The next day's ride started under heavy clouds, the sky a dull sheet of gray that promised rain, hanging low and oppressive like a blanket over the rolling hills. The road smelled of damp earth, a fresh, loamy scent rising from the dirt path churned by the wheels, and every creak of the carriage seemed louder in the hush, the usual birdsong muted by the impending storm. The mist from the previous night lingered in patches, swirling around the horses' legs as they plodded forward, the driver's occasional mutter lost in the wind.
Aria was already seated when I climbed in, her sword propped against her leg, a faint scrape on the leather where yesterday's fight had marked it—a fresh nick from one of the bandit's blades, still raw and unpolished. She didn't look up as I sat across from her, her posture relaxed but vigilant, eyes fixed on the passing landscape outside the small window.
I settled in, the bench creaking under my weight, and broke the silence after a moment. "You didn't hesitate back there," I said, referring to the ambush, my voice low enough not to disturb the dozing merchants or the scholar buried in his notes.
She shrugged, eyes still on the passing trees, their leaves rustling faintly in the breeze. "Hesitation gets you killed."
"That, or someone else," I replied, leaning forward slightly, testing the waters with a subtle infusion of Desire Tongue II to make the words linger, planting a seed of shared understanding.
That made her glance at me, just briefly, her storm-gray eyes meeting mine before sliding away again. "And you? You didn't hang back either. Most travelers would have cowered in the carriage."
"I figured letting you have all the fun would've been rude," I said, keeping my tone light, a faint smile tugging at my lips to soften the edge.
This time, the corner of her mouth twitched — not quite a smile, but it was warmer than the razor's edge she'd shown before, a crack in her guarded facade that hinted at amusement beneath the steel.
The carriage rolled on, the clouds thickening overhead, casting long shadows over the fields dotted with wildflowers bending in the wind. The merchants stirred occasionally, grumbling about the weather delaying their schedules, while the scholar muttered to himself over his ink-smudged pages. Aria shifted in her seat, crossing her arms, but the tension from the previous day's fight seemed to have eased into a wary camaraderie.
By the time we stopped at a roadside inn for the evening, the rain had started, drumming on the roof in steady sheets that turned the yard into a muddy slurry, water pooling in dips and splashing underfoot as we disembarked. The inn was a sturdy timber building with smoke curling from the chimney, the scent of stew and fresh bread wafting out to combat the chill. The merchants hurried inside, shaking off their cloaks by the fire, the scholar clutching his satchel to avoid the wet. Aria disappeared upstairs without a word, her steps purposeful on the creaking stairs.
I passed her room later, the door cracked open just a sliver— a deliberate choice, I suspected; she didn't strike me as careless, not with her instincts. The faint light from a lantern inside spilled into the hallway, casting a warm glow on the worn floorboards.
I tapped lightly on the frame. "You alive in there?"
"Come in," she called, voice even, no surprise in her tone—as if she'd expected me.
Her gear was stacked neatly in the corner, sword within easy reach on the small table, her armor shed for a simple linen shirt and trousers that hugged her athletic frame, practical but revealing the lean muscles beneath. She'd let her hair down from the braid, dark strands falling over her shoulders in loose waves. She leaned against the table, arms crossed, but her stance was relaxed, inviting the conversation.
"You here for small talk?" she asked, her gray eyes meeting mine directly, a hint of challenge in them.
"Depends. You any better at it now?" I replied, stepping inside and closing the door behind me with a soft click, the room's air warmer, scented faintly with the oil from her gear and the inn's woodsmoke.
That earned me a real smirk, her lips curving as she uncrossed her arms. "I can manage… if the company's worth it."
I stepped closer, the space between us shrinking, the rain outside a steady patter against the window. "Guess we'll see."
We talked at first — not about jobs or blades, but about the road, the capital's underbelly where real deals happened away from the palaces, the stupid things merchants do when they think no one's watching—like the ones in our carriage bragging about tariffs they'd evaded. She had a dry wit, sharper than her sword, her laughs rare but genuine, low and throaty, and every so often her eyes lingered just a beat too long on my face, tracing the lines as if reassessing.
When the pause came — that quiet, taut space where a choice lives, the rain softening to a whisper outside — I didn't rush it. I let the air thicken, stepped closer, close enough to feel the faint heat of her body radiating through the thin linen, her breath quickening slightly.
"You're not as untouchable as you want people to think," I said quietly, my hand brushing her arm, Desire Touch activating with the contact, sending a subtle warmth pulsing through her skin.
Her breath hitched just slightly, eyes darkening as she met my gaze. "And you're not as forgettable as I thought," she replied, her voice lower, laced with a hint of challenge, but she didn't pull away—instead, leaning in, her lips meeting mine in a tentative kiss that quickly deepened, her tongue exploring with a hunger that surprised even her. "Mmm... what is that warmth? Don't stop," she murmured against my mouth, her hands coming up to grip my shirt, pulling me flush against her.
I pressed her back against the wall, the wood cool behind her, my hands sliding to her waist, fingers digging in just enough to elicit a soft moan from her—"Ah... yes, touch me like that." Desire Touch amplified the sensation, making her arch into me, her body responding with a shiver as I trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin. "Jin... lower," she whispered, guiding my hand to her breast, cupping it through the linen, thumb circling her nipple until it hardened. "Oh... harder... please," she gasped, her hips grinding against mine, feeling my growing hardness.
My other hand slipped under her shirt, skin on skin now, tracing the curve of her side, teasing the edge of her trousers but not going further. "You want more?" I asked, voice rough, kissing her deeply again, tongues tangling as she moaned into my mouth, "Yes... but not yet... tease me."
I obliged, fingers dancing along her thigh, brushing close but pulling back, building the tension until her breaths came in short pants. "You're driving me crazy... ah!" she whimpered, her hands roaming my back, nails scraping lightly. The kiss broke, her forehead against mine, eyes half-lidded with desire. "Enough... for now," she said, pulling back with effort, her cheeks flushed, body still trembling from the touch.
When she finally stepped back, there was a faint flush to her cheeks, but her voice was steady. "Not bad. But don't think that gets you anywhere yet."
"I'll take that as a promise," I said, adjusting my shirt, the heat lingering between us like an unspoken vow.
She tilted her head, studying me like I was an interesting weapon she wasn't sure she wanted to use yet, her breathing still uneven. "You might survive the capital after all."
[Influence: 26%. Target now actively curious.] [Desire Points earned: +5. Cumulative total: 93.]
The inn's common room below buzzed with evening chatter—merchants toasting their survival, the scholar debating history with a local—but upstairs, the hallway was quiet as I left her room, the rain a distant patter. The day had shifted the dynamic; Aria's reserve was cracking, her curiosity turning to something more tangible. The capital drew closer, but this road held its own rewards, each interaction building toward a bond that could prove invaluable in the challenges ahead.