The Blood King - Chapter Twenty (Patreon)

Nymira

I am drawn to the river, I realize. It is much cooler early in the morning, when the sun has yet to kiss it with its rays. The air is silent as most of Cassian’s men are still asleep, save for a few guards. I can smell the dewy water that lingers in the air. I can almost feel it, as I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of the water turning colder as it engulfs me.

It’s comforting.

I release a deep exhale, and my body sinks beneath the surface, the water covering all of me. It’s quiet here. It allows me to think and calm myself after everything that occurred last night. It was a terrible start on my end. I not only injured their king, but if I had been stronger, it would have been more severe. I doubt he will even entertain the idea of teaching me about the Ancients let alone my culture.

My mind shifts to Cassian as a whole.

I can’t decipher whether or not I should see him as an ally or an enemy. He is clearly a king who follows the morals of the Ancients, going as far as punishing my captors for stepping out of line when it comes to an Ancient, even if it was an Ikniri. But his hatred of me, of Ikniri specifically, is something I shouldn’t take lightly. He is all too forthcoming with how he is willing to deal with me if I get out of hand.

Yet I clearly made a grave mistake last night that should have cost me something. Am I truly that pathetic to him, that little of a threat that leaving a mark on him even if by accident, isn’t dangerous?

I am suddenly reminded of his reaction when I drew a sword on him. He released a smog that paralyzed me within seconds. I may not know much of my people, but I know even less about the Dragonborn other than to avoid them.

I flinch as the water suddenly grows warm, washing away the calm that I felt. I open my eyes, lifting myself to the surface when I notice the icy particles that slowly disappear around me as they melt. I break through the surface, my attention falling to the intimidating figure near the shore with his fingertip in the water.

Cassian kneels, his eyes narrowing when I break through the surface. His irritation shifts to shock, and his eyes drift slightly lower before he quickly looks away, just as I stand.

“Have you no shame?” he says in irritation, standing. He won’t look at me, garnering my confusion. He’s never been afraid to look into my eyes and strike fear into me. But now, he’s avoidant.

I look back to the water in confusion. I realized as I came to the surface I accidentally froze some of it enough that ice shards were beginning to form around me. But Cassian quickly remedied that, pulling me out of my trance.

Did I hurt him again unknowingly?

Suddenly, the world goes dark as fabric is thrown over me. Cassian’s scent engulfs me from the heavy cloak, and I have to use both hands to pull it away from my face.

“Did the woman who raised you not teach you about nakedness?” he snaps, gesturing for me to wrap his cloak around me. I slowly pull it around my shoulders, covering myself, just as the realization dawns on me.

He is embarrassed because of my nudity.

I laugh, raising a brow as I move out of the water. He still won’t look at me, keeping his gaze in the distance, and I notice his skin is flushed.

“The mighty king who doesn’t bat an eye at killing grows bashful when faced with a woman’s body?” I laugh, moving past him.

“You realize you are a woman, and yet to stand in front of me, fully naked as if it means nothing,” he says behind me.

I turn to face him, and he’s back to his original self. Though his skin is still a little flushed, he’s composed himself; the dangerous gaze I’ve associated with him has returned.

“Peyra never seemed to mind,” I say. “What’s so wrong with my body?”

His eyes widen slightly, his embarrassment returning as a new scent mingles with his own. It’s intoxicating, I note, as it wafts from him.

“You shouldn’t be naked before strangers, Nymira. It isn’t as innocent as you think,” he says.

His voice sounds strained.

I scoff, pulling his cloak. I hold it out next to me, dropping it on the ground, watching his reaction before turning to grab my own clothing from the hanging branch.

“I am not embarrassed,” I say, pulling the dress over my head. My hair soaks pieces of it, and the thin material sticks to my skin as I turn to face Cassian.

The heat from his body is the first thing I notice. He is directly in front of me, his eyes boring into mine, brighter than I’ve ever seen, the red almost melding with the gray. His cloak is around my shoulders, his hands holding it closed around my neck as he pulls me into him.

His breath is slow; deep. The scent wafting from him is more intense this close. It affects me, I realize, my breathing matching his the longer I inhale it. And my body grows warm. But not in discomfort. It feels pleasant.

“Clearly,” he growls, closing his eyes.

“Nudity around men has nothing to do with embarrassment. Surely she spoke to you about…the pleasures of the flesh?” he asks.

Silence settles between us. I have no idea what he’s talking about. My silence gives him his answer, and he releases a deep breath, tying his cloak before stepping away from me.

“You cannot walk around my camp naked. No one should see your nakedness, Nymira. It isn’t proper,” he says, his eyes dark as he studies me.

“…okay,” I say, suddenly feeling very aware of my nakedness beneath this cloak. The warmth of my body makes my nipples sensitive to the material, and warmth travels between my legs.

“Is that why you came?” I ask.

Cassian blinks as if suddenly remembering his purpose in seeking me out this early in the morning.

“We are continuing the rest of the way with a smaller party. I want to leave before the sun fully rises,” he says. “Get dressed quickly so that we can leave.”

He doesn’t wait for a response, quickly turning away from me. He seems eager to place distance between us, and I watch him as he leaves, my amusement returning now that the tension has cleared the air.

Who knew nudity would be the Dragonborn king’s undoing?

~

Cassian

My skin feels like it’s on fire as I close my eyes, seeing the Ikniri once again in the morning light. She is naturally drawn to the river. It is cool, helping her internal chill. I knew she would be there this morning when I didn’t find her in her tent. I just didn’t expect her to be fully naked, and ready to bare it all to me without a care in the world. Or even an understanding of why she shouldn’t be naked in front of me of all people.

Another wave of heat washes over me as I recall the way the water dripped down her body. She’s a tall Ikniri, her lean figure emphasized by her pert breasts. They are larger than my imagination conjured, seeing them through the thin nightgowns. She had no idea how sensual she looked, standing there with water droplets frosting to her nipples from her natural chill. And when she removed my cloak, dropping it at her feet as she walked away to reveal deep dimples above her ass, I almost lost it.

“Fuck,” I hiss as pleasure ripples up my spine, my release coming out in spurts in my palm. As I am pulled from my lust, I study the clear glaze on my palm, my irritation at myself returning.

Am I really letting myself be undone by an Ikniri of all creatures?

I forgot to even reprimand her for how I found her. She told me briefly the night before that she had lost control in the river, freezing it trying to save a mother and her son. This morning was no different. If not for me finding her in time, she may have frozen the surface, trapping herself underneath with no way out, seeing as she cannot control her power enough to remove the layer of ice.

She is dangerous, and I know that. But the longer I am around her, the less I seem to care. I release an irritated breath, fastening my pants before snatching a towel from the basin to wipe my shame from my palm. It hasn’t even been that long since I last fucked. Yet three days into a trip with her and I’m already undone.

The woman who raised her failed her in more ways than one. What were they doing all those years in the forests? Hiding out? Did she forget to teach her anything about life outside of hiding? She is not only unprepared for her own kind, but for life in general. And against my better judgment, I feel a pang of pity hit my chest.

It’s brief, and I am quick to rein myself in, remembering why I despise her kind so much. She is no different from them, and like them, she will pay once she has served her purpose.

I throw back my tent fold rougher than I intend, making my way to the war tent. As I move through my camp, I note that more of my men have begun moving around, and out of curiosity, I look in the direction of the river.

She isn’t there.

I hate the relief that I feel. Part of me is glad she isn’t roaming around my camp with that damn nightgown, the water from her body making it completely see-through. I make a mental note to make her sleep in thicker clothing from now on, seeing as she sees no problem with her nudity.

Caius and Ulric are waiting for me as I enter the war tent.

They both bow as I approach, and I briefly acknowledge them with a nod before moving to the map spread out on the table. The region we are in is right before Thrae territory. They’ve never interested themselves in the affairs of this war. Only a select few joined the Dragonborn during the war, and those were banned from their people. Though with Nymira’s presence, I don’t know how they will react.

Or if they will even show themselves.

I look away from the map to Ulric and Caius, and begin relaying the plan for the next few days.