that matter?"

Gennadi: "First, we have to get where we're going. I'd be hurt at your fear if I hadn't made that joke about taking advantage of you earlier." He shakes his head for a moment before taking her hand. "Your hair should suffice for covering... I'll need a towel to fashion a blindfold if you are truly so worried anyway." He sets the case under his arm and nods at the door. "After you, milady."

Millia: "To the big bath it is?" She asks, and steps out, a trail of light following her... red light, black light. "Well, and you said you are a Chosen, yourself. It is not like I would trust a Chosen of Venus to be anything less than wanton, I am sorry. I am supposed to protect my prince's innocence by knowing what I have to protect him against." She says, her voice soft as they walk through the corridors... "Why do I feel you are only helping to take a peek?"

Gennadi: "If I had simply wanted a peek, I could have gotten that any time, dear. Getting you to melt into a smiling puddle of joy is rather more interesting than a mere look at flesh, however attractive that flesh may be. I think you place too much interest in the dirtier aspects of venus, and not enough in the lighter. For proper balance, one must master more than sucking, fucking, and other such king words." He wags a finger at her. "Had you studied more, you would know this."

Millia: "Oh, why do you think I thought you would give a good massage to begin with?" She winks, her black eye closing, her gaze red only red at him, a nearly steel-colored pale strand falling over her face... "However, you just seem to be the type for the more... crude aspects of that goddess. No offense."

"Say, Cedric wanted to ask, but forgot... you do not shine like other Exalted do?"

Gennadi: "Crude is easier to convince people with. I can shine, but I rarely do, as I rely upon my goddess-given powers much less than the average exalt." It is only a short walk to the large baths, and he opens the door wide for her, bowing low. "It will not be but a few moments... if you would start the warm water, I can begin getting the rest ready."

Millia: She does so, asking for Calisara to come(and making sure the spirit understands it is not like that! ... which... took a little time... and was probably not all that effective... damnit, would that damn little goddess stop giggling? ), and after the spirit is gone, Gennadi arrives, and only Millia is there, not in the best of moods, crossing her arms under her chest, "Welcome back. You took your time."

• Gennadi shrugs, and tosses a handful of small metal pebbles into the air... As the lights dim, they open up, glittering fireflies floating through the air. Luminescent dust cascades down from their wings, perfuming the air with a pleasant scent. He brushes past her, a quick apology rushed out after a barely-there kiss on the cheek as he sits at the edge of the bath. A small metal flask is opened and poured into the water, and the water reacts, starting to spin in a slow motion, a whirlpool that builds as bubbles begin to appear on the surface, a frothing profusion of soft colors, everything in the rainbow and some more besides. He waits a bit, then snaps his fingers, and the whirlpool vanishes. He stands to grin at her. "You can have it fast, or you can have it good, but you can't have both for free."

Millia: She watches it with a smile, almost like a child trying to catch the fireflies... and then blinks, trying to find out what he just meant. "Wha...?"

Gennadi: His eyes twinkle, either the reflection of the fireflies... or perhaps they're showing the fireflies how to light. "Just get in the bath, Millia. We don't have all night."

Millia: "... doesn't the massage come first?"

Gennadi: "After. The flask's contents help loosen the muscles and soften the skin, so you're more relaxed when I start. This also means the oils can properly soak into your skin and do their work as well. If I was using prosaic items, it might be the other way around, but when all my accessories are infused with the essence of joy, things work a little differently." He turns his back to her so she can make the short trip from standing to concealed beneath the bubbles.

Millia: "Oooh.... I see." She nods, looking at the bath... "Look, if you dare turn around, I swear I'll kill you!"

She says, as she begins to take off her clothes... actually a gift from Cael, but trying to follow the same color scheme she followed before as a Holysword employee - a dress of white, reds and golds, letting it and the jewelry fall to the floor, and taking her first steps into the water...

• Gennadi turns around! But it is only to collect her clothing and jewelry, carefully setting it on a shelf and ignoring her outrage. "You forgot about looking in mirrors. I imagine you'd strangle me if I asked to join you, yes?"

Millia: And so he had looked in the mirrors, seeing a supple, young body, skin soft and white as purest snow, tended by the best products and herbs that would serve well to make her the most beautiful face and body presentable, the growing bosom, probably fitting just right in the hand, and lower...

And then she is in the bath, her face deep red as he mentions mirrors, and she sinks down into the bubbles, only her eyes left to look at him. And narrow nearly murderously at his suggestion.

• Gennadi grins at her, perfect white teeth. "I'm only teasing, Millia. You've got a lot of frustration to be dealt with, and I'm just drawing it out. I'm curious as to how you intend to wash your back well, though."

Millia: She looks around... finds a place that has no mirrors... and gets up, her back to Gennadi, her long hair, at times pale blonde or steel-like pale wet against her back,she looks over her shoulder and smiles. "Like this. It is not like you get to see anything!"

Gennadi: "So your solution is to make me do it? Perhaps you're better at this than I thought." He sighs heavily, but takes up a cloth. He steps close to her, flicking those long bits of hair rto cover her chest instead. They might say that it's never wise to turn your back on a snake, but then again... you can get bitten just as well on the front. His hands are warm and strong, almost beginning a massage already... just not quite enough as he works across her back, soft brushes of fingertips along spots she didn't know could be so sensitive. "Just tell me where to stop. Or when. Either way works for me." His eyes are closed as he rests his head on her shoulder, warm breath spilling across the skin of her neck.

Millia: She lets out a comfortable sigh, one of release, then lets him work... but when his hand reaches down, down to the end of her spine, her hair seems to... turn around and swath his hand away. "About there. No going further!"

• Gennadi nibbles her neck for a moment, almost as if she imagined it, then draws away. "I defer to your expertise in this manner. Still, I'll say that if you'd let me go farther it wouldn't have been long at all before you'd be having appropriately wonderful dreams." He steps back. "Enjoy the bath. When the last of the blue bubbles has popped, it's time to get out. Would you prefer I stay, or should I go now?"

Millia: She looks over her shoulder... "You go. Cal will call you when it is time!"

"... Chosen of Serenity cannot look through walls, can they?"

Gennadi: "That... is a Secret! Not in my job description to tell you." He lights up a cigarette and goes to sit outside, pondering whether or not he really wants to make a move. He idly tallies the pros and cons in the air with the cigarette smoke while he waits.

Millia: "And you still have to show me your damn light, you fake-Chosen!" She calls, as he sits outside...

And as she takes her time, washing every angle of her body, enjoying the bubbles to the point where Gennadi could sometimes see a few of them floating outside of the door....

And then, after a long while, she called. "I am done, I am done, come in!"

• Gennadi is a bit late as he was before, but not massively so. He simply opens the case again, setting out a few brightly colored bottles along a shelf. "I'll likely use a bit of essence for the massage, so you can see. If you'll stretch out, I can get started..."

Millia: As Gennadi walks in, she is already laying down... bosom covered against a towel on the ground, behind covered by another, resting her face on her arms, a thousand irrelevant thoughts crossing her mind at the moment. "I will keep asking you and you will keep leading me on to see the lights, right? Would that not be more of a Chosen of Journeys?"

Gennadi: "Or a Chosen of Battles. It is all metaphor, dear." He picks through the bottles from the case rapidly, selecting three and pouring them together in a small silver bowl. He stirs the mix with his finger while he looks at her. "Besides, you're going to be disappointed when you see it."

Millia: "So, no blue light, constellation symbols, and the like? I have seen the light of Chosen before, you know. Fiona... My Prince... I have seen them shine... it is so... beautiful. And warm."

She smiles at him over her shoulder, trying not to feel too bare before him... "On metaphors, I suppose. Sometimes, it seems all the sisters are applicable. Well, save for Saturn?"

Gennadi: "Blue light, yes. Constellations..." He just points at his eyes. "It tends to be understated in comparison to the blazing gold and shining silver of our counterparts. Saturn is ENDINGS, dear, not death. That could be anything from finishing bed-shopping to finishing sharing a bed." He seems to be satisfied with the contents of the bowl, kneeling down and pouring warm oil along her back. The bowl is set carefull on the rise of her rear as he watches it trickle down the hollow of her spine. "Too warm?"

Millia: "Tell that to everyone who's not a farmer. And farmers are supposed to be used to the fact their lifes suck, anyway." She sighs as it is poured down on her, tensing as he sets it there... her eyes closing just a little bit, just a little bit of color coming to her cheeks. "Well, silver and gold are... regal, grand. But at least you can be... colorful, right?"

Gennadi: In response, blue wells out around her, the light spilling down across her skin in alternating warm and cool moments. The towels do not bar the strange feeling as the light grows stronger, her uneasy movements drawing swirling trails in the air. On the floor, a sight of bluest, deepest ocean, warm and inviting. Along the ceiling, a patch of summer sky.... only these thoughts are but faint imitation. He smiles. "Just one color, I'm afraid... but I'm good at it."

Millia: She looks over her shoulder, and sees... and sees the symbol on his forehead. She wishes to turn around and touch, but it would... show a little too much, as it would require her to nearly turn... "It is... beautiful. That is the color of the ocean, is it not?" Something I have never seen.. . "The symbol... the mirror of Venus. I wonder if vanity is part of being such a Chosen."

Gennadi: "Vanity and shame, pain and pleasure, all the contradictions that make the Maidens so hard to understand." He leans down close to her as his hands begin to work, drawing the oil back to where his hands begin to work the tension and nervousness out of her, a slow warmth approaching bliss concentrated in those too small spots. "Go ahead. It doesn't bite."

Millia: She gives a sigh - part a tinge of pain, part a tinge of delight as he begins the massage... "Go... ahead? What?"

Gennadi: "Everybody wants to touch the symbol to see if it's real at first. The only girl I've met who hasn't was blind, and she had to touch it to know it was there. I imagine Venus enjoys the feeling." He dips his head a bit more, closing his eyes.

Millia: "Oh. Yes, yes I do... let me see..." She lowered her arm, using it to obscure her bosom, or at least the most important parts of it - those that still made her feel like some modesty remained safe - and turned around, touching the symbol... feeling the essence, the warm, serene, delightful essence of Serenity pouring...almost like it made a releve in his forehead, but not... hot and cold, pain and pleasure, vanity and shame, all was in it... "It is... interesting..."

"And more than you gave it credit for..."

Gennadi: "If I give it too much credit, it's disappointing after. Better to understate the case, so it's a pleasant surprise. Speaking of which...." Eyes still closed, he leans forward into a kiss before she can react, holding it warmly for a long moment before drawing back with a small smile. "I told you I was going to have to take advantage of you like this."

Millia: Her blush is so deeply red, it is like her red eye has spread taken over all of her face. Her eyes are wide open, unable to react as her lips stay open, not responding to the kiss but not pushing it back... until she does do so. "Gennadi! " She turned around with an angry face. "This was not funny!"

Gennadi: "I didn't say it was. But if I keep my promises, maybe you'll understand a little more." He taps the edge of the bowl so it doesn't fall over. "I thought you'd appreciate that the worst I had to offer was what seemed to be a pleasant kiss." He shrugs sadly. "The thought had occured if you weren't worrying about what I, the chosen of pimps and pushers, might do, you'd be happier in the end. Was I wrong? Would you prefer I push harder?

The smile quirks up a bit. "I had not planned on leaving the massage unfinished, or story untold, unless perhaps you'd smashed me over the head with something." He offers the silver bowl, just in case she'd like to.

Millia: She holds herself, covering her breasts, hearing him... "No... I would not... but... if it was just to show that..." She looks over her shoulder, "Then iti s... fine, isn't it?" A tentative smile. "Sorry, I... did not mean for you to feel bad..."

Gennadi: "To be more honest, Millia, you're stuningly beautiful, and I cannot say the idea of how to show it was wholly pure. Chosen or not, I am still a man, and so I react... What I won't do is let that get in the way of making you as happy as I possibly can for tonight." He gives her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're doing fine, dear. It takes more than that sort of reaction to hurt me." He sets the bowl back down after renewing the oil, hands back to roving across her body and working the tension out. "Besides, with all these no drinking, no drugs, I'm having to do real work for once. Might as well get something back." He makes sure she can see his wink.

Millia: "If I had drank, or drugged, I would probably not have pulled away. So it is better for both of us, isn't it?" She winks, looking over her shoulder... "After all, you seem to be nicer than you appear. And I would think a nice man would prefer to get one happy with him afterwards than one that would wake up to hunt him with a broken bottle..."

Gennadi: "If you had drank or drugged, you'd have forgotten the kiss, which would have defeated the point." He shakes his head. "Women can be such trouble sometimes." He finishes up with her back and turns, lightly pouring a bit of oil on each foot and starting there. "I'll say that I've done that on purpose once or twice, though. Sometimes the thing to best make someone happy is to give them someone to hate."

Millia: "... that would not be me. I hate too much already...."

The dead, and that bitch, and even Valencia, and even...

"Too much hate." She sighs, trying to forget it on his massage... "Well, that is another thing. Who wants to forget the good moments?"

Gennadi: "If you do, then it can be done again, and again, and again... and each time a surprise." He lightly tickles the bottom of her feet before moving up along her legs, small drips of oil set in the path of his hands. "Forgetting has its uses."

Millia: "If I was to forget... I'd just like to forget... it all..." A small shiver comes to her as he handles her supple legs, and he can feel the shiver on her skin... "Since all I can do now is remember the good times, but it is hard to do it without crying..."

Gennadi: "That can be arranged for a time... and crying isn't always bad." He sighs, removing a hand to slide it under her, grabbing her far shoulder and spinning her up into his arms. It is a bit more difficult, but he holds her gently as he continues the work onehanded now, looking away while she shifts her towel to cover herself. "It could be arranged for good, but... well, that is not something I like to think about with one so young. It can always get better."

Millia: "It is. I have to be strong, for Cedri..." And then, with a yelp, she is sat on his lap...

...and totally, completely uncovered.
She tenses.
She freezes.
Her hair moves like snakes, holding his hands... a pale white light around her...

"Wha...?"

• Gennadi would look, only that could be a bad move. "Ah... I missed the towel. Perhaps you could collect it so I could look down?"

Millia: ".... ah." She is still nearly... shocked, as she reclines - which ends up being a bad thing - or a good thing, depending, due to how her hips move to him as she does so - and picks the towel, wrapping it around her form, her own white glow subsiding, as she sits back down. "... there. Next time, warn me?"

Gennadi: "I will, should I ever be in the situation to spin you up into my lap during a massage again." He shakes his head, capturing one of her hands and pouring the oil down her arm from the shoulder... waiting as it sheathes her arm in a sort of pleasant numbness before his hand works up, restoring the feeling. "I had thought I'd defer the issue of working on the rather large muscle groups of your behind until later. As of yet, there are safer things to do."

Millia: "That was an accident..." She says, with a tamer, sweeter voice, her blush less furious and more cute. "And, on second thought, you could just not do that again. At all."

"Why haven't you begun to tell me the story?"

Gennadi: "Because I'm busy listening to yours. It's rather interesting, if sad in places. I've got a few in mind, but they're all short and somewhat comedic. Little tales I've picked up in my travels."

Millia: She leans back, her head relaxing against his shoulder, speaking, softly... "Tell me one?"

• Gennadi does so, voice smooth, soft, and low as he relates the adventures of a young traveller in the West, simple little tales of his adventures on each island, comedies of errors that all work out in the end. To a more discerning eye, they're almost similar to the sutras of the constellations, or perhaps Gennadi's own experiences... but he's simply making them up on the spot. A tale here of warring goblins, a tale there of gforbidden fruit and 3 days spent trying to claim it. His hand carefully shifts part of the toweal away, but only to apply a small bit of the oil to her stomach, and he shifts it side to side so she remains mostly covered.

Millia: She giggles, she smiles, she imagines... leaning more and more on him. It is warm, as he finishes the massage on her legs... too warm... so warm... and then she closes her eyes, against his shoulder... and before she can notice it, she is deep, deep asleep....

• Gennadi sighs sadly. Damn! He didn't get to ask her where her room is. "Cal? Cal? I know you're paying attention... where do I take her?"

Calisara: Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
CLAP!

"Do you have any idea how cute that was?" She asks, her semi-manifested body appearing in thin air...

• Gennadi puts a finger to his lips. "Quiet, dammit! I need to know where her room is so I can put her to bed. I've got a couple of spots to finish massaging that it's best she's asleep for, too...."

Calisara: "Now, see, you put me in a difficult position, my dear, dear Serenity. Do I tell you, or do I get to watch you wake up half the Zephyr trying to get her to bed, thus making everyone misunderstand it? Or does she wake up in your room, making even her misunderstand it, much less everyone else?" She says, her voice mischievous... "You see, it is such a hard choice!"

• Gennadi dips his fingers in the oil, carefully painting and lightly working Millia's face with just his fingertips. He flicks a bit of the oil off as he finishes, the droplets going through Cal's form. "Remind me not to give you a night like this anytime soon. I'm sure your fond memories of caresses and perhaps something more will be enough to keep you content through the long, boring nights."

Calisara: "It is never boring if you are doing it with someone!" She grins.

"And you should talk to Cael, dear. I like being made to wait.. although that is a secret!"

Gennadi: "Waiting implies that you will ever get it." He wags a finger back and forth before pouring a bit of oil into his cupped hand, slipping it under the towel to Millia's chest. "As for secrets, there's more to this than the massage, but I have to get all the appropriate pressure points covered.... but I suppose you won't find out about that unless this goes well."

• Gennadi hrms. "Then again, the waiting... you do have me at rather a disadvantage." The hand withdraws for more oil, letting the sleeping beauty settle down a bit. "Of course, I could always just let her sleep out on the sundeck."

Calisara: "You could! It would be delightfully neutral! But not as fun...."

"Nowhere near as fun!"

"For that, I might as well tell you of her room... no fun, no fun at all. I will have to drop hints that you molested her while she slept now..."

Gennadi: "And I'll admit the truth. And explain, quite naturally, that I'd have told her what to do had she been awake. My fault, really." This time, he simply removes the towel, reaching up to knock down her clothing and sorting through for something to put her in for the walk to someone's bed. Meanwhile, his hand is warm against her breast as he very, very carefully touches her. Almost done now...

Calisara: The shimmering, ghostly figure sits down, holding her face in her hands... "Well, alright, it is getting very very interesting. And you have no problems with me telling her? And here I thought I would get a good bribe out of you not to tell..."

Gennadi: "Lying would be more of an issue than anything else. I am attempting to be trustworthy here." He carefully turns Millia to face him more, hands settling on her rear to hold her up. His fingers work deftly, the last few kinks worked out of her muscles before he withdraws and wraps her shirt around her shoulders. "I'd tell her myself eventually, of course, so if you want to have your fun that way... go ahead. I'm considering taking her to my room just to give her a chance to sleep in for once. I can handle Cedric for one morning."

• Gennadi grins. "Bet you'd like to see the sort of dreams she's having right about now, no?"

Calisara: She admires both the behind and how Gennadi works it, then nods. "Why, yes. Did your bubblebath control it?"

Gennadi: "It's some of everything. The bath gives an inclination for pleasant dreams, the oil sinks in and recharges, rejuvenates the flesh, and with an interesting side effect." He reaches over and works her underwear back up her legs, one light tap at the base of her spine once he's done. Millia's skin gloes a soft blue, And Gennad puffs a quick breath at it, her silhouette in blue slowly breaking down into a formless cloud before it shapes itself to match her dream. "The nice thing, of course, is that she'll have much more energy tomorrow, but at least for now we can be voyeurs. If I had to, I could change the dream... but I doubt I'll need to." He gathers her up, getting ready to stand.

????: Millia dreams....

She dreams she is dancing in a royal ball.
She dreams of dancing with a prince who is sunlight.
She dreams of being held by a man of Azure.
She dreams of dancing while spreading wings of purity.
She dreams of receiving eyes of crimson and shadow, crying.
She dreams of losing her eyes and seeing for the first time.
She dreams of holding the ruby shadow within her, and not fearing it.
She dreams of unfurling eyes of crimson and shadow like flowers.
She dreams of being a queen in crimson and shadow, using it to protect.
She dreams of knowing what it is, spreading wings of ruby that become diamonds.
She dreams of watching a great angel with a white sword.
She dreams of calling his name.
And seeing him pat her in the head, mussle her hair, and call her dear, call her daughter.

She dreams of dancing, of kissing a prince, of kissing Gennadi, of being accepted, of being herself...

• Gennadi can't help but make a pun. "As your dreams, azure dreams." He stands with her, the remaining clothing tossed into a basket and the white and gold case set atop them. He basket rests easily, set against the curve of her hip and the crook of her elbow. "Coming along, Cal?"

Calisara: She steps more into the room, but still ghostly and immaterial. "Well, why not? Not much more to do... so, your room?"

Gennadi: "Mhm. What do you think, should I give her some company and just get up early?"

Calisara: "Hmmmm. Well, your room is better for my amusement, but I think she will like you better if you are gentleman. Her room is the third to the right, dear of azure blessings." The spirit says, leaning into Gennadi's ear and pecking a kiss.

• Gennadi nods. "Point taken.... make sure I'm up before Cedric, right?"

Calisara: "I just can't make sure he does not wakes up during the night! Good night, Yaogin! " She says, to refer to the most charming boy of the world... a compliment to such a loverboy. "Sleep well, and make her, too." And then, she is gone, as she came...

Gennadi: The walk to her room is short and simple, though Gennadi tries not to think about the Yaogin he's seen, lazy and starting to get fat. Millia is tucked carefully underneath the covers before Gennadi sits down. His shoes thump as he tosses them to block the door from any unwanted surprises, and he kicks his feet up afterwards. A kiss to her forehead and he rests back against a pillow, half expecting an interruption already as he drowses off into sleep.

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