Private Tales Girl Fight Tonight!

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Married off for the benefit of your family?" Charity asked. "That doesn't seem very fair to you. What if you met a man you really liked? Do you really not get any say in who marry?"

Dianna pondered it for a moment.
"I suppose that's what it sounds like from the outside, but really I probably would have been married off to a boy from one of the families I grew up with, people I'm well acquainted with. In actuality it wouldn't have been so bad, but I wanted a different path for my life."

"So paladins don't have to worry about any of that? No wonder you chose that path! You get to be your own woman, and not forced into the life of someone else's choosing."

She chuckled, "I still have to follow orders, I'm a knight in service of Mardania. It's not exactly my own choosing, but it was my choice. Those who join the military are exempt from family obligations."

Dianna smiled and waited patiently as Lidia answered the door and Charity regaled her with their evening adventure.

"Umm anyway, she hit her head pretty hard during the fight..." Charity's excitement turned to worry and she looked back to Lidia. "Please take care of her first. I'll survive until your done..." She gently ushered Dianna inside, and quietly sat on a bench while Lidia got to work.

That seemed as good a time as any to interject.
"I'm afraid it is all true. A pleasure to meet you, I am Dianna Calcutte. I do hope we're not intruding, but I think I may have a pretty serious concussion, if we could bother you for some healing. I might have some silvers left to compensate you for your time."

 

[Eilerias]

"Lidia!" Charity exclaimed, wrapping her free arm around the younger woman in a side hug. "Nothing serious.... Just a couple broken ribs! Got into a fight with Dianna here at a tavern."

Lidia stood still as the woman hugged her, looking back and forth between the two women with a clear look of confusion across her face. "I-" She rubbed her temple. "You were fighting...each other?" She yawned quietly before speaking again. "Come again?"

"One more time. I think I misheard you. You brought a person...that you injured here? Are you mad?"

"Umm anyway, she hit her head pretty hard during the fight..." Charity's excitement turned to worry and she looked back to Lidia. "Please take care of her first. I'll survive until your done..." She gently ushered Dianna inside, and quietly sat on a bench while Lidia got to work.

She shook her head quickly in an attempt to wake herself, finding herself more confused when she appeared to already be awake. She looked back to the strange woman as they walked inside. They both looked terrible, but she would allow the request Charity gave her.

That seemed as good a time as any to interject.
"I'm afraid it is all true. A pleasure to meet you, I am Dianna Calcutte. I do hope we're not intruding, but I think I may have a pretty serious concussion, if we could bother you for some healing. I might have some silvers left to compensate you for your time."

The woman speaking did not clear up anything for Lidia, but she obliged. "Very well Dianna. I'm Lidia." She kept her introduction short for the stranger as she assessed her. "Follow," She instructed both of them, taking them to the back rooms.

Thankfully since Eilerias had been gone, the rooms had been given back their original purpose: private rooms for healing only.

"You may feel some discomfort for a little while, so please lie down while I heal you. I'd hate for you to pass out and cause even more problems for me." The second part was said a little quieter by the grumpy priestess. "Right now, hold still." She would place her hands on Dianna as they glowed a bright gold.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"I-" She rubbed her temple. "You were fighting...each other?" She yawned quietly before speaking again. "Come again?"

"Yeah we were fighting each other! I had finished my training for the day, and decided to visit Alyx to see if she wanted to sleep-" Charity glanced at Dianna. She wasn't sure why she cared what Dianna would think, but cut herself off anyway. Her gaze went back to Lidia. "A-Anyway... I saw Diana sitting at a table with some other guards, and so I began pestering them. One thing led to another and now here we are!"

"One more time. I think I misheard you. You brought a person...that you injured here? Are you mad?"

Lidia's questions caused Charity to twitch slightly. In her excitement of meeting Dianna and seeing just how strong she really was, Charity had failed to forsee any questions Lidia would have seeing her doing something so uncharacteristic like helping a stranger. Charity looked between them nervously, trying to think of any logical reason for her actions.

"Umm... Yeah... I did." Charity's voice had a slight nervous shake to it as she spoke. "I haven't gone mad!" she insisted. "I-Its just that... I didn't go easy on her and was worried she was seriously injured that's all!"

Charity purposefully left out any mention of the feelings for Dianna that were slowly taking root in her heart. She knew that like Eilerias, Lidia could read her like an open book. All she could do was hope that Lidia kept what she saw to herself.

"Lidia, I know its getting late," Charity quickly tried to change the subject. "And I'm sure you'd like to go back to sleep, so please help us and we'll get out of your hair!"

Lidia led them inside and to a room in the back. A smile played on Charity's lips as she walked by rooms remembering all the fun she had experienced in them. But since Eilerias' disappearance, the rooms had returned to their original purpose.

Charity supported Dianna as they entered the rooms, carefully helping her to lay on the table. As Lidia began to heal Dianna, Charity went to stand on the opposite side of the table, doing her best not to appear worried.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Dianna could barely follow the conversation, her headache wasn't very conducive to paying attention, but Charity did seem very excited by their fight, and impressed by her strength.

Charity had strength that she still hadn't sufficiently explained, but it was fine, they were friends now.

"You may feel some discomfort for a little while, so please lie down while I heal you. I'd hate for you to pass out and cause even more problems for me." The second part was said a little quieter by the grumpy priestess. "Right now, hold still." She would place her hands on Dianna as they glowed a bright gold.

Dianna followed her instructions and laid down on the healing alter.
She let out a sigh of relief as the pain in her skull subsided.
"Ooh, thank you... It was definitely cracked."

 

[Eilerias]

Lidia was still incredibly confused as she healed the woman. She didn't quite believe what Charity was telling her, but decided she wouldn't question it for now. Perhaps it was another fling...then again, she had never hurt one of them before. She shook her head once again, convinced she was just overthinking things.

She let out a sigh of relief as the pain in her skull subsided.
"Ooh, thank you... It was definitely cracked."

"You should probably...wash the blood out." She pinched a piece of the woman's hair before rubbing her fingers together to get the dried blood off. "There are baths here. Of course they're free to use if you need them." She would help pull the girl up. "Everything's sealed. You should be fine...but if you aren't please don't hesitate to come back!" Lidia had been practicing her craft for quite a few years now, but she never really felt confident about it. Eilerias spent time giving her rather brutal and nearly fatal lessons to try to assist her, but she never got over the hurdles she faced as a nervous, young practitioner.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity dashed around the table as Lidia finished healing Dianna. She tried to hide her relief as she carfully spun Dianna around to look at her head. It wasn't that she had any doubt in Lidia's healing ability. It was more for relieving Charity's own guilty conscience. She hadn't meant to hurt Dianna in such a serious way.

Charity breathed a sigh of relief as she checked Dianna. There was no injury to be seen, only some blood matted clumps of hair. She hugged Dianna briefly and let her go. "See? I told you Lidia was the best healer around!" Charity said with a wide smile. "Let me get healed up quick and I'll show you to the baths. I could use a nice relaxing bath too after such a crazy night!"

Charity guided Dianna to a nearby chair to sit, before returning to hop up on the healing altar. "I think its just my ribs..." she said to Lidia, pointing to her side.

As Lidia worked, Charity kept a careful, worried eye on Dianna. If anything else were to happen, she wanted to be the first to know.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"You should probably...wash the blood out." She pinched a piece of the woman's hair before rubbing her fingers together to get the dried blood off. "There are baths here. Of course they're free to use if you need them." She would help pull the girl up. "Everything's sealed. You should be fine...but if you aren't please don't hesitate to come back!"

She sat up slowly, letting herself adjust as waves of dizziness wore off.
“Thank you very much, Miss Lidia. I feel much better!”
She gingerly touched her head where she was previously injured.

"See? I told you Lidia was the besy healer around!" Charity said with a wide smile. "Let me get healed up quick and I'll show you to the baths. I could use a nice relaxing bath too after such a crazy night!"

Dianna let Charity guide her to the seat.
“I should probably get back and see to my comrades. But I think I would like a bath, I feel like I went rolling through a pigsty.”
She sat down and watched as Lidia got to work on Charity.
She began to wonder about her new friend, what was her story?

 

[Eilerias]

Charity guided Dianna to a nearby chair to sit, before returning to hop up on the healing altar. "I think its just my ribs..." she said to Lidia, pointing to her side.

She sat up slowly, letting herself adjust as waves of dizziness wore off.
“Thank you very much, Miss Lidia. I feel much better!”
She gingerly touched her head where she was previously injured.

Lidia nodded, giving the stranger a polite smile. “Mhm. You’re welcome.” She held her upright briefly until she was able to regain her balance. “Um. Okay and now for Charity.”

She moved to face the blonde woman, giving her a look of concern more than anything else. Charity would hopefully be led to believe that Lidia was worried for her, but if she cared Lidia did not know. Some days she would think of her just as bad as she would Eilerias. She was still getting in fights- stupid fights over what she did not know.

She wouldn’t even bring up the amount of women she had seen her with in town or in the Raven Club. At least Eilerias could hide what she was doing. The two of those girls used to be thick as thieves and despite growing apart neither managed to grow up.

“Just hold still,”. She held her hands over her ribs. If anything was broken, it’d hurt. If they were only bruised, she would be without pain in seconds. “All done!”

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

“Just hold still,”. She held her hands over her ribs. If anything was broken, it’d hurt. If they were only bruised, she would be without pain in seconds. “All done!”

Charity winced as she felt her bruised ribs healing. After a short moment, the pain had subsided. Charity lifted the side of her shirt and gingerly poked at her ribs. Satisfied, she looked up at the priestess and smiled. "Thank you Lidia..."

Rising from the healing altar, Charity embraced Lidia. "Please don't tell anybody that I brought Dianna. I have a reputation to uphold ya know! Don't need people thinking I'm going soft!" she whispered in Lidia's ear.

"I really do appreciate you seeing us at this time of night!" Charity said pulling away from the priestess. She fished a small handful of platinum coins from her pocket and pressed them into Lidia's hand. Charity always tried to generously compensate her for all the trouble she caused for her, with a little extra on top this time for the priestess's silence. She would ignore Lidia's usual protests about her services being free, and turn to Dianna.

"Ready for that bath?" Charity asked with an impish grin. She hadn't expected to discover such a beautiful woman that night, let alone fight her! And taking a bath together -well in the same small communal bath at any rate- was just the cherry on top. Charity blushed as she held out her hand to help Dianna up. An imaginary image of her naked flashed in the front of Charity's mind, and she quickly shook the thought out of her mind.

With a wave to Lidia, Charity led Dianna by the hand down a short hallway to the baths. She had been unwilling to let go of her new friend, telling herself that she was doing it so Dianna wouldn't get lost, even though the bath was only a few rooms over from where they had been healed. Eventually the reached the bath, and Charity had no choice but to reluctantly release Dianna's hand.

Charity leaned over to test the water and began to undress without a thought to modesty or worrying about Dianna. "So... You said you were from Mardus?" she asked, sneaking a peek over at Dianna, before blushing furiously and turning away. "What's it like? Is it a big city like Alliria?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity winced as she felt her bruised ribs healing. After a short moment, the pain had subsided. Charity lifted the side of her shirt and gingerly poked at her ribs. Satisfied, she looked up at the priestess and smiled. "Thank you Lidia..."

Rising from the healing altar, Charity embraced Lidia. "Please don't tell anybody that I brought Dianna. I have a reputation to uphold ya know! Don't need people thinking I'm going soft!" she whispered in Lidia's ear.

"I really do appreciate you seeing us at this time of night!" Charity said pulling away from the priestess. She fished a small handful of platinum coins from her pocket and pressed them into Lidia's hand. Charity always tried to generously compensate her for all the trouble she caused for her, with a little extra on top this time for the priestess's silence. She would ignore Lidia's usual protests about her services being free, and turn to Dianna.

Dianna smiled at the priestess in agreement, "Yes, thank you so much for your help!"
She would have paid Lidia some silvers... But it looked like this Charity girl was VERY charitable after all! Not just one platinum coin, but a handful!

Her jaw nearly dropped in utter shock. She'd only seen Dukes and Barons throw around that kind of money, her own family not included, most Dukes and other Nobility tended to be far more frugal with their money!
She timidly put away her meager bag of gold and silver, a soldiers pay, hoping nobody noticed.

"Ready for that bath?" Charity asked with an impish grin. She hadn't expected to discover such a beautiful woman that night, let alone fight her! And taking a bath together -well in the same small communal bath at any rate- was just the cherry on top. Charity blushed as she held out her hand to help Dianna up. An imaginary image of her naked flashed in the front of Charity's mind, and she quickly shook the thought out of her mind.

Dianna shook herself out of her shock.
"Yes! A bath sounds lovely! It must be a communal bath, will it be heated? I don't mind either way, it'll be enjoyable regardless after this evening."
She was audibly relieved, a bath would do wonders for them both right now and she was really looking forward to it.

With a wave to Lidia, Charity led Dianna by the hand down a short hallway to the baths. She had been unwilling to let go of her new friend, telling herself that she was doing it so Dianna wouldn't get lost, even though the bath was only a few rooms over from where they had been healed. Eventually the reached the bath, and Charity had no choice but to reluctantly release Dianna's hand.

Charity leaned over to test the water and began to undress without a thought to modesty or worrying about Dianna.

Dianna followed along, taking in the sights of the temple as they went, letting Charity be her guide since she was so familiar with this place.

When they arrived at the bath Dianna also had no problem stripping down with a companion. If her companion were a man it would have been a different story, but she felt no compunction dressing down in front of another woman.
She grew up with a sister after all.

"So... You said you were from Mardus?" she asked, sneaking a peek over at Dianna, before blushing furiously and turning away. "What's it like? Is it a big city like Alliria?"

Dianna folded her clothes neatly on a bench, giving Charity a liberal view of her backside when she glanced over at her.
"I'm from Mardania, yes. The country. Mardus is the capital and that's where I grew up."
She walked past Charity and dipped her toe into the water before easing her whole foot in with a sigh.
"Mardus is certainly a big city. I don't think we have as robust of a population, but the city itself is magnitudes larger than Alliria!

"They say it was built by giants and might have even been a floating city in the clouds before it came to be where it is now."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Yes! A bath sounds lovely! It must be a communal bath, will it be heated? I don't mind either way, it'll be enjoyable regardless after this evening."

"Yes, it is a communal bath," Charity said a bit apprehensively. She was nervous about bathing with Dianna, but the prospect greatly excited her. "The water is always the perfect temperature!" Charity helped Dianna stand. "And I don't know how they do it, but everyone always leaves smelling really nice!"

They very quickly arrived at the baths, and Charity got undressed. She threw her clothes in the general direction of a bench, where her pants landed on the seat, but her shirt hit the wall behind the bench and dropped to the floor. Staring at the pile of clothes for a moment, Charity contemplated whether it was really worth it to go tidy them up. No, she decided with a small shrug and turned to watch Dianna. By the time Dianna had finished undressing, Charity was practically drooling. She tried to act like she hadn't been staring as Dianna turned and walked past her into the bath.

Charity's face was bright red as she followed a short distance behind Dianna, and sat on the edge of the bath next to her instead of entering. Sure Dianna might have the upper hand, but only slightly...

Why was she being so self-conscious? It wasn't like she and Dianna were that different. Charity had slept many different women all of different shapes and sizes, without giving any of that a second thought. So what made Dianna any different than the other naked women she had seen? She lowered her feet into the water and idly kicked, while hugging her chest.

"I'm from Mardania, yes. The country. Mardus is the capital and that's where I grew up."
She walked past Charity and dipped her toe into the water before easing her whole foot in with a sigh.
"Mardus is certainly a big city. I don't think we have as robust of a population, but the city itself is magnitudes larger than Alliria!

"Oh. I see! So where is Mardania located?" Charity struggled to imagine a city larger than Alliria. The only other cities she had visited were Fal'Addas and Vel Anir, and those had been noticeably smaller than Alliria. Charity wasn't really sure if such a place could exist, but she had no reason to distrust Dianna.

"They say it was built by giants and might have even been a floating city in the clouds before it came to be where it is now."

"Wow... sounds like an amazing place!" Charity slid off the side of the bath and lowered herself into the water a respectful distance from her new friend. She hugged her knees to her chest as her mind briefly wandered from thoughts of Dianna's naked form to what kinds of loot or profitable artifacts a city like that might have to offer. She had never traveled to anywhere outside of Alliria with the sole purpose of seeing what treasures she could collect, outside of looking during the odd jobs her father sent her on. "I'd love to see Mardus one day." And get my hands on their loot! Charity added mentally.

Charity stood and walked the few feet to the other side of the bath. She grabbed two bars of soap and returned to her original position. "What was it like growing up in a massive city built by giants?" Charity asked, passing a bar of soap over to Dianna. "Is everything giant-sized?" She began to wash herself, sneaking in glances at Dianna whenever she thought she could get away with it.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Yes, it is a communal bath," Charity said a bit apprehensively. She was nervous about bathing with Dianna, but the prospect greatly excited her. "The water is always the perfect temperature!" Charity helped Dianna stand. "And I don't know how they do it, but everyone always leaves smelling really nice!"

They very quickly arrived at the baths, and Charity got undressed. She threw her clothes in the general direction of a bench, where her pants landed on the seat, but her shirt hit the wall behind the bench and dropped to the floor. Staring at the pile of clothes for a moment, Charity contemplated whether it was really worth it to go tidy them up. No, she decided with a small shrug and turned to watch Dianna. By the time Dianna had finished undressing, Charity was practically drooling. She tried to act like she hadn't been staring as Dianna turned and walked past her into the bath.

Charity's face was bright red as she followed a short distance behind Dianna, and sat on the edge of the bath next to her instead of entering. Sure Dianna might have the upper hand, but only slightly...

Why was she being so self-conscious? It wasn't like she and Dianna were that different. Charity had slept many different women all of different shapes and sizes, without giving any of that a second thought. So what made Dianna any different than the other naked women she had seen? She lowered her feet into the water and idly kicked, while hugging her chest.


"Oh. I see! So where is Mardania located?" Charity struggled to imagine a city larger than Alliria. The only other cities she had visited were Fal'Addas and Vel Anir, and those had been noticeably smaller than Alliria. Charity wasn't really sure if such a place could exist, but she had no reason to distrust Dianna.

"Mardania is about a week's journey from the the Northwestern arm of The Spine. About two weeks if you include the journey from the Portal Stone to Mardania."
Dianna sank into the warm water with a relieved sigh, and she just let the heat soothe her as she lowered herself so the water came up to her neck.

Dianna, was generously proportioned, but her musculature wasn't immediately obvious until she flexed.
She was oblivious to Charity's struggles as she simply did what came naturally.

"Wow... sounds like an amazing place!" Charity slid off the side of the bath and lowered herself into the water a respectful distance from her new friend. She hugged her knees to her chest as her mind briefly wandered from thoughts of Dianna's naked form to what kinds of loot or profitable artifacts a city like that might have to offer. She had never traveled to anywhere outside of Alliria with the sole purpose of seeing what treasures she could collect, outside of looking during the odd jobs her father sent her on. "I'd love to see Mardus one day." And get my hands on their loot! Charity added mentally.

Charity stood and walked the few feet to the other side of the bath. She grabbed two bars of soap and returned to her original position. "What was it like growing up in a massive city built by giants?" Charity asked, passing a bar of soap over to Dianna. "Is everything giant-sized?" She began to wash herself, sneaking in glances at Dianna whenever she thought she could get away with it.

Dianna nodded excitedly as she accepted the bar of soap.
"Yes, every house in the city is massive! Entire communities and villages live inside each house with ease, the walls are around eight hundred feet tall, and the palace is truly massive!"
It was obvious that she was excited about the topic of her homeland.
Even as she started lathering up her body with soap she continued to talk about Mardus.
"And even more impressive than the size, the entire city is made of a special kind of glass! When the sun hits the city you can see light refractions everywhere and rainbows fill the sky!"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Mardania is about a week's journey from the the Northwestern arm of The Spine. About two weeks if you include the journey from the Portal Stone to Mardania."

"Quite a ways away then..." Charity mused. A two week journey. Might as well be on the other side of the world in Charity's mind.

Charity continued to study Dianna as they woman talked about her homeland. While they had appeared to similarly proportioned at a cursory glance, Charity could now see that Dianna did indeed have the upper hand in Charity's imaginary battle of bodies. And not just by a small margin. Not that Charity was complaining.

She could feel herself gradually relaxing around Dianna, becoming less concerned with comparisons, and being self-conscious, and switching to openly staring and light lusting.

Dianna nodded excitedly as she accepted the bar of soap.
"Yes, every house in the city is massive! Entire communities and villages live inside each house with ease, the walls are around eight hundred feet tall, and the palace is truly massive!"

"Really?! Entire villages?" Charity asked incredulously. It was hard for her to imagine a building of such a massive scale. The city must be a sight to behold.

"And even more impressive than the size, the entire city is made of a special kind of glass! When the sun hits the city you can see light refractions everywhere and rainbows fill the sky!"

"I bet its just beautiful!" Charity smiled and scooched over to sit right next to Dianna. She could see Dianna's hard muscles flexing and moving as she cleaned herself. Charity's heart increased its pounding as she openly stared at Dianna. She knew the woman was powerful from their fight, but found the combination of iron muscle hidden under soft skin fascinating.

Dianna's passion and excitement for her homeland was starting to rub off on Charity, causing any lingering embarrassment she had been feeling to fade entirely into the background. "Are there still giants living there?" she asked excitedly, as she turned to fully face Dianna and began washing herself. "Oh! And you said you were a noblewoman right? Does your family own many of those large houses?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Quite a ways away then..." Charity mused. A two week journey. Might as well be on the other side of the world in Charity's mind.

Dianna nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, especially when you also account for the journey across the Reach the get to Alliria from the other side of the Portal Stone. It adds a couple more weeks, totalling to about a month to travel between the two!"

Charity continued to study Dianna as the woman talked about her homeland. While they had appeared to be similarly proportioned at a cursory glance, Charity could now see that Dianna did indeed have the upper hand in Charity's imaginary battle of bodies. And not just by a small margin. Not that Charity was complaining.

She could feel herself gradually relaxing around Dianna, becoming less concerned with comparisons, and being self-conscious, and switching to openly staring and light lusting.

"Really?! Entire villages?" Charity asked incredulously. It was hard for her to imagine a building of such a massive scale. The city must be a sight to behold.

"I bet its just beautiful!" Charity smiled and scooched over to sit right next to Dianna. She could see Dianna's hard muscles flexing and moving as she cleaned herself. Charity's heart increased its pounding as she openly stared at Dianna. She knew the woman was powerful from their fight, but found the combination of iron muscle hidden under soft skin fascinating.

Dianna smiled in reminiscing, "Yes, indeed it is. Some people call it the City of Rainbows or the City of the Sun. It also has many fountains all over the city, so it is often called the City of Fountains."

Dianna's passion and excitement for her homeland was starting to rub off on Charity, causing any lingering embarrassment she had been feeling to fade entirely into the background. "Are there still giants living there?" she asked excitedly, as she turned to fully face Dianna and began washing herself. "Oh! And you said you were a noblewoman right? Does your family own many of those large houses?"

She was thoughtful for a moment.
"Yes... A few giants have come to live amongst us, but they are rare and make up less than three percent of the population. At least they are able to make full use of the houses faculties since they are made for people of their size. Other giants simply make pilgrimages to see the city.
Some of our researchers claim that the entire city used to be inhabited by giants, but if the city wasn't originally in the sky, there's very few explanations for where they went.

"And, yes! My father is a Duke, he rules over four houses inside the city, and he also has lands outside the city."
She lathered herself with the bar of soup then submerged her body again to rinse it off, then she started undoing her braid to prepare to wash it, letting her long wavy hair free down her back.
She glanced over at Charity and noticed her staring and saw that she hadn't started washing herself.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Would you like for me to wash your back? Then you can wash mine! I love your haircut, by the way, it's very practical and low maintenance."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

She was thoughtful for a moment.
"Yes... A few giants have come to live amongst us, but they are rare and make up less than three percent of the population. At least they are able to make full use of the houses faculties since they are made for people of their size. Other giants simply make pilgrimages to see the city.
Some of our researchers claim that the entire city used to be inhabited by giants, but if the city wasn't originally in the sky, there's very few explanations for where they went.

"So there are still giants!" Charity gasped. "Have you met any of them? Are they nice?" She stopped and took a moment to think. "Oh! Or are they big strong brutes like you hear about in fairy tales throwing rocks around?"

"And, yes! My father is a Duke, he rules over four houses inside the city, and he also has lands outside the city."

"Four houses?!" Charity attempted to comprehend how much area that was. But then Dianna began to wash herself and all other thoughts exited Charity's head.

She glanced over at Charity and noticed her staring and saw that she hadn't started washing herself.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Would you like for me to wash your back? Then you can wash mine! I love your haircut, by the way, it's very practical and low maintenance."

"Wha-?" Charity had been so transfixed by watching Dianna bathe, that she had stopped listening some time ago. Her face became flushed and she hastily apologized. "Oh! S-Sorry... I guess I got a little distracted too." She offered Dianna a small apologetic smile. "But I couldn't help myself... You're very pretty!" Charity found herself blurting out before she could stop the words leaving her mouth.

Charity's hand flew to her mouth and her face grew a deeper shade of red. Out of all the things she could've said, why did she have to tell Dianna the truth? "Sorry again..." she mumbled from behind her hand.

"Umm...A-Anyway... I would very much appreciate your help washing my back." Charity said in a small voice. She turned her back to Dianna praying she hadn't ruined the friendship that was blooming with her outburst. "I'll do the same for you after, okay?"

Charity was still red as a tomato as Dianna set to work washing her back, but her compliments drew her back out of her embarrassment. "My haircut? Oh thank you!" Charity chirped happily. "Yes! Very practical! It never gets tangled, and it stays out of my face when I'm running around the city or fighting! And all I have to do to fix it is clip it off to the side. On top of all that, I think it looks cute!"

She twisted around so she could look at Dianna. "Hearing you say you like it really makes me happy! Most women I meet tell me I should grow it out because it makes me look like a boy." Charity turned back around so Dianna could continue. "I like you hairstyle too! It looks beautiful, and your hair is such a lovely color!" She sat quietly for a moment before adding, "Doesn't it get in your way though? Most female soldiers I see don't tend to wear it past their shoulders."

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"So there are still giants!" Charity gasped. "Have you met any of them? Are they nice?" She stopped and took a moment to think. "Oh! Or are they big strong brutes like you hear about in fairy tales throwing rocks around?"

Dianna chuckled at this.
"The giants I've met that come and live with us are nice, as are those who make pilgrimages to see the giant city, although they're reclusive as ever and mistrustful of us smaller folk. And a minority even amongst their kind, usually outcasts. More tribal and savage giants live in the Spine or forests and sometimes cause trouble for travelers or our outlying border towns, but those attacks are relatively rare."

"Four houses?!" Charity attempted to comprehend how much area that was. But then Dianna began to wash herself and all other thoughts exited Charity's head.


"Wha-?" Charity had been so transfixed by watching Dianna bathe, that she had stopped listening some time ago. Her face became flushed and she hastily apologized. "Oh! S-Sorry... I guess I got a little distracted too." She offered Dianna a small apologetic smile. "But I couldn't help myself... You're very pretty!" Charity found herself blurting out before she could stop the words leaving her mouth.

Charity's hand flew to her mouth and her face grew a deeper shade of red. Out of all the things she could've said, why did she have to tell Dianna the truth? "Sorry again..." she mumbled from behind her hand.

Dianna didn't think anything of Charity's comment on her prettyness, it was her reaction to her own admission that made her slightly suspicious.
But she shrugging it off. It wasn't strange for a girl to think another girl was pretty, Charity was very pretty herself, so she had no reason to feel insecure around Dianna.

Dianna smiled reassuringly.
"Aww, thanks! You're very pretty as well, miss Charity."
She felt like she was talking to her younger sister, trying to get her to be more confident in her natural beauty.

"Umm...A-Anyway... I would very much appreciate your help washing my back." Charity said in a small voice. She turned her back to Dianna praying she hadn't ruined the friendship that was blooming with her outburst. "I'll do the same for you after, okay?"

Dianna grinned brightly at her new friend.
"Deal!"
She immediately set herself to lathering soap on Charity's bare back, running her fingers lightly across her skin and sliding the bar of soap around.
She ran her hands across Charity's muscles in wonderment, wondering how she could generate so much force in such a small body, and even overpower her.
She also took the opportunity to examine her tattoos, tracing the patterns with her fingers.
"This flower is pretty... Do your tattoos have any meaning or do you just like them?"

Charity was still red as a tomato as Dianna set to work washing her back, but her compliments drew her back out of her embarrassment. "My haircut? Oh thank you!" Charity chirped happily. "Yes! Very practical! It never gets tangled, and it stays out of my face when I'm running around the city or fighting! And all I have to do to fix it is clip it off to the side. On top of all that, I think it looks cute!"

"It does look very cute, and I like the red color. Is it natural?"

She twisted around so she could look at Dianna. "Hearing you say you like it really makes me happy! Most women I meet tell me I should grow it out because it makes me look like a boy."

Dianna smiled, "I'm glad I can make you happy, I think it makes you look absolutely adorable!"

Charity turned back around so Dianna could continue. "I like you hairstyle too! It looks beautiful, and your hair is such a lovely color!" She sat quietly for a moment before adding, "Doesn't it get in your way though? Most female soldiers I see don't tend to wear it past their shoulders."

She glanced at her own long strands of hair that hung almost down to her waist.
"It does sometimes get in the way, but only in extreme circumstances and when I'm very unlucky. I keep it in a braid and that keeps it out of the way, but it's come undone before when I'm riding and gotten in my face before.

I would honestly rather chop it off in those situations, but it's because I'm nobility. In Mardania there are very defined roles for noble women, and even though I decided to become a knight, I am still expected to present myself according to my station when not on duty."
She draped a lock of blonde hair over Charity's shoulder.
"But I don't hate it so much. Like you said, and I agree, it's beautiful and a woman's glory is in her hair, is it not?"
She giggled and put her hair under her nose like a mustache, curling her upper lip to hold it in place and leaning around so Charity can see.

It was a little strange... To have been fighting this girl one minute to being friends the next. But Dianna had a good feeling about this Allirian.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Dianna smiled reassuringly.
"Aww, thanks! You're very pretty as well, miss Charity."
She felt like she was talking to her younger sister, trying to get her to be

"You really think so?" Charity's blush deepened. She could tell Dianna words were sincere, but struggled to accept the compliment. "I appreciate you saying so, but I'm really not. I'm... Cute if anything..."

She also took the opportunity to examine her tattoos, tracing the patterns with her fingers.
"This flower is pretty... Do your tattoos have any meaning or do you just like them?"

Charity hesitated for a long moment before answering. What could she say? She certainly couldn't tell Dianna that she was a thief and a member of a criminal organization, and that the tattoos were markings for that. "Umm... I guess I just thought they were pretty. My sisters have rose tattoos too so I got one to match."

"It does look very cute, and I like the red color. Is it natural?"

"It is natural! Well... Kinda of. I was a blond up until a few months ago. Because of some magic I encountered, my hair turned red and has been like that since." Charity hoped Dianna sense that she didn't really wants to talk about it and wouldn't press the issue.

I would honestly rather chop it off in those situations, but it's because I'm nobility. In Mardania there are very defined roles for noble women, and even though I decided to become a knight, I am still expected to present myself according to my station when not on duty."
She draped a lock of blonde hair over Charity's shoulder.
"But I don't hate it so much. Like you said, and I agree, it's beautiful and a woman's glory is in her hair, is it not?"

"So why don't you cut it then?" Charity asked. As a commoner, she had no inkling of higher social procedure, and didn't really understand what being a noblewoman had to do with how long Dianna's hair had to be. "Not like they're going to come here to check how your hair looks. Its your hair, why let somebody else decide what you do with it?" Charity shrugged. That's what she would've done in Dianna's position.

"Oh yes! Its very beautiful!" Charity chimed in. "Hair is part of the glory!" Charity agreed. There were other glorious parts of a woman as she had come to learn over the years, and she wondered if Dianna knew about them. "I have always admired and envied women who had long hair." Charity admitted.

Charity tentatively reached over and played with the lock of hair that Dianna had draped over her shoulder. Suddenly Dianna leaned around her, another lock of hair resting on her lip like a moustache. She looked at the woman for a moment before bursting out laughing. Charity leaned against Dianna as she tried to catch her breath.

A warm, somewhat unfamiliar feeling spread through Charity. A feeling that she hadn't really experienced with other women. She recognized it immediately as love, but didn't dare to believe it. Charity shook her head. She had just met Dianna. It was WAY too soon to be falling in love.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"You really think so?" Charity's blush deepened. She could tell Dianna words were sincere, but struggled to accept the compliment. "I appreciate you saying so, but I'm really not. I'm... Cute if anything..."

She smirked incredulously. Almost word for word what her sister would say, except as an anxious teen her sister wouldn't even accept that she was cute.
"Nonsense! Beauty is in the eye of the observer, and I say you're beautiful!"
She said with finality, cutting off any disagreement.

Charity hesitated for a long moment before answering. What could she say? She certainly couldn't tell Dianna that she was a thief and a member of a criminal organization, and that the tattoos were markings for that. "Umm... I guess I just thought they were pretty. My sisters have rose tattoos too so I got one to match."

Dianna raised an eyebrow, "Sisters? You have siblings? How wonderful! I'm glad you are so close with them!
I have a sister as well, younger. She's back home attending a finishing school for nobles, which is what I would have done if I hadn't become a knight."

"It is natural! Well... Kinda of. I was a blond up until a few months ago. Because of some magic I encountered, my hair turned red and has been like that since." Charity hoped Dianna sense that she didn't really wants to talk about it and wouldn't press the issue.

Dianna was at least perceptive enough to not pursue the topic, so she just finished by saying, "Interesting, well it's very pretty, Charity. I like it."

"So why don't you cut it then?" Charity asked. As a commoner, she had no inkling of higher social procedure, and didn't really understand what being a noblewoman had to do with how long Dianna's hair had to be. "Not like they're going to come here to check how your hair looks. Its your hair, why let somebody else decide what you do with it?" Charity shrugged. That's what she would've done in Dianna's position.

She chuckled humorlessly, "I'm in the military. Haircut is the least of the things they check, and as a noble I can't look like I worry about things like functionality, just beauty. Besides, I don't want my mother to disown me if I ever go back home, she's very much a woman of aristocracy."
It was so easy to talk about her true feelings with Charity, she had money but didn't seem like the daughter of a noble, so perhaps a wealthy businessman or merchant.
But she was a down-to-earth kind of girl, and Dianna found it refreshing.

"Oh yes! Its very beautiful!" Charity chimed in. "Hair is part of the glory!" Charity agreed. There were other glorious parts of a woman as she had come to learn over the years, and she wondered if Dianna knew about them. "I have always admired and envied women who had long hair." Charity admitted.

Dianna smiled, a little pleased with herself for lightening the mood from their previous conversation.
"Long hair can be fun, there's so many different hairstyles to try and make yourself look good, or even just loose well groomed hair can have a stunning effect if treated right! You can curl it, straighten it, wave it, tie it up in a bun or a braid, the options are nearly limitless!"

Charity tentatively reached over and played with the lock of hair that Dianna had draped over her shoulder. Suddenly Dianna leaned around her, another lock of hair resting on her lip like a moustache. She looked at the woman for a moment before bursting out laughing. Charity leaned against Dianna as she tried to catch her breath.

A warm, somewhat unfamiliar feeling spread through Charity. A feeling that she hadn't really experienced with other women. She recognized it immediately as love, but didn't dare to believe it. Charity shook her head. She had just met Dianna. It was WAY too soon to be falling in love.

Dianna laughed with her and hugged Charity's shoulders briefly when she leaned against her. Charity even had a nice laugh! Whatever in the world did she have to feel insecure about?
She found a small bucket nearby and scooped up warm water to rinse the soap off her back.

"Alright, your turn to wash my back!"
She handed her the bucket and turned around on the bench, she gathered up her hair and moved over her left shoulder, using her bar of soap to lather up her hair and wash it in the water while Charity started on her.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

She smirked incredulously. Almost word for word what her sister would say, except as an anxious teen her sister wouldn't even accept that she was cute.
"Nonsense! Beauty is in the eye of the observer, and I say you're beautiful!"
She said with finality, cutting off any disagreement.

"But I'm not!" Charity protested. What kind of crazy person would find a rough tomboy beautiful? She knew that she wasn't a classic beauty. Charity opened her mouth as she had more to say, but Dianna's words were firm and left no room for discussion. "I-... Thank you." Charity smiled to herself. If a beautiful woman like Dianna thought that she was beautiful, then she supposed that's all there was to it.

Dianna raised an eyebrow, "Sisters? You have siblings? How wonderful! I'm glad you are so close with them!
I have a sister as well, younger. She's back home attending a finishing school for nobles, which is what I would have done if I hadn't become a knight."

"I have many sisters!" Charity said excitedly. "There's Faustian, Cate, Greta, Victoria, Violet... Uhh... Anyway, it's a big family and I'm very close with most of them! No brothers though." That was still something Charity had never figured out. "You have a sister too? What is she like?" Charity asked.

She chuckled humorlessly, "I'm in the military. Haircut is the least of the things they check, and as a noble I can't look like I worry about things like functionality, just beauty. Besides, I don't want my mother to disown me if I ever go back home, she's very much a woman of aristocracy."

"Yeah, I guess what haircut you have wouldn't really matter to the military as long as it didn't get in the way." Charity mused. But beauty over functionality was an alien idea to her. "Would your mother really disown you? That seems a bit harsh. But I guess a woman of such high standing would be very particular about things." Charity thanked her lucky stars that she had a mother like Gwendolyn who would never disown her for something so trivial as hairstyle.

Alright, your turn to wash my back!"

Dianna hugged Charity's shoulders as they both laughed. It was a nice moment. Charity couldn't say that she disliked being in Dianna's strong arms. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could be safe and secure and not worry about anything, but the moment soon ended. She tucked her new friends supportive words away in case she needed them later. Charity felt a boost to her self-esteem after talking to Dianna even if it was very slight.

She took the bucket, and after filling it with fresh water, began to work on Dianna's back. The woman's muscles were hard as stone under her skin. The muscles of a woman who had spent years doing intense physical training. There was something so enticing about them, and Charity quickly found herself tracing them with her hands instead of scrubbing. It might be soon to fall in love, and I know we just met... Charity thought, a lustful feeling growing within her. But I wonder what it would take to get her into bed...

Charity snapped out of her trance to find her hands sliding towards Dianna's front as if they had a mind of their own. She hastily retracted them hoping Dianna hadn't noticed. She could already tell she was going to have some trouble behaving around Dianna.

"So how do you like working as a guard for the ambassador? Is it a fairly easy job or are they constantly under attack?" Charity asked hastily in an attempt to ward off further indecent thoughts from entering her mind. She retrieved the bar of soap she had dropped, and resumed washing Dianna's back.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"But I'm not!" Charity protested. What kind of crazy person would find a rough tomboy beautiful? She knew that she wasn't a classic beauty. Charity opened her mouth as she had more to say, but Dianna's words were firm and left no room for discussion. "I-... Thank you." Charity smiled to herself. If a beautiful woman like Dianna thought that she was beautiful, then she supposed that's all there was to it.

"I have many sisters!" Charity said excitedly. "There's Faustian, Cate, Greta, Victoria, Violet... Uhh... Anyway, it's a big family and I'm very close with most of them! No brothers though." That was still something Charity had never figured out. "You have a sister too? What is she like?" Charity asked.

Dianna laughed out loud, almost in disbelief.
"Wow, that's a lot of sisters! I always thought one was enough of a mixed curse and blessing!
My sister, Melina. She's actually my stepsister, and my mother is my stepmom. But we have the same father. Melina is a bit of a brat at times but I love her to pieces. I've not seen her since I left to join the military though."
She smiled wistfully thinking about her family.
"I hope she's making lots of friends in school, I'm told it can be a pretty cutthroat place. Elite schools are like that."

"Yeah, I guess what haircut you have wouldn't really matter to the military as long as it didn't get in the way." Charity mused. But beauty over functionality was an alien idea to her. "Would your mother really disown you? That seems a bit harsh. But I guess a woman of such high standing would be very particular about things." Charity thanked her lucky stars that she had a mother like Gwendolyn who would never disown her for something so trivial as hairstyle.

Dianna shook her head, "No, probably not. But I'd certainly get an earful about it at the very least. And she'd probably try to lock me in a tower till my hair grows out again.
It's a beauty standard for noble women in my homeland, that's all. I think my mother already disowns me anyways for becoming a knight instead of a lady."

Dianna hugged Charity's shoulders as they both laughed. It was a nice moment. Charity couldn't say that she disliked being in Dianna's strong arms. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could be safe and secure and not worry about anything, but the moment soon ended. She tucked her new friends supportive words away in case she needed them later. Charity felt a boost to her self-esteem after talking to Dianna even if it was very slight.

She took the bucket, and after filling it with fresh water, began to work on Dianna's back. The woman's muscles were hard as stone under her skin. The muscles of a woman who had spent years doing intense physical training. There was something so enticing about them, and Charity quickly found herself tracing them with her hands instead of scrubbing. It might be soon to fall in love, and I know we just met... Charity thought, a lustful feeling growing within her. But I wonder what it would take to get her into bed...

Charity snapped out of her trance to find her hands sliding towards Dianna's front as if they had a mind of their own. She hastily retracted them hoping Dianna hadn't noticed. She could already tell she was going to have some trouble behaving around Dianna.

Dianna did notice.
She was scrubbing her hair when Charity's hands went to her back. It felt so good to have someone run their hands over her back, it was like a massage and sent chills across her skin.
She visibly relaxed under Charity's touch and let out a long sigh.
She stopped scrubbing her hair and her eyes drifted shut as she simply enjoyed the feeling.

Then she noticed her hands making ground... Slowly touching closer and closer to her front.
That felt good too and she didn't want to stop it, but it was also getting a little... Weird...
Her body shuddered and her eyes snapped open, and just as quickly the hands were on her back again.

"So how do you like working as a guard for the ambassador? Is it a fairly easy job or are they constantly under attack?" Charity asked hastily in an attempt to ward off further indecent thoughts from entering her mind. She retrieved the bar of soap she had dropped, and resumed washing Dianna's back.

Dianna cleared her throat and wondered if she had imagined it. She fished for the bar of soap she dropped.
"It's fairly easy. We've only had one incident since we've arrived."
She kept reaching trying to find the bar of soap.
"Some thief broke into the embassy and we caught them trying to steal confidential documents and such. We handed the thief over to the local authorities."
She rose up a little and discovered that the bar of soap had somehow found it's way under her foot!
Of course, with weight on her foot the bar of soap shot out from under her and her foot slipped with it.
"Whoops!"
She fell backwards into Charity and knocked them both into the bath.

Dianna came back up out of the water quickly and blindly reached for Charity to try and help her up from the last position she felt her.
Her hair had covered her face in a wet golden vail and she couldn't see a thing!
"Sorry Charity, are you alright?!"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Wow, that's a lot of sisters! I always thought one was enough of a mixed curse and blessing!

"Its not so bad. They are all older so there isn't much tension between us!" Charity listened as Dianna lovingly talked about her younger sister. "She sounds like quite a handful! I hope she doesn't cause too much trouble at school!"

"It's fairly easy. We've only had one incident since we've arrived."
She kept reaching trying to find the bar of soap
"Some thief broke into the embassy and we caught them trying to steal confidential documents and such. We handed the thief over to the local authorities."

So Dianna was one of the ones who caught Rosa that night... "That doesn't sound too bad. One pesky little thief is easy enough to deal with! There's a lot of those types here in Alliria. Always grabbing whatever they can get their grubby hands on. If it were me, I'd go for something easier like jewels or money. Something that's easy to hide. Even something small like a brooch can fetch a pretty good price!" Charity realized she might have said too much and stopped. "O-Or so I hear..."

Suddenly, Dianna rose to pick something up, only to slip and send both of them tumbling backwards into the bath! Charity released a yelp as she was sent head over heels.

Dianna came back up out of the water quickly and blindly reached for Charity to try and help her up from the last position she felt her.
Her hair had covered her face in a wet golden vail and she couldn't see a thing!
"Sorry Charity, are you alright?!"

Charity floundered in the water as her back collided with the bottom of the pool. Her flailing hand briefly connected with a mound of soft flesh as she surfaced spluttering. She quickly stood and brushed the water out of her face.

Stifling a giggle as she saw Dianna's state, Charity walked over to her and knelt down. "I'm fine!" She leaned in closer and gently pushed the hair out of Dianna's face with a soft "Boo!" and a grin. "Are you okay?" she asked, valiantly resisting the sudden urge to lean in and kiss the beautiful woman in front of her.

This was becoming too much for Charity to handle and she knew she had to find a way to end the temptation. "C'mon. Let's get out before we drown!" she laughed after double checking that Dianna wasn't hurt. "I'll fetch the towels." Charity exited the pool, any misgivings she had had about her naked form having long ago evaporated thanks to Dianna, and picked up two towels off a nearby bench. She wrapped one around herself, and brought the second to the water's edge holding it open for Dianna.

"Feeling better now?" Charity would ask, wrapping the towel around Dianna and leading her to a bench to sit with her.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Its not so bad. They are all older so there isn't much tension between us!" Charity listened as Dianna lovingly talked about her younger sister. "She sounds like quite a handful! I hope she doesn't cause too much trouble at school!"


So Dianna was one of the ones who caught Rosa that night... "That doesn't sound too bad. One pesky little thief is easy enough to deal with! There's a lot of those types here in Alliria. Always grabbing whatever they can get their grubby hands on. If it were me, I'd go for something easier like jewels or money. Something that's easy to hide. Even something small like a brooch can fetch a pretty good price!" Charity realized she might have said too much and stopped. "O-Or so I hear..."

Suddenly, Dianna rose to pick something up, only to slip and send both of them tumbling backwards into the bath! Charity released a yelp as she was sent head over heels.


Charity floundered in the water as her back collided with the bottom of the pool. Her flailing hand briefly connected with a mound of soft flesh as she surfaced spluttering. She quickly stood and brushed the water out of her face.

Dianna gave a small surprised squeak when she felt a hand grip her breast, but they were both floundering and she brushed it off as an accident. Which it probably was.

Stifling a giggle as she saw Dianna's state, Charity walked over to her and knelt down. "I'm fine!" She leaned in closer and gently pushed the hair out of Dianna's face with a soft "Boo!" and a grin. "Are you okay?" she asked, valiantly resisting the sudden urge to lean in and kiss the beautiful woman in front of her.

Dianna laughed aloud when Charity pushed her hair aside and said, "Boo!".
It's been a while since Dianna had this much fun. Drinking with comrades didn't compare to spending time with another woman and just having a good laugh.
"Yes! I'm fine, glad to see you're not hurt... I'm glad to see in general!"
She laughed again and tried to fix her hair a bit better.

This was becoming too much for Charity to handle and she knew she had to find a way to end the temptation. "C'mon. Let's get out before we drown!" she laughed after double checking that Dianna wasn't hurt. "I'll fetch the towels." Charity exited the pool, any misgivings she had had about her naked form having long ago evaporated thanks to Dianna, and picked up two towels off a nearby bench. She wrapped one around herself, and brought the second to the water's edge holding it open for Dianna.

"Yes, we should probably get out. We're having far too much fun in here!"
She giggled as Charity went and got the towels, then climbed out.

"Feeling better now?" Charity would ask, wrapping the towel around Dianna and leading her to a bench to sit with her.

"Yes, I'm feeling MUCH better! this bath was a good idea. I've not been this relaxed in ages."
Dianna let Charity put the towel around her and then followed her to the bench. She got another towel and started wrapping her hair in it, winding it around her head like a turban to help her hair dry.
She sat down and let herself dry a bit, and wondering about the strange events that led her to a new friend.

Oh yeah! She needed to go back to the tavern and collect her comrades. Maybe Charity would come with her for that? Help her out?
She'll ask her in a bit, Dianna just wanted to relax for now.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Yes, I'm feeling MUCH better! this bath was a good idea. I've not been this relaxed in ages

"Good! Good!" Charity chuckled, wrapping Dianna in a loose side hug. "Yeah, the baths here are the best! I always come out feeling so relaxed!"

When was the last time she had actually spent time alone with a woman without the sole intention of sleeping with her? Charity honestly couldn't recall. She spent a lot of time with her other friends, but that typically resulted with them in bed together.

Charity scooted closer and lightly hugged Dianna's arm. "Tonight has been really fun!" she told Dianna quietly. "Our fight at the tavern was the best one I've had had in gods know how long! I still can't believe how strong you are! And sorry about cracking your head open. I was really worried about you, and I was glad Lidia could fix you up!" She gave Dianna's arm a gentle squeeze.

She sat in contented silence for a while, a smile on her lips, just enjoying the company and friendship of another woman. Her lust had subsided, replaced with a warm sort of happiness. Charity didn't want the moment to end. It was rare for another woman to make her feel truly happy, but Dianna could seemingly do it by her presence alone.

Leaning her head against Dianna's shoulder, Charity pondered the nights events. It had been a wonderful, crazy ride. But one thing gnawed at the back of her mind. Never before had she cared what happened to an opponent. Was it because of something superficial like Dianna being pretty? Was it becuase Charity had merely been in a merciful mood? Or was it fate that they had met and set it all in motion?

Whatever the reason, all Charity knew that she was genuinely happy for once and had Diana to thank for it. She closed her eyes as she leaned against her new friend, content to just enjoy each other's company in silence.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Good! Good!" Charity chuckled, wrapping Dianna in a loose side hug. "Yeah, the baths here are the best! I always come out feeling so relaxed!"

When was the last time she had actually spent time alone with a woman without the sole intention of sleeping with her? Charity honestly couldn't recall. She spent a lot of time with her other friends, but that typically resulted with them in bed together.

Charity scooted closer and lightly hugged Dianna's arm. "Tonight has been really fun!" she told Dianna quietly. "Our fight at the tavern was the best one I've had had in gods know how long! I still can't believe how strong you are! And sorry about cracking your head open. I was really worried about you, and I was glad Lidia could fix you up!" She gave Dianna's arm a gentle squeeze.

Her concern was touching and Dianna couldn't help but return the hugs.
"It was a good fight, you're even stronger than you look!"
She said, putting a hand on Charity's bicep and squeezing it a little. It was far more unyielding than it seemed at a glance, Dianna could feel how hard Charity's muscles were, like corded sinew disguised as muscle.
Charity had mentioned encounters with magic that altered her hair, if she deals with magic regularly perhaps her strength could also be attributed to magic?

"Lidia is a talented healer. I don't even feel dizzy now! So don't worry about me! No harm no foul!"
Dianna continued.

She sat in contented silence for a while, a smile on her lips, just enjoying the company and friendship of another woman. Her lust had subsided, replaced with a warm sort of happiness. Charity didn't want the moment to end. It was rare for another woman to make her feel truly happy, but Dianna could seemingly do it by her presence alone.

Leaning her head against Dianna's shoulder, Charity pondered the nights events. It had been a wonderful, crazy ride. But one thing gnawed at the back of her mind. Never before had she cared what happened to an opponent. Was it because of something superficial like Dianna being pretty? Was it because Charity had merely been in a merciful mood? Or was it fate that they had met and set it all in motion?

Whatever the reason, all Charity knew that she was genuinely happy for once and had Dianna to thank for it. She closed her eyes as she leaned against her new friend, content to just enjoy each other's company in silence.

As they sat and relaxed Charity put her head on Dianna's shoulder.
She looked over at the redhead and a sense of sisterly affection rose in her chest.
In spite of her strength and lack of refinement, there was something so beautiful and pure about Charity that seems to have survived whatever sort of harsh upbringing or demanding training that turned her body into such a weapon.

She rested her head on Charity's in turn and closed her eyes.
She wanted to protect this innocent moment, be another big sister that Charity didn't have to compete with.

It had been late in the evening by the time they arrived, and who knows how late it was now. But the hour seemed to be catching up with her, she was starting to feel sleepy.

She groaned and lifted her head.
"I've got to get back to the tavern and make sure my comrades make it back to the embassy okay. Doubt that barkeep will let them sleep it off on the floor."
She looked down at Charity and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.
"Wanna come with? Help me lug them home?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Her concern was touching and Dianna couldn't help but return the hugs.
"It was a good fight, you're even stronger than you look!"
She said, putting a hand on Charity's bicep and squeezing it a little.

"I... Have a confession to make..." Charity's eyes flicked down to the floor uncertainly before coming back up to Dianna. "I'm not really that strong. I mean I'm probably a bit stronger than a normal girl my size, but most of it isn't raw strength. It's all mostly enhancement magic..."

Charity looked at Dianna with a small frown, feeling like she had somehow cheated during their fight. Not usually something she would worry or feel guilty about, but Dianna was causing all the "usuallys" to get thrown out the window. Charity was relieved to get the guilt off of her chest, and cuddled up to Dianna.

She could feel herself dozing off as they say quietly on the bench. Charity was so comfortable leaning against Dianna and cuddling. And Dianna was so warm... Charity could feel herself beginning to doze off and didn't try to resist it.

"I've got to get back to the tavern and make sure my comrades make it back to the embassy okay. Doubt that barkeep will let them sleep it off on the floor."
She looked down at Charity and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.
"Wanna come with? Help me lug them home?"

Charity was half asleep as she heard Dianna's voice. She moved closer, her face shifting to nuzzle softly against Dianna's neck, and mumbled something incoherently. A dreamy smile appeared on her lips as she felt Dianna tuck her hair behind her ear.

She wanted the moment to last forever. Cuddling up to a strong, supportive, caring woman reminded Charity of her time growing up with Gwen. But with Dianna it was different. The feeling was almost certainly the same, but there was also a slight change that Charity couldn't quite put her finger on.

After a few moments, Charity lifted her head and untangled herself from Dianna. She stood lazily and stretched causing the towel to drop to the floor. "Yeah, I'll help ya..." Charity yawned. "Kinda my fault they ended up like that anyway." She smiled sweetly at Dianna, and went to get dressed.

Charity was in no rush as she pulled on her clothes. They were slightly damp and her shirt was wrinkled, but Charity seemed to care little. She tossed her wet towel into a basket and turned to watch Dianna getting dressed. There was no lust in Charity's eyes, only the expression of somebody examining a piece of fine art.