BARRAYAR | ic contact

[shri]

LAKSHMI BAI BARRAYARAN - LOYALTY POINTS: 7 IC CONTACT LETTERS / ACTION / OTHER

Comments

[shri]

[ He hushes her with that, her hands settling on his shoulders, shifting that little to adjust underneath him. Didn't want to draw him into anything morose, not right now. ]

Well, now you have a brothel madam to yourself.

[dendarii]

[ Miles snorts a bit at that, relaxing. ]

That I don't quite believe.

[shri]

[ There's a light squeeze of her fingers into his shoulder. ]

I told you when we met, do you recall? I told you I worked out of a brothel. It was where my ah, rebellion, was based. The girls would call me their madam.

[dendarii]

[ That's right. He'd nearly forgotten. ]

I'd say that makes you a rebel leader more than a madam.

[shri]

[ Shh, Miles, it is so such a good cover. ]

Well, I did toss the old one out for mistreating them. [ Not like she can ever help herself, apparently. ] And if patrons got too unruly I was usually the one to remove them... or Devi.

[dendarii]

[ Miles laughs a little and relaxes again. ]

Who was Devi?

[shri]

[ She pauses - opening her mouth and surely she has mentioned her? But no, she hasn't, has she? She never mentions anything if she can help it. Nothing important anyway, nothing so personal as what constitutes her family.

Good Lord, how does he put up with her, sometimes? But she supposed he had less of a time prying it from her than most. He made it shockingly easy to simply talk. ]

She is... a daughter of sorts. What remains of my - durgavasi - my guardswomen, that rode with me most of my life. The heir now, to my fight. When it's a little too... public for myself given the... laws, she is the one that stands in my place. [ And like any mother, she clucks, her fingers threading her fingers through his hair in the same idle way. ] Stubborn, far too inclined to throw herself in the way of danger. She rips my heart from my chest almost daily. I swear she punishes me that way for daring to worry.

[dendarii]

[ Miles is real good at that. He attributes it to a genuine willingness to listen and his insatiable curiosity. ]

Ah, much like an armsman then. I think I know a Devi already.

[ Well, with the relationships flipped. Bothari had been closer to a father figure. ]

[shri]

[ She'll sew her mouth shut, one day, fix him then. ]

It isn't that always the way? Inclined to die for our people and someone to remind us that someone needs us alive.

[ She closes her eyes - and more than anything, this is what she wants, what she wanted to give him. Shared warmth, quiet words that feel as soft as forgiveness. ] Did yours keep your feet on the ground too?

[dendarii]

[ He nods quietly at that, picturing his armsman. Ah, it's been thirteen years already ... ]

Indeed. Or flew to my side when I needed protection. [ His voice lowers to a murmur. ] He's protected me from my grandfather since before I was born.

[shri]

[ She draws her fingers against him, against the curve of his mouth, the edge of it. Not to make him look up at her, just to share in that affection. ]

Tell me of who I should be so grateful too?

[dendarii]

[ He gladly leans, then, content. ]

Konstantin Bothari. My bodyguard of many years.

[shri]

[ Warmth so easily shared as she listens. Shifting herself so very slightly to get comfortable. ]

I take it some of his guarding often meant playing nursemaid?

[dendarii]

Of course. Perpetually for most of my childhood.

[shri]

You must have been an eager child.

[ Bright as he is now, bright as he would be then. ]

[dendarii]

Oh yes. Quite determined to get myself into all sorts of trouble. His job was to make sure none of it was fatal.

[shri]

[ She groans at the thought of managing that. No, no, perhaps she should be grateful she cannot get with child. Having a smaller version of him running around with a child's utter lack of fear would be a nightmare. ]

At least you are little enough to be picked up, then, it's the great consolation with children.

[dendarii]

I would prefer not to be, thank you. Unless you are about to do something very fun with me that requires it.

[shri]

[ She keeps her face as straight as possible like the thought hadn't occured to even once. ] Perish the thought, my lord.

[ Her grin is sly, brief, then as she thinks on it. ] If it is any consolation to you, as I was before -? It would have been at my limit, but I think I could have managed to carry Maine.

[dendarii]

[ Miles can't help but laugh a bit at that. ]

I'd love to see it.

[shri]

[ Her arms link around him, a little to touch, and a little to brace and he is smaller than her after all, makes it easy to lift up with her hips where she's got him bracketed comfortably in the cradle of her hips to roll him suddenly back. So she can lean in over him, press her face into his neck and press warm open mouthed kisses down it, a soft curl of a smile she tucks into soft skin. Laughing with him. Secrets, there, too. ]

Would you? What else would you see me do?

[dendarii]

[ Oh. Despite his earlier protest, he actually quite likes the gesture. The feeling of her arms around him, lifting him up with strength that clearly eclipses his own, being on the same level for a moment before she leans down again. It's enough to bring a bright flush to his cheeks as he kisses back with gleeful enjoyment. ]

Many things, my lady. When we manage a little privacy.

[shri]

[ She leans forward a little, to press her forehead to his, smiling pleasantly, the fall of her hair as good enough veil to privacy where it is half unravelled and over her shoulder. Getting longer than she likes but - ah, she'll deal with it later. ]

I suppose caves will have to do since sheets are an impossibility. [ Kisses him again, sighing into it. ] I wish we could do nothing else.

[dendarii]

[ Good. He reaches a hand out, then, threading his fingers through her hair in turn as he returns the kiss. ]

As do I. But we make do with what we have, while we have it.

[shri]

[ Her hand shifts to his chest, light where her weight is balanced on her knees. Her palm settling flat over his heart beat. A solid thud-thud-thud, felt against worn skin. Reassuring to it, steady as drums. She presses her lips together on the taste of him and it's remarkably simple to her, to take everything as her last. Because it's all it ever might be. Her last pieces of affection, her last shreds given to someone she knows will always view her, whatever else she might do, as herself. For all that might be.

The same way, she had always looked at him. ]

Miles, there is one last thing I must ask of you.