#vashta

Chapter 7- To Wash Away My Fears

This chapter has smut, I have marked it and it will be below the cut, so if you don’t want to read it, feel free to skip it. Thank you @hoehoehoelt for beta-ing this chapter!

There was a sort of truce between the two as they made their way back into the banquet hall. Damaia watched as Mesara made her excused and returned to her previous seat, engaging in conversation with Carintha. Damaia assumed she was explaining some of the conversation that they had had regarding the mercenaries.  

Vashta motioned slightly, and then followed Damaia as she steps back outside the doorway. Crossing his wide arms and leaning up against the outer wall.  

"Everything okay Demona?"

"Yeah, poor girl is more innocent than she appears. Let loose a few slips of affection towards our templar friend, which will make our lives a bit more interesting. Seeing how that plays out. Also had a bit of an argument about the contract and our particular methods of making things happen."

"Let me guess, the circle mage wasn't very excited about working with apostates."

Damaia smirks over at her kin. He rolls his charcoal eyes and huffs with disgust.  

"Don't worry about it Vashta, I handled it. She understands the contract prevents her from taking action. She agreed to keep her kith out of our way, and we can deal with any problems as needed. Plus," Damaia leans up against his shoulder, whispering, "I get the feeling she is more than meets the eye. She will loosen up as we go along. And if not, the contract ends once we get them to Haven."

Vashta wraps his arm around Damaia, pulling her close. Damaia goes willingly into the embrace. Wrapping her arms about his chest. "The others are more accepting. The two younger ones have been trying to pry information about healing magic from Clarrisse for the past half hour. And the Tranquil has been very happily, I think, droning on about enchantments with our resident weapons enthusiast for twice as long."

"Good, I love when people get along. Makes our work less difficult. You know how I always say it's easier to protect something you care about," she smiles and presses her forehead against his shoulder.  

"Damaia, you would say that you cared about any person you passed by so long as they looked like they needed affection or care."

Damaia pauses, looks up at Vashta, then nods. "This is very true."

"Not that I have reason to complain, your mothering did pull me back from the edge," his laugh rumbles in his chest. "For spending half your childhood without one, you mother others very well."

"You only think that because you never had one, Vashta." She sighs as she pulls away from him. Then leans up to ruffle his short white hair. "Come, we should rejoin the banquet before they put all the food away. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Vashta swats her hand aside, then places his own on the back of her head. Pulling at her until he can drop a chaste kiss to her hair. "As you say, Kadan."  

The two walk back into the hall, and take their separate seats.  

The rest of the evening passing without further incident, as the two groups begin to learn more of each other. There is an easy peace between them.  

Teryn Fergus eventually excuses himself for the evening, and slowly the group breaks off one by one. Each turning in for the night.  

Readying themselves for travel the next morning.  

Vashta and Damaia are the last to leave, ensuring that everyone has made it safely to their quarters and bunks. Ever protective of their charges.  

Vashta escorts Damaia to the room that she had been assigned. Opening the door and looking in, eyes roaming quickly for anything that seemed out of place.  

"You realize that we have only ever been ambushed that way once?" Her voice is playful, but she keeps her face straight.  

"Which gives me more than enough reason to check." Dark eyes catch on blue, and he raises an eyebrow at Damaia. Then lets his eyes flick back to the bed.

"No."

"I do not know what you mean Kadan," his grin widens.

"You know exactly what I mean, and the answer is no."

"Asit Tal-Eb, Kadan."

Damaia stops short the taunt that had sat on her tongue. She feels her breath catch in her chest.  

She takes a step back.  

Vashta blinks, and then realizes his error. "Damaia, I am sorry. Please, you know-"

She raises a hand, cutting him off. "I know. There is nothing to apologize for."  

Damaia moves her hand to press against Vashta's chest. Taking a deep breath. "The words still catch me off guard. It is still so easy to fall back into them, and more so for you Taam-kasari."

"I am that no longer, I have chosen a new name, a new purpose."

"I know. You are not what they made you. You were trying to escape that even when-"

"Yes Kadan. Parshaara, we need not dwell on the past. It is done."

"Of course," Damaia lets loose a shakey breath. Vashta furrows his brow.  

"What brought this on? The words do not often shake you so."

"I told Mesara some of my past. She needed affection, I let her know that I knew what that was like. Shook up some of the old memories. Sometimes," Damaia closes her eyes and drops her head. "It does not matter how long it has been, I feel the need for purpose pull at me. Have the words swirl in my head. Even if they are fuzzy, even if I can barely understand some of them anymore."

Vashta presses her chin upward with a single finger. "Then perhaps it is you who needs affection now, Demona."  

He lowers his lips to hers. His left-hand gripping at her hip, pulling her tight to him. Damaia gasped, and Vashta took the opportunity to delve his tongue into her mouth. Exploring as he had so many times before.  

As she relaxed in his familiar grip, Damaia felt him pulling her into the room.

She followed. Letting him take the lead in this dance. It was not the first time that they had sought comfort in each other, and likely it would not be the last.  

Then a stray thought scatters her intent. Damaia pulls herself free of Vastha's grip. Feeling him growl in displeasure as he tries to pull her back.  

"Vashta, what of Clarrisse. I will not let you hurt her."

"Clarrisse does not object. She has known of us since I first made it clear my intent was to woo her. I would not seek out her attention under false statements, Kadan. You know that she cannot bear to be touched in many circumstances. She has given me leave to find such comforts, even while seeking her heart."

Damaia searches Vashta's face. She knew that he was a man of his word. Had proven as much to her many times. Had no reason to lie. Damaia smiles softly.  

"Thank you."

"I would not hurt you, Kadan, not by lying, and not by hiding you away." Vashta lifts a hand from her waist to run it through her course hair. Brushing through it with his fingers. Winding it in his grip.  

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