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The sun was setting on a home in the heart of Baldur's gate. Nestled away in its own little cove of peace and tranquility, as was fitting for inhabitants so used to the horrors of war and violence.
Arilda and Lae'zel had been gifted this piece of paradise from their close friend the Grand Duke Wyll Ravengard. Lae'zel's reluctance to accept friends and companionship had blossomed into a woman who valued those she loved, and who would protect them with her life. None of her growth was possible without the gentle soul sitting beside her on a lime green sofa.
Arilda's lifetime of trauma and neglect had ended, her eyes full of love and of hope. Hope that at one point seemed in vain, she never gave up, that one day life would be kinder, and kinder it had become.
The pair held hands on their sofa, alone save for the beating of each other's hearts. Arilda nestled her head into Lae'zel's chest, as the stalwart githyanki stroked her kin's hair.
"Chk, what a treasure your sister gave you, it's a wonder I never repaid the favor."
Lae'zel grimaced, staring at the faded writing still visible through her lover's hair. It seemed a lifetime ago to Arilda, when her sister Astryx had carved the words "Useless" into the back of her head.
Arilda knew she had many uses, the most important of which was being at the door to greet her treasure, her La'ria. The precocious 7 year old leaped into her mother's arms as she opened the door. "How was your academy learning Ria?" Arilda asked the antsy child, who was much more eager to get to the kitchen and indulge herself, like mother like daughter.
La'ria slipped free and sprinted to the kitchen, clumsily climbed into one of the sturdy wooden chairs at the kitchen table, carrying a small pail of milk with her, and some black and white cookies.
"Mama!" She yelled, as the two adult githyanki entered the room, "Mamas, I met a boy today" She said, her voice distorted by the mouthful of milk soaked cookies. "He was a total weenie, trying to hold my hand."
Lae'zel looks angry, "Chk, what a pathetic creature, daring to touch my daughter, what did you do Ria!?" Lae'zel looks proud waiting for a tale of her baby girl's heroics.
"I put my finger in my mouth, and then I stuck it in his ear!" Lae'zel looks suddenly defeated.
"Chk.. I would have simply punched him, you must learn more basic combat my child.” Arilda meanwhile was rolling on the floor. "You gave him a WET WILLY, oh my gosh!"
~ The trio sat down in their living room, as La'ria pulled out a heavy scrapbook, the same one that Arilda had spent so many hours chronicling her adventures with her wife and friends. Those days seemed so long behind her now, but she was always ready to tell her curious daughter tall tales of her exploits.
"Mama, read me this one!" La'ria pointed to a journal entry from one of her first nights after having been tadpoled. The night she had met Lae'zel, not as in having physically met her, but when their bodies had first "MET" each other. The giths quickly blushed. "That one might not be ready for you Ria.."
La'ria pouts, looking up at her mothers. "Come on! I have a stinking class report to do about family, my dang teacher wants me to tell them about you two!"
The two gith look alarmed, but settle their daughter down, it was time to tell her about how they met.
~ THAT ONE NIGHT
Arilda sat close to the fire, feeling the warmth touch her cold pale skin. The burns on her face are a reminder to keep a safe distance from the flames.
"Tsk'va, alone at last kin."
Lae'zel spoke from behind her, the proud githyanki warrior made Arilda shiver, in both fright and awe. This is what Arilda was meant to be, the stalwart knight that Arilda was expected to be, needed to be. She wasn't a knight, nor was she brave or proud. She was nothing.
She looked in fear as the Gith leaned close, smelling her. "I smell your fear, small one, but also your curiosity. You wish to know if I mean you harm." Lae'zel stares at Arilda with an unknowing look, her eyes scanning the pale blue gith's face. Seeing the burn marks, her eyes landing on the word that was rudely carved into the exposed scalp.
"Useless."
Lae'zel's heart felt funny, she had seen many lesser gith, and had even sent many to their eternal resting place. This one, made her hesitate.
"Kin, while we are burdened with these.. tadpoles. We must do what we can to ensure both our fitness and survival. That's why I will partake of your body tonight." Arilda's mouth opens, wanting to scream but not finding her voice.
"Kneel and strip, do not make me ask twice, while I use your body, I will be on top, you will enjoy it however much you allow yourself too, but I will ensure my enjoyment. Arilda kneeled before the Gith, her eyes wet with tears. "It's just... it's just.."
"What? Spit it out!?" Lae'zel snaps.
"I've never done this before! I don't know what you want!" Arilda screams through tears, holding her head in shame. "You are a virgin?" Lae'zel asks, her tone shifting, softer now.
"Ye.. yes, I guess, I don't really know what all that is, they never let me try back home.. they.. I met a boy once, and they.. they killed him." Arilda felt awful as she uttered that lie. She remembered the elven boy's face, he had kissed her, back in the clearing near her creche, and her mother made her do it, she held his head down as she told her daughter to swing the blade.
"I KILLED HIM... I'm so sorry, I don't know what's happening, or what you want, I've never had sex and I don't kn-" She is cut off, by a hand over her mouth, Lae'zel kneeling down next to her, both the Gith's bodies illuminated by the fire.
"It's okay kin... we need not do anything that frightens you.. who did that to you, to the back of your head, who told you that you had no use?"
Arilda is still crying as Lae'zel removes her hand. "Mu... my sister, and my mother.. everyone really, That's what I was told, since I was little, that I was useless.. Fucking useless! It's all I am, it's all I ever will be! I wish that fucking ship had blew up with me on it, that way I wouldn't have to think anymore.. ever again!"
Arilda sobs openly into Lae'zel's shoulder, making the gith both curious and concerned. This was her kin, by rights she should finish the job and end this weak warrior, by what Lae'zel had been told.. she was useless, this being.
Lae'zel's upbringing may have taught her brutal pragmatism, but she didn't care, as she reached out and held Arilda in her arms. No words were needed, just a warm touch that was foreign to Arilda, but was long overdue.
La’ria of course wasn’t told of the intimate parts of that evening, nor was she told of how Arilda savored the taste of Lae’zel’s lips on her own. She nodded along, her eyes large. She may be only seven years old, but she held a maturity beyond her years, and seemed to understand how important all this was to her parents.
“Okay, okay, and I’m just gonna skip the kissing!” La’ria sticks her tongue out in disgust as she writes in her little green notebook.
A soft knock is heard on the front door, as La’ria shuffles quickly across the house, slipping and sliding her way to the door.
“La’ria! Come quickly, I found a great big bug and I’m going to put it in my mother's closet!” Liza the half drow grinned deviously. The daughter of Gale and Charyl Dekarios, and an unrepentant troublemaker.
“Mamas! I have to go, I have a mission!”
La’ria tumbles out the door after her pale companion, as they run to the next house over, where Gale and Charyl would stay during Charyl’s residency at the elfsong inn. Her one woman show had been a smashing success, but when she took the stage tonight, the black beetle in her dress would be an unwelcome surprise for the diva.
Lae’zel and Arilda were still of a different state of mind, lost in the past, lost in the intimacy of that night.
“Do you remember what I told you, the morning after we fought, in those shadow lands?”
Lae’zel inquired, holding her wife’s soft hand.
“You said.. I was your bruise.. the source of your pain and joy. You said that while we were both lost.. both broken, that we could pick up each other’s pieces.. make each other whole.” Arilda felt hot tears drip down her face.
“Arilda.”
Lae’zel held on to her hand, kneeling on the wooden floor. “I wish to spend an eternity with you, to raise our child.. and to complete each other, to fill in what we are each missing, to give each other a use.”
She pulled Arilda’s ring off her finger, holding it up again. It was a similar sight to that day 8 years ago, after the absolute’s defeat.
Arilda remembered how Lae’zel was covered in blood, bruised and sore. She remembers seeing her drop to a knee back then, holding up a small emerald ring.
Arilda had cried then too, her body shaking even as her friends all looked on. Lae’zel had wept too as Arilda said the word that proclaimed devotion, the word that set their union in stone.
“Yes.”
The same as she did that night,Lae’zel picked Arilda’s body up in her strong arms. They lost themselves in each other’s lips.
“I renew my vow to you, my bruise, the source of my joy. Zhak vo'n'ash duj.”
Arilda took the ring again, her life had been a journey of never belonging, never feeling wanted. In this house of love and comfort. She couldn’t feel less useless.
She had never felt more wanted.