Chapter 27.3

While her tears didn't last long, Aoife still remained silent for a long while. Eventually she gathered herself enough to let go of Eirwen's hand and ask the question Eirwen had been expecting. "You said mutual. Are you at liberty to tell me when he realised that he had feelings for me?"

Well, he hadn't told her not to. Just not to break her heart. "When Sir Berllanach broke your arm. He told me that he realised that the rage and concern he felt, were the same he would have felt if it had been me."

Aoife blinked. "Three years ago." Her voice became sharp. "Three years. Three years! Three damned years ago he fell for me and he just hid that from me?!"

Eirwen couldn't help herself as a chuckle escaped her lips. Immediately, Aoife's rage turned on her, eyes blazing with fury as she looked down. "And you find that funny?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No, no I don't. But I just felt like anger suits you more than tears. Yes, he hid it from you. He said it was so his rejection would hurt you less, but it might also be because of his guilt. He doesn't feel like he deserves happiness. A conviction of his that I'm trying to change his mind on."

Eirwen's honesty took the heat out of Aoife's fury. She grumbled a bit instead. "Didn't tell me a thing, but he told you who injured me. It's not fair."

"Oh, he didn't tell me that. Probably so I would remain objective. But he told me he had Sir Seabhac cripple the guilty party on the battlefield, and I managed to figure out from that who it had been. The man still can't put proper strength into his sword."

"Well, he definitely deserved that! I gave them a chance to surrender peacefully and he suddenly struck my side." Ah, that would be a good thing to hold against the man yes, that kind of dishonour. Aoife continued, a bit absentminded. "So he had Darragh avenge me, huh..." Eirwen noticed Aoife's cheeks were turning rather crimson in response to that.

"He did. And then he started training you, so you'd never get hurt like that again. Guess I deserved to feel jealous over that after all." She said it teasingly, but Eirwen did in fact feel a bit jealous. She buried that feeling, as in her mind Aoife had far more right to it.

"Huh. I never did put much thought into why he did that." Her eyes turned back to Eirwen's, a hint of suspicion buried behind playfulness. "So did you promote me just to make me fall for you, your Grace?"

"Absolutely not!" Her vehemence surprised both of them. "I fell for you because you are amazing and deserving of every honour I bestowed upon you, not the other way around. Do not belittle yourself like that, not even as a joke."

Eirwen began to blush as she realised just what she had just blurted out, which was intensified when she saw hunger appear in Aoife's eyes. Her friend had really enjoyed that compliment. She stammered, while Aoife grinned at her.

"Sounds like he's not the only one perfectly alright with you bedding me. So how would that work anyway? The same conditions? No spending the night, and we're not allowed to use your bedroom?"

Again, Eirwen blushed. She suspected that right now she looked as red as her hound's hair. "I, uh... We didn't discuss that. But it sounds fair. Uh, are you okay with that, though? Really okay?"

She could tell that no, not entirely, but Aoife was burying her doubts and pain. A moment of hesitation. Then she let the mask slip, revealing her uncertainty. "You're making him be honest with you, so I should be as well. I really don't know, Eirwen. I never expected to actually have a chance with either of you. To know that despite your love for each other, there's still room in your hearts for me... It's overwhelming."

As Eirwen moved to speak, a finger on her lips hushed her. "Let me finish, please. I want you, Eirwen. Both your body and your heart. But if I can't have both, then at least a single night with you will let me settle my heart. And we both know that for that, tonight is the last chance. There is no way that in the next months in the mountains, you two won't take the next step and become lovers again."

Eirwen suppressed the urge to speak up, waiting as Aoife gathered her resolve. A sly smile appeared on the woman's face as she looked down at Eirwen. "And if he doesn't do that, I'll just steal you from him. If he refuses to put his guilt aside enough to partake in your heart and body, I will gladly snatch up that opportunity."

The confession made Eirwen's heart beat faster, imagining Aoife aggressively pursuing her. The mere thought was enough to make her flush once more. Aoife noticed and continued playfully. "And of course if he does handle it properly but you ever need to send him off for a bit, consider my bed, alright? No need for jealousy once you manage to claim him."

She did feel jealous at the thought. Though she wasn't sure who she was more jealous of in that scenario. She put that aside and responded. "And what if it wouldn't be the last chance? If he and I mend our relationship, would you want to get included?"

Aoife's breath hitched at that. The feelings she was trying to put aside all rose to the surface again, torment in her eyes. "Eirwen... You can't promise me that. You can't make a promise for his heart. And the opposition would be too great."

Eirwen gently shook her head, without letting her eyes leave Aoife's. "I'm considering giving birth to a child of a nameless. I'm not giving up on either of my dukedoms. And I will never marry a puppet. Society will condemn me anyway. But I have the loyalty of my people and my subordinates. Claiming your love as well isn't an obstacle I worry about. All that matters is your heart."

She reached out once more to caress Aoife's cheek, who leaned into the touch. "But you don't have to decide now. I just want you to think about it. Consider the implications, consider whether you want to. If you tell me, us, you want another partner instead, we will give you our blessing. You deserve to be happy. And if you cannot be so by our side, we have an obligation to let you go, no matter what we want."

Aoife practically sneered in frustration. "You two and your damned martyr complexes. Have you never considered being selfish? So what, you expect me to believe you'd have been fine with that if it was him finding love with someone else? Think it wouldn't have driven him mad if you had taken some central noble as your husband? Why do you think my love is weaker than yours, even if it's younger? Forget about me. What is it you want, Eirwen?"

On a normal day, she would have been able to pause, think that through. But she was frustrated, wanting, somewhat intoxicated, and longing for Aoife's embrace as well right now. "I want him underneath me, desperately trying to take hold as I keep him pinned and partake in his flesh. I want your breath in my neck, your voice in my ear, your hands all over me. I want both of you, physically and emotionally. And society be damned."

She wanted to say more, but was silenced by Aoife kissing her. Gentle, just the lips, but the suppressed hunger was clearly there. As Aoife withdrew, Eirwen could see how much effort that took her. And she could feel how her own control was hanging by a single thread, straining under the load.

Aoife returned to playing with Eirwen's hair as she spoke. "You might want to ask him for permission now." A mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Or should I ask? Maybe offer to let him watch?"

Eirwen considered what would be the consequences of that, remembering the suppressed madness as the burden of his flame usage increased. "I think, if you were to do that, he would lose it and march over. And then, either he would give both of us what we desire, or he would throw us over his shoulders, take us back there, and make us watch for several hours before he would finally satisfy us."

Aoife's hitched breath revealed that she liked that idea a lot. But no, that was far from a good idea. Reluctantly she shook her head, letting Eirwen reach out instead.

I am being actively seduced here. Do you have any objections or conditions?

She could feel his hesitation, how he was suppressing himself. It took him over ten counts to gather himself, showing exactly how close to the edge he was tonight. 

"If I catch you bringing her to your bedroom, I'm coming over. Don't take too long. Good night, Mo Stór."

Now it was her turn to suppress her urges and calm herself down. Eventually she looked up at the patiently waiting Aoife, noticing the menacing smirk on her face. Ignoring that, she smiled at her. "Same terms. So, what would you like to do?"

"I think... That once the two of you return from the mountains, I want to relentlessly pursue both of you. So either you reject me at once, or you accept that. If only he rejects me, I'm still going to seduce you. If you reject me, I'll just become a spinster. Keep that in mind."

Her faint smile turned into a ravenous grin. "And right now, I'm going to prove to you that it doesn't take a flame user to hunger and devour." Eirwen's heart beat rapidly in her chest at that, as their lips approached each other's. She closed her eyes and sunk into the kiss, now passionate and hungry. Soon, she became the target of years of want and frustration, before returning the favour.

Past midnight, she gently kissed Aoife goodnight and got dressed, returning to her chambers while her doorguards knew better than to speak. She fell asleep, waking a few hours later as her hound returned from his own affairs, exhausted enough to only barely greet her before collapsing into sleep.