— Strip And Kiss —
Hello from the middle of the night! I’m having a real bitch case of insomnia, and instead of doing edits on my novel, which I’m too scramble-brained to do, I felt like doing something fun!
It’s no secret that I’m a prompt-lover and a trope fan, and so I just remembered I had the beginning of a ‘let’s make out so they don’t suspect us breaking and entering’ prompt lying about.
I finished it up and tadaa.
Warns: none, pg13, lovely, YAish, fluffy, inspired by A Darker Shade Of Magic kinda, there’s a dress, and a hoop skirt and a touch of magic. And Ludec is a bit of a jerk. But. You know how I roll. I like them mean and emotionally cribbed.
The night was a kind of blue that made one think of the astronomers painted ceilings. Deep, navy, bedazzled with nine point stars and crisscrossing lines that chartered their endless travel over the heavens.
But of course neither Ludec or his mandatory apprentice, noticed the spectacular glint of the cosmic forces and their slow blue void above.
They were quite tethered to their own little bubble of world, here, far down on the earthly soil.
Elinora grabbed her skirt and shook the ruffles and ribbons on their stiff dress-hoops.
“Flaying cunts. Whoever forced a woman to wear this should be eaten by rats in the pits of Jouniya!” She hissed and yanked out the strings that fastened the metal skeleton around her waist, through the pockets of the gown.
It clashed to the ground like cutlery in a tin when it fell from within her skirt.
The dress, robbed of its bones, instantly collapsed around her legs.
“Don’t break that. It’ll come out of your pay.” Ludec wasn’t looking at her.
He was watching the balcony of the grand sandstone castle of Hinr. A massive block stuffed full of wealth and grandeur, it could all but have made him scoff, had it not been for Ludec’s burning need to own it.
More on the ground level. Ten more pacing the inner wall. Definitely too many to kill and maybe too many to sneak past, even with the help of a well done Kraven spell.
Ludec frowned as he kept counting the obstacles.
“I would have dressed like a man from the start if you had not stopped me, and then we would not be in this hellish situation!!” Elinora said in an angry, fast whisper.
They were both in the deep shadows of the royal gardens, hidden by the castle wall, and though there was music and laughter soaring out from the open veranda doors, Elinora’s cursing was sure to be heard if she didn’t pipe down!
“Your face is too pretty to be a man’s and unfortunately it’s isn’t a masquerade ball tonight.” If it had been anyone but Ludec who’d said something like that, it would have been a complement.
“Be glad that I am not biting the life out of you with my pretty mouth for being so smart, mr Ludec.”
Ludec glanced over his shoulder. Elinora was furiously untying her bodice.
Getting her out of her gown was crucial, she had no chance of climbing vines or squeezing between bares in that thing. The ridiculous dress had been their ticket in through the first set of gates, no spell could make it over the drawbridge, but now a different guise was needed for the second gate, and Luduc could feel the magic biting at his palms. Ready to burst out of his skin at the breathe of a word.
However, the moon bounced off of Elinora’s cleavage and her pressed chest rather charmingly in that moment, and Ludec quickly turned back to observing the guards.
“You’re free to sink your teeth in my face, but don’t touch my breechers. I can’t return them to Sir Orionie full of holes.”
Elinora made an annoyed snort.
“As if you could at all. I will wager a third of my silver that you will ruin them all on your own.”
Ludec heard the silk string slip out of its loops behind him.
She was supposed to be his subordinate, his student, his admirer, and yet Elinora was less an apprentice and more a scratching hissing marten, refusing training.
“I’ll gladly take that gam—“ Ludec started in a sneer, but a set of voices broke his attempts to return fire.
“Sir Barcus!! Over here! Come.” A shill laugh came around the corner of the gardens.
Ludec’s eyes flicked from the metal hoops on the ground around Elinora, to the undone bodice, and then dove towards her. He hardly looked down at her before shoving her up against the wall of Hinr Castle. She made a surprised noise, but luckily no more than that.
No curses, no knife in his gut, no fangs in his cheekbone. Just Elinora’s palms against his chest.
“Milani, my Milani, your face is a hundred roses and you smell like a berry!! Sweeter than a million sugars!” The idiot called Barcurs sounded drunk on love, or fine wine, as he stumbled closer to their hiding spot.
Ludec pressed his lips to Eli.
The magic sparked from his fingertips, blue flashes in a miniature lightning storm, he buried them in her wild hair.
“Barcus, a poet you are. Here, touch me.” Milani sounded breathless. And only a few paces away.
The invisibility spell was ready, alive and snapping, but if he used it now he could not conjure another spell before morning.
After a moment Eli kissed back.
He felt how she leaned against him and slowly moved her mouth with warm velvety lips against his.
Ludec’s stomach did a horrid drop, like the tickle of a fall.
“Ah! Milani! In the gardens?”
“Under the Gods holy stars?!” He sounded appalled in a most thrilled manner.
“Ahah, you are a wonderful vicious creature my love, I shan’t deny you—oh.” The scuff of Barcus steps stopped. Milani stifled her giggle.
Ludec pulled back an inch from their kiss and angled his head. Then spoke with the sleek fine uniform of court over his words.
“Forgive us, but it would seem you shall have to seek out another corner under the Gods holy stars. I am afraid this one is occupied.”
Barcus paled and Milani eyes were wide. However the woman quickly regained her mental footing. She tugged at Barcus’ arm and got him heaved away with a coo.
“Do not mind them, sweetheart. Come.”
Ludec’s narrow eyes followed them as they vanished into the lush tall maze. Soon their voices were entirely gone too.
Then he blinked and turned back.
Elinora was in his arms. Her body trapped between the wall and him.
Her beautiful face were somewhere between an angry frown and a question.
Ludec let her go and took three long strides back, almost tripping backwards on the metal hoops on the ground.
“Because of the dress.” He explained.
Elinora flicked her eyes away, the question fading and the frown taking over. Then she started unlacing the rest of her attire.
“I could have killed them instead?” He defended, even though she hadn’t said anything.
“No. You’re right. Rather a kiss than a kill. Cleaner that way.” She slipped out of her embroidered top, leaving her in the corset from the waist up.
“... Exactly.” The magic was hurting now. Like a beast nipping at his fingers.
Icy blue and violent, and not at all like the calm dusty marine of the astronomy tower.
