( the banya is nothing like the baths isis is used to, with attendants to cater to her whims and wash scented oils through her hair. here she is left to do such things alone in a place where others frequent, where she can be seen by those she has not necessarily invited to gaze upon her form.
her clothing is folded where others keep their own, she has no problem walking bared before others. it is not the nudity that she minds, as much as the lack of power that this place gives her.
her hair is pulled back into a braid over her back, tied in a silk ribbon she's acquired in trade for her skills. she hasn't bothered to take a towel with her as she enters the steam room, finding that it is not vacant. she takes her own seat and breaths in the warm air, categorizes the herbs she does not know. eventually, the woman with her in the room catches her gaze and isis lets it linger, tracing the lines of her neck and supple breasts. ) Do you know how long one is meant to remain here before entering the pools? I am afraid, this is my first time.
[ The banya is blessedly empty, though whether it will stay that way for long is unclear; even now, Yennefer isn't sure what rouses her from sleep, or whether she simply has been resting in some state in between dreams and reality, relaxation brought on by the scent of herbs in the air and the heavy steam that doesn't successfully disguise any part of her own nudity.
The woman who comes into her focus as she blinks her eyes open slowly is one she's never seen before — she would have remembered her, Yennefer thinks, not simply because her beauty is a stark trait, one evident enough to bring Yennefer's own sister sorceresses to mind with their enchanted appearances, but because of how she seems to look over their shared surroundings, and Yennefer herself in particular. ]
I suppose as long as you feel is needed.
[ She lifts her head slightly from her previous recline against the wall, violet eyes taking the measure of her own unexpected company. It's already an improvement over the possibility of House's appearance, she thinks to herself, a faint smile flickering over her mouth. ] Or before you'd feel yourself growing faint.
( cobalt meets violet and isis returns the smile, a gentle upward turn of her lips that's genuine. the smiles given so far have served purpose; this one does too, she supposes, but it is genuine too. it is easier within the steam-filed space, where reality hides beyond the mist and four wooden walls. ) And what's the measure of need? Loose muscles? An easiness of breath?
( she chuckles and nods, taking the advice to heart either way. she doesn't believe she can grow faint, not from this, but humans can and isis means to act human. )
The baths back home are unlike this. ( at least amongst the gods; she is no stranger to the ones shared by humans either, with their stench of filth that cannot be washed away with simple water and herbs. ) All cool stone and relief from the Sun's heat.
Or an opportunity to find a place of quiet and solitude, where possible.
[ Though Yennefer's voice isn't stern, or cold, and certainly not the kind of tone that would indicate she's referring to current company. It's an unspoken olive branch of sorts, an offer for the other woman to stay here and find peace as she has, at least for however long it might last before someone else seeks out the banya for similar reasons. ]
Soothing in a different manner, I imagine.
[ The coolness would satisfy on its own, but something about the steam feels simultaneously invigorating and relaxing, that languid feeling settling into her muscles as the other woman has made mention of. Her tanned skin is already displaying the effects of the steam, a light sheen of sweat rising on her body, but it's a clean sweat, one she can almost envision taking any impurities along with it.
The soak afterward will feel more refreshing if she lets herself perspire for a while longer, she thinks, smile lingering faintly on her own lips. ] But still a communal experience?
I suppose it is one of the few places one can. ( isis returns the smile, gentle all the same. there is no recourse in the other's voice, but if there were she would heed it. ) Between the festivities the locals put on and the squabbling that seems to filter through our minds.
( she misses that quiet, when peace were her own and the intrusions were that she subjected on the minds of others. fate has cruelly turned on her and she cannot shake the feeling that it is seth's doing, somehow.
she takes a moment to breathe in the hot steam, to let her lungs fill with it so she can parse what herbs she scents in the air. then her eyes flutter open again, nodding at the question. it had been communal when she'd been hiding, communal for the women and children hiding from the wrath of the gods and filled with fear, with the need to rush. she supposes there were times too, where it was the friendly touch that helped ease their suffering instead of a whip or blade. ) Yes. A place where the community helped each other, where one scrubbed the back of another in need.
I’d say you get used to that part of it — [ Being privy to more thoughts than you’d ever want or care for. ] — but it wouldn’t be the truth.
[ Yennefer knows she has the inherent advantage of being able to shield her mind, of being able to block out the others if she deems it necessary, but not everyone has that type of mental capability, that power that can build up walls which prove very difficult to break down. ]
I doubt you’ll find many who are unwilling to scrub your back in particular.
[ But she utters it straightforwardly, as if the other woman’s beauty is a simple fact, something that’s easy to state without hesitation or overplayed flattery. There’s no part of Yennefer that doubts the ability to find a willing partner. Many of the men in this village, especially, would bend over backward for the privilege of nearing someone like her. ]
( she figures as much, for even with fortitude there is the matter of curiosity. some of the squabbling is more entertaining than court gossip, she can admit.
she hums softly, considering. she could find anyone but it is more a matter of finding anyone who catches her eye, who holds the sort of beauty that she admires and a sharp tongue. the men here are plenty willing but she cannot say she has found one yet that makes her crave such a touch; she doubts she will.
but the woman before her with her amethyst eyes, the long lines of her neck and with plushness to her lips? she cannot help but wonder. there is an art to subtlety, yes, but she knows when another's eyes linger all the same. ) And would you be willing? In particular? To lend your time and helping hands?
[ It proves different, impressive even, to get an answer like that; Yennefer wouldn’t have been nearly so convinced if the other woman’s answer had been coy, or a poorly disguised attempt at the very least.
Ultimately, it isn’t words she answers with, but her movement, slowly pushing herself up to stand as she ventures nearer to her only other company in this room. Yet in spite of their shared nudity, her gaze never descends, never sweeps to admire a figure that isn’t hers to study as of this moment. It only holds the eyes before her, verifying that her nearness is welcomed before she settles herself on the bench beside. ]
Turn. [ A murmured encouragement so that she can put her hands to the back she wants in front of her, starting on the tops of shoulders as thumbs press in gently for a sweeping arc that runs over sweat-slicked skin. She’ll knead deeper, with prompting, searching for any stiffness in need of easing. ]
( there is plenty of room on the bench but isis moves, to make room beside her. the company is welcome, offered a smile that's not coy but pleased at the closeness as they move into each other's space.
she turns when told, reaching to sweep the thick braid of hair over her left shoulder and to glance back over at her companion over her right. ) I am Heset.
( no one has questioned the name yet, for it holds no meaning here. she is a stranger to this place with it's own customs and beliefs, her divine reign has not touched this place and in that there is comfort. but known or not, she wishes to share a name at least in silent trade for another as skilled hands work the muscles of her back.
she gasps when a particularly sore spot is found, bites into her lower lip to keep another such sound from echoing around them. )
[ A simple exchange of names, though Heset’s holds no familiarity or recognition for her, apart from being one that would certainly stand out amidst the names more traditionally known throughout the Continent.
Her hands can work easily, frictionlessly, with the sweat the steam has conjured, and she doesn’t need to hear the gasp of pain to feel the tension beneath the press of her fingers, especially when she purposefully digs into the muscle. ]
There’s only so much the steam can mend. [ And while the soak afterward also helps, sometimes a firmer touch is required. But rather than massage too roughly or vigorously, she pauses at that little indraw of breath. ] Too much?
No. I can handle a little firmness. ( a rougher touch, if followed by reverent softness is never unwelcome. isis leans back into the stalled hands, as if seeking.
but it is true that steam can only do so much and in public, she will not risk calling upon magic to soothe what it can not.
she takes a moment to enjoy the simplicity of yennefer's touch, the heat radiating from her sweat-slicked skin. she is tempted to lean back, to what the warmth of her feels pressed against her own back. but there is time for that and she finds pleasure in the simplest of touches, comfort too. ) Perhaps we risk seeing if we will be granted privacy in the baths? So you do not strain yourself too terribly over me.
[ Yennefer hums, a sound of understanding or perhaps approval, which wouldn’t be a misperception, and while she might have initiated this on a more direct request, she finds the act of it soothes her too, a repetition to the movement of her fingers that lulls her into a more relaxed state.
The suggestion to divert brings her back to an awareness of herself, and while she doesn’t often misread the intention of others — a skill honed during her time at court as Virfuril’s mage — she won’t let herself presume that it has anything to do with a desire beyond leaving the steam, yet. ]
A risk that seems worth taking. [ And it’s unclear whether she might be speaking of the possibility of encountering anyone else or the potential strain, but when her hands still again it’s so she can withdraw and then rise, heading in the direction of the adjacent baths without casting a second glance back. ]
I believe so. ( for the steam is soothing but too much time spent in it will bring a lightheadedness that is not the one she find herself curious to chase.
isis stands, taking a moment to enjoy the new loosness to her links before she follows. yennefer knows the way better than she and she is happy to take it in, to walk a few steps behind and take a moment to soak in the curves of her new companion for the evening.
the pools are not so far away and, entering the room, isis finds herself smiling a more sly smile, allowing a soft laugh to bubble forth. ) It seems that we are favored by Luck after all.
( she says it before moving toward the stairs that lead into one side of the pool, groaning softly as her feet hit the hot water. she will need to go slow, carefully. she is already sweat-slicked and flushed, but the heat is welcome. she holds out a hand toward yennefer, palm up, if it was unclear that she wanted her close still, wanted her to join her. )
[ Bathing alongside others is not a strange or unfamiliar experience for her; how many times has she spent at a bathhouse in the company of her sister sorceresses, for instance? And yet there is a weight to this moment that seems unlike any of those afternoons, an awareness she possesses of the other woman’s eyes on her that is heightened by their solitary state.
There is relief that accompanies the realization that they have the baths to themselves, at least for now, and while Yennefer doesn’t immediately move to enter the water, she represses a slight smile at Heset’s clear enjoyment of it — only to find herself more surprised when a hand is offered to her directly. ]
The only thing that could improve this is wine.
[ She says it almost like an afterthought, reaching out to take the hand that’s extended, fingers curving slightly as she uses it to help herself down the steps and into the pool. The water is similarly steaming, though there’s also a cold pool for separate soaks, which she does plunge into from time to time even if she mostly favors this one.
Their tethered hands drift across the surface of the water, and Yennefer’s gaze rises to find Heset’s again, as that contact lingers. ]
I'm afraid that'll have to wait. ( this would be better with wine, though isis is not about to summon two glasses from thin air and turn water to something that'll warm their veins as much as the water warms their skin.
she follows into the water, letting out another contended sigh as it envolpes her. there is steam rising around them but now yennefer is clear before her, their hands still linked. isis shift her hold, so they are palm to palm and fingers linked, moves closer like a leopard slinking toward it's prey. ) Is this too bold?
[ One eyebrow quirks slightly, but that's as far as Yennefer gets in terms of expressing her curiosity — the rest of her attention is drawn in thoroughly by the sensation of the warm water lapping at them, and of another pair of eyes meeting her own. The steam creates its own obscuring effect around them, and while she's under no illusions that they'll remain completely alone while they're here, it's impressive what the mind can temporarily trick itself into willfully believing. ]
I'd rather you be bold than apologize for it.
[ Bold, she can respect; bold, she can admire, and even meet in kind, as Heset presses their palms together, interlocks their fingers. Yennefer lowers that connection beneath the water, maneuvers their arms out slightly to bring bodies in for a closer press. ]
And act on whatever you're thinking about doing right now.
( the press of their bodies together leaves isis smiling, lips curled upward like a pleased little thing. the feel of yennefer's breasts against her own, hips to hip. she slips her free hand to trace the line of yennefer's collar bone, to cup the side of her neck. ) To pass up such an invitation, I would be a fool.
( as foolish as a colt, as foolish as a young man unable to deal with the confidence of a woman. that is not what either of them are. isis is the one to close the distance between them, to lean in so that there is no longer steam or air left between their lips. it is a gentle kiss at first, not chaste but curious and seeking for further permission to explore the other woman's mouth with her own. )
[ Heset's fingers, ascending from the water, are dripping when they run along the curve of her clavicle, rivulets trickling down her skin as the other woman establishes that cupping hold along her neck, and Yennefer tilts her head into the contact, allowing herself a soft sigh, eyes fluttering to half-lidded state even before the distance is further closed between them.
Then she draws in a breath when those lips meet her own — as soft as they look, and more besides. It hasn't been nearly as long since Yennefer kissed a woman thanks to her initial arrival, but, as it had been with Ianthe, neither had she expected something like this to occur here, now. Yet Heset's body presses against her own, beneath the sluicing lap of the water, and Yennefer feels so suddenly hungry with the wanting of it, wanting her in particular, in a way she's felt with few others.
Curious seeking will be rewarded, and responded to in kind, and Yennefer tilts her head to deepen the kiss, her own hand surfacing as dripping fingers slide over Heset's neck, cupping the back of her head beneath the drape of her braid, thumb caressing over the soft edge of jawline while she initiates that first slow tangle of tongues. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matching icons time
Date: 2023-11-30 08:44 pm (UTC)her clothing is folded where others keep their own, she has no problem walking bared before others. it is not the nudity that she minds, as much as the lack of power that this place gives her.
her hair is pulled back into a braid over her back, tied in a silk ribbon she's acquired in trade for her skills. she hasn't bothered to take a towel with her as she enters the steam room, finding that it is not vacant. she takes her own seat and breaths in the warm air, categorizes the herbs she does not know. eventually, the woman with her in the room catches her gaze and isis lets it linger, tracing the lines of her neck and supple breasts. ) Do you know how long one is meant to remain here before entering the pools? I am afraid, this is my first time.
ayyyy
Date: 2023-11-30 09:06 pm (UTC)The woman who comes into her focus as she blinks her eyes open slowly is one she's never seen before — she would have remembered her, Yennefer thinks, not simply because her beauty is a stark trait, one evident enough to bring Yennefer's own sister sorceresses to mind with their enchanted appearances, but because of how she seems to look over their shared surroundings, and Yennefer herself in particular. ]
I suppose as long as you feel is needed.
[ She lifts her head slightly from her previous recline against the wall, violet eyes taking the measure of her own unexpected company. It's already an improvement over the possibility of House's appearance, she thinks to herself, a faint smile flickering over her mouth. ] Or before you'd feel yourself growing faint.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-30 10:09 pm (UTC)( she chuckles and nods, taking the advice to heart either way. she doesn't believe she can grow faint, not from this, but humans can and isis means to act human. )
The baths back home are unlike this. ( at least amongst the gods; she is no stranger to the ones shared by humans either, with their stench of filth that cannot be washed away with simple water and herbs. ) All cool stone and relief from the Sun's heat.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-30 10:24 pm (UTC)[ Though Yennefer's voice isn't stern, or cold, and certainly not the kind of tone that would indicate she's referring to current company. It's an unspoken olive branch of sorts, an offer for the other woman to stay here and find peace as she has, at least for however long it might last before someone else seeks out the banya for similar reasons. ]
Soothing in a different manner, I imagine.
[ The coolness would satisfy on its own, but something about the steam feels simultaneously invigorating and relaxing, that languid feeling settling into her muscles as the other woman has made mention of. Her tanned skin is already displaying the effects of the steam, a light sheen of sweat rising on her body, but it's a clean sweat, one she can almost envision taking any impurities along with it.
The soak afterward will feel more refreshing if she lets herself perspire for a while longer, she thinks, smile lingering faintly on her own lips. ] But still a communal experience?
cw: violence against women & children
Date: 2023-12-02 03:20 am (UTC)( she misses that quiet, when peace were her own and the intrusions were that she subjected on the minds of others. fate has cruelly turned on her and she cannot shake the feeling that it is seth's doing, somehow.
she takes a moment to breathe in the hot steam, to let her lungs fill with it so she can parse what herbs she scents in the air. then her eyes flutter open again, nodding at the question. it had been communal when she'd been hiding, communal for the women and children hiding from the wrath of the gods and filled with fear, with the need to rush. she supposes there were times too, where it was the friendly touch that helped ease their suffering instead of a whip or blade. ) Yes. A place where the community helped each other, where one scrubbed the back of another in need.
I do not see that amongst those who bear marks.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 03:31 am (UTC)[ Yennefer knows she has the inherent advantage of being able to shield her mind, of being able to block out the others if she deems it necessary, but not everyone has that type of mental capability, that power that can build up walls which prove very difficult to break down. ]
I doubt you’ll find many who are unwilling to scrub your back in particular.
[ But she utters it straightforwardly, as if the other woman’s beauty is a simple fact, something that’s easy to state without hesitation or overplayed flattery. There’s no part of Yennefer that doubts the ability to find a willing partner. Many of the men in this village, especially, would bend over backward for the privilege of nearing someone like her. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:03 am (UTC)she hums softly, considering. she could find anyone but it is more a matter of finding anyone who catches her eye, who holds the sort of beauty that she admires and a sharp tongue. the men here are plenty willing but she cannot say she has found one yet that makes her crave such a touch; she doubts she will.
but the woman before her with her amethyst eyes, the long lines of her neck and with plushness to her lips? she cannot help but wonder. there is an art to subtlety, yes, but she knows when another's eyes linger all the same. ) And would you be willing? In particular? To lend your time and helping hands?
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:10 am (UTC)Ultimately, it isn’t words she answers with, but her movement, slowly pushing herself up to stand as she ventures nearer to her only other company in this room. Yet in spite of their shared nudity, her gaze never descends, never sweeps to admire a figure that isn’t hers to study as of this moment. It only holds the eyes before her, verifying that her nearness is welcomed before she settles herself on the bench beside. ]
Turn. [ A murmured encouragement so that she can put her hands to the back she wants in front of her, starting on the tops of shoulders as thumbs press in gently for a sweeping arc that runs over sweat-slicked skin. She’ll knead deeper, with prompting, searching for any stiffness in need of easing. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:18 am (UTC)she turns when told, reaching to sweep the thick braid of hair over her left shoulder and to glance back over at her companion over her right. ) I am Heset.
( no one has questioned the name yet, for it holds no meaning here. she is a stranger to this place with it's own customs and beliefs, her divine reign has not touched this place and in that there is comfort. but known or not, she wishes to share a name at least in silent trade for another as skilled hands work the muscles of her back.
she gasps when a particularly sore spot is found, bites into her lower lip to keep another such sound from echoing around them. )
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:25 am (UTC)[ A simple exchange of names, though Heset’s holds no familiarity or recognition for her, apart from being one that would certainly stand out amidst the names more traditionally known throughout the Continent.
Her hands can work easily, frictionlessly, with the sweat the steam has conjured, and she doesn’t need to hear the gasp of pain to feel the tension beneath the press of her fingers, especially when she purposefully digs into the muscle. ]
There’s only so much the steam can mend. [ And while the soak afterward also helps, sometimes a firmer touch is required. But rather than massage too roughly or vigorously, she pauses at that little indraw of breath. ] Too much?
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:33 am (UTC)but it is true that steam can only do so much and in public, she will not risk calling upon magic to soothe what it can not.
she takes a moment to enjoy the simplicity of yennefer's touch, the heat radiating from her sweat-slicked skin. she is tempted to lean back, to what the warmth of her feels pressed against her own back. but there is time for that and she finds pleasure in the simplest of touches, comfort too. ) Perhaps we risk seeing if we will be granted privacy in the baths? So you do not strain yourself too terribly over me.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 04:44 am (UTC)The suggestion to divert brings her back to an awareness of herself, and while she doesn’t often misread the intention of others — a skill honed during her time at court as Virfuril’s mage — she won’t let herself presume that it has anything to do with a desire beyond leaving the steam, yet. ]
A risk that seems worth taking. [ And it’s unclear whether she might be speaking of the possibility of encountering anyone else or the potential strain, but when her hands still again it’s so she can withdraw and then rise, heading in the direction of the adjacent baths without casting a second glance back. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 06:19 pm (UTC)isis stands, taking a moment to enjoy the new loosness to her links before she follows. yennefer knows the way better than she and she is happy to take it in, to walk a few steps behind and take a moment to soak in the curves of her new companion for the evening.
the pools are not so far away and, entering the room, isis finds herself smiling a more sly smile, allowing a soft laugh to bubble forth. ) It seems that we are favored by Luck after all.
( she says it before moving toward the stairs that lead into one side of the pool, groaning softly as her feet hit the hot water. she will need to go slow, carefully. she is already sweat-slicked and flushed, but the heat is welcome. she holds out a hand toward yennefer, palm up, if it was unclear that she wanted her close still, wanted her to join her. )
no subject
Date: 2023-12-02 06:33 pm (UTC)There is relief that accompanies the realization that they have the baths to themselves, at least for now, and while Yennefer doesn’t immediately move to enter the water, she represses a slight smile at Heset’s clear enjoyment of it — only to find herself more surprised when a hand is offered to her directly. ]
The only thing that could improve this is wine.
[ She says it almost like an afterthought, reaching out to take the hand that’s extended, fingers curving slightly as she uses it to help herself down the steps and into the pool. The water is similarly steaming, though there’s also a cold pool for separate soaks, which she does plunge into from time to time even if she mostly favors this one.
Their tethered hands drift across the surface of the water, and Yennefer’s gaze rises to find Heset’s again, as that contact lingers. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-04 08:10 pm (UTC)she follows into the water, letting out another contended sigh as it envolpes her. there is steam rising around them but now yennefer is clear before her, their hands still linked. isis shift her hold, so they are palm to palm and fingers linked, moves closer like a leopard slinking toward it's prey. ) Is this too bold?
no subject
Date: 2023-12-04 10:24 pm (UTC)I'd rather you be bold than apologize for it.
[ Bold, she can respect; bold, she can admire, and even meet in kind, as Heset presses their palms together, interlocks their fingers. Yennefer lowers that connection beneath the water, maneuvers their arms out slightly to bring bodies in for a closer press. ]
And act on whatever you're thinking about doing right now.
dont look at the timestamps pls
Date: 2023-12-28 03:20 am (UTC)( as foolish as a colt, as foolish as a young man unable to deal with the confidence of a woman. that is not what either of them are. isis is the one to close the distance between them, to lean in so that there is no longer steam or air left between their lips. it is a gentle kiss at first, not chaste but curious and seeking for further permission to explore the other woman's mouth with her own. )
no look, only kiss
Date: 2023-12-28 08:37 pm (UTC)[ Heset's fingers, ascending from the water, are dripping when they run along the curve of her clavicle, rivulets trickling down her skin as the other woman establishes that cupping hold along her neck, and Yennefer tilts her head into the contact, allowing herself a soft sigh, eyes fluttering to half-lidded state even before the distance is further closed between them.
Then she draws in a breath when those lips meet her own — as soft as they look, and more besides. It hasn't been nearly as long since Yennefer kissed a woman thanks to her initial arrival, but, as it had been with Ianthe, neither had she expected something like this to occur here, now. Yet Heset's body presses against her own, beneath the sluicing lap of the water, and Yennefer feels so suddenly hungry with the wanting of it, wanting her in particular, in a way she's felt with few others.
Curious seeking will be rewarded, and responded to in kind, and Yennefer tilts her head to deepen the kiss, her own hand surfacing as dripping fingers slide over Heset's neck, cupping the back of her head beneath the drape of her braid, thumb caressing over the soft edge of jawline while she initiates that first slow tangle of tongues. ]