As expected, Daniil reacted to Thea’s motion. Almost instantly, the younger of the two women straightened, her breath catching sharply. Given how receptive Daniil seemed to any shred of attention, it did not come as a surprise that she seemed unaccustomed to physical contact. Thea herself did not often feel anything in response to human contact herself, but she knew from years of observation that most others did. There was a time that it somewhat concerned Thea that she did not seem to respond to most things the way the rest of the world did. It was more like a rude, sudden awakening than true concern, perhaps that was telling in itself. Thea figured most others would truly feel something about knowing they didn’t fit the regular mold of human nature, but to Thea, it was just how it was. She made a choice many years ago to embrace her unusual outlook on life, rather than suppress or try to fix it. She did not need to be fixed; she was perfectly capable—if not more so—thanks to her detachment. She just simply learned to mimic actions that were expected of her where needed.

So in this instance, especially with no indication that Daniil wanted Thea to release her, Thea shuffled closer, using her knees to steady herself, as well as her hold around Daniil. Normally, Thea would not insist on such close contact, but for now it was ever so useful. She let her breath dance lightly against Daniil’s ear, innocently, as if it were simply the most comfortable place to be.

As Daniil glanced back, Thea met her gaze, noticing the flush of colour on her cheeks. ’Do hold tightly, dearest Thea. I fear my beloved Eleutheria loves to ride fast, and she slows for none. Not even I.’

Dearest Thea! Well that was a good development indeed. Although Daniil’s confidence seemed brittle at best, if properly cultivated, the potential was there for her to become a defiantly independent woman. Thea would allow the roots to take hold and begin to grow, before cutting it down. It was all simply a matter of time.

With a sly smirk in response, Thea braced herself as Daniil kicked her mare into motion. Thea did not normally ride with another person, so the sensation was different to say the least, but not necessarily displeasing. While Thea preferred to be in the saddle herself, she still could experience the thrill of the wind blowing over her features. With a content exhale, Thea closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the sensation, acutely aware of Daniil’s joyful laughter.

Thea’s own mare Maudias was a stubborn thing. She had taken the attendants some time to break, though Thea made sure to bend the mare’s will completely to her own whims. Food was such a marvelous motivator where animals were concerned. The fire in Maudias had faded into a mere glow of embers when she relented. Ever since, Thea rewarded Maudis for complete submission, and gave the mare even more treats for devotion. Though she was getting on in years, Maudis still had the flare of fire in her eyes, though she knew better than to test her luck. Now, she was a beautifully alert and receptive creature.

The ride was not overly long, though it was fast and energetic. Daniil made no efforts to hide her enjoyment, which told Thea just how comfortable she seemed to be in Thea’s company, despite them barely knowing each other. Perhaps it would be sad really, if Thea was not already planning to exploit it.

Upon arriving at the destination, Thea could appreciate the pleasant scenery of the lone tree on the hill. With the Summer kissed wheat fields and the ample shade provided by the olive tree, Thea could see the appeal. She herself enjoyed her solitude and would spend time in the gardens back home, or visit the temple in the evenings to best be left alone. Thea could only imagine the distraught Daniil would feel should Thea bring another to the very place she held so dear to herself, but that was a potential plan for another time.

Thea had not expected sudden rearing, but was holding on well enough to not lose her seating. Letting her arms fall loose once they were stationary, Thea waited for Daniil to dismount, before taking her proffered hand and sliding down to the ground as well.

’I hope the journey was not too arduous for you.’

“Not at all,” Thea answered easily, brushing herself off gently as she took in their surroundings. It truly would not be easy for someone to come bother them, not unless they knew to find them there.

’You. . . look even more radiant away from the dust of the city, dearest Thea.’

Thea gave a coy smirk as she shifted her icy gaze back to Daniil. There it was again, dearest Thea. The girl was nervous, that much was clear and to be expected. Thea wondered how far her bravery would take her. Could she initiate anything further? Or would she wait on Thea to take the reins?

“You’re too kind,” she replied, before moving closer towards the tree with a motion that invited Daniil to come with her. “So what is it you do here on your own?” Thea asked, cutting her gaze sideways under her lashes towards Daniil as she spoke, her coy smirk firmly set.

Standing right beneath the tree now, Thea turned properly to face Daniil, keen to learn just how far Daniil could push herself before leaning on Thea to lead. Tilting her head slightly, Thea watched Daniil intently, letting her gaze rake over the girl with every intent for Daniil to see. Would that encourage her or debilitate her?

Colour returned to Daniil’s windswept cheeks as she noted the way Thea looked at her. The younger woman straightened under Thea’s gaze, but didn’t otherwise seem to balk at the attention. Good.

In terms of appearance, Daniil wasn’t unpleasant to look at. She donned her wild, short hair and tunic like armour, but there was no hiding her angled features, the smooth skin of her neck, those blazing green eyes or her rather obviously well toned physique. Thea had no doubt that if it came to a physical altercation—even without a weapon—that Daniil would be able to overpower Thea. Physical aptitude was not a strength that Thea honed in any shape or fashion. Her mind was what she cultivated, but she could appreciate that others had strengths where she did not.

Thea didn’t really have a preference when it came to attractive features. She could appreciate a handsome or beautiful face, but she was mostly attracted to the ways in which she could toy with them, more than any physical attribute. However, she knew that most people had preferences to some degree. Whatever it was about Thea that Daniil was drawn to, Thea would narrow down over time for potential use later on. Was it something as simple as hair colour or body shape? Or was Daniil attracted more towards confidence and danger? Did she even know Thea could be a danger to her? Thea knew of the rumours, some more credible than others. She also knew some people were drawn to the challenge, somehow driven by the nonsensical idea that she could be tamed or that they would be the exception. Daniil did not seem quite like the type that thought she could break through Thea’s wall, but perhaps she still had a taste for fire.

After a moment, Daniil seemed to snap out of her thoughts. ’Well, things that my wardens at the estate would not approve of. I practice my swordplay here, I write my poetry here, I practice my speechcraft here. And oftentimes, I simply lay against the tree and watch the countryside. I enjoy the peace and solitude.’

So it would seem Daniil spent quite a lot of time here, more than Thea had initially assumed. That did solidify her musing that the location was close and special to Daniil’s heart. An unwittingly dangerous thing for the young owl to reveal so soon. Thea wondered if she would be able to make use of that knowledge before leaving for Colchis in a few short days. Perhaps not, but depending on what she could arrange with the heads of Marikas house, perhaps there would be time yet in the future to make use of what she knew.

Daniil began fumbling with her belt, drawing Thea’s gaze to her hands. With a look of utter apprehension, Daniil held out her sword to Thea. It was the most hesitant action Thea had seen Daniil perform so far. It was a monumental gesture for the girl it seemed, to offer her weapon for inspection. Yet another thing close to the girl’s heart then.

’If you wish to see it, Thea.’

With a slight smile that was more akin to sly than friendly, Thea wrapped her right hand around the hilt and took the sword from its sheath, holding it firmly in front of her. Thea’s cool gaze gleaned over the blade, taking in the craftsmanship from the tip to the butt of the hilt. Thea was no swordfighter, so did not know what to look for when it came to blade preferences. However, she could admire the value it had to the young Marikas, as well as the unbridled power it offered to anyone who could wield it.

“I’m afraid I am not skilled in the craft of swordplay,” Thea mused, her gaze still on the blade, though she could see Daniil out the corner of her eye. “Though I can admire a nice blade when handed one.”

Turning the blade in a gentle figure-of-eight before her, Thea cast her icy gaze back to Daniil, her smirk returning as she held the sword back out for Daniil to take again, “I can only imagine the endurance needed to be able to wield such a blade for any length of time,” Thea commented, her tone praising, but otherwise innocent. The expression Thea wore was fitting, but not at all genuine. There was nothing innocent about what Thea said, she just wanted to see if Daniil caught her meaning and if she would keep rising to the challenge.

While Thea had no experience with swords, it was clear that Daniil took to the art very seriously. Learning that Thea was the first to touch it besides Daniil herself since its forging was quite monumental, even if neither of them were drawing attention to that fact. Thea was no stranger to people approaching her for whatever reason, but it still intrigued her that she’d had such an impact on Daniil in a short amount of time, especially given Daniil was not looking at Thea as a conquest, nor did she seem entirely accustomed to engaging in such activities with other people. Thea did not know the complete nature of the altercation between Daniil and Alexandros back in Colchis, but given Alexandros’ penchant to make a move on anything that seemed to move, Thea could assume.

Perhaps it was simply that Daniil was not interested in men at all, and took Alexandros’ advances—for Thea was sure he must have made some—as an offence. Why the acute interest in Thea though? Daniil was admittedly not one of Thea’s usual partners, which made the game all the more interesting. The attention and all made sense of course, but Thea would not have been surprised if Daniil had preferred to seek out a more platonic relationship first. That though, would do little good though once Thea returned to Colchis, so perhaps it simply was a combination of Thea’s positive attention towards her, as well as the urgency to act before she left. Understandable, but impulsive. Thea could make excellent use of that trait, should she find a way to drag Daniil across the sea after her. At the same time, there was a chance that Daniil intended the encounter to be a once off and would prefer to keep an ocean between them. Thea wouldn’t let Daniil detach herself like that until Thea grew tired and bored of the game, but Daniil was not to know that.

Watching as Daniil carefully set down her sword against the tree, Thea noted the gentle, loving way the younger girl handled the sword. Some people did not handle their own babes with such care. Patiently, Thea waited on Daniil’s response. When finally Daniil did turn to face Thea, the young owl’s face was flushed with colour again. She was quite nervous, that was evident, but did not seem to be in danger of backing out. She did seem to look as if she could use a little more of a crutch. Thea usually did not usually make any real assertions when partaking in this dance, but given the type of game she intended to play, she would make an exception. She’d gotten this far already by supplying Daniil with attention, interest and respect. It would seem strange to suddenly stop taking such interest and proactivity with Daniil now.

’My endurance has yet to be put to the real test by any other than myself. I find myself at a loss as to how long I shall be able to wield my blade, but you shall find me far from an unenthusiastic opponent.’

Thea figured as much, but could appreciate the girl’s honesty. That honesty may come to be a bane of Daniil’s existence in time, especially if it applied outside of flirtation and innuendo. Thea gave a sly smirk, not at all put off or dejected. Instead, she fixed Daniil with a thoughtful gaze, allowing her expression to suggest interest and anticipation.

“I don’t doubt that,” Thea assured the young owl as she stepped towards Daniil, only stopping when they were standing quite close. Thea could quite clearly see the richness of Daniil’s blazing green eyes. Tilting her head to the side ever so slightly, Thea reached up and pushed a lock of Daniil’s short hair back, before letting her fingertips ever so slightly brush behind Daniil’s ear and down to the corner of Daniil’s jaw, letting her fingers linger there.

“What is it you would prefer to do?” Thea asked, her expression mischievous and inviting. Thea was not one to be flustered by any type of request. Nothing had shaken her yet, and she’d had some rather interesting requests from previous partners.

Daniil didn’t shy away from Thea’s touch, but she most certainly reacted. There was no flinching or fear of pain in Daniil’s expression, so it seemed she need not worry about overcoming any trauma towards contact. Whether she was up to stating her desires, or would dissolve into a puddle was yet to be determined. Thea had her theories; Daniil had been quite bold thus far. That trend wasn’t likely to break just yet. Her inexperience would likely mar her confidence somewhat, but truth be told Thea had no issue with inexperience. A fresh canvas was more versatile than a used one. Thea could leave her mark before anyone else could lay claim to the young owl; what was not to be pleased about that?

’I should very much prefer to kiss you, if you would allow it, dearest Thea.’

There. Good, Thea could work with that. The mischief in Thea’s expression only intensified ever so slightly, before she let her hand cup the younger woman’s cheek. Pausing for a moment to enjoy Daniil’s expression, Thea leaned closer, her eyes only closing as her lips touched Daniil’s.

To begin with, Thea let the kiss remain soft and gentle, allowing Daniil just enough time to process the sensation, before closing the rest of the space between them. With her left hand snaking around Daniil’s waist, Thea let the tip of her tongue trace the seam of Danill’s lips, taunting them with the promise of demanding entry.

Slowly tracking the hand cupping Dani’s face to the back of Daniil’s head, Thea’s fingers threading through her hair, Thea worked Dani’s lips open. After biting Daniil’s bottom lip lightly, Thea tempted Daniil’s tongue with her own.

Daniil was trembling, though Thea drew no attention to it. Holding them close, Thea gently took the lead with the kiss, not going too fast into it just yet. If Thea was a betting woman, she would put drachma on this being Daniil’s first kiss. In that case, it would be more profitable to ensure that Daniil enjoyed the experience. That way, she would know what she could gain from Thea and thus far, only Thea.

While she didn’t feel it herself, she’d observed enough how most shared intimacy. She saw the way couples looked at each other, the yearning humans felt for closeness and contact. It was Evras’ hand on Dion’s shoulder. It was Mihail clutching onto Nethis as a child. It was a look of longing, an exception to a rule, a desire to hold or be held. Thea herself didn’t crave such things, but she saw it everywhere, everyday. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not. Desire and intimacy presented itself in many forms. For Daniil, any shred of kindness or sense of value would have her reeling for more.

Daniil’s hands found Thea’s back as the kiss deepend. Interestingly, Daniil was not trembling like she was before. The tenseness in her muscles were gone, or at least not there like it had been before. When Daniil gave an experimental swipe with her own tongue, Thea pressed forward to meet her, dragging her nails down Daniil’s scalp as she did so.

As their tongues danced together, Thea became aware of Daniil’s hands exploring her back, before tentatively drifting further downwards. Thea was pleased by Daniil’s ability to show a sense of assertion, despite her inexperience and nervousness. Thea would make use of that in time.

Thea didn’t object as Daniil inched her hand down onto her behind, allowing the girl a moment to adjust. Without hesitation, Thea let her hands glide down Daniil’s body and arms until she took hold of the girl’s wrists. Breaking the kiss only enough to ensure her tongue wasn’t bitten off in the process, Thea, pulled Daniil’s arms to her side, then turned her around and backed her against the trunk of the olive tree. This time, when Thea engaged in the kiss, it was with more assertion. Her Tongue pushed past Daniil’s lips and teeth and probed at Daniil’s own muscle. Still holding onto Daniil’s wrists, Thea nipped at the younger girl’s bottom lip again, before trailing her lips along Daniil’s jaw and neck, planting small nips and sucking sharply at the smooth skin that she explored. Settling in the junction of her shoulder and neck, Thea nibbled at the soft skin, pinching ever so slightly with her teeth, before kissing the area and continuing her path along her shoulder until she reached the fastenings of Daniil’s chiton. Only then, did Thea release Daniil’s wrists, allowing her own hands to glide back up the younger woman’s arms. Thea let her fingers linger over the fastenings, before cupping Daniil’s face again. Thea leaned back enough to meet Daniil’s lips with her own once more, curious to see if Daniil would act on the hint that Thea wanted her to remove her own fastenings. Would she do it? How far was the young Marikas willing to go?

Daniil went to protest Thea breaking the kiss initially, but the resistance was dropped as soon as Thea carried on with her intent. Before long, Thea had Daniil crying out her name in short, breathy succession. It was satisfying to know that she could have such an effect, Daniil would be eating out of her palm rather quickly—if not already. At this point, it seemed like Thea would be able to melt the girl without even touching her, but alas, she wanted to see if the young owl would fall head first into her throes of lust and desire.

Having captured Daniil’s face in her hands once more, Thea waited to see how Daniil would react, while still exploring the cavern of Daniil’s mouth with her tongue. There seemed to be a moment of contemplation, before Thea felt Daniil’s hands reach up to undo her fastenings.

As the garment fell away, Thea didn’t immediately pull away or react, though she was very aware of the shy way in which Daniil covered herself. Without breaking the kiss, Thea let her hands travel down Daniil’s arms once more, finding her wrists again. Taking hold of Daniil’s hands, Thea began to pry them away, rewarding Daniil’s cooperation with nips along her jawline once more.

With Daniil’s hands away from her chest, Thea let her own palms glide over the taut, smooth skin of Daniil’s waist. Her skin felt warm under Thea’s hands, even with the ambient warmth of a Summer day. Slowly, ever so slowly, Thea traced her hands up Daniil’s sides, her fingertips brushing over Daniil’s ribs.

While trailing light nips and sucks along Daniil’s neck once more, Thea let the pad of her thumb slowly and lightly trace along the curve of the underside of Daniil’s breast, listening for the sounds of Daniil’s reaction. With her free hand, Thea took hold of Daniil’s hip, before snaking her hand around to the small of the girl’s back. All the while, never relenting on her attention to Daniil’s neck and jaw, as well teasing the outside of Daniil’s breast with the tips of her fingers.

Thea’s hand trailed up Daniil’s back, until her fingers were buried in her short hair once more, pulling ever so slightly to allow for better access to the girl’s neck. That was when Thea finally cupped her hand over Daniil’s breast, squeezing lightly, before taking her peak between her thumb and forefinger, rolling the nub back and forth.

Smirking once more, Thea leaned back enough to take in Daniil’s expression, before allowing her gaze to fall over the younger woman’s freshly exposed body. It had been clear by the way Daniil covered herself earlier that she was nervous about being bare, whether just in general or just in front Thea—or both—was irrelevant to what Thea was planning.

Meeting Daniil’s eye, Thea wordlessly took Daniil by her hips and pulled her forward and away from the tree trunk. Thea then took the younger woman’s hands and pulled, urging her to drop to her knees on the grass with Thea. Once done, in a single, smooth movement, Thea turned and sat with her back against the tree, her knees parted as she guided Daniil to sit before her, with her bare back to Thea. Knees either side of Daniil, Thea wrapped one arm around the young owl’s abdomen, while the other hand snaked up her front, between her breasts, until the point of Daniil’s chin was resting in the space between Thea’s thumb and forefinger. The rest of Thea’s fingers rested lightly against Daniil’s neck, giving Thea ample ability to tilt Daniil’s head as she pleased, without impeaching on the girl’s ability to breathe.

Satisfied with their new position, one that bared Daniil to the open with the simple veil of a new way to administer attention, Thea began nipping, kissing and sucking at Daniil’s shoulder and neck again, taking advantage of having access now to the back of Daniil’s neck also. Grazing her teeth lightly against the supple skin of Daniil’s neck, Thea slowly let her fingers creep towards the apex of Daniil’s legs. Instead of offering the woman any relief though, Thea teased with light traces up and down as much of Daniil’s inner thigh as she could reach.