Kaid felt her tongue gently brush his in the soft kiss, Jessamine testing the waters before plunging deeper. He reacted eagerly, pulling her hips closer to his, their bodies pressed tightly together in a slight embrace. Kaid knew that even with his inexperience he wasn't just going to let her do all the work, because that wasn't in his nature. When Kaid did want something, he'd work hard to obtain it and not be idle about it.

His fingers moved to her belt, prying the flaps away, undoing the buckle before his fingers moved to the button of her pants. Jessamine had pulled away slightly from his lips, seeing Kaid gazing down at his actions, not wanting to mess up or be imprecise. She merely gazed at him with those loving, wanting eyes, her hand gliding across his chest, up and down in a sweet motion. A soft and quiet laugh left her lips as he struggled with the buttons, eventually loosening them and assisting in letting it slide down to her feet. She took that moment to pry her sandals off, tossing them aside, not caring what kind of mess they made.

Her hand grabbed his, the one resting on her hip, guiding it across the curve of her ass, across her underwear to show what she wanted. She wanted him to touch her: everywhere. He didn't have to be shy about that, and he certainly wasn't when he groped one side gently. Her body temperature was soaring, every touch of her skin feeling like touching a boiling kettle, one he couldn't pry away from. His free hand moved to her dress shirt, wanting to undo the buttons before she shook her head.

"You first," she demanded, her fingers moving to his hips, undoing the small tie of his cream kaftan. Once it was loose, she pried it over his head, seeing him toss it behind him. Her eyes wandered, this time not caring how undisciplined it was or improper. She could and would stare at him as much as she wanted. A distraction came when his lips met the side of her neck, her eyes closing, lips agape slightly at the sensation. The way his kisses felt, along with the brushing of his beard against her sensitive skin released a soft moan. One hand went into his hair, keeping him against her neck while the other worked on his own belt.

She seemed much more experienced in getting that belt off with one hand than he had with two, which spoke more of her confidence than experience. She didn't pry his pants off immediately however, rather palming into the spot of his growing erection. The action caused Kaid to freeze, the sensation new to him, pausing the onslaught of kisses on her neck. His reaction only made her smirk, feeling him throb against her touch, begging for more. Kaid had thought this wouldn't be difficult, that he wouldn't melt under every touch of hers but that was becoming impossible. Just her breath against him, her lips against his own, or that hand gently palming him was making his head spin.

His lips met hers once more, this time harsher as he tried to establish a dominance he knew he had no control of. Jessamine was in control at this moment, and always would be. Kaid could come to terms with that, but he still wanted to do everything he could to impress her. Jessamine thought for the moment to tell him that he didn't need to do anything special to impress her. She wanted him as he was, no more or less. Kaid's hands moved to her dress shirt, undoing the buttons this time with more ease as he was trying to calm himself. She shrugged it off her shoulders, her hand moving away from his body to reach behind her, unbinding the bralette.

She figured he would have had trouble with that, and saved him the embarrassment.

His eyes dilated, more than Jessamine even thought possible, upon seeing her bare breasts. Jessamine had always been a bit insecure about them, given their petite nature. But she couldn't even describe the feeling she felt in her core when his eyes looked at her like the most beautiful woman in the world. She didn't need to guide his hand this time, his large hand eagerly covering her left breast with ease, remaining gentle in the touch. Her skin burned at his touch, a shiver going down her spine in the form of warmth as she let her body mold into his hand like clay.

Instead of melting completely, she counterattacked, not letting herself grow weak at the moment. Her hand tugged his waistband, pulling his pants down to his own feet, which unfortunately got tangled with his remaining boots still on. A laugh escaped both their lips, Kaid having to bend down, untie them, and kick them off along with his pants. Jessamine's blue eyes honed in on his brief-covered erection, almost sighing at the sight. His chest hair almost acted like a directional arrow, the small black curls increasing in their beauty the closer and more downward they went to his legs. She loved the way his rapid breaths increased the flexing of his muscles, the way his abs moved with each deep breath or his biceps whenever her hand glided over them.

Jessamine took his hand, turning to lead him over to her bed. Kaid had really only been in here a few times, but it was a room he knew he'd get used to, one way or another. She pulled him close, lips kissing his swollen ones before turning him gently, pushing him down to sit on the edge of the bed. He didn't hesitate, keeping her close, pulling her between his legs as they both vied for dominance with their lips. Jessamine won, of course, using her victory to climb across his lap, straddling his hips with hers.

A groan left his lips, exactly what she wanted to hear: that deep, guttural expression of pleasure.

"Are you doing alright, darling?" she asked, a breathless whisper as she pulled away slightly to gaze into his eyes. She knew it could be overwhelming at times, especially since they both felt on the verge of tipping over the edge into this unknown abyss. Jess had never felt so strongly about a man before, where just the way he gazed at her, or his rough fingers against her thighs was enough to drive her insane.

"Yes," he spoke, his voice dry and a bit taught, "just...feels like my head is spinning." But he added a grin at the end, Jessamine replying with a warm smile herself.

"Don't forget to breathe," she reminded him, rolling her hips against his. She watched his eyes roll back slightly, another grunt escaping his lips. For a moment she thought maybe it was too much, until both his hands held her ass, pulling her hips to keep grinding against him.

"Fuck," he moaned, laughing after he realized he wasn't remembering to breathe, "don't stop, Jess."

She loved the way he said her name, the words alone making her want to already take this a step further, "I need you, Kaid." Her lips met his, feeling him nod in reply. His fingers moved up, wrapping around the thin fabric of her undergarment before moving them down. She angled her body forward, letting it sink to her ankles before shaking it off. Her body felt cold from the Vitross breeze blowing in, lurching forward into Kaid's boiling skin for comfort, but she knew it wouldn't be long until her body heated back up with the sweat and motion.

His hand drifted towards her front, brushing against the soft sandy red hairs towards her entrance. She was wet, which would have surprised Kaid if he hadn't read about it in that book, how it was a natural sign of attraction and of her body reacting to his touch. His mind remembered another part he read, curious about her reaction. He supposed this was a moment to explore each other's bodies, find what she liked or didn't like. Jessamine wanted to tell him there was probably nothing he could do that she wouldn't like. His thumb flicked her clit gently, the touch causing a surprised noise to leave her lips.

What Kaid would give to hear that noise, again, and not have it stop.

"Fuck," she cursed, eyes narrowing at him, begging him to continue. The rough pad of his thumb rubbed in small circles, remaining gentle and soft as quiet sighs and moans spilled from her lips. Her hands pulled his briefs down, not being gentle as the fabric tangled in his legs before finally pooling at his feet. She didn't hesitate to let her hand wrap around his shaft, the girth of it alone making Jessamine smirk to herself. Her other hand played with his tip, feeling the slight moisture build up slightly. Touching that sensitive part made Kaid lose focus, another groan escaping his lips.

"You like that, darling?" Jessamine's smirk remained, "You feel so good and hard in my hands."

He nodded, his Adam's apple throbbing slightly as he swallowed, his breathing hard and shallow, "If that's what your hand feels like..." He couldn't even finish the sentence. He supposed his own hand never really had the same effect, then again, he wasn't ardently in love with himself. Jessamine's touch just held passion to it, every soft tug, pump, or rub having just the perfect amount of pressure or tension. He was almost tempted to slow time, although he wanted to enjoy this moment as it was, without abusing it.

Jessamine leaned forward, smiling against his lips as she kissed them sweetly, her hand still pumping him gently before she raised her hips. She aligned herself with him, taking the moment to catch her breath before sinking down. The action alone allowed a high pitched sigh to leave her lips, feeling him penetrate her gently, her hips settling against his. She felt her body tighten along with his, before relaxing naturally through his new found pleasure. Kaid had no clue this could feel so surreal. It was no wonder to him now why men paid for these moments, although he figured it never felt quite as good as this.

Nothing could feel quite as extraordinary as two people deeply in love with each other, in a moment like this.

"Are you alright?" Kaid asked, seeing her neck muscles tighten, her jaw clenched slightly. Jessamine had never known a man to ask such a question during intimacy, as he was usually focused on his own needs. But Kaid just kept proving her past experiences wrong, and proving to her that he was the man she needed, not just wanted.

"Mhm," she nodded, "I just needed a moment to adjust." It had been awhile, and to be honest, it was well worth the wait. When she felt her body relaxed enough, she moved her hips slowly, circling them against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, lips attacking his exposed neck, fingers tangling into his hair.

Kaid released another moan at how good she felt, both being inside her, but also the addition of her kisses and sucks against his skin. When she'd raise her hips, pulling at his shaft, he couldn't help but moan even more. The sounds of their pleasure along with their bodies molding only increased their attraction for each other, adding to the building of excitement to their cores.

"You feel so fucking good," Kaid observed quietly, feeling that wide smile against his neck before she moved up to kiss his lips. They would never want to stop kissing each other. Jessamine couldn't imagine not kissing a man during sex, hell, she couldn't even imagine thinking of sex without thinking of him. And kissing him made it even more passionate and intimate than she's ever experienced.

"So do you, you're so fucking thick," she murmurred, a soft gasp escaping her lips as he bucked his hips slightly. She ground her hips more against his, letting her clit rub just perfectly against his abdomen, right above his v-line. Her hands eventually moved to his shoulders, forcing him down to lay on his backside. Kaid's eyes held a bit of shock on them, but that changed when he realized just how good of a view he had of her. Just feeling her clench around him only made it more delightful.

One hand fell to her hip, the other moving to gently cup her breast, seeing the smile on her lips, feeling the nipple harden at the touch. Her own hand planted against his chest, tangling into his soft hairs as she leveraged herself to move her hips against him. He looked so beautiful beneath her, his brown eyes on the verge of closing, an astounded smirk on his lips, and hearing those deep moans with every movement of her hips. She felt the sweat drip down her spine, adding a wave of shudders at both the chill and the pleasure.

She could feel him being unwound, his breathing becoming more erratic, losing more and more of himself to her. She was losing herself to him as well, not worried of what would be left behind by this union. Jessamine raised her hips more, feeling Kaid's hips buck up gently in response, causing a tremble to Jessamine as he brushed perfectly against that hidden place of pleasure.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Fuck, Kaid, right there," she gasped, feeling him do it again, their rhythm perfect, in sync, as if they had done this a thousand times before. Each time added more pleasure than the last, Jessamine feeling the pleasure build up more and more, on the verge of trembling.

"Jess, I-" he cut his own words off with a moan, his body tensing.

"It's okay, let go. Let go for me," she nodded, her words soft and breathless. She knew what his body wanted, what he was unsure of, and she wouldn't deny him of that pleasure. She'd never deny him that.

Kaid released, reaching his climax with an onslaught of surprised moans and groans, back arching slightly, body and muscles tensing beneath her. That smirk on Jessamine's lips upon the sensation only heightened his pleasure, his tired eyes glancing at her with all the love and admiration he could muster. He loved her and there was no denying that. And he was not going to stop just because his body got what it wanted.

The hand on her breast drifted down back towards her clit, fingers returning to the sensitive nerve. And that was enough for her to give in, a cry leaving her lips as her body reached the peak of the waves, crashing against the dark sand of the Vitross shores. Her hand clutched his chest, the other holding his wrist, keeping it at her clit as she rode out her own orgasm. Kaid couldn't help but groan at the way she clenched around him, her legs still shaking, pride filling him as he was able to provide her this pleasure. While his own pleasure had felt amazing, it didn't feel as good as seeing her react like this.

"Oh shit," she whispered, her body still trembling slightly, growing weak as the exhaustion overwhelmed her. She fell into his arms, feeling his hand travel up her spine and back, caressing her skin softly. His heart raced against her skin, both of them nestled in each other's arms. She didn't know how long they laid there in relative silence, other than their hitched and breathless sighs eventually fading as their hearts slowed matching in pace. Eventually, Jessamine sat up slightly, kissing his cheek before pulling away.

"I'll be right back," she whispered, "don't fall asleep on me."

"I won't," he replied, eyes watching her nude self slowly waltz over to her bathroom. Kaid took the moment alone to smile to himself, wishing he could experience that every night if he could. He had no idea love could feel like this, like crashing waves, dangerous storms, and also the peace he felt when the sun broke through the dark clouds. All of it radiated from this woman, an Empress who could have anyone, and for whatever reason, she had chosen him.

Jessamine returned with a warm damp towel, cleaning up the evidence from both of them before crawling back into his arms. She figured they could do without the mess tomorrow, nor let the servants know of their activities. For now, it was best to keep this relatively a secret as they could. It was one thing to like each other, another to fraternize at any chance they got.

Her arm draped across his chest, still drawing shapes into his skin as she pressed her lips to his neck, her eyes closing at her slight exhaustion. Just being in his arms was a dream, hearing his soft breath, feeling the peace that resided in his heart. Kaid was proof to Jessamine that life was more than drowning sorrows, struggles of identity, and a plague of existence. For that, she was eternally grateful, to find someone she could be herself, to find someone who loved her as she was.

"We should...do that again, some other time," Kaid whispered, trying to put in words that he enjoyed it. He felt that smile against his neck, lips moving to his jaw.

"We should. I think I have plenty to teach you," she teased, seeing him blush.

"Was I that horrible?" he laughed, hearing her laugh in reply, Jessamine shaking her head.

"Not at all. Don't let it get to your pretty head, but that..." she paused, "it meant a lot to me." It was the best moment she's had, not based on experience, but the desire they held for each other. The very notion that Kaid had wanted her to experience the same pleasure as him, that he wouldn't have ended their night without doing so, even if he wasn't quite sure how. It was his very heart that made the night better than any she's ever had.

"It meant a lot to me too," he replied, turning to gaze at her, fingers moving to run through her hair which looked dark red under the moonlight.

They remained quiet for a moment, Jessamine wondering if he was asleep but his eyes were still open. She looked like she had something on her mind, something she wanted to say. But how could she really put it into words?

"Do you wish we had more time?" she asked quietly.

"That sounds rather ominous," he mumbled, seeing her smile slightly.

"Sorry, I just...I meant, do you wish we had met earlier? Somehow, somewhere, a point in time we could've known each other, spared us some pain. Do you wish things could've been different?"

He pondered on it for a moment, "No. I don't think I'd ever say I wish we'd have more time. No matter what happens, I know that the moment we met was just meant to be. Our paths converged at the right time, orchestrated to become this. It could have been any other cell, any other person with you, yet it happened to be me."

"Orchestrated? By who?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"Time, fate...whatever you'd like to call it," he shrugged slightly, "whatever happens from here on, I will enjoy every moment with you. Had we met in the past, at another time, we may not have liked each other. We were different people then. Time is a funny thing, even if I can control it, I know I will never fully understand it. Life itself is limited. Centuries of history have passed, and so will centuries more in the future. Whether I get a year with you, ten, or a hundred...I will cherish every second of it."

"It hurts," she admitted, "thinking of a moment in the future without you."

"Then that should only make our moments together even greater," he assured her, "the worst pains in life derive from the most beautiful of emotions. You gave me a new life, Jessamine. I want to make the most of it, with you."

"I do too," she nodded, kissing his cheek, "sorry, for ruining the mood."

"You didn't. I love talking with you like this," he whispered, "I love you." The words shocked her. Whether it wounded her heart or healed it, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she loved him too, and she wanted to hear him say those words over and over again until she firmly believed it.

"I love you too," she blushed, an infinite smile on her lips, one she didn't think could ever fade upon his words, "I never thought I'd ever say those words, because it meant someone had to say it to me first."

"You're not a hard woman to love, Jessamine."

"Loving you isn't even a decision, not an option I can choose or ignore. It just is. And I can choose to question it forever, try to dissect it, or just accept it. When I think of love, I think of you," she continued to smile, nestling back against him, "love is an expression of a will to live. I want to live every next second I have with you."

"And I will be here," he nodded, his voice slow and tired as he felt the lull to sleep.

"Always," she whispered, finishing the sentence for him.

Kaid woke to an empty bed, which didn't surprise him. What did was how bright it looked that morning, an unusual characteristic of Vitross. He lifted his head slightly, glancing around at the sight of Jessamine's room. All their clothes from the night before weren't strewn across the floor, Kaid's clothes folded gently on a chair. The room was silent, meaning Jessamine wasn't around. A small note was left on his bedside, Kaid reaching for it:

Good morning, sleepyhead. I have some letters and delegations to write, and I know you will want to visit Sebastian and the other kids in town. Send them my love. Do join me in the late afternoon for some tea. Thank you again for last night. Love, Jessamine.

How she could write something so beautifully with that regal handwriting, Kaid wasn't sure. But he grabbed the letter, keeping it to himself as he grabbed his clothes to get ready in his own room. The work was far from done, but it was a relief knowing that after a long, hard day, they would have each other to lessen the burden of their evenings. Kaid tucked the letter in his book, using it as a bookmark before getting ready for his day.

Kaid joined Christine and Kassandra for breakfast, seeing them excited at him joining them. His appetite had returned, given the stress of the Southern Isles had dampened it, and he was eagerly eating multiple servings of eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Slow down, will you?" Christine noticed, "You act like you've been starving yourself."

"Sorry, I missed this cooking," he smiled, "how has everything gone here while we were gone?"

"As good as it could get. I'm sure the news of Jessamine and Grotto making a deal will lighten the mood, although I'm sure the papers will try and find a way to spin it," Kassandra spoke, "I'm rather impressed, myself. It sounds like it went well."

"It did," Kaid nodded, "I think it went better than we hoped."

"Jessamine seemed in a very good mood this morning," Christine observed, "She seems rather happy the deal went well."

"I think she's happy to be home," Kaid nodded, knowing it was for a multitude of reasons.

"Kaid, if you had to ask Jessamine something, you know...personal...do you think she's in a decent mood to hear about it?" Christine asked. Kaid glanced up from his eggs, seeing both women glance over at him with seriously questioning eyes.

"I mean, is it bad news?" Kaid asked, seeing them both shake their heads.

"No, it's just my brother is getting married in Skale. I know that she wouldn't mind me going, but..." Christine wandered off slightly in her words.

"I want to go with her," Kassandra said, "I want to meet her family."

"That's great," Kaid smiled, happy for them, "what's the problem?"

"It's a week before the whole...meeting with city citizens. It's a lot of work and I don't know if Jessamine would want me going just before something so major and unprecedented. I'm practically her delegation for these people, and if something went wrong, it's all on me. In the past, it's been hard really taking time off away from these duties. We were hoping maybe you could ask for us?"

Kaid wiped his mouth with his napkin, taking a moment to think, "I think she would like you to ask her yourselves. I think she'd be more inclined to say yes. I can try to put in a good word, maybe hint at it. But she would prefer to hear it from you, not me."

"You think?" Christine asked, both of them clearly stressed about this, "I just think things have been going smoothly, to an extent. I don't want this to be a detour on everyone's progress."

"If it's important to the both of you, she will take that into consideration," Kaid explained, "I know before Caladin, before me, things may have been different. But she cares about both of you, I'm sure it won't be an issue."

They both sighed with relief, thanking them with their eyes, hands holding each other's under the table.

After all, why would Jessamine say no?

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, that sounds like a wonderful prospect, I'm happy for you two," Jessamine smiled, removing her hand that was absentmindedly on Kaid's thigh as he read. The two were in the library, reading and drinking tea together before they were interrupted. Not like Jessamine minded, but she was enjoying the moments of peace she and Kaid could get together alone. It was nice to escape the stress of the Southern Isles and not think of much until Payne returned.

"It's just, it's a week right before the entire empire meeting. I know that's a lot of work and stress-" Kassandra spoke, seeing Jessamine raise her hand to silence.

"Nonsense, as long as you get the work done, that's all that matters. Go, have fun," Jessamine shook her head, not caring about that. She could step up in Kassandra's place, even if it added more work and stress to her plate.

"Is it safe?" Kaid asked, not knowing exactly how Skale felt about them. Skale got along well with most kingdoms, given their abundance of agriculture and food was the reason they flourished.

"We would have to run it through Payne..." Jessamine hummed, seeing Kassandra smile.

"We already did send him a letter. He said as long as you agree, it shouldn't be too hazardous. Of course he did mention wanting to send someone along with us. If someone were to realize I was your assistant, it could prove a bit dangerous," she explained, tightly gripping Christine's hand.

"We could bring Kiev," Christine offered, as if they had already planned the conversation this far in advance.

"No, he'd stick out like a bruise. Why don't you take Kaid?" Jessamine offered, seeing the surprise on his face, "I'm sure you'd love to visit Skale."

"What about you?" Kaid asked, concern in his voice and he didn't want to escape his own duties to her.

"I can survive a few days without you. I promise to stay here. Kiev can cover if needed. You can explore Skale, get a view of the kingdom, hang around Christine and Kassandra and keep them safe," Jessamine spoke. Of course she'd miss him, but she figured this was the best for everyone. Bringing Kiev would probably only make things worse, as he looked like any Vitross boy. Kaid would fit right in and blend with the environment, as any bodyguard should.

"Well...as long as you two are fine with me tagging along," Kaid shrugged, glancing over at them. Their smiles were contagious, both of them on the verge of bursting with happiness.

"That sounds amazing. Thank you, Emp-Jessamine. We promise to get all the work done, and we promise to keep Kaid out of trouble," Kassandra bowed slightly. They both looked giddy with excitement, as if they never expected her to say yes.

"Come, I have a bunch of outfit ideas to show you," Christine beckoned her lover, tugging at her hand. Jessamine smiled as they walked out. She supposed being in love herself, how could she deny the love of others? Especially when both of them truly deserved it. She had been hard on them, both of them before meeting Kaid. Kassandra, of all people, deserved a break.

"That was nice of you," Kaid smiled, glancing over at her.

"How could I say no?" Jessamine shrugged, returning her hand to his leg, "Besides, I didn't want to give them a hard time. They will have that with Christine's family. I don't think they know she's with Kassandra, they're what we call traditional. Hence why, I want you to go. You have a way of handling things calmly and with kindness. You'll be representing me when you go, and I know you represent the best of me, of Vitross."

"And you won't miss me?" Kaid teased, seeing her roll her eyes.

"You'll just have to make it up to me," she smirked, Kaid agreeing with that. He supposed he could use a break too. Seeing Skale, seeing an entirely new kingdom would be good for him to learn. And he got to spend time with his friends.

What could go wrong?