V2 Incline 22: Ivy-Mother Rose'lhia

"H-How is he, Valkinvar?" I ask the esteemed warrioress of Waionr as I step into the bulb. I gaze softly at the Champion as my heart struggles to accept the sight. What started out as just a simple request from him escalated out of control because of me. His short-sightedness has now caused him injury, but...

Because I saved him from that, I can now look at the one who has captivated me so. My Champion... A display of magic none of us within this flower can replicate. He did all of that with so little experience.

I am beneath him...

"He's just strained his body too hard. He hasn't had his magic for long, his body doesn't have any fine control, he just overdid it. Thankfully, it is mostly just his own poor form that caused most of the trouble. A full cycle to rest with some check-ups and he'll be ready to go back onto his feet." she explains and I blink.

He will be unavailable until the day after tomorrow? No, no... We... I can't have this, I need to see him do something again, I need to see him do something!

I need to see it...

"Very well." I reply as I walk around the Valkinvar as she gets up off of her chair. The Champion's eyes move in pain as I come near him and I frown at what he has become. Where once, I could barely see his true features because of his power, now I can. He used so much in that display that there's barely a flicker of aged celadon light lingering by his heart.

Compared to the Valkinvar and myself, he is very pale.

The Valkinvar continues to inspect the Champion with her magic and I make sure to stay out of her way. She steers clear of the bandaged arm and her hand lingers near his chest, just above his heart. Some of her power passes onto him through his breathing as it stabilises. But, I am a little confused as to the Valkinvar's distaste for that arm.

I understand fully why someone might look at it with disdain, but she seems almost wary of it... A Valkinvar is above the parasite, no? It is unheard of for something as potent as one of Waionr's brides to be scared of the parasite. But, it's also unheard of for someone like me to fall for a human with no idea of how strong he is.

The Valkinvar stops inspecting the Champion and she starts to leave, "Now, I am afraid I can't do much else, Ivy-Mother. We will just have to leave him for now and let him rest. When the Orbital-Halo rises for a second time from now."

"I will be here for a while, if you don't mind." I tell her and she nods as one of my hands starts to hover near the Champion's still-clothed chest. But, whenever my hand comes too close to touching him, I pull it away, ashamed of the idea of going near him. I scorned him, trying to hold onto my feelings for the Gilded-Bark. Yet, here I am...

My chest is hurting, my heart aches for the Champion, my Champion. I feel light-headed, I cannot keep it up straight. I am not injured, so I do not know what is wrong with me. But I am not even sure if I can say that either, this all feels so right.

Like I owe it to him on the basis of my...

I am confused, so very confused. The Champion clearly showed himself superior to the Gilded-Bark but I don't want him to win. He wasn't meant to lift that weight. He was meant to bow out of the tournament with well-mannered pride towards the Gilded-Bark.

Our leader, the master of our flower, it was the Gilded-Bark who should've won. He's the strongest male I will ever meet, he is the one best suited for helping my people. But, here's my Champion. A young man with knowledge less than that of a child, he is ignorant of all that is around him and he just cannot grasp sense.

His power is astounding without compare, but it doesn't match his skill at all.

The Valkinvar exits the bulb and I stop hiding my tears as I stop myself from wobbling. My heart smashes up against my chest and the warmth within me demands and compels me to act. With a quivering lip, I hastily strip down until I am purified in my nakedness. With rose-tinted cheeks and nudging knees, I get onto the bed and crawl up to him.

Saddling him, I start to take off the shirt he had been given for warmth. I feel his bare chest and curiously massage the soft flesh beneath his skin. His body has room for so much greatness. This is not even him at his best.

As he can fill me with a child, I can fill him with power!

I collapse on top of him and moan quietly against him as I relish in the sensation of his body. Moving up closer to his head, I breathe against it with a mouth that struggles to close. My lips are so close but I refuse to place them against him. I close them and hold onto him gently as I seek safety in the embers of his power.

My power gently leaves my body and I direct it to soak into his like much-loved rain. I sigh happily against him as I take pride in the fact I am the only one allowed to tend to him like this. I am the only one who can possibly captivate his eye. I am the greatest woman in our flower, he will be the new Gilded-Bark, our first human ruler!

My Champion will lead our people to greatness once again. I will bear as many of his sons as I can until I break down like an old wagon. Everything I am will be his... I blink and shake my head as I push myself up and away from him.

I stare down, unable to sneer or look lovingly at him...

"I hate you, so very much..." I tell him as I think about the Gilded-Bark and what I feel for him. He has to win, the Gilded-Bark has to win this! My heart... It cannot take this at all, I cannot...

Tenderly, I place my hands on my Champion's chest again as my hips wastefully gyrate.