Cassandra Pentaghast (
stabsbooks) wrote2016-07-31 02:50 pm
for
obi_wanmanshow
The name had been a part of her nearly all her life, as familiar to her as her own. When it had first appeared - glowing golden script on her inner arm - she had been fascinated, spending hours upon hours staring at it, tracing the letters with one finger, dreaming about the kind of person her soulmate might be. The name was strange to her, not Nevarran or Orlesian or anything she had heard of, but that had only added to the mystery and excitement.
His name had appeared on her skin at the time of her first flowering - one more marker on her path from girlhood into womanhood. If she had been the sort to go to school and have friends, it might have been the kind of thing to giggle over with the other girls, to shyly hide away, only to shriek in feigned indigence when her sleeve was playfully pushed up and the name finally revealed. As it was, Cassandra learned from tutors, and rarely had contact with other children. The name, like her beloved books and dreams of dragon-hunting, became a solitary escape, a daydream of a better life.
Both had faded, in time, as such things do. Fantasies of true love and romance had been replaced by the realities of work and duty (though Cassandra had never quite been able to let go of her fondness for romance, if only entirely fictional ones). And the name on her arm had faded from a bright gold to something duller and duller as the years went on, until it was something that could not be seen at all except in the brightest light of day.
(The longer it took, they said, the more your soulmate's name faded, the less likely you were ever to find him at all. And this one - an unknown, foreign name, one belonging to a man who clearly lacked either the interest or the means to seek out a soulmate with the name Pentaghast, well...)
Cassandra herself couldn't say exactly when it was she had stopped expecting to find him. Certainly it had been nothing overnight, no sudden revelation. She had simply woken up one day, no longer a girl in her twenties eager to make the world her own, but a woman in her late thirties - accomplished, certainly, perhaps even fulfilled - but utterly alone, and more and more likely to stay that way.
But the name is still a part of her, as much as it ever had been. And so it is that when she hears it spoken aloud for the first time, she doesn't even blink; hearing the words she had whispered so reverently to herself for twenty-five years is as natural as breathing.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi." She nods sharply, focused on her work, ignoring the tiny voice in the back of her mind that is urgently whispering something, something is happening, this is important - She holds her hand out to shake - her arms, as they always are these days, fully covered by long sleeves that meet her gloves, the barely-visible name securely hidden from even the most prying eyes. "I am Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast."
His name had appeared on her skin at the time of her first flowering - one more marker on her path from girlhood into womanhood. If she had been the sort to go to school and have friends, it might have been the kind of thing to giggle over with the other girls, to shyly hide away, only to shriek in feigned indigence when her sleeve was playfully pushed up and the name finally revealed. As it was, Cassandra learned from tutors, and rarely had contact with other children. The name, like her beloved books and dreams of dragon-hunting, became a solitary escape, a daydream of a better life.
Both had faded, in time, as such things do. Fantasies of true love and romance had been replaced by the realities of work and duty (though Cassandra had never quite been able to let go of her fondness for romance, if only entirely fictional ones). And the name on her arm had faded from a bright gold to something duller and duller as the years went on, until it was something that could not be seen at all except in the brightest light of day.
(The longer it took, they said, the more your soulmate's name faded, the less likely you were ever to find him at all. And this one - an unknown, foreign name, one belonging to a man who clearly lacked either the interest or the means to seek out a soulmate with the name Pentaghast, well...)
Cassandra herself couldn't say exactly when it was she had stopped expecting to find him. Certainly it had been nothing overnight, no sudden revelation. She had simply woken up one day, no longer a girl in her twenties eager to make the world her own, but a woman in her late thirties - accomplished, certainly, perhaps even fulfilled - but utterly alone, and more and more likely to stay that way.
But the name is still a part of her, as much as it ever had been. And so it is that when she hears it spoken aloud for the first time, she doesn't even blink; hearing the words she had whispered so reverently to herself for twenty-five years is as natural as breathing.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi." She nods sharply, focused on her work, ignoring the tiny voice in the back of her mind that is urgently whispering something, something is happening, this is important - She holds her hand out to shake - her arms, as they always are these days, fully covered by long sleeves that meet her gloves, the barely-visible name securely hidden from even the most prying eyes. "I am Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast."

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He considers her now in a more clinical light, propping his chin on her shoulder. Cassandra is not... She's no soft blossom, nor is she the kind of delicate-skinned creature who prefers lace to leather, or silk over steel-- except, perhaps, in private.
But that is her strength.
"Think of it this way. You're not pretty. But prettiness isn't everything about beauty-- it's not even the main part. Some people prefer songbirds, but I'm not the kind of man who stands in court, and I prefer hunting hawks. I find you beautiful in your strength, in the strength of your appearance, not in spite of it. After all, the Maker meant me to fall in love with the woman who could slay dragons while carrying a book of romantic poetry in her pocket. You are so stunning; I never had a chance."
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Obi-Wan...he is so handsome. But not once had he flinched away from her, or shown the least disappointment in her looks.
A wry smile curves her lips, and she shakes her head. "I did not have any poetry with me when I slayed the dragon." But she knows what he means, and she turns in his arms, looking into his eyes. They are pressed chest to chest, separated, now, only by the thin layer of her gown, but now, that does not seem so very intimidating.
They fit together. And she trusts him. She leans up to press a soft kiss to his lips, drawing back to look at him with dark eyes.
"You are already mine," she murmurs, marveling at it. "And I - "
Another kiss, and she winds her arms around his neck, leaning in to whisper into his ear. "I am already yours."
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The second has more fire in in it and he wraps himself tighter around her pulling her weight up and against him even as she winds her arms around him in turn. Maker, this woman will be the death of him!
I am already yours.
If he hadn't already abandoned all pretense of dignity in this, that would have been the end of it. But even so, he groans at this, and with helpless abandon, fastens his mouth against her shoulder, a wet, sucking kiss that breaks for air only reluctantly.
"Bed? Or...?"
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When she pulls back, her cheeks are flushed, and she nods, smiling, not yet trusting herself to speak.
"...Yes." She reaches a hand up, caressing his cheek, the curve of his ear, down his neck to his shoulder. She can feel him, straining through his pants against her still-wet folds, and she takes in a stuttered breath, quite unconsciously moving her hips and grinding down against him.
Oh, but she needs more. And the sooner the better. She rolls her hips once again, deliberately this time, and bites back a moan.
"Yes."
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It's not a straight path, by an means, but then in order to move without distraction he would have to stop kissing her. Honestly, he'd just as soon take the scenic route; it's not as if either of them are paying attention to the time. He won't drop her, instead he sets her on the bed and presses a kiss against her lips that has weight on it, and the promise of an advancing tide. He breaks the promise when he draws back, offering the apology of lips and tongue along clavicle and shoulder before pulling back.
It's a good thing these pants are only worn-out sleeping trousers because between the two of them, they're stained beyond saving. He hesitates, only a little, a glance of self-denigrating amusement mixed with apprehension, then unties and lets them drop off. Well, fair is fair, after all-- and there is always that one standard by which men are judged.
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Well. She cannot help but look.
She has seen naked men before, naturally. Most Seekers live in close quarters, and privacy is often a luxury, and not a given. But this situation is...it is something else entirely.
And he is so...
So ready for her, clearly, and that knowledge is both exciting and intimidating. She takes a breath, and glances quickly up to his face, reassuring herself that he is still him, her patient and loving soulmate.
Then she reaches forward, hesitant, not quite touching.
"May I?"
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Instead, Obi-Wan nods his assent, "Please."
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So close. He is so close, so seemingly entranced, and she raises her free hand to his cheek, leaning in and kissing him thoroughly as her other hand explores freely.
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It doesn't matter, what his mind is doing, reflexes have taken over, bucking his hips up against her grasp without asking Obi-Wan's opinion on the motion. Frantic for a distraction, to draw out the inevitable, he shakes himself out of reverie and applies more of himself to her mouth, fiery and importunate.
Where once she had been tentative, now she explored with confidence; it had taken less time than the sunset for her to find her stride, this far at least. In retrospect, it was silly to expect anything less.
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And it is glorious to have him here, needing her just as much, and to know that satisfaction will soon be within both their grasps. She lets go of him just long enough to pull him down onto the bed, pushing him firmly into position, and crawls onto his lap, cupping his face in her hands for a deep kiss and straddling him deeply.
She rolls her hips against him, his hardness sliding along her wetness, and moans, loudly and with abandon.
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Maker, she was strong. He could do nothing save for moan his own reply, drawn down inexorably against the hot core of her, grab her by the hip and hold on for dear life.
"Cassandra, please... Please, I--" He wanted more, he was reduced to begging within moments, breathless, longing. But she had the leverage, had pinned him down, and begging was all he could do, "...Please."
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But it is not enough. Not for her, and certainly not for him. With an effort, she lets go and reaches for the hem of the hated gown - suddenly, even that is too much of a barrier between them. With a fluid motion, she pulls it off over her head, casting it onto the floor, and looks at Obi-Wan with wild eyes.
"Please." She doesn't even know what she's asking for, exactly, only that she needs, needs all of him, even as her stomach flips wildly with sudden anxiety. Her body is ready, her mind whipped along in its current, any leftover protests not enough to make her stop.
I don't know what I'm doing - I will make a fool of myself - will it hurt?
She forces herself to slow down, to take a breath, and meets Obi-Wan's eyes, biting her lower lip almost painfully.
"Please - please - touch me." She leans forward, murmuring into his ear. "Your hand, the only one to ever touch."
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Gentle enough in his haste, he spreads her open, the only hand to ever touch, and looks up from that too-engrossing work to meet her eyes.
"Breathe. Deep breath," He tells her, hoping it will be enough as he takes her by the hips and arcs his spine, hips twitching, to tease the blunt head of himself against her slickness. Hers to press forward, yes, but he is the one who knows the way, "Come on, now-- slow. I have you."
Either he has her, or perhaps more technically, he's about to.
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"Obi-Wan..."
Her love. Her soulmate. Her eyes fly open suddenly as a thought occurs to her, and she looks down at his bare arm - but no, her name there is as pale as it ever was.
Perhaps...perhaps now...
She nods, breathes in deeply, and tries to relax as she pushes forward.
It isn't easy. There's so much going on, too much to consider, and she wants him so badly she feels as taut as a bowstring. He stretches her as she begins to slide onto him, uncomfortably so, and the sensation is so new that she jerks back rather than pushing through it, making a noise of pain and frustration.
"I...I am sorry..."
Her cheeks flush in embarrassment, but it's more than that, forehead creased in annoyance. She wants this, she wants him and without delay, but in this, for once, she cannot force her body to cooperate.
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"No, love-- it's alright," He is the next thing to cursing with frustration, but in truth, she had nothing to apologize for, "It was too fast. There shouldn't be pain."
Instead, he pulls her down against his chest, out of alignment, but flush against him, skin to skin. The contact is glorious, bare peaks of her nipples against him. He tries to focus on that, and not the sudden loss of heat and wetness, to focus on her.
"There's no rush, truly," He murmurs, kissing her, not slowly, but deeply, lingering against her mouth even after, "I would never want to hurt you."
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There's no rush. But there is. She returns the kiss, pouring all her frustration into it, and leans her forehead against his. "I do not want to wait," she whispers. She can smell the scent of his skin, feel his heartbeat against her chest. Obi-Wan fills her every sense, and it is almost too much to bear. "I have..."
Does she want to say it? Already she can feel the loss of him, the emptiness. "I have endured worse pain."
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He asks, but roving hands are already there, hiking her higher against him so that he can curl his fingers around her thighs and touch there, where it is hot and wet and intimate. If all at once is too much, and because she is burning so fiercely for him, he'll start with less.
"Relax," He says, mouthing the easy expanse of breast this new position brings to him, and resolves to do for her as one does for any other over-tense muscle; though perhaps a massage from the inside out is somewhat more than simply rubbing out a cramping leg.
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She breathes in and then out again slowly, trying to relax her body with her breaths, and wraps her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.
Too tense. Too anxious. She closes her eyes, focusing on the slow drag of his fingers through her wetness, and tries not to think. Just this. Just his fingers teasing her gently, his own gentle breathing in her ear, his mouth moving over her. Nothing else matters.
"I want you," she whispers to him. She squirms, backside shifting impatiently on his lap as she seeks more, rolls her hips against his fingers. "I want all of you."
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"I want you," He replies, in an echo, then continues, between the biting kisses he is peppering over her chest and collarbones, "I want to see you come apart in my hands, every night, every morning. I want you to ride me, just like that, quiet in our bedroll in camp, so no one knows, and then loud in the wilderness, miles from anyone who could hear. I want all of you, in all ways."
And this without ever slowing his fingers, nor speeding them up, a deliberately maddening, enticing pace, stretching and massaging and perhaps even driving her mad. But soon, soon now, it will be enough. And then he'll give her exactly what she wants.
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His fingers - oh, those are wonderful. But his words, the pictures he paints with them - she moves frantically against him, more and more frustrated by his steady, unchanging pace. She hardly registers the moment of discomfort this time when he adds a second finger, and at the third she hisses, then shudders, her body shifting and expanding to accommodate him.
"Yes," she breathes. She has to fight the urge to slide her own fingers between her legs, knowing that the barest touch will finish her off. A moment, while she holds her breath and marvels at his fingers inside her, stroking her -
It is so good. But it is not enough. She turns to kiss his neck, clenching tight around his fingers.
"I need you." She hardly dares to breathe the words. One hand slips down, not to further her own pleasure but to find him, squeezing, stroking. Oh, he will feel so good inside her -
She will go mad, if he refuses much longer.
"You may have me." She swallows, fighting with all her will not to move, not to simply push him down to the bed and impale herself on him - that she would regret, but with every moment she wonders more if it is worth it.
"Please - Obi-wan - please."
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Mindful still of the physical limiations, he drops a kiss against her temple, and whispers, "Yes" into her ear.
The slide of her body around his is an entirely new kind of agony. He knows it must be slow, but inch by inch his resolve wavers; he thinks he'll weep with it when the hot core of her finally rests against him, bodies flush, and for a moment he holds her there, firm and slightly desperate for the respite.
"I...Don't think," He grit out, as helpless for her in his own way, as she was in return, "Can't last."
He never should have married a dragonslayer; she was going to take a decade off his life in this room. Had he known what it was going to be like, he might have done it years ago and not lived to see this day-- and never regretted it.
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"Oh." She wraps her arms around him, her entire body pressed against his, heart pounding. There is nothing she wants more than to remain here, forever, so close to him as to nearly be one being - but she can no more last than Obi-Wan can.
Slowly, tentatively, she rocks her hips, nearly sobbing with relief and building desire as she moves against him. She is so close, so close, and she needs -
"Please." She rocks again, more insistent, and bites back a cry. "Please - help me - "
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Perhaps it is the soulbond, perhaps it is simply Cassandra, glorious and wild, stronger than steel above and around him-- perhaps it is simply the emotion of the moment that makes everything seem so much more, and better, than it has ever done before. He feels new again, marveling at every sensation, swept under and over by the current of heat. She moves, only slightly, and he falls apart, incapable of silence, or control.
His hips answer that lack like an unruly dog, jerking upward, deep, deep inside, and the sound he makes is as much a surprise to him as it is to her, surely. Desperate not to be overtaken by his own reflex, Obi-Wan slides his palms around her hips, pressing against her clit with a firm thumb, circling through the moist detritus of the rest.
"Now, Cassandra. Now. Let go," He pants, knowing that as short as these few minutes might seem, they still contained multitudes enough for the both of them, "With me."
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Cassandra drops her head against Obi-Wan's shoulder, coming down slowly, whimpering softly as she throbs around him. Her body is warm, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and she shudders, sliding her hips slowly against him as she chases the aftershocks.
He is wonderful. And she is lost, a jellied mass against him, barely able to think, much less react. She mouths a soft, wet kiss against his neck, trying to communicate her gratitude without words.
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The moment is frighteningly intense and, waiting for the spots to clear from his vision, he has time enough to wonder if he had died before she twitches through the aftershocks, leaving him once again breathless.
He hadn't died, then.
Reality returns, in the soft touch of her mouth, the air cooling along sweat and skin, and the natural way his arms settle around her. Obi-Wan cannot remember ever being so tired, nor so satisfied.
"Cassandra," He sighs, stroking up the smooth, lovely expanse of her back. He turns his face toward her and breathes into her hair, "Oh, I love you."
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