Eternally Bound: Part 8
----- Proposition -----
Lion's Arch was a big city, but whereas the towering buildings and subdivisions of Divinity's Reach provided structure, this city thrived on chaos. At its inception, Lion's Arch was founded upon the broken flooded city from an era long ago, and had, until recently become a wasteland of beached pirate ships and broken cargo vessels. Now, with the city having been devastated by something called the Breachmaker, it was rebuilt and took on an aquatic theme. Demitra hadn't known the city's history, but during her first visit to Lion's Arch, she had attended a tour as she scouted a way to return to Elona. This was the fourth time she had visited the city, and while it was full of hosts of unsavory characters, Demitra thought of it with fondness: it was where she and Ember had first met.
Ember had on a dress back then, a feat Demitra realized later, was out of her comfort zone. But, it was this dress that made the Elonian notice the white-haired beauty. She had stood alone most of the night, only lightly conversing with various people at the Elona-Bound ball in which Demitra had thrown. The means of paying for such, notwithstanding, Demitra was elated at the festivities and enjoyed dancing throughout the night. It was there she gave the speech to inspire freedom fighters to rise up and fight against Elona's oppression.
"Elona's oppression…" Demitra's mind wandered as she strolled through the city. In the time she had been whisked away to the Realm of the Djinn, Tyria's fight continued and had spilled into Elona. Not only had a human god been defeated, but the lich Palawa Joko, the undying god-king solely responsible for decimating the people of Elona, had been defeated. Ember had been in the War in Kryta and had been instrumental in her regiment's efforts, even though it almost cost her life. In their private bedchambers, Demitra had broken down upon hearing the news and cursed herself for being so self-absorbed - even if her absence was uncontrollably due to her 'Djinniness'. This, above all Ember's nicknames, made her blush and smile every time she thought of it. And, almost immediately thinking of Ember, happiness was replaced by a sadness that overwhelmed her.
While the conclusion by the reports had shown her innocence, Demitra truly worried her theory had decimated their relationship. Ember had been cold and withdrawn - first due to the loss of her drake hatchling, then due to her belief of Demitra's responsibility. Since that time, and upon their return from the vault, Ember had seemed to start moving on, but still required proof as to who had framed Demitra. Paige had tasked Ariadne and Six to seek out underground contacts, which she was certain could ascertain what happened. Having little reason to doubt Paige wouldn't find the responsible parties, Demitra tried to remain optimistic and trust in the woman's resources. But, she worried the results would come far later than she hoped.
She sighed. The last time she had walked in sea-themed city, things were different: Ember and she had begun a courtship, unbeknownst to either at the time. She had been optimistically excited at their voyage back to Elona, but it was accelerated by the exhilaration of the spark she had felt with her feelings for Ember within.
Now, there was a different purpose to her visit, and upon seeing Paige outside the giant library, those same optimistically excited feelings came back to her. "Ahai, Lady Paige Dejarin. Sebastian explained to me that this is where you have been doing your research," she said with a warm inviting smile. "I have been want to ask…"
Paige raised an eyebrow. "W-what about?" Her face darkened. Masking her thoughts and feelings around the woman had proven difficult for Paige. And, she had a deep suspicion Demitra knew exactly where her mind wandered in her presence.
"Oh, no. Not that…" Demitra stopped herself before following her train of thought. "What I mean to ask is how your research progresses, but I simply did not want to be perceived as too impetuous."
Paige let out a sigh of relief. "Um…. Okay, first of all, Demitra, don't even think for a minute I'm bothered by you asking. I understand how important this is." She gestured toward the large library entranceway. "This is a library I frequent, and I will say, I have turned up some interesting things! I can't wait to show you both the findings!"
"Show us both?" Demitra blinked eyes of blue and green.
A commotion pulled the women from their conversation, Demitra immediately spun around with manifested weapons, protectively standing in front of Paige.
"W-what is it, Demi?" Paige took the cue, drew her weapons as well.
"Do you not here? It sounds… Thumping; as if it were a…." Demitra peered into the distance, saw a dust cloud barreling toward them. "Stampede!" she yelled as a herd of raptors charged at them. She spun around, grabbed onto Paige, and leaped from their location. Paige landed under her, stared up at the woman with a blushing shocked expression. Demitra winked, then turned to the herd, which had halted its advance.
"Woah! What's goin-" Paige held onto the saddle-less beast, while Demitra attempted to halt Cinder with her reigns.
"Woah! Cinder! Calm yourself…"
The beast paid no attention, followed unknown orders, leading the herd back to its predestined location. Upon arrival, Demitra was still trying to stop the raptor.
"Cinder! What's… What's gotten into y-" Her attention was suddenly pulled to the woman standing before her upon a grassy knoll. "Oh… Oh, I see," the Elonian stammered, sliding off the raptor.
Paige dismounted as Demitra absently approached Ember. The woman wore a delicate dress of yellow and red, contrasting against her darker skin. Her face had a bit of makeup, along with sparkling earrings dangling in the breeze. She smiled beautifully at her partner. "A-ahai, there… E-Ember." Demitra was dumbfoundedly staring at the woman's curves. Ember, normally clad in leathers or full suits of armor, had on a tightly woven corset, which brought the woman's cleavage into view of the v-neck.
Her partner's scrutiny made Ember's cheeks redden. She took in a deep breath. "I… I wanted to make sure I did this right. So, I picked the place where we first met." She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.
Perhaps for the first time, Demitra's eyes left Ember, observing their surroundings. She smiled wildly. "Oh! Indeed! This was the venue for the Elona-Bound Ball!" She looked at Paige, who tilted her head. "Oh! Lady Paige Dejarin, this was the site of… See, there was a ball, of which I held to bring fighters to aid the cause in Elona!"
Paige smirked. "Yes, I got that from the title," she laughed. "I remember hearing about it, but duties of the estate kept me from attending. I'm sorry I wasn't there.""That is quite understandable, Lady Paige Dejarin; this was before I knew of you. You are here now! And we shall…" A thought occurred to the woman, and she took Ember's hands into her own, ignoring the hissing of steam. "Why is it we have gathered here, dear heart?"
Ember cleared her throat, looked to the hulking salamander drake known as Scarra. The animal had been patiently waiting, came to stand beside her master, and looked up anticipating the final command. "I… I panicked before, and I was taken off-guard. I… I'm ready now, if you are."
"Panicked? The Djinn was daunting, to say the least; but we prevailed and we discov-"
"Demi! Shush!" Paige called out, surprising herself. She quickly covered her mouth.
Ember fell to one knee, reached inside the drake's maw, and retrieved a small black box.
Ember flushed, worried her hair would burst into flame. She looked up into the alluring gems Demitra had for eyes. "S-Sorry. (I'm really bad at this.) What I mean is..." Ember opened the box to reveal a ring of gold with a purple sparkling amethyst stone set as a solitaire gem update it. "Will you marry me?"
The question sent a bolt of electricity to Demitra. Her heart pounded and she stood in shock a moment. Paige gasped, covering her mouth it to keep from squealing. Ember vibrated with nerves.
The sparkling amethyst didn't come close to matching the glittery sparkling vividness of Demitra's tears as her heart resumed beating. She cried out, "Yes; Yes, indeed! A thousand times yes!!!"
Tears steamed as they trailed down Ember's face. She removed the ring from the box, slid it excitedly onto Demitra's finger, happy her gloves were fingerless. Demitra watched with baited breath, then lifted Ember into a loving embrace followed by a passionate kiss. Having held herself back, Paige finally gave in, shrieked and cheered.
"Kormir's veil, how lovely! Oh I'm so happy for you both!" Paige barely got the words out before Demitra was bouncing over waving her ring hand erratically, the other dragging Ember along.
"Lady Paige Dejarin, look! Look! We are to be wed!" the woman was a child on Wintersday morning, receiving a present she'd longed for.
"Yes! I know, and let me be the first to congratu-"
Paige was lifted into the air and Demitra embraced her, squeezing the woman and giggling the whole time. Paige's face immediately turned red as she felt both the Elonian's body against hers and the sensational tingle it caused. She accidently yelped.
"We are to be wed!" Demitra repeated as though it were the first time she exclaimed the news.
Paige tried to regain control, "Th-this is your moment, Demi, you should..."
"Yes, and I am beyond ecstatic that you, my dear sweet friend, were here to witness it!" Demitra pressed her full lips to the woman's cheek.
Every part of Paige's body trembled, and she was suddenly out of breath.
"Get in here, love," Demitra giggled, pulling Ember into the happy moment. "Oh! I have not been happier... Not once! Lady Paige Dejarin, Ember has proposed to me on this day!"
Paige chuckled. "Yes, I saw!" She gave Ember a knowing wink. "We were going into the library, so it was fortuitous your raptors came when they did!"
"No doubt from your days of training them; well done Ember. Oh dear heart, you have given me such a gift! I am so... incredibly... beyond... Hap-" Demitra trailed off. Her eyes faded and her skin was pale. She lost her footing and collapsed.
"Oh she's overwhelming and fainted! That's so... beautiful!" Paige squealed.
Ember knelt down to her fiancé to rouse her. Her skin was cold to the touch. Ember panicked, began to shake Demitra, who failed about, like a lifeless doll. "She's not fainted! Wake up Demi!"
Paige drew her scepter, thinking of an incantation that may help revive her. "Scarra, kick up some sand, I'm going to try something. Ember, step back a second..."
Ember reluctantly crawled backward, to give her friend room. Scarra also did as she was told, began to claw into the dirt and use her tail to kick up sand and dust. Paige took in a deep breath, said a prayer to her gods, then began to channel her magic through the soil drawing upon its stored untapped energies. A yellow aura formed around the incapacitated woman, surrounding her with barrier infused magic.
"Now Ember! It's up to you to pull her back. Scarra, thank you for your assistance." The drake went to stand beside Paige, wagging her tail at a job well done. Paige wasn't so sure. Demitra wasn't infallible but Paige had never seen her falter, and the woman's skin was beginning to fade even more, and she feared her efforts were in vain.
Ember held her love. "Demi... No, not like this! Wake up hon! Come on. Come back to me, like you've done before... Don't leave me again!"
Paige covered her mouth, her eyes began to fill. "Please Demi! Come back to me!"
A long moment passed where nobody moved or made a sound, other than sniffling from the tears. Until Demitra began to cough up sand. She slowly blinked back the darkness, opening two eyes of sparkling azure sapphires, no signs of her normal emeralds.
Lady Paige sat her torch down and placed both hands up the woman's shoulders, commanding the magic to dispel.
Ember squeezed her fiancé. "You ever do that to me again, and I'll..." she threatened through tears.
A voice came from Demitra that was not her own. "Ember, you fool!"
"D-Demi?" Paige sat back confusedly.
"W-what?" Ember pulled back from their embrace, staring with wide-eyes. "VA-Valandra?"
"Emily? Is that you?" Valandra's voice rang out clearly.
"Val- Are… Are you alive? What… What happened to Demitra?" she asked, uncertain if she wanted to hear the answer.
Demitra shook her head, grunted as if it were a struggle just to do so. She sat up, coughed a few more times, then looked around sheepishly at both women. Her skin began to return to its normal caramel hue.
"You do know I hate being called Emily," Ember said, if nothing but to prompt more speech from the woman.
"Yes, dear heart. Of this I know." Demitra's voice also sounded normal. "What... What happ-"
"Your Valandra was showing," Ember dryly interrupted.
"I'm not," Ember said negatively. "What just happened... What you just said was something Valandra always used to say to me... And your voice was... Listen, I think Valandra was trying to reach out, like you did to her when you were in there." She pointed to the Elonian's bracers.
"But, she wasn't just reaching out, if it was Valandra; it's like she was forcing her way out," Paige tapped her chin a minute. "Two cannot be One…"
Demitra sighed. A both frustrated at her predicament and relieved that those that loved her were here to help. She took Ember's hand and squeezed, causing smoke to billow from it.
Ember glanced at the effect, formed an idea. "Then what if we remove them forcefully? Love, are you able to take your gauntlets off?"
"I have not since after my… conversion. I worry if I remove them, I will cease to exist."
Paige raised an eyebrow. "It may work, but I'm not sure if it will solve the problem. In my research, I discovered that Djinn bound to objects or people (or whatever) can be recalled or summoned out of their vessels. I haven't seen anything completely conclusive saying the object has to remain on their person. Actually there's some lore suggesting the wielder of the Djinn's vessel retains control over them. Again, most of the Djinn lore I have access to is sketchy at best." She tilted her head a moment. "Maybe the Priory Archives contain more…"
"Yet the Djinn of the vault asserted that only Valandra's vessel (the artifact) can be used to make 'One become Two'. Would he have left out such vital information? Simply the act of removing them shall separate us?" Demitra examined her bracers. "Yet Djinn do enjoy riddles and half-truths.
Ember nodded. "Yeah, and maybe he's just wanting the sword back and lying about everything else. Love, can you try to take them off?"
Demitra sighed, then nodded in agreement. She placed her hands on one of the gloves and gave the lightest tug. "No. They are… They are solidly affixed!" she feigned disappointment.
Ember chuckled. "Demi, you may be the best dancer I've ever seen, but you are not a good actress! This may be the key to stopping, or slowing down what's happening to you. I long to see Valandra again, too, but not at the cost of you wasting away! Let's try this, then we can go and get Val's sword and bring her back!" Ember said in earnest.
"I… I trust you; both of you. I put my life in your hands," she said, holding her arms out, palms upward.
Ember knelt down, wrapped her arms around her lover. "It's okay. I got you. We're here and we're going to fix this. (Not that I don't think your hair of snow isn't breathtaking.)"
"I fear if we remove these and I am recalled to my vessel… I shan't reach out from the Realm of the Djinn, and shall be imprisoned there again," Demitra's voice cracked a bit.
"Then we'll just have to pull you out. Remember: I've done it before. I know the spell now, and with this torch, I think… No. I know I can!" Paige's eyes reflected confidence beyond her years and where steadfast.
"Or I can just stab a Dejarin again," Ember shrugged. The two women's reactions made her immediately regret the joke. "Too soon? Sorry. I'm… I'm just nervous."
Paige tried her best to smile reassuringly at Demitra as she reached up and took hold of the gauntlets. Demitra and Ember both had the same expression, both with their eyes locked upon the bracers. Paige gritted her teeth and began to pull.
A hissing sound followed by ice cracking came from the gloves. Paige quickly looked at Demitra, worry on her face. "Does it hurt you?"
Demitra shook her head. "No, I… I actually think it is working."
Ember squeezed Demitra. "Okay. Then just keep on going, Paige. Nice and slow." She watched as the bracers cracked and hissed and slowly creaked forward. She leaned into her lover, whispered in her ear. "I love you, Demitra."
Tears of glitter found their way hesitantly down Demitra's cheeks at the woman's words. "And I, you, Ember Drakenfist. I shall never forget you. Nor shall I forget you, Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dej-"
"Shush now! Don't talk like that. We've got this!" Paige pulled with a bit more vigor. The gloves slid further.
"Every day, you're going to wake up next to me; I'm not saying goodbye, dammit!" Ember also welled up.
Lady Paige took in a deep breath, then jerked at the guantlets. "Someone should have a marriage that works, dammit!"
A loud crack came from the bracers and the ice seemed to give way, with a pop. Paige landed on her butt, both gloves in hand. "Ooof!"
"Love? Are you alright?" Ember was already inspecting the woman.
Demitra stared at her hands with a look at shock and awe. "I… I am no longer…" Suddenly, she reached behind her head, pulled Ember into a deep passionate kiss.
Ember melted into the kiss, pulling back to see one of her lover's eyes returned to its normal emerald.
Paige sat the gauntlets beside her. "Demi, are you… You? Are you alright?" Demitra quickly crawled over to Paige, embraced her with a large kiss on the cheek. The women almost stumbled backward. Paige was three shades of red. "I… Uh… Demitra, I…" Paige returned the embrace, losing herself in the moment.
Ember stood, took a few steps to the women, looked down. "I'm just so happy noth-" She was unexpectedly pulled down into the hug by Demitra. The three women held each other, occasionally snickering, occasionally crying. Ember was the first to pull away, looking at the gloves.
"Hey! I have an idea, hand me the gauntlets," she said, as if it were a simple trinket.
Paige offered the gloves to Ember, not recognizing any possible negative outcomes to this auspicious moment.
Demitra snatched the gloves away, cradled them. "I should… I should place these safely in the manor. They are my vessel, my anchor to this world - as I understand it. These, I am a slave to, and I must protect them."
Ember raised an eyebrow. "After all this… you don't trust me?"
"Love that's not it… I simply-"
Paige interrupted. "Ember, please. We today's events… Well, we did a lot. Let's at least take a look into this more before we do anything… rash."
Ember's nose wrinkled. "It's what I did to find Demitra. I put the gloves on and they gave me a vision! If I put them on now, maybe I'll see-"
"But, that was before Valandra was trapped inside. I was reaching out to you Valandra and, by proxy, you, since you shared her magical essence. I whispered to you, urged you on, provided you with what I could to persuade my release. If it is Valandra in here, and not simply her essence, then she has already shown she has not gently urging. I fear what shall be the outcome if you adorn the bracers, Ember." Demitra was trying to be as delicate with the subject as possible. She looked to Paige for backing.
Paige sighed, stood, brushed the dirt off her attire. "Ember, let us trust Demi on this one as she trusted us. There's always tomorrow, and we have to study that such an action won't cause irreparable harm to you or Demitra. Besides, the original objective still remains: If we can find Valandra's artifact, transfer her essence from the guantlets to it… Well, then maybe…"
"And to ascertain its whereabouts, this ritual is to be performed in the Mad King's Realm?" Demitra asked, happy for the subject change. More than a few times, she noticed Ember's eyes go to the bracers she held. "Don't even think about rubbing them," she said, half-jokingly.
Ember giggled as Paige cleared her throat and continued. "Well, it's just as you say, Demi. With the Mad King coming to Tyria to spread havoc, we just have to use one of the gateways to traverse into his realm. Since the realm's in close proximity to the Realm of the Djinn, we perform the ritual and it'll help us locate the asura that took Valandra's vessel. But… Here's the fun part!"
"Fun… part?" Demitra tried to figure out the expression, was worried it had gotten lost in translation.
Ember muttered, "She and I have much different definitions of fun."
Paige laughed. "Yeah, well, I'd say shopping for spooky costumes is going to be a blast!"
"Yes; we'd be harassed if we went into the Mad King's realm right? But there is a precedent of what's been done before: We have to dress the part to not arise suspicions. In other words…"
Demitra bounced up and down. "Shopping!"
Ember puffed. "Oh great. Can't I just burn him?"
Paige literally face-palmed.
Demitra snuck a quick smooch on her fiance's cheek. "Shopping, Ember! Shopping!" her eyes were sparkling diamonds of blue and green.
Ember's frown subsided seeing her lover's reaction. She'd forgotten how much Demitra enjoyed touring the shops at the bazaar in Amnoon. The Elonian was radiant, jumping up and down bursting into joyous infectious laughter.
"Oh, love! It shall be a wonderful time! With the shopping… and the clothes! And the…. Oh wait," Demitra paused, tilted her head to the side. "How are we to dress, Lady Paige Dejarin?"
Paige fingered her chin a moment. "Well, I'd say start by finding your favorite seasonal tale, and choose something that appeals. I have my heart set on-"
"A witch! I shall be a witch!" Demitra struck a pose.
"Well, that's what I was going to be," Paige mumbled, deflated.
Demitra sidled up beside Paige, wiggled her butt, and bumped into her hip. "We can all be witches, you know? It's called dress-up for a reason! And it is a joyous reason! I feel… free!" The woman raised her hands above her head, abs flexing here and there, gyrating to and fro in a rhythmic belly dance.
Paige inadvertently covered her agape mouth and her cheeks turned red seeing the woman move in the seductive dance.
"Well, I think I know what Demi will dress as: a Djinn," Ember said jokingly.
"That is hardly a costume for me, love." She continued her alluring dance, winking at both Paige and Ember.
Paige cleared her throat, bent down to pet Scarra, while continually watching the Elonian dance. Remembering Demitra's abilities made her attempt to keep her mind in check, yet the woman's hips and bounce pulled her into those passionately lustful thoughts. The empathic dancer picked up on the projected thoughts of both her friend and her bride to be. She simply grinned thick ruby lips and reveled in the lustfulness.
After a few minutes, a tinge of lonely sadness passed from Paige. While Demitra wasn't sure she understood the complexity for the emotion, she knew what she had to do to bring her friend back to her happiness. She reached out, pulled Paige into the dance.
"Who! Whoa! Um… Demmmiiiii?" Paige tried her best to match the woman's skill, albeit looking positively flummoxed.
"Did you two… practice?" Ember folded her arms.
"I practice every day; this you know Ember. I have seen you watching me. Felt your eyes upon my body," Demitra said as she ran her free hands over her skin and down onto her hips.
"Just try moving as she does…" Paige giggled, forgetting her previous self-consciousness. "Come, join us Ember!"
"I don't dance," Ember scoffed.
Demitra was immediately brought back to the night of the Elona-Bound Ball, and Ember's lack of participation back then… at their very first meeting. "Oh, you shall dance, indeed… at our wedding, my lovely Ember Drakenfist."
All women giggled and enjoyed each other's company well into the night, knowing peril awaited them in the Mad King's Realm. The gauntlets, having been the focus of the night, lay quietly in the sand behind them.
Ice continued to crack along them...
[To Be Continued...]
