Dreams and Nightmares

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian kept his arms wrapped around her, letting her remain silent for a few minutes as he himself tried to work things out. He could only stand her silence for so long before he began to feel anxious to hear her voice again. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, knowing how useless a question it was, only hoping it would prompt a reaction from her.

[Adara Snow]

Adara could hear him from her tower, and she pushed away from the window, turning to find the source of the sound. She knew it was him, and knowing he was so close, her peaceful tower began to pale in comparison. Her mind worked to tamp everything down, out of her sight, so that she could begin to waken. Her lashes fluttered, and she let out a sigh as consciousness stirred. She blinked, disoriented, but the solid feel of Emilian's arms grounded her. She lowered her own arms at last and slipped them around his waist, pressing herself close to him.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian tightened his arms around her, not knowing what was going on in her mind, just thinking that she had been trying to work out everything just like he had been. He kissed the top of her head lightly, "Say something," he asked. He just wanted her to be alright. In his mind he knew that it would be alright, it had to be, it would be a cruel trick of the world to rip them apart.

[Adara Snow]

Adara's lips parted obediently. "I..." She trailed off, stopping herself from saying the damningly dangerous words hovering on her tongue, and began again. "I am all right, Emilian." Or, if not all right, she would cope. She could cope now. Her mind was blissfully clear, and she did not allow herself to think. She had retreated and regrouped, and now, if at all possible, she would move on as though nothing had happened.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian brought her chin up and examined her eyes, unsatisfied with the answer. He pressed his lips lightly to hers, trying to give comfort while at the same time taking it. He let his hand spread across her back, trying to bring her away from her thoughts. His own thoughts were still wild, trying to bring the anger back to the surface, but he fought it down.

[Adara Snow]

Adara slid willingly into the kiss, anything to avoid Emilian's too-knowing gaze. She didn't want to think again, and her hands rose, settling on either side of his head. Her fingers speared into his hair, anchoring herself to him as they kissed. She pressed her body to his, silently asking for everything he was willing to give. She did not want comfort, but oblivion. She wanted that mindless state he brought her to so easily; she wanted to lose herself to him.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian felt that silent plea and wrapped both arms tight around her, not caring that someone could walk in the door at any moment. He kissed her, somehow trying to prove to himself that he couldn't lose her, that there wasn't any possible way they could be pulled apart. His eyebrows came together as he slowly felt his mind go, which wasn't hard when he was with Adara.

[Adara Snow]

They could have been anywhere, for all Adara cared. Their proximity to the street and an unlocked door meant nothing when she was in Emilian's arms, when her head spun from the power of the kiss. Everything she'd hidden from her own mind showed through in the desperation as she clung to him, as her hands moved down, pushing aside clothes. She wanted Emilian, only Emilian, and for now, the rest of the world didn't matter.

[Emilian Sota]

It was only after, when Emilian held her close to him, breathing deeply and burying his face in the crook of her neck, that he realized the door was still unlocked. He fumbled around to try and find his wand, thankfully it was nearby and he was able to flick it up towards the door and fix that small problem. He sighed into her, reaching up and running a hand through her hair.

[Adara Snow]

Adara lay in contentment, her mind finally at ease enough that the first tendrils of thought were able to penetrate without terrifying her. She could not be afraid of the unknown when Emilian was so very real against her, when she could feel his heartbeat and taste his kiss on her lips. "I will not leave you," she said, strength lining the soft sound of her voice. "He can do as he wishes and I will not leave." If he married her to another, she would not acknowledge it.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian smiled softly and kissed her lightly. Did she have any idea how much that meant to him? He refused to let her go, had already said so, and now she was promising the same thing. She was strong, he knew, and if she had been able to face everything to be with him, he knew that she could face her father to continue to be with him. When he pulled away from the kiss he met her eyes, knowing that the unspoken confession that was on the tip of his tongue would shine through.

[Adara Snow]

Adara could see it in his eyes, and though she already knew, seeing it, being so close to it, sent a wave of emotion through her. The words shone in her eyes as well, powerfully, but briefly. She kissed him then, a silent declaration that she did not need him to say the words. She knew, and he knew, and that was the dream. All her worries she let go for now. She would face things as they occurred, trust fate, and that what she and Emilian shared was strong enough to survive.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian's eyes sparkled when he saw the same emotions reflected back from her eyes for him to see. He took it as a sign that she was alright, that she had moved on and accepted that everything would turn out right. He let his hand gently stroke the side of her face, declaring his support for her, his belief that they would be alright.

[Adara Snow]

It was only after the kiss had ended and Adara lay looking up at Emilian that she realized it had grown steadily darker over the past minutes. She looked toward the nearest high window at a deep indigo sky and knew the sun had just sunk beneath the roofs of the buildings. She sighed. "I should go," she said. Adara did not suggest that her father might be having her watched, but the thought was there, and she wanted to return to the school before full dark.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian searched her eyes one last time and nodded, pulling himself away from her to search around for his clothes. He paused and watched her, a tender smile coming over his lips as he did. He couldn't bear the thought of never seeing her again, even if he had already convinced himself that it wouldn't happen. "Owl me if anything changes," he said, pulling himself out of his thoughts.