Post by devilinthedetails on Dec 7, 2021 13:49:14 GMT 10
Title: In Check
Rating: PG-13 for sexuality
For: Rosie
Prompt: Kaddar/Kalasin
Summary: Kaddar has Kalasin in check. Or Kaddar and Kalasin play chess.
Notes: Happy Wishing Tree, Rosie ! I have a soft spot for Kalasin/Kaddar too, so I hope you will find this story sweet even if it is a bit short:D Enjoy the holiday season!
In Check
Kaddar’s knight slid up a space and over two, placing Kalasin’s king in check. The pieces on Kaddar’s chess set had the same names and rankings as the ones Kalasin had grown up playing with in Tortall despite hierarchies and titles being completely different in Carthak. It was comforting that some games didn’t change no matter what side of the Emerald Ocean a person happened to be on.
Or it would have been comforting if Kalasin wasn’t on the verge of defeat.
“May the Graveyard Hag make you bald and give you cataracts so you can’t see to beat me at chess,” Kalasin grumbled. No more than half-hearted in her curse.
Kaddar chuckled, warm, rich, and low. As she had known he would. He loved her passion. Her capacity for profanity at least in private. And she was attuned enough to him to be aware of that. A woman at the height of her poise and confidence. Powerful in her wit and charm.
Staring at her with naked amusement in his dark gaze, he pointed out, “I prefer to shave my head, so baldness is a wasted wish, I’m afraid, my dear. As for cataracts, if I do develop them, I will have to rely on you to guide me around with your hand on my arm and your tongue whispering in my ear. That doesn’t sound too grim a fate.”
“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t leave you.” Kalasin arched an eyebrow. Even though it wasn’t bold to assume that she would remain with him in Carthak forever. She had been married to Carthak. To him. She would spend the rest of her life in Carthak. With him. Until death claimed one or both of them. That was the future she could envision stretching before her like the black-and-white chessboard.
“Never leave me.” Kaddar reached across the chessboard to wrap his fingers around hers.
The chess game was abandoned and forgotten now, which was just as well since Kalasin had been on the cusp of ignomious loss.
“Wherever would I go?” she murmured after a moment. Trying and failing to keep her tone light and teasing when she felt suddenly breathless from Kaddar’s touch and flushed from his words. He could do that to her. Rip the breath from her chest and throat.
“Never leave me,” he repeated. Not answering her question. Lifting her palm to his lips. Kissing her gently in the tender fold of flesh between her thumb and index finger just below the cool base of a silver ring studded by sapphines he had given her in honor of their anniversary two years ago.
At his kiss, her heart pounded against her ribcage. She thought this must be how it felt to be a bird ensnared in a fowler’s net. Captured with no hope of ever flying free. Of soaring to the sky.
With a constriction of great need that only seemed to grow stronger with all the years she spent married to him and to Carthak, she promised, resting her own hand over his beating heart, “Not in this life.” Remembering their chess game, she added, “Checkmate.”
Rating: PG-13 for sexuality
For: Rosie
Prompt: Kaddar/Kalasin
Summary: Kaddar has Kalasin in check. Or Kaddar and Kalasin play chess.
Notes: Happy Wishing Tree, Rosie ! I have a soft spot for Kalasin/Kaddar too, so I hope you will find this story sweet even if it is a bit short:D Enjoy the holiday season!
In Check
Kaddar’s knight slid up a space and over two, placing Kalasin’s king in check. The pieces on Kaddar’s chess set had the same names and rankings as the ones Kalasin had grown up playing with in Tortall despite hierarchies and titles being completely different in Carthak. It was comforting that some games didn’t change no matter what side of the Emerald Ocean a person happened to be on.
Or it would have been comforting if Kalasin wasn’t on the verge of defeat.
“May the Graveyard Hag make you bald and give you cataracts so you can’t see to beat me at chess,” Kalasin grumbled. No more than half-hearted in her curse.
Kaddar chuckled, warm, rich, and low. As she had known he would. He loved her passion. Her capacity for profanity at least in private. And she was attuned enough to him to be aware of that. A woman at the height of her poise and confidence. Powerful in her wit and charm.
Staring at her with naked amusement in his dark gaze, he pointed out, “I prefer to shave my head, so baldness is a wasted wish, I’m afraid, my dear. As for cataracts, if I do develop them, I will have to rely on you to guide me around with your hand on my arm and your tongue whispering in my ear. That doesn’t sound too grim a fate.”
“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t leave you.” Kalasin arched an eyebrow. Even though it wasn’t bold to assume that she would remain with him in Carthak forever. She had been married to Carthak. To him. She would spend the rest of her life in Carthak. With him. Until death claimed one or both of them. That was the future she could envision stretching before her like the black-and-white chessboard.
“Never leave me.” Kaddar reached across the chessboard to wrap his fingers around hers.
The chess game was abandoned and forgotten now, which was just as well since Kalasin had been on the cusp of ignomious loss.
“Wherever would I go?” she murmured after a moment. Trying and failing to keep her tone light and teasing when she felt suddenly breathless from Kaddar’s touch and flushed from his words. He could do that to her. Rip the breath from her chest and throat.
“Never leave me,” he repeated. Not answering her question. Lifting her palm to his lips. Kissing her gently in the tender fold of flesh between her thumb and index finger just below the cool base of a silver ring studded by sapphines he had given her in honor of their anniversary two years ago.
At his kiss, her heart pounded against her ribcage. She thought this must be how it felt to be a bird ensnared in a fowler’s net. Captured with no hope of ever flying free. Of soaring to the sky.
With a constriction of great need that only seemed to grow stronger with all the years she spent married to him and to Carthak, she promised, resting her own hand over his beating heart, “Not in this life.” Remembering their chess game, she added, “Checkmate.”