Ines carried Zarah through the hallways, and the maids and servants lowered their heads the moment they saw the Empress pass, with her arms occupied.
Not a single word was spoken.
The doors to her chambers opened and shut firmly behind them.
Without hesitation, Ines walked straight to the bed and set Zarah down.
Zarah looked up at her, her throat suddenly dry.
Ines hadn't said anything the entire way.
Not a single word.
A quiet unease settled in Zarah's chest.
Was she… angry?
And if she was...
why?
Ines glanced down at Zarah, her hand lifted slowly and cupped Zarah's cheek.
"You went on a walk with, Lord Nolan?" Ines asked, her voice neutral.
Zarah felt her breath hitch as Ines drew closer.
She couldn't help but lean into Ines's touch, tilting her head slightly as she looked up at Ines.
"Yes..." she answered.
She did not understand why, but suddenly she felt very guilty for going on a walk with her own uncle without having informed Ines.
Ines drew in closer, her lips ghosting over Zarah's forehead as she slowly placed a kiss there.
"Did you enjoy it?" She asked.
"It was quite all right," Zarah replied.
Her fingers clenched the bed sheet.
"Hmm, was it?" Ines's voice dropped as she leaned in further, and placed a kiss on Zarah's cheek.
"If you wanted to go on a walk then why did you not tell me?" Ines said, as one of her hands trailed lower and gripped Zarah's hip.
Zarah felt actively aware of the places Ines was touching her.
"I... the walk... it wasn't planned," Zarah replied, lowering her gaze.
Ines sighed, her hand tilting Zarah's head towards her.
"How many times do I need to tell you? Look at me."
Then Ines leaned in and pressed her lips over Zarah's, kissing the girl deeply.
Zarah's breath caught, as she felt Ines pull her closer against her, she returned the kiss, shutting her eyes.
Ines tilted her head, and deepened the kiss.
Her hand which was on Zarah's cheek, moved from there to the back of Zarah's neck, holding her firmly against her as they kissed.
Her tongue came forward and swept across Zarah's lower lip.
Zarah let out a quiet gasp.
Using that opportunity, Ines inserted her tongue inside Zarah's mouth.
Ines's tongue licked the roof of Zarah's mouth as she explored it.
Zarah let out a whimper, her grip on the sheets tightening.
She kissed the younger girl until both of them were out of breath.
Then she pulled back, resting her forehead against Zarah's.
"Next time you want to go on a walk, tell me, and I will take you," Ines said kissing Zarah again.
Zarah nodded, her cheeks flushed red.
"I cannot understand what you are saying, use your words, Flower," Ines said.
Her eyes darkened as she trailed her hands up Zarah's back, slowly undoing the buttons of her dress.
Zarah gulped, as she looked at Ines.
"Next time... I—I want to go on a walk... I will tell you," she said, stuttering through her words.
Ines smiled, tilting Zarah's head towards her and kissing her again.
"Good girl," she praised.
Then she unbuttoned the last button of Zarah's dress, and ran her hand through the bare skin of Zarah's back.
Zarah shivered at the contact.
"Hmm? What is it?" Ines said, taking Zarah's expression in.
Zarah looked at Ines, her breath caught as her hands trembled, clenched onto the bedsheet.
Ines's eyes softened at the sight.
"You silly girl," she mused, "You do not need to stop yourself. If you need to hold something, hold me."
Her other hand brushed some of Zarah's hair behind her ear.
She got onto the bed, and pushed Zarah down.
Zarah's back hit the bed as she looked up at Ines.
Her hands finally reached up, hesitantly wrapping around Ines's neck and pulling her closer.
Ines smiled, kissing Zarah deeply.
Her hand slowly tugged the dress off Zarah's body and threw it into a corner.
Ines then started kissed Zarah's jaw, before she began kissing down her neck.
Her hands moved across Zarah's skin slowly caressing her, before brushing the underside of Zarah's breast.
Zarah let out a gasp, her grip on Ines tightening as she tilted her head, giving Ines more access.
Ines smirked against Zarah's neck, nipping the skin there as her hand cupped Zarah's breast, and slowly started massaging it.
Zarah let out a whine, which only intensified the burning in Ines's core.
She bit down harder on Zarah's neck earning a loud gasp from the younger girl.
Ines's fingers pressed in on the peaked nipple of Zarah's breast before she rolled it between her fingers.
She tucked marks into Zarah's skin as she bit a trail of marks down to her collarbone, sucking a particularly large mark there.
Zarah let out a heavy breath as she tugged at Ines.
Ines looked up at the needy girl, then leaned up and kissed her.
Zarah whined, kissing Ines back holding onto Ines tightly, her nails digging into Ines's shoulder.
Ines squeezed Zarah's breast a last time, before trailing her hand down and pushing Zarah's legs wide open.
Ines kissed Zarah deeper, swallowing every sound the girl made as Ines's fingers lightly traced the already wet folds of the other girl.
Zarah gasped arching her back, Ines kissed down her neck biting into her skin to leave her mark.
Ines's fingers slowly slid into Zarah's core and began pumping two fingers inside Zarah.
Zarah gasped, as she held onto Ines tighter.
"Ahh...Your....Majesty.." Zarah moaned.
Ines moved her mouth lower, latching onto Zarah's breast as she sucked it.
Zarah moaned, her back arching off the bed as her fingers moved to tangle in Ines's hair as she held her there.
Ines sped up, pumping her fingers deeper into Zarah and twisting her fingers.
Moans filled the area.
Ines added another finger, she sped up, going faster as she kept pumping her fingers into Zarah.
Zarah's head fell back as she moaned, Ines sucked and bit her breast before moving onto the other breast which she gave the same attention.
With a final curl of Ines's fingers, Zarah let out a loud moan as she reached her climax and came down on Ines's fingers, gasping heavily.
Ines moved up, kissing the corner of Zarah's eye.
"That's it, good girl," she whispered.
She helped Zarah come down from her orgasm, her fingers still moving inside her.
Ines pulled Zarah closer, capturing her lips once more.
Zarah responded instinctively, her hands slipping around Ines's neck as she held onto her.
Ines pulled back just enough to press a kiss to her ear.
Zarah shivered beneath her touch.
A faint smile touched Ines's lips as she leaned down, pressing a softer kiss to her forehead.
"You're so reactive…" she murmured.
Gently, she turned Zarah over.
Zarah let out a quiet hum as Ines's fingers traced lightly over her stomach. Her lips followed, pressing slow kisses along her neck, then down to her shoulder, trailing further along her back.
And then...
Ines stilled.
Her eyes opened.
"What the…"
Her gaze fixed.
Darkened.
Scars.
Old. Faded, but unmistakable.
Zarah shifted slightly beneath her.
"Is something wrong—"
She stopped.
The look in Ines's eyes made her breath catch.
She hadn't hidden them.
Because this… wasn't supposed to happen.
Ines turned her over again, more carefully this time.
Her grip was firm, but not rough.
"Who did that?" she asked.
Her voice was low.
Deadly.