The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu & Alixandre]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Inkidu on 15-09-2014, 18:27:16</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>15-09-2014, 18:27:16</strong>
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				Janus Antonius Marcus was in poor condition. The tall strong man leaned on his walking stick, panting heavily. The hike was not going well, and he was sure he'd been separated from the men he'd hired to guide him to a nearby Grecian town. He was a Roman through and through, but after being blinded by an injury in a civil uprising he'd been forced to seek warmer shores. The storm had different plans, however. Neptune must have been angry at someone because an ocean-side squall rose up and scattered him, knocking him into a ditch. <br><br>He could still taste the salt on his lips and feel the mud on his face. He must look ragged, but he couldn't tell that anymore. He didn't know where he was. So he found what felt like a stone road and followed it, calling out every once in a while. He groaned. He was hot, thirsty, and tired. He panted. The road seemed to be going nowhere. He kept walking though. He was a tall, strong man. Army training gave him much muscle. He had short dark hair, and before he lost his sight brown eyes, they were now occluded and hidden behind a blindfold. <br><br>The rhythmic sound of his wooden walking stick hitting stone paving bricks sounded. Occasionally the soft <em>pmff</em> of wood hitting dirt, he made sure to step over them carefully. He tried to keep away from the ditch. He'd taken a tumble a few times, he knew he must look wretched. Suddenly he bumped into something. His impression upon collision was that it was a man or woman. He fell down, "Sorry, sir or madame..." he said. When no one responded he reached forward. His fingertips found stone. "Oh," he felt foolish, "a statue." <br><br>Cursing his wretched luck he began walking and hit another statue. Swearing to the gods he struck it with his walking stick. It had little effect. He kept trying to walk. He bumped another statue. What in Pluto's name was this place? Some kind of artists workshop? "Hello," he called again, "I'm lost and need help." He brushed down his red-brown tunic. It was covered in mud and muck. "I could use some water..." He mumbled when no one answered yet again. The next statue had fallen over and he tripped. He wailed out in misery. Wherever he was, this was the underworld! He lay on the ground sobbing in anger. It was the final insult the gods had for him. To die in some statue garden. <br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>17-09-2014, 03:24:40</strong>
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				<em>Greek stories often spoke of the three sea-borne creatures - heiresses to the dangers that lurked below the water's surface. They spoke of Stheno, the mighty, and Euryale, the wandering - they spoke of Medusa, the mortal sister, who was slain for no reason other than sport by a demi-god. The did not speak of a fourth sister - a sister hidden from the world, for she was not at all like her sisters. Of course, she was borne of the sea and her beauty had been captured in one immortal moment. It was she who dwelled in the west, it was she who helped to guard the entrance into the Underworld, the domain of Hades and Persephone, and it was she who felt her form was a punishment - it was she who felt the blessings of the gods and not their ire.<br><br>And, so, they called her Sophia - the wise sister.</em><br><br><div align="center">***************************************</div><br><div align="center"><strong>"The victor Perseus, with the Gorgon head,<br>O'er Libyan sands his airy journey sped.<br>The gory drops distill'd, as swift he flew,<br>And from each drop envenom'd serpents grew.<br>The mischiefs brooded on the barren plains,<br>And still th' unhappy fruitfulness remains."</strong><br><br>- Ovid, The Metamorphoses (Lines 898-903)<br></div><br>Apollo's race through the morning sky found Sophia sleeping until she decided to awake. After feeding herself, she began her day's chores, which entailed patiently tending the garden that she made towards the back of the ruins that were her home. Really, the entire place had been lost to vegetation, but Sophia didn't mind because Priapus had coaxed the plants into allowing the Gorgon to love there - she never wanted for food, or shade, or wood to cook and keep warm with! Truly, there were some good things about being the well-behaved offspring of Poseidon. The soft hissing began, indicating that the small, black snakes that curled where there should have been hair, were beginning to awaken. She lifted an idle hand to the top of her head and gently pet the cold, scaled things before her hand returned to the dirt and to the task of carving out a hole for her new seeds.<br><br>The seeds would grow a fruit that was sweet and red-gold in color. <br><br>They were a reward that had washed up on the sea shores, the last time Sophia had dared to venture out - thankfully, she had not been caught by any human eyes. It pained her each time she was unaware that someone had found their way into her home - they always became solid stone and cursed to linger in the front gardens. No one ever seemed to understand that they were warnings. A lot of the times, wanderers were in awe of the works and pressed their way through her gardens, in search of the brilliant artist who was able to create such life-like art.<br><br>Sophia heard a noise at the edge of her hearing, as if something knocked against a person's stone form, but occasionally birds misjudged their landings. There, the noise was again and then she could have sworn to Athena that she heard... a man's voice? Oh, gods, no - she didn't want to have to through this again. Standing, she adjusted the plain brown dress she wore - the dress that was perfect for working in her garden - and brushed her hands against it, removing the dirt as best as she could from them. Picking her way, barefoot, through the ruins, she edged herself behind a pillar and saw the stumbling man trip over another's remains.<br><br>That one, upon realizing this was the home of a Gorgon, had attempted to attack her. <br><br>"Please, leave", the voice that called out to him sounded near and not angry.<br><br>"Please leave. I. I don't wish any harm upon you. So, you must go, please." <br><br>Sophia peeked around the corner and raised a fair-colored eyebrow. From her perspective, she could see that the man wore a cloth around his eyes.<br><br>How odd.&nbsp; 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>19-09-2014, 15:01:04</strong>
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				Janus looked up at the soft sound of someone speaking. He got to his knees. It was a female's voice. Oh, thank the gods; he was saved! He didn't even pay attention at first. He wasn't aware she was bidding him leave. He was too relieved. The Roman tried to pinpoint her voice but couldn't. The smile fading from his face as he realized she was telling him leave. "Please, milady," he said, "you have to help me." He tried to stand, but tripped over an arm. "I'm blind, you can't leave me to wallow around in the mud." He was actually crying. He could feel the warm tears staining the thick wrap against his face. <br><br>He sat back in the dirt. "I'm sorry," he said taking a shaky breath, "This is not the way a solider of Rome should act." He used the statue to stand. "If I could as that you help me find my walking stick and point me to the road I will leave without darkening you doorstep any longer. The voice had sounded attractive to his ears, but perhaps she had a husband and feared reprisal. "I do mean no harm either, milady." He said. He felt the cold stone. It didn't feel&nbsp; like marble, just regular rock. Perhaps these were test statues. <br><br>Janus took a deep and blinked his eyes from beneath the wrap. There was something beneath it and it was irritating him. I was surprising how acute he had become. Little things that never bothered him before he lost his sight might as well be bonfires in the dark. He pulled the wrapping from his face. His glazed, unseeing eyes staring unfocused in the distance. If the lady of this place had been a more vicious creature like her sister gorgons his blindness might not have saved him from anything but petrification. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>19-09-2014, 18:04:18</strong>
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				Rome? What was Rome? And, more importantly, why were there soldiers wandering into her ruins? The man sounded genuinely distressed, so Sophia felt obligated to at least help him acquire this walking stick he seemed to so desperately need.&nbsp; She walked the circumference of the pillar and appeared in front of it - this strange, unkempt man didn't seem to notice that she now stood there as he removed his blindfold.<br><br>Although Sophia knew better, she couldn't help but stare - never before had she been able to be this close to someone. Especially a man, and the thought made her cheeks redden for a moment before she shook her head, waking the snakes atop it. Their hissing very suddenly filled their quiet air between the two occupants of the green space.&nbsp; The air in front of Janus' face would have been moved with the waving of the Gorgon's hand in front of his face.<br><br>She laughed, more like giggled, quietly - happily.<br><br>"You really have no vision it seems." no longer fearing for <em>his</em> life, Sophia looked him over.<br><br>He looked like he needed a bath and he smelled like dried saltwater - not a smell that bothered Sophia, being a daughter of the seas, but it was not the normal smell for a mortal man. She frowned at the thought that perhaps he had been abandoned by some ship-wrecked crew - mortal men had a penchant for being cruel.<br><br>Sophia suddenly realized that she was being too quiet.<br><br>"I have fresh water for drinking and space for a bath, if you'd like one. And food! I grew it in my garden." she clapped her hands together and began to walk away from him, with the intention of him following and then realized he wouldn't.<br><br>"Gods forgive me." she murmured absently to herself and then re-approached him, the sound of hissing growing nearer again.<br><br>Sophia ran her hand along the female form that Janus currently leaned against - an overly curious nymph who had been warned. Within the stone, the nymph was not dead, but the conditions for her return were still being agreed upon. Sophia, while the best-natured of her sisters, did not take kindly to the other immortals coming to her doorstep to mock her solitude.<br><br>"Would you", she exhaled - she hadn't really ever talked to a mortal before, "would you like to come in? I can help you - at least for the evening. You seem like you need some rest and I have plenty of space - I live here. Alone."<br><br>Her hand brushed against his where it rested on the stone nymph's form,indicating that she was very near.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>21-09-2014, 18:06:19</strong>
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				Janus felt the presence of another around him. He felt the familiarity of his walking stick when the mysterious woman pushed it into his hands. He realized that the statue he was currently using was very much a female form, and he didn't want to seem lewd so he shifted his weight to the walking stick. "Yes, I was blinded in a boarder skirmish with some barbarians down in Germania." He said. It wasn't that he was bitter about it, but sometimes he did miss being able to see. He would love to see the woman who was being so kind. <br><br>He must have frowned because when she muttered and came back to lead him to her home he smiled. "Thank you, milady, you're too kind. I don't wish to impose on you or... your husband?" He couldn't help but ask. He knew that some women might be apprehensive about letting a stranger into her home, even a blind one. He moved to take a step near her and tripped over another downed statue. Swearing mildly he tripped into her and felt that she was indeed very much a woman. "Forgive me," he said promptly righting himself. "Don't be offended, madame, but I find these statues damnable." He put his hand on her shoulder and let her guide him along. <br><br>"I am Janus Antonius Marcus, former solider of the seventh Roman legion." He said, "Could it be possible for you to grace me with your name as your my savior this day?" Clearly she'd been sent by Mercury to help him. He remembered the brief feel of her body, or perhaps Venus had sent her on a golden beam of moonlight. He didn't realize that she was something else entirely. Janus knew that he shouldn't be having such hedonistic thoughts about his savior. He walked carefully using the woman and his walking stick to aide him in making his way through this strange statue garden. <br><br>Janus felt himself pass outside of the sunlight into some kind of shade, his skin tingled and he smelled flowers or incense. This was most likely her home. He asked for a place to sit while he collected himself. He could use a bath and a meal, but he was already imposing enough on the kind woman. He knew she'd have to guide him around. His hand worked nervously over his walking stick. A night's sleep was all he really needed. "I was headed southward when a storm rose up from the sea and separated me from my traveling companions. I wandered around for what felt like two days before ending up wallowing in your statuary." He said. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>01-10-2014, 22:42:09</strong>
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				A husband? Sophia laughed to herself at the thought. She blushed as the blinded soldier tripped and feel into her, his hands sliding along the soft cloth that hid her torso from view. Sophia knew what the mortals said about her, but that didn't mean that she had to be the monsters that her sisters were. She sighed as he put a hand on her shoulder and reached up with her own, pressing his hand into her shoulder so that it would not move as she carefully picked her way through her garden of invaders.<br><br>"I am called Sophia. I am a daughter of the seas." it wasn't completely the truth, but Sophia liked the warmth of another person near her. <br><br>The Roman legion. The man truly was a soldier. How strange that he be here. She led him into the crumbling ruins of her home, sitting him on a large cushion that sat on top of the floor. The hissing noise of her snakes came and went with her as she moved about the space, opening a collection of small cupboards to remove the fruit that they hid within them. He had to be famished and there were customs for treating guests - she was a child of the gods and their will must be honored before all else. The sound of a knife slicing through fruit filled the quiet before he spoke again.<br><br>"Poseidon be praised, then, that you found your way here and not into trouble, Janus. There are terrible things outside." she collected the sliced apples into a stone bowl and balanced the bowl in one of her hands as she found another cushion.<br><br>She dragged the cushion over next to him and sat down, placing the bowl close enough to his hand that he would have felt it push against him. It was now that she was suddenly filled with a wild sense of apprehension and nervousness - an actual mortal in her home! The apples smelled divine, but she suddenly wasn't hungry and instead she took a moment to stare at her guest. His hair was shorter than she had thought and he was much taller than she, now that they sat side by side, but the blindfold around his eyes countered what must have been an intimidating figure.<br><br>"You are welcome to stay as long as you need. I linger here alone, and the company would not be an awful thing." she took a slice of apple from the bowl and began to eat it, the crisp chewing noise relaxed her and the snakes atop her head curled around themselves, laying flat. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>13-10-2014, 18:36:32</strong>
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				Janus relaxed on the cushion as Sophia flitted around. "Don't worry about cleaning up." He said trying to break the ice with a joke. He wondered why such a nice woman like this chose to live outside of civilization. It had to be lonely. "Well, it is a pleasure to meat you, Sophia." He said. He wished he could see the wonderful woman who hand plucked him from the muck-filled squalor of a roadside ditch and opened her home to him. "I'm afraid I don't have much to offer in way of compensation for your hospitality." He said. He smiled when she thanked Neptune. "Yes, indeed." He agreed. He was more than thrilled. He felt her presence close by. <br><br>He wasn't a man who every threatened the virtue of every woman he met, but he had to admit, he was quickly becoming enamored of the woman who was his savior. "I appreciate the hospitality." He said. He didn't think he'd stay, but she offered. "Why are you so lonely, is your home that far out of the way?" He asked. He realized it might be too touchy a subject, "Pardon me if I'm being too forward." He hadn't known the company of a woman in a long time. Many women did not care for blind former legionnaires. "I could use a bath." He said. <br><br>Normally he would not care to tell women that, but there wasn't a lot he could do on his own. Once he learned the place he'd be able to get around easier, but until then he was at her mercy, not that it was a harsh mercy to find oneself under. He reached over and touched her shoulder. She felt attractive enough. Carefully he found an apple slice. Janus smiled. "These taste very ripe." He had found his other senses grew sharper. The apple did taste fantastic. <br><br>He was happy to find a place where he could lay his head down to rest. Traveling alone and blind could be lethal. "So," he said, "what is with all the broken and fallen statuary?" He didn't think that question was too forward. It was an interesting place to make one's home. "Are you an artist?" He found that the place was interesting. He felt the warmth coming from the woman beside him. It was nice to be in female company. He sighed. All he wanted to make sure of was that he didn't impinge upon this woman's good will. <br><br>&nbsp;
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>01-11-2014, 07:01:25</strong>
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				While she ate, Sophia thought on his question - how could she tell this good Roman solider that she was alone because she had to be? Because one errant, well-meaning stare from her always meant death. The Gods had blessed the mortal tongue with many words, for many things, and she was a daughter of the creators, and yet - yet, the story that could lie to Janus with was not anywhere to be found. Swallowing her piece of apple, Sophia decided that a half-truth would probably better to go with, given the situation. <br><br>"My sisters are and were evil creatures - spiteful and vicious. They did terrible things to strangers for no reason save for their own passing whims. But. Our father, he saw that I was not like that - I'm too gentle to be like them, so he placed me in this house built for him. His brother, with his wife, live nearby - occasionally they check on me to make sure I am alright." it was a half-truth.<br><br>No names. And, it was never Hades who came to her doorstep - it was always Persephone with her mother's seedlings that would feed Sophia for at least the year. She always had leftover crop that she would halve - half to the local village, delivered by Hermes, and half as an offering to the Gods and their benevolent whimsy. She peered over at him as he touched her shoulder and made her blush again - maybe it was better that the man couldn't see. He'd probably tease her for the red color on her olive cheeks, but Janus was blind and so she let his hand linger there. <br><br>"The statues?" the color drained from her face - there was no blessing on the Gods' earth that would help her to lie through that one.<br><br>Her shoulders squared under his hand and she stared at him - her heart was beating so fast that it reminded her of a bird in-flight. He was right, he needed a bath and Sophia herself wouldn't mind one - her bath room held a pool that was large enough that the two of them never need to touch after she helped him in. Oh, Gods - she'd have to see him naked! She wondered if she had angered Aphrodite and Cupid to the point that they need torment her like this - she knew she hadn't, but she was beginning to understand the mortal idea of powerlessness against the will of the Gods. <br><br>"I will tell you about the statues if you let me help you with your bath and show me your eyes." a secret for a secret - Sophia thought it was a fair trade. <br><br>The Gods would never be so kind.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>01-11-2014, 19:17:22</strong>
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				"That seems awfully harsh." He said listening to her story of her relations and the nature of how she came to reside in such a lonely place. "If you're here, fair Sophia, it cannot all be terrible." It was really a poor excuse for flirting, but it was all he had. He hadn't known the touch of a woman in many years. Women did not usually crave the bodies of blind former soldiers. Janus didn't realize how honest and literal her tale was, thinking it merely allegory and embellishment. The ex-soldier did not begrudge her her way of dealing with her situation. <br><br>When he touched her shoulder he felt Sophia blush. Her skin felt soft to his fingers, and he got a faint touch of how warm and inviting she was. Honestly he had nowhere to be, so perhaps he could stay with her? No, he didn't want to intrude. He shouldn't impose upon her in such a way. He had felt her tense when he touched her. Perhaps she was just bashful, a desirable quality in a woman when it was warranted. <br><br>"You don't have to tell me about your statues if you don't wish, kind maiden." He said softly. "You can look at my eyes, though they're not necessarily attractive." He could use a fresh wrap for them. His current one was filled with road dust and sand. "Let's go to the bath... you'll have to help me with more than just guiding me to the water... I'm afraid," he tried to break the somberness, "I would never impose though." He said, "I take hospitality to heart, madam." <br><br>He stood and let her guide him to her bath. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he smelled more of nature. The pungent odor of flowers and fruit. He breathed deeply. He felt the warm breeze hit his face. A nice bath would feel so wonderful. He removed his eye wrap and carefully turned toward her, using where she held him as a guide. His eyes had only a faint bit of color left. They were useless now. scars angled away from them where he'd taken the blinding wound. "I hope I do not repulse you, sweet maiden..." he said softly feeling for the ground so he could start taking off his garments. "Now don't go taking advantage of me, ma'am..." he said jokingly, his tone really not hiding the fact that he really felt the contrary about his situation. If this day ended with them sharing a bed he wouldn't mind in the least. For a goddess of beauty Venus had seen to increase his desires when he couldn't see. "Forgive my shameless flirting," he said, "I don't enjoy much female company, so I must flirt whenever the rarity shows itself." He smiled to himself. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>24-11-2014, 13:56:32</strong>
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				Nervously, the Gorgon rose and grabbed his arm at his elbow, and gently begant o guide him over ehe stones and grass that was her living area. Sophia had never minded living in the abandoned temple - now, however, she wished for a smoother path over to her batginf area. When she finally stopped, Sophia noticed him turning towards her and the breath caught in her slender throat. She slammed her eyes shut and let them sit in silence for an eon before she finally opened her eyes. <br><br>"You. Janus. Your eyes", she felt a lump in her throat and paused to dismiss it, "your eyes are perfect, Janus."<br><br>Her warm hand clutched either side of his face as she continued to stare at his face until he began to take his clothing off. It dawn on her then - of course, she had considered it, but hadn't really <em>considered</em> it. Moving away from him, she tapped a stone and hot, steamy water began to rise - it smelled of flowers and other wonderful things. She wondered what life had to be like for mortals - no easy way to accomplish things, no blessings from the Gods above. <br><br>"To be honest, Janus, I have never been this close to anyone - nevermind a man." she began to slip her dress off.<br><br>From across the bath, she watched him and turned away when stood there naked. She was scared to be near him - what did men do when they were naked with women? Of course, she knew the story of Zeus' many conquests, and of course, her sisters were the product of scorn from an unholy act committed in a temple. But, she had never known this kind of thing. <br><br>"If you", she paused, "if you slowly sit down where you are standing, you will be able to slip into the bath." the blush was very present in her voice as she herself moved into the hot, cleansing water. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>07-12-2014, 18:38:02</strong>
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				Janus was nervous when she saw his eyes. She might think them perfect, but he saw them as useless, but he didn't say anything. He was bitter about having lost his sight. The fact he couldn't behold this kind woman was one more reason upon a pile of many. He simply nodded. Her hands did feel good on his face. He did pull away gently when he felt her tense, "It's all right, Sophia..." He said softly. He knew his eyes often put people off. <br><br>He knew that his nakedness might put her at unease, "I guarantee that I won't look upon your nakedness." He smiled letting her know that he was joking with her. Most women naturally trusted a blind man. After all whose mercy was he really relying on? He slid into the water easily and felt the dirt and road grime wick away from his body. The warm water felt good. <br><br>Perhaps it was fate that I found you madame Sophia. He didn't know if the gods had a hand in it, but it seemed likely. That storm had rattled him about and he would certainly have died if not for her. He was a little worried about her silence. "If I am putting you at unease, madame, I will leave if you can get me to a major road." He didn't want to leave. He could feel the loneliness in her voice, he had known its sound well. Of course, he'd be more than happy to stay. He had no one expecting him, nowhere to be. He felt he liked Sophia. <br><br>"You might have deduced, but in order to know what you look like I have to use my hands." He ran the washing cloth over his body. "Please don't think me improper, but there's little I can do to bathe without some aid, so my nonchalance is born of simple pragmatism." He wasn't even sure where she was in her own bath, he didn't even know she was actually naked. His senses a little muddled by the warm fragrant water. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>13-12-2014, 13:30:20</strong>
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				Sophia could hear the disdain in his voice, but then his small joke banished her feeling of empathy with laughter. This was easy, so far, Sophia thought to herself as she had turned away from Janus so she didn't see his naked body. She made small waves in the water as she slid along the bench in her bath, drawing closer to him. <br><br>"No!" she covered her mouth and wrinkled her nose.<br><br>"No. You're not. I don't feel uneasy. It's alright, really." on her way over, she grabbed a small cup that held oil mixed with flowers to put into his hair. <br><br>She didn't have hair to care for, but she had been ready in case she had ever actually met someone who could stand to look at her. A breast gently swept past his arm as he moved the washing cloth over his body under the water. Her fingers deftly sunk into his hair from his side, massaging his scalp.<br><br>"No, in fact quite the opposite, Janus. I am very happy that you're here - the Gods themselves have not come up with a word to say how very happy I am." she scooted closer to him as she continued to wash his hair, humming to herself.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp;
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>13-12-2014, 19:11:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Janus relaxed into her somewhat tentative embrace. He didn't ask her to wash his hair, but she was. He didn't fight it. It wasn't as if his legionnaire haircut would make the task difficult. He still felt himself trying to look toward her, something he still did out of reflex. He bit his lip, her fingers did feel good. "Oh, you're happy I am here?" He said lightly. Normally he would feel like a burden on anyone's hospitality, but for some reason Sophia piqued his interest. <br><br>He did not miss the touch of a full breast on his arm. "Would," oh this was so absurd, "would you be sad if I were to leave?" Janus didn't want to sound desperate. "I-I know that this is sudden, but I have nowhere to be and no one who wants me here but you." He smirked. "Honestly, you'd never have to let me go, what can I do? I don't know where I am, not really..." He did think it was fate he was here. They both were lonely. They'd been brought together. "So, I suppose the only question is, which god brought us together?" He turned around and gently reached out for her face. <br><br>"Mercury..." He gently touched her face, her hair, such as it was, could probably keep itself from his prying fingers, "or Venus?" He felt the features of her face and found them very, very agreeable. "There are very many fates for a man in this world far worse than living at the beck and call of a beautiful woman..." He smiled slowly, lovingly in a way. It was Sophia's choice though. He didn't think she wanted to set him on his way, but one never did know. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>09-01-2015, 11:43:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sophia smiled as his form relaxed under her fingers - with Aphrodite herself as her teacher, Sophia knew the ways to tame the beast that drove a man's heart. Of course, she hadn't had any practice at it until this very moment, but she was pleased to see that her lessons were not to go to waste. When he asked if she'd be sad if he were to leave, she tilted her head in thought: would she? It was true she had never known the company of anyone else in her home, but he was so new that she doubted she would mourn his absence very long. <br><br>"What're you doing?" she blinked as he touched her face.<br><br><div class="floatleft">(http://nationalvanguard.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Greek-women-final-composite.jpg)</div>"I know those names, Janus - I do not think either of them would give me a passing glance. I am not their child, and there are many others who honor them far better than I do."<br><br>His fingers were calloused and didn't chase the snakes who awoke in time to move out of it way, but still she wondered if he marked their leathery feel. It wouldn't be such a bad thing to have company, would it? He may be the only man in the Gods' beautiful creation that she was unable to kill and that was worth its weight in mortal lives. So, with one hand she moved his exploring hands to her cheeks so that he was able to feel her muscles move with the smile that creased her face. Then, Sophia cupped Janus' face in her own hands and stared affectionately at the milky space of his eyes. <br><br>"Whoever chose to lead you here, I give them thanks and know better than to turn my eyes from a blessing. You are welcome in my home, Janus, for as long as you wish to stay."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>09-01-2015, 16:58:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Janus smirked softly as she returned the touch. He thought on her words faintly. He felt the faint touch of leather but thought it might just be a hair braid or some such, he paid it no extra mind. He felt the warmth of her hands. "Your smile is beautiful..." He said earnestly. Janus believed in the will of the gods and he had been brought here for a reason. He stroked her neck. His smile broadened when she said he could stay. "Are you sure I wouldn't be intruding." He tried not to feel too emotional about the kind woman. As terrible as his circumstances had been only a few short hours ago he was grateful to whatever god or goddess had brought them together. <br><br>"I..." he took his hands away and smiled more sheepishly. "Like I said, I don't wish to be a burden... so I will try to make myself useful to you, kind beauty..." He did find her appealing, but he knew that she might not see him in the same light, even if they were both lonely. He pulled himself from the bath and began drying off. "I don't wish to catch a chill, and my body is telling me that it is time to sleep." <br><br>He looked toward her and kept the towel on as a cover. He didn't want to make her too uncomfortable. "Will you lead me to where I'll be sleeping tonight?" He rubbed his eyes. If Sophia did not reciprocate his rather ham-handed advances he'd leave in a day or two, but if such a wonderful woman wanted him to stay, he didn't mind playing home-sitter for her. He owed her much and hated leaving debts. Plus, she was a kindred soul, a twin of the spirit and that made his heart more tender for the woman who had been so gracious. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>19-01-2015, 22:01:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Red lit Sophia's cheeks as Janus' words sunk into her ears. There were no words the Gods could give her to explain how happy she was in this moment - she could smile and he could see it, in his own way. Her head tilted into his touches on her neck and she quietly wondered what his life had been like before he had wandered into her garden.<br><br>"No! Please stay, Janus. You won't be an intruder - you, you are welcome in my home."<br><br>Sophia's eyes followed him as he left the bath and she was able to see every inch of drilled muscle - his more intimate parts made her turn away with a blush. Sophia now understood why Medusa had traded her head for a glance of Perseus - men were handsome and the sight of him made the water she sat in warmer. What a strange feeling. <br><br>"Oh, yes. Of course." Sophia removed herself from the bath and let it start to drain.<br><br>Her naked form wandered past Janus and felt around one of the walls for a soft cotton robe. She slipped it on and then curled her arm around Janus', leading him back into her living area with careful patience. <br><br>"You have to sleep with me tonight. I will find a second bed for you." the idea made her blush.<br><br>She helped him down onto the cushioned mat supported by feathers and topped with soft sheets, comfortable pillows. Sophia tucked the sheets and blanket around him.<br><br>"I... will return. Do not be afraid." She leaned down and kissed his forehead leaving the room.<br><br>She made offerings to Aphrodite of honeycakes and burned some lavender for Demeter. Carefully, Sophia blew out the candles in her stone dwelling and wandered back into the room. She couldn't tell if Janus was sleeping, but she slipped into her bed, her robe still on and stared at where he was laying.<br><br>What an odd day.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>21-01-2015, 01:06:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Janus himself would save his offerings for the morning. It was easier for him. Still, he nestled down on the mat and was blearily aware of a voluptuous form joining him. He remembered in the back of his mind that it was Sophia, so he kept his hands to himself. It was nice to sleep in a soft bed again. The retired legionnaire had been on the road so long that his only memory of a good bed was back in the barracks when he was resting up after his sight-robbing injury, and that had been a year or two ago. He knew that wasn't the truth, but it felt like it. <br><br>It had been a strange day indeed. He woke sometime in the wee hours of the morning and realized that he was very warm. His hands felt gently, quietly, sliding up and down a robed body. He felt soft skin and then a few delicious hills of flesh, his pelvis against a curvy bottom, and he realized he was spooning his patroness. Part of him knew he should be mortified, but it was something he wanted, by Venus he wanted this woman. He controlled himself and gently extricated himself from her. She might not feel the same, and it wasn't proper to take advantage of her good will. <br><br>Janus rolled over and went to sleep. He was just lonely, he told himself. Sophia wasn't put off by his blindness, but that didn't mean they were soul mates. She had even said that she would find another bed, if he was remembering last night's words correctly. He didn't want a second bed, but he would endeavor to be a good guest for his hostess. He snuggled back down into the mat and tried to fall back asleep. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>27-04-2015, 23:49:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was not used to sharing her space with a soul, nevermind her bed, and so when Janus awoke in the early morning before Apollo had drawn his carriage across the night sky, Sophia was awake. She wondered if he could feel her breath quicken as his hands wandered over her robe, but she was too terrified to move and so she let him touch her, wondering what he'd say if she could tell them that his were the first hands to move along her like that.<br><br>"Janus?" she whispered his name after he had turned away and she waited for a response.<br><br>But, then decided that maybe now was a moment to be brave.<br><br>Sophia rolled over, trying valiantly not to remove the blanket from over him. Curiously, her fingers traced the muscle in his back as she exhaled, trying to keep her hands from shaking - what was she doing? She had heard stories of Zeus taking anything he pleased, but as she laid here with her fingers moving up his shoulder and contemplating the journey down his arm, Sophia couldn't imagine the amount of hubris it would take to simply claim - only a God. She pulled her hand away, however, distracted with the awful thought of being compared to Zeus. <br><br>He was a guest in her house and she would not take advantage of the delicate position that put him in.&nbsp; &nbsp;
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 00:53:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Janus heard her call, but didn't want to move lest she be right there. He felt her fingers on his back, and he relaxed. He had thought he was imposing upon her with his clumsy flirtations, but perhaps she was like him. He felt her stop, could feel her pause in the way her breath was changed from its low dulcet tempo to something with more pause. <br><br>She pulled her hand away. "Sophia," he said rather candidly for someone who was a guest. "You may touch me if you wish. I haven't felt the warmth of a... of polite company for a long time." He sighed, "I'm tired of being alone... do you feel the same..." She was his calm port in a storm, he owed her much, and she was not put off by him. "I'm happy to feel you against me, my lady." He said softly. The bruisy predawn sky had its own chill, he didn't know what time it was, he only knew Sophia was with him. <br><br>"I owe you much, and am... eager to repay your hospitality, Sophia..." He said, making his desire for the curvaceous, kind woman clear.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 02:02:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At his insistence, she felt her curiosity grow and she ran her hand down his arm, letting her fingers brush against his chest, his waist - she'd never <em>touched</em> someone before. The feeling of her skin brushing against his was magnificent and when he spoke her name it somehow felt different, it made the Gorgon wrinkle her nose - it wasn't a bad feeling, but it was certainly a new one.<br><br>"Janus, I have always been alone. Because I..." she stopped herself and smiled at the his next set of words.<br><br>"I have never been this near to anyone save the Gods, and even they do not venture past my windows. Please. Be patient with me. " gently, she moved him to roll over and she sighed when he did.<br><br>To Sophia, it was not his legionnaire's body that made her heart beat fast, not that it wasn't wonderful to look upon. But his eyes, her fingers ran over his face and teased them open, and Sophia smiled at his blindness. She could look upon him and he could feel her, and that, she felt, seemed be worth all of the solitary years that had come before him.<br><br>"Janus, what have you done with a woman, before? "
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 02:29:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Janus felt her resume her touches, and then she made the slightest nudge and he rolled over onto his back His fingers went to the mat beneath him and he felt her warmth only a few inches away. She was so kind to him, so accommodating. For a woman who said she saw very little company, she was quite the hostess. <br><br>"I... have lain with a woman before..." He said gently. He was not a virgin, but, "I am also not so worldly... that I kept a girl in every port." He didn't know what she was expecting. He had been a soldier. "I had a wife once, before I was blind. Disease took her, and I committed myself to the legion..." The rest she knew. <br><br>"I'm not sure what you want to do..." He said, his voice taking on a flirtatious tone. He enjoyed her company, "I would not do anything to impinge upon your honor or virtue, good lady." He said gently. "I'm blind, so I will move at the pace you set for your all-too-ready-to-oblige guest." He was trying to set here at easy. He would enjoy... comfort if offered, but he would also enjoy her company if that was all she could give at this time.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 03:24:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Wh-what was it like?" she sat up a bit and ran her fingers down the curvature of his chest, observing the way it rose and fell.<br><br>Sophia was a well-reasoned creature, but she felt stupid for her lack of knowledge in this area. A few strands of hair awoke, hissing softly, but then the snakes chose to return to their slumber. His concern for her virtue made her smile, although she knew that he could not see it - her virtue? She was born from a goddess' anger, Sophia had often wondered herself if she was virtuous like other creatures. Or perhaps she was darker than she felt.<br><br>"Janus, you are so kind - I am sorry if I'm not as knowledgeable as your wife. Was she beautiful?" she didn't know why she would ask the man about his wife - she was curious.<br><br>Of marriage, of love, of the way his voice lowered when he inquired about what she wanted to do. Sophia quietly giggled.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 04:31:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"What is it like..." he mused as she reached over and stroked his chest. "Well," he said, "what matters first of all that it's with someone you want to be with. When you're with that person. It's warm, like you're lying in the sun. You feel every little nuance of their body as you try to move in unison. You feel your lover's heart, and it's like... it's you become one person, for a moment, and then it goes running over the cliff, and you die just a little, but then you're alive again with the person next to you..." <br><br>"You don't need to feel ashamed for your lack of knowledge, Sophia..." He smiled. "You're an odd one..." he laughed softly, "the only woman I can imagine who would want the man in her bed to speak of his wife." He didn't look at her, only basking in her presence. "She was very lovely, a lot like you from what I've gleaned, in both personality and... body type." He smiled.&nbsp; "You don't have to humor me, Sophia." He told her, "I'm happy for your company, I don't want you to feel pressured to do anything you don't wish to do." <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>28-04-2015, 04:59:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No." she said almost harshly.<br><br>"No, I don't feel pressured. I just enjoy the gods' sense of humor - how chance is it that you wandered into my garden, hm?" she scooted closer to him, her fingers twitching against his skin.<br><br>No, if Sophia felt pressured by anything, it was her own desire to know and to be able to do so safely, without hurting him - he truly must be her reward for being steadfastly faithful and loyal to the gods' will. Her fingers moved up from his chest and touched his neck, lingering over his pulse and then traced his ear as she thought on what he said: someone you wanted to be with, warm as the sun, the heart, death and then rebirth. Her head tilted and she prayed that Apollo could leave the light from the sky for a while longer, not that he would be able to see her anyways, but she felt like this kind of activity belonged in the dark.<br><br>"I'm going to do this." and she kissed him, it was very chaste and quick.<br><br>Her fingertips left his ear and pressed against her lips as she blushed. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>29-04-2015, 03:24:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He tensed when she told him no, he relaxed when she didn't pull away. She seemed a little more emboldened. "I just... don't want you to regret anything, Sophia..." he assured her. "Even if you're terrible at it I'm not leaving, I like it here, and I suppose you could throw me out anytime, but I shall endeavor to engender myself to you... as completely as I can." <br><br>"I suppose so, but your garden is one of many, though... I'm glad the gods or the Fates pushed us together, and that's why I'm glad you're willing to take advantage of a poor blind soldier... well retried solider... forcibly retried. He felt her body pull itself toward him, and he smiled. Gently he smirked and felt her plump lips push against his briefly. <br><br>"Mmm... not bad..." he said, "here, don't think about it so much, just let Cupid work his magic," he felt for her cheeks, found it, and simply let his lips fall against hers, even blind he managed to simply find them. He did not rush the kiss. He simply enjoyed the contact between them. "Take your time, I don't have anywhere to go... I'm all yours..." He reached up to touch her hair, but stopped. He felt she didn't like people touching her hair. People were allowed to to have their eccentricities. He smiled and stroked her cheek instead.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>30-04-2015, 06:26:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Oh..." her head tilted into his fingertips.<br><br>Her heat beat very fast - from his brave hand and the touch of his lips, her cheek moved upwards in a smile. Sophia leaned forward, kissing him again and this time her lips lingered on his as she considered his words - she still clung to the old names, but she understood Cupid and she was mystified as her own tongue brushed against Janus' lips. It made her pull her lips away and close her eyes, steadying her breath - a soft hissing noise moved around the room as a few of the snakes atop her head awoke at the alarm in her heart. <br><br>"I could never take advantage of you, but if you wish to do that... as thanks for letting you stay in my home, then I will not say no." curiously, Sophia kissed the corner of his mouth. <br><br>She smiled again and then moved down from the corner, kissing him, pushing him backwards on her bed - she felt him moving and her hands came up to hold in him still. Her tongue teased at the edge of his lips again and this time she pushed against them, testing if Janus would let her taste the inside of his mouth. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>01-05-2015, 03:35:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"There are worse things in this life than being the lover of a beautiful woman, confined to her bed, forced to service her every need." He smirked. He knew Sophia wouldn't do this of course, but he saw nothing wrong with having a healthy flirtatious relationship with a kind, beautiful woman. He smiled and received her kiss, paying no mind to the hisses, they weren't loud enough to cut through the hazy pink warm feeling working in every part of his body. Janus ran his hands over her womanly body and let her tongue in to play with his own. <br><br>He nibbled and worked against her, he enjoyed kissing her like a teenager might. He felt her lie against him. "You are a wonderful woman, especially for keeping a blind old wet rat like myself company. He knew not of her monstrous nature, all he knew was that she was a wonderful, kind woman. He looked toward her. <br><br>Janus stroked her gently. "I know of colors, Sophia, I miss them the most, when all I see is blackness. "What color are your eyes? Have you ever been told, seen them in a clear pool? He just wanted to know. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Life in Color</strong> on <strong>08-05-2015, 10:34:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't think a rat is what I would imagine you being." Sophia blushed under the brushing of his fingers and let her breath play along his skin as he lamented his loss of color.<br><br>"They're the color of well-tended earth, but my." she bit her tongue before her excitement could carry her away.<br><br>She tilted her head against where they laid and let his words from earlier sink into her mind, she wondered at what it would feel like to be <em>one</em> with another being. Of course, she was a part of the gods' - it came with her lineage, but a mortal. Sophia had never imagined a thing and now, as she ran her fingers over Janus' face, it seemed quite possible. The idea made her blush again and she snuggled into his chest, content for the moment, to just have kissed him.<br><br>"I have lived by myself for all of my life, Janus. I am happy you found me." she looked up and kissed at the base of his neck, relishing the taste of his skin under her lips. <br><br>She had a garden filled with fruits from Mount Olympus, but there was a kind of sweetness that lingered on his skin - from the bath perhaps, but it called her to continue kissing it and sucking on patches of skin here and there. She felt his reactions under her curiosity and Sophia pulled away from his skin to giggle, stopping herself once she realized how silly she sounded. Janus was a man, a proper man, happily laying her bed and she was content to giggle like the young girls who would throw rocks at her garden - trying to tempt the snakewoman, they would say.<br><br>Sophia frowned.<br><br>"Do you know much about the gods, Janus?" Sophia worried, suddenly, that he was sent here to tempt her into sadness.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Gorgon's Lover [Inkidu &amp; Alixandre]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Inkidu</strong> on <strong>10-05-2015, 04:16:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He had been enjoying the feeling of a woman's body, a very curvy, womanly woman's body against him. Her voice was sweet like music, and she felt warm and tender against him. He smiled and felt the warmth of her breath. His hands found the small of her back and he made tentative overtures toward her plump rear.<br><br>"I know as much as any pious man might know?" He didn't know what this was about. "Other than bringing us together, I'm wondering why the sudden icy shift." He gave her a small smile. He didn't know what was going through her mind. Still, he held her warmly. He knew about many of the myths and legends that shaped the modern world. He was sure most of them were allegorical. They were tales to teach morality and scare children way from committing bad acts. <br><br>"Sophia..." he said quietly. He didn't know what else to say, so he simply let her name roll from his lips. He did not like this sudden shift, it made himself feel uncomfortable. Gently he stroked the side of her leg sweetly. "I think we need to trust that Aphrodite's tender mercies are working on us." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he was not sure how it was working. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you, Lady Sophia."
			</dd>
		</dl>
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